Technology

Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus VR, demonstrates the new Oculus Rift headset during the "Step Into The Rift" event in San Francisco in June 2015.

Virtual Reality Whiz Palmer Luckey: Future Will Be 'More Boring Than We Think'

3:55pm March 29, 2016

by NPR Staff

The 23-year-old founder of Oculus VR says sci-fi writers love to use virtual reality as a backdrop for conflict, but the future is "probably not going to be nearly as interesting."

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10 Seconds At A Time, A Teacher Tries Snapchat To Engage Students

9:31am March 29, 2016

by Jacquie Lee

With video of a girl balancing in a tutu and a crowd cheering at a soccer game, one college professor uses the social media app to personalize concepts for his psychology students.

Customers visit the Apple store at Grand Central Terminal in New York on March 1.

National

The FBI Has Successfully Unlocked The iPhone Without Apple's Help

9:37pm March 28, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

The Justice Department says it is withdrawing its legal action against Apple because it has been able to get data from a terrorist's phone. A spokeswoman says the FBI is reviewing the data.

National

Department Of Justice Says It No Longer Needs Apple's Help To Unlock iPhone

6:37pm March 28, 2016

by Laura Sydell

The Justice Department has asked a federal court to vacate its order that Apple write software to help the FBI access data in the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone.

Computer software GoGaurdian tracks students' web browsing and searches whenever they are using the computer, at home or at school.

Software Flags 'Suicidal' Students, Presenting Privacy Dilemma

5:07pm March 28, 2016

by Anya Kamenetz

School administrators increasingly have the power to track students' Web browsing on school-issued laptops, even when the students are at home. The implications are complicated.

Oculus Rift Launch Makes A Splash. Will It Lead A Wave Of VR Tech?

4:04pm March 28, 2016

by Laura Sydell

After four years of hype, the Oculus Rift, a hits the market Monday. It's just one of several virtual reality systems — but not all the VR gadgets are up to snuff.

Should Apple Unlock Terrorist's Phone? Listeners' Questions Answered

1:17pm March 28, 2016

A day before they were expected to face off in front of a judge, the FBI said there may be another way to get inside one of the San Bernardino shooter's phone that doesn't require Apple's help.

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'Dark Territory' Examines The Long History Of Cyber War

5:35pm March 27, 2016

So many things in our lives are plugged into networks vulnerable to hacking. Fred Kaplan's new book Dark Territory looks at how this came to be and what it means for the future.

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National

Internet Trolls Turn A Computer Into A Nazi

5:15pm March 27, 2016

Microsoft's artificial intelligence chatbot was supposed to mimic a teenage girl. Instead, internet trolls tricked it into spouting hate speech. BuzzFeed tech reporter Alex Kantrowitz explains how.

The Trello page Brussels Missing has been able to help users keep track of those missing after Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

World News

The Work Productivity Tool Giving Hope To Belgium's Bereaved

10:52pm March 25, 2016

by Naomi LaChance

As people continue searching for their loved ones, they are turning to social media for help. One site, Trello, lets friends and family keep an active list of those who remain unaccounted for.