Darren Orf

Conspiracy Theorists Are Having a Field Day With Philae

As is true with almost any spacefaring mission, conspiracy theorists are eager to deconstruct and point out the LIES! our government space agencies are telling us, and of course, the ESA’s recently successful Philae mission is no exception. But I’ve got to say, this conspiracy tale would make a great book. As The Guardian reported…

After Three Weeks, Apple Pay Is Already Transforming How We Buy Things

For years, tech companies like Google and Softcard (formerly known as ISIS) begged with consumers to adopt its NFC-powered payment platform, and for the most part, their pleas went largely unheard. Now that Apple Pay has graced millions of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users with NFC purchasing powers, things are beginning to change.…

Learn How to Make Milky Way Time-Lapses in About 20 Minutes

It’s no secret that Gizmodo loves Milky Way time-lapses. They’re an awe-inspiring fixture on the internet we can’t help but highlight. But astrophotographer (jealous of that job title) Ian Norman wants to transform us from just casual observers into active creators. Published on his lovely website, Lonely Speck, Norman describes step-by-step what any aspiring astrophotographer…

Google Wallet for online purchases is shutting down starting in March, according to Google. The company says this is due to a changing market and provides a step-by-step guide on how to remove Google Wallet for online payments. It won’t effect Google’s NFC service, so you’ll still be able to tap-and-pay to your heart’s desire.…

Amazon and Hachette Finally Make Nice Over E-Book Pricing

Amazon and Hachette, two companies that have been in an e-book price battle since May, ended their heated feud today. The new terms are part of a multiyear agreement between the publisher and the online retailer for e-book and print sales in the US. Amazon executive David Naggar says he’s “pleased with the new agreement”…

Samsung’s “Flow” Is a Continuity Clone for Samsung Devices (Hands-On)

Samsung wants to let you sling things across all your devices. Webpages, phone calls, and plenty more. Wouldn’t it be great if you seamlessly hop from one device to the next? And doesn’t that idea sound familiar? The concept is basically torn from Apple’s Yosemite playbook, specifically “Continuity,” that family of inter-device features that includes…

Lollipop Is On Its Way To Nexus Devices

Android is finally rolling out its highly anticipated Lollipop update for new(ish) Nexus devices, which now joins the second generation Moto G and Moto X Pure Edition as the only Android smartphones blessed with the update. Google is pretty notorious for having agonizingly slow rollouts or at least it feels agonizing considering our eager anticipation.…

Google’s New Search App Has a New Look and App-Searching Superpowers

Over the last few weeks, Google has been adding Lollipop’s material design flourish to all of its big name apps and services, and now the Google app is finally getting the same treatment. But in addition to its new look, Google is pushing its voice assistant even harder by opening up “OK Google” search to…

Quirky and GE Launch Seven New Gadgets To Make Your Smart Home Smarter

Quirky, the company that helps turn crazy inventions into things you can actually buy, hasannounced seven new gizmos to help raise the IQ of your home. They include inexpensive devices that detect moisture levels or energy consumption, but also one product—a smart thermostat—aimed at giving smart home leaders like Nest some quality competition. Quirky, which…

The Final Frontier and the Human Mind

The human mind and outer space, the emotional connections between man and machine, the wonderful and creepy nature of the Internet of Things: there’s lots to love on the internet. This week’s Reading List has selections from Fast Company, Medium, New York Magazine, and The New York Review of Books. Let’s dig in. David Bowman’s…

Our Favorite Android, iOS, and Windows Phone Apps of the Week

The massive app news of the week came from Microsoft after announcing that the excellent Office for iPad software was coming to iPhone and Android tablets, but there were lots of great apps that popped up in app stores. Here’s a look at the best of them. Android APUS Notifications APUS Launcher is a popular…

Droid Turbo Review: Verizon’s Superphone Is Brute Force Awesome

What do you want in a smartphone? I think I can hazard a guess. You probably want a great screen. Who doesn’t, right? Powerful processor? Definitely. How about battery life that doesn’t quit? Motorola’s Droid Turbo is here to fulfill your wishes. What is it? The Droid Turbo is Motorola’s latest Verizon-exclusive flagship smartphone. Actually,…

Star Wars Episode VII Is Called “The Force Awakens”

According to the official Star Wars twitter, J.J. Abrams’ seventh installment in the massively popular space opera will be called “The Force Awakens.” Also, notch another one in the “cool” category: The film has also finished principal photography. Of course, the big question is what exactly happened to The Force? Was it gone? Taking a…

Microsoft Office Just Got Way Better on the iPhone

Do you like using work and productivity apps on your mobile device? Yeah, me neither, but Microsoft wants to change our minds with its new—free—apps for iPhone and for Android tablets. Until now, if you wanted to use Office apps on your iPhone you were ushered into the sad existence known as “Microsoft Office Mobile,”…

Jawbone UP3 Hands On: A Fitness Tracker With Some Fashion Sense

Everybody’s vying for fitness tracker dominance. Microsoft released its Band last week, and new models of the Fitbit and Basis smartwatches are on the way. Now, Jawbone wants create a fashionable fitness tracker that you wouldn’t mind wearing all day. With two new additions to its fitness family, the UP3 and the UP Move, Jawbone…

Why Can’t We Vote on Our Smartphones?

Since the internet entered American homes in the mid-1990s, it’s been steadily invalidating many long-lasting (and now archaic) systems in our society. But today, thousands of us will trudge down to our nearest polling place, wait in line, and cast votes with pen on paper. Thousands more will find this age-old process just inconvenient enough…

Android 5.0 Lollipop Is Here

Anyone blessed with a Nexus or Google Play edition device will soon be able to enjoy Android’s latest software masterpiece, Lollipop, as now appears on the newly released Nexus 9. An official blogpost announces that Lollipop will begin its public rollout today though it’s light on specifics and upcoming over-the-air availability. The rollout is beginning…

You Can Now Buy the Nexus 9 and Nexus Player on the Google Play Store

The time for pre-orders is over. You can now pick up HTC’s Nexus-powered tablet and Asus’ set-top hockey puck from the Google Play Store. The tab has also been posted on Best Buy’s website. Some variants are still missing from the Google Play store, specifically the “Sand” colored version as well as any equipped with…

Sci-Fi Action Movie Double Feature with Cyborg and Total Recall

It’s a wonderful Sunday evening for some science fiction, don’t you think? Luckily, Netflix has just reintroduced into the streaming wild two titles worthy of your attention: Cyborgand Total Recall. I am an absolute sucker for action films, but I only really like them if it’s completely unforgiving, 24/7, non-stop action. The best action movies…

La Luz: It’s Alive

Yesterday was the first day of fall where I audibly said the words “damn, it’s cold.” Now, I actually love colder months as opposed to the sweat-inducing alternative, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get nostalgic when I know I’ll soon be sentenced to the dreary, chapped-lipped months of northeastern winters. In these times of…