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Tech News

Rothschild heir to cross Pacific on boat made of plastic bottles

Heir and maverick adventurer David Mayer de Rothschild is planning a voyage across the Pacific Ocean on a boat made of reclaimed plastic bottles.

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 14:49:22

Rothschild heir to cross Pacific on boat made of plastic bottles

Heir and maverick adventurer David Mayer de Rothschild is planning a voyage across the Pacific Ocean on a boat made of reclaimed plastic bottles.

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 14:04:23

Three charged as Comcast hackers

Three alleged members of the hacker gang Kryogeniks were hit with a federal conspiracy charge Thursday for a 2008 stunt that replaced Comcast's homepage with a shout-out to other hackers.

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 13:45:12

False alarms prompt space station scare

Astronauts aboard the international space station and space shuttle Atlantis woke up to a worrying sound -- alarms indicating a fire and dangerous loss of pressure, NASA said Friday.

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 08:39:15

Follow Friday: Tweeting with the vampire

Among a certain (mostly young, mostly female) segment of the population, this weekend's news is all about one thing and one thing only: the opening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 08:23:30

Google OS: the end of the hard drive?

Google today unveiled more details of Chrome OS, a lightweight, browser-based operating system for netbooks.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 23:39:36

Withdrawal symptoms: Getting more out of ATMs

When reading this article, you will most likely fall into one of two groups.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 14:31:43

How Microsoft blew it with Windows Mobile

Microsoft Windows continues to dominate the PC market with a 90 percent market-share stronghold, but when it comes to smartphones, Microsoft is getting beat up worse than a mustachioed villain in a Jackie Chan movie.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 14:16:56

Awards honor top 10 Internet moments of the decade

The explosion of Craigslist's online classifieds. The death of Napster. The "Twitter Revolution" in Iran.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 13:18:19

Next year's Twitter? It's Foursquare

As 2009 draws to a close, with Twitter undoubtedly this year's media darling and Facebook continuing on its path to global domination, you may wonder which social-media service will become tech's poster boy in 2010.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 12:20:28

With Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft fights back in browser wars

With Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft showed Wednesday it's trying to retake the browser initiative.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 23:18:11

California approves new energy efficiency standards for televisions

The California Energy Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to become the first state to impose energy efficiency standards for televisions. The agency estimates the move will save consumers $1 billion a year in energy costs.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 11:55:42

Social network sites criticized on bullying

The world's biggest social networking site has brushed off criticism by a senior UK police officer responsible for preventing online bullying that it is failing to combat abuse.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 11:34:20

Apps of the Week: To infinity, and beyond!

Space Shuttle Atlantis has blasted off, on its way to the international space station. The annual Leonid meteor shower peaked Tuesday. And NASA just found water on the moon.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 19:59:56

Can the law keep up with technology?

In a case that would have been impossible even five years ago, bad-girl rocker Courtney Love is being sued for libel by a fashion designer for allegedly slamming the woman on Twitter.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 17:55:23

Dictionary word of the year: 'Unfriend'

It's prone to cause drama in the online world.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 17:06:34

Android's rapid growth has some developers worried

A year after its release, Google's open source Android operating system has become a sensation.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 11:11:48

Report: Countries prepping for cyberwar

Major countries and nation-states are engaged in a "Cyber Cold War," amassing cyberweapons, conducting espionage, and testing networks in preparation for using the Internet to conduct war, according to a new report to be released on Tuesday by McAfee.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 11:01:02

Mapping a floating swath of plastic waste

The center of the Pacific Gyre, an area of spiraling ocean currents, has accumulated large amounts of waste and debris that gets trapped by the large clockwise flow of water between North America and Japan.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 09:34:44

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen diagnosed with cancer

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, more than 25 years after he was treated for Hodgkin's disease, a spokesman at his company Vulcan Inc. told CNN on Monday.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 08:21:46

Can the law keep up with technology?

In a case that would have been impossible even five years ago, bad-girl rocker Courtney Love is being sued for libel by a fashion designer for allegedly slamming the woman on Twitter.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 15:14:06

Apple battles 'jailbreakers' over iPhone control

When he was 17, George Hotz poured hundreds of hours of his summer vacation into a special project: learning the iPhone's secrets. His unpaid labor eventually paid off.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 14:49:31

Follow Friday: Tweets on Fort Hood, the military

With Veterans Day, the continuing investigation into the shootings at Fort Hood and talks continuing on future U.S. troop numbers in Afghanistan, the military has been all over the news this week.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 13:12:00

Follow Friday: Tweets on Fort Hood, the military

With Veterans Day, the continuing investigation into the shootings at Fort Hood and talks continuing on future U.S. troop numbers in Afghanistan, the military has been all over the news this week.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 03:02:07

Solar gadgets for when you're on the go

When it comes to sun energy, the focus is often on solar power plants or rooftop panels. But there's an increasing number of snazzy portable products that also draw juice from our nearest star -- things we can carry, wear or set on our desks.

updated Sun Nov 15 2009 09:18:05

Online churches draw believers, critics

Hjalti á Lava was searching his iPhone for a Bible app when he stumbled across Church Online, a service of Web site LifeChurch.tv. Soon he was regularly logging into the Oklahoma-based cyber-church -- some 4,100 miles away from á Lava's home in the Faroe Islands, west of Norway.

updated Fri Nov 13 2009 15:25:33

Reviews: Drive, fight and spin in new game releases

For video gamers, the fall season is both a blessing and a curse. While many high-quality titles debut around this time each year, there are only so many dollars to go around.

updated Fri Nov 13 2009 13:34:00

Dell unveils Android-based Mini 3 smartphone

Dell said Friday that it's ready to enter the smartphone business with the Android-based Mini 3.

updated Fri Nov 13 2009 08:19:28

Google poised to become your phone company

Google is set to become your new phone company, perhaps reducing your phone bill to zilch in the process.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 13:20:14

Report: Microsoft bans 1 million Xbox Live players

It's oh-so enticing: you find a copy of a brand new game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on a pirate site and the temptation to download it is too strong.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 10:17:35

Huge $10 billion collider resumes hunt for 'God particle'

Is the Large Hadron Collider being sabotaged from the future? Or merely by birds?

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 09:38:53

5 tips for fixing your Facebook page

With more than 300 million active users, Facebook has come a long way from its roots as a way for Harvard students to keep in touch.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 09:11:53

Is Facebook the future of micropayments?

In the ongoing saga of paid content on the Web, Rupert Murdoch is once again threatening to pull his Web sites from Google's search results.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 07:39:35

Mullenweg: 10 blogs to make you think

There are 100 million blogs in the world, and it's part of my job as the co-founder of WordPress to help many more people start blogging.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 02:00:07

When it comes to making data sexy, you can't be too graphic

The good news: data from governments and other organizations is increasingly open and online. The bad news: it's rather dull.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 20:38:18

'Modern Warfare 2' terrorism hits close to home

The early hours of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" take gamers around the world and back again, but the new game's story hits close to home.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 18:10:46

Review: 'Modern Warfare 2' a fiery hit

Given the extraordinary anticipation swirling around "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," the follow-up to the 13 million-unit-selling military shooter game from 2007, living up to the hype might seem like an impossible mission.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 15:50:07

After 5 years, Firefox faces new challenges

Five years ago, Mozilla made it clear that the browser wars weren't over after all.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 12:22:22

Apps of the week: Getting there from here

We're reviewing two $99 turn-by-turn navigation applications for the iPhone, TomTom and Navigon. Yes, that's right, a $99 application for your phone to take the place of a stand-alone device that doesn't cost much more than that.

updated Tue Nov 10 2009 15:39:22

Protesters hijack more than 200 Facebook groups

Hundreds of Facebook groups have been hijacked in recent days by users pointing out what they say is a weakness in how the social-networking site handles the administration of its groups.

updated Tue Nov 10 2009 12:30:20

Does China really want the iPhone?

Now that Apple's iPhone is officially for sale in China, the question is, will the country's 700 million mobile phone users want to buy it?

updated Mon Nov 09 2009 23:15:58

Technology helps unearth family trees

Here's a fun exercise: Compare the DNA profiles of random individuals who reside in different regions of the world, have little in common and don't much resemble one another.

updated Mon Nov 09 2009 11:23:03

Balloon bursts 90,000 feet up

updated Mon Nov 09 2009 09:22:52

Apple tablet could cement Jobs' legacy

If you've only been half paying attention, you probably think that the Apple Tablet is a done deal.

updated Fri Nov 06 2009 13:51:40

Can design change the world?

The title of Warren Berger's recently published book -- "Glimmer: How Design Can Transform Your Life and Maybe Even the World" -- is ambitious.

updated Fri Nov 06 2009 11:06:23

Google releases Dashboard privacy tool

Ever wonder what information Google knows about you? With a click or two, now you can find out.

updated Fri Nov 06 2009 09:35:15

Follow Friday: Tweeting about politics

With widely watched off-year elections in New York, New Jersey and Virginia grabbing the nation's attention, politics was back in the news in a big way this week.

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 13:14:25

Google tries its own take on customer service

If you rely on a compelling service that happens to be free, what level of customer support are you entitled to receive?

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 16:27:43

Twitter lists and real-time journalism

The Twitter community is abuzz this week about the site's new "Lists" feature, which allows users to create collections of interesting people to follow on the micro-messaging service.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 15:26:17

A trip into the secret, online 'cloud'

One day, while uploading yet another text file to the Google Docs Web site, I started to wonder: When I save this file online, where does it actually go?

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 09:56:20

Apps of the week: Games for kids

Your kids may be too young for their own cell phones.

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 17:44:21

Social networks and kids: How young is too young?

Status updates, photo tagging and FarmVille aren't just for adults or even teenagers anymore.

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 16:39:12

Review: Rock on with 'Brutal Legend'

From the ingenious mind of game designer Tim Schafer ("Day of the Tentacle," "Psychonauts") comes an uber-fun fantasy adventure starring funny man Jack Black as Eddie Riggs, an aging roadie who longs for the glory days of heavy metal music.

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 15:49:42

My week of recording a 'digital memory'

I woke up unexpectedly on a recent morning at 3:13.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 16:45:20

Scubacraft explores surface and depths

The vehicle shown above may be both yellow and submersible, but please don't call it a submarine. It's a Scubacraft, the first self-contained submersible that's also a capable surface watercraft.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 15:27:44

A new way of looking at the world

What's the first thing that goes through your mind when someone says the word "data"?

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 10:01:38

Strangers make collective art on the Web

One of the Web's basic tenets is that small contributions from lots of people can amount to something powerful in the aggregate.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:54:29

Facebook, Twitter crooks just a click away

If you're on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site, you could be the next victim.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:53:51

New phone apps seek to 'augment' reality

Blair MacIntyre imagines a world where tiny clouds of information -- Facebook statuses, business cards, Twitter posts -- float above all of our heads.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:52:56

Microsoft researcher building 'e-memory'

For the past decade, Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell has been moving the data from his brain onto computers -- where he knows it will be safe.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:52:18

3-D television expected in homes in 2010

Three-dimensional images are expected jump out of movie theaters and into living rooms by next year.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:51:24

Wallet of the future? Your mobile phone

These days, it seems that most Americans carry three things in their pockets or purses at all times: keys, a wallet and a phone.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:50:39

The 12 most annoying Facebookers

Facebook, for better or worse, is like being at a big party with all your friends, family, acquaintances and co-workers.

updated Fri Oct 30 2009 16:44:59

Let's kill the OS upgrade disc

I love upgrades. But I hate upgrade discs and upgrade pricing. Let's find a way to do away with both, or at least make the upgrade transaction a bit cleaner.

updated Fri Oct 30 2009 11:11:38

Follow Friday: Tweets about planes, errant pilots

This week's news of the Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles because they were reportedly using laptop computers is only the latest aviation story to captivate audiences.

updated Fri Oct 30 2009 08:13:24

Internet domain names set to appear in non-Latin scripts

The group that controls top-level domain codes for Internet addresses is poised to permit non-Latin language codes for the first time in its history.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 22:29:13

Mobile-volunteering puts thumbs to work for good causes

The next time you say you want to help make the world a better place, try putting your mobile where your mouth is.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 15:23:45

Smartphone security threats likely to rise

Worms, spam, viruses and hackers -- they're not just for your desktop or laptop anymore. According to internet security experts they could be well on their way into your pocket or purse.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 14:26:41

Woman tackles 'Great Garbage Patch'

For Mary Crowley, the sea is her second home.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 13:00:16

Web pioneer recalls 'birth of the Internet'

It was 1969 and a busy year for making history: Woodstock, the Miracle Mets, men on the moon -- and something less celebrated but arguably more significant, the birth of the Internet.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 12:44:19

High-tech gizmos for Halloween

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 11:02:20

Verizon, Motorola unveil the Droid

Verizon Wireless customers will soon be able to get their hands on the much anticipated Google Android phone called the Droid.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 10:38:06

Google changes to aid music searches

The Internet's most popular search engine should get smarter about music, as Google updates the algorithms that power its searches this week, a company spokesman said.

updated Wed Oct 28 2009 21:52:11

The new musical instrument: Your phone

Often in the middle of the night, while his wife sleeps beside him, John Sheridan picks up his iPhone from the nightstand and shakes the device like it was a conductor's wand on fire.

updated Wed Oct 28 2009 10:20:51

First ladies tell CNN why they love to tweet

Once upon a time royals and elites had to don elaborate disguises to mingle with their people. Now they have Twitter.

updated Wed Oct 28 2009 09:14:48

5 gadgets from the near future

A radio without any knobs. A bathroom where a clear display wirelessly streams vital statistics on your health. And a user interface that takes brain waves and translates them into commands for a computer.

updated Wed Oct 28 2009 08:24:58

Apps of the week: Getting the best read on your smartphone

The e-reader market is diversifying, and people who want devices to display digital books now have several choices: Amazon's Kindle, Sony's Reader and, as of last week, Barnes & Noble's Nook.

updated Tue Oct 27 2009 14:10:26

The genius brothers behind Google Wave

Lars and Jens Rasmussen were broke and jobless -- with only $16 between them -- when they made it big in the Web world by selling their idea for Google Maps.

updated Tue Oct 27 2009 11:59:49

Create a stellar home recycling system

Here are five easy steps to sorting, stacking, and stashing your household recycling.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 17:33:24

Say farewell to GeoCities, the vintage Web-hosting site

The flashing banner ads, questionable color schemes and omnipresent "Under Construction" signs of GeoCities are no more.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 10:55:46

5 Twitter stars you've never heard of

Sure, everyone knows that Oprah, Shaq and Ashton Kutcher are huge on Twitter. They're famous -- they should be huge on Twitter.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 10:19:19

How to learn a foreign language online

Whether I was squeezing myself into a crowded subway car or admiring the fall leaves around at Tsaritsino Park, I was constantly learning new Russian words during my two-week study trip to Moscow last October.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 09:12:00

Follow Friday: Techie Twitterers to know

This has been a wild week for tech news.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 17:21:33

A cordless future for electricity?

Electronics such as phones and laptops may start shedding their power cords within a year.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:32:05

The library's future, with or without books

The stereotypical library is dying -- and it's taking its shushing ladies, dank smell and endless shelves of books with it.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:21:15

Apps spice up mobile photos

Smartphone cameras are pretty basic. Often they won't zoom. They don't have aperture settings. Usually there's no flash.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:13:35

Does class decide online social networks?

Like a lot of people, Anna Owens began using MySpace more than four years ago to keep in touch with friends who weren't in college.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:10:13

Obesity, STDs flow in social networks

Meet "network man." He has basic desires of his own, but has many arbitrary preferences, such as in music or clothes, that have been influenced by the people he knows.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:06:39

Review: 'Uncharted 2: Among Thieves'

Those on the fence about which video game console to buy might be tempted by Sony's recent introduction of the higher-capacity and slimmer new PlayStation 3, with a $100 price cut to $299.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:02:26

Review: 'Halo 3' and 'Dead Space'

Two new sci-fi video games cast you in the futuristic role of a space marine who must face off against deadly creatures.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 11:39:10

Better translator: Machines or humans?

One of the Internet's great promises is that it's the ultimate democratizer. It's open to everyone and allows all people to communicate.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 10:43:00

'Apps of the Week: Batter Up!'

With Major League Baseball's playoffs heating up and the World Series on deck, it's a great time of year to be a baseball fan.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 10:41:36

Two-faced gadget is e-reader plus netbook

Like Harvey "Two-Face" Dent, a new dual-screen device has two faces to match its double identity: It promises to be an electronic book reader and a netbook at the same time.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 10:39:43

Facebook debuts restructured news feeds

Facebook members will start to see a new look for their home page "news feeds" on Friday, with the design now featuring a toggle view between a main view, featuring the top stories from their friends list based on their Facebooking habits, and a "live feed" featuring real-time updates from the whole network.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 10:36:40

Seven things to know about Windows 7

OK, so after eight years and a lot of grumbling -- Vista, anyone? -- Microsoft has finally released a new operating system that people seem excited about.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 10:30:37

Twitter anarchist raided under 'riot' laws

An anarchist social worker raided by the feds wants his computers, manuscripts and pick axes back. He argues that authorities violated the U.S. Constitution and the rights of his mentally ill clients while searching for evidence that he broke an anti-rioting law on Twitter.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 10:28:31

Net neutrality faces political, legal hurdles

Net neutrality supporters may be celebrating the Federal Communications Commission's unanimous vote Thursday to begin developing open Internet regulation, but the battle is far from over as the yet-to-be-written regulation is already facing Congressional opposition and will also likely be challenged in court.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 09:47:34

Human behavior: the key to future tech developments

Professor Michael Wesch should be flattered.

updated Fri Oct 23 2009 17:39:12

Bueno? Dobre? How to learn a foreign language online

Whether I was squeezing myself into a crowded subway car or admiring the fall leaves around at Tsaritsino Park, I was constantly learning new Russian words during my two-week study trip to Moscow last October.

updated Thu Oct 22 2009 15:16:20

Windows 7 born from Vista's frustrations

If consumers like the new Windows 7 operating system, they'll have the much-maligned Windows Vista to thank.

updated Thu Oct 22 2009 10:07:01

Google to launch music search service

Google plans to launch a music service, Wired.com has confirmed with sources familiar with the situation. Next to nothing is known about the service at this point, rumored to be called "Google Music," "Google Audio," or "One Box," although we have confirmed that it will be announced next Wednesday, and that it will link out to two music services: Lala and iLike.

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