Monday, December 10, 2012

Research shows Android 4.2 malware scanner has paltry detection rate

Research shows Android 4.2 malware scanner has paltry detection rate
These aren't the Androids you're looking for

The Android app verification service that Google rolled out along with Android 4.2: Jelly Bean detects a minuscule amount of malware, at least according to one researcher.

With a low detection rate of 15.32 percent, North Carolina State University computer science professor Xuxian Jiang refers to the Android scanner as "still nascent."

"Overall, among these 1,260 samples, 193 of them can be detected," Jiang wrote in his research report. "There exists room for improvement."

Jiang noted that while the new verification service doesn't have a solid detection rate, it does include side-loaded apps like ones from the Amazon Appstore for the first time.

Third-party scanners still first-rate

Google's initiative to include a malware scanner inside Google Play did receive some praise from the researcher.

Jiang twice called it "an exciting security feature" and he went on to compliment Google for taking "measures to better protect Android users."

At the same time, though, his report raises the alarm on a false sense of complacency with the official Google virus scanner turned on by default.

"Because of the introduction of this service, people may start to wonder, 'Are third-party security apps still necessary with Android 4.2?'" wrote Jiang, quoting popular consensus.

The answer, for now, appears to be "yes."

Jiang performed a second set of tests including a comparison to 10 third-party anti-virus engines, including popular names like Avast, AVG, TrendMicro and Symantec.

"Overall, the detection rates of these representative anti-virus engines range from 51.02 percent to 100 percent while the detection rate of [Google's] new service is 20.41 percent."

A new hope

The outlook on Google's Android app verification tool is overall positive in the eyes of Jiang, despite the results of his research.

"By introducing this new app verification service in Android 4.2, Google has shown its commitment to continuously improve security on Android," he wrote in the report.

Jiang also pointed to Google's recent acquisition of VirusTotal as a sign of things to come.

"We noticed that VirusTotal (owned by Google) has not been integrated yet into this app verification service."

"From our measurement results, VirusTotal performs much better than this standalone service," he wrote. "We expect such integration in the future will be helpful."


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/research-shows-android-4-2-malware-scanner-has-paltry-detection-rate-1118294

Watch out Nokia, Huawei is opening an R&D center on your doorstep

Smartphone manufacturer Huawei has announced that it will open a new research and development in Finland.

Soon enough, Nokia won’t be the only major smartphone manufacturer based in Finland. On Monday Huawei announced plans to found a research and development center in Helsinki to focus on software development for its mobile devices. The manufacturer will spend $90 million on the new facility, according to its official website. This R&D center seeks to hone and perfect Huawei’s user experience on both Android and Windows Phone 8 devices.

“We believe the key to building our brand is to provide consumers with a reliable and differentiated user experience,” Kenneth Fredriksen, VP of Huawei Central, Easter and Nordic Europe said in a statement. “The open and innovative environment in Finland is an ideal place for Huawei to strengthen our global R&D capabilities for devices, creating opportunities for both Huawei and the Finnish telecommunications industry.”

Competitor Nokia is based only 20 kilometers away from Huawei’s upcoming location. This new research center will join Huawei’s technology design center in Sweden and its $2 billion location in the UK.

This move is a testament to Huawei’s effort in becoming a major global player in the smartphone industry. The announcement comes just as Nokia has cut its own staff and closed down locations around the globe. Huawei may plan to draft off of those newly unemployed, but knowledgeable workers. While Nokia continues to pursue Windows Phone 8 as its flagship smartphone, its Chinese competitor has an advantage due to increasing demand for Android-based handsets.

Although Huawei may not be a household name for tech enthusiasts in the United States, the company is undoubtedly continuing to grow. According to Bloomberg, the manufacturer surpassed Nokia earlier in 2012 to become the third-largest smartphone maker.

“They’re the guys that don’t get a lot of respect because they’re not big in the US,” Horace Dediu, founder of equity research firm Asymco said to Bloomberg back in July. “But they’re looking at big numbers.”

The company originally made it big when it sold pay-as-you-go phones through vendors such as MetroPCS and Cricket. Last November, Huawei landed a deal with AT&T that allowed the carrier to begin selling its Impulse handset for only $29. Before long, Huawei started working with T-Mobile as well, who asked the manufacturer to build two models for the carrier’s MyTouch brand in July.

Now that Huawei has the attention of two major U.S. carriers, the company has made it clear that it plans to further this growth through its upcoming research center.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/huawei-open-rd-center-finland/

Surprise! Samsung and Apple are leading holiday sales in tech

Samsung Apple branding iphone galaxy

A new report released by the IDC has indicated that Samsung and Apple are the two top competitors in the mobile space during this holiday season.

The holiday season is upon us, and shoppers are flocking to the stores to fulfill their tablet and smartphone gifting needs. To little surprise, a new the report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) has revealed that Samsung and Apple are spearheading sales this season. The Worldwide Connected Smart Device report said that combined shipments of tablets, smartphones, and PCs have grown by 27.1 percent year over year in Q3 2012. This growth, however, is heavily driven by Samsung and Apple’s dominant markets: smartphones and tablets.

Samsung maintained its top spot in the competition this quarter, claiming 21.8 percent of the market share based on shipments. Apple ranked second in overall shipments, but led the market in value by raking in a total of $34.1 billion in the third quarter of 2012. This puts the average selling price of Apple devices at $744, the IDC says.

In terms of market share, Apple comes in second to Samsung with 15.1 percent. Following the two top competitors are Lenovo with 7 percent, HP with 4.6 percent, and Sony with 3.6 percent.

“The battle between Samsung and Apple at the top of the smart connected device space is stronger than ever,” Ryan Reith, program manager for the Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers at IDC.

Reith continued to highlight the different market strategies that Samsung and Apple practice, and what it could mean for their products.

“Both vendors compete at the top of the tablet and smartphone markets,” he said according to the report. “However, the difference in their collective ASPs [average selling price] is a telling sign of different market approaches. The fact that Apple’s ASP is $310 higher than Samsung’s with just over 20 million fewer shipments in the quarter speaks volumes about the premium product line that Apple sells.”

While smartphone and tablet sales may be surging during the holiday season, the IDC expects this to continue and projects shipments to surpass 2.1 billion units by 2016.  This report refers to this as a “multi-device era,” but adding that smartphones will be the preferred product category.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-apple-holiday-sales/

Pace in talks to buy Motorola set-top box division from Google

Pace in talks to buy Motorola set-top box division from Google
Unlike its mobile business, Moto's home division makes a profit

British manufacturer Pace confirmed on Monday that it has opened discussions with Google over the potential purchase of Motorola's set-top box unit.

It was reported earlier today that the search giant is ready to offload the Motorola Home arm of the company, acquired alongside the mobile business in the multi-billion dollar buyout last year.

The apparent willingness to sell may be seen as a sign that Google is preparing to jettison its largely disastrous Google TV experiment, or simply rely on companies other than Moto to build the boxes.

However, one man's trash is another man's treasure and Pace is currently attempting to strengthen its presence in the States, where Motorola has a great relationship with cable companies.

No deal yet

Pace admitted that it has entered talks with Google over a potential $2 billion (UK£1.2, AUD$1.9) purchase, although claimed a deal is far from complete.

In a statement, the Yorkshire-based company said: "Discussions with Google are currently at a preliminary stage and there is no certainty as to whether any agreement regarding any transaction will be reached."

Following the news, trading on Pace shares has now been suspended. As the company is smaller than the profit-making Motorola Home unit, the buyout would be seen as a reverse takeover under UK law.

The Guardian is reporting that at least two other companies - Arris Group and Technicolor SA - are also preparing rival bids.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/television/pace-in-talks-to-buy-motorola-set-top-box-division-from-google-1118270

In the midst of its war with Twitter, Instagram reveals major update; UPDATE: Twitter adds filters to mobile app

new instagram update

Fallout? What fallout? While you can no longer view Instagram images within Twitter, the app continues to innovate with a slew of new camera features as well as a new filter.

Just as the battle lines being drawn between Twitter and Instagram grow thicker, the photo sharing platform has gone ahead and pushed a major update. “The camera has been the core part of the Instagram experience since the day we launched and as a result, we’ve made significant improvements to its look and speed,” the team has announced

Now, when you launch the camera feature within Instagram, you will see the brand’s stamp all over the interface. The app will also pull up the most recent photo from your phone’s gallery (which will get an even further upgrade if you’re using the iPhone 5). Instagram is also implementing a grid overlay for live shooting and a permanently-placed grid for scaling and cropping purposes. Overall, developers say “speed and reliability” are also improved.

willowAnd of course the most exciting part of any Instagram update is the addition of a new filter, and the team doesn’t disappoint. Now “Willow,” a black and white filter with purpose undertones and a faint border glow has been added.

Instagram says its tilt-shift feature has also been upgraded. “With this update the blur you see is now the blur you’ll get! We’ve also completely overhauled the blur algorithm to increase quality and accuracy.” Reproducing your desired depth of field effects should be easier and the results better.

new tilt shiftA few other updates worth mentioning include a News Feed redesign that shows off larger images, infinite scroll on user profiles, tighter Foursquare integration, and the ability to save your filtered photos to a designated Instagram roll (this is for iOS only).

The new features do a really job of unifying the Instagram experience. Beforehand, the camera mode didn’t share the same interface and branding – or intuitiveness, for that matter – with the rest of Instagram. There are some overall design changes that make the whole thing smoother feeling and looking, and my gut says this is because Instagram is this close to make a big Web push and it’s getting its ducks in row beforehand.

The update is available for Android and iOS now. 

[UPDATE]

Moments after sending this post live, word broke Twitter is talking about its own photo filters. “Starting today, you’ll be able to edit and refine your photos, right from Twitter,” its blog reads. “The latest versions of Twitter for iPhone and Twitter for Android introduce a few new ways to enhance the images you tweet. We’re grateful to our partner, Aviary, for powering our filters and effects.” The app will boast eight filters, allow zooming and cropping, as well as auto adjust. And of course, you will be able to view this content in its full glory on Twitter – which by now you all know isn’t possible for Instagram images. The ante just keeps upping between these two. 

twitter filters


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/new-instagram/

RIM quietly teases its upcoming BlackBerry 10 smartphone

With the official launch of BlackBerry 10 scheduled for January 30, 2013, RIM decided to cause some excitement by teasing one of its upcoming smartphones. The back of the company's yet to be announced product got partially revealed on its official website.

The teaser image shows the textured back of what's likely an already leaked, touchscreen-only smartphone, its camera unit on the top left side, as well as a large BlackBerry logo in the middle. The handset's volume rocker and power key are also visible. A promise for a re-designed, re-engineered, and re-invented BlackBerry experience is flanking the image, along with an option to register for updates.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/rim_quietly_teases_its_upcoming_blackberry_10_smartphone_-news-5184.php

RIM offers a taste of BB10 phone with first official teaser

RIM offers a taste of BB10 phone with first official teaser
BlackBerry 10 is a wholly new smartphone

RIM is on the final push before the launch of BlackBerry 10, with the company posting its first official teaser photo of the new hardware.

The photo doesn't show much, revealing the back of a slab phone with textured material and a camera lens in the corner.

The textured material is certainly something new, looking like an almost mesh design for a comfortable grip.

It is speculated that the device in the official teaser is the frequently-leaked BlackBerry L-Series. However, leaked images of the L-Series showed a flat back without any texture, though that feature could have easily changed between the prototype and final handset models.

The long wait for BB10

The BlackBerry L-Series can't seem to keep away from cameras, with leaked images appearing across the web all last month.

RIM has been quiet on exactly which BB10 handsets will launch early next year, though it is known that there will be at least one fully-touchscreen device and another with the signature BlackBerry physical keyboard.

The L-Series is the former, while any QWERTY BB10 device still remains a mystery.

RIM has scheduled a January 30 event to mark the long-delayed BlackBerry 10 launch. The Canadian firm has its work cut out for it holding interest with these gradual teasers until then, especially with the shiny new handsets sure to be on display at CES 2013 earlier in the month.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rim-offers-a-taste-of-bb10-phone-with-first-official-teaser-1118241

Samsung asks you to 'Get Ready' for big CES announcement

Samsung asks you to 'Get Ready' for big CES announcement
Samsung's got a brand new bag

As the start of CES 2013 draws near, companies are readying their upcoming products and innovations for the world to see for the very first time.

One manufacturer may have more than just a new product line to show off, as reports of Samsung's planned bold brand reinvention just got bit more interesting.

On Monday, Samsung released a teaser video announcing "something new" was coming, and that the world had better "get ready."

While the teaser was short on actual content, but heavy in industry buzz words, one thing is undeniable--Samsung is planning something potentially huge.

The world awaits

A report from early November revealed Samsung was possibly planning to rebrand itself to be more visible globally.

The new concept was purportedly being headed up by Scott Bedbury, a brand consultant who had previously worked with Starbucks, and would put Samsung in the same category as Apple and Nike.

That same report indicated Samsung's unveiling of the new look would occur at CES 2013, and it just so happens that this latest video teases a major announcement for that very same event.

Could the "something new" the video referred to be a whole new look and design for Samsung? It's certainly possible.

There are also rumors Samsung could be readying the Galaxy S4 for its debut, but it's certainly arguable that such a no-brainer announcement would be worthy of such a teaser trailer.

Production of Samsung's flexible AMOLED screens was also reportedly heating up in November, but the company has already shown the technology off previously.

CES 2013 is a mere month away, so we won't have to wait much longer to see what Samsung has in store, and whether or not it lived up to the hype.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/samsung-asks-you-to-get-ready-for-big-ces-announcement-1118234

New BlackBerry Messenger update adds BBM Voice

New BlackBerry Messenger update adds BBM Voice
Free voice chat finally arrives on BlackBerry

Starting on Monday, BlackBerry users will finally be able to chat with each other for free with the latest update to BlackBerry Messenger.

Teased last month in the BBM 7 beta, the new feature allows its users to strike up a conversation with any of their BlackBerry Messenger contacts, provided they're connected to a WiFi signal.

Additionally, the new voice chat feature still allows users to talk via text while chatting, which enables users to enclose pictures or private statements they don't want heard aloud.

BBM 7 will also include the ability to voice chat while using other aspects of the phone, such as checking emails or reading other text messages.

BlackBerry OS 6 only, for now

This latest update for BlackBerry Messenger will only be compatible with smartphones running BlackBerry OS 6 for the time being.

RIM is planning to add support for BlackBerry OS 5 next year, and is also expected to include the feature in BlackBerry 10 whenever it finally arrives.

The good news is anyone currently using a device with BlackBerry OS 6 that upgrades to a BlackBerry 10 smartphone won't have much difficulty transferring contacts.

An additional feature of BBM 7 is the welcome ability to link all contacts and groups to a specific BlackBerry ID, where it can be accessed on whatever device that ID logs into.

There are also 17 new emoticons being added with this update, as well as better upgrade notifications which will be delivered straight from the app itself.

The BBM 7 update has started rolling out, and should be available to everyone within the next 24 hours.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/new-blackberry-messenger-update-adds-bbm-voice-1118225

Hands on: Falcon Pro swoops in as a legitimate Twitter client

There are so many Twitter clients available that it's hard to tell which is right for you without playing with them all. We're going to tell you up front that Falcon Pro makes a strong case to be your primary Twitter app. Here's why.

We’re pretty sure at least 50 percent of the hundreds of thousands of apps in the Google Play Store are Twitter clients. There are so many choices to handle your 140 characters, from Twitter’s official offering to the plethora of third party developers that promise improvements to the social experience. Falcon Pro is the new kid on the block and, although it’s a little late to the game, it does it’s best to make a strong case to be a go-to for Tweeters.

From the very start, it’s clear that Falcon Pro is sleek. Once you’ve logged in to your account the first time, you’re greeted with your feed of tweets from accounts you follow. Using a fairly dark color palate that features a gray background that allow the white text to pop, the focus is right on the content that is coming through your feed. Having the name listed above the tweet with an accenting dark gray bar around it makes it easy to see the user and access their page if you’d like. Links and account handles are in a teal-ish blue that looks nice within the theme as well. The settings menu has a Display option that promises theme and color changes and while that doesn’t appear available yet, there’s really no reason to change what works.

Above the feed are three icons with counters next to them. The numbers next to the icons represent your unread tweets, mentions, and direct messages. If you get a lot of any of these the numbers become fairly meaningless, especially if you follow a lot of accounts. Regardless, seeing the number tick down as you pass by each tweet is nice. It’s a little like checking your email inbox except far less burdensome. There’s no lag or slowdown in the scroll, so you can blaze through tweets at a fast pace and the countdown keeps up. Even flipping your device to go landscape layout instead of portrait loads rather quickly, though there is this creepy subliminal flash of the Falcon Pro logo that occurs every time you do it.

Moving outside of the feed occurs when you tap on a tweet with a link or touch on a Twitter profile. When you go to view a tweet with a link, it takes you to a new page in the app with the original tweet displayed above and the content of the link available in a web browser box below. There’s no leaving the app, which is nice but can also be disabled if you prefer. Replies and other interactions with the tweet are also displayed clearly but unobtrusively. Profile pages are themed similarly to the news feed and looks as good as you expect, with a stream of the user’s tweets scrollable below. It’s intuitive and simple in areas where lots of Twitter clients manage to fall short.

Checking on your personal Twitter setup is just a swipe a way from the feed. A swipe to the left gives access to all of your account basics. A listing of how many followers you’ve accrued and users you follow is listed below your account handle and image. Under that gives you access to your timeline, mentions and direct messages, just like the icons above your normal stream. You can only sync a single account with Falcon Pro at the moment, so you’ll only see this information for your primary account. Also housed on this side menu, though, are your favorites, the search function, and the settings.

If you’re one to tinker and tweak the way your app works, Falcon Pro does it’s best to allow for it. You can change your refresh rate – which defaults to every 30 minutes – so your tweets come in faster. If you’d prefer to just get the information while tapped in to a Wi-Fi connection, you can. Notifications are also customizable, allowing you to be notified when you are mentioned or receive a message. As mentioned before, the internal browser is optional, as is a TweetMarker that will hold your position on your feed across devices so you’ll maintain your spot no matter where you view from. If you’re a Twitter addict, you can let Falcon Pro keep you in touch with tweets at all times. If you’re more of a battery-conscious consumer of tweets, it can accommodate for that, too.

Swinging over to the right of the stream displays a couple more features. Your lists, saved searches, and trending hashtags are all visible on this side. These are all easily explorable with a tap so you can see what the folks in your lists are up to or check out what people around the world are saying about specific topics. Doing so brings up a scrollable feed that looks just like the standard one so navigation is simple.

Then there’s that whole actually tweeting thing. That’s probably important to you if you’re looking for a solid Twitter client. Composing a new tweet is done with a talk bubble icon on the righthand side of the menu bar above your main feed. It’s almost always present no matter where you go in the app so if someone catches your attention and you need to share your thoughts immediately, it’s right there for you. Users can also easily attach a photo from their phone’s gallery, take a new picture to go along with a tweet, and add their location with a quick tap of the icons under the new tweet’s text box. It’s all right within reach and easy to do.

For a relatively small price tag of $1, Falcon Pro sure does a lot. (There is a weird “donate” option in the settings where you can pay another $2 for a widget, but you can pretty much ignore that if you want.) While it would be great to see support for extra account and some color and themes added in as the Settings page promises, those are pretty small complaints compared to all the good you get for a buck. Falcon Pro is definitely worth handing your Twitter interactions over to.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/hands-on-falcon-pro-twitter-client/

Nintendo turns your iPhone or iPad into a Pokedex

One of Nintendo's biggest franchises is Pokemon. While Nintendo isn't letting its IP go to the new mobile platforms yet, The Pokemon Company has brought its full Pokedex to iOS devices - for a price.

Nintendo guards its intellectual properties closely. It doesn’t just hand out the rights to its beloved games all willy nilly. Know what happened the few times it did? Super Mario Bros the movie and the Legend of Zelda CD-i games. As such, it isn’t too surprising that the gaming giant has shown reluctance to embrace mobile platforms not branded with its own name. But today, a wild app appeared in the iTunes App Store, and it’s likely to be super effective in attracting Pokémon fanatics. The Pokédex is officially available on iOS today.

Developed by Nintendo subsidiary The Pokémon Company, the Pokédex app is an interactive listing of over 640 pocket monsters that exist inside the Pokémon universe. Taking advantage of the Retina display on Apple devices, the app gives prospective Pokémon trainers a look at their creatures in high definition. Search through the extensive list of creatures using custom conditions like skills or type to find the exact Pokémon you are after. Detailed information about each Pokémon, from height and evolutions to abilities and locations, are all available in the app.

It’s worth noting that the app only comes with Pokémon in the Unova region, covered in Pokémon Black and White versions 1 and 2. If you’d like access to all 640 pocket monsters on your Pokédex app, you’ll have to fork over a bit of cash. The app itself costs $2 and each region of Pokémon, four in total, costs an additional $6. So to really catch ‘em all, you’ll be dropping around $26. That’s a pricey commitment to an app that just houses information about made up animals in a game that you have to play on another device. To each their own, though. We’re not here to judge you, fanboys.

You can download the Pokédex app in the iTunes App Store for $2.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nintendo-turns-ios-device-into-pokedex/

Samsung teases 7 more Galaxy S3 Premium Suite features

Samsung teases 7 more Galaxy S3 Premium Suite features
You big tease

After revealing Premium Suite features included in the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy Note 10.1 late last month, Samsung is now giving a peek at what Galaxy S3 owners can expect when their update finally arrives.

On Monday, the Samsung Tomorrow blog posted part two of its video detailing an additional seven features coming soon with its Premium Suite upgrade for the company's SIII.

The first video posted last week offered a look at half of the features coming soon to Samsung's flagship smartphone, including multi-window views, Page Buddy, Contextual Menu and Facebook Lock Ticker.

In total, the Premium Suite upgrade for the Galaxy SIII will introduce 14 major new features as well as bug fixes and other improvements.

What's coming

With part two, Samsung primarily focused on Paper Artist for spicing up images, Low Light Shot for taking pictures in dark places and Best Face, which uses content from five different shots to create a single, blink-free photo.

Accessibility options such as Easy Mode will make transitioning from a feature phone to a smartphone painless for novices, while Sound Balance allows users to favor one audio channel over another when using earphones.

Samsung made it clear that availability and timing of the Premium Suite upgrade varies by country and mobile carrier so for now, owners will have to exercise patience until their turn arrives.

Check out part two below:


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-teases-7-more-galaxy-s3-premium-suite-features-1118212

Samsung video teases 7 more Galaxy S3 Premium Suite features

Samsung video teases 7 more Galaxy S3 Premium Suite features
Samsung Galaxy S III Premium Suite features teased in a second YouTube video

After revealing Premium Suite features included in the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy Note 10.1 late last month, Samsung is now giving a peek at what Galaxy S III users can expect when their update finally arrives.

On Monday, the Samsung Tomorrow blog posted part two of its video detailing an additional seven features coming soon with its Premium Suite upgrade for the company's Galaxy S III.

The first video posted last week offered a peek at half of the features coming soon to Samsung's flagship smartphone, including Page Buddy, Contextual Menu and Facebook Lock Ticker.

In total, the Premium Suite upgrade for the Samsung Galaxy S III will introduce 14 major new features as well as bug fixes and other improvements.

What's coming

With part two, Samsung primarily focused on Paper Artist for spicing up images, Low Light Shot for taking pictures in dark places and Best Face, which uses content from five different shots to create a single, blink-free photo.

Accessibility options such as Easy Mode will make transitioning from a feature phone to a smartphone painless for novices, while Sound Balance allows users to favor one audio channel over another when using earphones.

Samsung made it clear that availability and timing of the Premium Suite upgrade varies by country and mobile carrier so for now, Galaxy S III users will have to exercise patience until their turn arrives.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-video-teases-7-more-galaxy-s3-premium-suite-features-1118212

Pantech Vega IM-A860 gets leaked via Wi-Fi cert

It seems someone is making 1080p mobile displays and quad-core S4 Pro processors like they're going out of style, as Pantech is now rumored to be working on a FullHD smartphone of its own.

Everyone is keen to catch-up to HTC's DNA smartphone, which was unveiled last month as the first in what will likely be a new wave of smartphones with 1080p screens. With the likes of Samsung, Sony, and LG undoubtedly cooking up a response, several smaller manufacturers have also jumped in with impressive offerings of their own, including the Oppo Find 5 and ZTE Nubia Z5.



Besides the 1080p display of unconfirmed diagonal (5 inch might be a good guess) and quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, the Pantech Vega IM-A860 is expected to feature an Adreno 320 GPU and run on Android 4.1.1. No word yet on how much storage or RAM will be included, as well as what type of battery will power it all.

The Vega IM-A860 is expected to hit retail in early 2013, likely as Pantech's next flagship smartphone.

Source (Japanese) | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/pantech_vega_ima860_gets_leaked_via_wifi_cert-news-5183.php

HTC One XL, ONE X+, EVO 4G LTE get PlayStation certification

Just after its two-month anniversary, the PlayStation Mobile store got support for a few new HTC devices: the HTC One XL, the EVO 4G LTE and the One X+.

They are joining the already supported One X, One S and One V bringing the number of PlayStation Mobile-certified HTC devices to six. Sony requires all HTC smartphones except the One V to run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in order to enjoy the game store.

What about the HTC One V, then? Sony says they'll release more information regarding the entry-level smartphone at a later date, since the device might not be getting updated to Jelly Bean, according to recent leaks.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/playstation_mobile_store_adds_support_for_additional_htc_devices-news-5182.php

Updated: HTC Butterfly up for pre-order in the UK

Updated: HTC Butterfly up for pre-order in the UK
Would you want a Butterfly for Christmas?

Update: A spokesperson from HTC has been in touch, and told us: "As far as we know there are no plans to bring it [the HTC Butterfly] to the UK." So it's a bit of a head-scratcher. We've contacted Expansys and will update again when we hear back.

The HTC Butterfly is up for pre-order here in the UK.

Head to Expansys to put your order in now. There's no release date given though, or a price, so we could be in for a bit of a wait.

The handset was previously pegged as not coming to Europe. At least, not under its global name of the HTC Deluxe. Things get more complicated, as in the US the phone is known as the Droid DNA, while in Japan it's called the HTC J Butterfly.

Note 2 challenger

The Butterfly is quite a beast. It boasts a 5-inch, 1080p screen, with an 8-megapixel camera on the back. Inside, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor powers things, so it should give the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 a run for its money.

There's no word which version of Android it'll come with, but expect it to be Ice Cream Sandwich at the very least, if not Jelly Bean.

There's no risk if you put in your order now, as Expansys won't charge you until the handset is in stock and you confirm you still want to go ahead.

Via Omio


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/updated-htc-butterfly-up-for-pre-order-in-the-uk-1118189

BBM 7 update brings Voice feature, other upgrades

Research in Motion has moved Blackberry Messanger 7 out of the beta zone and into the hands of the public. Starting today, a free update to the networking service is available. The biggest addition to BBM 7 is the new Voice feature, which allows free voice calls over Wi-Fi.

Just a few weeks after announcing its arrival in the Beta Zone, Research in Motion has opened the gates and is making BlackBerry Messanger version 7 available to the public. The free update to the mobile social network brings some significant changes for those that still do the majority of their chatting on a Blackberry device. It’s available today to folks running running BlackBerry 6 OS or higher. If you’re still using 5, expect the update to roll out to you sometime early next year. 

Research in Motion seems most excited about the addition of BBM Voice. A new way to communicate within the messenger service, BBM Voice will allow users to make Wi-Fi free voice calls to their contact list. Beta testers seemed rather pleased with the feature, as is Vice President of BBM T.A. McCann, who stated, “With the integrated experience, we extend the core features of reliable, real-time engagement to include voice calling and take BBM to the next level.”

Also making an appearance in BBM 7 is the ability to multitask while engaged in conversation with split-screen, an additional indicator in the contacts list to show when a person is available for a voice call, direct update notifications, 16 new emoticons (in case there is anything you can’t express via voice but can sum up with a tiny animated face), and BlackBerry ID synchronization that will store profiles and contact information. The ID sync likely comes to make the switch to Blackberry 10 more convenient. We just hope those new emoticons make the jump to the new operating system as well.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/bbm-7-update-brings-voice-feature-other-upgrades/

Best Buy offers $50 discount on iPhone 5 and 4S in the US

Best Buy is offering a $50 discount on the iPhone 5 and 4S. The smartphones are available for all major carriers in the US that carry them - Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint.



You could arrange a device from Verizon and Sprint to be shipped to your door but AT&T customers can only get the device from a brick and mortar store.

The iPhone 5 will usually set you back $199.99 for a 16 gig version, $299.99 for a 32 GB model and $399.99 for a 64 GB one. Now the prices are $149.99, $249.99 and $349.99 respectively.

The offer also applies for the iPhone 4S, which now starts at $49.99 instead of $99.99. There's no information how long the deal will last but you probably shouldn't wait too long.

Source | Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/bestbuy_offers_50_discount_on_iphone_5_and_4s_in_the_us-news-5181.php

HTC Butterfly up for pre-order in the UK

HTC Butterfly up for pre-order in the UK
Would you want a Butterfly for Christmas?

The HTC Butterfly is up for pre-order here in the UK.

Head to Expansys to put your order in now. There's no release date given though, or a price, so we could be in for a bit of a wait.

The handset was previously pegged as not coming to Europe. At least, not under its global name of the HTC Deluxe. Things get more complicated, as in the US the phone is known as the Droid DNA, while in Japan it's called the HTC J Butterfly.

Note 2 challenger

The Butterfly is quite a beast. It boasts a 5-inch, 1080p screen, with an 8-megapixel camera on the back. Inside, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor powers things, so it should give the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 a run for its money.

There's no word which version of Android it'll come with, but expect it to be Ice Cream Sandwich at the very least, if not Jelly Bean.

There's no risk if you put in your order now, as Expansys won't charge you until the handset is in stock and you confirm you still want to go ahead.

We've contacted HTC for a comment and will update this story when we hear back.

Via Omio


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-butterfly-up-for-pre-order-in-the-uk-1118189

Leaked Jelly Bean update list gives hope tor HTC owners

A leaked list of HTC smartphones to receive the Jelly Bean update includes several variants of the One S and One X, as well as the Droid Incredible 4G and EVO 4G.

HTC has been a little late to the party in regards to letting everyone know if and when certain devices will be able to run the latest version of the Google OS, but that’s understandable since it has bigger fish to fry. You know, like how to salvage what has otherwise been a terrible second half of 2012.

The list was leaked on twitter by Football4PDA, a source that has proven its reliability in the past.

List of HTC Devices that will get JB Update: Evitare Evita Fireball Jewel К2 TotemC2 Ville VilleC2 Valente#WXSat Dec 08 15:37:31 via web Football
Football4PDA

The devices which correspond to these codenames are:

The HTC One X is obviously absent from this list, as many One X's (including our office handset) have already received the Jelly Bean update.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_jelly_bean_update_list_reveals_hope_for_htc_owners-news-5180.php

LG sells 10 million L Series Android phones, says they’re for dedicated followers of fashion

LG L Series 10 Million

LG has announced sales of its L Series phones -- which consists of four different models -- have reached the impressive figure of 10 million.

Anything arch-rival Samsung can do, LG can do as well, and this week it can tick send self-congratulatory press release off its to-do list, complete with a picture of smiley people celebrating, something it has done to announce a total of 10 million L Series phone sales. LG first launched its L Series phones during Mobile World Congress in February, and has since added a top-of-the-range model in the shape of the Optimus L9.

While Samsung has told us it has sold five million Galaxy Note 2 smartphone/tablet hybrids, and more than 30 million Galaxy S3 phones, LG is giving us its total for a collection of four different devices. The L Series range consists of the basic Optimus L3, the Optimus L5, the Optimus L7 and the aforementioned Optimus L9. They’re promoted as fashionable alternatives to the sea of identikit Android phones available, a point LG pushes right at the start of its press blurb, saying the 10 million sales prove “many consumers want attractive smartphones with distinctive — not ‘me too’ — styling.”

LG’s CEO adds, “This milestone demonstrates the importance of delivering smartphones with stylish design, comparative size of display and enhanced UX features.” LG made plenty of noise about its updated Optimus UI 3.0 user interface when it was released back in May, which was placed over the top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and can be found on the Optimus L9, while a slightly cut down version exists on the Optimus L7.

Eight figure sales of any smartphone is impressive, but we’d have liked to see a breakdown of which L Series handset has proven most popular too. LG has traditionally sold well in the U.S., with ComScore recently putting them second to Samsung in its charts with an 18-percent market share, however the company didn’t even make it into the top five on IDC’s global market share list.

With the L Series one year anniversary fast approaching, perhaps MWC 2013 will provide the stage for any sequels LG may have in the works.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/lg-sells-10-million-l-series-android-phones/

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for Asus PadFone 2 now available

Asus has just released the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update for the PadFone 2. The device was announced back in October and is available in limited countries around the world, with most major markets still on the waiting list.

The build date is December 4 and as expected, the update brings all the Project Butter smoothness, Google Now assistant, etc. All Asus customizations are still present, of course. You can upgrade only over-the-air for now.

We are happy to see Asus kept its promise for the Jelly Bean and released it on schedule. Let's hope it keeps this policy in the future.

The quad-core Krait-powered PadFone 2 is rather expensive gadget, but is surely one of the best smartphone packages with that PadFone station turning the thing into a full-featured tablet.

You can check out our Padfone 2 hands-on over here.

Source


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/android_41_jelly_bean_for_asus_padfone_2_now_available-news-5179.php

Barnes & Noble reduces Nook Simple Touch e-reader by $20, now $79

Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch eReader

Barnes & Noble knocked $20 off the cost of its Simple Touch e-reader over the weekend. Consumers can now pick up the dedicated reading device for $79.

Barnes & Noble has knocked $20 off the price of its entry-level Simple Touch e-reader in the hope of attracting some extra business over the holiday shopping season. Consumers can now pick it up for $79.

Launched in May 2011, the Simple Touch features a 6-inch E Ink Pearl touchscreen display and 2GB of onboard storage good enough for around a thousand books – though if you happen to be an incredibly voracious reader and want to load it up with even more you can make use of its microSD slot which is able to take cards of up to 32GB.

Battery life on the Simple Touch is said to be in the region of two months (based on an average daily reading time of about 30 minutes), double that of its main rival, Amazon’s entry-level Kindle e-reader. That device, which is controlled using physical buttons rather than via a touchscreen, currently sells for $69, though for that price you’ll have to put up with screensaver ads – something that Barnes & Noble was keen to point out in its statement announcing the Simple Touch’s new price, calling such ads “distracting.” Opt for Amazon’s ad-free Kindle and you’ll be asked to part with $89.

Barnes & Noble’s decision to cut the price of the Simple Touch could be seen as an acknowledgment that tablet sales are eating into the e-reader market, especially with the launch of cheaper devices such as Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD offerings.

Research firm IDC said recently that while tablet sales are expected to rise in 2012, it projects that e-reader sales will drop from 27.8 million in 2011 to 19.9 million this year.

IDC noted that while some consumers prefer a dedicated e-reader, “most buyers are gravitating toward multi-use tablet products and finding a ‘good enough’ reading experience on these traditional back-lit tablets.”

However, if tablets aren’t your thing and you happen to be in the market for a dedicated reading device, or if you’re thinking of buying one as a gift in the coming weeks, check out Simon Hill’s recent overview of some of the best e-readers on the market today, including Barnes & Noble’s Simple Touch device.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/barnes-noble-discounts-simple-touch-e-reader/

Motorola updates Jelly Bean plans, Atrix HD next in line

Motorola updates Jelly Bean plans, Atrix HD next in line
Next in line for Jelly Bean

Motorola has refreshed its webpage detailing its Android updates, with the Atrix HD the next device in the US to get the jump to Jelly Bean. It's pegged to get the update before the end of the year.

At the beginning of next year, the Electrify tablet will see Jelly Bean, along with both versions of the Xoom tablet. Which is great, considering how old the Xoom is.

In Canada, the Razr HD will get the update at the start of next year, along with the Atrix HD.

Over in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, meanwhile, the Razr i is pegged to be upgraded to Jelly Bean at the start of 2013.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the Razr HD is said to get Jelly Bean sometime this month, while the Razr M will see some bean action at the start of next year in Australia.

Android fragmentation

It's worth checking out the list if you own a Motorola device, or are thinking of buying one. Plenty of its phones and tablets are listed as staying on Ice Cream Sandwich, while some are just said to be getting the upgrade to Jelly Bean at some point, with no date given.

The fragmentation of Android updates has meant plenty of headaches for mobile users. Google now owns Motorola, which should theoretically mean Moto sees updates ahead of other device makers. But in practice, that hasn't been the case.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/motorola-updates-jelly-bean-plans-atrix-hd-next-in-line-1118128

Sony Xperia E and E Dual will be priced around 160 euro

Sony announced the Xperia E and Xperia E dual entry-level Androids last week but said nothing about their price. It turns out, though, that the press releases that Sony Mobile Germany sent out sheds some light on it.

The single-SIM Xperia E will cost €160, while the dual-SIM version is €10 more. This is around the same price as the Xperia miro right now (Amazon.de, single-SIM only) or a dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos (Amazon.de), both of which have specs comparable to the Xperia E. The current dual-SIM Xperia, the tipo dual, has lower specs and price (Amazon.de)

The Sony Xperia E and E Duos will be coming out in the first quarter of next year. They pack a single-core Cortex-A5, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a 3.5" HVGA screen and a 3MP camera with FWVGA video capture.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_e_and_e_dual_will_be_priced_around_160_euro__-news-5178.php

This could be the Surface phone

This could be the Surface phone
It's like a Surface phone from the future

TechRadar's video gnomes have been sifting through the rumours on the Surface phone to bring you a video on how it might look.

The Microsoft Surface tablet has been launched to mixed reviews so far, but that hasn't stopped the Redmond firm bullishly pressing on with plans for its own hardware.

The software-based firm hasn't confirmed that it's working on a Surface phone, but the notion that it would be mirror its work in the tablet space makes sense. It used the larger Surface device to show how it wanted the hardware to work with Windows 8, and repeating the trick makes a lot of sense for Windows Phone 8.

A Surface phone would have to bridge the gap between providing decent enough specs while not pushing the boat out beyond the price levels and specs we'd expect from its manufacturing partners.

However, there's a lot that can be done with a Surface phone: for instance, a flip cover that protects the screen but also doubles as a firm keyboard? How about a USB 3.0 slot for dedicated peripherals and charging? Makes a lot of sense for us.

Enough of the words though – make sure you check out the video. Sure, it's not based on any fact, and it hasn't got industry leading specs either…but knowing Microsoft as we do we can't help but think this is what we'd see in a Surface phone.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/this-could-be-the-surface-phone-1118123

Samsung reveals even more Premium Suite features for the Galaxy S3 in new video

Galaxy S3 Premium Suite pt2

Further details on Samsung's Premium Suite update, heading for the Galaxy S3 smartphone soon, have been revealed in a second video. This time it concentrates on new camera and accessibility features.

Late last week, Samsung released a video showing its Premium Suite software upgrades headed to the Galaxy S3 smartphone, as part of its Android 4.1.2 update. Today it has provided even more information on the new features and although we knew there was more to come, as the earlier video was labeled Part One, we didn’t expect part two to appear so soon.

This time, the video discusses new features related to multimedia — primarily the camera — and improved accessibility too. Starting with the camera upgrades, Samsung has added what it calls Best Face, which is a variation on burst mode, but instead of solely choosing the best of a series of pictures, it lets you swap faces from each snap. This works well in group photos, where blinks or silly expressions — unless that was what you wanted — can be eliminated. It looks great in the video.

Next is a new low-light mode, which can take bright, clear images even without a flash. Again, it looks very impressive in the demo video, but this is one feature that will need some real world testing to measure its true effectiveness. Finally, there’s Paper Artist, another port over from the Galaxy Note 2. This gives your photos a pencil art look, which can be enhanced by scrubbing over sections to reveal the picture underneath. On the Note 2, this is most effective using the S-Pen stylus, so it’ll be interesting to see how it works with a finger instead.

Moving on to the improved accessibility, new smartphone owners will get to use Easy Mode, where five frequently used apps and widgets appear on simplified home pages, minimizing the need for newcomers to dig around in Android’s menus to find an app. During setup, the accessibility menu has been added to the procedure, making it easier for those with disabilities to switch on the S3’s features straight away. Finally, the camera will now tell users how many faces it detects in its frame.

As before, Samsung hasn’t given a release date for the Premium Suite, but it does hint that it’s already on its way, so if you own an unlocked Galaxy S3 it’ll be worth checking Software Update periodically from now on to see if it has arrived.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-reveals-more-galaxy-s3-premium-suite-updates/

LG sells 10m L-Series phones, snipes at rivals

LG sells 10m L-Series phones, snipes at rivals
Numbers don't lie

LG's L-Series range of smartphones has sold 10 million units.

The Korean company sent out a press release announcing the milestone. And it makes quite interesting reading, though not for the reasons LG intended.

The L-Series includes the Optimus L3, L5, L7, and L9, all of which have left us less than impressed. But still, while it might not be anywhere near the 30 million units the Samsung Galaxy S3 has sold, 10 million handsets isn't to be sniffed at.

LG isn't shy about making this known. It describes the milestone as "modest", as if it was expecting to sell far more. And it takes the opportunity to have a dig at the competition.

Keep digging

LG describes its handsets as having "distinctive" styling, not "me too". That could be a reference to the fact Samsung was sued for infringing Apple's patents. But LG didn't stop there.

"This milestone demonstrates the importance of delivering smartphones with stylish design, comparative size of display and enhanced UX features," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, LG Mobile Communication Company's president and CEO.

"Whereas other manufacturers are putting all their eggs into a one-size-fits-all phone, our strategy is to develop mobile products for all types of customers according to their individual needs and lifestyles."

Could that be a reference to Apple's iPhone 5? It could well be.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/lg-sells-10m-l-series-phones-snipes-at-rivals-1118118

Samsung teaser video promises something new and innovative at CES 2013

Samsung CES 2013 teaser

Samsung has released an 18-second teaser video, hinting at exciting things to come during CES 2013, which begins on January 8. The video is so cryptic though, it gives absolutely nothing away, leaving it down to us to speculate what it has in store.

With only a few weeks before the Computer Entertainment Show 2013 gets underway, the teaser videos from manufacturers plugging their latest creations are about to begin. It’s Samsung who is first on the scene with a short video entitled Get Ready, which contains almost no information whatsoever.

The video runs for a mere 18-seconds, and features an overly dramatic soundtrack mixed with a few words chosen from the Big Book of Marketing Terms someone happened to have lying around. After being told The World Awaits, we’re bombarded by old favorites such as Ideas, Innovation, Wonder and The Future, before finally we’re told to expect Something New between January 8 and 11 next year.

Did you notice the flicker over the dates at the end of the video? Think it contains a secret message about what’s to come? It doesn’t, sorry, as on closer examination it’s a quick fire series of images showing the Las Vegas skyline. If you’re wondering why, it’s because that’s where CES 2013 is going to be held.

New tablets, smartphones and brand identity are all possible at CES

This leaves it down to us to speculate on what Samsung is so excited about. Of course, minds instantly jump to the next flagship phone, the Galaxy S4; but Samsung is almost certainly going to wait until mid-2013 for this one. It held a separate and incredibly successful launch event for the S3 is May, so a return to a show launch for its sequel is highly unlikely to appeal.

The Galaxy Note 2 has only just been upgraded, so it won’t be the Note 3, leaving us with the exciting prospect of something new. We’ve already seen rumors regarding a 1080p screen from Samsung, and with the recent launch of the Droid DNA/HTC J Butterfly, we suspect Samsung isn’t keen to get left too far behind in this burgeoning niche. Flexible screens have also been discussed recently, so a device using this new technology is a possibility too.

However, Samsung may not be thinking smartphones at all, and the fuss could be about tablets. Its Galaxy range hasn’t seen much movement recently, and a rumor has mentioned a new 7-inch and a larger 13-inch tablet are in development at the Korean firm. The latter of which will have a keyboard dock and be aimed at Asus’ Transformer line of convertible tablets. These rumors have also pointed to a budget Galaxy Note device too, which will ditch the S-Pen stylus and stick with a 5-inch display to keep the price as competitive as possible.

Knowing Samsung, we can expect another video providing just that little bit more information before the show, where it’s also expected the company will reveal an overhaul of its branding too.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-releases-ces-2013-teaser-video/