Gizmodo: detroit

Afternoon News: HP and Compaq Laptops May Brick, Comcast and DirecTV Have a Catfight, I Weep For My Home Town and More

Benny Goldman — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:59:00 EST

• A security researcher published code that is capable of ~~bricking~~ corrupting Windows boot sectors on most HP and Compaq laptops. That doesn't sound too good. [Slashdot]
• Microsoft continues to rename everything in sight, this time folding IPTV, HD DVD, and Media Center into one group called Connected TV. [News.com]
• Comcast settled a lawsuit with DirecTV about the latter's hissy fit over an ad campaign last spring. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but from the sound of it, Comcast came out on top. However, when anything involves these two companies, does anyone really come out on top? [Ars Technica]
• THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LOSE!!!...At a chance to show their last game to Time Warner Cable customers after TWC would not agree to binding arbitration with the NFL. Gotcha! [Consumerist]
• Finally, stepping out of the gadget world for a second, here's something that happened in my home city of Detroit. A bus driver transporting special needs students was arrested for soliciting an undercover cop for prostitution at 7 in the morning! It's funny because it's tragic! [Detroit News]

Detroit Pistons Selling 1G iPod Shuffle Knockoff

Jason Chen — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 19:10:52 EST

We suppose now that the iPod Shuffle looks like a paperclip, this wouldn't be such a big deal. But we'd be remiss if we didn't show you the Detroit Piston's new MP3 player, which they apparently contracted a Chinese knockoff company to make. Notice the resemblance? Yeah.

Well, at least each $25, 128MB player has part of its proceeds going to the Detroit Medical Center's breast cancer prevention program. Which is the least they could do after giving their fans such a lousy fake player. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Palace Locker Room Store via Electronista]

Detroit Metro Airport Gets a Cellphone Lane

Jason Chen — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 19:15:11 EST

Following in the steps of our somewhat-local airport in San Jose, Detroit's Mcnamara Terminal at the Metropolitan Airport is getting their own cellphone waiting lane. Just like cellphone waiting areas, this 50-car-length lane, dubbed Dingell Lane, will accommodate cars waiting to pick up arriving passengers. Park here first, wait for the dude a call, then drive to the terminal. It saves you gas and it lessens traffic for everyone else.

Perhaps it's just the way the airport's designed, but wouldn't a parking lot rather than a lane make more sense?

And yes, that's Dingell as in named after the still-living Representative John Dingell, (D-MI) — so you know, you can now make a ring-ding while parked on Dingell Lane. Hah, I slay me.

You slay us too, Ray. – Jason Chen

Metro airport's McNamara Terminal to get cell phone lane [Detroit News via Jalopnik]