Nothing beats escaping into your tunes while blocking the blare of the outside world (or, in these times, inside world). There are two ways modern earphones help you accomplish that. First, there’s a physical seal between the silicone ear tips and your ear canals. Then there’s ANC (active noise cancellation) technology, which produces a secondary …

Anker makes a few affordable AirPod alternatives that deliver truly excellent value for money. I like the $60 Soundcore Life P2, but the superior Soundcore Liberty Air 2 earbuds are now on sale for $80 ($20 off) at Amazon and other retailers such as Best Buy. They sound good and are a top model for making calls. Like the AirPods …

Google on Wednesday said it’s holding an online event next month to unveil the beta version of Android 11, the next generation of the search giant’s mobile operating system. The event, scheduled for June 3 at 8 a.m. PT, will feature keynote addresses from Google executives including Android’s vice president of engineering, Dave Burke, and senior director of product management …

In our new socially distanced world, video chat reigns supreme as the primary form of communication for many workplaces and groups of family and friends looking to keep in touch. Whether you use Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, or Google Hangouts, Meet or Duo, you’ve probably noticed that despite being able to see everyone’s face, it’s still not quite the same as …

Despite the number of people who own an iPhone or an Apple Watch, there are still plenty of them who don’t use Apple Pay. And that’s a shame because it’s uniquely positioned to bridge transactions on your iPhone with those in actual stores.  Apple Pay is basically a digital wallet on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac that lets …

Uber hasn’t had an easy time as a public company. The novel coronavirus, which has brought much of the ride-hailing company’s business to a halt, hasn’t helped. On Thursday, Uber’s first-quarter earnings highlighted the financial troubles the company has experienced, showing significant losses. Uber said its revenue rose 14% from a year earlier to $3.54 billion, slightly beating the average …

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. A cross-party committee of British politicians has demanded a new law be put in place before the government introduces its contact-tracing app as part of its strategy to control the coronavirus pandemic. The UK has been working on the app, which tells people …

For the past few years, Google Lens has been expanding its features in an attempt to be the computation camera for your phone. Sometimes it feels like an extension of Google’s camera-based AR applications, but it’s often more practical.  Google’s new Lens update, which works on iOS and Android via the Lens app, can be used to scan text and …

JBL’s Boombox Bluetooth portable party speaker, known for delivering big bass — and big sound — has a lot of fans. Not too long ago, the company released the next-gen Boombox 2, which sells for $500. As you might expect, the original has dropped in price. It’s been selling for $400, but now JBL’s chopped an additional $50 off, bringing …

Editor’s note: In recognition of World Password Day, CNET is republishing a selection of our stories on improving and replacing passwords. Even though the tech industry is working on better alternatives to passwords, you’re going to be using them for an awfully long time. Some of the advice you’ve heard over the last couple of decades is outdated. Here’s a …