Tech News

Funk in the Glass: The Ups and Downs of Wild Microbes in Beer

Funky, floral, complex. No, this is not a description of a piece of vintage wallpaper. These are some of the words that are used to describe the enormous variety that exists within the world of beer. Whether you are enjoying the outdoors on a sunny day or sitting by the fire on a cold, winter…

New Study Shows How Deeply Awful Those ‘Get the App’ Web Pages Are

Those web pages that stop you getting to the information you really want in favor of asking you to Download An App are deeply annoying. But now a study by Google shows just how counter-productive they actually are for the people that put them there in the first place. If any company was to test…

A Monitor With Built-In Wireless Charging Actually Makes A Lot of Sense

In the ‘interesting new technology’ stakes, new PC monitors normally rank just above updated versions of power strips. But when a monitor includes a built-in Qi wireless charging pad? Now we’re talking. Samsung’s latest monitor, the catchily-named SE370, is a pretty run-of-the-mill desktop monitor: 24” or 27”, and 1080p PLS panel are not exciting specs.…

Apple Watch: Now Coming To A Best Buy Near You

When the Apple Watch first debuted, we were promised a premium retail experience — specially trained staff, swanky new stores, watches that were ‘fitted’ rather than just tried on. Well, according to the WSJ, all that is about to change. https://gizmodo.com/the-apple-store-fitted-me-for-a-15-000-watch-i-could-n-1697098543 Starting in August, the Apple Watch will be available in 100 Best Buy locations…

I’ve Ignored 1,383 Emails in the Last Three Weeks and Haven’t Missed a Thing

I had a sort of epiphany a few weeks ago when I was sitting in the sun looking at my phone one afternoon; How much nicer would my life be if I didn’t spend half of it deleting the emails of no consequence that appear on my phone every 15 minutes? So, just like that,…

New Zealander’s Self-Built ‘Skysphere’ Is The Retreat Of Your Dreams

Being able to escape to your own personal haven, complete with beautiful views and peaceful seclusion, is one of many dreams many of us have. Enterprising Kiwi Jono Williams decided to make his perfect retreat a reality and three years and $NZ75,000 later, he’s ended up with the above creation, dubbed the “Skysphere”. According to…

Water Rip-Off! Belfast Hotel Charges £26 for Bottle of Melted Ice

According to the United Nations, 783 million people lack access to clean water, and 2.5 billion people worldwide have inadequate sanitation. At the same time, the cataclysm of climate change grows ever nearer as the narcissistic complacency of our species prevents the collective action necessary to head off future degradation. Meanwhile over in Belfast, according…

Nigeria Has Been Free of Polio for A Year

Nigeria marked its first full year with no new polio cases on Friday, thanks to an inoculation campaign which carried on despite continuing violence in the north and other major challenges for public health workers. Challenging Work The growing anti-vaccine movement in the U.S. is vocal, but it’s nothing compared to what Nigerian public health…

The 10 Best Slow-Mo Videos The Slow-Mo Guys Have Ever Done

Everything looks better in slow motion. Especially cocking about with your mates while making massive explosions. The Slow-Mo Guys on YouTube have millions of subscribers and loads of great slow-motion videos, but which ones are best? Here’s our top 10. Wondering who the Slow Mo Guys are? Check out the above video to get an…

This Might Be the Best Government Instagram Account of All

This week, I did a roundup of some of the best government Instagram accounts, but as several readers pointed out, I neglected to mention one very special Insta-goldmine: The TSA. We covered this treasure trove in its early days, but it’s such a gem we thought you deserved a reminder. There is no better place…

Watch a Drone Rescue Another Drone with Coat Hangers

Harrisen Howes was one beloved quadrocopter short after a drunk roommate managed to get his drone stuck up on the roof of their house. Lucky for Howes, drones are plenty capable of rescuing one another—given the right tools. Two months after the drone was marooned, Howes equipped a larger drone with hooks made from coat…

Gizmodo Photo Guide: Tips For Shooting The Night Sky

Want to get outside and snap some amazing photographs of the night sky, of some stunning moonlit landscapes and time-lapse starlight trails? Here are six key tips you need to know. Gizmodo’s Guide to Better Photography is brought to you by the Sony Mirrorless Alpha Range. Photography has evolved, and Sony mirrorless cameras have made…

San Francisco Is Getting a Pee-Proof Paint Job

Taking a leak outside in San Francisco just got a wee bit less fun. That’s because public works crews are coating walls throughout the city with a urine-repellent paint that bounces your pee right back at you. Public urination has been a problem in San Francisco for years. The city banned urinating outside in 2002,…

What Would Happen if a Massive Comet Struck the Sun?

Humans, dark and disturbed creatures that we are, love to imagine what would happen if a massive comet struck the Earth. But what if a giant ice rock flung itself into the Sun? A team of astronomers did the math to figure out what would happen. “I give talks about these and I call them…

Mobile payments provider Square has apparently filed confidential paperwork for an initial public offering. This could give the company the additional capital it needs to build out new initiatives, including a wireless device that accepts payments from Apple Pay. Learn more at Bloomberg.

Twitter Is Using Copyright Law to Bust Joke Thieves

Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery, but for comedians on Twitter it’s a pain in the ass. Joke theft is rampant, with “parody” accounts and spambots racking up thousands of followers by tweeting stolen jokes as their own. But now Twitter is helping people bust joke-stealers. If you file a DMCA…

These Colorful Patterns Are Famous LA and NYC Neighborhoods From Above

Photographer Jeffrey Milstein is known for getting stunning shots of our culture from above; we previously covered his aerial photographs of cruise ships. For his new series LANY he photographed the two cities from a helicopter. While these views don’t necessarily feel unfamiliar (thanks Google Earth!), his composition and color transform them into magical landscapes.…

This Tiny Computer Stacks Into a Colorful Lego Brick 

Any Lego lover in the market for a new computer would want a system that stacks together into a compact brick. Even better, one whose case is made entirely of Lego. Rejoice, nerds, Total Geekdom’s Mike Schropp has heard your silent plea. Schropp’s first saleable Lego build came out in March. At 4”x5”x5”, version 2.0…

Sony Made Pixels Even Lamer to Appease Chinese Authorities

Sony apparently didn’t care very much that the script to its new sci-fi comedy movie Pixels is pretty bad. It did, however, go to pains to ensure that Pixels would pass Chinese censorship boards with flying colors. Goodbye integrity, hello authoritarian-sanctioned blockbuster. According to Reuters, which cites emails leaked by Sony hackers, Sony ‘sanitized’ the…

Here We Go Again: Anonymous Tries to Hold the Canadian Government Ransom

Once again, the hacktivist collective Anonymous is threatening a spectacular security breach, this time, against the Canadian government. Yesterday, Anonymous hackers told the National Post they’d stolen sensitive Canadian national security documents. They’re prepared to release said documents if the officer who fatally shot a British Columbian protestor last week is not arrested by Monday…