Windows Phone unlikely to close app gap before 2015 Dec 17th 2013, 12:45, by John McCann 
Microsoft is remaining bullish about the Windows Phone store, and has confirmed that it now boasts over 200,000 applications. That may sound like an impressive figure, but take a quick glance at the competition and you'll see both Android and iOS are hovering around the one million apps mark. Of course both Google's and Apple's offerings have been around longer, but Joe Belfiore, VP and manager for Windows Phone Program Management, said back in November that Microsoft will close the app gap by the end of 2014. Mind the gapConsidering it's taken the Windows Phone store a year and a half to go from 100,000 to 200,000 we find it unlikely that in 12 months time it'll be comfortably riding alongside its Android iOS rivals. Both the Apple App Store and Google Play took six months to jump from 100,000 to 200,000 apps, and growth since they hit the latter has ramped up significantly. There have been some big names joining the Windows Phone ranks in 2013, with the likes of Vine and Instagram helping to boost the store's offering and providing some hope for the future.       | The Android phone Nokia may or may not have been making may or may not have been shelved Dec 17th 2013, 11:44, by Kate Solomon 
Last week word broke that Nokia was working on an Android phone code-named Normandy - but now the rumor mill says the Nokia prototypes have been shelved. Chinese site CTech now says the cheap Android devices that Nokia has been experimenting with over the past couple of years will not see the light of day - supposedly this has nothing to do with Nokia's devices sale to Microsoft but we can't imagine that will have helped. Big on the graphene sceneInstead, the R&D department that was working on the Android project will be working on wireless power, low power energy generation, flexible displays, graphene sensors and augmented reality tech. Because the office in question is not being sold to Microsoft, it seems as though Nokia may launch some wearable tech using these exciting new components independently of the Redmond-based company in the coming years. That could mean smart glasses like Google Glass, but probably not a smartwatch that's already in development because that's gone as part of the Microsoft deal. So still no Nokia-made Android phones or tablets - but don't worry, we're sure the rumors will be back for another go on the Nokia/Android roundabout in 2014.       | NSA's collection of domestic phone 'metadata' likely unconstitutional Dec 17th 2013, 01:24, by Matt Swider 
It doesn't seem to matter if the National Security Agency is only collecting "metadata" from domestic phone calls, as it's likely unconstitutional ruled a federal judge today. That's the opinion of U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon, who said even though the NSA's spying program didn't log phone call content, it still appeared to violate the Fourth Amendment. "I cannot imagine a more 'indiscriminate' and 'arbitrary invasion' than this" wrote Leon, as reported by Politico. He called the program a "systematic and high-tech collection and retention of personal data on virtually every single citizen for purposes of querying it and analyzing it without judicial approval." The George W. Bush-appointed judge also noted that the Justice Department didn't adequately prove that such information prevented terrorist attacks. Staying the rulingAlthough Leon's 68-page opinion, in which he ordered the preliminary injunction, didn't bode well for the NSA's spying program, he ordered a stay of his ruling. The decision was made in order to give the government time to appeal his decision, as the case moves on to higher courts over the next few months. "I fully expect that during the appellate process, which will consume at least the next six months, the government will take whatever steps necessary to prepare itself to comply with this order," he wrote in his opinion. That means, for now, the NSA will continue to be able to collect metadata from phone calls occurring in the US. With reports that the NSA is tracking hundreds of millions of phone locations and going as far as playing World of Warcraft in order to track down terror suspects, it may be the spying status quo going into 2014.       | Galaxy S4, HTC One Google Play Editions updated to Android 4.4.2 Dec 16th 2013, 22:19, by Matt Swider 
The Google Play versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One are again demonstrating that stock Android phones have certain perks as they have just been upgraded to Android 4.4.2. Granted, this is a minor update to Google's mobile operating system with the release notes indicating it's a security patch full of bug fixes, as was the case with 4.4.1 a few days before. When it was released December 5 for the Nexus 5, Android 4.4.1 brought a number of camera fixes, adding auto focus, white balance and HDR+ to the previously mediocre camera software. But that really doesn't matter to Galaxy S4 and HTC One owners. For them, today's Android 4.4.2 updated is all about fixing more glitches. App Ops was an app oopsAndroid 4.4.2 may do little than bring the bug spray, but it's garnered attention as it carries the controversial removal of the "App Ops" interface in settings. Introduced in Android 4.3, App Ops allowed users to restrict apps from accessing their location and reading and modifying their contacts. Users were able to handily configure these settings on an app-by-app basis, but Google said App Ops was "released by accident," according to the disappointed privacy hawks at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Still, it's a good feeling to get an over-the-air Android update on time versus waiting for one on a carrier-bought handset. Those phone owners are typically left twiddling their thumbs until wireless providers give the update OK.       | Blip: Motorola cries 'Timber!,' teases arrival of wood-backed Moto X Dec 16th 2013, 21:21, by Michael Rougeau 
We've been waiting patiently for the Moto X's wood back option to launch for months now, and today Motorola has finally given us hope that our pining (get it?) is almost over. In a Google+ post, Motorola published an image of the Moto X's silhouette dotted-lined onto a slab of wood, with the caption "Put this DIY project on hold. Trust us." The intent behind the message is clear, though details are still scarce. But we'll be keeping an eye out for the wood option to hit Motorola's Moto Maker customization platform soon. Of course the real question now is, if a Moto X is called in the woods with no one around to hear it, does it still ring? More blips!TechRadar's blips are made of fine mahogany, and are a better read than many leather-bound books.       | Galaxy S5 may feature QHD display, iris scanner when it launches at MWC 2014 Dec 16th 2013, 20:00, by klee 
It's been a week since we heard any murmurings about the Samsung Galaxy S5, but right on cue a report it out that we're in for the first higher-than-1080p resolution phone early next year. Samsung is rumored to unveil its first QHD device with a 2560 X 1440 resolution at Mobile World Congress in February 2014, according to ZDNet Korea. The report didn't specifically label this QHD device as the Galaxy S5, but it's unlikely this screen would make its way onto something other than Samsung's next flagship phone. According to sources, Samsung's Ultra HD-displayed phone will also feature an iris verification system that scans user's eyes as a security measure. The pairing of the eye scanner and the Ultra HD screen strongly suggests the phone in question is the long-rumored S5. Eye spiesWith months of speculation under its belt, the next Galaxy is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing handsets we've heard about in some time. Aside from its Ultra HD screen, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is believed to come packing a 2.5GHz processor that's also the first 64-bit part for an Android smartphone. In another first, the 5.5-inch device has 4GB of RAM, the most yet seen in a mobile device. We recommend taking today's QHD and iris scanning report with grains of salt as rumors are always subject to change. Thankfully, we have little time left to wait if they do prove true.       | Three Sony Xperia Z1 variants' benchmarks come in rip-roaringly fast Dec 16th 2013, 19:30, by JR Bookwalter 
Leaked benchmark scores are again outing a trio of forthcoming handsets from Sony, suggesting the Japanese manufacturer may be about to take a good thing and multiply. PhoneArena reported this weekend that Sony has not one, not two but a full three variants of its popular Xperia Z1 on the way, judging from leaked benchmarks recently discovered on the AnTuTu app for Android. The first of the handsets popped up at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late last week as the Sony D5503, a model expected to be marketed as the Xperia Z1 Mini or Xperia Z1s. That particular model put smiles on the faces of Sony fans with an impressive 34,193 score on AnTuTu - a snappy speed considering this is a smaller model of the company's flagship handset. Wait, there's more!Judging from the FCC filing, the Xperia Z1 Mini is downsized in only three areas: A smaller 4.3-inch display, lower 1280 x 720 resolution and a shrunken 2,300mAh battery. That's about where the reduced specs end, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM which makes the diminutive model one worthy of consideration. A second variant which scored an even higher 35,485 on AnTuTu is believed to simply be a refresh of the existing Xperia Z1, presumably with the requisite spec bumps in tow. Last but not least, the so-called Sony Xperia Z1 LTE (C6916) topped out with an AnTuTu score of 36,257 and could be inbound for the US market on T-Mobile.       | Will the Sony Xperia E find LTE, keep budget price with new flavor next year? Dec 16th 2013, 19:23, by Michael Rougeau 
Sony will release a successor to the Xperia E appropriately dubbed the Xperia E2 in 2014, according to the latest whispers. Japanese site EMSOne has it that the Xperia E2 will feature LTE compatibility, unlike its predecessor, which launched in March 2013 with 3G only. Other than that we know nothing about the possibility of an Xperia E2, including any hints about its specs. But the original Xperia E featured a 3.5-inch 320 x 480 display, a 1GHz Cortex A5 processor, 4GB of storage and 512MB of memory - so hopefully the E2 comes with a specs upgrade as well. Rise of the budget phonesEven with a specs upgrade, the E2 will surely retain its budget price tag. Sony's got enough going on in the high end with the flagship Xperia Z (and possibly the Xperia Z2). There's also hope that phones like the Xperia E2 will come with Android 4.4 KitKat, since the latest version of Android isn't dependent on powerful hardware. Does that mean the age of budget phones is upon us? Maybe not for that reason, but it's true that budget phones are thriving alongside their high-end, flagship counterparts. And one can hope that we'll start seeing the new Android version on budget and low-end devices like the Xperia E line out of the box as well as the high-end devices that usually get all the OS love.       | Nokia Camera app snaps up support for all Lumia Windows 8 handsets Dec 16th 2013, 18:40, by klee 
Nokia has been slowly building up its reputation as a photography-centric smartphone maker, and now it's extending perks it developed for some handsets to all. The Nokia Camera app had only been available on high-end models like the Lumia 920, Lumia 925, Lumia 928 and Lumia 1020. Now the Finnish phone maker is opening up the app to all Windows Phone 8 Lumia handsets with its latest beta release. The all-in-one application is now available in the Windows Phone Store for Pureview Lumia devices that have the Amber or Black software release. After a quick download, Lumia users can start accessing perks like full manual mode for precise shutter speed control. Smart Camera mode allows smartphone shooters to take a sequence of photos that they can alter later to emphasize things like movement, to remove objects from an image, or select the best snap. Join the betaPhones that can join in the beta include the Lumia 520, Lumia 521, Lumia 620, Lumia 625, Lumia 720, Lumia 810, Lumia 820 and Lumia 822. Because of its beta status, the Camera app will see frequent updates with new features and improvements, along with bugs. Users are welcome to give feedback as Nokia's aim with the offering is to collect data on the app's overall useability on all Lumia phones. Previously, we noted how the last Nokia Camera app update brought lossless raw Digital Negative Format (DNG) images to the Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1020. In its announcement today, Nokia said DNG support will be added to more phones as the Lumia Black update becomes available. The software update will also allow the camera app to run underneath the lock screen, letting Nokia snappers capture an image without pounding in a keylock code first.       | Windows Phone 8.1 said to add notification center, Siri-like rival Dec 16th 2013, 18:20, by Matt Swider 
The forthcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update may prove that 8.1 is Microsoft's lucky number, as it's reportedly adding a notification center and Siri-like personal assistant to its mobile devices. The Windows Phone 8.1 notification center will be revealed through a swipe-from-the-top gesture, according to unnamed Microsoft sources cited by The Verge. Quick settings can be accessed with a short swipe down, while the most recent notifications are listed with a longer swipe in the same direction. This matches how the Android notification center works and it's a combination of Apple's iOS 7 notification center and command center. 'Contra' to band together a Siri cloneEven faster than changing settings through the new notification center may be asking the Windows 8.1 personal assistant to do it for you. Microsoft has been testing out its "Contra" technology for a number of months, according to the same report, with the intention of launching a rival to Google Now and Apple's Siri. It's said to be able to anticipate appointments and map out the time it'll take you to get there according to data that it reads in a non-Scroogled way. Other Windows Phone 8.1 tweaksWindows Phone 8.1 is likely to have notification center and Siri-like voice interaction as its main highlights, but there are several other tweaks that should please Windows Phone owners. The volume controls are said to be split into categories. A phone's ringtone volume can be independent of its media playback volume, for example. Bing Smart Search is expected to hit Windows Phone 8.1 just as hard as it did Windows 8.1. Enterprise users will also benefit from added VPN support, and those who enjoy playing music and video on small devices may be listening to songs and watching videos through Xbox Music and Xbox Video apps taken from Xbox One. Windows Phone 8.1 at Build 2014The notification center, Contra personal assistant and the other minor tweaks to Windows Phone 8.1 are said to be in internal beta testing right now. Moving forward, Microsoft is reportedly working to unveil all of these new features at its Build 2014 developer conference. That means Windows Phone users will have to wait until April of next year to find out how their smartphones will get retooled and retiled with these much-needed features.       | LG G Flex may fit its curves onto Sprint's shelves next year Dec 16th 2013, 18:17, by Lily Prasuethsut 
The LG G Flex is already available in South Korea, various other parts of Asia and is making its way across Europe, but news of US carrier love has been sparse. However, notorious leakster @evleaks chirped up that Sprint will soon offer the curved phone, though pricing specifics weren't released. Aside from Sprint, it's expected that AT&T and T-Mobile will also carry the G Flex. Hopefully these carriers will offer a lower price than the current bank breaking amount in Korea - 999,900 Korean Won (about $940). It's also possible LG will unleash the LG G Flex beast during the fast approaching CES 2014 tech event, considering various rumors have pointed to an early 2014 release. 
Can you handle the curves?The G Flex is the first curved phone from LG and boasts a 6-inch curved OLED screen, a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera. Not to forget, it's also been touted as a self-healing device where the rear case can supposedly heal itself when scratched. In the meantime, rumors of a 90-degree bending LG G Flex 2 are already floating around the 'net.  | |
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