Xiaomi shipped over 15 million MI2 series phones, lowers MI2s to $210 in China

While Xiaomi's been pushing its budget Redmi Android phone into Singapore recently, it's also managed to reach a new shipment record for its mid-tier MI2 series, which includes the MI2, MI2s and MI2a. According to the company's announcement, it has... read more

Google+ for Android learns even more photo editing tricks from Snapseed

Google+ has been taking cues from Snapseed ever since the company snapped up the app, and this refresh for Android is no different. The update introduces tools like crop, rotate and one-touch filters. It also comes with Snapseed-like enhancements,... read more

40 Years of Mobile Phones in One Minute

Starting with the DynaTAC in 1974 and ending with the iPhone 5s, this wonderful little animation zips through 40 years of cellphones in a little over a minutes.
Read more...

Toxic algae may have killed 9-million-year-old whales found under a road

Excavators working on a Chilean stretch of the Pan-American highway made a surprising discovery in 2010: a set of large fossilized mammal bones. A team of paleontologists was able to identify the fossils as the remains of more than 40 baleen whales, alongside a host of smaller animals, found to have died between 6 and 9 million years ago.
The paleontologists were able to identify the species of whale found in the mass grave — they included a sperm whale species and a "walrus-like" whale, both of which are extinct — but until recently, did not know what caused them to die and make their way into a mass grave. Now a team of Smithsonian scientists says it has found the culprit: algae.
Continue reading…

Google's Nexus 5 experience now available for other Nexus devices

Google is today bringing its Google Now-infused Android launcher to more devices. Anyone with a Nexus device or Google Play edition smartphone running Android 4.4 KitKat can now install Google's launcher, which puts Google Now just a swipe away on your home screen. It also lets users say "OK Google" to activate the feature — but again, this only works when you're on the home screen. Since it's currently limited to Nexus and GPe hardware, other changes are relatively minor. But Google Now Launcher does bring some handy user interface additions like a new wallpaper chooser and larger app icons to more devices; previously these were only found on the Nexus 5.
If Google were to release its launcher on a wider scale, it would enable users...
Continue reading…

App-Connected Slot Cars Give You Mario Kart-Like Power-Ups and Damage

Who knew that when Super Mario Kart first hit the SNES so many years ago it would have such a lasting effect on us? Even Scalextric, who've been making slot car tracks for decades, are finallyintroducing a new accessory that wirelessly connects to an app so you can add SMK-like crash damage, power-ups, and even stat tracking to back up your bragging rights.
Read more...