Technology

The Federal Communications Commission is accepting public comment on its proposal to loosen the "net neutrality" rules placed on Internet providers in 2015.

Internet Companies Plan Online Campaign To Keep Net Neutrality Rules

8:01am July 11, 2017

by Alina Selyukh

Dozens of websites — including large ones like Netflix, Facebook and Amazon — join an online advocacy push Wednesday, urging regulators and lawmakers not to weaken regulations for Internet providers.

Health & Safety

Tech Design Ethicist Works To Raise Awareness Of Internet Addiction

4:59pm July 10, 2017

Former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris explains how tech companies make their products hard to resist. He now advocates for a Hippocratic Oath for tech designers.

After meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, President Trump said Sunday they had discussed creating a joint cybersecurity unit. After much criticism, he quickly walked back the idea.

Trump's 'Impenetrable' Cyber Unit That Never Was

3:06pm July 10, 2017

by Philip Ewing

President Trump may have saved himself and the government a lot of trouble by pulling the plug on a joint cyber unit with Russia before work got seriously underway.

Barbershop: Internet Trolling

6:07pm July 08, 2017

Host Michel Martin talks to Rants & Retorts author Anita Samuels, TrollBusters founder Michelle Ferrier and The Atlantic's Adrienne LaFrance. (LANGUAGE WARNING: The N-word is not bleeped at 3:59.)

Companies are trying geofencing, which uses GPS and radio frequency identification to set up a virtual, wireless perimeter so that cellphone users in that area receive messages or advertisements on their phones.

Recruiters Use 'Geofencing' To Target Potential Hires Where They Live And Work

6:31pm July 07, 2017

by Yuki Noguchi

Geofencing sets up virtual boundaries to enable tracking of mobile devices in an area. It can be used to send coupons to customers. Now some employers are using it to target and recruit workers.

Queue Listen Now

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk speaks at the unveiling of the Model 3 in Hawthorne, Calif., on March 31, 2016. The first Model 3 is due to roll off the assembly line Friday.

As First Model 3 Rolls Off The Line, Can Tesla Sustain Momentum?

12:19pm July 07, 2017

by Sonari Glinton

Tesla's first Model 3 comes off the assembly line Friday, a pivotal moment for the company. It's Tesla's mass-market electric car — with a $35,000 price. But it faces challenges ramping up production.

Queue Listen Now

Qinhuangdao's elevated bus, seen last month in this photo, will not move forward. The municipal government denied it had endorsed the project, and last month began dismantling the test site.

World News

China's Elevated Bus Project Seemed Too Good To Be True — And It Was

1:07pm July 06, 2017

by Anthony Kuhn

Project promoters claimed a giant vehicle would beat traffic jams by straddling traffic. Last week, they were arrested on suspicion of fraud. "The idea was absurd, childish," says a longtime critic.

Queue Listen Now

Snapchat users can upload photos and videos onto the new Snap Map. When a topic is trending, it'll pop up on a heat map. The image above is a composite of Snapchat screen grabs.

Can Snapchat's New 'Snap Map' Bring The World Closer Together?

12:31pm July 06, 2017

by Angus Chen

From cute puppies in Guatemala to daring teens in Jordan, the feature lets users share video clips and photos from their daily lives. Is that a good thing — or is it just making us all voyeurs?

They Dreamed Of Being Doctors. Now They Help Syrians With The Same Dream

7:03pm July 05, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

Two Iranian brothers didn't let a war keep them from medical school. Now they're using mobile phones to build the next generation of doctors in Syria.

A prototype Moby Mart is being tested in Shanghai. Per Cromwell, the project's lead designer, says four to six additional mobile supermarkets are planned in the coming year.

Economy

Too Convenient? A Mobile Supermarket That Comes To You

5:46pm July 05, 2017

by Glenn McDonald

The Moby Mart concept is being tested in China. A 7-Eleven meets driverless tractor-trailer, the store could be summoned by an app and staffed by a holographic clerk. Are we entering WALL-E world?