Brooklyn bus riders get real-time bus tracking via cellphone

New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority launched a pilot program a few months back that offered bus riders some real-time (live) tracking information, but it's now expanded things with a whole new program on the B63 route in Brooklyn. That service is currently accessible via a mobile-friendly website or text message, and smartphone users can also scan simply snap a picture of a barcode (presumably a QR code) at a bus stop to immediately check in on the location of the next five buses that will arrive at the stop. Hit read more for details and a link to try it out online for yourself!

Nokia reportedly planning 'organizational changes,' mobile phones exec on the outs

In the wake of news that Microsoft and Nokia may have some sort of tie-up in the works, Germany weekly Wirtschaftswoche is reporting that newly appointed CEO Stephen Elop will be bidding adieu to a number of high-ranking officials. Citing "company sources," the paper stated that Mary T. McDowell, a bigwig in the mobile phones unit, as well as Niklas Savander, the manager of the markets unit, could be on the outs. Moreover, Kai Oistamo (Chief Development Officer) and Tero Ojanpera, the manager responsible for services and mobile solutions, may also be enjoying their final weekends as Nokia employees. It's all part of a monumental strategy shift, and if it all pans out, it'll be Elop's first major move since taking over as CEO last September. Hit read more for details.

Google Translate for Android turns one, introduces experimental Conversation Mode, but there's no word on pricing or availability as of yet.

We know very well what Google considers beta -- after all, Gmail, Docs, and Calendar all shared that status until mid-2009 -- but here's a chance to check out an experiment from Mountain View that's "still in its earliest stages." Google Translate for Android is celebrating its first birthday this month, and to celebrate, an update will be pushed out offering a number of UI tweaks as well as an alpha version of Conversation Mode. Never heard of it? A demo was given at IFA 2010, but in case you're still in the dark, it essentially lets two speakers talk to one another in their respective native tongues while the app speaks real-time translations. Right now it'll only do English and Spanish -- and even then expect some hiccups with "regional accents, background noise or rapid speech" -- but the Babel fish has to start somewhere. Need more dialects / languages? Be patient, get a job for Google, or better yet, seek gainful employment with NIST / DARPA. Video from the IFA presentation is after the break and starts around the 26-minute mark.

Samsung 9 Series laptop unveiled - Wins Thinnest laptop crown!

Oh yes, that up there is Samsung's new 13.3-inch 9 Series laptop, and yes, it's said to be the "thinnest and lightest 13-inch notebook available." Revealed ahead of Samsung's CES presser, the duralumin machine weighs just 2.89 pounds and measures .68 inches thick -- in comparison, the 13-inch MacBook Air measures 0.11 to 0.68 inches thick and weighs 2.9 pounds. Hit read more for details about the awesome specs!

Motorola Droid Bionic

Things are getting real with Motorola -- it's just announced the LTE-equipped Droid Bionic which, like the Xoom tablet introduced alongside it, will be headed to Verizon. The phone packs a dual-core processor with each core humming along at 1GHz, a 4.3-inch QHD screen, 1GB 512MB of RAM, a front-facing VGA camera, an 8-megapixel on the rear, HDMI out, and a Mirror Mode that will let you do simultaneous streaming of video to the TV and on the device. Hit the link below for a video.

GM INVESTS $5 MILLION IN POWERMAT, TO OFFER DEVICE IN VOLT

Chevrolet and Powermat have announced at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that they are teaming up to offer a charging mat available for the Chevrolet Volt – thanks to a $5 million investment by GM in the upstart company. Eliminating the need for charging wires and cables, the mat mounts discretely in the center console area of the Volt and is capable of charging iPhones, Blackberrys and Android devices, among others. Hit read more for details.

Nokia Tipped To Announce Win Phone 7 Partnership On Feb 11th

Ever since Stephen Elop took over as CEO of Nokia speculation has been mounting that Nokia would jump onboard with a new operating system, with most of the speculation centering around Windows Phone 7. The rumors have come and gone repeatedly, but adding to the mix is a New York times article today that is suggesting an immininent announcement of a Windows Phone 7 partnership. Hit read more for details.

Motorola's Atrix 4G coming to AT&T on March 6th for $200, bundled with Laptop Dock for $500

On the same day that existing Verizon customers began pre-ordering the CDMA'd iPhone 4, AT&T has come clean with what's next on America's largest GSM network. While announced at CES 2011, pricing and release information had eluded the luscious Atrix 4G... until now, that is. Hit read more for details.

Vizio Phone (Video)

Just like its tablet big brother, the Vizio Phone is a sleek, lean, mostly black device which is handsomely and thoughtfully designed. The front is a dark, gloss black bezel, while the backside is covered in a soft touch material that almost feels like metal (though we think it's a harder plastic most likely). The display is a 4-inch LCD clocking in at 854 x 480 -- we're big fans of the slight resolution bump (think Droid), and even though this is an early, hand-built unit, the color balance and clarity seemed pretty top notch. Inside, the phone sports a 1GHz "plus" CPU, but just as with the tablet, Vizio reps wouldn't tell us who the maker was. Also as with the tablet, there's 4GB of storage onboard, a microSD slot, Micro USB port, and HDMI port. Continuing the trend, the phone will feature the same kind of IR setup, allowing you to use it out of the box as a universal remote. There's a VGA front-facing camera present, as well as a 5 megapixel shooter with flash on the backside. Hit read more for details and video.

TECH-LOADED HYUNDAI CURB CONCEPT

The automaker’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language is taken to a new level with the Curb, which is swathed in a soft white shade that masks many of its curves.

Curb rides on 22-inch alloy wheels wrapped in black and orange Michelin tires and its numerous LED lights illuminate sequentially. At night, the Curb badge illuminates through the vehicle’s one-off paint scheme. Hit read more for details and pictures.