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Facebook for Robots Helps Droids Get Smarter

Being a robot just got a little bit more sociable, now that droids have their own social network. At MyRobots.com, which launched today, robot owners can sign-up their automatons, create profiles for them – even include a photo and a name – and then leave them to update their own status. This might be a…

Social Media Celeste Biever - New Scientist Dec 21

Hackers Stealing $3 Million from Subway Means You Should Probably Pay with Cash

If you’ve eaten at a Subway recently, there’s a slight chance that you might’ve got your credit card information stolen. Okay probably not! But a group of Romanian hackers have managed to hack into Subway cash registers and have been logging down all sorts of customer info since 2008. According to the courts, the hackers…

Privacy & Security Casey Chan Dec 21

The Beautiful Guitar Amp I Won’t Have to Hide

Guitar amps are heavy and bulky and my wife really doesn’t want to see one just hanging out in the living room. But, she hasn’t seen the stylish Yamaha THR10 practice amp. Living in an apartment means that the only time I get to use my tube amp is at a practice space. Turning the…

Tech News Roberto Baldwin Dec 21

Picture of the Day: December 21, 2011

FROZEN SHOWDOWN | Hope you brought a lot of arrows. Concept art by Frank F. Hong Want to read today’s io9 stories a different way? Check out our blog view. Or visit Observation Deck, our general discussion forum.

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Dec 21

Daily Desired: There Are Only 30 LOTR Pez Dispenser Sets Left on Amazon Right Now

If you move RIGHT NOW you could be the proud owner of a set Lord of The Rings Pez dispensers. And if you’ve got Amazon Prime and order before 8PM PT, you’ll get it shipped to you in time for Christmas for free. https://gizmodo.com/the-amazon-prime-gift-guide-you-need-to-order-before-8-5870189 Actually pretty soon there will be only 29 sets left because…

Tech News Mario Aguilar Dec 21

Occupy Lego: Because Plastic Bricks Aren’t All Fun and Games

I’m glad Lego allows children (not to mention adults) to indulge in some escapist fantasies. But what they really need is a hard dose of reality served up in brick form. Slate’s imaginary Lego Civil Unrest series is the perfect example! Instead of knights and castles, astronauts and spaceports, the Civil Unrest series gives us…

Tech News Adrian Covert Dec 21

Ultra-High Definition Displays Coming to Macs—More Proof

Screenshots of Mac OS X 10.7.3 developer builds have revealed what we already suspected: ultra-high definition Macs are coming. This Get Info window capture reveals a HIDPI (Hi-Dots-Per-Inch) mode checkbox that may come in the next update of Apple’s desktop OS. The checkbox would open any application using the special high definition screen mode needed…

Tech News Jesus Diaz Dec 21

Could This Towering 13 Foot Robot Lead To Real Life Gundams?

As Japan rebuilds their giant Gundam statue, Hajime Sakamoto remains unimpressed. He wants to build a working Gundam, and hopes his company’s 13 foot humanoid robot— complete with room for a human pilot—is a step in the right direction. So far they’ve completed one of the robot’s legs, but that’s a far cry from a…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Dec 21

Bradley Manning and the Future of Punishment

Bradley Manning is an Army intelligence analyst accused of leaking thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables to Wikileaks. Depending on your perspective, he’s become a symbol for high tech whistleblowing, or dangerous cyber-crime. Either way, you should be paying attention to his pre-trial hearing, which unfolded this week. Manning’s case represents a convergence of issues that…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 21

Cloud Copy: A Unified Clipboard

Moving text from your iPhone to your Mac usually involves copying it to an email. Sending the email. Copying it from the email and pasting it where I need to it go. Usually it’s a URL or snippet of text I need access to while on the go. And getting text from the Mac to…

Tech News Roberto Baldwin Dec 21

All the Companies Supporting SOPA, the Awful Internet Censorship Law—and How to Contact Them

Who’s officially on the record backing what could be the worst thing to ever happen to the internet? All of these companies listed below. Don’t take our word for it—this list comes straight from Congress. Just FYI. If you want to get in touch, we’ve provided a contact list below. Maybe you want to let…

Tech News Sam Biddle Dec 21

Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon: Review Update

I originally reviewed the international version of the Galaxy Nexus, but I’ve been using the Verizon one—with LTE!—for about a week now, so our review is updated accordingly. (Check it out right here) The quick version: The phone is definitely thicker than the Euro version but almost negligibly so. Verizon’s LTE is fast fast fast.…

Reviews Brent Rose Dec 21

Onkyo’s Video Previews Demystify Your Home Theater Inputs

Unless you’re a home theater idiot-savant, you probably forget what HDMI port your Xbox or Blu-ray player is connected to, requiring you to randomly cycle through inputs. A task that’s now a lot easier with InstaPrevue’s live video thumbnail previews. The idea is so genius you’ll wonder why TV manufacturers didn’t implement input switching like…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Dec 21

Let’s All Laugh At Kim Jong-Il While Looking At His Secret Life Photoshops

North Koreans are still crying hysterically because Kim’s dead, baby, Kim’s dead. I want to believe that soldiers behind the TV cameras are aiming at these mourners with AK-47s. But just in case, let’s yang that yin by laughing at him. I don’t know about you, but I love the idea of knowing that this…

Tech News Jesus Diaz Dec 21

Draw Your Solutions, Hit the Gridiron, and Race Down a Tunnel

Not all taggers are Banksy. They’re not all artists. Most are just idiots with access to markers and paint cans. “Look at me, I can draw my name.” Learn to actually draw and we’ll talk about how The Man is keeping you down. In fact, one of today’s apps will help you learn to draw…

Commerce Roberto Baldwin Dec 21

Frankincense is on its way to extinction

Myrrh and frankincense have bewildered countless generations of children who have no idea what they are, nor why they’d be given as a present to the baby Jesus in the Biblical myth that’s celebrated on Christmas. Now, future generations will be even more confused, because Balthazar’s present of frankincense may be on its way to…

io9 Tim Barribeau Dec 21

The Most Dangerous Meme: Making Your Pet Play with Your Phone

Screw ghost riding the whip, forget flash mobs. There’s a new internet craze threatening our children: taunting lizards and amphibians with fake food on your smartphone. Sure it’s cute when they’re crushing virtual insects but it’s not so cute when they attack your finger. How many people thought that bearded dragon playing Ant Crusher with…

Tech News Casey Chan Dec 21

The Amazon Prime Gift Guide: You Need to Order Before 8PM Tonight

Amazon Prime, man. It’s a lifesaver—especially around the holidays. But if you’re planning to do some last-second Amazon Prime shopping and were counting on that free two day shipping you better HURRY. All of these items are eligible for free two-day shipping, and will arrive before Christmas. BUT! You only have a few more hours.…

Tech News Mario Aguilar Dec 21

What is the greatest J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired song of them all?

The best part of the new Hobbit trailer was easily the chill-inducing dwarf sing-a-long. Not only did it transplant us right back into Middle Earth, but it’s quite lovely. But which J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired song (from the Tolkien movies) is the greatest of them all? Take the poll now. Here are the lyrics for the song…

Movies Meredith Woerner Dec 21

Gameloft VP Talks True HD and Motion Blur in the First Installment of On Display

Hand-held devices are revolutionizing the gaming industry, and pioneers like Gameloft, the gaming powerhouse behind cross-platform social and media games such as Modern Combat and Spider-Man: Toxic City, have taken cues from the technological advancements of the LG Nitro HD. The True HD IPS Display with 16:9 widescreen capabilities are innovations that beget innovations by…

Tech News Sponsored post Dec 21

Facebook for Robots Helps Droids Get Smarter

Hackers Stealing $3 Million from Subway Means You Should Probably Pay with Cash

The Beautiful Guitar Amp I Won’t Have to Hide

Picture of the Day: December 21, 2011

Daily Desired: There Are Only 30 LOTR Pez Dispenser Sets Left on Amazon Right Now

Occupy Lego: Because Plastic Bricks Aren’t All Fun and Games

Ultra-High Definition Displays Coming to Macs—More Proof

Could This Towering 13 Foot Robot Lead To Real Life Gundams?

Bradley Manning and the Future of Punishment

Cloud Copy: A Unified Clipboard

All the Companies Supporting SOPA, the Awful Internet Censorship Law—and How to Contact Them

Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon: Review Update

Onkyo’s Video Previews Demystify Your Home Theater Inputs

Let’s All Laugh At Kim Jong-Il While Looking At His Secret Life Photoshops

Draw Your Solutions, Hit the Gridiron, and Race Down a Tunnel

Frankincense is on its way to extinction

The Most Dangerous Meme: Making Your Pet Play with Your Phone

The Amazon Prime Gift Guide: You Need to Order Before 8PM Tonight

What is the greatest J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired song of them all?

Gameloft VP Talks True HD and Motion Blur in the First Installment of On Display

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