Shuttershock

Whatever You Do, Don’t Set Your iPhone To 1970 [Updated]

The tech world loves their Easter eggs, from Adventure’s original hidden feature to Tesla’s various car tricks. But don’t fall for the recent claims for one hidden in your iPhone: if you attempt it, you’ll brick your device. A prank originating from 4chan claims that if you set your iPhone’s (5s models and up) date…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Feb 13

All The Best Times The 6th Street Bridge Has Been Used In Film

This week, the 6th Street Bridge in LA is being torn down. The iconic structure has been used in numerous films over the years, and Vashi Nedomansky wanted to commemorate its use as a set location throughout cinematic history. You’ve seen this bridge before, even if you didn’t know its name: films like Terminator 2,…

io9 Andrew Liptak Jan 31

Level Up Your Writing By Applying For These 3 Writer’s Workshops

If you’re a speculative fiction writer who is looking to improve their writing skills, there’s three workshops out there that are now accepting applications. These Odyssey Writing Workshop Hosted in New Hampshire, this writer’s workshop will run from June 6th through July 15th: it’s an in depth program that focuses on students’ manuscripts. This year’s…

io9 Andrew Liptak Jan 23

Open Channel: What Would You Do With $1.3 Billion?

There were no big winners at last night’s Powerball last night, and the jackpot has grown to an astonishing $1.3 billion dollars. So, say you buy a ticket, and you win. What geeky things are you doing with the money? Image credit: Shuttershock / Anne Kitzman

Tech News Andrew Liptak Jan 10

Math Says: Play the UK Lottery Today

Statistically speaking, the lottery is an exciting way of separating you from your money. Except today in the United Kingdom. For the first time ever, playing the lottery is the mathematically sensible choice. Lottery tickets in the UK are £2 per play. Usually the expected payoff on a ticket is 95p. In the long term,…

Tech News Mika McKinnon Jan 9

MesoGlue Hopes To Eliminate Electronics Soldering

Soldering has been around for thousands of years: it’s an essential component to electronics around the world. But, there’s some limitations: high temperatures can damage delicate components. Now, some researchers think that they’ve come up with a solution: a room temperature, conductive glue. Writing in the January issue of Advanced Materials and Processes, scientists from…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Jan 9

Public Infrastructure Goes Unnoticed, But It’s What Sets The US Apart

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, where you’ll find the best popular technology and science stories on the internet assembled in one delightful package. This week: flawed forensics, robotic probes and the US Postal Service. Forensics are often used in criminal trials, but now, with more scrutiny, it looks like much of what’s been used…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Jan 3

While Print Books Are Making A Comeback, Magazines Aren’t

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, where you’ll find the best popular culture and science fiction stories on the internet assembled in one delightful package. This week: film stories, John Williams, Flash Gordon and b-movie titles. When you come right down to it, there’s not a whole lot in cinema that’s original. Here’s a look…

io9 Andrew Liptak Jan 3

One Chip Changed The Video Game Market Forever

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, where you’ll find the best popular culture and science fiction stories on the internet assembled in one delightful package. This week: The Star Wars Holiday Special, reading lists, managing movie theaters and the invention of video game cartridges. The Star Wars holiday special is particularly reviled, but how did…

io9 Andrew Liptak Dec 27

Will Barnes And Noble Save Itself By Selling Alcohol?

Barnes and Noble hasn’t been doing so hot this year. The book retailer has struggled in the face of stiff competition and recently began looking into getting liquor licenses for a location in New York: will this save the chain? Disclaimer: I also write for Barnes and Noble’s Science Fiction and Fantasy blog. Probably not,…

Books & Comics Andrew Liptak Dec 26

Open Channel: What Cool Stuff Did You Get For The Holidays?

Christmas is now over along with most of the big holidays. So, now that the big day is over, what cool stuff did you get for the holidays? I got a book by Tim Parks: Where I’m Reading From: The Changing World of Books, which looks awesome, as well as a robot tea infuser. Show…

io9 Andrew Liptak Dec 26

Open Channel: What Cool Tech Did You Get For The Holidays?

The holidays are now over! Now that the chaos of the Christmas (and other) holidays are now over and done with, it’s take to take an inventory. So, what cool gadgets / tech / geek stuff did you receive this holiday season? Image credit: kirill_makarov / Shuttershock

Tech News Andrew Liptak Dec 26

In 1983, If You Wanted To Pirate A Movie, You Needed A Gun

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, where you’ll find the best popular culture and science fiction stories on the internet assembled in one delightful package. This week: We look at hidden comic book stores, how movies were pirated in 1983, drugs in science fiction, bookselling and radio dramas. Joseph Koch’s Comic Book Warehouse has one…

io9 Andrew Liptak Dec 20

This Winter, Remember That Mistletoe Is A Vampire Plant

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, where you’ll find the best science and technology stories on the internet assembled in one delightful package. This week: Housing in Silicon Valley, Mistletoe, restaurant hype, chocolate and shirts. As housing prices in Silicon Valley have risen, poorer residents have been forced out, with nowhere to go. [New Republic]…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Dec 20

3.3 Million Hello Kitty Accounts Exposed In Database Breach

A database for the Hello Kitty community sanriotown.com containing 3.3 million accounts has been discovered online in an apparent breach. According to CSO Online, researcher Chris Vickery discovered the breach: The records exposed include first and last names, birthday (encoded, but easily reversible Vickery said), gender, country of origin, email addresses, unsalted SHA-1 password hashes,…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Dec 20

Warning: Don’t Instagram The Bears

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, where you’ll find the best science and technology stories on the internet assembled in one delightful package. This week, On December 3rd, 1990, a massive earthquake was supposed to shake Missouri and the American midwest. It didn’t, but brought some attention to the risks that such a quake could…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Dec 13

How Do You Study Nuclear Bombs When You Can’t Use Them Anymore?

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, your Sunday guide to some of the most interesting science and technology stories on the internet this week. This week, we’ll examine the response to the Ebola Outbreak, climate change, transportation and nuclear bombs. During the height of the Ebola crisis, medical professionals were subjected to mandatory quarantines upon…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Dec 6

Open Channel: Tell Us About Your NaNoWriMo Novel

We’re in the home stretch for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), where participants attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. If you’ve been on track, you should be really close to the end. So, tell us about it! How did your novel turn out? What was it about? Did you hit the…

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 29

Why Are SWAT Teams Being Called On Gamers?

Welcome to this week’s Reading List, your Sunday guide to some of the most interesting science and technology stories on the internet this week. This week, we’ll examine a wartime deception, cyberattacks, swatting, and changes in the world around us. During the Second World War, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops had a unique mission: staffed…

Tech News Andrew Liptak Nov 29

Looking For A Good Read? Look No Further Than These Award Reading Lists

With the end of the year coming up fast, two awards have started up their annual ‘recommended reading lists’ to look back on the year’s released works. The James Tiptree Jr. award has an open call for recommendations, and you can see what the community is recommending. There’s a great list of novels being generated,…

Books & Comics Andrew Liptak Nov 28

Shuttershock

Whatever You Do, Don’t Set Your iPhone To 1970 [Updated]

All The Best Times The 6th Street Bridge Has Been Used In Film

Level Up Your Writing By Applying For These 3 Writer’s Workshops

Open Channel: What Would You Do With $1.3 Billion?

Math Says: Play the UK Lottery Today

MesoGlue Hopes To Eliminate Electronics Soldering

Public Infrastructure Goes Unnoticed, But It’s What Sets The US Apart

While Print Books Are Making A Comeback, Magazines Aren’t

One Chip Changed The Video Game Market Forever

Will Barnes And Noble Save Itself By Selling Alcohol?

Open Channel: What Cool Stuff Did You Get For The Holidays?

Open Channel: What Cool Tech Did You Get For The Holidays?

In 1983, If You Wanted To Pirate A Movie, You Needed A Gun

This Winter, Remember That Mistletoe Is A Vampire Plant

3.3 Million Hello Kitty Accounts Exposed In Database Breach

Warning: Don’t Instagram The Bears

How Do You Study Nuclear Bombs When You Can’t Use Them Anymore?

Open Channel: Tell Us About Your NaNoWriMo Novel

Why Are SWAT Teams Being Called On Gamers?

Looking For A Good Read? Look No Further Than These Award Reading Lists

Artemis 2 Day 7: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

Anker’s 300W Max Power Bank With Charging Base Drops to an All-Time Low, Powerful Enough to Charge a MacBook Pro

Where the Hell Do You Even Put the Popcorn in Disney’s Sail Barge Bucket?

This Is Supposedly the Final, Final, FINAL Look of the Foldable iPhone

Scientists Watch Brain’s Self-Cleaning Process During Sleep in Real Time

LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant Sees 30% Off on Amazon While LEGO and Nintendo’s Official Stores Keep It at Full Price

‘No Data Centers’ Sign Found After Shooting at Indianapolis Politician’s Home

‘Dark Matter’ Season 2 Sees Joel Edgerton Forced Back Into the Multiverse

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

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

Let us help find what you are looking for...