The Samsung Galaxy S4 that went on sale in the United States a few weeks ago commands a $199.99 or $250 price at most carriers coming in black or white with a fake metal band. For those with a little bit of money to spend, there is another other option: A $2200 Samsung Galaxy S4 from GoldGenie that comes with either a 24ct. Gold, Rose Gold or Platinum band.

Buying a smartphone is an expensive endeavor. First, a buyer must pay an up front price, whether it’s a down payment or a subsidized price with a new contract. Then, the buyer must pay monthly installments for the phone, monthly installments for a data plan or both. Before the end of a contract or a device’s life cycle, smartphone owners pay well over $1000 dollars for their device.

This Samsung Galaxy S4 costs $2200.

For those that can spend more than that, GoldGenie is offering Gold, Platinum and Rose Gold plated Samsung Galaxy S4 models that command a hefty up front cost, in addition to the costs that will likely be incurred in the months to come.

For $2200, buyers in the United States can pick up a Samsung Galaxy S4 that comes with a customized rim that is made of those three aforementioned materials. To top it off, GoldGenie will throw in a Luxury Cherry Oak Finished Box for the device to be stored in. Whether or not the phone will be activated is up to the user, of course.

Users have a choice between the black and white models, the same color schemes available on non-$2200 Galaxy S4 models.

Users have a choice between Gold, Platinum and Rose Gold.

The device, besides the ring, is the same Samsung Galaxy S4 that appeared on shelves just a few weeks ago. That means that it comes with a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, 13MP camera, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and Samsung’s new smart features.

The precious metals don’t appear to add any extra bulk to the Galaxy S4 though we imagine that they could add some extra weight. GoldGenie isn’t clear on the matter. Something else that isn’t clear is why a normal person would spend $2200 on a smartphone.

$2200 Samsung Galaxy S4 Available to Those With Deep Pockets is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

It appears that a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 bootloader unlock was successful and that the developer behind the method is prepared to release it for public consumption in the near future.

Several weeks ago, developer Dan Rosenberg revealed that he had discovered a bootloader unlock method for the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 which, uncharacteristically, was locked down by Ma Bell. On the heels of that, Rosenberg also answered some of the more popular questions in regards to the unlock method.

Read: Verizon Galaxy S4 Bootloader Unlock Could Arrive Soon After Launch.

The Verizon Galaxy S4 bootloader unlock method should come soon.

One of the questions pertained to the Verizon Galaxy S4 bootloader which will almost assuredly be locked when it starts arriving on doorsteps in just a few days time. Rosenberg hinted that the method might work for the Verizon Galaxy S4 as well and he would be holding off on a release until after the arrival of the Verizon Galaxy S4, a move aimed that preventing Verizon from patching things up prior to the phone’s release.

Now that Verizon moved its Galaxy S4 release date up to May 23rd, its arrival is imminent and Rosenberg has emerged with some positive news for those that will be getting the phone in just a few days.

According to a tweet, Rosenberg has successfully “booted a custom recovery on the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4,” thanks to someone that he refers to as a “helpful tester.” He also adds that the is looking forward to releasing the method soon though he does not specify any type of date for the bootloader unlock’s arrival.

Successfully booted a custom recovery on the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 (thanks to a helpful tester). Look forward to a release soon.

— Dan Rosenberg (@djrbliss) May 20, 2013

We imagine that it will be shortly after the device’s release but at this point, it’s impossible to say. AT&T owners should also be looking forward to the arrival of the unlock method as the device has been locked up for weeks now, since it’s arrival back in April.

Verizon’s Galaxy S4 will be the last of the major Galaxy S4 releases in the United States though it won’t be the last Galaxy S4 to emerge. Samsung has not one but two other Galaxy S4′s rumored for arrival including the Galaxy S4 Active and the Galaxy S4 Mini.

Whether their bootloaders will be locked is not clear at this time though it will most likely depend on which carrier they arrive on.

Verizon Galaxy S4 Bootloader Unlock Coming Soon is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

By the end of 2013, AT&T will let all of its subscribers use all video chat apps including Hangouts and FaceTime regardless of their phone or plan.

In a statement to The Verge, AT&T said it plans to “enable pre-loaded video chat apps over cellular for all our customers, regardless of data plan or device.” The change will happen sometime before the end of this year, and will mean that anybody on AT&T can use any video chat app they like at any time.

By mid-June the carrier will enable pre-loaded video chat options on all 4G LTE phones on its network.

The statement comes less than a week after reports that AT&T blocked Hangouts video chat for some users. That’s because Google Hangouts is technically a pre-loaded Android app as it replaces the pre-loaded Google Talk app. To enable the video chat option for all users, AT&T will have to work with Google to make it work, it seems.

AT&T famously blocked FaceTime over Cellular for some users when Apple announced it as part of iOS 6. AT&T enabled the feature for users with the iPhone 5 on its Mobile Share plans, but disabled it on earlier versions of the iPhone. Early this year AT&T let users with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S access the feature, as long as they had a non-unlimited plan.

The carrier doesn’t block any third-party video chat apps that users have to install, only apps that users have to install themselves. AT&T likely puts the restrictions in place because users are far lees likely to use third-party video chat apps than pre-loaded apps. Video chat can take up a lot of bandwidth, so letting everyone use the more popular services can potentially slow down a network.

Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, the other major carriers in the U.S. don’t restrict user access to video chat apps, regardless of how the user gets them.

AT&T Will Let Everyone Use Hangouts & FaceTime By End of 2013 is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

The HTC One is finally out on shelves, competing against the likes of the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4. However, it’s arrival doesn’t mean its story has ended. In fact, it’s only the opening salvo as we have seen numerous HTC One developments emerge over the past few weeks that will ensure that this device will be a topic of discussion for many months to come.

In February, HTC announced the new HTC One, a device that replaced the HTC One X and the HTC One X+ with a host of new hardware and software to boot. The device comes with a number of upgrades over its predecessors including a 4.7-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, Ultrapixel camera, Sense 5, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and an all-new metal ZeroGap design.

The HTC One has seen several new developments in recent days.

Unlike the HTC One and the HTC One X+, the HTC One came to do battle against its foes with a number of different carriers attached. Instead of just AT&T, the HTC One has arrived on AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, giving users more a choice when it comes to HTC’s flagship.

All three of those carriers released the device back in late April and thus far, the device has seemingly done well with HTC set to increase production to keep up with demand.

However, just because the HTC One has been released doesn’t mean that its story is over. On the contrary, the HTC One’s story is just beginning and we have some new developments to prove it.

Over the past few weeks, new details in regards to the HTC One have emerged, painting a picture of what current and future owners can expect from the HTC One brand in the days and weeks ahead. From a new HTC One model to a smaller HTC One to an impending Android update, the HTC One, like the Samsung Galaxy S4, is still very busy which means that there is a lot of information for users to digest.

Here now are the five most important things that current and future HTC One owners need to know right now.

HTC One Mini Still Rumored

Samsung is heavily rumored to be coming out with a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini sometime this summer to compliment not only the Galaxy S4, but also its Samsung Galaxy S4 Active that will be aimed at users who need a more rugged device. HTC has been rumored to be keeping pace with Samsung with a mini release of its own, a release that is apparently still on track.

The HTC M4, which leaked several weeks ago but has not since, is thought to be a smaller version of the HTC One and a device that will be hitting shelves in the months ahead.

This is said to be the HTC One Mini or, the HTC M4.

Like the Galaxy S4 Mini, it’s said to feature lesser specifications than its larger flagship brother, but fortunately for those interested in a smaller HTC One, it’s thought to be keeping the same metal design to pair with its features.

Since its leak, the device has remained in the shadows but @LLabTooFeR, a noted HTC leakster, suggests that the device is still coming to market and may be called the HTC One Mini.

We’ve only seen one device emerge under the ‘One’ umbrella this year, so it would not be surprising to see another mid-range device arrive to compliment the larger one.

Verizon HTC One Release Up in the Air

Maybe the most important thing to know about the HTC One right now is that a Verizon model is still unreleased and while there are whispers of a release at some point. it’s still completely up in the air.

Here’s what we know about the Verizon HTC One right now:

• Verizon is hosting a May 22nd announcement at CTIA. It will be live streaming it.
• Verizon was rumored to be releasing an HTC One one to two months after the other carriers. May 22nd is one month after the other carriers.
• The Verizon HTC One is still coming, according to noted HTC insider, @LLabTooFeR. He cannot confirm May 22nd as a launch date, neither can we.
• We’ve seen a grand total of zero leaks in the build up to May 22nd.
• Verizon skipping an HTC One and releasing a Droid DNA 2 with a 5-inch 1080p display remains possible thanks to the leak of the HTC Butterfly S.

Verizon will announce something on May 22nd. Will it be the HTC One?

At this point, it’s a complete and utter mystery. Given that it hasn’t leaked out yet, we imagine that May 22nd may come and go without a launch. Keep those fingers crossed.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Coming Soon

When the HTC One arrived, it didn’t have Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board but Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, an older version of Google’s Android software. Turns out, that might change soon, real soon.

HTC One owners should know that the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update appears to be just around the corner. HTC confirmed Sense 5 for the HTC Butterfly for May, an update that should bring Android 4.2 as well, and we doubt that the company would upgrade the Butterfly with Android 4.2 before the HTC One, its flagship.

Furthermore, rumors have suggested that an Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update for the HTC One is close, perhaps as close as the end of May. HTC is likely working hard to catch the HTC One up to the Samsung Galaxy S4 so it wouldn’t be surprising to see it roll out this quickly after launch.

HTC One Nexus Rumored

The HTC One Nexus could be a real thing.

At Google I/O, we didn’t see a Nexus 5 but we did see the arrival of another new Nexus, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus that will be coming to shelves in late June. The Galaxy S4 Nexus will come with a Galaxy S4 design but will sport vanilla Android software, quick updates and an unlocked bootloader. And while HTC shot down the possibility of an HTC One Nexus right off the bat, rumors are suggesting that it may not have been telling the truth.

@LLabTooFeR has suggested that an HTC One with vanilla Android may be out by the end of summer. It’s a device that consumers would likely eat up, thanks to the metal design.

He claims to know that it’s a real possibility, it isn’t just a guess, though the rest of the details remain scarce. One cryptic tweet suggests that it may not even been called the HTC One but something else. According to him, the name won’t matter. He also replied to another inquiry saying that HTC would be singing a different tune in the next few months.

Whether an HTC One Nexus ever materializes is up to debate but at the very least, there remains a possibility, despite what HTC may have said last week during Google I/O.

Affordable Pricing Reigns

Both the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 have seen drastic price cuts.

One last thing that prospective HTC One owners need to know is that the device is extremely affordable and will remain that way until its replaced at some point in the distant future.

Right now, the HTC One can be found for as little at $129.99, the price that Amazon is charging for the HTC One on AT&T. That’s a solid $70 off the asking price for the 32GB model through the carrier and a price that should be appetizing to those not looking to break the bank with their next smartphone purchase.

Even better, this is not as low as it will go. In fact, expect the price to continue to dip throughout the summer with retailers, and possibly carriers, targeting consumers coming off contract with some price cut deals, even lower than $130.

HTC One: 5 More Things To Know is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The world’s first Windows 8 tablet with an 8-inch screen, the Acer Iconia W3, turned up this morning on the company’s Finish website.

The information provided confirmed much of the speculation that has surrounded the tablet since it emerged earlier this year. According to the site, first discovered by SlashGear, the Iconia W3 will include an Intel Atom Z2760 processor and an 8.1-inch WXGA display. The device will also feature 2GB of RAM, an Intel GMA 3650 graphics chipset and up to 64GB of flash storage. As it has a smaller screen than today’s Windows 8 and Windows RT devices, its display will have a resolution of 1280 x 768 as opposed to the 1366 x 768 resolution that is mandated in the minimum hardware specifications for Windows 8.

Read: Microsoft Working With OEMs to Create Smaller Windows 8 Devices.

The Acer Iconia W3 with keyboard dock.

Microsoft first announced that it would be lowering the minimum screen resolution for Windows to enable hardware manufacturers to experiment more with new form factors for Windows devices. The change allows companies like Acer and Dell to create devices with screens as small as 7-inches.

This is the exact same screen size and form factor that both Apple and Google target with their Nexus 7 and iPad mini tablets. While that screen size seems to lend itself well to iOS and Android, how users will react to having to use Windows 8’s optimized Desktop area remains to be seen.

Since the device has an Intel processor, it will feature a full installation of Windows 8 meaning it will be able to run traditional Desktop applications, however, they may not perform as well as users expect from mid-range Windows devices.

The Acer W3 will also include must-haves for any mobile device running a modern operating system including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 support, a microUSB 2.0 port, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a microHDMI port for connecting the device to an external display.

There’s no word on when Acer will make the device or first-party case and full-size keyboard docks available. However, since support for 7-inch displays won’t be included in Windows until the release of Windows 8.1, a release may not come until the end of the summer, at the earliest.

Microsoft recently announced that it would only be releasing a preview of the operating to the public at its BUILD event in June. A widespread release for the operating system wouldn’t come until this fall.

Today’s leak did indicate that the company would release two versions of the Iconia W3, one with 32GB of on board storage and another with 64GB of storage. Pricing for those remains unclear. Neither one of these devices would feature support for mobile data networks. The company has since pulled all references to the Acer W3’s features from its website.

8-Inch Acer Iconia W3 Tablet Detailed Early is a post by Travis Pope from Gotta Be Mobile.

The next generation of Apple’s iPad tablet, the iPad 5, may have entered trial production.

That’s according to DigiTimes which cites reports it’s received from Taiwanese device part suppliers. These part suppliers have indicated that monthly shipments of the device will reach 2-3 million by September, possibly hinting at an announcement of the tablet by Apple sometime near or before then.

Read: How the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 Fit in Apple’s Product Lineup.

A rendering of the iPad 5 and iPad 4 showing a slight reduction in size.

Reportedly, the iPad 5 will feature the same Retina display that was used in the previous generation iPad, however it will evidently make use of new manufacturing techniques to create a glass display that’s 0.2mm thinner that of today’s iPad 4. These manufacturers also believe that the bezel around the iPad’s screen will decrease in size, though they make no exact indication of how smaller this new iPad’s bezel will be.

New manufacturing techniques will include the use of just 1 layer of glass and two layers of ITO film. ITO or Indium Tin Oxide film is used in shielding glass and display panels from electromagnetic interference. The iPad 5 would also make use of just one LED light bar to light its display instead of the two that’s used on today’s iPad.

These reports don’t indicate how the company might plan to offset the brightness difference if these back light change rumors are true. Without some kind of compensation, the iPad 5 would have a darker display than its predecessor.

The iPad 5 would also be “25-33%” lighter than today’s iPad because of these, and possibly other changes.

As for suppliers, DigiTimes sources say that LG, Samsung and Sharp will provide the screens for the device, while other companies like Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology, Coretronic, Radiant Opto-Electronics and TPK Holding will provide different parts of the iPad’s display.

Read: iPad 5 Case Leak Teases iPad mini Design, June 2013 Release

This isn’t the first potential leak of components that will make up Apple’s iPad 5 tablet. This past February potential pictures of both iPad 5 and iPad mini cases leaked on the internet along with a potential release date of June of this year. That source later retracted its story about the potential release date but stood by its pictures of the device’s cases.

These pictures indicated that Apple would only lightly taper the edges of this year’s iPad device giving the device a design that isn’t altogether different from that of today’s iPad mini.

iPad 5 Rumors: Lighter Design, Production Ramping Up in July is a post by Travis Pope from Gotta Be Mobile.

The new Google+ Hangouts will soon gain Google Voice features that will make it a better replacement for Google Talk and a more unified service overall.

While Google aims to unite all of its chat services under Google+ Hangouts, it lacks one major feature of Google Talk in Gmail: the ability to place outbound calls via Google Voice. Users can still receive inbound Voice calls using Google Hangouts, but in the near future they’ll be able to do both.

Google product manager Nikhyl Singhal confirmed more Google Voice integration is coming to Hangouts in a Google+ post earlier today. Singhal says the company it working to bring outbound calls using Google Voice to Hangouts in Gmail. For now, however, users who want that feature should continue to use Google Talk.

Singhal also said that Google+ Hangouts is “the future of Google Voice.” The company will bring voice calls to the service first, but will eventually integrate more Voice features in Hangouts. Singhal doesn’t mention how that integration will work, only that Hangout will “integrate Google Voice more seamlessly” in the future.

Integrating Voice into Hangouts will help make the service the one comprehensive chat service that Google offers. The service helps cut down on confusion as to which service users have to use, making it much easier to just talk with friends, family and co-workers.

Another Google employee recently announced that Google+ Hangouts on Android will soon gain SMS integration, letting users put text messages and Hangout chats in the same conversation list. Integrating Google Voice into the app may give Android users three options for sending messages: Hangout chats, SMS from their phone’s number or SMS through their Google Voice number.

Google+ Hangouts is currently available in the browser in Gmail and Google+ and in free mobile apps available for both Android and iOS.

Google+ Hangouts Will Soon Regain Google Voice Capabilities is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

While it still appears as though Verizon has plans to launch the HTC One on its 4G LTE network, those plans remain muddled in mystery as there still isn’t any firm information out there suggesting that a launch is imminent, despite Verizon not only hosting, but live streaming a launch event at CTIA Las Vegas in just a few days time.

In just a couple of days, Verizon will host a launch event at the CTIA conference in Las Vegas. Verizon’s invitation gave no clear indication about what the event is about and thus far, we have been unable to dig up any credible information in regards to the announcement or announcement that Verizon is set to make on stage.

The HTC One could be coming to Verizon. Or not.

One thing is clear though: Verizon wants more than just the press to witness what transpires at the event. The carrier will host a live stream of the event, something that signals that this isn’t just another announcement and that there could be some big product or products on the way. However, just what it has up its sleeve remains unclear.

One of the possibilities remains the elusive Verizon HTC One, a device that remains completely out of reach but is still rumored to be coming out at some point in the future. Just when that might be remains unclear with a grand total of zero leaks sprouting up and information extremely hard to come by. However, it still appears that the device is on the way, just maybe not at the event at CTIA.

@LLabTooFeR, a notorious HTC leakster, has, like us, been unable to confirm an HTC One arrival at Verizon’s May 22nd launch event. He still believes that Verizon has an HTC One up its sleeve, he just doesn’t know when it’s going to arrive. Thus far, we’ve seen zero leaks of a Verizon-branded HTC One, something that typically happens ahead of a launch. It’s possible that HTC and Verizon are doing a superb job keeping the device under the radar, but it seems unlikely.

@tierns123 Yes, but I can’t confirm that it will be announced soon.

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) May 18, 2013

With HTC Butterfly 2 rumors heating up, it’s easy to start wondering about whether or not Verizon may ultimately wind up releasing an HTC One or  something different.

A recent User Agent string discovered by G4Games suggests that a phone called the HTC Butterfly S may be on its way, a device that could wind up being the HTC Butterfly 2 or even the Droid DNA 2. The Droid DNA was the HTC Butterfly for Verizon and it’s a device that many have expected would be replaced by an HTC One or perhaps, a Droid DNA 2.

We’ve heard that the HTC Butterfly 2 won’t be coming until Q3 of this year, complete with a 5-inch display, so it’s possible that this UA string has arrived well ahead of schedule.

This development only makes the Verizon HTC One waters murkier than they already were and the lack of leaks ahead of Verizon’s announcement seem to point to something else getting announced.

At best though, the HTC One launch is still a mystery, even with the live streamed May 22nd announcement date fast approaching.

Verizon HTC One Launch Still a Mystery is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

At Display Week in Vancouver tomorrow Samsung will unveil its newest laptop displays that feature higher resolutions than Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

The new Samsung display is a 13.3-inch panel with a QHD 3200 x 1800 resolution, offering a greater resolution and pixel density than Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Apple’s notebook uses a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600, giving is a pixel density of 227 pixels-per-inch. Samsung’s new display, by comparison, has a pixel density of 276 ppi.

The new display even has a higher resolution than the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

Samsung’s new display has a higher ppi than the iPad 4 (264 ppi), as well as the Toshiba KIRAbook and Chromebook Pixel (221 ppi and 239 ppi, respectively). The higher pixel density means images and text look smoother on the display, assuming they’re at high enough resolution.

The new Samsung display will have 30 percent more power savings than current LCD displays, which could mean the display will come to future Ultrabooks or laptops without much of a battery life hit. There’s no word on when the displays might make their way into consumer devices, however. For now Samsung will only say that it plans on showing off the new displays.

When Samsung does put the new display into laptops, it will give Windows 8 users another way to get Retina-like displays on a laptop. Currently the closest option those users have is the Toshiba KIRAbook, which looks a lot like the MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

SlashGear speculates that Samsung may choose to show off a laptop with the new displays at IFA 2013 in Berlin this September.

At Display Week Samsung will also show off new, more efficient HD AMOLED displays that cut power consumption by 25 percent. Those displays may help boost battery life in mobile device sometime in the future, though again, it’s not clear when Samsung might bring those displays to consumer devices.

New Samsung Displays Have Higher Resolution Than MacBook Pro Retina is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

It appears that T-Mobile has quietly put the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE on sale through its website today with the device emerging for $70 down but with a $550 full retail price that is in line with the price of the HTC One, the flagship model that HTC debuted on T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network just a few short weeks ago.

In a bit of a surprise, the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE, which was first announced at CES in January, has finally made it to T-Mobile’s online store. The device was not given a specific release date or any kind of announcement which makes its appearance a bit of a surprise. It appears that the device is up for sale, we were able to go all the way through checkout, and it means that those interested in last year’s Samsung flagship should be able to snag it right now. It’s unclear when it might ship, however.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE is only a little cheaper than the HTC One.

We were able to confirm it’s availability with a customer service representative who said that it was available to buy right now. However, it’s possible that this could be a pre-order rather than a sale.

The device is the same Samsung Galaxy S3 that emerged last year for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 network meaning it comes with a 720p display, dual-core processor, 8MP camera, sleek plastic design, microSD card slot and Android 4.1. The difference lies in the network speeds that it’s capable of picking up.

While the older device is only capable of snagging HSPA+ 42 speeds, the new Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE for T-Mobile is capable of hauling in speeds that are often equivalent to those found on a Wi-Fi network. T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network is small but the carrier plans to expand it to cover more than 200 million Americans by the end of the year.

Of course, those looking to snag this will find a device that is extremely expensive, on par with the price of the HTC One. T-Mobile is asking for $70 down from consumers, at the very least, with the full price amounting to $550 dollars. That’s only $30 cheaper than the new HTC One and only $80 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S4 which was released a short time ago.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 of course is a device that is going on a year old, meaning, for some consumers, that will be a price tag that is going to be less than appetizing.

T-Mobile Galaxy S3 LTE Arrives with Steep Price is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Apple could now be testing its often rumored iWatch, according to reports, possibly indicating a launch as early as this fall.

These reports, which originate from the Economic Times, also indicate that Apple has decided to shift away from the 1.8 inch displays the company had been rumored to include in the iWatch. Instead, it will build the device with 1.5 inch displays, because reportedly it felt that the larger 1.8 inch display were too big for the wrists of most users.

How an iWatch might look on your wrist, with a classic leather strap, as pictured by MacUser.

Another report from the Economic Times also indicates that Apple has already placed an initial order of 1,000 iWatches for testing from Foxconn, the same company who manufactures the company’s line of iPhones today.

A potential iWatch is just the latest rumored device that attempts to ride the upcoming wave of “wearable computing” that integrates and extends the features of smartphones more fully into the lives of users.

Read: Hints of a Google Nexus Smartwatch Revealed Through Motorola Patent

The other upcoming product in the field is Google’s Glass concept, which uses a camera and the internet connection of the user’s smartphone to stream video and provide useful information to users without them having to pull out their smartphone.

If Apple does release an iWatch, it could be more socially acceptable than Google Glass. Some establishments have already made it known that devices like Google Glass won’t be welcome.

Read: 11 Places Where Google Glass Won’t Be Welcome

It seems Google isn’t pinning all of its wearable computing hopes on Google Glass, possibly for this reason. New patents filed by Google-owned Motorola Mobility confirm that the company has at least done the ground work to create a possible Nexus Watch, dubbed Moto ACTIV, that would complement Google Glass and compete directly with Apple’s iWatch. These patents pointed to a smartwatch that would be able to monitor a user’s health using sensors. Unlike today’s smartwatches, like the Pebble, Motorola’s patents indicate that Moto ACTIV would have its own mobile internet connection instead of relying on a smartphone in the user’s pocket.

The iPhone has an abnormally high theft rate, according to many of the officials in charge of the United States largest cities. Naturally, many see a potential iWatch as an attempt by Apple to address this problem, however the practicality of this remains unclear. It’s believed that most thieves are tipped off to a user’s iPhone because of the company’s signature white ear buds and design. Even if an iWatch was connected to the user’s iPhone device, the sight of one could still tip of would-be muggers to the presence of Apple’s mobile device.

Apple’s iWatch Smartwatch Might Now Be in Testing is a post by Travis Pope from Gotta Be Mobile.

A recent leak revealed that the HTC Butterfly Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and Sense 5 update would be coming with an upgrade to another version of Sense, Sense 5.1. Now, it appears that it won’t be the only one getting Sense 5.1 as the HTC One Android 4.2 update is thought to be coming with the new Sense 5.1 user interface as well.

Just a few days ago, the HTC Butterfly Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and Sense 5 update leaked to the surface, an update that is now said to be coming at some point later this month. That update had a bit of a surprise that came with it in the form of Sense 5.1, an update to the manufacturer’s Sense 5 user interface that arrived alongside the HTC One back in April.

Read: HTC One Android 4.2 Update Said to Be Very Close.

It’s still unclear about what Sense 5.1 brings to the table but it appears that Sense 5.1 may be the software that rolls out not only to the HTC Butterfly but the HTC One and likely others as well.

The notorious @LLabTooFeR suggests that the HTC One Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update, which is thought to be arriving very soon, will be coming with an update to Sense 5.1 on board. He did not run down exactly what would be coming with Sense 5.1 so its contents remain a bit of a mystery ahead of the software’s release.

The HTC One Android 4.2 update could bring Sense 5.1.

From the looks of things though, the new Sense 5 is going to be getting its first major update since it arrived back in April. The new version could certainly come with some new features though we imagine that the majority of its contents will be bug fixes and enhancements to software that is already on board.

@hub_fr Sense 5.1

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) May 18, 2013

No release date is set for either the HTC One or the HTC Butterfly though there is a distinct possibility that both software updates could emerge during the month of May. HTC said that the Butterfly update would come in May while the HTC One update is thought to be rolling out by the beginning of June, at the latest.

These are shaping up to be HTC’s first Android 4.2 Jelly Bean updates with updates to the HTC One X+, HTC One X, and more likely coming later on this year.

HTC One Android 4.2 Update Could Bring Sense 5.1 is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

A more rugged version of the Samsung Galaxy S4, dubbed the Galaxy S4 Active, could be on its way to users soon.

According to pictures and information compiled by GSMArena, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active will feature most of the same internal specifications as the company’s newly released Galaxy S4, however it would replace the plastic of the Galaxy S4 with a more rugged external casing.

If true, that could help Samsung appeal to one segment of consumers it now has very little to offer: those who want a device designed to hold up to the elements. For all of its advanced software features and cutting-edge internal hardware, the Samsung Galaxy S4 keeps the same plastic construction as its predecessor.

The rugged rear casing of what’s believed to be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

The photos detail a new hot-red metallic outer casing that covers the back of the device. Instead of the touch sensitive buttons that the Galaxy S4 ships with, this device has physical home, menu and back buttons. The rear of the device features rubberized edges and screws on the top and bottom of the device separated by a sea of metal.

Read: Samsung Plans Rugged Galaxy S4 for 2013

One internal difference between both devices will be the quality of pictures taken with the device’s rear-facing camera. Instead of the 13 megapixel camera of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S4 Active will ship with a more modest 8 megapixel camera (according to these reports). It’s also believed to have a slightly smaller screen size, if this report’s 480 pixel density is any indication of the device’s real world screen real-estate.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active could include many of the same internal specifications as the Galaxy S4, and feature physical home, menu, and back buttons.

Matching specifications do indicate that the Galaxy S4 Active will feature a 1.9 GHz quad-core processor, the same as the Galaxy S4.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini & Rugged Galaxy S4 Pegged for July

Now that Samsung has shipped the Galaxy S4 to users worldwide, it’s now widely believed that it will unleash variants of the device designed to address smaller niche markets. Recent rumors had pegged a Galaxy S4 mini and a rugged Galaxy S4, what we now know to be the Galaxy S4 Active, for release as early as this July.

Much like exclusive software features, build materials have become a battle ground for smartphone vendors looking to grab users with their latest flagship phones. The HTC One, which is largely seen by some as the only real current competition to the Galaxy S4, is made out of one single piece of aluminum, giving it a sturdy chassis.

New Photos Surface of Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is a post by Travis Pope from Gotta Be Mobile.

Verizon has started shipping off Samsung Galaxy S4 pre-orders and it appears that some of those Verizon Galaxy S4 pre-orders could arrive ahead of the device’s May 23rd release date that will take place both online and in stores.

We have received numerous tips from those who pre-ordered the Verizon Galaxy S4 through Verizon who say that the carrier has begun shipping out Verizon Galaxy S4 pre-orders, ahead of the device’s scheduled May 23rd release date, a release that other retailers will subscribe to as well.

Like AT&T though, it appears that Verizon may be rewarding those who pre-ordered with the device ahead of schedule as shipping projections for some put the device as arriving on Wednesday, though with devices shipping out on May 18th, that would not fall in line with two day shipping. That leaves the door open for an early release. This is great news for those that pre-ordered through Verizon and it should mean that many, or most of those who pre-ordered the device, at least through Verizon, will get the heralded phone either before or on release day.

Read: Verizon Galaxy S4 Release Date at Best Buy Confirmed.

The Verizon Galaxy S4 will arrive early for some.

The Verizon Galaxy S4 of course is also available through a number of other outlets as well including Best Buy, Staples, RadioShack and Walmart. Best Buy and Staples have informed us that they will have the device in stock on May 23rd as well, something that bodes extremely well for those that pre-ordered the device through them. RadioShack and Walmart have remained mum with us, though we imagine they will follow suit as well.

Verizon’s version of the Galaxy S4 will be the last variant from a major carrier to arrive, following in the footsteps of the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular models, all of which arrived in some form or another in April.

This model won’t be the last Galaxy S4 to arrive though as several smaller carriers are in line to debut their models in the weeks ahead. Samsung will also be delivering several new Galaxy S4 devices in the coming months with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Activ and a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini in the cards for later this year.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is Samsung’s latest and greatest and it comes equipped with a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, 13MP camera, sleek and slim design and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

Thanks to Tyler, Brian and everyone else that sent this in!

Verizon Galaxy S4 Shipping Ahead of Release Date is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

A day before the reveal of the new Xbox, Sony released a teaser for the new PlayStation 4 console, showing an out-of-focus black box with vents.

The short 39-second video shows an out-of-focus PlayStation 4 that look more like a square than the rectangular PlayStation 3. As the blurry black box gets closer to the camera the video shows images of various vents in the new console and some angular lines that may hold the disc tray.

It ends by quickly flashing all of the close-up shots of the console before fading to black. At the end of the video Sony announces the date and time of its E3 press conference. Sony will full unveil the PlayStation 4 on June 10 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET in Los Angeles, hours after Microsoft’s E3 press conference.

The video is the first glimpse of the new console from Sony. Sony infamously chose to only show off the controller of the PlayStation 4 at its announcement event. At E3 it will finaly show the black plastic box that will hold its PC-like parts.

Like the initial announcement event Sony will livestream its E3 press conference online so any gamer who wants to can see what Sony has planned for the future of the PlayStation brand. Sony will presumably announce the release date and price for the PlayStation 4 at E3. Currently the console has no price, and only a “holiday 2013″ release window.

Sony announced a number of new games for the PlayStation 4 at the announcement, but will likely give more details on them at E3. The company may also give more details on its mobile companion apps at the press conference as well.

When the PlayStation 4 does come to stores later this year it will compete with the next Xbox that Microsoft will reveal at its Redmond campus tomorrow. Microsoft will likely show off its new console at the event instead of teasing gamers with hints at the new box. Microsoft will then show off its launch lineup of games for the new Xbox at its E3 pres conference.

Sony Teases PlayStation 4 Day Before Xbox Reveal is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.

DriveSavers might not be a household name, but it’s the most important tech company to my family right now. The company performed a minor miracle by recovering a cherished video of my grandparents from a dead iMac drive.

About a decade ago I sat down with my grandparents at their dinner table with a video camera as they told me how they brought my dad home for the first time, when he reached various milestones and what made him unique compared to his five siblings. My grandfather also managed to squeeze in a bit of advice. I edited the video down to about 35 minutes using iMovie and my mom’s green G3 iMac.

Ten years ago mobile phones didn’t shoot photos or video, and YouTube was still a few years off. The Sony camcorder I toted around recorded video onto Mini DV tapes. Editing it was a serious chore on the slower computers and tiny hard drives.

Still frame from lost video of my grandparents

I showed to the video to my dad as a Christmas gift and he loved it. I told him I’d burn it onto a DVD so he could share it with his family members. Life happened and I never got around to that, or backing up the video. A few months later my mom called me to have me take a look at her computer because it was making a loud clapping noise. I instantly knew that it was a hard drive problem and told her to shut off the machine.

I brought over an external USB drive and tried to rescue as much as I could. The iMac kept randomly shutting down as the drive’s damage got worse. I transfered some documents and a very low-resolution version of the video, but the poor little 10GB drive just wouldn’t keep spinning long enough to transfer the larger video files. It stopped spinning after making a few particularly loud claps.

I can’t remember if I’d taped over the original footage or simply lost the DV tapes, but panic set in as I realized the video was likely gone forever. I took the hard drive out of the iMac and tried powering it up in another machine. I tried spinning it up as an external drive with my PowerBook. I searched Google for solutions and foolishly followed advice to try chilling the dead drive in my freezer. None of these solutions worked, and the drive was almost certainly damaged more as I tried to fix it.

Damaged 10GB Drive from a G3 iMac

I found some guides on how to fix busted drives using a few simple tools and considered opening it up, but thought better of it. I wrapped the drive in an old laptop sleeve and put it on a shelf. I contacted DriveSavers and a few other driver recovery companies to see about fixing it, but DriveSavers was out of my budget at the time. A couple of other vendors were significantly cheaper, but had poor reviews. I decided to just put it off for a while.

My grandfather passed away in 2008. I showed a couple of relatives the low resolution copy of the video after his memorial, but it was really difficult to watch. Sure, the audio was intact, but you could barely make out my grandparent’s faces. Something that should’ve been a treasure had become something that literally hurt people’s eyes to watch. I was mad at myself for neglecting the video.

A DriveSavers employee contacted me in March to see if I was interested in learning more about their services. We got to talking about some of their new services, some success stories and my dead drive. She offered me a discount on a drive recovery and a tour of the facilities.

I drove to the DriveSavers headquarters and was simply blown away by how sophisticated the facilities and staff were. I’m detailing that visit in a separate article, as it was the most thorough tour of any tech company I’ve ever been on. I spoke to several people that educated me on issues ranging from forensics to why the company employs a full-time crisis management counselor.

A DriveSavers technician replaces hard drive components

I gave a DriveSavers employee the dead drive from my mom’s iMac and another external drive that I managed to fry by plugging into the wrong power adapter. She checked them in and gave me two case numbers that served as passwords if I needed to check the progress of my drive recoveries. She asked me what about the files I was hoping to recover.

A technician followed up later to say that things looked promising for the 10GB drive with the video on it. I had thought it was beyond repair long enough that I didn’t raise my hopes too high, but a couple of days later the DriveSavers technician called back to ask me if the video clips I was looking for featured an older genteman with a white beard. I still kept my excitement in check as he described my grandfather, as I thought he may have been looking at the low-resolution copy I managed to export all those years ago. I asked him to tell me how big the video files were. When he mentioned that the largest file was 1.2 GB I knew the recovery was a succes.

DriveSavers crammed about 9 GB of data onto a USB thumb drive and mailed it back to me via FedEx. I couldn’t open the ancient iMovie file, but all of the source clips were perfectly intact. I plopped the clips into a new iMovie project and was able to watch the video in all of its full resolution glory.

My father on his birthday watching a video of his dad on an iPad mini

The above photo says much more than any technical explanation can about what DriveSavers does or how they do it. I exported the video onto an iPad mini and gave it to my father for his birthday earlier this month as a surprise. He hadn’t heard his father’s voice in five years, and here it was joyously recalling what it was like to be young and a dad for the first time, trying to figure out how to raise him and his sister while making $4 per hour.

DriveSavers might be a technology company that trades in the world of bits and bytes, but for my family it will always the company that saved a family heirloom.

DriveSavers Revives Irreplaceable Memories is a post by Xavier Lanier from Gotta Be Mobile.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which is rumored to be coming out later this year, has cropped up in rumors recently, rumors that have suggested it has a 13MP camera on board. While that remains unconfirmed, a new image that may have been taken by the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has emerged with its data throwing fuel on the flames of the Galaxy Note 3′s camera rumor.

While it’s not expected to debut until IFA in September, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is already a much-talked about device. Of course, those conversations have been fueled by the many leaks that have occurred over the past few months, leaks that have detailed just about every single feature coming on the next-generation phablet.

Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Launch Looks Good for September.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is rumored for later this year.

One rumor in particular suggested that it would be coming with a 13MP camera sensor, just like the Galaxy S4, and now, a new photo that has emerged seems to point that as possibly being the case. The photo comes from a post on the SmartFan forums website and it points to a photo taken with a 13MP camera on a device called the GT-N7200. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 was the GT-N7100 so it leaves open the possibility that this is a photo that was taken by the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

This photo may have been taken by the Galaxy Note 3.

 The photo isn’t fantastic by any stretch of the imagination but again, it points to the possibility of a 13MP camera. Keep in mind, EXIF data can be spoofed so it’s possible that this is not authentic. However, we did see several photos shot with the Galaxy S4 emerge well before its release date so it’s entirely possible that Samsung is testing out the Galaxy Note 3′s camera ahead of its arrival.

The Galaxy Note 3 model number could be GT-N7200.

If this information is indeed accurate though, then it looks like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 camera will be similar to the camera found in Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4.

As for the rest of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, it’s thought to be coming in September at IFA, possibly on September 6th, with a 5.9-6-inch display, quad-core processor of the Exynos 5 Octa variety, a thinner design that’s more like the Galaxy S4 and quite possibly a wealth of new software features including one called Samsung Orb.

Did the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Take this Photo? is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The long-awaited HTC One Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update is said, by one insider, to be very close with a release thought to be coming by the end of the month or at the very beginning of next month.

When the HTC One arrived back in April, it did so without the latest version of Android. Instead of arriving with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, it surfaced with an older version of the software, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which arrived in July of last year. Owners have been waiting patiently for the company to bring the device up to speed with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4 which are running Android 4.2.

Fortunately, it looks like a roll out is extremely close. Last week, we heard that it would roll out within two to three weeks and now, that same leakster, @LLabTooFer, is saying that the roll out is “very close” and he thinks it should roll out either at the end of the month or in the early beginnings of June.

Without any provocation, the HTC developer and leakster said recently that the update is extremely close and that it would be rolling out to HTC One owners in the not-so-distant future. At this point, it’s looking like the software roll out is only a few days away which means that owners can now start looking forward to replacing Android 4.1 with Android 4.2.

The HTC One could be the first device to get Android 4.2, something that would not be surprising in the slightest. The device is HTC’s flagship smartphone and that likely signals a quicker update than other devices.

Android 4.2.2 for HTC One is very close.

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) May 18, 2013

With HTC touting an HTC Butterfly Sense 5 update this month, an update that will likely bring Android 4.2 as well, we would not be surprised to see the HTC One Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update roll out sometime in May. Again, it’s the company’s flagship phone and it will want to treat it as such.

@nitrozk End of this month-beginning of the next.

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) May 18, 2013

A specific roll out date is unknown and @LLabTooFeR only says that U.S. models will get the software as soon as possible. That doesn’t bode well for those that own the device on AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile.

American carriers are typically slower when it comes to larger software updates.

HTC One Android 4.2 Update Said to Be Very Close is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

A revamped Nexus Q set top box could arrive to bolster Google’s new Play Music All Access subscription service soon, that’s according to documents that indicate the device has arrived for approval at the Federal Communications Commission.

According to the documents, the device which goes by the name H840 and the model number H2G2-42, is a media player that boasts Wi-Fi compatibility and a USB port. The documents also indicate that the device has a separate power cable, as such it’s unlikely that it’s a smartphone, or a tablet. As Google requested that the agency limit the details shared with the public, there are no pictures or sketches of what the device looks like.

The Nexus Q

If the H480 is the successor to the Nexus Q, it could be the beginning of a revival for Google products in the living room. The Nexus Q originally debuted last June at Google I/O 2012 and was billed by the company as “the first social streaming media player”. It allowed users to stream their media content to a high-definition television.

However, because the device was restricted to only cloud streaming, and required everyone who wanted to take advantage of the device’s media streaming to have an Android device, the project was put on hold by Google soon after it was announced. The device’s $300 price tag also didn’t help. At the time users could purchase a more feature rich Apple TV for just $99.

Read: Google Nexus Q Revealed As “The First Social Streaming Media Player”

The Nexus Q also faced stiff competition from within Google itself. The company’s Google TV allows users to stream content from online services and store content locally –all in a small package that fits next to their television. As Google TV is mainly a software product, it also ships on a range of devices from manufacturers like Asus and Netgear for as low as $149.99. Users can also buy the LG Smart TV with the software installed.

After shipping one round of Nexus Q devices to early adopters, Google announced that it would be delaying the Nexus Q in order to add new features, though at the time the company didn’t necessarily talk about what new features it was planning to add to the device.

The arrival of a possible successor to the Nexus Q comes a day before Microsoft’s Xbox Revealed event. There, it’s expected to announce a new set-top box that will allow it to provide users with a new vision of what media consumption in the living room should be like.

Read: Google Games – Multiplayer Gaming Cloud Saves Come to Android

For its part, indications from Google also seem to point towards providing services and entertainment in the living room. Google just launched its own music subscription service, Google Play Music All Access last week to rival Microsoft’s Xbox Music. The company also introduced a new version of its Google Play Services for developers, allowing them to make include cloud game saves, leaderboards and multiplayer in their latest Android and iPhone games. As the Nexus Q was an Android device, it’s like that a follow up device would be as well. If that’s the case. The H840 could allow users to easily use these services in the living room.

Google Music All Access Makes New Nexus Q More Attractive is a post by Travis Pope from Gotta Be Mobile.

A new video from SamMobile shows a leaked Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S3 that brings some Galaxy S4 features to last year’s flagship phone.

As expected, the next major update to the Galaxy S3 will bring some Galaxy S4 features to the older phone, but not all. Some of the features brings new functionality to the smartphone, while others only offer cosmetic changes to the phone.

As the video below shows the update brings a few enhancements to the lockscreen of the Samsung Galaxy S3, including a new ripple effect and the JJ Abrams lens flare effect. The update to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean also brings the ability to view widgets on the lockscreen, though that’s a standard feature of the current version of Android.

Other standard features of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean that come in the new update include the ability to pull the notification tray with two fingers to bring up a screen of settings toggles and actionable notifications. Like the Galaxy S4, Samsung includes a number of unique TouchWiz toggles in the settings screen, giving users a lot of control over their device.

Samsung may also bring the new driving mode and S Voice improvements to the Galaxy S3 with the new update. After Google released Google Now Samsung focused S Voice on the Galaxy S4 on making it easier to control the phone while driving. Soon that focus will come to the Galaxy S3 as well, letting users control their phone through voice commands when driving.

Other features include new screen modes (Adapt Display and Professional Photo), a new tabbed UI in Settings, a white background in 3D mode of the Gallery app, a smart switch widget and full screen Samsung apps. Not every features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 will make it to the older phone, but the new features are likely enough for Galaxy S3 owners who don’t want to upgrade yet, but want new features.

Strangely there are no new camera features in the leak, though they may appear in the final build of the update.

The Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3 will likely come out sometime in June for unlocked devices, though U.S. carriers may take more time to approve the update.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.2.2 Update Leak Reveals Galaxy S4 Features is a post by Shawn Ingram from Gotta Be Mobile.