WSJ Tech News Briefing
Tech News Briefing is your guide to what people in tech are talking about. Every weekday, we’ll bring you breaking tech news and scoops from the pros at the Wall Street Journal, insight into new innovations and policy debates, tips from our personal tech team, and exclusive interviews with movers and shakers in the industry.
2201
Improving Your Uber and Lyft Experience
Which ride should I take: Uber XL or Lyft Line? What's the best way to suggest a better route or cancel a ride? What about the best ride-sharing options? The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley has tips and explanations for improving the ride-sharing experience.
9 min
2202
Spotify Needs More than Subscriber Growth
Spotify's big subscriber count has helped fuel revenue growth for the music streaming company. But the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher says adding subscribers has been a money-losing business for Spotify - not a hopeful sign as it prepares to go public.
8 min
2203
Amazon Buys Video Doorbell Maker Ring
Amazon.com is expanding deeper into the online home security market. It's paying one billion dollars for Ring, a maker of video doorbells and security cameras. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens says it boosts Amazon's efforts to control devices that power smart homes.
7 min
2204
Big Consumer Brands vs. Alexa
The major consumer brands have spent billions of dollars marketing their products. Now, their efforts are being challenged by voice-search assistants like Amazon's Alexa. The Wall Street Journal's Saabira Chaudhuri explains.
7 min
2205
Have Prices Peaked for Smartphones?
Smartphone makers have always raised prices sharply every time they upgraded their devices. But those days may be ending, and the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains why.
8 min
2206
Like Smartphone Cameras? You'll Love the Galaxy S9
Samsung's Galaxy S9 smartphone will be released next month. Wall Street Journal San Francisco reporter David Pierce has tested the phone and says the S9 camera is really something special.
7 min
2207
The New Snapchat: How to Embrace the Change
Snapchat's new roll-out aims to hook in new users and build something Instagram can't copy. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains how to make the most of the new app.
9 min
2208
How Russia Hijacked Facebook: What History Teac...
The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims offers a historical a lesson in how Facebook and other networks through history became hierarchies, as individuals got more influence.
7 min
2209
Trump's Deregulation Push Shoots for Outer Space
With Vice President Mike Pence expected to announce new moves promoting private ventures in outer space, the Wall Street Journal's Andy Pasztor talks what deregulation could mean for the commercial space industry.
7 min
2210
Cord Cutting? Your Guide to Streaming Live TV
With video services like YouTube TV, Hulu and Sling TV promising to stream all the live TV you could want, more cheaply and easily than cable, the Wall Street Journal's David Pierce talks how to get the most for your needs.
6 min
2211
Can 'Fortnite' Turn Buzz Into Profit?
Now that Epic Games has lured in millions of players with a free version of its $40 videogame "Fortnite," the Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman talks whether it can turn buzz into profit.
7 min
2212
Google's Ad Blocker Takes on Spammy Ads
Amid Google's Chrome browser launching a new ad blocker to challenge spammy advertisements, the Wall Street Journal's Benjamin Mullin talks the impact on publishers and why critics say the plan is self-serving.
5 min
2213
Should Google Shine a Light on its Cloud?
With Alphabet's Google Cloud Platform now generating about $1 billion in revenue per quarter, the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains why reporting cloud revenue could help offset concerns about costs of the core business.
6 min
2214
Amazon's Latest Ambition? Major Hospital Supplier
Amazon is pushing hard to gain footing in medical supplies, with a goal to create a new marketplace where hospitals could shop to stock emergency rooms and outpatient facilities. The Wall Street Journal's Melanie Evans has the latest.
7 min
2215
Could Amazon Take on UPS and FedEx?
While Amazon may have ambitions to compete against FedEx and the UPS with its own shipping business, the Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens talks why the online retail giant is a long way from reaching the scale of America's freight titans.
5 min
2216
Digital Dating: eHarmony CEO Talks Relationships
eHarmony CEO Grant Langston visited the Wall Street Journal to discuss the results of a recent poll by the online dating service that indicates what makes people happy and frustrated in relationships.
9 min
2217
Amazon to Deliver Free Whole Foods in Four Cities
Amazon has just announced it will start delivering Whole Foods groceries via its fastest delivery option in four markets. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has more on the first major integration between Amazon's e-commerce and Whole Foods operations.
4 min
2218
AI Office Training: Black Sabbath or Bruno Mars?
To get employees thinking about new business ideas opened up by AI, T. Rowe Price rolled out a unique challenge -- creating a smart app that can tell the difference between pop and heavy metal songs. Wall Street Journal reporter Angus Loten has more.
6 min
2219
Apple Could Offer iPhone Battery Rebate Amid Bl...
Apple, responding to U.S. Senate questions about its decision to slow performance on older iPhones, said it is considering rebates for battery replacements for some users affected by the issue. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle breaks down the latest.
4 min
2220
Cellphones and Cancer: What Largest Study Ever ...
Researchers have spent nearly two decades to carry out the definitive study on the health effects of cellphone radiation. The Wall Street Journal's Ryan Knutson explains why the results are likely to fuel rather than dispel the debate.
8 min
2221
Amazon: Sky's the Limit?
Investors in Amazon.com should be prepared for even-more ambitious ventures from the CEO Jeff Bezos after the company posts record earnings. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher has more.
6 min
2222
Is Instagram Turning Into Facebook?
At a time when its parent social network draws much criticism, Instagram has recently started using many of the same digital tricks Facebook pioneered to keep you scrolling longer. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley has more.
8 min
2223
Apple Faces Heat in Two Federal Probes Over iPh...
The Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating potential securities violations related to the Apple software update that slowed older iPhones. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has more.
5 min
2224
Pentagon Eyes Fitness Trackers Amid New Securit...
The Pentagon is reviewing its policies that allow activity-measuring devices and fitness apps after a map produced by fitness tracker Strava revealed where American troops are deployed overseas. The Wall Street Journal's Gordon Lubold has the details.
5 min
2225
The 4K TV Revolution: A Geek's Guide
With 4K TVs becoming increasingly affordable, should you finally cave in and buy one? Joshua Fruhlinger has the Wall Street Journal's guide to the next TV revolution.
8 min