Brandon Bailey

Associated Press

Leading tech companies are increasingly nudging consumers to use their own fingers, faces and eyes as digital key to unlock phones and other gadgets. But there are downsides: Hackers could still steal your fingerprint, or its digital representation. And police may have broader legal powers to make you unlock your phone.

Fingers Make for Finer Digital Keys

It's a convenient form of security — though it's also perhaps not as safe as you'd think.

This recall involves 34 models of Samsung top-load washing machines. Model numbers and serial information can be found on two labels affixed to the back of the machine.

Samsung Recalls 3M Washing Machines

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission cited 733 reports of Samsung machines that experienced "excessive" vibration and nine related reports of injuries, including a broken jaw and an injured shoulder.

In this file photo a Congolese miner sifts through ground rocks to separate out the cassiterite, the main ore that’s processed into tin, in the town of Nyabibwe, eastern Congo.

Gunmen Control Metals for Gadgets

Gunmen still menace pick-and-shovel miners in eastern Congo despite the efforts of local reformers, Western activists, and companies like Apple and Intel.

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HP Will Cut Up to 4,000 Jobs

The cuts are in addition to 3,000 jobs that HP previously said it was trimming.

This photo provided by Oculus shows a set of Oculus Touch hand-held controllers, expected to go on sale Dec. 6, 2016. Oculus hopes people find them more comfortable and intuitive to use than traditional video game controllers. Users can make gestures and grasp virtual objects within the simulated worlds projected by Oculus Rift headsets.

Oculus VR Will Have Hand Controllers

But they won't be cheap.

Brian Rakowski, Google vice president of product management, talks about the camera in the new Google Pixel phone during a product event, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, in San Francisco.

Google's New Gadgets

Google's previous attempts at hardware have had limited distribution and included such high-profile flops as its internet-connected Glass headgear.

In this May 18, 2016 file photo, Google vice president Mario Queiroz gestures while introducing the new Google Home device during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif. On Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, the search giant will ramp up its consumer electronics strategy with expected announcements of new gadgets including new smartphones and an internet-connected personal-assistant for the home similar to Amazon’s Echo speaker. All are intended to showcase Google’s software and online services.

Google Readies New Phones, Gadgets

The search giant will ramp up its consumer electronics strategy with new smartphones and an internet-connected personal-assistant for the home similar to Amazon's Echo speaker

HP Promises Fix for Software That Barred Ink

Printer ink is one of HP's most profitable products, and the company has long tried to discourage customers from using lower-priced ink from other suppliers.

Palantir Technologies was co-founded by prominent tech financier Peter Thiel.

Company Accused of Hiring Bias

The company is accused of systematically discriminating against Asian job applicants.

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Formal Samsung Recall Announced

Samsung has been criticized for not offering clear information about the problem or how it would be resolved, as well as for failing to coordinate with the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission.

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Apple Shifting Secret Car Project Focus

The iPhone-maker's automotive project is shifting to focus on creating the technology for an autonomous vehicle that doesn't require a human driver.

This Sept. 2, 2016, photo shows the earphone jack and charging port on an Apple iPhone 6, in New York. Apple is getting ready to unveil new iPhones on Wednesday, Sept. 7. With experts predicting few big changes from last year's models, speculation has focused on Apple's rumored decision to eliminate the iPhone's traditional headphone jack. It isn't clear what kind of hardware the company will promote instead, but the answer could be a hint at some of Apple's future plans.

Apple to Show Off New iPhones

Today, we'll see if Apple follows through on reports that it's eliminating the iPhone's analog headphone jack.