Jamie Condliffe

​New Bill Threatens to Stop FCC Treating Broadband as a Utility

A new bill proposed by Republican Bob Latta could stop the Federal Communications Commission from reclassifying broadband as a common-carrier utility. Despite the FCC’s call for comment on whether to reclassify broadband as a utility or allow providers to engage in pay-for-play traffic management, the conversation could be rendered pointless if the mew legislation, proposed…

Watch LeVar Burton Explain How Double Rainbows Form

Everyone knows how rainbows appear—they just need water, sunlight and you—but have you ever wondered how double rainbows form? In this video, LeVar Burton explains how they form. Yes, LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow. This couldn’t be any more wonderful if it tried. [SciShow] https://gizmodo.com/levar-burton-enlists-the-internet-to-help-resurrect-rea-1582583129

Is This the Back of the iPhone 6?

Australian blog MacFixIt has gotten its hands on what it claims is the upcoming iPhone 6, leaked by “sources inside the supply chain”— and it seems to reaffirm the shape hinted at by earlier rumors. https://gizmodo.com/could-this-curvy-screen-be-the-front-of-the-iphone-6-1573512156 The leaked rear chassis purports to be from the 4.7-inch model—the smaller of two devices rumored to be planned…

This Prosthetic Is Designed Especially For Rock Climbers

The loss of a leg can stymie the pursuit of adventurous outdoor sports for many—but not if Brooklyn-based designer Kai Lin has anything to do with it His latest creation, Klippa, is a prosthetic leg designed especially for rock climbers. Specifically, Lin has American veterans who have lost legs, but would like to continue or…

Report: Microsoft Working on Smartwatch That Plays With iOS and Android

Everyone seems to be working on a smartwatch right now. Now, Forbes reports that Microsoft is working on a device too—which plays nicely with the mobile operating systems of its competitors. https://gizmodo.com/check-out-android-wear-in-action-on-lgs-new-smartwatch-1583461833 The report cites “multiple sources with knowledge of the company’s plans” who claim that Microsoft is working on a sensor-rich smartwatch which syncs…

Now We Can Watch Crystals Grow an Atom At a Time

Material scientists have watched crystals grow atom-by-atom for the first time—which will allow incredibly fine-grained control of how their microscopic structures are grown in the future. The researchers took a thin film of molecules containing the metal osmium, carbon and other elements, then fired a beam of electrons at it. That caused the molecules to…

This Inflatable Tent Makes the Car Part of the Canopy

This tent takes car camping to the next level. Its inflatable structure can stand by itself, but it can also be attached to the back of an Audi Q3—to offer more robust shelter and storage if you need it. The tent is developed by Heimplanet—the folks who make the cool inflatable tents—in conjunction with Audi.…

Verizon Claims Public Utility Status on Broadband For Government Perks

The biggest Internet service providers in the U.S. hate the idea of being treated like utilities companies—but a new report reveals that Verizon’s FiOS service uses public utility rules to get a raft of government perks. https://gizmodo.com/fcc-says-itll-treat-internet-like-telephones-if-propose-1569529319 The FCC classifies broadband—like FiOS—under Title I of the Communications Act, which has less strict rules than Title…

Could You Get Drunk By Drinking a Drunk Person’s Blood?

The average adult contains about 5 liters of blood. The average drunk contains lots of alcohol. So could you, in theory, have a cheap—if messy—night out by turning vampiric for the evening? Fortunately, Randall Munroe has contemplated this question at length. He first works out how much alcohol might be in the blood: given 50%…

How Much Time the World Spends Looking at Screens, Visualized

Ever wondered how much time the average person spends looking at their TV, computer, phone or laptop? Well, this chart shows exactly that, broken down by country. Produced by Mary Meeker for her annual presentation on internet trends, the chart reveals some interesting insights. Clearly Indonesia and the Philippines are glued to their screens, but…

San Francisco Is Using GPS-Tagged Bikes to Bait Thieves

Bike theft in San Francisco is high and rising, so the city’s decided to take a technological approach to catching the culprits: tagging expensive bikes with GPS trackers so it can find out who’s stealing them—and then charge them with felony. The New York Times reports that a small team at the San Francisco Police…

If You Drink Milk and Don’t Get Sick, You’re a Mutant

Milk is full of a sugar called lactose, which needs a special enzyme called lactase to break it down. But children used to stop producing the enzyme around the age of 4 or 5—and those of us who still make it are, in fact, mutants. We’re talking mutants in the scientific, genetic sense of the…

The National Football League has announced that its new digital network, NFL Now—which launches August— will be available on Amazon Fire devices and Roku as well as iOS, Android and Windows.

Broadcom’s New Chip Will Let Your Phone Use Any Wireless Charger

There are way, way too many wireless charging standards, which is part of the reason that the technology is struggling to take off. Now, though, Broadcom has developed a chip that could allow your phone to use any of them. This could change things completely. https://gizmodo.com/theres-yet-another-wireless-charging-standard-that-mig-1481830843 The thing about the super-fragmented wireless charging market—take your…

NYPD to Carry Life-Saving Antidote Kits for Heroin Overdoses

The New York Police Department has announced that its officers are to start carrying antidote kits that will use a drug called naloxone to save the lives of heroin users who suffer overdose. The Associated Press reports that the NYPD will be provided with 19,500 kits, that contain two syringes and two inhalers of naloxone…

What’s Your Favorite Non-Amazon Place to Buy Books?

Amazon is screwing with Hachette and, in turn, screwing with you. So, perhaps now more than ever, it’s a good time to celebrate different places to buy books. What’s your favorite? https://gizmodo.com/amazon-admits-its-screwing-with-hachette-and-will-until-1582531755 It might be the local indie that always welcomes you with a smile? A, ahem, niche website that caters for a specific kinds…

Amazon Admits It’s Screwing With Hachette—and Will Until It Gets Its Way

Amazon has been playing dirty in the shadows with publishing house Hachette all month, but now it’s openly admitted that it’s playing hardball with the company. https://gizmodo.com/when-amazon-plays-dirty-you-lose-1580596374 Amazon has written a blog post explaining what’s happening with Hachette. Those browsing Amazon will have noticed that Hachette books have suddenly started becoming more expensive, in many…

The FTC Wants to Save You From Data Brokers That Sell Your Secrets

Data brokers the world over collect and sell information about your online behavior. Now, though, the FTC has plans to try and save you from their data-grabbing ways. https://gizmodo.com/big-data-brokers-they-know-everything-about-you-and-se-5991070 An FTC report issued Tuesday explains how the Commission wants Congress to examine the data broking industry and consider regulating its collection practices. Currently, brokers are…

Sergey Brin: I Shouldn’t Have Worked on Google+ As I’m Not Very Social

Sergey Brin had admitted that it was “probably a mistake” that he ever worked on Google+ because, in his own words, he’s “not a very social person” and “kind of a weirdo.” Talking at Re/code’s Code Conference yesterday, Brin explained that the decision to have him work on the company’s social offering was misguided. “It…

Report: China Wants Its Banks to Stop Using IBM Servers

Chinese and U.S. digitial policies don’t always see eye-to-eye, but now China’s government agencies, including the People’s Bank of China and the Ministry of Finance, are asking the nation’s banks to remove the IBM servers over security fears. Bloomberg reports that the Chinese government is worried that IBM’s high-end servers could compromises the nation’s financial…