Microsoft may face hefty fines over lack of browser choice in Windows 7

Microsoft has conventionally released Windows with Internet Explorer as its default browser. This, it has been argued, leads to a distortion of competition in the browser market. As a result, European Union had bound Microsoft to introduce a ‘browser choice' in Windows 7, so as to let Windows 7 users install a browser other than IE.

Ubergizmo , Microsoft may face hefty fines over lack of browser choice in Windows 7, Microsoft may face hefty fines over lack of browser choice in Windows 7

GM opens China's largest proving ground

China's best-selling carmaker can now claim China's largest proving ground. General Motors, Shanghai GM, China JV partner SAIC and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) opened the $253 million facility in China that has more than 37 miles of roads, simulating 67 different driving conditions and nearly 250,000 square feet of engineering and repair space. It occupies a little more than two square miles in Guangde County, Anhui, about 130 miles from Shanghai. The grounds will soon verify the mettle of the many brands GM oversees in China, including Buick, Cadillac, Baojun and Jiefang among others.

2DayBlog.com , GM opens China's largest proving ground, GM opens China's largest proving ground

Toshiba Canvio Slim Portable Hard Drive

Making everything thinner and lighter seems to be where gadget design is heading. People want their devices as portable and as handy as possible nowadays. Manufacturers can't do anything but comply. And comply they do. In the realm of external hard drives, Toshiba has recently introduced what might be one of the thinnest portable hard drives yet with its new Toshiba Canvio Slim.

The new Toshiba Canvio Slim Portable Hard Drive is being marketed as one of the slimmest external hard drives available. It measures just 9mm thin, making it ideal when used with those thin ultra books now available in the market.

Gadget.com , Toshiba Canvio Slim Portable Hard Drive, Toshiba Canvio Slim Portable Hard Drive

2013 Ford Mondeo, a Fusion by any other name, looks sweet

Ford may have spilled the beans about its 2013 Mondeo in Amsterdam a few weeks ago, but the Blue Oval stand here at the Paris Motor Show is the first place that we've gotten to see the sedan in the metal. The European sibling of our Ford Fusion looks trim, angular and attractive in its auto show debut. (It looks just like the new Fusion, let's be honest.). - All-new Mondeo makes world debut; striking silhouette informed by new global design language.

Autoblog , 2013 Ford Mondeo, a Fusion by any other name, looks sweet, 2013 Ford Mondeo, a Fusion by any other name, looks sweet

Sprint brings LTE to parts of Kansas, Illinois and Massachusetts

Has anyone else noticed a surge in locations getting newly-minted LTE of late. Sprint has, and it's joining the bandwagon with a further five areas from today. Users in Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita in Kansas, Waukegan-Lake in Illinois and Barnstable-Hyannis in Massachusetts will be able to slurp down Big Yellow's new service soon, if they can't already.

Engadget , Sprint brings LTE to parts of Kansas, Illinois and Massachusetts

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digitalblog, Sprint brings LTE to parts of Kansas, Illinois and Massachusetts

Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola

Well, it looks like Sony's in-house software developers have decided this isthe perfect week to deliver delicious treats to a large portion of the company's mobile lineup. Not long after outing updates for the Tablet S and Xperia Ion (in the US), the electronics giant is now bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to handsets such as the Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola. The refresh itself brings a slew of novel traits to the trio of Xperia slabs, including a "new way to experience" music, photos and video, improvements to the lockscreen, the ability to resize widgets and the addition of a "multitasking" button.

Engadget , Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola, Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola

2013 Toyota Auris Hybrid is sharper and sleeker in new form (video)

Toyota may have given us the full spec-sheet on its revised Auris before the car made its official Parisian debut, but our first live look at the next-generation wagon nevertheless proves compelling. The longer, lower five-door looks the part of a better-handling hatchback – just the role that Toyota hopes the hybrid can play in the European market. The Hybrid seen here is the second-generation gas-electric Auris, and it will be the top-level powertrain option for European buyers.



Autoblog , 2013 Toyota Auris Hybrid is sharper and sleeker in new form (video), 2013 Toyota Auris Hybrid is sharper and sleeker in new form (video)

Tobii, Fujitsu and NTT DoCoMo partner on eye tracking ibeam tablet, promise a peek in October

Tobii's eye tracking Gaze UI hasn't been especially portable so far, but we'll soon see that change through a new collaboration involving Fujitsu and NTT DoCoMo. The trio plan to reveal the ibeam, an Android tablet with Tobii's smaller IS20 (formerly the IS-2) detector taking input just through glances. Together, the partners want to show that an eye-driven interface can be more reactive than plain old multi-touch: think turning a page in an e-book while you're holding on to a subway car strap. We're only getting a brief preview as of today, but we're teased with the prospect of a full look at NTT DoCoMo's CEATEC booth in early October.

Engadget , Tobii, Fujitsu and NTT DoCoMo partner on eye tracking ibeam tablet, promise a peek in October, Tobii, Fujitsu and NTT DoCoMo partner on eye tracking ibeam tablet, promise a peek in October

Russian trucks crash into each other, one driver nails the dismount

After an accident, most of us are left scratching our heads as to what we do next, but the guy pictured above is probably scratching his head wondering how he's still alive. Captured from the dashcam of this Russian driver, a massive collision between two big rigs shows that while seatbelts definitely save lives, sometimes it doesn't hurt to have luck (make that a lot of luck) on your side, too. It isn't clear if the truck in front of our camera was trying to squeeze into a left turn, execute a passing maneuver or simply or simply trying to avoid a stopped truck in the road, but either way, there wasn't enough room.



Autoblog , Russian trucks crash into each other, one driver nails the dismount, Russian trucks crash into each other, one driver nails the dismount

Microsoft deliberately wasted energy at data center to avoid fine, says NY Times

Microsoft's desire to avoid a fine combined with a power company's strict electricity usage rules resulted in the software giant deliberately wasting millions of watts of power, according to the New York Times. Redmond's Quincy data center, which houses Bing, Hotmail and other cloud-based servers, had an agreement in place with a Washington state utility containing clauses which imposed penalties for under-consumption of electricity.

Engadget , Microsoft deliberately wasted energy at data center to avoid fine, says NY Times, Microsoft deliberately wasted energy at data center to avoid fine, says NY Times

T-Mobile leases 7,200 mobile towers to Crown Castle in a 28-year, $2.4 billion deal

T-Mobile's just received a hefty cash boost thanks to a tower-leasing agreement it's entered into with Crown Castle. The deal leases 7,200 wireless towers to the infrastructure firm for a term of 28 years in exchange for $2.4 billion - that T-Mobile's parent Deutsche Telekom will use to pay off debt.

Engadget , T-Mobile leases 7,200 mobile towers to Crown Castle in a 28-year, $2.4 billion deal, T-Mobile leases 7,200 mobile towers to Crown Castle in a 28-year, $2.4 billion deal

2013 Ford Fusion (video)

Blue Oval Goes All-In On The Family Sedan War With Style and Variety. An Aston Martin Rapide followed us in traffic for nearly 20 minutes immediately after we climbed out of the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion. With the attractive styling of America's latest four-door sedan still very fresh in our mind, we couldn't help but stare as the exotic sedan's distinctive snout filled our rearview mirror. The resemblance was uncanny.

It is no coincidence that Ford's new mid-size sedan shares many styling cues with arguably the world's best-looking four-door sedan – styling motivates sales.










Autoblog , 2013 Ford Fusion (video), 2013 Ford Fusion (video)

Infiniti registers highest emotional attachment among car brands

Do you love your car. Like, really love your car. How about your iPhone. According to Forbes, a group called New Media Metrics has a way to quantify just how much you adore your devices, and how that emotional connection determines your purchasing behavior.
The metric is called Leveraging Emotional Attachment for Profit, or LEAP, and just like it sounds, it measures how much we love products. That affection will likely lead to purchase to fill that attachment. The LEAP index began in 2010, and for the first two year the iPod topped the list, only to be unseated by the iPhone this year.

Autoblog , Infiniti registers highest emotional attachment among car brands, Infiniti registers highest emotional attachment among car brands

The Autographer is a wearable camera that will capture your entire day

While our smartphones allow us to capture our lives on a daily basis, we still need to take it out of our pockets and launch the camera app, which also gives way to the possibility that we could miss out on certain candid moments. Well if you've always wanted to document your life in photo all day, you might be able to do some come November thanks to the Autographer wearable camera. As pictured above, the Autographer is a small camera that can be worn via a strap around your neck or possibly on your wrist.

Ubergizmo , The Autographer is a wearable camera that will capture your entire day, The Autographer is a wearable camera that will capture your entire day

Chrome experiment explores new types of navigation, degrees of embarrassment

What you're about to see, should you choose to click the source link below, is far from perfect. On the other hand, it's clearly had a lot of effort and expertise put into it - not only by HTML5-savvy coders, but also by a troupe of performers from the Cirque du Soleil. It's called Movi.Kanti.Revo, which is a fancy way of saying Move.Sing.Dream, and it involves navigating through an ethereal and slightly laggy landscape using only swaying gestures, your singing voice (mournful sobbing sounds also worked for us) and a bunch of APIs that conveniently fail to work on FireFox, Safari or Internet Explorer.

Engadget , Chrome experiment explores new types of navigation, degrees of embarrassment

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itcrowd, Chrome experiment explores new types of navigation, degrees of embarrassment

Maserati dubs new SUV Levante, new sedan to resurrect Ghibli moniker

Building on the introduction of the GranCabrio MC that debuted at the Paris Motor Show, Maserati is planning three new models over the next couple of year in an attempt to raise sales to 50,000 units annually by 2015. While we think that that is a pretty lofty goal for a boutique automaker, redesigning its flagship sedan and adding two all-new models in popular segments sounds like a great plan of attack. The first new car we'll see from the Italian automaker is the next generation of the Quattroporte which will be a fitting way to celebrate the car's golden anniversary.

Autoblog , Maserati dubs new SUV Levante, new sedan to resurrect Ghibli moniker, Maserati dubs new SUV Levante, new sedan to resurrect Ghibli moniker

Google Play services arrives for Android 2.2 and above, the eager can download directly

Google recently announced to developers the availability of a new "Services" platform, to allow better integration of its core products in 3rd party apps. The update comes in the form of an APK that will automatically find its way to handsets with Android 2.2 and above. But, for the impatient amongst you, it's available for download directly from the Play store now. This first release centers around better integration for Google+ (for account sign-in / Plus buttons etc) and providing OAuth 2.0 functionality, but it's expected that deeper functionality with the Google universe will take root soon.

Engadget , Google Play services arrives for Android 2.2 and above, the eager can download directly, Google Play services arrives for Android 2.2 and above, the eager can download directly

Nissan NV200 is New York's official taxi

Movies have dictated over the years that yellow taxis in New York City are an icon, but the future is going to change though, with a taxi version of Nissan's NV200 van will soon be seen more and more frequently, considering how it has been announced to be the official New York "Taxi of Tomorrow" after the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission, or better known as TLC, voted today in order to approve regulations that require taxi fleets to introduce the Nissan NV200 as a replacement for retiring cabs.

Ubergizmo , Nissan NV200 is New York's official taxi

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digitalblog, Nissan NV200 is New York's official taxi

Google patent delivers close-up photos when your phone can't, Blade Runners would approve

It's been 30 years since we saw Deckard track down replicants by having a machine “enhance” pictures, and yet we're still stuck with distant-looking photos when we want more detail than our smartphone cameras can manage. While we'd argue that a few phones already live in that Blade Runner future, Google has just obtained a patent that could give the rest of us a helping hand. If the zoom isn't up to snuff, the proposed software could gauge a mobile device's position and orientation to offer a closer, already-taken photo from a server as a substitute, whether it's a Street View shot or a more traditional image.

2DayBlog.com , Google patent delivers close-up photos when your phone can't, Blade Runners would approve, Google patent delivers close-up photos when your phone can't, Blade Runners would approve

Bowers & Wilkins are on the Air

Bowers and Wilkins just keep the hits coming. You might think this British audio powerhouse would take a break, but they obviously have no intention of doing that. Apple has just changed their 30-pin dock, making every single dock speaker obsolete without a $30 adapter. One of the reasons Apple did this is to urge us to go wireless. B&W has taken the hint and have released two AirPlay speakers, the A7 and A5 Wireless Music Systems.

The speakers are just beautiful in an understated way, unlike the brazen Zeppelin Air. The A5 and A7 design resembles B&W's incredible desktop speakers, the MM-1.


The Gadgeteer , Bowers & Wilkins are on the Air, Bowers & Wilkins are on the Air

Amazon breaks down its Kindle Paperwhite light technology (video)

Amazon's certainly not the first company to deliver an illuminated e-reader, but the mega-retailer's psyched about its new Kindle Paperwhite nonetheless, and after playing around with the device a bit, it's easy to see why. According to CEO Jeff Bezos, R&D's been working on the technology for years now, attempting to get the perfect balance of brightness and battery life, all while ensuring an even distribution across the display. How does it achieve this. We've heard the technology described as an optical cable laid flat across the display.

Engadget , Amazon breaks down its Kindle Paperwhite light technology (video), Amazon breaks down its Kindle Paperwhite light technology (video)

Brocade to showcase Brocade Network Subscription at IP EXPO

-Solutions provider sponsors Network Optimisation Theatre at prestigious London event-London, UK: 28 September 2012 - At IP EXPO on 17 and 18 October at London’s Earls Court 2, Brocade (Nasdaq: BRCD) will showcase its innovative, subscription-based acquisition option for network infrastructure that allows organisations to align network capacity with fluctuating business demands.

Press Release Distribution , Brocade to showcase Brocade Network Subscription at IP EXPO, Brocade to showcase Brocade Network Subscription at IP EXPO

LovePalz two-way pleasure device for couples in long distance relationships

I have a healthy amount of respect for couples in long distance relationships that last over the years, and they tie the knot eventually. Surely each of us know at least one of such couples, and the LovePalz device might be the perfect parting-away gift. It is an extremely intimate two-way pleasure device, enabling couples to simulate sex regardless of where they are – with a decent Internet connection on hand, of course. 'Hera' is meant for the ladies, while 'Zues' will target the men.

Ubergizmo , LovePalz two-way pleasure device for couples in long distance relationships, LovePalz two-way pleasure device for couples in long distance relationships

Apple computers top customer satisfaction survey

. Well look at that… it's another consumer survey showing that Apple (AAPL) customers are the most satisfied by a significant margin. The American Consumer Satisfaction Index has released its latest survey of personal computer users and has found that Apple customers are more satisfied than any other PC customers, as they rated their experience with Apple computers at an 86 on a 100-point scale.

Boy Genius Report , Apple computers top customer satisfaction survey, Apple computers top customer satisfaction survey

Contronex is new VAD partner of gateprotect

Hamburg, 25th September 2012 – German IT security specialist gateprotect (http://www.gateprotect.de) has entered into a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Value Added Distributor Contronex. The agreement has been in force since 1 August 2012 and is valid for the whole of North America, one of the key international markets for gateprotect. The goal of the partnership is to optimally support the launch of gateprotect Managed Security Services solutions in the US market and to generate cross-selling opportunities.

Press Release Distribution , Contronex is new VAD partner of gateprotect, Contronex is new VAD partner of gateprotect

The Archos 97 Xenon tablet looks to be wallet-friendly

If you're in the market for a new Android tablet won't break the bank, it looks like Archos might have something up their sleeves for you. Dubbed the Archos 97 Xenon, this is an Android tablet with some pretty modest specs which we suspect will not cost you that much to own. Sporting a 9.7" display with a resolution of 1024×768, the Archos 97 Xenon will be powered by a single-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz with 512MB of RAM accompanying it, a 2MP rear-facing camera, a VGA front-facing camera, WiFi connectivity and will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board.

Ubergizmo , The Archos 97 Xenon tablet looks to be wallet-friendly, The Archos 97 Xenon tablet looks to be wallet-friendly

YouTube videos served on older non-iOS 6 versions

For the remaining 85% of you who have yet to upgrade to iOS 6 and yet have a strong affinity towards YouTube on your mobile device, fret not. A YouTube representative did mention that they will continue to serve YouTube videos to older devices, never mind the fact that the YouTube app no longer arrives with a pre-installed status in iOS 6. You are still able to go through the selection of videos from within the old app, which interestingly enough, will be ad-free for a more fluid browsing and viewing experience. Folks who do not want to make the upgrade to iOS 6 need not download the new YouTube app unless that is their desire.

Ubergizmo , YouTube videos served on older non-iOS 6 versions, YouTube videos served on older non-iOS 6 versions

Happy 10th Birthday, Roomba! (video)

It's been a full decade since the first Roomba scuttled off the assembly line and onto the floors of slatternly geeks. Understandably, iRobot's looking back over the period, revealing that since then, it's sold over six million of the units - with each one covering an average of 705 miles in its lifetime.

Engadget , Happy 10th Birthday, Roomba! (video), Happy 10th Birthday, Roomba! (video)

Nokia Asha 309 leaked, to be launched tomorrow?

When it comes to the release of consumer electronic devices, one can always look to history as an indicator of what is to come. Well, the Nokia Asha 306 that was announced in June earlier this year was launched not too long after that, so perhaps the same can be said for a leak of the Nokia Asha 309. The Nokia Asha 309 remains unannounced as at press time, it does seem to resemble a similar model as that of the Nokia Asha 306 on the inside, although it will most probably target different carriers.

Ubergizmo , Nokia Asha 309 leaked, to be launched tomorrow?, Nokia Asha 309 leaked, to be launched tomorrow?

Peugeot Onyx will be joined by matching scooter in Paris

Peugeot is betting even more on black (and copper) with the Onyx three-wheeled scooter concept. A fanciful sibling to the Onxy hybrid supercar concept, the scooter looks as if it could have come straight from the Japanese anime, Akira. The Onyx scooter makes do with a bit less gumption than the 680-horsepower Onyx coupe.

Autoblog , Peugeot Onyx will be joined by matching scooter in Paris, Peugeot Onyx will be joined by matching scooter in Paris

BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 starts tomorrow, get your liveblog here!

You may think that RIM's down and out, but Thorsten Heins thinks he has the Canadian mobile giant back on track, and he'll be telling us why at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012. The show starts at 8:30AM Pacific Time tomorrow, so keep it locked on our liveblog and see what he has to say as it happens. We can't say for certain precisely what he'll be talking about, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that BlackBerry 10 will be heavily involved.

Engadget , BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 starts tomorrow, get your liveblog here!, BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 starts tomorrow, get your liveblog here!

Glickenhaus considering LMP1 for P4x5 Competizione

According to new reports, James Glickenhaus has more big plans for his P4x5 Competizione, eying an entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014 with an LMP contender.

Autoblog , Glickenhaus considering LMP1 for P4x5 Competizione, Glickenhaus considering LMP1 for P4x5 Competizione

Verizon has no plans to re-lock iPhone 5's GSM and 3G sides

When we learned that Verizon wouldn't lock the GSM-related components of the iPhone 5, we were waiting for a "gotcha" moment. Surely the carrier would clamp down and steer us back towards its more expensive roaming plans, right. Not according to Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney: she says there's no plans to lock Apple's handset at a later point. In other words, you should be free to use a Verizon-locked iPhone 5 on any compatible GSM and HSPA+ networks for as long as you'd like, including with AT&T and Canadian carriers.

Engadget , Verizon has no plans to re-lock iPhone 5's GSM and 3G sides

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dailygadgets, Verizon has no plans to re-lock iPhone 5's GSM and 3G sides

Hacker ports iOS 5′s Google Maps app to iOS 6 [video]

. The Maps application in iOS 6 is disappointing to say the least, and while Apple (AAPL) may be on a hiring spree to fix the problem, one iOS hacker has taken matters into his own hands. Ryan Petrich on Sunday posted a video that demonstrates the original Google Maps program from iOS 5 running on iOS 6. Petrich revealed that he would like to release the hack to the public, however it is not yet stable enough to do so. As expected, it is required that users have a jailbroken iPhone running iOS 6 for the port to be successful.

Boy Genius Report , Hacker ports iOS 5′s Google Maps app to iOS 6 [video], Hacker ports iOS 5′s Google Maps app to iOS 6 [video]

Canon unveils EOS 6D DSLR: full frame sensor and WiFi for $2,099 in December

Used to be, to get a full-frame sensor in a Canon camera, you had to shell out big bucks for a pro rig like the 5D Mark III or 1D X. No longer. Canon's just unveiled its EOS 6D, the smallest, lightest and cheapest full-frame DSLR it's ever made. Weighing 690g, the 6D is 20 percent lighter than the 5D Mark III, and at $2,099, it's a full $1,400 less than its heftier stablemate — which also puts it directly in line with Nikon's recently released full-frame shooter, the D600. In addition to that mammoth sensor, the 6D's the first EOS camera to have built-in WiFi.

2DayBlog.com , Canon unveils EOS 6D DSLR: full frame sensor and WiFi for $2,099 in December, Canon unveils EOS 6D DSLR: full frame sensor and WiFi for $2,099 in December

Huawei Ascend W1 targeted for end 2012 release?

Huawei does want to get involve in the Windows Phone 8 scene, and they recently targeted the Huawei Ascend W1 to be released before the year 2012 is over. It is widely believed that the Huawei Ascend W1 will show up alongside the higher end Huawei Ascend W2, although that remains to be confirmed. This would mean that Huawei will be yet another player in the Windows Phone 8 scene, what with Samsung, Nokia and HTC having jumped aboard the Windows Phone 8 bandwagon already.

Ubergizmo , Huawei Ascend W1 targeted for end 2012 release?, Huawei Ascend W1 targeted for end 2012 release?

Honda kicks off new Accord sales with configurator, new ad campaign [w/videos]

Honda has pulled the curtain back on its fully featured 2013 Accord configurator, and let us tell you, this large grouping of zeros and ones is positively sprinkled with wonderfulness. (That may be overselling it a bit – there are a lot of options though.). The bread-and-butter sedan offers up no fewer than eight trim levels for the 2013 model year, with the most basic LX starting off the range at a reasonable $22,470 (once the $790 destination charge has been tacked on) and the Touring at the top of the charts with a $34,220 MSRP (with destination).















Autoblog , Honda kicks off new Accord sales with configurator, new ad campaign [w/videos], Honda kicks off new Accord sales with configurator, new ad campaign [w/videos]

Blackmagic Design starts shipping Cinema Cameras in limited quantity

Remember that $2,995 Blackmagic Cinema Camera that shoots full-res 21:9 video. It's now hitting shelves, or maybe we should say "a shelf," because the initial shipment was "rather small," according to the company.

Engadget , Blackmagic Design starts shipping Cinema Cameras in limited quantity, Blackmagic Design starts shipping Cinema Cameras in limited quantity

LG Optimus L9 saunters through FCC, asks for martini

LG's latest L-series smartphone, the Optimus L9, has just breezed (elegantly) through the FCC's radio frequency trial-by-screwdriver. The dinner-jacket-white clad Android smartphone is part of the "L-Style design philosophy" from the Korean maker, which emphasizes budget panache over brute performance. As such, it's a handsome but plasticky device, with a 4.7-inch IPS screen, ICS, qtranslator language app, dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, 2,150mAh battery and 5-megapixel shooter. Vodafone in Europe showed the price as €340 unsubsidized or €50 on contract, but a member of the L-series family has yet to cross the pond.

Engadget , LG Optimus L9 saunters through FCC, asks for martini, LG Optimus L9 saunters through FCC, asks for martini

LG's first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed: Tone + packs 'high-quality' audio codec

LG isn't short of a few Voice over LTE handsets, but this neck-hugging Bluetooth handset promises to offer similarly crisp voice calls, if the feature's available, without the need to fumble around in your pockets . The Tone + headset totes a pair of in-ear buds, is available in both white and black and will even vibrate in Battle Royale terror style when you receive a call. LG has built in a "professional grade audio codec", the aptX, to improve audio performance alongside that VoLTE compatibility. The headphones can event pair to two devices (even two smartphones) and read out your received SMS messages.

Engadget , LG's first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed: Tone + packs 'high-quality' audio codec, LG's first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed: Tone + packs 'high-quality' audio codec

Nokia RM-581 Columbus Harmattan prototype leaked

The folks over at MyNokiaBlog received this particular tip in their inbox, depicting a prototype of yore that hailed all the way from 2009, where it was powered by MeeGo-Harmattan, otherwise known as Maemo6. This particular prototype does bring back memories of the Nokia N8 styling, but assuming it is a blast from the past (3 years thereabouts to be exact), you could say that the Nokia N8's form factor was inspired by this RM-581 Columbus prototype instead.

Ubergizmo , Nokia RM-581 Columbus Harmattan prototype leaked, Nokia RM-581 Columbus Harmattan prototype leaked

Apple seeks patent for hearing aids that deliver speech at an even keel

Although they're called hearing aids, they can sometimes be as much of a hindrance as a help. Catch an unfamiliar accent and the attention might be on just parsing the words, let alone moving the conversation forward. Apple is applying for a patent on a technique that would take the guesswork out of listening by smoothing out all the quirks. The proposed idea would convert speech to text and back, using the switch to remove any unusual pronunciation or too-quick talking before it reaches the listener's ear.

2DayBlog.com , Apple seeks patent for hearing aids that deliver speech at an even keel, Apple seeks patent for hearing aids that deliver speech at an even keel