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Tech NewsWi-Fi on Planes: Innovation or Invasion
Ah the sweet sweet mother’s milk of mainlined Internet access. Who can deny what a terrific luxury it is to blast down the Infobahn while soaring through the clouds? I can! Remember what it was like to be unreachable? Here’s my Harvey Dent moment: I do remember what it’s like to be unreachable; it meant … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
Sweet-Looking Cycling Shoes: More Power, Less Ugly
Bicycle commuters like me face a conundrum: Use regular platform pedals and get about half the power out of our strokes (pulling up is just as important as pushing down), or use “clipless” pedals and deal with the accompanying annoying/ugly special shoes. This means either toting an extra pair of kicks to the office or … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
What Was It? Tales of Inspiration From the World’s Most Awe-Inspiring Minds
Technology is how we change the world around us; science is how we seek to understand it. Some people ignore, others dabble. And then there are the rare ones who revolutionize. The visionaries and big thinkers. The long-workers and midnight oil-burners. Some discover new worlds and novel technologies; others invent them. All of these people … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
How I Got At Least $2,000 Worth of Grill for $540
I love to grill. A lot. So much so that a proper outdoor cooking spot became the singular focus of my last apartment search. I got the deck, and it came with a beat-up old propane grill, which I, a devout charcoaler, vowed never to use. I used the hell out of it last summer. … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech NewsIf You Haven’t Read Wool, Watch This Trailer and Begin Obsessing
If you haven’t read Wool, I’m jealous of you—I wish I could read it again for the first time. Hugh Howey’s series of self-published scifi novelas is one of the best works of fiction I’ve ever read. Even better (or worse?): Ridley and Tony Scott bought the rights to make it into a movie. This, … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
Nothing Is More Frustrating Than Watching a Mobile Broadband Connection Try to Connect
Searching for 4G. Connecting to 4G. Authenticating. Disconnecting. Searching for 4G. Searching for 4G. Switching to 3G. Searching for 3G. Connecting to 3G. Authenticating. Obtaining IP Address. Connected to 3G. YES! Disconnecting. NO! Searching for 4G. KILL ME. And if you need that connection, all you can do is watch. Amirite?
By Joe Brown -
Reviews
Chili Technology Chilipad Lightning Review: Air-Condition Your Sheets
Ah, summer: Sun, BBQs, scantily-clad people gallivanting about for your viewing pleasure. Popsicles. And hot, sticky nights that transform your bed from the restful haven you love into an oppressive heat-coffin. Sleeping in the sumer sucks. https://gizmodo.com/how-an-11-year-old-invented-the-popsicle-and-changed-su-5918426 But it doesn’t have to—or, at least, that’s the promise of the Chilipad. What Is It? A dual-zone, … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
We’ve Got a Bike Thief Here to Answer Your Questions
Even the best bike lock can’t protect you from a professional bike thief. We learned that ourselves, when even Mario’s amateur ass made short work of the best locks on the market. But we wanted to know how much more of a threat a seasoned pro represents. What tools does he use? What does he … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
“Those fellows were hobos, beaten down, with low expectations”
In response to a story we ran about how hamburgers were better when people ground their own meat, reader Dennis St. Delore send the following letter to the editor, which I think is fantastic. Readers, please send more awesome emails like this, because they brighten my day. https://gizmodo.com/hamburgers-were-better-when-people-ground-their-own-mea-5918547 Describe me as grateful for pathogens, as … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
How Much Money Would You Spend on a Toilet Seat?
Was just re-reading Brent’s review of the $600 heated, “massaging” toilet seat and was wondering how much a non-rich person would spend on Throne accessories. Not necessarily that particular one, but maybe a fancy color or something with brass hardware. I mean, you spend how many hours a year on the can, and you usually … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
Our New Discussion System Is Live Right Now
Howdy. We’ve been working on this new discussion system for just about a year now—almost nonstop—and I’m pretty pumped to announce that it is officially in effect, starting with this post. It’s called Kinja, and we really, really, really hope you like it. I know: This is a new thing on the Internet, and new … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
The Greatest T-Shirt in the World
When you think about wool, you probably conjure up images of warm sweaters, scratchy socks, or bald sheep. But certainly not a breezy, summerweight t-shirt, right? Change the way you think. This is the greatest t-shirt in the history of the world. How can I possibly be qualified to make such a sweeping judgment? I … Continued
By Joe Brown -
ReviewsSonos SUB Lightning Review: Lots of Bang, Lots of Bucks
Sonos is badass: Brainless setup, a seamless backend that affords easy access to all of your music, be it streaming or locally-stored, and good sound from its standalone networked jukeboxey Zone Players. Notice the term “good sound.” Not great sound. While the self-contained S3 and S5 sound very nice, they’re simply too compact to deliver … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
Hamburgers Were Better When People Ground Their Own Meat
There’s a scene in The Adventures of Augie March where Augie is sitting on the side of the road (or is it a railroad track?) with a group of hobos eating hamburgers. Saul Bellow describes the burgers as burnt on the outside and so rare as to be ice-cold in the middle. It’s probably because … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
This Ice Cube Tray Is a Piece of Crap
After our epic ice cube tray Battlemodo, Brent “Stop-a-Mugging-With-His-Face” Rose decided, for some reason, that he had to correct a grievous error. That his personal ice cube tray should be the real winner. So he brought it in and made ice for us. Which was a little weird—I mean, we had a silicone tray in … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
Bigup to Brent Rose, The Crime-Fighting Tech Writer
Tech writers often get a rap for being shy wimpy nerds. And, you know, a lot of us are. But not Brent Rose, our space-reporting, booze-hacking, Android-love-espousing, (frequently found cross-dressing) actor-cum-writer from Berkeley, CA. While riding his bike through Prospect Park last night, Brent stopped a group of four jerks from mugging a solitary citizen. … Continued
By Joe Brown -
Tech News
Write the Perfect Craigslist Post
Craigslist is weird. Equal parts shady flea market and poetry slam—and crammed full of just as much junk as either. If you’re trying to sell something or rent an apartment, your post needs to stand out. Crafting that perfect post is equal parts art and science. Good news: I have a Black Belt in Craigslist. … Continued
By Joe Brown
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