molly wood

Here's why Bitcoin is the future of money

The interesting thing about Bitcoin isn't what it is today. What's interesting is that this experiment is turning into a serious proving ground for the idea of "crypto-currency," digitally created currency protected by powerful cryptography.

Crypto-currency is traceable, more portable than paper money, and harder to steal. If the Bitcoin experiment proves successful, how soon will a government or other regime develop, back, and distribute crypto-currency as a true alternative currency?

My money, paper or virtual, says that day is coming.

A particularly evolved regime could officially back a crypto-currency, issue some basic standards and regulations … Read more

Twitter needs to deal with the Twitter Accuracy Problem

Twitter's had a bad couple of weeks.

First, the Boston marathon bombings and subsequent manhunt led many (including me) to question the role of fast-moving, potentially inaccurate real-time Twitter reporting and its effect on mainstream news.

Then today, a false tweet from a hacked Associated Press Twitter account claimed that the White House had been bombed and that President Obama had been injured. The news caused a sudden plunge in the stock market (and, one can probably assume, some massive profit-taking by the hackers).

Twitter has always had an accuracy problem. It's a lot of voices, its information … Read more

Always On: Season 3 Bloopers

Whether our bountiful screw-ups come by way of gibberish, bubble baths, or fart jokes (yes, we're very mature), they seem to snowball as the months of filming pile up. While these moments of humiliation have collected dust as the season flew by, we're shamefully happy to dedicate a full episode to our blooper-ridden endeavors. Sure, we've done blooper segments in the past, but nothing quite like this.

We've got a plethora of outtakes to show you the true blood, sweat, and tears we put into the show each week. Sometimes, just putting your face in front … Read more

Always On torture test giveaway: iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle

Over the years, it seems the iPhone has made the use of iPods a tad redundant. However, iPods keep stealing the spotlight at Always On because they're just so darn tough! Every time we put an iPod through the usual measures, it comes through with flying colors. After our children, Cheeto, and fruit-punch induced torture test for the iPod Touch last season, we had extremely high expectations for these two at Mt. Shasta Ski Park. Those expectations were greatly exceeded, to say the least.

But now it's your turn to put an iPod through its paces. Maybe you'… Read more

Always On: Best of Season 3

Well, folks, it's about that time again. That time when we head out into the world to get our hands on today's hottest gadgets and to explore the promising technologies of the future. And, of course, we'll keep an eye out for some clever ways to destroy those hottest gadgets, too. But, in the meantime, we've mustered up our favorite segments of Season 3 to make the wait for Season 4 less grueling.

First up, we head back to Mount Shasta Ski Park to watch Molly rev a snowmobile over the poor Kindle Fire, Nokia Lumia 920, … Read more

Always On torture test giveaway: MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display

We're happy to announce the return of our Always On tortured gadget sweepstakes! This time 'round, our severely beaten (but not entirely broken!) MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display is up for grabs.

While it's not exactly "usable" as it stands now, the thing is a champion. After trying our absolute hardest to destroy it (i.e. dropping it out of a bulldozer, giving it a nice fountain shower, and smothering it with a 1,400-pound boulder), the fact that it even turns on makes it deserving of a new home. Preferably somewhere that's nowhere … Read more

Episode 34: The MacBook Pro rocks and rolls!

It's safe to say that upon our arrival at American Soil and Stone, we thought the MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display's fate was pretty much sealed. With so much equipment capable of tearing down a house around, the MacBook's chances of survival were slim to none. However, after an epic onslaught of perhaps the heaviest artillery we've ever thrown at a gadget, we were shocked at the computer's toughness.

While it's currently in the ICU, you guys will have the chance to give it some TLC, and hopefully nurse it back to health. … Read more

Episode 33: Sony Xperia Z gets a whole new kind of dunk test

Straight out of the box, the LG Optimus G Pro looks like it's going to be a crowd pleaser. With its 13-megapixel camera, spare battery, and charger, "quad-beat" earbuds, and cute Korean comic book manual, Jeff can't help but hear "Dream Weaver" in his head when gazing into its gorgeous display. It's even big enough to live up to Molly's phablet standards. Plus, the LG Optimus G Pro sports a sparkly back that, once again, prompts our hosts to reference "The Matrix."

The Sony Xperia Z, which made a surprise … Read more

Episode 32: Unboxing the hotly anticipated HTC One

After weeks of clawing and scratching, we were finally able to get the perpetually delayed HTC One to "unbox" here in San Francisco (with a ding in the back, no less!). Fresh out of the envelope from our guys in New York, it only took a matter of seconds for Jeff to start with the Matrix jokes. The One...

As corny as Jeff's jokes are, we think HTC's Neo might have indeed taken the red pill and left our humble dream world, because we've been begging for it for months and it's still not … Read more

Episode 31: BlackBerry Z10 vs. BlackBerry Z10 in Barcelona

Always On's last gig in Barcelona veers away from Mobile World Congress and lands Molly and Jeff in the streets of Barcelona with only their BlackBerry Z10s to guide them. While an Amazing Race-style mission involving lunch under the famous Arc de Triomf and a Spanish ragtime band at La Catedral should have had our hosts overflowing with enthusiasm, the BlackBerry Z10 had other plans.

Whether it was an inability to map the crew a half-mile east, wacky gesture control, or wildly imbalanced NFC photo exchange rate, BlackBerry's comeback kid left us lost in a strange land. Never … Read more