Digital Life

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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Reggie Shaw killed two men while he was texting on a Utah highway. He now speaks to groups about the dangers of texting and driving.

Herzog Plumbs Guilt And Loss Wrought By Texting And Driving

4:31pm August 16, 2013

by NPR Staff

Werner Herzog's latest project is a slight departure for the acclaimed filmmaker: a 35-minute public service announcement on the dangers of texting and driving. Yes, it's long, he says, but the "inner landscape" of great suffering such accidents can cause "can only be shown if you have more time."

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Owen Chilcoat hacking his tablet. "I am just messing around ... trying to break it," he says.

Education

Hacking Real Things Becomes Child's Play At This Camp

8:56am August 14, 2013

by Steve Henn

Armed with technology know-how, teens and preteens are learning to hack everyday items and find bugs for major tech giants. Their work can pay off, with companies offering rewards for fixes.

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Apple's Garage Band for the iPad and iPhone includes virtual instruments, such as piano and drums, you can play like the real thing.

Music & Culture

Question Of The Week: What Are The Best Apps For Making Music?

10:57am August 13, 2013

by Robin Hilton

Of course you can make music using a smartphone or tablet. But which apps give you the best results? Which ones are easiest to learn? Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton offer a few suggestions.

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On Monday, the Washington Post Co. announced the sale of its newspaper to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, a move that comes as the paper struggles to keep up revenue.

National

The Tricky Business Of Predicting Where Media Will Go Next

1:26pm August 12, 2013

by NPR Staff

One of journalism's most recognizable mastheads, The Washington Post, is entering a new era with a new owner. In 1992, the paper's managing editor urged it to get at the forefront of the upcoming digital revolution, but it so far has fallen short in a world of fast-paced BuzzFeeds.

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A Seamless sticker is displayed next to the menu in the window of a restaurant in New York's Times Square on Saturday. Rivals Seamless and GrubHub said Friday that they have completed their combination, creating an online takeout company covering about 25

Economy

Food Delivery Hits The Web, But Restaurants Pay The Price

8:56am August 12, 2013

by Ilya Marritz

If you're a takeout or delivery customer, websites like Seamless and Grubhub are a marvel. Just type, click your order and the food is on its way. But if you're a restaurant, this shift to the web may not sit so well with you.

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Science

TED Radio Hour: The Hackers

7:43am August 11, 2013

What if there were a way to hack into your brain and make your life better? Neurosurgeon Andres Lozano is doing just that. He told TED Radio Hour host Guy Raz how.

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Amber Alerts were issued as cellphone text messages in California this week.

National

New Digital Amber Alerts Could Create A Backlash

1:20pm August 09, 2013

by Steve Henn

Recent Amber Alerts startled millions of mobile phone owners and left them confused. The wireless emergency alert system just rolled out for mobile phones earlier this year. Some child advocates worry that the alerts' lack of context may cause people to turn them off.

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This week, several women in the U.K. went public about explicit abuse they received on Twitter.

World News

As Twitter Expands Reach, Abuse Policy Gets Added Scrutiny

12:26pm August 07, 2013

by Steve Henn

A series of threats and abusive messages aimed at prominent women in the U.K. have placed Twitter in an awkward spot. As the company gears up to go public and expand its brand around the world, it is increasingly running into cultural and legal hurdles that challenge Twitter's free speech ethos.

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A conference attendee tries Google Glass during the Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco in May.

Arts

Bracing For Google Glass: An In-Your-Face Technology

2:22pm August 05, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

The new eyeglass frames allow you to take pictures and browse the Internet while you wear them. Early adopters focused on the tiny screens have already been dubbed "glassholes." Fresh Air linguist Geoff Nunberg reminds us that in Shakespeare's time "distraction" was another word for madness.

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