Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
Firefox Mobile, already on Windows Mobile and Linux, is coming to Symbian in April, reveals Firefox’s Christian Sejersen. Totally out of the picture are BlackBerry, iPhone and Android, unfortunately. [Christian Sejersen via UnwiredView] https://gizmodo.com/download-first-firefox-mobile-alpha-release-5065244
Last week, Energizer outed their Zinc Air Prismatic batteries, and now we hear of a possibly more promising AA nickel-zinc rechargeable battery from PowerGenix. It appears that zinc will be our new battery overlord. https://gizmodo.com/energizer-to-introduce-zinc-air-prismatic-batteries-at-5104493 PowerGenix will team with Ritz Camera to begin selling AA Quantaray Super Z NiZn rechargeable batteries. These batteries promise 30%…
Apparently, after a long update hiatus the successor to the current Mac mini could finally appear at MacWorld 2009. At least, that’s what Gadget Lab says: https://gizmodo.com/apple-stops-mac-mini-shipments-to-retailers-says-to-ex-5066531 Apple will launch an upgrade to its low-end desktop, the Mac Mini, at January’s Macworld Expo in San Francisco, according to an Apple corporate employee who contacted Wired.com.…
It’s never too early to get your kid attached to gadgets—these adorable mp3 playing dolls read storybooks, play music and speak to your babies, providing them with affection when you’re feeling lazy. Named Niu Niu and Man Man, after Chinese gadget company Newsmy’s mascots, the dolls are mp3 players and “interactive learning devices.” Besides loading…
Navigating Apple’s black box approval process and wondering when/if your app makes it has always been a part of iPhone app developers’ trials, but for a change, Apple’s actually warning devs about them. https://gizmodo.com/how-apple-picks-which-apps-make-it-to-the-app-store-5051273 Some developers who’ve submitted their applications to the iTunes App Store in the past few days have received an email from…
Here’s an unlikely combination brought to you by the Japanese ad industry: Hipster director Wes Anderson, sexy third-world-kid-adoptothoner Brad Pitt, topless French ladies and… Japan’s Softbank cellphones. The ad, for Softbank’s winter line, is a remake of the 1953 French film Les Vacances de Monseieur Hulot. Pitt looks over some fruit, helps push a stalled…
The November 26, 1939 San Antonio Light (San Antonio, TX) featured this prediction of the fold-up car of the future. Even the young man of the scientific future may find trouble, one day on the road, with his sunpower automobile. He gets out, tips up the car with one hand and looks underneath. Finding what…
A warning for all you iPhone jailbreak enthusiasts: Apple’s newest OS software update contains quite a stink bomb-10.5.6 disables the Pwnage tool, making you unable to jailbreak or unlock your iPhone or iPod Touch. The update prevents jailbreaking by disabling the software at the computer level, a step up from what the company usually does:…
In an attempt to combat child obesity while obese children combat each other, the GAMEROX chair strengthens your child’s midsection(s) and improve their posture while they play video games. Meant for children between the ages of 7 and 12, this chair will bend, bob and weave in all different directions, which will strengthen your child’s…
Stolen goods recovered with technology playing off the perpetrator’s stupidity often require some fancy network footwork, but a student who found his stolen Xbox 360 using its wireless controller shows just how dumb thieves are. https://gizmodo.com/stolen-macbook-victim-uses-screen-sharing-and-isight-to-389115 Like the PS3 recovered by tracking it down over the PSN network—but more stupidurrrrr—the moron who yanked this Missouri…
Mini DisplayPort might be an industry standard, but it doesn’t mean we miss HDMI on the new MacBooks any less. Apple isn’t helping us yet, either. But MonoPrice.com will reportedly answer our prayers next month. https://gizmodo.com/apples-mini-displayport-might-not-be-bs-proprietary-por-5100514 Sure you could grab an MDP to DVI cable from Apple, and then a separate DVI to HDMI cable…
Unsealed documents in a lawsuit over an Xbox 360 that repeatedly scratched a dude’s games suggest that Microsoft knew all about the problem, but rejected all three possible solutions prior to the 360’s launch. https://kotaku.com/microsoft-sued-over-scratched-xbox-360-game-discs-5104832 Of course, this isn’t exactly shocking—Dean Takahashi revealed just how startlingly troubled the Xbox 360 was from the get-go. Hiro…
There’ve been tons and tons of aftermath shots of what an LCD TV looks like after it’s met a Wiimote, but this may be the first actual recorded instance of said violence. It’s mesmerizing. Click to viewTo be honest, calling for mama would be the first thing I’d do too if I just “bowled” my…
One of Blu-ray’s touted technologies—for studios—was that even if its copy protection was busted, it could be updated in future titles, requiring a new set of cracks. A November update is their most iron-clad yet. https://gizmodo.com/anydvd-hd-is-here-so-start-the-blu-ray-bd-drm-crackin-369833 SlySoft’s AnyDVD HD really kickstarted the back-and-forth war with studios over Blu-ray’s updateable BD+ copy protection back in March,…
Listverse has a very interesting, if mostly old, list of inventors dying a death that could easily been avoided if they hadn’t invented whatever they’re best known for. At the top of the list is Marie Curie. Although she didn’t actually invent radiation, she did totally die from exposure to it. We commend her for…
Time is running out! You need to buy presents or people will decide that they no longer like you! Your entire life hangs in the balance! Check out these deals to prevent disaster! Newegg 15% off purchase (up to $50 off) if you pay with PayPal (Note that you can get only one cash back…
This isn’t the 70’s anymore guys. Excessive body hair and gold medallions are no longer acceptable. There are gadgets out there designed to handle the job, but the Swerve provides a more ergonomic solution. https://gizmodo.com/how-to-turn-your-body-into-a-hairless-wonderland-with-g-279874 The Swerve is billed as the world’s first "full body groomtool," but we know better. By the looks of things…
It’s not just some unfounded stereotype that video game controllers have gotten more complex over time, just look at this fantastic chronological illustration. The controllers are offered in proper scale with each set of hands sized identically. And we see, while controllers have gotten more complicated, they’ve also grown larger—though we look to have peaked…
I have often wondered how the paper calendar continues to be marketable in an era of cellphones and widgets. Then again, most calendars are not nearly as hilarious as the Warbot 2009 edition. Whether military contractor Qinetiq actually intended this company swag to be hilarious is open to debate—but how could it be a mistake?…
And now for some news you can use: Fleshbot has put together their picks for the best sex toys of 2008. Naturally, there are plenty of vibes with strange names and even stranger shapes. Case in point: the Babeland Nubby G. Is it just me or does that thing look like the Facebook icon? Coincidence…