Webwatch

Technological advances are being made all the time, including in agriculture. Farmers can now use their smartphones to help with the harvest and even breed cows. Our Webwatchers tell us how.  

The online social news and entertainment website Reddit attracted some bad press recently with the Boston Marathon Bombing. Our Webwatchers find out why.  

Today, with the huge development of Cloud systems, some workers don't need to go to the office any longer. What does working in the cloud mean exactly?

As our world becomes ever more digital, data privacy is a growing concern. What happens to our data on the internet? Can goverments have access to it?

When someone has to go to a place they've never been before, it's quite likely they'll use Google Street View. It's a Google application that allows people to view satellite images of most inhabited places on earth. Google Street View has also dramatically changed the way we consume. Our Webwatchers have the details.

Everybody has already heard about Hardware and Software... but it seems that fewer have ever heard about Firmware. And yet, firmware can be found on all of our electronic devices. What is it? Our Webwatchers have the answer.

In our digital age books and music are increasingly available electronically. At the same time online vendors are making sure that the digital content they sell is not shared. However, two major companies would like to create a second hand market for digital files. Is it possible? And how does it work?

We live in a very noisy world. If it's too loud, it's dangerous for our health. But how do we know when the volume should be turned down? A group of engineers have come up with an innovation they call the SoundEar.

Increasingly, machines are replacing humans for certain tasks, and are referred to as Software Machines. For what kind of tasks do we use them? And can we rely on them? Our Webwatchers have the answers.

This week's Webwatch takes a look at Technical Debt. This term decribes the problems that pile up in modern computer systems. Unfortunately, there's sometimes just no way out. Our Webwatchers have the details.

The social networking site Facebook is known for adding new features regularly. One called Graph Search has been introduced recently and, according to experts, it's going to push up Facebook's share price.

When it comes to business on the internet, reviews are vital. They can increase the number of reservations for a hotel or kill the reputation of a book. The problem is how can you tell whether the review is genuine or bogus?

Batteries are everywhere in today's modern and highly technical world. Despite having a bright future, batteries can sometimes be very inconvenient. Our Webwatchers look at the batteries of the future.

Computer viruses are now getting more and more complex and difficult to get rid of.Their creators are no longer young computer addicts in their bedrooms. What are viruses? Who creates them? And how do you get rid of them?

Computer science is far from showing its limits. Scientists have recently created a software that could predict crime just like in the movie Minority Report.

In new technologies everything seems to come with the word nano. What is nano exactly? Why are scientists so fond of it?

Futurology, the study of the future, is not a real academic topic. However, some universities specialise in inventing technologies for the future. Hop on the time machine with RFI's Webwatchers.

In the digital age it's not unusual to hear about music, movies and software being downloaded illegally online. But what's less talked about is the piracy of academic books. Our Webwatchers look at this growing trend.

For this first episode of the year, our Webwatchers Trevor Pinch and Mark Lane introduce us to the Comeback Kids of new technology.

It's the end of the year. So, it's time for our Webwatchers to do their annual roundup.