Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for US$12.5 billion

Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for US$12.5 billion: Google has announced today that it is going to purchase Motorola Mobility for a price of US$40 per share, which adds up to a total amount of US$12.5 billion. Taking Google's patent wars into account, Motorola's portfolio of 17,000 patents could have been an important factor behind the deal. According to a blog post by Google's CEO Larry Page, Motorola will be run as a separate business, while Android will remain an open platform.

New aquarium designed to put jellyfish on your desk

New aquarium designed to put jellyfish on your desk: Jellyfish are definitely fascinating creatures, that are almost hypnotizing to watch ... you could say, they're the lava lamps of the animal kingdom. Unfortunately for aquarists, however, they also can't be kept in a regular aquarium, as they'll get sucked into the water filtration intakes.

OPINION: Distracted driving - the insanity of public roads

OPINION: Distracted driving - the insanity of public roads: The distracted driving epidemic seems to know no bounds. With global road deaths set to exceed 1.5 million human beings in 2011, almost every country in the world continues to accept the mayhem on the roads as the cost of doing business.

Schluckspecht EV travels a world record 1,000 miles+ on a single charge

Schluckspecht EV travels a world record 1,000 miles+ on a single charge: The "Schluckspecht E" electric vehicle built by a team at the University of Applied Sciences in Offenberg, Germany has broken the world record for the longest distance traveled on a single charge.

New fixed brake caliper saves 1.5 kilos per wheel

New fixed brake caliper saves 1.5 kilos per wheel: Continental is best known for its tires, but its latest product could help to significantly improve the handling of the family sedan when it is shown for the first time at Frankfurt Motor Show next month. It's a new fixed-type brake caliper for passenger cars, and in comparison to the fist-caliper brakes widely used at present, the new design saves around 1.5 kg per wheel - a large lump of unsprung weight that makes the suspension's job much harder than it need be.