All Technology
- CES 2015: Microsoft's $29 Nokia 215 lasts 29 days on a single charge
Microsoft hopes the Nokia 215, debuted at CES 2015, will catch on in emerging markets, where electricity and mobile networks aren't always plentiful.
- CES 2015: Gogoro unveils smart scooter
The Gogoro Smartscooter is a sleek scooter with programmable LED headlight and a top speed of 60 m.p.h. The Gogoro Smartscooter doesn't plug into the wall, though – riders will swap depleted batteries for fresh ones at a network of charging stations.
- Five trends to look forward to at CES 2015
The 2015 Consumer Electronics Show will begin next week in Las Vegas. Companies will show off brighter TV sets, self-driving automotive technology, drones, and more at CES 2015.
- Samsung brings 360-degree videos to its virtual reality headset
Samsung released Milk VR, a platform for full-motion, 360-degree virtual reality videos, for its Gear VR headset on Tuesday. Milk VR only has a few videos for the Samsung Gear VR, but those who have experienced 360-degree video say it's incredibly immersive.
- Microsoft builds IE's younger brother, codenamed Spartan: report
A report from CNET says that Microsoft is building 'Spartan,' a new browser to better compete with Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. 'Spartan' would be Microsoft's first built-from-scratch browser since Internet Explorer debuted in 1995.
- Gmail gets burned by China’s 'Great Firewall'
Google's Gmail service has been cut off in China since Friday, leaving citizens and some companies without e-mail access. The only way to access Gmail is through a VPN, which allows users to bypass China's notorious 'Great Firewall.'
- PlayStation Now coming to Samsung TVs next year
PlayStation Now, a service that allows users to stream PS3 games over the Internet, will come to a few Samsung smart TVs in early 2015. PlayStation Now lets gamers play without any additional hardware besides a big screen and a controller.
- Google's self-driving car will hit California streets in 2015
Google unveiled a fully working prototype of its homegrown self-driving car this week. The two-seater electric car has radar, GPS, and 3-D laser mapping, and Google says it will be ready for testing on public roads early next year.
- Apple pushes out its first-ever automated security update
Apple automatically updated Macs this week to patch a security hole in OS X. It's the first time Apple has ever automatically applied a security update, though it's had the ability to do so for two years.
- BlackBerry and Boeing team up to make a self-destructing smart phone
Boeing and BlackBerry have built a phone for employees and contractors in the security industry. The device will erase its own data if the case is opened.
- Can digital privacy exist when life online is public by nature?
More than half the respondents to a Pew Research survey said a trusted online-privacy framework won't be implemented within the next 10 years. Experts disagree about how to protect online privacy, but generally agree that doing so is important for economic and human-rights reasons.
- Many Americans oppose businesses using drones
By a 2-1 margin, Americans with a view on drones don't like the idea of businesses using them for commercial purposes.
- Minecraft: Story Mode brings narrative to the world of blocks
Mojang, the developers of the tremendously popular sandbox video game Minecraft, have partnered with studio Telltale Games to produce a spinoff titled Minecraft: Story Mode. Story Mode will be released in episodic format starting next year.
- In last-ditch effort, BlackBerry launches Classic phone
BlackBerry goes back to its roots with a smart phone that features a traditional keyboard.
- Sony debuts Google Glass-like gadget that clips onto your favorite shades
Sony unveiled a small module that clips onto a pair of glasses, adding a screen, camera, and Wi-Fi connectivity to any shades. The Sony module will be available next year, and the company will show it off at the CES expo in January.
- Watch Derby the dog run on 3-D printer legs
Design iterations allowed in 3-D printing have allowed a 1-year-old adopted dog to run comfortably, even though she was born without tiny front legs.
- US Navy's newest spy? A drone fish named Nemo
The US Navy is developing a robotic fish drone that mimics the behavior of a blue fin tuna, but looks like a shark. Top speed: 40 knots, or about 46 mph.
- Aided by Steve Jobs' testimony, Apple prevails in iTunes antitrust case
A jury found Apple not guilty in a decade-old case alleging that the company behaved in a anticompetitive manner by making its iTunes software and iPod music players incompatible with rival services. The trial featured a videotaped deposition from Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, in which he recounted how Apple had to secure its software from hacking attempts.
- How Microsoft’s battle with the Justice Department could reshape privacy laws
For Microsoft and other US tech companies, a lawsuit over e-mails stored in Dublin is an important test case to demonstrate their willingness and ability to guard customer data from government prying in a post Snowden-era.