The BlackBerry Passport, center, up against an Apple iPhone and Samsung smartphone. BlackBerry If you’re wondering why BlackBerry would create a smartphone with a square screen, the company’s answer is pretty simple: It’s all about getting work done. In a blog post on the company’s website, BlackBerry claimed Monday that its new 4.5-inch display Passport …

Surface Pro 3 Microsoft Microsoft came out on Tuesday with a raft of fixes and updates for the Surface Pro 3 centered on Wi-Fi and battery life. At least three of the updates boost battery life in one way or another. One firmware fix is for “reducing power consumption,” while a second is for “enhancing battery life.” A third wireless …

On paper, the ZTE Nubia Z7 can hang with the best of them. ZTE ZTE on Tuesday refreshed its Nubia line of smartphones by unveiling not one, but three versions of its flagship smartphone. The company introduced the Z7 and its two variants, the Z7 Max and Z7 Mini. All three models run Android 4.4 KitKat with a homegrown Nubia …

Jason Cipriani/CNET When you install an Android app that also has an Android Wear app, the app is automatically installed on your watch. Offerings from the likes of Delta, Eat24, and Runkeeper are just a few of the Wear-compatiable apps that can be found in the Play Store. But installing them is only half the battle. Once you’ve installed a …

The Xiaomi Redmi Note. CNET Xiaomi’s customers in China appear to be young, professional, and addicted to media and entertainment apps. Mobile researcher Flurry said in a new study that it analyzed a random sample of 23,000 devices in China throughout January to uncover Xiaomi’s core user. It found that the China-based electronics company’s customer base skews toward 18- to …

The Razer Nabu is a wearable fitness tracker with a twist — it’s made by a gaming hardware company. Scott Stein/CNET The Razer Nabu wearable fitness tracker begins shipping to beta testers on Thursday, and you can still get your very own device for $1. The only catch: you’re competing with 250,000 other people. The gaming and accessory device maker …

Now playing: Watch this: Navigating Android on your wrist 2:42 Shortly before their public launch, Google released a minor update for Android Wear devices. The process for installing the update is straightforward once you receive an update alert on your wrist. Another update is likely to appear in the near future, considering currently Android Wear users can’t install paid apps …

Google has released a free documentary about indie label Merge Records, home to influential bands such as Arcade Fire and Spoon, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary. The search giant’s documentary is narrated by the author of the “Lemony Snicket” books, Daniel Handler, and covers the history of the label, from its genesis with future bandmates who worked together …

Electrohome Got vinyl? Those old wax platters are definitely enjoying a resurgence in popularity, partially due to nostalgia, and partially because some audiophiles prefer the warmer sound produced by analog media. But who owns a turntable anymore? You can: ShopTronics offers the refurbished Electrohome Signature Retro Music System for $119.91, shipped. It sells new for $199.99, but the refurb comes …

A customized Normal earbud. Normal Normal, a small startup with roots in the US, has launched a new way for customers to get form-fitting earbuds that the company says sound quite good. Normal’s technology starts first on mobile devices. Customers can download the Normal app on iOS and Android and need only to snap a photo of both ears. The …

The HTC One M8 HTC HTC’s newest flagship smartphone is experiencing “fading sales” amid tough competition, an analyst for financial firm Canaccord Genuity said, adding that competition should get even stiffer later this year as more new phone models enter the market. The negative review comes as the Taiwan company tries to turn around weakening sales of its smartphones, which …

Twitter/screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET Those of you who snap a lot of selfies may want to stay tuned for a new Sony smartphone apparently about to be unveiled. Sony will kick off a new Xperia phone on Tuesday equipped with a front-facing flash and a big camera sensor, according to the XperiaBlog.net site, which is unaffiliated with Sony itself. Unconfirmed …

The new “OK, Google” hotword detection will let you start a Google Now search from any screen on your device, even the lockscreen. This change rolled out last week, but despite a couple of updates to the app from the Google Play store, many people are still reporting that they aren’t seeing this set of options in the Google Now …

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse at a company event in June. Marguerite Reardon/CNET Sprint may be following the path of larger rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless when it comes to its shared data plans. The nation’s third-largest wireless carrier by subscriber is holding a trial to test out the efficacy of a family data plan, according to a person familiar with …

Now playing: Watch this: Uncharged phones may not fly with TSA 2:53 In this CNET Update: Learn about the new Transportation Security Administration security check for direct flights into the US. Some overseas airports are requiring passengers to turn on electronic devices during security screening. If you can’t turn it on, you can’t carry it on the plane. Begin your …