Tech Biz

Apple and Google said late Friday that they have dismissed a series of lawsuits in which they were directly suing one another. The suits being settled involved Apple and Google’s Motorola unit, which is in the process of being sold to Lenovo. “Apple and Google have agreed to dismiss all the current lawsuits that exist Continue Reading →

Countless books, conferences — entire careers, even! — are devoted to the idea that social media can somehow be optimized and perfected. Marketers and social media editors pursue the perfect tweet like the holy grail. Is it vague or newsy? Long or short? Does it — ugh — contain hashtags? At last, researchers at Cornell Continue Reading →

Google is planning to retire the option which allows users to insert calendar invites directly within emails. Spotted by the Google Operating System fan site, and confirmed by Gmail community managers, the option will be removed in July. As of now, if you choose to insert a calendar invite within an email, you’ll get a Continue Reading →

On May 15, 2014, the FCC voted to move forward with considerations on a proposal for new rules known as "Open Internet" rules -- the new name for Net Neutrality. If you are a provider of Internet services, nothing has changed. You still get to do business exactly the way you have been. If you are a concerned citizen wondering how you can compete and prosper in a world where ISPs charge for the "fast lane," you still have time to make your case. Continue Reading →

From aircraft to houses and even guns, just about anything can be 3D printed – as long as it’s not soft and squishy. Now the repertoire is about to get a lot more cuddly. The first 3D printer that can churn out soft objects made its debut last month at the Computer Human Interaction conference Continue Reading →

The implosion and subsequent liquidation of bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox last month played to the worst fears about digital currencies. Confusing to use and volatile as a store of value, bitcoin has also been the frequent target of hackers, thieves, and incompetent businessmen. Despite bitcoin’s appeal to venture capitalists eager to profit from a new Continue Reading →

Traditionally, we’ve come to know Airbnb as a place where guests find accommodations in unique spaces, and as a platform for hosts to make extra money by opening their homes up to strangers. But over the last few months, the company has been quietly testing out a platform for connecting visitors not just with places Continue Reading →

The results are in on the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s fourth annual “Who Has Your Back” report on the tech sector’s customer privacy practices. The highest ratings—companies given six stars—were handed to Apple, Credo Mobile, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Sonic, Twitter, and Yahoo. The report, released Thursday, reviewed 26 companies in all, rating them on everything Continue Reading →

Facebook is taking a swing at suggesting contextual content to keep you surfing after you share. A new test on iOS surfaces related content cards including photos of restaurants you say you’re at, friends who’ve checked in where you did, photos of friends you check in with or mention in a status, and friends who Continue Reading →

AT&T Inc., joining the ranks of U.S. TV, Internet and wireless providers racing to consolidate, is in advanced talks to acquire DirecTV for about $50 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. Under the plan being discussed, management of DirecTV, the largest U.S. satellite-TV provider, will continue to run the company as a unit Continue Reading →