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What's one thing that's basically stayed pretty much the same throughout the entire lifespan of iOS devices? The dock port.

But that could change soon, according to a new report. iMore says that Apple is on the cusp of switching to a smaller version as part of a move to save space and make room for other components in its portable devices.

How soon that change is headed to a device is as unclear as ever though. iMore suggests it won't be the next iPad, but could be the next iPhone. … Read more

Unlike most external drives I've seen, the Silicon Power Armor A80 portable hard drive uses A-male-to-A-male USB 3.0 cable.

This means the drive will not work with the more popular type of USB cable, which has an A male port on one end and a (Micro) B male port on the other. More than making up for this, the new drive offers alpha male performance all the way.… Read more

Waze, one of my favorite free GPS applications on the Android platform, is just a bit older and just a bit better with the version 3.0 update that hit the Android Market today.

New in this version is a complete interface overhaul with a less cluttered design that makes it both easier to look at and easier to use. Also new is an increased emphasis on social network integration, including Yelp and Foursquare search and the ability to check into Foursquare locales from within the app.

But seeing is believing, so check out our Waze 3.0 new feature … Read more

You probably find yourself more often needing an extra cable than having too many, but in case you worry about what to do with your extra cables when you're done with them, Qmadix has one answer: just toss 'em.

The mobile-accessory company today announced its Ecoustic biodegradable cables. These are regular cables like those you have at home, such as USB cables, HDMI cables, auxiliary audio cables, and of course iOS-based 30-pin cables for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. The difference is their coating, "a resin mixture made from biodegradable, plant-based by-products and other natural properties" that quickly degrades naturally, rather than staying in a landfill for hundreds of years. … Read more

Nearly 18 months ago, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) laid out plans to introduce a $100, education-focused tablet. While the design and features of that original mockup have changed, at CES 2012, OLPC and Marvell finally introduced a working model, the X0 3.0.

We briefly covered the announcement during CES week, but in getting some hands-on time with the device and speaking with the developers of this unique tablet, it got me thinking. With its low-power, low-cost approach to tablets, is there anything useful the XO 3.0 can teach consumer tablet manufacturers?

Honestly, to avoid burying the lede too much here, I'll say that I'm not sure it can. What sets the XO 3.0 apart from consumer tablets is that consumers won't actually have access to it.… Read more

Intel will have to slog through a tough 2012 before it sees any real windfall from Windows 8, according to investment bank Piper Jaffray.

"We believe CY12 (calendar year 2012) is shaping up to be a difficult year for Intel.... We expect 2H12 (second half 2012) to be weak ahead of the launch of Windows 8, the most significant upgrade to the operating system since Windows 3.0," Piper Jaffray analyst Gus Richard wrote in a research note today.

Intel traditionally benefits from Microsoft operating system upgrade cycles as companies and consumers buy new Intel-based PCs along with … Read more

Dillo is a fast, free, cross-platform Web browser with a mission to democratize the Internet. To that end, it can run on just about any PC, including any still running Windows 95 (yes, 95, "because we can") and it doesn't support Java or plug-ins by design, to keep it small, fast, and secure. For dial-up connections, older computers, legacy systems, malware recovery kits, and similar uses, it's just about the only choice in an up-to-date browser. But Dillo serves well in the role.

Dillo is portable and so small it fits on a floppy disk, yet … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Years late to the game, Epson enters the portable document-scanning market with the WorkForce DS-30, a mobile workstation that lets users hit one button to scan originals directly to Web-based cloud services like Google Docs, Evernote, and SharePoint.

As more professionals take their desks on the road, mobile workstations are increasingly in need of portable scanners like the DS-30 that draw power from a laptop's USB port, meaning users don't need to lug around another bulky power cord.

In terms of design, the DS-30 isn't winning any beauty contests and certainly doesn't sound as adorable as the similarly featured Doxie Go, but it weighs just 11.5 ounces and looks easy enough to slip in a bag or briefcase.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--In the past, Panasonic's GT variants have been almost as good as the flagships they supported, and at much more affordable prices. We anticipate that this trend will continue with the new GT50.

The GT50 will come in four sizes from 50 inches to 65 inches and ships with an "Infinite Black Pro" panel. The full-HD 3D panel features 2D-to-3D conversion and a new louver filter designed to provide better contrast in lit environments.

With the exception of the Z1, design wasn't a key consideration for Panasonic plasmas until last year, with the "metallic … Read more