Android 4.4 KitKat Reportedly Degrades Video Playback

For the most part, receiving software updates is something to look forward to because this usually involves bug fixes, performance improvements, and sometimes even new features as well. Unfortunately it seems that Android 4.4 KitKat might not necessarily be the update the video lovers might be looking forward to. According to a study conducted by OptoFidelity, it has been found that video playback on Android 4.4 KitKat is actually worse compared to playback on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

Ubergizmo , Android 4.4 KitKat Reportedly Degrades Video Playback, Android 4.4 KitKat Reportedly Degrades Video Playback

Nissan to give Qashqai the Nismo treatment

Nismo is on a bit of a rampage lately. Once consigned to the fringes, Nissan has taken its performance sub-brand into the mainstream and let it loose on a whole mess of its products. The Juke Nismo was followed by a 370Z Nismo, and in Los Angeles, we saw the GT-R Nismo, Sentra Nismo concept and Juke Nismo RS. So what's next from Nismo? According to the latest intel from across the pond, Nissan is working on a tuned version of its new Qashqai. Car magazine is reporting that the larger crossover will get the same 1.6-liter turbo four as the Juke Nismo, but with the RS model's 212-horsepower out and not the "base" model's 197.

Autoblog , Nissan to give Qashqai the Nismo treatment, Nissan to give Qashqai the Nismo treatment

Android 4.4 now seeding to Unlocked and Developer HTC One

Unlocked HTC One devices, as well as their Developer Edition siblings are now getting updated to Android 4.4 KitKat with Sense 5.5 in the United States. HTC USA announced the pleasant surprise on its official Twitter account. HTC surely isnÂ't wasting time in updating its flagship smartphone to the latest version available. The Sense-d version of the HTC One saw KitKat only four days after the Google Play Edition got treated to the update, and barely a month after Android 4.4 made a debut on the Nexus 5.

Carrier versions of the HTC One in the United States are due to get the update by the end of January.

GSM Arena , Android 4.4 now seeding to Unlocked and Developer HTC One, Android 4.4 now seeding to Unlocked and Developer HTC One

iiyama 15H7010-i7-JGB 15.6-Inch Notebook

Here's the newest member to iiyama's notebook line-up, the 15H7010-i7-JGB. Priced at 114,980 Yen (about $1,127), the system is packed with a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD display, a 2.40GHz Intel Core i7-4700MQ processor, an Intel HM86 Express Chipset, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2GB graphics card, an 8GB DDR3 RAM, a 128GB SSD (Plextor M5M), a 1TB hard drive, a DVD Super Multi Drive and runs on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (SP1) OS.

TechFresh , iiyama 15H7010-i7-JGB 15.6-Inch Notebook, iiyama 15H7010-i7-JGB 15.6-Inch Notebook

You will not believe how much goes into preparing a car for crash testing

New-vehicle crash testing is crucial to measuring how safe vehicles are for their occupants in the event of an accident. The actual test is quick: vehicles are pulled down a runway inside the test facility before they're smashed into a seemingly invincible wall. Carnage ensues. We presumed test preparation included strapping in a dummy, fitting cameras and installing data acquisition devices, but we had no idea that the whole process is exponentially more involving than that until the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released this video documenting a crash test from start to finish.

Autoblog , You will not believe how much goes into preparing a car for crash testing, You will not believe how much goes into preparing a car for crash testing

Gionee Elife E7 boasts most sensitive 16MP camera, 2.5GHz Snapdragon 800

The fun doesn't stop there. The E7 also packs a three-mic system for better voice quality, as well as an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, which has the same 1.4µm sensor as the iPhone 5's main camera. As for the lovely LTPS display by JDI, you'll find a layer of Gorilla Glass 3 on top of it and its 2.33mm bezel. Amongst the other common goodies like NFC, barometer plus WiFi Display, the phone also features a power-saving "Sensor Hub" co-processor to react to voice command, screen taps and screen gestures when the phone is on standby - which is not dissimilar to iPhone 5s and Moto X's implementation.


Engadget , Gionee Elife E7 boasts most sensitive 16MP camera, 2.5GHz Snapdragon 800, Gionee Elife E7 boasts most sensitive 16MP camera, 2.5GHz Snapdragon 800

ZEROHOUR Tactical USB battery backup flashlight

There are a lot of multi-purpose flashlights on the market today with a lot of different options and sizes. So how do you make your multi-purpose flashlight stand out. The ZEROHOUR modular tactical USB battery backup flashlight, a Kickstarter project from Amy Truong and Aaron Son, does it by being versatile and modular. As the name implies, this not only a flashlight, but also a backup battery pack to recharge your cellphones or tablets. But unlike some other flashlight/backup battery combos, this one has some rather unique qualities. The first being the ability to change out the rechargeable batteries used by the device.

The Gadgeteer , ZEROHOUR Tactical USB battery backup flashlight, ZEROHOUR Tactical USB battery backup flashlight

Google Announces New And Personalized Map Embed

When researching reviews on a particular restaurant or shop, or when looking for hotels to stay overseas, typically these websites will have Google Maps (or Bing Maps) embedded there which allows visitors to get a better idea of where the establishment is located. However the look and feel of these embedded maps are considered to be somewhat outdated, especially compared to the new look of Google Maps available from its website. Well the good news is that Google has announced that they will be rolling out a new Google Maps embed that webmasters will be able to embed into their websites in the future.

Ubergizmo , Google Announces New And Personalized Map Embed, Google Announces New And Personalized Map Embed

Oppo R827T and ZTE Grand S II get certified in China

Two yet unofficial phones have hit the Chinese wireless authority Tenaa for certification – a mid-range smartphone from Oppo and one phablet from ZTE. The Oppo R827T, previously thought to be Oppo Find 5 Mini, doesnÂ't quite live up to the "mini" part though, nor the "5". It has a 4.7" screen with qHD resolution (540 x 960) and measures 137 x 68 x 7.75mm. The weight is 128g.

The Oppo R827T will be powered by a MediaTek MT6589 chipset (quad-core Cortex-A7 at 1.2GHz) with 1GB RAM.








GSM Arena , Oppo R827T and ZTE Grand S II get certified in China, Oppo R827T and ZTE Grand S II get certified in China

AT&T resumes rolling out Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S4

A few days back AT&T had started rolling out the Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S4 in the US, only to pull it a couple of days later after a few devices that received the update started facing issues. Now about a week later, the company has started rolling out a new build, hopefully having fixed whatever issues that were present in the previous update.

GSM Arena , AT&T resumes rolling out Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S4, AT&T resumes rolling out Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S4

Fitbit Force activity tracker review

When it comes to activity trackers and pedometers, Fitbit is at the top of the list in brand recognition and popularity. They've been around for several years and their fitness products continue to evolve and improve. Earlier this year, they came out with their first wrist worn device – the Fitbit Flex. Now six months later, they are offering another wrist worn tracker – the Fitbit Force. Almost identical in functionality to the Flex, the Force offers one notable feature that the Flex lacks, a display.









The Gadgeteer , Fitbit Force activity tracker review, Fitbit Force activity tracker review

R2D2 is my co-pilot - and my power source!

This is rather expensive for a USB car charging station, but could it be any cuter.  The R2D2 USB Car Charger from ThinkGeek sits beside you in a drink holder;  his arms adjust so that he will fit in most holders.  Plug him into your car's power outlet, and he'll be able to charge two devices simultaneously in his two 2.1A USB jacks.  He's only 5.5″ tall and 3.5″ wide at the widest point; he has a 2″ diameter base to fit in a cup holder and a 36″ long cable to reach the power outlet.

The Gadgeteer , R2D2 is my co-pilot - and my power source!, R2D2 is my co-pilot - and my power source!

2015 Nissan GT-R (video)

Although the first Skyline GT-R from Nissan arrived in 1969, in the 46 years since, there have nearly been as many years without a GT-R as with. The first two generations were produced from 1969 to 1972, the next three generations stretched from 1989 to 2002, and the most recent (just plain GT-R in fact, not a Skyline GT-R) has so far run from 2009 to 2015. That's 25 years that the GT-R has been a member of the material world, and 21 that it has lived in purgatorio.










Autoblog , 2015 Nissan GT-R (video), 2015 Nissan GT-R (video)

PayPal Now Accepting Prepaid Gift Cards For Online Purchases

The holiday shopping season is right around the corner as many Americans consider its official start occurs once we all recover from our Thanksgiving feast comas. Millions of Americans will head out on Black Friday in an attempt to get the best deal for products they plan on giving their family, friends and even co-workers during the holiday season. One of the easiest gifts to give someone is a gift card to one of their favorite retailers, and PayPal is making the use of prepaid gift cards even easier as the company has announced they will support them.

Ubergizmo , PayPal Now Accepting Prepaid Gift Cards For Online Purchases, PayPal Now Accepting Prepaid Gift Cards For Online Purchases

As it turns out, vehicle wraps are anything but new

From Newhouse Automotive Industries comes the "very latest automotive sensation:" vehicle wraps. That was back in 1954, though, long before the "new" vehicle wrap craze took hold five or so years ago. Newhouse's "Car-D-Cal" isn't like the wraps seen today that are usually stretched over cars whole. Instead, the Car-D-Cal was a spot treatment, applied over the roof, doors and even the interior for a little extra pizzazz.

Autoblog , As it turns out, vehicle wraps are anything but new

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, As it turns out, vehicle wraps are anything but new

BlackBerry Announces BBM Partnership With Several Android OEMs

While BBM is pretty established as far as messaging apps are concerned, it does have some pretty stiff competition in the form of WhatsApp, LINE,Viber, and etc., all of which have established themselves on iOS and Android operating systems for years. Well it looks like BlackBerry could be making up for lost time as the company has recently announced that they have managed to partner up with several Android manufacturers who will ensure that the BBM app, as far as Android devices are concerned, will come preinstalled on said devices.

Ubergizmo , BlackBerry Announces BBM Partnership With Several Android OEMs, BlackBerry Announces BBM Partnership With Several Android OEMs

Land Rover could expand Autobiography Black trim to other Range Rovers

There are two things that set the new flagship Range Rover apart from the rest. For one, it's longer than the already commodious SUV on which it's based. For another, it comes in an exclusive new trim level which Land Rover calls Autobiography Black. Only it may not be exclusive for long.
Speaking with Autocar, Land Rover product chief Finbar McFall indicated that the British automaker could expand the new top-of-the-line trim level to other Range Rover models, including the standard-wheelbase Range Rover, the seven-seat Range Rover Sport and the compact Range Rover Evoque.

Autoblog , Land Rover could expand Autobiography Black trim to other Range Rovers

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, Land Rover could expand Autobiography Black trim to other Range Rovers

Twitter Will Now Age-Screen Users Willing To Follow Alcohol Brands

Twitter today announced that it has implemented a new age-screening system for users who are willing to follow alcohol brands. Seeing as it is a global social network, and the legal drinking age varies in different countries, Twitter will now ask users to confirm their date of birth when they follow such a brand. The microblogging network will then check if they're of or over the legal drinking age in their country, if they are, their follow request will be approved and if they aren't, the follow will be denied. The age-screening feature has been rolled out on twitter.com, and on its iOS and Android apps.

Ubergizmo , Twitter Will Now Age-Screen Users Willing To Follow Alcohol Brands, Twitter Will Now Age-Screen Users Willing To Follow Alcohol Brands

Karbonn A1+ Duple Dual SIM Android 4.2 Smartphone

The A1+ Duple is another newly released dual SIM Android 4.2 smartphone from Karbonn for the Indian market. This budget-friendly handset packs a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 touchscreen display, a 1.3GHz dual-core processor, a 256MB RAM, a 512MB of internal storage, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), dual SIM card slots (2G+2G), dual cameras (VGA front & 3MP rear), WiFi, Bluetooth and runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS. The A1+ Duple sells for Rs 3,690 (about $60) outright.

TechFresh , Karbonn A1+ Duple Dual SIM Android 4.2 Smartphone, Karbonn A1+ Duple Dual SIM Android 4.2 Smartphone

SwiftKey 4.3.1 update brings new number pad options while squashing a handful of bugs

The last we heard from SwiftKey — makers of the one of the most popular keyboard replacements for Android devices — they had just introduced their big “Layouts for Living” update in the Play Store. The update allowed uses to customize the layout of the virtual keyboard to suit their tastes, whether it was a split layout for typing on larger tablets, or mini layouts for tiny smartphones. The craziest part is how the keyboard could now be undocked and moved about the display with ease.


Android Phone , SwiftKey 4.3.1 update brings new number pad options while squashing a handful of bugs

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, SwiftKey 4.3.1 update brings new number pad options while squashing a handful of bugs

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years arrives on Android, download on Google Play for $16

2013 has been a good year for Final Fantasy fans on Android. Back in June, we saw Square Enix release the HD remake of Final Fantasy IV into the Play Store. It was only a good 3 months later during TGS 2013 (Tokyo Game Show) that Squenix announced the sequel — Final Fantasy IV: The After Years — would also be making its way to Google Play. However, without a solid date, we were left guessing as when the title to arrive. Over the weekend, it finally happened.

Android Phone , Final Fantasy IV: The After Years arrives on Android, download on Google Play for $16, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years arrives on Android, download on Google Play for $16

Honda already working on NSX roadster

Honda doesn't do many convertibles. There was the original Sports 360, the Civic del Sol, the S2000 and the Beat. But so far, that's pretty much it. The previous NSX was offered with a targa-style top, but the latest reports indicate that the Japanese automaker is already working on a proper convertible version of the new NSX, to be sold once again as an Acura in North America and a Honda in other markets.
Although it's not yet known whether the NSX roadster will offer a hard or soft top, sources indicate that it won't be a mere removable roof panel.

Autoblog , Honda already working on NSX roadster, Honda already working on NSX roadster

Newtec Delivers VSAT Platform For Extension Of Eutelsat’s Broadband Services Towards The French West Indies And French Guiana

Eutelsat selected Newtec’s Sat3Play® VSAT Broadband Platform to extend its IP Easy service offering over the French West Indies and French Guiana.

Press Release Distribution , Newtec Delivers VSAT Platform For Extension Of Eutelsat’s Broadband Services Towards The French West Indies And French Guiana, Newtec Delivers VSAT Platform For Extension Of Eutelsat’s Broadband Services Towards The French West Indies And French Guiana

Line Messaging App Surpasses 300 Million Registered Users Milestone

We're sure by now, you already have chosen your instant messaging application and have been happy with its service for several months. Jumping to a completely new messaging service is a pretty hard decision, especially if those who you chat with don't use the service you're attempting to make the jump to. That doesn't seem to be the case with Line, which has just announced they have passed the 300 million user milestone. . We wouldn't be surprised if you've never heard of Line, but with 300 million users, it could possibly be one of the largest messaging applications around.

Ubergizmo , Line Messaging App Surpasses 300 Million Registered Users Milestone, Line Messaging App Surpasses 300 Million Registered Users Milestone

NHTSA claims power to regulate smartphones in cars, will issue guidelines next year

Back in April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released voluntary guidelines covering the use of in-car infotainment and communications in the hopes that automakers would reconfigure their systems to make them safer. But on Tuesday, NHTSA administrator David Strickland said at a congressional hearing that the administration has the authority to set vehicle smartphone guidelines and will release new voluntary guidelines next year, casting a wider net than the ones released in April, The Detroit News reports.

Autoblog , NHTSA claims power to regulate smartphones in cars, will issue guidelines next year, NHTSA claims power to regulate smartphones in cars, will issue guidelines next year