14-inch Razer Blade gaming laptop review: smaller, faster, lighter

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More Info

• Razer Blade review (late 2012)

• Razer reveals the Blade Pro and 14-inch Blade gaming laptops

• Razer Blade Pro and 14-inch models hands-on

Most companies refresh their products on an annual basis, carefully timing development and release schedules to match consumer demand, product obsolescence and component upgrades. It's the norm, an expected pattern that most PC, smartphone and tablet manufacturers follow. Razer, however, completely ignores this cycle, as exemplified by its Blade line of gaming laptops -- already on its third generation in less than two years. This would be less impressive if the firm wasn't a relative newcomer to the game; before it announced the Blade, Razer was known primarily for creating keyboards, gaming mice and console controllers. A fully fledged gaming PC was a jarring departure for the humble peripheral maker.
Even so, here we are: reviewing the third-generation Razer Blade gaming laptop. This, too, is a departure from what we've grown to expect from the company -- a smaller, thinner device bereft of the previous model's signature Switchblade interface. For some PC manufacturers, a 14-inch machine might be just another SKU in the catalog. But for Razer, it's almost a mark of progress: not only is the Blade popular enough to necessitate successive generations, but also multiple form factors. It's also the company's lowest-priced laptop yet, not to mention its first to include Intel's new fourth-generation CPU -- but at $1,800 for the base model, it still isn't cheap. Read on to see if the new Blade has enough charm to be worth its lofty price tag.

Meet Styx and Kerberos, Pluto's newly named moons

SETI's best known for its search for sentient life in the cosmos, but when the Hubble space telescope found a pair of new moons orbiting Pluto (at SETI's behest), it decided to do some planetoid naming, too. Today, SETI announced those names: Styx and Kerberos. The institute didn't grant titles to the moons itself, however. Instead, it put the onus on the public to come up with the proper names -- with instructions from the International Astronomical Union (IAU) that the nomenclature have something to do with the mythological underworld known as Hades. Voting lasted for two weeks, and SETI received over 450,000 regular votes and around 30,000 write-ins. Though many wished for the moons to be named for Stephen Colbert or the Romulan home world, the IAU found those choices to be unfit for the new moons. Instead, we have Styx (the river that separates earth from the underworld) and Kerberos (the three-headed dog that serves as the guardian to the underworld) -- who said studying Classics was a waste of time?

HTC confirms One S will no longer receive Android updates

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It's not a Nexus, so suspend your disbelief: HTC's One S will not be getting any further Android updates. That's right, One S owners, your device is now officially a relic. In a statement released to the press, HTC today confirmed that the mid-ranger, which bowed last year in tandem with the One X, will remain frozen on 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. That means current owners will have to look elsewhere (read: developer forums) for unofficial access to Sense 5 ROMs and the latest tweaks Google's packed into Android 4.2 updates. We can't really lament the loss of BlinkFeed, but it sure would've been nice to see HTC port Zoe over to the device. At the very least, this makes a strong case for that Google Play edition One and its promise of consistent updates.

"We can confirm that the HTC One S will not receive further Android OS updates and will remain on the current version of Android and HTC Sense. We realize this news will be met with disappointment by some, but our customers should feel confident that we have designed the HTC One S to be optimized with our amazing camera and audio experiences."

Microsoft and Nokia launch Music Mix Party, let friends share a streaming Xbox playlist (video)

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We've seen a few attempts at shared audio streaming, but many of these depend on specialized apps or hardware. Microsoft and Nokia could clear that hurdle with their newly launched Nokia Music Mix Party, which leans on what many of us have at home. Xbox 360 owners with an Xbox Live Gold subscription just have to visit a website that starts an artist-based streaming playlist with a custom QR code; after that, anyone in the room with a mobile device can scan the code and vote on which songs should play next. The service is free to use during July, although we don't yet know if and how pricing will change afterward. Is Mix Party simple? You bet -- but it could keep guests happy at future shindigs, even if they don't care for our tastes in music.

Pebble seals exclusive retail deal, lands at Best Buy July 7th for $150 (video

Yes, last night's rumors were true. Pebble just announced that it's sealed an exclusive retail deal to sell its iconic smartwatch at Best Buy locations nationwide. The wearable device is available online right now (source link below) and will land in stores starting July 7th for $150. Color choices include Jet Black today followed by Cherry Red in August. Pebble will continue taking pre-orders for the other colors (orange, grey and white) directly on its own website. The partnership with Best Buy also brings new retail packaging (above) to store shelves. We've sure come a long way since Pebble launched its Kickstarter campaign -- one of the most successful ever -- back in April 2012. Check out the promo video and full PR after the break.

Engadget Giveaway: win an HTC One Google Play edition, courtesy of dbrand!

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Ever since Google announced that it was joining forces with Samsung and HTC to push out a stock Android version of the two biggest flagships on the market, we knew that a giveaway of at least one of these devices would need to follow quickly. True to our intent, we've teamed up with dbrand, a company dedicated to making customized skins for the phone of your choice, to offer you the chance to win the Google Play edition of the HTC One! To enter, head to the widget below -- remember, leaving comments doesn't work anymore. While you're at it, feel free to enjoy dbrand's latest video showing off what it does best.

Netflix lands multi-year subscription exclusive for New Girl

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While Netflix has scored some coups in original content, it has arguably been slacking on deals for conventional TV shows -- Amazon has landed numerous exclusives on that front in recent months. Netflix may be making up for lost time, however, with a multi-year subscription exclusive in the US for Fox's New Girl. Effective immediately, customers can stream the Zooey Deschanel comedy's first season; further seasons will come online as they finish their initial TV runs. We doubt that New Girl by itself will lead to many converts from other services, but its presence on Netflix proves that Amazon can't let its guard down.

The Daily Roundup for 07.01.2013

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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Future soldier: Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku on building a Death Star and Silicon Valley brain drain

Morning light shines softly through a large glass window as a travel-weary Michio Kaku gamely musters a smile. Then the camera starts rolling. In an instant Kaku transforms from an exhausted traveler, to a newly rejuvenated physicist as he plays to his audience and waxes poetic about his favorite subject -- science. Read on for our full interview.

Firefox OS hands-on: Alcatel OneTouch Fire and ZTE Open (video)

We've crossed paths with Firefox OS before, but today marks the first time we've used handsets running the final build of Mozilla's mobile OS. The Alcatel OneTouch Fire and ZTE Open, shown at the link above, are the same phones we played with at MWC earlier this year -- in fact, the latter just launched in Spain on Telefónica for €69 ($90) unsubsidized including €30 ($39) of airtime for prepaid customers. Read on for our full impressions of both devices.

HP exec says company will re-enter smartphone market, is working on a device that offers a unique experience

HP and phones? It's not over, apparently. The company's Senior Director of Consumer PCs and Tablets for Asia-Pacific, Yam Su Yin, has told The Indian Express that HP isn't done with smartphones and is already working on a new device.

Ex-Xbox chief Don Mattrick lands at Zynga, officially (update: comments from Ballmer and Mattrick)

We just got the news that ex-head of Xbox, Don Mattrick, was out at Microsoft, and now we know where he's going: Zynga. AllThingsD reports that Mattrick is officially the new CEO of the casual social gaming firm.

Bing adds licensing rights refinement to image search

Here's a nice little feature for those of us who love to post images on the internet. Bing has added the ability to refine image results by license. The addition's simple enough to use -- just do a search and pull the appropriate license from a drop down on the top of the results page, alongside options for date, size and color. Selections include public domain and options like "free to modify, share and use," based on the Creative Commons licensing system, so there's no doubt as to precisely how you can incorporate them into your own posts. Google's had a similar option on its own search engine for some time -- albeit one's that's a bit less prominently displayed.

Vivo's Y19t is a phone built for China and aimed at ladies, has front-mounted flash for well-lit selfies

Vivo may not be a well-known smartphone brand here in the states, but the firm's been pushing out audio-centric phones in China for more than a minute. Its latest handset, the Y19t, is aimed at the female market (hence the hot pink exterior) and is a more imaging-conscious unit -- it's got a 5-megapixel camera and flash on its front complementing an 8-megapixel shooter round back. The phone's also equipped with a 4.5-inch, 960 x 540 IPS display, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage and dual SIM slots (one for micro and one for nano SIMs).
Like its cousin, the X1, the Y19t has a MediaTek SoC and a non-removeable 2,000 mAh battery, but unlike its predecessor, this new phone has an MT6589 1.2Ghz quad-core chip inside its 7.4mm thick chassis. Naturally, it has Chinese-friendly TD-SCDMA and GSM radios and comes running Android 4.2.1 skinned with a Vivo UI. Like what you've seen (and heard) so far? Head on down to the source to see some screenshots, more device pics and a review of the Y19t's capabilities, but you might want to bring a translator with you -- it's written in Chinese.

Sony's 4K player launches by July 15th, Video Unlimited 4K service coming this fall

Sony announced its FMP-X1 4K Ultra HD Media Player a few months ago, and today confirmed it's arriving in homes and on store shelves by July 15th. The $699 box only works with Sony's own 4K TVs, and early adopting owners of "qualifying" X900A sets can expect a $200 introductory discount. Also available is in-home setup and activations free of charge, set up through the 4KActivation.com site once it's available July 8th. Sony's also named the online 4K movie distribution network it's launching this fall -- Video Unlimited 4K -- which will offer films, TV episodes and short-form content for download. For feature films, it will cost $7.99 for a 24-hour rental or $29.99 to purchase. The 4K Player (and its 10 pack-in movies) is available for pre-order now on the US Sony store, expect it to hit other retailers soon.

Make beautiful, fiery music with Adafruit's DIY MIDI-controlled flame organ (video)

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Eyebrows in the way? Singe them off with Adafruit's DIY flame organ, debuting just in time for the holiday weekend. If fireworks aren't enough to put the sizzle in your Independence Day party, all you need to light up your very own MIDI instrument are a few relays, solenoid valves, a digital music workstation (Adafruit recommends Livid Instruments' BASE paired with Ableton Live and Pure Data) and a blatant disregard for your own mortality. The official tutorial is still in the works, but you can watch the flame organ blaze with a patriotic tune after the break. If you're brave -- or foolish -- enough to attempt to build one of your own, just promise us that you won't drink and DIY.

Ex-Xbox chief Don Mattrick lands at Zynga, officially (update: comments from Ballmer and Mattrick)

We just got the news that ex-head of Xbox, Don Mattrick, was out at Microsoft, and now we know where he's going: Zynga. AllThingsD reports that Mattrick is officially the new CEO of the casual social gaming firm, and Mark Pincus, the current CEO, is stepping down from that position to make room for Mattrick's arrival. Fear not for Pincus, however, as the founder of Zynga will maintain a role at the company as chairman and chief product officer. Naturally, Zynga's thrilled with the hire, though we're still waiting word from Redmond on the matter. You can get Pincus' take on Mattrick at the source below.
Update: Steve Ballmer has posted a memo about Mattrick's departure, calling it "a great opportunity for Don" and thanking him for his hard work at Microsoft.
Update 2: AllThingsD has Mattrick's first letter to Zynga's employees, in which he states the "mission to connect the world through games is just getting started."

Google Glass update adds web browsing, widens voice commands (update: images)

Google has delivered a steady stream of Glass updates since the Explorer Edition launched, but its new July upgrade may be the biggest yet -- it addresses several of our earliest gripes. Wearers can now answer phone calls or have messages read aloud. It's also now possible to call or message any Gmail contact, not just the top ten. Oh, and that hidden web browser? It's now public: Glass owners can ask to see a favorite page and navigate using the touchpad. If you're one of the precious few to sport Google's eyewear, you should automatically receive the much-improved firmware in the next few days; we've already heard of at least one user getting the upgrade today.
Update: We now have screenshots of how browsing works in the update -- check them out below.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active battery life tests are done, results inside

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is a the water resistant version of the regular S4 and just like it has a Snapdragon 600 chipset with the four Krait 300 cores clocked at 1.9GHz and a 2,600mAh battery.

But the two differ on one key factor for the battery test – the screen. AMOLED and LCDs both have their strengths and weaknesses, so let’s see which one does better when you draw the line.
Call time should be unaffected – after all, the screen is off. That wasn’t the case, however, as the Galaxy S4 Active lasted an hour and 20 minutes less than the Snapdragon 600-powered S4. We’re not sure how to account for the lost time, but we did notice some software differences, so this may be it.

Skype for Android gets a major update, UI overhaul

Skype for Android has received a huge update to version 4.0, alongside a bevy of new interface changes and optimizations.

The new Skype for Android 4.0 takes many design cues from Windows 8′s Modern UI.
Derek Snyder, head of mobile marketing at Skype, said that the new Skype will be aimed at addressing the needs of mobile users first and foremost. Messaging will be brought to the forefront, and it will supposedly be more power efficient.

Snyder went on to mention that Skype for Android has seen over 100 million Android installs already, making it one of the most popular messengers on the platform.
Skype for Android 4.0 takes aims to differentiate itself from other Skype Android versions, as it’s only available to devices running Gingerbread 2.3.3 and higher (get it here). No comment was made in regards to an eventual Skype for iOS update, although Snyder did mention that there would be a more unified design language across all platforms, mobile and otherwise.
Source

Nokia buys Siemens shares of Nokia Siemens Networks for €1.7 billion

Nokia has bought its partner’s 50% share of the Nokia Siemens Networks joint-venture for €1.7 billion ($2.2B) and now controls the business by itself.

This was announced today by Nokia itself and the deal is expected to come through by Q3 of 2013.
Nokia Siemens Networks managed to see a 117% increase of profit, which reached €899 million ($1.2 billion) in the first quarter of 2013.
Out of the €1.7 billion, €1.2 billion will be paid in cash with the remaining €500 million be paid via a secured loan next year.
Source | Via

Good news for smartwatches: apps can read and dismiss notifications in Android 4.3

8 months after its release in October 2012, Windows 8 has finally surpassed Windows Vista in usage. Microsoft’s latest desktop OS boasts 5.1% market share, whereas the WIndows Vista share has shrunk to 4.62%.

The data comes from research company and market tracker Net Applications. Their research shows that Windows 8 isn’t too far behind Mac OS X (all versions combined), either. At 6.63% combined, Apple’s OS is just at arms reach for the latest release of the Redmond company. Windows 8 marks a decent jump in usage over May, when it had 4.27% share.
At the top of the chart remain Windows 7 and Windows XP with 44.37% and 37.17%, respectively. This puts Microsoft as the undisputed champion in the desktop operating systems market in June with a 91.51% slice. Mac OS is distant second with 7.2% (including older versions, not just OS X) and Linux is third with 1.28%.
Source | Via

Good news for smartwatches: apps can read and dismiss notifications in Android 4.3

An Android 4.3 build for the Samsung Galaxy S4 leaked a few days ago and it was found to contain some hidden enhancements that point the way to some new features in the future. They have to do with notifications.

The first is a Notifications screen, which acts as history of all your recent notifications, even the ones you’ve dismissed (those are the grayed out ones, the others are notifications still visible in the notification area).
Android 4.3 will also allow apps to read what notifications are displayed through an additional permission. These apps will also be able to dismiss notifications and interact with them (e.g. hit the Reply or Delete buttons on an email notification).

<string name=”notification_listener_security_warning_summary”>%1$s will be able to read all notifications posted by the system or any installed app, which may include personal information such as contact names and the text of messages sent to you. It will also be able to dismiss these notifications or touch action buttons within them.</string>

That will be great for smartwatches and the likes, which display notifications from your phone (and are currently doing it through the unrelated Accessibility API). But this will also enable other applications, like sending notifications to your desktop. Apps like Tasker and others also need to read notifications to perform some action and currently do it with the Accessibility API, but they’ll be able to move to the new, more appropriate API.
Such apps are called Notification listeners and there’s a Notification access screen that shows you which apps have access to your notification (which could be a privacy concern, after all notifications often contain messages to you).
Another enticing possibility is replacement notification areas – currently you can change the launcher and the lockscreen, but not the notification. However, the needed permissions (to hide the stock notification area) have not been found (yet!).

Nokia Lumia 925 ad looks virtually identical to the Lumia 928 promo

Nokia put out a new ad for the Lumia 925 in the UK and it looks very, very similar to the Lumia 928 ad we saw some time ago. Seriously, it includes most of the same shots, even though the phones aren’t exactly identical.

Both phones boast great low-light photography thanks to their Optical Image Stabilization and optimized sensors. Still, the 928 has xenon flash, which the Lumia 925 does not.