OCZ details Z-Drive R5 enterprise SSD, reckons it doubles the speed of the R4

We've barely entered 2012 and already OCZ wants to flaunt the next in its series of enterprise PCIe SSDs. The R5 sports an entirely new ‘Kilimanjaro' controller platform (shown in the reference design above), developed in cahoots with Marvell and incorporated into each and every flash module that you might wish to add to the base card. These scalable controllers communicate directly with the host system, removing the need for an extra SATA RAID chip and thereby promising greater speeds — especially as you pile on more modules.

2DayBlog.com, OCZ details Z-Drive R5 enterprise SSD, reckons it doubles the speed of the R4

Chitika: iPhone usage share drops almost 5% in December as Samsung, HTC gain

. Usage of Apple's iPhone slid more than 4 percent in December despite what analysts estimate will have been a huge month in Apple's biggest-ever quarter of sales. Advertising network Chitika on Friday published its smartphone vendor usage share data for the month of December as measured by traffic across its network. Apple's iPhone showed the biggest slide last month but Apple was still the most popular vendor by a wide margin with a 49.62% share. Chitika also recently reported that iOS's overall operating system share was up 1.12% in December.


Boy Genius Report, Chitika: iPhone usage share drops almost 5% in December as Samsung, HTC gain

Tuff Tunes Radio can take a beating

Behringer has just announced the launch of a new product called the Tuff Tunes radio. Touted to be indestructible, this water resistant AM/FM radio is protected by a heavy-duty roll cage that is built to let it withstand “severe abuse”. Powered by a rechargeable battery pack, the Tuff Tunes radio will let you listen to your favorite tunes in places like construction sites without you having to worry about the radio rolling off somewhere and getting damaged in the process.

Ubergizmo

See also:
dailygadgets, Tuff Tunes Radio can take a beating

Jet-powered motorcycle headed for land speed record

Richard Brown is our kind of guy. Back in 1999, he set the one-way record for the top speed on a motorcycle at 362 mph, and he's spent the years since working on a sub-orbital rocket and a gas turbine jet pack. Surprisingly enough, those two projects haven't been enough to occupy Brown's time, and he's now turned his attentions back toward the motorcycle land speed record. Now the mad scientist aims to stroll past 450 mph on a jet-powered bike.

Autoblog, Jet-powered motorcycle headed for land speed record

Nikon Hits Another Home Run With the Video-Shooting D4

The D4 is heavy on the video, but it hasn't forgotten the stills shooter. Nikon's new flagship DSLR, the D4, has just gotten a pre-CES launch. The aging D3 has been losing its lunch to Canon for a while thanks to the rival company's focus on video, so it's hard to remember just how impressive the old D3 was when launched. The D4 is of course very video-centric, too, and the camera looks pretty amazing.

First, the video. The D4 shoots 1080p at 30, 24 and 60fps. There's a stereo mic jack, 20-level audio meter and a 30-level output for monitoring via headphone jack.

Gadget Lab, Nikon Hits Another Home Run With the Video-Shooting D4

Microsoft patents way to avoid walking into sketchy areas

Microsoft has obtained a patent for producing walking directions based on several varying factors depending on the time of day, weather and even crime rates. Microsoft has just been awarded a patent (via GeekWire) for “pedestrian route production” that accounts for various factors, such as time of day, weather or, most importantly, crime rates, and can automatically adjust the recommended route to account for these variables.

2DayBlog.com, Microsoft patents way to avoid walking into sketchy areas

Ford setting up shop in Silicon Valley

Ford will join the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen with a new research and development facility in California's Silicon Valley. The new facility, due to open in the first half of this year, will be part of the Ford Research and Innovation unit, and will work in partnership with its Advanced Design Studio in Irvine, California. The Blue Oval team will also be working with Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.

Autoblog, Ford setting up shop in Silicon Valley

Nikon D4 is new flagship model

Yes, the Nikon D4 DSLR has finally arrived, being the new flagship DSLR camera from the German company, where it is touted to offer the “ultimate in versatility and functionality.” First things first – should you just drop everything and run out to purchase the Nikon D4. Our friends over at DPreview say that the biggest jump in terms of changes would be the D4′s improvement in video capabilities, where it is intended to go up against the 5D Mark II from Canon (and beyond).

Ubergizmo, Nikon D4 is new flagship model

Microsoft patent suggests Xbox 720 with DVR support in the works

. A patent that was granted to Microsoft in December suggests the company is working on an Xbox game console that will double as a digital video recorder (DVR).

Boy Genius Report, Microsoft patent suggests Xbox 720 with DVR support in the works

Mass. Lt. Gov. Murray was unbelted, driving 100 mph while snoozing before crash?

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray didn't brake or try to steer away from the rock ledge his Ford Crown Victoria was headed for at speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour. That's according to reports stemming from the aftermath of an early morning accident on November 2, 2011 in which Murray's state-owned car left the roadway on Interstate 190 in Sterling, MA, and struck a rock ledge at 92 mph before rolling over. The Massachusetts State Police have released the black box data from the incident, which revealed not only the high rate of speed, but also contradicts prior statements from Lt.

Autoblog, Mass. Lt. Gov. Murray was unbelted, driving 100 mph while snoozing before crash?

Harman Kardon BDS x70 Series offers big performance with small size

[CES 2012] Do check out the Harman Kardon BDS x70 Series at CES later next week if you happen to make your way to Las Vegas, where this highly styled, space-saving range of home theater systems intend to make sure your ears get the best listening experience possible. This can be realized thanks to the Harman Kardon BDS x70 Series being able to sense a room's size automatically, calibrating its acoustics for an optimal surround-sound performance. Its integrated systems will be anchored by a multifunctional receiver which is capable of handling DVD, 3D Blu-ray and Blu-ray disc playback.

Ubergizmo, Harman Kardon BDS x70 Series offers big performance with small size

E-FUN Nextbook Elite 10 Android Tablet

[CES 2012] Tablets are dime a dozen, but that does not mean companies should give up altogether and concede the market to Apple. Android's got a pretty strong backing in terms of tablet manufacturers, and E FUN's Nextbook Elite 10 might have some pleasant surprises thrown your way. As the name implies, this model will come with a 9.7" capacitive color touch screen display at 1024 x 768 resolution and a 4:3 aspect ratio. Underneath the hood would be a dual-core 1.1GHz (Cortex A9 based) processor from Broadcom, where the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system will ensure you have the smoothest Android experience to date.

Ubergizmo, E-FUN Nextbook Elite 10 Android Tablet

Google Translate iOS app makes jump to the iPad

The Google Translate app on the iOS platform was previously restricted just to iPhone and iPod touch owners, as the iPad community were left out in the cold. Good news then (who says that Christmas is the only day in the year where good news can be proclaimed?), as Google has recently updated their official Google Translate iOS app which will sport a native interface for, yes, you've guessed it – the iPad (and obviously, the iPad 2 as well). This updated version of Google Translate will look very close like the iPhone version, albeit catering for the iPad's display.

Ubergizmo, Google Translate iOS app makes jump to the iPad

Western Digital My Book Live Duo personal cloud storage system

Western Digital has just introduced the My Book Live Duo, a personal cloud storage system that will let you enjoy the benefits of shared storage as well as remote access alongside double-safe backup, or you have the option of settling for the increased capacity of a dual-drive system with RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technology. Playing nice with both Mac and PC platforms, the My Book Live Duo will ensure all potential disaster surrounding your precious data is taken care of, since it will continuously maintain a second copy of all your files in real-time.

Ubergizmo, Western Digital My Book Live Duo personal cloud storage system

Belarus Forbids Citizens from Accessing Foreign E-Commerce Websites

Belarus, a country in Eastern Europe, updates its laws making its citizens forbidden from accessing foreign ecommerce websites. The “Improvements to the Usage of the National Segment of the Internet, law number 317-3,” which goes into effect last week, makes it illegal for Belarusian citizens to conduct ecommerce in sites outside the country's .by domain name. All companies and entrepreneurs in the country are also required to use the national portal for conducting business, providing services, and exchanging email.

Gadget.com

See also:
technologypulse, Belarus Forbids Citizens from Accessing Foreign E-Commerce Websites

Microsoft Flight Simulator for free this spring

Microsoft is certainly doing their bit to be on Santa's nice list this year, starting early by offering their Flight Simulator title for free this spring. The game is simply known as “Flight,” and you need not fork out a single cent in order to take to the skies. I remember back in the day, a joystick peripheral for the desktop proved to be a luxury purchase for a poor primary school student like me, and I looked on in envy as my friends who were from a higher economic background had the latest joysticks with more buttons than you can throw a stick at.

Ubergizmo, Microsoft Flight Simulator for free this spring

Genius Ring Presenter makes you feel like a Green Lantern

Can you will a cursor to move across the screen. Sure, using a mouse is pretty standard issue, but what happens when you have an overactive imagination and figured out that as part of the Green Lantern Corp., you definitely can will the cursor to dance all over the screen during your presentation. This is where the Genius Ring Presenter comes in handy – this is a ring-style touch cursor controller that delivers complete, unfettered access and control of PowerPoint slides, websites, and documents right from the tip of your finger.

Ubergizmo, Genius Ring Presenter makes you feel like a Green Lantern

Samsung Releases Affordable Smartphone with 4″ Super AMOLED Display: Galaxy M Style

Samsung has unveiled a new entry-level smartphone with a 4 inch super AMOLED namely Galaxy M Style in Korea. Galaxy M Style runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and features 1 GHz single core processor, 3 million pixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0, 4GB memory internal memory, DMB, 1650 mAh battery. It is just 9.9 mm thin and has a refined metal body with slim design giving you a comfortable grip.







Akihabara News, Samsung Releases Affordable Smartphone with 4″ Super AMOLED Display: Galaxy M Style

New Image Shows Camera Configuration for ASUS Eee Pad Memo

Earlier in the week we caught a glimpse of a 7-inch tablet set to be unveiled by ASUS at CES next week. The slate, potentially a reboot of the unreleased ASUS Eee Pad Memo, is said to sport a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and several configurations of internal storage. A newly leaked image shows it will also carry a rear camera, a feature which has become increasingly rare on smaller, budget-oriented tablets in recent months. NoteBook Italia speculates that the sensor may register at 5MP, the same spec from the initial Memo design shown off last year.

Android Phone

See also:
gadgetsdaily, New Image Shows Camera Configuration for ASUS Eee Pad Memo

Chevy Sonic crushes NHTSA crash tests, earns 5 stars

Following on the heels of its Camaro stablemate, the smallest Chevrolet model has performed well on the National Highway Safety Administration's crash tests, earning a coveted five-star overall safety rating. Two months ago, the Camaro received the first perfect score awarded under NHTSA's revised testing regimen, while both the Sonic five-door and sedan scored five stars in each category except rollover, in which it earned four stars. Performing well in a crash could also help those whose Sonics were recently recalled for missing brake pads.

Autoblog, Chevy Sonic crushes NHTSA crash tests, earns 5 stars

ecoATM to go on display at CES 2012

The ecoATM is not exactly the newest gizmo to hit the block, but that does not mean it is not capable of impressing others. The ecoATM is an innovative kiosk that has a heart for the environment, as it automates the buy-back process of second hand portable electronics as well as phones straight from the consumers themselves, cutting out the middle man in the process. This award-winning kiosk can be viewed in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center, where it will be ‘planted' right inside the front doors between Central Hall and North Hall at CES 2012 which is set to kick off next week.

Ubergizmo, ecoATM to go on display at CES 2012

UPnP and the Smart Grid Opportunity

New White Paper Details Applicability of Home Networking Standards to Next Gen Energy Management and Distribution Systems 4 January 2012: Global home networking standards group, UPnP Forum, has published a new whitepaper detailing how its IP-based standards play a vital role in implementing next generation Smart Grid and Smart Energy networks. The document, titled “UPnP Technologies for the Smart Grid-Enabled Home”, gives an in-depth account of UPnP device architecture and specifications, explains how these function, and describes the benefits they bring to vendors whose products embody UPnP specifications.

Press Release Distribution, UPnP and the Smart Grid Opportunity

2013 Buick Encore cubular striptease continues

Buick has shown off yet another section of the Encore CUV set to debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The latest panel gives us a clear look at the vehicle's front fascia, complete with a waterfall grille and attractive projector headlights.

Autoblog, 2013 Buick Encore cubular striptease continues

ClockworkMod Tether app brings root-free tethering to Android phones, no root required

. One of the main advantages of rooting an Android smartphone is the ability to tether a computer or tablet to a phone for free. Whether a user has 2GB, 5GB or unlimited data each month, Android developer Koushik Dutta believes a user should be able to use that data any way he or she pleases. Koush is the popular coder behind ClockworkMod Recovery and ROM Manager, two programs that help load a custom ROM onto a rooted device. The developer has now released ClockworkMod Tether, an application that allows an Android device to tether to a Mac, Linux, or Windows computer without the need for root access.

Boy Genius Report, ClockworkMod Tether app brings root-free tethering to Android phones, no root required

The ultimate in slot car tracks comes at a price (video)

If you were fortunate enough to visit last year's Detroit Auto Show, you may recall something special lurking in the Ford booth. The automaker featured an expansive slot car track with a variety of Ford Mustang racers darting around an immensely detailed course. As it turns out, the track was built by David Beattie, a slot car enthusiast who has turned his passion into a serious business. Beattie uses a CNC router to carve the topography of your favorite track before applying numerous handmade details.





Autoblog, The ultimate in slot car tracks comes at a price (video)

HTC Flyer Android 3.2 Honeycomb update starts rolling out in the US for both Wi-Fi and 3G units

The update to Android 3.2 Honeycomb for the HTC Flyer is now rolling out across the USA. Previously, this update was made available to HTC Flyer owners in Europe last month. This comes after the Taiwanese company had promised that Honeycomb would arrive on its first tablet shortly after launch. That didn't happen, but here we are and at least if you own a Flyer you can now run a tablet-optimized version of the operating system.
The update is apparently going out to both Wi-Fi-only as well as 3G-enabled versions of the tablet in the States.

Unwired View, HTC Flyer Android 3.2 Honeycomb update starts rolling out in the US for both Wi-Fi and 3G units

Robot says no problem to walking through sand

If you are still hugely impressed by the Asimo robot from Honda or the PETMAN project that seemingly cannot be toppled over no matter how hard of a kick you give it, then you might wonder whether the former is able to walk through miles of sand, just like one of Anakin's first few major creations, C3PO.

Ubergizmo, Robot says no problem to walking through sand

Sareni United's Chevrolet Camaro GT turns pony car into thoroughbred

Hans Reiter, the chap you might know from Reiter Engineering and its winning Lamborghini racecars, started a company called Sareni United for one purpose: to build a Chevrolet Camaro GT3 race car. The resulting silver shockwave is powered by a 7.9-liter Katech V8 rated at up to 650 horsepower and 627 pound-feet, and the racer's lead engineer says it has lap times "similar to the Lamborghini Gallardo" but that there is still a lot of work to do. More importantly, the plan wasn't to simply make a race-worthy Camaro, the brief was to make one one that was cost efficient enough to lure new entrants into the racing game.

Autoblog, Sareni United's Chevrolet Camaro GT turns pony car into thoroughbred

Morgan celebrates 75 years of the 4x4 with special anniversary edition

They don't make 'em like they used to. Morgan would beg to differ. Because while 75 years may be a milestone many automakers would be glad to celebrate, this 75th anniversary doesn't commemorate a company's founding. Nor does it mark the years since a specific factory was inaugurated, the birth of the company's founder or anything like that. This milestone is marked by one specific model.

That's right, the Morgan 4x4 has been on the market – largely in the same form in which it debuted – for a whopping 75 years.

Autoblog, Morgan celebrates 75 years of the 4x4 with special anniversary edition

New indexing system sets the grade for contact centre optimisation

Datapoint Contact-Optimisation Solution with Katalyst provides a performance mapping index to directly measure contact centre efficiencyDatapoint has launched a new indexing system for its customers giving clearer direction for contact centre optimisation.

Press Release Distribution, New indexing system sets the grade for contact centre optimisation

Retrode 2 works with your original gaming controllers

Remember the Retrode. The USB device that lets you create ROM files from your SEGA Genesis and SNES cartridges, which can then be played on your computer via an emulator. Well, the folks behind the accessory have come up with a sequel called the Retrode 2. This time around, it does more than just create ROMs.

Ubergizmo, Retrode 2 works with your original gaming controllers

LG to Unveil Intel-Powered Smartphone on CES 2012

Apart from the innovative TV panels, LG will also unveil an Intel-powered smartphone at CES 2012. This is not the first time LG and Intel have collaborated over a smartphone. They introduced an Android-powered smartphone that runs on Intel Moorestown chipset in last year's CES, but that never got mass-produced due to “lack of marketability.”. The second Intel-powered smartphone is said to run on Intel's Medfield system-on-a-chip, which according to early tests have yielded more impressive benchmarks compared to NVIDIA's Tegra 2 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon MSM8260.

Gadget.com, LG to Unveil Intel-Powered Smartphone on CES 2012

DRIVE goes inside the 24 Hours of Nürburgring

The first episode of DRIVE has been unleashed, and Leo Parente and crew hopped a flight to Germany to provide an in-depth look at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race. DRIVE's opening salvo is part of a new bi-weekly motorsports show entitled Shakedown, with Parente manning the mic and providing race reports throughout the year.



Autoblog, DRIVE goes inside the 24 Hours of Nürburgring

Mini bringing panel van to Geneva?

Well, this certainly brings quite literal meaning to the word 'minivan'. According to Auto Motor und Sport, sources within BMW have reportedly confirmed that a new Mini-branded panel van – possibly dubbed Mini Cargo – will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Creating the Mini Cargo sounds like a simple enough process. Auto Motor und Sport reports that the work-ready hauler will be based on the Clubman, with the rear bench seat removed in favor of a long load floor.

Autoblog, Mini bringing panel van to Geneva?

Retro iPhone Camera Case Most Impressive, Comprehensive Yet

Retro looks and modern features make the GIZMON potentially one of the best cases we've seen. We've seen a few stabs over the years at making the iPhone look and feel more like a “real” camera, from Leica-esque stickers to the Red Pop, which added a hardware shutter button by plugging into the dock connector. But in terms of both retro-tastic-ality, and plain utility, the GIZMON iCA case is hard to beat.

The case has everything. Two polycarbonate sections slide over the ends of the iPhone 4x4S and lock together.

Gadget Lab, Retro iPhone Camera Case Most Impressive, Comprehensive Yet

Handheld HD Digital Camcorder

Meet all of your video and photo recording needs without breaking the bank with Chinavasion's latest Handheld HD Digital Camcorder. Designed with convenience and usability in mid, this ultra-portable video camera sports a 5.0MP CMOS image sensor, an 8x digital zoom, a 2.4-inch TFT LCD display, a 32MB of internal memory, an SD/SDHC/MMC card slot (up to 16GB), a voice recorder, a built-in speaker, a USB 2.0 interface, a Li-ion rechargeable battery and has the ability to capture both 1280 x 720p HD video at 30fps as well as up to 12MP digital still images (interpolated mode). Grab yours now for just $55.58.

TechFresh, Handheld HD Digital Camcorder

ITG xpPhone 2 Released In China

ITG has recently released the xpPhone 2 in China. Measuring 140mm x 73mm x 17.5mm, the smartphone features a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 single-core processor with a 2GB of RAM, a 112GB of SSD storage and a 4.3-inch LCD display. The ITG xpPhone 2 runs on the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. Unfortunately, there is no info on pricing so far.

TechFresh, ITG xpPhone 2 Released In China