GeekBuying Looking to strap an action-cam to your drone, dog, helmet or the like? The gold standard has long been the GoPro, but ye gods, the prices! The current models range from $300-$500. There are cheaper alternatives, of course, but most of them fall short in one or more key areas. Enter the Xiaomi Yi, …

American Megatrends There are plenty of reasons to run an Android emulator on your PC. Maybe you want to test-drive the OS before buying your first smartphone or tablet. Perhaps you’re looking to repurpose an old laptop (or Windows tablet) with something a little less complex than Linux, or access your favorite messaging app while you’re working. Or, most likely, …

Oyster Trouble sleeping lately? The fault could lie with your e-book app. A number of studies (this one, for example) have shown that smartphones and tablets can interfere with your sleep cycles. That’s because they emit blue light, which signals your brain that it’s time to wake up, not shut down. Oyster Oyster, an e-book subscription service often referred to …

Don’t worry, it’s supposed to do that. Nextbook This is an update of a post from last year. Better specs, cheaper by a buck. Woot! The term “hybrid PC” has pretty much vanished from the tech vernacular, but it still applies to a certain product category: a laptop with a removable screen. Or maybe a tablet with a keyboard dock. …

Focus Camera Modern smartphones can capture pretty amazing video. Just two problems: They lack optical zoom (and, for that matter, optical stabilization) and rapidly consume your phone’s already limited storage. Oh, and if you want to shoot anything longer than a couple minutes, better be sure to have a mobile charger on hand. So that’s three problems. Solution? A proper …

Now playing: Watch this: Ninja Loop: The best 5 bucks you can spend on your phone? 2:50 Last year a startup called Loop successfully crowdfunded the Petite Loop, a clever little wrist-strap designed to work with nearly any smartphone. I gave one to my mom, and she totally digs it. Sometimes the simplest accessories are the best. For an encore, …

The top-end iPad Air for $449? Yes, please. Apple Morning, cheeps! Did you know that you can follow The Cheapskate on Twitter? (On occasion I share deals there that don’t appear here.) Or get the daily deal delivered to your inbox? (Scroll down to the CNET Deals section and subscribe to the newsletter!) And if you’re still into RSS, we …

Etekcity Father’s Day is coming up quick — it’s Sunday June 21 — but you still have time to score Dad some great gifts. I’ve rounded up three deals I think would definitely appeal to the big guy, but if you need more ideas, check out our CNET Father’s Day gift guides. 1. Click on, click off Earlier this week …

If you’re going to diminish the beauty of your iPhone by covering it with a case, it seems like that case should do more than merely protect the phone from the perils of gravity. Surely case makers can outfit their wrappers with useful amenities like can openers, welding torches, and java dispensers. (iKeurig, anyone?) OK, maybe those examples are a …

The iStand 6 features a kickstand that also lets it function as a desktop dock. Wirelessky If you bought an iPhone 6 last fall, you might just be getting to the point where battery life isn’t what it used to be. All smartphone batteries lose capacity over time, hence the necessity for external power solutions. A mobile charger is one …