Samsung Galaxy Note 4 refurbished batteries get recalled due to overheating concerns
12 hours ago
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Hardware

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 refurbished batteries get recalled due to overheating concerns

This is probably the last bit of news Samsung wanted to pop up in headlines in the weeks leading up to the Note 8 launch. Though, to be…

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Essential Phone now available to order, ships soon to pre-sale customers
12 hours ago
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Hardware

Essential Phone now available to order, ships soon to pre-sale customers

The Essential Phone has arrived, a bit later than originally announced. The first smartphone from the new company founded by Android creator Andy Rubin is now available to…

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Nintendo’s Splatoon 2 Switch bundle will be a Walmart exclusive
12 hours ago
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Hardware

Nintendo’s Splatoon 2 Switch bundle will be a Walmart exclusive

Want those snazzy neon green and pink Switch controllers you’ve been coveting? In the U.S. and Canada, you’ll have to head to Walmart to pick up the Splatoon…

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Update bricks smart locks preferred by Airbnb
15th August 2017
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Hardware

Update bricks smart locks preferred by Airbnb

A subset of smart locks made by Lockstate have been bricked after an update. The smart lock vendor is part of Airbnb’s Host Assist program, and integrates with the…

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Wave hello to Kano’s latest learn-to-code tool, a gesture controller
15th August 2017
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Hardware

Wave hello to Kano’s latest learn-to-code tool, a gesture controller

Author note: Abel Owen is Ingrid’s nine-year-old son. These are mostly his words; Ingrid just helped type them a little faster. I use computers and the Internet all…

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Qualcomm’s new depth-sensing camera tech is designed for VR and face scanning
15th August 2017
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Hardware

Qualcomm’s new depth-sensing camera tech is designed for VR and face scanning

Qualcomm’s Spectra Module camera program is getting a few key new members set to arrive in the latest generation of Android handset. Most notable among the new options are…

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Canary finally brings two-way talk to its security cameras
14th August 2017
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Hardware

Canary finally brings two-way talk to its security cameras

Security startup Canary is bringing a handful of new features to its camera products, the all-in-one and Flex. Most notable here is the addition of two-way audio, which…

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Mighty fills an iPod shuffle-sized hole for Spotify subscribers
12th August 2017
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Hardware

Mighty fills an iPod shuffle-sized hole for Spotify subscribers

Everything that’s old is new again. That’s how the tech game is played. Products evolve and leave vacuums for new startups to rush in and fill. For Mighty,…

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Consumer Reports pulls Microsoft Surface recommendation, citing high breakage rates
11th August 2017
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Hardware

Consumer Reports pulls Microsoft Surface recommendation, citing high breakage rates

The Surface line has been a surprising hit for Microsoft in recent years. What many regarded as little more than proof of concept for Windows 10 has become…

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Snap sold fewer than 42K Spectacles, down 35% in Q2
11th August 2017
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Hardware

Snap sold fewer than 42K Spectacles, down 35% in Q2

Snap’s Spectacles sunglasses may prove to be more of a fad than a must-have device. Snap revealed during its call following weak Q2 earnings that it generated $5.4…

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The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is the most flexible connected video doorbell
11th August 2017
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Hardware

The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is the most flexible connected video doorbell

Ring is steadily releasing new products, but the Ring Video Doorbell 2 is the first re-think of its original, core product. The new version of the smart Wi-Fi…

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Ikea smart lightbulbs get HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home support
10th August 2017
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Hardware

Ikea smart lightbulbs get HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home support

Ikea’s smart lighting system has received an update that makes its wireless hub compatible with Apple’s HomeKit, as well as with Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. This means…

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Wearables are still growing globally, thanks to Xiaomi
10th August 2017
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Hardware

Wearables are still growing globally, thanks to Xiaomi

The burst of the wearable bubble may have been overstated — on a global scale, at least. The category has been struggling here in the U.S., but internationally,…

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Ikea smart lightbulbs get HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home support
10th August 2017
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Hardware

Ikea smart lightbulbs get HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home support

Ikea’s smart lighting system has received an update that makes its wireless hub compatible with Apple’s HomeKit, as well as with Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. This means…

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Wearables are still growing globally, thanks to Xiaomi
10th August 2017
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Hardware

Wearables are still growing globally, thanks to Xiaomi

The burst of the wearable bubble may have been overstated — on a global scale, at least. The category has been struggling here in the U.S., but internationally,…

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8bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick is a big, beautiful fighter companion
10th August 2017
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Hardware

8bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick is a big, beautiful fighter companion

If you’re looking for a little more arcade feel for your Nintendo Switch, look no further than 8Bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick. The Bluetooth controller accessory is compatible with…

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8bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick is a big, beautiful fighter companion
10th August 2017
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Hardware

8bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick is a big, beautiful fighter companion

If you’re looking for a little more arcade feel for your Nintendo Switch, look no further than 8Bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick. The Bluetooth controller accessory is compatible with…

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Mophie’s MacBook-charging battery pack is indispensable but overpriced
9th August 2017
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Hardware

Mophie’s MacBook-charging battery pack is indispensable but overpriced

Every time we do a gift guide here, one editor suggests the same thing: external battery packs. Every time, like clockwork. And it’s true, everyone in your life…

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Mophie’s MacBook-charging battery pack is indispensable but overpriced
9th August 2017
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Hardware

Mophie’s MacBook-charging battery pack is indispensable but overpriced

Every time we do a gift guide here, one editor suggests the same thing: external battery packs. Every time, like clockwork. And it’s true, everyone in your life…

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Anker announces its own $35 version of the Echo Dot
9th August 2017
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Hardware

Anker announces its own $35 version of the Echo Dot

Given the fact that the Echo Dot runs $50 a piece or three for $130, I suspect price isn’t a major factor hampering Alexa adoption. But leave it to…

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Anker announces its own $35 version of the Echo Dot
9th August 2017
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Hardware

Anker announces its own $35 version of the Echo Dot

Given the fact that the Echo Dot runs $50 a piece or three for $130, I suspect price isn’t a major factor hampering Alexa adoption. But leave it to…

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Essential confirms $300M funding, Amazon and Best Buy retail availability
9th August 2017
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Hardware

Essential confirms $300M funding, Amazon and Best Buy retail availability

Smartphone company Essential, which is founded by Android co-creator Andy Rubin, has finally made official a $300 million funding round first reported in June. The funding round comes…

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Essential confirms $300M funding, Amazon and Best Buy retail availability
9th August 2017
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Hardware

Essential confirms $300M funding, Amazon and Best Buy retail availability

Smartphone company Essential, which is founded by Android co-creator Andy Rubin, has finally made official a $300 million funding round first reported in June. The funding round comes…

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How high-tech breast pumps help new mothers reclaim their time
7th August 2017
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Hardware

How high-tech breast pumps help new mothers reclaim their time

HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk… When you are pregnant, everyone tells you that nothing can really prepare…

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How high-tech breast pumps help new mothers reclaim their time
7th August 2017
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Hardware

How high-tech breast pumps help new mothers reclaim their time

HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk HUUUURRRRRRK hurk… When you are pregnant, everyone tells you that nothing can really prepare…

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Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Active ditches the Infinity Display for ruggedness
7th August 2017
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Hardware

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Active ditches the Infinity Display for ruggedness

After weeks and months of leaks, the Galaxy S8 Active hasn’t left much to the imagination. We’ve already seen the phone from virtually every angle and got a…

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Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Active ditches the Infinity Display for ruggedness
7th August 2017
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Hardware

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Active ditches the Infinity Display for ruggedness

After weeks and months of leaks, the Galaxy S8 Active hasn’t left much to the imagination. We’ve already seen the phone from virtually every angle and got a…

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DJI drones can now run 3DR’s Site Scan software as old competitors become friends
5th August 2017
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Hardware

DJI drones can now run 3DR’s Site Scan software as old competitors become friends

3D Robotics was supposed to be the drone manufacturer that could finally take on DJI. But its flagship drone, the Solo, never really became a big hit, and…

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VergeSense’s AI sensing hardware tackles facility management
5th August 2017
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Hardware

VergeSense’s AI sensing hardware tackles facility management

Facility management might not sound like the sexiest use of AI technology. But office space can be a huge expense for larger businesses — the biggest after staff…

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Nintendo will offer SNES Classic pre-orders in the U.S. in late August
4th August 2017
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Hardware

Nintendo will offer SNES Classic pre-orders in the U.S. in late August

Nintendo’s next hot retro console, the SNES Classic, is going to be available for pre-order late in August at a number of retailers, the company confirmed today. It’s…

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New Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10 is actually reasonably sized
4th August 2017
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Hardware

New Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10 is actually reasonably sized

Microsoft has redesigned the USB dongle used to connect your Xbox One controller to your Windows 10 laptop, and thank goodness for that. The formerly hulking black slab…

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8bitdo’s new Nintendo Switch-compatible NES30 Arcade Stick now on sale
4th August 2017
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Hardware

8bitdo’s new Nintendo Switch-compatible NES30 Arcade Stick now on sale

Retro controller maker extraordinaire 8bitdo is at it again with the NES30 Arcade Stick, which packs Bluetooth connectivity for wireless compatibility with Nintendo Switch, Windows, Android, Mac and…

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Microsoft starts selling developer ‘mixed reality’ headsets online
3rd August 2017
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Hardware

Microsoft starts selling developer ‘mixed reality’ headsets online

Microsoft “mixed reality” headsets are finally available (for developers) on the Microsoft store. The company opened pre-orders for the headset back in May; now developers can get their…

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DJI Spark update introduces 180-degree selfie mode
3rd August 2017
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Hardware

DJI Spark update introduces 180-degree selfie mode

Owners of the DJI Spark will be glad to know they now have a little more functionality with their palm-sized selfie drone. Thanks to a software update, users…

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The Moto Z2 Force Edition makes sacrifices for the sake of modularity
3rd August 2017
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Hardware

The Moto Z2 Force Edition makes sacrifices for the sake of modularity

Last year, the Moto Z legitimized modular phones. Plenty had tried and failed to deliver a device with swappable hardware components, but Lenovo/Motorola managed to pull it off…

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Apple sees a big jump in iPad unit sales
2nd August 2017
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Hardware

Apple sees a big jump in iPad unit sales

Apple’s third-quarter earnings are out and the company was quick to highlight its solid iPhone sales and burgeoning services segment. The big surprise, however, was the 15 percent…

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Snap is in talks to buy Chinese selfie drone maker Zero Zero Robotics for $150M-$200M
2nd August 2017
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Hardware

Snap is in talks to buy Chinese selfie drone maker Zero Zero Robotics for $150M-$200M

It looks like Snap is enlisting outside help to advance its expansion into new hardware projects. The U.S. company is in talks with China-based drone maker Zero Zero…

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HP’s new Nvidia-powered backpack VR PC is designed for work, not play
2nd August 2017
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Hardware

HP’s new Nvidia-powered backpack VR PC is designed for work, not play

HP has a new entrant in that most curious PC niche – the backpack computer. A product of the virtual reality computing wave, the backpack PC provides all…

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Ring adds three connected Spotlight Cams to its Floodlight Cam lineup
1st August 2017
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Hardware

Ring adds three connected Spotlight Cams to its Floodlight Cam lineup

Connected home security device maker Ring has a growing product line – and it’s now three products bigger. Joining the Floodlight Cam the company debuted at CES this…

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AMD’s new $499 RX Vega 64 and $399 Vega 56 top-end graphics cards launch in August
1st August 2017
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Hardware

AMD’s new $499 RX Vega 64 and $399 Vega 56 top-end graphics cards launch in August

It’s high time for launch details regarding new AMD RX Vega cards that were teased in May — high-end graphics cards designed to challenge Nvidia’s domination with the…

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LG Display will add $7B to its OLED investment in an attempt to challenge Samsung
29th July 2017
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Hardware

LG Display will add $7B to its OLED investment in an attempt to challenge Samsung

LG Display announced today that it will invest 7.8 trillion won (about $7 billion) to boost its OLED production capacity. This increases the stakes in LG’s competition with…

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Motorola’s Moto Z gets a 360-degree camera mod
29th July 2017
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Hardware

Motorola’s Moto Z gets a 360-degree camera mod

The Moto Z was a surprise hit for Motorola — so much so that the company made the swappable, modular-backed phone its flagship product with the Z2 Play’s…

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Eero acqui-hires smart home management startup Thington
29th July 2017
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Hardware

Eero acqui-hires smart home management startup Thington

Mesh Wi-Fi router company Eero wants to provide an easy way for consumers to connect and connect with all the smart devices in their home. As it looks to build…

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Apple discontinues iPod nano and shuffle and doubles iPod touch capacities to 32GB and 128GB
28th July 2017
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Hardware

Apple discontinues iPod nano and shuffle and doubles iPod touch capacities to 32GB and 128GB

Get out the Kleenex and hit play on the Boyz II Men musical montages — it’s officially the end of an era. Three years after discontinuing the iPod…

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Microsoft’s Imagine Cup crowns its 15th winner, the X.GLU smart glucose meter for kids
28th July 2017
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Hardware

Microsoft’s Imagine Cup crowns its 15th winner, the X.GLU smart glucose meter for kids

Microsoft’s annual Imagine Cup, a global competition of high-tech student projects, reached its culmination this week accompanied by the usual pomp at the company’s headquarters in Redmond. The…

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The evolution of the iPod
28th July 2017
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The evolution of the iPod

Earlier today, Apple announced that it’s finally discontinuing the iPod nano and shuffle once and for all, making the touch the last iPod standing. Four years after the…

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Nintendo’s earnings buoyed by strong Switch console and game sales
27th July 2017
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Nintendo’s earnings buoyed by strong Switch console and game sales

Nintendo is selling its new Switch console as fast as it can make them, with 1.97 million sold during the quarter ended in June, which the company just…

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August Home raises another $25 million as it expands service partnerships for its smart locks
27th July 2017
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Hardware

August Home raises another $25 million as it expands service partnerships for its smart locks

When August Home raised its last big round nearly two and half years ago, the smart lock maker was targeting retail expansion. That’s still part of the plan…

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Apple’s signature earbuds were inspired by Star Wars’ iconic Stormtrooper
27th July 2017
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Apple’s signature earbuds were inspired by Star Wars’ iconic Stormtrooper

The best iconic designs tend to share inspiration with other inspired creations, and it turns out Apple’s instantly recognizable white plastic earbuds, and by extension the current EarPods…

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Wallflower wants to prevent cooking fires by making your stove smarter
26th July 2017
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Hardware

Wallflower wants to prevent cooking fires by making your stove smarter

The fire department responds to a home fire every 86 seconds, and many of those start in the kitchen. Wallflower is a device that easily hooks into most…

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Sling Studio makes multi-camera video production so damn easy
26th July 2017
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Hardware

Sling Studio makes multi-camera video production so damn easy

I like making videos — it’s what I do. So when I come across a product that makes my life easier I get pretty excited and pumped about…

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iRobot’s CEO defends Roomba home mapping as privacy concerns arise
26th July 2017
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Hardware

iRobot’s CEO defends Roomba home mapping as privacy concerns arise

iRobot CEO Colin Angle has been talking about his company’s plans to map user homes with the Roomba for a while now, but a recently published Reuters interview…

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Fairphone ends support for first repairable-by-design smartphone
25th July 2017
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Hardware

Fairphone ends support for first repairable-by-design smartphone

Fairphone, the European mobile phone maker and social enterprise that has made it its mission is to build and sell fairer smartphone hardware, has announced it is ending…

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Drone registration coming to the UK
23rd July 2017
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Drone registration coming to the UK

The UK government has announced a plan to require drone owners to register their devices. It says the incoming rules are aimed at ensuring safer use of the…

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Optoma’s UHD60 projector delivers great, affordable 4K performance
22nd July 2017
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Hardware

Optoma’s UHD60 projector delivers great, affordable 4K performance

If you’re among those who use a projector for your home theater, you haven’t really had a great option for jumping on the 4K bandwagon, and you might…

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Graphcore’s AI chips now backed by Atomico, DeepMind’s Hassabis
22nd July 2017
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Hardware

Graphcore’s AI chips now backed by Atomico, DeepMind’s Hassabis

Is AI chipmaker Graphcore out to eat Nvidia’s lunch? Co-founder and CEO Nigel Toon laughs at that interview opener — perhaps because he sold his previous company to…

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Snap tests the retail waters by selling Spectacles in Harrods
22nd July 2017
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Hardware

Snap tests the retail waters by selling Spectacles in Harrods

There’s no arguing that the Snapbot is an impressive display of retail technology, But if Snap wants to achieve widespread distribution of Spectacles (and presumably other forthcoming hardware…

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Petcube Bites treat camera lets you monitor and reward your pet from afar
21st July 2017
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Hardware

Petcube Bites treat camera lets you monitor and reward your pet from afar

Petcube’s existing pet camera is basically an advanced video camera and voice intercom, but the new Petcube Bites is also a treat flinging machine that gives you more…

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Anti-drone radio wave startup SkySafe secures $11.5M from Andreessen
21st July 2017
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Hardware

Anti-drone radio wave startup SkySafe secures $11.5M from Andreessen

Drones are a threat to both military and public safety, whether flown by a terrorist or just a reckless pilot. SkySafe’s radio wave technology can detect and stop…

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Samsung’s Unpacked event happens August 23, likely bringing the Galaxy Note 8 with it
21st July 2017
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Hardware

Samsung’s Unpacked event happens August 23, likely bringing the Galaxy Note 8 with it

Samsung’s next Unpacked event is arriving right on schedule — and all signs point to it bringing the Galaxy Note 8 along for the ride. The big show…

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Mira’s Prism is a $99 headset vying to become the Google Daydream of augmented reality
19th July 2017
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Hardware

Mira’s Prism is a $99 headset vying to become the Google Daydream of augmented reality

The Mira Prism is a strange product, intended to fill a gap that may or may not actually exist: the mid-tier AR market. The brand new startup is positioning…

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ReWalk Robotics shows off a soft exosuit designed to bring mobility to stroke patients
19th July 2017
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Hardware

ReWalk Robotics shows off a soft exosuit designed to bring mobility to stroke patients

ReWalk has been talking up its upcoming “soft exoskeleton” since January. The Boston-based company finally took the system out for a spin in the daylight, showing what it’s…

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Desktop Metal gets $115 million in funding to deliver metal 3D printing for manufacturing
19th July 2017
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Desktop Metal gets $115 million in funding to deliver metal 3D printing for manufacturing

Desktop Metal has already earned a number of fans with its 3D printed metal technology — Lowe’s, Caterpillar and BMW were all among its earliest clients. As first…

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Meet the adorable robot camera Japan’s space agency sent to the ISS
18th July 2017
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Hardware

Meet the adorable robot camera Japan’s space agency sent to the ISS

Science can be cute as hell when it wants to be – take the JEM Internal Ball Camera (“Int-Ball” for short). The device, created by the Japan Aerospace…

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The solar-powered Tertill robot keeps weeds in check
18th July 2017
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Hardware

The solar-powered Tertill robot keeps weeds in check

This September marks the 15th anniversary of the first Roomba — but in spite of the device’s massive popularity, no companies have managed to successfully follow in its…

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Porsche Design’s Book One is the industrial convertible laptop that needs fixing
18th July 2017
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Hardware

Porsche Design’s Book One is the industrial convertible laptop that needs fixing

Porsche Design’s Book One laptop is a prime example of when aesthetics completely take over — when other parts of the device suffer and you lose focus on…

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A year with the PAX Labs Juul vaporizer
17th July 2017
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Hardware

A year with the PAX Labs Juul vaporizer

Nicotine vaporizer companies have a bit of a conundrum. While, legally, they can’t market themselves as smoking cessation devices, most vapers are current or former cigarette smokers. In…

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Microsoft’s Surface Laptop is great, once you upgrade Windows 10 S
17th July 2017
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Hardware

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop is great, once you upgrade Windows 10 S

I’ve talked to a number of people on the Surface team over the last few months, and the decision to hinder their beautiful new piece of hardware still…

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The Canvas autonomous cart can ferry goods around chaotic factory floors
15th July 2017
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Hardware

The Canvas autonomous cart can ferry goods around chaotic factory floors

Most Econ 101 classes start with an explanation of fixed and marginal cost in the context of factories. The factory is the principal fixed cost — expensive and…

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Light starts shipping the L16, its 16-camera pocket DSLR challenger
15th July 2017
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Hardware

Light starts shipping the L16, its 16-camera pocket DSLR challenger

Light’s L16 was a radical design concept when it was originally introduced in October, 2015 — but the concept has become a reality, as the company is now…

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Logitech’s Harmony Alexa skill now simplifies home theater voice control
14th July 2017
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Hardware

Logitech’s Harmony Alexa skill now simplifies home theater voice control

Logitech has updated the Alexa skill for its Harmony line of universal remotes, making it very easy to control your home theater with your voice if you have…

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Amazon said to be working on a premium version of the Echo
14th July 2017
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Hardware

Amazon said to be working on a premium version of the Echo

Amazon’s Echo is a lot of things to a lot of people — but the word “premium” never really enters the conversation. That’s because, like most of the…

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Ticwatch is back with two new alternatives to the Apple Watch
13th July 2017
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Hardware

Ticwatch is back with two new alternatives to the Apple Watch

The Ticwatch, a worthy (and more affordable) alternative to the Apple Watch, is back with two new models. You may remember the second-generation Ticwatch from last year. The…

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Apple unveils smart home experiences in its retail stores worldwide
13th July 2017
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Hardware

Apple unveils smart home experiences in its retail stores worldwide

Unless you’ve had a chance to try some Apple HomeKit products in someone’s home or apartment, it can be hard to understand how it all works. In order to…

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Apple will toss in a pair of Beats headphones for students who buy a Mac or iPad Pro
13th July 2017
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Hardware

Apple will toss in a pair of Beats headphones for students who buy a Mac or iPad Pro

Starting today, Apple’s sweetening its education discount program by tossing in a free pair of Beats headphones for qualified students. The deal is timed to coincide with the…

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You can buy Tovala’s $399 smart oven starting today
12th July 2017
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Hardware

You can buy Tovala’s $399 smart oven starting today

Tovala, a $399 smart oven out of Y Combinator promising to perfectly cook ready-made meals in under 30 minutes is finally available for purchase. It can bake, boil…

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Amazon Prime Day deals that don’t suck
12th July 2017
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Hardware

Amazon Prime Day deals that don’t suck

Happy Amazon Prime Day. Sure, it’s a crass, made up holiday created with the sole purpose of fueling the cold, heartless engine of capitalism — but doesn’t that…

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Oculus Rift and Touch controllers on sale for $399 through summer
11th July 2017
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Hardware

Oculus Rift and Touch controllers on sale for $399 through summer

The best current hardware experience for VR is also now one of the most affordable: Oculus Rift and the Oculus Touch Controllers are reduced to just $399 for…

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Lithium Cycles’ Super 73 Scout proves the simplest e-bike can be the most fun in city streets
11th July 2017
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Hardware

Lithium Cycles’ Super 73 Scout proves the simplest e-bike can be the most fun in city streets

This past weekend I ditched my electric skateboards and decided to risk my life testing a whole new and evolving category of personal electric vehicles: e-bikes. Lithium Cycles…

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Comma.ai launches an $88 universal car interface called Panda
8th July 2017
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Hardware

Comma.ai launches an $88 universal car interface called Panda

George Hotz, aka geohot, is fidgeting in his living room, wearing dark shades and a giant comma on his t-shirt as he shows me his company’s latest product,…

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RED launches pre-orders of bizarre $1,600 titanium ‘holographic’ smartphone
7th July 2017
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Hardware

RED launches pre-orders of bizarre $1,600 titanium ‘holographic’ smartphone

Camera companies have had to adapt their business models quickly over the past decade to account for the rise of smartphone cameras. Part of that has involved some…

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The Nest Cam IQ may be smarter, but it’s not yet brilliant
6th July 2017
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Hardware

The Nest Cam IQ may be smarter, but it’s not yet brilliant

The Nest Cam IQ is the latest product from Alphabet-owned smart home company Nest, an HD security camera with a 4K sensor it uses to do things like…

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Make Hollywood-quality animations at low-budget prices with this motion capture suit
6th July 2017
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Hardware

Make Hollywood-quality animations at low-budget prices with this motion capture suit

Rokoko is a new startup helping indie film and game makers make high-quality content with a new type of lower-cost motion capture suit. You might be familiar with…

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Apple said to be exploring face scanning technology for the iPhone
5th July 2017
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Hardware

Apple said to be exploring face scanning technology for the iPhone

According to freshly-minted rumors posted by Bloomberg, Apple is looking to do away with the iPhone’s tried-and-true fingerprint reader altogether, in favor of face-unlocking technology. The move would…

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HP’s Spectre x2 finds its spot as one of the best Windows tablets, for what it’s worth
4th July 2017
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Hardware

HP’s Spectre x2 finds its spot as one of the best Windows tablets, for what it’s worth

The Spectre x2 is what a Surface Pro would feel like with HP’s design cues and a few better specs for the dollar. In fact, most of the…

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The B-Shoe hopes to prevent seniors from falling down
3rd July 2017
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Hardware

The B-Shoe hopes to prevent seniors from falling down

Each second in the U.S., an older adult takes a fall, accounting for more than 27,000 deaths from falling among older individuals, according to the CDC. A company…

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These cities in California’s East Bay are raking in venture capital
2nd July 2017
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Hardware

These cities in California’s East Bay are raking in venture capital

Most Americans have never heard of Emeryville, California. Those who have probably know it as a place where they got stuck on a traffic-clogged stretch of highway overlooking…

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Andy Rubin’s Playground Ventures is raising another $15M
1st July 2017
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Hardware

Andy Rubin’s Playground Ventures is raising another $15M

Playground Ventures — the VC fund co-founded by Android inventor and former Google exec Andy Rubin that sits alongside an eponymous incubator/startup studio and is making some big…

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Roku sales blocked in Mexico following piracy ruling
1st July 2017
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Hardware

Roku sales blocked in Mexico following piracy ruling

Streaming media player maker Roku has lost a legal battle in Mexico which has resulted in a ban on sales of its devices in the country. Cablevision, the…

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The Eero Beacon is the perfect addition to its family of mesh WiFi products
30th June 2017
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Hardware

The Eero Beacon is the perfect addition to its family of mesh WiFi products

Since launching two years ago, wireless networking startup Eero has sought to make it easier for consumers to blanket their homes in strong WiFi. With the its newest hardware…

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Canon’s new 6D Mark II looks like a great update for its entry-level full-frame camera
30th June 2017
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Hardware

Canon’s new 6D Mark II looks like a great update for its entry-level full-frame camera

Canon has a new version of the 6D, its entry-level full-frame DSLR. The 6D debuted in 2012, and I purchased one of the very first off the line…

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A brief history of the iPhone
30th June 2017
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Hardware

A brief history of the iPhone

Steve Jobs called the first iPhone “magic.” It was a customary bit of showmanship from Apple’s late-founder, but a decade after that announcement, it’s difficult to overstate the…

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Amazon disputes claims that Echo Show’s Drop-In feature is a security risk
29th June 2017
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Hardware

Amazon disputes claims that Echo Show’s Drop-In feature is a security risk

Drop-In is a strange and mostly ill-advised feature. It’s a way of offering instant communication between Echo devices — essentially a phone call that doesn’t require the receiver…

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Even a $2.2 billion investment couldn’t solve LeEco’s money problems
29th June 2017
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Hardware

Even a $2.2 billion investment couldn’t solve LeEco’s money problems

LeEco wanted too much too fast, and its overzealousness caught up with it almost immediately. Chairman Jia “YT” Yueting has long acknowledged the company’s cash problems in the…

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Google Home arrives in Canada
28th June 2017
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Hardware

Google Home arrives in Canada

Google Home is now available to buy in Canada, making it the first of the major virtual assistant speaker devices to land in the country. The expansion follows…

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Anki’s Cozmo gets a free update aimed at helping kids learn to code
27th June 2017
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Hardware

Anki’s Cozmo gets a free update aimed at helping kids learn to code

You can’t throw a rock without hitting a coding toy these days. In just the last couple of weeks both Apple and Sony have announced new initiatives, and…

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The Echo Show is a small step for Echo, a big leap for Amazon
27th June 2017
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Hardware

The Echo Show is a small step for Echo, a big leap for Amazon

The Echo Show isn’t a great piece of hardware. It’s beefy and clunky, and kind of looks like something that fell off the back of a RadioShack truck…

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The Amazon Echo now doubles as a home intercom system
27th June 2017
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Hardware

The Amazon Echo now doubles as a home intercom system

Amazon will officially release the Show in a few days, but in the meantime, the company is introducing a long-awaited intercom feature for existing Echo devices. The addition…

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The Surface Laptop makes the new Surface Pro mostly a nonstarter
25th June 2017
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Hardware

The Surface Laptop makes the new Surface Pro mostly a nonstarter

It’s been a week with the new Pro — Microsoft’s part-tablet/part-laptop hybrid machine —  and I already find myself looking longingly at the Surface Laptop. It’s not that…

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Taking a ride in MIT’s self-driving wheelchair
25th June 2017
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Hardware

Taking a ride in MIT’s self-driving wheelchair

Over the past few months, CSAIL’s (MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory) self-driving wheelchair has become a familiar sight around the MIT halls. It’s a nice little rolling…

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