Samsung may debut 4.99-inch, 1080p touchscreen at CES 2013

A new report indicates Samsung may debut a full high definition display suitable for smartphones during CES 2013. Could it be destined for the Galaxy S3's successor, or a new device entirely?

Samsung could be preparing to debut its own smartphone-sized 1080p display during CES 2013, hot on the heels of HTC’s Droid DNA. Full high definition displays are all set to be next year’s must-have new smartphone feature, although their size will see them used on hardware that tips over into smartphone/tablet hybrid territory.

A Korean newspaper claims Samsung has developed a 4.99-inch touchscreen with a 1080p resolution and a pixel density of 441ppi. While the resolution is the same as the Droid DNA’s, the pixel density beats it by one point.

It’s unlikely we’ll see the hardware related to Samsung’s new screen at the show though, as it’s not expected to go into production until later in the first quarter of 2013, which means Samsung could follow LG’s example and only show off the panel itself.

There are two logical, future homes for Samsung’s Full HD screen: The successors to the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. The slightly odd 4.99-inch screen size could mean it’s destined for the Galaxy S4, as by keeping it under 5-inches — even if it is by a ridiculous 0.01 of an inch — it could still (just) be classed as a true smartphone.

There’s also a chance Samsung could introduce a new device which neatly fits in-between the 4.8-inch Galaxy S3 and the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2. An earlier rumor put the Galaxy S4’s announcement for sometime in March, which seemed a little too soon into the S3’s life, however maybe Samsung is planning an event for that time, but it’s for our mystery 1080p phone and not for the S4.

We won’t find out until closer to the time, but provided the talk of a Samsung 1080p screen is correct, we should get to see it in action during CES 2013, which begins on January 8.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Mobile & Smartphone Usage in Africa

Expat Forum has just released an infographic that gives you an insight is given into mobile penetration, subscriptions, smartphones and mobile commerce in Africa. It gives you an insight into the percentage of mobile owners compared to population across different regions, the infographic shows that Africa/middle East is the fastest growing in terms of smartphone ownership, why not take a look at this interesting infographic to find out more

[Via Expat Forum]

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Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

Verizon considering adding free Windows Phone 8 device to its line-up

Verizon could be planning to introduce a free Windows Phone 8 device to its line-up of smartphones, potentially made by Samsung, as it continues to put its weight behind Microsoft's new operating system.

Verizon never really took to Windows Phone 7 and last year offered just one phone with Microsoft’s operating system onboard. This has changed with the introduction of Windows Phone 8 though, as the carrier has already announcing two devices — the exclusive Nokia Lumia 822 and the HTC 8X — and according to a new report, a third is on the way.

Rather than add another high-end Windows Phone, Verizon may be looking in the opposite direction, and could introduce a free Windows Phone 8 device soon. This comes from Verizon’s marketing officer Tami Erwin, who spoke to TheVerge.com this week, saying “there will be a $99 and a $199 option, and ultimately before the end of the year we will have a device that comes in at the free price point.

We already know the Lumia 822 is the $99 option, and the HTC 8X costs $199, so what device will Verizon choose as its entry-level handset? The Samsung Ativ Odyssey is the obvious choice, as it has already been partially confirmed for the network after making an appearance during the Windows Phone 8 launch event.

The Odyssey is rumored to be a re-branded Samsung Ativ S, but as this is far from a basic phone, it’s unlikely to be made available for free. So, either the spec will be completely different, or another phone will take its place.

Samsung Marco

There could also have been a change of plan at Samsung. Back before Windows Phone 8 was fully revealed, there were two Samsung Windows Phone 8 devices rumored — the Odyssey and the Marco. The names of which became known as part of the documents released during the Apple/Samsung legal battle taking place at the time.

The specs put the Odyssey with a 4.65-inch screen and an 8-megapixel camera, and the Marco with a more modest 4-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera, although both featured Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz dual-core processor. A tweet from @evleaks, the account responsible for the leaked Odyssey image, states the phone may be the Marco after all.

If so, this puts the phone in the same category as the HTC 8S. As HTC’s second Windows Phone has yet to appear on any US or UK networks, it’s difficult to compare prices, but the SIM-free cost is half that of the 8X.

There’s also a chance Verizon may chose Huawei’s Windows Phone 8 device, which has yet to be announced but will almost certainly be cheap when it does eventually surface. Although Verizon hasn’t really worked with Huawei yet, the Chinese manufacturer indicated a deal with Verizon was “happening” during an interview in October.

A free Windows Phone 8 device could be quite a big deal, not only for Verizon, but for Microsoft too. At the moment, neither AT&T and T-Mobile list a free WP8 device, and Microsoft needs a cheap option if it’s to effectively combat Android.

Earlier this year, Verizon’s CFO Fran Shammo said the network viewed Windows Phone 8 as a “differentiator,” and planned to help the OS become a “strong” third software competitor to iOS and Android. Offering its customers a free phone (with a contract, of course) would certainly be an important step in that direction.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Ford partners with Scout for in-car nav powered by your smartphone

Owners of select Ford vehicles can now use the same Scout app from their smartphones to navigate in the car thanks to Ford Sync's AppLink integration.

If you’re anything like us, you have a favorite navigation app on your smartphone or computer. The issue arises when you get into your car and have to deal with a completely different navigation system. All the settings, features, and ease of use provided by your smartphone-based navigation are nullified in your car — not to mention the fact that you’ll need to pay a separate fee for the nav system in your car.

Thankfully, Ford and Scout (a customizable navigation app from Telenav) have solved this issue. Scout, a daily navigation app available for both iPhone and Android, distinguishes itself from its competitors by offering not only turn-by-turn directions, but also recommendations on where to go, how to get there, and where to go once you’re there.

Ford has made Scout accessible in several 2012 and 2013 Sync AppLink-equipped Ford models, including; Fiesta; Focus; Fusion; Mustang; F-150; Super Duty; E-Series; and Expedition.

For $24.99 per year or $4.99 per month, users can download the premium Scout app. Sync allows Scout users to utilize the app’s distinctive features through “Car Connect,” relaying directions by way of voice commands projected through the vehicle’s audio system through and the radio display.

The premium Scout app also offers traffic updates with automatic re-routing, traffic camera information, speed-trap listings, speed-limit alerts, and lane assist.

Scout is immediately available for Android on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint networks through Google Play.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia still loves Windows Phone 7, announces the Lumia 510 to prove it

Nokia considers Windows Phone 7 to be ideal for entry-level smartphones, bridging the gap between Symbian and Windows Phone 8, and has announced the competitively priced Lumia 510 to prove it.

Next month, phones running Windows Phone 8 should finally hit store shelves, following the official release of Microsoft’s new smartphone OS on October 29. Some may think this means the end of Windows Phone 7, the OS that preceded it, however Nokia thinks it still has legs and has announced a new phone to prove it.

The Lumia 510 is an entry-level phone using Windows Phone 7.5 as its operating system, and although its model number suggests it slips into Nokia’s range below the Lumia 610, the 510’s spec trumps it in one key area — the screen size.

Nokia has given the 510 a 4-inch display with the same 480 x 800 pixel resolution as the 610, although that device has a smaller 3.7-inch screen. The processor is listed as a Snapdragon S1, which could be the same MSM7227A chip found in the 610, where it runs at 800Mhz. Phonearena.com’s spec list indicates that this is indeed the case.

There’s 256MB of RAM, which will mean some apps won’t operate on the phone, 4GB of internal storage memory and 7GB of free cloud space with Microsoft’s SkyDrive. Mounted in the center of the colorful rear panel is a 5-megapixel camera, which can also shoot VGA video.

The spec list continues with GPS along with Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive, an FM radio, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, a 3.5mm headphone socket and a 1300mAh battery.

Designed to sit in-between its Symbian smartphones and the latest Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 handsets, the Lumia 510 is an affordable introduction to Microsoft’s still-growing OS.

Nokia will initially release the phone in India and China during November, then bring it to South America and other countries soon afterwards. Available in white, black, red, yellow and cyan, Nokia has priced the Lumia 510 at $199.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Online newspaper publicly shames bad drivers with mobile app

Harnessing the power of mobile smartphones to bring about public humiliation, a digital newspaper in Russia is going after poor drivers.

Created by an online newspaper in Moscow called The Village, people within Russia can use a mobile application called Parking Douche to inform the public about poor drivers that like to park on sidewalks or other areas that aren’t acceptable for parking a vehicle. After someone downloads the application to their Android smartphone, they can start taking pictures of a driver that’s parked their vehicle illegally. The application requires the person to take two pictures of the vehicle. The first picture should be a wide view to demonstrate the car owner’s poor parking skills and the second picture should be a close up photo of the driver’s registration plate.

The application automatically converts the picture of the registration plate to a text field and asks the smartphone owner to check the validity of the registration plate number. In addition, the user can select the exact color of the car using a color field on the touchscreen as well as the general body shape of the car. Using GPS within the smartphone, the exact location of the parked car is also noted by the application.

After uploading all the data to the newspaper, people that live in the immediate area will start to see pop-up advertisements on The Village and other partner sites. While reading an article, a pop-up advertisement shows a replica of the car’s design and color in addition to the exact registration number on the vehicle’s plate. The caption reads “This parking douche annoys you on this site like he does on ‘Street Name’.“

The Village then encourages people to share the poorly parked car on Facebook to get rid of the advertisement. In order to avoid annoying readers of the newspaper that don’t live in the immediate area of the illegally parked car, the advertisements are specifically localized by IP address. Only people living in the immediate area will see the advertisement. Due to requests from people in countries like the United States, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom, management at The Village has made the application open-source software.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Best 25 Mobile Apps in Academia

Smartphones and other mobile technologies are undoubtedly playing a very big role in today’s classroom, in Schools and colleges especially when it comes to the best apps to get teachers organized and make students learning easier. From Dropbox to Documents to Go, Lab Guru, Wikipedia and Evernote, these are just a few of the mobille apps in academia, we have only lited the first five here:

• Dropbox: Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. With Dropbox, you’ll have no need to email yourself a file again, all thanks to the wonderful cloud computing, with Dropbox, University professors can now be able to access their files from other devices they’ve connected to their personal networks.

• Documents To Go:This is another useful app that is available for almost all smartphone and PDA platforms, This App offers up the full suite of Microsoft Office programs, it enables you to view native Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files & attachments, supported file formats include .doc,. docx,. xls,. xlsx,. ppt,. pptx.

• Lab Guru:This is a web based research and management system, it enables you to Plan your experiments and track your research progress, Manage biological and molecular collections, as well as retrieve your lab’s research history.

• Attendance:As the name implies this is used to assist Educators with iDevices to keep track of which students attended which classes and when those classes were attended.

• Evernote:Evernote helps you remember and act upon ideas, projects and experiences across all the computers, phones and tablets you use. For a student or Lecturer, this app helps you sort your digital files into scrapbooks and make sure all necessary materials sit in the proper place.you can head over to Online Universities for a complete list of the best 25 Mobile Apps in Academia and we hope you’ll find them interesting

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Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

This iPhone has been sleeping with the fishes for 6 months and it still works

Modern day smartphones are great at many tasks, but unfortunately, swimming is not among those. Ken Hovanes learned this the hard way when he accidentally dropped his iPhone in a lake about six months ago. The water in the lake was 2m deep and murky back then so Ken gave up on retrieving the device and bought a new iPhone.

Fast forward to more recent times, after finding the lake waters have slightly receded, he went to search for his iPhone again. And he finally found it, still sitting on the bottom. What surprised him most however, is that it still worked.

The battery is dead (you can see the bulge on the back), there’s no Wi-Fi, the screen is messed up and the rusty port supplies the phone with power, but won’t transfer data just yet. Yes, the newly found iPhone won’t win a beauty contest and it’s hardly usable, but Ken still hopes to find a way to offload his photos from the device.

Water damage does not stop this iPhone from working

So do you have an amazing electronics water damage survival story yourselves? Share it in the comments below.

You can also check out some more photos at the source below.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Is Scottevest the biggest smartphone case ever, or a really dorky jacket?

Hate taking your smartphones out of your pocket upon new notifications? Scottevest's Quick Draw pocket lets you access them through the fabric.

With colder weather approaching, many of us are already thinking about preparing the right clothes for the season. The most important criteria are that the clothes must be both stylish and functional. So when we caught wind of the Scottevest Fleece 7.0 jacket, we couldn’t help but wonder: is this thing technically just a fleece with cool features, or the biggest gadget case ever?

Here’s how Fleece 7.0 (we didn’t realize there were that many versions before) works. As many of you will be stuffing your hands inside your jacket pocket during the winter, it’s only convenient that you don’t have to remove your hand from that warm little nook when your smartphone rings. Instead of pulling your phone out, removing your non-conductive glove, and checking your messages, you can just flip the pocket over to reveal a transparent fabric that will allow you to access your phone without pulling it out of the pocket. The Quick Draw pocket, as Scottevest coins it, is made with Clear Touch fabric that is conductive enough to let you control your touchscreen device through the layer. Whether this will interfere with your screen while the phone is just rubbing against your belly, however, we’re not so sure.

Aside from the Quick Draw pocket, Scottevest Fleece 7.0 also has a myriad of pockets to store all your must-have gadgets on the go. Basically, it’s another way to get on a flight without checking your bag for just tech accessories alone. With a whopping total of 23 pockets, including a loophole for your earphones to hang at the collar while connected to your pocketed device and a pocket big enough to hold an iPad and a water bottle, Fleece 7.0 seems like a surefire way to keep warm — whether from the heat of your gadgets or the fleece itself. The jacket sleeves are also removable to convert into a vest for those comfortable fall days.

While the idea of novel and technically useful, in terms of real world practicality, this jacket might just make you the biggest geek ever. Can you imagine hugging someone with your iPad sitting at your ribcage? What about the square body shape from all the stuffed gadgets in your jacket? For the die-hard gadgeteers, perhaps function defeats style. We’ll leave you that thought to ponder while we slip back into our no-pocket fleece blanket with a nice cup of tea. Ah, fall.

Intrigued by the Fleece 7.0? The item is available for pre-order today at $160 in your choice of black or red fleece, with a shipment date estimated for the end of the October.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia’s new Asha 308 and Asha 309 are now “smartphones,” despite running Series 40

Nokia has announced a pair of new Asha touchscreen phones, and made a point of labeling them as smartphones. So, what has changed?

Nokia has announced a pair of new Asha phones, the Asha 308 and Asha 309, which as touchscreen devices join the previously released Asha 305, Asha 306 and Asha 311. While we, and everyone else, referred to them as “feature phones,” according to Nokia’s press release, the Asha phones have earned “full smartphone classification from global market research companies and analysts such as GfK and IDC.”

So, you may be thinking, the Asha’s run Symbian Belle? Nope, the 308 and 309 still use Series 40 as their operating system, except it’s now called “Nokia OS” according to the specification pages on Nokia’s website.

The press release continues to refer to the 308 and 309 as smartphones, but looking back at the release for the Asha 305, 306 and 311, they were “touch screen devices,” with a “smartphone-like” experience. What has changed about Series 40 between early June, July — when Nokia still referred to it as a feature phone OS — and now? Not much, as this is manipulative marketing at its best.

It has been a long-time coming too, as the new generation of Series 40 phones have been blurring the line between feature and smart devices for a while, and when Nokia sold its 1.5 billionth Series 40 handset it paved the way for the change by describing them as “smartphone lite.”

Asha 308 and 309 features

Here’s what you need to know about the new Asha phones. The Asha 308 is a dual-SIM variant of the Asha 309 and aside from this feature, they’re both identical, so we’ll concentrate on the 309. A 3-inch capacitive touchscreen is your window into the world of Nokia OS and it has a resolution of 400 x 240, while the little device weighs just 104 grams and measures 13.2mm thick.

There’s a 2-megapixel camera on the back, plus Nokia Maps, Wi-Fi, a microSD card slot and an FM radio are all to be found inside. The Nokia Xpress browser compresses webpages for speedier (and cheaper) browsing, there’s access to an app store and a Facebook and Twitter app come pre-installed. Electronic Arts also provide 40 free games to download. Both Asha phones connect only to a 2G network.

While the hardware specification doesn’t scream smartphone, the software is more convincing, and although it’s easy to sneer at Series 40, there’s no denying it looks polished and really quite flash in the video below. To us, “smartphone-like” is still the best description of the Asha range — particularly for those without 3G — but that’s not going to sell any phones for Nokia, at least not where it counts.

Smartphones sell

Feature phone sales are dropping in the USA, but the Asha range isn’t aimed at those with the means to purchase a Samsung Galaxy S3 or an iPhone 5, it’s for markets where those devices are either prohibitively expensive, or don’t offer the right feature set — dual-SIM for example. These emerging markets are prime Asha hunting ground, but for Nokia to do business, it must compete with endless cheap Android smartphones.

With the software looking its best and installed on full, capacitive touchscreen handsets with a cool, colorful style; the only thing left was to convince the public that they’re buying a fashionable smartphone and not a feature phone that’s one step away from the grave. A task which starts right now.

Nokia will release the Asha 308 and Asha 309 before the end of the year, and both will cost around $99.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Receive up to $300 towards a new HTC device by trading in an old one

HTC introduced a new incentive to buy one of its new smartphones, up to $300 in "trade up" value for customer's used but functional devices.

HTC has a bumpy past in hardware manufacturing. Previously criticized for releasing too many smartphones under confusing product names, the Taiwanese company tried to start anew with its One line. But despite its speedy internals, inclusion of Beats Audio, and stellar build quality, as well as its unified branding, HTC’s current flagship, the One X, hasn’t been able to generate the same excitement as fellow Android juggernaut, the Samsung Galaxy S III.

But HTC hasn’t given up on the game quite yet, it has thrown too many resources at Android to quite now. After all, the original Nexus was an HTC device. It recently announced a pair of Windows Phone 8 devices — candy-colored phones reminiscent of Nokia’s Lumia line — and the HTC One X+ is reportedly right around the corner. In a rather aggressive move, HTC will offer potential buyers a monetary incentive to commit.

In exchange for your used smartphone, HTC will award you with up to $300 (but we were given a $324 quote for a 32GB Galaxy S III) if you purchase one of its new devices. To put it simply, HTC judges the value of your device and pays you to exchange it for a fresh one. However, rather than subtracting the trade-in value directly from your total, you’ll have to pay full price before receiving the rebate.

The funny thing about HTC’s “trade up” program though is that there are many other companies ready to pay for your used smartphone. Gazelle and Amazon both have services in place to exchange money for functional devices. On the positive side, HTC’s new site has a great layout, it’s easy to use, and your quote is generated instantly.

Of course, none of this matters if the prices offered by HTC aren’t competitive when compared with other services. We decided to do some of the legwork for you using a fully-functioning, 16GB Samsung Galaxy S III on Verizon as our standard. Gazelle quoted $245 for a “flawless” S III, whereas HTC quoted $265 for the same device. It seems like HTC did its research in terms of pricing, but ultimately it’s up to you whether you want cash-in-hand or a smartphone from HTC.

Is this the break you’ve been waiting for? Will you be sending in your old smartphone for a discounted HTC device? Or would you rather get cash for an alternate service?

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

The Apple iPhone 5 uses an 8MP sensor by Sony

Sony has long been the key supplier of imaging sensors for the iPhone and other high-end smartphones. As it seems, the iPhone 5 again uses Sony’s tech for its main camera module.

A closeup shot revealed the Sony branding on the iPhone 5 image sensor, though no specific model number was found. In contrast, the iPhone 4S image sensor has already been identified as a Sony IMX145.

The sensor in the iPhone 5 camera uses the same pixel size of 1.4 µm as the iPhone 4S, but the model doesn’t seem to be the same. In fact, so far, it’s unknown. The usage of a different image sensor was already speculated when the first iPhone 5 camera samples surfaced. The samples provided by Apple had a different base ISO than the iPhone 4S (ISO50 vs. ISO64).

The front camera however is manufactured by another maker. Chipworks, who did all this analyzing under the microscope, found that the front-facing camera sensor on the iPhone 5 was made by Omnivision.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

The latest LG Optimus G video ad dabbles in its camera capabilities

One of the things that get me excited is camera tech and with high-end smartphones such as the LG Optimus G there’s always something to drool about. This latest video by the LG marketing tells us a bit more about the camera technology behind the 13MP snapper on the LG Optimus G.

In similar fashion to the previous set of LG Optimus G videos, this new spot makes rather bold claims about the the Optimus G capabilities, touting it as having “the world’s best camera module technology”. And if that ain’t something…

I’ll be the first one to vouch that there is no such thing as the “world’s best camera technology”, since camera manufacturing is as complex and as multi-faceted as it gets. And with miniaturization, the engineers’ job these days is to choose where to make compromise rather how to make a full-time all-rounder.

Aside from that technicality, it was really amusing to watch Korean “English copy writing” at its best. It seems the LG marketing department has a stipulated minimum use of words such as “world’s”, “best”, and “ultra” and they are keen to keep the occurrences of these words way above it.

And just when I thought the avalanche of PR sweet talk was about to drown me, I finally got a few hard facts about the LG Optimus G camera.

First off, the Optimus G will be sold in both 8MP and 13MP varieties depending on the region. Secondly, the camera module was built by LG Innotek, for what that’s worth. The 13MP sensor is backside illuminated with a total size of 1/3.06″ and an estimated pixel size of 1.1 microns per pixel (those are some really tiny pixels there).

The LG Optimus G makes use of some clever features such as Time Machine camera, voice activated shooting, and smart shutter, though the video just touched on those and we hardly know any details.

I’m sure we’ll see much more of the Optimus G “best and ultra” technologies pitched online in the following days. We’ll keep you posted.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Motorola announces new battery-packed Droid RAZR HD, RAZR Maxx HD, and RAZR M

Today Motorola unveiled a new three-member RAZR family, featuring the Droid RAZR HD, Maxx HD, and RAZR M, in New York City.

Motorola announced three new smartphones at Gotham Hall in New York City. Part of its brand new Droid collection, the RAZR HD, Maxx HD, and RAZR M focus on edge-to-edge displays and insane battery life. 

Called “On Display”, Motorola’s conference kicked off with a band singing about America to a crowd of reporters who look like they’d rather not be forced into some mediocre concert. Once that bit of awkwardness ended, Eric Schmidt took the stage to talk up Motorola’s sales numbers for a while. Then there was more talking, mostly revolving around Motorola’s new focus on unprecedented battery life. 

After more talking, and a couple jabs at Apple and Samsung, the newest Motorola smartphones were finally unveiled. Three to be exact, all part of Motorola’s new and improved RAZR family.

The higher-end devices in the line up are called the Droid RAZR HD and Droid RAZR Maxx HD. The RAZR HD is packing a 4.7-inch edge-to-edge display, Gorilla Glass, dual-core processor, and supports 4G LTE (obviously). Motorola also claims the screen boasts 78% more pixels and 85% more color saturation than the iPhone 4S. In benchmark tests, the new device can browse the web using Chrome up to 40% faster than Safari on the iPhone. Motorola really seems to be after Apple, there have been a lot of comparisons.

For some reason Motorola tried to show off this browsing speed using the Wi-Fi in the building, rather than Verizon’s wireless network so browsing speed was not impressive in the demo. The RAZR HD is NFC-enabled and Verizon has given up on blocking Google Wallet. The real star here, however, is the outstanding battery life. Apparently the RAZR HD can handle up to 16 hours of talk time, basically unheard of in the smartphone world.

The Droid RAZR Maxx HD appears to be running the same specs as the RAZR HD, but with the a maxxed out battery (sorry, couldn’t help it) taken from the RAZR Maxx. Meaning that you’re looking at around 21 hours of talk time and enough juice to watch an entire season of 30 Rock.

The mid-range Droid RAZR M rounds out the family dynamic, satisfying the needs of more casual users. The RAZR M has a nearly edgeless, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display (using Gorilla Glass), 4G LTE support, 8GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, dual-core processor, and an 8-megapixel camera in the back. Even at that size, however, it manages to squeeze in 40% more screen real estate than the iPhone 4S. The battery can handle up to 20 hours of music streaming, so there clearly won’t be a huge sacrifice in battery when moving from the RAZR HD to the RAZR M. 

But here’s an interesting twist of events. Despite being owned by Google, Motorola’s latest line up will not ship with Jelly Bean. Instead they will be updated from Ice Cream Sandwich to Android’s latest OS — which was released two months ago — before the end of the year.

Pre-orders for the RAZR M start today at 5pm EDT (New York time). It will retail for $100, presumably on contract, and is eligible for the share everything plan. The RAZR HD and Maxx HD will be available sometime before the holidays.

Our own Natt Garun is in attendance, providing us with the collection of  with the RAZR HD and RAZR Maxx HD below. She will be sharing her own hands-on impressions shortly. 

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia has sold 7 million Lumia smartphones, availability extended to 54 countries

Nokia used the floor of its just finished New York Windows Phone 8 event to reveal some statistics on its Lumia smartphones and their market performance thus far.

In total Nokia has sold about 7 million Windows Phone devices, and remarkably 4 million of those sales came in the last quarter.

The Finns are gearing up towards an even more successful times as their Lumia line-up of smartphones are now available on 130 carriers in 54 countries.

Steve Ballmer shared his predicition that once Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 for tablets and PCs go live, the ecosystem will grow by as much as 400 million users per year. If Nokia manages to grab even the slightest piece of that enormous Windows (Phone) 8 pie, then things could only change for the better for the Finnish manufacturer.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy S3 – The Phone of The Future

As smartphones increasingly become part of everyday life, customers are demanding more and more from their devices.

And they will not be left wanting by the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The latest update to the South Korean company’s hugely successful Galaxy range, the phone has offered users the latest technology and innovations since its launch in May.

Dubbed the “iPhone killer” by technology commentators, what does it actually have in its arsenal to end Apple’s smartphone stranglehold?

Look

Chic and sleek, it’s the type of phone you’ll want to be seen with.

Continuing Samsung’s ‘inspired by nature’ mantra, the homescreen’s Water Lux effect is reflective of the natural flowing of water. Its sleek curves are also rumoured to be based upon the blowing of the wind.

Whatever the inspiration, Samsung have produced a truly beautiful device. Its 4.8 inch HD screen provides easy to use crystal clear displays. Its plastic chassis adds to the glossy, modern feel of the phone with its lightweight components making it easy to forget you are even carrying this gorgeous smartphone.

Technology

The Galaxy S3 has brains as well as beauty.

It is more interactive than its predecessors, with TouchWiz’s ‘Nature UX’ graphical user interface the perfect counterpart to the organic design of the phone.

The S3 comes with the most advanced version of Google’s Android operating system and offers a refined user experience and improved security.

Crucially, Samsung have included ‘S Voice’ on the model to rival Apple’s well-liked ‘Siri’ feature. This cutting-edge voice activated personal assistant component allows users to speak to their phone to get it to carry out tasks.

The model is almost entirely centred on creating as enjoyable a user experience as possible. Knowing there is nothing more frustrating than a phone that’s run out of battery, Samsung have developed ‘Smart Stay’ which tracks eye movement to turn the screen off when it is not being viewed. The phone can also be wirelessly charged to allow you to refuel the device on the go.

And that’s not all the tech guys at Samsung have been busy with. Video calling, an advanced music player and large storage capacity all come as standard. The S3 also offers excellent and usable internet speeds, facilitating the further merging of phone and broadband.

Price

Launched at a slightly higher price (around £500 sim-free) than its Apple alternative, this has not hindered the phone’s success. In fact its price tag has placed it in the premier position of the smartphone market and has been ranked in top position of many online technology sites most popular model rankings.

All in all, the Galaxy S3 is a worthy challenger to the iPhone. Its focus on user enjoyment and interactivity makes it both easy and fun to use, which is the main priority when choosing a phone. The latest technology introduced by Samsung has levelled the playing field against Apple’s traditional dominance – meaning that at last we have a true rival to the products of that Californian smartphone superpower.

Do you think the S3 is the iPhone killer?

Author Bio: Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to www.business.bt.com/packages

Tags: Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Galaxy s3, Smartphones#]

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

Nokia Lumia 920 and 820 to include wireless charging

Leaked hardware specs for the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 indicate the smartphones will sport wireless charging capabilities.

At the Nokia World event on September 5, Nokia will announce the debut of two smartphones: The Lumia 920 and Lumia 820. The Verge has the scoop on the hardware specs, and it looks like wireless charging will debut as a primary feature of both devices. 

Confirmed images of the Lumia 920 have been circulating around the Internet for some time now. And from what we can tell, the Lumia 920 would sport a 4.5-inch HD display, but other details have remained behind closed doors. Today, The Verge was the first to report the latest Lumia 920 specs. The Lumia 920 will have a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and come with 32GB of storage. The 4.5-inch display has also been confirmed.

As for the smartphone’s camera, Nokia calls it a “Pureview camera,” which debuted in the Nokia Pureview 808. That device boasted an impressive 41 megapixel camera (which in reality takes 35 and 38 megapixel photographs). But that megapixel monster will not be in the Lumia 920. Instead, the device will be outfitted with an 8 megapixel rear camera. The front facing camera will be fitted with a 1.3 megapixel camera.

The Lumia 820, on the other hand, whose images have also been leaked, will come with a 4.3-inch screen, 8GB of storage that can be expanded with a microSD card, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, and 1GB of RAM. In other words, the Lumia 920 and 820 are very similar handsets.

Interestingly, the devices will be equipped with a wireless charging strip that will enable the Lumia 920 and its Lumia 820 to be charged wirelessly. The technology that Nokia will be reportedly using for wireless charging is the Qi wireless power standard, which makes it compatible with other Qi wireless charging accessories.

It’s unclear at this time whether wireless charging has been built in or users will be required to purchase an external cover for the feature to work. We’re leaning toward the former, and expect the wireless charging pad to come pre-packaged with the smartphones.

We’re expecting that both Nokia smartphones will begin selling to consumers sometime after the Windows Phone 8 launch on October 26.

See pictures of the wireless charging pad below:

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Acer to favor Android over Windows Phone 8 in its 2013 smartphone push

Acer plans to launch six Android smartphones in 2013, and one running Windows Phone 8, but not until the second half of the year.

Acer has been selling smartphones for a while, however it has never made much of a splash in the market, especially compared to HTC, its fellow Taiwanese mobile manufacturer.

It’s hoping to change this in 2013 though, and a report by Digitimes says the company has at least seven new mobile devices on the release schedule for the coming year.

These will be split into six Android smartphones and one running Windows Phone 8. The continued backing of Android isn’t a surprise, but what about the appearance of a single Windows Phone 8 phone?

Acer wasn’t one of the four hardware partners named at Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 announcement back in June, but it was one of those who joined up with Microsoft for Windows Phone 7.

Before now, the company admitted it was put off Windows Phone due to its hardware and software limitations, and although devices were rumored, none appeared. Finally, a solitary Acer Windows Phone 7 device was launched with 7.5 Mango — the Allegro, or W4 — in late 2011, but it didn’t set pulses racing.

Therefore, the admission it’ll be concentrating on Android for 2013, with the exception of one possible Windows Phone, sounds like business as usual.

Acer’s ongoing spat with Microsoft

The news comes soon after Acer’s CEO very publicly voiced his displeasure over Microsoft’s decision to produce its own Windows 8 tablets. “Think twice” JT Wang told the company, warning them that the Surface tablets would “create a huge negative impact” on the industry.

Wang’s sentiments weren’t shared by Chen Guowei, Acer’s global smartphone group manager, when he spoke to the press in July. He’s quoted as saying that with the release of Windows Phone 8, “the time is ripe for investment in the platform,” but as its first smartphone to use the OS won’t be out until the second half of 2013; it’s obviously not that ripe.

With nearly a year to go before then, it doesn’t sound like Acer is straying too far away from what it knows. Plus, by this time next year, we’d have expected Windows Phone 8 to have either had, or be expecting, its first major software update too.

Windows Phone 8’s official release can’t be that far away, and with just one Windows Phone 8 handset from Samsung announced, and now one promised from Acer in 12 months time; Microsoft had best hope Nokia and HTC has something special to reveal this month, as the initial hardware line-up appears to need a boost — and soon.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Face-to-face meeting with Sony Xperia miro at IFA

Sony brought so many new smartphones to IFA that we almost forgot about the Xperia miro. Almost. The handset was announced back in June and is expected to hit the market next month, but it was showcased at the company’s booth.

Specs-wise the Xperia miro has lots of common internals with the Xperia tipo but offers two major upgrades – a 0.3″ bigger LED-backlit LCD screen and a 5 megapixel snapper. Thanks to the LED-backlit upgrade, the phone is also thinner and lighter.

The phone has escaped Sony’s square design, but is still pretty nicely looking for an entry-level device.

Sony Xperia miro hands-on

There are no metallic parts on the Xperia miro’s body, but the plastic used for its panels seems quite solid and feels decent to touch. The battery cover attracts almost no fingerprints and smudges.

Sony Xperia miro hands-on

Xperia miro runs on Android 4.0 ICS skinned with Sony’s familiar user interface on top. There are no surprises within the software department – we’ve seen this combo in action a few times already.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

LG extends its fashionable L-Series Android smartphone range with the Optimus L9

LG has announced the dual-core Optimus L9, a new addition to its L Series family of attractive Android smartphones.

Hot on the heels of the Optimus G, LG’s exciting Snapdragon S4 Pro-powered range-topper, comes another new smartphone from the Korean company: The Optimus L9.

While not quite as high-spec as the Optimus G, the L9 still sits at the top of LG’s L Series line-up — introduced during Mobile World Congress earlier this year, and consisting of the L3, L5 and L7 handsets — meaning style and design is equally as important as the phone’s specification.

Like the other L Series phones, the Optimus L9 is a slim, square slab that uses metal throughout the construction of its chassis. The 125 gram overall weight is still low, although the 9.1mm thick handset may feel a little more chunky than many of its rivals, and is even slightly thicker than the 8.7mm L7.

What separates the L9 from its siblings is its massive screen — a 4.7-inch IPS panel, however at this early stage, LG hasn’t provided any information on the resolution. It’s probably a little too much to hope it’ll be the same 1280 x 720 screen seen on the Optimus 4X HD, especially as there’s no mention of it being a TrueHD display, so expect it to share the same 480 x 800 resolution as the L7.

Dual-core power for the Optimus L9

Inside the new phone beats a 1Ghz dual-core processor along with 1GB of RAM, which considering the L7 has a single-core Snapdragon chip and 512MB of RAM, makes it a considerable upgrade.

A 5-megapixel camera and a VGA forward facing lens take care of imaging duties, plus the 2150mAh battery should be tough enough to keep the phone up and running for a sensible amount of time.

Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is its operating system, and LG has included several new software features to accompany it, such as the QTranslator, the My Style Keyboard and QMemo.

QMemo is a note-taking app and is similar to that seen on the Optimus Vu and other LG phones, while the QTranslator lets you scan foreign language documents with the camera, then uses OCR technology to translate the text. Finally, the My Style keyboard alters itself to make typing easier, based on the way you’re holding the phone and whether you’re typing with one or both hands.

LG hasn’t provided a release date or retail pricing for the Optimus L9 yet, but we’d expect to hear more about it during the IFA 2012 show, which begins in Berlin at the end of this week.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com