Mobile Phones | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/mobile-phones/RSS feed for Mobile PhonesenMon, 17 Aug 2026 19:15:28 +0000Australia's Social Media Ban for Teens May Not Be the Best Solution, But It's Certainly Getting People Talkinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/australias-social-media-ban-for-teens-may-not-be-the-best-solution-but-its-certainly-getting-people-talking-180989355/The Aussie experiment comes amid a lack of clear evidence that the apps harm most adolescents. It may take a dramatic research pivot to finally reveal what’s going on and how to fix it.Mon, 17 Aug 2026 19:15:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/australias-social-media-ban-for-teens-may-not-be-the-best-solution-but-its-certainly-getting-people-talking-180989355/How to Watch the Total Solar Eclipse on a Livestream, Witnessing the Rare View of the Sun's Corona From Your Own Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-total-solar-eclipse-on-a-live-stream-witnessing-the-rare-view-of-the-suns-corona-from-your-own-home-180989315/Wednesday’s eclipse will bring dark skies to parts of Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and Spain. But with these online broadcasts, you can view the spectacle from anywhereTue, 11 Aug 2026 20:35:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-total-solar-eclipse-on-a-live-stream-witnessing-the-rare-view-of-the-suns-corona-from-your-own-home-180989315/Smartphones Might Be Playing a Role in the United States' Declining Birth Rate, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/smartphones-might-be-playing-a-role-in-the-united-states-declining-birth-rate-new-research-suggests-180989129/Some economists suspect that the technology's widespread adoption has reduced in-person interactions and increased access to pornography and information on birth control, leading to less unprotected sexThu, 16 Jul 2026 16:05:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/smartphones-might-be-playing-a-role-in-the-united-states-declining-birth-rate-new-research-suggests-180989129/Cellphones Were Created to Untether Us. Then They Got Smart and Evolved Into an Omnipotent Appendagehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/cellphones-were-created-to-untether-us-then-they-got-smart-and-evolved-into-an-omnipotent-appendage-180988882/One device made it possible to hold a telephone, a watch, a calculator, the mailbox, credit cards, a meteorologist, a television, a detailed map of the globe, millions of songs and books … all in one hand.Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/cellphones-were-created-to-untether-us-then-they-got-smart-and-evolved-into-an-omnipotent-appendage-180988882/How the Hashtag Became the Way to Instantly Invite Literally Everyone Into the Conversationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-hashtag-became-way-instantly-invite-literally-everyone-into-conversation-180988813/In the nascent days of Twitter, users wanted a quick way to cluster posts about a single subject. Someone suggested using a pound sign, and #TheRestIsHistoryFri, 12 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-hashtag-became-way-instantly-invite-literally-everyone-into-conversation-180988813/These Young Innovators Have Created a 'Fitbit' to Predict Epileptic Seizureshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/these-young-innovators-have-created-a-fitbit-to-predict-epileptic-seizures-180988630/Truman Pierson and Christopher Fitz are developing behind-the-ear EEG patches and an accompanying app that issues an alert if the user is at high risk for a seizure in the next hourTue, 28 Apr 2026 15:39:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/these-young-innovators-have-created-a-fitbit-to-predict-epileptic-seizures-180988630/Can You Really ‘Rot’ Your Brain by Scrolling Too Much on Your Smartphone?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-smartphone-overuse-really-rot-your-brain-180987329/While that message has been spread on social media, researchers are just beginning to understand how the devices affect the mindFri, 12 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-smartphone-overuse-really-rot-your-brain-180987329/This 14-Year-Old Built an App That Detects Heart Diseases in Secondshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-14-year-old-built-an-app-that-detects-heart-diseases-in-seconds-180986700/Siddarth Nandyala wants to put his tool in the hands of medical professionals so that they can catch cardiovascular abnormalities in their early stagesFri, 30 May 2025 12:13:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-14-year-old-built-an-app-that-detects-heart-diseases-in-seconds-180986700/Making Ride Hailing, Bike Shares and Other Transportation Options Accessible to Allhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/making-ride-hailing-bike-shares-and-other-transportation-options-accessible-to-all-180986468/Shared mobility is good for the environment, but not equal opportunity. What can be done to make travel easier for everyone?Tue, 22 Apr 2025 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/making-ride-hailing-bike-shares-and-other-transportation-options-accessible-to-all-180986468/How Text Messaging Took Over the Way We Talkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/text-messaging-took-over-way-we-talk-180985964/From its start more than 30 years ago, texting has slowly but surely become the dominant form of communicationThu, 13 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/text-messaging-took-over-way-we-talk-180985964/