Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Sonos in bricked speaker 'recycling' row

Customers who recycle old speakers qualify for a 30% discount on new products but there is a catch.

Monday, December 30, 2019

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Using Technology to Fix the Flawed Impeachment Process

When the U.S. president was impeached last week, it surfaced the fact that impeachment, and particularly the removal of a U.S. president, is a process that doesn't work. Throughout U.S. history, there have been 45 presidents, and given that no one trains for that job, you'd figure several would have been removed for cause. However, impeachment has been attempted three times without a removal. If a process that has been in place for more than 200 years has never been successful, it is a really bad process.

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Friday, December 27, 2019

App helps parents of premature babies stay in touch

An app has been developed to help parents stay in touch with their premature baby in hospital.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Iran internet 'disrupted' ahead of protests

The authorities reportedly order services to be cut off ahead of fresh planned demonstrations.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick steps down from board

Ride-hailing firm's co-founder steps down from its board saying he wants to focus on other pursuits.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

9 Extremely Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Procrastinators

If your Christmas tree is missing a present, these gifts—and excuses—will keep you on the nice list.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Fund manager defends backing blacklisted Chinese surveillance firm

Fidelity International owns a stake in Hikvision, which is accused of contributing to human rights abuses.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Best Kids Travel Gear: Strollers, Flasks, Toys, and More

Traveling with babies, toddlers, or young children is no picnic. These accessories should help.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Is Your Health Data at Risk?

We've recently seen much breathless news coverage of the Nightingale Project, Google's half-secret partnership with Ascension, the second-largest healthcare system in the United States. The details of the project -- which involves sharing the healthcare data of tens of millions of unsuspecting patients -- have raised significant concerns. The concerns have centered around issues that by now are familiar: Many people are uncomfortable with Google knowing about their personal, sensitive and potentially embarrassing health complaints.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Amazon Device Christmas Sale (2019): Fire Tablets, Kindles, Echos

Hunting for gifts? Fear not, there are still plenty of deals to be found. Some of Amazon's most popular products are on sale.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Why India shuts down the internet more than any other democracy

India shut down the internet 93 times this year, and a blackout in Kashmir is the world's longest.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

People with epilepsy targeted in Twitter attack

Trolls posted strobing Gifs and videos on Twitter with the Epilepsy Foundation's handle and hashtag.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Human Problems Underlying Intel's Diversity Report

When Intel released its diversity report last week, it got pounded for the lack of diversity in its executive staff. Intel is one of the few companies being transparent about diversity. Given that lack of diversity is the problem we want to solve, the bashing is stupid. It is only going to make it harder to address the problem. In effect, Intel did the right thing and was punished for it. It strikes me that taking positive steps to make progress is a more prudent approach than beating up companies that are doing the right thing.

Monday, December 16, 2019

The 6 Best TVs to Buy for Every Budget (2019)

The best, boldest, and most budget-friendly 4K and 8K TVs WIRED has seen, including LG, Samsung, Vizio, and TCL.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Saturday, December 14, 2019

China's Tech Ban Could Have Grave Long-Term Consequences

China has issued an order that all foreign-made computer equipment and software be removed from government offices and public institutions within the next three years. China has estimated that upwards of 30 million pieces of hardware will need to be replaced. This is just the latest salvo in the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China. It began last year when President Trump began to set tariffs and other trade barriers on China. The goal of the White House's policy was to address what the president has called "unfair trade practices."

Friday, December 13, 2019

Here’s How to Survive Sitting in the Bleachers This Winter

Our favorite gear to fend off the cold if you're braving the elements to see a football game this season—socks, gloves, hand warmers, and more.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Facebook Won't Let US, UK, Australia Get Toe in Backdoor

Facebook has rejected a request from the U.S., the UK and Australia for a "backdoor" in its encrypted messenger apps to help law enforcement agencies combat crime and terrorism. "Cybersecurity experts have repeatedly proven that when you weaken any part of an encrypted system, you weaken it for everyone, everywhere," WhatsApp head Will Cathcart and Facebook Messenger head Stan Chudnovsky wrote in a letter to officials. "The 'backdoor' access you are demanding for law enforcement would be a gift to criminals, hackers and repressive regimes..."

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

New 'DNA of Things' Method Stores Digital Memory in Common Objects

Researchers at Swedish university ETH Zurichat have unveiled a method for mixing genetically encoded digital data into common manufacturing materials. They carried out the project in collaboration with an Israeli scientist. The team succeeded in embedding artificial DNA in a small plastic 3D-printed plastic bunny, which would allow self-replication, according to a report published in Nature Biotechnology. The name of the new process -- "DNA of Things," or "DoT" -- alludes to the Internet of Things, or IoT.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Why the ‘Queen of Shitty Robots’ Renounced Her Crown

YouTuber Simone Giertz gave up wildly popular but barely functioning machines and confronted her fears of imperfection (while facing her own mortality and making an awesome Truckla EV).

Monday, December 9, 2019

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Your Smart TV Could Give Hackers a Window on Your World

Cybercriminals have discovered ways to compromise smart TVs, including hacking them, the Portland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently warned. Smart TV owners should do their due diligence to secure the devices, the bureau urged. Smart TVs are just as accessible to unauthorized parties as computers or other Internet-connected devices. Because many TVs now feature microphones and cameras, predators could commit serious privacy intrusions, such as cyberstalking users in their own homes, the FBI pointed out.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Leica SL2 Review: Wonderful (If You Can Afford It)

The iconic company's take on the big, powerful, DSLR-style camera delivers beautifully sharp, detailed images while offering surprisingly powerful video capabilities.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The 9 Best Soundbars for Every Budget (2019)

We've listened to a ton of soundbars and these are the best sounding systems from Vizio, Sonos, Yamaha, and more.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Twitter Sets Up Privacy Center but Moves to Skirt GDPR

Twitter has launched a new Privacy Center to give users more clarity on what it does to protect the information people share. The center will host everything relevant to Twitter's privacy and data protection work, including initiatives, announcements, new privacy products and communication about security incidents. Twitter also announced the relocation of accounts of users outside the U.S. and EU from its international base in Dublin to San Francisco, where they won't be covered by the EU's tough new data privacy law.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin step back from top roles

Larry Page and Sergey Brin are stepping back from the day-to-day running of Google's parent company.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Tapping AI for a Future of Better, Faster, Cheaper Gift Shopping

If you are like me, every Christmas you dread shopping because figuring out what everyone wants is a bit of a nightmare. You don't know what folks want in your price range. If you find out, there is no easy way to be sure they haven't bought it themselves, or that someone else didn't get it for them. Choosing sizes and colors adds to the nightmare. These problems aren't limited to Christmas, as the same gift-selection issues exist for other occasions. Maintaining multiple gift lists and keeping them current is just not something we do well.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Sunday, December 1, 2019

30 Best Outdoor and Fitness Deals

From Patagonia outerwear to the Fitbit Versa Lite, we've got Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to keep you moving, outside, and happy.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

A Glimpse of Our Wireless Future

Last week I attended a Qualcomm event that took me through the coming wave of both 5G and WiFi 6 products, touched on the millimeter wave, and at least spoke to 6G. From this I think I can begin to picture the world as it will exist by the middle of the next decade, and it is kind of fascinating. Qualcomm has spent nearly $50B -- yes billion -- advancing its wireless initiatives. Its current leading efforts are 5G, WiFi 6, and Millimeter Wave. If you are in the U.S., you'll likely have access to all three technologies.

Friday, November 29, 2019

How the Quantum Tech Race Puts the World's Data at Risk

The technology one-upmanship between the United States and China is fast becoming the new space race. There's been a lot of talk in the press about the competition to reach 5G, but little traction outside of the tech community about something more momentous: the dangers of computing in a post-quantum world. The recent news from Google about its quantum capabilities is exciting. However, the prospect of supercomputing on this level raises several concerns about data integrity and the overall security threat.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Huawei: Trouble overseas but boom time in China

While Huawei tech is blocked in the US, it is helping build one of the world biggest 5G networks at home.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Uber loses licence to operate in London

The firm says it will appeal against the decision and can continue to operate during that process.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

TCL 6-Series TV Review: Our Favorite TV of 2019

With top-tier tech and an affordable price tag, TCL's latest 6-Series is the best TV for most people.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Friday, November 22, 2019

Disney+ Is a Wonderful World for Tykes and Geeks

Disney+ has made its official debut, and after a few minor hiccups the service is up and running. It is widely available via a plethora of devices, offers a breadth of content, and serves quick and seamless downloads to mobile devices. However, with a heavy focus on Disney animated films, Marvel superhero movies and Star Wars, this service might not be quite the Netflix killer that the Walt Disney Company claims it is. Simply put, it is a great service for families with children, and it's great for sci-fi fans.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

BA passengers face delays after 'technical issue'

The airline is booking passengers into hotels after some were stuck for up to 10 hours.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Election debate: Conservatives criticised for renaming Twitter profile 'factcheckUK'

Twitter said the stunt was misleading to the public and would not be tolerated in future - but did not take any direct action.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Monday, November 18, 2019

The Thorny Problem of 5G Security

A few years ago, putting the words "mobile telecoms security" in the title of an article would be a license to write whatever you wanted below, because no one was likely to read any of the words after the title. Sprinkling the magic ingredient 5G has changed this, and "5G security" is a hot topic now. What has changed? There is obviously a geopolitical aspect to 5G security, but it is not the full story by any means. Fundamentally, security for 5G is important now because 5G is going to become essential to many more parts of our lives.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

6 Best Gaming Laptops for Every Kind of Player (2019)

We tested the latest and greatest gaming laptops to sort the god-rolls from the vendor fodder.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Friday, November 15, 2019

Thursday, November 14, 2019

'Nightingale Project' to Turn Over Millions of Medical Records to Google

A venture between Google and Ascension, one of the largest healthcare providers in the United States, will give the tech giant access to the sensitive medical information of as many as 50 million patients in 21 states. Its venture with Google, called "The Nightingale Project," would enable it to improve the experience of patients, consumers, providers and associates, Ascension said, as well as advance its mission of providing compassionate, personalized care to all, especially people living in poverty and those most vulnerable.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

New YouTube Terms of Service Create Stir

Google has published changes to YouTube's Terms of Service Agreement that have stoked fears among some users. "YouTube may terminate your access, or your Google account's access to all or part of the Service if YouTube believes, in its sole discretion, that provision of the Service to you is no longer commercially viable," the new ToSA states. Many creators are deeply concerned over the prospect of YouTube changing its practices. "A lot of people on the service make a living on it," noted Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Microsoft Surface Pro X Review: Expensive, Unreliable, Untenable

The slim, light, 2-in-1 computer has a new chip that hobbles the machine’s ability to achieve the dreams that Microsoft had for it.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Apple's 'sexist' credit card investigated by US regulator

Goldman Sachs, which operates Apple Card, discriminates between men and women, it is claimed.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

UPS Chalks Up Another Drone Delivery First

UPS has announced the first two revenue-generating residential deliveries of prescribed medicines to consumers. Its drone delivered the prescription medications from a CVS pharmacy in Cary, North Carolina, to a consumer's home, and to a customer in a retirement community. The drone flew autonomously but was monitored by a remote operator who could intervene if needed. In each case, it hovered about 20 feet above the delivery destination and lowered its package to the ground using a winch and cable.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Friday, November 8, 2019

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The 8 Best Robot Vacuums for Every Home and Budget (2019)

We've tested dozens of robot vacuums. Whether you're up against pet hair, carpet, or hardwood floors, we have a pick for you.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Truth vs. Censorship Trap

There recently has been a lot of rumbling about Twitter deciding not to take political ads, and Facebook deciding that it would run political ads even if untrue. I'm becoming convinced that Zuckerberg is trying to put Facebook out of business. There are some real differences between the firms. Facebook does far more political advertising than Twitter, so it would have been more painful to cut the ads. Still, effectively admitting that it intends to support voter manipulation at a national scale isn't going to sit well with regulators.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Evidence of War Crimes Vanishing From Social Media

A controversy has erupted over YouTube's practice of taking down graphically violent videos that may be evidence of recent war crimes. YouTube's policy -- similar to other social media platforms -- has been to remove content that contains hate speech, disinformation or disturbing images. In the past, Facebook and other services have been called out for failing to do enough to stop the live streaming of criminal and violent acts. Many user-generated content services have stepped up efforts to remove problematic videos as quickly as possible.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Saturday, November 2, 2019

13 Great Tech Deals on TVs, Games, Apple Watch and more

Whether you need a smartwatch or an air fryer, these are the best things worth buying this weekend.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Twitter to ban all political advertising

CEO Jack Dorsey says the reach of political messages "should be earned, not bought".

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Active Noise Cancellation a Big Draw in New Apple AirPods

Active Noise Cancellation is just one of the hot new features in the latest generation of Apple's AirPods. The new AirPods Pro, which go on sale Wednesday for $249, combine earbud microphones with software to remove background noise and improve a user's listening experience. An outward-facing mic on the bud collects environmental sound for analysis. That analysis allows the bud to create a sound that can cancel out noise before it reaches a listener's ear. Meanwhile, an inward-facing mic listens toward the ear.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Monday, October 28, 2019

Why do gay apps struggle to stop catfish?

Gay dating app Hornet says it will use algorithms to tackle fake profiles and fraudsters.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

EA Rewards Battlefield V Fans With Expansive Pacific Chapter

There's a new trailer for Battlefield V, the World War II first-person shooter Electronic Arts released last year, highlighting the game's Chapter 5: War in the Pacific. The trailer previews team-based gameplay in settings ranging from Europe to the South Pacific. War in the Pacific is a free download that will be available on Oct. 31. New maps will include familiar stomping grounds such as Wake Island and Iwo Jima, and add American and Japanese factions to the game, along with a slew of new weapons and vehicles.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

10 Best Cheap Headphones & Earbuds for $100 or Less (2019)

We’ve picked the best affordable in-ear, over-ear, on-ear, wireless, and corded headphones in every price bracket.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Mobile giants unveil plan to end rural 'not-spots'

The proposed deal with the government aims to get 4G coverage to 95% of the UK by 2025.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Amazon Echo Dot Deal: It's on Sale for Just $9

This is a ridiculously good price for Amazon's popular 3rd-Generation Echo Dot—but there is one tiny caveat.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

GoPro Max 360 Wins Reviewers' Plaudits

GoPro has begun taking preorders for its $500 360-degree camera, the Max 360. It has two 180-degree lenses that can capture 360-degree stills at 16.6 megapixels, single lens shots with a 4:3 aspect ratio at 5.5 megapixels, and arresting 270-degree "PowerPanos" at 6.2 megapixels. For video, it can capture 1440p at 60 frames-per-second with a single lens and 5.6k spherical clips at 30 fps. There are microphones on all sides of the camera, save one, and it supports all current GoPro accessories.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

3 Coming Tech Advances That Could Boost Our Safety and Smarts

I was moved by the recent news about a woman being shot in her home by a police officer. Once again, I found it frustrating that people immediately jumped to apply blame before all the facts were in. Three mistakes contributed to the incident. The first was by the neighbor, who should have called the homeowner before calling the police. The second was by the police, who should have called the woman before going to the front door. Finally, the woman made the final mistake by picking up a gun without being ready to use it.

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to Pick the Best Roku: A Guide to Each Model (2019)

There are 7 Rokus for sale, and the differences between them are confusing. We break down exactly which Roku is best for your TV.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Masterbuilt 330G Propane Smoker Review: As Good as Wood

Some pit masters may look down on smoking with propane, but this smoker could convert them.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Adopt a Maintenance Mindset: Protect IT

As part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the National Cyber Security Alliance is advising all computer users to "Protect IT" by taking precautions such as updating to the latest security software, Web browser and operating system. The nonprofit public-private partnership, which works with DHS as well as private sector sponsors, advised computer users on ways to protect their personal data and how to use WiFi safely. Protect IT is the third pillar of the NCSA's overarching message around this month's awareness program.

Friday, October 18, 2019

4 College Admissions Essay Editing Services Reviewed: Scribendi, Wordvice, Elite Editing, Scribbr

College applicants seeking an edge can turn to online services which, for as little as $14, will spruce up their admissions essays.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Vatican launches new 'eRosary' bracelet

The gadget aims to help young Catholics pray for world peace and contemplate the gospel.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Germany will not bar Huawei from its 5G networks

The ruling is welcomed by the Chinese company, which warned against "politicising security".

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Safari's Safe Browsing Option Raises Privacy Concerns

An option in Apple's Safari browser that's supposed to protect Web surfers from malicious sites has raised privacy concerns in some quarters. The option, called "safe browsing," is turned on by default. Depending on where an Apple device is registered, the browser could be sending IP information to Tencent, a conglomerate with close ties to China's government. "Safe browsing should not only mean you're protected from visiting websites that are dangerous, but that your privacy is safe, too," said law professor Joel R. Reidenberg.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Setting Up Roadblocks to Social Engineering

Since the dawn of the Internet age, criminals have looked for ways to profit on unsuspecting people while they browse the Web. Viruses, malware and other schemes were invented to infect and infiltrate systems, both at the enterprise and consumer levels. One of the most successful forms of cybercrime is social engineering, also known as the con man of the Internet. Social engineering actually covers a wide range of security threats, not just those in a digital context, but it's usually associated with attacks like phishing.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Payments giants abandon Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency

Mastercard, Visa, eBay and Stripe join PayPal in no longer supporting Facebook's effort to launch a currency.

Friday, October 11, 2019

USB-C Has Finally Come Into Its Own

“The port of the future” has become the port of right now—with one big exception.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

26 Best Nintendo Switch Accessories (WIRED's Top 2019 Picks)

Own Nintendo's two-in-one console? These are our picks for the best gaming headsets, chargers, screen protectors, cases, stands, controllers, adapters, and more.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The Big Lure of Tiny Keyboards

Minimalists intent on freeing up desk space are shrinking their keyboards.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

How to Donate or Recycle Your Lego Bricks

The toy company has partnered with a logistics company to collect, wash, and redistribute used Lego pieces as part of its sustainability goal.

Monday, October 7, 2019

YouTube terminates Addy A-Game and Street Attraction channels

Hundreds of online videos are removed for breaking rules on nudity and sexual conduct after a BBC investigation.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Get Serious About Cybersecurity: Take Ownership of Your Personal Data

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and one of the prongs in the three-part theme is for all computer users to "Own IT." This means staying safe on social media, updating privacy settings, and keeping tabs on apps. Simply put, users need to take better ownership of their data and their online presence as part of daily safe cyber practices. It is all too easy simply to click the wrong link, share the wrong thing on social media, or download the wrong app. One of the biggest risks today is ransomware.

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Friday, October 4, 2019

GoPro Hero 7 Black Deal: $70 Off Right Now

The Hero 7 is still a great deal at $329, with superb image stabilization and awesome time-lapse video.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

New Surface Line Makes the Earth Move for Microsoft Fans

Microsoft has launched a slew of new devices designed to reshape the world: the Surface Laptop 3, the Surface Pro 7, the Surface Pro X, Surface Earbuds, and the upcoming Surface Neo and Surface Duo. "The next decade will be about creation, and amplifying what we can do as humans," said CEO Satya Nadella. "It's that ambition that ... underlies the approach to Surface and everything we do today." The Surface Laptop 3, Pro 7 and Pro X are available for preorder in select markets. The dual-screen Surface Neo and Duo will be available next year.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

US hospitals turn away patients as ransomware strikes

Three hospitals in Alabama were forced to close their doors to all but the most critical new patients.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

A Peek at Our Wireless Future

Last week I attended a Qualcomm event that took me through the coming wave of both 5G and WiFi 6 products, touched on the millimeter wave, and at least spoke to 6G. From this I think I can begin to picture the world as it will exist by the middle of the next decade, and it is kind of fascinating. Qualcomm has spent nearly $50B -- yes billion -- advancing its wireless initiatives. Its current leading efforts are 5G, WiFi 6, and Millimeter Wave. If you are in the U.S., you'll likely have access to all three technologies.

Monday, September 30, 2019

Best Dog Tech & Accessories: 10 Essentials for Your Pup

WIRED's favorite dog gear, including a pet camera, fitness tracker, geofencing collar, camping bed, and leash.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Spoofing emails: The trickery costing businesses billions

Company executives are being targeted by spoof emails requesting them to send vast sums of money.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Review: A Go-Anywhere Headset

The latest SteelSeries Arctis headset is wireless, works with every game system, and doubles as a great pair of music headphones.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Facebook to create VR world called Horizon

Inhabitants of the virtual space will be able to play games, chat and shape the world, says Facebook.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Little Talk of Sustainability at Amazon's Big Hardware Event

But CEO Jeff Bezos says he considers Amazon’s hardware strategy to be a part of the company’s efforts to reduce its overall carbon footprint.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

WeWork's Adam Neumann quits as chief executive

The boss of the trendy office rental firm says stepping aside is "in the best interests of the firm".

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Art Project Uncovers Bias in AI Training Models

A website created to gather faces for an art project has created a controversy over the use of AI to classify human beings. The faces collected at the ImageNet Roulette site are being incorporated into a work of art in Milan, but that is only one reason American artist Trevor Paglen and Microsoft researcher Kate Crawford created the site. "ImageNet Roulette was launched ... to draw attention to the things that can -- and regularly do -- go wrong when artificial intelligence models are trained on problematic training data," the creators wrote.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Kodak Smile Classic Review: The Best Zink Instant Camera

Kodak's latest instant camera offers bigger, better prints with its eye-catching camera-printer combo.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

What3words: 'Life-saving app' divides opinion

First responders have been singing the praises of what3words but some have reservations about the tech.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

It's a Great Time to Buy a Kindle (and 10 More Tech Deals)

Amazon is clearing out Kindles, and there are some deep discounts on some iPhone alternatives this weekend.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Fitness: The Sweet Spot for Smartwatches

Smartwatches outsold traditional watches in the fourth quarter of 2018. The category saw a 51 percent increase in dollar sales for last year, along with a 61 percent increase in unit sales, according to recent data from NPD Group. One in four Americans aged 18 to 34 now own a smartwatch, and that is likely to increase. Traditional watches did regain the majority of the market in Q1 2019, suggesting that not all consumers are ready to have a mini-computer on their wrists just yet.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

iPhone 11: To Upgrade or Not, That's the Question

Early reviews on the new iPhone models are appearing, and for owners of older versions of Apple's flagship mobile, an upgrade may be in order. Reviewers had plenty of praise for Apple's more expensive iPhone models -- the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. However, it was the baseline iPhone 11 that came out the clear winner in the kudos game. Although the iPhone 11 is the lowest-priced of the three new models, Apple didn't skimp on the device. Reviewers found the 11's camera to be a solid performer. They also praised the iPhone 11 line's video prowess.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Wi-Fi 6 Is Ready for Prime Time

The Wi-Fi Alliance has released certification standards for Wi-Fi 6 devices, signaling that the technology is ready for prime time. The certification program assures buyers that products carrying the Wi-Fi Certified 6 label will deliver the best user experience with devices supporting IEEE 802.11ax. Wi-Fi 6 includes innovations to create faster network performance and to decrease the latency that can result from adding devices to a network. "Wi-Fi Certified 6 is ushering in a new era of WiFi," said Wi-Fi Alliance CEO Edgar Figueroa.

Monday, September 16, 2019

The Pitched Battle Over Streaming Content

At Apple's annual new products and devices event earlier this week, CEO Tim Cook told the crowd gathered at its Cupertino headquarters that the new Apple TV+ streaming service will be available for $4.99 per month. Consumers who buy a new iPad, iPhone or Apple laptop will receive a year of the subscription-based streaming video service for free. It was a shot across the bow at Disney, which recently announced at its D23 event in Anaheim, California, that the Disney+ streaming service will be available for $6.99 per month.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

8 Best Zink Instant Cameras & Printers (Zero Ink, Inkless)

We've been testing inkless "Zero Ink" printers and instant cameras for months. These are our favorites.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Friday, September 13, 2019

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Adam Savage’s New VR App Lets You Visit Maker Workshops

Strap on an Oculus headset and approach the workbench as the world's best makers show you how they craft their creations.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Google's Super-Sized Nest Hub Draws Mixed Reviews

The new larger version of Google's Nest Hub smart display has been garnering mixed reviews. It has a 10-inch screen, compared to its predecessor's 7-inch display, and it sells for $229, compared to $129 for the Nest Hub introduced at Google's I/O conference in June. "I like the big screen on the Nest Hub Max, since I was able to watch a football game in the kitchen and still see the score," wrote Todd Haselton. One of the best things about the Nest Hub, and now the Nest Hub Max, is viewing pictures from Google Photos, he added.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Watch Apple’s 2019 iPhone Announcement Right Here

The next iPhone (and lots of other stuff) will be unveiled today. Keep a browser tab tuned to WIRED to see it all live.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Almost one-fifth of Britons 'do not use internet'

Survey says almost everyone under 50 is online but after that, use declines by about 2% per year.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

5 Best Gaming Desktop PCs (2019): Custom, High-End, Cheap

I assure you, these PC battle stations are fully armed and operational. They're also WIRED Recommended.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Unsolicited nudes detected and deleted by AI

Software that can detect unwanted penis pictures sent on Twitter is being developed.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Multi-Cloud Strategy May Pose Higher Security Risk: Study

Users of a multi-cloud storage strategy may be twice as likely to face a security breach as those that use hybrid or single clouds, suggests a report from UK-based security specialist Nominet. Fifty-two percent of survey respondents who adopted a multi-cloud approach suffered a data breach over the past 12 months, compared to 24 percent of hybrid cloud users, and 24 percent of single-cloud users, the firm found after polling nearly 300 C-Level executives and IT professionals.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Amazon Trying Out Hand-Scanning Payment System: Report

Amazon is testing scanners that can identify a human hand to use as a payment method for in-store purchases. The company plans to introduce "Orville" to some Whole Foods stores by the beginning of 2020, and later expand it to all locations in the United States. Employees at Amazon's New York offices are said to be using the technology to buy items such as sodas, chips, granola bars and phone chargers from specially equipped vending machines. The high-tech sensors used in the pilot use computer vision and depth geometry.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

South Wales Police use of facial recognition ruled lawful

High Court rules against a Cardiff shopper who brought a judicial review against South Wales Police.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

29 Best Labor Day Sales (2019): Tech, Laptops, TV, Gaming, Etc

From iPads to water filters, we’ve scoured the last of the summer’s deals to find our absolute favorites.

Monday, September 2, 2019

How to Save Yourself From Notification Overload

You get too many rings and blips and squawks on your smartphone. Here's how to shut them up.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Saturday, August 31, 2019

YouTube restores far-right channels after appeal

The video-sharing site said it had been wrong to cut off access to the white nationalist channels.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Google finds 'indiscriminate iPhone attack lasting years'

Criminals used previously unknown vulnerabilities to implant monitoring software, research shows.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Verizon Steps Up Fight Against Rampant Robocalls

Verizon, the No. 1 mobile carrier in the United States, this week introduced a free version of its robocall-blocking app, which will be standard on all new Android devices. The company further announced that it will auto-enroll eligible Android users to its Call Filter service and block what are seen as "high-risk" calls. This includes calls from numbers that have been reported as fraudulent. Those calls will be sent to voicemail, while the display on caller ID will indicate "Potential Spam" to warn callers that it is likely a robocall.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

French 'cybercops' dismantle pirate computer network

A team of French police destroys a virus that infected 850,000 computers, officials say.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Tips for Women and Girls Interested in STEAM Careers

I came to tech by accident. Formally trained in public health and international development, I was presented with a problem that needed to be fixed. Suffering from a naturally inquisitive mind as I do, it was only a few rabbit holes later that I found my world blown open by a richly diverse global network of coders, mappers, geeks and dreamers. These are folks who are trying to hack real-world development challenges faced by people fighting infectious disease outbreaks, communities piecing life back together in disasters' wake, and more.

Monday, August 26, 2019

World of Warcraft Classic: Hit game goes back to basics

The hit video game is now offering players a "classic" version - with some modern enhancements.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Best Travel Gear for Babies and Kids (Flights, Car Rides)

Traveling with babies, toddlers, or young kids is no picnic—even if food is involved. These accessories should help.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Tesla and Walmart address solar panel fire issues

The supermarket chain had issued a lawsuit against Tesla over a series of solar panel fires.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Raspberry Pi 4 Review: A Powerful New Pi

You can buy the latest Raspberry Pi as a Desktop PC Kit if you want, making it more useful than ever.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

10 Best Wireless Earbuds for Working Out (2019)

Looking for a pair of sturdy, sweatproof, buds to help you rock your inner jock? We have you covered.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Lightning strike 'partly to blame' for power cut

National Grid could be fined for the outage that affected nearly a million people in England and Wales.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Robot Coffee Tastes Great, But at What Cost? (About $5)

Coffee Haus makes coffee drinks 100 times an hour in its robotic kiosks. No humans required.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Fortnite coach who helped create teenage millionaires

Hugh Gilmour failed to qualify for the Fortnite World Cup, so has turned to coaching instead.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Samsung Announces Monster 108MP Smartphone Sensor

Samsung and Xiaomi have announced a new sensor for smartphone cameras comparable to those used in high-end DSLR shutterboxes. The new Isocell Bright HMX packs 108 megapixels on a three-quarter-inch sensor, similar to the sensors found in digital cameras that use interchangeable lenses. "If this new sensor performs as Samsung claims, it will enable smartphones to capture images that rival DSLR cameras," said analyst Charles King. Despite the HMX's powerful potential, the sensor probably won't impact the high-end camera market.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Amazon quizzed over 'Choice' ratings

US politicians want to know how Amazon picks the products that get the coveted Choice label.

Monday, August 12, 2019

7 Best Coolers WIRED Tested For Every Budget, Any Situation

We drank chilled beverage after chilled beverage to bring you the best coolers and ice chests for every situation.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Saturday, August 10, 2019

12 Best Weekend Deals on Outdoor Gear and Indoor Tech

We dug through this weekend's sales to find the best deals on everything from a stylish hatchet to *Spider-Man* on PS4.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Hong Kong protesters turn to Uber and Pokemon

Demonstrators make use of high-tech services to keep their struggle alive and evade being tracked.

Thursday, August 8, 2019

New cars 'can be broken into in 10 seconds'

What Car? magazine experts say the latest models with keyless entry systems can easily be hijacked.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Monday, August 5, 2019

5 Best Compact Cameras for 2019: Cheap, Rugged, 10x Zoom

Your phone's portrait mode is no match for a real point-and-shoot camera's portrait lens. These are the best small pocket cameras we've tested.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Is Biometrics ID Security Good Enough?

United Airlines has announced plans to begin rolling out Clear's biometric prescreening at its hub airports. The system works by verifying a flier's fingerprints or eye scan. Clear already is available at about 60 locations throughout the United States. It offers a system that utilizes biometrics to speed preapproved travelers to the front of the security lane, and even ahead of TSA Pre-Check fliers. There now are at least 53 biometric systems used just by the aviation industry.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Broadband chiefs fire back at PM's full-fibre internet pledge

Leaders say a 2025 full-fibre deadline can only be met if four problems are resolved in 12 months.

Friday, August 2, 2019

Best Sonos Setup: Which Speakers, Soundbars Should You Buy?

We’ve tested every Sonos speaker and Soundbar at WIRED, including the Ikea Symfonisk models. We like them all, but which ones are worth buying?

Thursday, August 1, 2019

UCSF Researchers Synthesize Speech From Brain Waves

Researchers led by speech neuroscientist Edward Chang at the University of California San Francisco have achieved success at decoding speech attempts in real time by reading the activity in the speech centers of test subjects' brains. Three persons capable of normal speech, who were being treated for epilepsy, participated in the study. They permitted the researchers to make use of tiny recording electrodes that previously were placed on the surface of their brains to map the origins of their seizures in preparation for neurosurgery.

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Capital One Discloses Massive Data Breach, Hacker Arrested

Capital One Financial Corporation has announced a data breach affecting some 100 million people in the United States and another 6 million in Canada. The FBI arrested the alleged perpetrator of the breach in Seattle. Capital One on July 19 discovered someone had accessed its data stored online and obtained personal information of credit card customers and people who had applied for credit card products. No credit card account numbers or log-in credentials were compromised in the breach, the company said.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Fire Emblem: Nintendo cuts voice actor over emotional abuse

Chris Niosi is being removed from Fire Emblem: Three Houses, days after the game's release.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Airbnb host fined £100,000 for letting council flat

A council tenant used a fake identity to rent out his central London flat to tourists on Airbnb.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Fortnite World Cup: How to watch it, when it's on and who's won?

The Fortnite World Cup finals is happening with players from all over the world competing to take home various titles.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Gadget Lab Podcast: Why New York’s Revenge Porn Law is Flawed

The state of New York officially criminalized the spread of nonconsensual pornography, but WIRED’s Emma Grey Ellis tells the Gadget Lab team this new law is only a partial victory.

Friday, July 26, 2019

What the CBS Blackout Means for the Future of Streaming

CBS went dark across AT&T's U-verse and DirecTV services, days after the seven-year contract between the two companies expired. As the two couldn't come to new terms, CBS and its related channels -- including CBSN, CBS Sports and The Smithsonian Channel -- were blacked out. This latest disruption in service affected viewers in major markets across the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Tampa, Seattle, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Fortnite World Cup finals: How to watch it, when it's on and who is through?

The Fortnite World Cup finals kick off tomorrow with players from all over the world competing to take home various titles.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Microsoft, OpenAI Shoot for the Stars

Microsoft wants to empower its Azure cloud computing service with yet-to-exist artificial general intelligence technologies to create new goals for supercomputing. It has announced a $1B investment through a partnership with OpenAI to build new AI technologies. The two companies hope to extend Microsoft Azure's capabilities in large-scale AI systems. Microsoft and OpenAI want to accelerate breakthroughs in AI and power OpenAI's efforts to create artificial general intelligence.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Why We All Need to Learn to Live on Camera

I was struck by a recent video of a soldier who apparently took some woman's parking spot and then went off the rails when she objected. He bad-mouthed the U.S. military and the U.S., abused his wife, and put his child at risk. A decade ago we probably wouldn't have seen this incident, but now there is a good chance that anyone who misbehaves will be caught on camera. These can be life-changing events -- and not in a good way. In some cases, the people caught are serial abusers, but sometimes they're individuals who are just having a bad day.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Equifax to pay up to $700m to settle data breach

The credit score agency has agreed a settlement after hackers stole 147 million people's details.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Sony RX 100 VI Review: It Does What Your Phone Camera Can't

It's small, lightweight, and has an impressive zoom. But that comes with a hefty price tag.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Algae bio-curtains: Architects' radical solution to capture carbon

Scientists and architects in London have developed 'bio-curtains' to act as an alternative to urban trees.

Friday, July 19, 2019

5 Best Portable Espresso Makers You Can Buy (2019)

Make awesome espresso on the road, hiking, car camping, or anywhere else, with these handheld machines.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

33 Best Deals From Walmart and Other Amazon Prime Day Rivals

Prime Day is so popular that Amazon competitors like Walmart and Target counter it with their own sales. We've collected the best of the rest.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Code Cracker Turing to Be on 50-Quid Notes

Alan Turing, the British mathematician known for his World War II code-breaking exploits and for a test to distinguish between human and machine intelligence, will be on 50-pound notes in the UK by the end of 2021. The Bank of England, which made the announcement, explained that Turing, who died in 1954, was chosen from a field of 989 eligible characters after a public nomination period. Other characters included theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, mathematician Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, maker of a mechanical computer.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

AI solves Rubik's Cube in under one second

An AI system teaches itself to solve the Rubik's Cube more quickly than any human.

Monday, July 15, 2019

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Social Media, Crafters, Gamers and the Online Censorship Debate

Ravelry, an online knitting community that has more than 8 million members, last month announced that it would ban forum posts, projects, patterns and even profiles from users who supported the Trump administration. "We cannot provide a space that is inclusive of all and also allow support for open white supremacy," the administrators posted on the site. "Support of the Trump administration is undeniably support for white supremacy," the post added. The administrators have maintained that they aren't endorsing Democrats or banning Republicans.

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Facebook 'to be fined $5bn over Cambridge Analytica scandal'

US regulators are said to have approved a penalty against Facebook over a data protection scandal.

Friday, July 12, 2019

Automated facial recognition trials backed by home secretary

The cameras have faced criticism, but Sajid Javid says it is right police use the latest technology.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Zoom Flaw Turns Mac Cam into Spy Cam

A security researcher has found a flaw in the popular video conferencing app Zoom that could be used to turn on the camera on a Macintosh computer without a user's permission. The vulnerability allows any website to forcibly join a user to a Zoom call, with their video camera activated, without a user's permission, explained Jonathan Leitschuh, a senior software engineer at Gradle. The code could be used in a malicious ad or in a phishing campaign, he wrote. Zoom contradicted some of Leitschuh's conclusions in a response post.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Hackers 'could target anaesthetic devices'

The machines, which have been used by the NHS, were recently found to have a security vulnerability.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Anticipating the Merger of Apple and Oracle

Like a lot of you, after reading about the departure of Jony Ive, I'm trying to wrap my head around Apple without a design focus. Now this isn't as hard as you might think, given the last truly successful Apple product came out around a decade ago and was called the "iPad." It is also somewhat ironic that Apple just effectively relaunched the iPod, the product that Steve Jobs rode to Apple's massive success last decade. In many respects, Apple is like the consumer version of Oracle.

Monday, July 8, 2019

Can You Hear Me Now? Staying Connected During a Cybersecurity Incident

While good communication is pretty much universally beneficial, there are times when it's more so than others. One such time? During a cybersecurity incident. Incident responders know that communication is paramount. Even a few minutes might mean the difference between closing an issue vs. allowing a risky situation to persist longer than it needs to. In fact, communication -- both within the team and externally with different groups -- is one of the most important tools at the disposal of the response team.