Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), today we're launching new satellite imagery for Google’s mapping products. This stunning global view is virtually cloud-free and includes refreshed imagery in more locations—giving you an even more accurate and comprehensive view of our planet's landscape.
Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

Hands On With Windows 8.1

Windows 8 may not have caught every PC user's imagination just yet, but Microsoft is pressing on with updates regardless. At the Build conference for its developers in San Francisco on Wednesday, the software giant officially unveiled its first big update to the OS with the Modern (formerly Metro) interface.
Hands On With Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 Preview Released: What it Means and How to Get It

Microsoft released a preview of their update to Windows 8 today, and we’ve got all the details, starting with how to get your hands on it.
Windows 8.1 Preview Released: What it Means and How to Get It

20 Secret Passageways And Hidden Rooms Hiding In Plain Sight

History can be told in terms of secret passageways, hidden rooms and obscure tunnels. Wars have been won and lost by them, coup d’états sprung, and entire countries altered, thanks to a well-place nook or cranny. There are also plenty of modern-day uses, as you’ll see below — from drug smuggling tunnels from Tijuana to hidden doors that protect your most valuable chianti. Check out 20 of the best, below.
20 Secret Passageways And Hidden Rooms Hiding In Plain Sight

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

The beginning of summer doesn't necessarily make it any easier to battle a case of the Mondays. So to beat the sunny swelter and beat the Mondays in one sitting, go find some air conditioning and watch this week's viral video recap above.
Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Nik Wallenda Survives Insane Grand Canyon Tightrope Crossing [VIDEO]

Nik Wallenda, you're more man than the rest of us will ever be. Or you're just nuts. The professional daredevil completed a quarter-mile crossing of an offshoot of the Grand Canyon on Sunday, with one small catch: he was on a tightrope 1,500 feet above the canyon floor. NBD, right?
Nik Wallenda Survives Insane Grand Canyon Tightrope Crossing [VIDEO]

Three Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Online Spying

The recent PRISM scandal has validated both the general public’s growing unease with federal law enforcement agencies, and many of the fringe element’s accusations about Big Brother’s online behaviour. Just knowing governments can rummage through your online life doesn’t sit well with many folks. Here are some simple and effective ways of keeping your digital identity anonymous and your data your own.
Three Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Online Spying

TWA Flight 800 Spawned the Internet's First Conspiracy Theories

On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800 crashed just south of Long Island, claiming all 230 lives aboard the Boeing 747. A four-year National Transportation Safety Board investigation determined a fuel tank explosion was to blame for the incident. Even before NTSB investigators arrived at the scene, however, conspiracy theories began to float: Was it a terrorist armed with a shoulder-fired missile? Did somebody have a bomb on board? Or did the military accidentally shoot down the airplane?
TWA Flight 800 Spawned the Internet's First Conspiracy Theories

15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s

If you flip back to photos of your childhood, sometimes you'll wish that you hadn't. Perhaps your awkward haircuts and awkward poses weren't funny then, but they certainly are now. These tech ads make you feel the same way. The gadgets are clunky, the text is cheesy, and the graphics are so 80s.
15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s

Add Wireless Charging To Any Smartphone

We’ve seen plenty of phones that support wireless charging, but it’s still not a common feature on most phones. Over on Instructables, user Harari shows you how to add a wireless charging system to just about any mobile phone that charges with a USB.
Add Wireless Charging To Any Smartphone

5 Mistakes Job Interviewers Secretly Hate

Picture this: You’re a job candidate up for a role in a coveted organization. You’ve got the experience and referrals, and you’ve even managed to land an interview. So, come interview time, you’re pretty confident about your chances. Weeks later, you still haven't heard from the interviewer or the company. What gives?
5 Mistakes Job Interviewers Secretly Hate

How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection

We’ve all heard the rumors and seen occasional evidence — some Internet service providers slow down certain types of traffic, like BitTorrent traffic. Other ISPs slow down their customers’ connections if they download too much data in a month. But does your ISP do any of this? Here are a few simple ways you can test whether your ISP is performing any traffic shaping or bandwidth throttling on your connection.
How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection

It may be time to switch to DuckDuckGo or Startpage for web search

News about the government surveillance system PRISM broke only a couple of days ago even though it appears to have been in use for years. Major tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook or Apple have reportedly been involved in the program. While it is not clear how each company is involved, newspapers like The Guardian report that the NSA had access to email, chat messages, video conferencing or file transfers.
It may be time to switch to DuckDuckGo or Startpage for web search

Format Factory 3.1.0

Format Factory is a free audio, video and photo converter that supports a large range of formats for encoding and ripping. You can convert either single files or entire folders from one format to another.
Format Factory 3.1.0

15 System Tools You Don’t Have To Install on Windows Anymore

Windows includes its own versions of many widely used system utilities. A variety of new utilities were added to Windows 8, but many of these utilities are available on Windows 7, too.
15 System Tools You Don’t Have To Install on Windows Anymore

Should You Buy a More Expensive Product?

In general, people want to make financially responsible decisions when they go shopping. Often times, I look at two apparently identical items that priced differently. On some occasions, the difference between two products is as obvious as the price. The question is: should you buy the cheaper item or the more expensive one? Do you purchase entry level items or upgraded ones?
Should You Buy a More Expensive Product?

This Fun Visualisation Shows You What People Are Googling In Real Time

Ever wanted to know what people are looking for on Google right now? This visualisation should help you out.
This Fun Visualisation Shows You What People Are Googling In Real Time

Hands On With iOS 7: It's Just the Beginning

When Tim Cook unveiled iOS 7 at WWDC this week, he called it "the biggest change to iOS since the original iPhone."
Hands On With iOS 7: It's Just the Beginning

Hilarious Prank Captures Awkward Photo Poses [VIDEO]

The few seconds before someone snaps your picture is the ultimate moment of vulnerability. So imagine the prolonged embarrassment when those moments are captured in a video rather than a photograph.
Hilarious Prank Captures Awkward Photo Poses [VIDEO]

Check Out This Otherworldly Footage Of A Storm Supercell Forming

It took photographer/storm chaser/all-around brave guy Mike Olbinski four years to capture this footage of the formation of a supercell near Booker, Texas. That is some real commitment, and it finally paid off in an awesome way.
Check Out This Otherworldly Footage Of A Storm Supercell Forming