Tech News

The Desperate Puppy in the Window, Digitized

Projected against a shop window in New York, Sniff is a 3D animated dog. He’s just a computer-generated rendering, sure, but he’s got personality—he reacts to your gestures, follows you around, and presented with a group, chooses favorites. The sidewalk in front of the store has been fitted with small infrared lights, and the installation…

New iMacs Get More Boring With Every New Rumor

The latest rumory bits on new iMacs supposedly coming soonish: Blu-ray’s out (still), and they’ll be using Intel’s Core i7 Clarksfield chips (conveniently explained this morning), which would make them Apple’s first quad-core consumer computer. https://gizmodo.com/rumor-new-thinner-imacs-rolling-off-factory-lines-wi-5367047 Clarksfield’s somewhat of a given, since iMacs use laptop guts. If we are going to see these new iMacs…

Make Windows 7 Actually Cool for Microsoft

Windows 7. It ain’t cool. It seems like a great operating system and all, but the thing just isn’t sexy. Let’s help Microsoft out and add some coolness to their big new baby. Send your best examples of the eternal hipness of Windows 7 to me at [email protected] with Cool Windows in the subject line.…

Tilt-Shift Photography Turns Disney World Into Epic Toy Set

Disney World is essentially one big toy model, so in many cases, its miniaturization through the magic of tilt-shift photography ironically looks more natural than actually being there. As as pile of trinkets, Disney World actually seems pretty normal. [TechEBlog]

Clever LED Bike Light Has an Accelerometer to Sense When You Brake

Sure, you could wear a Safe Turn indicator for night rides, but why lift your arm when the Spooklight has a wireless handlebar touchpad. Its accelerometer also shines your brake light when you slow down—just like a car. https://gizmodo.com/safe-turn-keeps-cyclists-from-getting-killed-athough-t-347754 The LEDs are super bright, and a built-in lithium polymer battery keeps them juiced for about…

Amazon Now Delivers Stuff the Same Day You Order It

Awesome: That’s my one-word reaction to Amazon’s new “local express” delivery option, which will get a Sqweel (or anything else) to your door the same day you order it. https://gizmodo.com/sqweel-ten-tongued-sex-toy-to-drive-women-crazy-5379522 You’ve gotta order between 10am and 1pm, and it’s not cheap: You’re talking like a $15 delivery fee, unless you’re an Amazon Prime member, and…

You’ll Be Seeing Justin Long’s Smarmy Apple Face a Lot More Soon

Windows 7 launches a week from today, so you’re probably ready for the Microsoft advertising blitz that’s already started. But are you prepared for the Apple Windows 7 onslaught? https://gizmodo.com/family-guys-seth-macfarlane-and-microsoft-team-up-for-h-5381164 Oh, that’s right. Apple sees Windows 7 as an opportunity for them just as much as it is for Microsoft, since people are looking to…

A once grand cellphone company now having problems navigating a world where great software has to go along with great hardware.

Man Stuff – The Best of Uncrate

Barber shop chairs, ghostly iPhone apps, and a belt-driven watch – celebrate the anniversary of the Gregorian calendar with the week’s best from Uncrate. This week at Uncrate: We get ready for a Halloween viewing of Drag Me To Hell, take a ride on the 2010 Honda VFR 1200F, and get a little woody with…

Download Firefox 3.6 Sorta Beta Now

The first release candidate of Firefox 3.6 beta 1’s out, if you’re adventurous. It’s a test build of the beta, if you will. What do you get? Tab previews when switching (you have to enable them), taskbar thumbnail previews in Windows 7, more speed, and a mild feeling of superiority. All of the usual “it’ll…

Port-a-Pint Portable Beer Glass Keeps You Always at the Ready

What do you do if you stumble upon a beer keg but don’t have a pint glass handy? You suffer, that’s what. Which is why you need one of these eminently practical and reasonable devices. [Neatorama]

Why Didn’t Verizon Announce the Storm 2 When RIM Did?

The BlackBerry Storm 2‘s had a pretty weird debut. The original launched with a ton of coordinated fanfare from Verizon and RIM, but this time around, it’s a murky, limbo launch, basically announced by Walt Mossberg. https://gizmodo.com/the-heavily-leaked-blackberry-storm-2-gets-unofficially-5381996 So what happened? Officially, the reason that Verizon hasn’t announced the Storm 2 is that “it’s not available…

Coat Hanger Gorilla in Captivity

Great, just when I was over the Boogie Man, there’s a new monster living amongst my nice shirts. Where’s Jane Goodall’s modular closet organizer when you need it? [David Mach via ReubenMiller via Geekologie]

Obviously, a Bar Made of a Boeing 747 Engine Attracts Girls In the Skimpiest Dresses

Say whatever you want. It may be naff. It may be tacky. It may not attract buxom women in tiny black dresses. It will make me look like that guy. What. Evah. The Motoart PW-747 Cowling Bar rocks my world: A world with ejection seat chairs, airplane piston engine tables, and a mirror bed made…

Now YOU Can Contribute and Comment to Gizmodo Directly

Tweaking the design is actually the less interesting design change we made today. The more interesting one is adding ways for you to get your tips and problems onto Gizmodo instantly. All of Gawker’s sites opened up our comment systems four years ago, and since then, not only have you folks contributed to the content…

Massive ‘Google Editions’ eBook Store Pushed Back Until Next Year

“This time we mean it” was the last declaration Google made about their plans to open an eBook store, set to launch before then end of 2009. And hey, it looks like they did! Well, except for that 2009 part. https://gizmodo.com/google-plans-to-sell-ebooks-by-the-end-of-2009-5273713 Google’s come forth with a few more details about how their store, called “Google…

Told Ya Nokia Was Doomed

While most of Nokia’s billion dollar loss comes from its network equipment side, it’s worth noting their global marketshare has tumbled again, down to the 35 percent, from 41 percent last quarter. It used to be over 50. Anyone wanna guess where it’s stopping? [Nokia]

Exos Braces Heal Your Bones, Look Cooler Than Casts

Say goodbye to old-school casts for broken bones. Exos Medical’s braces, splints and casts are adjustable, breathable, lightweight, clean and waterproof. The only drawback is that you can’t have girls sign them. These things use a lattice of thin steel laces that can be tightened with one hand and loosened using a clicky dial knob.…

Those Google Street View Drivers Had No Idea What They Were In For

Click to viewGetting paid to go on a road trip? Sweet! But wait, just how far do you want us to drive again? [Collegehumor]

Wi-Fi Bracelet Tracks Grandma or That Cheating Whore of a Husband

Ekahau’s T301W Wi-Fi Bracelet can pinpoint the exact location of anyone wearing it, without the use of GPS. But there’s a catch. While cellphones often use Wi-Fi to triangulate a person’s position in the world, the T301W only works on preconfigured Wi-Fi networks that are coupled with additional beacons. In other words, you sort of…