Microsoft said to be testing its own smartphone

Ever since Microsoft announced the Surface tablet earlier this year, there have been rumors and speculations regarding Microsoft entering the smartphone hardware market as well.

Well, it seems they might. According to the sources at The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is working with Asian component suppliers to test their own smartphone design. Having said that, the company is not sure if the device will go in mass production.

It is said that the device Microsoft is currently testing has a display between four and five inches. Also, according to The Verge, this device won't be making an official appearance any time before the next year and is supposedly Microsoft's 'Plan B' in case the existing Windows Phone 8 devices fail to make an impression upon the users.

This is certainly interesting news for Windows Phone fans, although we are not sure if the other hardware manufacturers feel the same way.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_said_to_be_testing_its_own_smartphone-news-5033.php

Read More

Swype-like Nexus Keyboard rumored for Android event

Farewell to tap typing (credit: Geek.com)

It's the Friday before a big tech event, so that only means three things: leaks, reports and rumors.

Among the whispers are a few rumblings suggesting a new Android keyboard could make an appearance at Google's shindig in NYC Monday, perhaps as part of an Android 4.2 update.

The new keyboard is rumored to have Swype-like functionality, where users trace their finger over letters as an alternate typing method.

It is unlikely that the keyboard would actually feature Swype, which was bought last year by voice-recognition company Nuance.

Rather, it is more fitting of Google's style to update its official keyboard while Swype remains an alternative for users to choose in the Google Play store.

Nexus Keyboard not the default?

Despite the report, changing the default Android keyboard may be too large of a shift for Google, as well as for some users. Google's new keyboard may also take the form of a separate Nexus Keyboard app.

As a separate app, the rumored Nexus Keyboard would match Google's pattern of offering alternatives to its own default Android services.

Google Maps, Google Mail and most recently Google Calendar have all broken off as independent apps to offer additional features compared to Google's default counterparts.

Perhaps more importantly to note, HTC and Sony have both begun preloading Android smartphones produced by the companies with native Swype-like keyboard.

A Nexus Keyboard app would step on far fewer OEM toes than a fundamental change to the default keyboard.

The rumored Nexus Keyboard could make its debut with the frequently leaked LG Nexus 4 handset, which is expected to be one of the featured devices at the event.

A Swype-like keyboard is on TechRadar's Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie wishlist, but Google could still surprise us with a Nexus Keyboard update before the new OS surfaces.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/swype-like-nexus-keyboard-rumored-for-android-event-1107792

Read More

Google's upcoming Nexus 10 tablet leaks out in live images

Google's upcoming Nexus 10 slate has leaked out in live photos, confirming previous rumors for the Samsung made tablet. Set to be officially unveiled on Monday, the device packs impressive specifications, headed by a stunning 10.1" display with a iPad beating resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and a pixel density of 298.9ppi.

The Google Nexus 10 will feature a brand new dual-core Samsung Exynos 5250 chipset, whose Cortex-A15 cores run at 1.7GHz. The new silicon is reportedly faring better in benchmark scores than the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro. The Mali -T604 GPU is also brand new - it should be able to handle the massive amount of pixels with ease. Two gigs of RAM, 16GB of non-expandable built-in memory (other options will likely be available), 5MP camera (you can check out its samples here) with front-facing companion, and full connectivity suite are also on board.

The back of the slate appears to be made of metal, while the dual-speakers at its front remind us of its Samsung roots. The tablet is said to be remarkably thin for its size.

The Google Nexus 10 will launch with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which will bring a number of improvements to the OS. They include improved camera UI, support for multiple user accounts, as well as quick settings bar.

The Google Nexus 10 will break cover at a Google event in New York City on Monday, October 10. We will be there live, so be sure to stick around for the full scoop on everything Android.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/googles_upcoming_nexus_10_tablet_leaks_out_in_live_images_-news-5004.php

Read More

Apple introduces 7.9-inch iPad mini, coming on November 2

The Apple iPad mini rumors have been around for ages, but the slate finally went official. Apple has just introduced the latest iOS slate – the 7.9-inch iPad mini.

The late Steve Jobs famously slammed 7-inch slates for having no real-life application, but it seems Apple has changed its stance on the matter as the iPad mini is now a reality. It packs a 7.9-inch LED-backlit IPS screen with a resolution of 1024x768 pixels – the same as the first and second 9.7" iPads. This time around the pixel density goes higher at 163ppi thanks to the smaller display.

The iPad mini is powered by the older generation Apple A5 chipset we already met within the iPad 2. In case you need a refresh it has a 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics and 512MB RAM. The new Lightning port introduced with the iPhone 5 is here too.

The iPad mini also features a 5MP (iSight) rear camera capable of 720p video recording. A 720p front-facing FaceTime camera is onboard as well.

The iPad mini will be available in black and white and will come with 16, 32 or 64GB non-expandable memory.

The Apple iPad mini will go on pre-order next week with market availability scheduled to start on November 2. The base model costs $329, with the 32GB and 64GB version going for $429 and $529, respectively. The Wi-Fi+Cellular model pricing starts at $459 for the 16GB.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_introduces_7ich_ipad_mini-news-4987.php

Read More

Oppo Find 5 has a FullHD 5-inch screen, pics and specs emerge

The Oppo Find 5 is no stranger to us, we've already heard the rumors. And this time around they seem to be confirmed to the letter.

The Oppo Find 5 has a 5-inch screen of FullHD resolution with a narrow 3mm bezel. It runs on 1.5Ghz Qualcomm's APQ8064 quad-core chipset with 2GB RAM. The aluminum unibody has a thickness of merely 6.9mm and the 12MP camera with a Sony backlit sensor allegedly doesn't bulge at all.

But that's not all, as there is also a nice and hefty 2500mAh battery inside to power the thing. Oh, and there's Android 4.1 Jelly Bean pre-installed.

Oppo Find 5

A 5-inch screen with Full HD resolution, now that does ring some bells, doesn't it? The recently introduced HTC J has similar specs but it's for Japan only.

The Oppo Find 5 will be available in 16GB and 32GB versions, priced at 3000 Chinese yuan (about US$475) and 3300 Chinese yuan (about US$520) respectively. Those are unsubsidized prices, but the Oppo Find 5 is reportedly coming with support for GSM and UMTS (with HSPA) networks, so it's compatible with China Unicom's network. This is also good news if you are planning to get one imported to Europe or America, as there are plenty of carriers to support those standards there.

I bet we'll be seeing even more devices with such monstrous screens come out soon.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/pics_and_specs_of_oppo_find_5_emerge_has_a_fullhd_5inch_screen-news-4966.php

Read More

HTC J butterfly announced in Japan with 5-inch, 1080p display

We have been hearing rumors of an HTC phone with a large 1080p display for a while now and it has finally come true. HTC has unveiled the HTC J butterfly in Japan and it is the first production smartphone to have a 1080p display.

The display in question is a 5.0-inch, Super LCD3 with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which gives it a pixel density of the astonishing 440 ppi. The display is quite big but at 143 x 71 x 9.1 mm, the J butterfly is only slightly bigger than the One X (134.4 x 69.9 x 8.9 mm) and at 140g weighs just 10g more.

Inside, the HTC J butterfly runs on a quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 2GB of RAM. It has 16GB internal memory along with a microSD card slot.

On the back is an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video recording and on the front is a 2 megapixel camera. The phone supports LTE and NFC and is dust and waterproof (IPX5). Strangely, for a phone with such specs, the battery is only 2,020mAh. Lastly, the J butterfly will ship with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box.

The HTC J butterfly is set to release in Japan on AU/KDDI in December. The phone will be sold in three colors: red, black and white. Unfortunately, this particular model will be exclusive to Japan but we are sure to see that glorious display on HTC's future models soon.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_j_butterfly_announced_in_japan_with_5inch_1080p_display-news-4959.php

Read More

Apple’s ‘mini’ event rumors: New Mac mini, 13″ Retina MacBook Pro, and iPad Mini

We do our best to follow all of the latest Apple October 23rd rumors, including a new Mac mini, a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, and the iPad mini.

This week is off to a flying start with several Apple rumors already “confirmed,” including new Mac minis, a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display, a curvy iMac, and an iPad Mini price list for good measure. All of these products are rumored to be announced at a press conference many think will happen on Oct. 23rd. From the looks of it, Apple may announce a number of smaller, ‘mini’ products at the event

New Mac Mini’s coming

Big fan of Apple’s tiny little Mac? You’re in luck. A new rumor from 9t05Mac points to new versions of the Mac mini rearing their adorable little heads at Apple’s rumored October 23rd event. Supposedly, the new Macs will come in two configurations, with varying memory and processor options as well as a third model for those who want to run OS X Server. Rumor has it that they’ll start shipping immediately after the announcement. Apple hasn’t updated the Mac mini in more than a year.

We assume that the new mini will get some form of visual refresh, but it’s hard to imagine Apple making it a whole lot smaller than it already is. Maybe we’ll get a Mac micro?

(Section added by Jeffrey Van Camp)

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display

9to5Mac has also heard from a “consistently reliable source” that Apple will introduced a Retina display-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro during the iPad Mini’s launch event later this month. It will apparently be thinner and lighter, and offer different combinations of processors and storage options too.

Macrumors.com has found a few potential features for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro on a Chinese website, which claims the smaller computer will still have two Thunderbolt ports, a USB port, a headphone socket, an HDMI-out and an SD card reader; just like its bigger brother. There’s also talk of an interesting battery design — although it’s not elaborated upon — and the report is accompanied by a couple of pictures that, frankly, could show absolutely anything.

Before we move on, it’s best to clarify that we’re talking about a product that doesn’t exist being launched at an event that hasn’t been announced for another non-existent product. That said, it’s logical for Apple to produce a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, but at the moment we don’t know when that will happen.

A curvy iMac

The curvy iMac rumors seems to originate from the same Chinese website, where it’s said that the new model will have a curved shell that’s something like “a water droplet,” which sounds more like Samsung’s design philosophy than Apple’s. Naturally, it too is going to arrive at the small “intimate” event apparently set for October 23.

iPad Mini prices

Finally, we’re onto the event’s main attraction, the iPad Mini. A picture supposedly showing a list of iPad Minis that will possibly be stocked by German electronics retailer MediaMarkt has been leaked, complete with prices and basic specs. In addition to the usual 16, 32 and 64GB models, an 8GB iPad Mini may appear. Each version will have the choice of a black or white finish, and either Wi-Fi only or “cellular” and Wi-Fi.

The most basic 8GB Wi-Fi iPad Mini is priced at 250 euros, and the top 64GB Wi-Fi with 3G or 4G at 650 euros. A quick currency conversion gives us $322 and $840 respectively, the latter of which will probably have seen wallets everywhere twitch nervously.

Just like all the other iPad Mini rumors, there’s no way to know if this is really a screenshot from MediaMarkt’s computer system, and equally we can’t take those prices as final either, as Apple’s US pricing is often lower than it’s European equivalent.

October 23 is one week away tomorrow, which means that if an event is to take place, Apple will start to send invitations out very soon. We really, really hope it does too; if only to put an end to these infernal iPad Mini rumors.

Update 10/16/2012 by Jeffrey VC: Rumors of a Mac mini announcement have surfaced and have been added to the list.

Article originally published 10/15/2012

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-ipad-mini-event-rumors/

Read More

Apple rumor overload: 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, a curvy iMac and an iPad Mini price list

Monday is off to a flying start with a selection of new Apple rumors, including a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro and an iPad Mini price list.

Monday is off to a flying start with several Apple rumors already “confirmed,” including a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display, a curvy iMac and an iPad Mini price list for good measure.

Let’s start with the big one. 9to5mac.com has heard from a “consistently reliable source” that Apple will introduced a Retina display-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro during the iPad Mini’s launch event later this month. It will apparently be thinner and lighter, and offer different combinations of processors and storage options too.

Macrumors.com has found a few potential features for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro on a Chinese website, which claims the smaller computer will still have two Thunderbolt ports, a USB port, a headphone socket, an HDMI-out and an SD card reader; just like its bigger brother. There’s also talk of an interesting battery design — although it’s not elaborated upon — and the report is accompanied by a couple of pictures that, frankly, could show absolutely anything.

Before we move on, it’s best to clarify that we’re talking about a product that doesn’t exist being launched at an event that hasn’t been announced for another non-existent product. That said, it’s logical for Apple to produce a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, but at the moment we don’t know when that will happen.

The curvy iMac rumors seems to originate from the same Chinese website, where it’s said that the new model will have a curved shell that’s something like “a water droplet,” which sounds more like Samsung’s design philosophy than Apple’s. Naturally, it too is going to arrive at the small “intimate” event apparently set for October 23.

iPad Mini prices

Finally, we’re onto the event’s main attraction, the iPad Mini. A picture supposedly showing a list of iPad Minis that will possibly be stocked by German electronics retailer MediaMarkt has been leaked, complete with prices and basic specs. In addition to the usual 16, 32 and 64GB models, an 8GB iPad Mini appears, each with the choice of a black or white finish, and either Wi-Fi only or “cellular” and Wi-Fi.

The most basic 8GB Wi-Fi iPad Mini is priced at 249 euros, and the top 64GB Wi-Fi with 3G or 4G at 649 euros. A quick currency conversion gives us $322 and $840 respectively, the latter of which will probably have seen wallets everywhere twitch nervously.

Just like all the other iPad Mini rumors, there’s no way to know if this is really a screenshot from MediaMarkt’s computer system, and equally we can’t take those prices as final either, as Apple’s US pricing is often lower than it’s European equivalent.

October 23 is one week away tomorrow, which means that if an event is to take place, Apple will start to send invitations out very soon. We really, really hope it does too; if only to put an end to these infernal iPad Mini rumors.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/13-inch-retina-macbook-pro-curvy-imac-and-ipad-mini-price-list-leaked/

Read More

Japanese telecom giant Softbank buys 70 percent of Sprint

It's confirmed. Rumors last week that hinted that Japanese telecom and Internet provider Softbank would purchase Sprint were true, mostly. Softbank and Sprint have announced that the company will soon own 70 percent of the third largest U.S. mobile carrier.

Japanese based SoftBank is officially entering the global market. It was announced earlier today that the third largest carrier in Japan is acquiring 70 percent of Sprint, the third largest carrier in the United States, for $20.1 billion (1.57 trillion Yen). The two companies had been rumored to have been in serious discussions late last week. With all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed today, Softbank President Masayoshi Son and Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse announced that the deal was completed.

The breakdown of the deal, as announced by both Sprint and SoftBank, will send $12.1 billion to the current Sprint shareholders. The remaining $8 billion of new capital will be used to “strengthen Sprint’s balance sheet.” SoftBank is offering $7.30 a share for existing shares, though Sprint’s stock had closed at $5.73 a share on Friday. Current Sprint stockholders will also receive 30 percent ownership in New Sprint. That’s right, a group of extremely intelligent and wealthy businessmen and investors hashed out a multibillion dollar transaction and the best name they could come up with is “New Sprint.”

The name appears to be the only negative in this deal, though, as both Sprint (old Sprint?) and SoftBank are looking at this acquisition as a win. For Sprint, it provides a sizable influx of cash that allows it to be competitive against Verizon and AT&T. It also gives the company the backing of an extremely successful entity that has built a network in the same way Sprint hopes to. It’s also a win for current Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, who will become CEO of New Sprint and sit as a board member.

For SoftBank, this move is a bit of global market consolidation that plants it firmly in a top spot on the worldwide playing field. Now sitting as the third-largest mobile provider in Japan and in the United States, SoftBank has more than 90 million subscribers. This marks the largest overseas acquisition by a Japanese firm to date. However, any transaction of this size comes with its potential pitfalls. Sprint may be a risky point of entry for SoftBank, taking control of a sputtering company in a market that is dominated by two seemingly immovable giants. The agreed upon merger between Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile and MetroPCS makes the market even more competitive toward the top. The deal has also placed SoftBank as “credit watch negative” by Standard & Poor’s, meaning it could see its credit rating downgraded. Of course, S&P made the same threat to the United States and that sure didn’t stop us.

SoftBank’s rise through Japan’s mobile market came on the back of being the first company in the country that carried the iPhone. It’s growth was only bolstered with acquisition after acquisition that put SoftBank in a position to make its biggest purchase yet with Sprint. Masayoshi Son will likely have to continue his aggressive ways to compete in the U.S. market. That doesn’t seem to be something he’s afraid to do. Leveraging SoftBank’s LTE knowledge will be a major key to the success of this transaction, as Sprint has been attempting to build out its network for some time to little avail thanks mostly to money issues. Sprint hopes to have LTE in 100 markets by the end of the year.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/softbank-is-buying-70-percent-of-sprint-its-official/

Read More

LG Nexus smartphone expected to be announced on October 29

The LG Nexus smartphone rumors are coming in thick and fast, with each one adding a new piece to the puzzle that is very close to being complete.

First off, there are couple of new pictures as seen below that show the phone in a better light. The back says 'with Google' that has raised a few questions, as Nexus phones usually have just the Google logo on the back. Then again, this is not a final product so the back could change by the time it releases. In fact, from what we have heard, the actual phone has a Nexus logo, with a big multi-colored 'X' in the middle.

Next bit of rumor pegs the worldwide launch date on October 29. This bit of information comes from a French publication Le Figaro. They also say that France itself will get the phone around December.

The next bit of info comes from Carphone Warehouse's inventory listing, that suggests that the phone will be called the LG Nexus 4 (which, just for the record, is an infinitely better name than LG Optimus Nexus) and that it will be sold in black and white.

Lastly, there is some disappointing bit of information regarding the internal storage of the phone. It is being said that the phone only has 8GB internal memory and just like previous Nexus devices there is no microSD card slot. If true, it will be an absolutely appalling decision on Google/LG's part. 8GB is way too less for a handset that otherwise sports top notch specifications. We honestly doubt Google/LG will ship the phone with so little memory and think this specification could be changed by the time the phone is announced.

We'll continue to put our ears to the ground and report anything new learned about this device.

Source 1 • Source 2 • Source 3

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_nexus_smartphone_expected_to_be_announced_on_october_29-news-4929.php

Read More

Samsung to unveil 4-inch Galaxy S III mini tomorrow in Germany

The rumors were true, the Samsung Galaxy S family is about to get a new member. No, not a Galaxy S IV, but a Galaxy S III mini. The news comes straight from JK Shin, Samsung's president, and the phone will be launching as soon as tomorrow.

JK Shin holding the big Galaxy S III

The Samsung Galaxy S III mini is going to have a 4" screen and according to Shin it has been driven by an increased interest in smaller high-end phones in Europe (current high-end droid have 4.5+ inch screens).

The type and resolution of the screen was kept a secret, but it will probably be a 4" WVGA Super AMOLED like the first gen Galaxy S or a 4" WVGA TFT like the Galaxy S Duos.

The Galaxy S III mini will have a model number I8190 according to the rumor mill and German site AllAboutSamsung has found photos on Picasa from a phone with just that model number. The photos are shot at 3MP, but the site suggests the camera will actually have a 5MP sensor. Shin's announcement to the Korean press doesn’t mention any camera specs, so we'll have to wait another day to find out.

The resolution of the video captured with the Samsung Galaxy S III mini camera is not known and will probably depend on the chipset in use, which is another unknown. An Exynos 4412 Quad like its big bro and the Note II or a dual-core (this is a mini after all, the battery might not have enough juice for a quad core).

At any rate we won't have to wait long to find out, the official announcement of the S III mini is slated for tomorrow, October 11, in Germany.

Source 1 (in Korean) | Via • Source 2 (in German) (thanks Rajkumar for the tip!)

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_unveil_4inch_galaxy_s_iii_mini_tomorrow_in_germany-news-4924.php

Read More

Rumour: Android 4.2 coming November with LG Optimus G Nexus

Due a Nexus-branded follow-up?

Google will announce Android 4.2 next month at an event with LG, where the latter will unveil the LG Optimus G Nexus, according to rumours.

It'll also mark a change in how the Nexus brand is positioned. At the moment it's for Google's flagship devices, like the Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus. But - if the rumour is correct - Google will let any manufacturer release devices as part of the Nexus program. All they'll have to do is stick to strict standards laid down by Google.

We have to stress these are all just rumours at the moment, but they make interesting reading.

The tip came from "a regular source who has provided accurate information in the past" but wishes to remain anonymous, according to Android and Me.

In order to qualify as part of the Nexus family, companies will have to make devices that use stock Android and 64MB of secure memory for faster media streaming. Though they can add custom UI skins as part of a new "customisation centre" Google will introduce.

Then there are more hardware requirements to make sure devices support Android 5.0, which is due next autumn.

The LG Optimus G Nexus

LG has been rumoured to be working on a Nexus smartphone for a while now. The name is said to be LG Optimus G Nexus, which seems a bit of a mouthful.

It could follow up the quad-core LG Optimus G, which was announced last month.

Earlier this week, we heard about a potential new flagship device coming from Google this month. Though as this story supports, it's likely to be running Android 4.2 (a new version of Jelly Bean) rather than Android Key Lime Pie.

Via Android and Me

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rumour-android-4-2-coming-november-with-lg-optimus-g-nexus-1101836

Read More

Carphone inventory reveals a Galaxy Nexus 2 and 32GB Nexus 7

Rumors about a Galaxy Nexus 2 have been the talk of the town lately and CarPhone Warehouse employees must be curious as ourselves.

The following shot from the inventory system of the British retailer show us what might be an accessory for a Galaxy Nexus 2 and a 32GB version of the Nexus 7.

For all we know, this may not mean much. The listed screen protector may just be a second version of the Invisishield kit for the original Nexus.

The Nexus 7 tablet has not been announced in a 32GB flavor so far and the presence of a 32GB variant may as well be just a placeholder for such a product should it arrive some day. That's just how these retail chains operate.

But still, these days our over-eager geeky eyes would savagely feast on anything that has even a remote mention of a new Nexus. And we can't help sharing this with you.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/carphone_inventory_reveals_a_galaxy_nexus_2_and_a_32gb_nexus_7-news-4894.php

Read More

Apple's Pandora-like service talks reportedly derailed by music publisher

Apple might be breathing down Pandora's neck before long (credit: iTunes)

Rumors have been flying in recent weeks that Apple has been planning to take on Pandora with a music streaming service of its own - but those plans may have been scrubbed temporarily by a single music publisher.

According to reports published Friday, Sony/ATV Music Publishing has been named as the major holdout in moving the service forward.

Jointly owned by Sony and Michael Jackson's estate, industry sources claim Sony/ATV asked Apple to pay a higher per-song rate than competitors like Pandora.

The company recently bought EMI Music Publishing, granting it power over 2 million music copyrights for artists ranging from One Direction to The Beatles - rights Apple needs to offer a competitive playlist and a leverage point for Sony/ATV.

Opening Pandora's box

Generally, it looks as though Apple's music service, created in partnership with music labels, aims to be a more flexible alternative to Pandora, one that allows it to take users directly to the iTunes store while letting labels promote an artist, band, or brand at any given time.

Services like Pandora have traditionally paid music publishers a statutory rate for streaming web radio, rather than having to negotiate with each individual publishing company.

Apple's rumored service apparently goes a step further than Pandora, enabling users to play a selected artist more times than Pandora-like services are allowed.

Part of its plan requires Apple to negotiate with each individual rights holder and not just with the major copyright holders - and that's where trouble came into Cupertino's planned paradise.

Turning down the volume

Music label honchos are reportedly none too keen on Pandora's business model themselves as sources claim the service doesn't provide them with much revenue and takes away from sales.

While the music industry has its issues with Apple, particularly over the legal scramble created when Apple first attempted to announce 90-second song samples in 2010, the industry also doesn't want to see Pandora become too big to topple nor have Apple create an identical service.

Apple, it seems, offers an attractive alternative to the dominate Pandora.

The new service was supposedly set to debut alongside the iPhone 5 earlier this month.

As talks continue, iOS 6's iTunes Match offers songs that are fully streamable for now - eliminating the need to download to a device first.

TechRadar has reached out to Sony/ATV for comment and will update this story if and when additional information becomes available.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/apples-pandora-like-service-talks-reportedly-derailed-by-music-publisher-1100607

Read More

Apple's Pandora-like service talks reportedly derailed by music publisher

Apple might be breathing down Pandora's neck before long (credit: iTunes)

Rumors have been flying in recent weeks that Apple has been planning to take on Pandora with a music streaming service of its own - but those plans may have been scrubbed temporarily by a single music publisher.

According to reports published Friday, Sony/ATV Music Publishing has been named as the major holdout in moving the service forward.

Jointly owned by Sony and Michael Jackson's estate, industry sources claim Sony/ATV asked Apple to pay a higher per-song rate than competitors like Pandora.

The company recently bought EMI Music Publishing, granting it power over two million music copyrights for artists from One Direction to The Beatles, rights Apple needs to offer a competitive playlist and a leverage point for Sony/ATV.

Opening Pandora's box

Generally, it looks as though Apple's music service, created in partnership with music labels, aims to be a more flexible alternative to Pandora, one that allows it to take users directly to the iTunes store while letting labels promote an artist, band, or brand at any given time.

Services like Pandora have traditionally paid music publishers a statutory rate for streaming web radio, rather than having to negotiate with each individual publishing company.

Apple's rumored service apparently goes a step further than Pandora, enabling users to play a selected artist more times than Pandora-like services are allowed.

Part of its plan requires Apple to negotiate with each individual rights holder and not just with the major copyright holders - and that's where trouble came into Cupertino's planned paradise.

Turning down the volume

Music label honchos are reportedly none too keen on Pandora's business model themselves as sources claim the service doesn't provide them with much revenue and takes away from sales.

While the music industry has its issues with Apple, particularly over the legal scramble created when Apple first attempted to announce 90-second song samples in 2010, the industry also doesn't want to see Pandora become too big to topple nor have Apple create an identical service.

Apple, it seems, offers an attractive alternative to the dominate Pandora.

The new service was supposedly set to debut alongside the iPhone 5 earlier this month.

Though talks continue, for now, iOS 6's iTunes Match offers songs that are fully streamable, eliminating the need to download to a device first.

TechRadar has reached out to Sony/ATV for comment and will update this story if and when additional information becomes available.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apples-pandora-like-service-talks-reportedly-derailed-by-music-publisher-1100607

Read More

Oh dear, Google hasn’t submitted a Google Maps app to Apple yet

Despite rumors suggesting otherwise, Google hasn't submitted a standalone Google Maps to Apple for approval yet.

In a statement that’s sure to elicit sighs of disappointment from many iPhone users, Google’s Eric Schmidt has told reporters that the company has not submitted a standalone Google Maps app to Apple for approval, despite rumors to the contrary.

Google Maps was removed from Apple’s iOS 6 software along with the standard YouTube app, which Google has already replaced with one of its own, prompting hopes it would do the same with Maps. Apple Maps has come under fire since release for, amongst other things, errors, bugs, a lack of detail and no public transportation information.

Various sources indicated an iOS version of Google Maps was on its way, with The Guardian saying “a Google Maps app is being prepared for iOS 6, which will appear in time,” to Google themselves telling SearchEngineLand.com that its goal was to “make Google Maps available to everyone who wants to use it, regardless of device, browser or operating system.”

Schmidt was questioned over the situation during an event in Japan, where he was busy promoting the local launch of the Nexus 7 tablet, and replied “we haven’t done anything yet” when asked whether Apple was likely to accept a Google Maps app into the App Store.

He added “We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?” Later, as he demonstrated Google Maps on the Nexus 7, he quipped “take that Apple” while showing off the app’s capabilities. It appears The Guardian was right when it said Google was enjoying Apple’s suffering at the hands of the press and the public.

Naturally, Apple is defending its new Maps software, saying it’s “just getting started,” and welcomes all feedback in an effort to implement improvements as quickly as possible.

Without an official Google Maps app on the horizon, iPhone owners can access it using Safari, or try one of these alternative apps.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/oh-dear-google-hasnt-submitted-a-google-maps-app-to-apple-yet/

Read More

Huawei's first WP8 smartphone to be called W1

Huawei is yet to join the Windows Phone 8 game, after Samsung, Nokia and HTC showcased their WP8 smartphone offerings.

According to the latest rumors coming from China Huawei's first WP8 smartphone will be called the W1. Given that the information comes from no other than Richard Yu (Huawei's Chairman of devices), we have every reason to believe that it's accurate.

The Huawei W1 is rumored to start shipping in November or December in three color versions - black, pink and white. It should cost around $317. The device is rumored to be announced on September 25, but take that with a pinch of salt as Huawei has previously hinted that it will be announcing its WP8 smartphones right before their market release, so it might take another two or three months before the W1 goes official.

There's still no word on the specs of the Huawei W1 but we'll keep an ear on the ground and keep you posted when those become available.

Source (In Chinese) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_windows_phone_8x_photo_and_video_samples_surface-news-4846.php

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S4 release date pegged for March 2013?

Nearly time to say bye bye S3?

The Samsung Galaxy S4 could get an earlier than expected outing, with rumours suggesting the Korean firm will launch the handset in March.

According to the Korea Times a Samsung representative said that the Galaxy IV would go on sale in March 2013, after an unveiling at MWC 2013 in Barcelona.

Samsung's part supplies claim the Galaxy S4 could well sport a bigger, 5-inch display – up from the 4.8-inch offering on the Samsung Galaxy S3 - along with LTE capabilities and a quad-core processor.

Sooner rather than later

The Galaxy S3 was only announced in June of this year, so a March arrival for the next incarnation seems a little too soon in a world where annual product cycles are the norm.

However analysts are suggesting Samsung is looking to bring outs its next flagship handset sooner rather than later, following Apple's announcement of the iPhone 5 last week.

We'd be surprised is Samsung has to launch the Galaxy S4 just nine months after the S3 touched down, so we're taking this report with a relatively high dosage of salt, but in today's smartphone world you can never rule these things out.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s4-release-date-pegged-for-march-2013-1097849

Read More

Well-timed rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is being prepped for MWC 2013 appear

Rumors of the Samsung Galaxy S4 suggest an increase to a 5-inch screen size and an MWC 2013 release date.

There’s nothing like a good rumor to get the week started and this time it’s a big one, as it concerns the follow-up to the current darling of the Android world, the Samsung Galaxy S3.

According to a report in the Korea Times, Samsung is readying the Galaxy S4 for launch during Mobile World Congress next year, before going on sale in March.

The quote comes from an unnamed Samsung official, who adds that the next Galaxy flagship will have a similar design to the S3 — keeping its “popular rectangular shape with rounded corners,” but potentially increasing the screen size again, this time to 5-inches.

A quad-core Exynos processor will power the device, Android will be the operating system, and it will support 4G LTE networks all over the world. The article makes particular mention of Europe here, where 4G is beginning to become more widespread, plus the UK will hold its 4G spectrum auction early next year too.

The report continues to say that Samsung is still considering using its flexible screen technology for the S4, but hasn’t made a final decision, although talk of production problems make it sound unlikely.

To counter Apple and the release of the iPhone 5, Samsung has already struck out with set of provocative newspaper adverts, and the timing of this leak couldn’t be better either.

Is it true?

Samsung is almost certainly working on a follow-up to the Galaxy S3, and it could well be named the Galaxy S4, but what about the rest of the report’s speculation? It’s equally as likely to use another Exynos processor in the S4, but whether this will be another quad-core chip, or the Exynos 5 Dual with its high resolution screen support, isn’t quite so clear cut.

Android and 4G LTE are also obvious features, while a push to a 5-inch screen isn’t that unlikely either. Remember, the S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 aren’t that much larger than their predecessors, despite the respective increase in screen size.

What doesn’t sound right is the Mobile World Congress unveiling. Samsung made a very big deal out of the S3’s launch in May, deliberately moving the release from February’s Mobile World Congress to a separate event later in the year. It worked really well and anticipation quickly built to fever pitch, while the glitzy event captured plenty of headlines, so we doubt Samsung would decide against doing the same thing again next year.

A March 2013 release would also see the S4 go on sale less than a year into the S3’s life, which seems very early for such a capable device.

But then, accuracy isn’t the point of this leak, it’s about letting everybody know that Samsung is hard at work on the next big thing, and not to be distracted by shiny offerings from the competition.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-s4-rumored-for-mwc-2013/

Read More

Rumor: Lumia 920, Galaxy Note II to launch Oct. 21 at AT&T

AT&T may be getting the Lumia 920 and Galaxy Note II on Oct. 21

If new rumors are correct, it won't be long until consumers are finally able to get their hands on Nokia's Lumia 920 or Samsung's Galaxy Note II.

BGR is reporting sources close to AT&T say the cellular carrier will debut both smartphones on Oct. 21.

In case you were wondering, that's exactly one month after the iPhone 5 is set to debut in nearly 30 countries.

Despite neither phone coming with a price tag attached as of yet, that doesn't mean Nokia and Samsung aren't expecting big things from their respective devices.

Great expectations

Samsung is betting big on their Galaxy Note II, and they believe their latest device will outsell its predecessor.

JK Shin, Samsung's head of mobile, was even so bold as to suggest the Galaxy Note II would sell 20 million units.

That's double what the original Galaxy Note managed to sell.

Though Nokia is also hoping their Lumia 920 will move a lot of units, they may have to temper their expectations just a bit.

Any hope Nokia had of the new Lumia's success may have been marred by their recent admission of guilt in the doctored footage scandal that has plagued the Windows Phone 8 handset's debut.

TechRadar reached out to AT&T for comment on the release dates and potential pricing, and will update this article if and when information becomes available.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rumor-lumia-920-galaxy-note-ii-to-launch-oct-21-at-at-t-1097509

Read More