Butter finger blues: The states where people most likely will break their iPhones and iPads

brokeniphone

There’s a survey for just about everything these days, and this one certainly grabbed our attention. Warranty provider SquareTrade has ranked the states where people are most likely to drop, damage or break their iPads or iPhones. Now, we’ve dropped our fair share of gadgets over the years (I cracked my first iPhone on election… Read More…

Consumer Reports for geeks: New ‘Decide Score’ uncovers the best and worst products

Decide

Decide.com already tells consumers when they should buy cameras, phones, refrigerators and other gadgets and appliances, analyzing price drops and increases. Now, the Seattle startup and brainchild of University of Washington computer scientist Oren Etzioni and others is getting into the recommendation business, assigning a score of 1 to 100 on more than 22,000 products… Read More…

Get out your wallet: It is the best time of the year to buy a laptop

samsunglaptop1

Are you in the market for a new laptop? You may want to hit the stores this Independence Day before prices creep back up. New research from Decide.com, the Seattle startup that predicts whether prices will go up or down on consumer electronics products, indicates that we are currently in one of three periods during… Read More…

5 reasons I think you’re nuts if you own a naked iPhone

brokeniphone

I pride myself on being able to argue reasonably, listen respectfully, consider new perspectives thoughtfully and — most of the time — withhold judgment. But I just don’t get it. Anyone who uses a newer iPhone without a case must be completely nuts. This includes close friends, tech geniuses, GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and all kinds… Read More…

Wozniak loves his Windows Phone: Apple co-founder calls mobile OS ‘beautiful’

Steve Wozniak Photo: Jonathan Alcorn

Microsoft is trying hard to win fans for Windows Phone. And while the mobile operating system is still way behind rivals such as Android and iOS, the company received an unexpected endorsement this week from none other than Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. In his remarks on The Report podcast, the outspoken geeks says that he prefers… Read More…

Here’s what people love (and hate) about the new iPad

iPad_HandHero_PRINTs

Consumer Reports today issued a glowing recommendation of the new iPad, writing that the high-resolution screen “establishes a new benchmark in excellence” and that the overall performance of the touchscreen device is “superb.” In terms of the one of the biggest complaints to date — that the device is prone to overheating — the magazine… Read More…

Husband-and-wife team turn to Kickstarter to bankroll new iPhone charging dock

lilkikr

Seattle area designer Mike Kemery has helped design products for Nike, T-Mobile and Yakima Products. But now Kemery, and his wife Ellie, are hoping to make a mark in the world of iPhone and iPod charging docks. The husband-and-wife team recently unveiled the Lil Kikr, a lightweight and portable iPhone charging dock that’s designed to meet… Read More…

Dell looks to challenge the iPad with tablets based on Windows 8

dell-streak

Apple’s lead in the tablet market may seem insurmountable, especially with last week’s release of the lastest iPad. But don’t tell that to Dell. An executive for the giant computer maker was quoted in Reuters today saying that Dell plans a new round of tablets later this year that are based on Microsoft’s Windows 8…. Read More…

Report: HTC continues skid with sales expected to fall in the first quarter

HTC Vivid

HTC Corp., the giant Tawain-based smartphone maker that maintains its North American operations in the Seattle area, said Monday that revenue may drop as much as 36 percent in the first quarter as it continues face challenges from Samsung and Apple. Sales are now expected in the range of $2.2 billion to $2.37 billion. Reuters… Read More…

Report: Google testing mysterious new entertainment device

google-sign-kirkland22

GigaOm today uncovered a pretty interesting tidbit about Google’s plans to test a new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled entertainment device in the homes of Google employees through July 17. The tests are to take place in Mountain View, California; New York, Cambridge, Massachusetts and Los Angeles. Reporter Stacey Higginbotham wonders if the application with the Federal Communications Commission means… Read More…