NY Times Bits

Feed from the New York Times Bits Section

Lessons From the War Over Skype

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The legal skirmish over eBay's sale of Skype has been resolved. What has it taught us?

Adding a 'SixthSense' to Your Cellphone

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A camera-based device developed by an M.I.T. researcher turns walls into computer interfaces and allows users to issue commands through gestures. The technology is aimed at cellphone users.

Does Technology Reduce Social Isolation?

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Americans are more isolated than ever, but don't blame the technology, says a new Pew study. It suggests that the Internet and cellphones actually expand our social networks.

Can Eventbrite Shine in Ticketmaster's World?

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The online ticketing company has raised $6.5 million from Sequoia Capital.

Google Offers Users a Peek at Stored Data

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Google has created a privacy dashboard for users to easily see the information it collects on them.

There Are Now 100,000 Apps for That

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And iPhone and iPod Touch owners have downloaded more than 2 billion applications since the App Store opened in July 2008.

Technology Squeezes Jobs at Outsourcers, Too

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The chief executive of Infosys, a leading Indian outsourcing firm, says that technology is making his employees more efficient -- which ends up costing some of them their jobs.

PayPal Seeks New Ways to Use Its Payment System

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PayPal officially opened its platform to developers on Tuesday and start-ups are quickly coming up with new ways to let people pay online.

EBay Starts a Fashion Magazine

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The Inside Source, a new online magazine from eBay, publishes stories about fashion and decorating trends while pitching products on eBay.

Amazon Video vs. Netflix: Which Will Prevail?

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A research group asked people to evaluate two services: Amazon's Video on Demand and Netflix's Watch Instantly.

Microsoft Simplifies a Cluttered MSN

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Microsoft is overhauling its MSN portal to simplify navigation, add more video and make it easier for users to check their social networks without leaving the page.

AT&T Declares Color War on Verizon

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AT&T says in a lawsuit that its cellphone coverage is misrepresented in a map in a competitor's commercial.

Friendsourcing the Quest for iPhone Apps

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Chorus, a new app discovery tool for the iPhone, makes suggestions based on which apps you and your friends have already downloaded and liked.

Best Buy Prepares for the Post-DVD Era

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Best Buy sells a lot of DVDs, but it is taking another step to get ready for the day when that business shifts online with a deal to stream movies from CinemaNow.

I.B.M. Executive in Insider-Trading Case Departs

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Robert W. Moffat Jr., a senior I.B.M. executive implicated in the federal Galleon Group insider-trading case, has left his company.