PCWorld Latest Technology News

Researchers Layer an Electronic Junction Into Optical Fiber

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:10 -0800

Pennsylvania State University researchers have devised a technique for embedding an electronic junction directly into optical fiber, which potentially paves the...

As Firefox 11 Hits Beta, Work Begins on Push Notifications for the Web

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:58:00 -0800

With this new, mobile-style feature, websites will be able to alert users when new content arrives.

Who's the Smartphone OS Crash Champion?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:20:00 -0800

Analysis: Apple claims its iOS is more stable, and Android gets the rap for crashes -- but a research report reveals the truth.

10 Questions for Total Defense CFO Marcus Smith

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:10:00 -0800

The financial chief of the maker of malware detection and anti-crimeware software discusses the challenges, changes, and rewards of fighting pests on networks.

Asus U47 Ultraportable Stuffs Power into 13-Inch Chassis

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:06:00 -0800

The inch-thick Intel Ivy Bridge laptop sports a 14-inch Display, DVD Drive, and a hefty hard drive.

SAP Community Portal Launch Date Still Unclear Due to Bugs

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:07 -0800

Serious technical problems that have delayed the rollout of an upgrade to SAP's community portal are persisting, to the point where the company is no longer...

Why I Switched from AT&T to Verizon

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800

I was reluctant to switch, and tried to give AT&T the benefit of the doubt, but in the end it was not interested in keeping me as a customer.

Google Pulls 'Atlantis' from Google Earth

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:38:00 -0800

An update to the Google Earth ocean-floor-mapping algorithm eliminates a grid-like pattern that some suspected might be the mythical lost city of Atlantis.

Lenovo Ordered to Pay €1920 for Making French Laptop Buyer Pay for Windows Too

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:30:07 -0800

A French laptop buyer has won a refund from Lenovo after a four-year legal battle over the cost of a Windows license he didn't want. The judgment could open the...

Pomodoro Smartphone Apps Promise a Cheap and Easy Productivity Boost

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:20:00 -0800

Whether you're new to the Pomodoro Technique or a practiced veteran, an inexpensive Android or iOS app can help you manage your time.

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Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:20:00 -0800

Facebook Ads Expected Soon on Smartphones, Tablets

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:17:00 -0800

The social network will reportedly mine member activity for endorsements and explore other ways to serve up ads on mobile devices.

Redbox, Verizon Team on Streaming Service

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:52:00 -0800

The Netflix rival is expected to launch this year, but the partners are disclosing few details.

Hundreds of DreamHost Websites Abused by Spammers

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:50:11 -0800

Rogue PHP pages that redirect users to work-at-home scams have been added to hundreds of websites hosted at DreamHost following a security breach suffered by the...

Samsung Galaxy Note: Is it a Phone or a Tablet?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:45:00 -0800

The Samsung Galaxy Note is a very large smartphone, or a very small tablet, and may have trouble capturing attention in either market.

BTJunkie Voluntarily Closes File-sharing Website

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:30:09 -0800

The BitTorrent search engine BTJunkie has shut down its website, the latest file-sharing site to take defensive action following law enforcement's shutdown of...

Netflix Launches 'Lilyhammer' Original Series

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:56:00 -0800

The tale of a mobster making his way in Norway stretches Netflix's distribution practices by posting eight episodes at once.

Malware Automates Storing of Data Haul on File-hosting Site SendSpace

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:40:10 -0800

Trend Micro researchers have discovered a piece of malicious software that automatically uploads its stolen data cache to the SendSpace file-sharing service for...

Top Torrent Site BTjunkie Shuts Voluntarily

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:35:00 -0800

MegaUpload and Pirate Bay copyright infringement prosecutions prompt the file-sharing site to close its virtual doors.

Microsoft to Roll out Wave of Native Mobile Apps for Its CRM Software

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:20:06 -0800

Microsoft is gearing up to release a phalanx of native mobile applications for its CRM software, with clients aimed at BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, iOS, and...

Samsung Tweaks Apple, Takes Galaxy Note Orders

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:14:00 -0800

AT&T offers early delivery for advance orders of the stylus-driven smartphone.

Skyrim Creation Kit Coming To PC

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0800

Skyrim PC players will soon be able to download user-created mods directly through Steam or even create their own, at least according to Bethesda. Here's the details on what you can expect from the Skyrim Creation Kit.

Google Agrees to Court Order in India to Remove Content

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:50:00 -0800

Google has agreed before a court in Delhi to remove religious and other content considered objectionable, though some other Internet firms are likely to appeal.

HTC Aims to Improve on Its Past Smartphones With Better 4G Products This Year

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:20:05 -0800

After facing a disappointing financial fourth quarter, HTC has reviewed its under-performing products from last year, making changes in design and components for...

Cloudyn Monitors and Optimizes AWS Usage

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:20:06 -0800

Cloudyn is launching a hosted service on Monday that aims to monitor a company's cloud usage and recommend ways to optimize that usage in order to cut costs.

New Digital Spam: How Bad Guys Try to Trick You; How to Avoid the Traps

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:40:00 -0800

The latest forms of digital spam include clickjacking, junk apps, bad QR codes, and much more. Here's what you can do to stay safe.

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Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:40:00 -0800

Cutting the Cord: How to Ditch Your Cable Company

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0800

TV programming no longer belongs solely to cable companies, but viewing the shows you want online can still be difficult. Here are some tips to get your favorite programs more quickly.

Google Privacy Issues Let Microsoft Tout IE9's Safeguards

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:35:00 -0800

Concerns about Google's revamped privacy policies give Microsoft an opening to promote the tracking protection built into Internet Explorer.

Micron Appoints COO Durcan as CEO After Appleton's Death

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:20:00 -0800

Memory company Micron Technology has appointed Mark Durcan as its new CEO, quickly replacing the former CEO Steve Appleton who died in a plane crash on Friday.

Find February Deals on Laptops, HD TVs, Kindle Fire

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:47:00 -0800

Plenty of bargains are emerging, but it turns out it's not a great month to snap up a digital camera. Here's the lineup.

Former FCC Chair Opposes Spectrum Proposal

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:17:00 -0800

Why the House spectrum auction proposal is the "worst telecom bill" -- A Q&A session with former Federal Communications Commission chairman Reed Hundt.

Foodspotting Expands its Menu

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:22:00 -0800

Analysis: After collecting food shots for awhile, the mobile app is revamped to let you browse popular dishes at nearby restaurants, or pull up a “picture menu.”

Facebook Alternative Path Adds Depth to Social Networking

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:02:00 -0800

Path is trying to be a social network that is more personal, one in which your friends are actually people you currently have in your life.

How to Opt Out of Linked-In's Social Ads

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:48:00 -0800

Those small modules in the margin of your screen promote a company or product with endorsements from your friends and contacts who "like" or "follow" the brand.

Readdle Adds Remarks to Growing Field of Note-taking Apps

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:34:00 -0800

The app lets users take notes in meetings, lectures, or interviews-entering text by typing or adding sketches with a stylus.

Numberlys and The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore for iOS

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:19:00 -0800

The apps come loaded with interactive features that augment the storylines.

Researchers Develop Computer Modeling to Read Words in People's Thoughts

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:04:00 -0800

The system is seen as a future way to help comatose and locked-in patients to communicate.

Steve Jobs' Influence Continues

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:37:00 -0800

Some days there seems to be more Steve Jobs news than ever before, with memories and marketing schemes continuing to influence Apple and others.

Will Facebook's IPO Help it Beat Google?

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:50:00 -0800

A huge influx of cash could enable the social networking site to topple the search giant, industry and financial analysts say.

EMC Ramps up Flash Game With VFCache, 'Thunder' Appliance

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:20:04 -0800

EMC is now shipping its long-awaited entry in the server-based flash storage market while laying the groundwork for a future appliance based on the same...

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Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:20:04 -0800

Presidential Campaign Mobile Websites Lack Savvy

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:16:00 -0800

All of the U.S. presidential candidates say they're pro-tech, but their mobile campaign sites don't support that campaign promise.

HTC Android Fix Delayed for Some

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:35:00 -0800

Some users of HTC Android phones will have to wait until next week to get a fix for a problem that could leak access info to Wi-Fi networks.

Lawsuit Raises Issue of E-Mail Privacy at Work

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:50:00 -0800

Whistleblowers say their private e-mails were extensively monitored after complained about irregularities at the FDA; did they have a reasonable expectation of privacy?

Smartphone Sales Boom -- Who Needs A Laptop?

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:04:00 -0800

In the next decade, mobile phones will gain capabilities that make them suitable replacements for the conventional desktop or laptop computer.

Archify 'Remembers' Your Web Travels

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:20:00 -0800

A Startup develops a browser plug-in that catalogs what you view in cyberspace for later retrieval and reference.

Profiles in Geekdom: Chris Torres, Creator of Nyan Cat

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:01:00 -0800

Ever wanted to know more about that trippy feline, Nyan Cat? GeekTech gets the low-down from creator Chris Torres.

Facebook Details Continue to Emerge Following IPO Announcement

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:02:00 -0800

Here's a rundown of the most recent dish about the social network, courtesy of the disclosures necessary when a company plans to go public.

Apple Pulls Ripoff Apps from its Walled Garden

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:39:00 -0800

Some consumers get confused and shell out money thinking they're getting the real app, when they're actually buying a counterfeit.

Social Media Takes Over the Super Bowl

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0800

Remember the days when watching the Super Bowl meant eating lots of chips, hanging out with friends and, most importantly, being glued to the TV?

Mac Basics: How to Set up Time Machine

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:48:00 -0800

Time Machine works with your Mac and an external drive to regularly save important documents, photos, and even important system files.

Censored: Apple Content Filtering Needs Work

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:38:00 -0800

Apple seems to think that "kinky sex moves" is appropriate content for 12 year olds, but rejected other content because it has the word "penis".