Friday, December 30, 2011

ARM pitches tri-gate transistors for 20nm and beyond

ARM pitches tri-gate transistors for 20nm and beyond

According to a blog post by Jean Luc Pelloie, the company's Fellow Director of SOI Technology, 20 nm may represent an inflection point in which it will be necessary to transition from a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) to Fin-Shaped Field Effect Transistors (FinFET) or 3D transistors, which Intel refers to as tri-gate designs that are set to debut with the company's 22 nm Ivy Bridge product generation.

2DayBlog.com, ARM pitches tri-gate transistors for 20nm and beyond

Motorola DROID 4 Leaked Again – Demo Unit Pictured In The Wild


There's pretty much nothing we don't already know about Motorola's worst kept secret, the Droid 4, other than an actual release date. With that being said, the “Razr with a keyboard” is actually looking more like the Bionic from the latest leaked pics taken by John and team at TechnoBuffalo who got some hands-on with a demo unit earlier today. The device, while not exactly a working model (more of those shells you find on display at Best Buy) does give us a better look at it, with pictures showing off every angle.


Android Phone, Motorola DROID 4 Leaked Again â€" Demo Unit Pictured In The Wild

Android's Chinese Manufacturers Form Alliance To Defend From Apple and Microsoft Patent Lawsuits

Android's Chinese Manufacturers Form Alliance To Defend From Apple and Microsoft Patent Lawsuits

Digitimes is reporting that Chinese OEM's could be quietly banding together to fight off the ever looming threat of patent lawsuits from Android arch nemeses like Apple, Microsoft and Nokia. The Chinese coalition would be formed by ZTE, Lenovo, TCL, Coolpad and Konka who, it's assumed, would pool their patent resources and share information on how to work around alleged patent infringements and keep from paying the dreaded “licensing fee.”.
Android's Chinese Manufacturers Form Alliance To Defend From Apple and Microsoft Patent Lawsuits


Android Phone, Android's Chinese Manufacturers Form Alliance To Defend From Apple and Microsoft Patent Lawsuits

How Kim Jong-il's final ride came to be in a Lincoln

How Kim Jong-il's final ride came to be in a Lincoln

The funeral of Kim Jong-il made for a big story internationally, but in true Autoblog fashion, we were just as interested in the classic cars that figured prominently in the procession. Of particular interest was a 1970s Lincoln limousine that carried the deceased leader's casket – but not because it was some sort of rare classic that would fetch millions at Barrett Jackson. Instead, many wondered how the North Koreans managed to obtain the vehicle in the first place. After all, the U.S. and North Korea aren't exactly cozy, as evidenced by the 58-year old armistice that is still in effect.

Autoblog, How Kim Jong-il's final ride came to be in a Lincoln

Pandigital PI1056DW digital photo frame released

Pandigital PI1056DW digital photo frame released

We're not sure how many of you guys are actually in the market for digital photo frames, but if you, Pandigital has recently released the PI1056DW digital photo frame that you might want to take a look at if you are indeed shopping around for one. The PI1056DW features a 10.4" display with an aspect ratio of 4:3, and a display resolution of 800×480. It will come with 1GB of built-in internal storage, which apparently should fit about 5,000 compressed images.

Ubergizmo, Pandigital PI1056DW digital photo frame released

Phraseology, A Word-Analyzing Text Editor

Phraseology, A Word-Analyzing Text Editor

Word nerds are going to love Phraseology. Phraseology is a new iPad app for writers. It offers much of the usual stuff found in iPad writing apps, but it also brings some very clever features not found elsewhere.
First, though, what doesn't it have? Phraseology has no support for Dropbox, nor iCloud: storage is strictly local (although you can easily export or print any documents). Neither is there TextExpander integration, nor an extra row of keys with common punctuation.

What you do get is the “words nerd's editor of choice.” Phraseology is all about tweaking and examining your text.

Gadget Lab, Phraseology, A Word-Analyzing Text Editor

Brits Go Crazy For Posh Loo Roll This Festive Season

Brits keeping up appearances this December; Andrex sees festive sales of premium toilet tissue rocket by 50%Brits go posh to flush this Christmas and New Year – Andrex premium sales reveal Brits shun standard toilet tissue in favour of luxury options during the festive periodMark Wright’s toilet tops Britain’s wish lists this ChristmasX Factor winners Little Mix are losers when it comes to the bathroom Brits would most like to spend a penny inMen upgrade their toilet tissue during the festive period more than womenWith Christmas celebrations under our belt and preparations for New Year’s Eve well underw

Press Release Distribution, Brits Go Crazy For Posh Loo Roll This Festive Season

Charles Tyrwhitt looks back at 2011’s biggest menswear trends

Today Charles Tyrwhitt, the men’s shirts specialist, has released a style timeline to show the iconic looks of the last year and their influence on menswear. The timeline looks back at how events such as film releases, television shows and cultural happenings have influenced the way men in the UK dressed over the past 12 months. The events coincide with the year’s tailoring trend, influenced by both traditional British materials and iconic vintage styles, making 2011 a pivotal year for menswear.

Press Release Distribution, Charles Tyrwhitt looks back at 2011’s biggest menswear trends

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Zalman's F1 Series SSDs hit the Japanese market

Zalman's F1 Series SSDs hit the Japanese market

Zalman's newest line of solid state drives, the F1-series, is slated for launch tomorrow in Japan. The F1 Series SSDs utilize a 2.5-inch form-factor SATA 6 Gb/s interface. The drive is based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller with multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory. Its available in capacities of 60 GB, 120 GB and 240 GB. Pricing is listed at 11,980 JPY (US $153) for the 60 GB, 19,800 JPY ($254) for the 120 GB, and 39,980 JPY ($513) for the 240 GB model.
Zalman's F1 Series SSDs hit the Japanese market


2DayBlog.com, Zalman's F1 Series SSDs hit the Japanese market

Verizon Motorola DROID 4 leaked again in Best Buy ad

Verizon Motorola DROID 4 leaked again in Best Buy ad

. Verizon Wireless still hasn't officially announced the Motorola DROID 4, but it has been leaked several times during the past few months. Best Buy recently spilled the beans yet again in one of its Reward Zone advertisements. While it doesn't specifically name the phone, the DROID 4 makes an appearance front and center in the ad. The Android 2.3.5-powered DROID 4 is expected to be very similar to a DROID RAZR, but with a full QWERTY keyboard. Rumored specs include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, support for Verizon Wireless's 4G LTE network and a 4-inch qHD display.

Boy Genius Report, Verizon Motorola DROID 4 leaked again in Best Buy ad

Apple Patent Describes New Type of Face-Recognition Tech

Apple Patent Describes New Type of Face-Recognition Tech

Future iOS devices could be unlocked by your face, and not fooled by still photos. Image: Patently Apple. Swipe to unlock could be a thing of the past for next-gen iOS devices. Like current Galaxy Nexus users, iOS users could soon be using facial recognition technology to lock or unlock their iDevices.

As described in a recently discovered patent, Apple's method would sense when a user is approaching the device — for example, if it's seated in a dock, and the user walks toward it. The device would then use its image processor to execute facial recognition to unlock the device, all with low battery penalties.

Gadget Lab, Apple Patent Describes New Type of Face-Recognition Tech

Duke Boys' first General Lee goes to Barrett-Jackson (video)

Duke Boys' first General Lee goes to Barrett-Jackson (video)

The very first 1969 Dodge Charger General Lee from "The Dukes of Hazzard" is headed under the gavel at Barret-Jackson. The vehicle was created specifically for the show's intro and made just one jump before being retired. Why the short life span. That first leap was an impressive feat, vaulting the Charger 16 feet in the air over a distance of 82 feet as it sailed over Rosco's Monaco patrol car before crashing back down to Earth.



Autoblog, Duke Boys' first General Lee goes to Barrett-Jackson (video)

Drag-off: Bugatti Veyron vs. tuned Nissan GT-R

Drag-off: Bugatti Veyron vs. tuned Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R has earned itself a hard-won reputation as a giant slayer. The relatively low-buck supercar can embarrass more expensive hardware right out of the box. Spend a little time and money throwing a few aftermarket parts toward the Nissan and you can easily have a vehicle capable of giving vehicles like the Bugatti Veyron a scare. Take the videos after the jump, for example. The two clips show off a drag race between a mildly-tuned GT-R and a bone-stock Veyron. While the Bug gets an early lead on the more plebeian racer, the GT-R makes up the gap quickly.

Who wins? We won't spoil it for you.





Autoblog, Drag-off: Bugatti Veyron vs. tuned Nissan GT-R

Next-gen iPad may feature double the battery capacity of iPad 2

Next-gen iPad may feature double the battery capacity of iPad 2

. Apple will launch a new high-end iPad model in early 2012 featuring a battery that includes more than twice the capacity of the current iPad 2 battery. Citing anonymous sources from within Apple's supply chain, DigiTimes recently reported that Apple's upcoming next-generation flagship iPad will feature a new 14,000 mAh battery, as will a new mid-range iPad model. The new power pack will feature more than twice the capacity of the 6,500 mAh battery currently used in Apple's iPad 2.

Boy Genius Report, Next-gen iPad may feature double the battery capacity of iPad 2

Verizon to charge $2 single bill payment fee beginning next month

Verizon to charge $2 single bill payment fee beginning next month

. Verizon Wireless will begin to roll out a new convenience fee on January 15th which will add an additional $2.00 fee to customers who make single bill payments online or by telephone. Verizon claims the fee will allow the company to continue to support these payment options, however the fee is waived for those who pay by electronic check or enroll in Verizon's AutoPay service.

Boy Genius Report, Verizon to charge $2 single bill payment fee beginning next month

Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 software update imminent, not Ice Cream Sandwich

Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 software update imminent, not Ice Cream Sandwich

Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is about to receive another software update. Unfortunately though, it's not going to pack Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. That's probably a long way out at this point. Instead, this update will generally make your tablet's operation smoother. Many bugs have been fixed, and many things have been enhanced.

The TouchWiz UX will be updated. There will be a new SocialHub widget. Built-in photo editing will be added. The Daily app will be preinstalled. Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility is also in. The music and video players have been enhanced too. DivX support has been added.

Unwired View, Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 software update imminent, not Ice Cream Sandwich

N-Control dismisses marketing consultant, discounts PS3 Avenger pre-orders

N-Control dismisses marketing consultant, discounts PS3 Avenger pre-orders

Keeping up with your gamer gossip. Then you're probably up to snuff on the recent Ocean Marketing / Penny-Arcade spat. We held our tongues as the drama unfolded - no easy task, considering Engadget's name was dragged into the affair - but now it seems like the internet soap-opera is reaching its conclusion. Not the gossiping type? Here's a quick recap: When N-Control's latest Avenger add-on missed its November 8th street date, customers with pre-orders were left wanting. Some reached out for answers, hoping they could still get their PS3 Avenger before Christmas.

Engadget, N-Control dismisses marketing consultant, discounts PS3 Avenger pre-orders

Best Buy's Deal of the Day is a Free MyTouch 4G Slide

Best Buy's Deal of the Day is a Free MyTouch 4G Slide

If you're still checking for this phone (perhaps as a gift or if you just happen to like HTC slider phones) Best Buy is offering one as their deal of the day. It's free on a new two-year agreement, a good deal for a device that's as good as it'll get for the market it's aimed at. You'll have until the end of the day to grab it (that's about 15 hours for me but will differ by timezone) so be sure to grab it as soon as you can. Check it out here.

Android Phone, Best Buy's Deal of the Day is a Free MyTouch 4G Slide

Expansys USA Offering the Unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus for $690

Expansys USA Offering the Unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus for $690

Spotted over at Expansys USA was a quick sale going on for the unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus. The lowest we’ve seen this model going for from online retailers in the US was $700 (though that one is back up to $720) so it’s still one of the best deals you can find until respective carriers begin offering the device. 3-5 day delivery is free and, unfortunately, this is only the 16GB configuration with no options to expand memory. If you want to take the plunge on it head over to Expansys.

Android Phone, Expansys USA Offering the Unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus for $690

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

OTA Update Coming Soon To Samsung Galaxy Tab On Verizon – Adds New Functionality And TouchWiz UX


You'll either welcome this with open arms or shake your fist in the air but Verizon is getting ready to push out a new OTA update to Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices on their network. Software version I905-ELo1 brings with a bunch of new features most notably — Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. Other than subtle UI changes TouchWiz also adds new functionality like Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility, DivX support, security pathes, Social Hub widget and a new apps like The Daily, My Files (file explorer) and Photo Editor.


Android Phone

See also:
computerworld, OTA Update Coming Soon To Samsung Galaxy Tab On Verizon â€" Adds New Functionality And TouchWiz UX

NajmTek U-Book dual screen laptop launching at CES 2012

NajmTek U-Book dual screen laptop launching at CES 2012

The Acer Iconia dual-screen Windows 7 laptop was crowned the winner of the Last Gadget Standing award at CES 2011, and now it looks like another company wants to claim the throne with a similar device. NajmTek has announced that it will be showing off a dual-screen notebook at CES 2012 as well. Called the “U-book” (Universal Notebook), it is designed to be a desktop replacement machine as opposed to a netbook/laptop/tablet device. Now, what makes the U-book special is going to be its keyboard touchscreen.



Ubergizmo, NajmTek U-Book dual screen laptop launching at CES 2012

Kindle accessory maker sues Amazon for extortion

Kindle accessory maker sues Amazon for extortion

. M-Edge Accessories has filed a lawsuit against Amazon with a federal court in Maryland that accuses the online retailer of bullying it into coughing up higher commissions in exchange for better placement on Amazon's website. M-Edge Accessories isn't just filing a suit for extortion according to The Wall Street Journal, however - the accessory maker is also accusing Amazon of patent infringement, false advertising, creating unfair competition and hampering M-Edge's customer relations. Amazon reportedly played some pretty dirty games with M-Edge in order to secure a larger percentage of commissions.

Boy Genius Report

See also:
mrnom, Kindle accessory maker sues Amazon for extortion

Nokia 1 concept tablet features Windows 8 in a slim design

Nokia 1 concept tablet features Windows 8 in a slim design

About a week ago we reported that a designer came up with a concept Nokia tablet that was inspired by the N9's design and the Sony Tablet S. After seeing the success with the design, it seems another designer has decided to come up with a design of his own which he has dubbed the Nokia 1 tablet and appears to be inspired by the N9, and less of the Sony Tablet S. The Nokia 1 concept tablet was designed by YrOnimuS and based on its looks alone, it could have easily passed off as the Nokia N9, albeit a larger version.

Ubergizmo, Nokia 1 concept tablet features Windows 8 in a slim design

Intel's Thunderbolt to be released for PCs in 2012 (Rumor)

Intel's Thunderbolt to be released for PCs in 2012 (Rumor)

Intel's Thunderbolt has been largely limited to Apple's Mac computers, and in a way it was sort of Apple's answer to the USB 3.0 standard. Due to its limited availablity to Mac computers, it's really not surprising to see that not many manufacturers of computer peripherals were that interested in making Thunderbolt capable devices, but according to a new rumor, Intel may soon be releasing its Thunderbolt technology in 2012 to PC manufacturers. Basically what this would entail is that companies such as HP,  and Dell could soon be selling notebooks and desktop computers with Thunderbolt technology installed.

Ubergizmo, Intel's Thunderbolt to be released for PCs in 2012 (Rumor)

iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak released for all except those powered by A5

iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak released for all except those powered by A5

The tireless miracle workers behind the iOS jailbreak scene have risen triumphant once again. This time, the champion pod2g has released an untethered jailbreak exploit for all currently iOS 5-supported devices except for those running on the A5 chip, which includes the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Previously, iOS devices that were jailbroken on the latest firmware had to re-tether to a computer upon each reboot to maintain their functionality.

2DayBlog.com, iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak released for all except those powered by A5

HP TouchPad Go receives its first and possibly only review

HP TouchPad Go receives its first and possibly only review

The HP TouchPad Go was canned by HP when they decided to stop making webOS devices a few months ago, but fortunately, a handful of the TouchPad Go prototype devices managed to make their way into the wild, surfacing in the hands of various people. Well the folks over at webosnation managed to get their hands on one of these rare webOS tablets and decided to review the tablet after spending a few days with it. According to them, “The TouchPad Go will not be the saving grace of webOS, and we doubt it could have been.

Ubergizmo, HP TouchPad Go receives its first and possibly only review

XBMC Eden finally makes it to beta, promises HTPC superpowers

XBMC Eden finally makes it to beta, promises HTPC superpowers

Remember that big XBMC update teased back in October. Well, v11.0's multifarious additions are finally ready for a spot of beta testing.

Engadget, XBMC Eden finally makes it to beta, promises HTPC superpowers

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

New phishing scam targets Apple users

New phishing scam targets Apple users

If you own an AppleID account, be sure to look out for a well-crafted phishing scam that's been going over the past week. The phishing emails were reported to have been sent out on or around Christmas day, and attempts to fool people into giving away their AppleID billing information. The email carries a sender's address of “appleid@id.apple.com” and informs recipients that their billing information records are out of date. Users are then invited to click on a link to “http://store.apple.com/” but are instead redirected to a realistic-looking sign-in page.

Ubergizmo, New phishing scam targets Apple users

In the Future, Human Cells May Shoot Lasers

In the Future, Human Cells May Shoot Lasers

Shooting lasers out of your eyes. Well, that may happen. For the past four years, two physicists from Massachusetts General Hospital have been working on a project that would make human cells behave like a laser.

Gadget.com, In the Future, Human Cells May Shoot Lasers

Italy fines Apple $1.2 million for misleading consumers

Italy fines Apple $1.2 million for misleading consumers

. Italy's Antitrust Authority has fined Apple Sales International, Apple Italia Srl and Apple Retail Italia a total of $1.2 million for “unfair commercial practices.” According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple's Italy-based retail stores were fined €500,000 ($653,000) for not providing customers with adequate information about its AppleCare Protection Plan warranties, and an additional €400,000 ($523,00) for not being completely transparent about the length of product guarantees. The fines are a bit surprising, considering that Apple is typically praised for customer satisfaction in the United States.

Boy Genius Report, Italy fines Apple $1.2 million for misleading consumers

Verizon Has Certified Pre-Owned Devices On Sale through Dec. 29th

Verizon Has Certified Pre-Owned Devices On Sale through Dec. 29th

Looking to score a deal on Verizon’s already discounted selection of certified pre-owned devices. You have until December 29th to do so. We’re reporting a little late on a 7-day sale that sees some good savings on used and refurbished items. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, for instance, is marked down $80 to $349.99 on a two-year contract for the 16GB model. The 32GB version is going for $449.99 during the same sale. A pre-owned HTC Thunderbolt will cost you only $69.99. Deals are to be found on nearly every item knocking prices all the way down to free for select handsets (the Droid Pro, for instance).

Android Phone, Verizon Has Certified Pre-Owned Devices On Sale through Dec. 29th

LG to release new stylish 3D TV glasses next year

LG to release new stylish 3D TV glasses next year

One of the problems that users currently face with 3D glasses is how uncomfortable they are to wear and how silly they look. Users usually have no reason to wear 3D glasses than to catch a 3D movie at home or in theaters. Well, LG plans to change all that. The company announced that it will be introducing a new line of 3D glasses that were designed by Alain Mikli, a renowned eyewear designer.
The new 3D glasses will feature a lighter and more comfortable design (compared to regular 3D glasses), and will be fashionable enough to wear in public.

Ubergizmo, LG to release new stylish 3D TV glasses next year

Monday, December 26, 2011

Android 4.0 runs on Kindle Fire

Android 4.0 runs on Kindle Fire

Just what is one of the hot selling Android 4.0 powered tablets in the market. Surely the name Kindle Fire would never have crossed your mind, and for good reason, too. After all, the Kindle Fire does not run on Google's Android operating system in the first place, but circumstances have changed things around. A bunch of hackers decided to work on an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich port for the Kindle Fire, where a build is already working, although there are still some bugs and what-not to weed out.



Ubergizmo, Android 4.0 runs on Kindle Fire

Nokia 801T gets unveiled in China, sports a TV antenna

Nokia 801T gets unveiled in China, sports a TV antenna

Quite frankly, our first thought when we saw the freshly announced Nokia 801T was that we are looking at a skillfully made Chinese clone. The above thought did not go to rest until we saw the device featured in Nokia's official Chinese blog. Nokia 801T is a TD-SCDMA newtwork device. Its known spec sheet is rather scarce for the time being. We know that it runs the ageing Symbian^3, has NFC connectivity and a 4" display, packed in an all-metal unibody. The icing on the cake however, is the presence of a telescopic TV antenna on board.
Nokia 801T gets unveiled in China, sports a TV antenna

Nokia 801T gets unveiled in China, sports a TV antenna


GSM Arena, Nokia 801T gets unveiled in China, sports a TV antenna

Acer to stick with tablets despite poor sales

Acer to stick with tablets despite poor sales

. Acer will continue to launch new tablets in 2012 despite slow sales of the company's current tablet models. Commenting on rumors that Acer might slow its tablet efforts in 2012 or even exit the emerging market completely, company founder Stan Shih stated that Acer would not be giving up on tablets just yet. He added that the company will continue to build smartphones as well, and that there are currently no plans to make personnel cuts in its tablet or smartphone divisions as had been previously rumored.

Boy Genius Report, Acer to stick with tablets despite poor sales

LG reveals Android Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

LG reveals Android Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

LG promised us an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich for their phones released this year and they plan to keep that promise. To assert this, they have just announced a release schedule for the Ice Cream Sandwich update. The updates will start rolling out in two waves.

GSM Arena, LG reveals Android Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

f you’re unsure what this whole "Holidroid Contest" thing is all about, be prepared to get excited. From November 24th through December 25th, Phandroid is giving away a Kindle Fire every single day along with other great prizes like the Galaxy Nexus Galaxy Tabs, JAMBOX, SmarTouch Gloves, Android Phones, Android T-Shirts, Seidio Vouchers and more. Read our announcement post for details. Yesterday’s Winner

We're also announcing the winner for December 16th's contest. We apologize that this took so long but complications on YouTube delayed our selection process.
Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition


Android Phone, Happy Holidroid Contest: Final Day and Christmas Edition

So, what'd you get?

So, what'd you get?

Yeah, it's pretty unfortunate that you've got to work tomorrow (well, unless you're down with Boxing Day), but let's take it one 24-hour window at a time, shall we. It's not as if you've had any shortage of gizmos to choose from this year, and while you aren't likely to get a Transformer Prime, there's plenty of other stocking stuffers to look forward to. Speaking of which, what'd you find under your tree this morning. A Kindle Fire. That new laptop you've been longing for? A few new cables to do... cable-y things with? Let us know in comments below, and be sure to press play on your way there.

Engadget, So, what'd you get?