Tech news, analysis, culture, business, security, and more
This is what Microsoft didn’t tell you about last Black Friday sales: Nintendo sold 800,000 Wii units that week, besting the Xbox 360 and the PS3. According to Nintendo Presidential Vampire Satoru Iwata: https://gizmodo.com/xbox-360-outsells-ps3-3-1-on-black-friday-5100774 Fortunately for us a lot of shoppers put our products at the top of their list. He was also referring to…
Comparing Nikon’s $8000 24.5MP D3x to Sony’s $3000 24.6MP a900 is bit of an apples and oranges comparison, even though both mega image sensors are in fact made by Sony. For one, the D3x is intended as a studio camera (though it really is a just a D3 with a different sensor), not so much…
Hard economic times require that we think more closely about how our money is spent. When it comes to computers, Prof. Dealzmodo has a philosophy: build it and values will come. In other words, it makes more financial sense to buy the most basic model at a bargain-basement price and turn it into the top-notch…
The latest entrant into the compact, cheap camcorder running crew currently spearheaded by the Flip and all of its variants is now available—the Creative Vado shoots 720p, has HDMI-out and costs $200. https://gizmodo.com/the-ultimate-cheap-camcorder-battlemodo-5013420 HDMI out is the biggest differentiation from the Flip MinoHD; the Vado also doubles the onboard memory to 8GB over the MinoHD’s…
Today, TiVo has begun implementation of a new feature allowing advertisers to insert text ads into paused programming. That’s right, skipping those commercials is finally becoming impossible. These ads can work on live TV or prerecorded content, with Fox and Mercedes-Benz lined up among the system’s first customers. Luckily, the feature seems to be quarantined…
Nokia has confirmed that the NAM version of the Nokia N85 is now shipping (listings on both Amazon and Nokia have been updated). Still, it may be tough to score by the holidays. [Amazon and Symbian-Guru] https://gizmodo.com/nokia-n79-and-n85-roll-out-officially-with-us-3g-aboar-5041787
Digitimes says that Nvidia is bringing its GeForce 9400m chipset (from the new MacBooks) to Atom-based netbooks, which would markedly boost graphics performance. Netbooks that don’t totally bite balls performance-wise, holee crap. [Digitimes] https://gizmodo.com/giz-explains-why-does-the-new-macbook-pro-have-two-gra-5063832
The big happy family involved with making Android-friendly software and devices just grew by fourteen members, and while there are still several heavies not present, the new list is interesting. The new members are: AKM Semiconductor Inc., ARM, ASUSTek Computer Inc., Atheros Communications, Borqs, Ericsson, Garmin International Inc., Huawei Technologies, Omron Software Co. Ltd, Softbank…
If you walked into a friend’s house to see this 8-foot stainless steel hourglass, you’d probably think he makes too much money. If he unfolded the sculpture for 10-person dinner seating, you’d know it. By designer Gioia Meller Marcovicz, the Monolith Table is a masterpiece of steel featuring a folding dining table and ten perfectly…
As my friends reach that point in life when they make babies (voluntarily), I can’t help but be remiss that I didn’t spot The Booty Caller earlier to lend a hand with conception. The Booty Caller is a series of text messages (3 per menstrual cycle) that lets women know when they’re most likely to…
What’s better than an Acer Aspire One netbook for $300 (down $50)? One that’s only $100 so long as you sign up for a two-year AT&T data plan worth $60/month or more. https://gizmodo.com/dealzmodo-300-acer-aspire-one-today-only-5104424 If this Radioshack ad is to be believed, the Acer Aspire One will be among the first netbooks to be sold subsidized…
This is the biggest and most accurate X-Wing model since the movies. In fact, each of the thousand units made from resin, aluminum and LEDs were created from a digitally-scanned original Red 5 miniature body. Update: EFX Collectibles has sent us amazing high definition pictures so you can see all the amazing detail. Sure, it…
I still haven’t played with the Korg DS-10 software for the DS, but this quick mod for a talk box done by taping a straw over the speaker is now even more incentive. He’s already got the Kanye/Murakami bear glasses—now all this guy needs is an inflatable pig launched via foot pedal. [Kork DS-10 Blog…
Good news for those of us with injuries from tripping over plastic guitars only to land on a plastic drumset. According to Electronic Entertainment Design and Research, the Guitar Hero franchise is “reaching its peak.” Currently, we expect unit sales to decline by more than 50 percent series-over-series for November,” said EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich, “This…
Yesterday the inventor of the Palm Pistol, intended primarily to allow arthritic old people to settle beefs, claimed it had been approved as a medical gadget by the FDA. On the matter, the FDA had this to say: “NO.” https://gizmodo.com/prescription-handguns-for-the-elderly-and-disabled-thi-5101430 The FDA issued a statement to say that they have determined that the Palm Pistol…
Daniel Pon needed to make a steampunk mouse to accompany his tricked-out keyboard and monitor, so he got to work, and perhaps a little carried away. The end result is impressive. And kind of nauseating. The so-called Paradox Mouse has everything a good steampunk mod needs: brass, bolts, gears, woods, and a distinct neo-Victorian flair.…
A lot of portable computer manufacturers seem to have been losing focus lately, releasing netbooks at near-notebook prices. Not Belco! Their Alpha 400 MIPS netbook is priced more like a scientific calculator. Unfortunately, it’s specced like one too. https://gizmodo.com/msi-u110-u115-netbooks-to-pack-draft-n-wi-fi-faster-p-5100230 The components aren’t just low end—a lot of them seem like they wouldn’t even be available…
Hey Brian, looks like you got to meet a lot of NY readers over there in the Giz gallery. Luckily for me, we’re going to have a similar event, minus the gigantic TV, but plus a lot of booze, over here in SF. It’s called the Funde Razor SF event. Here are the details. It’s…
A Japanese site has found an odorous purpose for Google Maps—using it to track down weird and stinky smells they encounter in the Land of the Rising Sun. Get a whiff of something sour? Go to Nioibu.com and tell everyone. Users sign up on the site and enter reports on what they encounter, kind of…
Hey, guess what? There’s a Woot Off going on right now! Head over to Woot and see how quickly things like glow in the dark jumbo remotes get snapped up even though nobody supposedly has money anymore. [Woot]
