USB is getting more power — the kind that’s measured in watts and that’s useful for charging phones and laptops — and the companies behind it are trying to make that power easier to use. At the CES tech show, the consortium in charge of USB announced work to ensure USB gets better at fast …

If you’ve ever read the brand “Hisense,” it was probably on the side of an air conditioner or dehumidifier. But the Chinese company makes TVs, too, and it really wants your attention. And it’s using lasers to get it. At CES 2018 Hisense introduced a full lineup of televisions that run the high-tech gamut, including models with full-array local dimming, …

Chinese phone maker Huawei has long sought to break into the US market through a partnership with one of the big US national carriers.  CES 2018 appeared to be that time, with the industry widely anticipating Huawei to announce the availability of the Mate 10 Pro in the US with AT&T as its retail partner. AT&T will not be part of …

Smartwatches have become the new iPod replacements, especially for runners. Most smartwatches like Apple Watch, Android Wear models and Samsung Gear can already store music, but in the fitness watch landscape, it’s new territory. Fitbit made its first music-storing watch last year with the Fitbit Ionic, and now Garmin’s first music watch is the Forerunner 645 Music. It’s a GPS running …

Last year at CES, Monster announced its AirLinks Elements, saying its truly wireless earphones fashion accessory was “inspired by the natural perfection, clarity and brilliance of diamonds, Earth’s most precious gemstone.” They were supposed to ship last April. They didn’t. Now Monster says they’ll be hitting stores in February with the lower price of $250, with no word yet on …

Panasonic wants to be everywhere. Marking the company’s 100th anniversary, Panasonic at CES 2018 ran through a wide range of areas in tech where it wants to make inroads, including highways, cities, cars and of course, your living room. “We can take pride in our ability to help consumers with their needs of today and tomorrow,” said Panasonic Canada President Michael Moskowitz …

HP’s one-touch popup webcams are so last year; Lenovo now lets you raise and lower the camera on the new ThinkVision X1 27-inch monitor with the touch of a button. That said, it moves kind of slowly and doesn’t feel particularly worth it once you get past the first couple of “gee whiz!” moments. Plus, I’ll channel my mother here …

You never want to lose your luggage. But what if luggage didn’t lose you? Combine self-driving tech with facial recognition and camera AI smarts, put it on a carry-on suitcase, and you have yourself the CX-1. Made by Chinese company ForwardX, the hands-free autonomous carry-on luggage followed me around like a puppy during a demo at the CES 2018 show …

JBL’s Reflect series sport headphone line has added two new modes for 2018: The Reflect Mini 2, a lightweight, in-ear wireless headphone, and the Reflect Contour 2, an in-ear wireless headphone with an over-the-ear hook. They’re scheduled to ship this spring for $100 each, with no word yet on international pricing. Best new headphones of CES 2018 +30 more See …

Facebook’s M is on the way out. The social network is shutting down its virtual assistant chatbot, which uses a combination of human contractors and artificial intelligence software to answer queries and perform tasks for people in Facebook’s Messenger app. The M bot, first announced in August 2015 and still in beta, will be shut down on Jan. 19, the …

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A spinal cord injury can have a lasting effect on the quality of the life you’re able to lead. Depending on the severity of damage, symptoms can include pain, numbness or even paralysis, rendering everyday tasks nearly impossible. But a new robotic glove called the NeoMano hopes to help people who suffer from spinal cord injuries regain use of their …

Kids and iPhones — are they a good mix? Two Apple shareholders aren’t sure. Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, which together own a $2 billion stake in Apple, asked the company in an open letter, published Saturday, to address the issue of phone addiction among children. The pair ask Apple to take a socially responsible …

Wearable tech is growing like crazy, and French company E-vone is joining the rat race with a smart shoe that features fall detection designed for older adults, workers and travelers. Available in several sneaker, hiking boot and work boot variations, E-vone uses a device in the sole of the shoe to detect falling or abnormal movement. Alert messages are then …

Ever wondered why high-performance, low-latency gaming monitors can’t be huge? Or why big TVs can’t be designed specifically for gaming? The Nvidia BFGD is both, and it could be a big freaking deal for gamers who want the ultimate plus-size display. That abbreviation actually stands for Big Format Gaming Display, a “monitor” built by Nvidia along with partners HP, Asus …