07.29.2012]blodic.us

Bits|blodic.us

Battle Over ‘GIF’ Pronunciation Erupts

Like a cicada swarm, the pronunciation debate over the word GIF roared back this week after a long period of incubation when Steve Wilhite, the format's inventor, declared it should be pronounced "jif, like the peanut butter.

For Hackers, China Is a Land of Opportunity

Hacking in China thrives across official, corporate and criminal worlds and is openly discussed and promoted, whether for breaking into private networks, tracking dissent or stealing trade secrets.

Daily Report: Permanent Residency Beckons to Foreign-Born Engineers

Tens of thousands of workers in the heart of the technology industry who were born overseas and educated in the United States are in a bureaucratic limbo while they wait in a long line for a green card. Now, though, Congress is poised to end their uncertainty.

McKinsey: The $33 Trillion Technology Payoff

A new report from the McKinsey Global Institute, the research arm of the consulting firm, estimates that there could be $33 trillion-a-year payoff from 12 technologies by 2025.

Another Study Takes a Shot at F.A.A.’s Gadget Ban

A study found that the ban on electronics during takeoff and landing prevented Americans from using technology for a combined total of more than 105 million hours a year.

After Hijackings, Twitter Adds Two-Step Security Feature

After months of Twitter account break-ins, Twitter said Wednesday that it had introduced two-factor authentication, which makes it harder for hackers to hijack user accounts.

Today’s Scuttlebot: Utilities Under Attack and Social Media Report

The technology reporters and editors of The New York Times scour the Web for important and peculiar items.

Lessons for Silicon Valley on Capitol Hill

As the rest of the technology industry spends million lobbying lawmakers in Washington, Apple, which on Tuesday came in for a gentle grilling over taxes, has remained aloof.

New Xbox Faces Wider Range of Competition

The Xbox One is a gamble by Microsoft to re-establish the living room as the place to play games and to promote the device"s ability to play online video.

Daily Report: Apple’s Chief Charms Capitol Hill

Timothy D. Cook told a Senate panel that Apple pays all the taxes we owe every single dollar, Nelson D. Schwartz and Brian X.