Cedric Paul Alberto

According to a report filed by technology site CNET, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is forming a new cyber intelligence and research unit dubbed the Domestic Communications Assistance Center (DCAC). The briefing states that the DCAC's purpose will be "to invent technology that will let police more readily eavesdrop on Internet and wireless communications" (initially focusing on VoIP services, social networks, and wireless communication mediums) . Via a prepared statement, the FBI explained that the unit's modus operandi will be to "assist federal, state and local law enforcement with electronic surveillance capabilities." Congress has appropriated over $54 million for "lawful electronic surveillance" in fiscal year 2012; the DCAC has been earmarked just north of $8 million from that pie. The Bureau's full statement is after the break.

Continue reading Report: FBI forming new cyber intelligence research unit, focus on digital surveillance

Report: FBI forming new cyber intelligence research unit, focus on digital surveillance originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drops, shocks, heavy vibrations, dust, water and temperatures in the extremes -- just the kind of punishment you'd expect a DRS Armor slab to put up with, and the firm's latest do so without the briefcase-like look. With MIL-STD 810G certification and an IP65 rating, the 7-inch multi-touch slates can withstand some rough and tumble -- though there's no word if they can pass the tesla coil benchmark. At 1.3 pounds, the Android 3.2-loaded X7ad squeezes out eight hours of battery life with a 1GHz dual core Tegra 2 processor. Its Windows-minded doppelganger, the X7et, holds a six-hour charge, sports an Atom Z670 processor and tips the scales at just under 1.5 pounds. If the chunkier look strikes your fancy, the 12.1 inch X12kb has you covered -- though at 5.5 pounds, it's the lightest MIL-STD-810G certified convertible tablet currently available. The swivel screened slate has up to eight hours of battery life, a Core i5 560UMCPU processor, a polarized LCD glass display, a spillproof keyboard and touchpad in addition to a one-click stealth mode that disables light and sound for "covert operations." With GPS, WiFi and Gobi Wireless Broadband options, all three of these are ready for missions at home and abroad, however you might need that stealth function to find out the (currently unspecified) pricing.

Continue reading DRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavors

DRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavors originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 03:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Since its debut in 2007, Ford and Microsoft's Sync infotainment system has made its way into several of the auto maker's models, including the 2012 Focus Electric. At this week's Future in Review tech conference, Ford announced that more than 4 million vehicles in the US have its entertainment platform on board. In addition to dropping that stat, the company talked up its new EV, which it says can charge in half the time it takes for the Nissan Leaf. Maybe Ford caught wind of Nissan's just-announced e-NV200 all-electric van and wanted to remind those in the market for an EV that a blue box isn't the only option.

Continue reading Ford says Sync is now in 4 million vehicles, takes a moment to talk up Focus Electric

Ford says Sync is now in 4 million vehicles, takes a moment to talk up Focus Electric originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 01:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Fadell might have left Apple to make the Nest Learning Thermostat, but it may be the case that Apple hasn't completely left him. If we go by a pair of rumors, Nest's Internet-savvy climate control could soon be in Apple Stores, presumably across the US, for the same $249 as it costs to splurge for one through Nest itself. We're definitely skeptical -- home appliances and automation aren't really Apple's strong suits, and Nest has already declined to comment -- but 9to5 Mac has heard that the thermostats are already in Apple's inventory system. If the reports are at all true, there won't be long to wait before you can buy a smart energy system while you're shopping for a new iPhone case.

Apple Stores rumored carrying Nest thermostats, we play it cool (to exactly 71F) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 23:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 25, 2012

FCC Fridays: May 25, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 22:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sometimes the X-Prize foundation gets a little ahead of itself. We couldn't get a private mission to the moon off the ground and apparently we can't built a tricorder either. But, we can take baby steps. Presumably that's what the newest X Challenge is all about. The group has teamed up with a certain Finnish phone maker to introduce the Nokia Sensing X Challenge. Rather than dive head first into Star Trek tech, the two are offering $2.25 million to further the development of health sensors and their associated technology. Nokia's interest is clear: it's widely expected that those tricorders of our dreams will one day become a reality and take the form of our cellphones. The challenge will actually be broken up into three different events to be held over the next three years, with many of the same competitors expected to follow up by entering Qualcomm's competition. For more, check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Nokia and X-Prize put medical sensors on the spot for next challenge

Nokia and X-Prize put medical sensors on the spot for next challenge originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 21:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint might not have its 4G LTE network up and running to power your EVO 4G LTE, but it's already getting more headroom. The FCC has just tweaked the rules around the ESMR (Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio) spectrum to let Sprint, and the considerably more regional SouthernLINC Wireless, run their CDMA voice calls and LTE data on the 800MHz band they're currently using for their soon-to-end iDEN networks. In practice, the extra frequency access should be a tremendous help to at least Sprint, which hasn't had the low-level, indoors-friendly airspace that AT&T and Verizon enjoy with their 700MHz networks. Just don't expect your EVO or the rest of the initial Sprint LTE devices to take advantage any time soon, as you'll need to both get an 800MHz-ready phone as well as endure the long, long wait until Sprint switches on the extra LTE band in 2014.

FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 20:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever since Universal announced during CES 2012 that it would deliver many of its classic films on Blu-ray this year as part of a centennial celebration, we've been keeping a careful eye out for news regarding Steven Spielberg's classic E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. While we still don't know the release date, price or if it will contain the changes made in the 2002 edition of the flick, Universal posted a trailer for the Blu-ray (embedded after the break, note that at 0:25 seconds the FBI agents are holding guns, so it appears to be the original) that confirmed a digital remastering from the 35MM film, 7.1 surround sound and "hours of bonus features". Additionally, forum posters on Blu-ray.com have noticed this (probably not final) box art appearing on Amazon UK recently. After waiting for word since a new distribution deal brought the flick back to Universal in 2008, a few months of silence hasn't broken us, but hopefully more details appear soon. The best guess still sees the 30th Anniversary release hitting store shelves in time for the holidays (likely after Jaws, which is scheduled for release August 14th), when we can relive our childhoods in proper 1080p HD at last.

Continue reading E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray trailer and box art pop up online (video)

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray trailer and box art pop up online (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 19:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We hope you weren't too excited about getting a Pebble Blue-tinged Galaxy S III in May, because we're seeing unconfirmed reports that the darker Hyperglazed hue might not be available for everyone in the first round of launches. Some would-be customers, primarily in Nordic countries but also in Asia-Pacific, Europe and Persian Gulf states, have been told that only the Marble White color will be on shelves at first. Most of the consensus, based on retailer notices, is that demand for blue is straining supply. Samsung Benelux's press lead Vivian Peters told Tweakers.net that at least the Netherlands wouldn't be getting the stealthier color until early June, but didn't confirm a rumor that there had been flaws in the blue plastic backplates that might have triggered shortages. There hasn't been mention of problems for the heavily-hyped UK launch.

We reached out to a Samsung spokesman ourselves and were told only that the company "does not comment on rumors or speculation" -- a slightly unusual statement given what Peters said on the record, but it does lead us to take at least the more dire claims with a grain of salt.

Pebble Blue Samsung Galaxy S III reportedly pushed back for some launches originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 19:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some mornings you just don't want to get out of bed. We've all got our own methods for starting the day, but few are quite so...electric...as this this one spotted at Maker Faire over the weekend. No doubt even Tesla himself couldn't have concocted a better way to shake oneself loose from a bad case of the Mondays.

Richard Lai: "Starbucks now brewing Electric Latte. Espresso with steamed milk and a dash of lightning, finished with a sprinkle of copper dust."
Darren Murph: "Jump Start kind of undersells things, no?"
Jon Fingas: "The best part of waking up is 10,000 volts in your cup."
Billy Steele: "The folks at Jolt Cola are not going to be happy about this."
Tim Stevens: "No, it's pronounced 'coffeen' not 'caffeine'!"
Terrence O'Brien: "Bobby's decision to learn Conjure Refreshment really started to pay dividends when his mage reached level 64"
Zach Honig: "Would you mind nuking this for me?"
Brian Heater: "Just another McDonald's lawsuit waiting to happen."
James Trew: "Electrici-Tea."
Dan Cooper: "Van De-Caff Generator."

Caption Contest: Maker Faire's morning pick-me-up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We spotted the dudes behind the ZBoard at TechCrunch Disrupt earlier this week, but we weren't content to just ride the electric skateboard up and down the halls of Pier 94. We asked them to take a walk with us to Washington Square Park so we could take the board for a spin in a more realistic setting -- also, any excuse to skip out of work a bit earlier to go skating in the park on a sunny Friday afternoon is hard to turn down. We initially asked them to meet us at one of New York City's many skate parks, but they balked at the suggestion -- after all, it's more of a commuting board than anything else. It's big and fairly heavy, so attempting to go vert with the thing is pretty much out -- grinding and kickflips are likely off the table, too.

Co-creator Geoff Larson told us he managed to get the thing up on two wheels, but that's about the limit of trickery at the moment -- we're sure that'll change pretty quickly, as soon as more boards make their way into the hands of the public. In the meantime, the ZBoard is all about getting around, giving you about 10 miles on a single charge. Larson added that one skater said he planned to use his ZBoard to make the long trip to the skatepark and back, carrying his manual board along for the ride. Join us after the break for some sneakers-on impressions.

Continue reading ZBoard electric skateboard sneakers-on (video)

ZBoard electric skateboard sneakers-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a rite of passage for newly released Android überphones: the inevitable root. Just one day after Sprint managed to get its flagship device out of customs and into subscribers' hands, comes a one-click solution for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X users. By running a simple script compiled by XDA member Zedomax, EVO 4G LTE owners will be able to install both busybox and superuser hassle-free, giving them the admin privileges required for nearly unrestricted tinkering. Bear in mind, this underground workaround won't unlock that HTC bootloader, so a future filled with custom ROMs is still slightly out of reach. Ready to claim mastery of your device? Then click on the source below for the requisite downloads and hand-holding video how-to's.

Continue reading HTC EVO 4G LTE gives it up, gets rooted on its first day on the town (video)

HTC EVO 4G LTE gives it up, gets rooted on its first day on the town (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 17:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have our new editor, Alexis Santos.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something emblazoned with an all too familiar logo while driving along a county road seven months ago. Though my mind could have been playing tricks on me, I doubled back and pulled over to confirm what I had seen. There, in the brush, was what I had suspected: a slightly faded Nintendo Entertainment System box. Upon further inspection, the packaging was unscathed and complete with its original foam inserts, plastic bags, twisty ties and K-Mart price sticker. Having rescued the nigh mint condition box, I rushed home to place it atop my entertainment center. There was no doubt I was a geek before that moment, but it became clear that following my geeky impulses could have interesting results.

Continue reading Growing Up Geek: Alexis Santos

Growing Up Geek: Alexis Santos originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you a Londoner so taken with the Galaxy S III that you want to pre-order one before you've even held an in-store dummy unit? Samsung wants to give you a little something something for your eagerness: namely, Olympics tickets. The first 50 who pre-order the giant phone and pick it up at the Westfield Stratford City store on May 29th will get free passes to watch the home team run and leap its way towards a few medals. If you're hoping to claim the reward, though, be prepared to get into the kinds of lines that Samsung skewered in ads just a few months ago. Customers are being asked to show an hour ahead of the 6PM on-sale moment, and the limited slots for ticket winners could easily Samsung repeat its sale-driven Australian lineups in the northern hemisphere. There's no word yet on whether or not the promo will make the leap to Mobile Pin pop-up stores, but we wouldn't be surprised if Samsung spreads the perks around.

PSA: Samsung giving free Olympics tickets to early Galaxy S III buyers at London store, hopes you'll vault the queue originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get ready to be taken to a dreamworld of mobile podcasting as Myriam and Brad hit up the mics. Or is it a dreamworld of rants? Either way, it'll be magical.

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's in a name? Well, from the looks of this FCC filing, it could be something quite significant for everyone who knows the Netgear appellation. This N300R router has emerged from the commission's Washington enclave bearing On Networks branding, along with a spiffy new logo and less boxy look. We found that the new handle was trademarked by the company back in February, so maybe we'll see a corporate rebranding or this is the genesis of a new marque. As far as we're concerned, it can call itself whatever it pleases, as long as it still lets us roam free.

Netgear passes On through FCC with new router, name originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 15:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To hell with Instagram. Seriously. It's not that we don't understand the appeal of the photo filter standard bearer, it's just that it lacks a cleverness and visceral quality that InstaCRT has in spades. See, rather than simply recreate retro effect with some software trickery, InstaCRT actually uses the aging titular tech to achieve its goals. The concept, while clever, is actually pretty simple: you take a photo on your iPhone using the InstaCRT app, it's then uploaded to the developer where all the magic happens. Your image is displayed on a tiny 1-inch CRT (harvested from an old-school VHS camcorder) in the company's office, a picture of your photo is then taken with a fancy DSLR, and the resulting image is sent back to you. The results are monochrome, loaded with scanlines and just slightly distorted -- offering a sense of physicality that other photo filter apps just can't match. However, as clever as the concept is, it's equally innefficient and, as more people start using the app, the wait between snapping a pic and getting the finished product back, gets longer and longer. (We had to wait almost four minutes for the image above.) Still, we can't help but fall in love with InstaCRT... at least until the next photo filter app hits the market. Don't miss the video after the break, and hit up the source link to buy it now for $1.99 and see how fast we can crash the developer's servers.

Continue reading InstaCRT puts all other photo filter apps to shame (video)

InstaCRT puts all other photo filter apps to shame (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 15:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After introducing video on-demand streaming for mobile devices on the iPad early last year and iPhone last May, Comcast has finally extended the courtesy to Android users as well. Unlike its iOS counterpart however, on Android there's a separate Xfinity TV Player (simply labeled "Player" in the launcher) app from the Xfinity TV remote control app. It's a free download from Google Play for devices running Android 2.3 or higher and when we checked it out just now it was smooth but plain looking, although it a native tablet interface at launch is a nice touch. Beyond the usual VOD selections (including HBO Go and more) there's also support for Comcast's Streampix subscription service within the app as it promised back in February. One odd quirk noted by Android Police is that on rooted devices the app apparently requests root permissions, but still works if they are denied (could be worse). There aren't many other details available yet, if you want to try it out grab your Comcast account info and hit the source link to give it a shot.

Comcast Xfinity TV Player app brings VOD streaming to Android devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cisco had grand plans for a Cius tablet on every fast-paced executive's desk, but those dreams appear to have been dashed not long after getting off the ground. Senior VP OJ Winge says the company will "no longer invest" in the design, leaving the already rather creaky Android 2.2-based, 7-inch tablet to an eternal slumber outside of occasional specialized orders. It's not hard to see what hastened the Cius to its early demise, as Winge pins it on companies and customers encouraging a BYOD (bring your own device) strategy that likely brought more than a few iPads and beefier Android tablets into the space Cisco wanted to occupy. Before existing Cius owners start videoconferencing with themselves out of sheer despondence, though, there's a silver lining: the company now expects to take the Cius' firmware all the way from Android 2.2 to 4.0 in one fell swoop near the end of the summer. You may not be living Cisco's 2010-era vision, but at least you'll have Chrome for Android.

Cisco drops Cius tablets after the BYOD crush, plans upgrade to Android 4.0 out of kindness originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

If you're like Charles Mangin, you love your iPad or Android tablet, but wish it was a little more Wacom-esque. But why wait for hardware manufacturers to bring the styli to you? Mangin has concocted the PressurePen, a pressure-sensitive stylus that plugs into a tablet's audio jack. The peripheral sends a tone to the tablet based on how far the tip of the pen is pushed in. The tone affects the thickness of the pen stroke, helping you alternate the sizes of lines more naturally than on a standard tablet.

Mangin is shooting for $10,000 over on his Kickstarter page, with a little under a week and around $4,000 left to go. Those who pledge $60 or more will get a PressurePen to call their own. Mangin will also be open sourcing the plans for the pen, so those with access to a 3D printer will be able to make their own shell at home. Video of a PressurePen prototype in action after the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: PressurePen stylus lets you make all kinds of lines on your tablet

Insert Coin: PressurePen stylus lets you make all kinds of lines on your tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Since its IPO earlier this month, Facebook has wasted no time in expanding its empire -- it's already purchased the Karma mobile gifting service and launched a standalone camera app -- and talk about the social network's next steps doesn't seem to be quieting down. The latest rumor, from Pocket Lint, says Facebook is looking to buy the Opera browser as part of its larger effort to compete against Google, Mozilla and other internet mammoths. According to a source at Opera Software who spoke with Pocket Lint, the company is shopping around for potential buyers and has even imposed a hiring freeze. While it's not too hard to believe that Facebook is readying its horse to enter the browser race, this rumor is just that: a rumor. But given the social network's tendency to whip out new features at warp speed, we should have something more solid than speculation soon -- if the Opera purchase story has any legs, that is.

Facebook could be looking to buy Opera browser originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember the Cray XK6 at the University of Illinois that drives the National Science Foundation's Blue Waters project? Well, it looks like it's getting a little memory upgrade, sorta. We're not talking a slick new SSD here, or even a sweet NAS, all that computational power requires nothing less than... tape. Okay, so it's actually a full storage infrastructure, and some of it -- 25 petabytes no less -- will be disk-based. The rest -- a not insignificant 380 petabytes -- will be the good old magnetic stuff. The idea is that the disk part will be used for instant access, with the tape section serving as "nearline" storage -- something between an archive and online solution. Spectra Logic is providing the tape, and says it'll take a couple of years to implement the whole lot. Once complete, the system will support the supercomputer's lofty tasks, such as understanding how the cosmos evolved after the Big Bang and, y'know designing new materials at the atomic level. And we thought we were excited about out next desktop.

Supercomputer gets a memory boost with 380 petabytes of magnetic tape originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have we finally found a tablet match for the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note? ViewSonic sent around a teaser for its "Touch and Connect" series prototypes, including a 22-inch "smart business tablet monitor," powered by what appears to be Ice Cream Sandwich. The giant touch-enabled device will be joined by a Windows 8 multi-touch display, new cloud computing solutions, high-end laser projectors and some interactive electronic billboards -- all set to make their debut on June 5th at Computex. More details will no-doubt be forthcoming in Taipei, so do stay tuned. And you may want to hold off on those giant tablet acquisitions in the meantime -- we have less than two weeks to wait for what could just be the largest mainstream tablet to date.

ViewSonic teases 22-inch Android ICS 'tablet,' promises more at Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Owners of the Xperia Play, it's time to curl up with a teddy bear and your favorite ice cream -- just as long as it's not in sandwich form. After the sudden and unexplained disappearance of the "PlayStation Phone" from the Android 4.0 upgrade list yesterday, Sony has followed it up with a full confirmation accompanied by the usual explanation. As you may have already guessed, the manufacturer tells us that after extensive testing, it was determined that "a consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone on Ice Cream Sandwich... in this instance the ICS upgrade would have compromised stability." Sony went on to discuss that it received similar feedback from the developer community after releasing a beta ROM. Still, after being told repeatedly that the entire 2011 smartphone lineup would receive the update, we can't help but be a bit heartbroken by the news.

In the same breath, however, Sony also updated its timeline for the rest of the lineup that is still on schedule to receive upgrades to Ice Cream Sandwich: the Xperia arc, neo, mini, mini pro, pro, active and Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman will begin receiving their refreshes next week. The Xperia S is still on track for an end of June rollout, with the Xperia P closely following it and the Xperia U sometime in the third quarter. It's just unfortunate that the good tidings must be balanced out by equally horrible news, depending on which device you own.

Sony pushing ICS to more devices next week, confirms Xperia Play won't be upgraded originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 12:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a strange feeling, receiving such a keenly anticipated phone to review. The hubbub of launch events, hands-on previews and heated debates suddenly dies away, leaving you with one small and intensely silent cardboard box. In this instance, the packaging contained the "marble white" version of the Galaxy S III (not the more daring "pebble blue") alongside one burning question: apart from all the hype, do this handset's paper credentials translate into a product that is worthy of serious cash and a 24-month commitment?

Those credentials are certainly more subtle than those of other recent devices. There's no unusual camera, stand-out display or unibody build. Instead, we get an abstract design statement about the phone being "inspired by nature" alongside a list of incremental hardware improvements such as a quad-core processor, as well as fresh additions to Samsung's customized Android 4.0 skin. As it turns out, these specs forgo immediate swagger in favor of creating a solid workhorse of a smartphone that is intent on attracting a long-term following. Read on and you'll discover just how it pulls that off.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III review

Samsung Galaxy S III review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 11:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The pace of netbook launches has visibly slowed between the dual-pronged pressures of tablets and ultrabooks, and at least for Americans, it's about to get a lot slower. A Toshiba executive has warned that there aren't any plans to bring more netbooks to the US; the NB510's presence at CES this year is now as close as Yankees will get to any more Atom-powered notebooks from the outfit. Instead, all of Toshiba's enthusiasm for ultraportables in the country will be spent on Ultrabooks like the Portege Z835. It's a sad day for those who like their computers tiny, especially as it hikes the minimum price for a super-light Toshiba laptop to $800, but it's hard to ignore a rapidly declining market. We also imagine that Toshiba will gladly steer you to one of its Excite tablets if you're looking for the basics in a small shape.

Toshiba bows out of netbooks in the US, sees Ultrabooks as the wave of the future originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 11:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon has been offering a free app of the day for a while now, but that offer is good for Android users only. Well, Apple seems to have caught on to the fact that iOS users like to save money too, as it's debuting a "free app of the week" offer. Cupertino kicked off the new promotion yesterday via Twitter, where it announced that the game Cut the Rope: Experiments will be the first free download. Click on through to the source link, and you'll see that the Appstore indeed lists the title as "free for a limited time."

Apple introduces 'free app of the week,' kicks things off with Cut the Rope: Experiments originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A lot's bubbling in the Law & Order sector of technology news this week, and you know these guys will get you hyper-informed on the ins and outs of patents, patent trolls, and the definition of "obviousness" as it applies to the lives of both the dinosaurs and the pioneers of said sector. If you're not into that stuff, we can't blame you, and for you we'll play along with Maker Faire from home and wax meta on Finnish phone companies. From our studio, to your home, it's The Engadget Podcast.

Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Orbital - Never

04:45 - Google officially closes deal for Motorola Mobility
11:55 - HP cuts 27,000 jobs, profit tumbles 31 percent in Q2
19:07 - Jury issues verdict in Android suit, finds that Google doesn't infringe Oracle patents
21:20 - ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent
23:53 - Nokia 808 PureView sample images: a moveable feast in 41 megapixels
28:37 - Nokia World broken up into smaller events, bumped up to September 5-6
32:25 - ASUS Zenbook Prime UX21A preview
35:17 - Maker Faire Bay Area 2012, in pictures: 3D printers, unicorns, tesla coils and zombies (video)
46:08 - Incantor brings World of Warcraft to real life (hands-on)
51:05 - gTar iPhone guitar hands-on
53:33 - Apple applies for optical stylus patent, Hell reports coldest day on record
55:33 - Obit: Eugene Polley, co-creator of the wireless TV remote, passes away aged 96
56:54 - Listener questions





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Engadget Podcast 295 - 05.25.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We already knew that Nokia had been running its fingers through Bing's map-like hair, marking it with its scent, now it's added a little lipstick to its collar. The latest addition to the Microsoft-mapping service now uses Nokia's live traffic and geocoding algorithms. This brings the functionality of Nokia's "Where" platform over to 24 nations (including the US, UK and Canada) of Bing users. Best of all for American maps that info also covers side streets. Good to see the Nokia / Microsoft collaboration yielding ever more fruits, let's just hope they're considering the bigger picture, too.

Nokia has its wicked way with Bing Maps, stork delivers traffic advice and geocoding originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 09:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get ready, folks. We've got quite the treat for you this week. Not only do we have a brand spanking new issue of our weekly for your peepers to consume this weekend, but we've redesigned said e-publication as well. Of course, the real star this week is the Summer Gear Guide. That's right, our editors have painstakingly selected their top choices in all of the major categories to keep you blazin' the balmy trail with the best gadget arsenal possible. To go along with the refined digs, we introduce some new pages this week, too. Time Machines will test your geek cred by removing the easily identifiable logos from a classic device for your trivia pleasure. We'll also go eyes-on each week with some quite dapper offerings to satisfy the design nerd inside us all. Speaking of recent additions, we break down our recent hands-on impressions while Reaction Time offers some thoughts on next-gen gaming and upcoming releases. Switched On chats about what's next for Facebook, the Stat tallies the rise of mobile apps in the last year, Fusion-io CEO and Chairman David Flynn admits his love of Flowbee in the Q&A and Sean Pryor returns for The Strip. So, what are you waiting for? Hit the download link below that you fancy the most and you'll have a copy of this week's e-magazine before you know it.

Distro Issue 42 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro APK (For sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

Distro Issue 42 lands with the Engadget Summer Gear Guide, a handsome new look and more! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Absinthe's "so-easy-your-grandma-could-do-it" jailbreak tool just got an update to version 2.0, enabling support for a handful of Apple portables running iOS 5.1.1. Absinthe 2.0, which was developed by the "Jailbreak Dream Team" (Chronic-Dev and iPhone Dev) joins Redsn0w's tool, and will support all iPhone and iPad versions, with the exception of iPad2,4 -- the most recent iPad 2 variant, shipping with a 32nm A5 chip. The jailbreak tool can also be installed on iPod3,1 and 4,1 models. Assuming your iOS device is up and running with firmware 5.1.1, you can hit up the source link after the break to get your download on. AppleTV (second gen) users can get in on the fun too, with the latest version of Seas0npass for 5.0.1.

Continue reading Absinthe 2.0 hits the download wire, jailbreaks all iOS 5.1.1 devices but the 32nm iPad 2

Absinthe 2.0 hits the download wire, jailbreaks all iOS 5.1.1 devices but the 32nm iPad 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 09:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paid for subscriptions from RealNetworks you didn't ask for a few years ago? You may be eligible for a refund. Washington State's Attorney General sued the company over a free trial of its Rhapsody music service, which had a pre-ticked box for additional content that went unnoticed by many who signed up. When clients stopped the trial without also canceling the extra options, charges often accumulated in the hundreds of dollars before being seen. While admitting no wrongdoing, RealNetworks agreed to discontinue the boxes, comply with federal laws and give refunds to any customers who signed up that way between January 2007 and December 2009. If that might be you, expect a postcard from RealNetworks or check their website to apply for a refund. Hopefully you'll be less, um, ticked.

RealNetworks to refund $2 million, 'guilt' box stays un-ticked originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kanex is releasing its very own Thunderbolt cable. However, if you were looking for something shorter and cheaper than Cupertino's six foot, $50 beast, prepared to be disappointed. Costing $60, the only difference between the two is that this is black instead of white, but if your inner-Goth couldn't bear to see another pearly cable, then perhaps those extra ten bucks won't matter.

Update: Our friends over at 9to5mac pointed out that WD and Elgato are also pumping out speedy cables to the masses.

Kanex outs non-Apple Thunderbolt cable (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leap Motion unveiled its new gesture control technology earlier this week, along with videos showing the system tracking ten fingers with ease and a single digit slicing and dicing a grocery store's worth of produce in Fruit Ninja. Still, doubts persisted as to the veracity of the claim that the Leap is 200 times more accurate than existing tech. So, we decided to head up to San Francisco to talk with the men behind Leap, David Holz and Michael Buckwald, and see it for ourselves. Join us after the break to learn a bit more about Leap, our impressions of the technology, and a video of the thing in action.

Continue reading Leap Motion gesture control technology hands-on

Leap Motion gesture control technology hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sometimes you just don't feel like getting up to flip through that Yacht Rock playlist on Spotify while your Apple slate rests comfortably in its dock. Satechi is looking to prolong your relaxation with its BT Media Remote for your iPhone, iPad or Mac. The accessory does exactly what you'd expect -- it allows you to peruse your audio and video libraries on a Bluetooth-enabled iOS device while connected to a TV, docking station or your car's stereo. On top of the usual remote functions, the accessory can be used as a remote camera shutter control for those all-important group shots and the home button can summon your smartphone's personal assistant. Interested? You can snag yours now for a mere $40 via the source link below.

Continue reading Satechi BT Media Remote steers your iOS media habits, summons Siri via Bluetooth

Satechi BT Media Remote steers your iOS media habits, summons Siri via Bluetooth originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 07:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that Comcast has started delivering its video on-demand to TiVo Premieres, the company has now revealed the second area where access will be turned on is Boston, starting Monday. The news was announced in a tweet from Head of Corporate Communications Steve Wymer, and as Gizmo Lovers notes, was likely held back as Comcast announced its own X1 platform would launch soon in Boston as well. We're now more than a year past the original announcement, hopefully this is just the start of the rollout as it picks up the pace, if the two companies work well together maybe Comcast could be on the list for that six-tuner Pace box at some point.

Update: And just like that.. it was not announced. Steve has indicated he was actually RTing someone else, and no date has been confirmed for the rollout of Comcast VOD on Beantown TiVos.

Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 07:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Although PayPal's mobile payment system started out small with a Home Depot deal, that snowball is quickly rolling itself into a boulder. Starting next month, 15 extra US retailers will be happy to see you slap down your smartphone (not literally, we hope) instead of a credit card. The selection leads us to think a lot of smartphone owners like to shop for wearables -- Aéropostale, Foot Locker and JC Penney are in the batch, along with others -- but there's a few useful exceptions, like Barnes & Noble, Jamba Juice and TigerDirect. At least a total of 20 merchants are expected by the end of year, and as with Home Depot, you won't need special hardware besides an Android or iOS device to spend your hard-earned cash. We'll just be thankful we won't have to buy our yogurt with actual cash, like savages.

PayPal lines up 15 retailers for mobile payments, will let you buy Jamba Juice smoothies with a smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 06:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SpaceX's Dragon is rapidly approaching its historic meeting with the International Space Station. It's due to begin its first docking procedure at 7:30am ET, and NASA is streaming footage from both the ground crew, the ISS and the private craft itself. Once within a safe range, the station will extend its robotic arm and draw the Dragon in to dock -- with the hatch being opened tomorrow. We've embedded the video after the break so you can watch along at home, popcorn in hand.

[Image credit: SpaceX]

Continue reading PSA: Watch the SpaceX Dragon's first attempt at docking right now! (video)

PSA: Watch the SpaceX Dragon's first attempt at docking right now! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 06:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now, we're not saying Google's elite are actually aliens managing human social affairs, but if you were our reader Ben who ran into a crew of Project Glass-equipped Googlers breaking for drinks at a Los Gatos wine bar, it might seem like a possibility. Beyond filing tons of paperwork, the team is clearly expanding quickly and most recently took part in the Google+ photographer's conference to show off what POV pictures and video (even if that's most of the functionality so far) could add to the world of photography. They wouldn't let Ben try on a pair, but Vic Gundotra reiterated that it was positioned as not to interfere with conversations, and make images appear to be floating in front of your eye. There's video of the photography presentation after the break (jump to about 45 minutes for the first person pics and video), as well as a few more pictures on Google+, but we'd keep a pair of special black sunglasses and bubblegum handy just in case.

[Thanks, Ben]

Continue reading Google's Project Glass... it's spreading (sample video)

Google's Project Glass... it's spreading (sample video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 05:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You've had a long week at work and three full days to relax your stress away. Here are some ways to get the most out of your relaxation this weekend. More »

The RIAA states to the court that LimeWire should pay them more money than exists in the world, Live Traffic and Geocording is brought to Bing courtesy of Nokia, and Groupon is trying to make its mark in the payment service market. More »

This week we busted the tech myths we most commonly see people waste their time on, helped remedy the silly things you may be unknowingly doing on Facebook, took a look at your rights as an amateur photographer, and more. Here's a look back. More »

Memorial Day marks the start of the serious grilling season, and there's no better weekend to try your hand at outdoor cooking, or bolster your established grill-master game. Luckily, honing your outdoor culinary skills is a lot more simple than it seems, given the right tools, a little preparation, and a few tips on technique. Here's a look at some pointers on getting the right gear, turning out great meals, and even preparing for uncooperative weather. More »

Jailbreaking is a process that changes little by little with each iOS upgrade. Rather than always publishing new guides, we're simply going to keep this one up to date. If you want to jailbreak your iOS device, you've come to the right page. More »

Dear Lifehacker, More »

There's the job you go to during the day and the projects you come home to when you're finished. If you've got more your want to accomplish after a long day of work but are finding yourself lacking the productivity to get going on a regular basis, it can help to spend your work in the middle and pick it up right where you left off the next day. Kay Keng Tay, an engineer over at Quora, uses this technique to easily pick up his side projects: More »

Your cellphone is vibrating in your pocket—but when you check, it really isn't. The good news is you're not going crazy. This phenomenon, called phantom cellphone vibration syndrome, is increasingly common. The bad news is you might have a tech addiction. More »

Who's got a long weekend ahead? You do! Get your prep on in this week's open thread. More »

Most of us learn and make things at a prescribed pace. We learn a language one semester at a time, finish college in four years, follow set project milestones, and so on. But learning isn't necessarily a one-size-fits-all affair. Entrepreneur and programmer Derek Siver explains the impact of realizing that there's no set speed limit to learning. Here's his example of the life-changing power of a great teacher and raised expectations. More »

Not ready to resort to decaf but still want to enjoy less-caffeinated cups of coffee? A simple change in brewing method—the temperature and brewing time—can lower the amount of caffeine in your cuppa. More »

So the power's out, and you've broken out the candles to keep things well-lit—but your phone's about to die too, with no working wall outlet in sight! DIY weblog Tinkernut shows us how to power your phone with the heat of one of those candles. More »

We've all had bad days, bad weeks, or bad months where it just seems like you're in a moody rut you can't escape. Grateful160 is a simple service that sends you an SMS message every day asking you what you're grateful for—and builds a journal of your responses to keep you upbeat. More »

Chrome/Firefox: Ever run into a video that's blocked because you aren't in a supported region? It's annoying, but ProxMate is a simple extension for Chrome and Firefox that unblocks region-specific content from YouTube, Hulu, and Grooveshark. More »

iOS: The Chronic Dev Team has just released its new jailbreak too, Absinthe 2.0. The jailbreak works with the new iPad, iPhone 4S, and all previous models running iOS 5.1.1. More »

A lot of new cars have fancy cameras on the rear bumper to help you parallel park. If your car doesn't have that feature, DIY blog Mad Science has put together a tutorial to roll your own sensor system with an Arduino. More »

Android: Vlingo is still our favorite virtual assistant for Android, but even it doesn't offer all of the features and tight integration that Apple's Siri does in iOS. Well, with Vlingo Labs, the service's new beta app where they test new features, you can get some of that integration, like the ability to speak to wake up Vlingo at any time and the ability to dictate SMS messages, web searches, and voice dialing, all without ever touching your phone. More »

Magic Shell ice cream topping, or that chocolate syrup that hardens as soon as it comes in contact with the cold ice cream in a bowl, is tasty, but it's made with a world of stabilizers and other chemicals with long names. Plus, it can get pricey for the amount you get. Surprisingly, it's super easy to make at home, with ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. All you need is chocolate and coconut oil. More »

Whether you have an iPad or an Android tablet, you've probably been tempted to doodle a bit on it, or open up an app to make sketches or take down a few freehand notes with your finger or a stylus. Maybe you just love to draw, and you found the perfect drawing app to express your creativity. This week we want to know which app you turn to when you want to do a little drawing on your tablet screen. More »

We've always said that you should do what you love—so much that if you wouldn't do your job for free, you should quit. When that isn't an option, though, writer Patty Azzarello recommends a slight change in philosophy. More »

Android developers are now able to offer in-app subscriptions inside their apps, under the hood of Dell's Windows 8 tablet, and SayHi Translate hits 10-million translations. More »

Android: Widgets are awesome, but if you're keeping your eye on a service or web site that doesn't have a widget in the Play Store, you can make your own with Meta Widget. More »

It's a silly problem to lament, but it's very real: that moment when you pull up your pants, only to have your underwear bunch up around your waist. Redditor 04andrew22 shares his brilliant solution. More »

The Daily App Deals post is a round-up of the best app discounts of the day, as well as some notable mentions for ones that are on sale. More »

Killing a bad habit is easier said than done, but the Hipster Habit App—which is less of an app and more of a miniature printable book for your wallet—can help you through the process. All you need to do is make a few choices, stick with the plan, and you'll have a well-formed habit in 30 days. More »

We're on the hunt for a new Lifehacker intern based in the US. Interested? Here's what you need to know. More »

If you've got a side business or other entrepreneurial endeavor in mind but haven't made a business plan for it yet, don't worry. You can create a simple, concise business plan by answering just ten questions on one page. More »

Web/Android/iOS: Recently we created a 20 minute, randomly-generated exercise routine for people who are too busy to exercise. If you liked that, you're really going to like Sworkit. Just like ours, it generates random workouts that focus on various parts of the body (or all of it), but it'll work for any timeframe, from five minutes to one hour. More »

It's one thing to attach cables to your desk for easy access and mild organization, but it's another to make sure they're the right length and stay where they're supposed to go. Cordlets solve both of these problems by providing an easy grip for your cables and a small neck that you can use to wrap them, keeping them as short or as long as you want. More »

When you buy a new TV or other appliance, it probably comes with a warranty registration card. Manufacturers want you to send it back, and it's actually in your interest to do so, but doing so opens you up to a world of marketing email and physical mail you probably don't want. The solution? Create an email address specifically for warranty registrations and keep that nonsense out of your primary inbox. More »

iOS: Facebook Camera is a brand new app designed to easily view, edit, and share pictures. Think of it like Facebook's Instagram (and yes, Facebook bought Instagram). Besides offering a beautiful feed of all your Facebook friends' photos, you get Instagram-like editing and quick posting to the social network. More »

Dear Lifehacker, More »

As you know, we love the humble binder clip for its endless versatility and plenty of clever uses. Here's one more simple way to put the clips to use: as holders for your photos or notes. More »

The best way to protect your sensitive data is to encrypt it, and we love free, open source TrueCrypt for that task. For the utmost in security, you can not only encrypt your files but hide them in a hidden volume within another encrypted volume. More »

Mac OS X: Learning keyboard shortcuts is one of the best ways to enhance your productivity, but there are tons to learn—especially when you count individual applications' own special shortcuts. CheatSheet is your Mac shortcuts friend: The free utility quickly summons a list of all keyboard shortcuts for the app you're using. More »

Setting goals is easy, but prioritizing them is hard. Humans suck at properly weighing what we need to achieve our goals. We take on too much, skip steps, and often, as a result, we give up. Once you commit to a framework to prioritize your goals and cut the junk, achieving your goals gets a lot more realistic. Here's one way to do it. More »

Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" was announced nearly seven months ago, but it still hasn't rolled out to most phones. HTC just published their most recent rollout plan, and it looks like the majority of their phones won't be getting it until the summer, if they get it at all. We're curious how many of you are running it on your phone already. More »

iOS/Android: Bump is best known as an app that can quickly transfer contacts, photos, and other mobile content directly to another phone. The service launched a new feature today and updated its mobile apps to allow you to quickly transfer photos from your phone directly to your browser with a tap of the space bar. More »

The way you speak has a big impact on how others perceive you. If you talk too slow you might be seen as less truthful and if you talk high-pitched you may seem nervous. Psychology Today suggests one way to correct for your natural tone and come across as credible is to use expressive speech. More »

At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the doctors are training themselves with technology to better recognize the signs of addiction. More »

Facebook has lost yet another porn-related law suit. Really, you'd think they were actually at risk of folding, the way they've been going out after parody-named porn sites demanding that they shut it down. More »

More »

This morning, I woke up to find my MacBook barely functioning, frozen, and plagued by a near-constant spinning rainbow of death. Long, painful story much shorter: my hard drive crashed and I can either have a new one installed, tomorrow at the earliest (I'm writing tonight from the completely empty office!), or I can buy a new computer since mine is pretty old anyway (2008). More »

We've heard of hate-reading—the kind of reading you do out of disgust or loathing or contempt for the author. Now, it seems that a new type of reading style has emerged: call it "shame-reading." More »

More »

Sometimes, in the course of human friendship, we find ourselves faced with situations that are more intimate than we intend. And sometimes, well, we end up naked in our buddy's apartment all of the time. This is the latter case. More »

Airbus is in talks with US airlines to make planes with aisle seats that are extra wide, "almost as wide as a first class seat." That sounds comfortable but it comes with some tradeoffs, the middle and window seat would have to shrink and the aisle seat is going to get more expensive. More »

Ryan Jay and Alexander Shahmiri created Life Backwards, a little short showing what life would look like if it was all in reverse. It's hypnotic and tickles that part of your brain that's been numbed by too much normalcy. More »

Monday might be Memorial Day, but today, friends, is Towel Day, that somewhat arbitrarily chosen time of the year when fans of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series carry a towel around with them as a sign of appreciation. But if that's too weird for you—and I kind of hope it is—you could also just watch the best adaptation of his foremost work tonight. More »

We're hosting a feast for your eyes with this week's most beautiful items. Whether it's gorgeous workout equipment or pretty pencils, you'll have plenty of attractive things to look at. More »

Iran's military, purported haters of the west and all things American, revealed designs for new helicopters which will be "100% Made In Iran." But for all their grandstanding, there's one detail that shouldn't be overlooked: it's based on 50-year-old American technology. More »

It's Memorial Day weekend, so if you're not grilling, you're doing it wrong. And if you're hosting a cookout, you need the right tools. This is the mother of all utensils, combining three things in one. More »

The best Android apps of the week are serving many purposes this time around, from sharing and managing your photos and contacts more easily to getting you ready for the holiday weekend. More »

With this week's best iPad apps, we're helping you flex your creative muscle. We've got all kinds of tools to help you be a media-making machine. More »

The week's best iPhone apps are keeping your device safe and helping you connect with other people. There's a tool for monitoring what your apps are doing behind your back, a video chat client, and a brand new photo app from Facebook that looks awfully familiar. More »

That's Nelson above. That's Nelson partying. That's Nelson with his girlfriend. All those pictures were taken with an iPhone he stole. Pictures that were automatically sent to the phone's original owner, Katy McCaffrey, through Photostream. McCaffrey posted a hilarious Facebook photo album detailing Nelson's various adventures with her stolen phone. More »

With company after company going after Google's Lunar X Prize, NASA appears to be a little hot and bothered by the prospect of people messing with all its crap it left behind during prior missions. So it essentially claimed dominion over the moon and passive-aggressively designated a bunch of areas to be off-limits. More »

Three day weekends were made for booze, but there's a catch. Baseball games, parks, concerts, and bars: none of them allow you to bring in your own booze. We're not saying you should break the rules and bring clandestine beverages into such locations, but if you wanted to, here are some great ways to do it. More »

Technological invention is a process, not an act. Even the most rudimentary technologies, like wheels, are based on previous discoveries. As such, one can trace the origins of today's most advanced machines back through history to their earliest ancestors—or one could just watch the National Geographic Channel's new five-part documentary, The Link, and skip all the research. More »

Sometimes you just can't wait to get home to light up. Maybe you don't have to wait: The idea behind the Da Vinci is that you toss it in yourr bag and medicate on the road—no need to worry about lighters or replacement batteries. More »

Furniture designers love chairs. More than any other piece, it' s a fertile ground for expression and innovation. A well-designed chair is essential to our comfort in a way a table or lamp isn't. So it shouldn't come as a shock that the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York this past week was chock full of chairs. These happen to be the ones which caught our eye. Enjoy! More »

The days of having to shout over the noise at a restaurant may be over, thanks to a new digital noise-cancelling technology designed together by Meyer Sound and former Phish manager-turned-restauranteur, John Paluska. Utilizing a combination of speakers, microphones, ipads, sound-dampening materials, and human ears, the staff at Comal can make the restaurant as loud or as quiet as they like. More »

It goes without saying that Facebook has the responsibility to protect a huge number of users—900 million to be exact. But how, exactly, does it go about doing that? The Verge has an interesting look at the behind-the-scenes hidden security measures that are routine for the social network, but that we don't often think about. It seems to be looking out for the average user, though what Facebook is doing with your data itself is a completely different story. More »

BBQ season is about to unleash its smokey, greasy, beer-y vibes all over you. Are you ready for a summer of meat and day drinking? Good—but first, here's how to get everyone together online without offending anyone. More »

There are so many options out there right now for ice cube shapes that it can be difficult knowing which one to choose. Do you go with the Star Wars themes, or crazy geometric shapes? Well, if you're really serious about your ice cubes, you'll want your beverage inside your ice. And for that, you'll need these Ice Shot Glass Molds. Think of your friends' faces when they ask you for an icy shot of vodka and you pull out a row of shots made of ice. From there, just crank up the A/C and you've got yourself your very own Russian ice bar. Just don't go publicizing it, or the competition could get nasty. Now, go. Drink your icy long weekend away. More »

Scientists have found the oldest musical instruments ever recorded, which are carbon dated from 42,000 to 43,000 years old, and have turned up just in time to ask your dad if they're what he listened to on the radio as a kid. More »

Would you like to season your french fries with some anger? No, really. I'm not being aggressive. Would you? Because the folks at Hoxton Street Monster Supplies have gotten really weird with it and made a line of salts from different types of human tears. More »

See, unlike human-centipedes, human-caterpillars spin gorgeous human-cocoons like these to protect themselves as they grow into human-butterflies. It's the circle of life and it moves us all. More »

Tupac hologram, you were amazing. Beautiful girl in lingerie hologram, you might be even better. A lingerie store in France called Empreinte is using a hologram woman in lingerie after the store closes to attract people. I think it's working. More »

What was once intended to be a garden for outerspace could someday be a garden for your living room. The DesignLibero Green Wheel is a planter box fashioned into a rotating wheel, offering the benefit of light and space economy for small, sun-starved environments. More »

According to TechnoBuffalo, Google's forthcoming cheap, 7-inch Nexus tablet will be announced at Google I/O, which starts June 27th. And, like, why wouldn't it be? More »

When an assistant principal confiscated his 13-year-old son's iPod, Robert Dale Esparza Jr. did what any responsible parent would: He started a fake profile under the principal's name on a hardcore porn site, and impersonated him via email. Yep! More »

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announces plans about Xbox at CES 2010. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired More »

This is something you can't usually see: the bow of an American nuclear aircraft supercarrier, the new Gerald R. Ford—the lead ship of a new class that will start replacing the Nimitz-class in 2015. More »

Along with being able to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad, you can jailbreak the Apple TV now too. It's the first untethered jailbreak for the new Apple TV software (5.0.1) and it's all thanks to Seas0nPass. Why would you jailbreak your Apple TV though? For the plugins! More »

In John Malkovich's iPhone ad, Siri tells him a joke. The only thing is, it's not that funny. Good one, Siri (forced laughter, forced laughter). More »

NASA may not be sending up manned shuttles anymore, but that doesn't mean we're done exploring the solar system—not by a long shot. On August 5th, the space agency's new flagship rover is expected to land on Mars as part of an unprecedented search for traces of life on the Red Planet. More »

An 80-year-old named Laverne came startlingly close to death when things went horribly wrong during her maiden skydiving attempt. If the video doesn't deter you from ever jumping out of a plane, I don't know what will. More »