| Samsung Galaxy S4 on steroids: rugged version on the cards? Apr 25th 2013, 10:13 
The Samsung Galaxy S4 hasn't even hit stores yet, but word's out that the Korean manufacturer is already working on a meaner, tougher version of its latest flagship handset. According to TechView, Young Soo Kim, president of Samsung Gulf has confirmed that it's working on a rugged version of the Galaxy S4. Apparently this gym-jock variant will offer water- and dust-proof smarts, which will see it match the likes of the Sony Xperia Z. Ready to tough it outKim said that the rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 should be announced in the coming weeks, which means we may not have long to wait to find out more. We've already put the Galaxy S4 through our in-depth review process with our phones and tablets editor Gareth Beavis dubbing it "a stunning smartphone that won't let you down". High praise indeed. There's always a chance that the rumoured handset won't ever make it to market - assuming that it does indeed exist - and we reckon Samsung works on lots of projects behind closed doors. We're just going to have to wait and see.     |  | LG to release flexible OLED phone this year Apr 25th 2013, 09:40 
If all goes according to plan, LG has announced that it will launch a flexible OLED smartphone before 2013 is out. We'd already heard that LG was preparing to release its curved OLED televisions later this year - as well as providing flexible panels for other smartphones - but the Wall Street Journal now reports that the company will actually be putting out a flexiphone of its own. The OLED panel will be LG Display's very own, according to LG mobile VP Yoon Bu-hyun, despite the company previously dismissing the the idea of using OLED technology in its phones. FlexitechA Q4 2013 release is currently on the cards for the device. However it's currently unclear as to how flexible the phone might be. It might want to think about hurrying up though. Samsung has already given us a peek at Youm, its own vision of a flexible OLED future, at CES this year. If nothing gets in the way - mainly supply issues - we fully expect 2014 to be the year that flexible phone technology takes off.     | | Blip: Skype finally graces BlackBerry 10, but only on the Q10 Apr 25th 2013, 09:27 
During the BlackBerry 10 launch back in January Skype was said to be "fully behind" the new OS, but it's taken the Microsoft-owned firm until now to actually make an appearance on a BB 10 device. The Skype Preview app has now popped up in BlackBerry World - but is only compatible with the BlackBerry Q10, which is running the newer 10.1 version of BB10. Skype will become official when the Q10 hits stores in Canada on May 1, with the QWERTY keyboard handset arriving two days earlier in the UK on April 29, while the US has to wait until late May. BlackBerry Z10 support will follow soon after the Q10 goes on sale. More blips!While you wait for your first Skype call on your shiny new BlackBerry why not check out some more blips?     | | HTC One to get a new microphone but won't face further delay Apr 25th 2013, 00:01 
The HTC One smartphone was supposed to launch on some additional carriers today (that didn't happen), but regardless its current microphone will eventually be switched out due to a dispute with Nokia. Controversy arose when HTC bought HDR microphone parts from STMicroelectronics, a European semiconductor company that had an exclusive contract to sell the parts to only Nokia. This lead Nokia to file an injunction against STM in the Netherlands, which prohibits STM from selling certain microphones to any company other than Nokia for a limited period. "HTC is disappointed in the decision," said a spokesperson for the Taiwanese manufacturer. "We are consulting with STM and will decide whether it is necessary to explore alternative solutions in due course." No HTC One delayThe good news for HTC is that this decision won't have any immediate impact on its handset sales, according to the spokesperson. The company noted that the judgment against STM stated that "HTC can continue to use microphones already purchased from STM in its products." "They were purchased in good-faith," claimed HTC regarding the original microphones. HTC was also quick to point out that it was not the target of the injunction and that "Nokia's attempt to obtain a recall of microphones already sold to HTC failed." With HTC counting on this Android smartphone to boost its sales, not having another HTC One delay on its hands can only be seen as a good thing for the company.     | | Blip: Touch webOS phone that could have been sees the light of day Apr 24th 2013, 22:14 
It's 2011 and the team at webOS has a decision to make: delay the QWERTY Pre 3 or an all-touch phone called the WindsorNot? webOS Nation, which recently spent some time with the WindsorNot in prototype form, narrates the history of the phone that lost and provides a thorough look at the webOS 3.x handset that was once glimpsed in a pulled promo video. Spec-wise the phone is close to the Pre 3, down to the 1.4Ghz Qualcomm processor and 800 x 480 screen, though looking at the WindsorNot feels like seeing an ancient artifact for the first time, one that was chucked in the mobile graveyard and forgotten until someone decided to brush the dirt off. Not that the Pre 3 faired much better. More blips!A few things that aren't going extinct are our news nugget blips. Check 'em out.     | | Samsung mobile chief says Galaxy S4 core numbers a non-issue Apr 24th 2013, 18:13 
Prospective Samsung Galaxy S4 owners shouldn't be too bothered whether the handset has a quad-core or octa-core processor, according to the company's mobile boss J.K. Shin. Samsung affronted European and US-based smartphone fans when it announced the regions would get a 1.9GHz quad-core version of the Galaxy S4 handset, rather than the new Exynos 5 octa-core processor. However, despite the eight-core variant wiping the floor with the quad-core Snapdragon device in recent benchmarking tests, Samsung Mobile Head Shin said most folks on the street won't notice a difference. Shin informed CNET that the average customer wouldn't be affected as Samsung had chosen an alternative chipset which would offer a similar experience. It's a supply issueShin also shed light on why different versions of the devices would be launching with different processing units. Speculation had suggested a lack of 4G support in the Exynos 5 technology - which has since been rectified - was the reason for its exclusion in the UK and US models. However, Shin says its simply a supply issue: "We use multiple different sources. It's a sourcing issue," he told CNET.     | | Camera update snapping into international HTC One Apr 24th 2013, 16:21 
The HTC One has piled up a super-sized stack of good reviews since its introduction, and an update currently making the rounds in Europe may help squash one of the few downsides noted by critics. SlashGear reported Tuesday that HTC has started rolling out an update for its flagship One smartphone, adding camera enhancements and improved system performance for international models of the handset. While Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and HTC Sense remain untouched, the 1.29.401.13 update brings welcome changes to the camera software, which has been cited by many critics as one of the device's otherwise few shortcomings. Unfortunately, there's no word on if or when this particular over-the-air update will land on models that are starting to make it out to eager U.S. customers. Enhancements aplentyAccording to the changelog, the HTC One update improves audio recording when using the handset's impressive Zoe feature, while also reducing noise for videos captured in slow-motion. Most welcome to HTC One buyers will be the update's promised improvements to color reproduction and dynamic range, which reduces overexposure in non-HDR images under certain conditions. Finally, the update addresses a bug that caused user-altered ISO settings to now correctly display in embedded EXIF information. The update is rolling out in waves over the next week, so if your international HTC One model hasn't received it yet, sit tight and your patience will soon be rewarded.     | | Acer spills details on Liquid E2 Apr 24th 2013, 15:51 
The slew of Android devices continues with the unveiling of the Acer Liquid E2, which is heading to Europe this May. The Liquid E2 is similar to the E1 in specs, but has been given a design overhaul, improved camera and hefty new quad-core processor. It also has optional dual-SIM functionality if you fancy that. The E2 tots a 4.5-inch 430x960 qHD display with dual front stereo speakers that will pump out the sounds from the Liquid's Moodagent - a feature that will create playlists based on your mood. Liquid lunchThe rear 8MP camera, meanwhile, can shoot 1080p video at 30 fps, while a 2MP snapper can be found on the front. Wi-Fi, GPS, FM radio and a microSD card slot are also wrapped up in the package. The handset will go on sale in Europe in mid-May, and will be priced at €229 (about £195). We contacted Acer to ask when a release of the handset in the US or elsewhere might happen, but they told us they were unable to provide such information at this time.     | | Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie a Google IO no-show? Apr 24th 2013, 14:41 
Key Lime Pie may not make its debut at Google IO next month as 'inside sources' tip that Google wants to give phone makers time to catch up. The word comes from Gadgetronica, not a site we've ever dealt with before, citing 'trusty internal sources' that we obviously have no way of verifying. But if it is legit, we like the reasoning. Software moves at a much faster rate of knots than hardware, and the majority of Android phones still on Gingerbread (39.8 per cent) with Ice Cream Sandwich (29.3 per cent) and Jelly Bean (25 per cent) slowly catching up. Although we're always hungry for the next big thing, there's no point in Google teasing us with software when we don't have the hardware to handle it. TimingIf it hangs fire for four months Android 5.0 could land in September, pitting it in a straight fight against iOS 7 which we're expecting Apple to unveil at WWDC in June and launch in September with the iPhone 5S. Or it could all be nonsense made up for web hits and Google will reveal Key Lime Pie at IO in May, as expected. We shall see.   | |
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