Windows 10 didn't stop PC sales from dropping this summer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/10/pc-sales-drop-in-q3-2015/

Windows 10 may have breathed new life into your PC, but it didn't do anything to juice PC sales this summer. Both Gartner and IDC estimate that computer sales dropped several points year-over-year (between 7.7 and 10.8 percent) in the third quarter, right when the new Windows arrived. That's one of the steeper drops in recent memory, in fact. Not that it comes as a complete surprise. As the analyst firms explain, Microsoft's fast-tracked release left many PC makers shipping existing systems with Windows 10, which weren't going to drive demand as much as brand new models. You're not going to buy a months-old laptop just because it's running new software, are you? The big question is whether or not the wave of new Windows 10 PCs launching this fall will make a difference -- if there's still a sharp decline, the industry is really in trouble.

The new platform wasn't the only factor at work, of course. The researchers blame the downturn on a combination of a stronger US dollar (which hiked PC prices in many other countries) and a transition away from old Windows 8 PCs. Some vendors fared better than others, though. As a rule, big-name brands like Apple, Dell, HP and Lenovo (the market leader) have emerged relatively unscathed -- it's the smaller, more vulnerable companies that are shedding legions of customers. Even Acer and ASUS saw sales plunge by over 10 percent. It's too soon to say if Windows 10 will stop the bleeding, but the days of booming computer businesses appear to be long gone.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu]

Source: IDC, Gartner

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Adobe's Monument Mode Removes People Walking Through Your Frame in Real Time

Source: http://gizmodo.com/adobes-monument-mode-removes-people-waking-through-your-1735371997

At last night’s MAX conference, Adobe gave a sneak-preview of a real-time camera feature it’s been working on called Monument Mode. It seems to remove people walking through the frame of your picture, there and then, as if by magic.

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Nanowire technology will improve brain-stimulating implants

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/08/nanowire-brain-implants/

Scientists at Lund University have published a paper about a new nanowire thread (only 80 nanometres in diameter) that will work to strengthen brain implants. Neuro-prostheses are currently used to stimulate and collect information from the brain of those with Parkinson's disease, along with other illnesses. However, one of the biggest problems that current tech faces is that the brain identifies the implant as a foreign object and uses cellular material to surround the electrode, resulting in a loss of signal. With the newly developed technology, this will (hopefully) no longer be the case.

"Our nanowire structure prevents the cells that usually encapsulate the electrodes – glial cells – from doing so", says Christelle Prinz who is the co-creator of this technology. The structure is made out of a gallium phosphide semiconductor with nanowires sticking out. While glial cells can grow on the flat semiconductor, neurons can grow on the nanowires. This way they're close, but not so close that the neurons are affected, which leads to better, longer lasting implants. So far the nanowire has only been tested in cultured samples, but because of the positive results, tests should begin in live subjects soon.

Via: Medgadget

Source: Lund University

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Microsoft's 5.7-inch Lumia 950 XL is liquid cooled and $649

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/06/microsofts-lumia-950xl-is-the-latest-supersized-windows-10-phon/

While the Surface Pro 4 may garner the bulk of the attention from today's Microsoft event, the folks in Redmond had other stuff to reveal, too. Those other announcements include a pair of smartphones, one of which is the supersized Lumia 950 XL. Thanks to a handful of leaks, we already had an idea what the handset would look like and some details of its spec sheet. The 950 XL features a larger OLED screen than its sibling, measuring 5.7 inches at 518 ppi. It also offers 32GB of storage that you can expand via microSD card up to a whopping (theoretical) 2TB. There's a 20-megapixel camera with a Zeiss lens around back with triple LED RGB natural flash, optical image stabilization and a dedicated camera button as well, continuing to leverage the photo chops from Nokia. That wordy flash description basically means people will look more natural in photos where you have to employ said feature. And, of course, all of that runs on Windows 10. Slideshow-326502 Slideshow-326469

The new Lumias both pack in adaptive antenna tech that works to give you the best connection possible at all times. The 950 XL also carries a 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor and liquid cooling that was originally developed for the Surface tablet. Microsoft gave both of the new Lumia phones something it calls Glance Screen technology that'll show you missed calls, emails, time, date and more just by taking a look at the display. The duo also features USB Type-C connectors for 5 Gbps transfer speeds and quick charging that can hit 50 percent in 30 minutes. There's also a Display Dock that has connections for HDMI, DisplayPort and three USB jacks that'll allow you to use the handset with a monitor. And thanks to Windows 10 universal apps and Continuum, you can employ those handy Office apps to get work done at your desk... with your phone. If all of that sounds too good to pass up, you'll have to wait until November to get your hands on the 950 XL. When it arrives, expect to shell out $649 to nab one.

Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.

Source: Microsoft

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Here's our first look at the Surface Book, Microsoft's answer to the MacBook Pro

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/06/microsoft-surface-book-hands-on/

Wow. Microsoft finally did it. After years or rumors and speculation the company finally unveiled its very own laptop. Not a tablet that could replace a laptop (though there's that too), but a bona fide laptop, with an attached keyboard. Well, almost. The Surface Book at first glance looks like a traditional clamshell notebook with a touchscreen. In fact, though, it's more like a lovechild between the Surface and Lenovo's Yoga line. Which is to say, it has a removable display that supports pen input but, when attached, it can also flip back 360 degrees into tablet mode. Oh, and on the inside, it has enough horsepower to take on the MacBook Pro. I just got my first look here at Microsoft's "Windows 10 Devices" keynote in New York City. Here are some hands-on photos for now -- I'll update this post soon with impressions.Slideshow-326504

At three and a half pounds, the Surface Book feels heavier than I expected. But then I remembered it's been a while since I've reviewed a Windows laptop like this. Most of the Windows notebooks that cross my desk these days compete on thinness and lightness, sometimes at the expense of performance. Microsoft is taking a different approach: the Surface Book is as well built as any MacBook, and claims to be as powerful too, but the tradeoff is that it's also about as heavy as a MacBook Pro. If you compare it to the Dell XPS 13 or Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro you might be disappointed by its heft, but then, you'd also me putting it in the completely wrong class of product.

Before I get to performance, though, I do want to linger on the design. The Surface Book is gorgeous. Solid. Yes, its aluminum design and blunt edges bear some similarity to the MacBook Pro, but it still feels every bit worth its $1,499 price tag. It belongs in a small echelon of truly premium, luxurious-feeling computers, with the MBP and even the Chromebook Pixel making for some good company.

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