Author: Connor Livingston

Connor is a technology blogger and avid social media user. Follow him on Twitter: @cqlivingston

Different shades of grey... or not

19 hours ago by Connor Livingston | add comment

Optical illusions are often fanciful diversions that keep us keen to the fact that our own minds can not only be tricked, but often tricks itself. Some illusions are so mind-blowing that we try with all of our mental capacities to see reality, but we struggle to convince our minds that what we’re more »

iGEM makes science cool for students

Feb 20 by Connor Livingston | add comment

For nearly a decade, the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition has put the sharpest minds in high school and undergraduate institutions around the world into competitive and creative mode to find the next great mad scientist genius inventor. Students work during the summer more »

Microsoft simplifies Windows logo for 8

Feb 17 by Connor Livingston | 1 comment

Over the years as Microsoft Windows has evolved since the late 80s, the logo associated with each major release has changed. Initially, it was a very clean, horizontal look. It became progressively more intricate through Windows 2000 before simplifying with XP, then Vista, and finally Windows more »

A comprehensive comparison of online video players

Feb 15 by Connor Livingston | 1 comment

The online video world is dominated by YouTube with others such as Vimeo and Metacafe picking up the scraps. They are free, convenient, and practical for most website owners to use. Those who need more flexibility or something proprietary turn to self-hosted video players to fill their websites more »

Is online banking as safe as people think?

Feb 11 by Connor Livingston | 5 comments

More US adults bank online than use social networks (for now, at least). It has become such a common activity that despite the risks of identity theft, hacking, and phishing, most of us are still convinced that the transactions are secure. For the most part, they are. For the most part. The banking community more »

Super insulated foam torched in man's hand (right before he eats it)

Feb 7 by Connor Livingston | add comment

It’s one thing to take a handful of foam into one’s hand and apply a 7,000-degree torch to it for 20 seconds. It’s another thing to then take a large spoonful of the foam and eat it. The demonstration by the Aarmourtherm Foundation is both crazy and fantastic. The possibilities of having a bio-degradable insulated foam like more »

Smartphones on pace to near 1 billion by 2015

Feb 4 by Connor Livingston | 1 comment

The mobile-device explosion may be getting fueled in recent months by Kindle Fires and iPads, but smartphones continue to be the foundation of the incredible growth the mobile industry is experiencing. Apps and devices are fulfilling many aspects of our everyday lives in ways that weren’t even more »

Will Apple tap into China for more iPhone sales?

Jan 30 by Connor Livingston | 1 comment

To get an iPhone that works in China, one must subscribe to China Unicom, the 2nd-largest carrier in the largest country in the world. That may not be enough to quench their thirst if recent statements by investment bank Morgan Stanley is to be believed. Late Sunday, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy more »

Predators versus prey in the startup ecosystem

Jan 19 by Connor Livingston | add comment

The “Startup Sea” is broad and loaded with life. There are those who are considered predators, which means someone has to be the prey. It’s a self-sustaining culture as long as there’s enough people (and dollars) looking for “the next big thing” coming into our lives. That part, at least, seems more »

Netflix woes continue, this time from angry investors with a class-action suit

Jan 17 by Connor Livingston | add comment

The terrible summer and fall that Netflix had in 2011 seemed to have turned as poor decisions were reversed, new deals were made, and the fallout over price increases had passed. As 2012 begins, Netflix faces a new threat: its own investors. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, by the City of Royal Oak Retirement more »

Samsung unveils the smartest window you've ever seen at CES

Jan 14 by Connor Livingston | add comment

“Quite frankly, I feel like I’m in Minority Report and that’s really awesome,” said Ashley Esqueda from Mobile Nations. If there was any doubt that technology was reaching a tipping point where things from our imaginations were becoming a reality, the Samsung “Transparent Smart Window” technology may be enough more »

Windows Phone 7 will see 3 LTE releases within 6 months

Dec 30 by Connor Livingston | 4 comments

Just when many (including us) were writing off Windows Phone 7 and waiting for their more-anticipated next generation of phones and software, Microsoft leaked plans to bring 3 or more LTE Windows Phone 7 devices “within the next half year”, all on AT&T. This information refers to US markets only. As VentureBeat put more »

Google+ predicts that it will have 400 million users by end of 2012

Dec 27 by Connor Livingston | 5 comments

They just passed 62 million users by adding 625,000 new users per day. Now, Google+ is predicting that they will have over 400 million users by the end of 2012. Are the numbers reliable? Some say no. Not really. Those who sign up through Android 4 must create or attach their Google+ account whether they intend more »

GoDaddy lost 72,354 domains this week. It's not enough.

Dec 24 by Connor Livingston | 147 comments

Despite a massive Twitter campaign and a blog post that claims “Go Daddy no longer supports SOPA legislation” the company and their CEO have dodged questions about opposing the bill. In essence, they are taking a lesser role by not showing support for the bill. They have not opposed it. This week, they lost around 72,000 domain registrations. more »