Sunday, November 30, 2014

Google releases its "Best Apps of 2014" list, highlights the better ones



Without a shadow of a doubt, 2014 marked the entrance of a countless number of apps that landed on all major app repositories - Google's Play Store, Apple's App Store, and the Windows Phone Store. If we have to be completely honest, the majority of these are nothing to write home about, but then again, a wide range of quality ones debuted as well. As usual, however, separating the wheat from the chaff is a cumbersome task.



Google, in particular, decided to make the latter a tad easier for the numerous fans of the Android platform, as Mountain View just highlighted the more notable ...



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ZTE launches the Grand S II in India for Rs. 13,999 ($225)


ZTE has launched the Grand S II in India. The phone will be sold exclusively through Amazon India and is priced at just Rs. 13,999 ($225). The Grand S II has a 5.5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB memory with microSD support, 13 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, and 3100mAh battery. The only drawback is that the Grand S II runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and ZTE will not be updating to the phone to KitKat, leave alone Lollipop or any future...






from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://ift.tt/1pEYRhb

How to change the default SMS app on Android 5.0 Lollipop

If you’ve installed Android 5.0 Lollipop on your device (or you’ve bought a device that runs Lollipop out of the box) and you’re not happy with the default SMS app, you can easily change it. You can choose to set Hangouts as your default messaging app, or try out third-party apps - there are plenty of them available via Google Play.



Devices that run Android Lollipop out of the box (like the Motorola-made Nexus 6) come with a brand new Messenger app that looks and feels different from the Messaging app you’ve seen on Android KitKat or Jelly Bean. Whether you have the new Messenger app, or ...



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T-Mobile announces its Cyber Monday deals

The carrier that has single-handedly transformed the industry in the US in less than two years has put together a tidy little Cyber Monday offering focused on, you guessed it, the iPhone.



T-Mobile has been very aggressive in its offerings for the iPhone, and the hard work has been paying off. It was forecast that Team Magenta accounted for nearly 20% of new iPhone 6/6 Plus sales at launch, an impressive showing given that the iPhone was not even a glimmer in T-Mobile’s eye two years ago.



The first item for T-Mobile customers is the recently released Personal CellSpot. Simple Choice ...



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Why deal with ride sharing apps, taxis, and traffic, when Blade is an app to summon a helicopter?



Picture this: You are in New York City, it is Friday afternoon, and you are trying to get out and hit the Hamptons of Long Island for the weekend. The obstacle? Friday afternoon rush hour traffic, and the likelihood of a wreck on one of the bridges spanning out of Manhattan.



Apps like Uber, Lyft, or even your personal driver are not going to be much help. If only you could get to the 34th Street heliport and summon your own helicopter. As luck would have it, there is indeed an app for that.



Blade will connect you with regularly planned trips between New York City’s 34th Street ...



from PhoneArena - News http://ift.tt/1tCBZul

Did you know that Fujitsu had a modular phone with detachable keyboard?

This isn't the first time we put a Japanese cell phone under the spotlight, and it surely won't be the last. That's because Japan is home to a great number of unique and exotic handsets – handsets that a gadget lover might be curious about. Here's an excellent example of that – the Fujitsu F-04B Separate Keitai.



Released in 2010 on NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu's phone stood out with its 2-piece design. Yes, the phone actually consisted of two separable pieces, which were held together with a magnet and communicated via Bluetooth. The idea behind this unorthodox solution was to enable users to exchange ...



from PhoneArena - News http://ift.tt/1vz462G

NTT DoCoMo: LTE so fast, it will cook your shrimp

If you have ever had the good fortune to spend any amount of time in Japan, you might have noticed that TV programming is a whole different animal there. It is entertaining, the news is informative, and there is food everywhere.



The Japanese love their food, and with good reason. So, NTT DoCoMo makes the most of a good situation by illustrating the speed of its expanded LTE service, now being aggregated on its incumbent 1700MHz spectrum.



Cooking and recipe shows are commonplace in Japan, and in some cases, food just pops up, even on programs where the topic is something else entirely. ...



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Purported specs of HTC's upcoming M9 flagship emerge


Alleged specs of HTC's next flagship smartphone made the rounds on Chinese social media. The high-end handset will likely debut in the first quarter of next year with the model number M9. HTC One (M9) is tipped to pack Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and 3GB of RAM. The display of the device is a 5.5" QHD unit. A 16MP camera with optical image stabilization, 3,500mAh battery, and stereo speakers with Bose tech round up the leaked specs. The specs you see above appear legitimate for a flagship smartphone, though we advise you to take a pinch of salt when you read through them. Quite frankly, we will be surprised if the Taiwanese manufacturer's next flagship doesn't ship with 64-bit Snapdragon 810 silicon. A "Prime" version of the upcoming device is also mentioned in the rumor. However, there are no details about it beyond its name. Source (in Chinese) |...






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iPhone users drive the mobile sales activity on Black Friday

The horde that is consumer shoppers trampling the retail landscape in pursuit of material items after a day of giving thanks is oxymoronic for sure. For businesses in the United States however, particularly smaller shops, Black Friday has shown to be the day that can change the entire year’s outlook.



The brick-and-mortar commerce has been augmented by the use of commerce apps on mobile devices, and while Android has a huge chunk of market share, iOS users generated four times the revenue during the shopping blitz a couple days ago.



Online sales generated $2.4 billion in revenue on ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/iPhone-users-drive-the-mobile-sales-activity-on-Black-Friday_id63350

Stocking stuffer alert: Grab a Chromecast from Google Play for $25, plus get 2 months of Hulu Plus and more

There are two parts to this deal, well three parts really. First is the sale price of Google Chromecast which is good through Cyber Monday, making the dongle an even better deal than it already was at $25.



Next up in the holiday promotion is the freebies you get with Chromecast if you buy it and set it up before the end of the year. One familiar promotion is three months of free Google Play Music streaming, after that, the unlimited music streaming subscription is $9.99 per-month.



New to the list of promotions is two months of free Hulu Plus that is included if you buy and set-up ...



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6 awesome Android apps for system monitoring


There are people who don't really care what's going on inside their phone, as long as it works without issues. Others prefer to know as much as possible about the clockwork inside their handset and how exactly it is ticking. And if you're of the latter kind, then you've landed on the right page.



In the slideshow below you'll find some of the best Android applications made for system monitoring – apps that display thorough information about the device's hardware and software, all while monitoring the performance of its individual components. Check them out!









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How to flash a custom recovery (like CWM or TWRP) on Android

If you have decided to take a trip to the land of custom ROMs and Android hacking in general, you’d need to take one first step - flash (install) a custom recovery. In this article, we explain what exactly is a ‘custom recovery’, how you install it, and what are some popular solutions.



Let’s start with the fact that every phone ships with stock recovery software. Stock recoveries vary slightly between phone makers, but they are identical in their essence - they allow you to manually flash official updates and clear your phone’s cache. Sounds limited? It is, and that’s why custom recoveries ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/How-to-flash-a-custom-recovery-like-CWM-or-TWRP-on-Android_id53914

Best Chinese Android tablets (2014 edition)




After taking a look at the fascinating world of China-made Android smartphones, where we found some true gems - devices of remarkable quality and surprisingly affordable price, it's time we examined the realm of tablets manufactured in the factories of Foxconn and other Chinese vendors.



The tablet market has been undergoing a shocking decline this year - after a few years of booming growth and optimism, it seems that people are not rushing to buy new tablets. For manufacturers, it's a tough climate with smaller margins, but still a fierce ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Best-Chinese-Android-tablets-2014-edition_id63320

What has been a surprise with the 2014 flagship smartphones?

Back in March, I asked a relatively simple question: would any 2014 flagships actually surprise us in any way? I felt it was a fairly reasonable question because the daily deluge of rumors and the general trend of simply iterating hardware has led to us knowing quite a bit about what to expect whenever a flagship is on the way. With the release of the Nexus 6 and the start of the holiday season, we have seen the last of the 2014 flagships released; so, it seems like a good time look back and see if there really were any surprises throughout the year.


When you first start to think ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/What-has-been-a-surprise-with-the-2014-flagship-smartphones_id62903

Nokia Lumia 530 is on sale at Amazon UK, costs £50


USA is always getting the cool Windows Phone deals and there is no denying that. Microsoft has always been promoting the Windows Phone OS throughout super affordable Lumia phones in its homeland for years, mostly using carrier or major retailer campaigns. In these rare occasions, such as today, other countries also enjoy similar promotions. The affordable Nokia Lumia 530 is even more affordable in the UK today for the next 10 hours, if you opt to get it contract-free from Amazon UK. The retailer is selling it online for just £49.99, which is at least £30 less than competing retailers' listings. Australians seems to be getting quite a treatment if they opt for the phone through Telstra. If you chose to get Telstra's Pre-Paid $2 Starter Kit, you can have the Nokia Lumia 530 on half the price at AU$39.50. It seems Microsoft is pushing the Lumia 530 in various deals worldwide, so you might be getting it cheap in your market very soon. Source 1 (Amazon) | Source...






from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_530_is_on_sale_at_amazon_uk_costs_50-news-10350.php

HTC One M7 and M8 Google Play Editions should get technical nod for Android 5.0 update on Monday

If this rollout of the Android 5.0 Lollipop update seemed more surreal compared to previous updates, you are probably not alone in the that feeling. Even with a couple unexpected obstacles though, the HTC One Google Play Edition devices are in final testing with the Lollipop update in Google’s quality assurance labs and will get updated before most other Android powered smartphones.



According to HTC Product vice-president, Mo Versi, HTC is expecting technical approval from Google by close of business Monday, December 1st.



That does not mean HTC One GPe owners can expect an over-the-air ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/HTC-One-M7-and-M8-Google-Play-Editions-should-get-technical-nod-for-Android-5.0-update-on-Monday_id63342

Are you a Snapchat artist or Vine star? These guys are and they #NoteMyDay, their latest on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4

People that are not into making Vines or passing along Snapchat images may not see the point in these videos. However, Rudy Mancuso, who gets millions of loops off his 6-second videos, and Shaun “Shonduras” McBride, who adds a creative touch to photo images that he blasts across the ether, provide a very interesting perspective to this active segment of social media.



To prove the new Galaxy Note 4 is not purely for productivity or mindless shenanigans, Samsung collaborated with this pair to share how they create their content using this new “super-phone” of sorts. Sharing their creation ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Are-you-a-Snapchat-artist-or-Vine-star--These-guys-are-and-they-NoteMyDay-their-latest-on-the-Samsung-Galaxy-Note-4_id63341

Creator behind Google+ pulls few punches in condemning Google’s (mis)handling of the social network

When it comes to social networking, there is Facebook and Twitter. LinkedIn is growing methodically through its focus on professional networking, and smaller services like Ello or Socl are GIF factories of sorts.



Where does Google+ fit in? Is it a success? Is it a failure? It is certainly an eye-pleasing presentation, on the desktop as well as the mobile app. There are not any advertisements or annoying invitations to play with on-line farm animals either.



So what is the deal with Google+? The guy behind the social network of Google (and “Godfather” to the hashtag as we now ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Creator-behind-Google-pulls-few-punches-in-condemning-Googles-mishandling-of-the-social-network_id63340

Cyber Monday deals on gadgets from Japan might be a nice change of pace

When it comes to gadgets and accessories, there is Japan, and then there is the rest of the world. When a nation has pushed technology like Japan has over the past generation, the result is seeing commonplace use of products that are still considered an outlier in other markets.



One example is TVs in cars, such connectivity with satellite service is gaining ground in American SUVs, family wagons, and minivans, but they have been an option in the land of the rising sun for well over a decade.



When it comes to mobile technology, flip-phones are still very popular, but their form factor ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Cyber-Monday-deals-on-gadgets-from-Japan-might-be-a-nice-change-of-pace_id63339

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Microsoft seeking talent to develop a user experience that breaks “free of the small screen”

If you have a knack for Software Engineering and you like big displays, Microsoft wants you. The company has been looking to unify the experience of its main Windows operating system with its gaming and mobile platforms, and the progress thus far has been admirable.



Windows 10 is arguably going to be the first really noticeable step to unifying the experience even more, and Redmond wants “individuals who love technology, multi-device scenarios, and have a passion for delivering next generation user experiences.



Your background? Six years of coding and debugging in C/C++ and delivering ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Microsoft-seeking-talent-to-develop-a-user-experience-that-breaks-free-of-the-small-screen_id63338

Screeny for iPhone helps you manage on-device storage by removing unwanted or forgotten screenshots

iPhones have never given users the option of expanding storage with a microSD card. As the generations have advanced over the past few years, native storage options have increased, but for many, the 16GB iPhone was the affordable option as well as the practical one.



16GB may suit a lot of people’s needs. It is enough space for a movie or two, several hundred songs (or a few thousand if you forego the movies), and a lot of pictures. However, people who “think” 16GB will be enough space often underestimate just how much media, usually pictures, they will accumulate.



Apps are consideration ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Screeny-for-iPhone-helps-you-manage-on-device-storage-by-removing-unwanted-or-forgotten-screenshots_id63337

Alleged iPad Air Plus details make the rounds


According to the Japanese publication Mac Fan, Apple will released a 12.2" iPad Air Plus in the spring of next year. The report is featured in the magazine's January 2015 issue and includes alleged details about the upcoming slate, including a blueprint with physical measures. Apple iPad Air Plus will unsurprisingly sit above the iPad Air 2 when it launches. Purported measures of the previously rumored device are 305.31 x 220.8 x 7 mm (12 x 8.7 x .28 inches). The slate is said to feature Apple's next generation A9 processor. The potential launch of a 12.2" iPad would make sense considering Apple's latest product launches. The company delivered a significant upgrade over last year's model with the iPad Air 2, but barely touched anything with the iPad mini 3. Apple's Lack of attention towards the compact slate makes sense with iPhone 6 Plus in the marketplace. As we found out earlier this week, people fancy their large-screen iPhones a lot more than their iPads. One thing we wonder about is what will happen with the MacBook Air family if a 12.2" iPad launches. Our guess is that Apple might simply merge its MacBook Air and Pro families into a single product range in order to make space for the massive iPad Air Plus. Source |...






from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_ipad_air_plus_details_make_the_rounds-news-10349.php

Opus 3 is Xolo's new selfie-centered midranger


The Dual SIM Xolo Opus 3 has been announced in its home country India. The smartphone is a midranger with a focus on selfies as it's got a wide-angle 5MP front snapper. The smartphone's midrange status is most noticeable in the choice of chipset - it's got a quad-core 1.3GHz Mediatek MTK6582M chipset with 1GB RAM at its heart. Other than that, the rest of the specs are pretty well stacked up. The Xolo Opus 3 has a 5-inch 720p IPS screen and a Sony-made 8MP auto-focus camera with 1080p video recording. In terms of connectivity, the Xolo Opus 3 enjoys HSPA+ support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, FM radio and Bluetooth 4.0 support. The 8GB worth of on-board storage is expandable via the microSD slot and the battery capacity is 2,500mAh. The handset runs Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box. The Xolo Opus 3 will become available in a few days for 8499 Indian Rupee, which is about US$135. Source |...






from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://www.gsmarena.com/opus_3_is_xolos_new_selfiecentered_midranger-news-10347.php

LG G Pad 8.3 GPe next up on the Lollipop train

The devices under the Google umbrella have been having a bit of a rough time with the Android 5.0 Lollipop update so far. The Nexus devices have all been receiving the update on the usual roll out timeline (even though that timeline still annoys some users), but the Google Play edition devices have been seeing delays. It looks like the kinks may have been worked out though, because the LG G Pad 8.3 GPe Lollipop roll out has begun.


There has been no official announcement of the update just yet, but users on Twitter and the XDA forums have been reporting getting the system update ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/LG-G-Pad-8.3-GPe-next-up-on-the-Lollipop-train_id63336

LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play edition gets Lollipop update


The Google Play edition of the LG G Pad 8.3 is now receiving the Android 5.0 update. It may not have been as quick as one would have expected, with Google definitely not being as quick as before for rolling out the updates for its own devices but better late than never. Being the stock version of Android, the 5.0 update should bring all the Lollipop goodness, including the new Material Design, updated lockscreen, new notifications, improved performance, and (supposedly) improved battery life. If you have one of these devices then check to see the update is...






from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g_pad_83_google_play_edition_gets_lollipop_update-news-10348.php

Build quality of Nexus 9 apparently refined, improved button action, back panel firmer



The Google Nexus 9 is an excellent Android powered tablet, but like some new products to hit the scene, there were a number of reports over concerns about how shallow the power/lock and volume buttons felt when pressed.



We also noted in our review that the tablet had a bit of a hollow feeling to its build quality, evident by bit of dimpling that could be felt on the back panel of the tablet.



It looks as those these issues were prevalent enough to have HTC dial-in its manufacturing and quality control measures a bit. A Google customer posted a photo on Reddit comparing the disposition ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Build-quality-of-Nexus-9-apparently-refined-improved-button-action-back-panel-firmer_id63335

Canadian carriers Telus and Bell are facing class action lawsuits over rounding-up voice minute billing

By and large, mobile rate plans in many markets have gone the route of “unlimited” with the exception of data in some cases. There are some pre-paid plans among the larger carriers that count voice minutes in their plans, but they are few and far between.



Canada’s second and third largest carriers, Bell and Telus, still have a number of rate plans that tally the minutes. The current rates are not what anyone would call a bargain either, with 500 minute plans on the two carriers costing $50 (US $44) per-month.



At least the plans include unlimited SMS and MMS as part of the package, ...



from PhoneArena - News http://www.phonearena.com/news/Canadian-carriers-Telus-and-Bell-are-facing-class-action-lawsuits-over-rounding-up-voice-minute-billing_id63333

This "Spinner" Windows Phone concept handset proposes a swivel camera and aluminum body

While smartphones with swivel / rotating / flippable cameras are becoming more and more popular (at least in Asia), there’s not a single model to run Windows Phone - they’re all based on Android. Probably with that in mind, Phone Designer created a concept smartphone called Spinner, which is based on Windows Phone and includes a rotating camera.



Unlike the swivel cameras that we’ve seen until now, the one that the Spinner concept proposes is situated on the upper right corner of the device, thus giving it a distinct look. What’s more, the imaginary handset is made out of aluminum and plastic, ...



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Friday, November 28, 2014

HTC Desire 620 goes official in Taiwan with mid-range specs


HTC took the wraps off the Desire 620 mid-ranger in Taiwan. The dual-SIM Android 4.4 KitKat smartphone will be available in two different versions - Desire 620 with 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC and Desire 620G with MediaTek MTK MT6592 SoC. Both versions of the smartphone feature 5" 720p display, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of expandable memory. The Snapdragon model can take microSD cards up to 128GB in size, while the MediaTek has to make do with 32GB cards. The handset is powered by 2,100mAh battery. HTC Desire 620 has an 8MP main camera with 1080p video and Eye Experience, coupled with 5MP front-facing unit. The Snapdragon-equipped model has LTE connectivity, while the MTK version tops out at WCDMA. The latest mid-range handset from HTC will be available in Taiwan on December 1. The Snapdragon 410 model will cost TWD $6,990 (about $225), while the MediaTek version will be priced at TWD $4,990 (around $161). There's no word on international availability yet....






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HTC Desire 620 officially announced, will be available in December (in Asia)

The HTC Desire 620, of which we told you earlier this week, has been officially announced in Taiwan - HTC’s home country. The new handset has two versions: the Desire 620 (featuring LTE connectivity and a 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor clocked at 1.2 GHz), and the Desire 620G (this one doesn’t support LTE, and is powered by a 1.3 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor).



Different chipsets aside, the 620 and 620G offer the same set of features, including: a 5-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixels, dual SIM capabilities, 8 MP rear camera, 5 MP front-facing camera, 1 GB of RAM, ...



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OnePlus One will be updated to a Lollipop-based ROM in India (following Cyanogen's exclusivity deal with Micromax)

OnePlus is getting ready to launch its One smartphone in India, planning to start selling it on December 2 there. Until that happens, the company has an important announcement for fans: its handset won’t be supported by Cyanogen in India. This means that, although the OnePlus One will be launched running CyanogenMod, it won’t be receiving any CyanogenMod updates. Fortunately, OnePlus will deliver software updates by itself.



According to OnePlus, the company is working on a “stable, fast, and lightweight” ROM based on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and wants to release a “community build” for One ...



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Microsoft Lumia 535 now available in the US for $169

While it hasn’t been officially introduced in the US, Microsoft’s Lumia 535 can be bought by US customers thanks to Expansys, which currently sells the smartphone for $169.99. That’s not a high price, but it’s more than what folks in India have to pay for the device: $149.



Expansys USA is offering the dual SIM variant of the Lumia 535 only in white, orange and green - so for now you can’t buy the black and blue versions.



Announced earlier this month as Microsoft’s first own-branded Windows Phone handset, the Lumia 535 is bigger and better than its predecessor (Nokia Lumia 530). The ...



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Huawei Honor 6 Plus (6X) comes on Dec.16, priced at $536


The Huawei Honor 6X which got certified for sale in China earlier this month might actually end up being sold as the Honor 6 Plus. Regardless of which name Huawei will use, the handset is due to be unveiled on December 16. And according to Chinese media, it will be priced at CNY 3,299. That's around $536 or €431 at the current exchange rates, and represents a slight departure from the Honor brand's traditional affordability. Especially in China cheap smartphones come with good specs, so this price level isn't necessarily what you'd expect from an Honor phone. Thus, it looks like Huawei is trying to play the premium game here. That is, of course, if the pricing rumor pans out. Moving on, the handset should apparently be powered by Huawei's own Kirin 925 chipset, coming with a 1.8 GHz octa-core CPU, a Mali-T628 GPU and support for LTE Cat.6 networks. The processor has four Cortex-A15 cores for performance, and four Cortex-A7 cores for battery life. A benchmark shows the screen resolution of the Honor 6 Plus as 1,800x1,080, which means Huawei will employ software-rendered Android buttons for this model - and the full display resolution will be 1080p. However, the main selling point of the Honor 6 Plus will undoubtedly be its dual rear camera setup, which has already been revealed (as has been the fact that it will have 3GB of RAM, for example). Source (in Chinese) |...






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LG G Flex 2 expected be announced at CES 2015




Back in May, we told you that LG was planning to release a sequel to its G Flex smartphone before the end of 2014. However, we’re now hearing that the new handset won’t be introduced this year.



According to Android Authority and unnamed sources, LG will officially announce the second generation G Flex - most probably called G Flex 2 - at CES 2015 in early January. Just like the original G Flex (pictured above), the new model should be curved and flexible, sporting a P-OLED display. However, it’s said that its screen will be smaller than the one featured by the ...



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Samsung SM-E700F joins the upcoming E series


Just a few days ago a Samsung SM-E500F was spotted entering India for testing purposes by an import tracking website. And now it's been joined by the Samsung SM-E700F, and in this case we're even graced with a couple of specs for the device. The E700 will apparently come with a 5.5-inch touchscreen, as well as dual-SIM support, though no other details about it are known at this time. Still, this is more than we know about the previously mentioned SM-E500F. These handsets could very well be two members of a new Galaxy E series of devices from Samsung. The Korean company has been rumored to adopt more and more letter-based lineups, following the first one which was the A series. That was recently made official with the announcement of the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5, and a Galaxy A7 should join those two pretty soon, as it's just been given the go-ahead at the FCC. Since the A3 and A5 have the model numbers SM-A300 and SM-A500 respectively, you can see why we'd assume the SM-E500 and SM-E700 will be sold as the Galaxy E5 and Galaxy E7. If that happens (which is by no means a given), then expect the E5 to be smaller and perhaps a bit lesser-specced than the E7. Source |...






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LG G Flex 2 rumored to get a January unveiling at CES


The LG G Flex (pictured below) was announced last year as one of the first two smartphones with a bent screen, along with Samsung's Galaxy Round. While Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Note Edge recently, LG is yet to follow up its G Flex. The G Flex 2 has so far been rumored to be made oficial either by the end of 2014, or in the first quarter of 2015. And it turns out that the latter estimation may have been right after all. According to a new bit of information coming from unnamed sources, LG will unveil the G Flex 2 during CES in early January. The show starts on January 6, so we might be just over one month away from the introduction of the Korean company's next curved smartphone. As for specs, we can apparently expect a "major upgrade" over the original G Flex. The new model will once again sport a plastic OLED screen, though it's said to be 1080p this time around. The self-healing coating will be improved too, and the next G Flex should be smaller than its...






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OnePlus One won't be supported by Cyanogen in India


Earlier this month Micromax, the biggest Indian smartphone maker, announced a partnership with Cyanogen, Inc., the company behind the popular CyanogenMod custom ROM for Android. Cyanogen's software was said to be powering a new, upcoming line of devices from Micromax, which are going to be sold under the Yu brand. When the original announcement came, it was apparently lacking one very important detail: Cyanogen has effectively committed to offering Micromax exclusivity when it comes to future software update support for the Indian market. This puts OnePlus in an awkward position. The Chinese startup is due to launch its One smartphone in India on December 2, which is next Tuesday. Due to Cyanogen's decision, those who buy a OnePlus One from India won't receive any software updates for it. So OnePlus has decided to fast track its own ROM development efforts, which were initially only meant for its next handset. Thus, the company will release a beta version of a new ROM for the Indian market sometime in December, with a full release planned for February. This ROM will be based on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and OnePlus promises it will be free of bloatware, and will keep Google's Material Design philosophy. So, if you buy a OnePlus One from India, it will come running CyanogenMod 11S - just like the other handsets sold outside of China. But you won't receive any updates from Cyanogen. Then, in December you'll be able to flash the beta version of the new OnePlus ROM, and the final version in February. OnePlus has committed to two years of software support for the One from the time when the first build is released. If you buy a OnePlus One and you're in a country that isn't India or China, you'll still get it running CyanogenMod 11S and you'll receive future updates from Cyanogen. In China, the phone is sold running Color OS, the Android overlay developed by Oppo. What prompted Cyanogen to do this to OnePlus is still unclear, and it amounts to yet another hiccup in the very tumultuous life of this startup. Source 1 • Source 2 |...






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GSMArena tablet buyer's guide: November 2014


Black Friday is upon us and the holiday season is just around the corner. Without doubt many of you will be shipping around for a new tablet and the latest edition of the GSMArena.com tablet buyer's guide is here to give a helping hand...






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New Oppo R8207 unveiled at TENAA, 7a gets Black Friday deals


A new smartphone by the Chenese maker Oppo popped up on the website of the China certification authority TENAA. According to the posted specifications the Oppo R8207 will feature a 6.85mm body, a 5 inch TFT screen with a resolution of 720 x 1080 pixels. Other hardware on the device includes a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB onboard storage plus an SD card slot, as well as two cameras - 13 MP main and 5 MP front. Design-wise the smartphone does resemble the iPhone 6 and to some extent the upcoming Samsung A series and will probably be aiming at the same consumer niche. If Oppo play their cards right and give the device a competitive price tag, just like their track record suggests, it might fare nicely against competitors, considering what it has to offer. In other news, the Chinese company is also participating in the annual Black Friday frenzy. The Oppo online store, Oppo Style, is currently offering the Oppo Find 7a in all its variants for $499 along with a full pack of accessories: a cover, screen protector, 32GB microSD card and they are even throwing in a complimentary Bluetooth Headset. The Oppo Find 7 flagship can also be picked up with the same pack of goodies and will set you back $609. Interestingly enough Oppo Style does also offer an extended battery option of 3000 mAh instead of the standard 2800 mAh one, which is nice touch for the 7a model. Oppo R8207 TENAA shots Source 1 | Source 2 |...






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Pantech Vega Pop-up Note phablet sold out in few hours


A few months after filing for bankruptcy, South Korea's No.3 smartphone maker Pantech has released a new phablet which has some really solid specs and a low price tag. Dubbed Vega Pop-up Note, the device has reportedly been a runaway hit, with the initial 300,000 units getting sold in less than half a day. Featurewise, the device packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset as well as a 5.6" 1080p display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of flash memory, which can be further expanded via a microSD card slot. There's a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and autofocus, 2.1-megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 LE adapters, and a removable 3220 mAh battery. There's also a stylus that doubles as a digital TV antenna. As for the price, the Pop-up Note retails for just 352,000 Korean won, or $317, and that's not even including carrier subsidies, post which the price comes down to less than 200,000 Korean won, or $180. This compares to Samsung's Galaxy Note 4, which retails for 957,000 won, or $861, in Korea. Source |...






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10 great images captured with smartphones #97 (Missing the Summer edition)



We're back with the 97th post in our special photographic-centric series where we present you with a number of awesome images taken by... well, you (and your cell phones).



So, which picture did you like most last time? The answer is CPB's photo, taken with the Sony Xperia S. And a pretty well-deserved first place it is, we should say!



Of course, there are many other incredible images left to be seen. Let's continue with another set of 10 pics, each of which can easily convince even the most professionally-inclined photographer that cell phones are more than a toy in the ...



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AdDuplex: WP8.1 update now on over half, Lumia 63x on the rise


This month Windows Phone reached an important milestone - the latest version (WP8.1) now powers over half of all devices. Added together with devices still on WP8.0 (which could be updated to 8.1), that leaves about one seventh as legacy devices (WP7.x, which cannot be updated). There's more good news too, new devices are climbing up in market share. There's a bit of bad news to go along with that too, it's the Lumia 63x that is seeing the biggest gains. The Other group keeps growing - this month by 2% - which suggests there is some diversification going on in Windows Phone land, but the market is still heavily skewed towards the entry-level devices. "Other" grew when it comes to manufacturers too, but Nokia - that is Microsoft - still has 95% of the market. That will change soon, but only because Microsoft has retired the "Nokia" brand in favor of its own. Source |...






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Xiaomi to start manufacturing smartphones in India and Brazil


Just a few months after announcing its plans to enter 10 new markets by the end of 2014, Xiaomi has pushed back the expansion plans for some markets, and has said that it will instead focus on existing markets such as India and Indonesia, according to a Bloomberg report. "We realized that it's a smarter thing to do to scale back a bit and put a ton of effort in India and Indonesia before expanding further," said the company's vice president Hugo Barra, who was previously VP of Google's Android division. Despite being a newcomer, Xiaomi's products have been selling like hotcakes in India with the company struggling to meet demand. The report notes that in the past two months, the company had to charter special flights four times to make scheduled deliveries into India. "We're shipping absurd quantities into India," Barra said. "We went from shipping 50,000 a week into India to 200,000". In an effort to solve the supply-demand problem, Xiaomi is now planning to produce its smartphones in India as well as Brazil, and is already in talks with electronics manufacturer Foxconn. While production in India will likely begin in the next couple of years, Brazil may start sooner, the report notes. The news of delay in expansion comes nearly a week after Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said that the 4-year-old company could become the world's biggest smartphone maker in 5-10 years. Last month, the company became the world's third largest smartphone maker. Source |...






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How to install Android 4.4 KitKat with Play Store on your PC (Windows XP, Vista, 7/8)

Ever wondered what it would be like if you could run Android on your Windows PC? Maybe yes, or maybe not, but the reality is that many of your peers certainly have. And where there's demand, there's also usually supply.


Indeed, there have been several projects over the years that have aimed to do exactly that – put Android on your PC – but only the most robust and dedicated teams made it through. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps of installing Android 4.4 KitKat on your Windows XP/Vista/7/8 PC, complete with Google's Play Store, in what we think is an easy-to-follow ...



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Samsung Galaxy A7 gets closer to launch after FCC visit


The Samsung Galaxy A5 is currently on sale in China and the Galaxy A3 soon to follow, but the top of the line Galaxy A7 is yet to come out. The phone's visit to the FCC is a strong indication that this will happen sooner than later. In the process, the specs of the Galaxy A7 were also revealed. They are align nicely with the the ones leaked in the end of October. The phone is built around a 5.2" display of 1080p resolution and is powered by the Snapdragon 615 chipset with 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core CPU and 2GB of RAM. Internal storage is 16GB, but there's no information if there's a microSD card slot on board yet. The main camera is expected to be a 12 MP unit with Full HD video recording, while the selfie snapper will top out at 5 MP. The phone will also have an accelerometer, Bluetooth, a compass, GPS, NFC, and Wi-Fi. Here's hoping the phone launches by the end of the year. Pricing and official information regarding availability are unavailable at the moment, though. Source |...






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OnePlus One available without invite for the next 3 days


OnePlus One has really been generating a stir in the smartphone market the last couple of months. If you have been eyeballing the premium device, nicknamed "flagship killer", but have not been able to get your hands on an invite you might be in luck. For the next 72 hours only and with limited quantities all of the versions of the smartphone can be ordered freely! But don`t get too caught up in the Black Friday storm, because the device is still only available in select markets. Furthermore there is no actual price reduction, but that is more than justifiable given the overwhelming interest. The 16GB Silk one is priced at $299, while the more spacious 64GB Black version will set you back $349. This is definitely a premium, but do get very high-end hardware for that price. The OnePlus One is powered by a formidable Snapdragon 801 8974-AC chip at 2.5 GHz, with 3GB of RAM, a 5.5 inch LTPS display and runs CyanogenMod 11s. The Chinese manufacturer also promises, that any order placed in the next 3 days will arrive just in time for the holidays so be sure to check the source link if you want a new...






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Chainfire's SuperSU root app receives a major update, now fully supports Android 5.0 Lollipop

Chainfire's SuperSU app, one of the most popular "poweruser" tools for Android, which allows you to gain root access and manage root permissions for the apps that might need it, has just been updated with a substantial update. The most recent version of the app, 2.35, is the first full update ever since 2.01, which rolled out in the beginning of June.



SuperSU v2.35 is a substantial improvement of the app for several reasons. The most important one is the app's now fully compatible with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Chainfire reveals that it has been quite hard to find a viable workaround for hopping ...



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How to trick out your phone with some sweet custom polygonal wallpapers on Android and iOS

Wallpapers are the one thing everyone has totally sorted out on their smartphones and tablets, regardless of what OS they run, what kind of display they have, which processor powers then, and other kinds of variables. In this day and age, you can choose among hundreds of apps with pre-selected backgrounds of various themes, or install a wallpaper generator app that turns clever algorithms into random, unique graphic patterns. This is what we're going to do right now, and our tools of choice will be PolyGen for Android & Crystals Wallpaper for iOS. Sounds like fun, no?


PolyGen

First ...



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You can get a OnePlus One sans invite in the next 3 days, limited quantity in store!



Been eyeing the OnePlus One, the "flagship killer" of 2014, with pure pleasure during the past few months, but the necessary invite required to get one has been eluding you? Well, currently you can get whichever version of the phone you want without an invite! The deal will last for 72 hours or until stocks last, so don't think twice if the CyanogenMod-powered OnePlus One is the smartphone of your dreams. What an exciting Black Friday, isn't it?



Take into consideration that there has been no correction of the pricing. The 16GB Silk White version of the phone sells for $299, while the ...



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Sony Xperia Z Ultra receives an early Android 5.0 Lollipop build, courtesy of XDA

Android 5.0 Lollipop is already upon us, gracing select devices either officially or unofficially (courtesy of the tireless Android developers that have worked towards this). It comes to no surprise that select Sony models already run Lollipop (take the Sony Xperia L, for example); what's more, Sony has already revealed that a large number of its most recent and not-so-recent handsets will get the newest Android. Among these was the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the large, 6.4" behemoth of a phablet that made the rounds roughly a year and a half ago.



Luckily enough, the fans of the 6.4" giant who ...



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