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There's no way Windows 7 tablets aren't going to suck. We're going to see a lot of them this week. And they're going to suck.
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/01/500x_ballmernote43.jpg)
They're going to be fat. One of the ways they're going to distinguish themselves from the invading armada of cheaper, tinier Android tablets, is that they're to be bigger. Here's a great idea: Take a portable thing and make it less portable. Also, the beefier chips required to push Windows—at least, unless we see some new ARM-based Windows 7 tablets—means these things need bigger batteries. More weight, more space, more junk.
We're Not Touching Windows 7 Tablets With a Ten-Foot Stylus [Tablets] (http://gizmodo.com/5724073/were-not-touching-windows-7-tablets-with-a-ten+foot-stylus)
"Holy shit." It's not what usually comes to mind when I touch a new phone. But Samsung's Infuse 4G is spectacular. Ridiculously good 4.5-inch screen. 1.2GHz processor. 4G on AT&T. Why, exactly, wasn't this the new Nexus phone?
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I pick it up. Whoa. This is quality. The first Samsung phone in ages that doesn't feel cheap—it's a radically better tactile experience than any Galaxy phone, even the Nexus S. The plastic is dense and matte, the back textured. The phone itself a nearly perfectly sculpted, sufficiently thin slab (AT&T's thinnest), the expanse of the 4.5-inch screen making it seem somehow thinner. It's what a high-end phone should feel like.
Samsung's Infuse 4G: A Spectacular Google Android Phone [Android] (http://gizmodo.com/5725053/samsungs-sgh+i997-uh-why-wasnt-this-awesome-phone-the-new-nexus)
It runs Android 2.2, with HTML5 support, and is AT&T's first dual-core processor in an Android phone. And it docks into a laptop. They're calling it the world's most powerful smartphone. ORLY?
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It also has 1GB RAM, a 1900mAh (that's ginormous) battery, and 2x faster than competing web browsers. You can "view HD video".
Motorola's Atrix Android Phone: Twin CPU Cores And a Laptop Dock! [Motorola] (http://gizmodo.com/5725505/motorolas-atrix-android-phone-has-two-cores-and-is-atts-fastest)
You may think that the ATM you're using is perfectly normal. After all, it may even be in the bank building. And you cover your hand while typing your PIN, anyway, just in case there's a hidden camera. Well, think again.
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/01/500x_stealing-code-keyboard.jpg)
This is some of the technology that crooks are using to steal your credit card information and personal identification numbers: A fake keyboard that looks exactly like the real thing, placed on top of the ATM's keyboard, impossible to detect unless you are an expert.
This ATM Keyboard Will Steal Your Card PIN and You'll Never Notice It [Crime] (http://gizmodo.com/5725859/this-is-how-cyber+criminals-steal-your-money)
The allure of Gorilla Glass is no mystery to anyone with a Droid, an iPhone 4, a Galaxy tab or a Dell Adamo. But for everyone else wondering about all the new Gorilla Glass gear at CES, here's the rundown.
Gorilla Glass is, well, glass...
You'll find it in screens, mostly. This includes smartphone screens, tablet screens, laptop screens, and as of this week, touch-table screens and TV screens.
What Is Gorilla Glass? [What Is] (http://gizmodo.com/5726124/what-is-gorilla-glass)
Well, it's definitely a prototype. But after a proper groping, we're more excited than ever about Casio's new Bluetooth watch of the future.
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The unnamed plastic proof-of-concept may not be much to look at now, but after running through the BLE-infused prototype's features, we're definitely psyched to see the technology work its way into the rest of the company's timepieces.
What Using Casio's Wireless Watch of the Future Is Like [Watches] (http://gizmodo.com/5726733/what-using-casios-wireless-watch-of-the-future-is-like)
Darth Vader was on hand at CES today to announce the forthcoming release of the Star Wars Blu-ray set. As long time fans of his work, we were thrilled to get the chance to ask him a few questions.
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Gizmodo Interviews Darth Vader (http://gizmodo.com/5726973/gizmodo-interviews-darth-vader-man-of-few-words)
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The Atrix is a pretty great phone by itself—two 1GHz cores and 1GB of RAM makes things speedy—but it's even more useful when you dock it into their laptop for heavy duty computering.
Using the Moto Atrix Notebook-Slash-Smartphone [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5726871/moto-atrix-preview-the-future-of-mobile-is-a-phone-thats-also-a-netbook)
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The Mac App Store's security has been cracked. This means that, by installing a software called Kickback, you will be able to pirate any applications in the store. However, the crack will not be available until February 2011, according to Dissident:
Mac App Store Cracked Open for Piracy [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5727080/mac-app-store-cracked-for-piracy)
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This solidly designed Polaroid GL30 beauty is a modern take on the old-school Polaroid camera you may own and love. It's digital, has an adjustable display, and will spit out your photos in seconds. And did I mention it's freakin' gorgeous?
The Polaroid Camera, Rethought and Digitized [Cameras] (http://gizmodo.com/5727100/the-polaroid-camera-has-grown-up-and-turned-digital)
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I'm glad the owners of this house finally admitted the truth ignored by many cat lovers around the world: It's your cats' house—you just happen to live in it too.
Living here would make me nervous, though. I mean, why give those felines a vantage point like that? They will be ready to pounce from above at any time. I can imagine going for a glass of milk to the fridge, in the middle of the night, just to be attacked from above by a couple of them. [Thanks Karl!]
This Is the Perfect House If You Are a Cat [Design] (http://gizmodo.com/5727652/if-you-are-a-cat-this-is-your-perfect-house)
The TV manufacturers of the world just excreted a gajillion alphanumerically named HDTVs at CES. We cruised the booths, parsed the display technologies, connectivity features, claimed performance and specs, and found the one we think is the best.
The Best New HDTV [Best Of The Best] (http://gizmodo.com/5727078/the-best-new-hdtv)
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Verizon's holding a special event on January 11. They're announcing the Verizon iPhone. We're almost certain of it, and here's why. Updated.
There's been a Verizon event making the rounds—it's next Tuesday, January 11th. The invite has been sent to MG Siegler of Techcrunch and Jim Dalrymple of Loop Insight—both pretty prolific Apple reporter/writers/bloggers/whatever—along with our friends at MSNBC, Engadget and others. As MG himself notes:
The Verizon iPhone Will Be Announced on January 11 [Unconfirmed] (http://gizmodo.com/5727934/the-verizon-iphone-will-be-announced-on-january-11)
Tablets! Tablets tablets tablets. They're the hot ticket at this year's CES. Just about everyone's got one (not that everyone should). We've parsed, prodded, and played with the main contenders. And this one's best. Well, these ones.
The Best New Tablet [BestOfTheBest] (http://gizmodo.com/5727948/the-best-new-tablet)
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Hey, so remember when building VCRs into TVs seemed like a good idea? And then how it turned out that is wasn't? Yeah, connected TVs are basically just like that.
A TV is a huge purchase. People spend thousands of dollars on an item that they'll keep for years, watch for hours a day, and display prominently in their homes, almost like a piece of furniture. It's less like buying a piece of electronics, and more like buying a car.
I Just Want a Dumb TV [TVs] (http://gizmodo.com/5728167/i-just-want-a-dumb-tv)
Lady Gaga's weirdo Polaroid glasses are about to turn our faces into Facebook feeds and mood rings.
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How Lady Gaga Just Reinvented Eye Contact (http://gizmodo.com/5727236/how-lady-gaga-just-reinvented-eye-contact)
Perhaps it's because we've seen so many thefts here at Giz that are worthy of being turned into films, that everything else pales into insignificance. On second thought—nah, this cellphone thief really is that dumb.
Is This the World's Dumbest Cellphone Thief? [Theft] (http://gizmodo.com/5729367/is-this-the-worlds-dumbest-cellphone-thief)
The day that Verizon gets the iPhone will be remembered as glorious by everybody who's dropped 12 calls in a row, been taunted by meaningless signal bars and just plain had a miserable AT&T experience. But they shouldn't buy one.
Let's keep in mind what Apple—or rather, Verizon—is announced, precisely. A new carrier for the iPhone 4. That's it. Not a new product. That's why Apple ceded the stage to Verizon.
Apple will announce a new iPhone in June, as they have every year since 2008. It'll go on sale later that month, or in early July, as it has every year. That's six months from now.
Don't Buy the Verizon iPhone 4 [IPhone] (http://gizmodo.com/5729273/dont-buy-the-verizon-iphone-4)
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When the Compact Disc Digital Audio standard came out in 1980, there was a curious fact about it: It was 74 minutes long. Not 60 minutes. Or an even 70 minutes. Seventy-four. And it was all one deaf man's fault.
Why Is the CD 74 Minutes Long? (Updated) [Audio] (http://gizmodo.com/5729864/why-the-cd-is-74-minutes-long)
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It's conventional wisdom now that iPhone exclusivity is the best and worst thing that ever happened to AT&T. A rocket that sent them into space—and directly into the sun. Will the same thing happen to Verizon?
Will the iPhone Crush Verizon's Network? [IPhone] (http://gizmodo.com/5730554/will-the-iphone-crush-verizons-network)
One day, you'll have a little tablet or phone, and carry it everywhere. It'll be your only computer. When you need to use a "real" PC, you'll dock it. Motorola's Atrix is a little glimpse at that day.
The Best New Phone Is From Our Wacky Sci-Fi Dreams [Phones] (http://gizmodo.com/5730820/the-best-new-phone-is-from-our-wacky-sci+fi-dreams)
We weren't happy when Apple changed the iPad's side switch from an orientation lock into a mute switch, but thanks to iOS 4.3 we can calm down: Now there's finally a setting allowing us to choose what the switch does.
As minor of an option as this may seem, it actually makes life quite a bit more comfortable for most iPad users. The addition of this particular setting also shows that Apple does listen to customers—especially when there are noisy petitions and campaigns asking for features.
Thank You For Fixing the iPad's Side Switch, Apple [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5732058/apple-finally-lets-you-choose-what-your-ipads-side-switch-does)
We've discovered a little gem in the iOS 4.3 beta: Four and five finger multi-touch gesture support for the iPad. Here's how it looks in action.
Each of the new gestures can be done with either four or five fingers—your choice—and they all work smoothly. A pinch brings you to the Home Screen, a swipe up or down reveals and hides the multitasking bar, and swipes left or right allow you to switch between apps.
Watch the iPad's New Secret Tricks [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5732010/ios-43-gives-ipad-four-and-five-finger-multi+touch-gesture-support)
In the tech world, a few questions are usually enough. Does the product work? Is the idea good? How much does it cost? But as Peep Telephony reminds us, there's a fourth, all-important qualification: Is it real?
The Greatest Scam in Tech [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5726071/the-greatest-scam-in-tech)
No! NO! My sign has changed! According to some made up crap by a bunch of people who deal in made up crap (http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/style/113100139.html), I'm now a Sagittarius, because of planetary movement (http://io9.com/5733004/your-zodiac-sign-may-have-changed-this-week). Unfortunately for those who care, this means absolutely zero. More » (http://gizmodo.com/5733709/astrology-is-still-bullshit-and-the-universe-doesnt-care-about-you)
Astrology Is Still Bullshit and the Universe Doesn't Care About You [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5733709/astrology-is-still-bullshit-and-the-universe-doesnt-care-about-you)
We couldn't be more impressed with the way the Gizmodo community has pushed their photography skills with Shooting Challenges (http://gizmodo.com/tag/shooting-challenge). So today, we're expanding the idea with a once-a-month expansion called the Video Challenge (http://gizmodo.com/tag/videochallenge/). Our first topic: time lapse. More » (http://gizmodo.com/5733575/introducing-the-video-challenge)
Introducing the Video Challenge [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5733575/introducing-the-video-challenge)
Twitter officially arrived when Captain Sullenberger sent US Airways flight 1549 splashing down into the Hudson. Instagram's moment was last week, when forty-nine states—fully ninety-eight percent of American states—were doused with snow.
Instagram arrived with the sound and fury of the blizzard outside: A flurry of pictures from dozens of people depicting hundreds of scenes from a winter wonderland (or whited-out hellscape, depending on your choice of filter), all as if they were taken with cameras brought by time travelers from 1947.
The Revolution Will Be Instagrammed [AppOfTheDay] (http://gizmodo.com/5733875/the-revolution-will-be-instagrammed)
A memo from Steve Jobs (http://gizmodo.com/tag/stevejobs/) was sent to all Apple employees today, stating that Steve Jobs will take a medical leave of absence so that the CEO can "focus on [his] health."
Steve Jobs Taking Medical Leave of Absence From Apple [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5735566/steve-jobs-taking-medical-leave-of-absence-from-apple)
People talk a lot about what could happen if Steve Jobs leaves for real (http://gizmodo.com/5063281/is-steve-jobs-preparing-his-farewell). Would they be able to keep the momentum? Would Apple collapse? Who could be the new CEO?
Love Is Why Apple Needs Steve [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5735916/this-is-why-apple-wont-be-fine-if-steve-doesnt-return)
Apple is a cyclical creature, like bears, unicorns and ladyfolk. iPods in September; iPhones in June; and likely, iPads in April. April is not so far away! So, unsurprisingly, we're starting to hear what the next iPad (http://gizmodo.com/tag/nextipad/) looks like.
A Basic Sketch of the Next iPad [Rumors] (http://gizmodo.com/5736062/a-basic-sketch-of-the-next-ipad)
I use my iPhone constantly. Compulsively, even. It's with me wherever I go. But you'll rarely catch me talking on it. I hate phone conversations. And nothing has made it easier to ditch phone talking than the self-nullifying smartphone itself.
The Best Part about a Smartphone Is Never Having to Call Anyone [Modern Life] (http://gizmodo.com/5736678/the-best-part-about-a-smartphone-is-never-having-to-call-anyone)
Hyperfocal. The word sounds so...intense. Maybe it is. By taking your lens and aperture into account while focusing at just the right spot, you can milk every bit of sharpness scientifically possible (http://gizmodo.com/5731595/shooting-challenge-hyperfocal-photography) out of a scene.
54 Heavenly Hyperfocal Photographs [Photography] (http://gizmodo.com/5736155/54-hyperfocal-photos)
Last week we posted an exposé of Peep Wireless (http://gizmodo.com/5726071/the-greatest-scam-in-tech). Despite repeated attempts, we initially couldn't reach the company for comment, but founder Scott Redmond (http://gizmodo.com/tag/scottredmond/) has since contacted us. He's nonplussed. For transparency's sake, we'd like to show you his objections.
The Greatest Scam in Tech? Scott Redmond would like us to clarify. [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5737088/the-greatest-scam-in-tech-scott-redmond-would-like-us-to-clarify)
At last, the final key details for the Nintendo 3DS are here. It's gonna be $250 when it comes out on March 27, with 30 games available right around launch.
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Nintendo 3DS Invades Your Eyeballs March 27 for $250 [Gaming] (http://gizmodo.com/5737612/nintendo-3ds-is-250-on-march-27)
If there's one invaluable benefit of the digital camera, it's the ability to indiscriminately photograph anything and everything. Unfortunately the consequence of no longer worrying about film costs is a hard drive overflowing with forgotten images.
Turn Ordinary Digital Photos into Massive Murals (http://gizmodo.com/5736909/turn-your-photos-into-super+sized-refrigerator-art)
Earlier this week, in the Norwegian town of Rakkestad, 13-year-old Walter Eikrem was walking home from school when he crossed paths with a pack of wolves. With his life on the line, he had to think quick. He blasted Creed.
How Creed Saved a Norwegian Boy From a Pack of Wolves [Miracles] (http://gizmodo.com/5739091/how-creed-saved-a-norwegian-boy-from-a-pack-of-wolves)
In a wholly unexpected move, Eric Schmidt (http://gizmodo.com/tag/ericschmidt/) is stepping away from his position as Google CEO (http://gizmodo.com/tag/googleceo/) to make room for co-founder Larry Page (http://gizmodo.com/tag/larrypage/). Schmidt will move into an Executive Chairman role. But why? And what does it mean for you?
What Does Google's New Boss Mean For You? [Google] (http://gizmodo.com/5739125/google-shakeup-schmidt-out-page-in-as-ceo)
The eerie video you're about to watch captures the moment when a malaria parasite (http://gizmodo.com/tag/malariaparasite/) invades a human red blood cell—this is the first time (http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/nstv/2011/01/malaria-caught-breaking-and-entering-red-blood-cell.html) that such an event has been caught in moving pictures.
Malaria Parasite's Brutal Blood Cell Invasion Finally Caught on Video [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5739215/malaria-parasites-brutal-blood-cell-invasion-finally-caught-on-video)
21 January 2011, 12:23 am
Jim Starr's wheelchair may be able to transport him across snow, sand and surf (and probably even the surface of the moon), but he won't be wheelin' it on British roads any longer because it's been classed as a tank.
Man Told His All-Terrain Wheelchair Can't Be Used as It Resembles a Tank [Wheelchairs] (http://gizmodo.com/5739684/man-told-his-go+anywhere-wheelchair-cant-be-used-as-it-resembles-a-tank)
Got a couple fancy cars and a couple million dollars to burn? If you do, you could probably use a robotic garage to store them in style. If not, just ogle these mechanical marvels our friends at Oobject (http://www.oobject.com) found.
12 Robotic Garages Worthy of a Bond Villain [Garages] (http://gizmodo.com/5719310/12-robotic-garages-even-james-bond-would-envy)
There were 15 of us clustered around a not-large-enough table at CES, almost all plugged into identical power adapters. I put a rubber band around mine to keep from mixing it up with somebody else's. Turns out, I'm a genius.
Source: Why rubber-banding my power brick is, like, the smartest thing I've ever done [Hacks] (http://gizmodo.com/5740018/why-rubber+banding-my-power-brick-was-like-the-smartest-thing-ive-ever-done)
A lost remote control is an annoyance. A house fire is a tragedy. A 19-year-old near Cleveland turned the former into the latter when he used a lighter to search under his bed for a missing remote.
Karen Rhine's 19-year-old son was using a lighter to look under a bed in their Medina, Ohio home when he accidentally set the mattress ablaze. Within moments, flames had engulfed the whole room.
Source: Search for Missing Remote Ends in House Fire [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5741937/search-for-tv-remote-ends-in-house-fire)
Jack LaLanne wasn't just a fitness guru. Mere fitness gurus don't tow 70 rowboats—while handcuffed—at age 70. Jack was a powerhouse. He died today, at 96. But not before eating and lifting his way through exercise gear history.
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Jack LaLanne started off life as an unhealthy, junkfood-addled mess of a child. He was "a miserable goddamn kid," explained to the San Francisco Chronicle. "It was like hell."
Source: What Jack LaLanne Did For Your Body [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5741960/what-jack-lalanne-did-for-your-body)
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Taco Bell "beef" pseudo-Mexican delicacies are really made of a gross mixture called "Taco Meat Filling" as shown on their big container's labels, like the one pictured here, which customers can't see. The list of ingredients is gruesome:
Source: This Is What Really Hides In Taco Bell's "Beef" [Food] (http://gizmodo.com/5742413/this-is-what-really-hides-in-taco-bells-beef)
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Yesterday I hiked eight miles with my 11-inch MacBook Air in my bag. Didn't even notice it was there. These MacBook Air owners sound sycophantic, but discount this praise at your own peril—especially if you're a laptop manufacturer.
Source: People Are Still Flipping Out Over the MacBook Air [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5742289/people-are-still-flipping-out-over-the-macbook-air)
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The call just died, and for no apparent reason. You were just walking down the street, for God's sake. So, let's talk about it: What happened?
To you, this situation was simple, and nothing really changed: You walked a few feet and your phone stopped working. To your phone, though, the scene was quite a bit more interesting.
Source: Giz Explains: Why Your Call Dropped [Giz Explains] (http://gizmodo.com/5740076/giz-explains-why-your-call-dropped)
The 175 photos that follow look like they might have been taken during the day. But it's not day. It's night. The photos are lying, thanks to long exposures that soak in the colorful nightlife.
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/01/500x_kcalfred-day.jpg) 175 Photos of Day Taken at Night [Photography] (http://gizmodo.com/5742383/175-photos-of-day-taken-at-night)
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A tony prep school in Knoxville, Tennessee has made it mandatory for every student between grades 4 and 12 to own an iPad. That might be a good idea, someday! But being this far ahead of the curve shortchanges students.
Source: Why iPads Aren't Ready For Classrooms... Yet [Opinion] (http://gizmodo.com/5742925/why-ipads-arent-ready-for-classrooms-yet)
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We get it, your new laptop is shiny, super-fast and awesome. But don't forget about your old laptop! It doesn't have to sit around and collect dust. Here are five super easy things you can do to rejuvenate it.
Getting Started
Well, you'll need an old laptop. And uh, that's pretty much it. Don't worry, your junky 8-pound PC notebook should be okay, most of these tasks aren't taxing on the hardware at all.
1. Turn it into a Home Server
2. Transform it into a Digital Photo Frame
3. Make it a Wireless Bridge
4. O Hai, New External Hard Drive!
5. The Second Monitor You've Always Wanted
Source: Five Things to Do with Your Old Laptop [Howto] (http://gizmodo.com/5666465/five-things-to-do-with-your-old-laptop)
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A flurry of rumors circulated today about HTC launching Facebook-branded phones. Let's talk about this!
Why this rumor doesn't make sense
What CityAM is saying about the facebook phone might be right. But it seems off. CityAM didn't quote any sources, instead relying on old favorites "City A.M. has learned" and "it is understood...". OK, that happens all the time. But CityAM is hardly known for breaking tech news. Not to discredit a publication for never having made a scoop, it's unlikely that a free financial paper—in England, no less—that's handed out for free at train stations has the necessary contacts to dig up a story of this size.
And they've changed it now, but CityAM originally described HTC as a Korean company (they're Taiwanese). If they can't get this minor point right, it says something about their expertise, now, doesn't it? Still, we don't know CityAM is wrong any more than we can prove they are right. Lets just talk about the idea of a Facebook phone, itself.
Source: Does a Facebook Phone Make Any Sense? [Cellphones] (http://gizmodo.com/5743949/does-a-facebook-phone-make-any-sense)
A flurry of rumors circulated today about HTC launching Facebook-branded phones. Let's talk about this! Updated.
Why make a Facebook phone at all?
Facebook's iPhone app and lack of a dedicated iPad app are telling. The company is into its web based content but still behind on developing specific versions of their content for specific platforms. Those priorities make sense to me.
So the push for a specific piece of hardware, when Facebook won't even develop solid apps for all the existing mobile platforms, seems iffy. It's more likely that HTC is working on an updated version of Sense, its UI for Android, integrating Facebook—and perhaps even Twitter—deeper than we've seen in the past.
Indeed, Facebook spokesperson Jaime Schopflin herself confirmed back in September that Hewitt and Papakipos are already working on projects integrated Facebook into existing OSes, such as iOS and the INQ Mobile OS.
Source: Does a Facebook Phone Make Any Sense? (Updated) [Cellphones] (http://gizmodo.com/5743949/does-a-facebook-phone-make-any-sense)
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Last night, President Obama delivered his yearly State of the Union address. Jobs! War! Bipartisanship! Awkward clapping! Sleeping senators! But also, lots of future talk. Below, we break down Obama's claims for America's tech horizon, and what they might mean.
Internet
THE INTERNET! Last night Obama mentioned it a whopping six times, as opposed to a whopping zero in last year's address. Could it be all that The Social Network Oscar buzz? Let's dissect.
Source: This Is Obama's State of the Future [Obama] (http://gizmodo.com/5743758/this-is-obamas-state-of-the-future)
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The Sony PSP2 has arrived under the codename NGP. It has a 5-inch OLED touchscreen, dual analog sticks, front/rear cameras,a touch-sensitive panel on the back of the device used for control along with a quad-core CPU and GPU. (Updated)
Update: Turns out the internal magic of the PSP2 lies in its quad-core ARM Cortex A9 processor and quad-core PowerVR SGX534MP4+ GPU. I'm scared to think how big the battery has to be to power this thing.
Source: The NGP Is Sony's Super-Powered Playstation Portable [Gaming] (http://gizmodo.com/5744521/sony-ngp-an-oled+equipped-dual-analog-touch+sensitive-portable-powerhouse)
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Hulu is a terrific service. Who could argue with free, current episodes of primetime TV on your computer? But for months now, Netflix has been eating Hulu's lunch. And Hulu's plan to fight back sounds more like a swan song.
According to the WSJ, Hulu's role in the future might not be as an archive of network television at all. Instead, faced with splintering commitment from its partners and intense competition from Netflix, Hulu may upend its business model entirely. Instead of a warehouse of episodic content, Hulu could become a full-fledged online cable operator. That means live shows and video on demand, all accessed through Hulu.
Source: How Hulu Lost Its Place In a Netflix World [Streaming] (http://gizmodo.com/5744768/how-hulu-lost-its-place-in-a-netflix-world)
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Tonight I had a few beers, a nice dinner, and watched a documentary about people in other countries. And then I learned that the Egyptian government has decided to turn off the internet.
I despise "internet culture". It's so pointless, so self-fulfilling, so completely insular and without context. I'm the pessimist who looks at stories of "internet activism" and sort of snidely dismisses the whole smear, content in the knowledge that the uproar from a few tens of thousands of Western internet users doesn't accurately reflect the desires and concerns of millions of people around the world who are online.
Source: Is Internet Access a Human Right? [Egypt] (http://gizmodo.com/5745478/is-internet-access-a-human-right)
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If you'd have asked me a year ago if I would buy a new PlayStation Portable from Sony that wasn't a phone, I'd have scoffed. So why am I desperate for the NGP—the PSP2?
Nintendo and Sony are in a pickle. While they've both been milking their portable gaming lines over the last three years, Apple swooped in and changed the gaming market considerably, with a touchscreen-based iOS platform that has put thousands of games on the market at prices low enough to cause a gaming industry executive many sleepless nights.
Source: Why I Was Wrong About the PSP2...And Why I Don't Care [Psp2] (http://gizmodo.com/5745230/why-i-was-wrong-about-the-psp2and-why-i-dont-care)
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The one last barrier for you using Google Voice full time—number porting—just got knocked down. But should you use Google Voice? Almost certainly yes.
To quickly summarize, Google Voice is like a layer inbetween your regular cellphone/landline and the outside world. It can block calls, route calls on a schedule, record calls, transcribe voicemails, ring all (or none of your phones) simultaneously, send text messages over 3G data (or from your computer), and make and receive free VoIP calls on your computer using your normal phone number. It's really quite good, and I've been using Google Voice for almost two years now with no regrets.
But should you switch?
Source: Should I Port My Number to Google Voice? [Google Voice] (http://gizmodo.com/5745044/should-i-port-my-number-to-google-voice)
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Twenty-five years ago today, the nation watched as the most diverse space crew in history took off into the sky. But after just seventy-three seconds that journey turned into a technological catastrophe like none we had ever seen before.
The tragedy was a distinctly modern one. The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, NASA's second-oldest shuttle and one that had already completed nine missions, was undoubtedly most high-tech catastrophe in human history.
Source: Remembering the Challenger [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5745977/remembering-the-challenger)
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Yesterday, something unprecedented happened: Egypt turned off the internet. A nation of 80,000,000 instantly disconnected. So how'd they do it?
Phone Calls
There was no giant lever or big red button involved, but in reality it was almost as easy: the Egyptian Government simply issued an order for ISPs to shut down service.
Source: How Egypt Turned Off the Internet [Egypt] (http://gizmodo.com/5746121/how-egypt-turned-off-the-internet)
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Finding stellar Android apps isn't the easiest task, but that certainly doesn't mean they don't exist. Here's the cream of the crop.
Twitter: The official Twitter app is good enough for almost everyone. Along with giving you a clean, easy way to keep track of your timeline and updating your status, Twitter for Android also has a snazzy swipe down to refresh feature. Free.
Facebook: Facebook is finally decent on Android and now actually brings some unique features, namely the front page side-scroll of friend's recent photos and a pull up notification window. Free.
eBuddy Messenger: A well-designed IM client that keeps you plugged into AIM, Google Talk, MSN, Yahoo, Facebook chat and others. Even better because it's free. Free.
Tango: Tango is the best (and clearest!) way to video chat with your buddies, Android or iPhone, over 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi. Free.
Handcent SMS: Handcent puts SMS on steroids. It's fully customizable (in look and theme) and gives options for popups and to even tweak individual contact settings. If you've never thought the stock messaging app on Android sucked, we won't blame you. But after using Handcent, you will. Free.
Source: The Best Android Apps [Androidapps] (http://gizmodo.com/5739420/the-best-android-apps)
The end of the month is here, and that means it's time to do a little housekeeping on our list of the absolute best iPhone apps. Who will be inducted? Who will unceremoniously get the boot?
WordLens: WordLens is a taste of the future. Point it at a sign in Spanish and it'll overlay an English translation on the fly while approximating the size and typeface of the original text.
Infinity Blade: Angry Birds may be fun, but the graphics aren't going to blow your hair back. Infinity Blade, the first iOS game to run on the Unreal Engine, could easily be called Angry Knights.
WolframAlpha: WolframAlpha—formerly $50, now just $2—is smart. Like, scary smart. It's part calculator, part search engine, but for any situation in which you need facts
DocumentsToGo: If you're a businessperson, you undoubtedly are adrift in a sea of documents, pretty much every day of your life.
Source: The iPhone Apps Everyone Should Have (Updated) [IphoneApps] (http://gizmodo.com/5747999/the-iphone-apps-everyone-should-have-updated)
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At bloody last, now you can opt-out of delivery of those useless volumes of bound dead trees and CO2 known as the Yellow Pages. I would rather kill them all, but this is a step in the right direction.
Source: At Last, You Can Send the Yellow Pages to Hell [Rant] (http://gizmodo.com/5748743/at-last-you-can-send-the-yellow-pages-to-hell)
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Get ready, because the snowpocalypse is back. This snow storm system is huge. NASA Goddard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/) has released this amazing image, showing how it looks from space—bloody scary, that's how.
Source: This Is the Apocalyptic Storm Hitting the US Right Now [Weather] (http://gizmodo.com/5748771/this-is-the-apocalyptic-storm-hitting-the-us)
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Bokeh is the ephemeral essence of blur, something you can see yet remains completely intangible. Other times, it can be shaped into a mold, controlled and specific. The 306 entries from this week's Shooting Challenge capture bokeh at both extremes.
Source: 306 Beautiful Blurry Bokehs [Photography] (http://gizmodo.com/5748397/306-beautiful-blurry-bokehs)
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Time's up. If you haven't bought an iPad by now, don't. You've crossed the sucker line, and you'll feel like a grade-a chump when the next iPad comes out.
The basic rule of gadget-buying happiness is this: Don't buy anything after it's crossed the halfway point in its life-cycle. That's the sucker line.
Source: Do Not Buy an iPad [Ipad] (http://gizmodo.com/5747930/dont-buy-an-ipad)
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January has come! And gone. And with it, a lot of broken New Year's Resolutions. But also, new additions to our wonderful list of favorite gadgets. Check out the full roster of Bestmodo's newest inductees below.
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/thumb160x_500x_jawbone_hero3_160.jpg)Best Phone Headset
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/thumb160x_500x_pr_joos_charger_large_wide_160.jpg)Best Solar Charger
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/thumb160x_500x_lumix_ts3_160.jpg)Best Waterproof Camera
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/thumb160x_cat_fridge_2_160.jpg)Best Photo Printing Service
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/thumb160x_160x120_allcamstop_01.jpg)Best Point and Shoot Cams
Source: The Best Gadgets (So Far) [Bestmodo] (http://gizmodo.com/5748066/the-best-gadgets-so-far)
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Hello to our Egyptian readers. After five days without internet—following the Egyptian government's request to ISPs to shut down service after political protests—80,000,000 people are back online, accessing news, Twitter and lolcats.
Cast a brief eye over at Twitter, and you'll see Egyptians have their voice back—and don't even have to use Google and Twitter's voicemail workaround. According to ComputerWorld, two of the largest ISPs—Vodafone Egypt and Etisalat—switched service back on at 9.30am local time today
The skin gun is not science fiction—it's a prototype medical device that literally sprays skin cells onto burn victims to re-grow skin. Old methods like skin grafts took weeks to heal; the skin gun needs about an hour.
Watch the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXO_ApjKPaI
Source: Spray-on Skin Is a Reality [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5749968/the-skin-gun-that-sprays-new-skin-on-burn-victims-is-real)
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This is how an Android tablet should feel. Android 3.0 running on Motorola's Xoom tablet is almost iPad-like, a legitimate threat to the only successful tablet on the market right now. It's about damn time!
Source: Using Google's Android 3.0 Tablet, the First Real iPad Fighter [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5750148/using-googles-android-30-tablet-the-first-real-ipad-fighter)
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The first reviews of the Verizon iPhone 4 are starting to appear and we're rounding them up for you. Here's a look at the early impressions:
Source: The Early Verizon iPhone 4 Reviews Are In [Reviews] (http://gizmodo.com/5750456/the-early-verizon-iphone-4-reviews-are-in)
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No one wants their plane to crash, and no one wants to cause a scene during a flight. So, diligent passengers that we are, we turn off our gadgets when we're told to. But no one's dying if you don't.
Source: Cell Phones Don't Crash Airplanes [Airplanes] (http://gizmodo.com/5751290/cell-phones-dont-crash-planes)
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We know: You're freezing. New York's a slushtrap, the Midwest is doing its best Hoth impersonation, and the West Coast is... uh... well, we'll just skip the discussion of California weather. We can help you! GEAR can help.
Source: It's Cold! This Stuff Will Keep You Warm [Winter] (http://gizmodo.com/5751433/how-to-stay-warm-in-this-snowpacalypse-formally-known-as-winter)
We've seen HDR make life look hyperreal before but this short film takes it to another level. The chapel is real, built in 1796 in Poland, but it looks like something out of Gears of War. Just watch.
The astonishing, unreal parts are seen around the 1:25 mark. I know HDR always has this sort of unnatural effect on things, it just always surprises me how out of this world it can get.
Source: This HDR Video Makes an Old Chapel Look Like a Video Game (http://gizmodo.com/5751388/this-hdr-video-makes-a-real-chapel-look-like-a-video-game)
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The era of listening to any song, at any moment, in any location is fast approaching. While we're not quite there yet, a handful of on-demand music services have come close. So we put them head-to-head to see who's best.
Source: The Best Streaming Music Service [Battlemodo] (http://gizmodo.com/5750415/the-best-streaming-music-service)
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Getting ready for the Super Bowl XLV? Then download all these free apps into your iPhone or Android (if available). Because, you know, there's never enough apps to feed our hyperactive, hyperinformationhungry brains and satisfy our short attention spans.
- ESPN ScoreCenter (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/espn-scorecenter/id317469184?mt=8)
- NFL Pro Tweets (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nfl-pro-tweets/id329515040?mt=8)
- Super Bowl XLV Official NFL Game Program (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-bowl-xlv-official-nfl/id417071364?mt=8)
- AdBowl (http://itunes.apple.com/il/app/adbowl/id352660638?mt=8#)
- Fan Finder (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fanfinder-sports-bar-locator/id306932584?mt=8)
Source: The Essential Free Apps for the Super Bowl XLV [Apps] (http://gizmodo.com/5751910/the-essential-apps-for-the-super-bowl-xlv)
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We think of Apple as a lot of things. Maker of iPods, iPhones and iPads. Purveyor of music, videos and apps. But how do we feel about Apple as a publisher?
Source: Will Apple Be Censoring Books, Too? [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5751288/apple-inc-publishing-company)
Over the course of 15 years, award-winning photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand crafted the most beautiful view of the Earth I've ever seen on the silver screen: Home is an exquisite vision of our world, full of pure bliss—and terrifying scenes.
Produced by Luc Besson, the movie's one hour and 33 minutes will give you goose bumps, taking you to 120 locations over 54 countries, showing the majestic nature of our planet in stark contrast with the effect of human industries and technology.
Source: This Is the Most Beautiful and Terrifying Portrait of Earth I've Seen [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5753012/this-is-the-most-beautiful-and-terrifying-portrait-of-earth-ive-seen)
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Inch by inch, model by model, Canon is slowly dragging the DSLR toward its destiny: a full-fledged photo-video hybrid camera. We're not there yet, but the $800 T3i brings shooters a bit closer with a video-centric swivel out screen.
Source: Canon Rebel T3i: The DSLR Revolution Will Still Be Video [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5753548/canon-rebel-t3i-the-dslr-revolution-will-still-be-video)
You'll see that we have one giant story on the left here when you visit Gizmodo. This makes it easy for us to point out what we think is the hottest story right now, while still allowing news to keep flowing on the right side of the page. This gives us the ability to feature a single major story of the moment, as a newspaper front page might, without losing the flow of the traditional blog. And the new page is lighter than the old and should load a lot faster.
Source: This Is the New Gizmodo [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5752428/this-is-the-new-gizmodo)
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I look at the Soviet plans to go to the Moon and I wonder if they secretly contracted the Marx Brothers to design it. I guess it's easy to say that with hindsight—look at the Apollo program—but couldn't they really see that this was not a very smart option?
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I mean, the game was pretty good too. But the commercials could've been better and the halftime show almost destroyed my faith in humanity. But did you know why I had the most fun this Super Bowl? Twitter.
Source: How Twitter Made This the Most Fun Super Bowl Yet [Superbowl] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754008/how-twitter-made-this-the-most-fun-super-bowl-yet)
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Crafting a new computer is tough. Everyone loves touch—fingers are winning interfaces. But pawing an upright monitor is physically tiring. So? HP's design team cleverly brought the monitor down to you. And we've got their concept sketches.
Source: The HP TouchSmart Computer Designed After a Scorpion's Tail [Design] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754199/the-hp-touchsmart-computer-designed-after-a-scorpions-tail)
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Get Dead Space 2 (PS3, 360, PC) for only $40 (with free shipping). That's 33% off! Many more deals below.
Source: The Best Deal Of the Day [Dealzmodo] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754191/deals-of-the-day)
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The Techno-Future Is Already HereChristian Stoll's wide-angle photographs, fittingly used in print campaigns for IBM and Microsoft, may look like scenes from Minority Report, but they're actually views of our little old planet as seen in some of its craziest, most futuristic looking places right now. Go check out the rest of the set, titled "Epic," at Stoll's site and perhaps feel a fleeting appreciation for trees and squirrels and stuff like that. [Christian Stoll]
Source: The Techno-Future Is Already Here [Photography] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5753983/the-techno+future-is-already-here)
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Brian Barrett — LA Cops Seize Million Worth of Fake iPhones, iPods, and MoreLook at them all: iPods and iPhones of every color and every generation. It's a king's ransom of iProducts—except every single one of them is a fake.
The Los Angeles Port Police seized the counterfeit goods from several downtown warehouses as part of a massive two-month long bust. What they found, according to the LA Times:
Source: LA Cops Seize $10 Million Worth of Fake iPhones, iPods, and More [True Crime] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754141/police-grab-10-million-worth-of-fake-iphones-ipods-and-more)
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As they're wont to do, iFixit and 9to5Mac have (separately) torn apart the new Verizon iPhone, discovering some small changes and one big one: the Qualcomm MDM6600 chip inside. That chipset supports both GSM and CDMA transmission (HSPA+ data rates up to 14.4 Mbps) and it happens to be the one that you'll find inside a Droid Pro world phone.
Source: Verizon's iPhone Could Have Been a World Phone [Teardown] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754284/theres-a-dual-mode-chip-inside-the-verizon-iphone)
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According to Reuters, U.S. border patrol recently picked up two illegal immigrants who used dive scooters to cross from Mexico to California. This has to be the most thrilling personal sea scooter episode since that fight in Thunderball.
The two men, 38 and 16 years old, were walking on a beach south of San Diego wearing wet suits and holding their scooters when they were spotted by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter.
Source: Immigrants Caught Using Dive Scooters to Cross U.S. Border [Scooters] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754109/immigrants-caught-using-dive-scooters-to-cross-border)
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Kyle VanHemert — Simplenote for iPhoneThere are apps you enjoy and there are apps you rely on. For many of us at Giz, Simplenote is the latter. Clean, quick, flawlessly synced notes, on any device you happen to be using.
Source: Simplenote for iPhone [AppOfTheDay] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754406/simplenote-for-iphone)
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Jason Chen — The Best of Gizmodo Today / roundupsThis Is the New Gizmodo
Take a look around. This is the new Gizmodo.
Source: The Best of Gizmodo Today (http://gizmodo.com/)
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HP's new g6 budget notebook line is wholly unremarkable—almost. The econo-laptops have one thing going for them, but it's pretty stellar—a completely seamless, invisible trackpad. Our only question is, why is this awesome feature stuck in cheap-o land?
Source: Every Trackpad Should Look as Good as HP's Invisible Wonders [Computers] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754813/every-trackpad-should-look-as-good-as-hps-invisible-wonders)
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Chris Beidelman — The Best Deal of the DayGet a 8GB Corsair Voyager Flash Drive for only $10 (after mail-in rebate, with free shipping). That's 33% off! Many more deals below.
Source: The Best Deal of the Day [Dealzmodo] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5755142/the-best-deal-of-the-day)
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Sam Biddle — The Furious Femme Fatales of Computer Stock PhotographyStock photography is inherently funny—stilted people in forced, goofy scenarios. Laughing! Spitting milk! Eating salad! But there's a bizarre subcategory of angry women grappling with broken computers. Really, really demeaningly angry women.
Source: The Furious Femme Fatales of Computer Stock Photography [Women] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754969/the-furious-femme-fatales-of-computer-stock-photography)
Kyle VanHemert — Rhode Island City Plans to Leave 600 Rogue Stop Signs StandingAt some point in recent years, a ghost in the urban planning machine put up 700 rogue stop signs in Cranston, Rhode Island, (pop. 80,000; stop sign pop. 2,600). They're totally undocumented, and the city can't figure out where exactly they came from. But after an investigation by a specially appointed committee, they're planning to leave 580 of 'em right where they are.
Source: Rhode Island City Plans to Leave 600 Rogue Stop Signs Standing [Traffic] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5755093/rhode-island-city-plans-to-leave-600-rogue-stop-signs-standing)
Jesus Diaz — 7-Year-Old Kid Buys Harrier Jet Fighter—Then Gets Dreams ShatteredA 7-year-old kid came closer to realize every kid's dream than any of us: He bought a real Harrier fighter jet for $113,000 on eBay. Yes, a Harrier Jump Jet T-Bird Aircraft XW269. The whole shebang, weaponry not included.
Sadly, his dreams were broken the same day, after his dad found out about the purchase and quickly contacted the company selling it—Jet Art Aviation—telling them the story and asking to cancel the sale. Obviously, they understood it and put it back on the auction block.
Source: 7-Year-Old Kid Buys Harrier Jet Fighter—Then Gets Dreams Shattered [Airplanes] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5755832/7+year+old-kid-buys-harrier-jet-fighter)
Rosa Golijan — Why People Are Talking About the iPad 3 When the iPad 2 Isn't Even Out YetWe know that the iPad 2 is coming soon—it's why we keep telling you that you shouldn't buy the current model at this point. But now there's suddenly talk of the iPad 3 already. What's going on?
It basically started with an innocent remark made by Daring Fireball's John Gruber, a guy with a knack for making well-informed guesses:
Source: Why People Are Talking About the iPad 3 When the iPad 2 Isn't Even Out Yet [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5756403/why-people-are-talking-about-the-ipad-3-when-the-ipad-2-isnt-even-out-yet)
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We know that the iPad 2 is coming soon-it's why we keep telling you that you shouldn't buy the current model at this point. But now there's suddenly talk of the iPad 3 already. What's going on
Source: Daily Roundup - Feb 9, 2011 [Total Recap] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5756402/daily-roundup-+-feb-9-2011)
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Kat Hannaford — The Facebook Phone Inspired by Stormtroopers and Wall-E's GirlfriendWhile most of us won't swap our iPhones or top-level Androids for INQ's two latest cellphones, the Cloud Touch and Cloud Q, anyone considering their first smartphone should definitely check these out. Especially if you're F5-ing Facebook all day long.
Source: The Facebook Phone Inspired by Stormtroopers and Wall-E's Girlfriend [Cellphones] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5754155/the-facebook-phone-inspired-by-stormtroopers-and-wall+es-girlfriend)
Brian Barrett — All Your iPhone Passwords Can Be Stolen In Under Six MinutesA lost iPhone means more than having to rebuild your contact list. Because researchers have shown that it only takes six minutes to access every password that's stored in the device's keychain. Email, voicemail, Wi-Fi, VPN, Exchange—it's all at risk.
Source: All Your iPhone Passwords Can Be Stolen In Under Six Minutes [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5756873/it-only-takes-six-minutes-to-steal-every-password-on-your-iphone)
(http://betacache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_cheap-iphones.jpg)
Call it a hunch, but we have a feeling a bunch of perfectly good iPhones are about to get dumped on Craigslist. Like, today. Here's how take advantage of all those AT&Turncoats and grab a (barely) used iPhone 4 for cheap.
Source: How To Shop for a Used iPhone on Craigslist [Howto] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5755344/how-to-shop-for-a-used-iphone-on-craigslist)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Nokia%20Sauna%20Experience.PNG)
Okay, so maybe it's kind of funny that the BBC has called out Nokia for the struggling mobile company's crippling sauna addiction. That doesn't mean it's not a legitimate concern! Because when your company's this far down in the dumps, it might not be the right time to install a steam room in your Zimbabwe office.
Source: Nokia's Unfortunate Sauna Addiction [Perks] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5757122/nokias-unfortunate-sauna-addiction)
(http://betacache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_iphone-best-apps.jpg)
Did you just buy a Verizon iPhone? Or maybe you're on AT&T but finally caved because you know now you'd really feel left out without one? Whatever the case may be, here are the iPhone apps you have to have.
Source: New iPhone Owners—Here Are the Best Apps [IphoneApps] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5757127/these-are-the-best-iphone-apps)
Daniel Domscheit-Berg — Julian Assange: Chief Marketing Officer of WikiLeaksAre government spooks really out to get Julian Assange? Or are his claims simply a ruse designed to attract the spotlight? WikiLeaks former Number 2 has a little expose of his own. Take a peek Inside Wikileaks.
Shortly after I flew back to Germany from Iceland, Julian began attacking the Icelandic political system and the Ministry of Justice in particular, even though we were supposed to be working with them to make the IMMI legally airtight.
The Twitter account had originally been conceived as a neutral channel for us to inform our followers about news and fresh articles about WL. We also alerted readers to articles critical of us, in keeping with our basic philosophy. But the account quickly developed into a channel for whatever Julian Assange happened to be thinking at any given moment. At some point, he began talking about "his followers" and "his account." Under no circumstances was anyone permitted to criticize his tweets. One minute he would insult some journalists, calling them total idiots; another he would tell a mailing list of 350,000 people he had no time for interviews.
Source: Julian Assange: Chief Marketing Officer of WikiLeaks [Book Excerpt] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5756379/julian-assange-chief-marketing-officer-of-wikileaks)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Next-iPhone-Bloomberg-Gizmodo.PNG)
Could the Next iPhone Really Be A Third Smaller Than iPhone 4?According to Bloomberg, the next iPhone may be two-thirds the size of the already (very) petite iPhone 4. That's crazy small. But will it happen?
Maybe, maybe not, according to Bloomberg's sources, who saw the prototype sometime last year. Apple has considered announcing the tiny handset this summer, but could still decide to scrap it in favor of a different model. Let's also keep in mind that two-thirds smaller could be referring to a lot of things; the length of the diagonal, the thickness, the weight. It's hard to imagine that the 66.67% iPhone shown above would be particularly usable.
Source: Could the Next iPhone Really Be A Third Smaller Than iPhone 4? [Unconfirmed] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5757328/could-the-next-iphone-really-be-a-third-smaller-than-iphone-4)
You know NBA Jam. It's the classic in-your-face arcade basketball game. Now available on the iPhone, it's just as boomshakalakastic as I remembered. Backboard breaking dunks, fire burning threes, punk-your-man defense—ah, just the way basketball games should be.
Source: NBA Jam for iPhone [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/#!5757272/nba-jam-for-iphone)
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This photo is showing you the edge of a razor blade at about 400x magnification. Yes, that's how close you have to get in order to read the motto hand engraved onto the surface by a 64-year-old man named Graham Short.
The engraving in the photograph was preceded by about 150 failed attempts—engravings which were ruined by a shaky slip of the hand. This number of failed attempts may seem large, but you have to consider how insanely difficult it is to engrave something onto the edge of a razor blade. There's preparation and training involved:
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Nokia%20Employees%20Work%20Out%20in%20Protest.PNG)While Nokia's partnership with Microsoft will undoubtedly present some attractive prospects for phone-buyers, there's one cohort that's not too happy about the news: the employees in Nokia's Finnish offices. According to a Finnish newspaper, over a thousand employees left the Nokia offices in Tampere and Oulu this afternoon in protest.
The employees exercised their option to work flextime, streaming from the offices ostensibly in protest to the killing off of Nokia's Symbian operating system in favor of Windows Phone 7.
Source: Over a Thousand Nokia Employees Reportedly Walk Out in Protest [Nokia] (http://gizmodo.com/5757962/over-a-thousand-nokia-employees-reportedly-walk-out-in-protest)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Verifone%20iPhone%20Switch.PNG)Matt Buchanan & Andrew Tarantola — The Verizon iPhone 4 Switch: How Badly Will It Hurt My Wallet?Okay, you're sure: AT&T must die. But you can't live without an iPhone 4. You're getting the Verizon iPhone 4, no matter what. So how much is it going to cost you to switch?
Well! It depends. On a lot of things. How long's left in your AT&T blood contract? Are you going to sell your receptionless glass-and-steel slab? Where do you plan to hawk your used wares? Trying to figure out all these variables could drive you crazier than your ex-iPhone's reception. So we did it for you.
Source: The Verizon iPhone 4 Switch: How Badly Will It Hurt My Wallet? [Iphone 4] (http://gizmodo.com/5754929/the-verizon-iphone-4-switch-how-badly-will-it-hurt-my-wallet)
We spend a whole day wandering through our favorite fair of the year, and we had a lot of fun playing around every shiny thing we could find. Here is all the best stuff:
Source: The Best Stuff at Toy Fair 2011 [Play] (http://gizmodo.com/5761268/the-best-toys-of-toy-fair-2011)
Digital subscriptions for the iPad are here. Huzzah! Sounds pretty good! You can subscribe to the New Yorker or PopSci with one click, and it's automagically delivered. No in-app purchases; no muss, no fuss. I've been holding out on renewing my paper mag subscriptions, waiting for this very moment.
But it's not all puppies and rainbows. In the press release announcing these subscriptions, there are two key sections that merit second looks.
Source: Apple's New Subscription Model Is Evil [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5761383/apples-new-subscription-model-is-evil)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/IBM%20Jeopardy%20Challenge%20-%20Man%20vs%20Machine.PNG)If you happened to miss out on the first half of Round 1 last night, shame on you. You can catch up here (http://gizmodo.com/#!5760514/ibm-jeopardy-challenge-night-1-watson-ties-for-the-lead).
When we last left our heroes, Watson and the undefeated Jeopardy champion Brad Rutter were tied for the lead with $5000 apiece. Ken Jennings, meanwhile, trailed with $2000. Watson had some shaky moments in the early stages of Round 1, but kept it together enough to stay on top and frustrate the Mormon Machine. Let's rejoin the action...
Source: IBM Jeopardy Challenge, Night 2: Watson Runs Wild [Man Vs Machine] (http://gizmodo.com/5761636/ibm-jeopardy-challege-night-2-watson-runs-wild)
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This Is Not a Lost Scene From AliensWhen I first came across this image, I thought it was from a lost Aliens scene. But it is real. That's Staff Sgt. Sarah Mrak, from the 4th Special Operations Squadron. And she's inside a U.S. Air Force AC-130U aerial gunship.
Source: This Is Not a Lost Scene From Aliens [Image Cache] (http://gizmodo.com/5761946/this-is-not-a-lost-scene-from-aliens)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Star%20Trek-Style%20Scanner%20-%20GizModo.PNG)
I never thought I would live to see something like this: A hand held scanner that can detect if a patient is healthy or not just by pointing it at the skin. It seems out of Star Trek, but it is real and it works today.
The scanner has been developed over a five-year period by a group lead by professor Jürgen Lademann of the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy of the Charité-University Medicine in Berlin (and sponsored by the German's Federal Ministry for Education and Research). Right now, it is being tested in Germany using a group of 19-year-old students.
Source: This Star Trek-Style Scanner Tells If You're Healthy Or Not [Medicine] (http://gizmodo.com/5762119/this-star-trek+style-scanner-tells-if-youre-healthy-or-not)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/IBM%20Jeopardy%20Challenge%20-%20Man%20vs%20Machine2.PNG)Tonight is the final battle between IBM's Jeopardy-playing Watson computer and humanity's two greatest quiz show gladiators. And because I just moved to a state that buries epic man vs. machine battles at 4:30 CST, I'm going to liveblog it early for you all. Spoilers, and the possible end of mankind as we know it, ahead.
For a quick primer on how the contest has shaped up so far, check out our round-ups of the first scrimmage, the evenly matched first round, and last night's total computer domination. Tonight's the rubber match. Let's rumble.
Source: IBM Jeopardy Challenge Finale: Follow It Here Live [Jeopardy] (http://gizmodo.com/5762439/ibm-jeopardy-challenge-finale-the-liveblog)
Hot damn. It's like Shazam for your TV. More » (http://gizmodo.com/#!5762497/intonow-for-iphone)
Source: IntoNow for iPhone [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5762497/intonow-for-iphone)
Steve Jobs (http://gizmodo.com/tag/stevejobs/) took another medical leave of absence (http://gizmodo.com/#!5735566/steve-jobs-taking-medical-leave-of-absence-from-apple) earlier this year with no estimated return date. The National Enquirer (http://www.nationalenquirer.com/) has now published some scary looking photos of Steve, which depict him looking thinner and perhaps more ill than ever. (Photos in the spread above by Nick Stern (http://nickstern.com/)) More » (http://gizmodo.com/#!5762521/steve-jobs-has-weeks-to-live-says-the-national-enquirer)
Source: Steve Jobs Has "6 Weeks to Live," Says the National Enquirer [Rumors] (http://gizmodo.com/5762521/steve-jobs-has-weeks-to-live-says-the-national-enquirer)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_xlarge_gunship-aliens.jpg)Here are the best stories on Gizmodo, February 16, 2011. Enjoy them!
This Is Not a Lost Scene From Aliens
When I first came across this image, I thought it was from a lost Aliens scene. But it is real. That's Staff Sgt. Sarah Mrak, from the 4th Special Operations Squadron. And she's inside a U.S. Air Force AC-130U aerial gunship.
Steve Jobs Has "6 Weeks to Live," Says the National Enquirer
Steve Jobs took another medical leave of absence earlier this year with no estimated return date. The National Enquirer has now published some scary looking photos of Steve, which depict him looking thinner and perhaps more ill than ever.
Source: Best Stories of Today, February 16, 2011 [Total Recap] (http://gizmodo.com/5762495/best-stories-of-today-february-16-2011)
If you missed the first round, shame on you. Catch up on the action here and here.
Let's be honest: Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter had slim chances of winning the IBM Jeopardy Challenge after the bludgeoning they suffered at the hands of theIBM supercomputer Watson last night (their final score is the combined total from the first two rounds). But they did have their pride to play for. We covered the match as it happened, so I won't bore you with a second play-by-play, but a few things stood out in this round.
Source: IBM Jeopardy Challenge Finale: Watson Is Victorious [Man] (http://gizmodo.com/5762784/ibm-jeopardy-challenge-finale-watson-is-victorious-but-what-does-it-mean)
When tax expert Bob McIntyre's daughter bought a cellphone for $25, he was surprised to learn she ended up paying almost $60 in total, once taxes were added in. What followed was his adventures into the messy world of the government's cellphone taxing scheme, which is calculated based on the original sticker-price of a phone, and not the post-rebate and discount price.
Source: Why Are Cellphones Taxed So Massively? [Cellphones] (http://gizmodo.com/5762807/why-are-cellphones-taxed-so-massively)
The ubiquity of voicemail made sense when our phones lived in the kitchen, not our pockets—before SMS and twitter and the dozens of other ways we now stay perma-connected. So when does it make sense to use voicemail?
Source: Is it Ever OK to Leave Voicemail Anymore? [Etiquette] (http://gizmodo.com/5762401/when-is-it-ok-to-leave-voicemail)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_steelwool.jpg)Burning steel wool, a tripod, and a long exposure shot. That, and a canvas as haunting as the aurora borealis, are all it took for Tommy Eliassen to create this indelible ode to fire and light. [Telegraph UK; Image credit: Tommy Eliassen/solent]
Source: A Burning Ring of Fire [Image Cache] (http://gizmodo.com/5763024/a-burning-ring-of-fire)
Pennant is the most beautifistastic way to re-live past baseball seasons. There's so much baseball information presented in such a g-g-g-gorgeous way that I'm crying tears of joy, rainbows and Willie Mays.
What is it?
Pennant, $5, iPad. It's the history of baseball in numbers but waay prettier than you'd expect. And as baseball is such a numbers based game, it's a legitimately thorough history of America's past time. Think of the box scores baseball purists cherish so much and then think of great design and then mash it together.
Source: Pennant for iPad [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5763552/pennant-for-ipad)
This is the Jackling House—exactly how Steve Jobs has wanted it to look since he bought it in 1984, the year of the Macintosh launch. Demolished. Destroyed. Blown to smithereens.
Exclusive Shots of Steve Jobs' Demolished House
We hired a plane to see the destruction from the air. Below is a video and some photos of the construction site—please excuse the shaky camera, but it was extremely windy, and the airplane was moving around like crazy.
Source: Exclusive Shots of Steve Jobs' Demolished House [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5763219/exclusive-shots-of-steve-jobs-demolished-house)
Had I been a student at one of these Anaheim schools in California, I would've been forced to wear a GPS device, too. In fact, if YOU skipped out of school more than four times a year, you would've joined me in the GPS Breakfast Club as well.
Around 75 seventh and eight graders in Anaheim have become the first kids in California to be followed using GPS, after concerns that their truancy could lead to prosecution. The tab is getting picked up by the state of California, after previous trials in Baltimore and San Antonio saw attendance amongst skiving kids rise from 77 per cent to 95 per cent after the program finished.
Source: Middle Schools Are Tracking Kids With GPS Now [GPS] (http://gizmodo.com/5764234/californian-middle-schools-are-tracking-kids-with-gps)
So Watson just pwned humanity, setting a milestone in the history of artificial intelligence. But this trouncing gives us—as we lick our wounds, cry foul, or demand a rematch—the opportunity to ask afresh what it means to be human.
At least as far back as Socrates and Plato, Homo sapiens has been fascinated with the question of what makes it special and unique. In antiquity, this took the form of obsessively comparing humans against other animals. In the twenty-first century, it's machines we keep anxiously measuring ourselves against. Each new step ahead for AI, it seems, has whittled down the gap. But what has been so fascinating about these milestones, over the past six or seven decades, is the order in which they've come.
Source: The Human Victory [Artificial Intelligence] (http://gizmodo.com/5764317/the-human-victory)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_chopped.jpg)This morning, we decided we think axes are awesome. Beautiful, functionally perfected, and, yes, great for elegantly chopping the crap out of things. Below, a roundup of our favorite old school cutting contraptions.
Source: Gizmodo Loves Axes [Desired] (http://gizmodo.com/5764227/gizmodo-loves-axes)
Spiders are often portrayed as malicious, bloodthirsty creatures looking for anything with a pulse to sink its fangs into—especially us humans. Look no further than movies like Arachnophobia, Arachnid or even Eight Legged Freaks. Even Peter Parker was the victim of a random spider bite. But the truth is, spiders don't really bite. I mean, sure they bite, but only if you really provoke them to do so.
Source: Spiders Won't Bite [Factoids] (http://gizmodo.com/5764701/spiders-dont-bite)
All the Best Lego Sets for 2011Star Wars! Ninjas! Pirates! Aliens! Race cars! Mummies! Castles! Dragons! All made off delicious bricks. Hot off the magical Lego Factory in Billund, Denmark, here are all the Lego sets for the year 2011 in one epic roundup.
There are a couple more secret models, but we will show those to you at a later date.
First, following the success of the previous series, there are more new minifigs sold in separate packaging. I'm not a fan of the minifigs with facial expressions—I still prefer the iconic old school ones, with smiley faces—but some of these are neat.
Source: All the Best Lego Sets for 2011 [Lego] (http://gizmodo.com/5764194/all-the-best-lego-sets-for-2011)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Don%27t%20Buy%20Apple%20Products.PNG)It's a weird time to buy an Apple product. By that I mean it's a terrible time to buy an Apple product. At least, if you want to own the latest and most amazingest with the least amount of heartbreak. That's the story for three of Apple's biggest products: iPhone 4, iPad and now, the MacBook Pro.
Source: It's a Dangerous Time to Buy Apple Products [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5765916/its-a-dangerous-time-to-buy-apple-products)
There are plenty of apps that tell you how to mix drinks, but none that do it quite as stylishly as What Cocktail?
What is it?
What Cocktail?, $2, iPhone. A handsome app that lets you tap in a few variables—what mood you're in; what hemisphere you're in—and spits out a drink suggestion. Then it gives you directions on how to make one. That way, the app's to blame for your hangover, not you.
Source: What Cocktail? for iPhone [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5766483/what-cocktail-for-iphone)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Motorola%20Atrix%20Phone.PNG) Saying that the Motorola Atrix is the best Android phone isn't a big deal; that throne gets usurped every few months. But even though the Atrix's accompanying laptop dock is slow and and expensive, the idea behind it is one of the first innovations in mobile technology in quite a while.
Source: Motorola Atrix Review: Great Phone, Weak Netbook [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5765852/motorola-atrix-review-a-great-phone-makes-for-a-weak-netbook)
In 100 years, we'll still appreciate black and white street photography (http://gizmodo.com/#!5761971/shooting-challenge-bw-street-photography). I mean, it'll fly at our retinas at warp 9 and we'll be tasting it via synesthetic implants, but it'll still be in black and white. More » (http://gizmodo.com/#!5766747/120-striking-street-photos)
Source: 120 Striking Street Photos [Shooting Challenge] (http://gizmodo.com/5766747/120-striking-street-photos)
Journalist Nir Rosen (http://gizmodo.com/#!nirrosen/) managed to do the near-impossible. He published some tweets offensive enough to rise above the din of the Internet's general state of offensiveness and lost his fellowship at NYU. More » (http://gizmodo.com/#!5766254/breaking-news-man-tweets-without-really-thinking-about-it-first)
Source: Breaking News: Man Tweets Without Really Thinking About It First [Twitter Twit] (http://gizmodo.com/5766254/breaking-news-man-tweets-without-really-thinking-about-it-first)
There are plenty of tools for finding flights, but when you're doing it on your phone, a streamlined experience is of the essence. Hipmunk doesn't clutter up search with stuff you don't need and makes the most painless flight of the lot easy to find. More » (http://gizmodo.com/#!5767522/hipmunk-flight-search-for-iphone)
Source: Hipmunk Flight Search for iPhone [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5767522/hipmunk-flight-search-for-iphone)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_toyyyyota_01.jpg) Here are the best stories on Gizmodo today. Enjoy them!
Apple Will Unveil iPad 2 On March 2
All Things D just reported that Apple will be holding their iPad 2 unveiling on March 2. No official invites have gone out yet, so think of this one as a strong rumor.
The Fantasyland Toyota Factory
Currently on display as part of the Prix Pictet Exhibition in Paris, Stéphanie Couturier's dense composite photograph of a Toyota assembly plant is probably what it feels like like to work in one of those crazy high-tech car factories, even if it isn't exactly what it looks like to work in one.
Source: Best Stories of Today, February 22, 2011 [Total Recap] (http://gizmodo.com/5767652/best-stories-of-today-february-22-2011)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Apple%20-%20Get%20Ready%20on%20GizModo.PNG) Apple fans! Apple detractors too! Exciting new stuff is almost here. Keyboards around the world are clacking with anticipation over new MacBooks and iPads—but rather than scouring the internet wastes, check out everything you need to know below.
Source: Everything Apple (Might) Have Up Its Sleeve [News] (http://gizmodo.com/5767597/everything-apple-might-have-up-its-sleeve)
"The Power of Decision" may be the first (and perhaps the only) U.S. government film dramatizing nuclear war (http://gizmodo.com/#!nuclearwar/) decision-making. Commissioned by the Strategic Air Command in 1956, the film has the look of a 1950s TV drama, but the subject is the ultimate Cold War (http://gizmodo.com/#!coldwar/) nightmare. By the end of the film, after the U.S. Air Force has implemented war plan "Quick Strike" following a Soviet surprise attack, millions of Americans, Russians, Europeans, and Japanese are dead. The narrator, a Colonel Dodd, asserts that "nobody wins a nuclear war because both sides are sure to suffer terrible damage." Despite the "catastrophic" damage, one of the film's operating assumptions is that defeat is avoidable as long as the adversary cannot impose its "will" on the United States. The film's last few minutes suggest that the United States would prevail because of the "success" of its nuclear air offensive. Moscow, not the United States, is sending out pleas for a cease-fire. More » (http://gizmodo.com/#!5768099/how-the-usaf-envisioned-nuclear-war)
Source: How the USAF Envisioned Nuclear War [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5768099/how-the-usaf-envisioned-nuclear-war)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_appleinvitewide.jpg) Apple just confirmed their leaked iPad event by sending out invites to the press. Usually it's not this obvious what Apple's announcements are about, but this has the corner of an iPad right there in the image.
Here's what we believe the next iPad will have.
A Basic Sketch of the Next iPad
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/medium_ipad-vs-ipad2.jpg) Speaking of which, here's our increasingly spot-on depiction of what Apple will likely flash around at the aforementioned RUMORED BIG EVENT: the iPad 2. Or whatever they'll call it.
Source: Apple Confirms March 2 iPad Event [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5768272/apple-confirms-march-2-ipad-event)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/nokiamcdonalds.jpg) Before starting Urbanscale, his own design firm, Adam Greenfield spent two years as Nokia's head of design direction for user interfaces and services. Here, he explains how Nokia's focus on commodity over user experience led to the company's precipitous decline.
OK, you got me.
You knew I couldn't go for very long without having some kind of outlet for random thoughts and personal opinions. To paraphrase Forest Whitaker in The Crying Game - and boy, does that date me - expressing same is in my nature.
Source: Nokia: Culture Will Out [First Person] (http://gizmodo.com/5767273/nokia-culture-will-out)
Apple and other digital retailers are planning to offer 24-bit audio to consumers. It should be an easy sell; recording studios use 24-bit, it's how the music was mixed, and it's how the consumers should hear it. Right? Wrong.
Source: Why 24-bit Audio Will Be Bad For Users [Audio] (http://gizmodo.com/5768446/why-24+bit-audio-will-be-bad-for-users)
(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/medium_palmtouchpad_4_01.jpg) Motorola and HP proved that companies can make tablets with UI as usable, if not more so, than the iPad. Now, with the iPad 2 being announced next week, Apple is the one that needs to play catch-up to others. But is it possible without drastically retooling iOS?
Source: What the iPad 2 Needs to Steal From Android and WebOS [Video] (http://gizmodo.com/5768475/how-apple-needs-to-change-the-ipad-2-interface)
(http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2011/02/stockman4.jpg) Hervey Stockman passed away today, leaving behind a legacy as the first man to pilot a dedicated spy plane in Soviet airspace. Taking the Lockheed U-2 into Communist territory in the middle of the Cold War, Stockman was able to collect data on the USSR while evading MiGs trying to intercept him. Stockman also happened to be the uncle of Giz reader Willy Pell, who has graciously shared some personal anecdotes told to him by Stockman.
Source: R.I.P. Hervey Stockman, First Pilot to Fly a Spy Plane Over Soviet Territory [Spy Planes] (http://gizmodo.com/5768853/rip-hervey-stockman-first-pilot-to-fly-a-spy-plane-over-soviet-territory)
Today, on Steve Jobs' birthday, Apple updated its MacBook Pro line with much faster models. But you probably already guessed that. Unsurprisingly, they've now got an Intel Light Peak port (renamed as Thunderbolt), which can transfer data at 10Gb/s. Plus, a new HD camera for FaceTime, which costs $1 from the Mac App Store.
Source: All About the New Macbook Pros 2011 [Apple] (http://gizmodo.com/5769132/the-new-macbook-pros-are-speed-freaks)
(http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/02/xlarge_thunderbolttttt.jpg) What Is Thunderbolt?Along with snappy Sandy Bridge processors and beefy GPUs, Apple's new MacBook Pros have a superfast, versatile new I/O tech called Thunderbolt. Whazat?
Thunderbolt is a new standard for connecting peripherals to your computer...
If your laptop is untethered and on your lap right now, it's only there temporarily. Our machines still spend most of the time bound to our desks by myriad peripherals, all of which are connected through various interfaces. Intel's Thunderbolt, formerly known as Light Peak, is a faster, simpler way to plug some of those things in.
Source: What Is Thunderbolt? [What Is] (http://gizmodo.com/5769321/what-is-thunderbolt)