Search
  • Videos
  • Windows 10
  • 5G
  • Best VPNs
  • Cloud
  • Security
  • AI
  • more
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
  • Newsletters
  • All Writers
    • Preferences
    • Community
    • Newsletters
    • Log Out
  • Menu
    • Videos
    • Windows 10
    • 5G
    • Best VPNs
    • Cloud
    • Security
    • AI
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
      • Preferences
      • Community
      • Newsletters
      • Log Out
  • us
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • India
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    • ZDNet around the globe:
    • ZDNet France
    • ZDNet Germany
    • ZDNet Korea
    • ZDNet Japan

10 tech things we didn't know a week ago

8 of 10 NEXT PREV
  • 1. NSA is actually listening to your calls, and reading your emails

    1. NSA is actually listening to your calls, and reading your emails

    Despite U.S. President Obama's claims that, "Nobody is listening to your telephone calls," the highest intelligence officer in the country this week stated otherwise. The NSA used a "backdoor" in surveillance laws to conduct warrantless searches on American call and email data, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admitted in a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) this week. These searches were conducted through the controversial PRISM and Upstream programs.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: Central Intelligence Agency

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 2. Facebook CEO Zuckerberg's base salary is just $1

    2. Facebook CEO Zuckerberg's base salary is just $1

    Mark Zuckerberg remains one of the richest people in Silicon Valley (and the world), so he can afford to take a pay cut. According to U.S. regulatory filings, he was paid just $1 salary in 2013, down from $503,205 in 2012. That echoes similar symbolic salaries including Google's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Apple's Steve Jobs, according to Bloomberg.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: CNET/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 3. Tesla cars can be hacked and tracked

    3. Tesla cars can be hacked and tracked

    They may be all the talk of the town, but they're also high up the hacker's target list. According to one researcher, hacking into a Tesla car can be just one password away. Break that, through fake apps and social engineering, and an attacker can access the car itself — allowing them to unlock it, honk the horn, flash the lights, and other features of the car.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: Nvidia/CNET

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 4. Average U.S. consumer spends close to 3 hours per day on mobile devices

    4. Average U.S. consumer spends close to 3 hours per day on mobile devices

    The average U.S. consumer spends 2 hours and 38 minutes per day in March 2013 on their devices, with about 86 percent of that time on apps, and the remaining 14 percent on the web, latest research suggests. That's up from an 80 percent and 20 percent split on apps and the mobile web respectively on the previous year.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: CNET/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 5. Carriers don't want smartphone "kill switches"

    5. Carriers don't want smartphone "kill switches"

    Lose your phone? Was it stolen? Most modern phones today can be remotely locked, tracked down, and wiped of all data. But consumers and companies alike want devices to be "brickable," so that they can't be used again. But carriers are against the idea , because although consumers could save up to $2.6 billion a year on replacement devices and insurance costs, carriers would as a result lose out on valuable income — particularly during a time when profits are falling year-over-year.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: CNET/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 6. The next-generation USB cable will be reversible

    6. The next-generation USB cable will be reversible

    How often have you tried to plug in a USB cable only to find it takes at least until the third go before it fits? All too often, many find. The next-generation USB 3.0 cable will be reversible in an effort to save time and general frustration. It will also be able to support speeds of up to 625 MB/s.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: Wikimedia Commons

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 7. See Obama latest selfie? Samsung was behind it

    7. See Obama latest selfie? Samsung was behind it

    The seemingly impromptu selfie of Boston Red Sox David Ortiz and U.S. President Barack Obama this week wasn't as we thought, as it turns out Samsung is said to have provided Ortiz with the selfie-taking smartphone. The baseball giant has an endorsement deal with the company, which led the phone maker to tweet out and promote the image. The White House was reportedly not happy, saying it "certainly object[s]" in this case.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: David Ortiz/Twitter

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 8. U.S. government secretly created “Cuban Twitter” to stir unrest

    8. U.S. government secretly created “Cuban Twitter” to stir unrest

    In a bid to continue its political blockage against the small Communist island, the U.S. government invested taxpayer's money in creating a "Cuban Twitter," according to the Associated Press. It was hoped that the free-speech enabling service would help cause dissent in the country. The U.S. continues its embargo against the nation, but the country — since the retirement of its former leader, Fidel Castro — has eased up in recent years.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: Wikimedia Commons

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 9. Microsoft launched more products for Apple, than Apple has this year

    9. Microsoft launched more products for Apple, than Apple has this year

    Thanks to the launch of three brand new Microsoft Office-branded apps for the iPad, 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman pointed out on Twitter that the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant has now released more apps for Apple products than Apple has for its own products this year.

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Photo by: CNET/CBS Interactive

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

  • 10. Facebook paid more than $1.5M in bug bounty awards in 2013

    10. Facebook paid more than $1.5M in bug bounty awards in 2013

    Finally, Facebook continues to shell out thousands of dollars at a time in its bug bounty program as it aims to make its social network safe and secure for its 1 billion-plus user base. According to the social giant, Facebook received 14,763 bug reports during the year — an increase of almost 2 percent on the year before — which led to $1.5 million being doled out during the year. The minimum reward is $500, but Facebook has no maximum reward for major exploits. 

    Image via CNET/CBS Interactive

    Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

    Caption by: Zack Whittaker

8 of 10 NEXT PREV
Zack Whittaker

By Zack Whittaker for Between the Lines | April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT) | Topic: Tech Industry

  • 1. NSA is actually listening to your calls, and reading your emails
  • 2. Facebook CEO Zuckerberg's base salary is just $1
  • 3. Tesla cars can be hacked and tracked
  • 4. Average U.S. consumer spends close to 3 hours per day on mobile devices
  • 5. Carriers don't want smartphone "kill switches"
  • 6. The next-generation USB cable will be reversible
  • 7. See Obama latest selfie? Samsung was behind it
  • 8. U.S. government secretly created “Cuban Twitter” to stir unrest
  • 9. Microsoft launched more products for Apple, than Apple has this year
  • 10. Facebook paid more than $1.5M in bug bounty awards in 2013

Behind on the news and hungry for more? Here's what we learned this week — including who was behind Obama's latest selfie, and which automotive giant's cars can be hacked?

Read More Read Less

8. U.S. government secretly created “Cuban Twitter” to stir unrest

In a bid to continue its political blockage against the small Communist island, the U.S. government invested taxpayer's money in creating a "Cuban Twitter," according to the Associated Press. It was hoped that the free-speech enabling service would help cause dissent in the country. The U.S. continues its embargo against the nation, but the country — since the retirement of its former leader, Fidel Castro — has eased up in recent years.

Published: April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT)

Caption by: Zack Whittaker

8 of 10 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

CXO Government Security
Zack Whittaker

By Zack Whittaker for Between the Lines | April 5, 2014 -- 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT) | Topic: Tech Industry

Show Comments
LOG IN TO COMMENT
  • My Profile
  • Log Out
| Community Guidelines

Join Discussion

Add Your Comment
Add Your Comment

Related Galleries

  • 1 of 3
  • Toshiba laptops through the ages

    Toshiba’s 35-year run in the laptop business is at an end, but what a journey it has been.

  • The naughty list: Tech CEOs getting coal for Christmas

    These technology leaders displayed the worst behavior or underperformed in 2019.

  • Tech turkeys: Apple and Google dominate the year's menu of failures

    In the spirit of Festivus here is our full list of the worst technology products and services of the year.

  • The Nightmare in Silicon Valley: 8 horror technologies that should scare you to death

    Every night is fright night with what can happen once these scary technologies take hold in ways that you may not have imagined.

  • 2019's tech, security, and authentication trends

    We take a look at the top tech, cybersecurity, and authentication trends as revealed today by the Duo Security's 2019 Trusted Access Report, which includes data from 24 million devices, ...

  • Carry on: Must-have minimalist travel gadgets in 2019

    Here's a selection of the best travel accessories that bring down the bulk and weight of your luggage.

  • The tech that changed us: 50 years of breakthroughs

    Technology can transform us, in good ways and bad. Do you recall the single most influential tech innovation from the year you graduated high school? We do. ...

ZDNet
Connect with us

© 2021 ZDNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Privacy Policy | Cookie Settings | Advertise | Terms of Use

  • Topics
  • Galleries
  • Videos
  • Sponsored Narratives
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About ZDNet
  • Meet The Team
  • All Authors
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Reprint Policy
  • Manage | Log Out
  • Join | Log In
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Site Assistance
  • ZDNet Academy
  • TechRepublic Forums