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US Update: Verizon iPhone 4, Porsche, iOS 4.3, MySpace
MySpace looks for profit: cuts global workforce in half
iOS 4.3 update to include Personal Hotspot feature?
Porsche designed luxury bobsleigh: Olympic medal not required
Park in style with Cardock hydraulic underground garage
All hail the Verizon iPhone 4
iPhone 4 classic Polaroid decal: nothing to do with Lady Gaga
Windows Phone 7 Facetime clone coming soon (Rumour)
What was the most exciting announcement from CES 2011?
Playstation app out now for Android and iOS

US Update: Verizon iPhone 4, Porsche, iOS 4.3, MySpace

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 07:00 PM PST

The tech world was rocked this morning when Verizon Wireless and Apple finally consummated the marriage, rumored for more than a year. In today's morning wrap up of all things tech, better known as the US Update, we cover everything from an underground parking garage to the latest on the MySpace job cuts — lets go!

The Verizon iPhone 4 is official — that's right, the rumors have materialized into fact. Set to go on pre-sale starting February 3rd and in stores February 10th, the iPhone is identical to its GSM counterpart with one exception — a new mobile hotspot feature.

UK-based firm Cardock has created the ultimate parking garage for the rich and famous. Available in one and two car arrangements, the underground hydraulic parking garage can hide your precious treasures without clogging your driveway.

Porsche Design Studios have released a luxury bobsleigh, ready to turn the Olympic sports mainstream. Priced at £204.00 (incl. 20% VAT) or £170.00, the Porsche bobsleigh will get you through the snow with style and speed if the price is right.

The upcoming iOS 4.3 update is rumored to feature the same mobile hotspot capability, dubbed Personal Hotspot, as first seen on the Verizon iPhone 4 (running iOS 4.2.5). According to several reputable iPhone websites, all GSM carriers will have access to the feature — the question is whether or not they'll support it.

Last up this morning is news on some serious jobs cuts over at MySpace. The social networking (former giant) is looking to trim some fat by slashing nearly 47 percent of their workforce. There's no telling if this is just a quick fix to make the company profitable in 2011 or whether the move will have lasting effect for the website.

That wraps up things this fine morning from the states. Thanks for spending your morning with us as we break the headlines fresh off the press from our side of the world. Until tomorrow, this is Nick saying over and out.

MySpace looks for profit: cuts global workforce in half

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 06:00 PM PST

It's a tough road for social networking websites amidst the success of Facebook. MySpace in particular, has seen the devastating impact a more polished and arguably more intuitive social network can have on the competition. Today, MySpace is looking to cut 500 positions, a reduction of 47 percent of its global workforce.

Back in 2005 when Rupert Murdoch's New Corporation purchased MySpace for $580m (£372m), the social network was going strong. Since the acquisition, the company has struggled to make money. According to Mike Jones, MySpace's chief executive, “these changes were purely driven by issues related to our legacy business, and in no way reflect the performance of the new product".

Only time will tell whether slashing 47 percent of the global workforce will help MySpace return to a profitable business. Personally, the social networking site has lost its appeal. The customization options lead to a problematic user interface, bombarded with black backgrounds and neon text and unwanted animations and embedded videos.

A refined and limited universal interface looks to be the obvious solution. Anyone want to take a guess whether or not today's announcement will be the long-term fix for MySpace? Or has the social networking site been left behind, with too much ground to make up behind rival, Facebook?

via BBC News

iOS 4.3 update to include Personal Hotspot feature?

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST

Hot on the heels of the Verizon iPhone 4 announcement, we're heard rumblings that iOS 4.3 may support the Personal Hotspot feature. Are you ready to connect up to five WiFi-enabled devices to your iPhone's 3G data connection?

9 to 5 Mac is reported that two websites, iPhoneClub and iPhoneHellas, claim that GSM iPhones will land the mobile hotspot feature seen on the Verizon iPhone 4 (iOS 4.2.5) in an iOS 4.3 update later this year. Apparently both sites have excellent track records with pervious iOS predictions so there is a high probability the feature is coming.

The uncertainty is whether or not all GSM carriers will approve the feature. Here in the U.S. At&t delayed the iPhone tethering functionality nearly a year after other GSM carriers. According to Business Insider, At&t is "evaluating" the feature — which by all accounts, generally means chances are slim to none that At&t will launch the service.

Hopefully the new-found rivalry between Verizon Wireless and At&t will help fuel some competitive pricing in services that might extend abroad. For now we just sit and wait as Apple readies iOS 4.3 for prime time. Anyone care to take a guess whether or not the feature goes mainstream? Go ahead and include your current carrier.

via 9to5Mac

Porsche designed luxury bobsleigh: Olympic medal not required

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Who said the bobsleigh wasn't making a mean comeback in 2011? Apparently Porsche Design has been inspired by the Winter Olympics and decided to release their own take on the sport. This Porsche bobsleigh has a need for speed, are you ready to hit the track?

Priced at £204.00 (incl. 20% VAT) or £170.00 without, the Porsche bobsleigh has been designed with the Porsche philosophy — able to quickly cut through the snow thanks to directional stability, a low center of gravity, ease of steering, good braking and low weight.

Tipping the scales at just 4 kg, the bobsleigh is exclusively designed by Porsche Design Studio. Made in Germany and bundled with a black carrying bag, it looks like the bobsleigh is going mainstream in 2011 — any takers?

Out Now | Porsche | £204.00 (incl. 20% VAT) or £170.00

Park in style with Cardock hydraulic underground garage

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 02:38 PM PST

Parking your collection of luxury sports cars in the driveway is a certainly a drag. UK based firm, Cardock, has come up with a clever solution to ends your woes — introducing the hydraulic underground garage. Capable of holding all of your precious toys, Cardock saves space and more importantly, protects your investment.

Cardock's underground garage is powered by an electronic hydraulic system that lifts and lowers a platform to show or hide your ride. With support for 3 tons per deck, you can safely add multiple levels and systems to hide your entire fleet of Maybachs, Bentleys and Maseratis.

If you're wondering whether the system is actually being used, that answer is yes. In fact there's two installation so far — a Cardock Mono installed in a luxury apartment cluster in Bowdon, Cheshire and another version has found a home in London, next to a luxury home.

We couldn't leave you hanging with a video of the Cardock hydraulic underground garage in action, hit the YouTube link above to see the real deal.

via Freshome | Twitter

All hail the Verizon iPhone 4

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 02:08 PM PST

The rumored and often fantasized CDMA iPhone is finally hitting Verizon Wireless next month. The Verizon Wireless iPhone 4 is just like the current model available around the globe (no 4G support), but drops GSM support in favor of CDMA. Now that the phone is official let's learn a bit more, shall we?

It seems like an eternity since the first rumblings of a CDMA iPhone began nearly 18 months ago. Almost every month a new "unnamed source" came forward to tell a major publication that a CDMA iPhone was imminent. Like the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, that proclamation eventually came true — today.

So what makes this CDMA iPhone 4 so special? Well, at the core of the phone is the same A4 processor, five megapixel camera, Retina display, Facetime and 16GB or 32GB capacities. On the top, the SIM card slot has been removed as well as the GSM radios inside. Instead, there's a CDMA radio — this means no world roaming unless you plan to pay Verizon Wireless service fees. A huge blow to the globe trotting superstar, but then again why use a CDMA carrier in the first place, right?

Looking at the Verizon iPhone 4 you'll notice a slight change in design. Instead of having the separation of the metal band at the top, you'll have two separations on the left side of the phone — one above the volume switch and one at the bottom.

The other key difference is that Verizon's iPhone 4 runs iOS 4.2.5, a version which features a personal hotspot option. This allows the iPhone to function as a WiFi hotspot, simultaneously sharing data with up to five WiFi-enabled devices. There's no word on whether this feature is part of all iOS 4.2.5 builds or whether Verizon has locked down this as an exclusive feature.

As Peter Park knows best, with great power comes great responsibility. Verizon's network has yet to be tested by tens of millions of iPhone users simultaneously eating away at 3G data while using their phones as mobile hotspots. Only time will tell whether their network can sustain the added workload. For now, today is a great day for Verizon Wireless. If you can live without the ability to simultaneously use voice and data services, but want improved reception in the US — this is your meal ticket.

The Verizon iPhone 4 goes on pre-order for existing Verizon Wireless customers on February 3, followed by national availability (to non-customers) on February 10th. There's a sign up page on both Verizon Wireless and Apple's website.

February 10 | Apple | $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB

iPhone 4 classic Polaroid decal: nothing to do with Lady Gaga

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 09:53 AM PST

We can’t help falling for a nifty decal when it pops up every now and then. This Polaroid decal, based on the design for the classic Rainbow OneStep Polaroid Land camera, is one of the best we’ve seen in a while, from Photojojo in the States (it ships to the UK). It’s exclusively for iPhone 4, and if you decide you want to switch it up, Photojojo promise it won’t leave a residue.

Out now | $6.99 + shipping (£4.50 + shipping) | Photojojo

[via Laughing Squid]

Windows Phone 7 Facetime clone coming soon (Rumour)

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 09:30 AM PST

A Microsoft insider has revealed that a Windows Phone 7 Facetime clone is coming soon. The app will “reach beyond the hand of Skype”, whatever that means.

Tech News site Neowin managed to get someone at Microsoft’s CES booth to reveal that the company is working on a Facetime-like app that will bring video chat to the Windows Phone 7 platform.

When asked why they didn’t just use Skype, Neowin were told that the new app will “reach beyond the hand of Skype”. Whatever that might mean, there seems to be growing evidence that this wasn’t just the work experience kid shooting his mouth off.

Several people poking around in the DLL files provided to Windows Phone Developers have found numerous references to both ‘Primary’ and ‘Self Portrait’ cameras, indicating that a future revision of the OS will support this new hardware.

Out TBC | £tbc | Windows Phone 7 Video Chat (via Neowin)

What was the most exciting announcement from CES 2011?

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 08:44 AM PST

CES 2011 is over, and now our eyes have readjusted to daylight after squinting at walls of super bright screens, we want to know what you think has been the biggest, most exciting release or announcement from CES 2011. Click and tell!

Playstation app out now for Android and iOS

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 08:30 AM PST

Sony has released the official Playstation app for iOS and Android devices. Alas, its not the PSX emulator we all secretly hoped for, but rather a (still very handy) app for keeping tabs on your Playstation Network profile.

When Sony announed its official Playstation app was on the way our first thought was that it was – FINALLY – going to release an emulator like the one we presume will be running on the Playstation phone/Xperia Play.

Sadly, this was not to be – instead what we have is an app for keeping up to date with Playstation news and always being able to monitor your Playstation Network profile and that of your friends. You can read the official Playstation news blog from within the app and instantly lay your hands on your Trophy acquisition stats as well as check your friend’s statuses and send updates about your exploits to Twitter and Facebook.

Bothe the iOS and Android versions of the app are free and can be downloaded directly from the App Store or Android Market.

Out Now | £free | Official Playstation App (iTunes, Androlib)