Spec sheet shows HP entering Chromebook market

Spec sheet shows HP entering Chromebook market
It seems Hewlett-Packard plans to follow Samsung, Acer, and Lenovo into the Chromebook market.The company published a spec sheet for the Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us that reveals a 4-pound model with a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 processor, 16GB SSD, 14-inch LED-backlit display with 1,366x768 resolution, a Webcam, and three USB 2.0 ports.It appears the device will ship in the coming weeks. The spec sheet, spotted by The Verge, lists an advertising embargo date of February 17."The HP Pavilion Chromebook gives you fast and easy access to the things you love and depend on, from a world of Google apps and services to your photos and social networks. And since it's the first Chromebook with a 14-inch diagonal design, you get full-size comfort without giving up full-on mobility," the sheet said.Related storiesAsus weighing Chrome versus AndroidThe Real Deal 193: Road Test - CES edition (podcast)Google shows off Chrome OS tablet ideasCNET News Daily Podcast: Chrome OS tablet mock-ups exciteGoogle seeks to patent new Web app tech Chromebooks are laptops that run Chrome OS, Google's browser-based operating system that runs Web apps rather than traditional native apps. That makes them useful for Google Docs, Web-based e-mail, Facebook, and other mainstream apps. But you can't run iTunes, Skype, Photoshop, many games, and other native software that make use of Windows or OS X interfaces.With the rise of smartphones and tablets, Microsoft doesn't hold the power it once did over the PC market. HP's willingness to sell a Chromebook reflects the fluidity of the new computing landscape. It didn't go as far as Samsung, though, which sells a $249 Chromebook with one of the company's ARM processors.HP has clearly been reading Google's sales pitch for Chrome OS. "Chromebooks are effortlessly simple right out of the box," the sheet said. "And with automatic updates to your apps and the Google Chrome OS, your software and security is kept up to date without you having to lift a finger."An SSD of only 16GB may sound small, but part of the promise of Chromebooks is that a lot of data, like music libraries and photos, can be stored on the cloud.HP declined to comment for this story.


iOS 5.0.1 triggers address book bug for certain users

iOS 5.0.1 triggers address book bug for certain users
Apple's iOS 5.0.1 seems to have created a glitch with the Contacts app for certain users, according to various sources and several posts on the Apple Support Forums.Startup Foundry founder Paul Hontz reported late last week that after updating to 5.0.1, the iPhone was no longer able to associate address book contacts with other apps. Opening the Contacts app would display all the right names. But using the iMessage texting app or even making a phone call would fail to remember the name of a contact and just display the person's phone number.Hontz tweeted about this potential bug and said he heard back from others who ran into similar issues. A search of the Apple Support Forums also revealed several people complaining of the same problem.Apparently, the glitch pops up only under certain conditions.You must have a Verizon iPhone 4S (Hontz said he received no reports from iPhone 4 users) and you must have updated to iOS 5.0.1 using the OTA (over-the-air) method rather than installing it through iTunes on your computer. I have a Verizon iPhone 4S but I updated it via iTunes and have seen no problems with my contacts.Disabling and renabling iCloud contacts didn't fix the glitch for Hontz, but he did list some steps provided by one of his readers, which are detailed at his Web site. (Note: the site has been very slow to load.) Likewise, tech site Redmond Pie also offered a few suggestions to try to resolve the problem.Related storiesiOS 5.0.1 fixes battery drain bug, say early testersiOS 5.0.1 arrives with battery fix in towiOS 5.0.1 didn't fix battery drain bug, say some usersRolled out Thursday, iOS 5.0.1 was supposed to fix a variety of bugs, including the notorious battery drain issue. Responses have been mixed as to whether the update fixed the battery problem, had no effect, or made it worse, though Apple revealed on Friday that it was continuing to investigate a "few remaining issues" with the battery.With ongoing reports of the quick battery drain and this Contacts glitch, Apple may already be busy cooking up iOS 5.0.2 in the labs as it struggles to squash these persistent bugs.Apple did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.


Vudu's 1,100-plus HD movie library bests Apple TV, Netflix, and Xbox Live--for now

Vudu's 1,100-plus HD movie library bests Apple TV, Netflix, and Xbox Live--for now
Vudu is now offering more than 1,100 movies in high-def, making it No. 1 in on-demand HD. The company says that it blew past the 1,000-title milestone by adding more than 150 HD flicks per week in October, and it's pledging to continue its HD focus in the weeks and months ahead. (The HD selections represent about 11 percent of Vudu's total library of on-demand movies.)Indeed, a quick examination of competing services seems to bear out Vudu's claim. We counted more than 1,100 HD movies available through Vudu's box (including about 200 that are also offered in Vudu's Blu-rayesque HDX format), compared to 391 on Xbox Live Marketplace, and something south of 700 on Apple iTunes.(Netflix will be kicking off its own HD streaming service later this month with a mere 300 titles.)By comparison, Amazon's Blu-ray inventory--i.e. the total number of Blu-rays available--shows a total of close to 2,000 titles, though that includes TV shows and prerelease discs.The Vudu BX100 retails for $300, but a limited-time promotion includes a $200 movie credit for those who purchase the unit at Best Buy, lowering the effective cost to just $100. Vudu HD and HDX movie rentals cost $4 to $6 each.So: is this a big enough HD movie library for you to take the plunge on Vudu? Or are you sticking with Blu-ray?


Vudu adds TV shows

Vudu adds TV shows
When we reviewed the Vudu back in September, we said "only feature films are available, but Vudu says that TV shows are on the roadmap." Vudu made good on that pledge today, adding 12 TV shows to its content roster. Episodes are available for $1.99 each--the same price you'd pay for TV shows on Apple's iTunes Store. TV content on Vudu is said to be "in beta," but it should be available to all Vudu owners as of today. The initial dozen shows offered are: 24, Arrested Development, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Guy, Firefly, Lost in Space, My Name is Earl, NYPD Blue, Prison Break, The Riches, Shark, and The Shield. While all of the TV shows will be available in standard-definition, Vudu has been experimenting with HD programming as well. Today marks the availability of The Bourne Ultimatum on Vudu--the same day it hits DVD and HD DVD--in standard and high-definition versions. The previous two Bourne movies have been available for free viewing on Vudu in HD since November 23, and the company says that "more HD will be coming."Update: For the record, The Bourne Ultimatum is available only to buy for now (as a permanent download to the Vudu box).Rental options may follow in the future on Vudu and other digital download providers.


CNET's March Madness toolkit

CNET's March Madness toolkit
March Madness' home on the Web is the NCAA's March Madness on Demand site. You'll find all 63 games streamed live, and if you install Microsoft's Silverlight technology you get higher-quality video augmented by integrated team coverage, interactive boards, and a "boss button" so you can bury it all and bring up a phony spreadsheet if The Man walks by. After a game, hit the site for highlights, a full game replay, and buzzer beaters. (Disclosure: CNET is a division of CBS, whose CBS Sports unit broadcasts March Madness.) On the iPhone and iPod Touch there's a March Madness on Demand app that will bring you a live stream of all 63 games.It's powered by MobiTV and also offers game previews, post-game highlights, and tournament news updates.They say it will do all this over an EDGE or 3G connection and offer game audio only if you just want to listen in. It costs $4.99 in the iTunes App Store.Many other cell phones can become miniature March Madness televisions this year thanks to MediaFLO technology. Rather than a glitchy Web stream, this is a dedicated digital video signal to your phone. It looks really good. You need to check with your carrier to see if you have coverage in your market and the right phone to receive it. AT&T has the rights to offer all the games, and Verizon will pick up East and West contests. Back home on the couch, CBS Sports has the broadcast and there's some good stuff in DirecTV's Mega March Madness package if you're willing to part with $69. It will put up to four live games on your TV at once in a four-way split screen with the ability to switch between them, a streaming stats ticker, and interactive brackets. And of course you can beam March Madness from your living room to any connected computer and most smartphones using one of the SlingBox variants.


Chrome Packaged Apps gaining Android powers

Chrome Packaged Apps gaining Android powers
The foundation for making Web apps as powerful as native code is slowly sliding into place, as Google announced new back-end support for its Chrome Packaged Apps in a Chrome dev update on Monday.Related stories:Asus weighing Chrome versus AndroidThe Real Deal 193: Road Test - CES edition (podcast)Browse safely with Internet ExplorerDigg reworks its browser extensions, Boxee appYouTube begins HTML5 rolloutThe new support, expected in the stable version of Chrome in around six weeks, allows Packaged Apps to use a new set of APIs (application programming interfaces). Packaged Apps are a variant of Web sites, like Gmail, that are designed to load flawlessly even when not connected to the Internet.These include the In App Payments API that's built on Google Wallet; the Identity API for authentication; the Native Messaging API so that Chrome apps can communicate with native apps; a Media Gallery API for accessing locally stored music, image, and video files, including from iTunes; a Bluetooth 4.0-based API that Google says will let the Web apps connect to Low Energy health-tracking devices; and an Analytics API for monitoring app user data.Some of the additional features will provide developers with more feature-rich options that native apps have been able to lord over the Web. In the In App Payments API, for example, Google notes that developers will be able to build simple one-time and subscription-based billing into their Web apps. The Identity API will let developers provide more granular control over how much information about user behavior in an app becomes available to the public. It's small improvements like these that Google and other browser developers hope will continue to keep developers interested in coding for the Web, as well as making Chrome a bit more like Android. But keep those dreams of Chrome and Android merging in check -- that's still years away.


Apple sets WWDC 2014 for June 2 to 6

Apple sets WWDC 2014 for June 2 to 6
Mac and iOS software developers, mark your calendars: Apple's next Worldwide DevelopersConference will take place the first week in June.Apple on Thursday announced that WWDC 2014 has been scheduled for June 2 to 6 and will take place where it's often been found in the past: San Francisco's Moscone West center. Tickets will be available through the WWDC Web site now through 10 a.m. PT Monday, but they'll likely be gone long before then. WWDC tickets typically are gone within the first couple hours afterApple puts them on sale. Last year, the conference sold out in mere minutes.Apple said that tickets will beissued through random selection and that developers will know theirstatus by 5 p.m. PT Monday. Those selected will have to pony up $1,599 per ticket.The company plans to have more than 1,000 of its engineers at the conference to lead hands-on labs and other events to guide attendees through the inner workings of iOS and OS X.One big question leading into this year's WWDC: will Apple introduce iOS 8, and what new features will come in that next version of the mobile operating system? Rumors have suggested changes including Mac apps coming to the iPhone and iTunes Radio being broken out as a separate app. The most recent significant update, iOS 7.1, brought CarPlay for integrating the iPhone into car dashboards, along with updates to Siri and Touch ID.Last fall's OS X Mavericks release, meanwhile, brought some iOS features into the fold for Mac users. CNET reviewer Jason Parker considered the update "more evolutionary than revolutionary."But don't go looking for a merger of iOS and OS X. Apple execs have been quite clear that they consider such an effort a "waste of energy."Update 6:45 a.m. PT: This story has been expanded with additional background.


Apple sets deadline for retiring old device ID system

Apple sets deadline for retiring old device ID system
It's official. Apple will longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs. The company has set a May 1 deadline for this new policy."Starting May 1, the App Store will no longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs," Apple wrote on its developer Web site today. "Please update your apps and servers to associate users with the Vendor or Advertising identifiers introduced in iOS 6."UDIDs are the unique string of numbers that individually identifies each iOS device. Typically, they have been used by developers as a way to track app installations across Apple's user base. By tracking users, companies can tailor advertising to each individual. However, tracking users also comes with a host of privacy concerns.Theoretically, developers have known for more than a year that Apple's UDID change was coming. The company announced in March 2012 that it was beginning to roll out a rejection process for apps that access UDIDs. When Apple launched iOS 6 last September, it built a new preference toggle called Advertising Identifier that lets users choose whether to be hit with targeted ads or not. As noted in its statement today, the company is pushing developers to use this technology, which doesn't access users' personal information.The big question, however, is what about all of those apps that are already in Apple's App Store and currently access UDID? A source familiar with Apple's new policy told CNET that the company will not remove older apps that have not been updated to adhere to the policy.In addition to setting a deadline for apps that access UDIDs, Apple also announced today that by May 1 all new apps and app updates must support Retina display and the longer, more slender iPhone 5. "Starting May 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina display and iPhone apps must also support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5," Apple wrote on its developer Web site.


Apple sells a record $17 billion in debt

Apple sells a record $17 billion in debt
Apple had a field day with its first debt offering since 1996. Investors hungrily gobbled up $17 billion in Apple bonds, the largest offering in corporate history. The proceeds will be used to help fund the company's ambitious plan to return value to shareholders through share repurchases and dividend payouts. The bond sale comes on the heels of Apple's plans to double its capital return program, which involves spending an additional $55 billion in dividend payments to investors. Apple also said it would be spending an extra $50 billion in repurchasing company stock along with increasing its quarterly dividend. The bond offering was split up into six parts with varying maturity dates. Apple benefited from historically low interest rates, which are set by the U.S. Treasury.Apple brings a little cool -- and stability -- to the bond market. The company's debt is considered safe because of its cash hoard, which it said grew to $145 billion in the last quarter. Of that total, roughly $100 billion is held overseas, and Apple would have to pay a hefty tax to bring it back into the U.S.As such, it is more cost-effective to offer debt when the interest rate is so low. The last time Apple issued any sort of debt was in 1996, when the company's future was quite uncertain. The plan then was for $573 million in notes that could be converted into Apple stock at a fixed price.Apple's stock has been on the mend for the past week, closing higher for the past seven days of trading, bringing it back to levels recorded near the end of March.Shares in Apple inched up 0.6 percent to $442.78 in premarket trading on Wednesday.


Apple selling refurbished iPads, MacBooks, and iPods on eBay-

Apple selling refurbished iPads, MacBooks, and iPods on eBay?
Maybe it's that Black Friday shopping time of year or maybe Apple is trying an experiment, but it appears that the company now may be selling its refurbished products on eBay.According to 9to5Mac, which noticed the site a few weeks ago, the eBay store has been up for about a month, and many aspects of it exactly mimic Apple's Web store. For example, the refurbished products are the exact same price and come with the same perks as the Apple Store, like a one-year warranty, original OS, and "final quality inspection by Apple." Operating under the guise of "refurbished outlet," this seller has a 99.7 percent approval rating and has received comments like, "Great product, awesome price, Apple backed warranty!! This rocks." Neither Apple nor eBay has confirmed that this is an Apple-run store on eBay, however.As of now, 23 items are for sale in the store, including 15 iPads, six MacBooks, and two iPods. "Refurbished outlet" gives the option to pay extra on some items for a yearlong GeekSquad warranty. Shoppers can't bid on any of the products, because there is only the "Buy It Now" option.One bonus 9to5Mac points out is that, unlike the online Apple Store, the eBay store only charges taxes in a few states, including California, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, and Texas, and Washington, D.C. CNET contacted Apple and eBay for confirmation. We'll update the story when we get more information.


Apple seeks to bulk up on security with fingerprint patent

Apple seeks to bulk up on security with fingerprint patent
Apple's iOS-based devices and maybe even Macs could eventually come with support for a fingerprint sensor directly on the display.The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Thursday published a patent application that Apple filed with its offices on January 17. The patent describes a technology in which a sensor is used to trace a person's finger and fingerprint and determine, based on that, if they have proper credentials. Apple's patent application doesn't go as far as including the security features that might come with it on the software side, but it's clear what the technology is designed to do.Biometric technology has, of course, been in place for years on devices. Many enterprise computers, in fact, come with a fingerprint sensor that allows users to access their computers and certain protected files. If a person's finger doesn't match up with what's been stored on the PC, they cannot gain access to the device.Apple's technology is slightly different than those embodiments. Rather than use an attached hardware sensor, like most PCs do, Apple's patent application allows users to place their fingers on a touch display. The company's technology then analyzes the finger on a pixel-by-pixel basis to determine if it's a match with the owner's.Apple's patent application is the just the latest in a long line of fingerprint-sensing technology the company has brought to the USPTO. So far, however, none of those technologies has made their way to the iPhone or iPad. As with other companies, Apple often files for patents on technologies that seem to never see the light of day.(Via Patently Apple)