Boston

In the wake of today's deadly twin bombings at the Boston Marathon's finish line, the Boston Police has turned to Twitter to disseminate information and gather potential evidence.

Not long after the explosions killed two and injured dozens, the Boston Police Department's official Twitter feed was devoted to information about the attacks, including giving frequent updates on casualty and injury counts and asking people not to congregate in large crowds.

The police also used its feed to allay fears that an incident at the John F. Kennedy Library in south Boston was related to the marathon explosions. … Read more

People in the Boston area, and those close to people possibly affected by today's explosions there, are understandably worried about their ability to find or communicate with each other. As a result, a number of organizations have created resources to help. This is a collection of several of them.

Tracking friends and family

For those trying to track down people they worry might have been victims of the explosions, there are at least two people finders. First is one set up by Google, and a second comes from the Red Cross. A third service is a list of runners who checked in … Read more

As news spread of the blasts at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday afternoon, people in the area reported that phone lines were down and cell phone calls could not get through. However, smartphones enabled some to send text messages and update social media accounts.

People took to social media sites like Twitter and Instagram to notify loved ones that they were OK. Others were using Twitter as a tool to reach out and ask those in the area to post updates.

Law enforcement officials could have something very different on their hands as they investigate the dual bomb blasts that struck the Boston Marathon finish line today: a potential abundance of photo and video evidence from the public.

Government surveillance, while growing, still misses more than it catches. But events with thousands of spectators offer the potential for a detailed crowdsourced record of what happened.

This public panopticon is changing how we see the world. February's Russian meteor was captured by many dash-cams mounted in Russian cars, but in this case the event is of profound interest to law enforcement … Read more

Shortly after at least two bombs exploded near the Boston Marathon finish line today, reportedly killing at least two people and injuring dozens, cell phone service in the heart of the city was severely disrupted.

An Associated Press report initially claimed, citing an anonymous law enforcement official, that "cellphone service has been shut down in the Boston area to prevent any potential remote detonations of explosives." But AP reporter Peter Svensson said on Twitter at 2:45 p.m. PT that "cellphone problems in Boston are not due to an intentional shutdown" and the wire service was publishing an updated story. AP subsequently reported that service was operating in the Boston area, though cell traffic was heavy in the aftermath of the bombings. … Read more

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Oakley and golf champ Bubba Watson have teamed to build the world's first hovercraft golf cart. A physicist invents a way to write e-mail using a guitar, and a "Star Trek" phaser rifle from the original series sells for a staggering sum. … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Hi-fi reviews based purely on the feel of the knob .

- Which celebrities can you pay to message on Facebook?

- Can you bully a celebrity? Short answer: no.

- How the hell do you pronounce GIF anyway?

- Follow Emily Dreyfuss on Twitter.… Read more

If the apparel oft proclaims the man, as Polonius said in "Hamlet," then the camo suit proclaims the robot.

Boston Dynamics is showing off new duds for its Petman humanoid robot platform, and it looks rather badass.

Peman is a walking, squatting, flexing hazmat suit testing machine. It's designed to stand up to chemical warfare agents.

With nothing on, it looks like The Terminator. But when it's wearing this camouflage chemical suit and gas mask, you could mistake it for a real soldier. … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- In Jeff's words, April Fool's is a day for unfunny people to tell jokes. With that, I'm pretty sure this prank was posted two weeks early.

- The OPMOD/ThinkGeek Battle Mug: an elegant drink receptacle for a more civilized age.

- Boston police go undercover online to stop DIY punk shows.

- Latest Japanese schoolgirl trend: Fake Dragon Ball attacks.

- Walmart may get customers to deliver packages to online buyers.

- Sales of twin-size beds drop as Tweens demand bigger beds...for their tablets.… Read more