Stories by Tom Spring

IN PICTURES: 15 current and future uses for drones

For a world already on edge about NSA spying, drone technology is just another reason to keep looking over our shoulders.

Michael Dell on Surface tablet: 'The impact will be limited'

Michael Dell has reached a crossroads. PC sales are slowing to a crawl as tablets and smartphones capture more consumer dollars every year. What's the founder and CEO of the third largest PC manufacturer to do?

Apple lifts App Store approval shroud for developers

Apple's App Store approval policy has dumbfounded mobile app developers for years, but that's about to change. On Thursday, Apple handed mobile developers a fig leaf in the form of a surprise statement that promised it would be more transparent about...

SLIDESHOW: The strangest sights in Google Earth

In the olden days, the ancients recognized Seven Wonders of the World; but thanks to Google Earth, you can now spot thousands of "I wonder what it is" head scratchers.

Quit Facebook Day was a success even as it flopped

Quit Facebook Day may have flopped when it comes to creating a mass exodus of Facebook users, but those who care about privacy owe a debt of gratitude to the failed movement.

Good-bye to privacy?

New Yorker Barry Hoggard draws a line in the sand when it comes to online privacy. In May he said farewell to 1251 Facebook friends by deleting his account of four years to protest what he calls the social network's eroding privacy policies.

Getting your feet wet with Google Ocean: First look in images

With this introduction to the mapping software, you can travel far below the surface to spot shipwrecks, track the movements of great white sharks, and wander the ocean floor--no scuba equipment required.

Apple hits three billion apps served milestone

Holy App Store! Apple is bragging that more than 3 billion apps for its iPhone and iPod Touch have been downloaded since the store opened on July 10, 2008. That's a lot of Super Monkey Balls, Facebook, and Google Earth Apple app downloads.

E-book piracy: the publishing industry's next epic saga?

As e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle continue to rise, so follows the publishing industry's worst nightmare: e-book piracy. For years e-book piracy was the exclusive province of the determined few willing to ferret out mostly nerdy textbook titles ...

Chrome OS may fail even as it changes computing forever

Google says it is working on an operating system designed for netbooks that boots in seconds, is impervious to viruses, and is designed to run Web-based applications really well. What's not to like? Plenty--if you're the number one software maker, Mi...

Bing vs. Google vs. Yahoo: feature smackdown

In the arena of world-class search, can Bing bring the hurt to Google and Yahoo? Microsoft's newest search engine comes packed with search tools such as an Explorer Pane for refining searches, Quick Previews for sneaking a peek at a site before visit...

Microsoft Bing

At last, Bing has arrived. We tested a preview release of Microsoft's new search/decision engine, previously called Kumo, to see how well it compares. Here's a breakdown of its new features and how well they perform.

Hands on with Microsoft Bing

At last, Bing has arrived. I tested a preview release of Microsoft's new search/decision engine, previously called Kumo, to see how well it compares. Here's a breakdown of its new features and how well they perform.

It's official: Bing is now Microsoft's search engine

Microsoft's latest vehicle for achieving the elusive goal of Web dominance is Bing. Previously known as Kumo while in development, Bing replaces Microsoft's Live Search brand and carries forward the company's strategy for taking on Google and Yahoo. ...

Vista Service Pack 2 now ready for download

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is now available for download. The Vista SP2 update include new support for recording Blu-ray discs straight from the Vista OS, updated support for Bluetooth v2.1, and bug fixes that address slow shutdowns and mysterious ...