Tech News

These Super-Light Polymer Lenses May Eventually Replace Human Corneas

A new artificial lens that mimics the one found in human eyes is set to dramatically lower the weight of night-vision goggles, laser rangefinders and cameras aboard micro unmanned aerial vehicles that soldiers and marines must carry in the field. Optics and materials engineers have been working for a decade on a process that places…

A Report from the Luckiest Man Alive: Christina Hendricks Taught Me All About Whisky

I have a great appreciation for fine whisky, but I am no means an expert on the subject. Luckily, I was in the unique position to have none other than talented actress (we all know her as Joan on Mad Men) and whisky lover Christina Hendricks teach me everything I need to know about Johnnie…

This Digital Tracking Rifle Scope Only Shoots When Your Target’s In Your Sights

A company called TrackingPoint has developed what it calls an Intelligent Digital Tracking Scope that lets a shooter virtually mark a location so that the rifle will only fire when the intended target is in its crosshairs. Even if the trigger is squeezed, the rifle will only fire when it’s on target. Some might argue…

iTunes 11 Hands-On: So Fast and Clean You Might Actually Come Back

iTunes 11 has arrived, dispensing with the outdated mediocrity of iTunes 10. (Download it here.) We couldn’t wait to get our hands on the application’s redesigned interface. Here’s a look at the beautiful new design that might bring frustrated users back to Apple’s beleaguered media player. https://gizmodo.com/itunes-11-is-finally-out-heres-whats-new-5964255 The first thing you notice when you fire…

These Big-Ass Headphones Are Your Better-Than-Beats Deal of the Day

It’s hard to pinpoint when big over-ear headphones went mainstream. It was probably when Dr. Dre/Ludacris/Michael Phelps started endorsing mediocre cans for big bucks. Regardless, big-ass headphones aren’t just for big city cool kids anymore, they’re for everyone: elementary schoolers, teenagers, even your mom or dad. The problem is that when those people ask for…

Moebius Hanger Bends Time and Space To De-Wrinkle Your Shirts

Don’t even try to wrap your head around this twisted plywood hanger. It’s clearly only designed to support the shirts, belts, scarves, and other accessories of the world’s greatest mathematicians and physicists. No one else has any chance of understanding the mysteries of the universe that let this hanger exist. So be warned; Etsy will…

NASA Finds Water and Organic Matter In Mercury

NASA has confirmed a surprising, counterintuitive discovery. The burning hell known Mercury—the closest planet to the Sun—has water. Frozen water. Three new research papers, based on data obtained by the Messenger spacecraft, show undeniable evidence. It’s not just a little bit of water, but a huge amount: enough to cover Washington D.C. in ice. But…

Toys Injured 262,300 Kids Last Year, and Other Terrifying Toy Facts

Happy holidays, guys: last year, 13 kids died while playing with toys, and over a quarter of a million children were sent to the ER by their own toys. The biggest lesson here? Scooters are time bombs. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a report out on just how dangerous our tots’ toys are,…

The Gadgets We Really Want This Christmas

With all the gear passing through Giz headquarters, we fall in love with our fair share of tech. Sadly, we have to return the objects of our desire. Just as we fall for one, we’re forced to covet from afar. These are the gadgets we’ll be crushing on the hardest this holiday season. Hey there!…

Exclusive Behind the Scenes Clip of The Dark Knight’s Bat

While you were watching Nolan’s third and final Dark Knight flick, did you wonder how in the hell they got the Bat to do all of its hovering, darting and intimidating? Sure you did! With the movie about to drop on DVD and Blu-ray next month, we’re getting some fun teasers ahead of launch, like…

iTunes 11 Is Finally Out: Here’s What’s New

Apple’s slightly overdue update to iTunes is out. Finally. It’s a sizable re-imagining of a piece of software used by a massive amount of people. So you should probably take a minute or two to acquaint yourself with the new stuff. Here’s what’s changed. If you want to download iTunes 11 now, just check your…

Watch All the James Bonds In This Perfect Animated GIF

Some times GIFs are funny. Other times they are horrifying. And then, some have Hitler. But, in occasion, you find the absolutely perfect GIF. This, my friends, is one of those GIFs. https://gizmodo.com/heres-the-biggest-animated-gif-party-ever-and-youre-inv-5951078 All the Bonds in one masterful stroke of remix genius—Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig shooting at once. I don’t know…

A Classic Herman Miller Collection Gets a Contemporary New Napping Couch

Herman Miller’s classic Collection series of furniture is getting a new addition straight from London design firm Industrial Facility. Meet the Picnic Sofa, a simple, beautiful, wire-supported couch. The wire frame is key—it can easily support the contoured cushions, while weighing half that of a normal bulky couch. It also makes the sofa versatile and…

Microsoft Surface Pro Will Be Out in January—And Costs More Than a MacBook Air

Microsoft Surface RT didn’t quite live up to Microsoft’s promise of a true next-generation device, but you know what might? Microsoft Surface Pro. The good news: the Intel-powered ultrabookish tablet mash-up will be out in just a couple of months. The bad news? It might cost more than you want to spend. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-surface-rt-review-this-is-technological-hear-5953866 Microsoft announced…

Xbox Live Gold is free this weekend in North America and Australia. Go game and stream movies while you can. [Xbox]

How New York Will Stop the Subway From Flooding in the Next Huge Storm

New York knew for a long time that a big storm could flood and collapse the subway system, which is exactly what happened with Sandy. Yet city officials did nothing about it. But now, after all the suffering, we’ll finally be prepared. https://gizmodo.com/sandy-could-really-flood-the-new-york-subway-system-5955689 With an estimated $50 billion lost due to Sandy—$5 billion on transportation…

Even the New York Times Had to Learn Its Way Around Twitter

Let’s give the Gray Lady a little credit for being early to the game and unafraid to mix it up with her “hip young friends.” Makes you wonder how many other hilarious early tweets there are out there. [twitter]

This Generator Steals Energy From Passing Trains

It’s estimated that in the US alone there’s over 140,000 miles of train tracks criss-crossing the country. So a team of researchers from New York’s Stony Brook University have developed a simple railside generator that’s able to convert the vibrations from a passing train into usable electricity. The most difficult part of developing the generator…

How to Recover From Your Social Media Faux Pas

Social media nightmares are on a sliding scale. Misspelling a tweet might be embarrassing, while accidentally tweeting suggestive photos of yourself is truly mortifying. It’s important to note that even as co-founder of a Small Girls PR, I am not exempt from such social media mishaps. It’s because of my own personal experience that I’ve…

This Future-Proofing Torture Test Puts Next-Gen Materials Through the Wringer

Our gadgets sure have it rough. Between change-filled pockets, waist-high falls onto concrete, and dunks in the toilet bowl, gadget surfaces need to be tougher and more resilient than ever. To develop the next generation of durable surfaces, materials scientists rely on specialized torture testing equipment like the Bruker Universal Mechanical Tester to put prototype…