Elon Musk said it was ‘Not a Flamethrower’

After two days locked up in an Italian prison, American Max Craddock was finally able to make his case to a judge. “It’s not a weapon of war,” his lawyer told the investigating magistrate. “It’s a toy they sell to children.” Craddock had been arrested in the Sardinian port city of Olbia in June 2018 after trying to board a private party bus with a collectible flamethrower from Elon Musk’s latest startup, The Boring Company. Craddock had painted his flamethrower black, and written on it the name ...
Tags: Gadgets, Transportation, Europe, Elon Musk, London, Los Angeles, Tech, Tesla, Long, Fbi, Canada, Automotive, Pennsylvania, United States, Italy, Manchester

Caviar picks up where Vertu left off

Vertu is dead but its design sensibility—rudimentary yet garish, expensive yet cheesy—lives on. Behold for example Caviar's magnificent iPhone cases. You can even have it cased so there's no camera anymore. These "Stealth" or "Stealth Gold" outfits start at $5220. — Read the rest
Tags: Gadgets, Post, News, Vertu

Galaxy Buds Pro review: Samsung's AirPods Pro-beating earbuds

Great sound, solid noise-cancelling, decent battery, comfortable fit and small case are potent combinationSamsung’s latest Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds add noise-cancelling, virtual surround and improved sound, making them a challenger to Apple’s AirPods Pro.At £219, they are the new top-of-the-range earbuds from Samsung, sitting above the £179 Galaxy Buds Live and £159 Galaxy Buds+. Continue reading...
Tags: Apple, Gadgets, Technology, Bluetooth, Samsung, UK News, Headphones, Computing

Startups look beyond lidar for autonomous vehicle perception

Last CES was a time of reckoning for lidar companies, many of which were cratering due to a lack of demand from a (still) non-existent autonomous vehicle industry. The few that excelled did so by specializing, and this year the trend has pushed beyond lidar, with new sensing and imaging methods pushing to both compete with and complement the laser-based tech. Lidar pushed ahead of traditional cameras because it could do things they couldn’t — and now some companies are pushing to do the same wit...
Tags: TC, Gadgets, Transportation, Hardware, Tech, Automotive, Autonomous Vehicles, Dslr, Lidar, Daimler, McIntyre, Sense Photonics, Nodar, Nodar COO, Brad Rosen, Shauna McIntyre Sense

Report: no touchbar for redesigned 2021 MacBook Pro

After launching low-end models with decidedly high-flying benchmarks, Apple's transition to its own ARM-based CPUs has users eager to see what the forthcoming high-end models will be like. One change, according to supply-chain watchers: a new design with no more touchbar. — Read the rest
Tags: Apple, Gadgets, Post, News

Apple said to be planning new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros with MagSafe and Apple processors

Apple has planned new upgraded MacBook Pros for launch “later this year” according to a new report from Bloomberg. These new models would come in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with new and improved Apple Silicon processors like those that Apple debuted on the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro model late last year. They would also see the return of Apple’s MagSafe charger, a magnetic dedicated charging port that would replace USB-C for power, and they could potentially do away with the To...
Tags: Apple, Startups, TC, Gadgets, Hardware, Steve Jobs, Bloomberg, Macintosh, Computers, Macbook, Computing, MacBook Air, Oled, Apple Inc, Magsafe, MacBook Pros

Oculus Will Soon Support Multi-User Accounts, but Sharing a VR Headset Sounds Disgusting

Beginning next month, Oculus will roll out multi-user accounts and app sharing, in a move meant to make it easier for multiple people to share a single headset. The feature will first launch on the Quest 2 before rolling out to all Quest devices, and yes, you will have to do this using your Facebook accounts.Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Facebook, Science, Vr, Oculus, Consumer Tech

7 new tech products every agent should know about

Held virtually, the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show revealed the latest in home and business technology, including a home recycling solution, wearable joysticks for hands-free control and even a "smart tub" from Kohler.
Tags: Gadgets, Technology, Electronics, Smartphones, Ces, Radio, Recycling, Aerial Photography, Home Appliances, Consumer Electronics Show, Smarthome, Luxury Homes, Kohler, Lasso, Select, News Brief

Samsung unveils its newest Tile competitor, the Galaxy SmartTag

Alongside its other announcements at Samsung’s event today, the company introduced its new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locator, a lost item beacon for Samsung owners and a competitor with Tile. Like Tile and Apple’s forthcoming AirTags, the beacon can be attached to keys, a bag, a pet’s collar or anything else you want to track. Initially, these SmartTags will use Bluetooth to communicate with a nearby Samsung device, however, the company confirmed a ultra-wideband (UWB) powered version called the...
Tags: Apple, Android, Gadgets, Bluetooth, Samsung, Tech, Smartphones, Samsung Electronics, Tile, Smartthings, Jan, BLE Bluetooth Low Energy, UWB, Airtags, Ultra Wideband, CES 2021

Origami Labs’ OFLO is a smart walkie talkie for frontline workers

OFLO is a voice communication system designed to replace traditional walkie talkies. Its hardware is more compact and lightweight, with a bone conduction headset, and capable of covering unlimited distances and multiple channels. Created by Origami Labs, OFLO is also connected to software that features auto logging and productivity tools for teams who don’t have access to screens while they are working. The startup, whose clients include property management company JLL and luxury hotel chain The...
Tags: Startups, TC, Gadgets, Asia, Hong Kong, Microsoft, Tech, Ces, Taiwan, Walkie Talkie, Peninsula, Wong, JLL, Peter Wong, Orii, Origami Labs

The Watchy Is an Open-Source Smartwatch for Those Who Miss the Pebble

There are gadgets you like, and then there are gadgets you love. For many, the Pebble smartwatch fell into that latter category. It was simple, affordable, and the first smartwatch that made everyone realize smartwatches weren’t just a gimmick. The company deserved better than having its corpse picked apart by Fitbit,…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Wearables, Science, Tech, Smartwatches, Pebble, Consumer Tech, Tindie, Watchy

Fisher-Price's New Toys Will Teach Your Kids About the Glory of '80s Gadgets

Want your infant to grow up and appreciate what a technological marvel a touchscreen tablet really is? Fisher-Price has revealed three additions to its preschool learning line: new educational toys inspired by retro gadgets of the ‘80s and ‘90s that will let parents teach their kids what life was like before streaming…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Toys, Science, Tech, Retro, Educational, Consumer Tech, Fisher Price

GoPro makes stopping and starting simpler with motion, power, QR triggers

GoPro may have started out at the intersection of capability and affordability in the action cam space, but since then it has increasingly leaned towards use by professionals or deployment by businesses. The latest features, announced at CES, underline that priority, making the cameras simpler and more automated for rentals and hands-free operation. If you’ve got a Hero 7, 8, or 9 Black, or Max, you should be able to download the latest GoPro Labs firmware, which adds the following convenient fe...
Tags: TC, Gadgets, Tech, Gopro, CES 2021

I Miss My Disney SketchBoard and Making Secret Magical Girl Manga

Believe it or not, Disney’s software for kids used to be top-notch. In the early 2000s there were no bizarre CoCoMelon videos on YouTube or hundreds of phone-based apps to educate younger users, but there was high-quality edutainment software, and Disney (as well as several others) excelled at reaching the little…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Technology, Youtube, Disney, Tablets, SketchBoard

Dell’s 40-inch curved monitor is perfect for a home office command center

Dell’s kicking off 2021 with a new addition to its monitor lineup that aims to hit a variety of sweet spots. The Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD monitor offers 39.7″ of screen real estate, with a 5120 x 2160 resolution that matches the pixel density of 4K resolution on a 32-inch conventional widescreen display. It comes equipped with Thunderbolt 3 for display and data connectivity, as well as 90W of charging for compatible computers, and a 10Gbps Ethernet connection for networking. In short, Dell...
Tags: Reviews, Apple, TC, Gadgets, Technology, Hardware, Electronics, Tech, Dell, Ethernet, UltraSharp, Hdmi, Thunderbolt, Displayport, Digital Imaging, Darrell Etherington

Yo-Kai Express introduces Takumi, a smart home cooking appliance

Yo-Kai Express is known for autonomous restaurant technology for venues like office campuses, malls and hotels. As people continue staying home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is introducing a smart home cooking appliance with multiple functions. Called Takumi, it includes a coffee maker, high induction cooktop and a steamer for sanitizing utensils and baby bottles. Takumi is connected by RFID to an app with preprogrammed recipes, which also sends alert when its water container is ...
Tags: Cooking, Startups, TC, Gadgets, Asia, San Francisco, Tech, Ces, Taiwan, Smart Home, Bay Area, San Francisco International Airport, Metreon, Takumi, Yo-Kai Express, CES 2021

Nobi’s smart lamp alerts caregivers when a fall is detected

As expected, this year’s (virtual) CES has brought with it a new flood of smart home gadgets. The technology has been a major presence over the last several CES events, and with a world stuck at home for the foreseeable future, a lot of this tech has become all the more appealing. Nobi stands out from the pack, not so much because of any flashy features, but rather a kind of practicality it brings to the table. Created by a Belgian startup of the same name, the ceiling-mounted smart light featur...
Tags: Gadgets, Hardware, Tech, Ces, CES 2021, Nobi

Weber acquires smart cooking start-up June

Outdoor cooking industry leader and famed Kettle grill-maker Weber has acquired June, the smart cooking startup founded in 2013 by Matt Van Horn and Nikhil Bhogal. While financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, Weber has confirmed that June will continue to operate as its own branded wholly owned by Weber-Stephen Products, and will continue to both sell and develop the June Oven and related products. Meanwhile, June co-founder Nikhil Bhogal will take on a role as SVP of Technology and Conn...
Tags: Apple, Energy, Kitchen, Food, Cooking, Startups, TC, Gadgets, Hardware, Tech, Ceo, President, M&a, Hobbies, Grilling, Barbecue

Weber acquires smart cooking startup June

Outdoor cooking industry leader and famed kettle-grill-maker Weber has acquired June, the smart cooking startup founded in 2013 by Matt Van Horn and Nikhil Bhogal. While financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, Weber has confirmed that June will continue to operate as its own brand wholly owned by Weber-Stephen Products and will continue to both sell and develop the June Oven and related products. Meanwhile, June co-founder Nikhil Bhogal will take on a role as SVP of Technology and Connect...
Tags: Apple, Food, Cooking, Startups, TC, Gadgets, Hardware, Tech, M&a, Hobbies, Grilling, Barbecue, First Round Capital, Exit, Weber, Jim

Nintendo Is Making Copyright Claims on Videos of Game & Watch Hacking

Despite its retro charms, for $50 the Nintendo Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. handheld felt like it could benefit from a few more games: an upgrade some talented hackers made possible before the device was even released. But Nintendo doesn’t like consumers messing with its hardware, and today it appears it started…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Gaming, Science, Video Games, Youtube, Tech, Hacks, Nintendo, Super Mario Bros, Retro, Consoles, Consumer Tech, Game Watch, Stacksmashing

PopSockets announces its MagSafe-compatible iPhone 12 accessories

In October, TechCrunch broke the news that PopSockets was developing its own line of MagSafe-compatible products that will support the new wireless charging capabilities of the iPhone 12 devices. Today, at the (virtual) 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, the company formally introduced its upcoming products for the first time. The new line will include three MagSafe-compatible PopGrips, a wallet with an integrated grip, and two mounts. The first of these is the new PopGrip for MagSafe, which will m...
Tags: Iphone, Gadgets, Tech, Ces, Mobile Phones, Magnet, Apple Inc, Consumer Electronics Show, Magsafe, Apple Stores, Popsockets, Iphone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, CES 2021, PopMount Multi Surface, PopWallet

Noopl’s iPhone plug-in is designed to improve hearing in noisy environments

Noopl looks like one of the more interesting hardware startups to come out of CES day one. The Sacramento-based company has designed an accessory that it says can help drown out background noise for users in a loud environment. The little accessory sports a Lightning plug (it’s currently iOS only), which connects to the bottom of an iPhone. The little dongle features a trio of microphones, coupled with an audio signal processor designed to reduce background noise. Image Credits: Noopl The...
Tags: Iphone, Gadgets, Hardware, Sacramento, Tech, Ces, Sydney, NAL, Kevin Snow, CES 2021, Noopl, Steven Verdooner, National Acoustic Laboratories NAL, Verdooner, Tim Trine

Lora DiCarlo Brings Hot Vibes to CES—As In They Are Warm to the Touch

A lot has changed for Lora DiCarlo since CES 2019, when the Consumer Technology Association stripped its innovative Osé sex toy of a well-deserved CES Innovation Award. Not only does CES fuck now, Lora DiCarlo is also announcing a new product line for the all-virtual CES 2021.Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Vibrators, Consumer Tech, Consumer Technology Association, Sex Tech, Lora DiCarlo, CES 2021

Linksys' Motion-Sensing Wifi Now Uses All Your Wireless Devices For More Accurate Alerts

Over the next decade the smarthome as we know it is going to change dramatically thanks to technologies like Linksys Aware that turns a wifi network into a motion detector that watches every corner of your home. The tech is still in its infancy, but Linksys has announced a major update that leverages IoT devices to…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Tech, Wireless, Wifi, Routers, Belkin, Linksys, Consumer Tech, Wi Fi, Motion Sensing, Linksys Aware, CES 2021

Linksys' First Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Router Will Be an Expensive Way to Future Proof Your Wifi

Every year at CES there’s a new buzzword generously thrown around: last year it was 5G, and for 2021 it’s going to be Wi-Fi 6E. If you’ve recently upgraded to a Wi-Fi 6 router that’s really unfortunate because 6E promises to genuinely fix a lot of the bottlenecks caused by overcrowded wifi networks. Netgear has…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Networking, Tech, Routers, Belkin, Linksys, Netgear, Consumer Tech, Wi Fi, CES 2021, Wi Fi 6e, Linksys Axe8400

The First Wi-Fi 6E Routers Are Going to Make You Feel Really Mad About Already Buying a Wi-Fi 6 Router

For a couple of years, Wi-Fi 6 was hyped as the solution to wireless networks that had become over-crowded with smartphones, computers, and countless smart home devices all demanding their slice of bandwidth. In 2020 we finally saw a big influx of Wi-Fi 6 devices, just in time for the arrival of a new protocol, Wi-Fi…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Tech, Routers, Netgear, Consumer Tech, Wi Fi, CES 2021, Wi Fi 6e, Nighthawk Raxe500

The Only Standing Desk I'll Ever Consider Using Lets Four People Play Pong at Once

As uncomfortable as it may seem to some, working at a standing desk is better for your health than sprawling out on a couch all day long. But how do you convince millions of people responsibly working from home to stand all day? You build a standing desk with a built-in retro arcade that even includes a rare…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Gaming, Science, Video Games, Tech, Pong, Arcades, Dragons Lair, Consumer Tech, Arcade1Up, CES 2021

As Enticing As Soft Serve Ice Cream on Demand Sounds, We Probably Don't Need Another Pod Machine

Despite the spectacular failure of Juicero—a $400 machine that created freshly squeezed juice by squeezing juice-filled pouches—there are still companies willing to bet on pod-based instant food machines. The latest is the ColdSnap which creates on-demand soft serve and other frozen treats if you’ve got another chunk…Read more...
Tags: Kitchen, Food, Gadgets, Science, Tech, Ice Cream, Appliances, Consumer Tech, CES 2021, Coldsnap

Panasonic Made a Self-Oscillating Hair Dryer That Shoots Hot Wet Air

How many times have you rolled out of bed in the morning barely able to stand on your own two feet, let alone get ready for the day? Panasonic’s got a new hair dryer en route for 2021 that makes at least one morning chore less of a chore with a built-in oscillator so you barely have to move your hands to use it.Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Tech, Appliances, Panasonic, Consumer Tech, Hair Dryers, Hairdryers, CES 2021, Panasonic Nanoe

Philips Has a New Smart Toothbrush That Adapts as You Brush

It’s not CES without at least one AI-powered toothbrush that promises to revolutionize how you clean your mouth. It’s usually some form of Bluetooth connectivity with an app that lets you view which teeth you’ve brushed, and which ones you may have missed. At this year’s show, however, Philips’ Sonicare 9900 Prestige…Read more...
Tags: Gadgets, Science, Philips, Health Tech, Smart Toothbrushes, CES 2021, Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige