Transformation House rotates freely for
unprecedented flexibility

post from Ubergizmo on 31 October 2012 02:19:30 AM. © Ubergizmo

Michael Jantzen?s Transformation House is truly an abode that is out of the ordinary. Basically, this is a design study for an interactive and responsive self-contained structure, where it is more than capable of changing its shape to adapt to various functions. Assuming the Allspark touches it, it might end up being one of the weirder looking Transformers ever, but since we are grounded in reality at the moment, the Transformation House sports five center sections which can be rotated manually or automatically around the living space. This means the house?s windows and wind scoops can be rotated 360°, helping you make the most of sunlight during the winter, or catch as much wind as possible during summer to keep things nice and cool. Heck, there are also relevant areas to catch falling rain so that you have an alternative water supply instead of piped water.

The Transformation House relies on lightweight steel with a glass floor to get the job done, where it is also partially clad with photovoltaic cells so that electricity can be generated for its internal needs. We do stop and ask ourselves whether all of the other future homes would look like this, and will the costs of construction rise in tandem with such a complex structure?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Hidden surveillance camera use given nod by court, Philips introduces iPhone and iPad-controlled LED home lighting system,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/transformation-house/?utm_source=mainrss

Digg this

Natural Sapphire Company releases $700,000 iPad
mini case

post from Ubergizmo on 31 October 2012 02:18:39 AM. © Ubergizmo

Have you picked up the iPad mini yet? We have already placed our pre-order for one so that we can deliver a review for our dear readers in due time, but at the moment, it does not look too likely that we will be forking out a whopping $700,000 for a case that protects a device which is worth a tiny fraction of that amount of money. Natural Sapphire Company thinks that there is an extremely niche market of the super rich (and foolish to some) to hand over a cool $700,000 for an iPad mini case.

The main reason behind its rather insane price tag would be an 18K high-polished white gold body that is covered in 3,328 natural Ceylon blue sapphires. At the back, the famous bitten Apple logo consists of 500 round diamonds that carry total weight of 5 carats. In fact, if you still want this unique case so badly and yet do not have more than half a million at the moment, Natural Sapphire Company has a plan for you – just pay it off in three instalments of $233,333.33 a month. Dropping this case is going to cause far more heartache than if you were to drop an unprotected iPad mini alone.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPad mini shipments slipped to 2 weeks now, iPad mini revealed,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/natural-sapphire-company-releases-700000-ipad-mi
ni-case/?utm_source=mainrss

Digg this

iPhone owners less loyal than before

post from Ubergizmo on 31 October 2012 02:17:46 AM. © Ubergizmo

It was reported recently that the iPhone 5 managed to turn the tables somewhat on Android with its super hot sales figures, but here we are with an observation from Strategy Analytics, who claim that loyalty to the fruity brand has suffered a drop in the US, and a far more dramatic plunge has occurred across the pond. In fact, in the most recent Wireless Device Lab Report from the metrics firm, it pointed out that 88% of U.S. Apple iPhone owners intend to purchase their next handset from Apple – representing a 5% drop from last year?s answer. As for our friends living in Europe, only 75% of current Apple iPhone owners claim that they will remain loyal to the end, marking a 13% reduction from 88% loyalty in Europe last year.

Do you think Apple still has the cutting edge to remain in front? After all, it does seem as though Apple is playing catch up with Android in certain aspects at this point in time instead of being innovative – we?re looking at a larger display (albeit slightly), as well as LTE connectivity – stuff that Android had more than a year before Apple took the plunge. There is no point reading too much into this, but it is an interesting conversation starter among tech heads.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPhone 5 (off-contract) unlocked via iTunes restore for free, Siri shows incorrect weather forecasts for New Yorkers,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/iphone-owners-less-loyal-than-before/?utm_source
=mainrss

Digg this

Windows Phone 7.8 update might take awhile before
release

post from Ubergizmo on 31 October 2012 02:16:45 AM. © Ubergizmo

Don?t you find it rather interesting that Microsoft has already officially announced Windows Phone 8 with a slew of high powered handsets from the likes of Samsung, HTC and Nokia, but they have yet to release what is deemed as an older version of the mobile operating system – namely, Windows Phone 7.8? Yes sir, this update was supposed to act as a go-between operating system for folks who do not want high powered smartphones and yet want to get a slight taste of what Windows Phone 8 is capable of delivering.

Word on the street has it that the Windows Phone 7.8 update will arrive only a few weeks after the initial batch of Windows Phone 8 smartphones hit retail stores. It is going to take a fair amount of patience, and I think that consumers are better off just skipping the Windows Phone 7.8 update cycle, and opt for one of the more affordable Windows Phone 8 devices like the Lumia 822 from Verizon Wireless instead. They say that good things are worth the wait, but is Windows Phone 7.8 really a good thing at all?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Windows Phone 8 SDK Released at BUILD, Windows Phone 8 San Francisco Launch Event,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/windows-phone-7-8-update-might-take-awhile-befor
e-release/?utm_source=mainrss

Digg this

Unofficial Android 4.2 stock keyboard can be
downloaded

post from Ubergizmo on 31 October 2012 02:15:31 AM. © Ubergizmo

When it comes to life, taxes and death are two certainties, and while some folks might be able to escape the former, none have eluded the latter. As for the smartphone world, there are official and unofficial releases of software, and if you love throwing your fate with the roll of the dice, then unofficial app releases are worth flirting around with. Case in points, the unofficial version of the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean stock keyboard is now available for download, sporting gesture functionality.

Assuming your Android-powered device is not yet rooted, and you carry the stock Android keyboard which is either active or disabled by your OEM, just download the unofficial APK file and install it. Make sure your device is running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or above before making this attempt. Alternatively, flash the keyboard onto your rooted device, and you?re good to go. Has anyone given it a go already, and how do you find the gesture functionality? Just remember, texting and driving do not mix, gesture functionality or otherwise, so pull over if there is that text message which needs to be sent out so urgently.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Skitch for Android gets updated with cleaner interface and new useful tools, Android 4.2 Preview with the Google Nexus 4,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/unofficial-android-4-2-stock-keyboard-can-be-dow
nloaded/?utm_source=mainrss

Digg this

Jaguar unveils speedboat concept to complement
its XF Sportbrake

post from Ubergizmo on 31 October 2012 01:53:47 AM. © Ubergizmo

Jaguar, the British luxury and sports car manufacturer, has been thinking out of the box. In preparation for the international driving debut of the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake, the car maker has unveiled a concept speedboat to complement it. According to Jaguar, the concept speedboat will showcase the design DNA of the British premium luxury and sports car manufacturer in an unexpected and spectacular package.

Jaguar has partnered with yacht design specialist Ivan Erdevicki and design project management company Seventy Seven Design to develop the concept speedboat. Measuring 20-foot-long, the speedboat features a gel coat fibreglass hull that is finished with a teak decking. The wood decking is split by a carbon fiber fin and its 2+1 cabin has been design to mimic Jaguar cars. There’s also a aluminum propeller and pop-up mooring post that imitates how the boat could be powered and docked.

While the speedboat concept looks nice, Jaguar has says that the company has no plans of selling it to the market. “We recognise that both our existing and future customers enjoy diverse and active lifestyles. With the launch of the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake, we had an opportunity to create a vision of how our design philosophy might be applied to an alternative product, in which speed and beauty are also priorities,” said Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Jaguar Virtual Experience lets you experience unreleased vehicles, Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition Unveiled. Packed with Technology,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/jaguar-unveils-speedboat-concept-to-complement-i
ts-xf-sportbrake/?utm_source=mainrss

Digg this

Snolo Stealth-X Brings Funky Carbon Fiber Design
To Sleds

post from OhGizmo! on 31 October 2012 12:49:19 AM. © OhGizmo!

The wintertime is coming… it bears repeating it if only because it gives us a simple intro to segue onto the product above. It’s a sled called Snolo Stealth-X, and

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ohgizmo/~3/r46uuCoejWk/

Digg this

Samsung Galaxy Premier officially announced

The wait is finally over. Samsung has officially announced the long-rumored Galaxy Premier. The phone is actually an improvised version of the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S3, judging from its looks and features. It also has a bunch of software improvements such as S Beam, Smart Stay, Direct Call, Pop-Up Play, and S Voice, not to mention that it will be running TouchWiz Nature UX on top of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Specs-wise, the Samsung Galaxy Premier sports a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED Display with a 1280 × 720 resolution and it is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4470 processor that is supported by a 1GB RAM and 8GB/ 16 GB storage options. Other noteworthy features include an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, NFC capabilities, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, microSD support of up to 64GB, and a 2100 mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy Premier will be available beginning next month, with Russia as its first pit stop.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung ATIV commercials start to appear, Android Samsung flip phone for China packs some pretty impressive hardware specs,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/samsung-galaxy-premier-officially-announced/?utm
_source=mainrss

Digg this

Skitch for Android gets updated with cleaner
interface and new useful tools

If you’re an Evernote user, then you’ve probably used Skitch or, if not, you’ve at least heard about it before. Skitch is actually a tool that will allow its users to draw annotations, shapes, and sketches to communicate their ideas better and faster. Today, Evernote is announcing that Skitch for Android has just been upgraded to version 2. Today’s announcement is a follow-up to the company’s series of updates on iOS, Mac, and Windows. Skitch for Android 2.0 brings a new look and adds a couple of new features that makes integration with Evernote even more powerful.

Design-wise, Skitch for Android now has a better home screen. The new design is simpler, cleaner, and more informative. Evernote is also adding three new features into Skitch for Android – Pixelate, Highlighter, and Panning Tool. Pixelate will allow users to obscure a part of an image that may contain personal or sensitive information while the Highlighter lets you emphasize content clearly by adjusting its color and line thickness. The Panning Tool, on the other hand, will allow users to select, move and resize annotations in a breeze. Skitch for Android 2.0 also adds a new button at the bottom of the screen to view all your Skitch notes. You can get the newly updated app here.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Evernote coming to Honeycomb soon, Evernote for Android updated,

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/10/skitch-for-android-updated-with-new-interface-an
d-new-useful-tools/?utm_source=mainrss

Digg this

Would You Get In This Ball In Case Of Natural
Disaster

With Sandy having left a path of destruction in its wake, a lot of people are understandably thinking about what they can do to better protect themselves for when the

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ohgizmo/~3/FwjyHWBw0nI/

Digg this