Tech News

Did You Know Mother Nature Had Missiles Before We Did?

Plants have evolved all kinds of wonderful mechanisms that let them disperse their seeds and reproduce, from puffy dandy lions to maple keys that spin their way to the ground. But none are quite as impressive as the squirting cucumber, which launches its seed pods like tiny high-speed missiles. The chaps over at BBC’s Earth…

Go Download Windows 8.1 Right Now

Microsoft has finally released Windows 8.1. You can go download it now, Start button and all. How much will it set you back? Well, Windows 8.1 is available as a free upgrade for existing Windows 8 owners. Free! But if you’re one of those people who has been holding off installing it, but are now…

Windows 8.1 Review: Little Changes Make a Big Difference

Hey remember Windows 8? How could you forget? It was the biggest upheaval in desktop computing in recent memory, and even if you’re not a user, its big colorful tiles are on your radar. Now, with Windows 8.1, Microsoft is giving its flashy new OS a first facelift. The changes are minor, but they’re more…

This 3D Printer Can Produce Hard and Soft Parts Simultaneously

3D printers are a dime-a-dozen these days, but every so often something special comes along. Like this thing: an industrial printer made by Arburg that can create products containing both hard and soft parts at the same time. https://gizmodo.com/this-insane-six-axis-3d-printer-even-works-on-curved-su-1445522451 Called Freeformer, the device uses a technique called Plastic Freeforming to take 3D CAD data and…

We’re Just Dumb Animals Sat In Front of Computers

If you’ve ever teased a cat by waving a laser pointer around on the floor and watching it chase the red spot around the floor, you’ll know animals can seem pretty dumb. But don’t for one second assume that you’re a higher form of intelligence. Don’t think you’re kidding anyone into believing that you’re actually…

The Galaxy Round Is Just a Prototype–But Samsung Will Sell It Anyway

We now live in a world in which you can buy a smartphone with a curved glass screen, with Samsung’s Galaxy Round hitting South Korean stores. But, in the eyes of its creators, it’s just a prototype. Still, whack it on the shelves, eh? According to insider sources speaking to SamMobile, the device is just…

Microsoft is updating all of its built-in Windows 8.1 apps—like Xbox Music, Mail, Calendar, People and all the rest—ahead of the operating system’s release later today. Excited?

If You Could Only Keep One Gadget, What Would It Be?

Imagine for some strange reason that you have to abandon the bulk of your possessions—maybe you’re on the run, or just trying to live a simpler life. What single gadget would you keep? Your smartphone’s a smart bet, because it’s so versatile. But then, you can get so much done with a laptop. Or maybe…

This Woz-Approved 4-in-1 Lens Gives Your iPhone Multi-Macro Powers

There’s only so much that Instagram filters can do. For everything else, there’s the Olloclip 4-in-1 iPhone lens. This slick little clip-on accessory—the next iteration of Steve Wozniak’s daily carry—adds four powerful lens effects to your iPhone’s camera. https://gizmodo.com/the-amazing-contents-of-steve-wozniaks-travel-backpack-5926598 Debuting tonight at the Pepcom’s event in San Francisco, the Olloclip 4-in-1 offers a fisheye, a…

This incredible bat-cave is 200 feet under Central Park

It took more than four decades to complete, but New York City Water Tunnel No. 3 is finally fully armed and operational. It’s an impressive engineering work that will quench the thirst of millions of New Yorkers and serve as the future lair of Lex Luthor, Michael Bloomberg’s next identity after leaving City Hall. https://gizmodo.com/an-artificial-cave-200-beneath-central-park-with-micha-1446538828

Nikon D5300: A Mid-Range DSLR With a New Image Sensor, Wi-Fi, GPS

Nikon’s updating its line of cheaper intermediate DSLRs with the D5300. The camera features a redesigned image sensor plus built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, compared to last year’s D5200. https://gizmodo.com/nikons-mid-range-d5200-dslr-finally-comes-to-america-5973706 The D5300’s 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor is the same resolution as the previous imager, but it’s actually been completely redesigned without an optical low-pass filter. Lots of…

The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: Hamburger 911

This, unfortunately, really happened. A Southern California woman, unsatisfied with the preparation of her fast food hamburger, decided that the best and most reasonable solution would be to call the police. Thanks Obama.

Panasonic GM1: A Pint-Sized, Adorable Mirrorless Camera

Panasonic’s new Lumix GM1 is the first camera in a new line of mirrorless, interchangeable-lens cameras that will prioritize style and portability over blockbuster features. Damn, this thing is freaking tiny like a point-and-shoot. The GM1 is primarily striking for its minuscule footprint, equivalent to the amount of space that an advanced, pocketable point-and-shot takes…

Everybody Probably Has These Dumb Pictures on Their Phone

The best camera is the one you have with you, they say. What they don’t tell you is that if that camera is your phone, it also doubles as the worst camera because of all the stupid pictures you have saved and forgot about in your camera roll. You know those photos. Accidental screenshots, once…

5 Common Life Hack Myths That Aren’t True At All

Debunking life hacks are always fun—come on, pointing out silly people doing silly workarounds for silly things to save a silly amount of time never gets old—so Household Hacker whipped up a quick list of five myths that some people do that don’t actually help change anything. Putting batteries in the fridge? Using salt to…

A Power Outage Made South Park Miss an Episode for the First Time

South Park was unable to meet its deadline for the first time in its 240+ episode history because of a power outage. That’s 17 straight seasons of somehow making things work on a short deadline until now. What a bummer! Comedy Central said: “On Tuesday night, South Park Studios lost power. From animation to rendering…

Yeasayer: Glass of the Microscope

There’s an unknown pandemic threatening mankind. Our only hope lies in Yeasayer’s laboratory-grade emulsion of science and synthesizer psychedelia. Dystopia never sounded so good. The newest video spawned from Yeasayer’s 2012 album Fragrant World sets the innate creepiness of an ominous laboratory to the song’s moderately-unsettling pop macabre. That’s no movie set; as director Ruben…

In An Artificial Cave 200′ Beneath Central Park with Michael Bloomberg

At 5pm today, the complete Manhattan section of City Water Tunnel No. 3 became operational, sending drinking water through this colossal piece of subterranean infrastructure—under construction since 1970—for the very first time. To mark the occasion—an historic event for the city—mayor Michael Bloomberg hosted a press conference two hundred feet below the surface of Central…

New Facebook Privacy Settings Let Teens Embarrass Themselves in Public

Facebook announced a pair of changes to the privacy settings for teen users on Wednesday. On the plus side, teens’ post will now be shared with a smaller group of people by default. On the potentially problematic side, they’ll also be able to share things with the public for the first time. In a way,…

The Army’s Cybersecurity Training Videos Are Embarrassing and Sad

For the past few years, the government’s been relentless about making the American people respect the importance of cybersecurity. Obama’s given speeches, written newspaper columns, and issued executive orders to drive that point home. This is serious business! So why are the Army’s own instructional videos so silly? As Buzzfeed recently unearthed, the Army’s Chief…