Technology

As Xiaomi exhausts the online market, it has begun to open brick-and-mortar stores, like this one in in Beijing, to reach more customers.

Losing Steam In Smartphones, Chinese Firm Turns To Smart Rice Cookers

10:17am August 27, 2016

by Anthony Kuhn

One of China's most valuable tech startups, smartphone maker Xiaomi, is getting into networked appliances, in a bid to innovate its way out of trouble, as its core business falls flat.

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WhatsApp and Facebook icons are shown on a phone screen.

WhatsApp Will Start Sharing Data, Including Phone Numbers, With Facebook

9:55pm August 25, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

It will also test new ways for businesses to communicate with users on the app. The privacy policy changes mark the long-expected move by Facebook to begin making money from the free app.

National

Tesla Clears Antitrust Hurdle In $2.6 Billion Deal For SolarCity

2:53pm August 25, 2016

by Jason Slotkin

The Federal Trade Commission signed off on Tesla's plan to buy the solar panel installer. CEO Elon Musk is SolarCity's chairman and its largest shareholder.

A pneumatic network, in red, is embedded within the octobot's entirely soft body and elastic arms, in blue.

WATCH: Squishy 'Octobot' Moves Autonomously

5:54pm August 24, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

The robot designed by a team from Harvard University moves without the help of any rigid parts. Researchers say it is the first proof-of-concept design for an entirely soft, autonomous machine.

A customer tries the Siri voice recognition function on an Apple iPhone 6 Plus in Hong Kong.

Science

Voice Recognition Software Finally Beats Humans At Typing, Study Finds

4:31pm August 24, 2016

by Aarti Shahani

In a face-off between voice entry and typing on a mobile device, voice recognition software performed significantly better. The results held true in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

Instagram photos posted by depressed individuals had values that shifted towards those in the bottom photograph, compared with photos posted by people who weren't depressed. The bottom photo has higher hue (bluer), lower saturation (grayer) and lower brig

Instagramming In Black And White? Could Be You're Depressed

12:46pm August 24, 2016

by Angus Chen

Researchers analyzed people's photo galleries on Instagram, then asked about their mental health. People who favored darker, grayer photos and filters were more likely to be depressed.

A screen displays the concert of Mexican folk singer Vicente Fernández in Guadalajara, Mexico, in April, when Fernández announced his retirement.

Music & Culture

In Mariachi Music, A Distinctive Yell Speaks To The Soul

10:48am August 23, 2016

by Brenda Salinas

The grito is a spontaneous burst of emotion — a shout — that is part of the mariachi tradition. Some younger Mexican-Americans are reclaiming the grito for a new generation.

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Nextdoor CEO Nirav Tolia says a pilot project using algorithms to check for racially charged terms has helped cut racial profiling posts by roughly 50 percent.

National

Social Network Nextdoor Moves To Block Racial Profiling Online

7:30am August 23, 2016

by Aarti Shahani

Social networks let users share without being impeded. But Nextdoor, a platform for neighborhoods, is moving to block posts for the first time when they appear to be racial profiling.

National

FBI Releases Mobile App for Finding Bank Robbers

7:47pm August 22, 2016

by Richard Gonzales

The new app enlists public's assistance in identifying bank robbers with wanted posters at your finger tips.

Juno CEO Talmon Marco talks with driver Fara Louis Jeune. The company recruited drivers by looking at Uber cars with the highest ratings.

National

Uber Competitor In NYC Promises Drivers Benefits, Even Employee Status

4:23pm August 22, 2016

by Aarti Shahani

While Uber and Lyft both fight in courts to keep their workers as independent contractors, new ride-hailing startup Juno is moving to offer full employee status and other benefits.

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