Some of the latest reports about Snapchat are now revealing that the company has started hiring wearable technology experts not for the purpose of creating a mobile app, but that are instead focused on the creation of hardware. While the initial assumption had been that Snapchat was looking to create mobile apps that would be supported by wearable technology, the discovery that the hires they’re seeking are not necessarily focused on software, but that are actually in the hardware category, has changed this prediction altogether. This has sent the rumor mill spinning and many speculations are that the company is seeking to make its …

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport wants to make sure travelers don’t wind up lost. And so, DFW is using its mobile app to help visitors navigate around the airport. It makes sense. The airport is massive and sprawling. It is larger than Manhattan if you factor in the parking facilities, the airport says. 64 million travelers pass through the Dallas Fort Worth airport each year, and 90% of them are armed with their trusty smartphones, says Sean Donohue, chief executive officer of DFW Airport. Late last month, DFW launched an Apple Watch version of its iPhone app and added several languages to …

German automaker Audi is showing how intelligence is the new rock ‘n’ roll in its latest advertising campaign. The national multichannel campaign for the Audi A4 focuses on the car’s integration of technology, claiming that technology is as ubiquitous and influential in culture and life as rock ‘n’ roll once was. Creating a favorable narrative around a product’s innovations can appeal to consumers on an additional level of sentiment.

Five or so years ago, a couple of dudes in Zurich decided to strap smartphones to their wrists. The size of technical components is becoming ever-smaller, and the group wanted to figure out what could theoretically be achieved with a wearable technology platform. So they attached their phones to their wrists and wandered the halls of Google, where they worked, pretending they were watches. Among their findings was that a wrist-mounted keyboard is all but impossible to use: Information has to proactively come to you at the right time.

Two auto-technology companies at the forefront of the self-driving-cars movement and with ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed major deals with auto-manufacturing giants General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. this week. GM (NYSE: GM) announced Friday it will buy Silicon Valley-based Cruise Automation Inc., whose CEO is Kyle Vogt, a 2008 graduate of MIT who got his start in tech as an intern at Bedford-based iRobot (Nasdaq: IRBT) in 2005. Cruise Automation, which had raised about $20 million in venture capital funding from investors including Boston-based Spark Capital, makes automated driving technology. It's also known for turning Audi S4 and …

Soon your car may be able to give you a lifesaving nudge before you fall asleep at the wheel. Major auto makers are testing driver-monitoring systems that determine if a driver is too tired or distracted to drive safely, and the first such systems could be available next year. Such artificial intelligence systems that watch drivers and evaluate their fitness behind the wheel are designed in part to compensate for the auto industry’s embrace of Internet-connected entertainment automation technologies that researchers say contribute to distracted driving. …

U.S. finance giant Capital One has announced an integration with Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices, including Echo, that will let consumers access key facets of their finances using just their voice. Capital One claims to be the first company to let its customers access their bank account through the likes of Amazon Echo, the recently launched Amazon Tap and Echo Dot, and Fire TV. From today, if you’re a Capital One account holder who also owns one of these devices, you can gain access to information in your checking and savings accounts –including available funds, balance, recent transactions — and even pay your credit card bill.

The connected car market heated up this morning with news that General Motors will reportedly spend roughly $1 billion to buy Cruise Automation, which develops technology for autonomous vehicles. Separately, Ford announced it will break out its mobility programs into a separate subsidiary. Fortune reported that GM had considered making a strategic investment in Cruise, but "that quickly morphed into an acquisition discussion" that was finalized within several weeks. Cruise makes aftermarket kits to convert specific models into autonomous cars for highway driving. It had raised $18 million in funding and saw a recent valuation in the range of $90 million. GM announced …

When you think of the internet of Things, or IoT, indoor items likely spring to mind -- lamps, refrigerators, thermostats, etc. But "things" exist outdoors too. As the spring and summer seasons approach, more and more people will spend time in one of the most treasured parts of their property -- the yard. Yes, many homeowners have yards -- grass, gardens, ponds, and more -- where they can enjoy the outdoors and spend time with family. If the inside of your home can be "smart", why can't your yard? Well, good news, folks -- Scotts Miracle-Gro is launching an open IoT platform, called …

Just days ago, Amazon expanded its lineup of Alexa-equipped devices with the debut of the Tap and the Echo Dot. The virtual assistant has been extraordinarily successful for the online retailer, giving average consumers the ability to enter the world of the Internet of Things without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, as clever and popular as the devices are, the voice-activated nature of Alexa can occasionally backfire for users.