Stack Exchange
log in sign up chat discuss faq users badges

Area 51 » Technology

definition commitment beta

The Gadgets site didn't have enough activity during the beta, and has been closed. Tagged questions have been migrated to the Apple and Android sites. You can download the data dump of all questions here. See the blog for more information.

158
followers

Electronic Gadgets

Q&A site for consumer electronics gadget, gizmo, and doohickey enthusiasts

Announcements

15  
Personally I would love to see this site replace: forceclose.com, phonehow.com, slidetoask.com and askaboutgadgets.com. If they have any developer questions they can go to Stack Overflow, but let the rest ALL come here. – Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:23
9  
Anything you might see on engadget.com, gizmodo.com fits here ... including a lot of smartphone stuff. I think it's fine to have a relatively broad gadget site that includes everything from smartphones to ipods to universal remotes... we'll have tags to keep it orderly. – Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 23:42
11  
I think we should disallow questions about cameras. (A loose definition): A camera is a gadget/device that you carry around whose primary function is to take photographs. One reason is that I think cameras and photography is a big enough to warrant a site of its own. The other reason is that I'm afraid this site will be swamped by camera enthusiasts (I know several) asking abut lenses, shutters, nicon, pentax, ISO numbers, filmtypes , and on and on and on.... The do love to bicker, compare hardware and thoroughly bore the rest. Not like us compyer geeks at all - * ;-) * – Nifle May 29 '10 at 18:57
show 14 more announcements
1
vote
1
answer

Can a closed beta be revived again?

apr 20 '16 at 9:40 Community♦ 1
9
votes
1
answer

Closed before reaching public beta?

jan 15 '13 at 17:27 Community♦ 1
19
votes
1
answer

Is there a list of failed/closed betas?

apr 30 '12 at 18:51 Community♦ 1
8
votes
1
answer

Add search option for launched and closed proposals

mar 27 '12 at 1:32 Kevin Vermeer 338

discuss this proposal

123 Example Questions (12 closed)

active newest votes
up vote 22 down vote
What is the procedure for replacing the battery on my iPhone?
added by Nathan Osman Jun 4 '10 at 3:12
link
up vote 20 down vote
How do I set up VOIP on my Nexus One?
added by Jeff Atwood May 27 '10 at 21:25
link
Do android app questions belong on forceclose.com ? (thought this question doesn't seem to be answered there) – therefromhere May 27 '10 at 21:38
3  
Personally I would prefer one site for all gadgets, like Super User is for all computers – Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:11
Better on superuser? Otherwise it's just support for all apps X on hardware Y. – Martin Beckett May 27 '10 at 22:57
@Martin - this is off-topic on SU. – Gnoupi May 28 '10 at 8:04
6  
@dboarman: lots of gadgets these days run software, require firmware updates, have hackable firmwares, can install apps, etc. SU made the decision to focus on traditional desktop/laptop platforms and leave smartphones and the like out in the cold. this site is the perfect place for this question. – quack quixote Jun 2 '10 at 18:18
show 2 more improvement suggestions
up vote 20 down vote
How do I transfer my phone numbers to an Android phone?
added by Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:21
link
up vote 20 down vote
How do I add bookmark on my Kindle device?
added by Ivo Flipse, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 31 '10 at 19:28
link
up vote 20 down vote
I bricked my [device] when doing [something] - how can I unbrick it?
added by Good Person May 30 '10 at 6:47
link
Does that mean broke? – IAbstract Jun 4 '10 at 1:14
2  
"Brick" is slang for making a gadget no longer work. Essentially all it is good for now is as a brick. – Al E. Jun 4 '10 at 2:07
@Al: lol, okay...now I can vote on-topic. – IAbstract Jun 4 '10 at 2:19
if device is a gadget then this is on topic. – A Thing Jun 7 '10 at 9:52
up vote 19 down vote
How can I print a document directly from my iPad? (Without a computer)
added by Jaydles May 28 '10 at 16:20
link
Good question except it should be How can I print a document... – IAbstract Jun 4 '10 at 0:53
Good point. Same info, less subjective-sounding wording. Fixed. – Jaydles Jun 4 '10 at 2:13
up vote 14 down vote
How do I convert a dead laptop's LCD screen into a working digital picture frame?
added by quack quixote May 29 '10 at 23:16
link
obviously laptop questions are more for Super User. digital picture frame questions go here, tho. so my question is, would this site get low-level enough that DIY gadget questions are allowed? – quack quixote May 29 '10 at 23:17
Not a good example. Can't be easily done, and is more for electronics and/or DIY sites. This site isn't as much about doing it yourself as it is about using gadgets. – Adam Davis Jun 15 '10 at 3:28
@adam: don't worry about "can't be easily done", worry about whether it's on topic. this was posted as a test of scope; so far the votes seem to be in favor of this sort of DIY gadgetry. – quack quixote Jun 16 '10 at 15:44
up vote 12 down vote
Is there a firmware update available for English photo frame Sony VGF-CP1?
added by Gnoupi May 27 '10 at 21:25
link
up vote 12 down vote
What the heck is "free public Wi-Fi"? It turns up all the time on my iPad, and seems to be neither free nor public.
added by Jaydles, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Jun 2 '10 at 14:58
link
up vote 11 down vote
I'm reading a book on my Kindle and I want my last reading location to sync up with my Kindle app on my PC and iPhone. What do I need to do?
added by chollida Jun 1 '10 at 15:36
link
The title should probably be shortened, but good nonetheless. – Senseful Jun 11 '10 at 20:48
up vote 9 down vote
Why is it bad to unplug your device while the firmware is updating?
added by Andrew Song May 27 '10 at 21:31
link
up vote 6 down vote
Is it possible to replace the battery on my [insert some non-Apple device]?
added by raven May 28 '10 at 13:08
link
up vote 5 down vote
I spilled water in my cellphone. What should I do to minimize damage?
added by Jaydles May 30 '10 at 2:47
link
up vote 5 down vote
How do I unlock [phone]?
added by Good Person Jun 1 '10 at 13:40
link
i'm not a subject matter expert, but i can't see how this is not ontopic. general procedure should be the same for a given phone model (and/or firmware version). i can only see this as offtopic if instructions are specific to a single vendor/network. – quack quixote Jun 2 '10 at 3:16
@quack - I thought unlocking always was vendor/network specific. – Nifle Jun 2 '10 at 9:22
@nifle: honestly, i don't know how it works; it probably varies heavily. i've heard some phones have "unlock codes", implying that you get a code from the service vendor, then follow some procedure. that procedure is specific to the phone; only the code is vendor-specific. – quack quixote Jun 3 '10 at 7:08
up vote 4 down vote
What portable music devices support the OGG audio format?
added by Good Person May 30 '10 at 6:44
link
see comments of area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/614/… – Good Person May 30 '10 at 6:44
up vote 4 down vote
Is it possible to upgrade an iPod's hard drive to a higher capacity one?
added by Helen Jun 10 '10 at 19:28
link
up vote 3 down vote
Which ebook reader supports epub and has a *good* PDF support?
added by rmontagud Jun 9 '10 at 10:23
link
Why i'd ask this? Because there are some schools/universities that only distribute pdf versions of their books and calibre doesnt help – rmontagud Jun 9 '10 at 10:33
up vote 2 down vote
Has anyone been able to get OpenOffice running on a jailbroken iPhone?
added by Joel Spolsky♦, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Jun 2 '10 at 23:08
link
3  
Illegal to jailbreak. – Michael Pryor May 27 '10 at 21:27
4  
That's the problem with SE being a US company. The DMCA (possibly) makes it illegal in the US but not anywhere else, in europe it's illegal to forbid it. So are we going to ban questions about how to get to google.com from China or how to listen to BBC world service in N Korea? – Martin Beckett May 27 '10 at 23:03
3  
Jailbreaking is not just illegal, but a whole new echo system on the iphone. If it pertains to smartphones, I would allow it – debug May 27 '10 at 23:11
2  
modding one's gadgets is presumably on-topic. afaik the only thing illegal about jailbreaking an iphone is selling it afterwards. @michael – quack quixote Jun 2 '10 at 18:24
up vote 2 down vote
How do I convert a video so I can watch it on my iPad?
added by Andrew Song May 27 '10 at 21:57
link
up vote 2 down vote
Can I install Android on my ... (fill in older type of phone)?
added by Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:14
link
1  
This probably should be answered in a FAQ/CW question that lists all phones that are known to run Android – Ivo Flipse May 28 '10 at 6:19
up vote 2 down vote
Which mobile OS has better multitasking: Android or iPhone OS?
added by Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:42
link
1  
At first pass, this seems like a classic Android vs iPhone argument, but this does seem like it could be objectively answered. – Kyle Cronin May 27 '10 at 22:43
5  
It feel too subjective because of the "better" adjective. A question like "What are the main differences in the multitasking implementation" is more objective. – Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 23:44
2  
Fanboy battles should be out, if they are measurable comparisons they can be in – Ivo Flipse May 28 '10 at 6:17
up vote 2 down vote
My iPad screen is scratched. What should I do?
added by Jaydles May 30 '10 at 3:09
link
up vote 2 down vote
Is there a water proof camera case for <camera model> that anybody knows of?
added by Nick Berardi Jun 1 '10 at 1:58
link
up vote 2 down vote
Can I tether my iPhone to my [x] to provide 3G connectivity?
added by akf Jun 15 '10 at 3:50
link
up vote 1 down vote
Is there a home phone system that can handle 10 POTS lines and 20 extensions?
added by Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 21:20
link
Great stuff for this on SF, seems a shame to overlap. – Kara Marfia Jun 15 '10 at 14:17
up vote 1 down vote
Visiting Google Reader on my iPad. How do I scroll articles?
added by Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 21:20
link
2  
On topic, but you'd probably get a better answer on the apple fanboy site. – Michael Pryor May 27 '10 at 21:27
3  
Or we split up the Apple fanboy site into gadgets here, computers on SU :-P – Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:13
I actually want to know the answer to this question. – splattne May 28 '10 at 5:52
@ivo: please. no need for an Apple fanboy site. if apple fanboys want their own site, let them pay for the server. – quack quixote Jun 2 '10 at 18:20
up vote 1 down vote
What's the best sound-cancelling headset?
added by Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 21:21
link
1  
off topic because it's highly subjective – Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 21:25
not sure this is gadgety enough. – Jeff Atwood May 27 '10 at 21:34
1  
Only as subjective as 'whats the best way to do X in language Y'. As Joel said the answer is Senheiser, then everybody gets bored of answering this and goes meta. – Martin Beckett May 27 '10 at 23:00
2  
Highly subjective. – Nick Berardi May 28 '10 at 12:56
@jeff: this could be gadgety enough if it's about accessories for some gadget (mp3 player, smartphone, whatever). i agree with @joel that it's too subjective, tho. – quack quixote Jun 3 '10 at 6:57
show 1 more improvement suggestion
up vote 1 down vote
Is there a To Do list program for the iPhone with Outlook sync?
added by Ivo Flipse May 27 '10 at 22:19
link
up vote 1 down vote
Why hasn't HTC updated my HTC Hero with Android 2.1 yet?
added by Ivo Flipse, edited by Jaydles Jun 1 '10 at 13:52
link
This shouldn't be a discussion about WHEN the update will be there, just why it's been delayed. Perfectly answerable with reliable resources – Ivo Flipse May 28 '10 at 7:45
2  
I fear this might get to be filled with lots of rumors – Good Person Jun 1 '10 at 13:39
up vote 1 down vote
Will upgrading my HTC Desire with Android 2.2 make me lose the HTC Sense interface?
added by ADB May 28 '10 at 12:13
link
up vote 1 down vote
Can Android 1.6 devices be upgraded to Android 2.x for free?
added by Gnoupi May 31 '10 at 13:03
link
from this SU question. – Gnoupi May 31 '10 at 13:03
up vote 1 down vote
What inexpensive GPS handhelds would be appropriate for family geocaching?
added by Jaydles, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Jun 2 '10 at 14:58
link
up vote 1 down vote
How do I quickly search for my saved text on my Kindle?
added by chollida Jun 1 '10 at 15:35
link
up vote 1 down vote
How do I change the thumbnail previews for Videos that I copy onto the PS3?
added by zdan Jun 3 '10 at 0:53
link
up vote 1 down vote
What standalone RAID media servers will work with both Win7 and PS3?
added by Marc Gravell Jun 15 '10 at 8:49
link
up vote 1 down vote
Can I use my existing Sony PVR to record HD DVB?
added by Marc Gravell Jun 15 '10 at 8:50
link
up vote 0 down vote
How can I tether a Nokia E71 to a MacBook?
added by Joel Spolsky♦ May 27 '10 at 21:20
link
I say, on topic, but also could be asked on superuser. – Michael Pryor May 27 '10 at 21:28
borderline, because it depends if the resolution is on the nokia or the macbook. But until determined, I would allow it. – Jeff Atwood May 27 '10 at 21:36
It's not even that clear. The Nokia E71 is basically a computer in its own right; when I think of gadgets, I think more like Apple TVs, Kindles, Blu-ray players, etc. But you're right that it depends on how the community would go. – Benjamin Pollack May 27 '10 at 21:58
1  
@benjamin: all of those are "computers in their own right" too. – quack quixote May 29 '10 at 23:09
up vote 0 down vote
How can I put a PDF file on my Kindle?
added by Gnoupi, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Jun 2 '10 at 23:09
link
up vote 0 down vote
How do I get OpenOffice running on an Asus EEE PC? [closed]
added by Joel Spolsky♦, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 31 '10 at 19:25
link

closed as off topic by Jeff Atwood, Tall Jeff, Simon Nickerson, David Barry, quack quixote Jun 9 '10 at 16:43

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.

2  
EEE pc are computers, belongs on SU. – Gnoupi May 27 '10 at 21:26
2  
computers are computers.. I think gadgets are more standalone and less computery. iPad vs iBook. – Jeff Atwood May 27 '10 at 21:30
moved to Superuser – Martin Beckett May 27 '10 at 22:57
Better for SuperUser. – Nick Berardi May 28 '10 at 12:55
up vote 0 down vote
How can I install Froyo on my Nexus One?
added by Kyle Cronin May 27 '10 at 21:37
link
1 2 3 4 next

This site has been

Closed

This proposal didn't have enough activity during the beta. It was closed 11 years ago.

You could try proposing a variation of this site that you think will have a better chance.

proposed by

Joel Spolsky♦ ♦ 25
148k●124●627●862

11 years ago

edited by

Jaydles ♦ 1
110k●94●432●765

11 years ago

viewed

20,978 times

latest activity

11 years ago

followers

users also following

36.7% Web Applications
31.0% Gaming
25.9% Home Improvement
24.1% Pro Webmasters
4.4% only this proposal

followers active in

95.6% Stack Overflow
84.8% Super User
78.5% Meta Stack Overflow
76.6% Server Fault
69.6% Web Applications
57.0% Software Engineering

recent followers

added Aug 6 '10 at 8:25
Vagnerr
5,556●6●57●102
added Jul 13 '10 at 20:34
Even Mien
46.3k●49●147●184
added Jul 13 '10 at 16:41
Phyllostachys
2,443●5●20●53
added Jul 13 '10 at 0:04
warren
103k●92●513●1128
added Jul 12 '10 at 22:08
DougC
1,553●10●26
added Jul 12 '10 at 9:28
BaumS
269●1●8
added Jul 11 '10 at 22:04
Brian R. Bondy
346k●127●698●798
added Jul 11 '10 at 15:08
Hamish Downer
57.1k●44●283●349
added Jul 11 '10 at 7:28
Applications Whisperer
121●4
added Jul 10 '10 at 19:18
Lorenzo
22.1k●22●136●312
added Jul 10 '10 at 9:55
FallingBullets
3,106●1●23●40
added Jul 10 '10 at 4:40
gmale
16.6k●19●94●140
added Jul 9 '10 at 9:47
Amitabh
55.6k●41●111●163
added Jul 9 '10 at 2:43
Michael Ekstrand
36.8k●17●128●247
added Jul 8 '10 at 18:05
Crispy
2,475●2●17●26
added Jul 7 '10 at 22:35
jrista
105k●31●279●510
added Jul 7 '10 at 6:45
Earlz
124k●171●622●1110
added Jul 6 '10 at 21:02
Ullallulloo
26.3k●50●191●380
added Jul 6 '10 at 18:19
Jason More
7,329●7●43●64
added Jul 2 '10 at 13:38
Pieter van Niekerk
5,051●13●61●148
added Jul 2 '10 at 7:22
Wheelie
4,756●2●36●62
added Jul 2 '10 at 1:17
Searock
8,245●17●91●177
added Jul 1 '10 at 20:44
Parasaran
93●10
added Jul 1 '10 at 13:43
Nick Gotch
11.1k●18●92●155
added Jun 30 '10 at 16:49
Dave Andersen
8,649●7●52●68
added Jun 29 '10 at 10:40
Arcturus
28.1k●10●107●131
added Jun 28 '10 at 23:26
tobiw
1,745●2●14●29
added Jun 26 '10 at 18:34
Isaac Truett
10.1k●1●33●88
added Jun 25 '10 at 7:19
John Burley
2,528●5●27●51
added Jun 25 '10 at 2:08
sriragam
53●2
added Jun 23 '10 at 7:59
Ola Eldøy
9,674●11●76●133
added Jun 23 '10 at 6:58
Tyronomo
2,545●2●17●29
added Jun 22 '10 at 20:41
ondatra
4,780●3●30●30
added Jun 22 '10 at 18:21
Maladon
607●2●16
added Jun 22 '10 at 16:37
Michael Mior
29.6k●11●103●187
added Jun 22 '10 at 15:37
Lipis
37.7k●27●172●251
added Jun 19 '10 at 7:42
T.R.
7,326●5●28●35
added Jun 19 '10 at 4:21
YOU
182k●53●361●569
added Jun 19 '10 at 4:20
bdonlan
228k●33●359●494
added Jun 18 '10 at 22:24
Jesse Beder
34.1k●21●120●166
feed icon proposal feed
faq | blog | legal | privacy policy | contact us | feedback always welcome
site design / logo © 2022 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa; see the licensing help page for more information.
rev 2022.3.23.593