The past year wasn't without its major tech disasters. And the Telegraph newspaper wasn't shy about showcasing them. In its year-end look into the biggest tech failures of 2013, the Telegraph focused on three miscues that really showed how tech can backfire when it's not adequately tested or monitored.
Healthcare.gov
To no one's surprise, the Healthcare.gov fiasco tops the Telegraph's list of 2013 tech foul-ups. And why not? When the website debuted, it didn't work. Consumers couldn't log on. And when they could, they couldn't find the insurance information they needed. The website's failure has been the biggest embarrassment of Obama's second term.
Sabre’s travel mess-up
Then there's the Sabre travel-booking system. In the height of the school holiday season, Sabre's worldwide reservation system -- a system employed by more than 300 airlines -- went on the fritz. This caused flight cancellations and delays for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Walmart's "bargain"
Walmart's website in October appeared to offer huge bargains: Computer gear valued at $500 being sold for just $8.99. Needless to say, consumers grabbed the offer. One problem: It was an IT mistake. Walmart didn't honor the discount prices. Its shareholders were happy. But, as the Telegraph says, its customers weren't, and they weren't shy about sharing this on social media.