Create Wireless Charging Trousers

Nokia Treasure Tag and MD-12 wireless speaker accessories for smartphones, Microsoft has unveiled a revolutionary new mobile accessory as prototype. Built in collaboration with acclaimed designer Adrien Sauvage, the accessory are a pair of trousers that supports wireless charging for Lumia handsets.

The blog post also states how the Microsoft team and Sauvage incorporated the Nokia DC-50 wireless charging plate into the trousers. "The technology (known as inductive charging) comes from the new Nokia DC-50 wireless charging plate for Lumia smartphones. These smart trousers are the perfect way to keep your battery full and yourself in style," states the blog.



Microsoft said that the wireless charging trousers will be available for pre-order via Amazon soon. It however remains a question as to what actually powers the wireless charging plate. Sauvage's collaboration with Nokia is a part of the 'Modern Man' event set for July 11 at Toronto, Canada.

"We have a proud history of working within fashion, having previously collaborated with Bruce Weber and David Bailey, as well as recent partnerships at New York and London Fashion Week. Continuing this theme, we are excited to work alongside a talented designer such as A. Sauvage. As well as having the vision to co-create these amazing wireless charging trousers, his style complements the cutting-edge design of the new Lumia 930 smartphone perfectly," stated Adam Johnson, Marketing Director for Microsoft Mobile (UK and Ireland).

Nokia introduced its Treasure Tag and MD-12 wireless speaker accessories last month for the Indian market. Both the Nokia MD-12 portable wireless speaker and Treasure Tag pair with Nokia smartphones via Bluetooth or NFC.

Read More

iphone 6 release date

The new iPhone could be one of the most pivotal devices in the Cupertino brand's history - with the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C simple updates to previous models, there's a lot of pressure heaped on the iPhone 6.
As per usual, the internet is awash with rumor, speculation and downright lies over this next-generation handset, which is why we spend our time trawling through each nugget of info, debating its merits and curating it into this easy-to-read hub for all things iPhone 6.
According to a survey of 4109 US consumers the iPhone 6 is the most anticipated Apple smartphone ever, with interest easily outstripping that of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5.
We've already been given a small sneak peak at what Apple may have in store for us on the iPhone 6 thanks to the announcement of iOS 8 at WWDC - from a bigger screen and camera to health monitoring and more storage.

What iOS 8 tells us about the iPhone 6

Some of you might have been expecting the iPhone 6 to have debuted in 2013, but given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we were never going to get the 6 until 2014. In fact, it will technically be the iPhone 8 when it finally launches... but hey, who's counting these days?
One thing is for sure, with the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One M8 now out in wild, Apple needs to be on its game with the new iPhone - and many believe a bigger screen is simply a must.
Cut to the chase

What is it? A major revision of the iPhone including entire design
When is it out? September 2014 seems most likely
What will it cost? Expect premium pricing for a premium smartphone
Latest update: Taiwanese driving and movie star Jimmy Lin has posted some images to social network Weibo apparently showing off the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 alongside the iPhone 5S - skip to page 2 to take a look.

iPhone 6 release date

The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014 and it's looking increasingly likely that we'll see it in September, which would fit in nicely with the rollout of the newly announced iOS 8.
Apple has launched the last few iPhones at a special event in September, so the smart money has always been on September 2014 for the iPhone 6's arrival.
Not to mention the fact that according to ifun.de Apple is restricting holidays during September for employees at German Apple Stores, which strongly suggests a new hardware launch then.

Home News by technology iPhone 6 release date, news and rumors
iPhone 6 release date, news and rumors
UPDATED Everything we've heard so far about the new iPhone 6
By Gareth Beavis and John McCann  June 16th 1 COMMENT
SHARE12.6K
TWEET1.1K

SHARE
EMAIL
PAGE 1 OF 3Release date, price and display
iPhone 6 release date, news and rumorsIs an even bigger iPhone on the way?
Related stories
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date, news and rumors
iPad Pro release date, news and rumors
Everything you need to know about iOS 8
The new iPhone could be one of the most pivotal devices in the Cupertino brand's history - with the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C simple updates to previous models, there's a lot of pressure heaped on the iPhone 6.
As per usual, the internet is awash with rumor, speculation and downright lies over this next-generation handset, which is why we spend our time trawling through each nugget of info, debating its merits and curating it into this easy-to-read hub for all things iPhone 6.
According to a survey of 4109 US consumers the iPhone 6 is the most anticipated Apple smartphone ever, with interest easily outstripping that of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5.
We've already been given a small sneak peak at what Apple may have in store for us on the iPhone 6 thanks to the announcement of iOS 8 at WWDC - from a bigger screen and camera to health monitoring and more storage.

What iOS 8 tells us about the iPhone 6

Some of you might have been expecting the iPhone 6 to have debuted in 2013, but given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we were never going to get the 6 until 2014. In fact, it will technically be the iPhone 8 when it finally launches... but hey, who's counting these days?
One thing is for sure, with the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One M8 now out in wild, Apple needs to be on its game with the new iPhone - and many believe a bigger screen is simply a must.
Cut to the chase

What is it? A major revision of the iPhone including entire design
When is it out? September 2014 seems most likely
What will it cost? Expect premium pricing for a premium smartphone
Latest update: Taiwanese driving and movie star Jimmy Lin has posted some images to social network Weibo apparently showing off the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 alongside the iPhone 5S - skip to page 2 to take a look.

iPhone 6 release date

The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014 and it's looking increasingly likely that we'll see it in September, which would fit in nicely with the rollout of the newly announced iOS 8.
Apple has launched the last few iPhones at a special event in September, so the smart money has always been on September 2014 for the iPhone 6's arrival.
Not to mention the fact that according to ifun.de Apple is restricting holidays during September for employees at German Apple Stores, which strongly suggests a new hardware launch then.
Your next smartphone
If you're already thinking about your next mobile we've got everything you need to know about your next smartphone.
HTC One M8 | Sony Xperia Z2 | Samsung Galaxy S5 | LG G3
All the news and secrets on 2014's forthcoming blockbusters to info on the best that's already here, we'll arm you with all the info you'll need to get your perfect smartphone.
Find your next smartphone
It's looking increasingly likely that we'll see more than one Apple handset this year though. KGI's analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has thrown his hat into the ring and seems to think a duo of new iPhones will be released, with a 4.7-inch iPhone coming out towards the end of the third quarter and a 5.5-inch iPhablet hitting the market late in the fourth quarter.
Suggestions of both sizes arriving September could also hold water, though we've also heard that Apple has had trouble finding appropriate batteries for the 5.5-inch device and that as a result it might even slip into next year.
After trawling through all the iPhone 6 rumors we kicked our render machine into gear and came up with a concept of what we'd like Apple's eighth generation flagship smartphone to look like.
Check out our creation in the video below.

iPhone 6 price

There's one thing we can be sure about when it comes to the iPhone 6 - it won't be cheap.
Apple's legacy is a long line of premium devices sporting premium price tags and you can expect that trend to continue with the iPhone 6.
One analyst even goes as far as predicting that Apple will hike up the price of the iPhone 6, possibly by as much as $100 (around £60, AU$110). With a larger screen, new glass covering the front and possibly even a new, more impressive, material used in construction, we can see the price being hiked.
We'd be surprised is the mooted 4.7-inch iPhone 6 would get such a massive price bump, as it needs to stay competitive, but the hike does make sense if Apple launches a larger, phablet sized iPhone.
Bigger screen(s)?

One of the most enduring rumors about the iPhone 6 is that it will have a bigger screen than the iPhone 5S.
Apple has even acknowledged that consumers want a larger screen after an internal slide was revealed in its court battle with Samsung entitled "Consumers want what we don't have."
According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included." It will surely include Apple's new Touch ID fingerprint tech though?
The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. However we're not convinced that the prototype will make it to market. Ditching the home button would be a big change and no other rumors point in that direction.
It has however been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market - with both being a lot thinner thanks to big improvements in LED backlight technology to reduce the thickness.
With everything we've seen so far we reckon there will almost certainly be two screen sizes and resolutions, as mentioned above.






iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , iphone 6 release date , 




Sourse

Read More

iPhone 5s vs. Galaxy S5

There's no single way to make a great smartphone, and these two phones are a great example of that. One is small (at least by today's standards), with an equally small screen, a premium build, and hardware and software both made by the same company. The other is much bigger, with a spacious screen, plastic finish, and a boatload of eye-catching features.

So which do you go with? Well, I don't believe that there's going to be one universal answer for everyone, so let's take a closer look at what each phone brings to the table, and try to help you to find the phone that works better for you.

Pick each phone up, and you'll immediately see a difference. The Galaxy S5 is 15 percent longer, 24 percent wider, and 7 percent thicker than the iPhone 5s. What that translates to, at least in my hands, is a phone that slides right into the meat of the palm (iPhone) vs. one that I have to stretch my fingers a little to get a good grip around (Galaxy).

Apple is a design-driven company, and I think it shows in the iPhone 5s. Its appearance is starting to look pretty familiar these days (externally, it's almost identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 5). But I think it feels like a higher-end phone than the GS5. You can chalk a lot of that up to the Galaxy S5's faux leather (plastic) finish – with dimples. And the edge of the GS5, which has a metallic look? Well, it's actually made of plastic too.

There's nothing wrong with smartphone-makers slapping plastic chassis onto their devices. But if you're looking for the more premium feel, the iPhone wins this showdown hands-down. The iPhone looks like it was chiseled and crafted from a piece of aluminum, with chamfered edges and a jeweler's attention to detail. And, go figure, it was. The Galaxy S5, from a distance, looks like it might have been made of leather and stainless steel. But when you look closer, you realize that it's all just plastic.

If you can get past the whole looks like one thing, is actually another aspect to the Galaxy S5, then I think its pleather finish is actually pretty comfortable in hand. The slightly soft-touch finish helps to lessen the blow of having to hold such a huge device.

Big phones like the GS5 are now the de facto industry standard, but there's a place for smaller, more compact devices like the iPhone. For starters, it's extremely light (at 112 g, it's 23 percent lighter than the Galaxy). It's also a cinch to use with one hand, and you barely notice it when it's in your pocket.

f Apple's next flagship iPhone has a 4.7-in screen, as Apple's leaky supply chain is suggesting, then I hope the company also keeps a 4-in iPhone around. If Apple does go all-in on big iPhones, then the 5s might be the last terrific smartphone with a 4-in or smaller screen. It's no secret that the tech industry often leans towards "me-too" sameness, but why can't we have great smartphones in all sizes? I see the positives in 4-in phones, 5-in phones, and even larger phablets.

The biggest plus that large phones give you is, of course, plenty of screen real estate. The Galaxy S5's display is big and beautiful. Diagonally, it measures 5.1 inches, with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. The iPhone's screen is 4 inches, with 1,136 x 640 resolution. To put that in perspective, the iPhone only gives you 62 percent as much screen as the GS5. It also only gives you 35 percent as many pixels (though I don't think that sharpness difference is nearly as noticeable as the size difference). If you're on a mission for maximum screen and maximum crispness, then your choice is clear.

Both phones have great cameras. The GS5 takes shots in a higher resolution (16 MP to the iPhone's 8 MP), which can help if you're blowing up shots to enormous proportions. But it also has one big Achilles' heel. When you fire up the Galaxy S5's camera from the lock screen, it takes a good five or six seconds before it's ready to snap a shot. On the iPhone, I can jump from lock screen to taking a picture in about 2.5 seconds. If you have to wait over twice as long as competing phones to use the Galaxy S5's camera, well, that's a big strike against it.

The iPhone's camera has a dual-LED flash. What this means is that your flash photography shots are going to look more colorful and balanced (less washed out). The Galaxy S5's camera doesn't have that feature, but I suspect that it's using some software-based processing to try to give its flash shots a similar result (though I still think the iPhone's flash photography looks superior).

You might have seen some Samsung commercials that advertise a blurred-background photography feature, where you can change your point of focus, on the Galaxy S5. The big drawback to the feature, though, is that your subject has to be very close to the camera. If you want a portrait of someone with a blurred background, then you'll have to hold your Galaxy S5 within 1.5 feet (0.46 m) of your subject's face – with the background at least 3x as far away. It's still a nice feature to have (and the iPhone doesn't have an equivalent shooting mode), but that distance requirement is the kind of detail that Samsung is going to gloss over in its ads.

If you asked me what the Galaxy S5's killer feature is, I'd go with its water resistance. In the last couple of years, several OEMs have made water-resistant phones (most notably, Sony), but we've never seen a phone as high-profile as the Galaxy S5 having the feature onboard. And it's a terrific feature to have.

The GS5 is rated IP67, which means it passed a test where it soaked in 1 meter (3.3 ft) of water for 30 minutes. So you can drop your phone in the sink or toilet, rinse it off when it's dirty, or even tweet from the bathtub. Just make sure its battery and charging covers are sealed shut, and you won't have anything to worry about. The iPhone 5s can't do that.

The iPhone 5s' killer feature is its Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Biometric sensors are all the rage these days, and I'd say Apple's Touch ID is the best you'll find in a smartphone. The GS5 actually has a fingerprint sensor in its home button as well, but it's a swipe-based scanner. On the iPhone, you merely rest your finger on the home button for a very brief moment.

Both sensors are good, but I find the iPhone's to be quicker and easier to use. You can also scan your print from any angle on the iPhone, while you'll need to swipe your finger from the same general direction every time you use it on the GS5.

So what do you do with a fingerprint sensor? Well, the biggest thing right now is using it as a passcode. Set up fingerprint security, choose a secure passcode, and you'll be able to skip the code and unlock the phone with your finger. Anyone else will be shut out.

The iPhone's Touch ID also lets you use your print to authorize iTunes and App Store purchases. Samsung's has a few extra tricks up its sleeve: you can swipe your print to login to PayPal, and it's also integrated with a few third-party apps

Read More

Smartphone for 25$ ?????

A device with the new Firefox OS is presented at the
 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, on February 24, 2014

This Mean Girls 8-Bit Video Game Is So Fetch
Teens Hack Into ATM Just to Let Everyone Know They Can
Militants Vow to March on Baghdad After Taking Mosul, Tikrit NBC News
All 74 School Shootings Since Newtown, In One Depressing Map Huffington Post
Phoenix Priest Shot Dead, Another Wounded at Catholic Church NBC News
$25? For a smartphone? Sounds crazy, right? Actually, not so much.

Mozilla is best known for its desktop browser, Firefox. But it also has a mobile operating system, Firefox OS, that gets so little attention you might think the company was trying to keep it a secret. (To see what it looks like, check out this Fortune story.)

Mozilla’s big problem in getting people to use Firefox OS is that if you’re an Android or Apple iOS user enjoying top-notch hardware and the myriad apps available for either system, why would you ever want to switch to an upstart, unproven OS with few developers working on cool new software? You wouldn’t. And Firefox OS’ competitors already dominate the existing smartphone market—globally, in the last quarter of 2013, Android OS had 78% of smartphone users, Apple’s iOS had 18% and the rest was split between BlackBerry, Windows Phone and various small-fry operations.

So if people who already have a smartphone won’t switch to Firefox OS, how could Mozilla possibly get a bigger slice of the mobile OS pie? Simple: Create new smartphone owners.

The $25 Mozilla smartphone—packed with Firefox OS, of course—will be sold in emerging markets like India and Indonesia, the Journal reports. Old-school “feature phones” still dominate in those countries because they’re ultra-cheap devices in countries where a few dollars can make the difference between poverty and sustainability. Mozilla’s bet is this: Bring smartphone prices in emerging markets down to $25, where they can compete on cost with feature phones, and people will jump at the chance to upgrade. And when they do, boom, a bunch of people are suddenly using Firefox OS, finally making it a relevant player in the global mobile OS wars.

Even if Mozilla breaks even or takes a loss on the hardware, it could eventually turn some kind of a profit on software, a model used by Amazon’s Kindle and most gaming consoles. And there are good reasons to root for Mozilla’s $25 smartphone gambit: If it’s successful, it has the potential to ignite a new wave of software entrepreneurship in emerging markets, where a comparatively small number of developers have mostly been focused on low-tech—but still impressive—apps based on SMS and WAPP, two technologies largely considered outdated in the U.S. but still widely used in many countries abroad.

What could thwart Mozilla’s plans, however, is largely outside of its domain: infrastructure. For smartphones to do smartphone stuff, they need a mobile data connection. India and Indonesia have both been taking pains to improve their respective mobile broadband infrastructures—and there’s clear demand for it in both countries—but both countries have plenty more to do before penetration rates hit satisfactory levels.

If there’s clear customer demand for Mozilla’s $25 smartphone in either country (and elsewhere), that could convince lawmakers and telecom leaders to build more cell towers, lay down fiber and make other capital investments in their networks. But for now, infrastructure remains the weak link in Mozilla’s mission to conquer emerging markets $25 at a time


Source

Read More

Samsung Z smartphone will have Tizen OS with Android......

Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it will begin selling a smartphone that runs on its Tizen operating system in the third quarter of this year, advancing the company's plans to reduce dependence on Google's Android software.

Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker by sales volume, said in a statement that the smartphone called Samsung Z will go on sale in Russia first. It said there are plans to sell the phone in other countries but didn't name them.

Tizen is already used in a few Samsung products including a smartwatch but has not been deployed in a mass produced smartphone until now.

Unlike Apple Inc. with its own operating system, Samsung's popular Galaxy smartphones and tablets use Google's open source Android platform, a reliance that prevents Samsung from challenging the dominance of Apple's App Store and Google Play in the lucrative market for smartphone apps.

The Tizen phone will have preinstalled apps and users will have access to additional apps through Tizen Store.

Samsung has been encouraging the development of Tizen apps but the numbers available are likely to be small in comparison to the App Store and Google Play.

HD display, fingerprint sensor

The South Korean company said the Tizen smartphone has a 4.8-inch high definition display, a fingerprint sensor for security and a "slim, angular" design.

It said the operating system will allow users to browse the internet faster and utilize applications more effectively.

Superficially, users may not perceive much difference from the Android operating system because it and Tizen share Linux as the underlying framework.

The Samsung Z will be shown at a Tizen developer conference in San Francisco this week.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S5 to arrive in 2014, April by online schools

16 MP, 4640 x 3480 pixels, autofocus, LED flash

Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size	1440 x 2560 pixels, 5.25 inches (~559 ppi pixel density)

Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colorsBlack, White
  - Wireless charging (market dependent)
- ANT+ support
- S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
- Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll
- Air gestures
- Dropbox (50 GB cloud storage)
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- TV-out (via MHL 2 A/V link)
- SNS integration
- MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player
- MP3/WAV/eAAC+/AC3/FLAC player
- Organizer
- Image/video editor
- Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail,
YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa
- Voice memo/dial/commands
- Predictive text input (Swype)

online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools 




online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools 
online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools 
online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools online schools 
online schools online schools online schools 
online schools online schools 
online schools 

Read More

LG G2 review

With the G2, it seems like LG took a lot of cues from its Korean counterpart and built what many called a Galaxy S4 clone. It's large, made of lots of plastic, shaped similarly and is jam-packed with more features than a single person can handle.

Super fast processor
Ultra long lasting battery
Mega bright, sharp display
Thin,light,compact design
Super-slim Bezels
Rear key innovation which I wonder why no one thought of sooner...
Truckload of USEFUL software features
OIS Camera

Display:
A beautiful 5.2" 424 PPI full HD IPS display with the standard RGD matrix which sports 2 million more sub pixels than the galaxy S4's display, it can't get any sharper and as an added bonus, the display is super bright at 450 nits so you can be sure that when ourdoors the displays beauty will not fade. It has great viewing angles so you can watch a video with a buddy and the display has some galaxy-esque features like samsungs smart stay which do exactly what the galaxies do.

This display does an excellent job of balancing the colours to make them look more true to life and the contrast rivals even that of the super amoled screens.

Whats more is that the screen occupies as much of the front of the device as possible, reducing the dimensions of the device to just a little bit bigger than the HTC one which has a display 0.5 inches smaller than it.

Battery Life:

Packing a non removable 3000mAH battery which doesent seem like much when you think that the large display and super fast processor will gobble up in an hour. But do not underestimate this phone as the snapdragon 800 processor has dynamic power sensing which maximises battery life and it really works as I managed 14 hours of heavy use and an entire night on standby and by heavy use I mean benchmarking, gaming, watching videos, more benchmarking and basically way more than the average user does.

The next day, I used it like how an average user would use it- Texting, quite some youtubing, phone calls and some light gaming and I was just blown away. I still had 53% battery left after 8 hours!

The Processor:
Featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core 2.26GHz processor, the LG G2 is the fastest phone you can find and in all my usage I felt not one second of lag, not one stutter at all. I downloaded an app and as it was installing opened and closed every other app I had but to no avail. This phone just cannot be slowed down.

Not just is it a heavy lifter, its fuel efficient too, just like i said above.

I reckon, there a'int no app that can slow down this here phone!

Design

Diving right into what powers the LG G2 and makes it purr, you'll first notice a 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080 display, which gives us a 424 PPI density. The chipset inside is a Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800, with a 2.26GHz quad-core Krait 400. In terms of processing power, it seems that the G2 is in no short supply.

It comes in 16GB and 32GB variants, with 2GB RAM. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, Infrared port and 4G LTE.

Software Features:
Qslide - A small resizeable, transparency adjustable, overlaid application which runs on top of whatever you are doing to multitask. Can be used to open a web browser and calculator at the same time for example, so you can type in numbers as you see them pop up.

Slide aside - A more efficient multitasker than androids stock multitasker which is used by using three fingers to swipe to the left, storing the application in the state you left it, and up to three apps can be slid away at a time. To access them just swipe with three fingers to the right and tap on the app you want to open.

Knock knock - LG lets renders the power button useles in turning off and on the screen because now, with a double tap to the display, the screen pops to life!

Read More

The Best Smartphones In The World

1. LG G2

LG has trumped the competition with the G2. The phone offers a combination of value for money with high-end features which we haven't seen from rival flagship devices. A great specification combined with impressive design and handy software features mean there's very little to dislike about this handset - only really the lack of a microSD card slot.

2. Google Nexus 5
Google and LG have done a fantastic job with the Nexus 5, producing a very desirable phone at an outrageously low price. It's the best value-for-money smartphone out there right now.

3. Sony Xperia Z1
Sony has upgraded its fantastic Xperia Z. The Xperia Z1 feels nicer but is unfortunately bigger and heavier. It's a powerhouse with an all-round impressive specification. Easily one of the best Android handsets around but the high price tag taints this slightly.

4. iPhone 5S
If you already own an iPhone 5, it’s hard to justify upgrading to the 5S. Yes, it’s considerably faster and takes better photos and videos in low light, but the 5 is still a great smartphone and has at least another year in it before apps (and possibly iOS 8) start to find the A6 processor’s limits. Those with a 4S (or 4) are in for a treat, though. As well as serious performance gains, the bigger screen and lighter weight make a huge difference, and the fingerprint scanner is a bonus. Ultimately, if you want an iPhone, the 5S won’t disappoint and is one of the most future-proof of the current smartphone crop.

5. Motorola Moto G
Motorola's Moto G is the best budget smartphone around. At £135 it's got great build quality, an excellent screen, decent cameras and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean soon to be upgrade to 4.4 KitKat. It's only limited in the storage department and a lack of 4G support.

6. HTC One
The HTC One is up there with the very best smartphones on the market today. It has superb performance, and excellent build quality spoiled only slightly by running hot in use. You can't fault the feature set, and it matches the other high-end products in terms of price. In terms of audio and visual output it is unsurpassed. The interface might be an acquired taste for some, and we weren't overly impressed with the camera. It's not perfect, but alongside the Xperia Z and iPhone 5 this is about as good a phone as you can buy.


7. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
We're not sure you need all the extra features that Samsung packs in, and we could live without the S Pen. And not everyone needs or wants a smartphone with a 6in display. Neither is the camera all that great. But be in no doubt about it, the Galaxy Note 3 is a high-quality portable device, offering the best performance we've ever seen, a stunning screen and nice build quality.

Read More

How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5

Google has started rolling out Android 4.4.1 to Nexus devices. The update is supposed to not only alleviate some bugs brought along by 4.4, but is also said to noticeably improve the camera on the Nexus 5. This is enough of a reason to go ahead and install the update right away without waiting for it to arrive automatically over the air. If you are just as impatient as we are, here is how to get 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5 today.

Here's how to get Android 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5 in a pinch. © AndroidPIT

What you’ll need

There are two things that you will need before you get started:

• ADB Tools
• the update to Android 4.4.1 for the Nexus 5

With the update, your Nexus 5 will acquire a build number of KOT49E. In order for the update to install, your device should already be running on build number KRT16M - this is the default OS build the Nexus 5 shipped with, so you should be fine. To find out if this is indeed installed on your Nexus 5, bring up your Android settings, tap on ‘About device’ and check out your build number there.

Installation process

On your Computer

Unzip ADB Tools, go to the adb-tools folder and press the shift button on your keyboard. Then, right click on your mouse in a free space in Windows Explorer and choose ‘open command prompt here’ from the context menu by left-clicking the mouse on this selection.

Now copy the Android 4.4.1 update file into the adb-tools folder and change its name to something shorter which you’ll have to type in later on. A good example would be ‘nexus5-441-ota.zip’.

On the Nexus 5

• Turn off the device
• Hold down the volume down and power buttons in order to enter the fastboot menu.
• By using the volume rocker, choose the option ‘Recovery Mode’ and confirm with the power button.
• As soon as you see the Android robot with its open tummy, press and hold Power, then tap (press) Volume up
• Again, by using the volume rocker, now choose the option ‘apply update from ADB’ in the open recovery menu and confirm with the power button.

Back on the computer

Connect your Nexus 5 to your computer via USB and go to the command prompt. Type in the following command in order to install the update.

adb sideload nexus5-441-ota.zip

Please note: if you renamed the update file something other than what we suggested above, please substitute whatever you renamed the file in the ADB command.

The installation process will now commence. The update will be copied onto your Nexus 5 and then be installed. After about 5 minutes, the entire procedure will be complete and you can restart your Nexus 5 via the option ‘reboot system’.

Done! You have now successfully installed Android 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5.

Tip: Should your Nexus 5 not be recognized by your computer, disconnect it from your PC, install the ADB tool into the adb-tools folder and connect the device to your PC again.

Let us know how the process went for you!

(translated by Loie Favre)

How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5

Read More

Samsung focusing on smartphone accessories, peripherals in 2014

A new report out of Korea says that Samsung has lowered their smartphone sales projections for 2014 from 360 to 330 million units. In doing so, Samsung hopes to focus on smartphone accessories and peripherals next year. The reason for shifting its focus and lowering sales projections is because the smartphone market is becoming increasingly crowded. But by no means is Samsung worried. Selling 330 million units is certainly a great goal to have. This new focus will likely start with the release of the Galaxy Gear‘s successor when it is rumored to launch beside the Galaxy S 5. This could also mean that the S Pen’s functionality will be expanded with the release of the next Note device. Only time will tell to see how Samsung innovates in 2014.




Source: ET News

Read More

Nokia's cheap smartphones drive Windows in Europe

During the three months to August, the Windows Phone platform reached a market share of over 10 percent for the first time in France and Britain, with 10.8 percent and 12 percent respectively, the researcher said.

Nokia, which earlier this month agreed to sell its mobile phone handset business to Microsoft, is the main user of the Windows platform and the driver behind the increase.

"Windows Phone's latest wave of growth is being driven by Nokia's expansion into the low and mid-range market with the Lumia 520 and 620 handsets," said Kantar analyst Dominic Sunnebo.

"These models are hitting the sweet spot with 16 to 24 year-olds and 35 to 49 year-olds, two key groups that look for a balance of price and functionality in their smartphone."

Google's Android, which runs on Samsung and Sony smartphones among others, remained the leading platform in key European markets, which include Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

Android's market share increased to 70.1 percent from 68.8 percent in the same period last year. Apple's iOS was the second-biggest platform with a 16.1-percent market share, 2 percentage points more than last year.

BlackBerry, which earlier this month agreed to go private, saw its market share more than halved to 2.4 percent from 5.8 percent.

(Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; editing by David Evans)

Read More

Apple has released an iPhone 5c

Upwards from $99
iPhone 5C launch on September 20th

ios7

Cleaner, simpler icons. An interface that feels fluid and alive. And new features that make the most of the technology inside. The world’s most advanced mobile OS is the perfect companion to the most colorful iPhone yet.

Phone 5c has up to 13 LTE bands. That’s more than any other single model of smartphone. Which means even more iPhone users can experience fast download and upload speeds in more places around the world. Meanwhile, the number of LTE carriers supported by iPhone worldwide continues to grow. So when you’re traveling, you can take advantage of ultra-fast LTE networks in more places

HD video.

Now when you record video in 1080p HD, the new 3x zoom feature lets you get in tighter on your subject. Video image stabilization helps smooth out shaky footage from your high‑adrenaline moments. (Running of the Bulls, anyone?) Face detection for up to 10 faces makes sure nobody gets lost in the crowd. And the ability to take still photos while recording video comes in handy when you want to tell that story within a story.

New Camera app.

iPhone 5c also comes with a new Camera app that raises your photography game. Now you can shoot images in a square format. And choose from eight live filters than can be applied before or after you take your photo. Use the Instant filter to give a group shot at the beach a vintage color look. Make a sunset even more vivid with the Chrome filter. Or choose Noir to capture a self-portrait in dramatic black and white.

Long battery life.

The A6 chip is designed to be extremely energy efficient, so you can spend your day taking advantage of all the features and apps on your iPhone. Without worrying about battery life.

Height: 4.90 inches (124.4 mm)
Width: 2.33 inches (59.2 mm)
Depth: 0.35 inch (8.97 mm)
Weight: 4.65 ounces (132 grams)

GSM model: GSM/EDGE
UMTS/HSPA+
DC-HSDPA
CDMA model: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B
LTE3
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n; 802.11n on 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS and GLONASS


4-inch (diagonal) Retina display
1136-by-640 resolution
326 ppi

• 8 megapixels
• ƒ/2.4 aperture
• Sapphire crystal lens cover
• LED flash
• Backside illumination sensor
• Five-element lens
• Hybrid IR filter
• Autofocus
• Tap to focus
• Face detection
• Panorama
• Photo geotagging

1080p HD video recording
30 fps
LED flash
-
Video stabilization
Take still photo while recording
video
Face detection
3x zoom
Video geotagging
Tap to focus

• Face Time
• iPhone 5c to any Face Time-enabled device over Wi-Fi or cellular
• Initiate video calls over LTE, DC-HSDPA, HSPA+, 3G, and 2G
• HVGA-resolution (480 by 368) calls over Wi-Fi

Three-axis gyro

Accelerometer

Proximity sensor

Ambient light sensor

-

White Pink Yellow Blue Green

Upwards from $99

iPhone 5C launch on September 20th

Read More

iPhone 5S hands-on: September 20 release date, in 3 colors

Fingerprint scanner

The optional fingerprint scanner rescues Apple's reputation as a smartphone maker with cutting-edge features that actually influence how people use their phones. The new scanner, called the Touch ID sensor, is integrated into the home button and adds some classy materials with its sapphire crystal topper and "stainless-steel detection ring." Now you tap to activate your phone, instead of pressing the button (but the button still depresses for normal navigation actions.

Touch ID scans sub-epidermal skin layers, Apple says, and has "360-degree readability," meaning it should be able to recognize your fingerprint regardless of orientation.

In addition to the Touch ID sensor doubling as your security key instead of a four-key password, you can also purchase apps and other iTunes content with a tap of your finger. Fingerprint information is never available to other apps, Apple says, nor will it be stored in the cloud.

As for guest profiles, yes, you can store details for multiple fingers -- yours and someone else's.

In classic Apple style, Touch ID is easy to set up as you tap and circle your finger to capture multiple fingerprint angles. In fact, setup is a bit like a video game that collects more prints the more you tap. After that, you scan your fingerprint and voila, you're in. The entire setup process takes a minute or less. Log-in is as quick as clicking.

How did it feel during a brief hands-on session after Apple's event? Surprisingly easy and fast. We were able to have Touch ID scan our fingerprint after about a dozen or so tap-clicks. After the process is done, the scan happens instantaneously: it feels just like clicking a home button. The scan becomes unnoticeable. There is a little adjustment, though, to getting used to how the button now works capacitively and as a click button.

If you don't want to use the fingerprint scanner, you don't have to. There's still the option to use the four-digit PIN password or no password at all. The benefit? No longer having to enter your iTunes ID in order to make purchases.

Specs-a-palooza

Hardware design stays the course with identical dimensions and the same chamfered edges as the iPhone (that means the 45-degree angles on the corners). The "space gray" design with the silver and black colors has a look that feels like a cross between the iPhone 5 and the 4/4S' silver-and-black banded design, which is to say that it looks very cool and familiar. It actually looks more distinctive than the all-black iPhone 5, and should be more scratch-resistant (we knew more than a few people who had the all-black previously and collected scuffs).

The gold is pale and shimmery, just like champagne. It isn't an offensive shade by any means. The white and silver version looks just like last year's model.

Apple's $39 leather iPhone cases make the 5S look almost 5C-like from a distance, but there are plenty of other cases the 5S should be compatible with: after all, it's the same exact shape as the 5.

The iPhone 5S has the same 4-inch screen as the iPhone 5, and Apple's Retina Display, which has a 1,136x640-pixel resolution and a pixel density of 326 ppi. (This isn't the highest around, but Apple maintains that beyond this so-called sweet-spot saturation level, higher pixel density ceases to matter.)

Here's something new: the iPhone 5S will have the first 64-bit chip in a mobile phone, but will be backward-compatible with 32-bit apps. Under the hood, Apple's A7 processor promises to power the iPhone 5S with 56 times the graphics performance of the very first iPhone, and about 40 times its CPU muscle.
On the gaming front, the iPhone 5S features OpenGL ES 3.0, which has the potential to make this phone the technically best-performing in the smartphone world. (CNET mobile gamer Eric Franklin will love sizing this one up.)

New to the iPhone 5S is the M7 motion coprocessor, which joins the A7 chip in processing. Specifically, the M7 chip keeps tabs on the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass data. At the end of the day, that makes it possible for wearables like fitness bands and other accessories to tap into that data faster and more efficiently. It's a fascinating idea, but was only mentioned briefly during Apple's event. Keep an eye on this M7 processor: if any chip ever makes it into a future iWatch, it could be this one.

Battery life is a big issue in the smartphone world, and Apple remains coy with actual milliamp hour capacity. Apple takes the iPhone 5S to 10 hours of talk time over 3G (but what about LTE, Apple?!), 10 hours of LTE browsing, and 10 hours of video. You also get 10.4 days (250 hours) in standby mode, a full day longer than on the iPhone 5 (225 hours).

Once again, the iPhone is without NFC, which makes it the only major platform to exclude the short-range protocol. Apple has stubbornly used workaround features like the wallet and perhaps this new Touch ID scanner to circumvent NFC's specific brand of device-to-device communication.

Camera and video

When it comes to camera territory, Apple has traditionally been a gold standard, highly consistent in all scenarios without fussing with controls. This has been slipping with competitors' improved cameras in rival phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4, Nokia Lumia 925, and especially the Nokia Lumia 1020 (and its 41-megapixel camera).

Here, Apple once again challenges the field with a lot of built-in logic that makes for automatic adjustments of everything from white balance to the color temperature of the new, dual-tone LED flash.

In addition, Apple gives its iPhone 5S a five-element lens that Apple designed in-house. Its sensor size is 15 percent larger than before, and it packs in a f/2.2 aperture. The result? More light for theoretically better pictures.

You won't find more megapixels in this version of the iSight camera, which means images top out at 8 megapixels. However, you'll find an all-new burst mode that snares snaps at a rate of 10 frames per second when you hold your finger down on the shutter. Burst mode is very fast, and the iPhone 5S automatically picks the best of the bunch, nesting the rest in a sort of digital subfolder. A subtle gray dot designates the best one, but you can easily scan these and pick your own to save.

You can also take shots that span a 28-megapixel panorama. Apple will now automatically adjust exposure as you move, which is a nice touch. There's auto image stabilization as well.

The iPhone 5S once again ups the ante with 1080p HD recording for the front-facing camera. The rear captures video at the usual 30fps as well as 120fps for slow-motion video (as do the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4.) In the app, slow-mo can be selected for various parts of the clip you shot by sliding little markers, much like editing a video clip in iMovie.

It's hard to tell camera quality in a brief hands-on, but the 5S burst mode is speedy, much more so than the iPhone 5's, and the autopicking of "best shots" in bundled photo collections within the app should avoid a sensation of filling your Camera Roll with identical retakes.

In many ways, Apple's camera functions are still in catch-up mode, with Apple just now getting around to features like burst capture. However, Apple's strength is in bringing consistently great photos to the mass market, and the new baked-in camera features seem to integrate quite nicely with iOS 7's new software.

Operating system

Calling it "the most forward-thinking phone anyone's ever made," Apple ships this new iPhone with iOS 7 software inside, which Apple previewed earlier this summer. A brighter, more colorful interface is one major cosmetic enhancement. A Control Center you can call up from any screen for one-touch settings, and new camera apps are more substantial features.

Outlook

The iPhone 5S is a little same old, same old when it comes to the design and features, which isn't going to give flagging-but-hopeful supporters much to get excited about when it comes to the phone's looks -- that is, unless they've been clamoring for a champagne-gold phone all along. (That being said, actually, "space gray" might be our favorite new color and name in an Apple product.)

In other ways, Apple's fingerprint scanner does add a shot of technical intrigue that we'll need to take a closer look at to see if it's more gimmick than game-changer. If Touch ID ends up being a standard that app developers can tap into to make purchases easier and log-ins more self-contained, it could be a wonderful time-saver...and something that could find its way into the rest of Apple's product line.

How good the camera and A7 processor are, really, remains to be seen. The real question in our minds is this: will more people pick the 5S or the 5C, or another phone entirely? It looks like Apple is using this year to refine peripheral technology around the iPhone rather than heading in a bold new direction. That said, if Touch ID makes the iPhone 5S more secure, it'll be no small feature. We'll also be keeping an eye on the M7 chip: Apple might be making a play for iOS health-tracking apps and gear to beat competitors to market, or, failing that, to just plain beat them.

How large a leap the iPhone 5S is over last year's 5 remains to be seen. Will it be a bigger leap forward than the iPhone 4S was over the 4? We don't know yet, but that new home button's pretty nice.

Read More