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Amazon acquires connected camera and doorbell startup Blink
Amazon has acquired Blink (via Slashgear), a startup founded in 2014 that builds connected Wi-Fi home security cameras, as well as a new video doorbell introduced earlier this week. The company got its start via a crowdfunding campaign that raised over $1 million for its totally wireless home monitoring system. Amazon has already made forays into connected home video cameras and even home… Read More
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Laser-equipped shoes help Parkinson’s patients take the next step
Here’s an unexpected but pleasant little way tech might be able to improve a few lives: laser shoes. Yes, seriously. Shoes equipped with small laser emitters were shown in recent tests to help sufferers of Parkinson’s disease to walk normally. Read More
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Google Home Max review
The Max sounds good. But is it $399 good? On the whole, it’s a solid offering. It isn’t a flashy speaker from a design perspective, but the audio is loud and clear, and the bass bumps like a mofo. Read More
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Gift Guide: Last minute gifts and stocking stuffers that are actually good
We’ve only got a few more days until Christmas, and maybe you’re starting get a little nervous about all the folks who are still on your gift-giving list. Sure, they might not be your closest friends or best-loved family members… but you can’t ignore them entirely, can you? Don’t worry, TechCrunch has you covered. Whether you’ve got a lot of last-minute… Read More
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Smart speakers to outsell wearables during U.S. holidays, as demand for wearables slows
Smart speakers will likely outsell wearable devices this holiday season. That’s the latest prediction from analysts at eMarketer, which forecasts a slowing growth rate for devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches here in the U.S. The wearable market is continuing to grow, to be clear, but it’s struggling to reach the mainstream. Next year, only 20 percent of the U.S. Read More
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This humanoid robot works out (and sweats) like we do (or should)
There are plenty of humanoid-looking robots out there, but very few actually have bodies that are particularly analogous to our own when it comes to moving and interacting with the environment. Japanese researchers are working to remedy that with a robot designed specifically to mimic not just human movements but the way humans actually accomplish those movements. Oh, and it sweats. Read More
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Kuri the adorable home robot starts shipping to pre-order customers
Kuri, the home robot that wants to be more companion and less Roomba, has begun shipping out to customers. Kuri creator Mayfield Robotics, a Bosch-owned startup, revealed that its initial shipments have gone out via FedEx – which means it technically met its goal of beginning to ship the photogenic little friend bots prior to the end of 2017, if only just. Kuri was originally unveiled… Read More
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Erato’s lightweight Verse wireless earbuds deliver solid sound at a good price
Erato, one of the first companies to make and sell fully wireless earbuds, has a new product available called the Verse that’s more affordable than its flagship Apollo 7 buds, but with great sound quality, a lighter form factor, and innovative graphene drivers that provide quality audio with fewer compromises. The small, bullet-shaped earbuds are a good alternative for would-be… Read More
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Dyson’s Pure Hot+Cool Link is your household air’s best friend
Dyson may be busy building cars these days, but it’s also still making its bread and butter, including vacuums and other home appliances. The connected Pure Hot + Cold Link fan, heater and air purifier combo is one of those, and it’s an awesome way to spend some of that holiday cash coming your way. It’s not for everyone – it’s a $500 ($700 here in my local… Read More
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Gift Guide: The best Nintendo Switch games and gifts
The Switch has had an amazing debut year, defying worries that it would crash and burn like its superficially similar predecessor, the Wii U. Unlike that console, however, the Switch is just stocked with amazing games. From serious challenges for seasoned gamers to multiplayer laughs with casual friends, there’s something for everyone. Here are our picks for the games any Switch owner… Read More
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Gift guide: PlayStation 4 Games worth giving
2017 has been a banner year for gaming, and the PS4 in particular has gotten a ridiculous amount of really great games. Whether you or your loved one is interested in action, huge explorable worlds, RPGs, multiplayer or something that doesn’t quite fit in the usual categories, there was an amazing game (or four) this year that fit the bill. Read More
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Caavo’s over-the-top TV box for over-the-top TV boxes ships February 14
The streaming box that aims to bring sanity to your streaming world by combining all your streaming hardware sources into one will ship on Valentine’s Day next year, according to The Verge. Caavo offers a solution to a very modern problem – making it easy to switch between devices including your DVR, your Roku, your Apple TV, your PS4 and other devices seamlessly, using one remote… Read More
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NASA engineers stare at the sun to see shockwaves from supersonic flight
Before the eclipse this summer, NASA warned us over and over again not to stare directly at the sun — but now they’re doing just that. Its researchers have reinvented a photography technique more than a century old, using the sun itself as a backdrop in order to capture the shockwave produced by a new supersonic jet. Read More
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The Echo Spot is my new favorite Alexa device
I got excited when the Echo Spot debuted. At the time, I tentatively declared it the best Echo at the time, and after living with the device for the better part of a week, my sentiments haven’t really changed. Read More
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Amazon’s latest Echos show the smart home space hitting its stride
Amazon’s Echo lineup got a refresh earlier this year that included a brand new version of its basic Echo, well as an Echo Plus with integrated smart home hub, and the stalwart Echo Dot – unchanged, but still a compelling device at its price point. The new lineup of devices also made its way to more markets this year, including an expansion to Canada just this month, which is why I… Read More
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Don’t keep cell phones next to your body, California Health Department warns
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a warning against the hazards of cellphone radiation this week. Yes, the thing we are all addicted to and can’t seem to put down is leaking electromagnetic radiation and now California has some guidance to safeguard the public. Read More
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Finnish autonomous car goes for a leisurely cruise in the driving snow
It’s one thing for an autonomous car to strut its stuff on a smooth, warm California tarmac, and quite another to do so on the frozen winter mix of northern Finland. Martti, a self-driving vehicle system homegrown in Finland, demonstrated just this in a record-setting drive along a treacherous (to normal drivers) Laplandish road. Read More
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A week on the wrist with the Alpina Startimer
It’s refreshing to wear a mechanical watch. The soft sweep of the seconds hand reminds us of the fleeting nature of time while the endless ticking in a dark room is a comfort and a spur to action. Add in a little limited edition provenance with big face and crown and you’ve got a stew going. This particular stew is called the Alpina Startimer. It is a pilot’s watch, a watch… Read More














