Apple develops new fault monitoring battery

Just today, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple which showed off a new fault monitoring battery system. According to Apple, the fault-monitoring mechanism is capable of generating an alert and/or disable use of a portable electronic device that holds the battery pack. Imagine the fault-monitoring mechanism indicating the fault via a visual alert such as a color-changing mechanism, or through an audible alarm. Not only that, it also touched on Apple's Audio Jack Assemblies patent, but that is another story for a different day.

Ubergizmo, Apple develops new fault monitoring battery

Windows 8 Release Preview now available for downloading

Yesterday, we reported that the Microsoft's Windows Release Preview was allegedly leaked in China, kudos to Canouna who claims that it's the real deal. Earlier today, we also mentioned that a developer blog happened to comment that the highly anticipated Release Preview will be available today, May 31. But it looks like the aforementioned rumors are true. Microsoft has finally confirmed that the Windows 8 Release Preview is now available for downloading.“Today, Windows 8 Release Preview is available for download in 14 languages.

Ubergizmo, Windows 8 Release Preview now available for downloading

Microsoft's Office Mobile suite to launch November 10th for iPad, iPhone, and Android

. Microsoft is currently planning to release an Office suite for Apple's iPad, and quite possibly the iPhone and iPod touch. BGR last week exclusively reported details regarding Microsoft's intentions to bring Office to iOS and even Google's Android OS in November. According to a new report from The Daily, the development team for Office Mobile finished work on the project last month and the efforts of the design team will soon be completed too. Once approved by the usability team, the app will be handed to Apple for approval in its App Store.

Boy Genius Report, Microsoft's Office Mobile suite to launch November 10th for iPad, iPhone, and Android

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 review

What is a DJ. Everyone who considers him or herself one can probably give you a unique answer. Is everyone with a music collection and a sense for good timing a DJ, or does their music collection have to exceed a certain number of gigabytes or slabs of vinyl to be in the club (no pun intended). Audio playback devices are certainly getting more plentiful and powerful on a large scale; anyone who's played with an iOS DJ app can tell you that. In the deeper end of the DJ pool, things aren't expanding at such a frantic pace. But every once in a while a new toy crops up that adds depth and breadth to the way music nerds play back music.





Engadget, Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 review

Toyota uses IQ minicar to help improve Google Street View

Google Street View vehicles have logged millions of miles in an effort to display video of every street imaginable, but unfortunately the G-Mobile is too big for a few European roads. But instead of leaving the thin and narrow out of Street View, Team Google has employed the diminutive Toyota iQ onto the smallest streets in Belgium to to go where Google Street View previously could not travel.
Scroll down to watch the little iQ do its thing.

Autoblog, Toyota uses IQ minicar to help improve Google Street View

2013 Audi A3

An Old Vanguard Gets Ready For a New War. In 1996, the first Audi A3 essentially established the premium compact segment, but that distinction really only carried significance in Europe. Gradually, and especially in its two most recent generations, its corporate sibling, the Volkswagen Golf, has become something of a true premium hatch without the badge, leaving more and more people to wonder if there was a point to splurging for the costlier Audi. Then the new Mini Cooper came along to effectively steal the thunder in the new century's compact premium market.










Autoblog, 2013 Audi A3

Dictators throughout history and the cars they loved

With Sacha Baron Cohen's latest movie, The Dictator, raking in box office millions, our friends at Hagerty Insurance have compiled a list of the Top 10 Dictator Car Guys. While we're familiar with the automotive fancies of some foreign rulers – like Kim Jong-Il, whose funeral was something of a classic car parade – this list digs deep into the annals of totalitarianism. It's no surprise that among these powerful men, exotics from the likes of Ferrari were highly esteemed. What's more shocking is just how brutal some of these guys were.

Autoblog, Dictators throughout history and the cars they loved

HTC One S launches in Taiwan with 1.7 GHz dual-core processor

The HTC One S has been officially announced for HTC's home market of Taiwan. Not without a surprise, though. It turns out that while most of the specs of this device are identical to those of the internationally-sold One S (which was announced during MWC in February), there's a different processor powering the units sold in Taiwan. According to ePrice, the One S received a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor in Taiwan, and not the 1.5 GHz unit that's been associated with this device ever since its announcement. But wait, there's more.

Unwired View, HTC One S launches in Taiwan with 1.7 GHz dual-core processor

Values of small used cars fall in lockstep with gas prices

The Detroit News reports used small-car prices are plummeting right along with fuel prices. The news comes courtesy of a National Automobile Dealers Association study, which says gas prices have dropped an average of 3.5 percent compared to last year. In yet another shocking reminder of just how short buyers' memories can be, analysts predict light trucks will take home the largest share of car sales this month. Even so, used car sales in general are expected to fall off by around two percent.

Autoblog, Values of small used cars fall in lockstep with gas prices

Toddler-friendly Vinci Tab II makes its way to online retailers

Though already available through Amazon and SkyMall, the Vinci Tab II - who we met in a previous life - has found its way to WalMart.com and is moseying to other e-tailers such as ToysRUs.com, Diapers.com and YoYo.com next month. The Vinci carries a 7-inch (800x480) display, a 3-megapixel camera, 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor, 8GB of intenral storage, a microSD card slot, runs Android (flavor unspecified) and is touted as the only tablet certified for child safety.

Engadget, Toddler-friendly Vinci Tab II makes its way to online retailers

EPiServer adds Product Information Management to improve cross channel e-commerce experience

Partnership with inRiver integrates powerful new PIM solution with leading ecommerce platform for improved business resultsLondon, 31st May 2012: EPiServer, an innovator in multichannel digital marketing and e-commerce software, today announced the availability of inRiver PIM for EPiServer Commerce. Working with inRiver, a leader in product information management (PIM), EPiServer Commerce customers will now have access to a powerful PIM solution.

Press Release Distribution, EPiServer adds Product Information Management to improve cross channel e-commerce experience

Epiphany Chooses Searchmetrics to Drive Data Driven Search, PPC and Social Media Campaigns

Searchmetrics’ data helps enhance client retention and support new business activityLondon - 31 May, 2012 - Leading UK search agency, Epiphany, has signed up to Searchmetrics’ online search and social analytics service to provide data to inspire and measure campaigns, enhance client retention and support new business development.The agency, which has offices in Leeds and London and includes Waterstones, Teletext Holidays and Debenhams among the brands it represents, places a big emphasis on data analysis in its offer as Tom Salmon, Marketing Director, explains:  “Whether it&

Press Release Distribution, Epiphany Chooses Searchmetrics to Drive Data Driven Search, PPC and Social Media Campaigns

Working Apple I computer up for auction on Sotheby's, expected to fetch $180,000

If you're interested in owning a piece of history, Sotheby's is current auctioning off one of the six existing and working Apple I computers which is expected to fetch a staggering $180,000. For those unfamiliar, the Apple I computer was developed by both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak back in 1976. It was demoed at the Homebrew Computer Club and was eventually sold to Paul Terrel who decided to place an order for 50 units at $500 each, which was considered to be a lot of money back then.

Ubergizmo, Working Apple I computer up for auction on Sotheby's, expected to fetch $180,000

Robot arms slice up chickens real fast

Winner winner, chicken dinner. Guess this robot is capable of fixing far more chicken dinners than you can imagine, where the folks over at the Georgia Tech Research Institute have come up with a chicken-deboning robot which is touted to be able to slice meat from the bone faster and more efficiently compared to even the most skilled of humans. Of course, I would imagine that plenty of thought has gone into the design, since no two chickens are alike – and human experts are able to, at a glance, know just where to make that incision, when and the time to turn the blade, in addition to exerting the right amount of force.

Ubergizmo

See also:
techabout, Robot arms slice up chickens real fast

Google Voice brings greater control over anonymous and unknown callers

Think about it for a moment: do you recall a single instance when you were actually glad that you answered a telephone call from a blocked number. Unless that bill collector turned out to be your future spouse, the answer is likely no. Now, Google Voice users will find an extra perk in the online settings that should take the edge off of receiving calls from unknown sources. You'll now find the ability to screen anonymous callers, whereby the system will prompt the individual to state their name, and only then will your phone ring.

Engadget, Google Voice brings greater control over anonymous and unknown callers

Google's Project Glass Product Lead Spills More Details In Latest Interview

As we get closer to Google I/O, more details are being revealed on Project Glass (sometimes called Google Glass) from Googlers who have been surprisingly chatty regarding the latest project to come out of Google's mysterious X labs. Yesterday, we showed you guys a video of Sergey Brin talking with talk show host Gavin Newsom on the set of his show for Current TV, where Sergey even let a doubting Mr. Newsom take the specs for a quick test run. Today, Google's Product Lead, Steve Lee, spills a few more beans on Google Glass in part 1 of an interview with Fast Company.

Android Phone, Google's Project Glass Product Lead Spills More Details In Latest Interview

Docomo demonstrates transparent double-sided touchscreen display Android smartphone prototype

NTT docomo have developed a prototype smartphone that works through touch on the front and back, using touchpanels on both sides of a see-through display. This smartphone is being co-developed by DoCoMo and Fujitsu. By using it from the back, you can scroll the screen without obscuring the display, and reach the slide down notification bar easily with your index finger. DoCoMo also implemented a new way of using smartphones, by touching both sides at once.

“You could hold down an icon on the front, and slide on the back to move an icon, or use the message bar, or create a new application.

Akihabara News, Docomo demonstrates transparent double-sided touchscreen display Android smartphone prototype

Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video)

Many of us use gadgets that sport gleamingly refined, anodized aluminum or titanium cases - but have you ever wondered exactly how the process works. Bill Hammack, at it again after explaining to us how the CCD, LCDs, and hard drives work, breaks it down (pun intended) for us - in less than five minutes. He talks about, and even shows us how the surface of titanium is meticulously rusted using electro-chemicals to grow an oxide layer, changing the color based on its thickness.

Engadget, Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video)

Panasonic SC-MC10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Sometimes, trying to hear better is not only a matter of turning on the volume. It can also simply be a matter of trying to get closer to the sound. And if you cannot get closer to the source, then why not use this Panasonic SC-MC10 to bring the sound closer to you. The Panasonic SC-MC10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is a portable wireless speaker that can allow you bring sound closer to you in order to hear better. This portable twin 1-watt wireless stereo speaker comes with a transmitter can be connected to a TV or any other audio source.

Gadget.com, Panasonic SC-MC10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

ADATA lets the sun shine on its new range of Premier Pro microSD cards

ADATA's trio of new Premier Pro microSD cards have escaped from the company's headquarters. Aimed at professionals and demanding consumers, the 16GB and 32GB editions come with a 45MB/s read and 40MB/s write speeds and support the latest SD 3.0 standard. The company isn't mentioning how well the 8GB card runs, so we'll just presume it's a little less speedy than either of its larger brothers.

Engadget, ADATA lets the sun shine on its new range of Premier Pro microSD cards

Press pics of Gigabyte's X11 lightweight laptop reportedly pop up online

Last week, Gigabyte teased us with the promise of a new bantam laptop, the X11, that would be the "lightest notebook on earth." Today, it appears the good folks at Pocket-lint have taken a bit of the wind out of the company's sails by posting a plethora of press pics of the new machine for all the world to see. Naturally, we can't say for sure that this is the forthcoming X11, but whatever it is, it's a slim little black beauty that looks to be right at home with the MacBook Airs and Ultrabooks of the world - it's got a wedge-shaped silhouette and a modicum of external connectivity (one USB socket and one DisplayPort).

Engadget, Press pics of Gigabyte's X11 lightweight laptop reportedly pop up online

Samsung Galaxy S III and Nokia 808 PureView priced in China. Galaxy S III will be on all carriers

Two of the most important smartphones announced this year have been priced for the Chinese market. On one hand, we have the Samsung Galaxy S III, with top of the line specs and record pre-orders – it's bound to be one of the best selling devices this year. On the other hand, the Nokia 808 PureView impresses through one feature alone: its camera, so good that it's not only better than those in any other phone ever made, but also bests most compacts. The 808 PureView certainly won't be setting any sales records anywhere, but it is an important device nevertheless – for introducing the world to the PureView technology.


Unwired View, Samsung Galaxy S III and Nokia 808 PureView priced in China. Galaxy S III will be on all carriers

Verizon's Galaxy Nexus Android 4.0.4 update should be starting any day now

Yesterday we saw the support docs for the Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus update to Android 4.0.4 go live, a sure sign that new software is right around the corner. Today, multiple sources out of Big Red have been hyping the update, giving the impression that it could begin any day now, if not within the next 24 hours. A tweet from Verizon's Albery Aydin says Android 4.0.4 “will soon be pushed,” while a spokesperson for VZW confirmed the same to DroidLife.

Android Phone, Verizon's Galaxy Nexus Android 4.0.4 update should be starting any day now

Sony announces rugged Xperia Go and Xperia Acro S

Sony is introducing two new rugged smartphones to their Xperia line, the Sony Xperia Go and Sony Xperia Acro S. Both handsets feature a “scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking” and are rated to sustain exposure to dust and water. But Sony did more than make these a couple of throwaway devices with durability as their main highlight. The Xperia Acro S packs a bit of high-end flair with a 4.3-inch 720p HD Reality Display power by Sony's Bravia engine. A 12MP camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and Ice Cream Sandwich give us more reasons to consider the handset.

Android Phone, Sony announces rugged Xperia Go and Xperia Acro S

French court rules Google isn't liable for YouTube bootlegs of TF1 TV shows

France typically hasn't been kind to Google. Today, though, it's cutting some important slack. A court has ruled that the search firm can't be held liable when YouTube members upload clips of their favorite football matches or movies from local network TF1. As in a case involving Dailymotion last year, the judge saw YouTube as just the host for others' videos rather than having any hand in producing the content itself.

2DayBlog.com, French court rules Google isn't liable for YouTube bootlegs of TF1 TV shows

Sony announces the water-proof Xperia Go and Xperia acro S

Sony just went ahead and announced the latest additions to their Xperia lineup. The new phones are watertight and have increased protection against the elements, which includes a scratch-proof mineral glass on top of the display. The Sony Xperia acro S boasts a 4.3Â" HD Reality Display with 720p resolution. It's Playstation Certified and has a 12MP camera on the back, which records Full 1080p HD video recording, while a 720p HD camera is on the front.

The front of the device is covered with a scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking, similar to what we saw on the Xperia active.


GSM Arena, Sony announces the water-proof Xperia Go and Xperia acro S

Sharp releases its first phone with radiation detection with the Pantone 5 107SH

Behold Sharp latest smartphone the Pantone 5 107SH, the world first Android 4.0 smartphone with radiation detection. Thanks to a new dedicated chip designed by Sharp the Pantone 5 107SH detect gamma radiation in the air at doses between 0.05 and 9.99 microsieverts per hour. Beside this rather unique features, the Pantone 5 107SH comes with a nice 3.7" FWVGA Mobile ASV Screen, a 4.9Mpix Camera, a 1.4GHz single Core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of ROM, WiFi BGN, DLNA and Bluetooth 3.0.

Akihabara News, Sharp releases its first phone with radiation detection with the Pantone 5 107SH

Samsung Music Hub launches for European Galaxy S III owners

. Samsung on Tuesday announced the arrival of its new Music Hub service. The all-in-one mobile music service launched in various European markets with the Galaxy S III smartphone. Music Hub is based technology from mSpot, whom Samsung recently acquired, and allows users to store, purchase, and stream millions of songs in one place. Music Hub also has the ability to scan and match a users music in a method similar to iTunes Match. Not only will the service rival Apple's iTunes, but it will also compete directly against Google Music.

Boy Genius Report, Samsung Music Hub launches for European Galaxy S III owners

Samsung Galaxy S II finally gets updated to Ice Cream Sandwich in India

The update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the Samsung Galaxy S II has been available in most of the world for quite a while now. Yet it appears that that was not the case in India. Well, we now have good news for you if you've got a Galaxy S II bought in India. The updates have finally started rolling out over there too. Both versions of Samsung's flagship Android smartphone from yesteryear which have been sold in India will get updated.

Unwired View, Samsung Galaxy S II finally gets updated to Ice Cream Sandwich in India

Samsung Xperia Ion flashes AT&T LTE at the FCC

The Sony Xperia Ion was announced at the beginning of the year, but entering the halfway point of 2012 we still don't have a solid release date. Signs point to June, and a trip the halls of the FCC further suggests a release next month. AT&T LTE is here with support for the 700MHz and 1700MHz bands. 3G support is present for AT&T's standard 850MHz and 1900MHz bands, but a 1700MHz allotment is a bit of an anomaly.

Android Phone, Samsung Xperia Ion flashes AT&T LTE at the FCC

Xbox 360 250GB Racing Bundle announced

Are you a racer at heart. Then you might want to take the less dangerous route whenever you have the itch to burn up some asphalt, doing it digitally instead of in real life. One of the ways would be to have a decent video game console as well as the relevant peripherals to get you started – and I am quite sure for those who prefer everything to come right out of the box, the recently announced Xbox 360 250GB Racing Bundle ought to do the trick.

Ubergizmo

See also:
wareground, Xbox 360 250GB Racing Bundle announced

Xperia arc and neo get the Android 4.0 treatment, Sony makes good on its upgrade plans

Sony's been pretty forthcoming about its Ice Cream Sandwich rollout, informing users of certain instabilities (see: Xperia Play) and mostly abiding by its planned upgrade schedule. In line with its announcement from last week regarding second round refreshes, Xperia arc and neo handsets have now begun to receive that Android 4.0.4 update, no doubt delighting owners and invoking the ire of their Gingerbread-toting friends. It's a rare moment of reversal that should see owners of those two elder devices from a bygone SE-era enjoying a temporary leg up on their faster, better, flashier brethren.

Engadget, Xperia arc and neo get the Android 4.0 treatment, Sony makes good on its upgrade plans

Diablo 3 patch 1.0.2 is now live

Yes, we talked about how Blizzard detailed out Diablo 3 patch 1.0.2 earlier this morning, and we are pleased to announce that the Diablo 3 patch 1.0.2 has just gone live – so you might want to go ahead and download it here before doing anything else. The Bug Report forum will carry the slew of known issues for you to go through, while hotfixes made in addition to changes in patch 1.0.2 are available here.

Ubergizmo

See also:
techblog, Diablo 3 patch 1.0.2 is now live

And Then There Were 76: Aston Martin One-77 wrecked in Hong Kong

It was only a matter of time before we heard word of a deceased Aston Martin One-77. Reports kicking around the web suggest the owner of one of the 700-horsepower supercars got just a bit too close to a curb at a high rate of speed in Hong Kong, sending ultra-rare bodywork scattering across the landscape. Details are scarce at the moment, but reports suggest the owner is from mainland China and the accident only involved the Aston Martin.

Autoblog, And Then There Were 76: Aston Martin One-77 wrecked in Hong Kong

ARCHOS Arnova 7d and 10b G3 Android 4.0 tablets now on sale, from £110

The Currys/Dixons/PC World electronics chain has started selling another pair of super-budget Android tablets, and these have a bit of brand name heritage attached to them. Released under the ARCHOS Arnova brand, the awkwardly-named Arnova 7d G3 tablet features a 7″ capacitive display running at 800×480 resolution, a 1GHz Cortex A8 chipset, 4GB of storage space and 1GB of RAM. Plus there's a 10″ model, the Arnova 10b G3. And they have quite an appealing design, too:

The 7″ model is yours for £110, the 10″ one for £150.

Eurodroid, ARCHOS Arnova 7d and 10b G3 Android 4.0 tablets now on sale, from £110

GM admits $600k ad contract went to company of CFO's wife

Mother is a well-respected ad agency with offices in London, New York and Buenos Aires. Another noteable detail about Mother is that Pernilla Ammann is a partner and COO of Mother New York. That's important, because Mrs. Ammann's husband is General Motors CFO Dan Ammann.

Autoblog, GM admits $600k ad contract went to company of CFO's wife

Insert Coin: Modkit Micro asks us if we're ready for six-year-olds coding Arduino boards

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. What does microcontroller programming have in common with Tetris. Quite a bit if you're doing it with Modkit Micro from a Kickstarter project out of Cambridge, MA., which allows almost anyone to visually set up their hardware using graphical blocks to write the code.

Engadget, Insert Coin: Modkit Micro asks us if we're ready for six-year-olds coding Arduino boards