December 29th, 2009

I’m afraid it’s time for me to upgrade my media center. My old Xbox just isn’t cutting it any more, between the composite input and the lack of processing power, it looks like it may be time to put the old reliable out to pasture and upgrade to something new. Is the Patriot Box Office Media Player the solution? Well ... Read More

December 29th, 2009

Unlike the electric Chevy Volt, BMW's Mini E doesn't have a heater to keep the battery at optimum temperature when it gets cold outside—sounds like a minor problem, but it halves the Mini E's range. Eep.

Testers of the Mini E have been finding that at 23 degrees F, the car only managed to eke out 55 miles to a ... Read More

December 29th, 2009

Researchers have discovered an antibody which, when injected into mice, will bond with prostate cancer tissue and "initiate direct cell death" in it. If results carry over to humans, this discovery would almost be a cure to prostate cancer.

I say that it would almost be a cure for that particular type of cancer, because in initial trials with mice ... Read More

December 29th, 2009

Showtime has begun selling episodes of Weeds online before the show's full-season DVD release, a first for the series. And Weeds isn't nearly the only one—is Hollywood finally embracing digital as the successor to DVD?

Well, sort of. This is really more of a symbolic shift than a full-scale adoption. Thing is, even as DVD sales decline and Blu-ray fails ... Read More

December 29th, 2009
If you thought the automakers would be leaving CES to the TV and PMP makers, Ford would like to have a word with you. A few words, actually. Aside from announcing that in-car WiFi will be available next year, the iconic blue oval is today calling itself the first car manufacturer to offer factory-installed HD Radio with iTunes tagging capabilities. ... Read More
December 29th, 2009

After the crotchbomb there has been a lot of noise about airplane security again—you can see how stupid the leaked new flight rules are here. But what's the actual risk of an airplane attack? Here's the definitive chart:

As you can see, the chances are very slim. As slim as the chances of the new security rules having any ... Read More

December 28th, 2009

This tiny, flying robot flaps its wings 30 times per second—just like a real hummingbird—and will one day save lives by searching for survivors in wreckage and spots not easily accessible by humans.

So far, the development of this hummingbird has cost $2.1 million and that number's growing. Japanese researchers are hoping to make the robot hover at a point ... Read More

December 28th, 2009

Blio, officially debuting next week at CES, lets you read your ebooks as they're intended to look on paper. Clearly, Kurzweil is signaling his choice of tablets over e-ink, and his first shots are definitely persuasive.

With apps planned soon for the iPhone and PCs, Blio's cross-platform functionality makes it a natural fit for something like the Apple iSlate, which ... Read More

December 28th, 2009

Well, we knew it was coming today, and it's here now—Sprint is pushing WebOS's latest update to Palm Pres and Pixis as you read this. It's supposed to bring better performance and battery life as well as a bunch of minor features—let us know in the comments what y'all think. [Palm via Engadet]

... Read More
December 28th, 2009
Well, well, it looks like Camangi's WebStation is finally making good on its shipments. The first of Gear Diary's two pre-orders arrived and the gang has been more than happy to put together quick unboxing video for us to enjoy. It's a pretty standard box with equally customary assortment of packaged accessories, suction cup stand (pictured) notwithstanding. The 7-inch Android ... Read More