Kyle VanHemert, Author at Gizmodo

Remainders – The Things We Didn’t Post: What Lies Beneath Edition

In today’s Remainders: things lurking below the surface. Literally, a fuel cell-powered fish. Less literally, ISP’s seething contempt for the FCC’s new National Broadband Plan. Also: Samsung’s David Lee Roth tablet love and a helicopter with rocket-powered blades. Yikes. ISPs and FCC, Sitting In a Tree Yesterday, FCC announced it’s National Broadband Plan. It’s ambitious—hoping…

Gadgets Kyle VanHemert

Microsoft’s HD-5000, HD-6000 Webcams Promise Brighter Colors For Cheap

Microsoft’s two new HD LifeCams shoot 720p video on the cheap, for $50 and $60 respectively. What sets them apart is their TrueColor technology, supposedly delivering more vivid colors in any situation. How do they fare? You be the judge. Webcams come a dime a dozen, and even cheap, HD devices aren’t really enough to…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

3G-Ready Nexus One Now Available Unlocked on AT&T

Though sales for Google’s Nexus One haven’t been great by any measure, a new, 3G-friendly version of the phone is now available for use on AT&T’s 3G network in the U.S. and Rogers Wireless in Canada. https://gizmodo.com/the-nexus-one-is-a-total-sales-flop-5494406 The Nexus One is available, unlocked, to AT&T and Rogers customers for $529 in Google’s Store. [Google]

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

T-Mobile HSPA+ Speed Test: 3G Gets Pumped Up to 21Mbps

Streaming HD video. Uploading gigantic files. Surfing the web comfortably. These aren’t things you’d normally expect on 3G. But T-Mobile’s beefed up HSPA+ network, which I tested recently in the first city to launch, handled these tasks beautifully. Simultaneously. While the other carriers are looking past 3G to 4G technologies—Sprint with its WiMax already up…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Brain Scans Can Access Your Memories

This week, we’re looking at the ever-increasing digitization of memory, and indeed, today’s technologies can even access memories stored on the most closely-guarded of hard drives: our brains. In a recent study, MRIs accurately predicted what individuals were remembering. Researchers at University College London conducted the tests, in which individuals were repeatedly shown three different…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

A Watch That Gives Her No Choice But To Live In the Moment

You’re wearing the Past Present Future Watch on a date with a beautiful woman. You lean in to kiss her; she turns away, unsure. “There’s no time like the present,” you suggest. Then you show her proof. $100; Yanko. [Yanko]

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Remainders – The Things We Didn’t Post: Greener Pastures Edition

In today’s Remainders: new beginnings. Tim Bray, co-founder of XML, starts a new job at Google (and has his sights set on Apple); several Windows Phone 7 team members are leaving…to develop apps for Windows Phone 7; and more. The Windows Phone 7 Seven How good is Windows Phone 7 Series? So good that the…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

South Korean Scientists Transmit Broadband Signals Through Human Arm

Human skin is apparently a very energy-efficient conduit for transmitting data. A recent experiment achieved a rate of 10Mbps, which may put my Internet connection to shame. The experiment used small, flexible electrodes and took place at Korea University. The finding may lead to a new generation of medical devices that can monitor blood sugar…

Health Kyle VanHemert

On Google Buzz’s Awkward Launch

Social media researcher and general internet guru Danah Boyd gave the keynote address at SXSWi earlier today, focusing on matters of privacy. On paper, Google Buzz was a perfect social network. So why did it freak everyone out so much? Google Buzz was technically sound at launch, Boyd said, offering users the chance to opt-out…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Celsius X VI II’s Mysterious Mechanical Cellphone Gets Slightly Less Mysterious

Last month, I risked life and limb to tell you about Celsius X-VI-II, a shadowy French company who was building a $300,000 mechanical cellphone. The first pictures of the phone have surfaced, though they don’t exactly answer our questions. https://gizmodo.com/celsius-x-vi-ii-and-the-mysterious-mechanical-cellphone-5481533 The phone’s official unveiling is still to come next week at Baselworld Watch Show, but…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

FujiFilm Finepix Z700 Point-and-Shoot Offers Pet Detection

At least in the parts of the internet I frequent, pet pictures have been enjoying an unusual popularity as of late. FujiFilm’s Finepix Z700 has technology that snaps a photo when your furry friend smiles. Talk about capturing the zeitgeist. This 12MP point-and-shoot is the first to include FujiFilm’s pet detection software, but early adopters…

Biology Kyle VanHemert

Inside the Apple-Google War: It’s Personal

The New York Times has a long, juicy look at what’s been going on behind the scenes with the ever-escalating conflict between Google and Apple. The cause for all the enmity, according to insiders? Ego. https://gizmodo.com/how-apple-and-googles-romance-turned-to-hate-5483662 When Apple filed suit against HTC earlier this month, it was clear that Google and Apple’s romance had turned…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Apple Will Replace Dead Battery iPads For $99

The Battery Replacement Service FAQ on Apple’s site outlines their policy for handling iPads with diminished battery capacity, and its surprisingly generous: for a $99 service fee, they’ll send you a replacement iPad. The first two items on the FAQ lay it out plain and simple: If your iPad requires service due to the battery’s…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Netflix’s Million Dollar Contest Shut Down Amidst Privacy Concerns

Yesterday, Netflix announced that they’re pulling the plug on the sequel to their supercool Netflix Prize in which teams competed to improve the company’s recommendation algorithm for a million dollar reward. Privacy: can’t live with it, can’t live without it. https://gizmodo.com/netflix-prize-competition-comes-to-a-thrilling-conclusi-5323261 In December, a woman filed a lawsuit against Netflix in which she claimed that…

Privacy & Security Kyle VanHemert

Five Foot Lego Blackberry Adds Punchline Functionality

We’re no strangers to the work of Lego master Nathan Sawaya, but his latest creation achieved the impossible: making a Blackberry exciting. It incorporates a working flat screen TV for comfortably displaying video. Clearly he took some artistic liberties. Hey! Just kidding. I’m a proud—well, not proud, but not like totally ashamed either—Blackberry Bold owner…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Apple’s iPad Will (Perhaps Controversially) Read E-Books Aloud

In addition to the orientation-lock button, yesterday’s pre-order commencement delivered another surprise nugget: the iPad will read all EPUB books out loud. If you remember the shitstorm that surrounded Kindle’s text-to-voice feature, you’ll know that this is a bold move. https://gizmodo.com/the-ipads-surprise-button-screen-orientation-lock-5491899 Wired noticed that on its updated iBooks page, under a heading “Change your reading…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Google Reportedly 99.9 Percent Sure To Shut Down Its Chinese Search

Though the last we heard, Google was nearing a compromise that would allow them to stop censoring their Google.cn results, the Financial Times is reporting that they are almost certainly going to close their Chinese search engine. Since their initial ultimatum in January, Google and China have traded vague statements about reaching a compromise, but,…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Apple’s Magic Mouse Gets Decidedly Unmagical Ergonomic Fix

The Magic Mouse, for all of its sleek lines and multitouch, uh, magic, can feel a little awkward in the hand. MMFixed has the solution: a stick-on hump that gives your fingers some leverage and your palm some lovin’. I’m in a good place with my trackpad right now. I’ve finally mastered the multitouch gestures…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

FCC Proposing Its Plan For America’s Net Future To Congress This Week

As the intertubes overtake boob tubes and telephone tubes as our primary mode of communication, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that access is available and affordable for all Americans. The FCC’s ambitious new plan looks to do just that. The plan, which will likely be proposed to Congress on Tuesday, got the front page…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Audio-Technica BoogieBox Speaker Handles the Heaviest of Metals

There’s no shortage of cutesy portable speakers for listening to music when you’re out and about. But if you want something that doesn’t feel like it’s going to snap in two, the Audio-Technica BoogieBox will do you a solid. The BoogieBox houses two 70mm speakers in its toolbox body and includes protective bumpers in case…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Kyle VanHemert

Remainders – The Things We Didn’t Post: What Lies Beneath Edition

Microsoft’s HD-5000, HD-6000 Webcams Promise Brighter Colors For Cheap

3G-Ready Nexus One Now Available Unlocked on AT&T

T-Mobile HSPA+ Speed Test: 3G Gets Pumped Up to 21Mbps

Brain Scans Can Access Your Memories

A Watch That Gives Her No Choice But To Live In the Moment

Remainders – The Things We Didn’t Post: Greener Pastures Edition

South Korean Scientists Transmit Broadband Signals Through Human Arm

On Google Buzz’s Awkward Launch

Celsius X VI II’s Mysterious Mechanical Cellphone Gets Slightly Less Mysterious

FujiFilm Finepix Z700 Point-and-Shoot Offers Pet Detection

Inside the Apple-Google War: It’s Personal

Apple Will Replace Dead Battery iPads For $99

Netflix’s Million Dollar Contest Shut Down Amidst Privacy Concerns

Five Foot Lego Blackberry Adds Punchline Functionality

Apple’s iPad Will (Perhaps Controversially) Read E-Books Aloud

Google Reportedly 99.9 Percent Sure To Shut Down Its Chinese Search

Apple’s Magic Mouse Gets Decidedly Unmagical Ergonomic Fix

FCC Proposing Its Plan For America’s Net Future To Congress This Week

Audio-Technica BoogieBox Speaker Handles the Heaviest of Metals

Getting Stuck Inside a Glitching Robotaxi Is a Whole New Thing to Be Scared of

Artemis 2 Live Updates: Humanity’s Epic Return to the Moon 🔴

NASA’s Artemis 2 Mission Blasts Off

Disney’s Robot Olaf Dying Is the Funniest Thing to Happen in 2026

Kia’s EV3 Is Headed to the US This Year With Up to 320 Miles of Range

This Is the Way to Lego’s April Releases

Group Pushing Age Verification Requirements for AI Turns Out to Be Sneakily Backed by OpenAI

Amazon Facilities in Bahrain Hit Again as Iran Follows Through on Threat, Report Says

Why the PS6 Handheld Will Matter More Than the PS6

DNA Study Casts Even More Doubt on Shroud of Turin’s True Origin

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?