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Microsoft Lumia 830 hands-on: Leveling the playing field with an ‘affordable flagship’

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 10:44 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Mobile, Product Launches

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Microsoft has today announced the Lumia 830 – its latest in a long line of camera-focused smartphones – but rather than aim it clearly at the ‘premium’ segment of the market, Microsoft has attempted to provide a unified Windows Phone experience across a range of devices in order to provide greater consumer choice. While that’s admirable, bringing high-end features and specs to the lower-end of the market usually results in a compromise too far – so how does Microsoft’s ‘affordable flagship’ measure up? We went hands-on to find out. Design The device clearly takes cues from the recently released Lumia…

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Twitter again hints at the possibility of private group chats, and it wants to improve search too

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 10:13 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

As part of its ongoing quest to appeal to millions more people, Twitter has again hinted at what could prove significant developments on its future roadmap. As the WSJ reports, Twitter CFO Anthony Noto discussed its potential product plans, which include improving its search capabilities to surface topic-specific content “as it relates to people”. Essentially, Twitter wants to filter through the noise and make the platform more appealing to new users. Additionally, he once again alluded to the possibility of group chats in the future, which seems similar in concept to ‘whisper mode’ which co-founder Dick Costolo has mentioned previously….

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The 360 Eye is Dyson’s first robotic vacuum cleaner

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 9:59 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider, Product Launches

dyson 360 eye robot vacuum

For those tired of doing all the manual sucking and blowing – when it comes to cleaning house, of course – Dyson has announced the 360 Eye, a robot vacuum that’ll do all the dirty work under your commands. The Dyson 360 Eye features the company’s proprietary Root Cyclone technology to spin dust and dirt into tiny particles. As its name suggests, the device is equipped with a 360-degree panoramic camera and infrared sensors to detect its surroundings, allowing for precise positioning and efficient navigation. The machine is designed to work on all floor types, using a combination of carbon fiber brush for hard surfaces and…

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These smart chopsticks analyze the quality of the food you’re about to eat

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 9:06 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Asia

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Baidu showed off a prototype of its Google Glass-like eye werable yesterday, but that isn’t the only fancy gizmo that the Chinese web giant has been developing. At its Baidu World Show yesterday, it demonstrated a set of smart chopsticks. Yes, we kid you not. The concept “began as something of an April Fool’s prank this past spring,” a Baidu spokersperson told us, but it does exist — and it is actually quite interesting. The chopsticks won’t check you into social networks, instead they are focused on health and hygiene. Though still in prototype mode, like Baidu Eye, the chopsticks can provide…

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Rocket Internet-backed Spotcap wants to make financing easier for small businesses

Sep04
by on September 4, 2014 at 9:00 am
Posted In: Around the Web

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Rocket Internet has another project in Europe, well at least it is backing another startup, this time one based out of Spain. Spotcap is a company focused on helping small business gain easier access to credit lines and loans. Initially serving the Spanish market only (to the point that its website is not available in English yet), the startup says it asseses “the real-life financial performance of customers rather than solely looking at customers’ financial history.” It’s not exactly clear what that entails — beyond “a unique algorithm” — but Spotcap says its service cuts out the need for paperwork…

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