Consumer Tech

Batteries Made with Sulfur Could be Cheaper, Greener and Hold More Energy

Until now, lithium-sulfur batteries have been impractical.

  • By Mahdokht Shaibani, The Conversation

Got an Electric Car? Great! Where Do You Plug It In?

Depending on the state, access to public charging stations can be adequate — or nearly nonexistent.

  • By The Pew Charitable Trusts

A Month at Sea with No Technology Taught Me How to Steal My Life Back from My Phone

No app is really going to help you quit using your phone.

  • By Robert Hassan, The Conversation

IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete With TurboTax

The changes come after ProPublica’s reporting showed how TurboTax maker Intuit tricked customers into paying for tax prep they could have gotten for free.

  • By Justin Elliott and Paul Kiel, ProPublica

Yeah, It’s an Uber. Buckle Up Anyway.

States since 2015 that passed laws requiring rear seat belt use: two.

  • By The Pew Charitable Trusts

What Have We Done to Lunch?

From the Automat to Sweetgreen Outpost, grabbing a bite during the workday has long sacrificed human contact and flavor to value and efficiency.

  • By Sarah Holder, CityLab

How the Loss of the Landline Is Changing Family Life

The shared phone was a space of spontaneous connection for the entire household.

  • By Julia Cho, The Atlantic

How Chilean Protesters Took Down a Drone With Standard Laser Pointers

The low-powered presentation tool/dangerous children’s toy is becoming a weapon of choice for protesters around the world trying to take down or disable surveillance tech.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Laser Pointers Can Hijack Your Virtual Assistants

So maybe keep them out of windows.

  • By Nicole Casal Moore, Futurity

The Not-Com Bubble Is Popping

The unicorn massacre unfolding today is exactly the opposite of what happened in 2000.

  • By Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

What America Didn’t Anticipate About China

For too long, policy makers ignored the possibility that China could transform the U.S., rather than the other way around.

  • By John Pomfret, The Atlantic

Tech Giants Fight Digital Right-to-Repair Bills

Twenty states considered bills to allow independent repair shops and tinkerers to fix broken smartphones, laptops and other equipment.

  • By The Pew Charitable Trusts

VA to Launch Adaptive Game Therapy Program

The agency also announced it will introduce adaptive esports into its national game competition during a visit with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Tech Companies Are Quietly Phasing Out a Major Privacy Safeguard

More and more companies are failing to issue transparency reports to tell consumers how much of their information governments have demanded.

  • By Rob Pegoraro, The Atlantic

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The World Wants Less Tech. Amazon Gives It More.

The world’s largest online retailer is diving headfirst into the techlash.

  • By Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic

State Attorneys General Launch Google Antitrust Probe

The investigation of Google’s advertising practices is the latest to target tech companies.

  • By Andrea Noble

I Tried to Limit My Screen Time

It didn’t go well.

  • By Ian Bogost, The Atlantic

Apple iPhones Could Have Been Hacked for Years—Here's What to Do About It

As there is no visible sign of infection on the device, it is likely users are completely unaware of the risks they’re facing.

  • By Leslie Sikos and Paul Haskell-Dowland, The Conversation

This Site Shows the Security Risks of Your Smart Devices

A new website can help you understand the security risks internet-connected devices might bring into your home.

  • By John Toon, Futurity

The Unsettling Rise of the Urban Narc App

It’s getting easier for city residents to use technology that can report bad drivers who block bike lanes. Welcome to the self-surveillance era of traffic safety.

  • By Sarah Holder, CityLab

People Are Starting to Realize How Voice Assistants Actually Work

The secrecy surrounding AI products makes even basic information about them a scandal.

  • By Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic