Tech News

Save the Buckyballs!

Friends, Americans, geeks, lend me your ears. The U.S. government is trying to ban Bucky Balls, Zen Magnets, and all sets of amazing and wonderful magnetic spheres, and we only have a few hours left to stop them! https://gizmodo.com/buckyballs-magnets-have-been-banned-by-the-feds-update-5929064 Since this summer, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has been threatening to sue Zen Magnets…

This Guy Built a Bot that Sends Him Random Crap From Amazon

What if you could give Christmas gifts to yourself but actually be surprised when you open them up? That’s exactly what Darius Kazemi did when he wrote a bot that buys him random crap off of Amazon. And he never has any idea what he’s going to get. He explains how it works on Random…

Xbox Live Now Has WatchESPN

ESPN on the Xbox just got a helluva lot better. Instead of being an awkward, half-featured sports channel, Xbox Live is now getting the real deal: a WatchESPN app. That means you can watch ALL of ESPN’s channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU and more. We’ve been expecting WatchESPN to launch on the Xbox since it…

Watershed’s Water-Tight Backpack: Durable, But Stylish Enough for Every Day Use

Sometimes carting around expensive electronics in your bag can be worrisome. Bad weather is always a threat since no one wants their laptop to get wet. If you’re paranoid, then the Watershed Big Creek Backpack might ease some of your anxiety. Watershed is famous for its dry bags. But this isn’t just camping gear—the water-tight,…

Recapping ‘The Jetsons’: Episode 09 – Elroy’s TV Show

This is the ninth in a 24-part series looking at every episode of “The Jetsons” TV show from the original 1962-63 season. When I was a kid I didn’t quite understand how TV and movies were made. Around the age of four or five, I had a basic understanding of how live TV was recorded…

More NYC subway stations are getting Wi-Fi and cell service. This is a good thing, people. So quit your whining. [NYT]

These Internal Videos Show Why The Microsoft Kin Was Such a Total Disaster

Long before the Windows Phones we have today, there was another: the Kin. You may remember it…as being total garbage. Well now you can relive the horror with some previously unreleased videos WIRED dug up and watch Microsoft’s own Kin testers recoiling in disgust. As these testers show, the performance was pretty dismal. A far…

DARPA’s Falcon HTV-2 Can Deliver Its Payload Faster Than Domino’s

ICBMs are great and all, but since they are used almost exclusively for nuclear strikes, launching one would practically guarantee WWIII. So, to get non-nuclear ordnance anywhere in the world in under an hour, DARPA is developing the reusable, hypersonic Falcon delivery system. The Falcon (Force Application and Launch from CONtinental United States) Project is…

What Is Israel’s Iron Dome?

Israel got itself into a little mini-war in Gaza, and Hamas is firing off an extra dose of rockets into the Holy Land. What’s (maybe) stopping them? Something called the “Iron Dome”—and what exactly is an Iron Dome? https://gizmodo.com/israels-iron-dome-intercepts-incoming-rocket-threats-5914690 The Iron Dome is a web of missile launchers designed to protect Israel from rocket attacks……

Everything You Need to Know About Killer Drones in One Rad Musical Cartoon!

Are you confused by the ethical grey area, constitutional ambiguity, and general scariness of robots that kill people? Don’t sweat it, man. Hang out with these Cool Drones, and watch this Edu-Fun video, right here on Gizmodo. SNL’s video might not address the legality of conducting lethal drone warfare in the airspace of sovereign nations…

Apple Just Can’t Keep iCloud In the Air

Today, iTunes Match went down. Yesterday, it was iMessage and FaceTime. Since launching iCloud to the public on October 12th, 2011, Apple just hasn’t been able to keep its cloud-based services airborne. Sure, the most basic iCloud plan is free, but iTunes Match costs $25 a year. As a replacement for the MobileMe catastrophe, iCloud…

Windows 98 Solitaire Deck Immortalizes Our Most Important Pre-Internet Distraction

Is $20 too much for a deck of playing cards styled to look exactly like the pixelated designs in Windows 98 Solitaire? Not a chance. As their creator Evan Roth points out, before the internet Solitaire was the only real distraction an office drone could rely on. So why not give it the respect and…

Hostess and the Bakers Union agreed to mediation! Twinkies are (probably) saved! Did you survive the famine? [@CNBC]

These Star Wars Movies Are Your The-Way-Lucas-Wanted-Them Deal of the Day

Some people will never consider the recent Star Wars Blu-rays to be the “true” Star Wars. To them, the only real copy of a Star Wars movie is either a Super 8 cam of opening night in 1977 or a flawless rip of an only-in-Myanmar Laserdisc. But to young Padawans, and people who eschew 70s…

All the Black Friday Deals: 2012

It’s the biggest shopping day of the year. There are tons of deals—and not-really-deals—out there. So we combed through every one we could find, and ranked them all. Here’s your Ultimate Black Friday guide: happy hunting. Deals are grouped by category, just like our daily Dealzmodo lists, with a few changes to make it more…

15 Technologies to Fortify Your House During the Holidays

You need your house to feel safe over the holidays, whether you’re heading out of town, or staying home to host family between turkey time and New Year’s Eve. That’s where technology can help. Here’s a look at the essential items to consider when you’re defending your castle this holiday season. 1. Affordable security camera.…

This Skateboard/Motorcycle Hybrid Is a Skinned Knee Factory

The Urban Shredder—possibly the unholy offspring of a motorcycle and skateboard—looks like a cycle shop custom creation designed for only the most extreme/insane riders. But it’s actually a ridable Hot Wheels toy, and could be one of the most popular/most expensive/most dangerous toys this Christmas. Powered by a 250-watt electric motor running on a pair…

I just typed this by accident, and it was worth it. [starwares.com]

Oprah’s Surface Raves Are Coming From an iPad

Earlier this month, Oprah gave Microsoft Surface a rave review, and since then, she’s been keeping up the positive chatter about it on Twitter. The catch? She’s been doing it with an iPad. Or at least, her social media intern has. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-surface-the-oprah-benchmarks-are-in-5956309 Twitter removed the ability for third-party clients to broadcast their use on vanilla…

Budget Gadget Gifts That Save Cash and Don’t Seem Cheap

Come on, we’re in an economic recession recovery! So while you still want to buy your friends and loved ones nice gifts, you aren’t exactly in a position to break the bank. Good news—there are plenty of wonderful gadgets out there for you to choose from this year. And they don’t seem cheap at all!…