Hasta La Gadget!

Back in the old days, in James Bond movies as well as other films and TV shows, people always tricked their pursuers with a license plate that flipped to reveal another. Now you can own your very own license plate flipper.

You can buy one from License Plate Flipper. This unusual device allows you to have two license plates. Just push a button and it will rotate 180 degrees, changing one plate into another within 1.2 seconds.

Of course I’m sure this is illegal in most, if not every state. Take a look at the disclaimer at the bottom of their page:

Improper installation of the product may result in car damage. When purchasing our product, you take full responsibility for all liabilities associated with the use or misuse of our product. Check your local laws and regulations before using this product. The product is great for use in car shows, advertisements or as a novelty / vanity and many more purposeful uses. We discourage the use of our product to avoid red light camera, beating red light cameras or avoiding toll booths or toll cameras.

[via This Is Why I’m Broke]

On January 26, it was deemed illegal for those in the U.S. to unlock their cellphones to be used on any wireless carrier they choose, which resulted in a White House petition to be created, receiving over 100,000 signatures, meaning we should be hearing an official response from them in the near future.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski caught wind of consumers’ outrage, and has voiced his concerns on the topic saying the “ban raises competition concerns” and “innovation concerns.” Genachowski assured the public his organization will look into whether it “can and should enable customers to use unlocked phones,” although he also says he doesn’t know exactly what kind of authority the FCC has on this topic.

We’re not entirely sure what the FCC could do to help the U.S. government retract its outlawing of unlocking cellphones, but we guess any bit could help at this point as they have yet to acknowledge how outraged the great majority of U.S. citizens have become over this ban.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: LG Optimus G Pro Benchmarks, LG Optimus G Pro Unboxing [HD Video],

Three executives from troubled imaging giant Olympus have pleaded guilty to artificially boosting the company’s true value in 2007 and 2008 by concealing losses in financial statements. Former chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, ex-auditor Hideo Yamada and former VP Hisashi Mori were charged with fraud in the scandal, which was brought to light last year by ex-CEO Michael Woodford. He was fired by the Olympus board for blowing the whistle, but reportedly received a large settlement for his troubles. The company has since confessed to cooking the books as far back as the ’90s to hide investment losses, and revealed in 2011 that it had a billion dollars less in value than previously stated. That, along with the poor performance of its camera division, has forced Olympus to seek a partner or raise capital to survive.

Filed under: Cameras

Former Olympus executives plead guilty in accounting fraud trial originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is from Sabin, who wants a high-spec smartphone and is prepared to venture to the dark side to get it. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I know, I know. I sound like an idiot, but I’d like a full-featured smartphone without the hefty cost. I’m looking for an unlocked phone and came across some of the China Global iPhone KIRFs that run Android. I’m no slouch in loading ROMs, building jtags, etc., but I’d like to know if the hardware is solid, because I can make the software work if that’s the case.”

Putting aside the various ethical and legal quandaries for the moment, it’s a very good question. Are KIRFs usable smartphones for those who know their way around tech? Does the hardware work to such a standard that you can expect useful performance and bluff your way through a crowd of those paying full price? Share your experiences with the group — we’re sure you’ll feel better afterward.

Ask Engadget: Are KIRFs worth it? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 22:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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