Jose Alvarez

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Introduced to tech at a young age, Jose has grown attached to video games in particular. He has covered topics such as business, sports, and current events in addition to tech. When he's not connected to technology, he likes to travel the world, having visited 15 countries as of 2015.

Microsoft brings Sketchfab into the fold as a HoloLens partner

Microsoft's development of the HoloLens has been complemented by their partnership with Sketchfab. Sketchfab was launched in 2012 in Paris, France.

News         December 11, 2015

HoloLens price could be out of reach for some people, says Microsoft executive

Think about playing today's hottest games in your living room – literally. Microsoft's HoloLens intends to make virtual into reality, but at a price.

News         December 11, 2015

Journalists, celebrities, athletes make up most of Twitter’s ‘verified’ list

Ever wonder about the check mark icon next to a Twitter user's name? It means the user is a Twitter verified user, and journalists, celebrities, and athletes have the most verified accounts, according to one report.

News         June 9, 2015

Do you goof off on Facebook during work? There’s a scientific reason for it

Admit it: You get onto social media during work breaks. But there may be a scientific explanation for this distraction, according to UCLA neuroscientists.

News         June 3, 2015

Protesters demonstrate outside Facebook HQ against ‘fake name’ policy

A group of demonstrators recently protested outside Facebook's office against the social network's "real name" policy. The group of drag performers, LGBTQ members, and domestic violence victims argue that it's being used unfairly against them.

News         June 2, 2015

Which TV shows were most-popular last season? Here’s what viewers tweeted

According to Nielsen Social's findings, the Super Bowl and Grammy Awards were the most tweeted TV shows during the 2014-2015 season.

News         June 2, 2015

Threats via Facebook not criminal, Supreme Court rules

An 8-1 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court says Facebook threats are not criminal until it is proven that they have some measure of intent.

News         June 1, 2015

Path’s social network, messaging app to be acquired by South Korean Internet firm

Path Inc. announced it is shedding its social networking and messaging apps. South Korea's Daum Kakao is acquiring the apps.

News         May 29, 2015

Chip’s Challenge 2 survives 25 years of development hell

Duke Nukem Forever and Team Fortress 2 are often cited when one thinks about delayed games. Chip's Challenge 2 has spent 25 years in development hell.

News         May 29, 2015

If Narcissus had been on Facebook – Study examines personality as revealed by Facebook updates

Your Facebook friends may be talking about something more when they update their status, according to a Brunel University study.

News         May 27, 2015

Facebook users prone to financial risk taking, study says

Social media, specifically Facebook, and playing with money do not mix, according to a study done by the University of Technology in Australia.

News         May 27, 2015

Does your grandma print out Facebook photos? She’s not alone

Call them old-fashioned, but there are a growing number of Facebook users who print out Facebook photos and physically share them.

News         May 26, 2015

International bans coming for Google, Facebook, and Twitter?

Social media sites have given many across the globe a place to express their views. However, Russia wants them all out of the country.

News         May 26, 2015

Nickelback may not be as dumb as you think

A common complaint about today's popular music is its simplicity and lack of lyric intelligence. Critics of today's popular music could be onto something.

News         May 21, 2015

Delta enlists Keyboard Cat, Double Rainbow Dude, Dramatic Chipmunk for new safety video

For its latest in-flight safety video, Delta Air Lines has called on some of the best Internet memes to make a cameo.

News         May 20, 2015

Drone video of low-water level shows drought’s effect on California’s reservoirs

NBC News flew a drone over Lake Oroville, California's second largest reservoir, to show just how badly the drought is affecting the state.

News         May 15, 2015

Candy Crush Saga will ship with Windows 10 whether you want it or not

Game developer King will bring Candy Crush Saga to Windows 10. It will join classic Windows games such as Solitaire, Minesweeper, FreeCell and Hearts.

News         May 14, 2015

Companies can’t punish employees for critical views on social media

There have been many cautionary tales regarding workers and social media. Workers have been fired for a variety of reasons.

News         May 13, 2015

Scientists find way to photograph thunder for the first time

Using rocket-induced lightning and acoustic imaging, scientists were able to photograph thunder for the first time, with great detail.

News         May 13, 2015

Two sisters find their long-lost brother via viral Facebook post

Facebook has made finding your lost friends, relatives, and classmates a lot easier. You might be aided greatly if their name is uncommon.

News         May 13, 2015

San Francisco named most frugal city in America

San Francisco's notoriety for its skyrocketing cost of living could be the reason why it reached the top spot for frugality.

News         May 12, 2015

Apple CEO Tim Cook joins Weibo and immediately gains 360,000 followers

Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a post on Chinese social networking platform Weibo, allowing Chinese consumers to interact directly with the tech giant.

Apple         May 11, 2015

With activities for all to see, courts could use social media exploits as evidence

Most people on social media share aspects of their lives with their family and friends. However, social media could be used against you, lawyers say.

News         May 11, 2015

Photo app Hyper wants to put brakes on cyberbullying with community voting

A new photo-sharing app, Hyper, aims to combat the social issue of cyberbullying with its interest-centric social media platform.

News         May 11, 2015

As social media becomes the new water cooler, it’s influencing TV viewing

Everyone brings their favorite TV shows to social media. Studies done by Nielsen and ShareThis have shown that the two are strongly linked to one another.

News         May 11, 2015

Republicans gearing up for 2016 by launching aggressive social media campaigns

2016 Republican presidential hopefuls are taking a page out of current president Barack Obama's book and heading to social media to appeal to voters.

News         May 11, 2015

App developer wants to erase all traces of the Kardashian family online with his #KardBlock app

If you're sick and tired of hearing the name “Kardashian” pop up when you browse the web, web developer James Shamsi has introduced #KardBlock.

News         May 10, 2015

World of Warcraft subscribers drop to seven million

World of Warcraft is unique in the MMO space because it has survived the test of time. However, time is starting to creep up on World of Warcraft as well.

News         May 9, 2015

Celebrities defy Anna Wintour’s no-selfie rule at Met Gala, and she’s not pleased

Don't take your selfies at an Anna Wintour-hosted event, or you might not be able to come back to it.

News         May 8, 2015

MeeGoPad T02 challenges the Intel Compute Stick with a lower price

Computers on a stick like the MeeGoPad T02 and Intel's Compute Stick make it hard to believe that not even a generation ago, desktop PCs were a lot larger.

News         May 7, 2015

Steam competitor GOG: No DRM with our GOG Galaxy platform

Gamers are familiar with terms such as digital rights management (DRM) and the concept of always-online games. Steam competitor GOG Galaxy says no to both.

News         May 5, 2015

Facebook opens Internet.org platform to support Internet access in developing world

Facebook opened the Internet.org platform today, giving developers in low-income and developing markets a way to create apps and websites for Internet.org.

News         May 4, 2015

Study suggests people stop listening to new music after age 33

A phrase often uttered in the music community is that “(insert genre here) is dead.” Those lamenting the death of their favorite genre(s) may have a point.

News         April 30, 2015

Remember LiveJournal? The blogging site from 1999 still has fans

While all the popular social networks reported growth in the first quarter of 2015, one of them may surprise you: LiveJournal.

News         April 30, 2015