LG's Jill Sander Mobile gets its price slashed in half in the UK

If you are in the UK, looking for a fashion oriented smartphone we have some great news for you. The Windows Phone Mango running LG Jill Sander Mobile is now available contract free at Expansys for the highly acceptable £149.99 ($233) - half its original price. The above price tag gets you a great looking, well appointed Windows Phone device with a 1GHz CPU, 16GB of built-in storage, 5MP camera, and 3.8" WVGA display.

GSM Arena, LG's Jill Sander Mobile gets its price slashed in half in the UK

Porsche 996 TV Entertainment Center

One thing that both men and women can agree on – they tend to disagree on many things. When it comes to home design, the same principle applies, so some sort of understanding must be arrived at if the home were to exist in harmony. Most of the working class guys out there would definitely welcome a Porsche in their homes, but how about the idea of just the rear end of a Porsche 996 that holds a 42″ flat panel TV in the process. The lady of the house will most probably not find this too amusing, as a TV rack or shelf might be far more practical.



Ubergizmo, Porsche 996 TV Entertainment Center

2013 Lexus GS 450h (video)

Lexus' Best Compromise Yet. Ever since the Prius unexpectedly became the Xerox of hybrids and a greenie icon, Toyota has been trying to figure out how to apply the technology to its other models. Its results have been decidedly mixed, nowhere more so than with its luxury lineup. But with the 2013 Lexus GS 450h, Toyota thinks it has finally figured out what a hybrid luxury car should be.

From a sales perspective, the first-generation GS 450h was a disappointment. While we liked it quite a bit when we test-drove it a couple years ago, Lexus just hasn't been able to move the metal.










Autoblog, 2013 Lexus GS 450h (video)

Chinese vendors form alliance to battle Apple and other patent predators

. Handset makers in China have formed an alliance to prepare for possible patent battles with Apple, Microsoft and Nokia. Coolpad, Konka, TCL, ZTE and Lenovo were among the companies named in a report by DigiTimes on Friday. The number of lawsuits filed in China is expected to increase as Microsoft, Nokia and Apple try to increase market share there, the report says. Nokia has already filed patent infringement suits against several Chinese phone makers and Microsoft has gone after Huawei to try to secure a patent licensing deal. Huawei responded to Microsoft's threats in early November and explained that it has 65,000 patents worldwide.

Boy Genius Report, Chinese vendors form alliance to battle Apple and other patent predators

European Motorola DROID RAZR gets maintenance update

The Motorola DROID RAZR, (simply known as the Motorola RAZR in Europe) has started receiving a major update as of today. According to Motorola, the update will bring the phone's software version up to 651.73.30 and includes a whole bunch of new features and performance improvements. While it isn't the same as the Verizon update that was pushed out last week, this update also includes improved security features, improvements on call performance and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as WiFi connectivity.

Ubergizmo, European Motorola DROID RAZR gets maintenance update

Casio's New G-SHOCK Watch Will Connect to Smartphones Using Bluetooth LE to Show Incoming Calls, Texts and Emails

Casio is planning to launch new G-SHOCK watches that aims to challenge the smart watch market that is apparently starting to boom. The new G-SHOCK (model GB-6900) uses Bluetooth 4.0 to connect with other compatible Bluetooth 4.0 devices using Bluetooth Low Energy to transmit data without having to worry about battery life on both ends. The watch is a bit more simple in that regard than, say, the MOTOACTV or the Sony Ericsson Live View but it’s still pretty cool.

Android Phone, Casio's New G-SHOCK Watch Will Connect to Smartphones Using Bluetooth LE to Show Incoming Calls, Texts and Emails

CyanogenMod Compiler project allows Android tweakers to easily make custom blends

Ever wish that building your own personal ROM was as simple as placing an order at Starbucks. Well, an intrepid coder known as lithid-cm has taken that vision one step closer with the CyanogenMod Compiler (CMC), a command line utility that allows armchair mixers to remove unwanted features and then compile their own special blend of CyanogenMod. While CMC's functionality is currently rather limited — which allows users to eliminate languages, wallpapers and tweak themes — the developer will introduce new installation / removal features and additional plug-in support in future releases.

2DayBlog.com, CyanogenMod Compiler project allows Android tweakers to easily make custom blends

Jay Leno's Garage welcomes 2011 Pebble Beach Best in Show winner

Jay Leno had a very special guest stop by his garage recently. Peter Mullin and his Pebble Beach-winning 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne took the time to visit the comedian and car enthusiast for a brief spell. It's no secret Leno is a fan of '30s French vehicles, and the Aerodyne holds a special place in his heart. The vehicle was a marvel of innovation when it debuted, featuring a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder sleeve-valve engine, a mechanized retractable hardtop sun roof and an interior that could have only been designed by a Frenchman.
Leno and Mullin spend plenty of time discussing the vehicle's origin as well as Voisin's colorful past.

Autoblog

See also:
itcrowd, Jay Leno's Garage welcomes 2011 Pebble Beach Best in Show winner

Samsung Galaxy Note: over 1 million shipped

Samsung's phone-tablet the Galaxy Note 5.3 made an impression thanks to its massive screen when it launched earlier this year, and it looks like the whole world thinks so too. According to Samsung today, the company has shipped over a million units of the Android device since its release in late October. The phone has been mostly selling well in Europe and Asia and is steadily making headway in countries like France, Germany, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The Galaxy Note hasn't been released in this side of the world yet, but let's hope Samsung doesn't take too long or it might risk end up being outdated before it even sets foot on US soil.

Ubergizmo, Samsung Galaxy Note: over 1 million shipped

Motorola Droid Bionic Is Yet Another Device To Receive Ice Cream Sandwich Port

Yes, just about every device under the sun that has been graced with root most likely has someone attempting to port an Ice Cream Sandwich build to it. Whether beta, alpha or pre-alpha alpha. The Motorola Droid Bionic is no different. Even though Motorola officially announced the device would see an upgrade to Android 4.0 in the coming months, some users may not want to wait that long and who could blame you.
Thankfully, those tireless Android dev'ers have been hard at work getting Ice Cream Sandwich ported to the Bionic in the form of an early alpha release.

Android Phone

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gadgetsngadgets, Motorola Droid Bionic Is Yet Another Device To Receive Ice Cream Sandwich Port

Leaked Windows Phone roadmap says Tango update launches in Q2, Apollo in Q4

. Microsoft may follow up its Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) release with Windows Phone Tango as soon as the second quarter next year according to a leaked document WMPoweruser claims to be an an official roadmap. Windows Phone Tango may only be released for lower-end products with the “best prices,” although a conflicting rumor suggested that Nokia's flagship Lumia 900 will run Tango also.

Boy Genius Report, Leaked Windows Phone roadmap says Tango update launches in Q2, Apollo in Q4

Verizon Wireless To Begin Charging “$2 Convenience Fee” For Online and Phone Payments

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but before I begin, I just want to say — please, keep it civil in the comments, folks. Starting January 15th, Verizon Wireless will be charging their customers an additional $2 “convenience fee” for paying their cellphone bill whether online and/or through the phone. Verizon already has a reputation as the most expensive carrier in the US and this just further adds to the nickel and diming customers have to pay for “premium” wireless services. You can see all the leaked documentation down below.



Android Phone, Verizon Wireless To Begin Charging “$2 Convenience Fee” For Online and Phone Payments

Researcher finds vulnerability in WPS protocol, looks for manufacturers to offer fix

On the plus side, your router's mostly secure. Security researcher Stefan Viehbock has just discovered a major security hole which allowed him to use a brute force technique to access a WPS PIN-protected network in about two hours. According to Viehbock, a design flaw allows the WPS protocol's 8-digit PIN security to fall dramatically as additional attempts are made. With each attempt, the router will send a message stating whether the first four digits are correct while the last digit of the key is used as a checksum and then given out by the router in negotiation.

Engadget, Researcher finds vulnerability in WPS protocol, looks for manufacturers to offer fix

Panasonic EVOLTA robot battery charger

Panasonic has created quite the icon where robots are concerned with the EVOLTA mascot that represents their range of rechargeable batteries, where this robotic mascot has also completed an Iron Man Triathlon in the process. Well, the old proverb goes, “Make hay while the sun shines”, so it makes perfect sense for a battery recharger set to be sold that comes in the same form factor as that of the EVOLTA robot. Too bad the physical form factor does not come with any moving parts, and is completely static.

Ubergizmo

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gadgeter, Panasonic EVOLTA robot battery charger

HP TouchPad Go gets reviewed, but remains already long gone (video)

While we already rode the white unicorns of HP's now disintegrated webOS series, there was one little filly we didn't get to saddle up. A developmental model of the seven-inch TouchPad Go has now made it into the hands of webOSnation and has been given a thorough going over. The major differences from its bigger brother. A rear-facing 5 megapixel camera and a smudge buffering matte finish on the back are the main signifiers. Aside from those (and an experimental build of the next firmware update), it's a tiny TouchPad. The Go matches the resolution of the original, also packing the same processor innards of the defunct white TouchPad.

Engadget, HP TouchPad Go gets reviewed, but remains already long gone (video)

Taihe era's 7″ tablet is a pretty convincing Galaxy Tab clone

China has produced some pretty innovative phones of their own, such as the Meizu and Xiaomi, but they have also managed to pull off some pretty impressive clones, and upon first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that the tablet pictured above is the Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet. In fact what you are looking at above is Taihe era's attempt at creating a Samsung Galaxy Tab clone, which the company boasts will be able to support both GSM and China's very own TD-SCDMA EVDO 3G standard. As far as its specs are concerned, it features a 7x800×480 display with a Qualcomm 7627 processor under the hood.

Ubergizmo, Taihe era's 7″ tablet is a pretty convincing Galaxy Tab clone

Samsung said to be reviewing Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab ICS upgrades in response to demand

In spite of Samsung's best efforts to bury the news by reporting it a couple of days before Christmas, Friday's disclosure that the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab won't get upgraded to Android 4.0 drew a lot of justified ire. Now the company seems to be backtracking like a champ, as reported by ajnews in Korea, by claiming that it will review the viability of updating those two devices in response to strong customer demand.

2DayBlog.com, Samsung said to be reviewing Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab ICS upgrades in response to demand

Connect Design Block Case for the iPhone 4x4S: a case inspired by LEGO

If you're a fan of LEGO, the popular construction toys from Denmark, you'll definitely be interested by the Connect Design Block Case for the iPhone 4x4S. Inspired by LEGO blocks, this unique case is made of rubber and features bumps that allow you to easily add and remove interlocking pieces for you to customize it for whatever your intended purposes. Need to keep your earphones neat and tidy. No problem, just wind them around the grooves and hold them in place with another piece. Need to use your case as a stand to watch videos on your iPhone with? Just place a piece on its side so it can prop the case up.

Ubergizmo, Connect Design Block Case for the iPhone 4x4S: a case inspired by LEGO

Gran Turismo 5 XL Edition outed by online retailers

Fans of the Gran Turismo franchise or racing games will be interested to hear that a mysterious new game has appeared on various online retailers' websites, such as Amazon, Newegg and Buy.com. The game has been dubbed "Gran Turismo 5 XL Edition" and it has been priced at $39.99 and is expected to see a release on the 17th of January 2012. Unfortunately little to nothing else is known about the game apart from its title. However some are speculating that the XL Edition could very well be the North American version of Gran Turismo 5 Spec 2.0 disc update which was recently announced for Japan.

Ubergizmo, Gran Turismo 5 XL Edition outed by online retailers

HP TouchPad Go receives its first and possibly only review

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

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

Intel Thunderbolt coming to Windows PCs in April

Thunderbolt could become much more available in April as Intel is apparently working with first-tier vendors to integrate the interface in their systems. Digitimes reports that Thunderbolt-supported motherboards, notebooks and desktop PCs are on their way and are being prepared for an early Q2 launch. Initially, Thunderbolt carried a cost of more than $20 per device and is prohibitively expensive for most computer systems.

2DayBlog.com, Intel Thunderbolt coming to Windows PCs in April

Quad-core Meizu MX will be released in May 2012, new UI in tow

The Meizu MX was announced earlier this month, and it's supposed to be in stores in just a few days. However, what's shipping now is a dual-core version of this smartphone that may look quite familiar (but for all the wrong reasons). During the official unveiling, a quad-core SKU was promised as well. And according to the company's founder, that will become available around May 2012.

Unwired View

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techage, Quad-core Meizu MX will be released in May 2012, new UI in tow

Update Rolling Out to the Original ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

With its followup a bit hard to come by after its December release, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is in the midst of yet another update. No, it isn't an upgrade to Android 4.0. The new software instead aims to fix a number of minor bugs and further tweak the performance of the dual-core tablet.

Android Phone, Update Rolling Out to the Original ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

BMW i8 breaks out of Mission: Impossible and into the real world

If you went to the movies over the holiday, chances are pretty good you saw the latest box-office-topping Tom Cruise vehicle. We're not talking about the globetrotting explosion-fest it came wrapped up in, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol; we're speaking of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car that featured heavily in the movie (along with seemingly every other model in Munich's arsenal). But the Vision EfficientDynamics coupe isn't just a flight of fancy for the world's auto show circuit or for Cruise's Ethan Hunt character – it's set for production sooner than you think, albeit carrying the i8 moniker.

Autoblog, BMW i8 breaks out of Mission: Impossible and into the real world

LG Fantasy Windows Phone caught on camera, might see a 2012 launch

With Nokia pretty much taking up a lot of the spotlight when it comes to Windows Phone devices, one could easily forget that earlier this year Microsoft announced a list of partners that they would be working with for their Windows Phone 7.5 platform, such as LG who had launched a Windows Phone 7 device in the form of the LG Quantum in the past. Well thanks to a leaked (and rather blurry) photo that's pictured above, what we are possibly looking at is the LG Fantasy which is the manufacturer's upcoming Windows Phone 7.5 device.

Ubergizmo, LG Fantasy Windows Phone caught on camera, might see a 2012 launch

Dropbox Adds Auto-Import From Your Camera

DropBox is getting into the Photo Stream game in a new experimental beta. Dropbox is trying out a neat new feature that will give it magical Photo Stream-like abilities. Everybody's favorite cloud-storage app has added photo and video import.
In a new “Experimental Forum Build” of the app for Windows, Mac and Linux, photos and videos will be slurped up from any memory card or camera connected to the computer. These will then be sent spinning off to the DropBox servers, ready for access by all your other Dropbox-connected devices.

There have already been some well reasoned complaints over in the Dropbox forums.

Gadget Lab, Dropbox Adds Auto-Import From Your Camera

Age of Wulin MMORPG in-game item sells for $16,000 at auction

Free-to-play and some pay-to-play MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft usually come with a game store from which players can purchase "perks". These include items such as in-game mounts, pets, weapons, skill slots, etc. The prices may range from anywhere but they're usually in the "reasonable" range although upcoming MMO, Age of Wulin, may have just taken the cake. The game's activation code beta launch was recently launched in China on the 25th of December, and to celebrate the launch of the game, Snail Games decided to hold an auction to sell off unattributed virtual items.



Ubergizmo, Age of Wulin MMORPG in-game item sells for $16,000 at auction

iSample smart vending machine from Intel and Kraft

Everything wants to get ‘smart' these days, including smartphones and smart TVs. Well, vending machines do not want to miss the boat either, which is why Intel and Kraft Foods have come together to roll out a “smart” vending machine which is said to be able to analyze one's age and gender. Known as the iSample, its main purpose is to offer customers trials of a new dessert. This will indirectly enable Kraft to make sure each shopper gets what he/she wants, although this adult-focused promotion does exclude the little ones.

Ubergizmo, iSample smart vending machine from Intel and Kraft

T-Platforms to build ten petaflop supercomputer for Moscow State University

In post-Soviet Russia, massive supercomputer programs you.(Sorry, we had to.) Recently, Russia's Moscow State University contracted with high-performance computing company T-Platforms to create a ten petaflop cluster that'll be operational in 2013. The computer would fall just short of the fastest supercomputer on Earth (the Japanese K Computer, which is rated at 10.51 petaflops) and will incorporate a mixture of different node types to achieve the ten petaflops.

Engadget, T-Platforms to build ten petaflop supercomputer for Moscow State University

Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video)

Matt Richardson's genius has never really been in question. The Make Live host and compulsive hacker has built an impressive library of creations, ranging from a Google Reader pedal to an email-triggered Christmas tree. The man's works are definitely art, in their own way, but his new project, Fade Away 1, is the first that we could easily see taking up residence in a SoHo gallery. At the heart of the installation is an Arduino (of course) that pulls in posts from Twitter with the phrase "fade away" in them.

Engadget, Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video)

Find out just where Santa is with Google and NORAD

Santa Claus is one of the most beloved characters in the human psyche, where he has been called the busiest man in the North Pole. Well, watching Arthur Christmas might have planted some ideas in your head as to how he managed to send presents all over the world in just one night, but how about the rest of you out there who have a very different take on the situation. Google and NORAD have teamed up together, where the latter boasts of a tradition that tracks Santa on Christmas Eve which kickstarted in 1955.

Ubergizmo, Find out just where Santa is with Google and NORAD

Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology

The state of morning gridlock just got a little more real with the introduction of Navteq's real-time traffic via HD radio - to be included with Garmin's nüvi 3490LMT personal navigation device. The service is said to be four to ten times faster than other similar offerings, updating details every 30 seconds for 270,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper goodness. Lucky for us, the feature will be available on other nüvi devices as well, using the Garmin GTM 60 adapter.

Engadget, Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology

Savage Rivale gets out of our dreams and into a car

What the world needs now is love, sweet love. That's what The Carpenters would tell you, anyway – but we beg to differ. What the world needs now, in our opinion, is four-door convertibles. Because while many have experimented with the idea in recent years, and built them many decades ago, there just aren't any on the market these days.
That's where Savage Rivale comes in. Rather than take the parade-car approach, this Dutch project is more like a four-door supercar roadster. On acid.

Autoblog, Savage Rivale gets out of our dreams and into a car

Insanely detailed book sculptures

Among other things, Guy Laramee makes sculptures from books. They are amazing; from the level of detail and the textures to the way he presents them. Some of them have a magical aura, like this one, titled Book People.






2DayBlog.com, Insanely detailed book sculptures