Do video games really engage kids in ways that standardized education can not? If so, then what video games specifically help kids learn?

NPR's News and Notes host Farai Chideya poses those questions and more to two educators in-the-field and News & Notes tech guru Mario Armstrong.

Armstrong has created an interactive, multi-city tour based on STEM(+e) issues--that's science, technology,engineering and math plus the environment--called "Mario Armstrong's Dream, Create, Go!" that is all about getting kids excited about math and science.

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Mario talks today with Farai Chideya of News and Notes about the MSM's (mainstream media) latest attack on the blogosphere. Plus, M. gives you the latest on the new Google and Yahoo deal and what exactly does the new Itunes downloading record really mean?

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Farai Chideya talks to NPR's tech contributor, Mario Armstrong, about the next generation of smart phones.

What do you know (or don't know) about this latest crop of Blackberrys, Palms and other assorted flavors?

Plus, Discovery Communications is hosting a science project for middle school kids and hi-tech companies are looking for untapped talent to create cool applications for digital products.

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The video game Grand Theft Auto IV raked in a record $500 million in its first week. Could video games surpass movies as Hollywood's bread and butter industry?

Farai Chideya talks with News & Notes tech contributor Mario Armstrong about the GTA phenomenon.

Plus, we consider whether Yahoo made a mistake by turning down Microsoft's $44 billion offer.

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Candidates in the race for the White House are getting super tech savvy this election season. So are their supporters, who are finding new ways to boost a candidate's online profile through blogs, video and social networking.

News & Notes host Farai Chideya talks with  tech contributor Mario Armstrong about politics and popularity on the Web.

 

September 7, 2007 · News & Notes tech contributor Mario Armstrong talks with Farai Chideya about technology that tracks gunshots in crime-heavy neighborhoods, how to get the most out of GPS and how early and how often to expose kids to computers.

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August 24, 2007 · News & Notes tech expert Mario Armstrong explains the FCC's transition to digital television by 2009, Monster.com's recent security breach and Google's efforts to conserve energy with a new site, Blackle. Armstrong also covers technology for Baltimore member stations WYPR and WEAA.

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July 27, 2007 · News & Notes tech expert Mario Armstrong about My Space's next steps in dealing with the reported 29,000 sex offenders with Web pages on their site, and how this week's presidential debate featuring YouTube questions will change citizens' roles in the political process.

Armstrong also covers technology for Baltimore member stations WYPR and WEAA.

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July 13, 2007 · News and Notes tech contributor Mario Armstrong talks about developments from the annual convention of the National Association of Minority Media Executives and gives a post mortem on his new iPhone.

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June 29, 2007 · Apple's long-awaited iPhone goes on sale today, and tech fans across the country have been camping out to get their hands on the pricey new multi-media device. Tech contributor Mario Armstrong has been in line since yesterday, waiting to get his hands on the gadget.

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June 8, 2007 · News & Notes regular tech contributor, Mario Armstrong, talks to Farai Chideya about the annual Webby Awards, as well the explosion of television on the Internet.

Listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10881992

May 25, 2007 · News and Notes tech contributor, Mario Armstrong talks to Farai Chideya about how to get the latest high-tech toys and tools on a budget.

Listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10450970 

May 25, 2007 · Mario Armstrong, News and Notes regular tech contributor, and Gary Dauphin, News and Notes Web producer, travel with Farai Chideya into the black blogosphere to respond to questions posted to the show's blog. Topics include how you can blog better, how to safely run a personal blog, and the most common Weblogs among African Americans.

 Listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10450963

May 11, 2007 · With the narrowing of the so-called "digital divide," African Americans are using online tools such as blogs in record numbers. News and Notes tech contributor Mario Armstrong and News and Notes Web producer Gary Dauphin talk about how the black blogosphere is becoming an important part of the online world.

 Listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10140534

April 23, 2007 · The social networking site MySpace.com has created a new area called "Impact" that features the profiles of more than a dozen presidential aspirants. Mario Armstrong talks to Farai Chideya about how Web sites like YouTube and MySpace are helping candidates get their message out.

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April 17, 2007 · Technology analyst Mario Armstrong and Farai Chideya talk about African American consumers and Apple's ubiquitous portable music player. Do national technology trends play the same way in the Black community?

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March 2, 2007 · Tech contributor Mario Armstrong talks about the News and Notes podcast and how to subscribe, step by step.

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News & Notes, February 12, 2007 · Tech guru Mario Armstrong talks about satellite radio's effect on existing analog radio, and where high definition fits into the picture.

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January 10, 2007 · Technology guru Mario Armstrong is on location at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. He talks with Farai Chideya about the latest in electronic gadgets.

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News & Notes, January 3, 2007 · Technology expert Mario Armstrong talks about what two schools are doing to ensure kids have access to the technology they need to do well in school. He describes the challenge of bringing new technology to low-income students.

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