Tech News

Sonos’ wonderful wireless music system is getting a long-overdue app refresh, beginning with a new Android controller which should pop up in Google Play today. New features include a cleaner UI and universal search that lets you look through all your connected services for the tune you desire. The iOS, Mac, and Windows apps will…

Facebook’s Facial Recognition ‘Approaching Human-Level Performance’

Facebook has been working on facial recognition for years to auto-tag photographs, but has now reached a point where its technology is ‘closely approaching human-level performance.’ In fact, in some ways it might even be better. The social network’s in-house research team has been working on a project called DeepFace: cutting-edge facial recognition software which…

A Touchscreen ‘Smart’watch That Doesn’t Need a Phone

In a time when every company seems to be announcing a smartwatch, Phosphor has taken a slightly different approach with its Touch Time. It runs a small suite of apps, accessible on the watch’s monochrome touchscreen LCD display, but what it comes with is all it will ever have. There’s no wireless connectivity to a…

This Was the First Modern Organization Chart

The words ‘organization chart’ are usually enough to make anyone’s eyes glaze over—but this, the first modern example of such a visualization, is actually incredibly pretty. The flowery chart was created by Daniel McCallum for the Erie Railway way back in 1855. One of the largest rail organizations of the time with 500 miles of…

WSJ: Amazon’s Streaming Box Will Arrive Next Month

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Amazon’s much-rumored video streaming device will go on sale in “early” April—on Amazon.com as well as through retailers like Best Buy and Staples. Bezos & Co.’s answer to Roku, Apple TV and Chromecast—rumored to be on its way since this time last year—will, according to the Journal, offer…

Apple has launched a cheaper 8GB version of the iPhone 5C in Europe, making it around $80 cheaper to get the lowest specced iOS handset. There’s no word on when—or if—the phone will arrive in the U.S..

Apple Replaces Ageing iPad 2 With 16GB iPad 4

Apple has re-introduced the fourth-generation iPad , replacing the ageing iPad 2 with a single 16GB version of the newer tablet. There aren’t any changes to the re-introduced device: it simply replaces the old tablet which still featured the old 30-pin connector, sitting as a budget option in comparison to the iPad Air. As a…

This looks like an F-16 flying an inch over a perfectly calm lake

Ron Elkind took some really cool photos at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, like these two USAF F-16 from the Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron mirroring each other. https://gizmodo.com/the-1989-b-2-bomber-still-feels-like-a-plane-from-2089-1546174229

Why is the Patent Office So Bad At Reviewing Software Patents?

Many problems with the patent system—from the explosion in patent trolling to the wasteful smartphone wars—can be traced to the flood of software patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). These patents are often both broad and vague and are the favorite tool of trolls. A recent study concluded that, even under…

The 1989 B-2 bomber still feels like a plane from the future—or a UFO

Photographer Ron Elkind sent us some cool airplane photos taken at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Like this is the B-2 Spirit of Florida with its weapons bays open—mouths of destruction that can vomit anything from bunker busters to nuclear nombs. Or this beautiful F-16 shot. It feels like a mirror image, but they are…

Is this anti-gravity wheel a magic trick or just cool physics?

A man effortlessly lifts a 42-pound weight at the end of a long rod over his head. It seems like it’s floating! What is this sorcery? Is this guy a wizard? Perhaps he has discovered an anti-gravity device to make Back to the Future skateboards? Actually, it’s just good old physics in action. First watch…

The way they filmed this car chase scene is absolutely genius

Not everyone has Alfonso Cuarón’s budget to build the car rig used in Children of Men’s 4.1-minute long tracking car sequence, so when The Raid 2’s director Gareth Evans and his team had to film this car chase scene they had be really clever. Turn-a-cameraman-into-a-car-seat genius-level clever. The action starts around the 9-minute mark: SPLOID…

Super cute baby dressed up and posed as famous TV show characters

Say hello to Olivia. Or is that Daenerys Targaryen. Or Hannah Horvath. Maybe Walter White. Sometimes Michonne. And Frank Underwood. Olivia has been all of those famous TV characters before because she’s awesome. Photographer Karen Abad played dress up with her friend Cristina’s baby Olivia and cooked up this adorable photo series showing the toddler…

This Digital Light Show Will Blow Your Mind to Smithereens

Yes David, this is real life. This really happened last May at the Infrasound Festival when Tipper took the stage, backed by Android Jones‘ visuals.

Sushi chef makes miniature sushi with a single grain of rice

Sushi is at its most delicious when it’s simple. Obviously years of training is required to become a master sushi chef and details matter immensely but you can boil down the essence of sushi to rice and fish. Yum, however you slice it. But could you make sushi even simpler? One sushi chef did. He…

Hear the shocking difference between 2013 and 2014 F1 racing engines

The rules done changed in F1 racing from last year to now and the most obvious difference between 2013 and 2014 is the sound of the engine in F1 racing cars. Before they used to be so screaming loud that they sounded like the manifestation of space laser warfare on the road. Now in 2014?…

Watch a scuba diver instantly put a shark to sleep with this neat trick

You should probably never try this when you go scuba diving but watch this scuba diver turned shark whisperer instantly immobilize a shark and put it to sleep with a touch of the nose. The diver uses a technique called tonic immobility, he basically holds the sweet spot on the shark’s nose to put it…

Watching These Designer Sweaters Gently Unravel Will Drive You Nuts

I can’t quite describe the feeling I got while watching this simple video from creative misfits Lernert & Sander. They’re systematically unwinding beautiful, designer-label knitwear until all that’s left is perfect balls of wool. And somehow, it’s totally satisfying and strangely unsettling in equal measures. https://gizmodo.com/a-years-worth-of-make-up-applied-in-one-day-is-a-horrib-5818037 The clip is a clever promo for Kiki Niesten,…

How Delivery Drones Could Save Lives in Africa

What the first thing you think of when you hear the word “drone?” It might be killing machines. Or reconnaissance quadcopters. Or maybe a honey bee. But for a countless number of people in Africa, it could be a flying packmule with life-saving cargo. https://gizmodo.com/this-is-where-drone-operators-kill-people-by-remote-con-1501895208 On Monday, the organizers of the Flying Donkey Challenge announced…

Bracing for the Next Big Quake With L.A.’s New City Seismologist

The 4.4 jolt that shook Angelenos awake this morning was the latest reminder of our complicated relationship with the ground below us. But I had a different perspective of what was happening under my feet this time: Just before this latest earthquake, I took a walk along Hollywood’s fault lines with Dr. Lucy Jones, Los…