Nearly 30 years before the World Wide Web was invented, Marshall McLuhan predicted the web technology we have today, as well as its impact. A Canadian philosopher and professor who specialized in media theory, McLuhan rose to prominence in the 1960s with his theory that society is shaped by technology and the way information is …

Amazon is getting into the social media game, but this network is more about shopping than sharing pictures of your kids or latest meal. Dubbed Spark, the new Instagram-like feature encourages Amazon customers to post images, stories and ideas about products they like. Other users can then react to the posts with comments and “smiles,” much as one would “Like” …

If you’re used to getting the bulk of your news from Facebook, your news consumption habits may be about to change. The world’s largest social media platform is testing the waters for a subscription-based news product, Campbell Brown, the head of news partnerships at Facebook, said Tuesday at the Digital Publishing Innovation Summit in New York. Plans for the service, …

Google Fiber is without a chief executive for the second time in less than a year. Gregory McCray has stepped down as CEO of Access, the Alphabet unit that houses Google Fiber, a Google spokesperson said Monday. McCray was tapped in February to run Google’s broadband and cable business after the departure of Craig Barratt in October. While the exit …

Roku may soon be streaming across a stock market ticker. The maker of set-top streaming boxes and software is preparing for an initial public offering before the end of the year, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The Los Gatos, California-based company recently hired Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Allen & Co. as underwriters on the IPO and is seeking a …

The global PC market continued its downward spiral in the second quarter of 2017, registering its 11th consecutive quarter of declining shipments and continuing the longest slump in the PC industry’s history. PC makers shipped 61.9 million personal computers in the quarter, a 4.3 percent decline from a year ago, according to numbers released Wednesday by research firm Gartner. The …

You may not know Eiko Ishioka by name, but you probably know her work. Whether it was print ads, album covers or even movie costumes, Ishioka had a way of stealing the spotlight with her sensual, surreal designs. To honor Ishioka, who collected an Oscar and a Grammy, as well as two Tony nominations, Google dedicated its Doodle on Wednesday …

Were it not for Eva Ekeblad, our perception of vodka — and potatoes as a food source — might be much different. Ekeblad was a bit of a Renaissance woman. Born in the first quarter of the 18th century, Ekeblad was a Swedish countess, scientist and agronomist — someone who researches multiple uses for plants. She is best-remembered for discovering …

If you are feeling like Rob Kardashian because you can’t get into your Instagram account, you aren’t alone. Several users of the photo-sharing app have taken to social media in the past 24 hours to complain about not being able to log in to their accounts. An Instagram tweet this morning was swarmed by angry users accusing the service of …

Samsung expects its biggest operating profit ever in the second quarter, thanks to continued global demand for semiconductors and the popularity of its Galaxy S8 flagship phone. The Korean electronics giant said Thursday it expects to record a 72 percent increase in its second-quarter operating profit. Operating profit for the three-month period ending June 30 will be 14 trillion won …