Alexis Madrigal

Alexis Madrigal appears in the following:

The Year Of The Virus

Friday, December 25, 2020

Brooke and Bob revisit some essential lessons from a year of reporting on the pandemic.

Filling the Covid-19 Data Gaps

Friday, April 10, 2020

Why so many turn to the COVID Tracking Project — and not federal health agencies — for data aggregation and explanation. 

The Virality of Virality

Friday, January 31, 2020

How panic online is spreading faster than the coronavirus itself.

Cancel This!

Friday, January 31, 2020

The impeachment; coronavirus rumors go viral; the controversy around Joe Rogan's Bernie Sanders endorsement; and the perils of "cancel culture." 

Why Martin Luther King, Jr. Was A "Master Television Producer"

Friday, January 17, 2020

One of King's great skills was in creating dramatic moments to further the civil rights movement on television screens.

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Containers: The Physical Foundation of Modern Capitalism

Thursday, March 16, 2017

A new podcast examines the history of containers, from their origins in the Vietnam War to today, when containers have changed how we trade and even where we live. 

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Apple's Watch: A Timepiece Designed To Give You Back Your Time

Monday, June 01, 2015

Apple's newest product is a screen on your wrist, with its own operating system and software. Tech correspondent Alexis Madrigal calls the Apple Watch "a powerful extension of what your phone can do."

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On YouTube, A Global Archive Of Daily Life, Both Humble And Transcendent

Thursday, April 16, 2015

The video-sharing website is now 10 years old. YouTube estimates that each day 432,000 hours of video gets posted on the service: a stunning record of our current civilization.

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The World Loves The Smartphone. So How About A Smart Home?

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The ultimate smart-home vision is a home that basically runs itself, from coffee makers to washing machines. But we're not there yet: The real world is a hard place for little computers to operate in.

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I Am a Real Person

Friday, January 23, 2015

When Time Washington bureau chief Michael Scherer got a call from a telemarketer, he knew the voice on the other end of the line wasn't right. She kept insisting she was, in fact, human.

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Lazy About Your Online Passwords? Take Control With These New Tips

Monday, November 03, 2014

A couple of hours can go a long way toward making your data secure from criminals. It's a hassle, but you'll be forever safe from malicious forces.

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Want To Dine Out? You May Need To Buy Tickets — Or Bid On A Table

Tuesday, September 02, 2014

Some of the nation's restaurants are using technology to make diners commit before their night out. It's convenient for the restaurant and customer — and it may pry people away from old habits.

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Can Pinterest Compete With Google's Search?

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Pinterest has created a database of things that matter to humans. And with a programming team that's largely been hired away from Google, the company has begun offering what it calls "guided search."

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Someday Soon You May Swallow A Computer With Your Pill

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Fresh Air tech contributor Alexis Madrigal explains how a tiny computer attaches to a pill you ingest to record how your body responds. It sounds crazy, he says, but it was approved by the FDA.

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Have We Reached The End Of The Line For The Conference Call?

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Fresh Air tech contributor Alexis Madrigal considers why people still jump on frustrating conference calls. While tech startups aim to kill the PIN, he says, the phone bridges generations.

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By The Time Your Car Goes Driverless, You Won't Know The Difference

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

The once-futuristic concept is closer than ever to becoming a reality. Parallel parking? Let the car find the perfect approach. Squeezing into a tight space? Hop out and use your smartphone.

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I Am A Real Person

Friday, January 10, 2014

When Time Washington bureau chief Michael Scherer got a call from a telemarketer named Samantha West, he knew the voice on the other end of the line wasn't quite right somehow. Yet Samantha West kept insisting she was, in fact, human. OTM producer Chris Neary finds out who, or what, Samantha West really is. 

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Netflix Built Its Microgenres By Staring Into The American Soul

Thursday, January 02, 2014

Fresh Air tech contributor Alexis Madrigal counted 76,897 microgenres on the online streaming and DVD rental service, many of which are bizarrely personalized (Violent Action Thriller...

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What To Expect When You're Expecting ... To Share Your Baby Photos

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Smartphones and the Internet have made it easier than ever for people to share photos of their friends, family, pets and children. But sharing personal photos raises technological and...

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Beyond The Shadows: Apple's iOS 7 Is All About The Screen

Tuesday, September 03, 2013

At some point in the coming weeks, users of Apple iPhones and iPads will wake up to an alert that there is a new version of the company's mobile operating system, known as iOS, for them to install.

If users follow historical patterns, within a few days of the launch ...

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