E-Z Life

Looks like Canada isn’t the only country out there getting kisses from Cleo. According to documents recently filed with the FCC, the sassy cellphone looks set to emerge Stateside on Verizon with the decidedly unsassy designation U440. Will the stylish phone — with its full QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, threaded SMS text messaging and up to 8GB storge — make its domestic debut soon? Not soon enough, we think!

[Via Phone Scoop]

The NYPD may have ditched a few of their Piaggio scooters in favor of some all-electric Vectrix models a little while back, but it looks like the Italian company may be about to get back in their favor, as it has just unveilved its new MP3 Hybrid plug-in scooter that promises to get an impressive 141MPG. Apparently, the three-wheeled scooter can operate in either a full-electric mode, or one of three hybrid modes, which brings the 125 cc gasoline engine into the picture to let you do zero to sixty about five seconds. As with some other PHEVs, the scooter also makes use of regenerative breaking to help recharge the batteries, which can apparently be fully topped off in as little as three hours when plugged in at home. No word on a price just yet, but Piaggo says it “could” be on the market as soon as next year.

Foveon (developer of the X3 image sensor for digital cameras) has just announced that they have been acquired by Sigma, the Tokyo-based camera and lens company. According to the press release, Foveon — whose image sensors are already being used in Sigma’s entire digital camera line — will remain in San Jose, continuing to “evolve and improve the X3 sensor technology.” Congratulations, you crazy kids! And best of luck to you. We mean it.