Posts Tagged handset
LG Optimus Black CyanogenMod 10.1 Nightlies Now Live
If you’re an Optimus Black owner, you may be interested to know that CyanogenMod 10.1 nightly builds (see blurb below) have arrived for the LG handset. CyanogenMod 10.1 is based on Android 4.2, and includes many of the cool new Android 4.2 goodies like notification bar power toggles, Swype-style keyboard input, and a brand-new camera app.
It could oftentimes be unstable and not properly tested, lacking any changelogs, but eventually evolving into alphas, betas, release candidates, and finally stable releases.
- First CyanogenMod 10 Nightly Officially Arrives For The Tegra 3 One X
- AT&T’s Galaxy SII (i777) Gets Its First CyanogenMod 9 Nightly
- Unlocked Galaxy Note N7000 Receives First Official CyanogenMod 9 Nightly
- CyanogenMod 10 Nightlies Begin For The Galaxy S Blaze 4G
LG Optimus Black CyanogenMod 10.1 Nightlies Now Live was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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HTC may unveil the M7 smartphone during CES
We saw some rumored details and leaks for the HTC M7 during the month of December. And well, it looks like the new month has brought some new details. Of course, we should point out — still rumored details. That clarification being made, this latest bit deals with a possible announcement.
The previous rumors were suggesting that HTC was going to wait until Mobile World Congress to unveil the M7, however that announcement may actually be taking place in a few days time. Yup, during CES. Anyway, the details are coming by way of xda user Football, who posted the details under the Football4PDA Twitter handle. Aside from the possibility of HTC announcing the M7 during CES, it was also noted that the handset may have touchscreen buttons as opposed to hardware buttons.
Otherwise, touching on the legitimacy of the rumors. In the past we have seen solid details come from this user, however it is important to note where these are coming from — “some indirect information.” That being said, CES is just a few days away so it looks like this is one rumor that will be proven true or false rather quickly.
Finally, previous details suggest the HTC M7 will bring feature to include a 4.7-inch 1080p HD display with a pixel resolution of 468, quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 2300 mAh battery, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and Jelly Bean.
[via unwired view]
Samsung to address random Galaxy S3 mainboard failures with firmware update
Before the joyous holiday season we had to be a bit of a grinch and drop news of a problem affecting a small number of Samsung Galaxy S3 owners. Users were reporting devices dying at random after owning the handset for several months. The problem was narrowed down to the 16GB version of the handset and seemed to stem from an issue with the devices main circuit board.
Because all signs pointed to a hardware issue, most thought the problem would require a revision to the Galaxy S3′s actual build. But Samsung has addressed the problem and says a fix will arrive in the form of a firmware update. According to Tweakers Samsung is prepared to deliver the update in the very near future.
Most GS3 owners won’t have to worry about waking up to a bricked phone and no explanation, but those with at-risk handsets can rest assured that the problem should soon be a thing of the past.
Vodafone UK launches discounted ‘Nearly New’ pre-owned handset
Vodafone UK has announced the launch of 'Nearly New' — a way for Pay As You Go or contract customers to get hold of a smartphone at a lower cost, provided they're happy with using a handset that's not fresh out of the box.
PAYG customers will be able to pick up a pre-owned handset at a reduced up-front price, while contract customers will pay a lower monthly fee if they take a pre-owned phone.
Vodafone says all 'Nearly New' handsets have been returned in "very good condition" by previous owners, and have been factory reset and boxed up with accessories. Vodafone offers the example of the Galaxy S3, which is free on a £33 per month deal on 'Nearly New,' versus £37 per month brand new. Devices bought on PAYG will come with a 12 month warranty, the network says; for contract customers, it's 24 months.
'Nearly New' launches today for contract customers online and at Vodafone stores today; PAYG phones are available in-store today and online from today.
It's not the first time Vodafone has experimented with unconventional ways of getting phones into customers' hands. Back in November the carrier started offering 12-month handset rentals, allowing subscribers to get a new smartphone every year, provided the old one is returned undamaged.
2013 is set to become an interesting year for UK mobile operators, as Vodafone, O2 and Three prepare to launch LTE services to compete with 4G incumbent EE.
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CES-bound Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL press shots leak
Ladies and gentlemen, here are the Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. You may know them better as the Yuga and Odin, and will be formally introduced next week at CES. But that’s a week away, and we live in the here and now. These press shots surfaced at Sony’s Japanese site in the wee hours of the new year and show handsets that appear to match previous leaks.
The Xperia Z will likely be Sony’s flagship handset for the first half of 2012 and is rumored to feature a 5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processing, and a 13MP camera. The Xperia ZL looks put its own twist on a similar spec sheet, though nothing is confirmed at this time.
Sony’s press event will take place next Monday, January 7th, at 5PM local time.
[via Engadget]
Sony Xperia Z press image leaks
It looks like the New Year had brought a new image of the Sony Xperia Z, which for those who have moved on from and forgotten the codename, was the device previously known as the Sony Yuga. We still have yet to learn when exactly Sony plans to officially announce this device. That being said, we wouldn’t be surprised if we end up seeing a few more leaks in the the days before CES.
The image (which can be seen below) is a press style render of the Sony Xperia Z showing off the front side of the device. Otherwise, we are not learning anything new from the image and the specs are still rumored. The Xperia Z should arrive running Jelly Bean and with higher-end specs.
Sony is getting into the 5-inch display game with the Xperia Z and according to the rumors, this handset will be launching with a 5-inch full HD display. Additionally, some of the other (and still rumored) specs include a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, Adreno 320 graphics and 13 megapixel rear-facing camera.
Again, we wouldn’t be surprised to learn some official details come CES, however in the meantime — this leaked press render does appear to lineup nicely with the previously leaked Yuga Xperia Z images. Finally, based on some of the previous leaks, the Xperia Z is expected to arrive as both a dust- and water-resistant device with the IP (Ingress Protection) ratings of IP55 and IP57.
[via Twitter @evleaks]
LG Optimus Vu Has Apparently Sold 1 Million Units
The LG Optimus Vu is a little known handset, especially after the Galaxy Note took the world by storm in 2011. Interestingly, the device is also a phablet and features a slightly smaller display with a rather strange aspect ratio (4:3). The device packs all the goodies/bloatware that come with an LG device, and wasn’t a huge success in the market. But LG doesn’t think so, with the manufacturer claiming that over 1 million units of the smartphone have been sold so far. It has taken a little over nine months for the smartphone to reach this status, while the Galaxy Note II has done this in just 90 days. The problem with the Optimus Vu was that it arrived shortly after the original Galaxy Note did in 2011 and the Note stood as a colossus against every other competitive offering, with the Optimus Vu being one of them. LG also launched a successor to the Optimus Vu shortly after the first gen Vu launched, and that was known as the Optimus Vu II. This was launched in September 2012, so LG basically refreshed the original Optimus Vu in a matter of six months, so as to remain competitive in the market.
It is very possible that LG has taken into account sales numbers of both the devices to come up with the estimate, which makes sense. Samsung however has absolutely no competition from the likes of the Optimus Vu and the rest of the phablets out there. Although, entries of devices like the Huawei Ascend Mate, Oppo Find 5 might be a cause for concern. It goes without saying that people have taken a particular liking towards Samsung’s offerings over LG’s and that has been the case since the past few years now. We expect the trend to continue in the coming days, even as LG prepares to launch its 1080p smartphone in the market.
A sale of over a million units for a single smartphone over a period of 90 days is a remarkable achievement. Sadly for LG, its sales haven’t been the best in the market. Even flagship smartphones like the Optimus 4X HD and the Optimus 3D Max failed to take off after the announcement at MWC last year. It is hoped that the company’s upcoming flagship could change the fortunes for the company. The company brags of its rich IPS panels, which provide decent clarity compared to standard LCD panels. So this could be instrumental in the device’s success in the market.
Source: MK (Translated)
Via: Phone Arena
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 shows up in new color options (for real this time)
It was last Friday we saw what appeared to be the Galaxy Note in a brand new color option: black. Many of you were pretty jazzed at the idea, myself included. Unfortunately, the blacked out Galaxy Note 2 was nothing more than a concept, although that’s not to say a black version will launch at some point down the road (if fact, we’re kinda betting on it). It’s definitely not uncommon for a handset manufacturer to release new color variants after its initial launch. Gives the device another opportunity to create some new buzz.
Today the Note 2 is back again and yes, in new color options. This time around, we have something a little more official than a render — a magazine ad from Korea. The ad shows the Note 2 in “Garnet Red” and “Amer Brown,” just like its Galaxy S3 sibling. While there’s no guarantee we’ll see the new color options launch outside of Korea (remember the pink Note?), it’s safe to say that they’ll come to the US eventually, especially given the fact the same colors launched here on the S3 a few months ago.
What do you guys think? Out of grey, white, red, and brown — which is your favorite?
[via UnwiredView]
LG Optimus G gets ‘Carbon-Free’ certification
Sure, owners of LG’s flagship handset may not be running Jelly Bean just yet, but they do have something pretty impressive to gloat about. The glass covered quad-core powerhouse has been certified as Carbon-Free by the CarbonFund Foundation, assuring its minimal environmental impact. This means that from raw supplies to production, and on to distribution, the LG Optimus G was crafted with Mother Earth’s uncertain future in mind. This installment continues the growing trend from LG, who also has a slew of green refrigerators and other environmentally friendly home appliances.
Well done, LG. Well done.
Source: LG
Jolla’s Sailfish OS Gets the Hands-On Treatment
Nokia’s promising looking MeeGo platform was ditched once and for all when the Finns got too focused on Windows Phone 7, thanks largely to the entry of Stephen Elop. The MeeGo platform was an evolution of Maemo which featured on handsets like the N900. The last known MeeGo handset was the Nokia N9 and the N950 (developer version). Sadly, the device saw very limited sales and that was because the smartphone wasn’t launched in the UK, U.S or major Asian countries, because Nokia was looking to launch the Lumia 800 right about then. But whoever managed to get their hands on the device were instant fans of the smartphone and the all touch UI. And since the development for the platform stopped, a few ex-Nokia developers decided to form their own company called Jolla which would rejuvenate the platform with a new OS called Sailfish. Very little has been known about the OS, except for a few scanty images, but now the folks at Engadget have managed to get some hands on time with the smartphone and it certainly looks promising. The fact that the OS is shown off on a Nokia N950 should hardly come as a surprise as these developers have been working with this smartphone for quite a while now.
The platform comes with support for true multitasking which shows us a small preview of the minimized app on the homescreen. Several of the platform’s features were shown off in the video, right from multi-tasking to deep customization, the Sailfish OS can handle it all. The OS has been designed in a way that the certain parts of the user interface changes according to the wallpaper you set, now that’s a neat touch. Shortcuts on the lockscreen can be arranged nicely as well. It’s obviously a work in progress, so not everything is perfect just yet. Most of the features remind heavily of MeeGo, especially the all swipe gestures. There’s no doubt that the gang has some creativity and it would go a long way in shaping the future for the OS.
The folks at Jolla have made the Sailfish SDK public so that the developers can have a brief look at the OS and pass on suggestions if any. Plenty of these features have been displayed in the hands on video, so make sure you catch that. All in all, it’s good to see ex-Nokia employees quick to act and bring an OS to the fore. Although it’s still in its developmental stages, it won’t take long to attract users. However, we fear if projects like these will remain merely as an experiment as there’s hardly any room for a new platform to make way into the market. Those who were impressed by the Nokia N9 and the MeeGo Harmattan OS, would certainly take a liking to Jolla’s new offering.
BlackBerry N-Series Smartphone X10 Leaks Again
The BlackBerry OS 10 smartphones are just around the corner, with an announcement scheduled for late next month. And it is obvious that we will see some bits of the new OS and the smartphones packing the OS. We recently saw the BlackBerry 10 L-Series smartphone leaked in a brief video showing off the features of the device, and a few days later we saw some detailed images of the device which revealed almost every hardware aspect of the smartphone. But as we all know, there’s another handset with BlackBerry 10 OS that is prepping launch. We are talking about the N-Series smartphone which packs the standard BlackBerry physical keyboard. We’ve seen some blurry images of this handset in the past, but now we’ve stumbled across another leak revealing the device in all its glory, courtesy of N4BB. This device is also known as the BlackBerry X10 in the rumor mill. The bigger touchscreen sibling is known as the BlackBerry Z10, so it’s easy to keep track. These are clear pictures unlike what we’ve seen of the device before which is very welcome.
The pictures reveal the back and the front of the device, and shows us exactly how big the keyboard as well as the display is. The back pretty much looks like your standard BlackBerry smartphone, but it’s the front where all the action happens, so we don’t mind how the back is designed. The keyboard looks pretty comfortable to type on and they’re not stuck together like most physical keyboards, and there’s sufficient gap between rows. This is very reminiscent to what we saw in BlackBerry 7 smartphones, and we could understand why RIM wouldn’t want to change that. The display is pretty lengthy, which means we could be dealing with a tall unit here.
There’s no word on how exactly the N-Series smartphone or X10 will be different from the L-Series BlackBerry 10 device in terms of software customization. Since they feature two different form factors, we can expect RIM to utilize the QWERTY keyboard to good effect. Let’s see what we have in store on January 30th when the company takes the wraps off its new OS and smartphones. BlackBerry loyalists have been waiting to get this smartphone for a long time now, so it is hoped RIM would live up to all the hype and anticipation.
More Huawei Ascend D2 Images Leaked
Huawei’s new 5-inch 1080p smartphone called the Ascend D2 has been spotted in a new leak, following the one that appeared earlier this month. The new photos were seen on the Sina Weibo microblogging website.
The photos show the front, rear, and side view of the a white smartphone as it is being handled by a person. As per the images, it has a clear layer of plastic over the white plastic rear casing, similar to the one found on the Meizu MX2. A layer of clear plastic also protects the on-screen buttons.
When compared to other recent smartphones from China like the ZTE Nubia Z5 and the ZTE Grand S, the Huawei Ascend D2 looks thicker, possibly because of its massive battery which has a capacity of 3000mAh. It had been previously observed by Shine Wong, writing for GizmoChina, that the handset resembles the Apple iPhone 5.
Purportedly, the Huawei Ascend D2 will boast of a 5-inch FHD touch screen display with a resolution of 1920 x1080 pixels. Said kind of display is also found on the ZTE Nubia Z5. Under the hood, it will come with a Hisilicon K3V2 quad-core processor working with 2GB of RAM. Its main camera packs a 13-megapixel image sensor. The smartphone will have Android 4.1 OS that is overlaid with some customizations from Huawei. Some of these customizations are visible on the leaked images. It is still unknown if Huawei is including a microSD card slot for memory expansion. Likewise, the storage capacities that the smartphone will offer are still a mystery. Rumors also suggest that Huawei will sell the device for RMB 3299 or roughly US$530.
The smartphone will be unveiled during CES 2013 in January. It will likely be showcased alongside the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate phablet, another 1080p device from the China-based electronics company.
LG Optimus G gets ‘Carbon-Free’ certification
Sure, owners of LG’s flagship handset may not be running Jelly Bean just yet, but they do have something pretty impressive to gloat about. The glass covered quad-core powerhouse has been certified as Carbon-Free by the CarbonFund Foundation, assuring its minimal environmental impact. This means that from raw supplies to production, and on to distribution, the LG Optimus G was crafted with Mother Earth’s uncertain future in mind. This installment continues the growing trend from LG, who also has a slew of green refrigerators and other environmentally friendly home appliances.
Well done, LG. Well done.
Source: LG
Mobile Miscellany: week of December 24th, 2012
If you didn’t get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we’ve opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, we stumbled upon a sneak peek of Sony’s promised Jelly Bean update and XDA University opened its doors to educate others about the curious world of Android customization. Not to stop there, Nokia unleashed a new entry-level handset for those in mainland China. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the “best of the rest” for this week of December 24th, 2012.
Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of December 24th, 2012
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile
LG Optimus G gets ‘Carbon-Free’ certification
Sure, owners of LG’s flagship handset may not be running Jelly Bean just yet, but they do have something pretty impressive to gloat about. The glass covered quad-core powerhouse has been certified as Carbon-Free by the CarbonFund Foundation, assuring its minimal environmental impact. This means that from raw supplies to production, and on to distribution, the LG Optimus G was crafted with Mother Earth’s uncertain future in mind. This installment continues the growing trend from LG, who also has a slew of green refrigerators and other environmentally friendly home appliances.
Well done, LG. Well done.
Source: LG
Hands-on with Jolla’s Sailfish OS (video)
We recently had the chance to spend time with David Greaves and Vesa-Matti Hartikainen of Jolla and take Sailfish OS for a spin. As you might recall, this open source mobile OS builds upon Mer (a fork of MeeGo that includes Qt) and uses the Nemo framework with a custom UI. Like any decent Linux-based OS, it supports both ARM and x86 devices. The company is also behind the Sailfish SDK which is in the process of being finalized but is still open to developer feedback (the source code is available). After seeing Jolla’s various demo videos and noting some UI similarities with MeeGo (swipes) and, strangely, with BB10 (peek gestures), we were eager to experience Sailfish OS for ourselves.
If you’re wondering why the mobile OS is usually shown running on Nokia’s N950 developer handset, that’s because Jolla employs many ex-MeeGo engineers, so the OMAP-based phone was a natural fit. We were first given a walkthrough of Sailfish OS, then allowed to play with it. Many apps are still being worked on and some are still off-limits (we got in trouble for launching the camera), but what we saw was pretty solid. Take a look at the gallery below, then hit the break for our hands-on video and first impressions.
Gallery: Hands-on with Jolla’s Sailfish OS
Continue reading Hands-on with Jolla’s Sailfish OS (video)
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Nokia
LG Optimus G gets ‘Carbon-Free’ certification
Sure, owners of LG’s flagship handset may not be running Jelly Bean just yet, but they do have something pretty impressive to gloat about. The glass covered quad-core powerhouse has been certified as Carbon-Free by the CarbonFund Foundation, assuring its minimal environmental impact. This means that from raw supplies to production, and on to distribution, the LG Optimus G was crafted with Mother Earth’s uncertain future in mind. This installment continues the growing trend from LG, who also has a slew of green refrigerators and other environmentally friendly home appliances.
Well done, LG. Well done.
Source: LG
Samsung to expand US operations with two new California facilities
Samsung will be taking several steps towards strengthening its U.S. presence with two new facilities to be constructed in 2013. The Korean handset and chip manufacturer already has some notable presence in the Bay Area, and has big plans to expand that in the coming year. The first big move is a 1.1 million square foot building to be constructed in San Jose with its current display and semiconductor business, which will be used for SSI (Samsung Semiconductor, Inc.) R&D and sales teams.
The second step will be moving the current SISA (Samsung Information Systems America) R&D Center to two new 6 story business buildings (and a 6 story parking structure) located in North San Jose. These new buildings will total about 385,000 square feet on 8.5 acres of land. The buildings are set to be finished in 2013, with full occupancy in 2014.
That's some big investment from Samsung, and these changes will surely help bring some operating efficiency to a very large company that currently has divisions spread across multiple countries. You can find a press release with some of the specifics after the break.
Source: Samsung (BusinessWire)
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Apple agrees to drop the Galaxy S III Mini patent claim
Apple has recently agreed to drop the Galaxy S III Mini from its patent case with Samsung. If you remember back, Apple had asked the courts to include the handset (along with a few tablets) to the patent case back in November. That however has changed since Samsung has never released the Galaxy S III Mini for sale in the US market.
According to Samsung, they are not “making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing the Galaxy S III Mini in the United States.” And while Apple has agree to withdraw the handset from the case, they did so under a condition. That condition was to make sure that the removal from the case would “not prejudice Apple’s ability later to accuse the Galaxy S III Mini if the factual circumstances change.”
Of course, looking at this as a consumer — this also means that Samsung will likely never release the Galaxy S III Mini in the US market. After all, should Samsung decide to release the handset, Apple would then once again ask to have it included in the case.
All said and done, while we would consider this a win for Samsung, it is important to remember that this is just one device out of many. In other words, while the Galaxy S III Mini is out, there are still more than a few devices that remain included. And keep in mind, this latest case is separate from the previous Apple/Samsung case which saw Apple be awarded a $1.05 billion verdict.
- Device Name : Galaxy S III Mini
- Manufactuer : Samsung
- Carrier : NA
- Announced Date : October 11, 2012
- Release Date : TBA
- Also Known As :
- Screen Size : 4 Inch
- Resolution : 480×800
- Screen Type : Super AMOLED
- Height : 4.78 Inch
- Width : 2.48 Inch
- Depth : 0.38 Inch
- Weight : 111.5 Grams
- Battery Type:
- Lithium Ion
- Battery Capacity : 1500 mAh
- Talk Time : NA
- Stand By Time : NA
- Android OS:
- 4.1.x
- Audio Playback:
- AAC
- AAC+
- AMR
- MID
- MP3
- WAV
- WMA
- Video Playback:
- h.263
- h.264 / AVC
- 3GP
- MPEG-4 (MP4)
- WMV
- Messaging:
- SMS
- MMS
- IM
- CPU : U8420
- CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
- Core : 2
- Ram : 1000 MB
- Internal Storage : 8 GB
- Front Facing Camera :
- Camera Resolution : 5 MP
- External Storage:
- MicroSD
- Camera Features:
- Auto focus
- Flash
- 720p Video Recording
- Sensors:
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light
- Proximity
- QWERTY :
- Network Technology:
- GSM
- GSM Band:
- 850
- 900
- 1800
- 1900
- Wi-Fi:
- 802.11a
- 802.11b
- 802.11g
- 802.11n
- Bluetooth:
- A2DP
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Location Features:
- Compass
- GPS
- Cellular location
- Wi-Fi location
- FM Radio :
- NFC :
[via Reuters]
ZTE Grand S details revealed ahead of January 8 announcement
The ZTE Grand S will be officially unveiled during CES. In fact, ZTE has already confirmed that they will be announcing the handset on January 8. That bit we do know, however up until this point, most of the details have been nothing more than rumor. Granted, those rumors do make the handset seem interesting, however we can only put so much hope into rumors.
That said, it looks like ZTE has recently confirmed a few details about the Grand S. What we have seen thus far is coming by of of Chinese press reports. The details include the Grand S as having a thickness of just 6.9mm along with a 5-inch (1920 x 1080) HD display and a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera.
Other still rumored specs include a quad-core 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S4 (APQ8064) processor along with 2GB of RAM and a 2500 mAh battery. On these specs, nothing all that surprising on the processor and the RAM, however the battery seems a bit small. Well, small as compared to the Nubia Z5 which was recently announced with a 3000 mAh battery.
The one other bit that we are curious to see announced deals with the exterior of the device. Previous rumors have suggested the Grand S will be made of ceramic. The price has yet to be confirmed, however reports are suggesting that it will arrive at 2,799 yuan (about $450 or €340). Judging from the few details that have been confirmed and the ones that are still rumored and it looks like ZTE could have a decent offering. Time will tell how well received it will be though.
[via unwired view]
Latest Samsung Galaxy S IV rumors suggest a slightly smaller Galaxy Note
We saw the Galaxy S IV concept video that surfaced yesterday, but the truth of the matter is that details for the handset are still rumored and unconfirmed at this point in time. Nonetheless, it seems that based on previous history with the Galaxy S line, there are some likely assumptions that can be made in terms of specs (compared to the Galaxy S III).
That being said though, this latest round of Galaxy S IV rumors seem to be suggesting that the handset will be arriving as a slightly smaller Galaxy Note. In other words, a handset with support for the S Pen. These rumors are coming by way of the Korean language enuri.com website. The specs are said to include Jelly Bean along with a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core Exynos 5440 processor, 9.2mm thickness and a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto-focus.
Assuming the Galaxy S IV does arrive with S Pen support, this would imply that Samsung would be merging the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Note lines. The question would be why. So far it seems that people either love or hate the S Pen and given that, it almost seems to make more sense keeping the S Pen just in the Note line. But hey, we cannot speak for Samsung.
The 5-inch display seems to make sense though. Well, at least based on what we are seeing from other manufacturers. Otherwise, aside from some specs, this round of rumors are calling for an April announcement. So how about it, is anyone excited about the possibility of a Galaxy S IV with an S Pen? Or should the S Pen be left as a feature found only in the Note lineup?
[via phoneArena]
BLU Products VIVO 4.65 HD Smartphone Starts Shipping In January For $299.99
BLU Products has officially announced a new smartphone called the VIVO 4.65 HD. This is the successor of the VIVO 4.3 which the company released this year. As compared to the VIVO 4.3, the VIVO 4.65 HD has a larger display and more RAM.
The VIVO 4.65 HD, as the name implies, features a High Definition display that measures 4.65 inches diagonally. Said screen has Super AMOLED technology, which promises to provide “remarkably bright and vivid color reproduction.” On its front, no physical buttons are found, giving the device a “seamless, elegant design.”
Under the hood, the handset runs on a MediaTek MT6577 dual core Cortex A9 CPU with a clock speed of 1.2 GHz. It also comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich which is overlaid with a BLU Products skin. Moreover, it packs 1GB of RAM. As for connectivity, the VIVO 4.65 HD supports 3G/HSPA.
In the multimedia department, the smartphone boasts of an 8-megapixel camera with the capability to autofocus and record videos in High Definition.
Fans of dual SIM devices will also be happy to note that the phone supports dual SIM standby. This enables user to receive messages and calls on both SIM cards at the same time, as well as save on expenses when the user selects the more cost-effective services from among two mobile operators. The smartphone is unlocked, as well.
The VIVO 4.65 HD will go on sale in the United States beginning January, for the retail price of $299.99. It will also be released later in Asia and Latin America. BLU Products will be launching more products during the first six months of 2013.
BLU Products may not be a popular name in smartphones, but the company in fact already has a wide range of handsets with various input types to cater to different kinds of consumers. On its website, it offers six Android smartphones and 21 feature phones.
via engadget
Motorola rumored to launch an updated Droid RAZR M with a 4.5″ HD display
A set of specs have recently leaked for a handset that looks to be a follow-up to the Droid RAZR M. The handset has been dubbed the Droid RAZR M HD, and as one would assume, these leaked specs are showing a handset with an HD display. More specifically, with a 4.5-inch display at 1280 x 720.
The catch here, while the leak contains an almost full set of specs, they did not arrive with any images. Or anything else to back this rumor. The one point that does seem to have this making sense, with Motorola already having a few RAZR branded smartphones — why not launch another. Of course, that is certainly not reason enough. That said, lets get into those specs.
Aside from the HD display, the RAZR M HD is said to have Android 4.1 (at launch) along with a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 processor, Adreno 225 graphics, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, microSD card slot and a massive 3300 mAh battery. The curious part here, it seems strange that Motorola would launch an HD version of the RAZR M with a display that falls in between that of the current RAZR M (4.3-inches) and the RAZR HD (4.7-inches). The rumored specs for the RAZR M HD have the handset weighing in at 5.22 ounces, which seems to make sense given the dimensions (and battery). As for the size, the specs say that it will be 5.15 x 2.52 x 0.35 inches, which is closer in size to that of the RAZR HD than the RAZR M.
All said and done, given these specs arrived with little else in terms of detail, we remain skeptical. Of course, given how we have seen Motorola grow and expand upon the Droid RAZR line, there is little that would be surprising. In fact, if anything, we could believe the specs are real, but that it may arrive as a new handset and not an HD version of the currently available RAZR M.
[via phoneArena]
BLU Products announces the VIVO 4.65 HD smartphone with ICS
BLU Products has officially announced their latest Android smartphone offering. The handset is the VIVO 4.65 HD and it will be arriving as the big brother to the VIVO 4.3. And assuming the device name didn’t make it clear enough, the handset will be arriving with a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display.
Aside from the display, the BLU Products VIVO 4.65 HD will be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with hardware features to include 3G/HSPA connectivity along with a dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex A9 processor and 1GB of RAM. The handset will also have a front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto-focus and HD video recording.
Otherwise, the VIVO 4.65 HD will have dual-SIM support, which simply means that you will be able to insert and use two active SIM cards at the same time. All of that said, the BLU Products handset is expected to arrive for those in the US beginning in January with availability for those in Latin America and parts of Asia to follow soon after. The VIVO 4.65 HD will be priced at $299.99 and available with “major” US retailers.
If the BLU Products handset sounds appealing but a 4.65-inch handset is bigger than you prefer — the company also offers the VIVO 4.3, the ELITE 3.8 and the DASH 3.5. All said and done, while some may prefer the Nexus 4 over the VIVO 4.65 HD, the BLU Products offering may have one thing going for it — availability. Of course, we will see how well that thought holds up once the handset arrives for sale in the US.
Sony to announce Sony Xperia Z at CES 2013
Chinese web site ePrice is reporting Sony will unveil the forthcoming Sony Xperia Z at CES 2013. The new Sony handset is quickly morphing into a device similar to LG’s Google Nexus 4 in that so many images and leaks are coming out, any official announcement is almost anti-climatic. We have already been treated to a detailed review of the device going by the name Sony Yuga and reports have already surfaced indicating the name would be changed to the Sony Xperia Z. With this new 5-inch device, Sony is trying to remain in the market and compete for buyers looking for 1080p display devices. The addition of water and dust resistant coatings to improve survive-ability in harsh climates or against the occasional mishap may help set it apart from competitors.
ePrice indicates the new handset, after debuting at CES 2013, will hit the Chinese market on January 15th where it is expected to sell for 4289 yuan ($690 USD). No word yet on what the future release schedule will be like for other markets. Up to now, we only knew the new device would be announced some time in the first quarter of 2013. We are glad to see it will be near the beginning of 2013. With luck, TalkAndroid will get some hands-on time with the Xperia Z during CES 2013.
source: ePrice
Sony to announce Sony Xperia Z at CES 2013
Chinese web site ePrice is reporting Sony will unveil the forthcoming Sony Xperia Z at CES 2013. The new Sony handset is quickly morphing into a device similar to LG’s Google Nexus 4 in that so many images and leaks are coming out, any official announcement is almost anti-climatic. We have already been treated to a detailed review of the device going by the name Sony Yuga and reports have already surfaced indicating the name would be changed to the Sony Xperia Z. With this new 5-inch device, Sony is trying to remain in the market and compete for buyers looking for 1080p display devices. The addition of water and dust resistant coatings to improve survive-ability in harsh climates or against the occasional mishap may help set it apart from competitors.
ePrice indicates the new handset, after debuting at CES 2013, will hit the Chinese market on January 15th where it is expected to sell for 4289 yuan ($690 USD). No word yet on what the future release schedule will be like for other markets. Up to now, we only knew the new device would be announced some time in the first quarter of 2013. We are glad to see it will be near the beginning of 2013. With luck, TalkAndroid will get some hands-on time with the Xperia Z during CES 2013.
source: ePrice
CyanogenMod 10.1 Nightlies now available for Samsung Vibrant
Are you still rocking a Samsung Vibrant on T-Mobile? Well, first things first–you should probably consider upgrading. However, if you’re not into buying a new phone, you’ll be somewhat pleased to know that your now two and a half year old device has been given a breath of new life in the form of CyanogenMod 10.1. Based on Android 4.2 AOSP, the latest Nightly builds are now available for flashing, offering up Google’s newest software on your forgotten Samsung handset.
Sure, there may be a few bugs, but let’s get serious for a minute. Android 4.2 on a device released in 2010? This is exactly what separates Android apart from the rest. Now, only if we could somehow manage to get manufacturers on board.
Sony Odin (C650X) may launch as the Xperia X
A short while back we learned that the Sony Yuga (C660X) may end up launching as the Sony Xperia Z. And well, it looks like another recently leaked Sony handset may have gotten an Xperia branded name. This latest is the handset that has been using the codename of Odin. Simply put, the Odin is now expected to arrive as the Sony Xperia X.
Some may also recognize the Odin as the C650X. Regardless though, codename or Xperia branded name aside — an important factor here is that we have yet to hear anything from Sony. In other words, this is all still rumor at this point in time. That distinction being made, lets recap what some of the previous Sony Odin rumors have revealed.
The Xperia X (Odin) is expected to arrive running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean along with a 5-inch (1920 x 1080) HD display, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage space. Coincidentally, the Xperia Z is also expected to be sporting these same features.
That all being said, time will tell just how accurate these rumors prove to be. In the meantime though, we are expecting the handset to be announced during CES or possibly a month later during Mobile World Congress. When Sony finally decides to offer an announcement aside, it seems like manufacturers are beginning to move to common ground — displays that are 1080p and around 5-inches in size.
[via phoneArena]
CyanogenMod 10.1 Nightlies now available for Samsung Vibrant
Are you still rocking a Samsung Vibrant on T-Mobile? Well, first things first–you should probably consider upgrading. However, if you’re not into buying a new phone, you’ll be somewhat pleased to know that your now two and a half year old device has been given a breath of new life in the form of CyanogenMod 10.1. Based on Android 4.2 AOSP, the latest Nightly builds are now available for flashing, offering up Google’s newest software on your forgotten Samsung handset.
Sure, there may be a few bugs, but let’s get serious for a minute. Android 4.2 on a device released in 2010? This is exactly what separates Android apart from the rest. Now, only if we could somehow manage to get manufacturers on board.
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HTC HD2 runs Windows RT, postpones trip to afterlife yet again
Posted by admin in News on December 28, 2012
HTC’s HD2 may have begun life as just another Windows Mobile 6.5 handset, but its surprisingly hardy internals enable it to run almost any mobile OS going. The latest software to appear on the three-year-old device is Windows RT, which was jammed onto the system by a developer called Cotulla — who previously put Windows Phone 7 on the same unit. While we imagine it’s not that comfortable to use on the HD2′s 4.3-inch screen, we can imagine some superheroes are now scouring eBay for a similarly immortal smartphone.
[Image Credit: Cotulla]
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, HTC
Comments
Via: GSM Arena
Source: Cotulla (Twitter), (2), (3)
Cotulla, credit, Filed, gsm, handset, hd2, htc, HTC HD2, HTCCommentsVia, immortal, life, phone, software, windows mobile, Windows Phone 7, Windows RT
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