Stories by Jeff Bertolucci

Android isn't just for smartphones and tablets anymore. Sony has unveiled its new SmartWatch, an Android-powered timekeeper that brings smartphone-like capabilities to the wristwatch.

Amazon, a pioneer in Internet retailing, may soon open up a brick-and-mortar shop.

Who wouldn't want an Internet-connected smart rabbit? Or maybe an iPhone case that doubles as a bottle opener?

From Apple's iPhone 5 to next-gen thermostats to OLED TVs, here are 10 tech products we're looking forward to seeing in 2012.

Microsoft is eager for Windows XP, its 10-year-old operating system, to fade into computing history. The sooner the better, in fact. But for that to happen, the Redmond company needs millions of XP users to drop creaky, old XP and migrate (hopefully) to Windows 7, or even to Windows 8, which won't arrive until next year.

Phrase books and botched pronunciations may soon be a thing of the past--well, for smartphone users, anyway. Google Translate for Android makes it easier for world travelers to ask for directions in foreign lands without embarrassing themselves or creating an international incident.

Apple's new iPhone 4S has some impressive upgrades, including voice controls, a faster processor, and a better camera. But to millions of tech fans hoping to be dazzled by Apple's latest creation, the 4S is, well, a tad disappointing. Here are the top pre-launch rumors that didn't come true:

Earlier this week, we told you how to turn off a new, potentially mortifying Spotify feature that tells your Facebook friends, in real-time, what you are listening to. If you're a closeted fan of, say, Alvin and the Chipmunks tunes, but your friends prefer death metal--well, the potential for embarrassment is high.

If you're afraid you're not sharing enough of your daily activities with your online friends, here's another chance to get social...with books.

Microsoft will begin delivering the new version of Windows Phone 7, code-named Mango, to its customers within the next two weeks, the company announced Wednesday.

What's your preferred means of cellphone communication: text or talk? A new survey from Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project says a slight majority of Americans -- 53 percent, to be exact -- prefer a voice call to a text message. But 31 percent of cellphone users would rather get a text.

The personal computer isn't dying, but its days of dominance are numbered. Research firm IDC predicts the number of U.S. mobile Internet users will surpass their wired counterparts by 2015.

Barnes & Noble's Nook Color e-reader has proven to be a favorite among consumers and critics alike. With its 7-inch capacitive touchscreen and Android 2.1 operating system, it blurs the boundaries between e-reader and tablet. In fact, with a few simple hacks, it functions as a capable Android tablet.

If you talk to your desktop PC, it's probably for all the wrong reasons -- usually to hurl expletives at the machine for not working properly. Well, users of the desktop version of Google Chrome now have a more productive reason to get chatty with their computers. Google has added voice search for Google Maps to Chrome, offering users a (sometimes) faster way to get directions.

If you've missed out on Hewlett-Packard's close-out deals on the discontinued TouchPad tablet -- $99 for the 16GB model, and $149 for 32GB -- you might want to check out low-cost slates from competing vendors.