holder

HandAble: Avoid a smartphone death grip

As smartphones get smaller, flatter, sleeker, and shinier, they also get harder to hold onto. The HandAble holder is one way to avoid developing a smartphone death grip.

The accessory market is a crowded one, but HandAble is just clever enough and simple enough to warrant a look. It attaches to the back of the phone and consists of a retractable disk that you slip your fingers under, keeping the phone snug against your hand.

HandAble is the brain child of Aaron Block, a 78-year-old inventor. The accessory was originally a Kickstarter project, but one that failed to reach its funding goal. An unfunded Kickstarter project doesn't mean the idea has to die. HandAble is proof of that.… Read more

Hang your smartphone nearly anywhere with Bondi

New from the Department of Things I Didn't Know I Wanted But Now Can't Live Without: Bondi.

This cute little gizmo is designed to hold and hang your smartphone. It has feet at the bottom, "hands" that hug your device, and a hanger-style head.

All these limbs can bend any which way, meaning Bondi is actually good for other purposes as well.

Here are some short commercials that show the Bondi in action:… Read more

Prescription Bottle Beer Holder cuddles cold ones

I have a certain affinity for tacky novelty gifts. I used to peruse comic book ads offering untold delights such as X-ray specs, hand buzzers, and fake vomit.

The Prescription Bottle Beer Holder from Gadgets and Gear would fit right in with those tasteless gags. It's bound to be a hot joke gift among both frat boys and medical professionals.… Read more

Supreme Court to public domain: Let's fence you in

Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" and H.G. Wells' "Things to Come" may have first been published decades ago, and have long been in the public domain, but that doesn't mean they won't soon be under copyright once again.

That could be the result of a Supreme Court ruling today that Congress can re-copyright public domain works, Wired wrote.

With its 6-2 decision in Golan v. Holder (PDF), the top U.S. court held that Congress has the duty to comply with an international treaty known as the Berne Convention, which permits re-copyrighting works--books, musical … Read more

DHS abruptly abandons copyright seizure of hip-hop blog

A bizarre attempt by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to seize the domain name of a hip-hop blog accused of copyright infringement ended today with the government abruptly abandoning the lawsuit.

Government officials initially trumpeted the seizure of the music blog, DaJaz1.com, and 81 others as an example of the law prevailing over pirates. Attorney General Eric Holder warned at the time that "intellectual property crimes are not victimless," and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director John Morton proclaimed that "today, we turn the tables on these Internet thieves."

The only problem? It … Read more

U.S. attorney general: DOJ 'ready and eager' for AT&T trial

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told lawmakers today that the Justice Department's antitrust division is "ready and eager" to pursue its lawsuit and stop AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

Holder said the division is "committed to seeing this through," Reuters reported today. Holder was speaking at an oversight meeting with the Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel.

In August, the Justice Department sued to block the proposed $39 billion merger, putting the brakes on what many in the industry assumed to be a done deal. The Justice Department cited concern over competition … Read more

How to hold an iPad comfortably in one hand

Last year I reviewed an iPad case called the Brenthaven 5-in-1. One of its best features was a stretchy rear band that made for a more secure and comfortable one-handed grip.

I've since moved on to the Vario iPad case, which is still my favorite, but I really miss that strap. After all, the iPad is a heavy, bulky piece of gear, and I find it uncomfortable to hold for long periods. Plus, it's pretty easy to drop if you're one-handing it.

Fortunately, there are products designed solely to make gripping an iPad easier, more comfortable, and … Read more

Justice Department seeks mandatory data retention

Criminal investigations "are being frustrated" because no law currently exists to force Internet providers to keep track of what their customers are doing, the U.S. Department of Justice will announce tomorrow.

CNET obtained a copy of the department's position on mandatory data retention--saying Congress should strike a "more appropriate balance" between privacy and police concerns--that will be announced at a House of Representatives hearing tomorrow.

"Data retention is fundamental to the department's work in investigating and prosecuting almost every type of crime," Jason Weinstein, deputy assistant attorney general for the criminal … Read more

AG says WikiLeaks criminal probe is 'ongoing'

It's set to become the new waiting game in Washington, D.C.: how long will it be before the U.S. government puts the legal smackdown on WikiLeaks?

That there is an investigation into how WikiLeaks obtained classified documents is, of course, no secret. In July, the Pentagon publicly confirmed a criminal probe into the matter.

A month later, that probe had expanded to include the FBI. "The Army's Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI are conducting an investigation into the leak of the documents," the Pentagon said on August 18.

Attorney General Eric Holder didn'… Read more

Hang your bananas high

I have a house full of the pickiest eaters in the entire world. One of the few foods everyone here will eat is a banana, provided that there is not even a hint of a bruise on it. Hanging my bananas up has become a necessity. The Kamenstein Banana Hanger with Slicer provides a nice alternative to the many less-than-elegant banana hangers out there. It is constructed from stainless steel, and is weighty enough that it won't tip over if you get a particularly hefty bunch of bananas.

The Kamenstein Banana Hanger with Slicer offers an additional feature not … Read more