Technology

From Thermostats To Prison Security, More Things Going Online

7:14pm July 05, 2014

Carlos Watson, co-founder of the online magazine Ozy.com, talks with NPR's Kelly McEvers about how companies are using connected, smart devices to plug into the "Internet of Things."

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The barbecue sauce concocted with the help of Watson contains a dozen ingredients.

Science

IBM's Watson Is Out With Its Own Barbecue Sauce

11:12am July 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

The supercomputer first showed off its intellectual prowess on Jeopardy. Now after analyzing a massive number of recipes, Watson has come up with its own sauce.

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"Timescape" finds words in the news associated with Sept. 11, and weights them according to prominence in a story — not just how often they appear.

National

An Algorithm Is A Curator At The Sept. 11 Museum

4:34pm July 01, 2014

by Aarti Shahani

Curators at the September 11 Memorial and Museum came up with a novel solution to the problem of interpreting the tragedy. They put a computer algorithm in charge of an exhibit. But is it objective?

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Arts

Do Feelings Compute? If Not, The Turing Test Doesn't Mean Much

4:20pm July 01, 2014

by Geoff Nunberg

For the first time, a computer passed the test for machines engaging in intelligent thought. Linguist Geoff Nunberg says the real test is whether computers can behave the same way thinking people do.

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Why 140 Characters, When One Will Do? Tracing The Emoji Evolution

7:01pm June 30, 2014

by NPR Staff

The smiley face and heart icons popular in text messages predate today's smartphones. To trace their roots, you have to go back to Japan in the mid-1990s, when pagers were all the rage with teens.

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Modern Video Games Go Beyond 'Jumping On Blocks'

12:35pm June 30, 2014

by NPR Staff

The creative director for BioShock Infinite, one of 2013's biggest video games, says as technology improves, so does the ability for games to tell complex stories with rich narrative structures.

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Harley-Davidson riders reveal Project LiveWire, the first electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle, during a ride across New York City's Manhattan Bridge on June 23.

National

Harley Hopes An Electric Hog Will Appeal To Young, Urban Riders

6:22pm June 28, 2014

by Chuck Quirmbach

Harley-Davidson has rolled out a prototype of its first battery-powered motorcycle. It's sporty and speedy, but quieter than your average Harley — and you'll need to charge it about every 50 miles.

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The Armatix smart gun is implanted with an electronic chip that allows it to be fired only if the shooter is wearing a watch that communicates with it through a radio signal. It is not sold in the U.S.

National

A New Jersey Law That's Kept Smart Guns Off Shelves Nationwide

11:51am June 26, 2014

by Joel Rose

The law says that once "personalized" guns are available in the U.S., all handguns sold in New Jersey must be smart guns. So, to avoid triggering the law, vendors aren't selling them — anywhere.

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National

Supreme Court Rules On Aereo, Cellphone Searches

12:48pm June 25, 2014

by Nina Totenberg

The court ruled against the technology company Aereo's practice of streaming broadcast TV. It also decided a case involving police searches of individuals' cellphones.

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Take a break from catching up on social media and emails — even if it's only for a few days.

Digital Detox, Step 1: Step Away From The Phone

11:15am June 25, 2014

by NPR Staff

Summer vacation season has people thinking about how to sign off and escape from the Internet. Is it possible? All Things Considered wants to know about your attempt at a digital detox.

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