Gizmodo

America's next top president

PBS and YouTube Want You to Play Michael Moore on Election Day

You're one of those internet-addicted, Obama-loving youngins that's actually going to vote on Election day. That's great, since the youth vote has historically been a bucket of fail. But PBS and YouTube want you to take your civic duty even more srsly and bring your camcorder to document the experience—as well as any problems you see, like long lines (horror!), glitchy voting machines (likely) or "overly aggressive" voter ID practices—and upload it to their Video Your Vote channel. The best clips will air on PBS, like legitimately produced journalism. Oh, the fine print: More »

Gaming

Energy Star Setting Consumption Guidelines For Game Consoles

It's no secret that your game console is not going to do much to save you money on your next power bill. However, Energy Star is finally prepared to set guidelines on energy consumption for these devices. In order earn an Energy Star seal of approval, manufacturers will have to use less than one watt during 'off' mode, and less than 5 watts in standby. The devices must also automatically power down after sitting idle for an hour. Furthermore, any set-top box and DVD/Blu Ray/Movie playback functions have to come within 10% of current Energy Star requirements. More »

C-17 Globemaster III

C-17 RC Model Airplane Can Probably Carry a Real Tank

I don't know if this Boeing C-17 GlobeMaster III is the biggest RC airplane model in the world, but comparing it to the now-dead previous record holder it looks like we almost may have a tie. In any case, its 19.68 feet of wingspan, four turbine engines, and perfect detail make it a worthy competitor for the Top Gun competition. Check the stills to get an idea of this model's majesty. More »

Vaio js1

Sony Vaio JS Series All-in-One PC Now Shipping

Sony has begun shipping their Vaio VGC-JS110J/S 20.1-inch all-in-one desktop PC—the base model in the JS-1 series with a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB RAM and a 320GB HDD running Vista Home Premium. This particular model will run you $1000 (and stocks are low), but if you are holding out for something a little beefier, the higher-end models in the series are now available for pre-order. [Amazon via Computermonger]

Question of the Day

Question of the Day: Do You Really Need a $1000 Laptop?

With the economy sucking, pricey new MacBooks hitting store shelves and the increasing popularity of netbooks, one has to wonder whether or not we really need to spend $1000 on a laptop these days. I mean, incremental upgrades on MacBooks alone will cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. So, take a moment to think about what kind of performance you really need and ask yourself whether or not there are sub $1000 laptops out there that can handle the job. More »

Most Popular Stories

Death to cable boxes

Panasonic Tru2Way CableCard TVs Launch in Chicago and Denver

It looks like consumers in Chicago and Denver will have the privilege of being the first to get their hands on Panasonic's new tru2way-enabled VIERA HDTVs. Basically, true2way is a new type of CableCARD that will deliver interactive features to cable subscribers without the need for a cable box. More »

Lego

Lego Radiator is the New Hotness

For many of us, it is the time of the year when we start thinking about staying warm. If you happen to be one of those people who is already lounging on a Lego couch or lighting things up with a Lego lamp, you will probably enjoy "Brick"—the latest product designed for the Italian company Scirocco. Apparently, a Lego motif actually makes for a thermally-efficient radiator. More »

Unconfirmed

Asus Reeeturns to Its Roots With $300 Eee PC 701SDX

Ten million iterations of the Eee PC later, there are signs Asus might be returning the thoroughly molested brand its simpler, cheaper notebook roots. EeePCNews.de has shots of what they think is the new $300 Eee PC 701SDX. This seven-inch Eee isn't a whole lot different from past models, it's just got a slightly updated chassis and dumps the integrated webcam to cut costs. Which we can live without on a $300 netbook—we're happy just see an actually cheap notebook again. [Laptop Mag]

Correction

Correction on Apple MacBook vs Dell Inspiron Price Comparison

Yesterday we published an article comparing the latest MacBook and the Dell Inspiron 13, pointing out that the MacBook was too expensive. In the middle of the Apple event battle, the post omitted some facts that made the comparison invalid. We have edited the article to reflect these facts. Our apologies.

Smartphones

Samsung Omnia Smartphone Coming to Verizon This Year?

According to a rebate document that popped up on Howard Forums, the Samsung Omnia may be heading to the Verizon network sometime this year. The WinMo phone had previously been Europe and Asia only, but this supposed $70 rebate (valid through November 15th), is the first possible evidence of US infiltration. The Omnia is Samsung's big product they expect to compete with the iPhone and a launch in time for the holidays would seem to make sense. But we'll see. [Howard Forums via Electronista]

RFID

GE's Battery-Free Sensor is a Breakthrough in RFID Technology

GE's new battery-free sensor could be just the kick in the pants RFID needs to start living up to its potential. The platform uses a conventional RFID tag coated with a chemically or biologically sensitive film that draws power wirelessly from a handheld reading device. Naturally, eliminating on-board batteries means that manufacturers can make smaller sensors (as you can see in the image above) at a lower cost. So, with any luck, this technology will lead to new tracking and info-swapping applications across a wider range of industries. [Gizmag]