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What you need to know about card skimming
"Skimming" is a blanket term used when referencing a crime where you take small amounts of money. It literally means to take cash off the top, as if money were the sweet cream floating atop a cauldron of lesser riches. Fifty years ago, skimming might have meant stealing a handful of dollars from your employer, or even millions in elaborate scams we've seen in countless Hollywood films. Today's skimming, however, employs tricks and hardware that are absurdly complex and yet sneaky enough to elude detection. Unless you know what to look for, of course. Today's world of skimming is high-tech, and it wants your credit card and banking info. Though we can't help you catch every conceivable method that crooks are using to try to rip you off, being armed with a bit of knowledge on the topic could save you major hassle down the road. No matter what you take away form this read, at a minimum you'll never look at an ATM or POS terminal the same way again.
What you need to know about the Apollo 11 moon landing
Neil Armstrong, the first human being to set foot on another celestial body, misspoke his historic line. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," as it turns out, was missing a crucial letter when Armstrong spoke it to a live audience back on Earth. What he was supposed to say as he placed his foot on the surface of Luna, the Earth's moon, was: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind," thus highlighting the bigger picture of his small step onto the surface of the moon. Thankfully, the 600 million people watching weren't quite as pedantic as we are: The public easily overlooked the mistake, understood the meaning and let it go. Hey, the guy flew to the moon, right? Cut him some slack.
What you need to know about 3D motion capture
Close your eyes and go back... back in time. Picture Jar Jar Binks or Polar Express, movies that put the "Uncanny Valley" on the map. I know these aren't pleasant memories, but new technology like motion capture (mocap) can be... awkward in its youth. Now, let's forget all that and move forward to a time when the tech started hitting its stride -- from Lord of the Rings' Gollum to Avatar to The Avengers' Hulk. And let's not forget games -- The Last of Us has some of the best mocap done in any medium and Electronic Arts has used the technique since Madden NFL '94. But what is mocap, exactly, and how is it done? Will it ever replace live actors or put 3D animators out of business? To answer all that, let's head back in time 100 years.
What you need to know about Kickstarter, Indiegogo and the concept of crowdfunding
You have what you think is a cool idea, but you aren't sure if you can convince investors about the sales potential of, say, a tiny monitor strapped to your face, or a watch that is also a computer. Besides, who are "investors" and how do you summon them from their secret offshore lairs to pass judgment on your notional widget? Wouldn't it be easier if you could just put your idea on the internet, letting regular people who might be on your wavelength pledge directly to help get it done? That's what crowdfunding is about. Services like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Patreon and others gather funds directly from buyers, to make potentially crazy ideas a reality. Crazy ideas like a salad... made with potatoes. But it's not all free money and rampant innovation.
What you need to know about DARPA, the Pentagon's mad science division
There's a certain entity within the Pentagon that's quite (in)famous for developing terrifying robots, advanced weapons and futuristic tech. It's called the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or, as most people know it, DARPA: the Department of Defense's "mad science" division. While all the machines coming out of the agency make it seem like its sole purpose is to build a killer-robot army, DARPA has many, many other projects to speak of. In fact, DARPA's at the heart of some of the most significant technological advances of our time. Hell, there might not be an internet to read this article on if DARPA didn't create it.
What you need to know about social media activism
Protests in the Middle East, known as "The Arab Spring," echoed around the world. On Friday, December 17, 2010, a fruit vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi covered himself in flammable liquid and lit a match. His body was quickly engulfed in flames and, despite attempts to save his life, Bouazizi died on January 4th, 2011. He was 26 years old. Like how Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức's self-immolation in Saigon nearly 50 years earlier represented the frustration of many Vietnamese, Bouazizi's action became symbolic of a much larger frustration in Tunisian society. What happened next, however, was a product of modern times: Word spread of Bouazizi's action through social networks, with Facebook specifically becoming a flashpoint for protest organizations across the country. By the time Tunisia's former leader, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, resigned and fled the country in mid-January 2011, over a fifth of Tunisia's population was on Facebook.
What you need to know about Uber, Lyft and other app-based car services
For the first time last month, I requested a car using a smartphone. The app correctly guessed my location using GPS, gave me a ballpark arrival time with a real-time map and even estimated the fare. A polite driver arrived on time and whisked me to my destination. When I tried to pay and tip, he explained that the payment was already taken (I'd receive a receipt by email soon) and that the service (Uber) forbade tipping. Wait, what? No haggling, luggage fee, credit card refusal, time wasted on receipts or even tipping? This was an epiphany! But professional taxi drivers who pay thousands of dollars for a license are understandably not thrilled about these services. Neither are many cities (and regions) that collect those fees and say that Uber/Lyft/etc. are dangerous or improperly insured. The result of this clash, thus far, is chaos: bans, mass demonstrations and even violence. Despite all that, ridesharing poster child Uber was recently valued at $17 billion. So, will app-driven car services gain traction or be run out of town?
What you need to know about 3D printing
Dutch designer Iris van Herpen used one to send collections down the runway. Mink hopes you'll rely on one to create custom makeup at home. Andrey Rudenko is optimistic that he can use one to help him build his next home. And soon we'll create new human organs with them. The mysterious agent of change I'm referring to is 3D printing, of course. Though these machines were previously accessible to only a small group of wealthy hobbyists, that's no longer the case. As 3D printer prices have decreased and accessibility has increased, it seems like the possibilities are endless. But before each home has its own 3D printer, the technology is poised to dramatically impact how the industries we depend on manufacture the gadgets -- and everything else -- we know and love.
What you need to know about 3D-printed organs
Sure, 3D printers that can spit out chocolates, create shoes, handcraft cars and help astronauts sound fun and magical, but a lot of scientists are working to make models that aren't just fun. They're developing 3D printers that can also save and change lives by printing out functional human organs. Think about it: If we can make organs on demand, patients don't have to wait as long for transplanted organs. In the United States alone, 78,837 patients are waiting for organ donations (at the time of publication), but only 3,407 donations have been made since January 2014. Machines capable of creating functional human parts could significantly shorten -- or nullify -- that line. Sadly, we're still at the early stages of the technology. As it turns out, printing working human organs is a lot more complex than printing out plastic toys.
What you need to know about laser-cut clothing
You know the intricate, elegant, classic pattern found on your grandma's doilies? Imagine that design as an item of clothing. That is laser-cut design. Laser cutting used to be reserved for haute couture designs. But as consumers began lusting for the technique, and the technology was made more readily available to manufacturers, it's become commonplace to see laser-cut silk and leather in ready-to-wear runway collections. Where the runway goes, affordable fashion typically follows: You can now find laser-cut clothing sold by fast fashion retailers like Topshop and ASOS. And that's just for starters.
What you need to know about commercial drones
Wondering why you don't see drones everywhere, despite the intention of Amazon and others to deliver all the things with flying robots? Here's why: It's illegal. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn't permit filming, crop-spraying, spying, tour-guiding, pizza delivery or any other commercial drone applications (you can, however, fly one privately). "But that's unjust!" you may rail. "Why should the government stop businesses from plying their trades?" The FAA is charged with keeping the skies safe, and drone operators could pose a danger to commercial aircraft or spy on you illegally. On the other hand, US businesses want the FAA to approve drone use stat, so they can stop operating quasi-illegally and start making money. So, who's right? Who's wrong? Here are the ABCs of commercial drone flight in the US.
What you need to know about Amazon Prime Music
Remember all those rumors about Amazon launching a music streaming service? Well, they were absolutely true: Amazon pulled back the curtain on Prime Music earlier today, which gives paying Prime subscribers access to over a million songs for no additional cost and without a single obnoxious ad in earshot. Amazon Digital Music VP Steve Boom told us that customers have been clamoring for this little development for ages now -- here are a few answers to the burning questions surrounding Amazon's newest media play.
What you need to know about the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
Spring rains are ending; the R train tunnel is nearly through with repairs (after being ravaged by Hurricane Sandy); and we're nowhere near Engadget HQ in downtown Manhattan. Alas, it's early summer: time for the Electronic Entertainment Expo once more. The annual game industry trade event, commonly referred to as "E3," unofficially kicks off today in Los Angeles. A quartet of press conferences start at 9AM PT, with Microsoft and Sony bookending the day's proceedings. But wait -- what's all the fuss about? "What's the deal with E3?" you say in your best Jerry Seinfeld voice. In short, E3 is a big marketing event for the game industry. In reality, E3 is much, much more than that.
What you need to know about self-driving cars
A few months back at CES, I found myself at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway as a guest at BMW's "Highly Autonomous Driving" demo. While our cameraman set up his gear and I pondered what I was going to say about BMW's mystery kit, I watched one of the carmaker's drivers hooning through a wet section of the track drifting an M235i. Little did I know at the time that the driver wasn't actually driving: He was a passenger. That night, BMW suggested self-driving cars were years off, maybe as many as 10. But Google's just shown us its vision, and the "when" is much, much closer. Despite my racing-heavy introduction earlier this year, the automakers want to sell self-driving cars as a safety blanket. And if they can prove its ability to save lives, it'll become a reality in short order.
What you need to know about the 'right to be forgotten' on Google
Who decides your rights to privacy and freedom of speech on the internet? Earlier this month, a landmark ruling by Europe's biggest court left Google trying to find an answer to that unanswerable question. The case, which centers on the so-called "right to be forgotten," allows European users to actively ask providers to remove personal information that's become "outdated" or "irrelevant." Even if Google (or other search engines) has indexed it in a fair and legal way, it's obligated to comply with the ruling. It's opened a debate over whether a company known for its complex search algorithms should be given the duty of making judgement calls over what should and should not remain online for the world to see. Google co-founder Sergey Brin wishes he could "just forget the ruling," but unfortunately for him, Google, and you, the issue is real. And it's going to impact the way we search the web forever.
What you need to know about hologram people
Perhaps you watched the Billboard Music Awards and were aghast (or impressed) by Michael Jackson's performance from beyond the grave. Or maybe you were at Coachella and caught a resurrected Tupac onstage with real-life Snoop Dogg. Hell, let's say you were wooed by India's Narendra Modi in his recent holographic stump speeches. Maybe none of the above? Well, either way, here's a bit of disappointing news: None of those were true holograms, despite our dreams of a sci-fi future. The aforementioned performances are a product of a centuries-old technique called "Pepper's Ghost." You might've seen this on a pretty grand scale during a family vacation to Disneyland, too. The park's Haunted Mansion ride uses it extensively, especially during the ballroom scene where "ghosts" are dancing all over the place. The key difference between what we're seeing now and what's been used for the past few hundred years? The tech being used has gotten much more advanced.
What you need to know about vaporizers
Smoking is bad for you. There! We said it right up front. There's no reasonable line of argument that can lead to any other conclusion: smoking kills lots of people, around 50 percent of its long term users. But with all that said, people love to smoke. Heck, I smoked for many, many years and I still would if it had a few more vitamins. But bottom line, tobacco products smell awful, give you bad breath, have become socially unacceptable, cause all kinds of cancer and, ultimately, kill people. What if we were to tell you we've found a new way to get all the nicotine into our bodies with technology, and none of the harmful smoke? Well, good news, we can! Let's talk about vaporizers.
What you need to know about net neutrality
The internet! It's a truly wonderful place, a reflection of humanity that encompasses the breadth of our achievements and failures as a species. It's at the center of modern life in the United States: from birth/early life education for parents to educational tools for kids, interacting with networks of friends and family, the entire college experience, managing finances into adulthood and building a business. It is ubiquitous. And the internet, as we know it, is open. The concept of "net neutrality" is simple: to keep the internet open. Update (2/27): And now, so many months later, the FCC has officially passed new rules to protect the open internet (aka net neutrality). Yay! So what does that mean exactly? Check after the break for some new details.
What you need to know about online advertisers tracking you
Spend lots of time online? Then perhaps you've heard of targeted advertising, "Big Data" analysis and complaints of privacy violations by advertising companies. The ads above your Gmail inbox? Yeah, those. As it turns out, most people don't like being tracked by advertisers. Surprise! As such, a variety of tools exist to protect individuals. But what about a solution that anyone could use, that didn't require knowledge of cryptography or even a software install? That's where the Do Not Track initiative comes in. Do Not Track (DNT) is explained by its own name: Don't track what I do online, including what I buy, what I read, what I say and who I communicate with. But how should it work? Therein lies the controversy. Since the subject is still being debated, now's the perfect time to learn about it, voice your opinion and request more control over your data. If you want more control, that is.
What you need to know about smart guns
It's increasingly difficult to have a rational discussion about gun violence. Thankfully for us, we're not here to do that. We're here to explain what the concept of a smart gun is, beyond what you've seen in hit Sylvester Stallone film Judge Dredd. Lost amid the shouting and hand-wringing of American politics are a bevy of technologies that aim to skip the argument, instead aiming to decrease gun violence through advanced technology. Barring a dramatic shift in American culture or politics, however, it seems the smart gun concept may wither and die. So, what are smart guns?
