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...
Thursday
Lenovo A3900 with 5-inch display now official
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...
Fleksy for Android (full version) now available as a free download for one week
Mobile keyboard company Fleksy has announced that the paid version of its Android app, which usually runs about $2, is now available as a free download for one week, i.e., until 05/07/2015.
Platinum Gold Galaxy S6/S6 Edge arrives in Canada
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...
Android 5.1.1 factory images arrive for Nexus 10 and 7 (2013)
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 |...
Android Lollipop with Flyme OS 4.5.1 arrives on Meizu MX4 Pro
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....
Action-packed Samsung promo highlights the Avengers Experience at the Oculus Store
Samsung released a second installment of its Avenger-themed Galaxy S6 promo video. Once again, the new clip features sports stars Lionel Messi, Eddie Lacy, Fabian Cancellara.
Xiaomi Mi 5, Mi 5 Plus get rumored specs, launch time frame
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...
2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom
Some say that life at the top isn't easy. Yet the Rolls-Royce Phantom manages to live gracefully above the rest of the ultra-luxury set—with the only clear competition the Bentley Mulsanne. Available as a Sedan, Coupe, or Drophead Coupe (convertible), the Phantom stands as the flagship model for the Rolls-Royce brand. In all forms, it's an...2015 Rolls-Royce Wraith
The 2015 Rolls-Royce Wraith blends old-world luxury and modern technology in a way that other ultra-lux brands are arguably still struggling with, a bit. Like any recent vehicle wearing a Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, the Wraith pampers and delights its owners, and shows utter disregard to the many cows whose hides grace its interior, the fate of the...LG G3 S starts receiving Android Lollipop update in Europe
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...
Asus ZenFone 2 with 128GB storage quietly unveiled
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....
LG reveals G4 video ads, coming to a TV near you
If anyone still hasn’t hear, although we highly doubt that with all the fuss, the LG G4 is official. The announcement was made on April 28 and there are even preorders, already available for the device in both its leather and plastic back variants.
Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 getting Android 5.0.2 Lollipop in Italy
Samsung is one of the tablet makers actively rolling out the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for its Galaxy series tablets. The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 LTE tablet owners in Italy should now be getting the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update over the air.
Asus releases Lollipop update for ZenFone 5 (A500KL)
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 |...
LG details the G4 by the numbers in an infographic
LG’s latest flagship smartphone, the G4, has been official for a couple of days now, and crowds have been raving about its design and features. In its latest infographic the company has focused on the more quantifiable aspects of its latest offspring and has presented us the LG G4 by the numbers.
ZTE Nubia Z9 spotted on TENAA with crazy specs
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 to release Limited Edition One M9 with INK engravings
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....
Microsoft shares new Windows 10 design for phones
Microsoft made a bunch of announcements such as the Microsoft Edge, Windows Universal Platform, Continuum, and more at the BUILD 2015 conference. While the conference was mostly about desktop platform, Joe Belfoire, VP for Operating Systems Group promised to share more about Windows 10 for phones. Most noteworthy change is the famous Hamburger menu used [...]
Microsoft Lumia 430 launched in India for $83
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...
2016 Honda HR-V
Get ready for a pint-sized invasion. This is shaping up to be the Year of the Small Crossover SUV, with new entries from Mazda, Fiat, Chevy, Jeep--and Honda, in the form of the 2016 HR-V. With the HR-V, Honda finally has a small ute to complement its lineup of CR-Vs and Pilots. And it has another vehicle spun off from the very likable Honda Fit...Password Alert Chrome extension protects your Google accounts from phishing attacks
In yet another effort to protect users from phishing attacks, Google has launched a new extension for Chrome browser that the company claims protects their Google accounts. Dubbed Password Alert, the free, open-source extension is also available to Google for Work customers, including Google Apps and Drive for Work. Google assures that the information you [...]
Strategy Analytics: Apple could soon become No. 1 in China
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,...
Secret is shutting down
Secret, the anonymous social network, that exploded into popularity shortly after it launched, is shutting down after a 16 months of existence. While the news has been rumored for a while now, the company CEO David Byttow confirmed it yesterday on his blog.
Wednesday
Xiaomi Mi 4i up for grabs in first flash sale today
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...
BlackBerry offering discount on select BlackBerry 10 smartphones in India
BlackBerry has announced a limited period Loyalty Program for its customers in India, allowing them to purchase select BlackBerry 10 smartphones, including the Passport, Z30, Z3, and Classic, at a discount of up to INR 10,000 ($158). They’ll also get assured JPMiles from JetPrivilege.
iOS 8 adoption continues to climb, now stands at 81%
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...
2015 Lincoln MKX
The 2015 Lincoln MKX is itself a near mechanical twin of the Ford Edge, but with a much nicer interior, a quieter ride, and a larger engine. It offers the luxury accommodations and high seating position that premium crossover buyers seek out, plus a lot of panache. The mid-size MKX is joined by a smaller crossover for 2015, the Ford Escape-based...2015 Honda CR-V
The 2015 Honda CR-V isn't one of the sportiest entries in its class of compact crossovers, but it's decidedly ahead of the norm in just about every other way—especially catering to families with excellent safety features and ratings, and impressive interior room and cargo capacity that rivals vehicles a size larger. The CR-V gets some...2015 Lexus ES
The 2015 Lexus ES 350 and ES 330h hybrid are comfort-oriented luxury sedans based on the Toyota Avalon architecture (rather than, a few years ago, the Camry). With a major redesign just a couple of model years ago they gained more engaging road manners, a more interesting shape, and improved technology features. The lineup especially gets its...Android 5.1 for S6 and S6 Edge to reportedly bring Guest Mode
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...
New Microsoft Windows 10 preview build goes live with a host of improvements
Hot on the heels of today’s Build keynote, Microsoft launched a new Windows 10 preview. Sporting build number 10074, the new release brings a host of improvements, headed by the reintroduction of some Aero Glass elements in the UI.
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S6 edge caught getting Android 5.1.1
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 ...
WSJ: Apple Watch shipments slowed by faulty Taptic Engines
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 |...
Google Chrome Dev version is now available for Android
On Android, Google’s Chrome Web browser has long had a Beta version in the Play Store for eager people to try. Yet until today the Dev channel releases that Chrome regularly gets on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux did not have a correspondent for Android.
Huawei G Play Mini becomes official in Italy
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...
Microsoft Office to get third party add-ins that will work on Windows, iOS, and the Web
In the future, Microsoft’s Office apps will get their own third party apps – running inside them across platforms, so on Windows but also on iOS and in the Web versions of the Office suite. This has been revealed today during Microsoft’s Build conference.
Windows 10 will allow developers to quickly reuse iOS and Android code for universal Windows apps
The annual Microsoft BUILD conference is now well under way and we are happy to report that Windows 10 is making great progress in developing new and interesting features. Despite the slow and heavily developer-centric start, the keynote did get to four new interesting technologies that will debut in Windows 10, helping Microsoft expand its [...]
Windows 10′s Continuum will turn your phone into a PC when you connect it to a monitor
When it first unveiled Windows 10 last year, Microsoft briefly talked about a new feature called Continuum, but back then it was in the context of switching UIs on convertible devices based on whether you have the keyboard connected or not. And Continuum can still do that, but today at its Build conference, the software [...]
Microsoft Edge is the official name of the Project Spartan Web browser for Windows 10
Today during its Build conference, Microsoft has finally announced what it’s going to call its new Web browser for Windows 10. This has been known so far as Project Spartan, but its official name will be Microsoft Edge.
Vivo X5 Pro will come with eye recognition tech
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) |...
Watch the Microsoft Build event live here
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...
TAG Heuer smartwatch to launch in October/November at $1,400
TAG Heuer has been promising a smartwatch for months now, but the watchmaker’s CEO Jean-Claude Biver, said that the watch will launch in October and November and will offer 40 hours of battery life, compared to the Apple Watch’s 18 hours.
LG announces a Q1 2015 operating profit of $277M
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...
T-Mobile USA launches an LTE-enabled Alcatel Pop Astro
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...
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 should be a major improvement over the Surface Pro 3, but it is still a while away
As most of you surely know, today is the first day of Microsoft’s biggest annual developer conference. Build 2014 promises to bring a lot of new information on Windows 10, as well as other exciting Microsoft projects. The keynote speech is set for 8:30 AM PDT and we will surely be covering the exciting announcements, [...]
HTC One M8 to receive 5.1 Lollipop with Sense 7 in August
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...
LG G4 official product video is out, shot from a drone
LG G4 premiered yesterday and it looks quite promising. While the screen’s specs stay the same – a 5.5″ Quad HD unit, the panel is of a new Quantum variety for a superb color reproduction. The Snapdragon 808 chip isn’t the best the market has to offer, but hopefully it will still provide smooth real [...]
Meet the Selfie arm – the solution to forever-alone selfies
Remember photographer Murad Osmann‘s viral series of photos where he follows his girlfriend to exotic locations around the world? Well, now you can do the same single-handedly without a significant other, thanks to the Selfie arm. Now, if the Selfie arm moves from being a mockery of modern day life, devoid of personal contact, to [...]
Model numbers for "Noble" Note 5 and "Zen" Galaxy S6 uncovered
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...
20,000 Micromax Canvas Spark units go out of stock in less than 2 seconds
The first flash sale of Micromax’s Canvas Spark smartphone, which commenced today at 12 PM on Snapdeal, saw 20,000 units of the device selling out in less than 2 seconds.
Samsung reports a $5.5B operating profit for Q1 2015
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...
Galaxy Tab A with S Pen launched in Samsung’s home country of South Korea
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab A with S Pen in South Korea. While the tablet is available in both 9.7 and 8 inch variants, only the former has been launched. It will, however, be available in both WiFi and LTE flavors.
Nokia N1 to finally escape China, Taiwan gets it first
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...
LG G4 pre-orders open up in UK, start at £500
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...
Apple rejecting Apple Watch apps that just tell time
One of the notable things about the Apple Watch is that it does not support third party watch faces. Although there’s a whole bunch of them that come pre-installed and you can customize them further, you can’t actually download more.
Samsung and Marvel release Avengers themed Galaxy S6 edge promo
Samsung has teamed up with Marvel Worldwide to work on a limited edition Avengers superheroes themed Galaxy S6 edge. Both companies have worked together to release the first promo dubbed ‘Assemble’ showing the Galaxy S6 edge Avengers edition smartphone.
T-Mobile launches G4 preview program
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 LTE was previously rumored as a stylus-enabled G4 version but later introduced as a mid-range phablet with a stylus. G Stylo LTE features a 5.7" HD IPS display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with quad-core 1.2GHz CPU, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB expandable storage, 8MP rear snapper with LED flash, 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 aims to sell 12 million G4 units
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 ends its ties with Chinese OEM OnePlus
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...
Apple Watch heart rate sensor fails on tattooed wrists
If you have heavily tattooed wrists, you might want to reconsider getting the Apple Watch. As several people have reported, the heart rate sensor on the back of the watch has trouble doing its job if you have tattoos on your skin.
Tuesday
Samsung pips Apple to regain top smartphone-maker crown
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 tops Chinese market with 14% share
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...
Future ZenFones to use Snapdragon 615, says Asus CEO
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...
Initial Lenovo A6000 Plus batch sold out in 15 minutes
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...
Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S4 getting Lollipop OTA update
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 |...
2015 Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla, for decades, has epitomized basic, trouble-free, and relatively comfortable transportation. That 'no frills' reputation changed a bit a couple of years ago, when Toyota added some more technology and flair to the Corolla, arguably breaking free of biases that have long pegged it as the blandest of the compact-sedan bunch. The...2015 Lexus GS
The 2015 Lexus GS 350 and GS 450h hybrid are sport sedans, serving as sharper-edged counterpoints to comfort-oriented ES sedan as well as rivals for a core set of mid-size German luxury and sport sedans, like the Mercedes-Benz E Class, BMW 5-Series, and Audi A6. Meanwhile, the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD is perhaps the most direct rival to the...2015 Lexus GX
The 2015 Lexus GX 460 is the kind of 'tough-truck' luxury that's strictly a niche product today, but a decade ago it was all the rage. For the U.S. it's become an increasingly hard sell, as even while gas prices have kept down, Americans continue to gravitate to more road-bound crossovers with better fuel economy. That said, it offers a luxurious...HTC Q1 2015 earnings reveal modest net profit after tax
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...
Google Now integration arrives for 70 more Android apps
Google Now support is now available for 70 more Android applications. The search giant rolled out deep integration with third-party apps to the already mighty personal assistant back in January.
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL is now available to buy in the UK
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...
Angry Birds now out for Tizen
The Angry Birds franchise is seemingly everywhere you look these days, but one place it wasn’t present up until this point was Samsung’s Tizen OS. That all changes now with the launch of Angry Birds on Tizen.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition will get Android 5.1
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...
The LG G4 performance benchmark results are in and they are not stellar
LG G4 is the first smartphone to run on the Snapdragon 808 chip. Qualcomm announced the 808 revision side by side with the flagship 810 model, but it is just now we are seeing it in action within the LG G4. Snapdragon 808 offers a hexa-core 64-bit processor with two Cortex-A57 and four Cortex-A53 cores, [...]
The official LG G4 camera samples are out
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...
Here are the official LG G4 accessories
Today we saw the unveiling of the LG G4 and we even got a chance to play with it first hand. What we also saw on display was the full suite of accessories, which will be available for styling the LG’s flagship. And no, it’s not just the leather backs. Ceramic coated premium back and [...]
A Mofie Juice pack for the LG G4 adds 3,450mAh of extra battery, a lot of bulk
The just-announced LG G4 flagship is yet to make its way to the customers, but a battery pack has been announced for it by industry specialist Mophie. It promises up to 80% more power and offers added protection from accidental bumps.
Motorola takes a dig at the G4, says it had leather first
It’s official, the LG G4 is here! Just minutes ago, the flagship was unveiled and it pretty much delivers on all of its promises. Naturally, the genuine leather stitched back remained the center of attention throughout a large chunk of the presentation and LG really made it clear that the G4 comes with its own [...]
LG G4 hands-on: First look
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...
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