Tesla to owners: Plug it in

EV maker Tesla has come under fire for allegations that its vehicles can be "bricked" when their batteries are completely discharged. Such instances require that the cells be replaced to the tune of $40,000, which doesn't sit well with folks who already forked over six figures to buy a Roadster in the first place. Tesla doesn't deny the charge (pardon the pun), but it does offer a common sense suggestion to avoid the problem: simply plug the car in. Tesla implies this danger is only likely for early adopters, and says it's also made strides to idiot-proof later vehicles with advanced warning systems -- Tesla 2.0 Roadsters can phone home to Tesla headquarters with a low juice alert, for example. Tesla documents safe battery charging practices in the owner's documentation, though, so here's an idea: if you're going to spend $109,000 on an electric sports car, maybe it's a good idea to RTFM (read the freaking manual).

Tesla to owners: Plug it in originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/4Z0SNx8RaM0/

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Whitman expects HP Windows 8 Intel tablet this year

Looks like old Fujitsu isn't the only PC-maker looking to get into the Windows 8 tablet business before year's end. Addressing a conference in Northern California, HP CEO Meg Whitman let it be known that her company plans on pushing out an Intel-packing tablet running the new Microsoft operating system in 2012. How about a dual-boot webOS system, Meg? We can dream, can't we?

Whitman expects HP Windows 8 Intel tablet this year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/whitman-expects-hp-windows-8-intel-tablet-this-year/

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We Discover the Best iPad Bluetooth Headset

A lot of iPad applications now enable users to engage in online audio and video conversations. Of course, the iPad contains a built-in mic and speaker system to be used in such conversations. However, using an iPad Bluetooth Headset is still preferred by many because it gives a relatively clearer sound and more focused mic as compared to the built-in sound devices. A Bluetooth headset, however, has been gaining popularity because it gives users wireless mobility that is not available [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/we-discover-the-best-ipad-bluetooth-headset/

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Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

When Amazon Appstore for Android launched last week, one of its primary features -- Test Drive -- was disabled just a few minutes after it opened. With no try-before-you-buy, no refund process, and 1-Click purchasing ready to strike at any moment, this caused some problems. Anyway, don't despair: Test Drive is now enabled.

Before you get your hopes up, Test Drive doesn't work with every app. The IMDb app works fine -- you can even watch movie trailers on it! -- but the Angry Birds games are sadly not enabled. Some games work surprisingly well, though, like Bubble Buster. There's very little latency, and the framerate is really rather good. The Test Drive experience is so true to life that you even get ads; how cool is that?

Gallery: Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive

Continue reading Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/amazon-appstore-for-android-test-drive-hands-on-surprisingly-co/

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The Drunken Boy Scout: The Stealthy and Refreshing Way to Get Tanked [Video]

Growing up, one of my best friends was a counselor at a Boy Scout camp every summer. Being high school aged, he and his fellow counselors were looking for non-obvious ways to get their buzz on. Their solution was genius in its simplicity, scout's honor. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/sgmMV6YWvi0/the-drunken-boy-scout-the-stealthy-and-refreshing-way-to-get-tanked

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Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster

One click; just one single well-aimed click. That's all you get in Boomshine.

That single click triggers a chain reaction; circles start exploding, and other circles colliding with the shockwaves explode as well, creating their own shockwaves, which then catch other circles.

It's been done before, yes, but this one is a great iteration. The soundtrack is mellow, with lots of piano and some nice percussion (not electronic - it sounds like drums).

At each level you need to make a certain number of circles explode to go on to the next level. I got up to level 12, where you get 60 circles and need to make 55 of them explode. And then I kept trying and trying, but simply couldn't get it. I did get to 54 circles a couple of times, but as they say, you don't get points for trying.

There's no time limit, so you can carefully study the pattern of motion and place your click at the exact right place to create the best chain reaction. I've found that clicking near the middle of the screen works quite well, especially if the balls are slowly moving in that direction. By the time the first shockwave dies off, the oncoming balls usually hit it and the chain reaction continues.

What level did you reach? Screenshots please!

Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/boomshine-is-a-soothing-yet-frustrating-time-waster/

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Let it Slide is an engaging, difficult puzzle game

I have a thing for physics games, and I've been known to post the occasional platformer or action game here and there. But Let it Slide is one of the brainiest games I've posted to date.

The idea is very simple, and far from original: You get a board with pieces arranged in a particular pattern; you have to slide those around until you get the special piece into its target location.

It's not even about finding out where the target location is - you can just hover over "dim tiles" and instantly see where you're supposed to bring the special piece. But getting it there is a whole different story.

There are five tutorial levels, which I strongly recommend you do. Then there are twenty "beginner" levels, but that's really a misnomer. If those are the beginner levels, I don't want to know what the intermediate and advanced levels look like!

Every time you finish a level you get a score based on how many clicks it took you - each level has a "par" (the minimum number of clicks it could be completed in), and your performance is compared to that gold standard. Because it's such a brainy game, getting it right is quite satisfying. I was downright proud of myself when I managed to finish a few levels. All in all, quite recommended, especially if you've got a few minutes of quiet. It might actually help you focus better later on.

Let it Slide is an engaging, difficult puzzle game originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/23/let-it-slide-is-an-engaging-difficult-puzzle-game/

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Sony’s PlayStation Vita – Never Stop Playing

With the PlayStation Vita from Sony, you’ll be able to continue your PS3 play – uninterrupted – between your PS3 and the Vita with compatible titles.  You can even store a game in the cloud for access from anywhere.  The PlayStation Vita has an Arm Cortex A9 (4 core) chip, a 5″ 960 X 544 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/02/20/sonys-playstation-vita-never-stop-playing/

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British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app

To celebrate the imminent marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Royal Collection will release an Android an iOS app that chronicles the last seven royal marriages, including Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840.

Ironically, the app won't actually feature anything to do with William and Kate's marriage -- rather, it will focus on the "tradition, splendor and romance" that are intrinsic to British royal marriages. "[The app] will share the stories of past royal weddings and offer a wealth of historical context for the ceremony on April 29."

Unfortunately, the app, which has been lumbered with the fantastically creative name of 'Royal App,' won't be available until April 18 -- just 11 days before Kate's big day. It won't be free, either: it'll cost the rather princely sum of £1.79, or three of your Tea Party-loving dollars. The money will go to the Royal Collection, though, which is a good cause!

British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/british-royal-family-announces-ios-and-android-wedding-app/

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ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #15: Galaxy Nexus Androidified TPU Case, Qmadix Snap-On for Droid Bionic & more!

Happy Friday, folks! Today's the last ShopAndroid.com Daily Giveaway for this week, and we're featuring some cool new accessories including the Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for Galaxy Nexus, Qmadix Snap-On Cover for Motorola Droid Bionic, Seidio SURFACE Case for EVO 3D, and the Seidio ACTIVE Case for HTC ThunderBolt.

As always, be sure to leave a comment below letting us know which featured accessory you'd like to win.  Winners from this week's daily giveaway's will be announced in a post on Monday.

Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for Galaxy Nexus

The Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane.  They're slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the Galaxy Nexus from day to day use and accidental bumps and spills.  The sleek, lightweight design of the A2 TPU cases fully wrap around the Galaxy Nexus while also raising the front of the device to protect the screen while face down.  Featured on the cases are custom designed Andy the Android prints.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/dFmlXCAqGq0/story01.htm

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Official Mobile World Congress app updated just in time for this year's event

GSMA -- the organization that runs Mobile World Congress -- today updated its Android appliation for this year's event. Good thing, too, since it starts Sunday.

For those of us going to MWC, it's a portal for the week's agenda, a list of exhibitors and attendees, discussions, and augmented reality feature, search, My MWC Zone (for keeping track of your stuff) and the hard-to-escape Mobile World Live section.

And probably most important is a map of what's where, so you don't get too terribly lost in the Fira.

We've got download links after the break for those who are going, and those who want to kibbitz. And don't forget to swing by our MWC page for all the goings on.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/vBs9bzKisb8/story01.htm

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Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7

We've been looking at some pretty cool Kinect and Windows interactions for a while now, but we were hoping that the release of an official SDK would lead to even more coolness. Evoluce has stepped up, and is now offering Win&I -- a full-featured gesture control system for Windows 7.

The company claims that a range of up to four meters is supported, which should be perfect for just about any home theater setting. In the video embedded after the break, you can see an Evoluce demonstrator flip through a photo album, pan through a map, rearrange application windows, browse the Web, and control media playback. Two versions of Win&I are offered -- the home version goes for about 20 Euros, the business version for 40.

Anyone else having fun pretending his stance is a little "Iron Man"? We're tempted to put a repulsor on that hand.

Continue reading Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7

Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/evoluce-winandi-controls-windows-7-with-a-kinect-sensor/

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Col. Littleton No. 47 & No. 49 Phone Holsters Review

I have reviewed a half dozen or so cases for my iPhone 4, and thus far, prefer using my smartphone with only Crimson screen protectors applied to protect it. With that, I do not like my iPhone rattling around in either my front or back pockets, either. In my case, having it hanging by my [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/02/21/col-littleton-no-47-no-49-phone-holsters-review/

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Zooka Wireless Speaker

I’m currently looking for an extension speaker for my Thinkpad Tablet as the in-built speaker is pathetic (yes singular). That being said, I don’t want it connected all the time – only when I want to share watching a movie and the like.  I want it portable and rugged enough to take with me wherever I [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/02/22/zooka-wireless-speaker/

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O'Reilly helps Japan, offers entire e-book catalog for 50% off, today only

O'reilly make some of the best computer books in the world. They also sell them as DRM-free e-books in a bunch of formats, including PDFs and Mobi for Kindle.

They usually offer one "Deal of the Day", which is a 50% discount code for a book chosen for that one day. But just for for today, they've created a discount code -- DDJPN -- that gives you a 50% discount on their entire catalog, and they give a part of the proceeds to aid Japan relief efforts.

So far they've raised over $60,000, and the day is still young. So if you've been recently hankering after some nerdy book (or three), now would be a great time to grab one.

O'Reilly helps Japan, offers entire e-book catalog for 50% off, today only originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/oreilly-helps-japan-offers-entire-e-book-catalog-for-50-off/

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Get That Retro iOS '86 Theme for Your Jailbroken iPhone Now [IPhone]

Last week we fawned over the wonderfully nostalgic iOS '86 theme someone had created for their iPhone. This week, that theme is available for download. If you have a jailbroken iPhone, that is. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-r_ASAmjG3Q/get-that-retro-ios-86-theme-for-your-jailbroken-iphone-now

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