Laser shotgun focuses eight beams in one dangerous weapon This week on Crave, a YouTube laser enthusiast shows off a laser shotgun with similarities to the Death Star. Plus, a real-life Grand Theft Auto, and NASA makes a music video. Now playing: Watch this: Laser shotgun focuses eight beams in one dangerous weapon,… 5:05 The …

The Emotiva Stealth DC-1 DAC Emotiva Founded in 2004, Emotiva was among the first direct-to-consumer high performance, highly affordable audio brands. I recently spoke with Emotiva President Dan Laufman about the big changes afoot. The biggest surprise was that he’s aggressively adding brick and mortar dealers in the US and abroad, while maintaining his direct sales online outlet. He expects …

A new baby has arrived in the Konrad-Shankland household. Stephen Shankland/CNET For new parents, smartphones and newborn babies are a match made in heaven. Ten years ago, just before our first son was born, I got my first mobile phone so my wife and I could stay in touch before and after the baby arrived. Now, with the arrival of …

Parasound Halo Integrated amp Parasound The Parasound Halo Integrated amplifier may appear rather conservative, but once you look a little deeper you’ll discover its rather unusual feature lineup. First, it offers the sort of true bass management usually seen on AV receivers but rarely found on integrated amps. Unlike what you find in receivers, the Halo Integrated’s bass management isn’t …

Josh Miller/CNET Back in May, music streaming giant Spotify gave us a new tool to listen to music while jogging. Called simply Spotify Running, it matches music to your running tempo to keep you motivated to move through your run. It uses your phone’s sensors to detect your steps per minute and finds tracks with a similar beat (Spotify doesn’t …

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 …

Zuckerberg talks up Messenger, which, he says, now has 700 million users. James Martin/CNET Facebook’s instant-messaging empire continues to grow, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed this week. Facebook Messenger, the instant-messaging application that complements the company’s social-network platform, has grown to 700 million monthly users, or people who send at least one message a month, Zuckerberg said at his company’s annual …

The LG G Stylo runs Android 5.0 and offers a 5.7-inch screen with a stylus. Screenshot by Scott Webster/CNET The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 isn’t the only phablet with a stylus these days. LG’s G Stylo has an even larger screen (5.7 inches), a stylus and a nice price tag ($288 all-in). Related Links Sprint secures LG G Stylo for …

Amazon disclosed Friday it received 813 subpoenas and 25 search warrants in the first half of the year. John Macdougall/Getty Images Amazon for the first time has released a report on the number of government data requests it receives, offering the public more information on how often it hands over its customers’ data to judges and law enforcement agencies. The …

Low-light photography doesn’t always mean taking photos at night. There are plenty of situations where your eyes may be able to adjust to lower light easily, such as in a restaurant, but your camera has trouble seeing as well as you do. Wherever you may be, taking images in low light doesn’t have to be tricky. Here are a few …

Nicole Cozma/CNET The selection of Android phones is continuing to grow, which may result in too many choices when it’s time for a new device. If you’re not sure where to start when picking a new phone, Google has built a beautiful Web tool that will guide you through the selection process. Enlarge Image Pick criteria to narrow your results. …

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick addresses a crowd during the ride-hailing service’s fifth anniversary celebration. James Martin/CNET As ride-hailing service Uber looks to the future, one thing is clear: it’s all about China. In a letter to investors obtained by The Financial Times on Thursday, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said his company will invest over $1 billion in 2015 to expand …

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 …

Blake Stevenson Low Latency is a weekly comic on CNET’s Crave blog written by CNET editor and podcast host Jeff Bakalar and illustrated by Blake Stevenson. Be sure to check Crave every Friday at 8 a.m. PT for new panels! Want more? Here’s every Low Latency comic so far. The Low Latency comic collection (2012 – present) +114 more See …

Your Apple ID holds payment details and personal information in the form of photos and iMessages, so it only makes sense you secure it using two-step authentication. Two-step verification (or authentication as it’s commonly referred to) adds an additional barrier of security between would-be hackers and your account. The extra barrier comes in the form of a four-digit code, which …