How would you change the Motorola Droid 4?

Verizon's first Android flagship reveled in its brutal design and geeky touches, but times have changed. The Motorola Droid 4 has shed the neckbeard, put on a suit and is now aimed at the niche enterprise set. When we reviewed it, we wondered if times hadn't changed, with the Nexus phones usurped the Droids at the pinnacle of the Android ecosystem. The phone itself isn't bad, apart from that weak PenTile display, but does it really need to exist nowadays.

Engadget , How would you change the Motorola Droid 4?, How would you change the Motorola Droid 4?

Cranial Drilling Device puts a hole in skulls, not brains

If you told us on Monday that we'd be capping our week off by checking out an innovative cranial drill, we likely would have just stared at you funny. But here were are and here it is, a device referred to, quite straightforwardly, as the Cranial Drilling Device with Retracting Drill Bit After Skull Penetration. The drill was designed by a team of researchers at Harvard in order to address a major shortcoming with manual drills. Such devices require neurosurgical training in order to know precisely when to stop so as to not damage underlying brain tissue.

Engadget , Cranial Drilling Device puts a hole in skulls, not brains, Cranial Drilling Device puts a hole in skulls, not brains

Samsung Galaxy S III for Sprint now $119.99 on contract at Amazon

Launched by Sprint in July for $199.99, the 16GB version of Samsung's Galaxy S III is now available for almost half the price if you're buying it from Amazon Wireless. More exactly, you can get the S III 16GB for $119.99 (obviously with a new 2-yr contract agreement). Go here if you're interested in Amazon's offering.
In case you're wondering, Amazon doesn't seem to have Sprint's S III 32GB (which is being sold via the carrier's website for $249.99 on contract).

The Samsung Galaxy S III is definitely among the best Android handsets you can buy at the moment.

Unwired View , Samsung Galaxy S III for Sprint now $119.99 on contract at Amazon, Samsung Galaxy S III for Sprint now $119.99 on contract at Amazon

Facebook doubles release speed of site updates

Facebook is showing no signs of decline following its decision to go public this year. This week alone, we witnessed a lot of things going on in the platform – Facebook Stories, McAfee Social Protection for Facebook, the global expansion of its App Center, and more. But the social networking giant isn't stopping there. Today, Chuck Rossi of Facebook's engineering team announced that the team will be rolling out updates to the site twice a day.

Ubergizmo , Facebook doubles release speed of site updates

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wareground, Facebook doubles release speed of site updates

Apple: Each new iPhone sells as many units as all previous iPhones combined

. Apple (AAPL) investors, start your engines. The latest juicy morsel to emerge from the soap opera that is San Jose, California's Apple vs. Samsung (005930) trial consists of a remarkable state that comes straight from the horse's mouth. The Verge, which is actually live-blogging the trial right now, caught a great tidbit from Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller. Each time Apple releases a new version of its iPhone handset, it sells roughly as many units as all previous models combined.

Boy Genius Report , Apple: Each new iPhone sells as many units as all previous iPhones combined, Apple: Each new iPhone sells as many units as all previous iPhones combined

Motorola RAZR V now out at Bell, prices start at $29.95

One day later than initially expected, Bell now has the Motorola RAZR V in stock. The smartphone can be yours for $29.95 with a three-year contract, or $399.95 if you'd rather not sign a long term commitment. Interestingly, two-year and one-year service agreement options aren't available at the moment. Not that many people went for those anyway.
The RAZR V is a slightly updated version of the original (Android-powered) RAZR.

Unwired View , Motorola RAZR V now out at Bell, prices start at $29.95, Motorola RAZR V now out at Bell, prices start at $29.95

Crytek reiterates that they are not working on Crysis 3 for the Wii U

Back in April, Crytek's Rasmus Hoejengaard stated that Crysis 3 for the Wii U was not in the cards, but later gamers gained a little bit of hope when Crytek's producer, Mike Read, stated that Crysis 3 for the Wii U was not completely out of the question and revealed that they were working with Nintendo. However whether their collaboration with Nintendo was Crysis 3 or another game entirely remains to be seen. Now it seems like the folks at Crytek are back again and this time they are confirming once again that they are not working on Crysis 3 for the Wii U. This was revealed by Crytek's General Manager, Nick Button-Brown via Twitter.

Ubergizmo , Crytek reiterates that they are not working on Crysis 3 for the Wii U

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digitalblog, Crytek reiterates that they are not working on Crysis 3 for the Wii U

Apple's iCloud data center gets green light to come to Reno

Apple's plans to erect an iCloud data center in Sparks, Reno have gained traction now the local board of economic development have rubber-stamped the deal.

2DayBlog.com , Apple's iCloud data center gets green light to come to Reno, Apple's iCloud data center gets green light to come to Reno

CSM Automatic Toilet will lay seat covers automatically for you [Concept]

Let's face it, when it comes to public toilets, some places do it better than others, but at the end of the day, no one likes stepping into a wet toilet where they are pieces of tissue paper on the floor and suspicious drops of water (we hope) on the toilet seat. This is why the folks at Bluelarix Designworks have come up with a concept dubbed the CSM Automatic Toilet, which is basically a system that can be attached/mounted onto any toilet, thus reducing the costs of renovating the entire toilet which hopefully will make it less costly to adopt.

Ubergizmo , CSM Automatic Toilet will lay seat covers automatically for you [Concept], CSM Automatic Toilet will lay seat covers automatically for you [Concept]

Judge rules against Apple in Kodak patent dispute, cites disruption to next week's auction

Is this Kodak's moment. It's sure shaping up to be, as Bloomberg reports the once prominent imaging company has just earned a slight, though significant courtroom victory against Apple. At stake is the ownership of ten patents related to digital imaging, two of which have been deemed incontestable by a Manhattan bankruptcy judge due to Cupertino's late stage ownership filing. Citing potential disruptions to next Wednesday's auction, Judge Gropper ruled against Apple's claims, while also striking down Kodak's request for a summary judgment on the eight remaining IPs and leaving the door open for further dispute.

2DayBlog.com , Judge rules against Apple in Kodak patent dispute, cites disruption to next week's auction, Judge rules against Apple in Kodak patent dispute, cites disruption to next week's auction

Google takes one giant leap: now lets you Street View the Kennedy Space Center

Today's a stupendous day for lovers of the one and only National Aeronautics Space Administration — nearly half as great as when we took you inside Kennedy Space Center shortly after it had opened its fascinating doors to the public. At any rate, Google announced earlier that its captivating (and sometimes troubling) Street View technology had made its way into NASA's KSC, allowing people to check out what the compound is all about and what sort of sensational machinery lies inside.

2DayBlog.com , Google takes one giant leap: now lets you Street View the Kennedy Space Center, Google takes one giant leap: now lets you Street View the Kennedy Space Center

51Degrees.mobi exhibit at the British Business Embassy's ICT Summit

Reading, UK: 3rd August 2012UK Trade and Investment have chosen 51Degrees.mobi Ltd to represent Britain at the British Business Embassy’s ICT Summit on 3rd August 2012. The ICT Summit will be held in London, broadcast around the world, and accompanied online via a Virtual Exhibition.

Press Release Distribution , 51Degrees.mobi exhibit at the British Business Embassy's ICT Summit, 51Degrees.mobi exhibit at the British Business Embassy's ICT Summit

ARM claims new GPU has desktop-class brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it

It's been a while since ARM announced its next generation of Mali GPUs, the T604 and T658, but in the semiconductor business silence should never be confused with inactivity. Behind the scenes, the chip designers have been working with Khronos - that great keeper of open standards - to ensure the new graphics processors are fully compliant with OpenCL and are therefore able to use their silicon for general compute tasks (AR, photo manipulation, video rendering etc.) as well as for producing pretty visuals.

Engadget , ARM claims new GPU has desktop-class brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it, ARM claims new GPU has desktop-class brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it

Rovio exec says IPO could commence in late 2013

Last year, we said that Rovio, the company behind the widely popular game Angry Birds and the newly released Amazing Alex, might consider an initial public stock offering in the near future. But according to its chief financial officer Mikko Setala today, the Finnish video game developer could seek a stock market listing as early as the end of 2013. In an interview with the Swedish economic newspaper Dagens Industrii, Setala reportedly confirmed that the company has already prepared a stock market entry for 2013, but added that the shareholders have not decided yet as to when or whether it would even happen.

Ubergizmo , Rovio exec says IPO could commence in late 2013, Rovio exec says IPO could commence in late 2013

Verizon's HTC Rezound finally gets updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

After a rumor that didn't pan out back in March, Verizon's HTC Rezound finally has its taste of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ready. This is not surprising, of course, since we've known that it would be updated to this version of the OS ever since November of last year. A bit surprising (nay, annoying) is how long it took for this to happen. Regardless, it's here now. The update is of the over-the-air variety, coming in at 299 MB. Needless to say, downloading it over Wi-Fi is recommended. Your phone should notify you when the update has reached it.

Unwired View , Verizon's HTC Rezound finally gets updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Verizon's HTC Rezound finally gets updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Cloud Has Silver Linings for Operators Worldwide

London, 2 August 2012 – Network operator commitment to the cloud phenomenon has reached startling new levels, with investment set to top last year’s record US$13.5 billion*. This focus and the issues, market challenges and the potential of the cloud computing space, will all be highlighted and debated during the three day Broadband Cloud Summit as part of October’s flagship industry event, the Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam. Almost half of the 185 operators selling cloud services today are in Europe.

Press Release Distribution , Cloud Has Silver Linings for Operators Worldwide, Cloud Has Silver Linings for Operators Worldwide

UAW invokes civil rights movement in bid to unionize Nissan plant

The United Auto Workers continues to pursue the unionization of a foreign automaker's plant in the U.S. and has redoubled its efforts on the Nissan facility in Canton, Mississippi. According to Reuters, the union plans to paint the organization effort as "the civil rights battle of the 21st century." Gary Casteel, one of the UAW's highest-ranking officials in the South has been quoted as saying the civil rights experience was fought in Mississippi. Since 70 percent of the Canton workforce is black, the UAW hopes the civil rights card will bring more votes toward unionization.

Autoblog , UAW invokes civil rights movement in bid to unionize Nissan plant, UAW invokes civil rights movement in bid to unionize Nissan plant

Vodafone to launch the Motorola XT925 (Droid Razr HD variant)?

We know that Verizon's unannounced Motorola Droid Razr HD has the model number XT926. Now a Motorola XT925 has appeared, running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and looking a lot like what we've previously seen as the Droid Razr HD. According to the XT925 photos posted over at the XDA Forums, the handset is made for Vodafone. So it's most likely the international version of the Droid Razr HD.

We still don't know when Motorola will officially announce the Razr HD.



Unwired View , Vodafone to launch the Motorola XT925 (Droid Razr HD variant)?, Vodafone to launch the Motorola XT925 (Droid Razr HD variant)?

DirecTV waves goodbye to 52,000 subscribers in first ever net loss of customers

Viacom's frenemy, DirecTV, has announced that it suffered a net loss of subscribers for the first time in its history. The revelation came in its second quarter filing, which claimed that the exodus is actually a purge - due to a tighter credit policy and a change of focus toward "higher quality" customers. The dip in numbers hasn't hurt the balance sheet, however, with revenues up seven percent to $5.65 billion, leading to a net profit of $604 million.

Engadget , DirecTV waves goodbye to 52,000 subscribers in first ever net loss of customers, DirecTV waves goodbye to 52,000 subscribers in first ever net loss of customers

InterDigital wins appeal in never-ending Nokia patent battle

We'll leave labeling of InterDigital to the individual - whether you prefer patent troll or non-practicing entity, the semantics don't concern us. What does concern us, however, is the IP firm's ongoing legal battle with Nokia, and its recent victory over the Finnish manufacturer in the US Court of Appeals. The ruling reverses a previous decision handed down by the ITC that found Nokia did not violate InterDigital's patents, but the trio of judges hearing the appeal disagreed. The claims in question relate to 3G radios and networks - the same patents that the firm used to target ZTE and Huawei.

Engadget , InterDigital wins appeal in never-ending Nokia patent battle, InterDigital wins appeal in never-ending Nokia patent battle

ArenaNet to hold Guild Wars 2 stress test today

Heads up gamers, ArenaNet has announced that later today at 12PM Noon Pacific Time to 4PM Pacific Time, they will be holding a stress test for Guild Wars 2. Instead of merely monitoring how their servers would handle the playerbase, this stress test will see the developers of the game actively working on the servers which means that players who plan to participate in this stress test will encounter issues such as lag, incomplete features and the like.

Ubergizmo , ArenaNet to hold Guild Wars 2 stress test today

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itnet, ArenaNet to hold Guild Wars 2 stress test today

Motorola announces Electrify 2 and Defy XT for U.S. Cellular

Motorola has announce two new Android smartphones - the Electrify 2 and the Defy XT - for the U.S. Cellular in the, well, US. The Electrify is the successor to last year's Electrify, also known as the Photon 4G, but it is closer to the current Atrix HD. The two look a lot similar but the Electrify 2 cuts down on certain things. For example, it has a 4.3-inch qHD display compared to the 4.5-inch HD display on the Atrix HD.





GSM Arena , Motorola announces Electrify 2 and Defy XT for U.S. Cellular, Motorola announces Electrify 2 and Defy XT for U.S. Cellular

Need Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter? TP-Link N600!

TP-Link's new TL-WDN3200 N600 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter allows users to access 5GHz connections or legacy 2.4GHz connections at 300Mbps. Compatible with Windows XP 32x64bit, Vista 32x64bit, and Windows 7 32x64bit, the TL-WDN3200′s 5GHz band wireless connections eliminating the interference from neighboring wireless devices or even household appliances.

Trendy Gadget , Need Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter? TP-Link N600!, Need Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter? TP-Link N600!

Raspberry Pi runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Are you a self-made person who worked really hard to get everything that you own today. If you have answered in the affirmative, surely you value the process of solid, honest to goodness work, and should your kid ask you for a car when he or she turns 16, just hand then four tyres and ask them to find means and ways to get the rest of the car themselves. If they make a request for a computer, you can play the role of miser (and motivational thinker) by getting them the $35 Raspberry Pi computer.

Ubergizmo , Raspberry Pi runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Raspberry Pi runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

The Backpack Vacuum

Cleaning around the home can really be a chore for some. But using vacuum cleaners can help make such tasks easier. But then again, some people may find dragging along a bulky machine behind them while cleaning. The Backpack Vacuum may help make cleaning even more convenient.
The Backpack Vacuum eliminates the need for some people to drag along a vacuum cleaner when doing the cleaning around the home. Instead, this handy vacuum cleaner is something that people wear like a backpack. It weighs a manageable 1.5 pounds and provides users with a higher level of mobility when cleaning around the house.

Gadget.com , The Backpack Vacuum, The Backpack Vacuum

Netflix testing 'Max' assistant on some PS3 users to improve movie recommendations

It's not available to all, but if you're running the latest version (2.08) of the Netflix app on your PlayStation 3 you may see a prompt for a new item called Netflix Max, spotted by one of our readers. Described by a PR rep we contacted as a "new user experience" the company is testing, the assistant talks to users directly and asks them to rate a few movies on the spot before providing new suggestions. The Noisecast was among the first to try out the new experience and even has a few tips on how to get it for yourself, although it didn't work on our PS3, even after uninstalling and reinstalling the app to get the latest version.

Engadget , Netflix testing 'Max' assistant on some PS3 users to improve movie recommendations

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digitalarts, Netflix testing 'Max' assistant on some PS3 users to improve movie recommendations

Minecraft creator warns locked down Windows 8 could be 'very bad' for indies, stays wary of Steam too

Microsoft just isn't getting much Windows 8 love from the game community, full stop. Following Blizzard and Valve anxieties, Minecraft developer Notch (the man on the left) is himself cautious about the shift to the Windows Store and the seeming discouragement of third-party outlets. Despite sharing an affinity with Microsoft for square-shaped worlds, he sees any further lockdown of Windows 8 as potentially "very very bad" for indie game developers and overall competition in the gaming business.

Engadget , Minecraft creator warns locked down Windows 8 could be 'very bad' for indies, stays wary of Steam too, Minecraft creator warns locked down Windows 8 could be 'very bad' for indies, stays wary of Steam too

Ouya Announces Partnership with Vevo; Unveils Limited-Edition Console

Ouya has been on a roll in providing exciting news to its would-be users. After announcing that it will bring “Final Fantasy III” to the TV screen, the team behind the Android-powered video game console posted on its Kickstarter page that it has partnered with Vevo. This tie-up will provide Ouya owners to use their consoles to access Vevo's wide array of music videos. And by wide, we mean over 50,000 HD-quality music videos, as well as “new, original programming from more than 11,000 artists.”.

Gadget.com , Ouya Announces Partnership with Vevo; Unveils Limited-Edition Console, Ouya Announces Partnership with Vevo; Unveils Limited-Edition Console

Did Blizzard tease the Diablo 3 armory on its Facebook page?

One of the cool things about Blizzard's World of Warcraft was that it had an Armory feature. For those unfamiliar, it was basically a portal online that players could access to view the characters, profiles and even 3D models of other players' characters from the game. Unfortunately that is a feature missing from Diablo 3, which while isn't really a big deal, would no doubt be welcome by those who have farmed for hundreds of hours and who have gear that they'd like to show off to their friends.

Ubergizmo , Did Blizzard tease the Diablo 3 armory on its Facebook page?, Did Blizzard tease the Diablo 3 armory on its Facebook page?

The Mophie Outrider iPhone case will help capture those extreme moments

If you've always wanted to be able to capture those epic moments while surfing the waves but would rather not hire someone to film you, or invest in a waterproof camera, fret not as Mophie has revealed the Outride iPhone accessory. As pictured above, the Outride is a casing for the iPhone that not only will protect it from getting wet, but will also come with a mounting system and a wide-angle lens to capture those action shots/videos. It is made from polycarbonate and will offer high-impact protection for those who plan to use it for more extreme-type sports.

Ubergizmo , The Mophie Outrider iPhone case will help capture those extreme moments

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itband, The Mophie Outrider iPhone case will help capture those extreme moments

GTA 3 for PSN runs into last minute delay due to licensing issues

The other day we reported that come 31st of July (today), Grand Theft Auto 3 would be making its way onto the PSN. For those who were looking forward to it, you'll probably have realized that the game is missing from PSN. The reason behind the delay of the release was due to some licensing issues that they encountered with a particular audio track. According to Morgan Haro, the PlayStation Community Manager who posted on the PS Blog:.

Ubergizmo , GTA 3 for PSN runs into last minute delay due to licensing issues, GTA 3 for PSN runs into last minute delay due to licensing issues

Nexus Q delayed, but pre-orders get it for free

You may remember the Google Nexus Q from our coverage of Google IO in San Francisco. It's a multimedia device that connects to your home theater system and TV to deliver multimedia streams from an Android device. Well, Google has listened to the early user feedback and has decided to postpone the Nexus Q indefinitely, which means until it is ready. To sweeten this setback in the schedule, the company has announced that those who had pre-ordered it would get one for free.

Ubergizmo , Nexus Q delayed, but pre-orders get it for free, Nexus Q delayed, but pre-orders get it for free

2013 Buick Verano Turbo rated at 31 mpg highway

The Environmental Protection Agency has released official fuel economy ratings for the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo. When equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual gearbox, the sedan returns 20 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg highway. More importantly, it manages 24 mpg combined.

Autoblog , 2013 Buick Verano Turbo rated at 31 mpg highway, 2013 Buick Verano Turbo rated at 31 mpg highway

Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps, settles with FCC for $1.25 million

In May of last year, our free ride came to an end. US carriers started blocking third party tethering apps in the Android Market. Not long after, the built in feature was turned off on most phones. Our fortune may be reversing, however. The FCC has ruled that Verizon violated the rules governing the C Block of LTE spectrum by preventing consumers from using any application of their choice.

Engadget , Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps, settles with FCC for $1.25 million, Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps, settles with FCC for $1.25 million

All Facebook users to receive timeline this fall

Bad news for those of you who have been keeping your "legacy" Facebook profiles, it looks like you won't be able to keep it for long. According to a report by TechCrunch who were informed by Facebook, every profile on the social network will changed to Timeline whether they like it or not. Facebook plans to complete this rollout by fall, so for those of you who've been putting it off or have been holding out – you might as well make the change now. Throughout the coming months, users who log in to Facebook will be presented with a prompt telling them that their profiles will be switched to Timeline.

Ubergizmo , All Facebook users to receive timeline this fall

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wgitn, All Facebook users to receive timeline this fall

3-in-1 Breakfast Station

For most busy people, eating a hearty breakfast is no longer possible since most usually just don't have the time to prepare them day by day. Even a simple egg and toast breakfast would be simply work that can take some time preparing in the morning. If people follow such a tight time schedule that saving time at the start of the day is very important, using this 3-in-1 Breakfast Station daily. The 3-in-1 Breakfast Station makes it easy for people to prepare an easy breakfast day in and day out. This unique kitchen gadget makes it possible for busy people to prepare toast, eggs and coffee at the same time.

Gadget.com , 3-in-1 Breakfast Station, 3-in-1 Breakfast Station

NX-NT70, JVC's new DLNA and AirPlay Micro Component

Looking for a compact do it all CD Micro Component for your dorm room. Well guess what, JVC Japan as actually something for you today with its latest NX-NT70.



Akihabara News , NX-NT70, JVC's new DLNA and AirPlay Micro Component, NX-NT70, JVC's new DLNA and AirPlay Micro Component

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture is the successor to Dear Esther

While popular games seem to typically fall into the genre of action, adventure or RPG, there are other games out there that have made waves but aren't necessarily what you might expect from a game. This includes titles such as Myst, Journey and Dear Esther, which in case some of you guys forgot, is a pretty unique game in its own right and puts players into a rather scenic setting while providing an atmospheric experience with an interesting story and haunting music.

Ubergizmo , Everybody's Gone To The Rapture is the successor to Dear Esther, Everybody's Gone To The Rapture is the successor to Dear Esther

This Rolls Royce covered with 1 million Swarovski crystals looks pretty shiny

As we're sure that most of you guys probably know, Rolls Royce cars are by no means cheap. In fact they're pretty much out of the reach for most of us. Despite different opinions regarding value for money versus performance and etc., the Rolls Royce brand is indeed a luxury one which makes us wonder how does one add more value to such a car. Well, by covering it with crystals of course. Yup, pictured above is none other than a Rolls Royce car that has been covered all over with over a million Swarovski crystals, with the Rolls Royce logo itself covered with over 4,000 topaz gems.

Ubergizmo , This Rolls Royce covered with 1 million Swarovski crystals looks pretty shiny, This Rolls Royce covered with 1 million Swarovski crystals looks pretty shiny

Toshiba slips into the red as latest earnings reveal $153 million loss

Toshiba's most recent fiscal results (the first of its 2012 financial year) show that while the company pulled in $16 billion in turnover, it slumped to a $154 million loss for the last three months. While its "social infrastructure" unit (power plants, LED light bulbs and radiation detectors) generated a $107 million profit, the consumer electronics and white-goods sectors continued to lose sales. The company attributes the loss to further restructuring costs as well as pointing an accusatory digit toward the European financial crisis and concerns about power generation capacity in Japan.

Engadget , Toshiba slips into the red as latest earnings reveal $153 million loss, Toshiba slips into the red as latest earnings reveal $153 million loss

Facebook introduces a more beautiful way to view photos on timeline

Fresh from its first earnings conference call last week, the social networking giant that is Facebook, has just announced a new feature to its Timeline. Today, users can now enjoy a new photo section that will make viewing photos more enjoyable. Essentially, when users will click Photos at the top of their Timeline, they will be greeted with a mosaic of pictures filling up the page in various sizes and shapes. Users can also use the menu to find shots that they are tagged in, as well as pictures that they have shared and albums they've created. Additionally, Facebook is also introducing a new way to select favorite photos.

Ubergizmo , Facebook introduces a more beautiful way to view photos on timeline, Facebook introduces a more beautiful way to view photos on timeline

Ad exec who named the iMac says Apple's new Mac ads deserve ‘gagging response'

. Apple's (AAPL) new television commercials for its Mac computers attempt to target a new audience but according to widespread chatter on the Internet, they fail pretty miserably. The new ads, which focus on Apple Store Geniuses highlighting key benefits of Apple's computers, have been panned by pundits and consumers alike.

Boy Genius Report , Ad exec who named the iMac says Apple's new Mac ads deserve ‘gagging response'

See also:
techage, Ad exec who named the iMac says Apple's new Mac ads deserve ‘gagging response'

GM designer Lyon bails just days before taking over Opel/Vauxhall

Dave Lyon won't be taking over as head of design for Opel and Vauxhall after all. The Detroit Free Press reports the designer abruptly left General Motors last week for unknown reasons, just days before he was supposed to step into his new role. The defection is the latest in a string of management upsets at the two marques. Earlier this month, Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke departed to assume other duties within GM, opening the door for Steve Girsky to step into the role for the time being.

Autoblog , GM designer Lyon bails just days before taking over Opel/Vauxhall, GM designer Lyon bails just days before taking over Opel/Vauxhall

Hangouts come to Gmail, let you launch virtual meetings from your inbox

Google's been adding a lot of features lately to get us to Hangout, from providing digital moustaches to scheduling virtual soirees. Now, the company's aiming to get folks video conferencing from their inbox. That's right, you can now start a Hangout with up to nine friends or colleagues straight from Gmail with a click of a button. Users can expect better quality as compared to Gmail's old peer-to-peer video chats, and it provides access to people with an Android or iOS device and those on Google+ in a web browser. The new feature has already started making its way to users, and the rollout will continue over the next few weeks.

Engadget , Hangouts come to Gmail, let you launch virtual meetings from your inbox, Hangouts come to Gmail, let you launch virtual meetings from your inbox

Renault's Initiale Paris luxe brand to get phased launch?

The Renault Initiale Paris concept car from 1995 (pictured) became the company's Vel Satis flagship model that sold from 2002 to 2009 – although the Vel Satis did without the concept's detuned Formula One engine, a 392-horsepower, 3.5-liter Renault Sport RS6 V10, which might be why it never sold as well as desired. Renault has held on to the Initiale Paris name, though, using to denote the top trim on cars like the Laguna, Espace, Clio and even the dinky Modus supermini. Renault doesn't have a bona fide flagship anymore, and but it has bigger plans for a replacement that just slotting a new model in.

Autoblog , Renault's Initiale Paris luxe brand to get phased launch?

See also:
gadgetsdaily, Renault's Initiale Paris luxe brand to get phased launch?

Report reveals key influences behind consumer tech purchases: user-generated reviews nearly as important as friends and family

81% identify price as most influential factor in tech buying decisionsNearly half (45%) buy gadgets to make life easier, versus 4% to be tech trendsettersConsumer reviews compete with friends and family for greatest influence26th July 2012, London – A new online study, published today by UK tech PR agency EML Wildfire, reveals a complex ecosystem of buying power and influence around consumer tech products in today’s multi-channel world. The research-based report: ‘Why Buy.

Press Release Distribution , Report reveals key influences behind consumer tech purchases: user-generated reviews nearly as important as friends and family, Report reveals key influences behind consumer tech purchases: user-generated reviews nearly as important as friends and family

CompactFlash Association develops XQD 2.0 spec, promises up to 8Gbps throughput

Just as were starting to get cozy with the still vastly unavailable XQD format, the CompactFlash Association is back with version 2.0 of the spec, which it says could provide transfer speeds of up to 8 Gb/s (1,000 MB/s). You'll need to have access to a PCI Express 3.0 interface in order to take advantage of that throughput, however — a boost from the 5 Gbps offered with the previous-gen solution. XQD 2.0 is still under development, with Sony footing the bill, and the organization is welcoming “additional participation” as it works to refine the standard.

2DayBlog.com , CompactFlash Association develops XQD 2.0 spec, promises up to 8Gbps throughput, CompactFlash Association develops XQD 2.0 spec, promises up to 8Gbps throughput

Swedish website takes Microsoft Surface tablet preorders starting at a budget-busting $1,000

. From the department of wild speculation, WPCentral has found a Swedish website that is taking pre-orders for Microsoft's (MSFT) 32GB Windows RT-based Surface tablet and is charging a whopping 6990 krona, or roughly $1,000.

Boy Genius Report , Swedish website takes Microsoft Surface tablet preorders starting at a budget-busting $1,000, Swedish website takes Microsoft Surface tablet preorders starting at a budget-busting $1,000

Best Buy customers allegedly returned Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets because they thought it was the iPad

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (Left) and Apple's iPad 3 (Right). Apple and Samsung are scheduled to take the battle to the courts beginning July 30, Monday, next week. Following the rejection of the redaction requests filed by Apple and Samsung last week, dozens of documents were unsealed and analyzed, prompting reporters to feast on the table. Yesterday, we said that Google, together with other manufacturers, reportedly warned Samsung that the Galaxy Tab looked too similar to the iPad.

Ubergizmo , Best Buy customers allegedly returned Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets because they thought it was the iPad, Best Buy customers allegedly returned Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets because they thought it was the iPad