M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ Lens for PEN Lovers

Olympus launched the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ (35mm equivalent 24-100mm) as its first fully-compatible interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens to incorporate an electronic motorized zoom. The new lens has a zoom ratio of approximately 4.2x with macro capabilities (focusing is possible between 8 and 20 inches). Manual zooming is also available for those looking to take full control.

GIZMOGRAPH, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ Lens for PEN Lovers

GoPro HD Hero 2 review

GoPro has been in the HD action sports and helmet cam game for some time now, with its Hero line proving a popular sight atop many a daredevil's lid. Now, you can add HD Hero 2 ($300) to the ever growing list of options now, as this is the latest (and they say greatest) incarnation to date. Last time we tested the Hero Original - as it's now called - against the Contour HD, but now we're pitting new against old, like for like, side by side. Not only will we discover how the new boy stands up against the camera it effectively usurps, we'll also see how it fares out in the field.










Engadget

See also:
wgitn, GoPro HD Hero 2 review

Kindle Fire root reignited, beats 6.2.1 update

Amazon's latest attempt to lock down root access on its Kindle Fire has been, well, routed. It took the tinkerers mere days to catch up and the new root file is now up for grabs, courtesy of Android Police and a few good devs. The method is app-based and looks to be disarmingly simple, but the usual warnings apply; mess up those software internals and bam, you've voided your warranty.

Engadget, Kindle Fire root reignited, beats 6.2.1 update

Hynix, Micron turn to Taiwan following Apple's Anobit buy

. News broke earlier this week that Apple has acquired Israel-based fabless flash memory firm Anobit for as much as $400 million according to TheMarker, adding another leading chip maker to the company's portfolio. Anobit's NAND flash memory is already used in Apple products including the iPhone and iPad, and the firm's technology is said to offer several advantages over that of its rivals. As DigiTimes pointed out in a recent report, the move also means Anobit's other clients are now forced to look elsewhere as Apple becomes the exclusive owner of Anobit's chip technology.

Boy Genius Report, Hynix, Micron turn to Taiwan following Apple's Anobit buy

Distro Issue 19: Peter Rojas plays 20 questions and Zach Honig boards Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

If you caught our release of Distro for Android tablets, you know we're in the mood for giving. In keeping with that sentiment, issue 19 ushers in two new weekly (and exclusive) features: "Recommended Reading," a guide to the best writing happening outside of our fine publication(s), and "Q&A," our take on the Proust questionnaire, answered this week by Engadget founder Peter Rojas.

Engadget

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technologypulse, Distro Issue 19: Peter Rojas plays 20 questions and Zach Honig boards Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

Samsung Galaxy S II Duos Headed to Chine with Dual GSM/CDMA Support

After revealing a duo of dual-SIM handsets yesterday in the form of the Galaxy Y Duos and Galaxy Y Pro Duos, Samsung will add to their lineup of handsets with expanded radio capabilities. A new variation on the Samsung Galaxy S II is headed to China and will support both GSM and CDMA2000. The phone is known as — you guessed it — the Samsung Galaxy S II Duos. The specs largely mirror previous GS2 iterations and include a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, and 8MP camera with 1080p video recording.

Android Phone, Samsung Galaxy S II Duos Headed to Chine with Dual GSM/CDMA Support

Apple reportedly has no plans for a 7-inch iPad, iPad 2 price to drop when iPad 3 launches

. A number of reports have emerged in recent months claiming that Apple has a new smaller iPad in the pipeline set to launch in 2012. Scheduled to be released in the second half of the year, the slate will reportedly feature a 7.85-inch display and a lower price tag compared to the current iPad 2 model. A new note from Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair suggests that Apple has no such plans, however, and it will stick to a 9.7-inch panel when it launches new iPad models next year. Read on for more.

“Don't expect a 7-incher.

Boy Genius Report, Apple reportedly has no plans for a 7-inch iPad, iPad 2 price to drop when iPad 3 launches

Samsung explains why older devices won't get Ice Cream Sandwich

Samsung global recently revealed the Ice Cream Sandwich plans for its devices, and most of the expected candidates made it to the list. However there were a handful of notable exceptions - like the original Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab (the 7″ version). Now it couldn't be a case of device specs: even the OG DROID is capable of running Ice Cream Sandwich, so what gives. No reason was mentioned previously, but now it looks like Samsung Korea has cleared the air with a statement released yesterday.

Ubergizmo, Samsung explains why older devices won't get Ice Cream Sandwich

Facebook Suggested Events tells you where to go

Stuck at home on a Friday night with no idea what to do. You won't have to be anymore, thanks to Facebook's latest feature: Suggested Events. Suggested Events gathers information from past events you've attended, places you've checked in to (via Places), events that your friends have RSVP'd to or hosted by Pages you Like and more; and points you towards those events. For folks who don't check in to places, it makes use of information that it learns from you via Open Graph apps (i.e.

Ubergizmo, Facebook Suggested Events tells you where to go

Enjoy TV visits the FCC

Shenzhen Geniatech decided that having the Android operating system run on a phone or a tablet does not make much sense, which is why they decided to release it on a tiny set top box that has an ARM processor running underneath the hood, calling it the Enjoy TV. Hopefully this particular set top box will be able to live up to its namesake, having already received FCC approval. The 800MHz ARM Cortex A9 processor inside will be accompanied by 512MB RAM, 1080p Full HD video support, an SD memory card slot, Bluetooth connectivity, an HDMI port as well as a couple of USB ports for your connection options.

Ubergizmo, Enjoy TV visits the FCC

New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping

Depending on where you live and what gas stations you frequent, finding a pump that will let you pay after filling up is getting tougher and tougher. In an effort to curb absconders who drive off without paying, gas station owners have been forced to ratchet up security measures, leading most to go prepay only, whether that's inside the store or by swiping one's card at the pump. But prepaying can be an inconvenience - particularly if you're settling up with cash - resulting in multiple trips to the storefront to plunk down dollars, then to return for the change and receipt.

2DayBlog.com, New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping

AT&T Buys Qualcomm's 700MHz Spectrum For $1.9 Billion – FCC Approves

With AT&T’s proposed T-Mobile merger dead in the water, it seems the company is looking towards new, less FCC offensive ways to spend their money. Enter Qualcomm who has just sold off their 700MHz spectrum to AT&T for use in its budding 4G LTE network. The deal has actually been approved in a 3-1 vote by the FCC but it doesn’t come without some fine print. First, AT&T will have to make sure they meet current interference requirements and second, they will have to share some of this newly acquired spectrum with some of their competitors for data roaming.

Android Phone, AT&T Buys Qualcomm's 700MHz Spectrum For $1.9 Billion â€" FCC Approves

BMW makes the world's silliest Christmas card the M way

‘Tis the season for Christmas cards. Standing in the aisles at Hallmark or the local grocery store, spending endless hours searching for just the right bifold slip of paper to express your own vision of the Christmas Spirit for your significant other, your mom, your dad, your brothers and sisters, grandparents and that irritating guy from accounting. And then spending a ludicrous amount on the dozen cards you've collected at the checkout lane while not being completely happy with any of them. You know the drill….

2DayBlog.com, BMW makes the world's silliest Christmas card the M way

Oregon Trail: American Settler for Android Now Available

GameLoft has finally released Oregon Trail: American Settlers to the Android market. The classic franchise has seen many different iterations and this latest one from GameLoft is actually quite fun and changes the way you trek across the plains of the world. You still get your oxen and carriage alongside a handful of people that you have to take care of, but American Settler shows us the side that other games didn't show – the travelers actually getting settled somewhere and building a town.

Android Phone, Oregon Trail: American Settler for Android Now Available

Spec Ops: The Line Gets New Gameplay Trailer

Here's the latest gameplay trailer from 2K Games' upcoming Spec Ops: The Line title. For your info, this third-person shooter video game will hit PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in Spring 2012.



TechFresh, Spec Ops: The Line Gets New Gameplay Trailer

Motorola Fire Dual SIM Android Smartphone Introduced In Brazil

Motorola has recently introduced their first dual SIM Android smartphone in Brazil called the Motorola Fire. The handset packs a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen display, a 600MHz processor, a microSD card slot, dual SIM card slots, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 3MP camera, GPS, HSDPA, WiFi, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 1400mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. Pricing info is still unknown at the moment.

TechFresh, Motorola Fire Dual SIM Android Smartphone Introduced In Brazil

iPad satisfaction rate at 84% according to new survey

. While electronics vendors struggle to gain traction in the emerging media tablet market, Apple has managed to maintain a significant lead in the space despite an increasing number of rival offerings. Apple's share of the global tablet market in the third quarter was estimated to be 61.5% by market research firm IDC, and it's not just momentum keeping the company's market share high. Apple's user experience on the iPad has been touted by many as having a huge lead over rival platforms, and the majority of iPad owners seem to agree according to the results of a recent survey.

Boy Genius Report, iPad satisfaction rate at 84% according to new survey

Six Days of Giveaways - Day 5: Recaro ProBOOSTER Child Seat

We never want to forget that many if not most auto enthusiasts have progeny, and while it'd be all too easy to blame your spawn for the simple fact that there is a Honda Odyssey instead of a Porsche Boxster in your garage right now, the truth is that you could be raising the next Ayrton Senna. With that in mind, we want to help kick off your child's racing career with his or her very first Recaro seat (Facebook, Twitter): the Recaro ProBOOSTER child seat designed for children 37 to 61 inches tall and weighing between 30 an 120 pounds.


Autoblog

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gadgeter, Six Days of Giveaways - Day 5: Recaro ProBOOSTER Child Seat

Car Seat Uses Pressure to Identify Drivers

Car jacking is a serious problem. We have seen a lot of gadgets that help car owners keep their vehicles secured from car alarms to locks attached to steering wheels. Meanwhile in Tokyo, a team of researchers at Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology has developed a car seat the can identify whether the driver is the car owner by the pressure created when sitting down.

Gadget.com, Car Seat Uses Pressure to Identify Drivers

Say 'goodbye' to these cars and trucks for the new year

As we prepare to flip our calendars from 2011 to 2012, it's time to say goodbye to a handful of vehicles that are being sent to the Great Parking Lot In The Sky before the 2012 model year completely takes hold. And while we're not exactly upset about having to bid farewell to things like the Mitsubishi Endeavor, Mazda Tribute or Chevrolet HHR, there are a few vehicles that we're truly going to miss. The Mazda RX-8, for example, has grown to be one of our favorite sports cars since its introduction in 2003. We love its lightweight construction, high-revving rotary engine and surprisingly functional suicide door design.

Autoblog, Say 'goodbye' to these cars and trucks for the new year

Chrome 15 surpasses IE 8 as world's most popular browser

. Google's Chrome 15 browser is now the most popular browser build in the world. New data from StatCounter suggests that Chrome 15 recently reached a total global market share of 23.6% compared to Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 market share of 23.5%. Internet Explorer still has the largest global market share if you combine all versions of the browser, however.

Boy Genius Report, Chrome 15 surpasses IE 8 as world's most popular browser

Gresso's Grand Premiere is a Symbian S40 phone with a $50,000 price tag

Whenever Gresso's not crafting expensive new threads for iDevices, the company makes its own featurephones from the finest materials mother nature has to offer. The new Grand Premiere is the latest from the company's Avantgarde collection and carries on this incongruous tradition. Its frame and keys are made from more than five ounces of 18-carat gold, with numbers and letters laser-etched on its sapphire crystal skin.

2DayBlog.com, Gresso's Grand Premiere is a Symbian S40 phone with a $50,000 price tag

TI sued over patent infringement in OMAP 3 and 4 Series

Texas Instruments (TI) is facing a patent infringement suit from Cradle IP, which claims that the company is violating three of its patents with its TMS320-series digital signal processors as well as its ARM-based AM389x Sitara and OMAP3 and 4 processors. The patents in question are #6,647,450 (Multiprocessor computer systems with command FIFO buffer at each target device), #6,708,259 (Programmable wake up of memory transfer controllers in a memory transfer engine) and #6,874,049 (Semaphores with interrupt mechanism). All three patents were held until November 9, 2011 by Cradle Technologies, which was spun off Cirrus Logic in 1998.

2DayBlog.com, TI sued over patent infringement in OMAP 3 and 4 Series

Corsair Vengeance K90 Backlit Macro Gaming Keyboard unboxing

Yes sir, we do know that the Corsair Vengeance K90 Backlit Macro Gaming Keyboard is already available for $129 a pop, where it will boast blue LED backlit keys as well as 18 programmable macro keys which are future forward – as in, the settings are stashed away on a flash memory that as been integrated into the keyboard itself. This gaming peripheral will target MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) and RTS (Real Time Strategy) gamers, so here is a video of the unboxing process for the more expensive Corsair Vengeance K90 Backlit Macro Gaming Keyboard.



Ubergizmo, Corsair Vengeance K90 Backlit Macro Gaming Keyboard unboxing

Analyst boosts Q1 iPhone shipment estimates to more than 30 million units

. Susquehanna issued a note to its clients on Wednesday in which the firm said it is increasing its iPhone shipment forecast for Apple's first fiscal quarter. The company originally expected Apple to ship 27.1 million iPhones during the quarter but has revised that figure up to 30.3 million units. “The revisions are based on positive sell-through data combined with recent supply-chain checks, which suggests that earlier component constraints have largely been resolved and build plans have increased for the fourth and first quarter,” the company explained in a note to clients.

Boy Genius Report, Analyst boosts Q1 iPhone shipment estimates to more than 30 million units

UK: White Orange San Francisco II in the making

Remember the Orange San Francisco II. It's the successor to the wildly popular original San Francisco, and was recently launched by Orange UK in black for those of you looking for a smartphone bargain. But what to do if you find the black color bland and uninspiring. Should you buy a black San Fran II just because it's cheap?

No need. A white version of the second San Francisco is on its way. And it should arrive pretty soon, since it's listed on Orange's “Coming Soon” page. No actual release date has been mentioned though, so you do need a bit of patience.

Either way, it's going to be here at some point.

Unwired View

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gadgetsblog, UK: White Orange San Francisco II in the making

T3 Motion Power Sport is ready to rock and roll

There are some gizmos that you would have certainly seen before, being used by authorities such as security and military personnel, invoking the green-eyed monster in you as such devices have not been made available to the general public. Well, the stand-up electric three-wheeler from T3 Motion is one such mode of transportation, but all of that is going to change with T3 Motion announcing that they will respond to pent up customer demand by introducing a customer model known as the T3 Power Sport. It will be able to zip you around at a top speed of 12mph, where a full charge will provide you with a range of 40 miles.

Ubergizmo, T3 Motion Power Sport is ready to rock and roll

Nürburgring's continuing woes highlighted on German TV

While Germany's famous Nürburgring racetrack continues to draw automakers and enthusiasts from around the world, the course's newer entertainment and leisure facilities are still struggling to draw visitors. A German news report has taken a closer look at the missteps, miscalculations and shady business practices that have led many of the state-built, privately operated attractions to remain empty or unusable. In the case of the speed park's roller coaster, originally billed as the world's fastest, key permits were either never applied for or completely missing.



Autoblog

See also:
bigcrunch, Nürburgring's continuing woes highlighted on German TV

Verizon 4G LTE outage restored

Do you get the feeling that phone network outages are starting to become the blackouts and brownouts of our grandparents' generation. Of course, not having electricity is far more inconvenient compared to losing your data connection, as long as the phone is still able to make and receive calls. A few hours of outage on Verizon's 4G LTE network saw customers burning up the hotline service, but we are pleased to report that whatever issues Verizon had with their 4G network, has already been restored.

Ubergizmo, Verizon 4G LTE outage restored

Cricket Launches 4G LTE Network in One Market Today, No Phones to Take Advantage of it Yet

Those of you on Cricket will be happy to know that the budget carrier has launched their 4G LTE network today. Most of you probably won't be drenched in 4G goodness as they've only launched in one market starting out – Tucson, AZ. And they don't even have phones to take advantage of the network right now as their lone capable device is the Huawei Bolt, a USB modem. It's still good news to hear that they're at least beginning a rollout, though with just one market to speak of we're not sure how long it'll take for them to get coverage out to everyone.

Android Phone, Cricket Launches 4G LTE Network in One Market Today, No Phones to Take Advantage of it Yet

The Westfield gift card takes the stress out of last minute Christmas shopping

With just 4 days until Christmas, British shopping centres and high streets are awash people trying to find the perfect last minute gift. If this sounds like you, then don’t panic! Westfield’s gift card has arrived to take the stress out of this year’s Christmas shopping. The Westfield gift card can be purchased right up until Christmas Eve*, so it removes the need for the pre-Christmas rush. It can be used at Westfield’s designer and high street stores and the Vue cinemas at Westfield London or Westfield Stratford City. This means loved ones can buy something they really want for Christmas.

Press Release Distribution, The Westfield gift card takes the stress out of last minute Christmas shopping

House of Commons receive £17,000 worth of iPads

They say that membership has its privileges, and those who are in the House of Commons certainly have their perks to go along with their positions. Word has it that the House of Commons staff have been treated to £17,000 worth of iPads in 2011, where 17 iPads were purchased for use in the Commons, and an equal number has also been purchased for use by in-house tech experts, PICT – at least that is what Lib. Dem. MP John Thurso said. The use of iPads are currently undergoing a trial to see whether the benefits justify the initial investment.

Ubergizmo, House of Commons receive £17,000 worth of iPads

TWRP 2.0 Now Available for Download on Select Devices

TWRP – the exciting recovery project that would transformer the way we backup, restore and flash ROMs – is making great progress. In fact, version 2.0 is now available for download. For now, only a few select devices are supported including the Nexus S, the HP Touchpad and the Kindle Fire but we’re sure the team is working to add even more devices over time.

Android Phone, TWRP 2.0 Now Available for Download on Select Devices

2011 Lexus IS F (video)

New Updates Soften Japan's Super Sedan. Mid-course corrections are a common occurrence when speaking about high-flying commercial aircraft and oceangoing freighters – both are often pushed off track by errant winds and powerful currents. But when it comes to automobiles, a mid-course correction can be a sign that something was wrong the moment a new model was unveiled.
The Lexus IS F was introduced at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The compact, high-performance sports sedan was a fresh Japanese alternative to the Audi RS4, BMW M3, Cadillac CTS-V and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.










Autoblog, 2011 Lexus IS F (video)