America

Big rockets like the SpaceX Grasshopper and the Orbital Antares have been in the news lately, but those are a little out of reach for the average student. That's why the Aerospace Industries Association's Team America Rocketry Challenge exists. It fans the maker flames by challenging kids to design, build, and launch model rockets.

The rocket challenge finals took place over the weekend. It was a record year for the competition's turnout, with 725 teams battling through the initial rounds. The top 100 teams participated in the final fly-off in Virginia, representing 29 states with teams from schools, 4-H clubs, and even a team made up of Civil Air Patrol volunteers.

The competition was open to students in grades 7 through 12. All the teams had one goal: build the best model rocket. The challenge was to fly an egg to 750 feet up in the air, and then parachute it back to the ground with no damage. That's even harder than it sounds.… Read more

New legislation introduced to Congress on Monday aims to change the patent review process to curb the influx of new patent-related lawsuits.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, presented a new bill that amends 2011's America Invents Act by making permanent a temporary revision that allows the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to review a patent after it has been granted.

The new legislation, called the Patent Quality Improvement Act, would also change language for what types of businesses are covered under current America Invents Act, something Schumer says would better include technology start-ups.

"The … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Virgin America flights allow mile-high flirting.

- Nintendo: Don't expect a big event at E3 this year.

- Next Xbox: Microsoft sets big reveal for May 21.

- Wii outsells Wii U.… Read more

It is possible to meet the lover of your dreams on a plane.

Usually, this involves being fortunate enough to have them sit next to you. Idle chatter is exchanged and, before you know it, you're living together.

A serious amount of serendipity is needed for a happy ending in the air. So Virgin America has decided it should broaden your chances.

As ClickOrlando teases it, your in-flight entertainment system will now offer the potential of some off-flight entertainment too.

For, should you see a man, woman or stuffed toy that sparks your amorous aspirations, you will be able … Read more

It looks like Twitter is ready to make its rumored foray into the TV business.

The microblogging site has partnered with BBC America to offer what the network trumpets as the first "in-tweet branded video synced to entertainment TV series," according to a tweet sent Thursday evening. What this means exactly is not clear. Presumably, the tweeted video would be companion content to the programming that appears on the network, with the partners driving traffic to each other.

Specifics of the agreement were not revealed. CNET has contacted Twitter for more information and will update this report when … Read more

Eschewing the common press event, Twitter is apparently once again taking to broadcast TV to unveil a new product or service tweak.

The microblogging site will be making a "BIG" announcement during Thursday's broadcast of "Good Morning America," according to a tweet on the show's twitter feed. No stranger to morning TV show's audiences, Twitter went on "Good Morning America" last year to announce a refresh of its profile page design.

Might we finally be getting an official launch of Twitter Music. After confirming the purchase of music discovery service We … Read more

Cateura, in the Santa Ana neighborhood of Paraguay's capital Asuncion, is a slum. The residents live on a massive landfill, picking through the refuse for items to recycle and sell. A place where a violin would be worth more than a house, is, perhaps, the last place you'd expect to find an orchestra.

But that changed the day that garbage collector (now luthier) Nicolas "Cola" Gomez picked up the shell of what looked to him like a violin.

He took it to Favio Chavez, who was working on a recycling program and had opened up a music school for local kids, and together, they started creating musical instruments: violins and cellos from oil drums, flutes from water pipes and spoons, guitars from packing crates. … Read more

They fought. They lost. They won.

This might sum up Electronic Arts' role in this year's Worst Company in America polling, conducted in the pages of the Consumerist.

For the second year running, the game maker has been voted America's worst company -- aka the company those who are online a lot choose to dislike the most.

It wasn't even close. EA managed to received 77.53 percent of the vote.

EA was up against Bank of America in the final and some might have imagined it might have a puncher's chance against an entity that … Read more