Enlarge Image Tyler Lizenby/CNET Samsung is going back to basics with the Galaxy Gear S2. With no notable hits in what is now a maturing smartwatch market, the South Korean electronics behemoth has built the new device, which goes on sale today, from the ground up. In the face of plummeting smartphone profits, the battle …

Sarah Tew/CNET A couple weeks after Volkswagen was laid low by the discovery some of its diesel-powered cars cheated on emissions tests, Samsung is facing an accusation that its televisions appear more energy-efficient under test conditions than in everyday use. Tests conducted by ComplianTV, a testing group funded by the European Union, spotted the discrepancy, the Guardian reported on Thursday. …

Enlarge ImageClicking on one of these floating 3D shapes leads to a story of a Reach for Change project. Reach for Change It could easily be said of the Internet, especially when referring to its early days, that it’s powered by dreamers. A new website called The Never Ending Stories can now literally make that claim. It’s being fueled by …

Marguerite Reardon/CNET AT&T is accusing the Federal Communications Commission of operating under a double standard when it comes to enforcing agency rules. In a letter Thursday to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, the company said the agency has been slow to approve a waiver for a Wi-Fi calling feature that doesn’t meet FCC rules about accessibility for speech- and hearing-impaired people. …

The iPhone 6S is powering down on its own for some users. CNET A new technical glitch seems to be affecting some iPhone owners. Some owners who’ve upgraded to iOS 9, Apple’s latest mobile OS, are reporting that their iPhones randomly and unexpectedly power off. So far, people have chimed in on a Reddit iPhone forum, an Apple support forum …

Sprint says it has to cut costs to sustain itself over the long haul. Sprint Sprint is in cost-cutting mode, a process that will likely force it to cut staff. The Overland Park, Kansas, company plans to cut between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in costs over the next six months. “We have begun an effort to significantly take costs …

Enlarge ImageiPhone, pwned. Video screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET We’ve seen many an iPhone and iPad destroyed in the name of torture testing, including via molten lava and falling…from space. Now, we’ve witnessed the most visceral owning ever of both an iPhone 6S and an iPhone 6S Plus by nothing more than a dude and his bare hands and feet. The …

Apple has given its new iPhone 6S ($190 at eBay) and 6S Plus a whole host of new upgrades, including a more powerful processor and a neat new way to poke at the screen. The camera has been given a hearty boost too, from 8 to 12 megapixels, and it’s that I’m looking at here. We’ve already seen the iPhone …

Enlarge ImageNexus 6P is Google’s new flagship smartphone. CNET Google will use software to compensate for the most significant feature left out of its upcoming flagship Nexus smartphone. When the Mountain View, California, Internet giant unveiled the Nexus 6P on Tuesday, it almost immediately highlighted the improved camera, a move designed to help broaden the smartphone’s appeal beyond its techie …

Boost Mobile today announced new rate plans that reward customers for being loyal and timely with monthly payments. Dubbed “Growing Data,” the plans add 500MB of data to the account for every third on-time payment. Related Links Sprint Prepaid adds rollover data, with a catch Cricket expands international calling options to Latin America ¡Aló! Sprint and T-Mobile open calling plans …

Tinder believes the world is ready to take romance to the next level with the popular matchmaking app’s newest feature. The smartphone app, which helps users anonymously locate others nearby who are interested in making a love connection, said Tuesday it has released Super Like globally after its initial launch in Australia earlier this month. The app has grown popular …

LG’s new phone is all about selfies. The LG V10 packs dual front-facing 5-megapixel cameras that LG says can take 120-degree photos. There’s also a 16-megapixel camera on the rear, which will offer all manner of manual controls while you’re shooting video. There’s also a second, independent display sitting above the main, 5.7-inch screen. It’s a 2-inch strip with a …

Would you buy a smart ring from Apple? Apple/USPTO Apple could hit the world of wearable devices with a smart ring, at least if a recently-published patent application ever rings true with an actual product. A patent filing called “Devices and Methods for a Ring Computing Device” published on Thursday by the US Patent and Trademark Office imagines a wearable …

With the new Nexus 5X and 6P , Google has introduced flashy new features such as the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor and a USB Type-C port to its line of marquee devices. But while tasty new goodies are expected with every new product launch, a few other, more subtle changes to the Nexus line gave us a sense that Google …

Amazon will dump two of the most popular video-streaming devices from its site. Sarah Tew/CNET Amazon is banning sales of Apple and Google video-streaming devices on its site, in a potential effort to outmaneuver two main competitors. The world’s largest online retailer sent an email to its marketplace sellers, saying it will stop offering Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast, according …