Kobo has given BlackBerry 10 a vote in confidence, launching its ebook reading app for the struggling platform.

The Kobo ereading app can be downloaded by BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 users for free through BlackBerry World.

BlackBerry 10 users who download the app will receive Neil Gaiman's A Calendar Of Tales for free and Forbes.com blogger Jessica Hagy's How to be Interesting After you Graduate exclusively.

Kobo is also available on iOS and Android tablets and smartphones, and includes Reading Life, which tracks your reading habits over time. The app also has a customisable display, more than 3.5 million books in its catalogue and is able to synchronise between devices.

More blips!

Here are some more blips to get you up and over hump day!

• Ubisoft announces its PAX Australia lineup
• Sprint's big week rolls on as HTC 8XT gets a release date
• Jelly Bean finally takes Android top spot, just in time for Key Lime Pie

The LG Optimus G2 is being compared to the company's well-reviewed Nexus 4 smartphone, only it's said to be thinner in a new leaked video that was uploaded to YouTube.

"Very comfortable in the hand, reminiscent of the Nexus 4 dims, except even thinner," noted the minute-long video description by fittingly-named 4Leakz.

LG won't officially confirm the Optimus G2 until its August 7 launch event, if that's indeed what it announces, but the description backs up a slew of photos that a tipster also sent Engadget today.

The pictures show off this phone's ultra-sleek body as well as its launcher, camera interface and lockscreen.

LG Optimus G2 specs

Today's reports support many of the previously rumored LG Optimus G2 specs that we have heard before.

The inside is supposed to have a Snapdragon 800 clocked at 2.3GHz and 2GB RAM, and the latest information points Sprint as the U.S. carrier for the device and a 16-megapixel camera onboard.

The LG Optimus G2 is also said to have a 5.2-inch display that's 1080p with a thin bezel, Android 4.2.2, and an volume rocker on the back.

The oddly placed volume rocker may be off-putting, but any phone that's compared to the Nexus 4 but thinner stands a chance next to its likely competitors, including Samsung's Galaxy S4 and Apple iPhone 5S this fall.

• See the back side of the LG Optimus G2 in previously leaked photos

According to one site's analysis of the code that makes up the latest beta of iOS 7, Apple's upcoming iOS update, the next iPhone's camera could feature slow-motion video capture.

9to5Mac was alerted to the "hidden references" to the slow motion video capture in the latest iOS 7 beta code by Twitter user and iOS tinkerer Hamza Sood.

The settings suggest that an upcoming iPhone, be it the iPhones 5S or something else, might feature a 120-frames-per-second video recording mode known currently as "Mogul" mode.

Although the feature appears to be referenced in the iOS 7 beta code, current iPhone hardware does not support video capture at that speed, and the feature has not been formally announced for iOS 7.

Take it slooow

The iPhone 5 is currently capable of recording 720p video at 30 frames per second, though developers reportedly have access to tools that bump that up to 60FPS in iOS 7.

Still, the current iPhone's camera is simply not capable of recording video at 120FPS.

Video captured at that rate can be slowed down without becoming choppy, or played at normal speed to reduce motion blur.

Even if the feature is real, though, it's unknown how high Apple could get the resolution at that speed. The iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4S before it can record video at full HD 1080p, but the resolution might have to be scaled down to accommodate all those extra frames per second.

Despite these doubts, 9to5Mac makes it clear that based on what it sees in the iOS 7 code it believes that "Apple is actively working on" slow-mo video for an upcoming version of the iPhone.

The elephant in the galaxy

Of course, while Apple may indeed look to slow-mo video capture as a sexy "cool factor" for its next iPhone, Samsung's Galaxy S4 already does it.

Another possibly new iOS feature - offline dictation - also emerged recently from the iOS 7 beta smoke screen. But Android already has that, as well.

The last few new iPhones have been more iterative than revolutionary, despite the iPhone 5's increased screen real estate. And Apple will have to do better than playing second fiddle to the Galaxy S4 if it wants to regain its lion's share of the market from Android.

• Want new iPhone apps? Look no further than TechRadar's 80 best iPhone apps for 2013!

As if you weren't already jazzed for Nokia's Thursday event, what with all the name drops, spec leaks and blurting of renders for what is very likely the Lumia 1020, we have yet more to share.

An AT&T inventory listing sent WP Central's way potentially tells us two things about the phone that's supposed to house 41MP: it is indeed headed to the U.S. carrier and it will come in (count 'em) three colors.

The site published a render yesterday that showed the new Nokia in yellow, white and black, and sure enough that's how it's listed in AT&T's line up. This also matches a Microsoft Store inventory spread outed July 5.

Employees of Ma Bell reportedly have the phone in hand for testing, according to WPC's tipster, and a release is expected by the end of the month on the network.

It's the final 1020 countdown

AT&T has been floated around as a U.S. destination for the phone before, but we should know exactly where the Lumia 1020, alternately called the Nokia 909 and Nokia EOS, will land come Thursday.

Rumor has it the handset will launch in the U.K. as well, and we wouldn't be surprised if there are other locales yet mentioned on the Lumia's itinerary.

The still-unconfirmed-but-pretty-much-is handset is believed to carry a 4.5-inch display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage in addition to that 41MP camera sensor. A holder/charging pack is also said to be on deck for $70 (about UK£46, AU$76) to provide juicing on the go.

We'll be in New York City to bring you the latest out of Nokia's fete live starting at 8 a.m.PT/11 a.m. ET/4 p.m BST, so check back in to find out once and for all what the darn phone is called.

• We've got the rundown on some Lumia 1020 camera specifics for you right here

With Clearwire now fully under its belt and a Softbank merger expected to tie up tomorrow, Sprint has managed to find time to squeeze a little smartphone news into this still-young week.

The carrier today revealed that the HTC 8XT, one of two Windows Phone 8 devices announced last month for Sprint, is due to go on sale Friday, July 19.

The standard Beats Audio is there, but the 8XT also comes packing BoomSound, a hip term for dual front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier for bigger sound, more detail and cut-down distortion. A 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon, 4.3-inch screen and 8MP camera are all nestled in the $99.99 (after $50 mail-in rebate) phone.

The other WP8 phone unveiled June 28 - Samsung's Ativ S Neo - is still holding onto its mysterious "this summer" release. We're not going anywhere, Sprint, so feel free to pass that info along anytime.

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Want more news? No "coming soon" promises here when it comes to consuming our blips.

• Jelly Bean finally takes Android top spot, just in time for Key Lime Pie
• Barnes & Noble CEO bows out in wake of de-Nook-inizing
• PS4 controller's light bar has no off button

iOS in the Car may be parked in the garage for now, but Apple is revving up its engines with hidden iOS 7 beta settings and a new patent that puts its mobile operating system firmly in the driver's seat.

AppleInsider reported today on a pair of automotive-related stories which offer a peek at where Apple may be headed with iOS 7's forthcoming iOS in the Car feature.

Released on Monday, iOS 7 Beta 3 features hidden "Accessory Developer" settings, a trio of new toggle switches offering connectivity via USB and Wi-Fi as well as AirPlay support.

The third setting, "iAP over WiFi," appears to offer the ability to wirelessly beam music, Maps, Siri and other content to the dashboard, even while an iPhone is tucked away inside a pocket or bag.

Touchy feely dashboard

A separate report describes a new patent awarded to Apple today for a touchscreen display that would offer drivers tactile feedback while keeping their eyes on the road ahead.

U.S. Patent No. 8,482,535 covers "programmable tactile touch screen displays and man-machine interfaces for improved vehicle instrumentation and telematics," a fancy name for a touchscreen interface that replaces traditional knobs, sliders and switches.

First filed more than 20 years ago by a Canadian inventor, the multitouch patent now awarded to Apple specifically adapts the technology for automobile dashboards and communication with mobile phones.

Apple showed off a comparatively modest version of iOS in the Car at its annual developer conference last month, but this latest patent filing provides a glimpse at where Cupertino may be planning to steer the technology in the months to come.

• Find out why BMW plans to skip iOS in the Car!

Ofcom has today confirmed that it will be liberalising various mobile spectrums, allowing carriers to choose which service they run on them.

This means that 4G and now be rolled out on the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands, and gives networks the choice of which service to run on particular bands - be it 2G, 3G or 4G.

The reason for this decision is that it will remove regulatory barriers and allow the latest mobile technology to be deployed as quickly as possible - although networks aren't likely to take advantage of it just yet.

No more hoops

It also removes the need for carriers to go through any further processes when it comes to moving 4G technology onto the new bands, as well as being able to extend the reach of their 4G services.

This is good news for the likes of O2, Three and Vodafone, who are all playing catch up to EE - currently the only network in the UK which offers 4G at the moment, but who will also benefit from the move.

We already knew this liberalisation was on the cards as Ofcom proposed the plan back in February after Vodafone and Hutchison 3G (parent company of Three) requested bands become free to aid 4G advancement.

That said the freeing up of spectrum doesn't have huge short term impact, with the changes more geared towards opening the door to future development.

Three has its says

Update: A Three spokesperson told TechRadar: "The Ofcom announcement isn't massively significant for Three. We don't have a 2G network like the other carriers, so we don't need to refarm that.

"In terms of 4G we're focussing on the 1800MHz spectrum from Vodafone and the 800MHz we got from the auction.

"It's useful to have the freedom in the future and it's good to get it out the way now, but doesn't really effect our business at the moment."

Vodafone not phased either

Update: These feelings seem to be echoed over at Vodafone, with a spokesperson telling us: "This is part of Ofcom's stated ambition to move towards being technology-neutral when it comes to licensed spectrum. This has long been trailed and is the last step towards achieving that ambition.

"It has no bearing on our 4G launch. We always wanted to run 4G on new 800MHz spectrum as it provides the level of indoor coverage our customers expect from us.

"As yet, there is very little kit available to run 4G on our existing 900MHz or 2100MHz spectrum and we only have a very small part of the 1800MHz spectrum."

We've contacted EE and O2 as well to find out what this means for them and their 4G plans, and we'll update this article once we hear back.

Good news for intrepid explorers - the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active has gone on sale on British shores today.

Unlocked Mobiles appears to have the cheapest deal on the water- and dust-proof handset for now, pricing the SIM-free version of the phone at £495.

Carphone Warehouse, meanwhile, has the phone pegged at a slightly higher £529.95 for those who still like to pick up their phones on the high street.

All in all, the phone is a still cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S4, part of which may be down to the S4 Active's 8-megapixel camera, which is a step down from the 13-megapixel snapper found on the S4 standard.

Samsung, Activate!

Amazon has an even more premium price on its pre-orders of £676.27 although the phone won't be available until August 1. Bear in mind that Amazon's price guarantee means there's a good chance the price will drop before then.

The Active's USP is that it can be submerged up to three feet under water for up to 30 minutes. It's also designed to keep dust particles well away from the interior.

The phone is available in Urban Gray, Dive Blue and Orange Flame. Just in case you needed some mental illustrations to draw upon.

• Find out everything you could possibly need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active in our hands on review

Just hours after the the leaks of the Moto X's back and front panels, more pictures of the customisable handset have revealed themselves online.

Put together with the pictures we saw from the weekend, the new images, leaked on Weibo and passed onto Nowhereelse, help paint a better picture of the handset - assuming that they're real, of course.

For one, they give us a clear look at the rear of the casing on the black handset that looks set to come in a matte finish, while we're expecting the front to have a nice glossy touch.

The white case, on the other hand, has a textured finish to its back. While we can only see the black and white variants right now, Motorola is expected to offer the phone in a large spectrum of colours.

After all, what's a customisable phone if you can't choose your hue?

Take your pick, but not on July 11

However, it turns out that the guessed July 11 unveiling is a definite no-no. Android Community has been informed directly that no such event will be taking place, and the fact that the two people in the advert are posed like XI - the Roman numerals for 11 - is nothing more coincidence.

Unfortunately we won't be able to customise the handset's specs. Leaks have suggested that the phone will have a 1.7GHz dual core MSM8960 Pro chip, 2GB of RAM, a 720p display, 16GB of storage, a 10-megapixel camera on the rear, and a 2-megapixel on the front.

Guy Kawasaki, advisor to Motorola, recently suggests that you'll be able to customise the Moto X as if it were a classic Porsche, and we expect the phone will be available in a large range of possible colours.

• Hungry for more? Here's everything we know about the Moto X so far

Update: BlackBerry has confirmed to TechRadar that a new BBOS7 handset is indeed on the way. "We intend to launch one additional product this year to support the BlackBerry 7 segment", a spokesperson told us.

BlackBerry 10 may be grabbing most of the headlines, but it's the older BlackBerry 7 devices that appear to be keeping the company afloat, as details of a new model recently poked out.

A user agent profile (UAProf) document spotted last week shows some deets for a device called the Bold 9720. It's powered by the company's older BB7 operating system instead of the shiny new BlackBerry 10.

The existence of the phone should come as no surprise: BlackBerry Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins said during the company's dismal June 28 quarterly earnings report that sure enough, another BB7 handset was due.

A new BB7 handset may seem like the wrong direction for BlackBerry until you consider that only 2.7 million of the 6.8 million handsets shipped last quarter were actually running the BB10.

Same as it ever was

According to the UAProf document posted by Twitter user @Bla1ze, the BlackBerry Bold 9720 appears to be a fairly typical addition to the manufacturer's Bold lineup.

Running the elder OS 7.1 and sporting the company's legendary QWERTY hardware keyboard with a 480 x 360 screen resolution, the latest Bold seems destined to excite only the BlackBerry faithful.

However, images leaked on the ThaiBBClub show the 9720 borrows a few design cues from the recent BlackBerry Q5, mixed with classic Curve style.

Although BlackBerry has confirmed the existence of the handset, there's no word yet exactly on when and where the Bold 9720 will wind up in the coming months, not to mention for how much.

• BlackBerry 7 maybe getting some attention, but PlayBook owners aren't going to have the same luck.