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Friday, December 2, 2011

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Aptera pulls the plug

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 02:32 PM PST

Aptera pulls the plug


Aptera pulls the plug
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Aptera Just over a month ago, Aptera was promising rebirth with Aptera 2.0. The promise will not be kept. Today, the company announced it is closing its doors, effective immediately. In an email to supporters, president and CEO Paul Wilbur wrote, "We are out of resources." His letter (available in full after the jump) reveals many details about the behind-the-scenes at the EV start-up, including DOE discussions about development of...

Now In 70 U.S. & Canadian Markets, Dealfind Goes Mobile

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 02:32 PM PST

Now In 70 U.S. & Canadian Markets, Dealfind Goes Mobile


Now In 70 U.S. & Canadian Markets, Dealfind Goes Mobile
Toronto-based deal provider Dealfind, which recently became one of the first half-dozen or so partners to be featured within Google Offers, is now available as its own standalone mobile application. The new app works on both iPhone and Android, allowing deal hunters to locate, purchase and store offers on their mobile phone. There's nothing all that remarkable about the app itself – you pick your city, find a deal you like and...

GM considers new battery for Volt, offers to buy back hybrids from pyrophobic cu...

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 02:31 PM PST

GM considers new battery for Volt, offers to buy back hybrids from pyrophobic customers


GM considers new battery for Volt, offers to buy back hybrids from pyrophobic customers
Still freaked out about that whole Volt catching fire thing? Well, GM wants you to know it's taking your concerns very seriously. The company is considering a redesign of the battery in the hybrid, possibly delaying the release of the Opel-branded version in Europe. What's more, for those not satisfied with being able to pick up a loaner, the company will buy the vehicle back from you....

GM considering a plug-in Chevy Cruze

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 01:43 PM PST

GM considering a plug-in Chevy Cruze


GM considering a plug-in Chevy Cruze
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Pacific Region The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco is rated at 42 mpg on the highway, but new reports suggest that we may soon find out just how many MPGe a plug-in version would get. Australia's Go Auto spoke with GM's Jim Federico, who said that a PHEV Cruze is indeed in the cards....

Motorola tablet says hello to FCC, totes Verizon LTE bands

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 01:43 PM PST

Motorola tablet says hello to FCC, totes Verizon LTE bands


Motorola tablet says hello to FCC, totes Verizon LTE bands
Could this be a Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition with Verizon's LTE making its way through the FCC? The tablet sports LTE band 13 -- Big Red's particular flavor -- as well as CDMA / EVDO. It also technically houses GSM / EDGE / WCDMA functionality, though the government documents state that it's SIM-locked and disabled by firmware....

SupaBoy portable SNES, the most fun you can have without a soldering iron

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 01:43 PM PST

SupaBoy portable SNES, the most fun you can have without a soldering iron


SupaBoy portable SNES, the most fun you can have without a soldering iron
We previewed Hyperkin's SupaBoy back in the summer and loved the idea of toting 'round original SNES games without resorting to Ben Heck-style crafting. The handheld takes full-size cartridges, packs a 3.5-inch screen and a battery that's disappointingly rated for just two point five hours (best keep a power cable handy)....

Video: iPhone Games In Real Life

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:55 PM PST

Video: iPhone Games In Real Life


Video: iPhone Games In Real Life
It's not rare for me to post videos on Fridays, but I generally preface them with some big explanation as to why I've posted it on TechCrunch. This week's explanation is simple: because it's friggin' awesome. It's got Angry Birds! It's got Fruit Ninja! It's got Flight Control (plus super cute Flight Control girl!) It's got stupidly catchy indie music!...

The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET with special guest Nicole Scott!

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:55 PM PST

The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET with special guest Nicole Scott!


The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET with special guest Nicole Scott!
We stuffed ourselves with turkey and yams last week, so naturally the long post-holiday break has left us trying to digest a whole mess of wireless news. This is a podcast you won't want to miss, because we'll have Netbook News' very own Nicole Scott sharing the mic with us to break it all down and make sense of it all....

FTC asked to open an investigation into Carrier IQ

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:54 PM PST

FTC asked to open an investigation into Carrier IQ


FTC asked to open an investigation into Carrier IQ
It was only a matter of time, we suppose, before this whole Carrier IQ thing started drawing the attention of lawmakers. The saga has quickly spiraled out of control, with carriers being forced to declare which side they're on and Senator Stuart Smalley Al Franken demanding the company provide details about what data it collects and how it's used....

Apple applies for 'digital handshake' patent powered by invisible ink

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:54 PM PST

Apple applies for 'digital handshake' patent powered by invisible ink


Apple applies for 'digital handshake' patent powered by invisible ink
Time for the usual disclaimer, since we're taking a journey into the murky world of Cupertino's patent applications -- it's just as likely we'll never see or hear of this tech again as it is to wind up in the next iPhone. While everyone else is betting on NFC, Apple wants to use next-generation cameras and invisible ink to negotiate digital handshakes....

Concepts Take Center Stage at Tokyo

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:54 PM PST

Concepts Take Center Stage at Tokyo


Concepts Take Center Stage at Tokyo
Automakers were happy to show off their design chops in Tokyo.

Yoshikazu Tanaka On How Mobile Social Gaming Will Make GREE The Next Nintendo (T...

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:06 PM PST

Yoshikazu Tanaka On How Mobile Social Gaming Will Make GREE The Next Nintendo (TCTV)


Yoshikazu Tanaka On How Mobile Social Gaming Will Make GREE The Next Nintendo (TCTV)
One of the fastest growing companies in Japan right now is GREE, a publicly-traded mobile social gaming network with 900 employees and on track to generate $1.7 billion in annual revenues. I interviewed GREE founder and CEO Yoshikazu Tanaka through an interpreter earlier this week at the TechCrunch Tokyo conference....

Trouble hearing? Advanced Bionics' waterproof implant is paddling your way

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:06 PM PST

Trouble hearing? Advanced Bionics' waterproof implant is paddling your way


Trouble hearing? Advanced Bionics' waterproof implant is paddling your way
If you're one of the 200,000 deaf people who've received cochlear implants, then here's an upgrade worth considering: the Neptune from Advanced Bionics claims to be "the world's first and only swimmable, waterproof sound processor," and it's just received certification for the US and Canada. Read on for more details in the full press release and soon you could be bantering while you bathe.Continue reading Trouble hearing?...

PSA: Mophie and Best Buy issue seperate iDevice battery pack recalls due to over...

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:06 PM PST

PSA: Mophie and Best Buy issue seperate iDevice battery pack recalls due to overheating concerns


PSA: Mophie and Best Buy issue seperate iDevice battery pack recalls due to overheating concerns
Sporting an external battery pack on your iPod Touch or iPhone? If it happens to be from Mophie or Best Buy's Rocketfish brand, we'd advise you to take note and avoid getting burned. Rocketfish's RF-KL12 battery case for the iPhone 3G / 3GS has been reported in a small number of burn and "minor" fire incidents, while Mophie's announced that a select number of Juice Pack Air models for the 4th...

As Christmas Nears, The iPhone 4S Is Still In Short Supply

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 11:17 AM PST

As Christmas Nears, The iPhone 4S Is Still In Short Supply


As Christmas Nears, The iPhone 4S Is Still In Short Supply
Just hear those sleigh bells ringing and jing ting tingaling too Come on its lovely weather for an iPhone purchase for you! Christmas is sneaking up this year and you better be prepared. The iPhone 4S is still in short supply at all three of the US' wireless carriers. Verizon is suffering the worst with immediate shipping only available on two variations....

PSA looking to build electric vehicles, hybrids with China's Changan

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 11:17 AM PST

PSA looking to build electric vehicles, hybrids with China's Changan


PSA looking to build electric vehicles, hybrids with China's Changan
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Peugeot The Changan Automobile Group Co. is no stranger to working on hybrids, but it is going to look for help from PSA Peugeot-Citroën to develop more hybrids and all-electric vehicles. Changan is also working on EVs with LG Chem, so the signs are pointing to a strong commitment to plug-in powertrains in China. According to Bloomberg, the French and Chinese companies would jointly make the electrified cars in...

Amazon canceling some Transformer Prime pre-orders, supply shortages to blame

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 11:17 AM PST

Amazon canceling some Transformer Prime pre-orders, supply shortages to blame


Amazon canceling some Transformer Prime pre-orders, supply shortages to blame
Were you one of the eager beavers who pre-ordered ASUS' new superslate, the Transformer Prime, from Amazon? It turns out, demand for the tablet was so great that it's outstripped the retailer's supply, so Bezos' business is apparently canceling orders placed on or after November 22nd and issuing refunds. Sad news for those who had their hearts set on getting the Prime this holiday season, but maybe it's a blessing in...

Lockheed Martin shows us how it's getting Orion ready to explore the cosmos

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 11:17 AM PST

Lockheed Martin shows us how it's getting Orion ready to explore the cosmos


Lockheed Martin shows us how it's getting Orion ready to explore the cosmos
It's not every day that America designs an entirely new spacecraft. Rarer still is the creation of a vehicle that can carry man, not just machine, beyond the earth's gravitational pull. In the history of the world, there have been only seven such human transports: the Vostok, Voskhod, and Soyuz capsules from Russia, the American-made Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules, plus the Space Shuttle, and China's Shenzhou spacecraft....

World's Fastest Toy Car Hits 100 MPH

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 10:28 AM PST

World's Fastest Toy Car Hits 100 MPH


World's Fastest Toy Car Hits 100 MPH
You're going to need a bigger basement.

Consumer group cries foul on Hyundai's 40-mpg claim

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 10:28 AM PST

Consumer group cries foul on Hyundai's 40-mpg claim


Consumer group cries foul on Hyundai's 40-mpg claim
Filed under: MPG, Hyundai, Legislation and Policy Right when it looks like Hyundai can do no wrong, we have this: A consumer protection group is asking the United States Environmental Protection Agency to look into claims that the Elantra has exaggerated fuel economy numbers. Consumer Watchdog sent the EPA a letter citing a litany of public criticism of the compact Elantra's real-world fuel economy, and asking the EPA to "re-test the 2011 and...

Hands-on with Dijit's universal remote app for iPad

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 10:28 AM PST

Hands-on with Dijit's universal remote app for iPad


Hands-on with Dijit's universal remote app for iPad
By now, you should all be familiar with Griffin's Beacon universal remote system, as we've gotten our hands on the iPhone version and let you know about the one for Android, too. Well Dijit, who creates the apps that work with the Beacon hardware, wasn't done, and so has released an iPad-specific app to take advantage of the extra screen real estate it affords....

Google brings free voice calls to Hangouts, really wants you to hang out

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 10:28 AM PST

Google brings free voice calls to Hangouts, really wants you to hang out


Google brings free voice calls to Hangouts, really wants you to hang out
Google's Hangout feature has just become a little more Hangout-y, now that the folks in Mountain View have integrated free voice calls within Google+. Available to users within the US and Canada, this new "extra" feature allows social networkers to place calls directly from a Hangout, allowing the recipient to remotely join in on the conversation at hand....

Carrier IQ, Samsung, And HTC All Facing Class Action Lawsuits

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 09:38 AM PST

Carrier IQ, Samsung, And HTC All Facing Class Action Lawsuits


Carrier IQ, Samsung, And HTC All Facing Class Action Lawsuits
To say that Carrier IQ has been going through a lot is a bit of an understatement, and it looks like things are only getting worse. PaidContent reports that two class action lawsuits — one from Missouri and the other from Illinois — have been filed against the Mountain View-based company for supposedly violating the Federal Wiretap Act....

iBuypower outs liquid-cooled Gamer Paladin HS11 for $999

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 09:38 AM PST

iBuypower outs liquid-cooled Gamer Paladin HS11 for $999


iBuypower outs liquid-cooled Gamer Paladin HS11 for $999
Is it possible to build a fully-fledged and decently frigid gaming PC for $999 with a profit margin to spare? The Gamer Paladin HS11's spec sheet suggests it is. In contrast to the fiery Chimera 4, you get a sensible trio of a Gigabyte Z68 mobo, Core i5-2500K CPU and NVIDIA GTX 570 1.2GB graphics card, plus 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive....

The Engadget Show returns Tuesday, December 13th -- win a ticket to the taping!

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 09:38 AM PST

The Engadget Show returns Tuesday, December 13th -- win a ticket to the taping!


The Engadget Show returns Tuesday, December 13th -- win a ticket to the taping!
A one horse open sleigh? Not quite, but we will be flying to Japan to check out a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Tokyo Auto Show. We'll also be sitting down to discuss our top tech of the year and, as always, talking about the latest and greatest gadgets the month has to offer....

GM now willing to buy back Volts from worried owners

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST

GM now willing to buy back Volts from worried owners


GM now willing to buy back Volts from worried owners
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM According to the Associated Press, GM CEO Dan Akerson has said General Motors will buy back any Chevrolet Volt from owners who are concerned about the vehicle's fire risk. Akerson said that his company isn't making the move because the plug-in hybrids are unsafe, but because GM is committed to keeping its customers happy....

How Zynga Stacks Up To Japan’s Social Gaming Giant, GREE (Hint: It Is Less Profi...

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST

How Zynga Stacks Up To Japan's Social Gaming Giant, GREE (Hint: It Is Less Profitable)


How Zynga Stacks Up To Japan's Social Gaming Giant, GREE (Hint: It Is Less Profitable)
With Zynga launching its IPO road show today, all eyes are on the social gaming goliath Mark Pincus built on the Web. But the future of social gaming, as with so many things these days, is mobile, where Zynga admits (in its S-1) that it has "limited experience." All you have to do, however, is look to Japan's social mobile gaming companies like GREE and DeNA to see how much more lucrative social...

TextOnly App Only Gives You The Good Part Of Most Websites

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST

TextOnly App Only Gives You The Good Part Of Most Websites


TextOnly App Only Gives You The Good Part Of Most Websites
Textonly is, on its surface, a gussied up RSS reader. However, unlike similar "read later" and newsfeed services, this app allows you to read sites in their text-only form, reducing the time it takes to load and view nearly everything. While it won't do you much good on shopping and media sites, it could help in reading long, image heavy web pages on slow connections. The service is now available as an...

Engadget Podcast 266 - 12.02.2011

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST

Engadget Podcast 266 - 12.02.2011



Engadget Podcast 266 - 12.02.2011
Listener, it's been a weird week. Big Brother's inside your phone, a tasty new OS is inside your phone, and now it's even easier to livestream your life from your phone. How do all these revelations change the way you'll go about your gadgety business? There's only one way to find out: listen, listener, to the Engadget Podcast. Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater Guest: Terrence O'Brien Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: All The Small Things 01:20 -...

FCC Fridays: December 2, 2011

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST

FCC Fridays: December 2, 2011


FCC Fridays: December 2, 2011
We here at Engadget Mobile tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week....