Hasta La Gadget!

When Microsoft first unveiled the Surface tablet, we were impressed at how well built it was and subsequent reviews of the tablet have been generally positive. However according to a report by Digitimes, their sources have indicated to them that Microsoft has reduced the number of orders for the Surface RT tablet by half for the remainder of 2012. Microsoft had originally estimated that they would be shipping 4 million units, but have now reduced the order to 2 million units. Now it’s not because the Surface tablet is bad or anything as Digitimes’ sources have pointed out that other tablet manufacturers such as Samsung, ASUS and Dell are facing weak consumer demand.

That being said, it has been speculated that due to this weak consumer demand, Microsoft could be set to introduce the Surface Pro tablet running on an Intel chipset sometime in December. Microsoft is also rumored to reduce the price of the Surface Pro tablet in order to make it a more attractive purchase, although Digitimes notes that this could further strain relationships with Microsoft’s OEM partners who weren’t too happy with the release of the Surface tablet in the first place. In any case we’ll be taking this rumor with a grain of salt and suggest you do the same, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled nonetheless.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: This cutting board comes with a built-in iPad stand, HTC appoints new marketing chief, hopes to usher in a new era of brand awareness,

So you’re over at a friend or relative’s house and your iPhone 5 is running low on battery – unfortunately for you, your friend/relative is not a fan of Apple’s products which means that they do not have spare Lightning cables or chargers lying around. Unfortunately it’s just not practical to bring our chargers with us wherever we go, unless you know you’ll be out all day or it’s simply because you’re that prudent, but that’s what the folks behind the Nomad Lightning Cable is hoping to change. As you can see in the image above, the Nomad Lightning Cable is a cable for your iPhone 5 that’s small and short enough to be attached to your keychain without really getting in the way.

It is 3” long and will use an Apple certified Lightning connector. This is pretty important because as you might have read a while back, Apple made sure that their Lightning cables would not be knocked off by attaching an authentication chip in them, which means that you can rest assured that the Nomad should function as advertised. While it’s not really a to-die-for accessory, we can only imagine that there are times when you will be glad that you have one attached to your keys, so if you’d like to pledge your donation or learn more, head on over to the Nomad Lightning Cable’s Kickstarter page for the details!

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: This cutting board comes with a built-in iPad stand, Satechi’s Universal Remote will give your iPhone universal remote capabilities,

Last week we reported that iTunes 11 could be launching in a few days’ time, and it looks like that could be the case and if the folks at the Wall Street Journal have it right, iTunes 11 could be launching as soon as today. As some of you guys remember, iTunes 11 was expected to be launched towards the end of October, but due to delays, Apple pushed the release to November, which makes it launch today make so much more sense. iTunes 11 is expected to be a major revamp and will introduce a new user interface and enhanced iCloud integration, although if it does launch today, we expect that we will get the full run down of its changes and new features. Either way we’ll keep our eyes peeled for the update, so check back with us later on in the day to see if it pans out!

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iTunes 11 to be released in the next few days?, Additional iPod touch features revealed [Rumor],

Jaguar has pulled the wraps off of its XFR-S sports sedan, the big cat company’s 186mph take on tightening up the luxobarge until your passengers squeak like field-mice. Teased last week as the fastest and most powerful four-door from Jaguar ever, the XFR-S made its debut at the LA Auto Show 2012, using a 5-liter supercharged V8 engine with 550PS good for a 0-60mph dash in 4.4s. However, Jaguar also says the XFR-S shouldn’t make too great an impact in your eco-credentials, with the new car putting out the same emissions and fuel consumption figures as its XRF sibling.

Of course, when you’re basing your numbers on what’s already an impressive sports sedan, we’re not talking tree-hugging territory. The XFR-S puts out 270g/km in CO2 emissions and manages 18mpg (US), the price you pay for pushing 502lb/ft of torque through an 8-speed Quickshift auto transmission and down through wider 20-inch forged alloy wheels with bespoke Pirelli tires.

That means not only will the XFR-S go in a straight line very, very fast, but it can deliver some drifting-style entertainment in the corners, as Jaguar’s official video shows. New suspension makes for a 30-percent increase in steering precision, and there’s an electronic differential and reprogrammed Dynamic Stability Control to deliver more of the road sensation to the driver. Corner Recognition can track when you’re cornering and make sure you’re in the right gear for the best exit, and 380mm front/376mm rear disc brakes bring things to a halt.

Jaguar XFR-S video:

Lashings of carbon fiber both outside and in, extended side sills, aeroblade moldings behind the front wheels, and a bootlid spoiler help distinguish the XFR-S’ appearance, along with gloss black trim replacing what would be chrome on the regular car. Lift is reduced by 68-percent, helped by new air channeling underneath. Jaguar will offer five color options: blue, white, grey, red, and black.

Inside, there’s charcoal leather with carbon-effect leather highlights exclusive to the R-S range, along with actual carbon fiber detailing and dark aluminum trim. A 380W Meridian 12-speaker audio system is standard, but can be upgraded to an 18-speaker, 825W system.

Unsurprisingly, this sort of performance doesn’t come cheap, though our initial guesstimates were happily too far on the rich side. Jaguar will offer just 100 of the 2014 XFR-S in the US come the summer of 2013, priced from $99,000, while the car will be from £79,995 in the UK.

Jaguar XFR-S revealed: This big cat has 550HP claws is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Cool small carmaker Fiat has unveiled the new 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio. Fiat says that little turbocharged car is track capable and has a clever open top design offering high-performance four passenger fun. The car promises the most interior space, rear seat legroom, and shoulder room among key competitors in a segment.

The little car uses a turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir engine producing 160 hp and 170 pound-foot of torque. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The little car has special Abarth-tuned performance hardware and has a lowered ride height, beefier suspension, larger brakes, and wider tires the normal Fiat 500.

The soft top on the new Cabrio is power operated and retracts up to the rear spoiler at speeds of up to 60 mph. While the vehicle is traveling up to 50 mph the roof can be neatly folded all the way open tucking behind the rear head restraints. A middle position that retracts the top above the front passengers can be activated at any time regardless of speed.

Fiat says that the turbo used in the engine spins up to 230,000 RPMs and produces a maximum of 18 PSI of boost. The turbocharger system uses two intercoolers located behind the driver and passenger side air inlets of the special front fascia. The car also features a special fresh air intake system and has a 3.35 final drive ratio. Pricing and availability on the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio is unknown.

2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio unveiled is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.