Hasta La Gadget!

Even with an additional typo, Google Maps handles the search. Apple Maps fails this real-life test.

The Apple Maps train wreck continues to unfold, and while a huge amount of disgruntled customers were hoping for an arrival of Google Maps to fix all their navigation issues, Eric Schmidt, the chairman of Google has confirmed that there is no Google Map app for iPhone 5 in the works. “We have not done anything yet”, he said to reporters from Reuters. We’ve told you about the Apple mapping issues in our complete iPhone 5 review. Previously, it was rumored that Google Maps, was on the way, but that it had not been submitted yet to the app store. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iOS 6 screenshots on iPhone 5 part deux, iOS 6 GM expected in September in conjunction with the launch of the iPhone 5,

Japanese electronics giant Sharp is reportedly planning a major restructuring to bring the company back to profitability by 2014, as reported by Kyodo News. Said restructuring will see Sharp cut nearly 11,000 (10,966) jobs from its 57,170-person workforce by March 2014 — just under 20 percent of all employees — and sell off various assets, resulting in ¥213.1 billion ($2.7 billion) of much needed capital from lenders. Named assets to be sold include international manufacturing plants, and shares in other Japanese electronics company, Toshiba. The company also plans on shuttering its international manufacturing plants, as well as once again cutting employee wages.

So, what’s gonna save Sharp from more turmoil? A rethinking of its LCD TV business, apparently, as well as a “strengthening” of the company’s smartphone LCD offerings. Sharp’s also moving away from solar batteries, selling off its US-based solar firm Recurrent Energy LLC. Company prez Takashi Okuda will head up the massive restructuring, leading an “emergency management committee” starting in October. All of this adds up to Sharp expecting a return to profitability by next April. You’ll forgive us if we’re a bit wary of that prediction, but our best wishes are with those impacted by the chaos.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile

Report: Sharp increases layoffs number, aiming for profitability by March 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  Mainichi, Kyodo News  | Email this | Comments

We can never get enough power. Come on. Admit it. You have done crazy things to get power. There is the “turn on your dying laptop to leak some USB power into your phone” trick. Or the “go sit in the car and use the car charger to make a phone call” routine. I am sure you have more stories. Share them below if you want! If you prefer to have options in those desperate or not-so-desperate situations check out the 4-in-1 Power Charger from Brookstone.

The name is logical. “4″ because you have 4 methods to get power: standard wall plug, car charger, USB and 9 volt battery. “1″ because you route which ever type of power into a standard USB connector with a retractable cord. Add an adaptor – many of which are included with the unit – and you are charging. An LED connection indicator lets you know when you are charging. The unit is compatible with iPhone, Blackberry and other smartphones. But it also provides a great source for cameras or e-readers. Think of the uses! In addition to the predicaments above, the 4-in-1 works great for travel, camping or home use. And it also makes a really practical gift that virtually anyone would appreciate. All of this power can be yours for $39.99. So why wait, get yourself prepared for those all of your power situations – frantic or not.

[ One Device, Four Ways to Charge copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Too often that not, we have wanted to record what the other person is saying so as to furnish the conversation some time in the future, as a proof or perhaps for fun. However, that may not always work out if the other person gets to know about it.

While there are a number of voice-recording apps and functions in regular smartphones, a stand-alone voice recorder which is very well-disguised is still a better option. Edic-mini Tiny b22 is precisely that, a really tiny micro digital voice recorder. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Xfire Safety Light creates an illuminated bike lane, HiddenRadio officially announced, available for pre-order now,

The riot that caused one of Foxconn’s factories to close down on Monday was definitely big news, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected. We’re heard for years that working conditions at Foxconn aren’t exactly the best, with labor groups frequently bringing the company to the public’s attention. Those who have Foxconn assemble their products have performed numerous investigations into the working conditions at the factory, and it isn’t uncommon to see anonymous Foxconn workers discussing the more negative parts of their jobs on various news sites.

Foxconn officials may have been able to get things under control relatively quickly, but today labor experts are warning that riots like this could happen again. The Washington Post has interviewed a number of these experts, with some pointing to increased pressure on workers as one of the major reasons for the riot on Monday. Why is there increased pressure on workers? Because the pool of uneducated workers in China is shrinking, meaning that there are fewer people for Foxconn and other companies like it to potentially hire.

Of course, we also need to take the time of the year into account – the iPhone 5 launched to massive consumer demand last week, and with Windows Phone 8 and the holiday shopping season both on the horizon, many other companies will soon be rushing to get their latest handsets on shelves. The Washington Post points out that these jobs rarely require anything other than an employee who is fast and accurate at all times, and these days, management is having a difficult time keeping the intensity of the job under control. “The companies haven’t figured out how to manage that intensity,” said University of Michigan China labor expert Mary Gallagher. “It’s intense because of the precision required. It’s intense because of how quickly technology changes and newer models are demanded. And while the number of workers is shrinking, you have the pressures on them mounting.”

Wang Zhiqian, a former line worker-turned-recruiter for the company, sees it a different way. According to him, it isn’t so much the lack of workers (and therefore an increase in pressure on existing employees) that is the problem, but rather the main issue is that factories like Foxconn aren’t good companies to work for in the first place. Zhiqian says that management is “a mess,” work days are often long, workers aren’t allowed to talk to one another, and guards have made a habit of abusing their powers. Ultimately, it’s “spiritual emptiness” for the workers at Foxconn which leads to their unrest.

Whatever the cause, experts are warning that this riot could lead to similar problems at other Foxconn factories if these issues aren’t addressed in a meaningful way. Companies like Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft have been stepping in from time to time to tell Foxconn higher-ups to shape up, and those interventions have led to some minor improvements. In order for things to change in a significant way, however, something big needs to happen, and that big thing might just have been Monday’s riot. Here’s hoping it’s enough to get Foxconn to realize that for the good of everyone involved, a major shift needs to occur. Stay tuned.

[Image via Reuters]

Foxconn riot could happen again, experts warn is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
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