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This article is about how just recently, companies Apple and HTC have signed a 10-year licensing deal meaning that every single one of Apple's and HTC's lawsuits filed against each other has now been settled. Both have been sued by each other for infringing on each other's patents. This new licencing deal means that the companies can use each other's patents to a certain extent- giving their phones an edge over the rest of the smartphone market. HTC says they signed the deal to focus on making better products instead of spending so much time dealing with court. Some analysts say that Apple settled the lawsuits quickly to deal with Samsung and their lawsuits towards them. Apple has signed agreements previously with Nokia and Microsoft allowing them to use certain patents. I chose the tag of portable computing because both Apple and HTC produce many successful smartphone portable computing. Hopefully this deal will help improve both of their smartphone operations benefiting us consumers. In my opinion I think that this whole suing fest (lack of a better word) that has been going on recently is pretty silly as many cases don't seem as if they are worthy to be being sued about. I am glad to see that Apple has settled their disputes with HTC to cut down on this smartphone lawsuit drama.

With Christmas slowly approaching, many of us will be shopping for presents online. For scammers, this means there will be more unsuspecting victims to scam. McAfee knows the risk of being scammed is present and has set up a list of 12 scams seen during the holiday season. These include fake charities, malicious mobile apps, too-good-to-be-true offers, and fake gift cards. As online shopping gets more popular, the threat from scammers increases as well so we have to know how to protect ourselves and keep our information secure. While shopping online is more convenient and cheaper in some cases, it isn't as secure as shopping in person at a store. Despite the lesser security in shopping online, people still would prefer it because of its convenience. I think it is good that McAfee released this list of scams to look out for because it will make sure more consumers during the Christmas season and everyday will have knowledge of what to look out for when shopping online. Though I doubt many people will see the list, McAfee has possibly saved many people from having to deal with being scammed, besides even if you can't help everyone you should help anyway.

The OUYA Android powered gaming console started off as a Kickstarter exclusive, but will now be available to consumers on June 4 for $99. On Kickstarter, the OUYA was a huge success, raising over $8 million. It is basically an Android powered device that is capable of running console quality games. There has been much anticipation for the people who did not back the project on Kickstarter because no one knew that it would get this big and popular. When it hits the market, it will be sold at retailers such as Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and through OUYA's website. It will include the console, a controller and HDMI cables. I chose to use the economics tag because at just $99, this console is a steal compared to other consoles currently on the market. I believe that many people will pick this product up and OUYA may be able to compete with SONY and Microsoft in the next few years.

Bitcoin is a digital currency that can be used to pay for a variety of goods and services online. It works like paper money, as in it can make purchases online, but it is primarily used in data form so you can trade it between peer and peer online. It is accessed by an online service that is gained through mining. The mining process includes running software performances and in return you are awarded a small portion of Bitcoin. You can also purchase Bitcoins using a wallet software. It requires a bit of disk space though. This new form of currency can be the change in the electronic economics. It is different from the other forms of online payment options that we are used to, like debit or credit cards. It is easier to obtain such currency, and it does not cost actual money. However, it is accepted only at limited service or goods websites. Also, a wallet software account is required in many cases. In addition, it may not be convenient or the best choice for all the consumers. This currency has a specific focus on who it is designed to target.

This article informs us on the latest news about Sony's new OLED TVs, which can output in 4K.  4K resolution is the highest resolution possible so far, and Sony wants to be one of the first companies to put a product out on the market with 4K resolution.  Sony's 30-inch 4K OLED prototype is set for a 2014 release date, with the A series monitor available in May.  This 4k technology will either be a break or bust for Sony.  If consumers are interested in 4k technology, then Sony TVs will help the company prosper.  That said, 4k may not be good for Sony. 4K TVs may end up not generating much of a user base, as 1080p is very good, and there is little improvement between that and 4k. Instead of buying these new TVs, people may just stick with their 1080p televisions. Only time will tell.

This article is about a new 3D scanner. So far this scanner has created high levels of interest and is only selling for $450 Canadian compared to the NextEngine scanner that currently sells for $3000. There were two people that created this scanner and hoped to raise $81 000 but so far have already raised $228 000. The pair said that they built this scanner in mind for anyone who had a 3D printer. They said that is less complicated machinery and  doesn't have the same amount of moving parts that a 3D printer has. This scanner can scan objects up to a 5-inch diameter and a 9.75-inch height. On average it takes 3 minutes to scan an object.  This is an affordable way to get a 3D scanner aimed at the hobbyist and the consumer market. I think that this is a cool new product that many people will use and enjoy.

This article takes the results of a research center which says that approximately 61 percent of Facebook users will take random breaks from the site, and can go for weeks at a time. The people who have answered this survey say they take time off of Facebook because A. Lack of time to dedicate to updating their profiles. B. They are losing interest in the site. or C. Facebook is a waste of time. I believe this is true because I personally have noticed that Facebook is slowly losing consumers to other social network such as Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Tumblr, ect. I also feel like this article is truthful because recently Facebook has been losing lots of its stocks, and its price for their stocks is below par compared to when they were starting up. This article relates to eLifestyle tag because this shows how people may be less reliable on their social network website (Facebook) and may be having a more social life, rather than being on the internet.

This article is about a new Playstation controller, which is thought to be made for the next-gen console the PS4.  Sony is expected to release information about this new gaming console on February 20th, in New York.  The Playstation 4 is going to be the next console in the line of Playstations, following the PS3 which is currently outdated by many computers.  The PS4 will need to compete with the rumored XBox 720, as they are expected to be released around the same time this year, before Christmas.  Sony's ability to innovate and add touch screen technology to their controller will help make the playstation 4 ahead of the other gaming consoles, such as the XBox and computers.  This will also help Sony generate sales, as it will include new technology to older controller designs, and make it more appealing tp consumers.

This article talks about the current state of transparency in smartphones and where we are headed. So far, transparent smartphones have only existed in concepts and prototypes that have never gone into full production. This is largely due to the difficulties in creating fully transparent smartphones while keeping the same quality that smartphones like the iPhone. Another problem that this new type of smartphone is facing is that is currently has no software so it's difficult to actually visualize what the end product will be. There is also the fact that the consumer market may not even want transparent smartphones and that we're fine with our current ones. The company that created the prototype, Polytron, has more money to work with and their current prototype is already looking better than most previous attempts at creating a translucent electronic. Polytron stated that we may see transparent smartphones by the end of this year. That is possibly a little too optimistic but within a couple of years we may see transparent electronic devices emerge resembling those in movies we have seen today.

With Google's new product, "Google Glass", the company must come up with a new way to promote the product to its customers. Since the device will be costly, most likely to be around $1500, the company has decided to expand into retail stores which will be open all around the world. This can make it easier for consumers to test out products before buying it, and Google is also promoting and expanding its market in this way. The launch of Google retails stores can create competition for other companies, like Apple or Microsoft, and is a risk to invest in such a large project. Google, however, think this idea makes sense if the company wants to expand its business, and they believe it will satisfy its customers. I think these stores can create easier access to electronic information and products, which can benefit the company's profits, and with the rapid expanding of new technology, Google stores can use this factor to benefit and change the way people buy products from the company.

This article talks chiefly about Google Glass, a new type of device that Google aims at putting out on the consumer market by the end of this year. First, it discusses how even though our technology satisfies all our wants and needs, we are often severely distracted by it. We are looking at everything through a screen that we hold in a way that acts as a barrier between us and the world. What Google is trying to do with Glass is make doing simple things like using GPS and replying to texts a lot more easier. With Glass, you don't have to walk around looking down on your phone oblivious to all that goes around you to find your way to the place you need to get to. Some problems with Glass are that it needs data through Wi-Fi on its own and that if it has no connection it's functionality is greatly limited. Since Glass can record video and it's almost unnoticeable, there is a privacy concern because many people may get filmed on video without them knowing. Also, because most of the interaction is through voice commands, it may become hectic to use the device if it does not understand you when you speak. Right now Google Glass may seem like a gimmick but the longer people are exposed to it the more they will understand its value and potential uses. Basically the question is not if people will use Google Glass, but when.

In the recent weeks, it seems to be the societal trend to chastise Apple Inc. for their mistakes, the most recent of them being their native iOS 6 'Maps' application. Earlier in the week, CEO Tim Cook published a letter on the Apple website apologizing for the poor quality of the app, saying that "At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment." However, this is not a first for Apple admitting their mistakes and apologizing; one example is in June of 2012, Bob Mansfield (SVP) expressed remorse for Apple's withdrawal of the EPEAT rating system, which ensured the company met an eco-friendly standard. They later recanted their actions and went back on to the rating system. Many people attribute Apple's recent downfall to the shift of power from Steve Jobs to Tim Cook. Apple has also come to fire for their general decreasing of employees per Apple store to increase profitability, their standalone podcast app and ultimately the widely regarded inadequate 'Siri', supposedly improved in iOS6. This relates to the tag 'eLifestyle' because when Apple limits the users experience by introducing faulty software and refuses to adress things because of pride, evidently the customers suffer. This relates to 'Environment' because of Apple's debacle with the EPEAT, and society's increasing desire for products that are eco-friendly, and Apple's supposed "higher environmental standards" that they operate under. Legally, Apple has actively been taking and giving lawsuits over the past years, including Samsung and Adobe (a lawsuit directly following Steve Jobs' choice to abandon flash on iOS devices.) From an economics standpoint, Apple seems to be making all the wrong choices, being that they abandon things that work (e.g. Google Maps, third-party podcast apps, EPEAT) and tries to 'reinvent the wheel' and many people argue that without the direction o

Social networking is a very big thing in today's society.  there are many social networking sites on the Internet, but none as big as Facebook.  With approximately 1 billion users, it is no wonder why it is so successful.  But with everything comes a consequence.  There are many downfalls to using Facebook.   One reason why Facebook is a problem to today's society is because since we are so addicted to Facebook, it can damage our minds. Receiving and answering a notification results in a hit of dopamine, a chemical neurotransmitter associated with the motivation and rewards response in the human brain.  Dopamine is also released when we consume drugs, etc.   This seems foolish right?  well In China, Taiwan, and South Korea, "Internet Addiction Disorder" is already accepted as a psychological diagnosis.  Facebook and other social networking sites can have damaging effects, such as a decrease in our attention span.  Since 2000, our collective attention span has increased by 40% It effects our lives because since almost everyone is on Facebook, or any other social networking site, almost everyday, we start to become distracted, less focused, and have a shorter attention span, which could potentially mess up future generations.  For one, we become distracted in class, and instead of listening to the teachers, we're always on our phones (or any other devices) checking our notifications. Now that we have learned what Facebook and other social networking sites can do to us, is there really a way to resolve this issue?

This article (by Emily Price) details a few interesting facts surrounding the social media giant 'Facebook', particularly around gaming. We are all familiar with social games, such as Mafia Wars and Farmville, and Facebook has been recently seeing most of their income from in-game advertisements and in-app purchases. Facebook has seen a 13% growth in gaming users since September 2011 (226 million - 251 million.) Facebook now has over 900 million users, and over 500 million users are utilizing Facebook via a mobile platform. Facebook says that games grow on the network in five different ways: App Center, Notifications, News Feed, Timeline, and games users have Bookmarked. 8 out of the 10 top iOS games have Facebook integrated, and the top two categories of games users play on Facebook are 'Simulation' and 'Games and Puzzles.' This relates to Portable Computing because Facebook has recently taken large steps to improve the user's mobile experience, understanding that most of their core audience is on smart devices. This relates to eLifestyle because we see these social networks like Facebook integrating gaming into the user's social feed, allowing them to spend more time on the site. This relates to Economics because as games become cheaper and more accesible, we see that most of the gaming market is taken by mobile games; no longer do we have to go to an electronics boutique to purchase a $60 triple-A game, when we can buy the $0.99 version of said game or another digitally. Mobile games are the consumer conscious choice because you get the most "bang for your buck." This relates to ICS20 because although most of us say that our time on Facebook is deteriorating, we still are entrenched in the social gaming environment; this is demonstrated by Facebook's 65 million user growth in 2012 alone.

Approximately 119mill tablets will reach consumers around the world this year and last year up to 60 million. 73 million will be iPads 

This article names and describes four of the best and most popular apps to download for your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and any other Android tablet device. This is useful to many people's lives, including my own, because when I first get a new handheld device, the first thing that people want to know is the best and most useful apps to download and what better way to inform people of popular apps then by reading this article. This is also important economically because people don't want to waste time and more importantly money by trying out apps that aren't really good nor useful to them. This will get their Android or iPad experience off to a bad start and this is not what Apple as a company wants their consumers to think so negatively about their products. This way, by reading this page, society and myself can identify what may be of interest to us varying from Netflix all the way to a cool racing game. A variety of possibilities of apps are available but the next step is to identify what are the best and most significant apps that will be of use to each individual when the intended time is ready for use.

This article is all about Nintendo 3DS outselling four Sony devices in Japan, now has 65 percent of the market. Japan's Media Create are showing that last year's trend has been fully reversed. Now consumers are hungry for 3DS because 3DS has more games compare to PS Vita. 3DS has a lot of good games, right now Kingdom of Hearts is the best selling game for the 3DS but sony can't compete with it because their PS Vita doesn't have good games to compete with it. A marked turnaround from when the console's future looked gloomy. 

It just seemed like yesterday that the iPad 2 was released but now it's been confirmed that the iPad 3, the newest edition of the iPad in technology, is in the process of creation and has officially released onto the market. The iPad 3 officially made it's first appearance on March 7th, when Apple introduced it's newest creation to the world at a media event in San Francisco. This notable information is relatable not only to our course, but also to society, and our world because it truly demonstrates how our world is constantly evolving and developing with new gadgets and technology being produced and used at our every use everyday. As consumers, we should also be aware that once the iPad 3 makes its way onto the market, the value our iPads and iPad 2s will significally drop, so it is advised that if you are interested in making a purchase and investment towards the iPad 3, to make a extra couple hundred dollars, try selling your older iPads while they are still valuable and worth an acceptable amount of money. Overall, tablets and iPads have definitely taken our world by storm as they have made a huge impact both economically and socially and Apple hopes to continue to make more and more designs and productions to further the success and effectiveness of their products. 

This article explains and acknowledges this week in Google. Google is improving its technology through their web browser, mobile devices, and in their social network. This is good for Google as a industry to attract more consumers to their products and this is really a step in a right direction for them improving and being recognized as one of the elite brands and companies in all fields of technology. I am happy for the success of Google and I hope they can continue to strive and do their best to satisfy their users with more faster and more efficient products delivering a high performance at every use. Also, I hope Google can continue to add and maintain a significant importance to the development and increase of their products throughout our evolving world of technology. 

As the title reads, this article announces scientists discovery to recharge laptops and cell phones with soda pop and vegetable oil. Scientists created the first fuel cell that produces electricity with technology borrowed from natural biological powerhouses. Researchers believe, these innovative biofuel cells can transform sugar and fats into energy for running a variety of machines and devices. When further developed, these devices have the potential for replacing disposable and rechargeable batteries in a wide variety of consumer electronics and other products.This can be a revolutionary discovery if we actually start to use soda pop and vegetable oil as our energy source to run our electronic devices rather than batteries. This has an impact on everybody's life and ultimately the entire world because with so much of our lives consisting of using and working with various technology based devices, it will be significant in the way we save money and resources in helping our environment and lives but also being just as efficient and successful with our products as before.