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ultimate tivo box

Fantasy Gadget: The Ultimate Next Generation Connected TiVo Box

TiVo has been setting the bar for timeshifting television (what you want, when you want it) for the better part of a decade. Its latest models, the TiVo Series 3 and TiVo HD, further refine and extend functionality to high definition TV and downloadable movies. But the future might not be so bright for TiVo, as other players such as Microsoft' Vista Media Center, Apple's Apple TV, Netflix's Roku player, and upstarts like the Vudu aim to drink their milkshake. What's a company to do? Innovate. Use the internet. Connect users together. Go beyond broadcast TV. Here's what we think TiVo needs to prioritize in their next box in order to dominate the living room for the next decade. More »

Feature

12:00 PM on Fri Jul 4 2008
By Jason Chen
5,864 views, 27 comments

Latest by The Magnificen7: @MrBlahBlah: Really? Because when I hear that, I think of the scene in the actual movie that I went to see, instead of LOLing at SNL (which I haven't done since I first saw Kristin Wiig's hilarious character that tries more »

thank giz it's america

10 Gadgety Reasons Why I Love America

With an unpopular war going on, an unpopular president in the White House and an economy in crisis, sometimes we struggle to remember what makes this country great. July 4th should be a time to reflect on the positives—a day to celebrate our independence and recapture our patriotic spirit. For some of us, that may be easier said than done. However, I am confident that the following gadgets will serve as a reminder, to all nerds, why we live in the best country in the world. And if you are still not convinced, just remember—you could be living in Canada. More »

Feature

4:12 PM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Sean Fallon
16,576 views, 167 comments

Latest by nutbastard: @mpar: It's completely obvious in more than one way that this article is in reference to the USA. To make a point that "America" is a continent that includes other nations blah blah blah is simply obnoxious, adds nothing to the more »

dell dock

Review: Dell's Vista Dock Pretty But Lifeless

I'm OCD about my desktop. I keep exactly six icons on it, tucked in the upper left hand corner. So Dell's OS X wannabe dock—actually made by Stardock and licensed to Dell, but let's not pretend it's not an Apple reaction—sounds like a great way to keep my desktop immaculate. Who originated the dock or why it came to be aren't really that important. The fact is, lots of people who never would've used a dock are now going to when Dell ships these out. And that would be awesome, if the dock weren't so dumb. More »

Feature

4:00 PM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By matt buchanan
15,401 views, 76 comments

Latest by Bokusatsu_Tenshi: Matt, if you really are into docks, I think there are better, more useful free options out there. And I swear to God I hope this is your only disappointment. I have an M1330, and after a month on hell with Vista more »

More to Life than In-Game XMB

10 Things We Still Want in PlayStation 3 Firmware (i.e. NOT In-Game XMB)

Sony's latest PlayStation 3 firmware update 2.4 brought what the fanboys have been crying about since the console's inception—in-game access to the console's Cross Media Bar (XMB). But I'll tell you something, in-game XMB is fine and dandy, yes, but there were more pressing issues that Sony should have fixed first. In fact, I count 10 of 'em (because a list of nine would get me fired). More »

Feature

11:00 AM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Mark Wilson
18,804 views, 113 comments

Latest by fudged71: screengrabs would be nice! also, what about video capture? that would be a very cool feature, that could be used across all games and dialog. more »

laptops

What Doesn't Break a Toughbook Makes It Stronger: How They Test the Hell Out of Them

Deep in the northwest corner of Kobe, Japan, there's a factory hidden away among green rice paddies, and sleepy farming villages of tiled roofs. If you were to travel here, to Takatsukadai—the middle of nowhere—you'd find Panasonic's Toughbook plant quietly making notebooks with the world's lowest failure rate. Well, not so quietly, actually. They employ a regimen of over 500 different tests, smashing, dropping and soaking Toughbooks, with over a thousand sacrifices each year. This is where I learned how the old computer plant manages to pull it off, miraculously, almost all under one roof. More »

Feature

4:00 PM on Wed Jul 2 2008
By Tim Hornyak
5,405 views, 46 comments

Latest by n/a: Legally, they cannot say they test the hell out of them (Anyone that's been in a DC Subway station should get that reference..) " Notebooks also go on racks at the Kobe factory, and are given massages. Using Panasonic-branded handheld massagers (what more »

giz explains

Giz Explains: IPTV, or Cable From the Phone Company

If you still rock the bunny ears we salute you. But odds are, you probably get TV one of two ways: Cable or satellite. There's a newer way: IP, that is Internet Protocol, TV—in this case, the TV delivered over the internet by your phone company. Verizon and AT&T push FiOS TV and U-Verse, respectively, in select regions of the country where their fiber networks have been built out. (Update: As has been pointed out, FiOS TV isn't actually IPTV, my bad.) In a lot of ways, it's the TV of the future—in part because most of you can't get it yet. Beyond that, the technology that delivers it to your home, as well as who is doing the delivering, opens up some pretty sweet new interactive possibilities. And even for regular old boob tubing, the way it's architected means its good for HD buffs. More »

Feature

2:30 PM on Wed Jul 2 2008
By matt buchanan
6,570 views, 46 comments

Latest by n/a: yes. Because the world needs more ways to watch American Idol to satisfy its median IQ of 75. I can envision NO better use for that bandwidth. The internet was starting to bore me, anyway. ... F'n retards. more »

water guns

Gizmodo's Ultimate Water Gun Battlemodo Royale

There are few things more enjoyable on a hot summer's day than an epic water gun battle with some friends. In the end, everybody wins, because everybody gets soaked and cools down. But you don't want to be caught with a crappy gun; then you'll just be the guy that everyone else gangs up on. We here at Gizmodo don't want that to happen to our beloved readers, which is why we took on the horrible, difficult task of playing with testing five of this season's hottest water guns under $20 to find out which one is going to give you the most splash for your cash. More »

Feature

12:00 PM on Wed Jul 2 2008
By Adam Frucci
18,260 views, 75 comments

Latest by not2techy: I haven't had a water gun fight in ages, but a few years back, my parking space was being guarded by a territorial stray cat (she had just had kittens, and my assigned parking space was in her territory). So more »

apple

iPhone 2.0 Video Walkthrough and iTunes 7.7 Confidential Screenshots

I have tried the iTunes 7.7 confidential pre-release—which will be required to install the new iPhone OS—and the latest iPhone OS 2.0 release: 5A345. After a few days of heavy use, I can tell you that both versions are rock-solid. As you can see in the video, the App Store is there—although it's not active yet—along with the new Push data feature, the content restrictions, and the BCC field in Mail, among the rest of the new features. iTunes doesn't change much, but there are a couple of interesting additions, like the "iPhone and iPod touch remotes" option, as you will see in the gallery. More »

Feature

9:00 AM on Wed Jul 2 2008
By jesusdiaz
28,217 views, 52 comments

Latest by TuxRug: The video also reveals a nasty bug. Running the calculator in the new firmware puts a huge-ass crack down the screen! more »

sony

Sony Goal: 90% of ALL Our Products Networked By 2010

Wow. Stan Glasgow, at dinner last night with a few journalists, told us that Sony plans to network 90% of all of their products, thousands of models, by 2010. It's a matter of getting content on and between devices. He said that the goal was to have it happen automatically or with a click of a button. More »

Feature

7:55 AM on Wed Jul 2 2008
By Brian Lam
3,078 views, 21 comments

Latest by rimplestultskin: why has big brother found his way into all these new convenience features? more »

CALIFORNIA CELLPHONE LAW

Hands-Free Law, Smands-Free Law: Distracting, Dangerous and Ridiculous Things You Can Still Do While Driving

The big day has now passed for California drivers and cellphones are effectively banned on the road. At least not without a hands-free device...which Californians will inevitably forget to charge or lose. Other states have this law, but California is the driving-while-talking state. California is regularly ranked the worst for traffic congestion, and its 60 million residents spend more time in traffic not driving than just about anybody else. It's a big deal, but also, this law is a joke: The fine is only $20. The dumbest thing, however, is that there is a laundry list of far more distracting gadget and non-gadget tasks that are still perfectly legal behind the wheel of a car: More »

Feature

2:20 PM on Tue Jul 1 2008
By John Herrman
13,507 views, 169 comments

Latest by archetype94306: Luckily you can still smoke you medicinal marijuana while eating some taco bell without breaking any laws. And really, is there anything more important than that? more »

photoshop contest

Nearly 50 Movie Remakes and Sequels So Bad They Wouldn't Even Go Straight to DVD

Last week, I asked you to imagine horrible movie remakes and sequels that not even the folks in Hollywood would be so bold as to create. You responded. Oh, how you responded. I have to share with you nearly 50 movies that, god willing, we will never, ever have to see. I hope. OK, hit the jump to see your top three winners and then all the other winners in our Gallery of Champions. More »

Feature

12:30 PM on Tue Jul 1 2008
By Adam Frucci
27,323 views, 67 comments

Latest by n/a: Princess Bride 2 gets my vote. more »

happy canada day

Why Canada Sucks For Gadget Lovers

Until a week ago, I did not own a pair of shorts, but I did have two plaid flannel shirts and a drawer full of thick woolen socks. I say "to-more-owe," not "to-mah-row," and I went to "university," not "college." I have a full beard in the heat of summer. My passport reads United States of America, but I haven't lived here in four years. Yes, I was living in Canada, who today celebrates the peaceful unification of the Eastern provinces in 1867. Our northerly neighbo(u)rs were always kind to me, providing cheap higher education, affordable healthcare and a government that didn't totally suck balls. I loved living there, and haven't ruled out moving back. Yet beneath its placid exterior, there is a deep, dark secret threatening the life and liberty of its people: It absolutely blows to be a gadget nerd in Canada. More »

Feature

12:00 PM on Tue Jul 1 2008
By Dan Nosowitz
12,987 views, 160 comments

Latest by tinkertank: @sharmanova In 2006 47 MILLION americans had no health care coverage whatsoever.... That's more than all of the people in Canada... more »

cellphones

Verizon's LG Dare Full Review (Verdict: Best iClone Yet)

"Dare to be different," the saying goes, but the LG Dare is really Verizon Wireless's attempt to fit in, to offer a phone that's more like the AT&T LG Vu and Sprint Samsung Instinct, not to mention Apple's similarly priced iPhone 3G. The truth is, the Dare may not be as glamorous or well-priced as the Instinct, but it has a better browser, a motion sensor and some cool software tricks that make it a fine phone for people who choose to remain in Verizon's walled garden. And it puts Verizon's previous iClone attempts, the LG Voyager and the Samsung Glyde, to lowdown dirty shame. More »

Feature

7:03 PM on Mon Jun 30 2008
By Wilson Rothman
21,924 views, 56 comments

Latest by n/a: I got my Dare yesterday and am pretty pleased with it. I am switching from At&t due to poor coverage at my house. I've never used an iPhone, and have no intention of ever getting one. With me more »

melinda gates

Dork and Melindy: Mrs Gates Made Bill Brill

While everyone this week spent time recognizing Bill's achievements, I'd like to recognize Mrs. Bill, Melinda Gates. In a quarter-century's time, after her husband has shuffled offstage at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm clutching his gong, after the applause has died down, those people who like to discuss such things will say, "It was the wife wot won it." More »

Feature

12:08 PM on Sun Jun 29 2008
By AddyDugdale
11,845 views, 34 comments

Bill Gates Retirement Party

Things No One Gives Microsoft Credit For (But Should)

Microsoft gets more crap than any other company in tech. That's partly because it's given us garbage like Clippy, Microsoft BOB and Windows Vista. And it's partly because it's arguably the most important company in personal computing. Sure, Apple gets all the fawning press for designing pretty, easy-to-use gadgets. But Microsoft is rarely credited for being why mainstream tech has come this far—a computer on every desk, the explosion of the internet, even the idea of a common UI across applications. Even smarmy Mac and Linux snobs have a lot to thank Microsoft for, even if they don't want to. More »

Feature

4:49 PM on Fri Jun 27 2008
By matt buchanan
71,726 views, 143 comments

Latest by n/a: @steve0000: Dear sir (read: Douche) and all other mac fanboys, In the world of consumer electronics there are three types at actually counted, 1)PC (read: Microsoft [Note: the term PC is used because of the simple fact that a Mac is a more »

bill gates retirement party

Men's Vogue on Bill Gates's Style: "A Fashionable Guy"

What would you wear every day if you could wear anything? We're talking no limits, not from bank accounts or corporate wardrobe requirements, not those snarky writers from US Weekly or the sexy lady judging the size of your 401k by the validity of your Rolex.

One man in particular has had that choice over the years. He's Bill Gates.

In the past several decades, Bill Gates has been seen in jeans, ties and suits, but at the end of the day, there's been one look he's come home to. It's the sweater. With a buttoned shirt under it. For over 20 years, this has been the signature calling card of one of world's most powerful men. (That, and those $7 haircuts.)

And you know what's crazy? Men's Vogue tells us that it's fashionable.

More »

Feature

3:30 PM on Fri Jun 27 2008
By Mark Wilson
6,401 views, 26 comments

movies

Wall-E Review: One of the Best Sci-Fi Movies in Years, Disguised as a Cartoon

Wall-E might be the most sympathetic, lovable robot ever created on film. While R2-D2 was hilarious and endearing, he had the benefit of C3PO to translate for him and a cast of human characters to carry the weight of the story. At the end of the day, R2-D2 was simply comic relief, but his descendant, whose voice was also created by Ben Burtt, is so full of humanity that you feel like your heart might just burst. Simply put, Wall-E is a masterpiece. More »

Feature

11:00 AM on Fri Jun 27 2008
By Adam Frucci
44,308 views, 151 comments

Latest by n/a: MUST STAY for the animation in the credits!!! There's an AWESOME progression of art using the WALL-E theme: It goes through cave drawings, hieroglyphics, mosiacs, davinci-ish sketches, and post impressionism. It finishes w/ portraying the adorable characters more »

Bill Gates Retirement Party

Ten Reasons Why Vista Isn't That Bad

Of all the ware Microsoft churns out from its sweatshop of "lightning bolt, lightning bolt" nerds, Windows is the one most inexorably tied to the public image of the company. As Bill Gates leaves the building, we look back on the last baby birthed—if not fully gestated—under his watch, the swan song operating system that he himself has issues with. Although we agree that Vista could have used a bit more time shoved back into the silicon womb for some feature buffing and bug fixing, it's not nearly as bad as most people are making it out to be. That's right, I'm actually happy with Windows Vista, which I use about one-third of the time I spend at a computer. More »

Feature

1:20 PM on Thu Jun 26 2008
By Jason Chen
92,419 views, 119 comments

Latest by n/a: I like Vista better than XP, the stability has gone up by a huge margin. I use my laptop for browsing the internet, watching movies, listen to music, designing and what not and it never crashed on me (well some programs more »

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