UPDATE : HTC One Mini (M4) spotted next to unknown Nokia and Sony phablets

This may be the biggest phone leak fakeout of 2013 or it may be the most auspicious, but either way it will get people talking.

The rumoured (and recently-leaked) HTC One Mini, codenamed M4, has been spotted in the same photo with two long-rumoured phablets, the 6.44-inch Sony ‘Togari’ and the hard-to-believe Nokia Lumia 1030, which is expected to be above 5-inches and come with a 1080p screen.

 the M4 is visible in the photo looking exactly as predicted, a small HTC One. You can tell it different, however, from the white border around the screen and slightly narrower speaker grill on the bottom. The 4.3-inch phone is expected to come with a 720p display and a dual-core Snapdragon processor and ship some time in Q3 with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

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Report: HTC Planning 7-inch Android Tablet For September-October

As we all knew, HTC had bad times times recently, both with tablets and smartphones. However, there was a time when HTC was leading the pack and selling more smartphones than every other manufacturer combined. With tablets though, the company has never been able to release anything remotely successful. The HTC Flyer and EVO View 4G were both 7-inch Android tablets released by the company, but they never caught on and were given the end-of-life treatment rather early. The same can also be said for the HTC Jetstream, which was sold by AT&T and was just too expensive for many consumers. Now that the smartphone front appears to be turning around for HTC thanks to the One, it looks like the company will shift some of its focus to the cluttered tablet market.

According to a new report from Bloomberg, quoting people familiar with the matter, HTC is currently working on a 7-inch Android tablet. The company was also originally planning to release a 12-inch tablet running Windows RT, but scrapped those plans. According to the report, HTC did not see the Windows RT tablet meeeting with successful because it would be too expensive to produce and sell.

The 7-inch Android tablet is expected to launch sometime this September or October, but both the price and specifications still remain a mystery. In addition to the 7-inch Android tablet, HTC is also said to be working on a tablet of the same size running Windows RT, which will presumably be cheaper to make than the now defunct 12-inch tablet.

I have to say that it’s good to see HTC scrapping things that it thinks will not be successful. In my opinion, it shows that the company is finally recognizing that it will not benefit from cluttering the market with tablets and phones that no one is going to buy. Bloomberg also adds that HTC knows it can’t make another mistake like the First, which right now, is possibly the biggest flop of 2013.

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Are they nokia,sony phablets in the image?

In the image above there are some unknown Nokia and Sony models up there.

The one right next to HTC One, that is one big honking Nokia. Supposedly, it’s a Lumia 1030, but no mention is made of possible specs.

In the foreground we have another very large device, a Sony handset that might just be that 6.4-inch Togari we’ve been talking about lately.

Now for the big question: is any of this legit? Two still-under-wraps devices from two different manufacturers running two different platforms, both showing up together like this, being photographed, and that image finding its way public – it’s a lot we’re expected to accept.

More than that, this just looks… weird. We don’t see any glaring signs of image manipulation, but the Sony phablet almost seems too tall for its width, and isn’t it convenient that the one Windows Phone device is one of the few that’s powered on, just to show us that extra column of tiles? Until some better imagery surfaces, we’re highly suspicious.

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LG Optimus L9 II leaks with 4.7" HD display, Snapdragon 400 at 1.4 GHz

After leaking out the Optimus G2, another upcoming handset from LG slipped out from the same source. The LG Optimus L9 II will be the upper midrange echelon of the L-series this year, and feature a 4.7" 720x1280 pixels HD IPS display, a 1.4 GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400, and will be running Andoid 4.1.2 out of the box. 

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HTC One Nexus edition to get the taste of android 4.3 after few weeks of release

I am still very skeptical on if these new Nexus or Google Edition phones will receive updates as timely as pure Nexus devices, but the very reliable @LlabTooFeR is reporting that the HTC One Nexus Edition will get Android 4.3 within a few weeks after it is released. I would say that it pretty good, but I really wonder if Google, HTC, and most likely Samsung worked together to time this first update to wow people. Google could have introduced 4.3 at Google I/O, but they didn’t. It is very possible they held off to allow HTC and Samsung to get ready. On the other hand, the lack of needing carrier approvals plays a big role for all updates, so if anything else, these devices should get faster updates overall regardless. The real test is going to be the next major update, which is probably Key Lime Pie. Will the Nexus Editions of the Galaxy S 4 and HTC One get those updates within a few weeks? Time will tell.

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LG Optimus G2 spotted on wild

Looking closely at the text in the display and next to the number three we are seeing an email address of G2-SW-Stability@lge.com. Granted, this is nothing more than an LG email address that is seemingly used to collect crash reports, however that G2 tells the story of an Optimus G2. Remaining details would lead one to believe the SW stands for software. That said, it appears as if we have not gotten another look at the LG Optimus G2 smartphone.

This brings the possible connection to the Nexus 5. If you remember back to the Nexus 4, that handset was based off of the LG Optimus G. Following that pattern, the Nexus 5 could be based off of the LG Optimus G2. We have yet to see much in terms of specs for the Optimus G 2 though.

At this point we have seen rumors suggesting the handset will arrive with a 5.5-inch 1080p display and powered by a quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 series processor. If nothing else, the earlier leaked image did provide a look at what appears to be handset with a large display and a small bezel.

Also worth noting, that earlier image had the handset shown without any hardware navigation buttons. All said and done, there obviously still needs to be an official announcement, but in the meantime it looks like the Optimus G2 and Nexus 5 hype is going to continue to build until that official word comes. 

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Samsung could bring big.LITTLE ARM power to Chromebook

With the Samsung GALAXY S 4 in consumer hands internationally, fully stocked with Exynos OctaCore processors, so too has a new Chromebook been tipped with the same technology. While the big.LITTLE ARM processor architecture suggested for this next-generation machine has been implemented on the GALAXY S 4 (the international edition, that is) for a split between obvious “big” and “little” tasks, its usage in Chrome may be a bit less obvious. This device could very well be introduced at the June event teased by Samsung as well.

While the technology used in the Samsung GALAXY S 4 sets “big” tasks as high-powered games, video processing, and GPS tracking, Chrome OS doesn’t generally have such high demands. Low-powered “little” tasks appear much more regularly – messaging, music, and background bits and pieces galore. These low-powered tasks are assigned to lower power cores in the SoC, therefor keeping energy demands as minimal as possible.

It’s likely that this, not so much the high-powered end of things, would be the main reason a Samsung Exynos 5410 (or something similar) would be used in a Chromebook. The tip sent to MobileGeeks this week suggests this device might never actually come to the market, mind you.

But consider the possibilities: perhaps this means Samsung will be releasing a device not unlike the Chromebook Pixel, complete with super-high-definition display and touchscreen abilities! It was no small deal when the entirety of Google I/O 2013 was given a Pixel to develop with – Samsung may just be following up with their own high-powered web-based machine soon.

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iPad 5 Case Leaked with Thinner, Smaller Frame.

It’s still unclear when we might see an iPad 5 dressed like an iPad mini, but a case leak suggests a release is imminent. Despite the iPad 4 still being relatively young, it was always assumed Apple would introduce a redesigned model following the launch of the iPad mini. These cases seem to reflect a more refined look, with a thinner frame and overall more compact 9.7-inch body.

Apple has consistently refined its products by making them thinner—though the iPad line contradicts this slightly—and the company seems intent on doing the same for the iPad 5. It’s difficult to say exactly how the iPad might look, but it sure seems like it’ll be thinner and come with a shorter frame—Apple is likely shaving some of the bezel off the sides.

we’ll might an iPad 5 anytime soon. Apple has played down hardware expectations heading into WWDC, with many of the bigger announcements coming later this year. Still, the timing seems curious, especially with the company’s annual conference just weeks away

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HTC One google edition Coming to Google Play Store in June

On stage at the D11 conference, Google’s Sundar Pinchai announced another Nexus smartphone called the HTC One Google Edition or HTC One Nexus that will be joining the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus, or, Google Edition, at the Google Play Store in June.

In days since Google I/O, there have been rumors of an HTC One Nexus device, a device that could possibly join the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus that was announced on stage at Google I/O. HTC denied the rumors but unofficial information pointed to an arrival at some point in the near future.

That arrival took place today at the D11 conference where Android head Sundar Pinchai announced a stock HTC One Nexus that will be arriving next month with all of the bells and whistles of a Nexus smartphone.

Like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus, the HTC One Nexus will be coming to the Google Play Store in June, specifically June 26th, and will be arriving unlocked for $599. That is actually a bit cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus which was announced on stage for $650. It’s unclear if the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus will drop down or they will simply feature different prices.

What this means is that consumers are going to be able to get their hands on an HTC One, complete with 4.7-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, Ultrapixel camera but also vanilla Android, quicker updates from Google and of course an unlocked bootloader.

The vanilla Android and the quick updates are key first, because the regular HTC One comes with a Sense 5 user interface, and two, because HTC is typically slow at updating its device, particularly its older ones.

It’s unclear if the device will be available outside of the Google Play Store and it’s also unclear if the HTC One Nexus, like the Galaxy S4 Nexus, will only be available in the United States from the start. We imagine that both will be true, though neither is confirmed,

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More details about HTC Phablet leaks

HTC is indeed working on a so-called phablet-class smartphone with pen-based input, we’ve learned, an attempt to challenge the market dominance of Samsung in larger-screen Android handsets. T6, as it is codenamed, has been tipped as a 5.9-inch, full HD beast of a device, powered by a top-of-the-line Qualcomm MSM8974 — a quad-core chipset clocked at 2.3GHz and better known as the Snapdragon 800.

If the upcoming HTC M4 is a quote-unquote One mini, then T6 can certainly be thought of as a One max; just like M4, T6 borrows heavily from the current “king of smartphones,” apparently aping its linemate’s good looks, BoomSound speakers with dedicated audio processor, and an optically-stabilized UltraPixel camera around back. RAM should be a healthy 2GB, but storage may be as low as 16GB, with planned microSD expandability providing some solace. The front-facing camera looks to offer an impressive 2.1-megapixel, wide-angle configuration.

Where T6 (whose existence was recently confirmed by a Pocket-lint report) gets really interesting, though, is in the software and somewhat unique combination of features. No Jelly Bean here, friends (from what we hear, and as surprising as that is) — this phablet, due to launch in late summer or early fall, is allegedly on track to run Android Key Lime Pie (build number: unknown). That being said, common sense would seem to dictate that KLP won’t be released until closer to the end of the year, making this detail a sticking point.

Naturally Sense will skin HTC’s largest handset to date, but it will supposedly be a more evolved iteration, with a version of BlinkFeed said to incorporate more partners, more customizability, and and the ability to save content for offline consumption.

Note-faithful, take, um, note: HTC is looking to woo you away from the original phablet by hitting Samsung’s star where it hurts — the pen. Great care is apparently being put into making the pen usage here a premium experience, so expect a nicely crafted stylus with an ultra-thin tip capable of a full suite of content creation and manipulation capabilities. It wasn’t known whether Scribe, the company’s pen suite for its short-lived lineup of (two) Android tablets, would be powering the T6 experience as well.

But wait, there’s more. T6 looks to be following only a handful of phones throughout history (we’re looking at you, LG Expo/IQ) to incorporate embedded biometrics, in the form of a fingerprint reader. Unlike its forebears, however, this innovative device is said to mount the sensor on the back on the phone, so that it unlocks when you grip it naturally to begin usage.

Finally, the scrappy, but embattled, manufacturer is looking to differentiate its wares through the availability of a so-called power jacket, a protective-case-cum-backup-battery that should supplement the internal 3300mAh with an additional 1250mAh of juice.

It’s almost certain that a larger One with beefed up specs and host of new features will see healthy interest; as always, the question will be whether HTC is able to overcome the considerable head start and brand strength enjoyed by its Korean rival in actually converting that interest to demand.

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Microsoft reveals Windows 8.1 alongside the triumphant return of start button

well, look here! It’s the Start Button, and it’s returned to its rightful place in the leftmost corner of the Windows 8.1 taskbar. This isn’t the work of a 3rd-party shell enhancement either.

Respected blogger Paul Thurrott has confirmed that this is how Windows 8.1 is going to ship. The UI backtrack has been rumored for some time, but none of the previous leaked builds of Windows 8.1 had actually reintroduced the Button.

While the Start Button is back, the Start Menu is not. Clicking the Windows 8.1 Start Button will do the same thing that tapping the Windows key on your keyboard or mouse does: it will bring up the Start Screen.

As the Build conference approaches, however, Microsoft is putting the finishing touches on the Windows 8.1 preview build. It’s expected that testers will be able to get their hands on the release this summer ahead of a retail launch some time before the 2013 holiday shopping season.

In addition to confirming the return of the Start Button, Thurrott noticed another cool tweak. In Windows 8.1, you can synchronize your desktop and Start Screen backgrounds. It’s a subtle but welcome change, and it helps make the dual interface Windows experience feel a little less disjointed.

So the Start Button is back and you can choose one wallpaper to rule Windows 8… but there’s one more major change coming.

Today’s leaks also confirmed that Microsoft is indeed going to allow users to boot directly to the desktop. The preference will be off by default, meaning new Windows 8 installs will still boot to the Start Screen. Anyone who wants to, however, will be able to flick the switch and bypass the Modern environment at startup.

It won’t completely vanish, of course. It’s highly unlikely that Microsoft is going to make a sort of “classic shell” option that turns off other Windows 8 features like hot corners and the Charms bar.

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RUMOUR : Sony Xperia L4 phablet will have a 6.4″ 1080p screen that can use a pencil as a stylus

Latest rumour suggests that a 6.4 inch sony phablet codenamed  xperia L4 could use even  a regular pencil as a stylus. There is not much information about L4, as of now nothing we can confirm. though the rumour seems to be interesting.

the rumor suggests that the Sony Xperia L4 will pack a 6.4″ FullHD screen, a Snapdragon 600 or 800 chipset and a 13MP camera. It should be announced some time in the summer, but we do recommend taking this rumor with a big pinch of salt.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini now official

We’ve been hearing a lot about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini over the past several weeks, but it’s time to give the rumor mill a rest — the device has been made official by Samsung as of this morning. The 4.3 inch device will come with qHD resolution, a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (there’s a microSD card slot to expand that), an 8 megapixel camera on the back and a 1.9 megapixel camera on the front.

For software, we’re looking at Android 4.2.2 with TouchWiz (which we assume is going to take up a sizable chunk of that 8GB of internal storage). The device will support LTE, and depending on the market you might find it in dual-SIM variety without much issue. Although Samsung wasn’t keen on dropping a date for the phone, Phones4U tells us to expect the device as early as July 2013 in the UK. That could change, and it might be different from region to region and retailer to retailer, but that sounds about right.

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Here are the selected HTC devices that could get android 4.3

As it is, this is a semi-complete list of HTC hardware that might get upgraded. all the target dates are in the Q4 of 2013 and many of the devices listed will not surprise anyone either. The HTC One, One X, One X+, are all in line to get 4.3. The Droid DNA (Butterfly) should be good to go.

We say eventually for obvious reasons and anyone that is reasonably well informed knows how slow the upgrade process can be.   HTC is still bringing Android 4.1 to some devices, never mind 4.2 or even 4.3 down the road.

As of now we are not even sure what all the new features will be with Android 4.3, we are already seeing hints at devices that should be in line to get the operating system upgrade…eventually.

As we have seen in the past, these lists often change, and a couple of the devices on the list to get updated seem puzzling versus those that may not get updated.  We have also seen motivations of manufacturers change to keep things up to date as well.  While it is not on the list, we would not be surprised to see the HTC First get a prompt upgrade since underneath the Facebook Home app is stock Android 4.1.  So while we will not call the list official, it does not seem like a bad starting point.

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LG Aiming to Unify their Design and Improve their Hardware in 2014

Lately, the huge argument between Samsung and HTC fans have been Metal is better than plastic, etc. Well LG has heard that and they want to be in the argument. Which means they are looking to improve the quality of their devices for 2014.

LG has plenty of behind the scenes already taking place, next year the Korean manufacturer is looking to deliver some quality products all with an improved and unified design. LG is looking to go big in 2014. During a press conference in South Korea, the design manager for LG had some interesting comments about their future and their “design philosophy” moving into 2014 and beyond.

LG is about to go under a major overhaul, which is for the better. Not that their devices were horrible before, but they weren’t the best either. The overhaul isn’t just going to affect their smartphones and tablets, but their lineup as a whole. Design Lab Manager, Joon Ahn revealed that they will have a unified and completely improved design language and philosophy that will be so new, fresh, and recognizable that their products will be instantly recognized as an LG device. Similar to what Samsung has built with the Galaxy lineup, and HTC is trying to do with the One line.

Lately, the huge argument between Samsung and HTC fans have been Metal is better than plastic, etc. Well LG has heard that and they want to be in the argument. Which means they are looking to improve the quality of their devices for 2014.

LG has plenty of behind the scenes already taking place, next year the Korean manufacturer is looking to deliver some quality products all with an improved and unified design. LG is looking to go big in 2014. During a press conference in South Korea, the design manager for LG had some interesting comments about their future and their “design philosophy” moving into 2014 and beyond.

LG is about to go under a major overhaul, which is for the better. Not that their devices were horrible before, but they weren’t the best either. The overhaul isn’t just going to affect their smartphones and tablets, but their lineup as a whole. Design Lab Manager, Joon Ahn revealed that they will have a unified and completely improved design language and philosophy that will be so new, fresh, and recognizable that their products will be instantly recognized as an LG device. Similar to what Samsung has built with the Galaxy lineup, and HTC is trying to do with the One line.

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Moto X to release before October

Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside confirmed on Wednesday at the AllThingsD's D11 conference that the company is developing a lead phone called the Moto X for release by October.

Speaking with hosts Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, the Motorla executive said the hero device would sport an OLED screen and sensors.

"Motorola has always been good at managing power on the device, but we're really good at managing sensors. We know when it's in your pocket, we know when it's in your hand, it's going to know when you want to take a picture and fire up the cameras," explained. "The device will know when you're in the car and it's moving at 60mph and you'll interact with it differently, more safely."

Woodside further said a 480,000-square-foot factory in Fort Worth, Texas - currently used to assemble Nokia phones - will manufacture 70 percent of the Moto X, with processors coming from Taiwan and OLED screens coming from Korea. 

Earlier in the interview, when Mossberg asked Woodside what's in store for Motorola, Woodside simply said, "We're relaunching our entire portfolio this year." 

Woodside didn't provide any more concrete details on upcoming products while on stage, aside from noting the Moto X will contend with the iPhone and Galaxy devices, but he teased that the hero phone was in his pocket for the interview. And, no, he wouldn't show it. 

"I'll save the details for later, but battery life is a huge problem. Motorola has some of the world's best engineers and systems designers who spend their lives on that problem. There are two processors in the device that creates a system that allows you to do such a thing," added wood side before confirming that the phone would be widely available in the US on multiples carriers.

The Moto X is the first major product announcement from Motorola since Google bought the company. 

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Samsung having Internal Meeting with Executives to Discuss ‘Design 3.0′

Samsung has been using Touchwiz on their Android devices for as long time. Touchwiz has looked very similar from the first Galaxy S to today's flagship Galaxy S4. There have been some tweaks and changes along the way, but for the most part it’s the same. In fact, Samsung’s Galaxy S3, S4, and Galaxy Note 2 all look relatively the same though sizes are different . but overall they look almost identical. But now, The Korea Herald is reporting that Samsung’s management team met this week to discuss their design strategy for future smartphones and tablets. Right now it’s being called ‘Design 3.0′.

The Herald reports that Samsung’s focus is “not only on external design and technical practicality of new products, but also about creating positive values and connecting with consumers,” while Samsung’s executive Yoon Boo-keun told them that “everyone at the meeting agreed that consumers should be able to identify Samsung products easily.”

At this point we aren’t sure what all these design changes are going to entail, but we are fairly sure that Samsung will tell us what they are up to when they are good and ready. It sounds like Samsung is working on the design of their devices, but I hope they work on the design of their software as well. I feel that Touchwiz is kinda dated now, but not as dated as Apple’s iOS. Everyone may not agree, but it would be nice to get away from that cartoonish style that is Touchwiz.

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MediaTek shows off new tablet-oriented quad-core chip

MediaTek has announced a new quad-core processor to be added to their portfolio that they hope will find its way into tablet devices. MediaTek is producing a new MT8125 chip to meet the needs of the fast-growing tablet market. The chip is based on a quad-core Cortex A7 cpu running at 1.5HGz and a PowerVR Series5XT gpu. MediaTek is incorporating MiraVision technology into the tablet’s SoC to be able to support high-end multimedia capabilities. The MT8125 will support full HD 1080p video playback and recording and will be able to drive screen resolutions up to 1920×1200. Along with the multimedia features, MediaTek says the chip can support 3G HSPA+, 2G EDGE and WiFi options, meaning tablet producers can more easily offer a variety of options for consumers. One of the first devices that appears headed to market with the new MT8125 is the Lenovo IdeaTab S6000.

You can read the full press release after the break.

MediaTek Introduces New Quad-Core Application Processor for Fast-Growing Tablet Market

The new Application Processor completes MediaTek’s multi-core processor product portfolio, delivering a significant difference in computing and multimedia performance

HSINCHU, Taiwan, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions, today announced the availability of the new quad-core application processor — MT8125 designed for the fast growing global tablet markets. The new tablet platform is an extension of the company’s highly successful quad-core portfolio. It integrates a power-efficient quad-core Cortex™- A7 CPU subsystem with speed up to 1.5GHz, PowerVR™ Series5XT Graphics that delivers compelling multimedia features and sophisticated user experiences. To simplify product design and speed time-to-market, the MT8125 supports 3G HSPA+, 2G EDGE and Wi-Fi versions, all of which are pin-to-pin compatible, allowing device manufacturers to easily expand their portfolios with a full range of tablets by leveraging the existing or planned design requiring no additional rework.

Inheriting MediaTek’s technology breakthrough of quad-core SoC platform and high-end multimedia capabilities, the MT8125 incorporates premium multimedia features, supporting up to Full HD 1080p video playback and recording, 13MP camera with integrated ISP and Full HD (1920 x 1200) displays. The new tablet SoC also delivers ground breaking visual quality powered by the leading picture quality technology — MiraVision™, derived from MediaTek’s extensive experience in the Digital TV market.

The MT8125 includes full support for MediaTek’s leading 4-in-1 connectivity combo that converges Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM, bringing highly integrated, best-in-class wireless technologies and expanded functionality to high-performance multimedia tablets. The MT8125 also provides support for Wi-Fi certified Miracast™ which makes multimedia content sharing between devices easier.

“During the last two years, application processors used in tablets have taken a fast evolution from single-core 1GHz to quad cores, clocking over 1.5GHz. Competition will force chipset vendors to maintain pace — by implementing more advanced features while reducing the system cost by increasing the level of integration*,” said Gartner Research Director Roger Sheng.

“MediaTek’s team has worked closely with Lenovo to integrate their solutions into our design process, helping us accelerate the development and introduction of new, innovative tablets. In turn, this allows us to fulfill our commitment to delivering the outstanding user experience our customers demand. The tablet market is moving fast, and Lenovo aims to be at the forefront of tablet innovation. MediaTek helps us do that,” commented Wayne Chen , vice president and head of mobile business unit for Lenovo.

“We’re confident that our comprehensive reference designs will be the industry benchmark, particularly benefiting the mid-to-high-end tablet market. It is an innovative, cost-effective and definitely faster time-to-market solution,” said Joe Chen , GM of Home Entertainment Business Unit, MediaTek. “By taking advantage of our strengths in the multimedia field, mobile communications and multi-screen technologies, we offer a complete multi-core processor family for smartphones and tablets, enabling a significant difference in performance and power efficiency – all while ensuring seamless streaming performance across the array of devices when users are consuming entertainment and information.”

The MediaTek quad core tablet SoC is now being widely adopted by MediaTek’s global customers including Lenovo IdeaTab S6000 series.

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HTC One will be launching in Blue and Red variants in the coming months

The HTC One is one of the most popular smartphones on the planet right now, and is available in silver or black for those interested. In the coming months One is going be out in both red and blue variants . Samsung recently announced new colors for their GALAXY S 4, so this could be HTC’s answer.

This isn’t the first time different colors for their new flagship smartphone have been talked about, but “sources familiar with the matter,” according to Pocket-lint, have confirmed that both new color options will be available in the “coming months” but that’s all we know.

The red HTC One appeared on HTC’s own website back when the device was initially announced, but was quickly removed and never seen of again. a few press photos of it have made the rounds, but it still hasn’t been seen yet in the wild. Now that some of those manufacturing delays have been sorted out hopefully they can start churning out more units, and more color options.

With more than 5 million sold since being announced a little over a month ago things are looking up for HTC. Two new color options could help increase sales, not to mention having more stock available for retailers. Add in the possibility of the stock “Senseless Edition” HTC One we’ve been hearing rumors about, and HTC could be set to move a couple million more really quick. We want to see this blue version first though.

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The new Gmail is out!!

Gmail updated officially

that update, rumored previously turned out to be true. All the features previously noted, like tabs showing up in your inbox on mobile, and the left hand menu sliding out, are here. While the mobile version of Gmail has had a few iterations, this is the first significant update for our desktop Gmail in quite some time.

The new design is meant to keep you organized above all. For those of us who have several accounts feeding into one inbox, this could prove to be very helpful. This will also be useful for navigating those emails that may not be spam, but tend to get in the way.

Essentially, it takes a few of those labels on the side menu and puts them above the inbox. Your full list of labels will still be there, but the most used ones will be at the top of the windows. Of course, with tabs like “Promotions” and “Social”, the new Gmail has another focus altogether.

Google seems keen to get you involved with their ecosystem, and using Gmail to generate interest is smart. A little hand-holding into Google+ via the “Social” tab may be just what the average Gmailer needs, and Offers is sure to make an appearance in the “Promotions” folder, whether you’re signed up for it or not.

It’s definitely time for a new Gmail, and this one fits in well with other Google sites and services. The new look Gmail is not radically different, but feels wholly refreshed. It will be rolling out over the next few weeks to both desktop and mobile, so keep your eyes open for the update. In the meantime, check out the official Gmail update video below, and let us know what you think.

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HTC M4 set for a June release date with the Butterfly 2 to follow in the third quarter of 2013

In a piece in Focus Taiwan, analyst Laura Chen of BNP Paribas Securities Taiwan Ltd talked about HTC’s successes in the first half of the year and praised their plans for the second half, revealing some details in the meantime. While this isn’t official information, Chen seems to know what she’s talking about as a lot of her information fits perfectly with earlier rumors, all but confirming a June release for the HTC M4 and a fall release for the new version of the HTC Butterfly (currently called the Butterfly S).

Chen also mentions another flagship device with a 5.9-inch screen and an “upgraded” CPU (maybe the Snapdragon 800?), which we will presume to be the HTC One with a bigger screen as we’ve reported before. She also reveals that the Butterfly S will be aimed at Asian, European, Middle Eastern and African markets, while the M4 will likely be released worldwide.

As we have gathered from other rumors, both new devices will feature BoomSound speakers, 2 GB of RAM an UltraPixel camera and Sense 5 (featuring BlinkFeed among other software). The Butterfly S will ship with a full HD display and a body presumably similar to the original Butterfly. The M4 will have a smaller, 4.3-inch 720p resolution display and a weaker dual-core processor with 16 GB of internal storage.

While none of these rumors have been verified by HTC just yet, an official confirmation is inevitable. Let us know in the comments if either of these devices interest you and stay tuned for more information as we get it.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 mini to sport a Snapdragon 400 cpu, 1080p recording on front facing camera

 Samsung Galaxy S4 mini details just popped up on AnTuTu benchmark,

as it is the smaller version of s4, the device isn’t going to have the same high end specifications as its bigger brother, but it’s actually not as bad as expected. The GS4 mini will have the same Snapdragon 400 cpu that’s in the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and HTC’s First, it’ll have 1.5 GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera, a 2.1 megapixel (1080p) front facing camera, and of course it’s going to run Android 4.2.2 onboard.

In today’s modern smartphones only one phone running snapdragon 400 cpu is "HTC First" currently out on the market and according to most benchmarks,  the First is “just as good — if not better — than Samsung's 2012 flagship galaxy S3.

When will the GS4 mini be announced? According to The Wall Street Journal, it’ll be one of the devices that Samsung will unveil at their London event on June 20th. So just three weeks to go.

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Samsung to manufacture displays for Apple

It’s very well known that Apple and Samsung’s relationship has become more strained than ever over the last couple of years. The two companies use to be best friends. Samsung would supply parts for Apple and Apple would pay Samsung handsomely, but then, legal battles started. Apple started going after Samsung for every little patent known to man, mainly due to Steve Jobs’ belief that Android was a stolen product. Once the lawsuits began, Apple started to shift away from using Samsung components in its devices. This obviously hurt both of the companies. Samsung was forced to make up for the huge stream of revenue coming from Apple, and Apple of course had to find a company to supply device components. It looks like, however, that Apple just couldn’t function as well as it would have liked without Samsung.

According to a new report from the Korea IT Times, Apple has been forced to start buying LCD panels from Samsung, which really comes as a shock. It seemed like Apple was doing okay with its new partners, such as Sharp and TSMC, but something must have gone wrong.

The Korean TFT LCD component market appears to be set for huge growth in 2013 now that Apple has started having Samsung supply panels again. The sales of TFT panels from Korean display companies Soulbrain, Chemtronics, Global Display and Avatec have seen huge growth so far, and are expected to reach 643 billion KRW, a 34% increase year-over-year.

One of Apple’s newest partners, Sharp, has been struggling mightily recently. Samsung has even recently bought a stake in the failing Japanese company.

One reason Apple may have switched back to Samsung for its display manufacturing is because of the company’s great skill at producing TFT displays. LG, one of Apple’s other partners, relies on outside sources to manufacture TFT panels, while Samsung is able to build them in-house and much quicker. Apple uses these TFT displays in its iPhone, iPad, and Retina Macbook Pro, and it seems as if no company can compete with Samsung.

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RUMOUR : HTC Butterfly 2 Allegedly Similar To HTC One, But With Larger Display

HTC has released its flagship for 2013 in the HTC One, but that doesn’t mean it will stop releasing phones, . As you probably know, last year, HTC released the flagship One X, but then released several different branches of that, such as the One S and One V. It looks like it will take a similar approach in 2013, as well. So far, we’ve heard rumors of a smaller HTC One, dubbed the M4, and a bigger HTC One model, possibly codenamed the T6. We’ve also hear whispers of the HTC Butterfly 2, a flagship planned for later in 2013, possibly the successor to the DROID DNA.

The information comes from the trusted leakster, who has grown the reputation of being one of the more reliable HTC tipsters . Source claimed that “It will share almost identical hardware but with bigger screen.”, but does not seem as big of an innovation as the original HTC Butterfly, which was the first device to launch with a 1080p display.

Source also hints that the Butterfly 2 will feature an UltraPixel camera, just like the HTC One does. It’s unclear if they will be identical sensors, so it’s possible that the Butterfly 2 will feature an improved UltraPixel camera.

Current rumors claim that the HTC Butterfly 2 will launch sometime in the third quarter of 2013, which includes the months of July, August, and September. Specs are entirely unclear at this point, though. Earlier we heard a rumour that HTC was planning a One model with a screen bigger than 5-inches, but smaller than 6-inches, so it’s entirely possible that this is in fact that device. Earlier on Tuesday, DigiTimes reported that HTC was planning a device with a Liquidmetal design, but it seems unlikely that the Butterfly 2 will have that.

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Google Glass to get a Third-Party Facial Recognition App

 Reports suggest that Glass may soon be able to use facial recognition technology, and the feature may be offered to developers in the future. More specifically, Lamda Labs developed a facial recognition application for Glass, which they’re going to make available to Glass developers within the next week.

Google decided not to include such technology in early builds of the platform, but they never actually told developers they cannot create or use it. This is pretty big news since the technology would be exceptionally useful for a platform like Glass. Although, I’m not entirely sure why Google didn’t bake the feature in to begin with? Maybe they just didn’t want to cause any excess controversy with the platform, at least not any more than they already have.

According to The Telegraph, the Glass application will “force users to take photographs, tag them with information on who is in them and then compare any subsequent photographs taken to those previously uploaded.” In other words, it’s just like the Facebook photo tagging feature, except it’s used behind the scenes to recognize familiar faces. They also report that future versions of the software “may allow real-time recognition of faces.”

That’s pretty damn interesting. Think of all those times you remembered someone, but couldn’t quite put a name to their face. What if Google Glass could automatically tell you who they are? I hate to say it, but that would be pretty sweet.

People are going to go bonkers over the privacy implications of this technology, but that’s nothing new. Since the early models of Glass shipped, and even before that people have been worried about what the platform means for personal privacy.

Lamda Labs makes alternate facial recognition software which is generally used for digital photography. According to the company, more than 1,000 developers use their unique software which generates about 5 million identity recognition attempts per month.

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Rumor suggests that Apple Launching 12.9-Inch 'iPad Maxi' in Early 2014 to Target Ultrabooks

Korean site ETNews.com reports that Apple is working on a new, larger iPad with a display measuring 12.9 inches diagonally, compared to the 9.7-inch display on the current full-size iPad. The larger iPad, which the site apparently in all seriousness says would be called "iPad Maxi", would launch in the first half of 2014 and be intended to target the ultrabook market as well as increase utility for digital textbooks. 

ETNews.com does not have a particularly solid track record regarding Apple rumors, and is not a frequent rumor source either. Previous incorrect reports have included claims that the iPhone that was ultimately dubbed iPhone 4S would launch in late June 2011 and that the iPhone 5 would take advantage of Liquidmetal alloys and launch in June 2012. More recently, the site claimed that fingerprint sensor firm AuthenTec had cut off its existing customer base after being acquired by Apple, a development that seems likely amid rumors of Apple deploying fingerprint technology on the iPhone 5S.

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RUMOUR : samsung galaxy note 3 to be powered by snapdragon 800 soc

According to the latest report coming from Samsung's homeland, the next Samsung Galaxy Note III will be powered by Qualcomm's top-notch Snapdragon 800 soc instead of the octa-core Exynos.

If this is true, Samsung either still has some troubles manufacturing its own chipset or because Snapdragon 800 more powerful and probably cheaper. Unlike the Exynos chipset, the Snapdragon 800 platform has an embedded LTE radio, while Samsung needs a third-party hardware to enable LTE support on Exynos.

The Snapdragon 800 chipset has a quad-core Krait 400 processor that can be clocked up to 2.3GHz. Adreno 330 GPU is in charge of the graphics and it supports up to 4K video playback and recording. Snapdragon 800 also comes with a new generation LTE chip that supports category 4 (Up to 300Mbps downlink, up to 75Mbps uplink) and 7.1-channel sound.

On the top of it, Samsung Galaxy Note III is rumored to pack at least 6" Super AMOLED display, 2+ GB of RAM, a 13+ MP camera and naturally, an S-Pen.

 Samsung might announce the Galaxy Note III at an UNPACKED event at IFA in Berlin this September and launch it soon after.

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LG Working on Android Tablet, Flexible Smartphone Not Coming this Year, Optimus G2 to See Global Release

While Samsung and HTC have already had their big releases for the year, LG normally wait until towards the end of the year. Sure, they had the Optimus G Pro launch on AT&T but, we’re still waiting to see what LG really have in store for us next. In a recent interview, the company’s European VP has let us in on a few secrets, some of which we knew were coming but, it’s always nice to hear it from the horse’s mouth, right?

First up is the rumor concerning a flexible device of some sort, or at least a device featuring flexible OLED technology. This is something the company feels is not “mature enough” and won’t be hitting the market this year. While that’s perhaps disappointing, there’s little point in launching something into the market if it’s not ready, there’s being first, and then there’s getting it right. Along with their flexible display technology, their own CPU stirred some interest earlier in the year but, the company has clarified on their L9 chip, saying that it’s “made ​​for a substantially different architecture than we have in our mobile phones.”

So, just what can we expect from LG? Well, the Exec let slip that the company was indeed looking at getting back into the tablet game, with Android being the favored OS choice. Just like others, LG is still monitoring demand for Windows 8 and we wouldn’t be surprised if LG were to go with Android exclusively for their new tablets. When it comes to tablets, LG are no stranger to the market but, it has been a long time since they released an Android tablet, it’ll be interesting to see what they have to offer now that the market’s changed quite a bit.

Of course, we couldn’t talk about LG like this without mentioning the Optimus G2 now, could we? According to the European VP, the Optimus G2 is going to enjoy a global release at launch, as oppose to the gradual launch of the Optimus G from last year. LG are more than likely feeling the pressure from Samsung when it comes to releases, who managed to release the Galaxy S 4 worldwide and handily keep up with demand. From the sound of the interview, LG is ready to get back into the mobile game with a new flagship and perhaps a more portable tablet akin to the Nexus 7.

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Specs of Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 and Galaxy Ace 3 leak

The specifications of the rumored Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, codenamed Santos 10, have leaked along with the specifications of the next generation Galaxy Ace smartphone, according to a report from Hi-Tech Mail.

samung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is said to sport a 10.1-inch TFT-LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and will be powered by a 1.6 GHz dual-core processor along with 1 GB of RAM. The slate will also feature a 3 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front facing camera, 16 or 32 GB inbuilt memory and a 6,800mAh battery.

The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 measures 243.1 x 176.1 x 7.95mm and weighs 510g. The slate will be available in June and, contrary to previous leaks, is expected to run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean rather than 4.1.

The report also reveals the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 and according to it, the device will sport a 4-inch TFT-LCD display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. The Ace 3 will be powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor along with 1 GB of RAM and will feature a 5 megapixel rear camera, 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, 4 GB inbuilt memory and a 1,500mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 measures 121.2 x 62.7 x 9.8mm and runs on an as of yet unknown version of Jelly Bean. The device is expected to be priced at 9,900 rubles (about $316).

source : gsmarena

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Umeox X5 smartphone officially outed,could be the world's slimmest phone with 5.6mm thickness

 X5, the world’s thinnest smartphone. it is developed by Umeox— a brand that’s quite popular in China, but a fairly relative unknown elsewhere in the world and comes in at 118 x 60 x 5.6mm. The 5.6mm profile effectively makes the device the world’s thinnest smartphone to date.

But the hardware details suchs as processor and type of camera used are unknown until its July release date.  the device is said to arrive with Jelly Bean onboard, so that can be a bit of some silver lining for prospective customers out there.

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Nexus 7 with Android 4.3 receives Bluetooth certification

A Nexus 7 with Android 4.3 onboard just showed up at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) website. This means it was just certified. Actually it was certified on May 27th, but what is unusual is the model number. It shows as ME307T, which is the same model number as the original Nexus 7. We all know that a new and improved Nexus 7 is on the way, but I would think that it would have a different model number. As to the version of Android, you will notice the Software Version Number is JWR11, which is assumed to be Android 4.3.

We think ASUS would need to re-certify the original Nexus 7 for just Android 4.3, so there has to be newer hardware. Since this information is actually available on the Bluetooth SIG website, we know it can’t be fake. Whatever it is, it’s just one more piece of evidence that we are going to see a new Nexus 7 very soon.

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Samsung official reportedly confirms Note III in the works, muses on potential camera upgrades

Given the success of the original Galaxy Note and its sequel, there's little doubt a third installment of the super-sized handset line is on Samsung's to-launch list. Korean site ETNews claims to have heard the first legitimate confirmation of the Note III's existence, however, citing a Samsung official as its source. The insider apparently had much to say on plans for the camera, too. It's expected to be a 13-megapixel affair and could see other upgrades over its predecessor, including optical image stabilization and 3x optical zoom. According to the official, no final decisions on the camera have been made yet, but with less than four months to go until IFA (where the previous Notes have debuted), it's probably time to start nailing those specs down.
source : Engadget

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LG exec hints next nexus not made by LGE(LG LECTRONICS)

LG exec hints tat next Nexus not made by LG. The report comes from LG Mobile Europe’s vice president, Kim Won. According to the official, the Nexus 5 is not necessary for LG’s profit and success. Of course, there might always be a language barrier here, and we’re waiting for possible future clarifications.

“The Nexus 4 was a great success despite the production problems for us and Google. However we do not need such a marketing success again”, said the LG VP. Kim Won also talked about  future possible LG “Google Edition” phone, a la Samsung Galaxy S 4. He said that such a device doesn’t bring or represent any value to the company. LG is relying heavily on their user experience offering, and skin. Despite everything, the relationship between LG and Google is very good. However, this will not bring a Nexus 5 and/or Google Edition device fruit.

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The iPhone 5S display may have double the pixel density of the iPhone 5 &come with thinner bezel

Now here is a cool rumor spilling around about the next iPhone coming from the vast prairies of the Chinese blogosphere. The screen on the next iphone will allegedly sport 4 inch display, but have a bit thinner bezel, hinting that a different panel might be used than what we have in the iPhone 5.

In fact, the source claims that it will be an entirely new panel, with double the pixel density of its predecessor, to 1.5 million pixels in total, which, of course, means that the resolution and pixel density of the display must be much higher.

If Apple managed to score enough yield with Sharp's IGZO displays, which allow record pixel densities in a thin and light package, with a lower power consumption at that, there might be some merit to this rumor, and the source says it will enter production next month for a release in September, which jibes with the launch rumors we've heard so far.

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LG unveils the White Nexus 4 officially

LG Electronics (LG) has officially announced the rumored White Nexus 4 in collaboration with Google. The specifications of the device is similar to the original Nexus 4 that was announced back in October last year and officially launched in India recently. It black bezel on the front with white finish on the sides and the back. It has Nexus and LG branding in White, unlike the images that surfaced online.

It comes with a 4.7-inch (1280 x 768 pixels) True HD IPS Plus display, powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It packs 2GB of RAM and has 2,100mAh Li-Polymer battery (embedded) with support for Wireless charging.

The Nexus 4 White would go on sale on May 29 starting in Hong Kong and would gradually roll out globally in select markets in Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East over the next several weeks. Since LG has released the device, it is not clear whether the White version would sell on Google Play.

source : fonearena

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