PCs

pipe dream

Junk Computers Could Fuel Cars One Day: Holding Breath...Now

You know that crappy computer you have been meaning to toss out? Hold on there my friend—the next breakthrough vehicle fuel source could be contained within its valuable circuit boards (although most likely not). Scientists in Romania and Turkey have employed a combination of catalysts, high temperatures and chemical filtration to remove toxic chemicals from old computers an other electronic devices resulting in oils that could be used for fuel or raw materials in other consumer products. More »

8:00 PM on Wed May 14 2008
By Sean Fallon
137 views, 13 comments

Latest by carmen89: @92BuickLeSabre: :::looks at you in amazement, and bows::: You sir are excellent! more »

apparel

Another Classy Gadget T-Shirt

We humbly suggest this When In Doubt, Try Another Hole shirt for your annual "please let me keep my Gizmodo" plea to your IT guy. But note that while we condone the apparel, we can't necessarily support the advice. Lest it lead to an awkward night with your spouse, or worse still, their printer/fax. [ThinkGeek via Gearfuse]

11:30 AM on Wed May 14 2008
By Mark Wilson
9,646 views, 37 comments

internet

Charter to Sell Your Browsing History for Targeted Ads

It's one thing when Google uses your search for boobs to deliver targeted ads for plastic surgeons in your area. It's another when your ISP uses deep-packet inspection to snoop on which sites you visit and for how long, and then essentially sells that data to advertisers for super-targeted. That's exactly what Charter is about to do, calling it an "enhanced online experience." Naturally, the program is opt-out, not opt-in, so you've gotta take the initiative to hang on to one last shred of privacy. And no, they're not passing on the money they're making off your browsing habits in the form of discounts. Oh, this better not migrate to other ISPs like pay-per-byte billing. [DSL Reports via Consumerist Photo via Getty]

8:50 PM on Tue May 13 2008
By matt buchanan
2,195 views, 19 comments

Latest by infmom: Oh... I just looked at their opt-out form. It sets a cookie. Which means, of course, that somehow one has to transfer that cookie to EVERY computer in the household, because I doubt they'll let you send in the opt-out multiple more »

concepts

Memento Memory LifeBook Rocks the Oldies

While much of the world is concerned about baby boomer populations of their own, we finally have the simple technologies to, if not prevent conditions like Alzheimer's, help improve the independence and quality of life for those inflicted. This Memento Memory LifeBook concept is a feasible idea for those who need constant, quick reminders and easy access to information. More »

8:52 AM on Tue May 13 2008
By Mark Wilson
1,916 views, 7 comments

dell

Alienware Assimilates Dell's Gaming Business, XPS Gaming Machines On the Way Out

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Dell is killing its four big balls XPS gaming machines (not the entire XPS line, like the standard notebooks, which are selling really well) to focus all of its juice on Alienware as its sole gaming brand. The timeline isn't overly specific, but the clock is ticking for Dell's XPS WoW notebook and their car-sized (and priced) 730 tower. We actually sorta figured this was coming. More »

11:03 PM on Mon May 12 2008
By matt buchanan
8,002 views, 31 comments

Latest by PR-0927: For the record, upgrading the GPU in a laptop is possible, for certain companies, but is slightly difficult: [www.mxm-upgrade.com] PR-0927 more »

casemod

16-Year-Old Builds Elaborate S.T.A.L.K.E.R, Chernobyl Themed PC

It took around a year to put together from scratch, but a German PC modder going by the name "Froop" managed to build an elaborate PC casemod inspired by the Chernobyl theme in the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The result is "Unit 4," a working PC model of Chernobyl complete with a flip-top that allows you to peer into the bowels of the destroyed power plant. The construction process is outlined in its entirety in the following links, but you can check out some pics of the early stages as well as the final product in the gallery. [Thebestcasescenario and bit-tech forums via TechEBlog]

7:40 PM on Mon May 12 2008
By Sean Fallon
10,101 views, 35 comments

Latest by Angus: its a lot better looking than that iron case mod from a few weeks ago. the hardware probably isn't as stupidly excessive as the iron man case though. more »

computerlicious

Buy Designer Laptops for a Good Cause

PC Magazine has partnered with HP and a slew of designers to create nine "computerlicious" (one-of-a-kind) laptops for a charity auction. Available on eBay now (and currently up to about $100 a pop), 100% of the auctions' proceeds will go to The National Cristina Foundation (they donate used PCs to schools and non-profits). If you've been looking for a good way to make your new laptop a tax deductible endeavor (or if you just really like Paul Frank), head on over to eBay and do some bidding. [eBay and PCMag]

3:40 PM on Mon May 12 2008
By Mark Wilson
3,379 views, 12 comments

Latest by MagicMT: @infmom: you could, but the price is high because they're donating money. more »

burma

Emergency Telecoms Team Forced to Wait in Thailand by Burmese Junta

Emergency communications kits destined to help the clear-up of the Burmese cyclone have been held up by the Asian country's military junta. A five-man team from NGO Telecoms Sans Frontieres has been waiting all week for its entry visas from the ~~turds~~ powers that be of the brutal regime. And, until the visas are issued, over 175 pounds of vital equipment will stay right where it is, in a Thai warehouse. More »

1:30 PM on Sat May 10 2008
By Addy Dugdale
1,845 views, 19 comments

portable media

Narae Inter Recorder Mini, Tiny Mobile Mic

A laptop microphone can be pretty handy, but not all computers have them built in. Narae Inter's Recorder Mini is a tiny microphone that will fit in any standard mini jack microphone port and pick up sounds within a 30-foot radius. Released only in Korea at the moment, we're not certain about the price, but the magic of the internet could surely make the product part of your mobile arsenal. Like your USB hub. And your gun. [AVING via TechFresh]

12:00 PM on Fri May 9 2008
By Mark Wilson
3,156 views, 14 comments

Latest by Hello_Newman: There's so many cheap, small, high quality USB mics out I'd go with one of them instead. One reason is the sound quality is much better than with a sony jack like that one. The other reason is for programs more »

pcs

A Simple Graph Chooses Your Next Video Card

The Tech Report has assembled a very straightforward bang-for-your-buck video card graph. Plotting performance on Crysis' high quality setting, you can see the simple facts laid out very clearly—like that the GeForce 9600 GT is probably worth its $5 pricetag over the Radeon HD 3850. These metrics always vary by game, and Crysis' highest settings don't demonstrate these cards at their best (the top performer can't even break 40 frames per second). But it's a quick tool to tip the scales on your next purchase. [Tech Report]

8:40 AM on Fri May 9 2008
By Mark Wilson
13,122 views, 36 comments

Latest by monkeybars: @Hello_Newman: Dude, WoW is hardly pushing the limits of graphical tech. The 8800GT and 8800GT SLi really cleaned up here, no contest. more »

unconfirmed

Rumor: New Dell Inspirons Take Shot At Macbook Air, Lenovo X300

While Apple and Lenovo may have started the latest thin laptop trend, Engadget reports that Dell is entering the ring with their Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735. The three laptops are said to share a similar design, with a graduated thickness from 1 to about 1.5 inches. With processors up to Core 2 Duo 2.16GHz, each model will support optional 3G and slot-loading Blu-ray. It sounds good so far, but we'll have to see how competitively they are priced if/when the first of the models hits later this month. [Engadget]

12:50 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Mark Wilson
9,845 views, 30 comments

Latest by Slaughter: These are some of the nicest looking Dell's yet. And for the guy that said he would take a slower IBM, your are clueless. Dell is the only company I know of that will send me and part for the more »

rumor

Comcast Considering 250GB Monthly Data Caps, Disconnecting Repeat Pirates

Other than Time Warner's single-city foray into monthly data caps, consumption-based billing has mostly been little ISPs with little monopolies, and given the market, we thought it'd stay that way. Broadband Reports is, uh, reporting that now Comcast is mulling monthly caps (which Comcast's PR guy confirms, though not the details)—something like 250GB, and then $1.50 for every GB over that. According to their source, the idea has "a lot of momentum" and it'll start rolling out in the next two months. The other part is that they're going to start ramping up DMCA notices to pirate assholes, with a total disconnect if you've gotten four letters in a 12-month period. More »

1:18 AM on Wed May 7 2008
By matt buchanan
27,611 views, 101 comments

Latest by Arsenal6: 250 gb is good enough...im capped at 60 wtf >< cheap ass rogers more »

gaming

Razer vs. SteelSeries PC Gaming Gear Battlemodo: Which One Made Me a Better Gamer?

Not to be a prick, but I'm a better gamer than probably 80 percent of you. At any given first-person shooter, I will probably kill you more than you kill me, and by a decent margin. The point is, I'm good—but I'm no pro. I've actually always been skeptical about "pro" gaming gear, and the sliver of an edge you might gain by paying a lot more. I put complete setups from both SteelSeries and Razer—using my beloved, well-worn five-year-old Logitech gear as a control—through a rigorous multi-day Battlemodo to definitively answer a single, fundamental question: Will pro gaming gear make me a better gamer? More »

9:00 PM on Tue May 6 2008
By matt buchanan
32,406 views, 79 comments

Latest by gifurocks: You forgot to mention which of the three headsets is most comfortable. Positional audio accuracy is going to blend at some point for all of us and 5 hour gaming sessions require comfort the most I would think. Steelseries isn't that more »

question of the day

Question of the Day: Which Company Has The Worst Computer Tech Support?

If you have ever dealt with tech support for a computer issue, chances are you have a story or two that recounts a very frustrating experience. With much of the tech support industry working overseas and the seemingly infinite amount of things that could go wrong, it really should come as no surprise when things don't run smoothly. That having been said, which of the following computer companies has the worst tech support? Feel free to recount your experiences in the comments—and check out who Consumer Reports ranked as #1 this year. More »

5:00 PM on Tue May 6 2008
By Sean Fallon
31,021 views, 163 comments

Latest by HeeroYuy01W: How about any tech support that uses Indians over anyone who knows what they are doing and speak the same language. Granted I have had a few that I could understand and, at the same time no less, understand the more »

gateway

Gateway Budget Gaming Desktop Gets 45nm Quad-Core Refresh

It's been a few months since CES, so Gateway is rightly updating its FX budget gaming desktops with some fresher chips. Most notably, the FX7026 (more budget-y) and FX541 (more performance-y) are picking up Intel's mid-range Q9300 Core 2 Quad processor (which beat down AMD's top of the line Phenom X4 9850 quad in benchmarks). They both start at a little over a grand, so not bad deals—check the release for more details. More »

7:09 PM on Mon May 5 2008
By matt buchanan
3,195 views, 15 comments

lenovo ideapad u110 review

Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Review (Verdict: Short Ride In A Reasonably-Paced Machine)

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 comes in the wake of America's new obsession with tiny laptops. I could tell you that it's powered by a 1.6Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (4MB, 800 MHz), packing 120GB of PATA storage and up to 3GB of RAM (2 tested), but all you want to know is that it's over half a pound lighter than the MacBook Air and will impress the fellow yupps at Starbucks. Still, if you're interested in seeing if beauty is more than ultra-glossy skin deep, hit the jump to see what I loved and hated about the Lenovo IdeaPad U110.

More »

3:30 PM on Mon May 5 2008
By Mark Wilson
11,865 views, 21 comments

Latest by woolie: Best use of obscure reference in title since the GTA IV Koyaanisqatsi trailer. more »

Gizmodo

Asus Eee PC 901 Images Show New Refinements, Possibly Atom Motherboard

Gizmodo Team

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