Matt Novak, Author at Gizmodo

Tech Stocks Continue to Plunge as Investors Worry About Silicon Valley After Trump’s Election

Yesterday the stock market did exceptionally well. But tech stocks weren’t so lucky. And it looks like the impending Donald Trump presidency is continuing to spook investors about Silicon Valley, as tech stocks continue to plunge today. Twitter seemed to weather the storm better than most yesterday, as it was one of the only tech…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 10

Donald Trump’s Plane Gets a Water Cannon Salute at LaGuardia Airport

Two emergency fire trucks at LaGuardia airport sprayed water haphazardly in the air today over the President-elect Donald Trump’s plane. It’s called a “water cannon salute.” And I can’t think of a more fitting picture of waste for a man whose entire life can be summed up by decadence and empty gestures. Water cannon salutes…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 10

Department of Education Memo Includes Talking Points About Trump, Who Wants to Gut the Agency

Donald Trump said repeatedly during his campaign that he wants to gut the Department of Education. What did the Department of Education think about that? An internal memo released to Gizmodo today shows that the federal agency cautioned its employees not to say anything controversial about the election—especially about Donald Trump. Americans became acutely aware…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 9

Twitter Is the Only Tech Stock That’s Up Today

Donald Trump is going to be the next President of the United States. And tech stocks, like so many stocks this morning, are tanking. The one exception? Twitter—Donald Trump’s platform of choice for spewing hate. As Financial Times reporter Tim Bradshaw points out, Twitter is doing really well right now. Apple? Down. Google? Down. Facebook?…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 9

Hats Are Being Polished for the Stage Where Donald Trump Will Either Declare Himself Supreme Leader or Throw a Big Tantrum Tonight Depending on How All This Shakes Out

Donald Trump didn’t spend much money on get-out-the-vote efforts this year. But he did spend a shit-ton on hats. So it seems only fitting that the stage on which Trump will (hopefully) concede victory to Hillary Clinton tonight will have two Make America Great Again hats—both sitting on pedestals like they’re the Crown fucking jewels…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 8

This Sign Outside My Polling Place Is the Most LA Thing Ever

I just voted at my polling place in Los Angeles. And as a consequence I might be on a reality TV show called Booty Queens. Why? The sign above was warning people outside that they waived their rights to not be filmed by entering the area. These kinds of signs are all over LA and…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 8

An Election Day Soundtrack for the End of the World

The US Presidential election is today. And no matter who wins, there’s a vague sense that nothing is going to be okay. You have a couple of options tonight as we learn the fate of our nation. One is to watch the election results in real time, fearing the worst for hours. The other option…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 8

How to Watch Tonight’s Election Results, No Cable Required

Back in the olden days, learning who the next president was going to be required huddling around a 4-inch TV set made of sticks and mud and literal rabbit ears. But today there are dozens of options available through what’s commonly called the “internet.” And if you’re wondering how to watch tonight’s coverage of the…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 8

Your Vote Can Be Revoked If You Take a Ballot Selfie in Michigan

Taking a ballot selfie is illegal in at least 20 states. But whereas some states impose a fine against people who snap photos at the polls, Michigan has the most strict law against ballot selfies. The penalty for taking a photo of your ballot on Election Day in Michigan is losing your right to vote.…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 7

The US Navy’s New Warship Gun Costs $800,000 to Fire

The US Navy’s brand new $4 billion warship is an incredible technological feat. The futuristic DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer is equipped with two guns that can hit targets from a stunning 80 miles away. The only problem? Rounds for the guns cost over $800,000 each. And the Navy has now decided that it can’t justify…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 7

Nate Silver’s Very Very Wrong Predictions About Donald Trump Are Terrifying

Nobody knows what the future holds. That’s what makes it so interesting—and often terrifying. But it’s become increasingly clear that the person who knows the least about the future is the one that everybody has been turning to for answers about the future of American politics: Nate Silver, the founder of FiveThirtyEight. Nate Silver emerged…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 4

The Guy From That 1960s Film 1999 A.D. Has Endorsed Donald Trump

Do you remember that short film from 1967 titled 1999 A.D.? The film, produced by Philco-Ford, shows off the house of the future, complete with videophones and push-button kitchens. It was doing the rounds back in 2007, when I first posted a clip of it. Well, one of the stars of that obscure futurist film…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 4

Nobody Knows If These Nazi Home Movies Were Lost, Stolen or Destroyed at the National Archives

Eva Braun’s home movies of Adolf Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials are a terrifying time capsule of just how ordinary the most evil men in history can appear. The films show Hitler playing with children, Goebbels goofing around, and SS soldiers playfully chasing dogs. But the original 16mm films, which were captured by the…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 3

Funerals Are Going High-Tech Thanks to the Former Head of Epcot

Funerals are a $20 billion industry in the United States. And while most people don’t expect a lot of technology at a funeral, the industry is trying to keep up with the times. That means that funeral homes aren’t just selling caskets anymore. They’re selling an “experience.” The Wall Street Journal just published a fascinating…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 3

That Russian Bear Wedding Was Totally Fake

Did you see those photos of a bear officiating a wedding in Russia? Well, as cute as it was, the photo series is totally fake. As in, it’s probably not a real wedding, just a photo shoot. Buzzfeed tracked down the photographer and the people in the photo and laid out the facts. The evidence…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 2

Facebook Still Says It’s Not a Media Company, Announces Election Day Coverage

Facebook, by its own account, is not a media company. Which is kind of funny, given how important the platform has become to providing Americans with information. Today, the social media company announced that it was partnering with ABC News for special Election Day coverage—a curious move for a company that’s so emphatically “not a…

Social Media Matt Novak Nov 2

This Futuristic Train From 1965 Looks a Lot Like the Hyperloop

Ever since Elon Musk unveiled his idea for a Hyperloop in 2013, we’ve been patiently waiting for it to become a reality. But some people have been waiting even longer. Just take a look at this Sunday comic strip from 1965, which features a train that looks almost identical to many plans for the Hyperloop.…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 2

This Photo of President Obama in His Shirt Is Totally Fake

Have you seen this photo of President Obama telling a scary story with his head inside his shirt? It’s currently doing the rounds on social media as “the single greatest photo of any president” ever. But it’s totally fake. The original photo is from April of 2012 when President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 1

The Largest Bioterrorism Attack in US History Was An Attempt to Swing An Election

In September of 1984, at least 751 people got violently sick in The Dalles, Oregon. At first, no one in the town could figure out why. Those sickened had all eaten at ten different restaurants in the area, but local health officials couldn’t find a common food that may have caused their illness. A year…

Tech News Matt Novak Nov 1

Netflix CEO Explains the Conversion Rate of US Dollars to Joy

Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, just sat down with the Wall Street Journal and talked about everything from the AT&T-Time Warner merger (he’s more or less neutral) to global reach (Netflix wants a large international customer base like Facebook’s). But it’s his perspective on how much money it costs to produce joy that’s particularly…

Tech News Matt Novak Oct 31

Matt Novak

Tech Stocks Continue to Plunge as Investors Worry About Silicon Valley After Trump’s Election

Donald Trump’s Plane Gets a Water Cannon Salute at LaGuardia Airport

Department of Education Memo Includes Talking Points About Trump, Who Wants to Gut the Agency

Twitter Is the Only Tech Stock That’s Up Today

Hats Are Being Polished for the Stage Where Donald Trump Will Either Declare Himself Supreme Leader or Throw a Big Tantrum Tonight Depending on How All This Shakes Out

This Sign Outside My Polling Place Is the Most LA Thing Ever

An Election Day Soundtrack for the End of the World

How to Watch Tonight’s Election Results, No Cable Required

Your Vote Can Be Revoked If You Take a Ballot Selfie in Michigan

The US Navy’s New Warship Gun Costs $800,000 to Fire

Nate Silver’s Very Very Wrong Predictions About Donald Trump Are Terrifying

The Guy From That 1960s Film 1999 A.D. Has Endorsed Donald Trump

Nobody Knows If These Nazi Home Movies Were Lost, Stolen or Destroyed at the National Archives

Funerals Are Going High-Tech Thanks to the Former Head of Epcot

That Russian Bear Wedding Was Totally Fake

Facebook Still Says It’s Not a Media Company, Announces Election Day Coverage

This Futuristic Train From 1965 Looks a Lot Like the Hyperloop

This Photo of President Obama in His Shirt Is Totally Fake

The Largest Bioterrorism Attack in US History Was An Attempt to Swing An Election

Netflix CEO Explains the Conversion Rate of US Dollars to Joy

That Movie with AI Val Kilmer as a Priest Has a Trailer Now

‘You Can’t Miss What Our Values Are’: Before Its Pivot to AI, Allbirds Sounded Very Different

The First ‘Clayface’ Footage Was Wonderfully Disgusting

Scientists Found Literal Ink From Ballpoint Pens in Martian Meteorites

The ‘Galaxy’s Edge’ Han Solo Proves You Really Can’t Replace Harrison Ford

BYD Is Rolling Out 5-Minute Charging on Several Popular EVs

Jury Does What Trump’s DOJ Wouldn’t, Deems Ticketmaster a Monopoly

Govee RGBIC TV Smart Light Bars Go on Clearance, Bringing Each Down to Under $25 on Amazon

EU Is Rolling Out an Online Age Verification App That Could Become the Global Blueprint

16 Underrated Anime That Deserve Your Love

Alienware’s $350 QD-OLED Gaming Monitor Nixes Everything for a Pretty Screen

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

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