A wireless system for when disasters hit[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:04:50 GMT ]Researchers from Georgia Tech College of Computing claim to have developed a cheap, easy software solution to allow people to communicate after disasters, even if landlines, cell phone networks and the Internet are all down.

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/zhZeVE7sSYU/" target="_blank">Get a 120GB internal SSD for $109.99 shipped</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:15:32 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20097747-58/get-a-120gb-internal-ssd-for-$109.99-shipped/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/OCZ_Vertex_Plus_120GB.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>

<a href="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/OCZ_Vertex_Plus_120GB.jpg" class="lightboxIt">
</a>
<p class="image-caption">The OCZ Vertex Plus is a 120GB solid-state drive for laptops.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Newegg)</span>
<p><i>Quick housekeeping note: I'll be posting a bit less than usual next week, probably just Tuesday and Thursday. After that, it's back to all Cheapskate, all the time!</i></p>
<p>Want to breathe some new life into your laptop? Many people swear by solid-state drives, or SSDs, which promise shorter boot times, faster overall operation, and lower power consumption (meaning better battery life).</p>
<p>Alas, SSDs have a much higher price-per-gigabyte than traditional hard drives--but at least they're getting more affordable. In fact, eagle-eyed Cheapskate reader Eric spotted one of the best prices I've seen to date: a ... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20097747-58/get-a-120gb-internal-ssd-for-$109.99-shipped/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/zhZeVE7sSYU" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/nu5V82RKqV4/" target="_blank">Motorola to kick off Xoom 4G LTE upgrade?</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:26:00 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20097757-94/motorola-to-kick-off-xoom-4g-lte-upgrade/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/motorola_452x374_270x223.jpg" alt="" /></a></div><p>Motorola will start upgrading existing <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/motorola-xoom/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed" >Xoom tablet</a> owners to 4G LTE within the next week, but the initial pilot program will target only business and government customers, says enthusiast site <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/24/xoom-4g-lte-upgrades-set-to-begin-business-and-government-users-up-first-in-pilot-group/">Droid Life</a>.</p>

<p>
<p class="image-caption">Is Motorola starting its 4G LTE upgrade for the Xoom?</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Motorola)</span>
</p>
<p>According to an e-mail reportedly received by a Droid Life reader, Motorola is "piloting" the initial upgrade just to business and government customers before it starts rolling out 4G en masse to individual Xoom owners.</p>
<p>In late July, Verizon confirmed that the Xoom's <a title="Xoom to get 4G hookup in September -- Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20083777-94/xoom-to-get-4g-hookup-in-september/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">4G LTE upgrade would kick off sometime in September</a> following several months of delays. As reported earlier this year, the <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20035818-251.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">upgrade to 4G is free</a>, but the process requires Xoom owners to mail back their tablets for a hardware retrofit.</p>
<p>Earlier instructions had directed users to mail their tablets back to Verizon. But the e-mail posted by Droid Life instead is telling Xoom business and government owners to send their tablet... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20097757-94/motorola-to-kick-off-xoom-4g-lte-upgrade/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/nu5V82RKqV4" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/CySF6VrvJ98/" target="_blank">Steve Jobs leaves Apple's helm (week in review)</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:30:00 PDT ]</i><BR></p><p>

Steve Jobs stunned the tech world by announcing he had stepped down from the helm of the iconic company he co-founded 35 years ago.
</p>
<h4><a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-1.html">Steve Jobs at Apple: A retrospective</a> </h4>
<a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-1.html"></a>
<a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-2.html"></a>
<a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-3.html"></a>
<p>
Jobs, who has been dogged by severe health problems that forced him to take three leaves of absence from Apple in recent years, <a title="Steve Jobs steps down from Apple -- Wednesday, Aug 24, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20096895-248/steve-jobs-steps-down-from-apple/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">announced his resignation</a> as chief executive officer on Wednesday. His place at the top of the company will be taken by Tim Cook, previously Apple's chief operating officer.
</p><p>
"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come," Jobs said in his resignation letter.
<a title="Text of resignation letter from Steve Jobs -- Wednesday, Aug 24, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20096897-37/text-of-resignation-letter-from-steve-jobs/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">&#149;&nbsp; Text of resignation letter from Steve Jobs</a>
... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20097606-92/steve-jobs-leaves-apples-helm-week-in-review/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/CySF6VrvJ98" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/mMT4MYY8ksI/" target="_blank">DirecTV teases 'Nomad' Slingbox competitor</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:39:51 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20097794-17/directv-teases-nomad-slingbox-competitor/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/DIRECTV_nomad.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>

<p class="image-caption">The DirecTV Nomad is coming soon.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)</span>
<p>DirecTV appears to have its sights set on Slingbox with a new platform, called Nomad.</p>
<p>The satellite provider launched a <a href="http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/technology/nomad" >page</a> on its site recently, showcasing a device that connects to the customer's DVR and allows them to stream programming to other devices, including computers, smartphones and tablets.</p>
<p>"Take your movies and shows from your home DVR where you go," the Nomad site reads.</p>
<p>If DirecTV follows through with a Nomad competitor, it wouldn't be much of a surprise. EchoStar, which is closely affiliated with DirecTV's chief competitor, Dish Network, owns Sling Media. Sling made a name for itself in the home-entertainment space by offering a box that connects to any DVR and lets users control the DVR and watch TV programming from computers and mobile devices.</p>
<p><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20024249-17.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed" >Late last year</a>, Dish upped the ante a bit by launching its free Remote Access app for iPad users. The application, which requires users to have certain DVRs and a $99 Sling Adapter in order to work, lets folks watch live television and control their DVRs wherever they are. It would only make sense that DirecTV would want to respond with a solution of its own. However, exactly how DirecTV will do so remains... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20097794-17/directv-teases-nomad-slingbox-competitor/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/mMT4MYY8ksI" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/FLcfSpRMwg8/" target="_blank">Verizon offering Intuit's GoPayment reader for free</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:50:37 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20097816-93/verizon-offering-intuits-gopayment-reader-for-free/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/IntuitGoPaymentcardreader.jpg" alt="" /></a></div><p>Verizon is now selling Intuit's GoPayment credit card reader for free at its retail stores.</p>

<p>
<p class="image-caption">Verizon is selling Intuit&#39;s GoPayment card reader for free after a $30 rebate.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Intuit)</span>
</p>
<p>Thanks to a new partnership between Verizon Wireless and Intuit, business customers can grab the mobile card reader for free after a $30 rebate and the activation of a GoPayment account. The card reader and its app can be found at all of Verizon's retail stores and as well as its business-to-business outlets.</p>
<p>Intuit's <a href="http://gopayment.com/">GoPayment</a> system is geared toward small and midsize businesses that need to process credit cards on the go. The reader itself plugs into a smartphone or tablet. After customers swipe their credit or debit card through the reader, the payment is processed automatically and the funds sent to the merchant's bank account within a few days.</p>
<p>Both the app and the basic, or low-volume plan, are <a href="http://gopayment.com/pricing/">free</a>. Intuit charges a rate of 2.7 percent for each swiped card transaction. Keying in a card manually kicks in a higher fee of 3.7 percent.</p>
<p>A high-volume plan carries a price tag of $12.95 per month with a rate of 1.7 percent for each swiped transaction. But Intuit is currently offering Verizon customers two months free if they opt for the high-volume plan.</p>
<p>Business owners who use a smartphone w... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20097816-93/verizon-offering-intuits-gopayment-reader-for-free/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/FLcfSpRMwg8" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

At 20, Linux is invisible, ubiquitous[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:06:01 EDT ]Ross Turk would be happy to explain the tattoo on his arm.

FCC investigates earthquake phone jam[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:59:37 EDT ]The Federal Communications Commission says it is looking into the failures of cell phone service that occurred Tuesday afternoon after East Coast earthquake. For as long as an hour after the quake, wireless customers in Washington and elsewhere reported being unable to get calls through.

Steve Jobs' top 5 showman moments[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:43:04 EDT ]Steve Jobs is a technology innovator: the man who, alongside partner Steve Wozniak, sat in a garage and built a computer that would change the world of personal electronics.

Jim Carrey's midlife crisis is a meme[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:03:03 GMT ]Jim Carrey, clearly as nuts as he talented, desperately needs to step away from the Internet. And he's needed to do that for quite some time.

Top 10 fake Steve Jobses of the Apple Age[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:25:03 GMT ]Steve Jobs is, above all things, an Archetype of the Collective Unconscious . If the repetitive outpourings from tech analysts to Twitter that follow the Apple CEO's resignation are enough to hold this truth to be self evident, then look no further than pop culture — the mythology of our age — to see the many ways we've imagined this man.

Challenges of an Apple without Jobs[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:20:29 GMT ]Future success or failure depends on the strength of the new leadership, not to mention the greater forces of the universe, but it's clear that Apple will face challenges.

Wearable tech may soon do less, but do better[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:05:00 GMT ]Wearable technology should be simpler. Here Are eight ideas new tech from WIMM Labs could embed itself into tiny devices that you take with you everywhere you go.

A wireless system for when disasters hit[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:04:50 GMT ]Researchers from Georgia Tech College of Computing claim to have developed a cheap, easy software solution to allow people to communicate after disasters, even if landlines, cell phone networks and the Internet are all down.

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/zhZeVE7sSYU/" target="_blank">Get a 120GB internal SSD for $109.99 shipped</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:15:32 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20097747-58/get-a-120gb-internal-ssd-for-$109.99-shipped/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/OCZ_Vertex_Plus_120GB.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>

<a href="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/OCZ_Vertex_Plus_120GB.jpg" class="lightboxIt">
</a>
<p class="image-caption">The OCZ Vertex Plus is a 120GB solid-state drive for laptops.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Newegg)</span>
<p><i>Quick housekeeping note: I'll be posting a bit less than usual next week, probably just Tuesday and Thursday. After that, it's back to all Cheapskate, all the time!</i></p>
<p>Want to breathe some new life into your laptop? Many people swear by solid-state drives, or SSDs, which promise shorter boot times, faster overall operation, and lower power consumption (meaning better battery life).</p>
<p>Alas, SSDs have a much higher price-per-gigabyte than traditional hard drives--but at least they're getting more affordable. In fact, eagle-eyed Cheapskate reader Eric spotted one of the best prices I've seen to date: a ... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20097747-58/get-a-120gb-internal-ssd-for-$109.99-shipped/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/zhZeVE7sSYU" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/nu5V82RKqV4/" target="_blank">Motorola to kick off Xoom 4G LTE upgrade?</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:26:00 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20097757-94/motorola-to-kick-off-xoom-4g-lte-upgrade/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/motorola_452x374_270x223.jpg" alt="" /></a></div><p>Motorola will start upgrading existing <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/motorola-xoom/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed" >Xoom tablet</a> owners to 4G LTE within the next week, but the initial pilot program will target only business and government customers, says enthusiast site <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/24/xoom-4g-lte-upgrades-set-to-begin-business-and-government-users-up-first-in-pilot-group/">Droid Life</a>.</p>

<p>
<p class="image-caption">Is Motorola starting its 4G LTE upgrade for the Xoom?</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Motorola)</span>
</p>
<p>According to an e-mail reportedly received by a Droid Life reader, Motorola is "piloting" the initial upgrade just to business and government customers before it starts rolling out 4G en masse to individual Xoom owners.</p>
<p>In late July, Verizon confirmed that the Xoom's <a title="Xoom to get 4G hookup in September -- Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20083777-94/xoom-to-get-4g-hookup-in-september/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">4G LTE upgrade would kick off sometime in September</a> following several months of delays. As reported earlier this year, the <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20035818-251.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">upgrade to 4G is free</a>, but the process requires Xoom owners to mail back their tablets for a hardware retrofit.</p>
<p>Earlier instructions had directed users to mail their tablets back to Verizon. But the e-mail posted by Droid Life instead is telling Xoom business and government owners to send their tablet... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20097757-94/motorola-to-kick-off-xoom-4g-lte-upgrade/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/nu5V82RKqV4" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/CySF6VrvJ98/" target="_blank">Steve Jobs leaves Apple's helm (week in review)</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:30:00 PDT ]</i><BR></p><p>

Steve Jobs stunned the tech world by announcing he had stepped down from the helm of the iconic company he co-founded 35 years ago.
</p>
<h4><a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-1.html">Steve Jobs at Apple: A retrospective</a> </h4>
<a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-1.html"></a>
<a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-2.html"></a>
<a href="/2300-13579_3-10006411-3.html"></a>
<p>
Jobs, who has been dogged by severe health problems that forced him to take three leaves of absence from Apple in recent years, <a title="Steve Jobs steps down from Apple -- Wednesday, Aug 24, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20096895-248/steve-jobs-steps-down-from-apple/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">announced his resignation</a> as chief executive officer on Wednesday. His place at the top of the company will be taken by Tim Cook, previously Apple's chief operating officer.
</p><p>
"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come," Jobs said in his resignation letter.
<a title="Text of resignation letter from Steve Jobs -- Wednesday, Aug 24, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20096897-37/text-of-resignation-letter-from-steve-jobs/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">&#149;&nbsp; Text of resignation letter from Steve Jobs</a>
... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20097606-92/steve-jobs-leaves-apples-helm-week-in-review/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/CySF6VrvJ98" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/mMT4MYY8ksI/" target="_blank">DirecTV teases 'Nomad' Slingbox competitor</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:39:51 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20097794-17/directv-teases-nomad-slingbox-competitor/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/DIRECTV_nomad.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>

<p class="image-caption">The DirecTV Nomad is coming soon.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)</span>
<p>DirecTV appears to have its sights set on Slingbox with a new platform, called Nomad.</p>
<p>The satellite provider launched a <a href="http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/technology/nomad" >page</a> on its site recently, showcasing a device that connects to the customer's DVR and allows them to stream programming to other devices, including computers, smartphones and tablets.</p>
<p>"Take your movies and shows from your home DVR where you go," the Nomad site reads.</p>
<p>If DirecTV follows through with a Nomad competitor, it wouldn't be much of a surprise. EchoStar, which is closely affiliated with DirecTV's chief competitor, Dish Network, owns Sling Media. Sling made a name for itself in the home-entertainment space by offering a box that connects to any DVR and lets users control the DVR and watch TV programming from computers and mobile devices.</p>
<p><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20024249-17.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed" >Late last year</a>, Dish upped the ante a bit by launching its free Remote Access app for iPad users. The application, which requires users to have certain DVRs and a $99 Sling Adapter in order to work, lets folks watch live television and control their DVRs wherever they are. It would only make sense that DirecTV would want to respond with a solution of its own. However, exactly how DirecTV will do so remains... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20097794-17/directv-teases-nomad-slingbox-competitor/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/mMT4MYY8ksI" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
<span style="float:left;position:absolute;"></span>
</p>

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/vSQSxurTMdQ/" target="_blank">Verizon selling Intuit's GoPayment reader for free</a><BR><i>[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:50:37 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20097816-93/verizon-selling-intuits-gopayment-reader-for-free/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/26/IntuitGoPaymentcardreader.jpg" alt="" /></a></div><p>Verizon is now selling Intuit's GoPayment credit card reader for free at its retail stores.</p>

<p>
<p class="image-caption">Verizon is selling Intuit&#39;s GoPayment card reader for free after a $30 rebate.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
Intuit)</span>
</p>
<p>Thanks to a new partnership between Verizon Wireless and Intuit, business customers can grab the mobile card reader for free after a $30 rebate and the activation of a GoPayment account. The card reader and its app can be found at all of Verizon's retail stores and as well as its business-to-business outlets.</p>
<p>Intuit's <a href="http://gopayment.com/">GoPayment</a> system is geared toward small and mid-sized business owners who need to process credit cards on the go. The reader itself plugs into a smartphone or tablet. After customers swipe their credit or debit card through the reader, the payment is processed automatically and the funds sent to the merchant's bank account within a few days.</p>
<p>Both the app and the basic, or low-volume plan, are <a href="http://gopayment.com/pricing/">free</a>. Intuit charges a rate of 2.7 percent for each swiped card transaction. Keying in a card manually kicks in a higher fee of 2.7 percent.</p>
<p>A high-volume plan carries a price tag of $12.95 per month with a rate of 1.7 percent for each swiped transaction. But Intuit is currently offering Verizon customers two months free if they opt for the high-volume plan.</p>
<p>Business owners who use a smartp... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20097816-93/verizon-selling-intuits-gopayment-reader-for-free/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/vSQSxurTMdQ" height="1" width="1"/>
</div>
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At 20, Linux is invisible, ubiquitous[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:06:01 EDT ]Ross Turk would be happy to explain the tattoo on his arm.

FCC investigates earthquake phone jam[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:59:37 EDT ]The Federal Communications Commission says it is looking into the failures of cell phone service that occurred Tuesday afternoon after East Coast earthquake. For as long as an hour after the quake, wireless customers in Washington and elsewhere reported being unable to get calls through.

Steve Jobs' top 5 showman moments[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:43:04 EDT ]Steve Jobs is a technology innovator: the man who, alongside partner Steve Wozniak, sat in a garage and built a computer that would change the world of personal electronics.

Hey Irene, can you hear me now?[ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:04:01 GMT ]As Hurricane Irene gears up to whip along the Eastern Seaboard this weekend, people are already planning evacuation strategies and making other preparations. A huge component of this is communicating with friends and family, but what happens when cellular networks go down? Can phone carriers handle a natural disaster?

Jim Carrey's midlife crisis is a meme[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:03:03 GMT ]Jim Carrey, clearly as nuts as he talented, desperately needs to step away from the Internet. And he's needed to do that for quite some time.

Top 10 fake Steve Jobses of the Apple Age[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:25:03 GMT ]Steve Jobs is, above all things, an Archetype of the Collective Unconscious . If the repetitive outpourings from tech analysts to Twitter that follow the Apple CEO's resignation are enough to hold this truth to be self evident, then look no further than pop culture — the mythology of our age — to see the many ways we've imagined this man.

Challenges of an Apple without Jobs[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:20:29 GMT ]Future success or failure depends on the strength of the new leadership, not to mention the greater forces of the universe, but it's clear that Apple will face challenges.

How sex with Neanderthals made us stronger[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:11:43 GMT ]Mating with Neanderthals and another group of extinct hominids, Denisovans, strengthened the human immune system and left behind evidence in the DNA of people today, according to new research.

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/h_V8doSsTyA/" target="_blank">This Day in Tech: Google and Visa compete for digital wallets; 'Apple is not going to change'</a><BR><i>[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 06:46:01 PDT ]</i><BR><p>Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET News for Thursday, August 25. </p>

<p> &#149; You've probably heard by now that Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple. This leaves us with many questions. What will <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20097354-37/what-will-jobs-do-as-apples-chairman/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">Jobs do as chairman</a>? What will <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20097497-37/what-could-apple-look-like-three-years-from-now?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">Apple look like three years</a> from now? Now for some answers. Apple's new CEO, Tim Cook, <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20097198-1/tim-cook-apple-is-not-going-to-change?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">e-mailed employees this morning</a> to say that "Apple is not going to change." </p>
<p> &#149; You might be swiping your mobile phone to pay for things. In May, Google and Visa announced their digital wallet strategy. By storing people's credit cards and rewards info, people can pay for things with their phones. "We can see the transactions in real time," <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20097429-266/visa-vs.google-wallet-in-mobile-payments?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">said Bill Gajda, head of Visa Mobile Global</a>. "So consumers can receive alerts about offers from
nearby merchants." <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20096160-94/mastercard-eyes-anchor-role-in-mobile-pay-relay?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">Mastercard</a> has a mobile payment strategy too. </p>
<p> &#149; AT&amp;T gets into the ad business: It's expanding its ad network by l... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20097546-92/this-day-in-tech-google-and-visa-compete-for-digital-wallets-apple-is-not-going-to-change/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/h_V8doSsTyA" height="1" width="1"/>
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<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/OJvQcfO4BPM/" target="_blank">NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers give iPad 2s to players</a><BR><i>[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 06:52:19 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20097552-1/nfls-tampa-bay-buccaneers-give-ipad-2s-to-players/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/25/raheem_700x500.PNG" alt="" /></a></div>

<p class="image-caption">Soon Bucs coach Raheem Morris may be able to ditch the old 3-ring binder and call plays from a team iPad 2.</p>
<span class="image-credit">(Credit:
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<p>The unexpected practical uses for iPads seem to be multiplying each day. Earlier this month, United Airlines announced it would be purchasing thousands of the tablets to move toward a <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20095941-248/united-airlines-switching-to-ipads-in-the-cockpit/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">paperless flight deck</a>, downloading flight manuals and more onto the iPads.
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Then today, we got word that the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers is buying an iPad 2 for each of its players, to be loaded with the team's playbook and game videos to study. Somewhere, loggers and paper companies are surely cursing Steve Jobs while timber forests are enjoying the reprieve.</p>
<p>Traditionally, teams from high school level up to the pros have spent countless hours in darkened rooms watching video from past games and game footage from other teams in preparation for game day. A new tradition may instead involve a roomful of gigantic men staring down at tiny tablet computers.</p>
<p>"It's crazy how much technology has changed the game," second-year safety Cody Grimm told the <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/sports/football/bucs/article1187879.ece">St. Petersburg Times</a>. "Stuff that we used to come in here to see, we can sit on our couch at home... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20097552-1/nfls-tampa-bay-buccaneers-give-ipad-2s-to-players/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/OJvQcfO4BPM" height="1" width="1"/>
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<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/O2jGuT-6FtI/" target="_blank">PayPal co-founder Levchin leaves Google</a><BR><i>[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:33:52 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20097574-93/paypal-co-founder-levchin-leaves-google/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/25/slide_120x141.jpg" alt="" /></a></div><p>Max Levchin, the PayPal co-founder, is leaving Google just after a year after the Web giant <a title="Google confirms Slide acquisition -- Friday, Aug 6, 2010" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20012914-36.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">bought his social media company, Slide</a>.</p>

<p class="image-caption">Max Levchin, Slide founder and CEO</p>
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Google also plans to shutter almost all of Slide's applications <a title="Google's social Photovine pops up on iTunes -- Wednesday, Aug 17, 2011" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20093624-93/googles-social-photovine-pops-up-on-itunes/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=embed">including Photovine</a>, a picture-sharing service the company launched just last week. <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20110825/max-levchin-to-leave-google-as-slide-is-shut-down/">AllThingsD first broke the news</a> of Levchin's departure and the elimination of the Slide-created apps.</p><p>
"Max has decided to leave Slide and Google to pursue other opportunities, and we wish him the best," a Google spokeswoman said via e-mail. "Most of the team from Slide will remain at Google to work on other opportunities."</p><p>
<a href="http://www.slide.com/static/blog">A note on the Slide Web site</a> disclosed that several other applications will be "retired" as well. They include Slideshow, SuperPoke! Pets, Video Inbox and Pool Party.
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"We created products with the goal of providing a fun way for people to connect, communicate and share," the company ... <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20097574-93/paypal-co-founder-levchin-leaves-google/?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/O2jGuT-6FtI" height="1" width="1"/>
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs steps down[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:24:20 PDT ]In an abrupt but not entirely unexpected move, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs resigns as CEO but will remain with the company as chairman. Tim Cook is promoted from chief operating officer to chief executive officer. [Read more]

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;"> <div style="font-weight:normal;font-size:15px;" style="clear:both;"> <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/9mq6Pffhf2I/2300-11128_3-10009148.html" target="_blank">EnergyHub's eye-catching home energy products</a><BR><i>[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:58:59 PDT ]</i><BR><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.cnet.com/2300-11128_3-10009148.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=image"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/08/25/HomeBase_angle-print_700x500.png" alt="" /></a></div>Targeting consumers, home energy start-up EnergyHub offers a colorful interface and sleek hardware designs.EnergyHub's home base communicates with home energy management tools via ZigBee, but also uses Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet. The EnergyHub system syncs with EnergyHub's cloud service and offers predictions based on prior use and rates, as well as real-time data. Homeowners can choose their parameters at set-up, but also allow EnergyHub's home energy management system to self-regulate based on their actual consumption patterns as time goes on.

</p> <p> The Brooklyn-based company announced <cnet:blog id="20097175">a $14.5 million series B round</cnet:blog> of funding today. <a href="http://news.cnet.com/2300-11128_3-10009148.html?part=rss&subj=latest-news&tag=readMore">[Read more]</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~4/9mq6Pffhf2I" height="1" width="1"/>
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Piecing together details of Jobs' health history[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:18:58 EDT ]Steve Jobs has been notoriously private about his health, but as he steps down as CEO of the company he helped invent and re-invent, speculation abounds that he has gotten very sick.

At 20, Linux is invisible, ubiquitous[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:11:59 EDT ]Ross Turk would be happy to explain the tattoo on his arm.

Steve Jobs: From college dropout to tech visionary[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:57:17 EDT ]As Steve Jobs ends his career at Apple -- perhaps the world's most valuable and admired company -- business and tech pundits are showering him with superlatives: Innovator. Visionary. Genius.

Cook has the skills to lead Apple, observers say[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:40:32 GMT ]Tim Cook, Apple's Chief Operating Officer, who has been standing in for CEO Steve Jobs during his medical leave, has been named the new CEO after Jobs resigned as Apple Inc Chief Executive on Wednesday, without specifying a reason.

Jobs' resignation marks storied career[ Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:34:06 GMT ]Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was the visionary who helped create computers for everyday people and not just technophiles, developed highly stylized and hugely successful devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad and engendered a cult-like following among product enthusiasts worldwide.

Challenges of an Apple without Jobs[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:20:29 GMT ]Future success or failure depends on the strength of the new leadership, not to mention the greater forces of the universe, but it's clear that Apple will face challenges.

Apple's Jobs, beset by health issues, resigns[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:09:50 GMT ]Silicon Valley legend Steve Jobs, who has been on medical leave for an undisclosed condition, resigned as chief executive of Apple, saying he could "no longer meet" the expectations of the job.

Pre-caffeine: Steve Jobs! Jim Carrey! Hurricane Irene![ Mon, 1 Aug 2011 14:20:24 GMT ]A collection of the hottest, strangest, and most amusing stories of the morning.

Tim Cook: 'Apple is not going to change'[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:51:55 PDT ]Message from new CEO seeks to reassure employees that Apple will stay true to the company and culture that Steve Jobs built.

Yahoo Mail hits 100 million users[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:00:57 PDT ]Now with more than 100 million active e-mailers, Yahoo Mail has taken feedback from its users to tweak its interface.

GM teams with LG to develop electric vehicles[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:06:25 PDT ]General Motors signs a partnership with LG, which supplies batteries for the Chevy Volt, to jointly develop electric vehicles for sale in different countries.

AMD appoints former Lenovo president as CEO[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:23:42 PDT ]The company's interim CEO, Thomas Seifert, will return to his role as senior vice president and chief financial officer as Rory Read takes the company reins.

Steve Wozniak: Jobs 'greatest technical leader we've ever seen'[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:40:02 PDT ]Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said former CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs deserves credit for rebuilding Apple and creating iconic devices. He says Jobs will be remembered for a century.

Timeline: Steve Jobs' career[ Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:46:44 EDT ]

Opinion: Jobs our 'most important innovator'[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:27:31 EDT ]I was standing at the checkout in a store Wednesday when I heard Steve Jobs had resigned from Apple. Someone shouted it out to the crowd. He was holding his cell phone. It was such important news, he felt it should be announced publicly. It felt like a historic moment.

Steve Jobs: From college dropout to tech visionary[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:57:17 EDT ]As Steve Jobs ends his career at Apple -- perhaps the world's most valuable and admired company -- business and tech pundits are showering him with superlatives: Innovator. Visionary. Genius.

Cook has the skills to lead Apple, observers say[ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:40:32 GMT ]Tim Cook, Apple's Chief Operating Officer, who has been standing in for CEO Steve Jobs during his medical leave, has been named the new CEO after Jobs resigned as Apple Inc Chief Executive on Wednesday, without specifying a reason.

Jobs' resignation marks storied career[ Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:34:06 GMT ]Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was the visionary who helped create computers for everyday people and not just technophiles, developed highly stylized and hugely successful devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad and engendered a cult-like following among product enthusiasts worldwide.