LG Gx purportedly leaked with 5.5-inch display, Snapdragon 600 and 2GB of RAM

According to a report, LG is working on its next G series smartphone, believed to be dubbed LG Gx, which is looks to a be phablet that is lower-specced than the company's current flagship, the LG G2.

A Korean publication has posted purported specifications of the alleged LG Gx smartphone, which were first spotted by Phonearena.

As per the Korean site, the alleged LG Gx will come with a 5.5-inch display, however, there is no word on the display technology or screen resolution. The Gx will supposedly be powered by a Snapdragon 600 processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM. While the report says the Gx will include 32GB inbuilt storage, it makes no mention of expandable storage options.LG LCD

The rumoured LG Gx is also said to sport a 13-megapixel rear camera, and pack a 3140mAh battery. The site also claims that the alleged LG Gx would support LTE connectivity. The site has also posted an image of a poster that appears like a marketing material of the alleged LG Gx. The image in the poster shows a phone believed to be the LG Gx and it clearly reveals a front physical home button in the device. As of now, there is no word on the availability and pricing of the alleged LG Gx.

LG is also rumoured to be working on a mini-variant of its 2013 flagship smartphone, the LG G2, dubbed G2 mini.

The rumoured LG G2 mini smartphone is expected to include a Snapdragon 800 chipset, the same seen on the LG G2; 2GB of RAM, and a 4.7-inch display. LG is expected to release the alleged LG G2 mini at CES 2014 in January at Las Vegas.

Recently, a report emerging from Korea suggested that sales of LG's flagship smartphone, the G2, have been below expectations. As per the report, LG sold around 600,000 units of G2 in South Korea since the launch; and about 2.3 million units internationally, while the South Korean had set a sales target of 3 million for the G2 globally.

LG G2 sales below expectations

Sales of LG's flagship smartphone, the G2, have been below expectations, according to a new report emerging from Korea. When LG launched the G2 in August this year, the smartphone created a lot of buzz thanks to its unique design, as it features the power button and the volume rocker on the back of the phone, instead of the sides of the phone, as is usually the case.

However, a Korean publication Asia Today has revealed in a report that LG has been unable to cash-in much on its uniquely designed LG G2 smartphone. As per the report, LG sold around 600,000 units of G2 in South Korea since the launch; internationally the South Korean major sold about 2.3 million units, while the company had set a sales target of 3 million for the G2 globally.LG LCD

The report also notes that LG had spent a lot in terms of marketing and advertising for the LG G2 but the results have been disappointing.

LG launched the LG G2 globally back in August. The LG G2 features a 5.2-inch full-HD (1080x1920) display, with a pixel density of 423ppi. It is powered by Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor that's clocked at 2.26GHz. The device comes with 2GB of RAM and offers 16GB and 32GB storage options.

The LG G2 sports a 13.0-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilisation and a 2.1-megapixel front shooter. LG's latest flagship runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery. The LG G2 sports dimension of 138.5x70.9x8.9mm, weighs 143 grams.

On the other hand, LG's chief competitor and another South Korean major, Samsung claimed on Tuesday that its Galaxy Note 3 touched the 10 million mark in just two months.

A recent report suggested that LG might be working on a mini variant of the LG G2, believed to be dubbed LG G2 mini. The report further speculates that LG might launch the alleged LG G2 mini at CES 2014 in January at Las Vegas.

It's an iPad and Galaxy Christmas! Apple and Samsung increase tablet shipment orders for December

A few months ago, Tim Cook famously said that this year we would be having an "iPad Christmas", which sounded all well and good until you started looking at some of the recent trends in tablet sales. The iPad is still the most popular single tablet, but overall the Android army is taking over the tablet market, led by Samsung. Now, we're hearing that both companies are looking to increase tablet shipment orders for December.iPad Parts

The report comes from DigiTimes and its (hit-or-miss) sources in the Taiwan supply chain. Word has it that Apple has increased the Q4 2013 iPad shipments orders from about 20 million units up to 23-25 million units; and, Samsung is also increasing its tablet orders for the quarter from over 10 million units to about 12 million units.

The important info that is missing from the report is how many of those new Apple orders are on the full-size iPad Air, or the iPad mini with Retina Display. We would hope that it is for the mini, because that is the tablet that has been having production issues and shortages on store shelves. It's unlikely that you'll have trouble finding an iPad Air if you want one, but the minis are still hard to find.

Samsung Galaxy S5 to reportedly feature aluminium unibody metal chassis

Samsung's next flagship device, rumoured to be dubbed Galaxy S5, might be the first smartphone from the South Korean giant to sport a metal chassis.

As per a report published by Japanese site, EMS One the alleged Galaxy S5 would sport an aluminium unibody chassis and that it would be manufactured by Taiwanese based company, Catcher. The report claims that Catcher would be manufacturing between 10 million and 30 million Galaxy S5 metal unibody cases.

Notably, Catcher has been the company manufacturing aluminium unibody for devices like HTC One, Apple iPad mini 2, notes Phonearena.Samsung cell phone Parts

In addition, the RB Men blog has posted a purported image of the Galaxy S5 with metal chassis. The alleged image reveals an unnamed Samsung device's rear panel which features metal back, instead of the plastic we have seen in other Galaxy smartphones.

Prior to this, a set of images allegedly showing a structural component of Samsung's next flagship smartphone, the rumoured Galaxy S5, was spotted online.

Earlier a report suggested the South Korean manufacturer plans to release two versions of the alleged Galaxy S5. As per the report, there would be two variants of the Galaxy S5: a premium variant sporting a metal chassis and a flexible OLED, and a variant which would come with the usual plastic body, as found on other Galaxy smartphones.

Further, the report also speculated that Samsung would initially manufacture around 800,000 to 1 million units of the alleged Galaxy S5 in January, and would increase the number up to 6 million units in February. The report claimed that Samsung would likely release the Galaxy S5 in March or April 2014.

Rumoured specifications of the alleged Galaxy S5 include a 64-bit Exynos chipset or a Snapdragon chipset; 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera, a 4000mAh battery and Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz UI on top.

Nokia Asha 502 Dual SIM and Asha 503 go on sale

Nokia put two Asha 50x phones on sale – the 502 Dual SIM and the 503. The two are based on the Asha 501 design, but add a transparent outer layer on the back (while being every bit as colorful underneath).

The Nokia Asha 502 Dual SIM improves the phone's photography skills by bumping the camera to 5MP and adding an LED flash. The video recording is still at the abysmal QVGA@15fps, though.Nokia LCD

As the name suggests, it comes only in dual-SIM. This model has only 2G connectivity, but Wi-Fi is available and so is WhatsApp. Note that the Asha 502 has a slightly smaller battery.

The Nokia Asha 503 comes in single- and dual-SIM versions. It also brings back the 3.5G connectivity from the 501, while keeping the improved camera. The battery is back to the original 1,200mAh capacity too.

Both the Asha 502 and the 503 have 3" QVGA screens (240 x 320) protected by Gorilla Glass 2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, microSD card slots. They also feature social networking integration (Facebook, Twitter, Sina Weibo, LINE, WeChat) and Nokia's data compressing Xpress Browser.

The Nokia Asha 502 Dual SIM and Asha 503 are available right now in select IMEA (India, Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific regions.

Google unveils Nexus 5 Bumper Case, LG QuickCover and Nexus 7 Sleeve for India

Google finally launched the much-awaited Nexus 5 smartphone and Nexus 7 (2013) in India on Wednesday. The search engine giant has also introduced a new Nexus 5 Bumper Case and LG QuickCover, and a Nexus 7 Sleeve.

As of now, the Bumper Case for Nexus 5 is available at Google Play Store for Rs. 2,499 and comes in four colour variants - Black, Grey, Red and Yellow. As per the Play Store listing, the bumper case features a hard outer shell to absorb shocks caused by drops. Nexus 7 LCD Screen

The Nexus 5 QuickCover has been priced at Rs. 3,299, though it is still listed as 'coming soon'. It will be available in Black and White colour variants.

On the other hand, the Nexus 7 Sleeve is priced at Rs. 1,999 and still sports the 'coming soon' tag. It will be available in three colours - Black, Grey and Yellow. Further, the Nexus 7 Sleeve can also work with the Nexus 7 (2012) tablet.

The Nexus 5 smartphone and Nexus 7 (2013) tablet are available via the Play Store. The Nexus 5 is available in two variants - the 16GB model at Rs. 28,999, and the 32GB variant at Rs. 32,999 in India.

On the other hand, the Nexus 7 (2013) tablet starts at Rs. 20,999 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model, while the 32GB Wi-Fi only model is available at Rs. 23,999, and the 32GB Wi-Fi + 3G (HSPA+, LTE) model at Rs. 27,999.

Smartphones accounted for 55 percent of global phone sales in Q3: Gartner

Smartphone sales accounted for 55 percent of global mobile sales in the third quarter as customers in China and Latin America swapped their old phones for the higher end of the range gadgets, research firm Gartner said on Thursday.

Worldwide smartphone sales rose nearly 46 percent from last year to 250.2 million units, it said, while overall mobile phone sales were up less than 6 percent at 455.6 million.

"Sales of feature phones (normal handsets) continued to decline and the decrease was more pronounced in markets where the average selling price (ASP) for feature phones was much closer to the ASP of affordable smartphones," said Gartner analyst Anshul Gupta.Samsung Touch Screen

He said he expected smartphone sales of just below 1 billion devices for 2013. Samsung kept the top spot in the smartphone segment, with a 32.1 percent market share, selling 80.36 millionsmartphones, up from 55 million in the same quarter last year, helped by its Note 3 large display smartphone.

Apple sold 23.2 percent more smartphones at 30.33 million, but its market share dropped to 12.1 percent from 14.3 percent.

Sales of Apple's new iPhone 5s and its low-cost iPhone 5c model had a modest impact on sales as both phones went on sale in September, the last month of the quarter.

Lenovo took the third spot with a 5.1 percent market share in the smartphone segment, just ahead of LG Electronics and Huawei, with market shares of 4.8 percent and 4.7 percent respectively.

All the companies are in especially fierce competition in the Chinese market, where customers are still replacing their old models with smartphones.

Of the smartphones sold, 81.9 percent were running on Google's mobile platform Android, while 12.1 percent used Apple's iOS and 3.6 percent were on Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Gartner said.

Samsung promises investors new technology to take on Apple, renewed focus on tablets

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd pledged to double its dividend yield, invest in new technology and boost marketing to topple Apple Inc in the mobile sector as it sought to ease investors' concerns over its sagging share price.

The world's leading maker of smartphones, memory chips and televisions outlined its strategy on Wednesday at a rare meeting with analysts designed to reassure investors that it is listening to complaints about low returns and poor use of capital.

But shareholders appeared unconvinced as they drove the stock more than 2 percent lower, versus a 0.1 percent rise in the wider market. Samsung trades at seven times projected earnings, while Apple trades at a premium of 12.Samsung cell phone Parts

"Investors had expected a bag of presents from today's meeting but its dividend payout plan is disappointing," said Kim Sung-soo, a fund manager at LS Asset Management.

The second analyst meeting of its kind in eight years came after a string of record quarterly profits, which have fed a cash pile totalling $50 billion as of September without arresting a 4.7 percent slide in the share price this year.

Shareholder returns are at their lowest in five years, with investors getting just 5.1 percent of profit in 2012 compared with a 15.8 percent total shareholder return in 2007 when Samsung last bought back shares in the market.

"Our management view is that our product valuation multiple does not truly reflect our earnings growth and leadership position in the IT industry," Chief Financial Officer Lee Sang-hoon told analysts at the meeting in Seoul.

He said the South Korean giant would modify its dividend strategy based on a target yield, and flagged a more flexible approach to shareholder returns by vowing to review them every three years to ensure they reflected changes in business conditions.

Rather than specify a target dividend yield, he said the 2013 payout would be around 1 percent of the share price compared with 0.5 percent last year, a level that fueled investors' complaints that the company was hoarding cash at their expense.

Lee said the $50 billion war chest was being prepared for "significant investment" in strategic technologies, mergers or acquisitions, suggesting the company could loosen its purse strings as it chases the next big thing in mobile technology.

"I know we have been somewhat conservative in M&A but it may be different in the future. Based on this, I don't believe the current level of net cash balance is excessive," he said.

"We plan to allocate a significant portion of our annual cash flow into capex and R&D to secure future growth and shareholder return," he said. Eyes on tablets Faced with slowing growth in the market for its top-selling Galaxy range of high-end smartphones, Samsung said it would target the tablet segment where Apple's iPads dominate.

"Our tablet sales significantly increased already this year. So we are ready for the next step," said J.K. Shin, co-chief executive and head of Samsung's mobile business.

The mobile business brings in two thirds of Samsung's total profit, and Shin said the $228 billion company would continue to invest heavily in marketing to create "buzz" and boost sales of its latest gadgets.

"We have technologies ready to bring new innovation into the market soon. At the same time, we'll leverage our Galaxy brand, distribution channel and global networks," he said.

Samsung, whose smartphone market share rose to a record 35.2 percent in the July-September quarter versus Apple's 13.4 percent, remains a second player in the tablet market. It had 20.4 percent of the tablet business in the third quarter versus Apple's 29.6 percent, according to researcher IDC.

Shin said Samsung would expand its mobile "experience shops", hold more global events like the launch of its Galaxy S4 smartphone at Manhattan's iconic Radio City Music Hall in March, and try out new marketing formats such as collaboration with fashion shows.

Assuming conservatively that Samsung will keep its marketing budget stable at last year's 6.5 percent of sales, outlays are expected to increase 16 percent to a staggering $14.2 billion this year, on par with its R&D spending.

250 million smartphones shipped in Q3

Everyday seems to bring another analyst report or memo declaring the continuing proliferation of smartphones worldwide, and that trend certainly rolled right through the third quarter.

This time the update comes from Canalys, which revealed smartphone shipments grew by 44 percent year-over-year in Q3. But the number to know is simple yet astounding. The tech insight firm cited that nearly a quarter of a billion (yes, billion) smartphones shipped over the three-month period.Samsung cell phone Parts

Naturally, there were some familiar names leading the way, such as Samsung and Apple. The mobile phone rivals maintained the top two spots on the global vendor charts with with market shares of 34 percent and 15 percent respectively. Huawei, Lenovo and LG rounded out the top five.

Interestingly, Android and iOS don't appear to have actually grown much, but Canalys highlighted that Microsoft's Windows Mobile grew its share of the pie by 4 percent.

Another lesson that could be extracted from the report is the most successful screen size. With more than 56 million units shipped in Q3, the five-inch and above bracket for form factors is looking like the sweet spot now in the smartphone space. But looking at the global figures on a more local level, shipments are accelerating the most outside of the United States. Nicole Peng, a research director at Canalys covering China, hinted in the report at how the mobile OEMs play into this: Samsung was the leading vendor across all regions except North America, where Apple held the top spot. These two vendors account for almost 70 percent of the market there. LG held onto third place in North America, while Nokia has moved from eighth to fourth place after making gains from its competitors with its new flagship products, the Lumia 1020 and 925.

Namely, Greater China (China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) again grew the most by 64 percent with nearly 100 million units shipped.

Latin America followed with the second highest growth rate at 59 percent -- despite being the smallest smartphone market with 19 million units shipping.

Source:CNET

Essential iPad Air apps

Hurray, the iPad Air is here and you know what that means? There are going to be a lot of first-time users who won't be sure where to start. Apple's latest tablet is a wonderful portable computer, with great built-in functionality, but it's true power can only be unleashed through the use of the many wonderful third-party applications.Apple Parts

There are more than 475,000 apps on the App Store that are specifically designed to take advantage of the iPad's beautiful 9.7" high-resolution display, and if that's not enough, you can always run all the other iPhone applications as well. There are apps for all purposes - navigation, note-taking, movies, weather, drawing, music production, video editing, cooking, learning and so on, and so forth. What you'll find here is a list of essential, must-have apps (no games here) that everyone should seriously consider installing on their brand new iPad.

Five reasons the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is the best smartphone for road warriors

There are a number of excellent smartphones available today and each of us has our own personal preferences. Here are five reasons I think the Note 3 is perfect for those who hit the road on a regular basis. Feel free to leave a comment if you can think of more.

Removable battery: Many modern smartphones have integrated non-removable batteries, often driven by sleek design considerations. Thankfully, Samsung continues to release Android smartphones with removable batteries. The large 3,200 mAh battery lasts a long time, but when you are out in the field it is still valuable to be able to slap in a fresh battery.Samsung Galaxy Note II LCD

microSD card slot: Just like batteries, most devices have integrated flash storage. Samsung launched the Note 3 with both 32GB and 64GB integrated memory along with a microSD card slot for even more capacity. As users capture video and images it is helpful to be able to transfer these via microSD on the go.

Large display: When you are out on the road and trying to read documents, work with email, browse the web, and more with your smartphone in hand then the large 5.7 inch display can be very useful. Samsung makes the large display even better with its brilliant Super AMOLED technology and multi-window capability.

Infrared port: Various studies show that hotel remote controls may be loaded with germs. A couple newer Android smartphones come with IR ports and the more I travel the more I appreciate having one on my phone. Samsung includes an IR port in the top of the Note 3 with the WatchOn software that makes it easy to connect to most TVs and entertainment systems.

S Pen: While traveling I often meet people and then have a need to jot something down. I rarely carry a paper pad, so it is great to see Samsung's improvements in S Pen functionality. The Action Memo is perfect for jotting down numbers, email addresses, and more. As I explained in my review, there is much more you can do with the S Pen as well.

Smartphone market grows 45% in Q3, Huawei moves to 3rd place

Global smartphone shipments grew 45 percent annually to reach a record 251 million units in the third quarter of 2013, according to Strategy Analytics. Samsung took a record 35 percent share of the market, and Huawei moved up to third place. Smartphones accounted for 6 in 10 of all mobile phones shipped worldwide, driven by strong demand for LTE models in developed regions like the US and 3G devices in emerging markets such as China. HuaWei LCD

Samsung's share was up 2.3 percent points from a year earlier as it grew shipments an estimated 55 percent to 88.4 million units. Apple's growth was slower, and its market share fell to 13.4 percent from 15.6 a year ago. Huawei took a 5.1 percent share, as it grew shipments 67 percent annually to 12.7 million units in Q3.

LG was in fourth place, with 12.0 million smartphones good for a 4.8 percent market share. LG was also the fastest-growing vendor among the top five brands, with shipments up 71 percent year-on-year. Lenovo came fifth, with 10.8 million smartphones shipped and a 4.3 percent share of the global market.

Nexus 5 leaked in dual-tone White-variant, tipped for November 1 launch

When Apple first detailed iOS 7, it briefly hinted at support for gaming controllers. It also later discussed it with developers in documentation. It now appears that one of the first iPhone gamepad controllers is being developed by Logitech, and would be available under the product name, Powershell.

A render featuring the front and back of the Logitech gamepad, complete with an iPhone 5, was posted online by the notorious @evleaks through his Twitter account. This was followed up by another tweet, just a few days back, that said the device would be named Powershell.

Now, a trademark listing page on trademark and patent filing database Legalforce, for the same Logitech Powershell gaming controller has been spotted online.iPhone 5C Parts

The listing describes the device as an 'integrated game control device and battery pack for use with computers and digital electronic devices.' It was filed on 18 September by Logitech. The name Powershell definitely hints at the presence of a battery pack.

The render of the Logitech gamepad revealed a controller that allows the iPhone to fit inside it. In line with the controller diagrams that appeared in Apple's documentation, the controller includes shoulder buttons, a d-pad direction controller on the left and action buttons and a pause key on the right. The back has an opening to allow users to take pictures with the iPhone's camera, and a stylised 'G' branding.

Apple did not talk about game controllers when it unveiled the new iPhones and the new iPads, at its special events. It would be interesting to see how games developed keeping in mind these controllers drive forward the iPhone as a gaming device.

It was previously reported that according to Apple's guidelines for MFi game controllers (MFi is a licensing program to get the hardware components, tools, documentation, technical support, and certification logos needed to create electronic accessories that connect to iPod, iPhone, and iPad), game developers who offer support for game controllers would need to ensure that their games also work without them and that there's going to be a "Made for iPhone" branding for these controllers.

iPhone 5s stock almost out in the US, iPhone 5c fully available

Apple went off to a good start with its new generation of iPhone – in just the first weekend the company shipped 9 million units of the 5s and 5c combined. But analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray thinks this is mostly thanks to the iPhone 5s, which was the top selling device in the US for the month of September.

Munster contacted 60 Apple stores and found that the iPhone 5s availability dropped to just 6%, down from 27% a couple of weeks ago. Even if you'd settle for any iPhone 5s variant you'd still find it hard to grab one – stores that have at least one iPhone 5s SKU went from 90% to 40% in about a week.iPhone 5S LCD Screen

All of this has pushed the resale value of the iPhone 5s pretty high – a 16GB version currently resells for 32% more than it costs at the store. Munster didn't mention color versions, but we guess the high-demand gold version is pricier than the white and space grey models.

Munster believes the short supply is caused by Apple preparing to launch the iPhone 5s into 51 new markets next month. This overwhelming demand contrasts the iPhone 5c, which is in stock everywhere. You don't even have to wait for it – while there's some lead time for the 5s, a 5c can be delivered to your door in just 24 hours in the six biggest markets for Apple.

Yesterday we heard a report that Apple halved iPhone 5c production orders after weak performance in China, as the high price tag didn't help its cause.

The 5c resale value is 11% lower than its retail value, another stark contrast with the 5s. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S4 resale value is currently around 12% lower than its retail value in the US (to be fair, the S4 has been available longer than the iPhones and is readily in stock everywhere).

Nexus 5 image leaked; shows large sensor camera, Nexus 7 styling

The much-anticipated successor to the Nexus 4 has made another appearance on the Internet. The latest leaked image comes courtesy Spigen, a case-maker that has posted an image of the expected Nexus 5, revealing the rear panel.

Spigen has posted the image to its Google+ feed and notes, "Where will you be when the revolution begins?" accompanied by the #nexus5, #android and #google hashtags that suggests that case-maker wants more people to talk about the upcoming Nexus smartphone.Nexus 7 LCD Screen

The leaked image shows the rear camera with large sensor accompanied by an LED flash. The rear panel's design appears to be identical to that of the Nexus 7 (2013) tablet. The image has a tagline which said, "Nexus 5 Revolution be ready." Unfortunately, the case-maker has not revealed any details about the availability of the alleged Nexus 5.

Earlier this month, the rumoured Nexus 5's battery, pricing and storage details were leaked. The report claimed that the 16GB Nexus 5 model will supposedly be priced at $299 (Rs. 18,500 approximately), while the 32GB Nexus 5 might be expected to be priced at $399 (Rs. 24,500 approximately).

Additionally the report claimed that the next Nexus smartphone would come in two different battery sizes for 16GB and 32GB storage models. As per the report, the 16GB is said to include a 2300mAh battery while the 32GB model is expected to pack a 3000mAh battery.

We had already reported that the rumoured Nexus 5 will come with 16GB and 32GB storage onboard, as the company has shifted to larger inbuilt storage on the device.

Rumoured specifications of the Nexus 5 include a 4.95-inch full-HD (1080p) IPS LCD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz, 2GB of RAM, 8-megapixel rear camera with OIS and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The alleged Nexus 4 successor has also been expected to include a host of sensors like ambient light, proximity, pressure as well as accelerometer, compass, notification LED and gyroscope.

Prior to this, a report suggested the successor to the Nexus 4 would be unveiled later this month, while it would start shipping in the last week of this month.

Apple to hold an iPad unveiling event on October 22

We have been hearing rumors of Apple holding an event some time this month to announce the remainder of the products for this year's holiday season. Although it's not official yet, both AllThingsD and The Loop have confirmed through their sources that the event will take place on October 22.iPad Mini Parts

Now a lot of things are being rumored to be announced during this event but the focus will be on the new iPads. By now, we have pretty much seen all that there is to see about both these devices.

The new iPad with Retina display (or the iPad 5) will feature a new design that makes it look like a bigger iPad mini. It will feature an updated SoC, possibly named A7X. The iPad mini, on the other hand, will have an A7 processor but no Retina display. Both devices will have the new M7 co-processor and Touch ID fingerprint scanner, along with the new colors: silver, space gray and gold.

Along with the new iPads, Apple is also expected to announce new MacBook Pro with Retina displays. The updated models will have the new fourth generation Intel Core processors, also known as 'Haswell', along with updated NVIDIA 7-series mobile GPU.

Apple is also expected to give an update on the new Mac Pro that they unveiled during WWDC. They will possibly be announcing the proper launch date, along with the pricing for the new Pro.

Lastly, the next version of OS X, 10.9 Mavericks, is also expected to be released on the same day on the Mac App Store. You can expect any new Macs announced on that day to ship with it pre-installed.

That's a lot of stuff for one event so for all the Apple fans out there, it seems Christmas has come early this year.

Wi-Fi version of Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 receives Android 4.2.2 update

The Wi-Fi version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet has started to receive the Android 4.2.2 update via an OTA update. Those who have yet to receive the notification that the update has arrived can hook up their slate to that big ol' PC on the desk and pull out the update from Samsung Kies. Besides the updated OS build, the tablet will be more stable and there are some small UI changes to TouchWiz as far as Contacts, S Planner and Email are concerned. The LTE version of the slab has already received the update.Samsung Galaxy Note LCD Screen

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 offers an 8 inch screen with resolution of 1280 x 800. That works out to a pixel density of 189ppi. Under the hood is a quad-core 1.6GHz Samsung Exynos 4412 processor with the Mali-400 MP4 working on the graphics. 2GB of RAM can be found on board along with 16GB of native storage. The rear facing camera weighs in at 5MP and records video in 1080 x 1920 at 30fps. There is also a front-facing 1.3MP snapper. A 4600mAh cell powers up the tablet.

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Tab line of tablets, the Galaxy Note 8 offers many of the features found in Samsung's phablet line such as S Pen capabilities, SAFE, Air View and Multi Window. And now, the Wi-Fi version will be running Android 4.2.2.

Rumoured HTC One Max phablet spotted at Tenaa, confirms fingerprint scanner

It seems we have received a more credible indication of what the HTC One Max, the device which had been formerly known as HTC T6, will finally look like.

This is thanks to the round the HTC One Max has made through the Tenaa (Telecommunication Equipment Certification Centre) which can be considered the Chinese equivalent of FCC in the US. However, the images have now been removed from the Chinese site. There is nothing new that these leaked images at Tenaa reveal, only further confirming that the HTC One Max will be indeed coming with fingerprint scanner.HTC Parts

Moreover, Mobileaks, a Dutch site has revealed some of the specifications expected in the rumoured HTC One Max which include a 5.9-inch Super LCD full-HD (1080x1920) display, 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor, Ultra Pixel camera, Fingerprint Scanner and would run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

The HTC One Max with fingerprint scanner had been spotted earlier on a Taiwanese site. The images revealed a fingerprint scanner beneath the rear camera. It was also reported that the launch of the upcoming phablet from HTC was pushed to the end of October because of the addition of the new feature.

The fingerprint scanner, if true, could be HTC One Max's USP and could be found usage for authentication process to unlock the phone or for mobile payment authorisations. Meanwhile, Apple has already unveiled the iPhone 5s with a built-in fingerprint scanner called Touch ID.

Last week, the HTC One Max seemingly leaked again and was being compared to Samsung's Galaxy Note phablets.

T-Mobile will no longer offer BlackBerry 10 devices in stores

T-Mobile US confirmed that it will no longer stock BlackBerry smartphones in its retail stores. Going forward, customers who wish to purchase a handset from the Canadian company will have it shipped to them instead.mobile parts

T-Mobile has taken the measure because of drastically slowing BlackBerry sales. According to David Carrey, T-Mobile's executive vice president for corporate sales, "keeping stock in the retail distribution system was inefficient." BlackBerry smartphones will still be on display in T-Mobile stores. Customers who want one will simply have to be a bit patient.

T-Mobile's change of retail strategy adds further to BlackBerry's woes. Last week, the company announced that it will lay off 4,500 people and lose almost a billion dollars due to a massive stock of unsold devices.

Low-end Nokia Lumia models continue to gain strong momentum

The latest monthly stats are out from mobile ad network AdDuplex. For September, Nokia represented 88% of the Windows Phone market globally. The low-end of the Nokia Lumia range continued to do very well with the Nokia Lumia 520 representing over 21% of the platform on a global basis. Looking at just Windows Phone 8 models, the Lumia 520 captured 31.6% of that market in September. In the states though, the Nokia Lumia 520 owned only 3.6% of the Windows Phone market. But that is because the device's twin brother, the T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 521, had captured 14.2% of the Windows Phone market for itself. The phone recently was spotted on sale at HSN for $80 (including the use of a coupon code) and that is off contract. $80 is a hard price to beat considering the value you are getting for the money.Nokia LCD

While Nokia has been kicking butt and taking names on the low end of the Windows Phone market, on the high end it has not done as well. The Nokia Lumia 1020 and its 41MP PureView camera is not even close to being represented on the global and U.S. pie charts. Meanwhile, this month the Nokia Lumia 920 had a 9.3% and 13.3% share of the Windows Phone market globally and in the U.S. respectively.

Some of the other charts showed off interesting stats. While you might think that AT&T would be the top U.S. mobile carrier selling the Windows Phone platform, that honor actually goes to Verizon. The top mobile operator in the nation made 35% of all Windows Phone sales in September vs. 32.3% for AT&T. With 19.2% of the Windows Phone market in the states this month, T-Mobile is third. AT&T has had to cut the price of the Nokia Lumia 1020 from $299.99 on contract to $199.99, signifying the difficulties that Nokia and Windows Phone have had on the top end of the market.

But those problems might soon go away thanks to the GDR3 update. This Microsoft pushed update will allow Windows Phone models to offer larger sized screens with 1080 x 1920 FHD resolution, and carry more powerful processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 expected to be under the hood of the upcoming Nokia Lumia 1520. Expected to be unveiled in two days, this model is supposed to be the first Windows Phone phablet with a 6 inch glass. Interestingly, 67.7% of active Windows Phone 8 models active have the GDR1 Portico update in use while 30.6% are running GDR2.

Speaking of Windows Phone 7 (alright, no one really said anything about Windows Phone 7 but we needed a segue), about one third of active Windows Phone models are powered by the greybeard while the remaining two thirds are powered by Windows Phone 8.

The data from AdDuplex includes data up through September 20th. You can check out more information on Windows Phone than you'd ever want to know, including individual country breakdowns, by checking out the slideshow below.

Gold Apple iPhone 5s goes for $10,100 on eBay

Most people interested in the Apple iPhone 5s realize that the gold and silver models are not made of real gold or silver, right? Well then, it must be the lack of availability of the device that led someone to pay a whopping (and we do mean whopping) $10,100 to buy an unlocked gold Apple iPhone 5s on an eBay auction. iPhone 5 Parts

The eBay auction site is full of iPhone 5s models including one seller who is seeking $4600 for a bundle of three, all in gold. The problem is that there is a shortage of Apple iPhone 5s units with the gold model in particular in short supply. The reason for the shortage apparently revolves around low yields of certain parts from suppliers including a chip for Touch ID and low yields of a camera lens module. In addition, Apple did not expect so much demand for the gold colored version. Over the weekend, Apple announced that it will increase production of the gold iPhone 5s by 33%.

The new Apple iPhone 5s, when available, is priced at $199.99 for the 16GB carrier branded model with a signed two-year pact. Unlocked, the price starts at $649 for 16GB, $749 for 32GB and $849 for 64GB.

Nokia now has 88.4% of the WP8 market, and Nokia Lumia 520 takes 30% share

According to mobile ad network AdDuplex, Nokia continues to control a majority of the Windows Phone 8 market. The latest stats cited by AdDuplex's Alan Mendelevich has the Finnish based manufacturer responsible for 88.4% of Windows Phone 8 sales. For example, out of the top ten Windows Phone models in China, all ten are Nokia made models. And with the first Windows Phone phablet soon to be introduced, the Nokia Lumia 1520 could put Nokia over the 90% mark. The phablet will have a 6 inch screen and will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. Once Microsoft closes on its deal to buy Nokia, the Redmond based software giant will essentially control both the software and the hardware of the platform.Nokia LCD

Mendelevich has some other important data to pass along. For example, the low-end Nokia Lumia 520 now has 30% of the Windows Phone 8 market, confirming the model's dominance in that niche of the Windows Phone market. And thanks to the T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 521, pre-paid carrier MetroPCS is now responsible for 5% of Windows Phone 8 carrier revenues in the U.S. The budget priced model is now the second largest selling Windows Phone model in the states, surpassing the Nokia Lumia 920. HSN recently had the Lumia 521 up for sale once again. This time, using a coupon code, you can purchase the phone off contract for a mere $80.

One final stat from AdDuplex. 30% of Windows Phone 8 devices have the GDR2 update. That update brings Data Sense to Windows Phone 8 models along with a number of other features. Data Sense allows the phone's user to keep track of how much data a particular phone has consumed for the month to date, which apps are responsible for the consumption of the most data, and reminds you when your month ends so you can be very careful not to go over your monthly data cap.


Source:phonearena

iPad 5 Touch Panel Leaks: Remaining 9.7 inches Display Area

Apple had launched new iPhones and other stuff except the new iPad. But we can have a pre-look at its touch panel, which is 0.62mm thin with a 9.2mm boarder and a 9.7-inch display area.

Source:BGR

iPhone 5s reviews: Touch ID gets plaudits from experts

The fingerprint reader on Apple Inc's top-end iPhone 5s received an early thumbs up for ease of use from two influential reviewers, helping dispel concerns about the scanning technology which has been notoriously unreliable in other cellphones. Apple's scanner is seen as a first step toward realizing the full potential for biometrics in personal electronics, heightening security for applications like banking and shopping while doing away with multiple passwords.iPhone 5 Parts

"The best part is that it actually works - every single time, in my tests," wrote reviewer David Pogue of the New York Times. "It's nothing like the balky, infuriating fingerprint-reader efforts of earlier cellphones. It's genuinely awesome; the haters can go jump off a pier."

The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg was also enthusiastic, calling it simple and reliable. But he noted that the gadget would inexplicably prompt him for a password when swiping a finger to make purchases, which he blamed on a bug.

"I have come to like it and consider it a step forward, despite a few issues," he said of the overall device. Re-tooled iOS7 (Review) mobile software, a better camera, a more useful voice-activated "Siri" personal digital assistant and a faster processor combined to make the iPhone 5s (Review) the best smartphone on the market, he added.

However, he argued that owners of the previous-generation iPhone 5 may not have a compelling reason to buy the latest device unless they specifically wanted the fingerprint reader.

Many industry analysts view the iPhone 5s and the cheaper iPhone 5c as being modest improvements on the previous generation, reviving fears that Apple's most innovative days may be behind it. They said the mere fact of a fingerprint scanner was unlikely by itself to make the gadget a sure win in a crowded market.

Apple has embedded the scanner into the iPhone's home button, while other mobile devices usually have it on the back, making it awkward for the user and increasing the number of failed attempts.

Archrival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and fellow South Korean electronics manufacturer LG Electronics Inc have had problems incorporating the technology into finished products.

HTC Desire 600c dual-SIM with CDMA support available online

HTC has finally rolled out the CDMA dual-SIM variant of its HTC Desire 600, the Desire 600c, through Flipkart for Rs. 28,900. The HTC Desire 600c dual-SIM was listed last month on company's official website and was expected to be released soon. However, the Taiwanese handset maker has not officially launched the device, yet.HTC Parts

The HTC Desire 600c dual-SIM measures 134.9x66.78x9.55mm and weighs 127 grams. It features a 4.5-inch Super LCD 2 display with a resolution of 540x960 pixels. The device is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that's coupled with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 64GB via microSD card. The HTC Desire 600c dual-SIM sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus accompanied by an LED flash and is capable of 720p video recording. There is a 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera with a BSI sensor.

HTC Desire 600c also features dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers. Connectivity options include 3.5mm audio jack, Micro-USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, DLNA, GPS/AGPS and NFC. It also includes an 1860mAh battery. The HTC Desire 600c dual-SIM is not a re-hash of its predecessor. Though the device sports almost the same specifications, it is not identical in design. The HTC Desire 600c dual-SIM is a CDMA variant and supports GSM/CDMA + GSM networks. The phone runs Android Jelly Bean with HTC Sense on top with BlinkFeed and other features. However, it's not clear at this stage whether the phone is running Android 4.1 or Android 4.2.

Earlier, HTC unveiled the Desire 600 dual-SIM in India for Rs. 26,990. The HTC Desire 600 dual-SIM runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 5.0 on top with BlinkFeed and other software features, seen earlier with the HTC One.

Rumoured Nokia Lumia 1520 to debut on September 26

The Nokia Lumia 1520 has been in the news a lot the past few days, and this time we are getting details about the expected launch of the rumoured phablet from the Finnish mobile manufacturer.

After some press renders shown off earlier, popular phone tipster @evleaks is now claiming the launch date of the Lumia 1520 to be September 26. The tweet said, "Nokia Lumia 1520: launches 9/26".Nokia LCD

This may be just a rumour, and nothing official, but it is still worth taking a look at as the Lumia 1520 has been hitting the rumour mills for few weeks now. Earlier this week, the alleged Nokia Lumia 1520 was spotted in fresh high-resolution images that revealed the overall design of the phablet. The leaked images showcased the device in its full glory.

The source also detailed some of the specifications, which included a 6-inch full-HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a nano-SIM and a microSD card slot.

Unfortunately, the leaked specifications did not include anything about the camera except PureView printed on the rear panel hinting that the device might boast a PureView technology. The alleged Nokia Lumia 1520 has in the past been rumoured to ship with a 20-megapixel rear camera. The new leaked images also showed device's rear camera lens protruding out at the back, giving the phablet a very similar design language to the Nokia Lumia 925. The @evleaks recently posted a press image of the Nokia Lumia 1520 on Twitter also.

Prior to this, some reports have suggested that Nokia is gearing up to host an event in New York on September 26-27 where it has been rumoured to launch the first alleged Windows RT tablet from the Finnish giant. Reports had suggested that Nokia has been working on launching a 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet which would be based on Lumia smartphone design and will be codenamed Sirius. Some prototype images of the device had also surfaced online.

Purported Apple iPhone 5S user guide diagram shows new Home button/Touch ID sensor

A purported diagram of the Apple iPhone 5S from its user guide, shows off a new home button that is rounded without the traditional square imprint in the middle. The part is actually labeled Home button/Touch ID sensor. All signs, including a report we told you about in the Wall Street Journal, point to that long rumored fingerprint sensor touching down at last inside the Apple iPhone 5S.

Suppose the sensor is the big show-stopping, toe tapping number that it appears to be. Will it be enough to gather some momentum at Cupertino? After all, this is not the first smartphone to have such a sensor on board. The Motorola ATRIX 4G also offered one which users complained about. Too often, the sensor did not work right.iPhone 5 Parts

You might be wondering what the purpose of the fingerprint sensor is. The idea is to offer a more secure and faster way to unlock your phone. The sensor is also expected to be used to help secure identifications for mobile payments.

We are now closing in the 10 hour mark until the 1pm EDT start of Apple's event. Of course, we expect to see the unveiling of the Apple iPhone 5S, seen in the render that accompanies this article, and the budget priced Apple iPhone 5C. If you're wondering when you might actually be able to purchase the phones, the latest buzz calls for a September 20th launch. And yes, there are some people already waiting in line!

Nokia Lumia 1520 high quality images leaked, compared with Sony Xperia smartphone

The rumoured Nokia Lumia 1520 has been at the forefront of Nokia leaks for a month now, though the Finnish mobile manufacturer has not yet announced any details related to the phablet. Multiple leaks have already revealed a lot about the Nokia Lumia 1520, which was previously dubbed the 'Bandit'.

The most recent leak shows the Nokia Lumia 1520 in fresh high-resolution images that reveal the overall design of the phablet. The Verge has posted some alleged images of the rumoured Nokia Lumia 1520, which showcase the device in its full glory. The site claims that a reader named KaZ had supplied the images of the device.

The leaked images show the alleged Lumia 1520 in black colour, along with a comparison shot alongside a Sony Xperia smartphone. From the images, it's not clear whether it is the new Xperia Z1 or the Xperia Z. The leaked image of the Lumia 1520 pictured alongside the Xperia smartphone does indicate the size of the device, which is visibly larger than the Sony device. The source also detailed some of the specifications, which include a 6-inch Full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a nano-SIM and a microSD card slot.Nokia Lumia 920 LCD

Unfortunately, with this most recent leak, there is no word about the camera of alleged Nokia Lumia 1520. The Lumia 1520 has in the past been rumoured to ship with a 20-megapixel rear camera. The new leaked images also show the alleged Lumia 1520's rear camera lens protruding out at the back, giving the phablet a very similar design language to the Nokia Lumia 925. Not too long ago, the Nokia Lumia 1520 was sized up against the Lumia 1020 in leaked images.

Last week, the notorious @evleaks posted a press image of the Nokia Lumia 1520 on Twitter, which corresponded to the leaks we have seen over the last few weeks. The tweet said, "Nokia Lumia 1520, 2013" without revealing any other details regarding the internals of the device.

Previously, we saw a screenshot of the Lumia 1520's full-HD display, with device's Start screen complete with a number of Live Tiles. The Lumia 1520 should also ship with the GDR3 update for Lumia devices, when it launches.

Nokia is expected to launch the Lumia 1520 via AT&T in the coming weeks. The September 26 event scheduled may just hold the announcement for the Lumia 1520, apart from the rumoured Windows RT Tablet.

Alcatel announces four new One Touch Pop C-series smartphones

It seems Alcatel is on a launching spree at the IFA, this year. The company has already launched One Touch Idol Alpha, Idol S, Idol Mini, Idol X and Hero to strengthen its smartphone line-up. But there's more. The company has announced four new Pop C smartphones, the Alcatel One Touch Pop C1, Pop C3, Pop C5 and Pop C7.

The Alcatel One Touch Pop C1 comes with a 3.5-inch HVGA display (320x480 pixels). The phone is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor and sports a 2-megapixel rear camera. The One Touch Pop C1 includes a 1300mAh battery. The device comes in two colour models - Neon Green and Pink.mobile phone parts

The Alcatel One Touch Pop C3 features a 4-inch WVGA display with 480x800 pixels and sports a 3.2-megapixel rear camera along with a VGA front-facing camera. The device is powered by 1.3GHz dual-core processor and also includes Bluetooth. Much like the One Touch Pop C1, this also comes with 1300mAh battery. The company is also bundling a flip cover with the One Touch Pop C3.

The Alcatel One Touch Pop C5 comes with a 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 480x854 pixels. This one is also powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core processor and sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with panoramic picture function. The phone also includes a VGA front-facing camera. There is 4GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.

Last among them is the Alcatel One Touch Pop C7 that features a 5-inch display (480x854). The device is powered by a quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz. It comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera and can record videos at up to 720p resolution. There is a VGA front-facing camera as well. The One Touch C7 is backed by a 2000mAh battery.

All four Pop C-series smartphones unveiled at IFA 2013 run the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and come preloaded with ONE TOUCH live app.

Alcatel has not announced the pricing of the four devices but has revealed that the One Touch Pop C1 and Pop C3 will hit markets in October while the Pop C5 will be rolled out in November. The One Touch Pop C7 phablet is expected to be released in Q4 2013.

Nokia Lumia 1520 makes an online appearance in purported press render

An alleged press render of the yet to be announced Nokia Lumia 1520 codenamed as 'Bandit' has leaked online. The notorious @evleaks has posted a good quality press image of the Nokia Lumia 1520 on Twitter, that reveals the device in its clearest form yet, confirming the leaks we have seen over the last few weeks. The tweet says, "Nokia Lumia 1520, 2013" without revealing any other details regarding the internals of the device. The image shows Nokia Lumia 1520's homescreen with Live Tiles and the design largely resembles other phones in the Lumia family. The camera lens protrudes out at the back, very similar to the Nokia Lumia 925.Nokia Lumia 920 LCD

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is rumoured to ship with a 20-megapixel rear camera.

Last week, screenshots of the alleged Lumia 1520 device's start screen complete with a number of live tiles were leaked by prolific phone leaker, @evleaks. The images revealed that the yet to be announced phablet would offer extra columns and rows for apps. It appeared that the phone will feature a new Storyteller app as its live tile was also seen in the screenshot. However, the image did not offer any other details.

Previously, an image of the Nokia Lumia 1520 pictured alongside the company's flagship smartphone, the Nokia Lumia 1020 was leaked.

Apple considering iPhones with screens as big as 6-inches

All these years, Apple has ignored the big-screen smartphone segment which is now close to becoming a standard for Android devices and is ruled by players like Samsung. However, a new report indicates that this could change in the near future.

The Wall Street Journal says that Apple is considering a plan to offer big screen iPhones. The publication cites people familiar with the matter to report that the company is introspecting whether it should offer screens ranging from 4.8-inches to 6-inches on future iPhones. However, the report clarifies that the two iPhones expected to be unveiled next week, the iPhone 5S and the low-cost iPhone 5C would not sport bigger screens, and are expected to have 4-inch displays as seen on the iPhone 5.

Although, the company could just be testing some prototypes, as mobile component suppliers indicated that Apple had already started testing larger screens for iPhones in recent months, the company is more open to change now than in the past, according to the publication's sources.iPhone 5 spare Parts

The sources further indicate that Apple has been particularly interested in a 4.8-inch screen, going by recent tests. The report also confirms that Apple will launch the low-cost iPhone 5C with the premium iPhone 5S, in multiple colours and will begin shipping the two phones together. It also reiterates that the iPhone 5 successor will sport a fingerprint scanner. Apple is expected to unveil the new iPhone(s) at an event in Cupertino on September 10.

It's not the first time that the Wall Street Journal has reported about Apple testing large screen iPhones. In July, the publication, which boasts of a pretty good record when it comes to rumours around the Cupertino giant, informed that the company was testing larger screens for iPhones and iPads. It cited officials at Apple's suppliers to report that the company had asked them to supply prototype smartphone screens larger than 4-inches and screen designs for a new tablet measuring slightly less than 13-inches diagonally.

All these rumours do indicate that Apple has acknowledged that there's demand for devices across all screen sizes. However, it's difficult to predict if any of the new devices will eventually make it to the production line.

Apple's biggest rival, the South Korean electronics giant, Samsung offers devices in a variety of screen sizes and form factors, with its flagship device, the Galaxy S4, also near about the 5-inch point.

Apple started offering a 4-inch iPhone, the iPhone 5, last year, increasing the screen size by 0.5-inch compared to the one seen on previous phones like the iPhone 4S (LINK).

Lenovo Vibe X smartphone with 5-inch full-HD screen, quad-core processor unveiled

Lenovo has unveiled a new flagship smartphone, the Vibe X, at the IFA in Berlin. The smartphone has a premium polycarbonate body and an advanced mold, laser-engraved 3D tactile finish. One of the highlights of the device is its super thin frame measuring just 6.9mm. It weighs 121 grams.

The Vibe X sports a 5-inch 20/ 20 vision full-HD display that has a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and pixel density of 440ppi, sitting under a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen beveled at the edges. The phone is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek (MTK 6589T) processor, has 2GB of RAM, and offers 16GB of internal storage. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.Chinese Model LCD

The Lenovo Vibe X features two cameras. The 13-megapixel auto-focus rear-facing camera of the phone comes with a back-illuminated sensor for sharper images and an LED flash. The phone also features a 5-megapixel front-facing camera that comes with a wide-angle 84 degree lens. The Vibe X is backed by a 2,000mAh battery.

"Lenovo continues to bring head-turning innovations to the PC Plus marketplace with the Lenovo Vibe X smartphone's uncompromising hardware design, its rich display and memory-making camera technologies," said Wayne Chen, vice president, general manager, mobile business unit, Lenovo. "Along with the S5000 tablet, these carefully crafted devices unleash a powerful blend of beautiful and smart technology to improve people's lives."

The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone will be available in China starting in October and in countries where Lenovo smartphones are sold beginning in December.

Lenovo has also updated its K900 smartphone introducing two new colour variants, Black and Orange and new internal storage options of 16GB or 32GB.

The K900 smartphone in Black and Orange with 16GB/ 32GB storage is now available in China and will be available later this year in countries where Lenovo smartphones are available.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with 5.7-inch full-HD display, Android 4.3 launched

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a 5.7-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display, but weighing at 168g and 8.33m wide, is both lighter and slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy Note II. Just like the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Galaxy Note 3 will come in two variants. The LTE variant will be powered by 2.3GHz quad-core processor and the 3G version will be powered by a 1.9GHz octa-core processor.Samsung Galaxy Note II LCD

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with 3GB RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera alongside 2-megapixel front camera. It is powered by 3,200mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. As rumoured, the Galaxy Note 3 will be available in 32GB and 64GB variants, with the company doing away with the 16GB variant after controversy on the available storage with the Samsung Galaxy S4. Both variants come with support for up to 64GB of additional external storage.

Connectivity options on the Note 3 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0 (LE), IR, and MHL 2.0. It comes with various sensors like Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, Proximity, Barometer, Temperature & Humidity, and Hall Sensor.

Samsung says the Galaxy Note 3 will launch starting from September 25 in more than 140 countries around the world. There's no word on pricing yet. Apart form the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Gear smart watch and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear smart watch launch live video from IFA 2013, Berlin

The stage is set for launch of Galaxy Note 3 and the first wearable tech device from Samsung, the Galaxy Gear smart watch.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is rumoured to feature a 5.68-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. It is likely to be powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 800/ Exynos octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Note 3 will reportedly come with storage capacity starting 32GB, instead of 16GB has been the norm with flagship devices in the past. It is rumoured to boast of a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 3,200mAh battery, and run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Note 3 is expected to start shipping from September.

Meanwhile, the Samsung's Galaxy Gear smart watch is considered as the most-anticipated launch. The smart watch is expected to come with an OLED display which will measure around 2.5-inch diagonally and about 3-inch including the case. The smart watch is expected to be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos 4212 processor along with Mali-400 MP4 GPU. Other features detailed include a camera, microphone and speakers integrated into the strap, NFC and Bluetooth.Samsung Galaxy Note I9220 LCD Screen

The Galaxy Gear smart watch is said to run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The battery backup of the device is said to be around 24 hours with normal use and 10 hours with active usage.

Of course all these are just rumours and what Samsung eventually announces remains to be seen. Tune in for live video coverage from IFA 2013, Berlin.

Source:NDTV

First screenshot from Nokia Lumia's 1080p display surfaces online

There have been several rumours surrounding Nokia's first phablet device, the Lumia 1520, codenamed Bandit. Now, a new leaked screenshot supposedly from the same phone appears to confirm some of those rumours.

The screenshots have been leaked by the prolific phone leaker, @evleaks and apparently shows the alleged Lumia 1520 device's Start screen complete with a number of live tiles. The images reveal that the yet to be announced phablet would offer extra columns and rows for apps. It appears that the phone will feature a new Storyteller app as its live tile is also seen in the screenshot. However, the image does not offer any details related to the internals of the alleged phablet from the Finnish handset vendor.Nokia LCD

Earlier, the alleged Nokia Lumia 1520 was pictured alongside the company's flagship smartphone, the Nokia Lumia 1020. The leaked image did not reveal any details about the alleged Nokia Lumia 1520 phone except indicating its expected size.

There were reports that suggested the Finnish handset manufacturer was testing a 6-inch device running an updated version of Windows Phone 8. It was expected to include a full-HD (1080p) display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor.

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is rumoured to ship with a 20-megapixel rear camera and may borrow the rear panel features of the Nokia Lumia 925 to accommodate the camera.

Previously, @evleaks claimed that Nokia's alleged Bandit phablet will be officially dubbed as the Nokia Lumia 1520.

The leak comes at a time when Microsoft is acquiring Nokia's Devices & Services business in a 5.44 billion euros deal. Nokia has granted Microsoft a 10-year non-exclusive licence to its patents.

Nokia may be heading for "disastrous third quarter", more restructuring

Nokia has been a very busy company lately. It has been consistently pushing out new Windows Phone devices; it has a Windows RT tablet in the works; it just recently completed purchasing Siemens stake in Nokia Siemens Networks. Unfortunately, it may not be enough, because throughout it all the company's stock has been essentially even.Nokia LCD

Acquisitions and products haven't been the only things in the works for Nokia CEO Stephen Elop. He has also been making cuts throughout the company, which has 40,000 fewer employees now than it did three years ago. The company has been doing better, but better isn't really good. In the first two quarters of this year, Nokia posted total losses of €500 million (~$660 million), which is an improvement over the €1.8 billion (~$2.375 billion) loss in the same time frame of 2012.

Ultimately, analysts are expecting that there will be more cuts, and more restructuring in the future for Nokia. And, Pierre Ferragu, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., has even gone so far as to say that Nokia could be heading for a "disastrous third quarter". Given the growth of Windows Phone, which is held up mostly on Nokia handsets, that may seem a bit hyperbolic, but growth in the low-end market doesn't really do a huge amount for profits.

Source:phonearena

Micromax Canvas Fun A63 with 4-inch display listed online

Micromax has listed a new budget smartphone, the Canvas Fun A63 on its official website. The Micromax Canvas Fun A63 comes with a 4-inch WVGA display with a 480x800 pixels resolution. It is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek 6572 processor paired with 512MB of RAM. It also includes 1GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 32GB. The Canvas Fun A63 sports a 2-megapixel rear camera with flash. It runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Connectivity options on the device include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, GPS and 3G. It includes a 1500mAh battery that can give up to 4.5 hours of talk time and 135 hours of standby time, as per the company's specification listing. It is a dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM. The pricing of the device has not been revealed, yet.mobile parts

Micromax has unveiled a number of new devices in the last few days. The company launched a new phablet, the Canvas Doodle 2 in India for Rs. 19,999. The company's latest phablet has been priced steeply and is now the costliest handset in Micromax's smartphone line-up, above the company's flagship smartphone, the Micromax Canvas 4.

Earlier, the Micromax Canvas Fun A76 was also listed on ecommerce websites for Rs. 8,499. The Micromax Canvas Fun A76 features a 5-inch FWVGA (480x854 pixels) display. The device is powered by a 1.2GHz dual core processor coupled with 512MB RAM.

It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera accompanied by an LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. It includes 4GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to 32GB via a microSD card. The Micromax Canvas Fun runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and is a dual SIM (GSM+GSM) device. Connectivity options on the device include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS and GPS. The phone includes a 2000mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy 12.2 tablet image leaks

Since June, we've been hearing little bits about a 12-inch tablet in the works from Samsung. At first, it was thought that Samsung was working on a high-end tablet (aka a Galaxy Note), but once more info came out, it became clear it was a mid-range tablet (aka a Galaxy Tab). Now, the first alleged image of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy 12.2 tablet has leaked.

First off, the device is labeled as the Galaxy Note 12.2, but we're a bit hesitant on that part though, because all of the previous rumors, and the original source for this image list the device as model SM-P900; and, a "P" in a Samsung tablet model number usually indicates that the device does not have S-Pen support, which would mean it is a Galaxy Tab, not a Galaxy Note.Samsung Galaxy Note II LCD

Otherwise, the image is a press render, rather than an actual image of the device, but it does show a few interesting things. It looks like Samsung may be going with a very slightly asymmetrical design where the top edge (in landscape mode) of the tablet is a bit thicker than the bottom. It's not quite as pronounced as you would see on the Sony Xperia Tablet S, though. Samsung has also decided to keep going with physical buttons, rather than adopting Android's onscreen buttons.

If this really is the SM-P900, it has been rumored to have a 12.2-inch 2560x1600 display as well as the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa SoC. The general thinking is that Samsung will be announcing the device at IFA in just a few days time along with the Galaxy Note III and the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, so we should get the full story then.

LG G Pad 8.3 officially announced; slate rolls out in North America during Q4

LG has made it official. The LG G Pad 8.3 has been officially announced by the Korean manufacturer and has the first FHD display on an 8 inch slate. The actual size of the glass is 8.3 inches, carrying a resolution of 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA). A quad-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor is under the hood. Using the QPair app, each call and message that appears on a smartphone will also appear on the tablet and simple replies can be send through the G Pad.

With the 8.3 inch screen, the LG G Pad 8.3 offers an updated version of QSlide, which lets you choose between three different apps at the same time thanks to the larger glass. With Slide Aside, using a three finger slide allows you to move an open app off to the side of the screen and open a new one. The KnockON feature allows users to turn the slab on or off by tapping on the screen.LG LCD

The LG G Pad 8.3 features 2GB of RAM, with 16GB of native storage. The back and front facing cameras weigh in at 5MP and 1.2MP respectively and a 4600mAh cell keeps the lights on. Android 4.2.2 is pre-installed and the tablet will be available in black and white, weighing 338g.

The game plan is to have the tablet launched in the fourth quarter in North America, Europe, Asia and other regions. Pricing will be revealed down the road. As we pointed out before, the LG G Pad 8.3 looks like the big brother of the LG G2.

Source:phonearena

Meizu MX3 press photo sees the light of day; phone tipped to offer 128GB of storage

Back in July (hard to believe that it was only a month ago), we told you about a handset called the the Meizu MX3. The phone is top-shelf all the way from the 13MP camera on back, to the Exynos 5 Octa SoC under the hood. The 5.1 inch screen carries resolution of 1080 x 1920 and where we were growing up, that was called FHD, Mister. And there is more to the MX3 that makes those reading about this bad boy yearn for it to escape to a major carrier. Android 4.2 is driving the phone and Meizu even has its own Flyme 3.0 UI, which is a modded Android 4.2 with capabilities for one-handed use.

What makes us eager to write about the Meizu M3 is not the new press photo of the device, although it does show some changes since we showed you the device last month. The flash, which was above the camera lens earlier, is now below the snapper. No, what gave us the impetus to mention the handset is a leaked image that shows the different versions of the phone starting with the 16GB model (and even here there is one 16GB version with NFC support and one model without) ranging to the 32GB model, the 64GB variant and the 128GB Meizu MX3.Chinese Model LCD

The 16GB variant is rumored to be priced at 1999 CNY which translates into $327 USD. But it might take more to impress your friends, so figure that the 128GB model of the Meizu M3 will run you the same as other flagship phones which means you might have to whip out six Benjamins to take the handset home with all of that native storage on board.

Meizu hasn't made this official yet, but the unveiling is said to be taking place soon. Even so, it's a shame that we might never see this model take flight from the China region.

Apple iPhone 5S name confirmed by Japanese carrier KDDI

Japanese carrier KDDI has confirmed that the next iteration of the full-priced Apple iPhone will be named the Apple iPhone 5S. On the carrier's website is a listing for the phone, which is expected to be formally introduced on September 10th alongside the budget priced Apple iPhone 5C. Expect Apple to throw away the guide book with the "rules" that it previously had adhered to when it came to its number one grossing product.iPhone 5 Parts

Besides the traditional black and white variants of the iPhone, the Apple iPhone 5S is expected to be offered in gold/champagne and in graphite. Additionally, Apple is believed to have added an improved camera sensor with an aperture of f/2.0, the same setting found on some of the Nokia Lumia models known for taking great pictures in low-light conditions. We should also see a faster A7 processor under the hood that brings a 30% faster experience to iPhone users. And the oft-rumored fingerprint sensor it believed to be under a sapphire home button. There also is a strong possibility that we will see a 128GB model of the iPhone for the first time.

Want more firsts? This should be the first time that more than one iPhone model will be introduced at a time with the introduction of the Apple iPhone 5C which stands for the 5 Colors that the phone will be available in, red, blue, white, yellow and green. We still don't know exactly which markets will be receiving the budget model and what the pricing will be.

For current owners of the iPhone, the full-priced version of the iPhone is what you would be interested in, and with the KDDI site revealing the Apple iPhone 5S name, it looks pretty certain that the Apple iPhone 6 will be the name of next year's full-priced model.

More Sony Xperia Z1 (Honami) high-res photos outed

New high-res snaps of both a black and a white Sony Xperia Z1 (Honami) have been brought to our attention, and the source, unsurprisingly, is somewhere in China. While these are obviously dummy devices, they're still a pretty close (and realistic) match with what we're expecting to see unveiled soon.

The new shots are somewhat late to the party, but they nevertheless complete the feeling that Sony's Xperia Z1 (Honami) has claimed a spot on the list of most hyped up phones this year. However, that's not surprising in the least – while the design may not necessarily be everybody's cup of tea, all the initial information we've had in the form of leaks and hints indicate that the Xperia Z1 will be a hardware beast.Sony LCD

But the specs on the Sony Xperia Z1 are only a part of the story: Sony itself appears intent to battle through the hardships of cultural reorganization in order to carry out its relatively nascent "One Sony" strategy that Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has vowed will turn the Japanese manufacturer into a smartphone powerhouse. What's infinitely more important than vows and promises, though, are the actual results of said good intentions, and those have started appearing already. Namely, after a rather tumultuous period financially, Sony has gone back to profitable and has delivered on its promise of converging the different departments of expertise at the company (e.g. Triluminos displays in smartphones, X-Reality engine for mobile, the BIONZ image processor, etc). These all have helped Sony shape a truly competitive line-up this time around – one that caters to a very wide range of customers: the Honami mini for the more conservative of us, all the way up to the downright extravagant Sony Xperia Z Ultra. Of course, how Sony's new contenders will end up handling the ruthlessly competitive smartphone market remains to be seen.

Exact release date for the Sony Xperia Z1 remains unclear, but we do know that the new Sony flagship will be announced on September 4 during IFA 2013 in Berlin, so stay tuned for more coverage.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Take Apart Repair Guide

Suggested Replacement Part(s):
Samsung Galaxy S4 LCD Screen and Digitizer Assembly
Samsung Galaxy S4 Replacement Battery

Adhesive Strips
Tools Required:
Small Phillips Screwdriver
Safe Open Pry Tool

First step is to completely power down the device and remove the battery cover using the safe open pry tool
Remove the battery and SIM card and/or Micro SD card
Next you will need to remove 9 Phillips screws which are located in the image below


Figure 1 back housing screw locations
Using a safe pry tool, gently lift the speaker assembly from the retaining clips on the bottom of the deviceNow we are ready to remove the front bezel. Slide your pry tool slowly around the perimeter to release the clips
It is now safe to remove the back housing
You will now need to release the 8 connections that are circled in the image below


Figure 2: connector locations
Remove the metal shield that is covering the charging port
You can gently remove the charging port flex cable which is held in by a bit of adhesive
Remove the long antenna on the right side of the device
The motherboard is being held in by one small Phillips screw and once removed the motherboard with camera can be removed
Once the motherboard has been removed you can then start removing the vibrating motor, headphone jack, front facing camera, proximity sensor and the earpiece speaker


Figure 3 Motherboard removed

Xiaomi looking beyond China: Hugo Barra to be VP of Xiaomi Global

Just a couple hours ago, we heard that Hugo Barra was going to be stepping down as Google's vice president of Android product management in order to take a position with Xiaomi. Now, we're getting a clearer picture of what this is all about, because Barra has posted to his Google+ that he is leaving Google to become the VP of Xiaomi Global.Chinese Model LCD

In his Google+ post, Barra said: In a few weeks, I'll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally — as Vice President, Xiaomi Global. I'm really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem.

Barra went on to thank the top members of the Android team including Andy Rubin, Sundar Pichai, and Vic Gundotra. Sundar Pichai also took to Google+ to wish Barra luck, and of course Sundar added "we're thrilled that he's sticking with Android." Xiaomi's president, Lin Bin, and co-founder, Lei Jun, have both taken to Weibo to welcome Barra to the fold, saying that he will start at the beginning of October, which is slightly later than the "in a few weeks" that Barra said.

Xiaomi Global The really interesting part of this whole move is from the perspective of Xiaomi. Xiaomi hasn't made a move to grow beyond China yet, but obviously the addition of now ex-Googler Hugo Barra as the VP of Xiaomi Global shows where the company is aiming. As we mentioned when we Xiaomi looking beyond China: Hugo Barra to be VP of Xiaomi Global first heard this news, Xiaomi is one of the fastest growing manufacturers in China, and has recently surpassed Apple's sales in the country, and Xiaomi also outsells Samsung in China.

Xiaomi is often called the "Apple of China", because of its hardware design, and because the skin that it puts onto Android does look quite a bit like iOS. But the truth, according to Lei Jun, is that "Xiaomi looks a bit like Apple but is really more like Amazon with some elements of Google." It is huge within China and has garnered a reputation of creating great high-end devices that really shine because of the software that the company adds on top of Android. But, it hasn't been the quality that has spurred the growth of the company, it is more because of a business model more similar to Amazon, or the Google Nexus line.

Xiaomi has gained so much market share in China because it routinely undercuts the competition at the expense of its profit margins, because it expects that it can make up the difference with its online shopping and games services. That sounds a lot more like Amazon than anyone else. The question remains as to what we should expect from Xiaomi when it does make a move outside of China.

Xiaomi and Google We have already seen that Xiaomi knows how to attract spec enthusiasts, so the biggest question will be in whether Xiaomi will go with Google Android for its handsets, or if it will try to fork Android as Amazon has. With Barra in the mix, we'd expect that he would push for Google services, but Xiaomi has developed its own app store which includes both apps and themes for its devices.

Xiaomi looking beyond China: Hugo Barra to be VP of Xiaomi Global Of course, looking at a Xiaomi device as we mentioned, it will look quite a bit like iOS, and that is because before Xiaomi started manufacturing handsets, the company developed the MIUI custom ROM for Android, and that MIUI design is still used on its devices along with the MIUI App Store. Interestingly, the MIUI Store even includes an app that will allow you to easily install Google apps like Gmail, Maps, Chrome, and even the Google Play Store.

No doubt, this is something that Google does not look positively upon, so it will be interesting to see if Xiaomi tries to keep its own app store going when it makes a move into international markets, or if it will forego the app revenue in favor of more easy acceptance in regions where the Google Play Store is more established.

We would guess that Barra will try to push for Google Apps adoption, but that could mean a lot of work to pull MIUI back from being a custom ROM to being more of a custom UI on top of Google Android. Of course, sticking with a fork of Android poses its own troubles, because making a fork successful is a very difficult thing to do. As yet, only Amazon has been able to make it work. But, with a fully stocked app store (assuming the apps can be translated to different languages), Xiaomi has a good start.

Conclusion If nothing else, this is going to be a very interesting transition to watch. Xiaomi has a big name in China, and those in the custom ROM community can attest to the fact that the Xiaomi software (MIUI) is quality software (if you like the very iOS-like feel to it). There are still a lot of questions surrounding the company and its plans, and we certainly don't expect them to be answered soon. But, the addition of ex-Googler Hugo Barra does add some much needed international legitimacy to Xiaomi, and it makes the company one to watch.

HTC One in blue coming to Sprint on September 10th

We have seen pictures over the last several days of the HTC One in blue. All of the prior leaks mentioned that the sad HTC One (it's blue, get it?), was heading to Verizon. But one of our loyal readers sent us a screenshot showing a Sprint road map. And on that road map was the blue HTC One with a launch date scheduled for September 10th 2013.HTC One LCD Screen

If this information pans out, Sprint will be offering the Taiwan based manufacturer's Android flagship model in silver, black, red and blue. And the nation's third largest carrier is currently asking $99.99 for the handset with a signed two-year contract. Not a bad price for the phone that currently has the highest pixel density (468ppi) in the industry.

If September 10th sounds like a date you've circled on your calendar, it's because you probably have. That is the date that when Apple is rumored to be introducing the Apple iPhone 5S, Apple iPhone 5C, the fifth generation Apple iPad and the Apple iPad mini 2. But if the HTC One in blue is more to your liking, you should be able to pick it up from Sprint on that date.