WSJ Tech News Briefing

Startups Fight Back Against Net Neutrality Repeal

28 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The repeal of net neutrality has some Silicon Valley startups seeking workarounds to ensure a fair and open internet. The Wall Street Journal's Doug M...

HQ Trivia App Sweeps On-Demand Generation

27 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In a throwback to TV "appointment viewing," the game show HQ Trivia has tethered hundreds of thousands of fans to their phones at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. pr...

Apple's iPhone X: A Lukewarm Reception

26 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Estimates from market-research firms indicate customers are buying the iPhone X and a pair of other new offerings at a rate comparable to recent model...

Joanna Stern Meets Tech's Top Minds in WSJ Elevator

25 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

From Microsoft's Peggy Johnson to GM CEO Mary Barra, personal tech columnist Joann Stern has accidentally "bumped" into some of the top tech minds in ...

Yes, Apple Slowed Down Your Old iPhone (It Can Explain)

22 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Facing questions about reduced performance in older iPhones, Apple acknowledged its latest software curtails the computing power of some models to pre...

Will the Tax Bill Lead to Big Tech Deal Making?

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The GOP tax reform bill would theoretically free up hundreds of billions of dollars that high-tech giants have stashed offshore. But that's unlikely t...

GOP Tax Bill Could Hit Large Tech Firms

20 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Doug MacMillan talks about why tech giants who book most of their profits overseas might see their tax rates rise as a resul...

Amazon Echo Price Cuts Upend Smart Speaker Market

19 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon.com has cut the prices for its Echo smart speaker line, including the smallest device, the Echo Dot. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle say...

Gamers' Virtual 'Loot Boxes' Cause Money Stir

18 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This holiday season, gaming kids will encounter one of the industry's most contentious moneymaking tactics in years -- the "loot box," an in-game rewa...

Streamline Pics Cluttering Your Smartphone

15 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Smartphones take photos so easily they're often overwhelmed with useless, repetitive shots. The Wall Street Journal's "Gear and Gadgets" has a beginne...

Why Electronic Arts Needs 'The Last Jedi' Force

14 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Disappointing "Star Wars: Battlefront II" sales have left video-game publisher Electronic Arts in need of a boost from the new "Star Wars: The Last Je...

Apple Hopes Shazam Ups Its Streaming Game

13 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Apple has announced it has acquired Shazam Entertainment, giving it ownership of one of the popular song-recognition apps at a time the iPhone maker i...

Amazon Sellers Vie for 'Deal of the Day'

12 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Winning a slot in one of Amazon.com's short-term promotions can not only skyrocket a merchant's ranking but also trigger sales for the rest of the sea...

'Alexa for Business' Brings Voice Control to Office

11 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Leading workplace tech firm Crestron is joining forces with Amazon Web Services to make meetings more productive. Crestron's Head of Enterprise Innov...

Is an 'Amazon' World Ready to Be Lived In?

08 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley discusses how she went on a week long "Amazon diet" to find out how much life one person can live through Amaz...

Google Vs. Amazon: Device War Heats Up

07 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With Google pulling YouTube from some Amazon devices in retaliation for Amazon refusing to sell many Google products, the Wall Street Journal's Jack N...

Facebook's Messenger Kids: 6-Year-Olds on Social Media?

06 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook rolled out a new messaging app for its youngest audience yet -- children between the ages of 6 and 12 -- but experts are questioning whether ...

Apple Watch Gets Healthier

05 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With a new app from Apple enabling its smartwatch to test and track irregular heart rhythms, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle talks the company'...

Silicon Valley's 'Conservative' Problem

04 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As tech companies in Silicon Valley seek to bolster diversity in their workplace, some employees say their politics are unwelcome in an industry domin...

Google Rethinking Nest; Amazon Alexa for Business

01 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Google is reportedly thinking of folding its Nest Labs home-automation unit back into the hardware team. Plus, Amazon.com has unveiled Alexa as a busi...

Snapchat Redesign; Domino's Tracking App

30 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Snapchat has redesigned its app to make it more user-friendly and less complicated. Plus, Domino's Pizza has a smartphone tracking app that lets users...

Waymo-Uber Trial Delayed; a Nike AR Scavenger Hunt

29 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

A federal judge has ordered a delay in a trial in which Google's Waymo unit has accused Uber of stealing trade secrets. Plus, Nike is using augmented ...

Pokemon Go Maker Gets a New Round of Financing

28 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Niantic, the maker of augmented reality hit Pokemon Go, has gotten 200 million dollars of new financing. Plus, Uber's delay in reporting a 2016 hack c...

Facebook to Alert Users Who Followed Russian Pages

27 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Wall Street Journal reporter Jack Nicas explains how Facebook intends to alert some of its users if they encountered pages created by Russian actors d...

Best Tech Gifts of 2017: WSJ's Favorite Gadgets

24 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This holiday shopping season, don't just throw money at things because they're marked down. Instead, buy gifts that retain value. Personal technology ...

Uber Paid Hackers $100,000 to Delete Breached Data

23 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Wall Street Journal reporter Robert McMillan discusses a massive data breach that affected roughly 57 million Uber accounts last year and the unpreced...

Three Reasons to Stay Bullish on Tech

22 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Wall Street Journal reporter Chelsey Dulaney outlines three reasons Credit Suisse says investors should remain bullish on the tech sector, despite a m...

Uber Bets Big on Driverless Cars

21 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Volvo will produce 24,000 self-driving cars for Uber starting in 2019. The Wall Street Journal's Senior Reporter William Boston explains why the deal ...

Want Apple's HomePod For Holidays? Don't Hold Your Breath

20 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Apple pushed back the release of its HomePod smart speaker beyond Christmas, making it the latest new product from the company to miss its promised sh...

Google Picks Your Answers (Usually Gets Them Wrong)

17 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Going beyond search, Google has been promoting a single result over all others. The Wall Street Journal's Jack Nicas talks where things get complicate...

Uber: How Much Is It Worth Anyway?

16 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

SoftBank's shooting for a multibillion-dollar stake in Uber is raising the question of what the world's most valuable startup is actually worth. The W...

Amazon's New HQ: Where Could it Be?

15 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal used Amazon's general criteria and interviews with site-selection experts to come up with a list of potential locations for it...

Wal-Mart Takes on Amazon, Raises Online Prices

14 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In a bid to compete with Amazon.com, Wal-Mart wants to charge customers more to buy some products online than in stores -- part of the company's effor...

Snap: Hope For Growth? Or Just a Fad?

13 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On the heels of Snap Inc.'s disappointing earnings report, Heard on the Street's Dan Gallagher talks whether investors are beginning to think Snapchat...

Overwhelmed By Facebook? Here's How to Fix Your Feed

10 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Overwhelmed by your Facebook feed? The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley talks how to simply your timeline from political rants, excessive ads, and ...

Waymo's Self-Driving Milepost: Robot Taxis

09 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Alphabet's Waymo takes a historic step forward in the development of fully driverless cars by unleashing the first fleet of robot vans on public roads...

Virtual Restaurants: Found in Apps (But Not on Maps)

08 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Digital food-delivery services like Grubhub are among the apps restaurateurs are using to launch and redefine dining -- without having to open an actu...

Amazon Snips Seller Prices: A New Holiday Price War?

07 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With Amazon quietly lowering prices by as much as 9% on goods from independent merchants, some say it could be starting a price war with other retail ...

Microsoft's HoloLens: A New Augmented Reality Strategy

06 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft is counting on its HoloLens augmented reality headset to catch on with companies first -- flipping the traditional tech script. The Wall Str...

iPhone X Debut: Living Up to the Hype?

03 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With the iPhone X debut, Apple aims to meet hype and demand for its anniversary smartphone which sports an edgy new screen, facial-recognition tech an...

Russian Influence on Social Media: What We Learned

03 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On the heels of congressional hearings on how Russia may have used Facebook, Google and Twitter during the 2016 Election, many say recent disclosures ...

Apple's iPhone X Strategy Switches Up Preview Testing

02 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Apple departed from its traditional preview strategy for what it bills as its most important new iPhone in years -- giving early access to the iPhone ...

Tesla Sees Labor Pains With Model 3 Ramp Up

01 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The effort to build the first electric car for the masses could face resistance as Tesla CEO Elon Musk pushes his ambitious goals for the highly antic...

Bitcoin Hack: Is Your Computer Making Cryptocurrencies?

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Hackers are commandeering the horsepower of unwitting victims' computers to secretly generate cryptocurrencies -- hoping to cash in as the price of bi...

Apple's iPhone X: Is Demand Outpacing Supply?

30 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's advanced sales for the iPhone X have caused early orders to push estimated shipment dates into December. Is demand outpacing supply? The Wall ...

Uber's New Lawsuit Alleges More Discrimination

27 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Still reeling from charges of sexism and sexual harassment by a former software engineer, Uber now faces a lawsuit from three engineers who say the ri...

Facebook: Mastering the AI Algorithm

26 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As Artificial intelligence becomes Facebook's lifeblood, the social network's head of applied machine learning says humans are bound to understand Fac...

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube Fight Off Russian Propaganda

25 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

RT, the Russian state news organization known as "the Kremlin's principal international propaganda outlet," uses Google's YouTube, Facebook and Twitte...

Amazon's New HQ: Which City Will It Be?

24 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With Amazon receiving at least 238 proposals from cities and regions across North America to host its second headquarters, the Wall Street Journal's L...

Lyft Raises $1 Billion Led by Alphabet

23 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Now that Lyft has raised $1 billion in funding led by a venture-capital fund of Google parent Alphabet, the Wall Street Journal's Greg Bensinger talks...

Alphabet: Creating 'Smart' Cities of the Future

20 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sidewalk Labs, the city-building unit of Google's parent company Alphabet, plans to create a new "smart" neighborhood on Toronto's waterfront, committ...

Joanna Stern Quizzes Tech Execs at WSJ's D.Live

19 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

From Intel's CEO to the former head of DreamWorks, the Wall Street Journal's personal tech columnist Joanna Stern managed to "bump" into some of the b...

Is Competing With Netflix and Amazon Impossible?

18 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

At the WSJ D.Live conference in Laguna Beach, California, media mogul Barry Diller, chairman of IAC/InterActive, discusses what makes Netflix and Amaz...

Starbucks, Domino's Tackle Mobile-Ordering Problems

17 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Restaurant-chain apps like Starbucks and Domino's are reshaping a business once built on human interaction -- but these new systems don't always work ...

Amazon Bookstores: Hinting at Whole Foods' Future?

16 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With Amazon's "Amazon Books," prices aren't marked at stores and employees instruct shoppers to use their phones to scan a product for a price. The Wa...

To-Do List Apps: Tricks to Getting Digitally Organized

13 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As reliance on to-do list apps becomes more common, Wall Street Journal reporter Chris Kornelis explains how we can get more out of them with the late...

Apple's Spielberg Deal: Shaking Up Video Streaming Wars?

12 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Apple has revealed it's betting on acclaimed director and producer Steven Spielberg for its first major foray into creating original video content. Th...

Google Finds Russia-Backed Ads on Platform

11 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

New details have surfaced about the Russian-linked entities that bought politically motivated ads on Google's platform. The Wall Street Journal's Jack...

Amazon's Second HQ: Bad News for Seattle?

10 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon's move to establish a second corporate headquarters could be bad news for longtime home Seattle, which has benefited enormously from the compan...

Smart Vision: Chip Makers Add 'Brains' Alongside Cameras' Eyes

09 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

From lettuce production to augmented reality, tech companies are finding new uses for machines that can interpret and act on what they see. The Wall S...

Google Doubles Down With New Phones and Speakers

06 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

At an event this week at the SFJAZZ Center, Google said it's betting a new Pixel smartphone and home speaker will help crack the competitive market fo...

The Motiv Ring: Track Your Fitness ... With One Finger

05 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler reviews the Motiv Ring, a wearable tech device that aims to blend in while it collects heart-rate data from ...

Tesla Misses Model 3 Production Goals. What Now?

04 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tesla badly missed its goal of building 1,500 Model 3 cars in the third quarter, the first sign that the production ramp-up for the new sedan isn't go...

Why Apple Rival Samsung Wants the iPhone X to Win

03 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Upon Samsung standing to make billions supplying screens and chips for Apple's iPhone X, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle discusses the longtime...

Humans on Mars by 2024? Elon Musk Says Yes

02 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has unveiled plans to build the most powerful rocket ever and use it to launch a giant spacecraft to Mars -- potentially i...

Amazon's New Echos Bring Alexa Everywhere

29 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This fall, Amazon is introducing a half-dozen new products to persuade families to put its virtual assistant Alexa in a lot more places throughout the...

What Can Stop Big Tech? The $3 Trillion Question

28 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As governments often target big technology companies seen as too dominant in their respective spaces, the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains...

White House Coding Education Wins Support From Silicon Valley

27 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With support from Silicon Valley and business leaders, President Donald Trump is boosting computer science training and coding in U.S. classrooms. The...

Microsoft Takes on IBM With 'Dynamics 365 AI Solutions'

26 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft plans to unveil its first product in a new line of software aimed at taking on IBM's Watson and other services in the growing market to appl...

Amazon Putting Whole Foods on Fast Track to Convention?

25 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Whole Foods will change the way companies can sell and market their products in its stores beginning next year -- one of the biggest moves yet in its ...

Ready For Apple Watch Series 3? There's Just One (Big) Problem

22 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With the new Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE on sale in stores Friday, Apple faces key issues with cell connectivity in its newest smartwatch. The Wall ...

Why You Need to Turn 'Two-Factor Authentication' On

21 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With "two-factor authentication" emerging as necessary added measure in our everyday cyber-lives, the Wall Street Journal's Personal Tech editor Wilso...

iPhone 8 Review: Worth the Upgrade?

20 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With no shortage of iPhone options to choose from this fall, the Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler talks why the iPhone 8 is the best model... to ...

Companies Go Old School to Fight New Cyber Threats

19 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As cybersecurity threats become more volatile, companies are returning to tape as a medium for storing data as hackers get smarter about penetrating d...

High Tech's Chillier Relationship With Washington

18 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The high-tech industry enjoyed a cozy relationship with Washington under Barack Obama's presidency. But the Wall Street Journal's Byron Tau says that'...

Emmy Awards Pit Streaming Series Against Broadcast TV

15 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

'The Crown,' 'This Is Us' and 'Westworld' all will vie Sunday for Emmy awards. An open field and a rivalry between streaming series and broadcast TV h...

Cyber Extortion is the New Hacker Weapon

14 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With cyber extortion, hackers try to steal corporate secrets that they then threaten to make public if victims don't pay. The Wall Street Journal's Ro...

Google's Self-Driving Guru

13 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

John Krafcik is the head of Google's autonomous vehicle unit, Waymo. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins says a big part of Krafcik's job is to be a...

Does Apple's New iPhone Equal $1 Trillion?

12 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's market value has soared this year in anticipation of the new iPhone expected to be unveiled Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher o...

Facebook's Billion-Dollar Video Push

11 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook is reportedly willing to spend up to one billion dollars through next year on original video content. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seethar...

Amazon's New HQ: Coming Soon to a City Near You?

08 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon has officially started its search for a second headquarters city in North America, with plans to employ up to 50,000 workers and spend up to $5...

Apple (Finally) Opens Up Thanks to Artificial Intelligence

07 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As tech companies seek to woo A.I. talent in a discipline known for its openness, the battle for artificial-intelligence expertise is forcing Apple to...

Verizon Offers New Rewards -- With a Catch

06 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

A new Verizon rewards program, Verizon Up, is providing credits that subscribers can use for concert tickets, movie premieres and phone upgrades -- as...

Apple's iPhone 8 Event: The Final Countdown

05 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With Apple holding its annual product launch next week at its new headquarters, the tech giant formally sets the stage for the unveiling of the iPhone...

Amazon Seeks Man Power to Keep Alexa in Lead

04 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As rivals Google and Apple work to improve their own digital products, Amazon is set to add a team of engineers to build new features for its virtual...

Amazon's Alexa to Join Forces With Microsoft's Cortana

01 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft and Amazon have announced plans to allow their voice-enabled digital assistants -- Cortana and Alexa -- to work together later this year. T...

Google Tells EU How Search Results Will Change

31 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Following orders to treat rival comparison-shopping services equally in its rankings, Alphabet's Google has officially sketched out how it plans to st...

Apple Spars With Hollywood Ahead of Apple TV Rollout

30 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As Apple scrambles to strike deals with Hollywood studios to offer 4K definition films on the new Apple TV, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle tal...

Ask Not for Whom the Doorbell Tolls. They Won't Answer It.

29 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Some smartphone-carrying millennials and Gen Zers are so used to texting upon arrival that the sound of a ringing doorbell freaks them out. The Wall S...

Amazon's Whole Foods Price-Cuts Reignites Retail War

28 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon will begin slashing prices on grocery staples at Whole Foods starting Monday, the first changes the online retailer plans for its $13.7 billion...

Samsung's Recall Shapes Galaxy Note 8

25 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Rather than cautiously go on the defensive, Samsung made a specific approach not to hold back with the new Galaxy Note 8. The Wall Street Journal's Br...

Electronic Arts, NFL Bet on Casual Esports Gamers

24 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Electronic Arts and the National Football League are teaming up to create an annual videogame tournament aimed at a new kind of esports competitor --...

Facial Recognition Tech: Unlocking All Devices With Your Face

23 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As facial-recognition tech moves to mobile devices, the Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims explains how using our faces to unlock devices could so...

HTC, Facebook Slash Prices. Can VR Go Mainstream Now?

22 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With HTC dropping the price of its Vive virtual-reality headset by $200, weeks after Facebook made a similar price cut for its Oculus Rift, Heard on t...

Ford Shifting Gears in Self-Driving Tech?

21 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ford's new CEO says the auto maker is poised to rethink how customers are going to want to use self-driving vehicle technology. The Wall Street Journa...

How Facebook Ended Internal Forum Amid Cultural Struggles

18 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With a new report detailing how Facebook had to shut down an internal discussion group amid accusations of racist and sexist comments last year, the W...

Apple Goes Hollywood With $1 Billion War Chest

17 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With Apple setting a budget of roughly $1 billion to procure and produce original content over the next year, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle t...

Amazon Refunds Glasses Ahead of 'Great American Eclipse'

16 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As demand increases ahead of "Great American Eclipse," Amazon has taken a stand to remove special viewers with unconfirmed safety standards. The Wall ...

How Facebook Gets Inside Peek at Rivals

15 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman explains how Facebook uses a data-security app called Onavo to peek at its competition's user habits, and ...

Facebook's 'Watch' Courts Video Makers

14 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Alexandra Bruell breaks down what to expect from Facebook's new "Watch" video platform, and how the social media giant plans...