Nokia will launch the BH-112 wireless Bluetooth headset in Europe. Available in blue, purple, green, black, and white, the gadget is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled smartphones. In addition, the Nokia BH-112 is capable of supporting multipoint connections. Its battery provides enough juice for up to 5-hour of talk time, or up to 150-hour of standby time. Measuring 40mm x 20mm x 25mm and weighing at just 8.1 grams, the Nokia BH-112 Bluetooth headset will be launched in mid-September 2011 for €24 or approx. $34 each.

SOURCE via Nokia

Lenovo has introduced its first mobile monitor, the ThinkVision LT1421 Wide. This USB monitor functions as a secondary monitor for your laptop. The 14-inch LCD panel features 16 different brightness levels, a picture frame stand on the back, and tilt adjustment to change the viewing angle. The display is powered via a USB cable, which also carries the display signal. The Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 Wide mobile monitor will be released later this month for $220 a pop.

SOURCE via Electronista

Asus has officially confirmed that the upcoming ASUS Padfone will be powered by the Google Android 2.4/4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS when the device is released sometime late this year. Alex Sun, chief of Asus’s personal mobile devices department, explained that the Android Ice Cream Sandwich is the operating system of choice for the upcoming ASUS Padfone because the operating system promises better integration across different platforms. The Android Ice Cream Sandwich is set for release in the fourth quarter and is hoped to patch the fragmentation caused by different releases of Android for smartphones and tablets. In case you didn’t know, the ASUS Padfone is the only device coming to market that has a hidden compartment to dock the phone where it will power the tablet. The gadget features a 10.1-inch display for the tablet, a 4.3-inch touchscreen display for the smartphone, and a 5.0-megapixel digital camera.

SOURCE via netbooknews

Say goodbye to loud compressors, leaky hoses and inaccurate tire gauges. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, one of the world’s largest tire maufacturers, has developed a system which will allow tires to self-inflate automatically. Goodyear’s so-called Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) is completely self-contained, without any need for external pumps or electronics, says the tire maker. “While the technology is complex, the idea behind the AMT system is relatively simple and powered by the tire itself as it rolls down the road,” said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear senior vice president and chief technical officer.

Tires kept at optimal operating pressure deliver lower emissions, longer tire life, enhanced safety and improved vehicle performance, says Goodyear. Government research indicates that underinflated tires result in a 2.5 percent to 3.3 percent decrease in fuel mileage – that’s about 12 cents per gallon at the pump.

Goodyear has not provided any costs or an estimate when the technology will become available to the public, but it has received grants from the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Vehicle Technology to help further development.

What’s the best way for BMW to highlight its ConnectedDrive system? Oddly, it’s thievery. BMW’s latest online spot features the ConnectedDrive Vision roadster from this year’s Geneva Motor Show and details how the system’s connected functionality can help out in your next jewelry heist. It’s easier to highlight in motion, so hit the jump to check it out.

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Active aerodynamics are beginning to make their way into production vehicles, but adaptive winglets and electro-hydraulic flaps can’t hold a candle to Da Feng’s Flake concept.

Partially inspired by the lateral movement of the Cars characters, the ash from his cigarettes and concepts like BMW’s Gina, Feng’s vehicle started nearly three years ago as his final project at Conventry University.

What you see here is the third iteration of the Flake, which uses 250 active body panels controlled by mini solenoids pulling on carbon nano-tube wires. The result is a body that can lay flat to decrease drag, hinge upward to slow the vehicle and collect solar power or open fully to aid cornering and increase downforce.

Just as trick are the “D-Wheels” which are made up of 12 individual legs that extend upwards and contract downwards to fit the driving surface. Both the wheels and the body structure act as part of the suspension, allowing the Flake to corner hard and even go off road. Theoretically.

If it all sounds like science fiction, it is (and props to Feng for the shout-out to Snowcrash), but the budding designer did speak with an ex-Williams Formula 1 engineer who said the idea and execution is sound – with a few more tweaks.

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Owners hooked up with BMW ConnectedDrive now have the ability to access real-time traffic information from any internet connected device through the system’s recently launched web portal.

The traffic information – provided by connected taxis and fleet vehicles – is much more accurate than traditional methods, and the new implementation will allow drivers to check traffic conditions before they get behind the wheel. The BMW Routes Portal is available now and will be ported into the My BMW Remote app when it launches this fall.