Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 with Snapdragon 650 announced in China

Back in November, Xiaomi announced the Redmi Note 3, which was the company's first smartphone with a fingerprint sensor and a full-metal body. Today, the company announced a different variant of the phone, with a couple of changes. The new model announced today varies in two ways. One, it replaces the MediaTek Helio X10 chipset with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 with a 64-bit 1.8GHz hexa-core CPU, Adreno 510 GPU, integrated X8 LTE with Cat 7 speeds and support for VoLTE. The device works on all mobile carriers in China and has 4G+ network support. The other change is the switch from a 13 megapixel camera on the back to 16 megapixels with f2.0 aperture and phase detection autofocus. Most of the other specifications remain the same, with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, 2GB RAM on the 16GB model and 3GB on the 32GB model, and 4,050mAh battery. The 16GB model is priced at RMB 999 ($151). The 32GB pricing will be announced later. If you're reading this in India, then you'll be glad to know that the phone is also coming soon to the Indian market. Pricing and availability information isn't available yet but Xiaomi has started the Redmi Note 3 Explorer challenge in India, where 100 chosen Mi fans will get the phone if they complete the 100 missions. More details will be released...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_3_with_snapdragon_650_announced_in_china-news-16060.php

Google+ for Android update autohides the bottom bar, autocompletes search suggestions

A new update to the Google+ app for Android has started rolling out, and should reach all users within a few days. Google+ 7.0.0 is all about giving people the most requested features since the big redesign last year, but also squashing some bugs in the process. The bottom tab bar now automatically hides when scrolling (but not on the Notifications screen yet). The home stream remembers your position when you come back to it from a different screen, and the search function has gotten autocomplete suggestions as you type. If you have no Communities or Collections on your profile, then the app will prompt you to add one. Additionally, a grand total of precisely 69 bugs have been fixed, and 14 accessibility issues have been addressed. More updates are promised for the Google+ app for Android in the near future, and you can influence what will go into them by using the Send Feedback menu item. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_for_android_update_autohides_the_bottom_bar_autocompletes_search_suggestions-news-16057.php

LG outs plans for entire K-Series smartphone lineup on Facebook

With cheaper processors becoming faster and more than enough for performing day-to-day tasks, more and more mid-range smartphones are starting to appeal to consumers. Like Samsung, LG seeks to unify all its mid-rangers with a recognizable branding. While the top of the mid-range offering, the K7 and K10, were revealed at CES last week, LG also has plans to make a K8, K7, K5, and K4. LG's tagline for its K-Series of smartphones is "Find Your Own Style". Perhaps not every K-Series smartphone will be available in one particular market, but there is a variety to choose from that will surely find a market to cater to. LG's growth has been leveling off lately and this is really LG's chance to take market share from Samsung in the mid to lower-range markets. Here is LG's post from Facebook: As part of LG's new affordable mid-range smartphone series, the K10 and K7 stand out both in design and camera features. The glossy pebble design complemented with intricate woven back patterns provide a better grip and unique features including the ‘gesture interval shot' and ‘tap and shot' will bring a hassle-free selfie experience to those in use. *Specifications may vary depending on region LG looks to be targeting the younger crowd with its mid-rangers particularly mentioning the rear texture design for making a statement, and features that can enhance the selfie experience. LG's new K-Series phones are quite nice to look at, if you haven't already, check out our K10 and K7 hands-on posts. Via |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_outs_its_entire_kseries_smartphone_line_on_facebook-news-16059.php

Microsoft Band 2 online pre-orders are now live in Australia

Microsoft has announced that online pre-orders for the company's new Band, dubbed Band 2, are now live in Australia. This means that you can now go ahead and pre-order a unit via the Australian Microsoft Store site. The Redmond, Washington-based company also revealed that those pre-ordering the band will receive it "as early as January 21." As for the price, the wearable device carries a tag of AUD 379.99 in the country, which translates into $265 at current exchange rates. Available in small, medium, as well as large sizes, the Band 2 features continuous heart rate monitoring and notification alerts. It also packs in as much as eleven sensors that can track various activities including exercising, running, weightlifting, biking, and rowing. Source 1...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_band_2_online_preorders_are_now_live_in_australia-news-16056.php

Google launcher for Android gets auto-rotation on phones in latest beta

A new beta version of the Google app for Android is now out, and it has a couple of new features inside. First off, for those who use the Google Now Launcher, it has received support for auto-rotation on phones. The Google Now Launcher currently only auto-rotates on tablets, but if you want it to do the same on your phone, then you should grab this beta version. Such a feature was present in early Android Marshmallow developer previews, but it mysteriously disappeared when the third one came out - and hasn't returned until today. To enable auto-rotation you need to go into the settings of the Google Now Launcher and tap on the new option that shows up at the bottom of the list. Another new thing in this beta release is icon normalization. This basically resizes app icons to make them appear more consistent with one another - so you won't have a huge icon next to a small one, and so on. Google has some guidelines out for icon sizes, but not all developers adhere to those. Of course, there could be some instances where this auto-resizing doesn't go very well, but that's why this has been added to a beta release of the app. Things should improve before the finalized version is shipped to everyone. If you're interested in testing the 5.8 beta iteration of the Google app (and understand that bugs are pretty much inevitable in these cases), make sure you head over to the Source link below to download and install it (updating your existing...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_launcher_for_android_gets_autorotation_on_phones_in_latest_beta-news-16054.php

Nexus 6P vs. LG V10 vs. Galaxy Note 5: Jumbo joust

We've gathered three of the best Android phablets with a 5.7" screen. All three hail from the East but instead of Zen calmness they epitomize the latest and greatest in mobile technology.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note5_vs_lg_v10_vs_nexus_6p-review-1363.php