Mitchel Broussard

Following authentication processes like thumbprint scanning, facial recognition, and QR code entry, a company in Japan this week has shown off a smartphone-based payment system that uses your unique palm print to confirm transactions (via Nikkei). Japanese credit card company JCB created the system in conjunction with Tokyo company Universal Robots, with a trial run aimed at company employees...

A new report posted today by Canalys predicts that 2018 will be "the defining year" for smart speaker adoption, with the global market expected to grow to 56.3 million shipments by the end of the year, up from just over 30 million in 2017 (via TechCrunch). Canalys predicts that Amazon and Google will remain in the lead with Echo and Home speakers, respectively. In addition to existing...

TiVo this morning announced a new "Next-Gen Platform" that aims to combine content from cable tv, streaming, DVR, and on-demand all in one place (via Engadget). The enterprise announcement is aimed at operators who might partner with TiVo on the platform, so the official launch of such a service is likely a ways off. Image via Engadget When it does launch, the Next-Gen Platform will deliver...

Apple has launched a new Apple Pay promotion running through Wednesday, January 10 and centering upon grocery delivery app Instacart. With the promo, you can get free delivery on Instacart orders of $35 or more when using Apple Pay to checkout, and no promo code is needed. The fine print for the new offer notes that free delivery will be subject to availability in certain areas, and service...

Following an expansion of its 5G tests to multiple cities around the United States -- including Minneapolis in time for Super Bowl LII -- AT&T this week announced that it expects to be the first U.S. company to launch mobile 5G services in a "dozen markets" by late 2018. The carrier said that it's "moving fast" to fulfill this promise, but hasn't yet specified which new cities could be reached by ...

Multiple analyst reports last week pointed towards Apple reducing its shipment forecast for the iPhone X in Q1 2018 from 50 million units down to 30 million units. Today, analyst Nicolas Baratte of investment banking company CLSA followed up those reports with a note that stated the iPhone X's shipment forecasts "remain inflated," and that any Q1 2018 volume estimate over 35 million units "will...

The iPhone has been named the "best-selling tech product of 2017" by analyst Daniel Ives of GBH Insights (via USA Today). Apple's smartphone achieved the same ranking in 2016, and Ives said that the company will sell a total of 223 million iPhones in 2017, increasing from 211 million sold in 2016. The iPhone was followed by Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8 (33 million), Amazon Echo Dot (24...

Yesterday, Apple responded to customer complaints about how the company handles power management features in older iPhone models and decided to reduce the price for out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacements from $79 to $29, beginning in late January and lasting through December 2018. In response, iFixit has decided to match that price point and lower the cost of every DIY iPhone battery fix kit ...

Sales celebrating the end of 2017 are in full swing, and Target this week has priced the 32GB 9.7-inch iPad from early 2017 at $249.99, down from $329.99. Currently, that's $30 cheaper than another sale on the same iPad that Best Buy is running, so if you've been looking to purchase one of the lower-end models of Apple's iPad lineup this is a great opportunity. As of writing, the Space Gray and...

Apple could debut its first retail location within Saudi Arabia as soon as 2019, thanks to the government's current push towards a "high-tech look" for the country. Reuters reports today that officials in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh -- including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- are currently in licensing discussions with both Apple and Amazon in an effort to entice major technology...

One year after launching a "Ring in the New Year" challenge for Apple Watch owners, Apple today is rolling out the challenge again for 2018. The challenge's rules appear slightly similar to last year, requiring you to close all three Activity rings for seven days in a row in January. During the previous challenge, you had to accomplish the same goal coupled with the specific requirement of the...

After presents were unwrapped across the world on Christmas morning, Amazon's Alexa app [Direct Link] earned the #1 spot on the iOS App Store's Top Free chart, suggesting Echo and other Alexa devices were very popular this holiday season (via TechCrunch). This marks the first time the Alexa app gained a #1 spot on Apple's App Store, and it remained there for over a day. Currently, Alexa sits...

Nearly three years after Energous debuted its wire-free "power-at-a-distance" charging system called WattUp, the Federal Communications Commission has now approved the technology. Specifically, the FCC certification is for the company's first-generation WattUp Mid Field transmitter, which powers up devices at a distance of up to three feet away (via Engadget). The news marks the first FCC...

Apple will reduce its shipment forecast for the iPhone X in the first quarter of 2018 from 50 million units down to 30 million units, according to a report this week by Economic Daily News (via Reuters). A handful of similar downgraded shipment predictions were shared by Apple analysts recently, most believing that the price of the iPhone X will lead to a decline in user demand early next year....

If you unwrapped an Apple product today it likely came with one of the company's first-party Lightning cables, but having an extra on hand is always a good idea, so you can place it in other rooms in your house, in your car, or in a bag when you travel. For that reason, now's a good time to shop for third-party Lightning cables that are cheaper than Apple's own accessory, but still Made For...

As it has done in previous holiday seasons, Google today began tracking Santa's journey on the web, mobile web for iOS, as well as on Android mobile and Android TV. With the tool, you can easily track Santa's trip as he delivers presents around the world in real time, including an estimated arrival time for your specific area. This marks Google's thirteenth year of tracking Santa's journey. To ...

Although sales on App Store and iTunes gift cards usually end soon after they launch, Amazon and PayPal still have 15 percent discounts on $100 iTunes cards happening in the last few days before Christmas. The ongoing sales make for easy last-minute gift ideas since you can get a code emailed in under 24 hours. At Amazon, if you purchase $100 or more in iTunes credit you'll get $15 off once...

Tidal today announced that starting on Christmas Day anyone will be able to try out its music-streaming service for free for a period of 12 days. This free trial will include the company's $19.99/month High Fidelity tier that includes lossless sound quality, and it does not require a credit card for you to start so all you will need is an email address (via The Verge). Tidal's new...

For any last-minute holiday shoppers out there, B&H Photo has a great free shipping offer that will end in under a few hours. B&H Photo says that the offer ends today at 12:00 p.m. ET, in under an hour, and is focused on thousands of tech and electronic items on the retailer's storefront. For some product pages, the free next day shipping offer extends to 2 p.m. ET today, however, so there should ...

Following previous Mac-supported displays that boasted USB-C and some Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, LG today announced a new set of monitors that all include full Thunderbolt 3 support. The news comes ahead of CES 2018, where LG will officially introduce the three new upgraded models of its popular monitor lineup. Apple and LG originally teamed up to create 4K and 5K UltraFine Displays aimed at...