phones Reviews news

the Best new phones coming in 2016

2016-02-05T05:46:00.001-08:00

there are some stunners coming in 2016. These are the bestphones coming in 2016, including the best new Android phones, best new iPhones, best new Windows phones, best new Samsung phones, best new Sony phones, best new HTC phones, best new LG phones and more.

In this feature we'll show you some of the exciting new iPhones and new Android phones (listed alphabetically) that will launch over the coming year. We'll also look back on some of the best new phones of 2015 so far.

Best new phones 2016:Apple iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 will be Apple's brand-new flagship phone for 2016, and following tradition should be announced in September. Although the final release date is still many months away, that hasn't stopped the rumour mill going crazy over the upcoming iPhone.

We've already seen rumours that the new iPhone will feature big design changes, with an all-new D-jack headphone jack, waterproofing protection and an eSIM. Loads of rumours are circulating about the screen too - will it get bigger? Will it feature a curved edge? Will it have a Touch ID display, or edge-to-edge glass?

One things for sure, the new iPhone will be faster than ever, with an A10 processor and embedded M10 motion co-processor, plus 2GB of RAM.

We round up all the iPhone 7 rumourshere.

VAIO's Windows phone

2016-02-05T05:41:00.001-08:00

Microsoft's Windows Mobile initiative is on the ropes, but no-one seems to have told Japan - the country has already seen more new phones running Windows 10 than ever came out here with Windows Phone 7 or 8. And the latest entrant to the fray is VAIO, the company formed when Sony spun off its loss-making laptop division. This is the first Windows phone to carry the VAIO name: meet the VAIO Phone Biz.

If you were disappointed by the staid, plastic build of Microsoft's recent Lumia flagships, the VAIO Phone Biz may make you wish you were shopping for phones in Japan. It looks like it might be a worthy successor to the company's lineage of iconic laptops, with a sleek silver-finished aluminum build - VAIO is really emphasizing the construction quality and stringent testing for this phone. The screen is a 5.5-inch 1080p LCD, the camera is 13 megapixels, and inside there's 3GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, which is mid-range but supports Windows 10's Continuum desktop mode.

VAIO will sell the Phone Biz from April from about ¥ 50,000 ($ 424) unlocked, and the company is also partnering with leading Japanese carrier NTT Docomo to include various applications and network support.

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge vs Sony Xperia Z3

2015-04-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

Introduction

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. The Sony Xperia Z3 has arguably the most underrated designs around! Being good looking is one thing, but the designers over at Sony’s camp delivered an impressive offering in the Xperia Z3 – one that adds a higher degree of water-resistance protection, which isn’t something we tend to see too much of nowadays in flagships.

On the flip side, the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge bears one eye-catching aesthetics with is unique dual-curved screen. Add to that, Sammy’s transformation is realized with the unveiling of its latest flagship smartphones, mainly because the designs now feature that premium quality that was non-existent with its previous efforts. Between them, we know the advantages that come along with being the newer product, especially from a specifications point, but the Xperia Z3 can’t be neglected either.

Design

The S6 takes charge with its dramatically different design, one that’s now premium in nature, but the Xperia Z3 is one of the last remaining flagships to offer a water resistant construction.

With every new Galaxy S release, Samsung has historically built upon the base by refining what's already there and adding some extra on top. With the Galaxy S6, however, the electronics giant has focused far more on the latter than on the former. To that end, instead of the plasticky shell of the Galaxy S5, Samsung has adopted a metal frame that hugs the device all over and nestles within two sheets of Corning Gorilla Glass 4 – one placed in front of the display, and the other to protect the rear.

Samsung didn't stop there, instead opting to carve several 'nano layers' into the shell. The result is a front and back that reflect light in different hues depending on your viewing angle. Also, we can’t forget about some of the handset’s key features – like its improved fingerprint sensor, built-in wireless charging, heart rate sensor, and IR blaster. In achieving a higher degree of craftsmanship and premium design, the Galaxy S6 edge, however, is stripped of some key design features that were once notable qualities with its predecessor.

What really sets the S6 edge apart from everything else is its unique dual-curved display, where both edges feature a subtle curve. We’ll admit that it supplements its aesthetic appeal, but it comes with some precautions as well – as in the way we hold it, just because it feels rather sharp in the hand. In doing this, it certainly does not make it the most comfortable thing, though, some folks will gladly still take it primarily for the aesthetics. However, we have to point out that this design isn’t water-resistant.

And with that, we have to look at the Sony Xperia Z3 longingly and admire the fact that it’s one of the few, remaining flagships to qualify being regarded as water-resistant with its design. That’s a testament to say the least, since it doesn’t make that many sacrifices whatsoever with its aesthetics and construction – it’s relatively slim and premium. Surprisingly enough, it shares some of the same design characteristics as its rival, such as its premium glass surfaces and metal unibody.

At the same time, too, it’s able to accommodate a handy, and always useful microSD card slot and dedicated shutter key. Not surprisingly, the Galaxy S6 edge earns adulation and commendation for its stark redesign, one that’s undoubtedly now deemed as premium, but we can’t neglect to forget about the Xperia Z3’s design either.

Florida mall shooting

2015-01-18T05:31:00.002-08:00

A Florida man had "several pockets full of ammunition" when he targeted his wife in a shooting Saturday morning that killed two people at a mall food court where the woman worked, police said.

Authorities said the shooting happened about a half hour before the mall was to open to customers. Jose Garcia-Rodriguez, 57, of Palm Bay, died at a hospital following an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at Melbourne Square Mall, said Cmdr. Vince Pryce of Melbourne Police.

The man's 33-year-old wife, Idanerys Garcia-Rodriguez, was hospitalized with a gunshot wound and was in good condition late Saturday, Pryce said. A police statement later identified her as a worker at the mall's food court.

"The survivor is the intended victim," he said.

Offices said they responded to reports of multiple gunshots around 9:30 a.m, when about about 100 people were in the mall getting stores ready for a 10 a.m. opening to shoppers.

"We were still hearing shots when the first officers arrived on scene," Pryce said.

Officers evacuated the mall, assisting some employees who had locked themselves in closets when they heard gunfire, Pryce said.

Another man died in the shooting. His name was not released, and Pryce said his relationship to the Garcias remained under investigation and was unknown late Saturday. No one else in the mall was killed or wounded, police later said.

When officers found the three victims, Garcia "had several pockets full of ammunition," Pryce said. Police subsequently said investigators recovered three handguns at the site, along with the ammunition, believed to belong to the suspect.

Istanbul suicide bomber was 'teen widow of Norwegian IS jihadist'

2015-01-17T04:29:00.000-08:00

Istanbul (AFP) - A teenager from Russia's Muslim region of Dagestan suspected to have carried out a suicide bombing in Istanbul was said Friday to have been the widow of a Norwegian jihadist who died fighting for the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.

Turkish authorities have so far refrained from naming the suicide bomber but reports in Turkey and Russia on Friday identified her as Diana Ramazanova, 18, from the northern Caucasus region of Dagestan.A policeman and the female suicide bomber were killed in the attack on January 6 in Sultanahmet, the heart of Istanbul's tourist district and home to its greatest concentration of historic monuments.

The Hurriyet daily said she was the widow of Abu Aluevitsj Edelbijev, a Norwegian citizen of Chechen origin. The pair were married last year in a religious ceremony, either in Istanbul or in Syria.

The report said that Ramazanova had entered Turkey on a tourist visa in May 2014 but Edelbijev may have entered the country illegally.

Last July the pair crossed the border from Turkey into Syria, joining Islamic State (IS) jihadists who have seized large parts of Syria up to the Turkish border.

He took the name of Idris while she became known as Sumeyra, it said.

Edelbijev was killed in December while fighting. Ramazanova then crossed the border illegally back into Turkey on December 26, before carrying out the suicide bombing in Istanbul on January 6.

Hurriyet said security services are still trying to ascertain whether she had brought her explosives with her from Syria or whether they had been given to her by a contact in Istanbul.

She also took a vehicle to Istanbul from the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, an unusually long journey to have made by car which would have required logistical help.

In an interview with Norwegian television, Edelbijev's family also said their daughter-in-law had been the suicide bomber and confirmed the relationship with their son.

"I don't think she could take it anymore. She said that Abu was in peace and that she wanted peace too," Edelbijev’s mother told Norwegian TV2.

But Edelbijev’s mother also told the Norwegian broadcaster NRK that she had spoken with her daughter-in-law the day before the attack and "everything seemed normal".

"There was nothing that suggested that this could happen. It was as much of a shock for us when she blew herself up as when my son decided to go to Syria. We're struggling now," Edelbijev’s mother added.

- 'Loved make-up' -

The confirmation that Ramazanova was the bomber makes clear for the first time a jihadist link to the Istanbul suicide bombing.

It also raises new questions about the laxity of Turkey's border security, which has already been criticised by Western states for allowing jihadists in and out of Syria.

A radical outlawed Marxist group had initially caused confusion by claiming the attack but then retracted that claim, saying it had made a mistake.

Both Russian media and Hurriyet published pictures of Ramazanova before she was married, showing a seemingly normal Russian girl who took good care of her appearance and wore short dresses.

Without specifying the source of the images, Hurriyet also published pictures it said were of the pair with fellow jihadists in Syria.

Russian media have been quick to dub Ramazanova a "black widow", the label given to female suicide bombers from the Caucasus who carried out attacks in Russia after their husbands were killed by the Russian security forces.

Tabloid news site lifenews.ru cited acquaintances of Ramazanova in Dagestan and Moscow as saying she had totally changed after meeting her extremist husband on a social networking site.

"She was fashionable, a very beautiful girl. She loved to put make-up. I even rebuked her for wearing unsuitable clothes at school," it quoted a Moscow teacher as saying.

Ramazanova's purported page on Russian social network VKontakte, with a profile picture of her eating a cake, gives her date of birth as January 10, 1996 and main interests as cinema and music.

Hezbollah chief threatens Israel over Syria strikes

2015-01-16T05:40:00.000-08:00

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened in an interview Thursday to retaliate against Israel for repeated strikes on Syria and said he has missiles that can hit the Jewish state.

Nasrallah told Al-Mayadeen television that his powerful Shiite movement has had Iranian Fateh-110 missiles that could strike throughout Israel since 2006, adding that it is always ready to fight the Jewish state.

Nasrallah, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has sent thousands of fighters into Syria to help defend the regime.

He said that Israeli strikes on Syria "target the whole of the resistance axis", which includes Hezbollah, Damascus and Tehran.

"The repeated bombings that struck several targets in Syria are a major violation, and we consider that any strike against Syria is a strike against the whole of the resistance axis, not just against Syria," he told the Beirut-based Arab news television.

"The axis is capable of responding. This can happen any time."

Asked about Hezbollah's arsenal, Nasrallah said the group had "all (the weapons) you can imagine... and in great quantities".

He added: "We are now stronger than we ever were as a resistance movement."

Israel and Hezbollah fought a devastating war in the summer of 2006 that killed some 1,200 Lebanese -- most of them civilians -- and 160 Israelis -- most of them soldiers.

According to Pentagon officials, Hezbollah has 50,000 missiles, including some capable of reaching Tel Aviv.

The Israeli air force has carried out several raids against targets in Syria, including depots storing weapons meant for Hezbollah, since the conflict there started nearly four years ago.

The most recent strike was in December, when Israeli warplanes struck weapons warehouses near Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

Israel has never confirmed it carried out the strikes, but it says it has a policy of preventing arms transfers to militant groups including Hezbollah.

Israeli media said, however, after the December strikes that the air force had targeted arms convoys or depots of Iranian-made rockets.

Nasrallah said in the interview that Hezbollah is ready to fight a new war against Israel in Lebanon and renewed a threat to invade the Galilee region of northern Israel.

"When the resistance (Hezbollah) leadership... asks you (fighters)... to enter into Galilee, that means the resistance must be ready to enter into Galilee and to go even beyond the Galilee."

- 'No solution without Assad' -

Nasrallah also spoke extensively on how he views the war on Syria, where his troops have played a key role since mid-2013 in helping Assad's regime reconquer territory it had previously lost to the opposition.

He said he does not believe there can be no solution to the devastating Syrian war that excludes Assad.

Gulf states, Turkey and the West have repeatedly called for Assad's ouster, while rebel groups have refused to talk to the regime so long as Assad remains in power.

Russia is a key Damascus backer, and aims to hold talks later this month. It is unclear which opposition groups will attend the meeting.

European police arrest 2 dozen in anti-terrorism sweeps

2015-01-16T05:37:00.000-08:00

BRUSSELS (AP) — French, German and Belgian police arrested more than two dozen suspects in anti-terrorism raids Friday, as European authorities rushed to thwart more attacks by people with links to Islamic extremists in the Mideast.

Rob Wainwright, head of the police agency Europol, told The Associated Press that foiling terror attacks has become "extremely difficult" because Europe's 2,500-5,000 radicalized Muslim extremists have little command structure and are increasingly sophisticated.

Highlighting the fears, a bomb scare forced Paris to evacuate its busy Gare de l'Est train station during Friday morning's rush hour. No bomb was found.

Visiting a scarred Paris on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met French President Francois Hollande and visited the sites of the attacks on the newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket. Twenty people, including the three gunmen, were killed.

French and German authorities arrested at least 14 other people Friday suspected of links to the Islamic State group. Thirteen more were detained in Belgium and two arrested in France in an anti-terror sweep following a firefight Thursday in the eastern Belgian city of Verviers.

Two suspected terrorists were killed and a third was wounded in that raid on a suspected terrorist hideout, and federal magistrate Eric Van der Sypt said Friday that the suspects were within hours of implementing a plan to kill police on the street or in their offices.

Belgian authorities were searching for more suspects Friday, and found four military-style weapons including Kalashnikov assault rifles in more than a dozen raids, Van der Sypt said.

"I cannot confirm that we arrested everyone in this group," he said.

Belgian authorities did not give details of the people detained or even those killed, but said most were Belgian citizens.

Belgian authorities stressed that the targets of their crackdown had no known connections to last week's attacks in neighboring France.

Belgium has seen a particular large number of people join extremists in Syria, and is "the worst affected country in Europe relative to population size," said Peter Neumann of the London-based International Center for the Study of Radicalization. He estimates 450 people have left Belgium to fight with Islamic radical groups in Syria, and that 150 of them have returned home.

Across Europe, anxiety has grown as the hunt continues for potential accomplices of the three Paris gunmen.

The Paris prosecutor's office said at least 12 people were arrested in anti-terrorism raids in the area, targeting people linked to one of them — Amedy Coulibaly — who claimed ties to the Islamic State group. Police officials earlier told AP that they were seeking up to six potential accomplices.

Paris is at its highest terrorism alert level, and police evacuated the Gare de l'Est train station after a bomb threat. The station, one of several main stations in Paris, serves cities in eastern France and countries to the east.

In Berlin, police arrested two men Friday morning on suspicion of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State group in Syria. Prosecutors said 250 police officers participated in the dawn raids on 11 residences that were part of a months-old investigation into a group of Turkish extremists.

Kerry's visit to France came after the Obama administration apologized for not sending a higher-level delegation to Sunday's massive rally in Paris, which drew more than 1 million people to denounce terrorism.

Hollande thanked Kerry for offering support, saying: "You've been victims yourself of an exceptional terrorist attack on Sept. 11. You know what it means for a country. ... Together, we must find appropriate responses."

In a separate speech to diplomats, Hollande said France is "waging war" against terrorism and will not back down from its international military operations against Islamic extremists in Iraq and northern Africa. France's Parliament voted this week to extend airstrikes against Islamic State extremists in Iraq.

The Belgian raid on a former bakery was another palpable sign that terror had seeped deep into Europe's heartland as security forces struck against militants, some of who may be returnees from jihad in Syria.

That investigation had started well before last week's rampage in Paris, but Belgian authorities are separately looking for possible links between a man they arrested in the southern city of Charleroi for illegal trade in weapons and Coulibaly, who killed four people in the kosher supermarket.

Several other countries are also involved in the hunt for possible accomplices to Coulibaly and the gunmen who attacked the newspaper, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi. The Kouachi brothers claimed allegiance to al-Qaida in Yemen; Coulibaly to the Islamic State group.

A senior Iraqi intelligence official told The Associated Press on Friday that Iraqi intelligence officers warned their French counterparts about two months ago that a group linked to Khorasan in Syria was plotting an attack in Paris. The official spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to brief media.

It was impossible to verify how serious or advanced the alleged plot was. Iraq's prime minister also warned in September of possible attacks in New York and Paris.

Paris gunman raises questions of affiliations

2015-01-12T09:03:00.003-08:00

PARIS (AP) — Two days after his death, a video emerged Sunday of one of the Paris gunmen pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, while his two fellow militants have claimed to be from al-Qaida — a fiercely rival extremist organization.

That seeming contradiction has raised questions about the connections among the three French attackers, whether they acted with the direct involvement or knowledge of the networks, and whether their friendship allowed them to put aside the rift between the groups.

The Islamic State group does not cooperate with al-Qaida's militants and actually fights them for territory in a side conflict of Syria's civil war.

In video verified by the SITE Intelligence Group, Amedy Coulibaly said he had worked in coordination with Said and Cherif Kouachi, the "brothers from our team," who carried out the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.

"We did things a bit together and a bit apart, so that it'd have more impact," he said in fluent French, adding that he had helped the brothers financially with "a few thousand euros" for the operation. The video also showed him doing pushups, and featured automatic rifles, pistols and ammunition. He spoke beneath the black-and-white flag used by many Islamic militants.

Coulibaly explained why the publication and his target — the kosher supermarket — were selected.

"What we are doing is completely legitimate, given what they are doing," he said.

The video appeared Sunday on militant websites, and two men who dealt drugs with Coulibaly confirmed his identify to The Associated Press. Police said they were investigating the conditions under which the video was posted.

Prosecutors said Coulibaly killed four hostages Friday in the supermarket, killed a policewoman, and shot and wounded a jogger. He died when police stormed the market, just minutes after security forces killed the Kouachi brothers.

Survivors say the Charlie Hebdo attackers claimed they were from al-Qaida in Yemen, the group the U.S. considers the most dangerous offshoot of that network.

But experts cast doubt over whether the attacks could have been coordinated by the rival groups. While Cherif Kouachi was convicted on terrorism charges in 2008, and his brother Said is believed to have trained and fought with al-Qaida forces while in Yemen, no evidence to date has emerged as to whether Coulibaly even went to Syria or Iraq, where IS holds territory. His widow was last traced to a town on the Turkey-Syria border a few days before the Paris attacks unfolded.

Since IS broke with al-Qaida last year, militants from the two groups have been locked in a bloody struggle in Iraq and Syria, where IS claims leadership of a universal caliphate of all Muslims and leadership of global jihad. The two groups have fought each other in battles that have left hundreds dead on both sides.

"It would be a massive surprise," said Peter Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization at King's College London. "The idea that (the two groups) would consciously collaborate on operations abroad seems far-fetched."

"If anything, the most likely scenario is that there was some sort of playing off each other. Maybe — if there was synchronizing — it happened at the grassroots level," he said. Coulibaly's attack was far less professional, and appeared to be more spontaneous.

"He seems to be the prototype of the young, disengaged French Muslim who suffers from this sense of alienation, and then comes (to support an) ideology that makes him feel important, clear-cut and gives him purpose and orientation."

Timothy Holman, a researcher at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, said the attackers represented who they wish to be perceived as representing, and had personal ties that likely surpassed the rivalries between the core extremist leadership abroad.

The Kouachis' link to Yemen also existed before the rift between IS and al-Qaida.

The friendship among the gunmen "predates their militant engagement, and they are fighting as much for each other in some ways as the groups," Holman said.

"In my opinion, their loyalty is first to their friends and family in the jihadist environment and then to the group. If Coulibaly's primary loyalty was to (IS), it is unlikely he would have acted at the same time as the Kouachi brothers," he added.

French police and judicial officials said they believed that while Coulibaly was committed to carrying out an attack, he was less of a strict ideologue or well-honed fighter than were the Kouachis — and could have found inspiration from either al-Qaida or IS.

In their internationally aimed propaganda magazines, both extremist groups promote the idea that overseas attacks need not have organizational links to the main leadership, and that "mujahedeen," or holy warriors, should take matters into their own hands.

Thousands of young people from Western Europe have headed to the war zones in Syria and Iraq to join extremists. Lawyers and family members of some of those who have gone say many have only a hazy sense of who will meet them when they arrive. But security officials fear that they will return home with new training in warfare, nursing old grievances.

While a member of al-Qaida's branch in Yemen said anonymously Friday that the group had directed the Charlie Hebdo attack, the group has not issued an official statement on the matter. Its senior cleric praised the operation but also stopped short of claiming responsibility directly.

Regardless, even if the al-Qaida group did not know about the attacks in advance, jihadi fighters in the Middle East have a natural interest to claim such violence and present a unified front to adversaries — even if it sometimes goes against local positioning.

SITE reported late Sunday that Moktar Belmoktar, the head of the Mourabitoune group that split from al-Qaida's north Africa wing, had expressed praise in online jihadi forums for the Charlie Hebdo attack.

Aymenn al-Tamimi, a Britain-based expert on militant groups in Iraq and Syria, suggested the claims of loyalty to the rival jihadi groups aimed to stir up fears of militants uniting to fight the West.

Al-Qaida in Yemen may reject the Islamic State's declared caliphate, he said, "but they have stressed the necessity of supporting each other against the common enemy — which is, of course, the West."

Nexus 6 beats the iPhone 6 Plus

2015-01-11T04:58:00.001-08:00

the iPhone is one of the best cameraphones around. Its camera is fast, easy to use, and capable of producing beautiful images, as our numerous tests and comparisons have shown. The Nexus 6, however, managed to beat Apple's smartphone in our latest blind camera comparison. And by a huge margin, at that. Out of the 3662 readers who voted, over three quarters chose Google's Nexus 6 handset. The iPhone 6 Plus, on the other hand, managed to collect less than 23% of all votes.

What made our readers blindly choose the Nexus 6 over the iPhone? Well, our guess is that they liked the former's sharp, detailed images. Close-ups show that the Nexus 6's higher-resolution sensor captures better details in most occasions. At the same time, the iPhone 6 Plus exaggerated the sun's warm glow to an unacceptable level in several of the shots. Although it did produce superior colors in other scenes, we have to admit.

That's all for now, folks, and in case you missed our original post, below are the samples that we shot with the two phones. Keep an eye out for our full verdict on this particular 1v1 camera comparison as it is coming in the very near future. Our next blind camera comparison is also around the corner, so don't miss that either.

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Huawei Honor 6 Plus hands-on

2015-01-11T04:55:00.001-08:00

Huawei didn’t make any major smartphone announcements during CES 2015, but that didn’t stop us from checking out one of its newest smartphones – the Huawei Honor 6 Plus. Everything about this smartphone screams top-notch, as its specs sheet is riddled from head-to-toe with cutting-edge hardware to compete against its distinguished rivals. What separates it, though, is the dual 8-megapixel cameras on the back, which like the HTC One M8, is given the power to adjust focus post-shot.

Design

From the onset, there’s a substantial feel to the design of the Huawei Honor 6 Plus. Interestingly, its design language reminds us of a larger sized version of the iPhone 5/5s, since it’s uniformly flat on both the front and back. Sandwiching everything together is a metal band around the sides of the phone, which is broken up at several different areas – thus, mimicking the iPhone 5/5s design. However, instead of using metal, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus employs this glass-like material over its front and rear.

Display

The Huawei Honor 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch 1080 x 1920 IPS “Neo” display. It’s attractive looking, naturally, since it boasts sharp visuals and slightly saturated looking colors to catch our attention. Moreover, there doesn’t seem to be any visible distortion at wide angles – so it maintains its clarity with that. As much as we would’ve liked to see this one push the boundaries by offering Quad HD resolution, 1080p is still good enough to give it a sharp touch.

Interface

Huawei’s customized Android experience running on top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat is heavy in the visual department, which is most notable by looking at several different widgets in the homescreen. One of them in particular, the music player widget, draws our attention more than the other because of its dynamic animations. Tilting the phone causes the sensors inside to dynamically change the look of the widget, which naturally tells us that there’s a lot of processing power to do on the fly.

Processor and Memory

Speaking of processing power, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus is powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core Kirin 925 chipset coupled with 3GB of RAM. The tandem manages to deliver an astoundingly swift performance, as the dynamic animations of the UI reflect its needs for a processor that can keep up with all sorts of operations. Our quick inspection so far leads us to believe that it can handle even the most strenuous of operations, but we won’t know for sure until we can run some serious games and tasks on the phone.

Having 32GB of internal storage, that’s more than plentiful to appease a wide range of users. Best of all, that tally can be supplemented by its microSD card slot!

Camera

Surely different from most of the pact, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus is distinguishable for the dual 8-megapixel cameras in the back of the phone – where it can capture 13-megapixel snapshots. One of the cameras feature f/2.0 aperture and auto-focus, while the sidekick one has f/2.4 aperture and a fixed focus setup. With the tandem, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus enables us to take a photo, and then go back post-shot to adjust the focus to wherever in the shot. The process is quick and simple, as we’re able to just simply perform touch focus post shot to emphasize certain areas of our shots. Needless to say, it gives the smartphone that professional touch!

Expectations

As much as we’d be delighted to see this one come to the US, it’s only currently available overseas in China. However, if you’re really tantalized by this beast of a smartphone, importing it will only cost you around $400 at the most to pick up. Based on its specs and features, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus is one of those high-end phones that we’d hope someday make its way stateside to give Huawei’s reputation a boost.

Android customization guide

2015-01-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

Want to have a home screen as the one on the right? If the default looks of your Android device's interface have just started to look dull to you, you've probably considered "spicing it up" a little bit by making full use of the platform's utter and almost-unprecedented flexibility.

Of course, there are countless guides available online about what you can do with your good ol' Android device (as its one of Google's OS highlights), but the majority of these seem to either focus on too basic tips or, on the contrary, require you to venture in the risky "rooting" business (due to warranty issues, that is).

We, too, have provided you with numerous tips, guides, and tutorials about customizing your Android experience before. Today, we'll add yet another entry to the list, as we'll be giving you a heads up about what apps you might need beforehand in order to overhaul your home screen. With this suite of apps, you can easily mold your home screen to suit your heartfelt content in no time.

These don't require root or anything similar, though you'd probably need to shell out a few dollars to get them. Apart from the apps and tools themselves, you'd also need a fair amount of inspiration about what you can really do. Believe us, the results might be mind-bogging.

how lose weight faster

2015-01-05T12:33:00.001-08:00

While there are many things that you can do to give you the opportunity to get rid of excess weight quickly.
Choose diets containing diet pills, fasting or it may help you reduce your weight on a large scale, but can cause the wrong methods to severe health complications.

However, if you follow a healthy habit to lose weight quickly, here are some tips and techniques that can be adopted to help you reach your short-term goal.

Adjust diets way
The purpose of most diets is set to promote rapid weight that you can see a quick loss.
Adjust diets are short-term solutions, and if based on the survival of the diet for more than a few days, while it can cause serious damage to your body.
You should always consult your doctor before starting any type of weight-loss programs to make sure that your body can tolerate this system.
Here are some recipes to adjust the popular diets with simple instructions that help you lose weight in the short term.
Diet Water
This diet involves drinking a daily total of about 64 ounces of water (8 cups) of cold water (preferably chilled), at regular intervals.
• Drink a glass of water before each meal and before each snack to suppress your appetite
• Do not add flavorings or sweeteners to your water.
• Do not replace meals with water.
• Take a daily multivitamin to replenish nutrients lost through urination.

Cabbage soup diet method
Claim that this diet can help you lose up to 10 kilos in one week.
• It involves eating a low-fat, healthy diet rich in fiber.
• If you eat mainly a special type of cabbage soup, but you can also have some moderate portions of fruits and vegetables, meat and rice in some cases, at least 4 cups of water with taking vitamins every day.
• This diet lasts 7 days, it is not advisable to use for weight loss in the long term due to lack of food consumed on that system.

Method of salt-free diet
This diet helps you lose weight by eliminating water retention in the body.
• on this diet, you can not have any salt in the year, which includes not only salt but also all the added sodium in canned foods.
• This involves the preparation of sodium-free products at home or avoid processed foods all together, which is also avoid to eat in restaurants means.
• It also involves drinking up to 2 liters (about 8 cups) of water each day to renew the basic body fluids, although it also allowed green tea in moderation.
• Many of the ready-made foods has up to 30% of the daily value.
Get the daily requirement of sodium from a healthy diet; too much can cause you to retain water weight.

Best water-resistant smartphones

2014-08-02T06:06:00.003-07:00

Most smartphone users seem to agree that water-resistance is a very important feature, or at least a nice extra capability. This probably explains the fact that we now have more water-resistant handsets than ever, including expensive, flagship models.

Sure enough, for folks wanting a phone that can withstand more than just submersion in water, truly rugged devices have been available for quite some time. But we’re not going to talk about them right now, because not many customers would buy one of those to be their everyday phone.

What we are going to present you is a list of normal smartphones that are water-resistant. They’re not extra-bulky or extra-ugly, and don’t cost more than other devices in their price category. And we think they’re the best choices you have if you’re in need of a new smartphone that isn’t afraid of water.

In no particular order:

Sony Xperia Z2

Sony was the first major company to launch water-resistant flagship smartphones, starting with the Xperia Z from early 2013. The Z1 sequel was released not long after that, and now we have a second sequel: Xperia Z2, which is available in lots of markets since the first quarter of the year. The large, yet thin Xperia Z2 is IP58-certified, so water will never damage it - unless you submerge it at depths lower than several meters. With a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a powerful Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, and a good 20.7MP rear camera, the Xperia Z2 is seen by many as Sony’s best smartphone thus far. The handset is available in the US unlocked, for $699.

Sony Xperia Z2 Review.

Samsung Galaxy S5

Yep, Samsung’s 2014 flagship smartphone is on the list, too - and you probably aren't surprised to see it here. The Galaxy S5 is IP67-certified, meaning it’s better protected against dust than the Xperia Z2, but it can be submerged only in up to 1 meter of water, for no more than 30 minutes. The advantage of the Galaxy S5 is that it’s widely available, and most US mobile carriers are offering it (for prices from $199 on contract to $$649 without any agreement). Like Sony’s flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S5 offers a wide array of high-end features, plus some extras like fingerprint scanner, and heart rate monitor.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Review.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

We know: both the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2 may be too large for some users. But the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is probably just perfect, size-wise, as it sports a 4.3-inch 720p display. Other than the smaller screen (and smaller overall dimensions), the Xperia Z1 Compact is a very capable handset. Its features include IP58-certification, a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 20.7MP rear camera. The smartphone is sold unlocked in the US for $549.99.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Review.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Active

The Galaxy S5 Active ditches the fingerprint scanner of the original S5, but adds a sturdier case around its internals. Thus, the handset is shock-proof, in addition to being water-resistant (IP67-certified). Behind its rugged appearance, the Galaxy S5 Active is still an S5, so it costs $199 on contract, or $659.99 sans agreement. The smartphone is available exclusively at AT&T.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Active Review.

Kyocera Hydro Vibe / Hydro Icon

Kyocera’s been making water-resistant smartphones for years. The Hydro Vibe is one of its latest offerings, being available in the US via Sprint and Virgin Mobile. It’s certainly not a high-end device, but that’s why it’s offered for free with a 2-yr Sprint contract, or for $149.99 off-contract at Virgin Mobile. The handset is IP57-certified, and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Other features: LTE, a 4.5-inch qHD display, 8MP rear camera, quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, and microSD card support. A different-looking version of the Hydro Vibe, called Hydro Icon, is available at Boost Mobile.

Kyocera Hydro Elite

Released by Verizon last year, the Kyocera Hydro Elite was (and still is) promoted by Bear Grylls - that’s him in the first photo of this article, carrying a Hydro Elite. The smartphone runs Android Jelly Bean, and is IPX7-cetified. That aside, it offers a 4.3-inch 720p display, LTE, dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor, 1.5GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable internal memory. The Hydro Elite is free with a 2-yr Verizon contract agreement, but costs $349.99 off-contract.

Best new Android, iPhone and Windows Phone games for July 2014

2014-08-02T05:59:00.001-07:00

his is our selection of the best games for the month. Take a look at our picks for best Android, iOS and Windows Phone apps for July 2014 here.
We have handpicked the very best new Android, iOS and Windows Phone games for the past month, and now it's time for a wrap-up.

We start off with the biggest launch this month, and probably one of the biggest for the year: Modern Combat 5: Blackout. The fifth instalment in the first-person shooter brings the best of the genre, with no annoying in-app purchases, with improved graphics, and an entertaining gameplay. Plus, it launched simultaneously on all three platforms - iOS, Android, and Windows Phone - what could be better?

That’s far from all, though. Some new titles (like 80 Days) surprised us with their polish, some apps we know from the days of the arcade (hello, King of Fighters ‘98) arrived on mobile, and we had an amazing variety of new games in practically all the genres.

We start you off with Android and iOS games, and finish off with 5 Windows Phone titles. Take a look at our picks for the best new games for June 2014, and don’t hesitate to let us know which ones you like best
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Apple’s new ad for the iPhone 5s looks at all the apps from a different angle

2014-08-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

We don’t talk a whole lot about the business applications for smartphones here because they are typically so far detached from the consumer experience it makes no sense to get too deep with such things.

Apple has taken a similar approach to the marketing of its products, and by most measures, it has been successful. The TV and video ads in particular tend to zoom in on one thing drive home that point, and that is what Apple’s latest ad does here.

The strengths being extoled here are familiar, it shows off some of the many different apps that make the iPhone 5s such a powerful tool, but not just for the individual consumer per se. This brings the familiar individual user experience to a level that has applications across a wide spectrum of business as well.

Much of the penetration Apple has been able to make into business has been through executives seeking to bring that simple user experience to their enterprise. While the effort has found some measure of success, Apple knows there is more that needs to be done to be more productive on that front (hence the partnership with IBM). Expect to see more of this as Apple solidifies its partnership with IBM and branches out to get its hooks into business in other ways.

Samsung Gear Live Review

2014-07-11T04:35:00.001-07:00

Introduction

If there’s one company ahead of the game when it comes to smartwatches, it has to be none other than Samsung. They’ve already introduced and released the 2nd generation line of smartwatches this year already - the Tizen powered Gear line, which was an unexpected change of scenery because the first-generation Galaxy Gear smartwatch was Android-based. Well folks, the Samsung Gear Live is aiming to shine some light onto Google’s new Android Wear platform.

For Samsung, they’re no strangers in this new consumer technology segment, but rather, it’s going to be Google who will face stiff criticism, or adorned with copious adulation, from hungry consumers looking for the perfect smartwatch platform. We’re curious to see how the new Gear Live smartwatch can one-up the impending wave of Google Wear smartwatches we’ll begin to see saturate the market.

The package contains:

microUSB wall charger
proprietary charging cradle
Quick reference manual
Health & safety and warranty guide

Design

Using the same recipe, the Samsung Gear Live lives up to being a sophisticated looking timepiece.

Upon looking at the Samsung Gear Live for the first time, there’s no arguing that Samsung doesn’t stray from the recipe it has when it comes down to designing smartwatches. In fact, the Gear Live looks eerily similar to the Gear 2. From its overall shape, choice of materials, and comfort, it mirrors exactly Samsung’s previous effort. Of course, it’s not a bad thing per se, as the watch boasts a moderate level of sophistication – one that elevates its charm well over the other Android Wear smartwatch, the LG G Watch.

Adorned with the same stainless steel metallic frame as its cousin, the Gear Live’s design is both premium and sophisticated. Unlike the somewhat toyish design of its rival in the LG G Watch, Sammy’s effort radiates with authority thanks to its sophistication – one that makes us want to actually wear a smartwatch in the first place. From the front, it looks squarish in nature, but the subtle curves around the base helps to break it up. Better yet, it feels very comfortable to wear, thanks in part to how it contours perfectly to our wrist when it’s worn.

As for the band itself, Samsung ditches the adjustable clasp we’ve been seeing of late, but instead, goes for a simpler snap-on one – similar to the band on the Gear Fit. Frankly speaking, this change doesn’t compromise its premium design in any way, as it can be removed quickly and easily in favor of the many third-party wrist straps that are currently available to the Gear 2. The one included with the Gear Live sports a matte finish, which is a fitting match to the watch’s elegant design.

In making for a minimalist design, Samsung places only a single button on the right side of the Gear Live – where the small notch for the microphone also sits nearby. Essentially, its sole function is to “turn on” the display, which is none other than waking it up from its “dimmed” status. Rounding things out, the underside of the Gear Live features the same heart rate sensor, and gold colored pins used to charge the watch with the included snap-on proprietary charging cradle. Unfortunately, the microUSB port has yet to be somehow incorporated into the body of the watch.

Worth mentioning, too, is that the Samsung Gear Live is IP67 certified to be dust and water resistant – so there’s no concern if you happen to wash your hands or shower with it on. One less thing to worry about, right? All in all, the design isn’t original to say the least, more so when it follows exactly to what we already have with the Gear 2, but despite that, it’s significantly better looking than the LG G Watch. Although it’s more likely to attract buyers with its design, the Moto 360 is looking to steal some of its thunder down the road – albeit, Samsung has it for the near term.

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 Review

2014-07-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Big phones are giving smartphone companies some banging business, as many consumers have ceremoniously adopted the notion of owning these gargantuan sized things. Huawei entered the foray last year with its Ascend Mate, but this year’s successor brings forth wide 4G LTE connectivity support – to make it compatible with more LTE networks around the world. Naturally, other hardware improvements are in tow with this phablet, but will they be enough to stand tall in a crowded class?

The package contains:

microUSB cable
Wall charger

Design

Its design is as generic as they come. The Huawei Ascend Mate 2, which manages to have a smaller footprint to its predecessor – while still maintaining the same sized display. Honestly though, the design is as bland and uninspiring as they come, as it doesn’t try to go in a bold, new direction. Instead, it’s your typical plastic constructed body that bears a faux-pas metal accented bezel. For the most part, its construction feels decent, but it’s just not aggressive enough to contend with the more sophisticated designs out there.

That silver colored bezel bears all of the typical components, like the microUSB 2.0 port, power button, volume control, various microphones, and 3.5mm headset jack. The flimsy back cover can be removed, where we’re then given access to its microSD and microSIM slots – though, the battery is fixed, so it can’t be removed.

martphone had hidden menus?

2014-06-09T07:12:00.001-07:00

Hidden menus and codes on cell phones are anything but new. Back in the days, even the old-school brick phones had these, allowing people who knew about them to access service options and software information. Today, a "secret" menu exists on most (if not all) popular smartphones, and to get to it, you just need to input the right code.

What code, you ask? Well, you've probably heard of *#06# which you type in your dialer, as if you were about to "call" it. When this particular code is entered, and it should work on any cell phone, the device's identity number (IMEI) is displayed. A smartphone's hidden menu can be accessed with a code that looks pretty similar to this one.

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On iPhone, for example, you enter *3001#12345#* in the Phone app and then hit the call button to get to the field test menu. There's not much going on there, however, unless you're a technician. You can view SIM card information, details on the cell network's status, and all sorts of other cryptic numbers. It is interesting that signal strength in displayed in decibels while in this menu, not represented by circles.

Hidden menus and codes on Android phones may differ, depending on the device's make and model. This one, however, should work on most – *#*#4636#*#* (or *#*#INFO#*#*). It takes the user to a testing menu where network information is displayed, along with details on battery status and app activity. Be warned: don't change anything and don't press any buttons in this menu unless you know what they do! On a side note, this particular menu was used to"enable" 4G LTE in Canada on the Nexus 4.

And if you own a Nokia Lumia smartphone, try dialing ##634#. This will take you to an on-device diagnostics tool where the phone's hardware can be tested from. It will also let you see your phone's battery consumption in real time.

references: Reddit, Tech Republic, Netlife

LG G3: size comparison with the Galaxy S5, Xperia Z2, One M8, and others

2014-05-22T04:07:00.002-07:00

the LG G3 has generated some very healthy amounts of hype among techies, and considering preliminary intel, that's for a good reason. Set for announcement in less than a week from now (the 27th), the next LG flagship is expected to be every bit worth its title, not least because of its interesting new features, and new and arguably even more attractive design.

Of course, one particular feature of the LG G3 will likely cause some soul-searching among consumers who would otherwise snatch the handset in a heartbeat: its size. By now, we feel fairly confident that the handset will sport one of those new, 5.5-inch 1440 x 2560 (QHD) displays from LG, which would rightfully put it in the phablet category in the minds of many. According to our calculations, however, this isn't the case, and a recent FCC filing of a device that is very likely the G3 corroborates that notion. Put into numbers, we now expect the LG G3 to measure (approximately) in at the rather compact 145.6 x 74.5 x 9.36 mm (or 5.73 x 2.93 x 0.36 in), which, despite the relatively large display, actually mean that the G3 will have a near identical footprint as devices like the 5.2-inch Sony Xperia Z2. "What is this wizardry?!", you may wonder, but there's no dark magic going on here -- LG is simply extending the know how that went into assembling the super-compact G2. In other words, expect the G3 to come with extremely thin bezels all around -- that one is all screen.

Motorola confirms Moto 360 pricing in new contest rules

2014-05-22T04:05:00.003-07:00

We know that the LG G Watch will be the first Android Wear device on the market, and will likely be announced/released around Google I/O, but really, no one is all that interested in the G Watch. Even on the first day that Google unveiled Android Wear, Motorola's Moto 360 stole the show and has been the focus of our attention. Now, it seems like Motorola has accidentally confirmed the price for its new smartwatch.

The info comes from the terms for a new contest that Motorola is running. This morning, Motorola kicked off a contest on Google+ asking people to submit designs for watch faces. The contest will run for three weeks, and at the end of that time, a panel will choose a winner based on aesthetics, feasibility, and originality. The winner will receive a Moto 360, which the terms list as having an "approximate retail value" (ARV) of $249. Nine others will win a $50 Google Play gift card; and, unsurprisingly, Motorola reserves the right to use any of the ten winning submissions on the device itself, or in marketing.

The $249 price tag is in the range that we have been expecting, especially given that we just saw indications that the Moto 360 would cost 249 euros, and electronics tend to be more expensive in Europe than in the U.S.. The rules also have the final day for submissions set at June 24th, which is the day before Google I/O starts, and it also fits with the July release that was indicated in the latest rumor. So, that just leaves one question: will you pay $249 for a Moto 360?

source: +Motorola Mobility, +Moto 360 Design Face-Off, Design Face-Off Rules

New videos show the features of Samsung's Galaxy S5 Active and compare it to the regular S5

2014-05-22T04:03:00.002-07:00

the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active appeared in a video that allowed us to take a pretty good look at it - even though, as you probably know, the handset hasn’t been officially announced. Today, several new videos are showing the S5 Active again.

From what we can see, the new smartphone runs Android 4.4.2, and has the same quad-core 2.46GHz Snapdragon 801 processor as the regular S5, plus 2GB of RAM. The screen of the S5 Active is a 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED one, but it’s said that it’s “less washed out” and looks better.

The frame around the S5 Active seems to be made out of metal (with rubber encasing it - for more ruggedness, and probably a higher resistance to water). Unlike the regular S5, which features a 16MP rear camera with digital image stabilization, the S5 Active appears to have a rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS).

Another novelty of the Galaxy S5 Active is that it comes with an Activity Zone app that provides info from the device’s barometer and compass. The Activity Zone app can be directly opened with an Active Key that’s found on the left side of the handset (this also functions as a camera button).

The S5 Active that's presented in the videos is the SM-G870A variant, which should be released by AT&T in the US at some point (probably in the near future). In case the videos are taken down (which might actually happen pretty soon), we got you covered with some images - included after the video slideshow:

This is the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active

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Google's Project Ara devices reportedly will start at $50 and have a surprise processor maker

2014-05-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Project Ara has been one of the more interesting ideas to come across the wire in a while. The plan began at Motorola's Advanced Technology Group, but has since shifted to Google because that team was not a part of the pending sale of Motorola to Lenovo. The idea is to create modular smartphones that can be easily upgraded and customized, and a new report has a surprising announcement about what manufacturer will be building processors for Ara devices.

According to Nikkei, it won't be any of the big names in processors like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Samsung, Intel, or even MediaTek producing the processors for Project Ara devices. Instead, it will be Toshiba manufacturing semiconductors for the modular smartphones, and the company has been working with Google on the project since October. Toshiba will reportedly make "three types of processors for the phone, to be used both in modules and the phone itself". This seems to imply that not all Ara devices will have swappable processing modules, but that is unclear.

Toshiba will have samples ready by this fall, and will begin mass production in early 2015. The odd part of the report is that it says Toshiba will be a "preferred" supplier at first, but will become "the sole chipmaker for the phone about a year after its rollout". Again, it is unclear exactly what this means. It seems to say that Toshiba will have competition at first, but will ultimately become the only processor manufacturer for Ara, but that doesn't make sense, because it would leave other manufacturers with no reason to compete in the first place. It could be that Toshiba will be the only manufacturer that works with an official Google Ara device, but other devices in the Ara line from other manufacturers could be open to a range of modules from various suppliers.

However all of that shakes out, the report also gives a bit of information on the devices themselves. The report reiterates the news that Project Ara devices may sell for as little as $50 unlocked at first. Devices will range in size, and because of that size difference, they will be able to handle anywhere from five to ten separate modules. It sounds as though each will have the same basic functionality that you would expect, but the space for more modules would be used to swap in and out things like exercise trackers or extra batteries.

source: Nikkei via Android Police

LG G3 QuickCircle Case officially announced, will bring Smart Lighting to the smartphone

2014-05-22T03:57:00.005-07:00

With less than one week before the grand unveiling of its new G3 smartphone, LG today announced QuickCircle Case - an accessory that’s “designed to make the G3 infinitely more useful.” This is a folder-style case that we’ve seen before, and it will allow LG G3 owners to make use of various features of the handset without opening the case. According to LG, you’ll be able to place calls, send messages, listen to music, take photos, and get updates on your health - all with the QuickCircle Case closed.

The new accessory comes with what LG is calling “Smart Lighting”. This “emits a soft, white, circular glow inside the window whenever the case is opened/closed or a call/text message is received.” Moreover, the case supports wireless charging. LG will offer the QuickCircle Case in five color variants: Silk White, Metallic Black, Shine Gold, Indian Pink, and Aqua Mint (you can see them below). Pricing details haven’t been revealed.

“The smartphone ecosystem is constantly evolving - no longer are cases just for protection from the elements and bumps and drops. They’re the perfect accessory to build in extra features that add more value to a mobile device. With QuickCircle Case, we’ve exceeded the baseline by making it customizable to better fit users’ needs,” declared Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of theLG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

Earlier today, we informed you about the (apparently official) specs of the LG G3, which include a 5.5-inch Quad HD display, 13MP rear camera, quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, and 3GB of RAM.

LG will fully reveal the G3 on May 27, and it might start selling it shortly after that. Well, we'll be here to let you know all about it.

Update: Here's an official promo video showing off the QuickCircle Case, and a bit of the G3 (the whole idea seems pretty awesome to us):

Apple iPhone 6 said to have 960 x 1704-pixel resolution, Apple A8 chip details unveiled

2014-05-15T04:06:00.003-07:00

By now, you've probably heard that Apple is planning to release an iPhone 6 in two sizes, both larger than the current 4-inch iPhone 5s. First, a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is expected to go official in August, and shortly after, in September, a 5.5-inch phablet-sized iPhone is said to be in the cards. What you have not heard about that much is the actual resolution of the two.

9to5Mac now lifts the cover off that secret, saying that the new iPhone 6 will have a screen with a resolution of 1704 x 960 pixels, much higher than the current 1136 x 640 pixels on the iPhone 5s. How did it arrive at this strange number, though?

For this, we have to look at the evolution of the iPhone series starting with the very first one, introduced way back in 2007. The original iPhone had a 3.5-inch display with a base resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, and Apple kept this resolution for three generations.

The iPhone 6 could have a higher resolution

Then, the iPhone 4 launched, introducing the first mobile ‘Retina’ display to the world: it was still a 3.5-inch phone, but the resolution had jumped to 640 x 960 pixels for a pixel density unseen before - 326ppi. What Apple did to handle the transition smoother is simply double the base resolution, allowing developers to double-scale their graphics and app visuals.

Fast forward two years, and with the iPhone 5, Apple increased the 3.5-inch size of the iPhone to 4 inches, introducing the new 16:9 aspect ratio that iPhones have up to this day. But while the resolution made the jump to 1136 x 640 with the iPhone 5 (and 5s), the effective pixel density did not change and remained at 326ppi.

Now, there are reasons to believe that just like Apple effectively ‘doubled’ the base 320 x 480 screen resolution with the iPhone 4, it will triple it with the iPhone 6, but preserving the 16:9 aspect ratio of the iPhone 5. That’s where the 1704 x 960-pixel resolution idea comes from: if you triple a base 16:9 resolution of 568 x 320 pixels (half the 1136 x 640-pixel res of the iPhone 5), you arrive at this new number.

This triple scaling will allow an easier transition for developers who will allegedly get the software tools to scale graphics and update their applications.

The new resolution is said to be tested at Apple already, and if the two new iPhones launch with it, here’s how they’d look like:

iPhone 6, 4.7-inch display pixel density: 416ppi
iPhone 6, 5.5-inch display pixel density: 355ppi


iPhone 6 models pixel density

In terms of the looks of iOS, though, not much will change. Apple is expected to simply make icons appear bigger, keeping the same overall aesthetics.

Apple A8 details

APPLE A8 CHIP TO BRING BATTERY LIFE IMPROVEMENTS

Most interestingly, the new iPhones are also said to get Apple’s new A8 system-on-a-chip that will bring only slight speed improvement, but will instead receive a big efficiency power-up to improve battery life.

The Apple A8 will be key to this new iPhone preserving the buttery smooth speeds that iOS is well known for, as the new and higher resolution will certainly put more strain on the system and battery.

Finally, Apple is also said to include voice-over-LTE support in the iPhone 6, as well as change hardware components like the display to a sapphire one that is even tougher, less prone to scratches.

iPhone 6 rumor round-up: design, specs, price, and release date

2014-05-15T04:05:00.001-07:00

You needn't consider yourself an iFan to be wholly intrigued by what Apple has in store for consumers around the globe year after year, especially if you're eyeing the flagship smartphone tier. The Cupertino-based company has been churning out iPhones like nobody's business, and there's no reason to believe that the upcoming iPhone refresh will be any less of a success. That, not at all coincidentally, is why we set out to curate and summarize the vast troves of intel we've obtained up to this point.

So do we have enough to label this library of leaks substantial? Sure, but there are obviously no guarantees until we see the actual iPhone come September.. That said, it would appear that we have one major part of the puzzle figured out, and that's where we'll start!

Design

Renders based on supposed iPhone 6 dummies by Martin Hajek

As became obvious with the iPhone 5c, you can trust that somebody, somewhere in Apple's supply chain, will take it upon himself to provide an early glimpse into the new iPhone. That certainly is the case with the upcoming iPhone 6, a device that has been suggested (to put it mildly) to come sporting a much larger, 4.7-inch screen. What's more, we've had quite a few leaks that seem to do dovetail on one particular aspect of the iPhone 6: design.

At this point in time, it appears that different splinters of information agree on the exterior of the iPhone 6, which reminds a whole lot of the iPod Touch, the iPhone 5c, and even the new design language of the iPad Air and new iPad mini. In other words, the many dummies and schematics we've seen pop online so far, paint a more rounded design, and a noticeably slimmer body, which is rumored to measure in at anything from 5.58mm (0.22'') up to 6.1mm (0.24''). Regardless of which of these two extremes we take for granted, we're still talking about a significant slimming down when compared with the iPhone 5s (7.6mm, or 0.3''). As for the overall dimensions, one of several schematics that have been leaked suggests a 138 x 67 mm (5.4 x 2.6 in) config, and the rest don't really deviate significantly from those numbers. That's quite the (expected) growth compared with the iPhone 5s' dimensions of 123.8 x 58.6 (4.87 x 2.31 in).

And yet, despite these changes, what we've seen of the supposed iPhone 6 still is an iPhone at heart, and it actually completes Apple's design circle across all its iDevices. We still have the two distinct horizontal lines at the top and bottom when looking at the rear.The latest leaks suggest that the Touch ID fingerprint scanner will go through a small design upgrade, and come with a more pronounced chrome encasing this time around. In fact, one particular dummy that came to our attention had a surprisingly well-matching yellow edge surrounding the sensor. Another rather major difference is the new placement of the power button, which seems to have found itself a new home at the right side of the iPhone 6 -- a change that makes a whole lot of sense, seeing as reaching for the top of a larger device can be quite the nuisance. Lastly, and this is one of the least-likely rumors we've come across so far, it has been suggested that the new iPhone could be water-resistant. That would be quite a big deal for a number of people, especially now that resistance to the elements has seemingly become such a strong selling point.

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Samsung Gear Live Review

Introduction

Design

Using the same recipe, the Samsung Gear Live lives up to being a sophisticated looking timepiece.

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 Review

Introduction

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martphone had hidden menus?

LG G3: size comparison with the Galaxy S5, Xperia Z2, One M8, and others

Motorola confirms Moto 360 pricing in new contest rules

New videos show the features of Samsung's Galaxy S5 Active and compare it to the regular S5

This is the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active

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Google's Project Ara devices reportedly will start at $50 and have a surprise processor maker

LG G3 QuickCircle Case officially announced, will bring Smart Lighting to the smartphone

Apple iPhone 6 said to have 960 x 1704-pixel resolution, Apple A8 chip details unveiled

Apple A8 details

APPLE A8 CHIP TO BRING BATTERY LIFE IMPROVEMENTS

iPhone 6 rumor round-up: design, specs, price, and release date

Design Renders based on supposed iPhone 6 dummies by Martin Hajek

Design

Renders based on supposed iPhone 6 dummies by Martin Hajek