Apple denies that the NSA has iOS access

We recently reported on the NSA's access to all iPhones, making each user's data visible to the watching eyes of the government agency. There was even some talk that Apple may have worked with the NSA, basically handing over a key to all of their users' information.

Well Apple CEO Tim Cook didn't take kindly to these rumors and avers that there is no backdoor access to iOS. Cook even went so far as to say that if the government wanted access to Apple's servers, that they would need “to cart [our employees] out in a box.”

Cook went on-air on ABC to dispel the rumors about the supposed scandal involving his company and the NSA. The CEO has even said that Apple has been “pushing very, very hard” for people to have more access to the company's inner practices.

In the interview with ABC Cook also spoke a bit about the direction Apple is going to take product wise: specifically in reference to wearable devices.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_denies_that_the_nsa_has_ios_access-news-7657.php

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The wait for Apple's iTunes Radio may soon be over for Brits and Canadians

iTunes Radio flying the nest?

Apple's iTunes Radio streaming service could be set for an imminent launch outside the United States, with the service reportedly showing up on iOS devices in the UK and Canada.

AppleInsider brings word from readers on both sides of the Atlantic who've seen the iTunes Radio service show up within the Music app on their iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.

In the UK, the users say they're able to stream music using iTunes Radio, while the Canadians who're seeing the service are as yet unable to use it.

Apple has not made any announcement regarding the international launch of iTunes Radio and it is thought the company has been working on the licensing deals necessary for a roll-out outside the U.S.

Customise it...

iTunes Radio was announced at WWDC in June last year, as Apple's answer to Spotify and other dedicated online radio services like Pandora.

The service allows users to play custom radio stations based on songs, artists or genres, or choose from playlists curated by Apple or guest DJs.

If users take a liking to particular songs, they can add them to their iTunes library by purchasing the song from within the Radio portion of the music app.

Have you seen iTunes Radio appear within your Music app yet? Let us know in the comments section below.

• Google is taking the fight to iTunes Radio with "I'm feeling lucky" radio on iOS...

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/the-wait-for-apple-s-itunes-radio-may-soon-be-over-for-brits-and-canadians-1218657

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Apple laying foundations for mobile payments service through Apple ID?

Apple could commandeer mobile payments on the iPhone

Apple is reportedly investigating the possibility of launching its own mobile payments service, which would allow iPhone and iPad users to pay for goods and services using their Apple ID accounts.

The Wall Street Journal reports Apple is looking at 'leveraging' the millions of credit card details its customers currently use to buy apps, games, movies, books, music and more, to launch a wider service.

According to the 'paper's sources, Apple CEO Tim Cook has placed its senior vice president of Internet Software and Service Eddy Cue in charge of getting the service up and running.

The report claims Apple is discussing the plan with other companies in the tech industry.

Look out, PayPal...

If it were to eventually come to fruition, iOS users, for example, could pay for their groceries using their mobile devices, charging the payment to their registered iTunes accounts.

Apple has been researching mobile payments for years, but a fully fledged service would see the company take on the likes of PayPal, Square and Google in the increasingly populated sector.

Would shopping with your Apple ID make things simpler for you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

• Apple in 2014: What to expect

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-reportedly-laying-foundations-for-mobile-payments-service-through-apple-id-1218655

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Bloatware be gone! Korean phones will soon make carrier baggage optional

How many of your phone's pre-installed apps do you actually use?

"Bloatware," as it's called, is a problem for smartphone owners everywhere. It takes up space and uses battery life and data, and more often than not it can't be deleted.

But South Korea's Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning has ruled on new guidelines that will require smartphone makers to allow users to delete unnecessary pre-installed software.

Not all pre-installed software will be required to be deletable. A phone's app store or app marketplace app will be required, for example.

The new rules will go into effect beginning in April.

A world without bloatware

In a Korean-language press release the ministry said the new rules will give consumers more battery life and storage space on their gadgets.

Other types of apps that will still be mandatory include apps related to NFC, Wi-Fi, and customer service.

Still, this is great news for customers whose new phones currently come with dozens of non-deletable apps pre-installed.

This could cause issues in the future with customers deleting certain apps and then having no way to re-download them later, though it will be up to phone makers to address that themselves.

Meanwhile we can hope that similar regulations make their way to other countries eventually.

• The latest Motorola flagship is here - read TechRadar's Moto G review for the full scoop!

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/bloatware-be-gone-korean-phones-will-soon-make-included-apps-optional-1218604

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The week in review, five years ago...

We're taking a look at the mobile trends from this week, five years ago. For some of the more battle-hardened tech veterans who have been following the state of cell phones for a while, this may seem like just yesterday. To our newer readers...it may as well be the stone age.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic sold a million units (it was also shown off in The Dark Knight). The phone packed a 3.2” resistive touch screen; a technology that is all but obsolete on cell phones today. It also came with a guitar-pick stylus and rocked a touch optimized version of the Symbian OS and a 3.15MP primary camera.

It was also a time when feature phones were still in the news, like the Sony Ericsson C903. It was a slider with a 5MP camera and geo-tagging via GPS; something that is pretty much a standard on every phone these days.

During this week in 2009, we also saw Nokia lose more of its market share. There was a time when Nokia dominated every aspect of the phone market: from low-end models, to the most prestigious smartphones, the Finnish giant ruled them all. This was the beginning of the end for Nokia.

It was also announced that Huawei would manufacture Android phones. The Chinese manufacturer is now a big player in the smartphone game, and are enjoying their Google OS success.

Windows 6.5 was leaked and much to the chagrin of many it was a rehash of the same tired Windows Mobile OS. Many users were looking for Microsoft to provide an answer to iOS and Android, but the Seattle-based computing giant was slow to play catch-up. They are flying high with Windows Phone now. However, if they would have been more innovative at the start, they could easily have been the number two OS across the board today.

Suffering from any bouts of nostalgia? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/the_week_in_review_five_years_ago-news-7656.php

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T-Mobile accounts for 45% of US Nokia sales in Q4 2013

Kantar, the popular data consultancy company, has released a series of Tweets with highlights of its upcoming Q4 2013 annual report in regards to Nokia's performance.

The most notable tidbit relates to T-Mobile, which has been revealed as the the best US carrier at selling Nokia devices, accounting for some 45% of all sales in the states during Q4 of last year.

Of those 45%, 56% were low-end Lumia phones, most notably the 521. This leaves right around 32% of sales being premium handsets and flagships like the Lumia 925.

According to other Kantar data, only 9 million US residents would choose a Nokia device over others, while 39 million more would at least consider one. This is in stark contrast to China where of their over 1 billion mobile users, some 57 million prefer a Nokia handset, while 123 million would consider using one.

T-Mobile has started out the year strong with its acquisition of the 700MHz A-Block low-band spectrum from Verizon for $3.3 billion, and its agreement with Sony for exclusive sale of the Xperia Z1S - one of the few Sony devices to be offered by a US carrier in quite some time.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_accounts_for_45_of_us_nokia_sales_in_q4_2013-news-7654.php

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Sony Xperia Z1 Compact hits Sweden, costs €520

Sony's miniature flagship, the Xperia Z1 Compact has been the talk of the town ever since it debuted at the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show.

The hotly anticipated mini variant of the Xperia Z1 was already up for pre-order in several regions across the Europe. Now, the smartphone has gone on sale in its first country, Sweden, and the device is up for grabs across various retailers in the country.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is currently available only in black color and costs SEK 4,595 (about €520). The White, Pink, Lime and Yellow hues of the device are expected to hit the stores in the coming weeks.

To refresh your memory, the mini variant of the Z1 comes with a 4.3-inch 720p display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset along with 2 GB of RAM. There is a 20.7 megapixel rear camera and 2 megapixel front camera and the smartphone runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

Meanwhile, you can also check our hands-on to know more about the smartphone, while we are cooking our detailed review.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z1_compact_on_sale_sweden-news-7653.php

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Red Nexus 5 could be Google's scarlet secret

*Lights cigar* Yup, the pieces were coming together (credit: Vietnamnet.vn)

'Will the Nexus 5 launch in some new colours?' That was the case. A good ol' fashioned in-n-out investigation. No dirty hands, no mess.

We spent the night on the hunt for some shmuck who claimed to have the answers we were looking for but the trail had run cold. A little too cold, if you catch our drift. Who squealed? And what did they know that we didn't?

At our wits end we found ourselves propped up at the bar of some sleazy joint downtown. You know, the kinda place you can swig your juice in peace without some low life bumbin' his gums at you. That's when we got a report that a red Nexus 5 had been spotted in Vietnam. Of all the places...

Red mist

But then the story got real interesting. The same source said that the scarlet handset will be available in "late February or March" and that there'd be a yellow variant, and all.

Even through five glasses of whiskey we could see that this red looked a lot brighter than the one our old friend's video had shown. Someone was fudging the truth. It was time to get outta there and get back on the trail.

• Google Nexus 5 review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/red-nexus-5-could-be-google-s-scarlet-secret-1218523

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Samsung sends invites for Tizen event at MWC

Delayed (again) but not dead (yet) – Samsung has sent out invites to a Tizen event at MWC where it will showcase the newest Tizen devices. "What devices?" you might be asking yourself – so far only a camera has been announced, a variation on the Android-powered Galaxy NX.

The event, which will be held at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona on February 23 is invite-only and will feature representatives from some of the biggest Korean carriers – SK Telecom, KT and LG U+. NTT DoCoMo, the biggest carrier in Japan, will likely not be there as it cancelled its initial plans for a Tizen device.

Now, officially there's no information on just what devices Samsung will be showing, but it can't be just for the camera, right?

Samsung originally announced that it will be showing Tizen phones at the MWC, but then another Samsung official backtracked on that. It won't be the first time Samsung officials promise something for the MWC only to have someone else say "no".

Source (in Korean) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_sends_invites_for_tizen_event_at_mwc-news-7652.php

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Samsung confirms its phones and tablets will only get bigger

Samsung's new slates could make this look small

Samsung's betting big on, well, big, as the South Korean company looks to be focusing on large, 5- to 6-inch smartphones and even bigger tablets, with sizes of up to 20 inches expected.

G4Games is reporting that during its quarterly earnings conference call Samsung's Executive Director, Hyunjoon Kim, revealed the company's big plans.

Samsung led the phablet charge with the Galaxy Note back in 2011 and it's still the market leader in that space, so it's no wonder the company is planning to focus on that area.

Too big?

But 20-inch tablets is another matter altogether, as they'll almost certainly be a fairly niche product, though we've recently seen Samsung edge in this direction with the 12.2-inch Galaxy Note Pro.

Kim stated that these giant devices will be a new tablet category and that the slates will have high resolution screens. There's certainly a market for such things but we'd be surprised if they fly off the shelves.

He also stated that the company will be producing various tablets which will be modified versions of the Galaxy Tab, as if the market wasn't already flooded with enough different Samsung tablets.

Finally, Kim reiterated that the company will be improving the screen sensitivity of its devices, which will allow for the likes of improved Air Gestures.

• Don't want to wait for the new raft of phablets? The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is out now.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/samsung-confirms-its-phones-and-tablets-can-only-get-bigger-1218348

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HTC One KitKat update currently in US carrier labs

HTC USA has shared new information for on-contract HTC One owners, who are eagerly anticipating the KitKat update to arrive on their phones. The phone maker unveiled that the update has been sent to carriers for approval.

After the final testing is complete, the update will be certified and then pushed to users. No one knows how much time the certification period will take for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon to finish.

In Europe, the update is already available for HTC One owners as it is for the Developer and Google editions of the phone.

The AT&T One mini, Sprint and Verizon One Max are currently in the integration stage of the update process. It's the second out of a total of 4 steps (plus evaluation), so be patient mini and Max users out there.

Last year, HTC informed its users of how an Android update is made in a cool infographic. You can check it out here.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_kitkat_update_currently_in_us_carrier_labs-news-7650.php

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ZTEs new rugged smartphone comes straight out of 2012

Chinese manufacturer ZTE has made its way onto the list of smartphone makers with rugged Android offerings with the G601U. The hefty device was leaked by China's Tenaa certification authority, weighing in at 156 grams and a thickness of 12mm.

While you can't necessarily expect low weight or a thin profile from a device designed to withstand high levels of abuse, it would've been nice to see more robust specs than a 4-inch WVGA screen, a dual-core 1.3GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 5MP rear shooter with VGA front-facer.

The good news is that the software runs on a relatively new version of Android (version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean), and the device is powered by a hefty 2,500 mAh battery, which judging by the weak processor and screen should last for quite a while.

Release date and availability are unknown at this time, and it will likely pick up a model name that's less of a mouthful than G601U. Nevertheless, the probability of the device making its way outside of China is low.

Source (Chinese) | Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/ztes_new_rugged_smartphone_comes_straight_out_of_2012-news-7649.php

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Samsung's 'hot corners' may bring ultimate one-handed control to your smartphone

Samsung looks set to make music social

We might soon be seeing some major changes to Samsung's TouchWiz smartphone interface, as some recently uncovered patents point to the addition of 'hot corners'.

By tapping one of the four corners of the screen a selection of shortcuts will apparently appear, giving users quick access to apps, settings and notifications.

Not only would these shortcuts make it quicker and easier to access commonly used apps and features, but they could also make one-handed operation more viable on large handsets.

Each corner seems able to house at least three shortcuts, for a minimum of twelve in total, though as the corners resemble dials it's possible that you can turn them to reveal even more shortcuts.

Social sounds

The patents, turned up by GalaxyClub, also suggest that Samsung is working on new social features for its music app, allowing users to share music that they like with friends and comment on other people's shared music.

It's unclear if or when we'll see these features in a Samsung phone, but with a TouchWiz overhaul rumoured for the Galaxy S5 it's not unreasonable to think that these changes might feature in the flagship handset too.

• Samsung may be looking at hardware changes too, with the home button rumoured to be biting the bullet

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-s-hot-corners-may-bring-ultimate-one-handed-control-to-your-smartphone-1218310

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The Pentagon denies ordering 80K BlackBerry phones

Just two days ago the US Department of Defense released a press note stating it has deployed a new mobile network to be utilized by about 100,000 unclassified devices including 80,000 BlackBerry phones and 1,800 non-BlackBerry devices such as iPhones, Galaxy S III, Galaxy slates and Motorola RAZRs.

As it turns out though the devices mentioned by the DoD are already part of the department's inventory and no new orders have been placed. Here is the official confirmation:

"Absolutely no new orders have been placed for new BB devices. The DISA press release put out Jan. 16 never alluded to any devices being purchased. The 80,000 BBs and 1,800 non-BB devices referenced in the release are legacy systems already in DoD inventories."

Furthermore the DoD has specified that none of this means it won't be buying BlackBerry phones in the future.

So, the US Department of Defense, one of BlackBerry's major enterprise clients, didn't make the company's troubles go away. But it didn't drop BlackBerry as a contractor either.

Source 1 | Source 2

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/the_pentagon_did_not_order_80000_blackberry_phones-news-7648.php

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Nokia's mysterious Android phone could launch as Nokia X

The Normandy could be the X (credit: @evleaks)

The much rumoured Nokia Normandy Android smartphone may in fact be called the Nokia X if and when it's officially unveiled.

That's according to a tweet by the often reliable @evleaks, which said simply "Project Normandy = Nokia X".

If the Nokia X does manage to break cover we could be looking at a 4-inch display, a Qualcomm S4 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage and a 3MP camera according to a source which spoke to The Verge.

Lower your X-pectations

Nokia's Normandy handset has been popping up with alarming regularity lately and its very existence is a little puzzling given the Microsoft sale.

But we've seen so much of it now that there's little doubt it exists and if the Nokia X is ever going to see the light of day it will likely do so during Nokia's press event at MWC 2014 next month. Though given those specs it's unlikely to be a show stealer.

• Wondering what other wonders might emerge at MWC? We'll guide you through what to expect.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-s-mysterious-android-phone-could-launch-as-nokia-x-1218271

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Android 4.4 for Galaxy Note 3 now seeding in India and Baltic region

Poland and its S800-based Galaxy Note 3 unites were the first to taste the Android 4.4 KitKat with the latest TouchWiz upgrade. It seems the update has had no major issues as now Samsung is pushing it to other regions as well.

The Exynos-powered Galaxy Notes 3 in Russia have been recently updated with KitKat, while today both Exynos and S800 Note 3 units in South Korea, India, and the Baltic region (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) are joining on the KitKat fun too.

We guess the update process will now be hitting full steam and may more countries will be joining those in a few days. Reportedly the OTA update weighs at about 360MB, so you might want to make sure you download it over Wi-Fi when the time comes.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/android_44_for_galaxy_note_3_now_seeding_in_india_and_baltic-news-7647.php

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Red Nexus 5 caught in the wild, yellow version coming too

Yesterday we informed you about new possible flavors of the Nexus 5. Later we got a word the actual video showing these new color options in the Play Store is fake. Well, it seems there is still hope for new Nexus 5 flavors after all.

Today a red Nexus 5 model was caught on camera somewhere in Vietnam. As the rumor has it, the red Nexus 5, along with a yellow flavored sibling, will be launching in Vietnam this February or March. There is no info on international availability or other color versions though.

If these new color options for the Nexus 5 are indeed real, we'll probably know more about them in time for the MWC in Barcelona at the end of February. Samsung has a tradition of launching new colors or La Fleur editions of various models by February or March.

LG has even released a white version of its previous Nexus 4 six months after the official release. So there is a chance those new colors might turn real against all odds.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/red_nexus_5_caught_in_the_wild_coming_soon_in_yellow_too-news-7646.php

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