So look -- RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9800 isn't exactly the barnburner-of-a-smartphone that we were hoping it'd be, but at least it looks snazzy, right? Right? Regardless of your answer to that, it's a bona fide fact that Colorware has outdone itself on this one. Usually, it's most fun to toy around with the company's endless array of hues in order to create the most hideous version of your favorite gadget before pretending to hit the order button, but for whatever reason, the first handset to ship with BlackBerry OS 6 actually looks dapper in red and white. Or maybe that's just the Wolfpack in us talking. Either way, it's available to customize now in the source link for $250 (send your own) or $1,050 (buy new sans a contract). Video's after the break, should you need one.

Continue reading BlackBerry Torch 9800 gets the Colorware treatment, sees value increase infinitely

BlackBerry Torch 9800 gets the Colorware treatment, sees value increase infinitely originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's terribly difficult to get reliable statistics, as numbers tend to vary drastically depending upon whom you ask, but if you're inclined to believe that Android is mopping up Apple and RIM's declining mobile mindshare in the US, you'll find nothing but corroboration from Quantcast. The analytics firm reckons a full one-quarter of mobile web traffic stateside comes from devices running Google's OS, though it's important to know that the iOS tallies apparently don't include the web-friendly iPad. You also might want to note that this is mobile web traffic here -- these days, we spend an increasing amount of our internet time in apps -- and since we're on a roll with the disclaimers, let's just add that these numbers have nothing to do with a company's financial success. Nokia can attest to that.

Android accounts for one-quarter of mobile web traffic, says Quantcast originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attention to detail, finish, quality materials and great wisdom in their work, the careful ergonomic For 50 years Alpes, a company founded and directed with unwavering passion by Nico Moretto, uses solely and exclusively 19/10 nickel-chrome alloy stainless steel, works only in the field of kitchen equipment, studies and designs surfaces for washing, surfaces for cooking, ovens and kitchen hoods. Despite the Compasso d'Oro it won in 1998, Alpes does not seem to have suffered the unstable influences of styles and trends. For Nico Moretto, design is not a result that resolves into a shape, but a premise that is explicated within a precise working process that involves constant research and rigorous experimentation.

Joe Francis, a name that is known throughout the entertainment world as being the founder of one of the biggest television shows, ‘Girls Gone Wild’, has now enlisted the services of one of the foremost names in the high end jewelry, Loree Rodkin, to create a unique nine carat diamond ring for his fiancé, Christina McLarty. Loree Rodkin is well renowned for her celebrity clientele, that includes the First Lady of the US, Michelle Obama, Cher, Madonna and the music legend, Sir Elton John. Ms. Rodkin was personally invited by Mrs. Obama to create the magnificent set of inaugural jewels, that she wore at the inauguration ceremony of the President of United States, Barack Obama.

Christina McLarty, who works as an entertainment news reporter for CBS news in Los Angeles, California is said to tie the holy knot of matrimony with Joe Francis at his private estate in Punta Mita, Mexico in the month of November this year, amid a 4 day wedding ceremony. The highlight of this wedding will be the nine carat diamond ring designed by Loree Rodkin, where in, she has set the ring in a diamond pave band and the entire ring is composed of gorgeous diamonds around the stone and on the shank. With an estimated price tag of under half a million dollars, this unique ring is definitely going to be one of the most befitting wedding gifts for the bride to be.

According to Christina McLarty,

“It was an unbelievable experience to collaborate with a jewelry genius. Loree has a sense of style about her that can only come from her world travels, exposure to different cultures, and her unbelievable spirit. She’s spiritual, and soulful, even ethereal. When I told her what I wanted, she suggested a stone that sums up my relationship with Joe. The diamond glows from all angles, but from each vantage point, you see something different. She has created a ring that will last us a lifetime, and will grow in depth and in beauty just as our love will.”

Via Yahoo! Finance

It's a beautiful combination, really -- lower power consumption, and support for high bandwidth applications. That marriage is evident in Samsung's newest Wireless USB chipset, which was built around Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology and designed to enable high-def streaming between a mobile host device and a tethered device for viewing. According to Sammy, the two-chip solution will be aimed at cameras, camcorders, TVs, PCs, tablets, beam projectors, portable HDDs, Blu-ray players and handsets, and given that it can handle a theoretical high of 480Mbps with an average power consumption of less than 300mW, even the weakest smartphone battery should be able to stream at least a single episode of Family Guy to the tele. Mum's the word on who all will be lining up to adopt this stuff, but since it's slated to hit mass production in Q4, we'd say those details should be worked out right around CES 2011.

Continue reading Samsung's new Wireless USB chipset enables HD streaming with less power

Samsung's new Wireless USB chipset enables HD streaming with less power originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it comes to luxury car collections, the first name that strikes me is Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, who owns an ultimate collection of 7,000 high performance cars. Now, a 21-year-old engineering student from Riyadh named Dhiaa Al-Essa is in the news for his amazing collection for 30 supercars valued at £4.5 million. One of the world’s most impressive supercar collections, it includes four Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls-Royces and a Mercedes SLR McLaren. Oh yes…he doesn’t buy these cars himself, but his super-rich Daddy does. On his 22nd birthday, the car enthusiast will get from his Saudi businessman father a Koenigsegg Agera with gold key. A Bugatti Veyron is also headed to be part of his supercar collection.

Moreover, all the luxury cars he owns have a personalized number plate with the figures 070, which cost about £100,000 every time. Dhiaa Al-Essa said has he driven his cars to London, Montreal, Las Vegas and New York with his mates. He said…

I love speed but the limit in Saudi Arabia is 75mph so I’m pretty limited. When the Bugatti arrives, I hope to take it to Germany where you can drive as fast as you can.

The Mercedes McLaren SLR is my favorite. I love the way it looks and drives and it’s also been reliable for a car out in 50ºC temperatures.

At just 21 years of age, Dhiaa Al-Essa is the proud owner of 30 luxury supercars and it won’t be a surprise if we come back again telling you that he just ordered his 50th supercar.

Via: DeluxeBlog/Metro

Amalgam Fine Model Cars has given us a range of intricately detailed 1:8 scale replicas of some of the most desirable cars in the world, and the latest creation from the house is a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport at 1/8th scale. The lately unveiled special edition Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport set a new record for the world’s fastest production car at an amazing 267.81 mph, besting the previous one set by American SSC Ultimate Aero with its 256.12 mph run. Amalgam has faithfully recreated the most powerful Veyron to date in 1/8 scale.

Like all the Amalgam creations, the replica shows no signs of deviation from the real car, and you will have a hard time focusing on the fact that it’s a scale replica and not a full-size car. Available in a limited edition, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport at 1/8th Scale is available for a cool £4,325 (about US $6,680).

Via: Amalgam Collection

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Etc., Videos, Nissan, Middle East, Design/Style, Off-Road

Well, this is certainly different. We've seen our fair share of wild vehicle modifications over the years, but this one takes the cake as one of the most imaginative. If the YouTube description is any sort of indication, this craft was hewn just for Sheik Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan as his personal toy. Near as we can tell, the guy liked the side-mount spare tire carriers on classic vehicles from the '30s, but wanted to be able to deploy them without having to actually get out and spin a lug nut. The solution was found in the miracle (or curse) of hydraulics.

Let's just do the world a favor and make sure this doesn't evolve into a trend. We've already had terrible visions of a future SEMA show with row upon row of six-wheeled, white-wall wearing Honda Civics. If you're brave enough, you can hit the jump to see the Nissan-based for yourself. Just don't show anyone else.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Sheik's custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go 'Hmmm'

Video: Sheik's custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go 'Hmmm' originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That "leaked" low-end LG Android device from a few days back? Turns out it was nothing more than the Optimus Chic, one of two Google-powered phones that the company announced back in early July. They're still not ready to let us touch the damned things here at IFA -- apparently on account of the fact that they're not commercially available yet -- but we got close enough to conclude that you definitely won't be fooling anyone into thinking that you've dropped many hundreds of euros on your phone. You could argue that Huawei set the tone for IFA's small-but-notable mobile presence this year with its introduction of the Ideos -- in other words, cheap Android gear -- and both of these LGs look primed to go head-to-head with the Ideos in that arena. Nokia had long been hoping to totally own the smartphone industry in emerging markets by driving S60 into the bargain basement -- but with this latest round of Android releases coming dangerously close to the same price points, we could have an interesting battle on our hands.

LG Optimus One and Optimus Chic eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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