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Flash 10.1 Beta 3 spreads the hardware-accelerated H.264 video love to more graphics chips, specifically some decidedly less beefy netbook chips: Intel’s GMA 500 series and Broadcom’s Crystal HD video decoder. Stick with 720p Flash video, and you’ll be dandy. The Broadcom Crystal HD chip is a video decoder chip you’ll find in newer Pine…
When Microsoft introduced its BlueTrack mice technology in late 2008, they promised laser precision on any surface—whether that be carpet, wood or the belly of a dog. Now you can grab three new models for under thirty bucks. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-bluetrack-mouse-laser-precision-on-any-surfa-5047441 The three models—the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500, Wireless Mouse 2000 and Comfort Mouse 4500—all have the…
Based upon plant research by entities like NASA, Air Purifier Review has assembled the 15 houseplants that are best at cleaning your air (without electricity). The overall best? The Areca palm, also known as Chrysalidocarpus lutescens. [AirPurifierReview via Unplggd]
I like the idea of this titanium iPhone body replacement. And that’s why it’s too bad it is just a nice, hyper-realistic 3D render or painted plastic body. Update: Great. Engadget just published a video, but is it really titanium? First, the guy says this case costs not much more than the price of an…
Really? Really Sony BMG? After over 30 million views you just now decided to make YouTube pull Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” for a terms of use violation? If you were going to try to stop rickrolling, couldn’t you have at least done it a couple years ago? Do you know what’s going…
Not the first time Nvidia’s slapped bigger numbers on older cards, PC Perspective reports that a bunch of the 300 series cards are reincarnated versions of previous cards. The GeForce 310 is the same as the GeForce 210, using the GT218 core; the GeForce 315 uses the same GT216 core as the GT 220; and…
This is the Kodak Bantam Special, a limited-edition camera designed by Teague and released in 1936. It’s totally art deco and totally beautiful. [Monoscope via Kottke]
When the PS3 launched, 120MB of its 512MB of RAM were dedicated at all times to the OS. (To put that footrpint in perspective, the Xbox 360’s OS only used 32MB.) Luckily, Sony has refined their system. Over the course of several updates, the PS3’s OS has been weaned off RAM, its dependence cut to…
What you’re looking at is not only the winner of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council photo competition, it’s also the moment when humans became fearful of the mighty weightlifting ant race. As your eyes have clocked from the words “500mg” written on the weight, it’s lifting approximately 100 times its own body weight.…
Ignore the fact that there’s no room for bread or utensils, and for a moment, appreciate the efficiency of this compact lithium ion-powered coffee maker, milk frother and toaster—no bigger than a large cereal box. You done? OK, now we can speculate that building the frother into the coffee maker might save space—and the coffee…
To whom it may concern: The all day caffeine rush for your credit card, known as a woot-off in some circles, is going on now. [woot!]
Godspeed, friend. And on another note, the use of dated clipart in what’s essentially a gadget obit seems particularly fitting. [ScaryIdeas] UPDATE: New, related ads are making this look more like a viral marketing campaign than an honest plea for help. We’ve been betrayed! [Yfrog Thanks Sinéad!]
Train stations in the UK sometimes broadcast mosquito noises that are so high-pitched they can only be heard by those under 25 years of age, but Japan’s taken it one step too far with this age prediction gadget. Designed to be used on blind dates to determine their age, the Age Prediction Machine plays a…
The annual Geneva Motor Show has had an early entry ahead of next week, with Honda’s battery-powered 3R-C concept trike looking very fast and ever so protective of the dry head inside. The minimal, space-age three-wheeler has a low electric drivetrain to improve stability, and high sides for greater safety. Added to that, the lockable…
Some shocking news reaches us via the Google blog today—apparently three Google employees have been convicted in an Italian court over a video uploaded to Google Video back in 2006. Scarily, they had nothing to do with it. Writing on the blog, Google’s VP and Deputy General Counsel Matt Sucherman described that some Italian schoolkids…
Playing doctor and nurse used to be so affordable as a kid. Nowadays, you need to fork out $69.99 for an iPhone app, and $279.99 for an additional stethoscope. Still, you can’t put a price on saving lives, right? Not that you’ll be saving too many lives by connecting a stethoscope to an iPhone, and…
Tackling many green issues, Philips has lent its name to the Sustainable City Lights concept project, with the opening and closing lamps harnessing energy from the sun and wind to glow LED-bright in the evenings. Beautiful. [Yanko Design]
It may be a case of semantics, but Digitimes is reporting that Acer—who we already know are desperate to be the first manufacturer with a Chrome OS netbook—will be launching “devices running Google’s Chrome OS in the middle of 2010.” So far, we’ve been hearing the end of the year for releases, but if there’s…
Joking they were not, when Google vowed to take down China. Ok, that’s not exactly what they said—but after refusing to launch two Android phones there mid-January, they’ve now pulled out of a developers event in Beijing. Updated. https://gizmodo.com/google-refuses-to-continue-censoring-results-in-china-5446712 Following developer events at TED and MWC (plus the upcoming GDC), they were scheduled to tour…
Long ago, someone wrote about how Google is out to control your dog and marry your wife. I don’t know how right he was about all that, but I certainly know that Google Voice is out to ruin relationships. https://gizmodo.com/google-to-control-your-dog-personal-belongings-marry-329654 You see, reader Pascal wrote us about a recent experience he had with Google Voice’s…