| Huawei Ascend W2 leaks again with specs and China in its sights Jun 20th 2013, 11:36 
The Huawei Ascend W2 looks pretty likely to be the next Windows Phone 8 handset to come out of the Chinese firm after it appeared briefly in a video from China Mobile. Following on from the Ascend W1, the Ascend W2 is set to bring with it slightly beefier specs, which will see Hauwei bend towards the middle of the Windows Phone market. In the China Mobile ad the Ascend W2 appears briefly revealing a design which looks very similar to an image leaked by @evleaks a couple of months ago - and the styling appears to mirror the Android-based Ascend G330 and Ascend G510. Coming soonThere's no exact Huawei Ascend W2 release date shown in the China Mobile video, although it is apparently "coming soon" to the network and we'd expect it to arrive in other countries around the world in due course. It was suggested that Huawei may unveil the Ascend W2 alongside the Ascend P6 at its London event earlier this week but since this didn't come to pass, we're still waiting for the firm's second Windows Phone 8 device. According to previous rumours the Ascend W2 will pack a 4.3-inch display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 8MP rear camera and a 2000mAh battery. If these specs end up being correct, the Huawei Ascend W2 will be lining up alongside the Nokia Lumia 820 and HTC 8X in Microsoft's WP8 stable. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlpkaoG0-ew    |  | Is Samsung Galaxy S4 popularity on the slide already? Jun 20th 2013, 11:35 
After breaking sales records in its first month the Samsung Galaxy S4 may not be as popular as first thought, as reports roll in suggesting the Korean firm is reducing its orders. According to ETNews, Samsung has slashed its July orders for Galaxy S4 handsets by almost half, as it looks to ship in 6.5 million units next month compared to the 12.2 million in pushed May. Sales have apparently begun to slow at faster rate than expected, which has led Samsung to reevaluate its monthly orders to meet the reduced demand. Holding out for a cloneThe downturn in interest isn't a surprise as the post-launch demand dies away, but it may have been exacerbated by the fact Samsung has announced not one, but three new variations of the Galaxy S4 in the past month. Consumers could well be holding out for the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Active or even the Galaxy S4 Zoom to hit stores before handing over their hard earned cash to the South Korean outfit. Of course Samsung has also come under increasing pressure this year from other manufacturers with handsets such as the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z stealing some of the limelight - and some of the customers too. Game over for Galaxy S3?Samsung is also mulling over the possibility of retiring the Galaxy S3 early, with the handset being relatively similar in design and performance to the S4. The fear is the Galaxy S3 could be another factor cannibalising S4 sales, although an exact time frame for the S3's demise hasn't been revealed.     | | Powerful 41MP PureView camera teased for Nokia EOS Jun 20th 2013, 10:20 
The numerous rumours surrounding the Nokia EOS and its absurdly powerful 41MP camera have been given further justification after Nokia itself posted a teaser on its website. We expect to see the Nokia EOS officially unveiled at Nokia's July 11 event in New York, and it looks like Elop and co are planning to bring the camera tech from its 808 Pureview handset to the new flagship Windows Phone 8 device. The teaser image on Nokia's official blog reads: "41 million reasons to zoom in to Nokia Conversations on July 11". Black & whiteThat makes it pretty obvious that something camera orientated is on its way, and goes hand in hand with the "Zoom reinvented" tagline which adorned the press invite last week. We could see Nokia build on the technology that wowed us at MWC last year on the 808 PureView, with perhaps more of an emphasis on the zoom capabilities as well as seeing the tech squashed down into a slimmer frame. While Nokia doesn't give away any indication of the specs of the anticipated EOS, other rumours suggest the 41MP camera will be housed in an aluminium clad chassis - which would keep it in line with the recently launched Nokia Lumia 925. We can also apparently expect the Nokia EOS to sport 720p display, quad-core processor and 32GB of internal storage - although all will be revealed in a couple weeks.     | | Is this the 6-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 3 we've been waiting for? Jun 20th 2013, 09:51 
Another day, another Samsung Galaxy Note 3 leak to confuse and mystify us before the so-called phablet actually breaks cover. The new image, dropped by a Tweeter by the name of @punkpanda, shows a handset with clearly curved edges much like the Galaxy Note 2, while recent leaks have shown the supposed Note 3 flaunting a more straight-edged design. The leaker didn't have much to add, other than what we're looking at is "6-inches," with the "screen accounting for 84%". Spot the differenceThe specific size of the Note 3 has been in contention, with the most recent suggestion being 5.99-inches - and this new leak seems to agree. There's been some speculation that Samsung will introduce the Galaxy Note 3 at today's Galaxy and Ativ event, but we're once again hearing that the handset is heading for an IFA 2013 unveiling. Samsung is known for throwing us off the scent, so don't assume this is the real deal. It could all be smoke and mirrors.     | | Snapdragon 800 confirmed for LG Optimus G successor Jun 20th 2013, 03:58 
LG and Qualcomm today announced that the next G series phone will sport the super-specced Snapdragon 800 processor, confirming months of rumours. Although details of the phone haven't been announced, the Optimus G follow up will supposedly feature Android 4.2: Jelly Bean, a 5-inch full HD display, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, 13MP camera and a 3,000mAh battery. With the Snapdragon 800 capable of hitting speeds of 2.3GHz and including LTE, the processor will make the Optimus G2 a very powerful, 4G-enabled phone. "The new, best-in-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor will help deliver blazing fast web browsing, eye-popping graphics, seamless connectivity as well as an unmatched multimedia experience," said Murthy Renduchintala, Qualcomm's Executive Vice President. The G series sequelAccording to Renduchintala, the new LG phones will be "fully tailored and tightly integrated with the entire next G series platform". Qualcomm touts that the Snapdragon 800 will deliver 75 per cent better battery performance than its S4 Pro processor, supports higher display resolutions and also allows the recording and playing of 4K, or Ultra HD, video. While exact specs for the Optimus sequel is unknown, the new processor leaves the door wide open for a number of extra features for the Optimus G2. Reportedly, the phone could also sport always-on voice command, which is also a feature set of the Snapdragon 800, allowing users to create custom phrases for phone commands.     | | Vodafone Australia adds data packs for hungry 4G users Jun 20th 2013, 01:27 
Vodafone was the last of the major three Australians telcos to launch a 4G network, meaning that nearly all Australians can now be using 4G if they want. But with faster mobile speeds comes the ability to burn through data allowances just as fast. In order to prevent customers exceeding their data limits, Vodafone Australia yesterday announced data packs, allowing 4G post-paid customers to top up their plans, either on a 12 month commitment or month-to-month. "We are taking direct action against bill shock so customers can make the most of their services by giving them the tools they need to monitor their usage and top up when they need to," Vodafone Australia's Chief Customer Officer Craig Reines said in a statement. Month-to-month add-ons start at $5 a month for 150MB, up to $30 a month for 2GB. The 12 month add-ons are priced the same, but for double the corresponding data allowance. While the data packs will be able to get you out of a tight spot quickly, Vodafone's add-ons are slightly more expensive than on Optus and Telstra. Telstra's lowest offering of $5 will get you 200MB, $10 on Optus will get you 500MB. Voda's shock treatmentVodafone had already implemented Vodafone Alerts for 4G customers, which sends out a text messages at 50%, 85% and 100% of usage. It has now also included text messages that will inform customers when they have gone over their monthly allowance by $100 or $200. "These tools give our customers the ability to get the most out of their service whilst remaining in total control of their monthly mobile bills," Craig Reines said. While these top-ups can help, mobile data usage is on the rise and faster networks will only have users downloading apps, games, music and videos more. Hopefully, we will all have cheaper and higher data allowances across all networks in the future.   | | Microsoft reported to shut down talks to buy Nokia at last minute Jun 19th 2013, 23:06 
The bond between Microsoft and Nokia may have narrowly missed getting even closer, according to a report out today. The Wall Street Journal has it on the authority of "people familiar with the matter" that Microsoft was as recently as this month in advanced talks with Nokia to buy the company's device division. Though such a union would significantly alter the mobile phone landscape, the Journal's sources said the talks have broken down, with one person advising the discussions won't likely pick up again. Price was apparently one problem for Microsoft, but another facet of its decision to walk away was Nokia's "strategic predicament" behind Apple and Samsung, while other firms are gaining on the Finnish firm. Nokia in demandThe talks, which took place in London, sound as though they made significant headway and were even on the cusp of an oral agreement before Microsoft backed off. A plus of buying the foreign company's device business, the Journal noted, would have been that Microsoft could have used its approximately $66 billion (about £42.6 billion, AU$70.6 billion) in offshore subsidiaries to seal the deal. Nokia and Microsoft are already bedfellows as the phone maker made a commitment over two years ago to solely use Windows Phone in its handsets. While WP is inching upward, the partnership hasn't yielded the big returns either hoped for. The news of Microsoft's hot-now-cold interest in Nokia comes one day after a Huawei executive commented that his company would be open to the idea of purchasing the maker of the Lumia 920. Another executive later said Huawei has no plans to acquire Nokia, but didn't go so far as to say the Chinese hardware maker isn't considering it. Despite its struggles, Nokia clearly has something to offer, and we doubt this is the last we hear of suitors looking for its phone-shaped hand.     | | Siri, the travel agent? New Apple trademarks offer clues to her future Jun 19th 2013, 22:57 
Apple recently revised some patent applications registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, possibly revealing some upcoming new Siri features. The iPhone maker updated three trademark applications on June 13, plus one prior to those in May, Patently Apple reported yesterday. The applications describe new Siri features including hotel booking and education services. Apple already detailed part of what's new with Siri in iOS 7, so it may be that these features arrive in future updates, or not at all. Then again Apple hasn't described every new nook and cranny of Siri's consciousness and there could be many more new features awaiting us in the fall. Siri, order me room serviceOne trademark application details new Siri features like the ability for the virtual personal assistant to make hotel reservations and provide services similar to what travel agents and concierges do. That's where another Apple patent for an iWallet or even Apple's rumored iTravel services could come in, Patently Apple suggested. Siri could also learn more about wine, the patent suggests, to answer the questions of more cultured iPhone users. The patent from May describes Siri services that would provide information relating to education, including online instruction in fields ranging from elementary school to university-level subjects. Apple has staked its claim in education before, so a feature like this would certainly make sense. Now it just remains to be seen whether we see these features in iOS 7 this fall.     | | LG may say 'hello' to voice commands with new Snapdragon 800 device Jun 19th 2013, 22:14 
LG is developing a phone with always-on voice commands for release in 2014, or so said a report out this week. Gotta Be Mobile spoke with three sources "who are familiar with the situation" and said that a new LG Android smartphone will feature voice commands integrated more broadly than virtual personal assistants like Apple's Siri. The voice commands featured in the device will be designed to allow users to go hands-free more often, particularly while driving, the sources said. The site said that voice commands will come built in on the device thanks to its use of the next-gen Snapdragon 800 SoC. A flawless planQualcomm announced in February that the Snapdragon 800 chip will feature a low-power, always-on voice recognition system specifically for the purposes described for the rumored LG phone. The chip maker stated that manufacturers and users can create custom phrases for the phone to listen for, but BGR suggests the default will be a simple "Hello." That could cause some problems for users who accidentally activate their phones while trying to simply start a conversation, but that's a hill of beans at this point. - Microsoft decided to take heat against "always on" head on today. Read how.
    | | Updated: Vdio, Rdio's movie and TV service, is now available for everyone in the US and UK Jun 19th 2013, 20:17 
Update: "This summer" availability apparently meant June 19, as now everyone, Rdio Unlimited subscribers or not, can use Vdio. "[S]tarting today, you don't have to be an Rdio listener to buy, rent, and share your favorite moves and shows with friends," wrote the Rdio team in a blog. Vdio is still only available in the U.S. and U.K., and expectant users can hurry to the service's website or download the iPad app. Original story from April 3... The Rdio streaming music service that launched in 2010 has been joined by a related pay-per-video video service known appropriately as Vdio. Unlike Rdio, though, Vdio has more in common with iTunes' video on demand model than it does with Netflix; Vdio is pay-as-you-watch, allowing users to "rent" movies and TV shows from major studios. Rdio, on the other hand, is a subscription-based service (like Spotify). The new VOD service is currently available in the U.S. and U.K., but there's a catch: only paying Rdio Unlimited subscribers can access it. Say what?Currently Vdio is only available to customers who are already paying for Rdio subscriptions. Those subscribers get $25 of Vdio credit to promote the launch of the new service. Anyone else is currently out of luck, though Rdio Vice President of Product Malthe Sigurdsson told GigaOM that that will change this summer. Sigurdsson also reportedly revealed plans to expand to Canada "in the coming months." What sets Vdio apart?Vdio has a few unique features to differentiate itself from competing streaming video services. Chief among those are Vdio's social features, which are closely tied to Rdio and allow users to follow their friends and see recommendations based on their tastes. Sigurdsson stressed to GigaOM that basing the service on users' personal networks "rather than a marketing department" is a major plus. Content from major studios and networks including Disney, Fox, Warner Bros., Universal, NBC, CBS, ABC, Comedy Central, Showtime and the BBC can be streamed over the web and an iPad app (though unfortunately you can't purchase anything through the app itself). Rdio is already available on a number of platforms, though, and Vdio could hypothetically expand outward to Android, Roku and other connected devices too. Sigurdsson also teased that Vdio subscriptions could be added in the future, according to the report.     | | Latest Xperia ZU leak reaffirms plus-size screen, Qualcomm's mightiest chip Jun 19th 2013, 19:54 
It's almost impossible to turn around without hitting another rumor or report about Sony's Xperia ZU (nee Togari), the company's purported phablet. There have already been plenty of leaked specs and benchmarks to give us a good indication of what we should expect from Sony's supposed new smartphone if and when it's released, but even more info is appearing with regular frequency. A new set of leaked screenshots allegedly taken from a prototype version of the Xperia ZU were posted to the XDA developer blog forums this week, shots that align perfectly with some earlier rumors about the device. However, since this info is believed to have been pulled directly from the phone itself, there just might be a ring of truth to the specifications revealed. Ultra indeedThe screenshots were from the phone's system info page, which gets right to the heart of the matter in regards to the hardware and software powering the Xperia ZU. Running on Android 4.2.2, the prototype features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with an Adreno 330 GPU. There's also 16GB storage and 2GB RAM, all of which fits perfectly with what we've been hearing about the Xperia ZU for the past few months. Where it gets interesting is the reveal of the 6.21-inch screen size, complete with 1,080 x 1,824 resolution. Earlier rumors suggested the Xperia ZU would come with a 6.44-inch, 1080p HD screen, and though these screenshots tell a slightly smaller story, that .23-inch differential could be the size of Sony's navigation bar. Even with that minute difference, the Xperia ZU's screen could potentially dwarf that of the Galaxy Note 3's and the HTC T6's 5.9-inch screens. Sony's June 25 event in Germany is less than a week away, and we wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Xperia ZU make its grand debut. If Sony's actually able to get its phablet out to the public ahead of Samsung and HTC, the battle for phablet dominance could be very interesting as the year progresses.     | | You buy in Dubai? BlackBerry Q5 going on sale early, price a reach Jun 19th 2013, 19:44 
The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will get an early debut Thursday, but unless you're kickin' it in the sands of Dubai, you're going to have to wait a little longer. The new BB10 device, which rocks a physical QWERTY keyboard, wasn't expected to land until mid-July, but will instead make a premature bow to celebrate the grand opening of BlackBerry retail store in the United Arab Emirates. However, while while we wouldn't read too much into this as straight-up currency conversions are never too reliable, the cost of the decidedly mid-range device may turn out to be greater than some expected. In the UAE, the SIM-free phone priced at a AE$1,499 which works out at around £261/$408/AU$437, which stretches the credibility of BlackBerry's "affordable" tag. Tight budgetsThe Q5 gives those on tighter budgets their first chance to experience the BlackBerry 10 operating system, following the launch of the flagship Q10 and Z10 models. It features a 3.1-inch 720 x 720 LCD touchscreen, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 5-megapixel camera and 4G LTE connectivity. Will you be snapping up a Q5 when it launches in the west? Or have reports of a higher-than-expected price-tag put you off already?     | | Dear Larry, please tell us more about Google Glass and privacy. Love, World Jun 19th 2013, 18:55 
State officials in several countries have joined forces to seek assurances from Google in light of the myriad of privacy fears related to Google Glass. The EU Commission's Article 29 Working Party has aligned with privacy commissioners and data protection representatives in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Switzerland, Mexico and more over the matter. All officials and groups have signed an open letter to Google CEO Larry Page requesting dialogue be opened to ensure proper protections for the public are in place. The letter calls on Google to assist as a "leader in this area" and makes particular reference to the potential for unsuspecting passers-by to be photographed or filmed by the device without permission. What about facial recognition?"Google Glass has been the subject of many articles that have raised concerns about the obvious, and perhaps less obvious, privacy implications of a device that can be worn by an individual and used to film and record audio of other people," the letter read. "Fears of ubiquitous surveillance of individuals by other individuals, whether through such recordings or through other applications currently being developed, have been raised. Questions about Google's collection of such data and what it means in terms of Google's revamped privacy policy have also started to appear." The letter also makes reference to Google's future stance on facial recognition (the company will reject such apps for now), and asks what it intends to do with the data it collects from Glass users. The commissioners have also requested permission to test the tech first hand, enabling them to raise any concerns directly with Google. TechRadar asked Google for official comment and will update this story should a response be forthcoming.     | | Blip: Dish leaves Sprint cold as it fixes gaze on Clearwire Jun 19th 2013, 01:35 
If Sprint was sweating picking between Dish and Softbank like a flummoxed Bachelor contestant, then it can heave a sigh of relief as the satellite provider today said it won't make a new offer for the carrier. Dish and Japanese-owned Softbank were in a quarrel over which would pick up America's No. 3 wireless company, but Reuters reported Dish stated it was impractical to meet Sprint's June 18 deadline for a revised offer. Even though its bid was a few billions more than Softbank's, Sprint, which will decide on the firm's offer June 25, liked the look of more money to its shareholders. Dish, which has some not-so-secret wireless ambitions, will now turn its attention to buying out the minority shareholders of Clearwire, already majority-owned by Sprint. So while one drama comes to a close, another is about heat up. Grab the bubbly. It could get ugly. More blips!Like your news bite sized and drama free? Then check out our blips.   | |
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