Kantar's data shows worldwide decline in iOS market share during Q4, Android and Windows Phone gain

The fourth quarter market share numbers from Kantar are out, and the whooshing sound you hear is BlackBerry circling the drain. The period from October through December included the failure of the Canadian manufacturer to complete the $9 a share privatization bid from its largest stockholder. As a result, BlackBerry had to settle for $1 billion in capital and the replacement of CEO Thorsten Heins with turnaround expert John Chen. In the fourth quarter in the U.S., Kanter shows BlackBerry losing 55% of its market share from the same period in 2012. BlackBerry finished the year with a .4% slice of the U.S. smartphone market, down from the prior year's .9%.

Android and Windows Phone were the big winners in Q4

Even in regions where BlackBerry had a fairly good share of the smartphone market, things collapsed during the final three months of the year. In  Latin America, where BlackBerry controlled 10.3% of the smartphone market at the end of 2012, the company saw a huge decline to 2.8% at the end of 2013. Incidentally, Android had a monumental quarter in that very area, as Google's open source OS finished the period with an amazing 83.5% of the market compared with 61.6% the year before.

In the U.S., Android made it over the 50% mark, rising to 50.6% from 46.2%. Apple's iOS suffered a fairly large drop stateside, with a market share that declined from 49.7% to 43.9%. The combination allowed Android to leap frog over its major rival for the top spot in the U.S. But it wasn't only the states where iOS lost share. In Italy, Apple's mobile OS saw its share of the smartphone market crash from 23.1% to 12.8% with Android having nearly a corresponding rise. In five major European countries, iOS saw its market share decline from 23.7% to 18.5% while Android's share increased from 62.9% to 68.6%. 

Windows Phone showed momentum in the quarter. In Europe, Microsoft's mobile OS had 10.3% of the market, up from 5.6% a year ago. In the U.K., the figures showed Windows Phone with an 11.3% slice of the market at the end of 2013, up from 5.9% during the same time in 2012. And in the U.S., the platform took its 2.4% market share at the end of the fourth quarter of 2012, and ran it up to 4.3% at the end of the fourth quarter in 2013.

via: WMPoweruser

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New Lenovo K7t with Quad HD display and Android KitKat appears in benchmark test, could be launched soon

Not long after it announced its first LTE-capable smartphone (the Vibe Z), Lenovo might also introduce its first handset with a Quad HD (1440 x 2560) display.

According to a leaked Antutu benchmark test result, the Quad HD Lenovo smartphone is called K7t (codename: Kingdom). It seems that the handset runs Android 4.4.1 KitKat, and features a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM-8974 processor clocked at 2.26 GHz, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, 5MP front-facing camera, and a 13MP rear camera. The size of the handset’s display is not known, but we assume it’s of at least 5 inches (since a 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution wouldn’t really make sense on a smaller screen).

The name of the alleged new Lenovo smartphone suggests that it’s a successor to the K800 from 2012 and the K900 that was introduced in early 2013.

Of course, since it’s not that hard to fake a benchmark result, we can’t be certain of the K7t’s existence. What we are certain of is that China has already given us the world’s first Quad HD smartphone (Vivo Xplay 3S), and the second one might also come from China, thanks to Oppo. Will Lenovo become the third Chinese hardware maker to offer a Quad HD handset? Let’s hope we’ll find out soon!

source: GizChina

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LG G Pro 2 phablet officially launching in February, specs still remain a mystery

LG has made the LG G Pro 2 official, announcing on Monday the phablet will launch in February, presumably at Mobile World Congress.

LG didn't share any specific details about the handset, however rumours detail the LG G Pro 2 as being the company's first with fingerprint scanning technology. Additionally, it's expected to feature a 6-inch Full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, Android 4.4 KitKat, and LTE Advanced.

LG's G Pro successor is set to take on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, HTC One Max, and Sony Xperia Z Ultra, at a time when phablets have become necessary in a company's product line. Research firm IDC noted phablets accounted for 21 per cent of smartphone shipments in Q3 2013, up from 3 per cent in Q3 2012.

Pocket-lint will be live from Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain from 24 February to 27 February to bring you the latest.

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Google purchases DeepMind to augment its artificial intelligence portfolio

Google has just made an acquisition that is somewhat both puzzling and, on further analysis, feels quite natural. It has just bought DeepMind, a startup that focuses on artificial intelligence, for a rumored but unconfirmed amount of $400 million.

The London-based startup is just three years old, according to LinkedIn, and the company hasn't really made headlines in the tech industry. It's roster, however, includes some impressive names such as Skype and Kazaa developer Jaan Tallin and neuroscientist Demis Hassabis. The latter is considered to be a genius, a progidy in chess, and one of the best mind games player of late.

DeepMind's profile says it specializes in artificial intelligence for simulations, e-commerce, and games. At first glance, it might not make sense for a company more known for search, ads, and Android, but a closer analysis of Google's products and sometimes strange projects reveals that it could be a close fit.

Google has lately been making acquisitions and hires that reveal the company's new bent towards even smarter machines. Under Andy Rubin's guidance, the company has beenreported to have bought several companies and startups related to robotics and it isn't hard to imagine Rubin's team needing a bit of brains for those. And last December, Google was also reported to have hired a former Microsoft employee to work on machine learning.

A more down to earth application of artificial intelligence would actually be for Google Now. Google has been steadily selling Google Now as the personal assistant of choice that is able to predict what you want or need before you even ask it. Google and Apple are believed to be taking their rivalry to virtual personal assistants, and a dash of machine learning and artificial intelligence might go a long way in gaining the upper hand.

VIA: Re/code

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BLU outs Vivo 4.8 HD; costs $250

BLU is known for producing mid-range Android phones for bottom dollar prices, and the 4.8 HD is their newest handset to continue this trend.

Coming in the standard Black and White colors, Blue is also offering two other ostentatious paint jobs: neon pink and neon yellow.



Aside from BLU's...interesting choices in alternate colors, the 4.8 HD will pack a, you guessed it, 4.8” display. It's a super AMOLED unit with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels.

Under the hood, BLU's latest offering will pack a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, and 16GB storage capacity. It's also rocking an 8MP primary camera, and a 5MP front-facing snapper. The most impressive aspect of the 4.8 HD's design is that BLU has managed to squeeze all of this tech into a device that is only 6.9mm thick.

It's capable of HSPA+ speeds only (sorry, no LTE), however, and runs Android 4.2 out of the box. Does this sound like a good deal to you?

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Report: AT&T looking to buy Vodafone for as much as $82 billion

Vodafone and Verizon stockholders will be voting next Tuesday, on whether or not to approve the $130 billion USD deal between the two companies. Verizon Communications is buying the 45% stake in Verizon Wireless owned by the European telecom giant. Yes, it will go down as the biggest M&A deal of 2013 and will result in Vodafone shareholders receiving a special £54.3 billion ($84 billion USD) payout consisting of $24 billion in cash and the remainder in Verizon stock.

But there is some speculation again, that AT&T is about to plunk down as much as £60 billion ($82 billion USD) to buy what is left of Vodafone following the sale of its stake in Verizon Wireless. This was a deal that was tipped to take place this year, all the way back in November. AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson met with EU telecom commissioner Neelie Kroes during the World Economic Summit in Davos and expressed AT&T's desire to be a major European player.

While AT&T has yet to approach Vodafone about a deal, sources from London's financial district say that the American carrier has been advised to hold off until Vodafone has completed its deal with Verizon. That is expected to happen on February 21st. Meanwhile, Stephenson and Vittorio Colao, Vodafone's Italian CEO, are scheduled to talk during MWC in Barcelona next month.

Sources say that AT&T has been working on the regulatory, financial and legal issues surrounding a bid and the company's investment bankers are waiting for the green light from AT&T's board. After the deal with Verizon closes, analysts expect a deal for Vodafone to come in between £50 billion and £70billion ($68 billion USD and $96 billion USD, respectively). Even after closing the deal with Verizon, Vodafone will be one of the top ten largest public companies in the U.K.

source: SkyNews via AndroidCentral

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Apple CEO Tim Cook jokes about iRing in interview with ABC

It's not often Apple executives sit down for an interview, but to celebrate the Mac's thirtieth anniversary on Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook talked candidly with ABC News. It's a rare look inside such a secret company.

Cook, along with Apple executives Craig Federighi and Bud Tribble, discussed the culture at Apple where secrecy is their hallmark. Cook told interviewer David Muir there are locked rooms at Apple, products are under black drapes, and executives can't tell their families what type of projects are being worked on.

Manufacturing Apple products in the US was also discussed, including the company's Mac Pro factory in Austin, Texas, and its new sapphire glass factory in Arizona. When pressed on whether the sapphire glass could be used for a larger iPhone or iWatch, Cook chuckled saying he couldn't answer. He jokingly added Apple is making a ring, however.

The spying program in the US that's made headlines since summer 2013 was discussed. Cook said Apple isn't providing governments with a backdoor to its servers and called the US government for more transparency.

Cook's daily routine consists of him waking up at 4:35AM and receiving between 700 and 800 emails daily from customers alone, Muir said.

Apple executives gave the rare interview to ABC following an interview with Macworld a day prior. Apple'smarketing boss Phil Schiller revealed the company won't be merging iOS and OS X, and the Mac is still an important component of Apple's product line.

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EverQuest Next could be the first MMORPG to support the Oculus Rift

Since the release of the Oculus Rift development kit, many major game developers have been experimenting with virtual reality in their labs. Now, another one of them has come forward in support of the technology: Sony Online Entertainment, the company behindEverQuest. Now, it sounds like the upcoming EverQuest Next will offer some kind of support for the technology.

Last August, the company teased possible support for the virtual reality headset in a behind-the-scenes video for EverQuest Next. Without saying a word about VR, a developer donned an Oculus Rift while the camera knowingly lingered for a few moments. It wasn't just a visual gag: In a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) yesterday, SOE president John Smedley confirmed that the company would indeed support the Oculus Rift "in some way shape or form."

"Probably for no other reason then it's really damn cool and programmers love that stuff," added Smedley.

"I'M THINKING THIS IS REAL AND WE MAY HAVE OUR SNOWCRASH AFTER ALL."

While that doesn't sound like much of a committment, another Redditor asked about supporting other virtual reality systems besides the Oculus Rift, and Smedley responded in promising fashion: "hearing good things about 2 competitors... one of which actually comes from Sony. so I'm thinking this is real and we may have our Snowcrash after all," wrote the executive.

While a number of other MMOs have proclaimed support for the Rift — primarily space sims like Vendetta Online and the upcoming Star Citizen, but also Second Life — SOE's EverQuest Next could be the first to offer a virtual reality fantasy role-playing experience.

Smedley also told Redditors that his company has another unannounced MMO in the works which he hopes will appease Star Wars Galaxies players.

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Is HTC trying to go after Apple's iPhone 5C with this alleged octa-core Desire?

The unannounced mid-range HTC Desire smartphone that we first saw a few days ago may not be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (as initially rumored), but by an octa-core chip manufactured by MediaTek. What’s more, it appears that the handset has several cheerful color versions, including blue, yellow, red and orange. Paired with the phone’s thin, plastic construction, these colors make us think about Apple’s iPhone 5C.

According to ePrice, apart from possibly featuring an 8-core MediaTek CPU, the new Desire could come with a 5-inch 720p display, 1.5GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera with LED flash (no UltraPixel nonsense here), Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, and Sense 5.5 UI. The smartphone may be sold for no more than $330 in China. Unfortunately, nothing is confirmed at this point. However, if this Desire is real and HTC intends to launch it internationally, we might see it at MWC 2014 in Barcelona at the end of next month.

It’s not the first time we are hearing about a possible HTC-MediaTek collaboration. The Taiwanese company could certainly benefit from choosing MediaTek’s affordable chipsets - which are used by many companies that commercialize smartphones in China (and South East Asia in general).

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Microsoft finally makes it easier to shutdown your PC in Windows 8.1 Update 1

Microsoft is readying a number of improvements to win over desktop PC users with Windows 8.1 Update 1. In the latest round of screenshots from Russian leaker WZor, it appears some of those changes will make it easier for PC users to shut their machines down. The shutdown and restart options are clearly repositioned on the Windows 8.1 Start Screen in the latest Update 1 screenshots, alongside a new search button. It also appears you can right click on Live Tiles and get a context menu for options to resize, pin, and uninstall. It’s a subtle change from having to right click and then move to the app bar at the bottom of the display to manage the options.


While the position of shutdown options seems like a minor point, one criticism with Windows 8 is the way the shutdown and restart options have been hidden away under the new settings options on the Charms Bar. You can also access them by right clicking on the new Start button in Windows 8.1, but for consumers it’s frustrating to have to learn where the shutdown options have vanished to. For businesses it’s also an additional training point that employees need to learn. Windows 8 does support the option to shutdown a machine by pressing the physical button, but that’s not ideal if a desktop PC is located under or a desk or you simply want to restart it.




It’s encouraging to see Microsoft finally address some more of the frustrating points of Windows 8 for desktop PC users. Original feedback over the unusual shutdown positioning was disregarded as the "same number of clicks now and similar mouse travel" by Microsoft’s official Windows 8 engineering Twitter account — run by former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky. Since Sinofsky’s abrupt departure, shortly after the Windows 8 release, Microsoft has made a number of changes in Windows 8.1 and appears to be reversing and fixing some of Sinofsky’s decisions on the product.

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is largely focused at making the operating system easier to use for business users. Microsoft is taking the first steps towards a "Metro" and desktop merge, with the ability to pin and interact with Metro apps from the desktop taskbar, and new Media Center-like close and minimize options for Metro apps. Windows 8.1 Update 1 is expected to be released on March 11th, ahead of Microsoft’s Build conference in April where the company will likely detail further improvements for the upcoming Windows 9 release.

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HP Explains Why It Is Selling Windows 7 Again

It's all about choice. There's no doubt that Microsoft caused quite a commotion when it launched Windows 8 in October 2012. Many opinions in the press have made the change seem somewhat apocalyptic, especially where desktops are concerned. Sure, Windows 8.1 cleaned up the place a bit, but there are a vast number of people still clinging to Windows 7 and even the decaying Windows XP like a life preserver. So enter Hewlett-Packard, or HP for short, who has decided that, thanks to popular demand, it should sell a number of PCs with Windows 7 installed. Although Microsoft pulled the plug on retail sales back on October 30, 2013, OEMs can still sell machines with Windows 7 pre-installed until a date that's yet to be determined. So the next question is: Why sell Windows 7 PCs at all? The answer, according to HP, is dead simple -- choice. "We like giving our customers the option to get the computer that's right for them," reads the company's blog . "For some folks, that's Android. We've got everything from 2-in-1 detachables like the SlateBook x2 to the giant- sized Slate21 All-in-One." "And, yes, some people still want to run Windows 7 on their computers," continues the blog. "We want people to be happy with our computers – whichever option they choose – BUT WE ARE NOT DROPPING WINDOWS 8." Point made. The blog also points out that HP has five machines with Windows 7 installed with a Windows 8 option, whereas the company has several dozen machines that only offer Windows 8. So there you go; it wasn't much of an explanation other than HP wants to provide a choice. And perhaps Microsoft gave the green light, knowing that OEMs are struggling in a declining PC market. For that matter, it wouldn't be surprising to see other OEMs like Dell and Acer give in to "consumer demand" and launch a number of Windows 7 products. Given the choice, which OS would you pick, and why?

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Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO series launching in the first half of February?

Samsung unveiled its new, high-end Galaxy TabPRO and NotePRO Android KitKat tablets at CES at the beginning of January, saying that they’d all be available sometime this quarter. And it looks like they might arrive in the first half of the quarter, rather than in the second half.

RootzWiki has it from an anonymous source that the NotePRO and GalaxyPRO tablets will be released in the US on February 14 (yes, that’s Valentine’s Day, and it’s a Friday).

It’s said that Samsung employees in the US would not be allowed to take paid time off in the weekend starting February 14, which might mean that Samsung expects intense in-store activity in that period.

Granted, this is not info that we can truly trust. Still, we have to add that, according to a retailer in the Netherlands (which already accepts pre-orders for the new tablets), the Galaxy NotePRO Wi-Fi is expected to be launched there on February 11. So, if the NotePRO does indeed arrive in Europe then, a US launch could happen at about the same time.

As we previously reported, Galaxy NotePRO prices might start at about $750 (the Dutch retailer that’s taking pre-orders is asking €749 for it). As for the Galaxy TabPRO line, prices will vary depending on screen size. The TabPRO 8.4 could cost as low as $390, while the TabPRO 12.2 might be sold for up to $750. These prices aren’t officially confirmed, though, so don’t bet on them just yet. More details will probably be available soon, so make sure to stick around.

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Elgato Smart Key Review

here’s been a proliferation of “smart tags” for smartphones: little tokens with Bluetooth technology inside that pair with a phone to provide direction to an attached keychain or camera or whatnot. But there’s been two problems keeping many of these from being effective. The first being that a rechargeable battery only lasts for hours (in some cases) but certainly not weeks or months. The second issue is ease of use — not just in setting up the token to take note and respond, but in how it functions while the user goes about doing other things. Fortunately Elgato’s Smart Key deals with both of these problems when used with an iPhone 5/c/S or 3rd gen iPad or Mini (although realistically it’s designed for use mainly with phones).




The Smart Key itself is about the size of a poker chip and certainly unremarkable in appearance — the included keyring going through an integrated hole in the Smart Key if desired. There’s a small card that reveal just enough information to get started — as in telling you to get the iOS app and pointing out how the Smart Key “connects.”

The Smart Key’s simplistic look is mirrored by simplistic operations. You load in the Smart Key app (free from the iOS store), hold the Smart Key nearby and give the activation button side a hard press and hold till a short melody is heard and the green LED pulses. Bring the Smart Key close to the phone and the app switches to the initial menu. It’s here that you decide where it’s going to be used — on a keychain, in the car, a purse, luggage or camera — with the default deciding how the connection will be seen and/or heard (flashing LED on the Smart Key, sound or vibration on the iPhone) as well as how the disconnecting will be heard. These can be altered at any time through a preferences/settings menu. Since the Smart Key itself doesn’t have GPS, all of the choices work through the apps integration with the Smart Key’s position, and the technology built into the iPhone itself working in tandem with the app. “Safe Zones” can also be created — these disable both the Connect and Disconnect features. The Zone can be named based on your preference.



So the first test comes by putting the Smart Key on my keychain (having already paired it to the app). I mimic a common scenario by getting up and leaving with the keys left on the tabletop. I don’t get far before my iPhone lets me know in no uncertain terms I’ve screwed up. The next test is more interesting — I put the Smart Key in a luggage bag and leave the apt and walk down the hall. I now walk back in to have the app signal me that the Smart Key is connected so that I know that the bag which “just arrived” on the “airport carousel” didn’t end up in another state.

Using the other options provided by the app would seem obvious (although customization is available). I found the “Car” setting extremely useful as my car often get “lost” in parking lots. Not only did the Smart Key app tell me when it’s was in range, but it could be used to show the last known location via GPS.

Now what if I had a whole bunch of papers scattered all over and the keys got lost beneath them (or stuck in the couch)? A press of the dedicated “button” on the app causes the LED to flash on the Smart Key. But what if it’s the opposite situation where it’s the iPhone that’s gotten lost? Then a press on the Smart Key itself makes the iPhone emit a recognizable sound.



So what’s the second problem that the Smart Key solves? The power supply, is what. There’s a replaceable button battery that installs into the Smart Key’s backside. This provides power for a much longer period of time without the need for constant recharging or having to carry around a charger for when it runs down.The CR3032 battery is not expensive and can be readily had at pretty much any drugstore or other location, so it’s not an issue to have to replace it in a pinch. But the main issue is its longevity (as in about 6 months or so). Plus there’s a useful addition in that you can turn the Smart Key off not just by pressing/holding the button, but through a command in the app itself (which can be reversed as well).

Bottom line: The Smart Key’s up to 160 foot range provides simple and efficient means for keeping track of one’s phone or personal property. The $39.95 retail is more than reasonable for the technology and control over same being provided.





Overview
Release Date: Available now
Price: $39.95
Size: 41 x 41 x 9-mm
Weight: 0.04 oz
Battery Size: CR3032
Version of OS: iOS 7
Article Type: News
OS: Apple iOS

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Apple could take on PayPal, Square, and Isis with its own mobile payments business

If you have an iPhone 5S, Apple can verify your fingerprint in a flash. The company likely has your credit card on file, and it can theoretically even figure out where you are inside a store with its iBeacon service. So far, the company hasn't put the puzzle pieces together to let you buy whatever you can see, but that might be changing soon. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is building its own mobile payments business to take on the likes of PayPal, Google, Square, and Isis.

The publication doesn't have any details about what the program might entail, only that the company's careful executive search process suggests strong interest. Apple has reportedly tapped Jennifer Bailey, the head of the company's online store, to build the new payment business, after speaking to "at least five other well-known executives in the payment industry" about the same position.


If you ask The Wall Street Journal, though, this isn't a new push for Apple. In 2012, the publication reported that Apple nearly launched a mobile payment system, only to abort the idea. Though iOS VP Scott Forstall allegedly championed the idea, the company was concerned about the potential battery life drain of near-field communication (NFC) tech, and marketing VP Phil Schiller feared that people would blame Apple if they had a bad experience with a merchant. Scott Forstall left Apple later that year, and Schiller later downplayed the NFC technology.

Mobile payments are a mess, and they need to be foolproof to succeed. We're curious if Apple has figured out a better way to let people pay with their handset.

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Hacker infects Android devices connected to PCs

Malware installs phony Google App Store on your device
Earlier this week, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, tweeted out a report showing that 99% of malware is targeted at Android devices. One sneaky way to inject this poison into the veins of your Android device was disclosed by Symantec. When you sync your Android flavored device to a Windows PC, this malware, named Trojan.Droidpak, creates a phony version of the Google Play Store while the device is in USB debugging mode. This is a mode normally used by developers, but is sometimes used when rooting an Android device.

Symantec has made an interesting discovery, This particular malware, when installed on an Android device, looks for Korean on-line banking apps, deletes them, and installs an infected version of the app. But there are solutions to avoid getting infected. Symantec suggests that Android users turn off USB debugging when not in use. Symantec also suggests that Android users be very cautious when syncing to an unknown PC, and install security software like Norton Mobile Security.

We have a screen shot from an infected Android handset for you to take a gander at, and most of you right away will note how the malicious app is listed as Google APP Store. If something doesn't look kosher on your app tray, odds are that you should tread lightly.
"The malicious APK actually looks for certain Korean online banking applications on the compromised device and, if found, prompts users to delete them and install malicious versions. It also intercepts SMS messages received by the user and sends them a remote server."-Flora Liu, Symantec researcher
source: Symantec, PCWorld via BGR

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You have 60 minutes on Monday to buy the Motorola Moto X for $299

Motorola is offering not a one day promotion on the Motorola Moto Xthis Monday, it is actually having a one hour promotion. From 3pm to 4pm Eastern Standard Time on January 27th, Motorola will sell you the Moto X for $299 off-contract, while supplies last. That's a discount of $100 off the regular price. While there are a number of ways that Motorola could do this, one possibility floated would have Motorola hand out promotional codes good for the discount, which would be valid for a few days.

And even if you can't get away for that one hour on Monday, Motorola will continue to discount the Moto X by $70 from January 27th until February 14th, Valentine's Day. That would price the handset at $329. That might not be as great a deal as the $100 haircut available for that hour on Monday, but a nice discount nonetheless.








Motorola has a couple of deals for the Motorola Moto X

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HTC update roadmap leaked, confirms KitKat coming soon for HTC One

HTC insider LlabTooFeR has leaked an HTC roadmap containing its update plans for many of its actively used models. On Thursday, we passed along word from the Taiwan based manufacturer that the Android 4.4 update for the HTC One is now undergoing carrier testing and should receive certification as soon as next week. Once that occurs, the carriers are free to push out the chocolatey update.

This is confirmed by the roadmap which shows the HTC One, HTC One Dual SIM, HTC One mini and HTC One max receiving Android 4.4.2 and Sense 5.5 in late January to mid February. The map also reveals that so far, only the HTC One has been confirmed to receive another update during late summer or autumn. This update will include Sense 6.0, along with what apparently will be the next Android build after 4.4.2.

While the roadmap did confirm the cancellation of Android 4.3 for Verizon's HTC DROID DNA, the phone, along with the HTC Butterfly and HTC Butterfly S, will receive the Android 4.4.2 update in March or April. These phones are presently undergoing testing for the update.

We should also point out that the HTC EVO 4G LTE is undergoing testing for an update to Sense 5.0, and the HTC Desire 601 is being tested for the Android 4.4.2 update that carries Sense 5.5. The roadmap did not provide possible dates for when those two units might be updated.

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Parrot Introduces New Drones, Sumo and MiniDrone

Parrot is known for their Bluetooth products, but they’re transitioning into the drone market and revealed two new drones at CES earlier this month. Both are new smartphone-controlled bots: The Sumo and the MiniDrone. The Sumo is a rolling and jumping bot that features two wheels and moves around the ground. It features a camera and a foot built in that allows it to stop instantly (like the company’s bigger AR Drone) and can leap up in the air to 80 cm. It’s a pretty rugged drone that’s ready to tackle your adventurous lifestyle.


The MiniDrone is a smaller version of the AR Drone and can fly and roll. It’s only about a tenth of the size of the bigger version, which allows you to slide it in your pocket. Because it’s small in size and portable, it doesn’t have a camera but adds removable, large wheels that allows it to roll on the ground or run along the wall or ceiling. So far, no ship date has been announced, but the company did promise that they’ll be available soon.

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Sony Xperia Z1 Compact to have its own QX10/QX100 camera attachment case?

Sony launched an official camera attachment case for its Xperia Z1 f in Japan. Called SPA-ACX4, the case costs about $29, and allows users to attach any of the QX10 or QX100 lens-style cameras to the handset. The Xperia Z1 f is the Japanese version of the water-resistant Xperia Z1 Compact, having the same size and specs, so we’re expecting the Compact to get the SPA-ACX4 case as well.

Announced by Sony in September, the QX10 and QX100 lens-style cameras are especially made to be paired with smartphones (they even work with Apple’s iPhone), turning them into more advanced cameras. The QX10 costs $248, featuring 10x optical zoom, while the QX100 costs $498, offering a very large 1-inch 20.2 MP Exmor R sensor with Carl Zeiss f/1.8 lens and 3.6x optical zoom - these are DSLR-like features.

As for the Xperia Z1 Compact itself, this should be released around the world starting early February, costing around $500 unlocked. Our Sony Xperia Z1 Compact review shows that the Japanese company really nailed it with this handset. It seems to be the best mini smartphone released until now - and it’s no wonder, since it’s as powerful as the larger, critically-acclaimed Xperia Z1.



Sony SPA-ACX4 for the Xperia Z1 f / Xperia Z1 CompactFullscreen

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Meet the toughest, most durable rugged smartphones money can buy

Smartphones are all the rage nowadays. They can take photos, run apps, give directions, and much more that was once impossible to do a cell phone. But the smarter and more powerful smartphones get, the more fragile they become, it seems. For example, here's what happens when a top-of-the-line smartphone meets concrete with the aid of gravity (spoiler: it isn't pretty).

These smartphones, however, are a bit different. They aren't going to wow you with their hardware specs and they're definitely not going to win any beauty awards with their designs. But they will outlive the average smartphone thanks to their rugged construction. They can withstand water and dust damage, drops onto hard surfaces, extreme temperatures, and all kinds of torture tests we can think of. Interested? Then here's a rundown of the most durable smartphones money can buy today.

Toughest rugged smartphones everFullscreen











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Monsters from China: the 1440x2560 resolution display-touting Vivo Xplay 3S

At its very core, PhoneArena has always been about covering relevant and interesting content that is at least somewhat related with the mobile industry. But these two don't always go hand-in-hand. More precisely, while our wholly new, fortnightly 'Monsters from China' column may not appear exactly relevant, in that the devices we'll be covering are not freely available throughout the US and Europe, it is every bit interesting and important for the industry as a whole. Whether we agree with the practices employed by some Chinese manufacturers seems almost irrelevant, as these have been steadily progressing throughout the last two years, and some of them have actually gotten awfully close to offering little- to no-compromise devices. One such devices will be taking a place under the spotlights today: the QHD display-equipped vivo Xplay 3S. And, truth be told, we're just suckers for fancy devices of this caliber.


Now, before we get into specifics about what makes the Xplay 3S a device worth your attention, even though its unlikely to ever reach the shores of the US, it's worth pointing out that Vivo is a subsidiary of the same company that stands behind Oppo -- BBK Electronics. As many of you probably know at this point, the latter's products have consistently been of very high quality, and the same goes for Vivo.


A premium manufacturer, Vivo now has a wide range of devices covering a big degree of the price spectrum, yet it's its newest, highest-end Vivo Xplay 3S that really caught our attention. Introduced amid overwhelming fanfare in its home country of China, the Xplay 3S managed to capture the attention of even the western world -- a rare feat for a Chinese smartphone.





The reason for that is actually quite simple: it's packed to the very brim with some super bleeding-edge internals, and is currently unrivaled in terms of its hardware arsenal. We're talking a 6-inch display, sporting a crystal-clear resolution of 1440x2560 pixels (QHD), or about 490 pixels per inch. This is the first display of its kind to be officiallyannounced, though we're still waiting to see one of those touch the hands of consumers.


But a ridiculously crisp display is far from all the Xplay 3S has in store. It's also packing one of the more potent bins of Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 800 -- the 8974AB, running at 2.3GHz. The mighty silicon is further complimented with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage. Vivo could've stopped right here, and they'd still have a flagship worth its salt, yet there's so much more. The manufacturer has also included a fingerprint sensor on the back of the Xplay 3S -- one of still very few such -- and also a set of stereo DTS speakers and headphones. The Xplay 3S is actually actively marketed as a Hi-Fi audio device, and that's for a good reason, thanks to a dedicated DAC and amplifier chips from ESS Technology and Texas Instruments, respectively. Take a breath, for we're not nearly done. The ambitious Xplay 3S also offers a 13-megapixel rear shooter with a super-wide, f/1.8 aperture lens, and a 5-megapixel, wide-angle front snapper. The phablet also has a 3200mAh battery snugged inside, and dual-mode LTE antenna, meaning that it'll work with both China's 4G LTE network (TDD-LTE) and the rest of the world's (FDD-LTE), at least in theory. Before we wrap this up, it's also worth pointing that the Vivo Xplay 3S is, design-wise, a very polished device. Despite its screen, the phablet is actually fairly 'compact' and slender (158.2 x 82.6 x 8.7 mm, 174 grams), as bezels are super slim.


Surely, such a package must cost in the thousands of dollars, right? Not exactly -- it's currently listed for pre-order at 3498 Chinese yuan (~$580) for people in China, but you can probably guess that scalpers will bump pricing up if you're looking to get this phablet in the States or Europe. Moreover, we can't help but admit that Vivo kind of dropped the ball with the Xplay 3S in one particular regard -- availability was promised for mid-January, yet current plans put the actual release at the end of February. The reasons we can think for the delay are many -- Vivo, for example, could have rushed this in order to snatch a tentative 'first' with the QHD display, or this could be related to the particular model of Snapdragon 800 the company is gunning for. The same has been alleged as the culprit in production delays of neighboring Xiaomi with its 'international' version of its flagship Mi-3. Apparently, there just aren't enough of those chips around right now. Lastly, it's not at all unlikely to imagine that the display itself is keeping Vivo engineers awake at night. As with any new tech, there's always the risk of low and defective yields.


The Vivo Xplay 3S sounds like a super-awesome piece of bleeding-edge goodness, and yet, for the time being, it's nothing more than talk and show. But, given a chance, and should it materialize in its promised form, would you snatch a unit for yourself? We sure would.

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Nokia X (Normandy) release date, rumours and everything you need to know

Nokia has been all over the news recently, with the launch of its impressive Lumia 1520, 1320 and most recently the Black Update that it released for its Lumia range.

However, despite all its latest devices running on the Windows Phone OS and the imminent Microsoft takeover, Nokia is rumoured to be launching an Android device. The handset was dubbed Nokia Normandy for several months until this week when the name Nokia X surfaced.

We've rounded up all the rumours to give you an overview of what to expect from the Nokia's new device and we'll be updating this feature regularly, so remember to check back to ensure you're up to speed.
Nokia Normandy/X release date

Rumours began back in September 2013 of an Android-powered Nokia device after the New York Times claimed its sources suggested a team within Nokia had Lumia handsets "up and running" on Android before the Microsoft buyout.

It was a couple of months before anymore rumours of the device appeared, but now they are in full force with a release date of 2014 reported in December 2013. The same report suggested the project was "full steam ahead".

There was also a report in December 2013 claiming the Nokia Android smartphone had beenditched in favour of wearables, but there has continued to be a buzz surrounding it, so it looks like the Normandy/X project is still ongoing.

The most recent rumours suggest the Nokia Normandy/X will make its debut at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of February. Nokia sent out invitations to its press conferenceat MWC, so it seems like a reasonable suggestion for any announcement.
Nokia Normandy/X display

The display on the Nokia Normandy/X is rumoured to be coming with a 854 x 540 pixel resolution, after it showed up on an AnTuTu benchmark test under the codename A110.



It is also claimed to be coming with a 4-inch display according to Nokia Power User and The Verge. There has been little else regarding the display in terms of rumours, but if both the suggested size and resolution are accurate, the Nokia Normandy/X would come with a pixel density of 253ppi.

In context of the rest of the Android, that would put the Nokia X towards the small end of the market.
Nokia Normandy/X design

The Nokia Normandy/X is said to be aimed at the low-end of the market, just like the Nokia Asha devices and there have already been a number of leaks showcasing what it might look like.

A leaked press shot was revealed by @evleaks in December 2013 showing a red device with one single back button in the middle of the device, similar in style to the Asha line.



Another press shot appeared swiftly after the first one in December 2013 from the same source, this time revealing a range of colours including a bright green, white, yellow, blue, red and black.

The reports of a single touch button in the centre of the device and a design similar to the Asha range have also been supported by some images on China's Weibo site.



However, more recently it was suggested the design of the Nokia Normandy is more in-line with the Lumia range except for its single back button after another leaked shot appeared online, this time from @ViziLeaks. The image presents a matt red polycarbonate back, along with the usual side buttons for power and volume. The Nokia Normandy/X is also reported to be coming with dual-SIM capabilities.
Nokia Normandy/X processor

The Nokia Normandy/X is expected to be coming with a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU and although the AnTuTu benchmark didn't reveal which, The Verge suggests it will be the S4 processor. This older hardware again suggests that this will be at the more affordable end of the spectrum.

The Verge also suggests the Nokia Normandy/X will be supported by 512MB of RAM and will come with 4GB of storage, along with microSD for further expansion. If that's the case then Nokia is presumably not looking to complete with the likes of the affordable Moto G, as the rumoured hardware loadout is similar to budget devices a few years back.
Nokia Normandy/X camera

In terms of camera, images from @evleaks suggest the Nokia Normandy/X will feature a similar basic flash-free camera just like the Asha line. There have also been claims that it will come with a 5-megapixel snapper following the appearance on the AnTuTu benchmark test.



However, more recently, rumours have suggested the camera would be coming with a flashafter an image appeared showing the flash on the rear of the device and there have been claims of a 3-megapixel camera rather than a 5-megapixel.


Nokia Normandy/X software

The Nokia Normandy/X is reported to be coming on a forked version of Android 4.4.1, similar to the approach Amazon uses on its Kindle Fire range of tablets.

It is claimed the Android software on the handset won't look like the typical Android we know on many other smartphones, but it will have support for Android applications.



Previously images leaked from @evleaks show what appears to be Android, but it isn't enough to confirm the operating system despite it looking nothing like the Windows Phone OS we have come to know. However, the shots do suggest apps such as Skype will be on board.



An image also appeared from @Picturepan2 showing a slightly clearer look at the expected OS. It certainly looks simplistic, and supports the story of a budget handset.

However, the most recent images from @evleaks present a heavily modified Android interfacethat looks similar to Windows Phone with both the tile approach and a multi-size setup. There are also similar apps including Twitter, Skype, Nokia Here maps, BlackBerry Messenger, Internet and Store, which we assume is a custom app store in lieu of Google Play.



The user interface appears to be a mix between Android and Windows Phone 8, picking up on number of different design points from each. Certainly, as it is at the moment, the Nokia Normandy/X doesn't look like it's going to launch into the Android smartphone race and try to divert us from the likes of the Samsung or HTC.

We'll continue to listen out for information on Nokia's mystery device and we'll update when we learn more.

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Google applies for .android, .nexus, .moto, and 98 other top-level domains

On one hand, once we heard that ICANN would be selling off custom top-level domains (meaning instead of just .com, .org, or .net, you could get .anything), it was easy to assume that Google would be applying to get some of those domains. On the other hand, Google is directly responsible for the steady decline of users actually typing in full URL addresses in the first place.


An annoyingly large number of users will use Google to search for "www.phonearena.com" rather than simply typing the address into the address bar. And, of course there are plenty of users who are too lazy to type the .com, and will just put "phonearena" in their Google Chome omnibox and then click away from



there. Even so, Google has applied for an impressive 101 top-level domains. This is extra impressive because: 1) there were only 2,000 applications, meaning Google has 5% of all applications for the entire world; and, 2) the application fee alone for each of these is $185,000, meaning Google spent a cool $18.7 million just to try to obtain these domains.


The list of domains that Google is applying for is varied and has the entries that you would expect, plus quite a few that are just odd. The ones you might expect include .Android, .Nexus, .Moto, .App, .YouTube, .Chrome, .Play, .Plus, .Gmail, .Google, .Search, .Hangout, and more. But, the entries you might not expect get weird and interesting very quickly, including .Dad, .Esq, .Kid, .LOL, .Meme, .PhD, and .Wow.


Google hasn't really explained itself much, saying basically that it wants to "make the introduction of new TLDs a good experience for web users". It basically equates to getting more people online (so they can see more Google ads), and making them feel at home once they're on the web. Google says that it has applied for certain domains simply because of the "creative potential", like .LOL. If nothing else, this feels like Google might be building up a catalogue to sell domains like Hover or GoDaddy.


source: Google Blog via Quartz

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