LinearFlux During my recent trip to Chicago, when I spent a lot more time out in the world (and away from power outlets) than usual, I realized I’m ill-prepared for those times when my phone battery gets low — or runs out altogether. Indeed, for those of us who rely heavily on our phones (read: …

Apple Pay in action at a contactless payment terminal. James Martin/CNET With Apple’s announcement overnight of the imminent arrival of Apple Pay contactless payments, Australian Apple fans are already eagerly awaiting its local launch. Apple Pay allows iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple Watch owners to make quick payments with their device using built-in NFC capability and Touch ID …

The new iPhone 6, left, and iPhone 6 Plus, sans a sapphire display. CNET Sapphire crystal, held up by analysts and industry watchers as a wonder material that’s virtually indestructible, was a no-show as the display on the new iPhone 6. It’s an anticlimactic end to months of rumors that had Apple’s latest smartphone more broadly using the premium material, …

Josh Miller/CNET A new firmware update for the Jawbone Up24 fitness tracker will double the battery life of the device, according to the company. The firmware, which is available now via the Jawbone Updater software, increases the Up24’s lifespan to 14 days on a single charge, Hari Chakravarthula, executive director of systems engineering at Jawbone, said in company blog post …

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler had a few words of warning for the wireless industry Tuesday. 1. Keep your industry competitive. 2. Prepare for potentially stronger Net neutrality regulations in wireless. 3. Put your money where your mouth is when it comes to the upcoming incentive spectrum auction. During a speech kicking off the CTIA’s Super Mobility Week in …

The Mota smartring shrinks wearable notifications. Mota Not everyone is thrilled about the idea of wearing a smartwatch. Some people ditched their watches in exchange for smartphones a long time ago and don’t want to go back. Others just don’t want to add something chunky to their wrists. If you’re still enamored with the idea of notifications, but shy away …

The original iPod music player debuted 13 years ago, in October 2001. It remained one of Apple’s core product categories over the years, despite declining sales and a world of listeners increasingly more reliant on streaming subscription services. Now, as Apple moves into larger-screen smartphones and wearable devices for our wrists with the unveiling of the iPhone 6 and Apple …

Apple has built this giant white cube outside the Flint Center in Cupertino, Calif. Soon, we’ll find out exactly why. James Martin/CNET Apple’s online store has officially gone down. The company took its online store offline at approximately 5 a.m. PT on Tuesday as it prepares to update the site with whatever new products debut at its special press event …

Even if you’ve never owned an NFC-equipped phone or tablet (like the Samsung Galaxy S5 or a Nokia Lumia), you’ve probably used NFC. The technology, which lets two local devices share small bits of data, is embedded in things like commuter cards, print advertisements, and smart cards. Now that the technology is placed in more Android and Windows phones — …

Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone 6 makes its debut. James Martin/CNET Hot on the heels of Apple announcing its new line of smartphones, Verizon is already offering up deals. The wireless carrier announced Tuesday that it will give customers a free 16GB iPhone 6 when they trade in their old phone and re-up their contract for two more years. That means a …

Tuesday’s Apple’s event was packed with company execs taking the stage to debut new products and share less exciting financial and brand updates. We got a ton of information about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple’s new payment system, and the Apple Watch, but if you just want the cut-to-the-chase tidbits, you can see the must-see moments that …

Here’s where the math gets fuzzy. An unlocked 5.5-inch OnePlus One smartphone with 64GB of storage: $349. An unlocked 5.5-inch iPhone Plus with 16GB: $749. The iPhone faithful may well be drooling over the new models Apple unveiled earlier today , but for anyone hoping to bypass the two-year contract in favor of an unlocked, carrier-agnostic edition, well, it’s gonna …

Telstra has returned fire after Optus’ opening salvo in what history will probably never refer to as the “churn wars”. Telstra announced today that any customers who switch to Telstra will get up to AU$450 in credit if they incur any fees from breaking their old contracts. The credit is dependent on the customer signing for 24 months or more …

Now playing: Watch this: iPhone 6 Plus vs. Galaxy Note 4 3:30 The days of Android fanboys and fangirls mercilessly mocking the 4-inch Apple iPhone screen are over. The 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus (and to a lesser extent the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 ) smash the iPhone screen record, and in doing so, start competing toe-to-toe with today’s top big-screen …

Apple When the iPhone 5c and 5s launched last year, there was quite a large price difference between US and Aussie pricing. This time round, with the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus Australia seems to have fared just as badly. Although the Australian dollar is worth just US$0.92 at time of writing, the difference in price can’t …