Reality television star Kim Kardashian is now more than ever the queen of social media, announcing Wednesday that her Instagram account has a record 45 million followers.

"45 million Instagram followers!!!!! I love you guys!!!!!" Kardashian informed those same followers, captioning a selfie of a sidelong smile and copious cleavage.

With that tally, the star of "Keeping up with the Kardashians" and wife of rapper Kanye West now has more followers than any other Instagram user.

Pop stars Taylor Swift and Beyonce are close behind at 44.7 million and 44.6 million, respectively, and two other pop stars, Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, round out the top five.

Instagram, acquired by Facebook in 2012, is a platform for users to share photos, with little emphasis on text, a format that may be particularly well-suited to Kardashian's particular self-promotion genius.

A photo of newlyweds Kardashian and West kissing at their wedding, posted to her account last year, became the most "liked" photo on Instagram before being surpassed by a photo on the account of her younger half-sister, Kendall Jenner, earlier this summer.

Kardashian still has plenty of room for improvement on less photo-centric social media; Katy Perry leads all Twitter users with 74.8 million followers, while Kardashian has a mere 34.9 million.

Hands On: Samsung’s Gear S2 Brings Some Elegance to the Smartwatch

Samsung’s new Gear S2 smartwatch reminds me of an Apple product. No, not the Apple Watch — the original iPod.

Its clever spinning bezel, which lets you quickly switch between apps and select things within them, offers some of the same discoverable agility as the iPod’s click-wheel dial. “Elegant” is not the word I’d use to describe my experiences with many smartwatches. But after an hour of trying out the S2 (at this week’s IFA trade show in Berlin), that description seems to fit.

Fit and feel

The Gear S2 — announced Monday and due in October at an unannounced price — comes in three basic versions: the regular S2 (at left below), the more traditional-looking S2 Classic (on the right), and a 3G-capable version that you can use as a phone on its own (with your wireless carrier collecting an extra fee for the privilege).

The round face helps all of these Gear S2 models look less like a wrist-bound computer — another common issue with these devices — and more like a traditional watch. It’s no less chunky than other smartwatches but no thicker than many popular men’s watches. If you’ve been okay having a hefty running watch or a complicated chronograph strapped to your wrist, you should be fine with this.

Samsung says it’s 11.4 millimeters (or almost .45 inches) thick; I measured it at a tad under 12 mm. (A Samsung rep said the difference was due to their measuring from the bottom of the watch to the surface of the face, not to the raised bezel around it.) The Apple Watch, by comparison, is 10.5 mm thick.

Between the spinning bezel and the Back and Home buttons on its right side, the S2 requires much less guessing about which swipes take you in and out of particular modes than you’d have with Android Wear.

Not Android, but Android-friendly

The S2 offers the same basic functions as other smartwatches: Its round, 360-by-360-pixel screen transmits important notifications; it lets you read and reply to text messages and e-mails; it tracks your exercise; and, yes, it tells the time too.

Unlike competing devices, the S2 doesn’t run Google’s Android Wear software, relying instead on Samsung’s Tizen platform. But (contrary to what Samsung initially suggested) it should still work with a wide variety of Android devices — anything running Android 4.4 or newer with at least 1.5 GB of memory should suffice.

 

Intel's New Processors Bring 'Most Significant Advancements in Computing'

Intel's latest generation processors -- codenamed Skylake -- will deliver incredible performance gains, better battery life, superlative graphics and the scope for PC makers to start getting creative in terms of new shapes and form factors when they start appearing in devices later this year.

Computer sales may be slowing down overall, but there is clearly demand for mobile PCs, especially ultrabooks, hybrids and 2-in-1 devices -- computers that are proving popular enough to start stealing sales from tablets.

But whatever PC you next decide to next purchase, chances are that whatever its brand, from Acer to Apple, it will have an Intel chip inside running the show, meaning that every time it upgrades its chips, everyone benefits.

And with its new sixth-generation ‘Skylake' processors, revealed on Wednesday ahead of the official start of this year's IFA in Berlin, Germany, the benefits are potentially huge.

"Sixth Gen Intel Core processors deliver some of the most significant advancements in computing that we've ever seen," said Kirk Skaugen, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group. "[They] are more responsive than ever with enhanced performance, battery life and security. And they can enable amazing new PC experiences like logging into your computer with your face and having a personal assistant respond to your voice."

Despite its leadership position, it has taken Intel time to bring its processors in line with consumers' evolving PC-based needs. But now that it has caught up, it's not resting on its laurels.

Nearly half of the computers in use around the world today (500 million+) are between four and five years old and compared with any of them, Skylake-powered PCs will feel like a quantum leap forward. They offer a 3000% improvement on graphics (when compared to Intel's best processor architecture from 2010), over twice as much performance, and, in notebooks and other mobile devices, the possibility of all-day battery life.

And of course, they will be the first chips from the company truly optimized for Windows 10's most processor-hungry and complex features.

However, the chips have also been created in a way that will let manufacturers get creative with product design as well as software, meaning that 2016 will be a year in which lightweight devices get lighter still and streamline notebooks and tablets can get even thinner without impacting on heat diffusion and performance.

"The combination of 6th Gen Intel Core processors, Windows 10 and beautiful new systems from PC manufacturers make this the best time ever to buy a new computer," said Skaugen.

The Truth About Extended Auto Warranties

Most of us know the feeling. Your car is no longer under factory warranty and you hear or feel something unusual in your car. The first thought that races through your head is your bank account balance going down. The second is finding a reputable repair shop and how long you'll be without a car.

So you find a repair shop nearby and you take it in. Mixed in with the feeling of relief is the fear of being taken advantage of. "Yeah, your car needed a special hose that is only made in the top of the Himalayas by specially trained yak farmers. So although it looks like your typical $10 hose, it actually costs $500. But because I like you, I'm going to give it to you at cost for just $300." Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Another thing you noticed is all the new fancy computers that the mechanic now uses. In fact, the shops don't look like the auto repair shops you remember. It looks more like a Best Buy Geek Squad counter with lights and displays everywhere.
In either case, the thought that keeps going through your mind is - If only my car was still under warranty.

Repair Costs Are Skyrocketing

Here's a sobering fact. The average American household spends $3,269 a year on dealership maintenance and body shop repairs. If you purchased your new car on or after the year 1999, you're in for a surprise to see your repair bills. Cars nowadays are not the simple machines they used to be. Today, new vehicles are loaded with complex technology and electronics. Not only have cost of repairs skyrocketed, so have the cost of just diagnosing the issue. The average cost to repair an air conditioning system for example is $825. Over the next five years repair costs are going to increase about 12% per year. That $825 air conditioner repair today could cost as much as $1,500 to repair five years from now.

Even newer vehicles can experience unexpected mechanical problems, and particularly today. Recent manufacturer recalls are proof of that. According to a recent JD Power study on the dependability of 3 year old vehicles, it was found that, across all brands, more than half of all cars have to have costly repair work done.

The Solution is to Extend Your Car's Warranty

It's not too late to get an extended warranty on your car, even if it's been out of warranty for years. Commonly referred to as a Vehicle Service Contract, an extended auto warranty offered by third parties is the best bet to keep out of control repair costs in check. The manufactures' factory warranty typically covers a vehicle for an initial period of time or for problems that are least likely to occur. For this reason, third-party service contracts offer protection against mechanical failures that are likely to occur just when the vehicle manufacturers have determined they will.

These vehicle service contracts are packaged in a similar manner to the original warranty offered by the manufacturer. You can purchase a set number of miles or a set number of years like 30,000 miles or 3 years. You are provided with a list of local repair shops that you can go to, and the rest works similarly to how factory warranties work. You won't need to worry about what things will cost, or if the repair shop is overcharging you because everything is taken care of. In fact, like dealerships, some extended warranties even provide you loaners while your car is being serviced.

Conclusion

After looking at most common scenarios of what an average person will pay in auto repairs after a car is out of factory warranty, it makes sense to extend coverage. But it is important to understand what you're getting into and especially what is covered and what isn't. Like any other type of product that will last for years, it pays to spend 5 minutes going over what you get, what is excluded, and what other perks come along with it. Things such as roadside assistance, loaner cars, and trip interruption can be included or offered as options. But an extended auto warranty is something that everyone should at least consider.

The Real Reason Why Micro SD Card Slots Are Disappearing from Smartphones

Remember when we started carrying more data on our smartphones, and manufacturers gave us the ability to supplement the internal storage by popping in a cheap micro SD card? However, those days are coming to an end as manufacturers decided to put profits ahead of end user convenience.

There’s a piece over on tech news site Engadget on the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and how it was decided that the flagship handsets shouldn’t make use of micro SD cards. It’s clear from the piece that Xiaomi’s VP Hugo Barra thinks that having micro SD cards slots in smartphones is a bad idea.

Barra: “For high performance devices, we are fundamentally against an SD card slot.”

Barra: “You think you’re buying like a Kingston or a SanDisk but you’re actually not, and they’re extremely poor quality, they’re slow, they sometimes just stop working, and it gives people huge number of issues, apps crashing all the time, users losing data, a lot of basically complaints and customer frustration.”

Matías Duarte, Google’s VP of design, is also quoted as saying that “in reality it’s just confusing for users.”

Now, as someone who’s used micro SD cards in a variety of devices, I’ve not seen them cause crashing and instabilities, and having used them in a variety of applications, I would dispute the claim that SD cards from Kingston or SanDisk are “extremely poor quality.” I can also honestly say that I’ve never found micro SD cards confusing.

The reason that smartphone manufacturers are ditching micro SD card slots in their devices, especially at the high end, is money. Manufacturers can’t charge a premium for an SD card slot, but they can charge a $100 for a few extra gigabytes of flash storage.

What Apple began with the iPhone, other manufacturers are now doing with their smartphones. And from a making money point of view, it makes good sense. A 128GB iPhone 6 costs the consumer $200 more than the 16GB version, but adding that extra storage costs Apple less than $50.

Trade-In Site Gazelle Promises Top Dollar For Your Old iPhone

Gazelle says it will beat the trade-in deal offered by Apple or your carrier for your old iPhone. But you'll still want to shop around.

CNET

Gazelle, which offers cash back for trading in your used electronic devices, is offering a new, limited-time deal in which it's vowing top dollars for your existing iPhone.

Running from now through September 9, when Apple introduces its new iPhone lineup, Gazelle's latest promotion promises to beat the price or credit offered by Apple as well as all four top US carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint) if you trade in your iPhone. The carrier must be your current one, so you can't use the deal to switch to a different carrier.

Trade-in deals such as the one offered by Gazelle take advantage of the hot demand for smartphones, especially for consumers who always want the latest model. Carrier plans are getting more complex, with providers gravitating away from subsidizing your phone and instead charging you the full retail price. Trading in a a phone that you've paid for in full is one way to try to recapture as much of its retail value as possible.

Here's how it works: Gazelle will offer at least $1 more than your carrier or Apple for the trade-in value of your iPhone 5S, 6 or 6 Plus. To qualify for the offer, you have to submit proof of the trade-in deal offered by Apple or your carrier via an email to customercare@gazelle.com. You'll also need to provide your iPhone model and a copy of the price from Apple or your carrier. And whereas the carriers sometimes offer trade-in value in the form of credit, Gazelle is promising cash in return in the form of a check, Amazon gift card or PayPal credit. The promotion covers all colors and capacities of the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

So is the deal worth taking? That depends on whether you want to check out other sources beyond Apple and your carrier. Gazelle specifically states that it won't try to beat the trade-in prices from third-party vendors such as CashforiPhones.com, Amazon.com or Nextworth.com. This deal is valid only against trade-in prices from Apple, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon. Those of you who'd rather sell your phone on Amazon or eBay or check out other trade-in sites could score more cash back for your old iPhone. But the Gazelle offer is worth considering, especially if you're in a hurry to sell your existing iPhone in order to buy one of the new ones that Apple will unveil next Wednesday.

So what kind of prices can you get for trading in your old iPhone? That depends on the model and the condition. The phone can have a cracked screen or other flaws but it must be capable of powering on. A phone is considered in good condition if it works but shows normal signs of use. And it's considered flawless if it seems like it's never been used.

Here are a few examples:

• A 16GB Verizon or AT&T iPhone 5S in broken condition will score you $60, while the same model from Sprint or T-Mobile will net you $35.
• A 64GB Verizon iPhone 6 in good condition will get you $401, while the same model from the other three carriers will pay you anywhere from $311 to $362.
• And at the top of the range, a 128GB Verizon iPhone 6 Plus in flawless shape will score you $481, while the same phone from the other carriers will go for anywhere from $371 to $388.

Why does Gazelle pay more for Verizon iPhones? All existing iPhones are compatible with Verizon's CDMA networks and the GSM networks used by other carriers so the phones can work on both types of networks. The difference is that Verizon iPhones come with GSM unlocked, according to a Gazelle spokesman, so they can be used on any GSM network with the right SIM card installed.

This article, Trade-in site Gazelle promises top dollar for your old iPhone, originally appeared on CNET.com.

Samsung wants to track your sleep and smartly wash your clothes

Samsung's making a big push with Internet-connected devices at IFA in Berlin.
Shara Tibken/CNET BERLIN -- Samsung is making its latest push in the effort to connect all devices to the Internet, unveiling a new connected sleep-tracking device, a washing machine and other products.

The company's SleepSense is a disk sensor that consumers can place under their mattresses to track their sleep through a companion app. And Samsung said its $99 second-generation smart home tracker, called SmartThings Hub, is now available online in the US and Canada and will hit US retail stores next month. The device will arrive in UK stores September 10.

Overall, the devices all fit into Samsung's big push to not only provide the most smartphones and TVs in the world but also tap into parts of the home that haven't yet become very smart. The so-called Internet of Things -- the concept of using sensors and other technologies to hook just about anything you can think of into the Internet -- is expected to grow to be a multi-trillion-dollar market within the next five years.

"Together, we will create another five years of growth for us and a fantastic experience for consumers," YH Eom, president of Samsung Electronics Europe, said Thursday during a press conference at the IFA electronics show here. The company plans to host another event later in the day to show off its Gear S2 smartwatch.

It might look like a set of kitchen scales, but this sensor plate is Samsung's SleepSense. It slips under your mattress to provide details on how well you slept.

Although a variety of wearables already claim to provide sleep information, Samsung reckons its large sensor -- thanks to its position inside your bed -- provides results that are 97-percent accurate.

In the morning, you can see the results of your sleep on your smartphone.

Samsung hasn't announced availability or prices yet, but it's expected to arrive before the end of the year.

 This article, Samsung wants to track your sleep and smartly wash your clothes, originally appeared on CNET.com.