New Apple TV device to appear midyear, report says

The Apple TV might look a little different (and have more features) this year. Sarah Tew/CNET The Apple TV set-top streaming box will reportedly get an update later this year that could finally bring some long-awaited features to the device. Apple will unveil a new Apple TV box at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) later …

Read More »

Look up! FLiCC iPhone case warns you of obstacles ahead

The FliCC mirror is adjustable. Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET Walking while staring at a smartphone screen is an all-too-common activity. While many people miraculously dodge danger, others end up falling into lakes or getting smacked in the face by an NBA basketball. If only they could have seen it coming. With the FLiCC iPhone case, they can. The Kickstarter …

Read More »

Push GoPro video recording time to nearly 8 hours with this battery

Limefuel Limefuel got its start on Kickstarter in 2013 with Blast, an ultrahigh-capacity portable battery pack. It headed back to the crowdfunding platform the following year for a rugged battery, and now it’s using its battery know-how for GoPro users. The Epic battery series, currently more than $55,000 past its modest $1,000 Kickstarter goal, are add-on batteries similar to GoPro’s …

Read More »

Crave giveaway: Tylt gear

James Martin/CNET Editors’ note: Like last week, this giveaway has a Twitter component. Please see the rules below. Congratulations to Kayce C. of Knoxville, Tenn., for winning a Sphero 2.0 app-controlled robotic ball in last week’s giveaway. Rolling right along… This week, we’ve got a great prize for the mobile masses — a Tylt Energi+ backpack that doubles as a …

Read More »

Get the weather from a sarcastic robot with Carrot Weather

Matt Elliott/CNET The Carrot app people have returned with their ridiculous talking robot with Carrot Weather, joining previous efforts that include Carrot Alarm, Carrot Fit and Carrot To-Do. The robot voice in Carrot Weather will greet you with its favorite term of affection, meatbag, while delivering an accurate if snarky forecast. With more than 2,000 lines of dialogue and more …

Read More »

Google Maps for iOS adds four new features

One tap and you can enjoy a full-screen view of your map. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET Google Maps for iOS seems to be getting updated on an almost monthly basis, with some big new features introduced in January and another smaller batch added just last month. With Maps 4.4.0, the app gains four new options: 1. Faster, easier directions For …

Read More »

How to turn off YouTube’s new autoplay feature

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET Just what we needed, an easier way to enter the YouTube vortex where you arrive innocently with the intent to watch a video or two for a quick break only to find yourself an hour later jumping from one related video to the next. YouTube has added an autoplay feature that automatically begins a new video …

Read More »

Low Latency 123: Mario to go

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 …

Read More »

Windows 10 upgrades from pirated predecessors won’t be legit

Microsoft has clarified a recent comment about owners of unlicensed versions of Windows 7 and 8.1 being able to upgrade to Windows 10. At the WinHec conference in China on Tuesday, Microsoft’s operating system chief Terry Myerson told Reuters that “we are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10.” The remark was aimed at China where software …

Read More »

Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge and HTC One M9 up for pre

You’ll be paying close to £800 to get the S6 Edge SIM-free, direct from Samsung CNET Samsung and HTC’s new flagship phones are looming large, with UK shoppers now able to pre-order the hotly anticipated HTC One M9, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the gently curved S6 Edge — though the prices may make you wince. Galaxy S6 and S6 …

Read More »

Who needs FaceTime? 4 video

For staying connected, video calling is still all the rage. More personal than a phone call, but just as easy, video calling is often free and the feature is popping up in more apps, including WhatsApp earlier this year. If you have an iPhone or iPad, your top choice would likely be FaceTime, since its built into the operating system …

Read More »

Ultra HD 4K TV color, part I: Red, green, blue and beyond

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Since the first color TV signals were broadcast, over 50 years ago, there have been shockingly few advancements. Thanks to limited bandwidth, legacy standards and the limitations of ancient CRT televisions, even the HDTV standards introduced in the early 2000s didn’t improve color realism much beyond what had been possible for decades. That’s all about to change. In …

Read More »

Chrome: Avoid message trackers in Gmail

Nicole Cozma/CNET Read receipts are useful when you’re talking to friends on an IM client and each party wants to know if their message was seen. However, you may not want this same feature to work in your Gmail. Many marketing companies are using trackers in their promotional email to learn whether or not you’ve looked at their message. One …

Read More »

Brandis brings piracy fight to Parliament

Attorney-General George Brandis.Image by CeBIT Australia, CC BY 2.0 Australian internet users may soon find themselves locked out of certain overseas-based websites under Federal Government plans to introduce site-blocking legislation to combat piracy. The Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill has been drafted to allow rights holders to seek a court order in order to block overseas websites at an ISP …

Read More »

Android smartwatches go luxury with TAG Heuer

Smartwatches are stealing the spotlight at Baselworld, the annual conference in Switzerland for watchmakers and jewelers. CNET Update covers the latest high-tech in high-fashion, including TAG Heuer’s upcoming Android Wear watch and a smartband from Gucci and Will.i.am. But not all smartwatches have screens. The Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch has a normal watch face, but inside it’s tracking steps and …

Read More »