Battlefield 3 to receive significant update next week

EA/DICE have just announced on the official Battlefield blog that they will be pushing out a significant update for Battlefield 3. This isn't some minor tweak or fix but will implement a host of changes such as weapons balancing, improved squad control functionality, stability, user interface enhancements, some feature enhancements based on feedback from the community, and the removal of “negative mouse acceleration” that some people have been experiencing. The patch will be released in the coming week for the PC, with the console version to follow after that.

Ubergizmo, Battlefield 3 to receive significant update next week

Patent lawsuit with Motorola could cost Apple $2.7 billion

. Apple has reportedly told a German court that it will owe $2.7 billion if it loses a patent lawsuit against Motorola. The two companies have been locked in a legal battle in which Motorola has accused Apple of infringing on a patent related to email sync technology. As a result, Motorola recently won an injunction against Apple Inc. “In light of this risk, Apple's lawyers have asked the court to determine that MMI will have to give a 2 billion euro bail (US$2.7 billion based on today's exchange rate) if it seeks to enforce the patent,” patent expert Florian Miller wrote on his blog, FOSS Patents.

Boy Genius Report, Patent lawsuit with Motorola could cost Apple $2.7 billion

Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple, Picks Up his Galaxy Nexus

The Woz may have helped to start the behemoth that is now Apple, but now he has crossed behind enemy lines to pick up his very own Samsung Galaxy Nexus Wozniak stopped over at the Google campus today where he received the GNex and a t-shirt. The pictures of the event, which show him in front of Google’s Android statues, are circulating all over Google+ at the moment. We can’t say whether or not Wozniak will use the Galaxy Nexus as his every day smartphone (he has been an iPhone user in the past), but the exchange sends a message to Apple.

Android Phone, Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple, Picks Up his Galaxy Nexus

App Measures Vital Signs Using iPad Camera

Doctor iPad is in the house. Amazingly, it's possible to count your heart rate just by observing tiny changes in the color of your skin, caused by the movement of blood through the body. Even more amazingly, it's possible to detect these changes using the terrible camera in the iPad 2.
The app that performs this double-rainbow of technological magic is Philips Vital Signs Camera. It uses the front-facing camera of the iPad to both track the rising and falling of your chest to determine breathing rate, and the small changes in skin color to track heart rate.

Incredibly, it actually seems to work.

I downloaded the app and tried it out.

Gadget Lab, App Measures Vital Signs Using iPad Camera

Google Music Now Out of Beta

In a bid to become a dominating force in the online universe, Google has announced that its Google Music is no longer in beta stage as is now open to users in the United States. Google Music features a complete suite of music services, including a Music Store, which resulted after Google is able to secure partnerships with major record labels. The service is Google's attempt to compete with iTunes and Amazon in music store and cloud storage.

Gadget.com, Google Music Now Out of Beta

Nikon iP-PJ app for iOS lets you project photos and videos through the Coolpix S1200pj

Owners of Nikon's Coolpix S1200pj camera are probably well aware of the built-in projector, which basically allows the camera to project photos on the camera at a resolution of 1024×768. The good news is that Nikon has recently updated it Nikon iP-PJ app and will now allow iOS devices to project images from the Coolpix S1200pj camera. As pictured above, owners of the Coolpix S1200pj will need to connect their iOS device to the camera via USB, which in turn will be plugged into the iOS device via the 30-pin dock connector.

Ubergizmo, Nikon iP-PJ app for iOS lets you project photos and videos through the Coolpix S1200pj

Plextor M3S SSD comes with 5-year warranty

Hmmm, SSDs these days tend to follow cars where warranties are concerned – we're looking at a good 5 years here with Plextor's latest release, their 2.5″ SSD known as the Plextor M3S. This particular model will most probably appeal to those who are looking to purchase a new SSD, but cannot really make up their mind as to which model to bring home – although they do not want to break the bank while they're at it.

Ubergizmo, Plextor M3S SSD comes with 5-year warranty

Robots' turn to control humans now?

Sounds odd, doesn't it, to have a robot control a human – the one who created it. Well, that might very well be the case in the future for specific cases when there is no human assistant around, leaving a robot to do the job of helping a human rehabilitate from traumatic injuries to one's limbs. Well, there is a need for this niche, where such technology might eventually assist the paralyzed to move their arms or legs. Check out a video of it after the jump.
Testing the concept, this science group decided to recruit human volunteers to temporarily give up control over their bodies in the name of science.



Ubergizmo, Robots' turn to control humans now?

Nokia Lumia 900 revealed in leaked promo [video]

. Nokia's upcoming flagship Windows Phone, the Lumia 900, has been revealed in a leaked promotional video aimed at developers. First discovered by Netherlands-based All About Phones, the video was accidentally posted to Nokia's public YouTube channel before being marked private.



Boy Genius Report, Nokia Lumia 900 revealed in leaked promo [video]

Sony's PlayStation 3 marks its fifth anniversary

Five years may be a long time for most gadgets and consumer electronics, but you could argue that's just when video game consoles really hit their prime. Reaching that mark today is the Sony PlayStation 3, which made its North American debut on November 17th, 2006 (a week after its launch in Japan). In those five years it's helped Blu-ray win a format war, introduced gamers to some new, now-familiar characters like Sackboy and Nathan Drake, and delved into the realms of 3D and motion-control - dropping quite a bit from its original $500 starting price along the way. Of course, it has also seen more than its share of hiccups.

Engadget, Sony's PlayStation 3 marks its fifth anniversary

Garmin's Navigon 2.0 for iPhone available now

Navigon, which has been acquired by Garmin recently, has announced the availability of the new Navigon 2.0 app for iPhone. Navigon 2.0 for iPhone comes with a fresh look and a new User Interface, and is "the first iPhone navigation app to offer quarterly map updates" (for a one-time fee), as well as the "first iPhone onboard navigation app that separates the app from the maps" - this letting you choose the map regions you want to download (for example, you can download the map of only one state if you want to).



Unwired View, Garmin's Navigon 2.0 for iPhone available now

Google shows off Verizon branded Galaxy Nexus on video

Available as of today in the UK, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus should be released in the US pretty soon, too, although there's still no official word on when this will happen. As you've probably already heard, Verizon will be the first US carrier to sell the Galaxy Nexus. And today it's the first time we're seeing a Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus, thanks to a Getting Started video posted by Google on YouTube.



Unwired View, Google shows off Verizon branded Galaxy Nexus on video

Boxee Live TV Coming to a Boxee Box Near You

 .

The Gadgeteer, Boxee Live TV Coming to a Boxee Box Near You

iTwin File Sharing Device Wins Award from Popular Science

Two years after iTwin file-sharing device was launched, it received one of the highest honors in the gadgetry world: The 2011 Best of What's New in computing category from Popular Science. The iTwin is a two-part USB drive that can be plugged into two different computers, as long as both are connected to the Internet. This inter-computer connection provides both systems access to each other, thus allowing for file sharing.
Although several services offer similar functionalities without the need for extra hardware or a price tag, tech observers believe that there is still a market for a device like iTwin.

Gadget.com, iTwin File Sharing Device Wins Award from Popular Science

Analyst: We could run out of hard drives soon

Gus Richard from Piper Jaffray told Cnet that “we could run out of drives by the end of November.”. Caused by the dramatic flooding in Thailand, hard drive prices have already shot up by 10 to 60 percent, but Richard is concerned that PC manufacturers especially are not taking enough precaution to deal with the shortage. “Nobody seems to be really paying attention. Everyone overreacted to the disaster in Japan. And now I think they're underreacting,” he told Cnet.

2DayBlog.com, Analyst: We could run out of hard drives soon

Google's Swiffy plug-in allows developers to convert Flash to HTML5

Flash developers may be devastated to hear that Adobe will be discontinuing support for Flash on mobile devices, but the good news is that Google is here to save the day, sort of. Google has unveiled their new Swiffy plug-in for developers using Adobe's Flash Professional developer tool, and basically what it does is that it allows Flash developers to convert their Flash animations into HTML5, a standard which many web developers are starting to turn to.

Ubergizmo, Google's Swiffy plug-in allows developers to convert Flash to HTML5

Evolve Motorcycles shows off $50k Xenon lightcycle, Lithium electric streetbike

 This year's Milan International Motorcycle Show is definitely featuring a healthy assortment of battery-powered two wheeled machines, and now Evolve Motorcycles has two more plug-in designs to add to the list. First up is its Xenon, aka the Tron Lightcycle replica, which is a real bike that you can purchase 32-inch hubless rims, OLED light tape and all for $50,000. It's even claiming a top speed of 100mph with a 100 mile range on its custom lithium ion battery system, so all you have left to do is regret not grabbing one for $35k on eBay last year.


2DayBlog.com, Evolve Motorcycles shows off $50k Xenon lightcycle, Lithium electric streetbike

Visa aims at developing countries with new international prepaid mobile payment service

Shortly after announcing its new digital wallet service V.me for developed markets, Visa also made a presence at Mobile Asia Congress in Hong Kong to promote its new prepaid mobile money platform aimed at the under-banked and the unbanked consumers. By utilizing its recently-acquired Fundamo (which currently has more than 10 million mobile payment subscribers), Visa aims to leverage on the vast number of mobile phone users in developing countries - many of whom are already using local but carrier-bound mobile payment systems - in order to offer a globally interoperable mobile payment network.










Engadget, Visa aims at developing countries with new international prepaid mobile payment service

Toyota to unveil Prius C, hydrogen and electric hybrid concepts at 2012 Tokyo Motor Show

If there's one absolute truth to cars, it's this: next year's models will generally make you regret the one you just bought. Over at the Tokyo Motor Show, this standard will probably hold true, with Toyota set to launch a smaller-than-current-Prius in the form of the Prius C, or "Aqua". The C, which takes some interesting technological steps forward, packs a hybrid drivetrain, coupling an as-yet undisclosed "high-output" electric motor with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine. According to Toyota, this combination will yield over 50 miles per gallon in the city, the highest city fuel economy for any non-plug-in vehicle.








Engadget, Toyota to unveil Prius C, hydrogen and electric hybrid concepts at 2012 Tokyo Motor Show

Google Music Event – LIVE

Update: the live event is now over. Check this post to get all the information relevant to the Google Music Launch. We're going to live blog the Google Music announcement.

Ubergizmo, Google Music Event â€" LIVE

7.9m* British workers are not satisfied in their jobs

46% of workers who are not self-employed want to be their own bossBigger salaries don't always equal increased career satisfactionLeisure and hospitality is the most satisfying sector to work in: but retail is the least London, UK - 16th November 2011 - A study into the career satisfaction of British workers reveals that 28% are not satisfied with their current job and only one in four have no plans to change their career in the next five years. The research, carried out among 1,200 British workers and commissioned by Train4TradeSkills, also discovered that only 39% are in their ideal job.

Press Release Distribution, 7.9m* British workers are not satisfied in their jobs

We'll Be Live at the Google Music Store Event in LA at 5pm Eastern – What to Expect & What We Want to See

Today’s the big day for Google’s event in Los Angeles and we expect them to announce none other than the long-awaited Google Music service the way Google envisioned it back at I/O in 2010. A year and a half later and their iTunes and Amazon MP3 competitor is just about ready for eager eyes to see. Forward to 33:00 for Google’s vision .
Our own Chris Chavez will be riding over to LA for the event and we’ll be bringing you great coverage of the announcement including any hands-on time we may be able to get.


Android Phone, We'll Be Live at the Google Music Store Event in LA at 5pm Eastern â€" What to Expect & What We Want to See

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N surfaces in Germany, skirts around court's injunction

We know that Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been banned in Germany. This is due to Apple successfully winning an injunction against Samsung, but it looks like the tablet is back with a slight change in name and a slight change in design, in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N, and in terms of design, well you can pretty much see for yourselves in the photo above. The top photo shows the new Galaxy Tab 10.1N, while the bottom shows the original Galaxy Tab 10.1. The main (and obvious) difference here is the change in the frame of the tablet, with the 10.1N sporting a metal frame around the edges of the device.

Ubergizmo, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N surfaces in Germany, skirts around court's injunction

Thuuz For Google TV Lets You Know Whether or Not You Should Be Watching a Sports Game

If someone had to convince me to get a Google TV device with one application, Thuuz would be it. Thuuz, a  play on the word “enthusiast,” is a sports application for Google TV that delivers users an excitement rating for each game of each and every sport/league thewy cover . They use a unique algorithm (which they won’t be revealing, of course) that comes up with a rating to deliver to your television letting you know whether or not you should waste time watching.
It comes up with a number on a scale from 0-100.

Android Phone, Thuuz For Google TV Lets You Know Whether or Not You Should Be Watching a Sports Game

Use iPhones as Acoustic Rulers

IQ-Tainment has a really cool iPhone hack. They have developed and app that emits acoustic waves that measures the distance between two phones or between the phone and a microphone. The measurement may not be accurate, but it is a fun app nevertheless. To make it work, place the iPhone or iPad on one end and use the app to emit a sound.

Gadget.com

See also:
techcrunch, Use iPhones as Acoustic Rulers

Gametel Bluetooth accessory delivers console-feel gaming for Android phones

Gametel of Sweden has a spanking new accessory that targets Android-powered smartphones, and this particular add on will allow them to enjoy games over a D-pad compared to using virtual buttons on the phone's touchscreen display. I know games like Muffin Knight would certainly benefit from this, as I tend to miss the button when I play it on my HTC Sensation, but for other less demanding titles like Let's Golf, not having physical buttons is no issue at all. Imagine with this Bluetooth accessory, you will more or less be able to transform your HTC, LG or Samsung smartphone into an Xperia Play – sort of, anyways.



Ubergizmo, Gametel Bluetooth accessory delivers console-feel gaming for Android phones

Amazon releases Kindle Fire source code

A lot of exciting things are happening for the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet this week. Firstly, the tablet was shipped ahead of schedule, then we had news about the apps being sideloaded onto it, and of course it also got the root treatment. Now, we've got even more good news about the tablet - Amazon has just released the source code for the Kindle Fire as well. Quite an admirable move by them, when you take into consideration that a lot of OEMs that have yet to release the source codes for all their Android devices.

Ubergizmo, Amazon releases Kindle Fire source code

Photos: Lens-Changing Version of Fujifilm X100 Leaked

Fujifilm's X100 is a great little camera, a Micro Four Thirds-style mirrorless number with metal body, clever hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder and lots of clicky manual dials. The only problem is that you can't change the lens. Rumors, and hints from Fujifilm itself, have pointed to an interchangeable lens version of the X100 for some time. Now, though, we have some leaked photos of what will supposedly be called the LX.

The photos popped up on Chinese forum Xitek, and were quickly removed. But not quickly enough that the folks at PhotoRumors couldn't grab a copy.






Gadget Lab, Photos: Lens-Changing Version of Fujifilm X100 Leaked