Mobile phones have become inescapable in society and they're becoming incredibly abundant behind the walls of prisons as well. Apparently it's not all that hard for inmates to obtain them, even though they're banned. A crooked guard, a sneaky visitor, a toss over a wall sometimes is all it takes. Those phones connect prisoners to the world, for good or ill, and there is increasing debate about how to control the situation.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show is in full swing in Las Vegas. Electronics companies are showing off the stuff they think you'll want to buy in the coming year. This year there's a big push for tablet computers and some companies still insisting 3D is going to be huge. We'll tell you what you need to know.

The southern part of Sudan is holding a referendum on whether to separate from the North. There are concerns that the election could lead to violence and terrorism. Part of the international effort to monitor the election involves leveraging satellite technology and mapping software to let people all over the world — including you — watch what's going on.

Can the police look at what's on your cell phone without a warrant? The California Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision this week, said yes. Your phone, texts, emails, whatever is found on that phone, is fair game. It's a move that could have a big impact on issues of privacy and search & seizure. We look at the case and its implications.

Congress begins a new session tomorrow. But some members of the House are wondering just how long they'll be keeping those seats. The process known as reapportionment is being taken up by legislatures in 18 states that will be gaining or losing congressional seats based on numbers in the 2010 census. We look at the technology that goes into guiding that process.

Technology is always presenting us with situations where there is more known about us than we would perhaps like to be known. Don't believe me, go Google yourself and see what's out there. So as the field of direct to consumer genetic testing begins to really gain traction, we wonder what's it going to mean to our health and our society.

A whole lot of things happened in the world of technology in 2010. But when people look back on 2010 years from now, what are they going to point to? What really changed the world this year? To answer that, we talk to Clay Shirky, one of the smartest people we know about how people and technology shape each other.

It wasn't that long ago that when you said "apps," people thought you were talking about, like, shrimp puffs or jalapeno poppers: appetizers. But now applications for mobile phones are just part of life for a lot of people who use them. Susan Orlean of The New Yorker magazine joins us to talk about the apps she loved most in 2010.

Christopher Ahlberg thinks he has a pretty good shot at predicting the future using information that is online today. Next terrorist attack? Next major economic shift? Next fashion trend? Might all be spelled out already. The CIA and Google both think Ahlberg is on to something. They've invested in his company, Recorded Future.

Remember back before the internet when you'd have to call each airline on the phone to see what fares they were offering for that trip you were taking? You'd write everything down on paper. Recent battles between major airlines and travel websites might make you wonder if those days could soon be returning.