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Sawyer Flexes Solid Detective Skills on Lost: Fact vs. Fiction
Is Sawyer a convincing detective? We talked to private investigators to see if Sawyer's cold-calling character is on the right track. Click For More.
Flashforward Stars Talk Sci-Fi Show's New Season
ABC's hit show FlashForward returns Thursday, March 18, with 12 new episodes. In an exclusive interview, Courtney B. Vance and Christine Woods tell what to expect from the last half of the first season—and how research is key to the process. Click For More.
Hollywood Fact Check: How Realistic Is Iraq War Film Green Zone?
In Green Zone, the new Iraq war thriller starring Matt Damon, cooked-up WMD intelligence, secretive CIA leaks and war-drumming conspiracies are rampant. Here, PM's Joe Pappalardo fact checks the new movie's assertions. Click For More.
Rendering God of War III's Colossal Enemies
God of War III's colossal enemies answer one long-standing question in video games: Is bigger always better? Click For More.
Viewtopia 03/09/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
This week, the economic downturn means big business for George Clooney in Up in the Air, while two long overdue sequels, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day and Demonic Toys 2, are finally released on DVD. Click For More.
Giving Roger Ebert a New Voice: Q&A With CereProc
Popular Mechanics caught up with Chris Pidcock, co-founder and chief voice engineer of CereProc, to learn how they recreated Roger Ebert's voice. Click For More.
How FIRST Competitors Plan to Face 4 Key Bot Challenges
The six-week build portion of the 2010 FIRST Robotics competition has come to an end. PM spoke with teams from schools across the country to learn what strategies will be key at regionals, and at the FIRST championship in mid-April. Click For More.
3D FX—But Not Cameras—Makes a Rich, New Alice in Wonderland
If there's any filmed world that's made for 3D, it's Wonderland. PM talks to Alice in Wonderland's visual effects supervisor, Ken Ralston, to find out how he and Tim Burton created an immersive 3D world—without using stereoscopic cameras. Click For More.
Budget Wars Spell Grim Future For F-22 and F-35 Planes
News of cost overruns roil the debate over the world’s two most advanced warplanes, the costly F-22 Raptor and the too-big-to-fail F-35 Lightning II. Will UAVs be the final victor? Click For More.
Viewtopia 03/02/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
This week, three very different, but equally personal films drop in the form of Where the Wild Things Are, Gentlemen Broncos and Cold Souls. Meanwhile 2012 and Ninja thrill. Click For More.
Lost's Human Shield Method Plausible, but not Foolproof
In last night's episode of Lost, "Sundown," flash-sideways Sayid used another man's body to take a bullet. But does this method of defense actually work? Popular Mechanics talked to a forensic scientist to find out. Click For More.
The Future For UAVs in the U.S. Air Force
When the Air Force recently mapped out a game plan to 2047, its report contained a big surprise: Fewer pilots and more robotic planes acting on their own. Are we ready for UAVs that can fire their weapons without human permission? Click For More.
How to Quiet Your Loud Personal Computer
Anything that moves makes noise. And your personal computer is an assemblage of whirring, spinning, vibrating parts. Depending on your particular machine, this can amount to a comforting white noise, or an irritating background drone. Click For More.
The 4 Coolest Designs from Greener Gadgets 2010
While it's small, Greener Gadgets' focus on sustainable design brings in some interesting, energy-efficient, long-lasting and low-impact gadgets. Here are four of our favorite products from Greener Gadgets 2010. Click For More.
How to Set Up the Ultimate Desktop Recording Studio
With the right software and a few plug-in instruments, anyone (really, anyone) can be a rock star in his own home. Here's how to use a MIDI keyboard and software like M-Powered Essential and GarageBand to become the next Beck. Click For More.
The Crazies' Franken-Virus Toxins: How Scared Should We Be?
How much is the portrayal of the disease—and the military response—Hollywood hyperbole in The Crazies? Popular Mechanics spoke to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to find out. Click For More.
Hands-On Review of Verizon Motorola Devour
Verizon's Motorola Devour is a slightly lesser version of the Droid, with a slightly lesser price tag that keeps most of its older brother's key features intact. Click For More.
Band of Bots: Two Military Robots Team Up to Cover Land and Air
In recent tests at Ft. Benning, Ga. a Northrop Grumman Fire Scout unmanned helicopter ferried a ground robot, the QuinetiQ's Dragon Runner, to its deployment point. Click For More.
The Story Behind 5 Banned Toys and Games
The lawn dart is back—albeit as the Sky Dart, a cushy, weighted projectile that can barely be compared to the dangerous, but ever-so-fun game of the 1970s and 1980s. Here, we look back at the most dangerous toys of all time. Click For More.
2010 Oscars: PM Picks Winners for Sci/Tech Academy Awards
Popular Mechanics convened a panel of experts that includes past Oscar winners, to sort out this year's nominees in the awards show's technical categories. Our expert's insight is the ultimate cheat sheet for those looking to win their Oscar pool. Click For More.
Lost's Bear Trap Tech Is Far From Reality
In last night's episode of Lost, our favorite Island mommy, Claire, is capturing and killing Others because she believes they have her son. Unfortunately for Jin, he ran right into one of her steel jaw bear traps, which snapped around his ankle. Click For More.
Behind the Scenes With the U.S Military in Haiti: Gallery
The NGOs and disaster-relief teams might have stolen the spotlight in the battle for survival in post-quake Haiti, but behind most of the aid was a massive U.S. military backbone. Here is a behind-the-scenes photo gallery of the U.S. military effort. Click For More.
Viewtopia 02/23/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly creeps us out with The Box, while Matt Damon plays it straight in The Informant. Nazi zombies, an evil Justice League and Superjail! round out this week's releases. Click For More.
How Israel's Biggest Drone Could Take Out Iranian Nukes
This week the Israeli Air Force held a ceremony spotlighting the "operational acceptance" of its biggest unmanned aerial vehicle. Here, we explore how Israel could use this new vehicle to take out Iranian nukes. Click For More.
On Board the World's Most Powerful Tugboat
As ships get bigger, towing companies build more powerful tugboats to guide the shipping behemoths in and out of port. PM rides on the 6500-hp Edward J Moran, tasked with escorting a liquefied natural gas tanker that some call a giant floating bomb. Click For More.
The Tech Behind Four New Wonders at Disney World
Those of us who spent childhood vacations at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida may remember classic rides like Space Mountain and Spaceship Earth. Here are four of the most impressive newer attractions at Disney World, and how they work. Click For More.
The Story Behind Universal's Rock-It Roller Coaster
We caught up with Louis Alfieri, creative director at Universal's theme parks, to discuss roller coaster design, magnetic floating future coasters, and what it's like to work with Michael Bay on the forthcoming Transformers ride. Click For More.
On Thick Ice: Live From An Antarctic Drilling Trip
The Wilkes Land expedition has been drilling deep into the ocean floor around Antarctica to learn how the ice sheet reacted in warmer climates of the past, which will help scientists predict how it will respond to future warming. Click For More.
Top 5 Toys for Spoiled Children
With the recession in mind, many companies at this year's International Toy Fair went out of their way to market affordable gadgets and gizmos. However, a few pricier designs sorely stick out—like a $2000 model Batmobile, for starters. Click For More.
YoGen Universal Mobile Device Charger: Tech Test
Never be caught without a charge again—the YoGen Universal Mobile Device Charger promises an endless stream of energy to virtually any mobile device. But does it work? We put it to the test. Click For More.
Lost's Spinal Surgery Claims Have No Backing in Modern Medicine
In Lost's season premiere, Dr. Jack Shephard, a spinal surgeon, told John Locke, who is paralyzed from the waist down, that his injury might be reversible—that he might actually walk again. PM talks to experts to find out if it could really happen. Click For More.
The World's 18 Strangest Airports
A survey of airports around the world turns up a mixed bag, ranging from dangerous and rugged landing strips to mega-size facilities that operate like small cities. Here, PM explores the world's most remarkable airports and why they stand out. Click For More.
Viewtopia 02/16/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
Two very different urban thrillers kick things off this week—the over-the-top revenge drama, Law Abiding Citizen, and the hilarious '70s send up, Black Dynamite. Plus, Warner Bros. celebrates their 35 years with Clint Eastwood with a box set. Click For More.
Microsoft's New Mobile OS Shows Promise, Is Overdue: Analysis
Microsoft's new cellphone operating system, Windows Phone 7 Series, shows a lot of promise, especially compared to its predecessor, Window's Mobile. Can Phone 7 compete with the iPhone or Google's Droid OS, or is it already too late? Click For More.
Top 12 Gadgets from the International Toy Fair: Gallery
The annual International Toy Fair is the place where toy store buyers go to take their pick of the latest entertainment innovations. We walked around the floor to check out what kids will be clamoring for in 2010. Here are the 12 high-tech toys we want right now. Click For More.
Special Ops Gunships To Get Pain-Inducing Weapons
Nonlethal energy-beam blasters that cause pain without killing their targets could finally find a home—inside special operations gunships. Here's how they work. Click For More.
Is Bigger Better? 'Monster' Trains vs Freight Trains
In January, Union Pacific tested a 3.5-mile long "monster" train, using extra locomotives to distribute power efficiently. Just what are monster trains, and how are they different from conventional long-haul freight trains? Click For More.
How Transformers Can Explode
On February 12, an underground electrical transformer exploded in front of a Radio Shack on 6th Avenue, in New York City, emitting a fireball seven stories high and damaging nearby buildings. Here's how this could have happened. Click For More.
The Original Futurama: The Legacy of the 1939 World's Fair
Seventy years after the closing of the 1939 New York World's Fair, The Daily Show writer Elliott Kalan looks back at its past vision of the World of Tomorrow. Click For More.
A History of Werewolves in the Movies
Makeup artist Rick Baker used old-school techniques to turn actor Benicio del Toro into a werewolf for The Wolfman. But not all werewolves are made the same way—here's a quick guide to our favorite movie werewolves. Click For More.
Demolition Blaster: This is My Job
Cody Gustafson drives 80,000 miles a year to visit bridges, factories and coal silos—and then he destroys them. The 27-year-old has demolished more than 75 structures in 40 states, not to mention 300 Minuteman II nuclear missile silos. Click For More.
Lost's Hand-Cranked Torture Device Based in Fact
Last week's Lost Watch took a look at the science behind parallel universes. But this week was in decidedly more mechanical territory, tackling both torture-by-hand-cranked-generator and DIY handcuff removal—albeit in parallel universes. Click For More.
What Does 'Smart Growth' Really Mean? Questions for Andres Duany
With 2000's Suburban Nation, Andres Duany established himself a leader in the movement to encourage U.S. cities to abandon suburban sprawl. PM discussed the guidelines with the author and founder of the Congress for New Urbanism. Click For More.
How to Cross the Atlantic in a Rowboat—Alone
At 22, Katie Spotz is trying to become the youngest person to row across the Atlantic Ocean, and the first American to row from mainland to mainland with no outside help. After 37 days, Spotz is halfway through her trip, about 1,250 miles away from land. Click For More.
5 Things You Need To Know About Google Buzz
Google Buzz, which serves as a sort of watered down version of the cool-but-pretty-useless Google Wave service, fills Gmail with social networking features such as friends lists and status updates. Here are five things you need to know about the new Google Buzz service. Click For More.
Makeup Wizard Rick Baker Talks Wolfman Tech
If movie makeup artists had a mob, Academy Award-winner Rick Baker would be the Godfather. Baker walks PM through the process of turning actor Benecio del Toro into a werewolf for The Wolfman, out Feb. 12. Click For More.
The MV-22 Osprey Finds Purpose In Disaster Relief
The Osprey survived Congressional inquiries, scandalous crashes and volumes of argument to sit on the flight deck of the USS Bataan. The mission to Haiti is only the Ospreys second deployment and by far the youngest aircraft in the fleet. Click For More.
Heinz' New Ketchup Packet Dips, Squeezes and Scores (With Video!)
Heinz recently unveiled its first new ketchup packet in 40 years—the dual-function Dip & Squeeze. A breakaway tip allows for regular squeezing or you can tear off the top for above-sauce administration. Click For More.
Are Iran's New Anti-Helicopter Missiles A Real Threat to Apaches?
A new Iranian missile and the Pentagon's funding illustrate the importance, and the vulnerabilities, of helicopters in modern battlefields. Click For More.
Top 5 Technologies in NFL Stadiums
As football fans around the world turn their attention toward the Miami Dolphins' Sun Life Stadium for Super Bowl XLIV this Sunday, Popular Mechanics looked at the other 30 NFL stadiums and found five that lead the league in innovation. Click For More.
Is the Perfect Car-Key Copier Good News for Thieves?
For locksmiths, making a replacement car key without its identifying code can be a grueling procedure. Locksmiths could benefit from a new invention, the Key Impressioner. Unfortunately, so could thieves. Click For More.
Robonaut2 Shows Real Workplace Potential For Humanoid Robots
GM and NASA unveil the latest upgrades to the torso-bot, Robonaut2. The new R2 shows off impressive design, flexes complex abilities and, finally, brings real-world job skills—in the factory or at the space station—to the humanoid bot. Click For More.
The Navy's New, Digital-Age Flagship in a Box
On board the USS Bataan, there are four 10 x 8–foot containers that support digital age communications, transferring data at up to 200 Mb/s. From Operation Unified Response in Haiti, Benjamin Chertoff reports on the Navy's new flagship in a box. Click For More.
Lost Season Six Premiere has Rock Solid Science
Last season, the castaways detonated a hydrogen bomb in an attempt to rewrite history. PM talks to Michio Kaku, host of the Science Channel's Sci-Fi Science, to find out just how close the science in the season six premiere comes to fact. Click For More.
3 Programs That Lose Out in Obama's Defense Budget
The Obama administration released its budget and strategy documents this week, spelling trouble for some military programs. Here's a rundown of some of the losers. Click For More.
Investigating Russia’s Biggest Dam Explosion: What Went Wrong
Last August, a major failure occurred at Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric dam in Russia. With nearly 100 gigawatts of installed electric dams in the United States, experts wonder, could it happen here? PM investigates. Click For More.
Viewtopia 02/02/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
This week, Zombieland and The House of the Devil put a new spin on classic horror tropes, while Ong-Bak 2, Planet Hulk and Universal Soldier: Regeneration deliver new kinds of SMASH! Click For More.
Director Lucy Walker Takes on Nuclear Weapons in Countdown to Zero
Lucy Walker presented two films at this year's Sundance Film Festival. She sat down to talk with PM about Countdown to Zero, in which she aims to show the world that nuclear weapons are an even bigger threat now than they were during the Cold War. Click For More.
Medevac, IM: The Navy Opens a Chatroom in Haiti
In order to coordinate medical-response efforts on the hospital ships near Haiti, the military resorts to an old-fashioned and remarkably effective tool: the Internet chatroom. Click For More.
The Problem With TV Time Travel—And How Lost Can Fix It
Lost's dedication to time travel science—or at least its consistent internal logic—is a triumph for television time travel, one that even Terminator couldn't pull off. Click For More.
The Panama Canal Gets a New Lane (With Gallery!)
With supersized ships plying the oceans, the undersized Panama Canal risked becoming a backwater. A massive upgrade will provide the canal with a new third lane to handle the world's biggest ships, ensuring that it remains a global crossroads. Click For More.
3D Sports TV Debuts With British Football Match
As Manchester United and Arsenal battle on the turf, crowds in a handful of selected pubs in the United Kingdom will be donning glasses as they watch the world's first live television broadcast in 3D. Click For More.
Richard Branson Dives Into Personal Submarines With Hawkes
High-speed personal submarines got a boost today when Hawkes Ocean Technologies, the creator of the Super Falcon personal submersible, announced it would team up with Virgin Galactic to build the next-gen winged exploration vessel. Click For More.
Addicted to Satellites? Air Force Searches For Alternatives to GPS
As the administration dismantles its only backup system, the Air Force looks at replacements to guard against the Pentagon's over-reliance on GPS satellites. Click For More.
Cane Toads at Sundance: Interview with Director Mark Lewis
Crowds in Sundance's Eccles Center cheered for Mark Lewis's quirky, funny documentary, Cane Toads: The Conquest, which features scientists, cane toad lovers and haters and, of course, plenty of toads. PM sat down to chat with Lewis the morning before the premiere. Click For More.
Infrastructure, Energy, Arms and the State of the Union
While President Obama didn't mention the state of the auto industry, NASA or weatherized homes, there was plenty of science and technology sprinkled throughout his State of the Union address. Here are some highlights, in the president's own words. Click For More.
Behind the Scenes of Splice: Interviews with the Director and VFX Supervisor
Director Natali and VFX supervisor Bob Monroe took time out of their busy Sundance schedules to chat genetic jargon, on-set science advisors and the difficulties of creating wings. Click For More.
Topping the Tablet: Apple iPad Hands-On Review
Senior technology editor Glenn Derene talks about his hands-on experience with the Apple iPad, explains what it means to have an "IPS" screen and reflects on how Apple engineered impressive battery life into such a thin, powerful device. Click For More.
January 27th Apple Announcement Liveblog
Today's the day! The iPad has been revealed and Glenn Derene has the full, live story. Click For More.
Asimo Headlines at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival (With Video!)
Popular Mechanics sat down with Barbara Ponce, Manager of Corporate and Diversity Advertising at Honda, just after an Asimo demonstration at the Sundance Film Festival's Village at the Yard. Click For More.
17 Projects Shaping the Future of LED Lights
Solid-state lighting holds the promise of huge energy savings and long-lasting light sources. Here's how the U.S. Department of Energy is investing in a future illuminated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Click For More.
Viewtopia 01/26/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
This week, Horror and Sci-Fi buffs have something in common, each have two new releases sure to bought, downloaded or added to a Netflix queue including Surrogates, Saw VI, Pontypool and InAlienable. Click For More.
The World’s 18 Strangest Tunnels: Gallery
Tunnels, whether bored through imposing mountains or laid hundreds of feet under water, are inspiring feats of engineering. Here, PM presents a collection of the world's most interesting and impressive tunnels. Click For More.
The Big Money Behind Europe's U.S. Warplane Trash-Talk
European airplane makers brag about their success against U.S. aircraft during recent war games, but the jibes sound more like sales pitches than bragging rights. Click For More.
Can Sony's King-Size Shooter, MAG, Cut Through the Fog of War?
The graphics and gameplay mechanics seem familiar, but there is a major difference between MAG and other multiplayer games: Instead of hosting an eight- to 12-person fight, MAG has the means to provide players with a 200- to 256- player battle. Click For More.
VFX Artists Take on Angel Wings for Legion
When practical wing rigs failed, VFX artists stepped in to create realistic computer-generated ailerons for this tale of angels versus humanity—and each other. Click For More.
Six Industries Apple's Tablet Could Shake Up
Apple's tablet announcement is next week. And like the iPhone before it, the product may well have a power that ripples far beyond its on-sale date. Here are six industries that the Apple tablet could shake up. Click For More.
The Coming Apple Tablet: Why the Secret Is in the Software
Before Apple has a chance to announce any new products next week, Popular Mechanics senior technology editor Glenn Derene writes about how the new Apple touchscreen tablet—we're not the first tech editors to make this guess—will shake up the industry. Click For More.
U.S. Military Presence in the Haiti Relief Effort: Gallery
Here is a collection of photos that focuses on the earthquake relief operations being undertaken by the soldiers and sailors of U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard in and around Haiti. Click For More.
Viewtopia 01/19/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
This week, popcorn flicks rule as Gamer, Pandorum and Whiteout put Geeks on the edge of their seats. The Invention of Lying and Damages second season are as smart as they are entertaining. Click For More.
The (New) Home Theater Setup Guide
Just when you thought you'd mastered the mess of wires, plugs and ports required for HDTV and multichannel sound, the new era of networked home entertainment is changing everything—again. Here's what you need to know to hook up the ultimate home theater. Click For More.
Top 17 Science-Fiction-Themed Pinball Machines
Science-fiction and pinball are a natural fit. The genre's expansive worlds offer pinball designers far-out imagery to use in their games, and there's a natural overlap in the fan bases. Here are 17 of the greatest sci-fi-inspired pinball machines ever made. Click For More.
3 Next-Gen Fixes to the Coming Hard-Drive Crisis
Hard drives have enjoyed exponential storage capacity growth for years, but with high-definition movies and ever-more-complex games, the demand could soon outweigh the capacity. Is a storage crisis on the horizon? Click For More.
Why 3D Doesn't Work for TV, But Is Great for Gaming: Analysis
PM's Erik Sofge isn't impressed with 3D television, and isn't convinced by the 3D in movies. But he argues that the problems with 3D—from the gimmicks to the glasses—just don't extend to gaming. Here's why 3D is perfect for video games. Click For More.
Why China Needs Google More Than Google Needs China
Cyber attacks targeting Gmail accounts of Chinese human right activists have led to a decision by Google to relax self-censorship for China. Does China need Google's innovation and creativity more than Google needs China's business? Click For More.
Viewtopia 01/12/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
This week, two of PM's favorite films from last year drop on DVD and Blu-ray, the Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker and the trippy Sci-Fi flick Moon, not to mention Rob Zombie's Halloween II and Big Fan. Click For More.
Can Tablet Computers Really Hit Prime Time This Year? Analysis
The hardware is ready, and a wide array of new, fast processors are available for tablet duty. So why was the roster of tablets at CES less than impressive than I expected it to be? In a word, software. Click For More.
Boat Maker of Choice for Drug Smugglers Now Marketing to Cops
Cigarette Racing Team announced that it will be marketing high-end speedboats to military and law enforcement. A release from the company neglects to mention its past as the preferred vehicle for drug smugglers who want to outrun the Coast Guard. Click For More.
7 Small Companies With Big Inventions and Innovations
When the year offers little future tech from the big guns, it may be time turn to smaller companies who are often more agile, able to take bigger risks and follow boundary-pushing ideas. Here are 7 products and innovations coming out of the little guys. Click For More.
Editor's Choice Awards: 22 Top Products at CES 2010
There are thousands of new gadgets on display at the Consumer Electronics Show. Some will never hit stores, while others may reach millions of homes and change our daily routines. We waded through the clutter and picked our favorite products for this year. Click For More.
How I Learned to Love a Ridiculous Massage Chair
Most of the technology in the Doctor's Choice is the same Inada's previous top-of-the-line chairs: It squeezes your feet, your hands, your neck, back and, yes, even your buttocks. But the Doctor's Choice does something else—it takes control. Click For More.
Catching Up With Avatar Producer Jon Landau
Avatar producer Jon Landau was on hand at Panasonic's CES press conference to extoll the virtues of Panasonic's plasma monitors (which the filmmakers used for on-set playback during the film's production) and to discuss the future of 3D. Click For More.
Does the World Need 3D TV?
Stand back from the TVs folks, because 3D is comin' atcha. Hollywood has scored big over the past year with 3D movies, and now both Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry want to put 3D in your living room. Click For More.
AT&T Prepping for a Post-iPhone-Exclusive World
Many of AT&T's handset partners were present at their annual Developer Summit at CES in Las Vegas: RIM, HTC, Dell, Samsung and Motorola, but not Apple. The subtext of AT&T's event was clear: It is prepping for a time when it won't be the exclusive outlet for the iPhone. Click For More.
Toshiba's Cell TVs Will Convert 2D To 3D In Real Time
Toshiba's new line of 3D televisions powered by Cell processors will be able to render 3D images out of 2D content on the fly. Click For More.
How Vegas Security Drives Surveillance Tech Everywhere
Las Vegas casinos are incubators of the world's most advanced surveillance tech. Here's how the spy gear that helps Sin City has taught everyone from government to big banks how to snoop more effectively. Click For More.
Viewtopia 01/05/10: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
Think big with this week's latest releases, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' big food fights, The Final Destination's big scares, Chuck's big laughs and Big Love's big... family. Click For More.
CES Analysis: Do Google and Apple Make CES Irrelevant?
The Consumer Electronics Show is bookended by two of the biggest consumer electronics announcements of this year. Ironic, isn't it, that the show designed to be the showcase for the tech world is routinely upstaged by gadget news that goes on off site? Click For More.
3 Big Tech Predictions for the New Year (and CES 2010)
The annual Consumer Electronics Show is an excellent preview to the trends that the electronics industry will pursue in the coming year. But the convention is so large that it needs both perspective and context before it even starts. Click For More.
Lenovo Ideapad U1 Hybrid is one Crazy Laptop
One moment, it’s an ultraportable 11.6-inch Windows 7-running, Intel Core 2 Duo-powered laptop. The next: Its screen pops out into a tablet that runs on Qualcomm’s new low-power Snapdragon processor. Click For More.
Oil and Gas Drilling in Greenland to Begin This Summer
When the 748-foot Stena Forth plows into the deep waters of Greenland’s Disko West zone next summer, the advanced drillship will be taking the first crack at what could be the world’s biggest untapped reservoir of oil and gas. Click For More.
Top 10 VFX Scenes of 2009
In the year of the great recession, Hollywood blockbusters went bigger. There were taller Transformers, wider tidal waves, and, in the case of Avatar, more dimensions with which to pummel your brain. PM picks the best VFX scenes of 2009. Click For More.
Viewtopia 12/29/09: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
Ring in the new year with four, count'em four, frightfully good flicks including Jennifer's Body, Paranormal Activity, 9 and A Perfect Getaway. Or you could just sing along with the cast of Glee. Click For More.
Top 15 Events in the Past Decade of Gaming
The last decade has seen plenty of gaming failures—Nokia N-Gage anyone—but for every step back, there have been two forward. PM presents a timeline of the top 15 gaming milestones over the last 10 years. Click For More.
7 Top Technology Trends That Ruled 2009
The aughts saw an explosion of new technologies that few could predict at the beginning of the last decade, but in looking at the big picture, we didn't want to ignore some more recent—and crucial-—developments that happened just this year. Click For More.
Viewtopia 12/22/09: Top 5 DVDs of the Week (With Video!)
The holidays are traditionally a DVD dead zone, but that's not the case this year with some last minute stocking stuffers including District 9, Mike Judge's Extract and Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side. Click For More.
As Seen on TV Hopefuls Pitch Products on Inventor's Day
Inventor's Day—one of six annual casting calls for aspiring As Seen on TV product designers to pitch their inventions—took place on Dec. 9 at the New Jersey headquarters of infomercial giant Telebrands. PM's Harry Sawyers was on hand. Click For More.
Bike Commuter's Christmas: Gadget Gift Guide
Every commuter has a complaint—from sweat-inducing courier bags to bikes that take up too much room. This holiday season, remedy these complaints with these, the year's top gadgets, clothing and bike accessories for the commuter in your home. Click For More.
Viewtopia: Top 21 DVDs of the Year (With Video!)
Straight from the Viewtopia archives, PM's' weekly column of the hottest DVDs, Blu-rays and digital downloads for geeks, we have compiled the best releases of 2009. We've picked the top TV shows, box sets and, of course, Vampire movies of the year. Click For More.
17 Movies We're Geeked Out For in 2010
If you thought 2009 was a great year for movies, look out for 2010: From high-tech spy thrillers to mind-melters to VFX masterpieces, the upcoming season is filled with flicks for geeks. Here are the movies we're most looking forward to. Click For More.
7 Works of DIY Insanity at Gadgetoff '09
In a hidden corner of Staten Island, geeks gathered to show off their flaming, rocket-powered, glow-in-the-dark projects. Yes, Gadgetoff 2009 came and went in a blaze of DIY glory. Here is a collection of the fun, daring and insane projects at the festival. Click For More.
New Armored Ride Will Protect Troops From IEDs in Afghanistan
July was the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the war began. Fortunately, after nearly eight years of fighting, Army infantry and Marines will finally be getting a new vehicle that is designed to meet the challenges of the theater. Click For More.
Nerf N-STrike Raider Rapid Fire Is Lightweight, With Unprecedented Capacity: Tech Test
The Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 delivers a fully automatic stream of foam without the jamming issues that plagued earlier models. It also holds more ammo than any Nerf gun ever, thanks to a snap on tommy gun style 35-dart drum magazine. Click For More.
5 Extremely Dumb Military Designs from G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe–the toys, cartoons and, now, the movie, G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra–have a long history of bad procurement choices. Here, we look at the five most misguided equipment designs placed in the hands of G.I. Joe figurines over the years. Click For More.
Nikon D5000 Brings Impressive Sensor at Affordable Price: Tech Test
If you looked inside the Nikon D5000 and the more expensive Nikon D90, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the two cameras apart. So what are consumers sacrificing to get a camera that is a more compact version of the D90, but for hundreds of dollars less? Click For More.
How Effects Wizards Transformed G-Force From 2D to 3D
G-Force's filmmakers used new technology to create 3D that's different from anything currently in theaters, with some elements surpassing the complexity of the highly detailed robots in Transformers. Click For More.
6 Safe, Strong—and Chic—Bomb Shelters You Can Buy Now
It seems the world's threats loom large enough nowadays that anyone who isn't paranoid should pay more attention. Fortunately, bomb-shelter styles are as varied as the paths to annihilation. Here are six of our favorites. Click For More.Digital Hollywood
Alice in Wonderland
How Tim Burton created an immersive 3D world—without using stereoscopic cameras.
Science of Star Trek
It's only logical that PM would be interested in Trek's science and its real world parallels. Set your phasers to stun and read four real science lessons you can learn from Star Trek.This Week's Hot DVDs
Viewtopia looks at the hottest DVDs to add to your Amazon wish list and Netflix queue.
Must-Have Blu-Ray Epics
Every film buff needs a movie library to show off his HD system. These films offer up great stories, evocative soundtracks and dazzling visuals. Here are the movies hi-def was made for.ADVERTISEMENT
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It's solar's new dawn. Now new innovations are exiting the lab and plugging into the grid - turning sunlight into serious energy.
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Mythbusters
Mythbusters Central
Jamie and Adam break down today's tech conundrums, from the moon landing to the state of science in the classroom and more!Mythbusters
Jamie and Adam break down today's tech conundrums, from the moon landing to the state of science in the classroom and more!
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Breakthrough Awards '09
Top 10 Innovators Today
PM has been presenting the Breakthrough Awards for 5 years now, and we’ve considered thousands of potential winners. Here are the scientists promising us a brighter future now.Breakthrough Awards '08
Inventing the Future, Today
The early 20th century was a golden age of engineering. A century hence, observers may well look back at our era in much the same way. Welcome to the new golden age.
Breakthrough Awards
Big Ideas, Better World
For PM's third annual innovation celebration, we honor eight inventors (with video from the lab) and 10 products with one IQ-packed party and three discussions for our future.Gaming
Gaming Central
The Web's smartest analysis of the video game industry starts here with regular coverage of the latest from Nerdville.Technology News
Buzzword: Tech Trends
Senior tech editor Glenn Derene forecasts next-gen tech you haven't heard of yet but that's ready to be part of your everyday life.Digital Hollywood
Movies 2.0
Keep up to date with sci-fi news, digital F/X and more with PM's silver screen coverage.Military & Law Enforcement
War Tech 2.0
Breaking news, photos and analysis on the high-tech defense technology shaping America's battlegrounds.Robotics
It's a Bot, Bot World
There's never a dull moment in the world of automated machines, and we cover it bit by bit.Industry
10 Tech Terms for 2008
Machines are getting smaller, handier, and much smarter. Here's what you need to know.Featured Stories
You're Being Watched
Inside America's looming high-tech surveillance society. Have new cameras gone too far?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.The Popular Mechanics Show
Bi-weekly Podcast!
Leading experts and PM editors analyze the science, tech, home and car news you need to know now in a half-hour of brain power.9-11 Myths
9/11: Debunking the Myths
PM's investigation, greatly expanded in book form. Plus, new myths debunked.PM Ad Partner Links
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Current Issue
OUT NOW: Air Strike
Fewer pilots. More UAVs. In March, PM takes you behind the radical plan to reinvent the Air Force. Plus, take our DIY IQ test!PM Community
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PM Gadget of the Week
Verizon Motorola Devour"On the Droid, the keys are extremely flush, making it difficult to home in on the proper button, but with the Devour, the buttons are spaced apart and really pop off the device, making it easier to quickly press the right button, and giving greater tactile feedback each time you do."
Tech How-To Central
PM Poll
Your Cellphone Rights
Congress is trying to empower the consumer in the tug-of-war with mobile carriers. How much freedom do you want? 