HTC One X Quad-Core vs HTC One X Dual-Core [Video Roundup]

One of the biggest misconceptions in Android that more cores always equals better performance. Much like the “ricer” vs muscle car argument, there are other factors involved when calculating speed. Qualcomm makes a pretty nice little dual-core S4 processor, using more advanced Cortex “A15-class” cores providing for nice torque. Compare that to Nvidia's Tegra 3 quad-core processor that, while based on an older A9 architecture can pull a bit more weight when performing tasks like graphic intensive gaming.







Android Phone, HTC One X Quad-Core vs HTC One X Dual-Core [Video Roundup]

Verizon Wireless announces new prepaid plans

. Verizon Wireless on Monday announced a new prepaid plan that offers unlimited talk, text, and 1GB of data for $80. The monthly plan is only being offered on the 3G Samsung Illusion, which can be had for $169.99 and will be available at Best Buy, Target, RadioShack and Walmart. Verizon also announced three different prepaid plans for its Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot. The nation's largest carrier is offering 250MB of data for usage for a week for $15, 3GB of data per month for $60, and 10GB a month for $90. The Verizon Jetpack 4510L will be available for $129.99.

Boy Genius Report, Verizon Wireless announces new prepaid plans

Neutrinos could deliver millisecond advantage to cyborg Gordon Gekkos

In a world where stocks are traded based on price changes monitored at the millisecond level, every sliver of a speed advantage gained counts. And, to get that edge, financial firms will go to almost any lengths, including building high powered particle accelerators in their basements. Well, at least that's what we imagine. Banks and high-frequency trading companies are looking to the neutrino as a potential communications tool.

Engadget

See also:
itnet, Neutrinos could deliver millisecond advantage to cyborg Gordon Gekkos

'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week

There could not be a more bland teaser for the upcoming all-electric "all new" Toyota RAV4 EV than the one Toyota just released: silver sheetmetal with a badge that simply reads "Electric." To see the rest of the vehicle, we will have to wait until the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS) gets started in Los Angeles next week. Luckily, we will be in LA with a camera or two and will bring you the full details from the show Monday, May 7. For now, all we know is what we've learned about the prototype that Toyota and Tesla have been showing for a while. For example, it will likely only be sold in California.

Autoblog, 'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week

Nintendo 3DS turning purple on May 20th, takes a bruising from the ugly stick

Pink, red, aqua and black not good enough for you. Fine. Have a purple one - if that's what you really want. On May 20th you can pick up this Grimace-hued Nintendo 3DS for the usual price of $169.99 alongside Mario Tennis Open. Hoping for something a bit more subtle, perhaps a nice clean white or a nice two-tone gray? Tough.

Engadget, Nintendo 3DS turning purple on May 20th, takes a bruising from the ugly stick

Velocity Micro unveils three Ivy Bridge desktops, starting at $849

From Acer and HP to Maingear, PC makers across the board are releasing Ivy Bridge desktops before the family of CPUs makes its much-anticipated debut on notebooks. Velocity Micro is following suit, with the announcement of three customizable PCs powered by Intel's third-generation Core processors. Starting at $849, the Vector Z70 comes standard with a 500GB, 7,200RPM hard drive, 4GB of RAM and a 2.6GHz Intel Pentium G620 CPU (upgradeable all the way to a Core i7 processor, clocked at 3.4GHz).

Engadget, Velocity Micro unveils three Ivy Bridge desktops, starting at $849

GodFinger All-Stars iPad App Review

God games are arguably one of the easiest apps to play. You do nothing but play god and control your minions as you please. However, a lot of god games lose their charms in the long run. GodFinger All-Stars by plus+ tries to disprove that notion and then some.
The game enables you, the god, to interfere with your subjects in great detail. Stun your followers with awe and terror, send them leaping through the heavens, and collect Follower Stars to power up your people.

Gadget.com, GodFinger All-Stars iPad App Review

AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G FX-format Lens

"This NIKKOR lens is the latest addition to the popular family of f/1.8 primes designed to give HD-SLR shooters the performance and versatility needed to capture images and HD video with outstanding image quality," said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing, Nikon Inc. "The new AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G is a great way for photographers to discover a high-quality, wide-angle prime lens that provides amazingly crisp focus and natural background blur.".

GIZMOGRAPH, AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G FX-format Lens

Mozilla dispatches Firefox 3.6, fills its chair with version 13 beta

If you've been defiantly clinging onto Firefox 3.6 by your fingertips, bad news. Mozilla is officially putting it to sleep — whether you like it or not — by auto-updating users to version 12. You've still got a few days to bid your emotional farewells, with the switchover being pegged as early May. But, the browser's creators stop short of setting a date for you to get the flowers delivered by. Official support for the 2010 release finished this week, and the final bout of security fixes was back in January.

2DayBlog.com, Mozilla dispatches Firefox 3.6, fills its chair with version 13 beta

Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations

Two years ago, Google drove its way into a fair amount of hot water when it accidentally (as was claimed) scooped up private data over WiFi while collecting Street View and location data. Now, the Justice Department has cleared the prolific mapsters of the wiretapping violations. The DOJ made its decision not to push for prosecution based on reports from employees and investigating key documents reports Wired.

2DayBlog.com, Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations

eBay Find of the Day: 1967 Pontiac GTO Monkeemobile

Say what you will about The Monkees, but the guys in the band had great taste in automobiles. Take the Monkeemobile, for example. Built off a 1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible, the custom featured genuinely interesting bodywork and some wild engine bolt-ons. If you're a fan of 1960s pop and yearn to relive the genre's glory days, eBay Motors may have what you need. A recreation of the 1967 Monkeemobile has showed up for auction.

Autoblog, eBay Find of the Day: 1967 Pontiac GTO Monkeemobile

UK gov't backs GPS system designed for elderly

Q: What do you call a navigation system designed specifically for the elderly. A: A map. In all seriousness, GPS navigation technology designed to help the aged drive more safely could significantly reduce the number of accidents involving geriatric drivers. Old people already attempt to compensate for reduced faculties by changing driving patterns, not driving at night and taking the simplest routes rather than the fastest. It only makes sense to deploy technology to help them determine "easier" ways to a destination.

At least that's the idea behind a $20 million project being developed at Newcastle University in the U.K.

Autoblog, UK gov't backs GPS system designed for elderly

Google Translate now serving over 200 million people per month

This may surprise you, but as Google keeps adding languages to its translation service's repertoire, the number of folks using it continues to increase accordingly. Google Translate's about to celebrate its 6th anniversary of machine translation, and now boasts over 200 million users each month — with 92 percent of those folks coming from outside the US.

2DayBlog.com, Google Translate now serving over 200 million people per month

Digital cutting board concept is the perfect kitchen aid

Designed by Jaewan Jeong, the Almighty Board is the ultimate kitchen aid all of us culinary-challenged folk have been waiting for. This digitalized, “smart-board” is essentially your cutting board, recipe book, scale and personal assistant all rolled up into a convenient tablet-like package. With step-by-step instructions guiding your every move, the Almighty Board ensures your success in the kitchen. After you are done preparing the ultimate meal, the board will even tell you whether or not you did a good enough job cleaning it.


2DayBlog.com, Digital cutting board concept is the perfect kitchen aid

T-Mobile's HTC One S experiencing poor battery performance during WiFi calling, patch inbound

There has been little chatter among early adopters in regards to battery performance issues with the HTC One S, but that isn’t stopping T-Mobile and HTC. The pair is pre-emptively prepping an update for the newly released handset that should address excessive battery drain occurring during WiFi calling. WiFi calling is one of the few unique features T-Mobile has to entice customers considering their carrier options, so addressing any possible drawbacks to the service is high on the totem pole.

Android Phone, T-Mobile's HTC One S experiencing poor battery performance during WiFi calling, patch inbound

Nintendo's gunning for retailers, expanding eShop offerings for Wii U, 3DS

Nintendo is going to sell its 3DS and Wii U games through the eShop as well as on the high street. Concerned about the money wasted in "inventory," the company will let consumers choose where they get their fix from. The first two games to get the treatment will be New Super Mario Bros 2 and Onitore Brain Training(working title) for the handheld, with more expected in the future.

Engadget, Nintendo's gunning for retailers, expanding eShop offerings for Wii U, 3DS

Sony Xperia LT29i specs revealed? Snapdragon S4 Pro, 13MP camera (with samples) & more

Last month, Sony was rumored to be bringing out a flagship phone this Summer. Codenamed LT29i Hayabusa, we had little to go on than an idea of what it'd look like and what chipset it'd house (Snapdragon S4). Today, a Chinese blog may have revealed the full slate of details we've been looking for. We've learned that the variant of the S4 processor may be that of the S4 Pro, an SoC with an upgraded GPU compared to the norm.
There's also supposed to be a 13MP camera with HDR video recording capabilities and superior lowlight performance, a 4.55 inch HD reality display, a 2200mAh battery and will be around 7 millimeters thin.




Android Phone, Sony Xperia LT29i specs revealed? Snapdragon S4 Pro, 13MP camera (with samples) & more

Sony outs new waterproof HDR-GW77V Handycam, available May 25th in Japan

Despite having launched a full battalion of Handycams back at CES, Sony left the adventurous crowd out by not introducing any ruggedized shooters. With that in mind, the Japanese outfit has taken the wraps off of its first waterproof (and dustproof) Handycam, which packs a mouthwatering 20.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor capable of 1080p video at 60fps. Staying true to its Handycam roots, the HDR-GW77V sports a 3-inch swivel screen while also offering 16GB of internal storage and a 10x optical zoom. Sony claims the camcorder can handle up to 16 feet of water as well as sustain a five-foot freefall.

Engadget, Sony outs new waterproof HDR-GW77V Handycam, available May 25th in Japan

Samsung Galaxy S III Pictured Again – Sheds Prototype “Dummy Case” For The Camera

I was just about to hit the lights and turn in for the evening when this popped up. What is it. Well, it appears that we’re looking at a real, bonafide Samsung Galaxy S III. Well, without that hideous prototype “dummy” casing we keep seeing over, and over again.
If this design looks familiar to you, it’s most likely because this devices looks almost damn near identical to another flagship device, Samsung and Google’s own Galaxy Nexus.

Android Phone, Samsung Galaxy S III Pictured Again â€" Sheds Prototype “Dummy Case” For The Camera

International Sony Xperia ion (LT28i) announced in Taiwan

Sony had announced earlier this year that we can expect an international version of the Sony Xperia ion to come out in the summer. In a press conference in Taiwan, the company unveiled just that - the Sony Xperia ion LT28i (the AT&T version, which was exclusive until recently, is dubbed LT28at). The phone is almost identical to the US carrier option - 4.6x720p LCD screen backed by Mobile BRAVIA technology, 12MP camera with 1080p video capture, Snapdragon chipset with 1.5GHz dual-core processor, NFC and 16GB built-in memory (expandable with microSD cards).




GSM Arena, International Sony Xperia ion (LT28i) announced in Taiwan

Fujitsu Laboratories wants to take your mobile's 2D videos to another dimension

Fujitsu Laboratories has developed technology that will let any phone grab pictures and video with some of that third-dimension spice. Using a small attachment with cleverly positioned mirrors, the widget sits atop your phone's plain old 2D camera and breaks the incoming image into two. Once the data has been grabbed, you then send it off to Fujitsu's servers, whereupon it'll be converted into a 3D format. This isn't the first 2D-to-3D idea, but the main advantage, of course, is that your poor phone doesn't have to do all the leg-work - but it undoubtedly comes at the expense of some quality.

Engadget, Fujitsu Laboratories wants to take your mobile's 2D videos to another dimension

Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 Macro Lens

Kenko Tokina has announced the availability of the Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 Macro lens for Micro Four Thirds camera system in the Japanese market. Measuring 66mm x 66mm and weighing at just 300 grams, this manual-focus lens comes with a fixed aperture and provides a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2. The Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 Macro lens will be launched in Japan next month for 40,000 Yen ($495) excluding taxes.

TechFresh

See also:
newgadgets, Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 Macro Lens

This Galaxy Nexus Tablet/Smartphone Hybrid ROM Makes Me All Hot And Bothered

Is it a phone. Or is it a mini tablet. That’s the question your iPhone toting friends will lose their minds over, after seeing your Galaxy Nexus running this tablet/smartphone hybrid ROM I came across on XDA. It’s called “Paranoid Android” (seriously, coolest logo ever) and it transforms your phone into a mini tablet of sorts, while still giving your device the full phone functionality you need.
Apparently, this isn’t a simple build.prop edit — no, sir. Well, okay, maybe it looks that way for now. But this ROM strives to be so much more than “tablet mode” running on your Galaxy Nexus.


Android Phone, This Galaxy Nexus Tablet/Smartphone Hybrid ROM Makes Me All Hot And Bothered

Ivy Bridge-powered Acer Aspire V3 launching in Japan

Acer will be rolling out a new Aspire laptop series in Japan starting on April 29. The said new Aspire series, dubbed Acer Aspire V3-571-H78F, will be based on Intel's third generation Core i7 a.k.a. Ivy Bridge processors. Specifically, the new series will be powered by a 2.1 GHz Core i7 processor and will feature an Intel HD 4000 GPU.
This 15.6-inch laptop will sport an LED backlit display with a 1366 x 768 resolution and a 1.3 megapixel web camera.

Ubergizmo, Ivy Bridge-powered Acer Aspire V3 launching in Japan

Sensu Artist Brush Capacitive Stylus Review

If you enjoy painting on canvas, you might find that you also enjoy “painting” on an iPad. Or if you've never painted before, doing so on a tablet is fun and way less messy. I am a doodler and don't claim to have any talent whatsoever. I just enjoy drawing cartoons and thingamabobs whenever I'm bored. Lately I've been interested in trying to paint instead of sketching. I happened to see the Sensu Artist Brush capacitive stylus on Kickstarter and thought it would be a great new addition to my growing collection of styluses. I've been testing it for a couple of weeks with several popular drawing programs for the iPad.










The Gadgeteer, Sensu Artist Brush Capacitive Stylus Review

Apple working on 21,468 square-foot cafeteria in Cupertino, wants employees' chatter to be safe

How do you keep your employees chit chat from spilling the beans on your next one more thing. You force the beans to be served in an employee-only 21,468 square-foot cafeteria - that's how. According to Mercury News, Apple just got the go-ahead from the Cupertino Planning Commission on its scheme to build a colossal two-story bistro exclusively for staff members. While the facility will be mainly used for eating purposes during lunch hours (11:30AM to 2PM, to be exact), it'll also accommodate meeting rooms and lounge areas.

Engadget

See also:
things, Apple working on 21,468 square-foot cafeteria in Cupertino, wants employees' chatter to be safe

Google Maps updated to include ‘photo tours' [video]

. Google Maps has been updated to allow users to access new “photo tours” within the service. The feature uses contributed photos from around the world that are stitched together to give a 3D photo scene of a popular location. Photo tours are available for more than 15,000 popular sites around the world and can be initiated through Google Maps in two ways. “First, when you search for a place, such as Trevi Fountain, the results in the left panel will indicate if there is a photo tour available: click either the thumbnail image or the link to start the tour,” Google wrote on its blog.

Boy Genius Report, Google Maps updated to include ‘photo tours' [video]

Dark Meadow: The Pact survival horror game released for Tegra 3 devices

Those of you who have a soft spot for games like Resident Evil, Alan Wake, Condemned, Silent Hill, and other creepy survival horror games will be happy to know that a new option has landed in the Android market. Courtesy of Phosphorus Game Studios, it's called Dark Meadow: The Pact and it places you in the shoes of a character who wakes up in a hospital with your ordinary case of amnesia. This hospital isn't quite so ordinary, though, as no one else there except an old man who is too frail to break free.

Android Phone

See also:
techblog, Dark Meadow: The Pact survival horror game released for Tegra 3 devices

Acura NSX concept turns red in China

Hey look. A red version of the Acura NSX Concept for the Beijing Motor Show. Because it's China, you know. Get it. Red.

Autoblog, Acura NSX concept turns red in China

Max Payne Mobile for Android to be released next week?

They say that good things come to those who wait, although it is not everyone's cup of tea to be able to own the necessary amount of patience required for a game. Max Payne Mobile has had its release date for the Android platform pegged to April 26th which is today, but late yesterday, Rockstar Games mentioned over their Twitter feed that Max Payne Mobile for Android has been delayed, and will only be released to the market sometime next week – “or so”, in their own words, which might mean later than that as well. The reason behind this delay.

Ubergizmo, Max Payne Mobile for Android to be released next week?

House passes bill that would call for a single website tracking federal spending

The last time a proposed law captured our attention it was so widely loathed it was never even put to a vote, but today we bring you the kind of no-brainer legislation that seems to have strong support on both sides of the aisle. The US House of Representatives has passed the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA), a bill that calls for the creation of an independent board to log all federal spending on a single, centralized website. What's more, these expenses need to be recorded with identifiers and markup languages that make them more easily searchable.

Engadget, House passes bill that would call for a single website tracking federal spending

Samsung Galaxy S Advance i9070 launched in the UK

The Samsung Galaxy S Advance i9070 is now finally available in the UK. Clove is offering the handset SIM-free, asking £322.80 (about €395 or $522) for it. The S Advanced has a slightly curved design, featuring a 4 inch WVGA Super AMOLED display, TouchWiz UI, Wi-Fi, GPS, HSDPA, 1GHz dual-core processor, 768MB of RAM, 5MP rear camera, 8GB of storage space, and MicroSD card support.

Unwired View, Samsung Galaxy S Advance i9070 launched in the UK

Flickr outs new Uploadr feature for image uploads: HTML5-based, drag-and-drop UI

If you'll recall, it was only a few weeks ago when Flickr announced Aviary was replacing the vanished Picnik as the main photo-editing tool on the site. Now, continuing its ongoing makeover, the Yahoo-owned image hosting service is introducing yet another feature. Uploadr, as it's very cleverly dubbed, is an HTML5 web apparatus, which Flickr says will make for a “completely new uploading experience.” There's a few major attributes Uploadr brings to the table, including improvements in the speed department, a drag-and-drop UI and bigger file size limits for paid and free users.

2DayBlog.com, Flickr outs new Uploadr feature for image uploads: HTML5-based, drag-and-drop UI

Google's gunning for web spammers, bans us from mentioning Bieber

Google's changing its search algorithm to punish sites that emphasize search-engine optimization over quality. Mountain View's data centers will exclude sites that offer no useful content, have articles written in keyword-sprinkled gibberish or only link to sites within a cluster. If the computers find it, the site's pagerank will be demoted, with the company expecting to affect around three percent of all English language queries when it goes live later this week.

Engadget, Google's gunning for web spammers, bans us from mentioning Bieber

Google wanted to subsidize $9.99 unlimited data plan?

If you happen to own a smartphone, the only way to make full use of it would be to pair it up with an unlimited data plan – and while there are so many different kinds of plans for you to choose from, Internet search giant Google might have wanted to step in to make a difference to subscribers who have constrained pockets due to having fallen onto hard times. Google is looking at the possibility of subsidizing an unlimited data plan, enabling users to fork out just $9.99 each month. Sounds pretty sweet, don't you think so. Basically, Google would sell handsets via its online store, generating sales for T-Mobile.

Ubergizmo, Google wanted to subsidize $9.99 unlimited data plan?