Digital Life

Wide angle shot of an hourglass with laptop computer in the background.

Arts

In Video-Streaming Rat Race, Fast Is Never Fast Enough

1:55pm January 11, 2013

by Sami Yenigun

As more and more Web users turn to streaming video services like YouTube, a new study shows how impatient those users are. The first of its kind, the UMass study suggests load times of more than 10 seconds can drive away more than 50 percent of viewers.

Queue Listen Now

How E-Waste Is Becoming a Big, Global Problem

1:03pm January 11, 2013

According to the EPA, more than 2.5 million tons of electronic waste, or e-waste, is produced each year in the U.S. Derek Markham, a contributing writer for Treehugger.com, discusses the global impacts, and why you should think twice before discarding your old cell phone.

Queue Listen Now

Health & Safety

Black Market Pharmacies And The Big Business Of Spam

8:35am January 11, 2013

by Tracey Samuelson

An apparent feud between two black market pharmacies sheds light on a shady global industry.

Queue Listen Now

What's Trending: The Art And Strategy Of The Hashtag

2:20pm January 08, 2013

The American Dialect Society deemed "hashtag" the word of the year. NPR digital culture correspondent Laura Sydell and NPR senior strategist Andy Carvin explain how the social media tool works and why some get so popular.

Queue Listen Now

Music-Streaming Services Hunt For Paying Customers

8:58am December 27, 2012

by Laura Sydell

Services like Pandora and Spotify have been trying to win over two types of customers: younger people who don't buy music at all and older people who still like physical albums. But it's been difficult to lure customers willing to pay for music they won't own or that they can find for free online.

Queue Listen Now

A screengrab from the "Kony 2012" online video about the Central African warlord Joseph Kony, which skyrocketed in popularity after its release in March. It was criticized, then forgotten, just as quickly.

Arts

In Rapid-Fire 2012, Memes' Half-Life Fell To A Quarter

4:34am December 27, 2012

by Neda Ulaby

Internet memes used to stick around for months on end (remember "Charlie Bit My Finger"?). But in 2012, the shelf-life of an Internet sensation became increasingly fleeting. Funny videos and games are now enjoying only brief moments in the cultural spotlight before they're forgotten.

Queue Listen Now

Mobile apps and devices track a user's health statistics. But those data are sometimes sold and can end up in the hands of employers and insurance companies.

Health & Safety

Who Could Be Watching You Watching Your Figure? Your Boss

2:28pm December 26, 2012

by Aarti Shahani

Those of us trying to get in shape after overindulging this holiday season can get help from a slew of new devices that monitor steps climbed, calories burned and heart rate. But companies and venture capitalists in new startups hope to make money in a new way: by selling the data right back to the people tracking their activity — and to their employers.

Queue Listen Now

Instagram was the target of a storm of outrage on Twitter and other sites after the company announced a change in its user agreement that hinted that it might use shared photos in ads.

The Day Instagram Almost Lost Its Innocence

3:16pm December 20, 2012

by Heidi Glenn

The wildly popular photo-sharing site Instagram nearly caused a user revolt when it revamped its terms of service and privacy policy to suggest it could allow uploaded photos to be used in ads without users' permission. Instagram later clarified its position in an effort to quell concerns.

Queue Listen Now

High school student Jon Ledbetter designs his own "NikeiD" sneakers. Ledbetter can post his designs on Nike's website, where other shoppers can also order them.

Economy

From Shoes To M&M's, Custom-Made Products Take Off Online

1:53pm December 20, 2012

by Kathy Lohr

The ability to customize products began with computers more than a decade ago. Now, you can create your own T-shirts, jeans, custom-blend cosmetics and candy. Even luxury brands like Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton now let customers design their own looks.

Queue Listen Now

How The Internet Is Revolutionizing The Adoption Process

1:03pm December 19, 2012

Many pregnant women and potential adoptive parents are bypassing traditional adoption agencies and connecting online. This trend raises a number of ethical concerns about the regulation of the online process and interactions between birth mothers and hopeful adopters.

Queue Listen Now