Air

Six cybertools have been designated as weapons by the U.S. Air Force, allowing the programs to better compete for increasingly scarce Pentagon funding, an Air Force official said on Monday.

Lt. Gen. John Hyten, vice commander of Air Force Space Command, told a conference held in conjunction with the National Space Symposium that the new designations would boost the profile of the military's cyberoperations as countries grapple with attacks originating from the Internet.

"This means that the game-changing capability that cyber is, is going to get more attention and the recognition that it deserves," Hyten told … Read more

Users who work on multiple wireless networks may find native managers insufficient. AirRader for Mac provides additional wireless management options in a relatively easy-to-use format.

AirRader for Mac is available as a free trial version with a 15-day limit. The full, unrestricted version requires a $19.95 payment. The download was fast and the program's native installer was well designed. The installer did require acceptance of a user agreement and a pop-up prompted payment to access the full version, but this was easily dismissed. The menu's major options available to the user are relatively easy to locate and … Read more

The very name of Air Missile Commander calls to mind classic '70s and '80s arcade games like Missile Command. The comparison is apt, as this game takes many of its gameplay elements from the basic "destroy before you are destroyed" style of play that was popular in that era. It has a few flourishes, however, and despite a relatively simplistic interface and graphics, Air Missile Commander becomes a fairly fun game as you progress in levels.

The idea of Air Missile Commander is simple. You are given 100 missiles and must direct them at the tanks on screen. … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Ad creep creeps are getting creepier -- a couple of the strangest ad-placements ever.

- You know Best Buy is doing poorly when a positive customer review is news.

- How manufactured smells are making people shop longer and kill better.

- Jack from our 404 Subreddit created an RSS feed of every 404 episode. Thanks dude!… Read more

It's really a shame that the iPad, or any tablet or smartphone for that matter, comes with such a limited amount of internal storage -- usually around 64GB (OK, there's a 128GB iPad, but it's just too expensive). And after the operating system and apps, the remaining space for digital content is much less than that. This is the reason a wireless storage expander is a must for savvy users who want to carry their entire digital library around with them.

The good news is there is now a relatively big selection of these type of devices. … Read more

There are certain games that were meant for a touch screen; games in which buttons would be superfluous. Air Traffic Controller 4.0 XL Lite for iOS is one such game. While there will certainly be comparisons to other (one in particular) games in this niche, Air Traffic Controller manages to find its own way with a number of unique features, engaging gameplay elements, and challenges. The interface is simple enough, the menu bare-bones, and the Lite version has a number of ads, but the game itself is solid and while you won't have access to all 50 levels, … Read more

The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to require the Defense Department to disclose whether military drones are being operated domestically to conduct surveillance on American citizens.

A requirement buried in a lengthy appropriations bill calls on newly confirmed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to disclose to Congress what "policies and procedures" are in place "governing the use" of military drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) domestically. The report is due no later than 90 days after the bill is signed into law.

The vote on the bill, which was overwhelmingly supported by Republicans and … Read more

Looks like someone in the New York City area needs to keep their robot plane on a shorter leash.

Federal authorities are investigating today after the pilot of an Alitalia flight spotted what appeared to be a small, unmanned drone hovering close by as the passenger flight made its approach in to New York's JFK airport on Monday afternoon. The drone reportedly came within 200 feet of the jet.

Don't get all panicky over the prospect of a possible al Qaeda sleeper cell in Queens though. The eyewitness said the drone was black in color, no more than 3 feet wide, and had four propellers -- a description much more similar to a Parrot drone than a Predator.… Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Just say no: Polaroid returns with an instant camera shaped like...the Instagram icon.

- "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" theme song prompts school lockdown.

- You should watch "Room 237," a fan theory documentary about "The Shining."

- 50 fan theories that will blow your mind, and the Subreddit that goes with it.… Read more