All Technology
First LookRobotic reindeer raise eyebrows: Will humans ever accept robots as normal?The Google-owned robotics company released a holiday card on Tuesday showing its Spot robotic dog pulling a sleigh, sparking questions about the robots brisk, unworldly appearance.
As more Americans go smartphone-only, high-speed Internet becomes a luxuryThe number of smartphone-only households has gone up 5 percentage points from two years ago, a new Pew Research Center survey finds. As federal regulators debate on mobile video data caps, many households say Internet access is increasingly important, but high costs are forcing them to cut the cord.
Can Apple block Britain from forcefully hacking its customers?The company says that proposed legislation gives too much power to government surveillance, risking the trust businesses like Apple have built with their customers.
Google, Ford will team up to make self-driving cars: reportsGoogle and Ford have nearly finalized a partnership to put their software and hardware expertise together to build self-driving cars, according to reports. The partnership could mean that self-driving cars will be widely available within just a few years.
First LookDo video games need addiction warning labels?One Russian has claimed the Bethesda Softworks 'Fallout 4' game is so addictive it cost him his job and marriage and should be labeled as such.
Error 451: How to tell when websites have been censoredA new online error code tells users when a site is unavailable for legal, rather than technical, reasons. Error 451, a nod to Ray Bradbury's novel 'Fahrenheit 451,' indicates that a site has been censored by a government.
First LookSmartphone-only Internet users increase: Here's why that mattersSmartphone-only Internet users are on the rise, even as more Americans say a lack of high-speed Internet access would prove to be a barrier to a job hunt.
Looking for a party? Facebook can find one for you.Facebook is rolling out a new Events feature that will allow users to search events by location, category, and date, fulfilling a niche that has remained surprisingly empty in the age of apps.聽
Should driverless vehicles break the law to increase safety?The cars are twice as likely to get in an accident, in part because they drive the speed limit.
How Brazil's WhatsApp ban puts spotlight on Facebook's content policiesThe messaging service, which is owned by Facebook, was briefly blocked on Thursday after a Brazilian judge said it wasn't complying with a criminal investigation, with another judge reversing the decision. But some observers say the site doesn't always show the same commitment to an open Internet in other countries.
Google sets aside $1 million to keep Drive safeGoogle announced it will make $1 million in research grants available next year to security researchers to examine Drive for vulnerabilities. Google Drive has never been hacked, but the company wants to make sure it stays ahead of the bad guys.
NASA's 2016 budget sets its sights on EuropaCongress approved a $19.2 billion budget for NASA in 2016, and directed the agency to work on a lander capable of touching down on Saturn's moon Europa. The lander will have to survive punishing temperatures, creaking glaciers, and harsh radiation 鈥� but it could confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life.
How 'Qi' wireless battery charging could help people ditch the cordsThe growing Qi standard, which has been adopted by more than 200 companies, can charge more than 55 million electronic devices wirelessly. Adoption is growing, but some devices 鈥� such as Apple's iPhone 鈥� currently don't support the standard.
California's new rules for self-driving cars disappoints GoogleThe California Department of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday unveiled聽precedent-setting draft regulations for driverless cars.聽Google expressed 'grave disappointment' with the new rules.聽
How efforts to combine arts with STEM education could improve tech diversityNettrice Gaskins, who directs the STEAM Lab at Boston's only art-focused high school, told attendees at an event at Harvard Law School that mixing art with technology could provide an opportunity for students of color that isn't always discussed.
Facebook's real name policy: What cyberbullying activists and drag queens share in commonFacebook revised its 'real name' policy to be more inclusive of the LGBT community, while also protecting Internet users from a proliferation of cyberbullies.聽
SpaceX selects 124 teams to compete to build supersonic Hyperloop podsThe Hyperloop, Elon Musk's proposed supersonic transportation system, is slowly becoming real. Judges from Musk's other companies, SpaceX and Tesla, will evaluate Hyperloop pod designs at Texas A&M University in January.
Chinese smartphone maker claims new phone lasts ten days between chargesThe Oukitel K10000 smartphone can last for days in between charges thanks to a massive 10,000 mAh battery. Why is it that advances in battery life come from bigger batteries, rather than from more efficient energy storage?
Own a drone? Get ready to register it with the FAA.The Federal Aviation Administration announced that starting later this month, hobbyists will have to register their drones in a national database. There have been more than 700 close calls this year between drones and manned aircraft.
Open AI: Effort to democratize artificial intelligence research?Tesla chief Elon Musk and other Silicon Valley executives announced a $1 billion investment in Open AI, a non-profit company intended as a research lab, not a commercial venture.