Almost a year later we are getting the second generation Moto E, which improves on the basics established by its affordable predecessor. The Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen) continues the legacy of a lag-free Android system provided by a powerful...
Just over a week before the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge launched in Canada, Samsung had said that the Gold Platinum variant will be released in the country "in the coming weeks. through major carriers." Looks like the wait is over. The model is now available for purchase from Rogers, Fido, Telus, Videotron, and SaskTel. Everything else, including the specifications as well as the price, remains the same. For those who aren't in the know, Samsung's latest flagship smartphones were only available in the Black Sapphire and White Pearl colour options at launch in...
Just over a week before the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge launched in Canada, Samsung had said that the Gold Platinum variant will be released in the country "in the coming weeks. through major carriers." Looks like the wait is over. The model is now available for purchase from Rogers, Fido, Telus, Videotron, and SaskTel. Everything else, including the specifications as well as the price, remains the same. For those who aren't in the know, Samsung's latest flagship smartphones were only available in the Black Sapphire and White Pearl colour options at launch in...
Google has quietly posted the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop factory images for select Nexus 10 and Nexus 7 tablet variants. Since this is an incremental update, the new firmware mostly brings bunch of bug fixes and improvements. Android 5.1.1 with build number LMY47V is now available for the Wi-Fi editions of the Nexus 7 (2013) as well as Nexus 7 (2012). Nexus 10 Wi-Fi model got firmware with the same build number as well. Google has been actively working with smartphone and tablet markers for successful rollout of the Android Lollipop to existing devices. It is a thumb rule that the Nexus devices are the first to get any new updates. The OTAs are usually meant for everyone. Factory images on the other hand, are targeted at Android developers and enthusiasts who want perform a clean install of the firmware. Source |...
As expected, the high-end Meizu MX4 Pro began receiving Android Lollipop. Sized 650MB, the new firmware is seeding to the smartphone over-the-air. After the update, the smartphone will boot to Android 5.0.1 with Flyme OS 4.5.1A. Meizu MX4 Pro launched with Android 4.4.4 with Flyme OS 4.0. Reportedly, Meizu MX4 Pro has become significantly more responsive thanks to the new ART runtime in Android Lollipop. The update is also said to improve the accuracy of the device's home button, as well as partially address its heating issues. If you are a Meizu MX4 Pro owner, head over to the device's settings to check if the new firmware is available....
Xiaomi may have unveiled the high-end Mi Note and Mi Note Pro this January, but those are both phablets. When it comes to a 'normal size' flagship offering, the Chinese company still relies on the Mi 4, which was announced in July 2014. So a new top of the line device from Xiaomi (in a more pocketable form factor) is clearly going to arrive in the next few weeks or months. In fact, according to some new rumors out of China, we may see two Mi 5 flagships instead of one - the Mi 5 and the Mi 5 Plus. Both of these are to be outed sometime in July, so around twelve months after their predecessor. As for specs, the Mi 5 is said to sport a 5.2-inch touchscreen, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, a 16 MP rear camera, a 3,000 mAh battery, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset at the helm. As we told you a few days ago, the Mi 5 might get a fingerprint sensor too. On the other hand, the Mi 5 Plus will be a 6-inch phablet coming with QHD (2,560x1,440) screen resolution, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a 16 MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. It will sport a 'bezelless' display design. It's odd that the Mi 5 Plus will be even bigger than the two Mi Notes, but stranger things have happened in the mobile world. As for SoC choice, the Chinese sources haven't said anything, but since it's going to be a high-end offering it should also come with the Snapdragon 810. Other details, such as pricing, haven't been revealed yet. Obviously you need to take all of this with a healthy dose of salt, since at this point it's nothing but unconfirmed information. As we get closer to July we should hear...
The LG G3 has been running Android 5.0 Lollipop for quite a while now, but so far the same hasn't been true for the G3 S. This is the midrange handset that looks like the G3, but comes with lesser specs. It's probably the closest thing to a G3 Mini, as it were. And apparently LG hasn't forgotten about the G3 S on the software front. The Korean company has started pushing the Lollipop update to G3 S units, at least in Hungary. Since the new software is already out in Hungary, it might make it to other European countries very soon. After applying the update, the G3 S runs Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, and software version V20a. Since Android 5.0 is only now making its way to the G3 S, it's still unclear when (or if) this device will receive the update to Android 5.1, or LG's newest UI overlay on top of Google's OS. Source (in...
A week ago, Asus introduced the ZenFone 2 smartphone with four different variants in India. While people are eagerly waiting to buy one, the official online partner Flipkart has listed a fifth ZenFone 2 model. On Flipkart, a ZenFone 2 ZE551ML with 128GB internal storage and 4GB of RAM has been listed for INR 29,999 ($472). This model offers dual-SIM with LTE support and retains the same features as ZE551ML with 64GB storage. It is kind of surprising for the Taiwanese company barely mentioned about introducing this model. Those who rely heavily on the storage will get to enjoy the 128GB internal storage and expandable up to 128GB storage via microSD card. As of now, the availability of the 128GB ZenFone 2 is listed as coming soon. In the meantime, do check our ZenFone 2 ZE551ML review....
Asus has released the Android Lollipop update for its ZenFone 5 (A500KL) smartphone, which went on sale back in July last year. After installing the update (click the Source 1 link below to download it), which is 819.44MB in size, you'll be on software version TW_V12.4.5.21. However, the Taiwanese company is advising users to upgrade their devices to software version V11.4.6.94 before installing the Lollipop update. As for other ZenFones, here's is the Android Lollipop update plan: Source 1 | Source 2 |...
ZTE revealed two models under the Nubia brand a month ago, the Nubia Z9 Max and Z9 mini. Meanwhile the true flagship Nubia Z9 remains unannounced, and that is expected to change on May 6, when a launch event is scheduled. The Nubia Z9 hasn't exactly been kept a secret though and showed up on a number of occasions sporting a near-bezelless design and a metal frame for enhanced durability. But while there was also some consensus on the specs, a new listing by Chinese regulator TENAA dropped the bomb claiming some unbelievable hardware. The device, carrying a model number NX508J, is said to come with a CPU clocked at a whopping 3.5GHz. It doesn't stop there, and RAM is quoted to be the unheard of 8GB. ZTE Nubia Z9 The Nubia Z9 was previously said to be equipped with the Snapdragon 810, which comes with Cortex-A57 cores, clocked at 2GHz, and Cortex-A53 cores, clocked at 1.5GHz, in an octa-core big.LITTLE configuration. Looking back to the Nubia Z9 Max, which was already confirmed to sport the S810 and is listed on TENAA with 3.5GHz CPU, you could conclude that the regulators have simply added up the clock speeds of both sets of cores. Little explanation can be found in the amount of RAM though. In the datasheets, available online, it's not explicitly stated if Qualcomm's chip supports the 8GB, but we're also wondering if there's any actual practical sense in it at this point in time. What sounds most likely is that it's an error on the TENAA part. A few other discrepancies with the specs established so far come in the camera department, where an 8MP/8MP duo is quoted in the listing. Both the Z9 Max and Z9 mini come with a 16MP main camera, and the Nubia Z9 is unlikely to be a step back. It's also not a dual rear camera arrangement as the accompanying images clearly show. The microSD slot has also been dropped in favor of 32GB of internal storage, as opposed to the 16GB of the other two models. Another thing to point out is that display size is listed as 5.15 inches, which goes in line with the rumors of 5.2 inches, but resolution is quoted to be FullHD, and not QHD, as previously believed. Obviously, a lot of questions remain unanswered, but with a launch date less than a week from now, the mysteries will soon be cleared. Source |...
HTC has launched a new campaign dubbed HTC INK to offer limited edition One M9 smartphones. By teaming up with the supermodel Jourdan Dunn, the Taiwanese company will offer custom-designed engravings inspired from tattoos. Jourdan has collaborated with the Cally-Jo Apothecary, a celebrity tattoo artist, to come up with a new design. One of their first design has been shared already with a rather vague explanation. The open hand and eye symbolize the need for protection and strength while still being open and approachable in personality and style. The natural leaf elements and patterns around the outside of each visual reflect the growth in creativity that Jourdan is feeling at this time, and the sun and moon together represent balance and harmony in her character. HTC plans to offer limited edition HTC INK One M9 units with unique designs engraved by hind. HTC INK project is yet to specify if it is a one time, seasonal thing or will be an ongoing like Apple's Project Red that aims to aid in fighting aids in Africa. For those who plan to get a limited edition unit, do have a look at our HTC One M9 review for the technical aspects of the device....
While Android based smartphones are fighting for the entry-level smartphone position, Microsoft aims to get a spot too, at least in India. The software giant's Devices division has introduced the Lumia 430 Dual SIM model for INR5,299 ($83) with black and orange color options in India. Sporting a 4-inch display (480x800), the Lumia 430 can hold two micro-SIM cards in dual standby mode. Powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snadpragon 200 SoC, the Lumia 430 has 1GB of RAM, 8GB expandable storage, and 1500 mAh battery. At the rear it has a 2MP camera and in the front is a VGA camera. Measuring 10.6mm thick, the Lumia 430 Dual SIM also packs Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS for...
Apple might have lost its world's top smartphone-maker crown to Samsung, but it looks like the Cupertino-based company could soon make it to the No. 1 spot in China, which is the world's largest smartphone market. According to a report from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple shipped 13.5 million iPhones in China during Q1 2015, up from 7.8 million it shipped in the year-ago quarter. With 12 percent market share in the quarter, the iPhone-maker held on to its No. 2 ranking in the Asian country. On the other hand Xiaomi, which is the largest smartphone OEM in China, shipped a total of 14 million handsets in the quarter, claiming 12.8% market share. According to Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, "Xiaomi has maintained the number one smartphone position in China for three quarters in a row, due to solid demand for its popular Redmi models. However, Xiaomi's rapid growth is now coming to an end, and it has delivered negative sequential growth in China for the past two quarters." Meanwhile, Apple "has narrowed the marketshare gap with Xiaomi to less than one percent. Apple's new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models are proving wildly popular with Chinese consumers and, if current trends continue, Apple could become China's largest smartphone vendor in the second half of this year," he said. Another point worth noting here is that Samsung, which is now the world's leading smartphone vendor, did not even rank in the top three, something which has happened for the first time since Q4,...
The Xiaomi Mi 4i, which was announced by the company last week, will be available for purchase on Flipkart via flash sale today. The sale will commence at 2pm IST for registered users. It isn't yet known how many units of the made for India smartphone will be up for grabs, although the company has confirmed that around 300,000 people have registered for the sale. Although the handset is Flipkart exclusive at the moment, it will be available via the five-year-old startup's other online as well as offline partners in the future. It will also be available directly from the company's online store...
Apple is reporting that 81% of all active iOS devices are now using iOS 8, the company's latest mobile operating system which was released back in September last year. iOS 8 adoption has been somewhat slower than that of its predecessor iOS 7, which, for comparison, was powering around 90% of all active iOS devices the same time last year. However, it is gradually picking up - it stood at 75% last month and 79% a couple of weeks ago. As for the remaining iOS devices, 17% are still using iOS 7, while 2% are stuck running even older versions. Source | Via 1 | Via...
The Android 5.1 update for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will also bring along a new Guest Mode feature, according to a Sammobile report. Guest Mode enables you to set up separate profiles for guests, allowing you to share your device without worrying about your personal stuff, including installed apps, being seen by others. The feature was first introduced for tablets with the Jelly Bean update but arrived on phones with Android Lollipop. It isn't yet clear when the update will roll out to the devices. Meanwhile, a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge for T-Mobile has been caught getting Android...
It looks like Samsung Galaxy S6 edge for T-Mobile is getting an over-the-air update to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. An XDA Developers member posted a video of the smartphone running the latest Android version. Samsung Mobile or T-Mobile have not announced the update's rollout. So far, it doesn't look that the new firmware is rolling out on a large scale to Big Magenta customers with Samsung Galaxy S6 edge devices. According to the XDA user who uploaded the vide, the smartphone has become snappier after getting Android 5.1.1. Apparently, the new firmware also locks the bootloader of the device. Source | Via ...
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Apple Watch shipments have been delayed by faulty Taptic Engine components. Currently, many orders for the Cupertino giant's first smartwatch are expected to ship in June. Sources told WSJ that a number of Taptic Engines supplied by the Chinese component manufacturer AAC Technologies Holdings Inc. broke down during testing. The issue caused Apple to switch suppliers, thus limiting the availability of its hot new smartwatch. The Taptic Engine is one of the most innovative components found in the Apple Watch. It helps the wearable device provide vibrating feedback on a user's wrist. Source |...
Today Huawei has made a new smartphone official in Italy. It's called G Play Mini for whatever reason, and it's already available to purchase for €229 ($254) without a carrier contract. The Huawei G Play Mini is rather intriguing, because it has the exact same specs as the Honor 4C which got official in China yesterday, but the design is slightly different. This is most obvious in the upper part of the front side of the two devices. Why the company chose to pair the internals of the Honor 4C with another design and name instead of simply releasing that in Italy is still a mystery. Anyway, if you're interested in the Huawei G Play Mini, know that it has a 5-inch 720p IPS touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP selfie snapper, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable internal storage, and a 2,550 mAh battery. It's powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 620 chipset, which sports a 1.2 GHz octa-core CPU, and it has dual-SIM support (though no 4G LTE). The G Play Mini could be making it to other European countries soon, now that it's gone official in Italy, but there's no information about time frames yet. Source (in...
For the past couple of weeks or so Vivo has been teasing its next smartphone, the X5 Pro. Alongside the company's teases, we've also seen a purported render of the phone getting leaked, and now it's time for a new teaser, as you can see on the left. This time around we're thankfully treated to more than just the contour of the X5 Pro's rounded corners. In fact, in the Weibo post that accompanies this image, Vivo is talking about this smartphone employing eye recognition technology, or Eye ID. This seems to work through iris scanning, which Vivo claims is going to be more secure than any other authentication method, as the information its sensor sees "can't be copied". The technology will be used both for securing the phone itself, but apparently you may be able to secure specific apps too. No more details are available at the moment, yet the X5 Pro could get its official unveiling on May 7, according to some past rumors. If that's true, then we've got little over a week to go until the big day. The handset will sport a metal build, 2.5D curved glass on the front, a 3,500 mAh battery, a USB Type C connector, and the ability to take 32 MP pictures with its front camera. That is likely to be achieved through some software trickery, and not with a 32 MP sensor, mind you. As for the main snapper, it should come with phase detection autofocus. And at the helm of all this could sit a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset. Source (in Chinese) |...
Microsoft's annual BUILD conference is just minutes away and we will be keeping a close eye on the announcements and especially the all-important keynote presentation. It is set to start at 3:30PM GMT and, naturally, Microsoft has promised a live stream, which we will provide as soon as possible, so you can tag along and listen in to the future on Windows. var CDown = function() { this.state=0;// if initialized this.counts=[];// array holding countdown date objects and id to print to {d:new Date(2013,11,18,18,54,36), id:"countbox1"} this.interval=null;// setInterval object } CDown.prototype = { init: function(){ this.state=1; var self=this; this.interval=window.setInterval(function(){self.tick();}, 1000); }, add: function(date,id){ this.counts.push({d:date,id:id}); this.tick(); if(this.state==0) this.init(); }, expire: function(idxs){ for(var x in idxs) { var now = new Date(); if( ((now.getTime() - this.counts[idxs[x]].d.getTime()) / 60000) < 59 ) this.display(this.counts[idxs[x]], "Now!"); else this.display(this.counts[idxs[x]], "Over"); this.counts.splice(idxs[x], 1); } }, format: function(r){ var out=""; if(r.d != 0){out += r.d +" "+((r.d==1)?"day":"days")+", ";} if(r.h != 0){out += r.h +" "+((r.h==1)?"hour":"hours")+", ";} out += r.m +" "+((r.m==1)?"min":"mins")+", "; out += r.s +" "+((r.s==1)?"sec":"secs")+", "; return out.substr(0,out.length-2); }, math: function(work){ var y=w=d=h=m=s=ms=0; ms=(""+((work%1000)+1000)).substr(1,3); work=Math.floor(work/1000);//kill the "milliseconds" so just secs y=Math.floor(work/31536000);//years (no leapyear support) w=Math.floor(work/604800);//weeks d=Math.floor(work/86400);//days work=work%86400; h=Math.floor(work/3600);//hours work=work%3600; m=Math.floor(work/60);//minutes work=work%60; s=Math.floor(work);//seconds return {y:y,w:w,d:d,h:h,m:m,s:s,ms:ms}; }, tick: function(){ var now=(new Date()).getTime(), expired=[],cnt=0,amount=0; if(this.counts) for(var idx=0,n=this.counts.length; idx And even though Microsoft's BUILD event are mostly geared towards software, we expect to hear quite a few things about hardware as well. Microsoft made it clear that new Lumia flagships will probably be held off until Windows 10 becomes official, but new details on future devices are not out of the question. There are also other things to look forward to, like information on HoloLens, the Internet of things and many, many more, so be sure to tune in for the...
The accountants are in their quarterly spotlight, and LG's team has reported the company's results for Q1 2015. The numbers show a steady performance of the company as a whole, with the mobile division boasting its highest Q1 revenue since LG debuted on the Android market in 2010. Smartphone sales reached $3.27B, a 5% YOY increase, brought about by a 26% increase in smartphone shipments to 15.4M. LG has a 66% YOY growth in North American sales to brag about, coupled with a 57% growth in its homeland over Q4 2014, largely fueled by the release of the G Flex2. Year-on-year however, the Korean sales are down 25%. For the upcoming quarter LG is predicting continuous growth of the smartphone market, with a focus on LTE. LG plans to strengthen its positions in the premium segment with the G4, alongside new mass-market devices. The company does acknowledge the fierce competition it's about to face on said markets, though. Meanwhile, LG Home Entertainment Company reports a $4.03B revenue, down 5% YОY and 18% QОQ, largely due to seasonality and currency rate movements in emerging markets. The Home Appliance and Air Solution subsidiary is 9% up in operating profit year-on-year, reaching $208M. The newly opened in July 2013 LG Vehicle Components Company, which specializes in car infotainment and electric car engineering, has posted its first quarterly results. The division reports a modest $2.18M loss, but the company plans to persevere and expand its sales in the car infotainment and vehicle engineering segments in the long...
Did you wake up this morning feeling like you want a Moto E (2015), but made by Alcatel? You're in luck! T-Mobile USA just revealed the Alcatel One Touch Pop Astro, which is available at $180 on pre-paid and at $150 ($6.24 a month really) on contract. The phone is built around a 4.5" qHD screen and runs Android 4.4 KitKat on a quad-core 1.5HGz processor with 1GB of RAM (MediaTek MT6732 chipset). It has LTE connectivity with HD voice, Voice over LTE, plus Wi-Fi calling. Those are rare (though not unheard of) in this price range. Alcatel One Touch Pop Astro The Alcatel Pop Astro also comes with a 5MP camera, 0.3MP selfie snapper. You get only 4GB of storage out of the box, plus whatever you add in the microSD card slot (up to 32GB). The phone has a 2,000mAh battery that promises 11 hours of talk...
HTC pressed the launch button on the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the One (M8) at the end of January. The update to 5.1 Lollipop has been scheduled to August 2015. @JKMcCloskey Hey James, the HTC One M8 will have a Software Update for Android Version 5.1 and Sense 7 in August 2015 :)— HTC UK (@HTC_UK) April 29, 2015 According to HTC's UK Twitter account has revealed that the update will also bring the latest Sense UI. Sense v7 launched with the HTC One M9 and is a relatively minor step forward. One of the welcome improvements is that you can change the grip app switcher to stock Lollipop style. App reshuffling, some new widgets, BlinkFeed updates and other changes are also part of the update. Other perks like themes were added to the M8 and M7 generation with an update to the BlinkFeed...
Two Samsung IMEI numbers have surfaced that point to two new Galaxy models. Their model numbers are SM-G928S and SM-N920F and the rumor mill has decoded them as the "Zen" Galaxy S6 Plus and "Noble" Galaxy Note 5 respectively. The SM-G928 appears to be a variation on the Galaxy S6 (G920), but it's unclear what will change from the current model. The final letters reveal regional versions, F for Europe, A and V for AT&T and Verizon, S and K for SK Telecom and KT. The SM-N920F we couldn't find and its name does coincide with what the next Note should be - the Galaxy Note 4 is the N910. Unfortunately that doesn't give us much, neither does the "Noble" codename. The letters indicate a European version, plus one for each carrier except KT. Source | Via (in...
Samsung Electronics has released its financial results for Q1 2015 and they mark improved profits quarter-on-quarter despite a sales drop of 11% over Q4 2014. While the Device Solutions (DS) and IT and Mobile (IM) divisions show only marginal decrease in sales, Consumer Electronics (CE) is the black sheep with sales down 28%. The explanation for the low figures in CE is the weak seasonality and the strong dollar which led to decreased demand in Europe and emerging markets. Little improvement is expected on that front in Q2 due to continued exchange rate impact. IT and Mobile reports improved earnings, brought about by lower marketing expenses. Decreased shipments of tablets and feature phones have lead to a slight decline in revenue. Meanwhile, smartphone shipments have increased, fueled largely by mid-to-low-end products. The word "stagnate" is mentioned in the Q2 forecast for smartphone and tablet demand. The semiconductor division is doing well, and is not influenced by seasonality. Increased sales of DRAM and SSD/UFS products are reported. The Q2 forecast is for even better figures, driven by the demand for the recently released Galaxy S6 flagship and SSD data centers. Display Panel subsidiary reports increased shipments of premium OLED products and solid performance on the LCD front despite decreased shipments. The Q2 2015 outlook focuses on OLED shipment expansion and increased sales of LCD TV panels due to China labor day. The new production line however means increased costs...
The Nokia N1 tablet, which was launched back in January this year and was only available in China (where it has been selling like hotcakes), will finally be made available in other markets. The Finnish company (the partthat wasn't sold off to Microsoft) introduced the Android tablet in Taiwan, where it will be available for purchase starting next month, and will set you back TWD 8,190 ($269). The N1 is expected to be made available in other Asian countries, although it isn't yet known when. Also, it is least likely that the slate will be launched all over the world, especially in the...
Yesterday the LG G4 finally became official. After a sea of rumors and speculation, the phone was finally announced and today the handset is already up for preorder in the UK. Offers are currently available from various sources, including unlocked-mobiles.com, Clove, Amazon and Expansys. Currently, unlocked-mobiles.com lists 3 color options - two standard - Metallic Gray and Gold for £499.87 and a black leather option for £529.87. The markup for the signature genuine stitched leather back is a mere GBP £30, which definitely sounds like a good deal. We can only hope, that LG intends to mass-produce the leather variants, so they don't become scarce and hard-to-obtain. Clove has also listed a quite reasonable price of £500 for the standard black and gold colors and an even smaller £25 markup for the leather option, so, we assume the prices will be in this range. As far as Amazon and Expansys go, both stores do have listings, but with a price tag of £599.99, which is definitely a stretch and hardly representative of the actual price upon launch. And while we are on the topic of price, the G4 does seem to be cheaper than the current Galaxy S6, although, not by a lot and opting for the leather option evens out the difference. The G4 is, however, significantly cheaper than the S6 edge, which might just give it the necessary market chances. As far as availability goes, unlocked-mobiles.com says May 25, while Amazon and Clove say May 28. If you are considering the LG G4 as your next smartphone, it does looks to be quite reasonably priced, but bear in mind that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset powering the handset doesn't seem to be doing all that well in benchmarks. But if you can live with the lowered performance, the device does look quite impressive. You can read our initial impressions from the G4 in our hands-on form the announcement event and stay tuned for a full-fledged review once the phone lands in our office. Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Source...
T-Mobile has announced a new LG G4 preview program for the US based users to try out the flagship smartphone and share their experiences. The purpose of this program is to let users have a hands-on experience with the G4 before it is available for purchase in the US. Along with that, T-Mobile noted to bring the phablet LG G Stylo LTE and LG Leon LTE smartphones later this year. The LG G Stylo was previously rumored as a stylus-enabled G4 version but later introduced as a mid-range phablet with a stylus. G Stylo features a 5.7" HD IPS display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with quad-core 1.2GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB expandable storage, 13MP rear snapper with OIS and LED flash as well as a 5MP front camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and has a 3,000 mAh battery along with 4G LTE support. Highlight of this phablet is the capacitive stylus that works in harmony with LG UX. Meanwhile the LG Leon LTE offers 4.5" FWVGA display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC with quad-core 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB expandable, 5MP rear camera, VGA front camera, Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, and a 1,900 mAh battery. Source |...
LG unveiled its highly anticipated next generation flagship smartphone the G4 with much fanfare in London and New York simultaneously. The new LG G4 promises significant improvement in three key areas - design, display, and camera. The South Korean manufacturer is tight-lipped about the international price for now and has only confirmed that the smartphone will launch in its home market today. Amidst this excitement, LG shared its ambitious plan of selling about 12 million G4 units across the globe. For that LG will compete closely with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge along with Apple iPhone 6 as well as iPhone 6 Plus models. Samsung has already announced to triple its output for the new Galaxy flagship devices. The genuine leather back with vegetable tanning as well as the new 1/2.6" camera sensor and F/1.8 aperture might just give the G4 a chance to meet its goals. While LG makes arrangements to release G4 in the rest of the world, do check our LG G4 hands-on to get a brief idea about our initial thoughts of this flagship phone. Source |...
Cyanogen and OnePlus, which have had a rough relationship with each other over the past few months, have finally decided to part ways. According to Cyanogen's chief technology officer Steve Kondik, both companies have different goals for software, and hence the breakup. "Two new companies are trying to do crazy stuff, a lot of people collide." he said. Commenting on the company's partnership with OnePlus, Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster said, "Without Cyanogen, OnePlus would have sold like one device in international markets. Essentially they built their brand on the back of Cyanogen." However, the US-based company, which offers an alternate version of Android free of many restrictions that Google has subtly incorporated, will continue supporting OnePlus phones that run its OS. As for the future roadmap, Cyanogen is now looking to partner with those Chinese companies that have global ambitions. "It's a great way for them to build some identity outside of China using a brand that's already reasonably well known," McMaster...
While Apple became the world's top smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2014, looks like Samsung has recaptured the crown in Q1, 2015. According to a report from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung captured 24% market share in the first quarter of the year, overtaking Apple, which claimed nearly 18%. It's worth mentioning that Samsung had captured 31% market in the year-ago quarter. In terms of shipment numbers, the South Korean company shipped 83.2 million smartphones worldwide, while the Cupertino-based company shipped 61.2 million units. "Samsung continued to face challenges in Asia and elsewhere, but its global performance has stabilized sufficiently well this quarter to overtake Apple and recapture first position as the world's largest smartphone vendor by volume," said Strategy Analytics Executive Director Neil...
Xiaomi has maintained its top position in the Chinese smartphone market in the first quarter. According to a tweet (which cites a report from research firm IHS Technology) sent out by the company's India head, the company sold 14.2 million of the 99 million devices sold in the country in Q1. Xiaomi sold 14.2M smartphones out of 99M sold in Q1'15 in China, as per IHS. We are #1 :) @xiaomi @MiIndiaOfficial http://ift.tt/1bcM7rt Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) April 28, 2015 This translates into 14% market share for the five year old company. Huawei and Apple followed with 11% share each, while Samsung and Vivo rounded up the top five with 10 and 9% market share, respectively. In addition to China, Xiaomi is now heavily focusing on India, where it recently announced its first made for India smartphone, the Mi...
Asus CEO Jerry Shen has said that the company will use Snapdragon 615 SoC in future ZenFones. He made the comment during an interview (see video below) with technology website Yugatech. He also said that Asus' smartphones will follow a naming convention similar to that of Apple's, which means that the company's next flagship will be called ZenFone 3. Finally, he also revealed that the company will release a flagship every year, with incremental upgrades in...
The first batch of the Lenovo A6000 Plus smartphone, which was launched in India a couple of weeks ago and went on sale on Flipkart yesterday, was depleted in just 15 minutes. "Lenovo in association with Flipkart sold out 1 lakh [100,000] units of the recently launched A6000 Plus in 15 minutes", the Chinese company said in a statement. For those who aren't in the know, the handset is essentially an improved version of the already existing A6000, and carries a price tag of INR 7,499...
Just a few weeks after AT&T started rolling out the Android Lollipop update for the Samsung Galaxy S4, Verizon has also announced the update for the device. The Verizon Galaxy S4 update brings Android 5.0.1 with software version LRX22C.I545VRUGOC1. The update is gradually rolling out so it may take a few days before it reaches everyone. If you're feeling impatient, you can always manually check for it by heading to Settings -> About Device -> Software Update -> Check for Updates on your device. Meanwhile, there have been reports that the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition (GPE) will get Android 5.1 in the near future. Source |...
HTC released its earnings report for Q1 2015. The Taiwanese manufacturer posted a quarterly net profit of $11.8 million from $1.36 billion of revenue. The company's revenue grew by a quarter from the same period last year. HTC attributed the revenue bump to "tailored portfolios for individual markets and targeted marketing efforts." HTC deemed the launch of the One M9 and One M9+ during the quarter as successful. The partnerships with Under Armour and Valve in fitness products and virtual reality respectively were also noted. Gross margins for the past quarter were 19.7%. That's less than the 21% for the same period a year ago. Going forward, HTC expects revenue in the range of $1.5 billion to $1.67 billion. Gross profit margin is expected to range between 23% and 23.5%. Overall, the next quarter will be really important for HTC. Q2 will be the first period of full availability for HTC One M9. Source...
The Microsoft Lumia 640 XL smartphone is now available for purchase in the UK, straight from the software giant's own online store. The phablet has been up for pre-order over there since mid-March, and now it's finally to be found in stock. The price you need to pay for one is £219, VAT included - and this is without the need to sign a contract with an operator. For now, only the black and orange color variants are available, so if you want to get the Lumia 640 XL in white or cyan you need to wait some more unfortunately. The Lumia 640 XL joins the smaller Lumia 640 in Microsoft's portfolio in the UK, which has been up for grabs for a few weeks now. The phablet is rather affordable, even with its decidedly midrange specs. It comes with a 5.7-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP selfie snapper, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a microSD card slot, and a 3,000 mAh battery. It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset, boasting a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU and Adreno 305 GPU. It runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, and it will be updated to Windows 10 for phones once that comes...
Here's some good news if you own the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition, the one and only such device put out by the Korean company. The handset hasn't been on sale for a few months now, but if you got it earlier you'll be happy to know that an update to Android 5.1 Lollipop is headed its way at some point in the near future. As Google handles such rollouts for the GPE devices, this is no surprise. What has been surprising however is that the S4 GPE is still stuck on Android 5.0 for whatever reason. This fact has led many to question whether it will ever move past this version. And the answer is yes it will. According to some unnamed sources, the Android 5.1 build for it is ready and could start rolling out at any time. Which it should, since the Galaxy S4 is the only GPE phone not to have received this update...
LG G4 went official today packing the latest developments the company has to offer - beautiful and unique design, Quantum LCD display of QHD resolution, Snapdragon 808 chip with a hexa-core CPU, and a brand new 16MP camera with a 1/2.6" sensor, which sits behind a bright f1.8 lens. This means an 11% increase in gathered light over the f1.9 lens in the Samsung Galaxy S6. The LG G4 camera is enhanced with optical image stabilization over three-axis system, an improvement over the two-axis setup on the G3. We already spent some quality time with the LG G4 and you can learn all about it right here. And while we already know the camera is meant for greatness, a few official camera samples wouldn't hurt. Without further ado, here are the official camera samples taken with the LG G4. LG G4 official camera samples Check the LG G4 specs here and our hands-on right...
The LG G4 emphasizes three things - design, display and camera. Its body is slightly curved and comes with an optional leather back, the display uses quantum dots for improved accuracy and the camera has a new lens with improved OIS...
LG just unveiled its next generation flagship - the G4. The highly anticipated smartphone was announced at dedicated events, held simultaneously in London and New York. LG focused on three main areas in its presentation - design, display and camera. The genuine leather back which was the headline feature in numerous leaks is indeed the key styling element. LG is proud to have employed vegetable tanning, which is typical of the luxury leather industry and only 10% of leather goods are processed this way. Not all G4s will ship with a leather back though, and the removable plastic cover will come with a hammered pattern in either ceramic white or metallic gray. Each one will be curved though, albeit only slightly, with a 3000mm radius. The company claims that the gentle curve results in better handling and a 20% increase in rigidity. The LG G4 packs a 5.5-inch display of QHD resolution. LG has opted for a Quantum LCD panel, which is said to deliver outstanding color accuracy. LG claims the new display boasts 20% wider color reproduction, 25% improvement in brightness and 50% higher contrast than the G3. The new flagship is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, a notch below the 810 top dog. It's a 64-bit chipset and packs a hexa-core processor in a dual-core Cortex-A57 and quad-core Cortex-A53 arrangement. LG claims that it has worked closely with Qualcomm in customizing the SoC and has achieved a level of performance higher than the Exynos 7420 in daily tasks. 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage are on board, and expansion via microSD is possible. The smartphone boots Lollipop out of the box with the company's latest UX 4.0 overlay. LG is keen to point out that UI has been stripped of bloatware and one such example is the use of Chrome as the sole browser in most markets. The camera of the G4 took center stage in the announcement, and it has all the merits to deserve it. It utilizes a 16MP sensor with a 1/2.6" diagonal, which sits behind a bright f1.8 lens. This means an 11% increase in gathered light over the f1.9 lens in the Samsung Galaxy S6. The G4 also comes with optical image stabilization which works over three axes, as opposed to the already capable two-axis system on the G3. Additionally, the OIS system is now able to compensate movements up to two degrees in range, compared to the predecessor's single degree. The camera app offers a lot of advanced features including high ISO settings, live histogram and manual shutter speed, and is capable of recording RAW images. The G4 is able to shoot panoramas up to a whopping 104MP, compared to the Galaxy S6 which is capped at 60MP. The main camera is complemented by an 8MP front unit and both are capable of shooting 2160p video. The LG G4 comes with support for wireless charging, but a dedicated back cover will need to be purchased to use it. Otherwise, the supplied 1.8A charger must be used to fill up the 3,000mAh cell. Power users will be happy to know that the battery is user-replaceable, too. The G4 will be available on its home Korean market starting tomorrow, but the rest of the world will need to wait a bit more. Pricing is yet to be detailed...
Huwaei has been working hard lately to stay up with competition and their latest launch indicate positive signs. Huawei Honor 4C looks just like its elder Huawei Honor 4X but in terms of hardware it is miles ahead. Honor 4C has an almost bezel less 5-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolutions making it […]
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The LG G4 official unveiling is fast approaching and we are already on location, ready to bring you the scoop on the company's latest and greatest handset. The New York and London events both set for 3:00 PM GMT and be sure to check a little bit later for news and our live coverage. Like always, we will try to find a live stream, so you can follow along as the LG G4 becomes official. In the meantime, here is a quick reminder of what we already know about the upcoming handset. At this point, thanks to all the abundant renders, banners, a few live photos and even an alleged shot of the retail box, we are fairly well acquainted with the design and styling of the G4. The phone should spout a nicely curved body LG dubs "Slim Arch Design", even if 8.9 mm isn't all that thin. The back will feature genuine stitched leather, which should set the G4 apart from the crowd and while it might not be to everybody's liking, it does look quite stylish. LG has promised to offer more traditional back cover options as well. var CDown = function() { this.state=0;// if initialized this.counts=[];// array holding countdown date objects and id to print to {d:new Date(2013,11,18,18,54,36), id:"countbox1"} this.interval=null;// setInterval object } CDown.prototype = { init: function(){ this.state=1; var self=this; this.interval=window.setInterval(function(){self.tick();}, 1000); }, add: function(date,id){ this.counts.push({d:date,id:id}); this.tick(); if(this.state==0) this.init(); }, expire: function(idxs){ for(var x in idxs) { var now = new Date(); if( ((now.getTime() - this.counts[idxs[x]].d.getTime()) / 60000) < 59 ) this.display(this.counts[idxs[x]], "Now!"); else this.display(this.counts[idxs[x]], "Over"); this.counts.splice(idxs[x], 1); } }, format: function(r){ var out=""; if(r.d != 0){out += r.d +" "+((r.d==1)?"day":"days")+", ";} if(r.h != 0){out += r.h +" "+((r.h==1)?"hour":"hours")+", ";} out += r.m +" "+((r.m==1)?"min":"mins")+", "; out += r.s +" "+((r.s==1)?"sec":"secs")+", "; return out.substr(0,out.length-2); }, math: function(work){ var y=w=d=h=m=s=ms=0; ms=(""+((work%1000)+1000)).substr(1,3); work=Math.floor(work/1000);//kill the "milliseconds" so just secs y=Math.floor(work/31536000);//years (no leapyear support) w=Math.floor(work/604800);//weeks d=Math.floor(work/86400);//days work=work%86400; h=Math.floor(work/3600);//hours work=work%3600; m=Math.floor(work/60);//minutes work=work%60; s=Math.floor(work);//seconds return {y:y,w:w,d:d,h:h,m:m,s:s,ms:ms}; }, tick: function(){ var now=(new Date()).getTime(), expired=[],cnt=0,amount=0; if(this.counts) for(var idx=0,n=this.counts.length; idx timer Another peculiar aspect of the G4 is its display, which might be slightly curved along the y-axis. This is supposedly done for improved handling, as well as durability, but the arch should be barely noticeable with a radius of 3000mm. Speaking of the display, is should be a 5.5-inch True HD IPS panel with a QHD resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. As for the rest of the specs sheet, most rumors also agree on a Snapdragon 808 as the chipset, instead of the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 810. This could prove to be a better choice than the Snapdragon 810, which is still taking a lot of overheating allegations. The G4 will most-likely come with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage. The camera setup is quite impressive as well with a 16MP main camera, with an aperture of f/1.8 and an 8MP front-facing one. This should all be powered by a 3000 mAh battery. All and all, the LG G4 looks quite exciting, so we really can't wait to see it officially announced. Join us as the presentation...
A week ago, Sony Japan had quietly announced the new Xperia Z4 smartphone as the flagship device for this year. The Xperia Z4 is basically an incremental update to the Xperia Z3 and doesn't bring any major changes. As reported earlier however, the Xperia Z4 may not be the 2015 Sony flagship. To underline that, Sony will market the Xperia Z4 outside Japan as the Xperia Z3+. The info comes from the Sony SCR30 Style Cover Window description mentioning support for the "Xperia Z4/Z3+". The Xperia Z4 will be promoted internationally as the Xperia Z3+ and will bear the same hardware as well. Sony is saving up the fanfare for the Xperia Z3+ launch in select countries and is expected to make it available in May. Sony Xperia Z3+ will have the same OmniBalance design with 6.9mm or thicker profile packing 5.2" 1080p display, 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 mobile processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB expandable storage, 20.7MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, Android 5.0 Lollipop, and 2,930 mAh...
The Apple Watch polarized opinions when it was officially unveiled and its pricing revealed to the public. The premium Watch Edition models, which come with a gold case, cost upwards of $10,000 with prices all the way up to $17,000. Well, if that sounds pricier than you're willing to pay, but your status or other considerations call for a gold Apple Watch, Vietnamese luxury specialists at Karalux may have just the right solution for you. They are offering an 18K gold plating job on the Apple Watch for a mere $300 to $400, bringing the total price to $1,000. 18K gold-plated Apple Watch That amount of cash will get you a 38mm Apple Watch with a stainless steel case covered in 18K gold, and black or white sports band. Opting for a classic buckle will cost you additional $300 for a total of $1,300. If you choose the 42mm model, the grand total reaches $1,400, still about a tenth of Apple's price tag. Naturally, it won't be the real thing, but it's still genuine gold and at that price it's as close as it gets to what you'd call a bargain in the Apple Watch realm. How and if you can get one out of Vietnam is unclear...
With the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, Samsung has definitely set the flagship bar pretty high yet again. Both handsets employ cutting-edge technology and offer premium quality and leading performance. Naturally, the Korean giant hasn't skimped on the software side as well. TouchWiz has received a major overhaul and the device works better than ever. But the perks don't stop there when you purchase a new shiny Samsung phone. As has become customary for Galaxy devices, both the S6 and S6 edge come with a gift bundle of apps and promotions, exclusively picked out by Samsung. The list of deals in quite lengthy and while nobody actually expects a six-month free subscription to draw new buyers in, this type of after-market attention helps quite a lot with customer satisfaction, not to mention exposure for the said applications. This being said, none of the apps in the list is preinstalled or hidden away in the new Galaxy. Just like with previous models, the offers can be accessed through the Samsung App Store and each one is strictly opt-in. Galaxy Gift Details Audible Three months of Audible membership Dragons of Atlantis: Heirs of the Dragon "Samsung Resource Pack" valued at 5,000 gold The Economist Six months of digital subscription Endomondo Six months of Endomondo Premium Evernote Three months of Evernote Premium Fleksy Keyboard Fleksy Keyboard and Modern premium themes Hancom Office 2014 Office editor download for an unlimited period from Galaxy Apps The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle Earth "Samsung Resource Pack" valued at 100 Mithril Keepy Six month Keepy Unlimited to save your kids art, school work and mementos Kindle for Samsung One eBook every month LastPass Three months of Premium for U.S. customers and six monthsPremium for international Life360 Six months premium service subscription Magisto Three months of Magisto Pro HD NY Times Breaking News Three months with a subscription OneDrive An extra 100 GB of OneDrive storage for two years* Offer valid only on devices where OneDrive is preloaded PAC-MAN Friends Samsung customers receive 30 cherries (plays) Parallels Access Six month subscription Pocket Six month subscription to Pocket Premium Shazam Encore Special ad-free version VSCO Cam Download The Minimalist Collection, which includes 10 VSCOCam® presets Workout Trainer Six months of Workout Trainer Pro+ The apps are worth $500 if purchased separately and Samsung is pretty confident that each customer can find something of use in the list. Source |...
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has updated its Honor line of devices with a new budget smartphone. Dubbed Honor 4C, the device is priced at CNY 799 ($129), and will be available Black, Blue, Gold, Pink, and White color options. Specs-wise, the Honor 4C is powered by a HiSilicon Kirin 620 chipset with 1.2 GHz octa-core processor, and sports a 5-inch 720p display. It comes with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory (which can be expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card), and packs in a 2550mAh battery. In terms of camera, the device features a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat with EM UI 3.0 skin on top. The smartphone is currently only available in China (via Tmall and Vmall online retailers), and it isn't yet known if and when it will be launched in other markets as...
Lenovo has quietly made the its new mid-range smartphone available in Russia. The Lenovo S60 was first announced in the January and now released starting with Russia for RUB 15,000 ($290). The Lenovo S60 bears iPhone-esque design with similar rounded corners and curved sides. Lenovo has equipped it with a 5" 720p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8916 410 SoC with 64-bit quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of expandable storage. By default, it runs Android 4.4 Kitkat with Vibe 2.0 UI on top of it. On the back, the S60 has a 13MP camera with LED flash and at the front it packs a 5MP camera for selfies. The list of features continues withWi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and bunch of sensors - gravity, accelerometer, proximity, and gyroscope. Bearing 7.7mm thick profile, Lenovo S60 accommodates a 2,150 mAh battery. The Lenovo S60 will be sold in black, white, yellow, and pink color options but the availability of the colors will vary from region to...
Samsung plans to expand its youngest series of smartphones - Galaxy J - with two new additions. Earlier we heard that the Galaxy J1 smartphone will be joined by three more J series models - J3, J5, and J7. While there is no sight of the J3, the other two models - Galaxy J5 (SM-J500F/DS) Dual-SIM and Galaxy J7 (SM-J7008) just got their Bluetooth certification. The Galaxy J5 will also come in a dual-SIM version as per the listing. Besides featuring Bluetooth 4.1, the J5 Dual-SIM will feature 5" HD LCD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC, 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB expandable storage. Packing 2,600 mAh battery, the J5 will be 8.5mm thick and 149grams heavy. On the other hand, the Galaxy J7 bearing Bluetooth 4.1 will feature 5.5" HD LCD display with 1.5GB RAM but will house an octa-core Marvel PXA1936 SoC and offer storage between 1GB and 2GB RAM. Samsung will add a 3,000 mAh battery inside this 7.9mm thick phone and make it heavier at 170 grams. The J5 and J7 will feature a 13MP rear shooters and 5MP front cameras to take selfies. Samsung will include the Android 5.1 Lollipop based TouchWiz UI on top of it. With this Bluetooth certification, both phones inch closer to official launch. Source (1),...
Just days after Xiaomi announced its first made for India smartphone, the Mi4i, HTC has said that it is preparing to launch a handset which is designed keeping Indian consumers in mind. The device will be launched in India in the third quarter of the year. "We have a third-quarter plan for our global launch in India to introduce a device which is specifically designed for the Indian consumer," said HTC's CFO and president of global sales Chia-Lin Chang. The smartphone, which will be priced somewhere between INR 15,000 ($237) and INR 20,000 ($316), will be made available in other markets around the world at a later date. "Indian market is something that teaches us about new trends, which is always helpful. If we are able to serve Indian market well with the right strategy, we will be able to serve the global market well," Chang...
