Author: Rebecca Greenfield

John McAfee's Alter Ego Becomes Self-Aware

YouTube

John McAfee — the millionaire software developer who was deported back to the U.S. after going on the run from murder charges in Belize — introduces the world to "both of his alter egos" in this oddly self-aware and totally wacky YouTube tutorial about how to uninstall McAfee anti-virus software.

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 19, 2012

You Can Download Your Entire Twitter History Now

Users spotted this last weekend, but Twitter has made it official in a blog post today: you can download all your tweets, from forever.

Comments | 1,006 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 19, 2012

The Future of Shopping Is the Past

Online retailers that for years have championed e-commerce over brick-and-mortar are now opting to build their stores as well. But what does that mean for actual last-minute holiday shopping?

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 18, 2012

Instagram Says It's Sorry for (Still) Trying to Make Money Off You

The backlash to Instagram's new Terms of Service agreement that suggested it might sell its users' photos as ads without compensation has forced the company to take a big — if not complete — step back with a statement released Tuesday.

Comments | 1,502 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 18, 2012

Should You Leave Instagram for the New Flickr App?

Now that Instagram has suddenly angered so many of its millions of loyal users with a sneaky terms of service change, Yahoo's Flickr app for iPhone actually has a chance to win over legions of new photo sharers. Herein, a comparison test.

Comments | 7,344 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 18, 2012

Horrible Autoplay Video Ads Are Coming to Facebook

This most annoying addition, which will allow advertisers a chance to slap unsolicited videos all over the Facebook news feed, is expected to launch by April 2013, sources say.

Comments | 10,093 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 18, 2012

Why Foxconn Workers Want Even Longer Hours

When they complain that their days are too short, they really mean that the pay at the notorious Chinese electronics manufacturer is still too low.

Comments | 1,537 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 17, 2012

Guy Who Hacked Scarlett Johansson's Naked Photos Gets 10 Years in Prison

Christopher Chaney, the man whose rudimentary hacking led to the release of naked photos of Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis, and Christina Aguilera, as well as the private information of 50 others, was sentenced to a fraction of his possible time.

Comments | 4,889 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 17, 2012

Is This the End of the Reply-All Button?

If you're one of those in a rising tide of worrywarts — and a growing number of the recently unemployed — who agree that mass-email functionality can lead to more accidental anxiety than everyday utility, then, well, yeah, sure.

Comments | 1,890 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 17, 2012

The Truth Behind the New Instagram Privacy Policy

Instagram updated its privacy policy Monday morning in a move designed to make its Facebook partnership all the more official and, more importantly, to prepare itself for all the advertisements inevitably making their way to the app.

Comments | 2,414 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 17, 2012

The NRA's Social Media Silence Isn't Working

Gun control and gun rights have instantly come to dominate the American conversation, but the biggest gun lobby in America has decided to sit this one out — at least on the Internet.

Comments | 9,770 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 17, 2012

Facebook to Launch Its Own SnapChat as Social-Network Clone Wars Live on

Facebook may have something of a new strategy: If you can't buy the competition, build a clone of it. Rumor has it that Facebook has built and is testing its own version of SnapChat, that popular-with-the-youngsters app that many associate with sexting.

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

Adam Lanza: What We Think We Know About the Apparent Newtown Shooter

Cautious to repeat accidental identifications, and working off leaks from federal agencies as local police remain mum, the media hasn't relayed too many details about his life. But here's what's out there so far, with the first photo.

Comments | 209,308 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

How the Internet Got the Wrong Lanza

Apologies flooded the web late Friday afternoon for connecting a CNN report with the alleged Newtown shooter's brother by way of his Facebook profile.

Comments | 64,795 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

Why Are CNN and NBC Interviewing the Students of Sandy Hook Elementary?

What little bit of detail these "witnesses" have to offer doesn't seem to be worth the insensitive nature of the questioning, at least not according to the outcry online.

Comments | 61,604 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

Why the U.S. Doesn't Like the New UN Internet Treaty

It's not like the U.S. has to play along with anything since the old treaty, but the new pact does reveal how our government feels about Internet policy now.

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

The Daily's Not-So-Fond Farewell

To honor The Daily's last day in existence, some members of its remaining staff have created this video sign-off — to the tune of The Sound of Music's "So Long, Farewell" — and, well, it's sad.

Comments | 415 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

John McAfee Unleashes the Full Crazy

In his first television interview since returning to the U.S., the paranoid lawless tech tycoon John McAfee this morning continued to say things that make him sound more crazy and less credible.

Comments | 2,414 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

The Cellphone Virus from Hell Will Eat Your Money

The latest in smartphone malware is a sneaky digital beast, one that surreptitiously makes charges to your phone bill.

Comments | 4,311 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 14, 2012

Year in Review

2012: The Year Facebook Finally Tried to Make Some Money

From Gifts to Pages — and, oh yeah, Instagram — the year Facebook went public was the year Facebook proved it could make money, mostly through advertising, and even on your phone. Here's how, month by month.

Comments | 4,483 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 13, 2012

Uber's Plan to Dominate Cabs by Phone Is Starting to Work Again

While Uber is still facing a series of legal battles across the country, the future of hailing a taxi over your smartphone has gotten a lot easier recently — at least in the heavy cabbing grounds of New York and Washington, D.C.

Comments | 706 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 13, 2012

There's a New Super-Database of Your Information to Hunt Underwear Bombs

Well, this is pretty terrifying: A little known agency called the National Counterterrorism Center has a big ole database of civilian information that it can use to monitor innocent people for suspicious behavior, without probable cause.

Comments | 1,466 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 13, 2012

Why Google Maps for iOS Is Better Than the Old Google Maps App, Too

Not only is Google's fantastic new app a step up from Apple's mess of an app, it also represents a giant leap from the already beloved Google Maps app — you know, the one that came preloaded on iPhones before Apple nixed it.

Comments | 3,741 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

The North Korean Satellite Is Tumbling Out of Control: How Dangerous Is That?

North Korea finally rocketed its satellite into space early Wednesday — only to watch it go "tumbling out of control," as U.S. officials are saying Wednesday night. That's not only another embarrassment for a country that's looking to launch a nuclear missile — it's a possible safety hazard.

Comments | 7,305 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

It's Harder to Find Porn on Google Now

Relax. Google hasn't blocked all the most explicit results from its search tool — it's just made those raunchy photos a little more difficult to find.

Comments | 4,468 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

Of Course Ads Are Coming to Instagram

It's not clear exactly when or how, but Facebook's Carolyn Everson confirmed that the company will "monetize" (i.e. sell advertising) on the very-popular photo sharing app.

Comments | 2,409 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

Facebook's New Privacy Settings, Explained

How to remove ugly photos, block people instantly, and more — a (very) simple guide to help you better understand the latest round of changes.

Comments | 9,181 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

The Truth About New Apple TV Rumors

The Wall Street Journal now has sources saying Apple is testing set designs with Samsung — but that this "isn't a formal project yet." To that, the tech world says: duh.

Comments | 9,486 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

Update: John McAfee Is Coming Back to the U.S.A. Right Now

After leaving a Guatemalan detention center, John McAfee is flying home.

Comments | 3,339 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 12, 2012

Yahoo Enters the Photo-Filter War with Its New Flickr App

A day after debuting its new mail apps, the company has just released a Flickr app for iPhone, that — surprise, surprise — has Instagram-type filters. This comes just days after Twitter released its own filters and Instagram unveiled a new one.

Comments | 276 Views

By Jen Doll and Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 11, 2012

What Your Email Inbox Count Says About You

The pursuit of Zero Dark Inbox is a diligent movement to eliminate all unread messages, but what about the rest of us?

Comments | 39,657 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 11, 2012

Yes, You Can Major in Social Media Now

Hey, kids, how'd you like some Internet with that diploma? South Carolina's Newberry College has added a social media major, because of the apparent skyrocketing number of jobs in that field.

Comments | 1,775 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 11, 2012

Why the New Yahoo Mail Matters

In her first big product overhaul, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has announced a redesign of Yahoo Mail — and it focuses a lot on the mobile experience, as promised.

Comments | 2,781 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 11, 2012

What Did Marissa Mayer Mean in a Year When 86% of Executives Were Still Men?

Women held a mere 14.3 percent of executive positions at Fortune 500 companies, according to new data. That 1.4 percent increase from last year represents a "glacial pace," even in the year of the new Yahoo CEO.

Comments | 1,231 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 11, 2012

Larry Page Just Wants Apple and Google to Get Along

When asked about his competition — and Apple specifically — the Google CEO insists in a rare interview that he wants to see more cooperation, less animosity, and happier users.

Comments | 2,296 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 10, 2012

The Twitter-Instagram Filter Wars Have Arrived

On the the same afternoon that Instagram updated its mobile apps with a new filter called Willow, Twitter debuted long rumored photo filters of its own — all of which explains the whole dust-up over Instagram photos disappearing from Twitter last week.

Comments | 5,216 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 10, 2012

Here Comes the John McAfee Movie

In a move that will surprise absolutely no one, the media hungry anti-virus tycoon on the lam for charges related to murder has sold his life story. While we await the actual ending to McAfee's run from the law, the news gives us an excuse to imagine.

Comments | 3,314 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 10, 2012

Why Gmail, Chrome, and Drive Went Down Today

Google has yet to offer an official explanation for the widespread outages that hit Gmail, Drive, Chrome, and more of its products late this morning, but explanations are beginning to surface for a minor Internet plague that continues into the afternoon.

Comments | 25,864 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 10, 2012

The Secrets of Emoji, Revealed

The next-level emoticons known as emoji have taken texting by smile, with hundreds of animations for phone users increasingly available to insert in their messages. But in their silliness, there also lies some mystery.

Comments | 5,173 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 10, 2012

Who's Winning the Mobile Browser War?

The batlle has just begun to heat up, but we can already see which browser has pulled ahead — and which others stand a chance. Here's the early take on Apple, Mozilla, Google, Amazon, and more... with superlatives! 

Comments | 2,931 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 7, 2012

The Era of Twitter Without Instagram Has Now Begun

We know everyone is a little bummed about all those filtered photos disappearing from your Twitter streams this weekend, but let's not get all worked up about it: They are disappearing, and there is no scandal.

Comments | 1,610 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 7, 2012

The Second Powerball Winner Wants to Remain a Mystery Man

We know you were hoping for a Powerball winner to hate, with the first winning couple turning out to be the sweetest ever, but the second person, who has finally claimed the prize, doesn't want to go public.

Comments | 2,458 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 7, 2012

NASA: Apocalypse, No!

With the Mayan apocalypse fast approaching (two weeks!), a NASA senior scientist has reassured the world that the space agency isn't hiding any intel on the order of the universe and its impending implosion December 21.

Comments | 4,138 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 7, 2012

Bitcoin Is as Legit as Paypal Now, in at Least One Country

The occasionally frightening virtual currency, which doesn't tend to believe in government regulation, just got itself some.

Comments | 1,552 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 7, 2012

Did John McAfee Make Up His Heart Attacks?

John McAfee didn't even spend one night in a Guatemalan hospital following his alleged two heart attacks because it kind of sounds like he might not have even had one heart attack.

Comments | 2,586 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 6, 2012

What Apple's All-American Factory of the Future Might Look Like

Tim Cook hasn't provided many details, but a new wave of enthusiasm for producing things here, along with a look at the challenges of Apple's past and the American economy's present, may offer a small window into Made in the U.S.A., Apple edition.

Comments | 7,557 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 6, 2012

John McAfee Rushed to Hospital After Apparent Heart Attacks in Prison

Just hours after Guatemala's government denied John McAfee asylum, the rogue anti-virus pioneer was sent to a hospital there Thursday afternoon for a possible heart attack.

Comments | 18,209 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 6, 2012

How to Say 'Google' in Every Language (Almost)

As a fascinating phenomenon of modern tech-speak emerges — the verb "to Google" has now been translated into many other languages — we've compiled a handy traveler's guide.

Comments | 10,869 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 6, 2012

iPhone Coming to T-Mobile Next Year

Sometime in 2013, T-Mobile customers can get themselves an iPhone, according to a for-real official announcement from Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's parent company. Or at least it sure sounds like it.

Comments | 1,759 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Dec 6, 2012

Does Anyone Really Use Google+ Still?

In an attempt to show us how much Google+ has grown, Google released numbers Thursday that prove little more than how few users it's gotten users to engage with the service's front end.

Comments | 4,178 Views

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