Technology

  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 ...

  Berlin / AFP Always wanted to know what it would be like to watch a TV talkshow in the studio? Or zoom in on a particular player in a Bundesliga game rather than see a wideshot of the field? The technology is there for such “live” 3D television experiences from the comfort of your home, according to the Fraunhofer ...

  AFP From curved televisions and futuristic virtual reality headsets to intelligent kitchens, Berlin’s mega consumer electronics show offers a mind-boggling array of the latest in high-tech gizmos. Here are a few of the most eye-catching gadgets at IFA: IT NOT ONLY WASHES AND DRIES This Panasonic washing machine also folds your laundry. The Japanese white goods maker said the ...

  AFP Microsoft is putting its machine brains into a Liebherr refrigerator. The US technology giant and Liebherr are collaborating on a new “SmartDeviceBox” that take the kitchen appliance beyond cooling comestibles to reminding people what they need at the market, Microsoft principal data scientist TJ Hazen said in a blog post. The box is an internet-connected module that fits ...

  Bloomberg Apple Inc. may bring at least $5 billion of its offshore cash back to the U.S. next year, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook suggested in an interview on Irish radio. “We provisioned several billion dollars for the U.S. for payment as soon as we repatriate it, and right now I would forecast that repatriation to occur next year,” ...

  Bloomberg G-Shock creator Kikuo Ibe sits in a makeshift showroom, surrounded by dozens of G-Shock watches that include a prototype model from 1982. It still works, his translator proudly proclaims. Durability is what people love about these watches, after all. Soft-spoken but with a lively sense of humor, the bespectacled Japanese engineer then goes through the history of G-Shock ...