Articles by Mark Hawver
US labs are male-dominant workplaces and hiring bias may be the reason
Despite women receiving over half of all doctoral degrees in biology, they are under represented as faculty in learning institutions. A new study attempts to sort out the reasons and finds possible hiring bias.
Bye-bye, Quickoffice, it's all about Google Drive now
After acquiring Quickoffice only two years ago, Google is dumping it for a beefed-up Google Drive. New standalone apps including Doc, Sheets, and Slides will provide the same features as Quckoffice.
Twitter buys up mobile re-engagement vendor TapCommerce
Twitter continues to pursue its advertising revenue growth strategy with the acquisition of TapCommerce, a mobile retargeting and re-engagement specialist. Twitter announced mobile app promotion program is available to all advertisers.
EU and UK map out robotics plans as big market looms
The robotics market is growing by leaps and bounds, and represents a significant factor in helping national economies compete with countries that offer low-cost labor. The European Union and the UK are taking steps to encourage robotics development.
Twitter taps Goldman Sachs exec as new finance chief
Twitter's organization chart continues to be written in chalk as Anthony Noto replace Mike Gupta as CFO. Ali Rowghani also steps aside as COO.
Blackphone is all about privacy, security and features vault-like impregnability
Blackphone is a privacy- and security-enhanced smartphone, complete with a customized Android OS named PrivatOS. it is unlocked and can be used with any GSM carrier.
Childhood stress may lead to behavior, health problems in later years
Children who experience poverty, physical abuse and neglect in early life are more likely to experience behavioral, health and relationship issues later in life, according to a study. Implicated in the study specifically are two regions of the brain.
CE Week Spotlight: Here comes the Elio, high-mileage American-made 'green' car
The Elio, a three-wheeled, gas-powered 'green' car that claims to get 84 mpg on the highway, will hit that highway late next year. It is American-made and will retail for about $7,000.
Sprint chief: Merger will be a win-win all around
Mergermania strikes again as a rumored Sprint-T-Mobile consolidation seems to be imminent. Fueling the speculation are interviews with Sprint CEO Dan Hesse.
Android L: Lots of new goodies for the developer
At the Google I/O developer conference this week, Google introduced Android L, the next OS release. Here's a look at features.
CE Week Spotlight: Netgear debuts multi-antenna, multi-frequency router for IoT
The new Netgear Nighthawk X6 Tri-Band router is designed to supply multiple wireless devices across three frequencies with up to 3.2 Gbps combined speed. It features multiple antennas and the ability to balance network loads.
CE Week Spotlight: Hexoskin garments boast sensors to track health stats
The Hexoskin biometric shirt and transmitting device provide heart rate, breathing and other metrics to your mobile phone or computer in real time during physical activity. It will even tell you if you have breathing problems while you sleep.
CE Week Spotlight: Audio-Technica debuts ergonomic SonicFuel in-ear headphones
New Audio-Technica in-ear headphones, part of its SonicFuel line, feature 360-degree rotating ear tips and ergonomic C-tip earpieces for a comfortable and secure fit. Extra ear tips are included for precision fitting.
CE Week event in NYC showcases new technology
The seventh edition of this consumer electronics trade show helps bridge the gap between its big brother CES Las Vegas. It's a good thing, too, since the pace of industry innovation can't wait a whole year to shine brightly.
CE Week Spotlight: Skulpt Aim device measures muscle mass, body fat
The Aim device, smaller than a smartphone, measures and assesses muscle quantity and quality. Unfortunately for most of us, it also measures body fat percentage.
CE Week Spotlight: Health care and fitness for you and your pet
The CE Week event in New York City showcases many new products that track and monitor health care and fitness for humans and animals. These new products are designed for both consumer use and for medical professionals.
It's official: Microsoft Nokia X2 Android smartphone to debut in Europe
The Microsoft Nokia X2 smartphone is a value-priced plastic-bodied smartphone aimed at select European markets. It features an Android OS with a user interface that looks very Windows tile-like.
Soundhawk debuts smart hearing device for those wanting better clarity
The Soundhawk Smart Listening System integrates a smartphone app, a microphone and a small headset that helps people hear with more clarity in noisy environments. It is not technically a hearing aid, but represents the latest technology in hearing devices.
AT&T lobbies Congress during hearings regarding DirecTV merger
And so begins congressional scrutiny of the proposed AT&T acquisition of DirecTV, a $48.5 billion merger that will blend each companies' strengths into a full-service operation. They claim the deal will increase broadband and video content for new batches of customers while lowering consumer costs.
Oracle buying Micros Systems for $5B
In a deal meant to help Oracle expand into the hospitality and food service industries, Oracle will purchase Micros Systems. The companies can together serve hotels, restaurants and beverage companies with improved software, hardware and cloud solutions.
Automakers recalling nearly 3M vehicles due to airbag issue
Honda, Nissan, Mazda and Toyota have recalled more than 3 million vehicles over a dangerously defective airbag issue that just won't go away. Takata, the airbag maker, claims to be cooperating with the NHTSA.
Heartbleed remains big risk with 300K servers still vulnerable
The Heartbleed security flaw in OpenSSL was on the loose for at least two years until it was discovered in April. Although a fix was quickly available, to date only about half of vulnerable systems have been patched.
Amazon Fire Phone: A look under the smartphone's hood
The much-anticipated new Amazon-branded smartphone is here. It's named Fire, and we'll see if it catches on.
Kraft recalls Velveeta due to not enough sorbic acid, too little preservative
Kraft Foods is placing a voluntary recall on 260 cases of Velveeta cheese that may contain an inadequate amount of an important preservative. The cases were shipped to Wal-Mart stores in 12 Midwestern states.
Drone detection may be the next drone innovation
Eyes in the sky got you bugged? A Personal Drone Detection System may be able to tell you when to look up and wave to the camera.
Pig virus will surge once warm weather subsides
Nothing fine about sick swine as a deadly pig virus, PEDv, plans a fall comeback, having killed about 10% of U.S. pigs last year. But farmers are now armed with a vaccine and a much better idea about how the disease spreads.
Shame is FCC's strategy to get ISP speeds speedier
The latest FCC report on the quality of broadband service from leading Internet service providers finds most ISPs are meeting or slightly exceeding advertised speeds. But there are still some laggards, and the quality of the at-home connection can often be the problem.
Tesla vs. NJ: Electric carmaker wins initial direct sales battle but with a caveat
The sleek, all-electric and groundbreaking Tesla may soon again be sold in New Jersey through manufacturer showrooms, bypassing the traditional franchised dealership standard. New Jersey Assembly approves bill that will allow Tesla to open up to four company showrooms.
Internet 'fast lane' is focus of new proposed net neutrality bill aimed at telecoms
A new bill introduced by proponents of net neutrality would restrict broadband service providers from charging more for Internet 'fast lanes.' But opponents fear this will violate free market principles and lead to attempts to classify the Internet as a public utility.
Samsung Gear 2 smart watch gets a Fleksy touchscreen keyboard app
Fleksy, a software maker of touchscreen keyboards, has launched its keyboard app for the Samsung Gear 2 smart watch. The company claims the free software's advanced features will make typing SMS messages on the Gear 2's tiny screen easy and intuitive.
