Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
The painful days of updating Android apps one—at—a—time might be at an end with Android 2.2. But is automatic updating really preferable to an “update all” button? It opens questions, and doors, possibly bad ones.[Phandroid]
I always imagined fairies as pansy Disney cartoons. But Gwenael Nicolas’ ‘Sparks’ lamp paints a different picture—one of a brazen, orbicular creature of light that leaves sharp crystals in its wake. [designboom]
Pepsi and Waste Management are teaming up to make every kid’s on-the-go recycling dream come true with Dream Machine, a giant, computerized recycling bin that doles out points for returned bottles. Because who needs deposits when you can have dreams. The internet-connected kiosks will be installed at places like stadiums, parks, and and gas stations…
“There is no elastic. There is no fold-over flap. The case doesn’t even have the little bit of extra room that the one that Sprint is promoting…it’s just a simple zip-up case that resembles a poor man’s clutch purse…” [Gear Live] UPDATE: It looks like Gear Live’s comparison was actually of a different product. But…
I’m often pretty sure nothing would be more cathartic than blasting holes in my console. Having Master Chief do the dirty work for me, like in this case mod? All the sweeter. Best of all: you can actually buy it. This (fully functional!) rig, designed by Weta’s Richard Taylor, is up for auction until April…
There’s a reason why more people haven’t seen the next iPhones before Steve Jobs makes an announcement: They’re in disguise. This iPhone, which looks drastically different from the 3GS, was enclosed in a custom-molded plastic case so it could be used in public without attracting attention. In regular use, you would think that this was…
It’s the ultimate science project: 8 students, assisted by Tom Atchison and the Rocket Mavericks team, will attempt to design, launch and operate a rocket using new Sony® VAIO notebooks with Intel Core Processors. Launch details inside. On launch day, the Sony VAIO will be the Mission Control for the launch. It will operate GPS…
You know iFixit from their Mac repair guides and parts. (They estimate they’re the second-largest supplier of Mac parts next to Apple.) Now they’re expanding to create repair guides and manuals for everything. It’s another community-based project, so you can be forgiven for being skeptical. These things are only even as good as their contributions.…
La Marzocco‘s iPhone app is pure espresso machine porn, with photos and specs of its current productions—the Mistral is one of the most gorgeous machines ever produced. It’s like a free coffee nerd boner. [iTunes via ShotZombies]
A study of fruit flies that have had their scent genes mutated shows that they live up to 30% longer than normal flies. Quick, buy some noseplugs! The experiment mutated flies so they didn’t have a gene that allowed them to smell carbon dioxide, which is how they detect the presence of yeast. It caused…
Sometimes you have to just buck up and splurge a little. And if there was any day to do it, it’d be today. Land the new TV you’ve been eyeing or replace that old computer. Seriously, it’s time. Top Deals: • 52″ Sharp AQUOS LC52E77u 1080p LCD HDTV for $1,049 with free shipping (normally $1,248…
Assuming the next generation Kindle and Nook stick with E Ink as their display provider, this video highlights what’ll be new: Animation and nearly double the contrast ratio. Shipping to OEMs in the second half of this year, this next generation E Ink display is undoubtedly improved. Even through YouTube compression, one can make out…
Jobs is probably not psyched about what went down this week. It’s time for payback, sweet, vengeful payback. Send your best entries to me at [email protected] with Jobs Strikes Back in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs under 800k in size, and use a FirstnameLastname.jpg naming convention using whatever name you…
From the same chap who brought us the watch with actual moon dust and parts from Apollo 11, comes the timely (sorry) Icelandic Eyjafjallajökull watch. With—you guessed it—volcanic ash. Pretty fast, considering it only erupted last week. https://gizmodo.com/icelands-volcanic-ash-causes-hundreds-of-european-fligh-5517678 Romain Jerome’s design looks burnt to the crisp, but if that’s the style your wrist has been…
We already knew what was inside the iPad, but I must say, it’s still a bit of a letdown that zero gnome skeletons were revealed in this shot. [gigazine via CrunchGear] https://gizmodo.com/this-is-what-the-inside-of-an-ipad-looks-like-5508346
You paid your taxes, the government got your pesos, and here’s where the President wants to spend them in 2011. Death and Taxes keeps being my favorite chart every year. Guess who gets the biggest cake piece (again). https://gizmodo.com/death-and-taxes-shows-fascinating-terrible-view-on-mil-5068686 The poster shows the spending of each department graphically: The bigger the circle, the larger the…
There’s a lot to be happy about in iPhone OS 4. Like multitasking, and threaded inboxes. So why doesn’t it feel right? iPhone OS 4 isn’t a drastic overhaul, or a radical reinvention of the iPhone formula; it’s just another predictable step forward. But the little things it delivers in response to popular whims are…
Artist David Karave: “I saw these dummies as experiencing the vague alerts, and the anxiety and the paranoia that we normally feel as a society, in place of us, and thereby saving us.” [CrashingAlert via DarkRoastedBlend]
As though cameras on top of every traffic light weren’t bad enough already: there’s now a trial run of satellites that will catch you speeding, over a several-block range, from hundreds of miles up. Hope for clouds, I guess? The SpeedSpike system is being tested at two locations in London, and works a little differently…
By taking a wee survey. Email the last question to [email protected], and you could score a 19″ LCD HDTV. All the better to watch the Lost finale on. Yeah, that’s happening. You’ll survive. Or will you… [Rules]
