Android VP Hugo Barra leaves Google for Xiaomi

In a surprising twist of events, Vice President of Android - Hugo Barra - has decided to move on from Google and join Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi.

The news was first broken by AllThingsD and was later confirmed by Barra in a post on Google+. He would be joining Xiaomi Global in China as their Vice President and "help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally".

Barra joined Google back in 2008 and for the past few years has been the face of Android, appearing in all recent Google keynotes for product announcements. While leaving, Barra praised the Android team, calling them "the most amazing group of people I've ever worked with in my life" and especially calling out Andy Rubin (who left the Android team recently), Hiroshi Lockheimer, Sundar Pichai and Vic Gundotra.

Google is yet to announce who will be taking on the role of Barra in his absence.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/android_vp_hugo_barra_leaves_google_for_xiaomi-news-6669.php

Read More

Yes, BlackBerry still makes phones, and the Z30 can't stop leaking

Zer she blows

We've been so mesmerized by the impending train wreck that is BlackBerry lately that we'd almost forgotten it makes smartphones.

Thankfully, we have a reminder today in the form of a quick video claiming to show off the BlackBerry Z30 (you remember that, don't you?) as it's flipped, swiped and bandied about.

This seems to be a fully functioning version of the rumored BlackBerry 10 device. The user shows off its front and back, then activates the phone and takes us on a short tour of its UI.

A sticker on the rear tells of the device's evaluation unit status, and interestingly it reads "Property of Research In Motion Limited." RIM changed its name to BlackBerry in January, however it appears some properties, such as this website, still use the old RIM moniker.

RIM around the rosy

It feels like it's been awhile since we last heard about the Z30, though in reality the handset made another film appearance earlier this month (that video was subsequently pulled).

In that time, we've learned BlackBerry is open to the idea of being bought, among other "strategic alternatives" to survival. On Aug. 27, a report from the Wall Street Journal claimed BlackBerry could spin BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM, into a subsidiary.

It's before this backdrop that the Z30 could be released. The device is rumored to square up with a 5-inch AMOLED screen (larger than the Z10's 4.2-inch display), house a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 2GB of RAM. It may have 16GB of storage, an 8MP rear camera and run BlackBerry 10.2.

As you can see in the video and other leaks have attested to, the Z30 may have five rows of icons instead of the Z10's four.

When will we see the device? Only BlackBerry knows, but it has a lot on its plate right now, so we'll give it some time.

• BlackBerry, BlackBerry - why release a new phone running BB7?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/yes-blackberry-still-makes-phones-and-the-z30-can-t-stop-leaking-1176416

Read More

iPhone 5S release date set for Sept. 20? T-Mobile workers' holiday plans shelved

Apple popping champagne on September 20?

The next-generation iPhone handset(s) may go on sale on 20 September, if reports suggesting T-Mobile employees in the U.S. have been denied time off during that weekend prove accurate.

The U.S.-based Tmo News website said the mobile network has blocked off September 20-22 (a Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as vacation-free times for its in-store employees.

With the iPhone 5S and perhaps the iPhone 5C scheduled to be announced on September 10, that prospective release date ten days later certainly plays into Apple's previous form in this area.

The company always seems holds iPhone releases on a Friday, for the same reason Hollywood movies come out on the same day - to cash in on weekend sales and then boast about the figures.

Plastic fantastic

Meanwhile, speaking of the iPhone 5C, Apple is shopping around for a top class plastics guy, presumably to oversee its less-premium range iOS devices.

According to the posting on the Apple jobs site, the company is looking to hire an "experienced plastic materials engineer" who can "lead the development of new plastic materials and processes."

The successful applicant will work on the iPhone / iPad materials team and have reponsibilities relating to the aesthetic and cosmetic qualities of the devices.

The company is widely expect to launch a more affordable, dare we say cheap, iPhone 5C with a plastic casing, as a means of tackling emerging emerging markets.

Judging by this jobs posting, it appears their work in that area will be a going concern with the company looking to perfect new materials for the lesser devices.

• Are you ready for the gold, sorry champagne, iPhone 5S? Apple is apparently preparing to broaden its available colour spectrum.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-5s-release-date-set-for-sept-20-t-mobile-workers-holiday-plans-shelved-1176415

Read More

Three confirms 4G roll-out will start in December

A visual representation of the speed of 4G

Three has got all official on its 4G plans, confirming that the network's roll-out will begin in December 2013.

If you already have a 4G handset and a Three SIM then 4G speeds won't cost you any extra - all you have to do is install a software update from the network to activate it.

Those on monthly plans with all you can eat data won't see any caps imposed on their data limits either, which sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

Money talks

London, Manchester and Birmingham will be the first cities to get the 4G network, with the switch on set to "accelerate" in January bringing 4G access to over 1.5 million customers in the new year.

By the end of 2014, Three intends to have 4G coverage in 50 cities across the UK, and nearly the whole country covered by the superfast connection by the end of the following year. This is thanks to the numerical networking managing to nab some of the 800MHz spectrum to deploy 4G speeds to the rural parts of the British Isles.

Three is a fairly slow horse in the 4G race though, with EE having launched its 4G network back in October 2012, and Vodafone and O2 following suit today.

• Time to ask the question: which is the best 4G network?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/three-confirms-4g-roll-out-will-start-in-december-1176345

Read More

More evidence of the HTC One Max's fingerprint scanner surfaces

It's a hole! It can't scan anything! (credit: ePrice)

With IFA right around the corner, we've heard plenty from Samsung and LG. HTC, however, is keeping itself in the mix, if inadvertently, with a few reports today shedding light on its potential future plans.

Let's start with the hardware: ePrice (Google translated) claimed it picked up the HTC One Max (possibly a production model) destined for Chinese telecom company Unicom.

This is a dual-SIM variant, equipped with a removable metal rear casing, external memory card and built-in battery. Conspicuously gaping is a square hole under the camera lens, in the exact spot an earlier leak, also courtesy of ePrice, had same-said opening.

The initial report speculated the space was meant for a fingerprint scanner, and though we're no closer to confirmation, it seems the rumor is gaining some credibility.

ePrice also claimed it handled a Max running the beta of a software interface that included a fingerprint control function in a pull-down shortcut menu, and you can see a fingerprint icon in the image to the left.

Just about everything can be faked in this day and age, so treat the existence of the Max's fingerprint scanner like Big Foot: It may be out there, but we'll have to see it to believe it.

OS yes?

HTC's prints may be on more than a finger reader as the Wall Street Journal also reported the Taiwanese firm is developing its own mobile operating system.

The OS, "according to people familiar with the project," would be geared towards Chinese consumers, meaning we're unlikely to see it on phones outside that country.

HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang is supposedly closely overseeing the OS' development, and it's expected to launch before 2013 clocks out.

While it's not clear at this point what HTC's take on the mobile software system would look like, it is said to feature close integration with China-specific apps, such as Weibo, the Chinese-language microblogging site akin to Twitter.

Smartphones running the China-bound OS are reportedly out in the wild, including in the hands of Chinese officials. The government there has encouraged the development of domestic software systems, according the WSJ, to draw away from Western companies such as Google and Apple.

• HTC needs to get its head on ASAP, so here are a few TechRadar suggestions on how it can do it.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/more-evidence-of-the-htc-one-max-s-fingerprint-scanner-surfaces-1176382

Read More

Verizon, Kyocera and Bear Grylls unveil Hydro Elite

Bear Grylls might currently be off-air, but he came back to brings some awesomeness to Verizon's latest though smartphone - the Kyocera Hydro Elite.

Hydro Elite, as the name suggests, is an IPX7-certified water resistant droid. It can last for up to 30 minutes under a meter of water.

Other than water protection, the Kyocera Hydro Elite comes with a 4.3-inch 720p display and runs on a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The rest of the specs include an 8MP rear and a 1.3MP front cameras, NFC and LTE connectivity, and a 2100 mAh battery.

The Hydro Elite runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with some proprietary skin from Kyocera. The gadget is promoted by the though Bear Grylls, so in addition to the water-resistance you'll also get the famous adventurer's seal of approval.

Here, check the commercial.

The Kyocera Hydro Elite launches on Verizon tomorrow and costs $99.99 with a two-year contract.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_kyocera_and_bear_grylls_unveil_hydro_elite-news-6668.php

Read More

Nokia 515 hopes to bring style to the budget feature phone crowd

Nokia 515 - style on a budget

Nokia has announced its latest addition to the feature phone market: the Nokia 515.

The Finnish phone giant knows that there's still plenty of life in the feature phone market and that's why it is still releasing handsets like the Nokia 515 - not everyone cares if their phone has the power to fling furious feathered fowl.

According to Simon Barker, Nokia's program manager, feature phones still make up one half of global handsets sold and Nokia is one of the few manufacturers still chipping away at that crowd.

This doesn't mean that the Nokia 515 is a throwaway device, though, as it is pushing the idea that the phone is one for the style conscious, even going as far as saying it will be a phone that you will be "proud to own."

Light weight

We're not sure how much pride you can take in something that offers just a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD display but it does look half decent and is definitely light - weighing in at just 102.7g and measuring a mere 114 x 48 x 11mm.

Given that it's a feature phone, there's not much to shout about in the way of additional extras. But there is a handy 5MP camera on board, which comes coupled with a voice-guided Self Portrait camera - this was first seen (heard) on the Nokia 301.

There will be a dual SIM variant available as well and the handset is 3.5G compatible. As for memory, there is only 256MB of on-board space, but a microSD card slot is a welcomed addition.

Battery life is decent too, with Nokia quoting up to 10.4hrs (but half that if you're using the 3G).

There's no word on a Nokia 515 release date for the UK or US, but it will be arriving in Russia, Germany, Switzerland and Poland as of next week, for a not-too shabby 115 Euros.

Check out the video below:

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-515-hopes-to-bring-style-to-the-budget-feature-phone-crowd-1176353

Read More

The Nokia 515 is a precision-crafted dual-SIM featurephone

Nokia just announced the 515 - a featurephone that goes directly after many high-end smartphones in terms of design and build quality. Its body is carved out of a single piece of anodized and sandblasted aluminum, the screen is made out of gently-curved and polarized Gorilla Glass 2 and the keyboard is built from hardened polycarbonate resin.

Nokia 515 official photos

The Nokia 515 sports a 2.4" QVGA display, has a 5 MP camera with voice-activated self portraits, there's a microSD card slot with support for up to 3GB cards.

Although available in single-SIM there's also a dual-SIM option while the battery is taunted to last a whopping 38 days of stand-by with a single SIM inside.

The Nokia 515 will begin shipping in the third quarter of 2013, starting with Russia, Germany, Switzerland and Poland. Its price tag will be around €115/$149 before taxes and subsidies.

Are feature phones still relevant enough to pour in so much effort in their design? Nokia obviously believes that this is the case.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/the_nokia_515_is_a_precisioncrafted_feature_phone-news-6667.php

Read More

Acer Liquid S2 pops up on GFX Bench, runs on Snapdragon 800

Acer Liquid S2 seems to be the company's next flagship device that will supposedly hit the shelves very soon.

According to a leaked roadmap Acer Liquid S2 will run on a quad-core 2.3GHz processor and pack a 5.98" 1080p IPS display. The rest of the mentioned specs include 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and NFC. The Android version is dubbed K OS, although we are not sure if that is shortened from Key Lime Pie or some proprietary launcher. Acer Liquid S2 is supposed to be released this month in Russia for about €585.

The most recent leak comes from the GFXBenchmark database. The Acer Liquid S2 has already run through the GFX tests and the results are in. What's most important though is along with those results we get to see new information on its internals.

The Liquid S2 in the GFX database was running on a quad-core 2.1GHz processor with Adreno 330 graphics and 2GB RAM, which can mean only one chipset - the mighty Snapdragon 800. The device was using Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Since the next major Android version won’t be out until October, the Liquid S2 will probably run on what's available on time of release. August is almost over, so we can cross out the release date as well.

Whenever Acer announces the Liquid S2 phablet we expect to see it followed by a dual-SIM model shortly after.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_liquid_s2_pops_up_on_gfxbench_runs_on_snapdragon_800-news-6666.php

Read More

Sony Xperia Z1 network license unveils new photos, more info

The Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center in China has given the Sony Xperia Z1 a network license allowing it to operate on the country's mobile networks. However, the Certification Center has also leaked four snapshots of the smartphone from the front, back and two of its sides.

The photos confirm just about everything we've already seen about the phone in all of its leaks and appearances to date. In its design, the Xperia Z1 is almost identical to the Xperia Z and features a cool new notification LED above the Sony logo.

On the right side, there's the SIM card slot covered by a protective flap, Sony's signature Power/Lock button, the volume rocker and dedicated camera shutter key. On the other the photo we see a microSD card slot and the microUSB port. They too are protected with flaps, which along with some more other Sony tricks results in the phone's waterproof nature.

Furthermore, the Xperia Z1 network certification also reveals the phone will be flaunting WCDMA, HSDPA/HSUPA and GPRS support. Sony has also implemented the Chinese WAPI standard for wireless LAN.

Sony Xperia Z1 has already leaked in various pictures and it looks much like its Xperia Z sibling. The Z1 will supposedly feature a 5" 1080p display and run on a Snapdragon 800 chipset. At the back it will boast a 20.7MP camera 1/2.3" sensor capable of 4K video recording, and a 3000 mAh battery.

With the official Sony Xperia Z1 teaser now out in the wild, the smartphone is all but official at this point. The Xperia Z1 will undoubtedly be the headline of the company's pre-IFA event on September 4, so stay tuned!

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z1_network_license_unveils_new_photos_more_info-news-6665.php

Read More

BlackBerry Z30 shows up in yet another leaked video

The BlackBerry Z30 (also known as the A10) has made its rounds several times through the rumor mill with plenty of leaked images and even a few videos.

The latest video is of the fullHD variety and shows off the device from all sides - granted not always in focus. There's no AT&T branding this time around, which hopefully means the smartphone will be available in international markets as well.

The pleasantly-textured back panel is accompanied by an alleged 5" OLED 720p display, 1.7 GHz dual-core Krait CPU with quad-core Adreno GPU, and microHDMI port support, as you may have noticed in the video.

There's still no word on pricing or launch date.

Thanks, 4Leakz, for the tip!

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_z30_shows_up_in_yet_another_leaked_video-news-6664.php

Read More

Nokia Asha 502 and Asha 503 with curved glass in the works

Once again evleaks brings us some juicy information on phones that are yet to become official. This time it's about two upcoming Asha handsets previously rumored as Pegasus and Lanai.

Nokia Pegasus / Nokia Lanai = Asha 502 / Asha 503 (doubleshot)

— @evleaks (@evleaks) August 28, 2013

Nokia Lanai will be called Asha 503 and we've already seen it leaking in February in five pictures. It will look much like the firstborn of the refreshed Asha lineup - the Asha 501. However, the Nokia Asha 503 will replace the hardware Back key with a capacitive one and will have its entire front will be covered by a curved glass. You can also spot the 5MP rear camera with a LED flash. Naturally, the Asha 503 will get a dual-SIM version.

Nokia Pegasus is bound to go official as Nokia Asha 502, but we know nothing besides the name for that one. The Asha 502 should slide between the Asha 501 and the Asha 503 in the pecking order.

We guess the announcement of those Asha phones is close now that the official renderings are done.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_asha_502_and_asha_503_with_curved_glass_in_the_works-news-6663.php

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Note III front pictured next to Note II panel

We got to see plenty of leaked photos of the front panel of the Samsung Galaxy Note III yesterday, but a new photo from today includes the front panel of the Galaxy Note II and puts things in perspective.

After many different values for the screen diagonal of the Note III, the rumor mill seems to have settled on 5.7". That would make for another 0.2" jump, after the original Note had a 5.3" screen, and its sequel had a 5.5" display.

Note that the image is a composite of two separate shots that have been scaled to match the alleged 5.7" diagonal of the Note III.

More interesting is that the bezels are thinner (they measure just 2.2mm) and the whole panel is barely bigger. Depending on how the sides of the phone are made, the Note III can be as little as 1mm taller and wider than the Note II. Not seen in this photo, but the new panel is reportedly thinner too.

Also, the design has changed - the Note III corners are not as rounded (following the design tweak from Galaxy S III to Galaxy S4).

September 4 is fast approaching and we'll be there when Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note III (and Galaxy Gear smartwatch). The expected specs are 5.7" 1080p screen, Snapdragon 800 or Exynos 5 Octa chipset (or both) and maybe, maybe 4K video recording from a 13MP camera.

Source (in Japanese) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note_iii_panel_pictured_next_to_note_ii_panel-news-6662.php

Read More

Huge Nexus 4 price drop may signal new Nexus 5 on horizon

It's BIG people

Google has slashed the price of its Nexus 4 handset, raising suspicions that it may be queuing up its rumoured successor the Nexus 5.

The healthy price cut sees the 16GB LG made Nexus 4 drop from £279 ($349, AU$399) to £199 ($249, AU$299), while the 8GB version is now £159 ($199, AU$249) - down from £239 ($299, AU$349).

Countries benefiting from the reduction of at least 25% are the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France Germany, Spain and Korea.

Now it's certainly not out of the question that this price drop could well signal the impending arrival of the new Nexus 5, with Google keen to clear out the last of its Nexus 4 stock before the new smartphone hits shelves.

New Nexus 5?

Originally it was thought the Moto X could be the next Nexus device, but clearly that isn't the case after it launched earlier this month.

While LG has apparently ruled itself out of the running as the manufacturer for the successor other reports suggest it's still in with a shout, plus there are rumours the now Google-owned Motorola may be the OEM of choice this time round.

Recent reports peg the Nexus 5 as sporting a screen somewhere in the region of 5-inches, a powerful quad-core processor and running a completely new version of Google's operating system: Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

In terms of a Nexus 5 release date we're still in the dark, but considering this price drop news we're hoping it'll be with us in time for Christmas.

• Is it still worth buying a Nexus 4? Check out our in-depth review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/huge-nexus-4-price-drop-may-signal-new-nexus-5-on-horizon-1176182

Read More

New Sony video teases upcoming Honami, drops it in water

Remember this image, posted on Facebook? Well it comes with a whole video, which got released by Sony on YouTube. The video shines a light on the phone's sides, the power button, the camera button, the G lens atop that rumored 20 MP camera and the phone being dropped in water.

There's almost no doubt now that the phone we're seeing teased again and again is the Sony Xperia Honami, which is scheduled to debut September 4 on Berlin's IFA floor.

Here's the video itself. Dubbed Z1, the Xperia Honami should sport a 5" FullHD display, quad-core Snapdragon 800, 20 MP camera, Android Jelly Bean, water resistance and a beefy battery.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/new_sony_video_teases_upcoming_honami_drops_it_in_water-news-6661.php

Read More