chilled

Google's new plan to fight piracy draws skepticism

Some among those who advocate for Internet users see within Google's plan to downgrade accused pirate sites in the company's search results the potential for abuse.

Google announced on the company's blog today that sites that generate too many take-down notices will find themselves pushed down in the search rankings. Takedown notices are the documents that owners of copyrighted material file in order to request the deletion of unauthorized copies of their work from Web sites.

Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Web site owners must remove unauthorized files once they've received a legitimate takedown notice. … Read more

Brazil sues Twitter users over speed trap and traffic tweets

Twitter might have to decide quickly whether to start its new policy of removing tweets on a country-by-country basis.

Today, the attorney general of Brazil filed a preliminary injunction to block tweets and suspend the accounts of Twitter users who use the social-networking site to warn people about radar locations, speed traps, and DUI checkpoints in the Brazilian state of Goias, according to the news group O Globo.

The Brazilian government claims that these Twitter users are putting people in danger since police can't properly do their jobs and that the users are also breaking the country's penal, … Read more

Twitter boycott looms with censorship accusations

Some Twitter users are trying to wield the organizing power of the social-networking site against the site itself: they're using the hashtags #TwitterBlackout, #TwitterCensored, and #J28 to spread news of a Twitter boycott planned for tomorrow.

Yesterday, Twitter said it was willing to remove tweets on a country-by-country basis when there are local restrictions against content in the tweets, and when a country requires the tweets to be taken down. That's why these Twitter users are up in arms.

The company said the new plan promotes freedom of expression, transparency, and accountability because even though these tweets may … Read more

Twitter to block tweets locally, not globally

Twitter said today that it will withhold tweets from a country when there are local restrictions rather than having to block them globally.

"As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression," the company wrote on its blog. "Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content."

Until now, the only way Twitter could … Read more

Drink chilled wine outside without a cooler

It may not seem like it now, but soon there will come a day when the sun is shining, and outside activities are but a picnic basket away. When it comes to serving certain wines, temperature makes all the difference, but it can be difficult to mix a fun day spent outdoors with a perfectly chilled wine. Advanced planning is usually essential, involving the forethought to place equipment in the freezer, such as gel packs or even bulky contrivances.

The Skybar Wine Cool Cover doesn't require you to prefreeze any equipment or freezer packs. Instead, the picnic accessory creates … Read more

Gadgettes Podcast 86: The Body Episode (a FLASHBACK episode!)

There will be no episode of Gadgettes this week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday here in the US. So, have a listen to a classic episode from the Gadgettes archive. Remember to read this entire blog post in your own "hot breath" voice for the full effect. Go ahead. You know you want to. Enjoy!

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 86

Robotic snake surgeon tinkers with your heart via your mouth

Power Shirt charges gadgets as you walk

Ergoskin: Underwear that makes you sit up straight

Remember Ring (Thanks, David!)

The Body-laptop interface is knitted from Thneed which nobody, Nobody, NOBODY needs

3D Tattoo is like a secret between you and people with funny glasses

Giant mouth exhibit is just one stop on a gross, informative journey… Read more

Carafe chills drinks via a frozen base

I really like freezers. Not only do they change water into ice, but they also store food, allowing us to keep a pork roast on hand for weeks longer than we otherwise could. Anything that can stop food from going bad is going to get a vote of approval from me. Not only can we put stuff in it to keep it cool, but we can also take things out to chill other items. Of course, I'm talking about things like ice cubes and ice packs, but there is one particular item that I find interesting today.

The Glass Chiller Carafe … Read more

Gadgettes 86: The Body Episode

Fit yourself with your best hot breath voice and say it: Body. It's fun, if not a bit creepy. That sums up this week's episode pretty well, come to think of it. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 86

Robotic snake surgeon tinkers with your heart via your mouth http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/robotic_snake_s.php

Power Shirt charges gadgets as you walk http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/power_shirt_cha.php

Ergoskin: Underwear that makes you sit up straight http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/ergoskin_underw.php

Remember Ring (Thanks, David!) http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/04/remember-ring-s.html… Read more

An MP3 cooler with a sense of style

Summer is just around the corner, so it's time to start thinking of barbecues and picnics (translation: beer). And as luck would have it, there are all manner of multi-tasking coolers now on the market that can facilitate outdoor entertainment with built-in speakers and iPod connections.

To date, however, most the MP3 coolers we've seen are exceedingly boring to look at--hardly appropriate to celebrate the solar rites. Thankfully we came across the "Chill Out Stereo Cooler Bag" on Chip Chick, sporting a design that seems to fit a psychedelic '60s trend we've been noticing lately. … Read more