Elise Hu

Yahoo's Other Billion Dollar Bets: Where Are They Now?

Elise Hu — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:29:00 +0000

Yahoo's $1.1 billion purchase of Tumblr could be considered a bargain compared with its other big-dollar bets. The company's history is dotted with pricey purchases of once-hot Web properties that had more promise than eventual purpose. A look back:

GeoCities, 1999: $3.7 Billion

When Yahoo!

A Mile-High Hack: An App That Could Remotely Hijack Planes

Elise Hu — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:18:00 +0000

The Federal Aviation Administration continues work on its multibillion-dollar upgrade to the nation's air traffic control system, but it may not be enough to stop hackers from taking control of airplanes with a smartphone.

That's the warning from pilot and IT consultant Hugo Teso, who demonstrated how easy it would be to exploit traffic control systems at the Hack In The Box security conference in Amsterdam this week.

Mom Says: "Learn Chinese"

Elise Hu — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:46:00 +0000

My earliest memory of code switching is at Pizza Hut, back when Pizza Huts were sit-down restaurants with salad bars and garlic bread. (Like any daughter of immigrants, most of my memories involve food.) My mom and dad would speak with the waiters in English, ordering our pan-crust pizzas and Pepsi products, but we used Mandarin at the table. Our Mandarin was our secret code.

It was only at restaurants, malls or school events that I ever heard my mother use English. My mom spoke to my brother and me exclusively in Mandarin since we were born, even though we were born in suburban St. Louis.

100 Hours On The Supreme Court's Sidewalk: Camping Out For A Seat To History

Elise Hu — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:58:00 +0000

Overnight temperatures are dipping below freezing and the forecast calls for snow, but cold, boredom and discomfort haven't stopped more than 30 Supreme Court die-hards from camping out for a seat to history.

"I just really wanted to be part of this moment, so I had been planning to come down for months," said Darienn Powers, a college student who came to Washington from New York.

Scientists: 'No Options' To Stop Massive Asteroids On Collision Course

Elise Hu — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:35:00 +0000

Without "a few years" warning, humans currently have no capacity to stop an asteroid on a collision course with the planet, scientists told a Senate panel Wednesday.

"Right now we have no options," said former astronaut Ed Lu.

Self-Tracking Apps To Help You 'Quantify' Yourself

Elise Hu — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:29:00 +0000

Technology has made it easier than ever to track your activity levels, your sleep cycles, how you spend your time, and more. The self-trackers who near-obsessively capture and analyze their own data are part of a growing "Quantified Self" movement.

Interested in giving self-tracking a try?

The Most Talked About Tech And Culture Trends At SXSW Interactive

Elise Hu — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:20:00 +0000

Everywhere you walk in downtown Austin, Texas, new names compete for the attention of the tens of thousands wandering the SXSW Interactive festival. Which of this year's emerging ideas and brands — MakerBot, Leap Motion, Geomagic — will break into mainstream consciousness? Here's a quick rundown of the conversation topics in coffee lines, and some notes on appearances and panels that caught our attention:

Beyond The Keyboard And Mouse

Gamers are used to devices like Xbox Kinect that read our body's waving and swiping motions.

Working From Home: The End Of Productivity Or The Future Of Work?

Elise Hu — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:13:00 +0000

In its bid to reshape itself for the future, Yahoo is returning to a workplace culture of the tech industry's past. The Internet giant has reportedly notified its employees they'll no longer be allowed to work from home.

The Four Biggest Best Picture Oscar Upsets, Statistically Speaking

Elise Hu and Matt Stiles — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:56:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQs7WbVse8

Cash-Strapped Postal Service To Launch A New Clothing Line

Elise Hu — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:05:00 +0000

The U.S. Postal Service is getting creative in its search for new revenue after last year's $15.9 billion budget shortfall. The agency says it will debut a new clothing and accessories line called Rain Heat & Snow, inspired by its unofficial motto: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

The line will not feature the navy blue shorts, safari hats and other uniform staples of your mail carrier.