Ad: Manage updates with the Download App
ie8 fix

krypton

Do not attempt: Mixing alcohol with a Krypton laser

Good things happen when you don't drink but do fire lasers.

Last time we checked in on the antics of Scott Stevenson (aka WorldScott), he was vaporizing a row of 100 balloons with a Spyder Krypton laser.

He's been at it again, this time firing the green-light 100mW Krypton at some flash paper atop a bottle full of alcohol.

The result is spectacular, but it looks even better when the laser ignites the contents of 10 bottles in a row.

The burning flash paper sets off a jet of fire from the bottles, as well as what looks … Read more

Microsoft kills Messenger to push Skype

Wednesday's CNET Update is app happy:

Today's tech news roundup bids farewell to Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft is pushing users to use Skype instead for instant messaging. The latest Skype update lets users transfer contacts from Messenger.

The new Xbox SmartGlass app is now available for Apple devices. The app turns an iOS device into a second screen for navigating through Xbox menus and media, and it's easier to type with an iOS keyboard. Some games have extra features for SmartGlass, like Halo 4, Dance Central 3 and Forza Horizon.

If you're wondering about an app for Microsoft Office, … Read more

Neil deGrasse Tyson locates Superman's home planet

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman's home star system! Thanks to astrophysicist and geek all-star Neil deGrasse Tyson, Krypton has been located within the known universe.

Tyson teamed with DC Comics to track down a Krypton-like system that matches hints from the comics. He found a fitting red dwarf in the constellation Corvus (the crow) in the southern sky, a mere 27.1 light years from Earth. … Read more