Technology

It's easier — and cheaper — than you'd expect to hack a cellphone, say a team of white hat hackers.

How Hackers Tapped Into My Cellphone For Less Than $300

8:57am July 15, 2013

by Laura Sydell

A group of good guy hackers showed us how they can listen in on phone conversations and read text messages of Verizon customers simply by using inexpensive store bought technology.

Queue Listen Now

Iranians surf the web at an Internet cafe in Tehran on April 28, 2013. The recently elected president, Hasan Rowhani, has suggested that he may loosen restrictions on the Internet.

World News

Iran's New President Hints At Easing Internet Controls

5:10am July 15, 2013

by Peter Kenyon

Iran's President-elect Hasan Rowhani says his country should be more engaged with the world. While analysts are not expecting radical change, they say Rowhani could tackle pragmatic issues like increasing Internet broadband speed.

Queue Listen Now

Filmmaker Chris Barrett wearing his Google Glass. He is among the first 1,000 nondeveloper testers of the product.

National

Arrest Caught On Google Glass Reignites Privacy Debate

12:36pm July 09, 2013

by Elise Hu

The wearable technology, which is being tested by a select group of users, was used to record an arrest on the Jersey Shore. The incident raises questions about citizen journalism and the limits of privacy in public.

Queue Listen Now

World News

SoftBank Moves Closer To 78 Percent Stake In Sprint

9:48am July 04, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

SoftBank's acquisition of a majority stake in Sprint Nextel appears to have cleared a final hurdle. The FCC reportedly approved the deal on Wednesday. Regulatory approval is the last step before the mega deal can be completed.

Queue Listen Now

Sound World Solution's hearing device lets a user customize its settings using a Bluetooth connection and a smartphone.

To Make Hearing Aids Affordable, Firm Turns On Bluetooth

10:38am July 02, 2013

by John Ydstie

Traditional hearing aids can be too expensive for many people. But a new type that uses Bluetooth technology costs only about $300. The company that makes the new devices aims to reach millions of people around the world who need hearing aids but have trouble paying for them.

Queue Listen Now

Computer's Screen Inspired First Video Game, 'Space War'

6:11pm July 01, 2013

Steve Russell was the main creator of Space War! at MIT in 1961 — the project was one of the earliest digital video games. He tells Robert Siegel how he came up with the idea of battling spaceships as a way to use a donated computer.

Queue Listen Now

The Ouya game console and controller. Games are sold through something like an app store, allowing customers to sample them before buying.

Game Console Ouya Lures Buyers With $99 Price Tag

12:37pm June 27, 2013

by Laura Sydell

A $99 video game console funded through Kickstarter went on sale this week. Ouya is significantly cheaper than the big-brand consoles and also relies on a different business model. Games are sold through something like an app store, allowing customers to sample them before buying.

Queue Listen Now

More courts are asking jurors to avoid social media services and tools that have become an integral part of modern life, like Twitter, Facebook, email, texting, instant messaging and Internet research.

National

For Modern Jurors, Being On A Case Means Being Offline

6:10pm June 24, 2013

by NPR Staff

In simpler times, jurors were told not to discuss their cases with others. But with the proliferation of mobile devices, courts must now contend with Facebook, tweets, texts, instant messaging and Google — all tools that can compromise a juror's impartiality.

Queue Listen Now

DuckDuckGo Benefits From Internet Searchers Wanting Privacy

11:55am June 24, 2013

by Emma Jacobs

Online search engines that protect users' privacy are seeing a spike in traffic after the NSA surveillance revelations. DuckDuckGo, which does not track users at all, says it's seen record-breaking traffic.

Queue Listen Now

National

How To Keep Your Smartphone Secure

10:59am June 22, 2013

In light of all the snooping by the government on individuals, it seems that it's not that difficult for anyone with the know-how to find out what you're doing. Bill Supernor, CTO of security company Koolspan, speaks to Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon about how to keep your smartphone safe.

Queue Listen Now