Tom Brant
News reporter
Tom is PCMag's San Francisco-based news reporter.
Google
Could an Update Mean a Google Glass Resurgence?
The wearable tech got its first software update in nearly three years, but it only adds Bluetooth support and some unnamed bug fixes.
Tesla
Report: Tesla Planning its Own Music Streaming Service
Not content to just offer drivers Spotify access, Tesla is reportedly in talks with major record labels to create a new way for people to listen to music.
Virtual Reality
Google: 180-Degree Video Is the Future of VR
Wait, didn't a new crop of consumer 360-degree cameras just go on sale this year? Yes, but Google says its new VR180 standard is much easier to work with.
Snapchat
Snapchat Now Lets You Spy on Friends' Locations
The new Snap Map has a 'ghost mode' that lets you browse a map of your friends' locations without sharing your own.
General Electric
GE Plans World's Largest Laser-Powered 3D Printer
The Atlas printer is designed to churn out parts up to one meter long, including entire engine blocks for automobiles.
Uber
Uber Adds In-App Tipping
The oft-requested feature is one of several intended to appease drivers. It'll also save riders from fumbling with their wallets.
Virtual Reality
Startup Looks to Boost VR Resolution by 70 Percent
You won't be able to buy a Varjo headset any time soon, but it promises resolutions 70 times greater than what current virtual reality headsets offer.
Sustainability
Want to Save Trees? Print More, HP Claims.
HP, trying to jumpstart its once-mighty consumer printing business, is investing in sustainable forests and making ink cartridges out of recycled plastic from Haiti.
Sprint
Sprint Offers Year of Free Unlimited Service
It's one of the best wireless service promotions we've seen in a long time, tempered only by the quality of Sprint's network.
Russia
Russia's U.S. Election Hacks Are Worse Than We Thought
Russian hackers compromised voting software in 39 states during the 2016 presidential election, far more than originally thought, according to Bloomberg.
Malware
New Strain of Malware Can Take Power Stations Offline
Crash Override disabled part of the electrical grid in Ukraine last year, and many more power stations could be susceptible, according to security experts.
Dish Network
Dish Fined $280 Million for Illegal Robocalls
The company should have known that its third-party call centers were violating federal and state 'do not call' laws, a court found.
Artificial Intelligence
Would You Fly on an AI-Backed Plane Without a Pilot?
Autopilots already fly commercial jetliners by themselves, but pilots still have to make decisions about how to program them. Boeing wants to change that.
Donald Trump
Does Trump's Twitter Blocking Violate the First Amendment?
A free speech advocacy group claims that President Donald Trump's Twitter account is a public forum, and therefore he cannot block anyone from it.
Virtual Reality
Oculus Rift Heads to California Public Libraries
Don't expect to check one out for free, though. They're intended to generate interest in VR through educational experiences.
