Intel debuts 4G LTE modem for tablets and ultrabooks

Intel has officially announced the commercial rollout of its latest multimode, multiband 4G LTE chipsets. Intel’s XMM 7160 is already getting a global rollout after debuting on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 10.1.

The popular chip maker has also expanded its portfolio of 4G LTE chipsets with the introduction of PCIe M.2 modules. These new SoCs are designed exclusively for tablets, ultrabooks and come with an integrated radio frequency transceiver module, which enables the manufacturing of powerful and cost effective devices.

Intel XMM 7160 is one of the smallest, multiband LTE solutions for smartphones and tablets. The chip offers seamless connectivity across 2G, 3G and 4G LTE networks along with the support for 15 different LTE bands simultaneously.

The newly announced PCIe M.2 LTE chips are also cost-effective and come with embedded modules for different bands of data connectivity across various device types. The M.2 (XMM 7260) modules also support GPS.

Intel’s next-generation LTE chipset, the XMM 7260 will be available in 2014.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Samsung takes a large bite out of Apple’s tablet market share in Q3

According to the latest report by IDC, Samsung has been able to achieve a year-over-year growth of some 123%, and has increased its tablet market share by some 8 points.

This comes at a cost to Apple, who has gone without a new tablet launches during the second and third quarters to drive sales.

Apple was able to ship almost the exact same amount of units (14.1 vs 14 million million) as in the same period of last year, which has caused its market share drop from over 40% to 29.6%.

Samsung was able to more than double the amount of units shipped from 4.3 million to 9.7 million, and most Android vendors saw increased growth compared to the previous quarter.

iCharts

The Android sales include so-called “white box” shipments that describe ultra low-cost Android tablets that “use cheap parts and non-Google approved versions of Android that can result in an unsatisfactory customer experience, limited usage, and very little engagement with the ecosystem.” IDC warns that while higher Android tablet growth is impressive, shipments on their own won’t guarantee future success.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Google Glass to get a hardware update later this year, free for existing users

Google has announced that they will be updating the Google Glass hardware later this year. The updated design will allow users to use Glass with upcoming lines of shades or use prescription frames. Google has also added a mono earbud for audio.

Those who are part of the Google Explorer program and have purchased the Glass will be delighted to know that they will be able to exchange their current Google Glass with the new one when it releases at no additional cost.

Google has also updated their Explorer program that now allows users of Google Glass to invite three friends to join their program, which will enable them to purchase the Google Glass online and have it delivered anywhere they want.

Google will be providing additional details later.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Huawei inks a sponsorship deal with AC Milan football club

Huawei joined the likes of Samsung, LG, Sony, and HTC in being a football sponsor. The Chinese giant inked a deal with the storied Italian football team AC Milan to become its premium sponsor.

Unsurprisingly, Huawei will become AC Milan’s chief communications supplier as part of the deal.Furthermore, the sponsorship deal will allow Huawei to use the AC Milan for marketing purposes in Italy and abroad.

A deal of such magnitude is nothing but good news for Huawei. AC Milan is one of the most popular football clubs globally, so its association with Huawei will help the Chinese giant raise its profile both at China and on the international market.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Tips on Taking the Best Photograph on Your Smartphone

By ABC News

Oct 30, 2013 7:57pm

                                                                (spieri/Instagram)

ABC News’ John Donvan reports:

Thanks to the 21st century creation of the cameraphone, a lot more people are taking photos than they used to.

In 1930, the world was taking a billion photographs a year. In 1960, it tripled to three billion and 57 billion in 1990. Today, we take 850 billion photos a year.

We want to see your best photos! Share your favorite shots on the new World News Flickr page or tweet them to us @ABCWorldNews.

While there may be too many pictures of what people had for lunch, a cliched never-again sunset or “shoe-stagrams,” there are more stunning photos being taken too. Photos have become a new language and a new way to tell stories.

Joe Brown, the New York editor of Wired, knows exactly how best to capture the moment.

“People are getting better, which is nice because my Facebook feed doesn’t look so terrible anymore,” he said.

The most common mistake people make is using the flash, he said.

“If you want to make your subject look like a vampire, by all means, shine a giant ultra white light in their face.”

You should also turn on the grid on your phone to straighten things up. “Nothing kills a photograph more than it being crooked,” Brown said.

Be mindful of composition. Use the lines of the grid to place your subjects along its intersections. Professional call this the “rule of thirds.”

Another big mistake cameraphone users make is using the zoom. On a regular camera, there is a series of lenses that magnifies the image when you zoom, but that doesn’t happen on a smartphone. It just crops it.

Brown’s bonus tip? Always take more than one photo, even if you think you got the perfect shot on the first try.

Finally, be alive to the moments around you. Take some time to freeze beauty and capture what used to be gone in an instant but can now linger on, alive in our photographer nation.

Source : abcnews[dot]go[dot]com

Exynos-powered Samsung Galaxy Note 3 goes through our benchmark gauntlet

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is available in two different configurations – with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset or with the company’s own Exynos 5420 Octa SoC. In our review, we tested the Snapdragon 800 variant of the phablet (N9005) and it nearly tops all of the benchmark charts. Now, as we got our hands on the alternative Note 3 version, we’re eager to see how it compares when it comes to performance.

Prior to announcing the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung outed the updated Exynos 5420 Octa chip stating its 20% faster than its predecessor in the CPU department and nearly twice as fast in terms of GPU. This should give it a fighting chance against the heavyweight chip champion that the Snapdragon 800 is.

Without further ado, here are the scores below. As you can see, things between the two versions are pretty close and on most benchmarks they are equal for all purposes practical. Yet where there are differences they are almost always in favor of the Snapdragon 800 Galaxy Note 3. Exynos 5420 only managed to prevail in AnTuTu 4, but lost in GeekBench and all the GPU tests.

Benchmark Pi

Lower is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  99
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  103

Linpack

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  1081
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  1058

Geekbench 3

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  2937
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  2653

AnTuTu 4

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  33600
• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  31109

Quadrant

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  20052
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  19989

GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt (1080p off-screen)

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  68
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  62

GLBenchmark 2.7 T-Rex (1080p off-screen)

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  26
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  23

Epic Citadel

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  47.7
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  41.4

SunSpider

Lower is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  587
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  590

Vellamo

Higher is better

• Galaxy Note 3 (Snapdragon)
  2853
• Galaxy Note 3 (Exynos)
  2737

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Qualcomm updates its Snapdragon BatteryGuru app to version 2.0

Qualcomm has updated its BatteryGuru app that is designed exclusively for Snapdragon-powered smartphones. The chip maker’s native app enhances the battery performance, without damaging the overall experience with its optimizations.

The newest version of the BatteryGuru now comes with the improved battery management and the version 2.0 brings the all new intelligent charging recommendations.

Snapdragon BatteryGuru’s newest feature does not require any manual configurations, as the app itself learns how you use your smartphone and adjusts its settings to match your habits and preferences. However, the app requires a few days to learn about your usage pattern, before it’s all ready to go.

The latest version of the app will also now notify you when your Snapdragon powered smartphones runs out of battery juice before its usual charge time. Lastly, BatteryGuru now shows you the remaining battery percentage in the notification bar.

If you own a Snapdragon powered smartphone, you can download the latest version of the BatteryGuru app from the Google Play Store.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 and Yoga Tablet 10 reimagine slate design

After Lenovo’s Yoga line-up of ultrabooks turned out to be quite a success, the company has decided to take a stab at making a Yoga tablet. Meet the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 and Yoga Tablet 10.

The members of the Yoga Tablet family feature a prominent circular bulge at the top, which holds a few tricks up its sleeve and allows the slate to stand in three different modes.

Lenovo calls them Hold, Tilt and Stand modes. Because of the aforementioned curve, holding the Yoga Tablet in portrait mode looks quite comfortable. The bulge also has a hidden kickstand that you pull out to make the tilt angle higher – that’s Tilt mode.

Finally, the Stand mode allows you to put the tablet sitting on a flat surface in portrait mode. The good news in the design department continue with the dual front-facint Dolby-certified speakers. Check out the photos Lenovo has provided below.

Lenovo Yoga Tablet Multimode photos

The two Yoga Tablet family members aren’t quite as spectacular on the inside, though. Both the Yoga Tablet 8 and Yoga Tablet 10 rely on a MediaTek 8125 SoC with a 1.2 quad-core Cortex A7 CPU and 1GB of RAM. The resolution of the two screens is 1280×800 pixels.

Internal storage is 16GB, but is expandable thanks to the microSD card slot. At the back, there’s a 5MP camera, while under the back cover sits either a 6,000mAh or a 9,000mAh for the 8-inch and 10-inch models, respectively. Lenovo says that both models are capable of going on for about 18 hours on a charge, which sounds really impressive.

Here’s a cool product tour video Lenovo has made for the Yoga Tablet lineup.

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 will retail for $249 on the company’s official store as well as Best Buy. The Yoga Tablet 10 will cost just $50 more. Here are four more Yoga Tablet product videos for your viewing pleasure.

Lenovo Yoga Tablet: 18 Hours of Non-Stop Multimode

Lenovo Yoga Tablet: Better by Design

Lenovo Yoga Tablet in 3D

Lenovo Yoga Tablet: 18 Hours of Non-Stop Multimode

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Barnes & Noble launches new Nook Glowlight

Barnes & Noble has launched an updated version of the Nook Glowlight e-reader. Aimed to directly compete with Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite, the new Nook Glowlight is a notable improvement over its predecessor in almost every way imaginable.

For starters, the updated Nook Glowlight is lighter, tipping the scales at just 175 grams – in comparison, the Kindle Paperwhite weighs 213 grams. B&N has also managed to get rid of the annoying screen flashes that trouble other eBook readers..

The screen now packs 62% more pixels than the previous Nook Glowlight, according to Barnes & Noble. The eBook reader also features a new white color as well. On the software end the Glowlight got improved recommendation system, which now features insights from booksellers that should help you discover new content.

The new Nook Glowlight retails for $119 with its software free of ads. On paper at least, it’s well worth the $20 extra over the older model.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Google+ gets a ton of new features along with Hangouts

At yesterday’s Google event, the company announced a slew of new features for their Google+ social networking service, along with the Hangouts messaging service.

Google+ already had a pretty impressive photo sharing experience that is way ahead of what other services such as Facebook offer but now Google has made it even better. In the new update, the service automatically scans your photos and sorts them by categories such as sunsets, snow, etc. by identifying over a thousand objects within the images to make searching for your photos easier.

The Auto Enhance feature automatically adjusts parameters to improve your image but you can also turn the level of adjustment up or down or choose not to apply it to an entire album if you’ve already edited the images before uploading.

The iOS version of the Google+ app will now get background uploading and syncing of photos to Google+ in full size similar to the Android version of the app. Google has also updated the Snapseed mobile app to add the HDR Scape filter.

There is also a new Auto Awesome feature. It has three techniques: Action, where it takes a bunch of burst shots from your library, combines them and creates a strobe-effect photograph. Eraser takes multiple images and scans for unwanted people in the frame and removes them. Lastly, Movie mode takes your photos and videos and combines them into a short movie with transition effects and soundtrack, which you can share as is or edit it later. Best of all, all these features work automatically without user intervention.

All these features will be available this week.

As for Hangouts, the Android app now supports sharing your location instantly. It also supports SMS, so you can send and receive SMS through the Hangouts app itself, something we had heard was coming (the Messaging app would probably be retired in Android 4.4 now). Lastly, Hangouts also shows in-line animated GIFs.

Another addition is the ability to schedule Hangouts on the Air and to promote them with a dedicated watch page. You can also moderate the comments later when you’re live.

Lastly, the video calls are now fullscreen on mobile and desktop and it fixes and enhances the webcam lighting automatically.

The new Hangouts app would roll out in a few days and the On the Air improvements over the next few weeks.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Logitech announces new accessories for iPad Air

Logitech has officially announced four new accessories for the recently launched iPad Air. The Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, Ultrathin Keyboard cover, Ultrathin Keyboard Folio are the new keyboard docks for the iPad Air, while the Folio Protective Case is a water repellent shell that protects the slate from bumps and scratches.

All the keyboards have a unique ability to connect to the iPad Air using Bluetooth and promise a great working experience with their maximized key size. The keyboard folios also double up as a stand, which holds the new iPad at convenient angles.

Logitech’s new iPad Air keyboard accessories can be recharged through micro-USB and the folios lasts for about three months on one charge. None of those will be particularly cheap, though – the FabricSkin Keyboard will carry a retail price tag of $149.99, while the Ultrathin Keyboard folio and the cover is all yours for $99.99 each. Lastly, the protective case for your iPad Air is priced at $49.99.

The new Logitech accessories for the iPad Air are expected to hit the stores in the US, Europe and a few selected countries in Asia in November 2013.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids hits USA on November 10

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids was announced back in August. It’s a modified version of Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 with highly customized user interface for kids plus lots of pre-installed age-appropriate software and games.

The slate is already available in Korea and now the company has confirmed that USA is the next market to get it.

The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids pre-orders will kick off on November 1 at various retailers including Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s, Office Depot, Sam’s Club, Tiger Direct and Toys “R” Us. The suggested retail price is $229.99 and you will get a free bumper case with it. If you decide the kid’s slate needs more protection you can opt for the hard case bundle for $249.99.

The pre-orders will ship on November 10 – the same day Galaxy Tab 3 Kids will be hitting the shelves of brick and mortar stores around the country.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Samsung goes courtside after $100 million NBA deal

Samsung and the National Basketball Association have inked a deal which makes world’s number one smartphone manufacturer the official provider of televisions and tablets for the NBA.

The deal is reportedly worth $100 million and would mean that the screens and surveillance tech in the basketball arenas would be provided by Samsung.

All those buzzer beaters that get reviewed to see if the player got the shot off in time would be reviewed on a Samsung device. In turn the NBA would work with Samsung to create customized content for the paid NBA League Pass service.

The deal will be valid for three years. As for Samsung, this isn’t the first time it’s gotten cozy with US sports.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Lumia 2520 is better than Surface 2, says Qualcomm exec

Raj Talluri, senior vice president of product management at Qualcomm has expressed his view on the latest tablets from Nokia and Microsoft. Speaking to CNET, he said that the Nokia Lumia 2520 trumps the Microsoft Surface 2 in every way possible.

That’s not too surprising, considering the Lumia 2520 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, while Microsoft’s second-gen Surface uses the Nvidia Tegra 4 chipset.

The performance on [the 2520] is brilliant,” Raj Talluri, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm’s application processors, told CNET. “It’s really at the next level. It’s not even really a contest [compared to Surface 2] … In every area, it’s much bigger, faster, and lower power.

According to Talluri and Stephen Horton, who is too a high-rank Qualcomm executive, Microsoft chose to partner with Nvidia “because of timing”.

That’s not the first time a Qualcomm executive has shared his opinion on a rivaling product. Earlier in the month, Qualcomm’s Anand Chandrasekher said Apple’s A7 64-bit chip is a “marketing gimmick”. A week later, a company’s spokesperson retracted the statement marking it as “inaccurate”.

In this case, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, as Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Nokia. If the deal goes through, the more successful Nokia is, the better for it is for the Finns and Microsoft alike.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Nexus 10 (2013) tablet briefly shows up in the Play Store

The Nexus 10 leaks are intensifying and the latest one allegedly comes from the Google Play Store itself. It has since been taken down, but not before someone managed to screenshot the specs page.

The Nexus 10 (2013) keeps the 10.1″ 2,560 x 1,600 screen with 300ppi pixel density, but upgrades the Gorilla Glass to version 3.

The new tablet is a bit more compact, measuring 258.9 x 172.6 x 7.9mm versus the 263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9mm of the 2012 model. The weight has gone down a bit too, 584g, down from 603g.

As you can expect the chipset has been revamped – instead of a Cortex-A15 solution, the new Nexus 10 will pack a Snapdragon 800 chipset (quad-core Krait 400, Adreno 330) with 3GB RAM. It will run Android 4.4 KitKat, of course.

The cameras have been bumped up to 2.1MP front-facing unit and 8MP primary snapper. The battery capacity is slightly higher, 9,500mAh.The tablet will come in a 32GB version, with Wi-Fi b/g/n (no 802.11ac, but it has MIMO tech), Bluetooth (unspecified version), NFC, GPS, barometer and the standard sensors.

Leaked info points to a £350 price in the UK. The launch date for the Nexus 5 keeps slipping but it should be soon now (a few days) and the Nexus 10 tablet is supposed to launch alongside it.

Take these specs with a grain of salt – we’ve seen fake leaks about the Nexus 10 (2013) before and while this one looks well-made, it’s not impossible that it’s a fake as well.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy Round gets its own TV ad

Samsung has released the first commercial of the curved Galaxy Round smartphone. The ad is in Korean, because it is the first (and at this stage the only) country to get the cool gadget. It’s unclear if the curved smartphone will be going global in the future, but chances are looking slim at this point.

Meanwhile, LG has also announced its first curved smartphone – the 6.0-inch LG G Flex. It will be launching in Korea in November as well.

Here is the Galaxy Round commercial:

Well, this is not the first odd ad from Samsung we have seen and we are sure it won’t be the last either.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Nokia Lumia 800 works after being lost underwater for 3.5 months

Quite an amazing story coming out of Sweden today. A Nokia Lumia 800 smartphone was found after spending three and a half months in a lake and it was still working!

The news comes by way of Facebook user Roger Nilsson who even captured some pictures of the device in question.

The phone was allegedly found more than three months after being lost in a lake, wedged between two rocks at low tide. The screen was covered in shells and algae. Mr. Nilsson cleaned then dried the phone for an indeterminate period of time, at which point he charged it and found that it works.

He claims that there’s no issues with the device, and that the battery lasts for about two days as before.

If the story is true, then it’s quite an impressive feat for a device that’s not even rated for underwater resistance. With many manufacturers – among them Samsung – rumored to be incorporating water and dust resistance into future flagships, we’re curious to see how Nokia will fare on that front. Given this story, we think the Finns will do just fine.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Spigen Apple iPhone 5s cases review

The Korean designer and manufacturer of smartphone accessories Spigen offers one of the most extensive collections of cases available for the iPhone 5s. The lineup covers everything from protective skins, all the way to rugged case offerings.

Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 5s cases’ designs have been carried over from the previous generation of the smartphone. Spigen, however, has freshened them up by adding new color options, including the Champagne Gold Collection to match the popular color scheme of the iPhone 5s.

Spigen Tough Armor case

The Tough Armor case for the iPhone 5s is the most rugged offering by Spigen. The cover is designed to go head to head with the popular OtterBox Commuter Series of cases for iPhone.

Spigen Tough Armor case live photos

The Tough Armor case is really elegant in the flesh. This is quite impressive, as many rugged cases tend look a tad too utilitarian.

Overall protection is superb. All four corners of the device are protected by air cushioned pockets which absorb casual drops with ease. Furthermore, the inner shell of the Tough Armor case features spider web pattern for shock absorption, while a 1.5mm protruding edge protects the phone’s screen in case it is the first to hit the ground.

Ergonomic are up to Spigen’s usual high standards. All covered buttons are easy to operate. The Lightning port and audio jack on the other hand, are not covered and therefore easy to access.

Spigen Slim Armor and Neo Hybrid cases

The Slim Armor and Neo Hybrid are among most popular cases offered by Spigen for the iPhone 5s. The duo strikes a perfect balance between looks, ergonomics and level of protection for the device.

Spigen Slim Armor case live shots

With a polycarbonate outer shell, the Slim Armor is the “tougher” choice from the couple. The outer shell is available in a range of colors, so you can pick between going understated and having your smartphone stand out.

The Neo Hybrid case on the other hand, features a matte black TPU enclosure and a colorful polycarbonate bumper enclosure. The latter adds a bit of visual character while keeping the overall appearance of the case pleasantly understated.

Spigen Neo Hybrid case live photos

Spigen Saturn case

The aluminum-clad Spigen Saturn Case is undoubtedly the most elegant offering for the iPhone 5s by the Korean company. The colors on offer are exactly the same as those of the iPhone 5s lineup, so the case integrates seamlessly to the overall appearance of the device.

Spigen Saturn case trades protection for elegance

The good looks and slim waistline of the Saturn case however, come at a price. The cover provides practically no shock protection – it is only good at keeping the iPhone 5s from casual scratches and not much else. If you are among those who often drop their iPhone, you will be better off looking elsewhere in Spigen’s lineup.

Wrap up

The iPhone 5s cases by Spigen successfully combine premium looks and build quality with affordable price tag. Anyone looking to dress their iPhone should certainly be taking a look at the Korean company’s lineup.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com