The ZUGO reimagines the Yugo for the 21st-century cheapskate

The Zastava Yugo 45 was intended to be a serious car. Instead, it became a punchline. Milos Paripovic's Zugo concept, on the other hand, is a bit of a joke that instead was taken seriously enough to win fifth place in a European design competition. After updating the lines of the Yugo for the Zugo, Paripovic endowed it with features that probably would have been useful on the original.
The electric concept has a heated rear hatch so your relatives, when pushing it, have a warm place to put their hands.

Autoblog, The ZUGO reimagines the Yugo for the 21st-century cheapskate

TV makers planning new sizes and backlights for 2012, the Ultra-Definition (UD) Age has arrived!

DisplaySearch vice president David Hsieh said that TV panel makers will be introducing new sizes in an effort to reduce costs and increase the “value” of LCD TVs. The new sizes will include 36.5-inch W, 39-inch W, 43-inch W, 48-inch W, and 50-inch W. There will also be new backlight designs, including direct-type LED backlights, thick backlights, and scanning backlights.

2DayBlog.com, TV makers planning new sizes and backlights for 2012, the Ultra-Definition (UD) Age has arrived!

What will happen to automakers if the Euro zone implodes?

Figuring out post-doomsday scenarios can make for hours of fun, but short of a cinematic "Kill them all!" they're rarely that accurate. That's because we never know which entrance doomsday is going to use, and the big doomsday is often followed by little doomsdays (as this year's Japanese earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown should have taught us yet again). Still, that hasn't stopped Automotive News from taking a look at what might happen to European carmakers in case Italy, Spain and Greece leave the euro zone. One scenario sees the German automakers suffering but Italy's Fiat faring slightly better.

Autoblog, What will happen to automakers if the Euro zone implodes?

Saab in discussions with Turkey and Mahindra about reviving brand?

The Great Saab Story of 2011 looks hellbent on running straight on through the new year and well into the future, despite the fact that the automaker has officially gone bankrupt and hasn't produced a vehicle in what seems like ages. Rumor has it that Saab administrators are receiving interest from some unknown entities from Turkey (with supposed backing from the Turkish government) as well as India's Mahindra in some sort of brand-revival strategy.

Autoblog, Saab in discussions with Turkey and Mahindra about reviving brand?

Motorola ATRIX 2 & Motorola DROID Bionic Fastboot Files Available for Download

Motorola ATRIX 2 and Motorola DROID BIONIC users can now download fastboot files for their devices as XDA has made them available for you guys, just as they did for the DROID RAZR. Fasstboot files are basically like the SBF files of yesteryear, allowing users to bring their devices back from the brink of death should they happen to brick their device in the process of flashing new ROMs, radios, kernels and more. Developers and users like will appreciate this as it gives everyone a safety net of sorts – as long as you don’t do anything to break your hardware then anything can be fixed.

Android Phone

See also:
dailygadgets, Motorola ATRIX 2 & Motorola DROID Bionic Fastboot Files Available for Download

Apple Applies For “Face Unlock” Patent – Sounds Awfully Familiar

I don't want to anyone to dismiss this post as simple Apple bashing troll post but this is getting a bit ridiculous. Apple has recently applied to the USPTO for yet another patent on a technology not only currently in use today — but a main feature in Android 4.0; Face Unlock. Apple's application describes the patent as a brand new technology that allows a user to unlock a device by using the features of their face. It's not so much that I hate Apple and there's no question Android is their single largest competitor (something the late Steve Jobs was hellbent on destroying).

Android Phone, Apple Applies For “Face Unlock” Patent â€" Sounds Awfully Familiar

Apple applies for iOS face and presence detection patent

. The United States Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published an Apple patent application related to face and presence detection that could be used to help keep iOS devices secure. Patently Apple said the company's application describes a technology that could allow a user to unlock his or her device by simply looking at it. Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) already features face detection, but it can easily be tricked according to reports, and doesn't always work.

Boy Genius Report, Apple applies for iOS face and presence detection patent

Fifth Gear pits Renault Sport Megane 265 Trophy vs Nissan 370Z

Fifth Gear host Tiff Needell had such a good time throwing the Renault Sport Megane 265 Trophy around the track that it made him ask a silly question. Could the 261-horsepower, front-wheel drive, four-seat hot hatch lap quicker than the 324-hp, rear-wheel drive, two-seat Nissan 370Z. This version of the Renault lapped the Nürburgring in 8:07.97, the quickest front-wheel-drive road car on the timing sheet. Even so, 63 hp down and more than 70 pounds heavier by gross weight, one could expect the Megane to have a hard time even keeping up with the Z.



Autoblog, Fifth Gear pits Renault Sport Megane 265 Trophy vs Nissan 370Z

Sakroots Artist Circle E-Reader Case

Sakroots is the name for a line of accessories from The Sak handbag company.  Shown here is the Artist Circle E-Reader Case for Kindle, Kindle Touch, and the Nook Simple Touch.  These fabric cases are made of coated canvas, trimmed with polyurethane, and lined with polyester.  The case closes with a zipper, and all hardware is goldtone.  You'll find organization pockets inside for cards or folded papers.  It's available in the four prints shown above, and it sells for $34 in stores.  You can also purchase it online at a special web pricing of only $24.

The Gadgeteer, Sakroots Artist Circle E-Reader Case

GM hires agency to identify white-collar job cuts

General Motors isn't happy that it's five-percent operating margin is less than the predicted seven-percent at Ford or the 10 percent at Hyundai. To boost its number, Bloomberg reports that GM has hired consulting firm Hackett Group to identify areas in which it can save on white-collar costs, either through job cuts or efficiencies. Unlike in 2009, however, buyouts and tranches of layoffs aren't on the table. An outside analyst considers Hyundai's returns out of reach, since the Korean firm benefits from exchange rates and more efficient platform sharing.

Autoblog, GM hires agency to identify white-collar job cuts

White Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch for Sprint will be available on January 8

A white version of Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch will become available on January 8. Furthermore, you'll be able to purchase it wherever Sprint phones are sold – its availability won't be limited to any particular retailer. The white Epic 4G Touch first surfaced exactly ten days ago, when we saw some leaked press shots of the device.
In case you were wondering, there's nothing else different in the white SKU compared to the black one already on sale.

Unwired View, White Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch for Sprint will be available on January 8

Amazon: More than 4 million Kindles sold this holiday season

. Amazon announced on Thursday that the 2011 holiday season was the best ever for sales of its Kindle devices. While the online retailer didn't specifically say just how many devices were sold by model, it did say Amazon customers purchased “millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle eReaders” and more than 1 million devices per week during the month of December.

Boy Genius Report, Amazon: More than 4 million Kindles sold this holiday season

60beat GamePad connects to iOS devices, requests 50 bucks for the privilege

iOS devices certainly aren't lacking for gaming accessories, but we're always willing to welcome a new contender. 60beat believes it's got the ideal solution in the shape of this familiar-looking controller. It connects to an iPhone, iPad or iPod through the headphone jack and offers up some familiar gaming options in the shape of dual-analog sticks and digital inputs. Unfortunately, the controller's been saddled with a $50 price tag and is only fully enabled with two games.More games are promised for next year, and here's hoping they'll include some big hitters.

Engadget, 60beat GamePad connects to iOS devices, requests 50 bucks for the privilege

Intel may unveil new 22nm Ivy Bridge processors on April 8th

. Intel could be preparing to unveil most of its next-generation 22nm Ivy Bridge processors ”on or around” April 8th according to a recent rumor. The company is set to introduce 25 different models in total, DigiTimes reported, including 17 chips designed for use in desktop PCs and eight for notebooks and ultrabooks. Intel will announce the following desktop processors in April according to the report: the Core i7-3770K, 3770, 3770S, 3770T as well as the Core i5-3570, 3550 and 3450. The desktop processors will reportedly range in price from $184 to $332.

Boy Genius Report, Intel may unveil new 22nm Ivy Bridge processors on April 8th

$25 Raspberry Pi computer is as small as a credit card, will launch next month

. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is preparing to launch a new ultra-affordable Linux-powered computer next month that is the size of a credit card. It's so affordable, in fact, that it will cost just $25 or $35, depending on how much RAM the buyer requires. In an interview with Edge, Raspberry Pi Foundation head David Braben said, despite the size and low cost, the Raspberry Pi computer is powerful enough to run games such as Quake III Arena and power 1080p video. The company will launch just 10,000 units to developers next month, mostly in the United Kingdom.

Boy Genius Report

See also:
wwws, $25 Raspberry Pi computer is as small as a credit card, will launch next month

Suzuki readying next-gen Jimny/Samurai?

Suzuki has dropped a few teasers of a new concept vehicle headed to this year's Delhi Auto Expo, and the sneaky shots may hint at a successor to the well-worn Jimny/Samurai throne. Right now, the automaker doesn't have a known replacement lined up for the pint-sized SUV. The Samurai may have exited North America long ago, but its direct descendant, the Jimny, is still very much alive elsewhere. In fact, it has cultivated a decades-old reputation for being a tough-as-nails bruiser that's as reliable as it is capable.


Autoblog

See also:
wgitn, Suzuki readying next-gen Jimny/Samurai?

2012 Ford Edge Limited EcoBoost

EcoBoost Finds Right Mix Of Power, Efficiency. The sport utility vehicle became an endangered species not long after fuel prices began to skyrocket. But while vehicle buyers changed their shopping habits, they didn't actually stray that far from the SUV formula. Many of today's hottest-selling vehicles are crossovers; essentially the same tall wagons as the SUV, but with a lighter unibody chassis.

Among other things, the CUV promised to deliver superior efficiency, and while some improvement has been evident, in many cases, the genre's fuel savings have failed to impress. A good case in point is the Ford Edge.










Autoblog, 2012 Ford Edge Limited EcoBoost

Marines launch RoboCopter in Afghanistan, Skynet secretly invades Middle East

The U.S. Marine Corps has begun deploying the first unmanned helicopters. The Kaman K-Max, developed by Kaman Aerospace and Lockheed, is used as a supply chopper and has reportedly successfully transported cargo in Afghanistan. The unmanned K-Max is based on Kaman's single-seat helicopter with the same name, weighs just 5000 pounds, but can carry up to 6000 pounds over a distance of up to 250 miles, but can stay in the air for up to 12 hours. The single-seat chopper has been in production since 1992, while the unmanned version was in development since 1998 and won a contract with the Department of Defense in 2007.

2DayBlog.com

See also:
computerworld, Marines launch RoboCopter in Afghanistan, Skynet secretly invades Middle East

ASUS P1 Portable LED Projector — Tom & Jerry Could Play It!

Read


Trendy Gadget, ASUS P1 Portable LED Projector â€" Tom & Jerry Could Play It!

Army of MetroPCS phones heading to Amazon's virtual shelves

MetroPCS purports to bring the wireless to all, but it hasn't had the right showcase to fulfill that promise. until now. The carrier announced today that its arsenal of handsets is on the way to one of the biggest online retailers in the world. A quick perusal of the PR below reveals no handset exclusions, so it's safe to say that Amazon will offer every handset from the mobile provider's armory.

Engadget, Army of MetroPCS phones heading to Amazon's virtual shelves

YouTube Slam Pits Videos Against Each Other

Google has launched its “Hot or Not” way of video-browsing interactivity. YouTube Slam would pit two videos at random and public gets to vote which entertained them the most. YouTube Slam provides viewers a way to discover videos that they might not otherwise stumble upon during their normal browsing. According to YouTube, the Slam is a “place for discovering talented amateur singers, the most adorable clips, and the craziest videos on YouTube.” Videos are pitted in five categories: bizarre, comedy, cute, dance, and music.

Gadget.com, YouTube Slam Pits Videos Against Each Other

Transformers Blu-ray 3D comes home January 31st in Ultimate and Collector's editions

After a quickie Blu-ray dropped in the fall sans-extras, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is getting a full fledged release January 31st complete with 3D and four hours of bonus features. There's actually two versions coming, first up is the $39.99 four disc Ultimate Edition with a 2D copy on one disc, a Blu-ray full of extras, a Blu-ray 3D copy, and a DVD with the film in standard def plus iTunes / Windows Media Player compatible digital copies.


Engadget, Transformers Blu-ray 3D comes home January 31st in Ultimate and Collector's editions

Chevy Sonic Boom concept headed for production?

Chevrolet took a brace of Sonic concepts to the 2011 SEMA show, among them four variations on themes from the Z-Spec parts bin, the Super 4 Racer for the track, and a brazen red hatch called the Sonic Boom. Based entirely around a 4,000-watt Kicker sound system, the Sonic Boom contains a high-tech head unit controlling components designed with a jet theme, and a report on the Chevrolet Sonic forum indicates it's headed for production.

Autoblog, Chevy Sonic Boom concept headed for production?

AT&T completes acquisition of Qualcomm's FLO TV spectrum

It's only been five days since it's gotten the official go ahead, but AT&T's wasted no time in completing its acquisition of a swath of 700MHz spectrum from Qualcomm. Those airwaves, which formerly powered FLO TV, were purchased for a cool $1.9 billion and will now be repurposed to bolster Ma Bell's LTE network. It might not have been everything the carrier had hoped for, but additional spectrum is better than none, right.

Engadget, AT&T completes acquisition of Qualcomm's FLO TV spectrum

Visualized: IBM's 1956 HDD packs 5MB of storage, requires forklift for installation

Check out IBM's 305 RAMAC (Random Access Method of Accounting and Control) hard disk and those gripes about dragging around that USB thumb drive soon evaporate. This 1956 HDD was composed of 50 24-inch discs, stacked together and taking up 16 sq ft of real estate. The once-cutting-edge monstrosity was capable of commanding an annual fee of $35,000 and stored up to 5MB of data. Sure, by modern standards it's a pretty modest capacity, but the RAMAC still weighed in at just shy of a ton.

Engadget, Visualized: IBM's 1956 HDD packs 5MB of storage, requires forklift for installation

Italian anti-trust body fines Apple for misleading customers on product guarantees

Apple Italia has been fined a total of 900,000 euros for failing to inform its customers that products purchased were already covered by two years of free assistance under national law. It appears that Apple employees encouraged the extra purchase of its own AppleCare plans. With the European court's continued investigation of possible e-book price-fixing and ongoing legal jousting with Samsung unlikely to end any time soon, it looks like Apple will be busy in the courts next year too.

Engadget, Italian anti-trust body fines Apple for misleading customers on product guarantees

Rumor: Samsung to announce Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 3D at MWC 2012

We reported before the weekend on a rendering of a device that turned out to be a concept design of what the designer would like the Samsung Galaxy S III to look like, but thanks to a report from ETNews in Korea, rumor has it that Samsung may very well be announcing the Galaxy S III at MWC 2012 and that a Galaxy S 3D is reportedly in the making.

Ubergizmo, Rumor: Samsung to announce Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 3D at MWC 2012

Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel surfing

It's time to show your iPad who's boss - that is, your iPhone, naturally. The Tizi Remote app is presently available for free via iTunes, letting you use your iPhone to change channels, record shows and pause live TV on iPads connected to the Tizi or Tizi Go TV receivers — and if you happen to have a 4S, you can harness the power of Siri to change channels for you.

2DayBlog.com, Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel surfing

HTC Evo View 4G and Mytouch 4G Slide Now Officially Unlockable From HTC

Two new HTC devices have found themselves a part of the official bootloader unlocked family of devices by way of HTC’s developer site, HTCDev.com. The Evo View 4G (Sprint’s version of the Flyer) along with the T-Mobile MyTouch Slide 4G were the newest additions to the list. The Evo View 4G more specifically, has been making its way around the internet as the center of more than a few “fire sales” offering the device at a deeply discounted price.

Android Phone, HTC Evo View 4G and Mytouch 4G Slide Now Officially Unlockable From HTC

iPhone and iPad users account for 92% of mobile purchases, study finds

. Users of Apple's iPhone smartphones and its iPad line of tablets accounted for 92% of all mobile purchases made thus far in December, a recent study by eCommerce company RichRelevance found. That figure is up from April 2011 when a similar study conducted by the firm found that Apple's iOS devices accounted for 88% of non-desktop online shopping.

Boy Genius Report, iPhone and iPad users account for 92% of mobile purchases, study finds

Custom ROM Makes ICS Face Unlock Available to Nexus S Users

What’s better than unlocking your phone with your finger. Unlocking your phone with your FACE. And now even the Nexus S will drop its lockscreen at the sight of your beautiful face. A custom ROM is necessary (of course), but the best Galaxy Nexus party trick is available for both the GSM Nexus S and the Nexus S 4G. The available ROMs are based off of the Android 4.0.3 AOSP release and the installation journey begins at the source link below.

Android Phone, Custom ROM Makes ICS Face Unlock Available to Nexus S Users

FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray

It's amazing, it's mysterious and it's hard to say exactly what it does. On Friday, the FCC passed a device described as "a handset of internet tablet with DECT," suggesting that the mystery gadget may be some sort of bizarre marriage between a DECT cordless phone and a tablet. Given the "Smart Home Phone" name on the back of the product, the tablet functionality could be used to view contacts and caller data.

Engadget, FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray

UK survey says Honda models most 'pothole-proof'

A new study by Warranty Direct in the UK claims Honda makes vehicles that are the least-susceptible to damage from potholes. According to the company, only 1.4 percent of Honda owners submit a warranty claim for repair due to pothole damage. Compare that figure with the 12.2 percent of Chrysler owners who submit claims – the American automaker found itself the least resilient to pothole damage alongside luxury makes like Land Rover, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Surprisingly enough, Smart actually landed itself in second place for the number of claims submitted as a result of pothole damage.

Autoblog, UK survey says Honda models most 'pothole-proof'