I traveled to Austin to check out John Deere’s second-gen 310 X-Tier E-Power electric backhoe – here’s what I learned. At 186 years old, John Deere is one of the oldest industrial companies in the US.

Shara Tibken was a managing editor at CNET News, overseeing a team covering tech policy, EU tech, mobile and the digital divide. She previously covered mobile as a senior reporter at CNET and also ...