"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines — including Google — do retain this information for some time… we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act…" —Google CEO Eric Schmidt, in 2009. Here's Bruce Schneier's response, from 2006.
Schneier vs. Schmidt on "privacy is for those who have something to hide."
This entire living room is a wireless charger
We've become accustomed to wireless chargers that harness a phenomenon called electromagnetic induction to power up nearby mobile devices. The range is very low though, usually requiring the device to be placed right on top of the charging coil. Now though, University of Tokyo researchers and their colleagues have built a model living room that… READ THE REST
This interactive website shows the environmental impact of digital files
Is earth's inbox full? Thanks in Advance guides viewers through the carbon consequences of digital files. "Over a year, one inbox consumes enough energy to illuminate 40 lightbulbs for an hour." The site offers a few easy ways to reduce energy usage. Cleanfox deletes old newsletters and unsubscribes from the ones you don't open. And it's… READ THE REST
Here is a brief history of toilets
Who gives a crap about the history of toilets? Francis de los Reyes does. He's a professor of civil engineering at North Carolina State University whose research focuses on "wastewater treatment plant design, environmental biotechnology and microbiology, fundamentals of environmental engineering, and water and sanitation for developing countries." In this TED-Ed video, de los Reyes… READ THE REST
Make sure your Apple Watch never dies with this $40 ultra-portable charger
Do you love your Apple Watch, but sometimes forget to charge it, leaving you out of luck when you're out and about? Well, now you can charge it on the go with the OMNIA A1 Apple Watch Magnetic Wireless Charger. It's a convenient way to ensure you're never without power on an essential piece of… READ THE REST
Reward yourself for socially distancing yourself at home with these deals on gaming gear
If we've become accustomed to anything in the past 19 months, it's sitting in the house like hermits waiting for whatever it is that dumb people are keeping around finds the exit (looking at you, Delta variant). While you're here, you might as well get some new gaming gear for yourself as a treat for… READ THE REST
Printer ink shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Here's how to buy quality ink at lower prices.
Printer ink and toner cartridges are one of those inescapable necessities if you need to do physical printing. You not only can't come up with an alternative to ink and ink cartridges for printing physical copies of all of the important digital documents on your computer. You often have a very limited array of toner,… READ THE REST
