PC Koubou Librage BTO SL540aA8 Slim Desktop PC

Here’s the newest member to PC Koubou’s slim desktop PC line-up, the Librage BTO SL540aA8. This BTO (Build To Order) system comes with a 3.0GHz AMD A8-3870K APU (4-core) processor, an AMD A75 chipset, a Radeon HD 6550D graphics card, a 4GB DDR3 RAM, a 500GB hard drive, a DVD Super Multi Drive and runs on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS (Standard Configuration). Price is set at 49,980 Yen (about $625). [Product Page]

AOC AMI2252W0M-GP3R 21.5-Inch Full HD Monitor

AOC will launch a new Full HD monitor in Japan called the AMI2252W0M-GP3R. Featuring an IPS panel, this new 21.5-inch LED-backlight monitor provides 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, 20,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 250 cd/m2 brightness, 5ms response time and 178/178 degree viewing angles. In addition, it also comes with two built-in 2W speakers and features DVI, D-Sub and HDMI connectors. The AMI2252W0M-GP3R will go on sale from February 25th for 14,800 Yen (about $185). [AOC]

Plextor M3P SSDs

Links International has released a new line of SSDs from Plextor called the M3P. Coming in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB sizes, these slim 2.5-inch SSDs (7mm thick) are equipped with 24nm MLC NAND Flash memory chips, a SATA 6.0 Gbps interface, a Marvell 88SS9174 controller, a MTBF of 1.5 million hours, TRIM support and capable of delivering read/write speeds of up to 535/350 MB/s (128GB Model), 540/420 MB/s (256GB Model) and 535/450 MB/s (512GB Model), respectively. The 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models are priced at 19,800 Yen (about $248), 38,800 Yen (about $485) and 59,800 Yen (about $748), respectively. [Product Page]

A-Data DashDrive UV100 USB Flash Drives

Here we have a new line of USB flash drives from A-Data, the DashDrive UV100. Available in three different storage capacities: 4GB, 8GB and 16GB, these extremely compact flash drives feature a capless design, a USB 2.0 connection interface and a strap hole which makes the drive easy to carry on a lanyard or keychain. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing yet. [A-Data]

Teclast A15 Android Tablet

Teclast is proud to bring you their newest Android tablet, the A15. Specs-wise, the device sports a 9.0-inch 1280 x 800 capacitive multi-touch display, a 1.2GHz RK2918 processor, a GC800 GPU, a 1GB DDR3 RAM, an 8GB of storage, a microSD card slot, a front-facing camera, 1080p Full HD video playback support, WiFi, OTG function and runs on Android 4.0 OS. The A15 is available now for 999 Yuan (about $118). [Teclast]

Intel Atom D2550 Cedar View-based Processor Unveiled

Word has it that Intel will launch the Intel Atom D2550 processor on February 26, 2012. This Cedar View-based CPU supports the Hyper-Threading technology with the TDP remaining at 10W. The Intel Atom D2550 also features a 1.86GHz clock speed, a 512KB of L2 cache on each of the two cores and an integrated GPU with clock speed of 640MHz. No word on pricing at this time. [VR-Zone]

Securifi Almond Wi-Fi Router

The Securifi Almond is not an ordinary Wi-Fi router because it has a built-in 2.8-inch (320 x 240) touchscreen display that provides easy access to settings and info on the device itself. Priced at only $69.99, the device provides only a pair of LAN ports and supports a single-band N-router, so it won’t work on the 5Ghz spectrum. The Securifi Almond Wi-Fi router will be released in March 2012. [Gear Patrol]

Plustek OpticFilm 120 Film Scanner

Plustek is ready to release a new film scanner namely the OpticFilm 120. The desktop film scanner features an automatic film advance mechanism, high-quality scanner optics and newly designed film holders. It can handle both 35mm and medium-format negatives and transparencies up to a frame size of 6cm x 12cm. The Plustek OpticFilm 120 is equipped with the latest software from LaserSoft Imaging: SilverFast Ai Studio 8 with a built-in IT8 calibration and a matching IT8 target. No word on pricing at this time. [PhotographyBLOG]

Transcend SSD500 Solid State Drive Shipped

Transcend has started selling the SSD500 2.5-inch solid state drive in Europe. The storage device uses the SLC (single-level cell) NAND Flash memory, offering up to 100,000 erase/write cycles with read/write speeds of up to 260/230MB/s. The Transcend SSD500 also supports a SATA 3.0 Gbps interface. Available in a 16GB, a 32GB, or a 64GB of storage space, the Transcend SSD500 retails for 164.01 Euro ($220), 314.07 Euro ($422) and 596.89 Euro ($801), respectively. [PCLaunches]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1-inch Tablet

Samsung has announced the availability of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1-inch tablet. Powered by the Google Android 4.0 operating system, the gadget features a 10.1-inch WXGA PLS TFT display with a 1280×800 pixel resolution, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 1GB of RAM, a 3MP rear-facing digital camera and a front-facing camera for video calls. The tablet supports a 720p HD video recording and a full HD video playback. Additional specs include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HSPA+ support, A-GPS, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB) and a 7000mAh rechargeable battery. The Wi-Fi model is priced at 399 Euros ($536), while the Wi-Fi+3G version is priced at 499 Euros ($670). [SamsungHub]

Sony VAIO VPCJ236FJ All-In-One PC

Sony has once again expanded its line of all-in-one PCs by showing of the VAIO VPCJ236FJ. Available in both white and black color options, this space-saving machine is packed with a 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD display, a 2.20GHz Intel Pentium B960 processor, an Intel HM65 Express Chipset, a 4GB DDR3 RAM, a 1.5TB hard drive, a webcam, a DVD Super Multi Drive, a card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 + HS, two USB 3.0 ports an runs on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (SP1) OS. The VAIO VPCJ236FJ will go on sale from March 3rd for around 120,000 Yen (about $1,495). [Sony]

I-O Data RHDM-U500HR 500GB Portable Hard Drive

I-O Data is preparing to drop another portable hard drive ‘RHDM-U500HR’ for the mass market. Coming in 500GB capacity, this portable hard drive features a USB 2.0 connection interface, an 8MB of cache buffer, 5400RPM spindle speed, TV recording support and is compatible with Windows 7/Vista OS. The RHDM-U500HR will start shipping from early March for 12,500 Yen (about $156). [I-O Data]

Evergreen DN-68571 13-Port USB 2.0 Hub

Evergreen offers you their newest 13-port USB 2.0 hub, the DN-68571. This plug and play hub is equipped with 13 USB 2.0 ports, an ON/OFF switch button and comes with an AC adapter. The DN-68571 is available now for just 999 Yen (about $12). [Product Page]

Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E CPU Cooler Goes On Sale In Europe

Thermalright has begun selling their latest CPU cooler ‘Silver Arrow SB-E’ in Europe. Coming in a dual tower design, this high-end CPU cooler has eight 6mm nickel-plated copper heatpipes, a tweaked heatsink and two TY PWM fans (1x 140mm x 1x 150mm). Not only that, it also supports for both Intel (LGA2011, LGA1366, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA775) and AMD (AM2(+), AM3(+), FM1) processors. The Silver Arrow SB-E retails for 64.99 Euro (about $86). [Product Page]

Cooler Master Elite 372 Mid-Tower PC Case

Cooler Master has unleashed a new mid-tower PC case for the European market. Called the Elite 372, this steel case supports for both micro ATX and ATX motherboards, and features a front-placed I/O panel with 2x USB 2.0, 1x mic and 1x audio ports, three 5.25-inch external drive bays, one 3.5-inch external drive bay, five 3.5-inch internal drive bays, seven expansion slots and can be equipped with up to seven fans. The Elite 372 sells for 39.90 Euro (about $53). [Cooler Master]

Panasonic SC-AP01 AirPlay Speaker

Panasonic today unveiled the new SC-AP01 AirPlay speaker. Measuring 59mm x 430mm x 128mm, the speaker adopts the Nano Bamboo technology to create a high quality sound. This technology enables the speaker to create direct vocal sound that produces a three-dimensional sound fields. The company will launch the SC-AP01 AirPlay speaker on April 20th, 2012. No word on pricing at this time. [Slashgear]

NuForce Air DAC Wireless System

The NuForce Air DAC Wireless System enables you to stream music from your computer or iOS devices to up to four different receivers throughout your home or office. The device doesn’t require any WiFi routers or IP addresses. You just need to plug the wireless transmitter (iTX or uTX) into your computer’s USB port or iOS devices and the radio receiver (Air DAC) in any available sound system. Both the wireless transmitter (iTX or uTX) and radio receiver (Air DAC) operate in the 2.4GHz radio band. The Air DAC uWireless System for computer is available now for $179 (receiver and transmitter bundle). The receiver is also available separately for $149 each, while the transmitter for $59 each. The NuForice iTX Transmitter for iOS devices will be released very soon for $199 (receiver and transmitter bundle). [Product Page]

Docomo Releases Medias Tab N-06D Android Tablet

Docomo has recently released the MEDIAS TAB N-06D 7-inch waterproof tablet. Powered by the Google Android OS, the gadget supports NOTTV. It is a new terrestrial broadcasting service for smartphones and tablets that will begin transmission on April 1, 2012. The Medias Tab N-06D features a 7-inch WXGA display, a dual-core processor, a mobile wallet service, a One-Seg mobile TV tuner and an infra-red data transmission. [Akihabara]

Samsung F457 Washing Machine

The Samsung F457 is not an ordinary washing machine because it can be monitored and controlled via an app. The washing machine features an 8-inch touchscreen control panel and an industry-leading capacity that enables it to wash up to 33 bath towels in one load. The Samsung F457 also adopts the vibration reduction technology for quiet operation. Too bad, there is no info on pricing at this time. [Uncrate]

The Organic Air Scrubbing Purifier

Online store Hammacher has started selling the Organic Air Scrubbing Purifier that can eliminate 99.9 percent of all pollutants such as mold, viruses, and pet dander. The gadget is also able to reduce odor in your room. The fan produces only 12 decibels. The Organic Air Scrubbing Purifier is priced at $399.95. [Product Page]

ProMaster FL100 TTL Flash Unit

ProMaster has introduced the new FL100 TTL flash unit for Canon, Nikon, Olympus/Panasonic, Pentax and Sony DSLR cameras. The flash unit features a guide number of 30 (in metres at ISO 100x21°), a manual zoom head and a fast recycle time at “3-10 seconds”. The ProMaster FL100 TTL draws its power from four AA batteries. The company will launch the ProMaster FL100 TTL flash unit in Spring 2012 for $99.95 each. [PhotographyBLOG]

Android mini figurines now available at several retailers

If you have had a hard time getting your hands on the limited edition Android figurines that make an appearance from time to time, you will want to head out to the nearest Urban Outfitters, Barnes & Noble, or FYE as soon as possible. A non-limited edition run of Android characters have gone on sale. You can find ‘Droids painted up as a bear, a businessman, or even the abominable snowman all for $10 each. Even though the plan is to produce more than one run of these little guys, these will likely be flying off shelves. Grab one (or several) soon before they become harder to find than the Yeti himself.

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 arriving next week?

Looking forward to PlayBook OS 2.0 for your BlackBerry PlayBook? According to rumors online you won't be waiting for too long, in fact we might be seeing the update as early as in a week's time. N4BB.com has reported that its sources have confirmed February 21st to be the expected release date of PlayBook OS 2.0. However, there's really no way of confirming the rumor besides waiting for the day to arrive or getting someone in the know to disclose that information. We've previously heard rumors about a February 17th release date, so this new date marks a slight delay for its release – but just as long as RIM sticks to its February deadline, I'm sure nobody will get too upset. The PlayBook OS 2.0 is supposed to turn the PlayBook into what it should have been when on launch day. It includes native email, calendar and contacts apps. BBM still won't be present (you'll need to use BlackBerry Bridge for that), but hopefully the support for running Android apps can make up for it. Who's still looking forward to PlayBook OS 2.0?

PlayStation Vita unboxing + hands-on

The PlayStation Vita will be released in the US market on February 22, but one has landed in our office, and we gave it the unboxing and hands-on treatment.  The packaging is classic, nothing new there, but the PlayStation Vita, or PS Vita, is a beautifully crafted device. In my opinion, it looks more “polished” then the PSP ever was. The device fits rather comfortably in my hands and all the controls fall right under my fingers. I will have to use it for a period of time to see if the first-impression sticks in terms of ergonomics. As you may be aware, there are two memory slots: one for a small card with the permanent user storage, and another one (larger) for games and purchased apps. You may also download most if not all the apps and save a bit of money.The display, which is the main point of focus of the console, has a resolution of 960×544, which is not the highest pixel density out there (far from it), but it looks surprisingly sharp. I think that Sony and the game developers did a good job of getting the best of this screen. I haven't had time to try all the games yet, but so far titles like Wipeout 2048 do have a quality and speed that is beyond most of the smartphone games that I have seen. The responsiveness of the general user interface is also excellent. You can tell that PlayStation developers try to live by the 60FPS rule. Although the PS Vita competes for the same dollars than a smartphone, it clearly doesn't address the same need. Chances are that PS Vita users will also own a smartphone, so can Sony still turn this into a good business? The numbers will tell us, but in the meantime, the productivity at the office just came to a halt. Stay tuned for a complete review! [PS Vita specifications]

Still Time Left To Enter To Win A Droid 4 From Motorola's Facebook Contest

There’s not much time left, but if you hurry, you can get in on Motorola’s Valentine’s Day contest being held on their official Facebook page. To enter, all you have to do is simply download the image of the cute Android cupid on their Facebook page, place the image in a photo of you and your sweetheart and you will be entered to win the all new Motorola Droid 4 on Verizon Wireless. Pretty easy, right? Good luck, everyone! Thanks, Thomas!

HP Introduces Z1 All-In-One Workstation

HP beefs up its desktop category with a new all-in-one. The HP Z1 workstation works for both casual consumers, performance-demanding professionals, and Windows PC enthusiasts who love to tinker with their computers. Unlike many all-in-ones, its 27-inch IPS display (with 2560 x 1440 resolution) snaps open so parts swapping and hardware upgrading are a breeze. The machine features a quad-core Intel Xeon CPU and NVIDIA Quadro graphics chipset for the most premium model, as well as your choice of 160GB or 300GB of internal storage. The HP Z1 is expected to be shipped around April in the United States, starting at $1,899.

ZTE V9A Light Tab 2 Coming to UK

If you do not mind buying a Gingerbread device and you live in the United Kingdom, well good news! The ZTE V9A Light Tab 2 is now available in Great Britain. This tablet sports a 7-inch TFT LCD capacitive touch screen with 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, Android 2.3, dual cameras (3MP at the back; 0.3MP in the front), FM radio, WiFi, 3G connectivity (no word on service provider), and a battery life that lasts up to 5.5 hours while movie watching. Also included is the 4GB internal storage with a microSD slot for expanded memory. It comes pre-installed with popular apps like YouTube and Google Talk. No word on whether the device can be upgraded into Ice Cream Sandwich. The ZTE V9A Light Tab 2 is also available in Spain, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.

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There are people who look for different features in gadgets. Some look at design while others look more closely at the specs. For the latter, always having the best in terms of specs is the only way to go. For those looking for laptops of such kind, nothing so far can beat this monster of a laptop in the Origin EON17-X. The Origin EON17-X Laptop is not just any ordinary laptop. It is not even comparable to the more popular ones out there in terms of specs. It is a gamer's dream of a laptop in terms of the hardware it comes with. Just consider having a laptop that comes with an Intel Core 3.9GHz Quad Core CPU, a dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M graphic cards, 32GB 1333Mhz Corsair quad channel memory, and up to 3 hard drives worth a total of 3TB of storage. Now that is a monster of a laptop. It comes with a 17 inch screen and weighs a heavy 12 pounds, considering the hardware that it carries inside. But specs-wise, the Origin EON17-X may just be one of those ridiculous laptops that make sense to only the most serious of gamers around. It is available at Origin PC at a starting price of US$3,159.

HD-A80 HD Camcorder

Light In The Box offers you their newest HD camcorder, the HD-A80. Priced at just $81.99, this budget-friendly camcorder sports a 5.0MP CMOS sensor, an 8x digital zoom, a 3.0-inch TFT LCD display, a 32MB of internal memory, a SD/SDHC card slot (up to 16GB), a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, a TV-out and 720p HD video recording capabilities (30fps). [Product Page]

Stop Everything You're Doing and Download Zenonia 4 – Now Available In The Android Market

It was almost a month ago to this day that I showed you guys leaked images of Gamevil’s upcoming sequel to one of the best action RPG franchises Android has to offer — Zenonia 4. I think it’s safe to say we were all pretty much floored with what we’ve saw. Well, I have great news for all you Android gamers out there. Zenonia 4 is now officially available in the Android Market. Featuring all new, high-resolution graphics, Zenonia 4 finally brings the franchise into the wonderful world of HD. Have to admit, I almost wept after seeing the bright new visuals on my wonderful SAMOLED Plus display. Can’t say I’ve never been a more proud father, than I am right now. Zenonia 4, which actually launched a few short days ago, has been receiving near perfect reviews from user in the Market despite  being considered a “freemium” title — but it’s freemium done right. Players who wish to enhance their gameplay experience (or cough: cheat) can do say through the use of in-app payments that will yield extra items and upgrades. Keep in mind, unlike most freemium titles, this is by no means necessary to progress along in the game. So, really. Stop everything you’re doing, and get to downloading this shining example of how far gaming has come and where it’s headed on on our Android smartphones.

Motorola Defy Mini To Hit UK In Late March

Motorola has made a new announcement today that their latest Android smartphone ‘Defy Mini' will hit UK in late March. The handset will retail for about 175 GBP (about $275) unlocked. To refresh your memory, the Defy Mini packs a 3.2-inch 480 x 320 scratch proof Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreen display, a 600MHz processor, a 512MB RAM, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a VGA front-facing camera, a 3.0MP rear-facing camera, HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, a micro USB port, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 1650mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread OS. [Press Release]

Apple tops Google in cooperate reputation, study shows

Apple has edged out Google to become the most reputable company of 2012, according to a study from marketing research firm Harris Interactive. The firm's 13th annual Reputation Quotient (RQ) survey had Apple coming ahead of Google, which held the top spot in 2011′s poll. Coca-Cola, Amazon and Kraft Foods rounding out the top five. “We are seeing the emergence of a group of companies that garner reputation equity by being positively associated with multiple industries,” said Robert Fronk, executive vice president of Harris Interactive. “Companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon.com combine innovation and leadership across multiple business areas, giving them true competitive advantage.” Apple recorded an RQ score of 85.62, the highest in the survey's history, and was the top ranked in four of the six key dimensions of reputation - financial performance, products and services, vision and leadership and workplace environment. The Cupertino-based company was topped by Whole Foods in social responsibility, and by Amazon in emotional appeal.

Apple prepping updated Mac Pro with NVIDIA graphics, report claims

Apple may be switching back to NVIDIA for the upcoming Mac Pro's primary GPU, according to an anonymous source speaking with MIC Gadget. The new Mac Pros will reportedly feature Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge chipset, which features 22 nanometer transistor technology and is more efficient than the previous Sandy Bridge processors. The site also suggests that the Cupertino-based company has been testing new processors with 8 cores and 20MB of cache. The overheating issues that have plagued previous models have been solved thanks to the 30% increase in heat dissipation efficiency afforded by Intel's new chips. For graphics in the new Mac Pro, Apple has reportedly chosen NVIDIA's “Kepler” platform, which is set to be released around the same time as Intel's new CPUs. Apple is expected to launch its refreshed Mac Pro line in the third quarter this year, MIC Gadget stated.

Acer Iconia Tab A200 getting Android 4.0 update now

When the Acer Iconia Tab A200 was released, last month, the manufacturer promised that an update to Ice Cream Sandwich would follow up, coming February. And just as we expected, without previous notice, the delicious update has just started to hit A200 tablets. This update brings you up to Android 4.0.3, and the version number is Acer_AV041_A200_1.037.00_PA_CUS1. So if you have not yet been prompted to update your tablet, it might be a good idea to start tapping away in the settings. Just go to Settings > About tablet > System update > Check now and you should be set. Go ahead and let us know how everything goes, and enjoy your new update!

Leaked HTC Endeavor RUU brings a flurry of Sense 4.0 images

Earlier, we reported on the leaked HTC Endeavor RUU. Our main concern was the creating of Android 4.0 ROMs for HTC, but that is not the only fun stuff hidden behind all those zeros and ones. After taking it all apart we can find a plethora of Sense 4.0 previews, giving us an idea of waht HTC's latest UI overlay will look like. As usual with HTC, the interface is quite good looking. Images mostly include screenshots of the unlock screen, as well as the different options that come along with it. We can not wait until we get to play around with a physical device. But for now, let's check out the images and drool over them.

YouTube on Google TV to be updated

Google has announced that their video sharing website, YouTube, will be getting an update on Google TV so that your life will be all the more convenient, as it is now faster and easier to search and track down great content. You will also find the addition of more channel pages on YouTube while gaining more control over your experience. Google does seem to be doing its fair share in making sure the YouTube experience is more streamlined, having updated native YouTube playback on Windows Phone last week, while bringing more localized content to countries such as Chile and Peru. The YouTube update can be updated via Android Market, and one of the first noticeable improvements would be a faster and smoother navigation, while this feature known as Discover allows you to browse through YouTube channels by categories. It does not matter whether you are sniffing around for some side-splitting comedy, delectable cooking content, or even the latest news. New channel pages were also thrown into the mix, letting you navigate through playlists and videos in your favorite channels, and subscribing to channels from the YouTube app is easy with but a click.

HTC Endeavor RUU leaked, breakthrough for custom ICS ROMs?

For years custom ROMs such as CyanogenMod have been saviors for us users. They have helped us receive the latest version of our beloved OS long before the manufacturers push it out (and in many cases, even when they didn’t). Yet the move from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich has proved to be extremely frustrating – primarily because of the degree of changes made to the source code. As an HTC user, I’ve been keeping a keen eye on the progress of the ROMs available on XDA for quite some time. Unfortunately, nobody has been able to get together even a beta-worthy version, with the main problem proving to be the camera. The reason is that the development teams have no access to the required drivers, which usually is a problem solved using a ROM available for another device. With no HTC phone on ICS yet, all their efforts have so far proved futile. But yesterday, an RUU for the HTC Endeavor was leaked to XDA-Developers, which could help solve the problem the devs have been facing. It’ll take a lot of work, though. Especially considering the HTC Endeavor's shift to a quadcore Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and 720p resolution, posing as a set of obstacles. Anyone out there on a decently functional custom ROM for HTC? Do point us in the right direction, please, I’m so tired of waiting!

Eurocom Panther 4.0 With Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs

Eurocom today introduced the new Panther 4.0 laptop with Intel Sandy Bridge processors. The laptop features a 17.3-inch (1920 x 1080) display with a choice of an GeForce GTX 580M, Quadro 5010M, or Radeon HD 6990M graphics processing unit. The Eurocom Panther 4.0 also offers a 4TB of SATA 3.0 hard disk drive and a 32GB of RAM. Eurocom will launch the Panther 4.0 in March 2012 for $2649 for the basic model. [Engadget]

Minecraft - Pocket Edition updated

Great news Minecraft players on mobile devices, the long-awaited Survival mode for the game is finally here! Mojang has just pushed out a new update for Minecraft - Pocket Edition that introduces a host of brand new features, bringing it one step closer to the desktop version of the game. The most notable addition is Survival mode that introduces other sheep and zombies into the game. Users now get to hunt for food and flee or fight zombies in the game instead of just building structures aimlessly, expect more creatures to be introduced in the future. Other new features include: tons of new blocks, flying in Creative mode, day and night in Survival mode (monsters come at night), the ability to gather resources from nature, and tools for different purposes (digging, attacking, shearing). Minecraft just got a lot more exciting. The update is currently available for Android devices, while the iOS version is awaiting App Store approval. Download it out on the Android Market now (free if you've previously bought the game).

Docomo announces Cloud-based Translator Phone

DOCOMO's ability to deliver highly valued-added smart-pipe services via the cloud is about to take on a whole new meaning when it launches an on-demand translator-phone service! Using this unique mobile cloud service, a customer will simply speak into their phone and the other receiver will hear the message interpreted promptly into the language of their choice. Trials have shown that the average processing time takes just about two seconds, fast enough for a reasonably natural conversation under the most unnatural of conditions, i.e., two people conversing easily without understanding each other's language! DOCOMO and some 400 monitors are testing the service in Japan now through March 2012. Tourist facilities, retail companies and hospitals also are participating. The trial system, which interprets Japanese and English, has about 90 percent accuracy in understanding what users say in Japanese. Accuracy for English is about 80 percent at present. If all goes well, a commercial service will be offered to customers after fiscal 2012. Chinese and Korean services are already available to customers, and other languages will be introduced sequentially. Potential applications are envisioned in fields such as tourism, retail, health care and education.

Spray-on antenna to revolutionize the mobile industry

One of Google's latest projects is “Solve For X,” a project that allows people to propose ideas that would solve world problems through technology. We did not think great projects would start spawning so quick, though. The latest Solve for X proposition includes a spray-on antenna, which may revolutionize the way mobile communications work. Chamtech Etnerprises claims that this product can increase mobile energy efficiency by 10%. It is also more light-weight, and as you can assume, it can be used on anything. Imagine being able to paint an antenna into your device when you find yourself without signal. Even better, how about painting your car with it. Maybe even your house, or a tree. The possibilities are endless. CTO Rhett Spencer mentions that Chamtech is in the talks with government-based customers (including the military). This is the reason why not much detail about the product is provided. But it seems like it uses organic elements to improve magnetic and radio frequency signals. Being organic, it can be used under any circumstances. This includes outer space, underwater, and wherever it may be seen fit. Undoubtedly, this would be a great solution for mobile carriers. Instead of installing antennas, they could just go and spray an antenna on anything. And if you live in a low-signal area, all we would need is a technician to come and spray your house with this technology.

Meep! tablet to be the next gadget for the kiddos

Technology is not the only thing advancing, kids nowadays are become more aware (as well as dependent) on the gadgets that we enjoy everyday. And if you want to give your kid a good Android fix, the just-announced MEEP! Android tablet might be the way to go. The MEEP! tablet is manufactured by Oregon Scientific, and has a 7-inch display, WiFi connectivity and a G-Sensor (for improved viewing angles). It also features a helpful amount of parental controls, which can be modified and controlled from any computer or smartphone with an internet connection. Aside from that, we do not know any more details. Oregon Scientific claims that this is an affordable tablet, though, as well as durable. And it might be important to note that it is geared towards children of age 6 and above. We know that those kids will be running around with these devices, so let's see just how durable this device ends up being. Education should be one of the main concerns with such devices. The manufacturer will also offer accessories, which include musical instruments for all the little musicians out there. Hit the press release and stay tuned for more details to come during TIA Toy Fair, this weekend, if you are interested in purchasing a new gadget for your little ones. Android-Based MEEP! Tablet to Feature Music, Movies, e-books, Parental Controls and more OREGON SCIENTIFIC MEEP! Oregon Scientific Unveils MEEP!, a new Android-based tablet for kids! (PRNewsFoto/Oregon Scientific) NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Oregon Scientific, a leading designer and worldwide marketer of personal electronics, today announced its entry into a hot new category: kid's tablets. Leaving cartridge-based devices behind in the dust, the new Wi-Fi enabled MEEP! tablet runs on the Android operating system and offers music, movies, e-books, and apps from leading developers – all on a large, 7-inch color touch screen! The MEEP! tablet will be unveiled for the first time at the Toy Industry Association's (TIA) 109th American International Toy Fair this weekend. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120210/NE51475 ) Sharing a mobile device is a tough feat, especially for parents, when there is a risk it could be dropped, broken, scratched or rendered useless. The MEEP! tablet is an affordable fix for a tech -hungry generation of kids, featuring a tough design and an enhanced rubber silicon sleeve for added protection. Geared for children age 6 and up, the MEEP! tablet is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing access to a sea of web content that can be downloaded to its internal memory or SD card and viewed from any angle courtesy of the tablet's internal G-Sensor. All websites and content can be monitored through intuitive parental controls that are adjusted remotely on any computer or mobile device with a browser and an Internet connection. The MEEP! tablet from Oregon Scientific will feature a variety of accessories sold separately, including musical instruments.

Minecraft Pocket Edition update brings survival mode and more

Minecraft players know that the pocket edition is by no means as fun as the full (PC) game. But if you have been waiting for this game to become a bit more like the desktop version, the update will be to your liking. Version 0.2.0 includes survival mode, adding a little bit of violence and adventure to your building fun. In Survival mode, you will be able to go out and look for materials raise your buildings. Hunting for food and running away from flesh-eating zombies is also part of the new additions. Not to mention the fact that you can now fly in Creativity Mode. Those dying to try out the new features can simply update or purchase the app via the Android Market. The game still goes for $6.99, but you can also check out the free demo if you are willing to give up a substantial portion of the materials, as well as single-player world-saving and multi-player environments.

Nokia Lumia 800 sports two new colors in a commercial

It looks like more colors are on the way for Nokia Lumia 800, following closely the white version, which we got to spend time with. The Windows Phone device showed up in red and green in a commercial for the Nokia BH-220 Bluetooth headset. The colors are yet to be confirmed by Nokia, as the video cannot be found in the company's official YouTube channel. Check it out below. In case the music in the video sounds familiar, you are right. It is the Nokia Tune Dubstep Edition, which we told you about back in October. Source | Via

HTC delivers first 4G LTE Android smartphone in Europe

HTC is first off the blocks in Europe with the HTC Velocity, touted to be the first 4G LTE Android-powered smartphone to appear on the shores of our neighbors across the pond. Vodafone Germany has plans to roll out the HTC Velocity sometime in the near future, and just in case you were wondering why the HTC Velocity looked so similar, as though you have seen it somewhere before, that is because this is at variant of the HTC Vivid LTE handset that arrived in the US last year over AT&T. Similar to the HTC Vivid in terms of hardware specifications, your eyes will definitely welcome the generous 4.5″ display that sports 540 x 960 resolution, running on a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, carrying an 8-megapixel camera at the back that does 1080p video capture as well when the situation calls for it, and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel shooter which caters for all your video chat needs (as well as doubling up as an emergency mirror). Expect the HTC Velocity to arrive in Germany first before making its way to the other major countries in Europe.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Second DLC

Activision will launch the second DLC for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Dubbed as the Overwatch, the DLC features a map called Black Box and two new spec ops missions: Black Ice and Negotiator. Overwatch will be released to Call of Duty Elite Premium members on February 21st, 2012. [Ubergizmo]

Samsung: no press conference at MWC 2012

For those of you who are still harboring hopes of Samsung announcing a new major device at MWC 2012, it looks like it's time to put those hopes to rest. The folks over at PCMag.com received confirmation via email from Samsung that it won't be hosting any press conferences at the Mobile World Congress this year. While the Korean electronics manufacturer will be around to showcase its products, it won't be holding anything on the big stage - which means we won't be seeing any major products from them (i.e. flagship devices) at the event. We've previously reported about Samsung delaying the announcement of the Galaxy S3, so it's no surprise but I guess this piece of new information confirms the fact. Samsung is well-known for its flashy MWC announcement so it'll be interesting to see how this year's event will turn out. Maybe another company will pick up the torch instead? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

StatCounter: Nokia leads the way in mobile web usage

Mobile Web usage is on the rise, with users who access the Web through mobile devices having nearly doubled every year since 2009 according to analytics firm StatCounter. Web usage on mobile devices grew to 8.5% in January of 2012, up from 4.3% in the same month a year earlier. “While global Internet usage through mobiles is still under 10%, the pace of growth is remarkable,” said StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen. Apple leads the way in both the United States and United Kingdom, however Nokia is still the global leader - driven by its dominance in India - with nearly 40% of mobile Web browsing. In North America, Apple has a massive share of 59.11%, with Samsung and RIM coming in at 11.43% and 10.06%, respectively. Apple comes in second globally with roughly 30%, followed by Samsung with a 14% share. Android manufactures combined to account for less than 25% of mobile Web usage, with Research in Motion falling to roughly 8%. The Blackberry maker ranks second behind Apple in the U.K., however. Read on for StatCounter's press release. Mobile internet usage is doubling year on year Nokia global leader, Apple king in US and UK Boston, USA and Dublin, Ireland; Monday, 6th February, 2012: Global internet usage through mobile devices, not including tablets*, has almost doubled to 8.5% in January 2012 from 4.3% last year according to free web analytics company StatCounter. The firm's research arm StatCounter Global Stats highlights the increasing use of mobile devices to access the internet with market share doubling year on year since 2009 (Table A below). “While global internet usage through mobiles is still under 10%, the pace of growth is remarkable,” commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. StatCounter has also announced that new stats regarding mobile vendors are now available on its Global Stats website. The firm has been compiling and refining these stats for some time and has now made the beta project public. Based on initial research covering all traffic to the StatCounter network, Nokia leads worldwide, most probably driven by its dominance in India. Apple is second globally but leads the US and UK markets. In the UK RIM is second only to Apple. “Following repeated requests, we've decided to make our new mobile vendor stats publicly available,” commented Aodhan Cullen, StatCounter. “As the mobile space is constantly evolving, we keep our detection under constant review.” Anyone wishing to contribute to the detection project can submit feedback using the detect tool: http://gs.statcounter.com/detect StatCounter (http://statcounter.com/) provides free website traffic analysis. This allows website owners, developers and bloggers to capture website intelligence in real time e.g. number of visitors, visitors by country/region, search terms, popular pages, download stats, exit links and other data. ————————————————– Table A: Global use of mobile devices to access internet (excludes tablets*) Jan 2009: 0.7% Jan 2010: 1.6% Jan 2011: 4.3% Jan 2012: 8.5% Source: StatCounter Global Stats —————————————————– * StatCounter defines mobile device as a pocket-sized computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input or a miniature keyboard.

HP Touchpad Android kernel source code released

Here is something interesting – HP has just released the now defunct Touchpad's Android kernel source code to the masses – despite the fact that the 9.7″ tablet arrived at the market last summer with HP webOS 3.0 in tow. This just goes to prove that HP probably mulled over the idea of an Android-powered Touchpad in the past, but probably ditched this thought as they concentrated on webOS 3.0 software instead. Ever wondered just how the Touchpad might have performed in the market if it shipped with Android instead of webOS? However, a bunch of customers who picked up tablets realized that the Android operating system was installed on them instead, and these Android builds appeared to be meant for internal testing only. HP officials claimed that they were under no obligation to release any source code for the Android software, as it was never meant to roll out to the public in the first place. Guess HP had a change of heart and mind this week, rolling out the source for the Android kernel. It seems that this kernel has been gathering dust for nearly one year already, and will not even come with Wi-Fi support. Hopefully the brains behind the CyanogenMod Android software for the HP TouchPad will be able to churn something workable down the road.

Nokia to shed 4,000 jobs as manufacturing shifts to Asia

Nokia plans to eliminate 4,000 jobs as part of a major cost-cutting effort that will see much of its manufacturing shift to Asia. The cuts will be made across three Nokia plants -  2,300 workers will be shed in Komarom, Hungary, 700 will lose their jobs in Reynosa, Mexico and 1,000 more in Salo, Finland will be laid off. Each of the three plants will continue to operate at reduced capacities, and the move is part of a larger effort to cut costs following the €1 billion loss Nokia reported last quarter. ”Shifting device assembly to Asia is targeted at improving our time to market. By working more closely with our suppliers, we believe that we will be able to introduce innovations into the market more quickly and ultimately be more competitive,” Nokia EVP of Markets Niklas Savander said in a statement. “We recognize the planned changes are difficult for our employees and we are committed to supporting our personnel and their local communities during the transition.” Nokia's full press release follows below. Nokia plans changes to its manufacturing operations to increase efficiency in smartphone production Nokia Corporation Stock exchange release February 8, 2012 at 10:00 (CET +1) Espoo, Finland – Nokia has today announced planned changes at its factories in Komarom, Hungary, Reynosa, Mexico and Salo, Finland. The measures follow a review of smartphone manufacturing operations that Nokia announced last September and aim to increase the company's competitiveness in the diverse global mobile device market. These three factories are planned to focus on smartphone product customization, serving customers mainly in Europe and the Americas. Device assembly is expected to be transferred to Nokia factories in Asia, where the majority of component suppliers are based. “With the planned changes, our factories at Komarom, Reynosa and Salo will continue to play an important role serving our smartphone customers. They give us a unique ability to both provide customization and be more responsive to customer needs,” said Niklas Savander, Nokia executive vice president, Markets. “Shifting device assembly to Asia is targeted at improving our time to market. By working more closely with our suppliers, we believe that we will be able to introduce innovations into the market more quickly and ultimately be more competitive,” said Savander. “We recognize the planned changes are difficult for our employees and we are committed to supporting our personnel and their local communities during the transition.” As a consequence of the plans, the number of steps in manufacturing and the amount of work carried out at the sites in Komarom, Reynosa and Salo are expected to decrease substantially. The changes are anticipated to impact approximately 4,000 employees in total. Personnel reductions are planned to be phased through the end of 2012. Nokia will offer a comprehensive locally-tailored support program, including financial support and assistance with local re-employment.