Matt Elliott/CNET I can tell you that a cardinal couple frequents a tree in my front yard. I also know a blue jay when I see one. Robins, too. Beyond that, my bird knowledge quickly wanes. I am often curious about birds I see when I’m hiking in the woods or just walking around town, …

Bing will encrypt your searches by default starting this summer. screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET Microsoft is changing the security encryption on its Bing search engine from an option to a requirement. In a blog posted Monday, the software giant announced that starting this summer, all web traffic coming from Bing will be encrypted by default. Such encryption has been available …

America, it is time to seize the meme-ent! Video screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET All hands on deck, Internet! On Tuesday morning, you were gifted the greatest meme-generation machine ever when real estate mogul, reality television star, Birther and general loudmouth Donald Trump finally announced he’s seeking the Republican nomination for the American presidency. Let’s get one thing straight at the …

Focus Camera Modern smartphones can capture pretty amazing video. Just two problems: They lack optical zoom (and, for that matter, optical stabilization) and rapidly consume your phone’s already limited storage. Oh, and if you want to shoot anything longer than a couple minutes, better be sure to have a mobile charger on hand. So that’s three problems. Solution? A proper …

CNET/Dan Ackerman LOS ANGELES — A new line of PC graphics cards are coming from chip-maker AMD, the company announced during the annual E3 video game trade show and exposition. The new Radeon R9 Fury X, Nano and 300 series, and the R7 300 series graphics cards are targeted at gamers looking to explore 4K, virtual reality and other new …

The Sony Xperia Z4v is a Verizon Wireless exclusive smartphone. Sony If at first you don’t succeed with the gamer crowd, try, try again. That’s the attitude Sony’s mobile division is taking with the Xperia Z4v, a variant of its latest flagship smartphone tweaked exclusively for Verizon Wireless. Sony will once again tout the ability to stream and remotely play …

The Fitbit Surge smartwatch is one of many wearables the company has developed. Sarah Tew As it gets closer to becoming the first wearable-tech focused company to go public, Fitbit looks to raise even more cash. The wearable technology maker issued an amendment to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday, saying that it has upped its proposed initial …

Netflix has revamped its website so it’s more like a mobile app. Netflix Netflix has given its website a new look and feel that brings it closer in usability to its mobile apps. Rolling out as of Monday, the new site changes the way you view the gallery of titles on your Netflix home page and the way you view …

Facebook app “Moments” will let you privately share photos from an event. Facebook The days of taking one group picture with different phones may be over thanks to a new app from Facebook. Released in the US Monday, Facebook’s standalone “Moments” app will allow photos taken at an event or outing to be shared privately with friends. That is, you’re …

HTC CEO Cher Wang apparently has no interest in seeing her company bought by Asus. Andrew Hoyle/CNET Taiwan-based handset maker HTC has one thing to say to device-maker Asus: Get away and stay away. In a statement to investors on Monday, HTC said that it not only has no interest in being acquired by Asus, but it wouldn’t even consider …