Robots have been a staple of science-fiction and other literary works dating back to the late 19th century, so it’s no wonder they’ve played such a big role on TV. Interestingly, most of the robots who made an impact on pop culture were featured on series that aired between the 1950s and ’70s, when robots were still outlandish enough to be considered completely futuristic. But now that they’re being built to dance, play music, and clean house, they don’t pack the same far-future punch they used to. At any rate, the robots on this list were and are some of the best ever brought to the small screen, from the niche favorites to the characters that everyone still knows.

1. Rosey the Robot Maid, “The Jetsons”: Rosey joined the Jetson home in the series’ first episode, which aired in September 1962. A mix of willing helper and put-upon servant, she was a sarcastic comic relief in an animated sitcom that felt a little too closely modeled on its real-life counterparts. Still, she and the rest of the show proved so popular that the original 24 episodes ran in syndication for decades.
2. Robot B-9, “Lost in Space”: Insert your own “Danger!” jokes here: Robot B-9, often simply referred to as “The Robot,” spent most of the three-season run of “Lost in Space” shouting for young Will Robinson to just once watch where he’s going. He had a similar design to Robby the Robot, which debuted in Forbidden Planet and was cycled among various TV series for years, and like Robby, B-9 appeared in a few other places when his original series ended. His presence in pop culture is unshakeable, as evidenced by the fact that you got the joke in the first sentence without explanation.
3. The Cylons, “Battlestar Galactica”: The Cylons have vastly different looks and abilities between the original “Battlestar Galactica” and its 2004 reboot. They started out as brain-dead toasters, but the new series gave them the ability to create different humanoid versions and engage in some questionable mythology on their journey toward universal domination. One thing’s for certain, though: robots have never been hotter.
4. Twiki and Dr. Theopolis, “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”: The 1979 TV version of “Buck Rogers” was pretty corny, an image that wasn’t helped by robot characters like Twiki and Dr. Theopolis. Twiki didn’t do much but wander around like a lost sidekick, and he wore the smaller robot, Dr. Theopolis, attached to his chest. It was Theo’s job to help Buck fit in after arriving in the future after 500 years of suspended animation. The duo was created as a knock-off of C-3PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars — one short, one erudite — but with less creativity and a smaller budget.
5. KITT, “Knight Rider”: To this day, children of the 1980s dream of owning a talking Pontiac Firebird. Knight Industries Two Thousand, better known as KITT, was the gadget-filled car that let Michael Knight fight crime and seduce women with equally improbable skill. Full of tricks, impossible to kill, and always there with a wry response, the car was a boy’s dream.
6. Optimus Prime, “Transformers”: Decades before he was a character in a pair of bombastic Michael Bay movies, Optimus Prime was just a toy being shoe-horned into a cartoon by a corporation looking to goose their sales. Ah, youth. Optimus was the leader of the Autobots, who are eternally at war with the Decepticons, and they’re all a bunch of giant alien robots who turn into cars and planes to blend in on Earth. His character’s so imposing in the new films that it’s easy to forget he started out as a simple cab-over truck with bright red and blue panels and not much else. Again, he’s the one Transformer that everyone can easily name and recognize, making him the biggest thing to come out of the show.
7. Bender, “Futurama”: Bender — or, if you want, Bender Bending Rodriguez — is the foul-mouthed, booze-fueled bending unit on “Futurama.” The geek-friendly and cult-favorite series ran from 1999-2003 before releasing a few direct-to-DVD movies and then returning with new episodes in 2010, and Bender’s position as a fan favorite is definitely one of the things that helped keep the show alive. Even on a show packed with jokes, he’s got some of the best lines, and his unique shape is recognizable even to non-fans.
8. Mecha-Streisand, “South Park”: Matt Stone and Trey Parker have left no celebrity untouched on “South Park,” so by their standards, turning Barbra Streisand into a crowd-slaughtering robot isn’t that bad. She shows up in the first season after taking a relic from the boys and turning into a giant robot, only to be defeated when Robert Smith of The Cure turns into a giant moth monster and fights her. Happily for viewers (probably less so for Streisand), the character returned in the epic 200th episode of the series, decked out with new weapons.
9. Buffybot, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”: It’s tough to pick just one robot from Joss Whedon’s cult hit — John Ritter was pretty creepy as an android/stepdad-type guy — but the Buffybot wins for being an example of how inventive and playful the show could be, and how good it was at mining situations for equal parts humor and despair. Modeled after Buffy, the Buffybot was designed as a pleasure toy (yeesh) before the good guys reprogrammed it to be a helper when the real Buffy was incapacitated by death. She only showed up a few times, but was a solid addition to a sprawling fictional world. (Also, I tried to find a video of Buffybot, but all I found were really uncomfortable and sad fanvids, so just enjoy this generic clip instead.)
10. Tom Servo and Robot T. Crew, “Mystery Science Theater 3000″: Have there ever been two funnier robots? The answer you’re looking for is no, not at all. The wisecracking robots of “Mystery Science Theater 3000″ were the ideal comic foils for Joel Hodgson and later Mike Nelson as they riffed their way through some of the worst movies ever made. The jokes come so fast that you can’t get them all in one sitting. There are tons of DVDs available and plenty of clips floating around online, so if you’re new to MST3K or just need a pick-me-up while you’re waiting on 5 p.m., have a look:

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Good news, everyone! These magical devices are coming soon to a store near you! Okay, that’s a lie. You’d need a What-If Machine to see what life would be like if you could outfit yourself with these awesome “Futurama” inventions. Still, it’s fun to dream. The animated cult classic, now resurrected on Comedy Central, is rightly praised for its comic creativity, and these gadgets are perfect examples of the show’s sci-fi-flavored wit and humor. And yes, they’re still just fictional at this point, but with power laces one step closer to reality, it’s tempting to think that these inventions aren’t far behind.

1. The What-If Machine: Professor Farnsworth’s What-If Machine first appeared in “Anthology of Interest I” as a cute way of forwarding the plot and allowing the characters to watch a series of stories imagining what would happen if their lives were different. It’s a gag device used to let the writers tell out-of-continuity stories, but it’d be a fantastic device to have in real life. Jobs and relationships would become zero-risk enterprises.

Futurama
Impulsive Leela
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2. The Time Machine That Only Goes Forward: In “The Late Philip J. Fry,” the professor takes Fry and Bender on a journey in his time machine. The catch: it only goes forward in time. The mishap sends them skipping into the future in hopes of finding a machine that goes backward, only to discover that if they go far enough, the universe dies and then starts up again, putting them back where they started. This would be fantastic for checking out how things go in the future, then going around the horn into the past to fix your mistakes.

Futurama
In Search of a Backwards Time Machine
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3. The Smell-o-Scope: The professor’s giant Smell-o-Scope can be used to smell odors from very far away, including on another planet. It first appeared in “A Big Piece of Garbage,” alerting the crew to a giant garbage ball on a collision course with Earth, and later showed up in “A Clone of My Own” when the gang used it to find the professor after he’s taken to the hidden retirement home. The real-world implications of the Smell-o-Scope are pretty dangerous, though it would be interesting to smell what’s happening in other countries.

Futurama
Smelloscope
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4. The Death Clock: One of the professor’s more overlooked inventions, the Death Clock is just what it sounds like: a device designed to let a person know how much time they have left to live. A real-world Death Clock would present its share of philosophical problems, but it would still be amazing to know just how much time you have to live your life to its fullest. Then again, knowing the exact date might make people lazy until their appointed time. Decisions, decisions.

Futurama
Death Clock
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5. The Mind-Switcher: Professor Farnsworth’s mind-switcher lets him and Amy swap bodies for a while, but the catch is it can’t be used twice on the same pair, leading to a chain of switches to get everyone’s consciousness back in the right head. Catches aside, it’s a fun idea for an invention that’s popped up in movies for years. As long as you had extra bodies willing to volunteer to help get everyone straightened out in the end, it would be pretty freeing to try life as someone else for a day.

Futurama
The Mind-Switcher
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Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time Big Lake Ugly Americans New Episodes

6. The Electronium Hat: The electronium hat uses energy gathered from sunspots to stimulate radiation and funnel it into the brain, thereby juicing up cognitive ability. Short version: it lets animals talk. The hat was in part a joke by the writers about the outlandish sci-fi contraptions of other TV series and movies, but it’s still a fascinating idea.
7. The Flabo Dynamic Suit: When Hermes competes in the Olympics, Professor Farnsworth builds him a special suit designed to slim him down and relocate his center of gravity, making him a better runner and stronger athlete. I would pay no small amount of money for a real version of this suit, which I would then give to my high school self using a round-the-bend trip in the professor’s time machine.
8. The Relative Box: This simple invention only requires finger contact to determine if two people are related. The professor used it in the pilot episode to learn that Fry was his distant uncle. The real-life benefits are easy to see: paternity suits would be resolved easier than traffic disputes, plus it would let people who were adopted verify their birth parents. How is this not real already?

Futurama
Calling on Farnsworth
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Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time Big Lake Ugly Americans New Episodes

9. The F-Ray: The professor’s F-Ray is more powerful than an X-ray because it can see through all objects, including metal, though the trade-off is a high risk of radiation fallout. (Hey, you gotta break a few eggs.) The criminal and law-enforcement opportunities are equally enticing. Who doesn’t want to be able to see through walls?
10. The Clone-O-Mat: Professor Farnsworth’s cloning machine is a dream invention, capable of creating genetic copies of people and animals. The real-world applications would be startling: people could grow spare parts or whole doubles, leading to some ethically murky areas. On the show, the machine’s use brings its own ups and downs. It’s responsible for the creation of Cubert, but also plays a role in “Jurassic Bark,” which packs the saddest ending of any TV episode ever. Maybe it’s best for this one to stay a fantasy.

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Unless you own a house, your vehicle is likely your most precious belonging. In 2004, a study from the University of California found that people spent five times the amount of time in their cars than exercising and paying sports. Because your vehicle is such an integral part of your life, it’s important that you ensure it meets your standards for reliability, comfort, price and environmental cleanliness. If you’re concerned that your current car may be coming to the end of the road, it may be time to consider buying a new one that better fits your personal needs. Here are 10 indicators that you should take that step.

1. Repair costs exceed Blue Book value
   If you’re driving a car that’s more than 10-years-old, has driven more than a hundred thousand miles and now needs a new transmission – which aren’t cheap – it may be time to fork over the cash for a new car. Many people make the mistake of continuously pouring money into their old jalopies because they’re afraid of making the commitment that comes with purchasing a new vehicle.
2. The prospect of an impending breakdown
   Keep in mind that purchasing a new and more reliable car will save you the trouble of dealing with breakdowns. If your service engine light in constantly on, your transmission is weakening, and you know that your car is on its last legs, don’t wait until after you’ve been stranded alongside a highway to make the leap. With a new and reliable car, you won’t constantly be without your main mode of transportation while paying out the wazoo for repairs.
3. Your car’s model is being discontinued
   For example, if you drive a Saturn, it may be difficult to find replacement parts in the future because of the uniqueness of the brand. Additionally, consider the reasons why the brand was discontinued – why weren’t people buying its cars? A lack of reliability may have been a factor, and you may incur the same problems that other drivers of the car experienced.
4. Your car is fuel-inefficient
   Cars that guzzle gas are money pits, especially if they’re used for long daily commutes. What’s more, cars with poor miles per gallon ratios are bad for the environment because they emit larger quantities of CO2 into the environment. Fortunately, both foreign and domestic automakers have designed and released a myriad of vehicle models in varying sizes that are fuel efficient.
5. You’re starting a family
   It’s difficult to tote around a little one and all of their belongings – stroller, baby bag, bottle, etc. – in the same sports car that you’ve been driving since you were a teenager. Room is a major factor that must be taken into consideration by car buyers who have burgeoning families. Full-size cars, minivans and SUVs usually fit the bill, and as previously mentioned, they come in fuel-efficient models.
6. You have the money
   If your job is secure, you aren’t living month-to-month, you have money saved for a down payment, and you know you can afford the monthly bill and accompanying insurance, then you’re ready to buy a new ride. Whether you’re upgrading your car for practical purposes or to keep up with the Joneses, you must be financially prepared for the commitment that comes with such a big purchase.
7. You have good credit
   In order to buy a car, you’ll have to take out a loan – unless you pay for it with cash. Your credit affects your ability to receive a loan, the amount you’re given and the interest rate. If you have a good credit score, you’re more likely to qualify for larger loans and lower interest rates. Paying lower interest rates means that you’ll save money long-term.
8. The deal is too sweet to pass up
   There are almost always good deals to be had when car shopping, especially if you pick the right time to visit the lot. Experts advise car shoppers to look for deals at the end of the month, when dealers are looking to make their quotas, and at the end of the year, when dealers are attempting to make room for new models. Also, if you visit the lot during the beginning of the week or on a rainy day when no other potential customers are present, you receive more personal attention from the salesman and thus you’ll be more likely to negotiate until the price is right.
9. Your car is an aesthetic disaster
   Is your bumper half-detached from your car? Have you scrounged around the junkyard for new parts? Do unsightly dents and scratches adorn the side of your car? Have people pointed and laughed as you drove by? If so, it may be time to consider upgrading to a newer model. Sleeker and more appealing cars come out each year, and even the least expensive ones are visually attractive.
10. Your car has a cassette deck
    It may seem minor, but your car having a cassette deck is indicative of a greater issue – you’re missing out on the creature comforts included in modern vehicles. Recent car options range from iPod connectivity to power settings that enable drivers to save their mirror and seat adjustments. Each option will make your long daily commutes a bit more bearable.

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Computer science students have the keys to expand their knowledge and skills and better understand difficult computing lessons — and it’s all on their trusty computer. These keys are online tutorials, which offer an alternative way to study, learn and teach challenging computer science topics. Best of all, many of these online tutorials are college approved and don’t cost a thing. Here are 10 free tutorials for computer science students:

1. Algorithm and Data Structure Tutorials
   If algorithms and data structures are a problem area for you, let this site, Algorithm and Data Structure Tutorials (with Java and C++ implementations), help solve your confusion. Students have a great deal of help here, thanks to the free tutorials in algorithms, data structures and programming principles, in addition to the practice exercises, forums and book guides.
2. Animated Computer Science Tutorials
   If you are a visual learner, then you will find the animated computer science lessons from Virginia Tech, a big help. This site offers several multimedia tutorials in algorithms, artificial intelligence, data structures, operating systems and other important topics. The animated diagrams, pictures and videos are intended to enhance student learning and clarify complex topics.
3. Beginners.co.uk Tutorials
   This site is dedicated to teaching students about the latest information technology lessons. Students can choose from hundreds of free online tutorials and guides in a variety of topics, such as programming, PC support and Web development.
4. TechOnline
   TechOnline is a comprehensive education resource for computer science and engineering students who are interested in design. This online network offers a variety of free tutorials, online courses and Webinars in networking, programmable logic and other computing topics.
5. Codango
   If you are interested in Web development, Codango is the tutorial site for you. Students can browse through hundreds of tutorials about making applications, scripting, HTML processing, web design and much more. There are reviews and guides for PHP, JSP, ASP and ASP.NET.
6. ISU-Computer Architecture Tutorial
   You don’t have to go to Iowa State University to get computer science tutoring. The university’s computer architecture tutorials are available to anyone who needs help in computer performance, memory hierarchy design, pipelining and other topics of interest.
7. UNH-IOL Training Documents and Tutorials
   The InterOperability Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire offers several tutorials in operating systems, PC guides, programming languages and other computer science topics to expand your computer science knowledge.
8. TutorialFind
   TutorialFind has a large database of computing tutorials, ranging from computer hardware, networking, macromedia to graphics design lessons. If you’re looking for a particular online tutorial, you can search by keywords or categories.
9. Web Developer’s Virtual Library
   Prospective web developers will get their fill from Web Developer’s Virtual Library, which offers an encyclopedia, detailed tutorials and magazine articles about Web development. You can also find insiders’ tips and open-source software to take your Web development skills to the next level.
10. EROS: The Extremely Reliable Operating System
    EROs is an operating system of Johns Hopkins University that offers tutorials, installation instructions, source codes and programming manuals in number of information technology subjects, such as performance and resource management.

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Sometimes you just need a break. Classwork piles up, tests stress you out, and work can feel like a grind. But thanks to the wonders of the Internet, you can kill some time with these online gaming sites whenever you need a break. If you’re in class, visit at your own risk:

1. Shockwave
Shockwave is free to join, and you can either create a new account or sign in via Facebook. (And if you don’t have a Facebook account, you’re probably not even reading this right now.) Games are divided by category, including strategy games and daily jigsaw puzzles and memory quizzes.

2. TeaGames
TeaGames’ offerings mostly fall in the sports or shooter categories, but they’re simple and clean enough to be easily understood and played by everyone. The mini golf game is extremely addicting, so be warned.

3. Kongregate
You don’t need an account to play, but if you sign up for one (they’re free), you can track your scores and accomplishments over time. One of their most popular offerings is “Cursed Treasure: Don’t Touch My Gems!”, a tower defense game that’s racked up more than 2.4 million plays.

4. Pogo
Pogo offers a variety of free games to users, but you can also buy a Club Pogo account by the month or year that gives you access to premium games as well as eliminating the ads from the games you play. If you’re a regular gamer, it’s a good choice.

5. Newgrounds
Newgrounds hosts videos as well as games, and their ranks are divided by genre, including multiplayer, shooters, and driving games. A great way to take a break and shift your brain away from work.

6. Bored.com
The name says it all. If your bored with whatever you’re working on and need to let off some steam, head to Bored and enjoy a variety of simple but fun games and videos.

7. Games.com
Simple but still effective, Games.com focuses on word games, casino games, and puzzle and arcade games. Good if you want to zone out for a while.

8. Evony
Evony is an empire-building game in which players manage a city and its inhabitants by adding and maintaining inns, mills, mines, and more. Unlike other online multiplayer games, Evony is “free forever,” making it a bit more inviting to casual players.

9. Gamesville
Gamesville is different from other online gaming sites in that it’s built on the concept of online game shows in which users all play a game together in real time to compete for prizes. Free to join.

10. Yahoo Games
One of the most popular online portals for news and e-mail is also a great destination for web-based games. The main page features a constantly updated list of the popular games of the moment, as well as staff

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Computer scientists are the masterminds behind the development and success of computers and the Internet. Throughout their education and research, computer science grads have made major contributions to the field of computer science and information technology. Some of their creations may ring a bell, while others are often overlooked, but either way, they deserve acknowledgement for their important contributions. Here are 10 famous computer science grads:

1. Sergey Brin
   Sergey Brin is one of the most influential and wealthiest computer scientists of all time. He is co-founder of the search engine giant, Google Inc., and currently serves as its president of technology. Brin, a Russian immigrant, earned his bachelor of science degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Maryland at College Park, and received his master’s degree in computer science from Stanford University. It was there that Brin dropped out of the computer science Ph.D. program and begun creating Google with fellow classmate, Larry Page.



2. Larry Page
   
   Lawrence “Larry” Page is the other Google guy, who co-founded Google Inc., along with Sergey Brin. Page currently serves as Google’s president of products. Page earned a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan, where he demonstrated his engineering talents when he built an inkjet printer our of Lego bricks. Page went on to earn his master’s degree in computer science from Stanford University, but also dropped out of the computer science Ph.D. program to create Google.



3. Ronald Linn Rivest
   Computer scientist and MIT professor Ronald Linn Rivest, has accomplished a great deal in the areas of cryptography, computer and network security, electronic voting systems and algorithms. Rivest is the founder of RSA Security, formerly known as RSA Data Security, as well as co-founder of Verisign and Peppercoin. Rivest received a Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford University.



4. Barbara Liskov
   Barbara Liskov is a computer scientist, an engineering professor at MIT and major contributor to the field of computer science. Throughout her career, Liskov has led several research projects, such as the Venus operating system, initiating the design and implementation of CLU Argus and the object-oriented database system, Thor. Liskov made history as the first woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in computer science. She completed her Ph.D. program at Stanford University, and the topic of her thesis was about computer games for playing chess end games.



5. Ken Thompson
   
   Ken Thompson has brought several valuable creations to the field of computer science. He is most well known for his contributions to the B programming language, leading Unix and Plan 9 operating systems, as well as being the co-creator of Google’s programming language, Go. Thompson has his master’s degree in both electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.



6. Ray Ozzie
   Ray Ozzie succeeded Bill Gates as the current chief software architect at Microsoft, in addition to creating Lotus Notes. Ozzie earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.



7. Linus Torvalds
   Linus Torvalds, a Finnish software engineer, has many notable accomplishments in the field of computer science. Torvalds is the creator and developer of the operating system, Linux kernel, and git, a revision control system. He received a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Helsinki and its NODES research group.



8. David Chaum
   David Chaum is a pioneer in cryptography, the study of encoding, specifically within the areas of blind signature schemes, commitment schemes and digital cash. Chaum is the founder of DigiCash Inc., an electronic cash organization, and remains a member of the Board of Directors. This well-published computer scientist has more than 45 published technical articles and has received more than 17 U.S. patents. Chaum earned his Ph.D. in computer science, and a minor in business administration, from the University of California, Berkeley.



9. Alan T. Sherman
   Alan T. Sherman has shared his knowledge of computer science and his research on security of voting systems, cryptology, information assurance and discrete algorithms, as an accomplished computer science professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Sherman serves as the director of UMBC’s Center for Information Security and Assurance (CISA). He received his Ph.D. in computer science from MIT.



10. Radia Perlman
    Software designer Radia Perlman is another major contributor to the field of computer science, specifically for her invention of the spanning tree protocol, a necessary component for the function of network bridges. Perlman’s innovations have contributed to many areas of network design and standardization. Perlman earned a Ph.D. in computer science from MIT, in which she focused on routing issues during network failures.

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Wherever there’s a computer, there’s a way to hack. Computer criminals have jumped through virtual loopholes to steal identities and authorized government information, as well as infect computers and expose personal information. Although some computer criminals hack for experimental or learning purposes, most do it for personal wealth and gain. Either way, computer criminals teach us a great deal about computer security and keep us on our toes. Here are 10 convicted computer criminals:

1. Robert Tappan Morris

   Robert Tappan Morris was convicted of intentionally accessing Federal interest computers without authorization, therefore, preventing authorized access that caused $1,000 in losses. He did so by creating the first worm, a computer virus, which was released on the Internet and drastically slowed down computers and crippled the Internet. Morris was fined, placed on probation for three years and had to complete 400 community service hours. This case was the first prosecution under the United States Code: Title 18, 1030, which involves fraud and related activity in connection with computers.



2. Jeanson James Ancheta

   Jeanson James Ancheta, a member of the infamous “botmaster underground” group, was arrested for selling armies of infected computers to hackers, with the intention of sending large quantities of spam across the Internet, causing damage to protected computers, causing damage to computers used by the federal government in national defense and hacking protected computers without authorization to commit fraud and money laundering. Ancheta was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and required to pay $15,000 in restitution for the damages he caused to national defense networks.



3. Kevin David Mitnick

   Mitnick was convicted of phone fraud, computer fraud and hacking into networks to steal computer software. Mitnick was most well known for his cell phone hacking spree, specifically the hacking of Digital Equipment Corporation’s network to steal their software, in addition to hacking major cell phone companies, Nokia and Motorola. He was considered one of the most wanted computer hackers in the U.S., but his arrest came after he cracked into fellow hacker Tsutomu Shimomura’s computer and was discovered by the FBI in 1995. He was sentenced to five years in prison.



4. Gary McKinnon

   Gary McKinnon, a British hacker, was convicted of breaking into U.S. military computers, in an attempt to find hidden alien technology that he thought would be the key to solving the global energy crisis. While hacking, McKinnon admitted to deleting files, hard drives and other materials that cost the government $700,000 to fix. McKinnon suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, which his attorneys have used in his defense, while the U.S. government argues his hack jobs were intended to breach American defense systems.



5. Kevin Poulsen

   Kevin Poulsen, also known as the “Dark Dante,” was convicted of wire fraud and money laundering. Considered one of the smartest and sneakiest hackers, Poulsen managed to break-in to the FBI’s database, as well as hacked the phone lines to Los Angeles radio station KIIS, making him the 102nd caller and winner of a Porsche and a Hawaii trip. Poulsen was sentenced to five years in prison.



6. Gerald Wondra

   Gerald Wondra was one the six men involved in a 1983 computer hacking case, called The 414s, in which hackers broke into a number of secured computer systems at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Security Pacific Bank. Wondra was placed on probation for two years.

7. Raphael Gray

   The Wales teenager, Raphael Gray, was arrested for hacking the databases of e-commerce sites to steal credit card numbers and personal information of 26,000 American, British and credit card holders. Gray, who was also known as the “Curador,” admitted to downloading the credit card numbers, but claimed he didn’t do it for personal gain and was instead trying to help the e-commerce sites. Gray’s penalty was three years of psychiatric treatment.



8. Cameron Lacroix

   Cameron Lacroix was convicted of illegally accessing celebrity Paris Hilton’s cell phone account, and hacking into consumer data giant LexisNexis Inc., which made the personal records of more than 300,000 consumers public. Because Lacroix was a juvenile when the crime occurred, he had to spend 11 months in a juvenile detention facility, and was not allowed to use or own a cell phone, computer or any electronic device that has access to the Internet.

9. Jeffrey Lee Parson

   Jeffrey Lee Parson was convicted of intentionally causing and attempting to cause damage to a protected computer with his version of the Blaster worm, called Blaster.B worm. He released the worm from his house, and it spread to computers using the Microsoft operating systems. Parson’s house was searched by federal agents on suspicion of writing and releasing malicious computer programs. He was arrested at 18 years old and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, as well as community service hours and restitution.



10. Adrian Lamo

    Adrian Lamo, also known as “the homeless hacker,” would sleep in abandoned buildings and hack computers at Internet cafes and public libraries. He was arrested for breaking into the databases of high-profile organizations, such as Microsoft, Yahoo and the New York Times. Lamo was placed on probation for two years.

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Fake Twitter accounts started rolling out almost as soon the company began to pick up steam in 2007. Some are meant to be taken as broad jokes, like those from a fictional character, while others are designed to be more satirical, such as the ones tweeting as major corporations or public figures. However they’re played, they make for some of the funniest and most entertaining reading on the site. Here are ten of the best:

1. Drunk Hulk
Because why not? With the Caps Lock key jammed down and a penchant for pop culture commentary, Drunk Hulk mixes the clipped shouts of the Incredible Hulk with often absurd but frequently hilarious opinions.

2. Fake AP Stylebook
Poking a hole in the stodgy ramblings of the real AP Stylebook, this fake version offers joke advice for journalists and writers.

3. Nick_Nolte
Like the best fake celebrity Twitter accounts (including the others on this list), the fake Nick Nolte gets its laughs by creating an insane persona based on Nolte’s film work and personal troubles. Imagine him reciting them in the voice of his character in Tropic Thunder for maximum Nolte-ness.

4. Fake Michael Bay
The phony version of Michael Bay is a hilariously puffed-up nutjob with a penchant for special effects and expensive toys. (Which, well, seems like it could be accurate.) Get a load for yourself:

5. Abe Vigoda
The gag here is that every tweet ends with a stubborn declaration that Vigoda is, indeed, alive.

6. Dr. Tobias Funke
The short-lived “Arrested Development” may be gone, but thanks to Twitter, Tobias Funke’s neuroses live on. Long live the never-nudes.

7. Darth Vader
Because even a dark lord of the Sith needs to blow off some steam online.

8. Fake Paramount
A spoof of Paramount Films, this account mercilessly lampoons Hollywood culture and bloated gimmicks.

9. Fake Rahm Emanuel
Playing off the legendary harsh language of the president’s chief of staff, Fake Rahm is a fantastic mix of shock humor and general jerkiness. It’s awesome.

10. AC180
Making a joke out of “Anderson Cooper 360,” this fake Twitter account tracks the inner thoughts of the CNN anchor.

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Ah, the joys of dealing with tech support. Ever since computers became an integral part of the modern work place, we’ve all gotten used to dealing with digital frustrations that lead to the inevitable call for help from someone smarter and usually younger. However, most of these complaints are legit tech issues that need assistance from somebody with special skills, so there’s no shame in the call. There are, though, some people whose lack of common sense is so pervasive that their IT calls are just plain ludicrous. Here, with research from groups including Robert Half Technology, are the 20 dumbest tech support questions and calls ever made. They are all, distressingly, true:

1. “Why isn’t my wireless mouse connected to the computer?”

2. “How do I read my e-mail?”

3. “Can you reset the Internet for me?”

4. “My computer is telling me to press any key to continue. Where is the ‘any’ key?”

5. “Is it possible to block all e-mail messages from my manager?”

6. “How do I get my computer’s coffee cup holder to come out again?”

7. “Can you install cable TV on my PC?”

8. “Can you fix my typewriter?”

9. “A server went down, and I found a lizard had crawled into it and it died.”

10. “Can I open the bank safe using my computer?”

11. “There are animal crackers in my CD-ROM drive.”

12. “Can you rearrange the keyboard alphabetically?”

13. “Can you build me a robot?”

14. “My laptop was run over by a truck. What should I do?”

15. “Can I open a document with Microsoft Word before I install Microsoft Office?”

16. “Where can I get software to track UFOs?”

17. “A skunk at my cable.”

18. “I’d like to stop receiving e-mail on Fridays.”

19. “Can you order joysticks so that we can play videogames?”

And perhaps the dumbest question of all, earning bonus points for sheer randomness:

20. “Where can I locate dry ice?”

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Sci-fi gets a bad rap for a lot of its cornier stories, so it’s easy to forget just how prescient the genre can be. Science fiction is all about extrapolating a future based on technology only slightly beyond imagination, and sci-fi storytellers have in many ways acted as leading voices in the development of the tech and ideas we all take for granted. Here are 15 devices that sounded outlandish when people first read about them but are now such an integral part of our lives that we wouldn’t know what to do without them. These are just a few of the many sci-fi predictions that came true:

1. Scuba Diving
First mentioned: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne, 1875
Although diving suits existed when Jules Verne’s novel was published, they were the stiff, clumsy ones that limited the user’s movement and connected them via a long tube to an air supply above. But in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, characters use a backpack-sized breathing apparatus that presaged modern divers’ tanks decades before they were used.

2. Credit Cards
First mentioned: Looking Backward, Edward Bellamy, 1888
Edward Bellamy’s novel envisioned a 21st century in which money was eliminated and people carried cards that held a certain amount of capital that could be spent. The idea’s a little closer to debit cards than credit cards, though the principle is the same.

3. Automatic Doors
First mentioned: The Sleeper Awakes, H.G. Wells, 1899
Originally published as When the Sleeper Wakes but given a title tweak when Wells polished it in 1910, this novel was the earliest depiction of the kinds of automatic doors that are now used in everything from banks to convenience stores. Wells’ device rolled up like a desktop rather than slide vertically, though it’s the same core idea.

4. The Rotating Space Station
First mentioned: The Prince of Space, Jack Williamson, 1931
Although many people first took notice of the idea of rotating space stations in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, the concept was first popularized in 1931 in Jack Williamson’s novel The Prince of Space. The story’s City of Space was a large metal cylinder that rotated to simulate gravity through outward force. Modern space flight uses this same idea.

5. Artificial Womb
First mentioned: Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, 1932
Aldous Huxley’s dystopian Brave New World was the first sci-fi story to describe a world in which children are grown in artificial wombs outside the mother. The tech now has very real implications.

6. Geosynchronous Satellites
First mentioned: “Extra-Terrestrial Relays,” Arthur C. Clarke, 1945 (Wireless World magazine)
Arthur C. Clarke makes repeat appearances on this list, thanks to his inventiveness and method for conjuring seemingly magical new devices that would soon be commonplace. In 1945, he published an article titled “Extra-Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?” that posited the idea of satellites that orbited the Earth in such a way that they were always over the same spot on the planet. Because of his forward thinking, geosynchronous orbits are now often referred to as “Clarke orbits.”

7. Television Surveillance
First mentioned: 1984, George Orwell, 1949
George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel about totalitarianism spawned a number of phrases and ideas, from Big Brother to doublethink. It was the concept of omnipresent telescreens that foreshadowed the real-world rise of security cameras and closed-circuit television as a criminal deterrent. We now deal every day with cameras and monitors that seemed farfetched 60 years ago.

8. The Pocket Calculator
First mentioned: Foundation, Isaac Asimov, 1951
Isaac Asimov’s multi-volume Foundation series has won numerous awards, and it was in the first novel that he introduced a concept that would later be recognizable to school children around the world. Calculators in 1951 weren’t remotely pocket-sized, and computers spanned desks and entire rooms, but Asimov was already writing about a world where handheld computational devices were the norm.

9. The Inflatable Air Lock
First mentioned: Space Tug, Murray Leinster, 1953
This reference to inflatable air locks, a more compact alternative to fixed ones, appeared in print 12 years before the Soviet space vehicle Voskhod 2 used the same technology. That voyage was the first space walk in history.

10. Computer-Aided Design
First mentioned: The Door Into Summer, Robert Heinlein, 1956
Drafting programs that use computer software to create schematics and designs are now standard in the industry, but Robert Heinlein’s 1956 imagining of a computer-aided design system was a few years ahead of its real-world adoption. Real CAD use didn’t explode until the 1960s.

11. The Light Sail
First mentioned: The Lady Who Sailed the Soul, Cordwainer Smith, 1960
Light sails, also known as solar sails, use radiation pressure emanating from stars to push an object’s sails, which are made of thin mirrors. The first major use of the idea appeared in this 1960 novel, with the fictional sail stretching 20,000 miles to catch an enormous amount of energy and propel its craft at high speeds. Real solar sails are now being tested in vacuums, and minor deployment tests have taken place on space stations.

12. Digital Books
First mentioned: Return From the Stars, Stanislaw Lem, 1961
Digital readers like Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPad have helped popularize the idea of reading electronic copies of books and shopping for them via a digital store, but it was Stanislaw Lem’s 1961 novel Return From the Stars that first tested the waters with the concept. The story tells of how books have been turned into “crystals with recorded contents” that are read and navigated using touch-screen technology. Fifty years later, you can buy something that does the same thing.

13. Online Newspapers
First mentioned: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Arthur C. Clarke, 1968
Clarke’s seminal sci-fi novel, paired with Stanley Kubrick’s film of the same name, was the first to popularize the notion of reading newspapers online. The book’s descriptions of being able to scan through the world’s daily papers sounds a lot like the now-common practice of visiting news sites and aggregators to get the latest headlines.

14. PDAs
First mentioned: The Mote in God’s Eye, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, 1974
Niven was noted for his prominence in the field of hard sci-fi, the subgenre that pays a closer attention to technical details than other stories do, and this 1974 work with Jerry Pournelle was the first appearance of what modern readers recognize as a personal data assistant, or pocket computer. The book’s device even uses a stylus, much like the popular PalmPilot would in the late 1990s.

15. Laptop Computers
First mentioned: Inherit the Stars, James P. Hogan, 1977
Although computing had made great strides by 1977, the idea of a portable computer was still largely fictional, especially if the computer in question was supposed to be small enough to fit on someone’s lap. But that’s just what James P. Hogan had in mind when he wrote of powerful personal computers small enough to fit inside briefcases. It’s a little head-spinning to realize that you’re probably reading this on a machine that most people hadn’t conceived of 30 years ago. Science fiction has a funny way of working out like that.

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