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Five Simple Ways to Keep Your Android Malware-Free

While it’s true that Android is a little more susceptible to malware attacks than iOS, the situation isn’t nearly as bad as Apple would have you believe. With a little knowledge and a sprinkling of common sense, you can make your device impervious to even the most dastardly of digital assaults. Here’s how. 1. Set…

Voice Control Is Coming to DirecTV’s Smartphone App

DirecTV released their (long overdue) Android tablet app just over a month ago, and it looks like that low-key entrance was paving the way something bigger: a voice control rollout over both its iPhone and Android mobile apps. https://gizmodo.com/directv-ipad-app-updated-to-let-you-stream-video-anywhe-5895343 Prosaically dubbed “Voice,” the app’s addition is powered by a combination of Nuance software and DirecTV’s…

Just how complex are Man of Steel and Nolan’s Interstellar?

Matthew McConaughey’s wonderfully crazy ramblings hint at the scale of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Orson Scott Card discusses the Ender’s Game movie. Guardians of the Galaxy casts a very British actress. Plus spoilers for Game of Thrones, Revolution, and Arrow! Spoilers… Top image from Star Trek Into Darkness. Man of Steel Michael Shannon discusses filming his…

Brain Scans Reveal That Humans Definitely Feel Empathy For Robots

While creating an empathetic robot is a long-held dream, understanding whether humans genuinely empathize with robots should—in theory—be easier. Now, a team of scientists have analyzed fMRI brain scans to reveal that humans have similar brain function when shown affection and violence being inflicted on both humans and robots. https://gizmodo.com/robots-of-the-future-will-show-empathy-be-good-listene-5026973 The experiments, conducted at the…

Looks like Dropbox is finally rolling out its new photo organization service, Albums, and it should be available today.

Rumor: Is Acer’s 8-Inch Iconia W3 the First Small Windows 8 Tablet?

Microsoft’s mentioned that we’ll see smaller and cheaper Windows 8 machines, and that might, maybe, possibly be about to be made true by Acer—with leaked images showing something smaller and running Windows 8. The device, which tech site Minimachines says is called the Iconia W3, is an eight-incher, supposedly powered by a 1.8GHz dual-core Atom…

Euphonia: A Free Cinematic Film About Our Love Affair With Technology

This wonderful 53-minute movie, released for free on Vimeo and produced with no budget, tells the story of of a high schooler obsessed with experiencing the world through technologically created sound bites. Called Euphonia, the film was created by Danny Madden and it’s a moving and insightful piece of cinema, which just happens to be…

How Nest Will Save You More Money By Teaming Up With Utility Suppliers

The smart thermostat from Nest just got a little smarter: by teaming up with utility providers, the device can now predict when power will be in high demand and price, and tweak your heating accordingly. https://gizmodo.com/thermostat-automagically-learns-your-heating-habits-5852969 The new system links the device to a collective, cloud-based knowledge of utility companies. If you’re with an Energy…

This Song Is Made Up Entirely of Computer Sounds From Movies

Created by Alex Moschina, this video, called Hollywood Bleeps and Bloops, features a soundtrack which is made up entirely of computer sounds found in films and television shows. It uses clips from 26 films, and weaves them into a fairly entertaining little tune—though, perhaps understandably, it is really quite short. [Slackstory]

Geeksphone’s first Firefox phone for developers goes on sale today. Are you going to buy one?

TSA Delays Its New Knives-on-Planes Policy

Last month, the TSA announced that it was going to allow travellers to carry knives on planes once more, and the new rule was supposed to come into action this Thursday. Now, though, the TSA has delayed the introduction of the policy—and it’s not clear when it will actually take effect. https://gizmodo.com/7-knives-you-will-legally-be-able-to-take-on-a-plane-5989305 Associated Press reports…

The Pizza Hut app is now available on the Xbox 360. You never need to leave your sofa ever again.

The first Thor 2 trailer reveals Thor’s biggest weakness!

There’s enough cheese for a billion pizzas in this new trailer for Thor: The Dark World. But it also makes the Asgardian sequel look fun, and promises a film that ups the ante — including a situation so dire, Thor has to make an almost unthinkable decision. Minor spoilers… You have to admire the moxie…

Every Ceiling Fan Should Be a Helicopter Ceiling Fan

If you love yourself, your kid, your house, your life, you should have a helicopter ceiling fan in your house. We’ve seen aviation inspired ceiling fans before (and even an awesome inverted chopper fan), but this helicopter ceiling fan will always look like it’s flying in your room while it’s cooling it down. https://gizmodo.com/p40-tigershark-warbird-ceiling-fan-piloted-by-wrong-wa-261308 Redditor…

The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: My Friend Kills Time

Norwegian filmmaker Jakob Rørvik follows the daily routines of Thomas Duggan, a design graduate from Central St. Martins during his self-imposed exile in the British countryside. This introspective documentary examines Duggan’s slow transformation as he withdraws from connected society. Whether it’s a change for the better or the worse is for you to decide. [Nowness]

How Much Food Can You Buy for 5 Bucks Around the World?

Five dollars does not always equal five dollars. Well, I mean, it does but you could definitely stretch your dollar better in another country. Take bananas, for example, $5 gets you 8.5 pounds of it in America but $5 in Ethiopia gets you a whopping 25 pounds of bananas! And more importantly: beer. In China…

The Logos of Terrorist Organizations Predictably Love Using Guns

In a book called Branding Terror, Francesco Trivini Bellini and former United Nations counter-terrorism analyst Artur Beifuss compiled the logos and brand identities of terrorist organizations “from al-Qaeda to the Real IRA” and analyzed them as they would any logo. It’s fascinating to approach the identity of the terrorists from a graphic design perspective. Branding…

Watch an Airplane Turn Fog Into Beautifully Spinning Cloud Spirals

We’ve seen planes create a fiery vortex in the sky before, but here’s a more peaceful version of it happening in real time. It’s majestically beautiful. The wingtip vortices formed when an Airbus A340 landed at Zurich Airport on a foggy night. Though it looks gorgeous, vortices can be pretty dangerous. https://gizmodo.com/the-coast-guard-creates-a-fiery-vortex-in-the-sky-5919857 Wingtip vortices occur…

Watch two fairytale characters get turned on beating a man senseless

Once Upon A Time is encroaching on Neil-Diamond-on-SNL “I killed a drifter to get an erection” territory. After a long break, the fairy-tale soap is back — and serving up a hot plate of bizarre sadomasochism. Spoilers ahead… Honestly, not that much happens in last night’s episode — but we got to spend some quality…

This is a surgical amputation kit from the 19th century. That is all.

It looks beautiful and elegant — until you imagine someone performing an actual amputation using these tools. Probably with not terribly great anesthetic or antibiotics. What do you think the curved one is for? These implements are on display at Drexel University as part of an exhibition called “A Legacy of Art, Science & Industry:…