How would you change Samsung's Series 9?

It's not that many devices that we ever really go to bat for, but Samsung's Series 9Ultrabook has a small place in our heart. When we reviewed the mid-2012 refresh, we could only find a few problems -- the flaky trackpad, the limited storage options and the fact it was a bit on the pricey side. We've known for a while that Samsung's product engineers scour your comments for useful suggestions, so if you bought one of these, why not share your experiences with 'em?

Tesla Model S axes 40 kWh battery option, surpasses sales goals

Thinking of picking up the budget Tesla Model S? Think again: the electric automaker just announced that it won't be sending its 40 kWh battery pack option into production, citing a lack of customer demand. Customers who opted for the lower range configuration will still get a car, of course, but it will be a 60 kWh machine with software restrictions on range. It sounds like a raw deal, but Tesla promises

--> customers that the artificially limited Model S will reap unexpected benefits from the battery swap -- that is, improved acceleration and a higher top speed. All of the company's 60 kWh cars will be built with Supercharger hardware, too. Finally, the company announced that it surpassed its first quarter sales goal, having delivered 4,750 Model S vehicles on its planned 4,500. This gives it a head start on its year-end goal of delivering 20,000 cars in 2013 and presumably secures the Q1 profits it promised shareholders back in February. Curious onlookers and Department of Energy collectors can find the details after the break.

X Prize Innovation Partnership Program gets official, lets companies bankroll breakthroughs

X Prize is known for doling out big bucks for tech leaps like Spaceship One and now the foundation is teaming with Singularity University and Deloitte Consulting to try to bring more cash-bearing companies on board. To that end, they created the Innovation Partnership Program (IPP) to get industry together with inventors, scientists and other developers twice a year with the goal of funding new competitions. The first meeting took place last week and included heavyweights like Google, Sprint Nextel and Qualcomm, who tossed around ideas like crowdsourcing, sensor tech and 3D printing. In exchange for their largess -- a seat at the table starts at $250,000 -- businesses get in on the ground floor to breakthrough tech and the fortunes it can bring. IPP cautioned that the four day event "is not a volleyball picnic or a plush retreat," so if you had visions of shirtless CEOs, Top Gun-style, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Sony Computer Entertainment to fuse Asian and Japanese units into one

As part of recent restructuring and cost-cutting efforts, Sony's Computer Entertainment (SCE) division will merge its Asian and Japanese operations into a single entity. The company said that it would result in a new management unit, with SCE Japan president Hiroshi Kawano taking the helm and the Asian unit's ex-chief, Hiroyuki Oda becoming his deputy.

-->  Departments like marketing and finance will also merge in an effort to save cash, as the company hopes to stanch all the recent bleeding and try to make its fiscal 2012 a throwback to the glory days.

A Game of Thrones Android app guides you through the world of Westeros and beyond

Perhaps the second screen experience for HBO megahit show A Game of Thronesprovided through Xbox 360's SmartGlass functionality and HBO Go's iPad app isn't enough for you? And maybe you want a bit more of a George R. R. Martin touch to your Game of Thrones book companions? This week's release of "A Game of Ice and Fire" for Android -- the previously iOS-only Game of Thrones app that acts as an "official guide" to the series and its myriad characters / relationships / political struggles / etc. -- is clearly for you. And yes, it goes beyond what just the show covers; it can even be customized for spoilers based around how far you are.

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The initial cost to download is nothing and comes with several characters as well as a companion for the first book, but for books two through five you'll need to grab the upgrades: $1 apiece, or $5 for those four plus an additional "InfoPack" which would otherwise cost $2 by itself. Those $2 "InfoPacks" include, "new characters and places and additional data and background info" (whatever that means), and more are expected in the future. The third season of A Game of Thrones kicks off on March 31st, and wouldn't you know it, this app is perfectly timed to accompany it. That's what we call synergy. Head to the Google Play link in the source link and grab it for free, or risk *paying the iron price.

Facebook's building something new, and we're liveblogging the announcement tomorrow!

By Michael Gorman posted Jan 14th 2013 3:48PM73 

Facebook had a banner year in 2012. It became a publicly-traded company, acquired Instagram, and continued to evolve its social network through added features and countless app updates. What're we gonna see from Mark Zuckerberg and pals in 2013? It's tough to tell, but at least part of Facebook's future will be revealed tomorrow when the company shows off something new it's been building. Might it be, at long last, the fabled Facebook phone?

--> There's only one way to find out, so join us tomorrow for our liveblog right here at 1:00pm ET, where you can learn all about the social network's next big thing.

Sonos offers up same bass, less shine with limited edition matte black Sub

Love floor-shaking bass, but can't stand the idea of accidentally catching your own reflection whilst seated on the couch? Good news -- well, limited good news, that is. Sonos has opted to make available a limited quantity of matte black Subs, in spite of its plans to focus on the gloss. Those deemed "loyal Sonos owners" can pick one up for $599 for the next fortnight by clicking the source link below. It's all first come, first serve. Once they're gone, you're matte out of luck.

Skitch 2.0 for Windows improves layout, performance, adds social sharing

It's only been a few short months since the last Skitch for Windows 8 update, but before you can say "spring equinox," it's time for another one. Release 2.0 boasts a number of improvements over its predecessor that include an improved and streamlined layout which showcases the Capture menu, enhanced sharing with services like Twitter and Facebook, and a snappier performance overall. It's available today from Evernote.com or you can wait to snag one from the Windows Store in a few days.

CES 2013: Best in show

Selecting the best in show is no easy task, because CES covers such a crazy range of devices: refrigerators, tablets, smartphones and even technologically advanced cutlery. This year was no different. We've combed our CES 2013 coverageand narrowed it down to the biggest announcements that had us chattering at this year's show. Join us after the break for CES 2013's very best.

CES 2013: PC and processor roundup

The most hyped tech news isn't always the most important. Having had a few days to dwell on what CES 2013 meant for computing, and for mobile computing in particular, we've settled on some less-than-obvious highlights. So, if you'd like to know how Intel stole the show but not our hearts; how Qualcomm's weird keynote was overshadowed by a late, secondary announcement from Samsung; and how some of the most exciting PC trends were mainly conspicuous by their absence, then please read on. It'll be like juice with bits, but only the bits that matter.

Researchers end quest to drill through 3km of ice after fuel runs low

Sad to say, but British researchers have called off their quest to drill through the 3km-thick sheet of ice over Lake Ellsworth in Antarctica. The mission to find organisms that have evolved in isolation for at least 100,000 years was called off after the team realized it didn't have enough fuel to power its water jet drill all the way to the lake. Complications arose trying to connect the drill's main hose to a cavity of water created in the ice by a short pilot hose. The team burned through so much fuel trying to get the hose connected properly that they no longer had enough left to reach the lake below the glacier's surface. The plan has not been scrapped entirely, however. The scientists are heading back to the UK, along with all their kit, to revise their plan and modify their equipment for the next attempt. Still, it appears breaking through to Lake Ellsworth is at least three years out.

Pulse adds support for social feeds, including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Pulse has clearly been working hard at polishing off those iOS and Android applications, but it doesn't look as if the reading service is slowing down its maintenance efforts anytime soon. Via blog post, Pulse announced today that it's now letting users browse through their favorite social feeds within the app, with account support added for Tumblr, Flickr, YouTube, Instagram and, of course, Facebook -- much like Flipboard's been doing for a while now. To go along with that, though, the application's photo and video viewers have both been on the receiving end of a minor makeover, which should make for a much better canvas when looking at those pics or vids posted on some of the aforementioned social networks. Never a bad time to be more social, right?