Friends

David is one of dozens of “pals” programmed with a backstory, personality, and set of expertise aligned with common user interests, from cooking to yoga and astronomy. Users can use their smartphone to video call or text with a pre-existing…

Trump officials did not respond when asked to clarify whether the new position would be internal to the government, or whether Sacks would act as a “special government employee,” allowing him to continue in other private-sector roles. Sacks…

You’ve heard of a “catfish”—a fake online identity adopted by someone who wants to trick or scam other people. Transparent ketchup was a “snackfish,” and Benji is the UK’s number one snackfisher. Benji’s Instagram account—UK Snack Attack—is…

In a cozy café in Amsterdam, with plush sofas and warm lighting, a group of people sit around talking, laughing, and playing board games. But something noticeable is missing. There is not a single phone in sight. It's one of a regular…

A lot has changed in the past few years when it comes to holiday traditions. Yet one thing hasn’t: gathering around the TV to watch new and classic movies with family and friends. The problem, if it can be called a problem, is that with…

If there’s one thing more dysfunctional than gathering around the dinner table with weird relatives you (thankfully) see only once a year, asking them to pass the mashed potatoes and arguing about politics, it’s watching the fictional…

“Anyone want to meet up for some steak?” This was the message posted by a man named David in the Digital Nomads Buenos Aires Facebook group five years ago. I responded, and upon meeting in the leafy Palermo neighborhood, David and I bonded…

Murder is in the air. Everywhere I turn, I see images of a robot killing machine. Then I remind myself where I actually am: in a library lecture room on a college campus in East Texas. The air is a little musty with the smell of old books,…

Seeking out witches, psychics, mediums, or other purveyors of magic or mysticism during times of change or uncertainty has been happening for centuries. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Yelp noted a 74 percent increase in Americans searching…

Time capsules turn up in the most unexpected places online. This one surfaced by design. It’s a YouTube video, dated September 25, 2010. In it, dozens of people packed on a dark dance floor hold their hands up in anticipation of a beat…