Consumer Tech

Consumer Electronics Have Changed a Lot in 20 Years—Systems for Managing E-Waste Aren't Keeping Up

Some innovations that are slimming down the e-waste stream are also making products harder to repair and recycle.

  • By Callie Babbitt and Shahana Althaf, The Conversation

What The CES All Digital Show Says About the Future

Even in a virtual format, CES offered quite a few interesting nuggets that might hint at future government technology.

  • By John Breeden II

The Future of Flight Training Is a Gamer Headset That Watches You Play

Google and other companies are helping design a smarter, cheaper way to produce aviators.

  • By Patrick Tucker

Will Android Become the New Federal OS for Rugged Devices?

For the most part, the rugged devices I have evaluated over the years have had some flavor of Windows as their operating system.

  • By John Breeden II

Lawmakers Want Data to Decide the Future of America’s Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

New legislation would launch a $10 million grant program to set the scene for what’s to come on the EV-use landscape. 

  • By Brandi Vincent

Americans Got Tired of Looking Bad on Zoom

The pandemic’s at-home workers are discovering what internet influencers have long known: If you want to be taken seriously, get good lighting.

  • By Amanda Mull, The Atlantic

Google Antitrust Case Suggests Apple Should Be in the Department of Justice’s Crosshairs Too

Apple’s role as the gateway to billions of searches is the critical factor here.

  • By Hemant K. Bhargava, The Conversation

Can the U.S. Government Really Ban TikTok?

It is nearly impossible to ban any application completely.

  • By Roger Dunaway, Futurity

Right-Wing Extremism and Islamic Extremism Spreads Online In Similar Ways, New Study Says

Those crazy memes you keep seeing? Hate groups are using them to attract online recruits into small, intense groups — and beat Facebook’s censors.

  • By Patrick Tucker

Here's What It'll Take to Clean Up Esports' Toxic Culture

As COVID-19 has driven much of life online and fueled a boom in online gaming, harassment in these and other internet spaces has increased.

  • By Amanda Cote, The Conversation

The Tech Companies Already Won

Antitrust could break up the big players. It wouldn’t change everyday life.

  • By Ian Bogost, The Atlantic

Pokémon Go Wants to Make 3D Scans of the Whole World for 'Planet-Scale Augmented Reality Experiences.' Is that Good?

A new feature within the game will encourage players to create and upload 3D scans of real-world locations.

  • By Marcus Carter and Ben Egliston, The Conversation

Police Ties to Ring Home Surveillance Come Under Scrutiny

Many law enforcement agencies have been adopting a less sophisticated system of camera registries based on information volunteered by residents.

  • By The Pew Charitable Trusts

What Big Tech Wants Out of the Pandemic

The firms are all too eager to help the government manage the coronavirus crisis.

  • By Franklin Foer, The Atlantic

Featured eBooks

Biometrics in Action
The Future of Defense Networks
How the Cloud is Helping the Government’s Pandemic Response

Are Your Kids Using Headphones More During the Pandemic? Here's How to Protect Their Ears.

  • By Peter Carew and Valerie Sung, The Conversation

Pandemic Organizers Are Co-opting Productivity Software

Mutual-aid groups are distributing groceries and spare air conditioners via tools designed to turn labor into money as efficiently as possible.

  • By Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic

A Four-Year Printer Review Finally Ends

It took that long to run out of ink.

  • By John Breeden II

Privacy Options Don't Boost Trust in Voice Assistants

For some users, adjusting privacy and content settings could have an unfavorable effect, the new research shows.

  • By Jessica Hallman, Futurity

VA to Distribute Thousands of Facebook Portals to Vets and Caregivers in Isolation

The devices will be distributed in pairs to connect qualifying veterans and caregivers during the pandemic.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Crashing the Party: Beware the Cyber Risks of Virtual Meet-up Apps Like Houseparty

The app’s booming popularity come with a growing number of questions about how safe and secure these kinds of apps really are.

  • By Paul Haskell-Dowland and Mohiuddin Ahmed, The Conversation

Ancient Animistic Beliefs Live on in Our Intimacy with Tech

We’re learning that humans can bond, form attachments and dedicate themselves to non-conscious objects or lifeless things with shocking ease.

  • By Stephen T. Asma, aeon