HTC One X Jelly Bean update starts to rollout

Jelly Bean incoming for One X

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update has begun to roll out to HTC One X handsets in Europe.

According to Android Central the Taiwanese firm has confirmed that owners of the international version of the One X in Europe and Asia will start seeing the update pop up on their devices over the next few days.

A report from September claimed that we'd see the Android 4.1 upgrade arrive on the One X in October, as HTC looks to keep up with its biggest rival the Samsung Galaxy S3, which has recently received the sweetly named software.

Smoother and faster

The update will be available over the air (OTA), meaning you won't need to plug your One X into your computer to download and install Jelly Bean, but due to the size of the file you'll need to hop onto a Wi-Fi network and make sure your battery isn't too low.

Android Jelly Bean is a smaller update than Ice Cream Sandwich, bringing incremental upgrades to the Google platform, the most noticeable of which is Project Butter, which aims to deliver a smoother and faster user experience.

We're waiting for official word from HTC to confirm which regions can expect the update and when, and we'll update this article once we hear back.

We've also contacted the UK networks to find out their plans on the HTC One X Jelly Bean update, but we're still waiting to hear back from all of them.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-one-x-jelly-bean-update-starts-to-rollout-1108188

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LG's Nexus possibly revealed in database, called LG Nexus 4

Peekaboo (credit: SlashGear)

Carphone Warehouse, the UK and Europe's largest independent smartphone retailer, is on a roll lately.

First, a rogue database listing seemed to reveal that a 32GB Google Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 are on their way way.

On Wednesday, another snapshot of the retailer's inventory may have revealed the name of the rumored LG Nexus device, which at one time was referred to as the LG Optimus G Nexus.

The image shows "LG NEXUS4 Black" and "LG NEXUS4 White" in Carphone's inventory, suggesting that LG's new Nexus device may in fact be called the LG Nexus 4.

What happened to LG Nexus 1, 2 and 3?

Astute readers may be wondering what happened to the LG Nexus 1, 2 and 3, but the "4" in LG Nexus 4 is likely a reference to the screen size rather than the hardware iteration.

As in the Nexus 7, which packs a 7-inch display, the LG Nexus 4's screen will likely stretch 4 inches diagonally.

Unfortunately, the image reveals little else, besides that the LG Nexus 4 could come in both black and white flavors.

All we know about the LG Nexus 4

Besides what's revealed in the database snapshot, most of what's "known" about the LG Nexus 4 is hearsay and rumors.

According to one tipster, who supposedly went hands-on with the unannounced device, the LG Nexus 4 resembles Samsung's Galaxy Nexus, though its innards are based more closely on LG's Optimus G.

Earlier in October, rumors of LG's Nexus first popped up alongside a report outing Google's Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update and claiming that Google will be loosening its grip on the Nexus brand starting in November.

The following day, more substantial rumors pegged the LG Nexus 4 with a quad-core Snapdragon S4 chip, 2GB of memory, a 1280x768 True-HD IPS display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and onboard wireless charging (though a non-removable battery and no microSD slot soured all that good news slightly).

Is Oct. 29 the day?

The world might not have long to wait for the Nexus 4, as a French newspaper is reporting Oct. 29 will be the day of the handset's big reveal.

CNET reported last week that it spoke with someone "briefed on the matter" who confirmed a late October unveiling for the LG/Google Nexus collaboration.

While the French paper that brought the Oct. 29 date forward didn't confirm or deny a mid-November launch for the product in the U.S., it did report the Nexus 4 will turn up in France in December.

Michelle Fitzsimmons contributed to this report.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/lgs-nexus-possibly-revealed-in-database-called-lg-nexus-4-1103458

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Sony Xperia T European march continues, hits US shores too

The Sony Xperia T is continuing its roll-out to retailers across rest of Europe and the U.S., after becoming available in the UK a few days ago. Reports are coming in of the device being available in Slovenia, where it's offered by carrier Telekomu on a contract with prices starting from €229.

Germany also got access to the Sony latest flagship. The local branch of Amazon is offering the smartphone for €500, with an estimated delivery time of 3-4 days. Some other German online retailers already have the device in stock and are willing to send one your way for €499.90.

In the United States, the Sony Xperia T is currently retailing for $599.99 SIM-free. Moreover, it's only a matter of time until major US carriers pick it up and start offering it subsidized.

The Sony Xperia T packs a 4.6" screen of 720p resolution and shatter-proof, scratch-resistant glass. The chipset is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 with a dual-core Krait CPU at 1.5GHz, 1GB of RAM and Adreno 225 GPU.

Make sure to check out our extensive review of the Xperia T before heading to a smartphone store near you.

Thanks, František Bálint, for the tip!

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_t_becomes_available_in_slovenia_hits_us_shores_too-news-4880.php

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Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update arrives… in Poland

W twoim świecie twarzy! - Polish for "in your face world!"

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S3 has begun rolling out to handsets in Eastern Europe, signalling a possible arrival to other regions very soon.

According to SamMobile, Galaxy S3 handsets in Poland can now get Jelly Bean via the Kies desktop software or through an over the air (OTA) update.

Apparently Android 4.1 will hit other countries later this month, which means we could see if before the week is out, as October starts on Monday.

Enhancements

SamMobile reports improved battery performance and a smoother operation thanks to Project Butter on its updated Samsung Galaxy S3, as well as a tweaked settings menu, new notifications bar, resizable pop-up-play window and the addition of Google Now.

Over at German site AllAboutSamsung, Galaxy S3 owners in Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia can also apparently take advantage of the Jelly Bean update.

There's yet to be any official word from Samsung on exact timings of its Jelly Bean roll-out plans. We've contacted Samsung about these latest reports and we'll update this article once we hear back.

In the meantime why not check out our Samsung Galaxy S3 review, where we put the firm's flagship, quad-core handset through our in-depth tests.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-jelly-bean-update-arrives-in-poland-1099245

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Here's where you can use the iPhone 5 'ultrafast LTE'

While our friends across the Atlantic have been basking in the full shine of fast LTE wireless network connectivity, here in Europe the adoption rate has been... well, let's just say, less than stellar.

But fast or not, LTE adoption in Europe is happening. It's the 4G we've all been waiting and now that the mobile hardware has matured enough, Apple is finally confident enough to hop on the LTE bandwagon. But are the carriers ready?

Here are the LTE carriers, which would support the iPhone 5:

USA

• AT&T
• Sprint - CDMA iPhone
• Verizon - CDMA iPhone

Canada

• Bell (including Virgin)
• Rogers (including Fido)
• Telus (including Koodo)

Japan

• KDDI - CDMA iPhone
• Softbank

Germany

• Deutsche Telekom

UK

• EE a.k.a. Everything Everywhere (Orange & T-Mobile)

Australia

• Optus (including Virgin)
• Telstra

South Korea

• SK Telecom
• KT

Hong Kong

• SmarTone

Singapore

• M1
• SingTel

Going through the fine print we also found that unlocked iPhone 5 models may support LTE networks outside the country of purchase when using a valid SIM from a supported carrier, though certain limitations apply. LTE roaming may not be available in-between all carriers and band support does not necessarily guarantee support on all LTE networks running on the same bands.

The list of carriers offering LTE is certainly not long and the coverage in Europe is rather flimsy. Let's hope that a popular device such as the iPhone would be able to change the odds into the customer's favor.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/heres_where_you_can_use_the_iphone_5_ultrafast_lte-news-4795.php

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Sony Xperia SL now available in several markets

The Xperia SL has been quietly released by Sony, and can be found across various retailers in the US and Europe.

Perhaps the reason why there's not much fanfare around the new device is that Sony does not want to interfere with sales of its just-announced Xperia T,V and J at IFA.

The Sony Xperia SL features a dual-core Scropion CPU clocked at 1.7GHz, 12 MP camera capable of 1080p recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera capable of 720p video, 32 GB of storage and 1 GB of RAM. It comes with Android ICS out of box, but should be able to handle an eventual Jelly Bean upgrade from Sony with ease.

As for where you can get one, if you're in the States online retailer basatne has it for $523, while ATGSM offers it for $499. In Europe, getgoods.de and hoh.de each have it for €599.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_sl_now_available_in_multiple_markets-news-4789.php

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Nokia Lumia 920 release date set for November?

Will the 920 be a bright spot in a dreary month?

Word on the street is that Nokia's impressive Lumia 920 will launch in Europe in November.

That's later than we're expecting the iPhone 5 to launch but still early enough to make its way onto a fair number of Christmas wishlists.

The rumour comes from an unidentified European network who reckons that the larger countries like the UK will get the 920 in early November, while smaller ones have to wait until the second half of the month.

Speak easy

There's no guarantee that this rumour is for real but with Nokia staying schtum on the matter (we've asked them if there's any truth to it) it's the best we have to go on for now. No hint of a US release date at this point, we're afraid.

The November release date will at least mean that we'll be able to make fine use of the fact that the Nokia Lumia 920 is glove-compatible.

If that feature doesn't have you reaching for your wallet, perhaps the 4.5-inch screen, 32GB of storage or 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor will. That, or the bright array of colour options.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-lumia-920-release-date-set-for-november-1095549

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Selected Amazon Kindle Fire tablets go on sale in Europe, but are they enough to fight off the competition?

Amazon has launched a selection of its new Kindle Fire range of tablets in Europe, but it may not be enough to beat the competition.

Amazon has done a great job with its new Kindle Fire HD tablets, and an even better job of capturing the headlines, as the launch prompted everything from comparisons between the new tablet and its competitors, to much talk of how the aggressive pricing will hurt everyone from Apple to Microsoft.

At first glance, Amazon has announced a series of winning products, neatly avoided the thorny issue of advertising — sorry “special offers” — and is undoubtedly listening to the sound of virtual cash registers ringing right now.

However, that old Amazon problem — international distribution of its hardware — is still exactly that: A problem.

This stretches back to the original Kindle e-reader, which took a couple of generations to make it elsewhere in the world, and now continues with the Kindle Fire and most importantly, the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD.

Here’s the good news. Amazon has done the decent thing and launched the updated Kindle Fire in five international stores — the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. All these countries will also get the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD.

Pricing looks like this: The Kindle Fire will be sold for £129/159 Euros, the 16GB 7-inch Kindle Fire HD for £159/199 Euros, and the 32GB for £199/249 Euros. They’re all up for pre-order now, with a release date of October 25.

Limited international availability.

Notice anything about those lists? Right, there’s no 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD, nor is there a new Kindle Paperwhite. Also missing is Canada, as it appears it won’t get any new devices at all, and Asia too.

While the Kindle Fire is cheap — and with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution screen, it wants to be — it’s the Fire HD that will be most desired. Except, the 7-inch model isn’t really that desirable. It has a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and a dual-core processor, plus features regular folk won’t care about, such as dual-band, twin antenna Wi-Fi and Dolby Digital Plus.

Without the exciting 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD at the top of the list, will anyone be rushing to buy a 7-inch Fire over the Google Nexus 7? After all, the Nexus 7 is the same price and has the same screen size and resolution, a quad-core processor, the much-improved and completely un-abused Android 4.1 OS, no forced advertising, movie rentals, plus at the tap of a button, a free Kindle and Amazon app store app too. The Kindle Fire HD has twice the memory for the same price, but that’s all.

What’s more, the Nexus 7 is on sale in Canada and some European countries, and has been for a while, plus it has recently gone up for pre-order in parts of Asia.

Regarding the Kindle Paperwhite, which is exclusive to the US Amazon store at the moment, Kobo’s Glo will become even more tempting to international buyers now.

This will inevitably all change in the future, and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has made it clear that he wants to “get into as many places as we possibly can over time.” But for now, while Amazon is welcoming its US customers with open arms, it’s nudging its international customers into the equally welcoming arms of its competitors.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/amazon-kindle-fire-europe-uk-release/

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