The Federal Communications Commission says cable TV companies should not force customers to rent a cable box but instead let them use third party equipment if they want. It’s an attempt to achieve a goal set down in law 20 years ago. Way back in 1996, the Telecommunications Act set down a requirement for the […]
Ever played video games and wished that the gadgets and gizmos could be available in the real world? Well some of them are! Alltime10s brings you a list of wacky and wonderful inventions inspired by the technologies of the gaming world, from power-ups to automatically-aiming weapons. [Alltime10s]
Researchers say they could put the text of every book every written onto a single glass disc that will outlive the human race. But hopefully they’ll find some more practical uses. The University of Southampton’s Optoelectronics Research Centre believe the disks could be a way of archiving large collections of data in a theoretically permanent […]
The ZX Spectrum is being relaunched as a handheld games console, shipping with 1,000 games built in. The Vega+, currently on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, is a follow-up to the ZX Spectrum Vega released just over a year ago. Whereas that was a plug-in controller to work with a TV set, the Vega+ is a fully-contained […]
1960s toy the “Thingmaker” is getting a revamp for 21st century technology. What was once a set of molds for making gloopy replicas is now a 3D printer for kids. Mattel has relaunched the range, which was originally used to make everything from Creepy Crawlers to characters from Peanuts. It involved pouring a liquid plastic […]
Researchers have successfully tested a way to get GPS accurate to a matter of centimeters in handheld devices. It could be a key part of driverless vehicle technology. The University of California team refined an existing approach which previously needed the type of computers that have their own room. They were trying to overcome the […]
From Illusionist Marco Tempest: My latest production, utilizing autonomous drones, quadcopters, flying close to and around my body like a flock of trained birds. As legislation about the use and safety of flying drones is being debated around the world, this is a timely demonstration. Working with Daito Manabe, Motoi Ishibashi and their team at […]
Attempts by two states to weaken the encryption available on smartphones could be blocked by a federal law. The measure would stop laws which could mean a major redesign of many high-profile handsets As we’ve previously covered, state legislators in New York and California are both considering suspiciously similarly worded bills on the matter. Both […]