NYT > Technology
Sun Apr 24 04:28:47 EDT 2011
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It’s Love at First Kill - Gamers log into World of Warcraft in search of adventure and treasure, but sometimes they find love on the way, too.



Economic View: Show Us the Data. (It’s Ours, After All.) - If a business collects information about you electronically, shouldn’t it give you a copy for your own use?



The Haggler: A Customer Who’s Always Satisfied - Lucas Fayne is happy to praise a job well done. But in 50 testimonials for 50 different companies?



Unboxed: When There’s No Such Thing as Too Much Information - New research shows how data-driven decisions can give a lift to companies’ productivity.



Novelties: Do It Yourself, or With the Help of Tinkerers Everywhere - Are those printed instructions too confusing? On the Web, hobbyists are helping one another master all kinds of projects.



Max Mathews, Pioneer in Making Computer Music, Dies at 84 - As an engineer for Bell Laboratories in 1957, Mr. Mathews wrote the first program to make it possible for a computer to synthesize sound and play it back.



The Promise of Rapture for the High-Tech Elite - The Singularity, a point in the future when people can incorporate technology into their bodies and become immortal, has fervent devotees. Is it a religion in some sense?



Shortcuts: In a Data-Heavy Society, Being Defined by the Numbers - Scores and rankings are increasingly used to guide our decisions and feelings of self-worth, but their use can mask what’s really important.



Amazon’s Trouble Raises Cloud Computing Doubts - Companies are expected to reassess backup and recovery after the interruption at Amazon Web Services.



Samsung Countersues Apple on iPhone and iPad Patents - The lawsuit comes after a week after Apple accused Samsung of violating patents and trademarks of its iPhone and iPad.



Bits: Twitter Says It Will Stick With San Francisco - Twitter, after threatening to leave the city because of a payroll tax, said it would move to a special rehabilitation zone.



Bits: Google Says It Collects Location Data on Phones for Location Services - Google said it collects location information from Android phones, but only anonymously and with user consent.



Bits: Children Fail to Recognize Online Ads, Study Says - The researchers say companies need to better explain to children the intent of online advertising.



Bits: Location Apps Generate Privacy Concerns, Report Says - A report by the market research firm Nielsen found that many Americans are concerned about privacy risks with location-based services and mobile applications.



A Clash Over the Airwaves - The government wants TV broadcasters to give up some of their airwaves to allow for expanded use by cellphones and other mobile applications.



Inquiries Grow Over Apple’s Data Collection Practices - Europe is beginning its own investigations, although the iPhone and iPad have been tracking location data all along.



Despite Microsoft Partnership, Nokia Continues to Fade in Race With Rivals - The world’s leading cellphone maker said it intended to cut costs by nearly 20 percent over three years as it transitions to mobile software made by its new partner, Microsoft.



Xerox Reports Rise in Profit and Revenue - The company’s earnings beat analysts’ estimates by 2 cents as revenue rose 16 percent.



IPhone Sales Help Profit and Revenue at Verizon - Verizon said it sold more than two million iPhones over half the quarter and added more subscribers than analysts had expected.



A.M.D.’s Profit Bolstered by Sales of Chips for Netbooks - The results, coupled with better-than-expected results from Intel, may be a positive sign for the computer industry.



The Bay Citizen: Interested in the Jejune Institute? It’s Too Late - The world of the Jejune Institute, an alternative-reality game in San Francisco, came to an end recently at an Embarcadero hotel.



In Online Games, a Path to Young Consumers - Food marketers are pitching their products to children via Web sites that critics say blur the line between activities and advertising.



A Web Edge for Makers of Real Stuff - Bringing a physical product to market can be risky, but inventors are getting around the hurdles — in part by using the Web to find backers and buyers.



Apple Lifted by Verizon iPhone Deal and Updates of iPad and MacBook - Sales of iPhones more than doubled, and the MacBook laptops showed big gains. Sales of the iPod, however, declined again.



Tracking File Found in iPhones - Two programmers said their research showed that Apple iPhones and iPads began tracking and storing their locations in a hidden file a year ago.



Youth, Mobility and Poverty Help Drive Cellphone-Only Status - Northeast states were still clinging to their landlines, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics showed.



Defying Doubters, AT&T Profit Rises 39% - The telecommunications company, which lost exclusive rights to the iPhone, reported a 39 percent increase in first-quarter profit.



Kindle Users to Be Able to Borrow Library E-Books - Amazon, the maker of the Kindle e-book reader, said it would reverse its policy and allow the device’s users to borrow e-books from public libraries later this year.



First: How to Unmask the Internet’s Vilest Characters - The law gives trolls far too much leeway right now.



Keeping Tabs on Your Image Online - Riva Richmond on managing your online image; special effects for cellphone video; the term “search engine optimization”; news.



State of the Art: A Camera That Honors Old Virtues - The new Fujifilm X100 camera is made for people who actually know something about photography and don’t need scene modes.



Illustrating Your Life in Graphs and Charts - Several companies offer services where people can visually display data about some aspect of their lives, like their exercise regimen or how much beer they drink.



Gadgetwise: More Royal Apps for the Big Day - Additional apps that provide information, insight and gossip surrounding the royal wedding.



Gadgetwise: Longer Sleep for Your Children, and You - Zazoo Kids has developed a digital photo clock that lets children know when it's time to get up, and when it's time to stay in bed a little longer.



Gadgetwise: Tip of the Week: Free Software Training Online - Where to find instructional videos for popular software applications.