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Buzzword: Smartphone Modem

You may already be carrying a high-speed wireless modem in your pocket and not realize it. With a few tweaks, the devices your company gives you for e-mail can share their connections with a laptop.

Technology News

Satellite-Strapped Rocket Explodes on Platform (Video)

Sea Launch says it "experienced an anomaly" on Tuesday. That's putting it mildly. Its launch pad blew up, destroying a rocket and its satellite payload. Tech expert Joel Johnson investigates the disaster turned YouTube sensation—and finds out what DirecTV had to do with it.

Underwater Robots: Only the Strong Survive

In the first of a miniseries for his bi-weekly column on why robots are tougher than you, PM's Resident Roboticist goes in-depth (literally) with autonomous underwater vehicles—the Navy's metallic Jacques Cousteaus mapping the sea floor, immune to Mother Nature but vulnerable to five treacherous danger zones.

Toshiba Portégé R400 Tablet Laptop: Gadget of the Week

The R400 is the rare example of a laptop whose high-end price tag has less to do with high performance components and more to do with cramming as many features as possible—some of them relative industry-firsts—into one streamlined package.

Windows Vista: Should You Switch?

After much delay and fanfare, Microsoft has finally released Vista. We’ve played with beta incarnations for months, watching it evolve from a glitchy mess into a relatively polished product. But now that Vista is in stores, should you update to the latest operating system?

Human-Assisted Web Search: The Next Big Thing

Algorithmic search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, have redefined how we gather information. But critics believe that, for some subjects, no machine's analysis can replace old-fashioned human thinkin'. Enter ChaCha.com and our three big questions for web search 2.0.

Waterlogged Mars, Wired Boeing, Gambling Branson, Banned iTunes, Stun Gunner, $155M House: News Briefs

Scientists are ready to look underground for more water on the Red Planet, while Richard Branson thinks the world is ready for more stem-cell research — not that Boeing is ready for onboard wireless. Plus, are we ready for the world's most expensive new home?

Palm Treo 750: Out of the Box with Video

As an e-mail and organization device, Palm's new entry into the exploding smartphone market is truly splendid, but it is not necessarily so impressive next to the devices it is competing with — and certainly not the iPhone. Learn more with a full review and hands-on video.

Immortal Computing, Über-Battery, Duke DNA, Iraq Chopper Mess, Prehistoric Shark Death: News Briefs

In what may be the first big step toward avoiding the dawn of a “Digital Ice Age,” Microsoft wants you to be your own afterlife communications agent. Plus, a killer app for batteries, evidence questions in the Duke lacrosse trial, more helicopter issues and shark video.

PS3 Blinking Mystery Deepens—Westinghouse: "Our TVs Not the Problem"

Contrary to their earlier statements, Westinghouse now claims that their 1080p televisions are not the cause of the Sony PlayStation 3 blinking phenomenon. "It turns out that the problem was in the source box," says a Westinghouse representative, referring to the Sony PS3.

Z Machine: A Particle Accelerator Hotter than the Sun

Talk about blood diamond: With arcs of current from an electromagnetic pulse crisscrossing metal structures, this extreme machine can melt crystallized stone — and unlock some more cosmic mysteries.

SpaceNavigator Lets You Fly Around Google Earth: Gadget of the Week

Words can't really describe what makes the SpaceNavigator controller so exciting. That's why Popular Mechanics gizmo guy Erik Sofge gets hands-on with Google Earth in a video episode for the first weekly installment of PM's newest tech feature.

Chinese Test Anti-Satellite Missile, FedEx Installs Missile Countermeasures and Apple Profits Rocket: News Briefs

While the Air Force is working on ways to protect our satellites from hackers, there may be a more immediate concern: the Chinese last week tested an anti-satellite missile, successfully shooting down one of their aging weather satellites. Although FedEx recently pulled its ...

Technology Puts Safer Train Tank Cars on Track

In a strange coincidence on Tuesday, the same day as the Kentucky train derailment, the feds announced a joint government-industry effort to create a “next-generation” tank car that would be more resistant to punctures and leakage in case of an accident or terrorist attack.

Mystery of the Blinking Playstation 3: Solved

Your PS3 is not broken! After discovering an annoying little tic during our review of Sony's new gaming system on a Westinghouse 1080p TV, we decided to launch a Tech Clinic investigation. Inside, a quick fix with video.

Buzzword: IPTV (Skype's Next-Gen Network Killer)

In his first weekly column analyzing tech trends and terms you need to know, senior technology editor Glenn Derene takes an old idea and looks at its new Joost application for TV-meets-Web 2.0, thanks to the guys who brought us Skype.

Gadgets as Tyrants? Why Big Companies Need to Listen to Us, Not Themselves

Glenn Reynolds think that hardware and software companies need to pay more attention to a simple truth: People buy these gadgets to be empowered to do new things—not to be forced to dance to big companies' tunes.

Top 5 Robots that Own YOU: Resident Roboticist

This week, we’re changing course and stepping to the other side: Prepare to look at a few robots that do not come with fake fur, instruction booklets, or the ability to giggle. Now, in reverse order of hazard, allow me to present the top five robots that own you.

Another Toxic Train Wreck, Oil Blast Update, Cellphone Fires, More: News Briefs

The derailed train in Kentucky conjures memories of an earlier PM investigation, as does an independent report on the BP refinery disaster. Plus, traffic-ticket software, the Golden Globes and a new Hubble date.

Bomb-Resistant Buildings: Engineering Reinforcements

What does a company that makes pickup truck bed liners know about bombproofing buildings? After Friday's attack on the U.S. embassy in Athens, the Pentagon probably sure is happy it does.

Beyond the iPhone: The Best from CES and Detroit (Podcast)

We weigh in on the best in show—two shows, to be exact: the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas and the Detroit Auto Show. It's all here, from the Chevy Volt (guess who resurrected the electric car) to wirelessly networked television to... yes, the iPhone.

Rubik's Cube Masters: Behind the Scenes with Video

Armed with their greased cubes and nimble fingers, nearly 100 fierce competitors will descend upon the Exploratorium in San Francisco this weekend to take part in a battle of speed and skill: the 2007 Winter Caltech Rubik's Cube Competition.

Top Five Bluetooth Devices to Streamline Your Life

Somewhere between the army of identical—and always dorky-looking—cellphone headsets and the nonstop flood of dopey wireless gadgets, there are Bluetooth devices that are actually useful.

Apple iPhone's Cheaper Alternative from Samsung? Video Comparison Test

Samsung's new Ultra Music Phone could be one of the biggest iPhone competitors—they both make calls, they both have touch-sensitive controls, and they're both thinner and more striking than basically any music phone out there. Plus, Samsung's European Ultra Video Phone ...

D-Box Gaming Chair Test Drive - With Whiplash-Inducing Video

Virtual high-speed driving becomes a step less virtual with the new D-Box GP-100 gaming platform, a chair that transmits every high-speed turn, collision, and sway to the gamer behind the wheel. It rocks. It rolls. It costs $15,000.

Nokia N800 Internet Tablet: Hands-On VIDEO with Ultramobile PC

Nokia hasn't unveiled any interesting phones here for the U.S. market, but the most interesting release from this powerhouse phone-maker is actually a computer—one that can get online by joining a Wi-Fi network or by synching up with a Bluetooth cellphone.

Samsung's Mobile Digital Televison: Hands-On VIDEO

We took a bus ride with Samsung for a hands-on demo of their proposed A-VSB standard, a technology that permits crystal-clear reception of digital television on mobile and interference-prone locations. Get ready for hand-held television on your morning commute.

Flip-Phone and Sidekick in One: Hands-On VIDEO with Samsung SCH-u740 Dual-Hinge Cellphone

This new phone is nice and thin—a bit thicker than the RAZR—but what really stands out is the dual-hinge design that lets you open it vertically like a standard flip-phone, or sideways to use use the qwerty-keyboard.

DARPA's Tough New Robot Road Test

PM’s resident roboticist explains why DARPA’s previous robotic races were GPS-guided cakewalks compared to the upcoming Urban Challenge.

Dragonfly by Wowwee: The World's First Radio-Controlled, Fluttering Insect: VIDEO

We play with the first radio-controlled flying ornithopter; that's kind of a mouthful, but basically it flies by flapping instead of using propellers as a main thrust. It's remarkably easy to use — and even more fun to watch fly around CES.

IT'S THE iPHONE! Live Blogging Steve Jobs's Keynote

After all the rumors, the iPhone — Apple's widescreen iPod, cell phone and Internet connector in one — has finally been announced, and will be shipped in June at $499 and $599. PM follows the Apple CEO's address to the 2007 Macworld expo live.

Jabra Bluetooth Headset Plays MP3s in Stereo: VIDEO

These earphones can switch from a standard Bluetooth headset to a pair of wireless stereo earphones. Okay, not completely wireless, but there are no wires between you and your iPod. So if you're heading out the door and need a Bluetooth set, you only need one earpiece.

Panasonic HD Solid State Camcorder: VIDEO

So far, the best consumer-level hi-def camcorder we've seen at CES is Panasonic's HDC-SD1, which has a 3-CCD sensor, and it can output 1080i video directly to a TV through an HDMI port. Possibly its coolest feature is the way its integrated surround-sound 5.1 ...

Hillcrest Labs' Loop Remote Lets Your Change the Channel with a Gesture: VIDEO

This motion-sensing, Nintendo Wii-esque remote has inertial sensors that allow you to gesture your way through your connected media. With just two buttons, the Loop may be the simplest — yet most powerful — user interface we've seen since the iPod.

The iPhone Cometh, Dark Matter 3D, Death on Mars, New Plans in Iraq and More: News Briefs

While Bill Gates and Toyota are making headlines today from the Consumer Electronics Show and the Detroit Auto Show, there’s plenty else abuzz from the Popular Mechanics world of tech and science out there.

Bill Gates CES Keynote Live Blog and VIDEO: Partnership with Ford

Bill has done his yearly parody video thing: It is essentially a fancy networked backup drive that allows people to centralize their movies, music and all sorts of documents, and it makes a lot of sense.

Sony's Big Announcement: New TVs Will Stream HD via Internet

Sony President Stan Glasgow, saying "consumer electronics without compelling content is rubbish," announced that the new Sony Bravia S televisions will stream HD content via the Internet. Glenn Reynolds chimes in with a video report for Popular Mechanics.

Sharp Unveils Huge 108-in. TV: VIDEO

Sharp's new 108-in. LCD TV takes the title away from plasma, for now. It's the biggest TV in the world, and we've got more video from the showroom floor.

LG Introduces Hybrid Blu-ray/HD-DVD player: VIDEO

At the first conference of CES, LG launched the Super Multi Blue Player, the world's first concession to the fact that the movie-loving public doesn't want a format war—they want an easy way to get HD movies onto their new HDTVs.

Hitachi Announces First Terabyte Hard Drive

In a pre-CES announcement Friday, Hitachi revealed its plans to build the first consumer terabyte hard drive—which would offer a full 250 more gigabytes of storage than the current largest capacity drive.

CES Preview: What Happens in Vegas Isn't Staying There

The Consumer Electronics Show is rolling into town. And so are we. Beginning Saturday night, Popular Mechanics will be following all the technology action from the show floor with video, awards and constant blogging — including roving reports from Instapundit ...

North Korea's Biochemical Threat

While its nuclear test spurs outrage, North Korea has grown a vast biochemical weapons arsenal in secrecy. We investigate Kim Jong Il's deception, plus his rogue nation's human trials and its deadly harvest's terror potential.

Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick Puts Broadcast HD on Your Laptop, for Free: Out of the Box

It’s a problem I didn't know I had: Why can’t I watch HDTV on my laptop computer? The idea makes sense, if there was an easy way to get the signal into a computer. The Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick solves that problem.

Top 5 Robots You Can Buy Right Now

Despite advances in robotics, few battles are won by glinting armies, and PM's resident roboticist is sad to say that he doesn't know anyone with a functional robot maid. That's why he's ignoring optimistic dreams of the future and focusing on bots that ...

Ballpoint Pens: Abusive Lab Test

Some pen makers claim their ballpoints are tougher than ordinary pens, able to write while upside down, cold or even underwater. So we put three models through a three-part test. The question: Do the self-proclaimed tough guys really beat the ...

Haditha Charges: A Marine's View of the Killings in Iraq

As the U.S. military prepares to levy charges against a squad of Marines accused of shooting 24 unarmed civilians last fall, we've revisited our podcast interview with former assistant defense secretary Bing West, who shares a grunt's ...

Your Own Digital DJ: Next-Gen Internet Radio Reviews

Internet radio services have evolved, with streaming music channels offering more audio diversity than your iTunes library could dream of. We rate three of the top competitors.

RFID Credit Cards and Theft: Tech Clinic

Bad news: Scammers can scan your new RFID-enhanced credit card from more than 2 ft. away. But is it any more vulnerable than a conventional credit card?

Resident Roboticist: Pushing Human Boundaries

Machine-improved humans are beating regular folks at more than just chess. With proper alignment by a prosthetist and a lot of hard training, athletes wearing specialized sprinting prosthetics can meet—and exceed—normal human ...

10 Tech Concepts You Need to Know for 2007

Is your PRAM lost in a data cloud? Do you have BAN in your pocket? From garbage turned gold at 10,000 degrees (left) to sensors that you swallow, here are the technologies you’ll be talking about next year.

Combating Satellite Terrorism, DIY Style

As the Bush administration warns about threats from terrorists and other nations against U.S. satellites, PM offers a window into an Air Force program that's protecting our military satellites (and their vulnerabilities) with ...

Bio-Inkjet Printer Draws Muscle and Bone

There are many things we’ve come to expect from our computer printers: photos, letters, what have you. But muscle and bone? Scientists at Carnegie Mellon have developed a printer that outputs in “bio-ink”—a format they hope ...

Radar Goliath: 24/7 Surveillance from 65,000 Feet

At anywhere from 164 to 328 yards in length, Raytheon and DARPA's new airship will be the largest airborne radar antenna ever built, able to track everything from aircraft to individual troops across hundreds of miles.

Video Abusive Lab Test: Handheld Vacuums

In the first video edition of Popular Mechanics' product review turned extreme experiment, we tested three new hand vacs, using each to clean up 32 oz. of pre-sifted flour, followed by 14 oz. of wet, disgusting kitty ...

Making Safer Lithium-Ion Batteries

The rechargeable li-ion battery powers much of our daily life, from laptops to cellphones and tools. Problem is, they get hot and, (very) occasionally, explode. Is there a crisis? Are tools in trouble? What can you do?

iPod-Zune Comparison: The Ultimate MP3-Video Showdown

Will Apple retain the edge against its old rival, or will Microsoft muscle its way to the top? Plus, a third option that wins the portable video war.

What's Next: Your Home Theater. Literally.

A new wave of ultra-efficient light-emitting diodes could one day turn your entire house into a flat-panel display.

Gates Hearings: 4 Decisions to Shape Our Military

As Robert M. Gates moves through Senate confirmation hearings on his way to becoming the next defense secretary, military journalist Noah Shachtman analyzes a looming priority shift at the Pentagon.

How-To Central


Tech How-To Central

Follow our three easy steps for destroying your hard drive, then let gizmo guru Joel Johnson solve your problems, whether you're a total geek or just plain clueless.

Home How-To Central

Learn fundamental skills you're afraid to ask about (read: drywall), then choose from dozens of DIY projects illustrated by how-to masters, such as installing a sliding door.
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Reader Projects Wanted

Show Us Your Woodworking Project!

Are you a woodworker? We are looking for examples of reader woodworking projects, with a focus on creativity, ingenuity and inventive spirit. We're open to anything, so send us your best!

Technology Clinic

Double-Decker Discs

Tech expert Joel Johnson answers reader questions on dual-layer DVD burners, international GPS and auto clearing your web-surfing history.

Military & Law Enforcement

Global Strike: America's New Quick-Hit Weapons

The mission: Attack anywhere in the world in less than an hour, with weapons like this X-51 hypersonic cruise missile. Will it work?

Industry

The Digital Ice Age

The documents of our time are being recorded as bits and bytes with no guarantee of future readability. As technologies change, we may find our files frozen in forgotten formats. Will an entire era of human history be lost?

Extreme Machines

MythBusters Workshop: Fun with Supermagnets

The MythBusters are notorious for their obsession with magnets. And, as you might expect, Jamie and Adam use them in some pretty extreme ways—like climbing walls.

Research

Nanotechnology: Good Things in Small Packages

Columnist Glenn Reynolds believes nanotechnology's bright future lies in scientific breakthroughs--not in marketing slogans.

Research

Breakthrough Awards: Complete Coverage

Popular Mechanics honored America's top innovators for 2006. Inside, meet the faces of technology's future with multimedia coverage of the awards.

Upgrade

PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: Next-Gen Gaming

After following the console war this year, Playstation 3 heads to the testing lab with PM's three expert gamers — and survives.

Research

The Top 50 Inventions of the Past 50 Years

In the past half-century, scientific and tech advances have transformed our world. PM convened a panel of 25 experts to identify innovations that have made the biggest impact.

Military & Law Enforcement

Flying Blind in Iraq: U.S. Helicopters Navigate Real Desert Storms

With billowing sand clouds crashing its BlackHawks at an alarming rate, the U.S. military is turning to digital cameras to fight the War on Terror. Iraq correspondent Leslie Sabbagh takes you inside the world of brown outs in a PopularMechanics.com exclusive.

9-11 Myths

9/11: Debunking the Myths

PM's investigation, greatly expanded in book form. Plus, new myths debunked.

Technology


PM Gadget of the Week

Toshiba Portégé R400 Tablet Laptop

Troubleshoot


PM Car Basics: Troubleshooting

Taking Apart Fuel Lines, and more.



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