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Laura Sydell
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Laura Sydell

Friday

For Advocacy Groups, Video Games Are The Next Frontier

A screenshot of Half the Sky, where virtual successes sometimes lead to real-life donations. Games For Change hide caption

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Games For Change

All Tech Considered

For Advocacy Groups, Video Games Are The Next Frontier

As video games become more mainstream, some social action organizations are using them to raise awareness or raise funds. They advocate for a range of causes, from the struggles of women in the developing world to the effects of power in Congress.

For Advocacy Groups, Video Games Are The Next Frontier

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Friday

Will New PlayStation, Xbox Click Beyond The Hard-Core Gamer?

The Sony PlayStation 4 sells for $399. Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images hide caption

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Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

Will New PlayStation, Xbox Click Beyond The Hard-Core Gamer?

More than seven years since their previous releases, Sony and Microsoft are debuting new versions of their popular game consoles — PlayStation and Xbox. Hard-core gamers are excited, but once that initial rush is over, Sony and Microsoft will have to work a lot harder to expand beyond that market.

Will New PlayStation, Xbox Click Beyond The Hard-Core Gamer?

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Business

Judge: Google's Book Copying Doesn't Violate Copyright Law

Google has prevailed in a long-running lawsuit over the millions of books the company has digitally scanned without permission from authors and publishers. A U.S. Circuit Court judge has ruled that it's "fair use" when Google scans portions of books for public to use.

Judge: Google's Book Copying Doesn't Violate Copyright Law

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Monday

What Today's Online Sharing Companies Can Learn From Napster

Napster founder Shawn Fanning in February 2001, after a ruling that the free Internet-based service must stop allowing copyrighted material to be shared. Paul Sakuma/AP hide caption

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Paul Sakuma/AP

All Tech Considered

What Today's Online Sharing Companies Can Learn From Napster

Perhaps no company showed how the Internet could turn sharing into a global phenomenon more than Napster. The music-sharing site upended the record industry. But the industry ultimately survived and free-music Napster did not. What are new businesses doing to avoid the same fate?

What Today's Online Sharing Companies Can Learn From Napster

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Tuesday

Raising Social Media Teens Means Constant Parental Learning

The Ask.fm website has been linked to two bullying cases that led to suicides. Danny E. Martindale/Getty Images hide caption

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Danny E. Martindale/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

Raising Social Media Teens Means Constant Parental Learning

For parents of teens in the fast-changing social media landscape, which includes sites such as Ask.fm, it can be tough to figure out the balance between giving your children freedom and protecting them from danger. That dilemma was illustrated by the suicide of a 12-year-old Florida girl who reportedly was cyberbullied.

Raising Social Media Teens Means Constant Parental Learning

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Friday

Business

AOL Takes No. 1 Spot For Online Video Ads

AOL, an online company many had given up for dead, is making a comeback. It recently acquired Adap.TV, a company that automates the purchase of video ads. And in September, it topped Google in one category: it had the most video ads watched, with 3.7 billion views.

AOL Takes No. 1 Spot For Online Video Ads

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Friday

3-D Printing A Masterwork For Your Living Room

Cosmo Wenman generated this 3-D model of the Ares Borghese, based on hundreds of photos, from the Basel Sculpture Hall. Wenman publishes the scans online, so that anyone can use them to 3-D print a replica of the masterpiece. Courtesy of Cosmo Wenman hide caption

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Courtesy of Cosmo Wenman

All Tech Considered

3-D Printing A Masterwork For Your Living Room

It's now possible to create an impressive copy of Michelangelo's David or Rodin's The Thinker with a 3-D printer. Rather than object, some museum curators see this high-tech replication as a way to bring near-real versions of classic works to the masses.

3-D Printing A Masterwork For Your Living Room

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Thursday

Business

Ad Dollars Follow Consumer Eyeballs To Smartphones, Tablets

Mobile advertising nearly tripled in first half of year — reaching $3 billion, according to a report released Wednesday. Advertisers have been trying to find ways to adapt to the mobile environment.

Ad Dollars Follow Consumer Eyeballs To Smartphones, Tablets

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Wednesday

All Tech Considered

Calif. Bans Jilted Lovers From Posting 'Revenge Porn' Online

After a breakup, some have taken to posting intimate pictures of their ex on the Internet. California's new law punishes those who do, but some critics say the law isn't specific enough and could inhibit free speech.

Calif. Bans Jilted Lovers From Posting 'Revenge Porn' Online

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Friday

Record Label Picks Copyright Fight — With The Wrong Guy

Law professor Lawrence Lessig, shown here in 2009, is suing an Australian record label for threatening to sue him over an alleged YouTube copyright violation. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images hide caption

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Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

Record Label Picks Copyright Fight — With The Wrong Guy

Lawrence Lessig was not pleased when Liberation Music persuaded YouTube to take down one of his online lectures because of an alleged copyright violation. So Lessig, one of the most famous copyright attorneys in the world, decided to take a stand against broad, intimidating takedown notices.

Record Label Picks Copyright Fight — With The Wrong Guy

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Monday

Fake Reviewers Get Zero Stars From New York Attorney General

Some reputation management companies required that its writers have a certain number of Yelp friends. Yelp says it welcomed the New York attorney general's crackdown on fake reviewers. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

All Tech Considered

Fake Reviewers Get Zero Stars From New York Attorney General

Nineteen companies agreed to pay more than $350,000 in penalties to settle accusations that they wrote or bought phony online reviews of their products, services or restaurants.

Fake Reviewers Get Zero Stars From New York Attorney General

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Friday

Female Fans Love New Grand Theft Auto Despite Demeaning Content

A close view of the packaging of Grand Theft Auto V at the midnight opening at the HMV music store in London on Tuesday. It made history with a record $800 million in sales on its first day. This version continues to generate controversy over its glorification of violence, drugs and its demeaning portraits of women. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

Female Fans Love New Grand Theft Auto Despite Demeaning Content

Grand Theft Auto V took in more than $800 million in sales on its first day in stores. The edgy and violent adventure game series isn't just a hit with young men: A significant number of women play, though some of them are disappointed the new release doesn't feature prominent female characters.

Female Fans Love New Grand Theft Auto Despite Demeaning Content

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Tuesday

Friday

Business

Twitter Files For Initial Public Offering

Twitter announced via Tweet Thursday that it's launching its long awaited initial public offering. It will be the most high profile IPO since Facebook went public last year. But Twitter hopes to avoid the mishaps that's marred Facebook's stock market debut.

Twitter Files For Initial Public Offering

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Thursday

Long Before Most, Intel Chased The Smart Watch

The Microma watch was the first watch with a liquid crystal display, but the limited technology of the time prevented Intel from achieving much else with it. Courtesy of Intel hide caption

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Courtesy of Intel

All Tech Considered

Long Before Most, Intel Chased The Smart Watch

Long before smart watches became the latest pursuit for tech companies, Gordon Moore of Intel was experimenting with wristwatch computers. Intel's co-founder and his colleagues built a line of chip-powered watches in the late '70s. The concept was visionary, but the business was a failure. Moore now keeps a memento that he calls his "$15 million watch."

Long Before Most, Intel Chased The Smart Watch

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