Articles by Christian de Looper
Google Project Loon Teams with French Space Agency to Develop Next-Generation Internet Balloons
Google has partnered with French company CNES in an attempt to further develop its Project Loon Internet connectivity program. The aim is to launch weather balloons that project Wi-Fi access in remote locations around the world.
Google Cardboard VR Kit Becomes Serious Fun: SDKs for Android and Unity Launched
Google announced that it has sold more than 500,000 Google Cardboard units, allowing almost anyone to enjoy virtual reality. Not only that, but the company has also released the Cardboard SDK for developers to be able to more easily create Cardboard apps.
Had One Too Many? App from Uncle Sam Aims to Stop Drunk Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded a new app being used in Maryland that allows users to determine their blood-alcohol level based on weight, height and how many drinks they have had.
Candy Crush, Frozen, Facebook Rank Tops in Google Play Downloads
Google has released its "best stuff of the year" list for the Google Play Store, showing the top titles from the digital store in books, games, apps, music, movies and more. One thing is for sure -- Frozen was huge!
Google Leaving Russia, Closing Engineering Team Down
Google is closing its engineering offices in Russia, likely due to new laws that restrict Internet freedom. The company will retain some employees in sales and marketing, but it is not known how many will remain.
Ford Switches Microsoft Out for BlackBerry to Rev Up Sync 3
Ford has dropped Microsoft in favor of BlackBerry for its newest iteration of the Sync 3 in-car system. The system boasts improved graphics, better voice control, and a faster processor to handle all of a driver's needs with ease.
Week in Review: Top 5 Tech Headlines Not to Miss
It's been a busy week in tech and many don't have the time to keep up. So to help here are the top five tech headlines for the week.
iRobot More Than a Floor Cleaner, it Could Be a Hacker's Dream Machine
iRobot says its iRobot Create 2 is aimed at students interested in robotics. The device is affordable and can be used to build anything from a Bluetooth-controlled DJ to a small security guard.
Microsoft MSN Apps Now Available Nearly Everywhere, From Android to iOS
Microsoft has released a number of its apps, developed by the Bing team, to Android and iOS. The goal is tying together Microsoft's services to consumers who do not use or own a Windows phone.
Asus ZenWatch is Slim, Stylish and Sassy But Boasts Some Weak Points
Asus has finally released its first offering to the smart watch market with the ZenWatch, which many reviewers suggest is one of the best-looking devices to hit the market. While it looks good and certainly has some great features, the device is lacking in some areas.
Web Innovator Tim Berners-Lee: Internet Is a Human Right
Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee has spoken out about a range of Internet-related topics. He suggests the Internet should be considered a basic human right and that the right-to-be-forgotten strategy is perhaps not a very good idea.
5 Videos Illustrating the Future of Gaming
With advances in technology, gaming continues to be improved upon, with better graphics and larger worlds to play in. But what does the future of gaming look like? We've taken a look at five of the most promising areas in technology and how they could impact gaming.
Iowa Piloting Digital Driver License Via Smartphone App
Iowa will be piloting a program that puts drivers license information in an app, perhaps one day eliminating the need for plastic cards altogether. But security looms as huge concern.
Vivo X5 Max is Thinnest Smartphone Yet. Time for the Bending Test?
Vivo has officially taken the wraps off the X5 Max handset, the thinnest smartphone ever. Despite the thin profile, some are wondering if perhaps it's too thin and very easy to drop.
Connect Connects Big With VCs, Raises $10.3M for Social Media Connections App
Connect, a service aimed at combining all of a user's contacts into one social media experience, has raised a whopping $10.3 million in funding, which will go toward product development as well as building up the engineering team. It makes for a 'live' contact book, says the startup.
Pirate Bay Taken Offline by Swedish Police for Alleged Copyright Violations
Popular file-sharing website The Pirate Bay is offline after a police raid in Stockholm, Sweden, which led to a number of computers and servers being seized. The raid comes after reports the site was hosting several movies leaked online following the hack at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Box Tags Splunk, Symantec as Partners for Enterprise Strategy
Box has announced Box Trust, which was developed with help from Symantec and Splunk, and aims to offer customers more security options and shore up trust from potential customers. It's hoping to make big strides into the enterprise segment.
Sony Pictures Hack Saga: Movie Release in Doubt, More Data Leaks Online
The hack of Sony Pictures continues to worsen, with the aliases of a number of Hollywood actors being released. While the North Korean government has officially denied the attack, many suggest that it may be related to the release of 'The Interview,' a comedy that depicts the attempted assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Apple iOS 8.1.2 Solves Ringtone Issue, Expands Feature Set
Apple has released iOS 8.1.2 for iPhone and iPad users, bringing a number of fixes, including repairing a glitch that deleted ringtones purchased from iTunes. The Calendar app has been given a number of new features that should make juggling busy lives much easier.
Amazon Streaming at 4K Speed. But Does it Matter to Anyone Yet?
Amazon has finally begun offering 4K video content to Amazon Prime subscribers in a move that is aimed at competing with the likes of Netflix. Many will not yet be able to take advantage of the Ultra HD content, however, because they do not yet have a 4K TV.
Security Specs, Standards Courtesy of FIDO May Ring Death Knell for Passwords
The FIDO Alliance, backed by tech players such as Google, PayPal and Microsoft, has published its first set of specifications for faster and easier identity verification. That means passwords could soon be a thing of the past.
Google Pulls Pirate Bay Apps Citing Piracy Concerns
In an attempt to promote the legal consumption of media, Google has pulled a number of third-party Pirate Bay apps from the Google Play app store. The move makes it much harder for users to search for and download content from The Pirate Bay.
'Street Fighter' PS4 Exclusivity No Big Deal: Xbox Chief
Xbox chief Phil Spencer has voiced his opinions on 'Street Fighter V' only being released to PS4 and PC, essentially saying that business is business and it was no big deal. Many Xbox gamers, however, are likely to be frustrated at the news, which was made official on Dec. 6.
No Welcome Mat for Uber at Portland Launch
Uber has launched in Portland, Ore., despite the fact that it is illegal in the city. Portland officials have come out against the company, saying that it essentially operates as a taxi service without getting the same permits that taxi drivers need.
Facebook Chief's China Wooing Rankles Dissidents
Mark Zuckerberg is drawing criticism from China dissidents for 'brown-nosing' the Chinese government to break into the Chinese market, a business strategy that is becoming increasingly important for American companies. He reportedly is making employees read a book of speeches by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Mark Zuckerberg Calls Tim Cook Comment 'Ridiculous' for Suggesting Facebook Sees Customers as Products
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has come out against comments made by Apple chief Tim Cook that companies that make money from advertising are turning their customers into products.
The Game Awards 2014: And the Winners are...
The award for Game of the Year this year went to 'Dragon Age: Inquisition,' in The Game Awards' first year ever. Nintendo also saw success, being hailed as the best developer, as well as receiving a number of awards for 'Super Smash Bros.' and 'Mario Kart 8.'
'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End' Gameplay Trailer Debuts at Sony's PlayStation Experience Event with New Mechanics
Sony has started the PlayStation Experience event with a bang, showcasing the upcoming Uncharted game, 'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.' In a 15-minute video, we see the protagonist of the game show off the beautiful new environment and gameplay as well as a number of new tools.
The Game Awards 2014: The 'Legend of Zelda' Wii U Trailer Steals Headlines
The next 'Legend of Zelda' game was shown off at The Game Awards 2014 by none other than Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma from Nintendo. A video with the pair playing the game shows a huge and beautiful environment in which the game takes place.
Sony Pictures Breach Nightmare Continues as Hackers Release Stolen Data
Hackers have begun releasing data stolen in the hack of Sony Pictures, revealing the Social Security numbers of 47,000 past and present employees, including movie stars like Sylvester Stallone.
