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Apple has already stopped calling Apple TV a “hobby.” It’s too important now to the company’s future, and too successful in its own right. But the thing that pushes Apple TV into your living room won’t be any one box redesign or killer app. It’ll be the remote. https://gizmodo.com/why-apple-tv-just-became-apples-most-important-product-5931185 You can find the full case…
Once you get past a couple of awesome Kindle deals, today’s post features a lot of great items that everybody could use in their life. Flash storage, an external charger, spare USB ports, and Eneloop rechargeable batteries are all represented, and that’s just the start. http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?tag=gizmodo08c-20 If anything in your house takes batteries, you should…
This. This is what Apple needs to beat everyone: A $99 Apple TV with the graphic oomph of an iPhone 5S, plus a new larger remote that doubles as a full gamepad and a motion joystick—like the Nintendo Wiimote. If this concept becomes a reality, Cupertino really can win the living room. Images by Martin…
The first story published about L.A.’s Monday earthquake had an interesting line appended to its end: “This information comes from the USGS Earthquake Notification Service and this post was created by an algorithm written by the author.” The algorithm called Quakebot was written by Los Angeles Times writer Ken Schwencke to quickly gather and publish…
You wouldn’t believe it just by looking at it, but this slice of 60s Americana is located three feet underneath a New York City park. Or, at least, it was back in 1964. Whether it’s still there remains a mystery—one almost as fascinating as the reason it was constructed in the first place. The late…
A bulletproof, air-conditioned, diamond-covered, $3.2 million suit? Even James Bond would drool over this. Not that it would matter; it’s also waterproof. Naturally. Developed by Swiss company Suitart, the Diamond Armor suit comes custom-tailored to each individual (ludicrously wealthy) owner. But that’s only the beginning of this suit’s many features. For the price of a…
After you read on and get excited about double-asteroids, remember that eastern North America has a chance to observe a potential double-asteroid this week. So stay up late (or get up early) to make observations for SCIENCE! https://gizmodo.com/now-you-see-it-now-you-dont-asteroid-occults-regulus-1544638153 https://gizmodo.com/new-evidence-emerges-in-support-of-double-asteroid-impa-1547126671
A comfy air mattress can make roughing it feel a little less rough, although wrangling one inside a tent that’s a little too small for your queen size bed can be a huge pain. And that’s exactly the situation that inspired Dan Robertson to create the Aesent: a tent with a built-in air mattress on…
Throughout the 1950s, broadcast television was limited to domestic transmissions simply because we didn’t have a means to relay signals far enough to span the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. It wasn’t until NASA shot Telstar, an unproven, newfangled “active” communications satellite into orbit in 1963, that mass media truly become an international phenomenon.…
Well that certainly didn’t take very long. According to a study published Monday, the Western Corn Rootworm (actually a beetle larvae) has already developed a resistance to not one but two strains of generically modified corn thanks to the over-reliance and improper implementation of the crops by farmers in Iowa. Researchers first discovered that the…
When we saw the Oculus Rift Crystal Cove headset at CES we were blown away. It was incredible. And now there’s good news: you can pre-order your own for $350 today. It’s not the final product but it’s still fantastic. https://gizmodo.com/i-wore-the-new-oculus-rift-and-i-never-want-to-look-at-1496569598 Just like the version we saw at CES, the Oculus Rift Dev Kit 2…
Its April 6 premiere is around the corner, and the Game of Thrones Season 4 trailers keep piling up like dead Starks at a wedding. The new trailer shows fans—myself included—more stuff to make us go aaashkahgskjghslkjdghsdf. Enjoy! SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. Join us on Facebook
These are the droids NASA was looking for… These sphere-robots are openly inspired by the remotes from Star Wars. Their full name are the Synchronized Position, Hold, Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites, and they just went flying on the ISS. A seeker-remote from Star Wars. In fiction, the remotes are used by Luke Skywalker to…
Sony’s full-frame mirrorless duo, the A7 and A7r, are about to become just a bit more capable with the latest firmware released today. Improvements include faster autofocus, improved startup time, and a vaguely stated ‘improved image quality.’ https://gizmodo.com/sony-a7-a7r-review-so-long-dslrs-hello-future-of-ph-1469132320 The update is available here, and will provide a slight but meaningful improvement to the camera that…
The Yellow River has been completely frozen for weeks. China’s flood prevention authority decided that, before the snow melts and a huge clusterfuck ensues, they should destroy de ice and make it flow again. So they said: “Let’s ask the air force to bomb it because—fun!” China’s Air Force sent a few airplanes loaded with…
Two Chinese companies, TowerJazz and Gpixel, have teamed up to develop the GMAX3005, a new massively high-resolution 150 megapixel CMOS image sensor. The goal is to use it for medical and industrial applications, so don’t expect it to see it in your next DSLR. Admittedly, we don’t have a lot of reference points for evaluating…
It’s rarely the case that buying a two-in-one product is better than purchasing each component separately. But ÖKO makes a strong case for merging your flashlight and water bottle when you’re heading off into the wilderness. Its Odyssey provides both safe hydration and ample illumination when you’e trying to keep your backpack light. When it…
Until Android Wear actually comes out on some real hardware, it’s not much more than a bunch of promises, some of which are a little lofty. But if you look at the developer preview, there’s some good news: Android Wear gets the basics right. https://gizmodo.com/android-wear-heres-the-future-of-android-smartwatchwe-1546388688 Macmixing took a spin through the preview of Android Wear,…
The auto industry in the US hit a few speed bumps over the past few years, and while many factories have closed, it’s good to see that some workers, like this industrial robot arm, have managed to find work elsewhere. Instead of building sedans, this arm now lathes solid blocks of maple into lovely wooden…
If you’ve been on the fence about joining Amazon Prime (and you really shouldn’t be!), today’s your last chance to sign up for a new account without paying an extra $20 for your first year. https://gizmodo.com/amazon-prime-is-still-the-best-deal-in-tech-1542971643 Technically, the Prime price hike doesn’t go into effect until April 17, but since new members get a mandatory…
