The Switch - Where technology and policy connect

Posted at 11:05 AM ET, 11/30/2013

Patent trolls have a surprising ally: universities

By Timothy B. Lee

Six university groups are lobbying against legislation that would curb abusive patent litigation.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:05 AM ET, 11/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Patents, technology transfer, universities

Posted at 03:34 PM ET, 11/29/2013

E-mails show cozy relationship between Obama trade negotiators and industry groups

By Timothy B. Lee

Industry lobbyists have a lot more access to trade negotiators and secret documents than public interest groups do.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:34 PM ET, 11/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: AdvaMed, Copyright, Patent, Ralph Ives, USTR

Posted at 01:30 PM ET, 11/29/2013

Sony and Microsoft don’t just want to win your living room — they want your smartphone, too.

By Hayley Tsukayama

Who does companion apps better, the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox One?

By Hayley Tsukayama | 01:30 PM ET, 11/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, Nerd culture, PS4, sony, Video Games, Xbox One

Posted at 10:19 AM ET, 11/29/2013

‘Cyber Monday’ sales have more than tripled in less than a decade

By Andrea Peterson

It’s actually a pretty recent marketing ploy -- it only started in 2005.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:19 AM ET, 11/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, online shopping

Posted at 10:01 AM ET, 11/29/2013

The U.S. Army got caught pirating $180 million in software. It’s settling for $50 million.

By Brian Fung

The government allegedly installed a program thousands of times without permission or payment.

By Brian Fung | 10:01 AM ET, 11/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, U.S. Army

Posted at 09:05 AM ET, 11/29/2013

The Switchboard: Dutch privacy watchdog says Google violates data law

By Andrea Peterson

Google has to develop its own Apple enterprise solutions, SpaceX aborts a launch.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:05 AM ET, 11/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, Bitcoin, Google, Privacy, Space, SpaceX, Thanksgiving

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 11/28/2013

Nearly a quarter of IT workers will spend Thanksgiving with co-workers

By Andrea Peterson

They’re either working or avoiding giving out free computer assistance to their extended families.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:00 AM ET, 11/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: IT

Posted at 12:53 PM ET, 11/27/2013

How to succeed at reddit: A visual guide

By Andrea Peterson

The top 200 reddit posts of all time -- color-coded.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:53 PM ET, 11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, Reddit

Posted at 12:46 PM ET, 11/27/2013

Reports of the death of Windows RT have been greatly exaggerated

By Andrea Peterson

Windows RT might not actually die -- it could be merged with Windows Phone.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:46 PM ET, 11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, Smartphones, Tablets

Posted at 11:38 AM ET, 11/27/2013

Thank an air traffic controller today

By Brian Fung

Especially if you’re among the millions of Americans flying today.

By Brian Fung | 11:38 AM ET, 11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: air traffic controllers, Travel

Posted at 10:02 AM ET, 11/27/2013

Bitcoin soars above $1,000 on popular exchange

By Timothy B. Lee

The currency was valued at around $200 at the start of the month.

By Timothy B. Lee | 10:02 AM ET, 11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Mt. Gox, speculation

Posted at 08:23 AM ET, 11/27/2013

In the console wars, the real money is made online

By Brian Fung

Microsoft and Sony make almost no profit on their new gaming machines.

By Brian Fung | 08:23 AM ET, 11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: gaming

Posted at 08:05 AM ET, 11/27/2013

The Switchboard: NSA discussed using porn habits to discredit Muslim radicals

By Timothy B. Lee

Microsoft hardens network against NSA snooping and Pandora abandons campaign for music pricing legislation.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:05 AM ET, 11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, NSA, Pandora

Posted at 05:54 PM ET, 11/26/2013

Katie Couric, David Pogue, and why Yahoo wants more video content

By Andrea Peterson

Customers, and advertisers, are increasingly turning to digital video.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:54 PM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Advertising, Katie Couric, Yahoo

Posted at 02:22 PM ET, 11/26/2013

Here’s why Obama trade negotiators push the interests of Hollywood and drug companies

By Timothy B. Lee

At least a dozen former officials of the U.S. trade representatives office now work for industry groups.

By Timothy B. Lee | 02:22 PM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Patent, TPP, USTR

Posted at 12:38 PM ET, 11/26/2013

SimCity wants to be the killer app of the classroom

By Brian Fung

How the venerable urban planning simulator is helping kids learn social studies, math, science — and even English.

By Brian Fung | 12:38 PM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture

Posted at 11:57 AM ET, 11/26/2013

When bitcoins go bad: 4 stories of fraud, hacking, and digital currencies.

By Andrea Peterson

Be careful who you trust with your bitcoins.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:57 AM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Cybersecurity, Hackers

Posted at 10:28 AM ET, 11/26/2013

Man threatens to sue company he says trashed his credit rating over a negative review

By Timothy B. Lee

An online retailer claims a couple owes $3500 for a negative review. They’re suing to clear their name and credit history.

By Timothy B. Lee | 10:28 AM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Censorship, Public Citizen

Posted at 10:21 AM ET, 11/26/2013

Soon, your wireless devices could be using the military’s old spectrum

By Brian Fung

The White House has signed off on a deal to open up more airwaves for wireless carriers.

By Brian Fung | 10:21 AM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Wireless

Posted at 08:07 AM ET, 11/26/2013

The Switchboard: Microsoft keeps 60 million pages for every lawsuit

By Brian Fung

Newegg is forced to pay billions in a patent lawsuit, and Tim Berners-Lee sounds the alarm on privacy.

By Brian Fung | 08:07 AM ET, 11/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:35 PM ET, 11/25/2013

People thought Adam Lanza posted about Newtown on 4Chan. The official report debunks that.

By Brian Fung

State officials have ruled out any connection between the online forum and Adam Lanza’s massacre.

By Brian Fung | 05:35 PM ET, 11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 03:11 PM ET, 11/25/2013

The FDA should leave 23andMe alone

By Timothy B. Lee

The FDA says 23andMe’s genetic test endangers patients. Here’s why they’re wrong.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:11 PM ET, 11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: 23andme, genetic testing

Posted at 02:46 PM ET, 11/25/2013

Yes, loud cellphone users are the worst. But why is it the FCC’s job to police them?

By Brian Fung

Making sure loudmouths keep quiet is a matter for social norms, not technical regulations.

By Brian Fung | 02:46 PM ET, 11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Wireless

Posted at 12:28 PM ET, 11/25/2013

FDA: This DNA testing company could kill you

By Brian Fung

23andMe hasn’t given federal officials assurance that its diagnosis kit actually works, according to an FDA letter.

By Brian Fung | 12:28 PM ET, 11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Genetics

Posted at 10:32 AM ET, 11/25/2013

Thanks to long copyright terms, this amazing ‘Star Wars’ short can’t be a movie

By Brian Fung

Most of us won’t live to see a day when fans are free to make unauthorized “Star Wars” spin-offs.

By Brian Fung | 10:32 AM ET, 11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture

Posted at 08:58 AM ET, 11/25/2013

The Switchboard: NSA chief offered to resign after Snowden leaks

By Timothy B. Lee

Troll’s patent ruled invalid, and Congressman seeks to legalize online poker.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:58 AM ET, 11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, online gambling, Patents, Poker, Surveillance

Posted at 12:05 PM ET, 11/24/2013

Why do bitcoin exchanges quote different prices?

By Brian Fung

A reader suggests a solution for talkative air travelers,and another explains the secret of Valve’s success as a gaming company.

By Brian Fung | 12:05 PM ET, 11/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Reader Comments

Posted at 11:12 AM ET, 11/23/2013

Here’s who (probably) did that massive $150,000,000 Bitcoin transaction

By Timothy B. Lee

It looks as if Bitstamp, Bitcoin’s second-largest dollar-based exchange, was moving its funds around.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:12 AM ET, 11/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin

Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 11/23/2013

How the wall came down between Microsoft and Xbox

By Brian Fung

Inside the console’s journey to the top of the company food chain.

By Brian Fung | 09:17 AM ET, 11/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: gaming, Microsoft, Nerd culture, Xbox

Posted at 05:03 PM ET, 11/22/2013

University patents limit access to medicine. These students want to change that.

By Timothy B. Lee

Student activists are pressing their universities to change the way they license their patents.

By Timothy B. Lee | 05:03 PM ET, 11/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: access to medicine, drug patents, Patents, universities

Posted at 11:25 AM ET, 11/22/2013

The most expensive places in the world to buy an iPhone, in one map

By Brian Fung

Hint: It isn’t China.

By Brian Fung | 11:25 AM ET, 11/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 11:05 AM ET, 11/22/2013

Xbox One vs. PS4: Two consoles for two kinds of gamers

By Hayley Tsukayama

Picking your side of the console war comes down to how you play.

By Hayley Tsukayama | 11:05 AM ET, 11/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, Nerd culture, sony, Streaming Video, Video Games

Posted at 09:59 AM ET, 11/22/2013

No, Bitcoin isn’t the Segway of currencies

By Timothy B. Lee

The Segway was a technological marvel that flopped with ordinary users. Does that describe Bitcoin?

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:59 AM ET, 11/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Computer history, Internet, PC, Segway

Posted at 08:58 AM ET, 11/22/2013

The Switchboard: Alleged Silk Road founder now accused of six attempted murders-for-hire

By Timothy B. Lee

Britain approves U.S. spying on its citizens, and FCC considers allowing cellphone use during flights.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:58 AM ET, 11/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, DMCA, NSA

Posted at 06:22 PM ET, 11/21/2013

Everything you need to know about in-flight cellphone rules

By Brian Fung

The FCC may relax the rule against in-flight use of cell phones. We answer your questions.

By Brian Fung | 06:22 PM ET, 11/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:20 PM ET, 11/21/2013

How plain, old WiFi will revolutionize the cellular industry

By Brian Fung

Improvements in WiFi could pose a threat to wireless carriers’ traditional business model.

By Brian Fung | 04:20 PM ET, 11/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: mobile

Posted at 03:42 PM ET, 11/21/2013

U.S. to propose allowing cellphones during flights

By Brian Fung

The nation’s top telecom regulator is planning to propose allowing passengers to make cell phone calls and use their data plans while on an airplane, officials said Thursday.

By Brian Fung | 03:42 PM ET, 11/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:52 PM ET, 11/21/2013

Here’s how Bitcoin charmed Washington

By Timothy B. Lee

This week’s Senate hearings were Bitcoin lovefests. That wasn’t a coincidence.

By Timothy B. Lee | 02:52 PM ET, 11/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin

Posted at 08:22 AM ET, 11/21/2013

The Google Wallet card proves the world isn’t ready for mobile payments

By Brian Fung

Google Wallet, Coin and the persistence of plastic

By Brian Fung | 08:22 AM ET, 11/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google Wallet, Mobile payment

Posted at 08:19 AM ET, 11/21/2013

The Switchboard: Wikipedia slaps PR firm with cease-and-desist over fake entries

By Brian Fung

Underdog Internet providers arrive in Washington, the world’s first university to accept bitcoins and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:19 AM ET, 11/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 07:38 PM ET, 11/20/2013

Researchers say U.S. Internet traffic was re-routed through Belarus. That’s a problem.

By Andrea Peterson

BGP routing stitches the Internet together. And it has some pretty glaring security flaws.

By Andrea Peterson | 07:38 PM ET, 11/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: BGP routing, Internet, Renesys

Posted at 03:09 PM ET, 11/20/2013

What will happen to truck drivers when self-driving vehicles take over?

By Brian Fung

Before they revolutionize the passenger car, self-driving technologies will change the face of shipping.

By Brian Fung | 03:09 PM ET, 11/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: self-driving cars

Posted at 01:23 PM ET, 11/20/2013

Inside Valve’s plan to revolutionize the world of video games

By Andrea Peterson

With no bosses or titles, this gaming company has a radically democratic vision for the future of entertainment.

By Andrea Peterson | 01:23 PM ET, 11/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Gabe Newell, Steam, Valve

Posted at 10:17 AM ET, 11/20/2013

Software patent reform just died in the House, thanks to IBM and Microsoft

By Timothy B. Lee

A House proposal would have nixed bad software patents. But Microsoft and IBM helped to kill it.

By Timothy B. Lee | 10:17 AM ET, 11/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: CBM, Covered Business Methods, IBM, Microsoft, Patents, Software patents

Posted at 10:09 AM ET, 11/20/2013

Shut up and take my bitcoins! A map of Bitcoin-friendly businesses

By Brian Fung

New York alone has more than a dozen business that accept the virtual currency, but they’re by no means limited to large cities.

By Brian Fung | 10:09 AM ET, 11/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Bitcoins

Posted at 08:49 AM ET, 11/20/2013

The Switchboard: Legislators skeptical about self-driving car safety

By Timothy B. Lee

Senators argue phone record surveillance is useless, and Obama wants to rethink government’s approach to IT.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:49 AM ET, 11/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, self-driving cars, Surveillance

Posted at 10:17 PM ET, 11/19/2013

Hijack customers’ computers to generate bitcoins? New Jersey has a problem with that.

By Andrea Peterson

An online gaming company just agreed to settle over charges that it was hijacking users’ computers to mine bitcoins.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:17 PM ET, 11/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin

Posted at 03:56 PM ET, 11/19/2013

Here’s the scariest part about the Internet of Things

By Brian Fung

We’re at the mercy of entire industries that have never had to do online security before.

By Brian Fung | 03:56 PM ET, 11/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet of Things

Posted at 12:38 PM ET, 11/19/2013

12 questions about Bitcoin you were too embarrassed to ask

By Timothy B. Lee

What’s Bitcoin, and why is everyone talking about it? We explain the cryptocurrency, starting at the beginning

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:38 PM ET, 11/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:02 AM ET, 11/19/2013

Why states are the big winner in the $17 million Google-Safari settlement

By Brian Fung

State attorneys general have shown themselves more willing than the federal government to accuse Google of lawbreaking — a possible sign for future lawsuits.

By Brian Fung | 09:02 AM ET, 11/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Privacy, Tracking

Posted at 07:18 AM ET, 11/19/2013

The Switchboard: Officials release court order that authorized NSA surveillance

By Brian Fung

A top senator wants to extend the ban on plastic guns, how the TPP would make cell phone unlocking illegal and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 07:18 AM ET, 11/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 04:18 PM ET, 11/18/2013

This Senate hearing is a Bitcoin lovefest

By Timothy B. Lee

Government officials charged with fighting money laundering are praising Bitcoin’s potential for innovation.

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:18 PM ET, 11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:42 PM ET, 11/18/2013

Yahoo is extending encryption across its services — but you’ll have to turn it on yourself

By Brian Fung

The move should help protect users’ privacy — if they remember to switch it on.

By Brian Fung | 01:42 PM ET, 11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks

Posted at 10:13 AM ET, 11/18/2013

No, the Trans-Pacific Partnership isn’t ‘extreme Internet censorship’

By Timothy B. Lee

Opponents of a leaked trade treaty claim it includes an “extreme SOPA-like Internet Censorship Plan.” It doesn’t.

By Timothy B. Lee | 10:13 AM ET, 11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Censorship, Copyright, SOPA, TPP, USTR

Posted at 09:59 AM ET, 11/18/2013

Happy 25th birthday, SEGA Genesis! These are your baby pictures.

By Brian Fung

To mark the classic console’s 25th anniversary, the game company has opened up access to its archives.

By Brian Fung | 09:59 AM ET, 11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture

Posted at 08:37 AM ET, 11/18/2013

This adorable baby gif perfectly explains how YouTube is reacting to Google+

By Andrea Peterson

Internet power dynamics, explained.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:37 AM ET, 11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Social Media, Youtube

Posted at 08:09 AM ET, 11/18/2013

The Switchboard: Facebook may be fading -- but does teen SnapChat use matter?

By Andrea Peterson

Inside Amazon’s cloud computing service, cell phone unlocking, and the future of social media.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:09 AM ET, 11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Airbnb, Amazon, Cell Phone Unlocking, Facebook, Snapchat, Social Media, The Switchboard

Posted at 01:18 PM ET, 11/17/2013

Is ultra-shareable news killing journalism?

By Brian Fung

A reader argues for traditional forms of reporting, and another picks apart the economics of Internet service.

By Brian Fung | 01:18 PM ET, 11/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Reader Comments

Posted at 11:37 AM ET, 11/16/2013

Everyone agrees this cellphone rule is dumb. So why haven’t we done anything about it?

By Brian Fung

Cellphone unlocking could be legalized today, but nobody wants to act first.

By Brian Fung | 11:37 AM ET, 11/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cell Phone Unlocking, Wireless

Posted at 04:02 PM ET, 11/15/2013

PlayStation 4 can’t play old games. But backward compatibility was just a fad.

By Andrea Peterson

The PlayStation 4 doesn’t have backwards compatibility. But that’s no surprise.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:02 PM ET, 11/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture, PS3

Posted at 03:18 PM ET, 11/15/2013

Obama administration: No time to waste on patent reform

By Timothy B. Lee

The White House wants Congress to act this year to address the growing problem of patent trolls.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:18 PM ET, 11/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Barack Obama, Covered Business Methods, Patent trolls

Posted at 02:17 PM ET, 11/15/2013

Here’s why Airbnb isn’t worried about New York’s crackdown

By Brian Fung

The startup has the experience of negotiating in 40,000 cities around the globe. What’s one more?

By Brian Fung | 02:17 PM ET, 11/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: E-Commerce, Sharing Economy

Posted at 09:35 AM ET, 11/15/2013

Apple’s OS X Mavericks contributed to a 10-fold spike in update traffic on launch day

By Brian Fung

The rollout highlights how closely linked the Apple experience is with broadband providers.

By Brian Fung | 09:35 AM ET, 11/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 08:57 AM ET, 11/15/2013

The Switchboard: FCC chairman urges wireless industry to unlock phones

By Timothy B. Lee

Google opens white spaces database, and Obamacare Web site targeted by hackers.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:57 AM ET, 11/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Obamacare

Posted at 07:16 PM ET, 11/14/2013

FCC relaxes rule limiting foreign ownership of media stations

By Brian Fung

The FCC has relaxed a rule prohibiting foreigners from owning significant stakes in broadcast stations.

By Brian Fung | 07:16 PM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Broadcasting

Posted at 04:45 PM ET, 11/14/2013

This bow-tied blogger got a million page views in 2 days. Here’s how he did it.

By Timothy B. Lee

Washington’s new Know More site is generating a ton of traffic. Here’s what the rest of the news business can learn from it.

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:45 PM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Know More

Posted at 03:55 PM ET, 11/14/2013

Blogger threatened with 10-year prison sentence for posting public official’s phone number

By Timothy B. Lee

A Boston official threatened a student journalist with wiretapping charges. When a blogger complained, he was threatened with a witness intimidation prosecution.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:55 PM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Boston, Carlos Miller, wiretapping, witness intimidation

Posted at 02:20 PM ET, 11/14/2013

How Europe is totally owning our in-flight electronics policy, again

By Brian Fung

Passengers on European flights will soon be able to browse the Internet on their 3G and 4G data connections without the need to go through a third party.

By Brian Fung | 02:20 PM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Airlines

Posted at 12:05 PM ET, 11/14/2013

YouTube commenters bring in text art tanks to fight Google+ integration

By Andrea Peterson

YouTubers threaten digital war over being forced into Google+.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:05 PM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Social Media, Youtube

Posted at 11:41 AM ET, 11/14/2013

Google Books ruling is a huge victory for online innovation

By Timothy B. Lee

A judge has ruled that Google’s book-scanning project is legal under copyright’s fair use doctrine.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:41 AM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Denny Chin, fair use, Google Books

Posted at 08:47 AM ET, 11/14/2013

Google says U.S. data requests have more than tripled since 2009

By Brian Fung

For the first time, Google acknowledges it received wiretap requests from the government.

By Brian Fung | 08:47 AM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Surveillance

Posted at 07:59 AM ET, 11/14/2013

The Switchboard: DRM has spread to cars

By Brian Fung

Snapchat turns down a $3 billion offer from Facebook, the spy community wants better facial recognition, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 07:59 AM ET, 11/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 05:24 PM ET, 11/13/2013

BlackBerry is doing incredibly well — in Africa

By Brian Fung

Four overlooked charts from a recent report on broadband traffic

By Brian Fung | 05:24 PM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, BlackBerry, Charts, Google

Posted at 05:07 PM ET, 11/13/2013

Of course Snapchat could be worth $3 billion

By Timothy B. Lee

People laughed at Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel for turning down a $3 billion offer from Facebook. They shouldn’t have.

By Timothy B. Lee | 05:07 PM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Advertising, Facebook, Snapchat

Posted at 03:06 PM ET, 11/13/2013

The head of Google X thinks we’re all too risk-averse

By Brian Fung

The head of Google’s secretive moonshot factory is mad at you because you’re too risk-averse.

By Brian Fung | 03:06 PM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:23 PM ET, 11/13/2013

Wireless competition is good for consumers--even if it costs taxpayers extra

By Timothy B. Lee

AT&T says that pro-competition rules for the upcoming spectrum auction will raise less revenue. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:23 PM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: AT&T;, incentive auctions, Spectrum Auctions, Sprint Wireless, T-Mobile, Verizon

Posted at 11:57 AM ET, 11/13/2013

Leaked treaty is a Hollywood wish list. Could it derail Obama’s trade agenda?

By Timothy B. Lee

The “intellectual property” section of a controversial trade treaty has leaked, and it’s a wish list for Hollywood and the pharmaceutical industry.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:57 AM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cato Institute, Copyright, Patent, TPP, trade

Posted at 10:42 AM ET, 11/13/2013

5 things that need to happen before private drones take to the skies

By Brian Fung

From training new air traffic controllers to making sure the control systems don’t get hacked, the government sure has its work cut out.

By Brian Fung | 10:42 AM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Drones

Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 11/13/2013

The Switchboard: U.S. government ridicules Lavabit founder over marketing

By Brian Fung

Facebook urges its users to change their passwords, the Pentagon is prepping for the end of the BlackBerry, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 09:14 AM ET, 11/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 03:38 PM ET, 11/12/2013

Bitcoin needs to scale by a factor of 1000 to compete with Visa. Here’s how to do it.

By Timothy B. Lee

The Bitcoin network can only handle 7 transactions per second. Visa can handle 10,000.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:38 PM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Blockchain, Mike Hearn, scaling, SPV mode

Posted at 02:56 PM ET, 11/12/2013

Why Twitter will keep growing: Its best ideas come from the users

By Brian Fung

A new feature known as Custom Timelines marks the company’s entry into curation services.

By Brian Fung | 02:56 PM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Twitter

Posted at 02:47 PM ET, 11/12/2013

Yahoo is ranking employees. When Microsoft did that, it was a disaster.

By Andrea Peterson

Many blame Microsoft’s decline on their “stack ranking” management process. And it sounds like Yahoo is using a very similar process.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:47 PM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, Yahoo

Posted at 12:11 PM ET, 11/12/2013

The government needs to get serious about recruiting tech talent. Here’s how.

By Tom Cochran

A civilian version of the ROTC could pay for technical training in exchange for public service.

By Tom Cochran | 12:11 PM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Education, healthcare.gov

Posted at 10:26 AM ET, 11/12/2013

Is Washington broken? Not for the city’s exploding startup scene.

By Brian Fung

How the nation’s capital became the next great hub for startups and innovation

By Brian Fung | 10:26 AM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Startups

Posted at 10:15 AM ET, 11/12/2013

How ridiculously powerful our computer chips have gotten, in one chart

By Brian Fung

Your old Pentium chip — even if it had hyperthreading! — is still probably hundreds of times slower than today’s fastest CPUs.

By Brian Fung | 10:15 AM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Moore's Law

Posted at 03:08 AM ET, 11/12/2013

The Switchboard: When Mark Zuckerberg’s profile page got hacked

By Brian Fung

Australian spies passed intel to businesses, the ISS gets hit with malware and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 03:08 AM ET, 11/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 11/11/2013

Confused about the spectrum debate? These two commercials will help.

By Timothy B. Lee

T-Mobile says it needs more spectrum to compete. So why does it have a commercial bragging about how much bandwidth it has?

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:00 PM ET, 11/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Spectrum, Spectrum screen, T-Mobile, Verizon

Posted at 11:59 AM ET, 11/11/2013

Here’s your chance to star in the next ‘Star Wars’ movie

By Timothy B. Lee

Disney is currently holding an open casting call for roles in the upcoming seventh episode of ‘Star Wars.’

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:59 AM ET, 11/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture, Star Wars

Posted at 11:14 AM ET, 11/11/2013

What’ll happen to Veterans’ Day when many of our ‘warriors’ become drones?

By Brian Fung

Soldiers anthropomorphize their robots on the battlefield. Is wider public recognition to follow?

By Brian Fung | 11:14 AM ET, 11/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Drones

Posted at 10:21 AM ET, 11/11/2013

Amazon’s brilliant plan to rescue the Postal Service and disrupt the shipping industry

By Brian Fung

Why the USPS’s decision to make Sunday parcel deliveries sets an important precedent.

By Brian Fung | 10:21 AM ET, 11/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: E-Commerce, USPS

Posted at 08:51 AM ET, 11/11/2013

The Switchboard: Obama considering naming a civilian to run the NSA

By Timothy B. Lee

Congress ponders what to do about patent trolls and the Post Office agrees to do Sunday deliveries for Amazon.com.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:51 AM ET, 11/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amazon, facial recognition, NSA, Patent trolls, Patents, Silk Road, USPS

Posted at 01:40 PM ET, 11/10/2013

This reader isn’t going to miss Blockbuster

By Timothy B. Lee

One reader bids good riddance to Blockbuster, while others debate the future of independent bookstores.

By Timothy B. Lee | 01:40 PM ET, 11/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amazon, Blockbuster

Posted at 12:23 PM ET, 11/09/2013

The $11 million in bitcoins the Winklevoss brothers bought is now worth $32 million

By Timothy B. Lee

In April, the Winklevoss brothers said they had $11 million in bitcoins. Since then, bitcoin’s price has almost tripled.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:23 PM ET, 11/09/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Winklevii, Winklevoss brothers

Posted at 05:07 PM ET, 11/08/2013

The New York Times endorsed a secretive trade agreement that the public can’t read

By Andrea Peterson

Whose down with TPP? The New York Times.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:07 PM ET, 11/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Trans-Pacific Partnership

Posted at 04:44 PM ET, 11/08/2013

Will prescription lenses change how society reacts to Google Glass?

By Andrea Peterson

Adding in a necessary component could change the legal and social implications of this wearable computing technology.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:44 PM ET, 11/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Google Glass

Posted at 04:11 PM ET, 11/08/2013

Everything you need to know about the Bitcoin ‘bubble’

By Timothy B. Lee

Is today’s Bitcoin price of more than $300 a bubble? This FAQ considers the arguments on both sides

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:11 PM ET, 11/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bubbles

Posted at 12:52 PM ET, 11/08/2013

The Internet has killed (satirical) print journalism

By Andrea Peterson

The Onion goes all digital. Washington Post continues to distribute news printed on dead trees.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:52 PM ET, 11/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, News

Posted at 11:55 AM ET, 11/08/2013

With launch titles, Sony caters to hard-core gamers while Xbox courts a broader audience

By Hayley Tsukayama

Launch-day lineups matter, but not how you think they do.

By Hayley Tsukayama | 11:55 AM ET, 11/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, sony, Video Games

Posted at 08:21 AM ET, 11/08/2013

The Switchboard: Twitter stock price up over 70 percent on first day of trading

By Andrea Peterson

Twitter’s IPO, the legality of CIA payments to AT&T, and Tesla on fire -- not in a good way.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:21 AM ET, 11/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, NSA, Twitter

Posted at 05:06 PM ET, 11/07/2013

No, Bitcoin isn’t broken

By Timothy B. Lee

Two Cornell researchers say Bitcoin is fundamentally broken. Here’s why they’re wrong.

By Timothy B. Lee | 05:06 PM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Blockchain, Security

Posted at 04:23 PM ET, 11/07/2013

Amazon to bookstores: Help us make you irrelevant

By Andrea Peterson

Amazon wants to get independent bookstores to stock their e-readers and tablets. That seems like a hard sell.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:23 PM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amazon, E-books

Posted at 02:01 PM ET, 11/07/2013

The Army’s cyber command facility with a Star Trek-inspired showroom may be falling apart

By Andrea Peterson

Army Cyber Command’s Star Trek-based “Information Dominance Center” is at Fort Belvoir -- a report says current facilities are in “poor condition.“

By Andrea Peterson | 02:01 PM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cyber Command, Cybersecurity, NSA, Star Trek

Posted at 12:40 PM ET, 11/07/2013

Where is Twitter most popular? This map will surprise you.

By Darla Cameron

The Internet marketing firm GlobalWebIndex surveyed thousands of Internet users in 32 countries from July to September 2013, asking whether they had contributed to Twitter in the past month. It estimates that 49 percent of Twitter users are active.

By Darla Cameron | 12:40 PM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:44 AM ET, 11/07/2013

Can we please stop talking about Twitter’s overhyped IPO now?

By Caitlin Dewey

IPOs don’t tell us much about a company’s success long-term.

By Caitlin Dewey | 11:44 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: initial public offering, investing, IPO, New York Stock Exchange, Social Media, social networks, Twitter

Posted at 11:32 AM ET, 11/07/2013

The CIA reportedly paid AT&T; $10 million a year for phone records. Is that legal?

By Brian Fung

The CIA doesn’t appear to have broken any surveillance rules. But the deal certainly falls into a legal gray area.

By Brian Fung | 11:32 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Surveillance

Posted at 11:31 AM ET, 11/07/2013

Twitter will need to be insanely profitable just to hit its valuation

By Brian Fung

Twitter will need double-digit growth rates for a decade to meet investors’ expectations.

By Brian Fung | 11:31 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: IPO, Twitter

Posted at 11:25 AM ET, 11/07/2013

Randi Zuckerberg -- yes, Mark’s sister -- talks online privacy and parenting in a digital age

By Hayley Tsukayama

Randi Zuckerberg -- yes, Mark’s sister -- talks online privacy and parenting in a digital age.

By Hayley Tsukayama | 11:25 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Facebook, Privacy

Posted at 09:59 AM ET, 11/07/2013

Engage! Captain Picard helps Twitter get started on the stock exchange

By Andrea Peterson

Make it so.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:59 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Patrick Stewart, Star Trek, Twitter

Posted at 09:12 AM ET, 11/07/2013

Here’s how people are changing their Internet habits to avoid NSA snooping

By Timothy B. Lee

Users say they spend less time on Gmail, use more encryption software, and much more.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:12 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Privacy

Posted at 08:12 AM ET, 11/07/2013

The Switchboard: Silk Road is back, complete with another Dread Pirate Roberts

By Brian Fung

The CIA pays AT&T for phone records, a patent troll is dealt another blow, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:12 AM ET, 11/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 04:51 PM ET, 11/06/2013

Did we just witness our first firing over Healthcare.gov?

By Brian Fung

Tony Trenkle, the geek who oversaw the Obamacare Web site, is stepping down. Nobody’s saying why.

By Brian Fung | 04:51 PM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Obamacare

Posted at 04:46 PM ET, 11/06/2013

Netflix has won: Blockbuster is closing its last retail stores

By Andrea Peterson

Dish is closing Blockbuster’s remaining 300 retail locations by the end of the year.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:46 PM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Netflix, Streaming Video

Posted at 04:18 PM ET, 11/06/2013

People have bought or sold $100,000 in Bitcoins from a Vancouver ATM, firm says

By Timothy B. Lee

Robocoin says it has taken just eight days for its Bitcoin ATM to rack up $100,000 in transactions.

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:18 PM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Robocoin

Posted at 12:03 PM ET, 11/06/2013

It seems like North Korea pirated Angry Birds

By Andrea Peterson

The developer of the popular avian app says they have “no affiliation” with the version shown on reviews of North Korea’s tablet.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:03 PM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Angry Birds, Apps, North Korea, Video Games

Posted at 11:32 AM ET, 11/06/2013

Watch 33 years of video game titles flash by in two minutes

By Brian Fung

The art of the opening credits has become increasingly cinematic over time. Here’s how.

By Brian Fung | 11:32 AM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture, Video Games

Posted at 09:39 AM ET, 11/06/2013

Big Cable may have felled Seattle’s mayor, but it couldn’t stop this Colo. project

By Brian Fung

With a wildly successful ballot initiative last night, advocates for a city-run fiber optic network have effectively broken the cable industry’s grasp on the Internet market.

By Brian Fung | 09:39 AM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: fiber

Posted at 08:55 AM ET, 11/06/2013

Where people swear most on Twitter, in one interactive map

By Caitlin Dewey

A computer science student in Ontario plotted where people drop the “f-bomb” most.

By Caitlin Dewey | 08:55 AM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: etiquette, language, maps, Social Media, Twitter

Posted at 08:04 AM ET, 11/06/2013

The Switchboard: ‘Warrant canary’ could alert Apple users to secret surveillance

By Timothy B. Lee

Wheeler stresses competition, not regulation, and Los Angeles plans an ambitious broadband scheme.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:04 AM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, NSA

Posted at 12:02 AM ET, 11/06/2013

Bitcoin price reaches a record high for the first time since April

By Timothy B. Lee

The price of Bitcoins has reached a record high for the first time since April.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:02 AM ET, 11/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:55 PM ET, 11/05/2013

Nintendo is bringing a tiny version of its last-generation console to the U.S.

By Andrea Peterson

The tiny version of Nintendo’s last generation console will retain for $99.99 with controllers and Mario Kart Wii.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:55 PM ET, 11/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nintendo, Video Games

Posted at 03:41 PM ET, 11/05/2013

Protesters at the Million Mask March in Washington, D.C., were upset about a lot of things

By Andrea Peterson

What the Million Mask March looked like in DC.

By Andrea Peterson | 03:41 PM ET, 11/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Anonymous, Hackivism

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 11/05/2013

When will the people who called Bitcoin a bubble admit they were wrong?

By Timothy B. Lee

If April’s peak of $266 was a bubble, then why are Bitcoins now worth $250?

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:23 PM ET, 11/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bubble

Posted at 01:50 PM ET, 11/05/2013

Here’s what the Morris Worm prosecutor thinks about Aaron Swartz

By Timothy B. Lee

A quarter century after Robert Morris created his famous Internet malware, his prosecutor now supports pardoning him.

By Timothy B. Lee | 01:50 PM ET, 11/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: CFAA, History, Morris Worm, Robert Morris

Posted at 01:38 PM ET, 11/05/2013

What might happen if Yelp paid reviewers? It could cost $12.8 billion.

By Caitlin Dewey

Paying reviewers $273 per review would cost Yelp 56 times what it makes in an entire year,

By Caitlin Dewey | 01:38 PM ET, 11/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amazon, Angie's List, class action, Google, law, law suit, Media, online reviews, reviews, Tripadvisor, Yelp

Posted at 08:47 AM ET, 11/05/2013

The Switchboard: Brazil admits to spying on U.S.

By Brian Fung

More evidence on the NSA’s break-ins at Google and Yahoo, Google has a new product called Helpouts, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:47 AM ET, 11/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 03:05 PM ET, 11/04/2013

How we know the NSA had access to internal Google and Yahoo cloud data

By Barton Gellman, Ashkan Soltani and Andrea Peterson

New documents reveal exactly how the Post was able to determine that the NSA was peeking inside the Google and Yahoo’s cloud network.

By Barton Gellman, Ashkan Soltani and Andrea Peterson | 03:05 PM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, Keith Alexander, NSA Leaks

Posted at 02:38 PM ET, 11/04/2013

Yes, there actually is a huge difference between government and corporate surveillance

By Brian Fung

In marketplaces, consumers have choices.

By Brian Fung | 02:38 PM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Surveillance, Tracking

Posted at 02:13 PM ET, 11/04/2013

Valve’s Steam Machine is the anti-console. Here’s what it’s like to play.

By Andrea Peterson

Everything you need to know about Valve’s play for Linux in the living room.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:13 PM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Steam, Valve, Video Games

Posted at 12:04 PM ET, 11/04/2013

Not that many Americans use Twitter, apparently

By Brian Fung

The Pew Research Center reveals that only a small sliver of U.S. adults use the social network.

By Brian Fung | 12:04 PM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Twitter

Posted at 11:42 AM ET, 11/04/2013

Here’s how The Post covered the ‘grand social experiment’ of the Internet in 1988

By Barton Gellman

“Using Internet and overlapping networks, thousands of men and women in 17 countries swap recipes and woodworking tips, debate politics, religion and antique cars, form friendships and even fall in love.”

By Barton Gellman | 11:42 AM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Barton Gellman, Morris Worm

Posted at 11:15 AM ET, 11/04/2013

Analyst: ‘It’s very difficult to count on BlackBerry to be around’

By Brian Fung

Now that the company has decided against a sale, it needs its business and government customers more than ever. But whether they’ll remain loyal is another question.

By Brian Fung | 11:15 AM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: BlackBerry

Posted at 09:27 AM ET, 11/04/2013

North Korea’s tablet comes pre-loaded with ‘Gone with the Wind.’ Here’s why.

By Andrea Peterson

It’s one of the few works of American literature that’s been officially translated by the North Korean government.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:27 AM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: North Korea, Tablets

Posted at 08:29 AM ET, 11/04/2013

The Switchboard: North Korea makes a tablet -- and it reviews pretty well.

By Andrea Peterson

North Korea’s tablet reviewed, the Morris Worm turns 25, and the NSA’s voracious appetite.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:29 AM ET, 11/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Hackers, Morris Worm, North Korea, NSA, Social Media

Posted at 10:56 AM ET, 11/03/2013

A reader reacts to a new spy plane by quoting Eisenhower on the military-industrial complex

By Andrea Peterson

Switch readers respond to the death of iGoogle, new spy planes, and the Morris worm.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:56 AM ET, 11/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Morris Worm, Reader Comments

Posted at 03:34 PM ET, 11/01/2013

Sooner or later, your wireless carrier will become just a glorified ISP

By Brian Fung

The future of the wireless company is here, and it is Internet.

By Brian Fung | 03:34 PM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Wireless

Posted at 02:44 PM ET, 11/01/2013

No, Apple isn’t sabotaging your decrepit iPhone. But the company is part of a bigger problem.

By Brian Fung

It doesn’t take a conspiracy theory to see that we’re addicted to novelty.

By Brian Fung | 02:44 PM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 01:47 PM ET, 11/01/2013

Seattle Mayor: I have Comcast, and I would like better service

By Andrea Peterson

A Q&A with Seattle Mayor and gigabit fiber advocate Mike McGinn.

By Andrea Peterson | 01:47 PM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Comcast, fiber, Seattle

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 11/01/2013

How a grad student trying to build the first botnet brought the Internet to its knees

By Timothy B. Lee

It’s been 25 years since Robert Morris created the first major Internet malware. This is his story.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:45 PM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: History, Internet security, Malware, Morris Worm, Robert Morris

Posted at 12:13 PM ET, 11/01/2013

U.S. intelligence agencies have their own Twitter. It’s called eChirp.

By Andrea Peterson

Not even spies can resist the call of social media.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:13 PM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Social Media, Twitter

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 11/01/2013

This is the successor to the SR-71 Blackbird, and it is gorgeous

By Brian Fung

The SR-72 can fly at speeds up to Mach 6 and will be able to carry missiles.

By Brian Fung | 11:00 AM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture

Posted at 08:04 AM ET, 11/01/2013

The Switchboard: Patent war goes nuclear as major competitors sue Google

By Timothy B. Lee

Comcast tries to unseat Seattle mayor who pursued gigabit broadband, and the FAA lightens up on in-flight gadget.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:04 AM ET, 11/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Patents, Senate

The Switch: November, 2013