Digital Life

China's WeChat messaging app has a huge audience that allows Chinese to organize online.

World News

The App That Helps The Chinese Masses Mobilize Online

6:32pm November 04, 2014

by Anthony Kuhn

China's popular messaging app, WeChat, has some 300 million users and has become a way for Chinese to rally around a cause, something that's difficult in a country with strict government controls.

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Benedict Cumberbatch, right, and Martin Freeman star as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson on the BBC's crime drama Sherlock.

Arts

'Sherlock' Star Benedict Cumberbatch: Show's Last Season 'Really Freudian'

12:35pm November 04, 2014

by Eric Deggans

The BBC has just released a new deluxe DVD box set with all three seasons of Sherlock, and star Benedict Cumberbatch says the show's last season was its most revealing yet.

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Laney Barroll Stark, of Savannah, Ga., took a picture with her cell phone as Rep. Jack Kingston, who ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Georgia, addressed supporters at his primary runoff election night party in July.

Politics & Government

5 Widgets And Apps For Election Day

11:25am November 04, 2014

by Zoe Mathews

Worried you don't know the essentials for the 2014 midterm elections? Here's a mobile cheat sheet to plug you in for Election Day.

Drag queens Lil Miss Hot Mess (left) and Sister Roma join other activists for a news conference at San Francisco City Hall on Sept. 17 to speak out against Facebook's rule on using legal names for profiles.

National

Facebook Requires Real Names. What Does That Mean For Drag Queens?

8:47pm November 03, 2014

by Dana Farrington

Dozens of queens' profiles were deactivated recently because they used stage names. Facebook says requiring real names curbs abuse, but LGBT groups say it's restricting — for drag queens and others.

This sample image from Second Spectrum shows the company's data visualizations for the NBA. They crunch game data — past and present — to show live statistics and information during games.

Sports

New Players In The NBA: Big Data, User-Controlled Jumbotrons

6:36pm November 02, 2014

by NPR Staff

We're way beyond instant replays. Last year, the NBA began tracking the movements of players in every single game, and this season, new tech gadgetry is popping up on some arena's big screens.

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A new digital platform called Simpsons World features all 25 years of episodes. FX says it is trying to cater to both old-fashioned TV fans and people who watch shows on other devices.

Arts

In An Online, On-Demand Age, TV Reruns Are Redefined

3:27pm October 31, 2014

by Eric Deggans

FX's new digital platform, Simpsons World features all 25 years of episodes from The Simpsons. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says it's also among several sites that are revitalizing the TV rerun.

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National

Selfies With Bears Prompt Warning From Park Rangers

7:42am October 31, 2014

Selfies with bears are showing up on Instagram. Rangers in South Lake Tahoe have been sufficiently worried to issue a warning: Wild bears are unpredictable, and could attack. #bearselfie

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Apple CEO Tim Cook waves to a crowd before he is honored by the Alabama Academy of Honor at the Alabama state Capitol on Monday.

National

Apple CEO Tim Cook Comes Out As Gay

4:15pm October 30, 2014

by Scott Neuman

The head of the world's most iconic technology company says that although his sexual orientation has been no secret among friends and colleagues, now is the time to publicly acknowledge it.

Feminist critic Anita Sarkeesian, seen here filming her Tropes vs. Women web series, recently canceled a talk at Utah State University after the school received threats of a mass shooting at the event.

One Feminist Critic's Battle With Gaming's Darker Side

1:35pm October 29, 2014

by NPR Staff

This week, Anita Sarkeesian, known for her series critiquing the portrayal of women in video games, canceled a talk at Utah State University after the school received a threat of a mass shooting.

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Where will you share your baby's adorable post-bath pics?

What To Expect When You're Expecting ... To Share Your Baby Photos

1:10pm October 29, 2014

by Alexis Madrigal

Smartphones and the Internet have made it easier than ever to share photos of their friends, family, pets and children. But sharing personal photos raises technological and ethical questions.

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