Devin Coldewey
Writer & Photographer
The Latest from Devin Coldewey
How Squishy Robotics created a robot that can be safely dropped out of a helicopter
If you want to build a robot that can fall hundreds of feet and be no worse the wear, legs are pretty much out of the question. The obvious answer, then, is a complex web of cable-actuated rods. Obvio
Why we’re looking into the Mueller report
After nearly two years of investigation and months of delays (not to mention partisan bickering the whole time), Special Investigator Robert Mueller's report on the President's campaign and Russian in
FCC looks to slap down China Mobile’s attempt to join US telecom system
The FCC has proposed to deny an application from China Mobile, a state-owned telecom, to provide interconnect and mobile services here in the U.S., citing security concerns. It's another setback to th
Xbox One does away with discs in new $249 All-Digital Edition
Discs! What are they good for? Well, if they're nice if you don't want to be tied to an online-only ecosystem. But if you don't mind that, Microsoft's latest Xbox One S "All-Digital Edition" might be
Chilly reception for marijuana tycoon game shows games industry’s backwards stance on drugs
Intense and graphic violence is something we've come to simply expect from games, but sexual and other adult themes are still largely taboo — including, as publisher Devolver Digital is learning, dr
OpenAI Five crushes Dota2 world champs, and soon you can lose to it too
Dota2 is one of the most popular, and complex, online games in the world, but an AI has once again shown itself to supersede human skill. In matches over the weekend, OpenAI's "Five" system defeated t
David Copperfield’s secret magic techniques crash-landed on the Moon
The loss of Israel's Beresheet lander during its descent to the lunar surface was unfortunate, but the mission was still largely a success — and has certainly created an interesting cultural artifac
Did you fly a drone over Fenway Park? The FAA would like a chat
Drones are great. But they are also flying machines that can do lots of stupid and dangerous things. Like, for instance, fly over a major league baseball game packed with spectators. It happened at Fe
Matt Cutts on solving big problems with lean solutions at the US Digital Service
Updating the federal government's digital infrastructure seems like a Herculean task akin to cleaning out the Augean stables. Where do you even start shoveling? Former Googler and current head of the
This little translator gadget could be a traveling reporter’s best friend
If you're lucky enough to travel abroad, you know it's getting easier and easier to use our phones and other gadgets to translate for us. So why not do so in a way that makes sense to you? This little
Trifecta! SpaceX launches first mission on Falcon Heavy and lands all three boosters
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch vehicle undertook its first commercial mission today, taking a communications satellite to orbit and proving the viability of its heavy-lift rocket platform. And as a piec
Twin astronaut study suggests interplanetary travel may not be a health risk
The human body "remains robust and resilient" after almost a year in space, according to a long-term, multi-institutional study of twins, one of whom lived aboard the International Space Station for 3
Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft is lost during historic lunar landing attempt
Israel's SpaceIL almost made history today as its Beresheet spacecraft came within an ace of landing on the surface of the Moon, but suffered a last minute failure during descent. Israel missed out on
Vector, Virgin and a mystery team will compete in DARPA’s $34M launch challenge
DARPA wants to be able to launch anywhere, any time, and several times in a row. Is that too much to ask? Not for Vector Space, Virgin Orbit, and an unnamed startup that just qualified to take place i
Watch SpaceX’s historic Falcon Heavy Launch and triple landing attempt here
It's finally launch day (again) for the Falcon Heavy's first mission, and SpaceX's heavy-duty rocket platform is due to take off at 3:35 PM Pacific time after high winds scrubbed yesterday's attempt.
Net neutrality restoring Save the Internet Act passes House, moving on to Senate
A bill intended to restore 2015's net neutrality rules has passed in the House of Representatives 232-190, and will soon be in consideration in the Senate. The 'Save the Internet Act' may be doomed to
Amazon’s entry-level 2019 Kindle is let down by a sub-par display
Amazon's Kindle is of course the brand most think of when they consider buying an e-reader, but competition does exist and the truth is it makes the company's newest entry-level device look like a poo
Flying taxis could be more efficient than gas and electric cars on long-distance trips
Flying cars definitely sound cool, but whether they're actually a good idea is up for debate. Fortunately they do seem to have some surefire benefits, among which you can now count improved efficiency
Facebook’s AI team maps the whole population of Africa
A new map of nearly all of Africa shows exactly where the continent's 1.3 billion people live down to the meter, which could help everyone from local governments to aid organizations. The map joins ot