Bending iPhones, Ello, Wrist Drones, the New BlackBerry, and More

What a week! We heard all kinds of complaining about whether or not Apple's iPhone 6 Plus will actually deform in your pocket; we pondered the weirdness of the new and super-hyped social network, Ello; and of course, we played with all kinds of crazy gadgets. Let's take a look back at the week!

Consumer Reports Bend Test Pits iPhone 6 Plus Against the Competition

Sure, Apple's only received nine reports of bent iPhones and we highly doubt you'll have any reason to worry about your own, but do Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handle the pressure any better than competing models? Consumer Reports put that to the test, pitting the new iPhones against other giant handsets including the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

One Clever Explanation of Why the iPhone 6 Plus Might Bend

Pundits have blamed the iPhone 6 Plus bending non-scandal on dozens of potential issues, from the weak aluminum case to the crushing force of their own butts. But while we don't know for sure about why a few phones have been bent, one here's one plausible structural explanation with moment diagrams and everything.

A Wearable Camera That Would Turn Into a Drone and Fly Off Your Wrist

Meet Nixie, a wearable camera concept that flies off your wrist and turns into a remote-controlled quadcopter. It's the bizarre-yet-appealing wearable camera drone nobody asked for... and now I kind of want it.

What Is Ello and Should I Even Bother?

In the past week you may have heard people start to talk about something called Ello. Though it sounds like a cockney-accented greeting, it's actually a new social network with one major selling point: It doesn't have any ads.

Why the Bash Shellshock Bug Could Be Even Worse Than Heartbleed

Shellshock is newly discovered vulnerability in software that's in computer systems we use everyday. It's kind of like Heartbleed, the Open/SSL bug that scared everyone senseless a few months ago and remains unpatched on thousands of systems. According to some experts, however, Shellshock could be way worse, and it's been around for decades.

iPhone 6 Review: The Phone That Lured Me Back to Apple

I'd rather get this out of the way up front: the iPhone 6 is the best smartphone you can buy. In fact, it's better than that. The iPhone 6 convinced me to switch back to Apple.

iPhone 6 Plus Review: The Best Tablet I've Ever Used

Six years ago, I sat on my girlfriend's couch, casually flipping her new iPhone 3G end over end. I was pondering why anyone would buy an iPhone over my clearly superior T-Mobile G1 handset. Yes, I was an Android nut, a former Sidekick owner who believed that smartphones should have physical keyboards and be held horizontally for maximum effect. In other words, I wanted a laptop that fit in my pocket, looks be damned. When I realized her iPhone couldn't even let me type comfortably — hands bunched around its tiny portrait keyboard — I eyed it with disdain.

BlackBerry Passport Review: When the Best You've Got Isn't Good Enough

When you hear the word "smartphone," what image pops into your mind? Maybe it's the phone you own or the one you desperately want. Maybe it's even a favorite pocket companion from years past. Whatever it may be, one thing is likely certain: it looks nothing like the BlackBerry Passport.

Cops Have No Right to Be Angry About the iPhone's New Encryption

Security professionals and joe-schmoes alike cheered Apple's recent announcement that it would no longer be able to turn iPhone data over to cops. Finally, a guarantee that authorities couldn't snoop around your text messages! But you know who didn't cheer? Cops, of course.

The Joy and Misery of Life With a Grotesquely Large "Smartwatch"

Brought to life by a Kickstarter campaign that raised nearly $1 million last year, the Neptune Pine is the most literal interpretation of the word "smartwatch." It's a huge phone-like Android device that you strap to your wrist in order to feel smart. The $350 Neptune Pine does almost everything you would expect your phone to do—it just does it all badly. I just spent a few weeks trying the Neptune Pine so you don't have to.

The Best Smartphone Camera: iPhone 6 Edition

Since we last pitted the best smartphone cameras against one another, a few new contenders have entered the fold, notably the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. That makes now the perfect time to settle which smartphone packs in the snappiest shooter.

Polaroid Cube Review: A Tiny Adorable Camera

The Polaroid Cube is a delightful little camera that takes still shots and video. Like the name suggests, it's a tiny little cube just 35mm on a side. It sticks to any and all magnetic surfaces—even your dinner fork. It can be tossed around and taken out on the town and record all of life's oh-so-precious moments. But so can your smartphone. Does being darling make a difference? Yes, but perhaps not enough to justify your $99.

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