Blog Layout

Enter for your chance to win* an iPhone 6S!

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Enlarge ImageThis iPhone 6S (or one like it) could wind up in your hand. Sarah Tew/CNET Contest time! I reckon you wouldn’t mind owning a brand spankin’ new iPhone 6S. Am I right? …

Read More »

Huge, rugged Kyocera DuraForce XD striding over to AT&T

AT&T will be the first carrier to offer the Kyocera Duraforce XD. AT&T AT&T is planning to toughen up its portfolio of phones by adding the Kyocera Duraforce XD, a plus-sized smartphone meant to survive harsh weather and working conditions, the company announced on Monday. Kyocera, which was once a much more prominent phone maker, has carved a niche out …

Read More »

Asus mulls HoloLens augmented

Enlarge ImageMicrosoft will release a developer edition of its HoloLens augmented-reality glasses for $3,000. CNET SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft may not be the only game in town when it comes to HoloLens augmented-reality glasses. Asus, the world’s sixth-biggest PC maker, is talking with the Windows software maker about building its own version of Microsoft’s HoloLens , Jonney Shih, Asus’ chairman, …

Read More »

Xiaomi’s new 60

Enlarge Image Xiaomi BEIJING — A 60-inch 4K TV for less than $800? Xiaomi’s new product is an effort to shake up the smart TV industry in the same way it has smartphones. The Chinese company, which made its name selling quality phones at reasonable prices with oodles of online hype, wants to challenge just how low a high quality …

Read More »

How to disable the camera shortcut on Nexus 5X, 6P

Enlarge Image Jason Cipriani/CNET The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P both offer a shortcut to launch the camera regardless of which app you’re using or if the screen is off and the device is locked. To launch the camera, a user only needs to press the power button twice. Doing so will cause the Nexus to vibrate, letting the user …

Read More »

Google opens up Project Fi to all

If you’ve been thinking about checking out Google’s Project Fi wireless service, now is your chance. The Mountain View, California, Internet search titan said Monday it’s giving out “instant invites” to the service for the next 24 hours. Interested users can sign up directly on the company’s website. Project Fi is Google’s attempt to shake up the wireless industry with …

Read More »

​Back from the graveyard: Kogan Mobile relaunches with Vodafone

Enlarge ImageFounder of Kogan Mobile, Ruslan Kogan. Paul McMillan After collapsing in spectacular fashion in 2013, Kogan Mobile is back from the telco graveyard as online retailer Kogan partners with Vodafone to sell a value-focused 3G service. Kogan Mobile is billed as a competitively-priced mobile offering that utilises Vodafone’s network as well as its service team, which it says separates …

Read More »

YouTube star Freddie Wong: Virtual reality needs to be like Disneyland (Q&A)

Enlarge ImageFreddie Wong and his digital studio RocketJump created an original series and a VR short film for Hulu. Hulu Digital filmmaker Freddie Wong would be the first to tell you he doesn’t really know the best way to shoot virtual reality. Then again, nobody else does either. Virtual reality, an immersive form of entertainment that uses a high-tech headset …

Read More »

The Audiophiliac’s top 10 (full

The best stuff is never cheap, but even top-tier headphones sell for a tiny fraction of the cost of the world’s best speakers. I will follow up with a top 10 affordable headphone list later this year. I’ve limited my selections to just one model from each brand, and I have spent many hours listening to each of these headphones. …

Read More »