Livescribe has had a good run for the last several years making smart pens that have turned ordinary penmanship on paper into digital content that can save precious time in productivity. The Livescribe 3 Smart Pen continues the tradition, but does so in a way that walls off users who don’t have an iPhone or iPad.

Flagship smartphones, the likes of the iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One, tend to get the most attention because they are supposed to be the latest and greatest. There is, however, a growing segment of mid-range handsets that are designed to be both affordable and dependable. Here, we look at three in the Motorola Moto G LTE, Sony Xperia M2 and Acer Liquid S1.

Wearable technology has become a trend, largely because of fitness bands like the Nike Fuelband, Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up, among others. The category continues to grow because more vendors are getting into it, each trying to find unique ways to stand out from the crowd. Sony's SmartBand SWR10 and Garmin's Vivofit are two of the latest.

LG has quietly made a statement in the past 12 months that it is serious about making some of the best smartphones money can buy. The G3 takes a few solid steps in the right direction, making the case that sometimes less is more and design is an important detail not to be overlooked. It’s prettier than its predecessor and manages to outperform it in ways that it should, making this one of the more interesting and compelling handsets to come out so far this year.

It might be tempting to jettison that old-school stereo system you’ve been clinging on to just because it’s missing modern frills like Bluetooth, AirPlay or Wi-Fi, but that would be a shame if it still pumps out good sound. Before going that route, it’s worth considering a way to bridge the gap and breathe new life into your classic sound system. D-Link says you can do just that, and beef up your Wi-Fi signal strength in dead zones with its D- Wi-Fi Audio Extender (DCH-225M).

The very concept of a connected light bulb is one that might surprise you, but it’s an intriguing part of a connected and automated home. Philips Hue is a set of connected LEDs that can light up a room with any colour or shade in the gamut, literally changing the look and mood inside. Being able to control them from your phone or tablet makes the whole experience all the more convenient, but how much better does it get when you can go further?

Though cord-cutting is more a trend than a flood at this point, it's still inching upward, and devices like the Simple.TV 2 is trying to offer a lot of TV content in a way that either conveniently cuts the cable cord and saves money in the process.

The U.S. court battle between Aereo, an upstart TV streaming service, and the country's top broadcast networks has stirred some controversy over the future of TV south of the border, but the fallout may have implications in Canada, too.

Every so often, you might receive a flyer in the mail from one of the major Internet Service Providers (ISPs), offering what seems to be a sweet deal in bold letters, but turns out not to be a little more expensive in the fine print.

It’s not common to see Android displayed on a 21.5-inch desktop computer, but HP’s Slate 21 Pro is an interesting and affordable machine that brings the mobile operating system to an all-in-one form factor that could cater equally to both consumers and business users.

Home surveillance used to be an expensive investment requiring elaborate installation and a closed-circuit TV setup that collectively made for a cumbersome arrangement. All of that has been turned upside down by small, low-key cameras that offer stealth and are easily accessible via smartphone or tablet.

Smartphones have reached the status of computers in a number of respects, ranging from their capabilities to the data they’re able to store. It’s that spectrum of ability and the personal nature of smartphone data that should compel you to back it up and avoid the calamity of losing it forever.

The expanding level of choice in headphones and earbuds has been such that you can own multiple pairs for specific reasons. Finding a pair to wear when out running or working out at the gym is much easier than it used to be.

Smart TVs have been given the “smart” dis­tinc­tion by vir­tue of be­ing con­nect­ed to the In­ter­net and other de­vices used in the home. How­ever, the inter­faces dis­playing the tech­nol­ogy be­hind it have been less than com­pel­ling. LG’s webOS may be the first time a TV manu­fac­tur­er has taken a big leap for­ward in that re­gard.

Cord-cutting isn’t just about the unassailable attraction of saving money, it’s also about access to the content people want. Aside from Netflix, Hulu and all the streaming boxes that are prominent in that conversation, over-the-air (OTA) digital antennas are a significant piece of the puzzle. Nuvyyo, a Canadian startup from Ottawa, has maneuvered between the two, coming to market in the U.S. with the Tablo, a $219 set-top DVR box that streams and records free OTA TV channels to tablets, computers, Apple TV and Roku.

Some time in the near future, a large armoured personnel carrier (APC) will rumble into conflict in Colombia against enemies as varied as drug cartels and leftist guerrillas. It won’t have a “Made in Canada” stamp emblazoned on the heavy-duty vehicle, but its existence can be traced back to a manufacturing facility in Toronto.

The disruptive nature of the Internet and mobile devices is such that it seems to creep into almost every piece of exchange between people, and point-of-sale (PoS) providers are a growing contingent. It has never been easier for small businesses and sole proprietors to accept payments from customers wielding credit and debit cards.

This year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles was a more muted affair than 12 months ago when the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were at centre stage, ushering in the next generation of console video gaming. Instead of the horsepower under the hood, this one was about the games that will begin to show what they’re capable of when they eventually come to market.

Smartphone manufacturers have tended to pack in whatever they can into their devices, choosing to offer as much as possible without paralyzing them. Despite a bit of caution in that trend so far this year, flagship handsets will always be about what can be done, rather than what can’t. But not everyone is in the market for the hottest item when practicality, functionality and price intersect. Motorola has looked to fill that mid-range void by offering devices that don’t aim to unseat anyone from a perch, but rather provide value without a big financial commitment. This is exactly where the Moto G LTE lies, a phone that neither dazzles nor disappoints.

Technology is inherently meant to be versatile, and versatility is generally appreciated in a tech product, which could be the ideal position for the Asus Chromebox. Is it a small desktop computer? A home entertainment hub? Something else altogether? The lack of a distinct identity for the Chromebox isn’t a knock against it, but rather one of its most intriguing qualities. The small box doesn’t feel out of place in a few different areas, but does the software fit right in to any environment as well?