XDA-Devs find way to install Windows 10 on any Lumia

The Windows 10 Technical Preview was released this Thursday, but only for select phones. Now thanks to an XDA-Developers hack you can install it on just about any Lumia that you are not using. That last bit is important since this can brick your device. People have reported success with various phones, including the Lumia 720, which has just 512MB RAM. The update is officially available for 512MB phones, though there's a possibility they won't get all features in the final build. Anyway, the update has worked on a Lumia 930 and a Lumia 1320 bought from different carriers, though some are reporting issues on Lumia 920 and 520. You can read the step-by-step guide for the update in this thread, plus reports on how others fared and some troubleshooting. The process is fairl involved and not for the faint of heart and once again it could brick your device. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xdadevs_find_way_to_install_windows_10_on_any_lumia-news-11191.php

Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 found to run cooler than the 801

There have been questions raised recently about the TDP of the upcoming Snapdragon 810 chipset, which was apparently high enough to cause Samsung to allegedly drop it out of its upcoming Galaxy S6 smartphone. On the other hand, LG dismissed it as a non-issue. To put the confusion to rest, STJS Gadgets Portal ran some tests on both the new Snapdragon 810 and the Snapdragon 801 to see how the new chipset compares to what we are already familiar with by now. The tests compared the skin temperatures, that is the temperature of the surface of the device (which is what matters since that's the part you will be touching) in a 25 degree Celsius room temperature environment. Two tests were ran on the devices, one with Asphalt 8 being played to check gaming performance, and the other where 4K video was recorded on the devices. In the first test, the device running Snapdragon 810 managed to reach around 40°C while the Snapdragon 801 device was at 45°C. In the second test, the Snapdragon 810 device was once again cooler, hitting 35°C while the Snapdragon 801 device reached around 43°C. This test does show that the new generation Qualcomm chip is indeed cooler than the 801 in these specific tests on these particular devices in these ambient temperature situations. Of course, when you take into account other use cases, variations in device designs and variations in ambient temperatures, things could change considerably, so it's best to take these results with a pinch of salt. Source •...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_snapdragon_810_found_to_run_cooler_than_the_801-news-11192.php

HTC One (M8) $150 off this weekend, Re camera 25% off

HTC says happy President's Day with price cuts to select products, including the outgoing HTC One (M8) flagship and the Re camera. You can grab the One (M8) straight from HTC's online store in the US at $500, $150 off its usual price. The deal is valid only this weekend, President's Day commemorates George Washington's birthday and is celebrated on the third Monday of February (this year it falls on the 16th). Anyway, you could get the One (M8) in any color you like and for any carrier (including Sprint's Harman/Kardon version), an unlocked phone or a developer phone. Note that the HTC One (M9) is less than a month away, we should see it at the MWC starting in March. So, $150 off sounds like a good deal but you may want to skip it. We haven't seen leaks about a next-gen Re camera (which is no guarantee it won't be replaced). You can snag one for $150, 25% off its usual price. That's $50 less than the GoPro Hero 3 White, but $20 more than the base Hero. The promo also includes select cases at half price - the Dot View Premium case ($25), the Flip case ($15) and the Double Dip case ($12.50). As you can imagine, this promotion is US only. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m8_150_off_this_weekend_re_camera_25_off-news-11190.php

Week 7 in review: One (M9), Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note updates

Another week has passed and it's only natural that we take a quick glance at the past few days and see what happened in the mobile world. With MWC 2015 right around the corner all eyes seem to be on the major mobile players and their future device lineups. The Hype is all-encompassing, but Samsung seems to be stealing the spotlight with its highly-anticipated Galaxy S6. The future flagship device and its curved sibling have been stirring up a lot of controversy. Leaks have departed slightly from last week's multitude of case photos and are now gravitating around actual and supposedly precise 3D renders of the device and talks of a possible glass back to facilitate wifeless charging. We have been hearing more and more on the guts of the Galaxy S6 flagship with rumors pointing to a 20MP OIS main camera as well as beastly performance from the Exynos 7420 SoC and Mali-T760 GPU. HTC's next flagship - the One (M9) is also exciting fans with word of an equally impressive 20MP Toshiba-made camera. Sony might be skipping the formal press event at the Barcelona venue, but hype is still gathering around the Xperia Z4. The handset will most-likely not be unveiled at the show, but its alleged Snapdragon 810 SoC made an appearance in GeekBench scores this weeks. The Japanese tech giant also expanded its mid-range lineup with a duo of new Xperia E4 models. In other news Android update fever is still strong, especially on the Samsung front. The Galaxy Note 4 and Note 3 are finally getting the Lollipop treatment and the Korean giant also made it clear that the Galaxy Note 2 will not miss out on the new OS version. If you think you might have missed anything from the past week here is a quick rundown of the post popular news articles in no particular order. .news-item .n-left { float: left; width: 16%; text-align: center; margin-left: -13px; } .news-item .n-right { float: left; width: 84%; } .news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; } .news-item .n-right h2, .reviews-item .n-right h2 { clear: both; padding: 0 0 3px 0px; font: 400 19px Oswald, Arial; margin-top: -4px; } .n-right p { line-height: 155%; } .news-item { padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ccc; } .news-item p { margin-left: 0; } .n-right h2 a { text-decoration: none; color: #000; } Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge details 'confirmed' again A new rumor talks about them having metal frames and the S6 Edge boasting a three-sided display. New Galaxy S6 render based on precise schematics surfaces New renders of the Galaxy S6 have surfaced, based on alleged sketches of the device. Antutu score leak shows Galaxy S6 beastly performance A new alleged Antutu benchmark leak shows the Galaxy S6 with Exynos 7420 and stellar performance. Lenovo P70 launches in China with 4,000 mAh battery This is one new midrange smartphone that promises not to make you charge it every single night. Sony Xperia Z4 visits GeekBench with its Snapdragon 810 chipset The benchmark reports 3GB of RAM instead of 4GB as has been suggested by earlier leaks. HTC One (M9) Wi-Fi module and 20MP Toshiba camera tipped According to an HTC ROM developer, the One (M9) wireless module is the same as the one in the Nexus 6. Sony Xperia E4 and E4 Dual quietly unveiled The two seem like an LTE-less successor of the Xperia E3, but with a bigger screen. Samsung Galaxy S6 and S Edge to have a 20MP OIS camera The new flagship will allegedly feature a camera with a Samsung-made image sensor. OnePlus One now freely available every Tuesday Users can purchase both the 16GB and 64GB versions of the phone and receive invites to give away. Android 5.0 Lollipop update confirmed for the Galaxy Note II The announcement was made by Samsung Poland, although it didn't say when the update will roll out. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9005 receiving Lollipop OTA in Europe The Galaxy Note 3 Snapdragon variant is getting a Lollipop OTA...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/week_7_in_review_galaxy_s6_galaxy_note_updates-news-11185.php

Successors for Samsung's Galaxy Tab S line are coming

According to a new rumor, Samsung is already busy working on developing successors to the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 (pictured to the left) and Galaxy Tab S 10.5 tablets that it launched last year. The main standout feature for the existing Galaxy Tab S models is the fact that they both employ Super AMOLED touchscreens, something that had previously been missing from the mobile world for a few years. The upcoming tablets will obviously keep the AMOLED technology of their predecessors' displays. The new models will be SM-T710 and SM-T810 (the originals are SM-T700 and SM-T800, respectively). While no other details about the new devices are known at this time, it's safe to assume that they won't get some earth-shattering hardware upgrades. We might see them ship with a new chipset, perhaps Samsung's Exynos 7420 which is expected to make its debut in the Galaxy S6 on March 1. That may help the new Tab S generation perform better than the original tablets. We apparently shouldn't expect to see the new Tab S line unveiled at MWC alongside the Galaxy S6, since work on them isn't that advanced yet. They will be announced later, perhaps towards the middle of the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_release_successors_to_galaxy_tab_s_line-news-11189.php

Lenovo plans to upgrade 7 phones to Lollipop in Q2

While other mobile device makers have been busy updating their products to Android 5.0 Lollipop for many weeks now, Lenovo has just announced which of its handsets will eventually run the latest version of the OS. And it's not a long list. In fact there are only seven phones on it. Sure, the company may add more in the future, but for now these are the only Lenovo devices confirmed to get Lollipop. We're talking about the A5000, A6000, P70, S90, Vibe X2, Vibe Z2, and Vibe Z2 Pro. That's it. The updates to Android 5.0 Lollipop for these smartphones are still far out, though, with Lenovo only committing to releasing them sometime during the second quarter of this year. That could be at any point between April 1 and June 30, so if you own one of these you're still looking at quite a wait. But at least in this case you know your particular Lenovo handset will taste Lollipop. If you have another device made by the company, things aren't looking...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_plans_to_upgrade_7_phones_to_lollipop_in_q2-news-11188.php

Asus Fonepad 7 FE375CXG review: Talk-worthy

The first Fonepad premiered in 2013, nearly a year after the game-changing Nexus 7, which Asus made for Google. The Taiwanese got another contract to work on an upgrade and they did well to keep the momentum...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_fonepad_7_fe375xcg-review-1206.php

Asus to release Qualcomm and Mediatek-powered the Zenfone 2

The Asus Zenfone 2 was one of the major announcements at CES in the beginning of January, offering powerful hardware in a budget-conscious package. Aiming to diversify its component suppliers list, the Taiwanese company is set to release more versions of the smartphone, replacing the Intel chipset with Qualcomm and Mediatek offerings. The original Zenfone 2 is equipped with either an Intel Atom Z3580 or Z3560 and 4GB or 2GB of RAM. The Qualcomm variant will sit in a lower-priced market segment, and will become available in Q2. The Mediatek-powered option will be targeted at markets like India where LTE capability can be omitted. Adding to the company's already less-than-obvious naming scheme, the new models may further complicate selection. The specsheet of the smartphone is otherwise headlined by a 5.5-inch IPS display of 1080p resolution for a 403ppi density. A number of storage option will be available ranging from 16GB to 64GB. A 13MP/5MP camera combo is responsible for picture taking and the whole thing is powered by a 3,000mAh battery. A detailed availability roadmap has also been revealed. The Zenfone 2 will first arrive in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and surprisingly France, in March. Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Italy and the US will follow suit in April, while Japanese folks may get it in May. Brazilians will need to be even more patient and wait until June. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_to_release_qualcomm_and_mediatek_versions_of_the_zenfone_2-news-11187.php

Samsung's TheNextGalaxy video teases the Galaxy S6 camera

The new Samsung Galaxy flagship dropped a teasing hint on Twitter - a short video that talks about "great vision" and a "unique view" and finishes with the silhouette of a camera module. The video itself is pretty abstract, the camera moves through a dark tunnel and there's light at the end of it. We could debate the symbolism of that - the Galaxy S6 camera will allegedly have a 20MP sensor with optical image stabilization that should do well in low light conditions. There was even talk of RAW shooting with complete manual controls. I am #TheNextGalaxy. Be inspired by my vision at #Unpacked. https://t.co/Qu3e4L2DEg— TheNextGalaxy (@SamsungMobile) February 13, 2015 Anyway, it's not just the video - Samsung Mobile's Twitter account has been redubbed TheNextGalaxy and the profile pic has been changed to the camera module silhouette, right in front of the teasing curve of what's most likely the Galaxy S Edge. The culmination of this campaign will come on March 1 in Barcelona during Samsung's Unpacked event. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/thenextgalaxy_video_teases_the_galaxy_s6_camera-news-11186.php

HTC One (M9) Hima leak reveals all key specs

The specifications of the soon-to-be-revealed HTC One M9 (Hima) have leaked here and there, but now we have the full list of the phone's features thanks to the detective work of upleaks. The phone is built around a 5" IPS display and packs 1080p resolution. At the back, the 20.7MP camera is confirmed and it will sport dual LED flash. For now, there's no information whether it'll record 4K video, but we will be surprised if it doesn't. At the front, it will be backed by a 4MP UltraPixel camera, probably the same as the One (M8)'s. Contrary to previous rumors, the latest leak doesn't suggest a dual 20.7MP camera configuration at the back. The HTC One (M9) draws processing power from a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 (MSM8994) chipset with a 2.0GHz quad-core Cortex-57 and a quad-core Cortex-A53 running at 1.5GHz. There's 3GB of fast DDR4 RAM and graphics are handled by the Adreno 430 GPU. HTC will offer the One (M9) in 32GB and 64GB flavors and the phone will run Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with Sense 7.0 out of the box. We saw an allegedly official photo of the One (M9) next to the One (M9) Plus and caught the nicely designed BoomSound speaker holes. LTE 6 support will give users up to 300Mbps download and 50Mbps upload speeds. On the side, there's a microSD card slot. The battery of the HTC One (M9) is 2,840mAh, which is 240mAh larger than its predecessor. We're yet to see how much of a difference this will make in our battery test. As a reminder, the One (M8) scored an endurance rating of 77 hours. Upleaks reports three variations of the One (M9) - UHL, which will launch in Asia, Europe, Africa, UAE, Russia, Turkey, China(Mainland), USA(include AT&T, T-Mobile US, and Developer model), Canada(include ROGERS, TELUS), Latin America; the WHL for Sprint and China Telecom; and the WL for Verizon. Finally, we have information regarding the accessories and their model numbers: HTC DotView 2 (with more colors than before) - HC M231/232 Clear Case - HC C1153 Stand Case - HC K1150 Waterproof Case(has IP68 rating) - HC C1152 Waterproof Headset - RC E250 Headset 2015 - MAX 500 HTC BoomBass with WiFi support (requires Sense 7) Screen Protector - SP R230A HTC's March 1 press event called "Utopia in progress" will reveal the rest of the new features the company has been working...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m9_hima_feature_list_reveals_majority_of_specs-news-11184.php

Samsugn Galaxy Note 4 boards the Lollipop train in Europe

Samsung's latest phablet flagship is finally getting the Lollipop treatment. The version to go first is the SM-N910F, which is the European Snapdragon version of the handset. The update saw some delay due to problems with Gear VR support. However Android 5.0 for the Exynos-powered variant of the phablet is already well under way and is available in its native South Korean market and also as a soak test in Poland. This is the first time we are seeing an official Lollipop ROM for the Snapdragon-powered Note 4, which is the most widely-spread one. Today's update comes along with a Lollipop build for the Galaxy Note 4's extremely popular predecessor - the Galaxy Note 3. Interestingly enough the two updates are starting to seed simultaneously which might hint that Samsung intentionally held back the Galaxy Note 3 package to avoid the inevitable backlash when an older device is updated before the new one. Despite the chaotic update schedule Samsung seems to mean well enough when it comes to delivering Lollipop. The rather odd Samsung Galaxy S4 support is also complimented by an equally impressive news that the Korean tech giant intends to bring Android 5.0 to the rather aging, but still capable Galaxy Note II as well. So if you are on a Snapdragon Note 4 be sure to check for that update package regularly as the Lollipop goodness is here. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note_4_smn910f_receiving_lollipop_ota_in_europe-news-11181.php

TouchWiz on the Galaxy S6 to be stripped of Samsung apps

While the exterior and hardware aspects of the Samsung Galaxy S6 have been exposed in a plethora of leaks throughout the last couple of months, the software side of the phone has remained pretty much a mystery. TouchWiz is bound to go through some drastic changes, though, if SamMobile's insider source is to be believed. TouchWiz on the latest Galaxy Note 4 According to the unconfirmed information, Samsung will trim some pre-installed Samsung apps such as S Voice, S Health, S Note and Scrapbook. Those apps will be available for download through the company's Galaxy Apps store. Interestingly, it's reported that Samsung will pre-install a bunch of Microsoft apps in their place as a result of the deal between the two companies regarding their patent royalty case. If true, the Galaxy S6 will come with Microsoft OneNote, OneDrive, Office Mobile bundled with a free Office 365 subscription as well as Skype. Trimming the TouchWiz features is also allegedly making the Galaxy S6 Lollipop experience a lot more fluid and quicker than the similarly updated Galaxy Note 4, according to the source. Historically, the Galaxy S-family is the best selling series of smartphones Android has ever seen. The presence of Microsoft apps will certainly give the company a boost in the use of its cloud services. Finally, the latest version of TouchWiz will offer a number of visual enhancements, too. There are more theme options, more colorful Samsung apps, app drawer grid options, and the default Samsung keyboard is changed to allegedly look more like the one in iOS. We'll find if these claims are true at the upcoming Samsung Unpacked event on March 1....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/touchwiz_on_the_galaxy_s6_to_be_stripped_of_samsung_apps-news-11180.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9005 receiving Lollipop OTA in Europe

Samsung's last generation phablet flagship finally received the much anticipated Lollipop treatment it was promised. And before the comment section goes up in flames about the on-going soak test in Russia the new ROM is intended for the most wide-spread Snapdragon 800-based version of the device (N9005) and not the Exynos one. The Galaxy Note 3 was supposed to be first in line for Android 5.0 after the current generation Galaxy S5 and Note 4, but interestingly enough it was overtook by the Galaxy S4 LTE-A (I9506). It seems that with recent developments around Samsung and their own in-house Exynos SoC taking center stage in future devices instead of Qualcomm chips the Korean tech giant is naturally focusing on their own architecture and pushing updates along much faster on Exynos devices. This might just be a marketing trick but it is still a fact that Samsung seems to be taking care of that limited line of devices first and then moving on to Snapdragon. Regardless is seems the long wait is finally over for Note 3 users as the package is already available on major carriers in the UK, Austria, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Hungary and a few other countries. You can keep a close eye on the OTA seeding progress here. So if you are on a Snapdragon Note 3 be sure to check for that update package regularly as the Lollipop goodness is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note_3_n9005_receiving_lollipop_ota_in_europe-news-11179.php

HTC's mid-range Desire 626 coming to the US

When HTC launched the Desire 626 in Taiwan earlier this week, there was no word on whether the device would be available in other countries. But now, it looks like the mid-range smartphone is heading to the US at least. According to popular leakster @upleaks, the Desire 626 would be launched in the US as a prepaid smartphone by Sprint, which is the third-largest cellphone carrier in the country behind Verizon and AT&T. For those who are not in the know, the device is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and sports a 5" 720p display. It has 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory, which is expandable via microSD card. The device sports a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front snapper, and packs in a 2,000mAh non-removable battery. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_midrange_desire_626_coming_to_the_us-news-11177.php

OnePlus announces new OxygenOS team, unveils new logo

As promised, OnePlus is back with more information regarding its upcoming OxygenOS, which will be replacing Cyanogen OS on its current and future products. For starters, OnePlus announced the team members who will be working on OxygenOS, which includes the likes of Aaron Gascoigne, co-founder of Paranoid Android, Arz Bhatia, lead designer at Paranoid Android, Karim Frenn, former software development intern at Google, Helen Li, ex-Microsoft and OxygenOS product head, and several other people, mostly from Paranoid Android. OnePlus also has a new logo for the OS, A red square with negative space in between creating the O, the chemical symbol for Oxygen. OnePlus reiterated that OxygenOS will be close to AOSP and will be lightweight, with priority to battery life and system efficiency. The team is currently working on the OS, which is not ready yet and there is no date as to when it will be available for download. Source • reddit...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_announces_new_oxygenos_team_unveils_new_logo-news-11178.php

Xiaomi to open online store for the US, but won't sell phones

At its mysterious event in San Francisco today, Xiaomi has announced that it plans to open its own online store in the US in a few months. However, the caveat of the century follows. See, Xiaomi will not be selling smartphones or tablets through that storefront. So the most craved items it makes will still be off limits to US-based customers, at least in an official manner. Instead, Xiaomi will offer its increasing range of accessories, such as headphones (pictured above), fitness bands, power banks, and more. The US isn't the only 'western' market targeted by the company - it will bring is online store to other countries too. One of the reasons why phones and tablets won't be made available for US customers is that apparently Xiaomi finds that localization of its MIUI ROM (which is reportedly being used on 100 million devices already) is very difficult. There are also (unnamed) issues with hardware certification, software testing, infrastructure, as well as other logistical challenges, all of which conspire to keep Mi handsets and tablets out of the hands of American consumers, for now at least. And it doesn't help that it's a market in which people are used to buying their mobile devices from carriers, and not directly from the manufacturer's online store. Xiaomi hopes that if it launches simpler products first, they'll help build brand awareness before it makes any bigger steps in the US. However, as of now a phone launch is not on the roadmap at all. Source 1 • Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_to_open_online_store_for_the_us_but_wont_sell_phones-news-11175.php

Windows 10 Technical Preview now available for phones

As leaked last week, the very first release of Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones is now out. You can download and install it on one of just six smartphones that are currently supported. Microsoft promises more handsets will be added to subsequent Preview builds in the future, but for now you can only proceed if you own a Lumia 630, Lumia 635, Lumia 636, Lumia 638, Lumia 730, or Lumia 830. The software giant also notes that this is a "very early" preview, which means many things may break or not work right from the start. Bugs are to be expected, and there's a very long list of known issues at the Source link. The user experience isn't polished yet, and you will see rough edges here and there. Microsoft says it's sharing it now for you to be able to give it feedback and help shape the final Windows 10 release for phones. As described in the presentation video above, the Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones comes with a small subset of the features that will be in the final build. The full-size background image for the Start screen is in, as are more quick actions in the Action Center, and interactive notifications. The speech-to-text ability of the OS has been improved significantly, and the more powerful Photos app will aggregate your local photos with those you have stored on OneDrive. For now, Cortana will be limited to the US and will only work with English, which is a step back from its functionality in the latest version of Windows Phone 8.1. That said, Microsoft promises that by the time Windows 10 is finished, its virtual assistant will be more capable than it ever was. Coming in future builds will be the Office universal apps, as well as the new Mail and Calendar apps and Skype integrated directly into Messaging. If you own one of the aforementioned supported devices and wish to take Windows 10 for phones for a spin, you need to first join the Windows Insider Program. Then you install the Windows Insider app, start it up, register your device, then check for updates. As work on Windows 10 for phones progresses, you'll get all the new builds, including the final one when that's...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/windows_10_technical_preview_now_available_for_phones_too-news-11174.php

The LG G Flex 2 available in the Netherlands starting March 31

The LG G Flex 2, which was unveiled at this year's CES, and launched in South Korea late last month, is heading for its first European market. News has surfaced that LG's latest flagship will be available in Netherlands starting March 31. This is only the second international market the device is entering following Singapore, where the G Flex 2 will be up for preorder on February 28. The curvy handset is slowly branching outside its native Korean market and even if you have to wait a while to pick it up at a local retailer, Amazon Germany already offers you to book your unit. The phone will cost €699 for the 16GB model, which is around the €650 it is currently listed for online. No information is known yet about pricing and availability of the 32GB model. This is still significantly lower than the original LG G Flex, which cost some €850 when it first came out. The G Flex 2 is the company's first mobile device to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 chipset, which has received some bad press lately, especially after there were reports that Samsung ditched it in favor of its own processors for its upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S6. However, LG has clarified that it has had no issues with the SoC, and has termed its performance as "quite satisfactory". Other specifications of the device include a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a 2.1 MP front-facing camera, and 13 MP rear camera. There are 3GB of RAM in the international version of the device, while the Korean one is limited to only two. The smartphone also packs in a 3,000 mAh battery. Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_lg_g_flex_2_available_in_the_netherlands_starting_march_31-news-11173.php

MIUI 6 update coming to the Xiaomi Redmi 1S

The latest version of Xiaomi's MIUI 6 is to become available for the Redmi 1S later this week. MIUI 6 was announced back in August last year, but the budget-friendly smartphone has so far been left out in the cold. Admittedly, it will be a beta version of the ROM at this point, released to the public to iron out unforeseen imperfections. The official version should follow in the coming weeks though. The company has also promised that the update will be rolled out to its entire smartphone lineup at a later stage. MIUI OS is Xiaomi's iOS-inspired thoroughly-customized Android overlay. It abandons Android's two-level interface and ditches the app drawer in favor of a number of homescreens for all your apps. A flat, polished look with consistent app icons is also typical of the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/miui_6_update_coming_to_the_xiaomi_redmi_1s-news-11172.php

BLU Studio Energy now available in the US with a 5000mAh battery

Miami-based BLU announced today the launch of its Studio Energy smartphone on the US market. The smartphone was unveiled at CES in January alongside a number of budget friendly devices, targetting specific niches. Its headline feature is the huge 5000mAh battery, currently the highest capacity in the smartphone realm, the company claims. That amount of juice translates into 45 days of standby time or 4 days of regular use, according to BLU's calculations. Thickness has been kept at a manageable 10.4mm, but weight may be more disturbing at 180g. The BLU Studio Energy features a 5-inch display of 720x1280 pixels resulting in a 294ppi density. Computing power comes from a quad-core processor, clocked at 1.3GHz, coupled with 1GB of RAM. An 8MP camera on the back is responsible for capturing the world, while a 2MP front snapper takes care of selfies. The newly launched smartphone will boot Android 4.4 out of the box, but the company promises a Lollipop update in June. The device is available now on Amazon for $149,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blu_studio_energy_now_available_in_the_us_packs_a_5000mah_battery-news-11171.php

New rumors state Galaxy S6 will offer wireless charging

The rumors about Samsung's next highly-anticipated flagship phone just keep pouring in. Controversy is at an all-time high and it seems that leaks are starting to contradict themselves more and more. One of the more widely spread opinions on the tech scene is that the Galaxy S6 will keep with current design trends and spout a full-metal unibody. However this might turn out to be not entirely true as two separate industry sources are now reporting that the Galaxy S6 will come with built-in wireless charging capability. The couple of reports come from DDaily and News 1 Korea and both hint at magnetic induction wireless charging in the smartphone. This is all fine, but magnetic induction can simply not function with an all-metal body. The material is a formidable barrier for electro-magnetic waves, making the whole process all but impossible due to losses and even quite dangerous. If the Galaxy S6 does indeed come with wireless charging that must mean that its back will not be 100% metal. One option would be for it to have carefully placed plastic inserts, but that seems kind of unlikely. The other variant, which one of the aforementioned sources goes into detail about is that the back will be made of glass, or plastic with a glass effect, which would allow for the charging technology to work properly. According to other rumors the Galaxy S6 will not offer a removable battery so wireless charging might be there to offer at least some kind of compensation to Samsung fans. But considering a metal unibody along with electro-magnetic charging is only feasible in the way it is achieved with the all-metal HTC One (M8) - with an external charging adapter. This is definitely a new curve ball in the Galaxy S6 story, leaving even more room for speculation and doubt. And we are bound to get a few more of those before the official launch event on March 1. Source 1 (in Korean) | Source 2 (in Korean) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_rumors_state_galaxy_s6_will_offer_wireless_charging-news-11170.php

Android 5.0 Lollipop update confirmed for the Galaxy Note II

Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Note II will also get the Android 5.0 Lollipop update, although it hasn't yet confirmed the date. The announcement was made by Samsung Poland via a tweet. It is worth noting that the South Korean company usually updates it flagship devices for around 1.5 years, but the Note II seems to be an exception as it has been more than two years since the device was launched. The news comes just a day after the Galaxy Note 4 started receiving the Lollipop update in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_5_lollipop_update_confirmed_for_the_galaxy_note2-news-11168.php

Sony Xperia E4 goes on pre-order in the UK at £100

The Sony Xperia E4 quietly sneacked onto the stage yesterday and the announcement was so quick we didn't even get a launch date and a price. Clove UK has answered both of these questions by putting the new handset on pre-order. It's priced at £100 and will be available in late March. Clove also cleared up the OS situation - the Xperia E4 will launch with Android 4.4.4 KitKat and get 5.0 Lollipop later. Note that the price is for the single-SIM version, there's another one with two SIM slots but there's no price for it yet. Expansys is also accepting pre-orders but hasn't listed a price or a launch date. We couldn't find it in other stores for now. Three UK has a post about it, which just speculates on price but points to mid-February as the launch...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_e4_goes_on_preorder_in_the_uk_at__pound100-news-11169.php

Microsoft Lumia 1330/1335 certified by FCC, dummies arrive in India

The successor to the midrange Lumia 1320 phablet is closely approaching. Apparently Microsoft is preparing its launch in India, as evidenced by dummy import documents. What is likely going to be called Lumia 1330/1335 will hit the market in no less than three color schemes. Orange will be the lead color, outnumbering the rest 7 to 1. Less striking options are white and cyan, and the latter we've already seen, if only only as a back cover. Globally speaking, the upcoming midranger will exist in multiple variants, and three are known so far. Intel on two of those comes from FCC database, showing the regulator has green-lighted the RM-1065 and RM-1064 models. The former is the more exciting one, as it will pack dual SIM capability and support LTE. The RM-1064 will be largely the same device, only ditching the second SIM card. The RM-1062, that will arrive in India, as evidenced by the 8,000 units, will lose the 4G connectivity. We previously reported on the alleged specs of the Lumia 1330/1335 range. A Snapdragon 400 chipset will be paired with a single gig of RAM, but a generous 32GB of built-in storage will be available. We are yet to see if that will result in the loss of the microSD slot or there will be some sort of second SIM or microSD dilemma. The screen size will be reduced to 5.7 inches, compared to the predecessor's 6 inches, leaving the inevitable Lumia 1520 heir undisturbed at the top. The import document naturally reveals no price or availability details. Via 1...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_1330_1335_dummies_arrive_in_india-news-11166.php

Samsung teases the Galaxy Grand 3 in India

Following the numerous leaks, Samsung is about to launch of the Galaxy Grand 3 smartphone in India. The phone appeared later last year in TENAA and little before that went through benchmark testing. The Samsung Galaxy Grand 3 is teased as "The grandest ever" and is expected to go on sale via Snapdeal. However, a specific time frame for the launch isn't given at this stage. Samsung has upgraded its big-sized mid-ranger all around. The 5.25" display boasts 720p resolution and under the hood, there's a Snapdragon 410 chipset with a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU running at 1.2GHz, 1.5GB of RAM and Adreno 306 GPU. The phone will ship with Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box. The Galaxy Grand 3 retains the 5MP selfie camera of the Grand Prime but upgrades the main camera to 13MP stills. Both cameras can record 1080p video. There is 12GB user-available storage, with 4GB going to Android and TouchWiz. Unsurprisingly, Samsung Galaxy Grand 3 is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Its measures are 146 x 74.8 x 7.95 mm, while its weight tips the scale at 140...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_teases_the_galaxy_grand_3_in_india-news-11164.php

Lumia 1020 and 925 get Denim update in Europe

The Lumia 1020 and 925 are finally getting the long-awaited Denim update in select European markets. Today Microsoft confirmed that the roll-out has officially begun but as usual it might take some time to reach every device out there. Different carrier update schedules can affect availability just as much as geographical location. One of our readers from Hungary has already provided us with a screenshot of the OTA and everything seems to check out. So if you own a Lumia 1020 or Lumia 925 be sure to check regularly over the next few days for the update package and report back with any interesting findings. News has already surfaced that O2 in the UK will start updating their units today, but things can get a little messy when searching for availability. The US Lumia 1020 for instance is available exclusively through AT&T and they are yet to share any information on update plans. In case you find it hard to make sense of it all, Microsoft is providing nicely organized version tables for their smartphones, that let users see if the handset they own is eligible for the Denim update and if not what is the latest Windows Phone package they can get. The lists can be accessed according to region from the links below: Africa Asia Pacific Europe Latin America Middle East North America Microsoft has also provided a concise change log of update. Cortana is of course center stage, but there are also a lot of little improvements in the two device's behavior. Latest software release for Nokia Lumia 925 is Lumia Denim (3051.50009.1451.10xx/8.10.14226.359) Cortana, the most personal digital assistant, is now available also in the UK and China. New features for Cortana include improved natural language, car kit integration for contacts using Bluetooth, snooze reminders, and calendar improvements. Cortana even does character impersonations upon request. Organise and further personalise your start screen easily. Group apps into a folder on the start screen, rename the folder, and rearrange tiles inside the folder for greater personalisation. Improved Glance screen with Bing Weather or Bing Health & Fitness data, in addition to time and date, notifications, and app data. Updates to the Lumia Storyteller and Lumia Selfie apps. Available from Store. Connect and browse even faster with improved download speeds on mobile websites. Install phone updates more easily by scheduling them for a time that works best for you. Additional improvements to stability, battery performance, push notifications, WiFi connectivity, consumer VPN support, Apps Corner, merging and forwarding text messages, custom snooze times in the Alarms app, Store Live Tile (available in the US only), and more. Latest software release for Nokia Lumia 1020 is Lumia Denim (3051.50009.1451.1xxx/8.10.14226.359) Cortana, the most personal digital assistant, is now available also in the UK and China. New features for Cortana include improved natural language, car kit integration for contacts using Bluetooth, snooze reminders, and calendar improvements. Cortana even does character impersonations upon request. Organise and further personalise your start screen easily. Group apps into a folder on the start screen, rename the folder, and rearrange tiles inside the folder for greater personalisation. Improved Glance screen with Bing Weather or Bing Health & Fitness data, in addition to time and date, notifications, and app data. Updates to the Lumia Storyteller and Lumia Selfie apps. Available from Store. Connect and browse even faster with improved download speeds on mobile websites. Install phone updates more easily by scheduling them for a time that works best for you. Additional improvements to stability, battery performance, push notifications, WiFi connectivity, consumer VPN support, Apps Corner, merging and forwarding text messages, custom snooze times in the Alarms app, Store Live Tile (available in the US only), and more. Thanks for the tip Raul T Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lumia_1020_and_925_getting_denim_update_in_europe-news-11163.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 gets Lollipop update in South Korea

Samsung has started rolling out the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the Galaxy Note 4 in South Korea. The update is currently available only for the Exynos variant of the Note 4 on the SK Telecom network, but it should be available on other carriers shortly. The update can be downloaded right now from Samsung Kies desktop application, with the OTA download arriving later. The Note 4 Lollipop update started rolling out yesterday, with Poland being the first country to get it. It should be rolling out in other regions...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_4_gets_lollipop_update_in_south_korea-news-11167.php

Moto E and Moto Maxx getting Lollipop for real

Soak test over, now the Motorola Moto E is getting Lollipop for real. Joining the entry level handset is the flagship Motorola Moto Maxx. The Moto E update got a quick soak test in Brazil and India, while the Moto Maxx was tested in Brazil again and in Mexico. Motorola hasn't opened the floodgates though, the updates are continuing to roll out slowly to small test groups at first. If everything goes well, the update will expand to more users. Moto E users should check that the Motorola Update Services on their phone is the latest version. It's on the Play Store so go do that while you wait for Android 5.0 Lollipop to come around. Both Moto G generations have already received the update, as has the second-gen Moto X. The original Moto X is still waiting though, it turns out that unique chipset is slowing things...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_e_and_moto_maxx_getting_lollipop_for_real-news-11165.php

Kodak's IM5 Android smartphone to launch in UK soon

The Kodak IM5 Android smartphone, which was announced early last month, will first be launched in the UK. The device, costing £189.98 ($289), is up for pre-order on Clove, and is expected to be in stock in late March or early April, the British retailer says. Specifications-wise, the device is powered by an unnamed 1.7 GHz octa-core processor, and sports a 5-inch 720p touchscreen. It has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory (expandable up to 32GB via MicroSD card), and runs Android 4.4 KitKat (with a Lollipop update on the cards). In terms of camera, the smartphone features a 13 MP rear unit with LED flash, a 5 MP front snapper. You'll also get an app that will allow you to quickly edit photos, share them on social media, or directly print...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/kodak_im5_android_smartphone_to_launch_in_uk_soon-news-11162.php

Redmi Note 4G now available in India without registration

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 4G, which was launched in India back in December last year, is now available for purchase on e-commerce website Flipkart without any registration. Although the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has said that it is now making enough units of the device, and can sell it without any flash sale, it's highly likely that the move was made because the phablet's demand in the market has gone down, given the fact that it did not sell out during its last flash sale that took place on February 10. The news comes just a couple of days after the Mi 4 sold out in just 15 seconds during its first flash sale in the country. The 64GB variant of the device will go on sale on February...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/redmi_note_4g_now_available_in_india_without_registration-news-11161.php

Asus Memo Pad ME572C review: A pad to remember

We have in our anxious reviewer hands the current top-dog of the Asus 7-inch crowd, the Memo Pad 7 ME572C. The Asus naming convention doesn't help much in identifying specific models and one must resort to alphanumeric internal designations to differentiate it from the more humble Memo Pad 7 ME176C.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_memo_pad_7_me572c-review-1205.php

BlackBerry Passport gets a price cut for Valentine's Day

BlackBerry gave its flagship smartphone a price cut for Valentine's Day. The squarish BlackBerry Passport is available with $100 off in the United States and $125 off in Canada. The discount is available directly in the Canadian manufacturer's official online store. It will run through Monday, February 16. All three colors of the handset are available - black, white, and red. BlackBerry's promo pricing means that you can pick up a Passport for as low as $499 in the United States (in black or white). The more eye-catching red color goes for $599. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_passport_gets_a_price_cut_for_valentines_day-news-11160.php

New Vivo Y929 smartphone gets certified by TENAA

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo is working on a new device. This has been revealed thanks to TENAA, the Chinese equivalent to the FCC. The Vivo Y929 has passed through TENAA's regulatory process, and as usually happens in such cases, a couple of images have resulted, showing the handset for the first time. Thankfully though, the pictures aren't all, as we also get to find out details about the phone's specs. The Vivo Y929 will come with a 5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP front snapper, dual-SIM support (dual-standby), and a 2,000 mAh battery. It will be 4G LTE-capable, and will sport 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage, which may be expanded through the use of microSD cards. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset with a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, so although unnamed we're probably looking at the Snapdragon 410. It runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Vivo's FunTouch OS 2.0 on top. Its dimensions are 143.6 x 71.1 x 6.67 mm, so it's pretty thin for this day and age, and it weighs just 128g. It will be priced at CNY 2,198, which is insanely expensive for the Chinese market given those specs. That amount currently translates into approximately $351 or €311. The metal frame and the fact that both the front and the back of this device are coated in Gorilla Glass 3 may persuade some to purchase it based solely on looks, but otherwise it's unlikely to become a best seller. And we're not sure it will ever officially be offered in other parts of the world. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_vivo_y929_smartphone_gets_certified_by_tenaa-news-11159.php

Oppo 3000 released in China, it's a 4G-capable midranger

Oppo has unveiled a new smartphone in China today. It's called Oppo 3000 and it's already up for grabs in the mainland, in an interesting twist. Unlike other Oppo handsets, this one can't claim the title of "world's thinnest smartphone", nor does it come with an innovative swiveling camera. The Oppo 3000 is just a midrange device, aiming to deliver a polished experience to those who aren't looking for top of the line specs. Oppo 3000 Speaking of those, the Oppo 3000 comes with a 4.7-inch 720p touchscreen, a 5 MP wide-angle front camera, and an 8 MP Sony IMX179 rear camera sensor, which boasts f/2.0 aperture and has a five-element lens. All of these things should add up to decent image quality produced by this phone. Running the show here is Qualcomm's 64-bit Snapdragon 410 SoC, with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU in tow and Adreno 306 GPU. The Oppo 3000 has 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, a microSD card slot, dual-SIM functionality (dual-standby), 4G LTE support, NFC, and a 2,000 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat underneath Oppo's own Color OS 2.01. The device is being sold in China for CNY 1,599, which is about $256 or €226. That's quite a bit more than what's being asked for similarly specced handsets such as the new Xiaomi Redmi 2, so it's unclear how successful the Oppo 3000 will turn out to be, sales-wise. Another unknown is whether it will ever be offered for purchase elsewhere. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_3000_released_in_china_its_a_4gcapable_midranger-news-11158.php

Verizon's Nokia Lumia Icon is getting the Denim update

As promised by Verizon and Microsoft in December, the Lumia Denim update is now finally on its way to the Lumia Icon smartphone. Last year we heard that the rollout would occur in "early 2015", and February probably qualifies for that definition. The Icon follows in the footsteps of Verizon's Lumia 822 and Lumia 928, both of which have been running the latest software since 2014. Lumia Denim is the latest release based on Windows Phone 8.1, and it was announced in September of last year. A wider rollout for Denim commenced in January. The update brings with it the new Lumia Camera app, "Hey Cortana" voice activation, live folders on the Start screen, an "Apps Corner" for specific apps or games, SMS merge and forwarding, customizable snooze times in the Alarm app, consumer VPN support, faster browsing in IE, and a live tile for the Windows Phone store. If your Lumia Icon hasn't yet notified you that there's an update available, you can always manually check by going to Settings > Phone update. To be able to download it, you'll need to have at least 1GB of free storage space on your device. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/verizons_nokia_lumia_icon_is_finally_getting_the_denim_update-news-11157.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge details 'confirmed' again

For a few weeks we've been seeing an incredibly high number of leaks and rumors talking about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6. So far it's pretty likely that we'll get an S6 Edge version too, and this has been rumored to have a three-sided screen, not two-sided like the Galaxy Note Edge (which is pictured below). Today a new report comes to confirm this detail, along with other things that have been leaked recently. For example, both the S6 and the S6 Edge are said to sport "all-metal bodies". So the much rumored glass backs may be out. The phones will come with 5.1-inch displays, keeping the size of their predecessor. They will be powered by "Samsung's most advanced processor chips", or so say "people with direct knowledge of the matter". This isn't surprising, given how many times we've heard that Samsung won't use Qualcomm chips for the S6, instead opting for its own Exynos 7 octa solution. According to some analysts, the Galaxy Note Edge was received by the market better than they've anticipated, which means the S6 Edge might be a rather successful endeavor too. And its screen, which covers the front but also the left and right sides of the device, will surely make it stand out in public. Samsung plans to eventually produce a fully foldable smartphone, but until that's possible these curved displays will have to do. Both the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge will be unveiled by Samsung on March 1 at a special event in Barcelona. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_details_confirmed_again-news-11156.php

Gionee Elife S7 future flagship leaks showing very thin body

Competing for the title of "World's thinnest smartphone" seems to be an ongoing venture for many Chinese manufacturers. And while major mobile players mostly steer clear from this particular contest Asian manufacturers have been battling long and hard to top each-other's razor-thin creations. Gionee started it all with the Elife S5.1, measuring only 5.15 mm and now intends to get back in the game. That particular handset was quickly surpassed by the Oppo R5 with a 4.85 mm body, followed by the 4.8 mm Vivo X5 Max and most recently the Ivvi K1 Mini, measuring only 4.7 mm. Gionee's next big flagship device made it through the cracks today ant it seems that the new device, dubbed Elife S7 is once again reaching for the gold in the slim profile race. A few leaked pictures from China seem to show a Gionee Elife S7 unit and it looks incredibly thin. Reports say it measures in at 4.6 mm. This is kind of an odd deviation from the company's current rather clever scheme of naming their devices after their z-measure, namely the Elife S5.5, which spouts a 5.5mm and the aforementioned Elife S5.1 as well. Logic would dictate that a S7 model number would indicate a pretty fat handset or at least one with a 7-inch display, but neither seems to be true about the smartphone judging by the images. Gionee has already sent out invitations for its MWC 2015 event and the Elife S7 will indeed be unveiled at the Barcelona venue on March 2. Whether or not it will break the current size record is still unclear so the above leak and device should be taken with a grain of salt. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gionee_elife_s7_future_flagship_leaks_showing_very_thin_body-news-11155.php

New Galaxy S6 render based on precise schematics surfaces

A lot is already known about Samsung's next flagship device and its edged variant. Rumors have been all over the place, but no actual photos of a S6 units are available as of yet. We even have a pretty good idea on the handset's shape and dimensions. This is mostly based on leaked images of various cases for the future smartphone, but fairly recently we also saw some alleged schematics of the Galaxy S6 that seemed pretty accurate and credible enough. Based on those very sketches somebody has taken up the task to fire up some CAD software and produce a few gorgeous and very detailed renders of the device. At this point these images are as close as we can get to actually seeing Samsung's next flagship and judging from what we already know the renders should be close to, if not absolutely accurate. The Samsung Galaxy S6 should be equally impressive in terms of hardware. Rumors point toward an Exynos 7420 octa-core power house of a CPU along with an equally impressive Mali-T760 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The Galaxy S6 should spout a 5.1-inch QHD display and a rather impressive camera setup - 20MP OIS main shooter and 5MP front-facing. But again most of the above is still based purely on rumors so until Samsung's MWC event on March 1 nothing is really certain about the device and its edged...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_galaxy_s6_render_based_on_precise_schematics_surfaces-news-11154.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S Edge to have a 20MP OIS camera

A lot has been written about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S Edge flagships, with plenty of emphasis on the camera. The prevalent rumor is that it will be a 20MP shooter, but now more info has surfaced, coming from an insider who allegedly has a Galaxy S6 prototype in hand. The rear camera will pack a 20MP sensor manufactured by Samsung with optical image stabilization. The selfie camera will be a 5MP shooter, also with a Samsung-made sensor (the sensor from the Galaxy A series in particular). It's not clear if this Samsung sensor will make it to both S6 devices. Depending on production yield it could be limited to just the Galaxy S Edge or, worst case scenario, dropped altogether. In terms of software, Samsung is said to use the new Android 5.0 camera APIs to provide a Pro mode. This mode will shoot RAW photos and offer manual controls including focus and shutter speed...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/rumor_galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_to_have_a_20mp_ois_camera-news-11153.php

LG G Flex 2 coming to Singapore next month

The LG G Flex 2, which was unveiled at this year's CES, and launched in South Korea late last month, is heading to its first international market - Singapore. Priced at SGD998 ($800), the device will be up for pre-order on February 27, and will go on sale starting March 14. There is no word yet on when it will hit the US or the UK market. Specifications-wise, the device is powered by Qualcomm's infamous Snapdragon 810 chipset, and sports a 5.5-inch 1080p display. It comes in 2GB/32GB and 3GB/64GB variants, packs in a 3,000 mAh battery, and runs Android Lollipop (v5.0.1). In terms of camera, the G Flex 2 features a 2.1 MP front-facing unit, and 13 MP rear shooter. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g_flex_2_coming_to_singapore_next_month-news-11151.php

Kyocera Torque lands in Europe with a rugged droid smartphone

Kyocera has decided to step out of its usual North American market and test the European waters. The company is launching the Torque smartphone in Germany and France for business users in the coming weeks. Not to be confused with the first-generation Kyocera Torque, which the company launched for Sprint a couple of years ago, the latest Torque for the European market bears striking resemblance to the Brigadier. As such, the phone is equipped with a 4.5" 720p display, but sans sapphire crystal display, sadly. Powering the Kyocera Torque is a Snapdragon 400 chipset with a quad-core 1.4GHz Cortex-A7 CPU and 1GB of RAM. At the back, there's an 8MP snapper with LED. Similar to other Kyocera phones, the Torque is also IPX5 and IPX8 waterproof as well as dust- and shockproof. It can also survive temperatures from -21 to 50 degrees Celsius for 3 hours. The company will showcase the phone at the MWC 2015 and hopefully we'll have more information regarding pricing and availability...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/kyocera_torque_lands_in_europe_for_business_users-news-11152.php

Asus Zenfone C launched in India, priced at $96

Asus has launched an entry-level smartphone in India. Dubbed the Zenfone C-ZC451CG, the device is priced at INR 5,999 ($96), and is now available online via e-commerce website Flipkart. The smartphone is powered by Intel's Atom CloverTrail Z2520 chipset with dual-core 1.2GHz CPU, and sports a 4.5-inch FWVGA TN Panel display with a 480x854 pixel resolution. It comes with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (expandable up to 64GB via a microSD card), and runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box with the Taiwan-based company's Zen UI on top. As for the Camera, the Zenfone C sports a 0.3MP front snapper and a 5MP main shooter with PixelMaster technology, which the company claims can capture up to 400% brighter photos in low-light conditions, even without flash. The device also packs in a 2100mAh removable battery. Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, 3G, WiFi Direct, GPS, A-GPS, and GLONASS. The Zenfone C will also be available at Asus Exclusive Stores starting February 18. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_c_launched_in_india_priced_at_96-news-11149.php

Samsung Galaxy E7 heads to China for $330

The Samsung Galaxy E7 is the mid-range sibling of the Galaxy A7 and so far has been available in India only. Now the availability is expanding to China where it's joining the smaller Galaxy E5. The Galaxy E7 phablet will cost CNY 2,100 ($335/€300) though the exact launch date wasn't revealed. That's a bit cheaper than the price in India of INR 22,800 ($365/€325). It's also not entirely clear which of the country's carriers will offer the phablet, though it supports both China Mobile and China Unicom for its optional dual-SIM and LTE (150Mbps). The Samsung Galaxy E7 boasts a 5.5" Super AMOLED screen with 720p resolution (267ppi), runs Android 4.4 KitKat on a Snapdragon 410 chipset (4x Cortex-A53 CPU) with 2GB of RAM and has a 13MP/1080p main camera as well a 5MP selfie camera. Souce (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_e7_heads_to_china_for_cny_2100-news-11150.php

Exynos Galaxy Note 4 is getting Lollipop OTA in Poland

With the Lollipop update frenzy at full speed manufacturers are pushing hard to update their device lineups as quick as possible. Naturally major players, such as Motorola, HTC and especially Samsung are under tremendous pressure to deliver the improved Google experience to their vast user base. Just a few hours ago new information has surfaced, regarding Android 5.0 on the Galaxy Note 4 phablet. Apparently users in Poland are already receiving the OTA, but there are a couple of conditions. The software package is only seeding to SM-N910C devices, which is the Exynos variant of the handset and only the ones using CSC XEO (Open Europe). If you are a lucky owner of such a unit then the update is now live so be sure to grab it while it's hot. As a matter of fact Android Lollipop has been on the roadmap for Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge for quite some time now. Initial speculations hinted at Android 5.0.1 as the build under development, which coincides with the version of the new Polish OTA. If other rumors are to be believed Samsung took such a long time to push Lollipop on the two current gen devices mainly because of Gear VR compatibility which was holding pack progress. Whether or not this is true is beside the point, what is important is that the Galaxy Note 4 update was postponed to the point of aggravation seeing how the Galaxy Note 3 is already undergoing a Lollipop soak test in Russia. From the looks of things it also seems Samsung has opted to bring the new OS package to their own Exynos SoC devices first and then move on to the Snapdragon models. Judging from user manuals, leaked last month the whole Note 4 model family will be getting Lollipop and hopefully pretty soon. Thanks for the tip...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/exynos_galaxy_note_4_is_getting_lollipop_ota_in_poland-news-11148.php

Redmi 2 with 2GB RAM, 16GB storage to go on sale this month

A couple of weeks after its existence was revealed, it is being reported that the Xiaomi Redmi 2 with double the RAM and storage will go on sale during the Chinese company's Spring Festival, which is set to take place between February 13 and February 25. It is being speculated that the device will be called the Enhanced Edition, and will be priced at CNY799 (about $128). Aside from RAM and internal storage, the new model will retain all the other specifications of the original version, which is powered by Snapdragon 410 chipset with Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and Adreno 306 GPU. The device sports a 4.7-inch screen with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, 8MP main camera, and 2MP front camera. The Redmi 2 also packs in a 2,200mAh battery, and runs Android 4.4.4 with MIUI 6 on...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/redmi_2_with_2gb_ram_16gb_storage_to_go_on_sale_this_month-news-11147.php

NVIDIA Shield Tablet successor might debut on March 3

NVIDIA sent out invites for a March 3 press event. The gaming hardware manufacturer promises to "redefine the future of gaming." It will not be a surprise if NVIDIA takes the wraps off the successor of the 8" Shield Tablet. A report from a few days ago, suggests that the slate will debut before mid-March with a beefy NVIDIA Tegra X1 chipset. Tegra X1 silicon offering floating point performance of 1 teraflop, which is similar to a desktop-class GPU. Therefore, a mobile device with the chipset will surely help NVIDIA fulfill its bold promise about the future of gaming. We will be keeping an eye out for more details on the device in the days ahead. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nvidia_shield_tablet_successor_might_debut_on_march_3-news-11146.php

This year's Google I/O will take place on May 28-29

Google announced the official dates of its annual developer conference. This year's Google I/O will take place on May 28-29 in San Francisco. Registration for the large event is scheduled to begin on March 17 at 9AM Pacific time. Due to the large interest towards the conference, Google will distribute passes for the event via a lottery system. There is no word on what will Google reveal during the conference just yet. We will keep a close eye on any hints going forward. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/this_years_google_i_o_will_take_place_on_may_2829-news-11145.php

Lenovo P70 launches in China with 4,000 mAh battery

Lenovo has made a new smartphone available in China today. It's called P70, and it's a midranger with the battery capacity perhaps being its main claim to fame. The P70 comes powered by a whopping 4,000 mAh cell, which the Chinese company says may last you up to 34 days on standby. That's quite an achievement for a smartphone in this day and age, though the number does only refer to 2G standby. It goes down to 30.5 days on 4G, and 29 days on 3G. Still, respectable nevertheless. Aside from that, the Lenovo P70 boasts a 5-inch 720p IPS touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, as well as a 5 MP front-facing unit. Running the show is MediaTek's MT6752 64-bit chipset, coming with a 1.7 GHz octa-core CPU and a 700 MHz MaliT760-MP2 GPU. The handset has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, dual-SIM functionality, and 4G LTE support (Cat.4, up to 150Mbps download and 50Mbps upload). It's being offered in "midnight blue" only. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat and its dimensions are 142 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm, while it weighs 149 grams. It costs CNY 1,399, which right now means about $224 or €198. Source 1 • Source 2 (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_p70_launches_in_china_with_4000_mah_battery-news-11144.php

T-Mobile HTC One (M8) is now getting Lollipop OTA

HTC seems to be keeping busy with updates to its current device lineup. Presumably the goal is to push Android 5.0 to as many capable devices as possible before this year's MWC event and the announcements it is going to bring. Now there is a mission we can definitely get behind. Unsurprisingly HTC's One (M8) flagship device is a top priority and has been seeing a lot of Lollipop love lately. After the unlocked and Developer editions received the update and soon after that EU units and Sprint ones it is now time for T-Mobile's own ranks to get the much anticipated OTA. Just as promised T-Mobile One (M8) units have started receiving update notices. The update is naturally staged so if you happen to own a T-Mobile unit be sure to check regularly as the package is on the way. Besides the obvious aesthetic overhaul that Android 5.0 brings to the HTC there is also the matter of performance improvements. We have taken the liberty of retesting a few of our available smartphones which have received the Lollipop update and numbers are definitely looking good. The One (M8) showed formidable improvement with the new software in pretty much every aspect so Google definitely deserve praise for all their hard work. For a more in-depth performance overview of Android 5.0 on the HTC One (M8) among other devices check out our updated test scores. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_htc_one_m8_is_now_getting_lollipop_ota-news-11142.php

Lollipop update for the first Moto X is in the works, coming soon

Motorola brought Lollipop to all of its current Moto smartphones but the first-gen Moto X is still left hanging. Sure, the Moto E is yet to taste Android Lollipop, but the testing processes has already begun, which means its update is ready. What happens to the original Moto X then? Motorola has decided to answer this bugging questions over Twitter. Apparently, the Lollipop update for the Moto X is still in development and Motorola is working on fixing compatibility issues with the SoC. The first Moto X runs on the Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset with dual-core 1.7GHz Krait processor, Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. It seems the vanilla Lollipop is facing some issues with the hardware and requires further tweaking. Anyway, Motorola doesn't want to give any promises for release dates, but it assure its Moto X users that all hands are on deck for the update and it will roll out as soon as...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lollipop_update_for_the_first_moto_x_is_in_the_works_coming_soon-news-11141.php