Pages

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Leaked packaging shows Apple iPhone case that gives the phone NFC and support for Isis









Leak of retail packaging shows new case for the Apple iPhone that supports NFC and the Isis Mobile Wallet
A leaked photograph of some retail packaging appears to show a new case for the Apple iPhone that will be offered by AT&T. The case will feature a micro-NFC chip, which together with a free mobile app, will allow the iPhone to support the Isis mobile payment service. The Incipio Cashwrap will retail for $70 and is already in AT&T's inventory, according to published reports.

At CES, a version of the case for both the Apple iPhone 4 and Apple iPhone 4s was revealed. The cases are expected to launch in March. While AT&T is involved in the release of the Cashwrap case, it is unknown whether the other two carriers involved in the Isis mobile payment service, T-Mobile and Verizon, will also offer the cases.

By using the case and installing the Isis Mobile Wallet app, you can store credit cards and loyalty cards, using them to pay your bill by tapping the iPhone on an Isis Mobile Payment terminal.

source: Engadget
Read More »

It's officially a tablet: Wi-Fi only Sony Xperia Z Ultra on sale in Japan


From the first time we heard about the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, it was seen as a device that was clearly pushing the boundaries of the term "phablet". Most phablets haven't attempted to go much higher than 6-inches, but the Xperia Z Ultra features a 6.4-inch display and its footprint looks closer to a 7-inch tablet than a 6-inch phablet. Now, the device has officially gone over to the tablet world.


There had been rumors about Sony prepping a Wi-Fi only version of the Xperia Z Ultra, and it has become a reality. The Wi-Fi only model of the device will officially go on sale in Japan this Friday, January 24th. The device will sell for ¥52,000 (~$499), and it won't be alone on shelves. Sony has also launched an LTE-enabled version of the device on Japanese carrier KDDI.


The tablet version of the Xperia Z Ultra features all of the specs that you'd expect, including the noted 6.4-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 800 chipset, 2GB of RAM, and an 8MP rear camera. Of course, one thing that made the device feel more like a tablet than a phablet was that alongside that 8MP camera, there is no flash on the device, which is something of a disappointment.


source: Sony Japan via GSMArena
Read More »

Motorola Migrate can now shepherd iOS users (and their data) to a new life on Android





If a Motorola device has recently charmed you away from the iPhone, make sure to check out the company's Migrate app. Moto just refreshed the transfer tool to add iOS support (similar to the one found on MotoMaker), making it easier to transfer iCloud data to Google's services -- so long as you have a supported handset. Unfortunately, it'll only work with the Moto X, Moto G, Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini at the moment, and it can only port calendar entries and contacts. Still, those are two things to slash off your list when moving phones, leaving you with more time to worry about transferring all those selfies.

Read More »

Google Video Quality Report to grade how well ISPs deliver YouTube







If you've ever tried to use YouTube as a practical measure of how fast your Internet connection is, then you might be in for a surprise. Apparently, Google has the same idea and has launched its Video Quality Report service to gauge an Internet Service Provider's performance based on how well they are able to stream videos from YouTube.

It might seem almost strange for Google to offer such a kind of service that would virtually pit ISPs against each other. After all, it can turn into a virtual hall of shame really quick. But Google's motives are more or less benign and want users to have a more understandable criteria for evaluating an ISP's offer, as well as making sure they're getting their money's worth.

Being Google, there is a bit of science and math behind the service. For sure, it isn't going to rely on users' feedback or comments, which will be very subjective. It also won't simply base its results from a single person's Home connection. Instead, it analyzes how fast billions of hours worth of YouTube videos are slurped over a span of 30 days. This is then categorized by service provider and location. It also properly considers the density of users on that network per region and adjusts the scores accordingly.

The result is a grading system, indicated by none other than badges, that Google believes can help users and service providers communicate better with each other. A "YouTube HD Vertified" badge tells users that the ISP in that area is able to load videos in 720p HD most of the time. "Standard definition", on the other hand, is given to those that can load at least 360p 90% of the time. And "lower definition" is reserved for those that cannot guarantee even standard quality or, worse, a stable connection.

The website for Google's Video Quality Report is already up but currently only contains informational material on what Google is trying to accomplish and how. For the moment, Google's first test subject is Canada, since Google considers the ISPs there to be exemplars of quality YouTube streaming. Google is so far keeping mum on when it plans to start rolling out to other regions as well. It will be interesting to see how much its badges will be adopted as a way of measuring quality of service in the future.

SOURCE: Financial Post
Read More »

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Hacker accesses 70,000 Healthcare.gov records, says website is 100% insecure


The Healthcare.gov website has had its fair share of troubles since launch, and one that has been persistent among them is claims of security vulnerabilities. TrustedSec's CEO David Kennedy has been vocal about these issues, though little has been done to address them. Perhaps to make a bigger point, he took advantage of the vulnerability in recent times and managed to access 70,000 records over the course of four minutes, saying, "Seventy-thousand was just one of the numbers that I was able to go up to, and I stopped after that."

Kennedy has long been preaching the vulnerability song, and when the website underwent a fix, he stated that it was more vulnerable than before. He further elaborated on his accessing of records, saying, "[it was] a rudimentary type attack that doesn't actually attack the website itself, it extracts information from it without actually having to go into the system." The CEO isn't the only hacker to publicly confirm the security issues, however, with Kevin Mitnick, Ed Skoudis, and more having issued warnings of an impending security breach if the problems are not corrected.

Said Mitnick in a signed statement alongside fellow hackers: "It's shameful the team that built the Healthcare.gov site implemented minimal, if any, security best practices to mitigate the significant risk of a system compromise or access to consumer proprietary information."

Despite these warnings, the government has maintained Healthcare.gov is secure and undergoes regular security testing. Whether this latest breach performed by Kennedy will spur a proper review and corrections of the issue at hand is yet to be seen (and a cynic might express ample doubt at this point), but all signs point towards a ticking clock counting down to a major -- malicious -- data breach.

SOURCE: Computer World, Fox News Sunday and Reuters
Read More »

iOS in the Car screenshots appear complete with faux home button





Several images of what's assumed to be the current developer-ready versions of "iOS in the Car" have appeared on the web this afternoon courtesy of developer Steve Troughton Smith on Twitter. While we've got no additional details - nor any kind of confirmation that the images are completely legitimate - it would very much appear that Apple is close to releasing their final details on the market-ready software. This includes a simple left-sitting sidebar with home button, wi-fi connectivity bar, and time readout for starters.

Inside iOS in the Car you're going to see some simple Apple Maps implementation as well. This push includes a zoom in, zoom out, navigation, and 3D button set alongside a button that advances you through the Maps navigation screens. Oddly enough, the whole lot is joined by a single iOS home button - the kind that, until recently, appeared on all iPhones, iPads, and the iPod touch.



In the newest iPhone you'll find the same home button without the rounded-off square in the center. Here it would seem that the icon remains, keeping with the familiarity of the symbol even though its disappeared from the iPhone itself. Perhaps this is something similar to the floppy disk continuing to be used as a "save" icon many years after it's disappeared from the real world.



Also in this set of images you'll find a Safety Warning that suggests you observe posted road signs and current road conditions, with an extra note on how "road conditions and directions may change or be inaccurate." Finally there's a bit on how "walking directions may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths" as well.
Read More »

Android 4.4 KitKat now available for European HTC One




The Google Play Edition of the HTC One got the latest Android 4.4 KitKat update in November and it was quickly followed by the Developer Edition of the handset and its US Unlocked units.

However, until today large parts of Europe were stuck waiting for HTC to expand the rollout. Well, worry no more - the latest release has now started seeding on the Old continent.

The French SFR carrier was among the first to start seeding the Android 4.4.2 KitKat to the HTC One units on its network. This is the first EU HTC One getting the update, which means other European regions and carriers will be getting the KitKat treatment soon enough.

The new 4.4.2 update brings Android 4.4.2 and its improvements plus the latest Sense 5.5 UI. Your phone will become noticeably faster thanks to the new firmware. Hopefully it won't take long before the other European Ones get to taste KitKat.
Read More »

Italian company finds a way to monitor and tamper with any smartphone



An Italian ethical-hacking company, called Hacking Team, has developed a software system that is touted as being fully capable of monitoring any smartphone. Called Remote Control System, the software tool bypasses the encryption of the major mobile platforms and allows data to be collected remotely. The system is intended for “governmental interception” only and works with any iOS, Android, Windows Phone, or even BlackBerry device. Targets won't notice that their device has been infected or tampered with, because the Remote Control System agent is invisible to the user. The hacking suite won't influence the battery life or the overall performance of the infected smartphone. Remote Control System can be installed either remotely or locally. Hacking Team says that its software enables you to monitor all activities that are being performed on the hacked device and intercept all data that comes in and out of it, too. The collected information is then transmitted to a secure RCS server. The data is encrypted and cannot be traced back.

Hacking Team admitted that it succeeded in hacking the Windows Phone platform thanks to a security flaw in the OS. The vulnerability allows any third-party app or code to bypass security and run as trusted ones.


"Since we founded the Hacking Team, we have understood the power of our software in law enforcement and intelligence investigations. We also understand the potential for abuse of the surveillance technologies that we produce, and so we take a number of precautions to limit the potential for that abuse. We provide our software only to governments or government agencies. We do not sell products to individuals or private businesses. We do not sell products to governments or to countries blacklisted by the U.S., E.U., U.N., NATO or ASEAN." - Hacking Team's customer policy.


source: Hacking Team, WikiLeaks via WMPoweruser
Read More »

BluCub Humidity Sensor Sends Humidity Data To Your iPhone 5S




We all like to know, well, everything about our environment. How warm it is, how humid it is, what it’s like outside, and so on. BluCub is designed to give you all of that, and in a tiny little package.

Know When It’s Saturated


The idea is fairly simple: BluCub packs a thermometer and a hygrometer (humidity sensor, for you non-scientists) into a black box roughly half the size of your iPhone. The idea is that it can be stuck somewhere discreet and used to track data both right away and over time, and within a reasonable range, namely what Bluetooth 4.0 can provide. Then, when you’re in range, just fire up the iOS 7 app and get the information you need.
Data Data Everywhere

At first it may seem less than obvious as to why you’d want something like this glued to the wall or lying on the counter, but if you think about it, there are a lot of places it’s good to know temperature and humidity. If you’ve got wines you want to preserve, you can stick this in your wine rack and track how they’re doing. If you’ve got allergies, it’ll help you figure out the ideal humidity to keep your sinuses clear. And if you just want to show your obnoxious coworker that, yes, it’s a little warm in here, you’ve now got a handy thermometer you can both check.
A Question Of Temperature



Of course, not all of us will need environmental sensors we can check with our phones, but this is a useful set of tools crammed into a surprisingly tiny package. If you want one, though, you’ll need to act quickly; BluCub is currently the subject of an IndieGoGo campaign in Britain, and you’ll have to pay roughly $65 total to have one shipped to you.

BluCub Humidity Sensor Sends Humidity Data To Your iPhone 5S

We all like to know, well, everything about our environment. How warm it is, how humid it is, what it’s like outside, and so on. BluCub is designed to give you all of that, and in a tiny little package.

Of course, not all of us will need environmental sensors we can check with our phones, but this is a useful set of tools crammed into a surprisingly tiny package. If you want one, though, you’ll need to act quickly; BluCub is currently the subject of an IndieGoGo campaign in Britain, and you’ll have to pay roughly $65 total to have one shipped to you.
Read More »

Mezy for iPhone lets you plant messages in special geographic places for special people




What could be nicer than going to some beautiful, or otherwise exciting place? Snapping a panorama shot? Nah, that's old news. How about a message, left for you by a friend who was there a year ago, automatically showing up on your iPhone's display? Mezy for iOS let's you do just that - leave a digital message for somebody, containing text, photos, and videos, at a designated location on a map. When your friend, who also follows you on the Mezy social network reaches said location, he or she is notified about the message, and can open and read it.

Mezy can be used to post hidden messages anywhere in the world. They appear only when a follower of yours enters their geographic location, and can't be seen by anyone you haven't given permission to. These special letters can contain unlimited text, photos, and videos of up to 15 seconds in length.

Although social messaging isn't completely new in concept, Mezy seems very clever. The app is completely free, so get it from the link below if you want start putting your print on the world map.

Read More »

Samsung to unveil Galaxy S5 on February 23



The rumors surrounding the next generation Galaxy S smartphone are coming in thick and fast. Firstly, the device was tipped for a March release, which was even backed up by a statement from the company's VP, but we then had a Samsung executive saying that their flagship smartphone will not be showcased at the Mobile World Congress.

Now, we have another report from Mobile Review's Eldar Murtazin, who says that the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone will be announced on February 23. It has to be noted that the same guy had correctly predicted the Galaxy S4 launch date last year.


Samsung Galaxy S5 launch - 18.00. Barcelona. 23 February. Price the same. Launch - end of April. Specs - u know them :) new touchwiz ;)— Eldar Murtazin (@eldarmurtazin) January 21, 2014



Samsung will announce its 2014 flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone at a dedicated event in Barcelona on February 23, which is a day before the Mobile World Congress kicks off. Furthermore, Mr. Murtazinclaims that the device will be available in the stores by the end of April, which alligns nicely with earlier rumors.

Meanwhile, Samsung Galaxy S5 is expected to sport a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and the device is said to offer a choice between the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and Samsung's next generation Exynos. The other hardware specifications of the Galaxy S5 include 3 GB of RAM, 16 megapixel rear camera, fingerprint sensor, new TouchWiz user interface and a 3,000mAh battery.

However, these are just speculations based on the previous rumors and there is no official confirmation at the moment. We will keep you posted when Samsung starts sending invitations for its next Unpacked event.
Read More »

Google Nexus 8 tablet to land mid-2014 with Intel 64-bit innards?





Google may be making plans to ditch Qualcomm as its chip provider in favour of Intel for the Nexus 8 tablet.

According to hit-and-miss DigiTimes "upstream supply chain" sources have made it clear the new Nexus 8 will be packing the Intel Bay Trail-T processor and should arrive by mid-2014.

Despite Google reportedly ditching Qualcomm as its chip manufacturer it'll be sticking with Asus to make the tablet. The source also claims the new Intel Bay Trail-T processor will be a 64-bit quad-core CPU.

Little else is known about the tablet but more details should emerge after MWC in February, claims the source.

If Google were to shift from using Asus also we wouldn't be surprised to see Google use LG after the impressive LG G Pad 8.3. But we'll just have to wait and see as more details emerge.
Read More »

Huawei MediaPad 7 Youth2 officially revealed as tablet-phone combo




Huawei has just taken the covers off its MediaPad 7 Youth2 tablet that also acts as a phone.

The 7-inch tablet comes with a 1024 x 600 (169ppi) resolution display on a 9.9mm thick frame that weighs in at 350g. On the power front it's pushing 1.2GHz with an MSM8X12 quad-core A7 and 1GB of RAM which should keep going for a while thanks to the 4100mAh battery.

The MediaPad 7 Youth2 is a rare breed, not only thanks to the odd name, but also because it can make 2G and 3G calls, just like your mobile. Insert Dom Jolly jokes here. Less impressive specs include 4GB storage which can be expanded to 32GB using microSD, Android 4.3 OS, HSPA+ as the fastest connection, plus 3-megapixel and 0.3-megapixel cameras.

Huawei has not announced a release date or price yet. From the specs you can expect an affordable price that'll be aimed at competing with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite.
Read More »

Nokia Lumia 625 is now getting GDR3 and Lumia Black update


Microsoft and Nokia have already seeded the GDR3+Lumia Black update to Lumia 1020, 925, 920 and 820, while the Lumia 1520 is running it out of the box. As of today Lumia 625 has also joined the Lumia Black bandwagon.

Nokia Lumia 625 phones in various countries around the globe are already getting the notification for both the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update and Nokia's Lumia Black improvements. In case your Lumia 625 isn't among those, you should be getting the update very soon as well.



The WP8 GDR3 update now allows you to close apps from the app switching UI, it also brings auto rotation on/off switch, Driving Mode, Bluetooth tethering, better storage management, custom ringtones for messages, and new accessibility options. Nokia's Lumia Black also update adds Bluetooth 4.0LE support.

Now that both updates have been optimized for Lumia phones with 512MB RAM so they work on the Lumia 625, we expect Lumia 520, 620 and 720 to get their updates shortly.
Read More »

The 4.5-inch Huawei G6 is an Ascend P6 on a budget


Huawei's ex-flagship, the Ascend P6, may have its downsides -- it's certainly not as widely available as competing models from Huawei's rivals, and it sure could make use of a more powerful processor -- yet nobody can contest that it is one sexy device.


The previous record holder for the world's slimmest smartphone (just 6.18mm!), the P6 has been one of Huawei's most popular models, and the company appears intent on further cashing in on its success by introducing a budget version of the phone. This is strictly unconfirmed, of course, but China's FCC-equivalent body, Tenaa, has certified a device bearing a model number G6-T00 and an unmistakable similarity with the P6. Chinese blog MyDrivers has further dug out some specific hardware intel from the listing and it reads pleasantly, granted that Huawei manages a very low price point. Included within is a quad-core, 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6582 built on a 28nm process, 1GB of RAM, a 8-megapixel rear shooter and a 5-megapixel front one. There's also apparently a slot for microSD card expansion, and despite its likely budget tag, the Android 4.2.2-touting phone is still super slender, with dimensions measured at 130 x 65 x 7.5mm. Lastly, based on the dimensions of the phone, MyDrivers is guessing a diagonal length of 4.5-inches, though this is obviously up in the air. As to when we might get to see this more frugal version of the P6, we simply don't know.




Huawei G6-T00Fullscreen


Read More »

Superfast satellite internet coming to UK trains, planes and boats




Ofcom has just announced it's going to free up satellite bandwidth to allow superfast internet access on trains, planes and boats in the UK.

The new broadband speeds should deliver ten times faster connections than are currently available while also being more stable. That means around 10Mbit/sec for each passenger.

The technology works using earth stations on vehicles which recieve large amounts of data from satellites in geostationary orbit. This method of connection will track the satellite closely for a stable connection, even at high speeds. Each earth station can receive up to 50Mbit/sec.

Philip Marnick, group director of spectrum at Ofcom, said: "We want travellers to benefit from superfast broadband on the move at the kind of speeds they expect from their connection at home."

"Today’s decision means that operators of trains, boats and planes will soon be able to begin the process of making these valuable services available to their passengers."

Ofcom expects to accept applications to license ship-mounted earth stations by February, and is working on aircraft versions now for a similar release time. Train based earth stations should be good to go by this summer.

Read More »

Microsoft pays Machinima video partners to mention Xbox One on YouTube





It can be hard to tell at times when the videos you are watching on YouTube are legitimate content created because someone likes what they are showing off or when they are paid to produce the content. That line between paid content and normal content is a bit murkier on YouTube thanks to a marketing campaign that has surfaced from Microsoft. The campaign paid YouTube video partners to produce video content mentioning the Xbox One.



The photo you see above promoting the advertising campaign for Machinima video partners on YouTube surfaced recently. Microsoft is paying these video partners on YouTube to make and post videos that mention the new Microsoft game console, the Xbox One.

Microsoft is paying $3 per CPM for the videos. That means Microsoft will pay the video partner an extra $3 for each 1000 views the video gets. Considering some popular videos can generate tens of thousands of views, this program could pay out significant money to the video partners. The program limits payouts to the first 1.25 million views meaning that the video maker could earn a max of $3750 for the video.

The advertising campaign required the video partners to include at least 30 seconds of Xbox One game footage and mention the console by name. The video also had to have the tag "XB1M13" listed. The legal terms behind the campaign also leaked and clearly state that to get the money the video producers can't say anything negative about the Xbox One or any of its games in the video and have to keep the terms of the advertising campaign confidential.

SOURCE: ArsTechnica
Read More »

Beats Music Service launches on iPhone giving Spotify a run for its money



Earlier this month it was announced that the Beats Music service would be launching on the iPhone on January 21. With January 21 here, the Beats Music service has now officially launched. The music service is available for iPhone users via an app on the App Store.
The app pushes the big features that Beats Music hopes will set it apart from the other music streaming services out there. Beats Music is focusing heavily on customization and curation. One of the big features is called Right Now. It will offer music based on data that the user enters to answer questions.
The data entered includes things like what the user is feeling, what they are doing, whom they are with, and what sort of music genre they want. The feature will then make an endless playlist for the user based on their answers and mood that will play from the songs in the Beats Music database. Reports indicate the question with the most bearing on the playlist is the music genre the user wants with answers on other questions not affecting the playlist much.
The app also offers music recommendations by genre and allows you to find playlists constructed by friends. Another big feature is a curated playlist from what the service claims are music experts from the industry. Beats Music is available now in the US for $9.99 per month. A free 7-day trial is available to let you try it out before you buy.
SOURCE: 9to5mac.com
Read More »

Sony D6503 ‘Sirius’ KitKat interface leaks in its entirety, two frontal speakers and 4K video confirmed



Sony D6503 Sirius details are leaking as if we are very close to unveiling, which leads us to the thought we might indeed see it appear at the MWC expo next month, just as rumored. We saw it earlier next to the Xperia Z1, and now we get screenshots of its Timescape interface, sitting on top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat.


The screens reveal that new features are in store with Sony's upcoming flagship refresh - 4K video recording from the 20 MP camera gets confirmed, as was rumored before, as well as a Glove mode for the screen, meaning you can operate it out on the ski lift, like any self-respecting Lumia these days. In the Storage settings we are also seeing that the phone will sport 16 GB of internal memory, plus a microSD slot for expansion, just as expected.

There are numerous other tweaks like another homescreen option for visually impaired, smart backlight control, USB DAC control, notification and quick settings tabs in the status bar, as well as a whole lot of transparencies and full-screen wallpapers, brought along by KitKat.

The USB amp option should be a hint that Sony has some plans for the Sirius to be a music-oriented handset, not only a cameraphone, and looking at the leaked pics of the actual device below, we are seeing two front speakers, not one, which are most likely stereo, like the HTC One pieces. One sits just above the LED notification light, the other is at the bottom, over what looks sophisticated noise-canceling mic setup at the bottom of the phone. Plenty to look forward to in Sony D6503 Sirius, it seems, and it might even be worthy of being called the Z2, if all these rumors pan out, especially if it arrives with a QHD panel.
Read More »

HTC M8 might skip QHD resolution, to arrive with a 1080p screen instead


HTC has published the UA Prof file for what seems like the HTC M8 (aka the successor to the HTC One), allegedly confirming its existence and the fact that the device will feature a 1080 x 1920-pixel display. User Agent Profile (UA Prof) files are specification files that describe the model, screen size and other features of the device before it gets officialized. Making such a file is not obligatory, but usually when published, this is done by the phone maker itself (in this case from HTC), and is a near-official confirmation of a device.

While the resolution of the HTC M8 is not expected to change from that of last year's HTC One, the size of the display is actually expected to go up slightly. The HTC M8 is rumored to have a screen of at least 5 inches in diagonal, but not larger than 5.9 inches. What does this mean? First and foremost, pixel peepers might be disappointed to learn that the newest HTC flagship won't match the oft rumored 2014 trend of QHD (1440 x 2560-pixel) displays.

To most people and even sharp-eyed consumers, though, we expect the difference between QHD and 1080p displays to be barely visible, so we would not necessarily count this as a flaw. Moreover, a device with a 1080p display would actually perform better as it has to process much less pixels than a QHD phone, and this might be a compromise some are willing to make.

Even without a QHD display, there is something else about the HTC M8 that makes it extremely interesting, and that’s the rumored twin-sensor rear camera. The twin sensors are said to improve the focusing ability, the depth of field and image quality of the M8’s camera, and we’re looking forward to seeing the possibilities that may come with it.

The handset is also said to retain a similar design and visual aesthetics to those of the original HTC One, but get beefier under the hood with a newer version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon system chip (we’d bet on either a newer version of Snapdragon 800, or the Snapdragon 805). Luckily, it’s also said to get released in just a couple of months, by the end of March, when all these rumors will be put to rest - brace yourselves, the wait won’t be too long.




Read More »

Monday, 20 January 2014

New Lenovo A7600 and A5500 Android tablets likely coming soon



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.

Read More »

LG G Flex will hit over twenty European markets next month

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).
Read More »

2014 may bring an Intel-powered Nexus 8



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
Read More »

Nokia Lumia 1320 Review



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.
Read More »

HTC One (M8) concept cuts down on bezel and loses the capacitive buttons






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.
Read More »

iOS 7.1 Beta 4 rolls out for developers





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

Read More »

Hoyo lets you take your smartphone in the shower


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.

Read More »

Any settlement offer from Apple to Samsung will likely include this deal breaker



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.

Read More »

HTC One (M8) concept cuts down on bezel and loses the capacitive buttons


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.
Read More »

Some Sony Xperia Sirius D6503 features apparently confirmed, UI screenshots revealed



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
Read More »

Korean carrier to launch broadband-shaming 300Mbps LTE-Advanced network this year




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.
Read More »

iPhone 6 with 4.7-inch screen due in June, 5.7-inch iPhone to follow later?


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.
Read More »

Fujifilm dials up the retro for its next camera







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.
Read More »

Galaxy S5 tipped to come with 20 MP camera and 'state of the art iris sensor', still plastic


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!
Read More »