'Super Mario'-themedcat complex turns your pet into the iconic plumber[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 22:23:21 GMT ]Humans have had more than three decades to enjoy a wealth of excellent "Super Mario" video games, so isn't it time that we let some of our furry friends have a turn?

'Worst breach in history' puts data-security pressure on retail industry[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:02:14 GMT ]The Target security breach that may have affected as many as 110 million customers — with their names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and credit card information possibly swiped — ranks as the most extensive corporate data hack ever, experts said on Friday.

Smart Rifle never misses, now comes in semi-automatic form[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:18:57 GMT ]In the near future, you won't even need to know how to fire a rifle to be a crack shot.At the Consumer Electronic Show, the Austin, Texas-based start-up TrackingPoint showed off its all-new 500 Series AR Smart Rifle, a gun that makes it almost impossible for any user to miss.

Cost of data breach could give Target sticker shock[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:35:35 GMT ]Target has a different kind of bull's-eye on its back these days.

Wear, stare and share: The gadgets of CES[ Sat, 11 Jan 2014 00:52:44 GMT ]This year's Consumer Electronics Show was full of interesting technology (and a few interesting characters) — but the show is so big and busy that it's hard to remember just what exactly that tech was. Here are the bits of CES we found most memorable.

Facebook 'like' losing retailers' love[ Sat, 11 Jan 2014 00:20:27 GMT ]For brands, Pinterest's pin was more desirable than Facebook's "like" in 2013. [Read more]

Text messages boost flu vaccine rates in pregnant women[ Sat, 11 Jan 2014 00:40:32 GMT ]Researchers find that those who received five text messages every week about the importance of flu shots were 30 percent more likely to get one than those who only received phone calls. [Read more]

Useful OS X troubleshooting utilities for the new year[ Sat, 11 Jan 2014 00:54:06 GMT ]While OS X includes some robust tools for troubleshooting, there are a number of third-party tools that can help tackle problems or simply give you a better understanding of how OS X functions. [Read more]

Are curved TVs a gimmick?[ Sat, 11 Jan 2014 01:56:03 GMT ]For the first time since the death of CRT, numerous nonflat televisions will make it onto shore shelves. But has the drive to differentiate and turn a profit bent these boob tubes far beyond beneficial? [Read more]

Who saves with T-Mobile deal and Sprint's new 'Framily' plan?[ Sat, 11 Jan 2014 08:00:00 GMT ]If you're tempted by Sprint's new "Framily" plan and T-Mobile's promise to pay our early termination fees, check out this Ask Maggie column, where CNET's Marguerite Reardon explains who's likely to save money. [Read more]

New tech toys from the future[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 09:28:41 EST ]Check out some of latest innovations unveiled at CES, including self-driving cars, wearable tech and ultra HD 4K TVs.

'Robotic bartender' can mix you a cocktail[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:11:37 EST ]If you've ever been at a crowded bar or a packed party, you have probably waited a long time for a drink.

New tech toys from the future[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 09:28:41 EST ]Check out some of latest innovations unveiled at CES, including self-driving cars, wearable tech and ultra HD 4K TVs.

Hey, Goodyear: 'Ice Cube's a pimp'[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:11:14 EST ]There's a classic rap song from the early 1990s called "It Was a Good Day" where Ice Cube chronicles 24 hours of peace and happiness on the otherwise rough and dangerous streets of South Central Los Angeles.

Google makes it easier for strangers to e-mail you[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 13:19:58 EST ]A new feature from Google will let you e-mail just about anyone with a Google+ account, and, in turn, give them the ability to e-mail you.

$1 million worth of pizzas sold through Pizza Hut's XBox 360 app [ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:08:44 GMT ]Using a video game console to order pizza might sound like one of those things that humanity will look back on as a benchmark highlighting our inexorable decline into couch-based life forms, but gamers have taken to the new method of bread-and-cheese injection with gusto.

Panasonic launches first 20-inch 4K tablet[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:25:27 GMT ]With apologies to Apple, Panasonic now has one of the highest-resolution tablets on the market. At CES 2014, Panasonic debuted its Toughpad 4K UT-MA6 tablet, whose 20-inch screen sports a resolution of 3840 x 2560 pixels.

Snapchat rolls out fix after hack, apologizes[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:58:50 GMT ]Snapchat has released an update to its disappearing-photo app following a security breach last week that exposed the phone numbers of millions of users. And for the first time since the New Year's breach, the company said it's sorry.

It does what now? Offbeat gadgets abound at CES[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 22:26:48 GMT ]This week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas may be the place where the likes of Samsung and Panasonic announce their latest TVs and cameras, but it's also full of extremely weird — yet sometimes surprisingly useful — devices from big companies and small.

Kickstarter pledgestopped $480 million in 2013[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 23:22:24 GMT ]Kickstarter, the online crowdfunding company for creative and commercial projects, has released a year-in-review for 2013 and it's got some impressive figures: The website raised more than $480 million in pledges from 3 million backers.

Three things Samsung learned from Galaxy Gear version No. 1[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 02:26:41 GMT ]The Korean electronics giant's first big attempt at the wearable market has flopped. But it knows what it needs to do to get better. [Read more]

How the cost of cell phone surveillance can change legal privacy protections[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 03:03:57 GMT ]New research into the financial cost to law enforcement demonstrates just how cheap it is to track a suspect with a cell phone, and how those figures can affect the legal barriers protecting privacy. [Read more]

Long-range smart rifles now come in semi-automatic[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 03:43:56 GMT ]"From difficult firing positions, such as kneeling, standing or even lying beneath an automobile," novice shooters can hit targets 500 yards away with Tracking Point's computerized semi-automatic rifles. [Read more]

This serious Intel, Nvidia silicon is not for tablets, smartphones[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 06:49:35 GMT ]If you look hard, among all of the smartphones, tablets, wearables at CES, there's a machine packing some serious, old-school silicon. [Read more]

Crave giveaway: $250 buying spree from Rakuten.com Shopping[ Fri, 10 Jan 2014 08:00:00 GMT ]If CES 2014 has your consumer engine revved up, this week's prize is just the one for you. [Read more]

Wearable gadgets strive for mainstream appeal[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 10:55:34 EST ]Some people think wearable gadgets look cool. Perhaps they rock their Google Glass while out at happy hour, or flash the latest crowd-funded smart watch at the office.

7 social-media blunders to avoid[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 11:25:03 EST ]OK, so you've resolved to lose weight, travel more and organize your finances in 2014. That's a good start.

Biz Stone: What Jelly can do for you[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 15:54:42 EST ]The crowded world of social media apps got squeezed a bit tighter with the introduction of Jelly on Tuesday.

'Smart' toothbrush grades your brushing[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:10:08 EST ]If you're tired of nagging your kids (or another member of your household) to brush their teeth, you have a new ally.

Driverless car tech gets serious at CES[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 10:11:10 EST ]The Detroit Auto show isn't until Monday, but major car companies are showing off some of their more exciting car-tech prototypes a week early at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

T-Mobile's Red Bull-swigging CEO announces plan to pay you for breaking contract[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 22:54:09 GMT ]T-Mobile is taking a swipe at its competitors by offering to pay early termination fees for anyone willing to defect from companies like Verizon and AT&T.

PlayStation Now: Why buy a game when you can stream it?[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 22:59:49 GMT ]Sony's recently announced game-streaming service, PlayStation Now, is live at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and we just got a chance to try it out. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but this is definitely something you'll want on your console or TV.

As song sales slump, streaming booms[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:55:19 GMT ]

Bluetooth paper airplane kit is ridiculously awesome[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 00:28:34 GMT ]Flying paper airplanes has never been this fun. PowerUp Toys’ latest product lets you add a new element of interactivity to the old-fashioned paper airplane by attaching a battery-powered propeller and rudder, which can be controlled using an iPhone app via Bluetooth. The PowerUp 3.

New Oculus VR 'Crystal Cove' prototype headset blows the original away[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 02:24:43 GMT ]People who tried the original Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, which tracks your movements to let you look around a 3-D world, might reasonably have come away unconvinced – or dizzy.

Apple, Samsung CEOs agree to mediation over patent dispute[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 03:26:07 GMT ]Chief executives for the two smartphone giants will meet in person by February 19 to try to resolve the companies' latest legal fight. [Read more]

The most worrisome Internet addicts? Workaholics[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT ]A study says that overachievers become so addicted to the Internet that they develop depression and isolation. [Read more]

Dazzling aurora borealis could reach the lower 48 this week[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 05:23:57 GMT ]Thanks to a massive solar flare, sky-watchers may be able to indulge in an array of colorful northern lights forecasted to appear on Thursday and Friday. [Read more]

Dish said to abandon $2.2B takeover bid for LightSquared[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 06:55:04 GMT ]Satellite TV provider will officially pull out of the race for the troubled wireless service provider as early as Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reports. [Read more]

Samsung: Galaxy S5 due by April, maybe with iris scanner[ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 07:48:55 GMT ]The Korean company's next-generation flagship Android phone will be more distinctive than predecessors. Also coming: a smaller, more powerful Gear successor. [Read more]

TV trends at CES: 4K and curves[ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 10:04:13 EST ]Remember 3D televisions? WebTV? Television have been a core CES category for many years. The devices got a bump with flat-screen technology but in recent years, television manufacturers have struggled to bring excitement back to the household staple.

Six odd technologies at CES[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 12:31:50 EST ]Smartphones can control drones, speeding robots, cameras, and the temperature of your master bathroom. That's just some of the technology on display in Las Vegas this week at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show.

PS4 outselling Xbox One [ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 17:59:45 EST ]Sony's PlayStation 4 sold 4.2 million units through the end of 2013, Sony Computer Entertainment President Andrew House announced during the company's CES press conference Tuesday.

TV trends at CES: 4K and curves[ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 10:04:13 EST ]Remember 3D televisions? WebTV? Television have been a core CES category for many years. The devices got a bump with flat-screen technology but in recent years, television manufacturers have struggled to bring excitement back to the household staple.

Wearable gadgets strive for mainstream appeal[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 10:55:34 EST ]Some people think wearable gadgets look cool. Perhaps they rock their Google Glass while out at happy hour, or flash the latest crowd-funded smart watch at the office.

Samsung shows off TV that curves with the press of a button[ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 23:36:31 GMT ]The curved display is still a new frontier for consumers, but some manufacturers are already experimenting with new flexible TV form factors. After unveiling the world’s first UHD 105-inch curved TV, Samsung flaunted a prototype that changes shape with the press of a button.

Your next TV: Will it be Ultra HD?[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 00:49:15 GMT ]After attempts to hawk 3-D and OLED TVs fizzled in recent years, television manufacturers are taking small steps toward making a new technology, Ultra HD, more viable for mainstream consumers.

Ford CEO Mulally: Not leaving for Microsoft[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 01:00:23 GMT ]Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally has broken his silence and quashed rampant rumors suggesting he would leave the suburban Detroit automaker for a job as the next chief executive of software giant Microsoft.

Sony SmartBand creates a virtual timeline of your day[ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 01:44:41 GMT ]Fitness bands typically track your steps, how many calories you’ve burned, and your heart rate, but Sony’s SmartBand seeks to monitor much more than that. Set to debut this spring, the Sony SmartBand works in conjunction with its LifeLog app to create a visual representation of your day.

They're multiplying! 3-D printers go big and small [ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 03:47:02 GMT ]There are probably more 3-D printers in one place at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas than anywhere else, at any time. We know you want to keep up to date, so we got the lowdown on every one of them.