UPDATE: Since I first wrote about Ibotta last November, the app has made big changes worthy of an update. Once exclusive to the iPhone, Ibotta is now available to Android users. And once limited to Target, Walmart and Walgreens, Ibotta users can now cash in at dozens of more retailers. In the Triangle, you're now also able to use Ibotta at CVS, Rite Aid, Kroger and the store I'm most excited about: Harris Teeter. And remember, the coolest feature of Ibotta is that you can use its digital coupons along with paper coupons to save even more.

If you want to trim your grocery budget, but don't have the time or inclination to clip coupons, you're in luck. There's now an app for that.

Called Ibotta, the iPhone app is aimed at tech-savvy bargain hunters looking to save a little cash on their supermarket purchases.

Instead of clipping paper coupons, Ibotta users collect their discounts by playing with their smartphones.

So far, three of the biggest American retailers have signed on to allow their customers to use Ibotta: Target, Walgreens and Walmart.

The discounts are similar to paper coupons -- 25 cents here and 75 cents there.

But instead of using a scissors to clip....

Packed with sophisticated cameras, voice-guided navigation, and wireless payment capability, smartphones have become the Swiss Army knife of today. Now car makers think it is time for smartphones to replace car keys.

Hyundai wants to have wireless NFC technology equipped cars in 2015 and is pushing even deeper smartphone integration.

Vehicle owners will be able to lock and unlock doors by holding a smartphone over an NFC tag. A user's music, contacts, radio station preferences and individual profile settings could be displayed on the vehicle's in-dash display . Wireless smartphone charging is also in the works.

Driver profile settings could be created for individual seating positions and exterior mirror settings.

When it comes to luxurious household fixtures Lixil of Japan has ascended to the throne - of the porcelain variety.
 
The Bluetooth capable Satis commode can be remotely controlled via an Android app. The My Satis app can raise the toilet seat, flush, and more. Music can be streamed through the commode's built-in speakers, and the app's usage history calculates electricity & water consumption.

Three models of the Lixil Satis ranging from about $2,400 to $4,700 are expected to go on sale in February.

Use your smartphone to score a free 5x7 photo from CVS.

Here's all you have to do:

1. Download the free CVS mobile app.

2. Upload a photo from your smartphone. (Think holiday gift when you're choosing.)

Some deem the iPhone too small. Some cringe at Samsung's glossy plastics. Some may find Motorola's Droid RAZR HD to be just right.

The Droid RAZR HD is the culmination of three years of rapid evolution. Sure, T-Mobile's G1 from HTC might have got Google's foot in the door, but it was the original Motorola Droid on Verizon that gave Google its foothold on the mobile battlefield.

Now Motorola has set an eye-popping 4.7-inch touchscreen (the largest display ever on a Motorola smartphone) in a stylish body.

The iPhone 5 is another hot seller and it is big news for accessory manufacturers.

This is especially good news for case makers since about 78 percent of iPhone owners buy cases.

Speck smartphone cases are among the most popular and with good reason.

Speck applies the same basic design to its line which includes not just stylish cases, but also one with a folding kickstand and a cardholder. All have a hard plastic structure that surrounds the screen with a minimal, but effective bezel to help prevent facedown scratches - or worse.

The current crop of smartphones and tablets flaunt some gorgeous high-resolution displays. High-tech scratch resistant materials like Gorilla Glass offer impressive resistance, but an extra layer of insurance puts many users at ease along.

We've tested a previous version of 3M's Natural View screen protector before and liked it. 3M came back to us with new & improved versions. Now offered are the Natural View Anti-Glare and Natural View Fingerprint Fading screen protectors.

Application is pretty straightforward, but you'll save yourself some aggravation finding a place as dust-free as possible. After several weeks, the anti-glare film that we tested has held up well.

As one would expect it cuts glare for a reasonable compromise in image quality. Typical of anti-glare films, the matte finish does alter the screen appearance, but provides impressive glare reduction while maintaining a natural feel during touchscreen operation.

From my experience,  if you want a smartphone or tablet screen protector, the extra few dollars you spend for a quality film over a cheap alternative is money well spent. The 3M Natural View line is definitely among those to consider.
 

Video of Mark Rober's double-iPad costume went viral last year, but not without some criticism. Rober responded with Digital Dudz.

Available for Android & iOS, the free app helps you combine your smartphone or tablet with a t-shirt for an easy costume.

Digital Dudz sells a variety of shirts for $23.50 that are designed to work with animations within the app.
 

If you shop at Walmart and have a smartphone, you might want to give Jingit a try.

Instead of spending money, you can walk out of the store making money after scanning a few barcodes and taking mini surveys using the Jingit smartphone app.

You won't get rich using Jingit, but it will give you a little cash for extras that don't normally fit in your budget.

Or as Chris Ohlsen, a vice president at Jingit, told me: "You're not going to be paying your mortgage...but a lot of people look at it as fun money."

Jingit has a $15 per week cap on earnings right now, but a quick Internet search showed most Jingit users report earning about $5 per week.

The Motorola Atrix HD brings more than just hints of the RAZR aesthetic to AT&T. The 4G LTE device also flaunts some impressive specifications given a relatively modest price. As an added incentive, AT&T is including the $40 Motorola Car Dock.

At its $99 price, the device is often compared to some top shelf competition including the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III.