A thorough search of Gmail typically requires three steps: 1. Keyword search of your inbox by entering search terms into search box at top of page. 2. If not found, then opening Spam folder by finding it in left-hand panel (or entering in:spam in search box) and performing same keyword search again. 3. If not …

Fossil Group on Thursday said it will acquire Misfit, a wearable-tech startup focused on fitness trackers, for $260 million. The deal weds Fossil’s fashion and watch-making know-how with Misfit’s technology, and underscores the growing importance of wearable products. It’s an area that has drawn heavy hitters from both sides, including tech giant Apple and luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer. Fossil could …

When Apple introduced the larger-screened iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the company announced a feature aimed at making the bigger devices easier to use with one hand. When using your iPhone, you double-tap the home button (not press, but tap) and the contents of your iPhone’s screen are lowered. At first, it seems like a silly way to get around …

The Beats won’t go on at Apple after all. The tech giant will shut down Beats Music on November 30, according to a document published Thursday. All Beats subscriptions will be canceled on that day, but Apple is encouraging subscribers to migrate their user profiles to Apple Music, the music subscription service it launched in June. “All the pros that …

Here’s a familiar refrain: YouTube just launched a new home for music. Thursday’s release of a dedicated YouTube Music app follows last year’s debut of YouTube Music Key, a subscription service that never expanded beyond a small, invite-only crowd of testers. It also comes after last month’s introduction of Red, the video site’s $10-a-month subscription service that strips away ads …

When Apple provided iOS developers with the means to create keyboards, it didn’t take long before we started seeing keyboards designed to make sending animated images, called GIFs, easier. GIF GIF GIF was one of the first, and it still does a fantastic job. But sometimes it’s nice to try new things. Giffage, another keyboard app, recently received an update …

Comic book fans who want to catch up with Spider-Man while on the go will have fewer obstacles thanks to new features coming to Google Play Books. Google on Thursday said it is adding features to its e-book app designed to make it easier for fans of the web slinger, caped crusader or man of steel to enjoy their crime-fighting …

I’ve been a fan of Google Cardboard ever since I slipped my smartphone into that unlikely box and soared the virtual skies of Google Earth. In the roughly 18 months that followed, I’ve spent time onstage with Paul McCartney, enjoyed virtual sightseeing tours and, most recently, watched a remarkable documentary. Just one problem: I wear glasses, and Google Cardboard just …

Apple’s music service has finally arrived for Android, so now you can rock out to the 30-million song catalog or tune in to live radio on Beats One. Even more importantly, Apple Music offers the first official way to stream music you’ve purchased from iTunes on an Android device. The app is technically Apple’s third-ever title for Android, after Move …

Apple and Google have both put the kibosh on an app that was hijacking the passwords of Instagram users. Known as “Who Viewed Your Profile – InstaAgent,” the app claimed to help Instagram users find people who were viewing their profiles, The Guardian reported on Wednesday. Instead, the app was grabbing account credentials of Instagram users who logged into it. …

LinkedIn users who feel like they get too many emails from the site may catch a break soon. A new email and notifications platform called Air Traffic Controller (ATC) is designed to better determine the frequency and types of emails and other messages that LinkedIn sends you, according to a company blog post on Tuesday from director of engineering growth …

Another nail in the coffin for Windows XP: Google will finally stop supporting Chrome on older operating systems. In a post on the official Chrome blog, Google announced the end of Chrome’s support for Windows XP and Windows Vista, as well Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, 10.7 Lion and 10.8 Mountain Lion for Apple computers. If you’re running any …

T-Mobile wants to be there for you when you’re ready to marathon-watch “Breaking Bad” on the go. The nation’s third-largest wireless carrier on Tuesday unveiled ,” a program that lets certain customers stream an unlimited amount of video to their phones without eating up their precious allotment of data. That’s a big deal because streaming video is the biggest reason …

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Happy Veteran’s Day! I have endless admiration and respect for anyone who puts on a uniform to serve this country. My dad did, and it’s his birthday, too — so happy birthday, Dad! …

Worried about the personal information Google is sharing about you online? A new page gives you the ability to better control that information. Rollout out earlier this week, the new “About me” page shows your social media pages, personal details such as your birthday and a link to access your Google privacy settings. You can directly jump into each section …