Alcatel unveils Android phone, phablet and two tablets

Alcatel loves CES – each year the company brings several new devices to the expo and this year is no exception. A phone, a phablet and two tablets were unveiled at the trade show, all of them Android-powered.

Alcatel One Touch POP C9

The Alcatel One Touch POP C9 is a 5.5" phablet with entry-level (for the category) specs. The IPS display has qHD resolution (200ppi pixel density) and the phablet is powered by a quad-core 1.3GHz processor (likely on a MediaTek chipset) running Android 4.2. There's 1GB of RAM and 4GB of built-in storage, with an option to add up to 32GB more via a microSD card.

The POP C9 has an 8MP/HD video camera on the back and a 2MP front-facing camera. On the connectivity side, there's 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

The battery is disappointingly small though, it has only 2,500mAh capacity. According to official numbers that's enough for 8 hours of talk time on 2G networks and just 4 hours on 3G networks.

The Alcatel One Touch POP C9 will be available in a variety of bright colors: Bluish Black, Cherry Red, Full White, Hot Pink or Fresh Turquoise. There will be a choice of flip covers too.

Alcatel One Touch POP7 and POP8

The One Touch POP7 and POP8 are two Android-powered tablets with 7 and 8 inch screens accordingly. Both are entry-level devices, with the POP8 having the better specs.

It has an 8" IPS display with 1,280 x 800 resolution and is powered by a MediaTek MT8382 chipset (quad-core Cortex-A7 @ 1.3GHz, 1GB RAM, Mali-400 GPU). The tablet features a microSD card slot and two cameras, 2MP and 0.3MP.

The connectivity is well covered by 3G (rare in the entry-level field), Wi-Fi, GPS and an optional IR blaster.

The Alcatel One Touch POP7 has a 7" TFT screen with 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution. It has the same camera, storage and connectivity setup (down to the optional IR), but the chipset has been downgraded to a MediaTek MT8312 (dual-core Cortex-A7 @ 1.3GHz, 1GB RAM, Mali-400 GPU).

The POP7 weighs 285g and will come out at the end of February, while the POP8 will be out some time in March. Both tablets will have optional flip covers similar to the POP C9 phablet.

Alcatel One Touch Idol X+

Unlike the other devices, the One Touch Idol X+ is not exactly new (it was announced for China earlier) and is higher end. It's a 5" phone with a sharp 1080p IPS LCD screen and MediaTek octa-core MT6592 chipset (4x Cortex-A7 @ 1.5GHz, 2GB RAM, PowerVR SGX544 GPU).

It also packs a 13MP / 1080p camera on the back and a 2.1MP camera on the front, 16GB of expandable storage and quality sound hardware with 24bit/192kHz audio playback.

The phone is only 7.9mm thick. The Idol X+ has a brushed metal frame with "0 bezel and borderless, 2.4 mm edge-to-edge design". The battery has 2,500mAh capacity, which seems quite low for the screen resolution and 8 CPU cores.

There's no official info on the pricing and availability of the world-wide model of the Alcatel One Touch Idol X+, but the one in China will go on sale in the middle of this month at $330.

Source 1 • Source 2 • Source 3

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_unveils_android_phone_phablet_and_two_tablets-news-7489.php

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Samsung Galaxy S5 rumored to use Sharp's 2K display

According to a report by Chinese website Tencent, Samsung has decided not to use a Super AMOLED HD display panel for its Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone. Traditionally, ever since the first Galaxy S smartphone, Samsung has always preferred its own AMOLED displays for its flagships.

However, according to the report based on unconfirmed information, the Galaxy S5 will be an exception, as Samsung has chosen Sharp to provide a 5.25" 2K Ultra HD LTPS display panel. It's going to pack an exceptional pixel density of 560 pixels per inch.

The reason behind Samsung's decision resides in one of its subsidiaries, which has run into production issues with the 2K Ultra HD AMOLED displays. As a result of them, the company can't keep up the production and won't be able to make enough of them to meet the expected Galaxy S5 demand.

Choosing Sharp will also allow Samsung to free up its display factories for the upcoming flexible line-up of AMOLED displays, which it hopes will reach large market availability by 2015. Additionally, if Sharp really turns out to be the manufacturer of Galaxy S5's displays, this will be beneficial to Samsung, which owns 3% stake in the company back in March.

The report confirms earlier evidence of the Galaxy S5's 2K UHD display, which popped up in a leaked benchmark of the device. Other rumors suggest the Galaxy S5 will be launched (or at least shown) as early as Q1 of next year, have a 16 MP snapper with the ISOCELL tech, perhaps without optical image stabilization and possibly with some elements resistance in tow. That is hard to take in all at once, we know.

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Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_rumored_to_use_sharps_2k_display-news-7488.php

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Qualcomm unveils flashy new camera tech before CES

Your Facebook photos can only get better

Qualcomm will undoubtedly show off its latest and greatest advancements in its Snapdragon technology this week, but it has jumped the CES gun by releasing videos highlighting the camera capabilities of the Snapdragon 805.

There are three technologies to speak of helping to make the most of the quad-core 2.5GHz CPU; Chroma Flash, Touch to track and OptiZoom.

Chroma Flash allows the camera to take two images almost simultaneously before combining them. The aim is to reduce the glare from flash photography, producing a more natural looking image.

The technology seems familiar, as it is similar to the way that HDR photography works, capturing an image at different exposures.

Its time for 3D again... again!

Touch to track works as you might expect. First the user selects an object for the camera to focus on, and the Snapdragon 805 allows the camera to keep it in focus no matter where the object moves to.

It also doubles up in video recording mode, allowing you to set a line on screen for the object to cross. Once the object has crossed that line, video recording is engaged.

Finally, OptiZoom works using the 'Touch to track' technology. Selecting an object allows you to control the level of zoom, with the Snapdragon 805 zooming in and out as the object moves further away or closer to the lens.

We already knew that the 805 supports up to four cameras, including the ability to have stereoscopic 3D, so keep your eyes peeled here to find out what else Qualcomm has to offer at CES 2014.

• Here's what else we know about the Snapdragon 805.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/qualcomm-unveils-flashy-new-camera-tech-before-ces-1212413

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Sony Xperia Z1S press render points to imminent announcement

The famous @evleaks just can't stop delivering juicy pieces of info ahead of the upcoming CES expo. He just gave us a scoop of four Galaxy tablets that are about to go official and now he helps us look behind the curtain at Sony's.

The Xperia Z1S, also known as Z1 mini, is the compact version of the Z1 flagship. We already saw Xperia Z1S official pictures, camera samples, live photos and UI screenshots. It even passed through USA's FCC. The last time we actually saw the Z1S, was its official Japanese version - the Z1F, which is already available for purchase.

Anyway, in addition to the official T-Mobile render, @evleaks also confirms the specs - a 4.3" 720p display, Snapdragon 800 chipset, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, a 20MP rear camera, a 2,300 mAh battery and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

The compact smartphone is expected to go official at Sony's CES press event in a few hours. We'll be there to cover it for you, so stay tuned. T-Mobile is also holding a press event on January 8, where it should confirm it will be carrying the Xperia Z1S.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z1s_official_tmobile_picture_leaks-news-7487.php

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Samsung Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro leak ahead of release

The rumors for an upcoming 12.2-inch Samsung Galaxy Note have been around for quite some time, but it is just now we get to see the real deal. Apparently the slate will be going official at CES in a few hours since its massive banner is already on the streets of Las Vegas for everyone to see.

In addition to the new Galaxy Note Pro, the banner also reveals a brand new Galaxy Tab Pro lineup including three devices - 8.4, 10.1 and 12.2-inch tablets.

Thanks to @evleaks, we get to see a glimpse into the specs of the four slates plus an official render of the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4

According to the notorious tipster all four slates will feature WQXGA (2560x1600px) displays, 8MP rear and 2MP front snappers, and will run either on Snapdragon 800 chipset (for the LTE models) or Exynos 5 Octa (for the Wi-Fi/3G flavors). Android 4.4 KitKat with the latest TouchWiz UI will be in charge of operations on all Galaxy Pro devices.

The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 will offer 3GB of RAM, 32/64GB internal storage and massive 9,500mAh batteries. The Note slate, naturally, will come with an integrated S-Pen and all compatible S-Pen apps and services.

The smaller Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 and 8.4 pack 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB storage and 8,220mAh and 4,800mAh batteries respectively.

All four Galaxy tablets will be announced at Samsung's CES press conference in a few hours.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_pro_and_tab_pro_leak_ahead_of_release-news-7485.php

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Hands on: Lenovo Vibe Z review

Before I even begin: No, US, UK and AU readers, you cannot have this. Not yet, at least. (A bit more on that later.) This is the Lenovo Vibe Z, the Chinese ThinkPad maker's latest flagship Android phone, it's first LTE smartphone ever and probably one of the biggest teases of CES 2014.

Why? For one, just look at the thing. Housing a 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS touch screen, this hyper thin (0.31 inches) handset weighs just 5.12 ounces. For a phone that borders on phablet, it feels as if a 4-inch phone in weight. This is partly why Lenovo went with a polycarbonate plastic shell (in either a silver or "titanium" black textured finish) rather than metal, a Lenovo representative told me on the show floor.

And two: Check out what's inside. The Vibe Z runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip and 2GB of RAM. However, this handset comes with just 16GB of storage, which could pose a problem, given the 5MP camera up front and the 13MP shooter (complete with f1.8 aperture lens and dual LED flash) around back.

The ultimate selfie snapper?

What? I couldn't resist

Lenovo has made full use of the Vibe Z's two megapixel-rich cameras, with a suite of features that were put to good use in my own time with the device. For one, the 84-degree wide angle lens in front captures more in the frame than most lenses, making the all-important selfie even easier.

Features like photo filters, an array of scene modes and the tons of settings on offer are fun to play around with and should make for interesting shares. Speaking of which, the Vibe Z cameras' Beautify tool allowed me to give myself and a Lenovo representative "facelifts" and other subtle tweaks. Your friends on Facebook won't know the difference.

You know sqaure cameras mean business

Given the look, feel and layout of Lenovo's new smartphone camera software, it's clear that camera tech will be more important than ever in the ongoing mobile wars. With its rich (if sometimes gimmicky) feature set and richer cameras, the Vibe Z seems on the right track.

Look, ma', just one hand!

Cool cameras aside, upon picking up the Vibe Z, I immediately noticed two things. One, this is an incredibly light and thin phone for its 5.5-inch screen size. And two, this phone is just too big for my tiny, pasty hands. Luckily for the Vibe Z, Lenovo thought ahead.

It's the little things, like my hands

I struggled to reach the lock button atop the phone with one hand. Lenovo made it so the volume rocker unlocks the phone, too. I had trouble reaching my thumb across the other side of the screen. Lenovo added a Smart Dialer that shifts the number pad buttons in the direction you tilt the phone for easier one-handed dialing. (Also, Smart Call allows you the answer the phone by just holding it to your ear.)

The point is that Lenovo knows just how big it's flagship phone is, and it's working to make it easier to operate the Vibe Z more like the phone that it is and less like the tablet that it isn't. Other handset makers are trying, but I've seen nothing this clever.

Designed to fit into the skinniest of jeans

Early verdict

Like I said, the Lenovo Vibe Z is one of biggest teases of CES 2014, namely because there are no signs of the thing hitting US, UK or AU soil anytime soon. Lenovo will launch the phone this February in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the Philippines for $549 (about £334, AU$611).

It's a real shame, too, because this phone could potentially bring the heat whatever the Samsung Galaxy S5 turns out to be this year. A Lenovo representative tells us that the company is working on entering these markets, but obstacles like carrier partnerships and regulatory approvals are holding things back. Well, hurry up already, carriers and regulatory bodies – you're keeping us from a potentially awesome phone.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lenovo-vibe-z-review-1207683/review

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NVIDIA announces Tegra K1 SoC for the mobile platform

NVIDIA took to the stage today at CES to announce the next major release in its mobile SoC cycle. Called the Tegra K1, the new chip features some spectacular advancements over its predecessor and promises to bring console quality graphics to the mobile platform.

The big number NVIDIA is touting here with the K1 is the presence of the 192 core GPU. You may remember that the Tegra 4 had a 72-core ULP GeForce GPU, which was pretty impressive on its own but with the K1 NVIDIA turned the dial all the way to 192 and switched over to Kepler architecture, same as the one it uses on its desktop GPU.

As you can expect, the new chip is considerably faster than Tegra 4. NVIDIA claims the K1 is faster than the previous generation consoles, the PS3 and the Xbox 360 and offers the same graphics features as the PS4 and the Xbox One. NVIDIA also claims the K1 is thrice as fast as the Apple A7. It also showed some demos running the Unreal Engine 4 with some amazing lighting and reflection effects that were way beyond what we have currently seen on the mobile platform.

On the CPU side, the K1 will be available in two variants. There will be a 32-bit, quad-core Cortex A15 clocked up to 2.3GHz. Then there will also be a 64-bit, dual-core Denver CPU, a custom designed CPU based on ARM V8 64-bit and is clocked up to 2.5GHz.

NVIDIA also announced another variant of the Tegra K1, called the Tegra K1 VCM or Visual Computing Module. This variant is designed specifically for use inside tomorrow's automobiles. As you may know, there are already cars such as the Tesla Model S that have their in-car system running on Tegra processors. The K1 VCM will make these systems even faster for future cars and their more demanding features.

The Tegra K1 will be available this year, with the Cortex A15 variant being available in the first half and the Denver variant appearing in the second half.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nvidia_announces_tegra_k1_soc_for_the_mobile_platform-news-7486.php

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