chicago

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- So weird: Bruins fans watched tons of porn after they lost on Monday night.

- A collection of songs ruined by film, TV, and humanity.

- New kiosks at 7-Eleven stores will store your keys.… Read more

If you know the American Midwest like the back of your hand, I want to pick your brain.

Starting around July 1, I'll be heading out on CNET Road Trip 2013, my eighth-annual journey in search of some of the most interesting destinations for technology, military, aviation, architecture, nature, science, manufacturing, and so on. I'll start in Chicago and spend a month or so traveling through Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, and possibly Indiana, Iowa, and/or Minnesota.

A couple of months ago, I posted here asking for suggestions of where I should stop, offering a … Read more

Oft-criticized for its appearance, something about the Nissan Juke appealed to gearheads, enough so that the company created the Juke-R, a high-performance, and costly, version of the compact SUV using the GT-R's engine. For those of us lacking the funds for one of those custom-built rocket sleds, Nissan comes out with the Juke Nismo.

The Juke Nismo was first shown as a concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

Nismo is Nissan's sport brand, which in the retail market covers performance parts and a version of the 370Z. The introduction of the Juke Nismo should be the first … Read more

The trend for crossover vehicles grew over the last five years, so it is not surprising that Kia's newest concept, set for an unveiling at the Chicago Auto Show, bears the name Cross GT. The big surprise from this concept is that Kia says it is bigger than the 2014 Sorento.

The Cross GT bears a little resemblance to the concept Kia will unveil at the Geneva auto show. It uses similar slim headlight openings and a hatchback-style body. However, the Cross GT's grille looks more like those on Kia production cars and the roofline extends all the … Read more

T-Mobile announced today that it added five new metro areas to its list of U.S. cities served by 4G (HSPA+) on its faster 1900 network, including Chicago, Reno, and three regions in California.

"T-Mobile has now enhanced the network in 23 metro areas, and we have already reached 100 million people with this improved network experience," T-Mobile USA's chief technology officer Neville Ray said in a statement. "These upgrades will now provide voice and data enhancements, improved signal strength and in-building coverage for customers."

One of the devices that the carrier specifically highlighted to … Read more

Mental discomfort often has irrational roots.

There are those who walk into art galleries and feel intimidated by all the serious faces. There are those who stare at menus written in a foreign language and wish they weren't on vacation.

And there are those who look at math problems and wish they had some Xanax.

If you're one of those who is pained by your mathophobia, please let me mop your brow. For the discomfort you feel is, scientifically speaking, little different from physical pain.… Read more

This Sunday, amputee Zak Vawter will stand at the foot of Chicago's Willis Tower and focus his thoughts on climbing. If all goes according to plan, his bionic leg will listen to those thoughts and he'll ascend 103 flights without a hitch.

Vawter, who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident in 2009, will be wearing a cutting-edge, thought-controlled prosthetic that's about to make a very public debut. He'll head up the 1,451-foot skyscraper (also known as Sears Tower) as part of SkyRise Chicago, an indoor stair-climbing fund-raising event for the Rehabilitation Institute of … Read more

AT&T is adopting the Apple philosophy with a mega retail store that focuses on the consumer and not just on selling products.

Opening Saturday, the new 10,000 square-foot store is nestled along Chicago's famed Magnificent Mile. The design of the store offers the promise of a more customer-focused experience than that found at AT&T's usual retail outlets.

The product runway gives customers a chance to check out the latest smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. An Explorer lounge lets people try out different mobile apps based on their interests.

The various products are … Read more

The three Chicago teens who allegedly posted a Facebook video in which they allegedly beat a disabled man and left him with fatal injuries were charged with first-degree murder, according to CBS and the Associated Press.

The suspects, identified as 16-year-old Malik Jones, 17-year-old Nicholas Ayala and 18-year-old Anthony Malcolm, allegedly attacked 62-year-old Delfino Mora in an alley early Tuesday. Mora was found hours later and taken to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition. He died Wednesday afternoon from blunt force trama, according to report.

Ayala and Malcolm are expected to appear in court Monday. A judge denied bail for … Read more