by
John Colucci
@johncolucci
52 minutes ago
My dad called me up a few weeks ago saying he wanted to get mom a tablet for Christmas, one that might be good enough to replace the laptop she hated. It wasn't the hardware causing angst; it was the software: Windows 8. She's pretty comfortable with technology, but migrating from the familiar world of Windows' past was tricky and she wasn't alone -- I didn't find it easy either. While no tablet could completely replace a laptop, for general internet use, it's all she really needed.
One of the oldest sales tactics in the book is using a freebie to get you hooked before slapping you with the bill for the second. That's why the audacious holiday season takedowns of both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live were, apparently, a marketing stunt. Lizard Squad, the group that claimed responsibility for both attacks turned around and launched Lizard Stresser, a service that let anyone fire off a DDoS broadside, so long as they pay a fee. The joke may be on them however, since the tool is already down (the group claims this is so it can switch servers), and while the website was live it even became a target for exploits.
This new Pew Research survey might explain why the most active people in your Facebook friends list are your grandparents and selfie-loving high school cousin. The research firm asked over a thousand adults online what role technology plays in their work lives, and according to the results, those who have jobs find internet connection and email the most important tools for communication. For some reason, landline phones outrank cellphones and smartphones, while social media occupies the very last place.
Uber and Lyft's universally-hated surge pricing model, which drives fares up depending on rider demand, will once again help ring in the New Year. And don't be surprised if that leads to plenty of social media kvetching. If you don't want to be that person surprised by an unexpectedly bill along with your morning hangover, there are a few preventative measures you can take. Just like it did last year, Uber warned users with an email and blog post about tonight's inevitable surge pricing. If you want to take a regularly-priced Uber, your best bet is ordering a car before 12:30am, or after 2:30 am. And that timing would likely make sense for Lyft as well, which didn't offer any advice about how to avoid higher rates. The easiest way to avoid surge pricing is indeed the most obvious: Think ahead to avoid the crowds. Or, you know, take a normal cab or public transportation. (Flywheel is also running a $10 flat-rate promotion for standard cabs in some West Coast cities.)
In the space of a few days, Sony Pictures' The Interview has gone from unreleased to impossible to avoid. Cable video on-demand operator inDemand has added the movie to its roster, so for $5.99, pretty much anyone with pay-TV service can rent it right now instead of needing one of Google's video services, Xbox or iTunes. It's also popped up on WalMart's video service Vudu in the past day, is available via DirecTV, and according to Variety, as of Friday the number of theaters where its playing will grow to 580, compared to 331 on Christmas Day. If you're still on the fence about viewing you can use our opinion or that of others, but the movie that couldn't be stopped by North Korea (and/or company insiders) has already reportedly brought Sony $15 million through its unconventional release.
Jack White isn't the only act doing amazing things with vinyl releases. Inside DJ Qbert's Extraterrestria, one of the jacket inserts doubles as a controller for Algoriddim's djay iOS app. After connecting to a mobile device via Bluetooth, Novalia's printed MIDI tech makes the album art the console, complete with scratching and a smattering of other tools. What's more, it'll work with Apple's desktop OS, too. The album was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, and most of the copies will go to those who committed ahead of time. Unlike White's Lazaretto release, it's not the record itself that's the main attraction here, but rather the packaging -- not that it makes the project any less awesome. Jump down past the break to see it in action.
One of the constant (if minor) hassles of electric car ownership is having to plug in whenever you get home. Wouldn't it be nice if the charger could do that for you? That may just happen. Tesla's Elon Musk has revealed that his company is working on a charger that automatically extends from the wall and attaches to your vehicle like a "solid metal snake." It'll work with both current Model S variants and future cars, too. Tesla isn't providing any more details about the gear at this stage, but it notes that Musk hinted at the P85D event (see the video below at the 9:20 mark) that the company would "probably" do something along these lines -- the key is that this is now "for realz," as the exec puts it. In other words, you may well see this reptilian power outlet in your garage before long.
If you work anywhere in or around technology, chances are you've either witnessed or are a member of the standing-desk craze, the natural offshoot of the increasing medical research suggesting sitting in your Herman Miller Aeron chair will actually kill you faster than smoking. But standing's the tip of the iceberg. Treadmill desks, work-walking, whatever you want to call it -- more and more people aren't just standing while they work; they're clocking in 10 slow miles a day on the job. With treadmill desks popping up everywhere from home offices to the cube farms of Google to the open newsrooms of The New York Times, the definition of what it means to be "at work" is changing more than ever before.
Looking to buy a fresh new set of headphones? Maybe you're in the market for some killer desktop speakers instead. Either way, you've come to the right place. Check out the gallery below for all the best gadgets from our portable audio Buyer's Guide.
The Guardians of Peace didn't just threaten Sony Pictures and theaters that planned to show The Interview; it also shook its fist at the press, too. The Intercept has obtained an FBI alert noting that the group implied threats against a "news media organization" on December 20th. While the bulletin doesn't name the company, The Desk's Matthew Keys has copies of the Pastebin-based messages (since removed) showing that CNN was the target. The GOP sarcastically complimented CNN on its "investigation" of the hacking group and linked a video calling the TV network an idiot, but didn't warn of any specific consequences.
Getting to and from your New Year's shindig can be an expensive hassle, even if you're not driving: you're either competing for a conventional (and thus costly) taxi or bracing yourself for the surg...
It's no secret that we live in an increasingly disposable world. Where once we would spend hours or even days repairing and customizing our gadgets and home appliances, now we just replace them when...
