Hey there, this is your old friend the Cassette Tape writing in. I just want to say that I got a raw deal in the canon of audio formats. Everybody loved the CD because it was soooooooo technologically advanced. And people still love the LP because it’s the purest representation of analog sound or some nonsense like that. But what about me, huh? WHAT ABOUT ME?! All I’m stuck with these days are a bunch of kids who weren’t even born when I dominated music store shelves and only like me because they think I sound all “LO-FI” and shit. Well guess what: I SOUND GREAT. When I get all jammed up and spill my guts all over the place, THAT ONLY MAKES THE MUSIC SOUND BETTER.

Furthermore, I don’t appreciate people going out and making cassette players that will transfer my noise to that holier-than-though MP3 format. What in the hell is that anyways? You can’t even hold it in your hand. Anyone who pays $13 bucks for this thing is a fool in my book. My day will come again. I can promise you that. [Note: Gizmodo does not endorse the views of the Cassette Tape.] -AC

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Continue reading Dell announces Vostro V131 with USB 3.0, Core i3 and i5 CPUs and a chiclet keyboard

Dell announces Vostro V131 with USB 3.0, Core i3 and i5 CPUs and a chiclet keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In this age of ever-expanding screen real estate, dual-core processors, and 3D cameras, the push to pack more features into every smartphone seems an irresistible force. But this technological ratcheting-up effect isn’t absolute, and in fact, there are plenty of people who prefer a more pedestrian device. One that simply gives them access to email, social networks, and apps without forcing them to pay an arm and a leg for hardware they’re in no position to appreciate. It’s these folks who Samsung’s after with its new Gravity Smart, as it gives you a bowl full of Froyo at a bargain basement price. However, the question remains whether Sammy can provide an agreeable Android experience at a sub-century price point. Read on to find out if this budget-minded slider is a worthy addition to the legion of phones powered by Google’s little green bots.

Continue reading Samsung Gravity Smart review

Samsung Gravity Smart review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hacker stock photography, care of Shutterstock and Reuters

(Credit:

Shutterstock)

If you leave your Facebook logged in on a friend’s computer and that person posts an embarrassing photo for all your friends to see, would you say you got hacked?

Today’s episode of the podcast takes issue with the misuse of the word “hacked.” With news stories about Stuxnet, PlayStation 3, and News of the World throwing around the term with no specific definition, we hope to define exactly what it means to hack…at least according to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

First, we’ll explore the origins of hacking by breaking the definition down into subcategories like phreaking, cracking, and spoofing. Then we’ll tell you why the courts decided that sending out too many e-mails to someone can be considered computer hacking, and we’ll introduce the 23-year-old Assistant Commissioner hired by the NYPD to spearhead its new social media unit.

Finally, we close today’s show with an exploration into the changing landscape of “Sesame Street,” and why some of the LGBT community is pushing Bert and Ernie to finally tie the knot on the air.

The 404 Digest for Episode 880

• Stock art meant for news stories about cybercrime.
• NYPD forms new social media unit to mine Facebook and Twitter for mayhem.
• Court deems e-mail spam is considered a form of computer hacking.
• iPad cases made out of Bernie Madoff’s auctioned clothing.
• Slice Harvester shows every pizza spot in NYC on a Google map.
• Petition asks Bert and Ernie to get married already.
• Working in an office is bad for your brain.

Episode 880

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Originally posted at The 404 Podcast

Telepresence, say hello to your future. Humans, say hello to the next generation of Chancellor Sutler. All jesting aside, there’s no question that Big Brother came to mind when eying Sony Computer Science Laboratories’ Face-to-Avatar concept at SIGGRAPH. For all intents and purposes, it’s a motorized blimp with a front-facing camera, microphone, a built-in projector and a WiFi module. It’s capable of hovering above crowds in order to showcase an image of what’s below, or displaying an image of whatever’s being streamed to its wireless apparatus. The folks we spoke to seemed to think that it was still a few years out from being in a marketable state, but we can think of a few governments who’d probably be down to buy in right now. Kidding. Ominous video (and static male figurehead) await you after the break.

Continue reading Sony’s Face-to-Avatar blimp soars through SIGGRAPH, melts the heart of Big Brother (video)

Sony’s Face-to-Avatar blimp soars through SIGGRAPH, melts the heart of Big Brother (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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