Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
The US Gov is no stranger to Amazon’s data centers: they’ve used them for sites like Recovery.gov and Energy.gov. But after shuttering 40% of their data centers, the Government is looking to Amazon to house data that’s considerably more sensitive. https://gizmodo.com/us-government-shutting-down-40-of-its-data-centers-5823003 Not-so-creatively dubbed “GovCloud,” Amazon says that the server will require anyone accessing it to…
If you didn’t know, we love GIFs here at Gizmodo. They’re little Internet treasures that you hold on to forever. But you know what needs more GIFs? Your phone. AnimGIF for Android turns your favorite GIFs into wallpapers. What’s it do? It’s a wallpaper “app” that lets you use any GIF you find on the…
Usually, people showing at flash mobs do some kind of artsy fartsy performance in a public place, summoned by viral tweets or Facebook status. These people did the same thing and robbed a 7-Eleven in Maryland in under a minute. Watch the videos. Detectives from the Montgomery County Police 5th District Investigative Section are investigating…
This must have been incredibly terrifying! Imagine rumbling along in your massive C-130 over Afghanistan, when KABOOM, a UAV slams into your wing and tears a big chunk out if it. Now imagine having to land like that. sUAS News relays the following dispatch from the scene: On closer inspection I could see a part…
Unplggd offers a great little how-to for anyone hates mosquitoes (read: everyone) and is sick of buying new candles and cans of spray. All you need is some orange peel and a spent plug-in repellent you might have lying around. Just cut an orange rind to about the size of a refill, stick it inside…
This photo of a dead dog named Sussie was printed using her ashes. It’s really creepy, but I kind of want the same thing done to me when I die. You know, just for kicks and to piss off whoever has to keep the photo forever. It seems that the people from Skrekkogle—who is now…
Do you care about music? Probably. Do you use the internet? Yes. If so, you probably loathe Pitchfork, perhaps the most arrogant collection of HTML ever assembled. And yet it’s our most powerful critical voice—and changed music forever. Apparently, Pitchfork turns 15 years old this week. I had no idea it’s been going since 1996.…
The technical merits of a gramophone-shaped passive amplifier are certainly up for debate. But those looking for a stylish way to dock/charge their iPhones (without spending hundreds on an adequately-designed speaker dock) could do worse than Ozaki’s iSuppli Gramo. Available in white, red or black, the stand keeps iPhones upright so that they’re just a…
The war of phone wielder against chef rages on: despite today’s pro-phone victory in Washington, Texan comrades have been hit with a setback. Allison Matsu was having a drink. She didn’t like her bartender. She tweeted about it. BOOM: booted. https://gizmodo.com/fascist-phone-banishing-restaurant-liberates-customers-5831796 HoustonPress reports Matsu’s infringing tweet called her bartender a “twerp,” and labeled him with…
Xbox 360 users might have their fancy ESPN but the only sport most people care about is football. Sony just announced that PS3 users can sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket (a DirecTV exclusive) even if they don’t have DirecTV. That means you can watch every NFL game straight from your PS3. https://gizmodo.com/the-new-espn-on-xbox-360-is-the-only-way-i-want-to-watc-5824986 Here’s how…
Someone is keen on continuing Anonymous’ crusade against BART in the wake of the agency’s cell phone blockage debacle last week. This new hack broke into the BARTpoa website, and exposes the personal data of 102 BART police officers. Updated. http://gizmodo.com/5830830/anonymous-hacks-bart-website-leaks-user-info-and-passwords Interestingly, Anon lays no claim to the hack, stating on Twitter that “some random…
Seems like everyone is up President Obama’s ass for something these days. Too much war. Not enough war. Too much spending. Not enough spending. This guy can’t win. His rapidly graying hair is proof of that. But if El Presidente had a few tools at his disposal, his job might be a lot easier. Here…
Officials in NYC are considering testing a service that’ll let drivers pay for parking with an app or simple text. Finally. This could be the start of driving in New York not sucking so much. The pilot program will last one year, and will hit 300 spots in the outer boroughs in the next few…
The Nexus S—4G connectivity, Gingerbread OS upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich, massive 4″ display, NFC capability, and a 1GHz Hummingbird processor. Oh, did I mention it’s free today with a 2-year Sprint Contract? No? It is! -AT Top Deals • Lego Batman Game (Wii) for $10 with free shipping • Nexus S 4G Smartphone [w/new…
Dining Instagrammers of the world, rejoice—the totalitarian owner at DC’s Rogue24 is no longer forcing you to sign a contract before choosing to eat and pay for his food. So pull out that smartphone! Screw talking! Tweet! FILTERS! https://gizmodo.com/restaurant-forces-customers-to-sign-no-cellphone-contra-5831035 Eater chatted with Rogue24’s RJ Cooper—the epicurean Himmler behind the dining contract. He doesn’t say why…
Making the most of a bad situation. That saying comes to mind when I see this, because how could turning a bike fork dropout into a bottle opener not have a crazy story attached to it? Example. A friend of mine once told me that, while riding his bike downhill, he got hit by a…
Yeh, metal-tape measures stopped being cool right around the time ThinkGeek started selling the Smart String, which has 50-inches of retractable string that can bend around curved things. BUT WAIT! It also tells you the measurements on the LCD screen. That’s to three decimal places, motherlucker. It also has a small amount of onboard memory…
Shadows – they’re our 2D doppelgängers shrouded in darkness…sometimes gorgeous, sometimes eerie, often both. For this week’s Shooting Challenge, celebrate the shadow, again. The Challenge So we’ve featured shadows before. This time around, though, you’ll be restricted to living subjects only. Of course, you can have shadows of objects, too, and the shadows can be…
Forget about the Apple glass cube. This store has been presented today at the Santa Monica Planning Commission by some “ASB/Blatteis Promenade Holdings, LLC”. Who could be the actual retailer? There’s only two possibilities here: Apple or Apple. https://gizmodo.com/the-amazingly-seamless-new-apple-cube-5829710 The renderings clearly show an Apple store, down to the tables, bar at the end, and…