The Technology Shope: September 2013

Monday, September 30, 2013

Duck Sauce: Barbra Streisand

I understand that this song is polarizing. You either love it or you hate it. I realized that I loved it when I was backstage with some friends before a classical clarinet concert. I know, just stay with me for a second. We were backstage and I had Barbra Streisand stuck in my head. I was sort of wandering around and I saw a sign that said "Artists' Restroom," which struck me as totally hilarious. We were all joking about whether or not non-"artists" were allowed to use the bathroom when I realized that it fit perfectly in "Barbra Streisand" aka any two words that are two syllables each will fit. So the song is catchy and customizable. Plus I really want that chair in the video at 2:16. So rough baby baby baby baby baby. So rough Barbra Barbra Barbra Barbra Barbra. [Amazon, iTunes, Spotify]

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A look under the hood of the latest Android Gmail app seems to suggest that ads might be coming your

A look under the hood of the latest Android Gmail app seems to suggest that ads might be coming your mobile inbox. Google, say it ain't so?

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Don't Worry, It's Not Just You Who Highlights Text For Fun

In fact everybody's at it. And, as Randall Munroe points out in today's XKCD, we all know that it's more fun when it looks pretty, too.

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Apple Is Now a More Valuable Brand Than Coca-Cola

In what could be seen as a defining moment for tech, Apple has surpassed Coca-Cola to become the most valuable brand on the planet.

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iPad 5 to Mimic the Mini’s Looks, Suggests Latest Parts Leak

The iPad 5 looks as though it’ll be taking its design cues from the little tablet that could, the iPad Mini, if the latest supply chain leak is to be believed. SW-Box has gotten its hands on what it claims is the latest Apple tablet shell, and it’s looking decidedly Mini-like.

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Just How Smart Is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence is the Holy Grail of computer science—and, for that matter, science fiction. But just how far have we come?

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Did Homer Simpson Solve Fermat's Last Theorem?

In an episode of The Simpson's called The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace, Homer appears to write a valid solution to Fermat's Last Theorem on a blackboard. But given that the problems still causes mathematicians to scratch their heads, is it real?

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Why the Movie Myth of Injecting Medication Into the Heart Is Garbage

Myth: Injecting medicine straight into your heart can be beneficial in some way.

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Sunday, September 29, 2013

Size Matters If You're Fishing

Apparently the size of the fish you fish matters if you're fishing on a large scale. You may not have thought about this, but it makes sense given broad overfishing concerns plus our knowledge of selective breeding. As MinuteEarth explains, there are laws that establish a minimum size for catching fish so young fish have a better chance of growing up and reproducing. Which sounds like it makes sense. But an unintended consequence of these laws has been fisherpeople catching the largest fish they can, thus creating a situation where small fish reproduce disproportionately with other small fish. And the issue there is that small fish don't produce as many eggs and don't equip their eggs with as much built-in food for the development process. Add that to genetic predisposition to be small and you've got small fish producing less total offspring but more . . . small fish. You know what, it's a whole big fish small fish thing, just watch the video.

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Get Back Into The Habit Of Winding Your Clocks

Okay so most of us have probably never had a clock we had to wind, but it seems like an appealing ritual. Calm and quiet. A connection to the passage of time. Or maybe it would be totally automatic like brushing your teeth. Whelp there's only one way to find out.

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The Eagle Nebula Couldn't Look Cooler

That top image is pretty, but the only way to see this incredible combination of dust and gas is to take in the whole image below. Holy crap, right? This picture, which was created in 2005 using Hubble data and digitally assigned colors, shows the Eagle Nebula surrounded by and intertwined with dust pillars that are slowly being shaped by light and cosmic wind.

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How Much Global Warming Will Happen Before You Kick The Bucket?

On Friday the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put its collective foot down about global warming. It's happening and it's our fault. But as with any issue that affects all of humanity, the most important question is what's gonna happen to you? Will you have to give up air conditioning? Will the song "White Christmas" become completely irrelevant? Will you have to feel guilty about how your generation is leaving things for your children's generation? The Guardian has a way for you to check.

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The First Cygnus Spacecraft Successfully Docked With The ISS

The Cygnus spacecraft, which launched from Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia on September 18th, successfully docked with the International Space Station this morning after astronauts aboard the ISS nabbed it with the station's robotic arm. Built by private aerospace group Orbital Sciences Corp., Cygnus was carrying 1,300 pounds of supplies.

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Watch Every Model of iPhone Get Speed Tested at the Same Time

Ever wonder if your iPhone 4 really was weirdly slow? Or if iOS 7, despite its bells and whistles, just has a longer boot time than your old 3G? Well wonder no longer. You're about to find out for sure.

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The Inventor of Whac-A-Mole Accidentally Blew Up His Warehouse

Aaron Fechter invented Whac-A-Mole. He also builds animatronic rock bands for franchises like Chuck E. Cheese's and ShowBiz Pizza Place. What more could we ask him to contribute? Nothing. He has given great gifts to mankind. But Aaron Fechter demands more of himself. He is trying to develop an alternative fuel that is cleaner burning than propane. A heroic citizen of Earth! But he had a small accident the other day at his warehouse in Orlando. Okay it was an explosion. Okay yeah he blew his warehouse up.

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Do You Use Hygiene Gadgets?

I was at a friend's house the other day and I noticed that she and her roommates all use electric toothbrushes. There were three of them charging in a row on the windowsill. With all the electric razors, bathroom scales, hairdryers and weird electric face cleansing scrubby things out there I started wondering if I should be smart-primping too. What are the advantages to plugging in? Go through your morning routine below.

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If you have a grandfathered unlimited data plan on Verizon now is the time to upgrade.

If you have a grandfathered unlimited data plan on Verizon now is the time to upgrade. DroidLife, Engadget and others are reporting that the Verizon website isn't even trying to move unlimited users over to tiered plans when they use an upgrade.

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Some Sites Will Go Offline If the Government Shuts Down On Tuesday

Though powering .gov websites isn't at the core of the U.S. government's financial woes, certain agencies will take their websites offline if there is a shutdown on Tuesday. Ars is reporting that the Library of Congress, the National Parks Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission would shut their websites off in a shutdown.

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New Gadgets Are Fun But Why Not Love the One You're With?

As a tech reporter a lot of gadgets pass through my hands, but I’m a lousy early adopter in my personal life. I think the reason is readily understandable: it’s money. I don’t like to spend a lot on gadgets when I can make smart decisions and then just enjoy what I’ve bought. And by using this approach I get an added bonus. When I do buy a new gadget it’s because my old device was really on its last legs. So I get the excitement of having the latest, newest thing, plus a legitimate quality of life improvement. On Thursday I got an iPhone 5S. Four days later I’m still blown away by it, but not because it’s good.

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This Vampiric Vacuum Vants to Suck Your Blood (and Save Your Life)

Normally, when you suffer from a pulmonary embolism—a blood clot blocking the flow to your lungs or heart—you've only have two options; undergo chest-cracking open-heart surgery, or die. But thanks to an ingenious new blood filter system, doctors will be able to save lives without destroying sternums or requiring weeks of recovery.

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Most Beautiful Items: September 21 - 27, 2013

Want to know Gaudí's Sagrada Familia will look like when it's done in 2026? Know what kind of software can enable a disabled artist to paint hands-free? Ever heard of clothes that decompose with you when you die? The answers to all of these questions and more lie within stories we found from the worlds of design, art, and architecture this week. Here are the most beautiful items of the week:

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What Do Kids Think About Social Media?

If you think that kids today are going to have screwed up childhoods because all they care about is playing with their phones or keeping up with friends on Facebook or shooting people in video games, well, there's still hope! Comedian Mark Malkoff sat down and talked with some kids about social media and the conversations were so adorable that it might just reaffirm your faith in humanity.

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Iran Hacked US Navy Computers

US officials have revealed that Iran has hacked US Navy computers. According to the WSJ, The Iranian hackers were able to tap into a "network that is used for e-mail and the service's internal intranet."

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This Week's Top Comedy Video: Homeland The Musical

Homeland is coming back this Sunday! After an uneven second season, what's the third season going to be like? Should we hope for something as brilliant as the first even though it might be unrealistic or should we just root for Homeland... The Musical to happen on Broadway. After watching the hilarious video above, I think we should hope that The Musical version will happen.

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Microsoft Wanted Google to Censor a Wikipedia Page About Microsoft

After asking Google to censor Microsoft.com, Microsoft has given Google a copyright takedown request for a Microsoft Wikipedia page. Microsoft must want to scrub all mentions of itself on the Internet or something. It's the only sensible explanation for its vigilance!

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For Google's 15th birthday, Motherboard put together every single Google Doodle ever created into on

For Google's 15th birthday, Motherboard put together every single Google Doodle ever created into one looping animated GIF. Yeah. That's 1,809 frames of doodles. Watch it in full here.

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The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: Attention (NSFW)

Follow this one woman wrecking crew as she sticks it to The Man—or any man, really—with extreme predjudice.

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Avengers-themed minimal car logo designs are quite beautiful

Etsy seller Geekerie has created “Earth’s Mightiest Vehicles,” a badass Avengers-themed minimal car logo art series. The rebranded designs feature Hawkeye, Iron Man, Thor, Loki, Hulk, Black Widow, Captain America and War Machine. Would be pretty sweet to see a Mitsubishi redesign for Wasp and Fiat for Ant-Man.

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There Is Probably Nothing More Fun Than This Giant Slip 'N Slide

How was your summer? Good? Spent some time at the beach? Get a little tan? Whatever because it's about to look so pathetic next to this humungous slip 'n slide. Just look at this monster. It flings you into the air so you can fly and twirl and spin and somersault and twist and enjoy freaking life. Everyone's life goal should be to ride this thing once. And then again. And then again. And then again.

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Incredible Arcade Sim Will Let You Drive Every Batmobile

For all of the Batman games that have come and gone, very few have ever let you play with the Dark Knight's ultimate toy: The Batmobile. But that's all about to change thanks to this new arcade simulator from Raw Thrills and Specular Interactive that lets you drive almost everything in Batman's garage through the streets of Gotham City.

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It's Always Awesome To Start a Fire with Water

You think of water and fire as opposites, but it doesn't have to be that way. If you're clever enough about it, they'll get along together just fine. And there's just always something so paradoxically cool about starting a fire with H2O.

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11 Tips to Keep iOS 7 From Destroying Your Battery Life

While your iPhone's new operating system comes with plenty of advantages, iOS 7's not without its drawbacks. Battery life just ain't quite what you'd want it to be, but we've got some tips to squeeze the most out of that sucker and stay juiced all day long.

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Valve's Controller Has Been Tested. Here Are Some Impressions.

Game creators who have tried Valve's unusual new game controller tell Kotaku that the device holds a lot of promise. But make no mistake, they also say it feels pretty different from what we're used to.

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Holy Crap, This Real-Life Laser Rifle Cuts Through Metal Like Nothing

We've seen real laser guns before, pulling off tricks like starting small fires, or popping black balloons. That's cool, sure, but it's got nothing—and I mean nothing—on this crazy handheld laser rifle that eats metal for breakfast.

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NYT: The NSA Has "Social Network" Maps That Can Index Everyone You Know

The New York Times is reporting that the NSA is using all the data it's collecting on US citizens to make giant "social networks" of everyone their targets know.

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Water on Mars, Real-Life Lightsabers, Why Hashtags Are Dumb, And More

It's been a crazy week (as always) and we're here with the only glass of blended, nutrient news-paste you need to catch up on it all. We got iPhone reviews, Mars water, lightsabers, new Kindle Fires, the story behind ctrl-alt-delete, and more. Dig in!

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What's the Single Weirdest Website You've Ever Come Across?

The longer you've been wrapped up in the internet, but more crazy stuff you've seen. Everybody's got one or two really strange, totally bizarre website they like to trot out; they're like trading cards for web nerds. Now's the time, what's the single strangest site you've got in your arsenal?

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Check Out This Army of Bizarre Flying Machines Built By Dyson Engineers

Dyson has some kick-ass vacuum engineers, but even the most passionate vacuum designer needs a little break now and then. That's why Dyson's team took a break to work on something completely different for a change of pace: weird, hacked-together flying (and crashing!) machines.

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10 Common Tech Questions (and Their High Tech Explanations)

There are certain problems we all deal with every day, but don't know why. Why do I need to keep resetting my router? Do I have a virus? What happens when a site I use gets "hacked?" Whether you're the tech-savvy friend that's always answering these questions or the friend doing the asking, here are the answers to the most common conundrums.

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Why Sell Your Giant AT-ST Walker? Because Your Girlfriend Is Sick of It

Last Saturday, we told you about how there's a gigantic AT-ST Walker for sale on Ebay right now. It's still there, but why sell such a masterpiece in the first place? Because your girlfriend is freakin' sick of having it around.

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A Handmade Dino From Space Is the Best Stuffed Animal You Can't Have

See this cute little space dino, floating like it's the most natural thing in the world? Well he was made by hand, with love, in orbit. And you can never have him because he belongs to Earth's luckiest three-year-old boy. Aren't you green with envy?

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3D Scanning Turns a Subway Ride Into a Glitchy Virtual Acid Trip

You can run into some weird dudes on the subway, but for the most part it's a pretty normal experience. That is, unless you record it with a digital scanner; then it turns into a glitched-out digital funhouse. On acid.

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You'll Want This Melodic Muppet Mash-Up Stuck In Your Head Forever

Pogo is a master of the mash-up. We knew it at Snow White, and we knew it for sure when he spilled his secrets. For his latest trick, he tackled the Muppets and it's 100 percent unadulterated pleasantness. Give it a listen, or five. [Nick Bertke AKA Pogo]

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An Infrared View of Philadelphia Is Trippy and Apocalyptic

The idea of an empty city is sort of simultaneously awesome and creepy because it would be cool to have a space built for thousands of people all to yourself, but you'd have to wonder where everybody went. Photographer Bruce Wayne Berry Jr. wanted to investigate the feelings evoked by an empty city while using effects to show what Philadelphia looks like through infrared filters.

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Friday, September 27, 2013

A Counting Pop-up Book That Appeals To Toddlers and Designers Alike

Even if you already boast a mastery of counting to ten, a refresher course is never a bad idea—particularly when it's this beautiful. Marion Bataille's Numero is a pop-up counting book, chronicling the numbers one to ten with simplistic layered shapes that are sure to entertain and educate kids, while also inspiring designers.

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Your Final Fashion Decision: Clothes That Let You Decompose With Grace

Whether or not you're someone who would take great care in selecting a deceased loved one's clothing prior to burial, chances are that you probably wouldn't think too much about what those actual clothes are made out of. But the garments worn into the great beyond have become designer Pia Interlandi's entire career.

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Sony QX100 Teardown: The Beautiful Guts of a Weird Camera

The QX100 is a freaking bizarre camera. It looks like just a big lens barrel, but it's actually a whole camera. No matter what you think of its odd appearance, though, on the inside, its guts are indisputably glorious. Here's a look at what's inside.

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Transforming the Old Bay Bridge Into a Park for Adventure Tourists

Now that the new Bay Bridge is here, what to do with the old one...? Is the slow and expensive demolition of the iconic structure really the best or even most cost-effective answer? A handful of local proposals have emerged, both earnest and speculative, hoping to find perhaps at least some useful future for the now obsolete mega-span, currently just a ruin strung uselessly through the air.

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Aluminum Leaves Give This London House a Groovy Geometric Facade

Vine-covered homes are charming, but the fast-growing plants can get unruly if left untended for even a short time. When London-based architecture firm Squire and Partners set out to convert an 18th-century public house into an incredible five-story private residence, they developed a unique facade of folded aluminum leaves to take the place of the au natural variety.

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Recycle Your Old microSD Cards Into an SSD Drive

Instead of giving your unwanted memory cards away to your parents, or putting them someplace safe where they'll inevitably get lost, this easy-to-build kit lets you turn a bunch of unused microSD cards into a far more useful SSD drive.

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Lego United Nations HQ seems way more functional than the real one

The United Nations is gigantic bureaucracy in which different tribes fight each other for power and dollars, incidentally helping the world from time to time. But they have awesome headquarters in New York City's East River, designed by Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer. Now it's available in Lego form.

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Would You Eat Chop Suey From White Castle?

Times were tough for American businesses during World War II. Rationing by the U.S. government made conducting business a lot harder, but Americans largely understood that it was a necessary sacrifice if they hoped to win the war. But with tight restrictions on certain foods, restaurants like White Castle had to get creative when designing their menu.

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How South Dakota's Human-Cow Hybrids Are Helping Modern Medicine

A rapidly growing field of disease treatments now revolves around the use of antibodies. These immune system foot soldiers identify and neutralize foreign objects like bacteria and viruses, but producing them en mass for modern pharmacology is no simple task. That's why a team from Sanford Applied Biosciences in Sioux Falls, SD has recruited a small bovine army to help.

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io9 NASA has just made an incredible discovery about water on Mars | Jezebel Reddit Users Offer Hila

io9 NASA has just made an incredible discovery about water on Mars | Jezebel Reddit Users Offer Hilariously Bad Advice on How to Train a Woman | Lifehacker Here's a Massive List of Stuff You Can Ask Siri to Do in iOS 7 | Jalopnik This Corvette, 911, And Ferrari F12 Showdown Is One For The Ages

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This Website Can Guess the Movie You're Thinking of After 30 Questions

Fun time waster alert: Filmillion. It's a movie guessing machine website that can figure out the movie you're thinking of by asking you 30 yes or no questions. You can be asked about the genre, the acting, if it's a blockbuster, how you feel when you watch it and so on. Some questions can get too revealing (what year the movie was released) but you have a range of answers that include probably yes, probably no and not sure, along with yes and no.

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These Former Uranium Mines Claim They Can Cure Chronic Illness

Screw gluten-free diets, homeopathy and aromatherapy! Sufferers seeking relief for arthritis, lupus, asthma and other chronic illnesses are all about radioactive byproduct therapy these days. Alternative medicine aficionados are flocking in droves to these former uranium mines!

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How Mercedes Benz Uses Cameras to Stabilize the Road While You Drive

The newest Mercedes Benz S-Class has a new Magic Body Control feature that basically stabilizes the road you drive on. Mercedes is cleverly using a chicken's self-stabilizing head to popularize the feature but explains how it works in more detail in the video above.

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FAA Advisory Panel Says We Should Be Allowed to Use Electronic Devices

As expected, the FAA advisory committee has recommended that airline passengers should be "allowed to use smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other personal electronic devices during takeoffs and landings". That means, yes, we can finally use our damn (innocent) electronic devices while on an airplane without looking like a criminal.

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Get the Entire Story Behind Helvetica, Objectified and Urbanized

Have you seen Helvetica, the documentary about typography? Or maybe Objectified, the doc that tackled design? And what about Urbanized, which dug into the design of cities? You probably have. If you haven't, few documentary series capture things Gizmodo cares about more than Gary Hustwit's Design Trilogy. Watch them.

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The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: Parking Lot

That's it, I've decided. When I grow up I'm totally going to live in a house shaped like my head wearing a sombrero.

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Rumors suggest that Microsoft is planning to roll together its Windows and Windows Phone app stores

Rumors suggest that Microsoft is planning to roll together its Windows and Windows Phone app stores into a single site. Convenient!

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NSA Admits Analysts Used Its Databases to Spy on Lovers

This is bad—understandable, but bad nonetheless. The NSA has been forced to reveal how its analysts used its terrifyingly database and spying tools to snoop on their lovers.

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Iconic Photographs, Recreated Using... Play-Doh

When Eleanor Macnair went to a pub quiz, she never expected to be inspired to create a new set of artworks. But when one round demanded she recreate an iconic photograph out of Play-Doh, that's exactly what happened.

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Landmark UN Report Blames Humans For Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has this morning a landmark report which places the blame for climate change squarely at the feet of humankind.

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An Armed Siege in the UK Was Caused by a Video Game Light Gun

The next time you’re waving your light gun out the window in celebration of another 1,000 zombie headshots in House of the Dead, spare a thought for your distressed neighbours peering through the curtains — you may look like a crazed gunman.

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Why Do We Live in Three Dimensions?

How come we live in 3 dimensions? Not 2, not 4, not 7.3, but 3? Is there something special about that number of dimensions? This video tries to explain.

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Beats Has Ended Its Relationship With HTC

Beats has had enough: it's walking out of its relationship with HTC and buying back the 25 percent stake currently held by smartphone manufacturer.

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How to Choose, Buy, and Safely Use a Good Surge Protector

Most of us have more devices than we have plugs in the wall, which is why you'll likely find a surge protector behind most people's televisions and under our desks. However, not all surge protectors are alike, and some even put your gadgets at risk. We talked to an electrician to sort out how to tell the good ones from the bad ones, and how to use them safely.

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Google's Piñata-Bashing Birthday Doodle: A Perfect Friday Time-Waster

Today marks the confluence of Google's 15th birthday (sort of) and the first Friday of fall. What's that mean for you? Every excuse to waste the day playing with the search giant's celebratory interactive piñata doodle. Have at it!

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Playing with Your Dogs in Matrix-style Bullet Time Looks So Fun

Slow motion and Matrix-style bullet time was invented for this and this only: dogs. As in playing with dogs and recording them in bullet time with 52 GoPro cameras set up to freeze time. The video itself is already fun (if you have a heart) but the behind the scenes footage is almost just as interesting (if you like cameras).

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Fermilab's New Neutrino Cannon Shoots Subterranean Subatomics

Given how rarely neutrinos interact with other elementary particles, they're notoriously difficult to study and consequently, our understanding of these electrically neutral subatomic entities remains rather sketchy. However, the Department of Energy's famed Fermilab in Batavia, IL aims to unlock these particles' secrets by blasting them through hundreds of miles of the Earth's crusts.

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Your Gmail Was Down Because of a "Dual Network Failure"

Over the last 24 hours, you've probably noticed that your Gmail has been acting a little funky. It wasn't just you. In a blog post, the Gmail team explains the issue, saying that a rare, double-SNAFU was to blame for a widespread issue that caused significant delays in the delivery of some email.

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Will New York's New Highway "Texting Stops" Curb Distracted Driving?

In an attempt to curb the number of dangerous drivers on New York highways who are distracted by their smartphones, the state is introducing dedicated Texting Zones where motorists can pull off, park, and safely use their mobile devices. But the initiative doesn't require any new construction since existing rest stops and parking areas along thruways and highways are technically being re-branded as the safe places to pull over and text.

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The Air Force Is Converting Its Old F-16s Into a Fleet of Drones

An awkward thing happens late in the life of a fighter jet. It becomes too decrepit for combat but too functional for the junkyard. Don't worry, though. The Air Force has a plan: convert them all into drones in order to offer fighter pilots in training more realistic target practice.

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The Plan to Defrost Walt Disney and Save Capitalism With Sea Cities

Remember that time back in the 1990s when Walt Disney was awakened from his cryogenic sleep, started building artificial islands off the coast of Massachusetts, and then privatized the U.S. military to protect his new capitalist paradise from an evil, one-world government?

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Why California's New Web-Wide Delete Button For Teens Won't Work

In a noble (if a bit misguided) attempt at ensuring minors' privacy on the web, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a law requiring all websites to have an "eraser button" allowing users under 18 to delete their own posts. Too bad it's never going to work.

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An Old Clipboard Makes For a Brilliantly Simple Bird Feeder

Rarely does anyone want the last slice found at the bottom of a bag of bread. But instead of just tossing it on the ground for birds and squirrels to fight over, Israeli-based designer Nitsan Hoorgin has created a simple feeder that lets birds perch and nibble on that last slice.

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Robots, Humans, and Animations Dance in This Mesmerizing Performance

Combine robots, 3D graphics, and actors and what do you get? Box, an amazing performance by San Francisco-based engineering firm Bot & Dolly. It's a short film that explores how the digital world interacts with the real world.

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29 Sudsy, Seductive Photos of Beer

Beer glorious beer! It's Oktoberfest time. And to celebrate, Gizmodo photographers took one for the team, cracked a few beers, and got to work. Here are the results of this week's beer Shooting Challenge.

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Hone Your Sushi Snatching Skills With This Adorable Chopstick Game

If you happened to make it out to Maker Faire New York this past weekend, you might have seen this wonderful creation that turns mastering chopsticks and dining on sushi into a skill-testing game. NYU students Christina Carter and Jess Jiyoung Jung's ChopsticKing challenges players to not only snatch a moving target, but also do it while properly holding and manipulating chopsticks.

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Why We Hate Change

The horrors of New Coke have not been easy for the American public to forget. We do not handle change well, especially when it comes to the brands that we've been conditioned to love. But did New Coke really taste that bad? And likewise, is the new Yahoo! logo really that atrocious? And is iOS7 really the flaming train wreck of a redesign that some folks are making it out to be? Or is the problem not within the product, but rather, within ourselves?

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Dealzmodo: Portable Hard Drives With Cloud Backup, iTunes Money, PS3

You can always have more storage, but you can also have better storage. With a slim form factor, auto backup features, USB 3.0, portability, and a great price, these WD My Passport Ultra External Hard Drives make a great addition to your desk or your bag. 1TB and 2TB sizes on sale. [Amazon]

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YouTube Comments Will Soon Be Less Racist, Homophobic, and Confusing

Ever read the comments on a popular YouTube video? There is no faster way to strip yourself of faith in humanity. It's a cesspool. And this is coming from someone who writes for the Gawker network. We know a little something about rowdy comments sections. YouTube's is worse, but it's finally about to smarten up.

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See the World In Stunning Slo-Mo Shot On the New iPhone 5S Camera

We've already run through many of the iPhone 5S camera's new features, including some cringe-worthy footage showing off the phone's 120fps video mode, which allows you to reduce the playback rate for a slow-motion effect. But this test video shows just how amazing the slow-motion functionality can look when you set it up in a studio setting.

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This Hypnotic Sculpture Is a Substitute Sun During Long Arctic Winters

In some parts of Norway, the sun stays away for three long months of winter. While in Russia, the answer might be UV baths, the sun's absence in Scandinavia has inspired designers Lisa Pacini and Christine Istad to create Traveling Sun, a mobile multihued LED light sculpture that stands in for the sun.

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The New Tesla Monument Unveiled on Long Island Was Intended For the UN

Tomislav Nikolic is on a campaign. One, he wants the world to know that scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla was awesome. And two, he wants the world to know that Tesla was Serbian. The first part's so far been a breeze. The second part, however, is taking a bit more work.

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A Delightful Supercut of Movie Characters Abusing Broken Tech

Scoff as we may, we've all been there before. One of your gadgets starts acting up and, even though you know it's wrong, banging on it with your fists just feels so right. Why, even TV and movie people do it—a lot, actually. Vimeo user Duncan Robson was kind enough to round up the best belligerent-tech-smashing-clips that TV and movies have to offer, and the result is absolutely delightful.

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A Phone Book You Won't Immediately Toss In the Recycling Bin

Haven't found the perfect drawing or note-taking app to replace the hard covered notebook you still carry around? Who says you have to give it up just because you have a smartphone? Not the designers at KBme2, who want your app-laden iPhone to play nice with its new Phone + Book cahier.

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The Ten Coolest Car Keys Ever Made

Forget start buttons! Cars should have proper keys. Or tiny pieces of art you can slide into your pocket. Remember, they're tools for making your machine come alive.

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A Coconut-Filtered Water Bottle That's Easy To Actually Sip From

Moving the water filter from the pitcher in your fridge to the reusable bottle you carry around all day means you can safely refill it anywhere. The catch, however, is that most filtered water bottles either require you to suck like a vacuum cleaner, or squeeze the bottle into submission to get the water through the filter. Not KOR's new Nava, though, it features a specially designed straw and coconut shell filter so it's easy to sip.

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This Ex-Nuclear Reactor Can Test the Sound Absorbency of Your Cat!

What do you do with an abandoned nuclear reactor? If you’re a former NASA scientist, you simply repurpose it into a state of the art audio lab! It's the perfect place to visit if you want to hear your own heart beating or even test the sound absorbency of your cat.

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22 Photos of a Reporter Holding Inappropriate Things That Aren't iPads

Last week, one unfortunate reporter found himself live on camera clutching a big ol' stack of paper—not the iPad he'd been reaching for. But because he's a professional and because no one probably knows what paper is anymore anyway, our man soldiered on to hilarious results. But then you all did him one better.

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This Bizarre Cutlery Was Designed to Make First Dates Less Awkward

Everybody dreads first dates in their own way. Some worry that they won't have anything to talk about. Others fear that they'll be judged by what they say. And a token few are terrified—mortified!—that they'll spill food all over themselves. For that cadre, I have a solution.

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What's the First Thing You're Going to Order When Kozmo Comes Back?

Did you hear that Kozmo, the wonderful early-aughts delivery service, is maybe coming back sometime soon? Holy crap that makes me simultaneously elated for myself and concerned for humanity. We are all going to die from a terrible case of lazy and/or the economy is going to collapse because Kozmo is the definition of a terrible business.

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Nest's Next Big Product Will Reportedly Be a Smoke Detector

Some three years ago, Nest changed the way we think about thermostats with a feature rich sculpture of an object that works as a smart thermostat. Now, the company is going to conquer the world of smoke detectors, according to a scoop from former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessica Lessin.

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Sunday, September 22, 2013

A Love Letter to My First Four Phones

Last month was spent in a state of upheaval. After seven years in New York I was heading back to the opposite coast, which had led me to go though of the hundreds of pounds of accumulated junk one accidentally collects in boxes over the years.

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Honestly This Compact Crossbow Is Quite Small

There's no governing body proclaiming this the world's smallest crossbow, but it's only slightly larger than a full-sized crossbow arrow so it's got to be up there. Joerg designed this crossbow to be safe. The arrow is fully encapsulated so it won't accidentally shoot off in an unexpected direction. You cock the crossbow with strong rubber and it's the right length for the tip to stick out. That way the crossbow can accommodate all different broadheads and unload safely. It's 1.5 lbs without an arrow in it. And Joerg gives it the Slingshot Channel seal of approval: "Ideal as a backup crossbow!" Okay, you heard the man.

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Tow Away Zone: Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra

I love big band, but I also get that it can be lame. Like really really lame. But Thad Jones and Mel Lewis aren't like that. They and their band actually groove and are generally badasses, and their 1969 album Central Park North is a classic. "Tow Away Zone" is the first track and it's one of my favorites. Composed and arranged by Thad Jones (who plays flugelhorn), the chart has soul influences, but also conveys the urgency of a city like New York. Drummer Mel Lewis gives driving tempos to keep things moving without being overbearing. I think my favorite part of "Tow Away Zone" is the sort of shout chorus that happens at 2:38. It's a little different from how charts were usually set up in the 40s and 50s because there are moving lines rather than emphasizing unison, but that's what makes it fun. [Amazon, iTunes, Spotify]

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A Collaborative To-Do List App That You Might Actually Want To Use

Here are two facts about me. Number 1: I have a roommate. Number 2: Sometimes I notice that there's no more dish soap in the hall closet. If my roommate and I used a collaborative to-do list app we could stay coordinated for the communal shopping, but we prefer different systems that can't sync to each other. That's why I really feel the motivation behind List Weaver.

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BBM Is Being Delayed For Android and iOS

Look, we all know that BlackBerry is in a tail spin and has been for awhile. And at this point the situation can only become an incredible underdog story or a put the dog out of his misery moment. There's no status quo anymore. But somehow the hole keeps being dug deeper. BlackBerry announced an abysmal early earnings report and major layoffs on Friday, and now there's something else. BlackBerry was forced to release a statement yesterday saying that the new BBM apps for iOS and Android, which were supposed to be released yesterday and today respectively, are being delayed. And that's just suboptimal.

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When Was the Last Time You Switched Cell Carriers?

Everyone hates their carrier, right? That's just a thing. They're either so huge that you get ripped off and can't get any customer service, or they're so small that their service coverage is weird and their handset options are lousy. But it increasingly seems like there are viable alternative options. Like Republic Wireless's $20-a-month unlimited plan. It's actually solid and now the company is offering the Moto X. Is that tempting? Do you have some crazy grandfathered plan from the late 90s or do you move from deal to deal every few years? Jump ship or stay loyal below.

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What Would Happen If You Just Stopped Sleeping Forever

It's a lazy Sunday. Maybe you slept in super late; that's kinda what Sundays are for. But what good is all that comatose-time doing you anyway? What if you just cut it out and were productive or something instead?

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Watch A Livestream of the Equinox Right Now

Summer is really over. For real. Today. No. Stop making cutoffs. Actually, if you're in the southern hemisphere summer is just beginning. You may proceed. The Earth will reach the equinox at 4:44 EST and the Slooh Space Camera is livestreaming now. If you haven't started talking about nutmeg and using words like "autumnal" you're way behind. [Space.com]

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iPhone 5S' fingerprint security can be easily broken, hackers show

Apple says that the new iPhone 5S' fingerprint sensor is "a convenient and highly secure way to access your phone." The former is true. The latter, not so much. The fingerprint security can be easily broken. Jealous spouses and industrial spies, rejoice!

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A Crap Ton of Hot Glue Went Into This Beautiful Snowscape

Looking out a window at fresh snow is beautiful. Even in cities there's a moment where everything is pristine, nothing is moving, and the snow dampens any noise. But if you're not stoked for winter or you live somewhere with eternal sunshine you can get your snow fix another way.

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Why do people still wait in line for the new iPhone?

Why do these people still wait in line to buy a new iPhone? Or a new console? Or a new game? What's the point? Do they think they're going to be more special than the rest of the world for 24 hours? A week perhaps? This video tries to get some answers.

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Listen to the radio diary of a zucchini plant aboard the ISS

Astronaut Don Pettit personifies one of the zucchini plants aboard the International Space Station in his series "Diary of a Space Zucchini." Now New Hampshire Public Radio has given that zucchini and its existential reflections a voice.

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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Our Favorite iOS, Android, and Windows Phone Apps of the Week

Hello! You might notice that Apps of the Week looks a little different this week. You might also have noticed that our usual App of the Day posts were conspicuously absent. Things are changing, and we're replacing App of the Day with a new, improved, and Windows Phone-inclusive Apps of the Week. Let us know what you think of the changes, and please, enjoy.

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Anyone Can Bypass Your iOS 7 Lockscreen and Make Calls With Your Phone

Just the other day we came across an iOS 7 vulnerability that will let creeps see your photos and even share them from behind the lockscreen. But that's not all! Turns out you can make calls from behind the lockscreen too.

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A Matching Numerical Keypad For Your Wireless Apple Keyboard

Belkin's new YouType Bluetooth Wireless Keypad looks a lot like Apple's Magic Trackpad. But the only folks who might actually find it 'magical' are accountants, because Belkin trades gestures and multi-touch input for a set of numerical keys and extra shortcuts for navigating large documents.

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42 Maps that Will Change How You Think About the World

Aside from just telling you where you are, or letting you point our where you want to be, maps can do a fantastic job of recontextualizing everything you think you know about the world. You probably know that already, but here's a run-down of maps that do it well.

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The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: Blue Alley Waltz

Nothing about Sinitus Tempo's newest music video makes any sort of sense. And, you know, it's kinda better that way.

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Verizon's Galaxy Nexus Phone Will Not Have Google Wallet

Verizon's Galaxy Nexus, the first smartphone released with Ice Cream 4.0, will not have Google from its carrier's version. Though Google assisted Samsung in the development of this phone, the search engine giant will not be serviceable on Verizon's version from the manufacturer's request.

Of course, the news was not well received by Android fans, as they wanted to see this smartphone released in the market with full functionality.

A representative from Google confirmed to CNET about the request of Verizon to disable the feature in the product. Many critics sight the request as related to the Isis, a joint venture project of Verizon with other giants in the industry, namely T-Mobile USA and AT&T, but this just still a speculation. It was last summer when the trio of carriers was announced as their new mobile payment companies, but Google easily beat them to the punch.

It was last September when Google launched their Google Wallet, way ahead of many other companies attempting to enter the same niche. With any kind of Android phone that includes NFC (near-field communications) feature, either a simple swipe or a taps of the screen will allow users to purchase whatever they wish online. Spring is the lone carrier of this new Google service, and it's solely to its Nexus S 4g offering, but it is also expected that more and more carriers will jump into the bandwagon soon using alternative NFC phones.

The Isis project, which is set to launch in 2012, is taking a different path from Google. They claimed that it will be a platform neutral solution that will provide the framework for third parties to attach their services modules, whether credit card issuers, retailers of payment networks. Making it a sharp selling point different with Google's infamous operations, regardless of the product, and Isis will not access any user's data to attain its purpose.

Also, Verizon included its own bloatware into its smartphone. Though this is assuredly annoying, Ice Cream allows its users to shelf the apps by disabling or hiding them.

The challenges for Isis is said to hit Austin and Salt Lake City first. Smartphone owners would be up against the same line of credit as with their credit card. They revealed its plans to forge strong relationship with the big four in the industry: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. But as expected, they didn't reveal the details.

If Verizon can close the deal, as partner in Isis, and has confidence with the big four credit card companies, then Google wallet should be a small problem.

Toshiba Thrive 7” Tablet

Last summer, Toshiba released its mini version of Thrive 10” and appropriately named it Thrive 7”. Its 10-inch predecessor had some baggage, such as lower than average battery life, toy-like design and a bug that keeps it from turning on after recharging. Without a doubt, Thrive 7” looks nearly identical, and it even includes some of the same specs such as the Tegra 2 chip, 16GB storage space and vanilla take on Honeycomb. So are there improvements that make this new Thrive stand out? Read on and find out.

Hardware

There's no significant difference in hardware between the new Thrive 7” and its 10” predecessor, except for the size of course. All of the key design elements have returned: metal piece surrounding the twin 2MP/5MP cameras, textured plastic back case and similar appearance. The smaller version of Thrive lacks some full-sized ports, the back cover and battery are not removable and the rear camera is now equipped with a LED flash.

The ridges on its lid makes it so much easier to cradle in either portrait or landscape mode. Still, it feels tightfisted compared to the leading tablets of a similar size in the market, such as the T-Mobile Springboard or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.

At least this version amends its predecessor's lumpy design by weighing in at 0.83lbs and 0.47in thick, making it slightly lighter and as thick as Kindle Fire and a shade thinner than Nook Tablet (which is at 0.48lbs).

Display and Sound

With its 1280 x 800 pixel count, this tablet has the most densely packed display for its size. Also, it includes the same upscaling resolution + technology as the earlier 10” version. The specs may not make home videos and YouTube videos superb, but it can easily make HD movies sing. Indeed, this is one of the crispest displays you'll see in a 7” tablet, even if the Kindle Fire's IPS panel does offer brighter and wider viewing angles.

Performance

This tablet is equipped with NVIDIA's dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 SoC, 1GB RAM and a vanilla Honeycomb build, thus it doesn't really present any surprising performance. The screen is very responsive to various taps and swipes, and applications launch fairly quick. It also provides smooth graphics for fast-paced games like Need for Speed Shift.

Nonetheless, expect to experience some lags, even in the most basic situations. You may find yourself tapping shortcuts multiple times before it reacts and open the menu. Also, some noticeable slight pauses are present even in just browsing for apps in Android Market.

Battery Life

Battery life was the biggest drawback of the original Thrive and it seems like Toshiba hasn't found the answer for this problem. The Thrive 7” tablet barely runs for 4 hours and 42 minutes in a standard battery test (WiFi on, video looping), making it the poorest battery life in the market right now.

Tips For Sharing Your Amazon Kindle Ebooks

If you are a bookworm and have a knack for modern gadgets, then you might already have your own Amazon Kindle. This is one of the most popular ebook reader out there in the market and it a great gadget to have for die-hard book readers because it enables you to take your hobby on-the-go. However, one of the biggest qualms that readers have with the use of Kindle, or any other ebook readers for that matter, is the inability to share their books to their fellow bookworm friends.

But worry no more because this article will show you exactly how you can share your ebooks to other Kindle users. Amazon has created a method that will make this process that much easier for all the ebook fanatics out there. In fact, it enables you to share your ebook copies even for those friends who do not have their own Kindle.

The first step you would have to make is determine whether the Kindle books you have can be shared or loaned. Not all books on Kindle are meant for sharing, so in that case you need to loan those ebooks. It is required that the author or publisher must allow the sharing feature before you give it away to your friends. Sadly, not all of the Kindle books allow legitimate sharing so you need to learn how to identify which is which before you decide to buy. This will make your life more convenient later and not forgetting to mention that it is much more practical.

All you have to do is visit the webpage of the book that you are interested in. Each book on the Kindle store has its own book webpage, so take time to visit that. Go over to the “Product Details” section and make sure that the following is visible - “Lending: Enabled”. You won't be able to find the “Lending” option if the book is not available for sharing.

On the other hand, you need to sign into your Amazon account in order to determine if the book can be shared onto your friends. Just go over to the Kindle store and choose the tab that says “Manage Your Kindle”. There, you will find the Kindle products you have purchased under your account. You must locate the “Actions” button at the far right side of the page. Click on that to find the books that are ready for sharing and you will also find the “Loan This Title” option become visible, which means that you are free to share the book.

There are certain restrictions involved though when you opt to share or loan your Amazon Kindle ebooks. This is because of a tied legal agreement between Amazon and its digital publishers. For example, if you have opted to loan or share your Kindle ebooks, it will only be applicable for a given period of time. Also, there should be a sharing invite by the recipient for at least a week before you can begin sharing your ebooks. Finally, this feature is limited only to US Amazon customers as of now.

Take note of these guidelines so you can begin sharing your Amazon Kindle ebooks right away!

Three Signs of a Malfunctioning Computer Power Supply

Power Supply provides electricity of the proper voltage and current to your computer. It regulates the amount of voltage the gets in to your computer and keep it from using too much electricity, making other components safe from overheating and short circuit.

A malfunctioning power supply can serious damage your whole computer. It can burn some components or cause the whole thing to crash, and can never be used again. Thus, it is very important that you check on your computer’s power supply as soon as you notice something weird on it. Replacing it immediately can be a little hassle, but destroying your whole computer system causes your more unimaginable inconvenience. Here are the three tell tale signs of a faulty power supply that you should always look for.

1. Overheating issues

It is normal for the computer to give off heat when used; this is the reason why the computer has its own fan cooling system. However, power supplies with dead or even slightly defective fan will not be able to cool the whole thing properly, causing the temperature level inside to rise.

Lots of overheating issues can be caused by the PC’s hardware itself, particularly the CPU, and if this is the case, then you’re using the wrong or defective one for your computer. Make sure you always use the right hardware for every component of your computer.

2. Crashes and Failures

If you have just upgraded your PC (upgraded some high-end components for the processor, video card, installed more fans, etc), and you experience often system crashes and failures that you haven’t encountered before, it’s a hint that your power supply can’t support its current load.

High-end parts need more power, thus you can’t expect your current generic power supply to support it all and run them safely. Without enough power getting through your computer components, your PC will automatically shut down, and frequent crashes can cause serious damage to your computer, even to your newly installed parts.

Also, unsolved overheating can result into system crashes and failures.

3. Annoying Noises

A malfunctioning power supply will usually grumble some strange noises inside your computer. This is a hint that it’s struggling to operate. Strange noises can be caused by clogged dirt on its fan.

To clean your power supply, you can use a brush and a vacuum cleaner set on low to medium mode to suck up all dirt clogged inside.

Be cautious of overheating, crashes and failures, it’s a good hint of the current situation inside your computer. Replace your power supply with better power as soon as you notice signs for serious problems and keep your PC safe from complications.

The Right Way to Mount a Fan in Your Desktop Computer Case

All computers generate heat while being used, and it is the fan's and cooling system's job to regulate the temperature inside the computer, keep it in good shape and avoid component damage from overheating.

Fans that are mounted properly don't just maintain the right temperature for the computer system. They generate the right airflow within the computer, which enhances the performance of all computer components, especially for those components that generate heat such as processors and video cards. When purchasing a fan to install in your computer or for better cooling system, you definitely need to know the right way to mount them in your computer case, as it's not as simple as putting them in place and let them do their job.

First thing you need to do is, of course, turn off your computer properly, unplug, and make sure all the cables connected from the front and back panels are disconnected. Remove the screws that hold the side panel n place. Then, slide the side panel out and place it safely aside.

Second, touch the metal part of the computer case to ground yourself and to avoid inadvertent discharge of static electricity that could possibly damage internal components of your computer. Find the fan mount in the computer case where you want to install the fan.

Positive and Negative Pressure

When installing a fan, remember that it is always better to have more air sucked in than blown out. Though this doesn't cool the inside of your computer effectively, by raising the air pressure inside, you can make little air leaks through the cracks between the drivers, panels and vents.

Power Mad

Basic computer fans run on two wires, and these can be either connected directly to the power supply or motherboard. Some modern fans available in the market today have 3 to four wires; the third wire reports the rotational speed of the fan (RPM) back to the motherboard while the fourth one controls the spin, reducing the noise of the computer.

In Goes the Fan

Though it is important which way the fan is facing, its rotational orientation doesn't matter that much, as long as the fan blades spin. However, if you already have an airflow system in your computer, it would be much better if you follow the original position of the replaced fan.

Always screw the fan thoroughly in each of its corners to secure it in place. Also, remember to use the right screws. Then, connect the fan to the motherboard (or power supply, depending on where it's originally connected).

Place your computer's side panel back in place along with wires and power cables. Double check all connections to ensure they are secure before closing the case completely to save having to go back in afterwards. Plug the computer back into a power outlet and you're good to go.

Sony MDR-NC200D Digital Noise-Canceling Headphones

Anyone who commutes or walks in a big city knows how distracting and loud things can get, whether it's a baby screaming seated behind you, whine of a bus engine, loud car horns, people talking loud on their mobile phones, etc. Thanks to Sony MDR-NC200D Digital Noise-Canceling Headphones, anyone can now block all outside noise and enjoy good music. It may cost a hefty $200, but the quality that you get far outweighs the price. Sony MDR-NC200D Digital Noise-Canceling Headphones represent one of the best innovations of modern technology.

So what does a $200 headphone give you?

Don't expect to turn heads with NC200Ds, but that's not a negative thing, as the headphones look handsome with the black shade and effectively functional design. The set is light but built tough with a variety of smooth textures. They include lightly matted earcups and faux leather pads. The yoke can go from flat to ab90 degree rotation, can be folded in and out with secure click and also provide a wide range of tilt on the earcups. With all that, this will likely be the most comfortable set of headphones you ever use.

Fit

The NC200D utilizes an ergonomic oval shape earcup, which is far better than the traditional circular design. It's very ear-friendly and puts very little pressure on ears, perfect for long hours of listening, and a little better than earpads during humid weather as they don't stick to your ears. Above all, users can expect no cartilage cramping even after hours of wearing the headphones. Also, the cups can be folded flat, making it easy to wear around your collar without choking your neck.

Sound Quality

Sony's NC200D has a feature called the AI NC. This feature, when turned on, will take control of the noise-canceling by pausing for a few seconds, listening to outside noise and then adjusting to one of three modes for digital noise-canceling, namely cars, indoor environments and planes. However, when you need to hear the noise around you, can click the monitor button at the back and let it leak some noise in, so you don't really need to take the headphones off. Annoying noises such as air-conditioner hum and engine rumble are certainly done away with this headphone.

This headphone has a very good battery life. Your AAA battery will be good to run for 22 hours, making this headphone a really nice energy saving product. All in all, there's really nothing wrong with this product. The fit is perfect, you get very good sound quality, and more importantly, its automatic noise-cancellation works easily and flawlessly.

Orbotix Sphero Techno Toy

It has been a little just over a year since the first smartphone-controlled cue ball named Sphero was released to the market. Since then, we have witnessed a couple of pre-production units sport their stuff. Apparently, more and more people are finding themselves intrigued with this gadget (or whatever you call it). So what is really with this $130 techno toy that makes it so interesting?

Hardware, setup and battery life

Setting up this techno toy is fairly simple. In its plastic box, you will find a blue induction charging base, power cord and of course, the alabaster orb. To charge the ball, all you have to do is to plug the base in an outlet, set the 'Sphero' into its cradle and a blue LED light will indicate the flow of power for charging. It can take three hours to charge fully, and manufacturers claim that the ball can work for an hour of playtime on a single charge.

After charging, you can then shake Sphero to turn it on. It usually takes two to three shakes to pair it to your Android device through Bluetooth iOS using any of the toy's various apps.

There are basically five apps for Android and iOS owners to use for Sphero: the Sphero, SpheroDrive, Draw 'N Drive, SpheroCam and SpheroGolf. But manufacturers have promised that there are more apps to come.

The Sphero app is the main software that both facilitates firmware updates and duplicates functionality available in other apps. It includes built-in driving control, basic joystick, draw and drive capability and the 'Answer Me,' which is like a magic 8-ball feature where you can verbally ask question answerable by yes or no to Sphero. The ball also includes an inside LED, where you can change color of your ball.

In SpheroDrive, the app lets you choose from three control modes: the basic joystic, tilt and RC. In Joystick mode, you can move and drive the ball using the digital D-pad on your Android or iOS phone. With tilt, you can use the actual phone as your steering wheel to drive the ball. The RC mode gives you the different controls for the ball's speed and steering controls. You can also choose the speed of the ball from the three 'cautious, comfy and crazy' speed options.

The wrap up

At first look, Sphero can be a very intriguing techy toy. But most of the time, after minutes of playing with it, users tend to grow bored. Well, of course, there's only much time for anyone to watch a ball roll around at walking pace before looking elsewhere for different entertainment.

The toy can be a good tool for starting a conversation, as most folks haven't seen this techy toy yet. Also, it is quite interesting how additional apps can improve this toy in the future. With new apps, this techno toy might be worth the rather hefty pricetag but for now, it's a pricy item with limited attraction.

Nook Tablet versus Kindle Fire

The new Nook tablet looks pretty much similar with the Nook Color, except for the black border that has been grayed out. On the other hand, when comparing Nook Tablet to the Kindle Fire, the latter looks plain and dull, some users even called it a tablet for monks. Also, there’s a hook on the side of it that mystifies some, allowing you to tether it to your belt.

without cheaping the touch.

Nook Tablet though, is way lighter than the Color, but it looks better. Though the thickness of these two models is quite the same, the Nook tablet is 0.3lbs lighter than Kindle Fire. Though a little heavier than the Nook Tablet, Fire is a little smaller, and despite of its size, the rubber surface at the Tablet’s back makes it more comfortable to hold

Also, the fire is quite lacking on physical buttons, such as the volume and home, which are very important in a gadget like this. The Nook Tablet on the other hand, is loaded with physical presence; the power is on the left edge, volume on the right edge, 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, and MircoUSB port at the bottom edge. Also, next to its hook is a cover that hides the slot for microSD that can support up to 32G cards. The lack of a camera though gave Tablet its adorable $250 price.

In terms of displays, the Nook Tablet has a significant edge over Kindle Fire. The colors are deeper and sharper and the viewing angle is much wider. The Tablet measures with its 1024×600 7-inch IPS screen, which is about a 90-degree viewing angle that the Fire lacks. Also, the screen of Tablet is more sensitive to both taps and swipes.

In terms of audio quality on the other hand, the both Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet’s speakers sounded like tin cans when playing music, especially when the volume is maxed out. However, for the read and play feature for children’s book, sound quality is quite good. The winner in this category is still the iPad.

In terms of software, Tablet has retained its reputation from the Color model, as it utilizes Android 2.3. However, Tablet fails on its being a tablet in terms of browsing experience, as it’s only limited to a single area of the Tablet, which can be accessed by a single click of Home button. The lack of tabs of the browser obviously cripples the browsing experience of its users. Kindle Fire on the other hand; allow users to open multiple tabs on browsing. It’s quite fast compared to Tablet, but not quite par with either Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus or the iPad.

Battery life of Tablet can last between 7 to 9 hours. Specs include dual-core TI OMAP CPU and a 1G Ram, all contribute for a smoother use but can’t help much in the browser. Also, the microUSB needs a regular cable for it to be connected to a computer, which is quite decent to charge the tablet.

LG Nitro HD comes with a 1.5 Ghz dual-core CPU, LTE and 720p Display

LG is not a popular choice when it comes to smartphone brands, and it has been quite a long time since they have done something notable with phones. Now that they're way behind from popular brands in terms of sales share, they re-invent themselves by releasing the latest ace - the Nitro HD.

LG was lost in line with new smartphone industry for such a long time, but with their latest phone, they're taking risk to re-enter in the competitive market.

The Nitro HD which sells for $249.99, is the first AT&T phone equipped with 720p display, and just 1 of the 3 phones in the world that can use AT&T LTE network. Those specs are more than enough; however, the phone needs more care before releasing on the public.

The phone per se is good enough: with : 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 1G RAM, 4Gb internal storage (can be upgraded up to 32G additional storage), and 8 megapixel rear camera. However, it's no secret that LG's number one priority is to make this particular model tick from its competitors, as they're fighting from a long steep.

The big competitors of this LG phone are facing some criticisms, particularly the Galaxy S II being too similar to iPhone. But LG is taking the cake from its copycat appearance. Anyway, the phone with this features, size and specs, will all look the same. However, it fails in one place that it differs in feel, as there's a notable imbalance of space when you asses the upper and lower bezels of the screen. The phone itself though, feels of kilter in hands, and though the essential button have been checked by LG< there are still some flaws.

First concern, things are all crammed in all together on top of the phone, such as the power cord plug in, which interferes the operations. The Micro USB, headphone jacks and power button are also all on top. Phone volume is situated on one side, while the other sides are bare. Also, any users, in normal use, can easily break the plastic cover surrounding the Micro USB.

Software and battery life perhaps are the two biggest concerns with this new phone from LG. It drains its battery when unplugged overnight and the software cause the skin's icons for apps in the drawer to vanish from time to time.

Despite of these drawbacks, Nitro HD still holds some good reasons for consumers to purchase it, and one of these reasons is the 120×720 IPS 4.5-inch screen, which holds one of the most accurate, realistic colors and crisp visuals in smartphones today. With 326 pppi (pixel density), a little behind from HTC's Rezound, but with its large screen, it doesn't affect anything.

Kingston HyperX Memory Review

The Pros

The first ever “Sandy Bridge” ready, ModuleFaster frequencies RAM available today with CompetitionPlug and play simplicity is the Kingston HyperX Memory.

A couple of weeks ago, Kingston announced the release of their new RAM - the HyperX, which allows Plug and play high performance memory for notebooks, the first to include “Sandy Bridge” available frequencies” for Intel's newest processors. This plug and play Ram uses JEDEC compliant of 1600MHz and 1866MHz memory values, truly a revamp for any notebook it's attached to. Now that sounds promising, let's take a closer look on this high speed memory and find out how it can help typical laptop users if it is as simple as “plug.”

Specifications

8 GB 1600MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL9-9-94 GB 1600MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL9-9-98 GB 1866MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL11-11-114 GB 1866MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL11-11-11

Avid PC gamers are already familiar with this new RAM from Kingston, and this high performance memory has already been widely used for desktop gamers. But this particular model is the first in high frequencies compatible for the latest 2nd generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.

For laptop users, there's no need for BIOS setting, as it most laptops automatically detects fast memory speed. Kingston even added the boost of performance laptop gets with this memory, as it delivers an automatic 'overclocking' notice with its HyperX modules. Also, these modules are backward compatible, and can be used to notebooks and Netbooks with older DDR3 base.

Test procedures

Here comes the fun part. Countless benchmark tests have been done with this memory, switching things to the maximum frequency and CAS latency of RAM with exhaustive analysis. And users can enjoy the benefits of this RAM faster to more capacity.

On its overclocking tests, 2 8GB kit HyperX 1866MHz memory (KHX1866CC11S3P1K2/8 G) was equipped to a chipset of Intel Sandy Bridge; one Toshiba Satellite A665 S5176 and the Lenovo ThinkPad W520, two very decent laptops. On Lenovo's ThinkPad, they use the latest and most powerful Intel Core i7-2920XM quad core CPU, which in theory should put the Kingston's latest RAM to its limits, but it runs smoothly and shows no problem with compatibility.

The Toshiba Satellite A665 S5176 on the other hand, used the more modest Intel Core i3 2310M processor. Again, the HyperX provide excellent performance. This particular test should be the basis for the usual type of RAM most laptop owners' use.

Installing Front Panel Fans In Your Computer

It is usually the smallest piece of sophisticated items that go bad first, and in the case of computers, computer fans are no different. Fans may be small and simple machines, but when they do down, the whole computer system suffers, as there will be nothing left to regulate the heat inside, and when the heat rises, expect your computer to work erratically.

It is fairly easy to replace computer fans, read on to learn more of the step by step procedure and do it right.

Step 1

Unplug your computer from its power source (this should go without saying). Make sure you keep all metal surfaces to the ground and keep any static electricity away from your body before you start sorting things out in your computer.

Step 2

Open the computer by unscrewing screws from the outside rim at the back of your computer, and then slide the chassis out. You can take off either one or two sides of the same computer case. Some new computer cases, like Dell, allow users to open chassis by depressing two big buttons placed on top and bottom of the computer case.

Step 3

Inspect the inside of your computer and find the defective fan or the fan you want to replace. Most of the time, it is the fan at the bottom from face of the case that gets busted. This is usually attached with four screws, one on each of its corner. This fan is also attached in your computer's motherboard by a pair of wires.

Step 4

Unscrew that particular fan from the case and take it off from its position nice and slow. Make sure it faces the right way as you take it off. The rule of thumb here is to make the manufacturer's label face the inside of the computer while the UL should be facing the front of your computer. With this fashion, it will work as an exhaust fan. Take note of the outlet that connects the fan to the motherboard before unplugging the old fan.

Step 5

Screw the new fan in place; follow those wires that connect the old fan to the motherboard. Make sure the black and red wires on the connector are plugged right at the same pins as before.

Step 6

Blow out some of the dust using a canned air before closing the case back. Then screw the chassis back in place.

Step 7

Plug your computer and see how your new fan works.

How To Clean a Laptop

There are 5 general parts of a laptop you need to keep clean: the case, keyboard (including the touchpad), LCD screen, ports and cooling vents. Also, if you feel comfortable, you can choose to open your laptop to clean its cooling system inside, including the fan and heat sink. Cleaning your laptop's cooling system can help you solve overheating problems and laptop freezing, etc.

Of course, always defer to your laptop manufacturer's manual for recommended cleaning procedures.

Materials Needed:

Isopropyl alcohol - Isopropyl alcohol evaporates quickly and doesn't leave residue behind. It is also safe to use for electronic equipment, especially for LCD displays.

Distilled bottled water - Distilled water is your safest option. Never use tap water on your computer, as it includes minerals that can harm your computer.

Lint-free cloth – A Lint-free cloth, like the cloth you use for cleaning your eyeglasses, is the safest thing to use in wiping your computer screens. Never use paper towels, facial tissues or other types of papers in wiping your computer screen, as these things include flakes that can scratch your computer.

Can of compressed air – This will be used to get rid of dirt and dust trapped in tiny spaces in your laptop.

Step by Step Cleaning

NOTE: When cleaning, make sure your computer is unplugged, or if it's a laptop, make sure you remove the battery completely.

Step 1 - Make a cleaning solution by mixing the distilled water in equal portions with alcohol. Then, dampen your cloth with the solution. Remember not to wet the cloth, dampening it with solution is enough. You don't want your solution to drip in your computer. Also, never spray directly on your computer, especially on your computer screen.

Step 2 - Clean the case using the solution. This can make it look like brand new again. Then, wipe your keyboard by opening the lid of your laptop. Next, wipe the display using the same cloth. You can also use a new moistened cloth if the first one gets too grimy. Once again, never spray the solution directly to the computer screen. Use gentle pressure and wipe the screen in circular motion to prevent streaking.

Step 3 - Clean the keyboard and touchpad using the can of compressed air. This will help to get out any debris or dirt trapped in spaces. Some laptops include a built-in keyboard tray. If you have this feature, you can pour distilled water straight into your keyboard and let it dry for several minutes. Always check your computer's manual to be sure. Finally, wipe the keyboard and touchpad using the damp cloth.

Cleaning Ports and Cooling Vents

Use the can of compressed air to clean the opening of your computer. Spray from an angle to blow out dirt, rather than into the computer. You can use a cotton swab to prevent the fan blades from turning while you clean it.

Lastly, make sure your laptop is completely dried before turning it on.

Fujifilm Announces FinePix Z900EXR

Fujifilm has recently released its latest series of Company Z line, a stylish compact digital camera and the successor of Z800EXR - the FinePix Z900 EXR. Like its predecessor, FinePix Z900 EXR has a horizontal sliding lens covered with metal housing and is available in three lovely colors: blue, matt black and red.

This new digital camera from Fujifilm includes a whopping 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor with EXR technology all for improved low light image quality, a lens with folded optics of 5x wide angle zoom (which is equivalent to 28-140 mm) and a large 5” touch screen LCD in high resolution and improved user interface.

FinePix Z900EXR also includes a lot of interesting features, such as:

New Auto mode that recognizes 27 scenes

Continuous capture, ability to shoot 12 frames per second with full Resolution

1 touch to full 1080p HD movie

High speed movies at 320 fps for playback in slow motion

Allow users to identify and tag images or movie for Facebook or YouTube upload, one camera can be connected to PC and tag all uploaded files in just one press button on Facebook and YouTube.

User-friendly panorama mode that can take full 360 degrees panorama pictures, for both horizontal and vertical function

Stylish Design

Sure you will trade picture quality and camera function for stylish design, but believe it or not, this new camera from Fujifilm caters both of these needs. At only 18.2mm thin, it's really an ultra-portable camera that you can slip in your jeans pocket or handbag.

High-Definition Movie Capability

With its full 1080p HD movie capture, Z900 EXR can capture vivid images that you can playback in your HDTV. Also, its one-touch movie button makes it so much easier to record movie clips with sequential capture,

This camera has no problem in low light, thanks to its Pixel Fusion Movie Technology, allowing more pixel sensitivity for dim light situations. .MOV files (movie files) are all captured in full 1080p HD in stereo at 30fps along with H.264 high profile compression for smaller file sizes and does not sacrifice quality. It is also so much easier to view and connect images on your HDTV through its mini-HDMI output connector (note that HDMI cable not included in the package).

Easy Uploads

Sharing photos and video files online is now an everyday activity for many people, thus Z900 EXR includes a automatic feature that allows for both Facebook and YouTube, for faster and easier postings of your media files on these social networking sites. It also allows users to identify and tag photos for both Facebook and YouTube upload. As soon as the camera is connected and identifies its PC and MyFinePix Studio software is launched, all marked images or videos will be automatically uploaded to those social networking sites in just one press of a button.

All these features for a retail price of $279.95.

Four Reasons to buy an Optical Mouse

Are you still using the old, obsolete and hard-to-navigate mouse with heavy mouse ball underneath? It’s hard to believe that there are still people using it, but if you still are, here are some great reasons to switch to an optical mouse.

Low Maintenance

Because optical mouse don’t rely on balls to detect cursor’s location on your computer’s monitor, it significantly requires less maintenance. Optical mouse uses LED (light emitting diode) – which is usually red in color – detects every movement of the device. When moving, the optical mouse takes thousands of pictures of the surface where it’s placed. It does its navigation by measuring and comparing the minute distances where the mouse travels when being moved in a flat surface, and it can tell you how far to move your cursor.

Because it doesn’t use the ball, it’s way easier to maintain. Meaning, you no longer need to regularly clean up the ball underneath. Also, optical mouse is way smoother to navigate on your screen and has better continuous cursor movements. The ball of the mechanical mouse on the other hand, becomes irritatingly choppy when it clogs dirt and dust.

No More Mouse Pads

Optical mouse only need a flat surface to work, this can be on top of your computer desk, a book, bench, etc. Thus, it negates the need for mouse pads. Mouse with mouse ball relies on mouse pads to detect and translate onscreen movements.

However, when using your optical mouse, make sure you use opaque surfaces. Transparent surfaces like glass will cause the LED light to seep through the surface, causing it to move inaccurately on your screen.

Lightweight

Optical mouse are significantly lighter than the old-school ball mouse. Thus, it’s a lot easier to maneuver on any flat surface, making it very convenient for people working long hours on their computers. Also with optical mouse, you will encounter less friction and resistance in navigating your mouse on any surface, thus minimizing hand and wrist strains.

Eye-catching

One of the best characteristics you will find on optical mouse is its appealing feature. Modern mouse models include sophisticated designs, making it not just lovely to look at, but feels very comfortable in your hands. Optical mouse are usually in red LEDs, however, more modern designs are now in blue and green LEDs. Other optical mouse even has transparent casings, making the light glow evidently in dimly lit areas. Some designs even cycle through variety of colors.

Easy Ways to Minimize Computer Fan Noise

The main reason for computer fan noise is dust and dirt accumulated on its heater. Fan cools down heat emission, and fan on processor is controlled by software, which would depend on the temperature. Thus, when dirt and dust clogs the fan, the software will make the cooler fans run faster. If you’re using 80 mm or 10 mm, it would be wise to replace it with 120 mm.

Computer noise caused by fans can be really irritating, especially when you’re concentrating on your work, or watching a movie in your computer. Also, noisy fans can cause serious harm to your computer, as it won’t be able to provide enough cooling in your computer system due to clogged dirt and dust. Here’s other easy ways to minimize the noise of your computer fan.

1. Clean Your Fans

Cleaning your fans is the most simple and effective way to reduce noise and increase fan’s efficiency. Those accumulate dirt and dust in your fan’s blades simply hampers the speed of the spin, thus reducing the flow of air inside your computer case. With less airflow, components inside will not be effectively cooled. And as the temperature inside your computer case rise, your fans, particularly in your processor, will be forced to run harder and make irritating noise in the process. Include thorough fan cleaning in your computer routine. Clean all the blades of your internal fans so they can operate in their maximum efficiency with lower noise levels.

2. Replace Your Fans

You may not know it, but excessive noise may be a sign that some of your computer fans are not powerful enough to cool the inside of your computer. In this case, you need to identify those inefficient fans and replace them with better fans. Better fan means a fan that can provide bigger volume of air but makes significantly less noise. This means fans with high CFM (cubic feet per minute) specs and low decibel counts (dB).

3. Work in a Cooler Place

If your room temperature is cool, your computer fans will automatically cut out its performance, thus, they don’t need to spin fast and make a lot of noise. Using your computer in a cool area will help your computer save some power consumption from its fans. You can easily do this by placing your computer in a shady part of your room, away from sun’s rays.

Also, you can set yet your air conditioner to a good cool level and help your fans to get some cool air inside to cool its system.

Cleaning Your Laptop Screen Using Household Products

There are tons of laptop cleaning tools and products available in the market, and most of them work really well in maintaining the good look of your laptop. However, regular cleaning means the need to buy these cleaning products over and over again, which can be costly in the long run.

However, there are lots of ways and alternatives for you to clean your laptop screen, and they don't need to be expensive, as you can find them right in the corners of your own household.

Today, laptop manufacturers no longer recommend using cleaning products that contain alcohol, ammonia or other strong solvents on LCD screens.

Also, you can't just simply use ordinary cleaning cloths to wipe your laptop screens. Some cloth can damage the screen and leave permanent scratches. You can use soft cotton cloth (an old shirt), disposable cloth, disposable wipes from drugstores (with no cleaning agent of course) or a similar large cloth (soft and non-woven). If you're not sure of the cloth to use, your best bet is to purchase single use wet/dry cloths especially made for wiping LCD and plasma screens.

Making Gentle Cleaning Solution

The ideal solution is just plain distilled water. If you think your screen needs heavier cleaning, then a 50/50 mix of distilled water and white vinegar is also a good option.

Putting Solution in a Small Atomizer Bottle

An atomizer bottle is a bottle that you push from the top to get a fine mist. Spray it on the cloth before wiping the screen, and never use it to spray directly on the screen.

Use Minimal Amount of Solution

Always use a small amount of solution to moisten the cloth and never make the cloth wet. An overly wet cloth can cause the solution to drip on the screen, and may cause it to weep behind the bezel to permanently damage your laptop screen.

Wipe in Circular Motion

Using a fast circular motion to wipe the screen can eliminate streaks. Use gentle and even pressure to the cloth while wiping and don't press your fingers on the cloth or screen. Too much pressure can damage the LCD matrix rendering of your screen.

Tips and Warnings

Never spray any solutions directly on the screen. The electrical connections of your LCD or plasma screen are along the edges. Any solution that drips and gets into these connection wires can permanently damage your screen.

Never use tissue, table napkins and other paper products to wipe your laptop screen, as these things can leave flakes of paper. They also include wood fibers which can easily scratch your screen.