Technology

National

U.S. Pushes Proposal To Access Travelers' Social Media Accounts

8:52am July 02, 2016

Former counterterrorism coordinator for Homeland Security John Cohen tells NPR's Scott Simon why the federal government may ask Visa Waiver Program applicants to hand over social media account info.

This image of pilots flying a KC-130J Super Hercules was taken with an Equirectangular Panorama, to create a 360-degree view.

#NPRreads: Finding A Point Of View

8:52am July 02, 2016

From a profile of Samantha Bee to the views of Chelsea Manning on the military's new transgender rules, these stories are about how we see the world.

National

Tesla 'Autopilot' Crash Raises Concerns About Self-Driving Cars

4:29pm July 01, 2016

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a fatal crash involving a Tesla car using the "autopilot" feature. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Alex Davies of Wired about the crash and what it means for self-driving car technology.

National

What Tesla And Google's Approaches Tell Us About Autonomous Driving

3:42pm July 01, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

Virtually all major car and tech companies are pursuing self-driving technology as the future of transportation. But Tesla and Google are the earliest innovators, taking very different approaches.

Futurist and writer Alvin Toffler is seen with his wife and longtime writing and research partner, Heidi Toffler, in 2002.

National

'Future Shock' Author Alvin Toffler Dies at 87

1:25pm June 30, 2016

by Chris Arnold

Toffler's warnings about 'information overload' and the accelerating pace of change in modern society made his seminal 1970 book a best-seller in the U.S. and around the world.

Fans hold up their phones at a Childish Gambino performance in 2014.

Music & Culture

A New Apple Patent Could Block Fans From Taping At Shows

11:03am June 30, 2016

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

The technology giant now has a patent for a system that could prevent you from taking photos or recording videos in specific places, like concert venues or movie theaters.

Virginia Anderlini (right) was the first private client to try out Dr. Sonya Kim's new virtual reality program for the elderly, and says she's eager to see more. Kim's handful of programs are still at the demo stage.

Virtual Reality Aimed At The Elderly Finds New Fans

5:29pm June 29, 2016

by Kara Platoni

Some doctors are finding that virtual travel — to Venice, a Hawaiian beach or Africa — can open new worlds to people confined by low mobility, dementia or depression.

Olli is an autonomous electric shuttle bus by Local Motors that is test-running at National Harbor, south of Washington, D.C.

A 24-Year-Old Designed A Self-Driving Minibus; Maker Built It In Weeks

2:45pm June 29, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

What if cars weren't mass produced? Local Motors, a small-batch auto manufacturer, relies on an online design community and a "co-creation" business model to bring new vehicles to market, really fast.

The News Feed will now prioritize posts from friends and family — potentially bad news for media companies relying on Facebook for traffic.

National

Facebook Shakes Up News Feed, But We Still Don't Know Exactly How It Works

12:58pm June 29, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

It will now prioritize posts from friends and family — potentially bad news for media companies relying on Facebook for traffic. The company has been under pressure to defend its political neutrality.

Robot Helps 160,000 Motorists Beat Parking Tickets

9:51am June 29, 2016

Joshua Browder was fed up with parking tickets so he made a robot to help people challenge fines. The robot chats with people in London and New York, asks them what happened and writes an appeal.

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