Technology

National

Disney Will End Netflix Deal And Offer Its Own Streaming Services

8:42am August 09, 2017

by Doreen McCallister

There will be one streaming service for sports and another for films and television shows, the company announced on Tuesday. But new Disney movies will still be available on Netflix until 2019.

National

Google Memo Raises Questions About Limits Of Free Speech In The Workplace

4:22pm August 08, 2017

by Yuki Noguchi

Google moved quickly to fire the software engineer who criticized the company's diversity programs. The engineer, James Damore, told The New York Times he has a right to express his concerns and that he will likely sue Google over the issue.

Google Fires Engineer Who Criticized Diversity Efforts

9:44am August 08, 2017

by Laura Sydell

The software engineer's internal memo created controversy after it was leaked. The memo, called "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber," criticized the company's efforts to diversify its workforce.

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The Cubist Revolution: Minecraft For All

7:42am August 08, 2017

by Eric Westervelt

Minecraft, one of the most popular video games in the world, is touted for its educational possibilities. But is that potential really accessible to all?

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Psychologist Jean Twenge says smartphones have brought about dramatic shifts in behavior among the generation of children who grew up with the devices.

How Smartphones Are Making Kids Unhappy

6:50pm August 07, 2017

by Audie Cornish

Psychologist Jean Twenge has observed dramatic shifts in behavior among children who go through adolescence with smartphones. They're spending less time with friends and reporting greater anxiety.

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National

Google Engineer's Criticism Of Diversity Programs Sparks Controversy

4:31pm August 07, 2017

by Laura Sydell

A Google engineer's critique of the company's diversity programs is stoking controversy. The male engineer wrote that women aren't suited for tech jobs for "biological" reasons. Google executives are now trying to tamp down the furor as the memo ricochets around the tech industry and beyond.

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Google executives say their company is committed to inclusion, after an engineer's criticisms of its diversity efforts sparked conversations outside the company this weekend.

National

Google Grapples With Fallout After Employee Slams Diversity Efforts

11:49am August 07, 2017

by Bill Chappell

In a 3,300-word document that has been shared across Google's internal networks, an engineer at the company said "biological causes" are part of the reason women aren't represented equally.

The MD Brush toothbrush forces users to hold it at the optimal angle relative to their gums.

Brush Yourself Off And Try Again: An Invention Story

6:53pm August 04, 2017

by Joe Palca

Inventing even the simplest product is a fraught process. Mike Davidson and Mike Smith have learned that lesson the hard way as they seek to change the way teeth get cleaned.

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Men look at computers in an Internet bar in Beijing in 2015. Even as the government finds new methods to block virtual private networks, providers find ways to go around the blocks.

World News

Behind China's VPN Crackdown, A 'Game Of Cat And Mouse' Continues

3:26pm August 04, 2017

by Anthony Kuhn

Savvy Internet users in China can tunnel under the "Great Firewall" using virtual private networks. Even as the government finds new methods to block VPNs, providers find ways to go around the blocks.

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Blogger Alva Noe asks: Is putting an information chip under your skin really different from wearing one on your arm?

Science

Technology Gets Under The Skin

8:54am August 04, 2017

by Alva Noë

Last week, a Wisconsin company offered its employees the option to have a chip inserted into their bodies in an effort to help them navigate the workplace. Alva Noë asks: What's the big deal?