If you fetishize the look of old technology but are frustrated by how it can’t actually be used to perform present-day tasks, it’s time for a party. Commodore is making new PCs running Windows 7 housed in those familiar and beloved beige Commodore 64 shells. [More]
gadgets
AT&T, Verizon Have To Let Smaller Rivals Use Network For Data, Just Like Voice
By 4.7.11
Just like with voice traffic, AT&T and Verizon have to let smaller competitors use their network for data roaming, the FCC today ruled. This would let wireless users clean their inboxes of spam and look up the capital of Greenland in less than 5 minutes of loading, just like they would at home. [More]
Android On Crack Dance Sets Hearts Aflame
By 3.28.11
This show really puts our mall cellphone carts to shame. Instead of a bored guy with a pencil goatee sitting on a stool, they have a full-on breakdancing show. This one features a life-sized inflatable Android just going absolutely ape-nuts on the dancefloor at the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc cellphone stand near 101 Tower in Taiwan. As commenter Oranges w/ Cheese puts it, “Those inflatable suits are so weird because the movements are so sudden and odd. ” I don’t know how many cellphones it sells, but the branding effort endears the plucky green guy to your heart. He just tries so hard! And that positive association can pay dividends in brand goodwill down the line, just like his masters planned. Muaha – break it down! [More]
Man Gets Lead On Laptop Thief Using Dropbox Program
By 3.24.11
Ryan believes he has a lead on who stole his laptop thanks to the Dropbox filesharing program that was installed on his computer. Turns out his laptop could be just up the street from him right now. But what does he do with the IP address he got from Dropbox? [More]
Best Buy Calls Police On Guy Waiting Outside For 3DS, He Comes Back Anyway
By 3.24.11
It’s tough enough to wait for several days outside an electronics store for an item you desire, but even more difficult when you’ve got to contend with unsympathetic managers and police. A man who’s such a hardcore Nintendo fan he calls himself “Triforce” thought he’d wait outside a New York Best Buy in the days leading up to the release of the 3DS, but a manager called NYPD to have him removed. Undeterred, Triforce hopped back in front of the store and is posting YouTube videos on his adventures. [More]
Doctors: Nighttime Gadget Use Can Screw Up Your Sleep
By 3.8.11
A Sleep America poll finds more than half of Americans fail to get adequate sleep almost every night, and scientists say electronic distractions are the culprit — getting you all riled up before it’s time to hit the sheets. [More]
Get $150 In Dell Inspiron "Deceptively Designed" Class Action
By 3.3.11
A class action lawsuit claims Dell “deceptively designed” its Inspiron laptop series to have “1) inadequate cooling systems, (2) a power supply system that prematurely fails when used as intended, and (3) motherboards that prematurely fail when used as intended.” If you had one of these laptops and paid Dell for a repair, you could be eligible for a $150 payout. [More]
Block Unwanted Calls And Texts With PrivacyStar
By 2.28.11
It’s always puzzled me why smartphones are smart enough that I can toss virtual birds at virtual pigs, but they’re somehow too stupid to let me block unwanted calls or texts. Well now there’s PrivacyStar, an app for Android and Blackberry that lets you do just that. [More]
School Tracks Truant Students With GPS Devices
By 2.18.11
To combat seventh and eighth graders who constantly skip class, a school in California is equipping the worst offenders with GPS tracking units. If you have more than four unexcused absences, you’re assigned to carry a handheld GPs device. Five times a day you have enter in a code to verify your location. You also get an automated call in the morning reminding you to come to school and three times a week an adult assigned to you calls you to check in and discuss attendance strategies. The devices have increased attendance by truants to 95% up from 77%, but some parents feel it treats their kids “like common criminals.” Do you think this program is a good idea? Take our poll and sound off in the comments. [More]
Only 8 People Waited In Line For The Verizon iPhone At Apple's Flagship NYC Store
By 2.10.11
CNN Money reports that a paltry eight people were lined up before doors opened at Apple’s big glass cube in New York City this morning to get their mittened hands on the new Verizon iPhone 4. Those numbers are a stark contrast to the thousands who showed up in June when the AT&T iPhone 4 went on sale. That it was about 11 degrees with the wind chill probably had something to do with the sparse turnout. [More]
Best Buy Officially Announces It Will Buy Back Your Old Gadgets
By 2.4.11
Like we told you in a Consumerist exclusive back in December, Best Buy is launching a new program that lets customers trade in their old gadgets for a gift card for a fraction of their value, good towards another Best Buy purchase. They say it “future-proofs” your technology. The announcement was emailed to customers last night and will also be publicized during the Super Bowl. [More]
Ahead Of iPhone, Verizon Says It May Start Throttling Top 5% Of Data Users
By 2.3.11
The same day Verizon Wireless started taking pre-orders for iPhone, they posted a new notice on their site saying they reserve the right to throttle the top 5% of data users, WSJ reports. Here’s what it said: [More]
Virgin Killing Off Unlimited Mobile Broadband Plan
By 1.27.11
Say “sayonara” to another unlimited mobile plan, Virgin is adding a 5GB cap and throttle to its $40 “Unlimited Broadband2Go” MiFi plan. After you surpass the threshold in a month, your transfer speeds will get reduced to 256 kbps or lower for the rest of the month. The changes go into effect Feb 15. Happy Valentines Day. [More]
Get Unlimited Data Back On AT&T iPhone If You Downgraded To Limited Plan
By 1.26.11
If you’re an iPhone user on a limited AT&T data plan but had an unlimited one in the past, AT&T will let you switch back for free, the AP reports. [More]
Apple Switching To New Kind Of Screw So You Can't Open Your iPhone
By 1.20.11
Apple has started to use a new kind of 5-pointed screw that no one has a screwdriver for except Apple. [More]
Comcast May Not Have Rights To Stream TV To Tablets
By 1.12.11
Comcast is working furiously to get its programming onto iPads and other tablet computers, even cutting deals with hardware providers like Samsung. But there’s just one little problem: the company may not have the rights to stream shows without first negotiating with the companies that own them. [More]
Leaving AT&T For A Verizon iPhone Ain't Cheap
By 1.11.11
iPhone users sick of AT&T’s network and hoping that Verizon’s will be better will have to pay a hefty price if they want to try and switch. [More]
Cellphone Stops Bullet, Saves Man's Life
By 1.10.11
A valet in Atlanta was leaving the club he works at when he got caught in a crossfire between two armed patrons. A stray bullet went through his jacket and would have seriously injured or killed him, had he not happened to have his HTC Droid Incredible Evo 4G in his breast pocket. The phone’s battery stopped the bullet, saving his life. The only questions is whether Asurion covers “hail of hot lead” damage. [More]
