Business

Interested in trading in your iPad, Macbook, or older Windows device for a Windows 8-based computer? Then head on over to Staples, where the retailer is offering up to $400 for older Microsoft and Apple devices. Here's how the deal, which Staples ... calls "Trade up to touch," works: People who buy a Windows 8-equipped touch screen device -- including tablets, all-in-one PCs, or laptops -- from Staples can qualify to trade in an older computer and receive up to $400 off the purchase of their new Windows 8 device. Windows, Apple Devices Qualify for Trade-In Those interested in the deal will need ... (view more)

Many of us spend hours playing free video games online, whether it's by downloading them through the Apple iTunes Store, Google Play Store, or some other site / service. But the ability to enhance that gaming experience with "premium" upgrades can ... make "free" games very expensive. The Kitchen family of Bristol, England, recently discovered just how pricy "free" games can be. Mom Sharon was recently stunned to receive an Apple iTunes Store bill for 1,700 pounds, or roughly $2,500. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) Premium Purchases Rack Up Fast Sharon racked her brain for hours trying to figure ... (view more)

Microsoft has finally released the latest version of its very own web browser, Internet Explorer 10, for its still-popular Windows 7 operating system (OS). The browser has been available for Windows 8 since that OS launched late last year. Releasing ... Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) as a Windows 8 exclusive was part of an attempt by Microsoft to promote its newest OS. However, with more than 700 million people using Windows 7, the idea of shirking an IE10 release seemed ludicrous. Internet Explorer 10 brings a number of important technical advancements to the table. For one, it offers wider support ... (view more)

Microsoft has acknowledged that its Mac software business unit was recently infected with malware. However, the company insists that the infection did not result in any customer data being compromised. Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Security chief ... Matt Thomlinson recently made this statement on the firm's security blog: "During our investigation, we found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by other organizations." No Customer Data Compromised Thomlinson went on to say that ... (view more)

Google has unveiled a powerful and pricy touchscreen laptop it calls 'Pixel.' The device, which offers shockingly little storage space but access to a 1 terabyte (TB) online storeroom, is being designed with cloud-connected users in mind. In some ... ways the Google Pixel is very similar to Apple's MacBook Air. For one, it's extremely thin and lightweight. Second, with the WiFi model priced at $1,299 and a LTE-connected edition going for $1,499, the high cost will be familiar to Apple users. "Brightest, Best Screen ... Ever": Google Also familiar: a super-lush display. In fact, Google ... (view more)

Last week former Microsoft executive Joachim Kempin accused chief executive officer Steve Ballmer and chairman Bill Gates of sucking the cool out of Microsoft. That prompted some critics to wonder if Microsoft had ever been cool in the first place. ... However, it's much more shocking when someone accuses industry rival Apple of losing its cool. But that's exactly what Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak suggested in a recent interview. Apple's Cool: "We Kind of Are Losing That," Wozniak Says "We used to have these ads, I'm a Mac and I'm a PC, and the Mac was always the cool guy," Wozniak ... (view more)

In a recent interview with CBS This Morning, Microsoft chairman and former chief executive officer Bill Gates said he's "not satisfied" with Microsoft's level of innovation in recent years. However, the comment was not so much a criticism of current ... Microsoft executives, including CEO Steve Ballmer, than a push for the company to achieve greater things. Gates Admits Microsoft Made "A Mistake" in Mobile Market Much of Gates' interview revolved around Microsoft's recent attempt to make a bigger splash in the mobile market -- a sector of the technology industry largely ignored (or ... (view more)

A new report finds that Microsoft's newly-released Surface Pro tablet computer is tougher to repair than an Apple iPad. The device, which officially launched on February 9, 2013, is reportedly built in a way that makes it very tough for an owner to ... perform their own hardware maintenance. The report comes to us from consumer technology hardware blog ifixit, which after performing a teardown of the Microsoft Surface Pro reports that "Microsoft has essentially glued down anything that could be glued, making it incredibly difficult for a user to repair on their own." Battery-Gluing Arouses Anger ... (view more)

Google is reportedly preparing to open its very own retail stores in the United States. Such outlets would give the search giant an opportunity to show off its Android-based products, including smartphones, computers, tablets, and the upcoming ... Google Glass technology. The report comes via 9to5Google, which notes that "an extremely reliable source" recently told it that the firm "hopes to have the first flagship Google Stores open for the holidays in major metropolitan areas." Retail Locations Allow Consumers to Try Out Products 9to5Google says that the decision was made because Google worries ... (view more)

Security analysts are warning that a new iOS 6.1 hack could allow someone to bypass the security of an iPhone 5 and covertly spy on a user's private messages and conversations. The majority of Apple iPhone owners currently have some kind of password ... lock screen protecting their device. However, a YouTube video (aptly named "How to Bypass iPhone 5 Passcode on iOS 6.1") provides step-by-step instructions for getting around this security wall. Once a device has been compromised, hackers have complete access to the emails, photos, etc. stored on the phone. When attempting to delve deeper into the ... (view more)