Showing results by narrator "Todd Mundt" in All Categories

A new plant opening in Morocco signals the technology’s direction.

Trenton, New Jersey, isn't the industrial powerhouse it once was, even if the slogan "Trenton Makes, the World Takes", first installed in 1935, still stands in 10-foot-tall letters across a bridge that spans the Delaware River to Pennsylvania. But a few minutes east of town, inside a warehouse belonging to Amazon, there are signs of another industrial transformation. Amazon's fulfillment center, located in the township of Robbinsville, is a dizzying hive of activity, with humans and machines working in carefully coördinated harmony.

I recently got my own personal assistant, called Amy. My new helper is amazingly attentive and diligent, but also a bit strange. For one thing, she seems completely obsessed with organizing meetings and pretty much refuses to talk about anything else. Amy isn't a real person but a software agent that exists somewhere in the cloud and communicates with my contacts and me by e-mail, helping set up and reschedule meetings and other appointments.

In this issue, you'll hear how Google and the geeks from Silicon Valley aim to revolutionize the 70-year-old TV industry. You'll learn why your DNA sequence does not determine your entire genetic fate. You'll hear how scientists can now track the precise genetic changes behind an individual case of cancer – and how this could change the way we treat the disease. And you’ll learn what a new wave of plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles have to overcome in order to succeed.

A reincarnation of one of the oldest ideas in artificial intelligence could finally make it possible to truly converse with our computers. And Facebook has a chance to make it happen first.

In this issue, Technology Review highlights 10 Breakthrough Technologies. Not all breakthroughs are created equal. Some arrive more or less as usable things; others mainly set the stage for innovations that emerge later, and we have to estimate when that will be. But we’d bet that every one of the milestones on this list will be worth following in the coming years.

In this issue, you’ll hear what technology has fixed since 9/11. You’ll learn about a new standard in wireless data transmission. You'll hear how companies plan on making cloud-computing more reliable. You'll learn about the results of the first family to have their genomes sequenced and analyzed. You’ll hear Intel’s strategy for getting more of their chips into mobile devices. You’ll learn how the energy efficiency of computers is doubling every year and a half.

In this issue, you'll learn what heart cells generated from your blood can tell you about your risk for disease. You’ll hear how Egyptian and Tunisian youths hacked the Arab Spring. You’ll learn how artist David Hockney is trying to capture the experience of seeing. You’ll hear how a virtual medium of exchange could be a real alternative to government-issued money.

In this issue, you'll hear how social media, Wi-Fi gadgets and a sense of shame keep people motivated. You'll learn why an alliance with Facebook should give Microsoft an edge against search rival Google. You'll hear why some of the world's biggest technology companies have on-demand video on their slate for the upcoming year. You'll learn about a new device that can scan fingerprints from up to two meters away.

In this issue, you'll hear how WikiLeaks wants to undermine states and corporations by interfering with their ability to "think." You'll learn how a new company is marrying credit cards with mobile phones. You'll hear about one company that reflects the ambition of a whole generation of energy startups. You'll learn why the Internet is no longer fast enough for Google. You'll hear about the price you pay for using free Web services.

In this issue, you'll hear about a surprise ruling that has left the stem-cell community stunned. You'll learn about an experimental drug that is being considered a major breakthrough in cancer treatment. You'll hear how scientists are using data from genome analysis to help them choose the best drugs for their patients. You'll learn how scientists are closing in on a molecular explanation for certain cases of autism. And you’ll hear news from the worlds of Biomedicine, Technology and Communications.

In this issue, you'll hear how a small group of Web rivals joined forces to save the internet. You'll hear how Google is taking a second shot at thwarting Facebook's dominance over online social networking. You'll learn what the iPad's rivals must overcome in order to have a chance in the marketplace. You'll hear how one of the leading scientists in a new field of biology is using light to control different aspects of behavior.

In this issue, you’ll learn how Amazon’s massive investments in technology are shaping the future for retailers everywhere. You’ll hear why major Internet companies are spending millions in order to deliver just about anything within a few hours. You’ll learn why Twitter may be making major interface changes. You’ll hear how a startup is offering a real-time way to track how economies are doing. You’ll learn how a new technology can read people’s feelings and predict the statistical likelihood of their later behavior.

In this issue, you’ll hear how Google+ differs from Facebook. You’ll learn about Facebook’s new video-calling service. You'll hear how divorce lawyers are using social networks to gather evidence for legal cases. You'll learn how one company has found a way to collect data on what people are actually saying about specific TV shows.

In this issue, you’ll learn how new devices that monitor activity, sleep, diet, and even mood, could make us healthier and more productive. You'll hear how crooks peddling fake antivirus software have duped the Web in a billion-dollar rip-off. You’ll learn about a stem-cell treatment that holds out hope to people who are paralyzed. You’ll hear how the former CTO of Microsoft is trying to transform the way we eat.

In this issue: "A Contrarian in Biotech" by Antonio Regalado. "Industry Body Calls for Gene-Editing Moratorium" by Antonio Regalado. "The Electric Mood-Control Acid Test" by Kevin Bullis. "Gadgets Are Getting Better at Fooling Your Sense of Touch" by Rachel Metz. "App Ads Are Booming Business for Facebook" by Robert D. Hof. "Smartphones Will Soon Learn to Recognize Faces and More" by Tom Simonite. "How People Will Use the Apple Watch" by John Pavlus. "A Smart Watch Pioneer Has an Answer for Apple" by Rachel Metz. "Your iPhone Might Make You a Reality TV Star" by Winston Ross. "New Display Technology Lets LCDs Produce Princess Leia-Style Holograms" by Mike Orcutt. "A Film Studio for the Age of Virtual Reality" by Rachel Metz. "Five Loopholes That Could Undermine Net Neutrality" by George Anders.

In this issue, you'll learn how Google will keep a copy of any genome in the cloud – for only 25 dollars. You’ll hear about Lockheed Martin's breakthrough Fusion machine. You’ll learn how Knightscope is preparing to roll out human-size robot patrols. You'll hear how IBM is trying to turn things around with research on more human-like artificial intelligence. You'll learn how we’re going to need an air traffic control system for drones. You'll hear about a "smart" terminal that is going to be used for all kinds of payments. And you'll hear news from the worlds of Biomedicine, Technology and Communications.

You’ll learn how Facebook is pushing beyond data-driven studies on voting, sharing, and organ-donation prompts, to make people feel good or bad. You’ll hear how inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil is working with Google to apply his theory of intelligence to understanding online information. You’ll learn how Amazon’s Fire Phone could make visual search easier, better, and more popular. You’ll hear how IBM is working on a new computer chip – which could be up to five times faster than current transistors. You’ll learn how smart homes will require unprecedented effort to ensure not just security but also usability. And you’ll hear news from the worlds of Biomedicine, Technology and Communications.

In this issue, you’ll hear how researchers can investigate the source of emotions, memory, and consciousness for the first time. You’ll learn how better research tools and new insights into the genetics of brain disorders could revive the moribund effort to improve treatments. You’ll hear how a better understanding of the complex systems the brain uses to relay information could lead to massive breakthroughs in memory and computing. You’ll learn about a remarkable experiment where a paralyzed woman used her mind to control a robotic arm. And you’ll hear how Gabriel Kreiman’s single-neuron measurements of unconscious decision-making could someday point to ways we can learn to control ourselves.

In this issue, you’ll learn how a neuroscientist believes brain-controlled robotics will let the paralyzed walk again. You’ll hear about a unique gathering of 13 companies showcasing a year’s worth of interesting launches. You’ll learn how a new capability could significantly decrease the cost of space launches. You’ll hear about some of the biggest e-commerce sites in China and how they’re trying to gain the attention of American investors. You’ll learn how small startups that use a lot of bandwidth could be facing a crushing disadvantage. And you’ll hear news from the worlds of Biomedicine, Technology and Communications.