Apple Shows Facebook Who Has the Power in an App Dispute
After two days of disruptions, the iPhone maker restored the social network’s access to internal apps that its employees rely on in their jo...
Home / Archive for January 2019
Amazon’s Sales Growth Slows, Even as Cloud Business Stays Hot
The company is compensating for slowing growth in e-commerce by expanding its fast-moving, highly profitable cloud and advertising businesse...
Twitter Says False Content Is Evolving, and More Comes From the U.S.
The social media service said on Thursday that disinformation on its platform now includes more domestic and foreign sources — and not just ...
Critic’s Pick: An 1840s Road Trip, Captured on Lustrous Silver
An exquisite show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art recalls travel before digital maps, when photography was the hottest of new media.
It’s Not the Stuff of a Playful BuzzFeed Quiz
For the 220 people laid off recently at the digital publisher, a harsh reality hit this week that included a fight for better severance pay ...
Chip Giant Intel Picks Interim Leader as Permanent C.E.O. After Long Search
Robert Swan takes the helm at a time when the Silicon Valley company is financially strong but facing questions about its future.
Corner Office: Julia Hartz Founded Eventbrite With Her Fiancé. Then She Took His Job.
The California native is “an energy person” who worked in TV and then did a little of everything at the couple’s start-up. It all prepared h...
Could You Last 11 Days Without the Internet? Tonga Finds Out the Hard Way
Since a fiber-optic cable was severed on Jan. 20, contact with the outside world has been difficult for residents of the remote island natio...
Releasing Earnings, Microsoft Stays in Stride, With Cloud Powering the Way
The company reported revenue of $32.5 billion in the last quarter, and it made a profit of almost $8.6 billion, big increases over the same ...
The Shift: Maybe Only Tim Cook Can Fix Facebook’s Privacy Problem
The cold war between Facebook and Apple over data use and privacy is heating up. How far should Mr. Cook take it?
Firm That Sold Social Media Bots Settles With New York Attorney General
The company, Devumi, was exposed as a leading wholesaler of fake Twitter followers in a New York Times investigation last year.
Amazon Users in India Will Get Less Choice and Pay More Under New Selling Rules
Under pressure from small merchants, the Indian government is prohibiting Amazon and Walmart from selling products on their own sites.
Facebook Gains More Users as Revenue and Profits Climb
Despite a painful year of scandals, the social network reported Wednesday that it continued to grow in the fourth quarter.
How to Make Your Office More Ergonomically Correct
If your office leaves you with pain in your wrists, back or neck, it doesn’t have to be that way — in fact, it shouldn’t. Here’s how to fix ...
Foxconn Is Reconsidering Plan for Wisconsin Factory
The Taiwan-based company’s intent to build a $10 billion plant with 13,000 jobs was hailed by President Trump. It now sees a shift toward re...
Tech We’re Using: An Arsenal of Skype, Voice Recorders and FOIAs
Emily Bazelon, an investigative reporter at The New York Times Magazine, craves easy-to-use tools, whether for interviews, Freedom of Inform...
Foxconn Is Reconsidering Plan for Manufacturing in Wisconsin
The Taiwan-based company’s intent to build a $10 billion plant with 13,000 jobs was hailed by President Trump. It now sees a shift toward re...
Does Facebook Really Know How Many Fake Accounts It Has?
The social network has disclosed an estimate for years, but a closer look raises lots of questions.
Tesla Outlook: 5 Questions for Elon Musk on Earnings Day
The electric-car maker needs to cut costs, ramp up production, improve service and increase demand. But can its chief executive deliver?
Critic’s Notebook: Our Never-Ending ‘Scam Season’
The conditions that produced Billy McFarland, Anna Delvey and Elizabeth Holmes show no signs of abating.
Alibaba, an Icon of China’s Growth, Now Reflects Its Slowdown
The e-commerce giant posted numbers that pale in comparison to earlier surging figures, as a result of its size and the country’s economic s...
Tech Fix: How to Save on Your Next Apple Purchase
If recent increases are any indication, chances are your next iDevice will cost even more. We analyzed how prices have shot up and offer way...
iPhone FaceTime Bug That Allows Spying Was Flagged to Apple Over a Week Ago
A teenager in Arizona discovered the flaw, which allows eavesdropping, on Jan. 19, and his mother contacted Apple the next day. But the comp...
Apple Says Profits Were Flat, Citing Slump in China
The iPhone maker, which reported quarterly earnings, faces a number of issues, from consumer demand in China to an unusual security bug in i...
Huawei and China Have Limited Ways to Answer U.S. Charges
Slowing growth and the trade war could restrict Beijing’s ability to get tough. Huawei has shuffled its Washington staff, apparently seeking...
How to Disable FaceTime to Avoid Eavesdropping Bug
Apple has disabled Group FaceTime, the feature that enabled the eavesdropping, while it works on a fix. But for extra security, follow these...
Data Breaches Dent Singapore’s Image as a Tech Innovator
Experts say security concerns are a pitfall for countries that are pushing to make vast troves of data more accessible and centralized.
Huawei and China Have Limited Ways to Answer U.S. Charges
Slowing growth and the trade war could restrict Beijing’s ability to get tough. Huawei has shuffled its Washington staff, apparently seeking...
At Surf Camp 2.0, Data Rules
At the new Surf Simply resort in Costa Rica, guests are videotaped as they catch a wave, and that’s only the beginning of the tech-based coa...
Can Technology Help Fix the Housing Market?
A lot of start-ups have promising ideas, but the fundamental problem of affordability seems beyond their reach.
FaceTime Bug Lets iPhone Users Eavesdrop, in a Stumble for Apple
A glitch in the video and audio calling app can transform the smartphone into a device perhaps better suited for espionage.
Uh Oh, Apple. An iPhone Bug Lets FaceTime Callers Eavesdrop.
A glitch in Apple’s video and audio calling app FaceTime can transform iPhones into eavesdropping mechanisms.
U.S. Formally Accuses Huawei Executive of Helping Evade Iran Sanctions
The Justice Department unveiled sweeping charges against Huawei and its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested last year in...
A Tiny Screw Shows Why iPhones Won’t Be ‘Assembled in U.S.A.’
Apple decided several years ago to produce a high-end Mac in Texas. The problems that surfaced illustrate the challenges of domestic manufac...
As I.P.O. Approaches, Lyft’s Chief Is Nudged Into the Spotlight
Logan Green is known to be reserved, letting his second-in-command speak for their ride-sharing service. But now he’s in a race with Uber to...
Why Are Young People Pretending to Love Work?
I saw the greatest minds of my generation log 18-hour days — and then boast about #hustle on Instagram. When did performative workaholism be...
Stuff and Things: The Secret World of Amazon’s Power Reviewers
A clandestine society receives an unending stream of products. They create Amazon’s reality. Is there such a thing as too much free stuff?
The Shift: The Hidden Automation Agenda of the Davos Elite
In public, executives wring their hands over automation’s negative consequences for workers. In private, they talk about how they are racing...
BuzzFeed’s First Round of Layoffs Puts an End to Its National News Desk
“I know it’s been a hard day,” Ben Smith, the editor in chief of BuzzFeed News, said in a note to the staff.
Vodafone, One of World’s Largest Cell Carriers, Halts Buying of Huawei Gear
The British company said it would no longer use the Chinese telecommunications giant’s equipment in some parts of its network in Europe beca...
‘Hamlet’ in Virtual Reality Casts the Viewer in the Play
A joint production by a Boston theater company and Google hopes to bring high-quality Shakespeare to wider audiences, and new audiences into...
Zuckerberg Plans to Integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger
Facebook’s chief executive has asserted control over its sprawling divisions and mandated the social network’s messaging services be knitted...
YouTube Moves to Make Conspiracy Videos Harder to Find
The online service has long been criticized for promoting videos that are full of misinformation but don’t necessarily conflict with its rul...
Extending the Stage With Technology
A brief sampling of productions that use augmented reality, smartphone mapping and motion capture, blurring the line between the live and th...
Bits: The Week in Tech: Silicon Valley Hobnobs in Davos
Controversy over a video uploaded to Twitter over the weekend revealed old fault lines, and why social media is so good at exposing them.
Work Friend: When Your Meat Suit Is Angry With Some Other, Louder Meat Suit
Life is just enacting feelings until we expire. And nothing else matters.
Amazon Is Pushing Facial Technology That a Study Says Could Be Biased
In new tests, Amazon’s system had more difficulty identifying the gender of female and darker-skinned faces than similar services from IBM a...
Intel Searches (and Searches) for a New C.E.O.
Since Brian Krzanich, who was chief executive for five years, was forced out in June, the chip maker has been looking for a new boss.
How to Use ‘Do Not Disturb’ on Your Phone (While Still Letting Important Calls Through)
The bliss of turning off all notifications on your phone doesn’t have to come with the anxiety of potentially missing an important call or t...
Microsoft’s Bing Back Online in China After Apparent Blockage
Users in parts of China were unable to access Bing on Wednesday and Thursday, and it remains unclear what led to the shutdown.
Shutdown Leaves Uninflated Space Sculpture Circling in Orbit
Trevor Paglen’s “Orbital Reflector” is waiting for F.C.C. clearance before it can be activated. The artist says it might not survive the wai...
‘Businesses Will Not Be Able to Hide’: Spy Satellites May Give Edge From Above
With 2,200 observation satellites going into orbit in the next decade, start-ups are trying to use them to churn out financially useful info...
The Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting Into Class
Student demand for computer science courses is outstripping the supply of professors, creating a student divide of computing haves and have-...
China Appears to Block Microsoft’s Bing, Despite Company’s Own Censorship
A block, if permanent, would signal that foreign companies can do little to get in Beijing’s good graces as it tightens its grip on online c...
Who Posted Viral Video of Covington Students and Protester? Congress Wants to Know
Lawmakers are investigating the Twitter account that first shared the video that has caused an explosive political moment.
World Leaders at Davos Call for Global Rules on Tech
Leaders from Japan, China, Germany and South Africa say that international rules are needed for tech, but there is no consensus on details.
Tycoon of the Pre-Owned
Can Silicon Valley survivor Julie Wainwright’s luxury consignment company, the RealReal, save retail?
Tech We’re Using: He Reported on Facebook. Now He Approaches It With Caution.
Nick Confessore, an investigative reporter who has written about social media and data privacy, has changed his tech habits after what he ha...
Tech Fix: How to Declutter and Organize Your Personal Tech in a Few Simple Steps
Accessories and data may not take up much physical space, but they contribute to frustration and anxiety. Here are ways to keep e-junk at ba...
The Art of the Internet, Restored and Out in the World
A show at the New Museum celebrates the completion of Rhizome’s Net Art Anthology, a two-year project to preserve and archive digital artwor...
Viacom Buys PlutoTV Streaming Service, Its Biggest Digital Push Yet
The once mighty cable giant is paying $340 million for the free, advertising-based service, which has about 12 million active viewers a mont...
Did Australia Poke a Hole in Your Phone’s Security?
A law passed last month allows the authorities to compel tech companies to build tools to bypass their products’ encryption. It has global i...
How Huawei Wooed Europe With Sponsorships, Investments and Promises
As the Chinese telecommunications giant faces scrutiny over its security, its careful cultivation of European governments and customers is a...
What Made the TV Show ‘You’ a Hit? Netflix
The show drew virtually no audience when it premiered on Lifetime in September. Now that it’s streaming, it’s a different story.
The New New World: China Transforms, and a Factory Owner Struggles to Follow
Shao Chunyou rose from the assembly line to the boss’s office. Now the old recipes for success don’t work, and he must reinvent himself agai...
Google Is Fined $57 Million Under Europe’s Data Privacy Law
France penalized the company for not properly disclosing to users how data is collected across its services to present personalized advertis...
Coming Soon to a Police Station Near You: The DNA ‘Magic Box’
With Rapid DNA machines, genetic fingerprinting could become as routine as the old-fashioned kind. But forensic experts see a potential for ...
A.I. Policy Is Tricky. From Around the World, They Came to Hash It Out.
Dozens of senior policymakers who are trying to agree on rules for artificial intelligence gathered at M.I.T. There was even some consensus....
Amazon Knows What You Buy. And It’s Building a Big Ad Business From It.
The online retail giant is taking advantage of what it knows better than anyone: consumers’ online shopping habits.
#10YearChallenge: Harmless Trend or Boon to Facial Recognition Technology?
The meme encourages people to post a photo of themselves from 10 years and one from today. It’s just a drop in a big bucket of data Facebook...
Could You Fall in Love With a Robot?
Today people fall in love via their phones. But would your phone be just as satisfying?
F.T.C. Is Said to Be Considering Large Facebook Fines
The agency’s investigation, which began in late March, is continuing, and the commissioners and staff have not reached a final conclusion.
D.N.C. Says It Was Targeted Again by Russian Hackers After ’18 Election
In new filings submitted late Thursday, the Democratic National Committee, whose computers were breached in 2016, said it was on the receivi...
Common Sense: Why Jeff Bezos’ Divorce Should Worry Amazon Investors
The Amazon chief’s split from his wife raises questions about the disposal of their enormous stake in the company he founded. Investors dese...
Bits: The Week in Tech: How Google and Facebook Spawned Surveillance Capitalism
A new book argues that Google and Facebook created a new business model that profits off private human behavior.
AT&T to Advertise on YouTube Again After a Nearly 2-Year Holdout
AT&T, one of the biggest advertisers in the U.S., had balked because offensive content too often accompanied its ads. Now it says YouTub...
Work Friend: If You Don’t Think Your Office Is a War Zone You Are Fooling Yourself
Men can’t tell the difference between fear and respect. They act accordingly.
Crowdwise: How to Handle the Dreaded ‘Reply All Moment’
You know that sinking feeling when you accidentally click "Reply All" instead of "Reply?" It's awful. Here's how...
Wait —: Wait — Is Qai Qai America’s Most Important Doll?
Short answer: yes. Meet the granddaughter of Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian.
Corner Office: Hadi Partovi Was Raised in a Revolution. Today He Teaches Kids to Code.
The founder and chief executive of Code.org, who was born in Iran, says computer science is a “foundational skill,” one that future doctors,...
Facebook Identifies Russia-Linked Misinformation Campaign
Facebook removed nearly 500 pages and accounts targeted at Europe and Central Asia. Some originated from an agency controlled by the Kremlin...
Microsoft Pledges $500 Million for Affordable Housing in Seattle Area
The move is the most ambitious effort yet by a tech company to fund construction for local teachers, firefighters and other middle- and low-...
Huawei Said to Be Under U.S. Investigation in Trade-Secrets Case
The inquiry grew out of a 2014 civil suit and appears unrelated to other pressure faced by the Chinese company, two people familiar with the...
On Technology: How Secrecy Fuels Facebook Paranoia
The social platform knows everything that happens within its walls — that’s the whole point — but it is oddly reticent when it comes to misi...
Tech We’re Using: How to Sort Through a Cornucopia of Television Shows
Our assistant TV editor has a state-of-the-art setup for watching shows and movies. But here’s what happens when there can be too much conte...
Tech Tip: The Easy (and Free) Way to Make a Budget Spreadsheet
With a little time, typing and easy-to-use software, you can quickly see your financial picture much more thoroughly and better plan for the...
YouTube Bans Risky Prank Videos Amid Spate of ‘Bird Box’ Challenge Stunts
The video-sharing site said that it was clarifying its policies on the posting of harmful content to explicitly exclude pranks with a “perce...
Facebook Advertising Profiles Are a Mystery to Most Users, Survey Says
About three-fourths of the Facebook users in a Pew Research Center survey said they were not aware of the Ad Preferences page, which lists t...
Alan R. Pearlman, Synthesizer Pioneer, Dies at 93
Mr. Pearlman’s ARP synthesizers were once ubiquitous in pop and electronic music. By the mid-1970s, they commanded 40 percent of the market....
Nonfiction: Tracing the Rise of a Guardian Hacker
In “Breaking and Entering,” Jeremy Smith tells the story of a brilliant, larger-than-life computer scientist who runs her own boutique cyber...
In Portland, Scooter Start-Ups Played Nice. Regulators Took Note.
Three companies agreed to a pilot program with city. The results showed environmental benefits but left unanswered what tight controls mean ...
Huawei’s Reclusive Founder Rejects Spying and Praises Trump
Ren Zhengfei, C.E.O. of the Chinese tech giant, said he would wait to see if President Trump intervened in the case of his daughter, who is ...
Huang Qi, Online Dissident and Rights Advocate in China, Faces Trial
The case of the blogger behind the popular website 64 Tianwang has drawn intense international scrutiny, in part because he has a kidney dis...
An Egg, Just a Regular Egg, Is Instagram’s Most-Liked Post Ever
There’s nothing special about the egg. Seems like a fine enough egg. But more than 22 million people have liked it, dethroning Kylie Jenner’...
Electric Vehicles Are in the Spotlight at Detroit’s 2019 Auto Show
Automakers are rolling out models meant to widen the appeal of electric cars. But making it easier and faster to charge them is a crucial ch...
Robotic Milkers and an Automated Greenhouse: Inside a High-Tech Small Farm
Rivendale Farms outside Pittsburgh is a laboratory for applying technology to smaller farms.
Huawei Fires Employee Arrested in Poland on Spying Charges
The Chinese telecommunications giant said that the alleged actions of the employee, Wang Weijing, had nothing to do with the company.
Who Is MacKenzie Bezos?
Her divorce from the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has made this novelist, and her private life, a public fascination.
Mamá to Madre? ‘Roma’ Subtitles in Spain Anger Alfonso Cuarón
Netflix has dropped Spanish subtitles from “Roma" after the director Alfonso Cuarón called them “parochial, ignorant and offensive to S...
Bits: The Week in Tech: It’s Not Easy Being a Unicorn
Stock market fluctuations are making some hearts in Silicon Valley flutter as they prepare their companies for initial public offerings.
E.T.F.s Try to Lure Investors Into Ever Narrower Niches
By carving the stock market into specialized slices, these funds may tempt shareholders to take imprudent risks in the quest for the next bi...
The Shift: Juul’s Convenient Smoke Screen
After making billions of dollars and joining forces with Big Tobacco, Juul is trying to reinvent itself as a public-health crusader.
More Start-Ups Have an Unfamiliar Message for Venture Capitalists: Get Lost
Frustrated with the perverse incentives of fast growth, founders are criticizing the investment model that built the tech industry as we kno...
Board Sued Over Google’s Exit Package for Accused Executive
A shareholder lawsuit claims the directors of Google’s parent company approved a payout for Andy Rubin, who was accused of sexual harassment...
Older People Shared Fake News on Facebook More Than Others in 2016 Race, Study Says
Users aged 65 and older posted seven times as many articles from fake news sites as adult users 29 and younger, a study published this week ...
Twitter Users in China Face Detention and Threats in New Beijing Crackdown
Authorities are using harsh methods to target people posting criticism of the government on a social media platform that is blocked in the c...
Jeff Bezos of Amazon and MacKenzie Bezos Plan to Divorce
The financial details of the split are sure to be complicated, though the world’s richest man and his wife of 25 years vow to “remain cheris...
China’s Ambassador to Canada Blames ‘White Supremacy’ for Feud Over Arrests
Lu Shaye said in an op-ed for The Hill Times that Canadians applied “double standards,” viewing their own country’s laws as having to be obs...
Investors Were Spooked About Profits. Now Come the Facts.
After the worst year for stocks in a decade, investors are eager to hear what executives expect in 2019 as companies report fourth-quarter e...
Tech Fix: CES 2019: It’s the Year of Virtual Assistants and 5G
A visual tour of the world’s most important tech conference offers a window into the year’s trends, including next-generation wireless netwo...
Tech We’re Using: To Cover China, There’s No Substitute for WeChat
Li Yuan conducts much of her work on the WeChat mobile app, including spotting trends — and prodding sources to get back to her.
German Man Is Arrested Over Hacking of Public Figures’ Data
The personal information, photos, chats and other online information of hundreds of lawmakers and others had been posted online.
Sony’s Chief Plans to Make Entertainment Assets a Priority
Kenichiro Yoshida says he considers Sony ”a creative entertainment company” and sees the PlayStation Network as a way to bring Sony movies, ...
Who Wants a Market Downturn? These Investors Actually Do.
Some venture capitalists are rooting for a market dip to calm Silicon Valley’s overheated start-up scene.
The Shift: Apple’s Biggest Problem? My Mom
The most consequential hit to the bottom line may be from people, including longtime fans, who are holding on to their phones longer.
5 Reasons You Wouldn’t Want to Be in Tim Cook’s Shoes Right Now
Apple’s chief executive has enjoyed enormous success over his seven years running the company, but he’s likely to face tougher times ahead.
In Price and Value, Chinese Phone Makers Outpace Apple in Much of the World
The tech giant’s recent warning about disappointing iPhone sales in China obscured the fact that it is also losing out to Chinese brands in ...
‘Bandersnatch’ Has Many Paths, but Do Any of Them Add Up to Anything?
Three critics review their respective versions of the “Black Mirror” choose-your-own-adventure movie, which has been elaborately dissected b...
Marriott Concedes 5 Million Passport Numbers Lost to Hackers Were Not Encrypted
The overall number of guests affected by the hacking, in which Chinese intelligence is the leading suspect, declined to 383 million. But the...
Bits: The Week in Tech: Amazon’s Burning Problems
Technology publications are asking pointed questions about the online retail company. And Apple had rare, surprising bad news about sales.
Hackers Leak Details of German Lawmakers, Except Those on Far Right
Twitter has shut down an account that had been posting personal data for weeks. Only the Alternative for Germany party appeared to be unscat...
Los Angeles Accuses Weather Channel App of Covertly Mining User Data
In a lawsuit on Thursday, the city attorney said tracking was used not just for local forecasts but also for commercial purposes like target...
Chinese Consumers’ Confidence Sags, Casting a Pall Over the Global Economy
Apple’s slumping Chinese iPhone sales are the latest sign that the country’s spenders are increasingly bothered by the economy, debt and oth...
Wheels: Car Tuneups That Require Audio Engineers
While carmakers and audio teams must battle over environment, budget, weight and space, owners simply want their vehicle to sound as if Aria...
Tech Fix: Devices That Will Invade Your Life in 2019 (and What’s Overhyped)
A.I. that responds to your voice. Next-generation wireless networks. If this year’s biggest consumer technology trends have a familiar ring,...
Apple Cuts Revenue Guidance Because of Slow Sales in China
A surprise announcement added to concerns about the ability of American tech giants to navigate an increasingly uncertain economy and a trad...
Tech We’re Using: Hurricanes. Shootings. Fires. Time for an Editor’s Emergency Kit.
When news of natural disasters or man-made ones break in the U.S., Julie Bloom taps a variety of tools to communicate with reporters, edit s...
Tesla Reports Record Output, but Cuts Prices, and Its Shares Plunge
The automaker said production of the Model 3 sedan increased 15 percent over the previous quarter, but the price cut could signal softening ...
Overlooked No More: Karen Sparck Jones, Who Established the Basis for Search Engines
A pioneer of computer science for work combining statistics and linguistics, and an advocate for women in the field.
The New New World: Censoring China’s Internet, for Stability and Profit
Thousands of low-wage workers in “censorship factories” trawl the online world for forbidden content, where even a photo of an empty chair c...
Netflix Blocks Show in Saudi Arabia Critical of Saudi Prince
The episode of “Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj,” which critiques the crown prince, was blocked from streaming in the country after the govern...
Curbs on A.I. Exports? Silicon Valley Fears Losing Its Edge
The Commerce Department is considering national security restrictions on artificial intelligence. Some worry they could stunt the industry i...
Big Tech May Look Troubled, but It’s Just Getting Started
Even as Facebook, Google and others confronted challenges in 2018, their ambitions were undimmed. After all, so much of life remains undisru...
Rocket Launches, Trips to the Moon and More Space and Astronomy Events in 2019
A busy year in space just ended, and this one will be full of new highlights in orbit and beyond.
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