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Here’s a fascinating map that reveals how each country defines the idea of camouflage for their military. Of course, different branches of the military have different camo needs but this map, created by a Reddit user, draws out the broad strokes. Here it is in full. Hit expand to see it in detail: SPLOID is…
Before the year is out, you will have yet another alternative to Google and Apple Maps. Nokia says that it will soon release a free-of-charge maps app on Android and iOS. Why? Because the company thinks that your current options are, well, stale. “Google Maps is a good solution for many—their maps work very well—but…
You know how when you look outside the airplane window and you’re in awe of all the lights and the outlines of the city and how you’re in the freaking air? Yeah, that’s nothing compared to the fun that is spotting cities from the ISS. Watch as astronauts show us what cities look like from…
This is the MICA, short for “My Intelligent Communication Accessory”, Intel’s first luxury smart bracelet aimed specifically at women. It looks nothing like a smartwatch but it has the guts of one. Details are still scant — Intel says that it will reveal more in October — but here’s what we do know: the MICA…
Styluses for capactive screens like the iPad used to be wide and squishy—bad for precise drawing and writing. Only recently have companies been able to come up with pen-like tips for a superior experience. Wacom is the latest to offer one such device in the Bamboo Stylus Fineline. The Fineline comes on the heels of…
Recently, Stephen Colbert lampoonedgadgets that track what you drink and other seemingly inane metrics. But the trend may have just found its ideal market. The Chinese search giant Baidu just introduced a pair of “smart chopsticks” designed to alert users to the presence of “gutter oil,” or the illegal use of oil dredged up unsavory…
Usually movie nights on Giz are where we suggest something you can stream from the comfort of your home, like, right now. So yes: Technically, you can rent Lawrence of Arabia and queue it up this eve while you watch from the sofa. I won’t tell you not to do that. But consider this post…
When touchscreens came to the first iPhone, they felt like a marvelous new way to interact with the devices in our hands. Dirty or wet or gloved fingers reveal the limitations of the touchscreen, though, and touchless interfaces may be closer than you think—a lightly modified ordinary phone can detect hand gestures through interference of…
Kansas City, you never stood a chance. Watch as an arcus cloud—those scary low clouds that roll on top of itself and brings apocalyptic-like weather—make its way from one side of the city to the other. Stephen Locke captured the haunting beauty in his time lapse below. SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff.…
What happens if you live in Cuba and your bike breaks down? It’s not like you can hop on the Internet and get two day shipping for a new bike. In fact, it’s pretty much impossible to score new bike parts. What you have to do is find a guy who knows another guy who…
TV on the Radio is back with the promise of a new album, a tour, and an ironically upbeat new single that reminds you that in the case of heartbreak, the healthy thing to do is suppress. “Happy Idiot” is an unsurprisingly great song from a great band—one we haven’t heard anything new from since…
Cities all over the world have been scrambling to build mega-airports in an effort to lure tourism dollars and modernize their image. The latest to step into the fray: Mexico City, with a gigantic new airport proposal announced today that it’s calling the “most sustainable” in the world. Through a competition, Mexico City has chosen…
We’ve heard a lot about tangible interfaces for gadgets lately—but what about tangible interfaces for music? Per Holmquist, a Swedish designer, built just that: Beat Blox, a “turntable” that makes beats based on where you place tiny blocks on its face. Holmquist, who created the project for his thesis at Beckmans College of Design, describes…
Screw juicing or making kale smoothies, here’s the next big trend in what to drink: turning fruit and vegetables into juice with underwater shockwaves. The outside of the vegetable look the same after the explosion but the inside has turned into juice. Just stick a straw in and enjoy. It’s a stunt ad for Japanese…
Bose’s noise-canceling headphones are an iconic staple worn by balding dudes in business classes everywhere. Finally, the company is updating its classic QuietComfort 15 headphones and ditching that stale grey design for something a little more attractive. According to Bose, the $300 QuietComfort 25 headphones cancel more sound than before, and have improved active EQ…
Did you bust your Nexus 5 smartphone? Don’t sweat it—users are saying that the Play Store will send you a brand-new (refurbished) handset for free, no matter how you broke yours. Google hasn’t confirmed the offer just yet, but it seems legit. This isn’t the first no-questions-asked smartphone replacement policy; Motorola and HTC both offer…
Almost 2 years ago, iconic Superhero MMO City of Heroes was shut down for good. Amidst several kickstarted spirtual successors, one developer has revealed they’ve initiated talks to resurrect the IP – and potentially even create an official sequel. Late last year Missing Worlds Media successfully kickstarted City of Titans, a spiritual successor to City…
If you’re a well-known street artist who wants your legacy to live on through your kids, you’re going to want to get them comfortable with graffiti at a young age. Except that handing a three-year-old a can of spray paint or a thick indelible marker is a terrible idea. They need to hone their skills…
Power plants that burn garbage for energy are not places where you expect to find beauty. Usually utilitarian in design, they’re often relegated to the middle of some industrial wasteland. But Denmark, a leader in incinerating waste for energy, has taken the opposite tack, commissioning big, beautiful power plants designed by hotshot architects. Back in…
Isis is now Softcard. But probably not the Isis you’re thinking about. The militant Iraq-based Islamic extremist group is still ISIS. In 2010, AT&T, T-Mobile USA, and Verizon joined forces to create Isis, a group devoted to popularizing mobile payments through an e-wallet service. Since then, the mobile payments Isis has been overshadowed in the…
