Hasta La Gadget!

An anonymous, underground drug trafficking web site Silk Road has been busted and the founder has been arrested, effectively shutting down a $1 billion+ revenue business after two years. And in softer tech news, Instagram has revealed plans to put ads in the stream over the next couple months. Meanwhile, BlackBerry continues to be in shambles, with BBM for Android and iOS delayed and the Z30 reportedly not going on sale in the company’s home country of Canada on Rogers.

We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode of the TC Gadgets Podcast, featuring John Biggs, Matt Burns, Jordan Crook, Chris Velazco, Darrell Etherington, and a special guest appearance by Chris Nesi.

Enjoy!

We invite you to enjoy our weekly podcasts every Friday at 3pm Eastern and noon Pacific. And feel free to check out the TechCrunch Gadgets Flipboard magazine right here.

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Intro Music by Rick Barr.

When we shove things into our vehicles and turn them from boring old liquids or tubs of chemical goop into sweet, sweet motion, we soon realize not all fuels are created equal. Why is it that a gasoline car, for example, can go so much farther than an electric? And why can nuclear subs go without refueling for decades? Specific energy is why.

Read more…

The 2015 Audi S3, the sport version of the A3, will only be offered in sedan form for the U.S. market.

(Credit: Audi)

While Europe enjoyed an extensively updated Audi A3 model, U.S. buyers spent the last year stuck with the older generation. That changes at the upcoming LA auto show, when the A3 makes its U.S. debut.

At a meeting with CNET, Scott Keogh, President of Audi USA, said the company wanted to wait for the sedan version of the A3, which only came out this year, as opposed to the Sportback version currently on sale in Europe. Keogh also mentioned that there would be big announcements concerning Audi Connect, the connected feature package Audi offers in its various models, which includes Google Earth integration in the navigation system.

Scott Keogh sat down with CNET to talk about Audi Connect and the upcoming A3 model.

(Credit: Audi)

While talking about Audi’s successful partnership with T-Mobile in equipping cars with an always-on data connection, Keogh noted that some drivers might prefer another data provider. The new A3 will feature the company’s first 4G LTE-connected car, and will not only highlight its Los Angeles auto show exhibit, but also show up at next year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), scheduled for the week of January 6 in Las Vegas. Audi previously used CES to show off the A3’s inf… [Read more]

Related Links:

Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt’s newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox. …

(Credit: Gothamist)

Leaked from today’s 404 episode:

– Mysterious NSA billboard pops up in Tribeca (no, it’s not Banksy).

– Best 404 page ever makes man a temporary trillionaire.

– This woman claims to be the original voice of Siri.

– Custom T-shirts made to foil Facebook recognition.

– Donate to 404 listener Ryan Hatfield, who plans to play video games for 24 hours straight to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network on October 26.

Ep. 1357: Where Banksy wears glamoflage

Episode 1,357

Listen Now: … [Read more]

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Winners of Pogo mobile-art contest: You drew that with a stylus?
Google Street View in the Large Hadron Collider is a smash