Google Drive said to support third party apps

. Currently, Dropbox is the king of cloud storage services. But if any service has a chance at taking over the market, it is Google Drive. And it looks like it may not only offer an awesome and affordable service, but other developers will be able to access it.
The unofficial Google Operating System blog has looked into some old files and believes that Google will be opening its Google Drive software to third-party developers. This would mean that any service (like the above mentioned) would be able to take advantage of the new cloud starage service.

It is rumored that Google will be releasing the SDK, but that isn't the only news.

Android Phone, Google Drive said to support third party apps

Manfrotto VT502AM Video Tripod

The Manfrotto MVT502AM is a new lightweight video tripod that is perfect for videographers. It is a 2 stage video tripod with 3 telescopic-twin sections for assuring compactness when the tripod is folded. The Manfrotto VT502AM is compatible with 75mm and 60mm half-ball video heads. What's more, it supports payloads of up to 15 kg (33.06lb). No word on pricing or availability so far.

TechFresh

See also:
itcrowd, Manfrotto VT502AM Video Tripod

ViewSonic announces new smartphones and tablets for MWC

. ViewSonic on Friday announced a slew of new smartphones and tablets set to debut at Mobile World Congress, SlashGear reports. The company's Android-powered ViewPhone 4s looks to compete directly with Apple's iPhone, featuring a 3.5-inch 960 x 640-pixel display with 326ppi, Ice Cream Sandwich, dual SIMs, a 5-megapixel camera and a VGA font facing secondary camera. ViewSonic's two other smartphones, the 5-inch ViewPhone 5e and 3.5-inch ViewPhone 4e, will run Android 4.0, support dual-SIMs and the latter of the two will sport a 650MHz processor.

Boy Genius Report, ViewSonic announces new smartphones and tablets for MWC

ASUS gives Transformer Prime a bootloader unlock tool, Ubuntu ported over in lightning speed

Ah, it was indeed only a matter of time. Much like the way HTC caved into fan pressure, ASUS has finally released a bootloader unlock tool for its Transformer Prime TF201. Understandably, the tablet will no longer be covered under warranty once you set it free, but the other catch is that it needs to be running Ice Cream Sandwich in the first place as well. Not that it concerned modder littlesteve who promptly ported a partially-working Ubuntu over to his unlocked slate, pictured above.

2DayBlog.com, ASUS gives Transformer Prime a bootloader unlock tool, Ubuntu ported over in lightning speed

Nokia becomes top Windows Phone vendor after just one quarter

. Nokia was late to the game with regard to Windows Phone (among other things). The Finnish phone giant announced early last year that it would be dumping Symbian in favor of Microsoft's mobile platform, and its first two Windows Phones were unveiled in October, about a year after Samsung, HTC and other companies first launched similar devices. Despite the head start enjoyed by its rivals, however, it took Nokia less than one quarter to become the top Windows Phone vendor in the world.


Boy Genius Report

See also:
bigcrunch, Nokia becomes top Windows Phone vendor after just one quarter

Translogic drives a poo-powered car

Translogic has driven a lot of interesting vehicles over the past two years. Our sister site filmed some of the first seat time in a Chevrolet Volt, drove Local Motors' Rally Fighter, got behind the wheel of an electric DeLorean, turned in the first test drive of the Lightning GT supercar, tried out the YikeBike, and even found a wacky wood-powered car called the "Beaver." You'd think there wouldn't be anything more outrageous for those guys to find seat time in. Yet they've managed to find yet another crazy transportation project with an alternative power source to top them all: human waste.

Autoblog, Translogic drives a poo-powered car

NHTSA investigating side airbag problems

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a number of vehicles for potentially faulty side airbags, according to The Detroit News. The airbags may have been manufactured with an ineffective mix of inflation gasses, which could leave the bags flat in the event of a collision. The defective hardware has found its way into models from Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Nissan, and has resulted in the recall of around 2,700 units so far. If NHTSA finds the defective airbags in other vehicles, that number could swell substantially.
The defective airbag inflators were manufactured by a Autoliv, a Swedish supplier.

Autoblog, NHTSA investigating side airbag problems

Groovy up your bedtime with this VW Bus Bed

As a car-obsessed tot, your author used to snuggle up in his bed, pretending he was taking a long road trip in a Volkswagen camper van. The fantasy went so far as to include a small fan so there would be a constant rhythmic chatter similar to the air-cooled flat-four that helped build the Volkswagen name. While pure imagination capably transformed a twin bed into a Westfalia-trimmed Type II on a nightly basis, a user over at Instructables has gone even further than just dreaming, winding up with a custom-built result that's far more personal than the Step2 Corvette bed that's better suited for fast sleepers.

Autoblog, Groovy up your bedtime with this VW Bus Bed

8 ZTE smartphones announced for MWC 2012: Android, quad-core, Windows Phone on the menu

ZTE has unveiled that it's going to announce no less than eight new smartphones at MWC 2012 next week, running either Android, or Windows Phone. We've already seen the ZTE PF200, ZTE N910, and ZTE Mimosa X (pictured below), which will all run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. But the Chinese company has something even more exciting to show us - "a major new quad-core flagship handset". There are no details about this new quad-core device, but it most likely runs Android 4.0, too.

It remains to be seen ho many Windows Phone devices ZTE will showcase.

Unwired View, 8 ZTE smartphones announced for MWC 2012: Android, quad-core, Windows Phone on the menu

More pictures of the 2013 Audi A3 say hello to the Internet

The 2013 Audi A3 will be rolling into the Geneva Motor Show next month, but first it went to Russia to get leaked all over the Internet. We saw one angle of it a few days ago, and now we see more of what looks to be a very handsome car. The move to the new MQB platform hasn't altered anything drastically, but revisions in the hatchback's details have made for a more concentrated bearing, with very A1-like appearance.

Autoblog, More pictures of the 2013 Audi A3 say hello to the Internet

HTC One X press photo leaks

With HTC still a few days away from announcing their new smartphone lineup for 2012 there is still plenty of time to get a few more leaks in. The latest comes in the form of a promotional render of the upcoming HTC One X. You may recognize the phone from an early leak (back when it was still going by codenames HTC Edge and Endeavor), but our latest look has all the touches of a handset ready for its debut at Mobile World Congress. Note the location on the weather widget.

Android Phone, HTC One X press photo leaks

Microsoft joins Apple against Motorola Mobility in FRAND patent fight

Apple and Motorola have been butting heads, and at one point Motorola nearly succeeded in getting a permanent injunction against Apple's iPads over in Germany. If that near-win wasn't bad enough, it looks like Microsoft has entered the fray and has filed a complaint against Motorola Mobility alongside Apple with the EU, alleging that Motorola Mobility were abusing their standard-essential patents and were going against FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) licensing. .

Ubergizmo

See also:
itcrowd, Microsoft joins Apple against Motorola Mobility in FRAND patent fight

LG unveils Optimus 3D Max Android phone ahead of MWC

. LG continues to announce an array of new smartphones ahead of next week's Mobile World Congress trade show. On Wednesday, the company unveiled its follow up to the original Optimus 3D, the Optimus 3D Max. The handset is equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP4430 processor beneath a 4.3-inch 3D WVGA display that is protected by Corning's second-generation Gorilla Glass. The Optimus 3D Max also features 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 5-megapixel duel-lens 3D rear camera, 3D video editing capabilities and NFC, and it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Boy Genius Report, LG unveils Optimus 3D Max Android phone ahead of MWC

Black Mirror Touchscreen MP4 Player

Here we have another budget-friendly touchscreen MP4 player from Black Mirror. The player features a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen display, a 4GB of storage, a microSD card slot (up to 8GB), an FM radio, an e-book reader, a USB port, a 3.5mm headset jack and a built-in Lithium battery (4-5 hours of working time). Price itself is set at $59.99.

TechFresh, Black Mirror Touchscreen MP4 Player

UK TV authority lets Jeremy Clarkson off hook for 'should be shot' comment

British television watchdog Ofcom has ruled Jeremy Clarkson didn't violate any broadcasting rules when the Top Gear presenter suggested he would deal with striking public workers by taking the time to "execute them in front of their families." While Clarkson later went on to apologize for the remarks after labor unions began making noise about potential legal action, Ofcom said that the comments were meant as satire in their context. BBC has notoriously strict impartiality laws. The report went on to say that given Clarkson's history of controversial comments, viewers are aware of his likelihood to offend.

Autoblog, UK TV authority lets Jeremy Clarkson off hook for 'should be shot' comment

Sterling Silver Engraved Topaz Locking Poison Ring with Key on Chain

It is a classic tale of intrigue, those olden times where monarchs constantly had to watch their backs just in case a family member betrayed him to take over the throne, and one of the most creative ways of deposing one in power would be through poisoning one's food. However, sneaking in poison into the food is not all that easy, unless one could fashion a device that hides the poison which will be administered only after the food had gone through the food taster's palate.

Ubergizmo, Sterling Silver Engraved Topaz Locking Poison Ring with Key on Chain

iSteady Shot M-27 mount offers 37mm wide-angle lens for the iPhone

iPhone photography enthusiasts, are you looking to take your photography to the next level. Sure there are plenty of fun apps like Instagram or Hipstamatic that allow you to take funky and "artsy" images, but beyond the filters and effects it can be a bit difficult to achieve certain shots like wide-angles for example. If wide-angled photography happens to be a favorite of yours, then you might be interested in taking a look at what iSteady Shot has to offer.

Ubergizmo, iSteady Shot M-27 mount offers 37mm wide-angle lens for the iPhone

Capcom, Bandai, SEGA working on Nintendo 3DS crossover project?

Nintendo 3DS gamers heads up – it looks like a pretty epic project could be headed your way. This was announced through Nintendo's Direct broadcast earlier this morning where it was revealed that three major game companies – Capcom, Bandai and SEGA are teaming up for some sort of crossover 3DS project. A teaser was shown by Nintendo, and Bandai has launched a teaser site of its own showing us what appears to be a safe door, which when opened reveals the image you are looking at above. So what could we be looking at here.

Ubergizmo, Capcom, Bandai, SEGA working on Nintendo 3DS crossover project?

DIY iPhone Boombox looks pretty good

If you'd rather not waste money buying an iPhone speaker dock, and you would rather spend your time creating something with your own two hands, then this iPhone Boombox might be a project worth undertaking, assuming that you have both the time and patience to see it through to the end. This was originally designed by Instructables user, MTriest who is currently a student at the University of Oregon studying industrial design and was made for one of his classes. It features MDF wood along with a clear layer of acrylic that has been sandwiched between the wooden pieces and was created with a ShopBot CNC router and a laser cutter.

Ubergizmo, DIY iPhone Boombox looks pretty good

Lab-grown hamburgers need no cows

The next time you bite into a juicy beef patty, here is some food for thought (pun not intended) – it could not be real beef as in, from a humanely slain cow, but rather, “meat” that has been grown in a petri dish somewhere. A research team is currently working on the idea of growing beef, with the project having Mark Post at the helm. Mark is a physiologist at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, and his project has been funded anonymously by an investor who figured out that lab-grown meat might be the future answer to the world's hunger problems.

Ubergizmo, Lab-grown hamburgers need no cows

LG announces Optimus 3D Cube smartphone

After announcing the three new L-series smartphones yesterday, LG has yet another phone to announce before MWC. This one is the successor to the Optimus 3D and is called the Optimus 3D Cube. The Optimus 3D Cube improves upon its successor by having a newer, thinner design, which is just 9.6mm thick compared to the 11.9mm thickness of the previous phone. It also has a slightly bigger battery, 1.2GHz processor instead of 1GHz, 16GB memory instead of 8GB and comes with NFC built-in.

GSM Arena, LG announces Optimus 3D Cube smartphone

Report: iPad 3 Bulkier than iPad 2

Still no word about an iPad 3, but rumors about it continue to trickle weeks from its supposed announcement. Chinese tech blog M.I.C.gadget claims that the iPad 3 will have a back shell that appears to be a bit thicker and a tad longer than the iPad 2. You do not believe it. The blog posted comparison photos to cast away doubts.
The next-gen tablet still has the tapered style much like its predecessor, but judging from the back shell the new tablet looks like a slightly overweight iPad 2.

Gadget.com, Report: iPad 3 Bulkier than iPad 2

LG announces L-style Android phones ahead of MWC

. LG on Tuesday announced three more Android smartphones ahead of next week's Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain. The “L-style” series will feature the Optimus L3 (3.2-inch), L5 (4-inch) and L7 (4.3-inch), three smartphones for design-conscious consumers. “Design is consistently the top or second most important factor for customers when choosing a mobile phone," president and CEO of LG Mobile Dr. Jong-seok Park said.

Boy Genius Report

See also:
dailygadgets, LG announces L-style Android phones ahead of MWC

DV76 Mini HD Sports Camera

Record your great sports performances in top quality with Chinavasion's latest mini HD sports camera ‘DV76′. This waterproof camera (down to 30 meters) is equipped with a 5.0MP CMOS sensor, a 120-degree wide-angle lens, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a laser light for fixing position, an LED light for night use, a 1000mAh battery micro USB port, an HDMI port and has the ability to capture both 1080p Full HD video at 30fps as well as up to 12MP digital still images (interpolated mode). The DV76 retails for $130.79 and comes bundled with a bicycle handlebar mount.

TechFresh, DV76 Mini HD Sports Camera

Lyonheart K aims to rekindle British sporting tradition with E-Type homage

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, few automobile shapes are as imitated as the legendary Jaguar E-Type. Of course, Jaguar itself has drawn inspiration from its most iconic sportscar with the contemporary XK and the more recent C-X16 concept. Eagle has reinterpreted the classic with modern accoutrements. And about a year ago a Swedish designer by the name of Bo Zolland rendered a sumptuously retro re-imagination of the form with the Growler E.
That design was slated to go into limited production by a firm called Visualtech, but now the design has resurfaced under a new moniker: Lyonheart.

Autoblog

See also:
itnet, Lyonheart K aims to rekindle British sporting tradition with E-Type homage

Mass Effect 3: Space Edition, more details released

Last week we announced that Mass Effect 3 would be getting the space treatment, but there weren't a lot of details about it - we only know that Bioware is launching the game into space and giving a chance for anybody to pick it up. Well today, more details about the promotion have been revealed. Bioware and EA will be partnering with Project Aether at the University of Houston and students of the High Altitude Weather Balloon Club at Texas A&M to make this happen.

Ubergizmo, Mass Effect 3: Space Edition, more details released

Paice drags Hyundai, Kia into long-running hybrid patent fight with Toyota

With all the news coming out recently about the small claims lawsuit over the Honda Civic Hybrid, readers may have forgotten the name behind a long-running legal issue over Toyota's hybrid system: Paice. The latest development is that Paice and the Abell Foundation (an investor in Paice) have sued Hyundai and Kia over the gas-electric technology used in the Optima and Sonata hybrids (pictured), which shares some parts with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. Read up on the details of Alex Severinsky's story here.

Autoblog, Paice drags Hyundai, Kia into long-running hybrid patent fight with Toyota

Optimus LTE Tag from LG offers NFC, with a Twist!

LG today announced its newest addition to its LTE smartphone line-up for the Korean market, the Optimus LTE Tag. Coming on the heels of impressive sales of its Optimus LTE, the world's first HD LTE smartphone, the Optimus LTE Tag advances LG's vision of offering the most diverse collection of LTE devices for all types of customers. The Optimus LTE Tag gets its name from a unique new feature, LG Tag+, which uses NFC (Near Field Communication) to communicate with special stickers or "tags" that can be programmed to automatically change the phone's settings.




Akihabara News, Optimus LTE Tag from LG offers NFC, with a Twist!

Microsoft reveals Windows 8′s new logo: ‘It's a window… not a flag'

Microsoft is making plenty of big changes with its Windows 8 operating system, and that has now also extended to a new logo. As explained by Microsoft's Sam Moreau in a post on the official Windows blog, the logo was created with the help of the design agency Pentagram, which posed a simple question when it began on the project: “your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?” That discussion eventually led to the four-paned window you see above, which not only looks more like a window than the previous logos, but clearly echoes the company's new Metro design language.


2DayBlog.com, Microsoft reveals Windows 8′s new logo: ‘It's a window… not a flag'

Analyst charged with insider trading and fraud after leaking Apple sales data

. A research analyst and a former executive who revealed insider information about Apple's sales have both been charged, reports Reuters. Analyst John Kinnucan on Friday was charged with two counts of securities fraud, two counts of conspiracy and one count of insider trading from a civil case filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Between 2008 and 2010, Kinnucan allegedly paid insiders with cash, trips and other incentives for inside information regarding Apple. Kinnnucan then sold the information to hedge funds for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Boy Genius Report, Analyst charged with insider trading and fraud after leaking Apple sales data

UK: Original Orange San Francisco now just £62.99

The Orange San Francisco is the original own-brand budget Android smartphone that the UK operator started selling way back, with great success thanks to the handset's excellent price per features ratio. The San Francisco is getting a bit old nowdays, it even has a successor already on the market. But if the minor hardware upgrade and the software update that came with it simply don't interest you, and you think that even £100 or so is too much for a decent Android smartphone, then we've got good news. The original San Francisco can now be had for just £62.99 at Argos.

Unwired View, UK: Original Orange San Francisco now just £62.99

Prada Phone by LG 3.0 now available at T-Mobile UK, free from £36 per month

After having become available SIM-free, the Prada Phone by LG 3.0 can now also be bought from T-Mobile UK with various long-term contracts. We've known that the magenta operator would be selling the new Prada Phone ever since last month. The cheapest contract that gets you the phone for free costs £36 per month and brings you 2,000 minutes and unlimited calls to T-Mobile numbers, unlimited texts and unlimited data. If you guessed that this was one of T-Mobile's rather new Full Monty plans, you guessed right.

Unwired View, Prada Phone by LG 3.0 now available at T-Mobile UK, free from £36 per month

Sony Xperia U pictured next to Xperia S, looks like its smaller counterpart

Back at CES Sony introduced us to the new look for their 2012 product lineup with the Xperia S and Xperia Ion. The sharp edged styling continue with the 3.5-inch Xperia U, which has been spotted next to its larger counterpart in a series of leaked images. The Xperia U is stamped from the same mold as the Xperia S, right down to its transparent Android soft key/antenna bar positioned below the screen. Unlike the Xperia S, it is revealed that the smaller handset will sport a removable battery rated at 1290mAh. Other specs include a 1GHz dual-core CPU, 5MP rear camera, and front-facing camera.



Android Phone, Sony Xperia U pictured next to Xperia S, looks like its smaller counterpart

Bentley improving W12 to justify over V8 Continental

All things being equal, we'd generally rather have more cylinders than fewer. But Bentley upset that particular applecart with the latest Continental GT. Not only is the 500-horsepower V8 version less expensive than the 567-hp W12, it also boasts better handling (thanks to less weight in the nose) and better fuel economy, too – all with a scant 67 less horsepower.

Autoblog, Bentley improving W12 to justify over V8 Continental

Kiddy Mini Speaker

Looking just like a Lego brick, the Kiddy Mini Speaker looks like the perfect portable speaker –  assuming you don't want hi-fidelity sound. Measuring in at 1.61″ (W) x 0.98″(H) x 0.67″(D), it has its own USB-chargeable battery.  Its little amplifier pumps out a whopping 0.8W of power for up to 6 hours and will work with any device with a 3.5mm stereo jack.  This would be perfect for my Thinkpad Tablet because the inbuilt speaker is nothing short of pathetic.

The Gadgeteer, Kiddy Mini Speaker

Samsung to spin-off LCD business

Looks like what we reported on earlier was right on the money – South Korea's Samsung, despite being the largest manufacturer of TVs in the world, found it rather difficult to maintain its LCD manufacturing business, and will instead spin off that arm of theirs into an affiliate as the company pools its resources together to concentrate on next generation OLED display technology. LCD TVs are old hat now, and they could very well be the dinosaur of the flat screen TV revolution.

Ubergizmo, Samsung to spin-off LCD business