Technology

  San Francisco / AFP Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone and maybe even a second-generation smartwatch at a special event in San Francisco on Wednesday. The rumour mill has been grinding away with talk of iPhone 7 models that will boast faster chips, more sophisticated cameras, and improved software while doing away with jacks for plugging in ...

  Relaxnews The German brand famous for premium pens, watches and leather goods is showing off an augmented notebook and pen set at IFA 2016 that automatically digitizes handwritten notes. Real-world pens that can capture real-world notes and send them to a computer, tablet or smartphone screen are nothing new — LiveScribe has been successfully cultivating a loyal following of ...

  Bloomberg The Meizu M3 MAX launched on Monday in Beijing is aimed that users that want a handset that’s good for business and entertainment. The phone boasts a Low Temperature Poly-silicon (LTPS) full HD 6-inch display. It goes easy on battery reserves and will also be kinder to users’ eyes if they want to use their handset at night. ...

  Bloomberg To help end the blind search for a parking gap in crowded city streets, Mercedes-Benz cars will start giving each other a headsup when a space is free. Drivers often pass by free spaces when they’re not looking to park and that information will be noted by the car and uploaded to help others, under a pilot project ...

  Bloomberg Shuhei Yoshida has reason to celebrate. The head of Sony Corp.’s games development is six weeks away from the introduction of its first virtual-reality headset and demand seems promising. The $399 headset is sold out at retailers around the world, even though most customers haven’t been able to try it out. But on a rainy evening in Tokyo, ...

  NEW YORK / AP It’s getting rarer for phone launches to generate excitement these days — especially in the Android world, where all models use the same underlying Google software. Every year, phones get routine refreshes such as faster processors, better cameras and longer battery life. But Android phone makers haven’t given up trying to stand out. Samsung, for ...

  Washington / AFP American researchers have created a low-cost textile made of a plastic base that could cool the body when woven into clothing. The engineers suggested in the US journal Science that the textile could become a way to keep people living in hot climates cool without using air conditioning. “If you can cool the person rather than ...

  Relaxnews Google Ara, the visually arresting phone that snaps together from discrete, swappable component units, has been put on hold, new reports suggest. Instead of continuing with Project Ara directly, it’s now considering becoming a license holder or selling the project to a manufacturer, Recode reports. Project Ara would have allowed owners to assemble their own smartphone configurations from ...

  Bloomberg HSBC will now allow customers to verify their identities when opening an account by taking a selfie, reports Business Insider. Much like apartment-sharing app Airbnb, the bank will give customers the option of taking a headshot on their phone to complete an ID security check as part of the company’s mobile banking app. The function would replace other ...

  Bloomberg Baidu Inc. has unveiled its latest plans to stake out a spot in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence, including a partnership with Nvidia Corp. to develop driver-less cars and taxis and a home gadget akin to Amazon.com Inc.’s popular Echo. Chief Executive Officer Robin Li is banking on its growing AI expertise to jumpstart a slowing search ...