Matt Novak, Author at Gizmodo

Maybe ‘More Tech’ Isn’t The Answer to Every Problem

Have you ever been at a concert and thought, “Man, I wish I could listen to a podcast right now?” Well, you’re in luck. Because the Boston Symphony Orchestra is now handing out iPads to the audience in order to reach The Youths™. From the Associated Press: But as part of an effort to draw…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 19

9 More Viral Photos That Are Totally Fake

Last year we debunked dozens of fake photos on the internet. So you might be wondering how 2016 might stack up in terms of volume. Well, it’s only January and this enormous fake-photo Xerox machine we like to call “the internet” shows no signs of depleting its pixelated toner anytime soon. Here are nine images…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 18

What Time Is the Trump? (or How to Stop Worrying and Watch Tonight’s Debate Without Cable)

Tonight’s Republican primary debate is on the Fox Business Channel. But if you don’t get Fox Business, don’t worry. You can still witness the ongoing slow motion trainwreck that is our democratic process without a cable subscription. The first Republican primary debate back in August was on Fox, and despite the fact that it was…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 14

The FBI Worried About Communist Spies Invading EPCOT

Disney’s Epcot theme park in Florida includes exhibits of countries from around the world, staffed by student ambassadors from those countries. But before the theme park even opened in 1982, the FBI was concerned that EPCOT might become overrun with Communist spies from China, Poland, and the Soviet Union. Documents obtained by Jason Smathers and…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 14

This Hoverboard Unboxing Video Is So Hot

A British vlogger was excited to try out his brand new hoverboard when he got a nasty surprise this week. And naturally it was all caught on tape. The hoverboard (sorry guys, that’s what they’re called now) caught fire after a night of charging and the vlogger’s very first attempt at using it. As the…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 13

19th Century Shipwreck Discovered by Australians Still Looking for MH370

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 mysteriously disappeared on March 8, 2014—nearly two years ago, if you can believe it. And while Australian researchers still haven’t found the plane, they recently discovered a shipwreck dating back to the 19th century. The Australians discovered an anomaly on the floor of the Indian Ocean back in December and deployed…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 13

$35,000 Worth of Fake Fitbits Seized at US Border

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently seized a shipment of fake Fitbits coming from Hong Kong. The total haul was just 350 counterfeit wearables, but they’re estimated to be worth about $35,000. The counterFitbits weren’t explicitly deemed a safety hazard, but instead were flagged for infringing on Fitbit’s intellectual property rights. The fake wearables were…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 12

No, Celebrities Don’t Die in Threes

You’ve probably heard the saying “celebrities die in threes.” This, of course, is one of the more silly things that a human can utter. But in case you needed someone to fact-check this one for you, the New York Times went to the trouble in an article from 2014: Since 1990, 449 [”celebrities”] have died.…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 11

Watch the Horror of LA’s Natural Gas Leak in Real Time

Remember that time you took the bus to work instead of your car and you felt really great for helping the environment? Well, you can start feeling less great. The Environmental Defense Fund has created a real-time counter showing just how much damage LA’s natural gas leak is causing. As of the publication of this…

Climate Change Matt Novak Jan 11

Powerball Math: $1.3 Billion Divided By 300 Million Is Actually $4.33

There’s a lottery meme on Facebook claiming that if we just divided the current Powerball jackpot evenly, every American would get $4.3 million. But that’s not right at all. Why? Simple math: When we take $1.3 billion and divide by 300 million we get $4.33. As in, four dollars and 33 cents. Not $4.33 million.…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 11

Most of Those Viral Clinton-Blair Conversations Are Fake

The Clinton Presidential Library recently released transcripts between President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair dating back from the 1990s. The real conversations are candid and illuminating. But many transcripts that are being passed around on social media are fake. As the New York Times explains about the real transcripts: With bracing bluntness…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 8

They’re Called Hoverboards, Get Over It

Have you seen those two-wheeled, self-balancing scooter things that all the kids are crazy about? They’re called hoverboards. Get over it. Many people take issue with the name “hoverboard.” But here in 2016, we find ourselves futilely debating over the inevitable. This is a fight that has already been decided. The fix is in. The…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 7

Is This the Autonomous Flying Taxi of Our Dreams?

Is the world of autonomous single-passenger drones just over the horizon? Will you be commuting like George Jetson next year? Today, a Chinese company called EHang made a splashy announcement at CES promising just that. But consider us skeptical. The company says its 440-pound pilotless vehicle, called the 184, will hit the market at some…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 6

No, Ammon Bundy Didn’t Compare His Militia to Rosa Parks (He’s Not on Twitter)

A lot of news outlets are enraged about tweets by Ammon Bundy, the leader of a group that’s currently “occupying” a bird sanctuary building in Oregon. The only problem? Bundy doesn’t have a Twitter account. Last night an account called @Ammon_Bundy compared the Bundy militia’s campaign to Rosa Parks. Yes, it would be a shocking…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 6

7 Real Products That Get Their Names From Dystopian Fiction

We all use dystopian movies and books to make sense of our world. Whether it’s Brave New World, 1984, or The Hunger Games, dystopian fiction serves as a common touchpoint to talk about our fears. But what happens when companies knowingly embrace the dark side of futurism and start naming products after the things we…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 4

This Viral List About 1915 Is Full of Lies

A list of fun facts about the year 1915 has gone viral. But many items on the list are false or misleading. As we’ve seen time and again, never trust the internet for your fun facts. It’s all lies. The list has been passed around for years, getting updated with little more than the year…

Tech News Matt Novak Dec 30

Every Place in the World That Has Banned Hoverboards

Do you love your hoverboard? They’ve become so popular, you’d think they could actually hover. Well, enjoy them while you can, because everyone seems to be banning them — from the smallest universities to entire countries. Below, we have a comprehensive list of every place in the world that has explicitly banned hoverboards. We expect…

Tech News Matt Novak Dec 30

Priest Suspended For Hoverboarding in Church

It’s the future! But the Catholic church doesn’t seem ready to embrace it. A priest in the Philippines recently rode a hoverboard during a Christmas Eve Mass. But the Diocese of San Pablo has now suspended the poor hoverboarding Father. Video of the priest hit social media and instantly went viral. But conservative members of…

Tech News Matt Novak Dec 29

John McAfee Presidential Campaign Update: He Will Not Kiss Your Baby

Former software mogul and current cartoon millionaire John McAfee is running for President of the United States. But he will not be kissing your baby to do so. And, for that, he apologizes. On his website, McAfee claims that he will be running the “first purely electronic Presidential campaign.” Which means that he will not…

Tech News Matt Novak Dec 29

RIP BigDog, Darpa’s Robotic Pack Mule

The LS3 robot, more popularly known by its earliest nickname, BigDog, is being retired. Despite hopes that it would one day work as a pack mule for US soldiers in the field, this dog had too much bark. Which is to say, it was simply too noisey. The earliest versions of this quadruped robot were…

Tech News Matt Novak Dec 28

Matt Novak

Maybe ‘More Tech’ Isn’t The Answer to Every Problem

9 More Viral Photos That Are Totally Fake

What Time Is the Trump? (or How to Stop Worrying and Watch Tonight’s Debate Without Cable)

The FBI Worried About Communist Spies Invading EPCOT

This Hoverboard Unboxing Video Is So Hot

19th Century Shipwreck Discovered by Australians Still Looking for MH370

$35,000 Worth of Fake Fitbits Seized at US Border

No, Celebrities Don’t Die in Threes

Watch the Horror of LA’s Natural Gas Leak in Real Time

Powerball Math: $1.3 Billion Divided By 300 Million Is Actually $4.33

Most of Those Viral Clinton-Blair Conversations Are Fake

They’re Called Hoverboards, Get Over It

Is This the Autonomous Flying Taxi of Our Dreams?

No, Ammon Bundy Didn’t Compare His Militia to Rosa Parks (He’s Not on Twitter)

7 Real Products That Get Their Names From Dystopian Fiction

This Viral List About 1915 Is Full of Lies

Every Place in the World That Has Banned Hoverboards

Priest Suspended For Hoverboarding in Church

John McAfee Presidential Campaign Update: He Will Not Kiss Your Baby

RIP BigDog, Darpa’s Robotic Pack Mule

How to Watch Bayern vs Real Madrid Online for Free

UGREEN’s Bluetooth Tracker (4 Pack) Crashes to $5 Each, Nearly 6x Cheaper Than Apple’s AirTag

Some Locals Are Using AI to Protest Against Data Centers

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 2 Filming Has Been Canceled By a Storm

Garmin Forerunner 965 Goes on Clearance, No More Premium Price Tag for This Running Smartwatch

A Crew of Worms on the ISS Aims to Help Scientists Unlock the Secrets of Space Travel

Galaxy Buds 3 FE (2025) Are Now Cheaper on Amazon Than Buying Direct from Samsung, but Only for Prime Members

Lego’s Big New ‘Star Wars’ Set Comes Just in Time for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ to Replace It

The Case for Tracking Everything

Ring Small Solar Panel Makes Powering Your Outdoor Camera Easy and Affordable, Now Below Black Friday Prices

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?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice