archive
Making Permanent Digital Records Not So Permanent
December 4, 2012 The Internet is forever — and so are texts, tweets and Facebook updates — but a startup has big ambitions to bring privacy and impermanence to online communication. The company, called Wickr, lets users decide how long a message lives.
All Tech Considered
Which Tablet Is Right For You?
December 3, 2012 For the first time, Apple's iPad has some competition: Google's Nexus, Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and the Microsoft Surface. Tech reporters Steve Henn and Laura Sydell have been testing out the latest tablets this holiday season — and found that content is king.
The Two-Way
Group Of Internet Trolls Claims Thousands Of Tumblr Blogs Infected By Worm
December 3, 2012 The worm has spread when users click on a post that denigrates Tumblr users. The infected post, encourages users of the micro-blogging site to "drink bleach and die."
All Tech Considered
In Eye Control, A Promise To Let Your Tablet Go Hands-Free
December 3, 2012 Forget touch screens and voice recognition. What if you could control your computer just by looking at it? Gaze-based interaction has been around for 20 years, but it may be poised to become more widely available — and affordable.
All Tech Considered
The Next Workplace? Behind The Wheel
December 3, 2012 From the back seat of a Bentley to the cab of a Ford F-150, NPR's Nina Gregory visits the L.A. Auto Show to check out the latest in mobile offices: vehicles designed for work.
Shots - Health News
Text Messages Help Smokers Kick The Habit
December 3, 2012 Texting may not always be the best method of communication, but it can be a promising support network for smokers who want to quit. Several recent studies show that receiving an encouraging text can help stave off a cigarette craving and boost motivation to quit for good.
All Tech Considered
The Sight Of Roadkill Makes A Pretty, Data-Rich Picture
December 2, 2012 NCPRScientists and citizens are filling up a database on dead critters with their smartphones. The EpiCollect app pulls data such as location, speed limit and the carcass's condition. Wildlife ecologist Danielle Garneau says the project tracks animal movement and may help protect species in the future.
Middle East
Shutdowns Counter The Idea Of A World-Wide Web
December 1, 2012 The Internet shutdowns in Syria and Egypt have shown how governments can thwart activists who mobilize and promote their cause online. Some countries claim that control is their right, but will the rest of the world agree?
Business
A Bet Or A Prediction? Intrade's Purpose Is Debated
November 29, 2012 The "prediction market" site Intrade's decision to close in the U.S. highlights how the company exists in a regulatory gray area, somewhere between trading and betting. Intrade says it hopes to operate legally in the U.S. eventually. In the meantime, American users must close their accounts by year's end.
All Tech Considered
Yet Another Shift In Facebook Policies Raises Privacy Concerns
November 29, 2012 Facebook has a long history of upsetting its users by suddenly announcing a change to its privacy settings. In 2009, as a way to quiet the critics, Facebook set up a system for its customers to vote on changes. If enough of them were unhappy, the company would back down. Now, Facebook wants to get rid of the voting.
The Salt
Key To E. Coli-Free Spinach May Be An Ultrasonic Spa Treatment
November 29, 2012 A new way to clean spinach combines an old technique and a new one to get the disease-causing bacteria. But there aren't any commercial orders for the ultrasonic spinach spa just yet.
Asia
Facebook Arrests Ignite Free-Speech Debate In India
November 29, 2012 A 21-year-old was arrested after she questioned the shutdown of Mumbai for the funeral of a controversial political leader; her friend was arrested for simply "liking" the post. The comment angered the politician's supporters, who some say intimidated police into making the arrests.
