Profile of Thomas Claburn

Editor-at-Large Member Since: 11/15/2013
Author
Blog Posts: 4649
Posts: 312 Thomas Claburn has been writing about business and technology since 1996, for publications such as New Architect, PC Computing, InformationWeek, Salon, Wired, and Ziff Davis Smart Business. Before that, he worked in film and television, having earned a not particularly useful master's degree in film production. He wrote the original treatment for 3DO's Killing Time, a short story that appeared in On Spec, and the screenplay for an independent film called The Hanged Man, which he would later direct. He's the author of a science fiction novel, Reflecting Fires, and a sadly neglected blog, Lot 49. His iPhone game, Blocfall, is available through the iTunes App Store. His wife is a talented jazz singer; he does not sing, which is for the best.

Web Turns 25: 10 Graphics To See

3/12/2014
Tim Berners-Lee's proposal changed the world. These visual representations show what his World Wide Web has become.
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CoronaCards Aims To Jazz Up Mobile Ads

3/10/2014
Corona Labs hopes to make sophisticated interactive advertising easier to create and implement across multiple devices by making Corona SDK APIs embeddable.
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Google Expands Support For Tech Partners

3/6/2014
Independent software vendors can now receive the same support as Google resellers.
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Target Seeks New CIO

3/5/2014
Data breach last year prompts CIO Beth Jacob to resign; Target will hire interim CIO and chief compliance officer.
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Cryptocat Wins Apple Approval

3/5/2014
NSA surveillance and other worldwide events drive interest in secure messaging, and iOS users now have a new option.
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Android Takes Top Tablet OS Crown

3/4/2014
Android's rise presents a threat to Apple in the long term and hurts Microsoft right now.
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Make BYOD Work: 9 Key Considerations

3/3/2014
Bring-your-own-device can be something to appreciate, not complain about.
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Google Chrome Beta Gets Hands-Free Voice Search

3/1/2014
Like Glass, Chrome now has "ears." Say, "OK Google," and the browser will act on your spoken search.
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25 Most Lucrative Internships: Tech's Big Spenders

2/28/2014
Almost $7,000 in pay per month for interns? Yes, at companies like VMware and Twitter, according to a Glassdoor survey on 25 best-paid internships.
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British Spies Capture Yahoo Webcam Images

2/27/2014
UK agency's effort to collect facial images via Yahoo chat sessions brings in too many other body parts.
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Google Glass Prompts Attack, Woman Claims

2/26/2014
Alleged assault appears to have arisen from a desire not to be videotaped.
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BlackBerry Courts Keyboard Loyalists

2/25/2014
BlackBerry aims to please its old school business customers with a new traditional-style phone plus revamped enterprise software.
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Google Powers Forest Protection Effort

2/22/2014
Using Google's map technology and cloud platform, Global Forest Watch can track tree use, abuse, and regrowth.
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Where Are All The Chromebooks?

2/21/2014
Despite brisk Chromebook sales, online usage of Chrome OS hardware on the Internet still barely registers with those measuring Web traffic.
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Google's Project Tango Sees All

2/21/2014
Using an experimental Android prototype, Google wants developers to write apps that do something interesting with real-time awareness of users' surroundings.
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Artemis Networks Calls For Wireless Revolution

2/20/2014
Startup's "revolutionary" pCell wireless networking technology, which gives each device its own discrete bubble of wireless energy to boost speed, could change industry.
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When BYOD Equals Bring Your Own Malware

2/20/2014
Lookout's analysis of the mobile threat landscape suggests businesses should focus on curbing risky online behavior.
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Kill Switches: Phones Just The Start

2/19/2014
Mandatory phone kill switches will hasten the arrival of the Surveillance of Everything. Consider these 11 technologies that come with strings attached.
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Smartphone Kill Switch Could Become Federal Law

2/15/2014
Smartphone Theft Protection Act would require mobile phone makers to include a way to disable communications devices remotely to deter theft.
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Google's Android Contract: Not Very Open

2/14/2014
Google's rules for Android partners are unlawful, says Harvard professor.
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Mozilla Plans Firefox Ads: Will Users Buy It?

2/13/2014
Firefox's plan to deliver sponsored content to new users may clash with its company manifesto.
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Surveillance Protests Go Global

2/11/2014
Tech companies, advocacy groups, and Internet users rally to demand that governments limit online surveillance.
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Google Revamps Enterprise Search Appliance

2/11/2014
Google's upgraded appliance lets businesses and organizations search internal and public-facing documents. New hooks connect third-party content stores.
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Flappy Bird Killed By Creator

2/10/2014
Developer who says success "ruins my simple life" yanks hugely popular mobile app that reportedly earned him $50K a day.
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California Kill Switch Bill Targets Phone Thieves

2/8/2014
California bill directs mobile hardware makers to include a way to disable stolen communications devices. Will privacy concerns be addressed?
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IT Pros Winter Olympics: 13 Breathtaking Competitions

2/7/2014
Nordic Combined Troubleshooting: Not for the faint of heart. Resolve your non-technical spouse's email connectivity issue over the phone, in the air, while ski jumping.
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Google Launches Chromebox For Meetings

2/6/2014
Using Google+ Hangouts, enterprises can now enjoy video conferencing at an affordable price.
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Google Settles EU Antitrust Case, Rivals Whine

2/5/2014
Rival search services gain a guaranteed spot alongside Google results, but competitors say it's not enough.
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Google Study Finds Widespread Account Hijacking

2/5/2014
Victims of account hacks are mad as hell but confused about how to respond.
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Sochi Olympics 2014: 10 Technologies In Spotlight

2/5/2014
From innovations for athletes to unprecedented surveillance tools for authorities, look at the technologies that will shape the Sochi Olympics.
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Future Cars Will Talk To Each Other

2/4/2014
NHTSA gives the green light to develop rules for vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems which let cars converse. Will this prevent crashes?
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Google Opens Chromecast To Developers

2/3/2014
The release of the Google Cast software development kit should result in more Android, Chrome, and iOS apps that will work with the Chromecast TV streaming device.
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Technology Automation: Who's The Boss?

2/3/2014
If we don't control the technology we depend on, someone else will -- and we might not like the consequences.
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Dell's Android Dongle Dare

1/30/2014
$129 Cloud Connect, a wireless network card, turns any modern display into a computer; use with Android apps, virtualized PC desktops, and Dell cloud services.
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Chrome Apps Come To Android, iOS

1/29/2014
Google software lets developers package Chrome Apps to run on Android and iOS devices as if they were native mobile apps. Move helps bridge the gap between web and native development.
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Government Loosens Data Disclosure Gag

1/28/2014
Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Yahoo can now publish more of the details on user data that the government demands, but startups might suffer.
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Apple iPhone Record Sales Fail To Impress

1/28/2014
Apple sold 51 million iPhones last quarter, but investors expected sales to top 56 million.
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NSA, British Spy Agency Collect Angry Birds Data

1/27/2014
National Security Agency and Britain's Government Communications Headquarters have collected data from smartphone apps for years, says new report on documents leaked by Edward Snowden.
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Google Mulls Boredom Meter

1/27/2014
Google patent application describes ways computers can read people's body language to measure their interest in media.
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Google Glass Aims For Games

1/27/2014
Entertainment apps might be key to making Google's wearable Glass device socially acceptable.
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Stop Harassing Google Employees

1/25/2014
The right to free speech isn't a license to threaten, harass, or intimidate.
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Motorola Lures iPhone Customers With Migrate

1/22/2014
Motorola Mobility updates Android data migration app with ability to handle iPhone data.
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Google Chrome Allows Eavesdropping, Researcher Claims

1/22/2014
Google doesn't recognize the browser behavior as a security issue.
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'Password' No Longer Worst Password

1/21/2014
The security firm SplashData publishes its list of the 25 worst passwords of 2013.
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Obama Outlines 5 Surveillance Reforms

1/17/2014
NSA's controversial bulk collection of phone records will end, but businesses may be asked to retain data in case the government needs it.
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16 Stupid Tech Job Interview Questions: Show Your Snark

1/17/2014
Glassdoor characterizes these actual job interview questions as "oddball." We give these questions the answers they deserve.
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The Second Machine Age: Meet Your Computer Overlords

1/16/2014
A maddeningly reasonable and readable new book by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee argues that while a robot may take your job, the economy will prosper.
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Apple Settles FTC In-App Purchasing Complaint

1/15/2014
Agreement calls for $32.5 million in refunds for in-app purchases made without parents' OK.
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FCC Net Neutrality Rules Rejected

1/14/2014
FCC must draft new rules or rely on the intervention of lawmakers if it's to regulate Internet broadband service providers.
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Mozilla's Eich: Trust Us, We're Open

1/14/2014
Firefox is trustworthy because its source code can be verified, says CTO Brendan Eich.
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Google Buys Nest Labs

1/14/2014
The $3.2 billion deal represents one of Google's largest acquisitions
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Surveillance: Fast, Cheap, And Out Of Control

1/13/2014
The cost of surveillance has served as a natural privacy protection, but today's mobile technology changes the equation and begs for updated privacy laws.
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Foreign Businesses Flee US Cloud Computing, Survey Finds

1/10/2014
Concerns about NSA surveillance driving some Canadian and UK companies to take their cloud computing business abroad.
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CES 2014: Your Heat-Seeing iPhone Awaits

1/9/2014
FLIR says its thermal imaging attachment for iPhone 5 and 5s has camping, home improvement, and security applications.
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Google Ferry Dodges Street Protests

1/8/2014
To avoid besieged buses in San Francisco and Oakland, Google begins transporting employees by boat.
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Mayer's Yahoo Makeover: CES 2014

1/8/2014
CEO Marissa Mayer launches new products, showcases a media company emerging from years of rudderless leadership.
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Apple App Store Annual Sales Exceed $10 Billion

1/7/2014
iOS developers earn $7 billion, while Apple keeps $3 billion.
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Google Android Heads For Cars

1/7/2014
Automaker alliance will let cars be recognized as Android devices, seeks to dim Apple, Microsoft influence in automotive tech.
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Google In 2014: 10 Predictions

1/2/2014
2013 proved a great year for Google. Will 2014 be even better?
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Otoy Keeps Streaming Video Tech Free

12/20/2013
Otoy hopes to encourage Amazon Web Services customers to commit to its royalty-free application streaming technology.
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Google Says Governments Fight Transparency

12/19/2013
Google's latest Transparency Report sees a rise in efforts by governments to erase criticism.
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Apple Mac Pro: 9 Ways It Wows

12/19/2013
Ignore the haters. Apple's Mac Pro is one amazing machine. Here's why.
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Google, HP Recall Faulty Chromebook 11 Charger

12/17/2013
Nine instances of chargers overheating and melting have been reported.
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9 Technologies That Matter In 2014

12/17/2013
The future may be unwritten, but it's not entirely unknown. We look at nine areas of innovation and upcoming products to watch in 2014.
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Google Yanks Buried Android Privacy Feature

12/14/2013
Google removes an undocumented App Ops control panel from its latest release, Android 4.4.2, that had let users choose which app permissions to enable.
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Microsoft Woos Gmail Users

12/13/2013
Outlook.com introduces a Gmail migration tool to attract unhappy Google email users.
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Gmail Shows Images By Default

12/12/2013
Google now serves images through a proxy server to improve both security and the user experience. Marketers might not like the change, though.
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Google+ Sign-In Grows Up

12/12/2013
Google updates authentication system to make it more appealing to developers and users.
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Dell Gets Into Chromebook Game

12/11/2013
Google is now working with all the major PC makers.
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Google Sheets Gets Offline Editing

12/11/2013
Update to Google's online spreadsheet app brings much needed speed and other features.
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10 Jobs Destined For Robots

12/11/2013
The machines are coming for some of our jobs. Be afraid or welcome our new robot overlords, as you prefer.
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Google Chromecast Adds 10 Apps

12/10/2013
The Web-to-TV media device has been updated as Google continues its push into the living room.
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Tech Giants To US: Stop Spying

12/9/2013
Apple, AOL, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter, and Yahoo have asked the US government to limit its data gathering.
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Google Bets On Robots: Goodbye, Jobs?

12/5/2013
While Amazon makes a splash with drones, Google invests in robot technologies. Depending on your profession, that could be bad news.
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Amazon Prime Goes Drone

12/2/2013
Amazon Prime Air would deliver packages up to five pounds, but it's far from clear that drones would be safe and welcome in urban areas.
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EU Tells US: End Mass Spying

11/29/2013
Responding to surveillance revelations, EU officials seek changes in commercial and law enforcement data sharing arrangements with the US.
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10 Defenses Against Smartphone Theft

11/27/2013
Thieves see mobile phones as easy cash. Take these 10 steps to defend yourself.
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FDA Tells 23andMe To Halt Gene Tests

11/25/2013
FDA fears inaccurate test results could harm consumers.
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Motorola Wants You To Print Your Phone

11/25/2013
Partnership with 3D Systems aims to bring Lego-style customization to phone components made for Motorola's Project Ara.
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Microsoft Gets Snarky With Google Via Swag

11/22/2013
Microsoft's Scroogled campaign tries selling shirts, mugs, and hats to attack perceived Google privacy threats. Will this sell people on Bing?
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Indeni Opens US Headquarters

11/21/2013
Network monitoring company focuses on the US market in a bid for the big time.
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10 Historic Tech Memos & Rants

11/21/2013
From Ballmer to Jobs, tech leaders write memos, manifestos, and rants that shape how we all think about computing. These 10 provocative statements each have a place in tech history.
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Lookout Takes Mobile Security To Businesses

11/20/2013
Moving beyond the consumer mobile security market, Lookout aims to help companies secure employees' personal devices.
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Google Launches Gadget Showrooms

11/20/2013
Pop-up outlets called Winter Wonderlabs will open soon in six cities around the US.
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11 Must-Have iPhone Apps

11/20/2013
Cut through the app clutter. Don’t miss these 11 iPhone apps, most of which have been retooled to capitalize on iOS 7.
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9 Myths About Wearable Computers

11/19/2013
Wearable devices represent a major opportunity for the technology industry, but the makers of these devices still have some work to do.
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Google, HP Halt Chromebook 11 Sales

11/18/2013
Eight complaints about charger failures lead to suspension of sales.
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Google Brings Portable Native Client To Chrome

11/17/2013
Developers can now compile native C and C++ code to run in Chrome across different hardware architectures.
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Google Wins Book Scanning Case

11/14/2013
Authors Guild's claim of copyright infringement gets shot down in a surprise ruling.
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Google Brings Portable Native Client To Chrome

11/13/2013
Developers can now compile native C and C++ code to run in Chrome across different hardware architectures.
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Google Glass Plans To Play Music

11/12/2013
Google Glass will soon be able to access Google Play Music.
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Google Barge: 10 Informative Images

11/11/2013
When Google's floating cultural exhibit opens to the public, you probably won't see many Apple devices on board. Take a closer look at what we've learned so far.
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Google Glass Update Precedes New Hardware

11/7/2013
Google Calendar access and directions to Maps locations is included in latest software update.
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Apple Seeks Freedom To Disclose Gov Data Demands

11/6/2013
Apple released its first transparency report and seeks the right to tell its customers the truth about government orders for customer information.
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Google Helpouts Offers Lessons By Video

11/5/2013
Helpouts video teaching platform wants to be reliable source of advice, medical and otherwise.
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iPad Air: First Impressions

11/4/2013
Apple's fifth-generation iPad is lighter, more powerful and more capable.
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Google, Android Hit With Patent Lawsuit

11/1/2013
Apple and Microsoft are part of a group that has filed patent claims against Google and major Android device makers.
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FAA Allows Electronics During Takeoff, Landing

10/31/2013
Federal Aviation Administration no longer sees mobile devices as threat to air safety.
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NSA Reportedly Taps Google, Yahoo Data Centers

10/30/2013
National Security Agency can intercept traffic from Google's and Yahoo's data centers outside the U.S., according to documents from Edward Snowden.
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Motorola's Project Ara Promotes Modular Smartphones

10/29/2013
Google's Motorola Project Ara envisions mobile phones as customizable components that can be snapped together like Lego blocks. But can flexibility beat slick smartphone design?
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