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Top tech stories of 2012 From legal battles to product launches, these were the top tech stories people were talking about this year.
Windows 8 finally goes to market
After much buildup, Microsoft released the latest version of its operating system in October. With Windows 8, Microsoft took a big chance, putting much of the legacy look and feel of Windows to pasture in favor of the new interface.
Richard Drew
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AP
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Facebook goes public . . . and flops
The social network’s market debut was one of the most highly anticipated initial public offerings of the year , but technical glitches and chaotic trading marred the stock debut in May, disappointing investors and company officials. Throughout the rest of the year, the stock still failed to wow investors as FB kept trading below its IPO price of $38.
Peter Foley
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Bloomberg
Apple vs. Samsung
In August, Apple scored a major win in its landmark patent dispute against Samsung when a U.S. jury ruled that a series of popular smartphone and tablet features are proprietary Apple innovations. While damages totaled $1.05 billion, the impact on Samsung’s business practices and those of other tech manufacturers stands to be more profound if the ruling survives an appeal.
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Reuters
Google unveils 'Project Glass'
In April, Google lifted the lid off its “Project Glass ” — augmented reality eyeglasses that can display messages, chats, maps and more right in your field of vision. While Google is not the first company to come up with the idea of augmented reality glasses, it does have an unprecedented consumer reach.
Carlo Allegri
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Reuters
Apple takes wraps off iPhone 5
In September, Apple unveiled the highly anticipated iPhone 5 . With its newest addition to its smartphone family, Apple abandoned the 3.5-inch screen size that the iPhone had since its inception for a larger 4-inch screen. The iPhone 5 ended up breaking a sales record as more than 5 million units were sold during its debut weekend.
Eric Risberg
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AP
Apple Maps fail
Pictured is a screenshot of part of the Anzac Bridge in Sydney using Apple Maps. After Apple released its own mapping application, known as Maps, criticism about the program quickly surfaced. The program missed the location of a few famous landmarks and some bridges appeared warped. The company’s chief executive admitted that Maps fell short of its standards. Since the launch, Apple has gotten rid of two execs involved with the program.
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Screenshot from Maps app
Microsoft enters tablet market . . .
Software behemoth Microsoft stepped into the tablet space for the first time when it unveiled its tablet, the Surface, in June. The move signaled that the Redmond, Wash., company is abandoning its software-only approach to better compete in the ever-changing tech world.
Lucas Jackson
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Reuters
. . . and so does Google
Google was another tech giant to enter the tablet market for the first time this year. In June, the search engine giant unveiled the Nexus 7 . Demand for the tablet was big: The 16GB version of the tablet sold out on Google Play about a week after it started to ship.
Tomohiro Ohsumi
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Bloomberg News
Internet goes dark (well, sort of)
Coordinated efforts to fight two Internet-regulation bills, the Stop Online Privacy Act and the Protect IP (Intellectual Piracy) Act, changed the face of the Internet on Jan. 18. Popular Web sites either went dark or posted messages protesting the bills . The move embodied a surprising lobbying effort in which tech companies, such as Wikipedia and Reddit, used their massive reach into Americans’ daily lives as a political weapon to whip up support from online users.
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AP
Yahoo CEO shuffle
Scott Thompson stepped down as Yahoo’s CEO in May after being in the position for only a few months, when it was discovered that he had misleading information on his resume. The company appointed an interim CEO, Ross Levinsohn, before throwing a curveball in July by naming Google exec Marissa Mayer (pictured) to the top post.
Noah Berger
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Reuters
Google and privacy concerns
Google also faced significant pushback from U.S. and European regulators over changes made to its privacy policy. The new policy unified the privacy rules across 60 Google services. That concerned some regulators, who want more information on how Google may collect and use the data in the future. The new policy went into effect March 1 but is still the subject of scrutiny.
Kimihiro Hoshino
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AFP/Getty Images
A new iPad: Not once, but twice
As expected in March, Apple unveiled a new iPad, which boasted a sharper screen resolution and faster Internet capability. But what turned out to be a real surprise was what came in October. Not only did the tech giant enter the mini-tablet market with the iPad mini, but it also unveiled a revamped full-size iPad .
Marcio Jose Sanchez
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AP
The fall of Megaupload
In January, the Justice Department shut down Megaupload , the 13th-most-frequently-visited site on the Web, as part of a federal indictment accusing the company of running an international criminal organization that allowed consumers to easily watch or share pirated content. The move prompted hackers to retaliate by blocking access to several Web sites, including DOJ’s.
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Reuters
Google and free speech
Google and other American platforms with a worldwide reach such as Twitter have had to walk a tentative line when it comes to free expression and free speech. Google’s policies were put in the spotlight this year when the company was asked to remove an inflammatory video from its YouTube video site. The company decided to block the video in some countries, but leave it on the Web site because it did not violate the site’s community guidelines.
Andrew Harrer
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Bloomberg
Reddit takes spotlight
President Obama participates in an AMA forum on Reddit on Aug. 29, 2012 . Bolstered by its role in the debates against the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, Reddit rose this year from an Internet den for geeks of all stripes to . . . well, a better-known Internet den. The site, devoted to showing curated, user-submitted links, even hosted Obama in an unedited, crowd-sourced question-and-answer session. The site went down briefly from all the new traffic.
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The White House
FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES
Photos of the day
Buddhist Wesak festival, prisoners-of-war reunion, bridge collapse, world’s largest Lego model and more.
Flexing their muscles
Dozens of bodybuilders came out to Silver Spring to compete in the 2013 Musclemania Capital Tournament of Champions.
Animal views
Fun and fascinating creatures around the world.
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