The FCC today approved two unannounced Lenovo tablets - the A7600 and A5500 - sadly without revealing too much about them. Searching for more details, we discovered that both devices have been approved in China, too.
The Lenovo A5500 (the only of the two that’s being pictured) seemingly features an 8-inch IPS display with 800 x 1280 pixels, a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek processor, Dolby Mobile sound, and an 8MP rear camera. A recent GFXbench listing confirms the 1.3GHz processor, the 800 x 1280 pixels display, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
The Lenovo A7600 appears to have the same screen size as the A5500. The higher model number could mean that it has a higher pixel resolution - but we can’t be sure of this for now. In any case, this is also an Android tablet.
While the A7600 and A5500 models approved by the FCC are Wi-Fi-only, the ones certified in China have cellular connectivity (3G), and can make voice calls.
We don’t know when the two Lenovo tablets will be announced, but we assume it will happen in the near future. Both could be part of Lenovo’s IdeaTab series, which includes affordable tablets like the IdeaPad A1000 and IdeaPad A3000.
Hot on the heels of the AT&T pricing and availability announcement in the United States, LG spilled the beans on the European arrival of the curved G Flex. The phablet will officially make its way to over twenty European markets beginning next month.
Users in major markets such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Austria will be among the first to be offered the LG G Flex. The manufacturer is yet to release the complete list of European countries which will officially receive the device. The same goes for pricing and availability of the phablet (don’t expect it to come cheap though).
If we could put extra stress on the "may" of that headline, we certainly would. Right off the top, this is a rumor based on DigiTimes' least reliable source group - the nebulous "upstream supply chain". According to those upstream supply chain sources, Google may be aiming to ditch the 7-inch tablet market in favor of building a Nexus 8 for 2014.
Supposedly, Google is finding demand for this year's Nexus 7 as being weaker than expected, and since there is quite a bit of competition from other budget devices in the 7-inch segment; so, Google is setting its sights on an 8-inch tablet. The sources don't think it is likely that Asus will be losing the orders for the Nexus 8, but that is certainly not clear. We should know better what company has the orders after February. Additionally, sources are making it sound possible that Google could use the Intel Bay Trail-T for the device, but Qualcomm isn't out of the running.
There are quite a few tablets all competing for the 7-inch space, including the Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and countless budget offerings that you'd find in Walmart. The competition is much lighter in the 8-inch space (something Apple may have realized when designing the iPad mini.) The only real options in the 8-inch space are the iPad mini, LG G Pad 8.3, and Samsung Galaxy Tab 8 (soon to be replaced with the Tab Pro 8.4). So, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Google will do this, we're waiting on more confirmation before believing it.
source: DigiTimes
Chris Davies
Nokia's Lumia 1520 grabbed the bulk of the headlines at the company's Abu Dhabi event last October, but it wasn't the only phablet the company brought along. In addition to the 6-inch flagship there was another, more affordable phone, the Nokia Lumia 1320, trading some of the high-end specs in favor of mass-market appeal. Question is, with a lower resolution display and the sacrifice of PureView, has Nokia trimmed too much to make the Lumia 1320 a hit? Read on for the full review.
Hardware and Design
Compare the two phones, and the similarities are clear. Nokia describes the Lumia 1320 as a "large screen 4G business smartphone" but those who want movies on the move will find appeal here too: the 6-inch screen may only run at 1280 x 720 resolution - rather than the Full HD of the Lumia 1520 - but it still uses Nokia's ClearBlack IPS LCD technology for solid outdoor visibility and good viewing angles. It's also a super-sensitive touchscreen, which means you can use it while still wearing gloves.
The plastic frame looks like an enlarged version of the Lumia 720, with gently curved edges and bright colors. It fits into the hand comfortably, though the 164.2 x 85.9 x 9.8 mm size means it's a large device. Nokia offers it in black, white, orangey-red, and yellow, depending on how colorful you're feeling, though since it's removable you can swap it out for a different finish if the mood takes you. Even though it may not be as high-tier as the Lumia 1520, it still feels solid and well constructed.
Inside, you get a 1.7GHz dualcore Snapdragon S4 processor paired with 1GB of memory and 8GB of storage. That's on the low side for a modern smartphone, but Nokia has sensibly used some of that big chassis to accommodate a microSD card slot for adding up to 64GB more. Connectivity includes LTE, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and a microUSB 2.0 port, but there's no NFC or 802.11ac support. Still, neither are likely to be deal-breakers to the Lumia 1320's target audience.
Software and Performance
The Lumia 1320 runs Windows Phone 8 with Nokia's Lumia Black software update. The Metro UI homescreen is by now familiar, as are Nokia's custom apps, most of which overlap what we saw on the Lumia 1520.
It remains a comprehensive suite for the new-to-smartphones user, especially if you're jumping ship from Android or iOS. HERE Drive and HERE Maps remain some of the better free mapping and navigation options, with spoken guidance, offline maps, street-level photography, and Nokia's LiveSight augmented-reality system that overlays nearby points of interest on top of a live feed from the camera.
Nokia MixRadio, meanwhile, delivers free streaming audio, though there's also Xbox Music and Spotify apps out there if you'd rather a different platform. The Lumia 1320 also has an FM radio. Business users get Windows Phone's usual Office integration, while gamers get Microsoft's still criminally-undercapitalized Xbox LIVE integration. Nokia also throws in some special camera apps of its own, which we'll cover in the next section.
Performance-wise, though you're two cores and a few megahertz down on the Lumia 1520, the 1320 runs well. In SunSpider, the test of browser JavaScript performance, the 1320 completed the test in 698.7ms (faster is better); in contrast, the 1520 completed it in 542.3ms. Differences in everyday use are minimal, however.
Our biggest complaint from the Lumia 1520 is unfortunately carried over to the Lumia 1320: Windows Phone works on phablet-scale devices, but it doesn't really take advantage of them. The homescreen gets an extra column for Live Tiles but other than that the interface is basically blown-up, not made more detailed. The on-screen keyboard, for instance, still occupies roughly half of the display, when it really could be smaller and leave more space for the apps you're actually using.
Camera
The biggest difference between the 1320 and its more expensive sibling is the camera. Whereas the Lumia 1520 gets a version of Nokia's PureView technology, complete with lossless digital zooming and better image quality through pixel clustering, the Lumia 1320 has a far more mainstream 5-megapixel camera on the back and a VGA-resolution camera on the front.
You also get a pared-back version of the camera app we saw on the 1520, since you lack the full extent of the features the PureView optics allow. Nonetheless, there's still Nokia Creative Studio for piecing together multi-stage images based on rapid sequential shots, cutting out unwanted objects in-frame, and tweaking things like color and contrast. Cinemagraph creates moving shots, while Nokia Glam Me smooths out your skin tone and makes other tweaks to beautify you, though it can leave people looking a little like plastic store dummies, and the low resolution front camera is seriously underwhelming.
Things get a little better with the main camera, though it's certainly not in the top tier of Nokia's line-up. Close-ups have a good amount of detail, and the camera snaps frames quickly - particularly if you use touch-focus - but in broader scenes the lack of megapixels demonstrates its limitations, introducing noise and fuzz. Colors tend to be subdued.
Phone and Battery
In-call performance proved satisfactory, though at times the people we called complained we were quiet or a little echoey. That's despite the Lumia 1320 having active noise cancellation, though probably simply a matter of the size of the handset bringing the microphone further away from our mouths.
Despite the interchangeable back covers, the Lumia 1320's battery is non-removable. Happily, then, it's a sizable 3,400 mAh pack, which Nokia rates for up to 21hrs of 3G talk time, a month of standby, up to 98hrs of music playback, or 11.5hrs of WiFi browsing.
In practice, we made it through a couple of days use - with push-email turned on, and completing everyday tasks including some media playback, internet browsing, HERE Maps navigation, and photography - on a single charge. That's impressive for a modern smartphone, where nightly recharges have become the norm.
Wrap-Up
We like Windows Phone, and we like Nokia's design and many of its custom apps, but like its more expensive sibling the Lumia 1320 doesn't make the very most of its hardware. Having a huge screen is great for media playback - even at 720p resolution, not 1080p - but whereas it could have given email, messaging, and other apps more room to shine, the UI is just like that of smaller Windows Phones only enlarged.
It's a missed opportunity, but perhaps it matters less on the Lumia 1320 than it did on the 1520. Unfortunately, without Nokia's excellent PureView system the camera on the phone is only average, though battery life is great and we like the sturdy build quality.
In the end, while size matters, it's also what you do with it that really counts, and we're not sure Windows Phone yet does enough to warrant phablet-scale for every user. Although some groups will find enough to love about the Lumia 1320's screen, Microsoft needs to do a little more to refine its OS to deliver on its half of the bargain. That will undoubtedly come in time, but for now we'd be more tempted by one of Nokia's smaller Lumia devices, particularly those with PureView cameras.
Google+ user Nikolai Prettner has posted an unofficial concept of the next-generation HTC One (M8) handset, and we wouldn't mind if his predictions were to come true.
The next-generation HTC One is expected to keep a close design to the first-generation with a few subtle changes. As shown by Prettner, when you cut down on the HTC One's bezels and get rid of the capacitive touch buttons, the handset becomes even more stylish.
There haven't been many leaks for the new HTC One. The only images so far have shown afingerprint sensor on the rear - not much has been suggested about the front of the device. Of course, Prettner's mock-up is all guessing and hopefulness, but if he was spot-on HTC would have quite the stylish device on its hands.
The handset is expected to carry a larger 5-inch 1080p display, 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a bigger 2,900mAh battery, microSD slot for expandable storage and Android 4.4 KitKat. Other sources have suggested the presence of two sensors for the camera too, with some Lytro light field effects possible.
The next HTC One is expected to launch soon. During a patent trial in late-2013, a Nokia lawyer brought evidence that HTC will launch the "HTC One Two" in the first quarter of 2014. HTC's lawyer didn't dispute Nokia's claim, and it left the judge to take Nokia's statement as valid.
For now, concepts like Prettner's will have to hold us over until we see more leaks or something official from HTC.
For the Apple developers out there, the latest beta for iOS 7.1 -- beta 4 -- has rolled out for the newest round of testing festivities. This release follows close on the heels of the beta 3 release, which hit developers' proverbial digital shelves earlier this month. Those who are registered can check out the full details in the iOS 7 release notes, and can nab the beta from the developer center or OTA.
This latest release is build 11D5134c, and with it comes Xcode 5.2 Developer Preview 4, as well as an Apple TV beta software update. As some who have already grabbed it pointed out, there's also a somewhat "shinier" Slide to Unlock animation, which can perhaps be considered polish upon the user interface changes that arrived with Beta 3.
Beyond that, the changes are less glamorous and more of the under-the-hood variety. The software itself is a modest 112MB, and as always, "should only be deployed on devices dedicated for iOS 7.1 beta software development." Some bug fixes come with the update in addition to the various improvements.
The average public user, of course, is still running on iOS 7.0.4, which rolled out late last year. When iOS 7.1 will be hitting the mainstream, so to speak, isn't yet known, though the clock is narrowing in. Hit up our timeline below for more iOS 7 news, and drop us a comment if you've already updated and found something interested in the latest beta release.
SOURCE: MacRumors
Hoyo is a new Kickstarter project that plans to keep your phone dry while you're in the shower.
We've all been in this situation before: you get an important call or text message while sopping wet, and are unable to answer without getting your phone drenched. Sometimes you may even want to control your music from the shower or watch a video.
The Hoyo allows you to slip your phone into a protective, waterproof pocket and take it in the shower with you. You get full control over the smartphone while hanging it by suction cup, and can even hear sound streaming out so you can jam along to the latest Miley Cyrus track while soaping your hair.
Given the Hoyo is a Kickstarter project, the company is trying to raise money to bring the product to market. For £12/$25 you get one Hoyo that can be hung in your shower or another wet and dusty climate like the garden. The funding period lasts until March, with estimated delivery set for June 2014.
On March 31st, Apple and Samsung are scheduled to start the second patent trial between the two rivals. Judge Lucy Koh has sent both sides off to try to work out a settlement deal so as to avoid the headaches, mudslinging and sparring that took place during the first trial. And that was only what went on between the media! But in all seriousness, Judge Koh has ordered that both sides get together on or before February 19th.
If Apple does offer a settlement package, it will probably include an anti-cloning stipulation, something that HTC agreed to when it signed its deal with Apple. This provision would allow Apple to sue Samsung, even after a settlement is agreed to, if Apple feels that Samsung's design on a device resembles the design on an Apple device. One important part of the stipulation says that Apple could invoke this provision if Samsung's offending design could be easily avoided by a "designaround".
Samsung sees the anti-cloning provision as something that could get in the way of its goal of ruling the smartphone industry throughout the world. Samsung has been telling the court that Apple's settlement offers to it have not included an anti-cloning provision. As far as Apple's Chief Intellectual Property Counsel B.J. Watrous is concerned, Samsung's statements are incorrect. This issue is important because Apple's willingness to license its patents can actually hurt its chances to get an injunction issued in court. So Apple is trying to say that while it is working on a settlement, it isn't willing to give up everything. Samsung is saying that Apple never brought up the anti-cloning issue, trying to show Apple's willingness to license its patents. Ah, Law. Don't you love it?
For those who want to look at some actual court documents, we have Apple's reply in support of a permanent injunction against Samsung, below.
Google+ user Nikolai Prettner has posted an unofficial concept of the next-generation HTC One (M8) handset, and we wouldn't mind if his predictions were to come true.
The next-generation HTC One is expected to keep a close design to the first-generation with a few subtle changes. As shown by Prettner, when you cut down on the HTC One's bezels and get rid of the capacitive touch buttons, the handset becomes even more stylish.
There haven't been many leaks for the new HTC One. The only images so far have shown afingerprint sensor on the rear - not much has been suggested about the front of the device. Of course, Prettner's mock-up is all guessing and hopefulness, but if he was spot-on HTC would have quite the stylish device on its hands.
The handset is expected to carry a larger 5-inch 1080p display, 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a bigger 2,900mAh battery, microSD slot for expandable storage and Android 4.4 KitKat. Other sources have suggested the presence of two sensors for the camera too, with some Lytro light field effects possible.
The next HTC One is expected to launch soon. During a patent trial in late-2013, a Nokia lawyer brought evidence that HTC will launch the "HTC One Two" in the first quarter of 2014. HTC's lawyer didn't dispute Nokia's claim, and it left the judge to take Nokia's statement as valid.
For now, concepts like Prettner's will have to hold us over until we see more leaks or something official from HTC.
Sony’s unannounced D6503 appeared in some leaked photos over the weekend, this suggesting that the Japanese company may officially unveil the smartphone soon.
Today, XperiaBlog reportedly confirmed some of the features of the upcoming handset, also noting that this is the same device previously rumored to be codenamed Xperia Sirius. According to the blog, it’s been confirmed that the D6503 / Sirius features: a 5.2-inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels, a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 MSM-8974-AB processor (which may also be included in HTC’s rumored One+ / M8), Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB of RAM, a 20.7MP rear camera, and a 2.1MP camera on the front.
We still don’t know if the D6503 / Sirius will be called Xperia Z2. Sony might announce the new handset at MWC next month, possibly alongside the 5-inch Xperia Canopus.
Some screenshots allegedly presenting the UI of the D6503 were posted by XperiaBlog, as well as in a thread at the XDA Developers forum. It’s said that the screenshots date from November 2013 - that’s why they show Android 4.3 Jelly Bean running on the device. But the handset should run Android 4.4.2 KitKat at launch, so the UI will be different. You can see the screenshots below.
Sony D6503 / Sirius UI screenshotsFullscreen
Most of us in Europe and North America try not think about how much we're getting smoked by Asia in terms of internet speeds, but here's another reminder: residents in South Korea will soon enjoy 300Mbps wireless on the nation's largest carrier, SK Telecom. That follows on the heels of a similar effort by CSL in Hong Kong, which achieved the same speed by combining two 20MHz LTE bands. However, the Korean carrier is using so-called LTE-Advanced 3-band carrier aggregation tech, which combines one 20MHz and two 10MHz bands. Before residents there can download the proverbial 800MB movie in 22 seconds, though, the new format will have to be standardized globally and adopted by smartphone and chip makers, a process SK said is underway. While you're mulling that, the carrier will actually be showcasing even better 450Mbps tech in February at Mobile World Congress -- so enjoy your 75Mbps max LTE, citizens.
Apple may launch the iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch screen at WWDC in June and follow-up with a 5.7-inch iPhone later in the year.
According to Chinese analyst Sun Chyang Xu, who predicted the Moto X ahead of time, the new iPhone 6 is going into production next month. He says this will be a trail production with full scale manufacturing in May - just in time for WWDC in June.
The iPhone 6 will come with a 4.7-inch display which, Chyan Xu claims, will be the same 1136 x 640 resolution screen as the current model. A higher resolution will appear on the larger 5.7-inch model which will follow later in the year. Despite the shift in release dates we'd expect both to be announced at the same time at the 10 June WWDC.
That being said Apple has exhausted it's easy growth through distribution expansion as it's arrived in China. Now it's likely the fruit giant will need to have more than one phone launch a year - hence the two sized handsets. Whether that will mean another launch event other than WWDC is unclear but it would be a first for Apple.
Little else is known at this early stage. Expect to hear more after the crazy announcement-fest that is Mobile World Congress in February.
Mechanical buttons and dials may be nearing extinction in most modern electronics, but one area where they remain loved and appreciated is among camera enthusiasts. Fujifilm's next iteration promises to satisfy these desires with a gluttonous variety of physical control — there are dedicated dials for exposure, shutter speed, and ISO, while a closer inspection of the teaser image suggests there are even dials under the dials.
MORE MANUAL CONTROLS THAN YOU'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH
Fujifilm is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its founding today by revealing the look of its next major camera and the date of its full unveiling: January 28th. The rumors up to this point suggest the new shooter will be titled the X-T1 and will feature an articulating screen, a weather-sealed body, and a 16-megapixel APS-C sensor. The electronic viewfinder is also described as "extra large," which the big SLR-style bump above the Fujifilm logo would seem to corroborate.
With the Japanese company among the leaders in the present trend for recreating the aesthetics and ergonomics of classic film cameras, much will be expected of this upcoming model. The top of Fujifilm's line hasn't been updated since the X-Pro1 two years ago, and this mooted X-T1 looks set to take over the flagship mantle.
We got tipped on some speculated details about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5, half of which corroborate what we've heard before from other sources. but a few different tidbits are rather interesting. Bear in mind this is just one source hinting at stuff, so it could be all just wishful thinking, despite sounding rather detailed and plausible.
The tipster claims that Galaxy S5 will sport a 2K QHD display, which we've already heard numerous times, and is not hard to believe, considering that LG and Sony are also rumored to release flagships with 1440x2560 pixel screens. They also state that the S5 will come with a 2900 mAh battery, not the 4000 mAh unit bandied about before. In fact, the latest we heard is that the handset will sport a 2900 mAh juicer indeed, with rapid charging tech, so that's not hard to believe either.
Here we arrive to the more exotic claims. Our tipster says outright that the camera on the back is going to be 20 MP, which will put the Galaxy S5 in line with the camera on the Xperia Z1 and the upcoming Z2, and up there with the highest-resolution cameras on an Android handset. That's the new thing, as so far every leak has pointed to a 16 MP rear cam to be on the S5, made with Samsung's ISOCELL technology, and perhaps with optical image stabilization, if OIS modules yield is enough to cover the number of sales an S5 is expected to amass. That rumored 20 MP camera is said to record 4K video, and simultaneously snap pictures while recording, too. Those claims aren't hard to trust either, considering we will likely have a new,more powerful processor in the S5, and 4K recording has been unlocked even on some current handsets as well.
In addition, the source confirms we will have some sort of a "state of the art iris sensor and wide range of health accessories," and that's not the first time we are hearing that the S5 will have an eye-scanner that will serve to unlock the device and possibly authorize services, similar to what Apple did with its TouchIDfingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s. The technology for this is out there, so we wouldn't bet against this rumor, too. What do you think about these claims, is there anything that piques your interest?
Last but not least, our tipster claims that those who are expecting the rumored metallic design, will be in for a disappointment, as the Galaxy S5 will be still made out of plastic, yet feature a different design language, compared to what we've come to expect from a Samsung flagship in the last few years. We don't know if the faux leather back of the Note 3 and Samsung's PRO tablet line counts as a "refreshed design", but certainly hope not.
Thanks for the tip, Rajdeep!