acm-header
Sign In

Communications of the ACM

Recent Articles


bg-corner

A Plea to Google: Protect Our Email Privacy
From ACM Opinion

A Plea to Google: Protect Our Email Privacy

We recently learned that even the director of the CIA, David Petraeus, can't seem to secure his private email conversations properly, and over the past month tech...

From ACM Opinion

Internet Regulation Seen at National Level As Treaty Talks Fail

The world's major Internet companies, backed by U.S. policymakers, got much of what they wanted last week when many nations refused to sign a global telecommunications...

Red Pill, Blue Pill: Is the ­niverse Just a Giant Computer Simulation?
From ACM Opinion

Red Pill, Blue Pill: Is the ­niverse Just a Giant Computer Simulation?

I've started making my way (skeptically) through Ray Kurzweil’s How to Create a Mind, and at the recommendation of a friend, I've also started keeping tabs on ...

This Real-Life Pixar Lamp Cutely Refuses to Let You Turn It Off
From ACM Opinion

This Real-Life Pixar Lamp Cutely Refuses to Let You Turn It Off

Design-class projects have come a long way. That's the only conclusion I can draw from this brilliant video of a robotic desk lamp that squeaks, swivels, and mugs...

Opening the Doors to the Life of Pi
From ACM Opinion

Opening the Doors to the Life of Pi

For those of us who have been intoxicated by the powers and possibilities of mathematics, the mystery isn't why that fascination developed but why it isn't universal...

Video Games in 2012: Five Things We've Learned
From ACM Opinion

Video Games in 2012: Five Things We've Learned

From the crowd-funding explosion to the arrival of the first "next-generation" console, the games industry has had quite a time of it this year.

Why Google Maps Is Better Than Apple Maps
From ACM Opinion

Why Google Maps Is Better Than Apple Maps

There's a simple answer: people.

From ACM Opinion

I Am Not Big Brother

I've grown accustomed to reading inaccurate accounts of my day job. I'm in political data.

Prepare For the New Cameras-Everywhere World
From ACM Opinion

Prepare For the New Cameras-Everywhere World

Some questions can never be answered.

From ACM Opinion

Zeitgeist 2012: What Piqued Your Curiosity This Year?

As 2012 comes to a close, it's time for our 12th annual Year-End Zeitgeist—an in-depth look at the "spirit of the times" as seen through the billions of searches...

The Psychology of Tetris
From ACM Opinion

The Psychology of Tetris

Shapes fall from the sky, all you have to do is to control how they fall and fit within each other.

Best Inventions of the Year 2012
From ACM Opinion

Best Inventions of the Year 2012

That's not Photoshop.

How Design Can Help Voice Interaction Go Big
From ACM Opinion

How Design Can Help Voice Interaction Go Big

Recently there's been a lot of comparison between Apple's Siri and Google's Voice Search. Microsoft's voice breakthroughs have also captured headlines.

Workplace Distractions: Here's Why You Won't Finish This Article
From ACM Opinion

Workplace Distractions: Here's Why You Won't Finish This Article

In the few minutes it takes to read this article, chances are you'll pause to check your phone, answer a text, switch to your desktop to read an email from the...

The Fog of Cyberwar
From ACM Opinion

The Fog of Cyberwar

In mid-2010, thousands of centrifuges, enriching uranium at Iranian nuclear research facilities, spun out of control.

Beyond Quad-Core: What's Next For Mobile Processing Power
From ACM Opinion

Beyond Quad-Core: What's Next For Mobile Processing Power

Remember when a quad-core processor was the ultimate indicator of a super-smartphone?

How Can Computational Science Surpass the Software Error Plateau?
From ACM Opinion

How Can Computational Science Surpass the Software Error Plateau?

Computation plays a crucial role in generating scientific results, but also adds to its complexity. The ability to reproduce code and data that generates results...

No Longer Vaporware: The Internet of Things Is Finally Talking
From ACM Opinion

No Longer Vaporware: The Internet of Things Is Finally Talking

The rise of the machines has begun: Steve Sande’s household fan is now self-aware.

11 Big Tech Trends You'll See in 2013
From ACM Opinion

11 Big Tech Trends You'll See in 2013

Writing prediction pieces is a funny thing because there is really no such thing as "next year."

No Warrant, No Problem: How the Government Can Still Get Your Digital Data
From ACM Opinion

No Warrant, No Problem: How the Government Can Still Get Your Digital Data

The U.S. government isn’t allowed to wiretap American citizens without a warrant from a judge. But there are plenty of legal ways for law enforcement, from the...
Sign In for Full Access
» Forgot Password? » Create an ACM Web Account