Recent content by Shawn Knight

<h5><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Advances in battery technology combined with more efficient hardware and smarter software have allowed smartphones to reach impressive runtime milestones. To borrow a phrase from the automotive world, however, "there's no replacement for displacement" – meaning...

<h5><strong>The big picture:</strong> Apple has introduced a redesigned version of its entry-level iPhone that is also debuting new branding. The iPhone 16e is based on the flat-edge design that Apple reintroduced with the iPhone 12 and comes packed with modern hardware and software capabilities...

<h5><strong>In brief:</strong> Chinese researchers have developed a synthetic diamond that is significantly harder and more resilient than those that occur naturally here on Earth. If commercially viable, the new diamond could be a boon for industries that rely on the hardened material...

<h5><strong>What just happened?</strong> One of the world's largest PC makers has warned that prices for laptops sold in the US will soon be going up in response to Trump administration tariffs. Longtime Acer CE Jason Chen told The Telegraph that his company would have to adjust the end-user...

<h5><strong>In a nutshell:</strong> Spotify is preparing to launch its long-awaited high-fidelity streaming service later this year. Sources told Bloomberg that the Swedish music giant could charge as much as $5.99 per month for access – and that's on top of the standard monthly fee that premium...

<h5><strong>The big picture:</strong> Apple is said to be revisiting a plan to monetize its Maps app through advertising. The company considered baking search ads into Maps years ago but ultimately shelved the idea. The integration would reportedly mirror what Google does with its Maps app...

<h5><strong>In a nutshell:</strong> The New York Times is giving its editorial and product staff the green light to use select generative AI tools to enhance their work and make their jobs easier. However, just because the tools are available doesn't mean they will be adopted en masse...

<h5><strong>Recap:</strong> It's been 20 years to the day since the debut of YouTube. The video-sharing site, now the most popular of its kind and the second most popular overall website on the Internet behind Google search, was founded by three former PayPal employees – Steve Chen, Chad Hurley...

<h5><strong>In a nutshell:</strong> Honda and Nissan have agreed to end talks of a potential merger that would have led to the creation of the world's third-largest automotive group behind Volkswagen and Toyota, in that order. Unsurprisingly, the two sides couldn't come to terms on the structure...

<h5><strong>The big picture:</strong> Smartphones weren't the only consumer tech category to see a rebound in 2024. According to the latest report from Canalys, global tablet shipments rose to 147.6 million units last year – up 9.2 percent compared to 2023. The growth, which was observed in...

<h5><strong>In brief:</strong> Compact, tenkeyless boards are quite popular among keyboard enthusiasts. There are far fewer choices at the opposite end of the spectrum, however, but one option does stand out from the crowd due to the sheer number of keys it contains. </h5><p><a...

<h5><strong>In a nutshell:</strong> Apple has introduced a new app called Apple Invites that's designed to help iPhone users craft digital invitations for virtually any occasion. It leverages elements from several popular apps to create a one-of-a-kind, interactive event invitation that anyone...

<h5><strong>The big picture:</strong> Smartphone shipments rebounded in 2024 to reach 1.22 billion units worldwide, reversing two consecutive years of decline. The gains could be short-lived, however, as vendors and consumers are likely to face uncertainty in 2025 due to economic fluctuation, US...

<h5><strong>In brief:</strong> It's now possible to run a barebones version of Discord on legacy Microsoft operating systems including Windows 98 (and even Windows 95, if you're willing to jump through a few extra hoops). </h5><p><a...

<h5><strong>Forward-looking:</strong> Scientists at the University of Waterloo in Canada are working to commercialize a smart fabric capable of converting sunlight into heat. Ideally, the material could be made into clothing to help people in extremely frigid climates stay warm while outdoors...