Digital Life

Many Alabama Lawmakers Use Personal Email To Conduct Official Business

4:54pm October 21, 2015

by Gigi Douban

Turns out Hillary Clinton isn't the only government official with an email issue. Many state lawmakers use personal accounts to do official business, including those in Alabama.

Arts

'Star Wars' Fans Light Up The Internet As New Trailer Debuts

7:41pm October 20, 2015

by Andrew Limbong

The final trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens was released Monday night, and tickets for the film went on sale. Fans lit up the Internet with theories about the story, and movie theater web sites crashed.

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National

CIA Director John Brennan's Private Email Account Allegedly Hacked

7:32pm October 20, 2015

by David Welna

The list of U.S. government officials whose personal email accounts appear to have been hacked now allegedly includes CIA Director John Brennan. It seems the target was Brennan's private AOL account.

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National

In Virtual Reality, 'The New York Times' Will Help Viewers 'Bear Witness' To Stories

4:35pm October 20, 2015

The New York Times announced a new virtual reality initiative saying they will distribute more than a million "Google Cardboard" viewers, and start releasing 360-degree documentary virtual reality films. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Jake Silverstein, editor in chief of The New York Times Magazine, who is working on the effort, about what it means to do journalism in this new space.

Arts

Netflix's 'Beasts Of No Nation' Release Strategy Highlights Oscar Ambitions

2:04pm October 20, 2015

by Mandalit del Barco

Beasts of No Nation is Netflix's first original film, and the company has chosen to distribute it in theaters and on its streaming service simultaneously. The strategy is one generally frowned upon by theater owners because it's a direct competition. Why go out when you can stay home? Is this Netflix's play for an Oscar?

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More than half of working people in this country have saved less than $25,000 for retirement and many pay crippling investment fees that eat away at gains. Automated financial advisers called roboadvisers offer a low-fee alternative.

Economy

Would You Let A Robot Manage Your Retirement Savings?

1:56pm October 20, 2015

by Uri Berliner

Roboadvisers are online financial managers that are guided by an algorithm, not a broker. Increasingly, millennials are shunning the human touch in favor of these low-cost alternatives.

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Pope Francis' embracing of the digital world and social media has given new meaning to the word "followers" for the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis' Digital Reach Helps Put Him In Your Pocket

6:45am October 20, 2015

by Heidi Glenn

Pope Francis' social media feeds have blossomed while he's been pontiff, allowing followers to access his messages via Twitter, YouTube and also an app on their smartphones.

Vatican Interns Help Build Papal Following On Social Media

6:27am October 20, 2015

by Jennifer Lynn

Villanova University students are integral to Pope Francis' U.S. social media team via the college's Vatican internship program. They were part of the launch of the papal Twitter account and the Vatican's ongoing social media efforts.

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World News

Researchers Build Smartphone Algorithm That Senses Boredom

6:27am October 20, 2015

Your phone can now be programmed to tell when you are bored. Researchers from Telefonica Research in Barcelona, Spain, say an algorithm they have developed could be used to push content to you when you're looking for something interesting to do. On the other hand, it could also be used to encourage you to put your phone down and go find some other way to be productive.

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Shall I Compare Thee To An Algorithm? Turing Test Gets A Creative Twist

7:54pm October 18, 2015

by Joe Palca

Can a computer program craft passable prose — something readers can't distinguish from human-authored stuff? How about poetry, or dance mixes? New contests pose those challenges.

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