Ideas
The Scheduling Woes of Adult Friendship
To avoid the dreaded back-and-forth of coordinating hangouts, some friends are repurposing the shared digital calendar, a workplace staple, to plan their personal lives.
Ideas
The Arguments for Weakening Encryption Aren't Any Better Under Trump
Law-enforcement backdoors would still make everyone less safe, even as U.S. officials set their sights on broader access to data.
Digital Government
What Restaurant Reviews Reveal About Cities
Where official census data is sparse, MIT researchers find that restaurant review websites can offer similar demographic and economic information.
Cybersecurity
Barr Calls For An End to ‘Warrant-Proof’ Encryption
The attorney general railed against the tech during a speech in New York City, reinvigorating a debate that’s long rankled law enforcement officials and the tech community.
Policy
Trump’s Tax Law Threatened TurboTax’s Profits. So the Company Started Charging the Disabled, the Unemployed and Students.
The move by TurboTax maker Intuit to charge more lower-income customers has helped boost revenue.
Digital Government
The Watch That Went to the Moon
Fifty years ago, Buzz Aldrin wore his Omega Speedmaster Professional on the lunar surface. It’s been an icon—and a bestseller—ever since.
Artificial Intelligence
The AI That Could Help Curb Youth Suicide
For many reasons, parents and teachers may fail to intervene when they spot LGBTQ teens in trouble. Can Google help?
Modernization
The Slackification of the American Home
Stretched for time, some households are starting to operate more like businesses.
Digital Government
Improving Transit Through Lyft and Uber? More Agencies Are Paying for Ride-Hailing Rides
Experts and transit leaders say that there could be real benefits to working with ride-hailing companies. But data is needed to assess how successful these programs really are.
Emerging Tech
The World Cup’s Instant-Replay Problem
As the final between the United States and the Netherlands approaches, teams and fans fear a champion decided on a technicality.
Emerging Tech
The Gig Economy’s Storage Hustle
A startup called Neighbor bills itself as an “Airbnb for storage,” allowing hosts to rent out their empty sheds, closets and basements for other people’s stuff.
Digital Government
Can ‘Pods’ Bring Quiet to the Noisy Open Office?
Now that office walls have come down, workers are ducking into closet-sized “pods” for privacy and quiet. Is this a retreat from the open office or the next phase of it?
Digital Government
Scammers Are Impersonating Government Agencies More Than Ever
The Federal Trade Commission warns that criminals’ “favorite ruse” is pretending to be from a government agency.
Emerging Tech
What Happened When I Rented an E-Scooter for (Almost) a Month
Bird’s new monthly rental program could force users and cities to reconsider e-scooters as a real mode of transportation. But there are some drawbacks.
Cybersecurity
FDA Warns Certain Insulin Pumps Could Be Hacked
The Food and Drug Administration warned that some Medtronic insulin pumps could be manipulated by bad actors.
Emerging Tech
Electric Cars Still Face a Major Roadblock
To wean drivers off gas vehicles, automakers need to help them develop a whole new understanding of what it means to own a motorcar.
Emerging Tech
States Move Ahead With Digital License Plates
Maryland is the latest state to launch a pilot program to test the technology for consumer use.
Digital Government
How Far Will Google’s Billion-Dollar Bay Area Housing Plan Go?
The single largest commitment by a private employer to address the Bay Area’s acute affordable housing crisis is unique in its focus on land redevelopment.
Digital Government
Google Maps Wants to Help You Navigate During Natural Disasters
The app will offer crisis navigation warnings and provide detailed visual information about hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
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