war

The haptic feedback that improves touch typing on Android smartphones is going to cost Google -- and it may soon cost other Android manufacturers, too.

Google confirmed today that it has settled a patent-infringement lawsuit with Immersion, a touch-feedback technology company, for an undisclosed sum. Immersion filed the suit in February in an effort to block Motorola Mobility phones from being imported into the United States. The suit was filed before Google closed its purchase of Motorola for $12.5 billion.

"The successful resolution of this case is a critical step in our overall strategy of enforcing and monetizing … Read more

Knitting, once seen as a hobby reserved for fleet-fingered elders, has become an awesomely nerdy pastime. This movement has resulted in such creations as knitted frog dissection kits, knitted Princess Leia buns, and customized knitted geek Converse.

Etsy seller PrettySneaky's store is full of wearable knitted nerd art sneakers. The shoes are made from classic Converse high tops with hand-knitted uppers crafted from wool yarn. … Read more

When "Star Wars" first came out in 1977, block-long lines were common outside theaters everywhere.

People were entranced by George Lucas' space opera, his tale of the struggle between a rebel alliance and an evil empire bent on domination of the galaxy at all costs. But how much did fans of the film -- and its sequels -- know about Lucas' inspirations?

Did they know, for example, that the film was full of allusions to the Vietnam War? Or that nuclear weapons were a model for the power of the Death Star? Or that the resistance of Princess … Read more

Congrats to Marvin P. of Missoula, Mont., for winning a MyCharge Portable Power Bank 6000 in last week's giveaway.

Are you a massive fan of massively multiplayer online role-playing games? Then you'll massively like this week's prize, a Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition, plus five Digital Edition access codes you can share with friends. Say goodbye to your free time, folks.

The fantasy MMO, released in late August, takes place in Tyria, "an endlessly intriguing place, stuffed with mystery and adventure, gifting you with gorgeous sights and personal stories that etch themselves into your memory," according to a review from our sister site GameSpot. … Read more

Ever since Disney bought Lucasfilm, the rumors surrounding a new "Star Wars" film have been flying around like a whole herd of speeder bikes through the forest of Endor. One of the latest is that Disney is looking to bring Darth Vader back from the very final-looking death he had in "Return of the Jedi."

As far as rumors go, it's harder to get more unsubstantiated than this one. The source is from British tabloid site Express.co.uk. The article quotes "industry insiders" as saying Disney plans to have Darth Vader return to play a significant role in a new trilogy.… Read more

Find a stick to bite down on during today's show, because we're learning more than we ever wanted about the band Nickelback -- how they became Internet pariahs, why they've sold 50 million records, and the stomach-churning origin of their name.

We'll also review a new documentary about disappearing glaciers and climate control, question the value of Internet ads and the new "four second rule," and prove that the new flagship Apple store in Palo Alto, Calif., is just too darn loud.… Read more

Conan O'Brien recently had a little fun on "Conan" trying to envision what one notable director's interpretation of the recently announced "Star Wars: Episode VII" might look like. The director in question? Wes Anderson. I think you can tell where this one is going...

Han still shoots first! The tongue-in-cheek sketch was posted to YouTube by Team Coco, who comments: "Mos Eisley has never looked so cozy and artisanal." … Read more

It looks like the next "Star Wars" movie might get completed faster than it took to construct the second Death Star.

Disney and Lucasfilm have chosen Michael Arndt to write the screenplay for "Star Wars: Episode VII," the long-awaited follow-up to the 1983 epic "Return of the Jedi." … Read more

The Force is strong with Rovio.

The Finnish company behind the Angry Birds franchise said today in a blog post that its latest offering, Angry Birds Star Wars, rose to the top of Apple's U.S. app store in two and a half hours -- breaking its own records.

The game launched yesterday to positive critical reviews and remains the top paid app in Apple's App Store today.

Angry Birds Star Wars represents the latest in an increasingly large franchise of similar games that continue to be popular with consumers. Rovio has done a good job extending the … Read more