SwiftKey for iOS allegedly leaks, could be as good as Android keyboard

SwiftKey for iOS allegedly leaks, could be as good as Android keyboard

A possible alternative to the Apple keyboard (credit: evleaks)

Apple improved the keyboard in iOS 7, but the Android-exclusive SwiftKey is still hands-down the best on-screen input method out there.

Developer TouchType could finally bring its AI-driven predictive keyboard to iPhone and iPad users if a leaked image from evleaks is to be believed.

It shows what looks to be a SwiftKey app running on iOS with a suggestion-filled predictive candidate bar above an otherwise normal-looking keyboard.

The allegedly SwiftKey app is running on an iPhone 5S and includes a promotional-friendly typed out message of "A super-fast typing..."

Keys to Apple's walled garden?

Even if SwiftKey is working on an Android-to-iOS transition for its popular keyboard, it might not be able to take full advantage of the platform.

That's because Apple doesn't allow third-party apps to tinker with the iOS on-screen keyboard. It's why SwiftKey, despite being the No. 1 paid download in the Google Play store, remains an Android-only app.

SwiftKey for iOS could be hamstrung and be unable to cure everyone's typos if it has to be enabled on an app-by-app basis. If that's the case the site "Damn You Auto Correct" can stay in business.


Source : techradar[dot]com

LG G Optimus G Pro 2 may show off its 6-inch face at Mobile World Con 2014

LG G Optimus G Pro 2 may show off its 6-inch face at Mobile World Con 2014

Counting down the days 'till the next LG phone

The rumors are heating up for big phone debuts for the upcoming MWC 2014. Last year LG revealed the Optimus G Pro and an updated affordable L series at MWC 2013, so we expect a similar array this year.

It seems like the Korean site ETNews also believes LG will drop a new phone at the conference as well - specifically the LG Optimus G Pro 2.

The report claims the company will tout the Optimus G Pro 2 as its latest high-end phone, while sporting the latest Android 4.4 update - the first in LG's line with the newest version of Android.

Speculated specs

The Electronics Times also suggests that the G Pro 2 will run a Snapdragon 800 processor and 3GB of RAM all behind a massive 6-inch Full HD display.

LTE and LTE-Advanced networks are also purportedly part of the package according to "telecommunications industry sources" as cited by the Times.

With only a month left until the conference, we're sure more rumors will continue to pop up on the 'net. However, for the real deal, check back in February for full coverage of MWC.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Qualcomm buys 2,400 patents from HP, including Palm, Bitfone and more

Qualcomm buys 2,400 patents from HP, including Palm, Bitfone and more

Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips are everywhere - what's next?

Qualcomm has purchased a large batch of patents from HP that "further enhance the strength and diversity of Qualcomm's Incorporated's industry-leading mobile patent portfolio," the two companies said in a press release.

The portfolio includes roughly 2,400 granted patents and pending applications for patents related to HP's Palm, IPAQ and Bitfone technologies.

Most of those - 1,400 - are from the US, while 1,000 are from other countries.

They didn't spill the beans on how much Qualcomm paid, though.

Big plans, maybe

The announcement says most of these patents cover technologies like "fundamental mobile operating system techniques," whatever that means.

There are no clues as to what Qualcomm plans to do with these patents, besides the press release's vague promise that they "will enable the company to offer even more value to current and future licensees."

Qualcomm has been riding high in recent years, as its Snapdragon brand processors are powering top smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S4, the HTC One, and many others.

We've asked Qualcomm to elaborate on its plans for this portfolio and will update this article if we hear back.

  • In the meantime, check out TechRadar's list of the best tablets available now!

Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple could stick sapphire to screens, processors and more in iPhone 6

Apple could stick sapphire to screens, processors and more in iPhone 6

Apple uses sapphire in the iPhone 5S's fingerprint reader

Apple has filed a patent that reveals some of the ways it might utilize sapphire in its future devices, like the iPhone 6 and the next iPad.

The patent actually describes ways that sapphire might be attached to electronics, but in doing so it reveals potential applications for the material.

We already know that Apple might use a sapphire coating to make its devices' screens even tougher than the Gorilla Glass it currently uses. Sapphire is hard to break and literally crystal clear, after all.

But how about using sapphire to dissipate heat from an iPhone's processor?

Melting for sapphire

It turns out sapphire conducts heat just as well as some metals do, and the new Apple patent describe mounting the crystal to a device's chip to help absorb some of those degrees.

When it comes to how the sapphire would actually be mounted, the patent describes a few techniques.

In one melted plastic or metal is poured through an aperture in the sapphire surface, thereby binding them together when it cools. Then electronics can be attached to the metal or plastic.

Another method describes a molding technique that would attach other materials directly to the sapphire substrate's edges.

A sapphire future

Sapphire is already being used in Apple's devices - as the camera lens cover on the iPhone 5, and as the fingerprint sensor cover on the iPhone 5S.

And crystal specialists GT Advanced Technologies revealed in November 2013 they had signed a multi-year supply deal with Apple.

Apple's plans for the material going forward are unknown, but it's clearly investigating every option.

  • Is a fancy sapphire fingerprint reader enough to make the iPhone 5S the best? Read TechRadar's review to find out what we think.

Source : techradar[dot]com

iPhone 6 reported to go beyond 5-inches this June

iPhone 6 reported to go beyond 5-inches this June

The dial goes past 5-inches

A new report has surfaced claiming that Apple is preparing to launch not one, but two big screen iPhone 6 additions this June.

The Wall Street Journal alleges that the next iPhone revision two variants with one larger than 4.5 inches and another bigger than 5-inches, eliminating the 4-inch standard started by the iPhone 5.

Although slightly larger, both phones are said to share the same metal clad design as the iPhone 5S. Meanwhile, Apple will scrap the plastic iPhone 5C just a year after being introduced.

This is the second time we've heard of a 4.5+ inch iPhone 6 and last time it was locked in as a 4.8–inch model. This handset is purportedly further along in development and nearly prepped for mass production.

The larger handset, however, is a new addition that's still in development but should be on track for release this year.

Game of screens

Apple is swinging to biggie-size phone screens partially to compete with larger handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG G2. However, the Journal reports the real reason is because big screens are popular in China, a multi-billion user market all smart device makers are eyeing.

Rumors and reports of bigger screens of Apple have been bubbling up and now they've begun boiling over to tablets. Beyond phones we've heard murmurings of a 13-inch iPad that will blur the line between tablets and ultrabooks.

It seems Apple will be going big at its mobile device unveiling later this June. We're sure to hear more until then so keep watching this space.

Via Gizmodo


Source : techradar[dot]com

Will the Nexus 5 come in six new colours? We're doubtful

Will the Nexus 5 come in six new colours? We're doubtful

We can see a rainbow

Is Google preparing to launch a bunch of new Nexus 5 colours? A certain video working its way around the internet reckons so.

The dodgy home movie shows someone in a dark room, clicking through a number of different colour options for the currently-black-or-white handset: blue, purple, red, green, yellow and orange.

We're throwing a lot of doubt on this one. As Phandroid points out, currently changing your colour choice involves a URL change on the Play Store, which isn't happening in the video clip.

So while we'd love to believe this is real, it's very, very unlikely. Still, nice to imagine...


Source : techradar[dot]com

This is how Nokia's Android Normandy handset should look

This is how Nokia's Android Normandy handset should look

TechRadar's mashup idea

Rumours surrounding the Nokia Normandy refuse to die, and with more leaks emerging every day, it looks increasingly likely that the Finnish firm will unleash an Android handset on the world in the coming months.

We've seen a few images surface online recently, all claiming to show off the fruit of Nokia looms: a sort of Windows Phone 8-esque, Android mashup. Reports of late have floated February 25 as a possible launch date, meaning we may see the Normandy make a welcome appearance at MWC 2014.

Of course, leaks and speculation are all very well and good, but being as flat-out crazy about tech we are, this just isn't enough to satisfy our excitement. So, we've taken it one step further, and put together our own vision of the perfect Nokia-Android partnership.

See our version of the Nokia Normandy in all its glory in the video below, then tell us what you think of our handiwork in the comments.


Source : techradar[dot]com

LG G2 Pro phablet on the cards ahead of LG G3

LG G2 Pro phablet on the cards ahead of LG G3

Supersize me please LG!

The LG G3 is widely expected to arrive sometime in 2014, but it may be towards the end of the year as news arrives suggesting LG will squeeze in another top-end handset before its big reveal.

Korean site ETNews is reporting that the manufacturer is lining up the LG G2 Pro, a move which would mirror the launch of the LG Optimus G Pro - the successor to the original Optimus G.

Apparently the LG G2 Pro will get a screen boost from 5.2 inches up to 6 inches, propelling it firmly into the "phablet" sector.

It'll keep the same 1080p resolution as the LG G2 though, with the QHD display supposedly being held back for the G3.

All eyes on MWC

As far as other specs go the LG G2 Pro is touted to have a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 3GB of RAM and Android 4.4 KitKat - the latest flavour of Google's mobile platform.

A LG G2 Pro release date is pegged for sometime in the next month or so, and with MWC 2014 just around the corner all eyes will be on Barcelona come February 24.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite confirmed, but it's not coming to the UK

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite confirmed, but it's not coming to the UK

But just how 'Lite' will we be talking?

Samsung has confirmed to TechRadar that Samsung's rumoured "Note 3 Neo" phablet does exist, and its official name is the Galaxy Note 3 Lite.

A spokesperson for the Korean firm also told us "Samsung can confirm that the Note 3 Lite will not be coming to the UK market." However, we weren't able to get any more information on where it will be available.

We've been informed that this is the very same Galaxy Note 3 Neo handset that we've been hearing about, but the Lite is its official market name.

Neo exist the Matrix

The Note 3 Lite has been showing up in various leaks, the latest of which included a bunch of purported press shots from a Belgian retailer.

Nothing more on the specs for now, but there's talk that this could be the first hexa-core handset with both a 1.7GHz dual-core and a 1.3GHz quad-core processor.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo appears in press image leak

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo appears in press image leak

Spot the difference (credit: Sammobile)

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo has been popping up in various forms, but now we've got something that looks a bit more official.

An anonymous employee at a Belgian retail store told Sammobile that the Neo's pre-order page is set to go live very soon, and provided some press shots too.

The phone in these pictures looks identical to the standard Galaxy Note 3 phablet, and of course there's the possibility that these are 100% fake - however much of a certainty the Neo seems right now.

Is it The One?

The site also claims that the phone will have a pre-order price of €599 (about £490, $810, AU$920), which still seems a little high to us.

Unfortunately there were no specs to go with then pictures, but previous rumours have claimed that the phone will have both a 1.7GHz dual-core and a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, making it the world's first hexa-core phone.

On top of that we're hearing it will pack a 5.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage with microSD slot, an 8mp camera, and will run Android 4.3.

We've asked Samsung to comment on the matter and will update as soon as we hear more.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Yet more Samsung Galaxy Tabs tipped ahead of MWC 2014

Yet more Samsung Galaxy Tabs tipped ahead of MWC 2014

More, more, more. How do you like it? How do you like it?

Samsung might be going a little tablet crazy at the moment, as after launching no fewer than five new slates in January 2014, three more have now popped up online.

Details of the trio of mystery tablets appeared on Indian product import site Zauba, with model IDs SM-T535, SM-T531 and SM-T530 revealed.

The SM-T535 and SM-T530 devices are both listed as 8-inch Samsung tablets, with the SM-T535 having the addition of "Single SIM" in its listing, suggesting it may be the 3G/4G variant of the SM-T530.

The big one

Meanwhile the SM-T531 is, slightly confusingly, down as a 10.1-inch Samsung tablet and the same model ID has also been spotted over at Bluetooth SIG giving the larger slate rumours slightly more creditability.

There is talk of a Samsung Unpacked event happening at MWC 2014 on February 23, and while some suggest we might see the Galaxy S5 unveiled, we reckon you're more likely to see something along the lines of these tablets.

We will be out in force in Barcelona to bring you all the latest from the show, including anything Samsung has to share.


Source : techradar[dot]com

It's free
archive