Digital Life

Eva Hu-Stiles virtually interacts with her grandmother. iPad assist by Elise Hu-Stiles.

What You Need To Know About Babies, Toddlers And Screen Time

12:15pm October 29, 2013

by Elise Hu

Researchers are still learning about the effects of touch-screens on kids. But scientists say that certain kinds of screen time, involving interaction with other people, can help youngsters learn.

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A Company's Tweets Can Help Make It Creditworthy

10:12am October 28, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

Banks use credit scores and similar metrics to assess creditworthiness. A company called Kabbage that lends working capital to small businesses does some of that but also relies on unconventional measures, using real-time data from things like UPS shipments, eBay, Facebook and Twitter.

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A Teenage Music Phenom, Infographics, Motorcycles In Vietnam

9:45pm October 26, 2013

Ozy co-founder Carlos Watson tells NPR's Arun Rath about a teenage singer with a grown-up voice, two tutors turned bloggers, and Vietnam's Harley Davidson craze.

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Mike Bracken is executive director of digital for the U.K. government.

National

U.K. Official Urges U.S. Government To Adopt A Digital Core

6:43pm October 23, 2013

by Elise Hu

Does this sound familiar? A national IT project plagued with high-profile problems, integration breakdowns involving contractors, and taxpayers left footing a multimillion-dollar price tag: The scenario's playing out with HealthCare.gov, but a similar one in the U.K. led to major reforms.

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A September 1959 advertisement for the Xerox 914

Economy

Happy Birthday, Copy Machine! Happy Birthday, Copy Machine!

2:37pm October 23, 2013

by Kate O'Connell

This week marks the 75th anniversary of the first modern copier ever made. The technology, which came from serial inventor Chester Carlson, revolutionized the business world and formed the foundation of Xerox's success. It also meant no more messy carbon paper.

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Elise Andrew started a popular Facebook page about science.

The New And The Next: Six-Second Comedy And A Spin On News

2:27pm October 23, 2013

by NPR Staff

This week, Ozy co-founder Carlos Watson tells NPR's Arun Rath about the latest trend in Uruguay's YouTube scene and one young woman who gained a following with her love of science.

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If A Tech Company Had Built The Federal Health Care Website

5:25pm October 21, 2013

by Steve Henn

The rollout of the health care exchange has been plagued by a host of technical problems. Entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley likely would have approached the website differently from the beginning — one former startup employee says that has to do with how projects are funded.

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Thousands of students apply to college each year using the online Common Application. But a flawed overhaul of the system has left many students and parents frustrated.

More Angst For College Applicants: A Glitchy Common App

6:39pm October 16, 2013

by Eric Westervelt

Applying to college is stressful at the best of times. But technical flaws in the online Common Application, used by hundreds of colleges, have sparked panic among some high school seniors. With deadlines approaching, some schools are making backup plans — like a return to mail or even faxed applications.

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Alyson Illich used technologies that tracked her son Colter's location while he was driving. "I think it made him more thoughtful," she said.

Health & Safety

Hey, Why Did You Floor It? Tracking Junior Behind The Wheel

6:19pm October 14, 2013

by Steve Henn

New technologies give parents ways to keep tabs on their kids' driving habits. One such device can alert parents when their children are speeding, when they slam on their brakes, and shows their location. But some experts say parents shouldn't rely too much on technology to keep their teens safe.

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Cosmo Wenman generated this 3-D model of the Ares Borghese, based on hundreds of photos, from the Basel Sculpture Hall. Wenman publishes the scans online, so that anyone can use them to 3-D print a replica of the masterpiece.

Arts

3-D Printing A Masterwork For Your Living Room

12:22pm October 11, 2013

by Laura Sydell

It's now possible to create an impressive copy of Michelangelo's David or Rodin's The Thinker with a 3-D printer. Rather than object, some museum curators see this high-tech replication as a way to bring near-real versions of classic works to the masses.

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