Amazon Instant hits 100,000 movies, TV shows[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:21:00 PDT ]Still, the e-commerce heavyweight will have a long way to go to match, or even approach, Netflix's popularity in the U.S.

Android users prefer mobile apps over mobile Web[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:10:46 PDT ]Android device owners spend twice as much time using mobile apps as they do using the mobile Web, according to a new report from Nielsen.

Verizon tops among Android carriers; AT&T gaining[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:25:17 PDT ]The carrier has a dominant lead over other carriers in terms of Android traffic, but its share has dropped 10 percent since March.

Meet Connor, a 7-year-old iPhone app developer[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:26:16 PDT ]Connor Zamary may be just 7, but he's already thought up the Toaster Pop iPhone game app, pitched it to investors, overseen development, and launched it in the App Store. What were you doing at 7?

Skype Wi-Fi launches[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:55:21 PDT ]Researchers say cell phone radiation may lower sperm count, AT&T cuts its texting plans down to one, and Skype launches an app for iOS that lets world travelers use Wi-Fi hot spots on a per-minute basis.

Cutting social media no answer to flash mobs[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:32:57 EDT ]In the past, people seemed to require a massive "cue" to form a mob. The New York blackouts of the summer of 1977 resulted in citywide looting, not just because alarm systems were down, but because a whole lot of hot, angry, frustrated people had an excuse to act en masse. Likewise, the verdict on the Rodney King trial served as a spark, synchronizing simultaneous explosions of mob behavior in a dozen North American cities.

Why most people don't finish video games[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:00:34 EDT ]Once considered a cult pastime, video games have grown immensely in the last 30 years to become a mainstream fixture alongside movies and music.

Don't play victim to your smartphone[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:23:23 EDT ]If you're sick of your friend flicking around with his iPhone at dinner, tell him to shut the damn thing off and return to reality.

San Fran's BART transit system hacked again[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 05:54:22 EDT ]A hacker publicly posted Wednesday the home addresses and other information of all 102 police officers with San Francisco's Bay Area Transit system, the second hacking incident against one of its websites since Sunday, a spokesman said.

Judge throws out sex ads suit[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:10:41 GMT ]A federal judge in St. Louis has thrown out a lawsuit accusing Village Voice Media of knowingly allowing a pimp to advertise a teenage prostitute's sexual services on one of its websites.

'Borderlands 2' will unleash millions of weapons[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:31:09 GMT ]New guns, new locales, new characters, new enemies. 2K Games and Gearbox Software have taken the wraps off their highly anticipated game "Borderlands 2" and they promise it will arrive with 'millions upon millions' of unique weapons blazing.

Hair Wars! 'Mass Effect' heroine needs a color[ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:53:15 GMT ]When you think of an alien-fighting, galaxy-saving heroine, do you imagine a blond? A brunette? Do you imagine her with black hair? Or (gasp) might you fancy her a ginger? BioWare is asking people to vote on the hair color for the female hero of their "Mass Effect 3" game. But is this poll creepy ... or cool?

Non-human DJ gets radio gig[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:06:39 GMT ]Future of Tech: A non-human DJ will take to the airwaves next week in San Antonio, Texas, in what may mark another step on the path that puts flesh-and-blood radio personalities out of a job.

Scientists solve mystery of space blob's glow[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:44:26 GMT ]Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Astronomers report that the glow of a giant space blob is powered by the galaxies hidden within it.

British consortium building Morgan electric sports car[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:58:54 PDT ]Morgan, Zytek, and other British companies are combining forces to electrify a Morgan Aero. The consortium will build two Morgan EV concepts in 2012.

Boeing completes flight certification testing for 787[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:44:41 PDT ]After 20 months of tests, Boeing has completed flight certification for some of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The airplane is now set for its September delivery.

Software can tell if you're mean and ugly[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:57:29 PDT ]Researchers create a tool they say can predict character traits such as dominance and meanness with an accuracy above 90 percent. It can also tell you where you land on the scale of perceived attractiveness.

Google launches music discovery site[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:45:12 PDT ]Magnifier is designed to help Music Beta users grow their online music libraries while discovering new artists and genres.

This Day in Tech: Data leaked from BART police union Web site; Turning toys into medical devices[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:55:56 PDT ]Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Wednesday, August 17.

Dow got you down? Play the 'social stock market'[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:32:44 EDT ]If last week's volatile stock market was too much to bear, maybe it's time to start trading your friends, and strangers, based on their Facebook updates and how much they tweet.

Why most people don't finish video games[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:00:34 EDT ]Once considered a cult pastime, video games have grown immensely in the last 30 years to become a mainstream fixture alongside movies and music.

Facebook users jailed over 'riot that never was'[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:54:59 GMT ]Two British men have been sentenced to four years in prison for trying to organize riots on Facebook, according to reports.

These apps will help you stop smoking[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:12:05 GMT ]Although I eventually succeeded in quitting smoking some years ago, it’s too bad it had to be so hard. Today, there are apps that can help you manage the psychological hurdles of quitting through positive reinforcement and tools to manage the weaning process.

There's an ape for that: Orangutans love iPads[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:21:06 GMT ]Orangutans, it turns out, love the iPad and its games just as much as some humans do.

Video: Star Wars Xboxes are the droids fans are looking for[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:57:40 GMT ]We got our hands on the "Star Wars" themed Xbox and learned what it takes to make an Xbox in a droid you might be looking for. In-Game's Todd Kenreck reports. (In-Game)

Pre-caffeine: Apple! Foursquare! No time to explain![ Mon, 1 Aug 2011 14:20:24 GMT ]The latest news on social media, gadgets, Internet culture and more.

The very hungry smartphone data user[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:37:06 PDT ]Smartphone data usage has skyrocketed over the past six months, even with the onset of usage caps--and consumption may not reach its peak until sometime next year.

Apple store promises shopping under the stars?[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:46:05 PDT ]The Santa Monica Planning Commission is nearing a decision on potentially allowing a store with an all-glass roof to go up in its city limits. And Apple appears to be behind it.

More cyberattacks hitting social networks[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:50:12 PDT ]Attacks against Facebook and other social networks are on the rise, though users are becoming more diligent about protecting themselves, according to a new survey.

Apple launching mobile web version of online store?[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:41:12 PDT ]The company is said to be working on a project to create a mobile Web-based edition of its online store, according to 9To5Mac.

PlayStation 3 price drop[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:55:14 PDT ]Netflix launches a video streaming channel for kids, a Chrome extension called Google Related shows content tied to the currently viewed page, and Sony drops the price of all its PlayStation 3 models by $50.

Dow got you down? Play the 'social stock market'[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:32:44 EDT ]If last week's volatile stock market was too much to bear, maybe it's time to start trading your friends, and strangers, based on their Facebook updates and how much they tweet.

Why most people don't finish video games[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:00:34 EDT ]Once considered a cult pastime, video games have grown immensely in the last 30 years to become a mainstream fixture alongside movies and music.

Carriers' lofty claims of 4G speed put to test[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:54:50 GMT ]Laptop extensively tests the four major carriers in five cities nationwide — using phones, USB modems, and mobile hotspots — to tell you which networks truly deliver on the 4G promise.

Facebook users jailed over 'riot that never was'[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:54:59 GMT ]Two British men have been sentenced to four years in prison for trying to organize riots on Facebook, according to reports.

There's an ape for that: Orangutans love iPads[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:21:06 GMT ]Orangutans, it turns out, love the iPad and its games just as much as some humans do.

Video: Star Wars Xboxes are the droids fans are looking for[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:57:40 GMT ]We got our hands on the "Star Wars" themed Xbox and learned what it takes to make an Xbox in a droid you might be looking for. In-Game's Todd Kenreck reports. (In-Game)

Pre-caffeine: Apple! Foursquare! No time to explain![ Mon, 1 Aug 2011 14:20:24 GMT ]The latest news on social media, gadgets, Internet culture and more.

The very hungry smartphone data user[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:37:06 PDT ]Smartphone data usage has skyrocketed over the past six months, even with the onset of usage caps--and consumption may not reach its peak until sometime next year.

Apple store promises shopping under the stars?[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:46:05 PDT ]The Santa Monica Planning Commission is nearing a decision on potentially allowing a store with an all-glass roof to go up in its city limits. And Apple appears to be behind it.

More cyberattacks hitting social networks[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:50:12 PDT ]Attacks against Facebook and other social networks are on the rise, though users are becoming more diligent about protecting themselves, according to a new survey.

Apple launching mobile web version of online store?[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:41:12 PDT ]The company is said to be working on a project to create a mobile Web-based edition of its online store, according to 9To5Mac.

PlayStation 3 price drop[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:55:14 PDT ]Netflix launches a video streaming channel for kids, a Chrome extension called Google Related shows content tied to the currently viewed page, and Sony drops the price of all its PlayStation 3 models by $50.

Dow got you down? Play the 'social stock market'[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:32:44 EDT ]If last week's volatile stock market was too much to bear, maybe it's time to start trading your friends, and strangers, based on their Facebook updates and how much they tweet.

Why most people don't finish video games[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:00:34 EDT ]Once considered a cult pastime, video games have grown immensely in the last 30 years to become a mainstream fixture alongside movies and music.

Hidden cameras capture a world of wildlife[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:32:08 GMT ]Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Tens of thousands of hidden-camera pictures document scores of species in the world's protected areas, from a tiny mouse opossom to a four-ton elephant.

Sony unveils deep games, new apps for Vita[ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:13:30 GMT ]With growing competition from smartphones, Sony needs to give consumers plenty of reasons to drop $250 on their forthcoming handheld — the PlayStation Vita. And so at Gamescom this week, the company unveiled a growing line-up of deep console-style games as well as social apps for the soon-to-launch game machine. But will it be enough to convince people to pay for and carry around another gadget?

How to pick a back-to-school phone plan[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:54:18 GMT ]Selecting a cellphone service for your child is a bit more complicated than choosing one for yourself. To find the most cost effective ways of keeping your kids in touch, you should explore prepaid plans and second lines.

Back to school: the phones, PCs and gear they'll need[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:54:14 GMT ]Putting it off? Back-to-school shopping can be a hassle, but not with our easy "must have" list.

Carriers' lofty claims of 4G speed put to test[ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:54:50 GMT ]Laptop extensively tests the four major carriers in five cities nationwide — using phones, USB modems, and mobile hotspots — to tell you which networks truly deliver on the 4G promise.