Origins of Dying Star Helps Explain Nobel Prize Winning Theory
An exploding star discovered just hours after it exploded has provided key information for understanding how the universe expands and what kinds of stars create certain types of supernovae. Published in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Nature, two new studies have used data from the Hubble telescope to pin down what kind of star could have caused the August, 11 2011 supernova seen in the nearby Pinwheel Galaxy.
Droid Bionic: Ten Important Things to Know
Motorola's Droid Bionic is one of the most expensive smartphones out there, but you probably already knew that, so here are ten other important things to know about the Android powered device. Bionic costs $200, but it's packed with must-have features like compatibility with Verizon's 4G LTE high speed network.
Ice Cream Sandwich: Hints, Tips and Tricks
Google's new Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Android mobile operating system has dozens and dozens of new features, so it's less of an update than an entire renovation. Some of the main selling points have been features like the Face Unlock facial recognition security feature and the (now cancelled by Verizon) option to use Google Wallet to turn your device into a debit card
Kindle Fire: Five Ways it's Better Compared to Nook Tablet
Amazon's Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet have found a nice little home in the under $300 tablet world, and that's in part due to the fact they more like muscle-bound e-readers than full featured tablet computers. While both devices run the Android operating system, they run customized versions that do not allow either device to gain access to the over 500,000 apps in the Android Market.
Samsung Focus S vs HTC Titan: AT&T Windows Phone Shootout
Early adopters, this is the battle you've been waiting for. Samsung Focus S and HTC Titan are two of the best smartphones out there with the Microsoft system running their insides. Windows Phone 7 replaced Windows Mobile as Microsoft's mobile operating system in 2010. Now, with an updated 7.5 version, called Mango, the Windows Phone system is ready to duke it out with the likes of Android and Apple.
Geminid Meteor Shower at its Best Tonight: When and Where to Watch
Every December, the asteroid 3200 Phaethon showers the Earth with a grand meteor shower, and stargazers have determined the night of Dec 13 is the peak of the event. The best time is after midnight, but there is a waning three-quarters moon in the sky that will obstruct some of the dimmer meteors.
Apple and Android: Top 10 Christmas Apps
If you're looking for some simple, fun apps or even if you want some inexpensive apps that help simplify things for you this holiday season, you've come to the right place. This list has 10 Apple and Android apps that will put you in the Christmas spirit and give you a few ideas for activities, gifts and even recopies if you need.
Droid Razr: Top 10 Reasons it's a Perfect Holiday Gift
Motorola's Droid Razr is a perfect holiday gift because it is a premium device that has gotten high marks for display quality, battery life and design. It does cost $300 on contract, however, so whomever you are gifting with the Droid Razr will be getting the most expensive device out there (64 gigabyte iPhone 4S notwithstanding).
Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime: Buy it or Wait for iPad 3?
This may be the eternal prospective-tablet-buyer's lament. Should you buy (insert name here) tablet or the iPad. The comparisons are inevitable, but the buzz around the Eee Pad Transformer Prime is very positive if not as hyperbolic as the Kindle Fire's pre-launch publicity.
Mac App Store Hits 100 Million Downloads: Top 10 Mac Apps
In just one year, Apple's Mac App Store has logged 100 million apps downloaded. It's a huge number, though it pales in comparison to the 18 billion downloads from the App Store since 2008. But, will it really change the software landscape? Some programs are way too big to download, but the popularity of apps in general has the entire technology industry looking to identify or create the next must have app.
Moon Rocks Missing: NASA Report Overlooked in Lunar Eclipse Excitement
Moon rocks NASA collected during its six moon landings in the early 1970's have gone missing from the space agency, and a recent internal audit shows more than 500 samples are now unaccounted for. Apollo astronauts brought back 812 lbs of lunar rock and dust staring with the 1969 Apollo 11 landing of the first men on the moon's surface, and NASA has loaned out thousands of samples over the years for study.
Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket: Ten Things You Should Know Before Buying
As one of AT&T's only LTE-enabled smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket has a chance to become one of the best selling high speed devices in the U.S. That's in part due to the fact the other two LTE smartphones from AT&T are a half-step below the Skyrocket's features.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus: Top 10 Android Tablet (Honeycomb) Apps
If you've purchased an Android-powered tablet, you may have noticed there is no special tablet section in the Android Marketplace. There is a featured tablet apps section, though, so that is a good place to start.
Galaxy Nexus: Top 10 Reasons it Makes a Great Holiday Gift
Galaxy Nexus, the next-generation smartphone from Google and Samsung, makes a great holiday gift. It's the first device to come with the Android system's new update, Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). There are dozens of new features in the update, but the Galaxy Nexus itself has plenty to offer for $300.
iPhone 4S vs HTC Droid Incredible 2: Which Should You Buy?
iPhone 4S vs HTC Droid Incredible 2 is a good match up because on paper it seems like the iPhone is the obvious choice. For the same price as the Droid Incredible (there's a $50 online discount), iPhone 4S comes with more processing power, 1080p video capture and Siri the voice activated digital assistant
Kindle Fire vs Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.2: Which is Better?
Kindle Fire is the new darling of the technology world because it is virtually the only device that has been able to carve out a space in the tablet world next to the iPad. That means other devices could potentially do the same, but at what cost? Will people only buy a non iPad tablet if it costs $200 or less? Motorola doesn't think so.
Samsung Galaxy S2: Ten Reasons it Makes a Perfect Holiday Gift
Besides having a larger screen than the iPhone, Samsung's Galaxy S2 smartphone makes a perfect holiday gift because it is fully customizable. With the Google Android system inside, Galaxy S2 owners can make their device exactly how they want it, even if that means leaving it just the way it is.
Apple iPad 3 in February 2012: Grab a $99 TouchPad While You Wait
If you're not impressed with the slew of Android tablets available now, and you don't want to wait until February to get your new iPad 3, then get in line for the Sunday, Dec. 11 eBay sale of $99 Hewlett-Packard TouchPads. It might be a quick sale because $99 seems to be the super-sweet spot for tablets.
Total Lunar Eclipse: Where and When to See it
A total lunar eclipse will thrill sky-watchers early Saturday morning, Dec. 10. The best views will be the Pacific region, so, Australia, East Asia, Alaska and parts of Western Canada can expect to see the event starting at 4:45 a.m. Pacific Time. To watch the eclipse live, point your Web browser to the SLOOH space camera for real time views from telescopes in Hawaii, Austrailia and Asia.
$99 Tablet Computer HP Touchpad: Top 10 webOS Apps
Now that HP has decided once again to sell their defunct TouchPad tablet for $99, what are you going to do with it? You need some apps. Even though HP has given up on the TouchPad and its operating system, there are still a core of developers who are very passionate about the system.
Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime vs Galaxy Tab 10.1: Tablet Shootout
Asus followed up their criminally under-hyped Eee Pad Transformer with the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, and it's primed to knock the Galaxy Tab 10.1 out of the top iPad contender spot. Galaxy Tab 10.1 brought us the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system back in June. Even then it was challenged by the Eee Pad Transformer, except nobody ever heard of Asus, and Samsung is a name brand
iPad 2: Ten Reasons it's a Great Holiday Gift
Tablets are the new black. At least if you count the numbers of iPad's and Kindle Fire's on people's holiday lists this year. The devices represent two ends of the tablet spectrum that more and more companies will be trying to wedge themselves into as the technology improves and the demand grows.
Water on Mars: NASA Probe Finds Proof of Ancient Flow
A sliver of mineral deposits left over from ancient water flows has been discovered on Mars by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, researchers said Dec. 7. The bright vein of mineral appears to be gypsum and is about an inch wide by 18-inches long.
iPhone 5 with 4G?: Top 10 Cities for 4G Access
If Apple does release a new iPhone in the first half of 2012, it could have a larger screen and 4G speeds. Apple is pretty tight lipped about upcoming releases, but because iPhone 4S was so similar (physically) to iPhone 4, a new design with a larger screen seems inevitable.
$99 HP TouchPad Tablet is Back: How and Where to Get One
Hewlett-Packard, who may have inadvertently jump-started widespread interest in tablet computers with a deep price discount in September, will again be selling their now discontinued TouchPad tablets for $99 on Sunday, Dec.11. When the TouchPad first came out, the price was $400, nearly as much as an iPad.
Droid Razr vs HTC Thunderbolt: And the Winner is?
HTC Thunderbolt was Verizon's first 4G phone and Droid Razr is the newest entry in that category. Perhaps this isn't a fair fight, but given the Razr is double the price of Thunderbolt, perhaps there is room enough for Thunderbolt to pull off the upset.
LG Nitro HD vs HTC Vivid: AT&T 4G Smartphone Fight
AT&T's Web site lists the HTC Vivid at $100 on contract and the LG Nitro HD at $150, and both devices have 4.5-inch screens to go along with AT&T's new LTE network. They both also feature eight megapixel cameras with 1080p video capture and speedy dual-core processors. While the Vivid is only a few weeks old, the Nitro is brand new, and just squeaks past the Vivid on a few key items
Galaxy Nexus: Top 10 Verizon Smartphones
As the largest mobile phone carrier in the U.S., Verizon has a huge selection of smartphones. Now that they have the iPhone 4S, it's almost a one stop shop for high tech. Not only that, they have the largest high-speed data network to go along with it. New smartphones are now being optimized for use on the LTE network, although that technology is not as widespread as the 3G network.
Moon Takes a Beating from Solar Wind
As our sun churns out massive amounts of energy, it sometimes belts out enough solar wind to literally sandblast the surface of the Moon. NASA scientists have used a model of the effects of coronal mass ejections -a gargantuan type of sun storm- to determine that such events can blow the equivalent of 10 dump truck loads of dust right off the Moon's surface and into space.
Apple iOS 5 vs Google Android: Mobile Web Browsers Compared
With news that Google Chrome is honing in on Internet Explorer for Web browsing dominance, now is a good time to see if Apple or Android has a better Web browsing system in place. Google Chrome is actually not used in the Android mobile operating system. However, Apple does use its Safari browser for its iOS devices. The Android Web browser doesn't have a name.
