Not much to look at until it’s actually plugged into something. Seiki These days many of us spend our computing time hunched over a smallish laptop or even smaller tablet. But for maximum productivity (and comfort), you need a big ol’ monitor. Doesn’t matter what it’s connected to — desktop, laptop, Chromebook — just get …

The Cowon Plenue M music player Cowon You bought a new Audeze EL-8, Oppo PM-3 or high-end Sony MDR 7520 headphone, or maybe a great in-ear monitor, but you’re still listening to tunes on your smartphone? Sorry, but you’re missing out on most of the sound quality you paid for. To hear your uber headphones at their best, you need …

Chromecast is Google’s $35 thumb-size device that plugs in to televisions to connect them to the Internet. Daniel Terdiman/CNET Google is upping its competition against set-top boxes from Apple and Amazon with new capabilities for its inexpensive Chromecast streaming stick for televisions. Google said it will begin offering new capabilities that make it easy for developers to create more interactive …

Now playing: Watch this: Google ATAP: Your next wearable could be your shirt 1:14 What, exactly, was a piece of interactive fabric doing at Google’s I/O developers conference? Good question. I don’t have a clear answer yet, but I did turn off lights, control music and make shapes dance on a monitor by stroking my fingers over a little square …

The new version of Android will support USB Type-C for quicker charging. CNET Android phone and tablet users will be able to charge their devices up to three to five times faster courtesy of the upcoming version of Android and support for the new USB Type-C port. At its I/O event on Thursday, Google announced support for the USB Type-C …

James Martin/CNET Google’s annual I/O developers conference will kick off in just a few hours. The company is expected to announce the latest details on the upcoming Android M operating system, along with added goodies to the Android TV, Android Wear and Android Auto platforms. Knowing Google, there are sure to be some surprises, but you don’t need to be …

Now playing: Watch this: Full fingerprint sensor support coming to Android 1:25 Your fingerprint is now going to play a central role in the new Android M experience. Google’s newly announced operating system Android M will come with fingerprint-sensing technology. Consumers will be able to use the feature to unlock a device and make secure payments through Google’s new mobile …

Now playing: Watch this: Save your data by using Google Maps offline 1:15 Google Maps, the venerable mapping service from the world’s largest search company, will soon work both online and off. Google Maps’ offline support will be launching “later this year,” Google announced during its keynote address at its I/O developer confab on Thursday. The feature will allow users …

Matt Elliott/CNET Unless you spend your free time watching hours of C-SPAN, the odds are you aren’t too keenly aware of the inner workings of Congress and instead rely on hysterical headlines from MSNBC, Fox News and other news outlets to keep you informed. With Countable, you can stay better informed of the bills making their way through Congress and …

Google shows off one of its Project Loon Wi-Fi balloons during its annual developers conference. James Martin/CNET Google’s plan to bring Wi-Fi to the world with high-flying “Project Loon” balloons is edging closer to reality. The company announced Thursday at its annual developers conference, Google I/O 2015, that these balloons can now stay up in the air for more days, …

Google’s Now on Tap for Android M knows what you’re looking at, and guesses what you want to know next. James Martin/CNET Google’s new Google Now feature is the single most exciting part of the Android M operating system update. Called Now on Tap, this active little helper branch of Google Now has the right blueprint to catapult Google’s personal …

Windows 10 may be released to manufacturers by July. screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET Microsoft may have to work overtime to launch the consumer-ready version of Windows 10 before the summer winds down. The software giant has already announced that the next generation of its operating system will roll out sometime this summer — in other words, by mid-September — but …

Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi has made a name for itself with its stunningly affordable products. Hugo Barra, global vice president for Xiaomi, says the company doesn’t have a set plan to bring a smartphone to the US. Asa Mathat/Recode So how can it afford to undercut the competition? A willingness to stay aggressive, said Hugo Barra, the global vice president …

Android Pay’s new partners include Macy’s, Walgreens and Whole Foods. James Martin/CNET The world of mobile payments is expected to grow quickly, and Google is hoping it isn’t left behind. After the search giant’s initial forays into mobile payments failed to catch on, Google on Thursday unveiled details of its new payments platform, Android Pay, at its Google I/O developer …

Microsoft wants to vacuum its Windows Store. Microsoft / Screenshot by CNET The Windows Store has been slammed for its array of cluttered, confusing and garbage apps. Now, Microsoft wants to clean up its act. Bernardo Zamora, director of Microsoft’s Windows Apps and Store, announced in a blog post Wednesday a set of new policy guidelines for Windows app developers, …