Technology, features and articles | Educational Science

May 31, 2010

Why Do Computers Crash?

It turns out that humans are to blame for computer crashes. These involuntary shutdowns typically result from glitches in software code written by human programmers. This code can contain many, many bugs, and these bugs can manifest themselves every now and then to cause program crashes, said Junfeng Yang, professor...

Apr 30, 2010

Was the Stock Market Drop A Human Error or a Computer Error?

The Dow Jones had a wild ride on Thursday, dropping almost 1,000 points before starting to rally back. Although human error caused the drop, it exposed problems in a computer program that was used to make a trade, and in the entire computer trading system at large. The drop began...

Mar 31, 2010

Crowds Wait to be First in Country to Buy iPad

NEW YORK CITY – Hundreds of people descended on New York’s flagship Apple store here on Fifth Avenue early Saturday morning, eager to get their hands on the brand new iPad tablet computer. Excited shoppers waited in line in the crisp morning temperature for the store to open at 9...

Mar 31, 2010

13 Glaring iPad Shortcomings

The iPad shows great promise. It's thin and sleek and not like any other gadget out there. It was also more hyped than any new device in recent memory. But is it worth buying? Given the cost, and a slew of drawbacks, the answer boils down to how much you're...

Mar 31, 2010

TSA: iPad, Netbooks Can Remain in Carry-On

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has confirmed a screening policy in the wake of the iPad release that will make airport security screening easier for many people. The TSA will allow passengers to leave netbooks, e-book readers such as Amazon's Kindle, and other small gadgets in their carry-on bags when...

Mar 31, 2010

How Does The Government Design New Currency?

This morning the Treasury Department unveiled its new $100 bill, which incorporates the latest in anti-counterfeiting technology. The bill also sports some of the most detailed art ever to appear on U.S. currency. Altogether, the note represents 14 years of work by the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, and the...

Mar 31, 2010

Why Does It Say 'In God We Trust' on Our Money?

The words In God We Trust, a controversial phrase that some argue should be kept off of our currency, has appeared on all forms of U.S. money since 1963, although the history behind the motto dates back much further. In 1861, Rev. M. R. Watkinson, a Pennsylvania minister, wrote to...

Mar 31, 2010

What to Do After You've Lost Your Cell Phone

Losing a cell phone can be devastating, especially if you haven't taken steps to prepare for the loss like backing up the data in your phone. But the after effects can be even worse. Much like losing a credit card, losing a phone can result in unauthorized charges and even...

Mar 31, 2010

McAfee Offers to Pay for PC Repairs After Bad Update

Antivirus software maker McAfee says it will reimburse reasonable expenses associated with a bad update last Wednesday that crashed computers worldwide. The reimbursement will be offered to impacted home or home office customers who have incurred costs to repair PCs as a result of the security update issue, McAfee said...

Mar 31, 2010

Another Tablet Falls: HP Slate Canceled

The Apple iPad has had very little competition in the tablet computer market so far, and it may stay that way for quite some time if rival tablet makers can't bring a device to market. The latest tablet candidate to fall was one of the most promising: The HP Slate....

Feb 28, 2010

How to Shop for a New 3-D HDTV

If you've watched 3-D movies such as Avatar or the new Alice in Wonderland in theaters and are hankering to recreate that immersive experience at home, you may want to take a closer look at the new 3-D TVs that are beginning to hit store shelves. Just this week, Samsung's...

Feb 28, 2010

National Broadband Plan Crucial For 'Smart' Power Grids

A federal plan to wire the entire United States with high-speed Internet access will be key to creating a nationwide smart power grid for reducing wasted electricity, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski recently provided a preview of the National Purposes Update, a document that...

Feb 28, 2010

U.S. Sitting on Mother Lode of Rare Tech-Crucial Minerals

China supplies most of the rare earth minerals found in technologies such as hybrid cars, wind turbines, computer hard drives and cell phones, but the U.S. has its own largely untapped reserves that could safeguard future tech innovation. Those reserves include deposits of both light and heavy rare earths —...

Feb 28, 2010

As Video Games Become Ubiquitous, So Do Hand Health Problems

In gaming, a few seconds of uninterrupted rest or the simultaneous application of the entire contents of a first aid kit can heal most injuries. However, the ever-increasing numbers of gamers, their crossing of both age and gender boundaries, and the hours they put into their namesake activity can lead...

Feb 28, 2010

5 Ways We’ll Interface With Future Computers

Since the dawn of personal computing, the mouse has served as the link between human and machine. As computers have become ever more powerful and portable, this basic interface of point-and-click has remained tried, true and little changed. But now, new ideas and products are offering revolutionary ways for people...