Is there a burning question you have about tech? Like what’s the difference between $100 and $100,000 headphones? Or why every country has a different f@%#ing plug? We explained all that, and a whole lot more this year.
Photography
What Everybody Should Know About Cameras
The essentials of digital camera knowledge, from all the different types of cameras to image sensors to jargon like ISO, all in one epic spot.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-what-everyone-should-know-about-cameras-5422004
Why Lenses Are the Real Key to Stunning Photos
Despite what stupid spec wars would have you believe, a fancy slice of glass is just as important as silicon to taking a stunning photo.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-lenses-are-the-real-key-to-stunning-p-5160891
When (Not) To Use Your Camera’s Flash
What is photography’s greatest scourge? Cellphone cameras? MySpace self-portraiture? No, it’s that dratted flash—here’s when and how you should-and more importantly, shouldn’t-use it.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-when-not-to-use-your-cameras-flash-5376271
Why More Megapixels Isn’t Always Better
In short, twelve megapixels stuffed onto a tiny ass sensor looks like crap. Twelve megapixels with plenty of a room on a full-frame sensor can look pretty great.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-more-megapixels-isnt-always-more-bett-5155942
Television
The Ultimate HDTV Cheat Sheet and Buying Guide
Read this before you go buy and HDTV, and you’ll have the Best Buy employee spinning in circles. Or at least, he won’t be able to take you for a spin.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-the-ultimate-hdtv-cheat-sheet-and-buying-5419285
The Difference Between a $600 TV and a $6000 TV
There is a difference, and it goes way beyond the logo sitting front and center. How much do all those extra inches cost? What about 120Hz, or hell 240Hz? The cost of a fancy ass TV, broken down.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-the-difference-between-a-600-tv-and-a-6-5408494
What’s So Great About LED-Backlit LCDs
Any LCD display worth its salt—especially when it comes to laptops—is lit up by a bunch of LEDs, not the fluorescent bulbs that light up high school cafeterias. But, not all LED displays are created equal.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-whats-so-great-about-led-backlit-lcds-5271493
Audio
Why You Can’t Get Decent Headphones for Under $100
Building truly great in-ear headphones is hard. Which means it’s expensive. We got an earful of the secret sauce that goes into the pricey headphones that sound oh-so-delicious, and why you can’t buy ’em for a song.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-you-cant-get-decent-earphones-for-les-5371253
The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
Well the title really says it all, don’t it?
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-the-difference-between-100-and-100-000-5214792
Why Analog Audio Cables Really Aren’t All the Same
Yes, there really is a difference between analog cables. And you want there to be.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-analog-audio-cables-really-arent-all-5210904
Computers and Software
Why Quantum Computing Is the Future, But a Distant One
Computing with quantum physics! It’s as crazy as it sounds, so we’ll let quantum physicists explain it.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-quantum-computing-is-the-future-but-5335901
Why Stuff Crashes, and Why It Happens Less Often Now
Ever wondered what causes a BSOD or kernel panic? Notice how it happens a less often than it used to? (Though Firefox crashing every five minutes seems to make up for it.)
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-stuff-crashes-and-why-it-happens-les-5386441
Android and How It Will Take Over the World
No, it’s not because of the mysterious Nexus One. The true nature of Android is a little more complex than you might realize, able to run everything from phones to nooks to set-top boxes. And Google’s giving it away for free.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-android-and-how-it-will-take-over-the-wo-5397215
GPGPU Computing and Why It’ll Melt Your Face Off
Graphics cards, they’re not just for PC gametards anymore. Thanks to new programming standards they’ll be accelerating everything on a computer that can take advantage of oodles of processing cores.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-gpgpu-computing-and-why-itll-melt-your-f-5252545
How Apple Affects Your Tech World Through Standards (Even You, Windows Guy)
The easy way to have power over technology and people outside of your own little domain: Create tech standards. Here’s a few Apple’s been instrumental in getting out there.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-tech-standards-are-vital-for-apple-a-5350976
The flip side to how Apple plays with industry-wide standards, Microsoft just establishes them de facto, when it can. Here’s some of the bigger ones they’re responsible for.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-microsoft-standards-and-damned-standards-5361103
Cellphones
Until Wilson explained how cell towers work, I always thought Stormtrooper fairies carried the signals from my phone to the Death Star and then to my mom’s cellphone.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-how-cell-towers-work-5177322
Why WiMax and LTE Wireless 4G Data Will Blow Your Mind
WiMax is really here (at least in some places) and LTE from Verizon and AT&T will be ramping in short order. The days of ubiquitous wireless broadband are very nearly here. Exciting, and scary.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-wimax-and-lte-wireless-4g-data-will-b-5168035
Bill Nye Explains Oleophobic Screens
Uh, Bill Nye. Explaining stuff. Do I need to say anymore?
https://gizmodo.com/giz-bill-nye-explains-the-iphone-3gss-oleophobic-scree-5302097/
Electricity
Why Every Country Has a Different F#$%ing Plug
There actually are reasons there’s like a billion different types of power plugs scattered across the world. I know you want to know why.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-every-country-has-a-different-f-ing-5391271
How Electrocution Really Kills You (With Adam Savage)
MythBuster Adam Savage tells us how electricity really kills you—surprisingly, it’s not by poaching your brains inside of your skull.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-how-electrocution-really-kills-you-5262971
Coffee
Odds are, you’re doin’ it wrong. Here’s most of the major ways to make delicious coffee, with advice from our friends at Ninth St. Espresso, Intelligentsia Coffee and La Marzocco.
https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-how-to-actually-make-coffee-5345785
Still something you still wanna know? Send any questions about cameras, processors, or anything else crazy complicated to [email protected], with “Giz Explains” in the subject line.
