Consumer Tech

Report: Government Wasted More Than $300B by Not Using Commercial Tech

Federal agencies should stop custom-building tech products and services, according to the Alliance for Digital Innovation.

  • By Brandi Vincent

‘Fairbnb’ Wants to Be the Unproblematic Alternative to Airbnb

The vacation rental industry is mired in claims that it harms neighborhoods and housing markets. Can a nonprofit co-op make the tourist trend a community asset?

  • By Feargus O'Sullivan, The Atlantic

The AI Supply Chain Runs on Ignorance

Tech companies often fail to tell users how their data will be employed. Sometimes, the firms can’t even anticipate it themselves.

  • By Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic

The Technology That Could Transform Congestion Pricing

As cities like New York move ahead with plans to charge motorists to enter certain urban areas, we need to think about the best ways to manage road tolling.

  • By Robin Chase, CityLab

Even Astronauts Binge-Watch TV While in Space

In a cramped and isolated environment like a space station, leisure activities are extra important for maintaining mental health.

  • By Marina Koren, The Atlantic

IRS Authority To Regulate Tax Prep Cybersecurity Has Gaps, Watchdog Says

Digital tax fraud schemes are on the rise but the IRS can only do so much to regulate third-party providers without more authority.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Senators Call for FTC to Investigate Amazon’s Echo Dot for Kids

Lawmakers want to know how the devices are using and storing children’s personal information.

  • By Brandi Vincent

FAA Predicts the Commercial Drone Market Will Triple by 2023

Last year’s surge in drone registrations forced the Federal Aviation Administration to significantly revise its predictions about the industry’s long-term growth.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Instagram Is the New Mall

The platform is allowing influencers to sell things to users directly through their posts.

  • By Taylor Lorenz, The Atlantic

DIU is Helping the Army Put More Backpack-Sized Drones in the Battlefield

The Pentagon’s internal startup accelerator wants to get consumer quadcopters in the hands of soldiers in a matter of months, not years.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Workers Love AirPods Because Employers Stole Their Walls

In the open-plan office, wireless headphones are the new cubicles.

  • By Amanda Mull, The Atlantic

Microsoft Boss Suggests Joint Big-Tech Center After New Zealand Attacks Go Viral

The company’s president Brad Smith suggests establishing a virtual coordination center where major tech companies can work together during incidents.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Your AirPods Will Die Soon

The surprisingly short life of new electronic devices.

  • By Alana Semuels, The Atlantic

The Gig Economy is Actually Pretty Tiny

An analysis from the Economic Policy Institute found that workers who sourced jobs through apps like Uber and Lyft comprised just a minuscule fraction of the overall workforce.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Federal Court Deals Airbnb a Blow in its Fight Against Local Regulations

“This case is hugely significant,” says one legal scholar.

  • By Bill Lucia

The Hot New Thing in Dockless Electric Scooters: Docks

Cities are desperate to tame the sidewalk chaos of the e-scooter industry. As companies weigh dock options, one startup offers a solar-powered solution.

  • By Laura Bliss, CityLab

How an App for Gamers Went Mainstream

Discord has become an indispensable tool for internet creators to connect with their fans.

  • By Taylor Lorenz, The Atlantic

Your Health Data Are a Gold Mine for Advertisers

In the hospital and at home, illness data can be lucrative.

  • By Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic

The Servant Economy

Ten years after Uber inaugurated a new era for Silicon Valley, we checked back in on 105 on-demand businesses.

  • By Alexis Madrigal, The Atlantic

Lawmakers Demand Answers on Surprise Microphones Inside Google Nest

The group wants Google CEO Sundar Pichai to provide answers—in writing, and in person—on the microphones discovered in Nest products.

  • By Brandi Vincent