Sony C906 'Honami' system dump reveals new UI

Yesterday, we saw some leaked images of the upcoming Sony Xperia handset, known for now by the codename ‘Honami’. Now, a system dump of the device has surfaced, which reveals some details about the hardware and showcase some of the new UI changes.

For starters, the phone seemingly runs on a Snapdragon 800 processor, has a 20 megapixel sensor and can record 4K videos in 4000 x 2000 resolution. The last spec seems interesting even though the aspect ratio is unusual.

Other than that, there are several changes to the UI on the phone. You can see a new clock, calendar, calculator and contacts apps. You can now place multiple Small Apps on screen at once and there is a new keyboard as well. Sony also seems to have added a new augmented reality app.

You can find more screenshots in the link below.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_c906_honami_system_dump_reveals_new_ui-news-6298.php

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Flipboard folds in Instagram videos, but Vine left hanging

Instagram video arrives within Flipboard

The socially-themed digital magazine app Flipboard has issued users with an update that enables Instagram's new video feature.

The update to the iOS and Android versions of the app doesn't mention the Instagram update specifically, but videos are now playing within the relevant sections of the app.

Flipboard is yet to integrate Twitter's Vine as a standalone app, although those six-second clips do appear within the Twitter section of the app as tweets.

Flipboard does offer access to the likes of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SoundCloud, Flickr, Tumblr, LinkedIn and Google+, so it is surprising that it hasn't taken the opportunity to add Vine to the equation.

Craze over already?

One thing we noticed when breezing through the Instagram section within Flipboard was it took us a while to actually find a video to test out.

The amount of videos posted seems to have decreased quite steadily since the feature launched on June 21. Are you bored of the feature? Does it annoy you seeing the videos within your feed?

Let us know in the comments sections below. In the meantime check out our first impressions of Video on Instagram.

• Earlier this week it was revealed that Flipboard would soon be coming to Windows 8 along with an official Facebook app.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/flipboard-folds-in-instagram-videos-but-vine-left-hanging-1162651

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Is this the plastic fantastic casing for the 'budget' Apple iPhone?

The first plastic iPhone since the 3GS on the way?

Could this be another sign that Apple is preparing to launch a more affordable iteration of its world-changing iPhone handset?

The picture above is a purported plastic rear casing for a device which, speculation suggests, Apple could reveal in September or October.

The leak comes from Chinese blogger 7mob, who SlashGear reports, is renowned for his connections to 'factory sources' in the country.

The casing, which could of course be a phoney, also showcases the bright iPod nano-style colour, also rumoured to be a calling card of any cheaper iPhone.

iPhone for all

Recent rumours have suggested that the affordable iPhone handset, would be enclosed in a plastic casing in order to reduce manufacturing costs for the company, with savings passed onto the customer.

The device is expected to target emerging markets rather than the US and Europe, opening up iOS and the App Store to those who may not have been able to afford an iPhone for the first time.

Of course, the device has been rumoured for years, so we wouldn't be at all surprised to see Apple hold off a little longer before it launches the device.

• The cheap iPhone wont be as cheap as we think, according to the manufacturer rumoured to be building the device.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-this-the-plastic-fantastic-casing-for-the-budget-apple-iphone--1162643

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Nokia Amber update for WP8 Lumias coming in August

The Nokia Lumia 925 launched with a new and improved software and Nokia promised to make it available to its older WP8 phones in the summer with the so-called Amber update. Now we've got a more concrete time frame thanks to the Nokia Spain's Twitter account.

La actualización Amber para la gama Nokia Lumia con WP8 llegará en agosto dando la misma experiencia de usuario que el #Lumia925

— Nokia Spain (@NokiaSpain) June 28, 2013

The Amber update for Nokia Lumia range with WP8 arrive in August giving the same user experience as #Lumia925
Translated with Google Translate

The Amber update will bring the new Smart Camera lens for Lumia, which does post processing tricks like Action shot, Motion focus and object removal. Check out demos of those effects here.

There’s more - Amber will enable the FM radio receiver that has been lying dormant in Windows Phone 8 powered Lumia phones (except the 620) and the "double tap to wake" lockscreen with a clock (presumably only for AMOLED packing phones). Check out our preview of the Lumia 925 for more details on these features.

By the way, Twitter accounts aren't 100% reliable when it comes to such information, so we're still waiting for official confirmation.

Source (in Spanish) | Via (in Italian)

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_amber_update_for_wp8_lumias_coming_in_august-news-6297.php

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Purported images of low-cost iPhone back cover emerge

Alleged photos of a back cover for an upcoming low-cost iPhone have made the rounds on the web. The images reveal a bright-green back shell, which falls in line with previous rumors about a cheaper iPhone, bound to offered in multiple colors.

There are no surprises on the alleged low-cost iPhone's back. The camera unit is accompanied by a single LED flash. A dedicated microphone appears to be tucked in between them. Naturally, an Apple logo and an iPhone sign complete the picture.

The source of the images is a micro-blogger, who's known for his connections with factory workers in China. The back cover on display has been allegedly photographed in a Foxconn facility.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/purported_images_of_lowcost_iphone_back_cover_emerges___-news-6296.php

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Alleged press images of Sony Xperia i1 Honami leak out

After posing for live shots yesterday, the Sony Xperia Honami made yet another appearance. This time around, the yet to be revealed top-shelf smartphone showed up in alleged press images, reportedly taken from a Xperia i1 Honami system dump.

The press images show both what appears to be the international version of the smartphone, as well as one which is bound for NTT Docomo in Japan. The press renders of the former appear to be in line with the recently leaked live images of the device. Sadly, no images of the device's back are available at the moment.

There is no official launch date for the Sony Xperia Honami. Considering the intensifying leaks of the device however, we doubt it will be a long wait. Until then, use the usual pinch of salt when checking out the images.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_press_images_of_sony_xperia_i1_honami_leak_out-news-6295.php

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No let up in Android and iOS duopoly, the rest still fighting for scraps

The Galaxy S4 improved Samsung's market share in the US

The vice-like grip of the iOS and Android operating systems is only getting tighter, according to new sales figures published late last week.

New data from Comscore, released on Friday, showed Android leading the way at the end of May 2013 with 52.4 per cent of all US sales, up from 51.7 per cent at the end of February.

iOS' share of the US market rose 0.3 per cent to 39.2 percent during same time period.

Despite the launch of BlackBerry's new BB10 operating system and the best selection of Windows Phone 8 devices yet, both of those platforms saw their share fall to 4.8 and 3.0 per cent respectively.

Numbers don't lie

It was a similar story for hardware sales. Apple's iPhone led the way with the 32.9 per cent, closely followed by Samsung which enjoyed a sizeable 1.7 per cent jump to 23 per cent of sales.

The next three, HTC, Motorola and LG all endured a fall in sales during the three month period, all of which remain under 10 per cent.

Samsung's continued rise will have been fuelled by the launch of its new flagship Galaxy S4 handset but, worryingly for HTC, its critically acclaimed HTC One release couldn't stem the the drop-off in its share.

There is, of course, hope for those competing operating systems and manufacturers, but until the numbers start going in the other direction, it's difficult to be too positive. They have to start gaining at some point, right?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/no-let-up-in-android-and-ios-duopoly-the-rest-still-fighting-for-scraps-1162537

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