Phablets Are Eating Phones And Tablets

It’s been increasingly evident for years: smartphone users are digging bigger phones as they do more on screens, and spend less time talking on the phone. And there’s no sign of the appetite for supersizing mobile handsets abating — not according to a new report from Yahoo-owned mobile analytics firm Flurry. Read More

Get a Denon 7.2-channel stereo receiver for $399

Designed for serious audiophiles and normally priced at $599, this top-rated powerhouse packs Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and eight (!) HDMI inputs.

Apple Watch Review

The Apple Watch is now on the wrists of members of the general public for the first time, and opinions about its usefulness are flying fast and furious. Here at TechCrunch, we’ve been sharing our thoughts in an ongoing diary, featuring daily entries describing what it’s like to use the Watch as we become more familiar with the new gadget. Read More

Facebook threatens Europe with fewer features due to fragmented regulation

Open up your salmon-pink copy of the Financial Times today and within the Opinion section you'll find a strident critique of European regulation from Facebook's chief of public policy, Richard Allan. There's sadly nothing unusual about the rift between big American companies and the European regulators trying to keep them in check, but the tenor of this complaint is slightly different.

Not merely bemoaning excess regulation, Facebook expresses unhappiness at the fragmented and inconsistent sets of requirements it has to abide by in each country. It's presently subject to various investigations in countries like the Netherlands and Germany, which Allan describes as "overlapping" and rehashing the "months of demanding, technical audits"...

Continue reading…

GoPro Drops 4% After Reporting Better Than Expected Q1 Profit And Revenue

GoPro made money last quarter, beat on revenue and is still down after hours. The company reported $363.1 million in first quarter revenue, and net income of $16.75 million, is off 4 percent after regular trading pushed its shares up by the same percentage. Why is it trading down? It isn’t wildly clear, to be frank. The market expected that the company would generate less revenue… Read More

Dropbox now lets you add comments to hosted files

Filesharing service Dropbox has today introduced Dropbox Comments, a way for all users to add notes to files that it hosts. The feature — which was previously only available in early access to paid-up Dropbox for Business customers — lets multiple people leave feedback and mentions for other users in a dedicated comments pane overlaid on the document itself. Users can invite people without Dropbox accounts to open files and read the comments, but you'll need to sign up if you want to add your own points.

Dropbox started life as a simple cloud-based filesharing service, but recent moves have seen it pitch itself as a more integral component of your online existence. The company launched dedicated photo and email apps last year, and last...

Continue reading…

Apple Mac Sales Up 10% YoY Despite Global Decline In PC Shipments

Apple sold approximately 4.5 million Macs this quarter, according to the company’s Q2 2015 earnings report, released today. This represents year-over-year growth of 10 percent, with 4.1 million Macs sold in the same quarter last year. Last quarter, over the holidays, Apple sold 5.5 million Macs, meaning that Apple Mac sales declined by 17 percent quarterly. Apple’s latest… Read More

Watch This X-Wing Make It To Space In Star Wars Premiere Ticket Bid

An X-Wing has made it to space in real life, thanks to a project by a two-person space photography outfit from Essex, UK launched as an attempt to get tickets to the Star Wars: The Force Awakens VIP premiere. Project Helium Tears, which uses weather balloons to take pictures of Earth from the very edge of space, fixed an X-Wing model to one of their balloons and sent it up, capturing the flight… Read More

Get a $50 iTunes gift card for $40

An honest-to-goodness card delivered by honest-to-goodness U.S. Mail. Nice gift item for a mom, dad or grad! Plus: three bonus deals!

Firefighter fights flamethrower with firehose, raises questions

In this video, a person who appears to be a firefighter uses a shielded firehose to battle a high-powered flamethrower. At 13 seconds, you can take a moment to watch the entire thing without feeling as if part of your day has been lost to the latest scrimmage in the timeless war of the elements.

Now I'll be fielding questions, because surely you have many:

Is that a firefighter or merely someone who has acquired a firefighter uniform?

An excellent query. As you might know, going head to head with a flamethrower isn't standard firefighter behavior. I have firefighters in my family, so I can say confidently that many if not most firefighters prefer to use their free time watching sporting events, grilling red meats, and pontooning with...

Continue reading…

There's an Android robot urinating on the Apple logo in Google Maps

We can't explain it but we're certain someone will have to. For unknown reasons, Google Maps now contains a cartoon of Android's robot mascot relieving itself on the Apple logo. The image, found near the city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, was first spotted by Cult of Android and at the time of writing is still — unbelievably — live.

Although some people have labelled it an Easter Egg, it seems beyond the pale of the usual corporate one-upmanship that Google and Apple occasionally indulge in. It's also only visible on the map view — not in the satellite pictures  — ruling out the possibility of diehard Pakistani Android fans sticking it to those iPhone suckers with a carefully-mown field.

The same image zoomed out a little more. (G...

Continue reading…

iFixit Apple Watch Teardown Suggests No Internal Chip Upgrades

Today is Apple Watch D-Day for a speedy few early adopters, with Cupertino finally shipping the first batch of its debut wearable to buyers. That means it’s also the day that serial repairers/tenacious teardowners iFixit get to crack open Apple’s latest sealed box and peer inside so we don’t have to. Read More

This goofy Chinese app turns you into the creepiest avatar possible

If you've been browsing Twitter, Instagram, or Vine lately, there's a good chance you've borne witness to the part-horrifying, part-amazing phenomenon that is My Idol: a free Chinese iPhone app that takes selfies and turns them into singing, dancing cartoon avatars dredged straight from the depths of the uncanny valley.

These 3D puppets are like slightly more realistic versions of Xbox Live avatars. They've got the same bobbleheads, but you can dress them in traditional Chinese clothes, make them sing karaoke, or celebrate holidays you've likely never heard of. It's the sort of thing everyone gets addicted to in an episode of Black Mirror before they forget how to get dressed or eat. It's stupid and goofy, but who cares when you can...

Continue reading…

Many Apple Watch Orders Will Ship Earlier Than Expected

Many customers who ordered the Apple Watch have been receiving email notifications alerting them that their orders are “Processing,” despite being told when they placed their order that they wouldn’t ship until May or June. Apple has confirmed to TechCrunch that many Watch orders will indeed be at their doors a lot sooner than expected. Read More

Kickstarter project Tiko promises 3D printing for $179

Boasting a unique unibody design and unparalleled price tag, the Tiko could bring 3D printing to the mainstream. But if you want one, be prepared to wait.