Starting with 1973's Maze War and ending with 2013's Battlefield 4, 4096's journey through decades of first-person shooters is a delight of cunning transitions and perfect selections. Here's the full list of picks, for those curious.
A three-minute journey through the history of first-person shooters
Artificial intelligence tries QWOP
QWOP, arguably the most difficult video game ever, was created by Bennett Foddy in 2008. The point is to control a sprinter with four keys that move his thighs and calf muscles. A few seconds in, and you're reduced to just trying to control your laughter. Most of us gave up pretty early, but some… READ THE REST
Best site for figuring out what computer games are coming out
Rawg.io is the best site I've so far found for tracking and identifying forthcoming and recent video game releases, with useful information about the games, autoplaying video thumbs so you can see if it's your sort of thing, and extensive filters for platforms, genres and date ranges. READ THE REST
Robotic pool cue makes the shot for you
The mathematical and engineering complexity of this project made my head hurt, but the results are pretty amazing. Shane of Stuff Made Here managed to design and build a robotic pool cue that can calculate and execute shots. The system even allows Shane to play against opponents over the internet. He holds the robo-cue for… READ THE REST
Everyone needs a spurtle in their kitchen – and this pakka wood set is as sharp as they come
When you sort through all those kitchen utensils that take up drawer after drawer in your oh-so-well-stocked kitchen, there could be an essential item that you've forgotten. You undoubtedly have a spoon. And you've almost certainly got a spatula. But think for a second…does your culinary armory also include a spurtle? Look, we're not going… READ THE REST
The SmartMike+ is a wireless stereo mic that makes smartphone audio sound amazing
While the process of recording everything from a vlog to a musical performance has definitely seen some huge improvements since the advent of the smartphone, that, by no stretch, means that we've worked out all the kinks quite yet. Because, while devices like the iPhone have constantly ramped up the video quality, capable of capturing… READ THE REST
Truebill can help get your off-track finances back on track
TLDR: From canceling forgotten subscription fees to renegotiating your bills to a complete budgeting planner, Truebill is a full-service financial management app that works. If you've ever had to cancel a compromised credit card, you likely noticed various accounts and subscriptions linked to that card — including a few you had undoubtedly forgotten about entirely.… READ THE REST