Is Tizen's genie the wish-granting or the soul-devouring type?
It's been a long time since we received any official word on Tizen, the open source smartphone OS based on Linux.
Unofficial word will have to do, then, and the blog Tizen Indonesia has just that.
Samsung will launch Tizen officially at its first global developer conference at the end of October in San Francisco, according to the site.
Given all the times we've expected Tizen to be right around the corner and not heard a peep, though, we'll believe it when we see it.
Conflicting reports
We've asked Samsung to clarify whether Tizen will indeed launch in October, and we'll let you know if they give us anything concrete.
As early as fall 2012 we thought Tizen was about to drop, as sources were claiming Samsung's first Tizen phone was due "in the near future."
Turns out their definition of "near" may be different from ours, since it's been a year with nary a peep on the Tizen front.
Reports last month claimed that Tizen will launch anywhere from IFA 2013 in September to this year's holiday season, a much longer wait than we would have thought even at our most pessimistic.
It's definitely still happening, unless Samsung has changed its tune since July, when the Korean company and Intel (another Tizen proponent) announced a $4 million app incentive for Tizen developers.
It will be interesting to see what kind of results they got when the OS finally launches.
Sony looks certain to abide by its recent preference for making mobile gadgets resistant to the wet stuff, judging by a Twitter teaser posted to the social network on Friday.
The Japanese company is expected to unveil its next flagship device, the Xperia Z1 (previously known as 1i and Honami) at an event prior to the the IFA tech show, which gets underway in early September.
With that in mind, the company tweeted: "About to make a splash... #bestofSony," accompanied by a photo showing liquid falling on the slim device we've seen appear in previous teasers and leaked snaps.
Of course, if the Xperia Z1 arrives able to withstand the odd accidental dunk in the toilet bowl, it wouldn't be a surprise. Both the Xperia Z and Xperia Z Ultra were also IP57 and IP58 certified respectively.
4K making the headlines?
Indeed, unless the device becomes waterproof to 200m or something equally ridiculous, the phone's resistance to the elements is unlikely to be a headline-maker when it is announced on September 4.
The Xperia Z1 has been tipped to tout a powerful 20-megapixel camera and the ability to capture 4K video support, making it the first smartphone to boast that functionality.
It's also expected to arrive with a 1080p, Full HD 5-inch display (or Reality Display as Sony likes to call it).
Despite Samsung's recent attempts to delay a November retrial to resolve two lawsuits with Apple, the Federal judge overseeing those cases says enough is enough, the show must go on as scheduled.
Foss Patents today reported that Judge Lucy Koh is ready to wrap up a pair of Apple v. Samsung lawsuits once and for all, clearing the way for a limited damages retrial scheduled for November.
A case management order filed Thursday evening effectively denies two Samsung motions which would have held up the resolution of its most high-profile legal scuffles with Apple in the Northern District of California.
Apple's legal team has been quoted as saying "[t]his case is within striking distance of a true final judgment," and it appears that Judge Koh agrees with that sentiment.
Monkey wrenches
According to the report, a pair of Samsung motions filed in July were little more than a method of throwing "a monkey wrench or two into the works of Apple's pursuit of actual, enforceable remedies for infringement."
The first motion attempted to convince Judge Koh that Apple violated court orders by seeking "vastly greater damages" for the 13 infringing products that are the focus of the November retrial.
Samsung also filed a motion seeking a new trial to determine its liability over U.S. Patent No. 7,469,381 - better known as the "rubber-banding" patent, and one that has racked up a number of Apple victories all around the globe.
Judge Koh's case management order sets a jury trial for November 12, with a pretrial conference to be held October 17; Samsung will also get one last shot to derail the retrial during a motion hearing to be held in early October.
Sony sets a date: Find out when you can buy the new PlayStation 4!
I'm excited. Really excited. I'm looking at my watch constantly – not because I'm counting down to something, but because I'm trying to get my money's worth before it gets chucked.
Because I just know that in the next few months I'm going to be waving my left arm around like a newly engaged bride waves her finger about, showing off my Samsung Gear smart watch and inviting (if not subtly, then with a smack in the face) people to say 'Ooooh, what's that?'
Yes, I'm traveling ahead in time and jumping the gun, I know, I know. But we're all aware it's coming and, along with the rumoured Apple iWatch, it's going to be a great time for wearable tech, and as a mad runner, I can't wait to replace my Jawbone UP with something that not only keeps a track of every pace but also gives me discreet alerts and adds extra functionality to my tablet and smartphone experience.
Don't look back in anger
I shouldn't need to be excited though - we should have loads of smart watches on the market already, with the market littered with concepts that petered out into abject failure.
The obvious one: the Pebble. Pebble fans are a diehard lot, and you won't find many that will admit they may as well have changed their Kickstarter funding into coins and thrown them into wishing wells, although that probably would have yielded the same result.
I'm talking from experience here. I bought a Pebble earlier this year. It was one of those moments when I sat on eBay with a glass of wine (times three) and days later a plain cardboard box turned up.
Not only did it look clunky and horrible, but the integration with apps was awful. You'd get numerous notifications, but only the top one would work and the screen was pretty crap. It went back on eBay the next day.
Clock up the miles
But why has it taken even this long? The idea of a smart watch on a wrist has been around for decades. So why has it never really taken off. Does it mean even the technology behemoths of Apple and Samsung are doomed to fail?
The biggest chance came from LG about three years ago. Never known for being too conservative, the LG GD910 (and what a slick name) was when the firm was arguably going through its wackiest phase.
See through keypads, widescreen slabs and then a watch phone. But it was totally screwed up by two things: firstly, the fact that you could get yourself to Disneyland for the same price and secondly, you couldn't actually use the damned thing without fingers as small as pins.
It wasn't a smart watch (i.e. a device that complements the phone) but a watch phone. A watch. And a phone. In one. Independent of anything else.
It meant that texts, calls and some of the other tasks you need a larger screen with were just useless. And it ran LG's proprietary OS. Pointless. Yuk.
So now it's all change. It's the chance to make things that look sleek, fit as neatly on the wrist as a standard digital timepiece, but one imbued with the best bits of our favourite gadgets.
Like most boys, I have a dream of looking like Dick Tracy with a cool little timepiece that secretly lets me do more than tell what o'clock it is. Trouble is, the current crop leaves the user looking less Tracy and more just Dick.
Don't screw it up, eh?
I've reviewed dozens of phones and tablets for TechRadar over the years – each time putting them through their paces in the most unbiased, rigorous way possible.
But as well as being a professional, I have a love/hate relationship with tech, and that's what these columns are all about: the passionate howlings of a true fanboy. Tell me why I'm right, wrong or a hopeless idiot in the comments below or by tweeting @techradar or @phillavelle.
We're currently putting the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active through its paces in our in-depth review process, but we've updated our hands on with what we've made of it so far.
What do you do when you create an incredibly lucrative brand? Milk it for everything it's worth, and that mentality has led to the creation of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active.
The S4 Active arrived alongside the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and Galaxy S4 Mini a short while after the flagship Samsung Galaxy S4 as the Korean firm looks to get the maximum from its internationally recognised brand.
As you may be able to guess from the name the Galaxy S4 Active is aimed at the rugged market with its key selling points being its dust and water resistant. It's IP67 certified which means it'll survive being dipped into fresh water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1 metre.
Unlike its brothers the S4 Mini and S4 Zoom, the Galaxy S4 Active hasn't seen its specs slashed viscously by Samsung and thus it makes it a much closer relation to the stock Galaxy S4.
Some changes have been made however, with the camera on the S4 Active only 8MP compared to 13MP on the S4, and the 5-inch screen is a TFT affair instead of Super AMOLED, but it still boasts a full HD resolution and looks smashing.
On the inside you still get the powerful 1.9GHz quad-core processor which adorns the flagship, plus the same 2GB of RAM and Android 4.2 OS which zips along nicely.
When it comes to price then there's little surprise that the S4 Active will set you back £490 (around $765, AU$830) SIM free, while on contract you can pick it up for free from £29 per month over two years.
The price, coupled with its decent line up of specs means the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active goes up against the likes of the also water resistant Sony Xperia Z as well as the other stalwarts at the top of the smartphone game such as the HTC One, Nokia Lumia 925, BlackBerry Z10 and even its brother the Galaxy S4.
As part of the effort to make the Galaxy S4 Active waterproof the handset is slightly chunkier than the S4, measuring 9.1mm in depth compared to the 7.9mm chassis of the original.
It's also wider, taller and heavier with vital statistics of 139.7 x 71.3mm and 153g making the S4 Active a more substantial device in the hand, although it's still just about manageable.
Looking at the S4 Active from the front or side reveals it shares the same design as the Galaxy S4, with a polycarbonate body wrapped with metal rim round its circumference providing a rigid and relatively premium look and feel.
The big difference on the front are the buttons below the screen, with the touch keys present on the rest of the S4 range replaced with chunky physical alternatives.
These add to the rugged nature of the S4 Active and are present due to the fact the touch options are less responsive in wet conditions.
The keys themselves do require a decent amount of pressure to register, so if you're used to just lightly tapping a touch button then this will take a little getting used to.
Take a look at the edges and on the right you'll find the power/lock key while on the left there's the volume rocker switch.
Both buttons have been given a textured finish making them easier to find and providing more grip if you're handling the S4 Active is slippery conditions.
Placement of both is good and you're able to hit both one handed without too much issue, which is great for such a large device.
Up top there's a headphone jack, but unlike the Sony Xperia Z there's no tricky cover to fiddle with here.
Samsung has made the port water resistant without the need of a flap, so if you invest in some waterproof headphones you can take the Galaxy S4 Active swimming and still listen to your tunes.
Something which hasn't been given the water resistant treatment is the microUSB port on the base of the device which does sport a plastic cover which you'll need to pick off every time you come to charge the S4 Active, which gets a little annoying after a while.
We also fear for the structural integrity of said flap, as it feels like something which could easily break after a number of uses and thus ruining the Galaxy S4 Active's water resistant credentials.
Flip the Galaxy S4 Active over and you'll find things are a little different here compared to the rest of the S4 range, with a more industrial design adding to the rugged tag the handset sports.
Four large, metal rivets adorn each corner of the handset although their function appears to be purely cosmetic, but nether the less they look good and the rubber strips which run between them at the top of the bottom of the S4 Active provides some additional grip.
We'd have liked to see the rubber also make its way onto the removable back plate which takes up the majority of the rear of the phone and its slick plastic finish does little in terms of grip.
Now you didn't just read that wrong, we did indeed say the back of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active was removable while still being a water resistant device - something the Xperia Z and even the Panasonic Eluga can't boast.
Peeling it off reveals a microSIM port as well as the welcome presence of a microSD slot and even a removable battery, which will no doubt please many of you power users out there.
Once again we're a little wary of the water resistant credentials of the S4 Active with all that exposed tech hidden away under the exceedingly thin back plate which has a tiny seal running all the way around it.
The Galaxy S4 Active does come with warning stickers on the back notifying you that you need to ensure the back plate is fully engaged - especially below the camera lens - before you even think about taking it for a dip.
There have been reports of water leaking into the device, so if you're planning on taking the S4 Active into the bath with you make sure everything is properly sealed before sliding in.
We didn't experience any leaks when we took our Galaxy S4 Active for a splash in the bath and shower, and it managed to stay water tight when we were caught in heavy downpours.
The Galaxy S4 Active does live up to its rugged nature as we did drop it several times - thanks to a recently broken finger - and it survived every hit with no visible damage.
Overall the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is the macho version of the firm's flagship smartphone. The camera and screen may not be quite as stellar, but if you can get over that and the slightly larger dimensions it's certainly an attractive proposition.
Sure it doesn't have the same sultry design of the HTC One, but remember you're getting a water resistant mobile with the added benefit of a microSD slot, removable battery and just one annoying flap which trumps the Xperia Z.
Its solid build and additional heft makes the S4 Active feel like it could take a number of bumps and go on trips we'd think twice about taking our HTC One or iPhone 5 on, but at the end of the day there's no escaping the plastic finish.
