Archive for March 2015

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Accessories (11)

• Virgin Media claims its new wireless hub is the fastest in the land

  Even if your home is in the best area for fibre broadband, and you're paying for the fastest speeds, a cheap router can let you down. Slow and patchy wireless connectivity is commonplace in the UK, in part because internet service providers (ISPs) give their subscribers ropey hardware to plug into the wall. Virgin Media claims its new Super Hub 2ac will make a difference though. The combined modem and router offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless channels, with the latter supporting speeds of up to 1300Mbps. It leverages the 802.11ac wireless standard, though should you prefer some good old-fashioned cables there are also four Gigabit Ethernet ports waiting in reserve.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• iFixit explains how Apple's new MacBook haptic trackpad works

  Apple's new range of MacBooks have something particularly new inside them: the Force Touch trackpad. No longer hinged like previous Apple laptops, the new touchpad houses a "Haptic Engine", outputting tactile feedback that will let you "feel" what's happening on-screen. iFixit's taken a closer look at how Apple did it, and while the trackpad is no longer hinged, there are now four spring mounts underneath. That haptic engine? A load of wires coiled around a magnetic core, which makes that all important vibrational feedback.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Thanks to USB Type-C, external MacBook batteries may finally arrive (update)

  If you've been yearning for an external MacBook battery, you might soon be in luck. 9to5Mac reports Apple will finally allow companies to make battery packs and chargers for its devices, thanks to the newfangled USB Type-C connectors. The folks in Cupertino have typically frowned upon bricks that lend extra juice, and even sued HyperMac over using its MagSafe (and iPod) connector without permission. A redesigned USB port means that Apple wouldn't have to pass along the details of its charging tech to accessory makers. Of course, the new MacBook only wields one of these ports, and it's the only machine from Apple that sports it. There's no doubt that will change soon enough, and USB Type-C add-ons will tackle storage, a second display and more. Update: Some MagSafe-compatible options do indeed exist, like the BatteryBox. This accessory comes with clips that work with Apple's patented power connector, but the company says that it doesn't infringe on any intellectual property. With the switch to USB Type-C, though, we'll see even more options, perhaps from companies that are already making external iPhone batteries.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• You won't miss camera cables with Eyefi's latest wireless SD card

  Eyefi's always had an intriguing hook: Wouldn't it be easier if you could just transfer photos from your cameras over Wi-Fi, instead of manually plugging into your computer? Its wireless SD cards haven't always worked flawlessly, and they're a lot more than standard SD cards, but they're still worth it if you take photos regularly. Now, the company is announcing its latest card, the Mobi Pro ($100), which appears to fix many of the annoyances its customers have had over the years. Mobi Pro lets you finally upload specific photos from your camera to your computer and smartphone, rather than automatically syncing everything. You can even send RAW files to computers now (cue a chorus of "Hallelujah!" from pro photographers). Making up for the sometimes slow wireless hotspot between EyeFi cards and other devices, you can also have Mobi Pro transfer over a trusted wireless network when it's in range, which should be significantly faster.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• LaCie's latest portable drive is (almost) ideal for your new MacBook

  Dead set on snagging one of those extra-slim MacBooks, but won't make the leap until you have an easy way to back up your files? LaCie has your back. It just unveiled a new version of its Porsche Design Mobile Drive that uses the same USB Type-C port as Apple's latest portable (and eventually, other computers), saving you the hassle of using an adapter just to offload that photo project or back up to Time Machine. It's not quite a dream storage device, though. You'll still need an adapter (thankfully included) to hook up to regular USB devices, and there's no passthrough port. Unless you get a hub, you'll have to choose between powering your Mac and expanding your storage. If that's no barrier, though, you can get the Mobile Drive in the second quarter in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB models. Pricing isn't available yet, but the regular USB models cost $80, $100 and $150 -- it won't be surprising if the USB Type-C versions are in that ballpark.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• ASUS will soon let you add a xenon flash to its phones

  Remember the good old days when phones came with a powerful xenon flash instead of just LEDs? Well, thanks to ASUS, you'll soon have the option to add one to an Android phone -- or at least to an ASUS one, anyway. The ZenFlash came to us as a surprise announcement at today's ZenFone 2 launch in Taiwan: It's a xenon flash dongle that connects via USB OTG, and you can stick it onto the back of your phone for that "400 times" stronger flash. Alas, it's still early days so there's no further detail on this device. No price, no date and no confirmation on whether the ZenFlash will work on non-ASUS Android phones.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• These $79 dongles will add more ports to Apple's new MacBook

  If you've already got your heart set on Apple's new ultrathin MacBook, be sure to set aside $79 for one of these dongles if you want all of the ports you're used to. The new MacBook only includes a headphone jack and a new USB Type-C port, which handles both charging and accessory connectivity, making additional dongles and cables pretty much a necessity. Apple's starting out by offering two A/V-oriented options, which give you either a VGA or HDMI port, as well as a standard USB 3.0 jack and an additional USB Type-C port. Sure, they're expensive, but that's not unusual for Apple's accessories. The good thing about USB Type-C, though, is that it's a completely open standard, so we'll eventually see plenty of cheaper cables and dongles from other companies. But if you want a good deal, you'll probably have to wait until more computers start offering the new USB port.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• How a spinning chair made virtual reality feel more real

  When donning a VR headset, it's easy to be awestruck by whatever 3D world you find yourself in. It's a whole new medium that simply can't be replicated on a TV. Still, there are reasons the likes of Oculus and Sony aren't selling headsets to the masses just yet. While Samsung's Gear VR and other smartphone-powered headwear are filling the void, headsets that tap into the processing might of PCs and consoles will ultimately deliver the most immersive experiences. But, the technology isn't quite there yet. Stereoscopic 3D can be jarring, with complicated worlds often appearing slightly out of focus. Then there are issues like nausea that can strike when moving through virtual surroundings. Also, how we interact with virtual spaces will continue to evolve, moving beyond the gamepad and keyboard to more natural and hopefully intuitive methods of control.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• Wacom finally outfits its Cintiq 13HD pen display with touch gestures

  Wacom has a habit of trotting out non-touch versions of its stylus-friendly tech first. The Cintiq 13HD arrived back in 2013, and one of my main gripes with the device was its lack of support for your fingertips. Well, the company finally announced the touch-enabled version today, nearly two years after the original's debut. And yes, it still packs in a Pro Pen with 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity. The adjustable stand is included too, and the customizable ExpressKeys and a Rocker Ring will wrangle your go-to tools quickly. In fact, as far as I can tell, the only difference between this and the previous version is the added touch compatibility. There's no denying Wacom's pen tablets and displays are way more useful when you can get your fingers more involved, I only wish it'd give us the choice from the start. Surely those who've already invested are going to be a bit upset -- and rightfully so. If you held out, though, the Cintiq 13HD can be yours this month for $999. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• This BMX bike sensor is ready to track your off-road adventures

  There's no shortage of bike sensors that will track your performance. However, they usually assume that you're on a garden variety road bike. What if your definition of biking involves BMX races or trick jumps? Never fear -- you now have an activity tracker to call your own. Iddo has launched a crowdfunding drive for what it says is the world's first BMX bike sensor. The angry-looking add-on (seriously, it's a little metal skull) will capture 'boring' details like speed and GPS position, but it also includes a 9-axis motion sensor and an altimeter to detect your air time and tricks. The companion smartphone app will even score stunts, so you have an added incentive to master that bunny hop or tailwhip. If you're racing, Iddo will let you map tracks and measure your lap times.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Livestream's tiny dongle lets any HDMI camera broadcast online

  If you were itching for a way to stream live footage from your existing video cam (or action cam), Livestream's Broadcaster Mini might offer what you need, without having to get another camera. Priced at $295, and a third of the size of the company's full-fat Broadcaster streamer, it can stream up 1080p resolution video with controls and setup all done through a companion app on either iOS and Android. Controls on the device appear simple enough, with one button for power and other to switch the streaming video, delivered through HMDI, live.

  By Mat Smith Read More

AI (2)

• DC airport tries using face recognition to catch imposters

  If you come to the US through Washington DC's Dulles airport in the near future, don't be surprised if Customs and Border Protection takes your snapshot before letting you through. The agency has confirmed to Motherboard that it will be testing a facial recognition system which captures a photo and compares it against your passport picture to see if you're an imposter. The relatively short (2 to 3 months) trial won't rely solely on face detection to flag suspicious travelers, but it could give customs agents a way to double-check identities without relying so heavily on keen eyes and intuition.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Advanced optical fibers could give rise to human-like AI brains

  We haven't built a truly sentient artificial ntelligence system yet, like the Terminator or C-3PO -- you know, the kind of AI that scares Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking. But a team of researchers believe they've at least found the secret to creating human-like artificial brains. More specifically, they've discovered that optical fiber made from chalcogenides can create synapses to latch onto each other, just like what happens in our gray matter. Chalcogenide is a light-sensitive compound typically used to manufacture glass for photocopiers, and it allows the the fibers to process vast amounts of data.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

Amazon (15)

• Amazon brings back the white Kindle e-reader in China and Japan

  Have you missed white Kindle e-readers ever since they disappeared in 2012? So has Amazon. The internet retailer has quietly unveiled a white version of its basic Kindle reader that's headed to at least China on April 8th, and Japan on April 20th. It's virtually identical to the $79 black model, including the 800 x 600 e-paper touchscreen, WiFi and 4GB of storage -- you're really just getting a cosmetic change here. Still, it's hard not to be curious about Amazon's sudden nostalgia kick. We've reached out to Amazon to find out if and when the white Kindle will reach other parts of the globe, and we'll let you know if there are any additional launches in the cards.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Re-order everyday items from Amazon with the 'Dash Button'

  Amazon is rolling out the Dash Button, a physical device that allows customers to re-order items like toilet paper, diapers and laundry detergent as soon as they run out, with a simple press. The Dash Button is adhesive, and when pressed, customers receive a smartphone notification with options to cancel or continue the order. This initiative builds off of Amazon's previous device, the Dash, which scanned barcodes and had a microphone, allowing customers to simply say which items they wanted to renew. It's all one more way the company is trying to get customers to ditch the grocery store. Amazon will start sending email invitations to select Prime Members with offers to try out the Dash Button today, limited to three devices per household.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Amazon tests courier drones in Canada to avoid US hassles

  When Amazon said it would take its delivery drone testing abroad, it wasn't kidding. The Guardian has learned that the internet shopping giant is testing its robotic Prime Air couriers in Canada (the province of British Columbia, to be exact) to get around what it sees as frustratingly slow US approval. As Amazon's Paul Misener explains, the company isn't willing to wait until American regulators find an "impetus" to legalize these drones. It rejects the Federal Aviation Administration's portrayal of US airspace as uniquely complex. Canada and European countries also have a lot of air traffic, but they've still approved lots of testing and commercial drone flights.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon is ready to offer pro services for your home

  Need a plumber, or a tire swap? Amazon is ready to help. The internet giant has launched its promised Amazon Home Services, a one-stop shop that lets you order professionals in categories ranging from home maintenance to tech support -- there's even goat grazing, in case you need to clear an overgrown field. The offering promises to be more trustworthy than what you'd get just by searching the web or the phone book, since Amazon is relying on hand-picked pros that deliver up-front pricing. You also won't pay until the job is done properly, so workers shouldn't be tempted to cut corners.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon Cloud Drive now stores unlimited files for $60 per year

  Amazon thinks it has a way to entice you away from the likes of Dropbox or Google Drive: real, honest-to-goodness unlimited internet storage. It just launched two Cloud Drive plans that let you upload as much as you like, with the primary difference being what you can upload without worrying about caps. If you're only interested in preserving photos, an Unlimited Photos Plan costs a modest $12 per year, or free on Prime; you'll have 5GB to use for anything else. Should you have a lot of documents or a sizable video collection, an Unlimited Everything tier will cost a still-pretty-reasonable $60 per year. The one catch is that there's no truly free option. You can get a 3-month free trial, but you'll want to look at the no-cost alternatives if you don't expect to store gobs of files online.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon bringing plumbers and yoga instructors to new marketplace

  On top of car parts and yoga mats, you'll soon be able to find auto mechanics and gurus at Amazon's incoming Home Services marketplace. The new site lets you find and hire experts in categories like home improvement, lawn & garden, lessons and computers. Amazon may have revealed it a bit prematurely, as the amazon.com/services link has since been pulled. However, Techcrunch's inside sources confirmed the plans and say the formal launch will happen next Monday. Home Services will replace Amazon's Local Services, which also connects Amazon users with local contractors.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Amazon hosts a robot competition to automate its warehouses

  Amazon leans heavily on warehouse robots to assist workers and fulfill your orders on time, but these machines still can't pack items quickly enough to replace humans. However, the internet giant is determined to make these mechanical helpers more useful. It's holding a competition at a conference this May to see who's best at producing an autonomous robot that grabs products off shelves and stuffs them into boxes. This may sound like a relatively straightforward challenge, but it isn't -- the bots have to grab a variety of objects while breaking as little as possible, including fragile things like food.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon Fire TV players will soon work in your hotel room

  Amazon's Fire TV and Fire TV Stick will soon be much more useful, especially if you're outside of the US. Thanks to an impending update, both streaming media hubs will work in dorm rooms, hotels and other places where you have to sign in before you get online -- you can pack your device on that big vacation. The two also get support for Prime Music playlists, shortcuts for screen mirroring and hidden PIN codes when you make a purchase. You're in for the biggest treat if you have a full-fledged Fire TV box, since you'll get support for USB storage (to hold all your extra apps and games) and Bluetooth headphones (for those late-night movies).

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon's Fire TV Stick arrives in the UK next month for £35

  Google's Chromecast streaming dongle has proven to be quite the hit, but it does come with some drawbacks. There's no physical remote, for instance, and the lack of menus or any overarching UI can be alienating for some. Amazon took a swing at the idea last October with the Fire TV Stick, and after launching in the US it's ready to tackle the UK too. It'll begin shipping on April 15th, although Prime members can pre-order the device today for £19. That's a sizeable discount on the regular £35 asking price, which is just a smidge higher than Google's offering (£30) in the Play store. If you've been weighing up a new Prime subscription, this could be the time to take the plunge; the company will knock the stick down to £7 for anyone that's willing to sign up for a new 12-month membership.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Amazon wants to give paid apps away for free

  Downloads from Amazon's Appstore almost assuredly aren't the raging success that the company's ventures like Prime are, but the retail juggernaut isn't giving up on it yet. In fact, the former looks like it's getting an injection of the latter's DNA with something called Unlocked. According to a leak obtained by TechCrunch, Bezos and Co. are experimenting with the idea of offering paid apps and in-app purchases free of charge. It apparently isn't limited to games either, as Monument Valley and Sonic Dash sit alongside productivity apps like OfficeSuite 8 + PDF Converter.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• FAA gives Amazon the OK to conduct drone tests

  After threatening to take its drone tests elsewhere, the FAA granted the online retailer permission to test its unmanned aircraft. If you'll recall, Bezos & Co. weren't interested in leveraging any of the government-approved test sites for drone trials, wanting instead to fly near its Seattle R&D facility. The "experimental airworthiness certificate" awarded today allows Amazon to make test flights at 400 feet or below, so long as the unmanned aircraft stays within the pilot's sight. What's more, any testing must be done during the day, with a private pilot's certificate and medical credentials required for anyone behind the controls. As is the case with this type of permit, the FAA requires monthly reports that include the number of flights, pilot time, any issues that arise, if there's a loss of communication and if the pilot has to deviate from the air traffic controllers' cues. Back in January, the FAA teamed up with CNN to look into the use of drones for news coverage, so we could certainly see even more of the flying machines take off soon. Of course, we'll still have to wait a while to receive packages via drone, but at least Amazon is getting to test in its own backyard.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Amazon expands one-hour deliveries to Baltimore and Miami

  It's easy to just run to the store if you need toilet paper or oranges now. But what if you're looking for uranium ore or a Badonkadonk land tank? Impatient Miami and Baltimore residents will now be able to get such products in one or two hours (or less), thanks to the arrival of Amazon's Prime Now delivery service. This marks the first expansion of Prime Now, which has only been available in Manhattan and Brooklyn so far. Amazon promised to eventually bring it "to a city near you," but to do so, it needs to have fulfillment warehouses near urban centers.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Amazon's new Exclusives store showcases Kickstarter successes

  Amazon is launching a new store section today called Amazon Exclusives that looks to highlight "up-and-coming brands." The store features products from Kickstarter successes like Jackery phone chargers, Zackees' clever cycling gloves and Olloclip phone camera lenses. The new store claims to offer "the best prices" on such items, and also includes products not born from crowdfunding. Tower's inflatable paddle board, for example, came from ABC's Shark Tank.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Amazon opens a store on its Chinese rival's marketplace

  Amazon is willing to do a lot to gain a competitive edge... including setting up shop on a big rival's home turf, apparently. The online shopping giant has launched a store on Tmall, Alibaba's China-focused marketplace. The move requires that Amazon give Alibaba a cut of any sales, which is unusual for an internet retailer that likes to operate on thin profit margins. However, it's clear that Jeff Bezos and crew are primarily interested in getting their foot in the door. Amazon doesn't have that much clout in China compared to Alibaba, which is worth more than Amazon and eBay combined -- a Tmall storefront will at least remind Chinese customers that an American alternative exists.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon's Echo wireless speaker will soon run custom apps

  Amazon's voice-savvy Echo speaker is only handy for a few tasks right now, but it's about to become much more flexible. The online giant is now taking sign-ups for a beta developer kit that will let people create apps for the gadget. There aren't many details as to what coders can do with the Echo, but it won't be surprising if they'll let you ask new questions, play games or take control of apps on your mobile devices. Just be patient if you aren't a programmer -- there's no mention of when a regular developer kit will be available, and it'll likely take a while after that before you're using speaker-friendly software.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Apple (42)

• Apple is reportedly trying to poach artists from Jay Z's music service

  The streaming music business is getting particularly cutthroat, it seems. According to Billboard, Apple exec Jimmy Iovine has been trying to lure the first-tier musicians from Jay Z's artist-owned Tidal service (possibly for an upcoming streaming option) by paying them "more money upfront." Jay Z isn't directly confirming the rumor, but he isn't exactly denying it, either. He explains that a poaching attempt just reflects Iovine's "competitive nature" and that the two have talked about their rival offerings. The rapper claims that he's trying to make nice, and that he doesn't "have to lose in order for you guys [at Apple] to win" -- he sees the two sides trying to help artists. That may be true, but something tells us that Apple isn't about to make life easy for a direct competitor... especially one whose emphasis on exclusives and special deals could hurt Apple's bottom line. [Image credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Roc Nation]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple's Tim Cook calls state discrimination laws 'dangerous'

  A number of tech executives have decried state laws that promote discrimination against the LGBT community by allowing companies to refuse service on religious grounds, but Apple CEO Tim Cook is taking his opposition to the next level. The executive has written an editorial for the Washington Post that says it's "dangerous" to enact these laws, which include Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act and Arkansas' tentative HB1228. To him, these measures not only "rationalize injustice" against fellow human beings (including himself), but are "bad for business" -- they could stifle employment and corporate growth.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple lets you trade in some of its rivals' smartphones

  Yes, the rumors of Apple expanding its trade-in program were true -- the company's stores (both online and retail) are now willing to take your competing smartphone in return for credit toward a new iPhone. If you live in Canada, France, Italy, the UK or the US, you can trade in certain Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices (the BlackBerry Z10, Lumia 1020 and Nexus 5 are among the examples). We can't imagine that you'll be too eager to use this option -- you may either remain loyal to a platform, or can find a buyer who'll offer more -- but it could be useful if you're determined to ditch an old phone in an eco-friendly way. Just be sure to call if you're going to try this soon. We've reached out to a number of stores, and only a few were aware that non-iPhone trade-ins were live. It could take some time before every store is up to speed. Photo by Will Lipman.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple CEO Tim Cook plans to donate his fortune to charity

  Tim Cook has big plans for his vast wealth: It's all going to philanthropy, he revealed in a Fortune interview. The Apple CEO -- who's currently worth around $112 million, and holds restricted stock that could be worth up to $665 million -- said he's already been making donations quietly, but he's also looking forward to taking a deeper approach to the whole endeavor. That could involve starting something similar to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Microsoft co-founder's non-profit which manages his philanthropic efforts. Cook also plans to cover his nephew's college education, like the rich uncle that he is. Cook's open approach to philanthropy differs from his predecessor Steve Jobs, who was widely criticized for not donating enough. His wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, revealed after his death that the family actually donated tens of millions anonymously for over two decades.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple's music service may fight Spotify with exclusives, not price

  Subscription streaming music services are everywhere now, so what can Apple's potential offering bring to the table? Combining many previous rumors and adding on a few twists, a New York Times report puts Trent Reznor in a "major role" redesigning the Beats Music app into a stronger Spotify rival, with a focus on obtaining content that would be exclusive to Apple services. The Financial Times suggested former Beats exec Jimmy Iovine is driving those deals, as it hopes to push a service that won't have a free streaming tier like Spotify. The word is that despite trying to undercut rivals, it will probably have a similar subscription price. As far as the when this will all happen, the rumors still claim it will ride along with an upcoming iOS update, codenamed "Copper." At the same time, former BBC Radio One DJ Zane Lowe is said to be a big part of a refashioned iTunes Radio that targets listeners depending on their region. That's probably for the best, so that Apple Store staff aren't forced to give us playlist tips along with fashion advice.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Bloomberg: Apple will let Foxconn buy and resell used iPhones in China

  Thanks to the consistently high local demand, the iPhone resell business is rather lucrative in China, to the point where even the company who actually manufactures the devices wants in as well. According to Bloomberg, Apple is about to launch an iPhone trade-in program in China (we're surprised that it's taken this long, to be honest), but it'll be Foxconn on the receiving end. Basically, the OEM giant will buy the used iPhones directly, before refurbishing and then reselling them on its own online stores plus Taobao, China's popular eBay-like platform. Bloomberg's source added that the chain may extend to physical stores as well.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Apple is training its store staff to offer fashion advice

  Now that the Apple Watch is close to launch, Apple is getting its stores ready to sell the wearable -- and apparently, that involves turning its T-shirt-wearing staffers into fashion gurus. A 9to5Mac leak has revealed that the company is asking retail employees to suggest different watches based on how you dress and your lifestyle, much like you'd expect when buying a pair of designer glasses. Yes, that specialist may suggest a colorful watch because you have a "fun style" (ack), not just because it's the best your budget allows. Apple is reportedly aware that you might want to skip the spiel and will have areas for people who already know what they want, but you'll want to be prepared for some beauty banter if you're undecided.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple puts targeted ads in your iTunes Radio stream

  For months, Apple has tried to find different ways to solidly monetize iTunes Radio, but it hasn't been an easy task to accomplish. While the company does offer local-focused content for advertisers to target, it's not as enticing to them as, say, knowing what type of apps you have installed on your iPhone -- information that can easily be tied to an email address or a phone number. To that end, according to Ad Age, Apple's started to integrate its iAd advertising platform with iTunes Radio, making it possible for advertisers to push out targeted ads on the audio-streaming service.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Apple's secret fitness lab revealed by 'Good Morning America'

  Apple just gave Good Morning America a first look at its secretive fitness lab, where it's spent the past few years putting employees through a battery of tests. And no, they didn't even know they were helping the company get ready for the Apple Watch, which packs in a bevy of sensors for health tracking. "We hooked them up with all the masks and so forth, but we would put on an Apple Watch covered up," Apple SVP of operations Jeff Williams told ABC. Still, we can't imagine Apple's workers didn't know something was up. Aside from all the sensors, and the fact that it's in a nondescript office building, the lab doesn't look that much different from your average gym -- it's packed with treadmills, fitness bikes, and rowing machines. And, most intriguingly, there are climate chambers which allow Apple to replicate a variety of different places (it also tested the Watch all over the world).

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple TV revamp coming in June with Siri and App Store

  Apple's criminally ignored set-top box is finally getting a major upgrade. The company is planning to announce a new Apple TV at its Worldwide Developer Conference in June, according to Buzzfeed. And yes, sources say it'll pack in just about everything you've been hoping for: a real App Store, Siri-powered voice commands, and the usual spec bumps (including the new A8 processor and more storage). Nothing's confirmed just yet, but it certainly makes sense that we'll see a new Apple TV at WWDC, especially since we're hearing Apple's planning to debut its long-awaited TV service and Beats-powered streaming music service soon. Apple's also made it clear that its set-top box will play a big role in its HomeKit platform -- the new Apple TV might include additional hardware to make that possible.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Tim Cook: Apple isn't becoming the new Microsoft

  Are you getting the sense that Apple is becoming the new Microsoft, the giant corporation that's simultaneously doing too much and refusing to take risks? Not surprisingly, Tim Cook would like to have a word with you. He tells Fast Company that he doesn't accept those comparisons because Apple is "willing to lose sight of the shore" and drop existing technology, like optical drives and the 30-pin connector, in the name of progress. To Cook, Microsoft's problem (until lately, at least) was its refusal to "walk away from legacy stuff" -- it was so determined to support the old way of doing things that it had trouble moving forward.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple is reportedly willing to share viewing data to clinch TV deals

  Apple is apparently bending over backwards to make sure that its oft-rumored streaming TV service gets off the ground. New York Post sources claim that the company is willing to share viewer data with the networks, including demographics and viewing habits, if it means getting channels ahead of its service's reported fall launch. It's not clear just how much info broadcasters would get, although there's talk of letting them run ads if they don't think the subscription fees are enough.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• WSJ: Apple's TV service due this fall with about 25 channels

  With the thawing of the spring we have a renewal of an old favorite: Apple TV rumors. After Re/code suggested a month ago that Apple might go its own way Sling TV-style instead of working with cable companies, the Wall Street Journal is reporting similar details. According to WSJ, Apple is negotiating to launch a "slim" package of 25 or so channels for streaming this fall for $30 to $40, but there's a twist: There have so far been no negotiations with Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, thanks to a falling out between the two companies. The rumors go so far as to claim Apple felt Comcast was intentionally stringing it along while it developed its X1 cable box. So far Sling seems to be doing OK without Syfy and the rest, but we'll see if that changes after The Expanse launches. With an Apple TV price drop and similar services either launched or on the way, we'll move the Apple TV rumor alert level up to a still-skeptical (see my reasoning here) chartreuse.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Apple's trade-in policy may soon include gift cards for rival devices

  Apple's not exactly new to courting Android fans, but a reported change to its trade-in policy could finally get owners of other smartphones pledging allegiance to Cupertino. The usual slew of unnamed sources told 9to5Mac that Apple will soon allow customers to swap non-Apple smartphones for gift cards in-store, just like people can currently do with old iPhones, iPads and Macs. If 9to5's report holds true, retail employees are already being trained on the particulars of the process now, and you'll be able to ditch your old gear in one of the company's well-lit glass shrines in the coming weeks.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Apple launches public beta program for would-be iOS testers

  Yes, yes, iOS 8.2 was only released on Monday, but Apple's got you covered in case that's just not bleeding edge enough for you. After getting plenty of apparently helpful feedback during OS X Yosemite's public beta period over the summer, the company is (as expected) kicking off a public beta program for iOS, beginning with a non-final build of iOS 8.3 available to testers starting today.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Apple's medical research kit gets thousands of sign-ups (and concerns)

  Apple built its ResearchKit platform in part to get many more people signing up for medical studies, and it appears to be delivering on that promise in spades. The early partners tell Bloomberg that they got thousands of volunteers within a day of launch, including 11,000 for a Stanford University cardiovascular trial -- for context, Stanford says that it would normally take a national year-long effort to get that kind of scale. The flood of data will theoretically improve the quality of the findings, especially since the automatic, phone-based tracking should prevent people from fibbing about their activity levels.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• As Apple moves into fitness, rival wearables vanish from stores

  Apple is pitching its first smartwatch as the ultimate health and fitness coach, so of course, it doesn't want to remind customers about the competition. According to Re/code, the company is no longer selling the Nike+ FuelBand and Jawbone Up, among other popular activity trackers, in its flagship retail stores across San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles and New York. As early as last October, Apple was planning to pull Fitbit hardware from its shelves ahead of the Apple Watch's launch. A cursory glance at the company's US online store shows that almost all of the wearable's competition has now been removed, save for Jawbone's Up Move clip-on pendant and Wahoo's TICKR fitness trackers.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Apple's App and iTunes Stores are down (update: back up)

  Good luck trying to buy anything that isn't hardware from Apple right now. The company recently confirmed on its services status dashboard that the iOS and Mac App Stores, as well as the iTunes Store, are "unavailable for all users." The silver lining? Some people might still have luck picking up some new reading from the iBooks Store, but we wouldn't count on it. Don't be fooled, either: For now you can still sift through the stores' wares and listings as though nothing happened, but you won't actually be able to purchase anything. The first spate of issues started making the rounds at about 5AM Eastern, and Twitter's slowly been swelling with confused, clamoring consumers ever since. At time of writing, Apple hasn't yet said how far along it is in the recovery process, or when users can expect to access the stores once more. Update: Service appears to be fully restored, check for more details after the break.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Apple invests $50 million to get more minorities working in tech

  Just like Intel, Apple is also pledging millions of dollars to various initiatives in an effort to make its workforce a lot more diverse than it has been these past years. When its diversity report was published in 2014, Tim Cook promised to be "innovative in advancing diversity," and now Apple's VP of Human Resources has revealed some of the company's plans. In an interview with Forbes, Denise Young Smith said Cupertino is earmarking $40 million for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports students enrolled in historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The non-profit will create a database of computer science students studying at HBCUs, so Apple can offer them training, scholarship and even paid internships.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Apple labored over the perfect interface for its Watch Activity app

  Apple's Watch designers did a lot of reps on the Workout and Activity apps before arriving at the final design, according to an internal memo dug up by 9to5 Mac. The company's in-house fitness guru Jay Blahnik detailed the design process of the Watch's key apps, saying, "We kept asking ourselves, 'What could we do to measure all-day activity that would be more useful than traditional all-day activity trackers?'" To arrive at the answer, the company decided to build both apps in-house, in order to "build our own knowledge base from the ground up" rather than using off-the-shelf software.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple buys itself some time with £59 Apple TV price cut

  How long can the current Apple TV survive? The sleek streaming box has stayed the same, more or less, for just over three years now. Sure, there's been a steady stream of new apps and software features, but the components and basic experience have barely changed. Meanwhile, we've seen Roku, Amazon, Google and others bombard the market with rival hardware that offer new, modern takes on navigation and discovery. We're still waiting on a major Apple TV refresh, but in the meantime the company has dropped the price of its set-top box yet again; now, you can pick one up for £59 rather than £79 in the UK.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Here's more detail about how long Apple's Watch battery will last

  What does an all-day battery life of 18 hours really consist of? That's what Apple's promising it's debut smartwatch will offer. Thankfully, it has also detailed a bunch of other power-draining use cases to allay / confirm (delete as appropriate) any battery life fears. This typical use battery life apparently consisted of: "90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use, and a 30-minute workout with music playback from Apple Watch via Bluetooth" Apple notes that this was a preproduction model from this month, and even offers all the other reasons why you might not get the same numbers, stating that "Battery life varies by use, configuration, and many other factors; actual results will vary." Placing a call through the watch will allow you to talk to your wrist for just three hours, while at the opposite end of the use spectrum, just wanting to see the time on the display will mean the watch can eke out up to 78 hours of use -- entailing four time checks every hour, but nothing else.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Marriott hotels to start accepting Apple Pay this summer

  Hey, did you know Marriott already promised to stop trying to block personal WiFi devices? If that convinces you to stay in one of its hotels again, don't forget to bring your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus: the chain will soon start accepting Apple Pay. To check in, you'll only need to go to the contactless reader at the front desk and hold up your phone (or Apple Watch) to pay -- a beep and a vibration will indicate if the transaction's a success. The company will begin its staggered rollout this summer, starting with 11 hotels in the US, which we've listed below the fold. Marriott, is also developing an app for the Apple Watch that's similar to Starwood Hotel's. You can use it to check in before you get to the hotel, checkout and even get notification when your room is ready. The company says the app will be available when Cupertino's smartwatches hit the market, which we've just learned will happen on April 24th.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Daily Roundup: Apple Watch details, a new MacBook and more!

  Happy Monday! Buckle up, because it's Apple news all the way down today. The highly anticipated Apple Watch goes on sale April 24th and depending on the model, prices start anywhere from $350 to $10,000. The Cupertino company also surprised us by revealing details on its new ultra thin MacBook with a retina display. Get all the details on these stories and more in today's Daily Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Apple Watch bands will cost between $49 and $449

  An Apple Watch won't do you a ton of good without a band to hold it to your wrist and Cupertino has plenty of options to choose from. Let's start from the bottom: A 38mm sport band runs $49, and a 42mm one is the same price. It starts getting more expensive from there, though. The 38mm Milanese Loop (which looks an awful lot like chainmail if you ask me) is $149. Same goes for the 42mm large leather Loop. The smaller, 38mm Modern Buckle costs $249. The Link Bracelet will set you back the most, however, at $449 for a 42mm band (just over the price of two Pebble Time watches). Of course, none of them are available to ship at the moment despite how much you might want one -- you'll have to wait a few weeks for that.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Watch the replay of Apple's 'spring forward' event

  Were you stuck at work when Apple kicked off its "spring forward" event and missed out on the whole shebang? Relax. As is its custom, Cupertino has posted a replay of the event so that you can tune in on your own terms. Just make sure you have a good hour and a half if you're bent on seeing the whole thing. Apple had a lot on its slate at this presentation, including Apple Watch launch details, medical research and even a shiny new MacBook.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Want some apps for that Apple Watch? You'll need iOS 8.2

  We already got the big Apple Watch reveal last fall. But today, Tim Cook took the stage at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco to let us all know what wonders that very Apple smartwatch can perform, like make and receive calls! Oh yes, and there's also a host of apps to take advantage of Apple Watch, but to get them, first you'll need to download the new iOS 8.2 software update for your iPhone. Good thing it's available today.

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

• Apple's new 12-inch MacBook will start from £1,049 in the UK

  Want a laptop that's even thinner than a MacBook Air? What about one that's available in gold? If your answer to either of the above is yes, then Apple has a new notebook that could be right up your alley. Simply called the "MacBook," it's a 12-inch laptop that's just 13.1mm thick (24 percent thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air). It has a new trackpad with "Force Click" gestures, a redesigned keyboard and a 2304 x 1440 resolution Retina display. If you live in the UK, by now you're probably wondering how much all of this is going to cost you. Well, here's the skinny: When Apple launches its new MacBook on April 10, the cheapest model will ship with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor (with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4 GHz), 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage for £1,049.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Apple boosts MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines with faster chips

  Apple's new smartwatch might be the focus of its "spring forward" event, but the company still had time to surprise us with updates to its MacBook lineup. The all-new "Retina" MacBook with its pressure-sensitive trackpad might get all the attention, but older MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models also got a few tweaks under the hood. They now boast Intel's latest Broadwell Core i5 and i7 processors, more powerful graphics and improvements in the battery department, which means you can eke out over 10 hours with most of its new models.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Apple's new MacBook has a completely redesigned trackpad

  Not surprisingly, the main attraction of today's Apple event is the company's new smartwatch. But there's more, a lot more leading up to that announcement. As part of its new MacBook unveiling, Apple has revealed a newly designed trackpad, dubbed Force Touch. The redesigned trackpad comes with what Apple is calling a Taptic Engine, which produces tactile feedback that lets you "feel" what's happening on the screen, rather than just see it. It's "not a diving board," Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller said on stage about the trackpad, which is now pressure-sensitive and no longer hinged (as was the case on previous MacBooks).

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Apple's new MacBook is ultra thin and weighs just two pounds

  Apple wasn't just showing off fancy watches today -- it also unveiled its new MacBook (check out our full hands-on here!), the first major addition to its ultraportable line since 2010. And yeah, it seems like it was worth the wait. Shaving off even more from the MacBook Air's already thin design, the new MacBook features a sharp 12-inch screen with a "Retina" 2,304 by 1,440 pixel resolution, as well as a thin bezel around the screen and keyboard. It's just 13.1 millimeters thick, around 25 percent less than the 11-inch MacBook Air. The new MacBook brings the best of both worlds from Apple's past laptop lineup: a tiny portable case like the 11-inch Air, and a larger, high-res screen like the Retina MacBook Pro. In short, it seems like the ideal Apple laptop -- something it's been working toward since Steve Jobs slipped the first Air out of a manila envelope in 2008. The MacBook ships on April 10 and starts at $1,299 with a 1.1GHz Core M processor, 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM. There's also a slightly more powerful model for $1,599 with a 1.2GHz processor and 512GB SSD.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple wants your iPhone to double as a medical device

  Apple's taking another step in its ongoing effort to make its iDevices more friendly to medical professionals. "ResearchKit" was introduced this morning in a San Francisco event by Senior VP of operations Jeff Williams; he calls it, "a software framework made specifically for medical research." More specifically, ResearchKit is a solution for making iOS devices with HealthKit into "powerful tools for diagnosis." The long and short is ResearchKit is intended to make medical diagnosis apps easier to create by medical professionals. A handful of apps were shown off that help with diagnosis of a range of conditions, from Parkinson's to breast cancer. The data collected by these apps, which Apple says it won't see and you can opt out of sharing, can be used for enormous research projects.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Apple Pay adoption triples to 700,000 locations in six weeks

  Apple's Pay started well and has grown at a steady clip. But at Apple's Watch event, Tim Cook has announced just how much it's taken off in the last month or so: It's now accepted at over 700,000 locations. That now includes Coca-Cola machines, up to 100,000 of which will take the wireless payments by the end of the year. For some perspective, we reported about a month and a half ago that Apple Pay was accepted at 200,000 points of purchase, meaning recent adoption has accelerated at a breakneck pace -- and it'll soon get a boost from Apple Watch users. The only drawback? That success has attracted throngs of fraudsters, forcing banks to adapt quickly by tightening security.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple TV gets a new price: $69

  It's been a long, long time since Apple refreshed its streaming box, the Apple TV. And it looks like that won't be changing anytime soon. Now, that's not to say the company has forgotten about the platform; in fact, since the last hardware update, Apple's made its set-top ecosystem more robust by adding a myriad of third-party entertainment apps, making the tiny box a must-have for most any living room. With that in mind, today at its highly anticipated "Spring forward" event, Apple announced that Apple TV will now start at $69 -- $30 less than its previous MSRP. The new retail price comes on the heels of the announcement that HBO Now will be exclusive to Apple hardware, including the iPhone, iPad and, of course, Apple TV.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Live from Apple's 'spring forward' keynote!

  When Apple announces it's going to hold a "spring forward" event the day after daylight saving time begins, that can only mean one thing: We're going to hear more about the famous Apple Watch before it goes on sale next month. Actually it means something else too. A few sleep-deprived Engadget editors have made the trek to San Francisco to cover the keynote live, because you know a lost hour of sleep ain't gonna stop us. And by all accounts, it should be a pretty newsy day indeed. I mean, just think of all the things we don't know about the Apple Watch: its battery life, fitness features, what day it's going on sale and how much that fancy gold edition is going to cost. We're here for answers, folks, and we suspect we'll know a lot more by the time Tim Cook leaves the stage today. For now, just settle in and leave the hard work to us: bringing you all the news as it's breaking. March 9, 2015 1:00:00 PM EDT

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Here's how to watch Apple's 'spring forward' event

  Can't help but give in to the hype surrounding Apple's "spring forward" event today? You'll have a few ways to satisfy your curiosity about the Apple Watch... and anything else Tim Cook might show. Apple is hosting its own live stream starting at 1PM Eastern, although you'll need to use an iOS device, an Apple TV or Safari on a Mac to tune in. Don't worry if video isn't an option, though. We'll be covering the event live at the same time, so you can catch the goings-on no matter what device you're using. [Image credit: Loic Venance/AFP/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple is making it easier for schools to put iPads in classrooms

  Apple's dreams of putting iPads in classrooms have run into a number of roadblocks, but one of the biggest is simply the amount of work involved -- each slate needs its own account, making it a nightmare if you want to outfit an entire school. That won't be a problem for much longer, however. Both MacRumors and 9to5Mac have discovered that Apple is ditching the requirement for individual IDs on school-supplied iPads as of this fall. Staff will just have to decide which devices get apps or books, letting teachers focus on the actual education instead of getting things running. They'll still have plenty of control, so kids can't load up on games and other distractions unless they get the green light. It's too soon to know if this will lead to more kids taking home tablets instead of textbooks, but there will at least be fewer barriers to making that happen. [Image credit: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Here's how you pay with an Apple Watch

  Apple was quick to tout payment support on the Apple Watch, but how does it work, really? How easily could a thief go on a shopping spree with your timepiece? Don't worry about waiting until the launch to find out, as the company's Eddy Cue has spilled the beans on Apple Pay support a little early. He explains that you have to authenticate using either your fingerprint on the iPhone or a password on the Watch to start spending; after that, you can leave your phone in your pocket. That approval only works so long as the Apple Watch is still on your wrist, though, and you can even force the device to ask for a password every time (you know, in case someone hijacks your arm). In short, Apple, isn't taking any chances -- it wants you to trust that your wristwear is at least as secure as anything else you're carrying.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• What to expect from Apple's 'spring forward' watch event

  Here's a twist: Apple is about to hold an event where you probably know what the main attraction will be. Yes, barring surprises, the March 9th "spring forward" presentation will largely answer the remaining questions about the Apple Watch. However, that list of questions is seemingly a mile long. How much will it cost to get the watch you want? What's the battery life like? Are there any surprise features? And this is all before you factor in rumors about other devices showing up, like new iPads or MacBooks. It's all a bit overwhelming, but don't worry. We've gathered up the most plausible leaks and rumors surrounding the event, so you'll know what to expect -- and in some cases, what not to expect -- when Tim Cook and crew take the stage.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple will reportedly debut its music streaming service at WWDC

  If you're hoping that Apple will launch its retooled music streaming service alongside a smartwatch next week, you'll have to wait a bit longer. 9to5Mac reports that Monday's "Spring Forward" event won't include details on the next phase of iTunes/Beats Music. Instead, the audio subscription option will launch at WWDC in June as part of an iOS update that annually rolls out soon after. Reportedly priced around $8 per month, the music service is said include features like curated playlists and content tailored to users' personal tastes -- both of which are key pieces of Beats Music. As you might expect, an app for the new service will make its way to Apple TV, and the same report claims a redesigned (read: slimmer) case and more capable remote control are on the way for Cupertino's set-top box. However, with the rumored 13-inch iPad and Retina MacBook Air that we may see this year, it'll be interesting to see how Apple plans to reveal a highly-anticipated update to its living room tech.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• WSJ: Retina Display MacBook Air is coming soon

  Buried in a lot of stuff we may not believe about a 12.9-inch iPad, the Wall Street Journal believes that a new MacBook Air is on the way. According to the paper's gang of people familiar with the matter, the company's suppliers are working on a 12-inch Air with a "higher resolution display." The piece goes on to say that factories have been told to be ready to ship "large quantities in the second quarter." Now, it's hard to see Apple adding yet another laptop to its previously spartan product line, but if true, then maybe we now know that the "one more thing" at next week's event will be a Retina display MacBook Air.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Try Apple's Photos app in the latest OS X public beta

  If you've been anxious to try Apple's Photos app and kick iPhoto to the curb, you now have a (relatively) easy way to do it. The Mac maker has just released the first public beta of OS X Yosemite 10.10.3, which includes the simpler, streamlined imaging tool as a matter of course. This test release is bound to be rough around the edges (don't trust it with your irreplaceable pictures, folks), but it's worth a go if you're willing to experiment and want to know what all the fuss is about.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Apps (49)

• Dropbox updates document preview so that you can do more than just preview

  If you accessed a document today on Dropbox.com, you might notice that it looks a little different -- the preview screen real estate is a little larger, the design is a little cleaner and oh wait, is that a new toolbar? That's because the cloud storage company has just decided to change up document previews on the web in order to add a bit more functionality than just, well, preview. It's all part of an effort by Dropbox to make sure documents stored on its service look and feel the same across devices and platforms, regardless of what browser, software or computer you have.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Vodafone's mobile payment app to scrap top-ups with a new SIM

  If you want to make contactless mobile payments in the UK, your options are pretty limited. Apple Pay is only available in the US (for now) and Google Wallet is bound to Gmail transactions and Google Play purchases in Britain. Spotting the opportunity to take an early lead, Vodafone is readying a new Visa-powered alternative. The company already offers an app called "Vodafone Wallet," but it relies on the user managing a separate SmartPass account. To pay with your phone, you first have to shuffle money across from your bank account to Vodafone's virtual piggy bank. It's a huge pain, so the network is prepping an updated app that allows customers to store their card details directly on the phone.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Google Glass app can help socially awkward penguins speak in public

  Fear of public speaking is quite common, and chances are you either know someone who has it or you suffer from the phobia yourself. This smart glass app called Rhema, created by researchers from the Human-Computer Interaction Group at the University of Rochester, was designed for people who need a bit of help addressing crowds. Rhema can listen as you speak, upload your recorded voice to a server, analyze its pace and volume, and then give you feedback in real time. To test it out, the team had 30 subjects try out several different feedback systems installed on Google Glass. These include ones that shows a traffic lights-like scheme and another that uses graphs.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Gmail for Android puts all your accounts in a single inbox

  Flipping between your multiple email accounts in Gmail has always been a bit of a pain, especially on mobile devices but that changes today with the release of Google's new "All Inboxes" option for Gmail's Android app. It does exactly what it sounds like: display every one of your inboxes (even accounts from Outlook and Yahoo) in a single, unified list. You'll be able to read and reply to each email, regardless of provider, without swapping tabs or logging out.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Use an iPad to start print, web and mobile layouts with Adobe Comp CC

  Mobile devices may not be able to handle all of the tasks needed project ready for print, but they are certainly handy for getting work started. Back in the fall, Adobe launched Brush CC, Shape CC, and Color CC that allow you to quickly nab useful bits of smartphone photos for use in full-on desktop applications like Photoshop and Illustrator. Today, the software company announced Comp CC: a new iPad app that pulls items from a user's Creative Cloud Library to get started on print, web and mobile app layouts while on the go.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• BET brings live broadcasts to its iOS and Android apps

  Nowadays, most TV networks offer live and on-demand content through mobile apps, including their own and those from service providers like Time Warner Cable, Dish and DirecTV. Today, just as ABC and others have done, BET is set to start broadcasting live on its iOS and Android applications, making it easy for fans of the channel to keep up with their favorite shows while on the go. The BET NOW app has served up access to on-demand programming for quite some time, but the addition of a live video feed will likely put a smile on the face of BET viewers.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Watch Periscope livestreams on Windows Phone with unofficial app

  Live streaming apps like Twitter's Periscope and Meerkat are all the rage right now, but so far they've only been accessible to iPhone users. Enter Telescope, a third-party Periscope app for Windows Phone, which opens up the service's live streams to an entirely new audience. You can't actually broadcast your own streams from the app yet (the developer says it's coming), but you can sign up for Periscope and view other live feeds from within the app. It's not a complete solution, but it's something until Twitter rolls out an official Windows Phone client. Expect to wait a while though -- even Twitter's own microblogging app for Windows Phone is still miles behind its iPhone and Android entries. Both Twitter and Meerkat say they're also working on Android apps, but Telescope makes Windows Phone the first platform outside of iOS to get one of those live streaming apps.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• The first Apple Watch apps are already here

  You can't actually buy an Apple Watch for another month or so, but Apple has already opened the gate for apps. 9to5Mac points out a slew of freshly updated apps, including Twitter, WeChat, Evernote and the weather app Dark Sky (shown above), among others. While regular developers won't be able to submit their wearable-ready apps until later, this select group is getting started early. There will be a section in the App Store just for the Watch, but if you can't wait until April 24th you can start getting ready right now.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Google brings data compression from mobile Chrome to PCs

  Google has offered an option to reduce the amount of data Chrome uses on Android and iOS for a while, and now it's rolled out an extension to do the same for desktop users. Just like the mobile option, it works by compressing the data on Google's servers first -- click here for more info on how it works -- before sending it on, and claims some pages can be reduced in size by as much as 50 percent. VentureBeat spotted Data Saver (beta) in the Chrome Web Store, where the description notes that just like on mobile, it doesn't intercept SSL-protected or Incognito tabs to protect user's security and privacy. Proxy-based compression is hardly a new concept, but if you're a heavy Chrome user then now you have a Google-powered option, especially if you're on a tethered connection or somewhere else it pays to be bandwidth-conscious. [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Create apps for your quadcopter with 3D Robotics' free 'DroneKit' software

  3D Robotics develops the open source software that powers a lot of home brew UAVs. Today it's introducing a new tool to the public: DroneKit, software that allows anyone to create apps for, well, drones! DroneKit works with any craft that uses 3DR's "APM" autopilot (a small device you add to your 'copter), and apps can be created for Android, web and standalone "companion" devices (that you then connect to your quadcopter). What can you do with these apps? So far, mostly the same things you can do with existing flight planning software (like 3DR's own Tower app). That means controlling fly paths with waypoints, following GPS targets and access to all the telemetry of the drone. But, of course, now you can do it in new and creative ways. That's a good start, but its 3DRs promise to support the tool and keep adding new features that will change what we can do with these increasingly popular aerial craft.

  By James Trew Read More

• Google Keep makes to-do lists easier to find with labels

  If you're the type who maintains a massive amount of to-do lists and notes, you likely need a system to organize the things that keep you, well, organized. That's probably why Google has introduced labels for its Keep note-taking app on Android. It's pretty self-explanatory: you can tag files with labels of your choice (such as "Travel," "to pack," "shopping," "grocery," etc.) to make them easier to find later on. They're not exactly folders that can keep things tidy, but tags can prevent you from wasting time finding a list that's supposed to save you time. In addition to the new labeling system, the updated app now also features recurring reminders, which you can set to nudge you every day, week, month or year.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Why text when your phone can sing messages at your friends?

  #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018{width:629px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Ditty might sound like Sean Combs' latest stage name, but in fact, it's a new messaging application that takes mundane text messages and turns them into a shareable video, with onscreen lyrics. The app, made by a company called Zya, is one of the few that can be used in concert with Facebook Messenger, which just opened up to third parties. In fact, the app was unveiled today during Facebook's own F8 developer conference.

  By John Colucci Read More

• Dish Anywhere adds profiles for personalized recommendations

  Even though Sling TV has kept Dish extremely busy over the past few months, the company hasn't forgotten about its core user base: the satellite service customers. As such, Dish let it be known today that it is bringing some new features to Anywhere, the companion app subscribers use to stream live or on-demand content, control DVR settings and more. The main highlight is a new feature that lets each user in a household set up their own profile, complete with a name and icon, among other things. Most importantly, though, this makes personalized content recommendations possible, since they are based on personal viewing habits -- rather than what everyone in your family watches.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Instagram reveals Layout, its own photo collage app

  If you've ever seen a collage in your Instagram feed, it was likely created by one of several third-party apps -- Diptic and Framatic are a couple that spring to mind -- that let you arrange multiple photos in a variety of grids. Now Instagram will let you do that with its very own layout app appropriately called, well, Layout. Much like Hyperlapse, Layout exists as a standalone app separate from the core Instagram offering. It's iOS-only for now, though an Android version should be available in a few months.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Beyond Facebook: What you need to know about texting apps

  If you live in the United States, you might've been surprised when Facebook purchased WhatsApp for $19 billion -- or, in other words, thing-you'd-think-you'd-have-heard-of money. Facebook identified what those of us in the US with texting plans and Apple Messages haven't noticed: There are whole ecosystems of social networking and instant messaging separate from those we customarily use. There are a number of advantages services like Line and WhatsApp have over basic texting: They're cross-platform and international, allowing people to talk to other users in other countries, on other devices and other networks, with no extra cost. Of course, for individual users, there's only one thing that distinguishes one service from others: the presence of their friends.

  By JC Fletcher Read More

• TuneIn brings internet radio to your Android Auto-ready car

  If you're part of the fortunate group that can use Android Auto now that it's up and running on Pioneer head units, you may be looking for fresh internet audio sources to keep you entertained during your commute. Well, TuneIn is happy to oblige -- the latest version of its app supports Android Auto from day one, letting you play radio stations and podcasts without taking your eyes off the road for more than a brief moment. It's going to be a long while before you can listen to virtually anything without reaching for your phone, but this should cover the bases for those times when FM radio or your personal music collection just won't cut it.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• BBM Protected users can chat securely on Android and iOS

  While BBM Protected has been keeping enterprise users' chats secure since last year, it only used to work if it's installed on both parties' phones. Now, though, the feature can keep convos secure even if only one of the chatters has it. In fact, the other person doesn't even have to be a BlackBerry user: Protected now works even on iOS and Android devices. Considering you can't exactly force, say, clients to ditch their iPhones, Samsungs and HTCs, among other brands that carry Android, this is definitely good news. Those who absolutely have to chat through secure methods only need to start a Protected convo, and the message above will appear so long as the other person has the BBM app. Hopefully, company execs can stop worrying about employees unknowingly leaking sensitive info by using unprotected apps. Unless, of course, they're the ones being reckless.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Hone your drum machine skills with an HTML5 808

  For the aspiring DJs and living room producers, there's now a way to craft your drum machine chops with nothing more than your favorite web browser. An HTML5-driven site lets you choose between iconic instruments like Roland's TR-808 and TR-909, alongside Elektron's Machinedrum, the LinnDrum and a regular ol' acoustic kit for the luddites. In addition to turning nobs to get the perfect sound, you can save samples for use during your next studio session. What's more, when you're all finished, the site allows you to export loops as a WAV file that can be employed in a more robust production app. If you'll recall, there's also a web-based MPC that'll let you try your hand at piecing together samples used by J Dilla and Kanye West. With these two tools in your browser, there's really no excuse for not exploring that music habit.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Reserve wants you to order food at Coachella with your phone

  Music festivals already dole out plenty of perks if you have a VIP pass, but Coachella is trying something new this year: ordering upscale food from your phone. Roll up to the event with a VIP wristband and you can use Reserve's restaurant app to order from pop-up locations at a flat $50 per person (not including the mandatory tip and Reserve's $5 fee). You can also use the app if you're a regular guest, but you'll be limited to the deluxe Rose Garden dinners at a hefty $225 a pop. You'd better like haute cuisine, folks. Still, you've already paid hundreds of dollars to see your favorite bands -- Reserve could be worth the added expense if it lets you enjoy concerts instead of waiting to get a seat or pay your bill.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• A new audio app claims to treat tinnitus

  Tinnitus affects the ears but it originates in the brain. The condition, which causes ringing in the ears, is mainly triggered by age-related hearing loss and prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise. But neuroscientific studies reveal that tinnitus is a symptom of abnormal hyperactivity in the brain's auditory cortex. While most people affected by it resign themselves to chronic pain, Tinnitracks, a new web-based app, claims to treat the cause of the problem through filtered audio therapy.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Virgin Media customers finally get access to Sky Sports' Android app

  As part of its tie-up with Sky, Virgin Media has been letting subscribers use their logins to access Sky Sports and Sky Movies. Apple users gained access to both services in August last year, while Android device owners have had to make do with Sky's movie streaming app. Today, the cable giant announced that it's finally completing its Android rollout by granting customers access to the Sky Sports app. Like the other services, users need to have already signed up for the TV package, but if that prerequisite has been fulfilled then Sky Sports 1 to 5, Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports News HQ can be streamed right away.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Chrome Canary now uses the web's speedier official standard

  If you've been wondering about the fuss over the speedier HTTP/2 web standard, you now have an opportunity to check things out first-hand. Google has released the first version of its experimental Chrome Canary browser with support for the final draft version of HTTP/2. You won't see the full benefit until the websites you visit also support the new spec, but you also won't be left out as the internet switches over. With that said, remember that Canary is a bleeding edge build -- you may want to wait for a more polished version of Chrome if you'd rather not grapple with bugs just to save a few hundred milliseconds. [Image credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Autodesk's new app lets kids design their own toys

  3D printers can build anything from prosthetics and musical instruments to Hershey chocolates. But, even as the technology continues to make strides with materials (metal, concrete, etc.) and takes on full-fledged architectural projects, it seems to move further away from the reach of children. Tinkerplay, a new kid-friendly 3D printing app, makes it quick and easy for all age groups to design and experiment with minimal assistance.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Google starts reviewing apps before they reach the Play Store

  Although Google has tightened app policies on the Play Store over the years, the company thinks it can do more to protect users. One way to do that is to crack down on the amount of malware and bad apps on its marketplace, so it's begun reviewing apps before they become available to download. The new policy, which is similar to Apple's approach on the App Store, has been in effect for a couple of months and uses a mix of algorithms and human intervention to weed out rogue apps.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Dropbox badge and comments ease collaboration headaches

  Remember that Dropbox badge we heard about in December? The ones that'll tell you when someone else is editing a shared file? Well, after a period of early access for some, that handy feature is now ready for the masses. If you're in need of a refresher, the badge allows you to see who is viewing or editing a file, and how long they've been at it. They can also be used to nab the most recent version of a file with a single click and grab a link for you to share the document.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Adobe Document Cloud easily handles forms and PDFs on any device

  Adobe rebranded its creative software back in 2012, and now, it's changing the way it handles forms and documents. The company just announced Document Cloud: "a modern way" to tackle those files in your home, office and on the go. Combining key features from several apps, Document Cloud (DC) includes the redesigned Acrobat DC for tweaking PDFs. What's more, its handy scanning feature will allow you to snap a picture and convert it to an editable PDF, where you can make changes to both the text and any images. Adobe's EchoSign tools are baked in too, so filling out and adding your signature to forms is an easy task on either the desktop or a mobile device. Speaking of mobile devices, new apps, like Acrobat Mobile and Fill & Sign, wrangle all of those files on phones and tablets. The pair ensures that you can resume editing right from where you left off, and that signing a permission slip in a pinch is never too much to ask.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Game turns Google's search suggestions into 'Family Feud'

  Think you're good at predicting Google's search suggestions? You now have an easy way to prove it. A new (and decidedly unofficial) Google Feud game challenges you to make Family Feud-style guesses about what comes next in Google's autocomplete box. The closer you are to the top result, the more points you get; guess outside of the top 10 and you'll get a strike. There's sadly no easy way to challenge others, but this should still be a fun way to demonstrate your search savviness to your friends.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Square will lay its Order app to rest on March 20th

  Let's have a moment of silence for Square's Order app: its funeral's already scheduled for March 20th. Oh, you don't even remember what that is? We're not surprised. It's one of Square's apps for consumers, instead of for merchants, that you can use to order coffee on the way to the cafe. The place's barista gets a notification when you're near, so he can start preparing your drink. By the looks of it, though, it didn't quite take off -- it's never even ventured beyond San Francisco and New York, and you can only use it to buy from those cities' Blue Bottle Coffee shops. The company launched Order less than a year ago, the same time it phased out Wallet, but now it has decided to focus on its other products.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• This Windows Phone Pebble app isn't available for long

  The Pebble Time may have broke $1 million in Kickstarter pledges at a record-setting pace, but it likely didn't do that with much help from Windows Phone users. The wearable lacks an official first-party app for Redmond's handsets, but Microsoft apparently developed a demo internally to show the smartwatch company how Pebble might work within its ecosystem. You can download that from Windows Central right this moment, but there's a catch -- it'll only be up for 48 hours. Past that? Where else it could appear is up to the internet, really.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Animated GIFs make their way to Google Messenger

  Sometimes 160 characters just can't adequately express what you're trying to say, but a soundless loop of the Bluth family doing his best impression of a chicken will. Google knows this and has added animated GIF support to Messenger as a result, bringing in functionality that Hangouts has had for awhile. The app has a new widget as well, in addition to the usual bug fixes and performance improvements that TalkAndroid notes. Not seeing the update on your device? We've got your back with a Google Play link right here.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Dropbox adds PDF viewer and text search to its Android app

  The folks at Dropbox continue a run of handy updates with another addition that keeps you from having to venture outside of the cloud repository's app. In the latest version, Android users will notice a built-in PDF viewer, complete with all the sharing tools needed to distribute files. What's more, you can now search the text of PDFs, Word documents and PowerPoint files to find the exact item you need. Looking to edit a single slide for an upcoming presentation? Swiping over to the file and entering a keyword takes you right to it. The new version should arrive in the Play Store in the next few days, and your trusty mobile device will most likely alert you when it's available.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Evernote's redesigned Android app adapts to your note-taking style

  Evernote only reworked its Android app half a year ago, but it's already back with a new version that's centered around adapting to your note-taking habits. Besides a fresher look that's in step with Google's flatter and brighter Material Design, the update gives you more control over the pop-up action buttons, navigation bar and even notebook covers. The all-important note interface is simpler, too, to help you focus when you're jotting things down. This upgrade probably won't sway you to Evernote if you weren't already a fan, but you'll definitely want to grab it if you didn't think the existing app was flexible enough.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• 'Cards Against Humanity' brings the raunch to the web in unofficial app (update)

  Cards Against Humanity is already the naughtiest, nastiest, most hilarious card game for terrible people in physical reality, and now all of that fun is alive in the digital world with Cards Against Originality. It's a free, unofficial web app for phones, tablets and desktops designed by Dawson Whitfield, and it contains every Cards Against Humanity card, including all five expansions. Cards Against Originality is meant to fill in for actual cards if you forget to bring your big, black box to a party -- you still have to be near your friends in the real world to play. Simply start a new game, share the link and get rolling. Plus, it's all completely cool under the original game's Creative Commons license, according to Cards Against Humanity creator Max Temkin.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Cyanogen finds a Gmail replacement for its alternative Android

  Cyanogen's plan to offer viable alternatives to Google's stock Android apps starts with an email app. Specifically, Boxer's email app. The company best known for its alternative Android ROMs announced today that its next update, Cyanogen OS 12, will come with Boxer's software baked in as its default mail client. That should give its users something more polished than the community-built solution Cyanogen has been offering so far, and it gives it an email client that could eventually replace the Gmail app. And that's a big deal, as the company hasn't been shy about its dissatisfaction with Google's handling of Android, which has becoming increasingly tied to the search giant's services. (It even refused a buyout offer from Google.) If Cyanogen truly wants to create a more open version of Android, it'll need more partners like Boxer.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Google Calendar comes to the iPhone

  Do you prefer the iPhone, but would like to use Google's calendar app to keep track of your life rather than Apple's own? That's finally an option. Google Calendar has launched for the iPhone, giving you the same schedule view, Gmail events and broad account support (including Exchange and iCloud) as your Android-toting buddies. You won't get any special perks in this iOS version, but familiarity is really the point here -- you can hop between platforms without switching interfaces.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• VSCO Cam adds batch editing for your mobile snapshots

  Adobe delivered the ability to copy and paste edits to multiple images in Lightroom for iOS last month, and now you can do the same with VSCO Cam. With version 4.1 for iOS and 3.2 for Android, the preset-driven app adds a tool that will allow you place edits on multiple shots in your library with a few simple taps. If you're looking to give a dozen images from last weekend the same treatment, this is sure to make the task much easier. And if you mess up, there's a handy undo button to avoid any permanent blunders. Of course, VSCO Cam is free to use (unless you want to buy more presets, natch), while the aforementioned Adobe option requires a Creative Cloud subscription. Both the iOS and Android updates are available in iTunes and Google Play now, if you're feelin' the itch to take 'em a spin.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Office 2016 for Mac preview: a first look at an overdue upgrade

  It's fair to say that Office for Mac hasn't exactly been a priority for Microsoft. While it's lavished attention on the Windows, iOS and Android versions of its productivity suite, Mac users have been stuck using Office 2011 for almost five years. That's set to change very soon, as Office 2016 is coming to OS X. A public preview of the suite, containing Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote is now available for everyone to try out, and it's a very welcome change.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Get ready to use Shazam to identify objects

  Shazam comes in handy for identifying tunes that you may not immediately recognize, and soon, the app will hunt for details on unfamiliar products, too. That's right, the next step for the popular music reference software includes tasks like Shazaming a cereal box for nutritional info or a DVD case to view (and purchase, natch) the film's soundtrack. "The famous blue button that our users love will remain on the home screen but will be able to do much more," CEO Rich Riley told Reuters. The app attracts 100 million users with its audio tool, which also allows you purchase tunes (via link) and plays nice with a number of streaming services for easy access to your personal library.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Gmail's iPhone app adds iOS 8 features, makes notifications interactive

  It's hard out there for Gmail addicts on iOS, who still don't have an app that's as robust as Gmail on Android. But at least things are getting a bit better: Google just released version 4.0 of its Gmail iOS app, which finally takes advantage of some useful iOS 8 features. You can now reply or archive messages that pop up in your notification tray, as well as send files straight to Gmail using the iOS sharing menu. It's also easier to deal with attachments now, since you can choose specific apps to view files people send you. Unfortunately, the app is still pretty much useless when you're offline, since it's not very good about caching messages. On Android, on the other hand, you can still get plenty of work done without an internet connection. For now, Microsoft's new Outlook iPhone app is looking like a better alternative for weary Gmail users. And yes, the irony that a Microsoft app on Apple's platform is the best way to view Google's mail is pretty darn rich.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• The Office 2016 for Mac preview is now available

  While Microsoft is hard at work on the final version of Office 2016 for Mac that'll arrive later this year, it's offering folks who are too eager to wait an early look. The preview version of Redmond's productivity suite is now available for download, serving up Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook to machines running Apple's desktop OS. There's sure to be a truckload of updates in the months to come, but if you're still using Office for Mac 2011, the changes that are already in place (read: the redesigned UI) will certainly give you something to look forward to.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• PGA Tour's second-screen iPad app bombards you with stats, video

  Even the most ardent golf fan would admit that sometimes tournament telecasts aren't exactly action-packed. The PGA Tour is trying to do something about that with its new iPad app, available just in time for this week's World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. The second-screen app compliments the live action, giving you shot-by-shot coverage of players or groups, all overlaid onto a graphic of each hole. On top of all the stats you'd ever want (drive length, distance to hole, etc.) the app even gives predictive stats, showing how likely Rory McIlroy is to make that 25-foot putt he's facing, for instance.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Glympse for Auto shares your car's location without distractions

  You no longer have to fiddle with your smartphone (or an in-car interface) to share your location while on the road. Glympse has trotted out Glympse for Auto, an Android app that lets you send your position with a minimum of distractions. You only have to tell it who can see your whereabouts and for how long using a big, car-friendly interface -- after that, you're free to focus on driving. It'll even show up on your infotainment display if you're using either Pioneer's AppRadio 3 or MirrorLink-equipped cars from Volkswagen and Peugeot (more in-car systems will work soon, Glympse says). While this hands-off approach won't get you home any faster, it should spare you from taking risks just to prove that you're still stuck in traffic.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• After Swype, HTC taps China's TouchPal for new Android keyboard

  Tech-savvy users may have already come across TouchPal when trying different keyboards on Android and iOS 8 (and maybe even Windows 8), but it looks like a whole lot more people will be introduced to it soon. According to the Shanghai-based keyboard developer, HTC is replacing Nuance's Swype with TouchPal as its new default input engine on upcoming Android devices -- including the recently announced One M9 -- around the world (unless requested otherwise by operators). While HTC wouldn't officially comment on this, an internal source close to the matter verified TouchPal's announcement, though it didn't go into detail as to what prompted the move.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Waze now alerts you to nearby child abductions

  Waze is mostly meant to help you avoid traffic snarls and speed traps, but it's now performing a valuable public service. Effective immediately, the navigation app will notify you about AMBER Alerts for abducted children wherever you're driving. Stop for at least 10 seconds and you'll get details for both the victims and any vehicles they might be traveling in. It's a simple upgrade, but it could make all the difference if you spot a child or captor in time for police to stage a rescue. [Top image credit: The Washington Post/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Sonos makes it easier to switch between rooms, retools tablet app

  Sonos app updates arrived regularly over the past few months, and with the most recent version, the company makes a welcome improvement. Room control now resides at the top of the interface throughout the app, providing easy access to the speakers you have scattered throughout your house. Before now, switching between or grouping setups could only be accessed from the Now Playing screen. This feature was in beta for a bit, but version 5.3 is ready for everyone. The update also delivers a redesigned tablet UI and the ability to quickly swipe back and forth between what's playing and browsing your library -- rather than having to tap back a few times. Swiping down on the Now Playing window goes straight back to browsing, and then doing so from left right will access the menu with the full list of connected music sources. On the surface, these may seem like minor tweaks, but if you've spent any time with the Sonos controller app on iOS or Android, these are certainly welcome improvements.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Bittorrent Sync Pro lets employees share folders from their PCs

  Bittorrent's done beta testing its cloud-alternative Sync tool, so it's now releasing not just the stable version, but also a Pro one for businesses. Sync 2.0 still lets you share folders saved on your computer using web links, but it also comes with an assortment of new features. These include the ability to link all your devices (PCs, phones and tablets) using a single private account, the power to share folders from any of those linked devices, and being able to grant a person access to your folders just once (he can access them instantly later on), among many other improvements.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Square's restaurant delivery service arrives on Android

  You no longer have to carry an iPhone just to check out Square's restaurant delivery service, Caviar -- it's now available for Android. Like before, you can both order fine meals and track the couriers in real-time as they bring that dining to your door. You'll still have to live in one of Caviar's few eligible cities (New York City, LA and San Francisco are particularly well-covered) to give it a shot, but you'll at least get to use your device of choice when splurging on a Mediterranean feast.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Samsung's VR headset gets the first Oculus-powered paid app store

  It's the day many, many virtual reality developers have been waiting for: Finally, a way to sell VR games to people with VR headsets. Namely, Oculus and Samsung's collaboration on the Gear VR headset is bearing digital fruit in the form of a digital store. In short: You can finally buy and sell games on Samsung's VR headset. That's a bigger deal than it sounds, as Gear VR's store has been riddled with little more than tech and game demos since its launch late last year. We've been anxious for deeper experiences, and many developers have been withholding those experiences for a time when they could actually make money on their work. Let the floodgates open!

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• BlackBerry wants to bring some of its best features to every device

  BlackBerry has only been willing to give out tiny pieces of its smartphone experience so far, like BBM and its enterprise servers, but it's going to be much more liberal in the near future. It's launching BlackBerry Experience Suite, a collection of apps and services that bring some of its biggest features to Android, iOS and Windows gear in hopes of making them mainstays of the working world. Some of them are more behind-the-scenes features that keep your corporate info both secure and separate from your personal affairs. However, others are very conspicuously borrowed from BlackBerry 10 smartphones. The company is promising the BlackBerry Hub (which unifies BB10's messaging), universal search and even its own input method -- yes, you may get a BlackBerry keyboard on your phone without resorting to a Typo case. The suite won't be available until later in the year, but it may be just the ticket if you or your office wants to try BlackBerry features while keeping the hardware and apps you already use.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Big Tech (19)

• LG and Samsung end their war over broken washing machines

  LG and Samsung just can't stay mad at each other over a few broken washing machines. The two electronics giants have agreed to end the legal disputes that emerged after Samsung accused an LG exec of willfully wrecking its washers at the IFA trade show last year. As LG explains to us, it was in the "best interest" of not just the companies, but South Korea. The country is dealing with a rough economy, you see, and the two sides would rather focus on more appealing products than tearing each other down in court. The truce doesn't let LG off the hook -- South Korean law still lets authorities dole out punishment even if the plaintiff withdraws. Both LG and Samsung have asked for leniency, however, so it won't be surprising if this washing machine war ends without any casualties.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Tesla teases a 'major' new product, not a car, to be revealed in April

  Tesla will show off a brand new thing on Thursday, April 30, at its Hawthorne Design Studio, CEO Elon Musk tweeted today. Musk promises that this is not a car, but it is a "major" new product line. We'll have all the news as soon as it's announced, so check back here on April 30 for the big reveal. Major new Tesla product line -- not a car -- will be unveiled at our Hawthorne Design Studio on Thurs 8pm, April 30 - Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2015

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• UK report concludes Huawei's no threat to national security

  For years, the UK government has been concerned that Huawei's networking equipment is aiding the Chinese government and threatening national security. In Britain, the company supplies major network providers such as BT, O2 and EE, which only amplifies the anxiety of politicians and security advocates. In 2012, Huawei opened a "Cyber Security Evaluation Centre" to alleviate some of their fears. It's designed to test all incoming updates to Huawei hardware and software used on UK networks. The problem is that all of the staff are employed by Huawei; in 2013, the UK's Intelligence and Security Committee said it was concerned about the arrangement, which effectively relies on self-policing. The government agreed, and said it would investigate the processes inside the centre.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Google, Apple and others list demands for spying act changes

  The US Congress, Senate and White House may be torn on what to do with a key Patriot Act spying clause, set to expire on June 1st. But Google, Apple, Facebook and other tech companies in the Reform Government Surveillance coalition know exactly what they want: no more bulk data collection. Together with numerous privacy groups including the ACLU and EFF, they presented a letter to the President and both houses with two key demands. The groups asked for "a clear, strong and effective end of bulk collection practices under the Patriot Act," along with "transparency and accountability mechanisms for both government and company reporting."

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Motorola found guilty of infringing on a patent from infamous troll

  There was good news and bad news for Motorola in its second round in court with the patent holding firm Intellectual Ventures. A Delaware jury cleared Motorola of infringing on one of IV's wireless patents, but it also said that the cellphone maker infringed on another patent focused on multimedia messaging, Reuters reports. It's not yet known what Motorola will have to pay up -- though it's worth noting Intellectual Ventures recently scored a $17 million win against Symantec. Intellectual Ventures, as you've probably heard, has built quite the reputation as an infamous patent troll. While it licenses its portfolio out to companies like HTC and Samsung, it's more well known for suing tech companies who might be infringing on its intellectual property. A 2011 suit between Motorola and IV ended in a mistrial last year, and the two are also scheduled to start a new trial today around a removable computing device patent.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• PayPal's failure to spot sanctioned accounts just cost it $7.7 millon

  PayPal has has agreed to pay the US Department of the Treasury $7.7 million, after the financial giant processed transactions for a number of companies and individuals on the US sanctions list. A total of 486 violations of US regulations had apparently been committed by PayPal "for several years" after repeated failures in the firm's screening process, a reports explains. While the severity of each instance will vary, the Treasury highlighted a number that relate to Turkish national Kursud Zafer Cire -- an individual on the list after suspected involvement in the movement of weapons of mass destruction. The Treasury's report states that Risk Operations Agents at PayPal manually overrode at least four alerts flagging Cire as blacklisted -- resulting in transactions totalling over $7,000. Since 2013, PayPal has introduced a "long term solution" that checks for violations in real time. An investment we imagine that's a little more cost effective, than predicting future malware.

  By James Trew Read More

• Samsung will be bundling even more Microsoft apps on Android tablets

  Only a few weeks after Samsung revealed it's preinstalling Microsoft's apps on the upcoming Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, the two companies are getting even closer. Microsoft just announced that Samsung will also be bundling its Office apps, Skype, and OneDrive on select Android tablets sometime in the first half of the year. And when it comes to tablets Samsung sells to businesses, the Microsoft apps will also work together with its Knox security offering, which makes devices more secure and lets you switch between personal and professional profiles. That's what you call synergy, folks. Microsoft's been struggling to make a dent in the mobile market with Windows Phone, so it makes sense for it to team up with the biggest player on the largest mobile platform to promote its services. And of course, the integration with Microsoft's apps -- especially Office -- makes Samsung's wares a worthier option for businesses.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Square's 'cashtags' turn a custom web link into a tip jar

  We hope you didn't just get some business cards printed, because you're going to want a new set. Square already simplified card payments with its phone-based swipe widget, and allowed businesses to take money through its Cash app. Now, it's introducing another way to fill (digital) wallets: "$Cashtags." Choose your own tag ($jondoe for example) and then anyone who wants to throw some money your way can just go to https://cash.me/$jondoe and securely wire you the green. Square has also just opened the Cash app to all US businesses (with a 1.5 percent transaction charge).

  By James Trew Read More

• Daily Roundup: Google manipulated search results, Windows 10 upgrades for pirates and more!

  Happy Friday, readers! In today's edition of the Daily Roundup, you can read about an FTC report that revealed how Google manipulated its search results, Microsoft clarified its Windows 10 upgrade policy for pirated copies and what Popcorn Time is doing to prevent a shutdown. Get the details on these stories and more below.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Uber offices raided by police in France and South Korea

  Uber is under seige on two separate fronts today, as police in South Korea have arrested a pair of its executives, according to ZDNet. At the same time, Le Monde is reporting that French Police have raided Uber's offices in Paris. In Korea, the situation is a bit more serious: Seoul police charged the company's brand manager, other employees and drivers for allegedly breaking the nation's transport laws. The city previously declared that Uber's services are illegal and vowed to ban it, going so far as to issue a warrant for CEO Travis Kalanick and offer rewards to anyone who reported on it. The company is also being probed over claims it failed to register its car-hailing app with South Korea's wireless regulator. It's not clear what kind of charges the employees face.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Yahoo hopes that you'll forget your password

  Twitter isn't the only internet giant that wants to spare you from remembering passwords. Yahoo has just trotted out an optional login process that sends passwords on demand. Sign up and Yahoo will deliver a single-use password to your phone whenever you need to log in -- you can prevent someone from easily hijacking your account no matter what device you're on as long as your handset is nearby. This extra-secure option is only available in the US right now, but there's a good possibility that you'll see it in other countries before long.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Twitter bought a live-video streaming company

  If you follow the Twitter crowd closely, you've probably seen a growing number of people using Meerkat, a mobile app that helps you share your daily exploits on live video. Well, Twitter has too -- the company just confirmed that it recently acquired Periscope, a startup built around live streaming. Twitter isn't saying just why it made the move, but it made a big deal of planning more standalone apps back in November. This would be a complement to services like Vine that lets Twitter offer Meerkat-like video, but with more control over how it's presented. It's easy to see the internet giant making a fuss over live feeds at special events, or finding a way to integrate streams with those all-important ads. Whatever the long-term goal may be, it won't be surprising if you soon find a lot more as-it-happens footage in your social stream.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• IBM's planning to harness bitcoin for its own payments platform

  Bitcoin may have a long march toward legitimacy, but that doesn't mean its technical design isn't about to go mainstream. Reuters is reporting that IBM is examining the cryptocurrency's inner workings in an attempt to build a new form of international payment system. The idea behind the scheme is to get people to swap cash without having to use a bank or wire service. Instead, users would use a bitcoin-style system to transmit money anywhere in the world without having to use a third party that charges service fees.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Is Snapchat getting $200 million from China's online shopping giant?

  Think you get a lot of value out of Snapchat's disappearing messages, payments and stories? You're not the only one. Bloomberg sources claim that Alibaba, China's online shopping behemoth, plans to invest $200 million into Snapchat on the assumption that it's worth $15 billion. That doesn't even include separate talks that are reportedly bent on raising another $500 million. It's not certain why Alibaba is so interested in the service, although its stake in smartphones is probably a big clue. The company wants to promote mobile shopping and otherwise get a foothold on your phone, and services like Snapcash would go a long way toward making that happen.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google team up to support marriage equality

  A total of 379 companies, including tech's biggest names, are trying to convince the Supreme Court to rule in favor of nationwide marriage equality. These corporations, including Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft have filed an amici curiae or a friend-of-the-court brief prior to the high court's April hearing that will decide the future of same-sex marriage in the US. The court is slated to discuss whether same-sex couples have the constitutional right to get married anywhere in the country. In case that doesn't pan out, the court will also discuss whether same-sex marriages performed in states where it's legal must be recognized even in states where it's not. If you read the filing, you'll see the companies emphasize repeatedly how marriage equality benefits American businesses.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• US tech companies have stashed over $420 billion overseas

  It's no secret that the US government wants companies to bring more of their offshore profits back home for the sake of taxes, and it's now exceptionally clear as to why. Bloomberg has sifted through financial filings and discovered that the top eight American tech firms, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, are keeping more than $420 billion overseas -- $69 billion of it added in just the past year. That's over a fifth of the $2.1 trillion held abroad by American companies, and would easily cover a lot of government expenses. A tax on Microsoft's recent profits alone ($29.6 billion) would cover NASA and the Commerce Department for a year; Apple ($23.3 billion) could take care of the Transportation Department and Social Security, and Oracle could foot the bill for the Labor Department.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Uber buys a mapping company to give you better ride estimates

  Uber wouldn't be where it is without good ride estimates, and it's clearer than ever that the company knows this. The app-based transportation outfit just bought deCarta (its first ever public acquisition), a firm that specializes in mapping, navigation and local search. As a spokesperson tells Mashable, this is a bid to "fine-tune" any feature that depends on maps -- Uber wants better arrival time calculations, more effective carpooling routes and similar upgrades. Of course, it's probably also relevant that those features are currently powered by Uber investor/frenemy Google. The improvements will only take place behind the scenes, but don't be surprised if the Uber app's future ETA predictions are uncannily accurate. [Image credit: Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• PayPal's new Here card reader can handle NFC payments

  PayPal is no stranger to mobile payment solutions, but at Mobile World Congress, the company is making a useful upgrade to its Here card reader. In addition to being able to handle payments from those chip-and-PIN credit/debit cards, the new version of PayPal's transaction tech will also support NFC. This means that not only will the latest version of Here wrangle touchless payments from the aforementioned cards, but it'll also allow retailers to accept funds from mobile devices. It's said to work just like terminals in retail stores, except this add-on connects with a separate mobile device to power the whole thing. That's good news for the PayPal faithful as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay all leverage NFC to transfer funds. There's no word on pricing just yet, but the new version of Here will hit the UK and Australia this summer, with a US debut slated for later this year. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Yahoo! Turns! 20!

  You now have permission to feel ancient: Yahoo, one of the web's first big service providers, has turned 20 years old. The company has seen a lot in the past couple of decades, to put it mildly. It rose to fame as a web directory in the 1990s, and quickly became the web portal of choice for legions of early users. However, it suffered under both the dot-com bubble collapse and the pressure from an upstart, search-focused rival called Google -- it spent much of the early 21st century scrambling to keep up, including an eventual deal to use Microsoft's Bing search in place of its own tech. The firm's revolving door approach to CEOs didn't help, either. Yahoo is doing much better now that current CEO (and ex-Googler) Marissa Mayer has addressed some of the company's mistakes, but it's safe to say that this web pioneer doesn't look much like it did back in the heady days of Windows 95 and dial-up modems. [Image credit: David Paul Morris/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Buying Guides (6)

• Daily Roundup: The best cheap WiFi router, Tim Cook donations and more!

  In today's Daily Roundup you can learn about the best cheap WiFi router from our friends at The Wirecutter, read about Tim Cook planning to donate his fortune to charity and how new memory technology may allow SSDs with up to 10TB of storage. Catch up on today's top stories past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Which all-in-one desktops are worth buying?

  As laptops continue to become more powerful, there's still plenty of room for an all-in-one desktop in your life. Their slim profile makes them a bit more desk- or living room-friendly than a typical tower PC, while the large built-in screen is great for getting work done or watching a movie. To help you decide which units are worthy enough to grace your office or den, we've taken a look at reviews from trusted critics to find systems that can handle a variety of tasks, including editing documents, watching movies and even some hardcore gaming. Check out the gallery below to see five of the better all-in-one desktops available now, as well as one we'd rather you didn't buy.

  By Kris Naudus Read More

• Where to buy Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 edge in the UK

  Another year, another MWC trade show, another flagship model added to Samsung's Galaxy line-up. Actually, make that two, with the new Galaxy S6 joined by a curved-screen doppelgänger, the S6 edge. Aside from the sloping sides of the S6 edge's display, both are cut from the same, premium cloth. Bound in aluminium, powered by identical octa-core chipsets, both hosting 5.1-inch Quad HD displays and 16-megapixel cameras, they are exactly what you expect new flagships to be. That is, the best smartphones Samsung has in its arsenal. And ahead of the global launch of the handsets on April 10th, they are now available to preorder from a variety of outlets in the UK.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• The 11th Annual Engadget Awards: Who will be best in show?

  It's a dog-eat-dog world, and the tech industry is no exception. Given the break-neck speed of innovation, today's game changers are tomorrow's dinosaurs. It takes dogged determination to stand out in a crowded market, and as always we're turning to you to determine the latest winners and losers. That's right, it's time to nominate the best and worst technological advancements of 2014. We've given you a head start with a few suggestions, but feel free to write in your own in the ballots below. You don't have to make nominations in every category, but selections should be for products available in 2014. Nominations close Wednesday, March 11th at 11:59PM ET. So, who has what it takes to be best in show? We'll announce the winners during a very special awards ceremony on March 25th. Let's just say the competition is rrrrruff ...

  By Jon Turi Read More

• LG's G Flex2 is the newest phone in our buyer's guide, what should be next?

  There's nothing like new gadgets to step up your spring swagger and indeed, we've got a couple of fresh faces in this month's buyer's guide to help shake off those winter blues. After spending some time with LG's G Flex2, we grew fond of its design, performance and display, making it a strong choice for your next handset. Meanwhile, if you're in the market for a mobile sound system, Ultimate Ears stepped up the volume and specs with its new Megaboom speaker, offering a 100-foot Bluetooth range and up to 20 hours of battery life. Don't worry, if you're still looking for more suggestions, we'll be flush in the coming months after we've had a chance to review all the stuff announced at MWC and GDC this week. In the meantime, there's still plenty of gear to be had and we've always got a selection of top picks at the ready in our complete buyer's guide.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• The best smartphones from MWC

  The 2015 edition of Mobile World Congress is coming to a close today and, as much as we'd like to stay longer in lovely Barcelona, it's time to say goodbye. While this year's event may have seemed a little underwhelming, we did see major announcements from HTC and Samsung -- two companies battling it out for Android smartphone supremacy. But that wasn't it: BlackBerry, Microsoft and Huawei also unveiled new handsets, though perhaps not as exciting as the One M9 or Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. Regardless, let's take a look at the mobile devices that stood out at MWC. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

Computing (16)

• Chrome OS beta is getting a new launcher with Google Now

  Intrepid folks running Chrome OS beta will soon get to test a huge new feature that's not quite ready for stable release: Chrome Launcher 2.0. This version looks more like a new tab on the Chrome browser than the platform's current, more traditional one that's basically a windows that shows app icons -- it even has its own search bar. It also comes integrated with Google Now that shows your appointment, flight, reminder, etc. cards if you use the feature on a mobile device or two. Of course, since it's still a launcher, it has an app list you can access when needed.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• You'll soon get 10TB SSDs thanks to new memory tech

  SSDs and other flash memory devices will soon get cheaper and larger thanks to big announcements from Toshiba and Intel. Both companies revealed new "3D NAND" memory chips that are stacked in layers to pack in more data, unlike single-plane chips currently used. Toshiba said that it's created the world's first 48-layer NAND, yielding a 16GB chip with boosted speeds and reliability. The Japanese company invented flash memory in the first place and has the smallest NAND cells in the world at 15nm. Toshiba is now giving manufacturers engineering samples, but products using the new chips won't arrive for another year or so.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Here's another high-speed 3D printer that creates objects in minutes

  If Carbon3D's capability to print out objects 25 to 100 times faster than usual is the reason why you can't wait for it to come out, then you'll love this machine, too. An Australian company has announced it's also working on a super speedy printer called Gizmo 3D. It creates objects out of liquid resin by printing layers from the top to the bottom without breaks. This occurs within the vat of liquid resin itself: the build plate or the bottom of the vat was designed to slide downward, revealing more of the shape as its moves.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• HP taps Bang & Olufsen for audio tech now that Apple has Beats

  It was only a matter of time until HP found a new audio partner, following Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics. Now the PC company is teaming up with Bang & Olufsen, purveyors of high-end audio gear you probably can't afford, to spruce up the sound quality of its devices. B&O will "custom tune" upcoming HP devices, and it'll also deliver clearer tunes by isolating audio circuitry and reducing the amount of metal used in the headphone jack. There aren't any further details about what B&O will bring, but we wouldn't be surprised if it also packed in high-quality amps like Beats. In fact, the new partnership pretty much seems like a cover of the Beats deal -- except HP's laptops, desktops, tablets and accessories will now be branded with Bang & Olufsen or B&O Play (its brand for mobile-focused products). Expect the first round of products with B&O integration to land this spring.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• There's now a super-speed PCIe SSD you can actually buy

  Samsung has taken a commanding lead in next-gen SSDs that blow away old-school models, but it finally has some competition. Kingston's HyperX Predator PCIe SSD is now available with read speeds touching 1.4GB/s. That's still a far cry from Samsung's latest SM951 SSD, which reads at a ridiculous 2.2GB/s. But unlike Samsung's OEM-only model, you can actually purchase the Predator PCIe and jam it into your own PC build or laptop. You'll need an M.2 SSD slot to do so (preferably with four PCIe lanes), but if that's missing, Kingston will supply a PCIe slot adapter for an extra ten bucks or so.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• DARPA taps golden age computers to solve tough simulations

  If you thought modern computers were fast enough to solve any problem, nope! While certainly powerful, modern supercomputers aren't always great at complex fluid and plasma dynamic simulations, and DARPA, the outfit that does science for the US defense department, wants to fix that. To do so, it's invoking to the age of analog computers, "which solve equations by manipulating continuously changing values instead of discrete measurements." As an example, it cited the Norden bombsight, which calculated bomb trajectories using analog methods. That said, it's not planning on going back to vacuum tubes and rotating capacitors.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Windows 10 launches this summer in 190 countries (update)

  Microsoft's leaner, meaner, latest iteration of Windows is coming in just a few months, and it's launching in 170 countries, in 111 languages. Don't forget: Windows 10 is a free upgrade if you're already using Windows 7 or 8. Hiding in its imposing shadow, and launching at the same time, the company will release special free version of its OS for Internet of Things devices, which Microsoft's Terry Myerson reckons could well find its way into ATMs and ultrasound machines. Curiously, anyone that has a Xiaomi Mi 4 will also able to download the preview of Windows 10 ahead of it's release -- despite it being an Android phone.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Windows 10 takes up less space and lets you easily kill bloatware

  Microsoft is finally fixing a few of the most hated things about Windows. In a blog post, the software giant revealed that compared to Windows 8.1, Windows 10 will take up as much as 6.6GB less space, will re-install faster and possibly be easier to rid of crapware. To achieve those goals, Microsoft is using "Wimboot" disk compression to reduce system file and app sizes. To make sure it doesn't compromise performance, the OS will check your system RAM and other parameters before installing it. Also, instead of being stuck with files needed to recover from a failure, you'll create your own to backup and restore the OS and apps on PCs and tablets (Windows phones already have this feature). It added that the new technique will still allow recovery from "severe corruption."

  By Steve Dent Read More

• NVIDIA's latest and greatest GPU will cost $999

  While NVIDIA unveiled its latest powerhouse GPU last week, it revealed more information about the brand new Titan X at its own developer's conference earlier today. For those who squirm at tech speak, look away now, because we're going to indulge in quite a bit of it: The Titan X comes with 8 billion transistors, 3,072 CUDA cores, 7 teraflops of single-precision performance plus 0.2 teraflops of double-precision workloads. It also has 12GB of VRAM, which NVIDIA says is twice the amount of previous graphics cards. What does this mean for you? Well, NVIDIA is promising better gaming performance of course, but Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA's CEO, says that the Titan X also has great potential in scientific applications. A 16-core Intel Xeon would normally take 43 days to process data for a deep neural net analysis, but the Titan X can do it in just 1.5 days, he says. Suffice to say, the Titan X is a monster of a GPU, which might explain its hefty price tag: $999. That's about the same cost as its predecessor, the Titan Black, so we're betting that the cost of the older card will likely drop some time soon.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Windows 10 log-in options will include fingerprint, facial and iris recognition

  Microsoft thinks it's high time you ditch your passwords. The company, which is readying Windows 10 for release later this year, just announced that its next-gen OS will include built-in support for several alternative log-in options, including fingerprint, facial and iris recognition. That means so long as a Win 10 machine has at least one of the necessary sensors -- a fingerprint reader, eye scanner or illuminated IR sensor for facial recognition -- there will be a built-in framework called "Hello" that helps users enroll their fingerprints, or face, or what have you. In other words, then, regardless of who made your machine (Acer, HP, et cetera), you'll get a consistent user experience for setting up a biometric log-in.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Virtualized Air Force war games put Top Gun to shame

  Every year for the past four decades, the US Air Force and its NATO allies have staged a series of mock battles -- dubbed Red Flag events -- to provide soldiers with "real-world" experience before actually throwing them into active combat. But this year's Red Flag marks a significant departure from its predecessors in that the 2015 exercise will be the first to virtually integrate warfighters from around the country using cutting-edge flight simulators.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Windows 10 will deliver updates through your fellow PC users

  Not fond of having to wait (and wait, and wait) while you download Windows updates from Microsoft's servers? You might not have to when Windows 10 arrives. The Verge has noticed that a leaked version of the operating system lets you grab updates from other computers, whether they're on your local network or online -- yes, it's a peer-to-peer network for patches. Besides accelerating the upgrade process, the option could save precious bandwidth (important on capped data plans) if you have a multi-PC household. There's no telling when this feature will show up in a Windows 10 build you can try, assuming Microsoft doesn't get cold feet. A new public test release is reportedly coming soon, though, so you probably won't have to wait very long.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• BBC to give out one million 'Micro Bit' computers to get kids coding

  It's the first year of a major new coding curriculum in the UK, and now the BBC wants to play its part in training the next generation of star programmers. The broadcaster is developing a spiritual successor to the BBC Micro, called the Micro Bit, which will give students a physical companion in their path to coding competence. It's going to be a small, standalone device with an LED display that children can carry around with them and plug into a computer to continue their work. The hardware will be basic, as the BBC calls it a "starting point" for "more complex" devices such as the Raspberry Pi and Kickstarter-funded Kano kits. The project is still in a prototype phase, but the BBC claims it'll be ready to give away one million of the new microcomputers to year 7 students this autumn.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• 'Liquid VR' is AMD's push into virtual reality with software

  The latest Silicon Valley company to hop on the virtual reality bandwagon is AMD, this morning unveiling what it's calling "Liquid VR": a software development kit aimed at making VR easier for everyone. The announcement comes from a presentation at GDC 2015 in San Francisco, where virtual reality is dominating the news. What does Liquid VR do for developers and users? It essentially makes everything much easier. As one AMD rep put it during this morning's presentation, "You can plug an Oculus Rift into a computer and start 3D rendering directly to the headset, even without Oculus' SDK." In so many words, Liquid VR is yet another solution for making various VR headsets work easily on various devices; it also optimizes the use of that headset for that particular computer (no doubt powered by AMD's chips).

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Intel's new Atom chips cover cheap phones to premium tablets

  Intel's been slow to transform itself for the new mobile world, but with its latest family of Atom chips, it may finally be able to go toe to toe with Qualcomm. The chip giant announced the Atom X3, X5 and X7 processors at Mobile World Congress today, giving it an arsenal that can fit into both budget and high-end devices (and everything in between). Specifically, Intel's targeting the new X3 chip at devices under $75, while the X5 and X7 are aimed at gadgets priced at $119 or more. The X3 also marks the first time it's been able to integrate a modem into a system-on-a-chip (it's available in both 3G and LTE variants). While Intel's still struggling to become a player among Android devices, these new chips offer something that Qualcomm doesn't: full Windows support. They put Intel in a prime spot to cash in as device makers start designing their Windows 10 wares (which will include everything from phones to high-end desktops).

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Dolby's all-encompassing Atmos sound comes to virtual reality

  Virtual reality thrives on immersive sound, so it only makes sense that audio format makers should get involved, doesn't it? Dolby certainly thinks so. It's partnering with Jaunt to put its cinematic Atmos sound into VR content, starting with snippets from the horror-laden Black Mass, the giant monster short Kaiju Fury and a Sir Paul McCartney concert. While it's a modest start, the hope is that this ultra-precise positioning will both be more engaging and let VR movie producers rely more on audible cues to get your attention -- a snapping twig may be all it takes to have you look at the scary beast lurking in the bushes. You probably wouldn't want to buy an Atmos-capable system just for the sake of VR when there's hardly anything to watch right now, but it's something to consider if you take your virtual video experiences very seriously.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Cybersecurity (48)

• US Supreme Court: GPS tracking could violate the Fourth Amendment

  Forcing someone to wear a location tracker apparently constitutes a Fourth Amendment "search" - the Supreme Court effectively said so when ruling on a North Carolina case where a convicted sex offender was forced to wear a GPS monitor at all times in 2013. The offender challenged the court, and while the state's court first ruled in favor of the tracker, stating it was no search at all, the Supreme Court said that didn't follow that court's precedents. And what the Supreme Court says, goes.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Former feds in Silk Road case stand accused of stealing bitcoins

  While Ross Ulbricht was found guilty for creating and running the online black market known as Silk Road, it seems that a couple of Federal agents assigned to the case weren't so innocent either. The US Justice Department has just charged two former Federal agents involved in the investigation for allegedly committing wire fraud and diverting bitcoins into their own personal accounts. Former agents Carl Mark Force IV and Shaun Bridges were part of a Baltimore investigation into Ulbricht -- Force worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bridges worked for the Secret Service -- when they supposedly committed the crimes.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Auto-complete blunder leaks passport details of world leaders

  Australia has proved that it can hold its own against Hillary Clinton any day when it comes to email gaffes. The nation's immigration department accidentally disclosed the passport numbers and other personal info of every world leader attending last year's G20 summit, then compounded the problem by hushing it up. Affected leaders include US president Barack Obama, Russia's Vladimir Putin and British prime minister David Cameron. According to an email obtained by the Guardian, "the cause of the breach was human error... (an immigration employee) failed to check that the autofill function in Microsoft Outlook had entered the correct person's detail into the email 'To' field."

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Fraudster's phoney email tricked prison into releasing him

  In the movies, a daring prison escape usually involves a carefully orchestrated plan filled with intricate tunnels, ingenious bribes and chaotic distractions. But for Neil Moore, performing a similar breakout in the real world was so much simpler. With the aid of a smuggled mobile phone, he was able to set up an email address with a domain that closely resembled Her Majesty's Court Service. He then sent a forged letter approving his release to the prison, hoping they wouldn't inspect the document or sender's credentials too closely. Low and behold, the wardens were convinced of its authenticity (despite misspelling "Southwark" Crown Court) and Moore walked free in March 2014.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• NSA considered scrapping its mass phone surveillance program

  The National Security Agency may present a united front when it defends against criticism of its bulk phone data collection, but it's now clear that there has been at least some doubt within the ranks. Associated Press sources have revealed that there was an internal proposal to kill the phone surveillance program in early 2013, not long before Edward Snowden's leaks made it public. Reportedly, some NSA officials were concerned that the initiative was not only expensive to run, but ineffective. It wasn't "central" to catching terrorist plots, and it wasn't capturing most cellphone calls. Not surprisingly, the critics were also worried about outrage if the truth came out -- which, of course, is exactly what happened.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Slack beefs up security after data breach with two-step authentication

  When you've got a hot new online platform, you inevitably become a target for hackers. That's the lesson Slack, a popular business collaboration tool, learned when it discovered an intrusion in its systems last February. As a result, the company is now rolling out two-factor authentication, which adds another layer of security by making users enter verification codes whenever they sign onto its apps. Slack claims the hackers got into its central database, which contains usernames, email address, and encrypted passwords. At this point, though, it doesn't look like they were able to decrypt passwords. On top of making logins more secure, Slack is now giving leaders of its groups the ability to reset all of their passwords, or log their entire team out of Slack.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• All Twitch accounts have been reset thanks to a security breach

  Sad news Twitch fans: the next time you log on to the streaming service, you'll find that your password has been reset. That's due apparently to a security breach; Twitch published a blog post a few hours ago stating that there "may have been unauthorized access to some Twitch user information" and that the company has suspended passwords and stream keys across all its accounts. It's also disassociated all of them from Twitter and YouTube so you'll need to authorize them all over again. As with any security breach, Twitch also suggests you change the password if you used it anywhere else. We're not quite sure yet on the breadth of the hack and who exactly is involved, but Twitch has said it'll "communicate directly with affected users" on any additional steps. [Image credit: camknows/Flickr]

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• New Zealand used NSA data to spy on rival trade leader candidates

  Want to understand why far-reaching, poorly scrutinized spying programs are dangerous? Here's why. The Intercept and the New Zealand Herald have obtained a document showing that New Zealand used the US National Security Agency's XKeyscore surveillance system to spy on other countries' candidates for the World Trade Organization's director general role. The 2013 snooping campaign searched for keywords in communications that referenced New Zealand's own candidate (Minister of Trade Tim Groser, above), the competition and the WTO itself. Any relevant results were passed on to a "trade team" within the country's surveillance agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau, which is rather alarming when the leadership run had nothing to do with national security.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Meerkat is silently fixing a flaw that lets anyone hijack livestreams

  Livestreaming apps aren't new, but few have enjoyed as much notoriety in such a short time as Meerkat. Twitter users have adopted it in droves and the social network even went as far as limiting the app's access to its social graph last week for violating its policies. But as Meerkat continues to enjoy its time in the spotlight, a pretty serious flaw has emerged. One that lets users hijack any stream while it's in progress. Update: About 24 hours later, Meerkat says it's fixed! Thanks for reading, and hey, drop us a line sometime.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• IBM tech finds virus-laden apps before they reach your phone

  Mobile malware is bad enough by itself, but it's a nightmare at work -- one infection could put everyone's phones at risk, if not the whole business. IBM has a fix, though. A new version of its MobileFirst Protect tool now automatically looks for virus-ridden Android and iOS apps on staffers' phones, and puts any compromised device on lockdown before it can pose a threat to you or anyone else. It immediately limits access to apps and services, and it'll let your IT staff know if there's trouble. The system automatically updates its malware knowledge, too, so it shouldn't be caught off-guard by recently discovered exploits. Yes, IBM's threat tool is another form of corporate oversight, but it could prove a lifesaver if it prevents a careless coworker from wrecking your personal phone. [Image credit: IBM, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Target's proposed data breach settlement pays victims up to $10k

  Target has agreed to a $10 million settlement with lawyers for victims of its 2013 data breach, and CBS News reports it could pay individuals up to $10,000 each in damages. It has yet to be approved by a judge, but Target spokesperson Molly Snyder says the company is "pleased to see the process moving forward." In case you've already forgotten, the retailer discovered in December 2013 that hackers had stolen information for some 40 million credit and debit cards, while its security ignored breach alerts for 12 days. The company's CEO stepped down in May saying he felt "personally accountable" for the lax security. KSTP TV5 in Minnesota has posted a copy of the form victims will fill out to receive their damages if the settlement is approved, which you can see here.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• The Pirate Bay's new network is making ISP blocks useless

  Despite global efforts to put the kibosh on infamous torrent site The Pirate Bay (TPB), the lair of internet swashbucklers is proving almost impossible to sack. Swedish police succeeded in taking the site down late last year, only for it to reappear the following month. And stronger than ever it seems, thanks to a new distribution partner that inadvertently circumvents most ISP-level blocks. When TPB rose from the ashes, it drafted in middleman CloudFlare to help deal with the colossal amount of traffic coming to the site.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• Health insurance data breach exposes 11 million people

  Unfortunately, the days of massive health care data breaches are far from over. Premera Blue Cross has revealed that hackers breached its insurance customer data starting in May 2014, potentially exposing both the financial and medical records of 11 million people -- the largest such attack to date. There's no evidence yet that the data has been "used inappropriately," the company says, and it notes that both the FBI and security firm FireEye are already on the case.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Bitcoin's tech could be used to prevent digital gift card fraud

  Bitcoin may linger on the fringes of the mainstream, but plenty of companies are casting envious eyes towards the technology that underpins it. Just days after IBM announced a plan to use the blockchain as the basis for its own payments platform, Gyft has said that it's doing the same. The digital gift card company has revealed that it's looking into ways to "tokenize" gift cards and issue them on the blockchain for better theft protection. CEO Vinny Lingham has admitted that the company is a long way away from having a working prototype, but it's clear that Bitcoin isn't going anywhere.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• A third of Americans improved their privacy in light of spying leaks

  When you found out about the scope of the US government's mass surveillance efforts, did you improve your online privacy habits? If so, you're in good company. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that about 30 percent of Americans have taken at least one step to protect their info from prying eyes, whether they've toughened up their social network settings or held more conversations in person. About 22 percent say they've changed the way they use technology like email and cellphones.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google Apps bug exposed personal data of nearly 283,000 website owners

  According to a cadre of Cisco security researchers (via Ars Technica), a Google Apps bug inadvertently caused nearly 283,000 WHOIS registration records -- which can include the domain owner's name, address and other contact information -- to be made public even though those owners expressly wanted that data to stay private. Erm, oops. If you were one of the people affected by this accidental dose of transparency, Google should have already contacted you, and the search giant also says that the issue that caused this whole mess has already been closed.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Controversial cybersecurity bill wins over Senate Intel Committee

  The politicians who reintroduced CISPA following Sony Entertainment's hack must be congratulating each other right now, because the bill is on its way to the Senate floor. During a recent Senate Select Committee on Intelligence markup, 14 out of 15 Senators voted in its favor. The bill now known as CISA, or Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, encourages companies to share data about cyberattacks to other companies and the government. Any and all information shared will have to pass through the Department of Homeland Security, which will in turn be in charge of sharing relevant data with other organizations.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Panda's antivirus software accidentally tried to eat itself

  It wasn't just Apple that had a day to forget yesterday -- Spanish antivirus outfit Panda Security managed to give its products the digital equivalent of lupus. An update to the company's various tools caused the software to think that parts of its own technology was a nefarious attacker. According to users on Reddit, Panda also (incorrectly) put Office, Chrome, Firefox and even Windows Updates on the hit list, wreaking havoc with people's computers.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• DARPA is trying to reinvent online privacy

  You can't help but admire DARPA's tech, even when it could track you down and murder you. However, the military agency's latest program actually wants to make it harder to find folks and their valuable data. Named after right-to-privacy pioneer, Supreme Court Judge Louis Dembitz Brandeis, the Brandeis program "would allow individuals, enterprises and US government agencies to keep personal and/or proprietary information private." We imagine that the emphasis is on "government agencies," though DARPA said its systems would work for everybody. Reading between the lines, we'd say the US government has seen one too many cyber-attacks, and wants its top eggheads on the job protecting confidential information.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• UK report says GCHQ spying wasn't illegal, but lacked transparency

  UK data surveillance programs, including the bulk collection of data from ISPs, have been declared legal by a parliamentary committee. However, it also found them "overly complicated" and lacking in transparency. The report from the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) probed GCHQ initiatives that tapped massive amounts of emails and other private "upstream" data, often in conjunction with the NSA's PRISM program. The extent of the UK's involvement in that program was revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Sketchy crowdfunded privacy router gets a new corporate master (update)

  Remember Anonabox, the internet privacy router that was outed as a rebranded Chinese device and booted off of Kickstarter for fraud before it headed to Indiegogo? Well, it's getting another lease on life. Sochule, which is best known for its social hotel app HelloTel, tells us that it has snapped up the Anonabox team. The new parent company won't say much about what's happening next until a South by Southwest event on Friday. However, it's stressing that Anonabox founder August Germar is maintaining a similar role -- it apparently doesn't mind the controversies surrounding Germar and his networking gadget.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• UK ISPs start restricting sites that help bypass The Pirate Bay blocks

  The never-ending game of whack-a-mole between file-sharing advocates, internet service providers (ISPs) and copyright holders continues. The Pirate Bay (TPB) has become a tricky site for torrenters to access, and it's given birth to numerous proxy sites that circumvent the blocks set up by individual ISPs. Copyright holders cottoned on pretty quickly and have been asking ISPs to block the proxy sites that are still giving torrenters access to illegal downloads. So what's happening now? Well, some dedicated users have set up sites that keep an up-to-date list of the best TPB proxy databases. It's all rather convoluted, but now, according to TorrentFreak, British ISPs are cracking down on those sites too.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• PayPal acquires Israeli company that can predict future malware

  It's always good news when a service that processes a lot of cash improves its security measures. PayPal, for instance, has just established a security center in Israel by acquiring a local company called CyActive. The company already has a Fraud and Risk Detection Center in Tel Aviv, but CyActive is a totally different beast: it "specializes in technology that can predict how malware will develop." It's sort of like Minority Report's PreCrime, except it uses predictive analytics instead of human precogs to foresee new cybersecurity threats. The startup's employees will now be in charge of implementing technology that will protect the payment platform from future cyberattacks.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Microsoft patches up FREAK and Stuxnet security flaws on Windows

  While the FREAK security vulnerability is mainly associated with Apple's Safari and Android's stock browsers, it apparently affects Windows PC too. Thankfully, Microsoft has issued an update that will patch up the vulnerability in its SSL/TSL implementation called Schannel. As we've mentioned in the past, hackers can use the bug to force machines into loading weaker encryption that's easier to crack. It was a feature requested by the government back in '90s so it can snoop on people, which ended up propagating to modern software.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The CIA is giving its surveillance tech to US law enforcement

  The Justice Department's newest electronic dragnet--plane-mounted "dirtboxes" that can slurp thousands of cellular phone ID's from the air -- was originally developed by the CIA to hunt terrorists in the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reports. Now however, it's being used domestically to track American citizens. That's not good.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Sky forced to hand over customer details in file-sharing shakedown

  Some Sky Broadband customers could soon receive a letter demanding compensation for films they've allegedly downloaded illegally. As TorrentFreak reports, Sky has been forced by a recent court order to hand over the names and addresses of customers which the company TCYK LLC believes were involved in illegal file sharing. TCYK LLC owns the rights to several movies, including the 2012 political thriller The Company You Keep, and, according to Sky, has identified apparent infringements through IP addresses.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• How the CIA planned to hijack Apple's developer tools

  That your government will spy on you should, sadly (by now) come as no surprise. But, some of the ways they go about it still trigger disbelief. The Intercept claims to have received documents outlining methods the CIA has considered to access data on Apple products. The usual talk of decrypting and vulnerabilities is present, but there's one technique in particular that seems especially nefarious. Reportedly, the CIA went as far as creating a modified version of Xcode (an Apple tool that developers use to make apps). The hijacked Xcode would unwittingly include code in the final app without the developer knowing. The Intercept's sources also claim OS X's updater (that automatically installs the latest version of OS X) was targeted with a modification that would install a keylogger onto your Mac. Fun.

  By James Trew Read More

• Wikimedia is suing the NSA over its mass surveillance program

  The Wikimedia Foundation is suing the US National Security Agency (NSA) for breaching Wikipedia users' privacy with mass surveillance techniques. It said that the aim of the suit is to "end (the NSA) mass surveillance program in order to protect the rights of our users around the world." The group maintains that the agency overstepped the limits set by the authority of the 2008 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FAA) amendments. It'll file the complaint in conjunction with eight other organizations -- including Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers -- and will be represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple issues security patches to protect devices from the FREAK bug

  In addition to launching new MacBooks and revealing its smartwatches' release date, Apple has also issued software updates to protect its devices from the FREAK bug. If you recall, the security flaw allows hackers to force weaker encryption on Safari (and Android browser) users visiting certain websites, including a few owned by the government. The weaker encryption makes it easier and faster for them to break into users' accounts and steal sensitive info, that's why Cupertino promised to issue a patch as soon as possible. To secure iPhones and iPads, you just have to install iOS 8.2, which also comes with Apple Watch support. MacBook users who have OS X Mountain Lion, Mavericks or Yosemite installed will get an update notification, while those who own the company's streaming box have to download Apple TV 7.1. The latest software updates also come with other security patches for both Mac and iOS, so don't forget to download them when you can.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Ethiopia is hacking US journalists with commercial spyware

  Ethiopia's government is among the most oppressive political regimes on the African continent, only trailing Eritrea in its population of incarcerated journalists. And with the country's recent implementation of off-the-shelf spyware from Italian security firm Hacking Team, Ethiopia's leaders can--and have been--expanding their despotic reach far overseas.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• 'Minecraft' no longer risks opening a big security hole on your PC

  As a matter of course, Minecraft has required that you install Java's run-anywhere code base -- a big problem when that tends to introduce security exploits and annoying adware. However, the construction game should be considerably safer thanks to a low-key update in recent weeks. The Windows edition of Minecraft (OS X is coming later this year) now installs a standalone version of Java that's used only while you're playing. If you want, you can scrub the full version of Java without losing access to your blocky masterpieces. And the kicker? If you haven't been keeping on top of your software updates, the game may run smoother at the same time. It's not urgent that you get the upgrade, but it's definitely worth considering if you only bother with Java for the sake of living in Mojang's virtual world.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• California court says cops need warrants to get phone location data

  A number of states already have laws preventing the police from snooping on your phone's location history without a warrant, but they just got another big boost from a court ruling. A California-based federal judge has determined that cops need those warrants because you have a reasonable expectation that your position data will remain private, even if it's vague info like the whereabouts of cell towers you've used. Cellphones can follow you anywhere and transmit a lot of information, the judge says. That location data may reveal much more about your life than you'd willingly share, especially at home and other private places where you have plenty of constitutional protections.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• UK arrests man over US Department of Defense hack

  No matter how serious you are, you're going to draw a lot of attention if you hack the US military -- and one Brit may be learning this the hard way. The UK's National Crime Agency has arrested an unnamed young man over allegations that he breached the Department of Defense's network last June. He reportedly swiped little more than non-confidential contact and device information (the attack was largely for bragging rights), but that was enough to invoke an international collaboration that led to the bust. There's no conviction, but there's little doubt that the arrest was meant as a deterrent to cyberattackers and pranksters in either country. [Image credit: David B. Gleason, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Major CIA overhaul ramps up focus on cyber operations

  The CIA is working on a major reorganization, and it's said to be one the largest in the agency's 67-year history. A big piece of the overhaul is a larger focus on operations in cyberspace, leveraging the latest technology in its intelligence gathering workflow. CIA chief John Brennan is setting up a Directorate of Digital Innovation to lead the charge, keeping track of and implementing advances on the cyber front, including advanced communications tech. As Reuters reports, the National Security Agency is typically on the edge of innovation inside the US government, but the CIA hopes an internal shuffle with help it keep up with the "pace of change." The new directorate will join the four other major departments that focus on Science and Technology, Support, Analysis and Operations. [Image credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Banks respond to fraud with improved verification for Apple Pay

  Reports of thieves using stolen payment info with Apple Pay surfaced earlier this week, and banks are already stepping up security measures. In fact, the culprits used the software to employ credit card details stolen during Target's massive breach in 2013. The Wall Street Journal reports that those financial institutions are making customers take extra steps to verify that cards being entered into Cupertino's mobile payment platform really belong to them. Tools like one-time authorization codes, a call to customer service and security questions are being used to confirm identities for those who want to pay with an iPhone. What's more, some banks will require you to authorize Apple Pay by signing into your online banking. If you'll recall, Apple Pay itself remains locked down, and the fraudsters were able to take advantage of banks' rather lazy identity checks. Of course, even with the added checks, you'll want to keep a close eye on things to ensure someone hasn't swiped your card number.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• US accuses three people of stealing over a billion email addresses

  The US Department of Justice just announced three indictments for what one attorney called "the largest data breach of names and email addresses in the history of the Internet." Vietnamese citizens Viet Quoc Nguyen and Giang Hoang Vu stand accused of a scheme to hack email service providers, while Canadian David-Manuel Santos Da Silva allegedly conspired with them to launder the proceeds generated. According to the indictments, between 2009 and 2012 Nguyen and Vu hacked at least eight email service providers -- the companies that collect your data under slightly more legitimate circumstances -- to steal marketing data containing over a billion email addresses. After that, they worked with Da Silva to profit from the addresses by sending spam with affiliate links for a company he controlled, Marketbay.com.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Popular torrent client can steal your CPU cycles to mine bitcoins

  If you recently installed or updated uTorrent on your PC, you may have have picked up an unwanted passenger: a bitcoin miner called Epic Scale. If you don't pay attention, that piece of code can be inadvertently installed with the latest uTorrent build (version 3.4.2). It can then use your computer as part of a bitcoin farm (Litecoin, to be exact) to generate revenue for third parties. Users first reported the situation on uTorrent's forums, and it was quickly confirmed by a senior support manager. He said that the app "cannot be installed without permission," but one user claimed that there was "never a warning about it," even though he opted out of other bundled software.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• UK police arrest 57 people as part of 'cyber crime strike week'

  What's the most effective way to discourage cyber crime across Britain? There's no definitive answer, but the latest tactic seems to be co-ordinating and publicising a concentrated blast of arrests. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed today that 57 people have been taken into custody for suspected cyber crime offences this week, including distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, network breaches and data theft. The arrests were split into 25 separate operations across England, Scotland and Wales, involving local forces and officers from the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Oracle's now dumping Java crapware bundles on your Mac, too

  Since megayachts aren't going to buy themselves, Larry Ellison's Oracle has been picking up extra cash for years by slipping adware to Windows users via its ubiquitous Java software. If you felt smug because you were on a Mac, guess what! Installing Java on your OSX-equipped MacBook could now lead to an unexpected encounter with the dreaded "Ask.com" toolbar, too. Though not as dangerous as SuperFish, the program will hijack your browser's search functions and delivery iffy, ad-laden results while being tricky for neophytes to remove. If you don't pay attention during installation, you can easily end up with it, as you need to purposefully opt out to avoid it.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• FTC offers a $25,000 prize if you can trap robocallers

  Yep, the Federal Trade Commission still hates robocalls as much as you do. The agency has launched a contest where you'll get a $25,000 top prize if you develop technology that sends illegal automated telemarketing to a honeypot system, which makes it easier to study calls and catch perpetrators. You have up until the evening of June 15th to qualify your bot trap, and the winner will be decided at a Def Con showdown on August 9th. The payout certainly isn't large, but think of this as doing the country a favor -- you may save millions from listening to Rachel from card services over and over again. [Image credit: SarahNW, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Government finds the FAA is vulnerable to hacks

  On the scale of extremely disconcerting government revelations, this isn't PRISM, but damn if it isn't alarming. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a scathing report on the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) air traffic control systems. The FAA is basically just asking to be hacked thanks to its lackadaisical approach to security and software updates. Things are so bad, that relying on servers that have past their "end-of-life" date is probably the least concerning revelation made by the GAO. The government also found that FAA employees were sharing passwords through unencrypted communications channels, and had failed to patch out of date software with three-year-old security flaws.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Tesla warns Model S hacks could injure drivers and its brand

  Every year, all publicly traded US companies are required to notify investors of the unique risks to their business. Elon Musk's Tesla abides by the same rules, and its list of risk factors makes for interesting reading. While many of its concerns are to be expected, like worries over the safety of lithium ion batteries used in its cars or the high manufacturing costs of Model S, the company also tells investors that customers intent on pimping their rides could put a considerable dent in its electric car empire.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Security flaw from the '90s leaves Apple and Android users vulnerable

  A team of cryptographers have discovered that a security flaw from way back in the '90s still leaves users today vulnerable to cyberattacks. They've dubbed it "Factoring attack on RSA-EXPORT Key" or FREAK, and it renders everyone who uses Safari on Mac and iOS devices or Android's stock browser susceptible to hacking when they visit certain "secure" websites. The researchers listed these affected websites on the study's official page, and notable entries include government-owned ones, such as Whitehouse.gov, NSA.gov and FBI.gov. To understand what FREAK is, we need to go back to the early 1990s when SSL was in the midst of being developed.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Obama wants China to stop copying the NSA's surveillance plans

  President Obama has criticized a Chinese plan to force US tech companies to install backdoors into their products for sale in the country. Without stopping for a moment to consider the phrase about glass houses and stones, he told Reuters that China would have to change its stance if it wanted to do business with the US.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Fraudsters take advantage of banks' weak Apple Pay identity checks

  A mobile payment system is only as secure as its weakest link... and in the case of Apple Pay, it's the banks' ability to verify who you are. The Guardian has learned that thieves are setting up iPhones with stolen IDs and taking advantage of lackadaisical identity checks (often just a part of the social security number) to provision victims' cards for Apple Pay. After that, it's open season -- crooks just have to claim that the legitimate card owner is on a trip to go on a shopping spree.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Jolla takes on Android with a promise not to sell your data

  When Jolla launched its tablet on Indiegogo, it was an instant success. Today that tablet is being shown to the media for the first time at MWC. But, that's not all that the plucky mobile startup has to reveal. With the new tablet comes the second version of Jolla's Sailfish OS. Version 2.0 brings not only some features you'd expect (like easy scaling between phones and tablets -- to accommodate its new hardware), but also some new, bigger-picture additions like support for Intel's Atom x3 chipset, a new push into licensing with OEM hardware and a couple of direct swipes at Android, and how it gathers your data.

  By James Trew Read More

• Venmo halfheartedly responds to its mobile payment security woes

  eBay's Venmo mobile payment service can be extra-helpful when you need to repay a debt to a friend, but it's grappling with some significant security problems -- and it's not clear that a proper fix is in sight. Slate notes that Venmo not only lacks a few basic security measures, such as notifying you when login details change, but encourages risky steps like linking your bank routing info. If someone gets in under that circumstance, your bank account could be permanently compromised. There's also little support outside of a slow-to-respond email system, so you may be left high and dry if you need urgent help.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• These 'privacy glasses' make you invisible to facial recognition

  You're going out with friends mid-week, and you don't want the boss/significant other/parole officer to find out. But it's a birthday celebration, and Facebook's auto-tagging the pictures your buddies upload like a dirty snitch. The first piece of advice: never "friend" your parole officer. The second? Maybe grab a pair of these "privacy" glasses from software security firm AVG. You, of course, can see my visage above, but AVG claims the technology in the specs means facial recognition software (like that of Facebook) will not.

  By James Trew Read More

Entertainment (8)

• Relax: De La Soul's album's already smashed its Kickstarter goal

  De La Soul love sampling, so much so that they feel as if a whole branch of copyright law was invented just for them. The sample-heavy trio (for three is the magic number) didn't want to have to compromise their artistic vision for their ninth album, so took to Kickstarter to ask for your cash. It didn't take long before the group smashed its $110,000 crowdfunding goal, and so the new De La Soul album will find its way into mailboxes this September.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• The mother of all tech demos becomes an avant garde opera

  1968 is when it all changed. On December 9 that year, Douglas Engelbart, a computer scientist at Stanford Research Center, made a 90-minute video presentation that revolutionized the world of computers. He didn't show up on stage at the Computer Conference in San Francisco, instead, he teleconferenced from his research lab 30 miles away -- an unprecedented feat at the time. Now almost half a century later, "the mother of all demos" is being resurrected as an avant garde opera called The Demo. Composers Mikel Rouse and Ben Neill re-imagine Engelbart's demo and the defining moments in his life that led up to it through a hybrid theater performance.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• SoCal's first 'water coaster' is driven by magnets

  It's not just the Circle K, strange things are afoot throughout San Dimas, California -- like the wacky 1000-foot-long, magnetically driven "water coaster" recently installed at a local Raging Waters park in the midst of a debilitating statewide drought. Dubbed the Aqua Rocket, this unusual attraction -- the first such ride in all of Southern California and one of just two dozen throughout the US -- combines the motion of conventional roller coasters with the sloshy fun of waterslides.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• At her MoMA retrospective, first comes tech, then comes Bjork

  There are two major takeaways from Bjork's much-anticipated retrospective at NYC's Museum of Modern Art: One, the vast majority of the exhibit feels more like a celebrity amusement park ride; and two, there's the occasional glimmer of ambition around the exhibit's use of technology. I suppose it's tough to contain an avant-garde pop creature like Bjork within the confines of a museum, even one that's already honored her in the past (a digital version of her last album, Biophilia, was the first app added to MoMA's permanent collection). But for someone who's embraced the exploration of technology in her music, it makes sense that the gadgetry used to enliven Bjork's exhibit ends up being the highlight of the actual exhibit.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Acclaimed 'Discworld' author Terry Pratchett dies aged 66

  Sir Terry Pratchett, the author best known for his Discworld series, has died aged 66. His novels weaved fantasy, science fiction, satire and whimsy to great effect -- more than 80 million Discworld books have been sold worldwide. Despite publishing over 70 books and battling illness, Pratchett still found time to back fledgling writers through his First Novel Award, which every two years gives a publishing contract to the author of an unpublished science fiction novel.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Here's the trailer for season six of 'Community' on Yahoo Screen

  Community will get its 13-episode sixth season (and eventually, maybe a movie?) on Yahoo Screen October 19th March 17th, and now we have the first trailer. It looks like the gang are up to their usual Dan Harmon-written schemes, but it's still missing something without Troy, Shirley and Pierce. Fortunately the rest of the cast is in their usual places, and the trailer even makes light of some of the missing members. Overall, Greendale doesn't seem any worse for wear after jumping to the internet, er, Age of Yahoo, so we guess that $2 million per episode budget is holding up. Our only question now: will we see Yahoo Screen apps for a few more connected TV devices by the time the show debuts?

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Here's a synthesizer made with beans, dolls and ducks

  Who said that electronic music couldn't be silly? Certainly not the folks at Minimalogue. The South Korean graphics firm recently built Knuckle Visualizer, a synthesizer that replaces buttons, knobs and sliders with fun bits like jelly beans, rubber ducks and tiny matryoshka dolls. And yes, it works -- while you won't get a yarn-based waveform display like in the video below (that's just for show), the Visualizer itself beeps and squeaks like any "serious" synth. This art project is clearly a one-off, but there's a making-of clip that could help you recreate it in your own studio.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Tinder's paid service launches with a pretty sleazy catch

  If you didn't think that your opinion of Tinder could go any lower, something new pops up to make you change your mind. The hookup app has reportedly launched its long-awaited paid tier, but in Europe, users will have to overcome something worse than left-swipes: ageism. Tinder Plus users who are under 28 years old will be able to subscribe to the service for just £3.99 ($6.39) a month, but users over that age will be asked to spend £14.99 ($23.03) -- nearly four times as much for the same thing.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

EVs and Transportation (56)

• This is how you refuel Zero's electric motorcycle

  If there's one problem to racing a super-cool electric motorcycle, it's that pit stops tend to be a bit slow. After all, in the time it takes a regular hot rod to refuel, you've probably only gained one or two percent of charge. That's why Zero Motorcycles has created a patent pending hot-swappable battery system for the Zero FX that enables you to "refuel" the e-bike in just over half a minute. The clip below shows you how quickly this can be done out on the track, which makes us want to buy one of these $10,000 bikes even more than before.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Court rules that UberPOP cars can still pick you up in Paris

  Uber's Paris headquarters were recently raided by 25 policemen, but a court has now ruled that its disputed UberPOP service is actually honky-dory -- for now. The company's low-cost ridesharing option uses non-professional drivers, a practice that French authorities have called unlawful (its other services use professional drivers and are legal). However, the decision is more of a reprieve than a victory for Uber. Paris's Cour d'Appel merely passed the buck to a higher appeals court on whether or not to ban UberPOP. Still, it means Uber can continue to operate the service in Paris until at least June, when a new constitutional court ruling is due.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Toyota is bringing automatic braking to lower-priced cars

  You won't have to splurge on a luxury car (or a pricey option package) just to get a vehicle that will brake by itself in a crisis. Toyota has launched a strategy that will bring automatic braking to most of its lineup, not just premium rides. The technology will be a relatively low-cost ($300 to $635) option for just two vehicles at first, the RAV4 Hybrid SUV and Lexus' RX crossover, but the automaker hopes to have it available or included in "nearly all" of its models by the end of 2017. It'll be easy to find in the near future, too. The Avalon sedan is next in line, and a total of seven additional Toyota and Lexus models are on deck this year. Toyota certainly isn't the only company hoping to popularize smart braking, but this plan could be one of the most ambitious.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Musk claims Tesla was 'misled' about demand for cars in China

  Earlier this month, we reported about Tesla cutting jobs in China after sales failed to meet expectations. Now, we're learning that there might be more to it than just over optimistic forecasting. According to Business Insider, Tesla founder, Elon Musk, claimed the company had been "misled" by Chinese speculators into believing that demand for the electric cars was higher than it really was. Musk added that China is the only place Tesla operates that currently has excess vehicles, with an estimated 1,600 cars shipped to China, but many remaining unlicensed after resellers u-turned on orders.

  By James Trew Read More

• E-Scooters with swappable batteries will land in Taipei this summer

  Scooters don't normally generate much buzz without some kind of gimmick -- unless they're, say, connected to a well-known company and feature a crazy business model. The all-electric Gogoro Smartscooter fits that description perfectly, as it was created by former HTC executives and relies on a network of swappable batteries. After debuting just a few months ago at CES, it will launch commercially this summer in greater Tapei following a pilot program. The centerpiece is the Gogoro Experience Center, a retail outlet that'll show off the Smartscooter EV's design and options. It'll also teach consumers about the GoStation, a removable battery vending machine that's part of the company's Gogoro Energy Network.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Uber will pay for taxi licenses to keep operating in Germany

  Uber is only willing to bend German law so far, it seems. The ridesharing outfit tells Wirtschafts Woche that it'll get around a court-ordered ban on its unlicensed services (such as UberX) by creating a new service that both pays for the drivers' taxi licenses and registers them as companies. While it's not clear whether this paperwork will lead to higher prices, the new tier is expected to keep the UberX name and should be ready to roll by the summer. It's hard to imagine the conventional taxi industry being especially happy with this workaround, but it may not have much say in the matter if all of Uber's services are legal. [Image credit: Adam Berry/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Volvo's reflective bike paint helps cars spot you at night

  Want to feel nervous? Try riding a bike at night alongside a busy road. Even if you're festooned in lights and reflectors, there's a real chance that a less-than-attentive driver will smack into you. Volvo may have a better way to keep cars at a distance, however. Its new LifePaint spray is invisible during the day, but reflects car headlights in the evening. You can coat your bike, your clothing or most anything else and provide a heads-up to motorists, who'll see bright white as they get close. It only lasts for 10 days at a time, but you can wash it off -- just don't ride during a heavy rainstorm and you'll be fine. The biggest challenge is simply getting some cans for yourself. Volvo is only offering LifePaint in six London- and Kent-area bike shops right now, and availability will depend on how it fares in these test areas.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Lyft's answer to rideshare safety is befriending your driver

  While Uber is doing its best to make sure passengers feel safe with its drivers, Lyft just wants us all to be friends. Next week a new "Lyft profiles" feature is coming to the app that the company hopes will "humanize" the "ride experience," sparking conversations and connecting passengers and drivers in more meaningful ways.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Uber hopes new programs will help riders feel safer

  Following alleged sexual assaults in India and France, Uber has revealed several new initiatives and a code of conduct to make passengers feel more secure. The key change is a new advisory board that will "review safety practice and advise on our roadmap for adding safety features to the platform." Uber said it would engage outside experts "to create the strongest board possible" and would regularly incorporate its recommendations into a safety strategy. It also created the Uber Quality Assurance program, which will employ off-duty law enforcement personnel to ensure that drivers are following company rules.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Daily Roundup: Mercedes' self-driving concept car, living with a feature phone and more!

  Welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Roundup. Find out what it's like to ride in Mercedes' luxurious self-driving concept car. Meanwhile, we try to live with a high-end feature phone and Tennessee sues the FCC over municipal internet. Get all the details about these stories and more below.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Uber suspends French driver accused of sexual assault

  French news daily Le Parisien reports that Uber has suspended one of its French drivers after his arrest on sexual assault charges. This follows Its UberPop service being banned (again) in Germany, the company's offices in both France and South Korea being raided by the police and the UN flat out refusing to work with them. In India, Uber has had to begin collecting safety information throughout New Delhi after one of the company's driver was charged with rape.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Riding in Mercedes' luxurious, self-driving car of the future

  A four-wheeled vision of gleaming silver glides toward me, shining brightly under the warm California sun. The vehicle looks otherworldly against the empty backdrop of the former naval base in Alameda, a site perhaps more famous for Mythbusters stunts than automobile demonstrations. This, however, is no ordinary automobile. The curvature of metal heading in my direction is more reminiscent of zeppelins and supersonic spacecraft; the stuff of childhood dreams and science fiction. This is the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion, a concept car representing the future of autonomous vehicles. And I'm about to go for a ride in it.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• FAA makes it faster and easier to secure permits for small drones

  Even the FAA itself knows it needs to speed up its notoriously slow drone approval process. That's why it has debuted a new rule that will quickly grant permits to companies that promise to adhere to certain restrictions. All applicants whose drones weigh 55 pounds or less will get a "blanket flying permission," so long as they swear never to fly their machines above 200 feet. They also have to assure the agency that they will only fly their drones during daytime and nowhere near airports. The FAA might finally be able to demolish its backlog of more than 400 permit applications with this new system in place. More importantly, it will allow the agency to breeze through future ones and prevent terrible delays like what happened to Amazon.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Ford's new car will force you to obey the speed limit

  Much as we'd like to emulate our NASCAR heroes, breaking the speed limit often comes at a price. Ford is hoping to prevent accidents and speeding tickets by introducing cars that can see what the speed limit is and preventing heavy-footed motorists from driving any faster. Ford's Intelligent Speed Limiter tech will first appear on the new Ford S-Max that's launching in Europe that could just change the way that we drive.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• China's tech giants are getting into the autonomous car business

  Google and Tesla are squaring off against each other for the future of self-driving cars, so it's no surprise to see China's tech giants follow suit. Both Tencent and Baidu have announced that they'll be getting into the autonomous vehicle game in the last 24 hours. Tencent is teaming up with iPhone assembler Foxconn, as well as a local luxury car outfit, to create "smart vehicles."

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Inhabitat's Week in Green: self-driving cars, library tanks and bionic arms

  Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It was a big week for Tesla. CEO Elon Musk just announced the end of electric vehicle range anxiety thanks to a Model S software update that makes it "impossible" to stray too far from a charging station. Tesla also got a big break in New Jersey as Governor Chris Christie lifted the state's ban on the automaker's direct sales model. Elsewhere on the automotive front, BMW just unveiled the X5 eDrive40e, which can travel up to 19 miles in fully electric mode and is rated at 71 mpg. An Audi is set to embark on the first-ever cross-country trip for a self-driving car. The electronics company Delphi is the driving force behind the road trip, and they've rigged up an Audi SQ5 with the necessary sensors, cameras and controls for the trip.

  By Inhabitat Read More

• Mercedes will have 10 new plug-in hybrid cars by 2017

  After dipping its toes into the plug-in hybrid waters, Mercedes-Benz is ready to jump in with both feet. The automaker is planning to launch 10 new plug-in hybrid models between now and 2017 -- on average, that's a new green machine every four months. The only two confirmed US models so far are the 2016 C350e (above) and S550e, both of which arrive this fall, but Mercedes is promising that vehicles from the C-Class on up (including the GLE-Class SUV) will get the semi-electric treatment. Between these and pure EVs like the B-Class Electric Drive, you may not have to compromise on model selection just because you want an eco-friendly ride with a tri-star badge.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Switching to electric cars would help cool down cities

  Electric cars can do more for the environment than cut back on air pollution and fossil fuel use -- they can make sweltering summers more bearable, too. Researchers have determined that EVs create a cooling effect in urban areas, since they aren't producing heat that builds up in traffic jams. That, in turn, reduces the need for air conditioning, which spews out pollution and chews up additional energy. In Beijing, a wholesale switch to electric cars in summer 2012 would have cooled things down enough to eliminate 11,779 tons of air conditioning-related carbon dioxide emissions per day, and 14.4kW of matching electricity use.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Reuters: FAA to ease approval process for commercial drones

  The Federal Aviation Administration wants to make it easier to operate commercial drones, it'd seem. The idea is to make it so companies that are already are exempt from the drone ban don't have to get a new certificate of authority for additional use case scenarios for UAVs, according to Reuters' sources. This could happen as early as next week Tuesday's congressional hearing on drones and, if approved, it might not be long before the sky gets a little busier. So far the amount of exemptions is slim thanks to the slow approval process. Of the over 750 requests, only 48've been awarded and the companies that have them (including State Farm's auto insurance wing and Chevron) would have more leeway in terms of what their fleets can do should the changes come to pass. It isn't quite the ban getting completely reversed, to be sure, but it's another step to speed up the typically lethargic wheels of bureaucracy.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• UN Women pulls out of Uber's million-woman employment scheme

  The hits just keep coming for Uber this week, unfortunately they're mostly in the form of gut punches. First, police forces in both South Korea and France raided Uber offices in their respective countries. Then, later that same day, a Frankfurt court re-banned the company from operating within German territory over permit issues. Now, UN Women (an offshoot of the global council that's tasked with promoting worldwide gender equality) has decided to not participate in the company's ambitious plan to put a million women worldwide behind the wheel of Uber cabs by 2020. Their reason: the public outcry over Uber's history of failing to protect its female drivers and passengers.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Watch Nissan's glowing Leaf tear down a glowing stretch of highway

  Daan Roosegaarde's Smart Highway concept saw a third of a mile of asphalt in the Dutch town of Oss festooned with phosphorescent stripes -- they spend the day soaking up sunlight and convert it into a slightly eerie blue/green glow to guide drivers for eight hours once night falls. Seeing the road is trippy in and of itself, so (naturally?) watching Nissan's glow-in-the-dark Leaf tear down it is a whole other story. Friendly reminder: You might want to have the Tron or Starlight Express soundtracks cued up before you press play.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Tech inside the 2016 Chevy Malibu teaches safe driving habits (update)

  It won't be properly revealed until next month's New York Auto Show, but Chevrolet is already revving up the features inside its 2016 Malibu. The mid-size sedan will pack a system called Teen Driver: a tool to help parents foster safe driving habits, even when their kids are out for a solo trip. For starters, Teen Driver will automatically mute music if any of the front-seat riders haven' fastened their seat belts. It also offers both audio and visual warnings when the car's speed goes above a preset limit. The system tallys driving stats for a Report Card, tracking distance, max speed, over-speed warnings and incidents that trigger stability control, antilock brakes, forward collision alerts and the forward collision braking feature.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Daily Roundup: a popular GoPro song, Tesla autopilot mode and more!

  In today's edition of the Daily Roundup, find out why a certain song is used in so many GoPro videos, learn about Tesla's new "autopilot mode" and get the scoop on Stanford scientists modifying leukemia to eat itself. Get the details on these stories and more past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Richard Branson hints at Virgin electric cars to rival Tesla

  The Virgin giganto-brand already encompasses a media empire, a few airlines, wireless phone service, some hotels and an honest-to-goodness space program -- why wouldn't it churn out some electric cars for us, too? CEO Richard Branson hinted as much during a chat with Bloomberg, noting that Virgin's already got a team plugging away on high-speed electric car that'll participate in the Formula E racing circuit, but here's the bit that everyone's seized on: "We have teams of people working on electric cars," Branson said. "So you never know-you may find Virgin competing with the Tesla in the car business as we do in the space business. We will see what happens."

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• You won't be able to buy Nissan's futuristic three-seater EV after all

  Bad news for anyone who wanted a three-seated electric supercar, because Nissan's Batmobile-esque BladeGlider isn't coming to market. Autoblog is reporting that recent executive changes at the company have meant that new executives are having second thoughts about selling the insane vehicle to the public. Incoming planning officer Philippe Klein told Autocar that the long-awaited retail model was "not among the [company's] immediate priorities," which is executive speak for shut up and stop asking.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Tesla's Model S is getting a self-driving 'autopilot' mode in three months

  The self-driving future is almost here -- if you've got one of Tesla's Model S cars. Tesla CEO Elon Musk just announced that it'll be bringing its new automatic steering mode, simply dubbed "autopilot," to the Model S lineup in three to four months via a software update. Musk says you'll basically be able to "go between San Francisco and Seattle without the driver doing anything." He's also careful to point out this isn't true self-driving, just very powerful automatic steering (it was announced alongside the dual-motor Model S in October). The downside? It's only available on highways, and it requires one of Tesla's $4,250 "optional tech" package. Musk notes that the company's current technology likely won't be safe in suburban neighborhoods, which often have random obstacles like kids playing in the street. Eventually, you'll be able to have your Model S park itself or drive up to you in a parking lot -- just don't expect to do that on public roads.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Tesla's Model S will plan trips along charger routes

  Tesla CEO Elon Musk is making good on his promise to "end range anxiety" for Model S owners today with an over-the-air software update that packs in two new features: Smart trip planning for plotting routes along its charger network, and alerts for when you're getting out of charger range. The trip planning feature is even intelligent enough to know if a charging station is full or out of service. While many were expecting Tesla to give the Model S better mileage, Musk explains that these new features are more about squashing the perception of range anxiety. Many Tesla owners told him they don't feel any range anxiety at all -- these updates are more meant for potential Tesla shoppers who might by worried about being stuck in the middle of nowhere. Sure, it's not as exciting as magically getting more range, but getting people to move past their range anxiety will be important to all electric car companies over the next few years.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Uber cars now outnumber yellow cabs in New York City

  You may see yellow taxis as virtually synonymous with New York City transportation, but you might have to reconsider that image before too long. New Taxi and Limousine Commission data shows that Uber cars now outnumber cabs on NYC streets, with 14,088 black and luxury vehicles versus 13,587 taxis. It's not hard to see why the ridesharing service has grown so quickly since its arrival in 2011, mind you. Uber drivers can earn much more in the right circumstances, and they don't have to worry about fixed schedules, complicated licensing or cheapskates who don't pay. This milestone probably won't thrill city officials, who are worried that Uber is both depriving them of tax revenue (since drivers don't need medallion licenses) and playing fast and loose with regulations. However, it's doubtful that there's any going back now -- Uber is huge enough in New York that commuters would notice if it went away. [Image credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Germany bans Uber once again over permit issues

  Why can't Germany and Uber just get along? For the second time in seven months, a court has nixed Uber's operations nationwide. Frankfurt District Court Judge Joachim Nickel ruled Wednesday that Uber had violated Germany's public transportation act because the company's drivers do not possess the same permits that conventional taxis services must carry. In response, Judge Nickel reinstated an injunction against Uber set during the initial lawsuit last September, which was brought by Taxi Deutschland, Germany's taxi driver lobby group.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Tesla can now sell its cars directly to consumers in New Jersey (updated)

  Tesla's relationship with New Jersey is a little complicated. After first banning direct-to-consumer sales just over a year ago, then moving to lift the ban, the Garden State is finally following through. CNBC reports that governor Chris Christie has signed a bill into law allowing dealership-free sales of the electric vehicles. This gives Elon Musk and Co. the ability to establish "up to four" locations where Tesla could sell its cars in the state, according to Business Insider. Tesla wouldn't be the only company that can sell vehicles in this fashion, either -- the law applies to any auto manufacturer that doesn't have franchise agreements. We've reached out to Tesla for further detail and will update this post if we hear back. Update: Tesla's response is below.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Google ditched the steering wheel because people are unreliable

  If you've ever wondered why Google decided to build its own car, well, you have at least part of your answer now. During a talk at SXSW, Astro Teller, the head of Google X, told the crowd that they decided to remove the steering wheel and brakes entirely because humans are not a "reliable backup" for the self-driving system. What does he mean exactly? Well, he believes that Google has already "mastered" highway driving. The company had put in hundreds of thousands of hours, autonomously cruising California freeways. The project had even reached the dog-fooding phase, in which Googlers test out the project in the real world. So employees that didn't work in the semi-secretive Google X division were essentially invited to beta test the vehicle and commute to work in a robot car -- under the condition that they pay very close attention and be the world's best bug reporters.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Elon Musk: Self-driving cars are the future

  Self-driving cars are no longer fiction, but right now they're far from ubiquitous. That could change, however, if Elon Musk has his way. In a conversation with NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, the Tesla co-founder was bullish about the future of self-driving cars, saying that it's only a matter of time before the autonomous vehicle is commonplace. "You can't have a person driving a two-ton death machine," said Musk, imagining a world where manual driving would be outlawed as it could be considered too dangerous.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Folding electric bike talks to all your other smart devices

  While there's no shortage of smart bikes, they still have limits: many rely chiefly on pedal power, and their tech-savviness is often limited to talking to a special smartphone app. The JIVR Bike might just solve several of those problems at once, though. The two-wheeler not only uses a chainless electric drive (good for 20 miles of pedal-free travel per charge), but serves as an iBeacon that talks to any nearby device which supports the format -- you could have it send info to your laptop, if you like. It folds to fit into small apartments, too, and you can plug in your phone to use it as a dashboard.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The FAA doesn't like you posting drone footage on YouTube

  Thinking of posting that sweet drone footage online? You might want to be careful about it. The Federal Aviation Administration is telling at least one hobbyist, Jayson Hanes, that his aerial robotic videos run afoul of regulation because they're on YouTube. Hanes is allegedly flying "commercially" (and thus faces more stringent rules) due to his choice of site, strongly implying that YouTube's ads are at fault. If so, it's a sketchy argument. Hanes hasn't made any money from his clips, and there's no obligation to collect revenue on Google's video service.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Lawsuit accuses Lyft of stiffing new drivers on bonuses

  Uber isn't the only ridesharing outfit running into legal trouble these days -- Lyft is now facing a lawsuit over claims that it deprived new drivers of promised bonuses. The transportation company allegedly committed fraud by offering $1,000 to drivers who completed their first ride by March 5th, only to renege for many of them because it couldn't finish background checks on time. Lyft isn't offering a formal response to the suit just yet, but the company tells the AP that thousands of would-be drivers made it under the wire. However, lawyers maintain that hundreds of others didn't -- there could be at least $5 million up for grabs, according to the attorneys. It's too soon to declare a victor, but it won't be shocking if the pink mustache company is more cautious about handing out cash in the future.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• AeroMobil flying car set to take off in 2017, autonomous version to follow

  AeroMobil has been around for five years, pursuing the dream of building a functional and (somewhat) practical flying car. Its third-gen prototype was revealed last October, and today at SXSW, AeroMobil CEO Juraj Vaculik revealed a bit more about the company's past and future and the challenges that remain to go from prototypes to fully fledged consumer vehicles - which the company plans to accomplish in 2017.

  By Michael Gorman Read More

• Tesla promises to 'end' Model S range anxiety on March 19th

  If you drive an electric car, you're probably all too familiar with range anxiety -- the fear that you'll travel too far and find yourself stranded by the side of the road. Tesla drivers may not have to worry about that for much longer, however. The EV maker's Elon Musk is teasing a media event on March 19th where the company will "end range anxiety" for Model S owners through an over-the-air software update.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar-powered planes, Audi EVs and custom-fit bikes

  Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. After months of preparation, a pair of Swiss aviators has embarked on the first-ever around-the-world flight in a solar-powered airplane. The Solar Impulse 2 took off from Abu Dhabi last week, and it already set a world record for the world's longest solar-powered flight when it landed in India a day later. Over the next five months, André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard plan to make 12 stops around the globe, showing the potential solar power holds. In other renewable energy news, Goodyear announced plans to develop a heat-gathering, electricity-generating car tire at the Geneva Auto Show.

  By Inhabitat Read More

• Uber drivers in Chicago start testing electric cars

  Chicago now serves as home to an Uber fleet comprised of 25 all-electric cars. They're not Tesla Model S vehicles like that Uber ride Engadget's editors hailed back in 2013, though -- they're BYD e6 EVs straight from China. Uber has teamed up with Chinese automaker BYD or "Build Your Dream" in an effort to help its drivers either buy or lease new cars. While it seems odd that the company has chosen to partner with BYD instead of with manufacturers more well-known in the country like Tesla, e6s are larger than many other EVs. It's already being used by a chauffer service in London (and a taxi company in Hong Kong) for that reason.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The '1,000mph' Bloodhound car is so fast it needs to be bulletproof

  Designing a car that can break the world land speed record is a tricky balancing act. It has to be incredibly fast and lightweight, while also offering unparalleled protection on the track. Not only in case there's a conventional crash, either; even a tiny pebble could have devastating consequences for a vehicle travelling at up to 1,000mph. To protect the British Bloodhound supersonic car, which Andy Green will be piloting in a record-breaking attempt later this year, the team has developed special panels that are effectively bulletproof. They're constructed from millions of woven glass fibres that intentionally fray and soak up energy when hit by a fast-moving projectile. In the video below, engineers test their durability by firing a small shard from a cannon. Thankfully they're up to the task, giving Green one less worry when he tries to break the current record (763mph) in South Africa.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Spinlister wants to be the Zipcar of smart bike rentals

  This smart bike is about to turn urban ridesharing on its ear. Spinlister, a global peer-to-peer bike sharing program, announced plans at SXSW on Friday to sell these specially-built VanMoof smart bikes for use as franchised rentals through its mobile app. It's like Uber or Lyft but, you know, with pedals.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Goodyear's working on an energy-harvesting tire

  It's a fundamental principle of physics that when you use energy, say to run an electric car, some of it is lost. Companies have tried to overcome this by installing hardware that harvests this lost heat, most famously in regenerative braking. Goodyear is hoping to do a similar thing with tyres, dreaming up a product that could, theoretically, convert the heat generated from the friction of movement back into power for the battery.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Gotham Air is the helicopter taxi you can order from your smartphone

  Gotham Air, a new ride-sharing service in New York City, has released its iOS and Android apps to the general public. They probably won't be replacing Uber or Lyft in most people's lives though, because as the name suggests, Gotham Air rents out helicopters not cars. Plus, its choppers only fly from Manhattan's Downtown Heliport to either JFK or Newark airport, and passengers can only have one 25-pound carry-on bag with them. The apps are easy enough to use, though: just sign up for an account, reserve a seat for $219 each (the service sometimes offers an introductory price of $99 for certain times of the day) and pay via credit card.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Audi promises an all-electric SUV in 2018

  If you want an all-electric SUV, you don't have many options right now, although Tesla's Model X is on the horizon. Audi will have an answer if you're willing to wait, though. The company's engineering lead, Ulrich Hackenberg, has revealed that the company is planning to launch an electric "sports activity vehicle" in 2018. He didn't say much about it, but he briefly showed a conceptual drawing of the from-scratch design (above) and vowed that it would have a long range of more than 500 kilometers, or 313 miles. Even a Model S P85D is only expected to manage 270 miles, so this might be the EV of choice for taking the family on a drive through the back country.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Uber wants 1 million women as drivers by 2020

  To put it mildly, Uber's reputation for supporting women is less than stellar -- it's not hard to find women who refuse to be passengers, let alone drivers. However, the ridesharing service just took a significant step toward gender equality: as part of a collaboration with the United Nations, it's vowing to create 1 million jobs for women as Uber drivers by 2020. Just how it'll accomplish this isn't mentioned, but the hope is that the initiative will give women economic power they won't otherwise have. Uber is promising updates on its progress, so you'll likely know how well it's doing well before those five years are up.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Tesla slashes jobs in China after its EV sales fall short

  Tesla hasn't had the easiest time selling electric cars, but things have been especially rough in China. The company has confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that it's cutting jobs in the country (180, according to the Economic Times) following slow sales. A spokesperson is adamant that the EV maker is "not just leaving," and is in it for the long haul. However, it's clear that the company has some work to do. Analysts at JL Warren Capital have learned that Chinese customers registered just 2,500 Tesla cars in the first nine months after the April 2014 launch -- a far cry from the 5,000 that Elon Musk wanted to sell in China that year.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Dreaming of an Apple Car and the inevitable future of 'driving'

  Apple changed the way we listen to music and use phones -- so do you really think all of the reports of a so-called Apple Car are really just about it building a car? Even creating an electric vehicle of its own to compete with Tesla doesn't seem bold enough. It is, after all, a company that doesn't typically enter a brand-new market without some idea of how to transform it (and perhaps crush the competition in the process). So what could these rumors be pointing to? There are several possibilities, including building vehicles to test Apple's CarPlay platform, as well as preparing for a world where we won't even need to drive (or own) cars. But, more importantly, they could all lead us toward an entirely new transportation model. Where we're going, we won't need cars... At least, as we know them.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Rinspeed reimagines the BMW i3 EV as a self-driving car

  Rinspeed did a fantastic visual recreation of the Tesla Model S as a moving living room last year, and now it has given the BMW i3 EV a similar treatment. The Swiss car restorer and conjurer of futuristic concepts has reimagined the i3 as a self-driving car with rather far-out features in a new concept called "Buddi." For instance, it's equipped with a robotic arm that can move the steering wheel in front of either front-seat passenger or to the middle if nobody wants to drive. That robotic arm can curiously wind the in-car watch, as well, if the camera monitoring it determines that its battery is almost depleted.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• If James Bond drove an electric car, it'd be this Aston Martin concept

  Bulging fenders? Check. Nubuck leather-wrapped everything? Check. V12 rumble? Ch-- oh snap. For the first time an Aston Martin, car, albeit a concept, has an all-electric powertrain instead of pistons. The Brit carmaker says the all-wheel-drive DBX Concept is "a thought starter... that envisages a world where luxury GT travel is not only stylish and luxurious, but also more environmentally responsible." Marketing buzz aside, the DBX is definitely packed with interesting tech. It has drive-by-wire electric steering, toughened, "auto-dimming" windows, heads-up displays, in-wheel motors and the piece de resistance, lithium-sulfur batteries.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• The creators of 'Monument Valley' are redesigning your car dash

  The developer of Monument Valley, Ustwo, isn't just content with designing beautiful puzzle games and tablet software -- it wants to rethink your car's dashboard, too. The company has partnered with Car Design Research to build a prototype for an instrument cluster display that tosses out much of what you know today. Instead of fixed gauges, it uses an adaptive screen that shows what you need when you need it. When you're stopped, it tells you whether or not you have enough fuel or electricity to reach your destination. Hit the accelerator and it shifts focus to speed and gears, while reversing automatically brings up the rear-view camera. It's even aware enough to notify you about slippery roads, school zones and other situations where you may need to drive with caution.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Audi's latest Q7 SUV and R8 sports car are powered by electricity

  Audi has gone to this year's Geneva Motor Show with new versions of its Q7 SUV and R8 sports car in tow: electric-powered versions, that is. The new Q7 E-Tron Quattro looks very similar to the regular Q7, but it's actually a plug-in hybrid that has an electric-only range of 34 miles, thanks to its lithium-ion battery. It promises instant high-speed acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in just six seconds, uses a V6 diesel engine, and has a 166 miles per gallon potential, with speeds reaching up to 140 mph. The hybrid SUV has four driving modes: EV mode uses pure electricity, obviously, while hybrid mode automatically switches between electricity and diesel. Battery hold mode stores any electrical energy for later use, while charge mode is used while charging the battery. Audi plans to release it in the UK by the end of this year for a price that's yet to be announced, but it's still unclear if and when it will be released elsewhere.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Uber Family offers kids-friendly tablets in Washington, DC

  If you live in Washington, DC, and are a fan of Uber's family-focused option, you don't have to hand your phone over to the little ones to keep them busy during the ride. The transportation company is partnering with Fuhu to equip Uber Family commuters in the nation's capital with the nabi 2 kids tablet. Using the age-appropriate slate, children can access "console-quality" games and entertainment that lends a hand "developing fine motor skills and encouraging independent play." If you'll recall, the service also allows you to request a car seat, so even the smallest of children can ride safely. Unfortunately, there's no word on when (or if) the nabi 2 will be available in Uber's other locales.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Lyft rewards its drivers for picking you up more often

  A ridesharing service only helps you out if drivers want to pick you up in the first place, and Lyft clearly knows it -- the company just countered Uber's new perk system with one of its own. Accelerate, as it's called, puts drivers in one of three status levels depending on how many rides they offer in a given month. Everyone starts out at silver, which offers basic access to Lyft's preferred providers for services like health insurance. If they handle at least 20 rides a month, though, they'll move up to a gold rank that gives them discounts on everything from car maintenance to movie tickets. And if they're committed enough to offer 200 rides a month, they'll get platinum-level status that bumps them to the front of the queue whenever they ask Lyft's headquarters for help.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Tesla Model S owners can pretend they're in a James Bond submarine

  Elon Musk loved that Lotus Esprit car/submarine from Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me so much, he dropped $866,000 to buy it in an auction two years ago. By the looks of it, though, that's not all he did: he also paid homage to Bond's transforming vehicle by using it as a Model S easter egg. If you have one of Tesla's best-selling EVs, just hold down the T button while on the entertainment system's menu to trigger the Access Code prompt. Yup, you guessed it -- you need to type Bond's number code into the box (hint: it has two zeros and a seven). The screen on your Model S dashboard should then show the Lotus Esprit sub and a "Depth"drop-down menu with the max option of 20,000 Leagues.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• AT&T's connected car tech now works with AT&T's connected home

  Controlling your home's temperature from your smartphone is cool, but it'd make your neighbors even more jealous if you could do the same thing from your car's dashboard. That's the thinking behind AT&T's latest move, which is to bring its home automation platform in harmony with AT&T Drive, its connected car offering. Such integration means that users can control their security, door locks, thermostat and even garage doors straight from the navigation panel. Perhaps it won't be long before the company starts warning users not to mess with the A/C while riding down the highway in the same way it currently does for text messaging.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Ford's foldable e-bike pedals itself when your heart rate goes up

  At CES in January, Ford outed its "Smart Mobility Plan" to make transport easier using a combination of cars and electric bikes. Today at MWC, it just revealed the bike part of that with its "Handle on Mobility" experiment consisting of two employee-designed e-bike prototypes and an app. The foldable MoDe:Me for commuters was made in conjunction with specialist Dahon, while the bigger MoDe:Pro -- aimed at bike couriers and delivery services -- was built in-house. Both come with 200-watt motors and 9-amp-hour batteries that deliver pedal-aided speeds of up to 25 km/h (16MPH). Ford also revealed its iPhone 6-compatible MoDe:Link app that lets you use a combination of cars, trains and e-bikes to commute.

  By Steve Dent Read More

Gaming (48)

• 'Un Chien Andalou' inspires a surreal indie game from Russian devs

  In 1929, famed artist Salvador Dalí and filmmaker Luis Buñuel awoke from a night of strange dreams, Buñuel recalling the image of a razor blade cloud slicing through the moon as if it were an eyeball, and Dalí describing a human hand covered in ants. They turned these images into a silent, surrealist short film called Un Chien Andalou, which opens on a woman with one eye held open, a cloud cutting across the moon and a blade slicing through the eye of a dead calf. The hand, crawling with ants, also makes an appearance. The film has no plot, but it's rife with emotive and disturbing imagery. Cut to 2014, when Russian game developers Ilya Kononenko and Yuliya Kozhemyako decided the first scene of Un Chien Andalou would make the perfect setting for their entry in a local game jam with the theme "Phobias." Their completed game is now due out on April 3rd, called The Tender Cut.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• JXE Streams: Boldly exploring space in 'Sid Meier's Starships'

  Sid Meier scares the crap out of me. I'm deeply familiar with the famed strategy game creator's resume -- from the history-spanning Civilization series to the high seas simulations in Sid Meier's Pirates! -- but I've only ever played one of his games. The reason I never picked another up after trying Civilization III is that once I started playing I didn't stop for about 36 hours. The man makes a deeply cerebral game but also a deeply addictive one. Let it never be said that I won't try things twice, though! Today on JXE Streams, I'll give into the allure of deep space exploration and play Sid Meier's Starships.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Star Wars villains get a moody re-imagining by Square Enix

  Square Enix, the gamesmaker that gave us the Final Fantasy series (alongside plenty of other games), also has a sideline in fancy high-end action figures. Its latest collection tackles the Star Wars universe, well, the darker side of said universe. Alongside Darth Vader (which was teased late last year), Play Arts Kai (the brand Square Enix releases them under) has revealed two more additions: a particularly stoic-looking Stormtrooper and Boba Fett. But reimagining action figures (or perhaps licensing) ain't cheap: Each one retails for around 12,000 yen (roughly $100), but (but!) they can be articulated at 14 different points, with three joints on each arm for maximum dramatic posturing... not to mention reminding yourself (and younger family members) that these aren't for kids.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• A ton of great indie games take over Kyoto at BitSummit 2015

  BitSummit has been at the forefront of Japan's independent gaming scene for the past two years, hosting an event that shows off projects from small studios and industry veterans alike, plus live music and an awards show. Last year's showcase attracted 5,000 fans and 130 game developers, including Mega Man designer Keiji Inafune, Epic Games, Sony and Microsoft. For the 2015 show, BitSummit has partnered with four studios -- 17-Bit, Vitei, Q-Games and Pygmy Studio -- to establish the Japan Independent Games Aggregate, which will oversee all event planning. Plus, one of the leading indie-game promotion houses in the Western world, Indie Megabooth, will help organize BitSummit 2015, lending it an extra layer of delicious credibility. Indie Megabooth President and CEO Kelly Wallick joins JIGA on its board of advisers, and she spoke with us briefly about the new collaboration.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• UK schools threaten to report parents who let their kids play 18+ games

  If your child is playing 18-rated games such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, you could be reported to the police and social services. That's the message being sent to parents by a group of primary and secondary schools in Cheshire. In a letter, the Nantwich Education Partnership has warned parents about the levels of violence and sexual content that are prevalent in mature games. It says regular exposure could lead to "early sexualised behaviour" and leave children "vulnerable to sexual exploitation or extreme violence." Some parents have already voiced their disapproval, but headteachers say they're merely following the guidance set by their local authority: "If your child is allowed to have inappropriate access to any game or associated product that is designated 18+, we are advised to contact the police and children's social care as this is deemed neglectful."

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Why Final Fantasy XV's main playable characters are all men

  Final Fantasy XV's playable demo confirmed suspicions that the long-awaited game's core playable characters are all, well, men. For those wondering, even just a bit, why the creators came to that decision when previous main titles featured mixed-gender teams, well here's your explanation. FFXV director Hajime Tabata sat down for an interview with GameSpot, where he revealed his reasons and shed light on the issue. Apparently, he wanted characters whose actions make you think "boys will be boys." He also believes that "an all-male party feels almost more approachable for players," and that even "one female in the group will change their [the four best bros'] behavior."

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Nine indie developers on the secret to making multiplayer magic

  Ten years ago, multiplayer-only games went through a severe identity crisis. More people than ever were gaming together, but they were increasingly playing online only. The small-stakes joy of twitchy experiences like Street Fighter II and Super Off Road, games meant to be played in short sessions preferably in the same room, weren't feasible anymore. Video games have always been expensive to make, so multiplayer modes had to either come packaged with other content -- consider Halo's famed multiplayer tucked alongside its single-player story -- to flesh them out or be custom built to serve hardcore players meeting up on the internet, a la Team Fortress 2, Valve's modern-day equivalent to the easy-access multiplayer of yore.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Ex-Beats CEO's game taps our weird talent show fixation

  The co-creator of the service behind Beats music has launched a game that plays on the public's love for shows like X-Factor and Glee. Called Chosen, it lets users either record and upload their performances, or act as judges to give other musicians the old Simon Cowell treatment on video. As in the televised versions, the cream of performers and judges will rise to the top of the rankings and get... well, bragging rights, anyway.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Minecraft free for every Northern Ireland secondary school

  Minecraft has been heralded for its focus on building, creativity and exploration. Players learn about architecture and construction, as well as the simple joy of self expression. The game's open nature has also given birth to countless mods that teach budding builders about coding, geography and art. Recognising its power as an educational tool, a free copy of the game is now being offered to every secondary school in Northern Ireland.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• 'Blade Runner' tech gives 'Borderlands' its signature sound

  "The Commodore 64 is like my Bible; that's when [game] music began because that's when they put an analog chip into a computer," composer Jesper Kyd says of the nearly 33-year-old home computer. "Before that it was PC or Atari and everything was like 'beep, beep, beep, beep-beep beep' and who the fuck wants to listen to that?"

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• 'Broken Age Act 2' drops on April 28th for PC, PS4 and Vita

  Get ready for the curtain call: The second and final act in Double Fine's Kickstarted adventure series Broken Age launches for PC in North America on April 28th (29th in Europe), IGN reports. Plus, the full game -- Acts One and Two -- will hit PlayStation 4 and Vita on those same regional dates. Broken Age Act 1 launched January 28, 2014, and we found it to be a sincere, optimistic adventure that had us yearning for more.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• JXE Streams: 'Hotline Miami 2' creators discuss its neon violence

  Hotline Miami makes you feel things that you don't want to feel. It shows you a veritable smorgasbord of ugly -- from its jagged artwork to its stomach churning cartoon violence -- and somehow makes you love it. Which is precisely the point. Dennis Wedin and Jonatan Söderström, the duo comprising Hotline Miami studio Dennaton Games, returned to their signature world of psychosis, brutality, and '80s flash this March with Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. The sequel puts even more emphasis on story and character, which makes its ugliness even more affecting. We'll discuss that and more with the studio during today's two-hour stream of the game.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Putting a virtual nose on video games could reduce simulator sickness

  Virtual reality can be nauseating. It tricks a part of the brain into believing the body is moving, when it's not. A disconnect between the systems (somatosensory and vestibular, to be precise) can make some people want to throw up. But an ongoing study at Purdue College of Technology suggests that a virtual nose could reduce simulator sickness in video games. When your movement isn't anticipated by the body's perceptual system, it triggers motion sickness. That explains why it's usually a passenger who gets sick in a moving car and not the person driving the car.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• 'Space Invaders' with real lasers is delightful, dangerous

  What do you get with a laser cutter, Arduino know-how and way too much time on your hands? A slightly hazardous, live action Space Invaders game, of course! Maker Martin Raynsford created a silly, but wickedly fun real-world version of the classic arcade game just in time for Arduino Day on March 28th. The paper invaders are clipped to a plate that uses stepper motors for left/right and up/down movement, while the 80W laser cutter is driven side-to-side by an Arduino Nano controller hooked up via USB to a PC.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Sound Off! What games have you spent the most time playing?

  Recently, I took a look through my Steam library and realized that I've spent a lot of time playing games. From old standbys like Civilization to more recent titles like Kerbal Space Program, there's hundreds hours of my life sunk into some of these titles. Let's not even get started on colleagues and friends who've played thousands of hours of WoW and Dark Souls. Which games have you found yourself obsessed with and how many hours of your life have you devoted to them? Head over to the Engadget forums to share your top games or post about them below.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• 'Metal Gear Solid' creator Kojima rumored to be leaving Konami

  The creator behind the Metal Gear Solid game series, Hideo Kojima, may not be sticking around Konami for much longer... depending on who you ask. GameSpot sources claim that there has been a "fallout" between Kojima's studio and Konami that will have both the famed developer and his senior staff leaving after their contracts end in December, or a few months after Metal Gear Solid V ships. Supposedly, there have been "power struggles" that led to Konami reducing Kojima Productions staff to contractors, limiting their corporate contact options and giving them fewer chances to promote MGSV.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• JXE Streams: Into the deep, dark woods of 'Ori and the Blind Forest'

  Last week during our stream of Grand Theft Auto V, we asked our Twitch viewers what brand new game they wanted us to play on the show. Let it never be said that we don't deliver! Today on JXE Streams, we're going to play through two hours of Ori and the Blind Forest because you demanded it. If you're unfamiliar, Ori is a lushly animated adventure game where you guide a whispy spirit through an arboreal maze. Think Metroid by way of Spirited Away and you'll get the idea.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• TV-ready game turns your Android phone into a tennis racquet

  Android fans: you no longer have to watch on the sidelines as your friends play TV tennis with their iPhones. Rolocule has released Motion Tennis Cast, an Android version of its free sports game that uses screen mirroring tech (such as Chromecast, Miracast or Samsung's AllShare Cast) to turn your phone into a Wii Sports-like motion controller, with your TV or a Chrome browser tab serving as the screen. You'll largely be lobbing and volleying like you did in the iOS version, although there's a new multiplayer mode that lets you challenge your Facebook and Google+ friends. The real party trick may be coming down the pipeline, however. Rolocule is teasing plans for an Android Wear version, so you'll one day have the option of swinging with your smartwatch.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• JXE Streams: Going out into 'Final Fantasy XV's' great wide-open

  Final Fantasy XV is playable right now and that seems impossible. Even just as Episode Duscae, the small demo included with the newly released Final Fantasy Type-0, it feels like a phantom. Final Fantasy Versus XIII was announced in 2006 as a PlayStation 3-exclusive side story to the impending Final Fantasy XIII. After years of trailers, delays and a slow trickle of art from the game -- a song from the soundtrack showed up on Yoko Shimomura's greatest hits in 2008, for crying out loud -- it was retitled Final Fantasy XV in 2013 and announced for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Now it's partially here. Nine years after that first announcement, we're digging into the expansive Episode Duscae on JXE Streams.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Play 'Space Invaders' for charity while waiting in Swedish airports

  Take a mind journey with us: You step off of an international flight and walk to the baggage claim areas in Sweden's Stockholm Arlanda Airport or Göteborg Landvetter Airport. You're tired, you're waiting for your luggage, and you have a pocketful of foreign coins. Usually, you'd drop them off in the Red Cross donation box, which takes any type of currency, and you'd continue standing, waiting. Now, the Swedish Red Cross and Swedavia Swedish Airports have turned those donation boxes into classic arcade cabinets -- drop in any currency from any country and start playing Pac-Man, Galaga or Space Invaders before grabbing your bags. It's better than letting those coins collect dust, and classic video games have been scientifically proven* to help travelers shake off that "I've been sitting for 18 hours" look.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• GAME follows Amazon's lead with launch of its own 'Marketplace'

  Third-party sellers have become a huge part of the Amazon experience, offering customers a wide variety of products at knock-down prices. Video games are part of that equation, which is inevitably pulling business away from specialised UK retailers such as GAME. In response, the latter is launching a direct competitor today called GAME Marketplace, which gives independent merchants the chance to sell video games and other related merchandise through the GAME website. At launch, this includes clothes, smartphones, movies, comic books and a ton of other paraphernalia. Video games do feature, but they're mostly older titles and retro classics that aren't going to affect GAME's core business.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Bringing empathy to the Middle East through gaming

  Navit Keren grew up in Israel. She's lived through the signing of historic peace treaties, and horrific terrorist attacks. Just as important though, she's witness to the dramatic deterioration of the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians. The biggest problem she sees, is a lack of empathy. Those living on the other side of the divide are not people, but enemies. "Others" to be feared and hated. Her effort to bridge the gap between the two sides is a pretty novel one: a location-based game. Welcome to the West Bank is merely a working title, but it gets right to the heart of the game. Israeli citizens, primarily teenagers, would play as Palestinian teenagers living in the West Bank. Basically she's asking people to walk a mile in someone else's virtual shoes.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• 'Mortal Kombat X' ups the fright factor with Jason Voorhees

  Round 1, FRIGHT! Jason Voorhees, the hockey-masked murderer from the classic Friday the 13th horror films, will be a playable character in Mortal Kombat X. Jason joins the fight as part of the Kombat Pack DLC pass, which includes four playable characters (including Jason), plus the Samurai Pack with three character skins: Ronin Kenshi, Samurai Shinnok and Jingu Kitana. The Kombat Pack is $30, though in the Americas it comes packed in with more expensive, special editions of the game -- The Kollector's Edition is $150, the Limited Edition is $100 and Premium is $90. Mortal Kombat X launches on April 14 for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4; the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions have been delayed until summer. Sharpen your fighting skills (and your machete collection), and check out the Mortal Kombat X Jason teaser below.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• JXE Streams: 'Splatterhouse' makes a mess of Friday the 13th

  Jason Vorhees' hockey mask in Friday the 13th was an accident. Special effects man Martin Jay Sadoff just happened to really like hockey and have a bag of old-school gear with him when the third movie was in production. As pop culture serendipity goes, the mask is a brilliant success: when Friday the 13th rolls around, it's impossible not to think of that chipped face guard. In turn, it's impossible not to think of pulpy horror and that infamous date when you see something that even sort of looks like the mask. No doubt that was the logic at Namco when it conceived Splatterhouse -- one of gaming's earliest gore-fests -- and its masked star. That's also why we're playing a whole lot of Splatterhouse for you on JXE Streams!

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• 'Titanfall' sequel headed to more than just Xbox and Windows

  Standby for Titanfall, PlayStation 4 owners. The crumbs from the game's first birthday cake are just starting to get crunchy, and developer Respawn Entertainment's dropped news that there's a sequel in the works. What's more, it's shedding Windows and Xbox exclusivity according to IGN. "It'll be multiplatform," the studio's CEO Vince Zampella said. COO Dusty Welch said that the decision to release the initial game only on Microsoft platforms was a business decision above anything else, with Zampella adding that making the game wouldn't have been possible otherwise. All that to say, Microsoft did a lot of financial heavy lifting for Titanfall -- much like it did for the original Mass Effect. Any of the game's cloud-reliance shouldn't be lost in the transition to non-Redmond platforms either considering that PS4 developers can offload processing tasks to remote servers as well.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• JXE Streams: 'Grand Theft Auto Online,' heists and you

  The best laid plans of crooks and thugs lead us to nothing but loot and hugs! At least that's what we're hoping happens when we play the newly released heists in Grand Theft Auto Online on JXE Streams. Nearly 18 months after Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto V, the game's online multiplayer mode finally has heists, new missions in which you and a crew of other players try to execute multi-tiered virtual crimes. Think Ocean's Eleven but with markedly less George Clooney and markedly more video game violence. We'll be playing through the very first of the heists to give an overview of how they work on today's show.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• 'Minecraft' might get banned in Turkey for being too violent

  In a move of absolute ridiculousness, Turkey wants to ban Minecraft because its Family and Social Policies Ministry's deemed it too violent for kids. Yes, a game where you build fortresses and punch trees is getting called out for its content, because in Survival Mode, you have to defend yourself from the zombie-like Mobs and that sometimes means killing them. As the region's Hurriyet Daily News reports, the Ministry also says that some kids could confuse Minecraft's blocky, pixelated landscapes for the real world which would make them think that torturing animals was totally fine. Sure; okay. The reason for the outfit casting its gaze at Microsoft's $2.5 billion purchase in the first place? To see if the game encouraged violence against women. At least its heart was in the right place at the outset.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Why 2015 will be a groundbreaking year for UK eSports

  A casual glance at the front page of Twitch or MLG is all it takes to remind you of eSports' growing popularity. Whether you're interested in League of Legends, Dota 2 or Hearthstone, it doesn't take long to find a stream where talented players are competing in ranked cups and tournaments. The professional gaming scene has grown rapidly in the last few years, and that success is slowly being reflected in the UK. The number of players and spectators has risen dramatically, and that's created new business opportunities for league organisers, game publishers and sponsors. Just like traditional sports, there's money to be made if you can get people excited about watching and following their favourite stars.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Recommended Reading: Exploring the vastness of 'No Man's Sky'

  Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. 'No Man's Sky' is so Big, the Developers Built Space Probes to Explore it for Them by Dave Tach Polygon Our own Ben Gilbert was quite smitten with No Man's Sky back at E3 2014, and Hello Games delivered more info on the PS4 title at this week's GDC. One of the most interesting bits? The game is so big that devs had to build space probes to examine its landscape. Only the game's designers will ever see the machines, but they're tasked with zooming around the title's 18 quintillion worlds shooting video footage of what they encounter.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Dive into a sci-fi game anthology full of stars and weird games

  Game jams are marathon sessions where game makers put together a game in a short period of time, typically just one or two days. Naturally they're unpredictable -- as likely to conclude in quick interactive jokes as they are substantive games. Sometimes 48 hours of game development ends with Broforce. Other times it ends with Kitty Punch. Rather than invite all game makers to come together for a non-stop creative session, Antholojam founders Zoe Quinn and Alex Lifschitz invited creators to pitch ideas based around a theme and then gave them a month to complete their vision. Now there's Antholojam 1: A Golden Age of Sci-Fi Anthology, gathering together 15 beautiful and strange games resulting from the first of these curated jams.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Better than 'Destiny': Studios now make massive games in just months

  It usually takes millions of dollars, a decade and hundreds of developers to create a single massively multiplayer online (MMO) game. This is the standard in the gaming industry. Smaller studios generally don't have the resources to create huge, persistent games, and larger ones have shut down and bankrupted entire states while trying to craft MMO worlds. A lot of the hurdles in building MMOs lie within the supporting tech -- running servers that handle complex mechanics 24/7/365, maxing those out and buying more, all while solving problems of latency and persistence. Making the worlds feel real for all players, at all times.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Catching up with BioWare cofounder Greg Zeschuk

  Greg Zeschuk, the man that co-founded BioWare and shepherded the development of now classic franchises like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, left the gaming industry for good more than two years ago. Yet, despite that apparent retirement, he was back on the show floor at GDC in San Francisco to show off Biba, one of his many part-time side projects. Don't worry. Zeschuk's main passion remains beer, beer and more beer. But he's also committed to using his influence and financial resources for more altruistic endeavors.

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

• 'Final Fantasy' composer on the pleasures of prog and Abbey Road

  Nobuo Uematsu is distinguished amongst game soundtrack composers not just because of his work for Squaresoft in the '80s and '90s or his lustrous mustache. He's one of the few songwriters responsible for the way video games sound across the board, influencing other creators over 30 years. Square's Final Fantasy series, on which Uematsu was sole or primary composer for the first 10 games, molded how storytelling in games should sound. The synthesized minor key melody of series theme "Prelude," the ambient wash of Final Fantasy VII's "Opening/Bombing Mission," and hundreds of other songs are landmarks in gaming's aural landscape.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• 'Rock Band' is back with 'Rock Band 4': headed to Xbox One and PS4 in 2015

  Remember way back in 2009? Times were simpler then: Pittsburgh's Steelers were Super Bowl champions; Tiger Woods was caught having an affair; and I was playing a lot of Rock Band. You probably were too. Many millions of you were, anyway, and the plastic peripheral market was booming. In a few short years, the world went from zero to dozens of plastic guitars, keyboards, mics and drums per household, all in the name of games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. House parties quickly turned into Rock Band parties with surprising frequency. It was only another few short years before those games, and the peripherals they required, fell off a cliff. That was 2010, when Rock Band 3 launched. It's been five years, and the world is apparently ready for more Rock Band. The folks behind the original Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises are back in the development seat and bringing Rock Band 4 to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 later this year.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Daily Roundup: Nintendo and indie gaming, HTC's attempt at VR and more!

  In today's Daily Roundup, we take a look at Nintendo's relationship with indie game makers, find out how Valve wants to change VR and chat with HTC's chief designer. Head past the break to get caught up on all of the day's top stories.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Here's how 'Minecraft' creates its gigantic worlds

  Have you wondered how Minecraft can produce massive worlds that are still chock-full of little details, like elaborate cliff faces and waterfalls? PBS' Game/Show is more than happy to explain in a new video. As you'll see below, Mojang's game relies on procedural generation, which automatically creates environments and objects that are at once random, but guided by rules that maintain a consistent logic. Mountains are always rocky and sprinkled with snow, for example, while the low lands are typically full of grass and trees.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• A visual history of Valve's work in VR

  It's been a long road from where Valve started with VR. It was only a few shorts years ago that the company was letting select industry folk demo prototype VR hardware in its QR code-laden "Room." And now, Valve has its own consumer-facing VR headset, the HTC Vive; its own controller that looks like the space opera version of Sony's Move wand; and a positional-based tracking solution in Lighthouse VR. None of this has exactly caught us off guard -- Valve was always cagey when it came to questions of commercial hardware. But we weren't prepared for just how impressive the combination of all the VR tech truly is. In fact, our own Ben Gilbert called it the "best VR" he's experienced to date. It's only fair, then, that Valve would want to look back on its own journey pioneering VR. And look back it did with a timeline of prototypes and R&D breakthroughs it had on display here at GDC. Care to take that walk down Valve's memory lane? Then treat yourself to the gallery below and be sure to head past the break for a video tour.

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

• EA shuts down the studio behind 'SimCity'

  The studio that created SimCity and The Sims is no more. Today, EA confirmed that it will shut down Maxis Emeryville, displacing the folks primarily responsible for the aforementioned titles. In a statement, EA said that it'll relocate Maxis' development to its other offices in Redwood Shores, California; Salt Lake City; Helsinki; and Melbourne, Australia. The company plans to move forward with projects already in the works, including an expansion pack for The Sims 4 and ongoing support for the existing The Sims and SimCity faithful. Those two are massively popular PC titles, and the latter finally arrived on Mac in 2013 with players everywhere encountering a truckload of launch issues.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• JxE Streams: Bring on the Bright Lord in 'Shadow of Mordor'

  Last year was a mixed bag for fans of magical rings and short dudes with a penchant for going barefoot. On the one hand, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies was a disappointing close to the mediocre second Tolkien film trilogy. On the other, Monolith Games made one of the best pieces of Lord of the Rings-related fare in years in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Its thriving world and "Nemesis System," which has you intimidating, manipulating, and confusing an army of monsters, made it one of the first standout successes on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. We're diving into "The Bright Lord," a brand new downloadable story campaign, on JxE Streams at 4PM ET.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Epic Games partners with 'Hobbit' effects company Weta for VR tech

  Last year, Epic Games Chief Technology Officer Kim Libreri and Unreal Engine 4 General Manager Ray Davis visited some friends at Lord of the Rings effects studio Weta Digital in Wellington, New Zealand. They only wanted a tour of the studio, but along the way they ran into Weta's head of R&D, Alasdair Coull. He mentioned that he was messing around with Unreal Engine 4, Epic's game development platform. Fast-forward to March 2015: Epic Games and Weta are showing off a virtual reality demo featuring the greedy dragon, Smaug, swimming through mountains of gold in the second Hobbit film, voiced in all his baritone glory by actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Smaug speaks directly to the person in the headset -- Oculus Rift's Crescent Bay model -- and his daunting size is on full display; 500 feet of red-scaled, deep-speaking Smaug.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain' sneaks out in September

  Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the latest in Hideo Kojima's nearly 30-year-old series of melodramatic espionage games, finally has a release date. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of will arrive on September 1st for $60, and on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for $50. PC players have to wait just a bit longer to experience the next generation of hiding from armed soldiers in cardboard boxes. Metal Gear Solid V will be available on Windows via Steam for $60 on September 15th.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Crysis 3, Doom 3 and more ported to Android, powered by NVIDIA

  "Can it play Crysis?" is the question people are still asking after all these years, despite the vast majority of game hardware now being more than capable of running Crytek's gorgeous first-person shooter. It's how NVIDIA introduced Crysis 3 this week, running on its new Android TV-powered NVIDIA Shield set-top box. Which is to say yes, it can play Crysis. The game is outright running on Android, albeit only Android devices powered by NVIDIA's bleeding edge X1 processor.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• JxE Streams: 'Resident Evil: Revelations 2' meets 'Code Veronica'

  No one refers to video games as their "stories." Games tend to have a whole lot of sequels but they're hardly suited for serialized storytelling over a long period of time. Super Mario Bros. doesn't keep a thread running General Hospital style; the medium's just not built for soap opera. With the exception of Resident Evil, of course. For nearly 20 years, Resident Evil's absurd storyline has stayed intact: an unbroken string of evil corporations, bio-terrorism and the cheesiest one-liners this side of a Marmaduke comic strip. Unfortunately, Claire Redfield, one of its best heroines, has been out of the spotlight for 15 years. Now she's back and JXE Streams is looking back on her stories.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• We're live at the 2015 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco!

  Every year, in late winter, covering the game industry gives me a chance to leave New York City at its most miserable. It's with great pleasure that I tell you, yes, we're here in San Francisco -- where it's 60 degrees and not 34 -- to bring you all the news, hands-ons, interviews, videos and combinations thereof, straight from the 2015 Game Developers Conference. From here on out, we're gonna make that name a bit simpler: GDC 2015. We've even got a page right here where you can keep up to date on all the aforementioned coverage. Head below for a brief rundown of the week to come.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• 'Mortal Kombat X' for mobile rewards your victories with konsole kred

  After a lengthy hiatus, Mortal Kombat is coming back to the mobile world -- and it's giving you a few extra incentives to brutalize fighters while you're waiting for the bus. Mortal Kombat X will reach Android and iOS users on April 14th with not just the obligatory fatalities and other gory details, but a two-way reward system that encourages you to keep playing when you switch platforms. If you thrash enough suckers to unlock content on your phone, for example, you'll get some perks when you fire up your console at home. Something tells us the mobile MKX won't be as challenging as its full-size counterpart (swipe to finish someone off, really?), but look at it this way: it's not often that you get to break someone's jaw on your commute and feel good about it later.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Your phone now doubles as an Android TV game controller

  So you want to play games on your Android TV set, but you'd rather not shell out for a gamepad? You might not have to in the near future. Google has revealed that an upcoming update to Google Play Services will let you use your Android mobile devices as controllers for Android TV games. If you want to start a four-way race or shooting match, you'll only have to ask friends to pull their phones out of their pockets. You'll have to wait for developers to use the technology before you can start playing, but that patience could pay off if it spares you from buying controllers that will likely spend most of their life gathering dust. Don't miss out on all the latest from GDC 2015! Follow along at our events page right here.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• One of gaming's most used engines is now free

  Created in Unreal Engine 4 Game development is expensive. It's not a question of the tools costing too much; game engines like Unity and GameMaker Studio offer free versions, and paid versions aren't far out of reach. That's a recent development, though. When the last generation of game consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii) ruled the roost, the Unreal Engine was both ubiquitous and costly. Its latest iteration, Unreal Engine 4, is widely used, but has taken a sideline to free offerings from the likes of Unity. The engine's maker, Epic Games, isn't sitting idly by and letting the competition take over, though: as of this morning, Unreal Engine 4 is free for all to use.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• GAME gets into eSports with the £20 million acquisition of Multiplay

  It looks like 2015 could be a big year for competitive gaming in the UK. Just weeks after we found out where the UK's first eSports arena will be located, Britain's biggest video game retailer GAME has confirmed it's getting into the tournament business. The company announced today that it's spent £20 million to acquire Multiplay, a community-driven games company that focuses on live events, gaming services and eSports.

  By Matt Brian Read More

Google (44)

• Google shows how it fights apps that insert unwanted web ads

  It's bad enough when apps add unwanted toolbars and buttons in your browser, but it's especially irksome when they inject ads. It's no fun to have a technical support scam interrupt your web reading, after all. Google clearly hates this rogue software as much as you do, though, as it just outlined what it's doing to fight ad injectors. In Chrome, the company's tougher extension rules and malware blockers theoretically prevent code from inserting ads without your say-so. Google is also refining its techniques for catching bad extensions, and its AdWords policies prevent advertisers from offering shady downloads.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google reveals budget Chromebooks including a $249 ASUS convertible

  Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for some new Chromebooks. Yep, Google has just announced four new Chrome OS laptops, all of which lean toward the budget-friendly end of the spectrum. They are the ASUS Chromebook Flip, the ASUS Chromebook C201, the Hisense Chromebook and the Haier Chromebook 11 (This also comes in an educational version dubbed the 11e). Though it's the priciest model at $249, the most notable one by far is ASUS' Chromebook Flip. Not only is it the slimmest of the bunch with a thickness of only 15mm, it has a 10.1-inch touchscreen IPS display that can be flipped (hence the name) 360 degrees around.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Google puts Chrome OS on your TV with its own HDMI stick

  Google has unveiled a whole new type of Chrome device, and it's one that can fit in your pocket. It's called the Chromebit, and it's essentially a Chromebook crammed in a dongle. This tiny little package contains a Rockchip 3288 SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of eMMC memory, a USB 2.0 port, WiFi 802.11 ac support, Bluetooth 4.0, a Smart Ready controller and an ARM Mali 760 quad-core GPU. Just like Intel's Compute Stick, all you have to do to get the Chromebit working is to attach it to any display with a HDMI port, and voila, you've turned it into a computer. Unlike the Intel stick though, the Chromebit's HDMI end actually swivels around so that the dongle doesn't stick out in an unsightly way behind a monitor or TV. As for battery life, well, Google says it doesn't really know that just yet as the product is still in testing. Google promises that the Chromebit -- the first is made by ASUS -- will retail for less than $100. It'll be available in either silver, blue or orange and will be out later this summer.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Google Maps turned your streets into Pac-Man today

  Your streets can be an iconic arcade game right now. Google Maps has a Pac-Man option just in time for April Fool's Day. With the click of a button, your streets will be dotted with yellow pellets and the four famous ghosts. New York City, with its perpendicular streets, is perfect for Pac-Man's maze. I zipped around the block for a few minutes, until I ran into Pinky outside Webster Hall. Even though everyone's streets probably won't convert into a Pac-Man-like grid, Google might be getting better at gags after years of trying and failing.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Google Drive offers access to your Google+ photos

  Google isn't wasting much time acting on its promise to divvy up Google+ into individual services. As hinted earlier, an updated version Google Drive on Android, iOS and the web now offers access to your Google+ photos. The unified cloud storage approach not only saves you the trouble of switching apps, but gives you more control -- you can move pictures from a big speech into the same folder as the speech itself. On iOS, Drive can also take over as your automatic camera backup. Only new photos will show up in the app right away, but your whole Google+ collection should be available within the next few weeks.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google teams with Johnson & Johnson for robotic-assisted surgery

  Google's mysterious facility, Google X, is churning out next level technologies -- a self-driving car, delivery drones and Internet balloons. Its Life Sciences division is now teaming up with Ethicon, one of Johnson & Johnson's medical device companies, to develop robotic-assisted surgeries. "Through this collaboration, we are looking to provide surgeons with a technologically advanced system that would help them make the best, most informed decisions," Gary Pruden, Worldwide Chairman, Global Surgery Group at Johnson & Johnson told Engadget. "The surgeon remains the ultimate decision maker, but they will have even more support with precision movements and data-enhanced decision making tools."

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Google loses bid to block Safari privacy lawsuit in the UK

  Back in February 2012, the Wall Street Journal revealed how Google was able to quietly bypass privacy settings in Safari and track the sites people were browsing. The company eventually paid a $22.5 million penalty to the FTC, and now a group of Brits is seeking similar compensation. Google has been trying to appeal a High Court decision that means their case can be heard in the UK, but today the bid was effectively thrown out.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Google will fix Chrome's scrolling with Microsoft's help

  Smoother scrolling is coming to Chrome, as Google will integrate Microsoft's Pointer Events API into a future version of the browser. To say that Google and Microsoft haven't had the best working relationship would be an understatement. The companies have been warring on several different fronts, with browsers and the future of the web being a major sticking point. As Ars Technica reports, now that Internet Explorer (and all the legacy that comes with it) is about to be retired in favor of a sleeker, standards-friendly browser, the two companies -- or at least their browser teams -- are starting to warm to one another.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Google taking augmented reality game 'Ingress' to TV

  Google and its video game studio, Niantic Labs, are adding another layer to their augmented reality app, Ingress, by bringing it to TV, The Information reports. In Ingress, players travel -- in physical reality -- to marked locations called "portals," and they hack and defend those positions using iOS and Android devices, including Android Wear. It's a lot of mystery, stealth and geolocation wrapped in a sci-fi vibe, and players are meant to feel like operatives in world-changing missions. Plus, the app has been downloaded more than 10 million times since launching in 2012. Yeah, that sounds like it could make for a fairly entertaining TV show.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Google makes it easier for Android users to view custom maps

  A custom map you've created for a trip is only useful if you can access it when you need it. Thankfully, Google's bringing back My Maps integration with Android, so it's now easier to view your personalized files on mobile. As you might know, you can use My Maps to plan for hiking, canoeing or even for commuting or daily walks, as it lets you place markers on locations and draw lines or shapes to indicate routes. It also allows you to create layers for different kinds of content and even import geographic data, such as a place's name and coordinates. To view your creations -- or others who have shared theirs with you -- just launch Google Maps on Android. The update has begun rolling out today, so keep an eye out if you're planning for a road trip.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Google lets any app use its malware-blocking tools

  If you've ever been saved from visiting a virus-laden website by Chrome's malware-blocking technology, we have good news: You can expect to see this safeguard in other apps, too. Google has added tools for spotting "unwanted software" to its Safe Browsing developer kit, so any program can stop rogue web downloads. It'll take a while before you see this show up elsewhere, but don't be surprised if future apps with built-in web viewers are smart enough to raise a red flag. [Image credit: Shutterstock/bioraven]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• ?Google's driverless car ideas include airbags on the outside

  Airbags on the inside, that's what cars typically have. That's great for protecting people on the inside a vehicle. But, how about airbags on the outside, for the rest of us? Google's patented the idea for its driverless cars, with a system of inflatable bumpers that would react in the event of an accident. Sensors could detect when a collision is imminent and inflate the bags to hopefully reduce damage to anyone (or anything) involved. That said, typical airbags might not help when installed outside of the car, as any poor pedestrian that the system would aim to protect would likely be bounced off -- which doesn't sound particularly safe. Google has the answer, however: visco-elastic material.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• You could receive and pay bills in your Gmail by year's end

  Google will remind you of some upcoming bills (if you're down with the contextual beauty that is Google Now at least), but that's not all the search giant is doing with that knowledge. According to a document obtained by Re/code, Google's working on a way for you to receive bills from your service providers in your Gmail account, and pay for them without having to leave the confines of your inbox. The service, currently code-named "Pony Express," is apparently being prepped for a launch in late (think fourth quarter) 2015.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Google Fiber is launching in Salt Lake City

  You no longer have to head to Provo if you want Google Fiber in Utah -- Google has revealed that it's bringing its gigabit internet access to the state's capital, Salt Lake City. The company is short on details, but it won't have a ready-made fiber network to use this time around. SLC's fiber network is still in the design phase, much like those in Atlanta, Nashville and North Carolina, so you could be waiting a while before you have a chance to sign up. Nonetheless, this is a good sign. Even if you don't live in the area, it suggests that Google is picking up the pace on its once-cautious Fiber rollouts and is more likely to bring extra-fast data to your city.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google's Nexus Player officially hits the UK on March 26th for £80

  Google successfully invaded living rooms everywhere with its simple and cheap Chromecast dongle, and late last year announced its next product bound to the big screen: the Nexus Player. Running the TV-friendly version of Android OS, it does everything the Chromecast can and more, being a dedicated set-top box that doesn't require other devices to control it. With a nifty voice search feature and second job as an Android mini-console when paired with the gamepad accessory, it's Google's attempt to take on the Rokus, Apple TVs and Fire TVs of this world (the latter also having console functionality). And after a few months of being available stateside, it appears to be officially launching in the UK on March 26th for the agreeable price of £80.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• Google Fiber starts testing targeted, trackable TV ads

  For all of the other things it does, Google is still a company that makes a ton of money from advertising, and now it's turning that focus to TV. This week the company announced that it's testing a new kind of ad-tracking system for Google Fiber TV customers in Kansas City. Just like any other local cable company, they'll air during ad breaks reserved for local advertisers (that crappy ad for the car dealership around the corner that comes on during The Walking Dead). Where it's different is that advertisers will only pay for the number of ads actually shown, as monitored by the Fiber set-top boxes. Google can insert fresh ads in DVR'd programming too, and target viewers based on their viewing history. Users can opt-out of the viewing history tracking, but that's it.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Google created an 'Ebola-proof' tablet to help fight epidemics

  Up until now, doctors fighting highly contagious diseases like Ebola have had to forgo their gadgets for pen and paper. But Google, at the request of the French organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), has developed an alternative: A tablet enclosed in polycarbonate, which can be soaked in chlorine for decontamination. It communicates with a battery-powered server outside of high-risk zones, allowing doctors to save and retrieve patient records easily. Altogether, it's a rather elegant solution for getting around typically restrictive biohazard restrictions. The system's usefulness goes far beyond Ebola, as well: it could be easily deployed to help fight future disease outbreaks. Google and Médecins Sans Frontières are also working to open source the project, which should make it easy for others to adapt it to their needs. [Photo credit: Médecins Sans Frontières]

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• FTC report reveals how Google manipulated its search results (update)

  A few years ago, the FTC decided not to pursue an antitrust lawsuit against Google despite finding that its search algorithm really was biased. Now, we finally know the details of that lengthy investigation, thanks to a report written by FTC staffers that recently surfaced due to an open-records request. According to the 160-page report, the employees found evidence that Mountain View was demoting its competitors and placing its own services on top of search results lists, even if they weren't as helpful. Google Flights, for instance, would rank highly during the staff's test searches, even though it didn't offer as many options as other flight aggregators and travel websites like TravelAdvisor.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Google hopes these offers make you want a Chromecast

  Google isn't just using Chromecast Offers to reward existing users, the company's also loading it with freebies in an effort to more households to get one. For instance, if you buy a Chromecast from March 20th to April 19th, you'll get $80 worth of rewards. Namely, three months of subscription to Play Music, one month of Qello Concerts, three months of DramaFever, three months of Sesame Street GO and a free movie rental from Play Movies. While Google has reportedly sold over 10 million streaming sticks last year, having more users means getting more leverage when negotiating with content providers. That, in turn, could lead to bigger rewards or exclusive deals similar to Apple TV's HBO Now offering.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• A single Google balloon delivered internet from Chile to Australia

  It's been interesting watching Google's Project Loon progress, and the latest test run for the balloon-based internet service is perhaps the most impressive. A single balloon recently launched from New Zealand and traveled some 5,500 miles (9,000 kilometers) across the Pacific Ocean to Chile where Google started putting it through its paces. Once in the South American country's airspace, Project Loon members issued a command for the balloon to change altitude and hit a wind pattern that caused it to cut its 80 KPH (almost 50 MPH) speed by a quarter. That gave the ground team a chance to use smartphones to test the airborne LTE network's mettle.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Google's street art collection doubles in size

  If you're the sort who's more excited by graffiti and murals than paintings hanging in a museum, today's your lucky day. The Google Art Project has doubled the size of its street art collection to a total of more than 10,000 images, including spruced-up abandoned buildings in Buenos Aires and formal projects from Sweden's Artscape festival. And there's new ways to check out these pieces, to boot -- in addition to the existing mobile and web views, Google has quietly released a Street Art Watch Faces bundle that shuffles through projects on your Android Wear smartwatch. Hit the source links if you're curious about street culture around the world. [Image credit: RUN/Dulwich Outdoor Gallery, Google Art Project]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Chromecast will now take orders from your TV remote

  Google's Chromecast is capable of all sorts of tricks, but some of them have remained untapped until now. Take HDMI-CEC, which has been built into the video stick since the outset, but has only just been made compatible with input from connected devices. This means that your TV remote can now deliver IR orders to the Chromecast: your remote can pause and resume whatever's being beamed from the stick. The stick has been using the same tech to turn on your TV and switch inputs when you broadcast video to the dongle? since its arrival, but this is the first time user input has been included. The standard isn't quite as widespread as traditional HDMI, however, so be warned that the feature may not be compatible with your particular TV. Likewise, Chromecast users report that the functionality is working with HBO Go, WatchESPN, Allcast, BBC iPlayer, Google Play Music, and TuneIn Radio, although Hulu remains conspicuously absent.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Google open-sourcing the software behind its Fiber TV box

  SageTV was one of the original streaming companies, with a DVR box, home theater PC software and even a Sling-like place-shifting app. But since Google acquired it in 2011, all that technology has been off the market and limited to Google Fiber TV boxes. Now, SageTV founder (and current Google employee) Jeffrey Kardatzke says that Google "has agreed to open-source the SageTV platform." We're not sure if that means that SageTV's Google Fiber tech will appear in Android TV devices and what it may mean for developers. All Kardatzke said was that the move "will be happening in the near future" (i.e., months, not years). "I'm looking forward to see what the community can do with SageTV once it is fully open." [Thanks, Brandon!]

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google Now will soon show info from any app

  Google Now only displays useful tidbits of knowledge from a handful of your apps right now, but the flood gates are about to fling wide open. Project director Aparna Chennapragada has revealed that Google plans to release a developer kit that lets any of your apps put their data into Now, not just those with special access. It's not clear exactly when this will turn up, but Chennapragada suggests that there shouldn't be collisions between competing software -- your app usage habits will determine which cards appear. While that may be a tad optimistic (it's easy to see two social networks vying for your attention), there's a good chance that Google Now will become a one-stop shop for things you need to know.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google Code is shutting down because everyone loves GitHub

  Goodbye, Google Code. The technology giant has decided to close its project hosting and code collaboration site because, well, there are simply better alternatives on the web. Google says it launched the platform back in 2006 because it was unhappy with the "limited" options available to the open source community. Since then, the likes of GitHub and Bitbucket have risen to prominence, superseding Google Code's feature set and encouraging developers to transfer their projects. As such, Google's offering has become increasingly filled with spam and abuse, leading to the company's decision to pull the plug. Yesterday it stopped accepting new projects, and on August 24th the site will become read-only. Google Code will eventually be shuttered next January, although tarballs of project source, issues and wikis will continue to be available throughout 2016. If you need to transfer a project, head here for the relevant GitHub and Bitbucket migration tools.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Google knows if your flight has WiFi

  Google Flight Search can send you to a random spot on the globe, and now it'll tell you if that fare offers WiFi too. Through a partnership with flight-rating service Routehappy, the search giant will populate your queries with amenity information like the aforementioned internet availability, in-seat power outlets, media streaming to your own device and seat type. Since trips on Virgin America's kitted out planes aren't exactly feasible for every trip, Google's new tools should make it easier to see what flights offer a somewhat comparable experience before you board. [Image credit: Jupiterimages.com]

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Google Chrome beta adds push notifications

  Chrome's push notification feature has graduated from the Canary channel and is now part of the latest Beta release. And you know what that means, right? It's just one step away from being incorporated into the stable browser. Chrome Beta 42 (for all platforms) comes with two new APIs that allows websites to send you notifications even if the browser isn't open. Each message comes with "Site Setting" beneath it, though (as you can see below the fold), providing a way to quickly switch off notifications from that particular service or website.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Google's new Chrome extension brings classic art to every tab

  Following up on its successful Earth View experiment, Google's latest Chrome add-on is the Google Art Project extension. Like Earth View, the new addition turns your boring blank tabs into canvases for gorgeous imagery. Rather than highlighting satellite imagery, though, this extension pulls from the Google Art Project to display famous artworks from museums and galleries around the world. We're still exploring what's on offer, but we've already seen paintings from acclaimed artists like Whistler (pictured above), Van Gogh, Vernet, Monet and Degas. Only a quarter of a million people are using Earth View right now, meaning there are millions of drab gray tabs still left to brighten up. If yours are included in that figure, you can grab the Google Art Project extension from the Chrome Web Store for free.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Visit the Sherpa community of Mt. Everest through Google Street View

  Google's Street View really is a godsend for those of us who'd rather stay at home and look at nature pics than *gulp* brave the great outdoors. It now features Khumbu or the Everest region of Nepal, including images not just of Mt. Everest itself, but also of the Sherpa communities living around its base. The company teamed up with Apa Sherpa, who holds a world record for reaching the Everest summit 21 times, his foundation and Nepalese nonprofit Story Cycle to document the location during a 10-day trek. Thanks to them, you can see monasteries and schools you might never see in your life, along with hairy yaks dotted along the area's dusty roads. If you're not so fond of yaks, you could always visit camels in the UAE, chimps in Tanzania, or the various critters of the Amazon forest instead.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Google opens a new online store for all of its gadgets

  It's always nice when gigantic companies make it easier for us to give them our money. Google has launched an all-encompassing online store for its devices, from Android Wear to Chromecast to the Nest Thermostat. The Google Store replaces Google Play for all hardware purchases, including accessories like Nexus keyboards, a variety of chargers and covers, and of course frames and shades for Google Glass. As a welcome gift, grab free shipping in the new hub right now, for a limited time.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Touring the world's first 'Google Shop'

  For a while now, Google has been using Currys PC World stores across the UK to promote its latest Chromebooks, Chromecast and Nexus devices. The company normally takes over a small section of the shop with its own decor, demo stations and staff, which naturally attract the attention of curious customers. Google still hasn't built an Apple-style retail store of its own, but this week it moved one step closer with the launch of a new "Google Shop" inside the Currys PC World store on London's Tottenham Court Road. The company says it's the first "Google shop experience" to be opened anywhere in the world and will be joined by two more in Fulham, London and Thurrock, Essex later this year.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Former Google lawyer Michelle Lee will run the US patent office

  It's official: after four months of waiting, former Google legal counsel Michelle Lee has been confirmed as the head of the US Patent and Trademark Office. She was already serving as the acting director (the position has technically been vacant since 2013), but this gives her a more secure footing. The nod is potentially a big help to the agency. While there have been steps to curb patent trolling, a more permanent USPTO position could help Lee improve the quality of US patents and discourage frivolous lawsuits. She was already a vociferous advocate for patent reform in her Google days, and she now has a solid platform for making those reforms a reality. [Image credit: Tony Avelar/AP Images for SanDisk Corporation]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google Drive will soon back up your phone's photos

  Now that Google+ is splitting up into individual services, where will you go to back up your phone's picture library? To Google Drive, apparently. Android Police has discovered that the latest version of the cloud storage app on Android has preliminary code for an eventual photo backup feature that would behave much like Google+ or the standard Photos app. You'll have an easier time sharing your files on the big screen, too -- there are hidden mentions of Chromecast streaming support. These features may not go live in the next release (Google sometimes leaves pre-release code hanging around for a while), but they're likely coming sooner rather than later.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• WSJ: Google has a small team working on Android for VR

  We've already got Android in phones, tablets, TVs and maybe even cars, but according to a new rumor, the next step could be VR headsets (beyond Mattel's View-Master). While smartphones can already provide the brains of a VR unit for Samsung's Gear VR or Google Cardboard, the Wall Street Journal says Google has "tens of engineers" working on a version of Android that would power virtual reality apps. According to the rumor, that's in addition to the Magic Leap augmented reality project Google has invested in, and a separate AR project Google is working on itself. Based on what we've seen of Android development so far -- and the recent flood of VR hardware -- it's really no surprise, but if you see a slew of headset rumors ahead of the next Google I/O it might be for something other than just a new edition of Glass.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Google helps you compare car insurance in the US

  Let's face it: Google's internet knowledge is handy for a number of tasks. As of today, though, the folks in Mountain View want to help you sort out car insurance. That's right, Google now offers a Compare tool that'll allow you to enter your Zip code, vehicle info and coverage details before scrolling through a collection of quotes from providers in the area. Right now, 14 insurance companies will tally up rates for the tool -- including MetLife and Mercury Insurance. If you happen to find a plan you're happy with, a handy link will allow you buy online, or if you'd rather, a contact number and reference code are provided as well. As TechCrunch notes, a similar tool has been live in the UK for quite some time, in addition to the ability to gather mortgage quotes.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Google wants to help make you a better bartender

  If you've ever searched for the name of a capital city or a celebrity's place of birth, then you'll probably be familiar Google's Knowledge Graph. It's a cool little feature that picks out and displays the answers to questions, saving you from clicking through all of the links in your search results. After recently equipping it with the ability to dispense health advice, Google now reckons you might need a little help refining your bartending skills. Yep, you're going to cocktail-making school. A simple "How do I make a ..." search will list the main ingredients and recommended garnishes for your chosen cocktail, as well as the correct glass to serve it in. While it can't (yet) teach you all of the cocktail-making flicks and tricks that you might see in a Las Vegas bar, it'll certainly help improve the quality of those homemade Happy Hour refreshments.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Google tests new Contacts that blend Gmail and Google+

  While Google may be breaking pieces off of Google+, we wouldn't expect its profiles to go away anytime soon, since they're poised for a bigger tie-in with Gmail. The new Google Contacts setup "pools together all your contacts, circles, and the people you talk to most in Gmail." It has a beefed up ability to eliminate duplicates in your address book, and promises to keep people's info up to date based on what's in their Google+ profile. Another convenience is that it finally includes a list of your most recent emails and meetings with a contact, right on their card. Overall, it aligns with what exec Sundar Pichai pointed to as Google+ creating a common identity across the company's products, but we'll have to wait and see if this goes over better than the YouTube integration. The new contacts experience is coming to Gmail over the next few weeks, but you can get a preview of it here.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Google OKs pre-installing Waze on Android devices

  Next time you buy an Android phone, you just might find Waze among its pre-installed apps. See, it's now part of Google Mobile Services, or what you call the list of Android apps that manufacturers and carriers can install before shipping devices out to buyers. If you recall, Mountain View snapped up the navigation app back in 2013, and it remained separate from Google Maps. In Google's and Waze's announcement at the Mobile World Congress, spokesperson Julie Mossler wrote: "If a leading telecom pre-installs Waze in his handsets, a large percentage of the population would immediately have access to blocked roads, dangerous intersections traffic and more in real time."

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Google Street View cameras zip through (and over) the Amazon

  Google already has some odd ways of getting its Street View cameras into hard-to-reach places, but its latest effort might just take the cake. The search firm has posted panoramic imagery of the Amazon rainforest that, at some points, was taken by Trekker cameras ziplining through the canopy -- yes, you'll get a view that even locals won't usually see. There are some down-to-Earth sights, too, including snapshots from rivers and remote villages. Between this and recent collaborative mapping projects, you may end up learning a surprising amount about the Amazon without setting foot in South America.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google won't force Android encryption by default (update)

  Not too long ago, Mountain View was trumpeting that new gadgets with Lollipop would have encryption turned on by default, but, as Ars Technica reports, that isn't the case. The Nexus 6 handset and Nexus 9 tablet offer it, but third-party devices aren't cropping up with the feature turned on out of the box. Specifically? The new Moto E, with Ars saying that Samsung's Galaxy S6 demo units at Mobile World Congress lack it, as well. Update: Google has issued a statement about the change, confirming to us that it is the result of "performance issues" on some hardware. The full statement is included after the break.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Google's new mobile payment platform is called Android Pay

  It's shaping up to be a big year for mobile payments, what with Apple Pay enjoying rapid adoption and Samsung finally getting in the game too. Google also has a presence, but it's only very recently decided to ramp up its efforts in this space. Last week, we saw the company team up with AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile to preload its Wallet mobile payment app on new Android phones, and now it's creating a new framework to power payments across its OS.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Google balloons and drones bring global wireless closer to reality

  Google's aerial ambitions continue unabated. Need proof? Just talk to Sundar Pichai -- just before he sat down for a Q&A with Bloomberg's Brad Stone at MWC, the Google SVP confirmed the company's internet-beaming Titan drones would take their flight in the coming months, and that its Project Loon balloons now stay afloat for "six months at a time." The last time Google decided to speak publicly about its fleet of internet-beaming Project Loon balloons, they could languidly hang in the atmosphere for about 100 days. That's not a bad stretch considering these things can now deliver LTE data speeds to devices on the ground, but Google's got these things running even better than before.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Google confirms it'll launch the 'Nexus' of virtual phone networks

  Google has just confirmed a rumor at Mobile World Congress that many thought unlikely: It'll launch its own "white label" MVNO cell network. That means it'll carry or resell wireless services from larger operators in one way or another, not unlike, say, Boost Mobile. However, Android head Sundar Pichai stressed that the service wouldn't operate on a large scale or compete head to head against carriers like AT&T or Verizon. Instead, he likened it to Google's Nexus devices, calling it a way to drive new technology in order to make cellular and WiFi services work together in a "seamless" fashion.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google+ is being broken into services you might want to use

  It's been the punchline to plenty of gags, and now it looks as if Google is finally ready to do something with its homegrown social network. The search engine has announced that the photography and social elements of Google+ are being broken into two separate products, one called Photos and the other named Streams. In a post on Google+, company VP (and Radiohead fan) Bradley Horowitz announced that he was taking charge of the outfit, adding that the move is a positive improvement to both products.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

Laptops (4)

• ASUS' new gaming laptop packs NVIDIA's latest graphics card

  NVIDIA has officially launched the GTX 960M, and a number of manufacturers have revealed new, thin gaming laptops the video card was designed for at the same time. One of those laptops is the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) G501, which measures 0.81 inch in depth and weighs 4.54 pounds. The GTX 960M card inside it can deliver "sharp, vivid visuals, high-quality textures and smooth framerates in the most demanding games," at least according to ASUS. In addition to the video card, you can find a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB of GDDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD under the hood, encased in a typical ROG brushed-metal body with red accents.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• MacBook Air's superfast disk speeds come from Samsung SSDs

  Lost in the news of Retina-equipped, 12-inch MacBook was the arrival of all-new MacBook Air models with the latest Intel HD6000 graphics and CPUs. Apple also boasted that the 13-inch version has disk speeds "up to two times faster" than the last generation, and thanks to iFixit, we now know why. The bigger model packs a brand new 128GB M.2 x 4 SSD from frenemy Samsung -- which owns the PCIe SSD market at the moment -- giving it a stellar max read speed of 1,285 MB/s.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• The new Chromebook Pixel looks like the old one, costs slightly less

  It's been more two years since Google came out with the Chromebook Pixel. And man, was it a difficult thing to review: It was finely crafted, and a delight to use, but we couldn't in good conscience recommend that people spend $1,299 on a laptop that ran a glorified version of the Chrome browser. Two years later -- a lifetime in the tech world -- Chrome OS can do a lot more than it used to, and in general, the rest of the world seems to be catching on. That means the Pixel will live to see another day. Google just unveiled an updated, slightly less expensive version with improved specs and longer battery life. It more or less looks like its predecessor, and at $999, it's still kinda pricey.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• HP teamed up with Microsoft to build its latest flagship laptop

  This isn't your typical laptop announcement post. The most interesting thing about the Spectre x360, HP's new flagship notebook, isn't its design, performance or even price. No, what's interesting about this laptop is that Microsoft helped build it. Over the course of a year and a half, the two companies met regularly to hash out everything from the BIOS, fan noise and wireless range, even obsessing over details like the screen's color gamut. The result is a well-built laptop that promises long battery life, fast performance and one clean OS install. If you've ever speculated about whether Microsoft might make its own clamshell notebook, this is probably the closest you're going to get. HP of course deserves much of the credit, but make no mistake: The x360 has Redmond's stamp of approval all over it.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

Meta (10)

• Facebook's AI can see inside your videos and posts

  Facebook connects people, but it also wants to know them so it can show relevant information and targeted ads to them. To generate a personalized feed for each user, the network needs to identify and classify content in posts, images and news. Towards that end, the company launched an ambitious AI plan, and a research laboratory, at the end of 2013. Today at F8, its annual developer's conference, the network's CTO Mike Schroepfer talked about a specific AI prototype that can identify content in videos and the context of words. While AI for video can identify 487 types of sport activities, another reads sentences to pinpoint possessives from the grammar used. This allows the company to sift through an overwhelming load of information so it can arrive at a newsfeed that's most appropriate for the user. It's unclear if the new system is already peeking through posts, but Schroepfer indicated that over the next 10 years, Facebook will focus on building advanced AI systems.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Facebook developing solar drones to deliver global web access

  There are an estimated five billion people worldwide who lack reliable internet access but Facebook is reportedly "ready to spend billions" in order to change that. The Menlo Park-based company has recently announced plans to deliver global connectivity on the backs of enormous, solar-powered UAV, dubbed project Aquila. The plan is still very much in its initial planning stages but Facebook appears to be dedicated to making it a reality. Facebook acquired UAV maker Ascenta last year as its in-house drone design team and has already set them to work developing a platform capable of spending up to three months aloft while cruising at altitudes between 60,000 to 90,000 feet. Each UAV is expected to have a wingspan rivaling Boeing 767 (about 156 feet from tip to tip) but only weigh about as much as a Kia.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Facebook hints that the Oculus Rift will be available this year (update: or not)

  In a rather off-hand comment at today's Facebook developer's conference, company CTO Mike Schroepfer dropped a hint that the Oculus Rift VR headset could come to market this year. It was during an overview talk about what VR means for the company, where Schroepfer demonstrated a sleek looking space shooter game. Following that, he said "You're going to be able to do this, this year in VR ... and in something shipped by Oculus."

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Facebook now lets you embed videos elsewhere on the web

  At last, that cute puppy video you saw on Facebook won't have to stay on Facebook. The internet giant has announced an embeddable player that lets you put that adorable clip on other websites. There's not much magic to it -- all you do is copy and paste code and drop it into your blog or forum post. It's a simple addition, but it'll help a lot if you'd rather not track down a video on other services (or re-upload it yourself) just to share it with the rest of the world.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Facebook Messenger will soon let you chat with stores

  Facebook's Messenger won't just be for chatting with family and friends in the near future. The social network has unveiled a business feature for Messenger that lets you talk to a store about your orders. The option not only spares you from a flurry of email for receipts and shipping, but gives you an easy way to ask questions -- if you want to change your order or add something new, you just open up the existing conversation. In theory, you don't have to go through the hassles of calling or emailing customer service to solve a simple problem. The business effort will only start out with a handful of partners that includes Everlane, Zendesk and Zulily, but a sign-up program suggests that you'll see Messenger used at more online shops before long.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Facebook wants more 'high quality' videos it can slap ads on

  Now that Facebook has video ads, how is it going to make sure you hang around to watch more of them? According to a report on The Information, the social network is in talks with publishers like Vice, The Onion and Vox Media to make short-term videos it can host. The point to doing that instead of just letting them operate independently, is apparently to push them all as part of a service called "Anthology" for advertisers. That way it can charge advertisers higher prices with "TV-type scale" promised at millions of views. Whether or not that it takes off, this, along with rumors Facebook wants publishers posting content directly to its site suggests its vision of the future involves keeping users tied to Facebook.com -- at least until they leave VR space. [Image credit: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press]

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Facebook wants to save you a click by hosting other sites' content

  As if Facebook couldn't get any bigger, it's looking like The Social Network wants to start natively hosting content from news organizations. As The New York Times' sources tell it, Zuckerberg and Co. have been in talks with at least six media companies about publishing their content directly on the site -- no link-clicking required. The initial round of publications apparently includes The New York Times, Buzzfeed, National Geographic and our sister publication The Huffington Post. The reason? Websites take too long to load, and Facebook says that on mobile, the average eight-second page-load is too much. Of course, the outfit has a vested interest in mobile, hence it stepping in.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Facebook wants to replace your Android phone's dialer

  Facebook isn't done trying to replace your Android phone's software just because Home fizzled out. Android Police tipsters have spotted the social network testing a dialer app that would not only show more info about who's calling, but stop calls from "commonly blocked numbers." In theory, this would prevent telemarketers and technical support scams from getting through even when you don't recognize their digits. It's not clear if or when this dialer will ever see the light of day -- these kinds of tests happen all the time. If it launches, though, it could be one of the few standalone Facebook apps that you actually want to use.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• White House names top Facebook engineer as first director of IT

  The White House has gone shopping for talent in Silicon Valley again. This time, it's plucked David Recordon from Facebook to become its first Director of Information Technology. Before accepting the government position, Recordon served as the social network's engineering director for five years, leading teams behind Facebook's internal productivity, HR and video conferencing tools, among many other projects. As the IT director, he's expected to "build on the Administration's Smarter IT Delivery efforts to ensure that the technology utilized by the White House is efficient, effective, and secure." He also has to "[modernize] software used to collaborate, and [bring] use of new technologies in line with private sector best practices."

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Facebook faces another class-action suit, this time over kids' purchases

  Facebook isn't exactly a stranger to the courtroom, but it'll soon have another legal headache to deal with thanks to a recent court ruling out of San Jose, California. You see, US District Court Judge Beth Labson decided on Tuesday that in spite of the company's best efforts, Facebook will have to deal with a brewing class action lawsuit involving kids, credit cards and the company's long-dead virtual currency.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

Microsoft (16)

• Microsoft technology gives Seattle 5,000 times faster public WiFi

  Techie culture-vultures aren't likely to encounter Vine upload fails anymore at Seattle's home to arts, culture and the Space Needle thanks to Microsoft. The city's biggest patron has installed a new WiFi service at the Seattle Center that uses new technology to blow away the previous system's speed and capacity. The installation is a pilot program for Microsoft Research's white space tech that harnesses long-range, wall-penetrating TV signals. Along with quadruple the access points, the tech gives the Seattle Center public WiFi speeds up to 5,000 times faster, letting you Skype, Vine and Meerkat to your heart's content.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• The making of Surface 3: Microsoft's little tablet grows up

  Microsoft knows there's a lot riding on the Surface 3. And it looks like the company's finally listened to feedback from people who have asked for a little more oomph from these devices. Nearly three years after Surface with Windows RT was born, Microsoft is introducing its third-generation Surface, a tablet that runs full Windows, not the misstep of an operating system that was RT. This time around, Microsoft's tablet also features a screen designed to work with a pen, while an overhauled Type Cover promises to deliver a more solid, less wobbly keyboard and an improved trackpad. The Surface 3 is as much a PC as the Surface Pro 3, leaving behind the days of being just a would-be iPad competitor. It is, perhaps, what the Surface line should have always been.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Try Microsoft's new browser in Windows 10's latest test release

  If you've been wondering when Microsoft would finally roll its brand new Project Spartan web browser into a version of Windows 10 you can try, wonder no longer. The Redmond crew has released a preview build of the operating system (10049) that includes Spartan, so you can check out Cortana voice commands, annotation features and speedier rendering for yourself. The software is still rough around the edges and won't have every feature due when Windows 10 ships this summer, but you can give it a shot today if you simply can't wait to kick Internet Explorer to the curb.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Microsoft's next Surface could signal the death of RT

  Microsoft hasn't given up on the idea of a mini-me version of its successful Surface Pro 3 convertible, according to a rumor from WinBeta. But a Surface 3 model won't follow in the Surface 2's wobbly footsteps by packing the RT version of Windows. Instead, it will reportedly take a page from the latest Macbook and come with an Intel Atom or Core M fanless CPU and a full version of Windows 8.1, upgradeable to Windows 10. That means it could hit a lower price point than the Surface Pro while maintaining standard Windows compatibility -- the lack of which effectively sunk the Surface 2.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Microsoft clarifies Windows 10 upgrade process for pirated copies

  Yesterday, we heard that Microsoft planned to give people with pirated copies of its software a free way to upgrade to Windows 10. According to Reuters, Microsoft's goal with this plan was to combat piracy in China, though the idea was to expand said offer beyond that country. Well, as it turns out, it won't be that simple -- and, frankly, is anyone really surprised? Microsoft tells The Verge that it will provide "a mechanism" for pirates to upgrade to the latest version of its OS, but they will have to go through the Windows Store in order to get a genuine (read: officially supported) upgrade. In other words, those with a non-genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 will have a way to get Windows 10, but there's no confirmation that it will be at no cost.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• OneDrive link to Xbox Music puts your MP3s in the cloud for free

  A few months ago info leaked out that OneDrive was getting ready for music storage, then Microsoft confirmed, and now it's here. Starting today, Xbox Music and OneDrive are connected so any music files (MP3, M4A, or WMA) in your "Music" folder on Microsoft's cloud storage service are immediately playable via the web or Xbox Music apps on Windows 8, Windows Phone 8.1, Xbox 360 and Xbox One -- for free. The initial leak suggested there would be 20GB of storage, but Xbox Music's paying Music Pass subscribers will get an additional 100GB of space.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Microsoft's Yahoo Answers rival quietly opens for testing

  We've all stared, wide-eyed, at the people on Yahoo Answers who want to know how to become a real mermaid or why their cat vibrates. It appears that Microsoft has too, but it's philosophy is not to join its one-time friend, but to beat it with a homegrown rival. Bing Distill is a question and answer website where "millions ask" and, perhaps unsurprisingly, "you answer."

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Microsoft still powers Ford's in-car tech behind the scenes

  Ford may have ditched Microsoft for the next generation of its Sync interface, but that doesn't mean Microsoft no longer has a place in Blue Oval's cars. If anything, it's more important than ever. Ford has unveiled the Service Delivery Network, a cloud-based platform that uses Microsoft Azure to put internet services in your car, whether they're app-based remote controls (like telling your car to warm up in the morning) or Sync updates. The two companies hope that this will deliver connected car tech worldwide, and at a faster pace than you're used to -- you may not have to wait months or years for a feature to turn up in a vehicle you can buy. The first models relying on the Service Delivery Network should hit dealerships later this year, so you'll soon know how well this collaboration works on the open road.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Microsoft offers pros a peek at the latest versions of Office and Skype

  If you rely on Office or Skype to make a living, you may be in for a treat. Microsoft is following up its recent sneak peeks at universal Office apps and Office for Mac with pro-only previews of Office 2016 for the desktop and Skype for Business. The pre-release Office doesn't include everything you'll get (Microsoft says it's saving a lot of the interface tweaks for later), but it already includes better remote management and performance boosts. The Skype for Business preview, meanwhile, largely does what it says on the tin -- it expands the company's Lync communication tool with both a fresher interface and support for talking to regular Skype users. It's not certain when the desktop version of Office will be available to everyone, but Skype for Business will be ready for action in April.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Bloomberg: Cyanogen's new investor list doesn't include Microsoft

  It would have been interesting to see how a Microsoft deal would change Cyanogen. But we'll have to rely on our imaginations, because Redmond has decided not to put money into the company, according to Bloomberg. While Cyanogen is known for creating customized versions of the Android platform, earlier reports said it was in talks with Redmond to create a custom mod loaded with Windows apps in exchange for financial investment. Still, even though the negotiation fell through, it doesn't look like the startup will end up strapped for cash: Bloomberg says it's on track to make $110 million from other investors through its current financing round. Besides, one of the pub's sources believes Microsoft might still pursue a commercial deal with the Android modder in an effort to put Windows applications into more users' hands.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• More details emerge on how Microsoft's Cortana will invade iOS and Android

  After Microsoft vaguely confirmed last November that its digital assistant Cortana will be headed to other operating systems, the software giant is finally offering up specifics. Microsoft is now aiming to bring Cortana to iOS and Android devices as a standalone app, Reuters reports. What's more, the company is also looking to include technology from one of its artificial intelligence research projects, dubbed Einstein. "This kind of technology, which can read and understand email, will play a central role in the next roll out of Cortana, which we are working on now for the fall time frame," Eric Horvitz, managing director of Microsoft Research and a member of the Einstein project, told Reuters. We've already seen Cortana offer some basic digital assistant functionality on Windows Phones and Windows 10 -- it can tell you the weather, dictate messages, and remind you of appointments -- but it sounds like it'll soon get some deeper understanding of how we live and work.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Microsoft teams up with edX to offer free online IT classes

  EdX is no stranger to teaming up with tech organizations to offer online courses, and previous partners include the Linux Foundation and even Google. Now, it's Microsoft's turn to join forces with the online learning platform. The company says its courses will help you "build innovative applications, services and experiences on the Microsoft platform" and will be taught by MS experts. There are seven choices open for enrollment at the moment, from basic intro to Office 365 APIs to classes that teach programming with C# and the fundamentals of Windows PowerShell. The best thing about them is that they're free (unless you want a verified certificate for job apps), so they're a great way to spend your downtime if you've always wanted to learn about those topics.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Microsoft sues Kyocera over Android phone patents

  Microsoft may be taking some steps to make nice with the Android world, but the company is still willing to pick fights when its royalty payments are at stake. The Windows maker has sued Kyocera in the US over claims that Android phones like the Brigadier and Hydro series violate seven patents on features like location tracking and messaging. While Microsoft says it's hoping things can be "resolved amicably," it's prepared to go nuclear if necessary -- it wants a ban on those phones if Kyocera doesn't cooperate. We've reached out to Kyocera to see how it's responding to the lawsuit. If history is any indication, though, it may be tempted to settle. Microsoft already has most Android manufacturers coughing up royalties, and Kyocera isn't an industry giant with loads of cash to fight back.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Microsoft bought 'Minecraft' after a single tweet by its creator

  We're only halfway through the decade, but it's already obvious that Minecraft is the biggest game of the '10s. Its creator, Markus "Notch" Persson has now been honored for his achievement with a cover story in Forbes. The piece reveals a few interesting tidbits about how he came to leave the game that made his name, including the fact that the $2.5 billion sale to Microsoft was prompted with a single tweet.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Microsoft's new browser previewed in video

  It was back in January that Microsoft showed off its long-awaited replacement for Internet Explorer, currently named "Project Spartan." The new browser is designed to be light, nimble and secure, with the company stressing how deeply Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant, is baked into the software. Now, thanks to WinBeta, we've gotten the first sense of how that'll work out in the real world. For instance, visit the homepage of a restaurant and the blue circle in the address bar will bounce to advise you that more information is available. In addition, you can highlight and right-click a word to define it, and typing in keywords in the address bar -- such as weather -- will bring up relevant information. The video is short, but you can expect plenty more like that when the previews of Windows 10 (with Spartan) arrive at the end of the month.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• This is how Microsoft will unite your Windows 10 devices

  Microsoft's big promise with Windows 10 is its ability to run apps across the entire platform. The framework for these universal apps hasn't been described in much detail, but a post on the Windows Blog gives a bit more insight under the hood. Redmond's calling these "mobile experiences," meaning apps you can use across a variety of different devices; the software is mobile, not the gizmo you're using it on. Cortana moving from smartphone to desktop and the Xbox One's Game DVR tool being available on your gaming PC are but a few examples. The idea is to offer a set of standards across the Windows 10 platform so everything remains familiar regardless of what piece of hardware you're accessing the application from. That means everything should have, in Microsoft's words, an adaptive user experience with natural inputs; calls for cloud-based services including Cortana integration and the action center and one design language across the board.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

Mobile (31)

• AT&T's gigabit internet arrives in Apple's backyard

  It's official: AT&T is offering full-fledged gigabit internet service in Silicon Valley before Google. After months of teasing, the telecom has launched its U-verse GigaPower service in Cupertino, Apple's home turf -- and a quick drive away from Google's headquarters, we'd add. Get ready to pony up if you're in the area, though. Gigabit access costs $110 per month by itself, and that's if you agree to AT&T's Internet Preferences (read: targeted ads). In other cities, it costs as little as $70. Still, this may hit the sweet spot if you're a local tech worker who just can't wait to download the latest test releases. [Image credit: Franco Folini, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• T-Mobile hopes to draw you in with crowdsourced coverage maps

  If you've relied on carrier coverage maps to decide who gets your business, you know that they're sometimes sketchy. A good connection on the map could still mean lousy service in your neighborhood, for instance. T-Mobile thinks it has a better solution: it just launched a crowdsourced coverage map. Instead of simply predicting the quality you're likely to get, the map draws on usage data (including customer reports and speed tests) to tell you what connections you can realistically expect. The maps are also updated twice a month, so you won't have to trust that months-old information is still accurate.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Nigerian telecoms to face jail time over shoddy cell service

  Nigeria's Consumer Protection Council (CPC), with the backing of the country's government, is threatening to throw telecom executives in jail unless they improve their call quality. The African nation has seen mobile phone adoption rates soar over the past four years thanks to a price war that has dramatically lowered prices. That may seem like a win for consumers but, in fact, the increased user base (combined with the telecoms' general unwillingness to invest in their infrastructure and capacity) has rendered many cell services nearly unusable. The CPC argues that network congestion and dropped calls are so common that it's starting to cost consumers money. What's more, regulators recently performed Quality Assurance tests (QAT) for operators throughout the region and failed to find a single one that actually achieved the connection promised in their consumer service agreements.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• BT gets back into mobile with a trio of SIM-only 4G plans

  It's already been quite the week for the UK's mobile battleground, with Three UK's owner Hutchison Whampoa announcing its plan to acquire O2 for a cool £10 billion. And today, confirming recent rumours, BT is ready to re-enter mobile ten years after offloading its shares in O2 and getting out of the game. BT is pursuing its own, mammoth acquisition of EE, of course, but while it waits on regulatory approval, it's tapping EE's network under an MVNO agreement penned way back in 2013. BT is now part of the quad-play club, and like fellow members Virgin Media and TalkTalk, it's going after the price-conscious consumer with a trio of SIM-only plans.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• Three UK's owner is buying O2

  A huge mobile shake-up has just kicked off in Britain. Telefonica has agreed to sell O2 to Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of Three UK, for £10.25 billion. We knew it was likely, after the pair entered "exclusive negotiations" back in January, but now it's essentially a done deal. Provided the purchase is approved by regulators, it means the UK's four major networks will soon become three: Vodafone, EE and the combined might of Three and O2. The confirmation comes by way of Telefonica, although the company is saying little beyond the amount of money involved. For instance, it's unclear if Hutchison Whampoa plans to maintain O2's brand and services in the UK, or merge them entirely with Three.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• UK carriers graciously agree to £100 bill cap for lost and stolen phones

  A lost or stolen mobile is bad enough, but things can get considerably worse if whoever picks it up sticks you with a mammoth bill for good measure. Smartphone kill switches or a simple screen lock can save you from such injustice, but hindsight isn't much comfort when your phone's already MIA. That's why all of the UK's major carriers have agreed to a new £100 "liability cap" that could protect you from the worst-case scenario of no phone, huge bill. The "voluntary agreement" -- drafted with government guidance and signed by EE, O2, Three, Vodafone and MVNO Virgin Media -- does come with fine print attached, however. You'll only be eligible for the liability cap, which limits your maximum outlay to £100, if you report your phone lost or stolen to your carrier and the police within 24 hours of it going missing. Contacting your mobile network so they can freeze your account should be top of your to-do list anyway, but is this added level of consumer protection really as awesome as everyone involved would have us believe?

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• Pakistan orders cellphone users to provide their fingerprints

  Pakistan is determined to prevent terrorists from using untraceable cellphone accounts to coordinate attacks like that in Peshawar, even if it means eroding civil liberties in the process. The country has ordered cellphone users to have their SIM cards verified through fingerprints, theoretically discouraging extremists from relying on local carriers to communicate or trigger bombs. People have until April 13th (carriers have to comply by April 15th) to get their digits on the record if they want to keep their cell service intact.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• T-Mobile found guilty of blocking employees from organizing

  The CWA (Communications Workers of America) is celebrating today after a judge found T-Mobile guilty of violating federal labor laws. The company was found to have illegally restricted employees from organizing or even discussing work issues with each other. Judge Christine Dibble cited the company's policies that barred workers from discussing their wages and working conditions, and their repeated efforts to discourage them from reaching out outside organizations for help. As an example, she highlighted the procedure for filing a wage and hour complaint, which requires the notification of management first, and threatens discipline if the rule is broken. That would prevent employees from banding together to address issues collectively. Of the 13 policies brought before the court, 11 of them were found to be illegal and they must be reversed immediately. All employees must also be notified that these policies violated the law.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Verizon won't fight net neutrality without a little help from its friends

  You know that bit at the end of a movie where the defeated villain turns up in the hero's hotel room for some revenge killing? If you do, then you won't be surprised to learn that the telecommunications industry is gearing up to fight net neutrality. This time out, however, it won't be Verizon leading the charge. Instead, trade groups like the CTIA and NCTA will wade into the fight with arms flailing. According to Reuters, Big Red won't lead this battle to avoid "drawing any fire individually." Presumably the company worked out that if you're trying to stifle a law that ensures a free market, you might come across poorly in the public's eyes. Not that that's ever troubled Verizon before, mind. [Image Credit: Pete Marovich/Bloomberg via Getty Images ]

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Verizon pays $3.4 million after failing to fix a 911 outage in time

  American phone carriers are supposed to keep 911 lines up and running as long as possible, and Verizon is learning that the hard way. It's paying $3.4 million after the FCC determined that it fell short of obligations when an outage left 750,000 Californians without emergency calls for six hours. The settlement also asks Verizon to clean up its act: it has to do better jobs of both protecting against outages and speeding up its repair times when things go horribly wrong. Big Red won't be reeling from the blow given that it makes billions in profit every quarter, but the odds are that it would rather give you better 911 reliability than pay millions more the next time network problems strike. [Image credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• T-Mobile will pay off devices for switchers and keep promo plans for good

  Most of John Legere's time spent on stage dealt with T-Mobile's bid to play nice with businesses, but average consumers just got a few bones here, too. First up is Carrier Freedom, a new spin on the company's Contract Freedom initiative that'll see T-Mobile pay not just your early termination fees, but remaining payments on your phone if you're stuck in a plan like AT&T's Jump or Verizon's Edge. As long as you owe your current carrier $650 or less, you're golden. That's solid news for new, would-be T-Mobile customers, but Legere outed what he calls the "Un-contract" for customers who already bleed magenta. If you've already landed yourself one of T-Mobile's cushy promotional plans, congratulations -- they're going permanent as of March 22.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• T-Mobile courts the business world with simple pricing, free website

  The last few times T-Mobile's CEO went off on an Uncarrier spree, he revealed a way to bank the data people paid for but didn't use, and eased up its credit requirements for new phone buyers. Now, at a cozy studio space in New York City, John Legere has a new Uncarrier 9.0 initiative to show off and it's a little different than what we're used to: It's meant to make pairing businesses with T-Mobile service less of a pain in the ass than it normally is.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• EE replaces Orange Wednesdays with weekly £1 Wuaki.tv movie rental

  When EE announced the end of its beloved Orange Wednesdays promotion, it also teased an "exclusive" deal that would shortly be introduced as its replacement. We had our suspicions that such an offer wouldn't be able to match, never mind surpass the value of Orange Wednesdays, and today they've all but been confirmed. EE has announced that from March 30th, its former 'two-for-one' deal on cinema tickets will be replaced with "EE Film Club," which offers its customers a weekly £1 movie rental from Wuaki.tv.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• T-Mobile lets you roll over your unused prepaid data

  T-Mobile's Data Stash is helpful if you want to save unused bandwidth on a regular plan, but wouldn't it make more sense if you're on prepaid service, where every gigabyte is precious? Apparently, the carrier agrees: as of March 22nd, it'll let you use Data Stash with prepaid Simple Choice phone plans. Like before, you'll start out with a 10GB reserve of full-speed mobile internet access. Once that runs out, you'll bank any leftover data for up to a year. While this probably won't be big enough to get you to switch carriers (not when AT&T and others are improving their no-contract data options), you'll at least have a better reason to choose Magenta's network if you're still on the fence.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Cuba approves its first free public WiFi

  Public internet access in Cuba usually comes at a steep price -- a local may have to use a week's wages just to spend an hour emailing their family overseas. However, they now have a much, much more reasonable option. The country's state-run telecom, ETECSA, recently approved the country's first free public WiFi. Cubans who can reach a cultural center in Havana can now use the shared DSL line of a well-known artist (Kcho) as much as they want. The 2Mbps connection is pokey by most standards, but the no-cost approach means that locals don't have to give up what spending power they have just to get online.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Sprint will cover whatever it costs you to switch carriers

  Sprint still really, really wants you to switch to its phone network. To that end, it just launched an offer that reimburses whatever it costs you to hop aboard, whether it's a contract termination fee or device installment payments -- there's no cap, as with other switching promos. The only big catch is that you have to turn in any existing phones. So long as you live in an area with good Sprint coverage, though, this could make a lot of sense if you're frustrated by another carrier and would rather not drop hundreds of dollars just to jump ship.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Explaining Japan's feature phone fetish

  The world's biggest mobile tech show has just finished. You were probably poring over all those new big-screened smartphones, but you still remember what came before those all-screen oblongs, right? When was the last time you saw a flip phone being used? Not a Nokia clamshell buried away in a drawer, or a Motorola RAZR dusted off by an older relative who charges it once a month, but in a train station, at a bar -- in public. For me, it was a few hours ago. I live in Japan (Hi!), and people here still carry a torch for the feature phone -- or at least, their version of it, the gara-kei, short for Galapagos keitai. ("Galapagos" refers to Japan's curious tech ecosystem that gave birth to devices that only seemed to appeal to its home country. Oh, and keitai means phone.) Last year, shipments of feature phones increased, while smartphone figures fell. Experts said this was more a one-last-hurrah boom than a new trend, but still, over 10 million of these simpler phones shipped in 2014. How are these phones clinging on in the face of obviously superior hardware and functionality? And who's still buying them?

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Sky and TalkTalk are itching for Ofcom to break up BT and Openreach

  Back in 2006, Ofcom forced BT to set up Openreach, a separate division that manages its network infrastructure across the UK. The agreement struck between the pair was designed to give rival telephone and internet service providers (ISPs) equal access to BT's wide-reaching network of copper and fibre cables, promoting much-needed competition and, as a result, lower prices and better services for the consumer. Now, Sky and TalkTalk are urging Ofcom to split up BT and Openreach once and for all.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Vodafone to launch WiFi calling in the UK this summer

  We've all experienced ropey reception at one time or another. Those frustrating moments when you really need to make a call, but the line just won't connect, or you're left trying to decipher broken, distorted responses from the other person. Now, following EE, Three and O2, Vodafone has announced plans to offer WiFi-enabled calls in the UK. Three and O2 have already launched their respective services, but to use them you need to have a dedicated app installed on your smartphone. EE is trialling a service that doesn't rely on any extra software, and today Vodafone says it'll be using a similar approach. So in theory, it'll work quietly in the background with minimal input. Provided you're connected to a WiFi network, calls will switch over automatically when you're out of network coverage.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Hold the phone: MWC had more than just handsets

  While the term "mobile" has always meant more than just smartphones, this year's Mobile World Congress really highlighted how diverse the category can be. After all, the star of the show was arguably the HTC Vive, and the only mobile-related thing about it is that it's made by a company that also makes phones. Indeed, VR headsets were the surprise hits at this year's Mobile World Congress, as were smartwatches from the likes of LG, Pebble and, yes, even Huawei. Whether it be VR headsets, wearables, tablets or even electric vehicles, it's clear that we can expect more than just phones from Mobile World Congress from now on. Relive some of our favorite non-phone highlights from MWC in our gallery right here. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Bluetooth beacons are helping the blind navigate London's Tube

  London's Underground network can feel like a maze for even the most seasoned traveller, especially at rush hour when you're packed in with hordes of disgruntled commuters. The problem is only amplified for blind and partially sighted people, but a combination of Bluetooth beacons and smartphone app could make the experience less stressful. Wayfindr has been developed by Ustwo (yep, the folks behind the video game Monument Valley) and the Royal London Society for Blind People's (RLSB) Youth Forum to offer travellers audio-based directions and advice. A month-long trial at Pimlico station is now underway with 16 beacons tracking users' smartphones and activating descriptive notes. The information is basic, but could offer valuable guidance and, hopefully, confidence to blind and partially sighted people navigating the Underground independently.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• The big US carriers will shut down their mobile wallet this month

  There was no question that AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon gave up on their Softcard mobile payment service when they agreed to pre-install Google Wallet, but it's now apparent that they're beating an especially hasty retreat. Softcard is telling users that its service will stop working after March 31st -- when April rolls around, both the app and your account go bye-bye. It's doubtful that you'll shed a tear for an offering that was mostly meant to stifle competition, but you will have to choose another tap-to-pay service fairly quickly if you happen to be one of the remaining customers. Thankfully, there won't be a shortage of alternatives any time soon.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Daily Roundup: Day 2 of MWC, Pebble Time Steel and more!

  Find out what's new during day two of Mobile World Congress, get the details on the new Pebble Time Steel and learn how Microsoft will unite Windows 10 devices. All this and more can be found in today's Daily Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• The biggest announcements of MWC 2015 so far (part 2)

  After the glitzy, high-profile announcements of Sunday, Monday's march to the convention center is a more business-like affair. There's still lots to see though, including announcements from a bunch of household names, and a dancing robot. Jump in the gallery for more. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By James Trew Read More

• The biggest announcements of MWC 2015 so far (part 1)

  MWC technically starts today, but that didn't stop some of the industry's biggest players from trying to get a head start on the fun on Sunday. Besides the big launches, there were a couple of pre-show events for those offbeat things that didn't need an auditorium to themselves. This means the preceding Sunday is actually one of the busiest days for big announcements. Here's the pick of the bunch this year, just head to the gallery below.

  By James Trew Read More

• T-Mobile wants your WiFi spectrum to boost its coverage

  Wireless spectrum is expensive, which is why carriers are eyeing up at the portions of our airwaves that are currently reserved for WiFi. According to GigaOm, T-Mobile is planning to stick its tanks on the WiFi industry's lawn by launching a form of 4G that operates on the 5GHz band, promising better speed for uploads and downloads. Surely, that's good news if you're a current T-Mo customer, but may have the unintended consequence of ruining everyone else's WiFi access.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Blackphone launches a new phone, tablet and privacy platform

  Silent Circle, the outfit behind the security-oriented Blackphone, has just revealed two new handsets and "the world's first enterprise privacy platform." The first Blackphone was unveiled last year for (understandably) paranoid entrepreneurs. It was a response to revelations of mass data collection, and the latest devices build on that. Last year's phone was made by Spanish outfit GeeksPhone, but since then, Silent Circle has wrestled control of the brand, and this is its first homemade device. The Blackphone 2 carries similar privacy features, but actually gives you a better phone, with an octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a bigger battery and a 5.5-inch 1080p display. Meanwhile, the Blackphone+ (briefly mentioned by Silent Circle's co-founder earlier) is a privacy-focused tablet coming later in 2015. So far, there are no exact specs on the tablet (it's not ready for prime time), and there's no price on either device. Both are slated to arrive in the second half of this year, though.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Sprint's Best Buy plan gives you a phone and service for a flat rate

  Sprint still isn't done inventing new plans and promos in hopes that you'll sign up. Its latest move? It's launching a Best Buy-only plan that gives you both a smartphone and unlimited service for $65 per month if you get an iPhone 6, or $75 if you prefer Android. It's a nice deal if you're looking to avoid up-front hardware costs, although it's primarily for patient types -- you're locked into that phone for two years, and it'll cost you $10 extra per month if you want to upgrade devices every year. If you're happy to hang on to a phone for a while, though, you can swing past a Best Buy to check it out starting on March 1st. [Image credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Mozilla is bringing Firefox OS to flip-phones and sliders

  Mozilla has always positioned Firefox OS as an alternative platform for entry-level smartphones, but now it's targeting the feature phone market too. At Mobile World Congress, the company announced a new partnership with LG and carriers Verizon, Telefónica, KDDI and U+ to create a fresh range of flip-phones, sliders and touchscreen "slate" handsets. Firefox OS will look a little different on these devices -- Mozilla says the group is developing a "more intuitive and easy-to-use" software experience for their planned launch in 2016. It promises to balance the simplicity of feature phones with basic smartphone functionality, such as email, web browsing and music playback.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• MediaTek's standard lets your devices share their hardware

  There are plenty of standards for sharing your media collection between devices, but what if you want to borrow a device's camera or display? MediaTek thinks it has an answer. Its new CrossMount standard lets devices share their hardware and software when they're on the same WiFi network, letting you use whichever components make sense in a given situation. You can use your phone's mic to dictate voice commands to your TV, for example, or use your phone's webcam for a video chat on your tablet.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• We're live at Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona!

  It's that time again: Our team has descended upon the heart of Barcelona to bring you another week of the latest the mobile world has to offer. As always, we'll be shooting videos and liveblogging events until our fingers fall off, and we certainly hope you'll come join us for the ride. So, what's in store for us all this time around? We're glad you asked.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

News (99)

• Charter buys a cable company to make up for losing Time Warner

  Charter lost out on its chance to snatch Time Warner Cable before Comcast made its move, so it's settling for the next best thing. The company just unveiled plans to acquire Bright House Networks, a cable provider that's mostly big in Florida, for about $10.4 billion. Reportedly, the move is about getting "strategic flexibility" and solidifying Charter's position as the second-largest cable company in the US. In other words, it wants to both improve its clout in relation to Comcast (even if the two don't have competing networks) and streamline its costs. That last part is important in an era where services like Netflix are diminishing the importance of conventional TV. If Charter can't have TWC, it can at least prepare for a future where it can't depend on expensive programming bundles to turn a profit. [Image credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Friday Smart Lock offers more ways to match your decor

  There's a growing number of smart locks out there, but if design's as important to you as feature set, this one could be of interest. The device is called Friday Smart Lock, and it can be unlocked remotely through its accompanying iOS or Android app. Once installed, and with the app set up, you can grant both one-time or permanent (revokable) access to friends and family. Its creators, tech startup Friday Labs and architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group, made the device small, so the baseplate and battery fits inside existing US single cylinder and Scandinavian deadbolts.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Dyson's new bladeless fan is also a powerful air filter

  Dyson really hates dirt, to the point that it's now come up with a new bladeless fan that can also filter out ultrafine airborne particles -- including viruses, bacteria and pollens -- that are as tiny as 0.1 microns. The aptly-named Pure Cool (AM11) closely resembles Dyson's other fan towers, with the notable difference being the cylindrical glass HEPA filter around the base. After 450 prototypes, the company claims that this filter removes 99.95 percent of ultrafine particles, and it's good for up to 4,382 hours or about six months of continuous use. In other words, if you use the Pure Cool for 12 hours each day, then you'll only need to replace the filter after a year. Of course, it's hard to say whether it'll last just as long in smoggy Beijing, which is where Dyson cleverly chose to do the global launch for the Pure Cool.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Daily Roundup: Engadget Awards and cute dogs, Tim Cook on discrimination laws and more!

  Happy Monday! There's no better way to start the work week than with a big dose of puppy love. Check out the pawesome winners of the 11th annual Engadget Awards. Then it's time to get serious as Tim Cook talks about dangerous discrimination laws popping up across the country. Get all the details on these stories and many more in today's Daily Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• 'Cards Against Humanity' expansion benefits women's STEM scholarship

  Cards Against Humanity, the naughty fill-in-the-blank card game, today launched the $10 Science Pack, an expansion offering 30 cards written in collaboration with Bad Astronomer Phil Plait and Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal creator Zach Weinersmith. But that's not the coolest part: All proceeds raised by the Science Pack will be funneled into the Cards Against Humanity and SMBC Science Ambassador Scholarship, which offers full tuition coverage to women seeking undergraduate degrees in science, tech, engineering and mathematics. Applications will go live soon for the fall 2016 school year, and each one will be reviewed by a panel of more than 40 women working in STEM fields, including at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Harvard Medical School and the Smithsonian Institution.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• The winners of the 11th Annual Engadget Awards: Editors' Choice

  We trotted out some truly precious puppies to announce the winners of this year's Readers' Choice Awards, but now it's time to get down to business. As we do every year, we tasked our editor's with the monumental feat of sifting through the previous year's biggest innovations to select the absolute best in show. While there's some crossover with our Readers' Choice winners (sorry Fire phone), there were a few notable exceptions. But you'll have to check out the gallery below to find out what made the cut.

  By Christopher Trout Read More

• The (damn cute) winners of 11th Annual Engadget Awards: People's Choice

  #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-389333{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-389333, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-389333{width:570px;display:block;} The votes for the 11th Annual Engadget People's Choice Awards have been tallied and the winners are in. As is always the case, there were some very polarizing products on the ballot and many of the honorees won by a very small margin. But the real winners this year were the cute and adoptable puppies at the San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) shelter. The only thing we love here at Engadget more than true innovation is man's best friend, so we teamed up with the SFACC for a special awards ceremony. Early last week, a set of the most eligible animals in San Francisco accepted "trophies" on behalf of the companies that created your favorite gadgets and software of 2014. To find out who took top honors check out the video above, and to take home one of our special guests, please visit the SFACC for more information. And check back this afternoon to find out what won this year's Editors' Choice awards.

  By Christopher Trout Read More

• Native Instruments' open music format is designed for DJ mixes

  DJ equipment has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, but digital music formats? Not so much -- unless your software is clever enough, you usually have to mix whole tracks rather than just the parts that make sense for your set. Native Instruments aims to fix that with Stems, a free and open file format tailor-made for the DJ crowd. The tracks will play as usual in most music apps, but the right software lets you independently control the bass, drums, melody and vocals. You could drop singing if you don't want it during a transition, for instance, or apply effects to the beat without touching anything else.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Exhibition lets you go hands-on with 40 years of gadgets

  Want to experience exactly how much gadgets have evolved in the last 40 years? The Interface Experience at the Bard Graduate Center in New York has more than 25 seminal devices representing different computing eras, including the graphical interface grand-daddy Xerox Alto and the Macintosh Plus from 1986. Exhibit-goers will even get to try out five featured devices for themselves: a 1982 Commodore 64, the Mac Plus, a Palm Pilot circa 1997, and the original iPad and Microsoft Kinect, both from 2010. There's also a "petting zoo" wall of 100-plus cellphones across several decades that can be touched and tried out.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Cleopatra the tortoise gets a 3D-printed shell

  Please don't jump on Cleopatra if you meet her. She isn't a real life red-shelled Koopa Troopa -- she's just wearing a 3D-printed prosthesis. See, Cleo the tortoise suffers from pyramiding, which means her shell has thick, pyramid-like growths due to poor nutrition. It also has holes and broken parts that could be injured and infected, especially since tortoises socialize and mate by climbing on top of each other. That's why Roger Henry, a student from Colorado Technical University, designed a 3D-printed shell for Cleo.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The EU wants to remove regional limits on digital goods

  Think regional locks on movie streaming and other digital goods are silly? So does the European Commission. It's outlining a new strategy (the Digital Single Market) that would prevent companies from geo-blocking online services when it's not truly necessary. This kind of arbitrary limit "cannot exist" in a single European Union-wide digital marketplace, officials argue. It's not clear what rules will be involved (you'll likely hear more about that when the full strategy is due in May), but the implication is that you wouldn't be forced to download or stream from a country-specific service. If you wanted to watch French Netflix from Germany, for example, you could.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Native Instruments teases a portable, touch-sensitive DJ deck

  Native Instruments has a full-fledged DJ deck and mixer combo, but it can be a big hassle -- do you really want to lug a giant controller with you on tour, especially if you already have a preferred mixer? You won't have to make that sacrifice for much longer, it seems. The company is teasing an upcoming Traktor Kontrol system (likely to be called the Kontrol D2) that is essentially the deck half of the Kontrol S8, complete with a display and touch-sensitive faders, knobs and track controls. In other words, you have a a proper, modern deck (more than a basic controller) that's both easier to carry on the road and lets you use a different mixer. NI hasn't said when this machine will ship or what the price will be, but it's safe to say that it'll cost less than the $1,299 S8.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Hillary Clinton confirms she wiped her email server

  Members of the US House of Representatives hoping to get a look at Hillary Clinton's personal email server just got a big disappointment. Clinton's attorney has confirmed to a House committee on Benghazi that, after handing over work-related email to the State Department, the politician both "chose not to keep" personal messages and set a 60-day limit on what the server retains. In short, she effectively wiped it clean. There's no going back to mail from her Secretary of State days beyond the 30,490 messages on the record, or roughly half of what the server held during the period.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Best Buy is shutting down Canada's biggest tech store chain

  Best Buy is a mainstay of tech shopping in the US, but it knows that it's small potatoes in Canada -- it kept the country's better-known Future Shop chain going for years after a takeover, even after opening shops of its own. However, the American retailer is now making its presence felt in a big way by shutting down Future Shop altogether. It'll convert 65 of the locations into Best Buy stores within a week, and 66 others are closing immediately.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Tiny 3D-printed retro TV set plays B-movies for your Barbies

  The Philco Predicta television is a 1950s design icon and one of the most easily recognizable television models in history, what with its detached picture tube and nearly flat screen. Unfortunately, finding a working example these days is nearly impossible -- that is, unless you 3D-print one yourself like the crafty geniuses at FormLabs have. The team first printed the miniaturized case using the Formlab Form+1 and clear resin, then stuffed an Adafruit 2-inch LCD screen into it and loaded the Sci-Fi classic "The Man from Planet X" into its memory.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Introducing Engadget's newest contributor: The Wirecutter!

  Starting today, you're going to notice a very familiar contributor popping up on the pages of Engadget. That would be none other than our friends at The Wirecutter (as well as their sister site, The Sweethome). We've long admired The Wirecutter's ability to review as many products in as many categories as it does, and then whittle its findings down to a few sensible picks. Here at Engadget, we review gadgets too, but we mainly stick to a handful of categories -- you know, phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, et cetera. Even then, there aren't nearly enough of us to test all the interesting stuff out there. That's where The Wirecutter comes in. Beginning today, we're going to be pulling in abridged versions of their reviews, particularly in categories Engadget doesn't usually cover. Think: televisions, kitchen gadgets, touchscreen gloves. And in today's case, routers: the first column of theirs we'll be publishing. Check it out at the link below, and stay tuned for new picks next week!

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• North Korea's must-have gadget is a $50 media player

  In North Korea, the gadget you'd probably want is a Notel. Or a Notetel, a word that attempts to shoehorn notebook and television together, describing a pretty unassuming, very popular, Chinese-made media player. According to estimates from Reuters, up to half of all urban-based North Koreans have a Notel stashed somewhere in the house. Now, until recently, the device was only found on black markets, but the device has now been legalized and is apparently available in state-run shops and markets for just fifty bucks. Image credit: Reuters, Kim Hong-Ji

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Police stations are becoming common Craigslist meetup locations

  A good rule of thumb when meeting strangers off of Craigslist is to meet in public places. But you know what's safer than that when your gut's telling you to be extra careful? Meeting in police station lobbies. The Seattle Police Department is encouraging people to use its station lobbies as meetup, pickup or drop off points for Craigslist deals. Clean, legal ones only, of course. It's not the first state to offer its law enforcement HQs as a safe place to meet, though: this is a growing trend across the US started by the Chicago police. Aside from Seattle, Beaufort, Boca Raton, Columbia, South Carolina, Missouri and Virginia Beach have also followed Chicago's lead. Police stations, by the way, are open 24/7. So you can snap up even good deals posted at night without having to worry about getting kidnapped, raped or murdered. [Image credit: Wikimedia]

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Federal law enforcement is wasting a lot of money on drones

  The US' national law enforcement has been using drones to help nab crooks for almost nine years, but it's still making plenty of rookie mistakes. The Department of Justice's Inspector General has published an audit that shows its agencies not only making poor uses of drones, but wasting a ton of money in the process. Units in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spent $600,000 on drones that didn't live up to their promised abilities or couldn't even fly in the first place; in one case, a unit blew $15,000 without telling headquarters. Meanwhile, only half of the FBI's 34 drones (which cost a total of $3 million) worked as of 2014, and the agency has just two pilots that have to fly across the country to deploy their unmanned machines. It's no wonder that investigators have used drones a mere 13 times since 2006, then -- it's rarely practical to even consider the idea.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Washington, DC's 911 dispatch system beset by delays and malfunctions

  Washington, DC, has a new 911 dispatch system and it's not working. Late last year, tablets were installed in ambulances and firetrucks. But instead of boosting efficiency, the system has been malfunctioning almost every day. Following the death of an 18-month-old boy who choked on a grape, an investigation revealed that dispatchers alerted an ambulance about a mile away, instead of a unit closer to the toddler's home.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• F-35 pilots are seeing double, but it's the plane that's drunk

  The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter may be stealthy, powerful and expensive, but the plane's greatest threat isn't the enemy. Instead, engineers have discovered a software glitch that gives these new super fighters the technological equivalent of double vision. F-35s are equipped with Advanced Sensor Fusion, a system that's designed to collate sensor data from all of the planes and combine them into one big picture. If you have 10 jets zooming around, all of the allied pilots and commanders will, theoretically, be able to see everything that's going on.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Tennessee sues the FCC to stop city-run internet

  By re-classifying broadband internet as a utility, the FCC has effectively declared that it's a right, nay a necessity, for every American. That's why it also dismantled laws in states like Tennessee that restrict municipalities from supplying broadband and competing against private companies like AT&T and Comcast -- often with much better services. But on the same day that the broadband industry sued the FCC to stop net neutrality rules, the state of Tennessee also sued the regulator to overturn its city-friendly decision. It claims that the FCC "has unlawfully inserted itself between the State of Tennessee and the State's own political subdivisions," calling it "arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion."

  By Steve Dent Read More

• US broadband is getting faster but still lags behind Asia

  It's been a good year for the internet in America. Not only did it receive much needed federal Net Neutrality protections, the average download speed increased by a solid 10 Mbps nationwide over the previous year. As of March 2015, the average download speed in the US is 33.9Mbps -- thanks, in part, to increased infrastructure investments by ISPs. That figure puts the US ahead of a number of European nations including the UK (30.18Mbps), Germany (29.95Mbps), Spain (28.28Mbps) and Ireland (27.29Mbps). But don't start chanting "SCOREBOARD!" just yet. Those speeds are only enough to move the US up to 27th out of 199 connected countries worldwide and roughly half of what South Korea (84.31Mbps) and Japan (60.49Mbps) enjoy.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Daily Roundup: Mars One criticism, paying bills with Gmail and more!

  What's happening in the world of technology today? We interview Bas Lansdorp, the CEO of Mars One, and ask about recent criticism of his organization's project. In other news, you may soon be able to pay bills from inside Gmail and the White House snags another Silicon Valley veteran to help rub the administration's Office of Digital Strategy. Read about these stories and more in today's daily roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Obama names Twitter, Google alum first Chief Digital Officer

  President Barack Obama has been awfully busy shoring up his administration's tech credentials: Former Google exec Megan Smith is the White House's current Chief Technology Officer, while former Facebook engineer David Recordon was recently named its first Director of IT. Now the president (and his voluminous crew of advisors) has plucked another Silicon Valley stalwart -- Jason Goldman -- to serve as the executive branch's very first Chief Digital Officer. Now the question is, well, what does a Chief Digital Officer do?

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Engadget giveaway: win a Lyve Home photo and video hub courtesy of Lyve!

  That photography fetish could be overloading your device and cloud storage isn't always the best at searching and organizing media files. Plus, you probably want easy access to those files from all your devices. That's where the Lyve app could help and with the 2TB Lyve Home storage hub, you've got a centralized spot to store high-res versions of all that media. The app optimizes files for mobile so you'll always have a copy on your devices and the Home is a network connected backup with a 5-inch touchscreen. It can continuously sync with Dropbox, Google Drive, iPhoto and desktop folders, and offers WiFi along with an array of ports for direct input. The app is free and the company has provided us with two of the Lyve Home storage devices so a pair of Engadget readers can keep their visual life organized and on-hand. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning. Whether it's for reminiscing or "leverage," Lyve could give you access to years of fashion faux pas, cat videos and photo bombs, just when you need them. Winners: congratulations to Sagar P. of Princeton, NJ and Albert A. of Grayslake, IL.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• This smart cookie jar will only open if you deserve it

  It's generally understood that being able to delay your gratification helps you to become more successful. Resisting everything but temptation can be difficult, which is why the kSafe is stepping in when your resolve weakens. Essentially, the kSafe is an oversized cookie jar, but one that'll only let you get at its tasty treats inside if you've achieved something that day.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• What's on your HDTV: 'The Hobbit', 'Bloodborne', 'Walking Dead' finale

  This weekend we finally get the season finale for The Walking Dead, while the NCAA basketball tournaments continue on. It's also a big week if you've been waiting for the final Hobbit movie, as The Battle of the Five Armies arrives on Blu-ray. The PS4 exclusive game Bloodborne is here, while Community celebrates its 100th episode over on Yahoo. Late night fans also have some new options, as CBS debuts The Late Late show with James Corden, The Rock is on Saturday Night Live and season nine of The Trailer Park Boys hits Netflix on Friday. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• ISPs are suing the FCC to fight new net neutrality rules

  As anticipated, now that the new net neutrality rules are here lawsuits have closely followed. The Washington Post reports that industry group USTelecom -- which counts Verizon and AT&T execs among its board members -- filed suit in Washington, while small ISP Alamo Broadband (its website is powered by Wordpress) is suing in New Orleans. USTelecom has opposed the Title II powers invoked by the FCC's new rules, and isn't waiting until they're published in the Federal Register before suing. A Verizon lawsuit knocked down the FCC's previous net neutrality protections, and this next round is only just getting started. [Image credit: AP Images for Avaaz]

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• FTC launches a research office devoted to tech issues

  You may have noticed that a lot of the Federal Trade Commission's regulation revolves around technology, whether it's device privacy or less-than-honest phone carriers. The agency certainly has. It recently created the Office of Technology Research and Investigation, a division that will study everything from connected cars to internet security. It's a much bigger effort than the FTC's previous Mobile Technology Unit, and should help shape policies on everything digital. There aren't any guarantees that it'll change the FTC's tune on big issues -- it already has an established track record on mobile, for instance. Still, don't be surprised if the Commission makes more informed decisions that protect you from scams and other shady business practices in emerging tech. [Image credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Costa Rica hasn't used any fossil fuel in over two months

  It's been 75 days since Costa Rica's power grid last had a sip of petroleum. Thanks to heavy rainfall at the start of the year, the Central American nation has been able to provide 100 percent of its energy needs via renewable resources. This certainly represents a major milestone in green energy production but there's no guarantee that other nations will be able to replicate this feat or that Costa Rica's renewable energy scheme is even sustainable.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Drone smuggling prison contraband gets stymied by stupidity

  Smuggling contraband into prison via drone is a bad idea, even if you toss morals out the window: the aircraft are noisy, flashy, and require a good amount of skill to fly in undetected. However, some British crooks didn't get the memo. Police report that unidentified suspects tried using a drone (a DJI Phantom 2 Vision, to be exact) to sneak drugs, phones and weapons into Bedford Prison, only to be foiled when the machine got caught in barbed wire. Prisoners supposedly paid an inmate to accept a delivery from friends on the outside -- if so, there are quite a few people in hot water right now.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Bjork at MoMA, fight for the open internet and other stories you might've missed!

  The weekend has arrived and you can catch up on all the stories you might have missed right here. Read about Bjork's new project at the NYC MoMA, how the fight for the open internet isn't over and the history behind Nintendo's mobile gaming ambitions.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• FBI accuses NYPD officer of scamming road accident victims

  When most people are short of cash, they either sell some junk on eBay or get a second job. NYPD Auxiliary Deputy Inspector Yehuda Katz, on the other hand, decided to try something a little more audacious: a scam that involved breaking into into the FBI's database. According to the bureau's rap sheet, Katz installed a hidden camera and a remote link inside the NYPD's Traffic Safety Office. Why? Because when he could see the office wasn't occupied, he was able to fire up the compromised machine and search both the NYPD and FBI's records concerning vehicle accidents.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• How do you promote a new banknote? With 'Tetris,' of course

  If there's one thing that kids love more than Tetris, it's learning about the security features built into new banknotes. Thankfully, the folks at the European Central Bank have devised a way to combine both of those pursuits in the form of Tetris New 20 Euro. The browser-based title is a variation on the block-dropping classic that sees you learn security facts about the new 20 Euro note as a reward for finishing a level. For instance, did you know that the portrait of Europa (pictured) becomes a transparent hologram if you hold the note up to the light? Put it this way: with trivia this good, no-one will be able to resist you hitting on them at the club this weekend.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• HTC CEO Peter Chou steps down to focus on innovation lab

  Given HTC's roller coaster ride in the past few years, it's no secret that Peter Chou had always been more of a product guy than a manager. Well, the time has finally come for him to give up his CEO role. Shortly after the One M9 launch, the Taiwanese phone maker has just announced that Chou will now be the Head of HTC Future Development Lab, as chairwoman and co-founder Cher Wang takes over his CEO position. This news comes as no surprise, given that Wang's been getting more involved in her company's daily operation since two years ago. Little is known about Chou's new division, other than HTC's statement saying he "will be instrumental in identifying future growth opportunities for the Company." If that means we can expect more cool gadgets like the RE Vive and RE Camera, then we say go for it, Chou! But please, no more of that Robert Downey Jr. weirdness.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• This personal flamethrower is somehow legal in 49 states

  The XM42 from Ion Productions is every pyromaniac's dream come true: a personal, portable flamethrower that's (amazingly still) legal everywhere except California. You'll be able to get your own flame on for as little as $700 when the company launches its IndieGoGo campaign on March 23rd.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Obama orders 40 percent cut in federal government's carbon emissions

  No matter how hard his opponents try to ignore or deny climate change, President Barack Obama won't back down. That's why the commander in chief has signed an executive order that'll ensure the federal government cuts its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent in the next decade. In addition, agencies will be required to increase the amount of renewable energy it uses up to at least 30 percent in the same period of time.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Daily Roundup: The next Microsoft, Uber offices raided and more!

  Tim Cook shared his thoughts on why Apple isn't becoming the next Microsoft. Meanwhile, Uber's offices in France and South Korea were raided and an Illinois lawmaker resigned after his Instagram feed betrayed his suspicious spending habits. Read about these stories and more in today's Daily Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Last chance to vote in the 11th Annual Engadget Awards

  There are mere hours left to make your mark on the 11th Annual Engadget Awards. You don't need to select a winner in every category, but voting ends tonight at 11:59PM PT. So get your ass to the polls below and tell us who were the best and worst of 2014. And keep locked on Engadget.com for more on our very special awards ceremony, debuting next Friday, March 27th. If you hadn't already heard, the competition is rrrrruff...

  By Jon Turi Read More

• Starbucks delivery rolls out in US cities this year

  Starbucks already has locations on nearly every street corner -- even ones directly across from each other -- but now on-demand delivery service Postmates will grab your coffee and bring it directly to your office, house or basically wherever your mouth is. Postmates plans to roll out its Starbucks delivery routes in the second half of 2015, starting in Seattle. The service wants users to order through the Starbucks mobile app and then tell Postmates to pick up that iced, grande, soy-milk caramel macchiato (with whipped cream) for them.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• How the UK's latest budget will affect tech in 2015

  The UK's Chancellor George Osborne made his final budget statement before the General Election today, and as expected, there were a few technology-focused announcements designed to keep politicians, business leaders and voters alike happy.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Man arrested for filming Premier League matches with a drone

  In times past, enterprising football fans who didn't have a ticket for the big match would scale walls or find an elevated vantage point to follow the action. Increased security and the sheer size of modern football stadiums has put an end to such tactics, but some are finding new, and illegal, methods to watch and film as their team play. Today, the Metropolitan Police confirmed it has arrested a man for flying a drone over a number of Premier League and Championship football stadiums, as well as Buckingham Palace.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Lawmaker resigns after Instagramming his suspicious spending

  One of GOP's rising stars has resigned from Congress, in part because his own Instagram posts have given rise to constant questions about his expenditures. Illinois representative Aaron Schock lived a lavish lifestyle while he was a government official, and he used to make sure the world knew that by posting snapshots of his escapades on his Instagram account. Little did he know that AP would extract location data from photos of his frequent travels in order to link them to instances when he illegally used taxpayer money to rent private jets. For instance, the news agency determined that Schock rented a plane for his trip to the Capitol in 2013, because he posted a photo of his Schocktoberfest fundraising event when he got back to Peoria, Illinois. The dates lined up with the $11,433 transportation amount he billed his office.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Daily Roundup: Nintendo's next-gen console, an Apple TV service and more!

  Catch up on today's top stories in the Daily Roundup. Nintendo talks about its next-generation console and mobile gaming. Meanwhile, Google decided to remove the steering wheel from self-driving vehicles because humans are "unreliable" and a new web television service will come to Apple TV this fall. You can find out about these stories and more past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• The NYPD is trying a more precise gunshot detection system

  Zeroing in on the precise source of gunfire is next to impossible in densely packed cities like New York City. Shots reverberate off of building facades, obscuring the shooter's location and costing law enforcement precious response time. But with a newly installed gunshot detection system, the NYPD will know exactly where those shots are coming from.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• eBay and Sotheby's high-end auctions will launch next month

  You wouldn't expect to be let in to a fine art auction wearing nothing but tighty whities, but starting April 1st, no one's going to be able to stop you. Sotheby's has teamed up with its digital counterpart, eBay, to launch its long-promised digital sales channel. Now, online collectors flush with Beanie Baby sales cash can fight as equals against entitled Manhattan socialites for Ansel Adams' photography and Andy Warhol watches.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• The fight for the open internet isn't over

  The FCC's Open Internet order could be the most important 313 pages in the web's short history, but "could" is the operative word. Proponents of the order say it's a landmark document, promoting net neutrality and dissolving telcos' power over the internet; naysayers believe it's needless regulation over an already free market, and everyone else falls somewhere in between. So what does and doesn't the order do, and what exactly does it all mean for you?

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Spotify and gaming subscriptions now help the UK measure inflation

  Every year, the UK's Office of National Statistics (ONS) names a list of products and services that enables it measure what consumers are spending their money on. Things like alcohol, clothing and furniture are typical items included in what's known as the "basket of goods," but the list has evolved over the years as Brits continue to embrace technology. This year, for instance, the ONS taken the decline of traditional media into consideration and decided to add streaming music services. Spotify will now join video streaming services (Netflix et al.) in the basket, which were incorporated for the first time last year.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• GE at SXSW: tracking brainwaves during BBQ tastings and using a 12-foot smoker

  Two things define SXSW: spectacle and smoked meat. GE's managed to meld the two at its BBQ Research Center. Just up the street from the Austin Convention Center, General Electric's research arm set up shop with a 12-foot tall sensor-laden super smoker and a BBQ tasting room called Brain on BBQ. As you might suspect, tasters wear consumer-grade EEG headbands (the Muse variety) to track how their brainwaves change when eating savory smoked meat, tangy coleslaw and sweet banana pudding. GE's going to mine the data from every participant to see if it can glean some useful insight about the nuances of flavors, but really it's just a way for folks to see what's going on inside their noggin whilst chowing down. The whole setup is meant to draw attention to the company's R&D efforts in food and neuroscience, and show that GE's technology can be leveraged to improve most any industry.

  By Michael Gorman Read More

• Now there's one fewer way to support your favorite indie artists

  Whether you're crafting YouTube videos, blogging for yourself or making another form of content for the web, earning a living off of your creative output can be tough. That's where services like Patreon and Subbable come in. Both are fairly similar subscription tools (fans agree to give a certain amount whenever an artist releases a new piece of content), so it makes sense that the former would acquire the smaller latter. The move brings Subbable creators Hank Green and John Green, along with two dozen others, to Patreon according to TechCrunch. The reasoning is fairly straightforward: Subbable's payment platform, Amazon Flexible Payments System, is shutting down come June. The brothers Green feared that their service would lose a ton of subscribers in the process of overhauling the cash-handling platform, and Patreon's Jack Conte saw that as an opportunity to merge the two companies.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Daily Roundup: VR films, Sonos impressions and more!

  Happy Monday! Ease back into the week with a brand new edition of the Daily Roundup. First up, we take a look at why virtual reality is not the immediate future of film. Then find out what it's like to outfit your home theater with a Sonos system and we ponder what Elon Musk has up his sleeve that will "end range anxiety" for Tesla owners. Get caught up on these stories and more past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Argos now lets customers order 3D-printed jewellery online

  Argos is under relentless pressure from Amazon in the UK, so it's looking to personalised services as a way to stand apart from its online-only competition. Today, the company is launching a new site for 3D-printed jewellery, which includes rings, bracelets and cufflinks. Customers can tweak the designs with their own names, words and phrases, and Argos promises to deliver the final product in 21 days. 3D printing is often associated with low-quality trinkets, but here Argos is clearly targeting a more luxurious market. All of the products are available in silver and 18 carat gold plating, with prices ranging between £50 and £220. It's a small trial for now, and Argos is enlisting 3D printing specialists Digital Forming and Innovate UK to help out with some of the technical aspects. If customers embrace the service though, the company says it'll consider expanding it to other areas of its business, such as lighting and homeware. 3D printing isn't a silver bullet for dethroning Amazon, but it represents the level of risk Argos needs to take to stay competitive.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Blood, sweat and bitcoin: Mining cryptocurrency with exercise

  Even a company like Chaotic Moon, that has made headlines here for its odd, genre defying creations has to bow to the lure of trends every so often. Fitcoin (not to be confused with the several other apps of the same name) hops on the wearble and bitcoin bandwagon. It starts with any activity tracker that meets two requirements: an open API and an integrated heart rate monitor. For demonstration purposes the company chose a Mio. Then there's an app that measures the activity tracked and converts it into an appropriate amount of bitcoin -- in essence paying you to work out. Or, as the tag line puts it: Get ripped. Die mining.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• A new MacBook, net neutrality and other stories you might've missed!

  Did you miss some of this week's biggest stories? Fear not, because we have you covered. First up, check out our impressions of Apple's new MacBook, then read Jeb Bush's thoughts on net neutrality (hint: it's crazy) and take a closer look at the Apple Watch. You can find all this and more in our weekend roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Recommend Reading: The extra special Pi Day edition

  Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. What better way to celebrate Pi Day than with Darren Aronofsky's 1998 film. If you haven't seen it, it's really quite good. The movie chronicles a number theorist who obsesses over numbers in an attempt to decode a pattern behind the stock market. I won't divulge any more info, but if you're looking for some weekend viewing, give this a shot. Oh, and here are a million digits of Pi. Amazon Google Play iTunes Netflix Hulu

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Daily Roundup: Valve and Steam, Google Apps privacy bug and more!

  Why is Valve getting involved in virtual reality, making Steam Machines or releasing the Source game engine for free? It's all for Steam! Meanwhile, a Google Apps domain registration bug exposed personal details for nearly 300,000 users and we tried to love Monster Hunter and failed. Get the details on these stories and more past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• NYPD edited Wikipedia pages on police brutality, stop-and-frisk

  Apparently it's not just politicians that are concerned about their reputation on Wikipedia -- a report by Capital found evidence of the New York Police Department digging into the crowd-sourced encyclopedia. IP addresses registered to the NYPD have been linked to edits and/or requests to delete the Wikipedia pages for well-known police shooting cases like Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell. In the hours after a grand jury decided not to indict an officer for the death of Eric Garner, someone logged on via an NYPD IP address to make several changes to the corresponding article.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Vote for the 11th Annual Engadget Awards

  The nominations are in and the finalists have been selected for the 11th Annual Engadget Awards. Now it's time to select the top dog in each category. Fill out the ballots below to select the best in show and we'll announce the winners later this month during a very special ceremony. You don't need to select a winner in every category, but the polls close Wednesday, March 18th at 11:59PM PT.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• We're on the ground at SXSW!

  We're gearing up for another great SXSW in Austin, Texas! Last year, we witnessed a dude get "stunned" by Chaotic Moon's "CUPID" Drone, checked out IBM's Watson-powered food truck and punched some virtual sharks. This year we'll again get to see new emerging technologies, creative uses of old ones and generally explore how tech is changing our lives.

  By John Colucci Read More

• Last year's best GIF is three years old (update)

  Well, this is awkward: The big winner of this year's GIFY awards is apparently from 2012. How do we know that? It's written on the wall, of course. While President Obama skateboarding across the stage at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul from three years ago is plenty funny, it isn't exactly new as The Next Web notes. It even took the award for the news and politics category. Cool? Yeah, but I can think of a few others that were a bit more deserving -- especially considering that there's a "throwback" category. Regardless, you can check out all of the winners below. Update: The GIFYs organizers and panelists (including one of Engadget's own) are aware that these GIFs may not be new, necessarily, but that doesn't mean they can't be voted the best GIFs of the year. Clearly a GIF with "2012" in the background might be outdated, but it can still get some love a few years later. Carry on, folks, and enjoy the GIFs.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Daily Roundup: Fitbit Surge review, VAIO's first smartphone and more!

  Get caught up on all of today's news in the Daily Roundup. Find out what we think of the new Fitbit Surge, learn about VAIO's first smartphone and get the details on when USB-C will come to new Android phones. Head past the break for all this and more.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• The FCC just revealed its rules to protect the open internet

  When the FCC's commissioners gathered to vote on the future of the internet as we know it a few weeks ago, the actual plan was shrouded in by ambitious (if broad) rhetoric. No paid prioritization? Equal application to wireless services? The thoughtful ignoring of parts of the Telecommunications Act so internet providers wouldn't go absolutely batty? It all sounds pretty reasonable spoken aloud -- even if those providers are pitching a fit anyway -- but until now the public hasn't had the chance to pore over exactly what the FCC spent so much time deliberating on. The FCC has just released the full text of its Open Internet Order, which lays out its contentious vision for how the internet should be managed, along with each commissioner's affirming statement or dissent on the issue. The whole shebang weighs in at about 400 pages, but we'll be spending some time today sifting through the thing to see what juicy bits turn up. In the meantime, feel free to take a gander at the document in its desk-shaking entirety below.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Travelex's Supercard eliminates bank charges when spending abroad

  Sure, it's easy to use your bank cards when buying things abroad, but it's not pleasant to come home to all the additional fees and charges bolted on by your bank. One solution is to take cash, which carries its own risks, or sign up to a third-party issuer that tries to limit the damage to your account. Travelex, however, is aiming to cut those UK charges completely with the launch of its new "Supercard." While it's basically a pre-paid Visa debit card, it comes with one distinct advantage: you don't have to top it up. You can connect up to five of your own accounts, travel to a far-away destination and it'll automatically deduct your purchases using Visa's own exchange rate.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Daily Roundup: Chromebook Pixel, Apple's App Store woes and more!

  In today's Daily Roundup, we review the new Chromebook Pixel, look at Apple's App and iTunes Store connection issues and learn that Minecraft may be banned in Turkey for being too violent. Read about these stories and more past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• FTC accuses DirecTV of using deceptive advertising

  In an awkward twist on AT&T's proposed purchase of DirecTV, now both companies are in hot water with the FTC. The Federal Trade Commission sued AT&T a few months ago over its data throttling, and today charged DirecTV with deceptive advertising -- an accusation DirecTV calls "flat-out wrong" and says it will fight. At issue are DirecTV's ads that prominently feature a discounted price that only applies for the first year of a two year contract -- in the second year, prices increase by $25 per month. DirecTV's promises of premium channels like HBO and Showtime are also cited, with the commission claiming they don't do enough to explain the channels cost extra after a trial period. The premium channel offer is set up as "negative option billing" (remember Columbia House?) and the FTC says DirecTV violated the Restore Online Shopper's Confidence Act (ROSCA) by not laying out the terms clearly on its website. Depending on how this goes, at least if DirecTV eventually needs any advice on how to restore trust with the public then it can just ask spokesman Rob Lowe.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Nominations for the 11th Annual Engadget Awards close tonight

  It's time have your voices heard. In the dog-eat-dog world of technological innovation ... Ok, ok, enough with the K9 metaphors. Let's just get to the point: Nominations for the 11th Annual Engadget Awards end at midnight PT tonight. We've given you a head start with a few suggestions, but feel free to write in your own in the ballots below -- if you haven't placed your votes already. You don't have to make nominations in every category, but selections should be for products available in 2014. We'll announce the winners during a very special awards ceremony on March 25th. Let's just say the competition is rrrrruff ...

  By Jon Turi Read More

• Olympus' new compact camera uses retro looks to lure you in

  Due to the popularity of smartphones, camera manufacturers have had to scramble trying to find ways to keep their products relevant. And Olympus is no stranger to this. Now, the company has announced its Stylus SH-2, a point-and-shoot camera that's using retro looks to, hopefully, appeal to the masses. Like they say, however, looks aren't everything. As such, Olympus is making this compact cam beautiful on the inside too, featuring a RAW capture mode, 5-axis image stabilization, WiFi and the ability to shoot 1080p video at 60 fps. Just as important, the Stylus SH-2 comes with a 16-megapixel sensor and 24x optical zoom lens (24-600mm wide-angle equivalent) -- similar to what we saw on the Stylus SH-1, which was introduced last March. It'll be available in black and silver next month for $400, while the companion carrying cases will be sold separately.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Daily Roundup: Valve and VR, Hillary Clinton's email and more!

  Welcome to the Daily Roundup. We take a look at the secret meetings Valve arranged to get developers excited about its VR project. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton answers questions about her use of personal email and a number of companies share ideas on the future of wearables. Head past the break to get caught up on today's biggest stories.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Hillary Clinton: 'I think I went above and beyond' email requirements

  The most contentious work-related email debate of this month (at least) continued today, as likely presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held a press conference (video) at the UN headquarters. The topic? Her use of a self-hosted email address during her time as Secretary of State. She gave a statement, then answered a few questions from the press, claiming that her choice to use a personal address was done for convenience. Last month the former First Lady told Re/code that she uses both an iPhone and a Blackberry, and said today that "looking back, think that it might have been smarter to have those two devices from the very beginning."

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Self-destructing site shows how long it takes Google to find you

  Wondering how long it would take for Google's search engine to find your website if you didn't promote it? About 22 days, according to Matthew Rothenberg. He recently launched Unindexed, a purposefully short-lived web community that was set to self-destruct as soon as Google's indexing technology made it searchable. While Rothenberg didn't go out of his way to maintain the secret, participants knew that every view, post and shared link would bring the site closer to disaster -- it only took 346 views and 31 contributions before everything came crashing down. Thankfully, you can recreate this experiment yourself. Rothenberg has posted the source code, so his commentary on the sad state of web anonymity should last for much longer than a few weeks. [Image credit: Shutterstock]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Senator on subcommittee for technology has 'never sent' an email

  Need more politician-email news? Well, it turns out that Republican South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham has never sent one. Ever. While talking about the Hillary Clinton home-email-server issue, Meet the Press' Chuck Todd asked if Graham had a private email account. "I don't email. You can have every email I've ever sent; I've never sent one," said the lawmaker who sits on the Senate Subcommittee for Privacy, Technology and the Law, among three others. "I don't know what that makes me." As The Washington Post, notes however, that doesn't mean he's lacking staffers who can send emails for him.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Florida governor bans officials from using phrase 'climate change'

  Believing that climate change isn't real is a bit like believing that you don't need a parachute to skydive; charming, but ultimately lethal. Let's just hope that Rick Scott is afraid of heights after reports have emerged that Florida's governor banned state officials from talking about the environment. According to the Miami Herald, the republican issued an unwritten ban on phrases like "climate change and "global warming" since he took office in 2011. Apparently his reasoning was that he didn't want employees to discuss anything that was "not a true fact," forgetting about those special truths that only empirical science can discover.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Jeb Bush believes net neutrality rules are the 'craziest ideas'

  Presidential hopeful Jeb Bush isn't about to break with the party line on net neutrality. The former Florida Governor told those at an Iowa question-and-answer session this weekend that the FCC's decision to classify broadband as a utility was "one of the craziest ideas I've ever heard." It doesn't make sense to use a 1934-era law to govern the "most dynamic part of life" in the US, he claimed. He also contended that President Obama had unduly pressured the FCC, and that there was "no support" from the companies that once wanted the agency to take a tougher stance (which isn't true: Netflix, for example, is still a fan).

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• President Obama launches new training program for tech jobs

  America is suffering from a lack of tech-savvy workers, and that's one of the reasons that wages are stagnant. It's enough of an issue that President Obama is launching TechHire, a program designed to get citizens into well-paid jobs in the technology sector. In short, the scheme is a way to increase STEM knowledge, connect workers to opportunities and break down the barriers between giving people a chance.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Drones are now banned from London's Royal Parks

  If you live in London, it can be difficult to find a wide open space that's suitable for practising your drone-flying skills. The capital's eight Royal Parks are an obvious choice, but now aspiring pilots will have to look elsewhere -- staff have recently posted notices that strictly prohibit the use of drones and model aircraft inside the grounds.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Major museums start banning selfie sticks

  Selfie sticks, the logical "extension" of an already irksome activity, were recently banned in Premier League soccer stadiums. Now museums around the world are starting to do the same over worries of accidental damage to artwork. The Smithsonian barred their use effective last week as a "preventative measure to protect visitors and museum objects," especially on crowded days. Meanwhile, a formal ban is pending at Versailles palace and Centre Pompidou in France, and visitors are now being told to stow their sticks by guards at the Louvre. Both Pompidou and the Louvre will continue to allow regular photography and selfies.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• HTC One M9 preview, Nintendo's indie relationships and other stories you might've missed!

  Saturday is here and it's a great time to catch up on all the stories you might have missed this week. We take a look at the recently announced HTC One M9, meet Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 edge and dig into Nintendo's complicated relationship with indie game makers. All that and more can be found below.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Daily Roundup: Best of Mobile World Congress, 'Rock Band 4' and more!

  Mobile World Congress wrapped up today and we share our picks for the best smartphones we found in Barcelona. In other news, Harmonix is getting the band back together with Rock Band 4 and a spinning chair might make virtual reality feel more real. All this and more can be found in today's Daily Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Harrison Ford 'battered, but ok' after crash-landing on a golf course

  Actor Harrison Ford (Blade Runner, Indiana Jones, Star Wars -- seriously, it's Harrison Ford) reportedly suffered "moderate injuries" after the PT-22 he was flying (presumably with special modifications) crash-landed at a Los Angeles golf course this afternoon. According to the Associated Press, Ford was breathing and conscious when he was taken to the hospital where he is listed in fair to moderate condition. Naturally TMZ is all over the story, with a witness account of seeing a plane "nose dive" into a tee box at the 8th hole, and audio of his contact with the Santa Monica Airport control tower reporting engine failure. According to a tweet by his son, the actor is "battered, but OK." [Image credit: Associated Press]

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• The creator of the gTar returns with a teach-yourself keyboard

  The first time you played Guitar Hero (or Rock Band), you probably wished that someone would invent a real guitar that could teach you how to play in the same manner. Shortly afterward, the gTar was invented, that showed budding riff-makers how to shred thanks to a series of helpful LEDs embedded in the neck. All you had to do was place your fingers on the strings where the lights lit up and, hey presto, you were a rock god. Now, the company behind the gTar is back, and has taken the same idea, but applied it to a piano, in the form of Keys.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Divoom's new Bluetooth speaker also serves as a selfie remote

  Today's youth likes nothing more than listening to that hip-hop music, being turnt and taking pictures of themselves. That's why the folks at Divoom have generously built a gadget that will let kids do all three at the same time. The second-generation Bluetune Bean is a portable Bluetooth speaker that comes with a remote shutter button that'll make selfie-taking easier. Although, now that I think about it, since you have to be holding the phone for it to count as a selfie, and the volume rocker button is right there, isn't this device entirely redundant?

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• House of Lords calls for drone owners to be put on a register

  Ever since a drunk intelligence officer crashed a drone on the White House lawn, questions have been raised about their safety and how such "accidents" can be avoided in the future. Drone makers have already introduced measures to restrict drone flights in certain areas, but over in Europe, the House of Lords EU Committee has laid out a new set of guidelines that, if implemented, could make drone use safer for all involved.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Europe rules e-books won't get tax breaks like paper books

  Isn't it ironic that tiny nuances of tax law can often cause colossal results out in the real world? It's one of those judgments that has rocked Europe after its highest court ruled that e-books aren't actually goods at all. Currently, paper books sold in the EU are subjected to a smaller amount of sales tax, since having an educated, literate population is generally considered to be a good thing. France and Luxembourg, seeing no difference between books and e-books, have been offering similar discounts on the latter since 2012.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• MakerBot makes it easy for schools and businesses to start 3D printing

  MakerBot has just launched a new initiative called Starter Lab, which makes 3D printing more accessible to more people, particularly students and employees. It's a bundle of MakerBot products, including several printers and other hardware, plastic filaments and training guides to help organizations get started. Acting CEO Frank Alfano says it can "help educational institutions prepare students to be more college and career ready." As for companies, he believes it can provide "a competitive advantage as an investment in future technology that fuels new ideas and growth." Chances are, this is part of the New York company's efforts to introduce both 3D printing and its brand to people who don't regularly read tech news.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Hillary Clinton: 'I want the public to see my email'

  Hillary Clinton's exclusive use of a self-hosted email address has been at the center of controversy over the last few days, and now the former Secretary of State tweets that she wants those emails -- or at least the 55,000 pages she has shared with the State Department -- released to the public. Her tweets came after a congressional committee investigating the 2012 terrorist attack on a US compound in Benghazi, Libya, issued a subpoena "for all communications of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton related to Libya and to the State Department." A New York Times article closely accompanying the tweet (it actually went up several minutes before, but somehow quoted the tweet) fills in some of the holes of the story about how her account worked, referring to it as a "mark of status within the family's inner circle." [Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images]

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Etsy wants to raise up to $300 million by going public

  Etsy, yes that marketplace for handcrafted and bespoke goods, plans to raise money not by selling custom crocheted rabbit hats or bohemian jewelry, but by doing an initial public offering. The Brooklyn company has just filed an S-1 form at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, where it revealed some numbers that give us a glimpse into how the company's doing. It apparently has 1.4 million active sellers, 19.8 million active buyers and 685 employees, 51 percent of whom are women. Plus it generated $195.6 million in revenue but incurred a net loss of $15.2 million in 2014. According to Bloomberg, Etsy is hoping to raise $300 million from the IPO, or $100 million at the very least, if you look at the S-1 filing.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The Associated Press is automating college sports news, too

  In an effort to bring the masses more sports news, the Associated Press plans to use automated tech for stories it wouldn't normally cover. The AP is working with the NCAA this spring to produce game reports across Division I baseball, Division I women's basketball and both Division II and III football. In the months to come, coverage will extend to Division II and III men's basketball -- probably just in time for next season. While the NCAA will provide the game stats, stories will leverage the tech that the AP already uses to automate thousands of earnings reports each quarter. "This will mean thousands of more stories on the AP wire, which will remain unmatched in the industry," said Barry Bedlan, the AP's deputy director of sports products. "Every college sports town will have some level of coverage." Local news outlets will certainly tap into the new feed, so hopefully small town beat reporters won't have to find a new niche. [Image credit: Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images]

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Hillary Clinton ran her own email server while in office

  Just because Hillary Clinton wasn't using work email as Secretary of State doesn't mean she was throwing caution to the wind -- if anything, she may have been shrewder than most. The Associated Press has learned that Clinton conducted official business using an email server registered to her home. It's not clear exactly where the server was or who ran it until 2013 (probably not internet 'inventor' Al Gore), but the move gave the politician a lot of control. Since the email was strictly hers, she could decide if and when she turned over messages to the government or lawyers. It may have also let her toughen up security versus off-the-shelf services. If the server was in her house, she would have even had the Secret Service offering physical protection.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Sony unveils four much-needed lenses for the full-frame A7-II camera

  We like Sony's full frame Alpha mirrorless A7-II and light-vacuuming A7s cameras, but the downside is a narrow range of full-frame lenses. It's now resolved the problem significantly with four new models, including a walk-around zoom and fast prime from Zeiss. The latter, a Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 ZA auto-focus model, creates "gorgeous" images according to Steve Huff, though at $1,698, it's not for the faint of wallet. The Sony 24-240 f/3.5-6.3 AF zoom, on the other hand, is aimed at tourists with its optical stabilization, weather-sealed design and $1,000 price tag.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Metallica is releasing a remastered 1982 demo... on cassette

  Dust off your tape players, folks: cassettes are still making a comeback. A number of independent artists have already leveraged the classic format, and Metallica is looking to join the bandwagon. The metal act recorded the seven-track No Life 'Til Leather demo back in 1982, and the effort will be released on April 18th as a limited-edition cassette. If you tossed out that boombox a long time ago, the remastered tunes will be available on CD and vinyl this summer. This is the first time that any of the band's demo material has been officially released, and it's the first in a series of reissues planned through Blackened Recordings, a Metallica-owned label.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Snowden in talks to come home -- still holding out for a fair trial

  After blowing open the NSA's secret surveillance plans and spending the past few years in Russia, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden is now in talks with lawyers to make his way back to the U.S., reports Russia Today. But, according to his Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, he'll only return if he's guaranteed a "fair and impartial trial." That's a demand Snowden has mentioned in several interviews, but it'll likely be tough to achieve. Even Daniel Ellsberg, the man who leaked the Pentagon Papers and revealed the U.S. government's many lies about the Vietnam War, doesn't have much hope that Snowden will be treated fairly.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Stratos' all-in-one payment card should work anywhere in the US

  Many "universal" payment cards... well, aren't. They either don't work everywhere or only hold a limited number of cards, which leaves you out of luck when you're trying to add one more loyalty program. Stratos thinks it has this problem licked, though. Its new Bluetooth Connected Card promises "100 percent compatibility" with payment systems in the US, and it can hold an unlimited number of cards that you control through a mobile app. You also shouldn't have to worry about a thief going on a shopping spree if you lose your card, since you can tell it to automatically lock down if it's not close to your phone for a while.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Sony's voice-controlled speaker can follow you around the room

  The jury is still out on Amazon's voice-controlled Echo speaker, but that hasn't stopped Sony from developing a competitor. The 'Smart Bluetooth Speaker BSP60' is a petite black orb that pairs with Android devices and vocalizes basic information, such as the weather forecast and your daily schedule. Once triggered with the phrase "okay speaker," you can ask it to perform simple tasks too, such as setting timers, alarms and checking your phone for new messages. The built-in microphone accommodates conference calls and the tiny wheels underneath allow it to scoot around a flat surface, similar to the Sony Rolly. (Try snoozing that 6am alarm now...) By far its most eye-catching feature, however, are the twin sections that pop out of the top. The device then looks like a Tron-style alarm clock, with bright lights that change color underneath. They're mostly for show, but give Sony's speaker a charming little personalty. If you're interested, be prepared to shell out some serious cash -- Sony says it'll cost €299 ($355) when it debuts in Q2 2015.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Artiphon's Instrument 1 crams most of the music store in one gadget

  We first caught up with the folks behind Artiphon at NAMM 2013, and after taking the time to redesign its Instrument 1, the company is hoping to crowdfund the device. For those that may not remember, the gadget not only handles the functions of multiple instruments, but it adapts to the musician's skill level as talents progress. The Instrument 1 also serves as an input device for a truckload of music-making apps (like GarageBand or Animoog) on iOS, and thanks to a USB and Lightning jacks, can fill in as a MIDI controller, too. And if you're looking to make a custom instrument for specific results, the Aritphon app will allow you to do just that, in addition to serving up an arsenal of different music-making options. Need a piano? It's there. A violin? No problem.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Hillary Clinton hates using work email just as much as you do

  There are plenty of things that unite us as a species: our need to visit the bathroom, our dislike of Bieber and our seething hatred of corporate e-mail systems. It's the third on that list that's landed Hillary Clinton in hot water since it appears that, in her four years at the state department, she avoided using official email altogether. The former Secretary of State is believed to have conducted all of her business via a personal email account, breaching federal requirements to maintain an automatic record of all communication.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Daily Roundup: MWC 2015 so far, Google+ splits up and more!

  Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona today and there's already been a number of big announcements. Get the latest details about the new phones from Samsung, HTC and Lenovo. In other news, Google+ is splitting up and IKEA will sell wireless charging furniture. Head past the break to find out the top stories from MWC and more.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Panasonic takes on Dropcam with a 4G-equipped monitoring camera

  WiFi monitoring cameras, like Dropcam, are great for keeping tabs while you're away. But what if there were devices that didn't require that connection, or to be plugged in all the time? Meet Panasonic's Nubo: a 4G-equipped security camera that can still keep a watchful eye on situations where there's no power or WiFi signal. The camera's motion sensor detects movement, recording clips in five-, 10-, 30- or 60-second lengths and analyzes the footage to differentiate between humans and your family pets. If your dog or an unwanted guest enters the monitored area, Nubo sends alert to your connected mobile device along with the captured video. What's more, the camera has a built-in speaker and microphone, allowing two-way communication should the need arise. It can be connected to an external USB battery too, so even if there's a loss of power, Nubo is still hard at work.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Inhabitat's Week in Green: Google's new HQ, folding bikes and fancy beehives

  Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Buildings are among the biggest energy users, but new developments in the design world could help change that. ArchiBlox recently unveiled Australia's first carbon-positive prefab home -- in other words, the house produces more energy than it uses. The gorgeous 800-square-foot structure is now on display in Melbourne's City Square. In other architecture news, Google just unveiled plans to build a giant bubble in Mountain View! The new Googleplex headquarters will be a biosphere-filled utopia designed by Heatherwick Studio and BIG. Speaking of BIG, the Danish architecture firm recently unveiled plans for a luminescent, geodesic dome biomass power plant. The rainbow-colored dome wouldn't just produce green energy; it would also serve as a public park.

  By Inhabitat Read More

Nintendo (13)

• Nintendo squashes browser-based Mario tribute game

  While Nintendo proper might be willing to let some folk make a Mario game, we're a long way from that extending to free browser-based versions of the company's best-known franchise. As such, that Super Mario 64 HD tribute that popped up last Friday is (perhaps predictably) no more. Now back to work, the lot of you.

  By James Trew Read More

• Game Boy camera gun prints when you shoot

  If you had a spare Game Boy Camera and the printer to match, what would you do with them? If you're media artist Dmitry Morozov, you'd make a one-of-a-kind firearm. His GBG-8 gun uses Nintendo's photographic peripherals and an Arduino board to shoot photos (almost literally) and print them on the spot -- effectively, it's a low-resolution Polaroid cam with a trigger. We can't imagine that this would go down well with security officials, but it could be a blast if you want to capture 8-bit memories with more flair than the original Game Boy gear allows. Let's just hope that Morozov offers some instructions so that his picture pistol is easy to reproduce at home.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• 'The Legend of Zelda' Wii U version pushed out of 2015

  Nintendo's Legend of Zelda game in development for Wii U is no longer due out in 2015, producer Eiji Aonuma announced in a video (embedded after the break) today. "I must apologize to you all that were expecting the game by year's end, but we are no longer making a 2015 release our number one priority," Aonuma says. "Instead, our priority is to make it the most complete and ultimate Zelda game. I hope to use the added time to make The Legend of Zelda for Wii U into a game that will reward you for your patience, so thank you for your continued support."

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Play 'Super Mario 64' in your browser now

  Take the edge off of a full work week with a bit of Super Mario 64, available for download or playable right in your browser thanks to ingenious Unity developer Roystan Ross. He calls it Super Mario 64 HD, and it features the original game's first level, "Bob-Omb Battlefield." Ross promises that everything is just as players of the 1996 game will remember, with a few exceptions, including no red coins and no Big Bob-Omb. But, it's still Super Mario 64 in your browser (not your Bowser). Happy Friday, indeed!

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Play 'Zelda' IRL with this jug-busting, arrow-stopping shield

  There are Hylian Shield replicas and then there are Hylian Shield Replicas. The one above fits into the latter and probably could've been used with a certain live-action Netflix series that sadly isn't happening. The team at Baltimore Knife and Sword makes all kinds of armaments for their YouTube series Man at Arms: Reforged, and their latest project is the perennial shield from Nintendo's Legend of Zelda series, along with what NeoGAF posits is a Link to the Past-styled Master Sword. The level of craftsmanship is what separates this gear from what you'd typically see cosplayers brandish at PAX; the Triforce is made of amber and the shield can even withstand a barrage of arrows.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Nintendo quashes talk of a live-action 'Legend of Zelda' series

  We hope you weren't planning your Netflix viewing schedule around that rumored Legend of Zelda live-action series... you're about to have your hopes dashed. Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata tells Time that talk of the game-based show is "not based on correct information." There's "nothing new to share" about any Nintendo brands showing up in movies or TV, he says. The executive isn't outright denying things, but you probably don't want to count on seeing a gritty portrayal of Link's adventures any time soon. It's probably just as well if the series never comes to pass -- the last time Zelda got a series, it didn't get a warm reception.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The history behind Nintendo's flip-flop on mobile gaming

  Did you hear the one about Nintendo "never" putting its content on mobile platforms? About how Nintendo makes its own hardware specifically intended to cater to its software? About how it would dilute those "brands" (think: Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong) to put them on hardware other than Nintendo's? Clearly Nintendo isn't so worried about that, as it announced plans last evening to work with Japan mobile game giant DeNA on moving its many brands over to mobile. Or, as Nintendo describes the relationship: a "business and capital alliance to develop and operate new game apps for smart devices and build a new multi-device membership service for consumers worldwide." Sounds like a blast!

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• This is why 'Mario' levels are brilliant

  For the past 30 years, if you wanted a masterclass in video-game level-and-objective design you needn't look any further than a Mario title from Nintendo. That didn't change any with 2013's stellar Super Mario 3D World or last year's spin-off Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, either. As Pocket Gamer's Mark Brown dissects in the video below, the ingenuity lies in how the former communicates wrinkles and tasks to the player -- not with a series of terrible tutorials, but gameplay. This is something the game's director Koichi Hayashida draws from four-panel Japanese manga. The structure's called kishoutenketsu, and it comes directly from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto's time spent drawing comics; it's always been influential in how the company has approached game design.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Nintendo's next-generation console is codenamed 'NX'

  It should come as no surprise to hear that Nintendo is working on a new console. Fresh hardware takes years to develop, so engineers are always working on future systems while the rest of us play on the current generation of consoles. What we didn't expect, however, is for Nintendo to talk about its next system so soon. In today's press conference, where the company detailed its plans to make mobile games with DeNA, it also teased a new system codenamed "NX." Few details were disclosed, other than it'll involve fresh hardware and gameplay concepts. The NX symbol appeared on a slide alongside the Nintendo Wii U, 3DS and other mobile platforms, which suggests it could launch as a complementary system, rather than an immediate successor to any of its current consoles.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Nintendo is finally developing smartphone games

  Despite denying it would ever do such a thing, Nintendo will start creating new games for mobile devices via a partnership with developer DeNA. The emphasis is on the word "new" -- you won't necessarily be getting Super Mario Bros. ports on your Android smartphone, for instance. Instead, the companies said "only new original games optimized for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system." In other words, it looks like Nintendo has relented to investors who said it's not profiting enough from its valuable intellectual property, and you may soon see its universe of characters pop up in Candy Crush-style mobile games.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Netflix stuffed its video service into an NES cartridge

  Netflix's experimental Hack Days often lead to wonderfully off-the-wall projects, but its latest might have produced the best example yet. Engineers Guy Cirino, Carenina Motion and Alex Wolfe have whipped up DarNES, a hack that turns the original Nintendo Entertainment System into a Netflix playback machine. The '80s-era console is unchanged -- the real trickery is inside a special 256KB cartridge. You probably wouldn't want to go on an Orange is the New Black marathon given the chunky 8-bit graphics, but it's nice to know that you can.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Nintendo Wii U lineup stars fan favorites from PS4, Xbox One, PC

  Nintendo's digital store is beefing up with some top-notch independent titles in the coming months, and the company showed off a few familiar games during a presentation at GDC 2015. We're talking games headed to the Wii U eShop that have already launched on other platforms, including Klei Entertainment's Tim Burton-esque survival game, Don't Starve: Reign of Giants, Young Horses' PS4 launch title Octodad: Dadliest Catch and the beautiful, educational platformer Never Alone from Upper One Games. Our list below includes the freshly announced Wii U games and a bit of information about each one, so you can make platform decisions in peace.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• It's complicated: Nintendo's relationship with indie gaming

  Independent games are a cornerstone of Sony's PlayStation 4 messaging, and a contributing factor to the system's blockbuster success. They are not for Nintendo -- neither for the Wii U, nor the 3DS. An unsurprising strategy given the Japanese company's reliance on Mario and Zelda, its familiar, first-party franchises. And yet, independent games have had a presence on the company's digital software channel, the eShop, for almost a decade. Only now, they're more noticeable. "We've been supporting Indie content and self-publishing for a really long time," says Damon Baker, senior manager of licensing at Nintendo. "I mean, [going] back to the WiiWare, DSiWare days. But I think that it's just a more visible community because there's so much talent that's coming out of it; there's so much coverage for it that it just makes it naturally higher profile."

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

PC Gaming (20)

• Engadget giveaway: win a Shield Tablet gaming package courtesy of NVIDIA!

  Spring has sprung and while you may have been huddled by your PC's GPU all winter for some scant warmth, you can now continue your gaming sessions under the sun's rays. NVIDIA's GRID gaming service streams popular PC games right to its Shield devices, giving you some operational freedom beyond the desktop. GRID offers titles like Borderlands: The Pre-Sequal, Resident Evil 5 and Crysis 3, and the Shield Tablet, which packs a 192 Core Kepler GPU, a 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU and an 8-inch 1080p display, is up for the task. It's not just for gaming, either; this top-performing Android slate can stream movies and handle everyday multitasking with the best of them. If you have a Shield Tablet, you can take advantage of the GRID streaming service for free until June 30th, 2015. If you don't, just head to the Rafflecopter widget below, where you can get up to three chances at winning one along with its much needed accessories. The company has provided us with five complete sets, each including a Shield Tablet, a Tablet Cover and the indispensable Shield Controller for a total of five lucky Engadget readers this week. Game on! Winners: congratulations to Zabak B. of Wilson, NC; Charles P. of North Las Vegas, NV; Donnie R. of Dallas, GA; Rafael R. of San Antonio, TX and Nic B. of Fairborn, OH.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• 'Halo Online' is a free PC game launching only in Russia

  Halo is making a triumphant, if border-blocked, return to PC with Halo Online, a free multiplayer-only game set to launch in Russia this spring. The Russian launch is a closed beta, as Microsoft figures out the best way "to welcome new fans to the Halo universe," according to a post on Halo Waypoint. Halo Online is built on a modified version of the Halo 3 engine, and it should run smoothly on lower-end PCs, Microsoft says. Halo Online comes from Halo: The Master Chief Collection collaborator Saber Interactive and software developer Innova Systems, who have partnered with Halo 4 and 5 studio 343 Industries and, of course, Microsoft.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• How a handless gamer dominates 'League of Legends'

  Gamer Massimiliano Sechi has achieved "diamond" status at League of Legends, reserved for just a fraction of the game's estimated 67 million regular players. The kicker is that Sechi (aka MacsHG) was born without hands and one leg, putting him at a distinct physical disadvantage to other gamers, according to Razer's Character Select documentary (below). Lest you fear the video is some kind of pity piece, however, it's actually an uplifting laugh-a-minute thanks to the mocking rapport between Massimiliano and his brother, Simon -- who occasionally resorts to cheating at Legends because "I can't lose against my brother." Sechi is an institution on his home turf in Sardinia, Italy, where he works as a car salesman and inspirational speaker.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Everything Valve does is because of Steam

  Why is Valve getting into virtual reality? Why is Valve making Steam Machines and the Steam Controller? Why did Valve make its own Linux-based operating system? Why did Valve make the Steam Controller? Why is Valve releasing its game engine, Source, for free? It's the Steam economy, stupid! Valve's game store boasts "over 125 million active accounts worldwide." How does Valve keep growing that store? By literally everything else it does. Here's Valve president Gabe Newell explaining it to us last week at GDC 2015: "We're trying to build standard interfaces and standard implementations that other people can use. Because, to be honest, we're going to make our money on the back end, when people buy games from Steam. Right? So we're trying to be forward-thinking and make those longer-term investments for PC gaming that are going to come back a couple years down the road."

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• How Valve's secret meeting got devs on board with Steam VR

  Alex Schwartz expected robes. His development studio, Owlchemy Labs, received a cryptic email from Valve, one of the largest and most mysterious companies in the gaming industry, on an otherwise normal day in October. The message contained a secrecy agreement, plane tickets and the vague assertion that this was all about something related to virtual reality. Owlchemy responded with suspicion and intrigue. "What the hell is this? Who's coming? What is this all about?" Valve responded, "We can't say anything more. Just come."So, Owlchemy did.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Star Trek Online' honors Leonard Nimoy with in-game Spock statues

  With the recent passing of Leonard Nimoy, multiple generations of geeks found themselves at a deep loss. It makes sense then that the folks behind Star Trek Online would erect effigies to immortalize the man perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek universe. Should you travel to the planet Vulcan (Spock's home world), New Romulus, or even Earth in the game, you'll see memorials for him. The former two have statues with different quotes ("Live long and prosper" on Vulcan, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" on New Romulus), while our home planet is hanging black flags of mourning at its spaceport for the next week.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Valve's push into VR will span many headsets from many companies

  Currently, the HTC Vive is the only virtual reality headset that's part of Valve's Steam VR push. That's not because it's the only one, but because it's the only one we know about thus far. "You should think of the Vive as the first in the same way there are multiple Steam Machines," Valve president Gabe Newell told me this morning. In other words, Steam VR is an open platform supported by Valve. "We're building tools and hopefully they're valuable to hardware partners who want to do it. In some cases, we'll take the leadership role in shipping stuff. But we're really just building tools for other people to continue. So you'll see more headsets."

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• NVIDIA's got a new GPU monster, and it's called Titan X

  NVIDIA just announced the Titan X, its latest powerhouse graphics card, at Epic Game's GDC session this morning. And boy, it sounds like a monster: According to NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, it's now the world's most powerful GPU with more than 8 billion transistors (a bit of a jump from the 7 billion in last year's Titan Z). Titan X is powered by the company's new Maxwell architecture, and it packs in 12 gigabytes of VRAM, just like the Titan Z. NVIDIA isn't revealing much else about the new GPU yet -- it has its own conference in a few weeks, after all -- but at this point it sounds like the video card we'll all be pining for this year.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Valve's final Steam Controller is still missing something

  I spent roughly 10 minutes with the final Steam Controller at GDC 2015, playing snippets of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, The Talos Principle and Unreal Tournament on various Steam Machines. The body of the controller is wonderful to hold. Two long, clickable pads running along the backside of the handles, right where a player's middle and ring fingers lie, would be a welcome addition to any existing gamepad. Plus, the final controller adds a single analog stick on the left side. This makes the design more familiar overall, but with a trackpad replacing a second analog stick, the final Steam Controller remains what it always has been: awkward.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Steam Machines are coming this fall and this is what they look like

  Steam Machines. Maybe you've heard of them. They're Valve's oft-talked about, rarely seen in the wild solution for streaming PC games to the fancy HDTV in your living room. And at GDC this week, the company brought us closer to the promise of that commercial reality with a display of all the various units you're likely to see hit retail by November of this year. As Gabe Newell told us, the variety of Steam Machines on offer, from the low-end $50 Link to the premium $5,000 Falcon NW Tiki, present a "good, better, best choice for consumers." But enough talk -- I know you just want to see the goods. So check out the gallery below for a trio of the Steam Machines Mr. Newell demoed for us, as well as a video just after the break showcasing an expanded selection coming later this year.

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

• Valve is solving virtual reality's input problem

  Among the handful of announcements Valve made at this year's Game Developers Conference was a subtle and hugely important one: Lighthouse. What in the world is Lighthouse? It's the "base stations" referenced in Valve's VR headset announcement, and it's even more important than the incredibly impressive headset. Valve president Gabe Newell compares it to USB and expects it to fundamentally change how people interact with virtual reality. "Now that we've got tracking, then you can do input," Newell said in an interview with Engadget this morning. "It's a tracking technology that allows you to track an arbitrary number of points, room-scale, at sub-millimeter accuracy 100 times a second." What that means for me and you is that Lighthouse puts your body into the virtual world with stunning precision. I tested it and can confirm: holy shit, yes, this really works. Want to reach out and touch something in VR? Lighthouse is how you'll do it.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• One of the first Valve VR games is inspired by '80s fantasy films

  The Gallery: Six Elements is a magical fantasy exploration game created by Vancouver Island studio Cloudhead Games for Valve and HTC's new virtual reality headset, the Vive. It includes motion controls and a soundtrack by Elder Scrolls composer Jeremy Soule, and at first glance it's a truly gorgeous 3D, puzzle-solving experience -- the game's first trailer, released today, shows that much. The Gallery was successfully Kickstarted back in April 2013, where it was pitched as an Oculus Rift game. Perhaps sensing a hit, Valve jumped on Cloudhead early on in Vive's development, Creative Director Denny Unger says. "Valve has been stellar," Unger says. "They brought us into the process very early and genuinely listened to what we had learned about the VR space since its 2013 rebirth. Valve shared a common goal with Cloudhead Games in that they saw a vision for VR that was tantamount to the holodeck. This is the closest we've ever been to breaking down the boundaries and letting users physically step into virtual worlds. It is the fracture point all sci-fi geeks have been waiting for. It's here and its incredible."

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Photorealism on a large scale with Unreal Engine 4's new assets

  "It's getting ridiculous." Epic Games Chief Technology Officer Kim Libreri is tired of chairs -- and rocks, and grass, and trees -- in the games created in Unreal Engine 4, Epic's game development platform. It's not that he doesn't like everyday objects, he simply sees them as a collective issue to fix: They're standard, repeatable items that developers don't need to spend time making, since they already exist in a ton of other games. To that end, Epic is releasing on its UE4 Marketplace a set of detailed, photo-real assets and a system that places these items intelligently throughout game worlds, available for studios of all sizes. "Once a chair's been made, there's no reason to make a custom version of that chair," Libreri says. "You might as well share it with the community.... It's mind-boggling when you think about how many games have made the equivalent of the Aeron chair."

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Another Steam Machine is coming, this one from Maingear

  If you thought the Steam Machine news would be limited to Valve's announcement, well you're not quite right. Maingear's back to give the the platform another go with the Drift. What's in the aluminum box? An Intel i7-4790K processor mated with either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 or an AMD Radeon R9 290X -- both of which are 4K capable. What's more, Maingear boasts that its Steam OS machine can hold up to 16GB of DDR RAM, a pair of 1TB solid state drives and a single 6TB hard drive as well. Those options alone will almost assuredly drive the price a bit beyond the $849 (!!!) baseline Mainger's asking.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Super-efficient 'Vulkan' leaves your games more graphics power

  Psst: the games you play might not look as good (or run as smoothly) as they could. In many cases, the overhead from graphics standards gets in the way -- Apple went so far as to develop its own technology just to make sure that iPhones and iPads could live up to their potential. That bottleneck may not exist for much longer, however. The alliance behind the OpenGL video standard has given a sneak peek at Vulkan, an open standard that lets app writers take direct control of graphics chips and wring out extra performance on many devices, whether it's your phone or a hot rod gaming PC. The software isn't a magic bullet (developers still have to make good use of it), but it could easily lead to richer visuals and smoother frame rates without demanding beefier hardware.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Shield: NVIDIA's $200 gaming-focused Android TV set-top box

  Another year, another new Shield device from NVIDIA. What's Shield? It's the hardware line from NVIDIA that spans a bizarre handheld game console, a powerful gaming tablet, and now a $200, Android TV-powered set-top box. NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang unveiled the Android TV-powered set-top box this evening during a GDC 2015 press conference, which the company referred to as a combination "revolutionary TV", "gaming console" and "supercomputer." Head below for all the specs as we learn them live from NVIDIA.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• $50 Steam Link streams PC games anywhere within your house

  Along with a slew of new Steam Machines, Source Engine 2 and VR news, Valve announced an interesting add-on for anyone interested in in-home streaming for their PC games: Steam Link. These $50 boxes (in the US, international pricing is TBD) will stream content from your PC or Steam Machine, as long as they're on the same WiFi network. Adding a Steam Controller will cost an extra $50 when they launch in November, and can handle gaming in 1080p at 60Hz with low latency. Sony's Remote Play game streaming is a couple of generations old, while Microsoft just announced the feature for Windows 10, and now Valve has a cheap hardware solution too. The boxes were listed on the Steam store for a moment (see it in Google's cache here), and pictures showed a slim design, with three USB ports (one up front, two in the back) along with Ethernet, HDMI and power.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Valve's new 'Source 2' game engine has the low price of $0

  Half-Life 2. Counterstrike: Source. Team Fortress 2. Left 4 Dead. Portal. Besides being developed by Valve, what else do those games share? They all run on the company's Source Engine that's been used since the first two released 11 years ago. Well, Valve has a new engine coming, officially, and it's aptly dubbed Source 2. Valve says that the focus of the engine this time 'round is "increasing creator productivity." The idea is to democratize game development and make it easier for amateurs (and budding indies) to use the toolset and enable them to, as Valve tells it, participate in the creation and development of their favorite games. In fact, the company specifically calls out the importance of user-generated content as a reason for making the engine easier to work with, which, undoubtedly plays into the millions of dollars its paying out to Steam Workshop creators.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Over a dozen Steam Machines 'more powerful' than consoles hit this fall

  Valve continues to put console gaming in its crosshairs with news that a dozen new Steam Machines are hitting this November. Prices aren't concrete, but the company promises higher performance than game consoles starting at "the same price point." What's more, new units from Alienware and Falcon Northwest are on display at this year's Game Developers Conference, with the latter showing off Unreal Tournament running on a 4K monitor. Don't miss out on all the latest from GDC 2015! Follow along at our events page right here.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• CyberPowerPC takes a second shot at Steam Machines

  CyberPowerPC's original Steam Machine plans didn't amount to much (the company ultimately turned them into Windows boxes), but it's back again for another round. Its recently established Syber division has revealed that it will launch no less than six SteamOS computers this fall. The system builder isn't saying much about its new living room gaming rigs at the moment, but it'll give Game Developers Conference guests a sneak peek at three systems: the Mini, Mercury and Switch.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

PlayStation (19)

• Limited edition 'Batman' PlayStation 4 scratches that superhero itch

  If you missed out on that coveted 20th Anniversary PlayStation 4, don't fret: there's another special-run model coming soon. Sony has unveiled a limited edition Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 bundle that gives you a "steel grey" console emblazoned with the Caped Crusader's silhouette alongside the matching controller and, of course, the game. You'll want to pre-order the $450 pack quickly if you want to stand a chance of getting it on its June 23rd launch day, but there is a standard $400 bundle if you're either late to the party or are more interested in saving Gotham than showing off.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Sony's PlayStation video magazine returns on YouTube

  Remember the Sony-published video magazine PlayStation Underground? Well, it's back after a 14-year hiatus, and like so much of the video world, it's gone digital and now exists as a YouTube show. A post on the PlayStation Blog says that new episodes should publish twice a month, with a plan to change that to once a week in the future. The first show is all about developer Harmonix's Amplitude revamp, with the PS Blog crew playing and talking about the game with studio publicist Nick Chester. In its initial run, Underground snagged interviews with David Jaffe (Twisted Metal) and father of the PlayStation, Ken Kutaragi, so expecting to see some pretty big names grace the new show's couch doesn't seem too far fetched. And unless Amplitude appears on the PlayStation Store tonight, the original release window was this March, Underground's 21-minute clip below is probably your best chance at peeping new game-play for now.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• PlayStation's Spotify-powered music service starts today

  Good riddance Music Unlimited; welcome to the party, PlayStation Music. The Spotify-powered music service goes live on PlayStation devices in 41 nations starting today. As we've reported previously, this means even if you're listening to Spotify's free, ad-supported tier you can listen to your favorite playlists in-game. Whether or not your top Drake songs work as well for bounty runs in Destiny as they do for Saturday morning cleaning is another matter entirely, though. And Xbox fans? For now, there's a 40-page thread on the Spotify forums where you can make a case for the app coming to your console of choice -- alas, that's not likely to happen in the immediate future it seems.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Sony drops PlayStation TV price to £45 in the UK

  Sony's PlayStation 4 is selling incredibly well, but an early price drop suggests its smaller cousin isn't doing so hot in the UK. The PlayStation TV has always been a peculiar proposition, offering an easy way to play some, but not all PlayStation Vita, PSP and classic PSone games. Arguably its best feature is Remote Play, but £84.99 is a tough sell if you just want to stream PS4 games around the house. The mini-console has been available in the UK for a little over three months, but already Sony is dropping the price to £44.99.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• JXE Streams: Blindly marching into PlayStation 4's 'Bloodborne'

  Being an enormous fan of From Software, the truly insane studio behind PS4's new gothic role-playing game Bloodborne, I imported Demon's Souls from Hong Kong back in 2009. No one knew anything about it at that point, but I learned quick: the game is vicious, cruel and devoid of altruistic design. It punished me repeatedly, so when Dark Souls and Dark Souls II cemented the series as a deep, dark well of mystery that will never help you, I gave up. Now that successor Bloodborne has arrived, I'm ready to try again. Join me as I blindly embrace its brutality for the first time on today's stream.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• PS4 getting Suspend/Resume and better social features tomorrow

  Sony has just announced its latest PlayStation 4 update will arrive tomorrow. The headline item of the "Yukimura" update is Suspend/Resume. It's something that Sony has been promising since before the PS4 even launched, and means you'll be able jump straight from rest mode into a paused game. Sure, it took 16 months, but better late than never.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• JXE Streams: Digging in the 'Metroid' dirt of PS4's 'Axiom Verge'

  Axiom Verge -- a grotesque and intoxicating new action game for PlayStation 4 due out next week -- wears its heart on its sleeve. From the aliens wandering its creepy interconnected halls to the variety of unusual tools you find exploring its twisted world, creator Tom Happ's game explicitly calls back to Nintendo's Metroid. Rather than lose its identity in an homage mishmash, Axiom Verge actually uses that inspiration to build a demanding game that feels as new as it does eerie. We'll dig into its deep parts and interview Happ himself on today's stream!

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• 'God of War III' is the latest big game to get a PS4 makeover

  Yes, developers are still rehashing popular last-generation games in an attempt to pad out a thin current-gen catalog -- meet God of War III Remastered, a PlayStation 4 overhaul of the classic deity-slaying PS3 title. Sony Santa Monica isn't being too specific about what's new, but it's promising prettier, "silky smooth" 1080p brawling (here's hoping that means 60 frames per second) and a new photo mode that lets you capture vicious kills or scenic vistas. The PS4 refresh arrives on July 14th in the US, and July 17th in the UK. It won't make up for the Uncharted 4 delay, but it'll give you something fun (if not strictly new) to play during the usual summer game drought.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• PlayStation Now closed beta arrives in the UK this spring

  It's been an awfully long wait, but finally Sony is prepared to launch its video game streaming service outside of North America. A private beta for PlayStation Now is headed to the UK, and curious gamers can register their interest right now. To gain access later this Spring, you'll need to own both a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Plus membership. Otherwise, the selection criteria is rather ambiguous -- you'll just have to fill out the survey and hope your responses chime with the ideal player base Sony is looking for.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• PS4's next update brings Suspend for games, 60fps Share Play

  Confirming the leaked information from last week, Sony announced tonight that it's testing a big update for the PS4. Codenamed "Yukimura", v2.50 it will add the Suspend/Resume feature we've been awaiting since before the system launched. That feature will let gamers put the system in standby, then come right back and resume playing like nothing happened. According to a blog post the feature will be supported by "almost" all PS4 games, although there's no word yet on which ones. We're also getting the ability to upgrade PSN sub-accounts to Master accounts (especially useful for gamers that have gone from kids to adults since the PS3 launched), 60fps Remote Play / Share Play and the ability to find the PSN account of your Facebook friends.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• 'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End' delayed until spring 2016

  Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, the latest sequel in Sony and Naughty Dog's hugely popular action adventure game series and the first entry on PlayStation 4, has been pushed from its 2015 release date to spring 2016.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Sony will close PlayStation Mobile for good this summer

  One of President Kaz Hirai's big "Sony One" projects was PlayStation Mobile, which offered games that worked on both PS Vita and Android devices. That dream of cross-platform synergy is now dead, as Sony has announced it will stop publishing all PS Mobile content July 15th. On September 10th the entire site will cease to exist, and previously purchased games will no longer be available for download. The shutdown only applies to PS Vita content, as Sony had already stopped publishing Android games for PlayStation Mobile last year. Regular, non-Android PlayStation Vita games are still available at the PlayStation Store.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• JXE Streams: Sex, violence and 'DmC: Devil May Cry' on PS4

  Devil May Cry, in addition to sounding like a scrubbed Pablo Neruda poem, was an evolutionary leap from the clunky 3D action games of the '90s when it hit the PS2 back in 2001. Capcom's game delivered a heady blend of The Evil Dead and anime flash, while redefining how free-flowing action felt in a video game. Oh, and it looked cool as hell. When it was announced that 2013's DmC: Devil May Cry would both reboot the series and come from the drastically different creative culture of the UK rather than Japan, fans balked. How could it possibly live up to the legacy? Now DmC is getting another shot with a PS4 and Xbox One definitive edition which we're playing on JXE Streams.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Sony's next PS4 update lets you pick up your game where you left off

  Sony's PlayStation 4 has been a sales success since its launch and recently crossed 20 million units sold to customers. Of course, now that gamers have one they're expecting new features and Sony might be about to pick up the pace. Posts on NeoGAF and Twitter reveal the PlayStation MVP program (apply for access here) is being used to beta test a new update, and the feature list reportedly has some nice additions: Share Play at 60fps (up from 30fps), trophy tweaks, and an improved Suspend/Rest mode that will keep your games and apps ready to go when you return. That last one is a feature the Xbox One already has, and that we've been expecting since the PS4 was announced.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• State of VR: Sony's Project Morpheus in 2015

  I did not get motion sickness when I demoed Sony's new and improved Project Morpheus VR headset at GDC this week in San Francisco. And that's saying a lot considering my sweaty outcome at a private E3 demo last year. But I did get somewhat hurt while using it. Blame it on the shark. I banged my head into a wall while whimpering and trying to avoid the jaws of a menacing virtual version of, well, Jaws. It's proof that compelling VR is powerful; powerful enough to send you slamming into nearby walls with a smile plastered on your face.

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

• Using the PlayStation 4's new version of Project Morpheus

  I just used Sony's newest version of the PlayStation 4 virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus. Rather, I should say that I just faced down a burly, British would-be-torturer before being whisked away to a first-person gunfight in a well-appointed London manor. That's "The London Heist," one of the new demos from Sony's London Studio being shown off this week at GDC 2015. It's intense, and demonstrative of the new prototype's upped specs.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Sony sold over 20 million PlayStation 4s

  People really like the PlayStation 4. How many, though? Over 20 million. As of March 1st, Sony says that it's sold through (not shipped, sold) 20.2 million of its latest console. It's going to be hard to judge just how far Sony's ahead of chief rival Microsoft and the Xbox One, however, until the latter releases numbers of it own. And, with a dearth of killer exclusive games, it's going to be interesting to see how long Sony can maintain this lead.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Sony's PlayStation 4 VR headset launching in the 'first half of 2016'

  Sony's PlayStation 4-powered virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus, has new specs and a slightly different look (seen above). Okay, it doesn't look that different. What's new? For one, the screen resolution is improved: it's now 1,920 x RGB x 1,080. The refresh rate is doubled from last year at 120Hz, and the new 5.7-inch screen also has a higher field of view (nearly 100 degrees). Oh right! It's got a new, bigger screen at 5.7 inches! But you already guessed that. Further upping the specs is lower latency, now under 18 milliseconds. Most importantly, the unit will launch at retail in "the first half of 2016." That's... kinda soon? Almost?

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• HBO Go comes to PS4, unless you have Comcast

  Congratulations PS4 owners / HBO Go users, your long wait is over and the app is ready for your console. It's been over a year since HBO and Sony announced it was coming to the PlayStation 3 and 4, and one day shy of a year since it arrived on PS3. That wait apparently wasn't long enough for everyone though, as Comcast is the lone provider that won't let its subscribers log in via the new app. Otherwise, system owners can download the app today and activate it online, all with plenty of time to catch up before the next season of Game of Thrones hits, or HBO opens up its non-cable subscription options. HBO and Comcast aren't entirely out of sync though, as HBO and Cinemax's live channels came to the Xfinity TV Go streaming apps today, and in other premium channel news Dish Network customers have access to Showtime Anytime.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

Reviews (42)

• Daily Roundup: MacBook Pro review, the new Surface 3 and more!

  April Fools' Day is nearly upon us and now's your chance to get caught up on the last bit of serious news before the internet gets crazy. First up, we review Apple's refreshed MacBook Pro with Retina display and find out if the Force Touch trackpad is everything we've hoped and dreamed. Meanwhile, Microsoft announces the Surface 3 running Windows 8.1 and Google comes up with a new way to put Chrome OS on your television. Head past the break for the details on these stories and more.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• MacBook Pro with Retina display review (13-inch, 2015)

  Nope, it's not the new MacBook. That review will need to wait until next month. What we have here is the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. For all intents and purposes, it's the same one we last tested in late 2013, except for one important thing: It swaps out the old trackpad in favor of a pressure-sensitive "Force Touch" pad that responds differently depending on how hard you bear down on it. (A hard-press on the skip button in QuickTime, for instance, will let you fast-forward at warp speed.) In addition, the new MBP brings all the spec upgrades you'd expect in a system refresh, including faster SSDs, fresh graphics and Intel's latest Core processors. At $1,299-plus, it's priced the same as before, and since the design and Retina display haven't changed, you're likely to enjoy it as much as you did the last-gen model. I can't promise you'll love the new touchpad, though.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Onkyo's music player is also DAC and headphone amp for your phone

  The chatter surrounding high fidelity listening devices and services picked up over the last year or so (thanks, Neil Young), and Onkyo hopes its new 3-in-1 device will lure you to the land of high definition. The company's aluminum-wrapped DAC-HA300 is not only a portable music player for audiophiles, but it also serves as both a headphone amp and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for iOS and Android devices, or even your office workstation. With its primary function, the PMP can wrangle up to 128GB of tunes via a microSD card for 192 kHz/24-bit listening, while also serving as a headphone amp for that set of cans you take along on the daily.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Nest thermostat isn't smart enough to figure out British Summer Time

  The Nest Learning Thermostat is supposed to be super-smart, automatically learning your preferences and creating custom schedules to match. Unfortunately, British Summer Time (BST) is a concept that seems to be beyond its current level of intelligence. As The Next Web reports, a wealth of Nest users noticed over the weekend that their thermostats hadn't adjusted properly. While the internal clock had changed automatically, their personal heating schedules continued to operate on Greenwich Mean Time. It's a small and largely insignificant bug, but we suspect more than a few adopters were frustrated when they woke up to a freezing home on Sunday morning. After all, this is a device that's supposed to be perceptive -- observing BST should be easy-peasy for a company like Nest.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Life with the Moto 360: has Motorola's smartwatch turned a corner?

  When the Moto 360 first hit the scene, its reception was... mixed. That round display was eye-catching, but it couldn't make up for the smartwatch's all-too-short battery life and undercooked software. Times have changed, though. Motorola trotted out updates that addressed the 360's early problems, and the Lollipop upgrade gave Android Wear a new lease on life through custom watch faces and a few other useful tweaks. But does that mean it deserves a second chance, especially now that rivals like LG's G Watch R are vying for your wrist?

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• HTC One M9, law-abiding cars and other stories you might've missed!

  Saturday is finally here and it's a great time to catch up this week's top stories. We review the HTC One M9, learn about Ford's new car that will force you to obey the speed limit and get all the details on the best cheap WiFi router that you can buy. Find out about these stories and more in the Weekly Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• I tried to live with a high-end feature phone. I can't.

  The feature phone. Still big in Japan. Still being sold in the millions. Still relevant, though? And does it even matter what a 30-something tech writer at a Western tech site thinks? Japan's large elderly population -- people who haven't even heard of Angry Birds, Gmail or Uber -- they're the ones sticking to their flip phones. Hardy, easy to use and cheaper than an iPhone. (If you need a primer on the phenomenon of gara-kei, you should probably read up on that here, but in short, it's how Japan's mobile phone market sped ahead with early technologies, then faltered when smartphone competition arrived.) So let's try using one. The best and newest feature phone available in Japan, no less. It's pitched as bringing the best smartphone features to the flip form factor. Is it better than a plain, old smartphone? Good lord, no.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Are you good enough for 'Bloodborne'?

  Am I "good" at games? I don't know. I'm 30 years old: I've been playing video games for 25 of those years, give or take, and covering games professionally for just over six years. I spent two weeks this year completing Mega Man 1 through 4. I've sunk hundreds of hours into Spelunky. Whether I'm "good" at games is up for debate; I love challenging games. Despite this, I've never loved the divisive, feverishly adored/hated Souls games (Demon's Souls, Dark Souls 1 and 2). Their challenges felt too great to overcome, their systems too inscrutable, their technical issues too great in number. They felt frustrating instead of challenging. Bloodborne -- the latest entry in the series and the first without a "Souls" moniker attached -- changes that. This is a game I love to hate. But I mostly just love it.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Daily Roundup: HTC One M9 review, removing Galaxy S6 bloatware and more!

  In today's Daily Roundup, we review the HTC One M9, learn how Samsung will let you remove bloatware from the Galaxy S6 and find out how Redditors uncovered a massive Archer Easter egg. Get the details on these stories and more past the break.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Moto E review (2015): The best budget phone gets even better

  If you want to get a sense of where the real innovation in smartphones is happening, you need to look past the high-end flagships and toward the cheap stuff. And with the new Moto E, Motorola has crafted one of the most compelling budget smartphones yet. Starting at just $150, it's a tad more expensive than last year's $120 model, but it makes up for that with upgrades that make it a far more usable phone. Those include the addition of LTE, 8GB of built-in storage (twice as much as its predecessor) and a slightly bigger screen. (Moto's also offering a $120 3G-only version.) It may not sound all that exciting if you're waiting for the new Galaxy S6 or HTC One, but it's a solid choice for someone who doesn't need a powerful phone. And it's yet another sign that even the geekiest among us may soon be springing for inexpensive, contract-free phones.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Dell Venue 8 7000 review: thin design, great screen, gimmicky camera

  Engadget doesn't review many tablets anymore. When it comes to Android devices, we're far more likely to write about phablets, those supersized smartphones that for many people have eliminated the need for a dedicated slate. Meanwhile, iPad sales have slowed, and Apple has made so few changes to its products that in some cases we actually recommend you buy the previous-gen model to save money. Still, there are some companies that continue to not just build tablets, but also produce interesting designs. One of them is none other than Dell, a company whose track record includes some sensible Windows slates, a series of forgettable Android tablets and a phablet that was ahead of its time. Lately, though, the company has been undergoing a reawakening, with a series of striking products that includes the XPS 13 and the Venue 8 7000, a $399 Android tablet. The Venue 8, as I'll call it from here on out, is notable mostly for its design, marked by a stunning OLED display and a skinny 6mm-thick frame. It also happens to be the first tablet with Intel's RealSense 3D camera setup. All told, that combination of specs was impressive enough to win it a Best of CES Award. But does that mean you should go out and buy one?

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• How would you change Sony's QX10?

  Sony's WiFi lens camera, the QX10, was one of the oddest and most brilliant devices we saw at IFA two years ago. Once the hardware was dropped into Zach Honig's lap, he found that the gear was, in his words, "pretty accomplished." Given that it's both a little better than a point-and-shoot and is a handy add-on to your existing smartphone, we imagine a couple of you picked one up. So then, what did you think of it? Why not hop over onto the forums and tell us your feelings.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• HTC One M9 review: Another year, another modest step forward

  Let's say you're a smartphone maker and you cook up a formula for a beloved, game-changing device. The next year, you tweak that formula a bit to create a worthy, if slightly less exciting, follow-up of a phone. What do you do after another year has gone by? Try something completely different in hopes you'll catch lightning in a bottle again, or keep plugging away on the mobile DNA that made you such a worthy name in the first place? If you're HTC, the answer is obvious: You keep polishing and polishing that formula until you finally reach the ideal you've been working toward. That's what we have in the One M9. It's still a ways off from fulfilling the vision that HTC's design wonks had in mind, but in most ways it's a very thoughtful refinement of what made the One series so special. Your pleas and complaints haven't gone unheard. The thing is, when the One M9 does try new things -- be they software features or hardware changes -- it doesn't always stick the landing.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Surviving a British winter with a not-so-smart thermostat

  Just under a year ago, I had British Gas' Hive smart thermostat bolted on to my home's existing aged central heating system. The easiest thing to do would have been to just review it there and then, but if I'm being honest, it makes more sense to talk about a device like this when you've used it through a rough British winter. Having now endured one in my drafty, freezing cold Victorian house, I think it's the perfect time to start discussing it.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• 'Final Fantasy: Type-0' is a great documentary within an OK game

  "I've never experienced war myself," Hajime Tabata, director of Final Fantasy Type-0, told me in an interview this past January. We were discussing why his new entry in Square-Enix's nearly 30-year-old role-playing game series often feels like a cross between The History Channel and Ridley Scott's Legend. "I haven't killed anyone or been killed. But through documentaries you can get a true feeling of fear and despair and the impact of war even if you haven't directly experienced it."

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Exploring the ZX Spectrum's glorious rebirth as a gaming keyboard

  I remember it like it was yesterday. I'm sitting there, in my parent's lounge, as my dad comes down the stairs with what looks like a black box. He peels back the paper sleeve to reveal a polystyrene insert that houses a small black keyboard with stubby rubberized keys, a huge power brick and a handful of cassette tapes. I quickly learn that the keyboard is a Sinclair ZX Spectrum, an 8-bit personal home computer that relies on a cassette deck to load and save games. I played it off and on for a year, getting to grips with games like the The Hobbit and Horace Goes Skiing, but my interest waned when I finally got a Sega Master System and immersed myself in the world of Sonic and friends. The Spectrum was returned to its polystyrene home and placed back in the attic, where it remains to this day.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Upgrading my living room with the Sonos Playbar and Sub

  For a long time now, I've been reading (and writing) about Sonos' audio devices, filled with jealousy toward anyone who could afford to spend more than just a few minutes with them. Sure, I've briefly tried them at trade shows, but to really judge the merits of audio gear like the Playbar and Sub, you need the proper amount of soak-time. Well, I finally got my chance. Over the last two months, I've been using the basically $1,400 pair ($699 each) in my living room to handle audio from my TV and also play a little music. With an easy setup and stellar sound quality, it's easy to become smitten with Sonos. Indeed, it didn't take long before I was hooked.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• I tried and failed to love a 'Monster Hunter' game

  It was roughly two months ago that I received a midnight email from our gaming editor Ben Gilbert. The subject: "Review Code -- Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate for 3DS." The email: "Assuming you want this?" I didn't. Sure, I'd played an older Monster Hunter on the Wii a few years back, but I gave up 15 hours in, shortly after the grueling tutorials ended. I've always felt like I should be into the series, though. I'm into RPGs; I'm into grinding. I use up the precious few vacation days I have crawling through Persona Q's dungeons or leveling up familiars. So I decided to offer up 100 hours of my free time to see if I could learn to love Monster Hunter. I tried so hard to love it. But I failed.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Olympus' OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a solid mid-range mirrorless camera

  Camera manufacturers do a great job of not making your purchases feel obsolete after a year. Case in point: Olympus' OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera, which the company updated last month, more than three years after the original was introduced. I'm not saying the original is obsolete per se, but there's no doubt the new E-M5 Mark II is a godsend for people invested in the Olympus ecosystem. So what's actually new in this model, you ask? A lot, both inside and out, although it does maintain a similar look and feel to its predecessor.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Fitbit Surge review: a top-notch tracker with a flawed design

  Confession time: I'm a bit of a wannabe when it comes to self-quantification. The idea of counting every step I take, every calorie I eat, every day I don't have a cigarette and every minute I lie in bed restlessly tossing and turning sounds great. I want to be able to look at my life as a series of easy-to-understand numbers that I can act upon to improve myself. And every time I review a new wearable or fitness tracker I think, "This'll be the one to make it stick." The latest in the long line of would-be life-changers is the $250 Fitbit Surge. The combination of GPS running watch, step counter and sleep tracker appeals not only to the number nerd in me, but also to the semi-serious runner as well. It also appeals to the "someone trying to cut down on the clutter in their life" part of me. Why do I need a separate pedometer, GPS running watch and a regular watch? But the big question is: Can the Surge lock me into not just an ecosystem, but also a system of life-tracking and life-changing habits?

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Chromebook Pixel review (2015): less expensive, still impractical

  The Chromebook Pixel was the most beautiful laptop that we told people not to buy. With a machined aluminum chassis, pixel-dense screen and a spacious keyboard, it had a design that in some ways outmatched even the Retina display MacBook Pro. The problem: It ran Chrome OS for an operating system, with no support for the sort of desktop apps you'd expect to use on a $1,299 machine. Speaking of the sort, it cost $1,299. Oh, and the battery life was short too -- barely four hours on a charge. So much for having a portable machine you could take anywhere. It was, as we said at the time, "a lovely thing that everyone should try to experience, but few should seriously consider buying."

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Nokia's Here Maps finally returns to iOS

  Although Nokia is no longer in the smartphone game, it has remained committed to its other businesses. One of those is its mapping division, which almost six months ago debuted a new Android app capable of giving Google Maps a run for its money. At the same time, Nokia teased the launch of a completely overhauled iOS app, but its development has been shrouded in relative secrecy. Nokia pulled its first iOS Maps app after admitting things "went horribly wrong," and its developers have had a lot of work to do to make sure it doesn't suffer a repeat this time around. The company believes it's ticked all the requisite boxes as it's now available to download on the App Store. Is it good enough to replace Google Maps or condemn Apple Maps to more misery? We took the chance to preview the app and find out.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• One month to launch: A closer look at Apple's Watch

  I was never a watch guy. Actually, let me rephrase -- I was never a watch guy until I bought a Tissot online for giggles (and about $350). That day sort of changed the way I looked at these seemingly archaic wrist appliances. They become a statement about you. They can make you feel awesome. And, perhaps most importantly to Apple, they can stop being a thing you wear and become something you don't want to take on your day without. With all that said, and given my general lack of expertise in horology, I did the only sensible thing I could. I strapped on the $12,000, yellow gold Apple Watch Edition in an incredibly dark room and took it for a spin.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Apple Watch vs. the competition: Where does it stand?

  Now that Mobile World Congress has come and gone, bringing with it a slew of smartwatch announcements, it's time to learn more about Apple's own highly anticipated entry into the market. We finally have a firm release date and a price -- April 24, starting at $349 for the 38mm Apple Watch Sport. But the field it's entering has changed quite a bit since the Apple Watch was first announced in September. What can the Apple Watch expect to face off against when it hits stores, and how does it ultimately stack up? We've compared some of the top models in the table below, and you can walk through our gallery to learn about even more options on the market.

  By Kris Naudus Read More

• The new MacBook is impressive, but not for everyone (hands-on)

  Who would have thought that the most interesting thing to come out of Apple's "Spring Forward" event would actually be a new laptop? In addition to spilling more details on its new smartwatch, the company also unveiled a brand-new (and long-awaited) update to the MacBook Air. Well, sort of. The "new MacBook," as it's called isn't actually an upgrade to the Air at all; it exists as an entirely new product line, separate from both the Air and the Pro. At $1,299, it won't be cheap, but it's for people who demand the thinnest and lightest possible design from Apple, without having to compromise on the screen quality (as you normally would when you buy an Air). I had the opportunity to get hands-on after today's event, and came away impressed -- not just with its fanless design, but with the Retina display, pressure-sensitive trackpad and redesigned keyboard. That said, it's not for everyone.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Ubuntu's answer to Android is finally here, but it still needs work

  At long last, the first Ubuntu phones are here. It's been more than two years since Canonical first showed off its Linux-based mobile platform, and fans have been clamoring for consumer devices ever since. The Ubuntu Edge never made its ambitious $32 million crowdfunding target, and the first handsets from BQ and Meizu were delayed last year. But finally, it's all starting to come together. BQ has started selling its "Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition" in Europe and Meizu shouldn't be too far behind with its modified MX4.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Here's what our readers think of the iPhone 6 Plus

  Though the iPhone has always been a good (if not great) product, one area where it was lacking was size. If you wanted a bigger screen, you had to pick up an Android device. And plenty of people did, which is why Apple finally entered the fray last year with the iPhone 6 Plus. We really liked its camera and its beautiful display, though we found that the larger size "can fatigue even the biggest of hands if you hold on long enough." But while we didn't find the iPhone 6 Plus groundbreaking, we did note it brought much-needed freshness to Apple's lineup. But how did the 6 Plus' larger dimensions and updated design fare with consumers? Our readers were ready to let us know, writing reviews on the 6 Plus' product page to show us how this 5.5-inch device felt in their own hands.

  By Kris Naudus Read More

• HTC's Vive made me believe in VR

  I am in the Matrix. Or rather, I am in that same expanse of infinite white space that was also Neo's training grounds in the movie. Hexagonal tiles appear underneath, randomly rising and falling around me. With trepidation, I step forward, slowly walking across the field of unstable tiles, trying to get a feel of this strange new land. Suddenly, I come up against a grid wall. It seems the space isn't so infinite after all. I was, of course, not in the Matrix. Instead, I was in a stark, windowless room inside the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. On my head was the HTC Vive. And for the next 20 minutes, I was about to have a virtual reality experience unlike any I've ever had.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Using NVIDIA's streaming, Android TV set-top box: the Shield

  You already know what NVIDIA's latest Shield hardware is: an Android TV-powered set-top box that uses the latest chip from NVIDIA. It streams games over the company's "Netflix for gaming" platform known as GRID; it streams games from your local PC; it powers Twitch streaming at the same time of said streamed content; heck, it powers games like Crysis 3 locally, running on Android. But is it any good? The only answer I've got is maybe.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Nokia's N1 tablet is an iPad mini with Android

  The Nokia N1 tablet has quite a few people excited here at Mobile World Congress. If you're unfamiliar with Nokia's return to devices, it's a very familiar-looking Android tablet that you could buy today if you lived in China for just $250. This is the first time we've had the chance to play with one, and it's actually quite impressive.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Taking the plunge with BlackBerry's cheap Leap

  BlackBerry spent a long, long time courting the world's business buffs, and for a while its phones were corporate icons as much as they were communicators. Now the folks in Waterloo are making another play for all the "young, mobile professionals" out there... or at least ones that don't give a lick about what's ticking away inside their phones. See, the Leap is BlackBerry's latest attempt at clawing into youngsters' pockets and it comes bearing a few familiar-sounding parts from years past. That might not be a dealbreaker considering the Leap'll cost you only $275 without a contract, and you know what? The thing actually makes a pretty good first impression.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Huawei's MediaPad X2 is a phone with a 7-inch display

  While its first Android Wear smartwatch might be grabbing the headlines, Huawei also has a new phablet on display at MWC this year. The MediaPad X2 is the sequel to last year's X1, which, depending on how you look at it, was either a small tablet or an enormous phone. There's not a lot new to look at here -- aesthetically it's very similar to the X1 -- but internally there are a few changes.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• We dig this slim smartphone from China, but it won't be cheap

  This wouldn't be the first time that Gionee's released a slim, 5.5mm-thick phone. Following the aptly named Elife S5.5, the Chinese company is back with an LTE refresh model that's confusingly dubbed the Elife S7, which manages to retain the same slimness (read: not 7mm thick), the standard headphone jack and a lighter weight of just 126.5g, while packing some nice upgrades. First of all, you get a slightly bigger 5.2-inch 1080p AMOLED screen, along with a similar 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek chipset with 2GB of RAM, but enhanced with 64-bit computing, multi-mode LTE radio and dual micro-SIM slots. And yes, the phone runs on Android Lollipop with Gionee's customized UI. There's also a more generous 2,750mAh battery -- a notable jump from the S5.5's 2,300mAh cell that had us frustrated.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Jolla Tablet shows us what Sailfish OS is capable of

  When Jolla's first smartphone debuted with Sailfish OS, it didn't leave a great impression with some of our staff. The gesture-heavy UI was confusing to newcomers and offered few advantages over rival mobile platforms. Aside from just being different, of course. Since then, however, Jolla has been quietly improving Sailfish OS to ensure it makes a splash with its first tablet. That's right: We're talking about the slate that blasted through its $380,000 crowdfunding target on Indiegogo last November. We've been hands-on with a not-quite-final build at Mobile World Congress and the impact of "Sailfish OS 2.0" is immediate. The hardware is solid, but it's the simplified navigation that stands out the most.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• The Big Picture: HTC's Vive VR headset up close and personal

  This is what HTC's Vive VR headset looks like in real life. It's not a dummy model; those sensors are fully functional. It's on my actual head. The first thing you may notice (if you don't, check the gallery below), is that it looks a little bigger than the Oculus Rift. Or at least, thanks to the height of the sensor-housing faceplate, it feels that way. Those sensors are also exposed, a bit like they were on Oculus' Crystal Cove prototype at CES 2014. Take a look around the headset from different angles, and you'll see that HTC may not have deviated from the current virtual reality design script too far, but at the same time, it doesn't feel entirely derivative. Can this thing blow our minds like we hope it will? Is the VR race now officially on (given, you know who's newest headset has just debuted too)? We'll let you know once HTC finally pours its Valve-powered VR content into our eyes later this week.

  By James Trew Read More

• Xiaomi's action cam bests a GoPro Hero for half the price

  Xiaomi has unleashed a 399 CNY ($64) action cam onto unsuspecting cats in China, but will it join the Mi band in the US? The Yi Camera actually trumps the specs of GoPro's entry-level camera with 1080P, 60fps video and up to 64GB of memory at about half the price (the $130 Hero has 1080/30p video and 32GB max storage). It also weighs significantly less at 72g, has a bigger battery and can go the same 40m (130 feet. Update: separate case required) underwater. To be fair, unlike the Hero, it doesn't come with a housing, mounts or the impeccable rep. But Xiaomi is offering a bunch of extra accessories, including a helmet mount and, yes, a cat harness.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Nikon's latest lightweight DSLR is the D7200

  Over the past few weeks, Nikon has introduced two DSLRs: the D5500 and D810A. And it doesn't look like the company plans to slow down its rollout of new cameras. Now, Nikon is introducing the D7200, a successor to the relatively popular D7100, which was introduced back in 2013. The D7200 is the latest to be introduced to the Nikon's line of lightweight DSLR, packing a 24.2-megapixel DX CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, an EXPEED 4 image processing chip, a 51-point autofocus system and a 3.2-inch fixed LCD. Video-wise, the D7200 can shoot 1080p at up to 60 fps, albeit in the 1.3 crop mode; in DX mode, meanwhile, the options are 24, 25 and 30 fps. It's also the first Nikon DSLR to have both WiFi and NFC, which should make it extremely easy for people to share their images wirelessly.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Nikon Coolpix P900 point-and-shoot has a monstrous 83x zoom

  If you're a fan of superzoom cameras, you may have to look no further than Nikon's Coolpix P900 to find the category's new king. This compact, yet powerful point-and-shoot features a remarkable 83x optical zoom, the equivalent of 24-2000mm, which is quite outstanding for a camera this size. While the whopping zoom range is the obvious highlight spec here, there's a lot more to the Coolpix P900. Namely, a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, an autofocus system with support for up to 7 fps continuous shooting, NFC, WiFi and a 3-inch, articulating LCD display. Sure, those seem like standard features found in most entry-level cameras nowadays, more or less -- but not so much the super, super 83x zoom. Either way, Nikon's making its Coolpix P900 available next month for $600, in case any of you are into it. Are you?

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• How would you change Sony's Xperia Z Ultra?

  When Brad Molen described Sony's Xperia Z Ultra as "the best phone you'll probably never buy," it was probably true of most Sony smartphones. The 6.44-inch device had a beautiful design, good build quality, had a fast engine and could withstand water, much like every other Sony smartphone you see. The downside to that, of course, is that it's a Sony, and that seems to have been enough for buyers to take their money elsewhere. But what did you, oh people who bought one, actually think of it? Head over to our forum and talk about what you liked, what you hated and what you wanted to change.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• HTC One M9 preview: A battle between polish and progress

  It looks the same. That's the impression you'd probably get looking at the HTC One M9 for the first time. I felt that way too, at first. Thing is, HTC knows it's got a good thing going with its high-end One design and just didn't feel like a full-on revolution was necessary in 2015... maybe to the consternation of some of its activist fans. So what's new, if not the M9's aesthetic? Quite a bit, really, and not all of it great.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Huawei unveils its first Android Wear smartwatch (update: our hands-on!)

  Huawei didn't just unveil one wrist-worn wearable today; it announced two. Huawei has just revealed its first-ever Android Wear device and, appropriately enough, it's called the Huawei Watch. As was teased and leaked over the past few days, the Watch looks to have a rather premium pedigree, with a circular display and a design that's more reminiscent of a luxury timepiece than a geeky smartwatch. Indeed, Huawei took pains to say that it modeled the watch after classic designs -- it even has an ergonomically placed crown on the top right. Boasting a sapphire crystal screen (the first Android Wear watch with such a display), the Watch is encased in a "cold-forged" scratch-resistant stainless steel housing, available in gold, silver and black. As for the size, Huawei told us that the watch is a compact 42mm, which is apparently friendlier to those with smaller wrists. It also has a standard 18mm lug width and you have the choice of either metal or leather straps.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Killing time with LG's Watch Urbane and Watch Urbane LTE

  LG's been none too secretive about its latest pair of wearables -- hell, the Watch Urbane and the Watch Urbane LTE were revealed before MWC even really started. Both of them aspire to be what LG calls "smartpieces," proper luxury watches that also pull double-duty as digital companions, but do they actually live up to those high-minded aspirations? I strapped both of them onto my wrists for a little test drive ahead of their launch in a few months, so let's find out together.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

Robotics (30)

• Festo's insect-inspired robots act like the real things

  German automation company Festo is known for taking cues from nature when designing robots. This time, it has revealed futuristic-looking bionic ants, realistic robotic butterflies and a silicone gripper based on chameleons' tongue. Just like real ants, the 3D-printed BionicANTs can cooperate in small groups to move bigger objects, though they're much, much larger at 5.3 inches in length. They have cameras on their heads, optical sensors on their bellies that enable infrared navigation, and antennae that function as wireless chargers. Those circuits running outside their bodies are functional, by the way, and not just a design to make them look cool.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The Big Picture: Gorgeous shot captures a drone's fiery flight

  Photographer Calder Wilson added an explosive new method to his long exposure "light paintings" earlier this year when he was struck by a brilliant notion: Strap some leftover New Year's fireworks to the back of a UAV, light them up and then lift off. The results speak for themselves. When he's not shooting these sparkling drones, you can find Wilson capturing beautiful images of some of the biggest concerts on the planet.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• DARPA wants an army of drones to overwhelm the enemy

  US air warfare superiority has always been a constant, but the nation's pricey, complex new fighter jets can't dominate the air if they can't get there. Even the military's science arm, DARPA, said that "US military systems today are often too expensive... (and) are obsolete by the time they become operational." Ouch. But DARPA is at least doing something about the problem. It's developed a project called the System of Systems Integration Technology and Experimentation (SoSITE) with the aim of nothing less than completely overhauling US military air power. To do that, it wants to build open systems that help drones, missiles, "mission truck" planes and fighter jets work together.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Liquid metal machines 'eat' in order to move

  Robots typically rely on batteries to get power, but they may soon have to do little more than nibble on another material to start moving. Chinese researchers have developed simple liquid metal machines (not shown here) that zip around if they "eat" aluminum and other substances that produce electrochemical reactions. It's not possible to directly control their movement, but they closely mimic whatever space they're in -- you can propel them through channels, for instance.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Drones to become crime fighters by aiding UK police

  For police officers in the UK, it's time to fight fire with fire. Some sneaky Brits have been using drones to film football matches and smuggle contraband into prisons, so now the long arm of the law is recruiting some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of its own. The Sussex and Surrey Police force has been awarded almost £250,000 by the Home Office to buy five drones and investigate how they can assist officers in the field. UAVs are potentially faster than regular bobbies on the beat, and could be used to investigate smoky or otherwise hazardous conditions that would put officers' lives at risk. The force has suggested they could also be used to gather helpful aerial evidence, such as when a person is reported missing, or an armed incident occurs on the street.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• R/C trains haul ore in extreme heat so humans don't have to

  It gets hot in the Australian outback; like, really hot. We're talking "130 degrees fahrenheit in the shade" sort of hot -- definitely not the sort of place that many people would want to even visit, much less work in on a daily basis. But this inhospitable environment is also extremely well-endowed with iron ore deposits. So how does one extract this valuable mineral from the Earth -- and then transport it more than 200 miles, no less -- without baking legions of miners? If you're the Roy Hill mining company, you just install a 21-locomotive fleet of GE's remote controlled heavy-haul trains. "We don't run a locomotive anywhere in the world that's hotter than here," Fraser Borden from GE Transportation said in a statement.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Super-precise artificial hand uses smart wires as muscles

  As a rule, bionic hands are clunky contraptions made of motors, pneumatics and other machinery that just can't be as elegant as the real thing. Germany's Saarland University might just change that, however. Its researchers have developed an artificial hand that uses smart nitinol (nickel titanium) wires as its muscles. All you do to make them flex is heat them up or cool them down -- the metal 'remembers' its original shape before you bend it, so you don't need bulky equipment to move it back and forth. The wire bundles are as thin as cotton, but they're very strong and can move with much more precision and speed than usual. They don't even need sensors, since electrical resistance in the wires themselves is enough.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Russia's newest armored vehicle swims and picks its own shots

  Russia's latest armored prototype was recently spotted rehearsing for the nation's upcoming May 9th Victory Day parade following more than half a decade of top-secret development. Dubbed the Kurganets BMP-25 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), this amphibious personnel carrier has been designed to replace all of Russia's existing tracked assault vehicles, which have been in service since the Cold War.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• The US Air Force will train with remote-controlled F-16s

  To keep their skills sharp, US Air Force pilots routinely fly simulated sorties against domestic planes with similar flight capabilities to that of enemy planes. For years, this decoy duty has fallen to specially modified, unmanned F-4 Phantom IIs, however these Vietnam-era fighters can no longer keep up with America's modern warplanes. That's why the USAF recently took delivery of a new breed of autonomous target based on the venerable F-16 Fighting Falcon.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• This $300 cybernetic arm gets its smarts from your cellphone

  Iron Man isn't the only one 3D-printing artificial limbs these days. But unlike the mechanical hand delivered by Robert Downey Jr, this recently unveiled prosthetic from Japanese manufacturer Exiii costs just $300 and leverages your mobile device's computing power to act just like the real thing. The Ghost in the Shell future we've between waiting for came took a step closer to reality.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Sorry 007, Somabar's $430 robotic bartender won't shake your martini

  "I have drunk cognac in Cognac, port in Oporto, raki in Turkey, tequila in Mexico City, moonshine in Kentucky, not to mention poteen in Fleet Street, bitter and industrial alcohol in Oxford, Yugoslav whisky in Yugoslavia, Japanese whisky in Glasgow and sweet Spanish wine and lemonade in Swansea. Also gin in England." -- Kingsley Amis, Everyday Drinking While I can't boast a list quite as long or accomplished, I've swilled my fair share of liquids over the past 32 years. Up until two weeks ago, however, I'd never met a bartender who wasn't at least mostly human.

  By Christopher Trout Read More

• This factory robot is small, precise and human-friendly

  Picture a typical factory robot in your head and you'll probably see a cold, unsympathetic arm performing relatively simple tasks. You may want to shake that image soon, though. Rethink Robotics has taken the wraps off of Sawyer, a smaller sibling to its earlier Baxter model that's built for handling high-precision tasks that most machines can't tackle, such as testing circuit boards. The one-armed robot is designed to be as people-friendly as its predecessor, with a touchscreen for a face and software that lets you teach it by guiding it with your hands. The big improvements are in the arm itself. Sawyer is using new actuators and joints that make it smaller, faster and more precise, which should help with assembling or verifying lots of tiny parts.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Cyberlegs project wants to equip amputees with robotic limbs

  You'll see a lot more instances of robotic arms in the news, but it doesn't mean high-tech prostheses for the lower limbs don't exist. The Cyberlegs project, for instance, is developing robotic legs that can help amputees move and walk more naturally. Each system is comprised of smart shoes equipped with pressure sensors and inertial measurement units, the limb itself, as well as a component and algorithm that can decode how the user intends to move. It can, for instance, tell if the user wants to start walking, to get up or to sit down -- based on the amputee's habits -- providing the proper support for each action. Users that need even more help can also be fitted with an accompanying pelvic brace that can assist them in moving their hips.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Drones will make it easier to detect unexploded bombs in Laos

  Drones are more than just flying robots designed for commercial deliveries and buying Crocs. Despite some lingering suspicion from consumers, unmanned aircrafts have been deployed for social good too. They can aid rescue missions, navigate tough regions and even put out fires. Now, Austin-based ArchAerial's new drone mission could potentially save lives in war-torn regions that are prone to accidents and fatalities from unexploded bombs.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• The Pentagon wants unhackable drone helicopters by 2018

  Losing a UAV or two to enemy forces has become an unavoidable cost of modern warfare. But there's still a big difference between having a Scan Eagle turn up missing and, say, the Pentagon's autonomous MH-6 Little Bird -- namely because only one of those is armed to the talons with chainguns, Hydra rockets and Hellfire missiles. That's why DARPA engineers are working to harden the Little Bird's electronic defenses against external hacking and keep the pint-sized killing machine from going AWOL.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• 'BeeRotor' drone uses an insect-style eye to navigate tight spaces

  Accelerometers have become integral components for many of our favorite gadgets. By measuring acceleration forces, such as gravity or someone's arm waving clumsily back and forth, these sensors can accurately identify a device's angle in relation to the Earth. It's how your smartphone knows when to automatically switch between portrait and landscape orientation. Now, scientists are researching how drones can be built to fly autonomously without the use of accelerometers. It's led to the creation of "BeeRotor," which, as the name implies, takes inspiration from the visual cues and analysis used by winged insects.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Mischievous drone sprays paint, silly string and flames

  We're still not really sure what a "creative technology studio" is, but it sure seems like a damn fun place to work. Apparently your job at one, like Chaotic Moon, is to just think of "awesome" ideas with little practical purpose and make them a reality. Why? Because you can. Last year the firm used a drone to tase a poor intern, and married an Oculus Rift to a Leap motion so we could punch sharks. This year it decided to try something a little less dangerous (and far less likely to end in a lawsuit). Tyrone Drone is a pretty standard drone with some simple modifications. Instead of holding a camera, he's holds and fires a spray can.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Watch this biped robot endure kicks and a barrage of dodgeballs

  For a biped robot to be able to do its job, it needs to be stable -- it can't topple at the gentlest touch or gust of wind. That's why Oregon State University's Dynamic Robotics Laboratory designed its prototype robot called ATRIAS to be extra stable, as you'll see in the videos below the fold. It easily neutralized human kicks during one test in early March, and it barely even registered that it was being pelted with dodgeballs on another test just a few days ago. Don't let those spindly legs above fool you either: those springy, pogo-like carbon fiber limbs are the reason why the robot's such an agile runner. ATRIAS is scheduled to demonstrate its skills onstage at the DARPA Robotics Challenge finale in June. Despite its ability to withstand abuse, its developers still have a lot to do before it can walk and run around the stage while maneuvering over obstacles for its performance.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Robots need to make us happy and know when we're sad

  Cynthia Breazeal has a pretty impressive resume. She's the director of the personal robotics group at the MIT Media Lab, creator of the landmark Kismet robot and now she's the founder, CEO and chief scientist at Jibo. If you're not familiar with Jibo, take a moment to go check out its incredibly successful Indiegogo page. The goal is to create the world's first "family robot." It's cute, friendly and smart. Or at least, it will be when it's delivered to customers. Breazeal acknowledges that other robots and artificial intelligences have made their impact felt in the home, but they've hardly become ubiquitous. For her the key isn't about building a robot that performs some specific function, but about building a relationship with the family, which is the core of any household.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• 3D-printed Iron Man gauntlet becomes a kid's awesome bionic arm

  It looks like Iron Man's arm, but it's actually a fully-functioning bionic prosthetic for a seven-year-old kid. Electronically wired and capable of moving, it can, for instance, open and close its hand if the user flexes their bicep. The limb was created by Limbitless Solutions, a non-profit made up of engineering students from the University of Central Florida, using donations and money they saved by sacrificing coffee. They specialize in designing 3D-printed limbs for children, because kids will quickly outgrow more expensive bionic limbs. Sure, their creations don't have the sense of touch and can't be controlled by thoughts, but kids will definitely appreciate looking like their favorite robot or superhero.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• PancakeBot prints flapjacks in any shape you can trace

  We've all been there. Awake at some ludicrously early hour -- on a Saturday morning no less -- slaving away over a hot griddle only to have your pancakes snubbed because they're too circular. Next time, impress your brood by frying up some custom-designed flapjacks using this robotic pancake printer. It's called the PancakeBot. This device combines an electric griddle and a patent-pending batter dispensing system to effectively "print" out pancakes virtually in any shape you can imagine -- or at least trace.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Russia's amphibious UAV is equal parts plane and hovercraft

  Flying an unmanned aerial vehicle isn't usually the hard part, getting it on and off the ground is. But thanks to the addition of an all-terrain hovercraft skirt, the Russian Federation's newest hybrid UAV will be able land and launch virtually any surface --from snow and sand to lakes and waterways, even stone-riddled roadways strewn with pebbles up to about 8 inches tall -- all while riding a protective cushion of air.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Self-driving vehicles and robotic clerks could take your job in 20 years

  It's no secret that computers and robots have been putting people out of work in recent years, but that trend is about to accelerate... at least, if you ask the computers themselves. A machine learning algorithm from Oxford University has sifted through US Bureau of Statistics data and believes that up to 47 percent of American jobs could be replaced by technology within the next 20 years. One of the biggest concerns is in logistics -- self-driving vehicles are advancing quickly enough that they could replace the likes of taxi drivers, truck drivers and forklift operators. Retail is also at risk, since companies can collect enough data about your shopping habits that they might predict what you want more effectively than human clerks.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Robotic glove and games help patients regain control of their hands

  What's the best way for stroke patients to gain back full control of their hands and arms? If you ask this particular team of University at Hertfordshire researchers, they'll tell you it's with the help of a robotic glove called SCRIPT or Supervised Care and Rehabilitation Involving Personal Tele-robotics. It's designed to fit over a patient's hand and forearm and is paired with a therapeutic game. This game prompts users to move every finger, wrist and arm to navigate a labyrinth or to catch fish, for instance, as part of their therapy at home.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Daily Roundup: Robot love, the state of VR and more!

  What's it like to fall in love with a robot? We share our impressions after spending some time with Nao, a cute toddler-sized robot. Meanwhile, Sony brought an updated version of Project Morpheus to GDC and some of tech's biggest companies joined up to argue in favor of marriage equality. Get all the details on today's top stories in the Daily Roundup.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Nao and Forever: How I learned to love a robot

  My love affair with mechanical companions can be traced back to Teddy Ruxpin, the animatronic bear that replaced the inanimate My Buddy doll as my go-to plaything as a young boy. But three nights in Las Vegas almost destroyed that lifelong fascination. Almost.

  By Christopher Trout Read More

• The Big Picture: The Congo's solar-powered traffic robocops

  While Detroit waits for its Robocop statue, the Democratic Republic of Congo's one-upped The Motor City and installed a quintet of robots to keep an unblinking eye on any traffic-law violators. The Guardian reports that these solar-powered aluminum bipeds are armed with cameras to monitor the vehicle-piloting populace, and hand-mounted red and green lights to help regulate the bustling flow of city Kinshasa's some nine million residents. Each new, female-engineered unit runs $27,500 (cheaper than some SWAT 'bots), and the country hopes to add another 30 to the force in an expansion effort for monitoring its highways.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Splash Drone shrugs off water and launches rescue flares

  When drone meets water, the videos can be amazing -- except that most drones hate water and can't even be flown in the rain. However, there's a new product on Kickstarter called the Splash Drone that isn't deterred by a little H20. The drone itself is waterproof, as are the circuits, wires and GPS, letting you land and take off from fresh or salt water. The creators (who were responsible for the Mariner Drone product) also built a waterproof gimbal, so that all you need to film around water is a GoPro camera in a waterproof housing. The Splash Drone isn't the only waterproof model out there, but it can pull off a few other unique tricks.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Crocs 'midair shoe store' is staffed by drones

  My friends and family don't let me wear Crocs. But still, I'm in the middle of Tokyo to see Crocs send a drone flying to pick up a (hypothetical) customers' shoes. It's all to do with promoting the shoemaker's new range of lightweight Norlin footwear -- they're not the Crocs you're thinking of -- and it involves a custom-built drone delivering the correct style and size to the customer. On top of that, it's all automated, so it's like a giant Crocs-themed vending machine... albeit with drones.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• TIE interceptor drone looks ready to blast some rebel scum

  The man who created a working Millennium Falcon out of a drone has crossed to the dark side. Techcrunch spotted the sleek but sinister Star Wars TIE fighter drone that builder Philip_C based on a Return of the Jedi model. After designing it in AutoCAD and painstakingly building it over several days (the motors are cached within the TIE panels) he tested it, calling the early results "not awesome." Many shattered props later, he finally had a stable craft-- complete with majestic LED lights -- that looks ready to be cannon fodder for the Falcon drone. He included a detailed, step-by-step log of his work, and you can watch it soar in the video below.

  By Steve Dent Read More

Samsung (6)

• Samsung delays its next-gen home automation devices

  It'll take a while longer to see how Samsung's acquisition has improved SmartThings' Hub and sensors. The company was supposed to release its next-gen home automation devices this April, but now it's pushing back the launch date. SmartThings isn't even 100 percent sure when it will be able to release the new devices, but it says it will "most likely [happen in] Q3" 2015. Version 2 of its Hub and sensors just aren't ready for launch yet, as the company's announcement says it's working non-stop "to get the experience to the point where it needs to be."

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Samsung can put 128GB of storage in your low-cost phone

  Just because you're not splurging on a top-of-the-line smartphone doesn't mean that you have to settle for a tiny amount of storage. Samsung certainly thinks that way -- it just announced a 3-bits-per-cell flash memory chip that promises 128GB of storage in "mass market" (read: more affordable) mobile devices. It's based on the plain eMMC tech you see in most phones instead of the fast UFS format inside the Galaxy S6, but you probably won't complain about the speed when it can still read sequential data at a very respectable 260MB per second. The one catch? There's no word on when it'll be ready, so you may be waiting a while before you're carrying a budget phone with more drive space than some laptops. [Top image credit: Samsung Tomorrow, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Someone please put Netflix on Samsung's Android printers

  We don't live in an age of products; we live in an age of platforms, which means that even dumb objects like printers need their own app stores. This is why Samsung is now offering a development kit for people to craft applications for its range of Android-running multifunction printers. The idea, as far as the company's David SW Song is concerned, is to let people do "productive work" while they wait for their documents. Suggestions include building apps to correct errors in documents without having to walk back to your PC, or automatically request fresh toner when levels are low. Of course, we're just hoping that someone sneakily ports Netflix so that we can binge on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt while pretending to solve a PC Load Letter issue.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Samsung's Milk Music service now streams in your web browser

  Samsung's Milk Music is no longer tied to its devices -- well, sort of. As promised, the service now lets you stream stations in your PC's web browser instead of having to rely solely on your phone or TV. The interface will look familiar if you're a veteran, with an emphasis on easy channel fine-tuning and giant artwork. This addition probably won't get you to switch to Milk if you aren't already a fan (you might as well use Slacker, the provider under the hood), but it will give you a chance to keep listening when you're chained to your desk.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• What makes Samsung's mobile VR consumer-ready? Marketing

  A consumer release is en route for Gear VR. Hey, alright! If you've been paying attention, you might realize the problem with that first sentence, though. Think for a few minutes, I'll be here. Give up? Well, here's the answer: Unlike Oculus' still-in-prototype Rift headset, you can go to Best Buy's website today, throw down $200 and, boom, you'll have a head-mounted virtual reality display. Just like that. Okay, you'll need a Galaxy Note 4 too. But still, it already exists.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Samsung's mobile payments service is coming this summer

  It's been just a couple of weeks since Samsung acquired mobile payments company LoopPay, but it's ready to announce the payment service based on LoopPay's tech: Samsung Pay. The service works with NFC (like Apply Pay and Google Wallet) and a new(ish) tech called Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST). It's the latter of the two options that has people excited, so let's take a minute to explain what exactly it is.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

Science (47)

• Vibrating pen makes it easier for Parkinson's patients to write

  The ARC pen pictured above might look laughably large, but it could be the perfect option for folks with Parkinson's disease. It was created by a group of students from UK's Royal College of Art and the Imperial College London to combat a Parkinson's symptom called micrographia. That's characterized by a patient's handwriting becoming smaller and more cramped as they go along, to the point that it's not readable anymore. This pen prevents that from happening by stimulating key muscles through vibration (it's equipped with motors to make that happen), giving users more control over their hands. Further, its large size makes it more comfortable to hold than regular pens.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Ancient eye potion proves highly effective against MRSA superbug

  What do you get when you mix leeks, garlic, wine and bull gall, then ferment it in a copper pot for nine days? In the Anglo-Saxon era, this concoction made a terrific treatment for eye styes but recently researchers have found it equally effective against the scourge of modern medicine: antibiotic-resistant MRSA "superbugs." Freya Harrison, a microbiologist at the University of Nottingham, UK working with Dr Christina Lee, an Anglo-Saxon expert from the School of English, found the ancient recipe in Bald's Leechbook, an Old English medical compendium. The two decided to test its against modern skin infections. Using the oldest heirloom vegetable varieties she could find, Harrison brewed up the recipe, then let it stand the requisite time. What she poured out displayed some incredible antibiotic characteristics.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• 'Spooky' experiment proves quantum entanglement is real

  Einstein was wrong -- about the quantum mechanical phenomena known as superpositioning and wave form collapse, at least. A team from Australia's Griffith University and Japan's University of Tokyo, have proven that both are tangible phenomena, not simply mathematical paradoxes. See, back when he was still reigning "smartest guy on the planet," Einstein just couldn't wrap his massive intellect around the theory of superpositioning (or as he called it, "spooky action across distance"). That is, a particle in superposition effectively exists in both places at once (not unlike Schroedinger's Cat) until you observe it at either location. At which time the particle you aren't looking at ceases to exist (a process known as wave function collapse). What's more, the disappearing particle seems to know that its twin has been discovered through some mechanism that happens instantly, literally traveling faster than the speed of light -- a clear violation of Einstein's theory of relativity.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Inhabitat's Week in Green: e-paper shoes, superhighways and solar ovens

  Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Fans of green cars are eagerly awaiting the release of the Tesla Model X, but you won't have to wait to see what it looks like on the road -- a YouTube user spotted the new car cruising down the freeway in Palo Alto, California. The electric vehicle, which was originally supposed to be released in 2013, is now set to launch in the third quarter of 2015. In other automotive news, Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to release 10 new plug-in hybrid models by 2017. The new models will be designated with a simple "e" instead of the longer "plug-in hybrid" branding. Toyota is currently testing its i-Road three-wheeled electric vehicle in France. The i-Road is seen as a "last-mile" vehicle, and Toyota wants to see how it can integrate with public transportation to decrease traffic gridlock.

  By Inhabitat Read More

• Laser-activated nanoparticles are coming to clear your acne

  Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have developed a high-tech solution to the bane of adolescence: acne. Acne occurs when the skin's pores become clogged. Conventional remedies generally involve stripping the skin of sebum -- the waxy substance naturally produced by pores that makes your skin waterproof -- with topical washes or regulating its production with medication. However, researchers have published a novel solution in the Journal of Controlled Release, called selective photothermolysis, that relies on neither drugs nor harsh chemicals.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• See in the dark (for a little bit) with night vision eyedrops

  Daring biohackers from California's Science for the Masses collective have just performed the world's first night vision-enabling "Shine Job." They employed a chemical called Chlorin e6 (Ce6), which is extracted from deep sea fish and occasionally used to treat night blindness, to give a human the ability to temporarily see in the dark using painless eye drops. "There are a fair amount of papers talking about having it injected in models like rats, and it's been used intravenously since the '60s as a treatment for different cancers," Science for the Masses medical officer Jeffrey Tibbetts told Mic. "After doing the research, you have to take the next step."

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Pocket camera helps the visually impaired navigate the world

  This might be one of the least invasive sight aids for the visually impaired that we've spotted: it's a camera that sits in the shirt pocket, Her-style, and uses auditory alerts to warn when the user approaches obstacles. The idea here is to help folks with loss of peripheral vision (from glaucoma, for example) to keep from bumping into things. The device uses time-to-collision predictions rather than proximity sensors, so rather than a constant beep just because you're standing next to a pillar, the gizmo will apparently only ping you when you might actually run into said pillar.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Technology designed for aerospace could improve Parkinson's therapy

  When Rice University chemist Matteo Pasquali set out to to create strong and conductive carbon nanotube fibers, he had aerospace applications in mind. But it turned out his microscopic fibers are also great at communicating with the brain, making them an ideal candidate for therapies that deal with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Pasquali said: "...once we [he and his team] had them in our hand, we realized that they had an unexpected property: They are really soft, much like a thread of silk. Their unique combination of strength, conductivity and softness makes them ideal for interfacing with the electrical function of the human body."

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• DARPA is working on something way better than GPS

  When your location marker on Google Maps is pinging all over the place, it's usually due to temperamental GPS signal. DARPA thinks this isn't cutting it anymore, and is developing a "radically" new tech that will offer real-time position tracking -- something that'll work despite blind spots or jamming efforts. DARPA expects this will offer a huge boon to the US Military over, well, everyone else. Beyond war, the new location tech will be good for some much more, and will be far more flexible than GPS. Just like how we now use that once-military network for navigation and location services, new tech is very likely drip down to muggles like us too.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Public medical database aims to 'open-source' your body

  Science needs your private data to speed up breakthroughs. Researchers find it increasingly hard to recruit participants. Apple did its part earlier this month with ResearchKit and made an attempt to get users involved in medical studies. But it soon ran into its share of limitations. Now Open Humans Network, a new public database, hopes to make medical research less opaque. The site finds a connection between people who want to share their medical data with researchers in need of that information. It relies on people who, given the choice, will feel encouraged to share their personal data on an open, research platform. Jason Bobe, project director, calls it "open-sourcing your body."

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Light-emitting fabrics could reinvent your '90s wardrobe

  Researchers who must be Saved by the Bell fans have developed clothing fibers that could turn you into a walking neon sign. Rather than OLED or LCD tech, the team exploited polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells (PLECs) that are rugged enough to be used in fabrics. They created a millimeter-sized fiber that's an alphabet soup of tech -- it consists of a thin steel wire coated with nanoparticles and an electroluminescent polymer, topped by see-through carbon nanotubes. The prototype fabric only glowed for a couple of hours, and so far, the light colors are limited to blue and yellow. However, PLEC tech has a theoretical life span of thousands of hours, and far more hues are possible.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Here's how a lithium-ion battery degrades over time

  Use a gadget with a lithium-ion battery inside and you'll eventually learn that these power packs decay once you've cycled them enough times. But have you ever wanted to see direct evidence of why they have a limited lifespan? The Department of Energy is happy to oblige. It developed a special device that, when placed inside an electron microscope, lets it take nanoscale pictures of lithium-ion cells as they drain and charge. As you can see above, lithium (the black fluff in these photos) temporarily deposits on electrodes during each cycle, but doesn't completely dissolve. The more you use a battery, the more permanent deposits you get and the less capacity you have.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Boeing's 'plasma shields' would block explosion shockwaves

  "Captain, magnetic seals in the anti-matter chamber are decaying!" "Shields up!" Now that we have that out of our systems, let's start by saying that unlike a Star Trek-style deflector, Boeing's plasma "shield" could never block shells or bullets, let alone anti-matter explosions. But if its patent "for shockwave attenuation via electromagnetic arc" ever amounts to anything, it'd still be a technological tour de force. The idea is to harness electrical energy to stop or slow down the shockwaves created by explosions, which can do just as much damage as shrapnel.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Packing peanuts are the key to fast-charging batteries

  Hate buying some new gadget, only to wind up with a sea of packing peanuts that do little more than spill on to the floor? Don't be too quick to toss them out -- they may be the key to a new generation of lithium-ion batteries. Purdue University researchers have developed a heating process that converts these shipping leftovers into anodes (where lithium ions are stored during charging) made from carbon. On top of eliminating waste, this technique should lead to batteries that recharge much faster. The carbon anodes are only a tenth as thick as their commercially available counterparts, so they don't produce nearly as much electrical resistance.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• NFL player publishes math papers in his spare time

  If you were an NFL player, what would you do in between games? Live the high life? Spend more time working out? The Baltimore Ravens' John Urschel does something decidedly geekier: co-author math papers. The offensive lineman recently helped publish details of a "cascadic multigrid algorithm for computing the Fiedler vector of graph Laplacians" (no, we don't get it either), which would be impressive for any aspiring mathematician -- let alone one who spends his days crushing rivals on the football field. This isn't his first such paper, but it's notable that he's keeping up his academic pursuits even after graduating from Penn State and joining the big leagues.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• US Navy's latest diving suit saves helium, space and weight

  The US Navy has just unveiled a new diving suit prototype, and aside from being more efficient than older models, it also helps conserve helium. See, the agency's current suit uses Fly-Away Mixed Gas System (FMGS), which releases gases the diver exhales into the sea, including huge amounts of oxygen and helium. According to the Navy scientists that designed the new version, it "modifies the current helmet and rebreather," and tests prove that it can drastically reduce the consumption of the noble gas-- important in the midst of a global helium shortage. While we can make do without balloons or squeaky voices in parties, the gas is also used for more important purposes, such as operating MRI machines and the Large Hadron Collider.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Here are the most beautiful medical images you'll see in 2015

  This isn't some long lost Jackson Pollock, it's what's going on inside the mind of a fruitfly. Life really does imitate art, as this incredible collection of medical images from Wellcome Images illustrates. These spectacular shots leverage modern medicine's most advanced imaging techniques while providing us with an unprecedented look at biology's most fundamental functions.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• DEA approves MDMA study for the terminally ill

  MDMA is widely used both on and off festival grounds. But the drug is quietly making a comeback as a therapeutic aid. Last week, the DEA approved a clinical trial that will use a combination of the psychedelic drug and psychotherapy to treat anxiety associated with terminal illnesses. Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has initiated the study as part of their on-going efforts to validate the effectiveness of MDMA in a scientific setting. This isn't the first time it's been used to assist psychotherapy. But if the study is successful, it will introduce a new use for the drug.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• US Navy will fire fighter jets into the air with electromagnets

  For the last 60 years, the US Navy has launched fighters from carrier decks using steam catapults. While that made for some atmospheric Top Gun shots, the jerky motion adds wear-and-tear to aircraft and pilots alike. The military is now ready to test the next generation Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) aboard the new USS Gerald R. Ford after successful land trials (see the video below). EMALS uses a prescribed dose of electromagnetic energy to smoothly launch a variety of aircraft at the precise speeds needed, reducing stress on airframes. It's more adaptable to different aircraft and launch conditions than current catapults, and is well-suited for lightweight drone systems like the X-47B now aboard US carriers.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Tiny glass fibers are the secret to boots made for walkin' (on ice)

  A team of Canadian researchers don't think cleats and studs are the way to go when it comes to winter boots. In fact they've developed what they believe are superior alternatives: ones that use minuscule bits of glass instead. The team has designed boot soles embedded with glass particles than can grip slippery surfaces and yet feel like regular rubber on ordinary flooring. These particles give the soles a sandpaper-like texture, with each one acting as a microscopic stud. To make sure their creation provides enough grip, the researchers test their prototypes in a self-contained room with smooth, tiltable floors.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Tiny 3D-printed drill is powered by a hearing aid battery

  We've seen teeny-tiny 3D printers before, and now we're getting pint-sized creations to match. An ingenious engineer from New Zealand set out to make the world's smallest cordless drill, and the result is pretty remarkable. The tiny tool measures just 17mm tall, 13mm long and 7.5mm wide, with a 0.5mm twist drill that can pierce soft objects. Creator Lance Abernethy designed the outer shell in Onshape with a regular drill for reference, before printing it with his trusty Ultimaker 2 3D printer. It's powered by a hearing aid battery and connected with wiring stripped from a headphone cable. The hardest part, unsurprisingly, was assembling all of the parts inside, because the wires kept breaking off and threatening to short-circuit the battery. Needless to say Abernethy pulled through, giving Borrowers everywhere an ideal power tool for their next home renovation.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Stanford scientists make leukemia 'grow up' and eat itself

  A team at Stanford's School of Medicine has reportedly uncovered a potent new treatment method for combating one of leukemia's most aggressive forms -- and they did it pretty much by accident. While survival rates for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a particularly nasty form of white blood cell cancer, have risen to about 85 percent over the past decade thanks to the advent of stem cell therapies, the prognosis for this disease in the presence of a Philadelphia chromosome mutation remains quite poor. But thanks to a chance observation by Dr. Scott McClellan, the Stanford team believes it's figured out way to neutralize the disease using its own cancerous cells against it.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Researchers can now 3D-print nose cartilage in 16 minutes

  Doctors have been employing 3D-printed tissue for years now. But even though the hype around 3D bioprinting has raised expectations that it will save lives and shorten donor wait lists, fully functional printed organs are not feasible yet. While we won't be seeing blood pumping printed hearts any time soon, getting a new nose could become easier.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• 'Defective' graphene makes for super-efficient fuel cells

  Though graphene is noted for its beautiful symmetry, when you add a few warts and imperfections, it becomes more interesting -- specifically, it has the potential to make fuel cells better and cheaper. Scientists from Northwestern University and other institutions were toying with the material as a hydrogen fuel cell membrane, and found that by knocking out at least four carbon atoms from the normally pristine structure, it performed vastly better. A large number of protons (and nothing else) slipped through imperfections in the atom-thick material in just a few seconds, efficiently generating electricity.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• HeroX is the Kickstarter of X Prize-type competitions

  X Prize aims to challenge inventors into creating technologies that could benefit mankind, but it can't design competitions for every problem out there. That's where its spin-off company called HeroX comes in. HeroX is a platform similar to Kickstarter, where anyone can post their own competition. Those who think they have the best solution can then submit their entries to win a cash prize. While projects with sponsors are welcome, the website can also serve as a crowdfunding platform for those that don't have benefactors. People can donate to the prize pot, which will be awarded to the winner(s), though note that the company takes a cut, as it's not a non-profit org like the X Prize Foundation itself.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Canada's economic issues might affect Thirty Meter Telescope's future

  The Thirty Meter Telescope's (TMT) construction finally began in 2014 after a decade of delays, but its struggles aren't over yet. Its developers might find themselves $235 million short, since the Canadian government still hasn't released its part of the budget that the other major players have been expecting since last year. While the telescope's parts are already being built, the team needs Canada's money to proceed with the building's construction, as half of $235 million will be used for the telescope's gigantic steel enclosure. The Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy played a key role in getting the project off the ground -- and its government already spent $27 million on engineering plans -- so its members aren't giving up that easily.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• New compound destroys chemical weapons faster than ever

  In 2013, the Syrian government agreed to destroy its stores of chemical weapons, following reports that it had dropped sarin, a torturous and lethal nerve gas, on a rebel-held town earlier that year. The 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, signed by 190 nations (including the US and Syria), bars any country from creating, using or storing chemical weapons. Still, activists report even today attacks of chlorine gas in Syria, and chemical weapons remain a global issue. If the world can't eradicate chemical warfare completely, science will try to neutralize it: Today a team from Illinois' Northwestern University outlined the specifics of a manmade compound that inactivates nerve gas within minutes.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Light therapy now treats even the deepest cancer

  Light therapy is a safe, easy way to kill cancer and treat other diseases, but it's normally limited by its nature to illnesses that are skin-deep. Washington University researchers aren't daunted, however. They've developed a phototherapy method that brings light directly to tumor cells, no matter how deep they are. The technique has you ingesting sugar combined with radioactive fluorine and light-sensitive, cancer-fighting nanoparticles. When you go through a PET scan, the sugar lights up and promptly kicks the nanoparticles into high gear. Effectively, this is a Trojan horse -- since tumors eagerly absorb sugar, they're sowing the seeds of their own demise.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Underwater Aussie wave farms pump both power and water

  It isn't the motion of the ocean that matters so much as what you do with the waves. At one Australian naval base, those waves are being put to use providing steady streams of both electricity and potable water, all while generating zero emissions. It's all thanks to an innovative green energy production system -- the first in the world to provide both power and water with networked generators -- from Carnegie Wave Energy Limited.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Super-fast 3D printing takes its cue from 'Terminator 2'

  In a sense, 3D printing as you know it is a lie -- it's really stacking a series of 2D layers on top of each other, rather than forming a single object. That's where Carbon3D might come to the rescue. It just unveiled a 3D printing technique, Continuous Liquid Interface Production, that creates true, contiguous 3D items by blasting a resin pool with bursts of light (which hardens the resin) and oxygen (which keeps it in a liquid state). As the Washington Post notes, the approach both looks like and was inspired by the shapeshifting T-1000 robot in Terminator 2 -- solid objects emerge out of an amorphous goo.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Nano-sized earthquakes could boost phone cameras' performance

  A team of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) researchers believe they've found the secret to better phone cameras: teeny, tiny nano-earthquakes. To be exact, they've discovered that controlled sound waves can send ripples across 2D materials (flat surfaces that are a few atomic layers thick such as graphene), similar to ripples on the surface of water. These ripples can apparently change the electronic properties of a substance by carrying electrons across it. For their experiment, the team tested the technique on a photoluminescent 2D material, which emitted more and more light as the nano-earthquake intensified.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Smash-a-ball improves blind kids' memory and spatial awareness

  The machine you see above is called Smash-a-ball, and to put it simply: it's like Whack-a-mole designed to help blind kids develop certain skills. Smash-a-ball was developed by Nadia Guevara and Pedro Bori, a couple of educational psychologists, who've teamed up with a number of engineers to create toys for children with visual impairment. In order to play, users will have to rely on audio cues from the box's speaker coupled with tactile stimuli given off by the accompanying backpack or armband to pinpoint which combination of buttons to hit. The duo believes Smash-a-ball can help kids gain self-esteem and give them a way to interact and socialize with friends and family. It can also help visually impaired children improve their memory and reaction rates, as well as gain body and spatial awareness.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Researchers suggest 'yeti' found last year is just a brown bear

  Last year, researchers claimed they found RNA from a 40,000-year-old breed of polar bear, or as it's often referred to, the Himalayan yeti (Abominable Snowman, etc.). However, another team of scientists says those hairs could've just as easily come from a species of brown bear that's native to the area. While the authors behind last summer's findings maintain it could indeed be the mythical monster, a duo from the Smithsonian and the University of Kansas assert there's too much overlap in the genetic makeup to Himalayan brown bear. "The only way forward, as I have repeatedly said, is to find a living bear that matches the 12S RNA and study fresh material from it," says Oxoford University's Bryan Sykes, head of last year's team. The hairs used to document the genetic markers were collected by so-called monster hunters and cryptozoologists, so a new sample would help scientists rule out a common species or possible contamination issues. [Image credit: Shutterstock]

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Here's how you make a 3D printing gun using Lego

  What do you do if you want to 3D print in any direction, but can't buy a pre-made pen like the 3Doodler? If you're Vimal Patel, you build your own. He melded a hot glue gun with a powered Lego mechanism (really, Technic) to extrude filament in any axis. To call it bulky would be an understatement, but it works -- as you'll see in the video below, it can produce fairly complex objects as long as you have a keen eye and a steady hand. And if you want to try it, you can. Patel has posted his Lego Digital Designer file for the 3D printing gun, so it shouldn't be too hard to replicate the invention at home.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Dyson's new battery tech promises longer-lasting electronics

  Battery research that tantalizes and then goes bust has soured our dreams of longer-lasting smartphones and EVs. But do you know who hasn't given up hope? Sir James freaking Dyson, that's who. His company just invested $15 million in Sakti3, one of the most promising battery technology companies out there. The startup has created a cell with no dangerous, flammable liquid electrolytes, using the same thin-film tech used to make LCD displays and solar cells. Better still, it claims the batteries have achieved an energy density of 1,143 watt-hours per liter, easily doubling the best lithium-ion batteries on the market.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Ultrasound helps destroy Alzheimer's-causing plaque in mice

  Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease often characterized by severe memory loss, and even though it affects more than 5 million people in the United States (with an uptick expected as the Baby Boomer generation ages), it remains notoriously difficult to treat. The University of Queensland reports an Australian research team recently took an encouraging step toward possible treatment by sending ultrasound waves at the brains of mice with Alzheimer's. In 75 percent of the mice, the waves broke up clusters of an amyloid beta plaque that contributes to the disease's progression, and these mice performed better on subsequent memory and spatial recognition tests.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 23andMe plans to use your genetic data to create new drugs

  For over a year now, 23andMe has been stuck in a regulatory quagmire with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although it's still able to sell its personal DNA kits, the company is effectively banned from offering health-related genetic tests in the US. A few weeks ago it was given the go-ahead for a single check, a rare disorder called Bloom syndrome, but it's only a small step towards the broader health reports it provided before. While it waits for wider FDA approval, 23andMe has decided to enter the drugs market. The company already works with major pharmaceutical firms including Pfizer and Genentech, but now it's prepared to go it alone. The startup has accrued a vast amount of health-related information from its users, so there's an obvious opportunity to apply that database to the field of medicine. Instead of just looking for health-related ailments, and offering users the results, 23andMe wants to go one step further and develop the cures too.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Watch NASA launch its mission to the magnetosphere tonight (update)

  If all goes well, NASA will finally launch its Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observatories tonight. Comprised of four identical spacecraft (shown above in a clean room), its purpose is to study the magnetic fields around Earth for information on how they connect and disconnect. The MMS is headed to areas that scientists believe are the sites where magnetic reconnection occurs, but first it has to get off the ground. The launch is scheduled for 10:44PM ET at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and all conditions are go. You can watch live on NASA TV, and a stream is embedded after the break. Update: The launch was successful and the mission is on its way, check after the break for a replay and to see more information on exactly what its satellites will be studying.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Hamburg is pee-proofing its public places

  If you're the type of man that enjoys dry feet and pants, you'd better think twice before emptying your bladder in Hamburg, Germany. Pee against a wall in the city's historic red light district and there's a good chance that your stream will come back to bite you thanks to a coat of nano-paint.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Watch these artists 3D print animation into reality

  Why 3D print a computer animation? 'Art' is a good enough reason for us, and that's exactly what drove Dutch artists to put a hundred frames into a single mind-bending installation. Using an Ultimaker 2 3D printer and liberal amounts of glue and string, artists Job, Joris and Marieke squeezed all the cells from a short animation (below) into a single mise-en-scene. At a glance, you can see the fate of the teal-hued hero as he vaults off a cup and into a vase, with each detail (including a bouncing ball and shattered cup) faithfully reproduced in PVC. If you want to feel like you're inside a computer where time has lost all meaning, it'll be exhibited at Amersfoort's Kunsthal museum on March 29th.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• UC Berkeley 3D prints an artsy pavilion using dry powdered cement

  Here's a project that could pave way to structures both unique and affordable. A team of researchers from the UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design has unveiled the Bloom Pavilion, which they call "the first and largest powder-based 3D-printed cement structure." It measures 9 feet high, 12 feet wide and 12 feet deep, with a traditional Thai floral motif design. The pavilion is not the first 3D-printed building, to be clear. A Chinese company built 10 houses in under 24 hours last year and finished a whopping 5-storey apartment block in January using 3D-printed parts. Plus, there's that 3D-printed castle in Minnesota. However, it was created using dry powdered cement, whereas other 3D-printed buildings were made by extruding wet cement through a nozzle.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Watch this solar-powered plane attempt to fly around the world

  While you're just about to head to bed, over in Abu Dhabi the Solar Impulse team will attempt to fly around the world, powered by solar energy alone. While the plane takes off today in March, it won't likely return until late July, early August. The route will take in the sights of India, China, NYC and er, Phoenix, with final stops in Southern Europe and Africa before coming to land, finally. Watch the livestream take-off right after the break.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Inhabitat's Week in Green: 3D-printed buildings, wooden skyscrapers and UFO-shaped tree tents

  Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. The big news out of Silicon Valley this week is that architecture heavyweights BIG and Heatherwick Studio will be collaborating to design Google's new Mountain View headquarters. Following the announcement, Google published a video providing a sneak peek at renderings and models of the forthcoming Googleplex. In other green architecture news, UC Berkeley just unveiled the world's largest building 3D-printed from powdered cement. The "Bloom" pavilion is made of 840 printed bricks, and it glows like a lantern when it's lit from within. Rüdiger Lainer just announced plans to build the world's tallest wooden skyscraper in Vienna. About three quarters of the 24-story tower will be made from wood, saving 2,800 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

  By Inhabitat Read More

• Lockheed Martin's laser can stop a truck from over a mile away

  Lasers have staggering range, can attack land or air-based targets and are dirt-cheap to fire, making them ideal for a military with one eye on the budget. Now, Lockheed Martin has worked out that the technology could also be used for stopping a car without resorting to lethal force. The company has been testing out a new fiber-optic laser, called ATHENA, which was able to burn through the engine manifold of a truck that was over a mile away.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Behold the first photo of light in both wave and particle forms

  You've likely read in a textbook before that light behaves both as a particle and a wave at the same time. Scientists had previously seen it behave one way or another, but it's only now that someone finally found a way to photograph light as both in a single picture since Einstein proposed its dual nature in the early 1900's. In order to photograph light, a team of scientists from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) used a novel technique and an electron microscope so powerful, there are only two in the world.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Scientists take detailed pictures of the smallest known life forms

  Just how small can life get? Almost unbelievably small, if you ask a team of Berkeley Lab researchers. They've taken the first detailed electron microscope pictures of the tiniest bacteria known to date -- at a typical 0.009 cubic microns in volume, you could fit 150 of them in an already miniscule e. coli cell. Scientists had to catch the hard-to-spot microbes by using a new portable cryo plunger, which flash-froze groundwater to near absolute zero (about -458F) to keep the cells intact while they were in transit.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• UK to build the world's first tidal lagoon power plants

  It's easy to forget that it's possible to generate electricity not by burning coal or splitting atoms, but using the power of the sea. One company has thought long and hard about the process and is set to change the way Britain generates its renewable energy. Under new plans, Tidal Lagoon Power hopes to build the world's first lagoon power plants, creating six giant structures -- four of which will be built in Wales, with two in England -- that will harness powerful coastal tides and generate as much as 8 percent of the UK's total power.

  By Matt Brian Read More

Smartphones (57)

• The Big Picture: Yeah right, this was shot on a mobile phone

  The World Photography Organization has announced the winners of its 2015 Sony World Photography Awards, including those from the inaugural mobile phone category. Out of some 96,000 entries, only three shots were chosen. Incredibly, this spectacular scene captured by Janos M Schmidt of Hungary didn't even take home top prize -- that honor went to Salvatori Calafato of Italy. But trust, you don't want to see that image in full definition. [Image Credit: Janos M Schmidt/World Photography Org]

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Buy an LG G3 in the US, get a free VR headset

  LG's new mobile VR headset -- which is basically just a plastic version of Google's cardboard VR viewer -- is finally hitting American shores. The company just announced that it'll be throwing in a free headset, simply called the VR for G3, with the purchase of its latest flagship Android phone at participating retailers. Since it's adopting the Google Cardboard platform, which is just a box that you can plug your smartphone in for simple VR experiences, there really isn't much to LG's offering. You just need to slide in a G3 unit and load up a VR app (LG will also link users to some VR gaming content). It also features a magnet that works together with the phone's gyroscope (again, just like Google's box), that lets you select things without interacting with the screen. Unfortunately, it's still unclear how existing G3 owners can get their hands on LG's VR headset (we've dropped a line for additional details).

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Where to buy HTC's One M9 in the UK

  This year's MWC trade show was unquestionably headlined by mobile heavyweight duo HTC and Samsung. Not only did they both have fresh VR headwear to show off, but they arrived in Barcelona with new Android flagships in hand, too. Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 edge make their way to the UK on April 10th, but we get those smartphones ain't gonna be everyone's cup of tea. And if you've been waiting on HTC's latest instead, then today's your lucky day, as the One M9 is now available in the UK. In our review of the device, we noted the display was actually better on last year's model, and the M9's 20-megapixel primary camera didn't exactly leave us swooning. But one thing's for certain: HTC knows how to build a gorgeous, workhorse of a phone, even if the M9 isn't leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor. So, first up, you need to decide whether you want one or not; then, you've just gotta figure out where you're going to get it from.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• LG will unveil its next flagship phone on April 28th

  LG is scheduled to drop something big on April 28th. And if the "G's" in the save the date invites (above) it sent out to the press is any indication, we can most likely expect its next G-series flagship phone. Besides, several Korean publications already revealed that LG will launch the G4 by the end of April. Some of those publications also claimed that the phone will have a 5-inch curved Quad HD display, but there's probably no use speculating if that's true or not when we're this near to seeing the real thing. The South Korean company will hold an event in New York and other locations around the globe (New York, London, Seoul, Singapore and Istanbul), and we'll be there to cover it, so stay tuned!

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• How would you change Sony's Xperia Z1?

  There's a familiar theme whenever Engadget reviews a Sony smartphone, which is that the hardware's great, but not compelling enough to make you buy one. When Sharif Sakr got his hands on the Xperia Z1, he found that the headline feature -- that 20 megapixel camera -- wasn't strong enough to compete with the Lumia 1020. That said, we imagine that some of you did splash out on this handset, so why not come to Engadget's product forums and spill your brains as to what you liked, and hated, about the Z1?

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• HTC's One E9+ is its latest phablet with a stunning screen

  Just like that, HTC has quietly -- well, maybe unintentionally -- unveiled its latest phablet on its China website. With some minor differences, the One E9+ is pretty much what we saw on the certification database earlier this month. The biggest selling point of this part metal, part plastic device is perhaps its 5.5-inch Quad HD (534 ppi) display, making it the sharpest screen ever used on an HTC phone. Oddly, though, the website's spec sheet states a 1080p resolution, which we'll assume is actually meant for a lesser E9. Likewise with the 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB, as well as the 13-megapixel main camera instead of the 20-megapixel version mentioned on the product page.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• The Windows 10 preview will work on more phones soon

  If you've been itching to try out a technical preview version of Windows 10 on your phone but didn't have a device on the short list, then we have good news. Microsoft just released a list of devices that it expects to support in the next "flight" and it includes additional Lumia models like the 1020, 1320, 1520, 920, Icon and so on (the list is after the break -- it does not include the Lumia 930). It will be at least a week until the next update rolls out, but there's no specific date promised, and the list of supported devices could change.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Photos purportedly showing the LG G4 leak online (update: nope)

  The phone in these images looks like the LG G3, but you might notice some subtle differences. That's because it could actually be pictures of the brand's yet-to-be-released flagship, the G4. An XDA Developer user called s3rv1cet3ch posted a folder of images on the forum, explicitly calling it the G4. The user also pointed out that it has stylus on the top left corner, but if this is the Korean version of the device, that could very well be a TV antenna. After all, G3's Korean version has an antenna you can pull out on that exact spot.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• HTC's lead designer leaves after less than a year

  For a tech company that places so much emphasis on design, we can't help but think something's up when one of the key designers leaves. Today, we bring you the sad news that HTC's VP of Industrial Design, Jonah Becker, has announced his departure on Twitter. To our surprise, that's less than a year after he picked up from where his predecessor Scott Croyle left off. With Croyle and Becker gone, this leaves Claude Zellweger the last remaining principal of One & Co -- the design firm that HTC acquired back in late 2008 -- running the design team at the smartphone company. According to a statement from HTC, Becker has been succeeded by Creative Director Daniel Hundt, who happens to look a lot like Apple's Jony Ive. Hundt's focus is on smartphones while Zellweger continues to work on "connected products," which include the RE Vive and the RE Camera.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will debut in the US on April 10th

  Yes, you can lay claim to an HTC One M9 of your very own at the stroke of midnight on March 27th, but what if your craving for a flagship leads you in another direction? No problem: Samsung has just announced that you'll be able to pre-order the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge also starting on the 27th, with a full nationwide debut to follow on April 10th. Frankly, between these two bitter smartphone rivals and their near-identical announcement times this morning, it's hard to say whose actually managing to steal the other's thunder. It's the thought that counts, right?

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• HTC One M9 to go on sale for $649 unlocked tonight

  Never mind that M9+ thing in China. Back in the US, it's all about the M9 for local HTC fans, as the device is about to hit the official online store at midnight ET for $649 unlocked (it'll have the same bands as the AT&T model). This may not mean much for folks who are used to subsidized phones, but if you compare this contract-free price with those from other regions, it's actually rather attractive -- even when you include tax. In Hong Kong, you're looking at around $770. Not to mention that US buyers also get to enjoy HTC's "Uh Oh Protection" program, which replaces your device -- be it faulty or simply because you want to change networks -- one time for free within a year, and you get $100 credit towards your next HTC phone if you end up not requiring this service.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• HTC's beefier M9 for China leaks with sharper screen and fingerprint reader

  Rumor of a beefier HTC One M9 variant -- aka "M9+" -- had been floating around for some time, but we've remained skeptical until we came across the latest batch of leaks. Better yet, some of these are backed up by an official (poorly made but actually legit) Beijing launch invitation sent out earlier today; see for yourself after the break. What we're seeing is that the Duo Camera feature on the M8 is here to stay, and there's also the previously rumored front-side fingerprint reader which, sadly, reminds us of the home buttons on earlier Samsung devices.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Oppo's next phone has a crazy slim screen bezel

  The folks over at Oppo sure know how to tease. Well, that's my guess, anyway, based on the fact that several Chinese tech writers received the above photos from "anonymous" sources yesterday. This mysterious smartphone -- running on Oppo's ColorOS Android ROM -- features an almost edge-to-edge screen that's similar to what we've seen on the Sharp AQUOS Crystal series, except for the earpiece that Oppo decided to keep. This is backed up by an Oppo patent (dug up by GSM Arena) which shows the use of light refraction to give the illusion of a bezel-free screen. Yes, it's very much the same method as Sharp's. For those who are still skeptical, there's now a short video showing the same device in action, and you can check it out after the break. As for the price and availability, we're just as eager as you are to find out.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• The Galaxy S6 lets you remove most apps (including Samsung's)

  It's no secret that Samsung scaled back on bloatware with the Galaxy S6, reducing the clutter and hopefully giving you a leaner, meaner smartphone. However, there's one more treat in store: you can cull many of the apps that are included, too. XDA forum member Jeshter2000 has noticed that a pre-release Galaxy S6 edge lets him disable or uninstall many of the preloaded programs, including some of those from Google and Samsung. If you'd rather ditch S Voice entirely and rely solely on Google's (frankly superior) native voice commands, you can. So long as this carries through to the GS6 you buy in stores, it'll represent a big change of heart for Samsung -- the company is notorious for bundling redundant, non-removable apps, but it's now determined to give you much more control.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Your Android phone will soon stay unlocked while you're holding it

  If you're frustrated that your smartphone locks while it's still in your hands, Google may soon come to your rescue. A handful of Android Police readers report that their Lollipop-equipped phones' Smart Lock security now includes "on-body detection," a motion-sensitive feature that keeps your Android device unlocked so long as it's either in-hand or in your pocket. This isn't completely secure (a pickpocket could have a field day), but you don't have to worry about someone snooping on your personal info just because you left your handset on the table for a hot minute. Just when you'll get this option isn't certain, though. Google is slowly rolling out body detection to users through Google Play Services, not software updates, so you might not know it's available until you dig through the settings at the right time. Photo by Will Lipman.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Android Auto is now live for Lollipop phones and Pioneer head units

  Google just proclaimed that Android Auto is ready for the masses... or at least the masses that feel like picking up a separate Pioneer head unit and own a device running Android 5.0 Lollipop. In case your memory of the search giant's in-car plans is a little fuzzy, Google wants you to be able to connect your phone to your stereo with a USB cable -- once that's done, you can issue voice commands, sketch out routes and fire up apps like Spotify or Soundcloud. The Japanese car gadget maker got the ball rolling earlier this week with the release of a trio of Android Auto-compatible car receivers (they actually play nice with Apple's CarPlay too), though they might be a hair too pricey for would-be experimenters to take the plunge on.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Robert Downey Jr. wants to weird you into buying an HTC One M9

  Two men sit in lawn chairs, one in a merman costume. The other, Robert Downey Junior, fires a blowdart at a moon sculpture, which crashes to the ground. "Shoot for the Moon," says the aspirational HTC slogan. Did that make any sense? If so, you're apparently ready to buy an HTC One M9! Yes, HTCs (rumored) billion dollar marketing campaign with Robert Downey Junior isn't over yet, as the company has just revealed 10 new spots. If you can believe it, the new ads are even more perplexing than the company's "Hold This Cat" campaign for the One M8, which at least had a tenuous connection to HTC's acronym logo.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Microsoft's Lumia 430 is the cheapest route to Windows 10

  If your budget is tight but you still want the new notifications and other stuff coming with Windows 10, Microsoft has your back -- depending on where you live. It just revealed the 4-inch Lumia 430 Dual SIM model that's Windows 10-ready for around 70 bucks. For such a price, you'll get about what you'd expect: a WVGA display, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 CPU, 8GB of upgradeable storage and a 1,500 mAh battery. Unfortunately, the biggest compromise is with the cameras: it has a meager 2-megapixel front/0.3-megapixel shooters that will make for passable selfies and not much else.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• 3M showed me how dirty my phone was at SXSW

  I'm a certified germaphobe. In clinical terms, that makes me one of the 3.3 million Americans who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Being at an event like SXSW where about 33,000 of my fellow digital comrades are coexisting in very public spaces, I'm always worried about keeping myself and my gadgets clean, especially my phone and laptop. And with good reason: scientists found that cell phones carry ten times more disease-causing bacteria than most toilet seats. So, when I heard 3M was on the ground at SXSW testing out how dirty people's phones were at its "LifeLab," I had to check it out.

  By John Colucci Read More

• HTC's 'Uh Oh' program will replace your busted One M9 once for free

  HTC's two-toned M9 hasn't landed in the US yet, but the company's already champing at the bit to give you more reasons to buy one. Just as earlier reports suggested, HTC is fleshing out its Advantage program with a little something called "Uh Oh Protection," and it's a little more impressive than that tongue-in-cheek name implies. Long story short, if you crack the phone's Gorilla Glass-swathed screen, take it for a swim in the Pacific or pledge allegiance to another carrier within your first year of ownership, HTC will overnight you precisely one replacement unit totally gratis. On the off-chance that your M9 survives that first year without incident, you'll get $100 to apply toward the purchase of a new One down the road.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Lenovo's long-promised Windows Phone might actually arrive

  Like a dozing teenager promising to take out the trash, Lenovo's been pledging to build a Windows Phone handset since November 2011. Microsoft, like a patient parent trying to motivate its offspring, has now tried to inspire its partner by giving Lenovo a very public deadline. In a post on the Microsoft Blog, Terry Myerson has revealed that Lenovo will launch its first Windows Phone handset by the mid-year of 2015. The one-line announcement was buried deep in a story about Windows 10 upgrades, but there's a sting in the tail for expectant westerners. Unfortunately, the devices will only be available on China Mobile, but we can always hope that Motorola might see what its new owner is doing and take the hint. [Image Credit: Microsoft China]

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Buy the Moto X Pure Edition, get a free Moto E

  Want to buy a smartphone for yourself, but also need to snag a cheap phone for family (or, let's be honest, a backup for yourself)? Motorola might have you covered. It just kicked off an unusual promotion that gives you a free 3G version of the new Moto E when you buy a Moto X Pure Edition. That's not so hot if you insist on LTE data for every device, but it's a no-brainer if you were either set on getting a Moto X or don't relish the idea of splurging on two phones at once. Don't spend long deciding what to do, though -- Motorola is only running the promo through March 24th.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• How would you change Nokia's Lumia 625?

  The company formerly known as Nokia liked to release a lot of devices, to the point where its round-number naming system got a bit confusing. Instead of being a spec-bump replacement for the 620, the Nokia Lumia 625 was an entirely different device altogether. The handset came with a 4.7-inch display and LTE, but no compelling reason to own one instead of the many other units in the range. If you wanted to sum up the piece in a single word, it'd probably be: ehhhhhhhh -- not because it was bad, but because it had little reason to be there. We imagine plenty of you grabbed one, so what we'd like to know is why, and did you regret the decision? Head on over to our forum and tell us about life with the 625.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Here is VAIO's first smartphone

  No longer a part of Sony, VAIO likes the look of that smartphone market, and has decided to go up against its former parent company's Xperia series with its own creation -- one that looks very familiar to our smartphone-seasoned eyes. It's called the VAIO Phone, and it's launching in Japan in collaboration with one of the country's smaller carriers, b-mobile, on March 20th.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Android phones will soon use a smaller, simpler USB connector

  That tiny USB Type-C port you've seen on the latest MacBook and Chromebook Pixel? Don't be surprised if you see it on your smartphone soon. In a video accompanying the new Chromebook, Google's Adam Rodriguez says that his company is "very committed" to the new USB spec and that you'll see it on both Android phones and more Chromebooks in the "near future." It's a vague promise, to be sure, but it'll matter a lot in the long run. Type-C delivers brisk USB 3-level speeds (and eventually, 3.1) without requiring a gigantic connector, and the reversible design means you won't have to inspect your phone to make sure you plug the cable in the right way.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google's Nexus 6 will finally reach Verizon on March 12th

  Yes, the rumors were true -- after a months-long wait, Verizon has confirmed that it'll launch the Nexus 6 on March 12th, with stores picking it up on March 19th. The Google-powered phone will still be relatively expensive, at $250 on a two-year contract or $27 per month on Edge, but you will get both HD voice calling (Android 5.1 comes standard) and a free 6-month subscription to Google Play Music All Access for your trouble. Is it worthwhile at this point? That's hard to say. This is still the latest and greatest Android flagship phone, but there's no question that Verizon missed the boat, as it sometimes does. If you wanted a relatively pure Android experience on Big Red, you probably bought a Droid Turbo or Moto X last fall.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Motorola's best budget smartphone just got even better

  It's no surprise that the Moto G is the bestselling smartphone in Motorola's history -- it's always had solid specs and featured a class-leading display. Perhaps the only complaint is that the first- and second-generation handsets haven't launched with 4G support. That isn't to say Motorola isn't including it; it's just that it takes a while to get there. Now, finally, the company has decided to make the best budget phone you can buy even faster.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• WSJ: The next iPhone will get a force-sensitive touchscreen

  Apple's recently announced MacBook and Watch both understand the difference between a gentle press and a hard shove. It should surprise nobody that the company is likely to add this technology, dubbed Force Touch, to the next generation of iPhones. The Wall Street Journal has called around its circle of people familiar with the matter, who all say that it'll be the headline feature for the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. In addition, those in the know believe we'll soon get a fourth color option to choose from: pink.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• HTC's bigger, flatter One E9 smartphone poses for the camera (update: specs)

  If you thought HTC's One M9 was just too small or too bulky, you'll be glad to hear that the company has something bigger in store... yes, literally. Chinese regulators recently spoiled the surprise for the One E9, a 5.5-inch cousin to the 5-inch M9 that ditches the curved metal back for a flatter (and somewhat Desire Eye-like) body. This isn't just a re-skin à la the One E8, folks. There may be big changes under the hood, too. Well-known tipster Upleaks claims that the E9 will switch from a Snapdragon 810 processor to a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek chip, and that you'll get a super-sharp Quad HD screen instead of the M9's 1080p display. A "standard" version could also ship with a regular 13-megapixel front camera, while a "high" version would carry the M9's low light friendly 4MP UltraPixel cam.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Android 5.1 arrives with HD calling and safeguards for stolen phones

  After weeks of teasing, it's here: Google has officially unveiled Android 5.1 Lollipop. The new release focuses on support for features that usually depend on extra software to work, such as multiple SIM cards (handy for prepaid service in countries like China and India) and higher-quality HD voice calls on networks like T-Mobile or Verizon. You can control your WiFi networks and Bluetooth devices from the quick settings area, too.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• HTC One M9's leaked price and release date will give you deja vu

  If you were still picking sides following the launch of HTC's One M9 and the Samsung Galaxy S6, there's now a bit more to work with. Retailer B&H Electronics has (accidentally?) revealed that a 32GB flavor of the HTC One M9 will start shipping on March 25th for $649, SIM-free. That's the exact same price (and release date) as last year's look-alike model and a bit less than an unlocked Galaxy S6 (non-Edge) is expected to cost. That said, you'll also need to weigh factors like Exynos versus Snapdragon CPUs and all-metal versus glass-and-metal designs. The listing could also be inaccurate or premature, so we wouldn't count on the pricing or date without official word from HTC.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• How would you change Motorola's Droid Ultra?

  Sometimes, a musician tied down to a long contract will fire out a sub-par record to fulfill a contractual obligation to their label. In some ways, Motorola's Droid Ultra felt like an exercise in contractual obligation rather than a handset in its own right. After all, the Ultra was, more or less, the Moto X in another body, and since the X was also available on Verizon, our Brad Molen felt that the Ultra had no reason to exist. We wager, however, that plenty of you bought this handset, so why not hop over to the forum and tell us why you did?

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Jony Ive isn't too concerned about your iPhone battery life issues

  Tired of recharging your iPhone several times a day? That's just because the iPhone's thin and light design is encouraging you to use it more, according to Apple's design guru Jony Ive. In an interview with the Financial Times today, Ive dove deep into the design process of the Apple Watch, but when asked about the need to recharge iPhones often he didn't see much of an issue. Instead, he noted that stuffing in a bigger battery would make it heavier and less "compelling." Never mind that battery life remains the single biggest concern for most smartphone users, according to a survey by Cat. If this interview had occurred a year ago, Ive would seem even less sympathetic. Now, at least, Apple has the iPhone 6 Plus available, which offers a significantly bigger battery thanks to its larger 5.5-inch frame.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Google's 'Nexus' phone network might only be for Nexus 6 phones

  This week at MWC Google exec Sundar Pichai confirmed rumors that the company plans to launch its own wireless service, but a Wall Street Journal report claims it will only work with Google's Nexus 6 smartphone. Pichai stressed that the service would not operate on a large scale, and restricting it to a single device (even older Nexus phones are reportedly out), would just about fit that. We should've seen this coming once Pichai said it would be the "Nexus" of virtual phone networks, but according to the WSJ it will also combine WiFi connections with the cell networks of Sprint and T-Mobile for service. As the paper points out, other Motorola-built phones are already in use for primarily-WiFi carriers like Republic Wireless and Cablevision's new Freewheel. The newest Nexus 6 and Android Lollipop form the right combination for network-hopping, which could lead to the service launching within the next few weeks.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• YotaPhone 2 will come to the US via Indiegogo

  The second generation of YotaPhone's dual-display smartphone is finally coming to the US, but not in the way you may expect. In an interview with PhoneScoop, the company's Matthew Kelly said that the e-ink display-toting device will be made available to backers on Indiegogo, of all places. The details have yet to be worked out, but the company is planning to offer early backers some sort of bonus for getting to the front of the line. If the sale is successful, then the device might even wind up hitting store shelves but, for now, it doesn't look as if any specific plans have been made. There's also no word on how much the US edition of the YotaPhone 2 will cost you, but considering that it's priced at nearly £600 ($917) in the UK, you can expect to be paying flagship prices for that extra screen. Update: Yota have belatedly confirmed that the handset will be priced at $600 when it hits Indiegogo.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• HTC's design lead on the One M9, criticism and the promise of VR

  The story of HTC's recent fortunes is one of the more bizarre tales in modern technology. What other company releases award-winning flagship after award-winning flagship, only to see revenues and market share drop? For a while, HTC's phones truly stood out in terms of design and build quality (since 2012 there's been the One X, the One M7 and the One M8). The One M9 represents another iterative step forward for HTC, in a product cycle that has (debatably) seen rivals Apple and Samsung make huge leaps forward. But it's not all doom and gloom. Even if the M9 is being mooted as a potential miss, the Vive, its new virtual reality headset, is perhaps the biggest hit of the show. I sat down with the man at the heart of everything HTC does, chief designer Claude Zellweger, to discuss the company's direction, the M9 and its entry into VR.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Relaxing with Runcible, the circular 'anti-smartphone'

  The Runcible is both the strangest and most intriguing device that I've seen at Mobile World Congress this year. It offers many of the same capabilities as a smartphone, but it looks like a trinket you would find in a trendy vintage store. That's by design, though: Its creator, Monohm, wants the circular gizmo to challenge the now ubiquitous smartphone experience, which is increasingly defined by a relentless stream of notifications. Aubrey Anderson, the company's founder and CEO, describes the Runcible as a "quieter" gadget that can help people relax and live in the moment, while still staying connected online.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• You can unlock this smartphone with the blood vessels in your eyes

  Tired of punching in numbers or swiping strange patterns to unlock your smartphone? Fingerprint and facial recognition have been tried before with varying levels of success, and now ZTE thinks it can offer something better. The company's Grand S3 smartphone in China is getting a feature called "Sky Eye," which lets you swap Android's traditional lockscreen methods with your eyeballs. It uses a biometric authentication called "Eyeprint ID" by EyeVerify and, of course, we had to check it out for ourselves.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Apple now ships more smartphones than Samsung, if you ask Gartner

  When we last checked in on the battle for the top spot in the smartphone market, Apple and Samsung were neck and neck. If you ask Gartner, though, it isn't quite so evenly matched. The analyst group estimates that Apple managed to edge past Samsung in the fourth quarter of 2014, shipping 74.8 million phones to Samsung's 73 million. That isn't exactly a cavernous gap, but it's been a long time since any research firm unambiguously declared Apple the biggest vendor -- over three years, if you're wondering. Having said this, the changing of the guard isn't completely surprising. Apple had two brand new iPhones in the fall to goose its sales, while Samsung was grappling with both surging Chinese competitors (including chart rivals Lenovo, Huawei and Xiaomi) and a flagship phone that was getting long in the tooth.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• BlackBerry will release a curved-screen slider phone later this year

  BlackBerry's recovery relies on the company's reinvention as a software and services business, which has enabled its hardware designers to go a little bit wild. At Mobile World Congress, BB's handset chief Ron Louks just pulled out a prototype of a handset that looks like the holy union between the Leap and the Passport. There's no name for the device just yet, but the company describes it as a "dual-curved, all-touch display with a keyboard," with that latter component situated on an old-fashioned slider beneath the display.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• BlackBerry aims at young professionals with the low-cost Leap

  We're here at BlackBerry's cozy MWC press event waiting anxiously for CEO John Chen (or anyone, for that matter) to pull back the curtain on the oft-rumored BlackBerry Leap. So far, all we've gotten is a recap of progress to date and some security-minded endeavors, but surprise, surprise -- the $275 Leap just popped up on BlackBerry's global devices site for all to see.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Relive Samsung's Galaxy S6 event right here

  Did you sleep in on Sunday, only to realize that you'd missed Samsung's big Galaxy Unpacked event? Relax -- you can still watch the show as if it were fresh. As is its custom, the Korean tech giant has helpfully posted both a replay of the full event and a quick recap. The focus of the presentation is no longer all that surprising (spoiler: It was about the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge), but it's worth checking out if you want to see Samsung explore every nook and cranny of its latest smartphones.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Vodafone deal makes Dropbox a part of your smartphone backups

  Dropbox just scored a huge deal that will not only put its cloud storage in front of a lot of people, but help you safeguard your smartphone's data. The company has forged a partnership with Vodafone that both gives the carrier's Android and iPhone users 25GB of free space for a year and integrates Dropbox into Vodafone's new Backup+ service. Rather than depend on a specialized backup space, you simply save your valuable files to Dropbox -- you can restore content on other devices and share it with friends without having to use two services or limit the kind of data you protect. The Backup+ app will be available as soon as the end of March, although the service itself will take a few months to reach "most" Vodafone areas.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Cyanogen's custom Android OS gets boost from big Qualcomm deal

  Many people know Cyanogen for delivering Android updates for phones that have long been ignored by their manufacturers. However, over the past two years, its creators have worked hard to turn it into a legitimate entity by forming a company, taking on millions of dollars in funding and embedding its open version of Android on big name devices like the OnePlus One. That particular collaboration may have cooled, but that isn't stopping Cyanogen from seeking new partners, especially with companies like Qualcomm. Today, the chip maker confirmed that it will install select features and UI elements from Cyanogen OS on its upcoming Reference Design products coming next month.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Qualcomm's next chips will help smartphones think for themselves

  Qualcomm teased the prospect of smartphones that learn a couple of years ago, and it's now much closer to making them a practical reality. The chip designer has revealed its next big mobile processor, the Snapdragon 820, will be one of the first that can handle its Zeroth cognitive computing platform. In short, it'll let your phone learn about you (and the world around you) to take action on its own. You should see photo apps that detect whole scenes, security tools that protect against unknown viruses and interfaces that depend more on expressions and head movement than button taps. It gets more ambitious than that, though. Zeroth allows for always-on sensors that detect your surroundings (such as through motion or sound) and help your phone anticipate what you want.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Microsoft's Lumia 640 and 640 XL are its new budget phone stars

  After mistakenly letting the cat out of the bag yesterday, Microsoft has officially unveiled its latest Lumia phones at Mobile World Congress -- and they're pretty tempting if you're looking for a good deal. The new Lumia 640 and 640 XL (can you guess the difference?) are the company's latest budget phones, effectively replacing last year's Lumia 630 and 635. They both include a quad-core Snapdragon processor running at 1.2GHz, a gigabyte of RAM and 720p display resolutions, but they differ in screen size and camera prowess. The Lumia 640 has a 5-inch screen and an 8-megapixel shooter, while the XL -- Microsoft's first budget phablet -- packs in a 5.7-inch screen and a 13MP camera with a Zeiss lens. That's a significant bump from the weak 5MP option in last year's phones, but without a big price increase: The 640, expected in May, will start unlocked at around $155 for its 3G version and $177 for the LTE model. And if you want to get your hands on the XL soon, you're in luck. It's coming later this month for around $211 (3G) and $244 (LTE). As usual, final pricing is up to the retailers.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Lenovo's 16-megapixel Vibe Shot is a smartphone that looks like a camera

  Even though Lenovo unveiled new tablets a little over 12 hours ago, it isn't quite done with Mobile World Congress announcements just yet. Now it's taking the wrapper off three more devices, two of which are Android smartphones that you probably won't be able to get in the US. One is the Lenovo Vibe Shot, a superslim handset that looks eerily like a camera, while the other is the Lenovo A7000, apparently the world's first smartphone to come with Dolby Atmos. The third new product of the bunch is the simply named Lenovo Pocket Projector, a tiny little projector that's pretty versatile for its size.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• SanDisk stuffs 200GB into a microSD card for your phone

  If a 128GB microSD card just isn't big enough to put your media collection on your phone, don't worry -- SanDisk is coming to your rescue. It just unveiled a whopping 200GB card (the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card Premium Edition, to be exact) that makes just about anything else seem puny. You won't even have to give up performance, as it should still transfer about 90MB per second, or roughly 1,200 photos every minute. The price could easily be a showstopper, though. SanDisk will ask an eye-watering $400 for the 200GB card when it ships in the second quarter, so it may only make sense if you insist on gobs of room for 4K videos or a gigantic music library. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Samsung Galaxy S6 comes with Microsoft apps out of the box

  Those rumors that Samsung would reduce the glut of in-house software on the Galaxy S6 and include some of Microsoft's apps? They're at least partly true. Both the S6 and S6 edge will ship with a "Microsoft Apps" folder that currently includes OneDrive, OneNote and Skype. There's no hint of Office -- at least not yet -- but you will get 115GB of free OneDrive cloud storage for two years. You certainly won't be hurting for photo backup space, then. It's hard to say if the bundle is the direct result of Microsoft and Samsung calling a truce in their Android royalty dispute. Either way, the move is going to give Microsoft's services a lot more exposure. While they've been available on Android for some time, their absence in phone bundles has typically made it easier to lean on equivalents from the likes of Google and Dropbox. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Meet Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge

  The last time Samsung put on a show in Barcelona, it came bearing the Galaxy S5 and that love-it-or-hate-it bandage back. Not exactly a high point in the company's design history, you might say. Over the past year, though, the Korean juggernaut has come to the realization that it needs to pare down and push a few more envelopes, a philosophy that begat weird, arguably wonderful experiments like the Note Edge. So, Samsung, it's been a year -- how far have you come? We have our answer. Meet the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge. try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-450804").style.display="none";}catch(e){}

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Live from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event at MWC!

  The moment we heard that Samsung was throwing a "Galaxy Unpacked" event at Mobile World Congress, we knew it had to be launching the Galaxy S6. And, according to the many leaks that are already circulating on the internet, we're probably right. Still, it's always worth attending the actual event itself -- Samsung's been known to offer up a surprise or two and besides, the company sometimes puts up quite an entertaining show. So join us, won't you, for our liveblog starting right here at 12:30pm ET.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Here's what Project Ara phones will actually look like

  Sure, we've seen prototypes of Google's Project Ara before, but these dummy modules from budget phone maker Yezz mobile are as good a hint to how the phone might actually look in real life. We already saw how Google envisioned Ara to look, but given its plans for a store where you'll be able to browse different components for your phone, it's unlikely things will be that uniform. It doesn't take much to imagine that Ara's customizable nature will mean all the different clip-in components will rarely be an aesthetic match. That's to say, your phone is likely going to be a patchwork of colors and designs, so why not embrace that and go all in? Yezz's prototype modules show us how that future will look.

  By James Trew Read More

• Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 can take phone calls even when upside down

  Yes, that's me holding a phone upside down while pretending to make a phone call. It may look silly, but that's exactly what the folks over at Alcatel OneTouch want to see going viral on the streets soon. What we have here is the new "orientation-free" Idol 3 smartphone series, which lets users quickly pick up phone calls without having to check whether they are holding the device -- either the 4.7-inch version or the larger 5.5-inch model -- the right way up. The trick? It's all down to the symmetrical design consisting of a speaker and a mic at each end of the phone; and yes, you do get to use the two front-facing speakers in stereo mode for entertainment purposes.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• This is the HTC One M9

  Surprise! After months of speculation and leaks, HTC is finally ready to show the world its latest flagship, the One M9. Sorry to disappoint, but those leaks were, for the most part, spot on. As they suggested, there's no major change in terms of industrial design here; the M9 looks a lot like the M8, which in turn looked a look like the original One. That means you're getting an aluminium unibody design with a 5-inch 1080p display framed at the top and bottom by HTC's trademark BoomSound speakers. Sure, it's a bit narrower, a little shorter, and a shade thicker than the M8 it replaces, but you'd be hard-pressed to tell the handsets apart at first glance.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• We're live from HTC's One M9 event at MWC!

  The One M9 is, perhaps, HTC's worst kept secret of 2015. But maybe, just maybe, the Taiwanese company could surprise us all at its Mobile World Congress press conference -- after all, HTC is known for trying new things every now and then. Whatever happens, though, we're here in Barcelona to bring you the play-by-play from the company's event. So stay tuned to this post; we'll be flipping into liveblog mode at 10:00 AM ET.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Microsoft will announce two Windows Phones tomorrow

  We've known Microsoft will detail its plans for Windows 10 on mobile here at MWC, but in the lead-up to its event it's accidentally let slip that two new Windows Phones are coming as well. An empty article went live on its blog with the headline "Microsoft Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL: keeping you prepared for anything," and was swiftly removed, but not before The Verge spotted the mistake. From the model numbers, we can speculate that the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL will be mid-range devices, one little, one large. Expect more details on the handsets tomorrow morning when we'll be live at Microsoft's press conference. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Acer's new Windows Phone is unlikely to blow you away

  For some time now, consumers have pretty much been stuck choosing among Lumias for their Windows Phone fix. Acer is aiming to change that with the launch of its catchily named "Liquid M220" smartphone. The M220 is a decidedly low-end handset, with a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage (upgradable via microSD), 5-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-facing shooter. It's clearly aiming to compete with Microsoft's cheapest Lumias and although, admittedly, this comes down to taste, it's not exactly a looker compared to its rivals.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

Social Media (29)

• Facebook's 'Scrapbook' puts all of those baby photos in one place

  There are way too many baby pictures on Facebook. And they need to be organized. Starting today, the network rolled out an optional "Scrapbook" feature that lets parents sort through the digital heap of their children's photos. On the site, under the Family & Relationships tab, a party-hat-wearing blue elephant gives you the option to add your child's (or pet's) name to start the album. The tool then automatically places photos tagged with that name in one place. According to the site, the scrapbook "grows with your child" so it will continue to gather your photos as long as you're feeding it.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Flickr gives you the choice to put photos in the public domain

  Flickr has long had ways to let others use and tweak your photos, but if you want to give up your copyright altogether? You can now do just that. In the wake of Elon Musk releasing SpaceX's photos to public domain, Flickr has added options for public domain and Creative Commons 0 ("no rights reserved") licenses. Choose them and others can do whatever they want with your images, free of charge or even credit. If you see your photography as more of a service for the greater good than a closely guarded treasure, you can loosen the restrictions today. [Image credit: SpaceX, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• WhatsApp voice calls now work on Android

  WhatsApp's long-promised voice calling is now available on Android.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Vine's six-second slices of life get a big video-quality bump

  Artists and comedians have been doing some truly amazing things with Vine since it launched as a Twitter product two years ago, but those mesmerizing slices of life that eat up your day in six-second increments have never really looked all that great. That's finally starting to change, according to a blog post by Vine API lead Mike Kaplinskiy -- you'll start seeing vines in 720p (up from the normal, eye-searing 480p) in the team's iOS and Android apps within the next few days, but some of them can already be spotted embedded around the web.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• How Russia's 'troll factory' pumps out online propaganda

  Russian blogger Marat Burkhard told Radio Free Europe that working in an infamous "troll factory" generating fake internet posts and comments was "Orwellian." "Whatever we're told, that's what we'll write about, no questions asked, and we don't want to know." Using the word "absurd" no less than five times, he detailed how a typical day went at "Internet Research," a company run by a Vladimir Putin crony. The team of around 300 employees reportedly puts out about 30,000 pro-Kremlin comments a day from fake accounts on Twitter, Facebook and websites like the New York Times. Burkhard took the job because it was an "adventure" and pays considerably more than a professional journalist makes in the nation.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Twitter's Periscope is the best livestreaming video app yet

  The age of ubiquitous livestreaming is upon us. I say this not only because of the sudden popularity of Meerkat, the mobile livestreaming app that now boasts over 100,000 users and celebrity aficionados like Jimmy Fallon and Madonna. No, it's because Meerkat now has a rival. A very big rival, in the form of Twitter. Today, the social media company has taken the wrapper off Periscope, its very own livestreaming app that it acquired only a couple of weeks ago. Indeed, it was this very purchase that caused Twitter to cut Meerkat from its social graph, a move that makes it a lot harder for those on Meerkat to find folks to follow. Periscope, on the other hand, won't have the same problem -- it automatically suggests people you follow on Twitter when you sign up. That's certainly a significant advantage, but the app needs to be good, too, if it wants to unseat Meerkat. So, is it?

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• China's cracking down on naughty content being shared on WeChat

  Life for China's porn aficionados is about to get a little tougher -- a recent Reuters report points out that the country is cracking down on all the naughty content that's being shared on WeChat. It's not just photos and videos that'll be targeted either. The country's Cyberspace Administration has said text, like tales of "one-night stands, wife-swapping, sexual abuse and other harmful information" will be subject to the same sort of scrutiny, as will typed-up ads for sexual performance enhancers and STD treatments. Getting pegged for your first offense means violators will have their accounts shut down for a week, but rack up four such infractions and voila -- they'll be banned from WeChat for good. Or, you know, until they find a way to register a new account.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Tinder hack pairs straight guys together, awkward flirting ensues

  Tinder is sometimes hilarious. Tinder sometimes makes you despair for humanity. And would you believe it, Tinder sometimes leads to genuine, loving relationships. But back to the first point: what happens if you pit two unwitting heterosexual males against each other, when both think the other is a for-real woman? What do you think?

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Facebook will bring 360-degree videos to Oculus and News Feed

  In an effort to bring even more content to Oculus, Facebook has announced at its developer conference that it plans to bring spherical video content to its VR headset. There really isn't a whole lot more information aside from that -- how will people get these 360-degree videos? -- but it's an important step forward in enhancing the nascent VR platform. Additionally, Facebook also announced that it'll begin to support these 360-degree videos embedded right in the News Feed, so you won't need a headset to check them out if you don't mind not having that whole VR thing.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Facebook to allow third-party apps on Messenger

  In the past few months, Facebook has really ramped up the Messenger experience -- you can add your location, apply stickers on photos and even use it for payments. Now, Facebook will let you customize your messages even further. That's because Facebook has evolved Messenger into its own platform, which essentially means you can now integrate third-party apps inside the messaging app. Want an easy way to send GIFs from Giphy? Simply install the add-on, find the GIF you want and away you go. You'll find many of these apps -- there are apparently already 40 on board -- in the compose window. And if a friend sends an image or video from one of these third-party apps and you don't already have them installed, you'll see an "Install" link on them so you can download them right then and there. This new feature should be available on your friendly neighborhood Messenger app starting today, so be on the lookout for new ways to annoy your Facebook buddies.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Facebook's F8 app hints at big changes for Messenger

  Typical. Just when you're about to unveil a new project at your own developer conference, the event's companion app breaks the news ahead of time. A notification from Facebook's F8 app, presumably scheduled for the 26th, went out early to inform conference attendees that the company was announcing two new initiatives: Parse for IoT and Messenger as a Platform.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Facebook makes it easier to relive your memories

  Facebook knows you don't just want to keep tabs on the latest updates -- sometimes, you want to wax nostalgic as well. Appropriately, the social network is rolling out a previously tested On This Day feature that shows posts you shared (or were tagged in) on the same date in previous years. You'll be the only one taking this trip down memory lane by default, but you can always share the old posts if you want to remind friends of that big backpacking trip or college party. The feature is already making its way to mobile and web users worldwide, so don't be surprised if you soon have a good excuse to relive special moments in your life.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Reddit now lets you embed comments on other websites

  If you've ever stumbled across a juicy quote in a Reddit thread, you now have an easy way to share it on the web without losing context: Reddit has switched on support for embedding comment threads. All you have to do is visit a comment's permalink, grab the code and paste it into your blog or forum. You can include the parent comment to provide background, and there's a rather wise option to hide comments if they're edited -- your fellow redditors can't prank you by changing things after the fact. Give it a shot if you'd like to do more with that laugh-worthy AMA response than simply take a screenshot or post a link. [Image credit: Eva Blue, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Oh great, Twitter's testing autoplay videos in your feed

  Twitter has taken yet another page from Facebook's notebook. Starting today, the social media company will begin testing autoplay video ads, which sounds a lot like the feature Facebook introduced on its site in 2013. It's rolling out in limited tests for iPhone and iPad users in the US -- some will see full-length videos play in their newsfeeds, while others will get a six-second preview loop. In either case, the video won't play with sound until the user clicks on it to view full screen.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Twitter helps verified users keep trolls out of their tweets

  It's not all sunshine and roses for Twitter's verified users. They may have more features, but that blue checkmark also makes them a bullseye for trolls, spammers and people who simply have a chip on their shoulder. This group should have an easier time having meaningful discussions from now on, though. Twitter has started giving verified iOS users a simple "quality filter" that lets them remove abusive remarks, duplicate content and suspicious accounts from their notifications. The social network already had tailored filtering, but this new option theoretically cleans things up with the flick of a switch.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Twitter taps Foursquare for location-based features

  Twitter wants to know where you are. The social media company has tied up with Foursquare so your tweets can carry your precise location. Twitter was already picking up on your whereabouts, but its in-house tagging ability has been restricted to data points from GPS, wireless networks and cellular tower signals. The update allows Twitter to tap in to Foursquare's massive location database so you will be able to pinpoint your exact spot in a tweet.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Suicide hoax lands Facebook user in psychiatric institution

  A user from California recently put Facebook's suicide prevention feature to test. According to a report, Shane Tusch shared his frustrations about his bank on the social network and posted a fake-threat to hang himself from the Golden Gate Bridge. A reader swiftly reported his post. As per the prevention service update last month, Facebook locked Tusch out of his account. He should have been in conversation with a crisis worker soon after, but instead he was arrested and placed in a psychiatric institution for a total of 70 hours.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• Vine will now load videos faster on iPhone -- even when you're offline

  Vine's iPhone app is getting some major speed upgrades today. With its latest update, Vine will now preload videos even before you launch the app, which also makes some videos available when you're offline. Yes, that means you'll actually be able to check out Vines even when you're on the subway. To help make all of that possible, the company is now moving over to smaller video sizes (likely due to better compression), and it's implemented network caching, which stores videos for offline viewing. Specifically, the Vine app will now preload videos from your timeline and the Explore section, as well as your activity notifications. And yes, Android fans, a similar update is coming your way soon.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Twitter makes it easier to report threats to the police

  While Twitter has already simplified reporting abusive tweets, that's not enough if you're facing a very serious threat -- you want something that the police can use to get an arrest or restraining order. Thankfully, Twitter has delivered something that might help. A new email option lets you send yourself a copy of a threat report that you can take to law enforcement. While it only provides a basic summary of what happened, it both serves as an official record and helps officers understand what to do if they need private account information to make a bust.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Send money to your friends with Facebook Messenger

  Using Facebook Messenger to chat amongst your pals? Well, now you can employ that same app to send funds, too. After hints dropped last fall, the social network announced its tool that sends money inside Messenger would roll out in the US in the months to come. To send a few bucks to someone who grabbed lunch when your forgot your debit card, just hit the appropriately-labeled "$" icon, enter the amount and hit pay. The currency is transferred immediately, but it'll take a couple of days to show up in the recipient's bank account -- similar to a regular ol' deposit.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Facebook clarifies what you're allowed to post on its social network

  Facebook's content guidelines have sparked confusion, to put it mildly -- a lot of people are unsure as to whether or not they have to use their legal names, or whether it's safe to post breastfeeding photos. At last, though, the social network is clearing the air a bit. It just posted new Community Standards that don't change the company's stance, but should remove some of the gray areas. For one, it's emphasizing that you only have to use your "authentic identity," not the name your government recognizes -- important if you identify with a non-traditional gender. Facebook also clarifies that you can mention hate speech for the sake of social commentary, and refines its views on harassment, nudity and what happens to your account when you die. A few sections are completely new, such as one explicitly forbidding revenge porn and other forms of sexual exploitation.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Twitter's limiting a video competitor's access to its social framework

  Not too long after Twitter bought its own live-video streaming company, it's cutting off the competition's access to its infrastructure. We're talking about the new, social-broadcast video darling Meerkat, of course. As Buzzfeed's sources tell it, the microblogging service began taking steps to break Meerkat's access to the Twitter social graph this evening, just as the former was gaining traction at tech's big coming out party, South by Southwest. A Twitter spokesperson confirmed that the video outfit'd been officially cut off, and said that the imposed limits are "consistent with our internal policy." That doesn't mean you can't log in to what amounts to a phone-based Ustream via your Twitter username, sync your follow list between the two or post tweets once you start streaming -- it just might be a bit janky for awhile.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Twitter wants you to live-tweet 'American Idol,' nobody else does

  One of the best things about Twitter is that it brings people together, mostly to bitch about whatever's on TV. That's why the social network has decided to experiment with a special TV timeline that'll automatically separate tweets pertaining to what's on. For instance, if you're tweeting about The Mysteries of Laura, you'll be asked if you want to swipe into a TV timeline that collates all the #MysteriesOfLaura tweets. It's not yet clear if the service merely replicates the hashtag search function from Tweetdeck, or if it'll also pull in related entries like #LuvDebraMessingWannaSniffHerHair and #WhyIsGraceADetectiveNow.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Twitter introduces new rules against revenge porn

  Twitter CEO Dick Costolo once admitted that the website sucked at dealing with trolls, but you've got to give the company credit for doing something about it. The micro-blogging platform has just launched more stringent rules against revenge porn after making it easier to report doxxers and impersonators in February. If you visit Twitter's community rules and abuse policy, you'll see language making it clear that any intimate content posted without the subjects' consent isn't welcome on the website. Under "Content Boundaries and Use of Twitter," you'll find:

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Campaigners get Facebook to banish 'feeling fat' emoticon

  On top of not being an actual emotion, "feeling fat" is no longer a Facebook emoticon. Following a campaign from anti-body-shaming group Endangered Bodies, Facebook has removed the emoji from its list of status update options, according to the Washington Post. The social network said "we've heard from our community that listing 'feeling fat' as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly for people struggling with eating disorders." In a Change.org petition that garnered 17,000 signatures, Endangered Bodies said the emoticon is "making fun of people who consider themselves to be overweight... all (we) ask is that it stop endorsing self-destructive thoughts through seemingly harmless emojis."

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Twitter profiles on Android look much better now

  Twitter's mobile app has seen a fair bit of newness as of late, and its latest tweak brings the Android version's profile pages in line with iOS'. What's so different? Let's start at the top. Header images and avatar photos have gotten a bump in size for starters, and, what's more, the bio has its own bit of screen real-estate now instead of being a swipe to the left. Rather than only the three most recent tweets showing, now you can scroll through an infinite amount of a user's 140-character updates too -- same goes for photos and favorites.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Instagram's carousel ads let brands post multiple photos at once

  If you're looking to post multiple photos to Instagram at once, you have to employ another app to create a grid of snapshots. Well, that's about to change... for brands. The filter-driven app announced today that "carousel ads" will soon appear in your feed, allowing companies to post multiple images with "more flexibility" in the storytelling. When you encounter one of the new adverts, swiping left will reveal additional images, linking out to the appropriate website for further investigation. Underneath the post, dots will show your which photo you're viewing, and that handy link comes in the form of a "learn more" button. Of course, advertisers can also leverage the app's video abilities to drive the intended message home. Use of the new ad format will be limited at first, as Instagram plans to make some tweaks once they go live in the "coming weeks."

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Facebook's Slingshot lets you explore and follow popular user accounts

  As much as you'd like to give Facebook's Slingshot a try, most of your friends still prefer Snapchat, huh? If you don't mind slinging photos or videos with strangers, the app's new Explore feature can help connect you to people who do use it regularly. It shows a list of popular users you can follow, so you can finally get to enjoy what the app can do. In case you are one of those popular users and would rather not be hounded by strangers sick of Snapchat, though, simply switch on "Approve Followers" in your settings page. This update also comes with bug fixes and an easier way to follow someone while viewing their entries, and it's now live for both iOS and Android users.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• ISIS threatens Twitter employees after account was blocked

  Middle Eastern terror group ISIS has apparently threatened the lives of Twitter's employees, as well as that of its chairman, Jack Dorsey. The threat was reportedly made as a response to the service's policy of blocking accounts that directly encourage acts of violence or illegal activities such as terrorism. BuzzFeed has translated portions of the message, part of which reads "when our lions come and take your breath, you will never come back to life."

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

Space (36)

• NASA is working with Russia on a new space station (update: not quite)

  Russia is teaming up with the USA to build ISS 2.0 once the current one's funding runs out in 2024 -- at least according to Russia Today and state news agency TASS. The country's space agency, Roscosmos threatened in February to use the Russian ISS modules as a platform for a new base of its own after 2024, but now it looks like there will be a followup collaboration. This time around, both parties are looking for participation from other countries, as well as private industry, and are apparently even eyeing a team-up for potential missions to Mars. Russian news outlets report the announcement came during a news conference Saturday following the launch of a year-long mission (video of the launch and subsequent ISS docking is embedded after the break) to the current International Space Station. Update: After waiting to get in touch with colleagues in Russia, NASA responded to our inquiry and says "no new partnerships were announced." So what's the status of the ISS to 2024 and beyond? NASA's statement only confirms "interest in continuing international cooperation" but doesn't go further than that -- you can read it in full after the break.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• NASA's asteroid capture mission is a testbed for trips to Mars

  NASA is finally done assessing its two options for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). Its final choice? Option B: it plans to grab a chunk of its target asteroid and take the boulder-sized piece to the moon's orbit. While Option A sounded more exciting -- it entailed capturing an entire asteroid -- NASA has decided to go with this one, because it will allow the agency to test new technologies for future manned trips to Mars. One of those technologies is called Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP), which uses sunlight instead of traditional fuel. More specifically, it uses solar arrays to convert sunlight into power, which propels charged atoms that move the spacecraft -- it's not as fast as rocket propulsion, but it could save manned missions a lot of money.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The Big Picture: Russia readies Soyuz rockets ahead of ISS mission

  When American astronaut Scott Kelly Russian Cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Gennady Padalka leave Earth for their 12 month stay on the International Space Station, they'll be riding this Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft. The launch is scheduled for this Friday from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and the team will return March, 2016 aboard the TMA-18M.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• SpaceX tests the safety rockets for its manned space vehicles

  NASA's Commercial Crew Program is an initiative to get private companies to ferry personnel to-and-from the International Space Station. SpaceX is doing its very best to show that it can do the job, and has successfully tested one of the most important components its crewed vehicle needs: the escape engine. The company has test-fired a pair of its SuperDraco engines in Texas, demonstrating that the gear could ignite and throttle at the same time.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Russia will resume space tourism in 2018

  Russia's Roscosmos space agency is in a bind. It makes money ferrying American astronauts to the International Space Station, but it's going to have a lot of unclaimed seats once NASA starts using capsules from Boeing and SpaceX. The solution? It's resuming space tourism. When 2018 rolls around, Energiya (the main company handling manned trips) will fill the empty third chairs on Soyuz flights to the ISS with tech moguls and anyone else who has the time and money to enter Earth orbit just for kicks. It's not going to be as glamorous as purpose-built space tourism programs (whenever they're finally ready), but something tells us that Russia won't have a problem finding paying customers. [Image credit: NASA, Flickr]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• In Mars One we trust

  Mars One promises to send humans on a one-way trip to the red planet, with the intent to colonize, by 2027. Once the first four people leave Earth for Mars, there's no turning back, no panic button, no chance to return home. This aspect of the trip isn't just for drama -- it's a core tenet of Mars One's technical feasibility. CEO Bas Lansdorp believes that it's possible, using current technology, to land and sustain human life on Mars. But the systems that would power a human settlement on an alien planet are ridiculously complex. They're so complicated that Lansdorp isn't yet sure what they will actually be. This lack of ready research has mired Mars One in controversy, thanks to a recent one-two credibility punch: First, a 2014 research paper from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concludes that the program is not realistic. Second, a series of articles for Matter magazine calls into question the feasibility of Mars One financially, scientifically and ethically. Still, Lansdorp promises to send humans to live on Mars, but he can't yet say how. He wants the world to trust him.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Curiosity finds evidence of life-giving nitrates in Mars rocks

  NASA's Curiosity rover isn't done finding signs that Mars once had the prime ingredients for life... not by a longshot. The explorer robot has discovered evidence of nitrates, the nitrogen compounds that are some of the key nutrients for life, in rocks at three places near its landing site. This still doesn't mean that Mars did harbor life in its heyday, but it's now that much more likely. The big question is whether the processes that formed those nitrates are still active, or if they died out when the planet became barren -- scientists aren't sure, and it could take a while to get an answer.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Study says early version of our solar system was ruined by Jupiter

  A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences hypothesizes that when Jupiter rocked up to our then-infant solar system, it obliterated the incumbent planes, and gave us a lot of apparent quirks of our solar system. Konstantin Batygin and Gregory Laughlin's study highlights some curious parts to our galactic home that aren't typically found in other solar systems - particular the lack of planets between Mercury and the Sun itself. Normal solar systems usually pack in a few planets a few times the size of Earth in this gap. Apparently, our solar system's big hitter may have blitzed these planets as they were still forming, while settling into orbit itself. Thanks Jupiter.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Satellite captures a baby star's 'growth spurt'

  It's trivial to see mature stars in action, but baby stars are another matter. They 'only' spend 150,000 years in their earliest formative stage, and they rarely give away clues that they're around. That's what makes the above pictures so important -- scientist Emily Safron and colleagues have become the first to spot a very young protostar's "outburst," or the growth spurt that typically happens when the forming celestial body accumulates a lot of gas and dust relatively quickly. After poring over data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite, the astronomers noticed that a future star that was once virtually invisible, HOPS 383, lit up in the space of just a few years; it got 35 times brighter between 2006 and 2008. You won't see it finish growing up (it's 1,400 light years away, for one thing), but it's likely well on its way toward generating its own energy and officially joining the stellar ranks. [Image credit: E. Safron et al./NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Toledo]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Total solar eclipse coincides with supermoon and spring equinox

  The end is nigh, Engadget readers: a triumvirate of celestial events is happening simultaneously. Okay, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but until we hit the other side of today's supermoon, spring equinox (yay!) and total solar eclipse, we just won't know. As The Wall Street Journal tells it, this sort of thing is "extremely unusual." Total solar eclipses -- where the moon plays middleman and blocks the sun from our view -- happen about once every year-and-a-half. Supermoons and the equinox? A handful of times per year and once annually, respectively.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• The Big Picture: This missile can knock out warheads in space

  Rising from a wall of flames, a Raytheon RIM-161 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) takes flight from the Deveselu missile defense base in Romania. Designed to intercept short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles before the inbound threats re-enter the atmosphere, the SM-3 has been likened to "shooting a bullet with another bullet." The armament is deployed both on land and at sea where it is utilized as part of the Navy's Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• NASA starts testing a more precise landing technology (update)

  NASA wants to visit celestial bodies we've never been to before, so it has started testing a precise landing system that will first be used for future trips to Mars. The engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory used a rocket by Masten Space Systems called XA-0.1B "Xombie" (a reusable test rocket that launches and lands vertically) to perform two test flights back in December. They integrated the Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed (ADAPT) computer onto the rocket, which is then loaded with the new landing system. In both instances, Xombie had to reach an altitude of 1,066 feet before it started its descent and the two-part landing system kicked in.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Mars probe finds super-active auroras and mystery dust clouds

  As much as humanity knows about Mars, the planet is still chock-full of surprises. Just ask NASA: University of Colorado researchers using its MAVEN probe have discovered phenomena in the Martian skies that you would never see on Earth. For one, there are auroras that are so energetic (their electrons are 100 times more powerful than a spark of house current) that they plunge far deeper into the atmosphere than back home, or even other places on Mars. Scientists suspect that the Sun is to blame -- Mars doesn't have a protective magnetic field like Earth does, so the solar wind sometimes hits with full force.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Big Picture: 2015's first extra intense X-class solar flare

  Here's the first X-class solar flare of 2015, which erupted on March 11th. Here's the good part: it was so powerful it caused radio blackouts in many parts of the globe. According to NASA, it was an X2 flare: an explosion on the sun's surface that's twice as intense as the already huge and uncommon X1 class. It's bigger than the X1.8 flare from December 2014, but definitely a lot smaller than the record-holding X-28+ eruption that happened in 2003. The event scrambled the ionosphere for around 15 minutes, keeping a lot of radio stations off the air for the whole duration.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• NASA is testing its far-out electric plane concept

  NASA's set to test a wing concept it says "may herald (the) future" of electric planes, but it almost looks like a joke -- it has one-third the wing area of a normal aircraft and 18 electric motors. However, the space agency is dead serious about the LEAPTech wing, a joint partnership with two private aerospace companies. It consists of a 31-foot, carbon composite span with tiny motors powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries. After successful testing at slower speeds, NASA will "fly" a wing section aboard a specially-equipped truck at speeds up to 70mph. Eventually, the wing will be mounted to a commercial Tecnam P2006T aircraft and flown by test pilots.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• NASA wants your help hunting for asteroids

  "Asteroid hunters." It sounds like some Hollywood blockbuster / straight-to-DVD "classic" that already exists, but now you, yes you, can be one... from your PC. NASA has launched a desktop app that recruits civilians to help identify asteroids from telescope photography, helped by a special asteroid algorithm. Scientists announced the desktop app at SXSW during in a panel discussion where they elaborated on how muggles citizen scientists were helping their efforts to identify and tag asteroids. The app is another collaboration between NASA and Planetary Resources. (It's apparently all under a Space Act agreement, which is the coolest act we've heard of in a while.)

  By Mat Smith Read More

• The Milky Way galaxy is full of ripples (and larger than you think)

  When you picture the Milky Way galaxy, you probably imagine a relatively flat disc. Well, you may have to get that image out of your head -- astrophysicists have determined that the galaxy has at least four "ripples," making it look more like a piece of corrugated cardboard than a gentle circle. Those three-dimensional shapes hint that the Milky Way is not only more complex than previously thought, but about 50 percent larger... and that's assuming there aren't hidden ripples extending the range even further. While there haven't been studies of the whole galaxy yet, the findings suggest that there's a lot left to discover about these gigantic star clusters.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Lockheed is getting into the reusable spacecraft business

  Far and away, the most expensive part of manned spaceflight involves just getting the payload off the ground. But as humanity expands its extraterrestrial influence beyond the International Space Station to the moon, Mars and beyond, space-faring nations are increasingly turning to reusable shuttle vehicles to do much of the heavy lifting. Currently, Orbital ATK's Cygnus space vehicle and SpaceX's Dragon capsule are the only two systems cleared to dock at the ISS. On Thursday, however, Lockheed Martin unveiled its proposal for a third such system: the proprietary cargo pod, Exoliner, and autonomous space tug, Jupiter.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• NASA proves that Jupiter's biggest moon is hiding an ocean

  NASA has long suspected that Jupiter's biggest moon, Ganymede, has a subsurface ocean, but that's hard to prove when it's in the outer solar system. Now, a team of scientists has found a way to provide evidence that an ocean does exist underneath its ice crust using the Hubble telescope. How? Well, Ganymede is the only moon in our solar system that has its own magnetic field. That, in turn, is connected to Jupiter's field since the moon's so close to the planet. This connection causes aurorae (like the northern lights here on Earth) that circle the moon's northern and southern poles, which turned out to be just what the scientists needed.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Scientists make strides in beaming solar power from space

  The idea of powering humanity by gathering an endless supply of solar energy from space has taken a huge step towards becoming a reality. Scientists working for JAXA, Japan's space administration, have announced a major breakthrough in wireless power transmission ... in that they've actually been able to do it with a high degree of accuracy for once. The team reportedly beamed 1.8 kilowatts, enough juice to power an electric tea kettle, more than 50 meters to a small receiver without any wires. Up next: scaling the technology for use in tomorrow's orbital solar farms.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• NASA's air traffic control system for drones is progressing nicely

  Last month, the FAA announced regulations for piloting drones, requiring you to keep your eyes on the unmanned aircraft at all times. Looking to help ease those rules, Excelis is developing an air traffic control system for drones, and it's nearly ready for trials at the Federal Aviation Administration's approved test sites. The low-altitude monitoring system keeps tabs on the compact aircraft, which would, in theory, allow them to be used remotely to deliver packages or perform inspections. The company has been working with NASA to build its software, leveraging a data stream it already beams to the FAA with 650 ground stations to track manned aircraft. Current tech will be updated to include low-flying drone locations, speeding up the timeline for the requisite trials. Excelis plans to begin testing with the FAA later this summer to show real-time terrain, weather and airspace info for pilots on tablets and laptops.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Saturn's icy moon possibly has warm waters that could foster life

  Enceladus used to be just another icy moon until the Cassini spacecraft spotted geysers on its surface, spewing water 125 miles into the sky back in 2005. Now, after years of research, scientists have published two studies suggesting that these geysers are caused by hydrothermal vents or fissures that heat the water at the bottom of the 6-mile-deep ocean beneath the Saturn's moon ice crust. Why is that important? Well, if the vents truly exist, the waters that surround them will contain chemicals and minerals necessary for life. Plus, the conditions around those vents will be similar to the environment surrounding Atlantic Ocean's hydrothermal field -- the place where life on Earth might have begun.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• NASA wants astronauts to wear smart glasses

  As you might imagine, astronauts typically need to stay laser-focused on their missions -- even a brief distraction could lead to a broken part or some other crisis. They won't have to worry about keeping their eyes (and hands) on the ball if NASA has its way. It's teaming up with Osterhout Design Group to explore the use of both augmented reality and virtual reality glasses for astronauts, whether they're in space or safely on terra firma. Among the possibilities are "assisted reality" glasses that identify equipment controls or provide checklists, saving crews the hassle of checking manuals when they're rushing to fix a crucial machine. There's no timetable for when NASA expects this smart apparel to show up, but here's hoping that it's ready relatively soon. [Image credit: NASA]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Watch NASA test its most powerful booster rocket ever

  We know: The progress toward NASA using the SLS (or Space Launch System if you aren't into the whole brevity thing) has been painfully slow, starting way back in 2011. Today marks a significant step toward it shooting astronauts into the furthest reaches of space, however -- testing its booster system. The trial run was two minutes long (the same length as it would be during an actual launch) and in those 120 seconds, the Utah-based booster produced 3.6 million pounds of thrust. NASA says this is one of two tests necessary before the system gets cleared for a trip to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the next one takes place in early 2016.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Here's an unprecedented peek into an interstellar nursery

  This is where stars are born. Nearly 30 infant blue-white stars (100,000 times brighter and 50 times bigger than our own Sun), which are formed by collapsing hydrogen gas clouds in the southern Ara constellation, constitute star cluster NGC 6193. The European Southern Observatory's VLT telescope, the first telescope to ever directly image an exoplanet, captured this unprecedented shot. You can revel in the full, uncropped glory of star formation over at the ESO.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Philae comet lander may wake up as early as this week

  After a few months of slumber due to a lack of sunlight, the Philae comet lander might be close to waking up. It's receiving enough sun now that the Rosetta probe will attempt to resume contact between March 12th and 20th. If communication is successful, the next step will be to decide what research Philae can handle -- it'll conduct long-term studies if it has enough power to run during the comet's night cycle, but it might be limited to a handful of tests if it can only stay active in the daytime. There's no guarantee that the lander will answer (it's only in sunlight for an estimated 1.3 hours every comet day), but scientists vow to give it another try if they only get silence.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Big Picture: A far-away supernova split into four

  Gravity can play a lot of tricks with light, and we're not just talking about black holes. Take this recent Hubble Space Telescope discovery from UC Berkeley's Patrick Kelly, for example: those four lights are actually a distant supernova magnified and split into four images by the gravitational lensing of a giant galaxy. Besides looking cool, the image promises to be a gold mine for astrophysics. The time delay between those four lights will let researchers study both the properties of the exploding star and the galaxy, including the presence of dark matter. The best part? Due to the light's unusual path, there's a good chance that scientists will get a "rerun" in a few years if they want to see it again. [Image credit: NASA/ESA/FrontierSN/GLASS/Frontier Fields]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Big Picture: A young star poses for its close-up

  The Hubble Space Telescope spots a lot of stars, but some of them are seemingly more eager to pose for snapshots than others. Take the star you see above, for example. That's V1331 Cyg, a young stellar object that's conveniently sending a jet of gas directly toward Hubble, providing a clear (and rather dramatic) view that isn't clouded by interstellar dust, like its neighbors. Astronomers don't mind that V1331 is hogging the spotlight, though -- this scene offers an ideal way to look for signs of planetary formation and other phenomena that would otherwise be hard to detect. This could be much, much more than a pretty picture if it helps scientists understand how stars grow up.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Mars once had enough water to form a large ocean

  You probably know that Mars hasn't always been so barren, but have you wondered what it was like in its heyday? You almost wouldn't recognize it, according to an international team of scientists. They've used six years of atmospheric monitoring to determine that Mars had enough water to form a big but shallow (one mile deep) ocean that covered almost half of the northern hemisphere four billion years ago. The artist's rendition above gives you an idea of what it might have looked like -- the Red Planet would have been decidedly blue in places.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Big Picture: NASA's vintage propaganda poster from 1965

  Back when the US was in a race against Russia to send the first humans out there, NASA actively toured schools to spread word about what it does. That traveling unit of NASA employees is called the Spacemobile, and the image above is one of its posters. Yup, this really was from the golden age of space travel and not part of the agency's vintage poster project. It was dated February 26th, 1965 to be exact, and it was used during the Spacemobile's tour of New Zealand, as co-sponsored by the country's Department of Education.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Curiosity rover's arm is suffering short circuits, but it's OK

  The Curiosity rover's drilling career is in danger. Its robotic arm has been having sporadic short circuits ever since late February. Its issues started on February 27th, when a surge of current shut down the the rover while it was processing some samples. After running a couple of tests, NASA pinpointed the culprit, which is apparently the coil that generates magnetic fields. This coil operates the striker, which, in turn, moves the drill. While unfortunate, the drill will still work even if the coil and the striker completely give out, though it'll only be able to dig through softer surfaces. Don't worry, though: NASA, according to The New York Times, believes this won't affect the mission as a whole. The agency also plans to start drilling with the arm again next week -- fingers crossed its problems are over by then. [Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS]

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Watch NASA's orbiter approach the dwarf planet Ceres at 1PM ET

  The largest object in the Main Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter is Ceres, an odd, water-rich proto-planet roughly the size of Texas (590 miles in diameter). Scientists have long puzzled about the origin of the bright white spot near the equator, which we recently learned is two bright spots. We'll soon know a lot more about it as NASA's Dawn spacecraft has nearly reached Ceres. It's already captured shots of the planet (above) and will soon go into a polar orbit at 13,500 km (8,300 miles) before descending to a survey altitude of 4,430 km (2,800 miles). Eventually, it'll drop as low as 1,480km (950 miles) to capture high resolution mapping data and 3D images of Ceres. Once the mission is over it'll remain the asteroid's orbiting buddy forever.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• NASA wants you to vote for the most stunning image by Hubble

  NASA wants to know which among the most popular Hubble photos the internet likes the most, so it's pitting them against each other. To celebrate the telescope's 25th birthday in April, the agency has launched Hubble Mania, which is a space image smackdown of sorts, where the winner's determined by your votes. The space telescope's known for capturing some mighty stunning photos of our universe, so it won't be easy choosing: the 32 contenders include long-time favorites, such as the Pillars of Creation, the sombrero galaxy, crab and apple nebulae, as well as the Rose of Galaxies. Voting for the first round has already begun, with two more rounds to follow, until the grand winner is announced on April 6th. NASA promises new downloadable products featuring the last photo standing, which could include HD wallpapers, among other things.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• UK moves another step closer towards opening the first European spaceport

  While the US might be leading the race to open the first commercial spaceports, the UK is working hard to close the gap. More than six months after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) shortlisted eight potential spaceport locations, the government today backed plans to make one a reality.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Wannabe Elon Musks can 3D print their virtual spaceships

  If you think you've got a bright future in spaceship design, the Kerbal Space Program simulator will quickly humble you -- beneath the playful surface is an accurate, unforgiving physics system. The lucky few that manage to get their virtual craft in orbit or beyond can't be blamed if they'd like to commemorate the achievement. A printing company called Eucl3D now lets you do exactly that in PVC -- all you have to do is upload your Kerbal .craft files, and for $99, you'll get a plastic replica of your ship.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Scientists learn to build better metals by freezing alloys in space

  Metals are full of microscopic structures that define properties like strength, but it's hard to figure out how those structures work on Earth, where gravity skews their effects. An experiment aboard the International Space Station may have solved that dilemma, however. By freezing alloys in the station's extra-low gravity, scientists tracked the growth of microstructures in a pure environment and revealed a wealth of data about how metal forms. For example, the structures sometimes "breathe" (really, ripple) as they grow -- if you're not careful when producing metal, those tiny shapes will either break or disappear altogether.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Streaming (52)

• Watch TED Talks, MTV and Pac-12 sports on your Chromecast

  Interested in watching thought-provoking discussions, music videos and college sports on your TV through a Chromecast stick? You're covered as of today. Google has announced that the mobile apps for MTV, Pac-12 sports, TED Talks and Qello Concerts now have Chromecast support, so you can check out that inspirational presentation on the big screen without buying a set-top box or connecting your PC. This isn't the most significant thing that Google is putting on your TV today, but it'll mean a lot if your phone regularly doubles as a media hub.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Jay Z's version of Tidal is an artist-owned streaming service

  The ink on Jay Z's purchase of music-streaming service Tidal isn't quite dry, but that's not stopping the musician/entrepreneur from getting a start on things. The company announced earlier today that it would offer a non-lossless option for half the cost of its original high-definition plan -- down to $10 per month from $20. That's not all. At the official relaunch proceedings this evening, Alicia Keys revealed that a lineup of artists, including Jay Z, Kanye West, Jack White, Deadmau5, Daft Punk, Usher and many others, are all part owners in the endeavor. The goal for Tidal moving forward is to offer a music-streaming option that benefits both artists and listeners alike. With artists becoming increasingly frustrated with compensation from the likes of Spotify and others, it'll be interesting to see how Tidal keeps its musicians happy while offering an attractive slate of both regular and lossless tunes, as well as HD video and editorial content.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Jay Z's first order of business: Cut Tidal subscription fees in half (update)

  If the ability to stream Taylor Swift's music has you eyeing Tidal, Jay Z & Co. just sweetened the deal. Ahead of a relaunch event this evening, the streaming service cut it's monthly rate in half. That's right, instead of shelling out $20 for spinning the lossless catalog, you'll now need to commit $10 per month. According to the company's Twitter account, the drop in price doesn't mean that you'll get access to less, either. Subscriptions still include the same content, with high-definition streaming being the key feature. The move allows Tidal to compete with the likes of Spotify, Rdio, Beats Music and others when it comes to pricing. What's more, early reports indicate that exclusive content and artist partnerships are two things Mr. Carter hopes will lure eager listeners to the service. While the finer points are unclear right now, we'll surely get a clearer picture during the event that's set to begin at 5PM ET today. Update: Turns out, that price drop is for an entirely new tier. The $10/month rate is for a regular version, while lossless streaming will still set you back $20 -- similar to Deezer's $5 and $15 options for Premium+ and Elite.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• AMC's channels come to PlayStation Vue

  If you were intrigued by PlayStation Vue as a substitute for cable TV but refused to sign up until you could watch The Walking Dead, it's time to hop aboard. Sony has added AMC Networks to Vue's channel roster, giving you AMC proper as well as IFC, Sundance and WEtv. Be prepared to pony up if you just have to catch Portlandia, though -- while you'll get AMC and WEtv in the base Access package, IFC and Sundance are only available if you've subscribed to Core or Elite. This certainly isn't the best deal if you care about AMC or IFC above all else (Sling TV offers it as part of its $20 bundle), but it'll make Vue a better value for your cord-cutting dollar.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• YouTube starts testing silky smooth, ultra HD video quality

  YouTube introduced videos that play at 60 frames per second last year and ones viewable in 4K resolution in February. Now, the website is starting to experiment with videos that are both silky smooth and ultra high-def. TechCrunch has spotted a low-key, semi-secret playlist comprised of only six videos that you can choose to play at 60 fps in 4K resolution -- just toggle the settings switch to see the option. You'll have to load YouTube on Chrome to see the 2160p60 4K setting under Quality. Plus, you'll need a device capable of displaying ultra HD (3840 × 2160 resolution) to enjoy the feature's benefits. Trust us when we say it's not worth the buffering time if your computer or TV isn't designed to handle 4K: the videos will look worse. We've embedded all six files below the fold, but feel free to visit the playlist itself to watch them all continuously.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Beatport's dance music streaming service lands on iOS and Android

  There are more music streaming apps than the world needs. But there hasn't really been a streamlined experience for electronic dance music listeners until now. Most of the popular apps -– Spotify, 8tracks and Pandora -– have a plethora of dance music tracks and amateur playlists to choose from, but they're not dedicated to the fist-thumping, bass-pounding needs of a dance music lover. Beatport, the go-to stream and download site for DJs and their fans, has finally stepped up its game with the launch of iOS and Android apps today. It's the latest service to join T-Mobile's Music Freedom program, which streams music without eating into your data plan.

  By Mona Lalwani Read More

• CNNgo comes to Apple TV with live and on-demand news

  It looks like Apple TV's enjoying a growth spurt -- at least if you're into factual content (sorry soap opera fans, your time will come). It looks like CNN is finally coming to Apple TV via CNNgo. The app dishes up both live and on-demand news, but the former requires a cable subscription (such as Dish, AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS, DirecTV, among others) as is the rumor for NBC, too. Apple TV's not short of news services, with ABC, CBS, CNBC, WSJ and the disappointingly non-acronymed Bloomberg already available. Still, we're never going to complain about more channels -- it's in everyone's interest, after all. [Thanks, Sterling]

  By James Trew Read More

• Channel 4 will replace 4oD with new 'All 4' service on March 30th

  Until now, Channel 4's streaming services have been a bit of a muddle. The renowned "4oD" platform handles all of its on-demand content, but the live channel feeds and web-centric shorts are held elsewhere. To make everything a little simpler for viewers, Channel 4 is launching a new, all-encompassing platform called "All 4" on March 30th. It'll be available for PCs, iPhones and iPads at launch, before being extended to other platforms, including Android, later in the year. The new service centers around three sections called On Demand, Now and On Soon. As the names suggest, they'll simplify where streamers can expect to find archived programmes, live broadcasts and trailers for new shows.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Age ratings for UK music videos start appearing on YouTube and Vevo

  Last summer, the UK government said it was working with the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to bring age ratings to music videos available online. The scheme is intended "to help parents protect their children from some of the graphic content in online music videos," by grading them in the same way movies and video games are -- based on the amount of sex/drugs/rock and roll depicted. As part of a pilot program to see how this might work, the labels Sony, Warner Music and Universal have been running any video they suspect may deserve a 12, 15 or 18 age rating by the BBFC for judgement. And today sees the first batch of ratings being adopted by pilot collaborators YouTube and Vevo.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• YouTube is reportedly gearing up to take on Twitch game streaming

  After Google's failed attempt to acquire the live game streaming company Twitch (which went to Amazon instead), it's now aiming to relaunch YouTube's streaming feature with a focus on games and eSports, reports The Daily Dot. YouTube's been in the live streaming market since 2010, and it's scored some major events like the State of the Union and the League of Legends Championship Series, but it's not nearly as robust and easy to use as Twitch. That site has basically has become the de facto way to share gaming experiences over the past four years. In fact, it's grown so large that even the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One include Twitch integration and apps (and it's also powering all of Engadget's game streams). Sources say Google has already built up a team of 50 engineers to revamp YouTube's live component, and it could make an official announcement during the E3 gaming convention in June.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Taylor Swift will be available on Jay Z's Tidal streaming service

  Most people still have no idea what Tidal is, but that's likely to change if Jay Z continues playing his cards right. See, the music mogul has just convinced Taylor Swift to give the Norwegian hi-fi streaming service -- that he snapped up -- the right to stream most of her albums. As she's one of the world's best-selling artists, she certainly has the following to help spread the word about the company. But doesn't Taylor dislike streaming services? Well, not exactly. She left Spotify last year, because she wasn't happy with its free, ad-supported tier -- on the other hand, she stayed with Rhapsody and Beats Music, because they don't have a free option.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Jay-Z bought music streaming service just in time for T-Mobile deal

  It looks like Jay-Z didn't just buy Spotify rival Tidal for the lulz, as the high-quality streaming service is now available with T-Mobile's Music Freedom. As a refresher, that package lets Uncarrier customers listen to all the streaming music they want without cutting into their data caps (you still have to pay the monthly streaming fees from Spotify et al, of course). The only catch is that it's limited to T-Mo-approved services, though it does include the most popular ones like Spotify, Google Play, iTunes Radio and Pandora. Fortunately for Jay-Z, he concluded the $56 million deal to buy Tidal just a couple of weeks ago; and with the T-Mobile deal in place, there's now a strong incentive for a lot more folks to try it.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• You can now watch TED Talks on your Apple TV

  If you like the idea of watching thought-provoking presentations from the comfort of your couch, you're in for a good time. The Apple TV now has a dedicated TED Talks app, so you can watch discussions of public shaming or the future of image recognition on the big screen without streaming from another device or digging through other services. And don't worry if you're in the mood for lighter fare -- Apple has also brought in apps for Tastemade's food and travel network as well as Young Hollywood's eclectic cultural mix. All of the newly available services are free, so you'll have plenty to check out while you're waiting for Apple's long-fabled TV service.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• BBC iPlayer favourites now sync across your devices

  BBC iPlayer is a capable streaming service, but until now there's been little incentive to create an account. Setting up a BBC iD lets you "favourite" shows and save featured music with BBC Playlister, but there the benefits quickly dry up. Now, the BBC is trying to make its account system a little more useful and feature-rich. For starters, it's updating its iPlayer apps with the option to sync favourites between devices. So if you're digging the latest Louis Theroux documentary, you can bookmark it on your laptop and easily find the latest episodes on your smartphone. It's a small step for iPlayer, but one that hopefully primes the platform for other requested features, such as seamless cross-device playback.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Hulu's former leader makes his answer to YouTube available to everyone

  Want to know how the former CEO of Hulu would build a video service that could take on YouTube? You now have an easy way to find out: after a couple of months of invitation-only testing, Vessel is available to everyone. As promised, Jason Kilar's newly launched brainchild is a mix of ordinary, ad-supported free video with a premium tier. Pay $3 per month (you get a free year if you sign up in the first three days) and you'll both ditch ads as well as get early access to videos from a mix of internet stars and conventional media outlets, including A&E, Rhett & Link, Unbox Therapy and Warner Music Group. At least some content isn't affected by that time delay, though, so you'll still have some comedy, music videos and news to watch if you're not especially patient.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon Prime Music now offers radio stations on iOS

  Dig Amazon Prime Music on your iPhone, but would rather not go sifting through songs or playlists when you just want to start streaming? You don't have to after today. At long last, Amazon has updated Prime Music's iOS app to bring in Prime Stations, ad-free radio feeds based on artists and genres, much like what you'd get if you paid for Pandora or Spotify (minus their larger catalogs, mind you). And if you do want more control, there are also personalized recommendations that suggest playlists and tracks based on what you've listened to in the past. While this probably won't get you to switch to Amazon's music service if you weren't already a fan, it will give you one more reason to keep that Prime subscription going.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• NFL will end its TV blackout policy, and stream one game online

  After years of fans protesting the rule, the NFL is apparently finally going to drop its TV blackout policy. Last year the FCC voted to reject the NFL's strict rules that required a certain number of ticket sales for a game to be broadcast on local TV, which the league claimed it needed to keep games on free broadcast TV. Teams voted to ditch the rule today, and also confirmed that while the Bills-Jaguars London game in week 7 will be broadcast locally in Buffalo/Jacksonville, elsewhere it will be available exclusively over the internet. According to NFL PR, after relaxing the TV blackout rules in 2012, there were no blackouts last season and only two in 2013. [Image credit: Getty Images]

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Universal reportedly wants Spotify to scale back its free streaming

  Spotify might have bent over backwards to lift restrictions on its free streaming service a couple of years ago, but at least one music label appears eager to turn back the clock. Financial Times sources understand that Universal is using licensing negotiations to squeeze Spotify and demand more limits for those who don't pay up, such as restricting the amount of time they can play tunes in a given month. The publisher isn't confirming anything, but CEO Lucian Grainge has lately been chastising the free, ad-based streaming model -- it's no secret that he would like more paying customers. According to one insider, Universal believes that Spotify is directly hurting sales at stores like iTunes.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• PSA: YouTube's tamer music awards show takes place March 23rd

  The YouTube Music Awards is finally happening this Monday after taking a year off. There probably won't be spontaneous antics and cake-digging this time, though -- like the Google-owned video website announced in 2014, it's doing away with the traditional awards show format. Instead, it will upload 13 brand new videos on the official awards channel at 1PM Eastern time, with YouTuber Tyler Oakley providing commentary on his own channel. The website's announcement says the videos were created to celebrate the 50 winners, whom it already named a couple of days ago (see below the fold). We have no idea how exactly the awardees will be honored, though... guess we'll just have to wait and see.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Movie piracy app Popcorn Time thinks it can thwart a shutdown

  About a year after Popcorn Time's death and resurrection show, comes news that the app is taking even more of the legwork out of watching pirated movies online. To further stretch the meaning of "legal," the service is moving to a peer-to-peer streaming system so that its userbase (which is apparently growing by 100,000 downloads per day) hosts the requisite data, according to Wired. "Making all our data available via P2P will mean that Popcorn Time will no longer rely on domains and centralized servers, but only on its user base," an anonymous software engineer said. "After everything we went through, this will be our sweetest revenge and our biggest victory." So there's that.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• A bookmarklet ends Netflix's annoying horizontal web scrolling

  Netflix on the web can be a tiresome experience, because the homepage's horizontal carousels show only a smattering of titles at once. To see more, you have to patiently hover your cursor over the arrow buttons on either side, which slide in new movies and TV shows at a glacial pace. Offering a perhaps temporary fix, developer Renan Cakirerk has created a free bookmarklet that automatically expands all of the titles in each listed category. Once it's activated, you can scroll vertically at your own pace and quickly find something to watch. There's a good chance Netflix will take notice and shut it down, but hopefully in the process it'll recognize the error of its ways and offer a similar option officially.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Streaming music sales in the US beat CDs for the first time

  Sorry, Taylor Swift, but streaming music isn't going anywhere. In fact, revenues from streaming services like Spotify and Rdio overtook CD sales last year -- a first for the music industry -- according to data from the RIAA. Streaming sales hit $1.87 billion last year, a 29 percent jump from 2013, while CD revenues fell 12.7 percent reaching $1.85 billion. Naturally, digital downloads still rule the music realm -- accounting for 37 percent of the total market and $2.57 billion in sales -- but it's also worth noting they dipped a bit last year. At this point, it's not a matter of if streaming music will overtake digital downloads, it's simply a matter of when. The big problem for artists, though, is that they don't make as much from streaming services as they do from downloads or CDs (that's basically Swift's entire beef). Don't be surprised if you end up paying more for your Spotify subscription at some point soon, as those services rush to ramp up their pay outs.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• HBO, Sony reportedly look for special streaming deals with ISPs

  According to the Wall Street Journal, as TV services shift from the traditional outlets (antenna, cable, satellite) to the internet big names like HBO, Showtime and Sony are worried about their services running into congestion and bandwidth caps. A possible way around that, is negotiating with ISPs to have their content delivered as a "managed service", like cable-provided phone service and video on-demand. If you're thinking "isn't that what net neutrality was supposed to stop?" you're not alone -- Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch is quoted calling the potential setup a "mockery" of the rules that will go into effect soon. Even Comcast is reportedly leery of running afoul of the regulations, and it's the one that already got into a dust-up with Netflix a couple of years ago by doing exactly this with its TV app on the Xbox 360.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• This is Sony's streaming TV service, PlayStation Vue

  #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Wondering what Sony's new live streaming TV service, PlayStation Vue, looks like in action? Well, if you live in Chicago or New York City or Philadelphia, you can go try for yourself on PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4. There's a seven-day free trial! But if you're one of the billions of people outside of the trio of introductory markets, we've got a video walkthrough for you above.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Why is this song used in so many GoPro videos?

  February 23rd, 2012. Electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling uploads the official music video for "Crystallize" to YouTube. Two days later, user "riley lux" uploads a video titled "DH long boarding on a windy day." In it, a group of friends enjoy some downhill riding set to Stirling's haunting violin-based soundtrack. The video itself isn't remarkable. Some self-shot GoPro footage, with a few edits roughly in time with parts of the song. But, there's something about each pass of Stirling's bow that balances the on-screen energy with a tangible calm. Later the same day, user "Jvr0s" chooses the same song for a video called "GPK Fun around town." In it, a group of friends practice parkour. This video is entirely forgettable, but for the song -- it somehow manages to elevate the otherwise unremarkable action cam footage.

  By James Trew Read More

• Sony attempts to 'redefine television' with launch of PlayStation Vue

  With 20 million-plus PlayStation 4 consoles sold to date and over 80 million PlayStation 3s in homes worldwide, Sony has plenty of reason to make Vue, its TV-streaming service, a cornerstone of the platform. The subscription-based service, which officially launches today in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, is more than just a Sling TV clone, too. Vue offers not only a mixture of live and on-demand content from cable networks like Discovery Communications (e.g., TLC, OWN, Animal Planet) and NBCUniversal (e.g., Bravo, CNBC and E!), but also broadcast TV from NBC, CBS and FOX. And thanks to cloud storage, PS Vue also features what Sony's calling a "virtually unlimited" DVR. It's the company's take on a streaming experience that "redefines television."

  By Joseph Volpe Read More

• NBC's rumored Apple TV app may require a cable plan

  According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is getting ready to launch an internet-based TV service this fall. Interestingly, though, one of the most prominent US television networks, NBC, reportedly won't be a part of the technology giant's upcoming offering. The news outlet cites a recent "falling-out" between Apple and cable provider Comcast (NBC's parent company), which is what likely affected the contract negotiations. Now, 9to5Mac is reporting that NBC will be launching its own app on the Apple TV later in 2015, one that it plans to use to livestream content 24/7. However, unlike Apple's rumored cord-cutter-friendly TV package, NBC's app is said to require a cable subscription in order to be accessed.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• A&E, History and Lifetime arrive on Sling TV this month

  If you're still on the fence about committing $20 a month to Sling TV's "Best of Live TV," the streaming option is adding a few more channels. Before the end of March, A&E, History, H2 and Lifetime will be available on the service that's hoping you'll ditch cable. That handful of channels will be part of the core live TV package, which will tally 20 networks once those arrive. Of course, this means shows like Vikings, Bates Motel, Duck Dynasty and Project Runway are all joining the streaming lineup. In addition to the new channels, Sling TV is adding two new add-on packs that expand the basic channel library. "Lifestyle Extra" includes things like truTV, Cooking Channel and DIY, while the new "World News Extra" provides access to Bloomberg, HLN, and other news networks around the world. If you'll recall, the additional bundles cost $5 per month, and will be offered alongside the "Sports Extra," "Hollywood Extra" and "Kids Extra" packages, bringing the total "Extras" to five. [Image credit: History Channel/Bernard Walsh]

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Rhapsody lets you stream over 30 million songs on Twitter

  In an effort to better compete with a juggernaut like Spotify, Rhapsody is using one of the world's most popular social networks to showcase and promote its music-streaming service. Today, at SXSW 2015, Rhapsody announced that it's bringing more than 30 million songs to Twitter, allowing users of the microblogging platform to streams songs directly from it -- for free. The audio-subscription service is using Twitter Cards to let people stream and share their favorite tunes, regardless of whether or not they have a paid Rhapsody account. So, what's the catch? It's simple: Rhapsody's hoping that those who see these audio-embedded tweets, on iOS or Android, will want to hear more and end up on a landing page that's set to offer a free trial.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Sling TV's $20 cord-cutter package comes to Xbox One

  From the start, Microsoft intended for the Xbox One to be at the center of both games and TV watching. With today's launch of Sling TV on the game console, it can bring those two parts together properly for gamers in the US. With standard cable, the Xbox One relies on its HDMI passthrough and IR blasters (apps for FiOS and Time Warner Cable are either missing channels or have no live TV at all) to make sure you get everything, but with Sling, it's designed from the ground up for internet delivery so there's nothing missing. Its launch on Xbox is just in time, too -- PlayStation's Vue TV service is coming soon and rumors indicate Apple will have something similar later this year.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Cablevision will offer HBO's standalone streaming service to its internet users

  You'd think that cable companies would be the mortal enemies of internet-only TV services, but that's apparently not always the case. Cablevision has forged a deal to offer HBO Now to both its internet subscribers and those who use its Optimum WiFi access points. There's no details as to pricing or whether or not the offering will be available the moment HBO Now launches in April, but it won't be surprising if the service costs you around the $15 per month announced at Apple's March 9th event. Will other internet providers follow suit? It's hard to say. While HBO Now is potentially useful for preventing would-be cord cutters from ditching cable altogether (by letting them switch to cheaper TV packages), telecoms like Comcast and Verizon haven't been fond of online video services in the past.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• YouTube for Artists offers tools to launch your online music career

  YouTube can be a powerful tool for emerging musicians, offering a direct line to fans and always teasing the possibility of a surprise, viral hit. YouTube for Artists is a new initiative aimed at making it easier for artists to connect with their audiences, manage their videos and review data -- who's watching what, where do your fans live, what do they like? The initiative's homepage breaks down ways to advertise shows or merchandise in music videos, offers ideas for collaboration, and has tips for becoming a revenue-generating YouTube Partner.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• YouTube cards might finally get you to click video links

  Lots of YouTube videos carry annotations with links to related clips or other websites, but how many of them do you actually visit? Probably few of them, if any. However, YouTube may have a way to pique your interest. It's rolling out cards that both look much nicer -- compared to text boxes, anyway -- and are available at any time, not just at specific moments. They'll work on mobile, too, so you won't miss important contextual info just because you're on your phone. YouTube isn't ditching old-school annotations yet (it wants to fill out the cards' feature set first), but it's clear that their days are numbered.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Yahoo explains how you'll watch 'Community' season six

  We're just days away from the debut of the new season of Community, but the move from NBC to Yahoo changes some things. In the US, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia you'll be able to watch on Yahoo Screen via PC, or apps (US only) on Apple TV, Roku and Xbox 360. So far broadcasters have also been announced for the UK (SET) and Australia (Stan), but there's no word on other countries. Of course, if you're at SXSW, Yahoo will be premiering the first episode a couple of days early on Saturday night. If there's still any confusion -- or if you're just getting ready for Seinfeld -- check after the break for the Community trailer, and a quick how-to from Gillian Jacobs (trust us, she doesn't Britta it) ahead of the premiere March 17th.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• 'Seinfeld' will start streaming soon, but probably not on Netflix

  According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Sony Pictures has opened the bidding for streaming rights to Seinfeld. One party apparently not taking part is Netflix, leaving the show about nothing to Amazon, Hulu or Yahoo. While Netflix paid a reported $500k+ per episode for four years of Friends, the length of the agreement for Seinfeld is still in question. The streaming competition has heated up considerably over the last year or so, and if the usual people in a position to know are right, we'll find out who's willing to step up to the table on this one in the next few weeks.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• You can now post your interactive 360-degree footage on YouTube

  If you picked up a camera that captures video in 360 degrees, sharing that footage just got a little easier. YouTube now supports 360-degree video uploads, so getting the action to eager viewers is a breeze. What's more, if folks watch with the YouTube Android app, moving a phone or tablet pans around all the different angles. I tried it out with the Red Bull F-1 video above, and it's pretty awesome. The same action is done with a mouse click in Chrome too, and support for iOS is on the way. When you upload the file, there's a script you'll need to run to tack on the appropriate metadata, insuring that the footage displays its 360-degree views properly. Soon, that process will be automatic, but for now, it's a necessary step. Ready to see it in action? Well, there's a playlist on the other side of the break that'll allow you to do just that.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Jay Z's bid to buy a Spotify competitor is back on (update: done!)

  You might be expecting a riff on one of Jay Z's lyrics to preface the news that stockholders have apparently approved Hova's bid for music-streaming outfit Aspiro. Sorry, it's not happening; instead, the excellent photo above will just have to suffice. Anyhow, with today's looming deadline to make a decision, Swedish news outlet E24 reports that Aspiro's minority shareholders have decided it was best to accept the 464 million Krona (roughly $56 million) bid from S. Carter Enterprises' "Project Panther." Next up? Most likely, an official announcement from both parties and then something from a governing trade body saying that the sale's been approved. If you need something to do until then, you could always dig an old Samsung phone out of the drawer, fire up the Magna Carta app and remind yourself of Jay's last streaming move. Update (3/13): Jay Z's Project Panther Bidco announced today that it acquired enough shares to take over Aspiro. [Image credit: Getty Images]

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Verizon nabs DreamWorks originals for its upcoming streaming service

  Verizon's internet TV service is coming later this year, and Big Red is locking down OTA content providers. The company ordered over 200 hours of original programming from AwesomenessTV and DreamWorksTV that will debut in 2015, with the former producing series aimed at teens and the latter developing live action and animated content featuring its popular characters. That list would certainly include personalities from Shrek and Madagascar, we'd surmise. If you're not familiar with AwesomenessTV, it has a sizeable following on YouTube, in addition to films and series on both Nickelodeon and Netflix. And DreamWorksTV is a YouTube channel for the studio's animated, live action and vlog-based short clips.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Sound Off! How do you watch streaming content?

  Last month, Netflix released the third season of House of Cards to the masses. All 13 episodes of the show were available at once, letting viewers binge-watch the entire season in one sitting should they desire. In fact, most of Netflix's original content is released this way and they aren't the only creator of online streaming content that does this. Has this changed the way you watch television or talk about it with others? Do you find yourself binge-watching more often or are you able to exhibit self-control? Head over to the Engadget forums and share your thoughts with our community.

  By Dave Schumaker Read More

• Sony's PlayStation Vue TV service to launch in the next two weeks

  Sony's PlayStation-based streaming live TV service won't go live nationwide until sometime later in 2015. If you live in Chicago, Philadelphia or New York City, however, the service lights up "in the next two weeks." That's according to Sony Computer Entertainment head Andrew House -- he's the top PlayStation exec at Sony. House told the Wall Street Journal as much in an interview today, though he stopped short of providing details on pricing or launches in other parts of the US.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• Now TV for EE TV is coming to your TV tomorrow

  If you're "lucky" enough to be both an EE mobile and broadband subscriber, chances are you'll own one of the operator's new EE TV set-top boxes. While it essentially operates as a Freeview DVR, it also comes with a couple of notable apps like BBC iPlayer, Demand 5 and YouTube, but pickings are relatively slim. Sky's saw an opportunity for the taking, so it's picked EE customers to be the recipients of its new Now TV app. It'll go live tomorrow, a full month before Game of Thrones returns to screens, allowing you to watch Sky movie and TV content that you can't otherwise get on your EE TV box.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• HBO Now is cutting the cord, but there are still a few strings

  With the exception of some special internet offers, until now the (legit) way to get HBO has been straightforward -- order it from your cable company along with a big TV bundle. Today, Apple and HBO took a leap over that paywall by announcing their partnership to launch the internet-only HBO Now. The only problem? That combination brings its own set of restrictions, and if you want a way around them, then help could come from a most unlikely source: your cable company.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• HBO Now launches on the web and iOS in April

  HBO CEO Richard Plepler just announced that its new cable-free streaming service will be available only on Apple devices (and PCs, per a press release) when it launches early next month. The price for HBO Now has also been confirmed at $14.99 per month, and it will be available in time for you to catch the season premiere of Game of Thrones on April 12th. Plepler also debuted a new GoT trailer, and mentioned that there will be a new channel on Apple TV for the service once it's available. Even better, there's a 30-day free trial for anyone that subscribes in April through the app. HBO is promising the service will have more than 2,000 titles online, "similar" to HBO Go. Update: For the full breakdown and details on Apple's 90-day digital exclusive deal, click here.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Time Warner Cable's TV app comes to Xbox One

  Good news: the TWC TV app is available for the cable company's customers (at least until/unless Comcast swallows it up) to watch TV on their Xbox One. Bad news: For now at least, it's limited to video on-demand only and not live TV -- weird, since it's there for the Xbox 360 version -- so it's not quite ready for you to ditch the cable box entirely. There is of course, always the option of using the HDMI passthrough, but it'd be nice to see full features, and according to Multichannel News Time Warner Cable is working on that. It does support stuff like Kinect voice controls and Snap multitasking, and promises both free and paid options among its content, so if you have the cable company's service plus one of Microsoft's current gen consoles, you should try it out.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• You could stream Jennifer Lawrence's new movie before it's in theaters

  But you probably won't -- we'll explain. Can't wait for the day when you have a real choice on when and where to watch new movies (legally)? A new movie featuring some of Hollywood's hottest stars is actually giving you a taste of that, as Serena is available on iTunes, Xbox Video, Google Play, Vudu and other VOD services right now, before it hits theaters in the US on March 27th. It features Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, so why the unusual treatment? As its 27 percent Rotten Tomatoes score indicates, this period drama apparently isn't very good and has been on the shelf since it was shot in 2012. It debuted overseas late last year and is only now getting released in the US at all. It's backwards release schedule is at least an effort by the studio, as we recall Miley Cyrus' LOL being unceremoniously dumped into a few theaters back in 2012. There's a trailer embedded after the break if you'd like to judge for yourself, but at $10 a pop for a rental, we're guessing it's a Netflix/Amazon/Hulu night instead.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• HBO's standalone streaming service reportedly costs $15 per month

  Wondering how much HBO's hyped-up standalone streaming service will cost you when it (hopefully) arrives this April? Considerably more than your Netflix subscription, it seems. The International Business Times hears that the internet-only offering, reportedly called HBO Now, will set you back $15 per month. That's not extravagant (your TV provider, if you have one, is paying roughly as much behind the scenes), but it reflects the company's view that this is a premium product.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Jay Z might not get his own Spotify rival after all

  Jay Z's purchase of Tidal, the streaming service with better audio quality than rivals like Spotify, is not a fait accompli after all. Over 10 percent of investors in Swedish owner Aspiro have rejected the bid, enough to block the sale. The minority shareholders association said that so far, Jay Z hasn't responded by either acquiring a smaller share, raising his bid or withdrawing it altogether, adding that "the motive for the bidder's passivity is shrouded in mystery." The group rejected the $56 million offer despite the fact that it would have netted them a 59 percent gain at the time of the offer. Perhaps they figure they can do better, but if more investors withdraw support by the March 11th deadline, the whole thing could be null and void.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Sling TV now includes AMC and IFC in its $20 cord-cutter package

  If you're still hearing arguments against cord cutting, your frenemies are probably saying that you can't watch Better Call Saul, Mad Men and Portlandia without resorting to piracy. Now that IFC and AMC are joining Sling TV's basic $20 a month "Best of Live TV" package, you can shove their words right back into their stupid jerk faces. For the moment, you'll only be able to watch the shows as they're broadcast, but Sling is promising that on-demand services are coming soon. In addition, the long-promised "Hollywood Extra" bolt-on will launch, offering movie content from EPIX and Sundance TV. We'd make a labored pun about you slinging your cable subscription into the trash, but someone else probably already did it.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• WSJ: NBC is working on a streaming service for comedy fans

  Standalone streaming apps continue to surface, and it looks like NBC has one in the works just for comedy-loving cord cutters. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the network is building a subscription service in hopes of reaching younger viewers. The streaming option will serve up comedy content, like full episodes of Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, in addition to a library of outside material. There's said to be original series in the works, as well as "exclusive content" from the stars of its shows. What about pricing? Well, the report indicates that NBCUniversal is looking at a monthly rate between $2.50 and $3.50. WSJ says that NBC also considered genre-specific services for family, faith and horror, but at the moment, comedy is the sole focus.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Netflix chases awards glory with new Idris Elba movie

  Oscar season has only just come to a close, but already Netflix is eyeing up a potential candidate for next year's run. Deadline reports that the streaming service has got its hands on Beasts Of No Nation, a film led by True Detective director Cary Fukunaga that stars Luther (and Pacific Rim) actor Idris Elba. Based on the novel by Uzodinma Iweala, Beasts Of No Nation is an African war drama that focused on the experiences of a child soldier fighting under the command of guerilla warlord, who systematically strips the boy of his humanity.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• Netflix plots summer release dates for 'Sense8', OITNB and more

  Even if you're slow-burning instead of binging on House of Cards, you'll still need a few backups once you're through with Frank & Claire Underwood's world domination tour. Netflix has revealed release dates for most of its summer (winter in Australia) programming, ready to keep you inside where the AC is cool and the WiFi signal is strong. Of course, you can also check out the spring shows here, and if you need something this week there's Aziz Ansari and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Sense8, its sci-fi collaboration with the Wachowskis will hit streaming on June 5th, a week before Orange is the New Black season three and a month before its Wet Hot American Summer revival arrives July 17th. Also worth keeping an eye out for are the Nina Simone documentary on June 26th, and Canadian sci-fi thriller Between coming at some point in May. Check for the full list after the break, and update your calendars accordingly.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Get your March Madness highlights and analysis on YouTube

  While you'll want to venture over to CBS Sports to stream the March Madness live action, YouTube is gearing up for the Big Dance, too. The video library will provide highlights, pre/postgame shows and more on the March Madness channel during the postseason schedule. Of course, those who prefer to catch the action on live television can watch on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV when the tournament begins on March 17th. NCAA tournament highlights will arrive on YouTube just weeks after Google and the NFL agreed to circulate pro football clips on the site. No matter how you plan on watching, though, it'll be interesting to see which team will be this year's Mercer. My money's on North Carolina Central.

  By Billy Steele Read More

Tablets (8)

• Microsoft's new Surface 3 tablet runs full Windows, not RT

  How many times have we said that the Surface would be great, if not for its OS? The truth is, the Surface RT and Surface 2 were lovely, well-crafted things, with great screens, solid build quality and long battery life. We just wished they could run the full gamut of desktop programs, in part to make up for a limited selection of Windows Store apps. Well, it seems Microsoft has finally reversed course. The company just unveiled the Surface 3 and, as rumored, it comes loaded with full Windows 8.1. A more full-featured OS also means a more robust processor -- specifically, an Intel Atom CPU similar to what you'll find in Chromebooks and other budget machines. Additionally, the screen now supports pressure-sensitive pen input -- something the higher-end Surface Pro could always do, but never the Surface RT. All told, although Microsoft is still calling the Surface a tablet, it might finally be versatile enough to take on not just other slates, but low-end PCs as well.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Every UK House of Commons member is getting an iPad

  When the UK's Members of Parliament get down to work following the election in May, they'll have more than just a new government on their hands -- they'll have a tablet, too. The Parliamentary tech team is handing out cellular-equipped iPad Air 2 units to all 650 House of Commons MPs so that they have a secure way to do business wherever they are. While 209 of them already had iPads, this move makes them standard issue.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Engadget giveaway: win a Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact courtesy of F-Secure!

  You lock your door, cover your PIN at the ATM and have your homescreen password protected, but what about that data connection? The coffee shop WiFi could be a data-skimmers hangout and you may not have noticed that card game app you've been playing is malware. F-Secure's Freedome helps take care those mobile security issues and has a few other tricks up its sleeve, too. Freedome can mask your IP address to keep it safe from snoops and if you're a world traveler, you can select a virtual location, so your House of Cards binge session won't be interrupted by unsupported regions. F-Secure has provided us with a Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact and a one-year, three-device subscription to Freedome so one lucky Engadget reader will be able to surf in style and safety. Just head down to the Rafflecopter widget below and you'll get up to three chances at winning this tablet and mobile security software combo. Winner: congratulations to Noah A. of London, ONT.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• BlackBerry's first tablet in years is a secure Galaxy Tab S

  BlackBerry's first experience with tablets was more than a little traumatic, but it hasn't completely given up on the idea. The company's SecuSmart wing has teamed up with IBM to launch the SecuTablet, an extra-secure version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab S 10.5. Reportedly, the slate's included security bundle prevents sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands while allowing personal apps. Yes, you can watch YouTube on the same device that carries your classified documents. You aren't likely to find this in stores (certainly not at its $2,380 price) as a result, but ongoing German government tests hint that you may well see it in the field -- and there's a real chance that it will outlive its ill-fated predecessor.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Engadget giveaway: win a Dell Venue 8 7000 courtesy of TurboTax!

  Consider this a two-for-one. It's both a giveaway and a reminder to do those taxes. Of course, you don't have to make a trek down to the local accountants lair to get the job done anymore. Online and app-based services like TurboTax mobile help to simplify the traditionally tedious process, even if you're on the road. The app is available to those running iOS 8 or Android 4.1 (or above) and since it's on the cloud, you could start on mobile and finish later on your computer. With it, you can snap a photo of your W-2 and the app will pull in the data leaving you to answer a few simple questions about your life before securely e-filing your return. TurboTax has even provided us with two Dell Venue 8 7000 (7840) tablets so a pair of Engadget readers can file while gazing at its crisp 2,560 x 1,600 display. They'll also be able to use its depth-sensing 8-megapixel camera to capture some nature shots after having knocked out those taxes so quickly. Serenity finally is now! Winners: congratulations to Christopher H. of Highland, UT. and Devon D. of Saint George, UT.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• Bloomberg: A 12.9-inch iPad is still coming, just later this year

  If you're holding out hope for a super-sized iPad Pro, Bloomberg is still in your corner. The outlet previously reported 12.9-inch iPad production could start as early as Q1 of this year, but now says suppliers are gearing up to start production in September. Citing delays in the supply of display panels, Bloomberg claims Apple will turn around sliding tablet sales with the still-unannounced new variant. Whatever the folks in Cupertino are up to, we hope that next time around the iPad Mini gets more upgrades to match its higher price.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Sony has a new flagship tablet to fight the iPad Air 2

  2014 was an odd year for Sony. Can you think of another company that released five flagship products in a single year? We're talking the Xperia Z2, the Z3, the Z3 Compact, the Z2 Tablet, the Z3 Tablet Compact. That's an awful lot of Z's. At MWC in Barcelona, it's leaving its flagship phones be, and bringing a new full-sized tablet -- the Xperia Z4 Tablet -- and the mid-range Xperia M4 Aqua.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Lenovo rolls out new sub-$200 tablets, two with Dolby Atmos

  Lenovo might still be a little sore from the Superfish scandal that recently rocked its PC division, but thankfully the company's mobile arm has remained unharmed. And that's a good thing, because it's kicking off Mobile World Congress with the announcement of not one, not two, but three new tablets, in both Android and Windows flavors. The Lenovo Tab 2 A10 and the Lenovo Tab 2 A8 are from the budget-friendly Android A series, while the affordable Lenovo Miix 300 is for those who prefer the operating system from Redmond. The overarching theme of all three of these is simple: value.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

Tomorrow (4)

• Great, now 3D-printed rifles can fire larger, deadlier rounds

  In 2013, Defense Distributed created the world's first 3D-printed handgun, the .38-caliber Liberator. The following year, they unveiled an AR-15 receiver capable of firing hundreds of 5.56mm rounds without fail. This year, designers from FOSSCAD has raised the bar yet again. They've successfully crafted and test fired the receiver for a Colt CM109 modular battle rifle -- the AR-15's badass big brother. The CM109 is larger and heavier than the AR-15 as it is built to accommodate a larger caliber round: the 7.62 x 51mm NATO. The 7.62mm rounds fly farther and strike with much more force than the 5.56mm, making them far more deadly. It also means that the lower receiver (the bit that holds the firearm's moving parts) has to be both heavier and sturdier in order to handle the increased mechanical stresses and harder recoil associated with using a bigger bullet.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Orchard wants to cover Austin in inflatable, huggable trees

  #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018{width:629px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-344018").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Chaotic Moon needed something to soften its image. The "creative technology studio," known for stunts like a bitcoin-mining exercise machine and a drone that sprayed paint and flames, was starting to seem a little rough around the edges. So, it started work on Orchard, a giant inflatable and interactive tree built in collaboration with the design firm Gensler. Basically, it's a 30-foot balloon, loaded with sensors, LEDs and speakers. When you poke, push, hug or tackle the tree, it responds in different ways. It subtly changes the music, emits tones, displays ripples of color or even just locks into a single shade until you release your grip. The two companies are hoping to work with other partners and sponsors to build an entire orchard (hence the name) of these inflatable trees that will interact with not just the people touching them, but also each other and maybe even social media. For a full explanation from one of the designers, John Houser, check out the video above.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Virtual reality is not the (immediate) future of film

  Virtual reality was the belle of this year's Sundance Film Festival. Immersive exhibitions displayed on face-hugging headsets told powerful stories in lifelike worlds, in 360 degrees and with the viewer in control of the camera. Virtual reality brought Syria to an audience in Utah and made those same people fly like birds over San Francisco. Blogs and news programs lit up with stories about the future of storytelling, some including grand predictions about VR films going forward. But, now, the buzz is fading and a question remains: Do filmmakers in Hollywood think that virtual reality is the future of cinema? "No. I don't think so."

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Light Field' 3D maps take VR broadcasting to the next level

  Ever since I experienced a live 3D virtual reality broadcast for the first time, I've been giving demos of the technology to anyone who will sit still long enough for me to put a Gear VR on their head. Across the board, the reactions have included at least two things: "This is amazing," and, "Can you move around like you're really there?" Now, NextVR says the answer to that question is yes, since it's adding "Light Field" (aka plenoptic) capture technology to existing rigs (like this 6K unit shown above) that will let viewers look around the scene with full six degrees of freedom. This is similar to the tech Lytro uses for its cameras that lets you change focus after a picture is taken -- and just got a $50 million investment to implement on VR. According to NextVR, its patented approach creates a 3D geometric model of the scene (shown after the break) ready for headsets like the Oculus Rift, Sony's Project Morpheus or even augmented reality units like Microsoft's HoloLens or Magic Leap's... whatever it is.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

TV & Movies (24)

• What's on your HDTV: 'Interstellar' Blu-ray, 'Mad Men', 'Archer'

  The NCAA men's basketball tournament is down to its Final Four, and this weekend we'll find out which two move on to the championship game. Of course, we'll be glued to the couch watching Interstellar on Blu-ray. The film will even bring its IMAX sequences home The Dark Knight-style, pushing black bars aside to fill up the 16:9 screen. On TV, AMC's Mad Men begins to run its final few episodes, while we also have the season finale of Archer on FX. PS4 gamers can check out a new Metroid-ish shooter called Axiom Verge, while on Xbox One the free MMO Neverwinter is launching. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Sony Pictures is planning a 'Robotech' live-action film franchise

  We've got good news for you... though it may actually be bad news, depending on how you feel about Hollywood anime adaptations. That live-action Robotech movie might actually happen now that Sony Pictures has officially fished it out of limbo and snapped up its rights from Warner Bros. In fact, the studio's looking at it as a potential film franchise à la Transformers instead of just as a single movie. A handful of new people have also joined the project, including producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton (300, The Immortals), as well as scriptwriter Michael Gordon (300, GI Joe).

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Steven Spielberg will direct the 'Ready Player One' movie

  If you read through Ready Player One and thought its virtual gaming world deserved a first-class movie adaptation, you may just get your wish. Deadline has revealed that Steven Spielberg will direct the big screen version of Ernest Cline's novel for Warner Bros., with both the author and The Avengers writer Zak Penn producing the most recent script. That's promising stuff, although there are quite a few challenges if it's going to be faithful to the book -- it may need a lot of visual effects wizardry to make people suspend their disbelief, and the pop culture references could make for some problematic rights issues. Provided everything goes according to plan, though, the book is going to get much, much more than just a quick cash-in. [Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images]

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Movie 'SuperTicket' is a cinema seat and digital download in one

  A visit to the cinema can be something of an extravagant outing, especially since the unfortunate demise of Orange Wednesdays. With the UK premiere of the so-called "SuperTicket," though, cinema attendees will leave with a lasting souvenir of their experience, and we're not talking about a stomach ache thanks to a bucket-full of overpriced popcorn. On April 3rd, thriller Kidnapping Freddy Heineken, starring everyone's favourite on-screen serial killer Anthony Hopkins, will debut in UK cinemas. And, provided you go see it at an Empire Cinemas venue (for no more than the cost of a regular screening ticket), you'll walk out with a digital copy of the film, redeemable through Wuaki.tv. You won't be able to download it immediately, of course, but you can preorder it ahead of the retail release date, which online rental and sales channels are typically bound by.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• ITV snatches rights to new 'Family Guy' episodes from the BBC

  For as long as we can remember, BBC Three has been home to the animated comedy shows Family Guy and American Dad. The channel is being taken off the airwaves later this year, morphing into an online-only brand to save the Beeb some dough, and leaving a question mark over where the popular programmes would end up. And now we know the answer. Come autumn this year -- around the time BBC Three as we know it will cease to exist -- the 15th series of Family Guy will start airing exclusively on ITV2. As part of a multi-year deal with Twentieth Century Fox, ITV has also picked up the rights to new and existing seasons of American Dad, all four series of Family Guy spin-off The Cleveland Show, and Seth McFarlane's upcoming animated sitcom, Bordertown.

  By Jamie Rigg Read More

• 'The X-Files' is coming back to TV as a six-episode series

  Yep, it's happening -- if not quite in the way you might expect. After a flurry of rumors, Fox has confirmed that it's bringing The X-Files back to TV as a six-episode "event series" arriving this summer. It won't be the full-on relaunch some fans were hoping for, then. However, show creator Chris Carter will once again take the reins, and both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will reprise their signature roles as paranormal investigators Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. It's not clear what prompted the return to TV after a 13-year hiatus, although it wouldn't be shocking if actor Kumail Nanjiani's X-Files Files podcast helped rekindle interest in the show. For us, the real question is whether or not it'll be as good as the original run. Carter thrived while X-Files and Millennium were on the air, but his 21st-century projects haven't had as much success.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Holy shit snacks! Redditors find massive 'Archer' Easter egg

  I'm not sure which is more impressive: the fact that the Archer series creators went through so much trouble to create such an elaborate Easter egg or the fact that someone was actually able to crack the multiple mind-bending puzzles needed to reveal it. And from the looks of things, we haven't even come close to the bottom of this rabbit hole.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Recommended Reading: Marvel's 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' hits its stride

  Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Used to be Terrible. Now it's Terrific. by Todd VanDerWerff Vox I've watched all of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and at the beginning, it was pretty awful. The show, now well into its second season, has improved drastically and it became some of my favorite weekly viewing. As Vox's Todd VanDerWerff notes, the series "seems designed to turn every single negative on the show into a positive through sheer force of will."

  By Billy Steele Read More

• You can buy your own 'Tron' lightcycle (if you've got 40 grand)

  If you've ever watched Tron: Legacy and wished that you could own your own lightcycle, then May 2nd could be your only chance. Car collectors the Andrews Family is selling the bulk of its vehicle haul that includes a custom replica of the two-wheeler from the film. According to the blurb, the ride was made especially for the Andrews and has a 96 Volt direct-drive electric motor with lithium batteries and a computer controlled throttle. The bike, which has a seat height of 28.5 inches, has only been ridden around the Andrews museum a few times, making it essentially brand new. Now it's going up for auction at Sotheby's on May 2nd, with it expected to fetch a price between $25,000 and $40,000, although we suspect it might go for more. All we're hoping is that Jay "Tron Guy" Maynard is now a millionaire, because that would be a match made in heaven.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Comparethemarket revives Orange Wednesdays with 'Meerkat Movies'

  When EE announced its replacement for Orange Wednesdays earlier this week, we couldn't help but feel a slight pang of disappointment. Sure, cheap movie rentals are nice, but the deal isn't a patch on snagging two-for-one cinema tickets in the UK. If you're feeling the same way, there's some good news today: Comparethemarket is taking up the mantle and offering movie lovers the same promotion, albeit with a couple of caveats. The biggest one is that you'll need to buy something through Comparethemarket first, such as car, travel, life or home insurance. If you've bought something from the site already, you can open the "Meerkat Movies" app immediately and use the deal for the next 12 months, starting from the day you made the original purchase. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until April 3rd, when the promotion is officially launched for everyone else. Unlike Orange Wednesdays, the deal can also be redeemed every Tuesday and Wednesday, giving you a little extra choice over when you watch the latest blockbusters and indie flicks.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• Sky's raising its TV prices to balance Premier League costs

  Sky just spent a whopping £4.2 billion on Premier League broadcasting rights, so unsurprisingly, it's decided to make up some of the cost by increasing the prices of its various TV packages. The cheapest "Original" bundle will stay the same, but otherwise all of its satellite TV packages are set to receive a small price bump in June. The "Variety" bundle will increase by £2 to £30 per month, while the "Family" bundle is climbing by £3 to £36 per month. Football fanatics, meanwhile, will notice a £1 increase for Sky Sports, making it £25.50 per month for existing Sky TV customers, while the Sky Movies package is jumping by 50 pence to £17 per month. Finally, if you pay for Sky Sports and Sky Movies together, you'll see an increase of £1.50, making it £34.50 per month.

  By Nick Summers Read More

• 'Pixels' looks like another horrible video game movie

  Pixels is a live-action movie about an alien-controlled cadre of classic video game characters wreaking havoc upon humanity by turning everything they touch into, well, pixels. It's based on the charming 2010 short by the same name that Sony thought would make a great feature-length movie starring Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) and Paul Blart (Kevin James). A mulleted Peter Dinklage is along for the ride too, in what looks like a less challenging role than his voice work in Destiny was. His character bears more than a passing resemblance to Dog the Bounty Hunter, because sure why not? At one point, Pac-Man's creator Toru Iwatani (played by Denis Akiyama) gets his hand chomped off by the big yellow guy himself. And just when I thought it couldn't get any more stupid, out came trite "homages" to iconic scenes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Independence Day. All this to say: The movie looks absolutely abhorrent.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• What's on your HDTV: 'Community', 'Bloodline', 'Empire' season finale

  March Madness indeed. While the NCAA kicks off its yearly (and ethically dubious) basketball tournaments (get the schedules for NCAA and NIT here), we're welcoming Community back on Yahoo. Besides season six of the goings-on at Greendale -- here's how to watch -- Netflix has its first season of its new series Bloodline, starring Kyle Chandler from Friday Night Lights, and coming from the team that brought you Damages -- and once you're through with that, Mad Men season seven is coming on Sunday. Fox's Empire wraps up its first season this week, along with finales from Glee, Girls, The Musketeers, Looking and Nightwatch. Troop Beverly Hills makes its long-awaited (by me) debut on Blu-ray to go along with Top Five, My Girl, Halo: Nightfall and Annie. Last but not least, gamers can choose from the Battlefield Hardline spin-off and a few remasterings with Devil May Cry Definitive Edition, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, Jamestown+ and Bladestorm: Nightmare. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• The robotic star of 'Ex Machina' is toying with hapless SXSW attendees on Tinder

  This post contains spoilers for the movie Ex Machina If you're guaranteed one thing at SXSW, it's that a marketing stunt will play tricks with your stupid human heart. This year, singletons looking for love on Tinder encountered Ava, a 25-year-old New Yorker with a startling resemblance to actress Alicia Vikander. Unfortunately, it's only after you've engaged in a lengthy back and forth that you'll be told that she's not interested in a temporary tumble in Texas. Instead, the whole thing is just a cruel ruse to promote Alex Garland's new film, Ex Machina.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• 'Game of Thrones' at SXSW: creating digital art with a Braavosi blade

  HBO has made a habit of bringing a bit of Westeros to SXSW attendees. Last year, a virtual reality experience took folks to the top of the 700-foot ice wall defended by Jon Snow and the Night's Watch. This year, Game of Thrones fans get to turn a photo of themselves into a digital collage of swords, crow feathers and stag antlers by swinging Arya Stark's wooden practice sword given to her by Syrio Forel.

  By Michael Gorman Read More

• 'Star Wars' first spinoff is 'Rogue One'; Episode VIII due in 2017

  Because every movie must have its own cinematic universe, Disney is expanding the reach of Star Wars -- as we expected when it purchased Lucasfilm a few years ago. While we wait for Episode VII to arrive later this year (the most recent teaser trailer is after the break), today at a shareholder meeting Disney's CEO Bob Iger announced details for two more movies. The first Star Wars movie taking place outside of the core saga will be Rogue One. It's written by Chris Weitz (Antz, About a Boy), directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla), and so far has cast actress Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything). It's scheduled for release December 16, 2016, while the next big Star Wars saga film, Episode VIII will arrive the following spring. Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper), it's coming to the screen on May 16, 2017. This strategy has been (mostly) well executed for the Marvel movies, we'll find out soon if Disney can recapture the magic of the original trilogy.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• The BBC is creating a TV drama based on the making of 'Grand Theft Auto'

  As part of a major initiative to get the UK into coding, the BBC is creating a new TV show based on the making of Rockstar's best-selling game series Grand Theft Auto. Not much is known about the show; the BBC simply states that a "new BBC Two drama based on Grand Theft Auto" is on its way. According to Guy Cocker, who has been working on the show, the drama will be based on the making of the game, rather than the game itself. A release date for the show hasn't been nailed down yet either, although the related "Make it Digital" campaign kicks off this fall, which may give us a clue.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Two 'Firefly' stars are crowdfunding an online comedy series

  The cast of Firefly knows a thing or two about the importance of creative control (ahem, Fox), and they're taking advantage of the internet to make sure they hold the reins for their next effort together. Both Nathan Fillion (aka Mal Reynolds) and Alan Tudyk (Hoban Washburne) are crowdfunding Con Man, an online-only comedy series about a down-and-out sci-fi star learning to appreciate the convention scene -- a field that hasn't received the tribute it deserves, the actors say. Fillion and Tudyk are the main stars, but they're promising a cast that you'll probably recognize, including Firefly pals Gina Torres and Sean Maher as well as Amy Acker (Angel), Felicia Day (The Guild), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Seth Green (Family Guy).

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• What's on your HDTV: 'Powers', 'The Breakfast Club' Blu-ray, 'The Jinx'

  Sony's first TV show for the PlayStation Network is finally here. The supernatural cop show Powers will be free for PlayStation Plus members, but everyone can check out the first episode and it's embedded after the break. This week The Breakfast Club is back on Blu-ray for its 30th Anniversary Edition, and HBO wraps up its excellent series looking into the life of creepy killer billionaire Robert Durst. On Sunday, ESPN's 30 for 30 featuring Christian Laettner airs, and we have the season finale of Episodes. Need one more thing to look forward to? Fine, don't forget that Community comes back on Yahoo Screen next week, and of course, the F1 season kicks off Sunday morning from Australia. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• New 'Game of Thrones' episodes will air worldwide simultaneously

  It looks like HBO has caught wind of those "most pirated show in the world" stats Game of Thrones keeps racking up, and it's making a change. Besides launching HBO Now streaming that anyone in the US with internet (and an Apple device) can sign up for, its distribution is changing up worldwide. This season, every new episode of Game of Thrones will be simulcast with the US premiere in 170 countries -- check after the break for a list, and the new season five trailer that debuted during yesterday's Apple event.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Sesame Street's executive producer on staying relevant after 46 years

  Thanks to Netflix, Amazon and YouTube, the competition for kid's eyeballs is fiercer than ever, but that's not slowing down Sesame Street. Now in its 46th year, the show is making a bigger and bigger push into social media, with often hilarious (but secretly educational) results. I sat down with the show's Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, Carol Lynn-Parente, shortly after meeting my new best friend, Cookie Monster, to talk about the show's digital life and more.

  By John Colucci Read More

• Five things 'Chappie' gets right, and wrong, about AI

  Take Johnny 5 from Short Circuit, add a dash of Wall-E and a bit of badass swagger from RoboCop and you've got Chappie, the star of Neill Blomkamp's latest film. He's the first robot to achieve consciousness in a near future where other, less smart bots are taking on the grunt work of policing. But instead of being recognized as a major scientific breakthrough, he ends up being raised by a group of gangsters (led by Ninja and Yolandi Visser of Die Antwoord), after being created in secret by a brilliant engineer (Dev Patel). While the film, unfortunately, isn't quite up to par with Blomkamp's breakout hit, District 9, it still brings up some interesting points when it comes to the eventual rise of artificial intelligence.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Watch 'Tomorrow's World' show off CGI, 1982 style

  These days, CGI is everywhere, but in 1982 it was an emergent technology that signalled a new era for movie makers and broadcasters. Always on the cutting edge of technology at the time, popular BBC show Tomorrow's World (we miss you, Phillipa!) documented some of the very first machines capable of delivering real-time effects. Back then, turning a 2D image into a three-dimensional cube wasn't easy, it required a 900lb machine made by Hewlett Packard that relied on effects coded in Pascal. Certainly a far cry from the full-length movies we see being created on Macs today. It's a nostalgic look back at what older generations would once have considered bleeding edge technology, but also to see how far we've come in a few decades.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• What's on your HDTV: 'CSI: Cyber', 'Kimmy Schmidt' and 'American Crime'

  Need a way to come back from your House of Cards weekend binge? This week we can present to you James Van der Beek and Shad Moss (fka Lil' Bow Wow) as part of the latest CSI spinoff, CSI: Cyber. Yup, that's a thing that is happening. Of course, if its competition is Scorpion and that super special episode of Law & Order: SVU, maybe the bar isn't too high to clear. Netflix is coming back strong this week too, debuting the first season of the Tina Fey-produced Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Aziz Ansari: Live at Madison Square Garden, and Ed Norton's documentary My Own Man -- plus season five of Archer. American Crime premieres Thursday night, while NBC brings boxing back to network TV with Broner vs. Molina. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

  By Richard Lawler Read More

VPN (2)

• Opera's next move is to keep your online data private and secure

  For years now, Opera Software's been creating speedy and data-saving internet browsers for consumers, making them available on desktop and mobile devices at no cost. But it doesn't want to stop there. The company, which is responsible for web-browsing products like Opera, Opera Max and Opera Coast, has announced its acquisition of SurfEasy, a firm that focuses on online privacy. According to Senior Vice President of Products Nitin Bhandari, this move isn't just to strengthen the company's portfolio, but also to show its users that it is committed to serving tools that keep their data extremely secure and private. With SurfEasy now a part of Opera, Bhandari says that the goal is to offer features that Opera browser users have requested -- such as encrypting personal information, among other things.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• The latest version of Android could keep your data safe on public WiFi

  Android 5.1 has been available to Nexus devices for a little while now, and it looks like one of its neatest features - sorry HD Voice and Device Protection - isn't quite ready for public consumption yet. Thanks to a little bit of sleuthing by Pocketables editor-in-chief John Freml, it looks like you'll eventually be able to log into a Google VPN when you connect to one of those potentially sketchy open WiFI networks out there.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

Wearables (60)

• Apple opens the floodgates to Watch-friendly apps

  You may have noticed a few Apple Watch-friendly iOS apps trickle out, but brace yourself: you're about to face a torrent of them. Apple has opened up WatchKit app submissions to all developers (not just the handful of early partners from before), so anyone who has been toiling over wristwear-ready software in the past few months can finally put it on your iPhone. Given that the Apple Watch release is still three weeks away, this suggests that the App Store will be well-stocked on day one.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Patent reveals GoPro's working on a 'square profile' camera design

  GoPro doesn't make square, cube-like cameras, but if it did, the picture (after the break) is probably what they'd look like. The image comes from a patent granted to GoPro today. The protection covers a "Camera housing for a square-profile camera," rather than a camera itself (makers of square cameras, your time to check is now). Sifting through the claims, the patent mentions how the square housing would allow a camera to be mounted in numerous orientations (thanks, geometry!) regardless of how you mount it. There are identical openings on three of the sides also, to provide access to ports (like you can with the current "Frame" mount) in any orientation.

  By James Trew Read More

• BSXinsight's calf-worn workout intensity sensor is now available

  When you're doing an exercise upon yourself, your body generates lactic acid, the levels of which are considered to be the most accurate way to measure your performance during a workout. Unfortunately, you can only test lactate levels with a blood test and some heavy duty equipment, at least, that was the case until now. Kickstarter success BSXinsight is now beginning to ship its wearable sensor that's designed to provide the same information just by scanning your blood vessels.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• If you want to buy an Apple Watch in-store, you'll need a reservation

  If you're looking for an Apple Watch (and you're shopping old-school, brick-and-mortar style), you won't be able casually dip into an Apple store and get some new tech-laden wrist candy. Not so fast: According to training documents seen at MacRumors, there will be no walk-in sales, at least to begin with. Customers will have to make an online reservation ahead of getting to buy it, supporting rumors that there may indeed be supply concerns. Those who do make a reservation will then then get to try on a watch and have a play sometime between the April 10th pre-sale launch and the April 24th on-sale date. It won't be this way forever, though: According to the leak, Apple will likely offer walk-in sales at a later date.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Apple Watch Edition buyers will get the red carpet treatment

  When you're buying a $10,000 watch, you expect first-class service -- and Apple is apparently ready to deliver. Sources for 9to5Mac claim that people who buy the gold Apple Watch Edition will get to skip the queues whenever they need help. They'll be bumped to the front of the line when buying, and they'll have an hour to spend trying out watches in a private area (complete with an expert) instead of 15 minutes at a table like the hoi polloi. And if the worst happens, they'll get at least two years of access to a dedicated Edition phone support line that operates around the clock. This kind of bend-over-backwards help isn't unusual in the luxury world, where concierges and other one-on-one services are common, but it's not exactly standard fare for a company that will gladly sell you a $50 music player.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Emvio's smartwatch will tell you when you're stressing out

  Smartwatches are growing ever more capable by the day. Sometimes, though, there's no harm in a little focus. Enter Emvio, a watch with one core goal: to help you manage stress. There are no message notifications or apps, instead, Emvio monitors variations in your heart rate (HRV), only bothering you (ironically) once your stress levels start to rise. Your daily data is also fed to an app which can help you spot trends or individual stress triggering events, helping you better plan to manage them in the future. Can a single-focus connected watch cut it against growing competition? Its creators certainly think so, and they're hoping enough people on Kickstarter will, too.

  By James Trew Read More

• HTC, Valve offer free Vive VR dev kits to select developers

  Valve, the company that spawned Steam, Team Fortress 2, Portal and Half-Life, will hand out dev kits of its Vive virtual reality headset to select developers at no cost, company spokesperson Doug Lombardi tells Ars Technica. Valve plans to launch a new site next week where developers, big and small, can sign up to potentially score an early version of the Vive. There are no firm guidelines determining which studios will actually get a dev kit, the site reports, and it's unclear how many are up for grabs in this freebie round.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Razer's handing open-source VR kits to more than 20 education labs

  Razer's entry into virtual reality may not be as ballsy as HTC's or Samsung's, but it could be just as important. Back in January the gaming manufacturer revealed Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR), a project that offers a hardware design and software framework that anyone can build VR devices and apps from. Today, OSVR is announcing that more than 20 higher education facilities will join the initiative and be provided with development kits and the necessary support to create new experiences and hardware.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• LG's Watch Urbane LTE will soon be available in South Korea for $590

  LG is releasing the Watch Urbane LTE in South Korea within the next few days, which means we now have an idea how much one will cost. Turns out the fancy mobile internet-connected smartwatch is priced at 650,000 won or $590 on LG's home turf. That's comparable to the regular Apple Watch, which will set you back at least $549, though the price could still be different when the device arrives stateside. As you might know, the smartwatch has its own SIM card and can make voice calls even without a phone. It can connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, though, provided it runs Android KitKat or later.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Samsung's Gear VR makes its retail debut on Friday

  Starting on Friday (or March 27, if you prefer) you'll be able to stroll into one of about a hundred Best Buys and walk out with a Gear VR Innovator Edition to combine with your Galaxy Note 4. This isn't the first time Samsung and Best Buy have tied up to promote one particular vision of VR; after all, you've been able to demo a Gear VR headset for about a month now. This is, on the other hand, the latest in a series of inexorable steps meant to push Oculus and Samsung to the very front of the virtual reality wave that's set to come crashing down on us.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Razer to make a VR headset with built-in Leap Motion hand tracking sensor

  The holy grail of virtual reality is presence; that feeling that you're truly there in that virtual world. That's why it was great when Leap Motion announced that it would be making a VR mount a few months ago -- manipulating objects with your hands is just so much more immersive than using a game controller. But in order to use it, you would already need to have a VR headset plus you'd need to get the Leap Motion sensor separately, which isn't exactly ideal. Now, however, you don't need to: Leap Motion has just announced that it's collaborating with Razer's OSVR to build a VR headset with the Leap Motion sensors built right in.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Fitbit's Surge fitness watch will soon track your bike rides

  The Fitbit Surge is now useful for tracking more than just your running when you're outside. An April update to the GPS fitness watch will let it track outdoor bike runs, so you'll know if you beat your previous best time or got your heart thumping on that uphill route. On the mobile app, you'll also have a history that shows whether or not that last ride was as intense as you thought it was. And Surge cycling isn't the only big Fitbit update in the works -- you can finally link multiple trackers to a Fitbit account as of this week, so you don't have to wear your exercise gear to the office just to maintain an accurate step count.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Vector smartwatches promise a 30-day battery life

  Tag Heuer's Android Wear device wasn't the only smartwatch at this year's Baselworld. Other devices were also shown and launched during the annual luxury watch fair in Switzerland, including the new Vector Watch. It's slated to come out in two different shapes -- Luna with a round face and Meridian with a rectangular one -- but the most intriguing thing its developers are promising is its 30-day battery life. Not 30 hours, but 30 days, though we'll bet the watch can't last that long if you use its features often. It can display your messages on screen, which you can dismiss with a flick of the wrist, and it works with IFTTT commands.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Lenovo CEO shows off briefcase full of Moto 360 smartwatches, secrets

  When you're the boss, you can probably do anything you want. Like show off a case filled with (possibly) future smartwatch designs, straps, bezels and other assorted watch parts -- and share it with the internet. Like Lenovo CEO, Yang Yuanqing, who might have just done that with the Moto 360's sequel. (If you haven't quite been paying attention: Lenovo ended up buying Motorola off Google.) The image has already been deleted from it's original place on Chinese social network Weibo, but the photo persists, showing a padded case filled with, well, everything we mentioned at the start.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Jaw-dropping Magic Leap demo shows off our augmented future

  Google's multi-million dollar investment in augmented reality startup Magic Leap appears to be paying off if this demo reel is any indication. In it, the fledgling AR firm shows off what a year and half a billion dollars can accomplish. That includes productivity functions like being able to access both websites and desktop apps from airborne virtual icons. There's also the promise of an immersive shooter game using physical weapons as its controllers and the world around you as the environment. Do want.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Your Android Wear watch now finds your missing phone

  The days of tearing apart your apartment in search of your lost smartphone are coming to an end. Two years after making its mobile debut, Google is porting its phone-finding Android Device Manager to Android Wear. Now, so long as you have your smartwatch attached to your wrist, you'll be able to Marco Polo your way to it. Simply say to the watch, "Ok, Google. Start. Find my phone" and your phone will automatically ring at full volume. This feature will be rolling out automatically to all Android Wear devices in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, you'll still be out of luck if your phone is out of earshot, as the watch-based app doesn't include map-based tracking like the mobile version does.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Pebble will pay you to design 'smart straps' for its new watch

  Unlike many Android Wear watches and Apple's Watch, Pebble Time -- which smashed every Kickstarter record out there -- isn't equipped with a heart-rate monitor and other sensors. The company said that "rather than trying to shove every sensor and doohickey" into the $179 device, it would instead let developers add them via its "smart strap" option. To aid them in that endeavor, Pebble has kicked in $1 million to back the best smart strap related projects. To give you an idea of what's out there, it has revealed a couple of the most interesting concepts so far.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Will.i.am is working on a luxury smartband with Gucci

  Even though Will.i.am's Puls wristband has yet to exit its invitation-only stage, the artist-turned-entrepreneur is already working on another wearable project. He's now teaming up with Gucci Timepieces, a branch of fashion brand Gucci, to introduce a luxury smartband that doesn't need to be tethered to smartphone to work. As it stands, details are scarce, but the new device looks pretty similar to the Puls, which Will.i.am debuted last October. It could very well be a rebrand of the Puls with Gucci's name attached to it, but no one will tell you that.

  By Edgar Alvarez Read More

• Tag Heuer will make the first 'luxury' Android Wear watch

  There's been plenty of speculation as to how Switzerland's watch making industry will deal with smartwatches. In Tag Heuer's case, the company has decided that if it can't beat Google, it might as well join it, which is why the firm has announced it'll be the first to produce "luxury" Android Wear devices. In addition to working with the search engine, Tag is also enlisting the services of Intel to help build the hardware that'll power this new wearable.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Reuters: Tag Heuer teams up with Intel to challenge the Apple Watch

  Tag Heuer's all set to take on the Apple Watch, and it's slated to reveal the new device sometime today. If you recall, the Swiss company has said that it's also making a smartwatch shortly after Cupertino announced its own last year. According to Reuters, Tag Heuer's parent corporation LVMH has teamed up with Intel to create a digital version of one of its most iconic models: the original black Carrera pictured above. It will reportedly still look like the non-digital version, except it will be able to track geolocation, the distance you've walked and your current altitude.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Microsoft Band arrives in more US stores and the UK

  You no longer have to head to a Microsoft Store in the US to put the Band on your wrist. Microsoft's smart wearable is now available through Amazon, Best Buy and Target in the country at the usual $200 asking price, and it'll go on sale in the UK on April 15th for £170. Fitness-minded Brits can pre-order today, with Amazon, Curry's PC World, Dixons Travel, Harrods and O2 all promising to carry stock. And you won't have to rush quite so quickly to get a Band this time around -- the crew in Redmond is planning both more frequent shipments and larger supplies in each batch, so shortages won't be as common.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Xiaomi and Li-Ning are working on a pair of 'smart' running shoes

  Chinese mobile juggernaut Xiaomi is already in the wearables game, but it'll soon equip runners' training sessions. The phone and accessory maker is working on a pair of "smart" running shoes with Li-Ning -- a China-based footwear company with a list endorsers that includes Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade. Each pair will have chips in its soles to track activity, beaming data to a mobile app to keep tabs on progress, analyze form and celebrate training milestones. The tech is being developed alongside Huami Technology, the wearable manufacturer that lent a hand with Xiaomi's Mi band. There's no word on pricing or availability just yet, but runners in China can expect "an affordable price," according to a Li-Ning statement.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Neptune outs dumb screens, accessories for its weirdo wrist computer

  Technology is all about big ideas, and this one from Simon Tian will probably need its own aircraft hangar. The creator of the Neptune Pine believes that it's time for us to ditch our smartphone, laptop and set-top-box in favor of the Neptune Hub. As we reported, the Neptune Hub is a wrist-worn computer that crams the guts of a smartphone into a chunky plastic bracelet. Instead of using the hardware as a phone, however, users are encouraged to bring along a dumb screen that connects to the Hub. But that's the beginning of Tian's idea, not the end.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Apple Watch has 8GB of storage, but you can't use it all yet

  If you're planning to listen to music on the Apple Watch while you go running, you may need to keep your expectations in check. Apple tells 9to5Mac that the wearable has 8GB of built-in storage (twice as much as a typical Android Wear watch), but that there are set limits on how much media you can store. Only 2GB is available for music, so don't think of stuffing in a gigantic exercise playlist. In practice, you're looking at about 200 to 250 songs at the 256Kbps quality you get from the iTunes Store. There's also just 75MB of space for photos, although that won't matter as much given that the Watch both limits you to favorite photos and resizes images to match the smaller display.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Customize your Moto 360 smartwatch with Moto Maker

  Moto Maker, Motorola's hardware customization hub, is now open to the Moto 360 smartwatch -- meaning your wrist can now look as fancy as your phone and the rest of your wardrobe. Moto Maker offers three case finishes for the Moto 360 in dark metal, light metal or champagne gold, and nine bands in metal or leather options. We learned in February that Moto Maker would extend its services to Motorola's smartwatch line, building off of the customization services that kicked off in 2013 with the Moto X smartphone.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Android Wear will reportedly let you navigate with a flick of the wrist

  Right now, the only ways to get around Android Wear are to use your voice or swipe your fingers. What if you'd rather not talk to your smartwatch, and don't have a hand free? You may have another option soon. A source for The Verge claims that a future Android Wear update will add gesture control -- you'll just have to flick your wrist to switch through cards, so you can check the weather even if your hands are full. There's also talk of WiFi support in the next release, so you won't have to stay close to your phone to get alerts if you have a suitably equipped wearable. It's not certain just when these upgrades would hit (assuming they're real, of course), but they could be worth the wait if you're a Google watch devotee.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• These companies think the future of wearables is wellness, not watches

  Whisper it, but if the trend at London's Wearable Technology Show is any indication then the future of wearables may not be in fitness. Yesterday, Apple announced a medical research platform in the form of Research kit and less than 24 hours afterward, the dominant theme is not about pleasing marathon runners. "There's a kudos in sport," says Smartlife's Martin Ashby -- one of the exhibitors at the show. "But the future of wearables is in health and wellbeing." It's a bold statement from the CEO of a smart sportswear company, but is it true that companies are looking to ditch fitness fans in favor of hospitals? If you're curious to read what others believe, keep reading.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Yes, you can replace the Apple Watch battery (through Apple)

  If you've considered getting an Apple Watch, you've probably wondered about what happens when that battery eventually runs dry. Surely Apple would have a way to keep your timepiece running for more than a couple of years, right? Yes, it does. The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that the battery "is replaceable" -- by Apple, that is. There's no mention of how much a replacement costs when you're out of warranty (we've reached out to learn more), but a quick look at the fine print on product pages shows that you'll get in-warranty coverage if your battery has lost 50 percent or more of its capacity. That could be an issue if you depend on the Watch often, since the battery life may become unacceptably short before you qualify for a free fix.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The wearables industry needs to brace itself for the Apple Watch

  Since the launch of the iPod, Apple's either dominated or come close to dominating every industry that it has entered. The only market where the company isn't the world number one is in set-top boxes, a field that has always been described as a "hobby." It's not too much of a risk to think that Apple will do to watches what it's already done to personal audio, smartphones and tablets -- even if global success isn't overnight. What then, for everyone else in the world of wearable technology?

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Apple Watch UK pricing starts at £299, available to order from April 10th

  Although it was unveiled at the tail end of last year, pricing for the Apple Watch has remained elusive -- until today. If you've been waiting to get your hands on Cupertino's new wearable, we now know that the very least you will pay is £299. Here's how it works out: The Apple Watch Sport starts at £299 and rises to £339 depending on the type of band (38mm or 42mm) you choose. Same goes for the Apple Watch, which starts at £479 and rises to £949 if you select the most premium design options available to you.

  By Matt Brian Read More

• The most expensive Apple Watch costs upward of $10,000

  There's only one Apple Watch, but the company is happy to sell it to you one of three ways: as the Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch or the Apple Watch Edition. Confusing names aside, it's the third on the list that has courted the most speculation. Now, the company has revealed that the watch, dressed up in a solid 18-karat gold case with an "exquisitely designed" band will set you back upward of $10,000. Yup, we're in "if you have to ask, it's too expensive" territory now, folks.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Apple Watch is available April 24 starting at $350

  It's been six whole months since Tim Cook revealed the Apple Watch to the world. Here we are again. With good reason, though. Apple may have already officially introduced us to its first smartwatch, but there were still some big questions left unanswered. Today Apple gathered the press to give the Watch the launch event it always deserved (and, you know, tell us how much it'll cost and when we can buy it, what apps we can expect, etc.). Now we have some answers.

  By James Trew Read More

• Apple Watch lasts 18 hours on a charge

  If you've been anxious that the Apple Watch might not last long on your wrist, you can relax... well, a bit. Apple now estimates that the device will hold out for 18 hours of typical use. Just what that means isn't clear, but the company has previously suggested that this includes a lot of activity -- there was previous talk of it surviving five hours of nonstop use, which is a lot of time to spend staring at your arm. Either way, you'll definitely be charging up every night. That's on par with most other smartwatches, but it'll be a bit disappointing if you were hoping for the weeklong charges of e-paper devices like the Pebble Time.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• How serious are you about virtual reality?

  The absolute best/worst virtual reality stock photo we could find Are you prepared to dedicate a room in your house to virtual reality? Perhaps you're a little less crazy than me, but you're okay with a wire running across your living room to a headset? Or maybe both of those sound crazy to you, but a headset that can plug into your phone is okay? These are the emerging options for virtual reality: a medium finally coming into its own, that's poised to disrupt industries and hairdos the world over.

  By Ben Gilbert Read More

• The gizmo recreating smells in VR looks like a nightmare

  Modern virtual reality is pretty adept at tricking your brain into thinking what you're seeing is real, so it seems natural that someone'd try to further that by adding your schnoz to the mix. The guilty party is Feelreal, and it's developed a battery-powered Bluetooth add-on for the Oculus Rift that'll pump seven scents and heated or cooled air into your face, according to The Verge. What do those smells entail? Ocean, jungle, fire, grass, powder, flowers and metal. Only a few of those sound pleasant, if I'm being honest. And based on what The Verge says, my guess is right: the GDC demo went from a soothing rainforest scene replete with a waterfall and actual mist-on-face, to a hellish nightmare that felt like a blow-dryer on the reporter's cheeks at a moment's notice. When it comes to tech and smells, I'll stick to bacon-scented push notifications thank you very much.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Apple Watch battery life and low-power mode details leak out

  With only a few days to go until Apple's next big press event, where it's expected to reveal final pricing and availability details for the Apple Watch, we're hearing even more about how its first smartwatch will function. Sources tell 9to5Mac (which is typically accurate about early info like this) that the Apple Watch will get around 5 hours of battery life with heavy usage, and it should last you all day with typical handling. The site earlier reported that Apple was aiming for around 2.5 to 4 hours of power with significant usage. Just like your iPhone though, you should expect to charge it every night. As for that low-power mode revealed earlier this week, which only displays the time, sources say you'll be able to activate it at any point. That's a feature we've also seen on plenty of smartwatches by this point, but it's still plenty useful in alleviating battery life anxiety.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Samsung's new Gear VR is smaller, sharper, but still not for everyone

  The HTC Vive might've stolen some of Samsung's thunder, but it bears reminding that the latter did announce a new VR headset earlier this week. Sure, the Gear VR for the Galaxy S6 is only slightly different from the original Note 4 edition, but even minor tweaks can spell big improvement. It's smaller, lighter, has a wider focus margin and there's a new strap design that promises to make the headset much more comfortable than before. I had a chance to give it a spin earlier this week and I also talked to Max Cohen, VP of mobile at Oculus, to get his take on the new hardware, possible future updates and, of course, his opinion on the HTC Vive.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Nike+ to support Garmin, TomTom and other fitness trackers (update)

  TomTom and Nike are back in each other's arms. The former's Runner and Multi-Sport GPS Watches, including those that come with heart-rate monitor bands, are now compatible with the Nike+ app. These two companies have collaborated back in 2011, when Nike came out with a sports watch that's loaded with GPS developed alongside TomTom. This time, the masters of navigation are giving you a way to auto-upload calories burned, run pace and time, among other types of data to the running app (and earn NikeFuel in the process, of course). Even if you don't use Nike+ for either iPhone or Android, though, you have other apps to choose from, as the company's watches also support TomTom MySports, RunKeeper, MapMyFitness, Jawbone, Endomondo and Strava. All you have to do now is find the motivation to do some actual running.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Apple expects you to use its Watch in 10-second bursts

  Apple doesn't want you to spend a lot of time with Watch apps. Specifically, if you're looking at your Cupertino-device adorned wrist for more than 10 seconds, that isn't ideal according to Bloomberg's sources. In addition to quick bursts of info, Watch apps also use location services, among other features, to keep the amount of distractions to a minimum so your wrist won't constantly buzz. For instance, saving specific personal email alerts until you're home from work. From the sounds of it, that should serve a few different purposes: conserving battery life and keeping annoyance levels down. The former of course is a common complaint lobbed at most smartwatches thus far.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Vuzix's VR headset adds earphones and supports multiple devices

  Yet another VR headset? We wouldn't be surprised if that's what you're thinking after all the VR headset news these past few days. This one is the latest device out of Vuzix's headquarters called the IWear 720, which can do more than just block the world and immerse you into pure virtual reality. The headset covers more of your head, because it comes equipped with its own headphones -- even better, it supports almost any device that has an HDMI-out port. And yes, that means you can use it to watch both 2D and 3D videos, as well as play games from computers, consoles, Blu-ray players and even smartphones.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Wankband charges gizmos with a flick of the wrist

  Pornhub thinks it has a sexier solution for the age old problem of a gadget running out of juice prematurely, and the secret is in the (hairy) palm of your hand. Say hello to the Wankband: a wearable that straps on to your forearm, capturing the energy from a spot of self-love and using it to charge basically anything via USB. You see, inside the band resides a weighted ball that travels up and down in a tube with a flick of the wrist, and from there the kinetic energy's stored until your gizmo -- or sex toy -- of choice needs a charge.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Fitbit bought a personal training app to improve your workouts

  Fitbit announced a trio of new fitness trackers back in the fall, and today, the company is making moves to improve how those gadgets tackle workouts. The wearable maker acquired FitStar, an app that serves up video-based personal training sessions on your mobile device. If you'll recall, FitStar's roster of experts includes former NFL player Tony Gonzalez and yoga guru Tara Stiles. The purchase allows FitStar users to lump workout details with other gathered stats. Heart rate trends will soon be available for those sessions too -- if you're sporting a compatible device, of course. Fitbit's software already tracks activity, sleep and diet, so the tossing in an on-demand personal trainer is a solid addition. However, a FitStar membership will set you back $8 a month or $40 a year.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Avegant's Glyph video headset will change how you see movies

  Some products have a hard time ever getting to market. Some (seem to) come out of nowhere. Then there's the Avegant Glyph video headset. It initially launched on Kickstarter back in January 2014 (raising a cool $1.5-million). Along the way we've seen a ropey prototype. And then a less ropey one. And an even less ropey one. Today, we got to try out the nearest thing to the consumer product we're likely to see before it finally launches later this year.

  By James Trew Read More

• Hyundai lets owners control their cars with smartwatches

  Hey, Hyundai owners, it's finally here: the Blue Link companion app for smartwatches that the automaker promised back during CES this year. And yes, you can use it to remotely lock/unlock doors, start/stop the engine, flash lights or honk any Blue Link-enabled car's horn, even if it's as old as the 2012 Sonata. It can also help you find your car in humongous parking lots and call roadside assistance -- plus, you can do all those by issuing voice commands, so long as you press the mic icon. Not bad, huh? As Hyundai Motor's Frank Ferrara said: "It is like being James Bond 007 or Scotty in Star Trek." The companion app's now out for Android Wear devices, but there's also an Apple Watch version just waiting for the wearable to hit the market.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Withings' sleep helper now uses Nest's thermostat to keep you cool

  Withings' Aura sleep system can only do so much to help you rest by itself. Wouldn't it be nice if it could keep the climate just right, too? It can now -- the Aura just got support for Nest's learning thermostat. When they're linked up, the Nest will maintain an ideal temperature for sleep (around 64F to 68F, or 18C to 20C) once you're unconscious, and revert back to its earlier settings once you've woken up. It's a simple addition, and it won't be cheap at about $550 for the pair. Still, that cost might be justified if you frequently jolt awake because you're freezing or roasting.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Valve's 'Lighthouse' VR tech brings TVs and headsets together

  We already saw the new Vive virtual reality headset that Valve and HTC are working on, but they're not stopping there. Hardware engineer Alan Yates says that its Lighthouse room-scale tracking system brings the "high-resolution, high-speed tracking" that you need for a quality VR experience. According to Yates, the system is cheap enough to integrate into TVs, monitors, headsets, input devices or mobile devices. There's not a lot of detail on what exactly it includes, but it sounds a lot like the extra LEDs Sony just revealed on its new Project Morpheus prototype, and its PS Move controller. Those let the system track it with a camera to see how the wearer is moving in greater detail. Valve will make Lighthouse available to hardware manufacturers "freely," and we'll probably be looking for VR-ready stickers on our next TV or monitor. Don't miss out on all the latest from GDC 2015! Follow along at our events page here.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Pebble's color smartwatch is the most-funded Kickstarter project ever

  You knew it was going to happen -- just days after Pebble's Time smartwatch topped the company's previous Kickstarter record, it's now the most-funded Kickstarter project ever at more than $13.3 million. Almost all of the pledge money has gone toward the basic wristwear so far, but it's the unveiling of the higher-end Pebble Time Steel that put the campaign over the top. It's still not shocking that Pebble would do so well given its established fan base and skillful use (or abuse) of crowdfunding for publicity. The real question is whether or not the Time will face any stiff competition in the near future. Barring surprises, it'll likely rule the roost for a long while.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Android Wear watches are reportedly getting iPhone support

  If you carry an iPhone but would rather accessorize it with a Moto 360 than an Apple Watch, you might just get that choice without resorting to unofficial tricks. Sources for French outlet 01net claim that Google is "preparing to launch" an iOS version of its Android Wear app. There aren't any other details, although it's safe to say that third-party app support would require additional effort -- it wouldn't be an Android-to-Android connection any more, after all. This is very much a rumor and may not pan out, so don't assume that you'll be strapping on a Huawei Watch any time soon. With that said, Google isn't strictly denying that something is afoot. The folks in Mountain View tell us they "don't have anything to share at this time," so hope springs eternal.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Engadget giveaway: win a set of wireless sport headphones courtesy of SMS Audio!

  Workouts and wired headphones can be a dicey business, so finding a wireless option to fit your regimen should be a top priority -- a mid-run tangle on a treadmill could end up flinging you and your phone to the ground. You'll probably be sweating buckets, too, if you're doing it right. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's very own SMS Audio checked all those boxes for its Wireless Sport series of on-ear and in-ear headphones, so you won't have to worry about those things if you're on the court, at the gym or out in the wild. Both pairs are IPX4 rated to deal with the waterworks and with 8-10 hours on a charge, you may run out of juice before they do. Both units also have easy to reach controls so you can manage that playlist or take ditch those important calls while burning some calories. This week, we have two bundles including one of each style, so that two lucky Engadget readers can keep the vibe alive and push on into the zone. Just head down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at scoring one of these SMS Audio Wireless Sports headphone packages. Winners: congratulations to Rich B. of Colorado Springs CO, and Peter F. of Las Vegas NV.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• Pebble introduces a premium Steel version of its color smartwatch

  It's only been a week since Pebble introduced Pebble Time, its second-generation color smartwatch, and there's already a new version of it up for grabs. Today at Mobile World Congress, the company has just announced Pebble Time Steel, a premium all-metal iteration of the Time. Indeed, the entirety of the Time Steel -- from the bezel to the buttons -- is made out of stainless steel and is available in silver, black and gold finishes. It has the same dimensions as the Time, but is about 1mm thicker. That isn't so bad, especially since the Time Steel apparently has a longer battery life of up to 10 days instead of seven. As if that wasn't luxurious enough, when you buy a Pebble Time Steel, you'll get two straps: a stainless steel band plus a leather one.

  By Nicole Lee Read More

• Sony will equip Virgin Atlantic engineers with its wearables

  Who'd ever be dorky enough to wear a smartglass and a smartwatch at the same time? Virgin Atlantic employees, apparently. The company has partnered with Sony to equip its plane engineers at Heathrow Airport with the Sony SmartWatch 3 and the SmartEyeglass Developer Edition SED-E1 for the next few months, starting next week. This, by the way, comes a year after Virgin had its ground crew from the same airport wear both a Sony Smartwatch 2 and a Google Glass to greet Upper Class passengers by name. According to Sony, the engineers will use the smartglass to stream real-time videos to technicians to speed up technical assistance. The smartwatch, on the other hand, will notify them of job allocations and any changes they should know of.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Withings' Activité fitness watches now talk to your Android phone

  If you've been aching to try Withings' Activité fitness watches but couldn't because you don't carry an iPhone, you can relax. The company has announced that both the original Activité and the Pop will support Android as of March 2nd. While the Health Mate app will largely go unchanged, you'll be glad to hear that Withings' data will plug into Google Fit so that you can easily share it between devices. Given that the Pop hasn't reached US stores yet, this is good timing -- you can pick up the new wristwear knowing that it will likely work with your handset of choice. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Apple Watch has a low-power mode that only tells the time

  If you're jonesing for an Apple Watch, you probably want to do a lot with it. But what if you're headed out to a party and would rather not risk staring at a dead screen when you're wondering how late it is? Don't worry, you're covered. The New York Times understands that the Watch has an unannounced Power Reserve option that limits the device to telling time. While it's not a completely unique feature (other watches do similar things), it's definitely helpful -- and it's a departure for Apple, whose mobile devices haven't had these kinds of extreme energy-saving modes until now. Tim Cook and crew aren't likely to make a big deal of Power Reserve at Apple's March 9th event, assuming it shows up, but it could be one of the Watch's most important real-world features.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Samsung's new virtual reality headset works with the Galaxy S6

  The original Gear VR headset actually made a little headway, even getting picked up by Best Buy. Its main barrier to entry, aside from its $199 price point, is limited device compatibility: If you don't have a Galaxy Note 4, you can't use the Gear VR. With Samsung today launching not one, but two flagship smartphones, the number of VR-compatible smartphones from Samsung has just tripled. Presenting the aptly named Gear VR Innovator Edition for Galaxy S6 and S6 edge.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• AT&T is bringing LG's Watch Urbane and HTC's Grip to the US

  Looks like you won't have to wait too long if you want to try LG's ritzy Watch Urbane or HTC's sporty, $199 Grip tracker in the US. AT&T has revealed it will be the first American carrier -- and first American retailer, really -- to carry these devices. It's not disclosing the ship dates or the Watch Urbane's pricing just yet, though it's reasonable to presume that the Watch Urbane won't be cheap: The G Watch R already sells for $299, and the Urbane's higher quality materials are bound to carry a further premium. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• HTC's Grip fitness tracker is a promising, puzzling first step

  We're not entirely sure why HTC decided it needed to make a fitness tracker, but it did, and it has. The end result is the HTC Grip, a device that looks more than a little like one of Nike's FuelBands, but does so, so much more. HTC gave us a peek at an early, incomplete version of the product in Barcelona, but here's the rub: I couldn't connect it to my phone in hopes of testing some of its more smartwatch-y features like notifications and canned responses. Still, venture on for a first peek at what HTC and its pals at Under Armour have cobbled together.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• HTC takes aim at Fitbit and Jawbone with the Grip exercise tracker

  Remember that weird day at CES when HTC announced that it was partnering up with Under Armour, the fitness gear brand that would later buy popular health apps MyFitnessPal and Endomondo? Well, now we know what they've been working on together: Meet the HTC Grip, a black-and-green fitness tracker you wear on your wrist.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• HTC's Vive is a high-end VR headset being made with Valve's help

  Of all the things we expected HTC to talk about at its MWC press conference, a design-focused virtual reality headset built in partnership with Valve definitely wasn't on the short list. It's called the HTC Vive and the two companies working on making it a reality call it the most immersive, most premium VR experience you'll be able to find on the market. We know what you're thinking, and yes: This is really happening. If all goes according to plan, the initial developer version of the Vive will trickle out into the community sometime this spring with a full consumer launch to follow during the holidays.

  By Chris Velazco Read More

• Huawei's second-generation wearable gets a stylish makeover

  So many companies are afraid to do something different, so we have to give props to Huawei for persisting with its wrist-worn Bluetooth earpiece. Last year's TalkBand B1 was unconventional, but it wasn't the most elegant or stylish device ever designed for a forearm. Thankfully, a year after the original launched, the company has given the updated TalkBand B2 a fashion-conscious makeover as well as a few more substantial tweaks under the hood.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Acer wants to sell you a touchscreen fitness tracker for less than $90

  This is Acer's latest play for your wrist, the Liquid Leap+. It takes the form of a fairly basic fitness tracker that also pulls notifications from your smartphone. Aesthetically, it's a continuation of what Acer offered with the original Liquid Leap, meaning it's very similar to Garmin's, Microsoft's and Samsung's fitness trackers.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

Xbox (15)

• Halo 5 lands on Xbox One this October 27th

  Ready for the next installment of Halo? The bad news is you still have a seven-month wait on your hands, but at least it's a concrete release date, right? Right? The news coincides with a new in-game teaser for Halo 5, with Master Chief et al. attempting to emote again --still while cocooned in giant spacesuit helmets. Hashtags have been readied, as have faux docu-diary tumblr blogs. But you'd probably like to see that trailer before diving down that particular rabbit hole; it's right after the break.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Xbox One is finally getting voice messages

  Among the many improvements of moving to a new console generation, the Xbox One left a few features from the Xbox 360 behind. Now, Microsoft is testing a preview for its April update that brings back one of the most requested features: voice messages. As annoying as voicemail can be on a phone, simply saying a quick message while trying to coordinate a raid in Destiny can often be faster than typing it with a controller or even the SmartGlass app. One more bonus? The voice messages will work across Xbox One and Xbox 360. The software update with the feature is already available to preview members, check after the break for more details and a demo video.

  By Richard Lawler Read More

• Your Xbox One is ready to teach you a new language

  Wish your Xbox One could teach you more vocabulary than just "noob" or "get rekt?" It can now. Rosetta Stone has announced an Xbox One app that will teach you English or Spanish through simulated travel experiences. It also has phrase books, study advice, and cultural tips to keep you in locals' good graces. The app is available as we write, so give it a spin if you're willing to expand your mind after exploding some online rivals.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Xbox One snags Epix streaming app

  Epix is now on Xbox One. That sounds simple enough, but now try saying it five times in a row, as fast as you can. Yeah, that's what we thought. It might be difficult to say, but it's definitely true: Epix, the movie and TV streaming app from Paramount, Lionsgate, MGM and Viacom, is out today on Xbox One. Epix specializes in movies, concerts and comedy specials, and it's available from most cable companies in the US. It's already out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku, Android and iOS devices, among others. Epix promised its app would show up on Microsoft's newest console all the way back in March 2014, and almost exactly one year later, here we are. It's sort of like HBO Go on the PS4, but not as many people were waiting for it.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Halo 5: Guardians' hype train starts with a whisper

  Halo fans aren't strangers to alternate reality games, and it looks like Halo 5: Guardians could get something similar to Halo 2's I Love Bees treatment. The just released teaser trailer (embedded below) doesn't give much by way of clues, but ends with a #HUNTtheTRUTH hashtag. The video also links to a Tumblr bearing that name with a countdown clock that stops Sunday night at 9 PM Eastern. Perhaps a new commercial will debut during The Walking Dead? Maybe, but at least it won't be long before we find out, regardless. If you're looking for folks to speculate with head over to NeoGAF or the Halo Waypoint forums -- the topic's thread has already hit 24 pages.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Your Xbox One now takes game screenshots and suggests friends

  The long-teased Xbox One March update is finally here, and it's bringing some features that you may have missed if you're familiar with the PlayStation 4. You can now take screenshots of whatever you're doing, whether it's to brag about your score (through messages or Twitter), set a custom background or save it to OneDrive for posterity. It should also be easier to both find and recognize friends. There's now a suggested friends list, and you can share your real name if buddies wouldn't know who you are based on your gamertag alone. Between these and more Xbox-specific updates (such as tile transparency controls and spam reporting), you'll probably want to upgrade your Xbox as soon as you can -- if just so you can rub your victories in your rivals' faces.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Xbox Live on Windows 10 won't charge for online multiplayer

  The news of Xbox Live coming to Windows 10 was a bit confusing last week, but, slowly, details of how it'll work are surfacing. Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb recently responded to PCWorld's Hayden Dingman on Twitter saying that Xbox Live Gold won't be required for online multiplayer using Live on WIn10 and mobile (like it is on consoles). Great news, right? Well, like The Verge notes, it should be for anyone who remembers the disastrous Games for Windows Live program that Microsoft tried implementing around 10 years ago. We reached out to the company for additional information and were told that there wasn't anything more to share at this time, but that'd change over the coming months.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Xbox One service matches you with players who share your tastes

  Matchmaking in video games usually involves little more than the games you play and your skill level. Wouldn't it be nice if you could meet gamers who genuinely share a lot of things in common? Overdog thinks so -- it just launched an app for Xbox One Preview Program members that helps you find players based on their tastes in fields like music, movies and (of course) games. If you want to find a Destiny raid buddy who's into dance music, hockey and Star Wars, you probably can. Overdog won't be truly ready for action until the finished March Xbox One update hits, but it'll spread to other platforms some time after that.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• How I turned my Xbox's Kinect into a wondrous motion-capture device

  When Microsoft started selling a basic Xbox One package without a Kinect V2 for $100 less, the result was unequivocal: Sales took off. Most gamers can take or leave the ubiquitous depth camera, because it just isn't as useful for gaming as, say, the Wii controller. It is indispensable for certain titles, like Just Dance 2014, Xbox Fitness and Fighter Within. Others, such as Madden NFL 25 and Battlefield 4, can make use of the Kinect 2, but absolutely don't need it. In other words, it's a big bag of meh for gamers and casual users. But recently, my ears perked up when Microsoft released a $50 cable that lets you use the Xbox One's Kinect on a PC.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Xbox One surprises GDC 2015 with new indie games

  Not to be outdone by Nintendo's upcoming lineup of digital indie games, Microsoft has a bevy of new titles on their way to Xbox One via the ID@Xbox developer outreach program. Standouts include Shovel Knight, a retro platformer that was one of the absolute best games of 2014; The Flame in the Flood, a stylish survival game from BioShock's art director and other ex-AAA developers; and Wasteland 2, a successfully Kickstarted post-apocalyptic RPG. These are some of the surprise announcements Microsoft made this week, but there are plenty of other games on their way to Xbox One in the coming months.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• JxE Streams: Revisiting Rare with Xbox 'Conker: Live & Reloaded'

  Rare Ltd., the storied game developer Microsoft bought off Nintendo for a hefty sum at the beginning of the century, has started to stir again. After years of developing poorly received motion-control games like Kinect Sports, all while members of the original staff left for other studios, rumors were swirling that the team will return to its classic series from the '90s. Conker, the foul-mouthed star of Conker's Bad Fur Day on Nintendo 64, actually popped up as a guest star in Xbox One game creator Project Spark. Just today a Reddit poster, verified as a former Microsoft employee, said that the company has been trying to get a new Conker game off the ground for some time. No time like the present to dig into Conker: Live & Reloaded for the original Xbox on JxE Streams.

  By Anthony John Agnello Read More

• Xbox Live and ID@Xbox are coming to Windows 10

  If the news of Xbox games coming to HoloLens and Elite: Dangerous hitting Xbox One this summer wasn't nearly enough, Microsoft has a few other tidbits to share from this year's Game Developers Conference. First up: Redmond is bringing the Xbox Live SDK to Windows 10. It's part of the universal apps push that the outfit's making with its new operating system, and will give game developers of any size access to a "vast majority" of Xbox Live's services. It wouldn't be the first time Microsoft's done something like this, but let's hope it doesn't turn into another disaster like Games for Windows Live was. The post on Xbox Wire also mentions there will be a new tier of the company's online gaming service coming as well that specifically allows "any developer to engage with the Xbox Live community." We've reached out for clarification of exactly what that translates to.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Massive space-sim 'Elite: Dangerous' coming to Xbox One this summer

  Good tidings for Xbox One owning folks pining for a procedurally-generated space exploration game to call their own: Elite: Dangerous is coming to your console. Details are scant at this point, so there's no telling what, if any, sacrifices will be made to get the 1:1 scale open world based on our own Milky Way galaxy running on Microsoft's current-gen console. At its Game Developers Conference presentation today, though, Xbox head Phil Spencer said that the game will launch this summer and include all of the content from the PC version will make its way to the console port, including the just announced March Wings expansion.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Xbox games are coming to Microsoft's augmented reality headset

  If you watched Microsoft's announcement of its Hololens augmented reality headset and wondered if you'd play Xbox games with it, well, wonder no longer. Today at its Game Developers Conference presentation, Redmond announced that games would be en route to the device and that the SDK should be available come its Build conference late April. Don't miss out on all the latest from GDC 2015! Follow along at our events page right here.

  By Timothy J. Seppala Read More

• Microsoft gives the Xbox 360 its own preview program

  Microsoft has just launched a few new goodies for Xbox 360 owners after neglecting them following the Xbox One launch. First off, it's launching an Xbox 360 preview program, which "will work much like the Xbox One preview," according to Microsoft's Larry Hryb (Major Nelson). It will only be available to "select invitees" to start with, likely the most avid users. The first release will include a connectivity test to address "common network issues," with more changes coming later in the year. If you're in, you should see an email invitation soon.

  By Steve Dent Read More