technology

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Ratings for These 'Smart' Toilets Are 'Through the Roof'

Tech-driven restrooms offer privacy, accountability, rapid deployment for cities

(Newser) - America's public restroom shortage is so dire the country now ranks 30th globally, sharing the spot with Botswana. Building more traditional bathrooms isn't the simple answer, though, as upkeep and misuse quickly turn new facilities into cautionary tales. Enter "smart" restrooms, an experiment led by the...

Another Big TSA Change Could Be Coming

Noem says bigger liquid containers may soon be allowed in carry-on baggage

(Newser) - Travelers weary of the familiar liquid restrictions at airport security may soon get some relief. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hinted Wednesday at possible changes to the size of liquid containers allowed in carry-on bags for flights within the US. Speaking at the Hill Nation Summit, Noem said that...

Something's Missing at Wimbledon
Something's
Missing at
Wimbledon
Jul 1, 2025 12:23 PM CDT

Something's Missing at Wimbledon

Transition from line judges not quite as seamless as All England Club might've hoped

(Newser) - Protests at this year's steamy Wimbledon have failed to stop the transition from 300 line judges to AI-driven electronic line-calling, and players seem to have accepted the change, previously announced by the All England Club, with only minor grumblings. With artificial intelligence now analyzing footage from up to 18...

China Tightens Grip on Its Rare-Earth Secrets

Beijing reportedly looks to track experts to prevent overseas tech leaks

(Newser) - China is stepping up efforts to guard its rare-earth industry secrets. The Wall Street Journal's sources say the government has ordered domestic rare-earth companies to submit lists of employees who possess technical expertise, including details about their education and research background, along with their personal information. The move,...

Silicon Valley's Anti-'Woke' Drive Isn't an 'Anomaly'

Guardian columnist Becca Lewis writes that hints of 'technofascism' stretch back decades

(Newser) - Anyone who's just now picking up on a real right-wing vibe from today's Silicon Valley set probably hasn't been paying too close attention to the tech bros over the past few decades—because hints of "technofascism" have been popping up in that demographic for years. So...

25 Years After Y2K Hype, a Big Unanswered Question

Was it needless worry, or did IT techs save us? The Guardian looks back

(Newser) - Before the new millennium began, there was a panicky undercurrent to the promise that we were going to "party like it's 1999." Whispers of a massive computing flaw that would kick in once the clock struck midnight and flipped the calendar to the year 2000 grew louder,...

Blinken: Russia 'May Be Close' to a Big Move on N. Korea

Top US diplomat says Kremlin may soon recognize nation as nuclear power, share space tech

(Newser) - Russia is close to sharing advanced space technology with North Korea, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to South Korea on Monday, warning that the Moscow-Pyongyang alliance continues to develop. North Korea "is already receiving Russian military equipment and training," Blinken said in a press...

4 Pieces of Tech to 'Change Your Life' in 2025
4 Pieces of
Life-Changing
Tech Coming
in 2025
in case you missed it
Jan 4, 2025 4:40 PM CST

4 Pieces of Life-Changing Tech Coming in 2025

Including AI 'agents' and more

(Newser) - The Wall Street Journal is out with its annual list of "tech that will change your life" in the new year. A few of the newspaper's picks for 2025:
  • Artificial intelligence "agents": The Journal predicts this will be the year we see AI not just creating content,
...

Three Ways Tech Makes Us Lonelier
Three Ways Tech
Makes Us Lonelier
Nov 17, 2024 5:00 PM CST

Three Ways Tech Makes Us Lonelier

New York Times columnist calls out binge-watching, texting, and social media comparisons

(Newser) - Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared loneliness an epidemic in America last year, inciting a frenzy of studies on the root for this social shift. For the New York Times , tech columnist Brian X. Cheng writes that this sent him down a "rabbit hole" of his own as he...

Automation Comes to Farming. Not Everyone Is Thrilled

Technology has the potential to cut costs, alleviate backbreaking labor, but it's got some worried

(Newser) - Jeremy Ford hates wasting water. As a mist of rain sprinkled the fields around him in Homestead, Florida, Ford bemoaned how expensive running a fossil fuel-powered irrigation system on his 5-acre farm was—and how bad it was for the planet. Earlier this month, Ford installed an automated underground system...

New Sam's Club Model Ditches Checkout Lines

Differentiating itself from Costco, the superstore is leaning into tech that mirrors online shopping

(Newser) - Sam's Club is testing out a checkout-free future, leaning into its Scan & Go app that allows customers a brick-and-mortar shopping experience, sans the lines. CNBC reports that the member's club is reopening a store in Dallas that will allow customers to shop in a show-room like space,...

Francis Raises Red Flag on Artificial Intelligence

Pope says human dignity should come first when dealing with AI

(Newser) - Pope Francis challenged leaders of the world's wealthy democracies on Friday to keep human dignity foremost in developing and using artificial intelligence, warning that such powerful technology risks turning human relations themselves into mere algorithms. Francis brought his moral authority to bear on the Group of Seven, invited by...

In Tech Mecca, the Trains Run on Floppy Disks

San Francisco's train system needs a costly reboot

(Newser) - Despite its location in the nation's hub of cutting-edge tech, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) relies on an aging piece of tech to keep its trains moving. While the 5 1/4-inch floppy disks used to run Muni Metro's Automatic Train Control System were innovative back when...

High-Tech Spying in High Schools Busts Vapers

Students often aren't told of sensors, surveillance in school bathrooms

(Newser) - When Aaliyah Iglesias was caught vaping at a Texas high school, suddenly, the rest of her high school experience was threatened: being student council president, her role as debate team captain, and walking at graduation. Even her college scholarships. She was sent to the district's alternative school for 30...

New Helmet Levels Playing Field for Deaf Players

Gallaudet's invention has a digital readout display that may also apply to life outside sports

(Newser) - Shelby Bean could not help but feel a bit jealous. As a deaf football player for four years at Gallaudet, he called defensive plays with American Sign Language and dealt with other obstacles hearing opponents never need to worry about. Now an assistant coach, he was on the sideline earlier...

Barbie Star Cera: No Smartphone for Me, Thanks

Actor's flip phone kept him from taking part in film's group chat

(Newser) - If you happen to spot someone these days who's still carrying around a flip phone, they're likely either an AARP member or trying to be retro. Michael Cera is neither, and proof that, per CNN , "sometimes stars aren't just like us." The 35-year-old Arrested Development...

In 22 Words, Tech Leaders Warn of Colossal AI Risks

The statement compares AI danger to pandemics and nuclear weapons

(Newser) - A host of tech industry leaders published a stark warning about the real dangers of artificial intelligence Tuesday. The statement published by the nonprofit Center for AI Safety reads, "Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and...

If You Want to Keep Your Dusty Gmail Account, Act Now

If you haven't used an old Gmail account for two years or longer, sign in to keep it

(Newser) - Even a global tech behemoth like Google has to do a little housecleaning sometimes. In a blog post published Tuesday, Google VP of Product Management Ruth Kricheli announced changes to the company's inactive account policies. Kricheli said that starting in December, the company will begin deleting accounts that have...

Missing Tech CEO's Remains Found 18 Months Later

Sober Grid founder Beau Mann was found a mile from where he was last seen

(Newser) - Beau Mann—the 39-year-old founder of Sober Grid, an app designed to aid addicts in recovery—disappeared after a mysterious Uber ride 18 months ago. His remains have now been found, reports SF Gate , and in a Facebook statement, his family said he'd been identified through dental records. The...

Google Warns 3B Users of New Chrome 'Zero Day'

The search giant says hackers know about the issue and can exploit it

(Newser) - Google has released a security update for its Chrome web browser addressing issues, including one it considers a severe risk. For over 3 billion global Chrome users, the April 11 discovery of the first known Zero Day vulnerability of the year adds urgency to the call for users to update...

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