Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending January 3, 2014)

Another chance to catch the most interesting, and important, articles from the previous week on MIT Technology Review.

January 3, 2014

2013: The Best Long Tech Reads of the Year
Advanced technologies are affecting everything from our sense of privacy and free speech to the types of jobs that are available to the foods that we eat. In our best features this year, we got into these highly controversial topics.
This iPad App Wants to Be Your New Assistant
MindMeld analyzes your conversations and tries to offer helpful info from the Web. It’s a cool idea, but it doesn’t work as well as it needs to.
2013: The Best Business Stories of the Year
A bubble formed around social media in 2013. But other companies, nations, and ordinary people struggled to find advantage in technological change.
Nanoparticle That Mimics Red Blood Cell Shows Promise as Vaccine for Bacterial Infections
A novel vaccine design could lead to new weapons against often deadly bacterial infections.
An AI Chip to Help Computers Understand Images
Hardware designed specifically to run complex neural networks could let personal devices make sense of the world.
OK, Glass, Find a Killer App
Developers hope apps that improve upon their smartphone versions will help Google’s head-worn computer catch on.
Cheaper Genetic Tests for Breast Cancer Risks in 2014?
Following the Supreme Court’s rejection of gene patents, the U.S. proposes steep cuts to reimbursements for tests that detect breast cancer genes.