Hasta La Gadget!

Our pals at the FCC have let slip what appears to be a new version of the smartphone from LG called the Optimus Vu. The line art on the left-hand side of the image below is clearly the back panel of the Optimus Vu. In place of the LG logo, you’ll note a model number and the 4G LTE logo.

That model number LG-VS950. The 4G logo and other details from the filing tip that the Optimus Vu is heading to the Verizon network. None of the FCC images or documents point to the name Optimus Vu, so it could be the name will be changed when the smartphone hits the Verizon network. It is certainly not uncommon for smartphones to change names depending on the carrier.

The FCC filing also shows that the smartphone has NFC and operates on LTE band 13. It also has integrated GSM 850/1900 MHz compatibility. Assuming all the hardware is the same, the device will pack a 1.5 GHz dual core Snapdragon processor, a five-inch IPS screen sporting a resolution of 768 x 1024, and 1 GB of RAM. The Optimus Vu we already know also has 32 GB of storage, and eight-megapixel camera on the back, a 1.3-megapixel camera with front, and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. That operating system is certainly stale by most accounts, but ICS updates are inbound.

[via Pocketnow]

LG Optimus Vu could hit Verizon is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Here’s an age-old problem: you take your butter out of the fridge, attempt to cut it and spread it over your toast, but it’s just too hard. The result is either mangled toast or an inconsistent spread. What’s a tired and hungry blogger to do? Warburtons has the answer. The company has come up with the idea of a heated butter knife: pressing a button on the handle will heat the blade to 41.8C, apparently the perfect temperature to melt butter.

Once you activate the heating mechanism, it’ll be ready to go in around 30 seconds. When you’ve managed to scoop up the necessary amount of butter, Warburtons recommends you evenly spread the substance by starting in the middle of your toast and heading towards the edges. You’ll be wanting to do that at an angle of 24.5 degrees, by the way.

The knife is powered by two AA batteries found in the handle, with the heating elements positioned at the tip of the blade “for optimum spreading technique.” Alas, there’s no word on if this will be a product that will actually make it to market, or how much it will cost, as it exists only as a prototype right now. We’re sure if enough people starting throwing money at their screens Warburtons will find a way to bring it to market.

[via The Guardian]

Toastie Knife will melt your butter and your heart is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google is reportedly planning a 10-inch version of the Nexus 7, presumably to be dubbed the Nexus 10, as the Android company readies for a huge push into the tablet segment. Announced on Wednesday at Google IO, the Nexus 7 will apparently gain a bigger brother according to DigiTimes‘ sources at touch panel manufacturers.

Those insiders claim that Google expects to use 10-inch touch panels from AU Optronics and Wintek for the new Nexus 10. Wintek is believed to be a supplier for the Nexus 7, too, and in fact is tipped to have already shipped 500,000 touch panels for the 7-inch Jelly Bean slate in June.

In fact, Wintek is believed to be supplying Google’s Nexus 7 hardware partner ASUS with over one million touch panel units during May through July, indicating the scale of Google’s tablet plans. Wintek isn’t the only supplier of the component, either, with TPK Holding said to also be contributing an unspecified number of touch panels itself.

Exactly when the Nexus 10 could launch is unclear, though as Google seems keen to use its new tablet line-up to motivate developers into creating Android apps suited to larger displays – even if it has to sell them hardware with no margin – then we’d expect the bigger model sooner rather than later. More on the Nexus 7 in our full review.

Google Nexus 10 reportedly in pipeline is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

RIM reported a disastrous Q1 2013 financial result in an earnings call yesterday, with the company still resolute in preparing BlackBerry 10 despite yet another delay. RIM also noted how it would be exploring all available avenues, and Reuters is reporting that the company’s board is coming under increasing pressure to sell its software services or partner with Microsoft on Windows Phone.

One of the options is to completely scrap BlackBerry 10 and license Windows Phone 8 from Microsoft. Steve Ballmer has reportedly approached RIM in the past hoping to form some sort of partnership, similar to its deal with Nokia, although the Waterloo-based company has declined such offers. RIM could also look to Microsoft to buy a stake in the company, although it’s not as attractive a proposition as the company would lose its independence.

The other option would be for RIM to sell off its private network infrastructure and software services to a private equity firm or another tech company. RIM’s servers could then be retooled to work on other mobile operating systems like iOS or Android. That’s a plan similar to what former co-CEO Jim Balsillie wanted to pursue, a course of action that was ultimately nixed.

Sources indicate that RIM’s board would prefer to keep developing BlackBerry 10 and see it through to an eventual release in the first quarter of 2013, although one has to wonder if the company can hold out for that long. The company yesterday reported a net loss of $518m, with revenue also down a third compared to the previous quarter. RIM stated that 5,000 jobs will be cut from the company.

RIM mulls Windows Phone partnership amid squashed BlackBerry is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet has begun to spring up for pre-order at UK retailers, with Ebuyer offering the 16GB version of the Jelly Bean slate. Priced at £199.99, though – unlike through Google’s own Play store – with free shipping to save you a tenner, only the larger Nexus 7 is available, as will be the case with other retailers. Google is keeping the entry-level 8GB version for itself.

Your money gets you a 7-inch IPS touchscreen, NVIDIA Tegra 3 quadcore processor and 1GB of memory, along with a 1.2-megapixel front facing camera. Connectivity includes WiFi and Bluetooth, but no cellular option at present. Google says the battery in the Nexus 7 should last for around eight hours of wireless browsing.

Nexus 7 hands-on:

Shipping is expected from July 27, though previous reports suggested stock was expected from July 20 so if you get in early you might get one sooner than the official date. Ebuyer claims to have over 900 units available for pre-order (at time of writing).

Over the next few days we’re expecting to see PC World, Dixons, Comet, and the Carphone Warehouse all post listings for the Nexus 7, each confirmed to be planning to offer the tablet. For more on the Nexus 7, check out our full review

Nexus 7 pre-orders hit UK retailers is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.