HowStuffWorks Newsletter
Jonathan Strickland has always loved technology. As a kid, Jonathan spent countless hours playing games like River Raid and Pitfall on his Atari 2600. He grew up during the early years of the personal computer era and cut his teeth on an Apple IIe and the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A computers. He earned his bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Georgia. He focused primarily on medieval and Renaissance literature and can still rattle off several Shakespearean monologues (and he'll do so unless you stop him).
Jonathan is a former staff writer and eventually senior writer for the HowStuffWorks electronics and computer channels. He currently hosts the podcast TechStuff. He lives in a funky part of Atlanta filled with poets, artists, actors and assorted crazy people — he fits right in. His hobbies include writing fiction, acting and learning to play the ukulele and mandolin.
And his name Is Robert Newton.
Yes, it's still around. Second Life is a 3D virtual world where you can live in a castle, fly to dance clubs and change your appearance with a click of your mouse. So what's up with it now?
Electronic books have been out for years, though none of them met with much success — until the Amazon Kindle. What's so special about this little device?
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We've heard a lot about Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. But what Web 1.0, the one that started it all?
Thanks to improvements in manufacturing, computer processors are constantly getting faster and smaller. These days, it seems like computers are just about everywhere. What kinds of machines will we be using in 2050?
Cloud storage sounds like a meteorological phenomenon, but it's a method of keeping computer files on a networked drive. It's very convenient, but are your files safe?
American Sign Language (ASL) is one of the fastest growing languages of study in the United States. Learn about the history of ASL, how it's used and how it differs from other sign languages in the United States and around the world.
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The Internet lets you transfer information around the world in seconds. But the pieces of your file may not all get there the same way. How does all that data get where it's supposed to go without getting lost?
Now that the Internet has become such an important part of our everyday lives, it's hard to imagine what life would be like without it. Could the Internet collapse? What would happen if it did?
Have you ever considered working at the White House? Before you get a job working for the presidential administration, you'll have some questions to answer.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bills itself as the premier Mixed Martial Arts organization in the world. Learn what the Ultimate Fighting Championship is, how the organization began, and where it is today.
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He awaits the time when he will arise from his watery city to wreak havoc. Cthulhu made his first official appearance in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu," written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1926. Read all about the legendary monster known as the Old One.
According to sci-fi lore, if you've read the "Necronomicon," then you might just be teetering on the brink of insanity. Featured in popular culture in TV, film and comics, the book is a fictional creation of author H.P. Lovecraft. Learn more about the mystery behind the "Necronomicon."
While many people are comfortable using just soap and water to wash their faces, others rely on the use of a washcloth. Do washcloths clean any better? And are there any disadvantages you should be aware of?
The big bang theory is well-known, but there are many misconceptions about it. Like what? Let's start with this one: There was no bang.
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Parasites — life forms that feed from others — are creepy to begin with. But some of them use your skin as a place to raise their families. What types of critters are we talking about, and how do we avoid them?
The Dyson Air Multiplier works like a fan, but it has no blades. Can it be as effective as a traditional fan? What's so different about it?
Less than 100 miles from Las Vegas, is the most famous secret military installation on the planet: Area 51. For decades, the U.S. government refused to acknowledge it existed. But now, the secret is out.
A social networking site originally created for Harvard students, Facebook is now open for anyone to join -- and it currently has 750 million active users. What features have made it such a big success?
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Since Google launched as a privately held company on Sept. 4, 1998, it's evolved from a two-man enterprise into a multibillion-dollar corporation. How did a Ph.D. project become one of the most influential companies in the world?
A new global report says 1 million species are at risk of extinction — the greatest number in human history.
To what extent is U.S. intelligence able to conduct surveillance on the internet activity and electronic communications of U.S. citizens?
And should you be worried about it?
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The idea behind net neutrality is for people to be able to access the same websites and services equally. Does that no longer hold true for U.S. residents?
The U.S. and U.K. issued a joint alert warning that Russian hackers have been targeting devices that help us connect to the internet. Is your digital information at risk?
