News

• Four challenges Facebook will face after the IPO

  By Jared Newman | 16 May, 2012 07:07

  When Facebook goes public, it will enter a new world full of shareholder meetings, earnings reports, and the constant pressure to turn an increasingly bigger profit. But the Facebook IPO isn't just about making money; it's also about expanding the network, in pursuit of Mark Zuckerberg's vision of a more connected world. With that in mind, here are four challenges Facebook will face after its public offering is complete:

• NASA looks Into satellites to beam solar power directly to Earth

  By Kevin Lee | 13 April, 2012 05:05

  There have been some incredible advances in solar power technology over the years, ranging from simple solar panels to solar-thermal power and more efficient panels. But NASA scientists believe the next step in maximizing sun-based energy will come from satellites that would beam harvested solar power down to Earth.

• Google clarifies privacy policy consolidation, claims it's not changing controls

  By Matt Peckham | 01 February, 2012 07:07

  Attempting to deflect criticism of its upcoming privacy policy changes, Google is on the defensive.

• Amazon acquires voice recognition firm, fueling Siri speculation

  By Ian Paul | 11 November, 2011 03:35

  Amazon appears to have quietly acquired Yap Inc., a speech recognition start-up company, fueling speculation that the online giant is getting ready to produce a voice command service such as Apple's Siri or Google's Voice Actions for Android.

• IBM simulates 4.5% of the human brain; Skynet is next

  By Jason Kennedy | 27 October, 2011 11:57

  It's pretty well known at this point that computers are quickly catching up with humanity as far as brain power is concerned. Storage-wise, we've been long surpassed by machines, and powerfully fast computers can run circles around the human brain in solving complex equations. On the other hand, humanity wins in the brain's sheer computational power and energy efficiency.

• Artificial skin can feel touch; robots prepare to out-human humans

  By Kevin Lee | 26 October, 2011 05:35

  Researchers have found plenty of uses for carbon nanotubes, but a team at Stanford's of the Bao Research Group found a new use for them: artificial skin. The researchers created a stretchable, transparent skin-like sensor that not only is elastic like skin, but can also sense touch and pressure like the real thing.

• Scientists read minds (sort of), create brain scan video

  By Kevin Lee | 25 September, 2011 11:02

  If you ever wanted to see what your brain sees when you're watching Nyan Cat or a YouTube video, this is it. University of California, Berkeley researchers have recreated videos by scanning a person's brain.

• Kickstarter project aims to take geocaching into space

  By Elizabeth Fish | 13 September, 2011 06:30

  Have you ever been geocaching? While it may seem a little lame to those who haven't, there is a slight thrill to being able to track down a hidden item using only clues and a set of co-ordinates from the person who put it there. Still sounds a little uninteresting? How about geocaching in space?

• Star Wars coins are legal tender In New Zealand

  By Chris Brandrick | 20 August, 2011 10:04

  The New Zealand Mint has taken one innovative step to saving the economy, and the galaxy! The government body has introduced a new line of coins that feature an assortment of Star Wars characters.

• Google ups ante with 1,000 patents from IBM

  By Tony Bradley | 01 August, 2011 02:16

  Google has acquired more than 1,000 patents from IBM in order to pad its portfolio. Patent litigation is a theater of the absurd in most cases, but it has evolved into a standard business practice among tech companies, and Google needs more fodder to defend itself.

• Facebook should focus on product, not hiding Google+

  By Paul Suarez | 18 July, 2011 02:57

  Facebook should focus on continuing to deliver a solid product rather than worrying about ads on its site that promote rival social networking service Google+.

• Apple asks to yank Samsung products in patent fight

  By Paul Suarez | 04 July, 2011 05:14

  Apple took its patent infringement suit against Samsung to the next level on Friday when it asked the U.S. District Court to issue a preliminary injunction against sales of a Samsung tablet and phones.

• Sony has target on back thanks to hackers

  By Eric Mack | 05 June, 2011 02:27

  It's not such a happy time over at Sony these days thanks to the bull's-eye on its back.

• So long and goodbye, Spirit rover

  By Kevin Lee | 26 May, 2011 03:34

  NASA is ending attempts to contact the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit after communications stopped on March 22, 2010.

• Foxconn working conditions were criticized before fire

  By Paul Suarez | 24 May, 2011 00:03

  A two-week old report from a Hong Kong-based watchdog group may give us more insight into the explosion that killed three people at a Foxconn assembly plant in China on Friday.