Business

BlackBerry smartphones on a table during a "BlackBerry Brunch" in June in Berlin.

The End Of Buttons: The New Gesture-Control Era

6:58pm August 19, 2013

by Elise Hu

The newest smartphones are abandoning both physical and on-screen buttons in favor of gestures. As with so much behavior change ushered in by technology, the change happens before we take wider notice.

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Some Investors Choosing U.S. Over Emerging Markets

6:58pm August 19, 2013

by Yuki Noguchi

Investors appear to once again be interested in the relative safety of U.S. stocks. A Bloomberg analysis shows investors pulling money out of emerging markets while simultaneously boosting purchases of U.S. equities.

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Relying On Old Artisan Ways, French Brand Makes Itself Anew

6:58pm August 19, 2013

by Eleanor Beardsley

Founded in the mid-19th century, luxury leather goods maker Moynat won renown for its traveling trunks for the moneyed set. But it fell on hard times and closed in the 1970s. Now, it's undergoing a rebirth, turning out limited quantities of luxurious, handmade bags that utilize centuries-old craftsmanship.

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Cars In America: Is The Love Story Over?

5:29pm August 19, 2013

by NPR Staff

America once had a love affair with the automobile. But a new study shows just how much air has been let out of those tires, and the millennial generation seems to be ambivalent toward owning cars or even acquiring driver's licenses.

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From left, Garrett Berntsen, Jennifer Majer and William Shields compare notes at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. Twenty-somethings have new choices under Obamacare.

Health & Safety

You Ask, We Answer: More Of Your Questions About The Affordable Care Act

11:06am August 19, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Think buying health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will be confusing? You're not alone. NPR listeners asked questions that have been bugging them about student status options and penalties. Julie Rovner, NPR's health policy correspondent, explains how it's going to work.

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Consider Wedding Insurance To Get Hitched Without A Hitch

6:52am August 19, 2013

The average cost of an American wedding cost more than $28,000 last year. Travelers insurance is now offering wedding insurance. There's coverage for failed wedding pictures, the caterer goes out of business, gifts go missing, etc.

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Switching To Gmail May Leave Reporters' Sources At Risk

6:32pm August 16, 2013

by Steve Henn

This summer, The New York Times moved all of it reporters' email to corporate Gmail accounts. This move to a third party could leave Times reporters and their sources with fewer legal protections if they are the subject of a government investigation.

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Internet-Based TV Service May Not Change The Cable Market

6:22pm August 16, 2013

by Dan Bobkoff

The race to create a viable Internet-based TV service is on, and the contestants include the biggest names in computer technology: Apple, Microsoft, Intel and Google. Sony has apparently reached a deal — as preliminary — with Viacom to carry the company's cable channels on its planned web TV service.

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Julia della Croce says pistachio pesto is an economical — and delicious — alternative when Italian pine nuts can cost up to $120 per pound.

Arts
Economy

Don't Let The Price Of Pine Nuts Keep You From Pesto

5:10pm August 16, 2013

by Serri Graslie

Hungry bugs and warmer temperatures mean pine trees aren't producing as many seeds as they once did, driving up the cost of Italian pine nuts to $120 per pound in some cases. Cookbook author Julia della Croce found a colorful — and delicious — alternative in pistachios.

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A man cleans quinoa grain in Pacoma, Bolivia.

Can Quinoa Farming Go Global Without Leaving Andeans Behind?

3:53pm August 16, 2013

by Dan Charles

At a "quinoa summit" this week, farmers from around the world are trading tips on how to turn this ancient Andean grain into a large-scale crop. Some Andean farmers who currently grow quinoa are asking, "What happens to us?"

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