Week in Apple: post-Macworld|iWorld edition
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This week, we wrapped up our coverage of the 2012 Macworld|iWorld conference in San Francisco just as Apple issued an update to Final Cut Pro X and gave the AirPort Utility an iOS makeover. Additionally, Tim Cook offered some strong words in response to doubts about Apple's attitude toward worker conditions in China, Neil Young recounted stories about Steve Jobs working towards higher-quality music downloads, and more. Need a recap? You're in the right place.
Rethinking iPhone UI and getting things done with Clear to-do app: Realmac is set to launch an iPhone to-do list app in a few weeks that breaks list making and maintaining down to the barest essentials, eschewing some common iPhone UI elements to make the app as simple as humanly possible.
LandingZone to ease docking for MacBook Air: A new Cupertino startup is launching a clever, well-designed docking solution for Apple's MacBook Air. The first version is set to begin shipping by March, but a planned Thunderbolt-equipped version is on hold pending licensing approval from Intel.
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Is Harrison Ford starring in the Blade Runner sequel? [Blade Runner]
With Ridley Scott giving us a Ripley-free Alien movie, it wouldn't be surprising if his new Blade Runner project didn't include Harrison Ford's replicant hunter Deckard. But Harrison Ford may be picking up the blaster for a direct Blade Runner sequel. More »
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This Weekend: Get Schooled on Science, Thanks to YouTube
YouTube isn't just for watching funny videos about cats, it's also a great place to get educated. No, really! Take SciShow, for example. This channel is dedicated to teaching the masses interesting things about science, computers, and all things geeky, in a highly entertaining way, thanks mostly in part to the adorably nerdy host, Hank.
Get schooled on things like solar energy, mind reading, and Tatooine, both in quick "dose" formats or longer, more involved episodes. Obviously an overachiever, host Hank also gives you the easy-to-digest lowdown on biology on a secondary channel. Classic geek move, right there.
What are some of your favorite educational YouTube channels? Share them with us (so we can get smarter together) in the comments! |  |
The rise of the Amazons, and the fall of Dean, on Supernatural [Video]
I like to watch teenage Amazons eat weirdly poop-looking chunks of human flesh as much as the next person, but still last night's Supernatural didn't do much for me. "The Slice Girls" was a welcome respite from the heavy, depressing arc following Bobby's death, but it also gave us weirdly flat monsters who might have been more at home in a Hammer film circa 1970. That said, this episode gave Jensen Ackles a chance to shine as we watched Dean sliding deeper into depression and desperation. More »
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Treaded Skateboard Turns Any Mountain Into Your Halfpipe [Skateboards]
The hard plastic wheels used on skateboards usually means they're relegated to only gleaming the cube on smoother surfaces like sidewalks. That's not the case with Rockboard's Descender, which adds tank-like treads for all-terrain ollies and kickflips. More »
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Concept Art Writing Prompt: A submarine decays in the middle of the desert [Open Channel]
It's time again for the Concept Art Writing Prompt, where we ask you to write a piece of flash fiction in response to an unusual piece of artwork. This week, we're headed into the desert, where, of all things, a submarine lies rotting. You're the author, so tell us: How did it get there? More »
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Second Mona Lisa may have been painted at the same time as the original [Secret History]
Does the Mona Lisa have a twin sister? For years, art historians thought a second version of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting was a copy created years after the original. But now that the painting has been restored, it appears it may have been painted at the same time — and in the same room — as its more famous sibling. More »
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Are Jerks the Future of the Internet? [Infographic]
It is impossible to use the Internet without encountering an enormous jerk. If you never have, just mosey over to the YouTube comments for any given video. The long-term repercussions of these less than pleasant interactions for everyone that uses the Internet are still unclear, but people are certainly wondering about it right now. This infographic paints something of a bleak picture, delving into the development of aggression and the surprising number of teenagers today that experience cyberbullying. Who knows what it means for the future, but it's certainly a surprising read. |  |
Week in Gaming: Misleading game trailers, Online Passes and cat MMOs
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This week, an animated trailer for an imaginary Zelda game got us wondering why exactly games often can't live up to the thrilling scenes we're shown in pre-release videos. We also looked at the slow redefinition of what an Online Pass can be used for, examined the legality of blocking used games sales, and spent a massively-multiplayer hour as a cat.
Madden NFL and Tecmo Bowl both agree that the Giants are going to win the Super Bowl this weekend. Personally, I'm rooting for stadium collapse.
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Last night's moment of Olivia-on-Olivia Banter, from Fringe [Video]
We couldn't help giggling at this scene where the Olivia Dunhams of two universes both check out Peter Bishop, and then debate whether he's either of their types, in last night's Fringe. It's also a nice reminder of just how great Anna Torv is at differentiating the two Olivias — the one diligently searching for the link between the latest freak-of-the-week's victims, the other goofing off and speculating that maybe it's all just random. More »
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Captured: Accused Rapist Who Taunted Police On Facebook [Crime]
Remember Dustin McCombs, the rapist suspect who taunted the police in Facebook? Not surprisingly, he was captured by U.S. Marshals in Ohio after their colleagues from the Gulf Coast Regional Task in Birmingham gave them a tip about his whereabouts, presumably using internet address location information. More »
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What if supervillains entered American politics? [Concept Art]
Although supervillains tend to cause their mayhem in the private sector, a handful of superpowered schemers find more success pulling strings inside the government. How might supervillains change the American political landscape? For one thing, we'd have more lightsabers. More »
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The Cryoscope Lets You Feel Tomorrow’s Temperature, Today!
So this is a pretty neat idea: An aluminum cube that gives you the physical sensation of tomorrow's forecasted temperature. It's called the Cryoscope, and it's the Arduino-powered creation of Robb Godshaw. The idea is that instead of just looking at the weather forecast, you can put your hand on the cube and actually feel the air temperature thanks to the device's internal heat pump. It's clever, though one wonders how it would handle extreme temperatures. Perhaps if you saw frost forming on your Cryoscope, you'd know that it's best to stay inside. See Godshaw's explanatory video, after the break. |  |
Bone Conducting Ski Goggles: Say It With Your Skull [Video]
Microphones can't discriminate what they hear, which can lead to noisy conversations if you're careening down a snowy hill. But by picking up the vibrations in your skull while you talk, Buhel's new SpeakGoggle G33s promise to clearly decipher every word. More »
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Science fiction futures ruled by the popular kids [Triviagasm]
Some people's futures are determined by popular vote: American Idol contestants, class presidents, and people who want to get gay married in California. But what if every aspect of our lives was determined by our reputation and popularity? Would our futures be better, or would the tyranny of the popular spin us into dystopia? More »
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Badass warrior crab amputates its own claw on the battlefield [Video]
It took mountain climber Aron Ralston (and his onscreen counterpart, James Franco) 127 hours to amputate his own limb. It takes mere seconds for this crab to pull off its own claw after an unsuccessful attack on a blue-footed booby chick. More »
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A Shocking Visualization of Every Earthquake Around Japan in 2011
For those of us observing at a distance, the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last year seemed like a singular, horrible event. However, this visualization created by StoryMonoroch shows that it was, rather, a shocking surge in geologic activity. Using red circles and sound effects to indicate the magnitude and depth of each earthquake, this video is a sobering reminder of the powerful forces at work on our planet. See the video, after the break. |  |
Week in tech: acting out over ACTA, Firefox 10, and a new KDE tablet
Try as he might, there are some things T-Rex just can't do [This Is Awesome]
Pity the poor Tyrannosaurus. With those teeny little arms and that great big body, T-Rex is incapable of doing things that come easily to you and me. More »
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