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It’s possible that you’ve been reading reports of Microsoft’s body-capturing Project Natal with some skepticism, wondering, “how well can this cockamamie setup possibly work?” Well, going by this video of it perfectly tracking a guy breakdancing, pretty damn well. As best we can guess, Natal will be making its way to Xboxes sometime this fall.…
Aaron Woodman, the director of consumer experiences for Microsoft’s mobile division, was a guest on today’s Engadget Show, and he had a nice surprise for everyone: a prototype of LG’s Windows Phone 7 Series phone. There’s not a whole lot in the way of details—it’s a slider that’s a bit thicker than the iPhone, it…
When the iPad was unveiled in January, everyone could agree on one thing: it did look a lot like a big iPhone. Begeek.fr extends Apple’s consistent design to its logical conclusion in the company’s next two revolutionary devices. I hear the iBoard’s going to implement twenty finger multi-touch and the iMat’s even going to support…
If the iPad seems extravagant and the JooJoo’s sordid past turns you off, the 7″ Mini HAL might be up your alley. It’s no powerhouse, but at least you’ll be able to say you own a tablet. Updated. Scam alert! The 600MHz VIA CPU isn’t blazing fast and the 7″ touch screen isn’t luxuriously wide.…
We recently heard that Android 2.1 was on its way to the Droid, but now sources tell AndroidandMe that all U.S. Android phones will get Android 2.1 firmware in coming months, though some will require a wipe to upgrade. Updated. https://gizmodo.com/droids-android-2-1-update-full-of-multitouch-and-some-5466971 As we’ve heard is the case with the Droid, some niceties like animated wallpapers…
February has not been a good month for the Apple supply chain. After the assault, the arson, and the poisonings, now Apple’s annual supplier report reveals that this year 11 minors were found working in factories that manufacture their products. https://gizmodo.com/investigate-apples-chinese-supply-chain-get-assaulted-5474160 The 24-page report is full of bad news. The worst of it: three different…
Hammacher Schlemmer, purveyors of expensive, goofy gadgets, are now peddling the Foldaway Massage Chair, a shapeshifting piece of furniture that will keep your muscles relaxed, your apartment uncluttered, and your buyers remorse so potent you can almost taste it. Picture a Transformer. But instead of being a really cool car that turns into an ass-kicking…
Online retail is nothing new, but now brick and mortar stores want to get in on the high-tech action. The New York Times has a disquieting look at new technologies that will make you shop ’til your signal drops. Take, for example, Norma Kamali’s boutique in Manhattan, which recently implemented a system called ScanLife that…
Yesterday the Department of Defense released a memo outlining the government’s first official policy for social media access by military personnel. Somewhat surprisingly, it gives them unrestricted access to blog, Tweet, poke and ping just like everyone else. Effectively immediately, Department of Defense personnel across the board, including civilian employees and troops alike, have full…
No one likes getting stuck in traffic, but some roadblocks are better than others. A few of the best: an exceptionally cute string of ducklings; an ice cream truck with a flat tire; a stunning spread of 800 LED-equipped books. Earlier this week, the books blocked traffic on Water Street in Brooklyn, New York. They…
Yesterday we heard that a CDMA version of the Nexus One was approved by the FCC, and now Neowin has word from an anonymous Google employee that the Google phone will land on Verizon on March 23. That’s the day the CTIA wireless convention kicks off and it’s less than a month away; Perhaps a…
If you want peace and quiet, current technologies require a compromise: settle for thick, unsightly foam or use thinner panels that don’t block bass. A new technology developed in Hong Kong, however, is both super thin and super effective. The researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Kowloon have made their noise-canceling…
You know that webOS 1.4 update for Pre, Pixi, Pre Plus and Pixi Plus that we’ve been talking about since January? The one with video recording and Flash 10 beta and some other stuff? It’s live. [Palm] https://gizmodo.com/sprints-palm-pre-and-pixi-webos-1-4-update-hits-today-w-5480901
OCEntertainment wanted to know why we don’t have a Comment of the Week. I don’t really have an answer to that, but how about a collection of this week’s best #whitenoise comment threads instead? If you don’t like the gallery view, you can click here. https://gizmodo.com/from-whitenoise-batman-warmongers-and-drunkards-5481651 We’re proud of our comment system and commenter community.…
Adafruit’s Monochron kit lets you build custom clocks. You can use and abuse its animated display for whatever evil setups you can imagine, but my favorite is the retro arcade game based animation in this video. Wonder what happens if that clock ever gets better at playing the game though. Will time freeze? [Adafruit]
With a new iPhone expected to debut this summer, Apple’s phone-related patents start to take on added weight. Especially when they’re as badass as the one unveiled yesterday that turns the iPhone’s camera into a swipe pad. https://gizmodo.com/the-complete-iphone-v-4-rumor-roundup-5451175 The technology described in the patent, dug up by the diligent folks at Patently Apple, would allow…
On March 18, at the Baselworld watch show in Switzerland, a vaporous French company called Celsius X-VI-II will unveil the Papillon, a $300,000 mobile phone that is packed with the most advanced micro-mechanics of any gadget ever created. All of this according to a recent profile in PCMag, one that frankly raises more questions than…
V-MODA’s made some rather nice in-ear headphones with a pretty reasonable $99 price tag. They’re shiny, slender, durable, and capable of controlling your iPod, iPhone, or MacBook with those three little buttons. V-MODA PRESENTS REMIX REMOTE HEADPHONES: SOPHISTICATED SOUND AND DESIGN OPTIMIZED FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE, ACTIVE LIFESTYLES Series Offers Music Enthusiasts Unparalleled Audio, Style and Reinforced…
I spend all day online, but sometimes I like to pretend that I’m doing something exciting out there in the real world. Vectorial Elevation let me control 20 gigantic spotlights in Vancouver. I almost forget I was in my sweatpants. The site is one component of a telerobotic art installation that includes twenty spotlights scattered…
“Why the hell is Steve staring at that beach ball?” That was the question of the afternoon at NeXT’s 1987 company retreat. “It’s always about beach balls with him,” they muttered derisively, “what’s so interesting about beach balls?” These, of course, were but the first of millions of much more profane Apple/beach ball related mutterings…
