Technology

Strengthening Buildings In Tornado Alley

1:33pm June 07, 2013

Scenes of destroyed homes and businesses were common following the recent Oklahoma tornadoes. David Prevatt, a structural engineer at the University of Florida, says that improving resistance to tornadoes will require better building materials and techniques, plus a strong dose of political will.

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National

The NSA, Verizon And The Future of Domestic Spying

2:40pm June 06, 2013

According to a top-secret court order obtained by The Guardian, the National Security Agency has collected the phone records of millions of U.S. Verizon customers since late April. The Guardian's Spencer Ackerman explains the coming debate over the scale of domestic spying operations.

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Johana Guardado assembles a laptop on Lenovo's new personal computer production line in Whitsett, N.C.

First U.S. Assembly Plant For China's Lenovo Opens In N.C.

8:14am June 06, 2013

by Leoneda Inge

The Chinese computer maker is trying to boost its brand and U.S. market share as other high-tech firms, including Motorola, plan to manufacture here. North Carolina officials say the plant in Whitsett is a sign of manufacturing's return from overseas.

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Comedian Marc Maron attends an event in New York in 2009.

Politics & Government

How One Patent Could Take Down One Comedian

5:32pm June 05, 2013

by Zoe Chace

The popular comedian Marc Maron, who works out of his garage in California, faces off with a patent holder who claims to have invented podcasting.

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U.S. Trade Commission Rules Apple Violated Samsung Patents

9:20am June 05, 2013

by Steve Henn

The U.S. International Trade Commission's ruling affects some older models of the iPhone and iPad. President Obama has 60 days to overturn the order; Apple said it will appeal.

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Halo To Leap From Computer Screens To Mobile Phones

9:20am June 05, 2013

by Sami Yenigun

Blockbuster console game franchise Halo is going to have a new installment for mobile phones. Microsoft made the announcement Tuesday. It's a confirmation of the way the gaming industry is going, away from relying on $60 console games and closer to mobile and micropayments.

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The Spanish city of Santander is using a network of sensors to help improve services and save money. Incidents reported to Santander's command-and-control center, where the city manages data from sensors and smartphone reports made by citizens, are plotte

High-Tech Sensors Help Old Port City Leap Into Smart Future

1:53pm June 04, 2013

by Lauren Frayer

On Spain's Atlantic coast, the city of Santander has installed 12,000 sensors that measure everything from when streetlights need to be dimmed to when trash dumpsters are full — saving millions for cash-strapped public coffers. It's becoming a model for cities worldwide.

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Once High-Flying Game Company Zynga To Lay Off 520 Workers

8:10am June 04, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

Zynga, the social game maker behind the popular FarmVille franchise, is struggling. It was late getting into the mobile phone market as gamers moved away from computers. It plans to layoff 18 percent of its workforce by the end of summer.

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Rio's Operations Center brings together more than 30 agencies and allows them to coordinate on daily issues such as traffic, as well as on emergencies such as the frequent flash floods in hillside slums.

World News

Rio Goes High-Tech, With An Eye Toward Olympics, World Cup

10:27am June 03, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

New technology is changing the way cities are run, with cutting-edge urban innovations around the globe. Sprawling, chaotic Rio de Janeiro has built a state-of-the-art operations center as it gears up for two major events.

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Student newspapers may be the latest victims of social media.

Education

High School Newspapers: An Endangered Species

2:49pm June 01, 2013

by Scott Simon

The New York Times reported this week that only 1 in 8 of New York's public high schools still has a student newspaper. National figures are only a bit better. NPR's Scott Simon says student newspapers are the latest victims of social media.

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