Stories by Robert S. Anthony

RIM BlackBerry PlayBook: The first apps

We look at the initial crop of apps — good and bad — to appear in the BlackBerry App World.

Microsoft announces Office 2011 for Mac

At a product launch event in New York Monday, Microsoft gave the media a day-early peek at Mac Office 2011, which went on sale at retail outlets and via Microsoft this morning. Eric Wilfrid, general manager of Microsoft's Mac business unit, explains how Mac Office 2011 is faster than previous versions, not only in startup, but in the execution of key tasks.

iRobot demos 'shape shifting' next-gen robots

Meet the next generation of robots that shape-shift, are squish-able, and can troll the world's oceans for months on a single battery charge. iRobot, best known for its Roomba disc-shaped robotic floor sweeper, is going way beyond scooping potato chips from under couches with its latest robot offspring.

Windows Phone 7: Microsoft antes up in smartphone race

Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer officially launched the Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system Monday and announced nine new phones and partnerships with wireless carriers. It's a landmark moment for Microsoft that needs to prove its Windows-centric phones, with links to Microsoft Office, Xbox Live, and a nascent library of apps, can woo the masses away from Apple, Android, and BlackBerry-based phones. The first handsets with the new OS will be available November 8, said Ballmer.

Panasonic debuts first consumer 3D HD camcorder

Panasonic used the broiling, hectic setting of the U.S. Open tennis tourney in New York Wednesday to showcase the capabilities of its first handheld consumer-grade 3D camcorder. On a day so hot and humid that one athlete, Victoria Azarenka, collapsed and had to withdraw from competition, Panasonic showed how the US$1,400 Panasonic HDC-SDT750 handheld unit could record clear 3D video without the large and heavy hardware usually connected with 3D videography.

Samsung lays claim to world's fastest Blu-ray Drive

Samsung Semiconductor Monday introduced a handful of new hard disks and optical drives, including a 3.5-inch desktop PC drive which it bills as the world's fastest Blu-ray drive on the market.

Samsung introduces eReader

At a splashy event in New York's Time Warner Center, Samsung dove headlong into the electronic book market with the Samsung eReader, a US$299 device which allows you to take notes in the margins and share content with other Samsung eReaders.

Samsung focuses on 3D LED TVs

In a press conference almost as packed with product announcements as it was filled with weary members of the press, Samsung took the cover off of dozens products, including super-slim LED TVs, new e-book readers and capped it with content partnerships with DreamWorks, Technicolor and Google.

HTC Droid Eris smartphone

The HTC Droid Eris marks the second in Verizon Wireless's parade of the Droids. Also due this week from Verizon, the Droid Eris shares the Droid moniker and many features of competing Android phones, but it also adds some touches that improve the experience for business users.

Google Maps Navigation: Free and easy

An impressive feature of Google's new Android 2.0 mobile device operating system is Google Maps Navigation, a that's not only free to use, but is fairly easy to learn as well.