Gmail for Android gets a unified inbox at last

Now you can finally view all your email accounts together -- even the non-Gmail ones.

















from CNET Android Update http://ift.tt/1Fe6Kyg

blip: Pac-Man goes 'wakka wakka' all over Google Maps

It’s a surreal feeling to see an aerial version of your stomping grounds on Google Maps. More perplexing, but just as undeniably awesome is that Google has introduced a new feature that allows digital tourists to turn the world into a fully-functional game of Pac-Man.

To give it a try yourself (and you definitely should), head to Google Maps and click the rather obvious button on the bottom left part of the page. Once you do that, the page is taken over with a delightful homage to the arcade classic. It's as cool as it sounds and we don't deserve this.

I’m terrible at Pac-Man, especially given the crazy twists and turns of the terrain here in NYC. Try playing in a familiar location so that you can use the lay of the land to your advantage.

More blips

It won’t take you long to beat our measly high-score in Pac-Man on Google Maps, but once you’re finished, how about you take a look at more of these bite-sized blips?

• Companies are actually making iPad selfie sticks


• Play Super Mario 64 in your browser right now


• Cyberpunk creator was mesmerized by today’s VR

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HP suing former Autonomy executives for $5.1b

HP's court battle with Autonomy co-founder Mike Lynch and its former CFO Sushovan Hussain has kicked up a notch after it filed a claim form with a UK court to recover $5.1 billion (around £3.4 billion, or AU$6.6 billion) in damages.

The claim form, which was filed yesterday at London's Chancery Division High Court, seeks to recover the sum in relation to accusations of dubious accounting practices at the company HP acquired for $11.7 billion (around £7.1 billion, or AU$15.35 billion) back in 2011.

"HP can confirm that, on March 30, a Claim Form was filed against Michael Lynch and Sushovan Hussain alleging they engaged in fraudulent activities while executives at Autonomy. The lawsuit seeks damages from them of approximately $5.1 billion. HP will not comment further until the proceedings have been served on the defendants," according to a statement provided by HP.

Lynch counter-suing

Lynch and Hussain already cleared their names once this year when the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) brought no charges against them in January and subsequently closed its probe into the firm. Bloomberg also reported today that Lynch and the former management team of Autonomy will counter-sue HP for over £100 million (around $148 million, or AU$194 million).

"The former management of Autonomy announces today they will file claims against HP for loss and damage caused by false and negligent statements made against them by HP on 20 November 2012 and in HP's subsequent smear campaign," the ex-management team, including Lynch, said in a statement.

It's just the latest escalation in an increasingly bitter war of words between the two sides since the Autonomy acquisition went sour when HP wrote down an $8.8 billion (around £5.9 billion, or AU$11.5 billion) charge just a year after the deal went through, claiming that Autonomy had overstated profits of one of its British units by 81%. Lynch has always argued that the accounting practices under question were legal under UK law, something affirmed by the SFO, yet the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission continue to look into those same accounting practices.

• HP claims Autonomy made 80% less profit than stated in 2010

from Techradar - All the latest technology news http://ift.tt/1IiH4AE

Apple now accepts trade-ins of Android, other rival phones

Will the new policy convince more owners of non-iPhone devices to jump ship to Apple?

















from CNET iPhone Update http://ift.tt/1Gcv4lq

Review: mini review: TDK TREK Flex

The Bluetooth speaker market is becoming aggressive. Companies are figuring out how to pack in a bevy of sought-after features like water-proofing, shock-resistance, NFC-connectivity and more into a smaller form factor. Not just that, the price for a well-stocked, portable option has come down significantly.

A noted example of this is the TDK Life on Record TREK Flex. For $129 (about £119, AU$166), a lot is on the table here. Better yet, I've seen it for as low as $99. You'll find almost every attractive feature under the sun stocked into this speaker. Even if you don't see yourself using its sporty lifestyle capabilities, this Bluetooth speaker is still a smart buy.

Design

The TREK Flex is champion of features that help it stand up to rugged handling and gentle water play, but you'd never guess that based on looks alone.

Its capabilities, of which there are several, are masked in a sophisticated, cylindrical presentation. This speaker is the size of a large coffee mug and also similar in weight to one that's full of delicious joe.

While comprised of several materials, the black grille is the most prevalent on the TREK Flex. Two pieces curve around the speaker, meshing together to form an almost seamless appearance. If you catch the right light, you can see right through the body.

This speaker can stand on end vertically on either end of the cylinder, which makes it perfect for fitting into tight spaces. However, it does seems like there is a correct side and a less correct side. One is more rugged than the other, which displays the spun metal branding.

When laid out horizontally, there's no puzzle involved. There's only one way to lay it. The kickstand protrusion jutting out from the band of rubber that wraps around the speaker keeps it from moving around when laying flat.

The main attraction for the TREK Flex's functionality and design is the button panel. Contained beneath a strip of soft rubber that stretches from top to bottom (or side to side depending on which way you orient the speaker), each button offers a subtle click. Each of these functions are lit up with LEDs to indicate battery life, Bluetooth status and volume level.

To finish the design tour, there are a few ports around the backside of the speaker. Lifting a protective rubber flap reveals the simple array: an on/off switch that allows entering in and out of standby mode, a micro USB charging port and an auxiliary port for wired listening.

In short: the TREK Flex is easy on the eyes and incredibly simple to use.

Performance

Just when you thought that the cylindrical design was only for portability and looks, TDK cooked in a bunch of features that leverage the form factor as well.

Let's start out by talking about the rugged build, which is arguably the TREK Flex's main draw. The speaker enclosure offers resistance against shock with a grade of IK07, enough to survive short tumbles. It's also built to resist the elements with a water and dust-resistance rating of IP65. That rating guarantees survivability against dust and a decent amount of water splash – just do not submerge this speaker. It isn't made for underwater expeditions.

As a standalone speaker, the TREK Flex offers plenty to like. Piggy-backing off the pleasing design are a few more desirable traits.

Similar to the way screens have a limited viewing angle, most Bluetooth speakers also suffer from a rather limited cone of sound delivery. Sure, sound can be heard outside of the cone, but not as clearly or with as much definition. Taking advantage of the cylindrical design of this speaker, TDK implemented 360-degree sound to moderate levels of success.

The angles of sound are indeed much wider than that of a strictly forward-firing speaker, but a true 360-degrees isn't what we're getting here. There are few dead zones, areas where sound just isn't emanating from. However, thanks to the open design that the grille puts forward, this emulated 360-degree effect still works pretty well.

The sound performance of the TREK Flex is another of its strengths. Either stood up or laying down on its side, this speaker provides sufficiently deep bass, and it's no slouch when it comes to delivering mids and highs. For also being such a rugged option, I'm impressed with the quality of the sound.

To touch on the rest of the speaker's features, I listened at a wide variety of rather loud volumes and the battery fell roughly one hour short of its advertised eight hour lifespan. I'm confident that the speaker would have surpassed it at a steady (and generally lower) volume.

Bluetooth connectivity is strong, too. In my studio apartment, my tethered device was 30 feet away at times and it operated without a hitch. Connecting via NFC and utilizing the built-in microphone are both issue-free experiences.

We liked

This Bluetooth speaker contains quite a large feature set for the price and thankfully, the inclusion of these features doesn't come at the expense of battery life and sound performance. In fact, both this speaker's longevity and sound profile are excellent for just over 100 bucks.

If you're a design nut, you're going to want to pick up and hold this speaker as soon as you lay eyes on it. A design ID this strong and sensible is rare at this price point.

We disliked

The 360-degree sound, while still rather effective, doesn't fire in every direction. Therefore, it's not really 360-degrees.

Another minor issue is that upon successfully pairing, the speaker will automatically resume paused music. This is great if you intend on it happening, but too often, it's not exactly ideal.

Final verdict

Simply put, the TDK Life on Record TREK Flex is a great value. No matter what you use it for – beachside jamming, hiking, or just on a bookshelf – you're getting a tremendously designed speaker for a sweet deal.

from Techradar - All the latest technology news http://ift.tt/1CHQKot

Buying Guide: 5 best mobile workstations 2015: ideal laptops for business

Best mobile workstation 2015

Few productivity decisions are more important and, in turn, nerve-racking than selecting the right mobile workstation for your employees.

Making the wrong choice could mean saddling your employees with a bad computer. So what do business owners look for?

A great display, computing power and exceptional battery life without breaking the bank. There are few mobile workstations that can do this and we've rounded them up here.

• If you'd prefer a Best Desktop Workstation roundup, we've got you covered.

Lenovo ThinkPad W550S

This workstation impresses with its long battery life and hi-res screen

With understated aesthetics and a durable design, there is much to love about the ThinkPad W550s (starting at $1,133, £765, AU$1,455), if you can afford it. Long battery life and a large, high resolution display keeps you productive longer while you're mobile. Plus, the docking port allows users to take the ThinkPad W550s back to their desks to use as a desktop replacement, given its strong performance.

Read: Lenovo ThinkPad W550S review

Dell Precision M6800

This monster laptop impresses with its power and versatility

This Dell model is an impressive, niche product and Dell's biggest and most powerful business notebook pricing in at $3,490 (around £2,075, AU$3,750), almost double the price tag of some of its rivals. To make up for the hefty cost, Dell has packed this laptop with every feature a professional will need on the road. The chassis is built from aluminum and magnesium alloy, and build quality is top-notch with no give on any surface, as well as dust and extreme temperature resistance.

Few employees will truly need the versatility and power offered by this Dell, but if they can justify the investment, it truly excels in every important area. Overall, the M6800 is clearly built for business, from its hard-wearing chassis and versatile exterior to its high-quality keyboard and powerful professional components.

Read: Dell Precision M6800 review

HP ZBook 17 G2

A truly fantastic mobile workstation for your business

The ZBook 17 G2 mobile workstation ($1900, £1250, AU$2400) is a ferocious laptop built to withstand any task you throw its way. This 17.3-inch laptop is built with a three-spindle wedge design that shifts most of its hefty 7.42 pound weight toward its thick backside (1.57 inches). The ZBook features a dark grey plastic chassis that is surrounded by aluminum that covers the top of the display and houses the keyboard. Performance is where this machine shines. The ZBook crushes Lenovo's ThinkPad W540 in every category we test, especially on the Cloud Gate graphics and physics tests, as well as on SkyDiver and FireStrike.

Read: HP ZBook 17 review

Dell Precision M3800

Dell has produced one of the best Windows laptops available

This Dell breaks the construct that if you want a high-end laptop capable of running processor-intensive software as well as a desktop can, you have to expect it to be as heavy as a Lenovo ThinkPad system. Instead, the M3800 ($2236, £1397, AU$2569) is exceptionally powerful and portable, fitting a Haswell-based Intel Core i7 processor, and Nvidia Quadro graphics card, up to 16GB of memory and both an SSD and hard disk into a chassis that's just 18mm thick and weighs 1.8kg.

Read: Dell Precision M3800 review

Lenovo ThinkPad W540

A top-notch 3K workstation with a top-shelf price tag

This is a workstation powerhouse, with the downfall of being possibly too expensive for general office use at $2,573 (about £1,606, AU$2,946). The W540 is a mobile visual studio built on Lenovo's platform of ThinkPad workstations. With a 15.6-inch, 2880 x 1620 (3K) resolution IPS display and a high-end 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-4800MQ processor with a Nvidia Quadro K2100M graphics card, this machine is ready to tackle anything from simple word processing tasks to thousand page spreadsheets and even heavy 3D modeling.

Read: Lenovo ThinkPad W540 review

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