Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
Seriously, how messed up is this. Al Shabaab insurgents in Somalia (Al Qaeda‘s proxy in the region) are going around flogging teenagers for listening to music and watching videos on their phones. Not to mention the senseless killings and amputations. Fighting has killed almost 20,000 Somalis since 2007, and though some semblance of order has…
Before David Pogue wrote his review of the Droid, he had trouble deciding what to call the device. He argued that “smartphone” is an outdated label for the “iPhone-like” devices coming out and so he looked for a new one. Our Jason Chen discussed this issue in the past and coined the term “com,” but…
If there’s one wonderful thing about the newly announced Olympus E-P2, it’s that it will probably make the E-P1 cheaper. If there are two or more wonderful things…well, read on. The Olympus E-P2 is less a sequel to the E-P1 micro four thirds camera and more a refinement of the original idea. It’s basically the…
I’m an iPhone user and not ashamed of that fact. What I am ashamed about is that a study done about iPhone users’ characteristics pretty much deems us a rotten, undatable bunch. And some of the results struck a chord. A company called Retrevo did what they call a “Gadgetology study” to gather up information…
I’ll admit that I got a slight chuckle out of this particular memo sent to AT&T employees today. It explains that the company has in fact filed a lawsuit against Verizon for the rather hilarious “There’s a Map for That” ad campaign and proceeds to instruct employees to use any inquiries as a chance to…
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 in a word? Compact. It’s efficient, almost cramped, like a Japanese car from the 80s. https://gizmodo.com/blackberry-bold-9700-on-t-mobile-and-at-t-in-november-5386509 Succinctly, it’s the new BlackBerry to buy if you’re on T-Mobile or AT&T. Doubly so on T-Mo, since it’s their first 3G BlackBerry. It’s not very much like the original Bold at all, which was…
Today’s Google homepage celebrated the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, but, as this video reveals, Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster celebrated Google in a song from 27 years ago. A super fun song of the you’ll-giggle-your-socks-off variety, that is. Yes, it came 16 years before Google ever existed and yes, technically the song is about Cookie…
It May Be The Best WoW Costume Yet, But It Makes Me Cry…Cupcake Frosting Robot Takes The Fun Out Of Licking Up Messes…Palm Will Not Be Having A Very Merry Christmas…Personalized Google News Pages Appeal To The Narcissists In Us It May Be The Best WoW Costume Yet, But It Makes Me Cry Right now…
Some good news follows T-Mobile’s recent outages: reports are coming in that some customers are experiencing download speeds above 2Mbps, meaning that the HSPA 7.2Mbps rollout may have begun. Is anyone here seeing increases in download speed? https://gizmodo.com/t-mobile-confirms-nationwide-service-outage-5396460 Android and Me is suggesting that T-Mobile customers try checking their data speed using Xtreme Labs Speedtest…
This is not a sofa. This is luggage. From Erik De Nijs—the designer who once bastardized these pants—I present you with your new airport/train station living room-to-go: The Suited Case. One by one, the suitcases are quite charming. https://gizmodo.com/bring-out-your-inner-tool-with-peripherals-pants-382570 I even like the retro fabrics. [Nieuwe Heren via Dezeen—Thanks Lola]
It’s intended as a fun way to deliver instructional videos to those wanting to play the harmonica, but I don’t think I’d spend $55 on those if they didn’t come on a playable harmonica-shaped USB flash drive to begin with. The drive is 4GB of musical goodness and available through the BackyardBrand Etsy store. Geez,…
I couldn’t be more envious of Google engineers working out of Switzerland. Despite the tacky wallpaper in its library, the new EMEA Engineering Hub is the most fun looking office environment I’ve seen in a while. Google’s philosophy that work and play are not mutually exclusive is definitely shown off in form of game rooms…
Not sure about whether or not you should invest in that new gadget? It’s a well known fact that flowcharts are the most reliable decision-making tools in existence. Consult the flowchart. Believe in the flowchart. You can’t go wrong. [Scordit]
Spolier: it’s Japan! What other country would produce USB warming pads designed for lovepillows? No other country, that’s what. Finally, ladies can work at their desks wearing only their bras in wintertime without worry of cold breasts! [Thanko via TokyoMango]
Yesterday’s nationwide T-mobile service outage may have been due to a system software error according to a statement from a T-Mobile spokesperson: https://gizmodo.com/t-mobile-confirms-nationwide-service-outage-5396460 On Tuesday, some T-Mobile customers may have experienced service disruptions impacting voice and messaging services. We restored full service to all affected customers later in the day. After investigating the cause, we…
This week Lifehacker’s got ways to avoid looking like a slob when eating chicken wings, pointers on really leaving no trace when browsing, proof that office space can be shared, and a gadget to annoy your coworkers. • Browser speed test results for Windows 7 • How to really browse without leaving a trace •…
It appears that Atom support has resurfaced in the latest developer build (10C535), so users running OS X on Atom netbooks are safe, for now. Although, anything can happen between now and the final build. [Stell via 9to5Mac via Crunchgear] https://gizmodo.com/is-apple-trying-to-kill-hackintosh-netbooks-os-x-10-6-5395020
Super Talent‘s first USB 3.0 flash drive, is huge—about the same size as Corsair’s Voyager, in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes. It’ll push those gigs of Zatoichi rips at 4.8Gbps, or about 10x faster than USB 2.0. https://gizmodo.com/corsair-flash-voyager-128gb-usb-drive-as-big-and-fast-5393180 Of course, you need a computer running one of these motherboards or cards, since Intel’s dragging ass…
The guy who came up with the name iMac said that Steve Jobs had a terrible first name for it. So bad it would “curdle your blood.” However, he didn’t say what it was. What could it be? My guess: https://gizmodo.com/steve-jobs-original-name-for-the-imac-was-so-horrifying-5396945 The Macternet! OK, that doesn’t really curdle my blood, but I’m sure you will…
Major Nelson, updating us on a periodic Xbox Live purge—banhammering cheaters, pirates and other folks of ill-repute, though not 12-year-olds—reminds us of Microsoft’s official policy that if you buy a used Xbox 360 that’s been banned, you’re screwed. The crux of the matter is that the warranty on an Xbox 360 “is not transferable,” so…
