Europe Gets Net Neutrality But With Some Catches

The European Union has published strict guidelines to enforce net neutrality. However, the rules do have exceptions that mean they fall short of a ‘pure’ interpretation of the principle. While the net neutrality debate in the US has been bogged down in arguments about legal authority in the rulemaking process, the EU had already agreed […]

‘Mars Visitors’ Return After Year-Long Mission

Six people have finished a year of isolation designed to replicate life on Mars. The crew have been inside a 36 by 20 foot dome near a Hawaiian volcano. It’s the third and longest such mission following previous experiments lasting four and eight months. While similar studies have concentrated on the long journey inside a […]


Manbang: North Koreans Get Own Take On VOD & Streaming TV

North Korea’s government appears to have launched an internet Video on Demand service. It’s got limited content and an unfortunate name for English speakers. It seems the service was intended to have a name conveying that the content is available in “every direction” or “everywhere” but the Korean word for that meaning is pronounced “Manbang.” […]

New Program Tackles USB-C Power Fails

Avoiding USB chargers that might fry your motherboard could be easier with a new certification program. There’ll be a special logo to show chargers meet the required specifications. It affects Type-C connectors, introduced in 2014 with the killer feature of being symmetrical and ending the dreaded under-the-table plug flipping (along with the gag about USB’s […]

Pokemon Go Fan Makes Themed Mobile Charger

Pokemon Go can be a real battery drainer, which inspired fan Spencer Kern to create this Pokemon Center-themed solar generator. It looks a bit bulky for solo use but as it has enough power to charge around 10-12 phones at once, it’s perfect for hunting in a pack. Check out Spencer’s full design report at https://sway.com/0X9XmCzNLfe3cUiW

Court Ruling May Limit Broadband Competition

Federal Communications Commission plans to boost competition for broadband services have taken a knock. An appeals court says the commission can’t override state laws that block cities from building their own networks. 19 states have some form of law that stop such building, in most cases with the logic that local government building and potentially […]

Watch 1,007 Robots as They Dance Simultaneously (Guinness World Record)

At the Qingdao Beer Festival in Shandong, China, 1,007 robots bopped and shimmied their way to a new world record for the Most robots dancing simultaneously. All of these robots were controlled by a single mobile device that used a special encryption technology to communicate with the robots, preventing outside interference from other gadgets in […]