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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Nike+ Running app for Samsung Gear S gets announced

Samsung and Nike have announced today that they’re partnering up to bring the Nike+ Running app to the Samsung Gear S smartwatch.

The watch was made official yesterday, and it is Samsung’s first wearable that can work independently of a smartphone. The Nike app will be able to exploit this capability, by tracking your moves and mapping your runs using only the GPS and 3G connection built into the Gear S.

The app will do its tracking (of, for example, speed and distance covered) in real time, and it will also show you live statistics. And obviously, you’ll be able to share your achievements with your friends on social networks.

The Nike+ Running app will come preinstalled on the Samsung Gear S when it becomes available in October. The Gear S features a 2-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with 360×480 resolution, a 1 GHz dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, Wi-Fi, HSPA, Bluetooth, and a 300 mAh battery that’s apparently going to be good for two days of typical usage.

Nike+ Running app for Samsung Gear S gets announced

Samsung and Nike have announced today that they’re partnering up to bring the Nike+ Running app to the Samsung Gear S smartwatch.

The watch was made official yesterday, and it is Samsung’s first wearable that can work independently of a smartphone. The Nike app will be able to exploit this capability, by tracking your moves and mapping your runs using only the GPS and 3G connection built into the Gear S.

The app will do its tracking (of, for example, speed and distance covered) in real time, and it will also show you live statistics. And obviously, you’ll be able to share your achievements with your friends on social networks.

The Nike+ Running app will come preinstalled on the Samsung Gear S when it becomes available in October. The Gear S features a 2-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with 360×480 resolution, a 1 GHz dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, Wi-Fi, HSPA, Bluetooth, and a 300 mAh battery that’s apparently going to be good for two days of typical usage.

HTC One (E8) now available at Sprint for $99.99

couple of weeks ago a leaked video told us that the HTC One (E8) would be headed to Sprint in the US, and today the carrier has announced that the smartphone is available for order.
So you can already go ahead to Sprint's website and purchase the One (E8) in either Polar White or Misty Gray.

The price you'll need to pay for this handset varies based on what method you choose. If you want to go the traditional two-year contract route, it will set you back $99.99.
If you want to use Sprint's Easy Pay installment plan, you shell out nothing upfront, then followed by 23 monthly payments of $20.84 and a final 24th payment of $20.67.
The HTC One (E8) comes with a 5-inch 1080p Super LCD3 touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, as well as a 5 MP front snapper for selfies.
It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.3 GHz quad-core CPU, aided by 2GB of RAM. Internal storage is 16GB, expandable via microSD cards. LTE support is obviously in tow, and a 2,600 mAh battery keeps things juiced up. The One (E8) runs Android 4.4 KitKat.
Interestingly, the official press renders show that Sprint hasn't added its logo anywhere on the device.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Alleged Apple iPhone 6 system chip, the Apple A8, leaks out in picture

The system chip that is expected to power the new Apple iPhone 6, a piece of silicon often referred to as the Apple A8, has leaked out in an image obtained by French publication NoWhereElse.

The Apple A8 is pictured alongside the dated Apple A5, and one can clearly see how much larger the new chip is in comparison. Interestingly, the A5 itself was one of the biggest Apple chips we've seen so far, and Apple actually shrunk the footprint of its chips in the A6 and A7. The A5 measures around 122.2 mm2, while the latest A7 features a smaller, 102 mm2 size (thanks, brrunopt!). Such an increase in size could mean that Apple could have gone from the dual-core chip they are using currently to a quad-core one. Keep in mind, though, that this is still an unconfirmed leak, so we would not take all this info as set in stone.

Apart from that, there is little one can tell by just looking at the picture. We do, however, know that Apple has started making its own custom processors with the iPhone 5 (that featured the Cyclone processor), improved on it in the iPhone 5s (with the Swift processor), and we can expect a further improvement in the processor inside this Apple A8. Starting with the iPhone 5s, Apple also took the lead by making the chip 64-bit compatible, ahead of other platform

The Sony Xperia Z3 might arrive on Sprint's shelves later this year

According to Reuters, the soon-to-be-announced Sony flagman, the Xperia Z3, will be available from Sprint later this year. It appears that Sony and Softbank Corp, the Japan-based owner of Sprint, have negotiated and agreed upon such a deal this rumor holds water, it will be the first time the carrier offers a Sony-made device, as only T-Mobile, the fourth largest carrier, has offered certain Sony-branded smartphones until now.

We can't help but thing that this rumored course of events is the result of the change at the top of Sprint – Dan Hesse, the former CEO, stepped down in favor of Marcelo Claure, who already declared that Sprint will have to resort to job and price cuts if it wants to survive and keep his existing market positions. Offering a flagship from a well-known Android manufacturer will surely help the carrier stand its ground more vigorously.

Thanks to numerous rumors and leaks, we already know something something about the Xperia Z3, which will most probably come with a quad-core Snapdragon 801 ticking at 2.5GHz, 3GB of RAM, a 20.7MP rear camera, and unlike the recent trends, a more regular 1080p display instead of a Quad HD one. Sony already hinted us many times that the device will be unveiled on September 3 at its IFA event, along with its compact iteration, the Xperia Z3 Compact, and Sony's 8-inch slate, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

Check out our rumor round-up about Sony's upcoming flagship and feel free to share any thoughts you might have. Most importantly, would you get an Xperia Z3 if Sprint offered it?

Apple will unveil the iPhone 6 at Flint Center, the same place where Steve Jobs unveiled the Macintosh 30 years ago

Apple has officially confirmed: it will hold its next big event at the Flint Center in Cupertino on Tuesday, September 9th, and everyone expects the company to unveil the new iPhone 6 and Apple’s first wearable, the iWatch. This is a change for Apple - the company has not held an event at the venue in many years, and it usually chooses the smaller Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, or it hosts at its own Cupertino campus.

The Flint Center for the Performing Arts is located in Cupertino, the same town where Apple’s corporate headquarters is, and the beautiful building is already being decorated with some massive construction going on. Apple is styling it up to look more like a cube, and we expect the first sign for the upcoming unveilings to show up soon.

The Flint Center is also special for a number of reasons outside the fact that it is simply larger than Yerba Buena: it is the place where Steve Jobs unveiled the Macintosh 30 years ago in 1984, and that’s also where the colorful iMac that started the revival for Apple in 1998. It’s clearly a place with a historic meaning, and we expect Apple to live up to the legacy and reveal something equally huge this time as well.

Apple iWatch might be unveiled September 9th,

A few days ago, we told you that Apple's rumored wearable device just might join the Apple iPhone 6, at the company's September 9th event. On Friday, Re/code's John Paczkowski said that his sources have told him that even if the device is unveiled a week from Tuesday, "it’s going to be a while before anyone is actually wearing it." He added that the wearable (which interestingly he refuses to call the iWatch), won't be on anyone's wrist for months.

Paczkowsi added that the device won't be made available to retail buyers until after the holiday shopping season. "Think early 2015," he says. Obviously Apple would have preferred to have the iWatch, or whatever it will be called, all ready to go before the frantic holiday shopping season. This is an advantage for other manufacturers that have already released smartwatches including LG and Samsung.

Despite the fact that other smartwatches have been released, there is a sense that Apple has put too much pressure on itself to create a wearable with new features not yet seen from the competition. On Wednesday, the Samsung Gear S was introduced with a curved two-inch display, and the ability to make and take calls independently.

The report today dovetails with a report last month stating that iWatch production has been delayed until the fourth quarter of this year.

LG G Watch R gets officially priced in Germany

LG Germany spilled the beans on the price tag of the freshly announced G Watch R. The sleek-looking wearable with curved P-OLED display will cost €299 when it hits the shelves in Germany in October.

The above pricing makes the LG G Watch R the most expensive Android Wear device to date. Both the original LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live cost significantly less.

Pricing of the LG G Watch R in the United States is still unknown. The USD equivalent of €299 is close to $400 ($394 to be exact), thus potentiallymaking the gadget quite pricey, despite its premium nature.

We reckon that the G Watch R will be priced in the $299 ballpark when available across the Atlantic. Even if the aforementioned amount turns out to be the real deal, it will still make the device more expensive than the Moto 360 and its $249.99 price.

What do you think? How much are you willing to spend on a wearable device? Drop us a line in the comments section!

Nokia HERE Maps to provide free, offline navigation to Samsung Galaxy smartphones

Samsung and Nokia have announced that HERE Maps are arriving in beta form on Android, free for Galaxy phones. HERE comes with voice-guided navigation capabilities and will work offline too, something which Google Maps doesn’t allow.

The Tizen-running Samsung Gear smartwatches are getting HERE maps too. The initial announcement was a little vague but now we have the full details.

You can download offline maps for nearly 200 countries, about half of which support turn-by-turn walk or drive instructions. In around 40 countries you also get live traffic information (which does require an Internet connection). HERE also supports public transport navigation.

The Here.com site lets you pick out destinations, which will be synced with your device. You can also share destinations with your friends and family to improve the planning process.


The Samsung Gear S gets the Navigator app, which can work autonomously and provide offline walk and drive navigation without a connection to a phone. You can still sync it with the phone app, so you can plan routes on the big screen. The Gear S will also support the new Glympse app that shares your location with friends for a limited time.

The other Tizen smartwatches will be using HERE for Gear for navigation instead. The app is for walking and public transport navigation while offline and without a connection to a phone. What it can’t do is drive navigation.

The three apps we be available at the Galaxy Apps store when the Samsung Gear S arrives in stores.

Lenovo Vibe X2 stars in photo shoot

Just yesterday the Lenovo Vibe X2 was spotted getting certified for sale in China by TENAA, the relevant authority for this purpose. That event yielded a few pictures of the device, but they were rather blurry and low quality.
Today a new set of images showing the Lenovo Vibe X2 has been uncovered in China, and these ones are of the hands-on type, showing the smartphone in all its glory.
   
Lenovo Vibe X2
The design of the Vibe X2 is much more clear in this set of pictures, as are the three mysterious metal contacts on the phone's back. They could be used for connecting an accessory or two.
As you have undoubtedly noticed from the images showing its sides, this handset comes with a pretty unique design feature. It looks like it's made up from three separate sheets of metal, each of a different color, which have been stacked on top of one another to form the X2's body. It's unclear if you'll be able to feel three individual bits when you touch the device, but it's an interesting effect nevertheless.
The Lenovo Vibe X2 will come in two versions, one with an octa-core CPU and the other with a 2.2 GHz dual-core part. Both will get a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 5 MP front snapper for selfies.
The new smartphone should be out in the third week of September.

Nokia Lumia 735 with LTE appears in black and white

Next week Microsoft has a pre-IFA event scheduled in Berlin, during which it's widely been expected to unveil two new smartphones - the Lumia 830 and the Lumia 730. However, it turns out that a third device may join them - the Lumia 735.
This is basically going to be the LTE-capable version of the oft-leaked Lumia 730, which itself will apparently only come in a 3G dual-SIM iteration.

The Lumia 730 and Lumia 735 are allegedly pictured next to each other in the images you see above and below this paragraph. They seem to have starred in a photo shoot over in China.

That said, both handsets look like they have a 4G connection at the moment of the shots, so we may in fact be staring at two of the Lumia 735's color versions, the most conservative ones actually: white and black. Undoubtedly, we're bound to see many more daring hues for this model, like for its non-LTE capable sibling.
Previously rumored specs for the Lumia 730 talked about it coming with a 4.7-inch 720p touchscreen, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and a 5 MP front-facing camera that will probably be the main selling point of the device. So yes, look for Microsoft to try and exploit the selfie craze as best it can.
The Lumia 730 has been said to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU. It should sport a polycarbonate unibody construction, and on-screen software buttons. Keeping things running will be a 2,000 mAh battery.
All of these specs are probably going to be found on the Lumia 735 as well, with the only difference between the phones being the types of connectivity they each support, and the price of course. The 3G model could cost around $240.

HTC Desire 820 with quad-core 64-bit CPU

HTC already unveiled one of the first Android smartphones with a 64-bit Snapdragon chipset, the Desire 510, but it's saving the higher-end phone for IFA. The HTC Desire 820 teasers initially suggested it will be the first phone with a 64-bit octa-core processor.
One of the popular leaker accounts on Twitter has provided more info on the device – it will be a 5.5" phablet with a 720p screen, 13MP main camera, 8MP front-facing camera (!) and a 2,600mAh battery.

The chipset is listed as MSM8916, which is the same Snapdragon 410 chipset with quad-core processor that the Desire 510 is based on. It will allegedly come paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB of storage.
The octa-core info came from a post on Chinese social network Weibo so there could be two versions of the Desire 820, HTC has put out more powerful, Asia-only versions before. Or it could be that the rumored info is wrong, we'll find out for sure next Thursday.

Android takes a closer step to iOS in the US

The latest smartphone manufacturer sales metrics provided by consumer analytics firm Kantar Worldpanel show that Android has increased its US market share by over 11 points compared to last year, for the three month period ending in July. Most of this gain comes at the expense of iOS, which has lost 11.8 points over the same period.

Growth in other markets is equally impressive, with sales in countries like Mexico breaking the 80% mark - a 17.6 point increase over the 3 month period ending in July 2013. China has also seen a healthy boost in OS sales, with Android gaining 8.4 points to rest at 84.6% - all at the expense of competing mobile OSs like iOS and Windows Phone, which lost 5.6 and 1.5 points, respectively.
This latest increase in Asia is attributed by Kantar to local handset manufacturers like Xiaomi and Huawei, with the former boasting a whopping 31.6% share in China. The trend is expected to continue internationally as well, as these players are expected to continue their expansion into outside markets. Not all local brands have seen success, however, as ZTE, Lenovo, and Oppo have all seen their shares drop.
The big five European markets - Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain - reflect the same strong Android presence with a 4 point increase over last year. This is attributed largely to Samsung, which saw sales of its Galaxy S5 flagship in the UK take 11.5% of all handset sales, making it the best-selling unit in the UK.
Windows Phone also saw increases in key markets, attributed to recent models like the Lumia 630 and 930. Great Britain, Italy, and Spain all saw healthy increases in WP sales figures, with the latter coming even at the expense of Android.

Motorola phone passes through FCC, could be the X+1

unidentified Motorola device passed through the FCC yesterday. Not much is known about the device, except its dimensions, which measure around 140mm for the height and 72.6mm for the width.

Considering the dimensions of the device and the timing of the FCC inspection, it would be fair to assume this is the soon to be announced Moto X+1, which has been heavily leaked recently.
Motorola is holding an event on September 3, where it is expected to announce the successor to the Moto X, along with the pricing information for the Moto 360.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Apple sends invites for a September 9th event

Apple has just sent invitations to the press for an upcoming event on September 9. The rumors have pinpointed the date already, so it is hardly a surprise.

Apple is expected to unveil the worst-kept under wraps iPhone - the 4.7" iPhone 6. If we are to trust some previous rumors, the iWatch smartwatch will be joining the next generation iPhone as well.
With the recent LG G Watch R announcement and the upcoming Moto 360 smartwatch, Apple should be in a hurry to capture some of the wearable momentum. It has already snagged a former Tag Heuer's VP of sales, another proof the iWatch announcement is happening sooner than later.
Apple also acquired Beats Audio this year, so we might see some interesting results from this collaboration announced at the event, too. Hopefully Apple has managed to keep some key features a secret through all of those leaks and will manage to surprise us in ways that go beyond the sapphire glass.
Finally, the iOS 8 is expected to start seeding to all compatible iDevices on September 9 as well.

Samsung’s Gear smartwatches to get Nokia HERE services

Nokia has teased the inclusion of its robust HERE services suite, which includes Maps and Navigation among others to make its way onto Samsung’s Gear series of wearables.

Among those devices slated to get the HERE services is Samsung’s just-announced Gear S smartwatch, which will get turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation courtesy of Nokia’s service.

Currently, most of Samsung’s Gear wearables run on the company’s in-house Tizen OS, which Samsung debuted with the latest generation of the smartwatches. It’s unknown whether Tizen will be able to support more robust HERE applications than the pedestrian navigation on the Gear S.

The teaser, which Nokia posted on Twitter, is accompanied by the message “Tune in for more news tomorrow at 10am London time.” We’ll have to wait and see what Nokia has in store for Samsung wearables – maybe one day we’ll see an Android Wear-powered Gear with HERE maps to boot.

Microsoft removes 1500 misleading apps from the Windows Phone Store

Apple went through it. Google suffered, too. Now, as the Windows Phone Store grows in size, Microsoft needs to make sure that misleading apps are quickly removed before a bad experience happens to too many of the platform's users. So Microsoft has put through three changes to help it eliminate misleading apps that hurt the customer experience.

The name of the app now must "clearly and accurately reflect the functionality of the app." That makes common sense. Apps also will now be listed in categories based on the function of the app, and its purpose. Lastly, Microsoft is eliminating icons that look like ones used by a different app. All three of these new changes should prevent developers from taking advantage of another popular app, to attract buyers.

The new regulations are in place for new apps being added to the Windows Phone Store, and for existing apps that are getting updated. Microsoft is reviewing the Windows Phone Store, looking for apps that do not meet the "modified certification requirements." As you might expect, Microsoft says that most developers whose apps did not meet the revisions, were more than happy to make the changes so that their apps could qualify under the new rules.

So far, Microsoft has had to remove 1500 apps when the developer behind it, refused to get into line with Microsoft's new policies. And by the way, Microsoft says that it will gladly issue a refund to its customers who purchased an app because of a misleading title or app description. Microsoft says that its review is still going on, and for those with an issue about an app, your best bet is to use the "report concern to Microsoft" link in the store.

"Every app store finds its own balance between app quality and choice, which in turn opens the door to people trying to game the system with misleading titles or descriptions. Our approach has long been to create and enforce strong but transparent policies to govern our certification and store experience. Earlier this year we heard loud and clear that people were finding it more difficult to find the apps they were searching for; often having to sort through lists of apps with confusing or misleading titles."-Microsoft

Moto X+1 Moto Maker options to include leather and maybe more

Another day, another bit of exclusive news about Motorola's upcoming announcements. This time, the news we have is about Moto Maker, the customization options for Motorola's devices. We haven't heard much about the potential changes coming to Moto Maker, until now. Our source close to the situation is saying that there will be new materials available.

As far as backing material options, there will be the plastic and wooden options that are already available in Moto Maker, but there will also be new materials. A leather backing (which has been rumored before) has been confirmed to be added to Moto Maker soon; and, Motorola has apparently also been testing a denim backing. The denim is not confirmed to be made available, but it would be denim over plastic if it does come to pass.

Unfortunately, our source doesn't know of any new colors that will be added to the Moto Maker palette. We are hoping that is just our hitting the limit of our source's knowledge though (obviously they can't know everything). It would seem reasonable that Motorola would add colors, but we can't confirm anything right now. We're still hoping for something in the orange family to be part of Moto Maker.

Motorola is giving away 20 Motorola Moto 360 watches

Motorola is giving away watches to the 20 lucky winners of a new contest. And all you have to do to enter, is install messaging app Yo onto your smartphone or tablet. After installing the app, you add Motorola as one of your contacts and then send a "Yo" to the manufacturer. It can't be any easier.

There is a major caveat. While the contest started on Wednesday, it actually ends today at 3:01PM Central Time. That is 4:01PM on the East Coast. You don't have much time remaining, so you better load Yo on your device now. The app considers itself a "single-tap zero character communication tool", which means that you are expected to handle any situation by sending out the word "Yo".

About 30 minutes after the contest ends, Motorola will pick the 20 winners. The lucky 20 will be notified at around 4:00PM Central Time today! How quick is that! We should point out that to enter the contest, you must be at least 18 and a U.S. resident.

One interesting bit of news has come out of this whole thing. Motorola had to reveal the retail price of the Motorola Moto 360 because of the contest. So now we know that the the Android powered smartwatch will have a retail price of $249. The wearable will be introduced next week at IFA in Berlin.

Apple request for injunction against Samsung is denied

Just when you thought it was okay to invite Apple and Samsung to play together in the same sandbox, the two rivals are once again bullying each other. Apple recently requested a permanent injunction in the U.S. against certain Samsung smartphones and tablets, that it claims infringed on its patents. Apple's request was based on the patent trial held earlier this year between the two rivals, that resulted in a $119.6 million jury award in favor of the Cupertino tech titan. That was a drop in the bucket compared to the $2.2 billion that Apple was seeking.

On Wednesday, Judge Lucy Koh, who is now forever linked to Apple and Samsung, rejected Apple's request for the injunction. Koh said that Apple had the burden of proving that it had suffered irreparable harm as a result of Samsung's patent infringements. The judge ruled that Apple had not met that requirement.

So far, Apple has won over $1 billion in the two patent trials, but has failed to collect one penny from Samsung., The latter is appealing both decisions. With $60 billion in cash, Samsung is not damaged by jury awards. Injunctions, on the other hand, could hurt because they would prevent Samsung from offering its most in-demand products in the states. So far though, Apple has been unsuccessful on this front.

Apple and Samsung recently decided to dismiss all cases between the two that are being held in jurisdictions outside the U.S. Still, it doesn't seem that we will see a lasting peace between the two firms.

The average Android user has 95 installed apps, but only uses 35

The Aviate launcher has made its reputation (even before being bought by Yahoo) by dynamically changing your home screen based on context, and offering the apps you use most and need when you need to have them. Obviously, to do this, the app has to track what apps you open and when. Today, Yahoo showed off some of the data that it has gathered from its users and figured out some interesting information about app usage among its users.

According to the data, the "average Android user" has 95 apps installed, but only uses 35 of them on a daily basis. We're not quite sure what to take from that exactly, because this data is quite obviously skewed. This is in no way indicative of the "average Android user", because the average user doesn't use a launcher alternative, and even those who do use an alternative likely don't go for something as advanced as Aviate. Still, Aviate is in the 1 million to 5 million download range, so the data is certainly giving good info on the average Aviate user.

The vast majority of the other data is made of things that you probably could have guessed, like transportation app usage peaking at 8AM and 5PM, weather app usage peaking in the mornings and evenings, media and video apps peaking after dinner, or phone and SMS used most during work hours.

It's hard to say how useful this data is on its own, but it is certainly very useful in making contextually-aware apps like Aviate smarter.

Bioshock arrives for iPhone and iPad

Developer 2K Games launches Bioshock for a hefty, $14.99 price, but in exchange offers a gameplay that won’t be interrupted by annoying in-app purchases.

Bioshock revolves around the story of protagonist Jack, who arrives in Rapture, ‘an underwater utopia’, after survivina a plane crash that has left him in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. In the game you get to use all sorts of weapons and genetic mods to find Andrew Ryan, the madman who rules the mystical city.

Bioshock will run on the following devices: iPhone 5 and later, iPad 4 and later, as well as iPad mini 2. Note that the game simply won’t run on earlier devices.

Download from app store

International HTC One (M8) for Windows got Wi-Fi certified

The HTC One (M8) for Windows launched as a Verizon-exclusive but AT&T was quick to announce that this is a temporary exclusivity and put up a signup page. There's going to be an international version, which was certified with Euro LTE bands.
The international version has passed through the Wi-Fi certification body. The certification document doesn't reveal much – just the Wi-Fi spec, which is dual-band 802.11/a/b/g/n.

There's no word on how long Verizon's exclusivity will last but it's collecting all the necessary certifications. The Verizon version already got a price cut so we can expect the GSM model to launch straight at that price.

Lenovo X2 makes an appearance

An unannounced upper mid-range Android smartphone from Lenovo has appeared on the Chinese TENAA website. Dubbed the X2, the smartphone has passed certification in the country and has revealed a decent sounding specs sheet in the process.

The Lenovo X2 will be available in two versions with model names X2-CU and X2-TO. The X2-CU is powered by an octa-core CPU, presumably residing in a MediaTek chipset, while the X2-TO packs a 2.2GHz dual-core processor. This is the only difference between the two as both feature a 5" 1080p display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
At the back, both Lenovo X2 versions feature a 13MP snapper with LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera. Their dimensions are 140.2 x 68.6 x 7.27mm and the overall design is a bit reminiscent of Sony's Xperia Z-series of phones.
With the certification process done with, Lenovo should launch the Android 4.4 running phones soon enough. Nothing particular has been hinted by the manufacturer, but the IFA 2014 which is starting next week would be a convenient occassion.

Sony drops the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact name

Once again, Sony accidentally dropped the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact name. This time around, the upcoming device’s moniker appeared on the official product page of Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet.

The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact name popped up in the display section of its currently available full-sized sibling. This means that the new device will all but certainly feature similarly equipped IPS unit with Triluminos tech.
Sony Xperia Z3 tablet compact has been leaked on two occasions in the past. The device will make its debut during the manufacturer’s IFA press conference next week, on September 3.

LG announces G Watch R with round P-OLED display

After teasing it a couple of times, LG took the wraps off the decidedly premium G Watch R. The Android Wear device will be showcased at the company’s booth during the upcoming IFA convention in Berlin.

The main feature of the LG G Watch is its display. As the R letter in the name kindly suggests, the screen is a 1.3" fully circular Plastic OLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels. The Korean manufacturer took a jab at Motorola’s Moto 360 by pointing that the screen of the G Watch utilizes 100% of its face (the screen of the competitor doesn’t).

LG G Watch R packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC with 1.2GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. The rest of the device’s specs include 4GB of built-in memory, 410mAh battery, and the usual bevy of sensors (gyro, accelerometer, compass, barometer).

The smartwatch is IP67 dust and water-resistant. It is available only in black.
LG G Watch R will begin rolling out in key markets in early Q4 (in time for the holiday shopping season). Pricing and exact availability will be announced during the device’s local launch.

Samsung announces Gear S smartwatch with Tizen and 3G

Samsung officially announced the Gear S smartwatch with 3G connectivity on board. The Tizen-based wearable device will begin rolling out in markets around the globe starting in October.
      
Samsung Gear S official photos
Samsung Gear S features a 2” curved Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels. The device is powered by a 1GHz dual-core CPU, coupled with 512MB of RAM.
The rest of the device’s specs include 4GB of built-in memory, full connectivity suite including quad-band 2G/3G, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, GPS/GLONASS, and USB 2.0. The smartwatch will also be able to make and receive phone calls through an optional neck accessory with Bluetooth dubbed Samsung Gear Circle.
  
Samsung Gear Circle
Samsung Gear S features a built-in accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, heart rate monitor, ambient light and UV sensors, and a barometer. The smartwatch is IP67 certified for water and dust resistance.
Measures of the Samsung Gear S are 39.8 x 58.3 x 12.5mm. The device is powered by a 300mAh battery, which is quoted at providing 2 days of typical usage.

Official Samsung Galaxy Note 4 wallpaper leaks out

The official Samsung Galaxy Note 4 wallpaper made the rounds online. The colorful image confirms the QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution of the upcoming phablet’s display.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 official wallpaper (click to view in full resolution)
The original size of the image you see above is 2560 x 2560 pixels. This should hardly catch anyone by surprise as, typically, wallpapers for Android devices do not have the exact resolution as its display in order to be able to accommodate extra homescreen panes.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will debut at a global Unpacked event next week, on September 3. The Korean giant already released a number of teaser videos to mark the phablet’s imminent debut.
We will be covering Samsung’s Unpacked event live, so be sure to tune in to find out what the company has in store.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Apple's iPhone 6 and iWatch could both be announced on September 9

Apple is expected to announce two iPhone 6 models (with 4.7-inch, and 5.5-inch screens) on September 9, and it looks like the company is planning to unveil one more new device on that day.

According to Re/code, this one more device should be Apple’s first wearable - most likely, the long-rumored iWatch. Mind you, this isn’t the first time we’re hearing that the iWatch could be officially presented next month, though we now have a solid date for its announcement.

It’s definitely a good time for Apple to introduce the iWatch, as pretty much every other relevant company is launching (or working on) smartwatches. While the specs of the iWatch are a mystery for now, the device will most probably make use of all the new iOS 8 features that Apple announced back in June, starting with HealthKit and HomeKit. The iWatch will likely be able to run independently from iPhones and iPads - though this remains to be confirmed. Analysts estimate that Apple could sell the iWatch for around $300 a piece, this making it significantly more expensive than most smartwatches that are now available.   

Both the original iPhone and original iPad changed the industry in several ways when they were initially released (in 2007 and 2010, respectively). Will the iWatch do the same? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Ascend P7 Sapphire Edition now official, hitting China soon

Yesterday, a Huawei executive confirmed the existence of the Ascend P7 sporting a sapphire display. He even showcased it during an interview.
Today, the company's PR team was quick to follow on that action and make the smartphone official. Well, sort of - they reached out to us and confirmed that the phone will be called Ascend P7 Sapphire Edition, and that it is coming to China soon. The explicit mention of China and exclusion of other countries suggests that the phone will probably only have a limited release in the company's homeland.

The company also said the P7 Sapphire Edition will have 4G LTE connectivity. We assume that it's going to work on China Telecom's network as well, although that's not confirmed yet.
We expect more information to be released in the coming days, including pricing. Judging from Huawei's words, the company is gearing to release the phone before Apple reveals the iPhone 6 with a sapphire display.


HTC Desire 510 will be launched in September via Sprint, O2, and others

Yesterday, HTC announced the Desire 510, a new LTE-capable device that aims to lure customers who can’t (or don’t want) to spend too much money on a new smartphone.
While HTC didn’t say when the Desire 510 would be available to buy, we now know that this will happen next month. According to Engadget, customers in the US will be able to find the new handset at Sprint, Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, and Cricket. Next month is also when the Desire 510 will be released in Europe - O2 UK confirmed that it would carry it in September, though pricing details haven’t been revealed. We assume that HTC won’t ask more than $200 for an unlocked Desire 510 (but we’ll see if we’re right on this one).
Running Android KitKat, the new Desire features Sense UI and BlinkFeed, while sporting a 4.7-inch display with a pretty low 480 x 854 pixel resolution. Furthermore, the handset comes with a VGA front-facing camera, 5 MP rear camera sans flash, 1 GB of RAM, a quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, and 8 GB of expandable storage space. Like the high-end One M8 and One E8, the Desire 510 is compatible with HTC’s Dot View case (sold separately).

Samsung's new 'Ready to Note?' videos

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (here is all we know about it) is right around the corner, and that was a great occasion for Samsung to bombard us with ‘Ready to Note?’ promo videos showing why users love the stylus and the Note series in general.

Samsung has released four videos showing the personal Galaxy Note story of four people with completely different backgrounds, and how the phablet fits their lifestyle.

A fashion blogger, a barber that is also an artist, a “spiritual healer”, and a store owner are all hooked on the Note. And guess what? All of them are extremely excited about the upcoming Note 4.

So are we, but right now, all we can do is wait for the official unveiling on September 3rd and watch the video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z42CZr4-qWg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8WjKvHMkDo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzO5Ac3-YBA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxp8TeXwJ

Lumia Cyan rolls out to Lumia 820 in the EU

Lumia 820 users in the UK and several other European countries are reporting the Lumia Cyan update is now available for their devices. It ships as an OTA update and we encourage owners of the devices to head over to their device settings and look for it manually. It will probably be a staggered release to accommodate the various country- and carrier-specific versions, so not all phones will get it immediately, but it should see wide distribution over the next few days.

Lumia Cyan is an integrated software and firmware update featuring Windows Phone 8.1 and Nokia specific improvements intended to deliver the best experience of WP 8.1 to Lumia devices. Windows Phone 8.1 was officially ready back in July, so it took the Nokia team a little over a month to deliver the update to the Lumia 820. Nokia, which was acquired by Microsoft back in April, shows the commitment of its parent company to the Lumia handset line so far. The rapid release of Cyan for improved functionality on devices is a good step towards keeping customers happy. Users should also rejoice with the fact the firmware is made available to a device that is almost two years old. Microsoft is clearly looking to avoid the missteps of Android, where many devices that are more than a year old often never receive an update to the newer versions of the mobile OS.

LG Gx2 is G Vista for Asia, a 5.7" phablet with LTE-A, laser focus

The US-bound LG G Vista is going to Asia as the LG Gx2. It's a 5.7" phablet that replaces last year's LG Gx but with less impressive specs. The screen is an IPS LCD with 720p resolution and the processor is a 1.2GHz quad-core (most likely a Cortex-A7) with 1.5GB RAM.
The phablet runs Android KitKat with LG's latest UX, Knock Codes and support for LG Quick Circle Cases. There's LTE-A connectivity and a 3,200mAh battery to power it all.

The camera on the LG Gx2 is an 8MP shooter with Laser focus, which uses IR light to achieve accurate focus quickly even in poor lighting conditions. There's also a 1.3MP front-facing camera.
The Gx2 measures 152.1 x 79.2 x 9.1mm and weighs 165g and comes in either White or Black. The phablet will launch on September 18 but pricing info will be revealed later on. This model will likely stay in Asia, there's no word on an international version.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2, the latest iteration in the company's Mega phablet lineup, has shown up across various Asian tech sites after being quietly launched in various Asian markets like Malaysia last week. A preview of the device has surfaced on Thai tech site DroidSans, giving us an in-depth look at what Samsung's latest phablet brings to the table.

Initial impressions indicate that the 6-inch 720p LTE device is a robust device thanks to quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos chip inside. The Mali-400MP GPU can handily manage the relatively low screen resolution, while the faux leather back panel is similar to the one introduced by the Note 3 last year.
The same software features found on previous large-screened Samsung devices can be found on the Mega 2, including split-screen Multi-Window support. Camera samples from the 8MP shooter look good, with vibrant colors and good dynamic range, made even better by the included HDR mode.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 is available in select markets for just over €300, with more Asian regions set to get the device next month. No word yet on a Mega 2 release in western markets, though.

Use of sapphire glass in smartphones to surge next year

According to Taiwan-based sapphire producers, we should see a surge in the use of sapphire glass for smartphones, starting next year. This could include the use of the material to protect the screen, the camera, or other fragile parts of an intelligent handset. The only material on earth that is harder than sapphire, is the diamond.

The Kyocera Brigadier is now offered via Verizon, and the display on the mid-range handset is protected by sapphire glass. Apple has used sapphire glass to cover and protect the camera lens on the iPhone, ever since the release of the Apple iPhone 5. It has used the material to protect the fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button, since Touch ID launched with the Apple iPhone 5s last year. Speculation has Apple using sapphire glass in replace of Gorilla Glass 3 on the display of selected  4.7 inch Apple iPhone 6 models this year. If Apple does launch a 5.5 inch phablet as rumored, certain versions of that model are expected to also feature screens made of sapphire glass.

LG is using the material to protect the camera lens on certain smartphone models. Expected to do the same shortly, are ZTE, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Samsung. At this moment, the number one use of sapphire glass on smartphones is indeed, as a covering for the camera. If Apple does use the material to protect the displays on some of its iPhone models this year, you can expect to see more manufacturers following Apple for 2015, and that would explain the surge in sapphire use expected by the Taiwan-based sapphire producers.

Actionable notifications and split-screen multitasking coming soon to Windows Phone

Windows Phone is primed for some big changes in the way it handles notifications and multitasking, if a new insider report is to be believed. It is not clear yet whether the rumored split-screen multitasking and actionable notifications, will make their way in Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2 that is already popping up for developer preview, or in WP 9, which is scheduled for preview early next year.

Windows Phone 9 is also dubbed Windows Phone Threshold, as it will merge Microsoft's mobile OS with Win RT as an SKU subset of Windows Threshold, sharing kernels. With that said, the split-screen multitasking might be introduced in January-February of next year, when developers are primed to get first dibs on WP9, and you'll be able to snap two windows side by side, just like in Windows 8.1, but on your phone. This feature, however, would be screen size-dependent, advised the source, so phones with teeny displays wouldn't be able to take advantage of the goods. That's not much different from, say, Samsung's Multi-window, or LG's Dual Windows modes, as the companies don't include those on their handsets with smaller screens, too. Here's what the tipster had to say about those upcoming actionable notifications and dual window multitasking in Windows Phone:

Actionable notification:

Windows Phone may very soon allow you to do more with notification in Action Center and it may include responding to messages, apps notifications, reminders from the action center without leaving the work you were doing. It will be workable by swiping down from the lock-screen too.

Split-screen multitasking:

This is already available in Windows 8.1 and with Windows and Windows Phone getting unified in Windows Threshold it is no surprise that we will see it sooner or later. But seems, it will be available for devices having a certain minimum display size. So, you would be able to run apps side by side on the screen like we see on Windows 8.1 SnapView.

All in all, Windows Phone is getting more and more open, and prone to changes in regards to flexibility. Now the only thing left is that those Live Tiles on the homescreen serve as interactive widgets, and we can peg the WP transition as complete. Naturally, we are also rather curious wat handsets will come out of Microsoft, now that it owns Nokia's smartphone business hook, line and sinker, and can invest as much as it likes in the ecosystem, reaping the potential benefits all by itself.

CPU-Z confirms 64-bit Tegra K1 SoC for Nexus 9

While we've been waiting for HTC and Google to announce an 8.9" Nexus tablet we've been treated to more than one leak about the coveted Nexus 9. The latest one is from hardware-assessing app CPU-Z, which confirms the SoC in charge of the tablet is the latest Nvidia Tegra K1 64-bit.
We've already suspected the tablet will carry a 64-bit Nvidia chip and with two leaks behind it, the rumors seem plausible to say the least.

The Tegra K1 inside the Nexus 9 will have a top clock speed of 2.5GHz which is higher than the 2.2GHz non-64-bit Tegra K1 we benchmarked and found to top our charts, especially in the graphics department.
Nvidia claims its Tegra K1 chip is 1.5 times more efficient than its competition which should translate into reasonable battery life despite the immense power within. The Tegra K1 has a 192-core GPU based on the desktop-grade Kepler architecture and Nvidia's Cuda cores.
As for the Nexus 9, it's rumored to have a 4:3 aspect 1440 x 2048 pixel 8.9" display of 281ppi, 8MP camera and the latest Android L from Google.

LG teases G Watch R in an image

We have gotten a sneak peek at LG's upcoming Android Wear smartwatch, apparently known as the G Watch R. The video LG released earlier didn't really show much, other than brag about the fact that it will have a full circle display (unlike the semi-circular display of the Moto 360).

LG has now posted an image of the watch on its Facebook page, which gives a slightly better look at the watch. It is about as traditional looking as it can get and with the default watch face looks pretty much like any other watch.
The display does look like it will be slightly smaller than the one on the Moto 360 and has thicker bezels around the side. Motorola managed to have a bigger screen and smaller bezels by shoving in all the display drivers, which would normally be around the side below the display in the black portion.
We'll get a better look at the G Watch R next week at IFA 2014 where it will be officially unveiled.