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Laura Sydell
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Laura Sydell

Saturday

No Excuses: Robots Put You In Two Places At Once

The two "eyes" on the Anybot are actually a camera and a laser. The camera "sees," the laser points, and the person on the screen controls it all. Anybots.com hide caption

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Anybots.com

It Was A Good Year For...

No Excuses: Robots Put You In Two Places At Once

It's getting cheaper to be there even when you're far away. Companies that make "telepresence robots" hope to save busy people the hassle of travel.

No Excuses: Robots Put You In Two Places At Once

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Tuesday

Business

Smartphone Maker Waits For Patent Decision

The world's No. 4 smartphone maker HTC may have to pull most of its phones from the U.S. market. That's because of Apple's ongoing patent battle with the makers of smartphones that use Google's Android operating system. The International Trade Commission is set to rule on the case Wednesday.

Smartphone Maker Waits For Patent Decision

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Friday

Online Video Sites Go Pro And Get Original

Cast members of the canceled sitcom Arrested Development reunite at a New Yorker panel in October. Netflix will exclusively stream a new season of the cult hit — and that could bring the service a lot of new subscribers, one analyst says. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The New Yorker hide caption

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Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The New Yorker

Business

Online Video Sites Go Pro And Get Original

Move over, cute kittens and goofy kiddos: YouTube is pouring money into slick, professional channels, including one that works with Madonna. Streaming services are developing their own original programing — including a resurrected, Netflix-only season of Arrested Development. It's like the early days of cable TV, when HBO started out airing movies and ended up with The Sopranos.

Online Video Sites Go Pro And Get Original

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Wednesday

How Twitter's Trending Algorithm Picks Its Topics

Occupy Wall Street protesters meditate while a sign bearing their Twitter hashtag hangs from a railing in Zuccotti Park in October. Some activists accused Twitter of censorship because #OccupyWallStreet wasn't appearing on trending lists. Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters/Landov hide caption

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Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters/Landov

Technology

How Twitter's Trending Algorithm Picks Its Topics

Sometimes a topic that seems hot, like Occupy Wall Street, doesn't appear on trending lists, leading some activists to accuse Twitter of censorship. But the secret algorithmic formula prefers stories of the moment to enduring hashtags, so it ignores topics that are popular over a long period of time.

How Twitter's Trending Algorithm Picks Its Topics

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Thursday

Business

Google Music Competes Against iTunes, Amazon

Google's music store will allow Android smart phone users to buy songs directly from Google, which is something they can't do from iTunes. They'll also be able to share their purchases with friends on the Google Plus social network. But the company, known mainly for its search engine, has a long way to go before it can challenge the big kid on the block.

Google Music Competes Against iTunes, Amazon

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Wednesday

Technology

Teen Study: Social Media Is Positive Experience

A study by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project reveals what teens think about the online experience. While bullying on social media sites like Facebook gets a lot of news coverage, most teens think social networks are a friendly place for them.

Teen Study: Social Media Is Positive Experience

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Tuesday

Rocksmith: Guitar Hero Gets Real(er)

Paul Cross, creative director of Rocksmith, plays the game at a demonstration event in San Francisco, Calif.

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Kimihiro Hoshino/AFP/Getty Images

The Record

Rocksmith: Guitar Hero Gets Real(er)

A new video game makes use of that guitar that's been hibernating in your attic.

Rocksmith: Guitar Hero Gets Real(er)

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Thursday

Obituaries

Dennis Ritchie, A Hero Of The Computer World, Dies

An unsung hero of the computer world has died. Dennis Ritchie created the C language — which is the foundation for most computers, including the iPad and iPhone.

Dennis Ritchie, A Hero Of The Computer World, Dies

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Tuesday

Business

Netflix Abandons Plans To Divide Into 2 Divisions

Three weeks ago, Netflix announced it would split off its online streaming service from its DVD rental business. But after a lot of customer complaints, the company has done a complete turnaround.

Netflix Abandons Plans To Divide Into 2 Divisions

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Monday

Bjork's 'Biophilia': Interactive Music, Pushing Boundaries

Bjork's new album, Biophilia, is also an interactive multimedia project.

Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin hide caption

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Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin

Music Interviews

Bjork's 'Biophilia': Interactive Music, Pushing Boundaries

Bjork is known for experimenting with new sounds, but her latest album extends even further into the world of multimedia. Biophilia includes interactive apps for each song, as well as an educational component.

Bjork's 'Biophilia': Interactive Music, Pushing Boundaries

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Thursday

Jobs' Greatest Legacy May Be Design Impact

Steve Jobs introduces new MacBook Air models at Apple headquarters on Oct. 20, 2010. Some say one of his greatest legacies is his impact on design.

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Remembering Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Jobs' Greatest Legacy May Be Design Impact

Steve Jobs, who died Wednesday, did not invent the computer, or the mouse, or the smartphone, or MP3 players. But it was his vision that made them accessible, user-friendly and enormously popular.

Jobs' Greatest Legacy May Be Design Impact

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Obituaries

Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs Dies At 56

Long before the MacBook and the iPad, Steve Jobs dreamed that computers could be used to help unleash human creativity. He spent much of his life bringing that dream to fruition.

Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs Dies At 56

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Wednesday

Steve Jobs, Poet Of Computer World, Dies

Steve Jobs holds up an iPhone at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco in June 2010.

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Paul Sakuma/AP

Remembering Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Steve Jobs, Poet Of Computer World, Dies

Long before the MacBook and the iPad, the Apple co-founder and former CEO dreamed that computers could be used to help unleash human creativity. He spent much of his life bringing that dream to fruition.

Steve Jobs, Poet Of Computer World, Dies

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Monday

Microsoft, Google Tussle Over Android Phone Patents

The Galaxy S II is a Samsung smartphone that runs on Android. Analysts say Microsoft could be getting as much as $15 for each phone Samsung sells.

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Jin Sung-chul/AP

Technology

Microsoft, Google Tussle Over Android Phone Patents

Google claims that Microsoft is unfairly raising the price of smartphones. Both Samsung and HTC make phones with Google's Android operating system. They have both agreed to pay Microsoft — not Google — for the privilege. That's because Microsoft claims Android steps on its patents.

Microsoft, Google Tussle Over Android Phone Patents

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Thursday

Technology

Can Amazon's Fire Tap Into iPad's Success?

Amazon has unveiled its new Fire, a tablet device that does much more than the company's successful Kindle e-readers. Will Amazon's entry into the tablet market challenge Apple's iPad dominance?

Can Amazon's Fire Tap Into iPad's Success?

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