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In a scientific first, Harvard University researchers successfully transformed a 53,426-word book into DNA, the same substance that provides the genetic template for all living things. The achievement could eventually lead to the mass adoption of DNA as a long-term storage medium. Published Thursday in the journal Science, the experiment aimed to demonstrate the viability Continue Reading →

The new, still-theoretical version of Apple TV won’t disrupt the TV industry. It will play by the TV industry’s rules. Whatever, comes the response from some of Apple’s most ardent fans. That’s what they said about the iPhone five years ago, and now look what’s happened. True enough! And we should also note that there’s Continue Reading →

The United States Department of Justice approved Verizon’s US$3.6 billion bid for additional spectrum, albeit with changes mandated by antitrust regulators to ensure the deal won’t lead to diminished competition, lower-quality products or higher consumer costs. Verizon Wireless will be allowed to pay Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks for a Continue Reading →

Changes are coming soon for how third-party applications can use Twitter’s application programming interface (API), the software tool an app uses for accessing Twitter content. Despite a warning in June that changes were coming, the switch is drastic enough to raise debate from software developers and critics. Instapaper developer Marco Arment said the changes will Continue Reading →

Facebook’s stock price hit a record low Thursday, sinking to nearly half its IPO price, as insiders became eligible to sell the first batch of shares that had been “locked up” by trading restrictions since the company’s stock market debut. With investor confidence continuing to fall, experts said the price of shares in the world’s Continue Reading →

Microsoft is reportedly well aware that pricing its entry-level Windows RT tablet at $199 will push its vendor partners out of the market, but it might launch the device at that remarkably low price point anyway. Citing multiple unnamed sources from notebook vendors, Digitimes on Thursday reported that Microsoft’s hardware partners are very worried about Continue Reading →

The U.S. State Department, which was considering a $16.5-million no-bid contract with Amazon to provide Kindles, content and services for overseas language programs, has officially withdrawn its proposal, saying it “intends to conduct additional market research and reexamine its requirements for this program.” Gary Price at Library Journal’s Infodocket blog first discovered the notice about Continue Reading →

Google Wallet, the company’s NFC-based virtual wallet for Android, got a major update earlier this month when Google started giving its users the ability to use cards from Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Today, Google and Discover announced that they are now making it even easier for Discover customers to save their cards to Continue Reading →

If there’s one thing that businesses like in their costs, it’s predictability. When there’s a bill to pay every month, it’s easier to plan around it when you know exactly what it’s going to be. Charges associated with accepting credit cards have always been variable: A heavier month costs more in processing fees than a Continue Reading →

Instagram just launched a huge update for all its apps today. Version 3.0 can plot all your images on a map based on the location in which you snapped each one. The result? A totally different way to browse through photos. Here’s what’s new: Photo map: Everyone’s pics are now organized on a map, coordinated Continue Reading →