friday

While Facebook is a pillar of online social media, it hasn't really proven itself to be a moveable feast when it comes to mobile. In a piece this week that got a lot of you talking, CNET Executive Editor Molly Wood looks into how mobile could eventually be the social-media giant's death knell.

Facebook's mobile apps have been notoriously sketchy in quality. It's at the point where I don't even try to download the latest iPad app update, I just use my browser when I want check in on the site.… Read more

It's no coincidence Geek Pride Day falls on the "Star Wars" anniversary, Towel Day for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" fans, and a special People's Revolution celebration day for Discworld devotees.

Geeks have come a long way since "The Revenge of the Nerds" movies. IT staffing firm Modis' recent geek perception survey found that geeks are cooler than they were last year, with 54 percent of respondents rating geeks to be extremely intelligent (up from 45 percent last year).

The survey also found that 60 percent of geeks would be stressed out if their hard drive got wiped, compared with only 49 percent feeling that way about a relationship break-up. It's all about priorities.… Read more

Coin-ops are few and rare these days, but that doesn't mean that the memories and quarters spent are gone forever...well, maybe the quarters. In either case, this week's Freeware Friday involves dodging speeding tickets, pulling off 99-hit air combos, and dancing like it's a revolution. Sorry folks; accessories/fight sticks/steering wheels/dance pads not included. … Read more

Verizon customers with grandfathered unlimited data plans have been wearing their status with a sense of pride for a long time. New customers stuck with tiered plans look at them with envy and longing.

But that's all about to change.

Reports say Verizon will be killing off the already-endangered unlimited data plan species on its network soon. The company's 4G LTE subscribers will be moved to a new "data share plan" that is expected to go into effect this summer.

According to Fierce Wireless, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said that this move would be "beneficial&… Read more

At what juncture have you reached the Facebook point of no return? Maybe it's when you post the minutia of every meal you ate for seven days straight. Perhaps it's when you start having Farmville dreams.

It turns out Facebook addiction may be a real thing. It's a bit like what you see in "The Godfather." You may try to get out, but it keeps pulling you back in.

Much like "Star Wars," Facebook has a dark side. There are people who neglect family and work in exchange for time spent wrapped up in social networking. Some researchers have even suggested there is such thing as "Facebook depression" among adolescents, but the studies aren't very definitive.… Read more

A little over a week ago, I stood at the desert site of a 1964 UFO landing and mused about what might have happened when a Socorro, N.M., policeman saw a strange-looking object take off from an arroyo.

Since then, I've heard from skeptics and UFO believers alike. There are science folks who say, "Show me the proof." There are UFO enthusiasts who firmly believe the aliens have already landed. I haven't heard from any alien abductees yet, but I know they're out there, too.

UFOs have been a hot topic for decades, with no sign of relinquishing their place near the front of public consciousness. … Read more

Smart watches are not a new concept.

In June 2003, Microsoft announced its grand plan to bring the Internet to wristwatches using its Smart Personal Objects Technology. The company partnered with various watchmakers, including Citizen, Fossil, and Suunto, to create timepieces that allowed you to check messages and calendar appointments, as well as weather, news, stock prices, and sports scores, all from your wrist.

While novel and interesting, the watches never took off, and in April 2008, Microsoft decided to pull the plug on the smart-watch business. But were those watches really a bad idea or simply a case of an idea being ahead of its time?

It may be the latter, as smart watches seem to be making a comeback.… Read more

No spoilers here, folks. You'll have to look elsewhere for those, but it's no secret that the gaming ranks are getting all hot and bothered by the controversial ending to BioWare's Mass Effect 3.

The ire over the space-bound role-playing game has raised the fan discussion to levels previously reserved for television shows like "Lost" and "The Sopranos." It's left many gamers asking if the conclusion lived up to the prerelease promises.

There are even reports that one disappointed gamer felt so let down that he lodged a false advertising complaint with the FTC.… Read more

It's not the iPad 3. It's not the iPad HD. It's the new iPad. Just like the old iPad, only different, and better, and newer.

Apple is ditching the numbers from the name of its top tablet, and we all know Apple doesn't make a move like that without thinking it through thoroughly.

CNET's Roger Cheng argues that the new naming convention is designed to turn iPads into Kleenex. No, you're not going to blow your nose on them, but you just might start using "iPad" as a generic name for tablets.

I'm trying to imagine a world in which I pick up a new Android tablet and show it off to my friends while saying, "Check out my sweet new iPad!" I'm not sure who would be more upset: Android fanboys or Apple fanboys.… Read more