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You’ve seen the Godzilla of Khazakstan and sure, it’s an impressive piece of machinery. But it’s a Tonka Truck compared to its big brother, the Bagger 288. This 13,500-ton leviathan chews the tops of mountains clean off. https://jalopnik.com/holy-freaking-hell-this-saw-cuts-through-mountains-5799307 The Bagger 288 is what’s known as a bucket-wheel excavator, built by the Krupp company for the…
When Netflix raised the price on their DVD+Streaming package, it sent shockwaves through the already suffering community of upper-middle class hipsters. But for just $6 a month—the price of a McDonald’s value meal—you can ease their pain. Or you could just direct them to their nearest torrent, maybe. Although honestly, now that four season of…
Gmail’s new email intervention campaign is about as cute as a baby with a kitten. Oh, it’s so precious! Look, Google, I get it. You’re very clever! But you’ve really got to cut out all the twee B.S. Let’s see what we’ve got here. Professorial type speaking in an obviously stilted tone for ironic effect?…
Ultraportable notebooks are finally fast enough that we can use them as our main machines. But damn, the SSDs they pack are small—how are you supposed to fit your entire music library on one of these? You’re not. Get that music off your hard drive, bawse. First off, you can get a lot of mileage…
A team at Caltech has developed an artificial neural network from human DNA molecules. Yup, we used a bit of ourselves to create artificial intelligence. I think I know how this story ends. More seriously, the Caltech researchers used DNA molecules to build their artificial neural network (which is the beginnings of a brain) because…
It’s a bit funny to think that after pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into an enormous weapons program like the F-35, we’re hurling them off carriers with steam-powered catapults. But hey, it works! Check out the world’s first launch. https://gizmodo.com/airplane-porn-the-first-f-35-arrives-at-its-first-home-5822551/ The thunderous push, which went down yesterday at a New Jersey Naval facility, shows…
JetBlue has offered unlimited travel deals in the past with their All You Can Jet package, but this time they’re giving you even more time to travel. You can fly anywhere, as much as you want for three freaking months! https://gizmodo.com/jetblue-brings-back-all-you-can-jet-deal-5614813 Sadly, as awesome as three months of unlimited travel sounds, it’s a bit more…
After the Fukushima disaster, Japan has obvious reasons for seeking out an energy alternative to replace 1/3 of its power. This so-called “fire-ice” could be drilled from the bottom of the Pacific ocean, though it’s not the safest option around. https://jezebel.com/the-complete-japan-crisis-timeline-live-updates-5780998 According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, just one cubic meter of…
It doesn’t get more science fictional (or pseudo-scientific) than creating life out of thin air, right? Not true, says a group of researchers who say the key to cooking up new organisms in a lab isn’t far off, NYT reports. Scientists like Gerald Joyce of the Scripps Research Institute think we’re close to creating molecules…
Doctors are testing a new liquid polymer that can be injected under the skin, molded and sculpted, then set in place with a LED array. Ultimately intended for use around the face, it sounds like a plastic surgeon’s worst nightmare. According to Technology Review, the compound is made of substances that are already used in…
Made for Nikon cameras, this waterproof case is created from polycarbonate so will keep your precious snapper bone-dry and corrosion-free, to depths of 200ft. There’s just one small problem—it costs $1,400. As you can see from the picture, it has two side-handles with buttons, for easy control, and an eye-magnifier so you don’t have to…
For some reason, crazy scientists from South Korea have created a dog that glows in the dark. Seriously. The beagle, named Tegon, was cloned and genetically modified so it lights up when you put it under ultraviolet light. It sounds completely gimmicky and terrible but the South Korean scientists said building the glowing dog could…
Travel pillows are one of those objects that always pisses you off when your partner packs it for a trip, but then 10 hours and a stiff neck later you end up being really jealous of. Cabeau’s $35 pillows have little pockets for MP3 players, which shoul avoid those mid-slumber accidents when you get tangled…
Sprint has signed and netted a massive $9 billion deal with LightSquared, which will give them access to their 4G LTE network for the next 15 years, and allow LightSquared roaming access on Sprint’s 3G network in return. [BGR] Sprint Nextel and LightSquared Announce Spectrum Hosting and Network Services Agreement LightSquared enters into a Spectrum…
There are dozens of strap-on fisheye lenses that you can buy nowadays for iPhones. Blame it on Lomography and Hipstamatic, perhaps. Pixeet’s goes a step further though, letting you shoot full 360-degree panoramas with the camera lens and free app. It works by taking four photos with the iPhone’s camera, which are then stitched together…
I felt sorry watching the puppet-like “Prince of Wheels” wobbling about on an electric bike for the first time, surrounded by photographers and journalists. Apparently he thought it’d work like a scooter, not realizing he had to pedal. Oh dear. [Evening Standard]
Leaving behind its pimply beta adolescence and debuting as the official new BBM 6.0, a host of new features have been added. Users can now send more than messages and photos to one another, with locations, links, calendar appointments and podcasts supported. https://gizmodo.com/leaked-photos-of-the-next-blackberry-messenger-show-col-5789477 The app has also been upgraded with third-party app support, meaning your…
Designed by the model-maker for Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the 2,100 medals created for the 2012 Olympics are the heaviest medals that’ll ever hang around a summer games athlete’s neck yet, at 400grams each. At 85mm in diamater, the medals are the largest too, and have meant the British team has had to adjust…
The image you see of Julia Robert’ flawless face has been gooning down from billboards and magazines for months now. Only trouble is, it’s fake—and now banned in the UK. As you can see on the left, the reality is still beautiful, but nowhere near the perfection Lancome has put across in its adverts. While…
The Beeb’s letting loose an international iPlayer app today for 11 Western European countries, and later this year, they’ll dip their toe in the water for a year in the US, Canada and Australia. Anyone for streaming Doctor Who? While it’ll be ad-supported, users will also have to pay 50 Euros/$70 for an annual subscription,…
