WiFi Finder
Locate wireless services by a specific address, city, state, country, airport, or zip code.
The Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006
From exploding laptops to corporate spying to Rocketboom's bust, a review of the year's gaffes and blunders.
Dan Tynan
It was a year where the world's biggest software company had to admit its flagship operating system was going to be delayed--yet again. And the number one PC manufacturer was caught spying on reporters and board members.
In 2006, turning on your laptop was an adventure in flammability. Of course, lots of government and corporate officials didn't have to worry about their notebook bursting into flames--they'd already lost theirs--along with the personal records of millions of Americans.
Surfing the Net you stood a good chance of being hoaxed by an actress pretending to be a lonely teenager or a blogger in the employ of the planet's largest retailer. If you subscribed to AOL, your searches might have been shared with the rest of the Web. And if you did anything stupid, somebody with a video camera and a YouTube account was probably there to broadcast it to the world.
Here, then, on the following pages we humbly offer our nominations for the biggest tech mistakes of the year. (And if you notice any errors in this article, please--keep them to yourself.)
- Page 1 of 8
- Next ยป
With HP wireless printers, you could have printed this from any room in the house. Live wirelessly. Print wirelessly.
Laptop Showcase
PCW's Mobile Life Guide
Related Tech Industry Articles
- Rugged Handheld Upgraded Intermec's rugged handheld computer designed for mobile workers is the first to run Windows Mobile 6.1.
- Three Minutes on WiMax with Clearwire's Chief The Clearwire CEO discusses Wimax's strengths and enterprise apps, plus the company's plans to build a nationwide net.
- Hong Kong Cracks Down on Piracy Business Software Alliance, in recognition of department's efforts in promoting the use of genuine software in businesses.
- Bogus Jobs' Heart Attack Report Rattles Citizen Journalism CNN's iReport website hosted a user-submitted story that claimed falsely that Steve Jobs had suffered a heart attack. The prank puts citizen journalism in the line of fire.
- The IT Worker's Wall Street Meltdown Worry List 5 questions about your job and your future.
-
CDW Security Center Is your data protected? Visit the CDW Security Center Learn where you may be vulnerable and how to address those risks.
-
Asus Laptop Showcase Ultra-fashionable thin and light notebooks with SmartLogon Face Recognition. Find out more...
-
HP Ink Center Bring improved color and brilliance to your printed material. Visit the Resource Center for more info...
PC World's Marketplace
PC World's Free Whitepapers
"The Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006" Comments