Viper outs SmartStart 3.0, knows where your car is and what it's up to

Viper reckons it can be your singular, all-round vehicle app judging by the considerable leap in features for version 3.0 of its Android, iOS or Blackberry SmartStart. On top of previous car lock, security and ignition controls, the aux channels now let you monkey with other parts from afar, like the sunroof, windows, stereo, AC and more. The new SmartSchedule pings you when it's time to (remotely) start 'er up, and vehicle diagnostics flag engine issues through DTC repair codes, if you drive certain models.

Engadget, Viper outs SmartStart 3.0, knows where your car is and what it's up to

Raspberry Pi impressions: the $35 Linux computer and tinker toy

The ledgers of history are littered with the rotting corpses of well intentioned, but ultimately unsuccessful, attempts to put computers in the hands of the young, underprivileged or severely impoverished. Some, like Intel's Classmate wanted to put cheap, durable Wintel machines in every American classroom, while others, like the OLPC program, focused their efforts on developing nations. Okay, perhaps it's a bit hyperbolic to compare those initiatives to decomposing bodies, but there's no denying they haven't exactly flooded the world with low-cost PCs the way they were envisioned.




Engadget, Raspberry Pi impressions: the $35 Linux computer and tinker toy

Sony ST21i Tapioca to be named Xperia Tipo when launched

The budget oriented Sony ST21i Tapioca got its retail name revealed by the Indonesian Telecom regulator. The upcoming smartphone, bound to bring Android ICS to the masses, will be known as Sony Xperia Tipo when it hits the shelves in the nearest future. The handset will sport a Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset with a single-core Snapdragon CPU clocked at 800 MHz and Adreno 200 GPU, a 3.2" HVGA screen, and a 3MP camera.

GSM Arena, Sony ST21i Tapioca to be named Xperia Tipo when launched

FCC: Verizon and Sprint Samsung Galaxy S3 variants complete the circle

. T-Mobile and AT&T have joined the FCC party with their variants of the Samsung Galaxy S3, leaving us worried about the other versions not showing up on time. Many of you are hoping to get Samsung’s flagship device on Sprint and Verizon. And if you are one of them, you will be glad to know that both CDMA versions of the device have just strolled through the FCC.
While we are not exactly sure if these devices will be blessed with 2 GB of RAM memory, it is very possible. The LTE-friendly, Snapgragon S4 versions are the ones said to come with the higher amount of RAM.

Android Phone, FCC: Verizon and Sprint Samsung Galaxy S3 variants complete the circle

Google to introduce 3D maps before Apple at June 6th event

. Google on Friday sent out press invites for a Maps event in San Francisco next week. The event will be hosted by Brian McClendon, vice president of Google Maps and Google Earth, who will give a “behind-the-scenes” look at the “next dimension” of the company's Map service, hinting at a new 3D mapping feature. Apple is reportedly planning to drop Google Maps from its devices and as BGR exclusively reported earlier this week, is expected to debut its own 3D maps service at its WWDC on June 11th. Google's event is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Boy Genius Report, Google to introduce 3D maps before Apple at June 6th event

Google to flag 'censored' searches for Chinese users (video)

Google is announcing that it's going to place a flag on contentious search terms for users in mainland China. Mountain View's Alan Eustace euphemistically described how some searches break a connection to the service, leading to users being frozen out for around a minute each time. He theatrically added that the company has checked its servers several times and found no error, so whatever issue causes these outages must be external.

Engadget, Google to flag 'censored' searches for Chinese users (video)

Google Drive offline coming in five weeks, says Google exec

According to Sundar Pichai, Google's Senior Vice President of Chrome & Apps, the offline version of Google Drive will be coming in “five weeks”. The Google executive dropped the bomb at the closing session of D10 in California today. Unfortunately, he didn't delved more into the announcement. Pichai also discussed its Chrome browser's market share which he claims to cover a third of the world's desktop browser usage up to date. Pichai also touched on the difference between Android and Chrome OS. When asked why both platforms exist, Sundar replied:

Android is extremely successful, we couldn't be more proud of it.

Ubergizmo

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techcrunch, Google Drive offline coming in five weeks, says Google exec