Weotta iOS local discovery app goes nationwide, Google Ventures approves

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Finding things to do and places to go has never been easier thanks to services that neatly pull all the options together. Weotta hopes to be another weapon in your discovery app arsenal after expanding its coverage to the whole of the US, having initially been limited to 40 cities. As the company's CEO told Forbes, the free iOS app uses "phrase extraction and natural language processing" to source its local suggestions from the nooks and crannies of the internet. That same wizardry is used to steer its rating system, which is based on what's said about a venue or event rather than aggregating numerical scores. It'll learn your likes and dislikes, tailoring recommendations as it gets to know you better, but you can discover what's happening in the area for yourself using the search feature. Via Facebook Connect, the app will also tell you what's popular among your peers. While Weotta is only available for iOS, it's attracted funding from Google Ventures, which is a recommendation in itself that suggests you give it a whirl.

TechShop CEO Mark Hatch on his Toshiba T1100 Plus and radio tech magic

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Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire.

In the latest installment of our high-tech queries, TechShop CEO Mark Hatch discusses annoying reboots, the ka-chunk of classic tech and much more. The full gamut of answers -- from Leatherman to Siri -- await your perusal on the other side of the break.
What gadget do you depend on most?
iPhone 5. It allows me to always be on.
Which do you look back upon most fondly?
My Toshiba T1100 Plus running DOS 2.11 with a whopping 640KB of memory. Configured with a RAM disk and dual floppies... I was all that.
Which company does the most to push the industry?
In our segment I would have to say Autodesk clearly understands the potential of the maker movement, maker spaces and the future of manufacturing best. And they are putting money into the segment faster than any other company.
What is your operating system of choice?
Red Bull.
What are your favorite gadget names?
I've always been partial to "Leatherman."
What are your least favorite?
Dell Inspiron IM5030-3413B3D... It makes the AS400 sound inspired.
Which app do you depend on most?
I live on email of all forms.
What traits do you most deplore in a smartphone?
Siri. And other voice-recognition systems. They're terrible. I used a voicemail service in the late '90s called Wildfire. It rocked. I call on Rich Miner at Google Ventures, who co-founded Wildfire, sold it and moved on, to resurrect it and save us from Siri.

Aaron Kuffner's Gamelatron, which merges robotics and Balinese musical tradition, sits on display at TechShop SF.

Which do you most admire?
Some people forget how revolutionary visual voicemail was; for those of us who grew up on voicemail and getting stuck with 30 to 100 calls waiting... and no idea who called or why... or what urgency.
What is your idea of the perfect device?
Sox. Perfectly intuitive, allows for self-expression, easy to use and comfortable.
What is your earliest gadget memory?
Electro-mechanical TV channel changer. I loved the sound of the "ka-chunk," as the channel changed.
What technological advancement do you most admire?
I think electricity had the most profound change on the world. Radio technology up through and including RFID is as close to pure magic as we are likely to ever see (or not see). The first time a tech described RFID to me, I kept asking where the battery was. He kept saying it didn't need one. Huh? Devices with no power?

"Radio technology up through and including RFID is as close to pure magic as we are likely to ever see (or not see)."

Which do you most despise?
Needles.
What fault are you most tolerant of in a gadget?
I used to tolerate configuration and setup issues as just the cost of being an early adopter ... and then I started getting Apple products.
Which are you most intolerant of?
Gadgets that have to be rebooted consistently drive me nuts. Somehow I now have a printer that has to reboot. Really? Shouldn't a printer just work?
When has your smartphone been of the most help?
This is like asking, "When has your right hand been the most help?" I meet people, get deals done, plan trips, find the nearest hospital, locate a good restaurant.
What device do you covet most?
Gulfstream G550. But I would settle for a HondaJet.
If you could change one thing about your phone what would it be?
I think Samsung is headed in the right direction. The iPhone 5 screen is simply too small. Thankfully I now carry an iPad mini ... but it will not fit in any of my pockets.
What does being connected mean to you?
People who want and need to get to me can, and I can meet with people who I want or need to connect.
When are you least likely to reply to an email?
I've never responded to an email while in the shower.
When did you last disconnect?
I bought my first acoustic coupler around 1985. In 1991, I took a cruise to Mexico; I couldn't connect for two days. It almost killed me.

HTC M4 possibly spotted next to two monstrosities: alleged Nokia Lumia 1030 and Sony 'Togari' (update: likely fake)

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If there's an award for the meatiest leak of the year, then this would make a fitting nomination. The above photo (reformatted for this page) was tweeted earlier today by France-based Dahny El Perro, who claims the blue device in the top right corner is an upcoming Nokia Lumia 1030. While it's hard to tell the physical features from the blurred shot, the wider spacing around the Windows Phone soft keys suggests this might be a larger device than the existing Lumia 920. More interestingly, its screenshot features an extra tile column, which is a feature rumored to be part of the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update, according to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley.
Next up we have what appears to be the rumored 6.44-inch, 1080p Sony "Togari," whose front panel was first spotted way back in January. Alas, there's little to see here, but we were quickly distracted by the much smaller HTC device next to it. Many have simply dismissed this as the One, though if you look close enough you should notice the subtle differences: the frame is white all around the phone, and the speaker grills are shorter. Indeed, this device matches @evleaks' earlier render of the 4.3-inch M4, thus making this leak its first real-life appearance. But of course, there's also a good chance that this is merely a very clever hoax involving three unannounced devices, not to mention that the Twitter account is also super fresh, so we won't be placing any bets just yet.
Update: WPCentral's sources say Nokia currently does not have plans for this type of over-sized phone, and they've confirmed that this image is inaccurate. Upon further research and analysis, we're leaning towards believing this is indeed an elaborate hoax.

White Nexus 4 now available in US Google Play Store and T-Mobile (video)

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It's just a new hue for a seven-month-old phone, but there are still a few Nexus 4 enthusiasts who are ecstatic that a white version has finally been released. It officially launched two days ago in Hong Kong, but it's now hitting the US Google Play Store (with a free white bumper), as well as T-Mobile's website "for a limited time." If the $299 / $349 Play Store price is above your budget, the UnCarrier's financing plan will be your best option: it's offering the alabaster Android device for $20 down with 24 monthly payments of $17 (bringing the full retail cost to $428). If your country's Play Store isn't selling the new color yet, be patient -- its rollout over the rest of North America, Asia and Europe will continue over the next few weeks.
Update: hit the break for our unboxing video, in case you missed it earlier this week.