Daihatsu FC Case Concept is autonomous, high-tech transportation

The one thing that's been missing from this year's Tokyo Motor Show are the inevitable rolling living room concepts of years past.

Autoblog, Daihatsu FC Case Concept is autonomous, high-tech transportation

Chevy Volt tops Consumer Reports latest Owner Satisfaction Survey

. "Considering all factors (price, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?". Perhaps no other question could produce a result as indicative of overall vehicle satisfaction, and so it's no surprise that's the query Consumer Reports poses to its subscribers every year, and for 2011, the Chevrolet Volt scored highest of all with 93 percent of respondents indicating they definitely would buy GM's plug-in hatchback again.

It's not all lollipops and rainbows with the Volt these days, though, as Consumer Reports points out in the press release pasted after the break.

Autoblog, Chevy Volt tops Consumer Reports latest Owner Satisfaction Survey

Syria bans iPhone in attempt to curb protests and silence citizen journalists

Times are tough in Syria right now, but that isn't stopping the Assad government from making things a whole lot worse. The nation's customs department, a branch of the Syrian Finance Ministry, has officially banned the iPhone in an attempt to curb citizens from sharing news and videos of the massive protests and violent crackdowns throughout the nation. For those not keeping score, foreign press have been largely barred from the nation since March, which necessitated the use of citizen journalism as a means to report news from the streets.

Engadget, Syria bans iPhone in attempt to curb protests and silence citizen journalists

FTC asked to open an investigation into Carrier IQ

It was only a matter of time, we suppose, before this whole Carrier IQ thing started drawing the attention of lawmakers. The saga has quickly spiraled out of control, with carriers being forced to declare which side they're on and Senator Stuart Smalley Al Franken demanding the company provide details about what data it collects and how it's used. Well, Massachusetts congressman Edward Markey has even less patience than his esteemed colleague and has already asked the FTC to open an investigation into Carrier IQ.

Engadget, FTC asked to open an investigation into Carrier IQ

Motorola DROID Xyboard accessories start arriving in stores

Yesterday it was reported that the Motorola Xyboard would be launching on Verizon this month, while a specific date wasn't mentioned, it looks like it might be pretty soon. Accessories for the upcoming tablets have started arriving at Verizon outlets, signifying the imminent arrival of the Android devices. The Xyboard will be receiving display protectors, a HD Dock and a HD Station. The HD Dock will be a regular dock for you to prop up the tablet while you watch your favorite shows, while the HD Dock looks like it will have an HDMI output for you to connect to your TV.

Ubergizmo, Motorola DROID Xyboard accessories start arriving in stores

Rotten Core: Nokia lose huge market share in their homeland

There's a state of unease within Nokia at the moment and unsurprisingly so. With the first Nokia-Microsoft lovechild now out in the market (the Lumia 800, you might have heard of it) and an aggressive marketing strategy in place to drum up interest in Windows Phone-laden Nokia's coming fresh out of the factory, the Finnish company have been waiting with bated breath to see how consumers will receive this new-era Nokia. They've shown a resilience to the tough times they've faced already and since the partnership announcement in February, many wondered just how this shift would affect the company's image.

GSM Arena, Rotten Core: Nokia lose huge market share in their homeland

Kindle Fire to be second hottest tablet behind iPad in Q4

. Amazon's Kindle Fire will be the second most popular tablet in the world this quarter according to new projections published on Friday by market research firm IHS iSuppli. An earlier report on Friday suggested Kindle Fire usage might already be in decline, but iSuppi says Amazon is in store for a solid fourth quarter. Apple's iPad will maintain its huge lead in the tablet space as Apple ships 18.6 million units globally this quarter according to the firm. Though trailing by a significant margin, the Kindle Fire will be the second best-selling tablet despite only shipping for half the quarter.



Boy Genius Report

See also:
mrnom, Kindle Fire to be second hottest tablet behind iPad in Q4

Vote For Your Favorite MTA Apps

MTA is searching for the best applications in their MTA App Quest challenge. Developers have submitted tons of apps to enhance the riders' experience. Over 40 entries were received and voting closes on January 11th. If you have a favorite app in particular be sure to vote daily for it to support the developer.

Android Phone, Vote For Your Favorite MTA Apps

Alibaba to launch its own Google+ like social network

Alibaba has often been referred to as China's answer to Google, and rightfully so. They are one of the country's largest (if not the largest) search engine and have even services and products that mirror Google's own, so it's really not surprising that the company now has plans to launch a social network of their own called Laiwang. In a country where things are heavily censored and tightly controlled, a company like Alibaba would have no trouble establishing a social network of its own that would gain the blessing and approval of the Chinese government.

Ubergizmo, Alibaba to launch its own Google+ like social network

Dashboard-devotees get freedom to view home energy data alongside other real-time feeds

Aldershot, 02 December 2011 - Users of Current Cost home energy monitoring technologies can now view their home energy data alongside other real-time data feeds, thanks to a new commercial partnership between Current Cost, the leading global manufacturer of home energy monitors, and Pachube, a real-time data infrastructure platform for the Internet of Things.Current Cost has teamed up with the Pachube service with the aim of providing even greater online freedom for tech-savvy users of its practical home energy monitoring devices.

Press Release Distribution, Dashboard-devotees get freedom to view home energy data alongside other real-time feeds

Gigabyte's T1006 at the FCC, flaunts some convertible Cedar Trail style

We just caught wind of Gigabyte's latest netvertible, the T1132, just days ago, and now its cousin, the T1006, has popped up at the FCC. Like its sibling, the T1006 comes with VGA, HDMI, and three USB ports (one 3.0, one 2.0, and one combo USB/eSATA port) along with a 1366 x 768 capacitive display. (Pixel density enthusiasts should note that those pixels are packed into a 10.1-inch screen unlike the 11.6-inch panel found on the T1132.) Instead of the Core i5 CPU found in its relative, the T1006 is powered by an unspecified Atom chip with Intel GMA 3650 graphics - which tells us that it's Cedar Trail silicon.

Engadget, Gigabyte's T1006 at the FCC, flaunts some convertible Cedar Trail style

Introducing Memo Touch, a tablet designed for elders with short-term memory loss

Here's a product you don't see every day: a tablet designed specifically for senior citizens - albeit with rather limited functionality. The Memo Touch is designed as a reminder tool for those who struggle with short-term memory loss, and can be used to deliver gentle cues when its time to take a medication, go to the doctor and the like. It's collaborative, too, as family members may add calendar events, phone numbers and to-do items, or even share photos and personalized messages, all from the product's companion website.

Engadget, Introducing Memo Touch, a tablet designed for elders with short-term memory loss

Cardsharp 2 Knife by Iain Sinclair Design

Cardsharp 2 knife – the sharpest and lightest utility knife in the world (the first real innovation in penknives since the first folding knife, which has been around for more than 2,000 years ):



Trendy Gadget, Cardsharp 2 Knife by Iain Sinclair Design

T-Mobile Android Lineup vs iPhone Offering Could Surprise Holiday Shoppers

Want an iPhone. You won’t find it at T-Mobile. You’ll find plenty at Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, but T-Mobile is standing strong with a rock solid lineup of Android Phones, 4G coverage, and affordable voice and data plans. If you’re an Android OG you may remember that T-Mobile USA was the first carrier in the ENTIRE WORLD to launch an Android phone – the T-Mobile G1 – and staying true to Android has paid off.


Android Phone, T-Mobile Android Lineup vs iPhone Offering Could Surprise Holiday Shoppers

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread

It took a long time for the Galaxy S phones in the US to receive Android 2.2 Froyo, so it's no surprise that Gingerbread would take just as long as well. For those of you who own the Samsung Fascinate on Verizon, it looks like the day has come for you to finally get Gingerbread on your phones - provided you haven't already done the job yourself by loading a custom ROM. We all know that Ice Cream Sandwich is already out, but since it's not going to arrive on this phone anytime soon (unless Verizon/Samsung prove us wrong) and you don't plan to get your hands dirty – you might as well just enjoy the official Gingerbread update first.

Ubergizmo, Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread

Battlefield 3 crash bug with overclocked NVIDIA video card solution

If you are one of those who are just not happy enough with a stock solution and want to put your tinkering hand into action simply because you are gifted in this area, and want to see improvement in anything and everything whenever possible, surely the computer that you are using at home is not a stock model. No sir, chances are pretty good that you would have specially built this computer from scratching, getting the best parts possible and tweaking them to maximize their potential. Well, overclocking your video card is a norm, and if you realized that Battlefield 3 tends to crash, here's why.

Ubergizmo, Battlefield 3 crash bug with overclocked NVIDIA video card solution

Alcatel One Touch 918 with Android Gingerbread, and dual-SIM Alcatel 318D coming soon

Alcatel has a new Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone. It's called Alcatel One Touch 918, and should become available pretty soon, since it has appeared both at the Bluetooth SIG, and here at the Alcatel One Touch official website. The One Touch 918 features a 3.2 inch HVGA display, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Facebook and Twitter integration, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio, 3.2MP camera, and MicroSD card support (up to 32GB).


Unwired View, Alcatel One Touch 918 with Android Gingerbread, and dual-SIM Alcatel 318D coming soon

Small is Beautiful: 10 Years of Mini-ITX

VIA Technologies is celebrating the 10th birthday of Mini-ITX, a small motherboard (and case) form factor whose first reference design was created by Robert Kuo, Assistant Vice President, VIA Technologies. The idea was to build a 17x17cm PC motherboard that could spark a new wave of computer industrial design – and it did. The new small form factor has enabled all kinds of PC “mods” (modifications) allowing PCs to go everywhere (cars, scooters, robots…) and look like anything (vintage radio R2D2, millennium falcon – you name it!).

Ubergizmo, Small is Beautiful: 10 Years of Mini-ITX

Sauron jealous of all-seeing panorama ball

You know those cool looking panorama images that you see in print magazines as well as ads from time to time. Well, it seems that taking such shots is going to end up as reality in due time, thanks to this unique ball-shaped camera that was developed by Jonas Pfeil who hails from the Technical University of Berlin, getting help from his colleagues as well. In order to snap a photo, just toss it upwards into mid-air, and it will go around snapping panoramic photos. Makes me wonder whether the same can be said of the Palantirs that Sauron uses – will he get a panoramic view of Middle Earth when he tosses one of these puppies up.

Ubergizmo, Sauron jealous of all-seeing panorama ball

Record $1.25 billion spent online on historic Cyber Monday

. U.S. consumers spent a record $1.25 billion online on Cyber Monday, the second time the U.S. has ever spent more than $1 billion online in a single day and a 22% increase from the amount spent last year. “While last year saw Cyber Monday rank as the heaviest online spending day of the year for the first time ever, it will be interesting to watch the next couple of weeks to see if any future individual days in 2011 manage to leapfrog this year's highest day-to-date,” comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni said. 50.2% the money spent on Cyber Monday originated from a work computer, comScore noted.

Boy Genius Report, Record $1.25 billion spent online on historic Cyber Monday

Dish Network Advertising Logitech Revue with Android 3.1, Update Nowhere to Be Found

Shortly before Google announced the rollout of Android 3.1 for Google TV (Google TV 2.0), Logitech began shipping their final batch of Revue set-top boxes with a sticker advertising the new software. The manufacturer confirmed with us that the new version of Android did not come installed out of the box and would rather touch down as an over-the-air update at a later point. With Sony devices already receiving the new version of Google TV along with access to the Android Market, owners of Logitech boxes have been left out in the cold.

Android Phone, Dish Network Advertising Logitech Revue with Android 3.1, Update Nowhere to Be Found

Spotify apps hands-on

The big reveal at today's "what's next" Spotify event. Apps. So, so many apps. As anticipated, the Swedish music streaming service launched its very own platform for third-party developers. The program is launching today in beta, with a number of partners, including some high profile music names like Rolling Stone and Last.fm along with some relative new-comers to the scene, like SoundDrop and Sharemyplaylists.com.






Engadget, Spotify apps hands-on

Video game consoles are ‘fundamentally doomed,' Ultima creator says

. Microsoft just sold nearly one million Xbox 360 consoles last week alone, but we're nearing the end of the road for video game consoles according to one industry visionary. Richard Garriott, known for having created the fantasy role-playing franchise Ultima and the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Tabula Rasa, says converged devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets will soon render dedicated game consoles obsolete. Read on for more.
“I think we might get one more generation, might, but I think fundamentally they're doomed,” Garriott told IndustryGamers in an interview.

Boy Genius Report, Video game consoles are ‘fundamentally doomed,' Ultima creator says

Digital Artists Entertainment and Biodroid launch the official Ronaldo Game: Cristiano Ronaldo Freestyle on iOS and Android!

30th November 2011 - You’ve never seen a game like it. Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s best known footballers and current star of Real Madrid, has put his name and incredible soccer skills to an exciting music/rhythm game, Cristiano Ronaldo Freestyle. Cristiano Ronaldo Freestyle packs all of Ronaldo’s unique soccer skills and style into one amazing game.

Press Release Distribution, Digital Artists Entertainment and Biodroid launch the official Ronaldo Game: Cristiano Ronaldo Freestyle on iOS and Android!

Apple and Google say no to ESRB mobile app ratings

You're familiar with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), right. They're the lot who help moms and dads ensure that their kiddies only get their grubby mitts on age-appropriate content. Recently, the ESRB's reach extended into the mobile space, but it turns out that Apple and Google aren't down with the ESRB's handy dandy ratings system. Despite being invited to the party, the two tech behemoths with matching app purchasing portals are quite content with their existing controls, thank you very much.

2DayBlog.com, Apple and Google say no to ESRB mobile app ratings

Another Industry Star Joins Infinity

Infinity underpins new sites investment with New Delivery Director.London, UK, 30 November 2011 – As part of its major expansion programme, Infinity has attracted one of the industry’s renowned experts onto its senior management team.

Press Release Distribution

See also:
tehnologies2day, Another Industry Star Joins Infinity

iSafe Waist Pack

People like to go around their neighborhood to explore the area or just to hike or jog. But not all areas are always that safe to begin with. People will always need to feel a bit secure when going around the neighborhood. That is why it is quite useful to have a portable alarm system to bring along like the iSafe Waist Pack when going out and about.
The iSafe Waist Pack is a waist bag fitted with an alarm system in case you find yourself in trouble or in an emergency.

Gadget.com, iSafe Waist Pack

Gigabyte Booktop T1132 11.6-inch Convertible Tablet

Gigabyte has unveiled the new Booktop T1132 11.6-inch convertible tablet. Powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M processor, the tablet features a 11.6-inch capacitive multi-touch LED backlight display with a 1366x768 pixel resolution, up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 750GB hard disk drive and a choice of an Intel HD Graphics 3000 or a 1GB nVidia GeForce GT520M graphics card. Other specs include a card reader, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, 3G, a 1.3MP webcam, a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, eSATA/USB combo, HDMI and a 6-cell battery.

TechFresh, Gigabyte Booktop T1132 11.6-inch Convertible Tablet

ASUS Transformer Prime's camera demonstrated

Yesterday we reported that the ASUS Transformer Prime was shown off on video, but the video only consisted of showing you the tablet's hardware and a bit of the user interface. Well, today the folks over at ASUS have decided to upload a video showing off the capabilities of the tablet's 8-megapixel camera. We get to see the various video modes it is capable of: time lapse videos, inveted colors, classic black & white, and even sepia tone. Everything is shot in 1080p at 30 FPS (frames per second) and looks extremely sharp not to mention there were no signs of frames dropping.



Ubergizmo, ASUS Transformer Prime's camera demonstrated

BlackBerry PlayBook gets root thanks to childishly named DingleBerry tool

It's been a long time coming, but the PlayBook has finally been rooted. Devs neuralic, xpvqs and Chris Wade have been hard at work and have finally discovered a persistently exploitable hole that enables unfettered root access to the PlayBook. The culmination of their efforts, DingleBerry, hasn't been released just yet, but it should be hitting the series of tubes in the not too distant future. Obviously having super user access opens a world of posibilities to developers, but there are some immediate advantages too.

Engadget, BlackBerry PlayBook gets root thanks to childishly named DingleBerry tool

RIM Looking to Secure Android Devices With Blackberry Fusion Suite

I suppose RIM is putting a stake into the ground for the future of mobile business with this move. They have introduced Blackberry Fusion, a suite of security tools for Android (and iOS) devices that gives IT administrators and managers a way to secure and manage employee devices from an abstract web console. Here are the list of features IT departments can look forward to:.

Android Phone

See also:
trendygadgets, RIM Looking to Secure Android Devices With Blackberry Fusion Suite

Berg unveils Little Printer for mobile devices

See the cute little gadget above. Well it's not a toy but it's actually a printer. To be more specific it is the Little Printer by design studio Berg. Instead of large printer to help print documents and spreadsheets, the Little Printer has been designed to be a mobile printer and print out "publications" that users have subscribed to.
These publications include content such as birthdays, Sudoku puzzles, the weather, news content, to-do lists from Google, and even a list of Foursquare check-in updates.

Ubergizmo, Berg unveils Little Printer for mobile devices

Nokia Lumia Live event caught on video

Remember a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the Nokia Lumia event that Microsoft and Nokia were going to host to promote Windows Phone devices. Well, the event took place yesterday night and according to reports, it was one impressive show. I'm not sure if it convinced anybody to pick up a Nokia Lumia device, but it definitely a marvelous spectacle to enjoy. The Millbank Tower was lit up with projected visuals, complimented with bass pumping music from deadmau5. Fortunately for those of us who weren't there to witness the show, Nokia captured the whole event on video and has put it online for the whole world to see.



Ubergizmo, Nokia Lumia Live event caught on video

Linux Mint 12 debuts 'Lisa' as belle of the ball

The Ubuntu variant famed for delivering a minty fresh taste to Linux has officially arrived at version 12. Code-named "Lisa," the distribution introduces a new desktop that's based on GNOME 3.2, yet offers extensive user customization courtesy of Mint Gnome Shell Extensions (MGSE). Open source fans will find the default search engine is now DuckDuckGo, which touts crowd-sourcing and a no-tracking privacy policy. Those concerned with aesthetics will certainly appreciate two new themes, Mint-Z and Mint-Z-Dark, and the distro also delivers upgrades to Firefox, Thunderbird and LibreOffice.

Engadget, Linux Mint 12 debuts 'Lisa' as belle of the ball

iTether offers unlimited tethering of iPhone 3G connection

You know how controlled the Apple ecosystem is when it comes to their devices and computers. Well, it is quite rare, but sometimes, an app or two does slip by Apple's radar when it comes to certain apps deemed “undesirable” to their ecosystem surface. The App Store review team at Apple would most probably pull off the iTether app sooner rather than later, but if you can still get this $15 app, then go ahead – where it will let you enjoy unlimited tethering from your iPhone's 3G connection to your Windows or Mac platforms.

Ubergizmo, iTether offers unlimited tethering of iPhone 3G connection

Intershop Expands Partner Network in Italy

Online commerce taking off in ItalyAdditional partnership for the Italian marketSMC Consulting offers e-commerce experienceJena, Germany, November 29, 2011 - E-commerce specialist Intershop is expanding its Italian partner network with the addition of SMC Consulting S.r.l., which will provide a local presence via its offices in Bolzano and Capri. Dr. Ludger Vogt, Management Board member at Intershop Communications AG, said: "The partnership with SMC Consulting S.r.l.

Press Release Distribution, Intershop Expands Partner Network in Italy

Galaxy Nexus Comes With Extra 2000mAh Extended Battery and Cover in South Korea

Well, this is interesting. Looks like Samsung is showing some home court love to their homeland of South Korea with the addition of a bonus battery pack found bundled inside their version of the Galaxy Nexus The higher capacity 2000mAh battery comes along with the standard 1750mAh, giving Koreans the option of a slightly thicker or thinner device. Also included, is an extra battery cover, most likely to compensate for the extra junk in the trunk, with a darker contrast. In the comparison picture with the Galaxy S II below, you can see the device gets a little thicker around the bottom, while still staying slim on top.



Android Phone, Galaxy Nexus Comes With Extra 2000mAh Extended Battery and Cover in South Korea

iOS 5.1 beta seeded to developers?

There were whispers that arose over the past two weeks, pointing towards Apple's plans of rolling out iOS 5.0.2 which supposedly will include Apple's second attempt at making sure the battery life issues plaguing the iPhone 4S for certain folks is done and over with – for good. Apart from that, there are also rumblings that Apple will continue on with iOS 5.1, which would deliver along with it new capabilities for Siri. Well, it seems that 5.0.2 was more or less delayed in the end, with nothing else known about iOS 5.1.

Ubergizmo, iOS 5.1 beta seeded to developers?

Fujifilm FinePix F505 16MP Digital Camera On Sale For Only $199

Here's your chance to own one of this Fujifilm FinePix F505 for only $199 (normal price $399.95) over at Amazon. So here are the specs: a 16-megapixel BSI-CMOS image sensor, a 24mm wide-angle lens, a 15x optical zoom lens, a 3.0-inch 460K LCD display, an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot (4GB Class 10 SD card included), RAW image capture, an HDMI port and 1080p Full HD video recording capabilities (30fps).

TechFresh, Fujifilm FinePix F505 16MP Digital Camera On Sale For Only $199

Deal Alert: Kindle Fire Only $123.38 at Some Target and Walmart Locations? Better Hurry

If you haven't been having much luck for our Holidroid Contest here at Phandroid (don't worry, there's still plenty more chances), you guys might want to jump on this deal before your local Target or Walmart stores shut their doors for the night. Apparently, some users over at Slickdeals have been enjoying some Kindle Fires they were able to pick up for only $123 at some Target locations. Moral dilemma aside, with a golden tongue and enough evidence at your disposal, you can even find other electronics retailers like Staples or the aforementioned Walmart who are willing to match this incredible deal.


Android Phone, Deal Alert: Kindle Fire Only $123.38 at Some Target and Walmart Locations? Better Hurry

Images of Purported Motorola Droid 4 Leak Into the Wild

Photo courtesy of DroidLife. Hollywood's sequel season is upon us. The formula demands that movie studios follow up each blockbuster success with a rehash that doesn't stray too far from the original script.
And now Motorola may be following Hollywood's lead. Images that circulated on Monday suggest an imminent follow-up to Motorola's highly successful Droid smartphone. Technology blog Droid Life acquired images of what look like spec sheets for the Droid 4, the aptly named fourth iteration of Motorola handsets, offered by Verizon.

The pictures suggest we're in for a Droid unlike anything we've seen in the past.

Gadget Lab, Images of Purported Motorola Droid 4 Leak Into the Wild

Acer Iconia A200 tablet leaked on video

Acer has yet to officially announce the Iconia A200 tablet, but it looks like they're about to pretty soon. A promotional video for the tablet has leaked online, showing off the capabilities of the Android device. And yes, it does look like just another Honeycomb tablet, but this one will come preloaded with some Acer apps to make it stand out from the crowd. Nothing out of the ordinary, but the advert does feature some pretty depressing music.



Ubergizmo, Acer Iconia A200 tablet leaked on video