OnePlus has been quietly developing its own Android 5.0 Lollipop based ROM for the OnePlus One. Following the controversy with Cyanogen licensing in India, the company had announced that it will be providing an early build to customers, which will replace the Cyanogen OS on their devices. The company has now released an alpha build of the ROM on its forums, and is available to download and flash right now. The ROM looks pretty much identical to stock Android Lollipop on Nexus devices but with a few minor changes, such as the ability to have either onscreen or physical navigation buttons. This is an alpha build so there definitely are bugs, many of which are listed on the forum and others no doubt you'll find while using it. There are also clear instructions on how to install the ROM and the things you need to keep in mind, so make sure you read everything properly and know what you're doing before you take the plunge. Source •...
Wednesday
Happy New Year 2015 from our team and best wishes to all
With 2014 coming to an end we can't help but feel a little nostalgic and look back at what the past twelve months have brought us. We couldn't be happier with what we do and we have all of you, our loyal readers to thank for our success. The website is slowly, but determinedly climbing up the internet statistics ladder and Alexa.com, now ranks us as the 328th most-popular website across the globe (at one point we even made it in the top 300). We are so very thankful for all the love and attention and promise to strive to better ourselves and our work constantly and remain dedicated to our work and our fans. During the past 360 or so days, we have been hard at work to bring you news and insights form the tech world and we managed to ramp up more than 3175 news articles, 2920 blog posts and as many as 170 reviews. We are also extremely thankful for all the support in different social media. Our YouTube channel now has almost 100,000 subscribers and over 73,000,000 views. We have also been experimenting with new and engaging lifestyle videos and commentary, which we hope will make for a better multimedia experience. Our Facebook group has also grown and now has over 800,000 likes and counting and so has out Twitter account, with over 75,000 followers reading along. We've also expanded our social media presence over at Google+, where we now have over 75,000 subscribers. Our team also spent many hours developing exciting new features. Our advanced Phone Finder underwent a massive overhaul and now looks and works better than ever. Looking through our extensive smartphone and tablet database has never been easier and we hope it serves as an aid to find the best device for your need. We have also made battery life scores more accessible and easily searchable through our interactive Battery life table. We are all set for 2015 and will be reporting live from CES 2015 (January 6 to January 9 2015) and can't wait to see what the New Year is going to bring to the tech world and we hope you stick around so we can share it with you. Happy New Year to you and all those you hold dear and we wish you true happiness, joy and success in the months to come. Cheers! The GSMArena team window.requestAnimFrame = ( function() { return window.requestAnimationFrame || window.webkitRequestAnimationFrame || window.mozRequestAnimationFrame || function( callback ) { window.setTimeout( callback, 1000 / 60 ); }; })(); // now we will setup our basic variables for the demo var canvas = document.getElementById( 'canvas' ), ctx = canvas.getContext( '2d' ), // full screen dimensions cw = 580, ch = 363, // firework collection fireworks = [], // particle collection particles = [], // starting hue hue = 120, // when launching fireworks with a click, too many get launched at once without a limiter, one launch per 5 loop ticks limiterTotal = 5, limiterTick = 0, // this will time the auto launches of fireworks, one launch per 80 loop ticks timerTotal = 80, timerTick = 0, mousedown = false, // mouse x coordinate, mx, // mouse y coordinate my; // set canvas dimensions canvas.width = cw; canvas.height = ch; // now we are going to setup our function placeholders for the entire demo // get a random number within a range function random( min, max ) { return Math.random() * ( max - min ) + min; } // calculate the distance between two points function calculateDistance( p1x, p1y, p2x, p2y ) { var xDistance = p1x - p2x, yDistance = p1y - p2y; return Math.sqrt( Math.pow( xDistance, 2 ) + Math.pow( yDistance, 2 ) ); } // create firework function Firework( sx, sy, tx, ty ) { // actual coordinates this.x = sx; this.y = sy; // starting coordinates this.sx = sx; this.sy = sy; // target coordinates this.tx = tx; this.ty = ty; // distance from starting point to target this.distanceToTarget = calculateDistance( sx, sy, tx, ty ); this.distanceTraveled = 0; // track the past coordinates of each firework to create a trail effect, increase the coordinate count to create more prominent trails this.coordinates = []; this.coordinateCount = 3; // populate initial coordinate collection with the current coordinates while( this.coordinateCount-- ) { this.coordinates.push( [ this.x, this.y ]...
Top 10 most popular news stories of 2014
Another year has passed and boy was it an eventful one! In the last moments of 2014 we take a look back at the most exciting news of the past twelve months. Time does fly by fast, especially in the tech world where is seems that the past 360 days represent a whole decade of innovation. The Android world definitely saw a lot of action during 2014. Samsung gathered the most interest, mainly with the unveiling of the newest generation of flagship devices. A lot of rumors and speculations surrounded the Galaxy Note 4, as well as its peculiar cousin the Samsung Note Edge and the Galaxy S5. The Korean tech giant was also busy delivering software support to its users, with a lot of Android KitKat OTA updates taking place during the past year as well as some interesting development regarding future Lollipop builds for various handsets. Sony had much the same mission on its mind and delivered a major KitKat roll out for a lot of its device lineup. Apple also had a busy year, dominating news outlets on numerous occasions. The California company pushed into the future with its 8th iteration of smartphones, as well as the rumor marathon leading to their announcements. But perhaps the iPhone 6 was not the biggest jaw-dropper Apple had to offer. 2014 marked a historical cornerstone in its history with the iPhone 6 Plus ushering the company into the phablet market for the first time. Microsoft also got its share of the spotlight with the official release of Widows Phone 8.1. The OS brought about numerous new features and improvements and represents another major step forward towards Microsoft's long-standing goal of uniting mobile and desktop OS versions into a fluent and uniform experience for users and developers alike. The past year has been a wild ride and we here at GSMArena are very glad that we were able to share it with you. Here's to a great 2014 and the hope for an even greater experience next year! .news-item .n-left { float: left; width: 16%; text-align: center; margin-left: -13px; } .news-item .n-right { float: left; width: 84%; } .news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; } .news-item .n-right h2, .reviews-item .n-right h2 { clear: both; padding: 0 0 3px 0px; font: 400 19px Oswald, Arial; margin-top: -4px; } .n-right p { line-height: 155%; } .news-item { padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ccc; } .news-item p { margin-left: 0; } .n-right h2 a { text-decoration: none; color: #000; } Updated: Apple WWDC slides leak with iPhone 6 on them Apple's WWDC hits the stage this Monday and we already know Apple is planning to unveil iOS 8 and the latest OS X 10.10 but many are also contemplating if there will be an iPhone 6 announcement taking place. Update: after causing quite a stir on the web, it turned out that the video which... Google launches Android One in India with three new smartphones After announcing it first back at I/O 2014, Google today finally launched the first Android One devices in India. The first three phones to be launched are the Karbon Sparkle V, Micromax Canvas A1, and Spice Dream UNO. The Dream UNO is the cheapest at INR6,299 ($103), while the Sparkle V costs... Entry-level Samsung Galaxy V appears in a retail listing Another day, another entry level smartphone from Samsung! A retail listing from Vietnam reveals that the South Korean giant is gearing up to introduce a new smartphone dubbed Galaxy V to attract entry-level users. Samsung Galaxy V will come out with a 4-inch display with a resolution of 480 x... Galaxy Note 4 spotted on Samsung Mobile site The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is just days away from being officially announced at the IFA trade show in Berlin, and the leaks keep piling up. The latest is in the form of a UAProf found on Samsung's mobile site, which confirms a large number of the devices' specifications. Besides the SM-N920T... Detailed images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 leak Here's what the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 may look like. While looking very similar to the front of the current Note 3 the back and sides look new. The phone appears to retain the plastic back with leather-like texture but the...
Samsung leaps ahead of Apple in customer satisfation in the US
India blocks Pastebin, Archive.org, GitHub, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and many other sites
Sony creates limited edition Xperia Z3 series for Germany
Sony has launched a limited edition series of the Xperia Z3 devices, including the Z3, Z3 Compact, Z3 Tablet Compact. The devices feature an exclusive etched pattern on the glass back. Three designers were chosen for the job, who each chose a city of their choice to etch on the back of these devices as part of the Stadt Talente peoject. Vesa Tapani Sammalisto chose Berlin to etch on the back of the Z3, Shinpei Hasegawa chose Tokyo for the back of the Z3 Compact, and Jan Feliks Kallwejt chose Warsaw for the Z3 Tablet Compact. The devices are available as limited edition, with 33 being made of each and sold only in Germany. Source (German) •...
Tuesday
Microsoft working on new browser for Windows 10 that isn’t IE12
Xiaomi Redmi 1s with dual-LTE set to launch on January 4
Xiaomi will launch a new version of its popular Redmi 1s smartphone this coming Sunday, on January 4. The device will hit the shelves soon after its unveiling. Both SIM card slots of the newcomer will support 4G LTE connectivity. The current dual-SIM of the Redmi 1s does not support LTE connectivity at all. The new version of the Xiaomi Redmi 1s passed through TENAA in China earlier this month. Its specs include 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC, 1GB of RAM, 4.7" 720p display, and 8MP main camera....
LG will showcase a trio of 34-inch displays at CES 2015
Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 arrive in the US in unlocked form
While Samsung hasn't officially launched the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 in the US through any carriers, the two metal smartphones are now available to buy stateside. That's possible because they're being offered by Expansys, a third party retailer specializing in selling unlocked (SIM-free) units. So you won't be signing any long-term agreements with carriers to get them, but on the flip side you will be paying more for the handsets than you may be used to. Because these are unlocked devices, they're priced accordingly. So the Galaxy A3 will set you back $329.99, whereas the Galaxy A5 is going for $409.99. In both cases, you're getting dual-SIM functionality baked in, though as always only one of those slots supports high speed data connectivity. Both phones have 4G LTE, but before you buy make sure to check if your favorite carrier's bands are supported. Information about which bands each smartphone supports is available in their respective listings. It's still unclear whether we'll ever see the Galaxy A3 and A5 released by any US carriers, so if you must have one as soon as possible then this is pretty much your only option right now. Source 1 • Source 2 |...
Oppo R5 will be up for pre-order in India on January 1
The Oppo R5 held the title of "world's thinnest smartphone" for what has to be the smallest amount of time ever. It was announced at the end of October, but by early December the Vivo X5 Max had already overtaken it in this insane race. Still, the thickness difference between the two is barely noticeable, so this doesn't mean that the R5 has suddenly become fat. No, it's the same slender slab it's always been. And now we know when pre-orders for it will start in India. If you want to be among the first people in the subcontinent to own an Oppo R5, then get ready to pre-order one starting on January 1 - that's in just a couple of days. The amount of cash you'll need to shell out for this privilege is INR 29,990. At the current exchange rates that translates into $473 or €389. Considering the upper-midrange specs inside the Oppo R5, that price seems reasonable. Naturally though, this phone's unique selling point will be how slim it is - even if it's not the world's slimmest anymore. An actual release date for the R5 in India has not been revealed by the Chinese company, at least not yet. The Oppo R5 has a 5.2-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front camera, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a 2,000 mAh battery. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset with an octa-core CPU, and it runs Android 4.4.4...
Xiaomi sells 40,000 Redmi Note 4G units in six seconds in India
Android Lollipop has a memory leak bug, fix is on the way
Lollipop may be the latest version of the mobile OS developed by the search giant, but it's clearly not the most stable yet. In fact, the new and handsome iteration of Android has a memory leak bug that has some nasty effects. On Android 5.0.1, the bug kills open apps and forces constant reloading of the home screen. On Google's Android Issue Tracker it's been revealed that a few Nexus devices are affected, such as the Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 4, and Nexus 5. In some cases the bug makes the Android system eat up to 1.2GB of RAM, whereas a normal value would be somewhere around 500MB. So this is a pretty big deal, and quite an annoying bug if you happen to encounter it. The good news is that a fix may have been found, and it will be included in the next software update from Google. The only downside right now is that there's no indication as to when that will begin rolling out. It's unlikely that we'll see a specific update only addressing this issue, so the fix will make it to the next planned release - whichever that happens to be, and whenever that comes out. So if you do suffer from the effects of this bug, you're still required to have some patience. Since Android 5.0.2 is already out for the Nexus 7 (2012), this bugfix will probably be released as part of Android 5.0.3. Source |...
Samsung Galaxy Core Prime to land in the EU next year
The Samsung Galaxy Core Prime, which we've just reviewed, is apparently headed to Europe in the near future. So far, the handset has only been on sale in India, where it became available earlier this month. But it now looks like it will be up for grabs in the EU too - or at least in the Netherlands. Over there a few retailers have already listed it on their websites. The device should be out sometime in January, and you'll reportedly be able to get one for under €200. In fact, one Dutch store has priced the Galaxy Core Prime at just €160. That's a bit more than the asking price in India, but those of you who live in Europe are probably already accustomed to paying more for phones than people in Asia or the US. Since it's on its way to the Netherlands, we naturally assume more EU markets will get the Core Prime too in the coming weeks. The handset has 4G LTE support, a 4.5-inch 480x800 touchscreen, a 5 MP rear camera, and a 2 MP front-facing snapper. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU, aided by 1GB of RAM. Internal storage is 8GB and expandable, the OS in charge is Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and there's a 2,000 mAh battery in there too. Source (in...
Halo 5: Guardians now available on pre-order, Limited and Collector’s Editions in tow
Samsung unveils new Series 9 ultrabook, Series 7 AiO
Windows Mobile 10 (not Phone) mentioned in LinkedIn account
Amazon US discounts SanDisk microSD cards, 128GB one is $90
Concerns over Apple Pay data demands cast a shadow over UK launch
HTC to focus on the Desire lineup at CES
As expected the HTC One (M8) successor rumored as HTC Hima won't make it to CES 2015 in Vegas early next year. While HTC has already sent invitations for a special press event on January 5 in Las Vegas and HTC Hima has even leaked via AnTuTu, it seems the flagship won't be stealing the spotlight just yet. A newly released teaser on Weibo says "Always Desire more", which clearly means new Desire smartphone or smartphones will be announced at CES. This isn't such a surprise though as both HTC One and HTC One (M8) weren't introduced on CES, but prior and after the MWC expos in February-March. HTC may want to announce the new One flagship at a stand-alone event once again thus not sharing the news with any major competition. So, a new Desire or Desire phones are coming. One of them is probably the recently leaked HTC A-12 mid-ranger powered by the Snapdragon 410 chipset and offering a 4.7" 720p display. The rest of its rumored specs include 1GB of RAM, an 8MP cam and a 2,100 mAh battery. Android KitKat and Sense UI should be in charge of operations. HTC A12 will allegedly launch on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless in the United States. We will keep an eye out for more details on the handset going...
Yotaphone 2 goes on promotion for the next 7 days
AdDuplex: Lumia 630 and 535 on the rise, LG may be coming back
Time for a final report on Windows Phone before 2014 comes to an end. There's some good news for Microsoft - the new Lumia 630 is weakening the stranglehold of Lumia 520 and LG might be coming back to the platform. First things first, the Nokia Lumia 630 is the second most popular WP handset worldwide, a wide margin behind the 520. Its LTE-enabled sibling, the Lumia 635, has now reached the Top 10. The entry-level Lumia 530 is also on board. Microsoft first own-branded phone, the Microsoft Lumia 535, managed to make its mark too - only in India for now where it matched the Lumia 530 for eighth place at 4.1%. Lumia 800's market share has slipped, which leaves the Lumia 710 as the only Windows Phone 7.x handset in the Top 10. Worldwide the 7.x branch accounts for 15% of devices, but regionally the story is different - it's on 69% of handsets in South Africa, 40% in Mexico but not even 1% in Turkey. AdDuplex Windows Phone Statistics Report, December 2014 from AdDuplex An LG VW820 with a 4.7" screen with 480 x 854px resolution was spotted in Korea by AdDuplex, which may signal the return of LG. The company dropped Windows Phone and went exclusively with Android back in 2012 but it may be looking to diversify its offerings, even including a WebOS smartwatch. The situation is pretty dire at the moment - there are as many as 30 different brands of Windows Phone handsets out there, but there's a "Nokia" label on 95.51% of all sold devices. Source |...
Samsung Galaxy Core Prime review: Core values
The Galaxy Core lineup represents Samsung's take on the essential smartphone. The Galaxy Core Prime updates the base formula in two areas - a better camera and a better chipset - and it serves as a smaller alternative to the Galaxy Grand Prime...
Airtel backpedals on its decision to charge VoIP calls separately
Possible Xiaomi Mi5 black edition photo leaked
A rather interesting picture was brought to our attention by a tipper. The shot surfaced on Weibo and shows what arrears to be the next generation Mi smartphone by Xiaomi. The Chinese manufacturer is rumored to unveil the Xiaomi Mi5 at CES in a few days, so the leak seems credible enough. The handset bears a lot of similarity to the Xiaomi Mi5. Design seems to be pretty much the same, the signature MIUI is also clearly visible. This new mystery device does, however, appear to be significantly larger than the 5-inch Mi4. And although scale is hard to judge properly an estimate would put the display firmly in phablet territory - around 5.5 to 5.7 inches. The alleged Mi5 does appear to have a remarkably thin bezel, significantly thinner than its predecessor. Last month we reported on a set of spy production shots of what was supposedly the screen assembly for the same phone. Relying solely on visual comparison, they do seem to match up, but the newly leaked photo shows a black device with a lit-up screen, making it nearly impossible to spot the logo and the sensors and speaker position. So a definite match can not be confirmed. Diving further into the rumor mill reveals some alleged specs for the device. It is said to have 4G LTE connectivity, a QHD display with a Snapdragon 805 SoC and at least 3GB of RAM. While none of the information about the mysterious phone is confirmed and should be taken with a grain of salt we can at least rest easy, knowing that things will definitely clear up very soon, with CES right around the corner. Source |...
Apple introduces 14-day refund window for App Store, iTunes, and iBooks downloads in Europe
Monday
ZTE unveils a redesigned logo and new company philosophy
The Chinese tech giant ZTE unveiled a redesigned logo. The new branding presents a new corporate identity, which falls in line with the company's focus on innovating in the M-ICT field. The latter stands for Media Information Communications Technology. ZTE's new logo is noticeably sleeker than the one its replaces - it embodies that company's new Cool-Green-Open philosophy. Going forward, the company will focus on products that are "dynamic, youthful and compelling to users, sustainable and environmentally responsible, as well as open-minded and collaborative." The Chinese manufacturer has a CES press conference scheduled for Monday, January 5. We will be covering it live, so be sure to tune in to find out what ZTE has in store for 2015. Source |...
Samsung outs a duo of futuristic-looking wireless speakers
Moto G (2014) with 4G LTE connectivity appears in Brazil
Unsurprisingly, Motorola has a Moto G (2014) with 4G LTE connectivity coming our way. The yet to be revealed successor of Moto G 4G appeared on Motorola's official website in Brazil. The LTE-capable second generation Moto G will feature a slightly larger 2,390mAh battery than the 3G-only model. The latter makes do with a non-removable 2,070mAh unit. The Brazilian product page of the new Moto G also reveals that the LTE model will only be available with 16GB of built-in memory. At 155 grams, the upcoming device will also be a tad heavier than its regular sibling (149 grams). Battery and weight aside, the LTE Moto G (2014) has familiar specs. They include Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC, 1GB of RAM, 5" 720p display, 8MP camera, and stereo speakers. There is no word on the launch date of the new Moto G version just yet. We doubt it will be a long wait. Source (in Portuguese) |...
Qualcomm teaser shows an LG G Flex sequel on the way
Qualcomm teased the successor of the curved LG G Flex on Twitter. The upcoming high-end smartphone will make its official debut next week during CES 2015 in Las Vegas - in line with past rumors. The image gives us a peak of a device's back without mentioning its manufacturer. However, the buttons on the back, coupled with the distinctive pattern that LG's self-healing polycarbonate totes, leave no room for doubt that the device is indeed from the Korean manufacturer. A new #Snapdragon 800 powered smartphone is launching next week at @intlCES - here's a first look. http://pic.twitter.com/6Sx8wQQsdE— Qualcomm (@Qualcomm) December 29, 2014 Curiously, the tweet states that the device will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset. We reckon that the company refers to the Snapdragon 801 or Snapdragon 805 however, as both are technically part of the 800 lineup. Seeing the device launch with last year's Snapdragon 800 seems unlikely. We will be live from Vegas next week, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop on the next LG G Flex. Source...
HTC One (M8) climbs to the edge of stratosphere, comes back with video footage
Samsung Galaxy A7 and Galaxy Grand Max leak in Korea
The Samsung Galaxy A7 has leaked a lot up until this point, yet for some reason the smartphone maker still hasn't announced it to complement the two existing members in the A series - the A3 and the A5. So the Galaxy A7 just keeps on leaking. Today we can see it in a leaked catalogue for South Korea. This listing gives us another round of specs for the device. What's perhaps more interesting is that alongside the A7 the Galaxy Grand Max has leaked too, as part of the same leaflet. Samsung Galaxy A7 and Galaxy Grand Max So, here's what we should expect from the Galaxy A7, in terms of specs. It will come with a 5.2-inch 1080p Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front snapper, a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and a 2,500 mAh battery. It will run Android 4.4.4 KitKat and will sport connectivity options such as LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The A7 will be just 6.3mm thin and it will weigh 140g. Moving on, the Galaxy Grand Max has a 5.2-inch 720p LCD touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front-facing camera, a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD cards), and a 2,500 mAh battery. It too will come with Android 4.4 KitKat preinstalled, as well as LTE support. It's 7.9mm thin. These two phones are headed to South Korea in the near future, where the Galaxy A7 will be offered by all three carriers over there. There's been no word on whether these devices are going to be sold elsewhere in the future, but our guess would be that they will. It's just unclear...
Microsoft is allegedly working on a new browser for Windows 10
2015 Chevrolet Tahoe
The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe is all-new for the new model year, but it’s also one of a dying breed: the full-sized, truck-based SUV. Capable, comfortable, and more high-tech than ever, the Tahoe makes an authoritative case for the true SUV—especially for the buyer who still needs to tow or haul boats or tools in addition to...2015 Chevrolet Suburban
The Chevrolet Suburban lays claim to the title of the original SUV, with a nameplate that goes all the way back to the 1930s. Today, the 2015 Chevy Suburban is a fully modern, well-equipped, and highly-capable full-sized SUV, a member of an increasingly rare breed. For this year's new 2015 Suburban, Chevy has turned to some traditional...2015 Audi A7
The 2015 Audi A7 is one of the best-looking vehicles on the road today, wearing its four-door coupe curves with grace and style. Sleeker, more beautiful, and, in some ways, even more practical than the excellent A6 sedan it shares much of its componentry with, the 2015 Audi A7 is a remarkable offering in a competitive segment. Add to...2015 Audi A6
Audi’s 2015 A6 remains one of the top examples in the midsize luxury segment, with style and sport balanced against technology and comfort in a well-rounded sedan that’s loaded with capability and features. The Audi A6 takes on a very tough segment of competitors, including the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5-Series, and...2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
The 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter offers an iconic look to go with its legendary abilities as a people mover, cargo hauler, and general-purpose utility vehicle. Thanks to a very diverse array of options from the manufacturer, and an even more expansive array of up-fitter options in the aftermarket, the Sprinter is one of the most highly...Samsung Galaxy Alpha may be discontinued by February
If you like the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, perhaps now's the time to go and purchase one. Because if the latest rumor from the company's native South Korea is to be believed, you won't be able to do that for much longer. The report says that Samsung will discontinue the production of the Galaxy Alpha by early February. The manufacturer will allegedly produce the metal-clad smartphone only until the materials it currently has in inventory for it are all used up - there are no plans to order more parts for the Alpha. This all apparently comes from an unnamed "industry insider", so the usual cautions apply about taking such things for granted. If you're wondering why Samsung may kill the Galaxy Alpha so soon after its release, that is said to have something to do with the Galaxy A5. That's supposed to be the replacement for the Galaxy Alpha, at least on the Korean market. There the A5 is expected to launch in the mid-January to early February time frame. Samsung will focus on more affordable devices in its home market next year, and the A5 is the first of those. The Galaxy A5 will be priced at approximately KRW 400,000 (that's about $363 or €298). Samsung clearly hopes it will be more popular in Korean than the Galaxy Alpha, which wasn't a huge success. Of course Samsung hasn't confirmed any of this yet, as you may have expected. So it can still go either way. Source |...
Latest Surface Pro 3 ad focuses on praising “the tablet that can replace your laptop”
Lollipop update for Galaxy S5 spreads further in Europe
The update to Android 5.0 Lollipop for the Samsung Galaxy S5 just keeps on spreading throughout the world, it seems. After Poland and South Korea, today it was Spain's turn to get the rollout on its way. This might mean that more European countries will have Lollipop on the Galaxy S5 soon. That's because Samsung generally tests its updates in one market, and that's usually Poland, after which a wider rollout quickly comes. The S5 handsets sold in Poland have already seen three Lollipop updates, so we assume Samsung is now pretty satisfied with the status of its software and has thus decided to expand its geographical reach. For now, units that were bought unlocked and SIM-free from Spain will benefit. But more territories will soon follow, that's pretty much a given. And after that happens, maybe we'll see the newest version of Android finally being headed to the Galaxy Note 4 as well. Source |...
Game of Thrones is “most-pirated show” three years in a row
Samsung Galaxy A7 and Galaxy E5 listed on Russian web site
Two of Samsung's new phones have hit the pages of Russian distributor Merlion, the Samsung Galaxy A7 and the Galaxy E5. They come with a full list of specifications, not that there was much left unknown about the two unofficial handsets. Samsung Galaxy A7 Starting off with the A-series flagship, the Samsung Galaxy A7 features a 5.5" 1080p screen. It's powered by the same chipset as one of the Galaxy Note 4 versions, namely the Exynos 5433 chipset. The phablet has the same dimensions as the Note 4, so it will be positioned as a more affordable alternative to Samsung's phablet top dog. The Galaxy A7 also packs a 13MP main camera, 5MP front-camera. Its well-versed in connectivity with 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and an IR blaster. The phablet will launch with Android 4.4 KitKat but there's no exact date or price yet. Samsung Galaxy E5 Next up is the Samsung Galaxy E5. This one comes in 4G LTE and 3G dual-SIM flavors. The phone will be more compact with a 5" 1080p screen (a bit bigger and heavier than the Galaxy S4). A comment on the bottom of the page mentions Galaxy S4 Active's ability to shoot photos underwater, but that's probably a mistake. The Galaxy E5 is powered by an unknown quad-core 1.9GHz processor and is listed as running Android 4.1, which is most likely another typo. It has an 8MP camera on the back and a 2MP selfie camera. Other than the optional dual-SIM, there's Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0. Samsung Galaxy J1 A third phone is also on its way - the entry-level Samsung Galaxy J1. It will offer a modest 4.3" WVGA screen and run on a Spreadtrum SC6815 chipset with quad Cortex-A7 processor (1.2GHz) and Mali-400 GPU. It will come with 1GB RAM and 4GB of built-in storage. The front and back cameras of the Galaxy J1 are equals - 5MP stills and 1080p video. The phone will also have 4G LTE and 3G dual-SIM versions. Note that a Galaxy J1 version (SM-J100F) passed through GFX Bench with a Marvell chipset. The benchmark claims a 4.8" screen on that one and "0.6GB" of RAM. It remains to be seen which hardware setup Samsung has settled on. Source 1 | Source 2 | Via (in...
HTC Hima specs show up on AnTuTu
Rumor mill patron @upleaks is back with more on the HTC Hima - the upcoming One (M8) replacement - and this time there's an AnTuTu screenshot to back up the claimed specs. Going against the flow of the market, HTC will keep the 5" screen size for its next flagship instead of going bigger (resolution stays at 1080p as well). The chipset will follow a more familiar path and move to a Snapdragon 810 - an ARM-designed 64-bit octa-core processor paired with Qualcomm's Adreno 430. 3GB of RAM will also be attached. The camera department will be a massive upgrade, however, with a 20.7MP camera catapulting HTC's flagship from the bottom of the range to the top. The selfie camera will match the 13MP camera of the HTC Desire Eye. The HTC Hima will launch with Android 5.0.1 Lollipop and Sense UI 7.0, but it may come after the MWC. Instead it's set to debut at its own event. It's not clear if this delay is deliberate (to avoid sharing the MWC stage with other flagships) or...
HTC to hold a press conference on January 5 at CES
The annual CES expo is upon us, opening for the public on January 6 in Las Vegas, USA. It's a tradition major players to announce their devices the day before at dedicated pre-CES events. LG will be first opening first at 8AM local time, followed by Samsung at 2PM and Sony at 5PM. Sharp and Panasonic will be showing off their latest tech the same day as well. HTC has also sent invitations for an event on January 5 though the time is yet to be confirmed. The company is expected to introduce the rumored HTC One (M8) successor known as HTC Hima. It should be one really snappy device packing the fastest chipset available and running on 1080p resolution display. We'll be on CES to cover everything for you, so stay...
The Interview becomes Sony’s no. 1 online film of all time
LG G4 to sport a stylus, directly compete with the Galaxy Note 4
According to unconfirmed information originating from Asia, the upcoming LG G4 is aimed to directly rival with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. To do that, LG is said to equip the G4 with a stylus. More specifically, the LG G4 is said to sport a 5.3" display with a QHD resolution and very narrow bezels, akin to the G3. Internally, the G4 is believed to come out with a Snapdragon 810 chipset, 4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB storage variations. LG filed for a trademark of the "LG G Pen" moniker earlier this month. We're likely to see the company try to emulate the success of the Samsung S Pen and work on a multitude of software features that enable superior multitasking than its competitors using the upcoming G Pen. While the rumor isn't backed up by solid evidence, it does seem plausible for LG to try and take on the Galaxy Note 4. It also aligns with previous reports that LG will be axing its Pro lineup. With MWC 2015 fast approaching, it's a matter of time for more evidence and rumors of the upcoming LG G4 to pop up. Source |...
Xiaomi laptop leaked in pictures, specs revealed
Another Chinese retailer lists OnePlus Two
Just a few weeks after Coolicool listed OnePlus' upcoming smartphone, allegedly dubbed OnePlus Two, another Chinese online store Geekbuying has listed the device, revealing some more details. According to the listing, the smartphone will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset with 2.7GHz processor and a 5.5-inch LTPS display with resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. It will come with 3GB of RAM, 64GB of internal memory (which cannot be expanded via microSD card), 16 megapixel rear camera, and 5 megapixel front camera. The device will run Color OS, which is based on Android 4.4, and will pack a 3,300mAh battery. However, the most interesting information the listing reveals is that the device, which is priced at $538.19, will begin shipping on February 10 next year. Needless to say, none of these specifications have been officially confirmed by OnePlus, so take it with a pinch of salt. Source |...
Symphony roar A50 - first Android One phone outside India
Android One has been steadily gaining speed ever since its initial announcement at Google I/O 2014. The exciting program represents the California tech giant's strive to rapidly advance in emerging smartphone markets, starting with India, by offering entry-level handsets with software support and up-to-date Android versions. This is a challenge to say the least, even for the likes of Google, but the endeavor showed results this September, with the launch of three Android One devices. This is a monumental achievement and represents a major step forward for the ever-growing India consumer base. But it comes as no surprise that well-supported, budget, stock Android devices have a universal appeal, as is evident by the success of the Motorola Moto G and Moto E in various European markets. The latest development in the spread of Android One smartphones comes from Symphony Mobile, who has made the Symphony roar A50, a device bearing the Android One specs, available through its website. The handset is prices at BDT 8700, or about $112, which is definitely in the budget range. The website seems to be having some trouble with the shopping functionality at the moment and we can't definitely confirm availability and delivery terms, but one thing is certain - there is movement on the Android One front. The Symphony roar A50 has mostly the same specs as other Android one phones, like the Karbon Sparkle V, Micromax Canvas A1, and Spice Dream UNO. They are all based on Google's reference design and have a 4.5-inch, 854x480 resolution IPS display, MediaTek MT6582 SoC with 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU and Mali 400 MP2 GPU, 1GB RAM, 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, FM radio, dual SIM support. The new device does bear some minor improvements over the aforementioned three, namely that it has 8GB ROM, instead of 4 and a slightly larger battery at 1,780 mAh instead of 1,700 mAh. As we mentioned last week this is only one of many steps to come towards expanding Android One to new Asia markets, like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Those countries are all set to receive the initial array of three devices with Bangladesh apparently receiving the Symphony roar A50 as well. No official statement is available yet as to whether or when Android One will spread to US and European markets. It is a fact that the Karbonn Sparkle V is available through Amazon UK, but for the rather steep £123.51. All we can do is wait and see if Google goes the extra mile and decides to take on international supply challenges for the exciting and affordable Android One...
Sunday
Meizu m1 note gets hands-on treatment, looks like the iPhone 5c
Meizu recently announced their m1 note, a big colorful Android smartphone that looks far too much like the iPhone 5c. But if you thought that comparison was far fetched, wait till you see these hands-on images. If that's not hilarious enough, you should check their website, which also looks like Apple's. Design aside, the phone does have some good specifications, along with a fairly decent camera. You can find more images, including camera samples and screenshots, in the link below. Source •...
Apple iTunes is the latest outlet to offer The Interview
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 S-LTE is about to launch in Korea
Samsung is about to launch a Galaxy Note 4 S-LTE model in South Korea. Sporting the model number SM-916, the latest version of the high-end phablet will hit the shelves in its homeland in mid-January. According to a recent benchmark database leak, the upcoming version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will pack 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset. The rest of the device's specs will likely remain unchanged. The new model will be capable of offering download speeds of up to 300Mbps via carrier aggregation. In theory, the speeds can reach up to 450Mbps. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 S-LTE will be available on all major carriers in South Korea. There is no word on availability outside the country for the time being. Source (in Korean) |...
Take a look at a sample of the newly found 4K chops of Nokia Lumia 1520
Top 10 Mobile Games of 2014
Nokia Lumia 930 Rich Capture mode demoed, yields great results
Oppo N3 gets a network license in China, release imminent
The Oppo N3 was announced two months ago, but it's yet to hit the shelves. The smartphone was initially promised to hit 20 markets by the end of the year, but it couldn't quite manage to fit inside this deadline. Now however we are getting some signs that the delay might be a pretty minor one. The smartphone with a motorized camera has just cleared Chinese telecommunications authority TENAA getting a network license. This means the Oppo N3 can be legally sold in its homeland and it should be hitting the shelves any moment now. Given the company's initial release plans we expect at least a few more markets to join China in the first wave. As luck would have it, we just published our Oppo N3 review so you can go check it out to get all your questions about the phablet answered. If you decide to go for it, you should be prepared to part with about...
Oppo gives us a glimpse of its KitKat-based Color OS 2.0.4
Oppo is working hard, developing the next major version of its custom ColorOS platform. The beta branch of Color OS has now reached version 2.0.4 and the company has released a short video to demonstrate the progress it has achieved. The Android KitKat-based Color OS 2.0.4 is still only available for private testing with public release yet to follow. And while the company hasn't given an exact date for that happening, the Product manager who posted the video on the company's forums says it should be soon. We also got an official changelog with the major changes brought by the latest version of the Color OS: Update to Android 4.4.2 and support both the Find 7a and Find 7. Unified storage support for both devices, what's more now you don't need to use a PC tool to get unified storage anymore, you can simply do it all on your phone. New Camera, the new camera app with PI 2.0 engine, supports more camera mode and with expandable widgets which will allow 3rd party developers to develop new functions on this platform. Hopefully we'll get a more detailed version of this list by the time the ROM is ready for public distribution. Source |...
Saturday
Import database reveals Samsung Galaxy Tab 5 tablet on the way
Benchmark confirms Microsoft Lumia 1330 specs
A GFXBench listing confirmed the previously leaked specs of Microsoft's yet to be announced Lumia 1330 phablet. The successor of Nokia Lumia 1320 is expected to debut during MWC 2015 in Barcelona. Sporting a model number RM-1062, the Lumia 1330 features Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with quad-core CPU and Adreno 305 GPU. A gig of RAM (the screenshot shows the available memory at the time of capture), 32GB of built-in memory, and 5.7" 720p display are also on board. The main camera of Microsoft Lumia 1330 is 14MP PureView unit capable of 1080p video capture. The secondary camera is a 5MP solution, which can also record FullHD video. Microsoft Lumia 1330 may launch with Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2. We will be keeping an eye out for more news about the device going...
All four variants of the Nexus 6 available on Motorola's website
The Nexus 6 has been bit elusive ever since it launched. It's difficult to get the phone at all, let alone in the variant of your choice. If you've been waiting to purchase the phone in the US, you should not go check out the Motorola website (link below). All four models, that is the Midnight Blue and Cloud White, in 32GB and 64GB each, are available for purchase. As before, the 32GB model will set you back by $649.99 and the 64GB at $699.99. Source •...
Friday
Oppo N3 review: Motor head
The formula for the smartphone to top all others is the industry's elusive philosopher stone. Being complete newbies, but keen as a bean, Oppo's take is perhaps the weirdest. Yet it seems to work. The standard ingredients include the latest chipset, a robust screen, and a high-megapixel camera...
Meizu MX4 Pro hands-on
Bharti Airtel details VoIP plans for India
HTC to launch more entry-level smartphones in Q1, 2015
Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC has said that it will focus more on entry-level 4G devices in Q1 2015, adding that the company will promote these as well as specially designed models online. That's a marketing strategy similar to the one followed by China's Xiaomi, which recently became the world's third largest smartphone vendor. According to Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia, the company is also expecting a double digit growth in shipments next year. He also noted that sales of HTC's RE mini camera, which was launched earlier this month, have been strong, with the company expecting over 20,000 units to be sold by the end of the year. "HTC began to market its mid-range HTC Desire 820 dual-sim in cooperation with Chunghaw Telecom (CHT) in November and will release HTC Desire 820 single-SIM in January 2015", Tong said. Source |...
Minnesota ISP is now fastest in the world, offers speeds 10 times faster than Google Fiber
Samsung Z1 leaks in live photos, launch date confirmed
The Samsung Z1 Tizen-based smartphone leaked almost a week ago with details regarding the phone's availability and specs. A new set of live photos of the phone showed up today however, further giving us reason to believe Samsung won't back out of the Z1's release. The phone is a typical low-end budget device with a 4" display of 800x480 pixel resolution and a still unspecified dual-core 1.2GHz CPU with 768MB RAM. Internal storage is 4GB, expandable via the on-board microSD card slot and under the back cover lies a 1,500mAh batter. The Z1 will have dual-SIM card slots and feature 3G, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM radio. Samsung has equipped it with two modest cameras - a 3MP at the back with LED flash and a 0.3MP at the front. Samsung Z1 live images The company aims at January 18 for the phone's launch with India being the first country to welcome the device. Later, the Samsung Z1 will arrive in China and South Korea. Pricing is likely to be under...
HTC Gallery app gets updated with Cloud Gallery feature
BlackBerry Passport and Z30 go on sale till December 30
BlackBerry is celebrating Boxing Day in Canada by putting up the Passport and the Z30 for sale starting today, December 26, till December 30. You can get $100 off the price of the BlackBerry Passport on all three colors. The Z30 gets a 50% price cut, bringing it down to $250 and you can get further discounts on accessories such as cases. If you're in the US, you get the same $100 off on the price tag of the Passport and an even better 55% off on the price of the Z30 ($225). You can get the discounted prices from ShopBlackBerry store or...
Thursday
Sony rumored to launch a 12.9-inch tablet in 2015
Kodak will unveil a range of Android devices at CES
Kodak will unveil a range of mobile devices with Android OS. The first smartphone from the new product gamily will be unveiled in less than two weeks, during CES in Las Vegas. Kodak's family of smartphones and tablets will be aimed at customers looking for high-end, yet simple user experience. There is no word on specs just yet - all we know is that the devices "will come pre-loaded with bespoke image capture, management and sharing features to offer a rich user experience." The storied imaging brand will partner on the venture with the England-based Bullitt Group. The latter is also behind the rugged CAT smartphones. It has been a while since the Kodak name was associated with a mobile device. We will be covering CES live from Las Vegas, so be sure to tune in for more on the subject. Source |...
Xiaomi has sold 1 million smartphones in India so far
This year Xiaomi ventured outside of its home market, China, and into India. For many months now, it's been holding pretty much weekly flash sales in partnership with Flipkart, the biggest retailer in the subcontinent. And apparently those have been going quite well. Xiaomi's boss for India, Manu Kumar Jain, has announced today via Twitter that the company has already managed to sell more than one million smartphones over there. This has happened at some unnamed point earlier this month. That's certainly impressive given how limited Xiaomi's phone supplies have been for the subcontinent. It definitely looks like the smartphone maker has somewhat underestimated the demand for its products in India, which may mean it will manage to sell even more units next year. On the other hand, companies such as OnePlus and even Micromax (through its Yu sub-brand) are anxious to steal customers away from Xiaomi so 2015 is surely going to be an interesting year over there. Source |...
Facebook now tests ads that play after videos
Huawei Ascend P8 metal chassis leaks online
Huawei Ascend P8 has already made the news a few weeks ago. The first rumored specs suggest the company's next flagship will follow the tradition for an impressively thin design built around a metal chassis. It should feature a 5.2" 1080p display and run on the HiSilicon Kirin 930 chipset built on TSMC's 16nm process and packing an octa-core processor within. Today we got some new info on the Huawei Ascend P8 - its alleged metal chassis. A close inspection of the leaked pictures reveal yet another super thin frame, though we are yet to learn its exact measurements. Judging by the carved out holes, the camera will feature a single-LED flash, while the phone will come with two ejectable trays. The first tray will be the primary SIM slot for sure, while the second one may be either for a second SIM or for a microSD memory card. We've seen Huawei combine the SIM and memory slot into a single tray and you choose what to use inside, so this might be the case with the Huawei Ascend P8 as well. Huawei Ascend P8 should be announced in January on CES in Las Vegas or at the MWC expo in early March in Barcelona. Whatever Huawei decides, we'll be there to cover it for...
‘The Interview’ controversy makes it a hit on torrent sites
Oppo R5 battery life test
Nokia Lumia 635 now available for $39.99 via Radio Shack
If you've missed some of the bargain Lumia deals Microsoft and other retailers have been offering until the Christmas, you can now catch up and make yourself a great, if somewhat late, Christmas present. Radio Shack, which isn't doing great lately, has launched a great deal for the Nokia Lumia 635. It can be yours for $49.99, but if you provide Radio Shack with your valid email address, the price becomes $39.99. The Lumia 635 is AT&T-branded and comes with a AT&T GoPhone pre-paid card inside. Naturally the Lumia 635 is contract-free though it might be locked on AT&T's network. The budget Nokia Lumia 635 comes with a 4.5" IPS display, a quad-core processor, a 5MP camera and LTE Cat.3 connectivity. You can learn more about the Lumia 635 in our in-depth review. Source |...
Snapdragon 810 with LTE Cat 9 support now in testing
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 is the top-notch chipset to date, expected to premiere on various flagships early next year on CES and MWC expos. It will offer an octa-core 64-bit processor, new Adreno 430 GPU and brand new Qualcomm modem. The initial announcement specified the LTE support as Cat 6, which translates into 300 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink. The LTE race has been rapidly advancing since and Samsung is already rumored to be prepping an LTE Cat 10-enabled Exynos chipset for the Galaxy S6. Qualcomm has previously confirmed it will be adding LTE Cat 9 capable modem for the Snapdragon 810 chipset and it will eventually make it to all Qualcomm flagships in 2015. The testing process is now happening in the UK, with the help of Huawei and the EE network. This means EE will be among the first carriers to upgrade its network with the latest LTE tech. LTE Cat 9 stands for 450 Mbps download and up to 50 Mbps upload. The alleged Exynos 6 Samsung chipset with Cat 10 will offer the same downlink, but the uplink is doubled at up to 100 Mbps. The CES show is almost here, followed by the MWC in Barcelona. All the cool announcements will happen there, including those on the LTE...