stand

At Square, an obsession with the 'magic' of hardware design

SAN FRANCISCO -- After eight years as director of engineering for iPhone, iPod, and iPad accessories at Apple, Jesse Dorogusker could have gone just about anywhere he wanted for his next gig.

He chose Square, the mobile payments company that, among other things, gives away its signature credit card reader for free.

By Dorogusker's own admission, that's a "terrible hardware business" model. So what inspired someone with a solid gold resume to leave a company that makes billions on hardware for a place that gives away his work for nothing?

For Dorogusker, it was the opportunity … Read more

The 404 1,284: Where we're judged by John Hodgman (podcast)

Comedian and self-appointed judge John Hodgman reveals the secrets to surviving the apocalypse and answers your questions about National Doughnut Day, the proper way to grow a mustache, and how to deal with Internet whiners.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to Netflix and check out John's stand-up special "Ragnarok" on June 20, push play, and walk away. John's also performing in Chicago on June 13 at the Just For Laughs comedy festival. Details on all his tours can be found here and on John's Twitter!… Read more

The 404 1,280: Where we dig up the truth (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Film crew to dig up Atari landfill site, maybe score 3.5 million copies of E.T.

- The opposite of standing desks: the computer workstation for the person with everything.

- Unlocking The Truth is the most brutal sixth grade metal band ever.

- Hatebeak: a death metal band fronted by a parrot.

- Ex-military snipers called into shoot feral goats from helicopters to protect Galapagos Tortoise population.… Read more

Square adds PayPal-like cash by e-mail feature

Square has launched a new feature that will let anyone send cash to anyone else's debit card.

The new Square Cash service, which is currently invite-only, seems to bring the mobile payments company a little closer to PayPal's core offering. A video for the service suggests that anyone using it can send money simply by using the recipient's e-mail address.

Reached for comment, a Square spokesperson said only that, "We're excited to share Square Cash with our friends. We'll continue to invite others to try it out in the coming weeks."

TechCrunch was … Read more

Fund this: Keyprop adds a smartphone stand to your keychain

In my ideal universe, all meals are pizza, all pizzas make you lose weight, and every smartphone comes with some kind of kickstand.

That's because I like to read or watch videos while eating my magical weight-loss pizzas. Alas, very few phones can be propped up at comfortable viewing angles -- not without some kind of DIY stand.

Or this: The Keyprop is a smartphone stand that rides shotgun on your keychain. Or it will, if developer Alison Wong raises enough funds.

The Keyprop looks like your average plastic key, save for two small "teeth" that protrude … Read more

Hands-on with the Une Bobine charging stand for iPhone

When the Une Bobine made its Kickstarter debut about a year ago, I had the same reaction as a lot of people: What the heck does "Une Bobine" mean?

One look at the product and I definitely wanted to find out. Alas, I've forgotten too much of my high-school French (sorry, Mrs. Herman), but Google knows all: Bobine means "coil," and that's exactly what this thing is: a coiled, goose-neck sync/charge cable for the iPhone. (There's also a microUSB version for Android and other phones.)

What does a coil get you that … Read more

Stand and deliver: BDI home theater furniture

I bought a BDI stand for my TV 10 years ago, and it still looks great. That says a lot about BDI's quality -- I'm constantly swapping out gear, and the stand is good as new. They no longer make the mostly glass unit I own, but their range of new models is huge.

Most of BDI's current designs feature medium-density fiberboard (MDF) construction, with gorgeous, real hardwood veneers. MDF is better than solid wood in these types of cabinets, real wood shelves bow or warp when heavy gear is placed on them for long periods of … Read more

The 404 1,217: Where it's kind of hot in these rhinos (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Discussion: Are you spoiling a movie for yourself by listening to the soundtrack before watching the movie? Inspired by Clint Mansell's new "Stoker" score available to stream.

- Discussion: Which programs are still shown in standard definition?

- The New York Times warns against sitting at work.… Read more

Bodum bounces clear into baking

Kitchen appliances for generations have been sleek, shiny things not designed to particularly appeal to our senses as much as to convey a sense of almost clinical utility. The hearth of the home, being what it is -- a place of warmth and sustenance -- has in recent years seen a growing trend of kitchen gear and gadgets being more colorful than shiny. Bright splashes of color appeal to a broad range of consumers, but sometimes it is the complete lack of color that offers something more.

The Bodum Bistro 5-Quart Capacity Electric Stand Mixer ($400) updates a kitchen classic … Read more

How to hide the Newsstand icon in a folder on iOS

Remember when you could hide the Newsstand icon in a folder on your iOS device as long as you were fast enough? Good times. When Apple fixed the bug that allowed us to hide the folder, it was only a matter of time before a non-jailbreak method made its way to the Internet.

As iDownloadBlog pointed out this morning, the solution is StifleStand, a Mac app (a Windows version is in the works) that creates a magical folder on your iOS device with Newsstand conveniently placed inside it. The best part is you don't have to worry about jailbreaking … Read more