Firefox OS shown off on ZTE handset

Firefox OS shown off on ZTE handset

Mozilla unveils its mobile operating system

Mozilla has finally taken the wraps off of Firefox OS, debuting the operating system in a YouTube video.

Last week saw a leak of Firefox OS Marketplace which gave a us a glimpse into just what to expect from the mobile operating system, but this new video, which has popped up on the Firefox channel, offers up much more in the way of detail.

The demo of the OS is on a unnamed ZTE phone and we get to see what dialling a person looks like, how games will feature on the system and also how the browser and camera will work.

Firefox OS

The video has already garnered a number of comments on YouTube, with a few people picking up on the operating system's apparent lag. Given that this is a very early dev build Firefox OS, we don't think there should be a worry about a little bit of stutter.

Mozilla has built Firefox OS on HTML5, which it hopes will bring a lighter OS to the market with faster browsing capabilities and this early look certainly shows this off.

Firefox OS won't be available until 2013, with Brazil the first place to get a phone powered by the operating system.

Both ZTE and Alcatel have confirmed that they will be creating handsets with Firefox OS inside.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Will new iPods join the iPhone at Apple’s September 12 event?

ipod-nano-2011-update

Apple may reveal a range of new iPods at its event on September 12, and given the amount if iPhone leaks, they could be the only surprise.

Apple’s talk about “doubling down” on secrecy appears to have been bluster, as a steady stream of leaks over the past few months have built an almost complete picture of what many believe to be the next iPhone.

There’s so much information out there, that its big reveal on September 12 could be less exciting than Apple events of old. Provided that is, the leaks really do relate to the new iPhone, and aren’t part of an elaborate smokescreen to obfuscate the true new device.

If that’s the case, then Tim Cook and his team will have done an impressive job of fooling us all, but if it’s not, then will the event hold any surprises at all?

Leaving aside the prospect of an iPad Mini, what about the iPod range? 9to5mac.com suggests a new Nano and Shuffle could join the new iPhone at the Yerba Buena Center this week, along with the possibility of a third — potentially new — iPod model too.

The report says the new Nano and Shuffle will come in various colors, and that one — presumably the Nano — will come with a choice of memory capacities, while the other will only have one option. Nothing is known about the mystery third device.

Apple’s last Nano refresh was in October 2011, but the current seventh-generation Nano is almost identical to the sixth-generation device, with the differences between them almost solely software-based and applicable to the older 2010 model too. Apple doesn’t even list the seventh-gen Nano as a device on its own site, preferring to stick with the sixth-generation Nano introduced in 2010.

The Nano is perfectly placed for an update then, and as Apple combined the iPhone and iPod launch for its October event last year, it’s not a stretch to see them doing the same this year.

The good thing is, we’ve not seen or heard very much about any new iPods — bar a version of the Nano sporting a camera at the beginning of the year –  so even if the iPhone looks familiar when it makes its debut, at least they’ll be a surprise.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update on its way as 'near perfect' firmware leaked

Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update on its way as 'near perfect' firmware leaked

Jelly Bean delivery is getting closer

A new version of the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S3 has appeared online, raising hopes that the final version may be pushed to customers sooner rather than later.

Picked up by the Sam Mobile site, version I9300XXDLI5 of the Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean firmware is said to be the most stable of the leaked versions to date, and is apparently "very much near perfect".

If this is the case, then Samsung may be able to roll out the upgrade to all Galaxy S3 customers in the coming weeks, which will be a pleasingly short turnaround, especially when you consider how long it took manufacturers to sort out Ice Cream Sandwich.

Smoother, faster and fixes

Android 4.1 offers up a smoother, faster browsing experience thanks to 'Project Butter', and this is noticeable in I9300XXDLI5, with a slicker user interface appearing alongside a number of fixes including the maps compass and direction arrow.

The developer community are witnessing almost daily leaks of the Android Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3, as it's thought Samsung is letting versions slip out to aid its testing of the new platform.

There's still no official word from Samsung on a possible Galaxy S3 Android Jelly Bean release date, but with the latest firmware looking promising, fingers crossed we've not got too long to wait.


Source : techradar[dot]com

HP debuts four new all-in-one PCs, including the super-slim SpectreOne

HP SpectreOne

Hewlett Packard has announced for Windows 8 all-in-on PCs, including the super-slim SpectreOne and the budget Pavilion 20.

Hewlett-Packard has introduced four new Windows 8 desktop computers, consisting of a single budget model, two touchscreen PCs and the super-slim, top-of-the-range SpectreOne.

While the modular, sleek SpectreOne desktop machine may have shades of an Apple iMac about it, the screen’s design — with that solid dark bezel — is more reminiscent of a laptop than a desktop computer.

In fact, this melding of the two lines continues elsewhere too, as HP won’t be including a mouse inside the SpectreOne’s box — as it has decided to provide a wireless touchpad instead.

The addition of the touchpad neatly sidesteps any need for the SpectreOne to have a touchscreen, and is, if anything, a sensible solution to the problem of jabbing at a vertical display to enjoy Windows 8‘s touch-friendly abilities.

SpectreOne specs

The screen measures 23.6-inches and has a thickness of just 11.5mm — that’s 2mm thicker than an Apple iPad 3 — and a 1080p, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. It’s mounted on a tilting stand, which incorporates everything from four USB ports, an HDMI-out, a memory card reader and an Ethernet port too.

The mouse isn’t the only thing to disappear from the SpectreOne either, as there’s no optical drive either.

HP has included NFC though, and it can be used to log in to Windows 8 quickly using a compatible phone — which doesn’t have to run Windows Phone 8 — as well as stream music and video.

Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors will be the brains behind the SpectreOne, although exactly which chips have yet to be confirmed. Other features include Beats Audio and a Nvidia GeForce graphics card.

The SpectreOne will go on sale in the USA in November, and it’ll start at $1299.

HP Pavilion 20Envy and Pavilion Windows 8 All-in-Ones.

In addition to the SpectreOne, HP has also announced the touchscreen Envy 20 and 23, which unsurprisingly boast 20-inch and 23-inch screens respectively, each with a 1080p resolution.

They’re more conventional than the SpectreOne, as they both use a regular mouse and PC-style keyboard, and on the side of the monitor, you’ll find an optical drive too. Like the SpectreOne, Intel’s Ivy Bridge chips will be running the show.

Finally, for those on a budget, we have the Pavilion 20 All-in-One, which as we’re sure you’ve guessed, has a 20-inch screen. It’s not so budget that HP forgot to include a touchscreen though, and there’s the choice of an Intel of AMD processor too.

The Pavilion 20 starts at a wallet-friendly $499, and will be up for pre-order on October 26, while the Envy 20 and Envy 23 will start at either $849 or $1099, with pre-orders starting on the same date.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia Lumia 920 could arrive as 4G exclusive in UK

Nokia Lumia 920 could arrive as 4G exclusive in UK

Lumia 920 could be 4G exclusive for EE

Network partnership Everything Everywhere is reportedly in talks with Nokia over the LTE enabled Lumia 920, with the view of ranging the handset exclusively in the UK.

According to Financial Times sources, the Orange and T-Mobile mother ship is currently negotiating a deal with the Finnish manufacturer, ahead of the launch of its 4G network later this year – the first to become available in Britain.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has confirmed that the Lumia 920 will be able to work on the 4G frequency Everything Everywhere plans to launch – although he didn't comment on any possible deal between the two.

Questions answered tomorrow?

Interestingly enough Everything Everywhere has organised a press conference tomorrow morning, Tuesday 11, in London, where TechRadar will be in attendance to see it announce "exciting information on our new brand and the latest innovation in network technology."

We pressed Everything Everywhere on information surrounding this event and the today's latest rumours, but the network promptly got back to us with a spokesperson telling us: "we're not commenting on rumours."

TechRadar managed to check out the Nokia Lumia 920 in New York last week, and you can find out what we thought of the flagship Windows Phone 8 handset in our hands on Nokia Lumia 920 review.

Technorati claim code: G2P3RQRFE3SY


Source : techradar[dot]com

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