Cell phones

A sign outside the camp office offers a reminder of the gadget policy.

National

Summer Camps Struggle To Enforce Bans On Screen Time

3:27am August 12, 2016

by Tovia Smith

Summer sleep-away camps say it's getting harder to enforce cell phone bans, and millennials say it's tough going cold turkey. But they all say it's more important than ever to learn how to unplug.

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Concertgoers use their cellphones during a Fifth Harmony concert March 23, 2015, in New York. The company Yondr created a locking pouch to hold phones during performances, creating a "phone-free zone."

Lock Screen: At These Music Shows, Phones Go In A Pouch And Don't Come Out

9:48am July 05, 2016

by NPR Staff

The Lumineers are among many artists frustrated by people on their mobile devices during performances. Their singer explains why they're asking fans to lock up their phones with a new technology.

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A visitor takes photos with her smartphone outside the Supreme Court in 2014, while the judges heard arguments related to warrantless cellphone searches by police.

National

At Supreme Court, Debate Over Phone Privacy Has A Long History

1:42pm March 08, 2016

by Naomi LaChance

Wiretaps, messaging and metadata: If it reaches the Supreme Court, Apple's legal clash with the FBI would fit into a long discussion about the role of telephones in our lives.

Texting gentle reminders on heart-healthy habits helped people make real changes.

Text Reminders Help People Lower Cholesterol, Blood Pressure

4:45pm September 22, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Plain old text messages — you know, the ones you don't need a smartphone to receive — helped people with heart disease make changes like smoking less and exercising more.

Irene Chen and Longlai Zuo, with the China-based company Quality Technology Industrial, show off their top-line phones, which cost about $100.

When It Comes To Smartphones, Are Americans Dumb?

2:20pm January 08, 2015

by Aarti Shahani

If you paid top dollar for a top phone, Asian vendors at the International Consumer Electronics Show have a message: You paid for a brand, not quality. And this year, they want to sell to you.

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Posture and stress on the cervical spine.

Health & Safety

Keep Your Head Up: 'Text Neck' Takes A Toll On The Spine

4:12pm November 20, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

Newly published research finds that common texting posture can put as much as 60 pounds of force on the cervical spine.

After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Red Cross sent text messages across the country with health tips, locations of aid and safety reminders. A similar system is being used in Sierra Leone to combat Ebola.

The Red Cross Is Using Text Messaging To Take Down Ebola

12:44pm October 27, 2014

by Eleanor Klibanoff

Working with the government, the Red Cross sends 2 million texts a month to people in Sierra Leone, reminding them to wash their hands, take their temperature and protect themselves from Ebola.

An expert FAA advisory committee has recommended that airline passengers be allowed to use most personal electronic devices below 10,000 feet.

National

FAA May Stop Making You Power Off Those Electronics

10:09pm September 30, 2013

by David Schaper

An expert advisory committee recommended Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration allow the use of some personal electronic devices during takeoff and landing. But while many passengers are eager to use their tablets and music players all flight long, it may be months before any rules are changed.

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Residents of the East Village in New York City look for cellphone reception Nov. 1 after Hurricane Sandy wiped out power and some cell towers.

Economy

After Sandy, Questions Linger Over Cellphone Reliability

1:07pm April 29, 2013

by Tracy Samuelson

Roughly one in four cellphone towers in the path of Hurricane Sandy went out of service. It was a frustrating and potentially dangerous experience for customers without a landline to fall back on. Now, local officials and communications experts are pushing providers to improve their performance during natural disasters.

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