Thomas Halleck

Thomas Halleck is a technology reporter for the International Business Times, covering Google, wearables, product reviews, gadget news and more.

Motivated to become a reporter by the title character in Gregory Mcdonald's "Fletch" series and a love for the written word, he previously wrote for the Lockport Union Sun & Journal and wrote and edited The Spectrum, the student newspaper at the University at Buffalo.

On the lookout for technology capable of improving our lives, he may have suggested at some point that you purchase the Product Replacement Plan with your new gadget.

Google Plans To Let You Pay To Stop Advertising On YouTube

The service could offer offline playback, a new report says.

Blue Origin: Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Engine Is ‘Ready For Flight’

The spaceship is designed to send three people on a suborbital trip.

White House Hack Is Proof Russia Is 'Reassembling Its Evil Empire,' Congressman Claims

A hack late last year of the State Department was a mere stepping-stone for Russian hackers, the report claims.

Twitter Inc. Stock Soars Amid Google Inc. Takeover Rumors

Deep-pocketed investors are reportedly circling the social network.

Feds Uncover Amazon Marketplace Price-Fixing Scheme

Authorities say the prosecution is the first ever to target online commerce.

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Apple Watch Price Half-Off For Employees, Tim Cook Says

The special pricing will be offered to employees for 90 days.

'Star Trek,' 'SNL' GIFs Abound With Meme-Friendly Hulu Tool

The streaming service unveiled the meme-friendly image library on Monday.

Andreas Lubitz: Investigators Find Antidepressants In Germanwings Crash Pilot’s Apartment

Andreas Lubitz had been deemed unfit to fly, but apparently hid his diagnoses from his employer.

Liver Cancer Risk: Coffee Lowers It, Alcohol And Obesity Raise It, Study Says

The second-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide joins other afflictions in being reduced by java consumption.

Hundreds Protest Indiana’s Religious Freedom Act As Discriminatory Against Gay People

Demonstrators held signs that said "No hate in our state" and called for the removal of Republican Gov. Mike Pence.

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Train Attack Caught On Video: Victim Claims Michael Brown Question Preceded Fight

The victim covered his head but never stood up or fought back.

Google Is Bringing Android’s ‘Google Now’ To Chromebooks

The search giant is making its Chromebooks look and feel even more like Android.

Ellen Pao Verdict Reached: No Gender Discrimination, Jury Rules

Three jury verdicts Friday went against a former employee of the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

Microsoft Experimenting With Android Apps On Windows 10 For Phones, Report Claims

Could access to Android's enormous catalog of apps help Windows Phone find a larger customer base?

Amazon.com Inc. Enters Cloud Storage Price Wars With ‘Unlimited’ Plan To Counter Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive

The unlimited plan costs $60, or less than most competitors charge for 1 terabyte in the cloud.

Facebook Unveils Big Plans For Messenger App, Expanding Online At F8 Developer Conference 2015

The company will now sell products and apps in its popular Messenger app.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Can’t Bring Himself To Delete Steve Jobs From His iPhone Contact List

Cook saves the late founder in his contact list as a touching reminder.

Microsoft Corp. Unveils Streamlined App-Building Service, Backed By The Cloud

The new service ties in with the company’s mobile-first, cloud-first mantra.

Google Inc. Is Rolling Out Fiber To A New Location: Salt Lake City

The tech giant announced the next site for its super-fast Internet service Tuesday.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Now Works Over Hotel Wi-Fi (And In College Libraries And Dorms Rooms)

Tourists, co-eds and road warriors rejoice: Amazon's streaming gizmos now work on public Wi-Fi.

Microsoft’s Project Spartan Web Browser Unveiled In Leaked Windows 10 Technical Preview

A "leaked" version of the new OS includes an early version of Internet Explorer's successor.

The Internet Of Things: Government Gets Ready For A More Connected World With New FTC Division

The agency says it will hire more tech-savvy employees to keep an eye on emerging technologies.

Gmail: Google Ponders Snail Mail Scanning Service In User Survey

What if the search giant could remotely “delete” your physical junk mail?

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Apple Working On New Apple TV With Siri, Its Own App Store

The new set-top box includes Siri voice control and its own app store.

The Pirate Bay Evades UK Piracy Blockade With Increased Security

The notorious file-sharing site is no longer inaccessible in the U.K.

‘Carrot’ App Creator Readies Weather App Featuring Artificial Intelligence That Hates Humanity

Carrot is a digital assistant that’s more HAL 9000 than Siri.

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Microsoft Announces Windows 10 Release Date: Free Upgrade Coming This Summer

The software giant says passwords will be replaced by eye-, fingerprint- and face-scanning tech.

Facebook Inc. Unveils Free Money Transfers From Messenger App For Android, iPhone And Desktop

Facebook claims more than 500 million people use Messenger every month.

Apple Inc. To Launch Streaming TV Service This Fall With 25 Channels: Report

Apple is “in talks” with networks like ABC, CBS and Fox to launch a TV bundle service consisting of about 25 channels sometime this fall.

Smartwatches Like Apple Watch Could Be More Dangerous For Drivers Than A Smartphone

Buckle up: drivers using a smartwatch are purportedly even more dangerous than those on a smartphone.