Another week in tech is wrapping up with talk of another multi-billion dollar buy. Let's get to it with our roundup, starting with the ICYMI section, which features stories we've been telling on air and online, the Big Conversations in tech and closing with our Curiosities — other fun links you should see.
ICYMI
Drones Can't Take Off: The murky legal guidelines for flying commercial drones test the limits of the Federal Aviation Administration's authority and enforcement of current laws. That leaves lots of eager drone users in various sectors waiting for some clearer guidelines. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta talked with us about some big questions the agency is thinking through, and we visited the Drone Journalism Lab in Nebraska to see what researchers are doing in the meantime.
Why We Don't Phone:There was a time when teens would spend hours on the phone gabbing with friends. Now, not so much. Alan Greenblatt looked into why we dropped the phone in favor of text.
The Weekly Innovation Pick Was...: A foldable bike helmet! Let's say adios to carrying around bulky helmets. This helmet, as Heidi Glenn explains, collapses in half to easily stow in your briefcase or backpack.
The Big Conversations
$3 Billion Beats: Apple may strike its biggest deal ever — a $3.2 billion acquisition, for Beats Electronics, the company behind the eponymous headphones by the lyrical master/hip hop producer Dr. Dre. The Financial Times says the deal could be announced as soon as next week. Re/code explains why Apple is so interested in Beats, and it's about more than just the hardware.
Target Chief Is Out: Gregg Steinhafel, is out the door as the chain's CEO after a mid-December data breach that was the biggest retail hack in U.S. history. It's leading to soul-searching pieces, like this one, in Forbes, about the importance of having IT and cybersecurity at the center of major company operations and at the grownup tables in meetings.
Curiosities
MIT Technology Review: Talk of an Internet fast lane is already hurting some startups
The backlash to the Federal Communication Commission's latest net neutrality proposal continues. Some venture capitalists argue it's going to raise costs and threaten startups that need fast connections.
Kotaku: Taipei To Fine People Glued to Smartphones While Crossing The Street
A punishment for texting-while-walking. It's happening.
Bloomberg Businessweek: For your next flight, hope the TSA 'Randomizer' puts you in the fast lane
The security lane in which you don't have to take off your shoes or take out your computer can be yours to cruise through, if you're lucky.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
