The HiPhone 5 beats the iPhone 5 to market, death threats against Facebook, Apple tops Exxon, and more: Here’s a quick look back at some recent stories from the Land o’ Tech.
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Apps & Web
Cell Phones Stolen During the London Riots Will Be Blocked
Cell phones stolen during the London riots will be blocked by major cell networks, according to several news outlets. It’s an intriguing idea, but will it actually stop thieves from pilfering their wares?
Here’s how the system will work: Store owners will be able to report stolen phones to their appropriate carriers, as each handset …
NYPD to Scour Facebook and Twitter for Evidence of Crimes
It’s not just employers who may be monitoring your social networking presence. The New York Police Department has launched a social media unit to track potential criminal behavior on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, according to the New York Daily News.
Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connor has been named to head up the …
U.K. Government Considers Blocking Twitter, BlackBerry in Wake of Riots
Following discussion on whether or not social media was “responsible” for the recent riots and looting in the United Kingdom, the British Government is looking at ways to reduce the likelihood of social media being used to organize riots or violent protest again.
Officials are considering both banning specific users from sites like …
You’ll Soon Be Able to Text 911 for Emergencies
The sad truth is that dialing 911 for emergencies has been in need of a major overhaul for quite some time, and from a technological standpoint isn’t only dated — it’s highly inefficient. If you place a call from a mobile device, for example, call centers are reportedly unable to do something as basic as
The End of Paper? How to Save a Copy of Every Book Ever Published
You know it’s coming. At some point, we’ll finally bid adieu to our beloved stacks and shelves of tree-ware. Borders, as you know, is well along in process of liquidating its company assets. I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan—basically Borders ground zero, where a stupefying three company bookstores are shuttering.
Analysts are looking …
Playing ‘The Witness’: Hands-On with the Next Game from the Creator of ‘Braid’
Three years ago, Braid came out and changed people’s perceptions of what video games–especially independently developed ones–could be. The time-manipulating platformer gave players an experience that channeled the ephemeral nature of selective memory and the sting of lost love. Braid became a bona fide hit on the Xbox 360, thanks to …
How 3D Mapping Tech Could Be Used to Tow Icebergs to Drought Areas
If you’re going to risk towing 7 million tons of ice across the Atlantic Ocean to quench the thirst of drought-stricken communities, you better have a plan. Enterprising engineer Georges Mougin, 86, is using digital imaging to map the best possible routes to get the massive freshwater deposits 3,400 miles from Newfoundland to the thirsty …
California Now Reports Prisoner Facebook Accounts for Deletion
First off, did you know the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has its own daily newspaper? It’s called CDCR Today and it’s a wonderful read! Actually it’s a blog and it’s not daily but, hey, sometimes ideas start small and then snowball into major media empires.
After Eight Years, Walmart to Abandon MP3 Downloads
If you’ve been buying your MP3s from Walmart, I have some bad news for you: You won’t be able to continue doing so after August 28th (Well, bad news and also a question: Why were you buying MP3s from Walmart?).
The retail giant has sent notice to distribution and licensing partners announcing that it will close its Download Store …
Can Taylor Lautner Change On-Demand Video with ‘Abduction’?
Finally, one studio seems to have realized that no one really wants to pay $30 to watch a movie on-demand, even if it is available a couple of months after being released in theaters. Lionsgate may be planning to offer Abduction, a thriller starring Twilight wolfboy Taylor Lautner, on VoD three months after theater release for just …
App of the Week: Facebook Messenger
This is kind of cheating. I know most App of the Week features are typically intended to shine new light on smaller guys, but this week’s app might end up being too major to pass up.
So what makes Facebook’s new group Messenger app better than other messenger services like WhatsApp, or even Google+’s Huddle feature?
Nothing, …