Yes, as you can see from the images above, 2014 is going to be a great year for geeks, or at least movie wise. One film we'd like to focus on is Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. Here's what to expect: "When a wormhole (which hypothetically connects widely-separated regions of spacetime) is newly discovered, a team of explorers and scientists embark on a voyage through it to transcend previous limitations on human space travel." Click here to view the first image in today's viral picture gallery. Continue reading for a viral video showing how Nick Santonastasso makes the most of being a triple amputee.
For over 100 years, the light bulb didn't evolve much, generally sporting the same, well, bulbous design ever since Thomas Edison gave us the original in 1879. Lately that's changed as LEDs and CFLs have challenged the conventional bulb, and now Philips is taking light bulb design in a new, flatter direction.
The SlimStyle looks like a light bulb that's hit the gym. It emits light at a brightness equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb, but it's powered by an LED (light-emitting diode), meaning it consumes just 10.5 watts. It also has a rated lifetime of 22 years, so you can count the number of times you'd need to change the bulb in a human lifetime on one hand. Read more...
AMC's hit drama Breaking Bad, which ended its acclaimed five-season run in September, will live on in a previously announced spinoff about quirky criminal lawyer Saul Goodman
On Monday, we learned that the series — titled Better Call Saul after Goodman's office slogan — has found a home for when it's finished airing on AMC in 2014: Netflix
Following the Better Call Saul finale on AMC in the United States, Netflix will exclusively stream each episode for subscribers in Latin America and Europe "within days." Netflix will also offer the complete season to U.S. subscribers after the finale airs, Netflix and Sony Pictures Television announced Monday Read more...
Christmas is closing in fast and while many of you are dreaming about the shiny new toys you’ll be unwrapping this year, others are already looking ahead to what’s coming around the bend. The mobile industry is a fiercely competitive one, and if you were wondering how smartphone makers were ever going to top 2013′s offerings, Samsung might have that answer.
According to sources out of ZDNet Korea, Samsung could be planning to release a quad HD or QHD (not to be confused with quarter HD or “qHD”) smartphone next year. This translates to a device packing a whopping 2560×1440 resolution display, 4 times the resolution of current full HD 1080p devices. Because, you know — full HD is just no longer cutting it.
But that’s not all. It wasn’t too long ago when Apple made a commotion in the tech space after introducing a fingerprint scanner in their lastest iPhone. Never one to be outdone, Samsung could already be prepping the world’s first smartphone to come equipped with an “iris scanner” for enhanced security. This would allow a user to secure their phone using their own eye for identification, something we don’t imagine would be too easy to forge or counterfeit. Apparently, Samsung has already moved out of the development stage and is now looking towards mass producing the tech.
Samsung’s eye scanning feature is one we’ve heard about before, after a patent turned up back in November, revealing Samsung’s possible plans to include this tech in future devices. We’re not sure how much weight any of these rumors hold, but it looks like Samsung could show off the device at next year’s Mobile World Congress in which we will definitely be in attendance. Should be an interesting 2014.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were sucking at a historic rate back when they were 0-8, but after a bye, they've won four of their last five. Somehow, in a complicated scenario, the Jags still technically have a chance of getting a playoff spot. Six teams would have to majorly fuck up and Jacksonville would have to win out—yeah, OK—but it's mathematically possible. Never give up on your dreams, kids.
When the pass-happy Cowboys offense works, it really works. And when it doesn't, like in yesterday's crushing come-from-ahead loss to the Packers that denied Dallas first place in the division, the failure tends toward the spectacular. The Cowboys spent an entire half with a huge lead throwing the ball, when every cheat sheet and simulator and old-school football pundit said to run it, and there's more than enough blame to go around.
Kevin Huber was a lock for the Pro Bowl. But the Bengals punter's tremendous year was cut short with a fractured jaw, suffered when he was blindsided by Steelers LB Terence Garvin. It sprung Antonio Brown for a touchdown, but it was a blatantly missed penalty that should have cost Pittsburgh the score.
Google Maps underwent a major redesign in May 2013. Along with an updated look, the popular mapping tool gained some new features to help users navigate and optimize their productivity
In order to get the most out of Google Maps, whether searching from a computer or a phone, here are five tips to help you find your way easier and faster.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
A Redditor exploring the streets of Ronse, Belgium stumbled across some spectacular art. Hidden inside an abandoned nursing school were walls full of Batman graffiti, featuring various incarnations of the Dark Knight alongside the Joker, Bane, and many others from the DC universe. The Redditor, sneakylawyer, says the school has been abandoned for about a decade — plenty of time for it to be reclaimed by an enterprising artist. The Batman graffiti is the work of Pete One, and you can see more of his graffiti at this online gallery.
Are you ready for super-evil robots that will take over the planet in some sort of cybernetic revolt? I sure am.
We probably won't see maniacal robo-wargs that will swoop in and destroy all humans, but if we ever do, the two companies that could make it happen just got cozy. Google has announced that they have purchased Boston Dynamics, creators of terror the Big Dog and PETMAN, for an undisclosed sum. I'll speculate that it was 100 Billion Dollars. Not really.
All jokes aside, Boston Dynamics have the knack to make robots that are agile, strong and sturdy instead of fragile pieces of metal that need coddling. The kind of robots that could do stuff instead of just look pretty in a lab. Check out the WildCat — and hope it never chases you.
What does this mean? We have no idea. Andy Rubin is Google's new robot overlord, so I imagine he has some sort of plan for this. We can only hope that it's peaceful.
It was back in October when we gave you guys the whole spiel on Cover, an upcoming contextually aware lockscreen app for Android devices — available only by invite. Today, Cover is making its Play Store debut, giving all Android users (4.1 and up) the ability to make their lockscreens “smart”. Cover hopes to do this in 4 unique ways:
The right apps at the right time – Cover will change app shortcuts displayed on the lockscreen depending on your location (or when driving), and according to how frequently you use them
Peek – By swiping on an icon, you can quickly “peek” on the other side of the lockscreen where the app will already be opened and ready for you.
App switching tray provides shortcuts that can be accessed using a user customized gesture swipe from the top of the bezel (left or right), allowing you to jump quickly between your most frequently used apps.
Smart settings can be tailored to the user, allowing you to set your ringer volumes according to your location and time.
Still a work in progress, this is made evident by the use of the “beta” tag in the Cover’s title. So far in our experience with the app, we found it works out quite well. We love the idea of a lockscreen that changes based on location, but at the same time, icons that were always shuffling around (based on frequency of use) proved difficult to adjust to when it came to quick muscle memory. If only there was a setting to turn off that specific feature, we’d love the ability to pick and choose our own favorite apps to be displayed on the lockscreen manually.
Also, there were some strange performance and graphical glitches. Some apps — like Hangouts pictured above — would display a loading toast notification while it opened. Not exactly the seamless app jumping shown in the concept video. It also appears that cover needs to be better optimized for Android 4.4 KitKat, specifically when dealing with the transparent home and nav bars which show everything going on behind the lockscreen.
There’s still plenty of room to grow, and we’re sure the Android-only developers from Cover will accommodate for some of these concerns and more in future updates. There’s no denying there’s a lot of potential here, and we’ll be following Cover’s progress closely.
Cover is available for free for Android 4.1+ users in the US, Canada and Europe. The download link can be found just after the video below. Don’t forget to chime in and let us know what you think. Is it everything you expected? Any features you’d like to see in future updates?
When I advocated for Frank Thomas's Hall of Fame candidacy, I mentioned that the autograph I got from him on the day he kinda-sorta saved my life had faded completely from the ball it was on. It turns out Thomas read my post, and he was kind enough to send me a new autographed ball. Seriously, put this man in the Hall of Fame.
From the minds of some unidentified genius, and via Reddit, comes Alco-Hockey, a game where the goal has been replaced with six depressions for cups. What you put in those cups is up to you, but it's not called "Soda Hockey."
Manziel is in Orlando for tonight's College Football Awards show, and spent yesterday wandering Disney World, taking photos with fans. He's apparently fond of the Miley Cyrus pose.
If, for whatever reason, you’re not cool with having to click a button to have your images automatically load whenever you open an email, Google’s finally going to solve all that. An upgrade to Gmail in early 2014 will allow you to have images load automatically.
Google typically warns users about loading images because of the threat of image-based malware, but the company will look to implement an automatic checker that will scan the files as the email comes through. If everything checks out, you’ll be able to open the email and see the image as if you were loading any old webpage.
Don’t like giving up control? Google says this will be optional, and will be customizable under the General tab in Settings with the “Ask before displaying external images” option. Desktop users will be seeing this new functionality starting today, while the mobile app will be getting it in “early 2014.”
Instagram announced Thursday a new feature called Instagram Direct, which allows users to share private pictures and videos directly to friends.
Instagram Direct gives users a more personalized way to share moments with a smaller group of people and not all followers. The app update is available for iOS download and Android starting today and is still in beta for Windows Phone.
The company unveiled the news, which was in line with rumors, during a press event in New York City. It created fanfare over today's festivities by sending physical Instagram images printed on canvas to members of the press. Read more...
Look upon Peyton Manning, wearing his helmet and watching game film on a iPad while dipping his injured ankle in a cold tub, and have all of your assumptions about him being more football-playing automaton than man swiftly confirmed.
Just in time for the holidays, Google is announcing a new update for Gmail that introduces a handful of much requested features to the Android app. All new for version 4.7 (941620) is the ability to finally send any file as an attachment in Gmail (previously, “pictures” and “videos” were the only options available). The nicest part about sending any kind of file stored on your device is it seems to have finally lead to downloading of ZIP files in Gmail — something that’s been absent for far too long.
Speaking of absences, if you’re heading away on a trip this holiday, you can now set a vacation responder to auto-respond to emails while you’re away (something that would have come in handy while I was away in Jamaica last week). KitKat printing has also been introduced, as well as better app performance for lower memory devices, something that should come in handy for those with older Androids. Gotta love that Project Svelte!
You can wait for the update to hit your device any minute now, or simply download the updated Gmail via 3rd party link below. Enjoy!
Last night, Google started a slow rollout of the new Maps with version 7.5. Since the previous version was 7.4, we knew there had to be some key features that prompted the update - it couldn't just be a bug fixer. After thoroughly examining the UI, I was unable to find anything new.
As it turns out, that's because the new feature Google stuffed into the app only shows up upon very specific conditions.
The sign language interpreter used at Nelson Mandela's memorial service yesterday in Johannesburg was a fraud who was "literally flapping his arms around," according to the national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa and at least two other experts.
The man stood on stage with nearly 100 heads of state, including President Barack Obama, who all gave speeches to honor Mandela, and was actually interpreting nothing, making unintelligible signs. Bruno Druchen, the director of the South Africa's Deaf Federation, told the Associated Press that the man was "moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for." Druchen's wife, Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, a South African parliament member who is also deaf,...
Whether if you're looking to just have some fun or are looking for easier ways to do everyday things, these fun and brilliant ideas should provide some inspiration. For example, the toothpaste syringe would eliminate all your bottom of tube woes. Or, slide steps that make going down fun. Click here to view the first image in today's viral picture gallery. Continue reading for a viral video of an NFL player that will restore your faith in humanity.
Spotify has acquired the rights to the catalogue of Led Zeppelin as the streaming music service continues to add classic acts to its roster and lock out competitors from featuring popular artists.
The news, initially reported by The New York Times, was announced at Spotify's event on Wednesday. It is the most high-profile rights acquisition since Spotify brought Pink Floyd to its service earlier this summer and added Metallica's category later last year.
Led Zeppelin has been one of the major holdouts from the streaming music industry; the band has sold more than 111 million records, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The agreement marks another victory for Spotify as it seeks to maintain its market lead on smaller competitors such as Rdio and Rhapsody, which will now have no chance of featuring Robert Plant's soaring vocals or Jimmy Page's violin-inspired guitar theatrics. Read more...
Instagram has something big up its sleeve. The photo-sharing platform and Facebook subsidiary will make a rare appearance in New York City on Thursday for an unveiling, and no one knows for certain what its announcement will be. I do, however, have a pretty good idea.
My money is on a new, live communication platform within Instagram. Think Snapchat meets, well, Instagram. I suspect Instagram will introduce the following:
Instagram Chats that include a messaging or chat function for real-time discussion.
A suite of tools for enhancing images with text (MEME and standard captions) and more conversational imagery.
A contact system overhaul that allows you to see, with permission, who else is live and ready to chat on Instagram.
The ability to make chat-based or direct Instagrams temporary. In other words, they can disappear in one day, five minutes or two weeks. Perhaps those intervals will be adjustable by the user
The option to make Instagrams private, shared between only a group of Instagram friends or with just one other user Read more...
Spotify announced on Wednesday that it is expanding its free streaming option to all devices. This means non-paying users can listen to individual tracks and albums of their choice using the Spotify app for iOS and Android tablets
The announcement, which was previously rumored, took place during an event at the company's U.S. headquarters in New York City
"We've found that users are increasingly listening to music in the home not on their computers but on their tablets," said Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek. It made sense, Ek added, to start treating a tablet just like a regular computer. Read more...
Mobile gaming giant Rovio has launched its latest title on Android and iOS today. Anry Birds Go is a free "kart" racer based in the Angry Birds universe, featuring feathered friends from the popular artillery shooter. If you've played Mario Kart or any similar titles you'll know what to expect here — fast-paced 3D racing with a focus on power-ups and weapons, featuring familiar characters (birds and pigs, in this case.) There's a variety of game modes to choose from besides a straight-up race to the finish, including Time Boom, Fruit Splat, Champion Chase and Mega Match.
Naturally you can also upgrade your vehicles by earning points in-game or buying them through in-app purchases — and you can add more characters to the game by capturing Rovio "Telepod" toys with your devie's camera. The base game itself, however, is completely free, and it's available now at the Google Play link above.
