[CarScoop via BornRich]

Confusingly, the name of Else's first phone is actually "First Else". As we mentioned in October, the phone has a 3.5-inch (480 x 854-pixel) touchscreen display, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 5-megapixel camera (capable of 480p video at 30fps). It's also very likely to have a TI OMAP 3430 processor, a 1450mAh battery, up to 32GB internal memory, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Apparently, it may only support HSDPA 3G and EDGE (no Verizon).

As for the Linux-based OS, it uses a one-thumb wheel that avoids digging through menus, has GPS aware reminders, can record voice calls/messages and store them along with when the call was made, and straight-up looks sci-fi.

It seems that Linux-based mobile operating systems like Android and webOS will soon have a new competitor. [First Else via Pocket-Lint and SlashGear | Video via Engadget]

ELSE INTUITION™ is a complete mobile platform developed by ACCESS and Emblaze Mobile. Thanks to the combination of ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0 and an advanced user interface engine, jointly developed by Emblaze Mobile and ACCESS, ELSE INTUITION™ delivers a highly compelling and differentiated user experience, coupled with state-of-the-art hardware, accelerated 2D/3D graphics and elegant transition effects. ELSE INTUITION™ takes advantage of ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0 to provide advanced flexibility and configurability, enabling users to run multiple applications simultaneously, switching between them with ease. All data and content, including contacts, appointments, videos and photos can be rendered anywhere, not just within a single dedicated application, giving users faster, easier and more consistent access to their information

The Else Intuition, aside from being one of the first phones to use Access' Linux Platform v3.0 OS, is a 3.47-inch 480x854 slab of handset, with an OMAP 3430 processor, 16GB of internal memory, a five-megapixel camera, A-GPS, and 3.5mm headphone jack. It's capable hardware to start with, and the Palmy (an honestly, kind of sleepy) v3.0 OS has been slapped with a completely new OpenGL-accelerated interface, codeveloped by Access and Emblaze, who had promised an "ultimate holistic device," whatever that means, late last year.

It's a lot to process, and there's not a ton of info to run with here: There's no hands-on to indicate if this left-field software is any good, and the companies won't get any more specific than "[worldwide] operator evaluations are currently underway" as far as potential release dates go. That said, this looks like decent hardware, albeit seriously bricklike, and newness counts for a lot in mobile software. (Pre, anyone?) Maybe this whole Access fiasco wasn't so crazy after all? [Access via Impress]

Head of Product Strategy Won-Pyo Hong says the Android units will ship alongside a LiMo handset, marking a serious shift in focus to Linux for Samsung. The company isn't spilling any more details for now, so we've really just got the words "Android" "Samsung" and "handset" to spark our imaginations. That, and the equivocal "more than three" thing—surely, "more than three" just means "at least four", right? [Reuters via Crunchgear]

Stepping out from the norm, this limousine has no champagne buckets, stripper poles, disco balls, or lavish seating. However, this grand prix-style race car can seat up to seven people—six willing passengers and a daredevil driver—and despite its open-roofed design and unbelievable speeds, the GP Limo is completely street legal.

If this ever does get up to 300MPH, it'll get your prom date's dress off quicker than you'll ever be able to. [GPLimos via AutoBlog via Oh Gizmo! via DVice]

[RKS Design via Yanko]

Verizon Joins LiMo Foundation™

With Verizon on Board of Directors, LiMo Expands Major Wireless Service Provider

Engagement Across North America, Asia and Europe

LONDON, England; TOKYO, Japan, and BASKING RIDGE, N.J., United States, May 14, 2008—LiMo Foundation, a global consortium of mobile leaders delivering an open handset platform for the whole mobile industry, and Verizon Wireless, the builder and operator of the most reliable wireless network in the U.S., announced today that Verizon has joined LiMo as a Core member and will fill the final seat on LiMo's board of directors. By participating in LiMo, Verizon hopes to help LiMo unify the mobile industry around openness and Linux as the key enablers to lowering development costs.

"Verizon Wireless is demonstrating itself a champion of openness in mobile innovation by joining the board of LiMo Foundation," said Morgan Gillis, executive director of LiMo Foundation. "Major wireless service providers from across North America, Asia and Europe are now engaged in committed collaboration through LiMo. This offers further concrete evidence that LiMo is positioned at the heart of the rapidly emerging, industry-wide trend to secure the benefits of openness and choice in technology."

"Verizon Wireless is committed and invested in encouraging innovation, providing developers the opportunity to deliver new wireless choices and expanding the mobile market," said Kyle Malady, vice president of network for Verizon. "We expect our involvement with LiMo to advance these principles."

LiMo Foundation is open to all vendors and service providers in the mobile communications marketplace, including device manufacturers, operators, chipset manufacturers, integrators and independent software vendors. Verizon Wireless joins the foundation's other 39 members in working within LiMo's transparent governance model to shape the evolution of the LiMo Platform™, while remaining entirely free to deliver their own compelling and differentiated services to mobile customers.

"The addition of Verizon Wireless to the LiMo roster is another critical milestone in our foundation's rapid growth and market impact," said Kiyohito Nagata of NTT DoCoMo, chairperson of LiMo Foundation. "In technical output, governance constructs and business models, LiMo lives out its belief that openness is the key to unlocking innovation to the benefit of the whole industry and mobile consumers everywhere."

Launched in January 2007 by six mobile industry leaders—Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics and Vodafone—LiMo was formed to deliver an open and globally consistent software platform based upon Mobile Linux for use by the whole industry to catalyze next-generation mobile consumer experiences.

About LiMo Foundation

LiMo Foundation is a dedicated consortium of mobile industry leaders working together within an open and transparent governance model—with shared leadership and shared decision making—to deliver an open and globally consistent handset software platform based upon Mobile Linux for use by the whole mobile industry. A full description of LiMo, including its vision, goals, charter, guiding principles, bylaws, and membership information, can be found at www.limofoundation.org.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

•6 plasma TV's w/ DVD
•Alpine sound systems
•Fiber optic light show ( over 2 million different colors )
•Sequenced strobe lighting effects
•Lightening plates
•Full bar with with champagne and beer for adults and soft drinks for the kids
•Color wash LED celing
•Illuminated leather seating
•Headlight strobes and special effects

[A-Team Limos]

What is inside:

•6 plasma TV's w/ DVD
•Alpine sound systems
•Fiber optic light show ( over 2 million different colors )
•Sequenced strobe lighting effects
•Lightening plates
•Full bar with with champagne and beer for adults and soft drinks for the kids
•Color wash LED celing
•Illuminated leather seating
•Headlight strobes and special effects

Despite their image of being notoriously hard to find, the A-Team seems to care little about the authorities on their tail these days. In fact, they are doing business right out in the open and you can hit the link to hire them yourself. You can even purchase a version of the A-Team Limo on Ebay for a starting bid of $20,500 (bidding ends on December 11th). [A-Team Limos and Ebay auction and Google Groups]

[Gizmag]