Devin Coldewey
Writer & Photographer
The Latest from Devin Coldewey
$100M Grant for the Web fund aims to jump-start a new way to pay online
Getting paid for providing content online isn't simple, and as the ad-based economy continues to collapse pretty much everyone is looking for alternatives. One problem: While the web is great at movin
This prosthetic arm combines manual control with machine learning
Prosthetic limbs are getting better every year, but the strength and precision they gain doesn't always translate to easier or more effective use, since amputees have only a basic level of control ove
Space is the next economic frontier… hear more about it at Disrupt SF
For decades space has been the playplace for world powers, but the advent of (relatively) cheap and frequent rocket launches has opened it up for new business opportunities. But it's still hard as hel
Scientists propose ‘Spaceline’ elevator to the Moon
Fans of sci-fi and fringe tech may already be familiar with the idea of the "space elevator," which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like — and totally impossible with today's technology. But a
Nintendo shows off exercise-powered RPG for Switch, Ring Fit Adventure
Nintendo has been at the crossroads of video games and fitness since the famous Power Pad for the NES, and the Switch is the latest to receive a game powered by physical activity: Ring Fit Adventure.
Hubble spots liquid water on a ‘super-Earth’ 110 light-years away
Water is not uncommon to find in our galaxy in ice or gaseous form, but liquid water is quite rare — and liquid and gaseous water on an Earth-like exoplanet? That's never been observed... until now.
Hatebase catalogues the world’s hate speech in real time so you don’t have to
Policing hate speech is something nearly every online communication platform struggles with. Because to police it, you must detect it; and to detect it, you must understand it. Hatebase is a company t
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey gets an educational mode — complete with quizzes
In my review of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, I was blown away by the authenticity and level of detail in the game world. The game itself — well, it was fine. But the highlight was ancient Greece in al
Why does the new iPhone 11 Pro have 3 cameras?
On the back of the iPhone 11 Pro can be found three cameras. Why? Because the more light you collect, the better your picture can be. And we pretty much reached the limit of what one camera can do a l
FDA says Juul ‘ignored the law’ and warns it may take action
The Food and Drug Administration has put vaping giant Juul on notice with a pair of letters calling the company out for misleading statements about its products and ongoing targeting of teens. It is d
CDC says stop vaping as mystery lung condition spreads
Vape lung is spreading and the CDC is warning people not to use vaping products while they are investigating the cause. In a media briefing, the public health agency said that some 450 people are now
Apple doesn’t want Google ‘stoking fear’ about serious iOS security exploits
Apple has issued a tart response to an extensive report by Google of a serious security flaw in iOS. The flaw, which let an attacker gain root access to a device visiting a malicious website, was repo
Anti-utopian type design with Monotype’s Charles Nix
Monotype recently introduced a new typeface called Ambiguity, created by its chief type designer, Charles Nix. Its unusual proportions deliberately challenge typographical conventions, going wide wher
Facebook is making its own deepfakes and offering prizes for detecting them
Image and video manipulation powered by deep learning, or so-called “deepfakes,” represent a strange and horrifying facet of a promising new field. If we’re going to crack down on th
USB4 brings better speeds and compatibility — but loses the space in the name
The organizations behind the widely used USB standard have released some new info on the latest iteration of the interface, and it's nothing but good news for consumers. It'll be faster and bring impr
Near miss between science craft and Starlink satellite shows need to improve orbital coordination
A European satellite that measures the Earth's winds using lasers had a close encounter with one of SpaceX's Starlink constellation yesterday in a situation that illustrates the growing inadequacy of
13 ways to screw over your internet provider
Internet providers are real bastards: they have captive audiences whom they squeeze for every last penny while they fight against regulation like net neutrality and donate immense amounts of money to
‘Behind the Screen’ illuminates the invisible, indispensable content moderation industry
The moderators who sift through the toxic detritus of social media have gained the spotlight recently, but they've been important for far longer — longer than internet giants would like you to know.
Softly, softly, catchy jelly: This ‘ultragentle’ robotic gripper collects fragile marine life
The creatures of the depths live in a very different world — one lethal to us. But our world is lethal to them as well, all sharp edges and rapid movements. If we're to catch and learn about the sof
IBM’s quantum-resistant magnetic tape storage is not actually snake oil
Usually when someone in tech says the word "quantum," I put my hands on my ears and sing until they go away. But while IBM's "quantum computing safe tape drive" nearly drove me to song, when I thought