Smartphones

A man in fatigues and a face mask holds a phone with an app to the camera

How do contact-tracing apps around the world compare?

May 27, 2020COVID-19

Countries around the world are developing contact-tracing apps to limit the spread of COVID-19. Part of that effort is balancing privacy with data collection. MIT is tracking how some of those worldwide apps compare.

The ‘right to repair’ movement wants you to be able to fix your own stuff

December 18, 2018Technology

Bitcoins, represented here with with actual coins, are a type of digital currency that have spearhead a new nefarious activity known as "cryptojacking."

Hackers find the processing power they need for mining for cryptocurrencies through ‘cryptojacking’

February 22, 2018Technology

In praise of boredom: Researchers dish on the brain benefits of idle time

October 6, 2017Health

Ancient volcanoes may contain vast deposits of lithium, a crucial element in modern batteries

August 25, 2017Technology

How criminals could ‘eavesdrop’ on your phone’s motion sensors, and steal your PIN

April 21, 2017Technology

Our smartphones are full of highly accurate sensors that make the devices a breeze to use. But these sensors could also give hackers clues about our data and passwords.

'RedadAlertas': an App that tells you where there are raids against immigrants.

Immigration raid alerts are coming soon to your smartphone

February 28, 2017Justice

Software writers and technology activists are helping to design a crowd-sourcing app to help undocumented immigrants who are trying to avoid US authorities.

Startups in China are reigniting a passion for cycling

February 5, 2017Lifestyle

The bike-share concept has attracted huge venture capital as fledgling firms wrestle for market share. Such has been the success of this made-in-China business model, which is using smartphones to reignite the nation’s passion for cycling, companies are hatching plans to export the idea worldwide.

A visitor tries out a Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 7 at company's headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, October 5, 2016.

Samsung halts production of exploding phone due to explosions

October 11, 2016Technology

Samsung tried to fix the problem. But it didn’t work.

From 35,000 feet up, ‘a way to trick a homesick brain to where our hearts are’

March 5, 2016Technology

We’re cocooned. We’re far away. We’re headed home. And we flip through our photos of ourselves and our loved ones in anticipation. Narcissistic? How about human?