iPhone 6S chip controversy over battery life

One of these iPhones is not like the other. Battery life on the iPhone 6S may vary if you have a model built with a Samsung chip or a TSMC chip. In this CNET Update, we explain how to find out which chip you have, and why it may not be a big deal. Apple …

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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. Let’s kick the weekend off right with five — count ’em, five — deals! 1. Meet your new ‘buds Cheap earphones are exactly that, right? Not always: Jokeret (via Amazon) has the Magnet …

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Crave giveaway: Novo, for smart volume control on the go

Enlarge Image Adaptive Sound Technologies Congratulations to last week’s winner, Terry M. of Roseburg, Oregon, for winning a pack of five PowerSnap Charger power outlets with built-in USB ports. Ever have trouble getting the volume on your mobile device just right? This week’s prize, an audio accessory from Adaptive Sound Technologies called Novo, automatically boosts or reduces your headphone volume …

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How to enable AT&T Wi

Enlarge Image Jason Cipriani/CNET Update: As of October 8, Wi-Fi calling for AT&T customers is active. Follow the steps as outlined below to activate the new feature. With Wi-Fi calling enabled, iOS 9 users will be able to route phone calls through a local Wi-Fi network, a feature that’s especially handy if you find yourself without a cellular connection. I …

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Name your own price for a ‘Goosebumps’ audiobook bundle

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. Calling all parents, educators and fans of spooky-scary stuff! Books trump all other forms of entertainment. You know it, I know it and kids definitely know it. Which is why I’m excited about …

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Netflix hikes price of its most popular service by a buck, to $9.99

Claire Reilly/CNET Popular streaming-video service Netflix is raising prices for the second time in two years, lifting the cost of its most popular level of service in the US, Canada and Latin America. The sign-up page on Netflix’s site said that the company’s “standard” tier of service, which lets two people watch separately at the same time and includes content …

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Sony Xperia Z5 family: Australian pricing and availability

Rich Trenholm/CNET For the next iteration of its popular Xperia range, Sony hasn’t just stopped at a single device. Joining the Z5 are the smaller-screen Z5 Compact and the 5.5-inch Z5 Premium. The camera is the focus for the basic Z5, with a completely redesigned 23-megapixel rear snapper boasting an auto-focus time of just 0.03 seconds. The 4.7-inch Compact has …

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Vimeo recruits stars of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Orange is the New Black’ for new shows

Enlarge ImageNatasha Lyonne (left) and Aidy Bryant will appear together in a new production backed by Vimeo. Debby Wong/Corbis Vimeo has recruited stars of “Saturday Night Live,” “Parks and Recreation” and “Orange is the New Black” as it joins Netflix and other video services creating original films and TV shows. From “House of Cards” on Netflix to “Transparent” on Amazon, …

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Verizon’s grandfathered unlimited data users face $20 price hike

Verizon’s unlimited data customers will soon see a higher bill. Verizon It’s getting tougher to be an unlimited data customer on Verizon Wireless. The New York telecommunications giant said Thursday that subscribers on grandfathered unlimited-data plans — the company stopped offering them to new customers in 2011 — would face a $20 increase in their monthly bill. Customers will see …

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The Samsung Galaxy View tablet could sell only with AT&T. CNET/Marguerite Reardon AT&T could be among the first, if not the only, wireless carrier to sell the massive Samsung Galaxy View tablet when it goes on sale. The documents for wireless devices that vendors are required to clear through the FCC’s website tell us a little about unannounced electronics. In …

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Don’t hold your breath for another Facebook phone

Enlarge ImageDavid Marcus, Facebook’s vice president of messaging products (right), talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher and Kurt Wagner about Facebook’s recent efforts. Shara Tibken/CNET HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Facebook Phone version 2.0 appears to be a no-go. The social-networking giant will “probably not” be making another smartphone after the failure of its first attempt two years ago, said David …

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Apple Pay is coming to Starbucks, Apple exec says

Enlarge ImageJennifer Bailey, head of Apple Pay, talks about the service’s rollout with Recode’s Ina Fried. Shara Tibken/CNET HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — You’ll soon be able to pay for your Starbucks latte with your Apple Watch, as well as your KFC chicken and Chili’s Southwestern egg rolls. Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payments service, will be coming to Starbucks over …

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Adobe teases tech that easily erases pesky tourists in your photos

Enlarge ImageAt Adobe’s Max conference, “Parks and Recreation” actor Nick Offerman holds a 3D-printed model of his head reconstructed from a photo. Adobe Systems / photo by Elizabeth Lippman Photoshop experts have long been able to whisk tourists away from their pictures by combining multiple shots. Now Adobe Systems has packaged that technique called monument mode into a prototype app …

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HBO Now (finally) launches on Roku

Researcher Park Associates estimates Roku to be the most popular streaming-media devices in the US. Sarah Tew/CNET Roku owners, rejoice: You can watch HBO Now at last. HBO’s online-only subscription service added support for Roku streaming-media devices Thursday, weeks after landing on competing gadgets from Amazon and Google and months after debuting on Apple devices. HBO Now made waves for …

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Singapore testing drone delivery of snail mail

Enlarge ImageSingapore’s first test of mail delivery via drone included flying over the ocean. Singapore Post Singapore Post, the country’s postal service, has delivered a package in its first drone test. The drone traveled 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) across the ocean to a nearby island to deliver a bundle with a t-shirt and letter to a postal employee who was …

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