Time Machine is an easy way to back up your Mac. If you don’t perform regular Time Machine backups, however, the next one could take a while. Time Machine does its work in the background, but there is a way to see how much time remains. From the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, …

Enlarge ImageThe Aerovelo team with their record-breaking Eta racer.Aerovelo via Facebook Riding a bike at 20 to 30 miles per hour (32 to 48 kph) really feels like flying, so imagine the feeling of going 85.71 (about 138 kph). That’s exactly what Canadian company AeroVelo, maker of human-powered vehicles, managed to achieve on Thursday, when company founder Todd Reichart pedaled …

Verizon Wireless customers will get the chance to snag startup Nextbit’s debut smartphone. San Francisco-based Nextbit, run by Google and HTC veterans boasting reams of experience with smartphone tech, will offer a version of its Robin smartphone that is compatible with the Verizon network. That offer will kick in Friday morning through its Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign, Nextbit CEO Tom Moss …

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 ImageDon’t judge me. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET Cheeps, I’m super-excited today. For as long as I can remember, I’ve stressed the importance of using a password manager, and I’ve shared lots of …

Could Amazon’s $50 Fire tablet be this year’s hot holiday gift? Amazon came out with three new types of Fire tablets, but never before has a new model been priced at $50 . To entice holiday shoppers, Amazon offers a six-pack deal: buy five, get the sixth free. Watch Update to learn about Amazon’s new tablets and the improvements to …

Ever since Marty McFly zipped around the silver screen on a hoverboard in 1989’s “Back to the Future II,” people have been fascinated by the idea of riding on a plank that levitates its user a few inches off the ground. Earlier this summer, carmaker Lexus announced that it had invented a hoverboard, and indeed it had. The only catch …

Enlarge ImageDon’t take a bite out of this toaster snack. Falcon Toys A short time ago, at a breakfast in a galaxy far, far away, boutique toy maker Falcon Toys offered an inedible treat embossed with the body of Han Solo frozen in carbonite. The figure, called “Pop-Art: Frosted Han Solo,” is made to look like the iconic Pop-Tart toaster …

Cablevision is being acquired in the latest takeover deal in the cable industry. CNET Cable operator Cablevision is selling itself off to a European cable conglomerate. In a deal announced on Thursday, European cable company Altice will acquire Cablevision for $34.90 in cash for each Cablevision share. The deal is valued at around $17.7 billion, including debt. Based in the …

Enlarge ImageAmazon hopes to lure customers with its 8-inch Fire HD Tablet. Nate Ralph/CNET SAN FRANCISCO — David Limp, Amazon’s devices chief, puts two tablets on the table. One is a 10.1-inch Fire HD, among the e-commerce giant’s newest tablets. The other is an Apple iPad Air. The Fire HD has a few battered edges; the iPad’s screen is shattered. …

NFL Live Stories on Snapchat will mix behind-the-scenes media with content posted by regular people. NFL The National Football League is taking snaps off the gridiron. The NFL said Thursday it is working with social app Snapchat to create weekly photo and video packages that combine content about the sport posted by everyday people with media from inside the league …