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What does one do after generating billions from an initial public stock offering? Go shopping, of course. After falling short of expectations following its somewhat helter-skelter IPO debut, Facebook simply shook off the whole thing and acquired itself some good Karma. No, we're not talking about that Karma. Instead, Facebook purchased the startup responsible for the Karma social gifting app. The move was apparently made to bolster Facebook's mobile chops -- an area the company considers ripe for opportunity. Just recently, Facebook also acquired mobile stalwart Instagram and the Lightbox team, for example. As for its newest purchase, Karma will be allowed to "continue to operate in full force" despite its recent status change, according to a blog post by co-founders Lee Linden and Ben Lewis. Details weren't disclosed about how much the deal was worth but judging from celebratory nature of their post, it doesn't look like Linden and Lewis will "Unlike" the agreement any time soon.

Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

38 Studios is the game developer behind Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and was started by former Major League pitcher Curt Schilling. The game has enjoyed a reasonable amount of success, selling nearly 1 million copies. However, not everything is looking up for the company or the state of Rhode Island which provided a $75 million guaranteed loan to help lure the company to the state from Massachusetts. The deal that looked promising from the start with the star power of Schilling and the down economy of Providence hasn't panned out. The company has reportedly missed a $1.1 million interest payment due at the first of this month and claims it doesn't have enough money to pay its employees. 38 Studios is scheduled to pay $12.7 million to the state per year until 2020, but at this rate it looks like the taxpayers of Rhode Island might be on the hook for the money.

The other day Ubisoft announced the Far Cry 3 multiplayer beta will go live this summer for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. You may notice the PC is missing from that list and could have just been a small oversight. However, when reached for comment Ubisoft declared there will be no Far Cry 3 multiplayer beta for the PC. That is a major bummer considering the series originally started on the PC, but has been slowly drifting away from the platform once Crytek was no longer at the helm. This is just another dagger in the heart of PC gamers everywhere, as Ubisoft has no plans for a Far Cry 3 beta of any kind on the PC. It could be that Ubisoft just does not want to deal with any potential backlash if a PC beta included DRM, but at least PC gamers will get to experience Far Cry 3 when it arrives on September 4th.

The final significant roadblock to Google's buyout of Motorola has been cleared, as Chinese regulators have just given their rubber stamp. Their approval follows a few months after the simultaneous American and European clearances, and virtually all that's left now is to formally close the deal and start integrating the two mobile giants. It might still come too late for the combined entity to present a united front at Google I/O, but at least they won't have any awkward glances at each other across the room. We're just trying to decide on whether or not Googorola is the best pet name for the loving, $12.5 billion-dollar Android union.

Update: Google has since told the AP that the deal will likely wrap up early next week, so Motorola should be part of the family well in advance of Google I/O. Also, Google has to keep Android freely usable by anyone for at least five years, although no one was expecting that to change anytime soon.

China clears Google acquisition of Motorola, eliminates last barrier to Googorola bliss (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking through Engadget's annals of robotic achievements, we see droids juggling, dabbling in competitive sailing and even manning prisons. Cool as they are, those functions aren't going to mean a thing when Mr. Automaton is lost in the wilderness, damaged and without a helping human hand in sight. Researchers at ETH Zurich are working to change that scenario, as they're currently developing a "self-reconfigurable" device that packs a glue gun for creating the tools it needs on the fly. It might not be the quickest method -- as you'll see in the video below, making a glue cup takes a good hour -- but it's effective enough for transporting and pouring water. That's not to say that the prototype is ready to fend for itself; it built the cup, but only under human direction. The researchers' next step is adding in autonomous capabilities so the bots can repair things -- and even build other robots -- without being told to do so. A sea of self-regenerating droids? Sounds harmless to us.

Continue reading Robot uses glue gun to make tools, hopes to ace Survival Skills 101

Robot uses glue gun to make tools, hopes to ace Survival Skills 101 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We have already reviewed quite a few PC Power & Cooling products on AnandTech, but this time we will be looking at their first series with modular cables and a white case. In contrast to older PSUs PC Power & Cooling delivered, this one provides a 120mm fan for cooling as well. The new Silencer MK III models are available in 400, 500 and 600W only. This is a good news for everybody who is interested in small power supplies as they deliver more than enough power for any common PC with one graphics card.

PC Power & Cooling uses Japanese capacitors, one powerful +12V output, a ball bearing fan from ADDA , and a partially modular cable management. With 80 Plus Bronze certification, the Silencer MK III seems to be an average product, but Seasonic is the company behind these products—and they're definitely a good choice. What about the internal design and components? On the following pages we will see if they meet one's expectations.

If there were to be another mini ice age, sights like this frozen lighthouse on Lake Eerie would be a common sight. The images above are from the winter of 2010, when temperatures dropped to all-time lows. Continue reading for two videos and more pictures.

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

On average, North American consumers will spend a lifetime total of five days on failed attempts to pair their dock connector cable with an iPad or iPhone. Yeah, that's not true, but we can certainly sympathize with frustrated device owners -- fitting a tiny connector to any gadget can be a chore, especially in the dark. Scrap Pile Labs' CordLite sets out to point the way to a successful connection with its built-in LEDs. The illuminated cable is quite simple to use -- with no buttons or switches to fuss with, the connector lights up when you touch the aluminum plates, and powers off the moment it's secured to your device. There's really not much else to it -- CordLite functions identically to an Apple-manufactured cable, though the dock connector itself is significant larger than the OEM variety, at least in its current prototype form.

The design team has turned to Kickstarter to get their project funded, with a $70,000 goal. If all goes to plan, they expect to ship black or white CordLites beginning in September at $35 a pop, but as always, getting in during the "pre-order" phase will net you a hefty discount. The first 200 backers can get an early-bird cord in the color of their choice with a $25 pledge, with the required amount jumping up to $30 from there. A $45 pledge gets you an exclusive laser-etched model, while $50 will be met with a pair of early-bird cords. As you may have gathered from the picture above, the first version will only function with Apple devices, though a microUSB cord is also said to be in the works. See it in action in the video demo just past the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video)

Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3CK is touted as the world's smallest and lightest micro four thirds camera. It "provides a traditional DSLR-like experience without the need for complicated external mode dials, yet provides intuitive and quick access to common modes like Program, Shutter and Aperture Priority, Manual via a touch-enabled LCD that operates much like a smart phone." This camera is being liquidated for just $314 shipped, today only, originally priced at $699.95. Product page. Continue reading for a hands-on video preview of this camera.

Thanks to a 6400 ISO, the DMC-GF3 shoots well under low light even without a flash. But there are times when a flash provides desired enhancements. So, like most DSLRs, the DMC-GF3 provides a built -in pop-up flash for added light during low-light shooting. LUMIX G Series Compact System Cameras utilize the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) System lens mount. The LUMIX G MFT System offers a selection of 12 high performance fixed focal length and variable aperture G Vario zooms, including a highly versatile 3D lens capable of capturing both 2D and 3D images at the same time.

More than just a model, this 2800-piece LEGO Land Rover Defender 100 by "Sheepo" actually works. Made with 2800-pieces, "it has fully functional steering, a five-speed transmission with reverse, two-wheel and four-wheel drive modes for serious off-roading, full suspension, and working disc brakes on every wheel." Continue reading for a video, more pictures, and additional information.