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So long, Symbian! Nokia announced this morning that the 808 PureView was the last phone it’ll ship with the aging OS. https://gizmodo.com/nokia-808-pureview-hands-on-a-superb-camera-with-a-ph-5912940
Scientists from the European Bioinformatics Institute are squeezing unparalleled amounts of data in to synthetic DNA, and now they’ve achieved something absolutely amazing: they can store 2.2 petabytes of information in a single gram of DNA, and recover it with 100 percent accuracy. The researchers have encoded an MP3 of Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I…
For once, Nokia’s earnings report isn’t the kind of thing which makes investors weep like small children. In the fourth quarter of 2012 the Finns became successful once more—netting a $585 million profit. For some perspective, that’s a remarkable turnaround from the third quarter of 2012, which saw Nokia make a $754 million loss, and…
In January 2012 scientists around the world halted research on engineered avian flu viruses over concerns that the work was too dangerous. Now, those scientists are taking to labs once more to continue their work. https://gizmodo.com/scientists-will-halt-research-on-avian-flu-that-could-k-5877934 What was initially a 60-day halt to research turned into a year-long battle for the scientists, who have had…
Google has just announced that it’s given Images an overhaul. Placing an emphasis on speed, metadata and slick looks, image previews will now appear in an inline panel to make it easier to browse large previews. That means that metadata will appear right next to images—handy if you’re looking for a particular size of image,…
There have been rumors floating around the internet for months suggesting Google has been considering building its own LTE network. Now, the Wall Street Journal claims that the search giant is secretly building its own new kind of wireless data network. https://gizmodo.com/rumor-google-in-discussion-with-dish-to-plan-new-wirel-5961109 The Journal report is centered on an FCC filing spotted by engineer Steven…
This Orange amp, called the OPC, isn’t like other guitar amps. Instead of being little more than a jumped-up loudspeaker, this thing packs more computational grunt than your main computer. Actually, it’s an update of Orange’s first attempt to make a guitar-focussed computer—but boy is it updated. Tucked away within its iconic orange casing, you’ll…
Like it or not, Ashton Kutcher’s Steve Jobs biopic will premier across the US on April 19th. Watch it if you dare!
This startlingly orange gun isn’t something from a sci-fi film set. Instead, it’s a new firearm, from UK-based Selectamark, that fires non-lethal pellets—and marks its targets with DNA for later identification. Designed for use by police and military, the gun fires soft little green pellets, pictured below. Weighing just one gram, when they hit a…
Good news, slideshow lovers: Google Slides now lets you create, edit and present offline. [Google]
Temple Run 2 is out for Android now, too. Sorry, productivity.
Getting lost in a forest of trees sounds like a lot of fun but then you realize things like bugs and wildlife and poison ivy exist. Not so fun anymore! What’s guaranteed to be fun is to trap yourself in a cube of floating lights. 8,064 LEDs to be exact. Called Submergence and created by…
Shack Man Rain Spirit “We can’t cure the common cold but we can sure as shit make an awesome pipe” — Peter Ha [High End Glass] CADAVER Don’t let squeamishness dissuade you from watching this awesome tale of love after death. It stars Christopher Lloyd, Tavi Gevinson, and Kathy Bates. Richard Feynman on the Social…
Wolfram Alpha, the true know it all on the Interwebs, introduced a ridiculously detailed Facebook report complete with statistical insights about how many links, photos and updates you ever posted on your page last year. Today, Wolfram Alpha is adding even more detail to its Facebook report so you can learn more about how you…
If you’ve ever wondered how Facebook comes up with those annoying features you hate, wonder no more: Facebook is obviously getting all those silly requests from focus groups! Focus groups who give suggestions like seeing wall posts between people you don’t know, having a stranger’s comment pop up on your news feed and wanting Facebook…
Prince is a notorious, Lars Ulrich-level hard-ass when it comes to the copyright protection of his work and has been especially outspoken in his distaste for YouTube. But it would appear that the seminal rocker has had a change of heart if this newly “leaked” single is any evidence. Screwdriver, the new “official lyric single”…
It’s safe to say that the future will be here any day now, specifically the future from Back to the Future Part II. We’re still working on our hoverboard and levitating DeLorean technologies. Now, Toronto-based designer Ryan Taylor has developed the forerunner of the Garden Center fruit dispenser. https://gizmodo.com/the-back-to-the-future-hoverboard-is-2012s-worst-toy-5967983 As Taylor explains, The Babylon Light…
No matter how bad your morning is going, this adorable $12 Sunnyside egg mold is sure to brighten your day—unless you’re some kind of monster. Its clever design traps and holds an egg’s yolk so it cooks in the shape of the sun, while the egg whites are free to flow and solidify into the…
They say it’s a poor carpenter who blames his tools, but sometimes the right gear can make all the difference. So if you find yourself completely sober at noon on a weekend, maybe you need to seriously think about upgrading your wardrobe with a Drinkmaster Hoodie designed specifically for maximizing your libation enjoyment. In addition…
Want to make a Peter Pan costume for your dog? Craft a voice-controlled robot? Instructables has all the tutorials on the most outlandish projects you can conjure up. What does it do? Gives you recipes, how-tos, instructions, and tips for crazy DIY endeavors. Why do we like it? We’re a big fan of apps that…