We learned a lot this year; from the origins of liquimetal and toasted thighs to the technical reasoning of ISO and CDMA. Check out the best explanations Gizmodo had to offer in 2010. More »
South Korea rolls out first commercial electric bus service, we are green with envy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If RIM’s PlayBook is to succeed at market, one of the major engineering hurdles to be overcome is the device’s relatively poor battery life, according to Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu.
Originally posted at News – Digital Media
It looks like the above. Scientists created artificial lightning via rockets and wire, so they could shoot the thing with their fancy new camera–which, for the record, can snap photos at a speedy one-sixth the speed of light (“Something moving this fast would go from the Earth to the moon in less than ten seconds,” says a scientist).
Among the revelations of the super-expensive/very heavy camera is the fact that the bolt contains a bunch of x-rays at the tip, with few located in the trail of the lightning.
Neat. Just don’t try this at home–at least not with some serious cash on-hand.
“You can’t just go buy a camera and point it at lightning,” said the aforementioned scientist. “We had to make it.”
Don’t get stuck in the snow because of Snowpocalypse 2010. With the right gear, you can still ride to work — on your bike.
One of the cheapest winter bike hacks is to attach zip ties to your tires. It’s a quick-and-dirty way of giving yourself some much-needed traction on icy, slushy streets and costs far less than a set of studded snow tires.
Fritz Rice of the Dutch Bike Co. explains how to install a package or two of zip ties on your tires. He admits that “it looks ludicrous” but makes up for its looks by giving your wheels some grippy ribs. As he’s installed them, the zip ties’ connectors are on the outside edge of the tires, which helps them bite even more when you’re banking to turn.
Update 1:20pm Pacific: As commenter Dave wisely notes below: Don’t try this if your bike has rim brakes, as the zip ties will get in the way of the brake pads. It will only work if you’ve got a brakeless fixie, or have disc brakes or a coaster brake.
We haven’t tested this (the Wired offices are thankfully snow-free), so if you have experience with zip-tied tires, let us know in the comments how well they work.
For more winter riding tips, check out Wired’s How-To Wiki for detailed instructions on how to winterize your bike (and your bike clothing).
Dutch Bike Co. (via Gizmodo)
Photo: Fritz Rice
So you just got a BlackBerry, huh? First off, welcome to the world of glorious hardware keyboards and the holy grail of mobile messaging we mortals call BBM. Once you get past the novelty of sending the obligatory “mypin” texts to everyone you know, you’re probably thinking to yourself — what now? Luckily for you we’ve compiled a list of our favorite apps and accessories, as well as some veteran tricks of the trade, so head past the break for a crash course in doing more than just playing BrickBreaker on a BlackBerry.
Hey Android friends, we got you covered, too! Did you get an iPad? Check out our guide here! Found an iPhone in your stocking? Read our list of must-haves!
Continue reading Just got a BlackBerry? The best apps, accessories, and tips
Just got a BlackBerry? The best apps, accessories, and tips originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The best news about this Oklahoma story making national headlines is that we all know what to do now when our respective calves get trapped on an icy lake (if I had a nickel…). Simple. Call a helicopter pilot.
After spotting the calf on the ice, an Oklahoma City rancher called the local news, having already seen the station’s helicopter pilot rescue a stranded animal. News 9‘s Mason Dunn came to the calf’s rescue, using wind generated by the blades to push the small cow in the right direction.
The rescue came not a moment too soon–the ice cracked as the calf came close t shore, dumping it in the icy water. Thankfully, it was only a few feet away, so it managed to make it back to dry land safely.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
