How to avoid getting ripped off using online tools[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 19:58:39 GMT ]Often, the best way to avoid a rip-off is to know what others are paying for things. What did the guy sitting next to me on the plane pay for his ticket? How much did the neighbor pay for his kid's wedding? That emergency dental procedure? The water pump replacement on her late-model foreign car?

Mobile mania: Best Black Friday deals on laptops, tablets and smartphones[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 22:26:28 GMT ]Black Friday keeps coming earlier and earlier, with some stores opening on Thanksgiving night. Other retailers announced special deals in early November, and simply called them Black Friday deals.

'OK Google' voice-activated search comes to Chrome[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 23:39:20 GMT ]Google has finally brought voice-activated search, first seen on the Moto X, to the Chrome browser. If you have Chrome and a microphone, you can try it out right now — but it's not quite as useful as its mobile predecessor.

Google's Moto G: $179 gets you 8 GB, quad core, HD[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 01:08:15 GMT ]If you're looking for a budget phone this winter, you could do worse than the Moto G, the latest device from the recently merged Google and Motorola.

Unbearable wearable: Bar bans Google Glass, boots 'rude' user[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 01:25:06 GMT ]Google Glass may still be a rare sight in the wild, but the wearable camera and mobile device never fails to attract attention whenever it appears — and not always the good kind of attention. A recent altercation at a Seattle bar and restaurant resulted in the establishment banning Glass for good.

Microsoft said to beef up its Internet encryption[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 03:59:14 GMT ]Edward Snowden's NSA leaks have caused Google, Yahoo, and Facebook to pledge stronger Internet encryption. Is Microsoft next on the list? [Read more]

US download speeds sluggish compared with other countries[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 05:53:50 GMT ]Does your Internet download speed seem painfully sloth-like? This could be a result of the country you live in. The US ranks a lowly 31st in the world's consumer download speeds. [Read more]

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: When should you buy a smartphone?[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 08:00:00 GMT ]In this edition of Ask Maggie, CNET's Marguerite Reardon offers some advice on getting the best deal on a smartphone this holiday season. [Read more]

Steve Ballmer's replacement needs to make this phone call[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 11:00:00 GMT ]If Microsoft's outgoing chief executive had listened to Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's incoming CEO would have a much easier go of it. [Read more]

Report: NSA logged online porn habits of Muslim 'radicalizers'[ Wed, 27 Nov 2013 11:13:32 GMT ]Muslim radicals' appetite for sexual explicit material means their reputations can be undermined through charges of hypocrisy, according to a document released by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. [Read more]

Battle over a smartphone 'kill switch'[ Wed, 20 Nov 2013 19:50:42 EST ]For victims of smartphone theft, the ultimate justice is hitting a button that disables the device, turning it into a worthless rectangular paperweight. More importantly, the ability to disable a stolen smartphone could reduce theft for all consumers, since the resale value of the devices would plummet.

Celebrating 35 years of Apple design[ Thu, 21 Nov 2013 17:08:31 EST ]A self-professed Apple fanatic, Jonathan Zufi was looking for a book of photography profiling the company's products through the years.

New pics celebrate 'Earth from Space'[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:56:55 EST ]If you've ever gazed down from an airplane on a clear day, you've probably admired the quilted fields or jagged ribbons of coastline below.

Xbox gamers face cursing crackdown[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:55:58 EST ]What the #@!%? Some gamers uploading R-rated videos of themselves playing on the new Xbox One are learning the hard way that Microsoft is trying to crack down on cursing.

Xbox gamers suspended in cursing crackdown[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:37:19 EST ]What the #@!%? Some gamers uploading R-rated videos of themselves playing on the new Xbox One are learning the hard way that Microsoft is trying to crack down on cursing.

Microsoft acknowledges, replaces faulty Xbox One drives[ Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:08:29 GMT ]Launches of million-selling high-tech devices rarely go perfectly, and Microsoft's Xbox One is no exception: The company has confirmed reports that some consoles suffer from a faulty disc drive. If you're one of the unfortunate few, contact customer service to get a replacement unit sent out.

Stop selling those DNA tests, FDA tells 23andMe[ Mon, 25 Nov 2013 22:43:40 GMT ]The Food and Drug Administration has ordered DNA testing company 23andMe to stop marketing its over-the-counter genetic test, saying it’s being sold illegally to diagnose diseases, and with no proof it actually works.

1 in 10 Twitter accounts is fake, say researchers[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 00:40:25 GMT ]What's in a Twitter handle? Apparently a lot of green, judging by opportunists around the world who are trying to cash in by selling fake followers online. Twitter, in advance of its initial public offering on Nov. 7, disclosed that it had 232 million monthly active users.

Atlas humanoid robot takes wobbly steps over obstacles[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:14:06 GMT ]The term "humanoid robot" might call up memories of "Terminator," but the bipedal Atlas robot doesn't seem quite that threatening in this video, which has it gingerly picking its way across a path strewn with detritus.

Stalking complaint filed against John McAfee[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:47:26 GMT ]PORTLAND, Ore. — Anti-virus software entrepreneur John McAfee is facing a civil stalking complaint in Oregon. The 68-year-old British native arrived in Portland last winter after fleeing the Central American nation of Belize.

'Made for iPhone' hearing aids aim to shake stigma[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 02:00:55 GMT ]Apple partners with GN ReSound to create LiNX -- a hearing aid that uses Bluetooth-like technology to wirelessly connect directly to smartphones. [Read more]

&%*$#! Microsoft limits Xbox Live users' curse words[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 03:25:54 GMT ]Take heed gamers: too many obscenities uttered in Upload Studio videos could lead to loss of account privileges. [Read more]

4G LTE headed to wireless carriers in China next month[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 03:55:37 GMT ]China's official state news agency reports that the iPhone will launch at the same time on China Mobile, the world's largest wireless carrier. [Read more]

Cyber Monday is poised to break online shopping records[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 04:45:05 GMT ]Market researcher Forrester predicts that an all-time high of $78.7 billion will be spent online in the US during this year's holiday season. [Read more]

Judge denies Samsung motion to stay Apple patent damages trial[ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 06:38:06 GMT ]Korean electronics giant sought halt to proceedings so that the Patent Office could examine a key patent's validity. [Read more]

New glimpses of Apple's 'spaceship' campus[ Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:31:53 EST ]Apple's plans for a futuristic headquarters resembling a spaceship has been approved, and is expected to land in 2016!

Sony addresses PS4 'blue light of death'[ Tue, 19 Nov 2013 17:08:15 EST ]Even as it celebrates brisk sales of its new PlayStation 4, Sony is offering help to gamers experiencing problems with the next-generation gaming console.

Battle over a smartphone 'kill switch'[ Wed, 20 Nov 2013 19:50:42 EST ]For victims of smartphone theft, the ultimate justice is hitting a button that disables the device, turning it into a worthless rectangular paperweight. More importantly, the ability to disable a stolen smartphone could reduce theft for all consumers, since the resale value of the devices would plummet.

Celebrating 35 years of Apple design[ Thu, 21 Nov 2013 17:08:31 EST ]A self-professed Apple fanatic, Jonathan Zufi was looking for a book of photography profiling the company's products through the years.

Apple buys 3-D company that helped make Kinect[ Mon, 25 Nov 2013 14:42:22 EST ]Apple has bought a 3-D-sensor company that helped build Microsoft's motion-control system Kinect, stirring curiosity about what the tech giant might be up to behind closed doors in Cupertino.

Twitter joins Google, Facebook with 'forward secrecy' security[ Sat, 23 Nov 2013 00:08:03 GMT ]With the scope of the National Security Agency seemingly expanding with every new revelation, Web services are rushing to implement security measures that will keep both hackers and nosy government agencies out.

Like rival PS4, Xbox One sells a million on day one[ Sat, 23 Nov 2013 01:53:14 GMT ]On Monday, news that Sony had sold a million PlayStation 4s in 24 hours indicated a strong launch for the new console. Not to be outdone, Microsoft announced Friday that the Xbox One had achieved the same feat.

Now playing on the big screen: The best HDTVs and 4k Ultra HDTVs of 2013[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 11:35:26 GMT ]2013 has been a year of triumph — and some trouble — for the TV industry.

Best gadgets for your kitchen[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:49:24 GMT ]Need recommendations on last-minute cooking gadgets, bar supplies, place settings or cleaning products before Thanksgiving? We've got your back.

Tiny flying robot soars like a ... jellyfish?[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 19:47:46 GMT ]For centuries, humans looking to tame the skies have tried to mimic the movements of birds and insects. But engineers building flying machines have now found an unlikely muse: the ocean-dwelling jellyfish.

Zuckerberg says US 'really blew it' on surveillance programs[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 20:00:30 GMT ]Facebook CEO criticizes government's data collection programs as lacking transparency. [Read more]

Memory makeover: DRAM days numbered as Japan eyes MRAM[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 20:35:49 GMT ]DRAM has been around a long, long time. Is MRAM the next big memory thing? [Read more]

So Apple does own beautiful and sexy[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 21:59:00 GMT ]Did a curious comment made by Samsung's lawyer during last week's trial result in Apple being seen as even more strongly associated with taste? [Read more]

2013 L.A. Auto Show video highlights[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 22:31:22 GMT ]If you only have an hour at the L.A. auto show, here's a guided tour of what not to miss. [Read more]

Apple confirms deal for 3-D sensing company PrimeSense[ Mon, 25 Nov 2013 00:06:29 GMT ]Spokesperson says purchase of the 3-D sensing company behind Microsoft's Kinect sensor is a done deal. [Read more]

New glimpses of Apple's 'spaceship' campus[ Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:31:53 EST ]Apple's plans for a futuristic headquarters resembling a spaceship has been approved, and is expected to land in 2016!

Sony addresses PS4 'blue light of death'[ Tue, 19 Nov 2013 17:08:15 EST ]Even as it celebrates brisk sales of its new PlayStation 4, Sony is offering help to gamers experiencing problems with the next-generation gaming console.

Battle over a smartphone 'kill switch'[ Wed, 20 Nov 2013 19:50:42 EST ]For victims of smartphone theft, the ultimate justice is hitting a button that disables the device, turning it into a worthless rectangular paperweight. More importantly, the ability to disable a stolen smartphone could reduce theft for all consumers, since the resale value of the devices would plummet.

Celebrating 35 years of Apple design[ Thu, 21 Nov 2013 17:08:31 EST ]A self-professed Apple fanatic, Jonathan Zufi was looking for a book of photography profiling the company's products through the years.

Xbox One launches -- now it's a console war[ Fri, 22 Nov 2013 11:21:17 EST ]Arieo Gonzalez had been waiting for an Xbox One since 1 p.m. Thursday. Brian Miller, in his own way, had been waiting since June.

Richard Branson: Buy your space flight with bitcoin[ Fri, 22 Nov 2013 21:20:43 GMT ]Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson announced on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Friday that his commercial space flight venture will accept bitcoin as payment. He called it "a new exciting currency."Virgin Galactic accepted its first purchase with bitcoin from a flight attendant in Hawaii.

After two decades, 'Zelda' fans finally get a sequel worthy of 'Link to the Past'[ Fri, 22 Nov 2013 23:07:17 GMT ]The gaming news Friday was dominated by all things Xbox One, but Nintendo fans have something much more significant to celebrate than a new console. No, I'm not even talking about the new "Super Mario 3D World" — though that will certainly make some gamers happy as well.

Twitter joins Google, Facebook with 'forward secrecy' security[ Sat, 23 Nov 2013 00:08:03 GMT ]With the scope of the National Security Agency seemingly expanding with every new revelation, Web services are rushing to implement security measures that will keep both hackers and nosy government agencies out.

Like rival PS4, Xbox One sells a million on day one[ Sat, 23 Nov 2013 01:53:14 GMT ]On Monday, news that Sony had sold a million PlayStation 4s in 24 hours indicated a strong launch for the new console. Not to be outdone, Microsoft announced Friday that the Xbox One had achieved the same feat.

Now playing on the big screen: The best HDTVs and 4k Ultra HDTVs of 2013[ Sun, 24 Nov 2013 11:35:26 GMT ]2013 has been a year of triumph — and some trouble — for the TV industry.