Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
In our kick-off excerpt from the gorgeous coffee table book Core Memory, photographed by Mark Richards and written by John Alderman, we learn of the Cinderella-like beginning of the Apple saga. Name: Apple I Year created: 1976 Creator: Apple Computer Company Price: $666.66 Memory: 4KB semiconductor Processor: MOS technology 6502 Of course people would want…
If you are looking for a low-cost All-In-One that somehow reminds me of a Darth Vader version of Humpty Dumpty, the Atom 1.6GHz-powered eMachines EZ1601-01—loaded with Windows XP and 1GB of RAM—may be the ticket for just $400. eMachines EZ1601-01 All-in-One Desktop • $399.99 (MSRP) • Microsoft® Windows® XP Home • Intel® Atom(TM) Processor N270…
Previously only available in Canada, the SmartSwipe credit card reader is now available to US online shopaholics. The device plugs into any USB port and allows the user to securely swipe their card to make purchases. “Until now, there hasn’t been an affordable and effective solution for consumers to securely protect their credit card data…
In an interview with T3, HTC’s Chief Innovation Officer Horace Luke justifies the impressive Teflon coating on the HTC Hero by saying that the iPhone is slippery as hell. The obvious solution, of course, is seedless watermelons. https://gizmodo.com/htc-heros-teflon-coating-makes-the-iphone-feel-like-jun-5302637 He also says that there are three “classes” of Android phone. Obviously HTC isn’t happy with Android…
Circuits made of plastic could revolutionize e-waste, but gadgets on fishing nets aimed to save sea turtles could end up adding to it. Plus, Italy gets a real WALL-E and Japanese tradition brings us cool ZenLight LEDs. Two Australian researchers have devised a way to make circuits out of recycled plastic that would help eliminate…
The bottom line is this: if you want to upgrade to Windows 7 from RC, you are going to deal with some crap. Apparently, a Microsoft spokesperson has confirmed that “you will not need to reinstall an older version of Windows before using an Windows 7 upgrade disk.” Awesome right? No, not really. The problem…
Steven Levy, Wired senior writer and the man who found Einstein’s missing brain, joins us to recollect his gadget-laden life back in 1979. He starts, fittingly, with the last typewriter he ever owned. In 1979, I wrote all my stories to the accompaniment of a grating hum, which sometimes modulated to a low growl. These,…
Fantastic news for current Windows Mobile users: Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Microsoft’s forthcoming app store, will work on 6.0 and 6.1 handsets as well. When? Still a cryptic “Fall,” unfortunately. Developers will be able to submit applications to get started on the vetting process as soon as July 27th, giving Microsoft a little lead time…
Want your kid to grow up a wussbag? Give him a rocking horse. Want him to grow up to a hard-drinking badass who punches wussbags in the face? Give him a rocking motorcycle. [The Blog Paper via NotCot.org]
Defense Tech has some interesting analysis of what happened with the North Korea’s attacks on United States and South Korean government sites. Given Kim Jong Il’s pathetic telecommunication infrastructure, their summary is both scary and kind of saddening. https://gizmodo.com/north-korea-now-attacking-us-government-sites-sources-5310143 To start with, the U.S. Government ignored the attack warnings and has admitted that they didn’t…
Meaningless numerical name? Check. Ostentatious styling added by a third party, completely unsuited for a component that you often can’t see? Check. Bizarre, irrelevant marketing claims? Oh, check. The MSI R4890 Cyclone SOC, which shares as much aesthetically with a motorcycle engine as it does a PC component, is a perfect example of everything that…
Marlies Romberg’s Dear Diary 1.0 Workstation takes the wooden keyboards and PCs we are used to seeing and integrates them into a completely wooden workstation. https://gizmodo.com/wood-keyboard-and-usb-gadgets-give-gizmodo-writer-excus-267095 “Personally, I am fascinated by how the world is changing into a digital world. To me it seems that; the digital world is personal but not private at all.…
RIM has popped off the lid off their rumored MyBlackBerry social network, which is half App World enhancement (reviews, decent PC interface), and half per-device support forum. It’s invite-only for now, but the site, with previews, is live. [MyBlackBerry]
Samsung has finally joined the illustrious, bulging ranks of Flip-imitating manufacturers, announcing the HMX-U10, a 1080p-recording, 10-megapixel-shooting compact camcorder set to land in September. https://gizmodo.com/the-ultimate-cheap-camcorder-battlemodo-5013420 It’s a form-factor that doesn’t leave much room for creativity, but Samsung’s managed to put together a distinctive product with the HMX-U10. The slightly swept design allows for more comfortable…
Official word about Android’s 2009 roadmap has been handed down, and it contradicts the early scuttlebutt: the mobile OS will get not two, but three updates by 2010, each named for a slightly more esoteric dessert than the last. https://gizmodo.com/two-more-android-updates-this-year-5310338 As we’ve known for a while, the next big update will be called Donut. This…
The Cowon S9 Curve built an imposing wave of hype on the strength of its looks, which made its underwhelming performance especially disappointing. This softly beautiful white version, though, makes me feel like it’s 2008 all over again. https://gizmodo.com/cowon-s9-review-5134111 For now, the device is only listed on Cowon’s Korean site, and there’s no official word…
FON has done some elective surgery on their Fonera 2 router, released just a few months ago with NAS, 3G and BitTorrent support. On top of those previous upgrades, the newest version includes 802.11n connectivity, web app upload support and reduced power usage. But first: What the hell is Fonera? https://gizmodo.com/fonera-the-communalist-wi-fi-club-revamps-routers-wit-5201726 A re-refresher, from last…
A whole mess of Samsung web-enabled HDTVs and Blu-ray players are about to get access to Blockbuster’s OnDemand service. Since OnDemand doesn’t require a monthly fee, this is a nice little value-add. For owners of select TVs and Blu-ray players, Blockbuster OnDemand will function just as we’ve seen it before: as a broad on-demand film…
There is history between geeks and facial hair. See: 1978. The very first staff photo of Microsoft includes several bearded members totaling 7 out of 9 men, mostly programmers. And I presume it wasn’t 8 out of 9 because young Bill Gates looks incapable of sprouting much at this time. (The talented female programmer on…
It can be hard to tell the legions of identical netbooks apart, but this Bandai RilakKuma will never have that problem, because it’s the cutest Atom-based piece of hardware we’ve ever seen. RilakKuma, meaning “Relax Bear,” is the name of the character whose eyes and nozzle are seen on the back of the netbook. This…