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Court overturns New Hampshire ban on ballot selfies
In the state of New Hampshire, proud voters can legally snap a selfie after filling out their ballot paper. Hurray! As NBC News reports, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston has upheld a lower court ruling which concluded the state-wide ban was unfair. Since 2014, legislation has made it illegal for citizens to photograph and share their ballot markings on social media. According to politicians, the law was intended to combat potential vote-buying schemes -- the argument being that shady individuals could use them to track and verify influenced votes.
Cram for Super Tuesday with Engadget's election guide
On March 1st Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia will cast their votes in the primaries and caucuses. Plus Alaska and Wyoming are having Republican caucuses and American Samoa is getting in on the action with its own Democratic caucus -- there's a reason they call it "Super Tuesday." And from here on out things start moving pretty fast. In the next seven days nearly two dozen states and territories will have their say in who should be the nominee for the two major parties. Yes Primary season is really hitting it's stride. But don't think you're done with the debate drama. Thursday, March 3rd, the Republican candidates still hanging on after Super Tuesday will face off in Detroit. You can watch that showdown at 9PM ET either on Fox News or at foxnews.com. Then on the 6th, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton will face off in Flint, Michigan, site of the disastrous water contamination scandal that has put the local government under sharp criticism. The two remaining Democrats will take the stage at 8PM ET on CNN and at CNN.com. And, of course, before those showdowns kick off, make sure to get caught up on the candidates positions on the most pressing tech and science issues of 2016 in our election guide. And make sure to join in the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Ello, Google+, BBS or semaphore using the hashtag #engadgetelectionguide.
Prep for the debates and primaries with Engadget's election guide
Last week Iowa voted and there were surprises all around. Ted Cruz became the front runner in the Republican race and Marco Rubio made an excellent showing by coming in a close third. Plus Hillary Clinton only narrowly avoided an upset from Larry David impersonator Bernie Sanders. Add to that the rather contentious (and meme-inspiring) debate between the Republicans on Saturday and this week is looking to be a decisive one for the Candidates.
How to watch this week's presidential primary debates
Primary season is officially underway, but don't think that the deluge of debates is over. There will be many, many, many, more chances for the candidates to face off on stage. Tonight at 9pm ET Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will follow up their razor thin race in Iowa by bringing their sales pitches to New Hampshire. With Martin O'Malley officially out of the race, it will be down to just the two front runners. You can watch the debate live on MSNBC and at MSNBC.com. Saturday night, at 9pm ET, its the Republicans turn to put on a debate for the citizens of New Hampshire. You'll be able to watch that on your local ABC affiliate or online at abcnew.go.com/live. And, of course, before those showdowns kick off, make sure to get caught up on the candidates positions on the most pressing tech and science issues of 2016 in our election guide. And make sure to join in the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Ello, Google+, BBS or semaphore using the hashtag #engadgetelectionguide.
New Hampshire judge makes 'ballot selfies' legal again
Voters in New Hampshire are once again free to take "ballot selfies" after a judge struck down one of the silliest laws ever enacted. Yes, folks actually take pictures of their ballots and share them on Facebook. But if you're proud of who you voted for or just the act of voting, what's the harm? That's not how legislators in New Hampshire see it at all, though. They figure that such people are surely selling their votes and using the photo as proof of the deed. To back it up, the state enacted a bill banning ballot photos last September, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.
First grid-scale compressed air battery now operational
Compressed air batteries have long promised truly clean energy storage, but they haven't scaled large enough in recent years to be viable companions to renewable power sources. That changes now that SustainX has switched on the first modern air battery large enough to join an electrical grid. The company's new ICAES (Isothermal Compressed Air Energy Storage) system in Seabrook, New Hampshire can hold 1.5 megawatts of power versus the kilowatt-level capacities of its rivals. Despite its size, ICAES is sustainable; it doesn't require 'dirty' energy for either compression or releasing air to its generator, and the supply won't degrade like that of a chemical battery. The New Hampshire system is just a demonstrator to attract interest, but SustainX expects to have its first commercial battery running in China next year. If ICAES (and technology like it) proves successful, we could see more solar and wind farms that keep delivering electricity when they're otherwise idle.
Apple to open 2 New England stores this weekend
Attention, New Englanders: Nashua, New Hampshire and Greenwich, Connecticut will host new Apple Stores as of this weekend. Apple Store Pheasant Lane will open at 310 Daniel Webster Highway in Nashua. You'll find it on the 1st floor of the Pheasant Lane Mall near the Food Court. Doors open at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 21st. The weather will be in the 50's so you needn't bundle up too tightly. You'll find full travel information here. At the same time (10:00 AM on the 21st), Apple Store Greenwich Avenue will open in Greenwich, CT. This store is located at 356 Greenwich Avenue. Again, the weather will be nice. We're always happy to see your photos and hear your stories from Apple Store openings, so let us know how it went. Here's hoping a little shopping therapy will erase last week's Patriots loss from your memories. [Via MacDailyNews]
FairPoint offering free HDTVs for fiber trials in Portsmouth, NH
Call us crazy, but we suspect these 100 free HDTVs (and DVRs) will be snapped up in no time flat... if they aren't all claimed already, that is. FairPoint Communications is hoping to lure a hundred Portsmouth, New Hampshire homes into testing its new fiber-based (IPTV) programming technology as it looks to compete locally with Comcast. The 90-day pilot program is set to start in January and is open to all Portsmouth residents within the FairPoint fiber-optic service area. Depending on how the tests go, many communities could look to FairPoint to provide video services, though the initial trial will include just 45 channels as critics look to judge quality, not quantity. So, what exactly are you waiting for? Get on the horn and get your name on the list!
Comcast adds FX HD / FOX News HD in New Hampshire and Massachusetts
While Boston and Brookline already had access to these two, surrounding areas (which are obviously less privy to upgrades) have finally been blessed with FX HD and FOX News HD. Two separate tipsters have chimed in to inform us that both channels are live in the Andover, MA / Nashua, New Hampshire areas, which should provide for some solid extra weekend entertainment. If you can keep your eyes off of college football, that is.[Thanks, Joe and David]
IOKA Theater rolls out red carpet for smaller films
In lots of towns, movies that fall under the indie/art/foreign/other genre get shoehorned into facilities with equipment can be kindly described as "charming." We've sat in our share of screenings of smaller films where the setup was obviously in need of some updating -- dim projectors, battered film, torn screens, intermittent audio, etc. But the IOKA Theater in Exeter, New Hampshire is looking to treat fan of off-the-beaten track cinema to a first class facility. The IOKA has partnered up with Emerging Pictures and will treat its indie offerings to the whole HD enchilada. The theater has brought in a new HD digital projector, a new screen and a new audio setup. It sounds like the 93-year-old facility is getting the kind of gear makeover that we all lust after, and kudos are due for bringing this refresh to non-blockbuster offerings. Readers in the area, please let us know how this gem shines once the curtain rises in May!
Duo steals hundreds of iPhones, sells them all to one person
Apple's no stranger to having its wares ganked (a lot), but this one really has us scratching our noggins some kind of fierce. Apparently a couple of meddlesome 20-somethings working at a Salem, New Hampshire Apple store managed to scoot away with somewhere between 330 and 700 iPhones. After somehow stuffing that many handsets into a panel van / pickup truck / privately owned C-130, they seemingly sweet talked a single high-roller into snatching up their entire stash for upwards of $138,000 -- which could be a bargain (or not) depending on the actual quantity included in the deal, internal capacity, etc. Minutiae aside, both individuals are currently residing under the strong arm of the law (surveillance cameras are hard to dodge), but curiously, nothing is mentioned about the buyer who didn't find spending over a hundred large with a couple of average joes (who just happened to have an inordinately large amount of iPhones for sale) the least bit odd.[Thanks, Scott]
Indie film to take on mythical, 'evil' arcade game
Would you watch a film about a teenager who becomes obsessed with an arcade game? No? How about if the game is "actually an evil game that posses [his] friend ... and takes over his life."If that sounds more appealing, you may want to pay attention to "Altar of the Unmanned," an indie film that begins shooting this week at New Hampshire's iconic Funspot arcade. If the movie's premise sounds familiar, it might be because it's reminiscent of Polybius, the rumored (and debunked) Tempest clone that's said to cause intense nightmares and interest from government agents. The film is the second feature for director Mike May, who says he was inspired to shoot at Funspot after seeing The King of Kong. If you're in the Weirs Beach, NH area, the film crew is looking for extras to play arcade patrons starting on Saturday, March 29. Extras won't get paid, but they will get a film credit for basically standing around and playing arcade games all day. Not a bad gig if you ask us.[Image credit]
