Virtually there: How Google is readying VR for you

The search giant has a low-cost contraption made of cardboard that can turn any smartphone into a virtual reality headset. The goal: mass appeal.

Google's updated version of Cardboard works with any device up to six inches, including Apple's iPhone.

Google has an ambitious plan for the future: help nearly anyone with a smartphone to experience virtual reality.

The technology industry is preparing for an onslaught of new devices that mount on your head, immersing you in computer-generated worlds ranging from space battles to

Google’s Gmail API officially gets push notification support

At last year’s Google I/O developer conference, the company launched its official Gmail API. One year later, it’s adding a small but important feature to this API: Push notification support.

The inclusion of push notification support means third party developers no longer have to poll Gmail for new messages, which helps eliminate

Apple says Watch OS 1.0.1 records heart rate irregularly on purpose. Thanks, Apple

In the latest update of Apple Watch OS 1.0.1, users are reporting that their heart rates are being recorded more sporadically instead of every 10 minutes. Previously thought to be a bug, Apple has now confirmed that this behavior is actually intentional. Huh?

How to easily root an Android device

Rooting is the Android equivalent of jailbreaking, a means of unlocking the operating system so you can install unapproved (by Google) apps, update the OS, replace the firmware, overclock (or underclock) the processor, customize just about anything, and so on.

Of course, for the average user, rooting sounds like -- and can be -- a scary process. After all, "rooting" around in your smartphone's core software might seem like

Best free Android apps of 2015

So you've just cracked open the box and peeled the plastic off your brand spanking new Android smartphone. But there's not much going on in the way of Android apps straight away. This is where our best free Android apps comes in. This list is your one stop shop for the absolute best-in-class Android apps. And it won't cost you a cent. Here are the apps you absolutely must have in 2015.

Unclouded

With all the cloud storage services out there, there's a good chance you have a few accounts yourself. This can lead to situations where you don't remember if you put a certain file on Dropbox, or Google Drive, or OneDrive. With Unclouded, this becomes a non-issue, as you can manage and

iPhone 7 release date, news and rumors

Latest update: The iPhone 6S could launch as soon as August and it might include a 12MP camera and a new colour scheme.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been with us long enough now that we're getting a little tired of them. Fickle, we know. But the mooted specs and features of the new iPhone (probably called the iPhone 6S, with the iPhone 7 coming in 2016) are starting to trickle out.

Current highlights include

Windows 10: release date, price, news and features

Update: Microsoft has confirmed that there will be seven versions of Windows 10, spanning from displayless IoT devices to fully-fledged workstations. Servers and big-iron machines will be served by Windows Server 2016. 

With Windows 8 and today Windows 8.1, Microsoft tried – not entirely successfully – to deliver an operating system (OS) that could handle the needs of not only number-crunching workstations and high-end gaming rigs, but touch-controlled systems from all-in-one PCs for the family and thin-and-light notebooks down to

Linux tips and commands every geek should know

What separates average Linux users from the super-geeks? Simple: years spent learning the kinds of hacks, tricks, tips and techniques that turn long jobs into a moment's work. If you want to get up to speed without having to put in all that leg-work, I've rounded up over 50 easy-to-learn Linux tips to help you work smarter and get

Attackers Use Trojanized Version of PuTTY to Steal SSH Credentials

Malicious actors are using a trojanized version of PuTTY, the popular open-source Secure Shell (SSH) and telnet client, to gain access to remote computers and steal valuable data, Symantec warned on Monday.

According to experts, the attackers created the malicious PuTTY back in late 2013, when they uploaded a sample to VirusTotal. Symantec says this trojanized version

How to find out if you’ve been HACKED with CMD

There are numerous methods to see if you have been hacked. Using the Command Prompt, you can run a command which will check for incoming and outgoing connections to your computer. By checking all the established connections, you can

SpaceX Dragon successfully departs from the International Space Station

NASA has announced that theSpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was successfully released from the International Space Station’s robotic arm this morning at 7:04am ET, by Expedition 43 robotic arm operator Scott Kelly. At this stage, the capsule will “begin a series of departure burns and maneuvers to move beyond the 656-foot (200-meter) ‘keep out sphere’ around the station and begin its return trip to Earth,” the agency

First images of record-breaking 13 TeV collisions from the Large Hadron Collider released

Well, they’ve finally done it, and so far there’s no black hole originating in Geneva. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has released the first images of proton-to-proton collisions at a record-breaking energy level of 13 trillion electron-volts (TeV). The researchers set up the test collisions in a way that protects both the machine

Google Fiber funnels disputed piracy fines straight to subscribers

Over the past few years, copyright holders have settled on a new strategy for pursuing alleged pirates. Instead of adopting the RIAA’s tactic of suing grandparents, copyright holders allowed a single corporation, dubbed Rightscorp, to offer settlements on their behalf. Rightscorp’s business model is simple: It attempts to identify individuals who have downloaded infringing material, then offers to settle the claim for

Rumors swirl Pebble may be in financial trouble post-Apple Watch launch

Ever since it launched its first Kickstarter, Pebble has been a poster child for successful product crowdsourcing campaigns. Unlike many Kickstarter gadgets, which go missing, take years to materialize, or collapse in allegations of fraud, Pebble has delivered a device that’s been generally well-regarded. Overall shipments haven’t been Apple Watch-sized, but the company announced that it shipped its

Rocket with X-37B space plane, LightSail craft successfully launches

The United States Air Force’s X-37B space plane and the Planetary Society’s LightSail spacecraft both launched today aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The launch took place at 11:05am EDT from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. As we reported yesterday, details about the X-37B’s highly classified mission

This cloudy-day black silicon solar cell can hit a record 22.1% efficiency

When most people think of solar power, they’re usually thinking of warmer climates with lots of sun. Despite all the huge advances solar has made in recent years, the fact remains that the cells perform best when there’s plenty of sunlight. That may no longer be necessary. Researchers at Finland’s Aalto University have achieved a record-breaking 22.1% efficiency for a nanostructured silicon, or black, solar cell. They accomplished this by

Rust 1.0, the programming language behind Mozilla’s new Web engine Servo, is released

As many programmers know, reaching the 1.0 milestone is an important day for any language. It signals the first stable point where developers can use its features without fear that their code will break with incoming changes. But what separates the open-source and openly developed Rust 1.0 is that Mozilla chose and backed it for building the company’s crazy-fast new Web browsing engine, Servo. Here, from a working developer’s point of view, I’ll explain the characteristics Mozilla has focused on when creating Rust, and how the company plans to use Rust to replace

A Beginner's Guide to the Electrum Bitcoin Wallet

Electrum is a Bitcoin wallet built for speed and convenience. A streamlined design and rich feature set make this software a popular choice for beginners and experts alike.

This guide introduces Electrum with step-by-step examples highlighting the most important features. It is intended for

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a form of digital currency, created and held electronically. No one controls it. Bitcoins aren’t printed, like dollars or euros – they’re produced by people, and increasingly businesses, running computers all around the world, using software that solves mathematical problems.

It’s the first example of a growing category of money known as cryptocurrency.

What makes it different from normal currencies?

Bitcoin can be used to buy things electronically. In that sense, it’s like conventional dollars, euros, or yen, which are also

Apple, Google call on Obama to reject cryptographic backdoors

The topic of cryptographic backdoors has come up multiple times in the past six months, as the NSA and the Obama Administration have pushed for the adoption of such technologies, while other researchers and white hats have disputed both the need and the efficacy of such solutions. Today, several dozen companies and organizations sent a letter directly to President Obama, explaining

Jay Z Mocks Apple, Google, YouTube, Spotify In Tidal Freestyle

They’ve got the money, but he’s got the microphone. This weekend,  Jay Z threw some punches at the big tech companies who compete with his upstart music streaming service Tidal. The freestyle came as part of

President Obama gets his own Twitter account

Within 24 minutes the US President had attracted 100,000 followers to his new Twitter account

US President Barack Obama has just launched his own Twitter feed, the White House has confirmed.

His Twitter handle is @POTUS (President Of The United States) and within 24 minutes

Alibaba Needs To “Globalize,” Says Its New CEO

The bulk of Alibaba’s revenue still comes from China, but the e-commerce giant will focus aggressively on growing its global business this year. Daniel Zhang, who took over as chief executive officer last week, told employees in in a recent speech that not only will Alibaba pour money into its global businesses, but

Consumer Group Worries Over Safety of Google's Self-Driving Cars

By Richard Adhikari
May 14, 2015 11:17 AM PT

Media pressure this week led Google to reveal that its self-driving cars, which are being tested on select city streets in California, have been involved in 11 accidents. All were minor accidents that occurred over the past six years, according to Chris Urmson, director of the self-driving car program.

The disclosure followed an Associated Press report that Google vehicles were involved in three collisions since September, when

Lily Camera Gilds the Selfie

By John P. Mello Jr.
May 13, 2015 11:30 AM PT

Lily is taking the selfie up a notch.

The startup on Tuesday began taking preorders for a drone camera that will shoot video and stills as it flies above you.
While drone cameras have been on the market for some time, the Lily offering combines the popularity of first-person video cameras, like the

Microsoft Windows Phone by any other name: It's now 'Windows 10 Mobile'

The software maker is rebranding its mobile operating system as it tries to remind consumers of its once-dominant role in the market.

Windows 10's new Continuum feature will let smartphone owners use PC versions of apps like Word and PowerPoint, including a mouse and keyboard, just by plugging their devices into a monitor. Windows Mobile is back from the dead.

Microsoft is killing off its Windows Phone brand, which has languished in the mobile market for the last five years. In its place: Windows 10 Mobile, a reference

Arduboy Could Spark Retro Gaming Revolution

By Jack M. Germain • LinuxInsider • ECT News Network
May 13, 2015 4:23 PM PT

Arduboy, a new pocket-sized 8-bit game device, has ignited a firestorm of interest on Kickstarter. With 27 days to go, the campaign already has drawn contributions of more than eight times its modest $25k goal.

The rapid funding response could spark a miniature retro revolution. The handheld Arduboy has the potential to

$9 Debian-Based C.H.I.P. Computer Is a Kickstarter Smash

By Richard Adhikari • LinuxInsider • ECT News Network
May 11, 2015 4:14 PM PT

C.H.I.P., a Linux-based mini-PC priced at just $9, is receiving an overwhelming response on Kickstarter. Launched last Thursday with a funding goal of $50,000, it has chalked up more than 16,000 backers who have shelled out upwards of $815,000. The project still has 25 days to go.

The tiny open source device, made by Next Thing Co., has been

Apple Settles Court Case With Battery Maker A123 Systems

Apple has settled a court case with A123 Systems (via BBC), a battery company based in Massachusetts from which Apple hired some senior employees. A123 had filed a claimaccusing Apple of poaching its engineers, particularly those leading key projects at the battery firm. The basis of the suit was that A123 claimed Apple was

Google Launches Chrome Extension To Solicit User Feedback About Its Browser

Google launched a new Chrome extension today that’s a first of its kind for the search engine giant. The new Chrome User Experience Surveys extension will occasionally pop up brief surveys about the user’s experience when something unusual happens in the browser. That could be a notification or a malware warning, for example, and Google says

Microsoft Preps Its New Surface Tablet Hybrid For “Mass Deployments”

Microsoft’s new Surface 3 tablet received an update today aimed at helping large organizations deploy the small tablets across their personnel. The unnamed update,according to Microsoft, will assist its “customers intending to