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Voice control has been the trend in phones for a while now, but it’s not content to just stay there. The newest Chrome Beta is introducing a Web Speech API, which means a talk-y future is on the horizon, hopefully. So far, Google’s got a demo where you can dictate a little messages for your…
Most of us look can look at this beautiful hand-carved X-Wing themed coffee table and appreciate the craftsmanship that went into its creation—even if we would never even think of putting in our living rooms. But for die-hard Star Wars fans, this could very well be the holy grail of Lucas-inspired home decor. Unfortunately there’s…
During the Cold War, it wasn’t hard to determine who could have been behind an airborne nuclear strike—just check behind the Iron Curtain. But in the modern era of nuclear proliferation, figuring out who set off a bomb would be more akin to crime scene investigation. Say a nuclear missile is launched somewhere in the…
This is the 15th in a 24-part series looking at every episode of “The Jetsons” TV show from the original 1962-63 season. The world of “The Jetsons” is fundamentally a conservative vision of the future. Whenever I mention this people tend to give me a strange look. But what I mean by “conservative” is not…
There are plenty of cyberweapons floating around out there, like Stuxnet, Flame, and that whole gang. Now, Kaspersky has turned up a cyber-espoinage operation its dubbed “Red October,” and it’s up there in the big leagues. But unlike its cohorts, it doesn’t look state-sponsored. This is a freelance job, and it’s professional grade. https://gizmodo.com/meet-flame-the-massive-spy-malware-infiltrating-iran-5913779 While…
Mooly Eden steps out of the world of transistors and microprocessors for a moment. “If you want a simple explanation of what we’re doing, just look to Asimov,” the head of Intel’s Perceptual Computing push says, explaining. “Or Star Trek, Star Wars, and Avatar. The ideas have been in science fiction for years, and now…
You may never have a fleet of iconic sports cars parked in your garage, but that’s ok because this beautiful set of handmade wooden toy cars is a fantastic consolation prize. Designed by Emanuel Rufo the set includes a Ferrari 250 GTO, a Ford GT40, a Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing, a Lamborghini Miura, and a…
On March 30th, Netflix gets Cartoon Network shows including Johnny Bravo, Robot Chicken, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
You want to go to the presidential inauguration so badly. But it’s going to be crowded, cold, and you just can’t afford that vacation day. Good news—you can follow along with the new official inauguration app for Android and iOS. Watching from a distance? Watch a live stream and find events near you. Lucky enough…
I’ve read plenty of crazy GPS stories, but this has to be the craziest of them all: a 67-year-old woman drove for 900 miles over the course of two days because of a GPS error combined with her complete lack of attention. Her actual destination was only 90 miles away. https://gizmodo.com/this-is-what-happens-when-the-gps-is-wrong-5654044 The woman, 67-year-old Sabine…
There are countless reasons we should be recycling our garbage as much as possible, from dwindling natural resources, to the harm our disposable lifestyles are doing to the planet. But perhaps the most convincing reason to recycle, at least your empty paper towel and toilet paper cardboard tubes, is this fantastic Toobalink building set. Out…
Spend enough time in Portland and you’re bound to come across someone who works at Nike. Poke and prod them enough and you’re likely to walk away with some insider knowledge. So Nike is testing out several FuelBands on its Beaverton campus and the timing sounds about right as the original announcement came around this…
Picture this. You’re an airliner pilot. Buzz Aldrin—the man who flew to the Moon and back, among many other space and combat missions—comes to you and asks you to please “fly us safely home.” On United Flt 1110 from Newark to LAX just before takeoff talking to the Captain and asking him to fly us…
Here’s a look at videographer James Bernal’s 2012 in 365 seconds. Bernal captured one-second of video a day using a Canon 5D MKII, a GoPro, and an iPhone, and assembled the clips into a stirring montage. It’s funny how epic real life can seem when you slice it into particles. Here’s to a 2013 full…
SteelSeries released a couple of new keyboards at CES called the Apex and Apex Raw that are targeted at the gaming community with 22 macro buttons, advanced anti-ghosting hardware, and light-up keys with 16.8 million different colors. But what’s particularly neat is the included analyzation software that promises to intelligently improve your gameplay. It runs…
Nearly 800 snake hunters are signed up for the 2013 Python Challenge in Florida. For the next month, the hunters will be scouring the Everglades for the invasive Burmese pythons that are destroying the fragile ecosystem. This is a real thing. Under the rules of the contest, which is sponsored by the Florida Fish and…
Liquid metal technology. That’s Terminator 2 stuff, right? Well you better start running now, John Connor, because it’s here. A new, flexible, conductive nano-coating lets liquid metal keep its form by transforming under high pressure, and then springing right back. Granted, it’s not like anyone will be using this tech to form galinstan—an alloy of…
If you want a colorful explosion, you can get your hands on some fancy, professional fireworks, sure. Or, you can take the easy way out and blow up a couple of buckets of paint. You’ll be like a Jackson Pollock with a case of M-80s. The Slow Mo Guys went with that second option, and…
Yes, there are literally thousands of chess games available for mobile devices. But there’s still something utterly satisfying about moving physical pieces around an actual board, and facing your opponent. So skip the Chess With Friends and go with Jonas Lang’s beautiful laser-cut chess set that’s as easy to carry as your ultra-thin laptop. The…
Here is some free PR advice for the National Rifle Association: Now is not the time to release a target practice iOS app—especially one intended for kids. According to the NRA, the app is intended for children as young as age four. In Target Practice you can choose to test your skills in an indoor…
