Gizmodo
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power strips
Brando's Randomized Design Formula Once Again Approaches High Art
Hong Kong's premier spare parts crossbreeder has a mixed record, but occasionally does something so inconceivably strange and impractical that you begin to think you're missing some great, hidden genius. Example! The power strip with a SIM card. More »
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By John HerrmanComment by KeepingTheForeName_GitEmSteveDave: But JerseyCam is visual, not auditory. People want to see me, not hear me. 3 Responses | Other threads
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surveillance
SIM Card Spy Ear Gets Smaller, Scumbags Get Bigger
Like the earlier, larger version, this SIM Card Spy Ear allows users of questionable character to listen in on other people's conversations by dialing their own phone number. More » -
espionage
Cyber-Spies Hack Into Ultra-Sensitive Pentagon Fighter Jet Project
Computer spies have broken into the Pentagon's $300 billion Joint Strike Fighter project and made off with several terabytes of code. The Pentagon, and consequently the Wall Street Journal, suspects Chinese involvement. More »
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By Dan NosowitzComment by jetRink: Can someone who knows something about the military-industrial complex explain why this stuff is connected to the internet in the... 9 Responses | Other threads
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at&t
AT&T Introduces Somewhat Creepy FamilyMap Snooping Service
AT&T now offers a $10/month plan that gets you the realtime location of two of your plan's phones ($15/month for five). But unlike other family trackers, this one doesn't appear to need parental permission/notification. More » -
Spynet
Immense 'GhostNet' Computer Spy System Is Going to Put Cranky Windows Guy Over the Edge
If you thought Cranky Windows Guy was angry now, this vast spy system we read about today—targeting 103 countries—is really going to be the piss in his corn flakes that ruins the weekend. More »
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By Jack LoftusComment by Software_Goddess: Have we not always been told that the internet is not private and to ALWAYS assume whatever you do there... 24 Responses | Other threads
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spying
Prism 200 Lets You See Through Walls
The Prism 200 lets you see through walls. You can only see things that are moving, but it's sensitive enough to pick up breathing, hearts beating, or your girlfriend banging your best friend. More »
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By Adam FrucciComment by 92BuickLeSabre: Adam, I like you. I really do. But I'm not sure you should consider me your "best friend." 13 Responses | Other threads
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satellites
Pentagon Mitex Satellites Are the First to Actively Spy... On Other Satellites!
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? If we're talking spy satellites, the answer this week became "U.S. satellites," two of which completed a first-of-its kind maneuver that had wide-ranging ramifications for all satellites currently in orbit. Update. More »
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By Jack LoftusComment by EqualOpportunityCrasher: Eh, screw China. They steal enough of America's IP as it is, so what's a few of their satellites... 6 Responses | Other threads
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binoculars
LightSpeed Binoculars Transmit Secure Video and Audio Via Infrared
Designed primarily for military use, these LightSpeed binoculars are capable of transmitting "untappable" voice and video signals to another set of binoculars using infrared. More »
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By Sean FallonComment by b0bcat: Undetectable?!? Use a camcorder and you can see the IR Led of your remote control. If it's electromagnetic... 6 Responses | Other threads
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your tax dollars at work
US to Deploy Drone Aircraft Along Canadian Border to Prevent Bacon Smuggling
We all know who the real threats to our American way of life are: Canadians. That's why unmanned drone aircraft are set to start patrolling the US/Canadian border.
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By Adam FrucciComment by OMG! Ponies!: Excuse me Mr. Frucci. What steps will be taken to prevent Canadian bacon from mixing in with our bacon supply? ... 11 Responses | Other threads
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cctv
Japanese Company Hides CCTV Cameras in Cute Statues, Hopes No One Notices
For some, the all-seeing CCTV camera is a bit off putting. Its uncaring eye records all, making even a simple trip to the ATM an adventure in privacy rights for our more conservative-minded citizens. In Japan, they understand this, and in typical Japanese fashion they've started hiding surveillance cameras in "friendly" Daruma wish dolls to lessen the blow.
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By Jack LoftusComment by mikegriffin: We are losing our privacy, and soon everything we do will be a 24 hour record of every movement we... 3 Responses | Other threads
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privacy
The Government Doesn't Need Telcos' Help To Spy On Your Cellphones, Thank You Very Much
The Federal Government has used the cell tracking 'Triggerfish' gadget for years now, and sometimes with great success. That's because its an effective, invasive piece of hardware: by posing as a cell tower Triggerfish is able to quickly glean valuable identifying data from phones. Like phone taps, this had previously been thought to have been used only with the telcos' approval, and after law enforcement officials had found "probable cause" to monitor someone. That supposed caveat was a minor comfort to privacy hounds, but as is so often the case with these things, might have been, shall we say, slightly optimistic. More »
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By John HerrmanComment by The Lab: Don't just turn off your phone, the battery may still be powering something. Be safe and put it in... 9 Responses | Other threads
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uavs
Air Force Wants Bat-Senses In Micro Spy Drones For "Urban Combat"
We've seen bat-like drones, and even heard of genuine bat weaponry, but now the Pentagon is after micro UAVs with genuine echolocation bat-senses, for real. The Air Force has just awarded a new contract to develop swarms of micro drones that use bat-inspired echolocation for navigation through the complex airspace in urban environments cluttered with trees, wires, buildings and poles. Test flights are due by 2010 apparently. And if the idea of hordes of tiny, flapping military spy drones fluttering though the air doesn't creep you out, you're clearly not in the Halloween spirit yet. [AviationWeek via Danger Room]
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By Kit EatonComment by Curves: I had a bat in my office just a few weeks ago and judging from the screams that were heard... 6 Responses | Other threads
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spying
Brando's ID Pass Spycam is For, Uh... Industrial Espionage?
I know spy tech is interesting stuff, but this ID-pass holder spycam from Brando has me pondering. I mean... it's all very clever and such, able to record 1.2-megapixel photos, audio and CIF-resolution video onto its 4GB internal storage and is USB rechargeable. But its likely use is for genuine industrial espionage, which really isn't very nice. Or am I being overly sensitive? Still, it's a meaty $174, so you're going to have to really want to snoop on your office operations, and bore a hole in your genuine ID before you stick it on the top of this. [Brando via i4u] -
Covert Ops
Brits Set Up Fake Laundromats with Bomb-Sniffing Washing Machines
Now here's a creative military operation: the British set up a fake Laundromat in Belfast, where they wanted to find IRA bomb-makers. They staffed the Laundromat with locals and sent out coupons to different neighborhoods, with each neighborhoods coupon a different color. When people brought their clothes and coupons in, they got their clothes washed, but while their clothes were being washed, they were secretly being analyzed for bomb-making chemical residue. More »
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By Adam FrucciComment by kthxbai: Fuck the British, I hope the IRA blows England up.... 12 Responses | Other threads
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spying
Spy Camera Watch Looks Like it May Actually Be Good For Spying
Forget those naff spy pens: This spy camera watch from Brando may actually be a decent spying gizmo. For example... can you see the camera in the photo of it? It's in the whorl of the numeral 2, and the watch is pretty convincing. It only shoots 352 x 288 pixel AVIs, but it does carry 2GB aboard, so that should be good for a whole bunch of sneaky vids, and its rechargeable batteries get juice from a USB connection. Just cover up that USB port with a sticker or plug of some kind so it's less obvious, and spy away. Presumably it also tells the time, but that's curiously not mentioned on Brando's web page. Yours for $236. [Brando] -
privacy
UK Gov't Creating Centralized Snooping Silo to Monitor all Calls, Texts, Emails, IMs and Surf Histories
The UK government has decided to spend hundreds of millions of pounds (gajillions of dollars in US currency) on a huge central silo for all of the country's communications data. What'll that entail? Well, apparently "the one-stop-shop database will retain details of all calls, texts, emails, instant messenger conversations and websites accessed in the UK for up to two years." Oh my. More »
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By Adam FrucciComment by Pixlmonkey: Good old England is clearly turning into a totalitarian society. The only answer is to send in the US... more » | Other threads
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tappity tap tap
System of Proof Brings Phone Tapping to All With Subscription Service
This is one of those press releases that makes you go "Sorry... what?" in disbelief: System of Proof is a service that lets you covertly record a conversation on any phone. It sounds very CIA: dial a special number from the phone, and a distant computer then records the conversation and emails you the final file for you to peruse later. It apparently works with any phone, including VoIP, and the company pitches it as a tool for capturing phone calls you wish you had as evidence. You know: harassment at work or home, cheating spouses, failed business dealings. There's also the innocent "record your lectures to make sure you don't miss pertinent exam notes" option. The service costs up to $9.95 per month, with this top-end price having unlimited spying minutes. Read on for the press release: and remember, phone tapping is of dubious legality depending on where you do it. More »
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By Kit EatonComment by GadgetPlayPissedSomebodyOff: This could get expensive pretty quickly depending on your cell plan. more » | Other threads
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spying
Voyeur Security Drone is For Spying At Sea, Not at Your Neighbors
This helicopter mini-drone has been developed by the Navy to help it counter water-borne threats, despite its provocatively lurid name. Made by Lite Machines, the battery-powered Voyeur weighs just four pounds, stands 27-inches high and is actually designed to be suicidal. It's meant to hop out of sonobuoy tubes, patrol for threats for a while and then sink itself. Much more economical than helicopters or jets wasting fuel by attempting to ID surface targets (has the Navy's gas bill gone up at the moment too?) Plus it looks waaay more creepily sci-fi. [Danger Room]
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By Kit EatonComment by macrumpton: Next week, the flying Fleshlight. Watch our famous flying team as they attempt a death defying airborne docking procedure, again... more » | Other threads
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photo show of spy sats
Photographer Puts 189 Non-Existent Spy Satellites on Show
"Yesterday up in the air I snapped a sat that wasn't there"— so might photographer Trevor Paglen say about his show at the University of California at Berkeley Art Museum. It's a series of photos of 189 secret satellites: the ones that officially "don't exist." Dubbed The Other Night Sky the photos are time-lapse images of the snoop-sats moving through the night sky, made with a custom star-tracker. Apparently it's his attempt to draw similarities between government secrecy and Galileo's historic tangles with the Catholic church. Found with the help of an amateur astronomer, each photo is of a named spy sat, and they're quietly beautiful—if you can forget the eerie spying aspect. The show runs until September 14. [Wired]
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By Kit EatonComment by AndersonBMX: i cant wake up at 5:30 am to take a good picture of the ISS and this guy finds 189... more » | Other threads
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espionage
News Corp. Hires Hacker to Break Into Dish Satellite Network, Steal Security Codes for Pirate Cards
This is classic corporate espionage/sabotage at its finest. Dish Network is accusing News Corp.—which used to have a 39 percent stake in DirecTV and still provides its security tech—of hiring hacker Christopher Tarnovsky to break into Dish's network, steal the security codes, and use them to make pirated cards to flood the black market. It sounds insane, but Tarnovsky admitted in court he was paid James Bond villain style, with $20,000 cash payments mailed from Canada hidden inside "electronic devices." More » -
comcast
Comcast Wants to Put a Camera in Your Cable Box
Before you start freaking out, hold on. They just wanna know who's in your living room. That's all. It's for a really cool features, really! When you turn on your TV, the box will recognize you and make recommendations or pull up shows in your profile. Still not sold? Well, if it detects kiddies in the room, parental controls will pop up to block naughty content. Oh yeah, and it'll serve up custom ads, just for you. Awesome-o, right? Well, don't get too excited, it's still in testing. [NewTeeVee] -
spying
House Denies Warrantless Wiretapping Immunity For Telcos
In a textbook display of checks and balances, the House of Representatives defied President Bush and the Senate yesterday by passing their version of a surveillance bill without legal immunity for telcos. The bill passed by only 16 votes, far from the 2/3 majority needed to override Bush's inevitable veto. It looks like this legislative battle could continue until the next president takes office in 2009. As we have seen, an Obama administration would deny immunity, McCain would grant immunity, and Clinton? Who knows. [dslreports]
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By Eric ShelineComment by Semiapies: "As we have seen, an Obama administration would deny immunity" Actually, this last time in the Senate, Obama voted for cloture... more » | Other threads
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spying
Whistleblower Says the Feds Are Spying on Your (Verizon) Mobile Phone Too
Not sweating the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program 'cause you don't have a landline, just a mobile? Tell your glands to kick in again. A computer security consultant working for a wireless carrier—probably Verizon—stumbled upon a high-speed backdoor built into the carrier's network for the Feds to pull anything from "the billing system, text messaging, fraud detection, web site, and pretty much all the systems in the data center without apparent restrictions." More » -
airplanes
DARPA Close To Awarding Contract For Spy Plane That Stays Aloft For 5 Years
According to Flight Global, DARPA is close to awarding a contract to build an unmanned aircraft that can stay in the air for up to 5 years at a time. DARPA describes the "Vulture" project as a "persistent pseudo-satellite capability in an aircraft package." In other words, the aircraft can hover over a single area, narcing, communicating, or surveying for years at a time. More »
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By Sean FallonComment by jtowntex: This tech. has already been proven in such harsh conditions with standard aircraft materials like carbon fiber. Additionally, stonger/lighter fibers... more » | Other threads
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at&t
NSA Gets the Best AT&T Coverage Around
Yes, this is real, and spectacular. The Billboard Liberation Front has launched an "improvement" campaign on AT&T billboards in the SF area "to promote and celebrate the innovative collaboration of these two global communications giants" with their massive warrantless domestic spying program (explained by a cute bear). We're waiting for some "Yes, the NSA can hear you now" Verizon billboards to match. Update: Video of them putting it up after the jump. More »
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Comment by nutbastard: @Radio_Radio: And if we all thought like you, we'd be speaking German. more » | Other threads
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i feel better already
Snuggly the Security Bear Explains: Warrantless Wiretapping Is All About Love and Freedom
If you're still confused about the whole warrantless domestic spying program that the telecoms colluded with the government on (which is being conveniently shuffled away from official scrutiny, forever), Snuggly the Security Bear by Mark Fiore sums it all up in the absolute cuddliest way possible. [Mark Fiore via BoingBoing]
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Comment by ryno365: If a political power has the legal authority to wiretap its own country then it therefore has the ability to... more » | Other threads
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gadgets
Last Chance to Save Our Privacy Rights from Warrantless Domestic Spying
While the Senate passed the bill giving telecoms like AT&T and Verizon a free pass on their collusion with government to warrentlessly wiretap American citizens, there's one last hope we might one day find out the scope and depth of the program. The House's version of the bill does not include a telecom immunity provision, meaning they have to square it up w/ the Senate before sending it off for Bush's rubber stamp, and a bunch of Reps are taking a stand. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has forms and contact info set up for people to sound off to their respective Reps to support the House's version and our privacy rights. [EFF, Image via Digital Blasphemy]
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Comment by -Core-: @benz57us: Just wanted to say, a big thanks, and appreciate you sharing the link to that video. It was indeed a... more » | Other threads
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spying
Senate Gives Telcos Free Pass On Warrantless Domestic Spying Program
Joel at BBG writes in five precise words what it means that the Senate has just granted retroactive immunity to telcos (AT&T, Verizon and others) for participating in the government's warrantless wiretapping program that spied on American citizens: "We Lost. The Telcos Won." More »
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Comment by cr0ft: 3000 dead New Yorkers dead is really nothing but a pinprick if you extract he emotional hyperbole and overblown American... more » | Other threads
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at&t
Senate Set to Give Retroactive Immunity to AT&T and Other Telcos for Warrantless Wiretapping Program
Should AT&T and the other telcos involved (like Verizon) get a total pass for participating in the NSA's domestic wiretapping program that let the government eavesdrop on Americans without a warrant? The Senate's thisclose to giving them immunity from lawsuits like the one the Electronic Freedom Foundation's filed against AT&T and others. More »
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Comment by johnnyabnormal: @Indio: Geesh. For a while there I thought I was the only one who counterbalanced the reich wing in... more » | Other threads
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peeping
Spy Camera Hidden in a Book Could Use a Better Book to Hide In
As if you needed yet another household object to hide a spy cam in, here's a book camera. It hides a pinhole camera and microphone and can record video for you to check out from afar. The only problem? It'll cost you over $1,300, which is more than some therapy to get you over your addiction to peeping would set you back. Oh, another problem would be trying to sneak that Marcia Clark book into someone's shelf without them noticing. I mean, really, is that the most subtle book they could find? Were they out of copies of I Might Be Wrong, But I Doubt It by Charles Barkley? [Product Page via Red Ferret]
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By Adam FrucciComment by knappoleon: This has been out for YEARS!!! I mean this specific product. The actual book cam on Marcia Clark's book. How... more » | Other threads
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spying
Spy Camera Mooches Energy From Fluorescent Lights
The problem with setting up spy cameras in places where you're not supposed to is that you need to find some source of power to plug them in to, which make it hard to be sneaky. Not so with these Symbiotic Cameras, which mooch power off of fluorescent lights. Simply slide the ring around the light, and the magnetic field generated by the light is enough to power both the camera and the Wi-Fi chip onboard that can send out pictures taken every 10 seconds. Now you just need to find a way to make a camera attached to a light not obvious, and you're all set to spy. [Digital World Tokyo via Boing Boing Gadgets]
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By Adam FrucciComment by MikeHinds: "Mooching" is correct. "Symbiotic", however, it is not, since it provides no service or value to the other "organism" (in... more » | Other threads
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salon espionage
Wireless Blow Dryer Spy Camera For Super Secret Styling Tips
Ever wonder what your girlfriend does when you are not around—and how she gets her hair so shiny and manageable? If so, this wireless hair dryer spy cam may be right up your alley. There are a number of versions available at varying price points, but if you want the ultimate in fashionable spying technology you will have to step up to the X-Vision option that allows users to remotely beam images up to 1500 feet. More »
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By Sean FallonComment by takemetoyourtoaster: so basically this is a perverts dream more » | Other threads
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tinfoil tech
LaserScan Sort of Long-Range Hidden-Camera Detector
Billed as a "long range" hidden-camera detector, its spotting powers only work within 50 feet. It's loaded with two pulsating lasers that scan for Big Brother eyes, which show up as flashing red lights in the scope. Supposedly it can ferret out pinhole cameras and ones stuffed inside of pens or buttons, making it great for the tinfoil set. Except for the fact it's totally obvious you're looking for cameras when you have it bolted to your face. [Spy Gadgets via Red Ferret]
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Comment by snej: Could I ask how this thingy's "lasers" are detecting what amounts to a pinhole-sized piece of glass with a CCD... more » | Other threads
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spying
Spy Shop Has Everything the Sneaky High-Tech Sleazeball Needs
In one Akihabara shop, we found a pretty sizable collection of spy equipment. From cellphone jammers and bug finders to hidden cameras and microphones, everything you could possibly need to find out just who this guy is who thinks he can date your ex-wife is available. The most interesting were probably the hidden mics and cams, which were creatively stuck inside such run of the mill objects as a calculator, a pen or a pack of cigarettes. It's stuff like this that makes Akihabara stand out as unique: not necessarily the latest and greatest technology, but the eccentric stuff that you would never find at your local Best Buy in a million years.
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By Adam FrucciComment by Mless: its a crazy loop, a hidden camera taking a picture of Adam while Adam takes a picture of the camera... more » | Other threads
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toddler spying
Bladerunner GPS Tracker Jacket Locates Kids, Replicants
We've heard of GPS trackers for kids before, but here's one that's ironically branded Bladerunner. It's sewn into a jacket to be worn by small children, and replicants if they're small enough. Whenever that rug rat ventures beyond a boundary that you set, the jacket texts you on your cellphone. Hey, this is like an Invisible Fence for dogs, except it's for humans. Oh yeah, and it doesn't shock the little tykes, either. More » -
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Comment by GPS-Tracking: There's nothing wrong with a gps teen tracking device to keep tracking of teens. more » | Other threads
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gadgets
Orbital Listening Device Helps Creeps Spy
Minding your own business is one of those things that's just right to do. Just because you're curious about what your neighbors are arguing about doesn't mean you have the right to spy on them and figure out what exactly it is. More »
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By Adam FrucciComment by atomx: @Emor8t: The Giz is not insulting their readers, rather the type of person that would buy something like this (you?).... more » | Other threads
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gadgets
Secret Agent Spy Ear for Eavesdroppers, Snoops and Busybodies
If you'd like to hear those mice crawling around in the walls, the Rechargeable M-7 Secret Agent Spy Ear is for you. Its earpiece is designed for stealth, letting you listen in on conversations across the room undetected. Just pop the wireless device into your ear and somehow you can hear better than ever. More »
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Comment by permissionmag: If I accidentally put it in backwards, will people be able to hear my thoughts? more » | Other threads
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gadgets
Spion Orbitor Lets You Spy on Your Unsuspecting Neighbors
Want to know what your neighbors think of you? The Spion Oribitor isn't pretty, but it's the best way of finding out. This high-tech listening kit was designed to let you hone in on conversations taking place up to 300 feet away from you. The included headphones can filter out ambient noise while a built-in recorder lets you store up to 2 minutes of salacious conversation. We wish it had more on-board memory, but for $60 it's a cheap way to get James Bond-like on your neighbors. More » -
gadgets
Sonic Super Ear: Cheap, Efficient
The Sonic Super Ear is a small device that gives a 50 decibel gain over standard hearing. It is small, only needs one AAA battery, and includes a headphone jack for super-stealthy listening. ThinkGeek seems to think this device is for listening to lectures or nature sounds, but don't kid us. The Sonic Super Ear is for espionage, straight up. $40. More »SpyingListening
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Comment by papaguru: @gizak: So it's old news. But what we really want to know: do these work for "listening to lectures or nature... more » | Other threads
spying
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