Crave

LAS VEGAS--We tech writers are constantly comparing real products to what we've seen in sci-fi movies. I'm still waiting for my Hoverboard, but at least we're inching a little closer to some "Minority Report"-style computer interfaces with the Mauz, a device that turns your iPhone into a mouse with special skills.

Mauz is like a combination of the Wii remote, the Kinect, and a desktop mouse. It involves a small device that plugs into your iPhone and an app that makes the magic happen.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Canon piggybacks on this morning's PowerShot N announcement with the introduction of four new Pixma inkjet printers. Flaunting larger-than-average duty cycles and shipped with high-capacity ink cartridges, the Pixma MX392, MX452, MX522, and MX922 all-in-ones all deliver copy, scan, and print functions for individuals and large work groups.

Canon focuses on professional media handling on these devices, combining stationary wireless printing with Google Cloud Printing for the mobile crowd, not to mention compatibility with the Canon Easy-PhotoPrint app for Android and iOS devices that lets users forgo a standalone digital camera for a Web-connected smartphone.

Standing at the … Read more

Happy new year!

This week, we've got a few rumors that are sure to turn heads. Apple is supposedly working on an accessory that could make Karyne's dream of being a secret agent finally come true: a smart watch! What features should it have? Leave us a comment!

Also this week, the next iteration of BlackBerry Messenger is rumored to come with a feature that other phones have had for quite a while; Toshiba is possibly working on a new technology that could be a game changer; and a Russian news site has a very unlikely video of … Read more

Whatever you may feel about Windows 8, it's sparked a number of interesting hybrid designs. Now you can count the Tobii Rex, an eye-controlled interface for Windows 8, as another innovation that works with Microsoft's latest operating system.

First seen at last year's CES, the Rex is an eye-tracking peripheral that works with Tobii's proprietary Gaze interface to navigate around a Windows 8 computer. The stick-like device attaches to the base of your computer screen and connects via a USB port. … Read more

Last week's release of the Matrox DS1 Thunderbolt Dock heralded the arrival of alternative docking solutions to Apple's Thunderbolt Display for Mac systems. Though useful for adding new and expanded capabilities to iMac and Mac Mini systems, the primary benefit of these solutions is that it lets laptop users convert their systems to desktop workstations.

Apple laptops support a "clamshell" mode of operation, where if you attach an external keyboard and monitor, then you can close the lid and tuck the unit away to a convenient location and still operate the computer. Unfortunately this usually requires you to at least connect a USB cable along with a monitor to your system, not to mention any audio cables, printers, external hard drives, and other peripherals you might use in your desktop environment, which is obviously inconvenient to deal with every time you move.… Read more

iPads don't come with their own protection. In fact, these sleek metal and glass beauties ship naked. That just won't do: you need a case. But when it comes to the iPad Mini, I quickly discovered, what makes a good case or bag is a very different proposition than for the larger iPad.

To help you pick out something good, here's what I've observed so far over the last couple of months of hard-core iPad Mini use. Let's take a look, shall we?… Read more

The single-purpose gadget is very much alive and well. Case in point, this USB tentacle. It squirms. That's all it does.

The USB tentacle is not a hub. It won't open a beer bottle. It won't fire foam rockets at your cubicle mates. It won't charge your smartphone. It just squirms. To improve the visual impact, you might want to invest in multiple tentacles to adorn each port on your computer. … Read more

Despite the move to tiny portable music systems, some of us still long for the good old days of extremely noticeable boomboxes. You can indulge your nostalgia by dressing your iPhone up to look like one, or you could strap some wearable speakers to your feet.

The Sneaker Speaker from New York design group Ray Kingston Inc. wraps a set of speakers over the top of the shoe. Information about both the product and the designer is pretty sketchy so far.… Read more

Joke all you want, but Siri is pretty cool. And Google Search? Even cooler. Just one problem: These voice-powered assistants require you to take your phone out of your pocket, purse, briefcase, or whatever. You can't just talk to the air and have your commands recognized.

What you need is one of those "Star Trek: The Next Generation"-style communicators, the kind Captain Jean-Luc Picard wore on his chest. One little tap and he's all, "Commander Data, meet me in Engineering."

Indiegogo project CommBadge may not look Starfleet-issue, but it accomplishes much the same … Read more