Gil Laroya

Si vis pacem, para bellum

It's a Latin term which translated means "If you want peace, prepare for war".

With congress currently wading through the political details of CISPA, the "Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act", it is slowly becoming apparent that the internet can no longer be considered...

On a hot Friday afternoon, my family and I said goodbye to our dear Golden Retriever of 11 years, Mia. She had been diagnosed with kidney disease, and we had already prepared ourselves for the inevitable moment when we would have to let her go. When the deed was done,...

During the dawn of the social media age, the thought of logging onto a site online and sharing personal information was just not considered "normal". People pictured a 20-something, with a beenie, spiked hair, a nose piercing, and a laptop, as the typical visitor to such a website. But the...

If you're like me, you've heard all the hoopla about the iPad I/II, and how great they make peoples lives. As an engineer, I understood the limitations that came with a tablet device, including lack of major computing power, as well as the missing mouse and real keyboard. But when...

Sitting at my desk, listening to a stream of NPR, I consider the power of technology and how it has the ability to "share," to give and take, and open eyes and minds, and allow the exchange of thoughts and opinions amongst millions of people. But the reality of technology...

At this point in the technology of wireless devices, we are all familiar with wi-fi; the service that shares an internet connection wirelessly amongst physically disconnected devices. And since the internet is such a vast, open virtual space, it would seem obvious to assume that as long as you can...

In the last couple of weeks, the tech industry has seen a growing trend, actually more of a "surge," of Android-based devices take center stage. The increasing popularity of Google-OS based gadgets has analysts betting on the here-and-now Apple killer that is Android. But just when you thought the Android...

The internet is an amazing invention. With it we can do everything from shopping for groceries to starting political revolutions. We can locate long lost family and friends, find jobs, get replacement parts for our bikes and cars, and even voice our opinions and insights to millions of people worldwide....

In todays hurried world, its tough to find time for ourselves. With people doing so many things all at once, we tend to inundate our lives with to-do lists, schedules, goals and tasks. Its enough to make a lab-rats head explode.

So where and how does one find a way...

In the many years that America Online has been in the technology business, I've been left wondering just how do they survive. With the Time Warner Merger in their history, its about time that AOL come out from under its dial-up shell, and breath new life into its brand name...

America, considered by the world as the "land of the free and home of the brave". But does this saying come with some sort of social guarantee? If you come to America from another country, are you "guaranteed" the ability to have what the rest of America gets to enjoy?...

For years now, Apple Computer has held a firm grip on the consumer electronics gadget market. With huge hits like the iPod MP3 player, the iPod Touch media player, the iPhone cellular phone device, and lately the iPad, Apple is consistently hitting the consumer nail-on-the-head. So why is it so...

With the recent win by the GOP behind them, Republicans are looking forward to retaking control of Washington, while Tea Partiers stand behind the curtain, with pitchforks and shovels in their hands, exclaiming "Y'all had better do what we voted you in fer, or you'll be next!". But within this...

The recent decision by President Obama to "release" the stranglehold that Republicans have on middle class tax cuts, is a sure sign that even in today's politically charged Washington, something's got to give. The question on the horizon -- do Democrats and Americans feel comfortable with the methods the president...

I remember fondly as a kid, hanging out in the living room with my brother, mom and dad in front of the Christmas Tree. We'd have snacks, hot chocolate, and stories to listen to, while we imagined what surprises were wrapped in festive gift wrap. We would exchange jokes, listen...

As the holiday season surrounds us, I'm looking ahead to the new year. Time to clean house, to rearrange furniture, time to throw out the old and bring in the new. But in my social network, there is a similar thing happening -- time to clear out those "impulse friends"...

Yes you read that right - iPhone-ism - a word which handily describes the effects of designing a user-centric device, with easy to learn [albeit subconsciously taught] functions, that make for an instant consumer hit. It's akin to "Wessonality" without the Florence Henderson. In my concerted effort to learn more...

It was inevitable.

With the onset of new developments and capabilities which make the Apple iPhone and iTouch the continuously popular deveices that they are, it would only be a matter of time before their individual sets of technoligies began to overlap. Afterall, with todays technology, there are only so...

While walking down a busy downtown sidewalk one day, I happened to be walking behind someone who had just dropped a $20 bill from his pocket. Almost immediately, the virtual "angel and devil" appeared on my shoulders, complete with white smoke and all. "Do I pick up the cash and...

In recent weeks, the emerging story of the small town of Bell, California demonstrated to the country how city government can become too big and brash for its own good. When city workers become politicians, then begin to understand how money and politics go hand-in-hand, putting greed in front of...