France formally moves to ban Mercedes vehicles using contested refrigerant

That didn't take long. Shortly after a French administrative court gave the French government a ten-day window to reconsider its ban on registrations of Mercedes-Benz A-, B- and CLA-Class cars using the prohibited R134a refrigerant, the government cited an EU directive to formalize banning the sale of the cars. The country's environmental ministry said that registrations "will remain forbidden in France as long as the company does not to conform to European regulations," meaning so long as they do not use the approved R1234yf refrigerant.

Autoblog , France formally moves to ban Mercedes vehicles using contested refrigerant

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, France formally moves to ban Mercedes vehicles using contested refrigerant

AT&T Nokia Lumia 1020 costs $269.99 at Amazon. Unlocked Lumia 920 now $385

Launched by AT&T last week for $299.99 on contract, the Nokia Lumia 1020 can be bought for slightly less if you're getting it at Amazon. The retailer is asking $269.99 for the new Windows Phone 8 handset, offering all three colors that are also available at AT&T: black, white, and yellow. You can go here to choose any of them. Of course, that's not a significant price drop, and it may not help sales too much.

Unwired View , AT&T Nokia Lumia 1020 costs $269.99 at Amazon. Unlocked Lumia 920 now $385, AT&T Nokia Lumia 1020 costs $269.99 at Amazon. Unlocked Lumia 920 now $385

HTC Zara specifications said to include Snapdragon 400, 4.5-inch qHD display

HTC Zara rumors have suggested Sprint-bound "mashup of the One and Desire families" with a plastic chassis. While other spec details have been scarce, new information suggests that the HTC Zara may be quite different than any other device we've seen from HTC this year. According to LlabTooFeR, the HTC Zara will feature a a 1.4Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 1 GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, microSD expandable storage, Ultrapixel camera on the back and a 1.6 megapixel camera on the front. The device availability may extend to Europe and Asia in addition a launch on Sprint in the US market.

HTC Source , HTC Zara specifications said to include Snapdragon 400, 4.5-inch qHD display, HTC Zara specifications said to include Snapdragon 400, 4.5-inch qHD display

Some Japanese Auto Manufacturers Team Up With Government To Offer More Publicly Accessible Chargers For Electric Vehicles

When it comes to electric vehicles, there is one very huge disadvantage that is associated with them – that is, their range, or rather a shortness of it compared to gas-powered rides. Of course, some solutions have been offered up such as the EP Tender that we talked about earlier this morning, but it is still an unsightly addition to the back of your stylish ride.

Ubergizmo , Some Japanese Auto Manufacturers Team Up With Government To Offer More Publicly Accessible Chargers For Electric Vehicles, Some Japanese Auto Manufacturers Team Up With Government To Offer More Publicly Accessible Chargers For Electric Vehicles

Panasonic KX-PRX120 Android-Powered Home Phone

When it comes to the Android operating system, the number of devices that it runs on are pretty vast. Majority of these would comprise of smartphones as well as tablets, but this does not mean that other kinds of hardware around the home are exempt – the smart TV is one of them, while Google's recently introduced Chromecast too, falls under the Android category in some way. How about the humble home phone.

Ubergizmo , Panasonic KX-PRX120 Android-Powered Home Phone, Panasonic KX-PRX120 Android-Powered Home Phone

Google now allowing some Glass Explorers to invite a friend, would you want in?

The Google Glass Explorers is about to get a little more crowded. After opening up invites initially to Google I/O attendees, Google later ran the #ifihadglass campaign that allowed regular Joe-Schmoe's the chance at “winning” their own pair. Now, Google is allowing select Google Glass Explorers the opportunity to invite a friend in a move that feels a bit like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As usual, there are a few requirements, first off the person invited must be a US resident, be 18 years of age or older, and have a way to pick up Glass in either Google's San Francisco, Los Angeles, or New York locations.

Android Phone , Google now allowing some Glass Explorers to invite a friend, would you want in?, Google now allowing some Glass Explorers to invite a friend, would you want in?

Mercedes-Benz SLC to arrive mid-2015

Although we're still not entirely sure what Mercedes is planning to call its new sub-SLS coupe, more potential information about the car is starting to come to light.

Autoblog , Mercedes-Benz SLC to arrive mid-2015, Mercedes-Benz SLC to arrive mid-2015

Why use a giant bag for a tiny laptop?

I have an 11″ MacBook Air, and it irks me to no end that most laptop bags that are supposedly designed for this tiny laptop will disclose in the fine print that they will accommodate up to a 15″ laptop.  I don't want my Air floating around in a giant, heavy bag.  I don't even want a bag that can accommodate both the 11″ and the 13″ Airs, either.  Frost River has just what I'm looking for – a tiny bag for a tiny laptop.

The Gadgeteer , Why use a giant bag for a tiny laptop?, Why use a giant bag for a tiny laptop?

Spyker B6 Venator Spyder concept to soak in the sun at Pebble Beach

Spyker promised to unveil a convertible version of the B6 Venator this year, and, while we thought it would make its first appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, it'll actually be showing up a bit earlier, at Pebble Beach next month, a source close to Spyker told Autoblog. The mid-engine B6 Venator Spyder will be powered by the same 375-horsepower V6 as the coupe, which should be enough for quick, if not whip-snap, acceleration due to the car's low weight.

Autoblog , Spyker B6 Venator Spyder concept to soak in the sun at Pebble Beach, Spyker B6 Venator Spyder concept to soak in the sun at Pebble Beach

UKFraud Calls For Pre-Emptive Data Management Collaboration To Combat Insurance Fraud and Money Laundering

Leading UK Fraud prevention consultancy and analyst UKFraud (www.ukfraud.co.uk) is calling on the insurance industry to accelerate activity in its management of fraud and fraudsters. In its latest research, UKFraud recognises that huge in-roads have been made into combatting insurance fraud in the UK, but believes that in these times of big data analytics and collaborative systems, that the insurance industry could do better. This, says UK Fraud, can be achieved by sharing fraudster and criminal information and through better collaborative data management.

Press Release Distribution , UKFraud Calls For Pre-Emptive Data Management Collaboration To Combat Insurance Fraud and Money Laundering, UKFraud Calls For Pre-Emptive Data Management Collaboration To Combat Insurance Fraud and Money Laundering

LG G2 QuickWindow Case Revealed

The FCC approved LG G2 is one smartphone that has gone through its fair share of leaks and teasers in recent times, and with a rumored October release date, we do look forward to it launching on a global scale with more than 100 carriers reportedly involved. Of course, since then we have also heard that the LG G2 could very well be unveiled this coming August 7th (so much the better), but first things first – how about checking out an accessory of the device that is known as the LG QuickWindow.

Ubergizmo , LG G2 QuickWindow Case Revealed, LG G2 QuickWindow Case Revealed

Chromecast support grows with Vimeo, Redbox Instant jumping on board, Plex remains optimistic

It was last week we gave you our Chromecast review and in case you missed it, we had mostly great things to say about Google's tiny dongle. One of the areas we weren't too excited about was a lack of real video casting supported by the Chromecast. Currently, only Netflix, YouTube, and Google Play Movies support streaming video content directly on the Chromecast (Chrome tabs don't count). We still kept our hopes up with Google announcing that Pandora, AOL, and Revision 3 were to be added in the near future.

Android Phone , Chromecast support grows with Vimeo, Redbox Instant jumping on board, Plex remains optimistic, Chromecast support grows with Vimeo, Redbox Instant jumping on board, Plex remains optimistic

Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record

Porsche has been spending the majority of 2013 celebrating the 50th birthday of the 911, with its latest stunt taking the German brand to the home of British motorsports, Silverstone. To celebrate, Porsche invited enthusiasts to take their personal 911s on a lap of the former airfield, and boy, did the Porschephiles show up. 1,208 911s took part in the lap around the Grand Prix circuit, making it the largest-ever gathering of the iconic, rear-engined cars. This wasn't just a celebration of 50 years for the 911, though.

Autoblog , Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record, Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record

Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction

The changes happening at the Petersen Museum have been making the rounds in major press, but it probably won't be until August 18, during Pebble Beach, when we get the full story on what's happening; that's where and when museum reps plan on announcing the way forward for the SoCal institution. In the meantime, the museum is still reorganizing its collection, and that means auctioning some of its showpieces at this weekend's Auctions America event in Burbank.

Autoblog , Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction, Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction

Google Babel still alive, bringing instant translations to phone calls

Google Babel was the rumored name of what we currently know as Google Hangouts – a unified Google messaging service. The project is not dead just yet, though. Android VP Hugo Barra says Babel is very alive and has plans to unify not only messaging, but also break language barriers altogether. Google's current Babel project consists of bringing real-time translations to phone conversations.


Android Phone , Google Babel still alive, bringing instant translations to phone calls, Google Babel still alive, bringing instant translations to phone calls

Amazon Goes On Hiring Spree, Creates 7,000 New U.S. Jobs

Amazon announced today that it is going on a hiring spree. The company is creating some 7,000 new jobs so as to cater to its expanding fulfillment network in the U.S. Hiring has already begun, these are full time jobs that, per Amazon, pay 30 percent more than traditional retail jobs. Employees will also receive comprehensive benefits on day one such as company stock awards, 401(k) and healthcare.
Workers in the fulfillment network are tasked with picking, packing and shipping the massive amounts of orders that Amazon receives every single day, among other things.

Ubergizmo , Amazon Goes On Hiring Spree, Creates 7,000 New U.S. Jobs, Amazon Goes On Hiring Spree, Creates 7,000 New U.S. Jobs

iOS 7 Beta 4 Reportedly Being Seeded Today

For over one week Apple's Developer Center was shut down after it had been hacked. Yesterday we reported that the Developer Center was back up and today a new report from BGR claims that Apple will be seeding iOS 7 beta 4 today now that its developer site is back up. Up till now the company has released a new beta of iOS 7 every fortnight. iOS 7 beta 4 is expected to be seeded out today at 1 pm EDT / 10 am PDT.

Ubergizmo , iOS 7 Beta 4 Reportedly Being Seeded Today, iOS 7 Beta 4 Reportedly Being Seeded Today

Xiaomi teases something mew on Facebook, is it the Mi-3?

Xiaomi's Facebook page has a hot new addition - a teaser image of some kind of device sitting behind a red curtain. Xiamomi teases it as "Something New is Coming" and we can bet it will turn out to be the upcoming Xiaomi Mi-3. The device is hyped to feature a Full HD 5.5-incher at the front, 3 gigs of RAM to support a quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip with four 2.1 GHz Krait 400 cores. There will be two cameras on board, likely a 13 MP main one and a 5 MP front-facing one.

GSM Arena , Xiaomi teases something mew on Facebook, is it the Mi-3?, Xiaomi teases something mew on Facebook, is it the Mi-3?

Lomo Wants To Bring Back 170-Year Old Petzval Lens Design

For photography enthusiasts, Lomo is a company you've probably heard of. For those unfamiliar, the company has been responsible these days for creating plastic cameras that produce lo-fi photos that sport interesting effects and colors, and are great for novelty photos and photos that are a bit more interesting to look at. Well it looks like while other camera companies are heading towards the future and producing more hi-tech camera gear, Lomo will be taking a step back, a step back to 1840, a good 170-odd years, and start producing the Petzval lens wh ich was invented in Russia more than a century ago.

Ubergizmo , Lomo Wants To Bring Back 170-Year Old Petzval Lens Design, Lomo Wants To Bring Back 170-Year Old Petzval Lens Design

Man In UK Arrested After Rape Threats Made On Twitter

Threats to kill or rape someone is something that should never be taken lightly, and it seems that recently in the UK, a 21-year old man from Manchester has been arrested after posting rapes threats on Twitter. The threats were directed at a certain Caroline Criado-Perez who led the charge to get more female faces on England's bank notes, and recently was successful in getting Pride and Prejudice author, Jane Austen, on a new £10 note that would enter circulation in 2017.

Ubergizmo , Man In UK Arrested After Rape Threats Made On Twitter, Man In UK Arrested After Rape Threats Made On Twitter

Spy photos shows the box of an iPhone 5C, the budget iPhone

The budget iPhone rumors started with the same back panels photographed over and over again, but slowly we're getting more believable stuff – first the FCC labels on the phone's box. Interestingly, it's labeled iPhone 5C. The design of the box is also notable – old iPhone boxes had square angles and a big image of the phone inside. The boxes in the image are all white (no images except a black Apple logo), glossy (plastic?) and have round corners. This would fit the new design direction by Jony Ive, who really streamlined iOS with the latest version and removed all unnecessary eye candy.

Also, it looks close to the iPod touch box.

GSM Arena , Spy photos shows the box of an iPhone 5C, the budget iPhone

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, Spy photos shows the box of an iPhone 5C, the budget iPhone

Toyota investing $30 million in Indiana for more Highlander production

Indiana seems like the place to be if you're looking for work in a car factory. In May, Subaru announced plans to invest $400 million in its Lafayette, Indiana plant, creating 900 new jobs in the process and increasing capacity to 300,000 units per year. Now, Toyota has announced plans to invest $30 million in its Princeton, Indiana plant, 170 miles south of the Subaru factory, which also builds the Camry. Toyota's investment will create an additional 200 jobs and increase the factory's volume by 15,000 units. Toyota announced an investment in the plant in February of 2012 that bumped volume up from 300,000 to 350,000 units.

Autoblog , Toyota investing $30 million in Indiana for more Highlander production, Toyota investing $30 million in Indiana for more Highlander production

Bob Mansfield Leaves Apple's Executive Team, Now Working On "Special Projects"

Thanks to rumors and recent trademark filings, it seems that the rumored Apple iWatch device could very well be true, and recently according to a report from MacRumors, Apple's Senior Vice President, Bob Mansfield, has been removed from Apple's Leadership website. Many were wondering what the deal with that was, especially since Mansfield had committed himself to stay at Apple until 2014 at least, especially after announcing his plans to retire. According to a statement released to AllThingsD, "Bob is no longer going to be on Apple's executive team, but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting to Tim.".

Ubergizmo , Bob Mansfield Leaves Apple's Executive Team, Now Working On "Special Projects", Bob Mansfield Leaves Apple's Executive Team, Now Working On "Special Projects"

Autographer wearable camera launches tomorrow priced at £400, we go hands-off

Aside from those five sensors and GPS functionality through your smartphone - iPhone only at the moment, but an Android app is being finished off - the camera itself can take 5-megapixel shots, with a dedicated glass hybrid wide-angle lens which captures a fixed-focus 136-degree view. Other technical specs include 8GB of storage, which will hold up to 28,000 images (which works out at over 12 days of capture on the highest frequency setting). There's also a medium and low frequency option, which you can switch between using the two-button setup on the right edge of the device.




Engadget , Autographer wearable camera launches tomorrow priced at £400, we go hands-off, Autographer wearable camera launches tomorrow priced at £400, we go hands-off

Samsung has 5.5', 5.7' and 6' Galaxy Note 3 in testing. Can Note 3 Mini and Active be in the works?

Samsung Galaxy Note III, right now, is probably the second most rumored device after the low cost iPhone. The rumors started way back in early 2013, and will continue unabated until the device is launched in early September. The most interesting thing about the bits of info we are getting about Galaxy Note 3, is how contradictory they are. The new Samsung phablet will have 5.99 or 6" screen. Nope, the size is 5.7". It will come with flexible display. No it will not. Hmm, Samsung is still undecided about that. Note III will have Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. Or Exynos Octa CPU. 13 megapixel camera, 8 megapixel camera...

Unwired View , Samsung has 5.5', 5.7' and 6' Galaxy Note 3 in testing. Can Note 3 Mini and Active be in the works?, Samsung has 5.5', 5.7' and 6' Galaxy Note 3 in testing. Can Note 3 Mini and Active be in the works?

Prototype Aerial Drone 'Walks' On Its Wings, Too

Aerial drones seem to be the way that modern warfare is headed – as pilots start to "fly" from the comfort of a control room, without having to risk their lives on the battlefield while the drone takes all the fire from behind enemy lines. Well, here is a drone that does not seem suited for the battlefield, as it is small in size, but comes with a feature that no other drone has so far – being able to move about at ground level on its wings.

Ubergizmo , Prototype Aerial Drone 'Walks' On Its Wings, Too, Prototype Aerial Drone 'Walks' On Its Wings, Too

Nestlé - KitKat - 2013 summer seasonal special flavors

Nestlé in Japan releases unique flavored KitKats seasonally, a tradition that they have been doing for a long time. You can probably find Maccha Kitkat (green tea flavor) outside of Japan. But the variety of the flavors you see here in Japan is a whole different world. A few months ago, we talked about the fact that Nestlé in Japan makes regional and seasonal KitKats and we heard that news was pretty interesting for those who don't live in Japan.





Akihabara News , Nestlé - KitKat - 2013 summer seasonal special flavors, Nestlé - KitKat - 2013 summer seasonal special flavors

Android's ever-increasing fragmentation visualized

We can argue to the moon and back as to whether or not Android fragmentation will one day result in the implosion of the ecosystem, but it's hard to deny what the above graphic illustrates. One image makes a compelling case that fragmentation is a very real issue and it's only getting worse. How much worse. The number of different devices in use has increased threefold since last year.
OpenSignal, who compiled the data, counted about 4,000 distinct Android devices in 2012. So far 2013 has seen close to 12,000. That's a pretty staggering figure, but alone doesn't prove the evils of fragmentation.

Android Phone , Android's ever-increasing fragmentation visualized, Android's ever-increasing fragmentation visualized

Nexus 7 2 Being Sold At Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon

Google announced its 2nd-generation Nexus 7 earlier this week, which has single-handedly turned the tech world upside down with how great of a product it is. If you've been dying to get your hands on the new Nexus 7, up until now, you've only been able to purchase it through the Google Play Store, but today, you'll be able to purchase the 7-inch tablet from Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon. The Nexus 7 was originally supposed to launch in a number of major U.S.

Ubergizmo , Nexus 7 2 Being Sold At Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon

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, Nexus 7 2 Being Sold At Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon

Chevy Camaro GS Racecar Concept to be auctioned in Monterey

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro GS Racecar Concept, built for the SEMA show back in 2008 by Riley Technologies with assistance from GM's High Performance Vehicle Operations, will be offered for sale at the Mecum Auctions during Monterey Car Week next month. The prototype motorsports Camaro was painted to resemble Mark Donohue's 1969 Camaro Trans-Am racecar, and it had a few performance modifications done to make it eligible to compete in Grand Am's Koni Challenge GS class.

Autoblog , Chevy Camaro GS Racecar Concept to be auctioned in Monterey, Chevy Camaro GS Racecar Concept to be auctioned in Monterey

LG - Ultra-wide LCD monitor with a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio

LG Electronics Japan is going to release 2 new models of their ultra-wide LCD monitors: 29 inch model “29EA73-P” with a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio will be out in early August, and “29EB73-P” that has the same spec as “29EA73-P” but with the height adjustable stand will be out in early September. They have 7W+7W stereo speakers built-in, and they are compatible with MHL and “4-Screen Split” function that divides the display into four segments.










Akihabara News , LG - Ultra-wide LCD monitor with a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio

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, LG - Ultra-wide LCD monitor with a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio

iPad Expected To Lose Its Ground In The Market

The iPad is a very popular tablet. Ever since the first one came out in 2010, Apple has continued to sell millions of units every quarter. Customers just can't seem to get enough of it. New contenders in the market are always stacked up against the iPad. This used to be the case once with the iPhone as well, but then Samsung and its barrage of Android devices happened.

Ubergizmo , iPad Expected To Lose Its Ground In The Market, iPad Expected To Lose Its Ground In The Market

SIGGRAPH 2013 wrap-up

News and Hands-onsDell officially unveils Precision M3800 workstation at SIGGRAPH, gives rumored specs a nodNVIDIA Research's near-eye light field display prototype eyes-on (video)Hands-on with Disney Research's AIREAL haptic feedback technology (video)Canon previews a handheld version of its MREAL Mixed Reality tech at SIGGRAPH, we go hands-on (video)Christie and NVIDIA team up for an interactive car-buying experience powered by augmented reality (hands-on video)NVIDIA puts Project Logan on display at SIGGRAPH: Kepler gets cozy on a mobile chip (video)NVIDIA announces 'fastest GPU ever' for pros, the 12GB Quadro K6000Dell shows off the Ultra

Engadget , SIGGRAPH 2013 wrap-up, SIGGRAPH 2013 wrap-up

Try the Konami Code in the Google Play Games app and see what happens

Gamers love easter eggs, and — fortunately for us — so does Google. We were ecstatic to learn that Google actually hid a nice little easter egg inside the new Google Play Games app. The company gave a nod to the classic and ever-so-popular Konami code that was popularized in Konami's age-old Contra. You can input that code within the app to get an exclusive achievement that reads:.
All your game are belong to us

To do it, simply input the directional part of the code using swipe gestures, and finish it off using the face buttons which will pop up on screen.

Android Phone , Try the Konami Code in the Google Play Games app and see what happens, Try the Konami Code in the Google Play Games app and see what happens