Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
Should I drink this?
The taskbar in Windows 7 is a revamped combination of the previous Quick Launch and Vista’s taskbar, but if you really, really miss Quick Launch, then keep reading. https://gizmodo.com/win-7-tip-the-taskbar-is-the-most-useful-new-ui-change-5132160 1. First, right-click on the taskbar and turn off “Lock the Taskbar.” 2. Right-click the taskbar, hover over Toolbars, and select New Toolbar. 3. When it…
Some kids just can’t learn from a book. The Skeleflex T-Rex takes a hands-on approach to teaching kids a simple lesson about archaeology, dinosaurs and playing God. Each bone segment of the T-Rex snaps together with ball joints. When completed, the skeleton can be installed on a powered platform that brings it alive with stomping…
“If you think this is bad, you should see my cousin. He’s a porta-potty.” [Lyon Festival of Lights via DVICE]
When we recently posted a Vietnam-era Bolex camera with a rifle stock attached, we thought the concept was a little nuts. Then Army Reserve Staff Sgt. and wartime photographer Jeffrey Duran set us straight. https://gizmodo.com/a-vietnam-reporters-8mm-camera-gun-if-looks-could-kill-5141251 In our original post, we speculated that using a gun stock for shooting a camera seemed like a good way…
We expected this, but Microsoft has confirmed that there won’t be anymore Windows 7 beta releases. Just the hot little release you’re playing with. There will be a followup (possibly private) release candidate, which “will be Windows 7 as we intend to ship it.” Any changes from it will address “only the most critical issues…
Am I angry that my team didn’t make it to the Super Bowl? You bet I am. This list is for bitter fans—or guys that didn’t give a damn in the first place. And remember, even if the Super Bowl doesn’t excite you this year, the gadget deals surely will. https://gizmodo.com/super-bowl-hdtv-and-gadget-deals-5140613 [Original Image via Flickr]
My kid is almost the age where I need to consider potty training incentives. Walmart suggests the $15 Jack Potty toilet/slot machine (get it?) with sensors that “detect a deposit and trigger lights and sounds.” For $15, I can’t imagine exactly how good those sensors are—my experience with Jack Potty‘s brand, Safety 1st, has not…
The guys at SeattlePi have uncovered a bit of espionage going on in Redmond. According to Microsoft, a former employee took a position with the company in order to spy on them for his startup. In a lawsuit filed in King Couny Superior Court in Seattle, Microsoft alleges former employee Miki Mullor, founder of Ancora…
The nice thing about concepts is that sometimes they actually get made, as is the case with the Speak-er. https://gizmodo.com/speak-er-speaker-cute-little-speech-bubble-of-sound-5013354 Pretty much just a computer speaker cleverly shaped as a word bubble, it’s the most tactile way we’ve found yet to make it seem like John Mayer was really singing just to us (although, we…
Valleywag just discovered that Yahoo (with Motorola and AT&T) was working on a Yahoo Phone with Yahoo apps, but canned it partially because new CEO’s college-aged daughter preferred another phone instead. [Valleywag] http://valleywag.gawker.com/5142924/carol-bartz-turns-to-her-daughter-for-yahoo-phone-research
Whoa, what camera is that? One of my favorite photograph sub-genres is the mirror self portrait, with camera in sight. I suppose I have a fetish for these shots. These are the best I could find. I saw one like this on an aggregation site popurls.com. And followed the link to Flickr. Then I found…
Feel like sub-$200 is the magical price for a netbook? With a coupon code, you can pick up a refurbished Dell Inspiron Mini 9 (with the same one-year warranty as new goods) for $177. UPDATED. Update: It might look like they’re out already of the absolute cheapest models, but just keep refreshing, they’re adding more…
The iPhone’s multitouch patents are the equivalent of a cold war nuclear arsenal-dormant for now, but Palm’s Pre is looking for a fight. Here’s why we think Apple’s multitouch monopoly won’t last. To help guide us through, machete in hand, what is one of the more confusing jungles of U.S. law, we talked to R.…
User Account Control annoyed a lot of people in Vista, so Microsoft turned down the volume in Windows 7. But they’ve also opened up a massive security hole that leaves PCs exposed to nastywares.UPDATED. Update: Microsoft has decided to patch the hole after all. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-admits-defeat-will-patch-windows-7-security-5147989 By default now, UAC no longer bugs you when you…
We’re in a mess. But no problem is too large for technology to solve, right? Right?! Let’s see what we can do to fix this economy. For this week’s Photoshop Contest, I want you to come up with some creative ways to solve the financial crisis using technology as your solution. Be it robots, machines,…
Harold Nicholson was a CIA operative convicted of espionage for selling CIA identities to Russia. Since 1997, he’s been in jail. But allegedly, his son Nathan has carried on the family business… According to prosecutors, Nathan’s father taught him the ways of spydom from jail over his cellphone UPDATE: from his cell (duh), coaching Nathan…
The Dev Team just released the Pwnage app, which jailbreaks 2.2.1 iPhones on Macs. If you’re ever going to SIM unlock your phone in the future (use it on another network), use this, not QuickPwn. For people with 10.5.6, you’re going to have to re-enable DFU mode in order to run Jailbreak. The Dev Team…
GDrive is Google’s long-rumored online hard drive in the sky which might offer unlimited space for all of your files. Descriptions of GDrive have appeared in newly updated code on the Google Pack site. Here are the meaty bits in the string: // Localized product category of GDrive _CI_messages.CI_GDRIVE_CATEGORY = ‘Online file backup and storage’;…
Philips took the wraps off their 21:9 Cinema LCD in merry ol’ England, confirming the renderings that circulated earlier this month. It does display 2.40:1 ‘scope with no letterboxing, but is that what you want? https://gizmodo.com/philips-ultra-widescreen-21-9-cinema-lcd-moves-the-lett-5132065 Like we pointed out before, this TV is only practical for movies; and even then, some movies that weren’t…