Computerworld Yahoo News

Yahoo discloses user data requests from U.S. law enforcement agencies

(John Ribeiro) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:52:00 GMT

Yahoo has received between 12,000 to 13,000 requests for user data from law enforcement agencies in the U.S. between Dec. 1 and May 31 this year, the company said Monday.

Does encryption really shield you from government's prying eyes?

(Zach Miners) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:19:00 GMT

If you're thinking about encrypting email in light of revelations about U.S. government spying, you may be wasting your time.

Spy-proof enterprise encryption is possible, but daunting

(Lucian Constantin) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:18:00 GMT

Data encryption could help enterprises protect their sensitive information against mass surveillance by governments, as well as guard against unauthorized access by ill-intended third parties, but the correct implementation and use of data encryption technologies is not an easy task, according to security experts.

Yahoo moves to bolster Flickr on phones, acquires photo app developer

(Jay Alabaster) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:02:00 GMT

Yahoo moved to strengthen the mobile portion of its revamped Flickr photo sharing service, acquiring the developer behind a popular photo editing app.

Yahoo to issue inactive mail accounts to other users

(John Ribeiro) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:28:00 GMT

Yahoo is resetting email accounts that have not been used for at least 12 months and issuing them to other users.

Prism leaker steps forward, cites 'massive surveillance machine'

(Elizabeth Heichler) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:49:00 GMT

The person responsible for disclosing details on the growth of U.S. government surveillance programs has identified himself as 29-year-old Edward Snowden, a technology contractor working at the National Security Agency.

With WebRTC, Real-Time Communications Come to the Browser

(Chris Minnick, Ed Tittel) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:49:00 GMT

The WebRTC standard aims to make peer-to-peer communication over the Web as easy as picking up a phone. Here's what developers need to know about WebRTC, including how to set it up and what limitations the protocol currently faces.

Ads hit Tumblr desktop feeds as Yahoo takeover looms

(Zach Miners) — Thu, 30 May 2013 22:01:00 GMT

Tumblr is now putting ads in users' feeds on the desktop, in what could be the first move toward making sure the social blogging site is a profitable business for Yahoo.

Yahoo goes after younger, mobile users with reported Hulu bid

sgaudin@computerworld.com (Sharon Gaudin) — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:45:00 GMT

With Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer taking steps to transform the company back into a top-tier player, reports are out that Yahoo is in talks to buy Hulu for as much as $800 million.

Yahoo acquires gaming infrastructure startup PlayerScale

(John Ribeiro) — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:54:00 GMT

Yahoo has acquired PlayerScale, a startup developer of infrastructure software for cross-platform gaming, adding to its string of recent acquisitions.

Yahoo returns to list of most valuable brands

(Zach Miners) — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:29:00 GMT

Yahoo again ranks as one of the world's 100 most valuable brands.

Yahoo revamps Flickr and offers a terabyte of free storage

(Zach Miners) — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:54:00 GMT

Yahoo has made some radical changes to its Flickr photo sharing service, which now has a more photo-filled interface and comes with a free terabyte of storage so that users can upload images at their original resolution.

The good, the bad and the ugly of Tumblr under Yahoo

(Zach Miners) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:56:00 GMT

Yahoo has promised "not to screw up" Tumblr now that it has acquired the freewheeling blogging site. But there are still several ways Tumblr could get better, and worse, as a Yahoo-owned company.

How to Import Your Tumblr Blog into WordPress

(Kristin Burnham) — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:14:00 GMT

While Yahoo's acquisition of blogging site Tumblr will make a handful of people very happy, others are not convinced. Here's how to import your posts from Tumblr to WordPress.

Yahoo on Tumblr: We won't 'screw it up'

(Chris Kanaracus) — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:40:00 GMT

Yahoo has confirmed widespread reports that it will acquire the popular blogging service Tumblr, and also promised not to "screw it up." The deal is worth about US$1.1 billion, nearly all in cash.

Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are secret backers behind European Privacy Association

(Jennifer Baker) — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:04:00 GMT

Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have been confirmed as the secret backers behind the European Privacy Association (EPA) which was accused of a lack of transparency by an independent watchdog on Thursday.

Yahoo to acquire Tumblr for about $1.1 billion

(Marc Ferranti) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:24:00 GMT

Yahoo will acquire blogging site Tumblr for approximately $1.1 billion, the companies confirmed Monday.

Yahoo Japan says 22 million user IDs may have been stolen

(Jay Alabaster) — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:07:00 GMT

Yahoo Japan, the country's largest Web portal, said up to 22 million user IDs may have been leaked during a hack that was discovered last week.

Report: Yahoo board approves deal to buy Tumblr for $1.1B

(Juan Carlos Perez, Zach Miners) — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:26:00 GMT

Yahoo's board of directors has approved spending $1.1 billion in cash to buy popular blogging site Tumblr, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Yahoo calls press conference amid Tumblr acquisition rumors

(James Niccolai) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:06:00 GMT

Yahoo has called a mystery press event in New York City on Monday afternoon, hot on the heels of rumors that it plans to buy Tumblr for US$1 billion.

Yahoo wins appeal of $2.7 billion suit in Mexican court

(Stephen Lawson) — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:12:00 GMT

An appeals court in Mexico has overturned an approximately US$2.7 billion judgment against Yahoo and Yahoo Mexico in a breach-of-contract suit concerning online directories.

If you can't find a seat at Starbucks, blame IT

pthibodeau@computerworld.com (Patrick Thibodeau) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:23:00 GMT

Unless you're a Yahoo employee, theres a very good chance you are working from home or at a coffee shop at least part of the week, according to Forrester Research.

NetChoice says California privacy bills are bad for Internet

(Grant Gross) — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:55:00 GMT

E-commerce trade group NetChoice takes aim at state legislation -- and at open access and privacy advocates -- in the newest list of bills it deems would be awful for the Internet.

What Open Source Hadoop Coming to Windows Means to IT

(Paul Rubens) — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:21:00 GMT

Hadoop is nearly synonymous with the analysis of big data. The Hortonworks Data Platform on Windows is significant as it means that companies lacking Linux expertise will finally be able to benefit from the big data analysis platform, which has been out of the reach of Windows shops.

Yahoo acquires Loki Studios as part of acquisition spree

(John Ribeiro) — Mon, 13 May 2013 05:25:00 GMT

Yahoo has acquired a mobile gaming company, Loki Studios, taking its total acquisitions this month to four.

Microsoft extends revenue per search agreement with Yahoo

(John Ribeiro) — Wed, 08 May 2013 07:19:00 GMT

Microsoft has extended a search revenue guarantee agreement with Yahoo for one more year, amid reports that the Internet company is trying to break its 10-year agreement with Microsoft.

Yahoo recruiting iOS developers to 'radically improve' Flickr

(Zach Miners) — Mon, 06 May 2013 23:46:00 GMT

Yahoo's Flickr mobile app may be getting a completely new look in the months to come, as the company seeks to hire multiple iOS engineers to "radically improve" the photo-sharing site's app and attract new users, the company said in a recent job notice.

Yahoo acquires to-do list app Astrid

(John Ribeiro) — Thu, 02 May 2013 03:22:00 GMT

Yahoo has acquired Astrid, a to-do list and personal assistant mobile app, and the developers behind it for an undisclosed sum.

Report: Yahoo drops Dailymotion deal in face of French opposition

(John Ribeiro) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:51:00 GMT

Yahoo has scrapped plans to invest in French online video site Dailymotion, after the French government opposed the Internet giant acquiring a majority stake in the company, according to reports.

Yahoo's chairman steps down after a year

(Martyn Williams) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:53:00 GMT

The chairman of Yahoo's board of directors has stepped down from that position and will leave the board entirely later this year, Yahoo said Thursday.

Yahoo CEO reaffirms decision to prohibit telecommuting

(John P. Mello Jr.) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:49:00 GMT

When Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced she was sacking the company's telecommuting program, her office deferred questions about the decision to a corporate spokesperson with a typical nonresponsive response about the matter: the company does not discuss internal matters.

Yahoo slims down, again, trashing Deals, SMS Alerts

(Zach Miners) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:22:00 GMT

Yahoo is giving itself a bit of a makeover. Earlier this week it launched two new mobile apps for email and weather; now it's ditching numerous longstanding products, including Deals and SMS Alerts, in an attempt to sharpen its focus, the company announced Friday.

Wall Street Beat: Tech bellwethers report mixed quarter

(Marc Ferranti) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:35:00 GMT

Some of the biggest names in IT including IBM, Microsoft, Google and Intel reported quarterly earnings this week, revealing a picture of the tech sector that, while not as gloomy as had been feared, is nevertheless mixed.

Yahoo launches new weather, email apps in its 'second sprint' of rebuilding

(Zach Miners) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:08:00 GMT

Yahoo has released two new mobile apps, for weather and email, suggesting the company may be on track toward delivering on its promise of offering users a range of new mobile products over the next several months.

Mobile a top priority for Yahoo in 2013, Mayer says

(Zach Miners) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:55:00 GMT

Yahoo wants to accelerate its development of mobile products geared toward delivery of personalized content, CEO Marissa Mayer said Tuesday, as the company works to stay relevant in a world where smartphones and tablets are becoming dominant.

Yahoo profit jumps by 36% amid a decline in revenue

(Zach Miners) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:59:00 GMT

Yahoo's profits rose more than 30% in the first quarter, due to a variety of factors including lowered operating costs, though sales at the company declined.

Seven Ways to Get Your CEO Fired

(Rob Enderle) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:20:00 GMT

It's hard to train good CEOs. It's much easier to set them up for failure. Follow these seven steps and your chief executive officer is bound to be out of a job sooner or later.

Facebook's Zuckerberg forms advocacy group

sgaudin@computerworld.com (Sharon Gaudin) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:16:00 GMT

The group will focus on immigration reform that includes both border security and a path to citizenship, along with higher school standards and support for teachers.

Objective-C's dip in popularity tied to decline in iPad and iPhone

(Paul Krill) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:09:00 GMT

The language used for Apple iOS app development drops a notch in Tiobe index

Facebook, Pandora and Twitter seize mobile ad display market

(Jeremy Kirk) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:09:00 GMT

An IDC study has found sweeping changes in how mobile display advertisements are sold, with Facebook, Pandora and Twitter successfully wresting away control from advertising networks over the last year.

Japanese web portals hacked, up to 100,000 accounts compromised

(Jay Alabaster) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:39:00 GMT

Two of Japan's major Internet portals were hacked earlier this week, with one warning that as many as 100,000 user accounts were compromised, including financial details.

Yahoo buys teenager's mobile app company

sgaudin@computerworld.com (Sharon Gaudin) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:20:00 GMT

Yahoo announced that it is buying Summly, a company that developed an app that condenses information and makes it easily and quickly readable on mobile devices.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols: You want me in the office? How 20th century of you.

sjvn@vna1.com (Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Not every job is suitable for telecommuting. But for those that are, there are multiple benefits.

Blue Jeans Network looks to expand access to affordable videoconferencing

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:03:00 GMT

Blue Jeans Network is rolling out an iOS app, partnering with with Tely Labs on an affordable video collaboration appliance and launching dual streams in a bid to expand access to videoconferencing.

Email addiction: Why the enterprise can't break free

(Howard Baldwin) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:00:00 GMT

The kids may have moved on, but business users love (and hate) their email. Here's why we can't dig out.

Scroogled dents Google's reputation, claims Microsoft

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:54:00 GMT

Microsoft's anti-Google "Scroogled" campaign is a battle for hearts and minds as much as for search and email market share, and Microsoft claims the effort is making a difference.

Yahoo's Telecommuting Problem Is Management, Not Collaboration

(Kristin Burnham) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:08:00 GMT

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's controversial decision to ban employees from working from home led some to question the value of social business tools. Two executives from social business providers say Yahoo's problem isn't about collaborating. It just needs to manage better.

Yahoo wants bigger slice of tech pie, less emphasis on media products

(Christina DesMarais) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 17:21:00 GMT

Yahoo is beefing up technology offerings and streamlining its media products in another sign it wants to improve its game against industry titans like Google, Apple and Facebook.

Webmail war: Gmail vs. Outlook.com vs. Yahoo Mail

thegline@optimum.net (Serdar Yegulalp) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The three most popular free Web-based email services have all seen big changes recently, from revamped interfaces to advanced features. Does Google, Microsoft or Yahoo now deserve your webmail business?

Yahoo tries to clear air after telecommuting uproar

sgaudin@computerworld.com (Sharon Gaudin) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:44:00 GMT

After creating a ruckus for calling all of its telecommuters back into the office, Yahoo is trying to quell some of the furor.