Gadgets

By Kyle Russell Google-subsidiary Nest claims that the results of three studies based on longitudinal data show that its thermostat pays for itself in less than two years based on savings from heating and cooling costs. Read More …read more Source: TechCrunch Gadgets

By Natasha Lomas Microsoft has announced it will be offering the latest version of its desktop OS, Windows 10, free to users of the Raspberry Pi microcomputer later this year — as it seeks to keep pace with, and remain relevant to, developments powering the Internet of Things (IoT). Read More …read more Source: TechCrunch…

By Natasha Lomas Grab your screwdrivers, makers! There’s a new, more powerful Raspberry Pi in town… The just announced Pi 2, which goes on sale today, adds a quad-core chip and double the memory to support more intensive processing tasks. Read More …read more Source: TechCrunch Gadgets

By John Biggs The latest Keurig K-Cup machines have a dirty secret: built into the little ground coffee pods that so many know and love is a nefarious form of DRM. A special ink found only on real cups (and damaged by use) ensures that you can only use “real” K-Cups, thereby preventing you from…

By Josh Constine I’ve never been to Syria. Never been in a terrorist attack. Never experienced the confusion and fear, the loss of faith in my species in the face of senseless violence. But now I know just a little bit what it feels like. And it makes me want to help. What if you…

By John Biggs As a parent I understand that gadgets like the Milk Nanny will be forgotten – like the Diaper Genie and the no-pacifier rule – five months into the severe sleep-deprivation experiment that is parenthood. As a gadget freak, however, I do think it’s pretty cool. It’s a simple device. The system holds…

By Kyle Russell The PERI Duo is an iPhone battery case for the frequent entertainer — those who go out with friends and find that they’re the one stuck hooking their phone up to a speaker and doing some impromptu DJing. Read More …read more Source: TechCrunch Gadgets

By Darrell Etherington It’s a very special episode of the TechCrunch AppleCast, as we’re joined by Jackdaw Research founder and Chief Analyst Jan Dawson, who offers some context around Apple’s huge earnings success reported earlier in the week. Dawson joins Darrell Etherington and Kyle Russell to explain just how Apple managed to sell 74.5 million…

By Darrell Etherington Epson’s Home Cinema 3500 is a mid-range home projector that’s designed to provide bright, clear 1080p (and 3D) video without breaking the bank. It’s a big step up in size and embedded tech from the Epson PowerLite 2030, another projector I’ve recently tested, but does it justify the considerable extra expense? With…

By Josh Constine VR could enlighten and heal, not just entertain. Its immersiveness could distract us from pain, help us face our phobias, or give us first-hand training. “We have a belief that VR will disrupt every industry. And it’s global. So we made efforts to find companies in every different industry and that are…

By Darrell Etherington Canon’s announcing a new pro-level DSLR camera next week, according to CanonRumors, and now specs have leaked that reveal what we can expect. The 5DS (and 5DS R, a variant with the low pass filter removed, which should provide greater detail for landscape photographers at the expense of higher moiré) should offer…

By Darrell Etherington A new model Tesla has been caught on camera at the Alameda Airport test track (via Electrek). The car looks pretty similar to a Prius, or perhaps a crossover utility vehicle, and could plausibly be either the Model X SUV Tesla has been working on for years, or, as others are arguing,…

By Darrell Etherington Google’s Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette wasn’t too optimistic about the future of Google Glass on today’s Google earnings call for Q4 2014. The executive took some time to highlight the project as an example of when Google is willing to take a step back and rethink something that isn’t working out,…

By Matt Burns The i8 is BMW’s latest supercar. Able to go 0 to 60 in about 4.4 seconds with its hybrid electric/gas powertrain. The i8 looks like a Hot Wheels car, handles like a supercar and is as expensive as a high-end Porsche. With a starting price of $135,000, this isn’t the car for…

By Darrell Etherington Apple’s newest iPhone customers aren’t just old customers upgrading older devices – in fact, the vast majority are migrating from other platforms. Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that over 85 percent of consumers buying iPhones lately are coming from devices that aren’t iPhones, and that…