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Electronic voting is clearly here to stay, but it’s been plagued with accusations of fraud and insecurity at nearly every election since it was introduced. But voting systems designer David Bismark may have a solution. His new system, which he described in a talk at TEDGlobal 2010, uses multiple steps to ensure security and make…
How appropriate. The pen is as permanent as its ink. The stainless steel sharpie is $8, and has replaceable ink cartridges. It was released sometime last year, but I just discovered it today. [Sharpie via Uncrate]
It’s time to be nostalgic for the days when you could count on WPA2 as the strongest, most impregnable wireless security standard. Security firm AirTight Networks has discovered a means of compromising WPA2 encryption using about ten lines of code. Utilizing what’s known as a “man in the middle” exploit, whereby an authorized member of…
The Mobiola Headset app for the iPhone offers a simple and easy option to record VoIP calls. It turns your iPhone into a mobile headset for your desktop PC too. The app’s idea is pretty simple: your iPhone becomes a mobile headset (and recorder) for VoIP calls made on your Mac or PC. The way…
Show your love for all things .com and you could win $10,000. Click here for more about the HowDoYou.com contest and peruse the entries that yours will be up against. Don’t wait to tell your story: Enter the HowDoYou.com contest now by submitting a short video or essay that explains how .com has changed your…
Citibank’s iPhone app accidentally saved private user data such as passwords, account numbers, and bill payments in a hidden file on phones. No security breach has been reported, however Citibank is urging its customers to upgrade their app to fix the flaw and delete any saved information. [WSJ via Fast Company]
There may be plenty of ways for Twitter to make money, but it doesn’t look like charging membership fees will be one of them: a recent survey showed that zero percent of users would pay for the service. Zilch. None. Zero. Nada. Zip. Zippola. Goose egg. This is fun! Of course, some people will pay…
Amimon, some of the masters of wireless video signals, just demoed a 3d HD video signal in prototype. Wireless HDTV signals aren’t all that necessary, and 3D is kind of a joke, but its good to know that if the two go mainstream, we’ll be ready with the tech to support all that. [Techon via…
Those looking to minimize desk clutter will be pleased with HyperMac’s entrant to the iPad stand rodeo, offering a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery for 16 hours of extra life. The HyperMac stand has two slots at 18 and 45 degree angles, each providing what purports to be superior viewing for movies and reading, respectively—and…
I’ll admit, cinnamon candy isn’t my thing, so I feel hypocritical recommending it, but the fact that it’s free will ease my conscience. Plus, you don’t even have to leave your house to get it. That’s hard to pass up. Top Deals: • 14″ Lenovo G455 AMD Athlon II X2 Laptop for $469 plus free…
With the 2010 World Cup a distant memory, Japan has started preparations for its 2022 World Cup bid. Judging by what they’re showing FIFA, it’s going to be ridiculously futuristic. Like real-time holographic matches beamed across the world futuristic. Fans will gather in stadiums around the world and Japan will show a holographic version of…
The Wireless Power Consortium has finalized the Qi standard, meant for low power devices. It’s good for gadgets up to 5 watts. And the goal is for the standard to be interoperable between chargers and gadgets from different makers. That’s the sort of openness that doesn’t always happen when standards are too vague, so I’m…
Today’s Library of Congress statement marks a historic moment in the battle between those who dictate how we should be able to use media and technology, and the rest of us. We explain what the new exemptions mean for you. Copyright law is a giant, hulking swamp beast of legislation and tangled legal precedent. The…
Over at Daring Fireball, the well-informed John Gruber suggests Apple might out a new 27″, 16:9 cinema display tomorrow, perhaps in concert with faster iMacs and refreshed Mac Pros. Update: And perhaps, even more tantilizingly, with Apple’s elusive Magic Trackpad? https://gizmodo.com/apples-bluetooth-magic-desktop-trackpad-clears-fcc-5590996 The Mac Pro line is long overdue for a refresh, and their imminent overhaul…
Have you seen this incredible Levi’s viral ad? A person walks coast-to-coast across America in stop motion. It’s basically a commercial, but the effect is genuine. A group of guys traveled across the US, grabbing one shot at a time: (That lead video is the commercial. The second video is the making-of.) Note that the…
People are excited about new US Government rules that say that unlocking and jailbreaking the iPhone or any other cellphone is now legal. I’m happy about it, but it really doesn’t matter much to you or me. Here is why. Unlocking allows you to make a cellphone work with any wireless provider you want, freeing…
While there had been some murmuring that AT&T’s gimped HSUPA upload speeds were getting back to normal, we’ve now got official word that the software fix has been deployed and will roll out over the next two to three weeks. https://gizmodo.com/at-t-is-capping-upload-data-speeds-update-its-a-defec-5580418 The software patch is being deployed in areas where the AT&T network is supported…
PSA: Next time you’re snappin’ shots at a show, keep in mind that your swanky DSLR’s sensor might not get along so well with that radical laser light show. Vimeo user Agua learned this the hard way. And yet another camera getting burned: The takeaway: don’t look directly at lasers, and don’t let your camera…
FlightView just touched down in the Market, allowing Android owners to track individual flights, organize trips, check for delays, and more. And at only $1 (or free with ads), it’s worth it even if it saves you an anticipatory headache. The app lets travelers track flights and check weather at over 900 airports internationally. True…
French Blog Mac4Ever claims that iLife’11 will arrive on August 7, 2010. According to their sources, the $79 package will feature 64-bit apps, deeper integration with Facebook, completely revamped iWeb, and a mysterious new app. What could it be? There are no details about this mysterious software that apparently is taking the place of iDVD—which…