san francisco

Lost Nexus 4 phone proves taking device prototypes to bars is stupid

If two lost unreleased iPhones -- and the resulting lawsuits, police investigations, and other recriminations weren't proof enough, a new story of a lost LG Nexus 4 prototype should convince those in possession of stealth devices that they should stay away from their local taverns.

In a post on Wired today, we learn the tale of a Nexus 4 -- the very phone that Google is expected to formally unveil next week -- that appears to have been accidentally left behind in a San Francisco bar. [Note: Google has canceled Monday's Android event because of Hurricane Sandy. We'… Read more

Uber hails arrival of its taxi service in San Francisco

A day after conceding defeat in the Big Apple, Uber is bringing its taxi service to the City by the Bay.

The private car-summoning company announced today that it is bringing its cab-hailing service to San Francisco, allowing customers to request a taxi via an app on their iOS or Android device. At the end of a customer's ride, the driver will input the fare appearing on the cab's meter into an Uber iPhone -- along with a 20 percent gratuity and a $1 booking fee -- to determine the final charge, which is then billed to … Read more

The 404 1,150: Where burritos > bagels (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- It's It: The story of the Bay Area's most famous dessert, or, the other San Francisco treat.

- This is why we behave so strangely in elevators.

- Snopes debunks "Elevator Express" trick.

Bathroom break video: Empty America series profiles San Francisco.

Episode 1,150 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

Peek.com, the traveler's do-it-all digital concierge

We've all been there: You excitedly start to plan a vacation to some place you've never been, but once you get into the thick of it, you realize that figuring out what to do, let alone making bookings for everything from restaurants to museums to hotels to tours, is exhausting business.

That's the problem that Peek.com, a San Francisco startup that launched today, is trying to solve. Aiming to be a traveler's one-stop shop for everything from identifying what to do when on the road to booking to special recommendations for how to spend a &… Read more

SF's tech entrepreneurs promote a smarter city

San Francisco's governing digerati and politicians like to think of the City by the Bay as the innovation capital of the world and the capital of Silicon Valley (see "San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee banks on tech startups").

The video above, titled "This is How Technology Will Create a Smarter San Francisco," promotes the San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation (sf.citi), a nonprofit that has the support of more than 330 local companies.

Jack Dorsey of Twitter and Square, Biz Stone of Twitter and Obvious, Jawbone CEO Hosain Rahman, and … Read more

Microsoft, pushing Windows 8, makes Wi-Fi free in NYC and SF

Microsoft is sponsoring some free Wi-Fi sites in New York and San Francisco to drum up interest in Windows 8.

Six different Manhattan subway stops will feature free Wi-Fi starting immediately, and another 200-plus hotzones across the city will light up November 1. The subway locations are supported by Transit Wireless, which provides Wi-Fi service for travelers riding the rails underground.

Residents of San Francisco can surf at Microsoft's expense at hotzones in such locations as Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, UN Plaza, the Financial District, and Nob Hill. The hotzones in New York City and San Francisco all … Read more

Dear iPad pedestrians, this has to stop

In my role as Secretary for Apocalypse Avoidance, sometimes it's hard to be kind.

Sometimes, you see, humanity decides to do things at which even Beelzebub might turn up his red nose.

And so it was, last night, as I was walking up San Francisco's Market Street that I discovered a trend I had yet to witness. … Read more

The 404 1,143: Where Justin spent way too much on dinner (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Fat fingers to blame for upping mobile ad clicks.

- Andreessen Horowitz invests $15 million in Web site Rap Genius.

- San Francisco's Weiner tries to ban exposed genitals.

- How New Yorkers can beat Time Warner's bullish modem rental fee.

Look who showed up at the Justin Bieber concert! (courtesy of The 404 SubReddit)… Read more

The Golden Gate gets a big gun

Visitors to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, will soon be able to check out a massive new World War II-era battleship gun.

The 16-inch gun, originally mounted on the USS Missouri, saw significant action during World War II, and according to the National Park Service, is featured prominently in photographs of the Japanese surrender ceremony that took place aboard the Missouri on Sept. 2, 1945. It will soon be installed in Battery Townsley, in the Marin Headlands area of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Weighing in at 120 … Read more

Caught on video: Seagull sneakily steals GoPro

When Nathalie Rollandin visited the San Francisco Bay Area in late August, she got quite the tourist's welcome when her GoPro camera ended up being stolen -- by a devious avian thief -- with the heist recorded on video.

In the short clip below, a seagull clearly snatches the camera, then takes flight over the sunset-kissed blue waters near the Golden Gate Bridge. The bird emits a brief noise during the crime, indicating a successful capture or perhaps simply a "see ya sucker." After a short flight, the bird drops the camera dozens of feet away, perhaps realizing the prey wasn't that tasty after all. … Read more