BlackBerry to run Android apps on future QNX devices?

One of the biggest gripes from BlackBerry users is the lack of apps, which is why RIM hopes to boost sales by adding Android compatibility in future devices -- DroidBerry, anyone? According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the matter say RIM may add support for Android apps on future QNX-based devices, enabling access beyond RIM's relatively limited App World. The feature is said to go live in the QNX-powered PlayBook tablet by the end of the year, but there's no word yet whether the 2012 line-up of QNX phones will get a Google-friendly makeover. Rumor has it that anyone who bought the most recent batch of BlackBerrys won't get to have a taste of Gingerbread, Honeycomb or any other mouth-watering Android flavor for that matter. Guess they'll have to settle for plain old vanilla.

SanDisk launches $50 Sansa Clip Zip MP3 player, makes for a cheap workout date

If you've been working out with help from tunes on your Sansa Clip MP3 player or Sansa Clip+, chances are you've gotten a bit trimmer -- and you're not the only one. SanDisk's launched a thinner and upgraded version of its song slinger, the Sansa Clip Zip MP3 player. The newest incarnation plays all standard major music formats, comes in red, blue, black, orange, white, grey and purple, and has 4GB or 8GB worth of storage with room for more via microSD. It's launching in Europe next month, but is currently available in both the US and Canada for $50 and $70 depending upon how many jams you want it to hold. Thanks to its massive 1.1-inch display, the Clip claims 15 hours of battery life, which should be just enough time to keep up with your daily workouts, right? Jog on over to the full PR after the break.

Acer unveils TravelMate 8481T laptop for the all-business crowd

Globetrotting financiers have a new companion to slot into their briefcases, now that Acer has taken the wraps off its TravelMate Timeline 8481T notebook. Powered by an Intel Core i5 processor and weighing in at 3.7 pounds, this little guy boasts a 14-inch, 1366 x 768 LCD that's been engineered to fit within a 13-inch footprint, thanks to a frameless, bezel-trimming design. The latest addition to the TravelMate 8481 family also boasts 4GB of DDR3 memory (or 8GB, if you upgrade) and a 320GB SATA hard drive, along with the usual collection of WiFi, Bluetooth and USB 3.0 capabilities -- all packed within a slim, 0.87-inch thick frame. The laptop is expected to start shipping in "early September" for $1,000, but you can find more details in the full PR that's sitting after the break.

AMD 990FX motherboards from Asus, ASRock and Gigabyte get rounded up and ranked

HotHardware just herded up a trio of new mainboards equipped with AMD's 990FX chipset, which will support those famed 8-core Bulldozer-based processors when they finally arrive, as well as being compatible with existing Phenom II and Athlon II chips. All the boards had similarly high performance, good connectivity and plenty of overclocking and tweaking potential. However, the $229 Asus CrossHair V Formula inched its way to overall victory thanks to its reliability, attractive build and smart layout. The ASRock Fatal1ty 990FX Professional placed second despite being cheaper at $200 and having richer connectivity, including FireWire and a front-mountable USB 3.0 panel. Finally, the Gigabyte 990FXA-UD7 lagged behind due to its excessive $250 price tag, a lack of color coding to help guide less experienced builders, plus an ugly and outdated BIOS utility. So, there you have it: if you want to gear up for your next Bulldozer-ready AMD build, the Asus and ASRock 990FX boards are ripe for picking. Check out the source link for the full comparisons and benchmarks.

Sony Ericsson updates Xperia line with the latest Gingerbread goods

Android update junkies are in for a treat from Sony Ericsson. The handset maker's serving up the freshest batch of Gingerbread to its Xperia line of smartphones starting this October. Bundled in to this 2.3.4 rollout are a bunch of OEM enhancements, bringing along deeper Facebook integration that'll let you like and share your app discoveries with friends, and "3D sweep panorama technology," so you can snap those self-portraits for 3DTV viewing. SE's also thrown in a native screen capture function and, of course, there's Google Talk with Video Chat. The Neo V will be the first phone out of the launch gate with these baked-in tweaks, but if you've got a beefier Xperia device, it's probably better just to wait.

Drift HD helmet cam review

What a difference a year makes, yeah? 13 months ago, we were giving Drift Innovation's latest helmet cam (the HD170) a run through the gauntlet, and now, we're giving that unit's proper successor the same treatment. The simply-named Drift HD action camera is largely the same type of device, albeit one that's 25 percent shorter (this one's just four inches long) and offers a replaceable lens. Moreover, there's a waterproof casing that's on the way, though said shell wasn't ready during our testing phase. The company managed to include a 300-degree rotating lens (complete with a 170-degree field of view) and a couple of capture options: 1080p/30fps and 720p/60fps. The concept should be well-ingrained into the head of technophiles by this point: if you're looking for a camera to mount upside your noggin' (or on your vehicle of choice), this is what you're after. But is the new and improved Drift HD capable of taking on the GoPros of the world while justifying its $369 asking price?

Samsung's IFA app unveils Galaxy Tab 7.7, Wave 3 and Galaxy Note

We're about a week away from this year's IFA, but that's no reason for the tech teases to dry up. According to a report on This Is My Next, a bevy of product logos from Sammy's Android trade show app were unearthed by a tipster searching for clues in the APK. Among the soon-to-be unveiled products are the new Galaxy Tab 7.7, Wave 3 and Galaxy Note. While we've haven't heard much about the Note, we aren't really surprised to see a 7.7-inch (we assume) iteration of the OEM's popular Honeycomb tablet and an update to its Bada OS-running Wave smartphone line. Not to worry folks, you won't have to live with the suspense for long -- we'll be reporting live from Berlin before you know it.

Fossil's Meta Watch passes the FCC, your magic wristwatch fantasies are about to come true

Fossil's Meta Watch has been beset with delays and defective parts but finally there's good news -- the watches have passed the FCC. The two models (analog and digital) can sync with your Android smartphone or tablet via a Texas Instruments CC2560 Bluetooth controller and are being sold as a "development platform" until enough apps are built to take advantage of the technology. T.I.'s website lists the watches as being available since August 22nd, although we're not entirely sure what to make of that -- it still looks like a pre-order situation to us. In any case, the devices should hopefully start reaching app developers pretty soon. Hey, how about using the internal gyroscopes to bring some genuine wrist-flapping action to Angry Birds?

Olympus PEN E-PM1 Mini gets a $500 price tag, September release date

Remember that cute little Micro Four Thirds camera that Olympus unveiled in June? Well, we just got word that the PEN E-PM1 Mini will ship next month, with an equally petite $500 price tag -- including a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. The company is positioning the 12.3 megapixel camera as an upgrade for point-and-shoot users, as "the easiest PEN to use," thanks to a new, simpler user interface and 23 Scene-Select modes. Still, the E-PM1 is a very capable interchangeable lens camera (ILC), and includes a 3-inch 460k-dot LCD, 1080i HD video capture, RAW shooting and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 12,800, along with Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority shooting modes. The Mini will be available in purple, pink, brown, white, silver, and black -- our color of choice. Jump past the break for the full scoop from Olympus.

playGo USB does wireless audio slightly cheaper than a Sonos

Audiophiles wanting to wirelessly liberate their music from desktop speakers have a tough choice -- buy a $99 Airport Express, which uses a less-than-ideal 3.5mm line-out jack, or spend big on a Sonos. Bicom's playGo USB is the new cord cutting kid on the block, and it's aiming for the middle slice of that market. For $450 you get a transmission unit which connects via microUSB to your computer and a receiver that connects to your HiFi with RCA or Optical cables. Song streaming couldn't be easier, the two have a range of 75 feet and pair up automatically over the 2.4 GHz band to send 24-bit sound to your beloved home audio kit. To stand out from the crowd, the playGo is hewn from Corian (yes, the stuff used for kitchen counter tops) and has a layer of LEDs to add some color to your musical experience. It's currently on sale for $400, but let's be honest -- you can't put a price on freedom from wires, can you?

Panasonic Lumix FX90 point-and-shoot packs built-in WiFi, Android / iPhone app compatibility

For many photographers, in-camera WiFi may be an attractive feature before you leave the store, but confusing setup and limited functionality reduce its appeal once you actually go and try to use it. Panasonic sets out to better take advantage of wireless connectivity with its Lumix FX90, adding Android and iPhone app support for transferring pictures and video directly to a mobile device, then uploading them to Lumix Club -- a cloud-based photo-sharing service -- and on to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. You can also share photos directly from the camera -- a dedicated WiFi button launches a menu prompting you to select a sharing service -- but app support brings the added benefit of your phone's data connection. Beyond those new wireless features, the FX90 includes a 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 5x, 24-120mm optical zoom lens, 3-inch touchscreen, and 1080i AVCHD video capture. The FX90 will ship this fall with pricing yet to be announced, but jump past the break for the full rundown from Panasonic in the meantime.

LG and GM team up to build next generation of electric cars

Abbreviation loving multinationals Lucky Goldstar and General Motors have entered into an "Electric Vehicle Cooperation" agreement to build the next generation of EVs. The partnership follows a successful dating phase where LG supplied the batteries for the Chevy Volt. Now, teams from both companies will collaborate on key components, vehicle structures and architectures -- which we take to mean that it's a more substantial proposition than just battery sharing. The plan is to meet the new US fuel economy targets by 2025, so the design phase for the new autos will kick off soon. Let's hope this new venture bears some fruit that's faster than a flying banana.