Images of Nokia Ace for AT&T leak out. In a Christmas card.

This is surely one of the most curious cases of leaked product images we've encountered in 2011. Pictures of Nokia's upcoming Windows Phone smartphone for AT&T's LTE network popped up in a Christmas card, thanks to an overly creative Microsoft partner. The handset, dubbed Ace, is most likely going to launch as Nokia Lumia 900 in regions other than the United States. It will finally bring a front-facing camera to Nokia's Windows Phone lineup - a nice addition to its LTE network compatibility.

Nokia Ace will most likely break cover at CES 2012, which begins in less than two weeks time.



GSM Arena, Images of Nokia Ace for AT&T leak out. In a Christmas card.

Apple has idea for fuel cell battery that would last weeks

Claiming to have determined a way to eliminate “the need for a bulky and heavy battery,” Apple has made public two patent proposals, originally filed in 2010, that combined would enable the manufacture of fuel-cell batteries that could boost the life of handheld device batteries by a matter weeks. “Such fuel cells and associated fuels”, the proposals promise, “can potentially achieve high volumetric and gravimetric energy densities, which can potentially enable continued operation of portable electronic devices for days or even weeks without refueling.”.

2DayBlog.com

See also:
newgadgets, Apple has idea for fuel cell battery that would last weeks

Android's Chinese Manufacturers Form Alliance To Defend From Apple and Microsoft Patent Lawsuits

Digitimes is reporting that Chinese OEM's could be quietly banding together to fight off the ever looming threat of patent lawsuits from Android arch nemeses like Apple, Microsoft and Nokia. The Chinese coalition would be formed by ZTE, Lenovo, TCL, Coolpad and Konka who, it's assumed, would pool their patent resources and share information on how to work around alleged patent infringements and keep from paying the dreaded “licensing fee.”.


Android Phone, Android's Chinese Manufacturers Form Alliance To Defend From Apple and Microsoft Patent Lawsuits

Verizon scraps plan for $2 billing fee

. Verizon Wireless on Friday announced that it is canceling plans to charge a $2 convenience fee to customers making one-time bill payments online or over the phone. The carrier announced earlier this week that the new fee would allow it to continue providing subscribers with the option to make one-time payments using its web-based and telephone payment systems. Following a rash of negative press and customer complaints, Verizon confirmed that it will scrap plans to introduce the new fee next month. "At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers, Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead said in a statement.

Boy Genius Report, Verizon scraps plan for $2 billing fee

AquaVenture SeaBird: the world's fastest personal submarine?

Looking for the next cool underwater ride to spend your money on. AquaVenture's SeaBird might be what you need. The company recently announced a new version of its SeaBird submarine - a unique submarine that doesn't rely on an engine in order to move through water. If you're wondering how it gets from once place to another, the answer is simple. No there's no magic or trickery involved, but thanks to the help of another vessel.
Yes, you read right: the SeaBird is attached to a boat on the surface via a 400 feet long cable and is towed towards where it wants to go.

Ubergizmo, AquaVenture SeaBird: the world's fastest personal submarine?

PopMech offers a video history of the automotive barrel roll

Rob Dyrdek's "kick flip" stunt in a Chevrolet Sonic effectively sealed his place in the hallowed halls of stunt driver lore. As it turns out, actually pulling off a 360-degree barrel roll in a vehicle is one of the most challenging stunts one can perform. Driving on two wheels. Cakewalk. Knocking down a series of buses stacked on their ends? As easy as sucking pea soup through a crazy straw. The barrel roll requires stacks of mathematical calculations to account for everything from the vehicle's weight to its speed and the exact rotation angle of each ramp.

But Dyrdek wasn't the first guy to successfully execute such a bit of insanity.



Autoblog, PopMech offers a video history of the automotive barrel roll

Fisker Karma's interior relies on low-carbon leather

Talk about taking great lengths to go green – Fisker Karma's interior wants to wrap you in luxury, and yet it intends to maintain a balanced outlook by using low-carbon leather. Bridge of Weir leather was their main pick, where it is known for its luxurious feel as well as low environment impact during processing. Already out in the market for three months, and the Fisker Karma has picked up its fair share of bouquets, touting it to be “green” and luxurious.

Ubergizmo, Fisker Karma's interior relies on low-carbon leather

Tech 2011: Biggest News Stories of the Year

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The past year sure didn't seem like it was dominated by Google and Apple news. We followed hundreds of stories in 2011, and the vast majority of them had neither Google nor Apple in their headlines.

But now, as we survey the stories that captured Gadget Lab's attention the most, it's clear the highest-impact events swirled around the two California mega-companies in Mountain View and Cupertino.


Gadget Lab, Tech 2011: Biggest News Stories of the Year

Latest update brings TouchWiz to Verizon's Galaxy Tab 10.1

. When Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 first launched earlier this year it was running a stock version of Honeycomb. At CTIA 2011, the South Korea-based vendor showed off its TouchWiz user interface and promised an update for tablets in the near future. While Wi-Fi versions of the slate were updated soon after the announcement, Verizon's LTE variant was left untouched - until now. Verizon is currently pushing an over-the-air update that brings TouchWiz along with other fixes and improvements to the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Boy Genius Report, Latest update brings TouchWiz to Verizon's Galaxy Tab 10.1

Verizon Motorola DROID 4 leaked again in Best Buy ad

. Verizon Wireless still hasn't officially announced the Motorola DROID 4, but it has been leaked several times during the past few months. Best Buy recently spilled the beans yet again in one of its Reward Zone advertisements. While it doesn't specifically name the phone, the DROID 4 makes an appearance front and center in the ad. The Android 2.3.5-powered DROID 4 is expected to be very similar to a DROID RAZR, but with a full QWERTY keyboard. Rumored specs include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, support for Verizon Wireless's 4G LTE network and a 4-inch qHD display.

Boy Genius Report, Verizon Motorola DROID 4 leaked again in Best Buy ad

UK: LG E906 Jil Sander Mobile with Windows Phone Mango now just £149.99, 50% off the launch price

If you're in the market for a Windows Phone in the UK and are looking for a great deal, here's something for you. LG's first, last, and only smartphone to launch running Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango), the E906 (also known as Jil Sander Mobile) can now be yours for half the price it had when it was launched last month. It's not often that you see a phone's price drop by that much in so little time, so I guess it's safe to assume that this particular handset isn't selling very well. But that shouldn't stop you from purchasing one, especially now that it's become dirt cheap.

But how cheap, you ask? £149.99. SIM-free and unlocked.

Unwired View, UK: LG E906 Jil Sander Mobile with Windows Phone Mango now just £149.99, 50% off the launch price

Cregle iPen – Active Stylus for the iPad

Those of you who have read my Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet review will know how much I love the active stylus that comes with it. It's accurate , pressure sensitive and extends the tablet's use way beyond any non-pen tablet especially for drawing and handwriting.  The capacitive stylii you get just don't compare. Cregle has just complete funding from Kickstarter for their iPen.

The Gadgeteer, Cregle iPen â€" Active Stylus for the iPad

Your Verizon Data Should Be Up and Running Now

Verizon experienced another data outage yesterday and it was a lengthy one – half a day, give or take a half an hour. On their Twitter account, Verizon said that 3G was unaffected even though users had trouble connecting to the 3G network even when switching to CDMA-only mode. They claimed the same thing during last week's outage when 3G was, in fact, affected for 4G device users. 3G-only device users didn't see any outages but that's because their phones use a different authentication service to get onto the network.

Android Phone, Your Verizon Data Should Be Up and Running Now

Intel's Medfield Developer Tablet Pictured In The Wild

Intel's tablet based off their upcoming Medfield mobile processor was leaked in a few new images thanks to a tipster over at Android Community who provided these images of the device being manhandled in the wild. The 10.1-inch developer tablet is currently rocking Android 3.x Honeycomb and Intel's 1.6GHz dual-core Medfield Atom mobile processor. You can see from the included pics it comes with the usual array of ports and buttons and the back of the device features a rather unique design. I like it.



Android Phone, Intel's Medfield Developer Tablet Pictured In The Wild

Analysts predicting up to 14M auto sales in 2012

Automotive industry analysts are projecting a better sales year in 2012. According to Automotive News, a number of culminating factors could see sales of up to 14 million units next year. That's thanks to factors like decreasing unemployment, improved credit availability and a larger portion of the population looking to replace older vehicles. Don't think that means the overall economy will be any stronger next year, however. According to the studies, buyers have simply grown more callous to news of repeated financial crises and aren't likely to let that news impact their new vehicle purchases.

Autoblog, Analysts predicting up to 14M auto sales in 2012

Panasonic EVOLTA robot battery charger

Panasonic has created quite the icon where robots are concerned with the EVOLTA mascot that represents their range of rechargeable batteries, where this robotic mascot has also completed an Iron Man Triathlon in the process. Well, the old proverb goes, “Make hay while the sun shines”, so it makes perfect sense for a battery recharger set to be sold that comes in the same form factor as that of the EVOLTA robot. Too bad the physical form factor does not come with any moving parts, and is completely static.

Ubergizmo

See also:
gadgeter, Panasonic EVOLTA robot battery charger

Motorola Droid 4 audio clips leak, still no official launch details

Expected to be released in February, the Motorola Droid 4 still hasn't been officially announced by Verizon. But it looks like the largest US mobile carrier has prepared pretty much anything is needed for the launch of the new smartphone. We've already reported that the Droid 4 was spotted over at the DroidDoes website (although it's not there anymore, of course). Now Droid-life even has audio clips that present the handset – these will certainly appear at DroidDoes.com after the Droid 4 is finally announced.

Unwired View, Motorola Droid 4 audio clips leak, still no official launch details

Argentina says “No” to iPhone and BlackBerry sales

While we have seen lawsuits being thrown at one another between Samsung and Apple, with punches being landed by both sides squarely on the jaw, something entirely different is happening in South America – Argentina, to be exact. It seems that the Argentinian government has decided to order a complete ban on the import and sales of Apple's iPhone as well as the entire range of BlackBerry smartphones. These are not the only two manufacturers affected, as the ban would also cover all foreign-made phones.

Ubergizmo, Argentina says “No” to iPhone and BlackBerry sales

Samsung may offer ‘value pack' instead of full Android 4.0 for Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab

. Samsung originally went on the record stating that it will not provide an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for the Galaxy S or 7-inch Galaxy Tab. The company originally cited memory issues related to its TouchWiz user interface, but on Tuesday, reports surfaced suggesting that Samsung HQ was reconsidering its original statement. A more recent report published by the South Korean website Duam on Wednesday, however, said Samsung may instead offer an “Android Value Pack” that will include a number of enhancements to both devices without the need for full-blown Android 4.0.

Boy Genius Report, Samsung may offer ‘value pack' instead of full Android 4.0 for Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab

Wicked Audio Solus headphones announced

Empire Brands' Wicked Audio has unveiled their next version of headphones that are said to offer mind-blowing audio – the Solus headphones. In Latin, it means "Be Yourself", so do maintain your own personality when you check it out at CES 2012 if you are heading to Vegas early next month. Touted to be the “next big thing” from Wicked Audio, the company proudly proclaims that this pair of headphones offer the highest quality design as well as most impeccable sound to date.

Ubergizmo, Wicked Audio Solus headphones announced

UAV launched from a submarine?

The military certainly does have their fair share of “big boys toys” to play around with, and the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is one of them – so here is one interesting idea that is worth looking into. While we know that most submarines are lurking underneath the seven seas, ready to launch a counterattack in the form of missiles on behalf of their countries, here is a novel idea – to launch UAVs from a submerged submarine.

Ubergizmo, UAV launched from a submarine?

M-Edge sues Amazon

M-Edge of Maryland, a company who churns out a fair number of Kindle cases, just filed a suit against Amazon last week. The Wall Street Journal reports that M-Edge has had enough with Amazon's tricks up its sleeve, where the latter has tried time and again to change the terms of a contract which was agreed upon originally a couple of years ago. This case of corporate “bullying” has happened each time M-Edge decided to stand up for its rights.

Ubergizmo, M-Edge sues Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S i9000 to get a Value Pack update instead of Android Ice Cream Sandwich?

Samsung recently said that the original Galaxy S i9000 and the Galaxy Tab P1000 would not be updated to Android 4.0. However, a few days later, it stated that it's still investigating the possibility of bringing ICS to the two devices. Now a new report from Korea is claiming that the Galaxy S i9000 will almost certainly not get Android ICS.

Unwired View, Samsung Galaxy S i9000 to get a Value Pack update instead of Android Ice Cream Sandwich?

How Satisfied Are You With Your ASUS Transformer Prime? [Poll, Forum Talk]

The ASUS Transformer Prime is shipping in some parts of the world now and users have gotten their hands plenty wet with it. Over at AndroidForums.com folks are curious how satisfied you are with it if you did happen to purchase one. 75% of the 20 people who voted in the poll over there seem to be satisfied, with most saying it met or exceeded their expectations. 35% of the 20 people are having issues. That's a small sample size so why not go over there and help them increase that sample size? We'll even run our own poll here on Phandroid because we, too, are curious.

Android Phone, How Satisfied Are You With Your ASUS Transformer Prime? [Poll, Forum Talk]

NTT DoCoMo, Samsung and four others create joint venture for LTE development

. NTT DoCoMo, Samsung, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Semiconductor, NEC and Panasonic announced plans on Tuesday to establish a joint venture in which the firms hope to work together to create LTE and LTE Advanced products. The fabless JV will specifically focus on the development of “feature-rich, small-size, low-power-consumption semiconductor products equipped with modem functionality” for LTE and LTE Advanced networks. Products developed by the companies will be sold globally.

Boy Genius Report, NTT DoCoMo, Samsung and four others create joint venture for LTE development

iPen – the first active stylus for the iPad

It's always exciting to hear about an interesting Kickstarter project getting enough funds to successfully go on, and that just happens to be the case with the Cregle iPen. Touted as the first active stylus for the iPad, the stylus will allow users to write on the iPad as though they were using a high-quality ball-point pen. The difference between the iPen and other styluses available on the market right now - it is an active stylus, which gives it additional features such as accurate positioning, palm rejection features, and the ability to pick up a signal from the pen without even touching the screen.

Ubergizmo, iPen â€" the first active stylus for the iPad

LG Prada 3.0 sashays over to South Korea because Android phones are so hot right now

Do you take your Android phones with an extra dose of designer. Then LG's Prada 3.0 is probably already on your radar, ready to mix and match with your walk-in closet of wardrobe options. This respectably specced, luxe update is right on target to hit South Koreans' manicured mitts tomorrow, with first dibs going to SK Telecom and a release on KT to follow on January 5th. The usual two-year contract pricing applies for both operators, but contract-averse users can also snag the stylish handset for 899,900 won (about $778) outright.

Engadget, LG Prada 3.0 sashays over to South Korea because Android phones are so hot right now

How Germany builds 2x as many cars as U.S. while paying 2x the salaries

First, let's put some salient numbers on the table: 5.5 million versus 2.7 million and $67.14 per hour versus $33.77 per hour. The first set of numbers belong to Germany, and represent the total number of vehicles built in 2010 and the average wage of an autoworker in that country. The second set of numbers are the equivalent figures from the United States.

Autoblog, How Germany builds 2x as many cars as U.S. while paying 2x the salaries

Japanese tsunami led to 3-6% higher transaction prices for certain cars

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan wreaked havoc on the automotive supply chain. Toyota, Honda and Nissan lost many thousands of units to the natural disaster, which meant that car buyers here in the U.S. sometimes had a difficult time finding and buying certain vehicles. We know how these disruptions hurt sales, but a study conducted by ALG shows that prices were also shifted because of the shortage of key vehicles.
ALG predicted that a 20-day production disruption would lead to 1.5-percent higher prices, and when production stoppage reaches 100 days, the anticipated spike in prices could be up to 10 percent.

Autoblog, Japanese tsunami led to 3-6% higher transaction prices for certain cars

LG Fantasy Windows Phone leaked, could launch next year

. LG hasn't launched a Windows Phone in the United States since it began offering the LG Quantum on AT&T over a year ago. That may change soon now that an image of a device dubbed the “LG Fantasy” has been leaked running Windows Phone, however. Little is known about the Fantasy, though rumors suggest it has a 4-inch IPS display. The leaked image of the device is blurry, but we can see that the phone either has a 5-megapixel or 8-megapixel camera, which is in line with what the current batch of Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) devices offer. It's unclear if the phone will ever make a U.S.

Boy Genius Report, LG Fantasy Windows Phone leaked, could launch next year

Pikes Peak Hill Climb contemplating expansion to two-day event

2012 will be the first year that the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be held on an entirely paved road, and while many who have long been involved with the event are bemoaning the loss of the gravel sections, the full tarmac course has peaked interest in the race. In fact, event organizers are considering adding a second race day for 2013. This time last year only 46 racers has expressed interest in participating in the event, but that number is already up to 170 for next year's race. "The interest is astronomical compared to last year," says Tom Osborne, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb board chairman.

Autoblog, Pikes Peak Hill Climb contemplating expansion to two-day event

Noisehush NX26 HD Stereo Headphones Review

The NX26 HD Stereo Headphones from NoiseHush boasts to deliver deeper bass, lower distortion, and wider dynamic range with advanced engineering and featuring neodymium magnet drivers.  NX26 can be used for home hi-fi systems and mobile sources.  It has an in-line microphone that is built to insure filtering out of external noise and ensure that callers hear clearly.  Let's give them a look.



The Gadgeteer, Noisehush NX26 HD Stereo Headphones Review

LogMeIn remote desktop app goes free on iPhone and iPad

Looks like LogMeIn Inc. has suddenly cottoned on to the freemium business model, deciding to offer its basic remote desktop app for iPhone and iPad entirely gratis. Previously, you had to hand over $29.99 for the simple pleasure of accessing your PC and Mac desktops via LogMeIn Ignition, but the new free version (simply 'LogMeIn') amply provides for that barebones service, while bells and whistles are reserved for those who buy an in-app subscription to LogMeIn Pro at $40 per year - including things like HD video and sound streaming, file transferring and integration with cloud storage services .

Engadget, LogMeIn remote desktop app goes free on iPhone and iPad

Armstar BodyGuard: an iPhone dock fit for Batman

If you're looking for a cool iPhone dock that can keep your phone and you protected at the same time, look no further than Armstar's The BodyGuard 9XI-HD01. Designed to look like it would fit right in Batman's arsenal, the BodyGuard is a one-of-a-kind iPhone dock - and I mean it. First of all, it is made from an interesting mix of materials: cotton, Nomex (a flame resistant fiber), and a Kevlar Mix. Secondly, it packs a whole bunch of features like an Electronic Deterrent, Electronic Control Device, HD camera, flash light, defense shield and safety pin.

Ubergizmo, Armstar BodyGuard: an iPhone dock fit for Batman

iMAME pulled from the Apple App Store

It only took a couple of days, but it looks like the iMAME app which allowed gamers to play classic games on their iOS devices has finally been pulled out from the Apple App Store. Can't say we didn't see this coming, since Apple forbids apps on its store from running emulated code. However, it's safe to say that this isn't going to be the last we've seen of the app. Various emulator apps have managed to pop up on the App Store in the past (and were consequently thrown out after a enjoying a short while of success) and you can be sure that more variations will surface in the future.

Ubergizmo, iMAME pulled from the Apple App Store

Western Digital WD TV Remote app now available for Android

A few days ago Western Digital announced a major update for its TV Live and TV Live Hub media players that added a whole selection of content channels. In addition to the new video services, Western Digital announced an update to its WD TV Remote app as well. The iOS app was released first, and now - the Android version has been released as well. No longer will you need an iOS device to control the media player, you can do the same job using the Android app.

Ubergizmo, Western Digital WD TV Remote app now available for Android

Roku brings v3.1 software update to first-gen boxes, Amazon Instant Video channel gets refaced

Early birds may get the worms, but early adopters aren't always as equally rewarded. But, as they say, maybe first-gen Roku owners should simply be elated that their box is still on the update trail. A week (and change) after the Roku 2 and Roku LT saw a fairly significant software update, the company is now pushing v3.1 to OG models.

Engadget

See also:
techcrunch, Roku brings v3.1 software update to first-gen boxes, Amazon Instant Video channel gets refaced

Nokia Lumia 900 render leaked?

Remember our previous article about the Nokia 800 arriving in white and yellow. Well it looks like there could be more to the picture than meets the eye. The folks over at wmpoweruser.com enlarged the image, and enhanced the contrast to reveal some interesting details about the phone. According to their findings, the images might be of the Nokia Lumia 900 instead of the Lumia 800 that they were thought to be previously. In the enlarged version of the picture, you can see the appearance of a circular structure which looks like it might be a front facing camera.

Ubergizmo, Nokia Lumia 900 render leaked?

Sanwa unveils SKB-BT14 Bluetooth 2.0 keyboard

Looking for one of those foldable Bluetooth keyboards that you can take with you on your travels. If you are, the good news is that Sanwa may have what you need in the form of the SKB-BT14 Bluetooth 2.0 keyboard. Unfortunately it still uses Bluetooth 2.0 as opposed to Bluetooth 3.0, but we guess if you plan to use it for short periods of time, the difference in power consumption may not be as noticeable. The Bluetooth connection will give the user up to 10m in wireless range.

Ubergizmo, Sanwa unveils SKB-BT14 Bluetooth 2.0 keyboard

JingXing S7100: an Android tablet for gaming

It looks like the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY isn't going to be the dedicated Android gaming device on the block, a company named JingXing has decided to step into that niche with a device of its own: the JingXing S7100. However, the S7100 isn't a phone and takes the form factor of tablet instead, and features gamepad controls on the sides of the display. While the specs of the device weren't revealed, it will be running on Android (as evident by the dedicated Android buttons on the bottom of the device and the Android logo on the back), and will feature a rear camera and a front facing camera.


Ubergizmo

See also:
trendygadgets, JingXing S7100: an Android tablet for gaming

Squigs survey: Mobile gaming popular while commuting; Angry Birds popular on desert islands

-UK and US iPhone mobile gaming communities desire for more retro games to be re-launched, including Donkey Kong and Pac Man-23 December 2011 – Squigs, a revamp of the classic 1990s Amiga puzzle game, conducted a consumer survey with the goal of revealing iPhone owners’ gaming habits. The retro ‘match-three’ game was successfully ported to Apple iOS in November of this year. It has now been updated to version 1.1 and is available for immediate download at the Apple App Store.

Press Release Distribution, Squigs survey: Mobile gaming popular while commuting; Angry Birds popular on desert islands

Real Racing 2 For Android Now Available For Download!

Racing Racing 2 app for Android is just as good as its iOS counterpart. There's everything in the game that you would love from high-performance cars, about 15 racing tracks and of course a Career mode to keep your long term gaming pleasures alive. Head past the break to download Real Racing 2 for Android. We've also included some more details alongside for your perusal.

Interestingly, just very recently the game was made available at the Mac App Store.


Technology Nerd, Real Racing 2 For Android Now Available For Download!