Jason Cipriani/CNET Apple included cute little emoji that bounce around and bring life to the otherwise mundane staples of online communication on the Apple Watch. When you’re selecting which emoji to send, you can use digital crown to scroll through the various hearts, faces or hands to pick the best response for the given situation. …

TextNow This is an update of a deal I posted a couple of months ago. Now it’s even better! You know the deal with free or nearly-free phones: The not-so-fine print locks you into a service contract for two full years, with monthly rates that are anything but competitive. Alternately, if you want a no-contract phone, be prepared to pay …

Universal Sony Pictures Directed by the award-winning Michael Mann and starring Australian heavyweight Chris Hemsworth, “Blackhat” is a fast paced, high-tech action film set in some of the most tech-savvy cities in the world. Nick Hathaway (Hemsworth), a talented computer expert who has gone astray, finds his way out of a 15-year prison sentence when parts of a computer code …

Enlarge ImageThe CandyShell Fit for Apple Watch ships later this month for $30. Speck The Apple Watch continues to gain accessories, the latest of which comes from Speck, a leader in the smartphone and tablet case market. It’s the CandyShell Fit, a $30 protective cover that “provides full bezel protection to guard the smartwatch’s glass screen, defend against shock, and …

Facebook’s Instant Articles promises faster loading news articles and interactive features on its mobile app. Facebook Facebook on Tuesday took the wraps off a new feature it promises will yield faster load times for news stories and interactive features on users’ mobile devices. Facebook says Instant Articles aims to address the often frustrating experience of waiting for an article to …

Microsoft is beefing up browser security with Edge. Nate Ralph/CNET Microsoft is trying to make users feel more safe and secure with its new Edge Web browser. Designed specifically for Windows 10, Edge is Microsoft’s attempt to move past the legacy of Internet Explorer and offer a more cutting-edge browser that’s faster, simpler and more flexible. Borrowing a page from …

Blu-ray Disc Association The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has announced the Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K) specification is now complete and has also revealed the next-gen format’s official logo. The new disc format promises the incorporation of the latest video standards, and players will also be backward-compatible with existing Blu-ray discs. The BDA says the format incorporates a 3,840×2,160-pixel resolution, expanded …

Garmin Garmin on Tuesday announced the Forerunner 225, its first device with an optical heart-rate sensor. While the company’s watches and activity trackers have supported heart-rate tracking in the past, a rather uncomfortable wireless chest strap was required to do so. The Forerunner 225 features an optical heart-rate sensor from Mio, the company behind the Mio Alpha . To measure …

Now playing: Watch this: Fix basic photo mistakes 2:49 Every photographer makes mistakes when taking photos. Here are some tips to help identify and solve common issues that beginners may come across. Wonky horizon You’re in position watching an amazing sunset and happily snapping away. But in the excitement you forgot to check that the horizon was level, so the …

Nicole Cozma/CNET If you’re using Google Now on your Android, Google.com has added a few new commands you can send directly to your device. These commands allow you to skip picking up your device when it’s not convenient: like at your workplace, or if your phone is on a charger in another room of your home. In order to use …