A new Xenon flash that is compact enough to fit into some of smallest phones may provide a brighter future for their owners who just can't seem to properly light their dim-looking photos.

The slim-phone-friendly capacitor that's still able to store enough energy for a Xenon flash was developed by scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and being produced by Xenon Technologies.

"This project will yield a breakthrough solution for the digital imaging industry, which will be the world's smallest Xenon flash," said Xenon Technologies CEO Jack Tuen in a press release.

"Our customers and consumers at large constantly demand for a proper Xenon flash which can fit into increasingly smaller and beautiful form factor mobile devices. This is the answer which fulfils that need."

Examining the Xenon technology

With the goal of lighting the way to better-looking photos, this Xenon flash on a diet is made from polymers layered together and it contains a capacitor that is at least four times smaller than current electrolytic capacitors.

"The multi-layered polymer capacitor is also able to deliver the same electricity charge needed to power high-intensity Xenon flash light matching those found in digital cameras," said the school in a press release.

This advancement is thanks to the two and a half years of work of the inventor and associate professor Lee Pooi See and her team of researchers at NTU's School of Materials Science and Engineering.

"With XT's expertise in developing successful commercial products, we are confident that this collaboration will result in a disruptive innovation," she said in a statement.

"Not just in the area of flash technology, but also in the world of consumer electronics, as all computers and devices requires the use of capacitors in one way or another."

Slim Xenon flash timetable

With funding from Singapore's National Research Foundation Proof-of-Concept grant, the NTU-Xenon team expects to have a commercial prototype ready by September of this year.

But don't put away your Xenon-flash-boasting Nokia 808 PureView just yet.

Tuen told CNET that he was confident that mobile phone manufacturers will take to the new slim Xenon flash - but it won't be in a flash. Instead, look for the new technology in devices sometime in the end of 2014.

While we don't know sales figures just yet for the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone, one issue likely holding consumers at bay is the lack of major app support with the new operating system.

As respectable as the Z10 is as an addition to the smartphone market, the OS just can't hold a candle to the wide variety of native apps on both iOS and Android handsets.

Even with Facebook, Twitter, and FourSquare on board, the ecosystem doesn't currently have much to offer that its competitors don't do better.

To make matters even worse, it looks like BlackBerry 10 won't get a native Instagram app either, adding another reason for consumers to look elsewhere.

Android port possible

It's a bit curious that Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, wouldn't see the light of day on BB10 even though the social network was already on board.

However, sources close to Instagram told AllThingsD there were no plans in place for a native version of the app on BB10, and that they weren't sure it would ever happen.

That's not to say a version of Instagram won't be brought to the OS, as the company is apparently working on a port of the Android version of the app.

Facebook and Instagram have final say as to whether or not the port is strong enough to be put on BB10 smartphones, meaning there's a chance Instagram may not appear on the OS in any shape or form.

BlackBerry and Facebook are reportedly trying to work out the technical issues plaguing the current port of the Android version, however there doesn't appear to be a solution in sight.

BlackBerry is already lagging far behind competitors Apple and Google, and the lack of the consumer favorite app could mean bad tidings for the future of the app ecosystem.

TechRadar asked Facebook for comment, and will update this story if and when the company can offer any insight into the app conundrum.

Where once Apple reigned, Samsung now sits supreme.

The Korean company surpassed Apple in 2012 to grasp the largest portion of the "smart connected device" market that any single company held, according to marketing research firm IDC.

That market includes desktop and portable PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

In a report published on Thursday, the firm found that Samsung gained 20.8 percent of sales of those devices in 2012, up from 12.3 percent the year before. Apple, by contrast, went from 16.3 percent in 2011 to 18.2 percent in 2012.

Pieces of the pie

Though Apple and Samsung's shares of the "connected device" market both went up in 2012, Samsung's rose considerably more, nabbing it the top spot, according to IDC.

Lenovo came in third with 6.5 percent of the market, and HP and Dell followed with 4.8 percent and 3.2 percent respectively.

Finally, the other 46.4 percent of the market went to a mish-mash of other brands, which IDC lumped together into one category known as "other."

Samsung's unit shipments totaled 250 million in 2012, compared to 114 million in 2011. On Apple's side those numbers read 218.7 million and 151.5 million for 2012 and 2011, respectively.

iPhone, where are you now?

IDC's report came just days after another that claimed Apple gobbled up 19.9 percent of total consumer tech revenue in 2012, a figure slightly higher than IDC's estimate.

Apple launched the iPhone 5 last year, but according to IDC's numbers that couldn't save it from the dominance of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S3, released earlier in 2012.

That's despite record sales from Apple, even, whose devices are beginning to look less and less appealing in the face of strong competition.

All except the iPad and iPad mini, that is, which topped tablet sales in 2012, IDC reported.

It's just too bad that Apple and Samsung's overblown court battles can't be settled based on sales numbers.

IDC also reported that the total market for PCs, smartphones and tablets rose 29 percent in the last year.

Google has just announced the latest addition to its lineup of web-centric Chromebook laptops. Unlike prior variants that drew their main value from their low price tag, the new Chromebook Pixel hopes to entice another set of users who live in the cloud and are willing to spend ‘a little more’ for better specs. That includes a 12.85 inch 2560×1700 touch screen, Core i5 CPU, bigger SSD and 1TB of storage on Google Drive for three years.

Starting at $1,299 for the basic Wi-Fi version, however, the Chromebook Pixel is definitely not for everyone.

As the name suggests the high resolution screen is the highlight of this device. With a pixel density of 239 pixels per inch it manages to outclass the 220 PPI of Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display, and the use of a 3:2 aspect ratio is supposed improve viewing web content with 18% more vertical space than a 16:9 layout.

It's a thicker and boxier than the MacBook Pro but it shares some other design elements and similar attention to detail. From the invisible speakers that fire upwards through the keyboard, to the vents hidden in the hinge, a full-sized LED-backlit keyboard, and a large glass touchpad tuned with a laser for a grippy finish. Hands-on impressions popping up across the web all agree that if feels like a solid piece of kit.

Under the hood you’ll find a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor alongside 4GB of DDR3 RAM and 32GB of flash storage -- nothing to rival a similarly priced Windows laptop but then again you don’t need much more for Chrome OS. Other features include Bluetooth 3.0, an SD slot, two USB 2.0, one Mini DiasplayPort, and a trio of integrated mics that cancel out background noise when videoconferencing on the 720p webcam.

An LTE-equipped model with 64GB of storage is scheduled to arrive in early April for $1,449.

Google’s app suite including services like Gmail, Google Docs, YouTube, Google Maps, and Search are all a few clicks away, with another couple of thousand more available on the Google Web Store. The company also demoed a new Google+ app that should arrive in a few weeks, as well as new Quick Office integration so you can open and edit Word and Excel documents natively from Google Docs.

The Chromebook Pixel will be available on the Google Store and in select Best Buy locations nationwide.

We can’t fault Google for trying something different and bold with Chrome OS, but at that price it’ll be a hard sell when you can get more for less. Even with the high resolution display as a key selling point it’s hard to justify the investment when a higher-spec MacBook Pro with Retina display running a full fledged desktop OS costs $50 more. Sadly, there are still no high-resolution alternatives available from the Windows camp.

Though the iOS 6.1.2 update had only recently been pushed to users, Apple is already getting to work on another incremental update for the operating system.

The most recent update did end up addressing the battery draining issue disrupting iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches, while it also fixed any nagging increased network activity caused by the bug.

Oddly enough, the 6.1.2 update did not squash the persistent lockscreen issue, which allowed the passcode screen to be bypassed without a four-digit keycode.

It looks like consumers won't have to wait much longer for that problem to be handled by Apple though, as a second beta version of iOS 6.1.3 has just been released to developers.

Quickly and efficiently

Despite the decision not to include a fix for the problem in the last update, Apple has moved rather fast to get another patch out to prevent any more issues with the lockscreen.

Even though the exploit was rather tough to pull off in order to get a look at the private files and call logs of the unsuspecting user, that it existed at all was problematic enough.

In addition to finally removing that issue from iOS devices, the 6.1.2 update will also provide some Maps enhancements for Japanese consumers.

It's unclear if there will be any other fixes to further close out jailbreaking, as many expected the 6.1.2 update to do, only to find the "evasi0n" break was still functional.

There's currently no release timetable known for the general consumer version of the 6.1.3 update, but it is expected to arrive soon.

We’ve known for a while now that mobile games were having a serious impact on the traditional handheld industry. This was evident when Nintendo was forced to slash the price of the 3DS to make up for lower than expected sales and even more so just a couple of days ago when Sony revealed they would be reducing the price of the PS Vita by as much as 33 percent in Japan.

Now thanks to research firms IDC and App Annie, we have some solid data to back up what the game makers are already well aware of. During the fourth quarter of 2012, consumers spent more money on mobile games from Apple’s App Store and Google Play than they did on dedicated handheld systems from Nintendo and Sony.

Furthermore, spending on portable systems was extremely seasonal as 60 percent of games purchased took place in December, likely in the form of Christmas gifts. Money spent on mobile games was distributed more evenly across the quarter, we are told.

In the mobile sector, data shows that consumers are more likely to spend money on a game than they are any other type of app. Games accounted for roughly a third of all app downloads during the last three months of 2012 but in terms of revenue, 60 percent of all app spending in the App Store and 80 percent in Google Play came from games.

It still may be premature to proclaim portable console gaming is dead but if things continue along this path, Nintendo and Sony could be in serious trouble.

If you feel like no one is listening to you, don't worry. Thanks to Qualcomm, your smartphone may soon soon bend an ear.

The chip maker announced Wednesday a new low-powered, always-on listening feature called voice activation for its new chip. It's to be included in the upcoming Snapdragon 800 processor, due out in the middle of 2013.

The feature will allow smartphones to constantly listen to surroundings without sucking up too much power, ready to respond to custom voice cues.

Little brother is listening

Since the feature is always on, users won't have to press any buttons to voice command their devices.

Either the manufacturer or owners can create custom phrases for the device to listen for like, "Hey, Snapdragon." Then users will be able to talk to their smartphone, even if the device is in sleep or airplane mode.

But the new Snapdragon won't listen to strangers, and will only take orders from the device owner.

Quick Charge

Another Snapdragon 800 feature Qualcomm divulged is Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0. The technology allows for devices to be charged up to 75 percent faster than devices without the feature.

Responsible for the speedy recharge is a combination of a special wall charger and either a standalone integrated circuit solution or the built-in power management system in the Snapdragon 800.

The company said the wall charger will fit into existing energy outlets but will be able to provide up to 60 watts of power.

However, the Quick Charge 2.0 wall charger isn't expected to be released before 2014, though the new Snapdragon processor will already be compatible with it at launch.

Enter the Snapdragon

The Snapdragon 800 was previewed at CES 2013, with some impressive features.

With a new CPU configuration and SMP architecture, it will have some heavy-duty processing power while being very energy efficient.

The chip will also allow devices to record and play UltraHD video, take up to 55MP pictures, add multi-channel HD audio and allow for even higher resolution displays (up to 2560 x 2048).

And the new Snapdragon isn't just going into phones, the chip can also be installed in Smart TVs, tablets and digital media adapters. A talk-ready TV might just make those hunts for the remote a thing of the past.

Numbers game

Qualcomm, perhaps trying to get some new products out in the sweep of news coming from of Sony's PS4 show, announced the arrival of two more chips: the Snapdragon 200 and 400.

The 200 is for entry level phones, with a Quad ARM Cortex-A5 CPU with up to 1.4GHz per core and supports HD video playback, up to 8MP pictures and highly accurate GPS.

The Snapdragon 400 is meant for high volume smartphones and tablets. It has a few CPU options with either a Dual Krait processor running up to 1.7GHz per core or a Quad ARM Cortex-A7 with up to 1.4GHz per core.

It also features an Adreno 305 GPU for high-end 3D gaming, support for better wireless connections around the world, and has faster and more energy efficient RAM.

The Snapdragon 200 and 400 are expected out sometime this year, and the Snapdragon 800 is due to come out sometime in the middle of 2013. After that, you might want to watch what you say around your smartphone.

Canonical has launched a new version of its Ubuntu operating system designed with smartphones and tablets in mind. Available as a developer preview ahead of a full release sometime early next year, the software is available to download right now and is compatible with a handful of different Nexus products: the Nexus 4 ("mako"), Nexus 7 ("grouper"), Nexus 10 ("manta") and GSM variants of the Galaxy Nexus (“maguro").

Besides limited device compatibility there is not much you can do with the software at this point. Canonical says that the shell and basic apps like browser, contacts, gallery, camera, and notes will work and users should be able to connect their device to the Android Developer Bridge tool. Wi-Fi support is also present, while Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 users can connect to GSM networks to make phone calls and send SMS messages.

The new operating system claims to offer real multitasking with a Windows 8-esque side view option that lets you have two apps open and on-screen at the same time. It also supports multiple accounts with full encryption for personal data, built-in voice searching, and a number of gestures to navigate the OS.

Ubuntu for phones and tablets will run the full desktop operating system, meaning developers can create a single app for both the desktop and smartphone, while this also allows a device to become a full PC when docked with a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Canonical says the main purpose of this early release is to lure in developers and get them to contribute to the project.

Those interested can head on over to the Ubuntu wiki for full instructions on how to install the Touch Developer Preview. If you want to try Ubuntu without wiping Android from your device dual booting is also an option.

Motorola's flagship Android handset, the Razr HD is now on sale in the UK, following its arrival across the pond last year.

The Razr HD comes with a 4.7-inch, Super AMOLED HD 1280 x 720p display, is 4G LTE ready for UK networks and arrives on these shores loaded with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

It's also packed with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage (expandable through microSD) and an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash.

The phone's other major selling point is its whopping 2530 mAh battery that promises a full 24-hours of usage, even with 4G connectivity sapping the juice.

Super-thin, super-fast

A Kevlar-backed body also gives the latest Moto UK release a rather premium feel, while it still measures up at 8.4mm thin.

When it reached our US-based team, they bestowed a four-star review upon the device, touting its stylish body, big, bright screen and great battery life.

The handset fell short of a higher score due to the "mediocre camera" and the dual-core processor which "chugged at times."

So far, a host of independent UK retailers have started to sell the device (Amazon, Expansys, Clove and the other usual suspects) for around £400, but it doesn't look like any of the networks have picked it up yet.

Perhaps that'll change as the likes of Vodafone, Three and O2 look to equip themselves with 4G ready devices in preparation for the impending super-fast network roll-out.

LG really can't help itself, announcing more handsets that will be making an appearance at MWC 2013, this time in the shape of the new F-series.

Last week the giddy Korean firm unveiled the Optimus L7 2, Optimus L5 2 and Optimus L3 2, which have now been followed by the LG Optimus F7 and Optimus F5.

It promises that these new devices, dubbed "The Freedom" in a recent video teaser, will offer superfast 4G services and advanced features such as having two apps onscreen at the same time, something LG calls QSlide.

Mid-range moguls?

From the way LG is pitching the Optimus F7 and Optimus F5 they are being lined up as more mid-range devices rather than premium handsets, and a quick glance at the specs backs this up.

The LG Optimus F7 sports a modest 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.7-inch True HD IPS display, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera and a 2540mAh, plus it comes running version 4.1.2 of Android Jelly Bean.

Slightly lower down the chain is the LG Optimus F5 with its 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch IPS display, the same RAM, internal storage and front facing camera as the F7, 5MP rear camera and 2150mAh battery. It also runs the same version of Jelly Bean as the F7.

The LG Optimus F5 release date is pegged for the second quarter of this year with the rollout starting across Europe, and the Optimus F7 will follow soon after in selected markets.