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Thursday

Online College Courses Get A Big Boost, But Doubts Persist

The University of Tennessee became one of 10 state university systems teaming up with Coursera, a for-profit tech company. Flickr Creative Commons hide caption

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Flickr Creative Commons

The Industry

Online College Courses Get A Big Boost, But Doubts Persist

Degree-granting institutions are responding to austere budgets by catapulting themselves into the world of online education. But some professors point to low online completion rates as evidence that these "massive open online courses" do a disservice to students.

Online College Courses Get A Big Boost, But Doubts Persist

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Wednesday

Fixing Your Online Reputation: There's An Industry For That

What a potential employer finds when researching an applicant online can make or break a job opportunity. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

The Industry

Fixing Your Online Reputation: There's An Industry For That

What an employer finds when researching an applicant online can make or break a job opportunity. Pete Kistler says he found this out the hard way. Since online reputation-management services were too pricey for his college budget, he started his own.

Fixing Your Online Reputation: There's An Industry For That

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Sunday

Apple-1 Computer Fetches $671,000 At Auction

With the exception of one cassette connector, this is the Apple-1 as it was delivered to Fred Hatfield. The user was responsible for finding a monitor and keyboard for the early computer that recently sold at auction for $671,000. Courtesy of Fred Hatfield hide caption

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Courtesy of Fred Hatfield

The Industry

Apple-1 Computer Fetches $671,000 At Auction

Electrical engineer Fred Hatfield was one of the first to purchase an Apple-1 in 1976, one of Apple's first computers. His relationship with that computer was an interesting one, and involves one bold interaction with Steve Jobs himself.

Monday

An Xbox 360 video presentation at the E3 Media and Business Summit in Los Angeles in 2008. Microsoft is scheduled to introduce its newest Xbox on Tuesday.

An Xbox 360 video presentation at the E3 Media and Business Summit in Los Angeles in 2008. Microsoft is scheduled to introduce its newest Xbox on Tuesday. Ric Francis/AP hide caption

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Ric Francis/AP

All Tech Considered

With New Xbox, Microsoft Makes A Bigger Play For Living Room

Microsoft has had few blockbuster successes in recent years. On Tuesday, when the tech giant is scheduled to introduce its new Xbox, it will be targeting more than just hard-core gamers. Analysts say Microsoft will also be aiming to make its console the center of entertainment in your living room.

With New Xbox, Microsoft Makes A Bigger Play For Living Room

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Wednesday

A New 'Smart Rifle' Decides When To Shoot And Rarely Misses

A TrackingPoint rifle features a high-tech scope that includes a laser rangefinder and a Wi-Fi server. Courtesy of TrackingPoint hide caption

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Courtesy of TrackingPoint

The Industry

A New 'Smart Rifle' Decides When To Shoot And Rarely Misses

A new rifle goes on sale on Wednesday, and it's not like any other. It uses lasers and computers to make shooters very accurate. A startup gun company in Texas developed the TrackingPoint rifle, which is so effective that some in the shooting community say it should not be sold to the public.

A New 'Smart Rifle' Decides When To Shoot And Rarely Misses

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Monday

ABC's Live Streaming Aimed At Keeping Cable Cords Intact

A new iPad app lets viewers watch live ABC programming starting Tuesday in New York and Philadelphia. ABC hide caption

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ABC

The Industry

ABC's Live Streaming Aimed At Keeping Cable Cords Intact

Starting Tuesday, ABC will let viewers in New York and Philadelphia watch their local stations over the Internet. But this is not a way to cut your cable bill. The new Watch ABC service will require a cable account to log in.

ABC's Live Streaming Aimed At Keeping Cable Cords Intact

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Facebook Users Question $20 Million Settlement Over Ads
Dado Ruvic/Reuters/Landov

The Industry

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.

Facebook Users Question $20 Million Settlement Over Ads

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Friday

Peers Find Less Pressure Borrowing From Each Other
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The Industry

Peers Find Less Pressure Borrowing From Each Other

The Internet has managed to disrupt many industries, from publishing to music. So why not lending? Google's recent investment in Lending Club has raised the profile of peer-to-peer lending, which gets borrowers and lenders together outside the conventional banking system.

Peers Find Less Pressure Borrowing From Each Other

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Thursday

Consumers Facing Subscription Service Overload Will Only Get More Choices

YouTube is expected to announce a subscription service for special channels this week. Jeff Chiu/ASSOCIATED PRESS hide caption

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Jeff Chiu/ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Industry

Consumers Facing Subscription Service Overload Will Only Get More Choices

Consumers already have an abundance of choice when it comes to entertainment and news subscriptions. But analysts say it's still early days for all the digital subscription offerings we'll have to pay for.

Consumers Facing Subscription Service Overload Will Only Get More Choices

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Stitching Connections Between U.S. Fashion Designers, Makers

Universal Elliot Corp., a belt-maker in New York City, is one of the fashion companies featured on the Maker's Row website. Courtesy of Maker's Row hide caption

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Courtesy of Maker's Row

The Industry

Stitching Connections Between U.S. Fashion Designers, Makers

Matthew Burnett wanted his clothing line to be "Made in the USA." But he decided it was too difficult to find information on U.S. manufacturers. So Burnett and his business partners created Maker's Row, a website where people who design things can find people who make things.

Stitching Connections Between U.S. Fashion Designers, Makers

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Wednesday

Will Tweaking Windows 8 Be Enough To Revive The PC?

Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system was criticized when it was released last year for features some said didn't mesh with a desktop PC environment. The company has indicated that it will address some of those issues in an upcoming update. Richard Drew/AP hide caption

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Richard Drew/AP

The Industry

Will Tweaking Windows 8 Be Enough To Revive The PC?

When Microsoft introduced Windows 8 last year, the software giant billed the new operating system as one of the most critical releases in its history. The system would bridge the gap between personal computers and the fast-growing mobile world of tablets and smartphones. But this week, the company sent signals that it might soon alter Windows 8 to address some early criticism.

Will Tweaking Windows 8 Be Enough To Revive The PC?

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Saturday

Please Don't Delete This Interview About Spam
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The Industry

Please Don't Delete This Interview About Spam

Your inbox overflows with spam, so what else is new? But have you ever wondered how junk email got its name? And where all of it comes from? Finn Burton, author of Spam: A Shadow History of the Internet describes the spam business, how it's become a criminal enterprise and how you can protect yourself online.

Please Don't Delete This Interview About Spam

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Wednesday

How One College Is Closing The Computer Science Gender Gap

Harvey Mudd President Maria Klawe often uses her longboard to get around campus and chat with students like senior Xanda Schofield. Wendy Kaufman/NPR hide caption

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Wendy Kaufman/NPR

The Industry

How One College Is Closing The Computer Science Gender Gap

At Harvey Mudd College in California, about 40 percent of the computer science majors are women. That's far more than at any other co-ed school. And it's thanks in large part to the school's president, Maria Klawe. She has worked hard to keep women interested in computer science and empower them to succeed in the field.

How One College Is Closing The Computer Science Gender Gap

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Tuesday

Paul Applewhite of Applewhite Aero isn't allowed to fly this 3-pound Styrofoam plane. That's because he has added circuitry to make it autonomous — it can find its way to specified coordinates — which means it's an unmanned aerial vehicle requiring a special testing permit.

Paul Applewhite of Applewhite Aero isn't allowed to fly this 3-pound Styrofoam plane. That's because he has added circuitry to make it autonomous — it can find its way to specified coordinates — which means it's an unmanned aerial vehicle requiring a special testing permit. Martin Kaste/NPR hide caption

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All Tech Considered

Will Bureaucracy Keep The U.S. Drone Industry Grounded?

Tough federal aviation rules and public backlash against drones have raised worries that the U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle industry will be left behind foreign competitors. Developers say the U.S. light drone industry is being overtaken by manufacturers in Israel and Australia.

Will Bureaucracy Keep The U.S. Drone Industry Grounded?

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