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Aug 10, 2012 3:20 PM   Standard iPhone charging cables are pretty boring, and they're practically begging to get covered in a layer of gray grime. These snazzy cables are much more fun, it's just too bad they're going to be outdated so soon. Available from Eastern Collective, these robust little guys come in four different color schemes, all of which beat that hell out of what came with your iPhone. On top of that, at $14, they aren't a bad deal, especially considering they're no doubt tougher than your average charging cable and way less likely to get tangled. Just don't pick one up if you have any interest in new iDevices. After all, this is the worst possible time to pick up new iPhone accessories since Apple is almost certainly moving away from the 30-pin port. Bummer, right? [Eastern Collective] View the original article here This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after act...

Aug 9, 2012 6:40 PM   Mobile payments are a mess. Mostly because every single carrier is trying to set up its own payment platform and squeeze everyone else out. The Electronic Transactions Association has announced the Mobile Payments Committee, which should put some order to the chaos. The committee will have representatives from each of the four major US carriers, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, and it will be chaired by Jackie Moran of Verizon. It will try to get everyone to stop being gigantic jerks about mobile payment platforms, and actually create a sensible marketplace. So for example, things like Verizon freezing out Google Wallet until recently. But this isn't just a conversation to decide what format will succeed long term. Say, Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD. This is a group that will decide how entire ecosystems are allowed to process payments. And the carriers seemingly occupy the pole positions in committee that decides who gets to play the game, and how it's pla...

The FTC has accepted a settlement over its allegation that it repeatedly misled its users about privacy. Facebook was accused of telling users they could keep their information private and then repeatedly disclosing it anyway. Facebook won't take a fine for the privacy violations. Sigh Under the settlement, the FTC will monitor the company closely for the next 20 years and if it screws up again, Facebook could face fines of $16,000 per violation. Multiplied by millions and millions of users that might actually be enough to keep the Zuck and his cohorts in line. Facebook originally agreed to settle the FTC's eight-count complaint back in November 2011, but the complaint had to go through a public comment period before it could be approved by a judge as actually being in the public's best interest. Under the settlement Facebook will finally be bound to some rules many people feel like it should have been abiding by in the first place. But wait, seriously? It's pretty unb...

Aug 3, 2012 4:52 PM   The Apple vs. Samsung case has been druging up all kinds of secrets. Today, in his testimony, Senior VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall had some interesting things to say about the iPhone's secretive development back in 2004. Tasked with building a super-team by Steve Jobs, Forstall carefully selected the individuals best suited to create the software for the innovative phone, but he had to work under a number of pretty wild restrictions. First, Forstall was not allowed to hire from outside Apple; all members of the iPhone team, then called "Project Purple" were to be selected from within the company. As if that wasn't enough, Forstall couldn't even tell them what they'd be doing. According to his testimony, the pitch to potential team members went a little something like this: "We're starting another project. It's so secret I cannot tell you what the project is... You are going to have to give up nights and weekends probab...

Attention all ye hoodlums, thugs, and general ne'er do wells: the days of the wooly ski mask are over—at least, over for 333 of you. Jack-of-many-arts artist Martin Backes has, after a year-long process, finally completed a work he is calling "The Pixelhead." Created in a limited edition collection of 333 units, this fully-pixelated face mask/hood is made of highly non-fade polyester (80%) and elastane (20%). Each is hand sewn in Germany and can be purchased for approximately $192.00, with shipping to anywhere in the world. The full face mask Pixelhead acts as media camouflage, completely shielding the head to ensure that your face is not recognizable on photographs taken in public places without securing permission. A simple piece of fabric creates a little piece of anonymity for the Internet age. The material used is elastic fabric for beach fashion and sports gear with a fashionable Pixel-style print of German Secretary of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich. The mask h...

Jul 31, 2012 4:20 PM   Here's a neat/gross piece of trivia that should make waking up to a stiflingly hot forecast a little easier to deal with. In Japan, a website called Gokiten—aka Cockroach Weather—takes the current conditions into account to determine how likely it is you'll run across a cockroach as you go about your day. In fact, the various regions of Japan are each given their own unique color-coded Cockroach Index—or Cockdex (we kid you not)—which rates the likelihood of increased roach activity in that area. Users are even encouraged to submit their own reports and sightings which help to make the forecasts more accurate, but besides just staying indoors, there's not much one can really do if the Cockdex is particularly high on a given day. Maybe wear heavier boots for more effective stomping? [Gokiten via RocketNews24] View the original article here This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts ...

Jul 30, 2012 4:40 PM   Our comment guru Tony Kaye had an interesting question, so we figured we'd present it to you. Imagine you had the ability to travel back in time. Knowing what you know now, what would you make different in the tech world? What tech would you bring with you? Would you create Facebook before Facebook? Would you convince Reed Hastings never to attempt the Qwikster disaster? Would you terrify people with your iPod touch? Or maybe you'd subtly insert yourself into photos with people of the time? Let's get hypothetical. Image via Virtual Museum of Canada View the original article here This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Jul 27, 2012 4:20 PM   Yup, it's another Friday, and we feel like talking. Let's talk about whatever. Seriously. It's up to you. You provide a question, comment, or observation, and for the next hour, the entire Giz staff will respond. Let's go. Image via Shutterstock/IR Stone View the original article here This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Jul 26, 2012 7:58 PM   Hey New York, look out of the window and you will see something similar to this coming towards you: a straight wall of dark atmospheric mayhem traveling at high speed, with wind gusts as hugh as 90 miles (145 kilometers) per hour. The technical name of this storm is a derecho . It can cause the same damage of a powerful tornado but, unlike tornadoes, they do not swirl. They just go straight ahead , hence its spanish name. This amazing photo shows the one that occurred on June 29, which was very similar to the one arriving now to New York. It was taken by Kevin Gould at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Godspeed, Gotham. View the original article here This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Jul 26, 2012 10:40 AM   So sure, the Higgs "discovery" wasn't really a discovery. More scientific fact checking, as our friends at MinutePhysics put it. But in the course of explaining all that, the number they dropped on our heads about confirming the existence of the Higgs statistically was mind-blowing: Statistical confirmation for the new particle required 600 million particle collisions—every second—for two years. Holy crap. [YouTube] View the original article here This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Warner Bros. / The Dark Knight "The Dark Knight Rises" director Christopher Nolan , has issued the following statement regarding the shooting in Colorado early Friday morning:  "Speaking on behalf of the cast and crew of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' I would like to express our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community. I would not presume to  know anything about the victims of the shooting but that they were there last night to watch a movie. I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me. Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families....

James Holmes allegedly opened fire on atheater full of moviegoers early Friday morning during a midnight premier of "The Dark Knight Rises." We've been bringing you a slew of updates all day. But we know things can get confusing when new details of such a horrific crime are constantly breaking, so here are the most important things you need to know: In total, 71 people were hit during the violence. Twelve are dead and 59 were were injured during the attack in Aurora, Colo. The suspect, who we later learned is named James Eagan Holmes, was arrested in the parking lot of the movie theater. He is the only suspect and reportedly did not fight the arrest. Holmes let slip to police that both his car and apartment had explosives inside. That statement spurred police to evacuate at least five buildings near Holmes' apartment. During their search of the apartment, police found that Holmes' apartment was indeed booby-trapped with various incendiary and chemical trip wire...