The Switch: The six wackiest gadgets (so far) at CES 2015

Today's technology and tech policy news  •  Mon., Jan. 5, 2015 View in your Web browser

The six wackiest gadgets (so far) at CES 2015 Smart home products, home security systems and plenty of gadgets to help improve your health were on display as International CES, the world's largest consumer electronics show, kicked off its annual event Sunday in Las Vegas. The official convention doesn't begin until Tuesday, but companies traditionally make several big announcements to the press during previews days ahead of the show.  Read full article »

Forgot to book a hotel? Soon, your car will be able to do it for you.

Imagine that you've set out on a long road trip, have the car packed, have gas and are just pulling onto the highway when you realize -- you've forgotten to book a place to stay tonight. In an age of connected cars, GM's OnStar will be able to solve that problem in a very simple way. Just ask your car to find you a room.  Read full article »

Mobile shopping may be growing, but old-school desktops are still king of online shopping

Shoppers spent more time browsing and purchasing gifts on their smartphones and tablets during the recent holiday shopping season, but still relied on old-school desktop computers for most of their Christmas spending blitz.  Read full article »

Innovations: What you need to know about OLED lighting

Just as consumers are warming up to idea of LED bulbs usurping good old-fashioned Edisons, another challenger seems poised to join the mix.  In December leading lighting manufacturer Acuity Brands introduced a line of OLED lighting products intended for the broader public in the form of two flat panel fixtures: the petal-shaped Chalina and the Aeden, a rectangular minimalist design. Both are now available on Home Depot’s Web site as well as at select stores, starting at $199.   Read full article »

Innovations: The case for and against the Internet’s best IPO candidates in 2015

This year a number of high-profile Internet companies are vying to become “the next Facebook” or “the next Twitter” — the type of big-name technology IPO that everybody wants a piece of, from Wall Street bankers to Main Street investors. The biggest name among these is Uber, which now boasts a stunning $41 billion valuation after landing more than $1 billion in financing at the beginning of December. Other hot IPO prospects include Airbnb, Spotify and Pinterest.  Read full article »

The Switchboard: FCC’s net neutrality rule vote to come in February

Published every weekday, the Switchboard is your morning helping of hand-picked stories from the Switch team.If the Supreme Court tackles the NSA in 2015, it will be one of these five cases. Legislative responses to National Security Agency snooping have largely faltered, but Cyrus Farivar at Ars Technica reviews potential judicial avenues of reform in 2015.  Read full article »

Courts ‘choose’ to lag behind on tech, says Chief Justice Roberts There are few institutions in modern America as untouched by technology as the U.S. Supreme Court. And that's why it was so striking to see, as our Robert Barnes details, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts devote the bulk of this year's progress report on the state of the federal judiciary to musings on what role technology plays in the life of the court.  Read full article »

The man who invented Priceline.com wants to shake up America’s approach to patents

In 1997, Jay Walker founded Priceline.com — the Web site many people use to get cheaper airfare by "naming your own price." Patenting the solution, and allowing others to use the patents for a fee, helped drive Walker's success. But, Walker argues in an interview, many patents remain underused. Now, the man who smoothed transactions for buyers and sellers of airplane tickets wants to do something similar for a key part of the nation's information economy. Walker is developing something called the United States Patent Utility. Here’s what that means.  Read full article »

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