Technology

Efforts by President Trump and his supporters to sow doubt in the integrity of election results continue to pose challenges for Facebook and other social media companies, as the vote-counting process remains underway.Twitter has worked to restrict tweets from the president that spread false narratives undermining the election, flagging many of his posts as potentially … [Read more...] about Social media slow to crack down on users rallying against vote-counting

Call a business, any business. Chances are, you’ll hear a recording that says they’re experiencing “unusually high call volume” so you should expect a long wait on hold.You’re being lied to, experts say.Call volume in fact is about the same as it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, call center industry insiders and academics who study the business tell me.What’s different now … [Read more...] about Column: ‘Unusually high call volume’? You’re being lied to, say experts

No longer a novelty item, smartwatches have emerged from the shadow of mobile phones as way-cool gadgets in their own right.On the one hand, they’re fashionable. You can switch watch faces with a single swipe, depending on your mood. That’s a pretty versatile accessory.More important, smartwatches have established themselves as an increasingly important healthcare technology, … [Read more...] about Column: Looking for a smartwatch? Here’s some of the best of 2020

Before the pandemic, software engineer Allen Dantes commuted every day from his apartment in Mar Vista to the Playa Vista headquarters of ChowNow, about four miles away. The online food-ordering platform sent employees home in March until further notice, leaving Dantes, 27, to work from the small two-bedroom apartment he shared with his girlfriend. A few weeks ago, they moved … [Read more...] about ‘Work from anywhere’ is here to stay. How will it change our workplaces?

After an almost eight-year run, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One eras are coming to an end. Taking their place with new releases from Microsoft and Sony this week are the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 — the two consoles that will officially herald the start of the next video game generation. The timing could not be better. Many, after all, will no doubt relish an escape … [Read more...] about PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X: How to decide which one is right for you

Beneath the spritely and nimble action-adventure video game “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales” — essentially a showcase of what the new PlayStation 5 can do — there is the nagging sensation that innocence will soon be shattered.The game is set in pre-2020 New York, but it includes moments of cultural and societal tensions long experienced by many but which came to the fore … [Read more...] about Review: Why we should pay close attention to the world of ‘Spider-Man: Miles Morales’

Six weeks before election day, Proposition 22 was in trouble.Just 39% of likely voters surveyed in a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll said they would side with Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other gig economy companies by voting yes on a California ballot measure that would override state law requiring them to treat workers as employees. A big chunk of voters, 25%, … [Read more...] about How Uber and Lyft persuaded California to vote their way

The CEOs of Twitter and Facebook defended their efforts to reduce the spread of online disinformation about the presidential election and the integrity of the U.S. voting system Tuesday as they faced an onslaught of criticism from Senate Republicans who accused the tech giants of censoring conservative views and favoring Democrats.Testifying before Congress for the second time … [Read more...] about GOP senators berate Facebook, Twitter CEOs, who say they did the best they could during election

Akin Adebowale knows the power of Black artists. After all, he spent several years working on advertising campaigns for such stars as Drake and Kanye West. But he noticed something was missing — a platform that connected advertisers who want to reach Black audiences with Black creators, including-up-and-coming filmmakers, influencers, musicians and other aspiring artists.“Black … [Read more...] about Why these entrepreneurs created a streaming service for Black creators

For months, Amazon has been signaling that it planned to open an Amazon-branded online pharmacy to compete with the likes of CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. This week, it did.For many consumers, this represents greater convenience and the possibility of paying less for prescription drugs.It also means what little privacy you have left is rapidly disintegrating.“Most people … [Read more...] about Column: Do you really want Amazon’s new drugstore knowing your medical condition?