Gadgets

Controversy over warrantless laptop and smartphone searches at the border abound, and now the ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) are going after the Department of Homeland Security over it. Both organizations have filed a lawsuit against the DHS on behalf of 11 people -- 10 US citizens and one green card holder -- who were subjected to these warrantless devices search when attempting to enter the US from abroad.

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The number of homes in the U.S. that don't have at least one television is growing, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. According to a study it published earlier this year, which looked at television trends in the US from 1997 to 2015, US households experienced a sudden decrease in TV ownership between 2009 and 2015, the reasons for which likely have a lot to do with mobile phones and tablets.

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The TSA has announced new domestic safety screening rules that will make air travel a bit more frustrating for many travelers. Following the international in-flight laptop ban that had affected some countries -- a rule reportedly based on tips from intelligence agencies that large electronics may be modified as bombs -- the TSA has announced that all gadgets bigger than a cell phone will need to be screened separately from carry-on luggage.

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The US government has lifted in-flight laptop bans for flights originating from Istanbul and Dubai, a follow-up to the recent ban removal for flights from Abu Dhabi. The ban removal follows recently announced enhanced security measures that, if enacted by airports, may result in their in-flight gadget bans being removed. All of this, of course, follows the US ban on certain large in-flight electronics that may be modified so that the batteries function as bombs. The UK implemented a very similar ban immediately following the US's ban.

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The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to announce new 'enhanced' security measures that will lift in-cabin laptop bans currently in place against passengers in flights originating from certain cities. According to sources, the laptop ban will be dropped for airlines that adopt and follow the new security measures, though airlines that reject them may still be subject to the in-cabin ban. The ban itself is said to be the result of new intel indicating terrorists may try to weaponize large batteries found in laptops and tablets.

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This morning Sony showed off a new flagship 24-megapixel camera in the Sony A9, able to shoot photos very, very fast. This camera is able to shoot up to 20 frames per second with no blackout - that's intense. It's also able to capture at 1/32,000 of a second with vibration-free shooting using "Silent Shooting." This is also the first full-frame stacked CMOS sensor with integral Memory "for 20x faster data readout speed" according to Sony.

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Crosley Radio has taken the wraps off its new Star Wars Turntable, a turntable featuring iconic Star Wars imagery to coincide with both A New Hope's anniversary and the 10th annual Record Store Day. As we'd expect, the Star Wars Turntable is a limited edition model; Crosley says it'll be available to purchase from select indie record stores starting on April 22. This marks the company's fourth annual exclusive release for Record Store Day.

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Yesterday we brought you a brief rundown of what Lightform was and will be, and today we’ve got a few more bits and pieces from the company’s CEO. Lightform is a company and a device - the device works with a projector to scan any environment and project light into that environment unique to that environment. This sort of technology has existed in the past, but with Lightform, it’s being prepared for the everyday average consumer.

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A.T. Cross Company, the business behind the CROSS writing instrument brand, has teamed up with TrackR to launch what it says is the world's first trackable ink pen. The CROSS Peerless TrackR utilize's Bluetooth connectivity and a mobile app to enable owners to keep track of their pen using a smartphone. The system include's TrackR's Crowd Locate tech to help search for the pen if it is lost, among other things.

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A new collection of NETGEAR Orbi home internet hardware has been revealed with packages including routers and wall plug satellites. To make this extremely simple: the router sends the internet out into the users’ home, while the satellite picks up the signal and bounces it back, making it stronger throughout the area. Two new Orbi Tri-band WiFi Systems are coming to stores very soon, both made by NETGEAR.

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Both the U.S. and the U.K. recently banned most consumer gadgets from flights originating from several countries, a move that Canada is also considering implementing. The move is unusual given that the bans went into effect only hours apart, leading to speculation about possible security threats that had been discovered. Now, according to a new report, we have more info on that -- sources say the threat of a bomb disguised as an iPad had spurred the restriction.

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Passengers flying to the U.S. from one of eight particular countries will not be able to bring most of their gadgets on the plane as carry-on items. Such is the nature of a temporary ban imposed by the U.S. government that took effect today; why the ban is in place hasn’t been clearly stated. Statements from officials have been somewhat scattered, with one indicating that nine airlines are covered by this ban, and another indicating that ten airlines are covered.

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