Midtown Blogger/Manhattan Valley Follies: Gizmodo Australia

REGULARS

Government Outs Anti-Piracy Plan: Site Blocking, Infringement Notices And Industry Code Part Of The Crackdown

This is it. After months of consultation, a public forum and enough leaks to sink a commercial freighter, the Attorney General George Brandis and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull have finally confirmed how they’ll deal with Aussie pirates.

ENTERTAINMENT

Netflix Probably Won't Kill Your US Account When It Launches In Australia

LUKE HOPEWELLTODAY 12:30 PM

Cliff Edwards is Netflix’s director of corporate communications and technology, and he confirmed yesterday that while he’s not into the idea of Aussies using their VPNs to access the service, there’s not much the company can do about it come Australian launch time.

GADGETS

Google's Cardboard VR Headset Is About To Be Better Than Ever

ERIC LIMERTODAY 12:30 PM

Remember that fun little cardboard VR headset Google trotted out at Google I/O? Remember how it wound up being one of the coolest things there? Google does, and that’s probably why the search giant is upping its cheap VR game.

ENTERTAINMENT

Monsters Practise Mind Control In The New Pixar Joint Inside Out

LESLIE HORNTODAY 12:00 PM

Here’s the first full trailer for Pixar’s 2015 monster movie, Inside Out. We’ve seen bits and pieces of it teased out, but this is the first real preview. It looks good!

SOFTWARE

You Can Remove Any Apps Messing With Google Chrome Using This New Tool

DAVID NIELDTODAY 11:45 AM

There are some shady software applications in circulation that will try and change your browser settings without your knowledge. One of the best known examples being when you load up your browser to find a completely different, heavily sponsored homepage in place. Google has a new tool that can watch for sneaky changes being made to Chrome.

CARS

Giz Explains: Why Objects In The Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

ANDREW TARANTOLATODAY 11:30 AM

The passenger-side mirror of every modern car bears the same warning: “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” Ever wondered why? It’s no design fault; it’s actually a safety feature.

ONLINE

Greens Won't Support Government's 'De Facto Internet Filter' To Stop Piracy

LUKE HOPEWELLTODAY 11:15 AM

The Turnbull/Brandis plan to introduce site blocking procedures in Australia as a way to combat piracy doesn’t have many backers outside of the government and content industry right now. Senator Scott Ludlam of the Greens came out and slammed the plan, saying that the party wouldn’t support the government’s “de facto internet filter”.

GADGETS

Tracking A Gadget's Journey From The Mine To Beneath The Christmas Tree

KELSEY CAMPBELL-DOLLAGHANTODAY 11:00 AM

Imagine you’re in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Behind you is China, below you are thousands of tonnes of consumer goods destined for faraway ports, then stores, then maybe a spot beneath a Christmas tree. You are part of a vast economy that supplies the things we buy — a galaxy of cities, systems and people that is largely unacknowledged and rarely seen. Unless you know where to look.

ENTERTAINMENT

Android TV May Support Live TV Someday

SEAN HOLLISTERTODAY 10:45 AM

Android TV is currently an unfinished operating system for a broken set-top box. We wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole as of now. But it looks like Google’s planning to introduce an intriguing new feature: the ability to watch live television.

COMPUTING

Buying Guide: Specs Your Child's Christmas Laptop Needs For School

LUKE HOPEWELLTODAY 10:40 AM

Christmas shopping season is upon us, and that means deciding on the best presents for the people in your lives. If you’re a parent, it makes sense to consider a new laptop for your kids that can also serve them well in the new school year. Here are some important tips on what to look for…