There's no better way to build a team than to start a band, say the executives of one telecom firm who met while playing music. Soon, their employees will play against each other in a companywide battle of the bands. The only rule is they have to pick an instrument they don't already know how to play.

The latest version of NPR's mobile news application can be controlled using your voice in some Ford vehicles.

A TV set from Lenovo will respond to voice commands and know who you are by using facial recognition.

The founders of Google, Facebook and Twitter are all male. Only 4 percent of one high-profile tech incubator's grants went to groups with a female founder. But the leader of a new startup accelerator for women says, "That next visionary is ... going to be wearing a skirt and a great pair of shoes."

The United States Mint says demand for quarter, dimes, nickels, and pennies was up this year. During the financial crisis, demand for coins hit record lows as people dug into their piggy banks and coin jars for extra cash.

Thousands of companies converge on the massive Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, hoping to snag some attention for their gadgets. This year, many of them are promoting new ways to watch TV or access information on the cloud. One notable change this year: It's Microsoft's swan song at CES. Audie Cornish talks to NPR's Steve Henn.

Starting this year, many Americans may be surprised to find that their local Walgreens or Duane Reade is no longer in their insurance network. That's because of a dispute between two health care giants. If the back of your insurance card says Express Scripts, you are affected.

A 20-year ban on new mining near the Grand Canyon is expected to be finalized by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Monday. Conservation groups are hailing the decision but the mining industry and some Republicans say a permanent ban would hurt the nation's energy independence and Arizona's economy.

Small businesses account for more than 70 percent of Italy's gross domestic product. But they haven't been growing. One example is the country's famed accordion industry, which has enjoyed a resurgence — but also wants to stay small.