Brian Barrett

Our Google I/O 2014 Liveblog Starts Right Now

Today, Google will kick off its annual I/O developer’s conference, likely replete with goodies like Android Wear, Glass for the everyman, and maybe some updates on that modular phone and those self-driving cars. We’ll be there covering it all for you live. While we’re not expecting anything quite as dramatic as the Great Glass Skydiving…

Facebook’s Snapchat Competitor Is Finally Here (For Real This Time)

After a false start late last week, Facebook’s Snapchat clone is finally available, on purpose, and will stay so for the foreseeable future, or the end of recorded history, whichever comes first. http://www.sling.me/ https://gizmodo.com/you-can-download-slingshot-facebooks-snapchat-competit-1588228152

How Big a Deal Is Passing the Turing Test?

Yesterday, a computer program successfully passed the Turing test for the first time. As is not uncommon for breakthroughs, it was a controversial victory, with plenty of detractors pointing out the various reasons that this wasn’t that big a deal after all. What is one to think! Let’s talk it out. What’s everyone so worked…

A Few WWDC Takeaways That Didn’t Fit Anywhere Else

There’s a lot to unpack from Apple’s WWDC keynote yesterday, and we’ve been doing plenty of that already. But instead of trying to force a few thousand more words on you about what it all means, it seems more humane to just talk out a few of the bits and pieces that have stuck with…

Our WWDC 2014 Liveblog Starts Right Here, Right Now

It’s that time of year again! Later today at WWDC 2014, Apple’s going to trot out its latest and greatest offerings developments for all the world to see. iOS 8! OS X 10.10! And very possibly a plan to take over your home in a way that should totally not freak you out. We’ll be…

Amazon’s Hit List: Which Books Are Screwed, and By How Much

As of today, Amazon’s crusade against book publisher Hachette is no longer an open secret, it’s outright confirmed. Shipments are being delayed, prices are elevated, and some listings are unavailable altogether. But how extensive is the fallout? Here’s your comprehensive look at the carnage. Hachette and its subsidiaries obviously have too many books—the company claimed…

Apple Admits iMessage Screw-Up, Has a Fix Coming… Sometime

If you’ve tried to transition out of your iPhone into an Android or Windows Phone device, you’ve likely known the singular frustration of having your text messages vanish into the iMessage ether. Today, in a statement to Recode, Apple acknowledged the problem, explained why it’s been particularly awful lately, and promised a fix. https://gizmodo.com/when-apple-damns-your-texts-to-imessage-purgatory-1575937398 The…

Microsoft Finally Surrendered To the iPad. Good!

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 is many things. It’s thinner, it’s faster; it’s all of the superlatives that come when you out a New and Improved version of anything tech. It, along with the absence of a Surface Mini, is also a white flag. Microsoft has finally accepted that Surface can’t take on the iPad. But…

Claw Machines Continue to Devour Our Children Whole

Those who thought the world was safe from arcade claw machines gobbling up our youth, take heed. The ravenous mechanical creatures have struck again, this time claiming a three-year-old Nebraskan boy. The tyke was returned safe to his mother not long after finding himself in the belly of the toy-filled beast, and got to keep…

Full X-Men: Days of Future Past trailer finally lets mutants loose

Enough teases. Enough hints. We’ve been waiting months for some real, honest-to-Blob mutant action from X-Men: Days of Future Past. Finally, in the last trailer before the movie finally comes out, we get more than we ever could have hoped for. Snikt! There’s almost too much to keep track of here, and it’s probably more…

Everything Wrong With The Matrix (Just Kidding The Matrix Is Perfect)

Yes, this 12-minute video expertly dissects all of the inconsistencies, logical fallacies, and plot conveniences that plague 1999’s The Matrix. But what it fails to take into consideration is that The Matrix is perfect, and no amount of nitpicking will ever change that. Yes there are problem spots if you want to look at Neo’s…

Gear Fit Teardown: A Tiny Little Marvel

Whatever you can say about the Gear Fit, or wearables in general, it’s an attractive little piece of hardware. As this teardown from iFixit shows, that beauty’s not just skin deep. The Fit’s got tidy little touches to make its curves possible, including a slightly arched battery that snuggles right up against the plastic casing.…

Mailbox, the delightful email tool that Dropbox bought a little over a year ago, will finally be available on Android and desktops. The Android version should hit Google Play today, with desktop available as a limited beta for now. Update: Here’s your Google Play download link.

Twitter’s Facebook-Lite Look Kicks In Today, With New Profile Powers

That major redesign Twitter was teasing earlier this year? It’s here. And it’s got a few features we hadn’t heard about thrown in for good measure. Welcome to Facewitter, or Twitbook. It’s actually pretty nice! The overhaul isn’t quite as dramatic as what circulated in February, although it’s still a fairly stark change from what…

If You Want to Watch Game of Thrones, Maybe Just Pay For It

Last night, Game of Thrones fans flocked to HBO Go as soon as the season four premiere was available. They were met with error after error, taking to the internet to complain about the shoddy service. What they should have done instead? Actually subscribe to HBO. Crazy, I know. Richard Lawson made a similar point…

​Why Roku Matters More Than Ever

You have more streaming TV options than you could hope for, especially now that Amazon has entered the fray. And while Apple TV, Chromecast, and Fire TV all have their strengths, they also share the same crippling weakness: self-interest. That’s what makes Roku so important. It’s more clear than ever that when you buy a…

The U.S. Built a Bizarre “Cuban Twitter” To Help Undermine Castro

In one of the oddest reports of spy games we’ve heard in years—and that’s saying something—the AP has uncovered a United States plot to create a “Cuban Twitter” that would lure in users with soccer scores and music news before evolving its message into anti-Castro rhetoric. If any part of that made you say what,…

You Can Finally Use Moto Maker For Your Republic Wireless Moto X

While you’ve been able to get the Moto X—the best affordable phone—on Republic Wireless—the cheapest unlimited plan—for several months now, you’ve been limited to boring ol’ black and white phones. No longer! Starting tomorrow (April 1) Republic Wireless will offer access to the colorrific Moto Maker, meaning you can design your phone to your heart’s…

Facebook Could Give You the Oculus Rift You Always Wanted

The news today that Facebook will buy Oculus—the makers of the best virtual reality experience in existence—caused paroxysms of upsetment and surprise. That’s fair! But once the smoke clears, this could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to the most promising technology we have. If you’ve been tracking Oculus since its…

You Might Have Free Amazon Money Waiting in Your Inbox

If you’re a regular buyer of Kindle ebooks, you want to go check your email; inside, there might just be a little present from Amazon waiting for you. And by “present” I mean “legally mandated compensation to make up for years of price-fixing.” Just like Christmas! Here’s the note going around to Amazon customers this…