Tag Archives: CNBC

10 gifts gadget lovers will love

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It’s GadgetGiftGuide2014a pretty fair bet that someone on your shopping list is going to want a gadget this year. And while the odds aren’t quite as good, there’s still a better-than-average chance that you’re going to indulge them.

The Consumer Electronics Association predicts tech spending this holiday season will hit $33.76 billion, as consumers seek out the latest and greatest tech toys. Sorting out those hot items from the ones destined to end up in the clearance bin can be tough, though. If you’re looking for a perfect tech gift for a friend or loved one, here are a few can’t-miss suggestions.

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Microsoft’s ‘Halo’ effect: Hunting for the next game hit

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In MicrosoftNextHitthe Xbox universe, there’s “Halo” —and there’s everything else. The venerable franchise has sold more than 60 million copies to date and shows no signs of slowing down.

While the Master Chief and his crew cast a big shadow, Microsoft has actually put together a strong catalog of other go-to franchises along the way, including “Gears of War” and “Fable”. In late October, it published its latest effort to build another franchise: “Sunset Overdrive”.

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9 reasons you may never use cash again

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The VirtualSpendingBoommove toward a cashless society won’t occur in one fell swoop. And there won’t be one single factor that brings it about.

There are, however, plenty of alternate payment methods that are nipping at its heels. Some have been around for more than half a century. Others have begun to pop up in the past few years. And a few are just getting their start now. But all of them shift the paradigm a bit.

Here are a few of the most popular cash alternatives, as well as some of the biggest up-and-comers.

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Activision gets out big guns for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

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Activision’s CODAWLaunchannual release of “Call of Duty” is always a watershed event for the industry.

Since 2007, the series has been the video game industry’s sales leader, raking in billions of dollars for the publisher. But after last year’s “Call of Duty: Ghosts” stumbled, analysts are now wondering if consumer fatigue may finally be descending on the franchise.

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Judge dismisses Manuel Noriega’s ‘Call of Duty’ lawsuit

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A NoriegaSuitDismissedLos Angeles Superior Court judge has shot down former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega’s lawsuit against the makers of the “Call of Duty” video game franchise.

Judge William H. Fahey agreed with Activision-Blizzard that the suit, which claimed Noriega’s appearance in “Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” used his name and image without permission, was protected under free speech and should be dismissed.

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Wal-Mart beefs up its used game business

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Wal-Mart, walmart used gameswhich took the plunge into the used video game business in March, is leveling up.

The retailer on Tuesday announced the launch of a certified preowned program in 1,700 stores nationwide, finally putting those games it has been offering store credit for over the last seven months back up for sale. It’s a move that heightens the growing battle between Wal-Mart and GameStop.

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10 big crowdfunding campaigns making a difference

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Crowdfunding, CrowdfundingCharityfor the most part, is an exercise in pure capitalism. Entrepreneurs and resourceful individuals have an idea or product and digitally panhandle for funds, often raising thousands (or millions) of dollars in the process.

But there’s a place for charitable giving in the crowdfunding world as well—and it can be lucrative for both nonprofits and individuals in need. Crowdrise, Fundrazr, YouCaring and GiveForward all focus on charitable efforts.

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Crowdfunding a cure for Ebola

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As ebola crowdfundinghealth-care officials scramble to contain the worsening Ebola outbreak around the world, an unusual fundraising effort from a leading institute has struck a chord with the general public.

Dr. Erica Saphire and the Scripps Research Institute were part of the consortium that developed the ZMapp serum, the experimental drug believed to have cured five people infected with Ebola this summer. To create a road map for new treatments, though, they needed new equipment—and fast. The quickest way to get that, they decided, was via a crowdfunding campaign.

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Apple looks to bring its ‘A’ game to mobile gaming

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Apple’s apple-gamingfootprint in the video game world is getting bigger. And that could be good news for the company’s bottom line.

Gaming makes up the lion’s share of the mobile software world, with consumers buying games more frequently than any other type of app. And with the recent launch of the large screen iPhone 6 Plus and Thursday’s expected introduction of a souped-up iPad, Apple could become an even larger player in the category.

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