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Slate: Second Bite at the Apple

Posted: November 20th, 2008, 2:00pm EST by Farhad Manjoo and Chris Thompson

The new phones from Google and Blackberry have more than just a little in common with the iPhone, says Slate technology columnist Farhad Manjoo. Manjoo and Big Money blogger Chris Thompson take your questions about what features the companies have borrowed from Apple.

More Gamble Than Gift: This Holiday Season's High-Tech Duds

Posted: November 20th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Rob Pegoraro

Buying any sort of high-tech product involves risks not faced with most other purchases. The sweater you get for yourself probably won't cost dramatically less next year or be replaced in stores by a vastly upgraded Sweater 3.0, but your new laptop, camera or phone can become overpriced or obsolete...

Wal-Mart Strikes Deal With Duke Energy to Use Wind Power at Stores

Posted: November 20th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Ylan Q. Mui

Wal-Mart has signed a contract to help power hundreds of its stores using wind energy, one of the largest investments in the field by a U.S. retailer.

Answers Trickle Out as Spammer Networks Remain Compromised

Posted: November 19th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Brian Krebs

At about 4:30 p.m. Eastern time last Tuesday, the volume of junk e-mail arriving at inboxes around the world suddenly plummeted by about 65 percent. Confronted with information that one Silicon Valley computer firm was hosting organizations that controlled the distribution of much of the world's...

Stocks Rebound, Fueled by HP Earnings

Posted: November 19th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Renae Merle

Wall Street broke a two-day losing streak yesterday despite poor housing and economic data that reinforced concerns of a long recession.

Daniel Lyons on Tesla Motors

Posted: November 18th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Daniel Lyons

Tesla Motors didn't just set out to build an electric car. It set out to teach Detroit a lesson. Back in 2003, when these guys from Silicon Valley were launching their company, they didn't apologize for knowing next to nothing about the automotive industry. In fact, they took pride in this. They ...

NBA Owner Mark Cuban Charged With Insider Trading

Posted: November 18th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Heather Landy

Mark Cuban, the outspoken owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, is skilled at getting attention in the basketball arena, but it was his trading in a Canadian Internet start-up that has gotten the notice of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Yahoo Founder, CEO Yang Steps Down

Posted: November 18th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Peter Whoriskey

Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang will step down, the company announced last night, as the once-highflying Internet portal struggles to steady itself in the turbulent environment for Web media.

Online Privacy Group Seeks Role in Mapping Out Policy

Posted: November 17th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Kim Hart

A group of privacy scholars, lawyers and corporate officials are launching an advocacy group today designed to help shape standards around how companies collect, store and use consumer data for business and advertising.

Kids Fuse Legos and Robotics at Competition

Posted: November 17th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Michael Alison Chandler

Otto Voettiner's hands shook slightly as he lined up his team's robot and released it along a Lego-filled course. The robot, Billybot, had a seemingly simple mission: to cross the table, lift a red ring with its long, gray fingers and return to base.

Fast Forward's Help File

Posted: November 16th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Rob Pegoraro

Q I have a new LCD monitor hooked up to my PC, but it doesn't look as nice as I thought. The text seems a little unfocused, and images look a little wide.

TV Breaks Out of the Box

Posted: November 16th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Mike Musgrove

My friend Susanna has never had a cable subscription.

Sun Microsystems to Cut 6,000 Jobs

Posted: November 15th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Melita Marie Garza

Sun Microsystems plans to cut as many as 6,000 jobs as the company tries to cope with plunging sales of server computers to financial firms, market-share losses to bigger competitors and a spiraling stock price.

Experts Warn of Security Risks in Financial Downturn

Posted: November 15th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Joby Warrick

Intelligence officials are warning that the deepening global financial crisis could weaken fragile governments in the world's most dangerous areas and undermine the ability of the United States and its allies to respond to a new wave of security threats.

Stocks Plunge as Retailers Report Lower Sales

Posted: November 15th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Renae Merle

Wall Street ended another volatile week of trading in the red, staging a steep sell-off yesterday amid mounting evidence that the financial crisis has drained consumers' desire to shop.

The Space Shuttle Is Delivering a New Toilet to the Space Station

Posted: November 15th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Joel Achenbach

The grand drama of humankind's conquest of space has featured as a recurring subplot the mystery of how people in zero gravity can possibly go to the bathroom. The latest twist in that narrative is about to take place high above Earth, where astronauts will deliver to the international space station...

Judge: Evidence of suicide OK at Web hoax trial

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 9:35pm EST by LINDA DEUTSCH

LOS ANGELES -- Evidence from the suicide of a Missouri girl can be used by prosecutors against a woman charged with helping to create a false Internet identity that was used to harass the teenager, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Can Blu-ray save Christmas for Hollywood?

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 7:31pm EST by RYAN NAKASHIMA

LOS ANGELES -- Movie studio executives on Friday presented the best-case scenario for a winter holiday surge in the purchase of high-definition Blu-ray players as their best hope to keep the U.S. home video market's decline from accelerating past 3 percent or 4 percent this year.

Sun Microsystems slashes jobs in survival fight

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 5:00pm EST by JORDAN ROBERTSON

SAN FRANCISCO -- The economic downturn might be pushing Sun Microsystems Inc., one of the storied names in computing, to the brink of extinction.

Telecom Warily Waits on 'Wired' President

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Cecilia Kang

President-elect Barack Obama famously made the Web a pillar of his campaign, so it is not surprising that the man called the nation's first "wired" president has championed the idea of an open Internet.

Role of Federal Tech Czar to Be Defined by Obama

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Kim Hart

The most talked-about tech job in government is one that never before existed.

EBay Sites Will Ban Sales of Tickets to Obama's Swearing-In

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Nikita Stewart

If you are one of the few to land a ticket to the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama, don't think about hawking it on eBay.

In a First, Astronomers Report Viewing Planets of Other Suns

Posted: November 14th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Joel Achenbach

Staring at his computer screen in May, poking through images of the bright star Fomalhaut, astronomer Paul Kalas found himself staring at a tiny white dot. The dot appeared amid a great ring of dust circling the star. From one image to the next, the dot moved.

Personal Tech

Posted: November 13th, 2008, 2:00pm EST by Rob Pegoraro

The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro will be online to discuss recent reviews and answer your personal tech questions.

Slate: Trust Among Film Thieves

Posted: November 13th, 2008, 12:00pm EST by Josh Levin

Slate associate editor Josh Levin discusses illegal movie downloads and aXXo, the Internet's best brand name in ripping and uploading DVDs.

Sarah Surfing

Posted: November 13th, 2008, 10:04am EST by Howard Kurtz

Sarah Palin is fighting back against the "jerks." Cooking moose chili and slicing sandwiches for Matt Lauer and Greta Van Susteren, chatting up Larry King and Wolf Blitzer, the Alaska governor is denying, deflecting and denouncing the worst her unnamed critics have thrown at her. She has called t...

Photo Programs Add Tools but Still Need Sharpening

Posted: November 13th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Rob Pegoraro

For most of its life, consumer photo-editing software has looked up to the expensive but powerful programs used by professional photographers. Now it may be turning to a simpler source of inspiration: the software embedded in many digital cameras.

Web Host of Groups That Traffic Spam Kicked Offline

Posted: November 13th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Brian Krebs

The volume of junk e-mail sent worldwide may have dropped drastically yesterday after a Web-hosting firm, identified by many in the computer security community as a major host of organizations engaged in spam activity, was taken offline.

Host of Internet Spam Groups is Cut Off

Posted: November 12th, 2008, 1:09pm EST by Brian Krebs

The volume of junk e-mail sent worldwide dropped drastically today after a Web hosting firm identified by the computer security community as a major host of organizations allegedy engaged in spam activity was taken offline, according to security firms that monitor spam distribution online.

Group Seeks Web-Savvy, More Open Government

Posted: November 12th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Lyndsey Layton

The incoming Obama administration needs to use the Internet to publish reams of new information about federal spending, policies and performance as well as other records that have been increasingly shrouded from public view, a coalition of conservative, libertarian and progressive groups is recom...

Downturn Tests Technology Sector's Resilience

Posted: November 12th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Peter Whoriskey

Technology companies often boast that they can easily weather an economic downturn because their products can help people save money. But in the ongoing global crisis, some of them are getting hammered.

Circuit City Files for Chapter 11 Protection

Posted: November 11th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Ylan Q. Mui

Circuit City Stores, the nation's second-largest consumer electronics retailer, said yesterday that tightened credit and rapidly declining consumer spending have forced it to file for bankruptcy protection, underscoring the perils facing retailers as they head into the crucial holiday season during...

Cell phone shopping makes wallets redundant in Japan

Posted: November 10th, 2008, 10:40pm EST by Sachi Izumi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese office worker Satoshi Tada pays for shopping, wins free food and gets store discounts all by waving his cell phone.

Dell quells rumors about new music player

Posted: November 10th, 2008, 6:23pm EST by Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc, struggling to recharge its lineup of consumer product offerings, indicated Monday that a digital music player is not in the computer maker's near-term plans despite speculation that such a product is in the works.

Under Obama, Web Would Be the Way

Posted: November 10th, 2008, 12:02am EST by Shailagh Murray and Matthew Mosk

CHICAGO -- Armed with millions of e-mail addresses and a political operation that harnessed the Internet like no campaign before it, Barack Obama will enter the White House with the opportunity to create the first truly "wired" presidency.

Contractors Bidding Davis a Fond Farewell

Posted: November 10th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Kim Hart

For government contractors, the election means saying goodbye to a longtime advocate.

Site Lets You Know When to Fold

Posted: November 9th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Ryan Wilk

There's no shortage of advice on when to buy stocks, but there's precious little on when to sell. A new Web site, SmartStops.net, wants you to consider your exit strategy.

Fast Forward's Help File

Posted: November 9th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Rob Pegoraro

Q Will I be able to record programs off the air with my VCR after the digital transition?

Homeowners Turn to Technology to Help Thwart Thieves

Posted: November 8th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Alex Veiga

Homeowners have more options than ever for making their homes less tempting targets for thieves.

Shopping for TVs With the Experts

Posted: November 8th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Alan Zibel

Technological advances have made giant flat-panel TV screens with intensely detailed pictures affordable to the average American consumer. But which one to choose?

Extortion Used in Prescription Data Breach

Posted: November 8th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Brian Krebs

One of the nation's largest processors of pharmacy prescriptions said this week that extortionists are threatening to disclose personal and medical information about millions of Americans if the company fails to meet payment demands.

Sprint Swings to Loss as Customers Flee

Posted: November 8th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Cecilia Kang

Sprint Nextel said yesterday it swung to a loss in the third quarter as it continued to hemorrhage subscribers who have flocked to rival wireless carriers.

Security Fix Live

Posted: November 7th, 2008, 11:00am EST by Brian Krebs

Security Fix blogger Brian Krebs answers your questions about the latest computer security threats and offers ways to protect your personal information.

Craigslist to crack down on prostitution ads

Posted: November 7th, 2008, 12:01am EST by PAT EATON-ROBB

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Under the watchful eye of law enforcement in 40 states, Craigslist pledged Thursday to crack down on ads for prostitution on its Web sites.

Immigration to Go Paperless

Posted: November 7th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Spencer S. Hsu

The Bush administration has launched a major overhaul of the nation's immigration services agency, selecting an industry consortium led by IBM to reinvent how the government handles about 7 million applications each year for visas, citizenship and approval to work in the United States, officials ...

Google Scuttles Ad Deal with Yahoo

Posted: November 6th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Kim Hart and Peter Whoriskey

Google pulled out of a proposed advertising partnership with Yahoo yesterday after the Justice Department signaled it would oppose the deal because it could help the dominant Web company become a monopoly.

Economic Reports Drive Sell-Off

Posted: November 6th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Renae Merle

With the presidential election out of the way, U.S. stocks took a dive yesterday as investors' focus returned to the economic turmoil that has weighed down stocks.

Typing Without Touch

Posted: November 6th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Rob Pegoraro

Speech-dictation software has advanced immensely over the past decade, but it's still not like talking to the Starship Enterprise's computer or a human stenographer.

FCC Expands Use of Airwaves

Posted: November 5th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Cecilia Kang

Preachers on the pulpit, Guns N' Roses and others who fear their wireless microphones would be disrupted by widespread public access to certain unused airwaves were drowned out by high-tech titans Google and Microsoft in a federal ruling yesterday.

WiFi Gains Strength in Cities

Posted: November 5th, 2008, 12:00am EST by Kim Hart

Over the past three years, large cities and rural towns promised to bring WiFi to every street corner, park bench and doorstep. The wireless service was to be the key to extending cheap Internet access to underserved areas and low-income neighborhoods.

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