Gadgets, Electronic | featured news

Families waiting for San Francisco's cable cars on a recent morning couldn't help but notice Kenny the Clown, who wore a curly rainbow wig as he twisted brightly colored balloons into animal shapes for visitors, blasting Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" from an iPad at his feet....

Apple has reportedly given the okay to its retail stores to price-match iPhones sold by other, authorized sellers. Citing an unnamed source, MacRumors reported Thursday that Apple stores will price-match the iPhone 4 to as low as $49.99 and the iPhone 4S to as low as $149.99, posting a document that says customers can ask for savings of nearly $50.

Apple is rumored to be working on an iPad mini, or 7-inch tablet, and a recent post from iMore suggested that the smaller tablet could be slated for an October release. The blog cites an unnamed source who said that Apple might price its smaller tablet aggressively, to push out competitors.

The world's largest consumer electronics show isn't just about splashy TVs, phones and tablets. CES's massive show floor also is home to plenty of less-hyped but quirkier gadgets.