Galaxy S4, HTC One Google Play Edition phones updated to Android 4.4.2

Google is fixing its latest Android update. Then it's fixing its lawn. The Google Play versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One are again demonstrating that stock Android phones have all the perks, as they have been upgraded to Android 4.2.2 today. Granted, this is a minor update to Google's mobile operating system with the release notes indicating...

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Motorola cries 'timber!' and teases wood Moto X

What could this possibly mean? (credit: Motorola Mobility) There have been rumors about a wood chassis for Motorola's Moto X for months, and the company is finally acknowledging them officially - albeit cryptically. In a Google+ post Motorola published an image of the Moto X's silhouette dotted-lined onto a slab of wood, with the caption "Put this DIY...

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Samsung may reveal its first 2K ultra HD phone at MWC in February

Will the real phone live up to the rumored legend? It's been a week since we heard any murmurings about the Samsung Galaxy S5 and right on cue, the South Korean media says we'll see the first over 1080p resolution phone at Mobile World Congress. The Galaxy smartphone maker is rumored to unveil its first QHD device with a 2560×1440 resolution at Mobile World...

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Sony Xperia Z1 variant benchmarks look positively fast, furious

Pull over, buddy! (credit: PhoneArena) Leaked benchmark scores are once again outing a trio of forthcoming handsets from Sony, suggesting the Japanese manufacturer may be about to take a good thing and multiply. PhoneArena reported Sunday that Sony has not one, not two but a full three variants of its popular Xperia Z1on the way, judging from leaked benchmarks...

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Budget Sony Xperia E2 getting LTE and clipping coupons next year?

The Sony Xperia E was nothing to write home about, but had a price tag to match Sony will release a successor to the Xperia E appropriately dubbed the Xperia E2 in 2014, according to a recent report. The Japanese site EMSOne said the Xperia E2 will feature LTE compatibility, unlike its predecessor, which launched in March 2013 with 3G only. Other than...

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Nokia Camera app comes to all Lumia Windows 8 smartphones

The Lumia 822 has a grogeous screen and now a nice camera app to back it up Nokia has been slowly building up its reputation as a photography focused smartphone maker and now it's extending those perks to everyone using its handsets. The Nokia Camera app thus far has only been available to high-end, pro-shooter models such as the Lumia 920 and Lumia 925...

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Windows Phone 8.1 reportedly adds notification center, Siri equivalent

Notification Center needed as much as Windows needs a start button The forthcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update may prove that 8.1 is Microsoft's lucky number, as it's reportedly adding a notification center and Siri personal assistant to its mobile devices. The Windows Phone 8.1 notification center is to revealed through a swipe-from-the-top gesture, according...

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Rumor: No Android devices from Nokia, wearables planned instead

Talk that Nokia is working on Android-powered devices was met with great excitement, even when the rumors stated that the company is looking to fork Android. Chinese site CTechnology has some insider info about the status of the project, though, and the news isn't good. The Android development was led by Peter Skillman, former VP MeeGo UX and Services Design...

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HTC reassigns CFO to head of sales amidst structural changes

Taiwanese-based smartphone manufacturer HTC has been struggling recently, having just announced its 25 straight month of declining year-on-year sales. In order to right the ship, current CFO Chialin Chang has been appointed as the new global head of sales. According to a statement posted by HTC, Chang's previous experience in sales should be an asset in his...

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LG denies word that it will team up with Huawei on smartphones

No way to Huawei Word has begun circling that LG has plans to hook up with Huawei in order to boost its smartphone business, but LG says that's nonsense. One analyst told the Korea Times that the partnership is being considered, with LG keen to parley in order to "revive its smartphone business." But LG has denied the claims, saying it is not pursuing...

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Samsung Galaxy Core Advance brings a big screen at a low cost

A bigger core, but it's not really advanced The Samsung Galaxy Core Advance has been officially announced, bringing a big screen to the budget end of the mobile market. While the "Advance" extension to the handset's name may intrigue you, there's been little added to the original Galaxy Core which arrived in May 2013. The main difference is the screen...

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Best business smartphones: 10 top handsets for work

Are keyboards still the best for business? Once upon a time there was only one firm on the lips of any business' IT team when it came to company phones – BlackBerry (formerly known as Research In Motion or RIM). BlackBerry is still a big player in the enterprise market but the rest of the pack is hot on its heels, with the likes of Apple, Samsung, Nokia...

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Micromax Canvas 2.2 with 5-inch qHD goes live

This just in from India - Micromax has introduced the Canvas 2.2 A114, which is currently selling on Flipkart.com for INR 12,999 (around $210). In addition to dual-SIM support, the smartphone brings a 5" qHD (960 x 540 pixels) display on tap, MediaTek MT6582M chipset with a quad-core 1.3 GHz CPU, 8 MP snapper on the back and a 2 MP one on the front, 1 GB of RAM and 4...

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O2 targets businesses with cheaper 4G tariffs

O2 makes it cheaper to go faster Mobile operator O2 launched new 4G tariffs on Thursday for new and existing customers with specific packages for small businesses. The company also revealed that it had hit its LTE coverage ahead of schedule. O2's 4G 'Refresh Airtime' tariffs start at £17 a month, coming with unlimited texts, minutes and 1GB of data. On top...

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Samsung announces Galaxy Core Advance with 4.7" screen

Samsung has added yet another smartphone to its mid-range club and has extended its Galaxy Core lineup. The South Korean manufacturer has officially announced the Galaxy Core Advance, after unveiling Galaxy Core and Core Plus earlier this year. Samsung Galaxy Core Advance features a design similar to the previous Core series devices, but comes with enhanced hardware...

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Android 4.3 rolling out to Xperia Z1 and Z Ultra

Sony has started rolling out the Android 4.3 update for the Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z Ultra (yep, that's Jelly Bean, not KitKat. That would arrive later.) The update brings with it all the changes that Google introduced with the 4.3 update along with several of Sony's own enhancement. Sony has added the Smart Social Camera to the Z Ultra that was previously...

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