Red HTC One Max version leaks in Taiwan

Taiwanese mobile operator FarEasTone Telecommunications has unveiled that HTC is preparing to launch a new color variation of the One Max. The phablet was announced in October in silver, but now the maker's home market is set to see a red version of the phone, as well.

The HTC One Max in red has been spotted in promo materials of the Taiwanese carrier. The red One Max is part of a larger wave of device to be launched by FarEasTone, which also includes HTC Desire 601, Butterfly and Desire Q all available in a cool-looking red color.

While HTC hasn't officially announced the color yet, but one of its partners has obviously jumped the gun. We suspect the company is going to break the news officially soon.

Previously, the HTC One launched in silver and black, but HTC also added red and blue versions. It won't be surprising if the HTC One Max was to get a similar treatment.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_readies_a_red_one_max_in_taiwan-news-7296.php

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Sailfish OS will be available for Android users to install

Want to try that sweet-sounding Sailfish OS, but don’t want to fork out the €399 for the first Jolla handset? Fret not as the company will allow you to sideload its OS to any Android device that you might already have.

The option isn’t yet available, but it’s currently being worked on as has been confirmed by the company’s CEO Tomi Pienimäki. In an interview with a Finnish website Mr. Pienimäki stated the following:

”That is the plan. We are on device business and OS business. It is fairly easy to install the OS on Android devices"

”There is no such culture in these parts of the world [Finland], but there are people that are installing new operating systems on their devices. In China it is mainstream. About half of the smartphone buyers are upgrading their older or cheaper devices with a better version of Android.”

“For us it is a possibility to distribute our operating system especially in China. There are websites that already distribute [OS] software and the Chinese customers are doing it ¬so we don’t have to teach them. We just have to get Sailfish to those websites – and to make sure that Sailfish will run on different kind of Android devices.”

The Jolla CEO also confirmed that the company has no intention of trying to bring in cash by selling the OS itself. Instead the team consisting of former Nokia employees will rely on applications, services and advertising to monetize their efforts. This means that wider reach is key for Jolla and giving people the option to switch from Android without spending a dime certainly seems like the right thing to do.

Would you be willing to try Sailfish on your droid? Hit the comments section to let us know.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sailfish_os_will_be_available_for_android_users_to_install-news-7295.php

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Who's a tough guy? Quechua teams up with Archos for rugged Android phone

The Quechua Phone packs a massive 3500mAh battery

Outdoor specialist Quechua is all about capturing your sense of adventure with its camping, mountaineering and skiing gear and has now outed a smartphone to guard against the perils of those endeavours.

The Quechua Phone, made in association with Archos, pledges to guard against rain, snow, sand, mud, cold, snow and the occasional drop.

It's a 5-inch handset, packing Android 4.1 and a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor and 4GB of internal storage with a MicroSD slot. It's also got a 5-megapixel camera for snapping shots of the great outdoors and its inhabitants.

Alongside its IP54 certification, it also packs a whopping 3,500mAh battery unit, which it promises will survive 22 hours of call time, which is sure to appeal to those spending the night in the wilderness.

Lost in translation?

Our French isn't what it was at secondary school, but judging by the source article, there'll be no 4G, but it does come as as accessible price for a second smartphone.

It'll be 230 Euros when it lands on December 5. That's about £190, $312 and AU$343. No word on international availability just yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/who-s-a-tough-guy-quechua-teams-up-with-archos-for-rugged-android-phone-1203970

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WhatsUp, Facebook Messenger? WhatsApp new king of smartphone IM, survey claims

Facebook Messenger losing traction to WhatsApp

Facebook has lost its mobile messaging lead to the upstart WhatsApp platform, according to new research published this weekend..

OnDevice surveyed almost 4,000 smartphone users in five countries and found that a whopping 44 per cent of them were using WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends.

35 per cent of those folks - in US, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia and China - were using Facebook Messenger in November.

Despite eliminating BlackBerry users, the reborn BBM platform was down in 5th place with a respectable 15 per cent of those surveyed using the service, behind WeChat (28 per cent) and Twitter (16 per cent).

The rise of BBM?

BlackBerry's platform does seem to be doing exceedingly well in South Africa, according to the study, will 34 per cent of surveyed users frequenting the app in November.

Another takeaway from the research was the popularity of social messaging apps compared with traditional SMS messaging.

OnDevice found the 85 per cent of its sample used the likes of WhatsApp and Facebook last month, while 75 per cent used text messages.

As is often the case with these surveys, it's by no means conclusive. There was no mention of the $3 billion-valued Snapchat, while the influential European mobile market was ignored entirely.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/whatsup-facebook-messenger-whatsapp-new-king-of-smartphone-im-survey-claims-1203964

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Nokia Lumia 929 leaks in a live photo , this time dressed in white

After taking a break for a few weeks, the previously leaked Nokia Lumia 929 for Verizon appeared in live photos yet again. This time around, the yet to be announced Windows Phone powerhouse showed up dressed in white attire.

Nokia Lumia 929 (click to enlarge)

Alongside the leaked photo, alleged information on the battery of the Nokia Lumia 929 made the rounds. The device will reportedly hit the shelves with a 2,510mAh unit on board.

The previously rumored specs of the Nokia Lumia 929 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, 5” 1080p display, and 20MP PureView camera (we’ve seen an alleged sample from it already). The handset will have 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in memory to go with a microSD card slot.

The latest report suggests that the Nokia Lumia 929 will launch on Verizon in the second half of December. Previous rumors about November unveiling have obviously failed to materialize.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_929_leaks_in_a_live_photo_again_this_time_dressed_in_white_-news-7294.php

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LG G2 to get the Android KitKat update in Q1, 2014

The LG G2 received favorable reviews from critics as well as customers. Now that Google has announced the Android 4.4 KitKat update, naturally everyone who bought one is wondering when will they be receiving the update.

According to Mobile Syrup who contacted the Canadian division of LG, the company will be providing the Android 4.4 build to all the carriers in Q1, 2014, near the end of March. From then onwards it depends upon the carriers how quickly they start rolling out the updates. Those are using unlocked version of the handset can probably expect to receive the update a bit sooner.

The LG G2 is currently one of the best Android smartphones available on the market with top of the line specifications across the board. The software has been criticized for being over the top due to the many features LG tends to add in its phones. Although the KitKat update likely won't be fixing that problem, you would get all of the under the hood improvements that Google has introduced. Too bad there is going to be a long wait for it.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g2_to_get_the_android_kitkat_update_in_q1_2014-news-7293.php

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SIM-free BlackBerry Z10 now available for $199

Black Friday is now behind us, but the Cyber Monday deals are already starting to come in. BlackBerry is among the first to give you a cool smartphone promotion, letting you have its former Z10 flagship for just $199.

That’s the price for SIM-free BlackBerry Z10 with no commitment to any carrier. Shipping is also free, so the price announced is final (no taxes included, of course). To take advantage of the promotion you need to use the promo code BFEMAILZ10 at checkout.

The BlackBerry Z10 didn’t quite manage to become the best seller its maker so desperately needed and it’s certainly not a device without its flaws, but it’s hard to argue that at $199 contract-free it offers excellent value for your money. If you are willing to stray off the beaten path and try a non-mainstream operating system this seems like a perfectly good chance.

The deal is only valid until Monday, so make up your mind quickly. If you decide to go for it, just follow the source link to place your order. And if you are still sitting on the fence, feel free to check out our review – it should answer all your questions about the smartphone.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/simfree_blackberry_z10_now_available_for_199_-news-7292.php

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