Samsung will unleash the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, with an even larger 5.7-inch screen, on the eve of the IFA tech show in Berlin, according to reports on Friday.
Make of this what you will, but the Korea Herald, believes the handset will arrive on September 4 at the Samsung Unpacked event in Berlin, backing up reports from earlier this week.
Once again, according to the report, Samsung will bump up the display size, this time to 5.7-inches, up from the 5.5-inch panel on the Galaxy Note 2.
That jives with what we've already heard about the display size from previous leaks and rumours, while today's report also tips advanced 4G LTE connectivity will be on board.
New tradition
Samsung has made a habit of launching its line-up of gadgets before these shows get started, in recent years.
Last year the company revealed the Galaxy Note 2 at an Unpacked event in Berlin and then allowed the world to go hands on during the show itself.
Could history repeat itself in 2013? The smart money suggests so. And what price a 6-inch Galaxy Note 4 in September 2014?
Whatever Nokia's new flagship is called, be it the EOS, the Nokia 909 or the Lumia 1020, there might not be much of a delay between the phone's reveal and when we can actually get our hands on it.
A supposedly leaked shot from a Microsoft Store inventory says that the phone will hit stores on July 22. Worth mentioning that the phone might not necessarily go on sale on this date, but we doubt it's going to be hanging around in the stores' backrooms for long. If not July, we'd expect the first week in August.
Also, the observant among you will have already noticed that the phone is named as the Nokia Lumia 1020, which means the Lumia 909 moniker suggested by @evleaks may have been short-lived.
Pricing up the competition
What a vibrant, lively spreadsheet
The image also claims that the SIM-free version of the handset is set to retail at $602 (£402/AU$664), which is more or less the figure we've been expecting.
If the screenshot is anything to go by, the handset will also be arriving in three variations: black, white and yellow. All very exciting, we're sure you'll agree.
Nokia has also confirmed that the phone will be coming to the UK, although the source speaking to Cnet didn't say when this will be.
Might look low-tech but it's not (credit: Joshua Barnes)
If you ever spent time in hospital as a child, you'll know how horrible it can be to be so far from home, unwell and surrounded by strangers.
A young designer by the name of Joshua Barnes has come up with a cosy patchwork quilt that uses augmented reality tech to deliver comforting messages from mums and friends through the medium of animal characters.
How does it work? Animal characters are patchworked on to the quilt, each of which can be assigned to a friend or family member. They then leave messages for the patient, who can use a smartphone or tablet to access them using Arusma's AR tech.
That might not sound to warm and fuzzy but research has shown that the combination of these heartfelt messages, and the physical element of holding and cuddling the quilt stop the child from feeling lonely. What a lovely, lovely idea - and one that won Barnes a Future Pioneer award from the Design Council.
More blips!
Keep that warm and fuzzy feeling alive with another dose of blips.
Everyone's had that dream about their perfect smartphone. You know the one: next-gen specs under the hood, a sultry design which makes you instantly fall in love and a complete package which makes you the envy of every man, woman and child on the planet.
Well the good folk over at T3 have been keeping their dream journals up to date and have finally taken those hours of mind games and produced the ultimate smartphone.
Taking the best components from Apple, Samsung, HTC, Sony and Nokia, T3 reckons this could be the best phone in the world. Want it? Well pre-orders require the deeds to your soul, house and first born child, estimated delivery August 2056.
More blips!
For something a lot more real, why not check out some more of our cracking blips?
The press render of the ZTE Nubia Z5 Mini, the mini-variant of the ZTE Nubia Z5 has leaked ahead of its announcement.
ZTE Nubia Z5 Mini is rumored to sport a 4.7-inch 720p display and the smartphone is said to feature a Snapdragon 600 chipset with 1.5 GHz quad-core Krait 300 CPU instead of a Snapdragon S4, which powers the Nubia Z5. The Nubia Z5 Mini will come with 2 GB of RAM, 8 megapixel rear camera and wide range of connectivity options.
The mini-variant of the ZTE Nubia Z5 will measure 65.7 x 134.8 x 10.3mm and weighs about 160g. Lastly, ZTE Nubia Z5 Mini will run on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Unfortunately, there is no official confirmation on launch date of the smartphone, but we expect ZTE to officially announce the device in the nearest future.
The next generation Galaxy Note phablet from Samsung is one of the most anticipated devices of the year, so understandably rumors about it aren't hard to come by. According to latest report the Galaxy Note III will be announced two days before IFA 2013 kicks off - on September 4.
The report also says Samsung Galaxy Note III is said to sport a 5.7" Super AMOLED display, rather than the 6" unit that was most frequently mentioned so far. The 1080p resolution is still expected to feature a Snapdragon 800 chipset or an Exynos 5 Octa processor along with 3 GB of RAM.
Furthermore, the third generation Galaxy Note phablet is said to come out with a 13 megapixel rear camera and will be slightly thinner than the Galaxy Note II with its profile measuring 8mm.
Unfortunately, there is no official word from Samsung just yet, but the IFA 2013 launch seems inevitable, considering the strong competition in the phablet club.
Nokia needs one perfect cameraphone, not a whole range of adequate ones
There's this question swirling around in my head that just won't leave. It's enough to keep me up at night. I just need to know the answer. Nokia: why can't you just make a great cameraphone?
Before the diehards kick off, yes, yes, I know Nokia has made some decent cameraphones - plural.
But it's the plural that's the problem: Nokia is just making too many of the damn things. The wow factor is being diluted. That's why I'm begging to Nokia to just put its eggs all in one basket.
High exposure
Just earlier this week, analysts were encouraging Nokia to start embracing Android as well as Windows Phone. But the real focus of its efforts should be on giving the market a single, brilliant product that it can showcase.
Last week, I criticised Samsung for releasing new devices too quickly in succession - but Nokia's guilty of the same charge in a much more blatant way.
Just look at the Finns' offerings over the last few months. We'd barely got our hands on the Lumia 920, when the Lumia 925 seemed to trump it. And now, there's the EOS/909/Lumia 1020 which is all but confirmed.
It's making me dizzy because they're all offering the same thing as their main selling point: the camera.
At least Samsung has the decency to dress it up by shouting about its models having different unique qualities (for example, the S4 Active is life-proof, while the Galaxy S4 is a life companion) even if they do come along more often than Terminator sequels.
Time shift
Let's wind back a few years. Nokia was the first handset manufacturer to give us a phone with a camera on board. The 7650 was sweet - even if many didn't believe it would actually take off. In the days before social media, 3G and Wi-Fi, it seemed little more than a novelty.
But this was a real sign of the Finns' innovation and one which paid dividends - if Apple claims it can copyright things like pinch-to-zoom and swipe-to-unlock, then surely Nokia can demand every iDevice have its camera ripped out.
Problem is, Nokia's strategy has changed. We all know the firm has fallen on hard times. It may be the biggest supplier of handsets in the developing world, but that doesn't sound as sexy from a marketing point of view.
And it's kinda sold its soul here. By going with Windows Phone, it can't make the huge customisations that Android OEMs can to differentiate themselves, so it has little maneuverability. Ultimately, that means it has to concentrate on the hardware to make ripples.
Nokia's always been one to churn devices out. 10 years ago, a trip to The Link (remember them?) would have seen dedicated Nokia sections with handsets competing for different demographics: the 3000 line for the populists, the 6000 line for the serious, the 7000 line for the fun types, the 9000 line for the serious business folk and so on.
You didn't get removable covers on a 9210i Communicator, but you did get a great business machine for its day. This was a very specific, targeted strategy that really worked. Nokia owned its OS and it owned the market. How times have changed.
The biggest lesson the Finns can learn from these changes now is this: less is more - especially when you're fighting for your survival.
I've reviewed dozens of phones and tablets for TechRadar over the years - each time putting them through their paces in the most unbiased, rigorous way possible.
But as well as being a professional, I have a love/hate relationship with tech, and that's what these columns are all about: the passionate howlings of a true fanboy. Tell me why I'm right, wrong or a hopeless idiot in the comments below or by tweeting@techradaror @phillavelle.
The Moto X could well break cover as early as next week as fresh rumours surrounding the handset point towards a possible July 10/11 launch date.
As of earlier this week we now know that the Moto X exists, it's a real phone, and is likely to be the most significant device to come out of Motorola since it was acquired by Google.
According to the folks over at PhoneArena, US broadcaster and tech pundit Leo Laporte has already been invited to an event on July 10 and July 11 by new Motorola adviser Guy Kawasaki.
XI = 11
The July 11 date has been suggested before as some noted that the picture of the couple jumping into the lake on the official Moto X reveal ad look to be making X and I shapes - the Roman numerals for 11.
Of course this could just be a big coincidence, because as you know there's only one way to jump into a pool and that's with your arms and legs spread as wide as possible.
We already know Nokia has something big planned on July 11 in New York, probably in the form of the much rumoured Lumia 1020/909, and Motorola would really be stealing its thunder if it were to launch on the same day.
HTC has just announced its results for the second quarter of 2013, and while you'd think the best phone in the world - the HTC One - would predict good things the numbers aren't healthy.
In fact, the digits show that HTC's profits are down by a hefty 83 per cent from those in the same quarter last year.
It brought in NT$1.25 billion (about $41.63m/£27.7m/AU$45.4m) compared to NT$91.04 billion (about $3bn/£2bn/AU$3.3bn) a year before. Not great, then.
No doubt the Samsung Galaxy S4 has cast a significant shadow over HTC in the last few months, and the fact we're awaiting the arrival of the iPhone 5S won't be helping things either.
The watchword for the Moto X will be customisation
It's been a bittersweet week in tech: in among the usual gadget joy we've encountered dangers, drama and a sad goodbye - but we'll start with a big hello, and that's going out to the Moto X.
Lots of people are excited to see the first fruits of Google's Motorola purchase and it seems that the big news - other than the various sensors we've already heard about - is going to be customisation.
As Michelle Fitzsimmons reports, "customers will be able to select the colour of their device, plus engrave a name or message on the back... consumers may even have the option to upload a photo for inclusion as a personalised default wallpaper". Or in Chris Smith's words, the Moto X "will be Born in the USA and designed by Y.O.U."
A zinger for Zynga
The other big X in tech is of course the Xbox One, so the departure of the Xbox division's president is very big news indeed. Don Mattrick, who's been head of Microsoft's interactive entertainment division for three years, is off to social gaming firm Zynga.
It's a shrewd move by Zynga and bad news for Microsoft, Marc Chacksfield says: "During his seven-year tenure, Xbox Live members rose from 6 million to 48 million - a phenomenal amount. Even though the Xbox One's announcement was fumbled, pre-orders are looking strong. This is not a man who was ousted, but someone looking for a new challenge."
He's chosen a big one, as Zynga has been shedding staff: according to a whistleblower on Reddit, the firm has a "culture of copying" and is "burning through money". "Zynga needs to prove its relevance and Mattrick is well placed to achieve this," Chacksfield says, but "Microsoft has lost a key cog in its future gaming machine".
The Don has gone (from Microsoft to Zynga)
X might also stand for X-tremely dangerous, and it appears that the latest Android flaw is just that: a flaw in Android versions 1.6 and higher means that 99 per cent of Android devices may be vulnerable. That's 900 million bits of kit.
Hugh Langley explains: "The flaw is down to the way Android app updates are verified, as developers are able to modify the code of an app update without breaking the cryptographic signature. In other words, it's easy for them to hack in and put some nasty code in an app on the store that appears perfectly innocent."
It doesn't affect the Samsung Galaxy S4, which suggests that a fix may be imminent for other Android devices.
Is that the time?
It's been literally minutes since Apple iWatch rumours swept the net, and as ever we've rounded up the most reliable and the most ridiculous ones for your excitement and delightment.
It's clearly A Thing - this week we discovered that Apple has applied to register iWatch as a trademark - but it's A Thing that nobody outside Apple knows anything about.
One thing's for sure, though: if and when Apple finally ships it, Samsung will have something awfully similar on sale shortly afterwards.
One thing Samsung hasn't copied so far is the Apple TV, but that might change: this week Samsung bought up Boxee, streaming media stalwart and inventor of the interesting if flawed Boxee Box.
As Marc Chacksfield suggests, while it's fun to imagine an Apple TV clone, smart TV integration is much more likely. "It is likely that Samsung will integrate Boxee's streaming systems into its next-generation of Smart TVs, rather than producing standalone products brandishing the Boxee name," he says. "Boxee has been working on a cloud storage service that Samsung will no doubt be interested in using as well."
Farewell to the mouse man
Have you used a computer in the last 40-odd years? Then it's time to raise your mouse to Douglas Engelbart, who died this week aged 88. Engelbart is most famous for inventing the mouse, but his 1968 "mother of all demos" was even more important.
Douglas Engelbart, who died this week, helped invent computing as we know it
As the New York Times reports, in a single one-hour presentation "Dr Engelbart demonstrated the power and the potential of the computer in the information age" - not just the mouse but hyperlinks, video conferencing and WYSIWYG editing too.
The demo inspired the people who would go on to create many of the technologies we depend on today, and with Engelbart's passing the world has lost a true visionary.
The Nokia EOS has been doing the rounds in the rumorland for a while now and the upcoming Lumia smartphone is expected to be announced at the "Nokia Zoom" event on July 11.
The pricing details of the Nokia Lumia 1020 have been revealed ahead of its official release, courtesy of a leaked inventory of a Microsoft Store. According to the document, the Nokia EOS will be called as Lumia 1020 as initially rumored, and not Lumia 909 as suggested by evleaks yesterday.
Furthermore, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is said to retail for $602 SIM-free and the smartphone will be available in Yellow, Black and White color options. The shipments of Nokia Lumia 1020 will hit the stores on July 22 and the smartphone is expected to go on sale in the first week of August.
We will be bringing all the latest news from the "Nokia Zoom" event as and when it happens. So, stay tuned.
Nokia Lumia 1020 or Nokia 909? You decide (credit: Vizileaks)
Originally touted as the Nokia EOS in early rumours it now appears that the Finnish firm's next flagship smartphone will launch under the moniker Nokia Lumia 1020.
Update: STOP THE PRESSES! New information courtsey of seasoned leaker @evleaks is now pegging the handset as the Nokia 909 - following on from the 808 PureView.
There won't be any surprise when it comes to the Luima 1020's operating system as Nokia deals solely with Windows Phone 8 now, plus we know its next flagship will be announced in New York on July 11.
The big talking point with the Lumia 1020 (or is that the Nokia 909?), however, will be what it's packing on its rear - with rumours hotly tipping it to sport a similar 41MP camera to that on the Nokia 808 Pureview.
We've rounded up all the web chatter about the Nokia Lumia 1020 and Nokia 909 to bring you a complete round up of what you can expect from the handset formerly known as EOS.
Nokia has already confirmed its "Zoom Reinvented" event in New York on July 11, which everyone assumes will be where it officially unveils the Lumia 1020.
Earlier reports suggested the Nokia EOS would make an appearance at a May 14 event, or even on July 9 - but these were clearly wide of the mark.
In terms of when you can expect the Nokia 909 in stores, if it is wheeled out on July 11 we'd expect you'll be waiting until at least August before the handset goes on sale - if not a little longer.
Price-wise we haven't heard anything regarding the EOS, but you can expect it to carry a hefty tag if the rumoured specs below turn out to be correct - so you might want to start saving.
Nokia Lumia 1020 camera
We'll jump straight to the camera to get this round-up going, as it will be the single biggest selling point for the Lumia 1020 if what we're hearing turns out to be true.
We first caught wind of a Windows Phone device with Nokia's PureView camera tech on board all the way back in January 2013 when the Nokia EOS first leaked - complete with 41MP camera rumour.
To improve your shots in low light, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is also said to carry a Xenon flash on its rear, which produces much better light than the LED flashes which adorn most smartphones today.
As well as sticking a fancy camera on the back of the 909 it looks as though Nokia is also giving its camera software an overhaul with a recently leaked screenshot showing off the "Nokia Pro Cam" live tile.
Until now, every Windows Phone handset has either sported a single- or dual-core processor, but with the Nokia 909 that may all change as it's rumoured to be the first to offer up quad-core power.
Those hoping to clap eyes on a full HD version of Windows Phone 8 with the arrival of the Lumia 1020 may well be disappointed as reports point towards a 720p offering.
According to a number of leaks the Nokia 909 will sport a relatively modest 4.5-inch display - although there's some discrepancy when it comes to resolution and screen tech.
In terms of what else you can expect from the Nokia Lumia 1020 the battery department looks to be covered by a 2000mAh offering - although expect this to be locked into a unibody case.
As far as internal storage goes the 1020 may turn up with 32GB inside - which will certainly be required as we reckon the image files produced by the 41MP camera will be pretty big.
Of course storage fears would be laid to rest if the Nokia 909 arrived with a microSD slot, and things looked promising on that front a few month ago.
However reports after that seemed to suggest that the EOS actually wouldn't offer any expandable storage - so we're a little lost as to what will (or won't) appear on the final product.
Radio fans can rejoice as other leaks point towards the Lumia 1020 being fitted with a FM radio transmitter, allowing you to enjoy one of the simpler pleasures in life - huzzah!
Design
Metal or polycarbonate? It's a debate that rages on and it's still a little unclear which side of the line the Nokia Lumia 1020 will land.
Some of the early reports we saw suggested the Nokia EOS would ditch the polycarbonate which adorns the likes of the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in favour of a fully aluminium chassis - one even went as far as to suggest it would be waterproof.
It's worth noting that Nokia's latest high-end device - the Lumia 925 - does sport a metallic chassis so, even though the rear is still soft touch, it's got some history working with the material.
We've seen several photos slide out from various sources claiming to show the Lumia 1020 (or maybe it's the Nokia 909), and there's even a video - but we'll leave you to make up your own mind on their authenticity.
Credit: WPDang
The first couple of images which crept out claiming they revealed the Lumia 1020 can be seen above and below here, with the large camera unit clearly visible.
Credit: WPDang Credit: ViziLeaks
We then saw a clear, crisp shot from ViziLeaks which apparently revealed the rear of the handset in all its glory, although the camera MP rating was not revealed.
Around the same time as the ViziLeaks image, the folks over at GSMArena popped up a couple of snaps also supposedly showing off the Lumia 1020 - and in terms of design everything seems to be matching up nicely.
ViziLeaks got back in the leaked image action with another picture of the camera on the rear of the Lumia 1020, but still the megapixel rating is "XX" - although "41" will probably replace that.
Over on Chinese social media site Weibo a couple more images appeared claiming to show the Lumia 1020/909 and its potentially metallic chassis - although this could just be a clever effect on a plastic case.
Credit: @evleaks
The most recent image leak comes via the oft reliable @evleaks and reveals the Nokia Pro Cam app on a handset which sports the same shape as the Lumia 920.
Nokia has started the rollout of a major software update for its Nokia Asha touch devices and the update brings few exciting new features and functions to the featurephone lineup.
The update comes with enhanced support for mail for exchange, a dedicated YouTube launcher and improved social experiences. Some features will remain specific to different models, but the update with all its tweaks and fixes will be available to all the Asha touch phone users.
Furthermore, the software update for the Nokia Asha 305, Asha 306 and the Dual-SIM variants of Asha 308 and Asha 310 will now support WhatsApp, a popular third-party messenger, for the first time.
The software update is available over the air (OTA) or you can update your devices via Nokia PC Suit. Check out the video below for more information on how to update your Asha devices.
If that didn't help you can also try the source link below for a step-by-step tutorial.
You know that Nokia Lumia 1020 name that's been bandied about over the past couple of weeks? Well forget it, immediately, as the much-rumoured EOS may in fact launch as the Nokia 909.
Seasoned leaker @evleaks has been up to its old tricks again, this time tweeting a potentially new name for the second handset from the Finnish firm thought to pack a mind-blowing 41MP camera.
The tweet in question reads: "New info pegs EOS not as the Lumia 1020, but: Nokia 909". While it doesn't provide any further evidence for the new name, @evleaks has a strong track record with this sort of things.
Feature or smart?
You can understand the reasoning behind why Nokia may plump for the 909 moniker, as it follows on nicely from its first 41MP smartphone, the 808 PureView, while also ensuring it doesn't overshadow the recently launched Lumia 925.
However the Nokia 909 (or Lumia 1020, or Nokia EOS) is lined up to run Windows Phone 8, which usually means the "Lumia" brand is shoehorned into a handset's name.
With the Lumia brand potentially dropped consumers may become confused on the identity of the Nokia 909, perhaps mistaking it for a feature phone, as it follows the same format as the Nokia 105, 301 and others.
Samsung has released its Q2 financial guidance and the profits of the market leaders are projected to be $8.33 billion, a new record and an impressive $3 billion improvement over the same quarter last year.
As, one can expect, the strong sales of the company's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4 and its Galaxy S series along with its Note lineup have contributed the most to the impressive numbers.
The total sales figure and other numbers will be available on July 26 when the financial results for Q2 will be officially revealed. It's already certain that Samsung is going to continue its golden run, though.
