ROB PEGORARO

Rob Pegoraro writes about computers, gadgets, telecom, social media, apps, and other things that beep or blink. He has met most of the founders of the Internet and once received a single-word e-mail reply from Steve Jobs.
Technology

Firefox wants to be the anti-Chrome browser for the AI era

Firefox chief Ajit Varma explains how Mozilla is betting on privacy, optional AI tools, and its nonprofit structure to compete against browsers from Google, Apple, and Microsoft.
Technology

Are we finally closing in on a ‘Futurama’-like era of flying cars?

Joby, the nascent air taxi leader, shares its vision for the future, which can’t get here soon enough. But yeah, it’s going to be a minute.
Are we finally closing in on a ‘
Technology

Boom Supersonic’s flight plan has to be measured in years

The aviation startup aims to accomplish what Concorde could not: facilitating economically and even environmentally sustainable supersonic passenger travel.
Boom Supersonic’s flight plan has to be measured in years
Technology

Microsoft and Google’s new AI sales pitches: We’re your last line of defense against your scatterbrained self

Would you trust an on-device AI to listen to your calls to stop scams in progress or to record all of your computing activity so you never forget any of it?

Microsoft and Google’s new AI sales pitches: We’re your last line of defense against your scatterbrained self
Technology

My 2024 tech resolutions: picking a Twitter replacement, holding out on EVs, and more

A personal New Year’s tech to-do list.
My 2024 tech resolutions: picking a Twitter replacement, holding out on EVs, and more
Technology

What part of ‘get rid of my data’ don’t companies get?

Data minimization remains a subject of talk, not practice, at too many firms that have already suffered data breaches.
What part of ‘get rid of my data’ don’t companies get?
Technology

Facebook is giving up on news—but it was never actually serious about it

Facebook kept offering publishers shiny new things–and publishers kept rolling the dice on them.
Facebook is giving up on news—but it was never actually serious about it
Technology

How Airbnb is trying to convince more users to become hosts

At the Collision conference in Toronto, company executives said identity verification and machine-learning surveillance can make its platform safer.
How Airbnb is trying to convince more users to become hosts
Technology

Passkeys aim to simplify online logins. But their rollout may require a lot of patience

As much as we love to hate passwords, passkeys aren’t close to letting us retire that technology.
Passkeys aim to simplify online logins. But their rollout may require a lot of patience
Technology

Companies adopting AI need to move slowly and not break things

Two-thirds of organizations are investing in AI, according to a recent McKinsey report. Forward-thinking companies such as Planet and Intercom are embracing the tech—thoughtfully.
Companies adopting AI need to move slowly and not break things