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Tech NewsHow Not to Get Gizmodo to Help You Do Your Job
Hi there, I’m Pheras Hilal, a journalist/writer from Venture and JO magazines. Both magazines are Jordanian publications in English, Venture Magazine is a Business Intelligence Monthly, while JO is a social monthly. I’m in charge of developing two tech support sections in both magazines. I develop a section called “The Cutting Edge” in Venture Magazine, … Continued
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Tech News
Evangelical Tract Says Says ‘Ipod Guy’ Needs Jesus
We’re as inclined as anyone to believe that Steve Jobs is going to spend eternity in flames—somebody has to pay for all those DS_store files—but Rich Robinson of Jews for Jesus is really sure. So certain that he made this evangelical tract, currently being passed around (or thrown on the ground) in New York’s very … Continued
Joel Johnson -
Tech News
Internet is Hard
I appreciate all the feedback we’ve been getting about the redesign, both positive and deleted. We’ve been knocking out bugs and making tweaks based on your suggestions all last week and will continue to do so. But do me a favor: I’ve heard tell that there are some rendering errors hanging around, especially in Internet … Continued
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Tech News
Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader
Ray Kurzweil is going to make big money from the blind—up to $3,500 a pop for his ‘K-NFB,’ a device that scans printed text and repeats it audibly. “This has probably taken something like three years’ effort by some fairly diligent scientists,” explained Mervin Robertson, managing director of Sight & Sound Technology, who will be … Continued
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Tech News
European iPod Filings Confirm Apple Still Swiping Ideas
Apple Insider’s lede is a bit daft: “A recent series of design filings made by Apple Computer suggests the company may have intentions of abandoning its Click-Wheel interface in future versions of its iPod digital music players.” Taken collectively, the interface designs are clearly a work of inscrutable Apple skullduggery, slapping up iPods with control … Continued
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Tech News
ClearSounds CLC50 Freedom Phone: Loud
There’s much to be said of gadgets designed for the elderly: they’re usually simple to use, sturdy, and stand up to accidental application of Brylcreem. That’s why Mike Elgan of the forcefully-named Personal Tech Pipeline loves his ClearSounds CLC50 Freedom Phone, proclaiming it ‘the best phone ever.’ Actually, nevermind—those are qualities I am transposing to … Continued
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Tech News
Lego Mindstorms NXT Update August 1st: More User Memory, UniBin for Mac
We’ve got it on good word that Lego will be releasing a new firmware version for their Mindstorms NXT robot kit that will “open up 60 to 80% more storage space” for user-made programs. (If you read our impressions of the Mindstorms NXT, you might remember that the low storage space and lack of expandability … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Two New Samsung Robot Vacuums: VC-RS60, VC-RS60H
Samsung has added two new robot vacuums to their lineup in Korea, the Zairo-designed (who?) VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H. Although the robots self-recharge like good robots do, they also can be called up when you’re out and told to clean up the place. Having had two Roombas crap out on me in the last few weeks—one … Continued
Joel Johnson -
Tech News
Transparent Screen iMac Mockup
Since we’re showing off our new images capability this morning, take a gander at this speculative iMac mockup, commissioned by MacFormat magazine. Obviously the missing tech for this idea is a screen that fades in from totally transparent to a usable opacity, something that is theoretically possible to do with today’s screens—if you didn’t backlight … Continued
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Tech News
We Work for You (and Money)
A site like Gizmodo lives and breathes reader story tips—not just because we are too dumb to find our own stories, but because we love to post up things you’d like to discuss. So a gentle reminder: If you’ve got a story you think is a good match for Gizmodo, please hit up our editors … Continued
By Joel -
Reviews
Lego Mindstorms NXT Impressions
Although I received my Lego Mindstorms NXT kit in the mail early last week, it wasn’t until yesterday that I really had a chance to dig in, spending a whole day working through the included instructions. It’s difficult to completely review NXT in the entirety of its potential as it’s the first set of new … Continued
Joel Johnson -
Tech News
Bronx Basement Tech School Sees No Student
A flickr blogger discovered a free technical school in the Bronx, staffed by a pleasant old man soliciting young adults on the street with the promise of education. Sadly, it sounds like few are taking the man up on his offer, leaving the gallery a quiet record of an underground lair filled with empty chairs. … Continued
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Tech News
Personal Troubleshooting Moment: Macbook Pro and 10.4.7
I updated to 10.4.7 night before last. Ever since, I’ve had increasingly frequent lock-ups on my system. They aren’t hard locks, insomuch as I can still move the mouse around, but I can’t click or input any text until I reboot the machine. It’s not a specific app that’s doing it either—it’ll do it from … Continued
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Tech News
Low End Theory
Sorry, brothers and only friends, but no Low End Theory this week. My girlfriend and I eloped to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil on Monday; as you read these words, us newlyweds are hopefully practicing drunken capoeira with spider monkeys. I’ll be back next week, though, with a complete scouting report on Brazilian low-end electronics. ‘Til … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Lego Mindstorms NXT Shipping
I got an email last night saying Lego has shipped my Mindstorms NXT pre-order. Looking at the tracking number, I don’t think they’ve actually been handed over to UPS yet—probably tomorrow. Nevertheless, if you, too, pre-ordered the NXT set, expect to be building your first robots as soon as this week. I’ll definitely be doing … Continued
Joel Johnson -
Tech News
The Big Lo Network: Pirate DVDs to Your Train Stop
I got this slip of paper from a friend of a friend a while back, but I’m slack so it took me a while. Apparently ‘Big Lo’ is his ‘movie dealer.’ One call—and I’ve obfuscated the number because it would be impolite to rat out someone else’s dealer—and Big Lo will meet you at your … Continued
Joel Johnson -
Tech News
E3 ’06: Team Kotaku Brings Gaming Noise, Funk
Don’t miss Kotaku’s on-the-scene coverage of E3 ’06, with stories like these polished, possibly collectable gems: • Kotaku’s E306 Mini-Guide: Day 1 • Our up-to-the-minute image gallery live from the show floor! • E306: Nintendo Wii Zapper • E306 Clips: Press Conference Score Card • E306: Shiver Me Timbers, Pirates of the Caribbean Online • … Continued
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Tech News
Thermal Greasy: Apple Sics Lawyers on Something Awful
After a Something Awful denizen took apart his MacBook Pro and discovered that Apple had slathered on far too much thermal grease, he found that using a more modest amount dropped his MacBook Pro’s temperatures by several degrees. Now the forum has recieved a threatening letter from Apple’s legal staff, requesting a link to this … Continued
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