Tech News

Blue’s Lola Headphones Are a More Practical Evolution of a Crazy Idea

Released last year, Blue’s Mo-Fi headphones were an ambitious concept for better-sounding cans. They were awesome, but not quite awesome enough to justify their inconveniences. Can the new Lola model deliver on the big promise for a different kind of headphone? To recap, the Mo-Fi headphones sounded very good due in part to their totally…

George Orwell’s Estate Is Issuing Copyright Takedowns for the Number ‘1984’

George Orwell’s estate is watching you—at least if you try and use the number ‘1984’. In an ironic turn of events, the Orwell estate has recently issued a copyright takedown to prevent the use of the four digits without permission, reports Torrent Freak. While George Orwell died back in 1950, his dystopian masterpiece that is…

Morocco’s New Solar Plant Will Cover an Area Larger Than Its Capital City

Next month, the first phase of a new solar plant will open in Morocco—and when it’s finished, it will cover an area even larger than the country’s capital city of Rabat. The Guardian has published a fascinating feature on the development of the first stage of the solar power plant at Ouarzazate, known as Noor…

Watch the First Film From InVisage’s Quantum Dot Smartphone Camera

Five long years ago, a company called InVisage showed off a new kind of smartphone camera sensor called QuantumFilm, which used quantum dots for improved sensitivity. Now, you can finally see a short film shot using the technology. This 7.5-minute short is called PRIX, and it’s supposed to provide a sense of what InVisage’s hardware…

Remember HTC’s ambitious dive into the world of action cameras? The RE was a strange, periscope-style device that was quirky, fun—and overpriced at $200. But now the price has been slashed to $50, which may make it worth a second look.

This Is How You Can Learn to Control a Submarine Engine On Land

Learning to control a submarine is not straightforward. But these days, the Navy doesn’t need to build as many large-scale physical simulators—because much of it can be achieved on-screen. In this image, two sailors explore the engine rooms of a submarine using the Navy’s touch-screen training simulator. They can use the software to explore how…

HTC’s One A9 Will Only Cost $400 Until November 7th—Then It’ll Jump to $500

When HTC unveiled its iPhone-like One A9 last week, one of its most attractive features was its cost. But while the $400 price tag may seem tempting, in reality that deal is only available until November 7th—after that date, the price will jump up by $100. HTC had seemed to suggest that the sleek phone…

You Can Now Buy Drone Insurance From AIG

Nervous pilot? You might be able to command your UAV with a little more peace of mind now that AIG is willing to sell you drone insurance. The insurance company has launched a series of policies that will cover you for all kind of accidents. Perhaps most importantly, it’ll provide third party liability in case…

A Clever Hack Kinda-Sorta Brings 3D Touch to Android

Apple’s neat 3D Touch tricks rely on a touchscreen that has integrated pressure sensors to determine between a ‘peek’ and a ‘pop’. But give a cunning Android hacker a waterproof phone and a barometer, and you can get a similar sort of effect. https://gizmodo.com/iphone-6s-review-a-3d-touch-playground-but-not-much-e-1734182375 In a proof-of-concept video posted to YouTube, developer Marco Chiappetta shows…

The Polaroid Snap, a quirky digital camera with an integrated printer, is finally on sale. $100 gets you your choice of white, black, or blue; the 32GB microSD card and 80s hipster fashion are optional extras. [Amazon]

Chase’s Dumb New Mobile Payments System is Destined to Fail 

Mobile payments are all the rage right now! There’s the contactless magic of Apple and Android Pay, Samsung’s awesomely cool magnetic thing, and Chase’s system that lets you use a Chase card in a Chase-approved store, by simple scanning a QR code. Wait, what? Chase Pay is another digital wallet that Chase is hoping you…

The FBI Thinks Ransomware Victims Should ‘Just Pay Up’

As documented in numerous Nicolas Cage movies, the FBI has a fairly strict ‘don’t negotiate with the terrorists’ policy. Unless you’re a company that’s had your files encrypted, in which case you should probably just pay the ransom. Welp. According to Security Ledger, the advice comes from Joseph Bonavolonta, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge…

That iPad App Will Not Fry Your Baby’s Brain If You Follow These Rules

The “NO SCREENS UNTIL 2” guideline issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2011 has practically inscribed itself onto the foreheads of new parents. Now, the AAP says its position has “evolved,” and released a more nuanced set of guidelines when it comes to babies and screen-based media. Acknowledging that maybe it’s not possible…

Drone Captures First-Ever Aerial Photos Of Nursing Orca Calf

Here’s your feel good story for the day. NOAA researchers have captured what are probably the best aerial photos of wild Killer Whales ever and are here to explain how the images demonstrate an incredibly strong, collaborative family bond. Take the time to sit down and enjoy this video, in which marine mammal biologist John…

Everything in the Future Could Be Made of Ants

Your future windows, walls, and possibly boats will be made of ants — or at least of an ant-like substance. New research shows why ants classify as both a solid and a liquid, and why they’d make the best self-repairing building material. The fire ants in the picture above are in a rheometer, a device…

What’s The Worst Movie Ever Made About Technology?

Today we looked at how Steve Jobs flopped at the box office—but it’s hardly a disaster of filmmaking. What’s the worst movie made with tech as a major plot element? By standards of Good Movies, Steve Jobs has a lot going for it: snappy, Aaron Sorkin-rich dialogue, excellent acting from a top-notch cast, sleek production…

Use VR to Possess This Teddy Bear’s Body for Long Distance Communication

From FaceTime to Skype to WhatsApp, there’s no shortage of ways to chat with people on the other side of the globe. But screw Jetsons-style video chatting: Make way for this Ted-like robotic bear that mimics your gestures and projects your voice from far away, even letting you “see” through its own eyes. It’s like…

New Study Suggests Alzheimer’s Is Associated with Brain Fungus

Every year, more people over the age of 65 are suffering from dementia. Researchers are still searching for a cause, but a new study offers a fascinating possibility: some cases of Alzheimer’s may be linked to a simple brain fungus. The study appeared this week in Nature Scientific Reports, and is already making headlines and…

Walmart Wants to Start Testing Delivery Drones, Too

Walmart, the American retail chain worth $485.7 billion, applied today for permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to test drones for a variety of operations, from customer home delivery and pickup to keeping stock of inventories using electronic tracking. Amazon and Google have been pursuing delivery drones for a while, so this Walmart news might…

How to peel a delicious potato in five seconds

Peeling potatoes is a tedious task. They’re slippery. The skin breaks. Potatoes are also typically piping hot which means you’re going to burn the crap out of your hands. That’s why you have to try this effortless method. All you have to do is cut a ring around the middle of the potato before you…