Hasta La Gadget!

Car manufacturers aren’t betting the farm on all-electric and hybrid cars; gas engines are still going to be around for a while, and Renault-Nissan and Mercedes-owner Daimler plan to squeeze the very best out of them. A freshly inked collaboration between the firms will see them double up on a new, turbocharged powerplant that – despite using gas not hydrogen fuel-cells or batteries – will deliver “a significant improvement in fuel economy as well as low emissions.”

Technical details on the new engine are scant so far. Described as a 4-cylinder gasoline unit, with direct-injection and a turbocharger, it will supposedly be “compact” and show up in the first cars from all firms in 2016 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Nissan has also grabbed a license to manufacture automatic transmissions using Daimler technology, which Nissan has said will take place in Mexico. Daimler gearboxes already help waft-friendly autobahn cruisers like Mercedes’ sedans shuttle through eight gears, and Nissan’s versions will use “park and shift by wire” and “start and stop” tech the German firm has developed.

The new ‘boxes will be used in both Nissan and Infiniti models, also from 2016, likely tuned for various degrees of efficiency, smoothness, and performance, depending on the specific vehicle and target audience.

Daimler and Renault-Nissan are still in discussions regarding fuel-cell powertrains, the companies confirmed, as well as a cross-supply program for battery and powertrain components for zero-emission compact models. City-car manufacturer and Daimler subsidiary smart showed off a concept all-electric model, the forstars, last week at the Paris Auto Show, which pairs battery power with smartphone remote control and an integrated projector for impromptu movie screenings.

Daimler and Renault-Nissan duo on eco-gas engine and more is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nintendo’s Wii U will be launching with an ample number of video games to whet your appetite.

According to the venerable game company, a whopping 23 games will be available for the Wii U when it launches on November 18. New Super Mario Bros. U will of course be the leading title, but several third-party developers have also chipped in with games of their own.

I have to say, I’m awfully impressed. I know that I’ve been somewhat tough on the Wii U here on Slashgear, saying that you shouldn’t preorder the device just yet, but perhaps this game lineup could change my mind. For once, Nintendo seems to understand the importance of third-parties, with 19 of the titles coming from a company other than the Mario maker.

I’m a firm believer that game libraries define video game consoles. And I’m also a firm believer that without a solid launch lineup of titles that appeal to all kinds of gamers, it’ll be difficult for a console to get off the ground.

The Wii U’s launch lineup appears to check all of the boxes gamers would expect. There are the kid-focused titles, of course, but you’ll also find some adult games, like Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Assassin’s Creed III. Add that to the new Darksiders and Arkham City and I think you have a solid game lineup.

And for those of us who still look back fondly at the old days of console launches that included all kinds of fighting games, having Tekken Tag Tournament 2 available on launch day just feels, well, right.

Now, I’m sure that there are some folks out there that look at this game lineup and worry. After all, many of the games, like Assassin’s Creed III, have been ported to the Wii U from other consoles. But I don’t necessarily think that’s such a problem. As Wii owners know all too well, we’ve been deprived of really great games available on other consoles. Finally, we can enjoy them on Nintendo hardware.

“I’m not blinded by reality here”

I suppose I should also point out that I’m not blinded by reality here. I know that Nintendo’s launch lineup doesn’t necessarily indicate that we’ll have hardcore games available over the long haul, and developers will love to support it. But I do think it’s a step in the right direction, especially coming off the Wii, which has proven notorious for its lack of appealing third-party titles.

After looking at the Wii U’s launch lineup, I have to admit that I’m a bit more excited at the prospects of this console than I was before. I’m not entirely sure that the Wii U will be able to hold up over the long haul as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 come out, but for now, I think Nintendo’s console will actually be another suitable gaming option.

That’s good news for us gamers. Once again, I’ll be able to enjoy games on three consoles, and not just two.

Why the Wii U’s Launch Lineup Is Impressive is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

There are plenty of ways to keep a desktop. On the one hand, it’s kind of like your default folder, immediately displayed to you on login. It’s a convenient place for those things you need quick, like dozens of shortcuts. On the other hand, it’s a homescreen, a homescreen, and shouldn’t you keep your home clean and pristine? After all, that’s what the start menu/launcher is for. More »

Even though the iPhone 5’s aluminum backing removed the odds of shattering the glass by 50%, some people will always be on the wrong side of the odds. These are those people. Those poor, unfortunate, unlucky souls who have already broken their brand new iPhone 5 after only a week. More »

Facebook debuted the new look of its dedicated Messenger app on Android last week and and just as promised, now it’s available on the iPhone as well. Facebook Messenger 2.0 brings a new SMS-style bubble layout to conversations, a swipe left gesture to reveal one’s friends list and the ability to push the friends you message most to the top of the list. As mentioned along with the Android update this is a part of a new release schedule cycle that should see updates arriving every 4 – 8 weeks. That means you can mark your calendar for the next refresh if this is your social network of choice, but for now just grab the latest version from iTunes.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Facebook Messenger 2.0 for iPhone brings new design to conversations, swipe left for friends list originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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