Howard University freshman Alanna Walton knew something was different about the professor teaching her introduction to computer science course.

First, there was her name: Professor Sabrina. She was an African American woman, kept office hours until 2 a.m. if that's what it took to see everyone, and had an additional title: Google In Residence.

When an avalanche thundered down Mount Everest last weekend, guides tweeted calls for help and dramatic video footage quickly went viral as trekkers accessed wifi on the roof of the world.

When Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of the world's highest mountain 62 years ago, news didn't reach the outside world until four days afterwards and no photographs of Hillary were taken at the top.

Dumping social media stocks that show any sign of weakness is trending on Wall Street.

Shares of LinkedIn Corp. plunged 21 percent in after-hours trading Thursday after the professional networking service gave a disappointing outlook for the second quarter, weighed in large part by its pending purchase of online learning company Lynda.com.

Chatting on the red carpet with Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence; recording a country song with Clint Black; working a relief mission with Patricia Arquette; receiving a serenade from Michael Bolton on a Caribbean island. These are just some of usthe WOW! moments possible for everyday donors through a new online charity service that combines star power with digital marketing savvy to contribute millions to celebrity causes worldwide.

Its name is Chideo — a mashup of the words charity and video — and it's already enlisted more than 100 VIP participants, ranging from YouTubers and sports figures to Academy Award winners like Arquette, who gave a shoutout to the effort at this year's Oscars.

Civil rights campaigners on Thursday launched a smartphone app that can video record interactions between police and member of the public, and store them for potential use in legal action.

The free app, developed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), comes amid an upsurge in protests over a series of deaths of African Americans in custody or at the hands of white police officers.

Apple aficionados who are also fans of body art are finding out that dark tattoos can daunt the iconic company's hot new smartwatch.

An online Apple support page on Thursday warned that "ink, pattern, and saturation of some tattoos can block light from the sensor, making it difficult to get reliable readings."

Electric car pioneer Telsa Motors unveiled a "home battery" Thursday which its founder Elon Musk said would help change the "entire energy infrastructure of the world."

The Tesla Powerwall can store power from solar panels, from the electricity grid at night when it is typically cheaper, and provide a secure backup in the case of a power outage.

Grooveshark, an early leader in music streaming that enraged major labels for letting users upload copyrighted songs, abruptly shut down late Thursday after years of litigation.

The website went dark with a message posted saying that, in a settlement with the three major record label conglomerates, Grooveshark was ceasing operations immediately and handing all copyrighted work to the companies.

Chinese Internet giant Tencent agreed to take a minority stake in Glu Mobile, a maker of video games including "Contract Killer" and "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood," the companies said Wednesday.

Tencent will pay $126 million for a 14.6 percent stake in the California-based group.

Microsoft  made a new pitch Wednesday to app makers, promising an audience of more than a billion people if they develop services for the upcoming Windows 10 operating system.

The U.S. technology titan opened its annual Build developers conference with a three-hour keynote presentation highlighting how Windows 10 will let software savants serve up creations on the full spectrum of smart devices, including HoloLens augmented reality headgear.