Amazon rumor: ‘Paperwhite’ Kindle e-reader on the way?

kindle paperwhite

It looks like Amazon will be revealing more than just a refreshed version of its Kindle Fire tablet next week. An updated Kindle Touch – or possibly a completely new e-reader – with a new kind of 'Paperwhite' display may also be on the way.

The rumors surrounding forthcoming Apple products somehow feel a little flat this time around; there’s a strong air of inevitability about what the Cupertino company will be unveiling next month. We kind of know an iPhone is about to be unveiled; we’re kind of certain an iPad Mini will be revealed.

So it actually makes a welcome change to see another company, Amazon in this case, at the center of a few rumors regarding upcoming products.

Pushing in ahead of Apple’s expected September 12 event, Amazon recently announced a press conference for September 6 in Santa Monica.kindle paperwhite e-reader

Besides the likely launch of a new Kindle Fire tablet, a rumor (a rumor!) has emerged relating to the possibility of new line of e-readers from the online retail giant.

The Verge got hold of some promotional images – though it makes no mention of how it came by them – of what it says appear to show a refreshed Kindle Touch e-reader. The button at the bottom of the device has been taken away, and the bezel has been noticeably darkened when compared with the current Touch model.

According to text accompanying the images, the device will come with “higher contrast, high resolution, integrated lighting, and eight weeks of battery life.” The integrated lighting would put the device up against Barnes & Noble’s Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, which made its debut in May.

The photos also reveal a new ‘Paperwhite’ feature, which suggest a different kind of display is on the way, replacing or improving upon the Pearl E Ink display used with Amazon’s current e-readers. Whether Paperwhite refers merely to the display, or will be the name of a new e-reader, isn’t altogether clear at this stage.

In other Kindle-related news, Amazon issued a statement on Thursday announcing that its Kindle Fire tablet had sold out. The company thanked “the millions of customers who have made Kindle Fire the most successful product launch in the history of Amazon.” Hang on a minute, there’s another strong air of inevitably wafting around here – that’s right, alongside any new e-readers, we can also expect to see the launch of Amazon’s next-generation Kindle Fire on September 6.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Motorola to unveil Intel-powered phone Sept. 18

Motorola to unveil Intel-powered phone Sept. 18

Intel's getting innovative

Intel's finally getting its foot into the smartphone market door: a date has arisen for the debut of the first device from the much-discussed Motorola/Intel mobile partnership.

The two companies have announced a joint smartphone launch event for September 18, where Motorola will unveil Android-powered phone powered by Intel chips.

The event will be at London's Victoria House. VentureBeat picked up that the Twitter hashtag for the event, #motoedge, looks to give away the phone.

The move is huge for Intel as it bucks into territory dominated by other processor producers, like ARM. Intel CEO Paul Otellini said in May the smartphone's his company powers will receive mobile version of Intel's Atom processor.

Matching up with Motorola

The partnership between Intel and Motorola, first announced at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, is one of the few that Intel's been able to acquire in an ARM-dominated mobile market.

The reason? Typically, ARM-powered devices are built for battery-savings and overall power efficiently, whereas Intel's x86 chips - while still head nodding to energy-savings - are generally thought to be geared more towards performance than power.

The big question, in this case, is whether Intel will be able to adequately balance its brand-new Medfield mobile processors between performance and efficiency to best compete against Cortex-A15-powered devices, expected to arrive in late 2012 or early 2013.

At the very least, however, the appearance of a second player in the ARM-driven market could be seen as an overall benefit for consumers - competition breeds lower prices and stronger performance, after all.

Wirelessly charged

In other company news, Intel's also touting a partnership with Integrated Device Technology (IDT) to bring mobile wireless charging technology to laptops - a one-two punch of mobile news that's a good foothold for Intel in an the otherwise ARM-dominated market.

But while the date for the Motorola/Intel smartphone reveal is set in stone, the launch of Intel's new wireless charging technology is not.

While IDT is allegedly good to go as far as getting the "resonance wireless charging technology" to work, there's no explicit timeline as to when the feature might be making it to future laptops.

IDT hopes to be able to provide a "full chipset solution for reference design work," as reads an Intel blog post, by early 2013.

Intel teased recently that its partnership with IDT will allow the company to develop wireless mobile charging solutions that aren't bound to today's conventions - namely, having to place one's device on a charging "mat" or other inductive-driven charging.

While Intel's mum on the details, its description of the capabilities of its wireless charging solution suggests that the technology will could match the speeds of a typical USB-based charging.

In Intel's example, a user would only need to fire up the related charging software on his or her laptop and place the supported device approximately one inch away.

"Within an hour," Intel's Dan Snyder wrote in the blog posting, "you have recharged your smartphone sufficiently to make it through the afternoon.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung: We'll sue Apple over LTE technology

Samsung: We'll sue Apple over LTE technology

Gunning for the iPhone 5?

Samsung could have the last laugh in its ongoing dispute with Apple.

According to a report from the Korea Times, Samsung execs plan to sue Apple "immediately" if it ever releases any devices with advanced long-term evolution (LTE) mobile technology.

Samsung holds just over 12 percent of the world's LTE patents, according to data from Thomson-Reuters, while Nokia leads the charge with 18.9 percent. Qualcomm follows with 12.5 percent and Ericsson has 11.6 percent.

Apple already has an LTE device on the market - the iPad 3 - but observers think Samsung could be waiting for the Cupertino company to release an LTE-capable iPhone before making its move.

Put up your dukes

All signs point to Apple's next iPhone, the iPhone 5, having LTE capability, making it the perfect target for Samsung's wrath.

The iOS-wielding Apple has even been in talks with Korean carriers about putting the next-gen iPhone on 4G LTE networks.

Samsung would hit Apple where it hurts with an injunction on an LTE iPhone 5, expected to be one of Apple's most successful devices to date.

Thanks to a guilty verdict in a patent trial between the two, Apple has asked that eight Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy S2, be banned from sale in the U.S. There's also a pre-trial order to ban a Samsung tablet - the Galaxy Note 10.1 - on the books as well.

Though it's unclear just how much Samsung will lose in sales from the ban on nine of its products, having to pay $1.05 billion (£665) in damages to Apple would certainly put a dent in its pocket books.

An LTE suit - or at least the threat of one - may be just what Samsung needs to get its mojo back.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Mobile entertainment use jumped dramatically last year

More people used their mobile devices to access (and buy) more entertainment last year, reports a new study, with mobile entertainment spending up 133 percent for 2011 compared with the previous year.

With tablets, smartphones and mobile apps of all kinds becoming an increasingly popular – One could almost say ubiquitous – part of daily life, it should come as no surprise to discover that mobile entertainment is on the increase in America. What may be surprising, however, is to just what extent that’s actually the case. A new study carried out by Millennial Media and comScore has revealed that mobile access to entertainment content of all kinds has undergone a staggering 82 percent increase across the past calendar year, according to a report appearing on the Hollywood Reporter, with the digital downloads jumping almost 50 percent since 2010. Does this change entertainment industry expectations about where their audience is going next?

According to the Reporter, downloads of entertainment content, whether it’s music, movies, television shows or e-Books remain the largest segment of digital purchases, with 47 percent of mobile shoppers having purchased at least one of the previous items between December 2010 and December 2011. The second most popular entertainment purchase is, perhaps unsurprisingly, tickets to some kind of real-world event, whether a concert, movie or something similar; 35 percent of online buyers having spent their money on that during the same twelve month period.

Overall, smartphones were the most common type of device used to access entertainment content during the study period, with tablet devices accounting for just 22 percent of user impressions. Of those smartphones, Apple’s iOS was eclipsed for the first time, with Android OS devices taking the lead with 47 percent of users (BlackBerry took a distant third).

Interestingly enough, despite a 133 percent growth in entertainment spending by mobile shoppers for 2011, the analysts at Millennial Media are predicting that there’s room for even more growth. The reason why? The majority of material accessed via mobile devices was promotional content, created to drive interest towards a particular product and priced accordingly (i.e., either free or available at a significantly reduced price). As Marcus Startzel, Millennial Media’s General Manager for North America, puts it, “I think the real trend we’re seeing is that studios and other entertainment advertisers are using mobile to engage consumers through all stages of the purchase funnel. This definitely includes directly selling over mobile devices, but it also includes steps like running awareness campaigns ahead of premieres and advertising reminders ahead of shows to drive TV tune-in. Additionally, we’re seeing studios develop apps to accompany major releases and then running mobile campaigns to drive adoption.” The future of mobile media, then, will perhaps rely not only on whether or not users can be pursuaded to pay for the content that they’re currently getting for free, but also on content creators treating mobile content as valuable in and of itself, and not something to push users in the direction of something else altogether.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Lenovo unveils 15-inch Ultrabooks, affordable B-Series all-in-ones, and more

Lenovo used IFA 2012 in Berlin to unveil the IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook, B-Series all-in-ones, and more, like a pair of new Y-Series notebooks that can have a second GPU added after purchase.

Lenovo followed up yesterday’s announcement of IdeaTab tablets and an IdeaPad S-Series laptop by revealing the rest of its consumer lineup today. This includes a new Ultrabook, along with major redesigns of two laptops and two all-in-one PCs.

lenovo u510 ideapadLet’s start with the new. Lenovo is joining the 15-inch Ultrabook party its IdeaPad U510, a plus-size version of its existing U310 and U410 Ultrabooks. At 21mm thick, it is just within the limits of the specification, but it will still prove more portable than the average 15.6-inch competitor. This new option is available with typical Ultrabook hardware including Intel third-generation Core processors and solid-state hard drives. An optical drive is standard, and Blu-ray is optional. You’ll have to shell out $679 for a U510 — not much more than the U310 we recently tested.

lenovo y500 laptopNext up are the Y400 and Y500, both of which have been given a bit more than the typical redesign. These portable powerhouses will include an UltraBay feature, which lets users swap in an Nvidia GT 655M GPU. There’s already one GT 655M in the laptop, so the addition turns the Y-Series into a dual-GPU gaming rig. Other UltraBay options include a second hard drive, or an additional cooling fan. All Y-Series laptops are going to ship with third-gen Intel Core processors and JBL Speakers with Dolby Home Theater surround. Prices for these models start at $649, though we expect the price for a dual-GPU variant to be much higher.

Lenovo Z500 ultrabookLast among the laptops are the Z400 and 500, Lenovo’s $549 mainstream option. The company is slimming the line down by 25 percent and adding a soft-touch exterior coat available in blue, chocolate, pink or white. All Z-Series laptops will continue to ship with standard-voltage Intel Core processors and will have an Nvidia discrete graphics option.

lenovo ideacentre a520 desktop pcThe revisions in the IdeaCentre brand focus on the company’s all-in-one computers. One is the A520, a smaller version of the A720 we recently reviewed. It offers the same stylish design and 1080p resolution, but reduces the display to 23 inches and the price of entry to $999. These changes address some complaints we had about the A720, which will still be available.

lenovo B345 hero all in one desktop windows pcEven more affordable is the B-Series, a 21.5- or 23-inch all-in-one targeted at, well, everyone. These PCs will have a buffet of Intel Core and AMD processor options and will even include a choice between Intel integrated graphics or AMD and Nvidia discrete graphics. These all-in-ones can be enjoyed with a 10-point multi-touch display and offer support for 3D vision. Pricing starts at $599 for the 21.5-inch version and $699 for the 23-inch model.

The U510 and Z500 will be available in September, followed by the Y-Series, B-Series and A520 in October. The Z400, last to join the party, will appear in November.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Samsung introduces line of ultra high speed memory cards

Samsung introduces line of ultra high speed memory cards

Save it all on a Samsung

Samsung debuted a Windows Phone 8 smartphone (Ativ S), a Windows RT tablet (Ativ Tab), a slew of PCs (Ativ Smart PC Pro, Ativ Smart PC, Series 5 and 7 Slates) and a Galaxy Camera and it’s still not done.

The plucky company rolled out a new line of external memory cards for phones and cameras Thursday, going for the trifecta of speed, density, and reliability.

There are three versions to the cards: “Pro,” the professional edition, the premium “Plus” and commercial “Standard” series.

Though there are multiple, Samsung touted the Pro and all its high-octane power.

Pro go

Samsung boasts the microSD Pro performs at ultra high speed with up to 64GB of data storage.

Thanks to a read speed of up to 70MB per second, the Pro runs 3-times faster than conventional microSDs, according to Samsung.

It’s also got “advanced semiconductor technology” with 20 nanometer-class NAND flash, turning it into any LTE-friendly device's best friend. It can even store full HD (1080p) videos.

Proof is in the pudding

Samsung said each card is deigned with proof technologies ensuring long lasting durability.

Whether you drop the cards in water, run them through a magnet or X-ray, or encounter sweltering heat, the cards are proofed against these external elements.

The entire line of memory cards will be available in October.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Toshiba takes the cloud home with Canvio Personal Cloud

toshiba convio cloud storage external hard drive

Toshiba’s Canvio Personal Cloud lets you host your own cloud service, eliminating monthly fees while still keeping your files accessible anywhere.

Looking to access you data online without signing up for a cloud storage unit? Toshiba has a new solution called Canvio Personal Cloud. It’s an external hard drive with network capability that can be accessed via your home network or remotely over the Internet. This lets users access their files from anywhere without having to pay a monthly cloud storage subscription fee.

Canvio is more than just an external hard drive, however. Its bundled software is equally important. Toshiba says the Canvio software can be setup with just three steps. Once installed it allows the user to break up their files into specific categories and preview them with thumbnails and text.

The drive is compatible with mobile and media platforms. Any PC, iOS, Android or DLNA device can access content on the drive. This makes it useful not only as a cloud storage solution but also a home media hub.

Pricing starts at $219.99 for the 2TB version and raises to $249.99 for the 3TB model. Both connect via wired Ethernet only. A USB 2.0 port is included and can be used to add an external storage device, a handy extra that will prove useful for users who need more than three terabytes of space. A three-year warranty is standard and surprisingly long — most external drives ship with a one-year warranty.

Look for the Canvio Personal Cloud to arrive in your sky sometime this September.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Metal Gear Solid movie in production at Columbia Pictures with Marvel Studios founder at the helm

Avi Arad, the that made X-Men, Spider-man and Iron Man the billion dollar franchises they are today, is working on a Metal Gear Solid movie.

Metal Gear Solid’s narrative legacy is dubious at best. Hideo Kojima’s games are well known for their cinematic pretensions—Ridiculous camera angles, theatrical fights, and expansive monologues on the nature of war and humanity that would make Aaron Sorkin blush. The 1998 PlayStation game was responsible for a generation of long cutscenes and military melodrama. People have fool heartedly pointed to the series as proof that games are storytelling equals to movies for nearly 15 years. Now Metal Gear Solid will complete its journey towards non-interactivity and become a movie.

During the Metal Gear 25th Anniversary event in Japan that saw Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes announced for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Kojima Productions and Konami announced a new partnership with Columbia Pictures to bring the series to movie theaters. Marvel Studios producer Avi Arad, the man responsible for finding funding for some of the best comic book movies (Iron Man), as well as some of the absolute worst (The Punisher), is producing Metal Gear Solid. That brings Arad’s total video game adaptations in planning to 4 as he’s also working on Mass Effect, Uncharted, and inFAMOUS movies as well.

Arad sees promises that he’s bring video games to theaters with the same level of success, or at least frequency, that he did with comic book adaptations. “For many years I fought to bring comics to theaters,” said Arad at the event, “Comic books are not the biggest genre in cinema. Video games are the comic books of today. We will take our time and tell the story with all the nuances, ideology, and cautionary tales needed.”

So expect the movie to also feature men going to the bathroom in their pants and diaper-wearing monkeys.

It’s anyone’s guess if this movie will actually get made. Kojima first announced a Metal Gear Solid movie all the way back in 2006, working with movie producer Michael De Luca. De Luca was director of production at New Line Cinema during one of its most fruitful periods in the ‘90s, working on films like Seven, Dark City, Boogie Nights, American History X, and, um, Little Nicky. Konami got skittish about a subpar movie ruining the series’ reputation, so it stopped De Luca’s production in 2010.

Good thing it’s got the producer of Bratz: The Movie and Blade Trinity on board for Metal Gear now.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Toshiba’s Windows 8 PCs include ‘laptablet,’ ultrawidescreen notebook, Ultrabooks

Toshiba Satellite U925t laptop tablet laptablet

Windows 8 will bring out some variety in Toshiba laptop line, with announcements including a “laptablet” with sliding keyboard, a super wide notebook with a 21:9 aspect ratio, and more Ultrabooks.

Toshiba has shown that it’s prepared for Windows 8 by revealing five launch products. The most revolutionary of these is the Satellite U925t “laptablet,” which we’ve already had hands-on time with, but the company has also announced four other products.

Toshiba Satellite U845W widescreen laptopOne is a familiar but unusual sight – the Satellite U845W. Toshiba’s ultra-wide laptop will be largely the same as before. It will have the same 1792 x 768 display and the same internal hardware. Toshiba claims it makes a particularly good laptop for Windows 8 because of its extra-wide display and large touchpad with Windows 8 gesture support.


Toshiba Satellite U925 media laptop windows 8This older product is joined by the Satellite U945, a previously announced Ultrabook. It will pack a 14-inch display, low-voltage Intel Core processors and a 32GB solid state drive backed up by a 500GB mechanical unit. Thickness comes in at .78 inches and weight is a bit under four pounds. As with the U845W, the U945 will have full Windows 8 gesture support.

Another new laptop in the pipe is the Satellite P845t. This 14-inch model is not an Ultrabook, but a standard multimedia laptop. As such, it offers a Core i5 processor instead of a slower, low-voltage version. Other features include Windows 8 gesture support, a 750GB hard drive and Harman/Kardon stereo speakers.

toshiba LX825 all in one desktop windows 8 pcLast and least portable is the LX835. This all-in-one computer boasts a 23-inch 1080p touchscreen with full gesture support. It also has an optional TV tuner, Onkyo surround sound speakers, HDMI-In (useful for connecting a console or tablet) and third-generation Intel processors. This new entry will compete head-to-head with HP’s TouchSmart and Lenovo’s IdeaCentre all-in-ones.

All of these new products will be hitting store shelves the day Windows 8 launches – October 26. Pricing is unannounced.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Daily Deal: Unlocked Nokia C6-01 US Smartphone for Half Price

What if I told you that you could get an unlocked smartphone outright for the same price (or less) than you’d be paying for a locked smartphone on a two-year contract? That’s exactly the case here today with the Nokia C6-01. This is a factory unlocked quad-band GSM smartphone that will happily work with you in North America and abroad. And it’s selling for half price.

Granted, this phone isn’t quite as new and shiny as something like the Galaxy S III or the HTC One X, but it can certainly still hold its own, especially given the price. You get pentaband UMTS/HSDPA, supporting 850/900/1700/1900/2100, meaning that it should work with both AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as with international GSM carriers. There’s an 8MP camera on the back with 720p HD video support, as well as GPS with free Ovi Maps Navigation, microSD expansion, Bluetooth stereo support, and a 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen.

Some people may decry the Symbian^3 OS, but it’s actually not so bad once you start using it. The homescreen widgets make accessing yoru contacts and messages super easy, and you can even get live updates from Facebook and Twitter. There’s a full HTML browser with RSS feed support, multiformat media player, and an FM radio.



Source : mobilemag[dot]com

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google's Larry Page in secret patent talks?

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google's Larry Page in secret patent talks?

Summit talks to start the long load to peace?

Reports on Wednesday claim that high level talks between the CEOs of Apple and Google have taken place, with a view to resolving a host of patent disputes.

As first reported by Reuters, Tim Cook and Larry Page have engaged in behind the scenes discussions regarding intellectual property matters, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The story was later 'confirmed' by AllThingsD, which consulted its own sources on the story.

Those in-the-know bods revealed that at least one more meeting between, arguably, the two most important men in tech has been scheduled.

Keeping it out of the courtroom

News of the summit comes less than a week after Samsung was found guilty of multiple counts of patent infringement, as alleged by Apple.

Although the award of $1.05 billion strikes at the heart of one of it key manufacturing competitors, many observers believe that Apple's true motivation is to stifle the Android operating system that powers Samsung's tech.

In the wake of the court ruling, Google issued a statement claiming none of the infringed-upon patents relate to 'core Android,' and it would await the results of a Samsung appeal.

As well as its beef with the Android OS, Apple also has pending legal proceedings with Motorola, the manufacturer now, of course, owned by Google.

Any accord the two behemoths could reach, likely through cross-licensing agreements, would avoid another long and expensive courtroom saga for which we would all be grateful.

Playmates

The Cook/Page summit is perhaps the first sign that Google and Apple can play nicely with each other again, without tantrums and toys getting chucked out of prams.

The pair were the best of pals throughout much of the last decade, until Google launched the Android operating system, enraging the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who felt it 'wholesale ripped off the iPhone.'

In his official biography Jobs was quoted as saying he was willing to go "thermonuclear war" and spend "every dollar Apple has in the bank" to right the perceived injustice.

Soured relations

Relations have soured ever since, most recently with Apple removing the built-in YouTube app and dropping Google Maps for its own solution from the latest version of iOS.

Representatives from Apple and Google have so far declined to comment on the reports, but we'll be sure to bring you any updates.


Source : techradar[dot]com

L.A. Noire studio making Whore of the Orient for PlayStation 4, Xbox 720

whore of the orient xbox 720 playstation 4

The studio behind L.A. Noire and the production company behind Happy Feet re-announced their game for next-gen consoles on Thursday.

Team Bondi toiled for years on its ambitious crime drama L.A. Noire. When it finally shipped that game under Rockstar and 2K Games in 2011, few expected the Australian studio to shut down months later. The studio didn’t die though, its intellectual property and name was bought up by film director George Miller (Mad Max, Babe) and his multimedia production company Kennedy Miller Mitchell. In November, L.A. Noire mastermind Brendan McNamara joined much of his former staff at KMM studios and said that he was working on a game aggressively titled Whore of the Orient. McNamara described it as “one of the great untold stories of the 20th century.” The world promptly forgot all about it.

KMM and Team Bondi decided to reconfirm Whore’s existence with a public announcement about the game on Thursday. Concept art and a plot summary was released to the press, promising that the game was in development for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720.

“From the development team who brought you L.A. Noire and The Getaway, along with the Academy Award winning film production team of Kennedy Miller Mitchell comes a completely new and original IP being developed for next generation game consoles and PC,” reads the statement, “Shanghai, 1936. Whore of the Orient. Paris of the East. The most corrupt and decadent city on the planet where anything can be had or done for the right price. Boiling pot of Chinese nationalism, with the Kuomintang ruthlessly trying to suppress Communism and the labor movement. Home to the International Police Force, a group of Western cops hopelessly trying to keep the lid on and keep the peace.”

So… L.A. Noire plus Sleeping Dogs. Huzzah.

It’s nice that Team Bondi and KMM are keeping the dream alive, but it’s way too early to be talking about this game. KMM has made this mistake in the past, publicly discussing game projects so early in production that there’s no guarantee that they’ll get made. Back in 2008, God of War 2 director Cory Barlog joined up with Miller to work on an open world action game based on Miller’s film Mad Max: Fury Road. Both Miller and Barlog did an extensive interview discussing the project and their goals. The movie is still in production, but no one’s heard about the game since.

McNamara has the same problem. L.A. Noire was announced as a PlayStation 3 exclusive in 2005 and released a black and white trailer for the game. It didn’t come out for 6 years, a period in which it became a multiplatform title, in color, published by Rockstar and 2K.

Whore of the Orient is an idea in 2012. Nothing more.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Hands-on with Loop Attachment Mummy iPhone 4 case: Wrap your phone with silicone

Loop Attachment Mummy iPhone case pink

For those who want to carry their cards and cash without a wallet, the Mummy iPhone case has a fun feature for slipping necessities underneath.

My high school Spanish teacher had a wallet that was covered in duct tape. The thing looked like it was falling apart, but he claimed bandaging it in durable material kept the wallet sturdy and made it look cheap, so no one would want to steal it or the contents inside. At the time, the concept of wrapping your gadget anything didn’t make sense to me. Why would anyone think this design concept could be… desirable?

It’s probably because most wrap designs didn’t look anything like Loop Attachment’s Mummy iPhone case. There comes a certain point of utility, design, and durability where all three aspects mesh in-sync to form a product that’s actually wanted by the people. In our hands-on, we dig into what we love about this iPhone 4/4S case and what could be improved.

Look and feel

Loop attachment iPhone alternate view

Available in a giant array of colors, the Loop Attachment Mummy case is, off the bat, hip, trendy, and just looks minimal but cool. The silicone body is flexible, and simply fits over your iPhone by a light stretch over the four corners. Pre-made slots are cut out for the power, volume, and hold buttons while the entire lower end for the cords is mostly open. This means dockability with your home stereos and no fussing to get the battery charger plugged in. In the back, you’ll find the bandaged, mummy straps randomly hugging the body of your iPhone. The camera area is almost untouched, leaving no material to incur possible flash interference with the iPhone’s camera lens. 

On the hand, the silicone feels soft and comfortable to grip. It makes the iPhone 4 much less delicate to the touch, and easier to handle without the fear of dropping and destroying the glass. The lightweight body also adds virtually no difference to the iPhone, which is an added plus for those who dislike bulkiness. I also love that the Loop logo is not overwhelming or obnoxious, and blends quite seamlessly on the silicone.

Utility

The Mummy case may look like it has random straps along the back, but rest assured, these placements were no accident. The thickness of the silicone is the perfect size for a raised bumper in the front, allowing you to place your phone screen size down without any damage. The back also leaves enough room for you to pull the straps slightly apart and stick your I.D. card, credit cards, or a few dollar bills within. Much like the Speck SmartFlex Card case we’ve seen several months ago, the idea is for you to go out with your necessities all in one place. This way, you don’t have to lug a purse around if you’re out in a bar or a concert.

Loop Attachment Mummy iPhone case colorsThe difference between the Speck case and the Mummy is, because the straps are much more flexible, you can fit more than just three cards in the back. Still, we don’t recommend you overdo it before the silicone becomes too loose. From what I can tell, storing your credit cards on the back of your phone does not to interfere with their magnetic strips but discontinue use if you experience any problem.

We don’t have many gripes about the Mummy case other than the silicone tends to be a bit of a dust magnet, and that the bandage design leaves parts of your iPhone exposed. Still, because the thickness is just right, your phone should still be pretty protected since the silicone keeps it at least a few millimeters away from the iPhone’s surface. Keep in mind, however, that if you toss your phone in a bad and a set of keys happen to scratch your phone from within, that might still be an issue.

Bottom Line

Loop attachment mummy iphone case backWhile I personally like the idea of a bandaged iPhone — certainly much more than I liked my teacher’s duct tape wallet — this is an iPhone case I would switch to on special occasions. The Mummy makes a great accessory for replacing your wallet for the night, and is interesting enough to draw conversations about the design. At $25, it is also moderately priced for a comfortable case with a neat function.

The Loop Attachment Mummy iPhone case is available now in 10 different colors. Loop Attachment also sells the case in themed bundle, such as the Chicago set that contains the colors of the city’s official flag. A set of three Mummy cases will set you back $60 – not bad for a interchangeable accessory for the whole family.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nintendo Wii U won’t support more than two tablet controllers

nintendo wii u two controllers

Nintendo aimed to let the Wii U support up to four tablet controllers, but had to settle for just two due to processing limitations.

Nintendo’s Wii U is just about two months away from release, and we still don’t know very much about what it can do. Over the past year, some developers working on the tablet-controller console have claimed that it isn’t even as powerful as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Nintendo has countered those claims by saying it doesn’t care about horsepower, just quality games. “We just do not care what kind of ‘more beef’ console Microsoft and Sony might produce in 2013,” said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in July, “Our focus how we can make our new console different than [others].”

The closer we get to the Wii U’s conspicuous debut though, the more developers are starting to speak more candidly about its capabilities. One thing we know for sure: In its current state, the Wii U can only support two tablet controllers. Any more will be impossible.

At first, Nintendo wanted four tablet controllers. It’s had four-controller support for all its home consoles since 1996’s Nintendo 64. The current Wii U simply can’t handle it though.

“The funny thing about Wii U is, as each week went on, we discovered more cool things we could do with it,” Blitz Games’ design director John Nash told Eurogamer in a new interview. Blitz creates mostly licensed games targeted at young kids, like movie tie-in Puss in Boots. “It’s very much a fast-moving space with shifting sands. Because we were fairly early on with this, the specification for the machines wasn’t nailed down. In fact, Nintendo were still chasing the idea of having four of the tablets running concurrently. Now they’ve stepped away from that and said you can have up to two depending on what you’re doing in the game. That’s given us a base level specification which has changed out thinking and some of our design.”

Nintendo announced during E3 2012 that Wii U would support two tablet controllers. To date, no Wii U game shown to the public supports more than a single tablet controller, including Nintendo’s first-party tent pole games for the system like New Super Mario Bros. U and NintendoLand.

Nash details a number of interesting specifications in the Wii U. The Wii U has markedly more RAM than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as a robust Graphics Processing Unit. Its CPU meanwhile is said to be slower than that of Sony and Microsoft’s current consoles, something that might cripple developers looking to port titles from those other machines.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Photos show A6 chipset on iPhone 5?

Photos show A6 chipset on iPhone 5?

The iPhone 5 could bring big changes to the iPhone family

The latest alleged leaked image from the iPhone factory floor appears to show a brand new chip for the iPhone 5: the Apple A6.

Apple began using its own, in-house system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs with the introduction of the iPad.

That version was dubbed the Apple A4, and it was also used in the iPhone 4, while the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S used the Apple A5 and the third-gen iPad used the Apple A5X variation.

Apple's apparent decision to go with a brand new SoC designation for the iPhone 5 could indicate big changes.

Then again, it could indicate nothing

The A5X designation was created primarily to deal with the third-gen iPad's detailed 2048x1536 Retina display, which was the first such screen on an iPad.

To that end, the A5X SoC added a shiny quad-core GPU.

But the iPhone's existing A4 and A5 chipsets already support Retina graphics on the smartphones' smaller screens; the iPhone first went Retina with the Apple A4 chipset on the iPhone 4.

So despite the iPhone 5's rumored slightly larger, 4-inch 1136x640 screen, Apple isn't limited to using the same SoC found in the iPad with Retina display.

But what changes will the Apple A6 bring to the iPhone 5?

Bigger battery and other leaks

As iMore points out, the name of Apple's new iPhone 5 chipset could be down to more of a "branding decision" than anything else.

But the alleged images do appear to reveal a little more about the iPhone 5: an unsurprising Qualcomm chip and space for a larger battery.

In addition, there've recently been conflicting reports about the possibility of iPhone 5 NFC support.

A smaller docking cable has also been seen in recent supposed leaks.

Most importantly, recent developments support the theory that Apple's set to unveil the iPhone 5 on Sept. 12, possibly alongside the iPad Mini.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is Kojima’s open world stealth game for PS3/360

metal gear solid 5

Hideo Kojima ended speculation about Metal Gear Solid 5 on Thursday, debuting Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, a sandbox game for PS3/360.

We know a few things more clearly now that Konami and Kojima Productions Thursday event celebrating the 25th anniversary of Metal Gear is out of the way. First, that big San Diego Comic-Con leak about a Metal Gear Solid 5 announcement was way fake. It was the fakest. Second, word that Metal Gear Solid 5 would use Kojima’s new Fox Engine for multiplatform development, star Solid Snake, and be an open world game was spot on.

Kojima and Konami announced Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes on Sunday, and it sounds like the dramatic redesign the stealth series has been thirsty for these past ten years.

As detailed by myriad press outlets that attended the event in Japan, a trailer and gameplay demo shown for the game looked familiar with some significant changes. Kojima showed Snake, looking markedly younger than he did in Metal Gear Solid 4, crawling, sneaking and shooting his way through a massive military base. Rather than being restricted to contained play fields in a jungle or base, the demoed area was huge, allowing for Snake to cover large distances by helicopter or jeep. The developer also emphasized that this was not just a tech demo, but actual samples from the game that’s currently in development.

A cutscene showing shadowy businessmen, soldiers, and a caged boy—a possible reference to series character Raiden—was shown as well.

The game is also targeted for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, though Kojima did emphasize that the Fox Engine the game is built on was made to accommodate next-generation consoles and high-end PCs as well. No time frame for release was given, but considering Konami plans to have it out on current systems, the publisher can’t wait to long past 2013. The Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 are expected on the market by the end of next year.

Attendees were suitably impressed by the look and scale of the environments on display, commenting on the impressive weather effects and play.

Kojima’s been teasing this open world Metal Gear Solid for nearly two years now. It’s impossible to judge the game based on a brief demo and other people’s impressions. Metal Gear Solid 4 was promised to have wide-open, varied environments as well. Great as that game was, it still confined the player to small spaces, even if they did allow for a great deal of experimentation.

Ground Zeroes sounds excitingly new for the series though. One to watch.

Source: NeoGAF


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Huawei previews Emotion UI for Android at IFA

Huawei previews Emotion UI for Android at IFA

Getting a little emotional (credit: Engadget)

Concern for making a consumer friendly experience has bled from Huawei's devices into its user interfaces.

The company announced the impending launch of a revamped UI for Android Thursday at IFA 2012 and offered a taste of what's to come.

The Emotion UI, as it's dubbed, aims to please, building on the company's "Design with Empathy" philosophy, according to a media release.

"Emotion UI is a reflection of Huawei's empathic design philosophy - built by consumers for consumers," said Dennis Poon, Huawei Device's global UI design director, in the release.

"The team was very conscious about placing people before technology," Poon said, adding the design team asked consumers what their ideal interactive experience would be like before undertaking the UI.

Putting the 'you' in UI

To that end, Huawei hosted a number of consumer forums and salons to read what was and wasn't working with its devices.

One of the biggest improvements to come out of those powwows and into the UI is a "Smart Tutorial" function, designed to bring first time users up to snuff on how to operate their phone.

In other areas, Huawei's pushing for customization and simplification, as seen in the "Me Widget" property that lets users condense their most go-to information and functions into a single, customized folder.

The homepage is also customizable as are folders for specific apps, though users be warned deleting an app folder takes all contents with it.

Huawei's reportedly come with with 20 Emotion themes available online, accessible to users who don't want one of six pre-loaded Android skins, including an Android 4.0 stock theme.

Poon also told TechRadar during the conference that the company plans to roll out Emotion UI updates monthly, tweaking it as consumers see fit.

Consumers can download the Chinese-only UI Friday, when the company will also ask for feedback on the experience and development process.

Emotion's public release shouldn't be too far off, though the company will announce a date closer to the launch.

TechRadar has more Huawei at IFA news, including the lowdown on some able-bodied Androids.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Top five laptop-buying mistakes

row of laptops buying guide

Don’t click “buy” before you read the top five laptop-buying mistakes we see all the time, from going googly eyed over glossy screens to springing for overlooking one of the most important features.

Buying a new laptop is a daunting process. It’s also an exciting one. You may find that shopping gives you a bit of a buzz in your stomach or puts a smile on your face. There are so many cool laptops to choose from – and one will soon be yours!

Excitement isn’t all bad, but it can cause lapses in judgment. I see this happen all the time. Often the mistakes will be made by people who did the right research and came to the right conclusions – up to the moment they hit “add to cart.”

Sometimes these mistakes work out, but they can lead to laptop that’s entirely unsuited for what the buyer wanted to use it for. Let’s take a look at five commonly made mistakes, and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Thinking with your eyes

Laptops have had keyboards and touchpads for years, but there haven’t been many new developments. As a result, new buyers rarely put the user interface near the top of their priority lists.

That’s a shame, because all of our interaction with a laptop travels through our hands. Apple is the only company that seems embrace this fact, which is why its retail stores work so well: You can step into one, feel a MacBook, use the keyboard, and discover it for yourself.

laptop trackpad interfaceThere can be dramatic differences between the user interfaces on laptops, and you don’t even need to spend a lot of money to ensure you get one you like. The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530, for example, has a great keyboard, good touchpad and includes a trackpointer. Using this laptop day-to-day is an excellent experience, yet the laptop can be had for as little as $499.

You may not want to make your final purchase at a brick-and-mortar store, but you should at least step into one before making a decision. Try out different keyboards. Use different touchpads. See how they feel, then make a choice.

Mistake #2: Choosing the wrong size

A college student recently asked me for laptop buying advice. However, spurred on by a parent’s promise of nearly unlimited funds, he purchased before we had time to talk — and bought a massive gaming laptop. I grinned and nodded as he excitedly told me about it, but I was really thinking “Do you have any idea what that thing weighs?

Consumers often succumb to the allure of laptops that are too big – or too small – for their needs. These outliers are cool, extreme and less common than other models. For good reason. Laptops with a display larger than 15.6 inches are huge and difficult to move around, while those with a display smaller than 13.3 inches are cramped and uncomfortable.

If portability is not important to you, buy a 15.6-inch notebook. If portability is important, buy a 13.3- to 14-inch system. Laptops that are smaller or larger target niche buyers. There are some people who really do need small laptops, and some people who really can use a gaming behemoth. But the chance you’re one of the few is slim.

Mistake #3: Mesmerized by glossy displays

Most of today’s laptops come with glossy displays. These displays make colors appears more vivid and look nice in retail stores, particularly when the display is turned off. They also can make a laptop impossible to use in a brightly lit room. Outdoor use? Hah! That’s a good one.

macbook pro glossy display laptop screenConsumers often take gloss as a given because it’s so rare to find anti-glare displays in stores, but they do exist, and can be had at affordable prices. The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge line provides anti-glare displays on a budget, as do Dell’s Precision laptops and HP’s ProBook line.

You can also sometimes find matte displays on other laptops, but usually only as an option on the manufacturer’s website. If you see a laptop in store that you like, go home and search online to see if the same model — or a similar one — is available with a matte coat.

Mistake #4: Got no game

Intel has committed itself to improving integrated graphics, but so far it’s only been able to keep pace with the increasing demands of new games. The company’s latest Intel HD 4000 component, which is standard in any laptop with a third-gen Intel Core processor, is notably quicker than the preceding Intel HD 3000. But games have becoming more demanding, as well, canceling most of the improvement.

If you want to play new 3D games on your laptop, you must consider an optional GPU from Nvidia or AMD. There are many different options. Check out Notebook Check’s GPU list if you’re curious about relative performance.

High-end gaming GPUs are obviously the quickest, but even a basic discrete GPU can double the performance of Intel HD 4000. You can expect to pay $100 to $200 extra if the GPU is an option, but some laptops come with discrete graphics standard. Lenovo and Acer are two companies known for packing fast GPUs into affordable laptops.

Mistake #5: Loading up on RAM

Manufacturers love RAM. It can be easily be expressed in a number, and bigger numbers are better. It’s also absurdly cheap, so packing in some extra gigabytes is an easy way to rake in extra profit.

computer ram laptop guideTruth be told, you don’t need more than 4GB of RAM. There are exceptions, but they are rare, and the people who do need more than 4GB already know it.

Don’t consider anything above 4GB a benefit. If a laptop has more, that’s great, but don’t factor it in your purchasing decision.

Conclusion

Buying a laptop is complex, but you can find the tools you need to be successful. Our reviews here at Digital Trends are a good start. We’ll walk you through every feature of a notebook and how it performed in our hands-on testing, from display quality to performance.

We take an in-depth look at every laptop we receive. Everything from the user interface to the display to performance is evaluated.

Remember that you have options. You don’t have to buy that 17.3-inch laptop your local retailer is selling for a song. Hunt around the Internet a bit and you’re almost certain to find a similar price on something more suitably sized. The wrong laptop is never a good deal, no matter how appealing the price.

[Photo credits: Laptops: Jurgen Ziewe/Shutterstock; Trackpad: Fabio Alcini/Shutterstock; RAM dodi31/Shutterstock]


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Jetsetter: Iranian players still banned out of World of Warcraft

In Jetsetter for the week ending August 31, Iran is locked out of World of Warcraft, Indian MMO gets historical, and Crytek opens in China.

As Labor Day 2012 breathes down our collective necks, it’s hard not to think about domestic affairs. Football, the kind played with a brown egg-shaped piece of leather, is upon us. There is no game more American. Let us not forget ourselves as autumn descends. We’re part of a global community, and there are myriad games out there beyond our borders. So everyone else plays a far less entertaining form of football than we do. Who cares? They’ve got crazy video games out there as well.

Welcome back to Jetsetter, Digital Trends’ weekly look at the wide world of video games outside the U.S. Got a tip about some social game based on Jamaica’s thriving DJ scene? Let us know in the comments. Meanwhile, you can follow me on Twitter at @ajohnagnello.

* Iranian World of Warcraft players still locked out due to US trade sanctions.

Anyone running a WoW guild with players based in Iran are going to have to find some subs for any upcoming raids. As reported on Wednesday, Blizzard has blocked World of Warcraft players in Iran as the game’s Terms of Service prohibits Blizzard from “doing business with residents of certain nations, including Iran” due to economic sanctions. It’s unusual that these players have only been locked out in the past week though. First, because Blizzard’s Terms of Service should have blocked players in Iran—as well as those in Syria, Cuba, and North Korea as well as others—from play for a while. The more likely cause is a brochure released in Iran by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which bans play of WoW, as well as Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, and Guild Wars because of the “promotion of superstition and mythology” or “demonstration of inappropriate clothing and slutty outfits for female avatars.” This is why no one likes you, Iran.

* Open beta for Indian MMO Vinashi starts.

India’s Gamiana has started an open beta for its MMO strategy game Vishani ahead of the game’s official release on mobile devices and browsers in September. There are plenty of MMOs out there, but there aren’t too many that build their worlds on the rise of the Mughal Empire in India during the 16th century.

 

* Germany’s Crytek opens China studio.

The studio behind Crysis and the capable engine that bears its name, Crytek, opened a studio in Shanghai earlier this month. The company’s been working with China’s gaming giant Tencent for a few years now, but this new studio will mark an increased presence for Crytek’s games in the region. The Shanghai studio will focus exclusively on Chinese language support for existing games and adding features to online games suited to the country’s players.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Huawei previews Emotion UI for Android at IFA

Huawei previews Emotion UI for Android at IFA

Getting a little emotional (credit: Engadget)

Concern for making a consumer friendly experience has bled from Huawei's devices into its user interfaces.

The company announced the impending launch of a revamped UI for Android Thursday at IFA 2012 and offered a taste of what's to come.

The Emotion UI, as it's dubbed, aims to please, building on the company's "Design with Empathy" philosophy, according to a media release.

"Emotion UI is a reflection of Huawei's empathic design philosophy - built by consumers for consumers," said Dennis Poon, Huawei Device's global UI design director, in the release.

"The team was very conscious about placing people before technology," Poon said, adding the design team asked consumers what their ideal interactive experience would be like before undertaking the UI.

Putting the 'you' in UI

To that end, Huawei hosted a number of consumer forums and salons to read what was and wasn't working with its devices.

One of the biggest improvements to come out of those powwows and into the UI is a "Smart Tutorial" function, designed to bring first time users up to snuff on how to operate their phone.

In other areas, Huawei's pushing for customization and simplification, as seen in the "Me Widget" property that lets users condense their most go-to information and functions into a single, customized folder.

The homepage is also customizable as are folders for specific apps, though users be warned deleting an app folder takes all contents with it.

Huawei's reportedly come with with 20 Emotion themes available online, accessible to users who don't want one of six pre-loaded Android skins, including an Android 4.0 stock theme.

Poon also told TechRadar during the conference that the company plans to roll out Emotion UI updates monthly, tweaking it as consumers see fit.

Consumers can download the Chinese-only UI Friday, when the company will also ask for feedback on the experience and development process.

Emotion's public release shouldn't be too far off, though the company will announce a date closer to the launch.

TechRadar has more Huawei at IFA news, including the lowdown on some able-bodied Androids.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Huawei previews Emotion UI for Android at IFA

Huawei previews Emotion UI for Android at IFA

Getting a little emotional (credit: Engadget)

Concern for making a consumer friendly experience has bled from Huawei's devices into its user interfaces.

The company announced the impending launch of a revamped UI for Android Thursday at IFA 2012 and offered a taste of what's to come.

The Emotion UI, as it's dubbed, aims to please, building on the company's "Design with Empathy" philosophy, according to a media release.

"Emotion UI is a reflection of Huawei's empathic design philosophy - built by consumers for consumers," said Dennis Poon, Huawei Device's global UI design director, in the release.

"The team was very conscious about placing people before technology," Poon said, adding the design team asked consumers what their ideal interactive experience would be like before undertaking the UI.

Putting the 'you' in UI

To that end, Huawei hosted a number of consumer forums and salons to read what was and wasn't working with its devices.

One of the biggest improvements to come out of those powwows and into the UI is a "Smart Tutorial" function, designed to bring first time users up to snuff on how to operate their phone.

In other areas, Huawei's pushing for customization and simplification, as seen in the "Me Widget" property that lets users condense their most go-to information and functions into a single, customized folder.

The homepage is also customizable as are folders for specific apps, though users be warned deleting an app folder takes all contents with it.

Huawei's reportedly come with with 20 Emotion themes available online, accessible to users who don't want one of six pre-loaded Android skins, including an Android 4.0 stock theme.

Poon also told TechRadar during the conference that the company plans to roll out Emotion UI updates monthly, tweaking it as consumers see fit.

Consumers can download the Chinese-only UI Friday, when the company will also ask for feedback on the experience and development process.

Emotion's public release shouldn't be too far off, though the company will announce a date closer to the launch.

TechRadar has more Huawei at IFA news, including the lowdown on some able-bodied Androids.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Life’s Good at LG: How the company could make a smartphone comeback

HTC is in a slump, Samsung has just been dealt a blow by Apple, the stage is set for a new smartphone player. Could it be LG?

The news that LG is launching a new line of Android smartphones wasn’t a huge surprise, but the specifics definitely were. The new LG Optimus G looks like the most powerful Android smartphone on the horizon right now. The South Korean company also announced the Optimus L9, which looks like a nice update to the L-Series. That follows the reported success of the “phablet” (it’s a 5-inch phone and tablet crossover), the LG Optimus Vu in Korea, which is due to launch in the U.S. soon.

The exciting news extends beyond the hardware. Features like live zooming on video, the ability to stream content to your TV and simultaneously have something different on your phone’s screen, a voice activated camera, and an easy note system called QMemo all look promising. On the back of those announcements, LG Electronics stock rose 4.5 percent. Could LG step out from the shadow of its compatriot Samsung and grab a larger share of the smartphone market?

Changing focus

In the second quarter of 2012 mobile handset shipment charts, LG ranked number five with a 3.6 percent share. Shipments actually declined and the company posted a loss, which it attributed to the collapsing feature phone market and increased marketing expenses.

Going forward, LG’s focus appears to be on high-end 4G LTE smartphones. That means going up against Samsung, HTC, and Motorola on the Android platform, and there will be stiff competition from Apple’s new iPhone and possibly Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 line-up. Can LG compete in this space?

Big plans

There is no doubt that LG Chairman, Koo Bon-moo, is determined to push the company to greater heights. According to the Korea Times, he ordered the divisions of the LG group to “actively create synergy together to develop new products that will lead the market in the future.”

The first fruit of their labor was the new LG Optimus G, but that’s only the beginning. Spending on research and development has been increased, more mergers are being pursued, and the company is planning to focus greater effort on green innovations.

A pooling of knowledge by the various LG divisions – LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Display, and LG Innotek – has real potential to produce quality devices. As Park Jong-seok, head of LG Electronics’ mobile division, optimistically suggested, “(The launch of the Optimus G) will give a certain momentum to our smartphone business and be an opportune turning point for LG to secure leadership in the world market.”

Digging deeper

This all sounds great, but can LG keep up with Samsung and Apple? In terms of research and development, estimates vary and the waters are muddied by the fact that most big tech companies are working on a range of products, not just mobile. Samsung is spending billions of dollars annually while Apple actually doesn’t spend that much. However, LG is certainly devoting enough resources to its mobile division to make a real difference. This Fierce Wireless article suggests a major refocus and investment on its smartphone business.

Does it need an image change?

LG is a well-known brand. This comScore report reveals that LG devices accounted for 19.4 percent of US mobile subscribers in February 2012 and that fell to a still impressive 19.1 percent by May 2012. The trouble is that the bulk of those devices were feature phones or smartphones in the budget or mid-range category and so LG may need to do some work to get people to see them in a new, premium light.

The fact that LG has always ranked well in consumer satisfaction surveys (generally above Samsung) bodes well for them. There’s also the fact that LG Display manufactures touchscreens for Apple’s iPhone and iPad range.

Is quality enough?

Benchmark tests of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processors at AnandTech rank the chip that LG is using in its Optimus G way ahead of its Android rivals. In theory it should outperform current market leaders like the Samsung Galaxy S3. How many people are swayed by specs though? As we know from HTC’s decline, it’s not enough to have a top class product, you also need some marketing muscle and that’s where Samsung and Apple are ahead of the game.

Much will depend on the early reviews, the carriers, and the all-important pricing. There’s certainly room for LG to make a splash and capitalize on Samsung’s war with Apple and HTC’s rough patch.

Staying out of the patent war

LG signed a licensing deal with Microsoft back at the start of the year which covered its use of the Android platform and also the Chrome OS. While Apple has sued a number of Android manufacturers it seems to have steered clear of LG so far.

When it comes to patents, LG apparently has a decent portfolio, and it doesn’t shy away from litigation. There has been a patent battle with Sony in the past, but no fight with Apple. In fact, Woo-Young Kwak, head of LG Mobile’s Handset R&D Center, famously said at a press conference back in 2007, “We consider that Apple copied the Prada phone after the design was unveiled when it was presented in the iF Design Award and won the prize in September 2006.”

There was talk of LG suing Apple at the time, but it never happened. Evidence presented by Samsung at the trial included photos of the LG Prada. The LG Prada was definitely no iPhone, but it does make you wonder. In any case staying out of the current patent war could be good for LG.

Shooting for third

A hands-on with the Optimus G will help decide if the company’s prospects are truly rosy. Taking on Samsung and Apple at the premium end of the smartphone market may be beyond it, but there’s no reason LG can’t shoot for third. What do you think? Do you fancy LG’s chances?


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Hey Samsung, how come the Note 2 is suddenly a smartphone?

Hey Samsung, how come the Note 2 is suddenly a smartphone?

Confirmed - now a smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is not a tablet/phone hybrid anymore. It's a key weapon against the iPhone.

For nearly a whole year I've been haranguing Samsung, asking it to define the Samsung Galaxy Note as either a smartphone or a tablet. The answer has always been: 'It's a Galaxy Note'.

But conspicuously, the Note 2 has been dubbed a smartphone by all those the Samsung-ites that spoke about it on stage here at IFA 2012, which is something of a change from last year.

The old Note is also being described as a phone for the first time, showing that Samsung has clearly re-categorised it internally.

'Why is this significant? Show us more pictures of phones!' you may be crying. Well, by bringing the Galaxy Note 2 back into the smartphone stable it's sending a message to consumers, one that says it has the most powerful smartphone out there, instead of the bastard child of a Galaxy Tab and a Galaxy S3.

Galaxy note

I spoke to James White of Samsung Mobile UK, and he confirmed that the company now saw Note as a category of products, rather than just one device that was sort of a phone, but sort of a tablet too:

"The Note category is important to us; the Note 10.1 built on the original, and now we have the Note 2 – as a category this is going to grow and now we have three products we have the momentum to go forward.

"[Note] will span smartphones as well as tablets. We think a 5.5-inch screen is the optimum balance of the portability of smartphone with a deep immersive web experience."

Big hitter

But it's a lot more than a marketing exercise in talking about tablets and phones with a stylus – by classing the Note 2 as a smartphone Samsung has saved itself a huge amount of effort educating consumers that they need a new breed of device and can concentrate on pushing it as an alternative to what's out there.

Which leads me to the main point: while it's terribly trendy to always harp back to the Apple vs Samsung debate, the Note is going to be key for the Koreans in the fight to win users from the Cupertino brand.

While the Samsung Galaxy S3 is rocketing off the shelves the world over, having the Galaxy Note 2, with its mind-boggling specs and (love it or loathe it) unique stylus, does give users something very different to think about if they're not completely sold on the iPhone 5.

So many people have asked me firstly what the Galaxy Note is and whether they can upgrade to it on a smarpthone contract, and then secondly: 'can I use it as a phone?'

Samsung may have just brought a new weapon into its smartphone arsenal – and all it had to do was admit that phablets never really were going to take off anyway.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Sony Xperia V could come to the UK

Sony Xperia V could come to the UK

Could make its way to us yet

When the Sony Xperia V hits stores sometime during the last quarter of 2012, it won't be showing up in the UK, but that doesn't mean it's banished from blighty forever.

Speaking to Calum MacDougall, Head of Xperia Marketing at Sony, TechRadar learned that the Japanense firm is ready to ship its LTE enabled handsets to any markets where there is demand for them.

MacDougall said: "It is in the hands of the operators and the consumers, if the consumer demand for faster network capability is there, and the operator capability is there, then we're ready. We're always going to be ready.

Ready to go

He continued: "We've already launched the LTE Xperia Ion in the US and elsewhere, and we have the expertise and capability to launch the Xperia V in various 4G markets."

Now that Everything Everywhere has been granted permission from Ofcom to launch its 4G service in the UK before the year is out, we could see T-Mobile and Orange getting on the phone to Sony, asking for the Xperia V, and even the Xperia Ion, which has been available is the States for a while now.

At the end of the day, as long as there is the demand from UK consumers for LTE handsets, Sony is more than happy to ship in units, so let's start getting excited about 4G people!


Source : techradar[dot]com

Mobile trends Twitter party: win one of 6 Sony Xperia T smartphones

Mobile trends Twitter party: win one of 6 Sony Xperia T smartphones

Join the party to win your very own Sony Xperia T smartphone

Scoop a new Sony Xperia T smartphone as we team with T3 on Twitter to discuss the potential impact of NFC and the future of the mobile industry.

We've teamed up with the generous folks at Sony to give you the chance to win one of 6 Sony Xperia T smartphones, just announced at IFA 2012 in Berlin.

The Twitter party begins at 3PM on September 5 for one hour, and you can follow with the hashtag #WinWith Xperia. Bring all your questions on the future of the most exciting industry in the gadget world and join the conversation!

To win, follow those lovely chaps over on @T3dotcom, bring your questions using the hashtag (#WinWithXperia if you've already forgotten), keep a lookout for the all important entry tweets and be ready to retweet for the opportunity to win a top-notch Android phone.

Mobile trends

The mobile sector of the tech industry is probably the only thing left in the universe that moves faster than a monkey with the keys to a banana factory.

The next huge development will see the widespread adoption Near Field Communications (NFC) chips in almost all new mobile handsets as we move towards 2013.

The many possibilities for NFC, which appears within the newly-announced Sony Xperia T, are many.

The long-held fantasy of a digital wallet in a cashless society could soon be upon us. Soon, our handsets will contain digital bank cards, store cards, identification, travel passes, event tickets or even keys to our cars and houses.

What would be your ultimate use for NFC? Bring your suggestions to the Twitter Party over at @T3dotcom (and remember to include the hashtag #WinWithXperia).

However, NFC isn't the only area of the industry moving at sprint-speed; the quad-core era is now upon us, while recent developments have made the UK's first 4G LTE network possible by the end of 2012.

Given quicker mobile internet, what would you do? Would it change to way you work and live? Let us know with the #WinWithXperia hashtag.

Meanwhile, more powerful productivity, gaming and media-based applications arrive every day to increase the reach of our mobile devices. Let us know your dream apps and make sure you use the #WinWithXperia hashtag.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Huawei Ascend G330 and Ascend G600 launch - next level budget Android

Huawei Ascend G330 and Ascend G600 launch - next level budget Android

Power to the budget people with the Ascend G600

Huawei is giddy with the relative success of the Ascend G300 and has delivered two more phones in the range.

The G330 is the first up, and comes with a 4-inch WVGA screen, dual core 1GHz processor and a pretty meaty 512MB of RAM.

There's 4GB of internal memory, a 5MP camera bolted on the back and it's got a fairly run of the mill 1500mAh battery on board. It is running Android Ice Cream Sandwich though, and will cost just €199 (around £155 / $250) on a SIM free basis.

Feeling so fly like a G600

However, it's overshadowed by the more impressively-endowed Huawei Ascend G600, which offers up DTS sound, a 4.5-inch qHD resolution screen, Gorilla Glass front and a dual-core 1.2GHz chip at its heart.

Also running Ice Cream Sandwich, the phone will be the first from Huawei to pack in NFC as well, which is something the Chinese brand thinks will help it in the enterprise sector.

It's got a 2000mAh battery, an 8MP camera on the back and apparently takes the 'Honor story to the next level'… which is good, seeing as the Huawei Honour phone really didn't take us very far at all.

It's coming in at a palatable €299 on a SIM free basis (around £235 / $370) although carriers are being lined up for this one.

Both the Huawei Ascend G330 and the Huawei Ascend G600 release dates have been set for October, so it's not long to wait to get your hands on some mid-range, but slightly cheaper, devices.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Flagship ZTE Grand X IN comes with Ice Cream Sandwich, Intel inside

Flagship ZTE Grand X IN comes with Ice Cream Sandwich, Intel inside

Yes, very grand

ZTE's new flagship handset is its first with Intel inside, with the ZTE Grand X IN rocking an Atom processor and Ice Cream Sandwich.

If the name and look seem familiar, it's because the ZTE Grand X is barely out of short trousers; but crucially doesn't feature the Intel hardware (hence the IN suffix).

The Intel Atom Z2460 chip with 1GB of RAM comes with a 4.3-inch QHD screen and 4GB of memory expandable to 32GB by way of microSD. It's going to allow for HSPA+ speeds of up to 21Mbps.

The Grand X IN also has an 8MP camera with flash and 0.3MP front-facing snapper for video calling and unflattering, jowly self-portraits.

ABC ZTE

Capable of recording and playing 1080p footage, the Grand X IN is also DLNA compatible and has an NFC chip for wireless data transfer and contactless payments.

ZTE's new flagship handset will be coming to Europe this September, although there's no word on pricing or whether it'll get an upgrade to Jelly Bean yet either.

The handset was launched over at IFA 2012, where we currently have our phone hounds sniffing out a sample, so stay tuned for the TechRadar's hands on ZTE Grand X IN review, coming soon.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Kindle Fire ‘sold out’ ahead of Sept. 6 Amazon event: Kindle Fire 2 coming soon?

best kindle fire games header kindle fire games amazon app store ios

Amazon has more-or-less confirmed that a new Kindle Fire will be announced next week.

If there was any question about what’s in store for Amazon’s September 6 event, there isn’t anymore: The online retail giant has pulled the Kindle Fire from its website, saying that the device is “sold out.” Not only that, but Amazon went so far as to publish a press release about it. Can you say “hint, hint” any louder, Amazon?

“We’re grateful to the millions of customers who have made Kindle Fire the most successful product launch in the history of Amazon,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO, in a statement. “This has been a big year for digital products on Amazon — all of the top 10 sellers on Amazon.com since Kindle Fire launched just less than a year ago are digital products. Kindle Fire is sold out, but we have an exciting roadmap ahead — we will continue to offer our customers the best hardware, the best prices, the best customer service, the best cross-platform interoperability, and the best content ecosystem.”

That’s right, Amazon has “an exciting roadmap ahead,” which includes “the best hardware, the best prices,” and “the best cross-platform interoperability.” All of that is code for: New Kindle Fire coming next week! And if it’s not, well, then Amazon sucks at writing press releases.

Amazon boasts that the 7-inch Kindle Fire “is the #1 best-selling product” on Amazon.com, and has earned more than “10,000 5-star ratings” since its launch on November 15, 2011. While all that is surely true, it does not take into consideration the recent launch of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, which costs the same ($200), and is easily a better device.

While this announcement essentially confirms that a new Kindle Fire is on its way, rumors suggest that Amazon has more than one device up its sleeve, including a larger Kindle Fire tablet that measures 10-inches (about the same size as the iPad), as well as a smartphone. On those counts, we’ll just have to wait until next Thursday to find out.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

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