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Ballmer discussing Windows in the economic climate that led Microsoft to cut 5,000 jobs: “The price premiums that people pay for Macintoshes over PCs will be looked at more carefully.” Hmm. Guess we’ll see. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-laying-off-5-000-rumored-mostly-from-xbox-an-5137045
German company 2eleven isn’t some foreign knockoff trying to sell “Groß Gulps”—they are actually the masterminds behind this futuristic foosball table. Besides just looking cool, the table features monitors on both sides, an automatic ball lift, score display and, of course, cup holders. I’m not sure how much it costs, but think expensive thoughts. [2eleven…
Microsoft, the industry’s unassailable juggernaut, apparently can bleed. It’s laying off 5,000 workers of its 94,000-employee workforce. Rumor is, mostly from the amazing Entertainment and Devices teams. If the rumor is true, that pisses me off. The E&D team, home to Xbox and Zune and Media Center, might not be wildly profitable, but it’s the…
You should never hack a road sign as part of a prank. But what if you know that there really are Zombies ahead? What then?? Apparently, while most road sign control pads are placed in a lock box, that box is rarely actually locked. And while most road signs are under password protection, that password…
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the perhaps biggest advertisement in history. One that generated millions in free coverage and still does today: 1984-presenting the Apple Macintosh-is still a gem that leaves most people speechless. The production values of this ad, created by Steve Hayden and Lee Clow at advertising agency Chiat/Day-Apple’s current ad agency-and…
Rich wine nerds have a wine cellar. Very, very rich wine nerds install a door in their kitchen floor leading to a spiral staircase surrounded by wine, which is the coolest wine cellar ever. In addition to being certifiably badass, a spiral wine cellar uses the ground to keep bottles at an ideal temperature without…
Boxee, makers of fine open-source media center software, apparently couldn’t go anywhere at CES without someone asking them to build a set-top-box. Now they’re asking you if they should go through with the plan. They’ve posted a survey on their blog to test the waters. They say that getting Boxee embedded on a specialized Apple-TV-like…
You’d be crazy to grab any Palm piece now with the Pre imminent, but if you’re a Sprint WinMo masochist, the Pro’s available for $250 with two-year deal. Update: Whoopsie, Sprint didn’t mean to. Adrian, our resident Palm disciple, found the Treo Pro a very capable phone, as far as Windows Mobile handsets go. And…
Not long after we saw the App Store’s first TiVo remote for the iPhone, we see its second, DVR Remote. https://gizmodo.com/tivoremote-the-app-stores-first-tivo-remote-app-5132403 DVR Remote uses Wi-Fi to connect to TiVos on your network with a one-button command. I’ve tried out the $3 program, and even though it’s $2 more than its competitor (which has recently been…
Long before the sterile Roomba arrived, there was a more anthropomorphic cleaning slave known as the Tomy Dustbot. Released in 1985, the Dustbot is claimed to be the first robot to feature a built-in vacuum cleaner (that broom was just for show) and featured edge detection to turn away from obstacles. I never owned a…
What you are seeing here-in an official photo from the White House-is a close-up of the President’s desk in the Oval Office. And that thing on top is, yes, you know exactly what it is. https://gizmodo.com/apple-introduces-manila-case-the-worlds-thinnest-notebo-345406 Yeah, it is a manila envelope. It was left for President Barack Obama by Former President George W. and…
This video, in short: an creepy guy tells a ridiculous story involving a lusty lady and a Lenovo W700ds. He brags about his second screen, then makes a joke about his presumably large genitals. Genius! CNET seems to think this came from within Lenovo, but I’d think even the most tone-deaf marketing division would never…
Yes, beautiful people, Star Trek Barbie dolls. “Captain Kirk” (who could have never survived that jump, but whatever), Spock, and Lieutenant Yummy Hot Pants. I mean, Uhura. New faces, same irresistible naffness. https://gizmodo.com/can-young-kirk-really-survive-the-car-jump-in-the-new-s-5114714 Believe it or not, this is not the first time Mattel has released Star Trek Barbie dolls. In 1996 they released Ken…
We took a look at the early Windows Mobile 6.5 build for the old HTC Blue Angel handset that was leaked yesterday. There’s not a whole lot to see yet, but here’s what matters: https://gizmodo.com/windows-mobile-6-5-may-launch-q3-2009-beta-roms-leaked-5136325 There is a new interface! Sort of! The typical 6.1 home screen is still present at times, but there appears…
This crocheted tablecloth two a notable quirks: it’s board-stiff, and doesn’t actually need a table. Although it did begin its life as a regular tablecloth, after being soaked in some sort of resin dried over a template the cloth rigidified into a standalone table. The designers site doesn’t have any info as to what kind…
Gametech has a set of PSP protector cases coming out that are absolutely gorgeous. Themed after the bright patterns of Japanese woodcarvings and traditional paintings, they turn your PSP into a work of art. Their new line’s name translates to Wasabi Beautiful Colors and contains durable hard covers, flexible soft covers, and gauze capsule cases…
Windows 7 Beta, Microsoft’s thank-you gift for putting up with Vista, has been out two weeks and we’re covering every exciting inch of it. Here’s how to catch up, or get the beta for yourself: To automatically read the most recent Windows 7 posts, hit this tag (and bookmark it). Windows 7 Beta Installation Advice…
If you need help reliving your childhood, Takara Tomy is re-releasing its classic Transformers watch. I don’t remember Transformers looking so drab though. Funny what a few years will do to your perspective. The Transformers Chrono Label will come in two versions: Cybertron Autoceptor and Destron Time Limit. The old-school dot graphic timepiece detaches from…
While Americans had millions of ways to watch Obama’s inauguration speech, here in China, I’m giving thanks for my one: gray-market Filipino satellite. Without it, I would’ve missed anything past where Obama muttered “communists.” Right now, satellite television is still technically illegal in China, thanks to a 1993 regulation that said only hotels, media outlets…
Once again, the dudes at Lifehacker show us how to be anal and get things done. Here are our favorite posts of the week. • Use Safari to update your iPhone’s word database with curse words 100% of the time • NiceCritic lets you tell people things anonymously – “Dear Adam Pash, you smell weird.…
