Google’s Project Tango tablet Screenshot by Richard Nieva/CNET Google on Thursday took the wraps off a tablet that has 3D mapping and sensing capabilities, and plans to make the device available to software developers in late June. The gadget is in connection with Google’s Project Tango, an initiative to push the bounds of virtual experiences …

Motorola Handset maker Motorola is closing down a factory in Fort Worth, Texas, where it manufactures smartphones, the company confirmed to CNET on Friday. The shuttering ends the company’s attempt to build the devices in the United States, while the majority of the industry makes smartphones in Asian manufacturing centers. The Texas factory will close by the end of the …

LG’s Andrew Coughlin introduces the G3’s “kill-switch” feature Screenshot by Richard Nieva/CNET LG on Tuesday unveiled its latest flagship phone, the G3, and it includes antitheft software that can render the phone unusable if stolen. The company showcased the so-called “kill switch,” along with other security features, at a live event in London. The software will allow a user to …

Airbnb’s desktop homepage Screenshot by Richard Nieva/CNET Airbnb on Tuesday launched two new features based on impromptu travel: one aimed at letting users book last-minute rooms on the online short-term rental service, and another that lets people plan short weekend trips to places nearby. The last-minute booking feature, available only in San Francisco and Los Angeles for now, shows users …

Richard Nieva/CNET The team behind the mobile app Blink announced in a blog post Tuesday that it has been acquired by Yahoo. The app lets users send texts, pictures, and audio that self-destruct, similar to the popular ephemeral messaging app Snapchat. As a result of the tie up, Blink will shut down the app for both Apple’s iOS and Google’s …

State Sen. Mark Leno and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon introducing the “kill-switch” bill in San Francisco in February. Richard Nieva/CNET A California bill that mandates smartphones sold in the state come preloaded with antitheft software cleared its first legislative hurdle on Thursday. SB962, introduced by state Sen. Mark Leno and sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, …

From left, the Find My Phone feature on Windows Phone, the Find My iPhone app on iOS, and Android’s pattern unlock feature. James Martin/CNET Call it a sign of the times, but most people responding to a new survey say they would be willing to put themselves in “some amount” of danger in order to retrieve a stolen smartphone. The …

Richard Nieva/CNET Yahoo on Tuesday launched an update to its email mobile app, which now gives users access to content from several of its properties ranging from Yahoo news to its weather and sports apps. Under CEO Marissa Mayer, the company has invested in a number of areas, from news to artificial intelligence to online video. While Yahoo has its …

CBS The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments for two cases that could have significant implications on what it means to perform an “unreasonable search and seizure” in the era of smartphones. At the center of each case is the question of whether it’s lawful for police to search a person’s mobile phone after he or she is arrested, without …

CNET Apple on Friday said it would replace power buttons that are not working properly on some iPhone 5 handsets. iPhone owners with the problem can enter their phone’s serial number into Apple’s support website and, if the phone is eligible, the company will repair it for free. Apple said the on-off — or “sleep-wake” in Apple parlance — issue …