Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 hits the UK

Live under the watchful glory of Her Majesty? Well if you do, you can now purchase the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro for £349.

What does your hard-earned cash get you? A Quad-Core Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, 2GB RAM, Android 4.4 Kit Kat right out of the box. You can get the Tab Pro with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.



The star of the show is the 8.4” Super Clear LCD display with a resolution of 1600 x 2560.

You can pick one up in either a white or black paint job. If you're on the fence about buying the slate, check out our review of the tablet here.

Source


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_pro_84_hits_the_uk-news-7794.php

Samsung Galaxy S5 tipped to come with bezel-free display

According to a report by The Korea Herald citing industry sources, the Samsung Galaxy S5 will launch with a bezel-free display. The Korean giant has reportedly been working on the technology since 2012.



The yet to be revealed smartphone is also said to feature a fingerprint scanner – right in line with previous reports. The fingerprint reader is reportedly embedded in the display and will only be available at its bottom left and right sides. Screen panels with full support for fingerprint scanning are tipped for the second half of this year.

Furthermore, the next generation Samsung Galaxy S will reportedly be even slimmer than its predecessor. The feat will be achieved via a new display panel technology which will replace the currently used four-layer setup featuring indium tin oxide.

In addition to making the smartphone slimmer, the new display technology will bring improved energy efficiency and viewing accuracy. According to an image of Galaxy S5's alleged retail box, the phone's display will be a 5.25" unit with QHD (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) resolution.

Samsung Galaxy S5 will be officially unveiled in less than two weeks, on February 24 in Barcelona. We will be there live, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop on the flagship.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_tipped_to_come_with_bezelfree_display-news-7793.php

Another alleged photo of HTC M8 makes the rounds on Twitter

Another alleged live photo of the yet to be announced HTC M8 made the rounds on Twitter. The image shows the device tucked into a protective flip case which looks a lot like the original flip cover for the HTC One.

The purported photo of the HTC M8 is different from the previous leak of the device’s front (that particular image was subsequently shot down as fake by an HTC exec). The smartphone in the newly emerged image has an LED notification light between the front-facing camera and the earpiece.

In addition to the notification light, we also get to see the on-screen Android navigation buttons of the flagship. They fall right in line with previous leaks.

HTC‘s next Android smartphone flagship is expected to debut in March. Its rumored specs include Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, 5” 1080p display, 2GB of RAM, dual 5MP camera setup, and Sense-d Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/another_alleged_photo_of_htc_m8_makes_the_rounds_on_twitter-news-7792.php

Future Samsung phones could record and share your actions across apps

Future Samsung phones could record and share your actions across apps
Samsung wants to really get inside your devices

Having apparently learned little from all the privacy woes of the last year or so, Samsung is reportedly developing a service that records smartphone users' actions and shares them with other apps.

The service is called "Context," according to a report on The Information.

Beyond collecting keystrokes from users, the report says Context would also record what apps are used and even the data that a device's sensors (camera, microphone, etc.) pick up.

All that data would then be available for app developers to use to tailor app content to specific users.

Red flags

Context may never actually make it onto devices, however, reportedly because Samsung is unsure whether it will actually help the company sell more phones.

In other words, Samsung can't figure out whether users are interested in having their every action recorded, catalogued and exploited by developers.

In related news, The Information also dropped a new hint about a meeting that supposedly took place between Google and Samsung just a day before Google announced it would sell Motorola.

The two companies supposedly discussed the future of Android - specifically, how much freedom device makers will have to customize the operating system on future devices.

But the outcome of the meeting is unknown.

  • At least the Samsung Galaxy S4 doesn't record your every move. Click the link for TechRadar's review.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/future-samsung-phones-could-record-and-share-your-actions-across-multiple-apps-1223780

Dual-OS Geeksphone Revolution gets pricing and availability

Details on the pricing and the official availability of the recently announced, dual-OS booting Geeksphone Revolution got out. The Intel-based smartphone will be available on February 20 for €289 ($394).

The device’s manufacturer has hinted that there will be an early-bird discount for the most eager. For a limited time, the device will be offered for €269 ($367) online only.

The Geeksphone Revolution boots Android 4.2.2 and Firefox OS 1.3 via Boot2Gecko. The device’s specs include 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 4.7” qHD IPS display, 4GB of built-in storage, microSD card slot, and 8MP camera.

At a quick glance, pricing of the Geeksphone Revolution appears to carry a hefty premium for the dual-OS capability. It is up to the marketplace to decide if the smartphone is worth it.

Source (in Spanish) | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/dualos_geeksphone_revolution_gets_pricing_and_availability-news-7791.php

Apple, Samsung smartphones could go bezel-free this year

Apple, Samsung smartphones could go bezel-free this year
Goodbye, bezels!

A new year, another set of flagship handsets from the twin titans of smartphones, Apple and Samsung -- but will this finally be the year such devices can shake off the bezel in an effort to slim down even further?

The Korea Herald reported Tuesday that Samsung and Apple may face another rivalry in 2014 as speculation runs rampant the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6 may each feature bezel-free, edge-to-edge displays.

Korean mobile giant Samsung Electronics appears likely to launch the initial offensive later this month when the manufacturer is expected to announce the Galaxy S5, which unnamed industry sources claim will be the model to finally ditch a hardware-based home button.

Samsung is also rumored to be following Apple into the fingerprint scanner market, which will reportedly be offered on the bottom left and right sides of the bezel-free screen.

Begone, home button

Apple is also said to be testing a prototype of this year's iPhone 6 with a larger, bezel-free display that could also move the Touch ID fingerprint scanner found on the iPhone 5S onto the actual display itself.

The eventual goal of both companies appears to be an edge-to-edge screen offering button-free fingerprint scanning from anywhere on the display, but "technological hurdles" remain that could delay such a feature until the second half of the year.

Now that Apple has staked out the early fall season for its smartphone launches, that could give the iPhone maker an edge over Samsung, who is expected to begin selling the allegedly slimmer Galaxy S5 much earlier in the year.

Samsung is also reportedly hard at work on touch panels that would allow its Galaxy devices to be used even while wearing gloves, part of a bezel-free initiative launched in 2012 under the code names "Project B" and "Galaxy B."

  1. It may have a bezel, but our Samsung Galaxy S4 review shows it's still a fine handset!

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-samsung-smartphones-could-go-bezel-free-this-year-1223735

Samsung Galaxy Mega Plus with quad-core CPU lands in China

Samsung Galaxy Mega Plus quietly appeared on the manufacture’s official website in China. Sporting the model name I9152P, the dual-SIM GSM/WCDMA+ phablet is an updated version of Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU of unknown make.

The rest of the Samsung Galaxy Mega Plus’ specs include a 5.8” qHD (960 x 540 pixels) display, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, and a microSD card slot. There is an 8MP camera on the back of the handset and a 1.9MP front-facing unit. The OS on tap is a TouchWiz-ed Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

The measures of the Samsung Galaxy Mega Plus are 162.6 x 82.4 x 8.99mm, while its weight tips the scale at 183.5 grams. The phablet is powered by a 2,600mAh battery.

There is no word on availability of the Samsung Galaxy Mega Plus in more markets.

Source (translated) | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_mega_plus_with_quadcore_cpu_lands_in_china-news-7790.php

Windows Phone 8.1 points to Windows RT merging with the phone OS

Windows Phone 8.1 points to Windows RT merging with the phone OS
Note the on-screen buttons, VPN support, and new battery features (credit: Reddit)

More than a year after its launch, Windows Phone 8 will finally get its first major update in the form of Windows Phone 8.1.

Now that the update's release is imminent, developers have begun getting their hands on the new version's software development kit, and they're reporting on the improvements Microsoft has made.

The biggest news is that one important Windows Phone 8.1 change points to the possibility that the smartphone operating system may finally be merged with the tablet OS Windows RT.

It seems Windows Phone 8.1 includes support for universal apps built using a shared HTML and JavaScript language that can be used between Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8, one supposed developer revealed on Reddit - most likely breaking his or her NDA in the process.

The first step is most important

In addition, with Windows 8.1 Microsoft will begin using the same .appx package for apps that Windows 8 apps already use.

Although it's not a full unification yet, this could be the first step toward merging the operating systems for good.

If Windows Phone and Windows RT are using the same apps, there's little reason to keep them separate, after all.

And if iOS and Android can be more or less the same between smartphones and tablets, then so too should Windows be able to.

The Windows Phone is 'a changing

The unification of Windows Phone and Windows RT may be the most exciting part of these Windows Phone 8.1 leaks, but there are plenty of other features being revealed by developers too.

For example, Windows Phone 8.1 appears to let users choose different default messaging apps for the first time.

There's also a "Battery Power Sense" feature to monitor battery life, VPN support, a "Storage Sense" feature for installing apps to SD cards, newly separate video and music apps, a new podcast app, and the rebranding of SkyDrive to OneDrive.

Multitasking is different in Windows Phone 8.1 too, according to this developer. Pressing the back button now sends apps into the background instead of closing them, while swiping downward closes them, much like Windows RT. The camera app has a new layout as well.

Finally the browser has been updated to Internet Explorer 11, Facebook account and photo integration appears to be gone (though Twitter is still present and iCloud has been added), and there's support for on-screen buttons, possibly to accommodate future phones without physical buttons.

Notably, two important Windows Phone 8.1 features are missing from this SDK: the new "action center" notification center, and the "Cortana" virtual personal assistant and Siri rival.

But those are expected to appear before Microsoft sends the final version of Windows Phone 8.1 to developers around April.

  • Before there was Windows Phone 8.1, there was Windows 8.1! Read TechRadar's review for everything you need to know about Microsoft's last OS update.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-phone-8-1-points-to-windows-rt-merging-with-the-phone-os-1223730

Samsung Galaxy S5 retail packaging and specs leaked, maybe

Samsung Galaxy S5 retail packaging and specs leaked, maybe
Is this really the back of the S5's box? (credit: SamsungGalaxyS5.nl)

The Samsung Galaxy S5 has a level of hype around it usually reserved for Apple products and a side effect of that is that there are enough rumours and leaks surrounding it to bury a small country.

The latest of these could be one of the most enlightening yet though, as there's now an image of what appears to be the phone's retail packaging.

That might not sound overly exciting, but it's the back of the box - AKA the bit with all the specs listed. The image, which was sent to SamsungGalaxyS5.nl by an anonymous tipster, claims the phone has a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, a 5.25-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) Super AMOLED display, 20MP camera, 1080p video playback and recording and a 3000mAh battery.

The screen size and resolution match previous rumours and we've also heard previously that the Galaxy S5 might have a 2.5GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM, so no real surprise there either.

Snap happy

What's more surprising is the 20MP camera, as earlier rumours pointed to a 16MP lens. While it can apparently only shoot 1080p video, which is slightly surprising given that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 can shoot 4K video.

We've heard several possibly battery sizes in the past but the general consensus seems to be that it would be bigger than the one in the Samsung Galaxy S4, which this is, as the S4 has a 2600mAh juice pack.

Of course there's no guarantee that these specs are the real deal. The image certainly looks like a Galaxy box, but it could just be a Photoshop of a Galaxy S4 one.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s5-retail-packaging-and-specs-leaked-maybe-1223619

Sony Xperia SP Android 4.3 update now seeding

Today Sony started seeding the Android 4.3 update for the Xperia SP.



The update carries a firmware number 12.1.A.0.266 and is currently live in Australia only. Fret not, as over the coming days a wider release will be occurring.

The Sony Xperia T, Xperia TX and Xperia V are also on the queue to receiving the Android 4.3 update. The last we heard, Sony is still undergoing final preparations before releasing the software to said models.

As for those awaiting for Sony to move on to Android 4.4 KitKat - we have no new information. Back in November, the company said that the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra and the Xperia Tablet Z will be getting the latest 4.4 KitKat update. The Sony Xperia ZR and Xperia SP have also been revealed to be under consideration for an update to KitKat, but we don't know if they've made the cut just yet.

Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_sp_android_43_update_is_live-news-7789.php

Even Apple can't afford to equip iPhone 6 with a sapphire crystal display

Even Apple can't afford to equip iPhone 6 with a sapphire crystal display
Our screens might remain sapphire-less for a while yet.

Just before the weekend it was uncovered that Apple was preparing to build large quantities of sapphire crystal displays.

This followed a patent filing which described the use of an extra-resilient material on the iPhone screen, so the natural assumption was that we'd see a sapphire crystal clad iPhone 6.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like that will be the case, as Chinese site MyDrivers is citing sources from Taiwan's industrial chain as saying that it's unlikely the iPhone 6 will have a sapphire crystal screen.

That's not for lack of trying as apparently there are already prototypes of the device that are rocking a sapphire display, but according to the unnamed sources the production capacity is too low and the costs too high.

It's not all bad news though as the same sources claim that Apple's iWatch will have a sapphire crystal display instead.

Tougher than a gorilla

Apple is no stranger to sapphire crystal as it already uses the super-strong material to cover the fingerprint reader on the iPhone 5S as well as for its camera lens, but making the move to displays is a big step and it could mean the end of scratched and shattered screens as sapphire crystal is substantially more resilient than Gorilla Glass.

Unfortunately it's also around ten times more expensive, so it's no wonder Apple is struggling to keep the costs down.

That's not to say that future iPhone's won't use it, but it doesn't look likely that it will appear in the iPhone 6's screen. If you can't wait any longer for a handset with a sapphire crystal screen though you're in luck, as the Vertu Ti has one and it can be yours for around £6,700.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/even-apple-can-t-afford-to-equip-iphone-6-with-a-sapphire-crystal-display-1223601

Oppo Find 7 launch date and place unveiled

In a series of teaser images posted in its Weibo account, Oppo officially confirmed that its Find 7 smartphone will debut on March 19 in Beijing.

The images contain interesting clues as to the time and place of the event. Oppo Insider has cracked the code and revealed that the number combination means March 19, 2014 and the Art district in Beijing. The event will take place at 7PM (UTC +8).

The Oppo Find 7 will have a 5.5-inch display of 2K resolution. The 2560 x 1440 pixels on a screen with a 5.5-inch diagonal give the whopping 538 ppi density.

In addition, according to leaked benchmarks, the Oppo Find 7 packs a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset with an Adreno 330 GPU graphics. However, we aren't so sure of the authenticity of the benchmark, as the phone is listed to pack a full HD display, and not 2K, as Oppo has officially stated.

Furthermore, some reports suggest the phone will pack the more recent Snapdragon 805 chipset, but that's not been confirmed. The phone's looks haven't surfaced either, but Oppo claims the 5.5" phone will feel like a 5" one, inclining us to believe it'll sport super slim bezels.

Lastly, Oppo's Facebook page chimed in to deliver an interestingly sounding feature that'll see on the Find 7. It's dubbed 'Touch On Lens', but we are yet to see what exactly it does.

SourceSource (2) | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_7_launch_date_and_place_unveiled-news-7787.php

An alleged photo of the Samsung Galaxy S5 box reveals the specs

The evidence that the Galaxy S5 will be unveiled at the MWC is mounting fast – now there's an alleged photo of the box the new flagship will come in. Samsung boxes feature key specs on the back and an anonymous tipster claims to have snapped a photo of the Galaxy S5 package.

The specs listed align with previous rumors. The chipset has a quad-core CPU at 2.5GHz and LTE Cat. 4 (150Mbps downlink). This is certainly a Snapdragon chipset and we're possibly looking at the Snapdragon 800 8974AC variety, which packs Krait 400 at 2.46GHz. The box also promises 3GB RAM, same as the Galaxy Note 3 (as can be expected).



Moving on, the screen is listed as 5.25" QHD (2,560 x 1,600), which is precisely what the latest rumors have been saying. That would push the pixel density to 560ppi, but keep in mind this is likely a PenTile Super AMOLED, so it should have a noticeable visual improvement over the current 5" 440ppi screen.

Same goes for the camera - a 20MP shooter, which is in line with the leaked 16MP photo that had 16:9 aspect ratio (20MP is at 4:3). Strangely, the video capture is just 1080p, we were expecting UHD like the Galaxy Note 3.

The final bit of specifications that the box reveals is Android 4.4 KitKat (no surprise here) and a 3,000mAh battery. There's not a peep about the body material (metal or plastic?).

Keep in mind that this box could have been Photoshopped, but nothing it shows is particularly surprising (perhaps aside from the video capture). The Unpacked 5 event (5, get it?) will be held at 20:20 CET on February 24 in Barcelona. We'll be reporting live from there and you can join in via livestream.

Thanks to Mike for sending this in!

Source


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/an_alleged_photo_of_the_samsung_galaxy_s5_box_reveals_the_specs-news-7788.php

It's your fault that Flappy Bird is dead

It's your fault that Flappy Bird is dead
RIP

You. It's your fault that Flappy Bird is gone.

You took something that was meant as a quick five minute distraction, and you turned it into a rage-inducing competition to see who could waste the most time.

"I just wanted to create a game that people could enjoy for a few minutes," creator Nguyen Ha Dong told the WSJ. "It was just too addictive, that was the main negative. So I took it down."

You couldn't just settle for a high score of zero, could you. THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS.

More blips!


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/it-s-your-fault-that-flappy-bird-is-dead-1223567

ARM announces Cortex-A17 mid-range processor

ARM has unveiled a new mobile processor - the Cortex-A17. It's the successor of the popular Cortex-A9 and offers 60% performance boost and supports big.LITTLE task switching. The latter will allow Cortex-A17 cores to be paired with other Cortex processors, such as the low-power Cortex-A7.



The new architecture can be used for up to quad-core CPUs on its own and OEMs can even add up to four Cortex-A7 cores for an octa-core chip. ARM designed this processor for various devices such as smartphones and tablets, smart TVs, set-top-boxes and even car systems and the company expects to see it embedded in various solutions in 2015.

ARM suggests the manufacturers to use its own Mali-T720 graphics with the Cortex-A17 processor, but this isn't a mandatory requirement so we may as well see it paired with Broadcomm and PowerVR GPUs.

If everything goes right, we'll start seeing Cortex-A17 powered devices in 2015.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/arm_announces_cortexa17_midrange_processor-news-7786.php

The LG G2 Mini seems to be having an identity crisis

The LG G2 Mini seems to be having an identity crisis
This but smaller?

A phone that might well be the LG G2 Mini has popped up on not one, but two websites, and despite having 'Mini' in the name it could actually be pretty big.

First up a device with the model name LG D6218 (thought to be one of the G2 Mini's model numbers) is listed on the FCC's database.

The listing states that it's 65.8mm wide and 128.8mm tall, which would mean it's only slightly smaller than the LG G2 and gives it almost identical dimensions to the LG Optimus L9 II, a phone which has a 4.7-inch display.

The FCC listing doesn't say much else, though it does mention that the handset will have a removable battery.

The LG G2 Mini also seems to have appeared on Bluetooth Special Interest Group's website. This time it has the model number D6220, but both are thought to be the G2 mini.

The listing is even less enlightening than the FCC one, but with the handset popping up on both these sites it's likely to be launched before long.

Big is the new small

We'd heard initially that the LG G2 Mini might be as big as 4.7 inches and if true it would be the same size as the HTC One and substantially bigger than the 4.3-inch Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini or Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.

Previous rumours also point to it running Android 4.4 and having a Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, which could give it a similar amount of power to the LG G2.

In other words the LG G2 Mini looks to be a big, powerful, high-end handset. If that all turns out to be true then LG might want to rethink the name.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/the-lg-g2-mini-seems-to-be-having-an-identity-crisis-1223492

MediaTek outs a high-end octa-core CPU with LTE support

MediaTek has just announced its new MT6595 octa-core chip which it will rival directly Qualcomm's 800 and 805 chipsets, for a place in premium LTE handsets.

The company is fresh off the release of its latest octa-core offering which it has marketed as "true octa-core" - capable of running all eight cores simultaneously, rather than only four at a time like Samsung's chip. Now, its latest SoC is set to sport four of the brand new Cortex-A17 cores running at 2.2-2.5GHz and four 1.7GHz A7 cores.



The chip will run using ARM's big.LITTLE technology alongside HMP, while the Cortex-A17 architecture is expected to provide with up to a 60% performance increase over Cortex-A9. Also, like its MT6592 predecessor, the new chip will feature 4K2K video recording and playback.

MediaTek has thrown the gauntlet and claimed its octa-core solution will be faster and more power efficient than Samsung's Exynos chip. This leaves conditions ripe for a rebuttal by the Korean giant and this month's MWC conference in Barcelona. Be sure to check back with us then!

Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/mediatek_to_out_another_new_high_range_octacore_cpu-news-7785.php

Samsung teases new Galaxy S5 UI in Unpacked event invitation

Samsung will be holding the Unpacked 5 event in Barcelona on the 24th, the company reminds us with a teaser posted on Twitter. The teaser contains a number of generic features, presumably ones embodied in the company's new phone. They all line up fairly well with what the Galaxy S5 should be, but could also be describing another flagship.

Still, "Unpacked 5" is pretty suggestive of the Galaxy S5. By the way, the superscript symbols after the words is 5 rather than S. We had to look closely to make sure (if it was an S, it would have been a dead giveaway).



The teaser boasts things like speed and Samsung is already using 150Mbps Cat. 4 LTE, then there's outdoor (the Galaxy S4 has sensors for pressure, temperature and humidity, used for the fitness app), privacy (KNOX) and so on.

As we said, this could well be any Samsung flagship – the round icons used for the teaser are probably more characteristic of Tizen rather than TouchWiz (unless Samsung changes the style for the new TouchWiz).

We'll have our answer in less than two weeks – the event starts at 20:00 CET and will be livestreamed. We will be on site too for extra details.

Source


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_teases_unpacked_5_event-news-7784.php

Samsung Galaxy Star Trios with triple SIMs unveiled in Brazil

Just six days ago LG has unveiled the Optimus L1 II Tri (yes, we still giggle at the name). It's a low-end triple SIM smartphone for Brazil and will hit the shelves soon for $127.

Today Samsung announced a competing triple SIM smartphone for Brazil as well. It's called Galaxy Star Trios and seems to feature the same specs as the Optimus L1 II Tri. The Star Trios packs a 3.1" QVGA display and runs on the Qualcomm MSM7225A Snapdragon S1 chipset with a single-core 1GHz processor, Adreno 200 GPU and 512MR RAM.


Samsung Galaxy Star Trios

Other notable specs of the Galaxy Star Trios include a 2MP rear camera, 4GB expandable storage, 3G connectivity with HSPA support, Wi-Fi, GPS and a 1,300 mAh battery. The phone runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

There Samsung Galaxy Star Trios is already on sale in Brazil for $165. We expect to see it in other emerging markets later this year too, but nothing is official just yet.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_star_trios_with_triple_sims_headed_to_brazil-news-7783.php