Mystery Phone

Finally! A date! Google Chromecast UK release date set for March 19

2014-03-15T08:51:00.001-07:00

We just had Ash Wednesday, now it's time for Cast Wednesday

After months of waiting and procrastinating, the long-awaited Google Chromecast streaming dongle will finally go on sale in the UK this coming Wednesday 19 March, according to leaked retail inventory.

Hours after a retail source told TechRadar the HDMI stick would be going on sale "very soon," a leaked screenshot, purportedly from Dixons' internal systems, emerged showing the actual launch date.

The screenshot obtained by Android Police explains how stock of the device is showing up at retail locations, but "must not go on sale before 9am on Wednesday."

Just yesterday, a Twitter user posted an NDA-smashing photo of "a box of Chromecasts," apparently from a Curry's or PC World store. Unsurprisingly, the picture has since been deleted.

Google recently updated the Chromecast Android app with support for over 50 languages, seemingly signalling that the international roll-out is imminent.

Worth the wait?

The update comes after the retail source strongly hinted the device would be on sale for £30. It costs $35 (around £21) in the United States. Brits will seemingly have to pay a little more for the privilege of owning a Chromecast dongle.

Will you be snapping up Google's streaming stick this week? Is it worth the wait? Let us know in the comments section below?

To tide you over, check out TechRadar's Chromecast review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/portable-devices/finally-a-date-google-chromecast-uk-release-date-set-for-march-19-1234225

The inevitable Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom may have a hexa-core chip and huge display

2014-03-15T07:51:00.001-07:00

So far the Zoom series has failed to entice phone or camera fans

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is yet to hit shelves, but there's already talk of the inevitable flock of variants that are sure to follow later this year.

On this occasion, it's the Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom, the likely next instalment in the company's rather strange part phone, part fully-fledged digital camera device that's the subject of speculation.

Benchmarking tests of the model SM-C115, which boasts a way-too-big-for-a camera-sounding 4.8-inch screen, 8GB of storage, 2GB RAM, Android 4.4.2 KitKat and, interestingly, Samsung's Exynos 5 Hexa chip.

According to the tests, uncovered by Italian site Webtrek.it, the rear-facing camera will be a whopping 20-megapixels, while the front of the device will feature a 2-megapixel camera sensor.

Surely this device can only be the S5 Zoom?

Gap in the market?

The Galaxy Zoom range, despite photographer-friendly specs and full access to the Google Play store has failed to gain much critical and commercial traction to this point.

The Galaxy S4 Zoom, the second in the series, came with a more reasonable 4.3-inch display, dual-core display, 10 x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel sensor, earned a 3.5 star review from TechRadar in 2013.

"We really want to like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom but we're just not sure there's a gap in the market for it. If the camera or phone part was better or the price tag was lower then it would make sense, but right now it's a poor compact married to a mid-range phone at a high end price tag," our reviewer wrote.

Can the Galaxy S5 Zoom buck the trend and be a hit? Do you really want a camera with a near 5-inch screen? Is a hexacore processor really that necessary for a snapper? Let us know your thoughts.

Fighting Talk: "Wait... How did the Galaxy S5 suddenly become desirable?"

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/the-inevitable-samsung-galaxy-s5-zoom-may-have-a-hexa-core-chip-and-huge-display-1234217

New Samsung Galaxy Beam spotted at Tenaa

2014-03-15T04:51:00.001-07:00

Samsungs Beam phones with built-in pico projectors never really caught on, but the company has another one in the works. The Samsung SM-G3858 builds on its predecessor while staying in the mid-range.

The phone was certified by Tenaa, which is where the info comes from. The next Beam features a 4.66 LCD with only WVGA resolution and is powered by a quad-core processor at 1.2GHz with 1GB RAM. It runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Samsung G3858, the new Galaxy Beam

Unfortunately, theres no info on the projector itself but the bump is visible at the top of the device. You can also see the projector button above the Power key. Previous Beams used nHD projectors (640 x 360).

Additional specs include a 5MP / 1080p camera, 3G connectivity (including TD-SCDMA) and a microSD card slot. The new Galaxy Beam measures 134.5 x 70 x 11.7mm and weighs 165.5g.

The device bears the China Mobile logo on its back, but that doesnt preclude the possibility of an international version.

Source (in Chinese) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/new_samsung_galaxy_beam_spotted_at_tenaa-news-8039.php

Alleged screenshots from the LG G3 have QHD resolution

2014-03-15T04:21:00.001-07:00

A User Agent profile revealed the LG D850 will have a QHD screen (1,440 x 2,560), which are the same claims about the LG G3 and its 5.5 screen. Were wary of QHD rumors (as many didnt pan out), but now there are screenshots for proof.

The screenshots show an instantly recognizable Optimus UI and indeed have QHD resolution. However, theres no shot of the About screen to confirm that this is indeed the LG D850.

Alleged screenshots from the LG G3

Theres not much that can be gleaned from the shots themselves, other than that the floating Q Slide window for text messaging has been polished since the LG G Pro 2.

Note that we downscaled the screenshots above to make them easier to view - 1,440 x 2,560 is too much for most screens. Here are links for the full resolution screenshots: Shot 1 Shot 2

The LG G3 is supposed to be unveiled on May 17, according to rumors.

Source (in Dutch) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_screenshots_from_the_lg_g3_have_qhd_resolution-news-8040.php

Counterclockwise: HTC HD2, Galaxy S4, Xperia Play

2014-03-15T01:21:00.001-07:00

Welcome to this week's edition of Counterclockwise our weekly article that looks back in time at what happened in the last few years. Updates are a big issue this week, but we'll also look back at a true legend and scratch our heads at Sony's failure to rule the Android game market.

Rumor has it...

Mid-March 2013 was a busy time Samsung had decided to launch its Galaxy S4 flagship then and our news section from then is littered with leaks about the phone. There was even a full review up before the S4 went official the following day.

But before Samsung lifted the curtains, Phil Schiller (then SVP of marketing at Apple) took a few swipes at the Samsung flagship saying it will run "a year-old version of the operating system". He turned out to be wrong, Android 4.2 was the current version and that's what the Galaxy S4 came out with, but he did touch on the subject of OS updates which is still a hot issue for Android.

We'll be back to that in a minute as there are other interesting rumors from that week. Back then everyone was looking for a mysterious Motorola X Phone a Google-sanctioned powerhouse. This one wasn't it, but it turned out to be the Moto X, which it's heralded as one of the best Android experiences out there all the while sidestepping the cult to specs.

Meanwhile, leaks suggested Nokia was planning to go back to aluminum bodies and xenon flashes with the Lumia 928. That proved to be partially false though the Lumia 928 for Verizon did indeed have xenon, but it was the GSM Lumia 925 that had an aluminum frame (but no xenon).

Updates available

Updates are handled differently by the different platforms. Apple controls iOS with an iron fist and updates roll out on schedule, sometimes even ahead of schedule in mid-March 2011, Apple released iOS 4.3 two days earlier than planned.

It doesn't always go smoothly even for Apple - a year later, Apple was on the next major version and was rolling out iOS 5.1. This update overwhelmed Apple's servers with demand initially, but eventually everyone got to download it.

Android is much more dependent on carriers and the multiple versions of the same device complicate things further. The start was simpler though, in March 2009 the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, was receiving Cupcake the first major update.

It enabled an on-screen keyboard, which is what made the next phone in line, the HTC Magic, possible.

Three years later in 2012, phones were moving on to Android 4.0 the Samsung Galaxy S II got it and HTC put out a long list of phones that will get it. Android 4.0 introduced Holo the new look and feel of Android. The 4.x branch is still the current major version of Android but we've had four 0.1 updates since then.

It feels like things have accelerated for Android the three Jelly Beans and now KitKat brought plenty of important updates.

Windows Phone has picked up even more speed. To put things in perspective, March 2012 was when we first heard of WP7.5. That branch was eventually discontinued in favor of Windows Phone 8, which is closing in on Android in terms of hardware support.

High resolution screens and fast chipsets are already available, while the upcoming WP8.1 update will add dual-SIM support too (very important for the entry-level where Windows Phone is the strongest). The 8.1 update is also supposed to bring an action center (notification area with toggles) and a digital virtual assistant (Cortana).

Surprisingly, Symbian was still getting updates in March 2013. The Nokia 808 PureView and 701 received a minor fix for telephony issues that some users were experiencing. The once king of smartphones was still alive just a year ago, but it's already fading from memory.

A legend is born

The HTC HD2 was unveiled in late 2009 and in March 2010 it arrived on T-Mobile USA. The carrier called it "Larger than life entertainment powerhouse" and back then it was. The HD2 followed in the footsteps of the Toshiba TG01 with a large 4.3" screen and fast 1GHz processor. It was also a very compact phone for its screen size.

The phone launched with Windows Mobile 6.5 but since the modding community took over, it has run Windows Phone 7, Android (there are KitKat ROMs available) and even Ubuntu (there were sweet triple-boot setups available too).

The community is still very active and someone ported the Nokia X software to the phone. There are even Jolla and Firefox OS ROMs too. At this point it's easier to list the OSes that aren't available for the HTC HD2. Just so we're clear, Windows RT would not be on that list.

Android, the game platform?

Sony has a long list of products that have become household names and PlayStation is one of the most famous. The company did make an attempt to translate this success to its new darling, Android. The Xperia Play was getting ready to launch in Spain back in 2011 and looking at the price tag we almost choked.

Price wasnt the only reason the Xperia Play went the way of the Nokia N-Gage. The slide-out controller was nice, but the single-core, first-generation Snapdragon just wasnt up to the task of 3D gaming. Dual-cores with newer Adrenos were coming out and Bluetooth controllers were already a thing.

When that didnt work out, Sony tried doing PlayStation in software any Xperia with enough oomph under the hood could run bespoke games. In 2012, Sony added the PlayStation store to its then flagship, the Xperia S.

Android is picking up as a game platform with several consoles, the most famous of which is the Ouya, but NVIDIA (the well-known GPU maker) has one too. Google might (might) be working on one too (the company bought controller-maker Green Throttle Games) and it's all happening without Sony.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/counterclockwise_updates_are_hard_and_so_is_mobile_gaming-news-8036.php

Samsung's latest accessories include ultrasonic cover, print-reading stand

2014-03-14T16:51:00.001-07:00

The Core gets more Advanced

Samsung is introducing three new accessibility-oriented accessories for the Galaxy Core Advance made specifically to help the disabled or visually impaired.

The first, and perhaps most impressive, of the three is an Ultrasonic Cover that uses sound waves to detect people and objects ahead of the user.

It's nowhere near a bat(man)'s echolocation, but it can send out obstruction-sensing sound waves up to two-meters away.

After detecting an object, the cover will inform visually impaired users if they're getting close through vibration and spoken alerts.

Ultrasonic detection to help the blind

Smartphone, tell me a story

Another accessory Samsung announced for its low cost smartphone was the Optical Scan Stand. It's essentially a scanner set on a stand that reads any printed materials passing in front of its sensor.

Once the user taps the Optical Scan application on the Core Advance, the device will automatically recognize and read the text out loud.

The Optical Scan Stand was defintiely made for home use

Samsung's last little helper is called the Voice Label, which allows the user to identify objects with their phone and make notes or tag voice labels to them.

Voice labeling works with all NFC-enabled electronics and it's meant to help the visually impaired with distinguishing their devices and recording a short explanation on how to use them.

The new Galaxy Core Advance accessories are already available and Samsung noted it has plans to expand the accessibility to its other Galaxy devices in the future.

Samsung's new flagship smartphone is here; see our hands on with the Galaxy S5

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-adds-an-ultrasonic-cover-to-the-galaxy-core-advance-1234097

OnePlus One design sketches suggest aluminum unibody

2014-03-14T15:21:00.001-07:00

OnePlus One just can't stay away from the public ahead of its announcement. The upcoming flagship is a regular in our news section both via officially shared information and various leaks.

Today's leak spills the beans on the One's design and build materials. According to the sketches the OnePlus One will be using a unibody aluminum shell. You can check its alleged design below.

The leaked OnePlus One sketches (click to expand)

The OnePlus newborn company is composed primarily of former Oppo employees. It is designing a top-notch smartphone with a 5.5" 1080p display with some of the thinnest bezels we've seen so far - a previous leak suggested the OnePlus One can disappear completely behind the 5" Xperia Z1. The One will run on the snappy Snapdragon 800 chipset and will cost less than $400.

The OnePlus One should go official on March 16, so we'll know everything very soon.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_design_sketches_suggest_aluminum_unibody-news-8038.php

Samsung adds an ultrasonic cover to the Galaxy Core Advance

2014-03-14T11:21:00.001-07:00

Ultrasonic detection to help the blind

Samsung is introducing three new accessibility-oriented accessories for the Galaxy Core Advance made specifically to help the disabled or visually impaired.

The first, and perhaps most impressive, of the three accessories is an Ultrasonic Cover that uses sound waves to detect people and objects ahead of the users. It's nowhere near a bat(man)'s echolocation but it can send out obstruction sensing sound waves up two-meters away.

After detecting an object, the cover will inform visually impaired users if they're getting close though vibration and spoken alerts.

Smartphone, tell me a story

The Optical Scan Stand was defintiely made for home use

Another accessory Samsung announced for its low cost smartphone was the Optical Scan Stand. The accessory is essentially a scanner set on a stand that reads any printed materials passing in front of its sensor.

Once the user taps on the Optical Scan application on Galaxy Core Advance the device will automatically recognize and read the text out loud.

Samsung's last little helper another accessory is called the Voice Label, which allows the user to identify objects with their phone and make notes or tag voice labels to them. Voice labeling works with all NFC-enabled electronics and it's meant to help the visually impaired with distinguish their devices and recording a short explanation on how to use them.

The new Galaxy Core Advance accessories are already available and Samsung noted it has plans to expand the accessibility of its other Galaxy devices in the future.

Samsung's new flagship smartphone is here; see our hands on with the Galaxy S5

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/portable-devices/other-devices/samsung-adds-an-ultrasonic-cover-to-the-galaxy-core-advance-1234097

Blackberry Kopi reappears on the radar, but will it ever see the light of day?

2014-03-14T09:51:00.001-07:00

Guess who's back? (What do you mean you'd never heard of it to begin with?) (credit: Weibo)

Last we heard about the BlackBerry device codenamed 'Kopi' reports claimed it and its 'Cafe' stablemate had been cancelled by new CEO John Chen amid plans to re-evaluate future handset launches

Now, a few months on from those prophecies of doom, the qwerty-packing device has reappeared on the radar thanks to new leaked pics unearthed from Chinese social Weibo by the N4BB side.

Thought to the an entry-level device, sitting between the BlackBerry Q5 and the Q10 devices, although with a slighter squarer form factor, the K-Series 'Kopi' phone was thought to be arriving this month.

Not a lot was known about the handset, prior to BlackBerry's rumoured redaction, but a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 processor had also been tipped.

Kopi lives?

Whether BlackBerry still has plans to launch this device, as it continues an apparent transition away from devices and into services, and in what markets remains to be seen.

According to the N4BB report, the device is 'still making it's way to BlackBerry partners,' so perhaps the firm is testing the waters ahead of a potential release later this year.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen: 'BB10 is difficult to learn'

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/blackberry-kopi-reappears-on-the-radar-but-will-it-ever-see-the-light-of-day--1234079

Nokia X scores 1 million pre-orders in China

2014-03-14T09:21:00.001-07:00

Nokia's first Android smartphone, the Nokia X has been the talk of the town ever since its introduction at this year's Mobile World Congress. The Nokia X has already gone on sale in countries like India and Malaysia and the device was available for pre-ordering in China.

Nokia has taken to its Weibo account to reveal that the pre-orders for the Nokia X smartphone in China have already reached 1 million in just about 4 days. The Finnish company isn't making any predictions for the overall sales figure in China, but the firm is confident of capturing a fair share of Chinese market with its latest affordable offering.

Nokia X will begin to ship across the country on March 25, so there are still few weeks to go before we get to know the final pre-order figures.

If you are wondering what the Nokia X is all about, then do check our hands on impressions of the forked Android Nokia device to know more about it.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_x_scores_1_million_preorders_in_china-news-8035.php

Europe inches closer to a universal phone charger

2014-03-14T08:21:00.001-07:00

Apple could be forced to ditch the Lightning cable

There's been talk of bringing in a universal phone charger across Europe for years now, but the project just took a leap forward as Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in favour of the scheme this week.

That doesn't mean it's a done deal, but it's another step in the right direction for those sick of needing a million different wires and connectors for the household's various portable devices.

If Europe's council of ministers approve the legislation, it will force all phone manufacturers to use the same charger - most likely micro USB - for all smartphones by 2017.

Apple flavour

Many phone makers are already down with the micro USB connector, but Apple, which signed on to the scheme some years ago, is still rocking its own Lightning connector.

It hasn't made any kind of response to this week's news yet but it has said in the past that it will not change its actual smartphones - rather it will provide an adapter in order to comply with the ruling in Europe.

Why are phone batteries still so crap?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/europe-inches-closer-to-a-universal-phone-charger-1233981

Samsung Galaxy S5 to launch on March 27 in Malaysia

2014-03-14T07:51:00.001-07:00

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S5 during the MWC in Barcelona last month. The flagship is going to become available internationally on April 11. As it turns out though some markets may be getting the Galaxy S5 even earlier.

The three biggest carriers in Malaysia have already confirmed they will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S5 on contract once it becomes officially available. It seems the date has been just recently cleared out as well - March 27. Or at least that's what the latest teaser picture suggest.

There is no info on whether March 27 is the date the carriers will begin taking pre-orders for the April 11 launch, or it is the actual release date for the Malaysian market. Without additional details we'll have to believe it is the official premiere date for Malaysia.

If March 27 launch is indeed true, then maybe other countries will be getting the Galaxy S5 ahead of the international launch as well. We'll be following closely this case and report immediately after new information on the subject gets out.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_may_launch_on_march_27_in_malaysia-news-8034.php

Samsung CEO denies a more premium Galaxy S5 in the works

2014-03-14T06:51:00.001-07:00

The rumors about an upcoming premium version of the newly announced Galaxy S5 flagship has emerged shortly after the official premiere. The new model was rumored to pack a 4K display and a metal body.

In 2013 we saw similar rumors about an upcoming Galaxy F lineup that was supposed to replace the Galaxy S top models. The Galaxy F was also rumored to ditch the plastic panels in favor of metal. So one thing led to another and the alleged premium Galaxy S5 version began to be referred as the first Galaxy F model.

Well, if you hoped for such an upgrade, Samsung's CEO J.K. Shin says there are no plans of launching a more premium model of the Galaxy S5. The one thing we could expect though is a new Galaxy Note model this fall.

So, if we are to trust J.K. Shin, the Galaxy F/Galaxy S5 premium is indeed just a fans' daydream. After all there is not a single leaked piece of info revealing pictures, specs, or details about such a device.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_ceo_denies_a_premium_galaxy_s5_is_in_the_works-news-8033.php

Premium Samsung Galaxy S5 dreams dashed as CEO says no

2014-03-14T04:50:00.001-07:00

Plastic it is then

In the run up to the Samsung Galaxy S5 launch several rumours suggested the Korean firm would release two variants of the flagship smartphone, one of which would be a premium metal-clad offering. Sadly however, that appears to be false.

Korean site KBench is reporting that Samsung CEO J.K. Shin has told the media that it won't be producing a premium model of the Galaxy S5 - a handset which was referred to as the "Galaxy F Series" in various rumours.

Design is still an area of contention for Samsung's high-end smartphones as it prefers to use plastic over more premium materials such as glass and metal.

This gives the likes of the iPhone 5S, Sony Xperia Z2 and potentially the upcoming all new HTC One an advantage as they can garner interest from consumers with their sleek looks.

Take Note

Shin did hint that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 would be arriving in the second half of 2014 - hardly a surprise as the Korean firm has kept a tight annual schedule on its phablet reboots.

Will the Galaxy Note 4 sport an all-metal body? Well Shin didn't provide any more details, and we'd think it's unlikely - but not totally out of the question.

Check out our hands on Samsung Galaxy S5 review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/premium-samsung-galaxy-s5-dreams-dashed-as-ceo-says-no-1233878

Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom to have a 19MP camera, 4.8" screen

2014-03-14T03:21:00.003-07:00

Samsung is going forward with the Zoom line of camera phones the Galaxy S5 Zoom has arrived at the GFXBench database, revealing several key specs. The device has the model number SM-C115 and has been in testing since earlier this year.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom has a 19MP main camera that can record 1080p video, at least that's what the benchmark managed to detect. There's a front-facing 2MP / 1080p camera too.

The camera / phone hybrid also has a 4.8" 720p screen, probably a Super AMOLED. It's powered by a Samsung Exynos 5 Hexa chipset, the same as in the Galaxy Note 3 Neo. The GFXBench detected a 1.3GHz clockspeed, which should be the four Cortex-A7 cores. The two Cortex-A15s run at 1.7GHz. The chipset also packs 2GB RAM and a Mali-624 GPU.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom ran Android 4.4.2 and by the looks of it, it will have 16GB of built-in storage with a big chunk reserved for the OS and TouchWiz. The device will feature NFC connectivity and, of course, a SIM card slot. We're betting on a microSD card slot too.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s5_zoom_to_have_a_19mp_camera_48_720p_screen-news-8032.php

Here's how the iPhone 6 should look

2014-03-14T03:21:00.001-07:00

A glimpse into the future?

Now that Sony and Samsung have set the smartphone pace for 2014, all eyes are on Apple.

But we're not ones for waiting around so we've put together a concept video of the iPhone 6 based on rumours and our own wishlist for what the handset will look like. Something like this, please Apple. Please?

When it comes to the design, some fans will cry, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" But the fact remains that the iPhone has stuck to a very similar look throughout its existence, with arguably the only notable evolution being the one between the 3GS and iPhone 4.

Regardless of whether you love or loathe the iPhone's looks, Apple needs to stay fresh if it hopes to stay ahead of the game. With the Cupertino firm remaining understandably hush-hush on its next iPhone outing, we're really hoping for a swish new handset a little like this:

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/here-s-how-the-iphone-6-should-look-1233506

Alleged images of iOS 8 show new applications

2014-03-14T02:22:00.001-07:00

The alleged images of the next iteration of iOS have made an appearance, showing us what the iOS 8 mobile operating system might look like.

According to the leaked screenshots, the iOS 8 will look a lot similar to the current version, featuring square icons with rounded edges. Apart from the design, the image reveals the presence of new applications such as Healthbook, TextEdit, Preview and Tips.

The new apps are said to help users to view, Preview and TextEdit files that are stored in the iCloud. However, these icons seem far from finished as they are basically OS X icons for Preview and TextEdit.

Apple's next generation mobile OS is still months away from being official and we might see a lot of changes through its development cycle. So, take it all with a pinch of salt.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_images_of_ios_8_show_new_applications-news-8031.php

Report: Amazon smartphone will hit in 2014 at 'a fraction' of iPhone price

2014-03-13T14:21:00.001-07:00

Will Amazon finally pull the trigger on a Kindle phone this year?

Amid all that talk of a potential TV set-top box and games console, longstanding rumours of an Amazon smartphone have taken a backseat just lately.

However, the prospect has regained the spotlight, at least temporarily, with reports on Thursday claiming the company will launch a 5-inch, Full HD phone this year at a "fraction of the cost" of the Apple iPhone.

The Information website claims to have obtained documents referring to the device by the codename "Project Aria," revealing discussions with potential manufacturing partners in EU and China last spring

The documents speak of strategies for distributing the device across the United States, Europe, China this year.

Hardware form

The report's hint of an affordable price point is little surprise, given Amazon's previous hardware form with Kindle Fire tablets and ereaders, as well as the current direction of the smartphone industry.

Rumours late last year suggested the phone will also have 3D gesture and eye tracking, a 13-megapixel camera and a Snapdragon 800 processor. Not exactly budget specs.

However, with Amazon increasing the price of Prime to $99 a year in the U.S., perhaps it can afford to launch a cheaper smartphone?

Opinion: Why an Amazon games consoles could be a huge mistake

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/report-amazon-smartphone-will-hit-in-2014-at-a-fraction-of-iphone-price-1233715

Huawei will release a dual-OS device in the United States

2014-03-13T13:51:00.001-07:00

Huawei intends to release a hybrid smartphone which will boot Android and Windows Phone in the United States. The companys chief marketing officer Shao Yang confirmed the plan in an interview with TrustedReviews.

Huaweis CMO offered no explanation on why the company decided to offer two competing OS ecosystems in the same device. However, Yang suggested that with Windows Phone alone on board, the device might have a harder time attracting customers.

The upcoming dual-OS smartphone is said to be released at some point in Q2 this year. The handsets launch will take place around the same time as the rollout of Windows Phone 8.1 by Microsoft.

Huaweis intentions are should hardly catch anyone by surprise. Recently, Microsoft eased up the hardware requirements for Windows Phone, thus allowing it to easier coexist with another OS on the same device.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_will_release_a_dualos_device_in_the_united_states-news-8028.php

LG D850 has a QHD screen, might be the LG G3

2014-03-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year we heard info that the upcoming LG G3 will pack a QHD screen it was too early to see it at the MWC, but now a User Agent Profile substantiates the rumor. The UAProf details the LG D850.

Note that by LG's numbering scheme, the LG G2 is D800, the Nexus 5 is D820 and the LG G Pro 2 is D830. This means the D850 could be a new Nexus or a new phablet. The G Pro 2 is barely a month old and Google doesnt seem eager to rush out new Nexus devices, so that leaves the G3 as the most likely target.

Still, we're a little wary of such rumors after plenty that promised phones with QHD screens both the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2 were supposed to have that resolution. To put it in numbers, QHD is 4x 720p or 2,560 x 1,440.

That said, the LG G3 is supposed to have a 5.5" screen, which sounds more believable for this resolution certain 5.5" phablets are supposed to use this resolution.

Notice we said phablets, though considering the LG G2 is still the most compact 5.2" phone months after it launched (and more importantly after the MWC), we're willing to give LG the benefit of the doubt.

The LG G3 is supposed to be announced in May, which is when the doubts should be cleared.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_d850_will_have_a_qhd_screen_might_be_the_lg_g3-news-8027.php

Is this our first glimpse of iOS 8?

2014-03-13T09:51:00.001-07:00

iOS may get a health kick (credit: 9to5Mac)

We've been hearing a few whispers about iOS 8 recently, but now we've got something to actually feast our eyes on.

The screenshot above was posted on a Weibo account, claiming to be of iOS 8, and 9to5Mac says it has confirmed its legitimacy "with several sources".

As you can see, the rumoured Healthbook app is sitting on the top right, while Preview and TextEdit are also present.

iSpy

According to "sources in the know" Apple is optimising versions of Preview and TextEdit for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, which would explain their appearance here.

These versions will reportedly be made for the purpose of viewing files that are synced to iCloud by OS X, but not editing.

If this picture is real, Apple clearly still has work to do on the icons, as Preview and TextEdit are just copies of their Mac counterparts right now.

The same Weibo user also posted a picture allegedly of the settings screen, which shows the version of iOS to be 8.0.

As convinced as 9to5Mac is that these pictures are the real deal, it would be very easy for someone to knock out a photoshop job like this in no time at all, so we'll remain a tad cautious.

10 things we want to see in iOS 8

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-this-our-first-glimpse-of-ios-8--1233673

ZTE Blade Q Mini review

2014-03-13T09:21:00.001-07:00

Ratings in depth

Last year Motorola released the excellent Motorola Moto G and, in doing so, set a new benchmark for affordable smartphones.

For all the excitement surrounding yearly flagship releases, the middle and lower tier markets are boasting the likes of the Moto G, Sony Xperia M and Nokia Lumia 520. Gone are the days when you had to spend over £200 for a quality smartphone.

Enter ZTE, the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer in the world with the ZTE Blade Q Mini: a £60 Android handset that punches well above its weight both in terms of design and features.

That low price does come with a couple of caveats. For starters, it's only available as a PAYG handset and secondly, the Blade Q Mini is exclusive to the Virgin Media network.

It's unlikely the Blade Q Mini will sway serious shoppers from the Motorola Moto G but if you're looking for a temporary replacement, secondary handset or a child's first-time smartphone, then it's very difficult to argue with this offering from the Chinese company.

Looks-wise, it's standard smartphone fare with a lack of physical buttons - thanks to Android's soft-key configuration - and smart rounded corners with a minimal bezel.

The 126 x 64 x 9mm dimensions and 120g weight mean it sits comfortably in the hand with just the right amount of heft to it.

Perhaps in response to the "phablet" movement, we're seeing something of a comeback for the smaller screen thanks to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and the HTC One mini.

The ZTE Blade Q mini fits into this bracket with a 4-inch WVGA display that means you can easily use it with a single hand.

The 800x480 resolution isn't enough to impress these days, but remember I'm talking about a £60 phone here.

The back of the device is covered with a soft, rubberised plastic similar to that found on the back of the Google Nexus 5. It means it's easy to grip the Blade Q mini and I also found it gave it a slightly more premium appearance than if ZTE had just gone with basic plastic.

On the right and left hand side you'll find volume rocker and microUSB charging slot respectively. The top of the phone is reserved for the power switch and the 3.5mm headphone jack. There's nothing but the microphone on the bottom of the chassis.

By having the power switch on the top of the device, you have to shift your grip to switch the phone on and off again. I think ZTE missed a trick by not putting the power button where the microUSB port is.

Had this been the case, you would be able to switch both the power switch and the volume rocker without having to move your fingers or thumb from the traditional position.

The only other buttons are the soft-touch Android keys at the base of the screen. Back, Home and Settings respectively, these keys light up when the phone is activated and are pleasingly responsive.

Sometimes lower-tier smartphones require hard jabs at the navigation keys to register any effect, but that isn't the case here. Haptic feedback is also present, but this can be disabled when the ZTE Blade Q Mini is put on silent mode.

This entire rear panel is removable via a tricky slot on the bottom right, which lets you get to the interior of the Blade Q Mini. Inside you'll find the 1,500 mAh battery as well as the SIM and microSD slots.

One nice feature is a notification light in the top left-hand corner. It will blink at you when you have an incoming email or text, and also acts as a gauge when charging the battery; switching from red to green when you're charged.

While the Blade Q Mini does boast a rear-facing 5MP camera, there's no forward-facing equivalent for taking selfies or using video-chat apps. This isn't a huge omission and isn't surprising given the budget nature of the phone.

As you'd expect on a handset with this price point, you're going to want to be reaching for a microSD card pretty quickly. The Blade Q mini is equipped with a piffling 4GB of internal storage space. Throw in pre-installed apps and the operating system itself and you've only got about 1.5GB to actually work with.

I would recommend equipping the Blade Q Mini with at least a 16GB microSD card if you plan on using it to listen to music, download apps or take a lot of pictures.

As it is, the ZTE Blade Q Mini runs nicely and, given the asking price, is comparable to rival Android phones like the Acer Liquid Z2 or Huawei Ascend Y300.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/zte-blade-q-mini-1233665/review

Microsoft allegedly waives WP licencing fee for Indian OEMs

2014-03-13T08:51:00.001-07:00

Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system hasn't been an obvious choice for manufacturers to run their smartphones. The Redmond giant is trying its best to push its mobile OS and its latest efforts will allegedly involve waiving the license fee for Indian OEMs like Lava and Karbonn.

Microsoft at its press conference at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona announced new partners that included Lava and Karbonn for producing Windows Phone smartphones. According to a report from Times of India, Microsoft has been negotiating with the Indian smartphone manufacturers to come with affordable WP devices for the last one year. The waiver of the licensing fee has allegedly helped Microsoft to clinch a deal with the local OEMs.

Microsoft's latest move is quite surprising as the company did not give its OS for free even to Nokia, which has been the major manufacturer of the WP smartphones since 2011. However, Nokia received $250 million every quarter from Microsoft as 'platform support payments'.

Here's what a senior executive from an unnamed Indian company had to say about the waiver of the WP licensing fee - "For our planned Windows Phone handsets, we are not paying Microsoft a licence fee. The company is obviously exploring new models for Windows Phone. It must have realized that the older model where it licenced the OS did not work out well, even with Nokia's support."

A few reports in the past had suggested that Microsoft has been trying to motivate manufacturers to develop WP smartphone by offering them an annual sum of $1 billion. It appears the company is dead set on expanding the reach of its smartphone even if it means giving up on some profits in the short term.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_allegedly_waives_wp_licencing_fee_for_indian_oems-news-8026.php

The unlocked HTC One gets a $100 price cut in the USA

2014-03-13T08:21:00.001-07:00

HTC has lowered the price of the contract-free and unlocked version of the HTC One in the USA. It now costs $499.99, $100 below the official price of $599.99.

The price cut happens two weeks before the announcement of its successor - the All New One or simply HTC One 2014. The device might not be official just yet, but it has already leaked numerous times before with specs and everything. It even went on sale on eBay yesterday for $499.99 and quickly found a lucky owner.

HTC One 2014 will supposedly bring a bigger 5" 1080p display, a better Snapdragon 801 chipset and dual-camera setup on the back. It will premiere officially on March 25.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/the_unlocked_htc_one_gets_100_price_cut_in_the_usa-news-8025.php

Xiaomi's Hongmi 2 to provide octa-core power on a budget

2014-03-13T07:51:00.003-07:00

The octa-core-running Xiaomi Redmi 2 is slated to be one of the first devices around to provide octa-core performance at a budget price.

The Xiamoi Redmi 2 (also known as the Hongmi), is slated to sport a 5.5-inch 720p display, 1GB of RAM, and 1.7GHz octa-core CPU from MediaTek or a 1.4GHz Snapdragon chip of unknown core count. Also on board is a 13MP/5MP camera combo, and a microSD slot of up to 32GB.

The Snapdragon version in question will be of the Cortex A53 architecture that has support for 4G LTE as well, which would be another important caveat if it were included.

Although all of the above specs sound a bit too hefty for the sub-$130 price range that the Redmi currently inhabits, expect the sequel to be very competitively priced as it hopes to compete in the budget-bonanza that is China's emerging LTE market.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomis_hongmi_2_to_provide_octacore_in_the_budget_segment-news-8023.php