Recent content from Katie Humphrey
Family mourns 'very special' boy killed while trick-or-treating
Vigil planned for 5-year-old boy who was hit by car while trick-or-treating in Minneapolis.
Day trip: Hopkins serves up history hip in the 'burbs
Suburbs get snubbed a lot — Pleasantvilles with no culture, no history, no nightlife. Not true in Hopkins. If there is a recipe for what's trendy in big-city neighborhoods, Hopkins already has all the ingredients.
Find apps for the kids' new gadgets
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that specializes in media, technology and families, recently released an updated list of "Essential Apps for Kids and Teens."
Top Web trends: Ice buckets, World Cup and #Ferguson
You can tell a lot about a country by what it tweets, googles and views on YouTube.
Cameron's Coffee wants you to #CrushtheCups
Local ad firm Olson is running the social media campaign, which offers a grand prize trip to Hawaii.
Families share holiday rituals by video chat
For millions of people whose families are scattered across the country, almost any digital screen can become a window into a holiday celebration via Skype, Google Hangouts or Apple's FaceTime.
Online ads follow you wherever you go
Remember that time you shopped for a necklace online, and then jewelry ads followed you everywhere you went — from your Facebook page to news sites? You're not imagining it: You're being tracked. Here's how.
Targeted online ads: Creepy or convenient?
Privacy concerns arise as online ads follow consumers as they search the Internet.
2014: The year we toyed with wearable tech
Want an entertaining peek at what the wearable tech future could hold? Look at Kickstarter. There are more than 200 wearable tech pitches on that crowdfunding site.
Cook up a visual holiday feast on Instagram
Photographer Melissa Oholendt shares tricks for taking dreamy Instagram photos of food and decor.
Do we want privacy or free stuff? Both
Internet users feel they've lost control of their personal information — but that doesn't stop them from handing it out.
Q&A with Minnesota woman behind viral Bye Felipe Instagram
A woman from Minnesota created a wildly popular Instagram account to spotlight online abuse.
Minnesota bloggers connect in real life at #MnBlogCon
The fifth annual conference offered a day of networking, keynote speeches, WordPress tech help and a photographer taking professional headshots in exchange for donations to an animal shelter.
Online harassment is routine among adults
Adults regularly face harassment online, from name-calling and embarrassment to threats of violence. Cruelty isn't unique to the Internet, but the anonymity and accessibility it offers feed online attacks.
Somebody app: Deliver text messages in person
Miranda July and the Walker Art Center want smartphone users to bring their instant messaging into the real world.
Dating app Hinge matches friends of Facebook friends
Hinge, a dating app that launched in the Twin Cities Tuesday, draws from friends of Facebook friends to suggest matches in your geographic area.
Pushing 'play' on podcasts
They're older than the first iPhone, but podcasts are finally hitting the mainstream.
Explore Minnesota strikes a social media nerve with #OnlyinMN
Explore Minnesota's latest social media campaign is pressing all the right buttons.
What happens to your digital life after death? Don't leave it to chance
About #AlwaysOn: A weekly look at all things Internet, from top apps and social media stars to goofy memes and tech breakthroughs.
Social network started by Mpls. man aims for elite status with $9k fee
It could be a story from "The Onion": Join an online country club for the elite, memberships starting at $9,000. Except it's true.
What exactly is 'the cloud'? Answer's not over your head
The cloud is a pretty vague concept for a lot of people, even if they won't admit it. Consider it part of the ever-changing technology universe we use daily but don't really understand. Let's clear that up.
Who wants to wear a smartwatch?
With Apple's arrival on the smartwatch scene, will high-tech watches catch on? There's lots of buzz around smartwatches, but it's still unclear if anyone will buy them.
The local tastemaker behind Wit & Delight hits social media stardom
After amassing millions of followers, social media tastemaker Kate Arends Peters is opening up about the parts of life that aren't Pinterest-perfect.
Q&A with Vine and YouTube stars Jack and Jack
DigiFest promises IRL experiences with the stars of YouTube and Vine. Don't understand? Ask a teen.
Picking the right apps for your life
Is there a science to picking the perfect apps to fit your life? Find out what these savvy smartphone users have to say.
Mere mortals become mermaids, thanks to Twin Cities sisters
Twin sisters from St. Paul are swimming in business – outfitting real-life mermaids worldwide with elaborate, colorful fishtails at a cool $2,500 a piece.
Online shopping takes a generous turn with iMyne
The founder of the free online tool hopes that the promise of rebates for shoppers prompts donations to charities.
Share daily highs, lows and surprises with app by St. Paul mom
Parents love to hear about their kids' lives. Kids, especially teens, don't always love to share. St. Paul mom Stephanie Ross found a way around those frustrating exchanges with an app based on a dinnertime game.
Duel of the digital assistants: Siri vs. Cortana
Siri's got a new frenemy. Her name is Cortana, and she's bringing plenty of underdog attitude to the battle for the title of best digital personal assistant.
Talking technology is becoming ubiquitous -- and maybe even useful
Voice-activated devices are evolving from glitch-ridden novelties into useful tools, but quality conversation with your computer isn't likely anytime soon.
Parents' dilemma: To share or not to share photos on social media
Parents accustomed to dishing about their own lives on social media are grappling with how to share their kids' antics without oversharing.
App aims to give the 'modern allowance'
Minneapolis-founded app FamDoo connects kids and parents with a digital to-do list – plus rewards.
Experts predict a thriving 'Internet of Things' by 2025
More connected devices in our lives would provide information about our habits and communities, but would also mean less privacy.
Weather the storms with smartphone apps
While an umbrella might by the most useful accessory for our recent weather, a smartphone is also helpful to keep up on whatever Mother Nature decides to throw our way.
'iRules' author talks tech families, sexting and cyberbullying
Learn some "iRules" from the woman whose smartphone contract with her son became an Internet favorite.
'Friending' each other in real life
Online acquaintances can become great offline pals, but the initial in-person meeting can be all kinds of awkward.
Lime prices leave bars, restaurants lacking zest
Unrest in Mexico, coupled with flooding in some areas and drought in others, has brought on the squeeze for lime prices.
Dec. 22, 2012: Hoffner gets 20-day unpaid suspension
Todd Hoffner's status as Minnesota State, Mankato's football coach remains unclear. The unpaid suspension might be over his use of university cellphone.
Gamers wage virtual war with real Twin Cities landmarks
All the world is a game board for the players who wage virtual war over Twin Cities landmarks in a smartphone-powered game called Ingress.
Meet the Minneapolis couple who rule dog cuteness on Instagram
Ahmed El Shourbagy and his girlfriend, Ashley Paguyo, are the Instagram equivalent of talent scouts — the humans behind the wildly popular Dogs of Instagram account.
Tracking apps keep tabs on friends, kids, grandparents and pets
Apps and GPS-enabled gadgets make it easy to track friends and family members, but the technology raises privacy questions.
Teens and social media: It's complicated
One of the country's leading scholars of online teenage behavior argues that adult fears are misplaced.
Photo quiz: Can you identify these winter wonders?
Sometimes you just have to look a little closer to see the charms of a frigid, frozen landscape. How many of these wintry Twin Cities wonders can you identify?
Twin Cities homes are going high-tech thanks to 'smart' devices
Houses are going high-tech amid the booming "Internet of Things." But do you really need that Wi-Fi-enabled toothbrush, and what if it gets a virus?
Smartphone apps offer help with divorce, but usefulness debatable
That's right, there are smartphone apps — hundreds, actually — to guide couples through the sticky process of untangling a union.
High schools confront social media minefield
Teen gossip, inside jokes and offensive language can explode online through new, quickly evolving outlets, where it can live on and be seen by thousands.
Mind your digital manners
Etiquette in the Internet age is a fast-evolving beast. Ann E. Answers is here to save you from online embarrassment.
Facebook's new Paper app gets good reviews
Facebook unwrapped a new app this week to celebrate its 10th birthday. It doesn't have every Facebook feature, but its photo-heavy presentation of news from friends and major publications has won wide praise.
Do smartphone traffic apps really work?
Mobile apps promise real-time traffic info, but — honk! honk! — picking the best route is still a gamble.
Ever-popular quiz apps test all personality types
Since launching in November, QuizUp has hovered in the Top 10 mobile games in the United States. But it's just one of many brain teasers. Turns out, there's a trivia app to test just about any personality type.
Q&A: Reddit's co-founder on the idea of an open Internet
One of the men behind "the front page of the Internet" talks about the best way to get attention online.
A beginner's guide to Reddit
Reddit's that website you've heard of but maybe don't quite understand. Is it a social network? A message board? Its spare design and free-for-all culture can be intimidating, but don't underestimate its users' collective power — for good and, sometimes, not-so-good.
Pillow talk: Does extreme cold kill dust mites?
There's an upside to this freezing weather if killing dust mites is your goal.
Libraries become tech hubs for the digitally inclined
People are turning to libraries with tech-fueled questions about everything from e-readers to social media – and librarians have the answers.
Would you 'like' a chance to 'sympathize' on Facebook?
Facebook recently revealed that its engineers have been toying with the idea of a "sympathize" button. Is that something to "like"? Maybe.
It's a #hashtag takeover
Once an afterthought in the punctuation world, the hashtag has spawned a language all its own.
Reindeer reality show, live from Como Zoo
Animal Planet's online Reindeer Cam is focused on a trio of Santa's hooved helpers at St. Paul's Como Zoo this holiday season.
Holidays bring family together … for tech support
Across Minnesota, college kids and young adults will likely spend part of the holidays installing updates on laptops and explaining how to download apps onto tablets.
FAA reprieve: Cellphone silence is still golden while in the air
While the Federal Aviation Administration this month expanded the use of electronic devices in flight, it continued its ban on phone calls — and that's just fine with a surprising number of passengers.
Protecting passwords, and sanity
A foolproof system to manage dozens of passwords (which should be a combination of letters, numbers and symbols) remains elusive.
Don't become a tech fossil at work
The onslaught of new technology, from smartphones to social media, can leave experienced workers feeling prehistoric. Avoid professional extinction by answering the call of the digital era.
Project: Don't be the office dinosaur
Stay vital in the workplace, even if you're not the youngest employee. Our three-part series shows you how you can adjust your attitude, keep your technical skills up and stay in style.
Signs of fossilization
You might be considered the office dinosaur if you have an embarrassing e-mail address, use a flip phone and more.
Facebook garage sales growing in popularity
No neighborhood needed: Veteran garage salers are finding plenty of deals these days without leaving their homes -- on Facebook.
Growing crowd shoots for video stardom online
Eleven percent of adult Internet users in the United States have posted an online video in hopes that it will be widely viewed, according to the Pew Research Center.
Scholarly citations of 140 characters
Class is in session. The research papers are coming. It's time to start digging for sources: encyclopedias, journal articles, tweets. Yes, tweets.
Still outnumbered, women strive to tap into tech industry
While women have made gains in other traditionally male-dominated fields, the glass ceiling in the tech world is proving particularly tough to break.
