Volvo C70 Inscription will cost an extra $3,900

The first quarter of 2012 will see the introduction of the Volvo C70 with the Inscription package. The Polestar-modified hardtop droptop carries a $3,900 premium above the four-seater's $40,450 MSRP and is "exclusive to the North American market," although exclusivity in this case appears to mean we get 500 of the car's 2,000-unit global volume. ROCKLEIGH, N.J. (Dec. 15, 2011) - Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (VCNA) today announced that its 2012 C70 Inscription package - on sale during the first quarter of next year - will retail for $3,900.

Autoblog, Volvo C70 Inscription will cost an extra $3,900

Deal of the Day - Pair of Dell UltraSharp U2212HM 21.5-in 1080p IPS-panel LCD Monitors with Horizontal Desk Stand

Today's LogicBUY Deal is a pair of 21.5" Dell UltraSharp (U2212HM) IPS-panel LCD monitors with a horizontal desk stand for $519.99.  Features: DisplayPort, built-in 4-port USB 2.0 hub, anti-glare with hard coat 3H surface, LED backlighting, 8ms response time, 250nit brightness, 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (typical), EPEAT Gold rated, DVI and VGA connectors, height-adjustable stand, tilt and swivel, built-in cable management. $717.99 – $198 coupon code = $519.99 with free shipping. This deal expires December 21, 2011 or sooner.

The Gadgeteer, Deal of the Day - Pair of Dell UltraSharp U2212HM 21.5-in 1080p IPS-panel LCD Monitors with Horizontal Desk Stand

Google rolls out Ice Cream Sandwich update for Nexus S

True to form, Google has stepped forward and released the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for their Nexus S smartphone, not too soon after the new flagship, the Galaxy Nexus from Samsung, has hit the scene. As for the method of choice that Google employs to deliver the hot new update to your smartphone, it will be rolled out in waves just like its predecessors, with GSM devices gaining priority over the rest. Sprint's version of the Nexus S 4G will be getting it much later on, and it will take approximately one month before the entire update is released.

Ubergizmo, Google rolls out Ice Cream Sandwich update for Nexus S

Sprint: We have disabled Carrier IQ and we are no longer collecting data

. Sprint on Friday confirmed that it has disabled Carrier IQ on its servers and it is no longer actively using the software to collect diagnostic data. ”We have weighed customer concerns and we have disabled use of the tool so that diagnostic information and data is no longer being collected,” a Sprint spokesperson told Mobile Burn. “We are further evaluating options regarding this diagnostic software as well as Sprint's diagnostic needs.” Sprint revealed in a letter to Senator Al Franken earlier this week that Carrier IQ is currently installed on approximately 26 million Sprint smartphones.

Boy Genius Report, Sprint: We have disabled Carrier IQ and we are no longer collecting data

Avatar for iTunes lets you “deconstruct scenes”

One of the perks about buying DVD or Blu-ray films is that you usually gain access to special features, such as director's commentary or additional footage and sometimes even a behind-the-scenes special. Fox is now stepping up their offerings with the iTunes version of James Cameron's Avatar digital download. This special digital edition of the movie allows users to "deconstruct scenes" in simultaneous views. What this does is that users will be able to see the scenes from performance capture to template right up to the final scene as pictured above.



Ubergizmo, Avatar for iTunes lets you “deconstruct scenes”

MIUI Graces The HP TouchPad With Its Presence [Video]

File this under things I never thought I’d see in 2011. Fan favorite MIUI ROM has just been ported to the HP TouchPad. Still in its “pre-alpha” stages, the ROM surprisingly has near full functionality with only the on-screen menu button not working and a few miscellaneous bugs present. Not too shabby, not too shabby at all. Kinda pours a little salt on my wounds for missing that final HP TouchPad fire-sale on Sunday. Ouch.



Android Phone, MIUI Graces The HP TouchPad With Its Presence [Video]

The Louvre to start using Nintendo 3DS' during their tours

Trips to museums isn't exactly the most exciting activity one could do unless you're a history buff. However the Louvre is looking to appeal to a more modern audience through the use of Nintendo's 3DS mobile gaming console. 5,000 Nintendo 3DS units have been donated by Nintendo themselves to the Louvre. The consoles will see implementation starting in March 2012 and will slowly replace traditional audio-guides, which at the moment is apparently being used by 4% of the museum's 8.5 million annual visitors.

We're not sure sort of content is being developed for the Louvre, although history and educational content and games does come to mind.

Ubergizmo, The Louvre to start using Nintendo 3DS' during their tours

Happy Holidroid Contest: O Caption! My Caption!

If you’re unsure what this whole "Holidroid Contest" thing is all about, be prepared to get excited. From November 24th through December 25th, Phandroid is giving away a Kindle Fire every single day along with other great prizes like the Galaxy Nexus Galaxy Tabs, JAMBOX, SmarTouch Gloves, Android Phones, Android T-Shirts, Seidio Vouchers and more. Read our announcement post for details. Yesterday’s Winner.
We asked you to mock up a new Android app idea. Your entries spanned the board, but we finally narrowed it down to SoldierAngel's Message Hunter concept.







Android Phone, Happy Holidroid Contest: O Caption! My Caption!

Droidamillian Is Today's Featured T-Shirt On TeeFury.com – Better Hurry!

This will be gone in about T-minus 2 hours so you'd better hurry. Popular limited edition t-shirt site, TeeFury.com, is offering a cool little variation of our beloved Android mascot, dubbed “Droidamillian.” Don't knock my nerd-cred but apparently the idea is inspired by a movie called “The Black Hole,” of which I am completely unfamiliar with. Still, its a very cool design. Hurry, not much more time to snag one of these tee's for only $10 before it's gone forever.

Android Phone, Droidamillian Is Today's Featured T-Shirt On TeeFury.com â€" Better Hurry!

Senate committee passes overhaul of auto safety laws, includes hefty recall fines

Congress is gearing up for a comprehensive overhaul of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, implementing some significant safety measures for automobiles along the way. The campaign, encouraged by safety advocates for over a year now, has gained significant ground as the Senate Commerce Committee endorsed a series of measures which it will seek to incorporate into a highway reauthorization bill due for approval early in the new year. According to The Detroit News, measures approved by the committee include significantly stiffer fines for automakers delaying necessary recalls.

Autoblog, Senate committee passes overhaul of auto safety laws, includes hefty recall fines

Verizon Galaxy Nexus extended battery makes blurrycam debut with a hump

LTE's dirty secret is also an open one — it's a juice hog. So, if you're planning on snatching up a Big Red-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you'll probably want to leapfrog that stock 1,850mAh battery for an extended one. Good thing, then, that Mr. Blurrycam stopped by Droid Life to give prospective owners a cure for what's about to ail them. The heftier battery only ups the ante to 2100mAh — a far cry from the Droid Bionic's 2760mAh — but, hey, it's better than the alternative. And for the style-obsessed mobile maven, it appears that de rigeur unsightly hump is less severe than you'd expect.

2DayBlog.com, Verizon Galaxy Nexus extended battery makes blurrycam debut with a hump

Motor Press Guild honors Senna documentary and Brock Yates, among others

The Motor Press Guild (MPG), the largest automotive media association in North America, held its 17th annual Dean Batchelor Award banquet at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles this week. The association's awards honored those with outstanding automotive contributions in the areas of writing, audio/visual, photography and lifetime achievement. Dean Batchelor Award: Senna, by Asif Kapadia and Manish Pandey.

Autoblog, Motor Press Guild honors Senna documentary and Brock Yates, among others

Final Day of Google's $0.10 App Promotion Features Apparatus, Heavy Gunner 3D, and More

Google is concluding a 10-day run of 10-cent apps in celebration of 10 billion Android Market downloads with another fine selection of mobile software. A few have already been featured, but all are still well worth the dime. The list for the day:.

Android Phone, Final Day of Google's $0.10 App Promotion Features Apparatus, Heavy Gunner 3D, and More

Microsoft's next-generation Xbox pegged for 2013 release? (Rumor)

Rumors of Microsoft's next-generation Xbox has started to gain some traction what with the end of the year approach and about a little over half a year until E3 2012, which is when many are expecting Microsoft to announce the Xbox 720 or whatever they've decided to finally call it. Well according to CNET, if you were looking forward to the Xbox 720 in 2012, you could be in for a disappointment.

Ubergizmo, Microsoft's next-generation Xbox pegged for 2013 release? (Rumor)

Facebook rolls out Timeline feature worldwide, it's time to untag some old photos

Get ready for a This Is Your Life-style recap available online, as Facebook's Timeline feature is now out of beta and available to all users worldwide. Originally announced during the f8 conference back in September, it wraps up all the information you've posted, friendships you've made and embarrassing photos you were tagged in, in a neat, date organized package. If you're worried it may uncover some things better left private - and posted years ago before you were more savvy about social media - you can enable the feature and still wait a week before it goes public for viewing by others.

Engadget, Facebook rolls out Timeline feature worldwide, it's time to untag some old photos

Is this what the Nokia N803 (N8 successor?) looks like?

Last month, we told you that Nokia is readying a successor to the N8 Symbian smartphone (which was launched more than a year ago). Now, here we have sketches of what's said to be the Nokia N803. PocketNow says they've received a user manual for the N803, and seeing the camera bump on its back, this could very well be the N8 successor we've been talking about.

Unwired View, Is this what the Nokia N803 (N8 successor?) looks like?

Nintendo's Game Boy Advance thank you package rolls out to 3DS early adopters this Friday

Following August's dramatic price drop for the 3DS, Nintendo has announced that, come Friday, members of its Ambassador Program will finally be able to download the ten Game Boy Advance games they were promised. The complimentary titles in question are F-Zero Maximum Velocity, Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Metroid Fusion, Wario Land 4 and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames, each of which will be automatically added to your purchase history.




Engadget, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance thank you package rolls out to 3DS early adopters this Friday

LG Officially Announces Prada 3.0 with Android

LG has made official their latest collaboration with Prada. The LG Prada 3.0 seeks to bring the “best in style and substance,” combining a sleek design with a dual-core processor and dual-channel RAM to get the most out of its Android Gingerbread operating system. The Prada 3.0 features a 4.3-inch Noca Plus display, 8GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card, HSPA+ support, and an 8MP/1080p camera. Along with the Prada 3.0 comes a matching docking station and bag.

Android Phone

See also:
itband, LG Officially Announces Prada 3.0 with Android

T-Mobile's White Samsung Galaxy S II Now Available Online for $230

Following news that the T-Mobile Galaxy S II would be getting a software upgrade to add WiFi calling, the white version of that very phone is  now available online (or through telesales and customer care). It’s a 4.5 inch Super AMOLED Plus gem with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and HSPA+ radios. It can be yours for $230.

Android Phone, T-Mobile's White Samsung Galaxy S II Now Available Online for $230

Stonesoft’s 2012 IT Security Predictions

As 2011 draws to a close, it’s time for Ash Patel, Stonesoft’s country manager for UK and Ireland, to gaze into his crystal ball and predict on what 2012 might have set in store for us:Shocking security incidents in 2011?None of the security incidents in 2011 were technically shocking. However, what was surprising was the fact that, at last organisations are actually publically admitting that there is a problem/breach. However, I still feel we are only at the tip of the iceberg, in terms of how many breaches occur, and as such, are only hearing about a small fraction of these breaches.

Press Release Distribution, Stonesoft’s 2012 IT Security Predictions

Gears of War 3′s RAAM's Shadow DLC Pack Hits Xbox Live

Gears of War 3′s latest DLC pack ‘RAAM's Shadow' has finally hit the Xbox Live. You'll be able to download it starting today for 1200 Microsoft Points. Download yours now.

TechFresh, Gears of War 3′s RAAM's Shadow DLC Pack Hits Xbox Live

VW Cross Coupé concept presages 2014 Evoque rival (video)

Turns out the Volkswagen Cross Coupé concept shown off at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show may be a smoke signal for an impending new product. And apparently the reaction was positive enough to the integrated grille and sloping hindquarters that the picaresque four-door crossover could inspire a production version within three years. VW execs believe CUVs will continue to grow in popularity, and that as they do, customers will want perhaps more car-ish variety in their styling, with more muscle and sportiness.



Autoblog, VW Cross Coupé concept presages 2014 Evoque rival (video)

Snapdragon S4 Liquid MDP Now Running Android Ice Cream Sandwich

The extra-powerful Snapdragon S4 Liquid MDP (mobile development platform, more info on it here) surely looks to be shipping to market with Android 4.0 instead of 3.2 as Qualcomm has gotten Ice Cream Sandwich up and running on it. We're sure there's work yet to be done but it shows they're making huge strides and it gives us hope that their desire to bring Android 4.0 out of the box to their developers is more than just desire and a sure-fire reality.

Android Phone, Snapdragon S4 Liquid MDP Now Running Android Ice Cream Sandwich

Judge approves AT&T/DOJ request for antitrust suit delay

. Judge Ellen Huvelle approved a joint request by AT&T and the Department of Justice to delay a lawsuit regarding AT&T's planned purchase of T-Mobile USA. AT&T requested a stay in the suit on Monday and said it was working with Deutsche Telekom to prepare the best defense possible.

Boy Genius Report, Judge approves AT&T/DOJ request for antitrust suit delay

Samsung Galaxy Nexus slips out to the public

It seems that Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphones from Verizon Wireless have not been very nice prior to Christmas, slipping their way by accident to some users' hands via Best Buy and Verizon retail stores. Word on the street has it that someone did pick up a Samsung Galaxy Nexus earlier than expected from a Verizon store, where said Verizon store picked up the handsets prior to an official launch. David Fayram, a senior software engineer by profession for CrowdFlower, managed to pick up one of these highly desirable handsets Best Buy, which sold it to him by accident.

Ubergizmo, Samsung Galaxy Nexus slips out to the public

Apple may buy Israeli flash memory firm Anobit for $400-$500 million

. Apple may be preparing to purchase Anobit, an fabless Israeli firm that specializes in flash storage solutions for mobile and enterprise markets. The Cupertino-based company could be willing to spend between $400 million and $500 million on Anobit, Calcalist reported Tuesday.

Boy Genius Report, Apple may buy Israeli flash memory firm Anobit for $400-$500 million

Huawei Honor Review

Huawei may not yet be famous in the USA, but we've been keeping an eye on their Android phones, and they have been steadily making progress, so we were very curious to see what the Huawei Honor, aka Huawei U8860, could do in the real world. This smartphone has a very "plain" look to it, and nothing in its design language is a "power statement", so most people would assume that it is an average to below-average phone when looking at it. In fact the Huawei Honor proves to be a responsive phone with a user interface that is well thought-out and surprisingly convenient.














Ubergizmo

See also:
maximum, Huawei Honor Review

HTC Wildfire S gets to Android 2.3.5 as well, no Sense 3.0 though

HTC continues its series of Android 2.3.5 for its lineup of smartphones with the entry-level Wildfire S. The Taiwanese company is now seeding the new Gingerbread release to the most affordable of the trio of smartphones that it announced back at the MWC in February. Much like the HTC ChaCha, though, the Wildfire S won't be getting to taste Sense UI 3.0. We suspect this has something to do with the hardware of these not being unable to handle the latest version of the HTC home-brewed UI.

Early user reports suggest that the update fixes the Wildfire S bugs with unlocking and call answering, but there's no detailed changelog provided just yet.

GSM Arena, HTC Wildfire S gets to Android 2.3.5 as well, no Sense 3.0 though

Samsung leads the way with over 300 million mobile phones sold in 2011, Nokia cries foul

Samsung said on Sunday its annual mobile handset sales this year had exceeded 300 million units for the first time in the company's history. The world's second largest handset maker by volume said in a statement it had broken its sales record by the end of last month. Handset sales in 2010 were about 280 million.

2DayBlog.com, Samsung leads the way with over 300 million mobile phones sold in 2011, Nokia cries foul

AT&T Huawei Fusion Unveiled

AT&T has unveiled the new Huawei Fusion. Powered by the Google Android 2.3.3 OS, the handset features a 3.5-inch color multitouch TFT display with a 320 x 480 pixel resolution, a 600MHz processor, a 3.15-megapixel digital camera and a GPS navigation. The AT&T Huawei Fusion also supports GPRS Class 10, a microSD/SDHC card slot (up to 32GB), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, an FM radio with RDS radio receiver and a removable 1400mAh lithium-ion battery. The AT&T Huawei Fusion is currently available as a prepaid device via AT&T's GoPhone service for $109.87.

TechFresh, AT&T Huawei Fusion Unveiled

Motorola Xyboard 10.1 and 8.2 Unboxing

The Motorola Xyboard tablets have landed at the office: there is a 10.1″ version, and a 8.2″ one. Both share a similar “design language”, but the usage model can be slightly different because of their size. For these new tablets, Motorola has used quality materials, and a “tough” design that makes both tablets look solid, and almost rugged (almost). We bet that Motorola wanted to differentiate itself by going after one of the main criticism that other Android tablets, namely the Galaxy Tab series, receive often: they feel a bit “plastic”.

Ubergizmo, Motorola Xyboard 10.1 and 8.2 Unboxing

Disinfection technology does more than kill bacteria

There are strains of bacteria which have grown to be superbugs – simply because they have grown resistant to the antibiotics that we use in our drugs. This phenomena comes about as the routine use of disinfectants and antibiotics help promote antibiotic resistant bacterial populations. Well, perhaps those sneaky little buggers might be able to outsmart antibiotics, but they won't be able to escape from this new technology that was developed in conjunction with Queens University and recently granted a Canadian patent – where it is said to be able to kill off bacteria effectively thanks to the wonders of biomimicry.

Ubergizmo, Disinfection technology does more than kill bacteria

Nielsen Finds Facebook Most ‘Liked' App for Android

As a Google-made OS that ships with a suite of Google apps, you might expect Gmail or Google Maps to be the favorite service Android users have running on their handsets, right. Wrong. Once again proving its level of ubiquitousness, Facebook has been ranked by Nielsen as the most used Android app among users aged 18-44. OK, technically it is the second-ranked app after the Android Market, but considering the fact that one necessarily precedes the other we will ignore this for now.

Android Phone, Nielsen Finds Facebook Most ‘Liked' App for Android