HTC One Android 4.2.2 jelly bean now rolling out across the world

The highly-anticipated Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update for HTC One is now rolling out across the world to the carrier free devices. The update is of size 400+MB. The latest version of android on HTC One have come up with several tweaks. They include enhanced launcher bar, quick settings, widget panel rearrangement, and Android Daydream mode. The status bar can finally show the battery percentage.

 The Home key can now launch the options menu by a long press of the home key. Google Now can be accessed by swiping up from the Home button. BlinkFeed has been tweaked to support Instagram, and HTC Zoe has also been enhanced alongside with the camera's AF/AE performance.

There's a new lockscreen style too. Widgets can also be added to the lockscreen after the update.

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Alleged images and video of budget iphone leaks

Earlier we have come across number of leaks and rumours about the budget iphone. Now the chinese manufacturer of KIRF devices called 'techdy' have come up with several alleged images and video of the budget iphone emerged on their website. The website claims that the budget iphone would feature a 4 inch display with the resolution of 1136 x 640 which is exactly similar to that of iphone 5. Keeping the budget in mind, the budget iphone would come with plastic or polycarbonate built body instead of the alluminium casing like the premium iphone and coming to the shape, it would look like the original apple ipod. But the plastic built body of the iphone doesn't feel cheap in hands.

The Budget iPhone from TakeMovi on Vimeo.

The video also adds an android booting device with similar built of the budget iphone. According to video the device basic bear would have a similar display, Android 4.2, 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 2MP front-facing camera, 2300 mAh battery and Qi-wireless charging expansion slot. But we suggest you to take this bit of information as a pinch of salt. We cant say whether techdy is genuine in this case.

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ZTE Nubia Z5 Mini render leaks, plays fast and loose with word “mini”

Remember the ZTE Nubia Z5? We’ll forgive you if you don’t, this being ZTE and all, but the phone was notable for a few reasons. For one, it was among the few full-HD devices to premiere in 2012, launching with a five-inch 1080p display. Now a render of a new “mini” version of the phone has leaked, and we can’t help but wonder if the word is starting to lose a bit of its meaning.

With a five-inch Nubia Z5, what would you expect from the Nubia Z5 Mini? A 4.3-inch screen? Maybe a compact 4-incher? Nope. The Z5 Mini is supposed to have a 4.7-inch 720p display.

We realize we need to keep things in perspective here – no one expects the iPad Mini to be the size of an iPhone, after all – but when we’re dealing with phones in specific, it just feels like a bit of a stretch to start calling a 4.7-inch handset “mini.” Now, if we’re talking about a theoretical device like a Galaxy Note II Mini, then sure – that might make sense. But this… pushing your luck here, ZTE.

The Nubia Z5 Mini should arrive running a Snapdragon 600, have 2GB of RAM, and feature an eight-megapixel main camera.

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Google Glass to get Boutique app store: Report

The teardown of the latest Google Glass XE7 update seems to suggest that Google is working on an app store for Glass users. To be named as Boutique, it will act as a store for Glassware (that’s how Google dubs apps for Google Glass).

There is no word on when Boutique will go live but considering it is already a work in progress, we would expect it to go live before the next batch of consumers, who were selected via Google+ and Twitter competition, get their hands on Glass.

According to zhuowei, who did this tear-down and published it on his/ her Github gist, there are also hints that suggest that Google might be working on a native app SDK for Glass. Developers currently use Mirror API to make apps for Glass.

“The mention of APKs also suggest that a native app SDK for Glass is in the works. Currently, the only supported way of developing applications to Glass is via the Mirror API, which allows you to push messages to the Glass via the Internet. Updating cards using a data connection is, of course, slow, so a native application will reduce the latency and make certain use cases, such as augmented reality, possible,” zhuowei noted.

Among other little details discovered as a part of this teardown, Google also seems to be working on a lock-screen for Glass, video player and something called Clutch.

We expect to know more about these in the coming days.

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XOLO launches Q800 quad-core Android phone for INR 12,499

XOLO has officially announced the launch of Q800, company’s first quad-core smartphone.  Priced at INR 12,499, the smartphone is already available online. Q800 is part of XOLO’s new QCore series, which will only include quad-core phones.

Company revealed in a press release that it plans to launch various new handsets with Quad–Core processor in the coming quarter as a part of QCORE-series.

XOLO Q800 features a 4.5-inch qHD IPS display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The smartphone also comes with 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP front camera, 1GB RAM and 4GB of internal storage.

Q800 packs 2100 mAh battery, microSD card slot, dual- SIM support, 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  The smartphone will be competing with Micromax’s A116 Canvas HD smartphone, which packs similar features apart from the 5-inch 720p display.

“For Music lovers this phone packs in a YAMAHA 168 PA music system for an awesome musical experience. Other features are – Shake to change the song and Auto filter in music settings to filter the songs based on their size,” XOLO noted in a press release.

In related news, XOLO is also expected to announce a new Intel-powered smartphone next week. The phone is expected to run on new Intel Clover Trail+ processor. Other details are not clear at the moment.

XOLO Q800 key features

• 1.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor
• 4.5″ qHD IPS Display
• Android Jelly Bean 4.1
• Dual SIM (GSM+GSM)
• 4 GB Internal Memory
• External memory expandable up to 32 GB
• 8 MP rear camera with BSI sensor techonology
• 1.2 MP front camera with BSI sensor techonology
• Full HD 1080p Video Playback at 30fps
• 2100 mAh battery

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LG Optimus G Pro now on pre-order for INR 38,990

LG’s recently launched phablet Optimus G Pro is now on pre-order at Flipkart. The smartphone is expected to ship next week as stated by LG India at the launch event. The retailer has listed INR 38,990 as the price of the smartphone, which is much lower than the launch price of INR 42,500 and makes the phone more desirable.

The Flipkart listing is also an indication of how LG Optimus G Pro’s street price is going to be significantly less than the MRP mentioned by the company.

To remind you, the phone packs 5.5-inch 1080p FHD IPS display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and 13MP rear camera. The phone also features 2.1MP front camera, Android 4.1.2, and 3140 mAH battery.

With these specifications and price, the phone will be competing with Lenovo’s newly launched K900, Galaxy Note 2 and HTC Butterfly smartphone. Do you think with INR 38,900 pricing, Optimus G Pro stands any chance against these competitors? Let us know in comments.

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Karbonn launches Titanium S9 HD IPS for INR 19,990

Karbonn has announced the launch its new Titanium S9 HD IPS Android smartphone today. Packing a 5.5-inch HD IPS display, the phone has been priced at INR 19,990, making it the most expensive phone from the stable for Karbonn.

The timing of the release of S9 Titanium is very interesting and seems to have been decided in accordance to the release of Micromax flagship Canvas 4, which will be unveiled on July 8.

Back to Karbonn S9 Titanium, the smartphone features 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and Android 4.2. In addition, the phone comes with 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, and 16GB of internal storage. S9 also packs 2600 mAh battery, dual-SIM support and 3G support.

“The Karbonn Titanium S9 is the most exciting revolution to have come from Karbonn till date. The launch of the device initiates our foray into the HD IPS smartphone category wherein we seek to satiate the consumer needs with the best-in-class technological innovations,” said Shashin Devsare, Executive Director, Karbonn.

According to a press release issued by the company, the phone will be available in the coming days across India.

Karbonn S9 Titanium HD IPS key specifications

• 5.5-inch IPS capacitive screen
• 1.2 GHz quad-core processor
• 13 MP rear camera with LED flash
• 5 MP Front camera
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
• 16GB of internal memory, microSD card slot
• 1GB RAM
• 2600 mAh Battery
• 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• Dual-SIM support

Should you buy Karbonn Titanium S9?

While, we are a little disappointed with the pricing of the phone, there are considerable improvements over Karbonn’s other smartphones. The presence of a full HD display would have been great and I would have instantly recommended the phone. As, we don’t have a full HD display and pricing is 20K, I would suggest you to weigh in your budget and choices as well as upcoming Micromax Canvas 4 very well and then decide if you want to spend INR 20,000 on Karbonn S9.

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Sony Xperia ZR LTE, HTC Butterfly S LTE released in Hong Kong

Sony and HTC have released the LTE variants of their Xperia ZR and Butterfly S smartphones in Hong Kong respectively. While Sony Xperia ZR LTE is already available for purchase at Sony Store, HTC Butterfly S LTE will go on sale in the coming days.

To remind you, Xperia ZR packs 4.55-inch 720p HD display, 1.5GHz Qualcomm’s quad-core S4 Pro processor, Android 4.1, and 13MP rear camera. The smartphone is also dust and water resistant in addition to featuring 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.

On the other hand, HTC Butterfly S features 5-inch 1080p display, 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, Ultrapixel camera and 3200 mAh battery. The phone also comes with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and Jelly Bean.

Pricing:

• Sony Xperia ZR LTE: H$ 4,698 (US$605)
• HTC Butterfly S LTE: H$ 6,198 (US$799)

Sources(1,2)

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Micromax launches A92 Canvas Lite for INR 8,499

Micromax has officially unveiled its new Canvas series Android phone A92 Canvas Lite. Running on Android 4.1, the phone has been priced at INR 8,499. It will be available in the stores beginning this weekend, although it might take a couple of days to become available broadly.

Micromax Canvas Lite A92 features dual-SIM support, 5-inch display with FWVGA resolution and 1GHz dual-core MediaTek processor. A92 also comes with 5-megapixels rear camera, front camera, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, and 2000 mAh battery.

In addition, the usual connectivity options like Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth are present. The specifications are very similar to the company’s previously launched A110 Canvas 2 smartphone with the rear camera being the only exception (8MP in A110 & 5MP in A92).

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Huawei might bring Ascend P6 Nexus Edition

Backtracking from Huawei’s earlier stance, a company executive told UK website Pocket Lint that his company is in talks with Google for a Nexus Edition of Ascend P6 smartphone.

“We are working with Google to analyse the possibility of bringing out a Huawei Ascend P6 with Google Edition,” Kevin Ho, President, Handset Product Division at Huawei told Pocket Lint.

Ho’s statement comes in stark contrast with the company chairman Richard Yu’s remarks at the London launch of Ascend P6, where he claimed that Huawei’s Emotion UI was better than stock experience and they have made hundreds of improvement in their UI.

While Kevin Ho’s revelation to Pocket Lint does not really confirm the arrival of the Nexus edition of Ascend P6 but it looks like the Chinese telecom giant might have changed its view after seeing the publicity garnered by HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus editions.

To remind you, Huawei Ascend P6 was unveiled about ten days ago and is set to be released this month in China, followed by select European market in July. The phone packs 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 4.7-inch HD in-cell display, 5MP front-facing camera, and Android 4.2.2. It also comes with 2,000 mAh battery, 8MP rear camera with BSI sensor BSI camera and F2.0 aperture.

In related news, there have also been reports of Sony working on Xperia Z Nexus Edition but nothing has been confirmed till now.

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Sony i1 Honami images appear online

Thanks to various rumours and leaks until now, we know that Sony is already preparing its 2013 H2 flagship smartphone in the form of Sony i1 (codenamed Honami). Now, the first images of this Android phone have appeared online.

The images have come from two different sources but the phone looks same in both the cases. One of the sources claims that we will see Xenon flash in the final version of Sony i1 instead of the LED flash present in these images, suggesting that these might be the images of some old prototype and final design could have changed considerably.

As per previous reports, Sony i1 will come with 20MP rear camera, Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 5-inch full HD display and 32GB internal storage.  In addition, the phone will pack 3,000 mAh battery, Jelly Bean, IR Blaster, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 2.2MP front-facing shooter.

There is no way to authenticate these images but as we noted earlier in the post that it is very likely that we are looking at an old prototype of Sony Honami and the actual device might look different. So, take these with a pinch of salt.

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Micromax Canvas 4 pre-bookings open, launch on July 8

Micromax has begun pre-bookings for its next flagship smartphone Canvas 4 today. The company is asking for INR 5,000 as the advance payment, which can be refunded in case of the order cancellation.

Surprisingly, Micromax has not revealed any specifications of the device, and we only know what is visible in the products shots of the smartphone (i.e. 13MP rear camera).

Unless you really want to be one of the first buyers of Micromax Canvas 4, we would suggest you to wait until July 8, when the device is going to be officially launched and final pricing as well as full specifications will be revealed.

This pre-booking might not be binding but it is certainly one of the weirdest pre-orders we have seen in a long time.  The company seems to be following Samsung, which also opens pre-bookings with advance payments without even revealing the final price of the device, but at least they announce the specifications beforehand.

Anyways, you can read all the terms and conditions of the pre-booking here. The pre-bookings can be made at this link but the link was not working properly at the time of writing this post.

According to Micromax, the shipping of pre-booked Micromax Canvas 4 will begin on July 10.

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Videocon launches A55 HD Android phone for INR 13,499

Videocon Mobiles has announced the launch of its new Android smartphone A55 HD in the Indian market today.  Packing a 5-inch display, A55 HD is the latest entrant in the growing list of 5-inch smartphones in the country.

Videocon A55 HD features a 720p HD display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 8MP rear camera and Android 4.2.1. The phone also comes with 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, microSD card slot and 2,000 mAh battery.

In addition, the Videocon A55 HD packs 3.2MP front camera, HSPA+ connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

“The launch of Videocon A55HD heralds a new milestone, as with this device we bring to our customers best-in-class technological innovations, which we are offering at a compelling price. The A55HD brings the best of ‘high definition’ technology, processing speed, camera quality and many more features relevant to the upwardly mobile, technology savvy and brand-conscious user,” said Khalid Zamir, Head Product Planning & Development, Videocon Mobile Phones Division.

The company has also pre-loaded V-Store on the phone, which acts as the secondary appstore for the device and gives access to Android applications.

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HTC unveils glamour red HTC One, coming to UK in July

HTC today announced that it is going to release a glamour red version of HTC One smartphone in the UK. This red-coloured HTC One will be sold exclusively by Phones 4u retailer from mid-July. The company has not revealed if the new colour will be launched other markets too or not.

Packing the same specifications as the Silver and Black colour HTC One, the new variant will also come with 4-7-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, Ultrapixel camera and 2300 mAh battery.

“We have always been committed to offering consumers the flexibility to share their personalities through their choice of mobile phone, whether through colour, customisation or features. The new HTC One in Glamour Red showcases the power of our flagship model in a colour that demands attention, whilst maintaining the high standards set for sophisticated design and build quality,” said Philip Blair, President of EMEA, HTC.

There is no word on whether the pricing of glamour red be any different from other versions.

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Lenovo K900 with Intel Inside now available in India

Lenovo’s Android phablet K900 is now available via the company’s official e-store in the country. The company is also running a promotion for a limited period and giving the phone for just INR 28,999 (instead of INR 32,999) after INR 4,000 discount (use coupon code K900ISHERE).

Originally announced for the Indian market earlier this month, the phone will be widely available next month but the company has already started selling it from its e-store.

Lenovo K900 is the first Intel Clover Trail+ powered smartphone to be released in the country as well as globally. It features a 5.5-inch IPS display with 1920x1080p full HD resolution, Android 4.2, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, out of which only 10.24GB is user accessible.

Lenovo K900 key specifications

• Android 4.2
• 5.5-inch 1080p display with Gorilla Glass 2
• 13MP F1.8 rear camera with dual LED flash
• Front camera with an 88-degree super wide viewing angle
• 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage
• 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 dual-core processor
• 157X78X6.9mm, 162 grams
• 2500 mAh battery

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HTC One & Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus editions now available in Google Play

As promised, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 with Nexus user experience are now available via Google Play in the United States. There is still no word on whether both phones will ever make it out of US but we sure hope so.

HTC One is being sold at $599, while Samsung Galaxy S4 is available at $649. The specifications of these special stock Android edition phones are pretty much same as the retail skinned versions apart from the fact that both are SIM-unlocked and feature un-lockable bootloaders.

To remind you, HTC One comes with 4.7-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 600 quad-core CPU, Ultrapixel camera, 2.1MP front camera, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and 2,300 mAh battery.

On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S4 packs 5-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 13MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and 2600 mAh battery.

Both the phones also run on Android 4.2.2 and will be getting future Android updates directly from Google.

According to Google, HTC One and Galaxy S4 Nexus editions will start shipping from July 9.

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Google Search for Android updated

Google has released a new update for its Search app on Android. The update mainly focuses on US-centric features but there are a couple of things for international users too. This is important to note here that the current update is only for Android 4.1 or above.

Like all the recent Google app updates, this is also an ultra-slow staged roll-out, so you will have to wait for hours (may be even days) for the update to appear in your device Play Store.

First talking about the US-centric changes, Google Now will now show information about TV shows you are watching on your internet connected TV as long as both your Android device and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.  Google Now will also alert you about offers whenever you are nearly a redemption location.

Among other changes, there is a new voice action that allows users to play music from Android phones or Play Store. Search app will also show voice actions tips after the update.

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LG Optimus L4 II dual appears at LG India website, priced at INR 9,850

LG’s recently announced Optimus L4 II dual smartphone is coming to the Indian market very soon. The phone today got listed the company’s India website, confirming its impending arrival as well as the pricing details.

As per the LG India site, Optimus L4 II dual will be sold for INR 9,850 in the country. The exact release date however still remains a mystery.

Unveiled earlier this month, the phone comes with 3.8-inch IPS HVGA display, 1GHz MediaTek processor and Android 4.1. The Optimus L4 II dual also features 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, microSD card slot and dual-SIM card support.

In addition, the phone packs 1700 mAh battery, 3MP rear camera and LED flash.  On the connectivity front, 3G support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are present in the smartphone.

The pricing seems to be on the higher side considering the screen resolution and low megapixel camera; we would have like to see it getting a price-tag around INR 7-8K. As the company is yet to announce it officially for the country, we can hope for a price-correction before the release.

This is the fourth L-series II smartphone to be launched in the India market. LG Optimus L3 II, L5 II and L7 II models are already available in the country.

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Samsung announces Galaxy S4 LTE-A: World’s first LTE-Advanced Smartphone

Earlier we've been through several rumours about Samsung's refreshed Galaxy S4 with Snapdragon 800. Today Samsung unveiled the world’s first LTE-Advanced smartphone in the form of Galaxy S4 LTE-A. An upgraded version of the company’s internationally available Samsung Galaxy S4, the new smartphone not only offers better data download speeds but overall performance improvements, thanks to the presence of Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

“The introduction of the GALAXY S4 LTE-A demonstrates Samsung’s desire and ability to provide consumers with technological innovations that take advantage of increased network speeds to deliver richer and fuller experience,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

According to Samsung, Galaxy S4 LTE-A will be available in South Korea this summer in Blue Arctic and Red Aurora colours.

The specifications of Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-A are largely same as the normal Galaxy S4 apart from the Snapdragon 800 instead of Snapdragon 600 and 32GB of internal storage.

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LG G2 shown off in promo shots, shows off back-side volume rocker

As per a set of images taken from what seems to be a promo video, LG’s next flagship will be known as LG G2, ditching the Optimus branding. This comes just days after we heard that LG was planning to do away with Optimus moniker for high-end phones, which we all know hasn’t been really performing well.

These images also give us the first look at the back-side volume rocker, which was reported in the past by the South Korean media.

In first glance, these volume buttons might look a little odd but I don’t see why they would functionally create any problems for LG G2 users.

There is obviously no way to authenticate these images. Also, despite coming from evleaks, these aren’t as credible as other leaks would normally be because these images have come to this anonymous leaker via a tip. So, take these with a pinch of salt.

Anyways, LG is holding a press event on August 7 and chances are we will see LG G2 on the day. More images below.

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Sony unveils dual-SIM Xperia C with MediaTek CPU

Sony unveils dual-SIM Xperia C with MediaTek CPUSony today announced its first MediaTek powered Android smartphone at a press event in Mobile Asia Expo. Dubbed as Sony Xperia C, the phone will only be released in select markets.

Carrying the model number S39h, Sony Xperia C features a 5-inch qHD display, dual-SIM (3G+2G), 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 and 8MP rear camera.

According to Sony, the phone will be available in Black, White and Purple colours. The release date or pricing is unclear at this moment, but the company did share that China Telecom will be releasing the device in the Chinese market.

Sony Xperia C key specifications

1. Android 4.1
2. 8MP rear camera, front camera
3. 5-inch qHD display
4. 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, microSD card slot
5. FM Radio
6. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio jack
7. ClearAudio+, Clear bass, Clear Phase, Clear stereo, “WALKMAN” application
8. 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor
9. dual-SIM support

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Sony announces second-generation SmartWatch

Along with the Xperia Ultra Z, Sony also announced its second generation SmartWatch packing Bluetooth and NFC for easy pairing. Unlike the previous Sony SmartWatch, the new model eschews the plastic casing and replaces it instead with stainless steel and aluminum, meeting IP57 standards for water and dust resistance. There’s a brightness sensor to adjust the backlighting of the 1.6-inch 220 x 176 touchscreen, and Bluetooth 3.0 for hooking up to your phone or tablet. NFC will make pairing straightforward, and the SmartWatch 2 is expected to work with any Android 4.0+ device. Battery life is around four days on a full charge.

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Sony Xperia Z Ultra official: 6.4-inch Snapdragon 800 Android phablet

The long rumoured 6.44 inch Son 'togari' phablet aka Xperia Z Ultra has been announced finally, Sony has announced the launch of the Sony Xperia Z Ultra at Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai.

The Xperia Z Ultra sports a 6.4-inch 1080p display that works with a stylus (or any pencil, Sony says), runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and is powered by Qualcomm's latest, the Snapdragon 800 processor. Sony is heralding the phone as the "world's slimmest and largest full HD smartphone." At 6.5 mm.

According to Sony, Xperia Z Ultra is also the first phone to come with the company’s TRILUMINOS display. The company claims that TRILUMINOS Display for mobile reproduces a greater range of rich, natural colours to deliver true and natural shades. The display also includes X-Reality for mobile – Sony’s picture engine that analyses every single image to optimise colours, sharpness and contrast.

Other specs of note include an 8-megapixel camera, a 3,000 mAh battery. It's a 4G LTE handset, offering 16GB of internal memory, expandable via microSD up to 64GB. The handset measures 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5mm, sticking to that slim design that we liked from the Sony Xperia Z and Sony Xperia Tablet Z. It weighs 212g, so despite the size, isn't going to weigh you down too much. It will come in black, white and purple.

It also comes with new and updated Sony Media Applications – WALKMAN Application, Movies Application and Album Application.

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Sony Xperia Z Android 4.2.2 Jellybean update starts rolling out

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update for the Xperia Z has finally started rolling out. The version number for the update is 10.3.A.0.423 . Currently the update is live in Spain and the Ukraine for the LTE model (C6603) and for the carrier variants in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and the Netherlands. It also also available in Taiwan for the HSPA+ version (C6602).

The Android 4.2.2 update for the Xperia Z would bring Latest version of Sony Media Apps with seamless integrated services, my Xperia security application, New Customizable navigation bar with quick settings with up to 10 toggles, New widget functionalities for lockscreen and homescreen and lots more new features. It would be rolled out gradually, hence it might vary across different carriers and countries.

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Samsung teams up with SGL Group for Carbon Fiber

Last week, Samsung’s Group’s subsidiary – Samsung Petrochemical formed a joint venture with SGL Group for carbon fiber composite materials. Both companies will hold a 50 percent share and will operate under the name – Samsung SGL Carbon Composite Materials.

The main motive of the joint venture is to “develop new industrial and electronic applications” with carbon composite materials for Samsung. In other words, Samsung will make use of the carbon fiber produced by this joint venture into many of its products ranging from consumer electronics to medical devices and even engineering applications.

The deal is expected to be completed by July.

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HP announces 21.5-inch Android tablet with Tegra 4

Want to use an Android powered All-in-One PC?  HP has announced Slate 21 for you. This Android powered tablet also doubles as a desktop PC with keyboard and mouse in tow.

The company today showcased the device as a part of its press event in Beijing along with several other Android devices, which have already been announced.

HP Slate 21 packs 21.5-inch display with1920×1080p IPS touchscreen display, NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor and Android 4.2.2.  The device also features 8GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, USB 2.0 ports, Bluetooth, DTS Sound technology, Wireless Direct and an HP TrueVision HD Webcam.

According to a company blog post, Slate 21 will go on sale in the United States in September for $399. There is no word on release or pricing elsewhere.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 devices reach US on July 7, pre-orders start tomorrow

Samsung today revealed that its Galaxy Tab 3 series tablets will be available in the United States beginning next month.  Priced starting $199, all three 7-inch, 8-inch and 10.1-inch tablets will be available in White and Gold Brown colour options.

According to a press release issued by the company, Tab 3 devices will go on sale starting July 7, however pre-orders will begin tomorrow at Best Buy/Best Buy Mobile, Amazon, Wal-Mart, h.h. Gregg, Office Depot, Toys ‘R’ Us, P.C. Richard & Son, Fry’s, Newegg, Sears and Samsung.com.

“The Galaxy Tab 3 portfolio offers consumers more options for tablets that serve as their ultimate smartphone companion, the center of home and on-the-go use, and mobile devices packed with content and services,” said Nanda Ramachandran, vice president of emerging business at Samsung Telecommunications America.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7-inch: It comes with 7-inch 1024x600p display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1 and 8GB of storage. The tablet will be sold for $199.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8-inch: It packs an 8-inch 1280x800p display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.2, 5MP camera, 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The tablet has been priced at $299.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1-inch: It features a 10.1-inch 1280x800p display, dual-core Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP camera, Android 4.2 and 16GB of internal storage. The tablet has been priced at $399.

The Galaxy Tab 3 devices also come with built-in IR blaster, $10 voucher for the purchase of applications, books, movies and music in Google Play, one year of free Boingo hotspot service; three months free Hulu Plus service; two years free DropBox Service with 50GB storage space; and more.

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Garmin introduces Monterra: A rugged Android-powered GPS

Garmin today announced its first outdoor rugged handheld GPS with Android at core. Dubbed as Monterra, it will be available in Q3 for a suggested price of $649.99 (Worldwide with preloaded worldwide basemap), and $699.99 (U.S. with preloaded TOPO U.S. 100K with Navteq roads).

Garmin Monterra packs 4-inch capacitive multi-touch display, Wi-Fi, 3-axis compass with accelerometer, gyro, barometric altimeter, built-in UV sensor, ANT+, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, dual-band GPS and GLONASS receiver.

In addition, the device comes with 8-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, 8GB of internal memory and a microSD slot for even more extra storage.

“Monterra provides outdoor professionals and enthusiasts with the ultimate ability to customize their GPS device to perfectly suit their personal and professional needs,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales.

According to Garmin, Monterra features a unique mapping feature: 3D MapMerge. With this feature, users can combine two maps–like TOPO, basemap, or BirdsEye Satellite Imagery–then view the new unique map in three dimensions.

Monterra uses a dual battery system, which allows users the option of using the rechargeable Li-ion pack (included) or traditional AA batteries.

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Facebook working on a news reading app for mobile users

After LinkedIn’s acquisition of Pulse news reader, another social giant is preparing to jump in news arena with a Reader app for mobile devices. We are talking about Facebook, which is continuously trying hard to succeed in its mobile endeavors, as its stock remains well below the IPO price.

According to Wall Street Journal’s Evelyn M. Rusli, Facebook has been working on something called Reader for a long time now. Reader is aimed to provide mobile users content from FB users as well as news publishers in visually attractive format.

There aren’t many details on how this Reader is going to look like but recent versions are said to resemble the popular news reading app Flipboard.

Analysts claim while this seems like a lucrative arena, bringing in users for news consumption on Facebook is going to be a huge challenge. Twitter and LinkedIn, two of its competitors are already way ahead of Facebook in their news related features, so it is going to be a tough road for Facebook.

WSJ adds that Michael Matas, former Apple & Nest Labs employee, is currently the lead designer on Reader project.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Brown/ Black variant now available at US retailers

Samsung has silently started selling a new Brown/ Black coloured version of Note 8.0 tablet in the United States over the weekend. This new colour was first leaked by popular tweeter evleaks last month.

The Brown/ Black Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is currently being sold at select US retailers like Best Buy, Buydig and B&H Photo, although the wider availability still remain a mystery. Chances are that Samsung might officially announce this colour variant of the tablet via a quick press note or social media post in the next couple of days.

The pricing of the new colour variant remain same as the White version of Note 8.0, which is sold at around $400 in the country.

From what we can make out from the promo shots of the new variant, the front of the tablet is still black, although the back is expected to be brown as is the part of S-Pen.

The Brown/ Black Note 8.0 appears days after Samsung announced a new Pink colour version of its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone. With the Pink variant, now there are a total of seven colour versions of the phone available in the market.

To remind you, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 packs Android 4.1, 2GB of RAM, 8-inch 1280x800p display, 16GB of internal storage and 1.6GHz quad-core processor.

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Sony to announce dual-SIM Xperia C with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU tomorrow

Sony is reportedly preparing to announce its rumoured Xperia C smartphone at Mobile Asia Expo 2013 tomorrow in Shanghai. Xperia Blog is reporting that it has learnt from credible sources that the Xperia C launch will indeed be happening alongside Xperia ZU aka Z Ultra.

We already have seen reports suggesting that Sony will be unveiling its phablet Xperia ZU tomorrow but this is the first indication about an Xperia C announcement. According to Xperia Blog, Sony Xperia C will be featuring a 5-inch qHD display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and dual-SIM support. The phone will also come with 1GB RAM, 4GB of internal storage and microSD card slot. In addition, Xperia C will pack 8MP rear camera, and Android 4.2.2. To recap Xperia ZU features, the device is rumoured to feature 6.44-inch 1080p “Triluminos with X-Reality for Mobile” display, 2GHz  Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and microSD cart slot.

This is not all, Sony is also reportedly going to announce its next-generation SmartWatch at this event. So, tomorrow is going to be huge for this Japanese manufacturer and as always, we will bring you all the details right here.

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Huawei announces MediaPad 7 Vogue tablet with voice-calling

Huawei today announced a new budget Android slate "MediaPad 7 Vogue"  with voice calling facility  using networks. The tablet features a 7 inch 1024x600P IPS LCD display panel, 1.2GHz processor and 

Android 4.1.

“We’re delighted to introduce the MediaPad 7 Vogue, our call-enabled tablet with world-class entertainment capabilities and long-lasting battery power. The MediaPad 7 Vogue is a perfect example of Huawei’s dedication to making extraordinary experiences possible,” said Richard Yu, Chief Executive Officer, Huawei Consumer Business Group.

According to a press release issued by the company, MediaPad 7 Vogue comes pre-installed with Email app, word processing app, Facebook, YouTube, and GPS navigation app. The tablet also features Huawei’s proprietary Emotion UI 1.5 with software tweaks for better user experience.

 around $200-250. The tablet will be initially released in China followed by other markets.

Hauwaei MediaPad 7 specifications

1. 7-inch 1024x600p resolution IPS display
2. Android 4.1 Jellybean
3. 1.2GHz quad-core processor along with 16-core GPU
4. HSDPA,Wi-Fi 802.11 support
5. 4100 mAh battery
6.  MicroUSB port with Host support.

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RUMOUR : Samsung Galaxy Note III to feature a 5.7 inch FHD display

Rumours from the tipster "EVLEAKS " suggest that Samsung Galaxy Note III would have a 5.7” display rather than 5.99' display as rumoured previously. When the Galaxy S4 was announced, the first impression on it was "its a tweaked version version of former flagship S3 with 0.2 inch bigger and updated display with less benzel and more power under the hood including the 13MP shooter". Now it looks like, the same could happen even in the case of Note III. If the rumour turn out to be true, then the Note III will look like S4 or the Galaxy Mega 5.8 according to dimensions. There are also rumours leaked out that Samsung will start the mass production of the Galaxy Note III in August.

The Samsung Galaxy Note III is rumoured to feature a 5.7” / 5.99″  FHD sAMOLED display, 13 megapixel shooter,  Exynos Octa-core or Snapdragon 800 processor, S Pen functions. Android 4.2.2 or 4.3 and Samsung’s own Touch-Wiz Nature UX.

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