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Last week, there was an interesting but subtle change in the way that Americans talk about the future. And it’s probably a sign of bad things ahead for technology. I’ve written many times about how the flying car is always just two years away. It was two years away in 2008, two years away in…
Netflix, the video streaming service no one can seem to quit despite its increasingly poor collection of titles, is about to hike up its prices. Customers can expect a $1 to $2-per-month rise, depending on their plan of choice. Basic plans will go from $8 to $9; the next highest tier, which includes high-def streaming…
Every year, CES sets the stage for all the wild, wonderful, and boundary-pushing tech we expect to see later in the year. But sometimes, as cool as all those gadgets are, some of the most interesting things at CES are all the inane stunts, absurd observations, and oddly touching moments that happen away from the…
Ren Zhengfei, the billionaire founder and CEO of Chinese tech company Huawei, gave a rare roundtable interview with reporters today to discuss security concerns. The 74-year-old insisted that his company isn’t beholden to the Chinese government and he called Donald Trump a “great president” because the American leader has cut taxes for businesses. It was…
The tables turned big time on a supposed software developer posting under the identity “Tee Medlin” on Friday after he sent an Instagram post accusing Microsoft senior cloud developer advocate Chloe Condon of stalking him at a conference—something that never occurred—and other social media users quickly discovered that much of Medlin’s online persona reeks of…
On-demand electric scooter startup Bird has backed down from its legal threats against Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow for publishing a piece detailing how a $30 kit from China could be used to rewire the hoards of abandoned Bird scooters sitting around city impound lots, the BBC reported on Monday. Doctorow’s December 2018 piece detailed…
Saying there is no legal reason why Ajit Pai should rebuff an invitation to brief lawmakers during the government shutdown, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Monday criticized the FCC head for refusing to appear for a briefing about the ongoing controversy over Americans’ real-time location data being disclosed to unauthorized…
Unmanned delivery drones are one step closer to reality. The federal government on Monday released a set of proposals that could see civilian drones fly over crowds, and end the need for permits for night flights. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration rules that civilian drones can’t be flown over people, lest they fall out of…
A federal judge in California has ruled that law enforcement can’t compel a suspect to unlock their phone with a fingerprint or face recognition. Combined with a previous court ruling that held police cannot force a suspect to tell them their password, we’re getting some clarity on the future of search and seizure in the…
In the latest extension of the Great Firewall of China, the nation is pushing a set of guidelines on Douyin—the Chinese version of TikTok run by the same parent company—as well as other short-form video apps. These new rules press the social media companies to monitor for 100 types of illicit content. That’s a lot…
Several people on the ground at CES in Las Vegas told me that it was down year. I’d argue that it was just plain boring. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some neat gadgets in the mix. In fact, a baker’s dozen of them were just plain amazing. The Gizmodo team scoured the show and…
For all the cool gadgets that get shown off at CES, there’s also a bunch of things that make even the most jaded tech bloggers squint in a mix of confusion and amused befuddlement. Some of it you’ll find on the main show floor, others you’ll find in the nooks and corners at the Sands…
Do you find yourself feeling lonely or craving companionship? Have you considered purchasing a machine that could fill that void? No, not that kind of robot. I’m talking about moving, talking, thinking robots that can do things like fetch a cup of coffee and dance with you. This has been a futuristic concept for decades,…
Twitter could look very different very soon. Last week we found out that Twitter is mulling a redesign, and early screenshots teased a look that was surprisingly Facebook-esque. Now we have a better sense of what those changes could actually look like. TechCrunch got a glimpse at some of the features that Twitter is floating…
A group of Google workers is ramping up the fight to eliminate the tech industry’s use of unfair forced arbitration agreements. In 2018, we saw workers bravely and impressively organize and stand up to their leaders and decisionmakers, calling for change. Activism among tech employees hit a dramatic climax in early November, when thousands of…
By now, news has already gotten out about Samsung’s next Unpacked event on Febuary 20th, where we’re expecting to see all three version of the new S10 (S10 Lite, S10, and S10 Plus). But now, a new report from South Korean outlet ETNews suggests that the Samsung S10’s 5G-ready variant will sport some truly far-out…
Last year, people went nuts trying to find Nintendo’s NES and SNES Classic consoles, but it looks like the games those nostalgia-machines offered will soon be available right on your Switch. Data miners claim to have discovered a list of 22 SNES titles and possibly two mystery emulators in the code for Nintendo Switch Online.…
It happens to everybody on Instagram. You follow some cute animal account and strap in for some 100 Percent Adorable Doggo Content™, but pretty soon the animal is trying to sell you everything from t-shirts to toothbrushes. Sponsorships make the Instagram world go round. So it’s reasonable to ask: When is this stupid Instagram-famous egg…
The start of a new year is as good a time as any to start using all the tech around you to live and work smarter: Get more done in less time and free up some space for doing the stuff that you really enjoy. Here are some of our favorite app and gadget hacks…
The human tolerance for sound is, on a galactic level, puny. Volcano eruptions, jackhammer-intensive construction work, My Bloody Valentine concerts—these tinnitus-inducing phenomena are barely whispers besides the majestic, roiling bursts and collisions going on in outer space. Of course, much of this activity is technically soundless—space’s atmosphere lacks the material that make sound waves possible.…
