How fast does “virtual reality” have to be to look like “actual reality”?
Low latency is important to an effective VR display but might not be everything.
Top Story: Examining Sony's Internet-free method for blocking used game sales
In-Depth Reports
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Bacterial “immune system” used to engineer human DNA in human cells
System lets researchers target changes to specific sites in the genome.
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Charles Carreon: Internet is so mean I can't “keep my cool” in court
After tangling with The Oatmeal, a lawyer complains about Internet pile-ons.
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France’s second-largest ISP deploys ad blocking via firmware update
Block is enabled by default—French tech news sites are très unhappy.
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Open-sourced, big data knowhow meets auto racing
Race Capture Pro delivers race data faster—all in an open-source setup.
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FTC won’t bring charges against Google on search, patents (Updated)
Google can't seek injunctions on patents, or scrape rivals' data.
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Kim Dotcom: US “planted” evidence to obtain illegal search warrants
Megaupload says it kept infringing files—only because US ordered it to do so.
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Star formation drives huge bubbles in the Milky way
Bubbles' electrons move at 1,000km a second, cover 1/4 of Milky Way's diameter.
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Examining Sony's Internet-free method for blocking used game sales
New patent filing describes using RFID chips to tie games to a single user.
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Ask Ars: Why will Apple's Do Not Disturb bug fix itself next week?
Bug pops up as Apple advertises DND feature in new ads.
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Finding the neuron that makes your sweater itch
New evidence suggests that pain and itching are distinct sensations.
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Half of Andromeda's satellite galaxies orbit in a mysterious disk
Disk defies easy explanation, but may be aligned with Milky Way.
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Internet Explorer ends the year on a high, Windows 8 slow to get noticed
Firefox held on to the number two spot after a strong challenge from Chrome.
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Why Mark Shuttleworth thinks Ubuntu on phones will outclass Android
It will be the best phone for newbies and the most powerful phone for geeks.
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Scientists raise new questions on molecular key to memory
Effects of drug on memory are real, but we don't know the mechanism.
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Judge can't order Yelp user to edit negative review
After firing contractor, VA woman left scathing review—he sued for defamation.
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Porn troll facing ID theft charges wants judge off case
Prenda Law says the judge is biased against copyright trolls.
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Quantum measurements on one island determine behavior on another
A quantum eraser works instantly over 144km.
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Canonical unveils Ubuntu phone OS that doubles as a “full PC”
Seeking OEMs: Who will build Ubuntu phones?
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Five tech-related companies that may not see 2014
We pick 5 companies that are at risk and ask for your personal predictions.
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Antarctic IRC: how NASA's flying lab stays connected
Dialing up San Jose over satellite connections from 500m over the Antarctic.
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Ars readers pick the 12 most incredible webcomics
We listed our favorites, then you gave us 120+ of yours.
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Looking back: the five most important Apple stories of 2012
On the list: Java, Apple Maps, iPad mini, Scott Forstall, and Macs in the USA.
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Single-molecule motor sits on a single-atom ball bearing
Can be run forward or in reverse, depending on where electrons are injected.
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Must-have apps for your new Android tablet
A beginner's guide to outfitting a new Android tablet.
Feature Story
Patent trolls want $1,000—for using scanners
An alphabet soup of patent trolls is threatening end users with lawsuits.
Latest Story
On The Radar
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Slightly faster than molasses
Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean get a big bump from the holidays
Gingerbread finally accounts for less than 50 percent of Android devices.
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why so expensive?
Sprint is set to unleash pay-as-you-go service at $70 per month
Service and handsets are pricier than other services that use Sprint's network.
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True Crime
Leader of BitTorrent piracy ring sentenced to five years in prison
The group, called IMAGiNE, used FM, IR kit to make their pirated recordings.
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ThinkZipJazzDrivePad
Storage giant EMC unites with PC OEM Lenovo on new joint venture
Ashes of Iomega transformed into SMB-focused "LenovoEMC Ltd."
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out with the old
Nokia plots an aluminum Windows Phone handset for 2013
Polycarbonate shells feel nice, but the chunkiness is holding Nokia back.
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No one chip should use all that power
Intel to talk up 10-watt, tablet-ready Ivy Bridge CPUs at CES
Low-power CPUs will bridge the gap between current and future Intel chips.
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Faux pas
Arizona set to make online impersonation a felony
Fake John McCain may be worried parody accounts won't be protected.
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Only skin deep
Meet Samsung's new Chromebox, same as the old Chromebox (Updated)
The diminutive desktop PC is different on the outside, identical on the inside.
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Experiencing technical difficulties
Driver software to be tweaked to reduce Radeon frame latencies in series of updates
Portion of AMD's driver code needs love to perform optimally.
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Too much, too late
Apple v. Samsung judge scolds parties on page limits, sealed docs
Samsung will have to reveal raw sales figures but can appeal other data.
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Buying better maps
Apple may buy social navigation app Waze to bolster Maps (Updated)
Rumors suggest talks are early, but Apple might pay as much as $500 million.
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App Store v. Appstore: Amazon strikes back
No app for that: Apple's false ad suit over Amazon Appstore thrown out
Apple pushes ahead with quixotic quest to ban Amazon's use of "Appstore."
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Setting the precedent
App downloads smash records—1.76 billion in one week—during the holidays
The action bests last year's record week by more than half a billion downloads.
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Disturb until next week
Apple says Do Not Disturb scheduling is broken until January 8
The feature stopped working on New Year's Day.
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The new kid in town
Kickstarter project puts an Android game console in a two-inch stick
The $79 GameStick draws power and sends data through a TV's HDMI port.
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Coming soon?
References to next iPhone, iOS 7 popping up in server logs
Cupertino is already testing apps on what appears to be next-gen hardware.
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Zoom zoom
Avis offers $500 million to acquire Zipcar
Only half of what Facebook paid for Instragram.
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Felix Novus Annus, nunc emendi
The Dealmaster: New Year’s Eve edition
Save your memories with a Sony Alpha Nex-F3K camera kit!
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holey old browsers
Microsoft says IE 6, 7, and 8 vulnerable to remote code execution
Attack on users who visited the Council of Foreign Relations website discovered.
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Grounded
ITC judge recommends ban on Samsung devices infringing on Apple patents
Following an October preliminary finding, judge also approves design tweaks for Samsung.
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Week in Review
A charity contest and 9 other things you should have on your radar
This week Ars built and deconstructed things, with some good will in between.
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Through the grapevine
Quad-core Sony smartphone with 1080p display rumored for CES
To compete with the Nexus 4 and Droid DNA, Sony needs to move quickly.
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What Fourth Amendment?
Warrantless wiretaps? Congress votes yes
Secret surveillance courts will live on in 2013, and beyond.
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Macs that might have been
How Apple’s holistic approach to design began back in 1982
Frog Design founder discusses the creative process that came to define Apple.
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RIP PS2
Sony's PlayStation 2 finally goes gentle into that good night
The 13-year-old game console will no longer be shipping in Japan.
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Præparate novus enim anno per redimereet
Dealmaster: Penultimate 2012 Edition
Powerline networking and disk drives and laptops oh my!
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Stick 'em up!
McAfee Labs predicts the decline of Anonymous
Security firm also says mobile malware will be the new urban alley mugging.
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cash money
The Netflix lobby in Washington spent $1 million in two years
Making social media integration for Netflix legal is a costly endeavor.
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Ripple effect
Apple’s leadership spurs industry-wide changes for Chinese labor
Other OEMs in China are taking note of improvements at Foxconn facilities.
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Cleaning out
EPA head Lisa Jackson to step down
Led push to enforce the Clean Air Act by dropping carbon emissions.
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Mega Man
New Zealand's largest paper calls Kim Dotcom “good for this country”
Dotcom comes with drama, but he helped expose political scandal in the country.
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Kindle What
How to side-load Google's own apps onto your Kindle Fire HD
A post-Christmas tip for installing apps like YouTube, Gmail, and Currents.
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Ars Technica's 2012 Games of the Year
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