Accessibility links
Laura Sydell
Stories By

Laura Sydell

Saturday

Amazon's Original Content Primes The Pump For Bigger Sales

Amazon recently premiered its new dramedy Transparent. The massive retailer is banking on its original TV content to rope in new customers. Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Amazon Studios hide caption

toggle caption
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Amazon Studios

Business

Amazon's Original Content Primes The Pump For Bigger Sales

The company has a history of mediocre self-produced programming, but now it's putting more money and talent into its movies and TV shows. It's betting that better shows will lead to more online sales.

Amazon's Original Content Primes The Pump For Bigger Sales

Listen · 4:37
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/351961592/351979023" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Business

Cab Competition In San Francisco Benefits Riders

Taxi ridership has plummeted 60 percent in San Francisco due to competition from the ride sharing companies Uber and Lyft. Now taxis are fighting back with ride hailing apps of their own.

Cab Competition In San Francisco Benefits Riders

Listen · 3:44
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/351811992/351811996" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Technology

Buggy, Bendy iPhones Create Bad Week For Apple

From bending iPhones to a glitchy new operating system, it's been a bad week for Apple. Are they simply bumps in the road or a sign of something amiss at Apple?

Buggy, Bendy iPhones Create Bad Week For Apple

Listen · 3:02
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/351529368/351529375" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

Technology

Minecraft Purchase Gives Microsoft New Foothold

Microsoft announced on Monday that it will pay $2.5 billion for the Swedish software company Mojang AB, developer of the popular Minecraft franchise.

Minecraft Purchase Gives Microsoft New Foothold

Listen · 3:53
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/348765053/348765054" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Law

Yahoo Threatened With Huge Fines If It Didn't Release User Data

On Thursday, a court unsealed some 15,000 pages of documents in which Yahoo and the government battled it out. The government threatened Yahoo with fines of $250,000 a day for not complying.

Yahoo Threatened With Huge Fines If It Didn't Release User Data

Listen · 3:53
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/347873257/347873258" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Business

Apple Unveils New Payment System, iPhones, Smartwatch

On Tuesday afternoon, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 6, a slightly larger iPhone 6 Plus, a mobile payment system and a new smartwatch.

Apple Unveils New Payment System, iPhones, Smartwatch

Listen · 3:33
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/347151280/347151281" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Size Matters: Why Apple Is Expected To Unveil A Bigger iPhone

The Samsung Galaxy Mega (from left), Samsung Galaxy S4 and Apple iPhone 5 are shown. Apple is expected to announce larger models of its smartphone on Tuesday. Richard Drew/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Richard Drew/AP

All Tech Considered

Size Matters: Why Apple Is Expected To Unveil A Bigger iPhone

Pushed by rivals like Samsung, Apple is likely to announce bigger iPhones on Tuesday. Users of bigger-screen devices say they prefer their larger images and the ability to see multiple apps together.

Size Matters: Why Apple Is Expected To Unveil A Bigger iPhone

Listen · 3:39
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/346870499/347017610" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

In E-Book Price War, Amazon's Long-Term Strategy Requires Short-Term Risks

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wants to sell all e-books for $9.99, while the publisher Hachette wants to vary the prices. iStockphoto hide caption

toggle caption
iStockphoto

All Tech Considered

In E-Book Price War, Amazon's Long-Term Strategy Requires Short-Term Risks

Amazon's position is that "instead of selling 100,000 copies at $14.95, you would sell 200,000 copies, let's say, at $8.99 or $9.99," says industry analyst Tim Bajarin.

In E-Book Price War, Amazon's Long-Term Strategy Requires Short-Term Risks

Listen · 4:25
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/345825538/345868851" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Business

Nude Photos Hack Wasn't Broad Attack On Apple Services

Nude photos of celebrities have spread across the Internet. On Tuesday, Apple said that some celebrity accounts were hit by an attack on user names, passwords and security questions.

Nude Photos Hack Wasn't Broad Attack On Apple Services

Listen · 1:33
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/345428497/345428498" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Business

Amazon Makes A Big Move Into The World Of Online Gaming

Amazon is buying Twitch Interactive, a live-streaming service for video game players. Amazon will reportedly pay more than $1 billion for the fast-growing tech company.

Amazon Makes A Big Move Into The World Of Online Gaming

Listen · 1:34
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/343352082/343352083" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

As Ferguson Unraveled, The World Found A New Way Of Watching

When protests over the shooting of Michael Brown turned violent in Ferguson, Mo., livestreaming videos showed Americans what they couldn't see on TV. Screen Grab From KARG Argus Radio Video hide caption

toggle caption
Screen Grab From KARG Argus Radio Video

All Tech Considered

As Ferguson Unraveled, The World Found A New Way Of Watching

When protests over the shooting of Michael Brown turned violent in Ferguson, Mo., live-streaming videos showed Americans what they couldn't see on TV.

As Ferguson Unraveled, The World Found A New Way Of Watching

Listen · 5:25
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/342591732/343073964" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Ex-Microsoft CEO Ballmer Steps Down From Company's Board

Steve Ballmer, the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, is stepping down from Microsoft's board. Ballmer, who recently resigned as Microsoft's CEO, is the largest individual shareholder of the company. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Business

Ex-Microsoft CEO Ballmer Steps Down From Company's Board

Steve Ballmer, 58, on Tuesday resigned from the software giant's board because of other time consuming commitments including his new ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ex-Microsoft CEO Ballmer Steps Down From Company's Board

Listen · 1:35
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/341783560/341826199" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

How Long Do CDs Last? It Depends, But Definitely Not Forever

Many institutions have their archives stored on CDs — but the discs aren't as stable as once thought. There is no average life span for a CD, says preservationist Michele Youket, "because there is no average disc." Sarah Tilotta/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Sarah Tilotta/NPR

All Tech Considered

How Long Do CDs Last? It Depends, But Definitely Not Forever

Preservationists are worried about troves of records stored on what was once considered a durable medium: the compact disc. Many discs can last for centuries — but most won't.

How Long Do CDs Last? It Depends, But Definitely Not Forever

Listen · 4:23
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/340716269/341409870" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Race

In Hashtag Protest, 'Black Twitter' Shows Its Strength

Following the shooting of an unarmed black teen, the hashtag #IfTheyGunnedMeDown caught fire on Twitter. The response demonstrated the scope of what's informally known as Black Twitter.

In Hashtag Protest, 'Black Twitter' Shows Its Strength

Listen · 3:33
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/340153395/340153396" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

A Good IT Person Needs To Be Half Technologist, Half Psychologist
iStockphoto

All Tech Considered

A Good IT Person Needs To Be Half Technologist, Half Psychologist

Your doctor and lawyer may know a lot about you. But in a time when we are using computers to socialize, keep track of finances, do work and store family photos, your IT person probably knows more.

A Good IT Person Needs To Be Half Technologist, Half Psychologist

Listen · 4:15
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/338984905/339611097" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript