Latest

YA Authors Explain Everything — Even Twilight — In New York Tonight

Confused about why young-adult science fiction and fantasy are growing so much faster than their adult counterparts? YA authors will answer your questions in New York this evening. They’re even prepared to discuss the popularity of Twilight. Robin Wasserman, author of the terrific robot-body novel Skinned (which has a similar storyline to Caprica) will join…

Ask the Artist: How Windows 7’s Iconic Home Screen Evolved

Chuck Anderson, creator of Windows 7’s laid-back, cerulean-cool default wallpaper and login screen, showed me the evolution of his work—including Easter eggs, avoiding Mac tropes and why flaming skulls didn’t make the final design. Chuck is the embodiment of the dreams of thousands of DeviantArt users—he started out in screenprinting just after high school, worked…

Droid Tethering on Verizon Is 30 Bucks a Month

Yes, Droid can tether, but not superduper cheaply. The official word is that the Mobile Broadband Connect plan to tether it to a laptop will be an extra 30 bucks a month for 5GB of data, on top of the standard data plan. [Network World] https://gizmodo.com/droid-does-tethering-or-will-anyway-5396353

The Login Screen Background Chuck says: “The point of the login screen is to provide a nice, simple, elegant environment that the login buttons and information can sit on top of. The aesthetic of Windows 7 is all about light, energy, transparency, and quickness. All things that, to me, implied combining natural elements with futuristic/digital…

The Desktop Background Chuck says: “The desktop was obviously heavily influenced by the look of the login screen. Microsoft had made the decision to make the Windows logo the centerpiece of the default desktop. But you always worry about the classic complaint you hear from designers about clients: ‘Make the logo bigger!’ In response to…

Surprise! Psystar’s Rebel EFI Software and Customer Service are Shady

Psystar’s Rebel EFI software promises that you can install OS X on any PC with a Core 2 Duo, Quad, i7 or Xeon Nehalem processor for $50, but we are discovering that you will probably end up getting screwed royally. While CrunchGear was able to get Rebel EFI working, it is important to point out…

Keep from Getting Lost with Wired’s Map of the Future

The future could be a confusing place, filled with virtual worlds, global infrastructure, new economic systems, and interspecies communication. Fortunately, Wired Italia’s latest infographic maps out one possible vision of the future, so you won’t get lost amidst the changes. Density Design created this infographic for the new issue of Wired Italia based on predictions…

Garmin EcoRoutes ESP Displays Car Diagnostics On Your Nuvi GPS

Sometime next year, Garmin nuvi GPS devices will have the option of displaying information on your car’s inner workings using EcoRoutes ESP—a module that taps into your car’s onboard diagnostics (OBD-II) port. The module relays this information to your GPS unit via Bluetooth where you will be able to view a set of customizable gauges…

Netflix Shipping PS3 Instant Streaming Discs

I’m sure I’m not the only one who just received confirmation that their PS3 Netflix disc is on the way for Friday delivery. Can I get a woo-hoo? (Note, if I can’t, please disregard said request.) https://gizmodo.com/netflix-streaming-on-ps3-coming-soon-5389719

Warren Ellis Weirded Out By Helen Mirren’s “Red” Casting, Plus John C. Reilly and Mary Louise Parker Join the Cast

Helen Mirren joins up with Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis to bring to life the super-espionage graphic novel Red. And nobody could be more startled than creator Warren Ellis. Variety announced that Helen Mirren has joined the cast of the live adaptation movie of the comic Red. The Time Traveler’s Wife director Robert Schwentke is…

A Gadget to Tell You Your Skin Ain’t Great

Bandai’s Skin Expert is a device that you hold up to your face and it tells you how healthy your skin is. Finally, a gadget to make me feel bad about my appearance, automatically! Thanks, Japan! [Hobby Blog via Engadget]

MetalStorm 3GL Grenade Launcher Should Be Renamed to “You-Gonna-Get-a-Sh*tstorm-of-Metal, Enemy Dude”

This is not the MetalStorm 3GL Grenade Launcher. It’s the Milkor MGL/M32, a lightweight 40 mm semi-automatic, 6-shot grenade launcher. It does a lot of bang-bang-my-baby-shot-me-down, but it’s no match for the deadly simple, electronically-fired MetalStorm 3GL: Unlike the Milkor, which is the classic grenade launcher, MetalStorm 3GL doesn’t have multiple barrels. Just a single…

Iron Man’s Arch Enemy The Mandarin, Like You’ve Never Seen Him Before

If the Iron Man movies are leading up to featuring the Mandarin as the ultimate big bad, it could be a bit of a letdown, based on the comics. But concept art for a new animated series gives us hope. Marvel released a few pieces of concept art of the Mandarin from the animated series…

The Real Psychic Soldier Behind The Men Who Stare at Goats

When Jim Channon authored the First Earth Battalion manual, he was hoping to bring warfare into a more humane, modern age. In a new series of columns, he talks about the film and why harnessing the paranormal is so important. Jon Ronson, who wrote the book The Men Who Stare at Goats, has taken over…

Dell Adamo XPS Hands On: Insanely Thin (and Just Insane)

The Adamo XPS is a daring slice of design and engineering. Quite frankly, it’s batshit insane. I mean that in the best possible way. It really is impossibly thin. I felt like I was holding a single sheet of aluminum that was contoured into the curved shape of a laptop. I set it down, gingerly,…

Inflatable Seatbelts…Really Ford?

Times are tough for the automotive industry. Consumers have less money, the environment has less tolerance and nothing short of new engineering paradigms can fix any of it. You know, stuff like inflatable rear seatbelts. The next-generation Ford Explorer will come with rear seatbelts that inflate in an accident, just like an airbag. But the…

More Low-Tech Invisibility Cloaks, This Time in NYC

Yesterday, I showed you Liu Bolin’s analog take on invisibility. Today, I’ve got more for you: say hello to Fred Lebain…if you can see him. https://gizmodo.com/liu-bolin-creates-slowest-least-practical-invisibility-5397102 Fred’s technique is similar to Liu’s, but instead of painting himself, he uses large photographs. He goes to various spots in NYC, take a photo, then returns a few…

Pirate Agricultures of the California Coast

When every crop has to be licensed from patent owners like Monsanto, only those practiced in the art of pirate agriculture will have reasonably-priced food. This gorgeous series of photographs from Mendocino’s pot harvest might be a glimpse of that future. Photographer Mathieu Young took these intimate pictures of a small pot farm at harvest…

Orphan-Friendly Villains Fight To The Death, In New Despicable Me Trailer

We’re still not sure how to feel about 3-D supervillain showdown Despicable Me, especially since one of the aforementioned villains becomes an impromptu foster parent to three orphan girls. Watch the trailer and judge for yourself. While the theme is certainly catchy, and the voice cast is impressive what’s with the orphans? Read the official…

MPAA Still Trying to Plug Your Analog Hole with Selectable Output Control

Still use component connections with your cable box? Listen up: the MPAA has again asked the FCC to let studios disable analog connections during certain on-demand movies. The FCC currently bans this, and here’s why that’s a good thing. Lots of gear that’s still kicking around only has an analog connection with a cable box:…