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All Tech Considered

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The Industry

Thursday

Small Cinemas Struggle As Film Fades Out Of The Picture

The Roxie Theater in San Francisco still has two 35 millimeter projectors, but the switch to digital is inevitable. Laura Sydell/NPR hide caption

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Laura Sydell/NPR

Innovation

Small Cinemas Struggle As Film Fades Out Of The Picture

Paramount became the first big studio to distribute a major film in the U.S. only in digital, and others will probably follow. Small cinemas are struggling to raise money for the transition. Despite resistance from some major directors, the end of film is almost upon us.

Small Cinemas Struggle As Film Fades Out Of The Picture

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New York Looks To Bring Bitcoin Out Of The Shadows

Cameron (left) and Tyler Winklevoss testified Wednesday at a hearing about virtual currencies held by the New York Department of Financial Services. Craig Ruttle/AP hide caption

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Craig Ruttle/AP

The Industry

New York Looks To Bring Bitcoin Out Of The Shadows

WNYC

Bitcoin has been tied to the dark side of the Internet, where it's been linked to drug trafficking. But New York's financial regulators say they want to foster innovation and are looking to legitimize the virtual currency by licensing it.

New York Looks To Bring Bitcoin Out Of The Shadows

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Monday

For Taiwanese News Animators, Funny Videos Are Serious Work

The motion-capture team at Next Media Animation. The actor (in the leotard) is wearing sensors that the 40 cameras mounted in the studio will capture to help animators render his movements digitally. Elise Hu/NPR hide caption

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Elise Hu/NPR

The Industry

For Taiwanese News Animators, Funny Videos Are Serious Work

The studio responsible for bizarre viral videos featuring 3-D animations of the news is more serious than you'd think. Go behind the scenes at the Taipei-based Next Media Animation to find out why this fast-moving — and controversial — company says it's charting the future of news.

For Taiwanese News Animators, Funny Videos Are Serious Work

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Friday

Tech Week That Was: The Mac Turns 30, More NSA Rumblings

Apple's CEO Steve Jobs (left) and President John Sculley display the hardware unveiled at the annual shareholders meeting on Jan. 24, 1984. Terry Schmitt/UPI/Landov hide caption

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Terry Schmitt/UPI/Landov

The Industry

Tech Week That Was: The Mac Turns 30, More NSA Rumblings

In technology news this week: Apple's iconic baby celebrated a big birthday, the debate over Edward Snowden and NSA data collection continued to simmer, and the Target data breach prompted more talk about credit card security.

As Windows XP Fades Away, Will Its Users Stick With Microsoft?

A man walks past a Microsoft billboard featuring Windows XP in November 2001 in Beijing. Kevin Lee/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Lee/Getty Images

The Industry

As Windows XP Fades Away, Will Its Users Stick With Microsoft?

Microsoft will stop supporting Windows XP in April. But the company faces a challenge as it herds its users away from the 12-year-old operating system: With so many computing options on the market, customers leaving XP behind might end up turning their backs to Microsoft, too.

At 30, The Original Mac Is Still An Archetype Of Innovation

A 1984 Apple Macintosh Classic was on display at the Museum for Art and Industry in Hamburg, Germany, in 2011. Philipp Guelland/dapd hide caption

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Philipp Guelland/dapd

Innovation

At 30, The Original Mac Is Still An Archetype Of Innovation

In January 1984, Apple aired one of most iconic commercials in Super Bowl history — introducing the Macintosh computer. The marketing helped position Apple as a plucky upstart, and the machine fundamentally changed the way people interacted with computers.

At 30, The Original Mac Is Still An Archetype Of Innovation

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Friday

Week That Was: Smart Fridge Hack, Net Neutrality And The NSA

An LG representative shows off a smart refrigerator at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 10. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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The Industry

Week That Was: Smart Fridge Hack, Net Neutrality And The NSA

Your weekly roundup of tech headlines from NPR and publications around the country, including more credit card security breaches and the latest developments with the "Internet of Things." We asked what was in the hacked fridge, but — spoiler alert (pun intended) — we didn't find out.

Wednesday

How Virtual Currency Could Make It Easier To Move Money

The world's first Bitcoin ATM opened at a Canadian coffee shop in Vancouver last year. But, Bitcoin use is far from mainstream at the moment. David Ryder/Getty Images hide caption

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David Ryder/Getty Images

The Industry

How Virtual Currency Could Make It Easier To Move Money

It isn't just Bitcoin. You can now choose from more than 70 virtual currencies, and people are using them partly because it could be a free way of transferring money online. Given more time and widespread use, that could change the playing field for companies like Western Union and banks.

Monday

Sunday

Internet In America: An On Again, Off Again Relationship

Comcast is the largest cable company and home Internet service provider in the United States. A recent survey found that many Americans give Internet service providers low marks for satisfaction. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption

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Matt Rourke/AP

The Industry

Internet In America: An On Again, Off Again Relationship

For some Americans, getting high-speed Internet can be a challenge. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, consumers rate Internet service providers worse than airlines, the postal service and health insurance in terms of satisfaction.

Internet In America: An On Again, Off Again Relationship

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Wednesday

TV Makers Look To Pack More Pixels Into Your Home TV With 4K

Hollywood studios are wary of "ultra HD" or 4K TV making people more picky about what they watch in cinemas. But first, the TVs have to become mainstream. Gero Breloer/AP hide caption

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Gero Breloer/AP

The Industry

TV Makers Look To Pack More Pixels Into Your Home TV With 4K

TV makers, studios and streaming companies are all getting behind 4K TVs, which offer higher resolutions than even high-definition TVs. Some say it could worry Hollywood and lead to even less risk-taking in movies, but the technology still has significant hurdles to overcome.

Tuesday

Tech Fit For The Showroom, But The Runway Might Have To Wait

The Navigate Jacket from Wearable Experiments uses GPS navigation and a mapping app on the wearer's smartphone to signal directions. It's part of a new trend of wearable tech that some speculate will be a billion-dollar industry. Rupert Kaldor/Wearable Experiments hide caption

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Rupert Kaldor/Wearable Experiments

The Industry

Tech Fit For The Showroom, But The Runway Might Have To Wait

KQED

Wearable technology is often said to look dorky. "Stylish" and "fashionable" are not words anyone would associate with devices like Google Glass or smart watches. But companies are now working to embed technology into clothing so that it's unobtrusive or even attractive.

Tech Fit For The Showroom, But The Runway Might Have To Wait

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Monday

Innovation

CES 2014: Toothbrush? Bed? Car? Put Some Internet On It

The Consumer Electronics Show is the tech industry's annual electronics showcase in Las Vegas, where companies are showing off their latest and greatest gadgets, like Internet-connected toothbrushes (ideal for hygiene-concerned helicopter parents) and cars that come equipped with a 4G cell connection.

CES 2014: Toothbrush? Bed? Car? Put Some Internet On It

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Monday

$0 Profits Couldn't Hold Back This Year's Tech Darlings

Twitter made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange in November. Both the social media giant and the relative newcomer Snapchat are valued in the billions, but neither company has yet turned a profit. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images

The Industry

$0 Profits Couldn't Hold Back This Year's Tech Darlings

In Silicon Valley, zero profit and even zero revenue don't make a company a loser. Tech companies like Snapchat and Twitter, which have not yet turned any profit, can be worth billions of dollars based on future potential alone.

$0 Profits Couldn't Hold Back This Year's Tech Darlings

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Tuesday

Check Out These Gorgeous, Futuristic Tech Company Headquarters

Architect's rendering of Apple's new facility Courtesy of City of Cupertino hide caption

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Courtesy of City of Cupertino

The Industry

Check Out These Gorgeous, Futuristic Tech Company Headquarters

Historically, companies often viewed buildings as simply a cost, one architect consultant says. Now they're beginning to think about them as an asset — something that can be used to drive creativity and performance and attract and retain talent.

Check Out These Gorgeous, Futuristic Tech Company Headquarters

Listen · 5:14
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