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Lifehacker’s saying the Windows 7 beta links are up again, so head over and grab it. [Lifehacker] https://gizmodo.com/windows-7-beta-now-available-to-everyone-5127314
The Saudi oil tanker that has been held by Somali pirates since November was apparently freed after a $3 million bundle of cash was precision airdropped by parachute to the deck. See it? UPDATE: Some of the pirates have drown while trying to escape with their booty. [NYT]
I just experienced the Hunter Concert Breeze—the ceiling fan with a speaker in it—and it’s the one thing I would definitely buy out of all of CES. https://gizmodo.com/the-hunter-concert-breeze-ceiling-fan-has-a-speaker-in-5125665 Here are some extra details. It’s going to be $449 in June, and will come with the speaker fan, a transmitter and the remote, which controls not…
The Whopper Sacrifice, a new Facebook application from Burger King, pushes the limits to see how much a Whopper is worth. It’s simple: Defriend 10 friends on Facebook and you get a free Whopper. When I logged into Facebook today, I received a friend request from our recently departed intern, Seung, who I knew I…
The Windows 7 Beta was released today to anyone who wanted to try it out. Microsoft claimed “unprecedented server traffic” ended up crashing the site. Still, have you tested it via Torrent downloads? https://gizmodo.com/windows-7-beta-now-available-to-everyone-5127314 Are You Trying Out Windows 7 (What are Your Impressions?) ( polls)
Belt massagers, those BS “exercise” machines that were debunked in the 50s, are alive and well at CES. I’m warning you right now: this is an awkward video.
CES 2009 brought us a new player in the smartphone upper-echelon. Let’s drill down and see how the Palm Pre compares with the iPhone and Android’s G1. https://gizmodo.com/palm-pre-preview-simply-amazing-5126702 1. Multitouch touchscreen/gesture control: All three are capacitive, only the Pre and iPhone have multitouch. The Pre’s glowy little “gesture area” has dropped the touchable real estate…
We got hands-on with the FyreTV living-room porn streaming solution last year at AVN, but this year’s version is even better. Why? Because it’s wireless so you can take it anywhere in your house. https://gizmodo.com/hands-on-with-fyretv-the-best-porn-in-the-living-room-343506 The FyreTV system, which just went out of beta this past month, has a Wi-Fi version of their set-top-box with…
Sennheiser’s latest entry into the world of uber premium headphones comes to us in the form of the stunning HD 800. New features include a completely new type of transducer and ear cup design. On the transducer design: The HD 800 sets new standards with its innovative transducer technology. Measuring 56 mm, the transducer in…
Money from a proposed settlement in the Sprint ETF class action lawsuit is up for grabs for just about anyone who entered into a wireless contract with Sprint between July 1999 and December 2008. Specifically, anyone with a time based clause in their contract with an ETF during that time is eligible. If you were…
You thought we’d make it through all of CES without a prank? You underestimated us. And this one might be worse than last year. Don’t watch this if you have a delicate constitution. You’re welcome, internet. That was for all of you. Video: Chris Mascari; Song: Django Reinhardt – Minor Swing; Thanks to the Engadget…
At CES, there’s the good stuff, and there’s just the plain old weird stuff: SATY, a Chinese company, has made an MP3 player that has a built-in breathalyzer and mosquito repellent. https://gizmodo.com/palm-pre-preview-simply-amazing-5126702 In addition to the breathalyzer and mosquito repellent (which just really eeks out a high-pitched tone to annoy everyone around you), it has…
Like messing around with unproven software? Then you may be interested in the Chrome 2.0 pre-beta. It features several updates including support for user scripts, easy profile switching, form autofill and page zooming. Because it is a developer preview, you are going to need to download the Google Chrome Channel Chooser and join the dev…
So I stole Wilson’s memory card full of pictures from the Steve Ballmer keynote. You know what that means: a Photoshop Contest at Ballmer’s expense! Here are your source files. Now use them to place Herr Ballmer in either a wonderful, happy fantasy land or a searing, horrific hellscape. Your choice! Send your entries to…
Electronic cigarettes are OK. But when you need to tell the world that your tobacco habit is tops, you need an electronic cigar. https://gizmodo.com/200-electronic-cigarette-helps-kick-the-habit-259062 By NJoy, the NROBO is a disposable cigar that’s good for 1,500 puffs. It’s automatically activated when you take a puff, vaporizing an internal nicotine/water solution. The air resistance is just…
Found in the bowels of the second-class Sands Convention Center: a dancing Obama iMini Pet iPod Dock that dances and sways to your music. Offensive? Fantastic? Fantastically offensive? Mini Obama close up.
In my interview with Robbie Bach, I asked him about the viability of Windows Mobile as a consumer platform. Though many watchers doubt it, Bach seems convinced it’s a good play. Bonus clip: I decided to ask Robbie about the project codenamed "Pink." I didn’t get very far: Robbie Bach Interview Part 1: Why There’s…
These Parrots stand at attention, (Monsieur Starck looking on), wirelessly bumping with an iPod perched on top. They’re beautiful, but wait until you see the box that brings them to your mansion’s loading dock. https://gizmodo.com/phillipe-starck-zikmu-speakers-belong-in-the-living-roo-5112975 If these showed up on my doorstep, I would thank whoever sent me the French intergalactic trumpets from space. Then…
Subtext Translated: F you, Sony. [Samsung TVs at CES 2009] https://gizmodo.com/samsung-goes-full-led-backlight-with-luxia-series-6000-5124124
“Why take out your $1,000 Sony camera when you can use ours?” This would have made sense if this salesman wasn’t hocking a no-name $200 camera.