NPR Topics: Technology http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1019&ft=1&f=1019 Latest technology news and breakthroughs in technology, science, and industry. Download the NPR Technology podcast and Technology RSS feed. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Technology http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1019&ft=1&f=1019 Personalizing Solar Power Researchers are hoping to improve solar energy installations by coupling a solar panel to an efficient hydrolysis unit that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. Daniel Nocera of MIT says the approach could lead to personal solar power units that could get many houses off the grid. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120613254&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120613254&ft=1&f=1019 Researchers are hoping to improve solar energy installations by coupling a solar panel to an efficient hydrolysis unit that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. Daniel Nocera of MIT says the approach could lead to personal solar power units that could get many houses off the grid.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Listeners Reject, Accept New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, the audience shares personal stories in reaction to controversial new guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a component of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency says suggests women can now wait an additional 10 years before getting an annual mammogram. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120608136&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120608136&ft=1&f=1019 Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, the audience shares personal stories in reaction to controversial new guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a component of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency says suggests women can now wait an additional 10 years before getting an annual mammogram.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Google Chrome OS Will Live For The Web Google is preparing to strip down the computer-user experience to a single application: the Web browser. The company says it's just recognizing the reality that most people use their computers to connect to the Web, and that's about it. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:29:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114408236&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114408236&ft=1&f=1019 Google is preparing to strip down the computer-user experience to a single application: the Web browser. The company says it's just recognizing the reality that most people use their computers to connect to the Web, and that's about it.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Sony Hopes Online Service Will Build Brand Loyalty Sony's new online service connecting the whole range of its gadgets to downloadable content like movies and games should help build brand loyalty, a top executive said. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:43:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120561277&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120561277&ft=1&f=1019 Sony's new online service connecting the whole range of its gadgets to downloadable content like movies and games should help build brand loyalty, a top executive said.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> 'Googled': From Brainchild To Behemoth How much do you know about the company that knows so much about you? In <em>Googled: The End of the World as We Know It,</em> Ken Auletta chronicles the growth of Google, from the brainchild of two computer science graduate students, toiling in a California garage, to the multi-billion dollar, multi-nation corporation it is today. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120576406&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120576406&ft=1&f=1019 How much do you know about the company that knows so much about you? In Googled: The End of the World as We Know It, Ken Auletta chronicles the growth of Google, from the brainchild of two computer science graduate students, toiling in a California garage, to the multi-billion dollar, multi-nation corporation it is today.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Meet The Next Best Street Photographer: Google Has Google joined the ranks of the best street photographers? Jon Rafman might argue so, and he has a collection of Google Street View photos to make the case. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:20:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114405966&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114405966&ft=1&f=1019 Has Google joined the ranks of the best street photographers? Jon Rafman might argue so, and he has a collection of Google Street View photos to make the case.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Camera That Saved Hubble Now On Display Two instruments from the Hubble Space Telescope, including the camera that corrected an early flaw in the telescope, are now on exhibit at the Smithsonian. The camera, about the size of a baby grand piano, is responsible for some of Hubble's most astounding photos. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120539846&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120539846&ft=1&f=1019 Two instruments from the Hubble Space Telescope, including the camera that corrected an early flaw in the telescope, are now on exhibit at the Smithsonian. The camera, about the size of a baby grand piano, is responsible for some of Hubble's most astounding photos.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> California Requires TVs To Be More Energy Efficient Power-hungry TVs will be banned from store shelves in California after state regulators adopted a first-in-the nation mandate to lower electricity demand. On a unanimous vote, the California Energy Commission on Wednesday required all new televisions up to 58 inches to be more energy efficient beginning in 2011. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:09:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120526762&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120526762&ft=1&f=1019 Power-hungry TVs will be banned from store shelves in California after state regulators adopted a first-in-the nation mandate to lower electricity demand. On a unanimous vote, the California Energy Commission on Wednesday required all new televisions up to 58 inches to be more energy efficient beginning in 2011.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> NSA Helping Microsoft With Windows 7 Security The National Security Agency has been working with Microsoft Corp. to help improve security measures for its new Windows 7 operating system, a senior NSA official said on Tuesday. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:55:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114403301&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114403301&ft=1&f=1019 The National Security Agency has been working with Microsoft Corp. to help improve security measures for its new Windows 7 operating system, a senior NSA official said on Tuesday.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Is The Small Screen Replacing The Silver Screen? As DVD sales decline, Hollywood studios are looking for ways to get movies straight to consumers' living rooms. This has some industry insiders worried that Hollywood is jeopardizing its most valuable asset: the theatrical release date. The movie industry is looking to change the way it distributes content. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120488558&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120488558&ft=1&f=1019 As DVD sales decline, Hollywood studios are looking for ways to get movies straight to consumers' living rooms. This has some industry insiders worried that Hollywood is jeopardizing its most valuable asset: the theatrical release date. The movie industry is looking to change the way it distributes content.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Top Executives Launch Electric Car Coalition A group of executives from more than a dozen auto, transportation and energy companies launched a new coalition Monday to urge the federal government to make a major investment in electric transportation. Their goal is to bring 100 million electric cars to the road by 2030. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:37:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120478052&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120478052&ft=1&f=1019 A group of executives from more than a dozen auto, transportation and energy companies launched a new coalition Monday to urge the federal government to make a major investment in electric transportation. Their goal is to bring 100 million electric cars to the road by 2030.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Watching TV On Your Computer Omar Gallaga, technology culture for the Austin American-Statesman, explores the latest technology options for watching television on your computer and vice versa. Gallaga says there is more aggregation of television content on the Internet in the form of search engines and new Web sites. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470633&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470633&ft=1&f=1019 Omar Gallaga, technology culture for the Austin American-Statesman, explores the latest technology options for watching television on your computer and vice versa. Gallaga says there is more aggregation of television content on the Internet in the form of search engines and new Web sites.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Can IPhone App Interpret A Baby's Cry? A new iPhone application, called Cry Translator, claims that it can help parents interpret the many subtleties in their babies' cries &mdash; from hungry to tired to needs a diaper change. Melissa Block puts the app to the test with the help of <em>All Things Considered</em> producer &mdash; and new mom &mdash; Melissa Gray. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470639&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470639&ft=1&f=1019 A new iPhone application, called Cry Translator, claims that it can help parents interpret the many subtleties in their babies' cries — from hungry to tired to needs a diaper change. Melissa Block puts the app to the test with the help of All Things Considered producer — and new mom — Melissa Gray.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Obama Pushes China To Stop Censoring Internet The president uses a town hall-style meeting with university students in Shanghai to focus on human rights, one of the trickiest issues separating China's communist government and the United States. Later, President Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:47:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120450377&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120450377&ft=1&f=1019 The president uses a town hall-style meeting with university students in Shanghai to focus on human rights, one of the trickiest issues separating China's communist government and the United States. Later, President Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Patients Turn To Online Community For Help Healing Many people already use the Internet to search for health information, but more Americans are using social-networking sites to talk to each other about their health. And many patients find it empowering to be able to share and learn from others who are going through the same thing. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120381580&ft=1&f=1019 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120381580&ft=1&f=1019 Many people already use the Internet to search for health information, but more Americans are using social-networking sites to talk to each other about their health. And many patients find it empowering to be able to share and learn from others who are going through the same thing.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]>