'Zerg rush' eats Google search results

A Google search for "Zerg rush" spawns an attack of "O's" on the results page The term originated in the game "Starcraft," in which players can be "Zerg" aliens It has come to mean any instance of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers (CNN) -- Feeling besieged by pesky little problems today? You might want to be careful with your Google searches. Users who look up the term "Zerg rush" Friday are finding the latest in a series of geeky Easter eggs planted by the search giant's engineers. The search produces a swarm of marauding "O's" which inevitably destroy virtually everything on the search-results page. The term quickly

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iReport: Take our 'Draw Something' celebrity quiz

Draw Something, a hit mobile game, lets players take turns drawing, guessing objects It's been the No. 1 free app on iPad and iPhone, and has attracte

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iReport: Take our 'Draw Something' celebrity quiz

Draw Something, a hit mobile game, lets players take turns drawing, guessing objects It's been the No. 1 free app on iPad and iPhone, and has attracte

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Top analyst: Without Jobs, 'Apple will decline'

Forrester CEO says Apple needs a charismatic leader like Steve Jobs Company will coast two to four years on its momentum, then fade, he wrote He says shifting to a more bureaucratic leader won't work well for Apple (CNN) -- The CEO of a top research firm didn't mince words about Apple in a new blog post. "Apple will decline in the post Steve Jobs era," wrote George Colony, CEO of Forrester Research. "Here's why." The iPhone and iPad maker will coast for two to four years on its current momentum, Colony said; but Jobs, who died in October, left a void because his successor, Apple CEO Tim Cook, doesn't possess his sta

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Apple CEO scoffs at Windows 8 hybrid talk

Apple CEO: Tablet-PC hybrids are like combining toasters and refrigerators Microsoft is making a play with Windows 8 for tablets and PCs With iPad sales soaring, Apple has little reason to push for a new gadget Microsoft says converging operating systems are the future of computing (CNN) -- Is the future of computers a hybrid gadget that will combine the battery life and computing heft of a laptop with the portability and ease-of-use of a tablet? Some in the industry are leaning toward "yes." But Apple CEO Tim Cook pointedly says "no." "Anything can be forced to converge, but the proble

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Google launches 'Drive' cloud storage

Google rolls out 'Google Drive' cloud service Tuesday Users will get 5GB of storage for free, more for a monthly fee The service will compete with Apple, Microsoft and services like Dropbox (CNN) -- Google expanded the digital world of cloud computing on Tuesday, announcing the rollout of "Google Drive." The service, which will give users 5GB of free remote storage and additional space for a monthly fee, puts the Web giant in competition with Apple and Microsoft, as well as specialized services like Box and Dropbox, in a space that increasingly looks like the future of computing. "This is really

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'In-cell' tech could make the next iPhone ultra-thin

New "in-cell" tech combines LCD and touch sections of phones' display into a single layer A report says Apple might be sourcing its in-cell displays from Toshiba and Sharp In-cell technology isn't currently deployed in any cellphones but could make them thinner (Wired) -- We're all familiar with Apple's love affair for thin devices. Although the third-generation iPad surprised many by gaining about half a millimeter of thickness, it looks like Apple could be back to trimming product d

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Facebook clarifies changes to its terms of use

Facebook unveils, and explains, proposed changes to its terms of use Post says that the way user data is collected and shared will not change Announcement comes as Facebook is preparing its Wall Street public stock offering (CNN) -- Facebook unveiled changes to its terms-of-use document on Friday, tweaking earlier drafts in an apparent effort to ease users' concerns about privacy and how their information is used. The proposed changes to the networking giant's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities come after the plan was opened up for user comments last month, and just weeks before Facebook is expected to go public in a stock offering some expect could value the company at $100 billion. Front and center in the announc

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Facebook clarifies changes to its terms of use

Facebook unveils, and explains, proposed changes to its terms of use Post says that the way user data is collected and shared will not change Announcement comes as Facebook is preparing its Wall Street public stock offering (CNN) -- Facebook unveiled changes to its terms-of-use document on Friday, tweaking earlier drafts in an apparent effort to ease users' concerns about privacy and how their information is used. The proposed changes to the networking giant's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities come after the plan was opened up for user comments last month, and just weeks before Facebook is expected to go public in a stock offering some expect could value the company at $100 billion. Front and center in the announc

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Facebook clarifies changes to its terms of use

Facebook unveils, and explains, proposed changes to its terms of use Post says that the way user data is collected and shared will not change Announcement comes as Facebook is preparing its Wall Street public stock offering (CNN) -- Facebook unveiled changes to its terms-of-use document on Friday, tweaking earlier drafts in an apparent effort to ease users' concerns about privacy and how their information is used. The proposed changes to the networking giant's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities come after the plan was opened up for user comments last month, and just weeks before Facebook is expected to go public in a stock offering some expect could value the company at $100 billion. Front and center in the announc

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Mass killer reopens debate on violent video games

Confessed Norway shooter says he played "World of Warcraft," "Modern Warfare 2" Bloggers, columnists are quick to say violent video games don't induce violent behavior Debates have raged about whether video games incite violence; science is inconclusive (CNN) -- Norway's alleged mass killer testified on Thursday that he played video games as a way to train for a shooting spree that killed 77 people last summer. In particular, Anders Behring Breivik said at his trial that he played "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" as a means of shooting practice, according to CNN's report. The confessed shooter also said he once played the online game "World of Warcraft," a role-playing adventure with multiple players from around the world, for as many as 16 hours a day. For people who have long suspected that there is some link between violent video games and real-world violence, the statement offered frightening new evidence for why the video-game industry should be more strictly regulated. Many gamers and columnists, however, rolled their eyes and collectively muttered "here we go again." "How many times are we going to do this?" Paul Tassi wrote in a Forbes story, "The idiocy of blaming video games for the Norway massacre." "Really now, it's getting absurd." "

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Instagram deal shows Zuckerberg's hacker spirit

Facebook-Instagram deal provides a glimpse of Zuckerberg's hacker spirit The billion-dollar deal was negotiated almost exclusively by Zuckerberg, WSJ says CEO-only negoitations aren't unheard of, but have risks, CNN's Ali Velshi says Once Facebook goes public, such deals may become a thing of the past (CNN) -- If reports Wednesday are to be believed, one of the tech industry's biggest deals in recent history was hammered out almost exclusively by two 20-somethings over the course of what amounts to a long weekend. On April 8, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg let the company's board of directors know he was about to spend $1 billion on hot photo start-up Instagram -- just hours before the

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Experts: Phones to replace cash, cards by 2020

Web experts, users say mobile payments will replace cards, cash In survey, 65% expect phone payments to be the norm by 2020 Others say users' security concerns might slow that process The survey by Pew Internet and Elon University sought out Internet experts (CNN) -- Most Internet users and tech experts think cash and credit cards will become things of the past in the next decade as people turn to their mobile phones to make payments, results from a newly released survey suggest. Nearly two out of three respondents to the survey (65%) to

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Is it OK to leave a tech job at 5 p.m.?

Facebook COO says she leaves work every day at 5:30 p.m. Pete Cashmore: That should be acceptable for everyone, not controversial Employers and employees have to make living a healthy life socially acceptable, he says Cashmore: "The measure of our work is in our productivity, not the number of hours we put in" Editor's note: Pete Cashmore is founder and CEO of Mashable, a popular blog about tech news and digital culture. He writes regular columns about social media and tech for CNN.com. (CNN) -- Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg recently set off quite a debate

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The surprising draw of 'Draw Something'

"Draw Something," a hit mobile game, lets players take turns drawing, guessing objects It's been the No. 1 free app on the iPad, iPhone and has attracted 35 million users Player on the game's appeal: "It's not a competition, it's about collaboration" Try your hand at Draw Something and show us your best portrait on CNN iReport! (CNN) -- Chris Pirillo is many things: a self-proclaimed geek, a blogger, an entrepreneur -- and according to him, an average gamer. The 38-year-old founder of blogging network Lockergnome loves the casual game. The pick-it-up, put-it-down, stress-free app. Pirillo has played his share of games like "Cube Runner" and "A Monster Ate My Homework." He even jumped on the "Words with Friends" bandwagon, but found the Scrabble-like game to be a little too much work. "The problem with games is they're usually so overly complex. If I can't figure it out within a minute, I move on," said the Seattle resident, who is an occasional CNN.com contributor. "And you know, there are lot more people like me than people who would take a lot of time to get into a game." Then came "Draw Something." Pirillo came across the game -- a digital variation on Pictionary, with a dash of Hangman -- recently while browsing the latest apps on his iPad. He downloaded it, connected to Facebook and started playing. var currExpa

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The surprising draw of 'Draw Something'

"Draw Something," a hit mobile game, lets players take turns drawing, guessing objects It's been the No. 1 free app on the iPad, iPhone and has attracted 35 million users Player on the game's appeal: "It's not a competition, it's about collaboration" Try your hand at Draw Something and show us your best portrait on CNN iReport! (CNN) -- Chris Pirillo is many things: a self-proclaimed geek, a blogger, an entrepreneur -- and according to him, an average gamer. The 38-year-old founder of blogging network Lockergnome loves the casual game. The pick-it-up, put-it-down, stress-free app. Pirillo has played his share of games like "Cube Runner" and "A Monster Ate My Homework." He even jumped on the "Words with Friends" bandwagon, but found the Scrabble-like game to be a little too much work. "The problem with games is they're usually so overly complex. If I can't figure it out within a minute, I move on," said the Seattle resident, who is an occasional CNN.com contributor. "And you know, there are lot more people like me than people who would take a lot of time to get into a game." Then came "Draw Something." Pirillo came across the game -- a digital variation on Pictionary, with a dash of Hangman -- recently while browsing the latest apps on his iPad. He downloaded it, connected to Facebook and started playing. var currExpa

More about → The surprising draw of 'Draw Something'

The surprising draw of 'Draw Something'

"Draw Something," a hit mobile game, lets players take turns drawing, guessing objects It's been the No. 1 free app on the iPad, iPhone and has attracted 35 million users Player on the game's appeal: "It's not a competition, it's about collaboration" Try your hand at Draw Something and show us your best portrait on CNN iReport! (CNN) -- Chris Pirillo is many things: a self-proclaimed geek, a blogger, an entrepreneur -- and according to him, an average gamer. The 38-year-old founder of blogging network Lockergnome loves the casual game. The pick-it-up, put-it-down, stress-free app. Pirillo has played his share of games like "Cube Runner" and "A Monster Ate My Homework." He even jumped on the "Words with Friends" bandwagon, but found the Scrabble-like game to be a little too much work. "The problem with games is they're usually so overly complex. If I can't figure it out within a minute, I move on," said the Seattle resident, who is an occasional CNN.com contributor. "And you know, there are lot more people like me than people who would take a lot of time to get into a game." Then came "Draw Something." Pirillo came across the game -- a digital variation on Pictionary, with a dash of Hangman -- recently while browsing the latest apps on his iPad. He downloaded it, connected to Facebook and started playing. var currExpa

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Passionate Instagram users ponder Facebook era

Facebook bought photo sharing app Instagram for $1 billion on Monday Instagram racked up more than 35 million registered downloads in just 18 months But many users worry that Facebook will kill what's wonderful about the app (CNN) -- Every morning, Dirk Dallas takes a trip around the world. With his own eyes, he studies artful, real-time images of life in New York, Paris and Hong Kong. But Dallas, a graphic designer, doesn't actually leave his Riverside, California, neighborhood, or even his front door. He just needs his phone and a digital portal called Instagram. "It's like taking a vacation every day," said Dallas. "Instagram is different than any other social network I've been on." The freedom to share and connect with users across the globe is big part of what keeps Dallas coming back to Instagram, the wildly popular mobile photo sharing app, again and again. It's that same appeal, Dallas figures, which led to Facebook's stunning purchase of Instagram this week -- the single largest acquisition in that social network's 8-year history. var currExpandable="expand15"; if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);} var mObj={}; mObj.type='video'; mObj.contentId=''; mObj.source='business/2012/04/10/intv-wbt-facebook-instagram-wheatley.cnn'; mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120410025155-instagram-iphone-wi

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Will Apple lawsuit mean cheaper e-books?

DOJ lawsuit against Apple will likely lower e-book prices -- at least for now Government says Apple conspired with publishers to drive up book prices Amazon, which sold books cheaper for the Kindle, says its prices will soon drop Some fear settlements will tilt field too far in Amazon's favor (CNN) -- For consumers, the news that the Department of Justice is suing Apple and several publishers, accusing them of price-fixing, boils down to one kitchen-table question: Will this mean my e-books will get cheaper? The short answer? More than likely, yes. But the long-term ramifications of the move remain murkier, with some argu

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When did Facebook become so uncool?

Facebook buying Instagram for $1 billion as photo-sharing app hits mainstream Some Instagram users express outrage at the sale and threaten to pull their photos from the app Observers say Facebook isn't as cool as it used to be because it's so rich, popular and powerful (CNN) -- Something strange happened Monday on the Internet. Facebook -- the once-underdog social network founded by a kid in a hoodie in a dorm room -- may have officially cemented its status as a titan of the tech establishment it once challenged. What changed? Facebook -- no longer a feisty startup but a 3,000-person, soon-to-be-public corporation with $3.9 billion in cash and an $85 billion to $100 billion valuation -- spent $1 billion to gobble up a much-smaller competitor, the photo-sharing app Instagram. When it did so, it stirred up a caldron of ill will that the "People of the Internet" have been harboring toward Mark Zuckerberg's once-hip company. Some Instagram users said they were downloading all of their photos and then deleting them from the app just so Facebook couldn't get its hands on them. Pundits weren't kind to Facebook, either. David Horsey of the Los Angeles Times, writing about the Instagram purcha

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Will Facebook ruin Instagram?

Facebook buys Instagram, the mobile photo-sharing app, for $1 billion Digital pundits worry Instagram could lose its cool The photo-sharing app is popular with tech early adopters It lets users apply color filters to photos and share them on multiple networks (CNN) -- Facebook's purchase on Monday of the photo-sharing app Instagram had the Internet asking one question: Will the Goliath of social networking make Instagram so uncool or so Facebook-y that it dies off entirely? Immediately after the reported $1 billion purchase was announced, some digi-pundits were already rushing to say just that -- with plenty offering advice on how Instagram users can delete their accounts and all of the photos they've u

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Report: Pinterest is #3 social site

Pinterest is now the third most popular online social network, a report says Only Facebook and Twitter get more traffic than the "pinning" site President Barack Obama recently joined Pinterest The ranking doesn't include mobile traffic (CNN) -- Think back six months. You probably never had heard of a little website called Pinterest. Now it's the third most-visited social-networking site in the United States, according to a report released Thursday by Experian Marketing Services, a digital marketing firm. Pinterest, which lets its users "pin" photos and info from the Int

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Report: Pinterest is #3 social site

Pinterest is now the third most popular online social network, a report says Only Facebook and Twitter get more traffic than the "pinning" site President Barack Obama recently joined Pinterest The ranking doesn't include mobile traffic (CNN) -- Think back six months. You probably never had heard of a little website called Pinterest. Now it's the third most-visited social-networking site in the United States, according to a report released Thursday by Experian Marketing Services, a digital marketing firm. Pinterest, which lets its users "pin" photos and info from the Int

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Report: Pinterest is #3 social site

Pinterest is now the third most popular online social network, a report says Only Facebook and Twitter get more traffic than the "pinning" site President Barack Obama recently joined Pinterest The ranking doesn't include mobile traffic (CNN) -- Think back six months. You probably never had heard of a little website called Pinterest. Now it's the third most-visited social-networking site in the United States, according to a report released Thursday by Experian Marketing Services, a digital marketing firm. Pinterest, which lets its users "pin" photos and info from the Int

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Facebook Timeline: love, hate ... and creativity

New Facebook layout features larger images, life events Timeline fans and foes are using the new design to express themselves in creative ways Take a look at some of our favorite profiles in the gallery above (CNN) -- It's one

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Sponsor: Arizona bill isn't aimed at Internet trolls

Arizona bill draws outrage from bloggers, civil liberties advocates Some compare legislation to censorship efforts by China The bill's sponsor says the proposed law is being misinterpreted It never aimed to censor the Internet or shut down online comments, lawmaker says (CNN) -- Bloggers this week pounced on an Arizona cyberbullying bill, comparing the legislation to online censorship efforts in Syria and China and saying that lawmakers in the state fundamentally don't understand the Internet. "Trolling could get you 25 years in jail in Arizona," declared a headline on Gizmodo. The fear is that the

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ACLU: Most police track phones without warrants

ACLU: Phone location tracking is a common tool of police, often without a warrant Fewer than 5% of agencies say they've never tracked a cell phone's location Most carriers require a court order to implement cell phone surveillance Cell phone companies have manuals for police explaining what data they store Editor's note: Amy Gahran writes about mobile tech for CNN.com. She is a San Francisco Bay Area writer and media consultant whose blog, Contentious.com, explores how people communicate in the online age. (CNN) -- Don't want the police or your local government to know where you are? Then put your cell phone in airplane mode or turn it off. Location tracking is inherent in how cell networks function; otherwise nobody's cell phone would ring. But new evidence from the American Civil Liberties Union shows that phone location tracking has also become a surprisingly common tool of law-enforcement investigations -- with, but often without, a warrant. The ACLU recently obtained records from over 200 po

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Kutcher to play Steve Jobs in movie

Ashton Kutcher will play tech visionary Steve Jobs in an indie film on his early life Movie will follow Jobs' life until he returned to Apple in the late '90s, reporter says Kutcher, 34, is one of the more tech-savvy actors in Hollywood (CNN) -- Actor Ashton Kutcher, who got his break on "That '70s Show," will go back to t

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The decline, but not fall of Research In Motion

The BlackBerry maker fights speculation that is pulling out of the consumer market Research In Motion has been hit by low earnings and sales amid intense competition Today, virtually every phone not only has email, but also apps and internet connectivity RIM's challenge is to show that it is still relevant and can still fight its rivals Editor's note: Technology journalist Stuart Miles is CEO and founder of gadget review website Pocket-lint. He can be found tweeting at @stuartmiles. (CNN) -- Research In Motion has a battle on its hands if it is to win back the hearts and minds of the smartphone-buying public. Earnings are down, sales are down, and now the company is battling ru

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The decline, but not fall of Research In Motion

The BlackBerry maker fights speculation that is pulling out of the consumer market Research In Motion has been hit by low earnings and sales amid intense competition Today, virtually every phone not only has email, but also apps and internet connectivity RIM's challenge is to show that it is still relevant and can still fight its rivals Editor's note: Technology journalist Stuart Miles is CEO and founder of gadget review website Pocket-lint. He can be found tweeting at @stuartmiles. (CNN) -- Research In Motion has a battle on its hands if it is to win back the hearts and minds of the smartphone-buying public. Earnings are down, sales are down, and now the company is battling ru

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