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The world’s forests are being rapidly destroyed, and a new map hopes to help conservationists figure out everywhere that it’s happening. Using technologies from Google Maps and Google Earth, the World Resources Institute has created an interactive map that shows forest coverage almost in real time, marking where coverage has increased and — more often Continue Reading →

Microsoft has been in a state of “shut up and ship” with Windows Phone for more than a year now. While the company has released a few minor updates to Windows Phone 8, its feature set hasn’t changed significantly from when Microsoft first introduced the mobile OS in October 2012. The software giant refuses to Continue Reading →

OpenSignal has released a report on Thursday looking at the state of LTE coverage and speeds around the world, revealing that, contrary to what you might expect, not all LTE networks perform comparably. While 4G is a convenient term for consumers to get their heads around, the performance of networks being rolled out in different Continue Reading →

Procter & Gamble Co is bringing the dentist into the bathroom with the world’s first smartphone-connected toothbrush, a device that gives personalized advice to help people improve their brushing. The toothbrush, to be sold under P&G’s Oral-B brand and which will be widely available from June, has a Bluetooth 4.0 link to a smartphone app Continue Reading →

Facebook’s surprise $16 billion acquisition of WhatsApp on Wednesday might not have been part of the only offer the messaging company received. Fortune reports that Google offered to buy WhatsApp for $10 billion. In a brief report on the rumored offer, Fortune notes that two separate sources have confirmed Google offered to purchase WhatsApp, but Continue Reading →

HTC, the Taiwanese smartphone maker struggling with sliding sales, plans to demonstrate the first of three wearable devices next week in Barcelona, according to a person with direct knowledge of the plans. A smartwatch prototype based on Qualcomm’s Toq device will be previewed to carriers at the Mobile World Congress trade show, with no plans Continue Reading →

The University of Maryland has been victim to what it describes as “a sophisticated computer security attack that exposed records containing personal information.” The hacked database contained information on 309,079 students, staff, and faculty members, including their social security numbers, birth dates, and school ID numbers. The records date back to 1998 and cover two Continue Reading →

Microsoft is making its Xbox One Media Remote official on Thursday. After details emerged briefly on Amazon last week, Thursday’s announcement confirms the Media Remote will be available in early March for Xbox One owners. The Media Remote will allow Xbox One users to navigate, launch, and control media apps, and it will also control Continue Reading →

Google is working on a new WiFi app that could take a lot of the drudgery out of accessing public hotspots. According to our sources, the search giant has built Android and iOS versions of an app that automatically authenticate and connect to its free hotspots inside Starbucks stores or wherever they are available. Google Continue Reading →

Leslie Kendall, a consultant/friend who works to identify and eliminate critical problems that limit businesses and not-for-profits success, recently told me “consultants have a shelf life.” I had two reactions: Visceral: That’s not right; and Delayed: There’s a lot of truth to the concept. That’s Not Right I have friends who have been successful consultants for decades. Continue Reading →