Digital Life http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1049&ft=1&f=1049 NPR's stories on information technology, computing, and the internet. Download podcasts and subscribe to RSS feeds. Listen to audio online. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Sun, 19 May 2013 05:41:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Digital Life http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1049&ft=1&f=1049 Can Losing Weight In Your 'Second Life' Help In Your First? A new study from the University of Kansas Medical Center shows that the online game <em>Second Life</em> helped some people lose weight — and keep it off — in real life. Sun, 19 May 2013 05:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/19/185164635/can-losing-weight-in-your-second-life-help-in-your-first?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/19/185164635/can-losing-weight-in-your-second-life-help-in-your-first?ft=1&f=1049 A new study from the University of Kansas Medical Center shows that the online game Second Life helped some people lose weight — and keep it off — in real life.

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]]> Kai 'The Hatchet Hitchhiker' Is Accused Of Murder Caleb "Kai" McGillvary became an Internet sensation in February with his colorful account of how he helped save a California utility worker who was being beaten by another man. Now, McGillvary is charged in the murder of a lawyer in New Jersey. Fri, 17 May 2013 07:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/17/184727456/kai-the-hatchet-hitchhiker-is-accused-of-murder?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/17/184727456/kai-the-hatchet-hitchhiker-is-accused-of-murder?ft=1&f=1049 Caleb "Kai" McGillvary became an Internet sensation in February with his colorful account of how he helped save a California utility worker who was being beaten by another man. Now, McGillvary is charged in the murder of a lawyer in New Jersey.

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]]> Google Mines Our Data For Future Product Ideas This week in San Francisco, Google held its annual developers conference. It was there that the search industry giant laid out its vision for its future and ours. Fri, 17 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184700650/google-lays-out-its-future-for-everyone?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184700650/google-lays-out-its-future-for-everyone?ft=1&f=1049 This week in San Francisco, Google held its annual developers conference. It was there that the search industry giant laid out its vision for its future and ours.

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]]> Google's Privacy Shift Powers New Customized Maps The new Google Maps features tailor-made results based on users' habits and search histories. The features were made possible by the revisions Google made to its privacy policies last year, a change that removed most of the barriers between its various services. Thu, 16 May 2013 13:59:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/16/184511967/googles-privacy-shift-powers-new-customized-maps?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/16/184511967/googles-privacy-shift-powers-new-customized-maps?ft=1&f=1049 The new Google Maps features tailor-made results based on users' habits and search histories. The features were made possible by the revisions Google made to its privacy policies last year, a change that removed most of the barriers between its various services.

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]]> Twitter Users Risk Damnation, Saudi Religious Police Say Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said anyone using social media sites — and especially Twitter — "has lost this world and his afterlife." Many Saudis have turned to social media sites for news and to discuss issues they might otherwise not be able to bring up. Thu, 16 May 2013 08:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/16/184444451/twitter-users-risk-damnation-say-saudi-religious-police?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/16/184444451/twitter-users-risk-damnation-say-saudi-religious-police?ft=1&f=1049 Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said anyone using social media sites — and especially Twitter — "has lost this world and his afterlife." Many Saudis have turned to social media sites for news and to discuss issues they might otherwise not be able to bring up.

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]]> Cup Of Joe With Apple CEO Goes For $610,000 It turns out that the desire to speak with Apple CEO Tim Cook, along with $610,000, will buy you a cup of coffee. That's the winning bid offered in a charity auction for up to an hour of Cook's time. Wed, 15 May 2013 09:39:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/15/184168530/cup-of-joe-with-apple-ceo-goes-for-610-000?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/15/184168530/cup-of-joe-with-apple-ceo-goes-for-610-000?ft=1&f=1049 It turns out that the desire to speak with Apple CEO Tim Cook, along with $610,000, will buy you a cup of coffee. That's the winning bid offered in a charity auction for up to an hour of Cook's time.

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]]> Grad Student Tracks His Online Moves, Looks To Sell Data Everyone is tracked by marketers online. Instead of fighting it, Federico Zannier, a New York grad student, is taking ownership of his online personal data by selling it: "I said, 'OK, I want to try to make money with my own data.' " Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/15/184132964/Grad-Student-Tracks-His-Online-Moves-Looks-To-Sell-Data?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/15/184132964/Grad-Student-Tracks-His-Online-Moves-Looks-To-Sell-Data?ft=1&f=1049 Everyone is tracked by marketers online. Instead of fighting it, Federico Zannier, a New York grad student, is taking ownership of his online personal data by selling it: "I said, 'OK, I want to try to make money with my own data.' "

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]]> Is Nintendo Fixing A Gay Marriage 'Bug' In New Video Game? Days after the gaming world began to buzz with reports that Nintendo's new life simulation game allows men to marry other men, it now seems that Nintendo is removing that possibility, which by all accounts was unintended. Tue, 14 May 2013 11:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/14/183902153/reports-bug-allows-gay-marriage-in-video-game-fix-likely?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/14/183902153/reports-bug-allows-gay-marriage-in-video-game-fix-likely?ft=1&f=1049 Days after the gaming world began to buzz with reports that Nintendo's new life simulation game allows men to marry other men, it now seems that Nintendo is removing that possibility, which by all accounts was unintended.

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]]> Online Legacies Prompt Growing Legal Challenges When we die, we leave the people who knew us with memories. But what about everything we posted online? We leave that in the hands, not of our families, but of big corporations such as Google and Facebook. Tue, 14 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183840280/what-to-do-with-online-legacies-prompt-legal-challenges?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183840280/what-to-do-with-online-legacies-prompt-legal-challenges?ft=1&f=1049 When we die, we leave the people who knew us with memories. But what about everything we posted online? We leave that in the hands, not of our families, but of big corporations such as Google and Facebook.

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]]> Facebook Users Question $20 Million Settlement Over Ads Facebook is expected to pay out $20 million in a settlement over its "Sponsored Stories" advertising service, after placing user images in personalized ads. But the settlement doesn't stop the service, and a legal expert says Facebook's option to let users opt out creates more problems. Mon, 13 May 2013 15:14:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/14/182861926/facebook-users-question-20-million-settlement-over-ads?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/14/182861926/facebook-users-question-20-million-settlement-over-ads?ft=1&f=1049 Facebook is expected to pay out $20 million in a settlement over its "Sponsored Stories" advertising service, after placing user images in personalized ads. But the settlement doesn't stop the service, and a legal expert says Facebook's option to let users opt out creates more problems.

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]]> Teens Who Text And Drive Often Take Other Risks Four in 10 teenagers admit that they text while driving. Not only is that behavior dangerous, but those same teens are more likely to skip the seat belt and drive while drinking, too. Mon, 13 May 2013 10:39:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/13/183564569/teens-who-text-and-drive-often-take-other-risks?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/13/183564569/teens-who-text-and-drive-often-take-other-risks?ft=1&f=1049 Four in 10 teenagers admit that they text while driving. Not only is that behavior dangerous, but those same teens are more likely to skip the seat belt and drive while drinking, too.

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]]> Google Fights Glass Backlash Before It Even Hits The Street From privacy concerns to technology saturation, Google's new technology has had its fair share of criticism — and it's not even on sale yet. The company wants to change those negative perceptions of its wearable computer before it goes on sale to the public. Mon, 13 May 2013 03:06:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/13/183468218/google-fights-glass-backlash-before-it-even-hits-the-street?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/13/183468218/google-fights-glass-backlash-before-it-even-hits-the-street?ft=1&f=1049 From privacy concerns to technology saturation, Google's new technology has had its fair share of criticism — and it's not even on sale yet. The company wants to change those negative perceptions of its wearable computer before it goes on sale to the public.

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]]> New Closed-Captioning Glasses Help Deaf Go Out To The Movies This is a big moment for the deaf, many of whom haven't been to the movies in a long time. The new glasses display closed captions just for the wearer, and they're headed for 6,000 screens across the country. Sun, 12 May 2013 15:48:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/12/183218751/new-closed-captioning-glasses-help-deaf-go-out-to-the-movies?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/12/183218751/new-closed-captioning-glasses-help-deaf-go-out-to-the-movies?ft=1&f=1049 This is a big moment for the deaf, many of whom haven't been to the movies in a long time. The new glasses display closed captions just for the wearer, and they're headed for 6,000 screens across the country.

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]]> Litterbugs Beware: Turning Found DNA Into Portraits A dropped cigarette butt, a chewed-up piece of gum, a stray hair. Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg uses DNA from trash she's picked up around New York City to generate 3-D portraits of those who left it behind. Sun, 12 May 2013 14:38:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183363361/litterbugs-beware-turning-found-dna-into-portraits?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183363361/litterbugs-beware-turning-found-dna-into-portraits?ft=1&f=1049 A dropped cigarette butt, a chewed-up piece of gum, a stray hair. Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg uses DNA from trash she's picked up around New York City to generate 3-D portraits of those who left it behind.

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]]> He Didn't Just Call His Mother, He Made Her A Star Filmmaker Josh Seftel thought starting a Web series with his mom could bring them closer together. Amazingly, it did. In <em>My Mom on Movies</em>, they take on the big topics in the entertainment and pop culture world. Sun, 12 May 2013 05:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183160505/he-didnt-just-call-his-mother-he-made-her-a-star?ft=1&f=1049 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183160505/he-didnt-just-call-his-mother-he-made-her-a-star?ft=1&f=1049 Filmmaker Josh Seftel thought starting a Web series with his mom could bring them closer together. Amazingly, it did. In My Mom on Movies, they take on the big topics in the entertainment and pop culture world.

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