Fourteen of the year’s most embarrassing blunders in technology, by Amazon, Apple, Google, Uber and more — all for your holiday enjoyment.
Technology companies can make our lives easier and even change the world. But just as often they can mess up. Spectacularly.
And 2014 delivered ample proof that even smart people do stupid things.
It was a year of extreme bad-boy behavior, from former RadiumOne CEO Gurbaksh Chahal being charged with battering his girlfriend to anonymous online trolls threatening women for taking a stand against sexism in games.
It was a year of flops, as Amazon entered the cutthroat smartphone business — with predictable results — and Google scuttled its plans for turning barges into showrooms.
It was also a year when we learned just how vulnerable our personal information has become. What with the loss of credit card data from JP Morgan and Home Depot, and the leaked celebrity photos taken from Apple’s iCloud, it’s a wonder we continue to use online services at all.
Even Apple, which reigns as the world’s most valuable brand, failed to live up to its reputation as the coolest company of all. Though the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are undeniable hits, Apple’s had a series of hiccups — including a case of the bends.
Surprisingly, longtime Turkey honoree BlackBerry didn’t make this year’s cut. Its plan to move to a software-centric business is a far cry from last year’s attempt to create a blockbuster phone — and more sensible to boot.
There were so many turkeys in 2014 that this year’s version is supersized, with 14 painstakingly chosen examples. Think of it as extra stuffing. Enjoy!