cell

Motorola Atrix HD accidentally revealed

Looks like someone at Motorola jumped the gun on the Atrix HD.

Earlier this morning, a splash page that included specs and a sign-up button for Motorola's Atrix HD appeared on the company's Web site. It has since been removed.

Codenamed "Dinara," the latest handset in the Atrix lineup is splash resistant and has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor.

It runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and its 4.5-inch HD ColorBoost display is made out of Corning Gorilla Glass.

Similar to the Motorola Droid Maxx and Razr, it'll also feature the Kevlar … Read more

Samsung GreatCall r220 review: Simple and slimmer

Today, the mobile virtual-network operator known as GreatCall announced its latest cell phone for the elderly: the Samsung GreatCall r220.

Also known as the Jitterbug Plus, this feature phone looks a lot more modern than older Jitterbug models.

In addition to a big keypad and a clear user interface, several emergency and wellness services tie in with the handset. One is 5Star Urgent Response. When you're in an emergency situation or feel unsafe (for example, while walking to your car at night in an empty parking lot), you can call a live agent, available 24-7. The agent can then … Read more

BMW and Toyota to build fuel cell system, sports car together

First diesels and batteries, then fuel cells, and now a sports car architecture. BMW and Toyota announced today that they've signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner together to develop a range of fuel-efficient technologies, and a sports car.

This MOU builds upon one the two companies struck in December with BMW agreeing to provide Toyota with its 1.6- and 2-liter diesel engines to sell in European vehicles starting 2014, and Toyota helping BMW develop a next generation lithium-ion battery.

Under the new, closer partnership, BMW and Toyota will work together in four areas: powertrain electrification, lightweight … Read more

BMW and GM part ways on fuel cell research

Heightening speculation that BMW and Toyota are about to announce an expanded partnership involving fuel cell technology, the German automaker confirmed today that it is no longer talking with General Motors about a similar research arrangement, reported a Bloomberg article.

On Friday, BMW and Toyota will hold a press conference announcing the details of a closer working relationship. Last December the two companies penned an agreement that gave Toyota access to BMW's small diesel engines to sell in its European line up of vehicles, and in return, Toyota would help BMW play catch up in the hybrid market by … Read more

BMW and Toyota co-developing fuel cells

Toyota and BMW are expected to announce this week a closer working relationship that expands upon the one they struck last year.

In December 2011, the two companies announced that they'll be collaborating on fuel-efficient and alternative power-train vehicles, with BMW supplying small diesels to Toyota to power its cars sold in Europe. In return, the Japanese car manufacturer would help BMW with the development of next-generation lithium ion batteries.

However, the working relationship won't end there. BMW and Toyota also plan to pool resources on fuel cell technology, according to unconfirmed reports first published in the Nikkei … Read more

LG Optimus Vu review: A ginormous 5-inch phablet

It seemed like not so long ago, we were trying to wrap our heads around the Samsung Galaxy Note and its whopping 5.3-inch screen. Now it looks like LG has provided its own answer to the phone-tablet hybrid with the LG Optimus Vu.

The Vu's screen is slightly smaller at a perfect 5 inches, but its svelte frame is more squarish and the display has an odd 4:3 aspect ratio. The device also comes with a hefty stylus, called a Rubberdium pen, that's sturdy and feels similar to a real pen.

Though I like its decent 8-megapixel camera and crisp display, the Vu isn't without its drawbacks. This includes its outdated Android Gingerbread OS and its nearly $900 price tag. For the full review, read more here.… Read more

Man's sex legal, cell phone pics of sex illegal

Illinois has its quirks.

This one, though, might puzzle some.

For the state's Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a man who used his cell phone to take photos of himself and his 17-year-old girlfriend having sex.

The age of consent in Illinois is 17, so the sex was legal. However, as CBS Chicago reports it, Marshall Hollins, who was 32 years old at the time, was convicted of child pornography in 2009 for taking the photos.

He was given an eight-year sentence, but his appeal to Illinois' Supreme Court was heard this week, with the court's … Read more

A closer look at the Samsung Galaxy S III's sharing features

The Samsung Galaxy S III comes with a huge number of new features. Packed with services like S Voice and S Beam, the guys over at Samsung made sure its most recent flagship phone will keep users interested for a long time. (We should know, they sent us a 50-page print-out guide for us detailing everything).

One of its most interesting set of features is its four sharing services: AllShare Play, Group Cast, Share Shot, and Buddy Photo Share. Together, they allow you to distribute and view media content across different platforms. Here, I'll take a deeper dive into … Read more

No Windows Phone 8 upgrade for current devices

Well, it's official.

Although Microsoft's newly unveiled Windows Phone 8 boasts exciting features like more customization options and integration with voice-over IP, one unpleasant suspicion we had about the new mobile OS has been confirmed: current Windows Phone devices won't be able to upgrade to WP8.

We've mentioned that possibility before here, here, and here. But we still can't help feel a bit disappointed and frustrated by Microsoft's confirmation today. … Read more