Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
The Palm Pre isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to attacking iPhone weaknesses. It has copy and paste, data tethering and will support Adobe’s Flash. https://gizmodo.com/flash-on-iphone-is-coming-up-to-adobe-to-clear-tech-hu-5143766 Flash was confirmed to Newsweek’s Dan Lyons weeks ago, but now they’re being open about the support. https://gizmodo.com/palm-pre-the-definitive-guide-and-faq-5133554 Palm has joined Adobe’s Open Screen Project—an industry initiative designed…
Taken literally, the idiom “tighten your belt” means it’s time to cut back on your strict bacon diet in lean economic times. A recession diet calls for sacrifice—and this belt puncher can help. The concept, developed by Brooklyn-based SONIC Design, utilizes a 3-disc adjustment mechanism to dial in the user’s net income and estimated cost…
The latest Vex prototype robot kit is just called Walker—a generically oblique name that somehow makes it scarier—and is inspired by Dutch artist Theo Jansen’s terrifyingly beautiful beach creatures. As it moves, the legs undulate in a wavy, spooky motion. If it was as big as Theo’s creatures it would mulch any puppies or small…
Here’s an interesting one-off about Windows Mobile 6.5. Microsoft has mandated that all phones running the OS feature a physical “Start” button. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-windows-mobile-6-5-liveblog-5154179 (We can see an example here in the new HTC Touch Pro.) https://gizmodo.com/htc-touch-diamond2-and-touch-pro2-feature-bigger-screen-5154108 Using the Start button will not take you to the Home screen, like the Zune, but to that trademark…
Is your little boy or girl afraid of the dark? Well those times are over, friend. The Bazooka Light (along with the uzi, sniper rifle and pistol) is not some plastic novelty. It’s an all-metal lamp—one that will feel like a real gun in your child’s hands as he or she puts a stop to…
File this under decidedly unconfirmed, but Boy Genius has unearthed official shots and an advertisement that indicate the Android phone we’ve seen leaked recently as the G2 is Europe-bound as the HTC Magic. https://gizmodo.com/android-g2-photos-thinner-and-no-keyboard-5135926 Beyond that, details are thin. BG is claiming a flashless 3.2 megapixel camera (same as the G1), and all the expected…
We are at the Hotel Catalonia Plaza, here in Barcelona, listening to Steve Ballmer sing the virtues of the new Windows Mobile 6.5. Update: It’s over. The new user interface looks great. 4:02 PM: OK, it’s wrap. Windows Mobile 6.5 looks nice, people. The UI is very nice. I’m off to get some food and…
Microsoft finally got around to giving official word on the stopgap disaster relief measure known as Windows Mobile 6.5, and here it is: Marketplace, My Phone and the new interface are, as expected, happening. The most exciting part of WinMo 6.5, aside from the new, finger-safe interface, is the Windows Marketplace—a feature which was teased…
The Samsung BeatDJ and BeatDisc are just cellphones, but they promise “deep rich bass and crystal clear treble” through stereo speakers featuring B&O’s ICEpower amplifier. We’re ever so skeptical. Otherwise, the DJ has a 2.8″ AMOLED touchscreen and MicroSD slot for storage while the Disc features an slightly smaller screen but adds a numeric touchpad.…
Samsung is working hard to up the ante on cellphone camera resolution. But forget digital cameras. With their 8MP Omnia HD (spotted yesterday), Samsung is going after camcorders. https://gizmodo.com/samsung-omniahd-and-beatdisc-phones-feature-hd-widgets-5153941 The new Omnia HD features a 3.7-inch (360×640) screen, HSUPA, GPS, Bluetooth and either 8 or 16GB of storage along with an additional MicroSDHC slot. But…
I got a good feeling groping the Nokia N97. Not in my pants, but close. Unlike the boring E75, it goes beyond “nice,” The interface—which divides the screen in big, easy-to-click buttons—felt quick. https://gizmodo.com/nokia-n97-hands-on-the-first-high-end-n-series-touch-p-5100707 On first touch, Nokia seems to have a nice package in the N97. Physically, the unit is light, although it is…
Remember the old Nokia Communicators, those smartphones with email and applications that were fuglier and bigger than Herman Munster’s left shoe? Yeah, me neither. Here’s the heir, according to today’s Nokia conference: The Nokia E75. A lot of nice things can be say about the new Nokia E75, the allegedly 21st Century successor to the…
The E55 is superficially similar to the BlackBerry Pearl, with its low-profile design and half-QWERTY keyboard. The main difference? The E55 is hilariously slim, at just under 1cm. Otherwise the specs are solid, midrange smartphone, with a definite focus on messaging. Gallery and full feature list below. [Giz at MWC] Technical Profile System: WCDMA 850/1900/2100,…
The long-since-leaked E75 has been announced by Nokia, offering bring a new form-factor to Nokia’s smartphone lineup. https://gizmodo.com/more-nokia-e75-qwerty-slider-cellphone-stuff-leaks-out-5098508 We’ve known about the E75 since November, but here’s the rundown: a 2.4in, 240×320 screen, S60 OS, full 3G capabilities (CDMA and GSM), 3.2-megapixel camera, 4GB of storage with room for expansion via SD, and a 3.5mm…
As you can see in these videos, the Sony Ericsson Idou’s is extremely smooth and elegant. I want it. Seriously, I want to lick it more than I want to lick Beyoncé’s underpants. Portrait mode: https://gizmodo.com/sony-ericsson-idou-arrives-in-second-half-2009-with-16-5153954 Check it out in portrait mode.
HTC’s Touch Diamond, and its QWERTY’d doppelganger the Touch Pro, have formally passed into their second generation, with bigger screens, higher (WVGA) resolution, better battery life, and deeper interface changes. These handsets have always represented something of a standard to which WinMo phones are measured, and the tastefully restyled new versions, boldly called the Diamond2…
Thanks to a new technology called Lenovo Constant Connect, Lenovo laptops will be able to sync enterprise-based emails with Blackberry phones at all times, even while the laptop is powered off. By the power of Bluetooth, any enterprise based email will automatically be sent from your BlackBerry to your ThinkPad once configured. You won’t have…
Woe to the guest who mistakes your Lounge Fire fireplace for a comfy bench, for hidden in the middle is a flame producing jet. Who green-lit this pyro project, Mr. Magoo? Even the rendered photos of this fireplace show fictional living spaces where this fireplace is disguised with plants and boxes. The Lounge Fire folks…
Do your hands tremble in anticipation at the mere mention of the Palm Pre? Yes? Then consider this new, somewhat dry demo video your Sunday gadget porn. I’m glad Matt decided to show up too!
If you thought you hated George Lucas for crimes against your childhood, you haven’t seen this image yet. Yours—or mine—is not hate. This is true Dark Side hate. Check the big picture and his explanation: https://gizmodo.com/should-george-lucas-be-condemned-for-crimes-against-our-5153801 I got this tattoo about 8 months ago. I believe it perfectly sums up my feelings towards George [Lucas].…
