Stories by Jared Newman

  • Microsoft Kin phones: The reviews are in

    The first reviews of Microsoft's Kin phones are in, and while critics don't agree on whether the phones are a success, they do agree on one thing: the price of Verizon Wireless' data plans could doom the phones to obscurity.

  • With Bumptop, Google Gains Multi-Touch Ammo

    Google just landed some impressive 3D desktop software in its purchase of Bump Technologies, but a looming patent battle with Apple suggests that Google also had BumpTop's multi-touch technology on the brain when it gobbled up the company.

  • Bite this, Apple: 5 reasons Flash would've rocked the iPhone

    The sparring between Apple and Adobe, on whether Flash belongs on mobile devices such as the iPhone, has gone from philosophical to real. Steve Jobs wrote in an open letter that he's yet to see Flash running on any mobile device, and Adobe responded by saying it'll ship Flash Player 10.1 for Android phones as a public preview in May, with a general release in June. Finally, Android will demonstrate whether Flash on the iPhone would've been as bad as Jobs makes it out to be. I think not, and here are five reasons why:

  • HP-Palm deal: 5 things I hope It brings

    Hewlett-Packard just raised the ante in the smartphone wars by purchasing Palm, bringing to the table its standing as the world's largest PC maker and potentially bringing on a new era of WebOS devices. The future is still cloudy for the union of the ailing Palm and the mighty HP, but here are five ways HP can make the best of its $1.2 billion buy:

  • HTC cuts licensing deal with Microsoft for Android phones

    Microsoft announced that it will collect royalties on HTC's Android phones through a patent licensing deal. Microsoft isn't saying much about what patents are covered, but it's clear that HTC's Android phones in some way use technology that's patented by Microsoft. The deal comes as HTC faces a lawsuit from Apple which alleges 20 patent violations.

  • Gizmodo's iPhone saga: fact vs. speculation

    The high drama of Gizmodo and the iPhone prototype it acquired could be heading to the courtroom, as prosecutors try to determine who should face charges. Police raided editor Jason Chen's home last Friday and confiscated his computers and related equipment, but prosecutors haven't pressed charges against anyone involved, and they're still considering whether Chen is protected by journalism shield laws.

  • Google's purchase of Agnilux comes with Apple twist

    Google gobbled up the chip-making startup Agnilux, whose employees were behind Apple's A4 iPad processor. Google didn't say specifically why it bought Agnilux, but many theorize it's to help build mobile chips for Android or Chrome OS mobile devices.

  • Gizmodo finds iPhone 4G? Let's hope not

    Let's assume that Gizmodo's blurry and leaked photos of Apple's alleged iPhone 4G are the real thing. If so, Apple appears to be taking a step backwards in product design. From what I can tell of Gizmodo's alleged iPhone 4G phone it is a complete design departure from previous iPhones, and a poor one at that.