Tech News

Kickstarter Urbanism: Why Building a Park Takes More Than Crowdfunding

Dan Barasch, the co-founder of the Lowline, gets calls all the time from people who think his underground “culture park” already exists. In fact, the project’s successful 2012 Kickstarter campaign was only the first step in the old-fashioned process of politicking, fundraising and engineering. A year later, a look at the renderings versus reality, and…

New Sprint Customers Can Knock $100 Off iPhone 5S or 5C

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone 5S or 5C, and you’re not averse to switching carriers, Sprint’s new deal might be up your alley: it’s dropping prices on both new iPhones by $100 for new customers who bring their phone numbers. https://gizmodo.com/apple-iphone-5s-everything-you-need-to-know-1282062460 With this discount, iPhone 5C will be free at 16GB,…

These Floating Globes of Ink and Oil Look Completely Unreal

Oil and water don’t mix. It’s an idiom that feels as old as time. But photographer Alberto Seveso found a way to get oil and ink to play nice, and the results are stunning. Seveso is no stranger to shooting awesome pictures of liquids, but his newest project Dropping brings an awesome flair to the…

You Won’t Believe What It’ll Take to Free the Costa Concordia

The 114,500-ton Costa Concordia luxury liner has been rotting on an Italian reef since last January, after a collision that killed 32 of the 4,229 passengers and crew on board and has left the ship stranded for nearly 24 months. This morning, a crew of more than 500 engineers is attempting to finally right the…

10 More Bar Bets You’ll Never, Ever Lose

There’s no such thing as free money, and while this series of clever bets will all but guarantee you some easy cash, it will probably come at the cost of a few friendships. Richard Wiseman continues his long series of bets you can’t lose, and it makes you wonder why he’s not amassed a small…

A Goldpagne iPad Mini Would Actually Look Really Nice

Now that a gold iPhone has actually manifested itself and made (a select few people’s) dreams come true, it’s time to move on to the next logical question—what would goldpagne look like on an iPad Mini? https://gizmodo.com/the-gold-iphone-5s-is-an-actual-thing-and-it-looks-like-1281717480 Our good friend Martin Hajek had that very same question, and he’s provided the world with these lovely…

The First Color Screen GPS Watch Can Predict Your Race Times

Garmin has long been working to design GPS-equipped watches that don’t look like a monstrosity strapped to your wrist. And the company’s new Forerunner 220 and 620 manage a svelte form factor that also squeezes in wireless connectivity, touchscreen functionality, color displays, and enough stat tracking to predict how far a run you can muster.…

8 Abandoned Radar Stations That Were Once State-of-the-Art

Between the 1930s and 1970s, billions of dollars were spent to build early-warning systems—often in the most remote parts of the world. But by the late 1980s, most of these sites had been abruptly shuttered—made increasingly obsolete by the emergence of satellite communications. Yet the hulking shells, discs, and towers often still remain. The following…

This Flashlight Bulb Keeps On Shining During a Power Outage

Everyone knows they should keep a flashlight on hand in the event of a power outage, but how many of us remember to check its batteries, or ensure it’s always charged between emergencies? With this brilliant Bulb Flashlight, you never have to worry about such responsibilities, because it’s always charged. At $45 it’s expensive even…

Google Knows the Wi-Fi Passwords of All Android Users

A new privacy fuss is kicking off around Google’s Android mobile OS, with security boffins claiming that the software’s backup tools mean that a copy of everyone’s Wi-Fi password history is now saved to Google’s servers. Which may mean it could be legally compelled to hand them out, should a government come calling. The key…

This Mug Screws Into Soft Ground to Stay Upright

If you’ve ever struggled to keep your drinks in their receptacle at the beach, this concept will have your pretty excited: Screw Cup is a mug that can be driven into the ground to help it stay upright. Designed by Barcelona-based Minji Jung, the cup screws into sandy beaches—or, presumably, other soft ground—to ensure it…

Inside CERN’s Massive Computer Center

Given how much data the scientists at CERN have to crunch through, it’s not surprising that it take its computing power seriously. This video takes a look inside the massive computer center that allows the magic to happen. In what is essentially the brain of the Large Hadron Collider it is noisy, hot—and incredibly powerful.…

Intel Has Made a Processor That’s Powered By Wine

The Intel Developer Forum is coming to an end, meaning its execs get to go wild and show some of the oddball concepts under way at the tech giant. These include a processor so efficient it can pull all the energy it needs to run from a glass of red wine. Intel’s Dr Genevieve Bell…

The NSA Spies on International Payments

German newspaper Spiegel Online reports that the NSA has its own financial database to track money flows through a “tailored access operations” division. According the newspaper, a special NSA branch called “Follow the Money” (FTM) “widely monitors international payments, banking and credit card transactions” around the world. The newspaper, which cites documents leaked by Edward…

Google Glass seems to no longer require a tethering plan to share data with a smartphone—which, uh, saves a tiny proportion of the cost of the device as it stands. Great!

NYT: Rdio Will Have a Free Streaming Radio Service This Year

The New York Times is reporting that Rdio is partnering with Cumulus Media—a company that owns, like, real radio station—to provide a free version of its audio streaming service. According to the Times, Rdio will trade a stake in its parent company, Pulser Media, for the ability to use chunks of Cumulus programming and promos…

All the holiday paradises visited by Google execs using your tax money

Google and the Department of Defense signed a weird deal in 2007: the former would let the latter use a federal airfield and buy government jet fuel at half the normal price—for scientific and official purposes. However, Google’s top brass used tons of this fuel to travel to these hot playgrounds. Fort-de-France, Martinique, Caribbean San…

Chiddy Bang (ft. Mac Miller): Heatwave

Guys I think summer might be over. I know it was Labor Day already and everything, but now I see that I’ve been in denial. I mean fall is great, but I just didn’t really think it was time. It’s almost as devastating as when Chiddy Bang broke up in May. I’m flexible, though. I…

The Motion Of A Train Drawn By A Train

Station to Station is a project that brings “cultural interventions” to nine cities around the U.S.. Basically it’s a tricked out train with lots of art installations and other pieces on board. And when the train stops in each city, there are additional local events planned. If you want to see what goes on on…

There’s an App For Legally Binding Contracts

Signing something on a smartphone may not feel very legit, but be careful where you squiggle because mobile contracts are for real. And if you’re trying to keep legal fees down, a contracts app like Shake may actually help. Shake’s CEO claims that $1 million worth of contracts have already been signed on the app,…