Samsung's Bada Mobile OS to Launch in Early 2010

Samsung's non-smartphone OS, which is surprisingly named Bada (rather than "Why?"), has already been announced, but now we hear that the first Bada phone should arrive in the first half of 2010. Given Samsung's recent dalliance with Android skins, maybe this is a new attempt to create something people might actually want to use. Still, we're just not that excited about another dumbphone OS, which is why news about Bada winds up here in the dark, forgotten corner of Gizmodo we call Remainders. [Engadget]

Google Talk Knows When You're on Android, and Likes It

The thing about Android is that we all depend on Google for all kinds of things, whether or not we ever plan on using an Android phone. So if Google wants, they can exert some pressure, through sweet exclusive features (like the Droid's turn-by-turn Maps) or little cues like this one. Google Talk now adds teeny adorable icons for Android users in the GTalk buddy list—but only Android, not iPhone, WebOS or BlackBerry. I'm not concerned about the "Google creep," but Google haters may find this seemingly innocuous feature a sign of trouble to come. [TechCrunch]

California Passes New Efficiency Standard for TVs

California, in a decision that's the first of its kind, passed a law requiring new, stricter efficiency standards for all TVs sold in the state. By 2011, they'll have to reduce energy requirements by 33%, and by 2013, that number goes up to 49%. It's not a huge deal, nor something consumers are likely to notice—but higher energy efficiency standards are okay in my book. The law has passed only in California, and is seeing a fair bit of opposition, so don't hold your breath for nationwide adoption—hence its place in Remainders today. [Mercury News]

Acer Ferrari Netbook's Tackiness Burns My Eyes

Okay seriously you guys, who the hell buys Ferrari versions of gadgets? They pop up with pretty alarming frequency given their eye-searing tackiness, and the latest victim is this humble Acer netbook. The netbook packs expected specs, including an AMD Athlon Neo processor at 1.2GHz, up to 4GB memory, 160GB hard drive and snoooooore. But why ruin that solid, sleep-inducing mediocrity with such shockingly garish styling? It'll be available in Japan on November 27th. [Akihabara News]

Eriksson, whose story reaches Mark Sanford levels of ridiculous, is famous for crashing a rare Ferrari, escaping at least one prison sentence, possibly having a movie made about him, leading some sort of mafia in Sweden in the 1990s and making a product nobody ever wanted, ever. Referred to in his native Sweden as "Fat Stefan," because he's fat, Eriksson will serve 18 months in prison for his multitude of mafia and gadget-related crimes. Eriksson is a hilarious dirtbag the likes of which we rarely see in the tech world and he'll be missed, at least theoretically, maybe. [The Local via Engadget, photo credit AP]

We don't know much about this mini-Modena, except that it's got netbookish guts and some definite kid appeal. And the people who made this thing really committed to it, custom-molding the body and optical drive tray, all in the honorable service of whimsy. For this, I cannot fault them. [Engadget]

The iPod touch is only a 16GB model, presumably because the convertible's name is the 16M and not because a bump to the 32GB would have broken the bank. But if you want to listen to a digital Ferrari engine in your real Ferrari on a Ferrari-branded iPod, you better jump on it quick: Only 499 are being made, and each is likely to cost $325,000. [Thanks, Noah!]

Extra note: Al & Ed's have been doing these custom installations for a few years now, and note that it's strange that Ferrari doesn't support an iPhone instead. That way you can have a GPS actually in your dash. They also claim that the price is $325k, not $225k.

The lucky guy riding the car is dutch kids TV presenter Leon Krijgsman, who went through the streets driving this Lego kart.

No need to build this beast to get into our Lego minifig contest, but you definitely need to race now, with only two weeks go to. If you want to participate and win one of the priceless classic vintage sets we are giving away. You only need to send your entry to us as soon as possible because the end of the month deadline is quickly approaching. Entries keep pouring in, but it's never too late. You still have 15 days to go.

If you want to participate, check the contest rules here and send your video now. [Comunicadores via Geekologie]

"As far as how fast it goes and how much the bike would cost, we can only speculate about very big numbers in both cases," Glinik says. Cold, Glinik. Cold. [Industrial & Art via Luxist]

The degrees of separation go thusly:

The xten chair is the spawn of Pininfarina, an Italian design firm. Pininfarina designs many things, like cell phones and alarm clocks, but chief among them is the ultra-rare Ferrari Enzo. Eriksson is probably best known for wrecking his Enzo on a highway, sawing it in half, and walking away relatively OK so he could continue to make shitty portable gaming devices. And scene.

We have no idea whether or not Eriksson has an xten in his office, but if he does, we're certain its days, like Gizmondo's, are numbered.

[xten via DVICE]

[RaceChairs via Geekologie]

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
122 grams
58 x 108 x 16.8 mm
2.8-inch screen
Touchscreen GPS
Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 OS includes Pocket Outlook, MSN, Word, Excel and the new Power Point Mobile.
SirfStarIII LP GPS receiver
Navteq pre-installed maps (latest 2006 issues)

The peeps at Acer haven't put a pricetag on it, but expect it to be too 'spenny for what it is. [Acer via MobileWhack]

[Gizmag]

The authorities believe Trevor Michael Karney, the true identity of the fictitious Dietrich, hid in Ireland for a time after the famous crash, then snuck back in to the United States via Mexico. He was arrested today and charged with drunk driving, resisting arrest, lying to a police officer (about his involvement in the ordeal) and, potentially, violating federal immigration code. Some people never learn. [LA Times]

In case you were wondering, yes, the frame is "subject to cataphoresis anti-corrosion treatment prior to being painted" - so you'll be okay submerging it in salt water for a few weeks. Now if you guys can convince Blam to let me into his mansion to try it out, maybe we can get a proper review going. [Product Page]

So now there are laptops, a handful of cellphones, and a few other assorted gizmos with the Ferrari logo all over them. That said, this is a fine-looking phone with that Ferrari logo on board. Come to think of it, we're getting tired of our Michael Graves toilet brush and want one with the Ferrari logo on it now. – Charlie White

SonyEricsson K800i Ferrari Edition (Italian) [MobileBlogit, via Textually]

The comedian was unhurt, but maybe next time he takes the wheel of such an expensive and rare machine, he'll be driving it around in a padded cell. – Charlie White

Question Of The Day: Was The Eddie Griffin Enzo Crash A Publicity Stunt? [Jalopnik]

Vertu, that overpriced cellphone company so beloved of celebrities and the uber-rich, has announced details of its latest mobile. The Vertu Ferrari 1947 (of which just 1,947 have been crafted—NOT made, you understand) has a scaled-down replica of the Ferrari gas brake pedal in aluminium (high-grade, natch) on the back, a prancing donkey horse on the front and a black and red leather trim.

Ah, let's talk about the leather, shall we? Apparently it's been tested against lipstick and petrol, so it will survive that nasty encounter you've been dreaming about with Janice, your local gas station attendant. The Vertu Ferrari 1947 is out in July, and the spoilsports are not telling us the price - because they're probaby too embarrassed. If you want to do a bit of window licking, check the gallery below.

– Ad Dugdale

Update: Our writer's transmission has broken. Yes, it's a brake pedal, as some of you pointed out. But a brake pedal? Come on, a kajillion dollars phone for the leaders of the world that has a brake instead of a gas pedal? Aw smleh!

Product Page [via Shiny Shiny]

Costing $20,000, Ferrari says, "It's a statement." And I think that statement is something like, "My nether regions are so tiny that even my Ferrari couldn't offer me a value of self-worth, so I'm gonna give their speakers a shot." That being said, I would take one had I the net worth. – Mark Wilson

Ferrari Audio System [via coolestgadgets]

Aside from their gorgeous looks, these notebooks have features that are quite similar to countless others. Although you'll pay a bit more for this high styling, it might just be worth it. I've seen these notebooks' predecessors and their build quality is impressive. I found myself lusting after them as if they were that spectacular babe wearing that $6.5 million bra we saw yesterday. – Charlie White

More laptop porn, after the jump.

Acer Ferrari 5000

Acer Ferrari 5000

Acer Ferrari 1000

Acer Ferrari 1000

Gizmondo, if you don't remember is the hand held gaming device decked out with GPS, motion-sensing, Bluetooth, and every other gadget buzz word you can think of. We'd seen prototypes, but it never seemed like the thing would get off the ground. That became the truth shortly after the CEO smashed up of a 660-hp Ferrari Enzo early one Spring morning. The rest is history, and now a legendary tale filled with ex convict Gizmondo executives, Swedish mafia thugs, stolen exotic cars, stock fraud, and extortion. Jump for the sweet opener.

THE BUMP IN THE ROAD that ended Bo Stefan Eriksson's fantastic ride is practically invisible. From 10 feet away, all you can see is the ragged edge of a tar-seamed crack in an otherwise smooth sheet of pavement...there's barely enough lip to stub a toe. Of course, when you hit it at close to 200 miles per hour, as police say Eriksson did in the predawn light last February 21, while behind the wheel of a 660-horsepower Ferrari Enzo, consequences magnify.

Gizmondo's Spectacular Crack-up [Wired]

Nevermind The Horsepower: Buy A Ferrari 599, Use Your IPod [Jalopnik]

Inside? an AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 CPU, and an ATI XPRESS 1150 chipset that provides integrated graphics. Hmm...integrated graphics aren't very racy. Still, this machine has a decent set of ports and wireless options. The rest of the stat-smather after the jump.

When it comes to connectivity and multi-media options, the notebook promises the best. With options like Gigabit Ethernet , Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR and Extensions ports like AC adapter, Docking-port, Firewire, Infra-red, Line In, LineOut, RJ-11, RJ-45, S/PDIF, S-video ,USB 2.0 and VGA-out.

No info forthcoming on US availability or pricing.–Brian Lam

Acer Ferrari 1005WTMi Laptop [Mobilewhack]

It looks a lot like the Becker Traffic Assist 7914, and includes what's becoming the usual features for GPS devices, including voice guidance, a touchscreen display and 2D/3D maps. It's also packing a 2GB SD card and a bigger-than-average 4-inch display.

Trying to differentiate itself from the pack, this Ferrari also plays music, but that's getting to be a common function in GPS devices, too. Sure, it's not going to get you there as quickly as a four-wheeled Ferrari, but if you can't have the real thing, at 613.60 EUR (around $789 if you can get one in the US) this'll do.– Charlie White

Special car navigation with Ferrari skin [Aving.net]

Pictures of the Ferrari P4/5 [ supercars.net ]

They're sterling silver, lacquered in Racing Red or Modena Yellow, or you can go all-out with one in 18-karat yellow gold lacquered in Racing Red. And of course, all are decorated with a hand-made Ferrari prancing horsy, and each pen arrives in a case that looks like the interior of a fine Ferrari automobile. Go ahead, he's worth it. It's $1500 for the sterling silver models, and the 18k gold one? Well, it's going to be a lot more. – Charlie White

Product page [Montegrappa, via productdose]

The 5000 is a 15.4-inch desktop replacement that is powered by the AMD Turion 64 X2 processor. It also features an integrated 1.3 megapixel camera, card reader, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, up to 160GB storage and a even an HD DVD drive, when available. The 1000 is a smaller, 12.1-inch, version of the 5000 with similar internal features. Both of the laptops come in a carbon fiber casing. – Travis Hudson

Acer unveils Ferrari 5000 and Ferrari 1000 [Acer]

...Wait, it doesn't matter what the frequency range is because this speaker costs a blistering $20,000. Hell, this is more of an ass-reaming than the Apple Hi-Fi boombox that was released a while ago. I'm sure this speaker sounds nice, but will you honestly be able to live with yourself if you drop $22k on a single speaker-tower?

Ferrari Art.Engine Speaker Under the Microscope [SonicFlare]

Ferrari Learning Laptop [I4U]

Eriksson survived the crash, but the Enzo, one of 399 made, didn't fare very well. Apparently Eriksson was a passenger in the vehicle and that the real driver, a German, fled the scene.

Swedish games mogul smashes million dollar Ferrari [TheLocal]

Is the Acer F20 the Ferrari of LCD Monitors? [Tom s Hardware]

Purchase info for Acer Ferrari F20 Monitor [Amazon]

Ferrari MP3 player FMP160 [Musicgizmos]

More Ferrari electronics by Oregon Scientific [Amazon]

Dropping the word "bling" into conversation (or a column) may be as tired as "Will and Grace," but the concept of blingage has never been more blindingly alive. In what could be the long-lost eighth sign of the apocalypse, luxury wheel brand Asanti has introduced a set of diamond-encrusted 22-inch rims that cost a million bucks for a set of four. Here's the upside — they come with a free, $150,000 Bentley Continental GT. Wither, Marie Antoinette?

XM Satellite Radio is working on a system with which drivers in urban areas can find available parking spaces. Sensors embedded in private parking lots will detect whether or not a space is in use, and that data is conveyed to drivers via their navigation systems. Still, the system won't be a truly killer app until cities embed the sensors into public parking spaces. That's when we'll show up at XM's office with cake, to say the least.

Students from top auto design schools are competing to come up with the most compelling new Ferrari design. It's a contest sponsored by Ferrari and Pininfarina — "Ferrari: new concepts for the myth" — and the students are from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Tokyo Communication Arts, Coventry University School of Art and Design, and the European Institute of Design in Turin. The winners will receive an internship at Ferrari or Pininfarina.

According to our own Robert Farago, the recently redesigned Honda Civic could bet the first car designed for the vid kids, the "first mainstream motor to reflect, represent and personify the Playstation Generation s digitized automotive sensibilities." Bloop.

Ed "Big Daddy" Roth s Mysterion was once one of the most recognizable custom cars from the radical 1960s hot rod generation. But the cycloptic beast didn't stand the test of decades; the lost machine likely turned to dust in the back of some defunct SoCal garage. But one Roth fan set about to recreate the Mysterion, only with a build quality exceeding that of, say, a paper-towel holder from Target. He did it.

Not all replicists, of course, aim for perfection. Some switch media and just keep right on going. One seriously skilled carpenter from Germany, Udo Haase, carved a replica of the famed Mercedes 300SL gullwing out of pine, just for the hell of it. And we couldn't even finish that baseball-card box in shop class.

And finally, BMW will be the first to apply a new data-transfer standard to a new car. The company's next X5 will be fitted with a suspension-damping application that uses the new FlexRay high-speed data transfer system. That system, developed by a consortium of carmakers and electronics suppliers, will likely form the infrastructure of new drive-by-wire functions that will one day replace mechanical systems for acceleration and braking. The X5's use of it is a kind of soft launch, a dry run to see how close to a zero failure rate can be achieved.

[Jalopnik s The Week in Cars appears every Friday (normally, but Monday today)]

Acer Ferrari-Branded LCD Monitors [Biosmagazine]

Product Page for Acer F-19 [Techstore.co.uk]
Product Page for Acer F-20 [Techstore.co.uk]

Giorgietto Giugiaro has been designing cars since Ferrari's prancing horse was just a colt. But where most people would celebrate their golden anniversary in the business feasting on all-you-can-eat shrimp, Giugiaro instead designed a Ferrari prototype. The Ferrari GG50 concept is a four-seat coupe built using similar mechanicals as the $250,000 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti - powered by a 540hp V12. If reports are correct, the design will likely inform a new model to replace the company's aging 575M.

Volkswagen's EcoRacer concept is two-seat roadster with a body constructed from strong, lightweight carbon fiber and a new diesel engine boosted by both a turbocharger and a supercharger. The supercharger provides thrust at low revs, the turbo kicks in at higher revs, and the whole 1.4-liter pressure cooker gets around 69 mpg, propelling the EcoRacer from zero to 60 mpg in an entirely respectable 6.3 seconds. Remember the old Rabbit diesel from, oh, around 1979? That was a really long time ago.

Consider Hyundai's new Neos III crossover concept an art-house version of the redesigned Santa Fe SUV the company will introduce to the US audience next year. Still, despite their incompatible taste in sheetmetal, the two Korean brothers will share a dirty little secret in common — that is, Hyundai's new 4.6-liter V8 engine the company hopes will help it compete in the horsepower-drunk American SUV market.

It's not much to look at - unless your calendar has pictures of disco-era roller skates on it - but Mercedes-Benz's F600 Hygenius concept is built not to please the style council, but as a showcase of its fuel-cell technologies. Well, maybe designers were thinking a little about style, considering Mercedes bid them to design the entire car around its fuel cell.

Lexus unveiled a concept car, the LF-Sh that offers a peek at the replacement for its top-of-the-line LS model in 2007. The Toyota luxury brand is serious about competing with the big boys in the highline market, like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series battleships. So serious, in fact, that the company launched the LF-Sh concept with a new hybrid-drive system that rests its laurels on a big ol' V8 gas engine. Forget about saving the planet; that "h" is really for horsepower.

[Jalopnik's The Week in Cars appears every Thursday]