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MSNBC.com: Technology & Science

World's biggest jump targeted for this year

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:25pm MST

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: After a long delay due to legal snags, a skydiver is once again gearing up for a supersonic free-fall that would break a record set 52 years ago.
Strange life found in underwater caves

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 5:35pm MST

Clues to how life evolved, not only on this planet but also possibly on alien worlds, might be found in underwater caves in the Bahamas, researchers say.
Facebook takes a toll on your mental health

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 4:39pm MST

By Stephanie PappasLiveScience Facebook's initial public offering of stock is likely to make a lot of developers and designers of the site very wealthy.
Weird beetle's sperm teams up for its exploits

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 3:56pm MST

The sperm of the male diving beetle is seriously strange: Instead of swimming in the female reproductive tract on their own, individual sperm cells often stick together in pairs, in clusters and even in long chains of hundreds or thousands.
A game that combines cats and Kandinsky

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 3:47pm MST

If you enjoy video games (perhaps a given, if you're reading this), as well abstract art, be sure to give "The Cat That Got The Milk" a look.
1 in 3 phones shipping worldwide is a smartphone

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 3:17pm MST

Sales of computers and TVs may be hurting, but smartphones keep the tech economy chugging along: Worldwide, the smartphone market grew 54.7 percent year over year in the fourth quarter of 2011, and 1 out of every 3 mobile phones shipped worldwide was a smartphone, says IDC Research.
Like us, chimp can get inside another's head

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 3:10pm MST

Chimps know what tools others need to get work done and can help them select the right instruments, suggesting the apes have the ability to understand the minds of others, scientists find.
Calibrate your monitor for the best picture

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 2:21pm MST

Here's how to calibrate color on your computer monitor to get the best picture for your needs, be they amateur or professional.
Netflix launching original video series

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 2:18pm MST

Netflix is launching its first original series to grow its streaming business and shift its focus away from DVD rentals.
Lawmaker seeks tax on 'violent' video games

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 1:41pm MST

A bill proposed by an Oklahoma state legislator would place a 1 percent tax on games that are deemed "violent" by adding an additional 1 percent on top of the existing state sales tax.
Scientists revive the call of a Jurassic katydid

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 1:26pm MST

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: Researchers reproduce a katydid's call from 165 million years ago, based on an analysis of fossilized wings found in China.
First-time smartphone buyers choose Android

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 1:24pm MST

Apple surged past Samsung and LG to have the best-selling phone brand in the United States, capturing 43 percent of the smartphone market in the last quarter of 2011. But among first-time smartphone buyers, 57 percent purchased Android phones compared to 34 percent who bought iPhones.
Alone on Valentine's Day? There's at least 'Gal*Gun'

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 1:23pm MST

Next week is Valentine's Day, which can be a little rough for those without a special someone in their life. But if you happen to be part of that club who does, and also happen have a PS3, here's a suggestion: grab the demo "Gal*Gun" demo.
Russians reportedly hit buried Antarctic lake

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 1:10pm MST

Several Russian news outlets are reporting that Russian scientists have successfully drilled to Antarctica's Lake Vostok, a massive liquid lake cut off from daylight for 14 million years and buried beneath 2 miles (3.7 kilometers) of ice.
How prejudice reveals the caveman in men

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 12:37pm MST

Like their cavemen ancestors who fought outsiders for land and potential mates, the modern guy still holds such prejudices against "outgroups," new research shows.
Watch OK Go let a car drive its latest viral hit

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 12:27pm MST

OK Go's latest calculated viral success is so neato-mosquito, you can easily forget you're being sold something, not just the band but a car.
Deals of the day: 'Pirates,' PlayStation and more

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 12:23pm MST

Here's what's worth considering today: The "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy on Blu-ray for $40, discounted PlayStation gear, deals on monitors and more.
Windows 8 may bid farewell to the 'Start' button?

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 12:18pm MST

The next version of Microsoft’s PC operating system will be a radical change for people who pick it up for the first time, with a primary screen based on tiles similar to the Windows Phone interface — relegating the old-fashioned-yet-familiar Windows desktop to a secondary status.
Love gone wrong? Go digital to get over an ex

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:59am MST

You thought you found your one true love online, but now you've been dumped by text or defriended on Facebook without a peep of explanation. Hours of bad TV in your bathrobe haven't helped. Your friends are tired of your whining.
Russian woes show need for private spacecraft

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:56am MST

The recent delay of the next manned launch to the International Space Station because of a damaged Russian space capsule highlights NASA's critical need for commercially built vehicles, space policy experts say.
Android Market flooded with fake malware-laden apps

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:47am MST

A fresh new batch of fake and dangerous apps has found its way into the official Android Market, and downloading any of them could put your smartphone, and your personal information, in jeopardy.
iPad’s split keyboard has hidden buttons

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:37am MST

You've no doubt seen the split keyboard that iOS 5 brought to the iPad, but it turns out it has a few hidden buttons on the edges. Here's how they work.
Don't think pink when it comes to 'girl tech'

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:34am MST

Some women like pink, but many don't care for that color when it comes to their personal gadgets, says a new study.
Virgin Galactic ramps up for spaceship flights

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:20am MST

This year is key for Virgin Galactic's bid to become the first commercial spaceliner service, as rocket-powered flights of its SpaceShipTwo are on the books for summer.
3-D printed jaw lets 83-year-old breathe, chew and talk

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:17am MST

A customized artificial jawbone built with a 3-D printer has allowed an 83-year-old woman to continue breathing, chewing, and chatting away, a team of European scientists announced.
Surface of Mars may be too dry for alien life

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 10:44am MST

The surface of Mars may have been parched for too long for any life-forms to exist on the planet today, a new study suggests.
Analyst explains why older iPhones won't get Siri

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 10:23am MST

Many individuals have been holding their breath and waiting for the day when Siri becomes officially available on older iPhones. But according to one analyst, that moment may never come — thanks to a technical difference between the iPhone 4S and older generation devices.
Defending virtual borders in age of cyber war

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 10:17am MST

If cyberspace itself is now a weapon of mass destruction, how can we protect ourselves from an electronic Armageddon? That’s one of the many disconcerting questions raised by a major new report just published in Europe.
Wanted: 'Astronauts' with the right stuffing

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 10:09am MST

If you've ever dreamed of becoming an astronaut and have four months to spare, you might have the "right stuff" to fly to Mars … well, sort of.
Pre-caffeine: Super hangovers, Internet crackdowns!

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 9:21am MST

Infinite "viral videos"(aka commercials) crappin’ up your Facebook walls this morning reveal Super Bowl’s true winner: Capitalism! USA! USA! Meanwhile, , Super Bowl XLVI is the most tweeted sporting event ever.
Beware! Siri may snap if you sell your iPhone

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 9:06am MST

Plenty of people will tell you that you need to make sure that you've erased all personal data from an iPhone before selling it. But no one ever asks how the phone itself feels.
Verizon to set up streaming service with Redbox

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 8:01am MST

Phone company Verizon Communications will challenge Netflix and start a video streaming service this year with Redbox and its DVD rental kiosks.
Super Bowl breaks Twitter record (Sorry, Tebow!)

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:37am MST

Poor Tim Tebow. The starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos set a a Twitter record in the beginning of January and it's already defeated — by the Super Bowl. According to Twitter, Super Bowl XLVI is the most tweeted sporting event ever.
Google, Facebook remove content on India's order

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 6:44am MST

Internet giants Google and Facebook removed content from some Indian domain websites on Monday following a court directive warning them of a crackdown "like China" if they did not take steps to protect religious sensibilities.
Valentine's Day tech for your sweetie

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 5:29am MST

You don't need to be a geek to appreciate these Valentine's Day tech gifts. Whether it's a USB-powered blanket to keep your loved one warm, headphones for sharing music as a couple, or a blingy new watch, each one says "I love you" in its own special way.