Gadget and Techno Updates
Archive for June, 2010
HTC takes down, reposts Evo 4G update
Jun 30th
HTC has resumed offering its over-the-air update for the Evo 4G handset first released on Monday. The update was fixed to eliminate the issues that a small amount of owners reported after installing the original firmware update. HTC stressed that users shouldn’t worry about going ahead with the install of the new update.
HTC 4G
Those who are having difficulties turning on their Evo 4Gs after installing the original update are encouraged to visit their local Sprint store for a fix. The original update is said to have bricked an unknown number of HTC Evo 4Gs, with some reporting that the fix More >
Microsoft axes Kin after just six weeks [U]
Jun 30th
(Updated with leaked estimates) Microsoft today surprised the phone industry by ending the Kin phone line just six weeks after it launched in mid-May. The company promised it would still sell the Kin One and Two through Verizon for now but has scrapped all of its international plans. It didn’t say how long it expected to keep sales but made clear the shift was solely to its true smartphone lineup.
“We have made the decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 and we will not ship Kin in Europe this fall as planned,” a Microsoft statement read. “Additionally, we are More >
Microsoft claims "hardcore" will be first to get Kinect
Jun 29th
Microsoft’s worldwide product marketing head Ryan Moore today told an interviewer that Kinect will likely be bought by serious gamers first. He explained that “hardcore gamers” are the first to go and buy devices and will still buy the motion controller despite the casual focus. Moore characterized it for CVG as just having a wider appeal.
“We know that hardcore gamers will be the first to go out and buy [Kinect], as they are with any product,” he said. “So we know we have to have a wide range of experiences, from things like the animals game you saw today to… More >
Barnes & Noble gains digital share as print sales slide
Jun 29th
Barnes & Noble has released its quarterly financial report, indicating strong performance with digital distribution but a drop in sales from the company’s many brick-and-mortar locations. CEO William Lynch highlighted the fledgling ebookstore, which has already achieved a larger market share in the digital realm than the company’s share in the retail market.
Barnes
The Nook reader has been credited with pushing quick growth for e-book sales on BarnesandNoble.com. Nook owners are said to have increased their combined digital and physical spending by 17 percent, while pushing total units ahead by 70 percent.
The company plans on expanding its investments in technology and More >
Verizon already cutting Kin prices in half
Jun 28th
After a false start, Verizon is now known to be slashing the prices of the Kin One and Two in half thanks to a leak this weekend. The Kin Two will drop from $100 to just $50 on contract, while the $50 Kin One is falling to $30. Both will be part of a wider sale that starts on June 28.
verizon
While sales aren’t uncommon at Verizon, BGR notes the other phones in the sale are several months old or more and reaching the end of their lifespans: the BlackBerry Storm2 will drop to $150 after having been in shops since More >