Friday, December 6, 2013

LG G Flex 2 could reportedly be truly bendable phone to 90 degrees

LG G Flex 2 could reportedly be truly bendable phone to 90 degrees
This at 90 degrees

LG may be determined enough to deliver a truly bendable smartphone before Samsung that it's reportedly contorting its next-generation LG G Flex to be flexible up to 90 degrees.

The right-angle LG Flex 2 is said to be "bendable with force," according to ZDNet Korea, making it sound as if it'll fall in between today's curved phone and foldable technology of the future.

Curved phones on the international market right now include the LG G Flex and the Samsung Galaxy Round. Neither have made it out of Asia just yet.

The usefulness of these large, bendable phablets isn't readily apparent, but both LG and Samsung have been known to throw prototype-like devices out there on the open market.

Hitting Samsung below the fold in 2014

Samsung has long experimented with flexible displays, but the next-generation LG G Flex may make the first fold. The unconfirmed LG G Flex 2 is reportedly being planned by the South Korean manufacturer for next year.

There are other components the two companies are racing to contort including batteries.

LG Chem, for example, invented a battery in the form of a cable that won't heat up - even when it's tied into a knot. There are no rumors attached to this report that indicate a flexible battery like this, however.

So far, the LG G Flex and Samsung Galaxy Round aren't available worldwide. Even if LG and Samsung do decide to pursue bendable technology, we may never see it released outside of their home territory.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/lg-g-flex-2-could-reportedly-be-truly-bendable-phone-to-90-degrees-1205621

Huawei will announce the eight-core Honor 4 just in time for the holidays

Huawei will announce the eight-core Honor 4 just in time for the holidays
The invitation to the Huawei Honor 4 announcement (credit: Weibo)

Rumors about a Huawei phone with an eight-core chip have been dropping down our chimney for some time, and now it looks like that device will be unveiled this month.

The Chinese phone maker has sent out invitations to a December 16 event, and one of the invites was allegedly posted on the social site Weibo.

Though the invite is plastered with Chinese characters, the English word "honor" is clear.

The Huawei Honor 4 is rumored to use Mediatek's brand new MT6592 chip, which Mediatek calls the "world's first true octa-core mobile platform."

Eight heads are better than four

Huawei honor 4 announcementThe 1.7GHz processor's eight cores works simultaneously to handle multiple tasks, making it the first "true" eight-core SoC according to the chip maker.

In addition the Honor 4 is rumored to have 2GB of memory, 32GB of storage, 13- and 5-megapixel cameras, and Android 4.2.2: Jelly Bean.

Meanwhile the screen is said to measure 5.5 inches with a resolution of 720 x 1280.

The Honor 4/Glory 4 leaked in photos toward the end of last month, but there's been nary an official peep.

Luckily it seems that's about to end just in time for Santa to pick up a batch before he makes his rounds at the end of the month.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/huawei-will-announce-the-eight-core-honor-4-just-in-time-for-the-holidays-1205580

Hands on: LG G Flex review

Hands on: LG G Flex review

Real phones have curves. Or something like that. And with the LG G Flex, there is certainly no shortage of curves: around the edges, its packaging and especially the entire phone itself. If you're looking for something different, something that stands out against the rest, look no further.

Thanks to flexible display technology, we'll soon be seeing more curved devices and wearable gadgets and gizmos. In some cases, it makes perfect sense - like wristwatches or any other wearable that wraps around you or parts of your body.

LG G Flex Review

On the other hand, we have to start questioning its use in devices that have always been flat, like smartphones and TVs. What benefit, if any, does a curved display have in these cases?

Our instincts tell us there really isn't much of an upside. We've become so used to living in a flat-screen world that introducing curved displays would garner Christopher Columbus-like reactions. Curved?! Nonsense! Except that was a myth.

First, let's make one thing clear about the LG G Flex: it is a phablet more than just a smartphone, with a display six inches on the diagonal. It's huge, like the Nokia Lumia 1520, but its gentle curve makes it somewhat easier to hold.

However, with its size come some benefits, like better viewing for videos and photos. A bigger phone also means, presumably, a bigger battery, so you'll get through your day with a more peace of mind.

In fact, LG claims that the G Flex will get two to three days of mixed use, but more on that later.

So, is there a reason for you to buy a large, curved smartphone? Let's find out.

Hardware

(Note: We are using a Korean version of this smartphone loaned to us by LG because the device is not yet available worldwide, and LG was unable to disclose whether it will hit U.S. or European markets.)

The LG G Flex is large, there's no doubt about that. It's a six-inch display with a 700mm radius of curvature from top to bottom, which LG says is just the right amount of curvature for viewing, holding, manufacture and so forth.

LG G Flex Review

The display is 720p, which isn't the sharpest on the market by any means, but LG says it's because it was the only way to get the RGB stripe on the curved display without resorting to PenTile for higher resolution.

At any rate, the display looks nice enough, but for a device this large, you can definitely tell that it isn't as sharp as the Nexus 5 or HTC One. It also has a strange, matte quality to it: it looks like it has some kind of grain or noise like you'd find on a photo shot with film or high ISO digital. Except it looks a lot more like color noise than luminance noise. In some cases, it's quite pleasing and somewhat cinematic, but other times you wish the images and video were cleaner and sharper.

LG G Flex Review

It seems like that noise may also be a quality of the coating of the display, just underneath the glass. Either way, it's very noticeable.

Above the display is the earpiece and front-facing camera along with ambient light sensors, and at the bottom edge of the phone is the microphone, charging port and 3.5mm headset jack. The top edge has another small microphone, presumably for helping in noise reduction.

On the back is a 13MP camera with flash, and the volume rocker and power button, placed just like it is on the LG G2. We're not too fond of this particular design, but we've learned to live with it.

At the bottom of the backside is the speaker, which works nicely with this phone's design. When the phone is resting on its back, the speaker is slightly elevated thanks to the device's curvature. This makes speakerphone calls and music much louder when the phone is on its back.

At the very base of the phone, there is also an antenna that you can pull out for watching TV, though we were unable to test this feature in the U.S.

Inside, there is a 2.26 GHz Snapdragon 800, like the Nexus 5, with 2GB RAM and 32GB on-board storage. There is no memory card slot on the device.

LG G Flex Review

LG added a 3,500 mAh battery for the G Flex, which is higher in capacity than the LG G2's stellar 3,200 mAh unit. We've had limited testing with the G Flex's battery life so far, but we expect it to outperform the LG G2 by a good margin.

The backside itself has what LG calls a self-healing coating. When you feel it, it feels like the thick, transparent plastic you'd find in some packaging materials. LG tells us that its molecular structure allows it to recover from scratches from springing back. But common sense makes it feel like it's just springing back from a dent, rather than a true scratch.

LG G Flex Review

We scratched the back lightly with the corner of a USB jack, and in 24 hours it has yet to recover. The scratches are superficial and light, rather than the deep scratches you'd expect to be permanent.

Design

The most noticeable feature of the LG G2 is its curved design, and that's really the whole schtick for this smartphone, too.

Without that soft curve, this would likely be just another phablet on the market from LG. The curve happens from top to bottom, unlike the Samsung Galaxy Round prototype, which curves from left to right.

LG G Flex Review

As far as we know, the phone only comes in a dark gray or silver color, but that could change in the future.

Otherwise, you can picture the G Flex as an oversized G2 with a curve and you wouldn't be far off.

The back buttons are also going to be a trend from LG moving forward, as we were told during our meeting that it has to stick with something to distinguish it from the rest of the smartphone makers out there.

LG G Flex Review

Long pressing the volume down button activates the camera, just like it does on the G2. The power button glows as a notification light if your phone is facing downward on a table so you know when you have missed messages or notifications.

Beside the camera, opposite the flash, is an IR blaster, though we find very limited use for those when we do review new smartphones. However, if you like controlling your TV or music player from afar and it supports it, having the IR blaster is convenient.


One last word on the not-so-self-healing coating: it tends to attract dust and dirt, and it sticks to it as if it's statically charged. You can wipe all you like, but it seems difficult to get the stuff off, especially if it's been in your pocket or bag for a while. It'll eventually all come off if you wipe it well enough, but will attract dust and dirt once again as soon as you put it away.

Early Verdict

So far, there isn't much to dislike about the LG G Flex. While we dive much deeper into this device, as we've only had two days with it so far, we'll be able to test LG's claims about its two to three day battery life and more.

LG G Flex Review

Although we have our gripes about the display, it's perfectly fine for everyday use. That bit of noise or grain or artifacts from the display tend to melt and disappear the longer we look at the phone - not because it goes away, but we just stop noticing.

The real question is its curved design and why LG did it. We're told that it helps viewing at certain distances, but we found that it doesn't seem to matter whether you're holding a flat or curved device at one or two feet away.

While it doesn't seem to offer any clearly immediate advantages, the curved design doesn't hurt the phone, either. It's not awkward to hold - or at least any more awkward than holding any phone this massive size - and it's very light, too, thanks to its plastic design.

We get the feeling that after a solid week of use, we aren't going to mind this phone at all. The real question is if we're going to fall in love with it. You're going to want to check back to find out!


Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lg-g-flex-1205508/review

Is the iPhone 5S Touch ID sensor losing accuracy over time?

Is the iPhone 5S Touch ID sensor losing accuracy over time?
Does not compute

Fingerprint scanning may be set to go big on phones in 2014, but there might be a few kinks to iron out before then.

Apple's iPhone 5S introduced Touch ID, letting owners unlock their phone and make app purchases using their fingers. However, isome users are reporting that the accuracy of the fingerprint scanner dwindles over time.

Touch ID requires you to scan your finger or thumb at various angles so it can store a nice and comprehensive scan to memory.

But tech blogger Dr Drang, "a consulting engineer well known amongst nerds on the Internet", wrote in a post about how he has experienced the accuracy of the fingerprint scanner "decay with time".

This has now led to a number of other people coming out of the woodwork to say the same. BGR updated to say that a number of people had responded to the story "indicating that they are experiencing Touch ID accuracy degradation as described".

John Gruber of Daring Fireball also backed this up, stating "Drang is not alone — I've had a handful of readers ask me about this recently".

Touchy subject

We found that several forum users have also had issues. "Works perfectly for a week after registering a new finger, deteriorates slightly in week 2 and by week 3 it takes 3-4 tries before it logs in. So I re-register the finger(s) and the cycle restarts," said user Minimo over on the imore forum.

Meanwhile user nr2d wrote in a separate thread: "It seems that I have to reprogram my Touch ID prints about every 2 - 3 days. It'll work for about 1 - 2 days then I have to re-program 1 or both finger prints. Anyone else having problems?"

However, plenty of other forum users responded to say that they've had no problems at all, so right now the problem doesn't appear to be massively widespread - or indeed a problem at all, as plenty of users are citing naivety in the way people are interacting with the biometrics, with factors like sweat, dry weather and misplaced digits all having an effect.

Still, it will be interesting to see if this issue is reported more and more as time goes on - the iPhone 5S has only been available for just over two months, after all. Right now it could just be a case of people getting used to the new technology - or just having dirty fingers.

Have you been experiencing problems with Touch ID accuracy? Let us know.

Via BGR


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-the-iphone-5s-touch-id-sensor-losing-accuracy-over-time--1205472

Oppo Find 7 to bring Snapdragon 805 chipset

We've already heard that Oppo was working on the Find 7, and that the device is going to have some top-shelf specs. It turns out though that the upcoming handset's hardware might be even more impressive than previously estimated.



Under the hood the Find 7 is rumored to sport 3 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 805 chipset. For context, most of the current top Android flagships boast 2 GB of RAM and Snapdragon 800.

Also the Find 7's processor has been purportedly bumped up from the Snapdragon 800 to the 2.5ghz, 805 processor. It's worth noting that the 805 will most probably come packed with a 4G LTE radio, meaning that the Find 7 could very well be the company's first phone with LTE support. If these internal specs turn out to be true, the Find 7 will certainly be at the top of the smartphone food chain.

Mobile movie watchers will love this extra bit of news: the Find 7's screen is also rumored to have grown: from 5.0" to 5.7" , with a 2560x1440 pixel resolution.

Stay tuned for more news on what is shaping to be one of the most exciting Android phones to date.

Source| Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_7_rumors_updated_screen_processor_radio-news-7324.php

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 pictured by TENAA in China

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 has recently leaked revealing design and pretty detailed specifications. We already know the phablet will run on HiSilicon's latest Kirin910 chipset with a 1.6GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-450 GPU and 2GB of RAM.

Naturally the Ascend Mate 2 will launch in China first. There it will be available in two models - MT2-C00 version (CDMA and GSM) for China Telecom and MT2-U071 (WCDMA and GSM) for China Unicom.


Huawei Ascend Mate 2

There is some controversy on the specs though. According to previous leaks via benchmark scores and even some live pictures, the Ascend Mate 2 is supposed to pack a 6.1" 1080p IPS display. The Chinese TENAA certification authority has it listed with a 720p display. We hope they are wrong, otherwise the Mate 2 will bring almost nothing new over its Mate predecessor.

The Ascend Mate 2 is not the only Huawei smartphone to leak today. A leaked invitation shows Huawei will unveil its first true octa-core smartphone - Honor 4 - on December 16. Just like the Mate 2, the Honor 4 is a phablet, only it has a 5.5" 720 display. It will supposedly run on MT6592 chipset with eight Cortex-A7 cores and Mali-450 graphics.


The Honor 4 leaked invitation

We guess both devices will go official before the end of December and the rumored Ascend P6S might join them too.

Source 1 | Source 2


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_mate_2_gets_certified_in_china-news-7323.php

4G - Superfast or superfail?

4G - Superfast or superfail?
Is 4G really worth it?

Christmas is coming. The marketing campaigns are well underway. And you know what the buzz word is this year! 4G. It's here. At last. Sort of. Mostly. A bit. Depending on where you live. Etc etc.

The service that transfers data faster than the speed of light took longer to arrive than a parcel from Slovakia. But dig in, fill your boots, whack that data cap. It's time to play.

If you can be bothered, that is. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for evolution. Where'd we be without it? Actually, I know a few missing links so could answer that easily enough. But sometimes, the marketing machine just sucks you in so much, you kinda lose perspective. And that's definitely happening with 4G.

First of all, why did it take so damn long? The US has had it for years. The land of StarTacs got LTE before us. Now, that's embarrassing. We've been brandishing our HSDPA+ handsets around screaming: "Yes, but it's 3.5G - it's just as good".

And you know what, it probably is. I say this as someone who has had 4G for a year now. I just don't get the fuss.

EE gave it to us first. I had to sell my grandmother, the dog and a portion of my soul to be able to afford a 3GB per month deal. But for months, I was able to show off the service.

Although the cool factor was watered down a little in having to explain to people why the phone said LTE rather than '4G' (it's Long Term Evolution, people). Thanks for that, iPhone. Thanks for stealing my moment as I then launch an explanation and my cool juice seeps down the nearest grid.

I was transfixed. Streaming movies on the bus. Wow. Watching the world cup final in the IKEA carpark! Amazing. Only, it never actually turned out that way.

While I found EE's coverage to be quite good, the constant 3G/4G switch as you move around never makes it as seamless as Kevin Bacon makes out. That bus he is sitting on must just be driving round a telephone mast in a big circle.

And now the others are catching up - O2 and Vodafone have bagged their places at the party pre-Christmas. As of this week, Three has tentatively knocked at the door but isn't coming in for a full glass of mulled wine just yet. He's the driver at this do.

And aside from the latter, rates aren't great. This is not aggressive pricing - it's just unpleasant. For you, for me, the consumers. Thanks guys.

Yeah, I get that the networks need to make money back from their hideously overpriced spectrum costs. Yes, they can't beast us for roaming anymore, so they have to find another way of holding us up by the danglies and shaking cash from our pockets. But for a service that isn't all there yet? Really? Is that the best way?

For those who want to replace their home broadband, don't get me wrong. 4G is great. But for those who want to use it on the move, it's not there yet. The only way to get a service that is 100% reliable is to stand still, which kinda negates the point. If you're using it to stream loads, you're gonna be paying loads. And moving little.

Long Term Evolution? The clue's in the name. As for the short term, all I can say is a seasonal 'Bah. Humbug.'

In fact, it's come to the point where 3G-only deals are quite good. And for those checking Facebook, streaming a bit of Spotify and are on Wi-Fi most of the time, they're probably much better off with an older connection for the money they'll pay.

Although, I'll be waiting a long time for Kevin Bacon to tell me that.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/4g-superfast-or-superfail--1205420

ASUS December 11 event will make the Padfone mini official

ASUS is preparing to officially launch the Padfone mini at a dedicated event in Taiwan on December 11. While the PadFone Infinity boasts a 10.1" tablet and a 5.0" smartphone, the Padfone mini is rumored to consist of a more compact 4.3" smartphone that slides into a 7" slate.

The resolution of the displays won't be as high as one could hope - the 4.3" display of the smartphone will feature have 960 x 540 pixels, with the tablet's 7" screen rocking 720p resolution. Further rumored specifications include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset and possibly 1GB of RAM.

As far as other specs go, no information is currently available. The Padfone family members have always boasted great displays and battery life. However, with specifications like this, we're inclined to believe ASUS is seeking a lower price point, hoping to entice a wider number of customers.

It seems ASUS is pleased with the sales performance of its unique Padfone line-up and is eager to develop it further. We'll find out if the Padfone mini will be able to stand on its own thanks to some unique features or if it'll get lost in the shadow of its bigger brother.

Source | Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_december_11_event_will_make_the_padfone_mini_official-news-7322.php

Apple plans to bring Siri into our homes with always-listening smart dock

Apple plans to bring Siri into our homes with always-listening smart dock
'What is your bidding, my master?'

Siri could be moving into our homes full time, as Apple has plans for an always-listening smart dock.

The dock, patented by Apple, is referred to as a device that is always listening to its surroundings so it can activate "a voice recognition mode of a portable electronic device."

One of the headline features of the Moto X is that the phone is always listening, meaning you don't have to wake it up.

It sounds like Apple's idea will work in a similar way, albeit through the smart dock and not the iPhone or iPad itself.

Siri: activate

According to the patent, the user will be able to assign a specific phrase or noise (such as a clap) to get the dock's attention when it's in listening mode.

It'll then notify the device and activate Siri so you can have it do your bidding. The dock can also handily filter out ambient noise while still picking up your voice.

This could be another patent filing that never sees the light of day, but it's yet more evidence that Apple has its sights sets on our living rooms. Hurry up with that iTV though, yeah?


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-plans-to-bring-siri-into-our-homes-with-always-listening-smart-dock-1205365

comScore: Android, iOS and WP shares in the US rise

The latest comScore report on the smartphone market in the USA is out. It reveals minor increases of the Android, iOS and Windows Phone shares among the US subscribers, while BlackBerry's share keeps sliding down.

As of October 52.2% of the US subscribers are using Android OS - that's 0.4 points more than July and makes the Google platform the biggest gainer. Apple's iOS and Microsoft's Windows Phone have also gained popularity - both platform subscribers have increased by 0.2 points since July up to 40.6% (Android) and 3.2% (WP). The troubled BlackBerry took a huge hit though - its total share shrank by 0.7 points down to just 3.6%.



Surprisingly, the launch of the new iPhones didn't help Apple improve its use base in the US in a meaningful way. The Cupertino company is still responsible for 40.6% of all smartphones used in the country, but the modest gain over July suggests those who bought the iPhone 5s and 5c are mostly upgraders rather than new iOS users.



Samsung's latest flagship - the Galaxy Note 3 seems to have done a better job, the Korean manufacturer total shipments share rose by 1.3 points up to 25.4%.

Finally, Motorola's shipments also rose a hair, while HTC's and LG's lost some ground. It seems Moto X is helping the Google-owned Motorola regain some share.

Unsurprisingly, the company in biggest trouble is BlackBerry. It is losing subscribers fast and its shipments have become really insignificant in what used to be one of its strongest markets. Let's hope the company find a way to turn its fortunes around quickly or it risks disappearing from the map altogether.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/android_ios_and_wp_shares_in_the_usa_rise_blackberrys_falls-news-7321.php

Razer Kazuyo iPhone gamepad leaks out, not giving us any stick

Razer Kazuyo iPhone gamepad leaks out, not giving us any stick
Kazuyo - courtesy of EVLeaks

iPhone gamepads are becoming a very big deal indeed since iOS 7 brought in a gaming API, and gaming giants Razer could be the next manufacturer to jump onto the bandwagon.

With the likes of GTA: San Andreas for iOS set to support game controller add-ons, the pad peripherals are going to proliferate in the coming months, and a leaked Razer 'Kazuyo' add-on has appeared on the @evleaks Twitter feed.

Having come away from some time with the MOGA Ace Power for iPhone feeling a little non-plussed, we're keen to see some other options - although the lack of joysticks on the Kazuyo is not exactly thrilling us either.

More blips!

You can use your swanky D-Pad to navigate to more of these blips.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/razer-kazuyo-iphone-gamepad-leaks-out-not-giving-us-any-stick-1205349

Check out the Gold HTC One you can actually buy

Check out the Gold HTC One you can actually buy
You are GOLD (gold)

Opinion is split in the TechRadar office when it comes to gold phones, some of us reckon they look stunning, while others are less than impressed at the shameless attempt by manufacturers to bling up their mobiles.

Fact of the matter is gold phones are in, with the likes of the iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy S4 getting in on the act, while HTC has launched not one, but two gold variants of its excellent HTC One flagship.

While the solid 18ct gold HTC One cost £2,750 (around $4,400, AU$4,700) and was limited to a run of just five, this gold coloured (not actual gold) variant can be yours at the standard cost of the handset.

The folks over at Phones4U have sent one over to us, and here's what it looks like.

HTC One Gold

The gold finish on the front and rear of the handset is broken up by a black band which runs round the edge of the HTC One, engulfing the volume rocker and power/lock key in its darkness.

The etched Beats Audio logo on the rear of the handset is a nice touch and we greatly enjoyed running our fingers across it.

HTC One Gold

Gold phones run the risk of looking tacky, but we reckon HTC has done a good job on this One and it certainly lands on the side of tasteful rather than tasteless.

On screen its the same Sense covered Android experience you get on the stock HTC One, although a special gold theme would have been a nice option to have.

Unfortunately for those of you in the US and Australia, there's still no plans to release this version outside of Europe.

HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold
HTC One Gold

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/check-out-the-gold-htc-one-you-can-actually-buy-1205314