Kevin Tofel
ZDNet
Salford Township, PA, United States
Contact Kevin
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Kevin:
Alexa can now read Kindle books aloud from an Amazon Echo for free
You won't get the tone of a professional voice actor, but Alexa can read your Kindle books aloud: Best of all, there's no charge. → Read More
Microfluid experiment could bring tactile tablets for vision impaired
Using fluids that can expand or contract, information could rise from the screen of a slate, allowing those with limited or no vision to use a tablet for less than $1,000. → Read More
Google Play Store adds support for Android app promo codes
Promo codes have long been available for iOS users and now Android developers can create them through the Google Play Store, but there are some limitations. → Read More
Apple releases iOS 9.3 beta 1 to public: Night Shift, multi-user mode for iPad
The new beta can intelligently schedule blue light display reduction and brings multiple account support to iPads in classrooms. → Read More
Sony Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact unlocked phones launch in U.S. on February 7
Sony continues to sell direct in an effort to crack the U.S. market. Will consumers consider paying Sony's premium prices? → Read More
Billion dollar deal: Samsung to exclusively produce Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chips
Score another big win for Samsung's mobile chip production business: It already makes some of the processors in Apple iPhones and iPads; now it will make the Snapdragon 820 for Qualcomm. → Read More
Google updates Android launcher with auto-rotation, standard icon sizes
The update brings more consistency to the vertical app menu thanks to normalized icon sizes while also adding auto-rotate functionality for landscape use. → Read More
Udacity promises jobs or money back after completing programming nanodegree
The online education company now offers a Nanodegree Plus program that costs $299 a month. If you don't get a job within 6 months of graduation, you get your money back. → Read More
Apple's iOS 9.3 adds a way to track cellular data use through Wi-Fi Assist
Wi-Fi Assist, the feature that uses cellular data in poor Wi-Fi areas, is still enabled by default in iOS 9.3 but at least now you can see how much data it offloads. → Read More
Need a waterproof battery case for your iPhone? Check the Mophie Juice Pack H2O Pro
The $99 Apple Smart Battery Case adds more juice to your iPhone but isn't made for the elements. An investment of $30 more gets you an even higher capacity battery and waterproof protection. → Read More
So long small phones: New Moto handsets to have 5-inch or larger screens
Some of the reasons for Motorola's phone success in the low- and mid-range markets are going away with Lenovo: Expect larger handsets and a merger of Lenovos's Vibe UI with Android. → Read More
Alexa to gain a small family: A portable, less expensive Amazon Echo
As the Amazon Echo gains in popularity and smart home smarts, the time is right for a small, portable version that costs less money. → Read More
Looking for a solid 7-inch tablet? Good luck; large phones have killed them off
The very devices that kicked off the small-slate category are now a second thought at best by most major hardware makers. I blame the phablet phenomenon. → Read More
Lenovo mobile chief: Google Play is coming to China this year
Google is getting closer to a Play Store return in China according to a top Lenovo executive. What concessions or modifications will Google have to make, however? → Read More
Report: Apple developing app for easy data migration to Android
Apple has made it easy to switch from Android; making it simple to switch to Google's platform may be an effort to appease EU telecom providers. → Read More
CES 2016: Amazon Echo's Alexa plays a starring role (and she's not even there)
By creating an intelligent cloud platform with voice services, Amazon continues to see third-party products integrate Alexa as the invisible interface of the future. → Read More
Sorry BlackBerry 10 fans: 2016 is the year of Android when it comes to new phones
Expect one or two new BlackBerry phones this year although neither will run BlackBerry 10 software. The company is betting on Android to turn a smartphone profit. → Read More
Why 800M people (including me) are warming up to Facebook Messeger
I'm begrudgingly willing to admit that Facebook Messenger is becoming the "one app for all communications" that calls people, not numbers, which I always wanted regardless of device choice. → Read More
T-Mobile CEO fights back against EFF claims that Binge On is "throttling" customers
John Legere takes to YouTube -- which complained about T-Mobile's video service -- to make a case for Binge On after the EFF categorized the service as nothing more than bandwidth throttling. → Read More
BlackBerry Priv lands in more countries as well as on Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon in U.S.
Don't count the BlackBerry Priv out just yet: Wider availability combined with the hardware keyboard, monthly security updates and a fairly stock Android experience could bring profits. → Read More