Smart

Google Glass could one day let you control objects around you

You may eventually be able to operate your TV, refrigerator, or garage door through Google Glass.

Published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a Google patent application called "Wearable Computer with Superimposed Controls and Instructions for External Device" describes a technology in which a Google Glass wearer could control a real object via a virtual display.

Beyond merely showing you details about an object, Google Glass would present a virtual control panel to let you interact with that object.

As described in the patent, you could "control the target device, provide input to the … Read more

Apple iWatch, beware. Samsung plans to clock you

Now that Samsung has said it's working on a high-tech watch, one that presumably will pack smartphone features, 2013 could shape up as the year of smartwatch wars, with longtime foes Apple and Samsung leading the battle.

The motivation, Wall Street analysts argue, is that the biggies need another act as growth of smartphones sales are already slowing. Could smartwatches become that act? It might sound like a long shot; many people already are abandoning watches and relying on their phones instead. And in an age of ever-expanding phone screens, a device for the wrist comes with obvious limitations. … Read more

The bathroom scale evolved

Go way beyond the typical bathroom scale with the new Withings Smart Body Analyzer. This fitness gadget not only measures your weight, it also calculates the amount of fat you're saddled with, plus keeps tabs on your heart rate.

The Body Analyzer, which goes on sale March 20 for $149.95, even sniffs the air for carbon dioxide levels in an effort to monitor ambient air quality. Another indication of the product's intelligence is that it can sync wirelessly with mobile devices via Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi.

When it's paired with the Withings Health Mate app, … Read more

Sony offers slick new SmartWatch software

Sony's high-tech timepiece offering, the Sony SmartWatch, isn't exactly known for smooth performance. The company's new software update, however, promises to offer a slicker interface and six new watch faces, and to address any lingering stability issues. … Read more

How Samsung might actually get featuritis under control

Editor's note: This article was originally published January 9 during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It was updated March 15 with information about the Galaxy S4.

Samsung has a serious case of featuritis, but it's trying to get better.

The Korean electronics giant has long been known for its push to include more and more features in its products, whether it's new capabilities like NFC in smartphones or software like smart TV apps. Samsung uses such features as a way to differentiate its new gadgets from those of rivals and from its older products, and … Read more

Apple eyes wireless charging via the iPad's Smart Cover

iPad owners may one day be able to wirelessly charge their tablets without the need for a separate charging station.

Published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple's patent application called "Integrated Inductive Charging In Protective Cover" describes a method of using the iPad's Smart Cover itself as the wireless charger.

The cover would be built with inductive power coils and possibly a battery, both of which could provide juice to the iPad. Charging the tablet this way would be a simple matter of closing the cover, which would then power the iPad … Read more

Episode 30: A Chromebook Pixel drinking game!

I feel like I might be the only person in the world who loves the poor Chromebook Pixel. It's just so misunderstood, with its ridiculously high price, its tiny 32GB hard drive, and its odd 3:2 screen resolution. But the design is just so gorgeous (drink), and the touch screen is so exciting, and the Chrome OS is so simple and Web-based! Perhaps you'll fall in love like I did ... or be wildly skeptical like Jeff Cannata. Check out this week's Unboxing, and find out.

On the other hand, Jeff is delighted by the idea of … Read more

Blow then start: The future of alcohol and driving (CNET On Cars, Episode 13)

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We have the best from the Geneva auto show in this episode, including LaFerrari, Lamborghini's Veneno, and the Corvette Stingray convertible.

Our Car Tech 101 explains "connected cars," which is a term that has come to mean a lot of things. You'll understand them all.

Cooley blows hard into the current in-car booze detectors, but then shows you the future that may put alcohol lockout tech in every car: a federal initiative called DADSS that would radically … Read more

Record notes, thoughts and images quickly with the intuitive Smart Journal

The App Store is filled with a plethora of journaling apps, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Every person is different and likes to record and share their thoughts in a different way. For every well-crafted, smartly designed app on the market, there is an individual sure to love it. Smart Journal is just such an app, offering a slick, attractive design, intuitive controls and a novel means of jotting down quick journal entries and even sharing them when you choose to. Designed for simplicity, the app opens quickly and requires no Web syncing to operate, a major … Read more