Digital Life

Woman leaving house with family checking smartphone.

The World Loves The Smartphone. So How About A Smart Home?

3:23pm February 25, 2015

by Alexis Madrigal

The ultimate smart-home vision is a home that basically runs itself, from coffee makers to washing machines. But we're not there yet: The real world is a hard place for little computers to operate in.

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National

Here's Where Emoji Skin-Tone Colors Come From

8:14pm February 24, 2015

by Kat Chow

Apple will be rolling out a more diverse set of emojis with browner — and yellower — skin tones. Here's the science behind how they come up with the colors.

A Stolen iPhone, A New Connection And Minor Celebrity In China

7:16pm February 24, 2015

Months after Buzzfeed writer Matt Stopera's phone was stolen, new pictures from China started uploading to his photo stream.

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Writer Edwidge Danticat at around 10 years-old with her brother Bob and cousin Nick in Haiti. She joined her parents in the U.S. a couple of years later. She describes it as a tough landing.

Becoming American: Immigrants Tweet Their Stories

4:51pm February 24, 2015

by Michel Martin

Entrepreneurs and engineers, performers and professors are among those who are sharing their stories about becoming American on Twitter.

President Obama, joined by Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson (left), delivers remarks at the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center on Jan. 13 in Arlington, Va. Obama discussed efforts to improve the government's ability to col

National

As Homeland Security Steps Up Cybercrime Fight, Tech Industry Wary

11:40am February 24, 2015

by Aarti Shahani

The Department of Homeland Security, an agency repeatedly criticized for internal mismanagement and bloat, is the cornerstone of the new White House initiative to fight cybercrime.

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YouTube Is Expected To Unveil New App Just For Kids

3:48pm February 20, 2015

by Jackie Northam

The new app, called YouTube Kids, is due to be released Monday. It will offer original episodes of popular shows such as Sesame Street.

They might be hard to remember sometimes, but good passwords may be the best defense against hackers.

You Might Want To Take Another Pass At Your Passwords

1:54pm February 20, 2015

by Yuki Noguchi

They have become so complicated that, in some cases, passwords have undermined their own security intent. But experts say there is still value in keeping your digital door locked with a good password.

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Beloved Japanese Author Answers Questions At 'Mr. Murakami's Place'

8:16pm February 19, 2015

by Maggie Penman

Haruki Murakami is a best-selling author and perennial Nobel Prize contender, but rarely gives interviews. For a limited time, a website is giving fans a chance to engage with the reclusive writer.

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Can A Computer Change The Essence Of Who You Are?

12:46pm February 16, 2015

by Lulu Miller

The latest episode of NPR's Invisibilia takes us online. Some people think interacting with these machines is changing us all — for better and worse.

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Not Everyone Agrees On How To Tame Obama's Cyber 'Wild West'

10:15am February 14, 2015

by Aarti Shahani

President Obama wants to stop cyberattacks by getting companies and law enforcement to coordinate. He signed an executive order that could pave the way, but some in the business world are skeptical.

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