Mophie Space Pack gives your iPhone more juice, memory

More juice and memory storage? Where do we sign up?!

The mophie space pack is coming, and it's the sort of product that had us thinking, "This is so obvious - why didn't anyone do this sooner?" We've all known mophie for its excellent battery packs and battery cases, but with the space pack, we're getting more storage space, too.

If your 16/32/64GB iPhone isn't cutting it for you, you can add an additional 16GB or 32GB, plus 1,700mAh of juice to your iPhone 5 or 5S. And the big news for mophie is that it just got the Made for iPhone certification from Apple, too, hence the big CES 2014 announcement.

The mophie space pack is almost exactly like the mophie juice pack air, except it's 3mm longer and it features the new "Space" hardware inside that works in conjunction with mophie's Space iOS app.

You'll feel right at home with the Space app since it's designed to look and function like a native iOS 7 app. From there, you can access your files, photos, videos and anything else you store within the mophie space pack.

You can also see your usage and available space via a pie chart or a line graph that looks like the iTunes usage graph. It's really great and there is virtually no learning curve in using this thing if you're already familiar with iOS 7 and iTunes.

One neat feature is the way file management is handled: you can transfer files between the iPhone and space pack, send files via e-mail, messaging, AirDrop, Dropbox and more from space pack, and you can arrange/delete/transfer files on the space pack via your computer.

Mophie gave us a quick demo of the Space app, and we were impressed with just how easy it is to use. We're definitely looking forward to reviewing the mophie space pack next month. We were reminded again why we gave the mophie space pack a Best of CES 2014 award.

As far as the hardware goes, it will be familiar to any mophie user with the addition of a new feature for that silver button in the back. The button will allow you to use Space when you open up the app, and the reason for the button is so that it conserves memory and battery life when you're not using Space. You just press the button again to activate it when you're in the app.

We can't stress enough just how useful the mophie space pack is, and why no one has thought to do this before. The downside is that it supports only the iPhone 5/5S right now, so if you're a mophie user with a Galaxy device, you might have to wait a bit longer.

The mophie space pack will become available March 14 in 1,700 mAh 16GB and 32GB variants for $149.95 and $179.95, respectively, but you can pre-order them now from mophie.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/mophie-space-pack-gives-your-iphone-more-juice-memory-1214050

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Nokia Lumia Black update is now seeding worldwide

Nokia’s long-awaited Lumia Black update is now seeding to devices worldwide. The first Nokia smartphones to get the treatment are the Lumia 1020 and Lumia 925. More Nokia Lumia models will receive the update in the coming weeks.

The Nokia Lumia Black update brings a host of new features to the Finnish company’s Windows Phone range. They include the ability to organize apps into folders, improved Glance screen, Bluetooth 4.0 support, and Nokia Beamer. The latter is available to devices with at least 1GB of RAM. It allows users to share documents and any type of multimedia content to any HTML5 capable display by scanning a QR code.

Naturally, the already stellar imaging capabilities of the Nokia Lumia range have been further enhanced by the latest update. Previously available only for PureView devices, Nokia Camera has been brought to the rest of the Lumia range. Nokia Storyteller will also be preloaded.

Even more importantly, Nokia Lumia Black update brings improved imaging algorithms. They are said drastically improve the image quality, particularly on the Nokia Lumia 1020.

You can check out an official Nokia video of the Lumia Black update below.

If you are a Nokia Lumia 1020 or Lumia 925 user, you can find out how to update your device over here.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_black_update_is_now_seeding_worldwide-news-7529.php

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Hands on: Samsung GamePad review

Remember the Samsung GamePad? The thing that was announced all the way back in March 2013 but never materialised? Well, it's back, it's changed colour and we've run our fingers all over the new version.

There are many stark differences with this new polished unit from Samsung - namely, the millions (well, three) joystick / d-pads that adorn the front.

Two analogue sticks promise easy use for first person shooters, and the d-pad gives reassurance that you'll be able to pull off those more complex special moves in fighting games.

Samsung has gone all out with the new GamePad, with trigger buttons, a selection of input keys, a 'play' button to instantly get to the mobile gaming section and a generally better-packaged offering.

• How the smartphone is about to beat the console at its own game

The extendable support for the phone is impressive too, with holding the phone in strongly and not giving that heart-stopping wiggle that makes you anxious to rigidly play games over a pile of pillows.

It also allows you to connect to a TV, either through MHL or screen mirroring, theoretically making your powerful little phone into a console to rival the likes of the GameStick.

However, this is the point where things come unstuck - it quickly became apparent during testing that using any Android 4.3-enabled device with this controller isn't going to be a pleasant experience.

Any game (I favoured Sonic the Hedgehog 4 because I really impressed the Samsung engineer with my skills last year - real highlight) shows a huge degree of lag; not only that, but it appears the amount of latency between controller and screen will change, so you can't even feel any consistency.

This was present in the first iteration of the device, and it's maddening that Samsung hasn't fixed it still, especially when dedicated cheap Android consoles have managed the trick.

However, it's a better experience when you use the GamePad to play games on the move, with the latency not an issue when connected by Bluetooth.

Games run fluidly on the top-end hardware Samsung is cranking out, and the ability to use other phones in the dock is welcome - it's important that devices like this have a wide appeal.

The quality of the controller was unimpressive though. The main joystick on the left-hand side of the device was 'crunchy' and made it hard to smoothly transition through worlds - I quickly found myself looking to use the d-pad, which is fine for the older titles, but today's FPS titles need fluidity.

When you consider that the GamePad is a hair-raising £80 (around $130) then such things shouldn't be seen. I tried another model and it was slightly better, but the issue was still there, meaning it would be hard to recommend this to a hardcore mobile gamer.

When you consider equivalent controllers like the Moga Pro are half the cost with similar functionality (albeit without NFC for easy pairing) you'll see why Samsung may have a hard sell with this device.

Early verdict

The suite of dedicated titles for the GamePad is a little low and is unlikely to change in the near future to a drastic degree - mobile gaming still needs a lot of work for it to be a viable tool for developers to connect to.

The GamePad is a well-put together piece of technology, but suffers from an inability to stream games well to a larger screen, poor joystick quality and a high price.

It's a cool idea still, and 2014 is clearly going to be the year when we see some real power come along in the mobile gaming controller space - but the GamePad isn't going to be that device.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phone-accessories/samsung-gamepad-1214012/review

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Samsung to launch Galaxy S5 with iris scanner by April

A VP at Samsung has confirmed the company will be launching its latest smartphones flagship, the Galaxy S5, by April. The executive vice president of mobile business at Samsung - Lee Young Hee - has shed some light on company's future plans about the Galaxy S5 flagship.

Just like its Galaxy S4 predecessor, Samsung is once again targeting March for the official announcement and April for the release date for the Galaxy S5. This means the manufacturer won't be bringing any flagship phones on the upcoming MWC in Barcelona next month.

Since the Galaxy S5 is going against Apple's latest iPhone 5s and in the meantime it should be prepared for the upcoming iPhone 6, Samsung is considering a fingerprint sensor and an iris scanner options. Thus it will not only catchup with the competition but will go way ahead of it. According to Mrs. Hee, the company is exploring its options, so this is no guarantee the iris recognition technology will make it to the Galaxy S5 in time for release.

A brand new design is going to be one of the Galaxy S5 key features. Samsung has acknowledged the users weren't impress at all with the Galaxy S4 reused design and that's why the company has gone "back to the basics" and created its new flagship from scratch. Here is what Lee Young Hee is saying about the new design:

"When we moved to S4 from S3, it’s partly true that consumers couldn’t really feel much difference between the two products from the physical perspective, so the market reaction wasn't as big. For the S5, we will go back to the basics. Mostly, it's about the display and the feel of the cover."

Meanwhile gossip also has it that Samsung is working on a three-sided display for the Galaxy Note 3 successor. The innovative screen will let you see various notifications on the sides of your phone. Samsung has already demonstrated similar technology before, so it won't be a surprise if we actually see it implemented in the next flagship phablet. All this new technology also has a downside however and in this case it is the higher cost. Mrs. Hee confirms: "We are targeting consumers who want more professional use and tend to be willing to pay more for handsets".

Finally, Mrs. Hee unveiled Samsung is working on a second generation wearable device to replace the Galaxy Gear. It will add more functionality (especially health-related) and reduce the bulkiness. It will premiere with the Galaxy S5.

So, with most of these coming straight from Samsung, it's almost certain to come out true. So if you ever worried that Samsung's well of innovation is starting to dry up, you don't have to anymore.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_launch_galaxy_s5_with_iris_scanner_by_april-news-7528.php

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Nokia Lumia Black update brings App Folders and Refocus camera tool

Lumia WP8 handsets back in Black with update

Nokia has revealed a significant software update for its range of Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices bringing a host of new features into play for owners of handsets like the Lumia 1020.

The Lumia Black update allows users to group like-minded apps into folders within a single Live Tile on the homescreen, making it easier than ever to customise the Windows Phone Start screen.

Also along for the ride is Nokia's neat Refocus camera app (here, go play with it!) which, like the Lytro camera, allows users to take a picture and then choose the image's point of focus.

For keen photographers there's also the introduction of the new Nokia Camera interface for WP8 users. So far that software has only appeared on the company's PureView handsets. The Storyteller mode, which arranges photos by date and place, is also included.

Nice Beamer

The Lumia Black update, which is rolling out worldwide for Lumia 1020 and Lumia 925 today and "in the coming weeks" soon for other Nokia WP8 devices, also includes the Nokia Beamer screen mirroring tech.

Other new features include Nokia Glance, which gives users a quick indication of pending notifications, while 'Black' will also unlock Bluetooth LE connectivity for all applicable devices.

The update can be downloaded over the air and you can check if it's available yet by heading to Settings > Phone Update.

• 10 Apps to supercharge your Nokia Lumia 925

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-lumia-black-update-brings-app-folders-and-refocus-camera-tool-1213993

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Nokia Asha 503 review

Ratings in depth

The Nokia Asha 503 is the latest handset in a series of low-cost, feature-packed devices from the Microsoft-owned company.

The Asha 503 is a slightly upgraded version of the Asha 501, with an improved camera and better social integration as default.

Picking up the Nokia Asha 503 SIM-free will set you back about £100. However if you sign up to a pay-as-you-go deal, you should be able to get the 503 for under £80 - an absolute bargain.

The 503 comes equipped with a single rear facing 5MP camera accompanied by an LED flash, which is comparable to the Nokia Lumia 520 and the Motorola Moto G in terms of megapixels.

The downside is the tiny 3-inch screen on 503 feels minute when compared to the likes of the 4.7-inch display you get from the Nokia Lumia 625.

TIny but cheap

What the Asha 503 lacks in screen size is made up for with solid battery life and it offers most of the features you'd expect from a modern smartphone. Running on Nokia's Asha software platform 1.2, the 503 is smooth to operate without much lag. The operating system is very basic, but that does mean it's easy to use.

The Asha 503 runs on Nokia's Asha software platform, which has replaced the MeeGo software Nokia was developing before it was bought by Microsoft. The Asha OS is a stripped back version of MeeGo, but also an upgrade from the Symbian OS which had been used by other Nokia devices for years.

Within the Asha 503 a 4GB microSD card is included, but that can be upgraded to a maximum of 32GB for all your files and apps.

The phone comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and a 1200mAh battery which boasts an incredible 35 days of standby time. However, maximum talk time over 3G is a rather average 4.5 hours, and don't expect 4G or even GPS support here.

Measuring only 102.6 x 60.6 x 12.7mm, and weighs in at 110g, what the device lacks in height is certainly made up for in thickness, but it feels comfortable, sturdy and well built in the hand.

Any fragile parts or features have been eliminated from the 503's design, and like older handsets from Nokia - for example the Nokia 5110 - the 503 feels durable.

It is likely that this device could be dropped hundreds of times without breaking it due to its thick and durable plastic case. However, that's unlikely to happen because the 503 fits so snugly in one hand you'll rarely feel it slip.

Around the edge of the Asha 503 you will find the volume controls and the power button to the right, the headphone socket and charging/data port along the top and an opening for the microphone at the bottom. There is also touch operated button under the screen, which provides the back feature.

The colourful rear cover is removable, allowing for replacement or customisation. Nokia has provided the Asha 503 in a handful of colours, including yellow, black, green, red, and blue

Each case has a clear plastic layer that covers the rear, this is what noticeably makes the 503 instantly different from its 501 version. Presumably, this is for added protection, but the corners are quite sharp and the extra clear plastic makes the device unnecessarily bulky.

The protection also extends to the screen which is covered in Gorilla Glass to ensure extra durability.

The 503's screen is far from high definition with only 134 pixels per inch, which gives an obviously pixelated image when compared to any mid-to-high end device.

The viewing experience is less enjoyable as a result, but once you get used to the three-inch display, you start to realise that this weakness gives the Asha 503 strengths in other departments.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-asha-503-1210538/review

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HTC Desire 601 touches down in UK with 4G at an affordable price

Caught red handed

If you're looking for a 4G phone which doesn't cost the earth you may want to check out the HTC Desire 601 which has just touched down in the UK.

Rocking 4.5-inch qHD display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a 5MP rear camera it's hardly going to set the world alight - but it's the inclusion of 4G which is of real interest.

There are very few 4G enabled smartphones currently on the market which are reasonably priced, but you can now add the Desire 601 to that line up.

Full of HTC

You also get Android 4.2.2 on board, which has been covered in HTC's Sense 5.0 overlay, providing you with an excellent user interface including the firm's BlinkFeed offering as well as HTC Zoe with video highlights and BoomSound speakers.

Update: The Desire 601 can be picked up for £239.99 on PAYG, or for free on two year contracts starting at £17.00 per month.

O2 has an exclusive deal on the Desire 601, so if you're on any other network you'll either need to switch to the bubbly carrier or look at other handsets.

• Find out what we made of the handset in our hands on: HTC Desire 601 review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-desire-601-touches-down-in-uk-with-4g-at-an-affordable-price-1213865

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Samsung and Apple agree on out-of-court talks

According to Reuters, Oh-Hyun Kwon and Tim Cook, CEOs of Samsung and Apple, respectively, have agreed on having talks outside court in an effort to reach a settlement in their latest patent battle. The report states that legal teams from both companies are now preparing to have a "mediation session" on or before February 19.

A court filing from Wednesday informs that Tim Cook and Oh-Hyun Kwon will attend the meeting in person. It's not yet known which company has proposed the idea of settlement talks, but it seems this outcome is favored by both Samsung and Apple.

Apple vs. Samsung legal battle over smartphone patents has been going on for the last few years and has stretched across multiple countries and continents .

Reuters reports that Apple has paid its leading law firm close to $60 million for its battle against Samsung. We guess both companies are tired of having this go on any further and are going to reach a settlement soon enough.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_and_apple_agree_on_outofcourt_talks-news-7526.php

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BLU updates its Life series with new affordable 5-inchers

BLU Products, the Latin America-owned mobile phone manufacturer based in Miami, Florida, has updated its Life smartphone lineup. The new additions are several affordable smartphones and a tablet.

The new flagship Life One X features a quad-core CPU and a 1080p screen, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP shooter with 5MP front-facer (both capable of 1080p recording), and the usual array of connectivity features like GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM Radio. It'll run for $279 for the 16GB model, and $299 for the 32GB model.

The Life One M also comes with a 5-inch screen, but of 720 resolution, although it does have the same quad-core 1.5GHz processor. 12MP and 5MP shooters make up the photography, while the RAM has been reduced to 1GB and the internal storage to 4GB. It runs for $199.

The Life Play X takes the 720p display down to 4.7-inches, and the primary camera down to 8MP. It does retain the 1.5GHz processor, 5MP front-facer, and 1GB of RAM, but comes with 16GB of internal memory, which is probably why it retails for $20 more that the One M.

The Life Play S is the lowest ranked member of the new Life family, having the same 4.7-inch 720p screen but with a 1.3GHz MediaTek processor rather than a 1.5GHz. It's also the only member of the bunch to rely on a Mali-400 GPU rather than a PowerVR SGX544.

Finally, the BLU Life View Tab is an 8 inch 1024 x 768 tablet running on a quad-core 1.2GHz processor. It features dual 5MP shooters, 16GB of expandable memory, and 1GB of RAM. Powering it all is a 4,500 mAh battery. It's priced fairly cheap at $199, but that SVGA resolution stretched across an 8 inch screen can't be that great.

All of the new Life series products are set to come unlocked for the North American market, with expandable storage and Android 4.2 out of box. Good news is that BLU has promised an Android 4.4 KitKat before the end of Q2 2014.

Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/blu_updates_its_life_series_with_new_affordable_5inchers-news-7525.php

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Nokia Lumia 929 Icon shows up on Verizon's site

The Nokia Lumia Icon slipped out from under the covers a second time – leaking on Verizon's own site no less. By the looks of it, the Icon will be a 5" version of the Lumia 1520 phablet, which coupled with the carrier of choice means this is the Lumia 929.

The product page (now taken down) describes a premium Windows Phone 8 device with a 5" 1080p screen and powered by a Snapdragon 800 chipset. The camera is Nokia's new 20MP PureView shooter.

Basically, it's the 1520 in a more compact package, which means 2GB RAM and 32GB storage are what's to be expected, even though the specs page doesn't list those (the battery has been taken down to 2,420mAh though).

The page lists the price of the Nokia Lumia 929 (Icon) - $777. It's expensive, but considering the flagship specs and camera experience that's out of reach for other phones, Nokia can set its own price. Plus, that's $30 less than the 32GB iPhone 5s.

Nokia Lumia 929 (Icon) official images

Anyway, we're sure Verizon and Nokia intend to sell the Lumia 929 with subsidy even though the page says $777 with 2-year contract. Also, 777 could just as easily be a placeholder (the device name will have to be changed for one, so this isn't a finalized page).

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_929___icon_shows_up_on_verizons_site-news-7524.php

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Alleged Apple iPhone 6 frame leaks

It's still pretty early for believable leaks of the whole design (those start popping up closer to the announcement) but some parts are certainly already in testing so there might be something to this.

Straight off Chinese leakster CTech responsible for credible specs leaks and a video of a working iPhone 5c in the wild come two images of what appears to be a metal housing. According to the source the housing could belong to the upcoming iPhone 6.

Alleged iPhone 6 metal housing

The screen that could be mounted on the housing is quoted at 4.7" (supporting earlier claims) or even slightly larger - 5". The housing also points to a thinner frame, perhaps around 6 mm.

However the body seems wrong somehow. It looks wider and shorter than the iPhone 5s. But words aren't enough, just check out the image we concocted below. It seems that if this housing is true to life the next iPhone/s could finally reduce the huge bezels around the screen.

iPhone 5s over shell

As we said - it's still early days. This could turn out to be a deliberate fake. But China is the place we'd expect credible leaks to come from.

Source (in Chinese) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/is_this_the_metal_housing_of_the_iphone_6-news-7523.php

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Quatre-G: mobile signal to hit Channel Tunnel by summer

What a great time they are all having

When you're popping over to France this summer to stock up on du vin, du pain and des fromages, you'll be able to use your phone in the Channel Tunnel for the first time.

Only if you're on EE or Vodafone, though, as the rival networks will switch a 3G and 2G network on in March 2014, with EE adding 4G by summer 2014.

Strangely, the networks will only be available in the north tunnel which runs from the UK to France for now, with plans for the south tunnel to be connected at a later date.

En vacances

The Channel Tunnel runs 100m below sea level, so getting signal down there will be no mean feat for EE and Vodafone, both of which have committed to a 10-year agreement with Eurotunnel.

Stuck for ideas of what to do with your new found connectivity for the 35 minutes under the sea? EE has some suggestions: "The time underground can be spent online preparing for meetings, checking emails, planning travel routes, researching a holiday destination or watching streamed movies."

Other internet-based activities are available.

• Confused about 4G? Here's everything you need to know

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/quatre-g-mobile-signal-to-hit-channel-tunnel-by-summer-1213721

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