Mitchel Broussard

OtterBox today announced that it will soon be expanding its modular uniVERSE case system to the iPad Air 2 and 9.7-inch iPad Pro, along with the introduction of new partners for the system like Brydge, olloclip, and Tile. uniVERSE combines the rugged protection of the company's brand with modular add-ons that enhance the features of the case, which is even more expansive on iPad thanks to two...

Self-serve technology company USA Technologies today announced that it will soon integrate its MORE. loyalty and payroll deduct program with Apple Pay at more than 300,000 vending machines across the United States. With the partnership, and inclusion of the MORE. program, users at any participating machine will be able to purchase an item with Apple Pay and receive exclusive offers, promotions,...

Apple today announced that January 1, 2017 was the iOS App Store's "busiest day ever" with $240 million total in customer purchases made on the storefront on New Year's Day. Looking back at the past year, App Store developers made $20 billion in 2016, which the company said was up 40 percent from 2015. In the announcement, Apple gave a few statistics on categories like the top grossing apps of ...

At CES today, smart lock maker August announced the newest addition to its home security line, called the August Smart Lock Mortise Kit. The company called the new product the first solution in North America that converts mortise style door locks into smart locks. Mortise locks are typical in multi-unit apartment buildings and integrate the locking bolt functionality directly into a door's...

Faucet brand Moen today announced that it will be "revolutionizing the shower experience" with the debut of "U by Moen," a cloud-based and Wi-Fi enabled shower system that brings mobile connectivity and personalized water preferences into the bathroom. The U by Moen shower is a valve system that needs to be installed professionally and will let users control water pressure through a "digital...

Chamberlain, a connected smart home company that specializes in garage door openers, today announced that it will be introducing Apple HomeKit compatibility to a range of its connected smart home devices. For users already using the company's products in the "MyQ" ecosystem, they will be able to gain HomeKit support through the addition of a new MyQ Home Bridge. For new users, Chamberlain will ...

At CES today LaCie announced "significant" updates for its LaCie Rugged and d2 computer storage solutions, beefing up each product with more speed, increased storage capacity, and better compatibility with modern computers, including Thunderbolt 3 on the LaCie d2. The updated LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB-C solution has support for USB 3.0-compatible computers, as well as models with USB-C...

After initially launching a thermal camera that doubled as a case for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, at CES this year FLIR Systems has now expanded its line of thermal imaging smartphone accessories with a professional grade FLIR ONE Pro. The company also introduced an updated version of the original FLIR ONE thermal camera attachment. The Pro line of the device works like the other versions by ...

After originally launching for PC laptops, Neonode has now announced the launch of its "AirBar" dongle for the 13-inch MacBook Air. AirBar is a magnetically-attached strip that connects to the MacBook via USB-A and allows users to interact with Apple's laptop through gestures and controls that mimic touchscreen-enabled computers. Users don't have to download or install additional software to...

Linksys today announced a modular Wi-Fi system called "Velop," which boosts internet coverage throughout any style of home thanks to its multi-unit set-up, similar to products like Google Wi-Fi and Eero (via The Verge). Linksys said that Velop can be set up in just minutes and delivers some of the fastest and most reliable Wi-Fi in the multi-unit router market. Like similar products, Velop's ...

Although the AirPods have been well-received by a majority of users after the holidays, the largest issue persisting online centers around troublesome battery drain issues with the headphones' bundled-in Charging Case. MacRumors reported last week about an initial hubbub of concern coming from AirPods wearers and the Charging Case not living up to Apple's 24 hours of standby life. This week more...

With CES gearing up in a few days, some companies have begun revealing new products ahead of the show, and today TrackR has unveiled new updates to its range of Bluetooth tracking devices that help users keep tabs on where their most precious items are located (via The Verge). One of the new additions is the TrackR pixel, which the company is introducing as a cheaper and more colorful entry to ...

Apple plans to reduce production of the iPhone line by 10 percent beginning in the first quarter of 2017, according to supplier data collected by Nikkei. Apple is said to have experienced a similar situation thanks to accumulated inventory of the iPhone 6s late in 2015, which also caused it to lower output of that smartphone in Q1 2016. The company attempted to prevent the same thing from...

Following reports this month that Apple has been in talks to manufacture its products locally in India, as well as set up a distribution center in the country, an article by Bloomberg today suggests that the Cupertino company is now asking India to offer up tax concessions on iPhones created within its borders. According to people familiar with the matter, Apple is asking for lower import...

Foxconn is deploying a plan broken down into three phases that will eventually "automate entire factories" in China (via DigiTimes). According to the general manager of Foxconn's Automation Technology Development Committee, Dai Jia-peng, the company's first phase of the plan is "to set up individual automated work stations for work that workers are unwilling to do or is dangerous." The second...

A new trend study published by Nielsen this week looks into the top smartphone apps of 2016, as well as the operating systems that the apps were downloaded on. This year within the United States, Facebook won the top spot with more than 146 million average unique users each month. The social network company also dominated the second spot with Facebook Messenger at 129 million unique users...

AirPods manufacturer Inventec is planning to expand production capacity for the wireless headphones in the wake of high consumer demand during the holiday season. In a new report by China's Economic Daily News (via DigiTimes), the supplier is rumored to have begun expanding capacity in a few of its Shanghai plants. The report noted that Inventec has recently started expanding capacity at its...

In a lengthy new article posted online today, The New York Times has delved into the inner workings of Foxconn's major iPhone manufacturing plant in Zhengzhou, China, referred to locally as "iPhone City." The article describes how the facility became one of Apple's major global manufacturing plants, as well as the "hidden bounty of perks, tax breaks, and subsidies" uncovered behind the scenes of...

Samsung Display has again been rumored as the exclusive supplier of OLED panels for the 2017 iPhone, according to new claims made by sources in the Taiwan supply chain (via DigiTimes). Back in April, The Korea Herald reported that Samsung would supply Apple with OLED panels in 2017, furthering rumors from as early as January that Apple and Samsung were in talks for an OLED manufacturing...

In a recent piece by The Wall Street Journal, hardware analyst Stephen Baker commented on the state of holiday sales figures for both Apple and Samsung. While many believed Apple would have it easy this season due to Samsung's Galaxy Note7 crisis, Baker said that "Apple's own lack of a wowing product this year" meant that woeful Note7 owners opted for other high-end Galaxy phones, and not the...