Google Inc. announced yesterday on the Official Google Mobile Blog the introduction of version 5.3 of Google Maps for Android, which includes quite a few new features that enhance the overall experience. For instance, the new version of Google Maps for Android now allows users to check-in at home, which could be good for some and not so good for other [e.g. paranoid individuals]. In addition, individuals can now see their location history through a newly-added Location History Dashboard, which allows users to see how many miles they’ve traveled and how much time they’ve spent at work, home, or out. Also, version 5.3 of Google Maps for Android now lets individuals add their own

In the meantime, and having nothing at all to do with Chelsea Football Club, the Champions League, or Mr. Torres, there’s word of a big Mortal Kombat tournament that will take place at Bally’s in Las Vegas on May 15 and May 16. There’s $21,000 in prizes at stake, so pay attention if you still know how to pull off Sub Zero’s fatalities without checking GameFaqs. The National Mortal Kombat 9 Tournament will be played on the Xbox 360 system and EXCLUSIVELY using the official Mortal Kombat Fight Stick by PDP (which will be provided at the tournament free of charge for use by contestants). If you do not have your Mortal Kombat Fight Stick already, now would probably be a good ti

Microsoft Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) today announced that they have forged a strategic partnership and plan to build a global platform for TMC’s next-generation telematics services using the Windows Azure platform. Telematics is the fusing of telecommunications and information technologies in vehicles; it can encompass GPS systems, energy management and other multimedia technologies. As part of the partnership, the two companies plan to participate in a 1 billion yen (approximately $12 million) investment in Toyota Media Service Co., a TMC subsidiary that offers digital information services to Toyota automotive customers. The two companies aim to help develop and deplo

The newly-launched HTC Thunderbolt 4G is reportedly selling better than the iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless, according to BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk — who called 150 different Verizon Wireless stores across 22 major cities nationwide to ask which of the two aforementioned smartphones was selling better. The results are kind of shocking. Piecyk indicates that 61% of the Verizon Wireless stores reported that both the HTC Thunderbolt 4G and iPhone 4 are selling around the same rate. However, 28% of the stores revealed that the new HTC Thunderbolt 4G is selling at a much faster rate. The remaining 11% of stores stated that the iPhone 4 was outselling the HTC Thunderbolt 4G. T

While Criterion isn’t doing any additional downloadable content for the PC version of Need for Speed Hot Pursuit that has not stopped the PC team from working hard to stamp out the remaining bugs and problems with the PC version of the game. The latest just-released patch moves the game to version 1.04 and addresses 77% of the known bugs within the game. It is expected that Criterion will release another patch that should stomp out the remaining bugs. Of course, the ETA of this next patch isn’t yet known. The list of items addressed by the latest patch is pretty extensive and fixes many of the controller and steering wheel issues that have been a problem. Buyers of the PC ve