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High-end consumer audio manufacturer Parasound has released a CD player driven by a Mini-ITX computer, powered by Linux to make CDs "sound significantly better than anyone has imagined possible" according to the manufacturer. The Halo CD 1 utilizes a PC-grade CD-ROM drive that reads the track multiple times before it is converted to audio, nearly guaranteeing no error in playback....

London-based newsreader developer Summly has been acquired by Yahoo. The deal, said to be worth $30 million, will see the Summly app close, and Yahoo issued a statement that said the company plans to "acquire the technology and you'll see it come to life throughout Yahoo's mobile experiences soon."...

Audio accessory maker Jabra on Monday announced a new suite of corded and wireless stereo headphones. Specifically designed for durability, everyday use, and portability, the new Jabra Revo Wireless, Jabra Revo corded and Jabra Vox in-ear earphones are coupled with Jabra's Sound App for iOS and Android devices to tailor the listener's audio experience....

Spotify is reportedly preparing to launch a streaming video service that may rival Netflix and other established players, unnamed sources have told Business Insider. The unconfirmed report suggests the company is already attempting to find partners that will help produce exclusive content, following a strategy already employed by Hulu and Netflix....

Efforts by Google to make its VP8 video codec a "licensing-free" alternative standard to H.264 have stalled again, courtesy of Nokia. The phone manufacturer is claiming that 64 patents and 22 applications it controls are relevant to the WebM codec, and it is refusing to donate nor offer FRAND access to the patents, according to an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) submission....

CCP Games has announced that its massively multiplayer game EVE Online will receive its 19th free expansion in June. Officially slated for release on June 4, EVE Online: Odyssey will introduce a brand new scanning mechanic, an updated interface, and a variety of new rewards for finding and interacting with sites hidden among the stars. Additional details regarding Odyssey will be released in the coming months, including the EVE Fanfest in April, where CCP has promised to outline all of the upcoming EVE Universe plans....

(Updated with iPad info) Google has updated the iOS and Android Google+ apps with a number of new features and improvements. The iPhone interface in particular now sports basic editing tools carried over from Snapseed, such as cropping, rotation, and Instagram-style photo filters. Brightness, contrast, and saturation can be controlled through gestures, and tapping an image lets people compare an altered photo with the original....

The BlackBerry Z10 is a highly repairable smartphone, according to a recent teardown by by iFixit. The repairability score of 8 out of 10 issued by the disassembly experts stems from a relatively easy to deconstruct handset using little in the way of adhesive, combined with its easy-to-replace battery....

HTC is dropping its use of the term "Quietly Brilliant" in its marketing efforts. Chief Marketing Officer Benjamin Ho revealed the tagline retirement without revealing a successor, but did confirm that the company will be improving its marketing efforts, as well as confirming the HTC One launch delay was caused by a shortage of camera sensors....

The US Federal Aviation Administration is hoping to announce looser restrictions on in-flight use of portable electronics by the end of 2013, according to sources for the New York Times. The people belong to an industry working group set up by the FAA, and add that the latter is specifically considering allowing reading devices during takeoff and landing, including tablets and e-readers. Devices may still have to be set to Airplane mode, though, and cellphones are expected to remain off-limits....

Book retailer Barnes & Noble will be allowing Nook HD and Nook HD+ users to make in-app purchases in the future, according to a company announcement. Working with mobile payment provider Fortumo, developers of apps available through the Nook store will have the option of adding the one-click checkout payments system to their products....

Hon Hai Precision Industry, closely linked to parent brand Foxconn Technology Group, has posted a record NT$37 billion ($1.2 billion US) in net income for its fourth quarter, Bloomberg reports. The figure has also surpassed a NT$35.9 billion estimate averaged using predictions from 14 different analysts. Bloomberg credits the profits to improved and greater production of the iPhone and iPad, including the introduction of new iPads and the resolution of scratched iPhone 5 casing problems, which prior to Q4 forced Hon Hai to temporarily halt work on the phone to impose quality control demanded...

Sony has opened up online pre-orders for the Xperia ZL to customers in the United States, ahead of a retail release. Available in a 4G version with a 3G-only option expected shortly, the Sony smartphone that Electronista tried out at CES in January can be ordered through Sony itself, with an estimated shipping date of the 8th of April....

Facebook has enabled Voice Over IP (VoIP) in its messaging app for users in the United Kingdom, and possibly other areas of Europe. After being launched in Canada in January before rolling out to the United States, the iOS version of Facebook Messenger allows users to call each other through the service instead of passing voice messages to each other as previously offered....

The founder of CyanogenMod has left his position at Samsung Mobile, after 19 months on the job. Steve Kondik, also the lead developer of the Android ROM community's ported offerings, made a number of comments about the Galaxy S4 on his Google+ page, at the same time as updating his employment information....

T-Mobile has made its new "UnCarrier" contract-free prices official in the United States. The new plans, doing away with the two-year contracts and generally streamlining prices for all future customers, has been unveiled just days before the carrier was due to host a special event, where it is still expected to turn on its 4G LTE network....