Hipstamatic now exports to Instagram

A few years ago, before Instagram was released, there was a popular iPhone app called Hipstamatic. For those of you who aren't too familiar with the app - it is basically an iPhone photography app with tons of “hipster” filters (cleverly disguised as film, lens and flash options) but without the social sharing aspect of Instagram. Since Instagram's inception, Hipstamatic slowly lost popularity and now it looks like it has finally conceded to the competition. Starting today, Hipstamatic users will now be able to directly upload their Hipstamatic-taken photographs onto Instagram in addition to Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and Tumblr.

Ubergizmo

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digitalblog, Hipstamatic now exports to Instagram

Motorola's Connected Home Gateway hits the FCC – Ready to let you control your home from your smartphone

. Home automation is a technology that has been almost impossible to own, unless your bank account is bursting with cash. As it becomes more affordable, large companies like Google and Amazon have be planning on becoming part of the game. But another soon-to-be competitor is Motorola, along with Verizon.
In collaboration, these companies are making home automation possible for the general consumer. All will be made possible thanks to the Connected Home Gateway, which has just made its rounds through the FCC. Meaning that it will probably be hitting the market anytime, soon.

We saw this system at CES, and we have to say it looks promising.



Android Phone, Motorola's Connected Home Gateway hits the FCC â€" Ready to let you control your home from your smartphone

Samsung design boss responds to Apple's copycat claims

. Apple and Samsung have met in court dozens of times over designs, patents and more over the past few years. Among Apple's numerous complaints was the repeated allegation that Samsung smartphones and tablets are copycat devices that stole numerous elements from the iPhone and iPad's designs.

Boy Genius Report, Samsung design boss responds to Apple's copycat claims

Mystery Samsung event planned at Phones 4U

While we're not sure if this is going to be a worldwide event, but according to a report online, it looks like Samsung has something up its sleeves next week. A Eurodroid reader was passing by Oxford Street in London and noticed a huge, new Samsung logo and a mysterious date “30x03x2012″ at the Phones 4U store. A pretty eye catching sight, though we have no idea what it's going to be about. Since no additional details were provided, but we're guessing it's going to be the announcement of something important.

Ubergizmo, Mystery Samsung event planned at Phones 4U

Nokia to cut 1,000 jobs from Finnish phone plant

. Nokia on Thursday announced that it will cut as many as 1,000 jobs at its plant in Salo, Finland. The company's layoffs will happen gradually through 2012, with most cuts happening by the end of June, Reuters reported. The Salo plant is the last large cell phone manufacturing plant in Western Europe, as most businesses have moved their manufacturing to Asia. Last month, Nokia shed 2,300 workers from a plant in Komarom, Hungary and 700 others in Reynosa, Mexico as it too shifted much of its manufacturing to China.

Boy Genius Report, Nokia to cut 1,000 jobs from Finnish phone plant

Silver Sony Xperia P Available For Pre-Order Via Clove UK

The silver version of the Sony Xperia P is now available for pre-order in the UK via Clove. The handset retails for 380 GBP (about $600) outright and will begin shipping from April 23rd. In case you didn't know, the Xperia P packs a 4.0-inch 960 x 540 capacitive touchscreen display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 1GB RAM, a 16GB of storage, a VGA front-facing camera, an 8MP rear-facing camera with 1080p Full HD video capture, a 1300mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 OS.

TechFresh, Silver Sony Xperia P Available For Pre-Order Via Clove UK

Permoveh personal vehicle prototype can travel sideways, diagonally (video)

We've seen all sorts of great ideas to assist with personal mobility, and we think this prototype is up there with the rest of them. The Permoveh (from Personal Mobile Vehicle) was developed by Komori Masaharu, an associate professor from Kyoto University. Using a clever wheel-in-wheel system, the buggy can travel diagonally and laterally, with no need for turning space. The idea allows wheelchair users access to places that otherwise might have been too difficult with existing vehicles.

Engadget, Permoveh personal vehicle prototype can travel sideways, diagonally (video)

iPhone shipments overtake BlackBerry in Canada, RIM now runner-up in its hometown

Heads up, RIM. The bad news train is coming to your backyard and only Mr. Heins can get you off the track. It appears not even local loyalties are enough to bolster the BlackBerry brand back into its former hometown glory. According to research provided by Bloomberg and IDC, Waterloo's Canadian prospects are dimming, as that chunk of revenue, which amounts to about seven percent of its total earnings, has begun to wither, putting the company in second place behind Apple.

Engadget, iPhone shipments overtake BlackBerry in Canada, RIM now runner-up in its hometown

Ematic eSport Clip

Portable gadgets like the digital camera, mp3 and video player are now considered as common devices that most people usually bring with them anywhere they go. But having them all inside one's pocket may not always be comfortable, considering that these devices can take up considerable space, despite them being considered portable. It would be a better choice for one to bring a long a single device that contains all of these features and more like the handy Ematic sSport Clip. The Ematic eSport Clip is somewhat an all-in-one device that comes with a 5MP digital camera, an mp3 player a video recorder as well as an FM radio.

Gadget.com, Ematic eSport Clip

Windows Phone Marketplace tops 70,000 apps

According to many reviews, Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system is not a bad one. In fact many have commented on its sleek design and its responsiveness, and in spite of that, the platform still faces a lack of adoption compared to its iOS and Android rivals.

Ubergizmo, Windows Phone Marketplace tops 70,000 apps

How a few college buddies racked up $100,000 cab ride

No, this is not the screenplay for The Hangover Part III. But this story does demonstrate how brilliant ideas conceived at the bar with your buddies have a tendency to snowball out of control. In this case, a single, flippant thought (How high can a taxi meter go?), one that might have been resolved by Googling, led to a 50,000-mile excursion in an eBay Motors-sourced, $2,000 car. The story, as told by The Wall Street Journal, is an adventure tale of epic proportions, starring three 20-somethings from Great Britain. They left the U.K.

2DayBlog.com, How a few college buddies racked up $100,000 cab ride

Google Said to be Considering Sharing Google Wallet Revenue with Carriers

While Google has made nice progress with Google Wallet since announcing it last year, it's no secret that rate of adoption could be better – a lot better, in fact. As many feared, NFC and mobile payments is too primitive a technology right now. While the required components are available in consumer-ready phones, the very small club of participants – including retailers and carriers – is making it difficult to drum up any interest. According to new reports, Google may have an idea to change that.

They're reportedly considering an idea to share revenue they make from coupons and special offers with carriers.

Android Phone, Google Said to be Considering Sharing Google Wallet Revenue with Carriers

HTC Sensation with Ice Cream Sandwich sees massive jump in camera performance

The HTC Sensation is said to be on the receiving end of the official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update in due time, but for those who cannot wait, there is an unofficial Ice Cream Sandwich ROM already out. Folks who have the intestinal fortitude and have gone ahead with the unofficial ROM's installation without running into any issues will be pleased to know that the camera's performance has also improved – dramatically, it seems, where this mod paves the way for 20Mbps 1080p video recording (that would mean twice the standard 10Mbps), in addition to giving quality a boost in the process.

Ubergizmo, HTC Sensation with Ice Cream Sandwich sees massive jump in camera performance

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 To Hit O2 UK In May

O2 UK has just listed the all new Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 on their product page. The handset is said to be available in May, however, there's no word on pricing yet. Just to remind you, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 packs a 3.8-inch 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen display, an 800MHz dual-core processor, a 768MB RAM, a 4GB of storage, a microSD card slot, a VGA front-facing camera, a 5MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP, 3G, GPS, WiFi, a 1500mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 OS.

TechFresh, Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 To Hit O2 UK In May

5 Best iPad Cases for Kids

There is this article I read in passing that when children get restless and begin throwing tantrums, parents give their iPads to the kids to keep them silent. But putting their precious tablets to the fragile–and accident-prone–hands of children put their devices at risk. This is why iPad Cases for kids are a hit. We have narrowed down the top kid-friend iPad cases to five best ones. These cases are available for iPad an iPad 2.

Otterbox Defender case – While not necessarily directed marketed to kids, the Otterbox Defender keeps the iPad protected from accidental falls, a common problem with kids handling tablets.

Gadget.com, 5 Best iPad Cases for Kids

Congressmen ask devs of 34 iOS apps about user privacy

In the wake of the Path address book fiasco, Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) have followed up their initial query to Apple about privacy issues by contacting the people and companies behind 34 iOS apps. The list includes Tim Cook (again), concerning Apple's own Find My Friends, Mark Zuckerberg and Path's CEO Dave Morin, among others. The letters themselves are open for viewing on the Committee on Energy and Commerce's website, and include questions about exactly how many times the apps have been downloaded, what information they transmit back from user's devices and what happens to that data.

Engadget, Congressmen ask devs of 34 iOS apps about user privacy

Acer Aspire One AOD270 10.1-Inch Netbook With Atom N2600

Acer will release a new version of its Aspire One AOD270 netbook that comes equipped with an Intel Atom N2600 processor. Specs-wise, this mini laptop will feature a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 LCD display, a 1.60GHz Intel Atom N2600 dual-core processor, an Intel NM10 Express Chipset, a 1GB DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a webcam, a card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 + HS, a 6-cell battery and run on Windows 7 Starter OS. This new version of the Aspire One AOD270 will become available from March 23rd for around 40,000 Yen (about $479).

TechFresh, Acer Aspire One AOD270 10.1-Inch Netbook With Atom N2600

ePillow Tablet and eReader Stand Review

The ePillow by Veyl Products LLC is a large, soft pillow with a U-shaped ridge designed to comfortably and securely hold a tablet or e-reader in a usable position for extended periods. If you have an Android tablet, iPad, or one of the heavier eReaders (for example, a Kindle Fire which comes in at about a pound), you've probably discovered that holding one of these in a “view a film” or “read a book” position for more than a few minutes isn't really pleasant.






The Gadgeteer

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technoleap, ePillow Tablet and eReader Stand Review

RIM is looking to hire a senior iOS developer; BBM finally coming to iOS?

. According to a recent job posting, Research In Motion may be looking to enter the iOS app market. The posting, which was spotted by AllThingsD, has since been removed, but a screen grab indicates that the company is seeking a Senior iOS Mobile Developer to build enterprise applications.

Boy Genius Report, RIM is looking to hire a senior iOS developer; BBM finally coming to iOS?

Google Music Seems to Have a Streaming Limit

A lot of you won't like this story. It appears that Google Music has a streaming music limit which will keep you from streaming songs to your devices after hitting some sort of cap. A user was met with a message alerting him of the unfortunate circumstances and was simply told to try again later. It's a most odd situation considering Google hasn't made any mention, or at least any clear mention, of a streaming cap. We're not sure if the cap is for time or data, but Google doesn't make it clear.

Android Phone, Google Music Seems to Have a Streaming Limit

Acura commences production of 2013 RDX

Acura has struggled lately, but Honda's luxury arm is looking to win back some buyers starting with the 2013 RDX. The luxury crossover has now officially started production at the automaker's East Liberty plant in Ohio, and the facility will be building versions of the RDX for both domestic and export sale. The RDX will begin arriving in Acura dealerships in April with a starting price of $34,320 plus a destination fee of $885. The RDX drops the 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder for 2013 in favor of a tried and true 3.5-liter V6 that promises 273 horsepower and 28 miles per gallon on the highway (for front-wheel-drive models, anyway).

Autoblog, Acura commences production of 2013 RDX

India Gears for Its First ICS Tablet, Zync Z990

India has been the home of cheap tablets for the consumption of its paisa-pinching public. But for those who would like to shell out more than 2,900 rupees, they can get a locally-made tablet with better specs. Zync launches its first Ice Cream Sandwich-powered slab. The Z990 is a 7-inch slate that comes with a TFT display with 800 x 480 resolution, 1.2GHz CPU with 1GB of RAM, HDMI, and microUSB ports.

Gadget.com, India Gears for Its First ICS Tablet, Zync Z990

Mass Effect universe to get new titles

Earlier this morning, we brought you word on how a group of gamers have lobbied for a new ending in Mass Effect 3, and while BioWare maintains that the current ending will stay, that does not mean they will not do anything to introduce what could very well be new “titles” as part of the Mass Effect universe sometime down the road. Damage control, anyone. It seems that future content will offer additional clarity to the Mass Effect 3 ending, and Mass Effect 3 can be said to be just the beginning, as there are more titles to be part of the Mass Effect intellectual property in the future.

Ubergizmo, Mass Effect universe to get new titles

Rolls-Royce Phantom hearse brings you home in style

Naked you come, naked you go – so amassing riches in your time here on earth while living a miserable, miserly life might not make much sense after all. But if you are a great friend of people regardless of color, religion and creed, being generous with your time, effort and money, you might want to save up enough just to enjoy a grand sending off – in a Rolls-Royce hearse, of course. This highly fashionable 23-foot-long hearse is based on a Rolls-Royce Phantom that comes with a $447,000 price tag. It is the brainchild of Italy's Biemme Special Cars, where they tune luxury sedans into hearses as part of their specialty.

Ubergizmo, Rolls-Royce Phantom hearse brings you home in style

Portable water and surface sanitizer keeps things clean on the go

If you consider yourself to be a germophobe that insists on cleaning their hands with hand sanitizers every time you touch a foreign object, then this portable water and surface sanitizer might be worth investing in, which as the name implies, is a portable sanitizer that allows you to purify water from questionable sources (i.e. when traveling to foreign countries or if camping out in the wild) and surfaces for $100 and is powered only by a couple of AAA batteries.  Talk about convenient, yes. For those wondering how this will work, well it uses the same technology employed by hospitals through UV-A and UV-C light.

Ubergizmo, Portable water and surface sanitizer keeps things clean on the go

LaCie 2big Thunderbolt series external HDD review

We've already seen what Thunderbolt's capable of when it's used in conjunction with a couple of high performance SSDs, but not everyone needs NAND to meet their external storage requirements. What many do deem essential, however, is a ton of room for system backups and multimedia, and Thunderbolt's ability to transfer bits and bytes in the blink of an eye makes it an alluring alternative to other connections. If you find yourself among those desiring such a solution, let us introduce you to LaCie's 2big Thunderbolt series external HDD.










Engadget, LaCie 2big Thunderbolt series external HDD review

Angry Birds and Angry Birds Rio updates

There does not seem to be any stopping the Angry Birds train, as this is one group of feathered friends who do not seem as though they will be caged – and to ensure you will continue to remain hooked to Angry Birds and Angry Birds Rio, Rovio has introduced some more updates for the iOS version of Angry Birds and Angry Birds Rio. Angry Birds on iOS will feature a new episode in tropical settings, delivering another 15 zany levels that will have you tearing your hair out in frustration as you attempt to claim three stars across all levels.

Ubergizmo

See also:
computerworld, Angry Birds and Angry Birds Rio updates

Prepaid cards return to Google Wallet; Google apologizes with free $5 credit

. Google temporarily disabled the use of prepaid cards with its Wallet service last month as a precautionary measure following the discovery of several security threats. In an email obtained by Droid-Life, Google announced that its Wallet service has been updated and the newest version allows users to again add prepaid cards. “We are happy to announce that you can now add the Google Prepaid Card back to your wallet with the newest version of Google Wallet, and any funds that you previously had on the card should be restored, unless you contacted Money Network and asked for a refund of those funds,” the email read.

Boy Genius Report, Prepaid cards return to Google Wallet; Google apologizes with free $5 credit

Angry Birds Space is now officially out

At long last, the latest iteration of the hit game from Rovio, Angry Birds Space, has now arrived officially after much hype surrounding it. This is a totally new frontier that our feathered friends will explore, and I do hope that the new atmosphere that they are in will be suitable for those “death from above” attacks, although the lack of gravity will play a role here if it were in real life. Angry Birds Space will feature new characters, a new physics engine as well as an entirely new environment. You will be able to pick up the iPhone/iPod touch version for less than a dollar, while the iPad HD version costs $2.99 a pop.

Ubergizmo, Angry Birds Space is now officially out

Latest Galaxy S III render is probably a fake, but here it is

The above image is yet another purported look at the Samsung Galaxy S III. The above image is likely a fake. Though it bares some resemblance to a previous leak (the veracity of which can also be questioned), the latest render provides a look at a design distinct from previous images claimed to showcase Samsung’s next big thing. In this case, the on-screen image is taken from a round of Galaxy S II press renders and the rest of the device borrows from the Galaxy S WiFi 4.2.

Android Phone, Latest Galaxy S III render is probably a fake, but here it is

TP-LINK expands high street presence with specialist electrical retailer Maplin

Global provider of networking products teams up with Maplin to offer high spec range of network solutions London, UK, 22 March 2012 – TP-LINK, global provider of SOHO and SMB networking products, has partnered with Maplin, the UK’s biggest and best specialist retailer of consumer electronics, to stock and retail its range of low cost home connection solutions. The agreement ensures that a huge selection of products including the latest network adapters, range extenders and switches will be available to consumers at affordable prices.

Press Release Distribution, TP-LINK expands high street presence with specialist electrical retailer Maplin

Android apps with ads found to pose privacy and security risks

. Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that mobile applications that integrate advertisements pose privacy and a security risks. The team conducted a study that examined 100,000 apps from the Google Play market and noticed that more than half contained “ad libraries,” while 297 of the apps included “aggressive ad libraries” that could download and run code from remote servers.

Boy Genius Report, Android apps with ads found to pose privacy and security risks

Vietnam wants to impose SIM card ownership limits. No more than… 18 SIMs/person

Vietnam has had it with inaccurate subscriber counts for mobile networks. Hence, the country is set to impose a limit on how many different SIM cards each person can have. However, in a rather funny twist, that limit will be 3 SIMs per person per network. Since there are six mobile networks over there, the theoretical total adds up to a pretty insane 18 SIM cards per person.

In most of the ‘Western' (or ‘developed') world, many people are used to having more than one SIM. Even in some developing countries people carry more than one SIM, because often times calls within the same network are cheaper than calls to other networks.

Unwired View, Vietnam wants to impose SIM card ownership limits. No more than… 18 SIMs/person

HTC Has Top Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Between Android OEMs in Latest J.D. Powers and Associates Survey

J.D. Powers and Associates have released the results from their biannual smartphone satisfaction survey. While Apple unsurprisingly topped the list for the seventh straight quarter, we still look forward to seeing where Android manufacturers rank among themselves. HTC was the leading Android OEM with a score of 798 out of 1,000.

Android Phone, HTC Has Top Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Between Android OEMs in Latest J.D. Powers and Associates Survey

Humble Bundle brings Canabalt and more to Android

January saw the release of the first ever Humble Bundle for Android, and now the organization is back with a first of another sort for the platform - five of them, in fact. The second mobile-focused Humble Bundle sees five games making their Android debut, including iPhone favorite Canabalt (now with a two-player mode and Android-exclusive 3D option), plus Zen Bound 2, Cogs, Swords and Soldiers and Avadon: The Black Fortress HD (the latter specific to Android tablets).

Engadget, Humble Bundle brings Canabalt and more to Android

ASUS ZenBook UX32Vd Ultrabook

According to Netbook Italia, the ASUS ZenBook UX32Vd ultrabook will be available in Italy from May 18, 2012 for Euro 1,149 or around $1,512. This ultrabook features an Intel Core i7-3517U processor, which is combined with a 13.3-inch widescreen display with full HD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, an nVidia GeForce GT 620M graphics card, a 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB hard disk drive and a 24GB flash storage. The ASUS ZenBook UX32Vd runs on the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional OS.

TechFresh, ASUS ZenBook UX32Vd Ultrabook

Oriko Leather USB Armband is fashionable and functional

If you love fashion and you love technology, you might be interested in checking out the Oriko Leather USB Armband, which as the name, and photo above implies, is a USB flash drive that you can wear around your wrist, allowing you to not only look fashionable, but at the same time allow you to carry your files with you on the go. We know that losing USB flash drives is notoriously easy, so hopefully this wearable piece might make it a little harder.

Ubergizmo, Oriko Leather USB Armband is fashionable and functional