The Switch - Where technology and policy connect

Posted at 05:57 PM ET, 10/31/2013

5 awesomely nerdy jack-o-lanterns

By Andrea Peterson and Timothy B. Lee

Nerds everywhere are carving their favorite video game and science fiction characters into oversized gourds.

By Andrea Peterson and Timothy B. Lee | 05:57 PM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Star Wars, Super Mario Brothers

Posted at 05:25 PM ET, 10/31/2013

The NSA says it didn’t target the Pope. Rand Paul still has questions.

By Andrea Peterson

The NSA denies the allegations it targeted the Vatican, but that’s not good enough for Rand Paul.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:25 PM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks, Rand Paul, Surveillance

Posted at 04:07 PM ET, 10/31/2013

NSA Secrets: Have you changed your web habits?

By Timothy B. Lee

Has NSA spying caused you to change how you use the Internet? Please let us know.

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:07 PM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 10/31/2013

Comcast is donating heavily to defeat the mayor who is bringing gigabit fiber to Seattle

By Andrea Peterson

Comcast is supporting an effort to defeat a mayor whose broadband policies threatened its market share, disclosures show.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:00 PM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: broadband, Comcast

Posted at 03:55 PM ET, 10/31/2013

Can Silicon Valley save the Obamacare site?

By Brian Fung

Can Google, Red Hat, Oracle and others repair the health insurance hub?

By Brian Fung | 03:55 PM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Obamacare

Posted at 12:54 PM ET, 10/31/2013

The FCC’s new chairman better be a good juggler

By Brian Fung

All you need to know about the issues Wheeler will face as FCC chairman.

By Brian Fung | 12:54 PM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FCC, Wheeler

Posted at 11:02 AM ET, 10/31/2013

At last! The FAA has seen the light on in-flight electronics

By Brian Fung

You’ll soon be able to use your electronics during all stages of air travel — so long as you’ve got airplane mode enabled.

By Brian Fung | 11:02 AM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FAA, In flight

Posted at 10:12 AM ET, 10/31/2013

Edward Snowden just reportedly took a job at a Russian website. Who would want to hire him?

By Brian Fung

His new employer is likely someone who values his attitude — and skills — more than his record as a leaker.

By Brian Fung | 10:12 AM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks

Posted at 08:08 AM ET, 10/31/2013

The Switchboard: NSA infiltrated Yahoo, Google data center traffic

By Brian Fung

Young teens turn away from Facebook fro the first time, a profile of T-Mobile’s eccentric CEO and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:08 AM ET, 10/31/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 06:15 PM ET, 10/30/2013

Even after NSA revelations, Yahoo won’t say if it plans to encrypt data center traffic

By Brian Fung

Google is already moving to shield its internal networks. When will Yahoo do the same?

By Brian Fung | 06:15 PM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 10/30/2013

Here’s why NSA officials never seem to stop talking about 9/11

By Andrea Peterson

NSA talking points prepared to respond to leaks about surveillance practices advised officials to cite 9/11 to justify programs, a news report says.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:00 PM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: 9/11, NSA Leaks, Surveillance

Posted at 01:11 PM ET, 10/30/2013

HealthCare.gov had a glaring security flaw that wasn’t patched until last week

By Brian Fung

For weeks, the vulnerability allowed attackers to grab unencrypted user information like e-mail addresses.

By Brian Fung | 01:11 PM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Obamacare

Posted at 12:51 PM ET, 10/30/2013

PRISM already gave the NSA access to tech giants. Here’s why it wanted more.

By Andrea Peterson

The NSA already legally compelled tech companies to give it data via PRISM. So why did it hack into data links?

By Andrea Peterson | 12:51 PM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, NSA Leaks, PRISM, Yahoo

Posted at 12:20 PM ET, 10/30/2013

No, apps won’t save the iPad from niche status

By Timothy B. Lee

Apple fans say the thriving market for iOS apps will offset Android’s growing market share. Here’s why they’re wrong.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:20 PM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Android, iOS, iPad

Posted at 11:56 AM ET, 10/30/2013

This woman got a ticket for wearing Google Glass behind the wheel

By Brian Fung

Is it illegal to drive using Google Glass? The answer might depend on the word “using.“

By Brian Fung | 11:56 AM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google Glass

Posted at 09:04 AM ET, 10/30/2013

Who tracks the trackers that track you online? You can, with Lightbeam.

By Brian Fung

Who tracks the trackers? You can, with Mozilla’s new tool.

By Brian Fung | 09:04 AM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Advertising, Do Not Track, Tracking

Posted at 08:41 AM ET, 10/30/2013

The Switchboard: The FCC finally has a new chairman

By Timothy B. Lee

Legislators want to rein in NSA phone records collection and express caution about moving too quickly on patent reform.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:41 AM ET, 10/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Patents

Posted at 06:04 PM ET, 10/29/2013

Uber will deliver you kittens RIGHT NOW. (If you live in Seattle or San Francisco.)

By Andrea Peterson

Happy National Cat Day!

By Andrea Peterson | 06:04 PM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cats, Internet, Uber

Posted at 05:12 PM ET, 10/29/2013

TV was just the beginning. Now, Netflix is gunning for film studios.

By Brian Fung

Netflix wants to stream box-office films the day they come out. But how?

By Brian Fung | 05:12 PM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Hollywood, Media, Netflix

Posted at 03:26 PM ET, 10/29/2013

Here’s why the NSA should have asked for court approval before tracking cellphone users

By Andrea Peterson

Remember when the NSA tested location tracking? They didn’t ask for specific Court approval for that.

By Andrea Peterson | 03:26 PM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FISC, NSA Leaks, Surveillance

Posted at 01:54 PM ET, 10/29/2013

India is going to Mars! But don’t call it a space race.

By Brian Fung

Yes, there’s competition between China and India over outer space. But the primary focus is internal.

By Brian Fung | 01:54 PM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Mars, NASA, Space

Posted at 10:35 AM ET, 10/29/2013

Someone spent $1 million worth of bitcoins for mining gear

By Timothy B. Lee

A customer bought a million dollars worth of Bitcoin mining equipment, and they did it with bitcoins.

By Timothy B. Lee | 10:35 AM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitpay, Butterfly Labs

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

Motorola’s modular smartphone will be the anti-iPhone

By Brian Fung

The iPhone is completely closed. Motorola’s new smartphones are designed for radical openness.

By Brian Fung | 10:19 AM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, Google, Motorola, Smartphones

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 10/29/2013

This film says we’ll all devolve into animals if a cyberattack took out the power grid

By Andrea Peterson and Brian Fung

Andrea Peterson and Brian Fung think a 10-day nationwide outage is unlikely.

By Andrea Peterson and Brian Fung | 10:00 AM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Blackout., Cybersecurity

Posted at 09:29 AM ET, 10/29/2013

The iPad is going to suffer the same fate the Mac suffered a generation ago

By Timothy B. Lee

Apple’s iPad sales have barely improved over the last year. It’s another sign the company is ceding the tablet crown to Google.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:29 AM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Android, Apple, Google, iPad, Microsoft, Quarterly results, Windows

Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 10/29/2013

Here’s why one software lobby hates a program designed to kill bad patents

By Timothy B. Lee

A new patent bill includes a provision to make it easier to invalidate bad patents. Here’s why one software industry group is against it.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:09 AM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: BSA, CBM, Covered Business Methods, Patents

Posted at 08:34 AM ET, 10/29/2013

The Switchboard: White House approved of spying on world leaders, report says

By Brian Fung

A top Senate ally of the NSA is outraged, Netflix weighs releasing new movies alongside theaters, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:34 AM ET, 10/29/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 08:01 PM ET, 10/28/2013

Apple says the iPhone 5c was never meant to be an entry-level iPhone

By Brian Fung

But even if it isn’t, the iPhone 4s still isn’t much cheaper.

By Brian Fung | 08:01 PM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 06:47 PM ET, 10/28/2013

Three congressmen asked the government to disclose more about NSA spying in 2009. It said no.

By Andrea Peterson

Three Members of the House Judiciary Committee wanted the public to know more about the bulk phone records program before the Patriot Act was reauthorized.

By Andrea Peterson | 06:47 PM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks, Surveillance

Posted at 03:49 PM ET, 10/28/2013

Half of all babies use a computer or smartphone before age 2. Here’s why that’s bad.

By Caitlin Dewey

A major pediatric association released strict guidelines on kids and media ... the same day as a new report detailing how much time young children spend online.

By Caitlin Dewey | 03:49 PM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: children, Education, Internet, Media, parenting, screen time, Social Media, Television

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 10/28/2013

The top 5 retro games you can play right now thanks to the Internet Archive

By Andrea Peterson

Five true classics, plus one dubious honorable mention.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:30 PM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Video Games

Posted at 02:21 PM ET, 10/28/2013

The price of Internet is too high

By Brian Fung

For years, we’ve focused on how fast our Internet is relative to other countries. But maybe a more important metric is price.

By Brian Fung | 02:21 PM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 11:50 AM ET, 10/28/2013

Starbucks’ new tweet-a-coffee program wants your friends’ personal data

By Caitlin Dewey

Buying a friend a cup of coffee is now as easy as sending a tweet -- but you have to share some info with Starbucks, first.

By Caitlin Dewey | 11:50 AM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Big Data, coffee, Privacy, Social Media, Starbucks, tweet a coffee, Twitter

Posted at 11:20 AM ET, 10/28/2013

How the feds won a key warrantless wiretapping ruling by misleading the Supreme Court

By Andrea Peterson

There was a months-long internal policy debate over whether or not Justice should do what they said they were already doing.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:20 AM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Department of Justice, FISA Amendments Act, Supreme Court, Surveillance, Warrantless Wiretaps

Posted at 08:02 AM ET, 10/28/2013

Patent law is so broken that casinos, supermarkets, and realtors are demanding change

By Timothy B. Lee

Industries that didn’t used to have a dog in the patent fight are now demanding that Congress take steps to get rid of low-quality patents.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:02 AM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: CBM, Covered Business Methods, Patents

Posted at 07:59 AM ET, 10/28/2013

The Switchboard: Thousands gather in D.C. to protest NSA surveillance

By Andrea Peterson

Thousands rally against NSA surveillance and the NSA says its website was brought down due by an “internal error,” not hackers.

By Andrea Peterson | 07:59 AM ET, 10/28/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks, Surveillance

Posted at 12:21 PM ET, 10/27/2013

Switch reader: You can make a career of explaining when Donald Trump is wrong.

By Andrea Peterson

Readers comment on copyright extensions, the relationship between Facebook and journalism, and Donald Trump’s relationship with reality.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:21 PM ET, 10/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Donald Trump, Facebook, Journalism

Posted at 01:04 PM ET, 10/26/2013

Britain feared legal challenges if surveillance became public. It was right to worry.

By Andrea Peterson

Surveillance program leaks in the U.S. were followed by legal challenges.

By Andrea Peterson | 01:04 PM ET, 10/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks

Posted at 11:04 AM ET, 10/26/2013

Only 2 countries have been hit with DDoS attacks every day since May. The U.S. is one.

By

Even worse, attacks have gotten stronger and more frequent in the past year.

By | 11:04 AM ET, 10/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: attack, China, cyber attack, Cybersecurity, DDOS, denial of service, Google, hack, Hacking, U.S.

Posted at 01:36 PM ET, 10/25/2013

Apple’s OS X increasingly resembles iOS. Now Macs are becoming like iPhones.

By Brian Fung

Apple just released its least repairable laptop ever — again.

By Brian Fung | 01:36 PM ET, 10/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 12:03 PM ET, 10/25/2013

The Switchboard: NSA spied on phone calls of dozens of world leaders

By Timothy B. Lee

Goodlatte defends patent bill and AT&T wants to end monopoly regulation of its phone service.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:03 PM ET, 10/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: AT&T;, Ed Snowden, NSA, Patents

Posted at 11:31 AM ET, 10/25/2013

Bioshock creator Ken Levine says video games still figuring themselves out

By Hayley Tsukayama

Levine, who got a lifetime achievement award Friday, talks about storytelling, art and the future of games

By Hayley Tsukayama | 11:31 AM ET, 10/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: art, Video Games

Posted at 11:07 AM ET, 10/25/2013

This Obamacare contractor doesn’t take security seriously. That needs to change.

By Brian Fung

If you’re building data hub and you think data security isn’t a problem, you’ve got a problem.

By Brian Fung | 11:07 AM ET, 10/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cybersecurity, Obamacare

Posted at 09:01 AM ET, 10/25/2013

15 years ago, Congress kept Mickey Mouse out of the public domain. Will they do it again?

By Timothy B. Lee

On October 27, 1998, President Clinton extended copyrights, starving the public domain of new works for 20 years.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:01 AM ET, 10/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: CTEA, disney

Posted at 09:53 PM ET, 10/24/2013

Inside former NSA chief Michael Hayden’s ‘interview’ with an Amtrak live-tweeter

By Brian Fung

“Everybody’s a reporter,” the retired four-star general told former MoveOn.org director Tom Matzzie.

By Brian Fung | 09:53 PM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Surveillance

Posted at 05:05 PM ET, 10/24/2013

This dude just eavesdropped on former NSA director Michael Hayden. And he’s tweeting about it.

By Brian Fung

By Brian Fung | 05:05 PM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 05:02 PM ET, 10/24/2013

Patent office to Congress: Please let us invalidate more bad patents

By Timothy B. Lee

By Timothy B. Lee | 05:02 PM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Covered Business Methods, Patents

Posted at 11:36 AM ET, 10/24/2013

These celebrities want you to fight back against NSA spying

By Andrea Peterson

A new video from the Electronic Frontier Foundation features celebrities and other public figures speaking out against NSA spying programs.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:36 AM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, NSA Leaks, Yahoo

Posted at 10:42 AM ET, 10/24/2013

Facebook needs news organizations. And news organizations need Facebook.

By Brian Fung

People tend to be more active on Facebook when they read the news there. Problem is, not many people read the news there.

By Brian Fung | 10:42 AM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Facebook, Newsonomics, Pew

Posted at 09:33 AM ET, 10/24/2013

Paul Ryan and Elizabeth Warren will now take your Change.org petitions

By Brian Fung

And they’re just the start. Soon, mayors, governors and businesspeople will all be talking back.

By Brian Fung | 09:33 AM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Politics

Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 10/24/2013

Where do Twitter trends start? Try Cincinnati.

By Caitlin Dewey

Researchers aren’t sure why Cincinnati is such a thought leader online, but it’s clear that geography has something to do with it.

By Caitlin Dewey | 09:19 AM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 08:57 AM ET, 10/24/2013

This patent reform bill might actually pass. Here’s what’s in it.

By Timothy B. Lee

A key member of the House of Representatives has introduced his patent reform proposal. Here’s what it would do.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:57 AM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bob Goodlatte, BSA, CCIA, Covered Business Methods

Posted at 08:32 AM ET, 10/24/2013

The Switchboard: Angela Merkel reportedly ‘livid’ over alleged NSA surveillance

By Brian Fung

U.S. allies revolt, Healthcare.gov contractors face Congress, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:32 AM ET, 10/24/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 04:34 PM ET, 10/23/2013

Would Healthcare.gov have worked if the Obama campaign had been in charge?

By Brian Fung

No, running an insurance portal is not like running for office.

By Brian Fung | 04:34 PM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: healthcare.gov, Obamacare

Posted at 12:37 PM ET, 10/23/2013

No, artificial intelligence isn’t going to take all of our jobs

By Timothy B. Lee

Some futurists predict that computers will push the unemployment rate up to close to 100 percent. Here’s why they’re wrong.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:37 PM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Economics, The future

Posted at 12:17 PM ET, 10/23/2013

How cute animals have invaded the health-care debate

By Andrea Peterson

It’s hard to get the public to care pay attention to policy debates -- but easy to get them to pay attention to cat photos.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:17 PM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 11:38 AM ET, 10/23/2013

NASA’s moon laser just blew your home Internet out of the water

By Brian Fung

The technology lets NASA talk to its spacecraft orbiting the moon at incredible speeds.

By Brian Fung | 11:38 AM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture, Space

Posted at 11:13 AM ET, 10/23/2013

Former NSA chief: NSA and U.S. Cyber Command are now ‘indistinguishable’

By Brian Fung

Gen. Michael Hayden on cybersecurity legislation, Edward Snowden’s “inflated view” of himself, and the future of the NSA.

By Brian Fung | 11:13 AM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks

Posted at 09:43 AM ET, 10/23/2013

Watch these adorable cube-bots combine into new shapes

By Andrea Peterson

A combination of magnets along the face of the blocks and internal flywheels help the robots create modular shapes.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:43 AM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: MIT, Robots

Posted at 08:54 AM ET, 10/23/2013

Switchboard: TSA starts snooping on us long before we get to the airport

By Timothy B. Lee

Tech companies lobby for NSA and immigration reforms and key legislator will introduce patent reform legislation.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:54 AM ET, 10/23/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Obama Administration, TSA

Posted at 03:48 PM ET, 10/22/2013

Court says police need a warrant to track vehicles via GPS

By Andrea Peterson

It’s the first ruling appellate court ruling on the issue since Supreme Court found that attaching a GPS unit constituted a search.

By Andrea Peterson | 03:48 PM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Geolocation, GPS, Surveillance

Posted at 01:51 PM ET, 10/22/2013

Here’s how the Internet hurts your sleep schedule, productivity and personal life

By Caitlin Dewey

If you’ve ever suspected the Internet is taking over your offline life, an economist has some disheartening news for you: It is.

By Caitlin Dewey | 01:51 PM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet; productivity; economics;

Posted at 12:18 PM ET, 10/22/2013

Twitter has started lobbying. Here’s how much they spent.

By Brian Fung

The social media firm may be new to the game, but it has its eye on a broad array of issues already.

By Brian Fung | 12:18 PM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Lobbying, Twitter

Posted at 11:20 AM ET, 10/22/2013

The 5 funniest-shaped Apple products

By Timothy B. Lee

Apple’s new Mac Pro is an unusual shape, but it won’t even crack the top 5 for funny-looking Apple products.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:20 AM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, Mac Pro

Posted at 10:08 AM ET, 10/22/2013

Why I don’t care about today’s Apple announcement

By Andrea Peterson

Apple probably isn’t going to announce anything exciting today. But everyone will talk about the announcements anyway.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:08 AM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 09:56 AM ET, 10/22/2013

OS X Mavericks shows Apple loves clean designs, even if you can’t see them

By Brian Fung

Three new features in Mac OS X that reveal Apple’s obsession with cleanliness

By Brian Fung | 09:56 AM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, iPad, iPhone

Posted at 09:06 AM ET, 10/22/2013

It might take a long time to get HealthCare.gov working, no matter what Obama does

By Timothy B. Lee

The Obama administration is adding more people to Obamacare’s flagship Web site. That might be a mistake.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:06 AM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: healthcare.gov, Mythical Man Month, Obamacare

Posted at 08:54 AM ET, 10/22/2013

The Switchboard: Netflix surpasses HBO in paid subscribers

By Brian Fung

Apple’s slumping iPad sales, the government hires Verizon to fix HealthCare.gov, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:54 AM ET, 10/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 04:55 PM ET, 10/21/2013

Yes, Netflix on cable would be great for TV. But it’d be horrible for the open Internet.

By Brian Fung

A Netflix deal could make it easier for ISPs to manipulate the Internet economy.

By Brian Fung | 04:55 PM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, Net Neutrality, Netflix

Posted at 03:02 PM ET, 10/21/2013

Here’s why the feds didn’t have more skilled programmers for HealthCare.gov

By Timothy B. Lee

A computer scientist with experience in government explains why the federal government has trouble attracting talented programmers.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:02 PM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Obamacare

Posted at 02:52 PM ET, 10/21/2013

How the Internet is changing dating in 6 charts

By Andrea Peterson

Shocker: Young adults use the Internet to check up on exes.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:52 PM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 12:37 PM ET, 10/21/2013

No, technology isn’t going to destroy the middle class

By James Bessen

Some thinkers believe that technological progress will create a world of extreme income inequality. Here’s why they’re wrong.

By James Bessen | 12:37 PM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Average is Over, Computers, middle class, Tyler Cowen

Posted at 12:01 PM ET, 10/21/2013

I paid $4 to read this Bitcoin erotica so you don’t have to

By Andrea Peterson

It was heavy on the pseudo-economic jargon, light on the actual economic logic.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:01 PM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amazon, Bitcoin, E-books

Posted at 09:52 AM ET, 10/21/2013

The astounding rise of ‘search engines’ and ‘social media,’ in 3 charts

By Brian Fung

Updates to Google’s Ngram tool offers a way to compare similar phrases. So of course we searched for “Google.”

By Brian Fung | 09:52 AM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 09:00 AM ET, 10/21/2013

Yes, terrorists could have hacked Dick Cheney’s heart

By Andrea Peterson

Security vulnerabilities are a major problem in medical software and devices.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:00 AM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Barnaby Jack, Cybersecurity, Hackers, Internet of Things

Posted at 08:33 AM ET, 10/21/2013

The Switchboard: The NSA snooped on Mexican president’s email

By Andrea Peterson

New NSA leak information, Walmart’s play to compete online, and the other stories you missed this weekend.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:33 AM ET, 10/21/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amazon, Apple, Edward Snowden, NSA Leaks, Walmart

Posted at 09:03 AM ET, 10/20/2013

Reader: Nintendo’s copyright claim over Full Screen Mario is like threatening cosplay

By Brian Fung

Plus: Readers lament Nintendo’s reaction to Full Screen Mario and our definition of humanity.

By Brian Fung | 09:03 AM ET, 10/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Comment Roundup

Posted at 12:11 PM ET, 10/19/2013

Why Apple’s claim that it can’t intercept iMessages is largely semantics

By Ashkan Soltani

Ashkan Soltani explains why Apple’s arguments against its own interception capabilities aren’t that persuasive.

By Ashkan Soltani | 12:11 PM ET, 10/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple, Cybersecurity, Hacking, iMessages, Surveillance

Posted at 11:33 AM ET, 10/19/2013

How stores use your phone’s WiFi to track your shopping habits

By Brian Fung

Can a Do Not Call registry for geolocation data work?

By Brian Fung | 11:33 AM ET, 10/19/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Location tracking, Tracking

Posted at 03:50 PM ET, 10/18/2013

Anki’s robot cars aren’t the Hot Wheels of your youth. They could be something much cooler.

By Hayley Tsukayama

AnkiDrive is more than just app-controlled cars. It’s Hot Wheels meets BattleBots with a little Forza thrown in for good measure

By Hayley Tsukayama | 03:50 PM ET, 10/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture, self-driving cars, Video Games

Posted at 12:41 PM ET, 10/18/2013

Here’s how Obama’s first Chief Technology Officer defends the HealthCare.gov launch

By Andrea Peterson

“Glitches happen.“

By Andrea Peterson | 12:41 PM ET, 10/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Aneesh Chopra, Obamacare

Posted at 12:39 PM ET, 10/18/2013

The FCC has work to do, and Ted Cruz isn’t helping

By Brian Fung

The senator is putting a hold on a key administration nominee — delaying a bunch of other programs in the process.

By Brian Fung | 12:39 PM ET, 10/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FCC, Incentive Auction, Ted Cruz, Wireless

Posted at 09:30 AM ET, 10/18/2013

Investors think Google wastes money on moonshot projects. Larry Page wants to spend more.

By Brian Fung

There’s a deeper reason: Google hasn’t discovered the next Google yet.

By Brian Fung | 09:30 AM ET, 10/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google

Posted at 08:27 AM ET, 10/18/2013

The Switchboard: Snowden denies taking documents to Russia

By Brian Fung

Google made a ton of money last quarter, Apple’s new green campus, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:27 AM ET, 10/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 05:23 PM ET, 10/17/2013

Here’s why isoHunt deserved to die

By Timothy B. Lee

The site claimed to be just another search engine, but there was clear evidence of infringing intent.

By Timothy B. Lee | 05:23 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Hollywood, isohunt, Piracy

Posted at 04:34 PM ET, 10/17/2013

Technology is not dehumanizing. It’s what makes us human.

By Andrea Peterson

Don’t be fooled by headlines about a new survey that says millennials think technology “makes us less human.“

By Andrea Peterson | 04:34 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Futurism, Intel, technology

Posted at 03:25 PM ET, 10/17/2013

Nintendo says this amazing Super Mario site is illegal. Here’s why it shouldn’t be.

By Timothy B. Lee

In a more reasonable copyright system, a video game published in 1985 would fall into the public domain around now.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:25 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Super Mario Brothers, Term extension

Posted at 03:16 PM ET, 10/17/2013

Apple says it can’t decrypt your iMessages. These researchers say it can.

By Brian Fung

Your messages are probably still safe, but the findings challenge what Apple has said previously about encryption.

By Brian Fung | 03:16 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 02:59 PM ET, 10/17/2013

President Obama trolls bloggers

By Andrea Peterson

But he’s sort of right about the perverse incentives of online news.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:59 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Barack Obama, Blogging, Government Shutdown

Posted at 01:21 PM ET, 10/17/2013

This college kid painstakingly recreated ‘Super Mario Brothers’ for the Web

By Timothy B. Lee

Full Screen Mario is a meticulous recreation of the classic Nintendo game. We spoke to its creator.

By Timothy B. Lee | 01:21 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Nintendo, Video Games

Posted at 12:27 PM ET, 10/17/2013

Georgia’s anti-’Obamaphone’ rule just hurts poor people

By Brian Fung

Soon, some 2 million poor people will be forced to start paying for a service they already can’t afford.

By Brian Fung | 12:27 PM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Telecom

Posted at 10:50 AM ET, 10/17/2013

People in Silicon Valley yawned at the shutdown. They shouldn’t have.

By Timothy B. Lee

Some in Silicon Valley think Washington’s dysfunction doesn’t affect them. Here’s why they’re wrong.

By Timothy B. Lee | 10:50 AM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Congress, silicon valley, Washington

Posted at 10:38 AM ET, 10/17/2013

Greenwald’s new venture shows brands still matter. But they can be personal brands.

By Andrea Peterson

Hughes and Bezos bought commercial brands. Omidyar is buying personal brands.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:38 AM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Blogging, Glenn Greenwald, NSA Leaks, Social Media

Posted at 08:51 AM ET, 10/17/2013

The Switchboard: NSA chief Alexander formalizes plans to step down

By Brian Fung

What comes next for the intelligence community, Windows 8.1 is in the wild, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:51 AM ET, 10/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 06:21 PM ET, 10/16/2013

Meet the man who could be next in line to control the NSA’s spying apparatus

By Andrea Peterson

What you need to know about the man who might take over the NSA’s spying apparatus.

By Andrea Peterson | 06:21 PM ET, 10/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks

Posted at 06:16 PM ET, 10/16/2013

Should the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command be split up after Keith Alexander steps down?

By Brian Fung

Even if we do, it’s not likely to matter.

By Brian Fung | 06:16 PM ET, 10/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Keith Alexander, NSA, NSA Leaks, Surveillance

Posted at 02:37 PM ET, 10/16/2013

How the FCC plans to clear the air for more mobile data

By Brian Fung

Your mobile Internet is about to get a lot better. But first you might have to give up some TV.

By Brian Fung | 02:37 PM ET, 10/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Broadcasters, FCC, Spectrum, Wireless

Posted at 02:15 PM ET, 10/16/2013

Yes, you can buy drugs with bitcoins. You can also buy them with cash.

By Andrea Peterson

Bitcoins and cash have more in common than you might realize.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:15 PM ET, 10/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, McAfee, Silk Road

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 10/16/2013

The iPhone 5C is officially a flop. But don’t read too much into it.

By Brian Fung

Besides, it won’t be long until the company gives us something else to drool over.

By Brian Fung | 10:00 AM ET, 10/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 09:30 AM ET, 10/16/2013

Switchboard: FISA court disputes reputation as a rubber stamp

By Timothy B. Lee

Lavabit re-opens e-mail service for 72 hours and Mrs. Jobs comes to Washington.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:30 AM ET, 10/16/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Switchboard

Posted at 04:08 PM ET, 10/15/2013

Watch this guy in a Mario costume play your favorite Mario tunes

By Andrea Peterson

Thanks, reddit.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:08 PM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Mario, Video Games

Posted at 04:08 PM ET, 10/15/2013

Why Bitcoin prices are at a five-month high

By Timothy B. Lee

After months of bad media coverage, the price of Bitcoins rose to a five-month high of $140. What’s going on?

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:08 PM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Silk Road

Posted at 01:07 PM ET, 10/15/2013

This chart shows our tweets are getting shorter

By Brian Fung

We — or the pornbots — appear to have gotten pretty good at avoiding the character limit.

By Brian Fung | 01:07 PM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, Social Media, Twitter

Posted at 12:22 PM ET, 10/15/2013

Aaron Swartz’s last gift to journalism and online privacy finds a new home

By Andrea Peterson

Before his death Swartz helped create a way for sources to communicate with news organizations anonymously.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:22 PM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Aaron Swartz, NSA Leaks

Posted at 10:32 AM ET, 10/15/2013

The NSA’s giant Utah data center will probably hold a bunch of spam

By Brian Fung

Inside the agency’s battle against information overload.

By Brian Fung | 10:32 AM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA Leaks, Surveillance

Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 10/15/2013

Happy Ada Lovelace day! Go add some nerdy ladies to Wikipedia.

By Andrea Peterson

Today, like everyday, we should celebrate women in tech.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:21 AM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Ada Lovelace, Gender and Tech

Posted at 09:05 AM ET, 10/15/2013

Many of the most-pirated movies aren’t available for legitimate online purchase

By Timothy B. Lee

New data suggests that the most heavily pirated movies are often unavailable through legal channels online.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:05 AM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, Google, Mercatus Center, MPAA

Posted at 08:49 AM ET, 10/15/2013

The Switchboard: NSA collection included millions of address book contacts

By Brian Fung

Yahoo adopts e-mail encryption, and the government asks the Supreme Court to throw out an NSA-related case.

By Brian Fung | 08:49 AM ET, 10/15/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 08:26 PM ET, 10/14/2013

Here’s everything you should know about NSA address book spying in one FAQ

By Ashkan Soltani

The NSA is sweeping up the contact information of thousands of Americans. Here’s how they do it.

By Ashkan Soltani | 08:26 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Microsoft, NSA, Surveillance, Yahoo

Posted at 06:20 PM ET, 10/14/2013

Yahoo to make SSL encryption the default for Webmail users. Finally.

By Andrea Peterson, Barton Gellman and Ashkan Soltani

After years of pressure from privacy advocates, Yahoo will start encrypting mail information for all users in January of 2014.

By Andrea Peterson, Barton Gellman and Ashkan Soltani | 06:20 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Encryption, SSL, Yahoo

Posted at 04:01 PM ET, 10/14/2013

This snack-food corporation has a creepy plan to watch you in the grocery store

By Brian Fung

And it involves using Microsoft’s Kinect sensor to make you buy more Oreos.

By Brian Fung | 04:01 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Advertising, Tracking

Posted at 03:22 PM ET, 10/14/2013

What Jane Austen and Walter Scott can teach us about copyright

By Brian Fung

A new study finds early copyright protections helped writers make more money. Here’s why that’s an argument against lengthening terms today.

By Brian Fung | 03:22 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright

Posted at 03:20 PM ET, 10/14/2013

This Silicon Valley startup is feeling the pain of the shutdown

By Timothy B. Lee

Thanks to America’s antiquated export-control regulations, American companies can’t sell new cryptographic software overseas during the shutdown.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:20 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Encryption, Export control, Shutdown

Posted at 02:40 PM ET, 10/14/2013

Square-Enix says Final Fantasy VII is too big for mobile phones right now. They’re wrong.

By Andrea Peterson

Artificial app size restrictions could limit legitimate ports of gaming classics.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:40 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Final Fantasy, Mobile Apps, Video Games

Posted at 12:54 PM ET, 10/14/2013

House Judiciary Chairman: Government classification system has been ‘abused’

By Brian Fung

A Q&A with Rep. Bob Goodlatte also suggests the lawmaker is in favor of revising Section 215 of the Patriot Act — but not eliminating it.

By Brian Fung | 12:54 PM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amash, Bob Goodlatte, Issa, NSA, Patents, Q&As;

Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 10/14/2013

Wyden is trying to tell us something about the opinion justifying the phone records program

By Andrea Peterson

Wyden drops hints about original phone records order like Kanye drops rhymes.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:17 AM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FISA Court, James Clapper, NSA Leaks, Ron Wyden

Posted at 09:02 AM ET, 10/14/2013

The Switchboard: The FISA Court just approved bulk collection of phone records, again

By Andrea Peterson

FISA Court updates, Google’s next advertising move, and the other tech stories you need to read this morning.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:02 AM ET, 10/14/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FISA Court, Google, Netflix, NSA Leaks

Posted at 09:36 AM ET, 10/13/2013

Would the Obamacare Web sites have worked better if we just had universal health care?

By Brian Fung

Readers discuss the glitchy government service and propose charging Web sites for the privilege of tracking their online activity.

By Brian Fung | 09:36 AM ET, 10/13/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Do Not Track, Obamacare, Reader Comments

Posted at 12:07 PM ET, 10/12/2013

The point of Flipboard isn’t to give publishers ‘reach’

By Brian Fung

Nor is it about scale. The trick is to hook readers into moving from the tablet to the Web.

By Brian Fung | 12:07 PM ET, 10/12/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Flipboard, Internet, Newsonomics

Posted at 05:14 PM ET, 10/11/2013

Snowden’s life in exile is starting to come out of the shadows. Here’s what we know.

By Andrea Peterson

Not that much, really.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:14 PM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, NSA Leaks, Wikileaks

Posted at 04:34 PM ET, 10/11/2013

How Apple searches the App Store for its new ideas

By Brian Fung

Platforms democratize innovation. But here’s how they also benefit their owners.

By Brian Fung | 04:34 PM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 03:20 PM ET, 10/11/2013

Are Obama’s new cybersecurity standards a form of privacy regulation in disguise?

By Brian Fung

If they are, they may be weak — but a welcome breakthrough in what’s been a protracted and fruitless debate.

By Brian Fung | 03:20 PM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cybersecurity

Posted at 02:29 PM ET, 10/11/2013

Sony, Foxconn report reminds us Apple isn’t the only firm with labor issues

By Hayley Tsukayama

Why don’t labor abuses in gaming companies’ supply chains get the same scrutiny as Apple’s?

By Hayley Tsukayama | 02:29 PM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Microsoft, Nerd culture, Nintendo, sony, Video Games

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 10/11/2013

There are Pokemon death panels

By Andrea Peterson

For every monster design that makes it into the game, five or ten designs are rejected.

By Andrea Peterson | 12:45 PM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Pokemon, Video Games

Posted at 11:59 AM ET, 10/11/2013

Patriot Act author: ‘There has been a failure of oversight.’

By Andrea Peterson

A Q&A with Patriot Act author and NSA spying programs opponent Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.)

By Andrea Peterson | 11:59 AM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Dianne Feinstein, Edward Snowden, Jim Sensenbrenner, John Conyers, Mike Rogers, NSA Leaks, Patrick Leahy, USA FREEDOM Act

Posted at 09:32 AM ET, 10/11/2013

Another court has upheld Aereo’s service to stream broadcast TV. Here’s why that matters.

By Timothy B. Lee

A company that rents consumers tiny antennas so they can watch broadcast TV on the Internet has scored an important legal victory.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:32 AM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Aereo, Copyright, FilmOn

Posted at 09:01 AM ET, 10/11/2013

The Internet’s best hope for a Do Not Track standard is falling apart. Here’s why.

By Brian Fung

Nobody can agree on what “tracking” means, much less what to do about it.

By Brian Fung | 09:01 AM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Do Not Track

Posted at 08:18 AM ET, 10/11/2013

The Switchboard: Airbnb fights back against crackdown in New York City

By Timothy B. Lee

Judge rejects privacy lawsuit against Google, EFF leaves the Global Network Initiative, and the federal government is bad at IT projects.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:18 AM ET, 10/11/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Airbnb, EFF, GNI, Google, Obamacare, Privacy, The Switchboard

Posted at 06:16 PM ET, 10/10/2013

Final Fantasy VI coming to Android and iOS. Here’s why it is the best of the series.

By Andrea Peterson

In which Switch writer Andrea Peterson makes her Final Fantasy allegiances clear.

By Andrea Peterson | 06:16 PM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Final Fantasy, Nerd culture, Video Games

Posted at 04:23 PM ET, 10/10/2013

25 percent of men watch online porn, and other 'facts' about Americans' online video habits

By Andrea Peterson

78 percent of all online adults watch online videos -- and 31 percent post videos online.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:23 PM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, Online Video

Posted at 11:40 AM ET, 10/10/2013

Members of Congress warn about ‘fig leaf’ legislation meant to protect the NSA

By Andrea Peterson

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) warn not all NSA “reform” proposals are created equally.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:40 AM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, Jim Sensenbrenner, Justin Amash, NSA, NSA Leaks, Ron Wyden

Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 10/10/2013

Here’s why cops should be required to wear a lapel camera while on duty

By Timothy B. Lee

The ACLU wants police officers to wear cameras that would record their interactions with the citizens they serve.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:19 AM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: ACLU, Cops and cameras, lapel cameras

Posted at 09:01 AM ET, 10/10/2013

The Switchboard: Is BlackBerry inching closer to a break-up?

By Brian Fung

A congressman ridicules NSA oversight efforts, Twitter may be considering breaking news updates and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 09:01 AM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 08:48 AM ET, 10/10/2013

Google will now pay up to $3,133.7 for your open-source software patch

By Brian Fung

Good Samaritans may soon win a bit of cash for contributing to open-source project security.

By Brian Fung | 08:48 AM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google

Posted at 08:23 AM ET, 10/10/2013

Switchboard: Obama refuses to save older Samsung products from patent-related ban

By Timothy B. Lee

California passes new privacy regulations and congressman warns about security flaws in Obamacare exchanges.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:23 AM ET, 10/10/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: California, Obamacare, Switchboard

Posted at 02:45 PM ET, 10/09/2013

Obama says NSA has plenty of congressional oversight. But one congressman says it’s a farce.

By Andrea Peterson

Member of congress says trying to get straight answers about NSA programs is like playing a game of 20 questions.

By Andrea Peterson | 02:45 PM ET, 10/09/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Justin Amash, NSA Leaks

Posted at 11:39 AM ET, 10/09/2013

TALOS is the Army’s plan to create an Iron Man suit

By Brian Fung

The project, which is slated to turn out its first suit next year, is the military’s latest attempt at making science fiction a reality.

By Brian Fung | 11:39 AM ET, 10/09/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture

Posted at 08:32 AM ET, 10/09/2013

Post reporter: Here’s why we refused the NSA’s demand to censor the names of PRISM companies

By Andrea Peterson

They were worried the companies would stop participating if they cooperation was involved according to Barton Gellman.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:32 AM ET, 10/09/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, NSA Leaks, PRISM

Posted at 08:04 AM ET, 10/09/2013

Here’s everything you need to know about Obamacare’s error-plagued websites

By Timothy B. Lee

Obamacare was supposed to help millions of people sign up for health insurance. Instead, many have just gotten error messages.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:04 AM ET, 10/09/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: CGI, CMS, exchanges, Health care, Obamacare

Posted at 04:56 PM ET, 10/08/2013

Will the shutdown drive cybersecurity experts away from the government?

By Andrea Peterson

A Q&A with Mike Carpenter, President for the Americas at McAfee

By Andrea Peterson | 04:56 PM ET, 10/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cybersecurity, Government Shutdown, McAfee, Shutdown

Posted at 03:56 PM ET, 10/08/2013

Disney invents touchscreen that lets you feel textures

By Caitlin Dewey

It paves the way for phones and tablets that transmit not only audio and visual information, but touch signals, as well.

By Caitlin Dewey | 03:56 PM ET, 10/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: 3D, disney, haptic, phone, Screen, tablet, Tablets

Posted at 01:04 PM ET, 10/08/2013

The six most outlandish tech gimmicks used by TV news

By Andrea Peterson

Giant tablets, holograms, and unnecessary remote shots -- oh my!

By Andrea Peterson | 01:04 PM ET, 10/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Television

Posted at 12:06 PM ET, 10/08/2013

We spend billions a year maintaining phone lines (almost) nobody depends on. Should we get rid of them?

By Brian Fung

Traditional phone lines connect just 1 percent of all calls now. Just 5 percent of American households rely exclusively on plain old telephone service.

By Brian Fung | 12:06 PM ET, 10/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Telecom

Posted at 09:20 AM ET, 10/08/2013

The new $100 bill hits the streets today. Here are 5 ways to tell they’re real.

By Brian Fung

The Federal Reserve has introduced two new security technologies to complement the others it’s added into its latest redesign.

By Brian Fung | 09:20 AM ET, 10/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Benjamins

Posted at 08:21 AM ET, 10/08/2013

The Switchboard: Five tech policy stories you need to read today

By Brian Fung

The NSA’s exploding data center, Airbnb gets a New York subpoena and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:21 AM ET, 10/08/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 04:34 PM ET, 10/07/2013

Think piracy is killing the music industry? This chart suggests otherwise.

By Timothy B. Lee

Sales of recorded music have plunged over the last decade. But concert ticket sales and other revenue have offset almost all of the decline.

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:34 PM ET, 10/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Copyright, music industry, Piracy

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 10/07/2013

Obama administration decides NSA spying is ‘essential,’ but oversight of NSA is not

By Andrea Peterson

Rough estimates suggest only about 15 percent of NSA employees are furloughed -- but the panel reviewing its spying efforts has been effectively frozen.

By Andrea Peterson | 03:00 PM ET, 10/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, James Clapper, Keith Alexander, NSA Leaks

Posted at 01:20 PM ET, 10/07/2013

The move to mobile apps is bad for Do Not Track

By Brian Fung

Even as privacy advocates challenge advertisers’ use of browser cookies, the advertisers are already moving on.

By Brian Fung | 01:20 PM ET, 10/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet

Posted at 12:19 PM ET, 10/07/2013

The Dixie Chicks and Robin Thicke explain how to fix the patent system

By Timothy B. Lee

A prominent judge wants to rein in the nation’s top patent court. And she uses pop music lyrics to make her case.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:19 PM ET, 10/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Federal Circuit, Patents

Posted at 09:29 AM ET, 10/07/2013

Justice Scalia uses the Internet. And he thinks you people on it are narcissists.

By Andrea Peterson

He also thinks people who write blurbs all day will never become good writers.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:29 AM ET, 10/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Antonin Scalia, Internet

Posted at 08:55 AM ET, 10/07/2013

The Switchboard: The FBI has only seized 26,000 of the 600,000 Bitcoins Silk Road raked in

By Andrea Peterson

How the FBI will deal with seized Bitcoins, European plans to regulate the cloud, and other stories you need to read this morning.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:55 AM ET, 10/07/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoins, Cloud Computing, Michael Hayden, NSA Leaks, Silk Road, The Switchboard, Tor

Posted at 05:12 PM ET, 10/06/2013

The Switch PSA: Our Timothy B. Lee is not the same as Timothy Berners-Lee

By Andrea Peterson

Readers complain about Comcast and discuss the serendipity of Timothy B. Lee’s name.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:12 PM ET, 10/06/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Comcast, FISA Court, Reader Comments, Tor

Posted at 11:29 AM ET, 10/05/2013

The NSA is trying to crack Tor. The State Department is helping pay for it.

By Andrea Peterson

The NSA is trying to break Tor while the State Department is paying to teach activists how to use it.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:29 AM ET, 10/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, Michael Hayden, NSA Leaks, Tor

Posted at 10:02 AM ET, 10/05/2013

The state of Internet freedom worldwide, in 1 map

By Brian Fung

The state of Internet freedom around the globe, in 1 map

By Brian Fung | 10:02 AM ET, 10/05/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Netfreedom

Posted at 04:22 PM ET, 10/04/2013

You’ve met ‘the original Siri.’ Here are the others.

By Caitlin Dewey

The British and Australian Siris have already come forward, as have the voice actors behind things like TomToms and AOL Mail.

By Caitlin Dewey | 04:22 PM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: AOL, Apple, GPS, Siri, Susan Bennett

Posted at 03:57 PM ET, 10/04/2013

Everything you need to know about the NSA and Tor in one FAQ

By Timothy B. Lee

The NSA has compromised the Tor network! But what’s Tor? And how did the NSA compromise it? This FAQ has the answers.

By Timothy B. Lee | 03:57 PM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Surveillance, Tor

Posted at 03:03 PM ET, 10/04/2013

Why everyone is left less secure when the NSA doesn’t help fix security flaws

By Andrea Peterson

The NSA’s involvement in zero-day market questions if the government is putting offensive capabilities before the security of everyday users.

By Andrea Peterson | 03:03 PM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cybersecurity, Hackers, Michael Hayden, NSA Leaks, Zero-Day

Posted at 12:43 PM ET, 10/04/2013

Two years after his death, Steve Jobs is becoming more abstract. That’s good for Apple.

By Brian Fung

Cook’s memo reveals how the company is slowly changing.

By Brian Fung | 12:43 PM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Apple

Posted at 12:17 PM ET, 10/04/2013

In fabricating a future, NBA 2K14 gets suprisingly real

By Hayley Tsukayama

Story plays a surprising role in 2K’s latest basketball title

By Hayley Tsukayama | 12:17 PM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture, Video Games

Posted at 09:53 AM ET, 10/04/2013

Here’s why getting the Obamacare exchanges to work was so difficult

By Timothy B. Lee

Federal and state IT workers have struggled to keep the new Obamacare exchanges running under a burst of traffic this week. But the real challenges may still be ahead.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:53 AM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Obamacare

Posted at 08:59 AM ET, 10/04/2013

The Switchboard: Five tech policy stories you need to read today

By Timothy B. Lee

Digital rights groups sue UK government, Intellectual Ventures suspends patent purchases, and California “eraser” law needs to be erased.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:59 AM ET, 10/04/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 05:39 PM ET, 10/03/2013

Twitter’s growth, in two charts

By Timothy B. Lee

Twitter has filed for its IPO, providing new data on its user base and user engagement.

By Timothy B. Lee | 05:39 PM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Twitter

Posted at 05:10 PM ET, 10/03/2013

ReBoot is being rebooted

By Andrea Peterson

That cartoon you used to watch that was made using computers and set in computers is coming back.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:10 PM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, Nerd culture

Posted at 03:34 PM ET, 10/03/2013

Capitol shooting gives new Twitter alert system its first major test

By Hayley Tsukayama

An emergency alert tool introduced last month got a big test Thursday.

By Hayley Tsukayama | 03:34 PM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown, Twitter

Posted at 11:43 AM ET, 10/03/2013

How a start-up incubator is connecting new businesses with furloughed feds

By Brian Fung

It’s an ingenious way for employees to keep their skills sharp while they wait out the government shutdown.

By Brian Fung | 11:43 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown

Posted at 11:32 AM ET, 10/03/2013

Here’s what the Silk Road shutdown means for the future of Bitcoin

By Timothy B. Lee

Many people used Bitcoins to buy illegal drugs. But a Bitcoin advocate says the drug market’s shutdown is good for the future of Bitcoins.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:32 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin

Posted at 10:44 AM ET, 10/03/2013

DOJ: We can’t let tech companies talk about our data requests, because [REDACTED]

By Brian Fung

Should intelligence officials worry terrorists will learn where to hide?

By Brian Fung | 10:44 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Surveillance

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 10/03/2013

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian: How the Web should lobby Washington

By Hayley Tsukayama

There’s no easy way to “hack Washington,” Ohanian said, but technology makes participation more possible.

By Hayley Tsukayama | 10:00 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Internet, NSA, Open Government, Reddit

Posted at 09:50 AM ET, 10/03/2013

The shutdown is now clogging up the data economy. Thanks, Congress!

By Brian Fung

Services that rely on timely updates from federal data feeds are no longer working.

By Brian Fung | 09:50 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown

Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 10/03/2013

The fact that the NSA collected cell-site data is a big deal. But so is the fact they admitted it.

By Brian Fung

Is a wider shift occurring inside the agency toward transparency?

By Brian Fung | 09:09 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: NSA, Surveillance, Wyden

Posted at 08:57 AM ET, 10/03/2013

The Switchboard: Five tech policy stories you need to read today

By Brian Fung

Inside the court battle for Snowden’s secure e-mail provider, a former NSA official claims enterprise IT security is lacking.

By Brian Fung | 08:57 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 08:39 AM ET, 10/03/2013

Everything we know about Ross Ulbricht, the outdoorsy libertarian behind Silk Road

By Caitlin Dewey

Ulbricht’s social media profiles depict a man who lived physics, camping, libertarian politics -- and money.

By Caitlin Dewey | 08:39 AM ET, 10/03/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Drugs, FBI, libertarian, Ross Ulbricht, Silk Road

Posted at 11:37 PM ET, 10/02/2013

Silk Road’s mastermind allegedly paid $80,000 for a hitman. The hitman was a cop.

By Timothy B. Lee

In a new criminal indictment, the government says the operator of a Bitcoin drug market tried to pay to assassinate a wayward employee.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:37 PM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Silk Road

Posted at 05:42 PM ET, 10/02/2013

Losing its reputation for secrecy could be good for Bitcoin

By Hayley Tsukayama

The bust undermines Bitcoin’s reputation for secrecy, but that may not be a bad thing

By Hayley Tsukayama | 05:42 PM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Internet, Security

Posted at 04:45 PM ET, 10/02/2013

How sloppy digital hygiene led to the downfall of an underground Bitcoin drug market

By Andrea Peterson

How one forum posting identifyinga personal email address led to authorities arresting a man for running a multi-million dollar underground online drug market.

By Andrea Peterson | 04:45 PM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Silk Road

Posted at 02:04 PM ET, 10/02/2013

7 revealing numbers about Silk Road, the Internet’s darkest drug market

By Brian Fung

Everything we now know about the underground marketplace, by the numbers.

By Brian Fung | 02:04 PM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Silk Road

Posted at 01:57 PM ET, 10/02/2013

Owner of Bitcoin drug market solicited a murder for hire, government alleges

By Andrea Peterson

Did the founder of Silk Road try to hire place a hit on someone trying to extort him? Court documents say yes.

By Andrea Peterson | 01:57 PM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin, Murder, Silk Road

Posted at 12:14 PM ET, 10/02/2013

Feds arrest the alleged founder of Bitcoin’s largest drug market

By Timothy B. Lee

Federal prosecutors say they have captured “Dread Pirate Roberts,” the founder of the secretive site Silk Road.

By Timothy B. Lee | 12:14 PM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bitcoin

Posted at 11:41 AM ET, 10/02/2013

Nebraska AG vows to continue anti-troll fight despite court setback

By Timothy B. Lee

A federal judge has ruled that the Nebraska attorney general’s campaign against patent trolls violated a patent holder’s constitutional rights.

By Timothy B. Lee | 11:41 AM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Jon Bruning, Nebraska, Patent trolls, Patents

Posted at 10:53 AM ET, 10/02/2013

Here’s why one of the most conservative members of the House wants to rein in the NSA

By Andrea Peterson

A Q&A with Rep. Jim Jordan about bipartisanship in response to NSA spying programs and his reaction to the Snowden leaks.

By Andrea Peterson | 10:53 AM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edward Snowden, FISA Court, Jim Jordan, NSA Leaks

Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 10/02/2013

Shuttered e-mail service linked to Ed Snowden raises funds for legal fight

By Brian Fung

The founder of the secure e-mail service is more than halfway to his goal after two days.

By Brian Fung | 09:21 AM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Lavabit, Surveillance

Posted at 08:40 AM ET, 10/02/2013

The Switchboard: Five tech policy stories you need to read today

By Timothy B. Lee

FCC fines wireless service providers, patent trolls lobby in Washington, and intel committee postpones NSA markup.

By Timothy B. Lee | 08:40 AM ET, 10/02/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FCC, Government Shutdown, Patent trolls, Patents, The Switchboard

Posted at 05:54 PM ET, 10/01/2013

Valve has registered a European trademark for Half-Life 3

By Brian Fung

It’s no official confirmation, but it’s the game developer’s latest sign that it hasn’t abandoned the famous franchise.

By Brian Fung | 05:54 PM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Nerd culture

Posted at 05:39 PM ET, 10/01/2013

The House is divided over almost everything. But FISA Court reform might be able to unite it.

By Andrea Peterson

Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jim Jordan (R-OH) want to bring some transparency to the secret court that defines surveillance law.

By Andrea Peterson | 05:39 PM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: FISA Court, NSA Leaks

Posted at 04:26 PM ET, 10/01/2013

These charts show Comcast acting more and more like a monopolist

By Timothy B. Lee

Comcast’s network has gotten a lot faster. But only those who pay a premium have seen big improvements.

By Timothy B. Lee | 04:26 PM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: broadband, Comcast, competition

Posted at 01:42 PM ET, 10/01/2013

Upgrading to a new cell phone? A government shutdown means you could be waiting a while.

By Brian Fung

You know who else has to stay home today? The people who approve devices for the U.S. market.

By Brian Fung | 01:42 PM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown

Posted at 11:47 AM ET, 10/01/2013

This is what it looks like when a shutdown takes federal websites

By Andrea Peterson

The notice replacing some government websites.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:47 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown, Internet, NASA

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

‘Sign this petition’: How political groups are turning their data testing tools on social media

By Brian Fung

It was only a matter of time before the A/B testing of e-mail subject lines gave way to A/B testing Facebook posts.

By Brian Fung | 11:40 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Politics

Posted at 11:27 AM ET, 10/01/2013

Sad the shutdown has killed the panda cam? Here are some alternatives.

By Andrea Peterson

We miss Mei Xiang and her cub -- but there are other pandas out there.

By Andrea Peterson | 11:27 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown, Internet, Panda

Posted at 09:45 AM ET, 10/01/2013

Former Obama official: Domestic spying ‘inconsistent with the values of this country’

By Timothy B. Lee

A former Obama administration officials argues it’s time to get the NSA out of the domestic security business.

By Timothy B. Lee | 09:45 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Cybersecurity, NSA, Surveillance

Posted at 09:26 AM ET, 10/01/2013

Google celebrates Yosemite National Park -- which is closing due to the shutdown

By Andrea Peterson

Hope you weren’t planning to visit a National Park during the shutdown.

By Andrea Peterson | 09:26 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Google, Government Shutdown

Posted at 08:46 AM ET, 10/01/2013

Happy 55th birthday, NASA! To celebrate, 97 percent of you get an unpaid vacation.

By Andrea Peterson

At least most of your employees can celebrate from the comfort of their homes.

By Andrea Peterson | 08:46 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown, Space

Posted at 08:20 AM ET, 10/01/2013

The Switchboard: Five tech policy stories you need to read today

By Brian Fung

AT&T’s answer to Google Fiber gets a release date, BitTorrent’s secure encrypted chat app, and other top tech stories of the last 24 hours.

By Brian Fung | 08:20 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: The Switchboard

Posted at 12:16 AM ET, 10/01/2013

NASA will not warn us about asteroids over Twitter during the shutdown

By Andrea Peterson

Would Bruce Willis have been a non-essential federal employee?

By Andrea Peterson | 12:16 AM ET, 10/01/2013 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Government Shutdown, Space

The Switch: October, 2013