| Amazon phone rears its head again, this time claims 4.7-inch display Mar 27th 2013, 13:18 
The Amazon phone has become the rumour that refuses to die and fresh reports now suggest it will launch with a sizeable display. According to the wildly hit and miss Digitimes those famous "industry supply chain sources" (whoever they may be) have apparently offered up another nugget of information on a phone with could sport the online retail giant's name. The sources claim the Amazon phone will launch with a 4.7-inch display, which is bigger than was originally planned. Force feedingReports suggest Amazon wanted its first phone to have a 4.3-inch display but with the swath of 5-inch devices now on the market it's been forced to change tack. In terms of an Amzon phone release date the supply chain leakers suggest it will happen later this year, as a second quarter launch is now out of the question thanks to production issues. While Amazon continues to dabble in the tablet market with the likes of the Kindle Fire HD, it's made no mention that a smartphone could also be on the horizon and we're not pinning too much hope on this latest report.     |  | HTC apparently wants its J Butterfly to sprout a follow-up Mar 27th 2013, 03:26 
HTC may soon adopt the attitude of "it worked once, why not do it again?" when it comes to a future phone, according to a report this week. Focus Taiwan reported Monday that Ben Ho, chief marketing officer at HTC, said that the J Butterfly, considered the first phone with a 5-inch Full HD display, was met with such success, a follow-up is in order. Apparently the new device will launch under the Butterfly brand name, though Ho didn't go into details about when a successor would arrive. "We have no plans for the time being to change the name of this series," he said. Broader launch?The Butterfly first spread its wings in Japan, but was later launched in Taiwan and then the U.S., where it was re-dubbed the Droid DNA. It sounds as though HTC's plan is to capitalize on demand for 5-inch phones with a second-gen Butterfly, though it's unclear where that demand is coming from. Of course, there is the One to contend with, a device that's supposed to launch in the U.K. this week and the U.S. next month. HTC has said the One will be its only flagship phone this year, though there's certainly room for other phones to make the grade. If another Butterfly is in the works, perhaps it will head to Verizon in the States: Big Red is the only major U.S. carrier not onboard with the One. And if rumored supply issues cripple the One's release, perhaps HTC will want something waiting to swoop in and save the day.     | | FAA could finally nix in-flight electronics regulations this year Mar 26th 2013, 21:42 
Since the dawn of time, countless fliers have been badgered by flight attendants and even other passengers to turn off their tablets, laptops and gaming systems during take-offs and landings, but that could soon change. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is getting closer to issuing a verdict on those outdated electronics regulations, and the magic eight-ball of the New York Times' Bits blog said over the weekend, "outlook good." Bits consulted sources in the FAA and the group that the FAA tasked with re-evaluating in-flight electronics usage, who said that the Administration is feeling the pressure from all sides to just let people read their darn Kindles. If everything stays on track, the FAA could soon crack under that pressure. Under pressureThe FAA's investigation team includes representatives from groups and companies that include Amazon, the Consumer Electronics Association, Boeing, the Association of Flight Attendants, the Federal Communications Commission, and makers of aircraft. According to the Bits blog, the Scooby Doo-like detective team has other goals, like determining exactly what "airplane mode" means across a wide range of devices and ensuring that its findings regarding in-flight electronics use will be applicable even to future devices that aren't available yet. Interestingly, the blog noted that cell phones might be exempt from any changes. The group is scheduled to present its findings on electronic usage on planes on July 31. In the meantime, the FAA is facing pressure from groups ranging from travel agencies to pilots unions to change its stance. Even FCC head Julius Genachowski sent a common sense-appealing letter to the FAA in December of last year. If they can't do it, a senator canBits also reported that Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is preparing to introduce legislation to either force the FAA's hand or ensure that it sticks to the findings of the investigating group. McCaskill reportedly became involved when inconsistencies within the FAA's own policies - pilots and flight attendants can use iPads during take-off and landing, while passengers can't - started to irk her. After a meeting with Genachowski this month, McCaskill reportedly said, "The idea that in-flight use of electronic devices for things like reading a book poses a threat to the safety of airline passengers is baseless and outdated." She told the Bits blog that the FAA is moving too slowly, and that legislation is currently being drafted that would "dictate these changes" for the organization. So either way, it seems things are about to change for the better.     | | Several hundred thousand US residents reportedly awaiting HTC One Mar 26th 2013, 21:13 
The hype surrounding the new HTC One has continued to build, with the new flagship device garnering plenty of early praise. Though we already know AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile will get the HTC One when it does finally arrive stateside, a slight delay has caused the anticipated device to miss its expected March release - with the affects being felt worldwide. Even with the ambiguous new April release window, plenty of customers are already lining up for their chance to get the HTC One. While none of the US carriers have started pre-orders just yet, HTC has indicated "several hundred thousand" residents have already pre-registered to be notified when actual pre-orders will begin. One by oneAccording to sources speaking with FocusTaiwan, HTC is very pleased with the early returns on potential U.S. sales. HTC President Jason Mackenzie expressed in an email to customers that response in the US has been "fantastic," and anticipation for the HTC One is the strongest the company has seen from initial feedback. Though pre-registering isn't indicative of actual sales, that early turnout bodes well for HTC as rival phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z are also expected to start shipping in April. If HTC is able to recruit hundreds of thousands of customers before those other devices even arrive at market, it could certainly help the company recover from a disappointing fiscal year. TechRadar has contacted HTC for more information, and we will update this story when we get a response.     | | T-Mobile iPhone 5 plan vs AT&T, Verizon, Sprint plans Mar 26th 2013, 20:25 
The price of the T-Mobile iPhone 5 plan is indeed cheaper than the AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint plans, with no-contract customers saving as much as $600 over the course of two years. The fourth-place U.S. carrier will finally start selling Apple's iPhone, which it called "the phone that redefined the industry," on April 12 for a $99 down payment and $20 each month for 24 months. That works out to be $579 for the iPhone 5 during the two-year no contract period, as long as you are a "qualified buyer" who passes a credit check. Add that to a $50 per month T-Mobile unlimited talk and text Simple Choice plan and the two-year cost is $1,200 for the 500MB a month service, a total of $1,779 for the phone and service combined. T-Mobile vs AT&T, Verizon, SprintThe cheapest two-year AT&T plan is a whopping $2,155 for a paltry 300GB of data each month. The more reasonable 3GB monthly data plan costs an unreasonable $2,395. There's nothing in between. Both of those AT&T prices include the cost of the phone and the $36 activation fee. Verizon iPhone plans at least give customers several tiers to work with, including 300MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, all the way up to 50GB. But Verizon, like AT&T, sees its small 300MB plan top two grand with $2,154 after two years when the price of the device and one-time $35 activation fee are included. Keep in mind, Verizon notes "Verizon Wireless data devices average between 1GB and 2GB of data per month." So, taking a look at the 1GB plan, it ends up being $2,394, and the 2GB plan $2,634, both of which include the $199 iPhone 5 and activation fee. Sprint is slightly better at a two-year total of $2,155 for the plan, device and activation fee, but pigeonholes all customers as "unlimited," whether or not they're big data and messaging users. T-Mobile iPhone 5 upgrades are cheaper, tooJust to be fair, since T-Mobile's iPhone 5 competitors unfairly force new customers into either lower or higher-tiered data options, let's include the no-contract network's iPhone data plan upgrades. T-Mobile is charging $10 a month for 2GB of data and $20 for unlimited 4G data. The total cost for an iPhone 5 for T-Mobile comes out to $1,920 for 2GB per month and $2,160 for unlimited 4G coverage - still cheaper than AT&T and Verizon (but not Sprint) when it comes to unlimited data. Taking on AT&T, Verizon, and SprintThe AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint iPhone 5 plans are more expensive because the carriers either charge for messaging and have eliminated lower-tiered data services. AT&T's voice plan, starting at $39.99 a month for 450 minutes, isn't the problem. It includes rollover minutes, 5,000 night and weekend minutes, and free mobile-to-mobile minutes. After all, the new generation of cell phone users aren't talking as much as they're texting and surfing the mobile web. The problem is AT&T's $30 for 3GB of data per month, when T-Mobile charges $20 for unlimited data. AT&T's 300MB plan just won't do for most people, and, again, there's absolutely nothing in between. Likewise, AT&T and Verizon still charge for messaging when T-Mobile does not, and both AT&T and Verizon have a whole one plan option for texters (read: pretty much everybody). T-Mobile CEO John Legere admitted this morning that not having the iPhone left a "huge void in our portfolio." With the fourth-place carrier finally getting the Apple device on April 12 and unveiling its new no contract policy at the same time, maybe T-Mobile can make a dent in its subsidizing, one-tier-fits-all competitors.     | | Sprint could be first in US for Samsung Ativ S and HTC 'Tiara' Mar 26th 2013, 20:24 
Sprint is about to get its second and third Windows Phone handsets (after the Windows 7 phone HTC Arrive) at the beginning of summer, and it could be the first U.S. carrier to handle either device, according to a new report. Sprint announced in January that Samsung and HTC will each bring a Windows Phone 8 device to the carrier "by summer," and The Verge said today that those devices will be Samsung's Ativ S and HTC's rumored "Tiara." If the site is correct, Sprint will be the first U.S. carrier to nab Samsung's Ativ S. And considering that HTC's Tiara hasn't been seen yet outside of unofficial leaks, it seems safe to guess that an arrival on Sprint this summer could be that phone's first appearance as well. Both devices are expected to arrive on Sprint in May or June, according to The Verge. Samsung Ativ S: false startsSamsung's 4.8-inch Ativ S Windows Phone 8 handset was originally rumored for a release last November before delays pushed it into 2013. The snappy Ativ S still hasn't been released in the U.S., but according to The Verge that will finally change in May or June. The site added that the U.S. version will differ slightly from the Ativ S released worldwide, with an altered exterior and internal components that "will remain largely the same." We asked Samsung why it's taken so long and whether they can reveal anything in light of this report, but we've yet to hear back. HTC 'Tiara:' the first GDR2 phoneThe existence of HTC's "Tiara" (it's unclear whether that's its official name) was first hinted at one month ago at the end of February. Little was revealed at the time, besides whispers of specs like a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon chip, a 4.3-inch Super WVGA LCD2 display, 1GB of memory, 8GB of storage, and a 1800mAh battery. So it's HTC's Windows Phone 8 equivalent to the Ice Cream Sandwich-powered HTC One SV? Maybe. Either way, it's also rumored to be the first device coming with Microsoft's second General Distribution Releases update (GDR2) to Windows Phone 8. If GDR2 is the second minor update to WP8, then that makes it the follow-up to "Portico," which we suppose makes Portico GDR1. Anyway. In addition to reaching out to Samsung, we asked HTC and Sprint for their comments on this report. A spokesperson for Sprint referred us to the carrier's January announcement, and an HTC spokesperson reminded us that they don't comment on rumors.     | | T-Mobile and its colorful CEO unload on wireless networks at NYC event Mar 26th 2013, 19:29 
At a certain point in today's T-Mobile press event in New York City, which officially announced the $99 T-Mobile iPhone 5 and launched their new "Un-leash" campaign, CEO John Legere told the audience, "I hope I'm not coming off angry." But, truth be told his anger was palpable, but Legere is trying to make a point: He sympathizes with wireless customers across the country who are burdened with binding cell phone contracts that are suffocating and even exploitative, as he put it. The press event kicked off with a commercial that will spear-headed the upcoming promotional blitz, which shows four outlaws representing all the major mobile carriers in the U.S., going into an old western town filled with fearful citizens. Then, out of the blue, one of them realizes that he's had enough of such dishonesty and decides to lead a more honest existence (to accentuate the change of heart, he replaces his cowboy hat with a pink one before going off on his own). YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N7_Oiunf1goImmediately afterwards, Legere asked if we could tell which of the dirty, good-for-nothing scoundrels was print. Legere said what?!Legere, who doesn't mince words, addressed his critics and referred to how a major publication noted how he has relatively little experience running a wireless company. To that, Legere felt it was almost a point of pride: "The worst fear is that someone on the outside of Oz would look at their industry." Legere went on to explain how "the industry is broken" and we "know the villains… it's an industry that gives no rewards for loyalty," and added that everyone involved needs to "stop the bullshit." He went on to list very specific examples: First, are rate plans that are made complicated. "They make no sense. Why? It's on purpose." Legere exclaimed. Next are contracts. "That phone that you walked out of the store with, how long is it before it becomes broken?" He asked. "Carriers are only nice to you every 23 months." The casually dressed CEO - wearing the company's t-shirt in retina-frying magenta under a black blazer - addressed their new LTE network, which he described as "smoking fast," and how it will be just as good, "if not better" than their competitors. In fact, their LTE networks will move into to seven different markets: Las Vegas, Seattle, Baltimore, Kansas City, Houston, Phoenix, and San Jose. New York City will get T-Mobile's LTE by this summer. No more 'shell games'Legere reiterated that the average plan for smart phones are "shell games," and the retooled Un-carrier plans are part of T-mobile's new mantra: unlimited everything, with no caps or overcharges. Just simple choices. Mike Sievert, T-Mobile's chief marketing officer, took to the stage to elaborate upon Legere's points, and he had AT&T directly in his crosshairs. Sievert first touted how T-Mobile will provide 50 percent more bandwidth than AT&T, and how the cost of a T-Mobile iPhone 5 will save a customer over a $1,000 after two years when compared with AT&T's contract. But perhaps the most powerful moment came when Sievert addressed AT&T's (clearly there is no love between the two) abundance of plans. He stopped by one of their stores the other day and brought with him several brochures, each detailing one of their plans. One was for family share, the other was for mobile share and both are designed to be confusing and force you into a plan, according to Sievert. 
Legere on naming namesAfter the presentation TechRadar caught up to Legere and asked him about the bravado that he and his team demonstrated on stage. "Well, I get very passionate about the subject matter. I believe I speak on the behalf of the millions of frustrated customers out there aching for a change," Legere said. As for naming names, and the inherent risk of such a bold move. "Was it it risky, naming names? Why is it a risk in the first place? I want to have dialogue, we know who the other players are, we know what we do, and we're facing off against," he added. And as for what the head of AT&T might be thinking after watching Legere and all that he had to say: "I bet they're in a board roam right now, wondering, how do we shut this guy up" Legere said through a laugh. "The thing is, we're just 10 percent market share and we're ready to grow. If they want to go head to head and face off, then bring it on."     | | Updated: T-Mobile to carry no contract Samsung Galaxy S4, BlackBerry Z10, HTC One Mar 26th 2013, 17:02 
T-Mobile will carry the new phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4, BlackBerry Z10, and HTC One, despite the fact that the fourth-place carrier is doing away with industry-old contracts. The Galaxy S4 will be available through T-Mobile in the second quarter of this year, the company announced. The Samsung Galaxy S4 T-Mobile release date is May 1, just behind the late April rollout on AT&T. The BlackBerry Z10, as T-Mobile's first touchscreen smartphone for its expanding 4G LTE network, will cost $99.99 down with 24 equal monthly payments of $18 for the device for "well-qualified buyers" starting today. HTC One will provide T-Mobile with another first - the first 4G LTE smartphone with new HTC Sense features like BlinkFeed, Zoe and BoomSound. The well-constructed, full-metal HTC One will be available "later this spring." Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Mobile HotSpot LTET-Mobile also will support the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on its 4G LTE network via an over-the-air software update. The company is providing Galaxy Note 2 owners with instructions to bring the device to its high-speed network. The T-Mobile 4G LTE network will get an initially cheap wireless hotspot, too. The T-Mobile Sonic 2.0 Mobile HotSpot LTE is $29.99 with 24 equal monthly payments of $5 per month for well-qualified buyers. Finally, the carrier is finally rolling out first set of Apple devices, including the iPhone 5. The T-Mobile iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 4 have an April 12 release date.     | | Updated: T-Mobile outlines its 'Un-carrier' data plans during colorful conference Mar 26th 2013, 17:00 
T-Mobile will be the first major U.S. carrier to drop cell phone contracts, with "Un-carrier" pricing and data rates starting with a $50 per month plan, the U.S. cell phone network announced at a press conference today. Rallying against cell phone contracts, overage fees, and penalties, T-Mobile CEO John Legere said it will be "$1,000 less on T-Mobile over two years" than other carriers, promising to "unleash the wireless industry." T-Mobile's plan for Simple Choice includes unlimited talk and text, and Web with 500MB of high-speed data for $50 per month. A second phone line costs $30 per month, and each additional line just $10 per month. Additional data from T-Mobile costs $10 more per month for 2GB of high-speed data and $20 more per month for unlimited 4G data. "No caps. No overages. Just simple value," said T-Mobile in its announcement. T-Mobile plans vs AT&T, Verizon, and SprintAs the fourth-place carrier, T-Mobile is attempting to reinvent itself to stay competitive with the four other major contract-based networks, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. T-Mobile said that it is canceling its membership in the carrier club during its New York City press conference today. The company will still be supporting new phone on the T-Mobile network like the Samsung Galaxy S4, BlackBerry Z10, and HTC One. Even more notable is that Apple's iPhone will finally come to T-Mobile, including the newer iPhone 5, starting April 12. At the same time that its taking on its four bigger rivals, T-Mobile is trying to stay ahead of smaller, pre-paid carriers that have dropped cell phone subsidies and pricey contracts altogether. However, Legere stressed that T-Mobile is not going pre-paid. It's just dropping the contracts while rolling out "record pace" LTE in major markets.   | | T-Mobile's first LTE-equipped mobile hotspot arrives this weekend Mar 26th 2013, 16:34 
T-Mobile USA finally lit up its first seven 4G LTE markets today, and decided to celebrate with an affordable new LTE-capable mobile hotspot. As part of a media event Tuesday, T-Mobile announced the availability of the Sonic 2.0, the carrier's first 4G LTE mobile hotspot. Available to order today from the company's online store, the Sonic 2.0 Mobile HotSpot LTE will arrive by month's end at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers and national retailers. The 4.23-ounce, pocket-friendly mobile hotspot allows T-Mobile customers to connect to available 4G LTE, 4G, 3G or EDGE connections on its network, then share data with up to eight devices via Wi-Fi. Affordable pricingIn addition to quad-band 4G GSM and 3G UMTS connectivity, the Sonic 2.0 features a 3000mAh battery for up to seven hours of continuous use, and touted as fully compatible with the latest Windows 8 and OS X 10.8 operating systems. The mobile hotspot features a 1.77-inch QVGA TFT color display so you'll have full control over your connections and settings, and a micro-SD card slot allows users to store up to 32GB of content, which can be shared with connected devices. As part of T-Mobile USA's new "UNcarrier" initiative, the Sonic 2.0 Mobile HotSpot LTE is available for as little as $29.99 down with payments of $5.00 per month for 24 months for qualified buyers. If you prefer to buy outright, the LTE mobile hotspot can also be purchased for a one-time fee of $149.99, although customers will need a qualifying rate plan to use the device in either case.     | | iPhone 5 and iPad mini help Apple close in on Samsung Mar 26th 2013, 16:14 
In the final quarter of 2012, Apple and Samsung were pretty much level as far as computer, tablet and phone market share was concerned. Of all the computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets (or, as IDC calls them, smart connected devices) that were shipped in the last quarter of 2012, Apple accounted for 20.3 per cent - just under one per cent behind Samsung's 21.2 per cent. Shipping devices isn't exactly the same thing as actually selling them though - it just means that the manufacturers got the products to the companies that would then sell them to the man on the street. Apple pieIt's a significant improvement for Apple and IDC reckons this is down to the double-whammy effect of the iPad mini and iPhone 5, both of which were released in October 2012. Samsung's only significant release in that timeframe was the Galaxy Note 2 - but with the Galaxy S4 on its way in April, there's a chance that the gap will widen out again before the iPhone 5S hits later this year. In general, there were more shipments of 'smart connected devices' in 2012 than ever before - up 29.1 per cent compared to the previous year. The growth is mainly down to the popularity of tablets as the big tech firms shifted 78 per cent more tablets in 2012 than in 2011. The analysts at IDC don't see the rise of the tablet slowing; the company says that tablets will surpass the ailing desktop PC this year, and even overtake laptops in 2014.   | | Updated: T-Mobile CEO: We're canceling our membership in the carrier club Mar 26th 2013, 16:07 
T-Mobile is checking out of the carrier club...and it wants customers to follow. During a press conference in New York, CEO John Legere outlined the new look, feel and services of the carrier, sharpening its talons particularly on competitor AT&T. "We're about changing this business, and it's not self-serving. It's serving customers," Legere said during the event. "Customers don't need another AT&T." Though T-Mobile is following in the footsteps of AT&T (and Verizon and Sprint) in getting the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, T-Mobile is offering something quite different - offering "Un-carrier" pricing starting at $50 a month. Un-leashedLegere and T-Mobile's Mike Sievert outlined T-Mobile's new "un-leashed" persona, with Legere noting that T-Mobile's pricing has "no strings...there's no gotcha." It is offering a few unique features, including HD voice nationwide for the iPhone 5, plus promises of phone ownership once customers pay off the cost of the phone. Customers can also trade in their device for a fair market credit if they decide it's not for them, meaning they're not stuck with a handset they're unhappy with for long. Stay tuned for our hands on review with T-Mobile's iPhone 5 coming up soon.   | | Updated: T-Mobile announces it's getting the iPhone 5 April 12 Mar 26th 2013, 15:46 
T-Mobile announced today that it will begin selling Apple's latest iPhone, the iPhone 5, come April 12. The carrier - the last major U.S. network to get the iPhone - promises the device will come to customers in a "new affordable, unrestricted and hassle-free way" via its new "Un-carrier" data plans. For $99.99 down plus $20 monthly payments for 24 months, qualifying T-Mobile customers can pick up the phone. The device will be compatible with T-Mobile's LTE network, which today is now available in seven major markets. The iPhone 5 will come with no annual service contract plus unlimited talk, text and web. T-Mobile's new lookCEO John Legere called the partnership T-Mobile has forged with Apple in working to get the iPhone "the start of a long relationship." The iPhone 5 helps "fill a huge voice in our device portfolio," he added. Select markets will also welcome the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, with the iPhone 4S selling for $69.99 down at $20/month for 24 months and the Four going for $14.99 down at $15/month for 24 months. These devices won't run on T-Mo's LTE. T-Mobile's iPhone 5 will include HD Voice nationwide, making it the only carrier to do so. Through its Simple Choice plan, customers can also turn the phone into a hotspot, nabbing an additional 500MB of 4G data for tethering to iPads, Macs and other devices. There's also unlimited simultaneous surf and talk. T-Mobile's iPhone 5 will support HSPA+ on AWS bandwidths and 1900 GSM frequencies as well as the 4G its so highly proud of. Lock talkFor a carrier known for its openness to unlocking, it may come as a bit of a surprise to know that the phones signed up for with T-Mobile - including the iPhone 5 - will stay locked to the carrier until the device is fully paid off. Furthermore, if customers get a phone they're not entirely happy with, they can trade it in at fair market credit for the device.   | | Updated: T-Mobile's 4G LTE network sparks up in seven metro areas Mar 26th 2013, 15:46 
T-Mobile revealed today that its 4G LTE network is now crackling in seven major metropolitan areas. Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose, Calif. and Washington D.C. now all have access to T-Mo's speedy connectivity. Vegas and Kansas City already had the blazing speeds running - the other five are now part of T-Mo's 4G crowd. The announcement came during T-Mobile's "Un-carrier" press event in New York city, where it also unveiled its Simple Choice data plans, starting at $50 a month. On the device front, T-Mobile announced that not only will it bring about the coveted Apple iPhone 5, the carrier will also start carrying premiere devices like Samsung's Galaxy S4, which should arrive around May 1. A new TT-Mobile's promising a "no strings attached" approach to phone ownership, doing away with annual contracts in a move to check out of the carrier club. The iPhone 5 fits well into the company's plans to flush out its 4G offerings. The more networks it can roll out - T-Mo wants to hit 200 million customers with the service by year's end - the better its sales of the phone should look.   | | In Depth: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date, news and rumours Mar 26th 2013, 14:50 
With the Samsung Galaxy S4 now out of the way the door has been thrown open for the Korean firm's other high-end smartphone to get a reboot in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Rumours are beginning to circulate about Samsung's next super-sized handset, suggesting it's going to get even bigger - even though the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 raised eyebrows with its larger size. We're constantly on the look out for Galaxy Note 3 news and you'll be able to find all the latest right here. You lucky things. Announcement and release dateIn terms of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date the trail is pretty cold at the moment with "later this year" all we have to go on for now. If previous iterations of the handset are anything to go by we can expect Samsung to uncover the third generation Galaxy Note smartphone towards the end of August, in the run up to IFA 2013 in Berlin. This would mean that the Galaxy Note 3 would probably hit stores around October if previous cycles are maintained - but given the Samsung Galaxy S4 emerged earlier this year, could the same trick be repeated for the Note 3? More than a pretty penny in priceYou can expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to carry a hefty price tag, probably in line with the Galaxy S4 - making it more expensive than its Chinese rivals the ZTE Grand Memo and the Huawei Ascend Mate. The Note 3 will probably set you back at least £550 (around $800/AU$770) give or take, plus there will be regional variances too. Does the screen need to get bigger?Although exact specs are still unknown the general consensus seems to suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will sport an even bigger screen than its 5.5-inch predecessor. Early reports pointed towards a whopping 6.3-inch display, which would see the handset dwarf the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate and 5.7-inch Grand Memo. More recently though sources have claimed that the Galaxy Note 3 could actually pack a slightly more modest 5.9-inch AMOLED screen. However Samsung may have let the cat out of the bag on its own website after listing a smartphone accessory as being compatible with screens from "4- to 6.3-inches", potentially hinting at a massive display bump for the Note 3. Screen size, then, remains a mystery but that's not the only quandary we have regarding the display on the Galaxy Note 3. Oh no, there are now reports suggesting it will be the first phone to sport a flexible OLED display. Samsung did show off such a display at CES 2013 - although it wasn't part of a phone at the time and we reckon there's still some way to go before it's ready to hit our handsets, but it certainly gives us food for thought. The operating system conundrumWe can be pretty sure that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will roll up running Google's Android platform, but which particular version that will be is not so black and white. Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie is expected to be announced at Google's I/O event in May, potentially alongside the Nexus 5 - which would put the Note 3 in the running to also launch with the latest version of the software. However if history has taught us anything it's that assuming is for fools - as we've seen numerous handsets launched with older versions of Android - but the Note 2 was one of the first handsets from Samsung to launch with Jelly Bean, so perhaps a Key Lime Pie device isn't so unlikely. SpecsThe big screen won't be the only feature Samsung will want to shout about though, as you can expect the Galaxy Note 3 to be packing some serious tech under the hood. It could be another industry leading handset (the Note 2 was the most powerful smartphone when it launched) with reports suggesting it will follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy S4 with a ridiculous octo-core chip. As this device will fall into Samsung's "Note" family you can expect the fabled S-Pen to make another appearance here as it looks to rub shoulders with the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Note 10.1.     | | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to have world's first 'unbreakable' flexible display? Mar 26th 2013, 14:47 
The latest murmurings on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 suggest that it will be the first phone to sport a flexible display. According to Korean site Asiae which has spoken to "industry sources", Samsung will use the flexible OLED technology it showed off at CES 2013 in the Galaxy Note 3 later this year. The unnamed sources were unable to provide any further information on the rumoured handset, with the screen size still a mystery - some say it will be around 5.9 inches, while others claim it'll be closer to 6.3 inches. Drop it like it's hotIf the screen is made from plastic instead of the traditional glass, users won't have to fear dropping their device as the flexible display can't be damaged as easily - perfect if you're rocking a huge 5.9-inch smartphone and struggling to hold it in one hand. Reports suggest the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launch will occur at IFA 2013, if not just before - which means we'll see the handset at the end of August/start of September. Samsung hasn't made any comment regarding the Note 3 and we're not getting carried away with this flexible screen rumour as we reckon it's still a couple of years away from starring in our phones - plus "industry sources" rarely fill us with confidence.     | |
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