Technology

More Lysol, No More Pens In Rooms. Hotels Adapt To Win Back Guests

12:42pm May 20, 2020

by Uri Berliner

Hotels have been devastated by the pandemic. To survive, they are adapting with extra-deep cleaning and contactless interactions. And it may mean rooms with no notepads and pens — and no minibars.

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What Is The Future Of Cities?

4:47pm May 19, 2020

by Greg Rosalsky

As COVID-19 makes density a danger, we look at what's in store for cities.

A sign on a shuttered Apple Store at the International Plaza shopping center in Tampa, Fla. The location has been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and is scheduled to reopen Thursday.

Apple Store Shoppers To Have Temperatures Taken, Must Wear Face Coverings

11:48am May 19, 2020

by Bobby Allyn

About 100 Apple Stores, or about a fifth of the tech giant's worldwide retail locations, are now open, including storefronts in Alabama, Florida, California and Washington state.

The U.S. Department of Justice building.

National

FBI: New iPhone Evidence Shows Pensacola Shooter Had Ties To Al-Qaida

9:37pm May 18, 2020

by Hannah Allam

Justice Department officials say Apple hampered their investigation by refusing to unlock the gunman's iPhones. The case is part of a longstanding debate over national security interests and privacy.

Conversation With Co-Chair Of Facebook's Oversight Board

5:22pm May 17, 2020

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with one of the four co-chairs of Facebook's new Oversight Board, law professor Jamal Greene.

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Gabe wanted to read from an actual Torah, not the sheets of paper he used for practice.

For Some, Zoom Bar And Bat Mitzvahs Highlight 'Most Meaningful And Memorable Moments'

9:34am May 16, 2020

by Shira Springer

This spring, congregations are reimagining how to celebrate bar and bat mitzvahs in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Some of these Jewish coming of age ceremonies are going online.

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Public health authorities say they hope smartphone apps can boost contact tracing efforts, but there are debates over how much data officials need to collect.

Health & Safety

Apple, Google Coronavirus Tool Won't Track Your Location. That Worries Some States

5:23pm May 13, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Apple and Google are developing smartphone technology to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. But public health authorities in some states are chafing against the tech giants' rules.

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A New Study Explores The Spread Of Misinformation About Coronavirus On Facebook

4:11pm May 13, 2020

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Neil Johnson, a professor of physics at George Washington University, about his study on the spread of scientific misinformation about the coronavirus and its effects.

Apple, Google In Conflict With States Over Contact-Tracing Tech

3:26pm May 13, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Apple and Google want to develop tech to track the spread of COVID-19 while protecting individuals' privacy. But some states say the restrictive settings may make it harder to find virus hotspots.

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Can't Leave The House? Try Playing Competitive Video Games

12:35pm May 13, 2020

by Anya Kamenetz

"There's a joke going around that once the quarantine ends, everyone's going to be like a thousand times better," says one college esports competitor.