If you listen to technology podcasts regularly, you’ve by now likely heard of eyewear company Warby Parker. The New York based startup, launched in 2010, has recently started advertising on many tech podcasts and bills itself as an affordable and easy way to purchase eyeglasses and sunglasses via the Internet. As a (literally) nearsighted nerd, I was intrigued when I heard about the company on The Mac Observer’s Mac Geek Gab podcast, and so I decided to give it a
FastMac Announces External Optical Drive Perfect for the New Mac Pro
Apple’s radically redesigned Mac Pro will be heading to the market later this year but, like most of Apple’s other Macs, the new version ditches the optical drive. A missing optical drive can be easily justified for ultra-portable computers like the MacBook Air, but professionals who are interested in, and will be able to afford, the new Mac Pro may still need the capability to read and burn CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. Any one of a number of external
802.11ac Routers Compared: Apple, Belkin, Netgear & Linksys
When Apple released its 2013 updates to the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule Wi-Fi routers in June, the company added support for the latest and fastest wireless standard, 802.11ac. Our first look at the 802.11ac AirPort Extreme showed very promising performance, with speeds nearing 550 megabits per second in some scenarios, a result that was nearly five times faster than the preceding 802.11n standard. But Apple was not the first to the next-gen Wi-Fi game. Although 802.11ac won’t be finalized
WYSIWYG Editing Now Available with Wikipedia VisualEditor
Wikipedia has always been an odd entity. The website built its reputation as the encyclopedia that anyone could edit, but its confusing and complicated formatting system, called Wiki Markup, ensured that only technically savvy users with plenty of patience could participate. Citing this complexity, the Wikimedia Foundation this week launched a new WYSIWYG (“What You See is What You Get”) editing interface called VisualEditor. Initially available as a beta, the new Wikipedia VisualEditor will allow novice users to create and
Microsoft Ending TechNet Program, Shuts Down August 31
Microsoft’s march towards universal subscription software has taken another victim. TechNet, the company’s software portal for IT professionals, will stop accepting new memberships on August 31, 2013 and will shut down completely on September 30, 2014, according to an email sent to subscribers Monday. TechNet was launched in 1998 and gave IT professionals access to virtually all of Microsoft’s desktop software. For a yearly fee that, over the years, ranged between $200 and $500, members could download current and past
Apple Pursues International Trademark for Rumored iWatch
Apple’s “next big thing” is widely expected to be a wearable companion, such as a wristwatch, to the company’s line of iOS products, and Apple’s recent trademark filings are lending credibility to the rumors. Bloomberg reported late Sunday that the Cupertino company has filed a trademark application in Japan for “iWatch,” the speculated name for the rumored device. Sunday’s news of the trademark application follows reports from early June that Apple had filed a similar application in Russia. The Japanese
Pure Speed: 2013 802.11ac AirPort Extreme Benchmarks
Update: In addition to the AirPort Extreme tests, below, we now also have performance benchmarks comparing the AirPort to other 802.11ac-class routers from Belkin, Netgear, and Linksys. After our initial AirPort Extreme and MacBook Air demonstrated hardware problems, we waited several days to obtain replacements, which have finally arrived. While we still have much more planned in terms of reviewing the new AirPort Extreme, we wanted to get you some preliminary bandwidth numbers as quickly as possible, so here are our
Apple Patent Application Describes Merging I/O Ports
Apple is pursuing new technologies that would allow the company to combine multiple interfaces, such as USB and SD Card, into a single port, according to a U.S. patent application published Thursday and noted by AppleInsider. The Apple patent application, filed December 23, 2011, is titled “Combined Input Port” and describes a unique port that can receive “different types of connectors, memory cards, or plugs.” The application’s images focus on the combination of a USB type A connector and SD
iTunes Radio Terms Revealed, Compared to Pandora
The terms between Apple and the record labels for the iTunes Radio streaming music service were revealed by The Wall Street Journal late Wednesday. The report includes information on the amounts Apple must pay along with special circumstances that are exempt from payment. The newspaper reportedly obtained the information from independent record labels, which have recently begun talks with Apple to join iTunes Radio after the Cupertino company had already secured the major labels prior to WWDC. The Wall Street
The Best New Features in Windows 8.1
Now that we have the Windows 8.1 Preview running on our test system, it’s time to identify the best consumer-facing changes and new features in Microsoft’s first major update to its controversial operating system. A reminder that, while we don’t anticipate that anything we discuss here will be changed, this is still beta software that is subject to modification before its final release. The Start Button Rumors persisted for months that the Start Button would make its return to Windows
Windows 8.1 Preview Now Available From Windows Store
As promised, Microsoft has made the Windows 8.1 Preview available for download. MSDN and TechNet subscribers can download a full installer image from their respective membership sites, while everyone else can get the preview from the Windows Store. To install the Windows 8.1 Preview, first head to Microsoft’s download page and choose “Get the Update.” This will configure your PC to see the update in the Windows Store. After installing this preliminary update, reboot and you’ll see the full update
Seiki Brings 4K to the Masses With a $700 39-inch Television
“Introducing 4K2K for Everyone.” That’s the line that Los Angeles-based value electronics manufacturer Seiki uses to market its new series of 4K resolution televisions. The company made headlines in April when it released a 50-inch 4K TV for about $1,400, less than a third of the cost of 4K products from competing manufacturers. Now Seiki hopes to attract an even larger audience with the announcement of a 39-inch 4K display for $699. “4K” refers to the resolution of the display,