LG Chromebase is $599 in Australia. Could the US see a $499 price tag?

LG’s all-in-one Chromebase computer will sell for $599 in Australia when it launches in April, according to PC Authority. The company hasn’t announced official pricing in other markets, but based on currently available Chrome OS devices in both Australia and the U.S., we could see the Chromebase for under $500 in the next two months.

The Chromebase is unique because it’s the first Chrome OS device built into a large desktop monitor. The device has a 21.5-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution that can be used as an external monitor for another computer or tablet. LG has a matching mouse and keyboard with Chrome OS shortcut keys. Included are 2 GB of memory and an Intel Haswell processor, similar to many of the recent Chromebooks on the market.

When I spent time with the Chromebase at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show, I suggested the price would be around $500. I still think that, even though LG hasn’t yet announced the cost here in the U.S. market.

 I looked at currently available Chromebooks in Australia through Google Play as a reference this morning. The HP Chromebook 11 and Acer C720 Chromebook each cost $399 in Australia, while the HP Chromebook 14 is $499. Those same devices in the U.S. are currently priced around $279, $229 and $299 respectively. With a $599 Chromebase cost in Australia.

                                                                                                                 Source : gigaom.com

Twitter Testing Major Profile Redesign That Looks a Lot Like Facebook

Twitter is testing a major profile redesign that's very reminiscent of Facebook and Google+.

Mashable assistant features editor Matt Petronzio spotted on Tuesday a huge update to his Twitter profile page, with the main picture and bio scaled to the left and significantly more real estate dedicated to the header photo.

The revamped tweet stream is also a departure from its signature look. There is a greater focus on photos and content cards. It moves away from a strictly vertical timeline too.

 It's common for Twitter to quietly test new features and design updates before tweaking or rolling it out to a larger user base. Experiments typically go out to a small, random pool of users.

Under the header photo in the test is the count for tweets, photos/videos (a new category called out on the profile), who you are following, followers, favorites and lists.Other profile pages viewed from an account with the new design are automatically made to look like this too. This means that even if your Twitter page isn't a part of the test, Petronzio can see what yours will look like.
The recommended header photo size in the test version is 1500 x 500 pixels, up from 1252 x 626 in the current design, so users with the new design will want to switch their picture so it doesn't look stretched.

                                                                                                                       Mashable

iPhone 6 speculation goes bezel-less

Will the iPhone 6 finally ditch the bezel? Mock-ups like to think so. The real thing is less certain, though.
The latest speculation comes from the Korea Herald, which said that Apple may bring out a bezel-free iPhone 6 that supports fingerprint scanning.
The rumor was widely reported in blogs that follow Apple.
A bezel-free design -- which some publications depict as an edge-to-edge display -- would presumably require the fingerprint scanner to be incorporated into the display. On the iPhone 5S, fingerprint scanning is done via the home button.
This is by no means a first for this rumor. Speculation about an iPhone with an edge-to-edge display has been around for years.
The problem is, the real next-gen iPhone, aka iPhone 6, isn't due for a long time.
So, Apple could very well be testing a bezel-free design, but what the company ultimately decides is unknown.
And note that there have also been reports of a planned iPhone 6 with glass that is curved at the edges.
The Korea Herald also claims that Samsung's Galaxy S5 will come with the side bezels removed, citing new touch panel technology that would allow this.

                                                                                             
                                                                                                                        CNET

Sony in talks to supply more camera sensors to Apple

(Reuters) - Sony Corp is in talks with Apple Inc to double its supply of camera components for a new iPhone slated to roll out as early as next year, the Nikkei reported.
Sony supplies nearly all of the CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors for the current iPhone 5S's rear-mounted main cameras.
Apple could be looking to switch to Sony sensors for the secondary camera on the front, which currently uses parts from suppliers in the United States and elsewhere, the business daily said.
With more customers expected to use smartphones for video calls, Apple sounded out Sony about supplying more sensors, Nikkei said.
Sony held the largest share of the global CMOS sensor market in 2012 at 32.1 percent, according to Techno Systems Research.
Sony has laid the groundwork for stepping up production to keep up with the increase in orders, Nikkei reported.
A request from Apple was the reason for its January decision to purchase a plant from Japanese chipmaker Renesas Electronics, according to a source involved in the negotiations, the newspaper said.

                                                                                                                                            Reuters