Tired of losing your Apple TV’s slim remote in the couch cushions? The New York Times reports that an updated version of the device will finally get a redesigned remote. The new control is described as being thicker, while also adding a touchpad for …
Technical
Chevy’s 2016 Volt costs just $25,000 if you live in California
Chevy’s Volt hybrid was once considered pricey even after government tax credits, but the 2016 model may well be within your reach… if you live in the right state, at least. The automaker has revealed that its latest eco-friendly sedan will cost $3…
Sony makes it easier to put new operating systems on its phones
Sony’s Android smartphones haven’t been tinkerer-friendly to date — since you couldn’t boot from a recovery partition, you couldn’t install CyanogenMod and other unofficial operating systems without jumping through hoops. It should be much easier to…
You can build Microsoft’s Kinect-powered holodeck at home
Got a Kinect, a projector and a knack for code? If so, you can create a Star Trek-like holodeck in your living room. Microsoft has released the RoomAlive Toolkit, a software framework that lets you string together Kinect motion trackers to create int…
Instagram takes a serious look at how people use emojis
Emojis are starting to flood Instagram, and the website’s engineers are on a quest to sort out how people are using the yellow-faced emoticons. Apparently, their popularity skyrocketed after Apple released the iOS emoji keyboard and Android got nativ…
Warby Parker wants to replace your optometrist with an app
Warby Parker, the eyewear company that sends you frames to try on before you make a purchase, has some lofty goals for the near future. In addition to plans that’ll almost double its current retail footprint, the start-up has an app in the works that…
WikiLeaks opens its doors to whistleblowers (again)
After almost five years of internal turmoil and allegations, WikiLeaks is back in secret-sharing business. The site has re-launched a beta version that is accepting anonymous files starting today. Even though Julian Assange, the editor-in-chief of th…
Engadget Live is back and headed to Boston, LA and Austin!
The weather’s getting warm, which means here at Engadget HQ, we’re already planning our summer getaways. For us, that means we’re gearing up for the return of Engadget Live, where we throw a series of events in different cities across the US, allowin…
Obama’s 2013 ‘BRAIN’ initiative results in remote-controlled mice
The first results to stem from President Barack Obama’s 2013 “Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies” initiative are in, Reuters reports. As noted in the journal Neuron, scientists were able to manipulate the brain circuitry of…
Evernote’s Plus tier gives you a bit more notetaking for $25 a year
Until now, Evernote’s service options have been something of an all-or-nothing proposition: either you stick to the free, very limited tier for your notetaking or shell out $50 a year for the full Premium package. You won’t have to pay quite so much …
iPad ‘test model’ swiped in Cupertino kidnapping
Despite Apple’s notorious love for secrecy, it famously lost a prototype device in the past (maybe even two), when one of its employees left it in a bar. Now, the company might have lost another: a 20-year-old man reported that a couple robbed his Cu…
‘Lucid Sleep’ keeps your Chromebook connected during naps
Getting back to work after waking your Chromebook Pixel from its digital slumber is about to get a bit easier. Google announced that its new (still experimental) Lucid Sleep feature is now available. This setting maintains limited Wi-Fi connectivity …
PayPal’s simple One Touch payments reach the web
PayPal helped fast-track your online shopping when it rolled out One Touch payments on phones last year, and today it’s bringing that simpler system to the web. As with mobile apps, you shouldn’t have to sign in more than once to use your PayPal bala…
Want the best Apple Watch display? Get a Sport model
Splurging on a gold or steel Apple Watch might get you a fancier timepiece, but there’s one thing you won’t get: the best possible display. DisplayMate has taken a close look at the OLED screen in the smartwatch, and it notes that sapphire carries it…
Google wants first refusal on the patents you want to sell
When a business is finished with a patent or just needs some cash, it often winds up selling its intellectual property to a patent troll. With it, these “non-practicing entities” can then fire courtroom broadsides at outfits like Microsoft and Google…