Thursday, September 5, 2013

LG Nexus 5 FCC filing seems to match supposed leak on Google lawn

LG Nexus 5 FCC filing seems to match supposed leak on Google lawn
Haven't we seen this before?

There's more evidence to suggest that LG and Google are working together on the Nexus 5 phone in light of newly declassified Federal Communications Commission documents.

The FCC filing points to a full-featured LG smartphone known only by the codename of LG D820.

While this mysterious codename doesn't tip us off to as whether or not it refers to the Nexus 5, it does cover most of the major bands in North America, a must for pretty much any flagship handset.

The documents list support for a 7-band LTE device compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint (bands 2/4/5/17/25/26/41), CDMA / EVDO rev A, pentaband DC-HSPA+ and quadband GSM / EDGE, according to Engadget.

Also on board are Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and dual-band 802.11 b/g/n/ac, rounding out a well-connected smartphone that would be compatible with every major carrier band in the region except Verizon's LTE 750.

Google Nexus 5
Might be a match

More evidence

The documents first appeared on the FCC site a month ago, but were pulled due to "confidentiality reasons," according to the blog S4Gru.

The site also noticed that the back plate found in the "D820 Wireless Charging Scenario" filing matches the unknown Nexus device "leaked" in a the Android KitKat unveiling video on Google's campus

It appears to be around the same size and shape, complete with a larger than normal camera hole.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/lg-nexus-5-fcc-filing-seems-to-match-supposed-leak-on-google-lawn-1178573

Apple faces labor abuse allegations...again

Apple faces labor abuse allegations...again
Trouble for the big Apple

Though the bubbly invitations have been sent for Apple's Sept. 10 Cupertino event where we might finally see the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, recent reports once again, show a darker side of Apple.

China Labor Watch released a statement today about the conditions of Jabil Green Point, a U.S. owned factory in Wuxi, China purportedly producing the cheap iPhone.

Apple has already been in hot water earlier this summer when the Watch reported labor violations at Pegatron facilities.

Poor working and living conditions, and the use of underage employees at Pegatron, were similar to previous investigations of Apple's other major supplier, Foxconn.

Does Apple have a rotten core?

Just like the other two factory labor abuse reports, the Wuxi location seems to bear the same issues.

Workers are forced to take on 11-hour shifts, mostly standing and with only 30 minute breaks to eat, 110 hours of overtime is mandatory where certain amounts are unpaid, dorms have eight people per room with workers sleeping in shifts - and the list just goes on and on.

CLW backs up its claims with photos shown in an English report on the site. Combined with the information provided by the undercover workers, it doesn't paint a pretty picture of Apple.

With more and more news of poor conditions surfacing, it seems like Apple will really have to step up its game to monitor production factories, and hopefully soon.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/apple-faces-labor-abuse-allegations-again-1178557

Revealed: new features for the next generation smartphones

Revealed: new features for the next generation smartphones
We are still some way off a see-through phone

Qualcomm has offered us a look behind the curtain at some of the new features which could be arriving in the next batch of smartphones.

Speaking at Qualcomm's annual Uplinq conference in San Diego Raj Talluri, SVP Product Management, revealed what the firm was working towards as it readies it processors for the next generation of smartphones and tablets.

Here are seven features Qualcomm is tipping, so keep an eye out for all these in the iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPad 5.

4K displays

Questions are still being raised over the need for 4K displays on smartphones and whether the human eye will actually be able to discern much of a difference between that and the full HD offerings we currently have.

Qualcomm reckons we're not actually that far off the UltraHD displays though and Talluri said: "there will be 4K displays in phones pretty soon. I think it's going to happen."

4K video recording

Actually 4K video recording has already found its way into the Acer Liquid S2, but the high-def shooting capability is set to feature in a lot more high-end handsets over the next few months.

Qualcomm already has a 4K video encoder built into its new Snapdragon 800 processor, allowing manufacturers to build the technology into their handsets if they fancy it.

Of course until you have a 4K display on your smartphone, you're stuck hooking it up to your incredibly expensive 4K TV to show off your handy work.

360 video recording

A cool feature Qualcomm showed off during its future phone tech presentation was something it's calling SnapDragon EyeSee 360, which basically lets you take a 360 degree video recording.

It uses an external device, which works in a similar way to the 360 panorama camera lenses you can get, to capture the video in Ultra HD of your entire surrounds - front and back, left and right - all at the same time.

During playback you obviously only see one angle on screen, but you can tilt the device you're playing it on, or use your finger to scroll round the video - as you would a 360 photo - to view the scene all around.

The new processor technology means that it's constantly rendering the various different angles and there was no lag during the demo.

This means instead of having to move your device around to point at everyone separately, all the people in the video are being recorded continuously and you can then visit any one of the at any time when you're watching it back.

New camera tricks

Qualcomm is doing a lot of work around camera technology for the next-gen smartphones and one of its projects, UbiFocus, brings depth of field control to phone users.

UbiFocus allows you to select your focus after you've taken a picture, giving you the choice of focussing on an object in the foreground, something in the background, or somewhere inbetween.

The ability of smartphones to have depth perception could also lead to other advancements and Talluri hinted that the technology may prove very useful when it comes to gesture control in the future.

Multiple microphones

While 4K video recording is all well and good, it would be spoilt by the sound quality you currently get when recording on today's crop of smartphones.

Now HTC has already made some progress in this field with the One, which features dual microphones for improved audio capture, but Qualcomm reckons the next generation of mobile phone will have more.

Future smartphones could well arrive with four microphones embedded in them allowing for an immersive audio experience which will playback in 5.1 surround sound.

The demo clips we were played did indeed sound fantastic, so we're really hoping this arrives soon.

Immersive gameplay

It's not just recorded audio which will be getting a boost in future phones, with gameplay set to benefit too with surround sound capabilities being made available to app developers.

This allows develops to attach audio to various options, giving the sounds a position in the game and as the objects move the audio does too.

We were shown a demo of Qualcomm's Dragon Storm to show off the technology, and as dragons approached us, flew past and continued behind the audio followed.

Of course phone manufacturers will have to help us out here as well by equipping our devices with better internal speakers, but it will also work via headphones and external speakers.

More performance, less power consumption

This one is no surprise, smartphones are going to continue to get faster and more powerful while chip makers and handset manufacturers tackle the battery life issues.

Qualcomm expects power consumption to greatly improve, as all the tasks on our smartphones are tuned to use the optimum number of cores and the correct amount of power from each core at the right time.

Talluri described this as the "next big challenge" in mobile, and we hope it comes to fruition.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/revealed-new-features-for-the-next-generation-smartphones-1178547

LG G2 US pricing and availability get detailed

Details on the LG G2 pricing and release date in the United States were released by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. The Android beast will hit the retail shelves of the trio of carriers this month.

AT&T will be the first to release the LG G2. The carrier will have the device available to order online starting tomorrow, September 6 for $199.99 with a two-year agreement. AT&T Next program on the other hand, will give the users the option to pick up the device for $27 a month with no down payment.

T-Mobile will open the pre-order books for the LG G2 today with the first deliveries scheduled for September 18. The device will be priced at $99 down and 24 monthly payments of $21, or $630 outright.

Finally, Verizon Wireless will have the LG flagship in its stores on September 12. The Big Red will charge $199.99 with a two-year contract for the handset.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g2_us_pricing_and_availability_get_detailed-news-6734.php

Mozilla reckons your smartphone is a jail

Mozilla reckons your smartphone is a jail
Let us out!

Think Android is free and easy? Well think again, as according to Mozilla it's a jail - along with iOS and Windows Phone.

Mozilla is doing a lot of work on HTML 5, mainly through it's Firefox OS offering, to provide a system which will work across all platforms without the need to develop for each different vendor.

"Mobile phones are jails, and you have to pick one to sit in. The vendors control everything that happens in them," explained Andreas Gal, Vice President of Mobile Engineering at Mozilla, at Qualcomm's Uplinq conference in San Diego.

"They are very shiny jails, they're nice jails, but you can't escape. As a developer you have to develop apps for each system separately, while users can't move their apps between operating systems."

What do we want?

So what is Mozilla doing about this problem? Well it's working hard on HTML 5, a web based standard which works across all platforms and devices including smartphones, tablets and computers.

You can access HTML 5 via any browser, meaning developers are not locked into a particular company's way of thinking and the one app can work everywhere which means less work and money saved for devs.

The advantages obviously extend to users as well, as you don't need to worry about the device you're using, as the HTML 5 apps and services will run happily on the browser, be it Safari, Chrome or Internet Explorer.

Now Mozilla is peddling it's own Firefox OS which runs on HTML 5, but as Brendan Eich, SVP of Engineering explained it's not looking to take on the big guns in the mobile market with it.

"We just want to get Firefox OS out there to show what can be done with HTML 5 and encourage others to adopt the standards," he said.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/mozilla-reckons-your-smartphone-is-a-jail-1178492

Lenovo reveals ultra-thin Vibe X 5-inch smartphone

The IFA 2013 announcement festivities continue with Lenovo's announcement of the new Vibe X ultra-thin smartphone. At 6.9mm thin and a weight of 120 g, the device is one of the most compact to be found sporting a 5-inch 1080p display.



Under the hood, you'll find a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589T processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. There's also a 13MP primary camera, and a 5MP front-facer, which boasts a 84-degree viewing angle for video conferencing.

No word on what sort of battery will power it all, but the device sports Gorilla Glass 3 protection as well, and is set to run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

The Lenovo Vibe X is slated for a release in China this October, and a wider release in December. Pricing has not yet been revealed.

Source


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_reveals_ultrathin_vibe_x_5inch_smartphone-news-6733.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 3: Where can I get it?

Samsung Galaxy Note 3: Where can I get it?
Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear: BFFs

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date is alarmingly soon - September 25, to be exact - so now's the time to start planning when and where you'll get hold of one.

The newly announced phone-that-moonlights-as-a-tablet is coming to a number of British networks, and we've sorted out what's what to make life easier for you.

EE

The 4G-loving EE will be stocking the Galaxy Note 3. The handset will set you back £150 on a £41/month 24-month contract which comes with 2GB of data and unlimited calls and texts.

You can pre-order the Note 3 from today instore or online.

T-Mobile and Orange

EE's two stepsisters will also be offering the Note 3 on 3G plans. Orange is charging £42 a month with an initial outlay of £120, while T-Mobile wants £140 upfront for the same monthly fee.

Three

Three has confirmed that it will be bearing its namesake Note but hasn't let slip its contract deals just yet.

Phones 4U

The keen-bean phone retailer will be selling the Note 3 from September 25 and is offering £100 off the Galaxy Gear smartwatch to sweeten the deal. Certain pre-order deals also see customers nabbing a free wireless speaker and flip case.

You can get the handset for free on certain £47/month deals, or pay between £79 and £179 to get it on the slightly lower £42/month tariffs.

Gosh, Phones 4U. You really are spoiling us.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-note-3-where-can-i-get-it--1178424

Lenovo Vibe X's 5MP front camera makes it perfect for taking selfies

Lenovo Vibe X's 5MP front camera makes it perfect for taking selfies
Tita's got it, I tell ya Rita's got it, oh Lenovo's got it, and Kim's got it, yeah

Lenovo's bringing all the vibes all the time with a new smartphone that is very, um, Lenovo despite its 'youthful' product name, Lenovo Vibe X.

Let's be fair, it's quite slim ("as thin as a pencil!" claims Lenovo) and it weighs 121g ("five AA batteries!") which is a fair bit lighter than, say, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Its cameras vibe hard, with the front-facing camera rocking a 5MP sensor - the same as some handsets' main snappers - while the back-mounted one comes in at 13MP.

Lenovo's press release genuinely says that the front-facing camera with its wide-angle lens "effortlessly captures high-quality self-portraits". Hashtag selfie.

Pout

Other features of note include the Android 4.2 operating system, quad-core 1.5GHz MTK 6589T processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage.

But really mainly the selfie thing.

Unfortunately, it's only launching in China and seems unlikely to make it to the US, Europe or Australia. Sorry hipsters.

Also announced today are a slim new full HD tablet in the form of the Lenovo S5000 and an update to the Lenovo K900 smartphone - mainly new colours (orange!) and storage options (16GB! 32GB!).

  • More from IFA 2013 - all the latest news from Berlin in one handy place

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/lenovo-vibe-x-s-5mp-front-facing-camera-makes-it-perfect-for-taking-selfies-1178384

Sony Xperia Z1 camera samples, fresh off the IFA booth

The Sony Xperia Z1 went official yesterday at IFA in Berlin, and today we've got the camera samples taken directly from our visit to the Sony booth.

First up are several 16:9 camera samples in the maximum allowable resolution for that aspect ratio, 8MP. You'll see some accurate colors and good dynamic range considering the interior lighting, but the oversharpening filter is working overtime to restore the sharpness lost after the generous noise reduction. At 8MP these shots have been downsampled from what essentially is a 20MP sensor, so the photos noise levels have certainly benefited from that.


Sony Xperia Z1 16:9 samples

The same cannot be said about our full resolution 4:3 shot, measuring 5248 x 3936 pixels, which takes advantage of the entire 20.7MP sensor on the Z1. this one is noticeably more noisy, but remember, the light conditions at the Sony booth were pretty bad.


Sony Xperia Z1 20.7MP camera sample

Finally, here's a quick 1080p video we shot. The rather dim lighting conditions made for some repeated autofocusing attempts.

Given the interior lighting conditions and that the Xperia Z1 may not have finalized software, we won't be too quick in rendering a final judgment on Sony's new flagship.

For more on the Sony Xperia Z1 and its 20.7MP camera, check out our extensive hands-on.


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z1_camera_samples_fresh_from_the_ifa_booth-news-6732.php

iPlayer TV downloads hit Android app at last

iPlayer TV downloads hit Android app at last
Just offlining to a Nexus 7, don't even worry about it

Certain Android users can now download shows from the iPlayer app to watch offline, thanks to a new update from the Beeb.

The updated Android app will be available from the Google Play Store later today, with the Amazon App Store also featuring it "in the coming days", and will let you download a range of BBC TV shows and keep them for up to 30 days.

As on the iOS app, once you've hit play on an offlined program, you'll have seven days to watch it.

Device types

You'll need a specific Android device running either Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean to be able to use the updated apps - the BBC reckons that's 70% of its Android app users covered - but some older devices will also get the offline feature in the coming months. You can see the full list of compatible devices below.

The Amazon Kindle Fire 7 and Kindle Fire HD 7 are not yet compatible with the new offline feature: the BBC hasn't said why but is "currently working with AMazon to resolve this".

iplayer

It's been exactly a year and a day since the iOS iPlayer app got the ability to offline Eastenders to iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches.

"We appreciate the frustration the Android community has been experiencing in the time it has taken to deliver this desired feature," senior product manager David Berlin said.

As a special added extra, you can download programs while doing other things on your handset - a multitasking easter egg that isn't availble on iOS.

Devices that support the download feature from launch:

  • Amazon Kindle 8.9
  • Google Nexus 7 1
  • Google Nexus 7 2
  • Google Nexus 4
  • Google Nexus 10
  • HTC One
  • Samsung Galaxy S2
  • Samsung Galaxy S3
  • Samsung Galaxy S4
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch
  • Sony Xperia Z

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iplayer-tv-downloads-hit-android-app-at-last-1178342

Xiaomi unleashes the Mi-3, you pick Tegra 4 or Snapdragon 800

Xiaomi has revealed its MiPhone 3 (or just Mi-3) at a product event in Beijing today, just as previously expected.

As recent rumors suggested, the device is powered by either a Tegra 4 with four Cortex-A15 cores (for China Mobile) or a Snapdragon 800 with four Krait 400 cores at 2.2 GHz each (for China Unicom).

The Xiaomi Mi-3 will cost RMB1999 ($327) for the 16 gig model and RMB2499 ($408) for the 64 GB. The device will go on sale in China in October, after which it will start selling across Hong Kong and Taiwan. No word about the rest of the world, though.


The Xiaomi Mi-3

The device is very slender at 114 x 72 x 8.1 mm and weighs only 145 g, has a 5" 1080p IPS dislay, Android 4.2.1 skinned with MIUI v5 and covers imaging needs with 13 MP and 2 MP cameras.

We've seen previously seen a pre-release Mi-3 with a Snapdragon 800 do really well on AnTuTu.

Here's the promo video of the Mi-3.

In case you have missed it, Xiaomi is the Chinese manufacturer that poached Google's VP for Android, Hugo Barra. He has already taken up his duties as a VP of Xiaomi Global this week and attended today's launch event. Here's a picture of him all happy in China.



Source


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_unleashes_tegra_4_and_snapdragon_800packing_mi3-news-6731.php

Android in Aug 2013: Donut and Eclair no longer in the charts

Google has stopped delivering distribution information on Android versions 1.6 Donut and 2.1 Eclair as the two don't support the Google Play store app. Since developers mostly care about the phones that do support that, Google will no longer be posting those allegedly irrelevant numbers. Last month the two Android iterations accounted for a mere 1.3% of the entire platform customer base so it's not a big loss anyway.



Also Google now shows devices that have pinged the Play store in the last 7 days as opposed to 14 like before.

Anyway, Jelly Bean keeps rising (all three sub-versions of it) and now accounts for almost half of the Android distribution (45.1%), while the other most popular versions Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich are steadily losing ground. Gingerbread has 30.7% (down from 33.1% last month), while ICS has 21.7% (down from 22.5% last month).

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/android_in_aug_2013_donut_and_eclair_no_longer_in_the_charts-news-6729.php