Hasta La Gadget!

Dropping a smartphone is an absolutely horrifying experience. And on my first day in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, it happened to me with my BlackBerry Z10.

As much as I hate to admit, it was a dumb move on my part. Unfortunately, tragedy can strike with as simple an act as brushing one’s elbow across the table, and that’s all it took for me to knock my smartphone right onto a hard surface — facedown in a perfectly horizontal position. If you’ve ever been through such an accident, you know the few seconds it takes to pick up the phone and survey the damage can be incredibly nerve-wracking and one of the most suspenseful moments of your life.

I’m happy to say that this particular story has a positive ending, as I turned the phone over to see if I would need to call BlackBerry HQ in a panic. To my shock, it was completely fine. There wasn’t a single scratch or ding, and the touchscreen was just as responsive as ever. It would’ve been a different story had it fallen onto a concrete floor, but this still significantly increased my opinion of the Z10’s durability.

Had my Z10 come face to face with concrete, I would’ve been in a nasty predicament. Not only would I have had to pause or put the kibosh my 30-day trial run with the BlackBerry Z10, but I’m also on the other side of the world in a foreign country. While getting a new phone isn’t impossible, it’s expensive, time-consuming and frustrating. Yep, this was how my 10-day international adventure began, but how well has it gone for me since?

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Blackberry

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The YouTube app for iOS updated today with a cool new feature that allows your iOS device to pair with a select number of smart TVs and set-top boxes in order to push videos from your device to the television. YouTube says it’s just another way they’re working to make it “super easy to watch YouTube on any screen.” The update is available now.

As for what smart TVs and various other home theater devices that the YouTube app works with, the company says that it’s compatible with Bang & Olufsen, LG, Panasonic and Sony devices right now. However, companies such as Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio, and Western Digital will add support later this year, with even more companies to add to the list later on as well.

So technically, you won’t need a smart TV, but a receiver or a set-top box will also do the trick. To get your TV and your mobile device synced up, just head into “Settings” and then tap on “Pair YouTube TV.” From there you’ll enter in the “Pairing Code” and the name you want to give the TV. To get the code, open up the YouTube app on your TV.

YouTube also announced that the app is available on over 400 million devices, and over 25% of YouTube’s video viewing comes from mobile devices. That’s technically not too surprising, though, as smartphones and tablets have been taking the world by storm lately, and video watching while on the go is becoming quite prevalent.

YouTube for iOS updates with “send to TV” feature is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Ouya Kickstarter supporters have been waiting anxiously to hear word of when they could expect their Android-powered video game console to make its way to their homes. We’ve heard Ouya started shipping out its developer kits this past December, and we published a report announcing people could expect the Ouya to make its way to retailers starting in June. Today, we’ve finally received word when you Kickstarter backers can expect your Ouya.

A month from now, Ouya Kickstarter supporters will have their consoles shipped out on March 28. The news comes from Ouya founder Julie Uhrman in a blog post published earlier today. The post also confirms Ouya is on track for a full retail launch in June.

Kim Swift, who is best known for her work on Portal 2 and Left 4 Dead, was mentioned in the blog post as well announcing she will be creating a console-exclusive title. “We truly feel that this platform will give us the freedom to fully realize the funky, unique game we have in mind,” Swift says in the blog post. “Though the title will definitely appeal to core gamers in terms of skill and difficulty, it really has a completely unexpected, imaginative slant that’s totally at home on this console.”

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: 250GB Xbox 360 Spring Bundle Arrives, The Last Of Us Development Series Episode 1: Hush,

It wasn’t long ago when 3D printing was a really cool concept we liked to daydream about. Now, it’s gearing up to change our lives. We’ve seen 3D-printed buildings, portraits, organs, prosthetics, food, couture, a moon base, and even a pen for all your creative and repair needs. What’s missing?

3D-printed transport, of course.

That, however, could change if engineer Jim Kor has his way. Heading up the team behind 3D-printed electric car Urbee, Kor has more than 35 years of experience in designing automotive, bus, rail, agricultural and heavy mobile equipment, as well as civil structures and products for the aerospace and medical industries.

In the conceptual design and prototype stages, Kor’s company — <... [Read more]

Related Links:
Here’s the 3D-printing institute in Obama’s State of the Union
Ancient d20 die now available in 3D-printed form
Say ‘I love you’ with your 3D-printed chocolate face
Next up for 3D printing: a moonbase?
3D printing with stem cells could lead to printable organs

We blew out last month’s CES with our biggest group of editors to date, and now we’ve done it again here in Barcelona. There may have been fewer high-end smartphones than expected at the show, but we still managed to spend time with dozens of handsets and tablets, and even a surprise hybrid or two. Fira Gran Via, Mobile World Congress’ new home for 2013, was a fitting venue, and there’s even room to grow, should that be in the cards for next year. Still, we leave Spain with mixed emotions, and mixed impressions of the show. So, what exactly did we take away from our week of smartphones, sangria, tablets and tapas in Europe? Read on past the break for our take.

Filed under: Announcements, Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile

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