FCC to Verizon Wireless: You need more spectrum? Prove it by March 22nd.

By now, we hope you're plenty familiar with the ongoing saga between Verizon Wireless and the FCC - no, not that little kerfuffle about data roaming complaints, but the biggie - the proposed transfer of 122 AWS spectrum licenses from three cable providers to Big Red. While the FCC's latest move is merely a sign of due diligence, it's now pressing Verizon to supply additional information regarding its business, spectrum holdings and the proposed transfer - all with a deadline on or before March 22nd.

Engadget, FCC to Verizon Wireless: You need more spectrum? Prove it by March 22nd.

Samsung Galaxy mini 2 goes up for pre-order in the UK

Samsung's recently announced Galaxy mini 2 S6500 is now available for pre-order at an online retailer in the UK. The entry level Galaxy will cost you £179.95 (€215) without contract. As you can see above, availability date is yet to be known.

GSM Arena, Samsung Galaxy mini 2 goes up for pre-order in the UK

Samsung patent showcases ‘smart device-skins'

. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office recently published details surrounding a Samsung patent describing a new technology that will allow users to take an image and electronically wrap it around their devices, PatentBolt reported on Friday. The invention uses a “smart device-skin” or “film layer” that is integrated into the device. At any given time, a user will be able to change the appearance of a handset using the proposed chameleon-like technology.

Boy Genius Report, Samsung patent showcases ‘smart device-skins'

iRobot 110 FirstLook hands-on (video)

FirstLook gets its name from the four cameras that dot its sides, allowing soldiers to do reconnaissance from a safe distance - up to a couple hundred meters (though one iRobot employee told us that the company has gotten up to 500 meters unobstructed). You can view all camera angles simultaneously using the large display on the robot's beefy remote control.The remote has a small joystick to the left of the display. It's really like playing a video game - we jokingly mentioned that we'd been training for it all our lives with our console games, and the iRobot rep had to agree.







Engadget, iRobot 110 FirstLook hands-on (video)

New iPad has power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0

There are already 2,048 x 1,536 reasons to covet the latest iPad, but here's one more: it's the first tablet to incorporate the latest Bluetooth 4.0 "Smart" standard. Like the iPhone 4S, Apple's new slate is ready to pair with other Smart devices that drain far less power than previous modules. Want to complement your purchase with a wireless keyboard whose batteries will last for years. Or to plaster your body with tiny low-power sensors so you can, erm, monitor yourself on your iPad.

Engadget, New iPad has power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 pre-orders start in the UK for £179.95

The Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 was announced last month and it's obviously the successor to the original Galaxy Mini from yesteryear. This is probably going to be Samsung's cheapest Galaxy Android smartphone this year. It's for those who are not yet sure about this whole smartphone craze and would like to ease into the new world. The Galaxy Mini 2 should become available soon. And today pre-orders for it have started in the UK, courtesy of online retailer MobileFun. The price being asked is a pretty neat £179.95.

Unfortunately there's no release date to speak of just yet.

Unwired View, Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 pre-orders start in the UK for £179.95

iPhone 4S now available from China Telecom, cheaper than at China Unicom

Remember how AT&T held exclusivity for iPhone sales in the US for many years – up until the Verizon iPhone 4 was finally launched last year. Well, the same thing has been going on in China. Since the iPhone first arrived over there, the exclusive carrier has been China Unicom. That's the second biggest carrier, as China Mobile (who's No.1) uses TD-SCDMA for 3G, a Chinese tech which hasn't so far been used anywhere else in the world and which Apple has been reluctant to include into its iPhones.

Unwired View, iPhone 4S now available from China Telecom, cheaper than at China Unicom

Sony Ericsson Windows Phone prototype up for grabs on eBay

Sony Ericsson was reported to have a prototype Windows Phone device that never saw the light of day - but it looks like you can get your hands on one of them. An eBay user managed to get his/her hands on the phone and has put it up for auction, giving anybody who's willing to spend some money the opportunity to own the device. While not much is known about the phone, it is said to be running on a beta version of Windows Phone and will most probably never get any upgrades in the future.

Ubergizmo, Sony Ericsson Windows Phone prototype up for grabs on eBay

Save Your Lawn and Your Sanity with Scotts Snap Lawn Care System

This post brought to you by Scotts®. All opinions are 100% mine. Winter takes a toll on your landscaping. My own front yard is brown, patchy, and weedy. I love a beautiful lawn, but doing all the maintenance necessary to make it lush and green is messy work. Even if you have a spreader, you still have to cut open bags and fill up the spreader – usually dumping out half the contents on your garage floor or your grass. Scotts, long know for their lawn care products, have created a system that will make creating a beautiful lawn as easy as walking on it.



The Gadgeteer, Save Your Lawn and Your Sanity with Scotts Snap Lawn Care System

Thunderbolt is everywhere, now let's make it faster with PCI-Express 3.0

Things are different on Planet Intel. Over there, Thunderbolt drives and peripherals are as cheap and abundant as artificial intelligences in a Culture novel, so the population's attention has already turned to what comes next. Some are prepared to wait for a promised 50Gbps optical interconnect by 2015, but an impatient few are trying to make Thunderbolt exploit the new PCI-Express 3.0 standard for more immediate thrills. PCWorld claims the latest form of PCI-Express found in Sandy Bridge E, Ivy Bridge and Xeon E5 chipsets could make 10Gbps Thunderbolt run "significantly faster", thanks to a 60 percent speed boost over PCIe 2.0.

Engadget, Thunderbolt is everywhere, now let's make it faster with PCI-Express 3.0

Financial police targeting European supercar owners due to Euro crisis?

Italy is dealing with a financial crisis that placed it just behind Greece on the list of dangers to the stability of the euro, and with €1.9 trillion in public debt the country hasn't hesitated to turn over its couch pillows searching for every contribution. It started a couple of years ago with the Guardia di Finanza targeting superyacht owners, and it has continued with the financial police going after supercar owners. In December 2011, the police noted the license plates of roughly 150 Lamborghinis, Ferraris and other high-dollar cars at the Cortina d'Ampezzo ski resort and gave the registration info to the tax office.

Autoblog

See also:
techabout, Financial police targeting European supercar owners due to Euro crisis?

Sony shows off PlayStation Vita's augmented reality chops at GDC, leaves the AR marker cards at home

The PlayStation Vita's current augmented reality mini-games may be anchored to a handful of marker cards, but it doesn't have to be that way. Front and center at Sony's GDC booth was "Magnet," a developer tech demo that shows off the next generation handheld's markerless chops. The application maps out the texture and patterns to create its own marker, which would allow developers to create more natural AR experiences that won't burden players with the hassle of carrying around marker cards. Sony says the tech demo won't be evolving into a full game, but hopes it will inspire developers to build something new and exciting for the handheld.

Engadget, Sony shows off PlayStation Vita's augmented reality chops at GDC, leaves the AR marker cards at home

Android Market rule prevents third-party in-app payment service usage

Android might be an open operating system, but that does not mean it offers developers total freedom. No sir, there are Android application developers out there who are not too happy with the fact that they were barred from using third-party payment systems in their software. The reason behind this. Google, for all intents and purposes, wants developers to use its own Google Wallet service where in-application purchases are concerned, and new and upcoming software which do not comply with the new rule will be unceremoniously removed from the Android Market.

Ubergizmo, Android Market rule prevents third-party in-app payment service usage

Heavy Rain creators produce 'Kara' PS3 tech-demo (video)

Heavy Rain creator David Cage was showing off Quantic Dream's new game engine at GDC, which includes an innovative new performance-capture technology the company's developed. He's directed a seven-minute original short called Kara, which is the story of a female android as she becomes self-aware. Unlike traditional game production methods, this technology is able to record face and body movements at the same time as recording the actors voice - ensuring natural and consistent performances from the characters. Actress Valorie Curry wore 90 sensors on her face, unlike in, say, Avatar, where the performers wore head-mounted cameras.

Engadget, Heavy Rain creators produce 'Kara' PS3 tech-demo (video)

How to photograph the Aventador like a pro using Forza 4, a lightbulb and a stick (video)

Nine times out of ten, if the Autoblog crew isn't talking cars, we're discussing cameras. Or cat videos. But mostly cameras. We love shooting the world's newest vehicles almost as much as we enjoy driving them, and odds are we aren't alone.
If you've ever wondered how the real pros manage to get their best photos, wonder no more. The crew at FStoppers.com tagged along while Blair Bunting trained his lens on the Lamborghini Aventador.



Autoblog, How to photograph the Aventador like a pro using Forza 4, a lightbulb and a stick (video)

2012 Citroën DS3 Racing Sebastien Loeb Edition is the darkest of horses

Among the numerous renditions of its DS line unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, Citroën went a step further with the introduction of the DS3 Racing S. Loeb. Taking advantage of the ridiculous success it has had with the DS4 WRC piloted by Sebastien Loeb, the DS3 Racing S. Loeb is for those who want a cuter brute than the DS4 Racing Concept.
Even better, you can actually buy this one: Citroën is making 200 examples, all of them numbered and signed.

Autoblog, 2012 Citroën DS3 Racing Sebastien Loeb Edition is the darkest of horses

Sbarro surprises Geneva with Intencity Concept

Among all the automakers unveiling their new wares in Geneva every year are a handful of independent designers and schools that aim to change the way we think about the automobile. They range from mainstream design houses like Pininfarina and Bertone to the zany obscurity of the IED Torino and – most especially – Sbarro. Not to be confused with the Italian fast-food chain, Franco Sbarro has a history of creating off-the-wall show cars for the Geneva show.

Autoblog, Sbarro surprises Geneva with Intencity Concept

[Hands-On] Panasonic Remote Camera Control App for Android Smartphones

Panasonic has developed a system for remotely operating a digital camera with a smartphone. “The FX90, which we released last September, has Wi-Fi, so we've enhanced that model to create this prototype.”. “You can zoom and press the shutter from the smartphone screen, like this. You can also use the smartphone to look at the pictures you've taken.”

“As you can see in this demo, the communication is quite fast, so you can operate the camera with hardly any delay.”

So far, no official series of cameras or applications with this capability has been planned.




Akihabara News

See also:
wgitn, [Hands-On] Panasonic Remote Camera Control App for Android Smartphones

Amazon Looking To Release Kindle Fire Sequel and 10-inch Version Later This Year [Rumor]

According to Digitimes, sources from within the supply chain are reporting that Amazon is moving away from their original plans to release an 8.9-inch Kindle Fire, instead moving straight to a follow up, 7-inch Kindle Fire sequel. It wasn't mentioned exactly what kind of enhancements we could expect in the next model but I'd be willing to wager a camera would make it to the Fire this time around. Sources also mentioned the larger 10-inch model (codenamed “Hollywood”), is still in the works and that both The New Kindle Fire and 10-inch versions would ship in the second half of this year.

Android Phone, Amazon Looking To Release Kindle Fire Sequel and 10-inch Version Later This Year [Rumor]

Zynga to launch its own gaming platform this month

FarmVille and CityVille junkies rejoice, as you'll have an even bigger virtual landscape to grow crops on thanks to the Zynga Platform, or what the company calls “a playground for social games.” As part of the initial roll out, Zynga will debut the beta release of the new platform on Zynga.com. It will serve up not only several popular Zynga titles, but social games created by third party developers like Mob Science, Row Sham Bow and Sava Transmedia.

2DayBlog.com, Zynga to launch its own gaming platform this month

White House annouces $4.7B effort for advanced-technology vehicles, including EV Everywhere

It's a big week for compressed natural gas vehicles, thanks to President Obama's announcement today that his administration wants to increase federal support for CNG automobiles by introducing a tax credit similar to the one in place for plug-in vehicles. Plug-in vehicles, too, could get a big boost – and a double-whammy at that – with the current tax credit exchanged for a point-of-sale rebate and an increase in the maximum value from $7,500 to $10,000. The President made the announcement today at a Daimler Trucks North America plant in North Carolina.

Autoblog

See also:
digitalarts, White House annouces $4.7B effort for advanced-technology vehicles, including EV Everywhere

Roding Roadster is fit for a role in The Avengers

The Roding Roadster 23 is here, and having been faithful to its renderings, it looks like it's come good. We knew it would have proper fenders from the latest drawings, but the red-and-black livery makes the little roofless coupe pop. Roding still hasn't decided to spill all of its secrets, not that it looks to have many, but we know there'll be just 23 examples offered. Behind those huggy seats is a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine from BMW producing 320 horsepower and 332 pound-feet, charged with propelling a car that weighs just 950 kilograms (2,090 pounds).

Autoblog, Roding Roadster is fit for a role in The Avengers

Facebook down in Europe and other regions for a while Facebook down in Europe and other regions for a while

Normally, we would think that a web service that goes down is hacked, but it seems that Facebook's latest outage in several countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa for a couple of hours today was not due to a hacking incident, but rather, Facebook cited "technical difficulties” instead. Among the affected countries include the UK, Ireland, Pakistan and South Korea, at least that is what we know after BBC tracked some Twitter posts. Facebook's statement said, “Today we experienced technical difficulties causing the site to be unavailable for a number of users in Europe.

Ubergizmo, Facebook down in Europe and other regions for a while Facebook down in Europe and other regions for a while

Chevy stops halts shipments of Camaro ZL1 over potential quality issue

GM Inside News has obtained a letter from Russel Clark, Director of Marketing for Chevrolet small cars, small utilities and performance cars, to dealers informing them that shipments of all 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 produced to date are being held by General Motors for a "quality assessment.". There is no explanation as to what's causing the hold or its duration, though the letter does say it "may last a few more weeks." Motor Authority has Chevrolet spokesman Monte Doran on record saying, "We may have found a potential issue that we want to resolve." If you think you know what the issue is, let us know in the comments or send us a tip.

Autoblog, Chevy stops halts shipments of Camaro ZL1 over potential quality issue

Patch of black ice terrorizes Ohio motorists

If you live in a warm weather state and haven't experienced icy roads before, we've got some video that will show you what your northern friends have been talking about. Actually, if you're a veteran of snow and ice, own a four-wheel-drive vehicle and don't slow down when it's slippery because you think your 4-high is infallible, we really have a video for you. We're thinking the good people of Columbus, Ohio know a thing or three about driving on snow and ice, but even the Buckeyes have trouble with black ice. Look above to watch several trucks and SUVs slip, slide and wreck themselves when encountering a patch of the invisible slick.

Autoblog, Patch of black ice terrorizes Ohio motorists

Sony brewing up a Snapdragon S4 handset for summer release?

Sony's latest batch of Xperia handsets feature some beautiful design work, but are unfortunately lacking when it comes to hardware. The best of the bunch, the Xperia S, sports a 720p HD display at 4.3-inches but on the processing side of things we get the dated Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 chip. It's a fine dual-core processor, but devices are already being announced with the CPU maker's next-gen S4 design (not to mention the debut of several quad-core devices at Mobile World Congress). Now rumors are tying Sony's next big handset to that dual-core S4 processor.

Android Phone, Sony brewing up a Snapdragon S4 handset for summer release?

Software better at spotting liars than cops

You know the classic symptoms of a liar – twitching eyes, touching one's nose or ear, fidgeting around, an overall nervous feeling, but those who are extremely skilled in the art of lying can even pass a polygraph test with flying colors. Just how else will technology be able to help the long arm of the law detect liars that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Well, there seems to be a new software that is capable of identifying liars more accurately compared to seasoned police investigators. This software will also search for telltale eye movements, and has an accuracy rate of approximately 82.5% thereabouts.

Ubergizmo, Software better at spotting liars than cops

Black & Decker Laser Level BDL100AV Review

The All-In-One Laser Level (BDL100AV) from Black & Decker makes it easier than ever to hang pictures, paintings, shelves, or mirrors.  It can also be used to space any items evenly apart on a variety of surfaces.  Let's give it a closer look. To use the Black & Decker All-In-One Laser Level, attach it to the wall with the temporary wall mounting suction cup, or use a push pin for non-smooth surfaces.  It was very easy to press in the wall suction cup button.






The Gadgeteer, Black & Decker Laser Level BDL100AV Review

Samsung files a new lawsuit against Apple in South Korea

. Samsung on Wednesday confirmed that it has filed another lawsuit against Apple in South Korea, according to a report from Reuters. Since last year, the two companies have been involved in heated legal battles throughout 10 different countries, racking up more than 30 separate complaints that have been filed. The newest lawsuit targets the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, and Samsung claims both devices infringe three of the company's “utility” patents, which involve methods of displaying data, a device's user interface and short text messages.

Boy Genius Report, Samsung files a new lawsuit against Apple in South Korea

[CEBIT 2012] Asrock hints an Ivy bridge refresh of current mini-pc's is underway

Today at CEBIT, Asrock gave a us an interesting insight on the future of their current HTPC segment. The plan is to do an overhaul on the current i7, i5 and i3 compliant models and boost them with the upcoming Intel Ivy bridge architecture. Asrock admits receiving complaints of pushing the HTPC trend too much, resulting in speculated dodgy performance and reliability.






Akihabara News, [CEBIT 2012] Asrock hints an Ivy bridge refresh of current mini-pc's is underway

Acer releases Iconia Tab A510 Olympic Games Edition

If limited edition gadgets are your thing, or if you're a huge fan of the Olympics, then perhaps Acer's latest offering of their Iconia Tab A510 Olympic Games Edition might be a tablet worth checking out. However if you were expecting some hardware improvements and whatnot, you might be disappointed to hear that apart from the A510 being offered in black or silver with the Olympics logo engraved on the back, its internal hardware and software is expected to remain the same as the normal version of the tablet.

Ubergizmo

See also:
wareground, Acer releases Iconia Tab A510 Olympic Games Edition