Apricity: Slip Into Something More Comfortable

Apricity OS is a great, two-pronged Linux distro that recently reached a milestone that will ensure its continued success. Apricity's first public beta, which was GNOME-only, was released more than a year ago. A choice of either the GNOME or Cinnamon desktops later became available in the monthly development snapshot releases. This rolling release delivery method already provided a pleasant computing experience. Both desktop versions performed well. Each monthly build brought more functionality.

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Google Plasters Its Name on a New Hardware Collection

Google on Tuesday unveiled a new smartphone and home hub that squarely aim at products from market leaders Apple and Amazon. The company's new branded smartphone, called "Pixel," marks a departure from past efforts. Up to now, Google's Nexus phones were made by a variety of manufacturers that sold them under their brands. "Google is trying to position itself as a complete supplier rather than simply offering Nexus-branded handsets that were rebatched by another company," said Jeff Orr, senior practice director for mobile devices at ABI Research.

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Feds Probe Alleged Phone Hacks as Election Fears Surge

Federal authorities have been investigating reports that hackers targeted the mobile phones of a handful of Democratic Party staffers. The news follows a series of breaches in recent months that revealed emails and other personal information of party staffers and other Democratic officials. The FBI has launched an investigation into the attacks, which party officials believe are linked to Russia. Several members of Congress have raised suspicions in recent weeks that Russia might be attempting to interfere with the U.S. elections.

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Toyota Positions Kirobo Mini as Tiny Traveling Companion

Gearing up for this week's CEATEC trade show in Tokyo, Toyota on Monday announced that its compact-sized Kirobo Mini, pitched as a "communication partner," will go on sale early next year in Japan. The Mini is a smaller version of the astronaut robot Kirobo, which visited the International Space Station in 2013. The Kirobo Mini is meant to take part in more down-to-earth affairs -- such as routine driving trips. It's about 4 inches in height, and it can communicate via expressions and gestures.

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Prepare to Be Google Pixelated

Leaks about Google's expected family of Pixel smartphones, reportedly manufactured by HTC, on Monday reached a crescendo ahead of the company's Tuesday press event. Google is poised to announce two smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, according to specs published online. The Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 pixel AMOLED display and a 3,450 mAh battery; the Pixel has a 5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 AMOLED display and a 2,770 mAh battery. Both have a Gorilla Glass 4 screen, a 12-MP rear camera with 1.55-micron pixels and an f/2.0 aperture.

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The Lack of Strategic Thinking in Election 2016

One of the problems facing the technology industry right now is the critical lack of strategic thinking. Hedge fund managers and activist investors increasingly are forcing tactical decisions that raise stock prices over the short term, largely by destroying the firm's long-term viability. What makes this trend particularly problematic is that most top executives don't seem to understand they are destroying their companies until it's too late. Joe Tucci's and Michael Dell's recent partnership was a massive effort to remove that threat.

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Gadget Ogling: Streaming Merrily, Snapping Happily, and Listening My Way

Roku has refreshed its lineup of media players with lower prices, so bringing streaming video to every screen in your home just got a little more accessible. At the lower end, the Roku Express costs $30 -- $20 lower than the Roku 1 and the most recent addition, the Streaming Stick. The Roku Express+, at $40, has composite cable inputs. Further up the ladder are the Roku Premiere and Premiere+, which retail for $80 and $100 respectively. At $130, the Roku Ultra, pictured here, is the feature-loaded top-of-the-line option.

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