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Sometimes The Future Seems Closer To Fantasy Than Science Fiction

We’ve all heard Clarke’s aphorism that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. But sometimes, it seems like we’re already living it, as our tech acts more like sorcery. Full Fathom Five author Max Gladstone explores our fantastical relationship with gadgets. I live in a low fidelity version of the magic castle from Beauty…

Books & Comics Max Gladstone Aug 5 '14

DJI’s New Heavy-Load Drone Comes With Retractable Landing Gear

Most people are familiar with DJI as the manufacturers of the Phantom series, one of the most popular consumer drones on the market. The company is continuing to expand its horizons into the pro market with the new Spreading Wings S900. This professional-grade drone not only looks cool. It also sort of works like a…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes Aug 5 '14

Paperclip Thumbtacks Let You Hang Photos Without Stabbing Them

The thumbtack and the paper clip haven’t seen much improvement since they were introduced to the office supply world—but that’s because they haven’t needed any. So it’s surprising how useful the two can be when merged into one tool called the Pinclip that lets you hand documents or photos without having to pierce them full…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Aug 5 '14

Watch Rosetta Rendezvous With A Comet, Live!

It’s been a long, slow trek for Rosetta to catch up to Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, but, more than 10 years after it was launched, it will finally meet up with its intended target within the next 16 hours — and you can watch it as it does. Image: Artist’s conception of Rosetta’s arrival, combining an actual…

io9 Ria Misra Aug 5 '14

New Galaxy Alpha Leak May Show Super-Slim Design

Samsung might be copying a few design elements here and there from Apple, but it appears to beat out the iPhone in at least one category. This photo, originally leaked by @culeaks, claims to show the rumored Alpha’s slimness advantage over an iPhone 5S. A collection of other images also posted on @culeaks Twitter account…

Gadgets Darren Orf Aug 5 '14

You Could Wake Up Convinced You’re In a Duplicate World

Or, at least, that you’re in a duplicate town, house, and hospital. Reduplicative paramnesia victims believe that someone or something has constructed a duplicate structure, that looks exactly like the one they remember being in. What part of the brain can make you think you’re on the set of your own life? One day, a…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Aug 5 '14

How Google Hunts Down Child Porn In Gmail

After yesterday’s news that Google caught a sex offender who’d left no virtual trace of his misdeeds outside of his Gmail account, people were understandably a little conflicted about what that meant in terms of privacy. Now, the company has come out to (every so slightly) clarify their methods: It’s not you they’re tracking, but…

Tech News Ashley Feinberg Aug 5 '14

Clickhole’s New Transportation App Walks All Over Uber and Lyft

Searching for a transportation app that puts simplicity and elegance first? The satirical masterminds at Clickhole have a new startup that lets you arrive in style no Uber or Lyft car could possibly match. Check out Whysk. Oh man is this sendup perfect. From “founder” Dylan Blake-Ambrose’s smirking self-satisfaction to the promises cram-packed with buzzwords,…

Tech News Bob Sorokanich Aug 5 '14

Solidoodle Press: An Affordable 3D Printer That Looks Like a Home Appliance

The thing about 3D printers is a lot of them look like big weird machines that don’t exactly fit in with your office feng shui or what-have-you. But Solidoodle Press is a new cute little 3D printer that looks a little less out of place, and a little more like a regular old home appliance.…

Tech News Leslie Horn Aug 5 '14

Cows Have Much More Complicated Social Life Than Anyone Realized

We think of cows as herd animals, without much intelligence or social organization. Butrecent research has shown that they’re smarter than we knew. And now, a new study suggests that the social networks of cows are a lot more complex than biologists had imagined. Top image: MarclSchauer/Shutterstock.com A group of researchers, let by Shi Chen…

io9 Mark Strauss Aug 5 '14

Plan for Secret Satellite Receivers Wins Hackathon to Help North Korea

Cut off from outside communication and at the whim of a despotic political leader, the people of North Korea are in a bad place. The conditions in the country inspired the Human Rights Foundation to help North Koreans by holding a hackathon. And the winners came up with a clever plan to import satellites receivers…

Tech News Kate Knibbs Aug 5 '14

Fata Morganas Make Fantastic Castles Appear Over the Ocean

In past centuries, sailors were sometimes surprised to see upside-down ships sailing in the sky, or elaborate castles built on the ocean. When they turned towards them, these apparitions vanished. The illusions, called The Fata Morgana, can still be seen today if the witches are in a mood the weather’s right. Sailors going along the…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Aug 5 '14

The First 3D-Printed Saxophone Sounds Surprisingly Decent

We all know that 3D printers are great for churning out plastic trinkets and tiny sculptures of questionable artistic worth, but what makes the technology truly exciting is when users push the its current limitations to create something remarkable, like a playable plastic saxophone that doesn’t sound half bad. The New York Philharmonic probably isn’t…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Aug 5 '14

13 Of The Most Ridiculous TMNT Villains Of All Time

The Shredder has always been the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ most deadly foe, but the TMNT can’t fight an evil ninja every day of the week. It would get boring! So of course their rogue’s gallery expanded to include mutants, aliens, demons and… uh, a guy named Joey. Here’s a baker’s dozen of the TMNT’s…

Books & Comics Rob Bricken Aug 5 '14

Inside the Military’s Secretive Smartphone Program

When I recently set out for the Pentagon’s R&D department, I instead found myself in front of a downtrodden shopping mall in Arlington, Virginia. I’d been navigating the old fashioned way—with my eyes—but when I pulled out my smartphone there it was, clearly marked in the Google Maps app: DARPA. It turns out that the…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes Aug 5 '14

Comics Artist Uses DMCA To Silence Critics Of His Contortionist Ladies

Comics artist Randy Queen draws women whose spines and bodies can twist into some really unusual poses. This has drawn the attention of the Escher Girls Tumblr, which we’ve featured before — and he’s responded by sending DMCA takedowns to get their posts (not just the art) removed.

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Aug 5 '14

Just How Good Is A Dog’s Sense Of Taste?

If you’ve ever had a dog that was a particularly finicky eater or marveled at just how appetizing they seem to find those endless bowls of kibble, you’ve probably wondered: Just how sensitive is a dog’s sense of taste? Over in the New York Times’ Q&A section, they’re taking on the question of just how…

io9 Ria Misra Aug 5 '14

LG Leaks Mammoth G3 Stylus Phablet in Official Video

It looks like LG wants to take on Samsung and the Galaxy Note with the newly leaked LG G3 Stylus. The pseudo-confirmation of this device’s existence comes from a video posted by LG Mobile Global. The LG G3 Beat (essentially a smaller mid-spec’d version the G3) is the actual topic of conversation throughout the strange…

Tech News Darren Orf Aug 5 '14

13 European Dream Homes You Can Actually Rent

It’s no secret that Europe is full of magical places. However, you’re probably never going to stay in Windsor Castle or sleep in Rapunzel’s tower. You might, however, enjoy a similar brush with a fairy tale thanks to this architecture-loving travel agency in Germany. UrlaubsArchitektur translates simply as “holiday architecture.” And it’s a fitting name.…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes Aug 5 '14

Comcast and TWC Boost Speeds Where They Have Actual Competition

If you’re looking for one clear, real-world example of why Comcast and Time Warner Cable shouldn’t be allowed to merge, let it be this: in one of the few areas of the country where the two cable giants face legitimate competition, they’re actually upping their speeds. Notably, in Kansas City—where Google just happens to provide…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Aug 5 '14

Sometimes The Future Seems Closer To Fantasy Than Science Fiction

DJI’s New Heavy-Load Drone Comes With Retractable Landing Gear

Paperclip Thumbtacks Let You Hang Photos Without Stabbing Them

Watch Rosetta Rendezvous With A Comet, Live!

New Galaxy Alpha Leak May Show Super-Slim Design

You Could Wake Up Convinced You’re In a Duplicate World

How Google Hunts Down Child Porn In Gmail

Clickhole’s New Transportation App Walks All Over Uber and Lyft

Solidoodle Press: An Affordable 3D Printer That Looks Like a Home Appliance

Cows Have Much More Complicated Social Life Than Anyone Realized

Plan for Secret Satellite Receivers Wins Hackathon to Help North Korea

Fata Morganas Make Fantastic Castles Appear Over the Ocean

The First 3D-Printed Saxophone Sounds Surprisingly Decent

13 Of The Most Ridiculous TMNT Villains Of All Time

Inside the Military’s Secretive Smartphone Program

Comics Artist Uses DMCA To Silence Critics Of His Contortionist Ladies

Just How Good Is A Dog’s Sense Of Taste?

LG Leaks Mammoth G3 Stylus Phablet in Official Video

13 European Dream Homes You Can Actually Rent

Comcast and TWC Boost Speeds Where They Have Actual Competition

Latest news

Before ‘Witch Hat,’ Kamome Shirahama Blessed Us With a Hilarious Romp About Gals Being Pals

Meta Axes Contractors Who Had to Review Explicit Video From Smart Glasses

World’s Slowest Rocket Company Suddenly Wants to Churn Out 60 Rockets a Year

Lego’s May Releases Are Swooshing In

Buying Prescription Smart Glasses Might Not Be Such a Good Idea After All

Spirit Airlines Is Reportedly Moving Forward With Plan to Shut Down

Trump Resurrects Keystone Pipeline Killed Over Climate Concerns

The Old Republic Reigns Supreme in Hasbro’s New ‘Star Wars’ Figures

Latest Reviews

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing

HP’s EliteBoard Keyboard-Computer Proves We Can Stick a PC in Anything

Sleep-Tracking Earbuds Didn’t Fix Me, but They Did Open My Eyes

I’ve Tested a Lot of Bad Smart Glasses and These Are the Worst Yet

Let us help you find what you’re looking for...

Latest

Sometimes The Future Seems Closer To Fantasy Than Science Fiction

DJI’s New Heavy-Load Drone Comes With Retractable Landing Gear

Paperclip Thumbtacks Let You Hang Photos Without Stabbing Them

Watch Rosetta Rendezvous With A Comet, Live!

New Galaxy Alpha Leak May Show Super-Slim Design

You Could Wake Up Convinced You’re In a Duplicate World

How Google Hunts Down Child Porn In Gmail

Clickhole’s New Transportation App Walks All Over Uber and Lyft

Solidoodle Press: An Affordable 3D Printer That Looks Like a Home Appliance

Cows Have Much More Complicated Social Life Than Anyone Realized

Plan for Secret Satellite Receivers Wins Hackathon to Help North Korea

Fata Morganas Make Fantastic Castles Appear Over the Ocean

The First 3D-Printed Saxophone Sounds Surprisingly Decent

​13 Of The Most Ridiculous TMNT Villains Of All Time

Inside the Military’s Secretive Smartphone Program

Comics Artist Uses DMCA To Silence Critics Of His Contortionist Ladies

Just How Good Is A Dog’s Sense Of Taste?

LG Leaks Mammoth G3 Stylus Phablet in Official Video

13 European Dream Homes You Can Actually Rent

Comcast and TWC Boost Speeds Where They Have Actual Competition

Before ‘Witch Hat,’ Kamome Shirahama Blessed Us With a Hilarious Romp About Gals Being Pals

Meta Axes Contractors Who Had to Review Explicit Video From Smart Glasses

World’s Slowest Rocket Company Suddenly Wants to Churn Out 60 Rockets a Year

Lego’s May Releases Are Swooshing In

Buying Prescription Smart Glasses Might Not Be Such a Good Idea After All

Spirit Airlines Is Reportedly Moving Forward With Plan to Shut Down

Trump Resurrects Keystone Pipeline Killed Over Climate Concerns

The Old Republic Reigns Supreme in Hasbro’s New ‘Star Wars’ Figures

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing

HP’s EliteBoard Keyboard-Computer Proves We Can Stick a PC in Anything

Sleep-Tracking Earbuds Didn’t Fix Me, but They Did Open My Eyes

I’ve Tested a Lot of Bad Smart Glasses and These Are the Worst Yet

Let us help you find what you’re looking for...

13 Of The Most Ridiculous TMNT Villains Of All Time