Nissan initiates multi-vehicle recall over faulty bolts

Nissan is recalling just over 14,700 vehicles from the 2011 and 2012 model years over faulty bolts in the engine. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to above specification strength.". Affected Nissan vehicles include the 2011-12 Pathfinder, 2011-12 Xterra, 2012 NV and 2012 Frontier. Additionally, the 2011 Infiniti FX and 2012 Infiniti M are being recalled for this issue.

The NHTSA report states that if there is an engine oil leak, pressure would drop and the engine could possibly seize.

Autoblog, Nissan initiates multi-vehicle recall over faulty bolts

Yelp comes to BMW ConnectedDrive

In-car point-of-interest and Google searches are all well and good, but it's hard to decipher what restaurants, bars and other local businesses are worth your hard-earned bucks while you're on the go. Yelp for BMW ConnectedDrive solves that problem. Whatever your view of Yelp is (and there are many), the crowd-sourced business rating site is still the go-to source for many looking for up-to-date, relevant rankings of what's nearby.

Autoblog, Yelp comes to BMW ConnectedDrive

Facebook now scours your account to suggest real-life events

Facebook has just launched a new feature: Suggested Events. It scrabbles through your account history to find events you might like to attend in real life. But is that a great idea, or will it generate a bunch of irritating spam. According to TechCrunch , the tool uses information from your Facebook check-in history, brand page activity, and the RSVPs of your online friends to compile a list of events.

2DayBlog.com, Facebook now scours your account to suggest real-life events

Asus expects to ship 3-6 million tablets next year, including Windows 8 Transformer models

. Asus CEO Jonney Shih said he expects his company to ship between 3 million and 6 million tablets next year, a big leap from the 1.8 million Asus tablets that are expected to ship in 2011. Shih believes his company's popular Transformer Prime tablet is especially attractive to consumers because, unlike the iPad, it offers a hardware keyboard. A number of Transformer Prime units are plagued with a Wi-Fi signal issue, Taiwan Economic News said, but Asus is offering an exchange program for customers who have faulty units.

Boy Genius Report, Asus expects to ship 3-6 million tablets next year, including Windows 8 Transformer models

Is this the Nokia Lumia 900 first official picture?

When we first saw this picture of a Nokia WP-running smartphone a few hours ago we thought it was depicting some new color version of the Nokia Lumia 800. A closer inspection and a few helpful tips later and we know that we are looking at a completely different device. It appears that the photo is the first official image of the upcoming Nokia Lumia 900, which is to become the next Nokia WP flagship.


GSM Arena, Is this the Nokia Lumia 900 first official picture?

Snag a copy of “Best of the Web, Delivered: The Reddit Manual”

“Best of the Web, Delivered: The Reddit Manual” [affiliate link] is a guide for readers who want to get the scoop on all coolest stuff on the internet before your friends do. This guide will help you learn to navigate Reddit, one of the most popular social news sites on the web.

The Gadgeteer, Snag a copy of “Best of the Web, Delivered: The Reddit Manual”

Happy Holidroid Contest: Video Challenge – Show Us Your Best Remixed Christmas Song!

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.









Android Phone, Happy Holidroid Contest: Video Challenge â€" Show Us Your Best Remixed Christmas Song!

Targus Dual Video USB 3.0 docking station

Mention Targus, and what comes across your mind. A notebook backpack that has plenty of strategically placed pockets for you to stash away all your gadgets and gizmos in a safe place, while ensuring your notebook remains free from scratches and knocks. Well, Targus also makes different kinds of computer accessories, and today we shall take a closer look at the Targus Dual Video USB 3.0 docking station. Boasting a wedge shape, you will be able to place your notebook on top of it in order to get a better viewing angle of the display, and hence, a more comfortable portable computing experience.

Ubergizmo, Targus Dual Video USB 3.0 docking station

Samsung Galaxy S i9000 and Galaxy Tab P1000 won't get Android Ice Cream Sandwich because of hardware limitations

Owners of the original Samsung Galaxy S (i9000) and the original Samsung Galaxy Tab (P1000) who are wondering why their devices haven't been included in the list of Galaxy products that will be updated to Android 4.0 ICS now have an answer. According to Samsung (translation from Korean), the limited amount of RAM (512MB) and the UI customization (TouchWiz, Samsung Widgets) on the Galaxy S i9000 and Galaxy Tab P1000 don't provide a "satisfactory environment" for Ice Cream Sandwich.

Unwired View, Samsung Galaxy S i9000 and Galaxy Tab P1000 won't get Android Ice Cream Sandwich because of hardware limitations

Tough Optrix Case Turns iPhone Into Sports Camera

The rugged Optrix case lets you use your iPhone camera whilst surfing, skydiving, or any other foolish activity. Sports action cameras are pretty neat: they're tough, and they let you shoot video you'd never capture with a regular camera–poolside parties, skydiving and even as a “security” camera to catch bad drivers when you're out on your bike. But as we all have cellphones with great video cameras already, who wants to buy another one.
Enter the Optrix, a rugged camera case for your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Gadget Lab, Tough Optrix Case Turns iPhone Into Sports Camera

Mozilla yay be aiming for a Firefox games platform

About three months ago, there was an article about Google's idea how to turn its Chrome browser into a gaming platform. That strategy has not changed and it is clear that Google will be steamrolling its weight into this market to compete with Microsoft for cloud app market share. What has changed however, that Mozilla is now quite apparently also thinking about its chances in this segment and if gaming is a fitting app environment for Firefox. Mozilla quietly launched the developer preview of its Apps project, which outlines some guidelines how developers can create apps to run in Firefox.

2DayBlog.com, Mozilla yay be aiming for a Firefox games platform

Ainol Novo7 Paladin tablet retails for $120

A couple of weeks ago we reported about the MIPS tablet that would retail for $99 and carried a shipping cost of $66, now it looks like we won't have to pay that much anymore. According to the listings on PandaWill and Merimobiles, the Ainol Novo7 Paladin tablet can be yours for just $119.99 - inclusive of free shipping. Now we're not sure if it's just for the holiday season or it's going to be permanent, but what we do know is that it's a lot cheaper than many other tablets available on the market right now, and it's going to be running the latest version of Android: Ice Cream Sandwich.

Ubergizmo

See also:
tehnologies2day, Ainol Novo7 Paladin tablet retails for $120

How Smartphones Are Changing Photography: The Numbers Are In

A photo of the Golden Gate Bridge taken on an iPhone 4. Photo: David Gardner. Although global smartphone adoption is still just below 30 percent, smartphone photography is growing in popularity, disrupting traditional camera use in the process.
NPD made this trend clear in its Imaging Confluence Study, which found that smartphones accounted for 27 percent of photos shot this year — last year, the number was 17 percent. Accordingly, photos shot with dedicated cameras dropped from 52 to 44 percent.

Smartphone camera usage is way up in casual applications.



Gadget Lab, How Smartphones Are Changing Photography: The Numbers Are In

LG Spectrum and HTC Fireball to be First LTE World Phones for Verizon?

We still don’t know a whole lot about these two devices but some new information about the LG Spectrum and the HTC Fireball have surfaced courtesy of Droid-Life. According to some leaks they received these phones are slated to be the first LTE world phones for Verizon. This news certainly should excite some of you who have been looking to step up to 4G but didn’t want to risk being in the dark when traveling abroad.
The only problem we have with both of these devices is the fact that they haven’t gotten as little as rumored release windows yet. Hell, we don’t even have a blurrycam photo.

Android Phone

See also:
gadgetsngadgets, LG Spectrum and HTC Fireball to be First LTE World Phones for Verizon?

PlayStation Vita's North American launch details: 25 games, $10 to $50 apiece

Already pondering that long-awaited trip to Japan in order to snag a PlayStation Vita in advance. Hold your horses, vaquero. Sony has just given anxious US and Canadian gamers reason to look forward to a launch of their own by laying out the official software plan for 2012. We're told that February 22nd will be the day to remember, with a total of 25 titles being available alongside the console.

Engadget, PlayStation Vita's North American launch details: 25 games, $10 to $50 apiece

Infographic: Ford 6.8L V10 to tow world's largest float

The Rose Bowl – The Grandaddy Of Them All, as they say – is one of the most storied bowl games in college football, and the pre-game parade is a big part of the pageantry of the event. Last year, Natural Balance broke the record for the world's largest float with an 84,300-pound rolling display, but the pet food company seems thirsty for more world-record glory. For 2012, Natural Balance is building a 100,000-pound monstrosity that is 116 feet long and contains a 65-foot wave pool built specifically for one Tillman the Dog.


Autoblog, Infographic: Ford 6.8L V10 to tow world's largest float

Nokia Store now has over 100K apps, Distimo says

We haven't been hearing much about the Nokia application store lately, but this doesn't mean it hasn't been making significant progress. According to the researchers from Distimo, which specialize in app store analysis, the official Nokia app repository has surpassed the 100,000 mark. The exact count, according to Distimo, is 116,583, which is enough to make the Nokia Store (formerly known as Ovi Store) the third largest app repository in the mobile world.

GSM Arena, Nokia Store now has over 100K apps, Distimo says

Dell delivers official Gingerbread ROM to the discontinued Streak 5

Although we wouldn't go as far as saying the Streak 5 is coming out of its grave, we can tell you that Dell is making an effort to help it regain consciousness - which is great news for those of you who own the device. Don't mind that ICS is here, or that it's been 12 months since we first met Android 2.3, what's important is that the smartphone / tablet is ready to get its first (official) taste of some Gingerbread goodness.

Engadget, Dell delivers official Gingerbread ROM to the discontinued Streak 5

Acer's $699 15-inch ultrabook could undercut rumored 15-inch MacBook Air

. Following the early successes of its of 11-inch and 13-inch ultrabooks, Acer has reportedly decided to build a brand new 15-inch ultrabook that may dramatically undercut the price of Apple's rumored 15-inch MacBook Air. DigiTimes said Wednesday that Acer has already contracted Pegratron to build the new computer, and that the device could be priced as low as $699 - $300 cheaper than the entry-level 11-inch MacBook Air. The latest rumors suggest that Apple could be prepared to deliver its 15-inch MacBook Air to the market as soon as the first quarter next year and that the device is already in the early stages of production.

Boy Genius Report, Acer's $699 15-inch ultrabook could undercut rumored 15-inch MacBook Air

Nissan Juke R to pace Dubai 24-hour race

The Dubai Autodrome will play host to a very special guest for the 2012 Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai race.

Autoblog, Nissan Juke R to pace Dubai 24-hour race

Infographic: KBB looks at 2011 in the rearview mirror

Boy, that 2011 was a doozy, no. Earthquakes, tsunamis and floods; Arab Spring uprisings; Occupy protests, or as the highly respected yet entirely fictional Dr. Peter Venkman once said, "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together. mass hysteria!".
This year has indeed been one to remember for the world at large, and the auto industry was anything but immune to what was happening to the world's populace.



Kelley Blue Book has put together a nifty color-coded infographic to take us back through 2011.


Autoblog, Infographic: KBB looks at 2011 in the rearview mirror

NHTSA closes investigation into 2010-2011 Ford Mustang shifter issues

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has concluded its investigation into 2011 Ford Mustang vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The agency looked into a total of 364 reports of shift quality issues supplied by Ford and they've reportedly determined that owners have experienced no loss of mobility or any unreasonable safety risk due to the problems. According to Inside Line, Ford identified several possible issues that could have contributed to difficulty shifting, including cold transmission fluid, clutch stay-out at high engine speeds, gear clash and loosening clutch plate bolts in early production vehicles.

Autoblog, NHTSA closes investigation into 2010-2011 Ford Mustang shifter issues

Mazda previews driver-focused Tokyo Auto Salon showcars

While the Tokyo Motor Show is a stage for the world's manufacturers to strut their production models, the Tokyo Auto Salon allows designers and engineers to stretch their legs with custom hardware. This year, Mazda is bringing 10 special models to the Tokyo Auto Salon, including a custom version of the recently-released CX-5. The custom CX-5 wears special paint, a lowered ride height and unique wheels for a significantly sportier appearance. Likewise, the company's Demio also receives a little attention, and visitors to the show can expect to see the Demio 13 Skyactiv Smart Stylish bow alongside the CX-5.

Autoblog, Mazda previews driver-focused Tokyo Auto Salon showcars

Verizon 4G LTE outage restored

Do you get the feeling that phone network outages are starting to become the blackouts and brownouts of our grandparents' generation. Of course, not having electricity is far more inconvenient compared to losing your data connection, as long as the phone is still able to make and receive calls. A few hours of outage on Verizon's 4G LTE network saw customers burning up the hotline service, but we are pleased to report that whatever issues Verizon had with their 4G network, has already been restored.

Ubergizmo, Verizon 4G LTE outage restored

'White' Galaxy Note Debuts in Korea

Samsung Electronics said on the 20th that it has released Galaxy Note White in Korea. The lovely white color is applied to both front and back side of the device, adding a touch of elegance to it as well as High-speed Data thanks to LTE.





Akihabara News, 'White' Galaxy Note Debuts in Korea

Kayak iOS apps get unified, see redesigned user interface and autofill assistant

What better time for the folks at Kayak to update its iOS app than during one of the busiest traveling seasons of the year. (Perhaps before this time of year, but maybe we're just bitter about the "deals" we got back in July.) All that aside, the new version not only unifies the various applications on the platform, but it also includes a major UI overhaul, plus some new features such as car rental search and an autofill option. Some of the older, but useful, elements - like hotel and flight search - also saw some design changes, accompanied by slight overall improvements.

Engadget, Kayak iOS apps get unified, see redesigned user interface and autofill assistant

Sprint sues Time Warner, Comcast, Cable One and Cox for infringing twelve digital phone patents

Sprint's lawyers have been hanging out with nothing to do for a few days, so it's time for them to get back to work. The Now Network is now focusing its sights on Time Warner, Comcast, Cable One and Cox, slapping each one with a separate lawsuit claiming they have been infringing on up to twelve of their patents. The technology the companies have been using, Sprint states, relates to the transmission of voice data packets and was patented in the 1990s. Interestingly enough, several of these patents were the subject of its 2007 infringement case against Vonage, in which the VoIP company was ordered to fork over $80 million.

Engadget, Sprint sues Time Warner, Comcast, Cable One and Cox for infringing twelve digital phone patents

Android Army Advances – 700,000 New Device Activations Each Day

It's official, folks. There are now 700,000 Android activations each day — a statement made just a few minutes ago by Google's Senior Vice President of Mobile, Andy Rubin, via his Twitter.

Android Phone, Android Army Advances â€" 700,000 New Device Activations Each Day

ITC Initial Ruling Finds Motorola Infringed On 1 Out Of 7 Microsoft Patents (Or Didn't Violate 6 Out Of 7)

In what could be seen as a loss for Motorola (and is being reported as such from various media outlets), the International Trade Commission has just announced their initial ruling on Moto's alleged patent infringement — declaring that Motorola violated 1 of 7 Microsoft patents (number 6,370,566) that dealt with “generating meeting requests and group scheduling from a mobile device.” Which sounds downright basic in terms of how the general populace uses their smartphones but I'm sure it's more complicated than that.

Android Phone, ITC Initial Ruling Finds Motorola Infringed On 1 Out Of 7 Microsoft Patents (Or Didn't Violate 6 Out Of 7)

Apple launches ‘Complete my season' iTunes feature for TV shows

. Until recently, iTunes users were able to purchase episodes of television shows a-la-carte or buy a whole season outright. The problem was, however, a user still had to pay full price for a television season even if he or she already owned a few individual episodes. Apple has reportedly fixed that problem by adding a “Complete my season” button that functions just like the “Complete my album” button in the iTunes Music Store.

Boy Genius Report, Apple launches ‘Complete my season' iTunes feature for TV shows

Google sticks Nexus S ICS update back in the freezer

Eager to get your Nexus S all sticky with an Ice Cream Sandwich update. Google's saying not so fast, at least for some Nexus S owners. Google community manager Paul Wilcox responded to queries on the mobile support forum, explaining:. If you received an update notification a little while ago but the update isn't currently available for your phone, this is likely the result of Google pausing the update in your area while we monitor feedback.

Engadget, Google sticks Nexus S ICS update back in the freezer

PhoneGap v1.3 brings better cross-platform app coding to Windows Phone

Nitobi's PhoneGap project helps app developers to code for multiple mobile OSs simultaneously, thanks to the open standard wonders of HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. It's supported Windows Phone since the beginning, but v1.3 builds on that friendliness by opening up the API's full feature set and hence every limb and organ of a Mango handset, from the compass right through to storage and notifications. New plug-ins yield extra goodies, like Live Tile updates, BingMaps Search and social networking integration.

Engadget, PhoneGap v1.3 brings better cross-platform app coding to Windows Phone

Holga iPhone lens case

Photojojo has something for all of you aspiring shutterbugs out there – we are talking about the Holga iPhone lens case that certainly warrants an escape of “Awesome!” from your lips. After all, this unique iPhone case will be able to deliver up to nine special effects for your photos. Granted, most of the effects available can already be achieved via software manipulation, and considering the number of photo apps available over at the App Store that do not cost a bomb and yet add a dash of retro to your images, they are definitely a far more attractive consideration compared to the $30 Holga iPhone lens case.

Ubergizmo, Holga iPhone lens case

Google Said to be Suspending Nexus S ICS Update Due to High CPU Usage and Battery Life Bug

. Google began rolling out the Nexus S ICS update in several regions a short time ago but it seems they’ve already had to suspend the upgrade for an issue that is affecting battery life. Alongside abnormal battery drain users are seeing high spikes of CPU usage, two things that could be directly related. If you’ve gotten a notification that the upgrade was available but you have since been unable to apply it, don’t worry – you’re not crazy.

Now is as good a time as any to mention that Galaxy Nexus users have also been experiencing less-than-normal battery drainage for quite some time.

Android Phone, Google Said to be Suspending Nexus S ICS Update Due to High CPU Usage and Battery Life Bug

Sony works on paper-powered battery

Who would have figured out that batteries will be powered by paper one day. Engineers at Sony did, where they recently paraded a bio battery that is capable of generating electricity through the clever use of paper as fuel. This is definitely an improvement over previous battery models that relied on glucose, as this particular paper-powered bio battery relies on an enzyme to decompose paper into glucose – whereby this glucose that is harvested will then be used for power generation. In order to ensure that the decomposition kicks in, Sony relied on an enzyme known as cellulase, where it will make short work of cellulose.

Ubergizmo, Sony works on paper-powered battery