Android Authority

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• Watch Samsung’s new Monsters University themed Galaxy S4 ad – try to forget the Pixar / Steve Jobs irony
• Moto X set to feature a Dual LTE MIMO antenna, bringing faster data speeds for all
• Viber wants to hijack incoming IDD calls as “terminator” to reduce call costs
• Mugen Power reveals 5,500 mAh battery for Samsung Galaxy S4
• Google Glass FAQ page leaves the most important question unanswered
• Exclusive: Oppo is working on a dedicated camera to rival Samsung’s Galaxy Camera
• Moto X customization and awareness features detailed in new report; carriers to get “standard versions”
• Motorola X Phone customization will probably let us down.
• Back to Basics: Processors explained
• Former Nokia employee aims to create $1,300+ Android-powered ‘adventure smartphones’
• UPDATE: Samsung acquires Boxee for $30 million
• The Android-killer that wasn’t? Tizen is “almost dead”, says industry insider
• Samsung GEAR trademarked, could be the official name of Samsung’s smart watch
• Moto X phone sign-up page goes live on Motorola’s website
• Android Authority Q & A #005 – July 2, 2013
• No more filthy smartphone screens with Corning’s new Gorilla Glass
• Galaxy S4 Active root app available from famous iPhone jailbreak hacker Geohot
• Sick of the “bloatware” on the Galaxy S4? TrulyClean can help
• Purported HTC One Max (T6) and HTC One Mini sightings keep coming in
• Moto X to feature standalone language processing and context awareness chips, and more rumors
• Intel BayTrail benchmark dominates ARM
• Barclays warns that HTC risks being drawn into a marketing war
• MediaTek looks to be working on an octo-core processor

Watch Samsung’s new Monsters University themed Galaxy S4 ad – try to forget the Pixar / Steve Jobs irony Posted: 04 Jul 2013 01:15 AM PDT Samsung has released a new Galaxy S4 advert, this time with a Monsters University theme. The ad, which has long sequences from Disney’s latest blockbuster made by Pixar, underlines some of the S4′s features while using video clips and pictures from the 3D animated film. For example, Air Gesture is shown-off while swiping through a series of promotional shots for the film. Smart Pause is demoed when a user reaches for a coffee while watching the trailer. Sound and Shot, Group Play and Drama shot are all like wise used with footage and images from the film. The 97 second advert ends with a link to a Disney Galaxy S4 mini-site which contains a series of games designed to promote the S4′s features like Smart Pause, Group Play and Dual Shot. Once you complete all three games (and watch each of the promo videos from Samsung) you can enter a competition to win a Samsung Galaxy S4. Congratulations are due to Samsung’s PR team for putting this all together, but the irony around this whole adventure is so thick you could cut it with a knife! For those who don’t remember, Pixar was a company which was financed by Steve Jobs. After a string of hits the company was finally bought by Disney in 2006. As a result Steve Jobs became a board member of Disney. I wonder what his reaction would have been to the idea of Samsung teaming up with Pixar to promote an Android phone!

Moto X set to feature a Dual LTE MIMO antenna, bringing faster data speeds for all Posted: 03 Jul 2013 11:34 PM PDT The Moto X has attracted a fair bit of attention in the past few days and it doesn't look like the hype train will be stopped. The founder and former owner of Android and me, Taylor Wimberley, has already leaked some information about the Moto X and now he's got some more information. According to Wimberley, the Moto X will have a Dual LTE Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) antennas. What this means is that data speeds will be seriously fast on the Moto X. While MIMO technology is more commonly associated with high-speed Wi-Fi it can also be used with the HSPA and LTE standards. The dual LTE MIMO antennas should bring faster data speeds, as both antennas can deliver and recieve data packets. The Moto X will have two antennas which are capable of taking in data at the same time and putting it out using the antennas at the same time. This means that download and upload speeds will be much faster on the Moto X, as both antennas can deliver and receive data packets. Wimberley has already leaked accurate Moto X related information before, and while he has been correct about contextual awareness and customization, nothing is official just yet so we advise you to take this with a grain of salt. While the Moto X's rumored specs don't appear to compete with other high-end smartphone specifications, the smartphone should have a feature set and a price which could interest people who don't need the latest and greatest specifications. Whether Android users will be interested in this is another matter. Based on the rumored specifications will you be picking up the Moto X?

Viber wants to hijack incoming IDD calls as “terminator” to reduce call costs Posted: 03 Jul 2013 11:00 PM PDT Viber is a cross-platform messaging and VoIP app, and its latest iteration extends calls, IM and even video conferencing to desktop users. At approximately 200 million, its user base is particularly impressive, even compared to the likes of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat and LINE. But how does Viber earn profits from this popularity? Is it going to match or outlast the likes of Skype? Apart from adopting a freemium model and selling IM stickers and emoticons on its sticker store, there is no clear word yet as to how the Cyprus-based Viber Media aims to generate revenues out of its cross-platform app and its rapidly growing user-base. Routing non-Viber calls through Viber Recently, information published on Israeli tech blog Geektime is hinting a new possible model through which Viber plans to generate revenues. It appears that Viber is set to implement a feature that would allow its app to intercept regular phone calls, essentially hijacking the call from the cellular network. This only works, though, with carriers that have an agreement with Viber to taking over call termination for international calls. Call termination is the process of forwarding a call to a PBX server referred to as a terminator, which is basic step in the processing of international calls. Each call made passes through a wireless carrier that forwards a call to a PBX central redirector that, in turn, determines which terminator to use. The terminator then routes the call to a wireless carrier that connects the call to the intended receiving phone. In this case, with Viber as the terminator, it can decide to call the recipient using its own network. This guy wants to take your incoming calls. How Viber aims to make money with this setup Terminators are chosen based on inter-corporate contracts. Companies that wish to take charge of call termination would have to negotiate with local carriers to be designated as terminators, to obtain the right to transfer outgoing calls from one country to another. Of course, being designated as a terminator means receiving revenues that could be as high as 1.5 euro cents (about US$0.02) per minute. Viber Media reportedly aims to become a terminator for various carriers in countries where the Viber app is popularly used. Geektime reported that Viber Media has already initiated a pilot project with a Dutch mobile telecommunications company. In the pilot project, an outgoing call made through the Dutch mobile operator passes through Viber (as terminator) and is forwarded to the Viber app if the intended receiver of that call is a Viber user. If the intended call receiver is not a Viber user, the call will be transferred accordingly. As mentioned, being a terminator allows Viber to get paid a share of the IDD revenues for non-Viber calls made to Viber users. This is certainly a viable setup considering that Viber already has 200 million users worldwide. Plus, Viber already has a record of its users’ phone numbers, which makes it easy to compare against incoming calls intended for termination. At this point, Viber only needs to convince mobile operators to work with them. Presumably, Viber’s trump card is going to be an offer of lower call termination rates, thereby also lowering the per-minute charges for users. Benefits for Viber Users If Viber’s call service quality remains the same, users have nothing to worry about. In Android Authority‘s interview with Viber CEO Talmon Marco, he tells us that Viber offers high-quality voice calls even over very slow connections (as low as 8 Kbps). The company therefore promises crystal-clear communications across a wide array of network speeds. This can also result in lower call rates in general. If Viber decides to play price competition against other companies that also want to become terminators, this will result in a decline of termination rates. This proposed business model is only going to affect international calls, though. Local calls and Viber to Viber calls are still not going to yield revenues for Viber. In a response sent to Geektime regarding the article it published on the speculated business model, Viber confirmed that the company is indeed exploring new ways to integrate standard telephony with Viber’s service. The test done with a Dutch mobile operator happens to be one of these new and innovative ways. Here is a copy of Viber’s official statement: Viber is running multiple tests at any given point in time aimed at exploring innovative ways to integrate with the standard telephony system and offer new and exciting service. The service mentioned in the article is one such test that was run with an extremely small number of users, reflecting less than 0.0002% of call volume on the Viber system. If we ever made this service commercially available it will be on an optional basis. Viber Viber’s plans are, indeed, an interesting take on monetizing a startup business using the traditional approach. But by working with carriers, who are essentially Viber’s competitors, the company is proving that collaboration is still key in ensuring both quality for users and a potential revenue stream that can sustain its business. Image credits: Shutterstock

Mugen Power reveals 5,500 mAh battery for Samsung Galaxy S4 Posted: 03 Jul 2013 07:25 PM PDT So you (and 20 million others) bought a shiny new Galaxy S4 and love it to death, but the included 2,600 mAh battery just isn't cutting it. Sure, four hours of video streaming, eight hours with moderate usage, and 17 hours of talk time sounds like a lot, but what if you want to browse the web a little bit longer? Don't worry, friends, because Mugen Power's got you covered. The aftermarket battery company revealed today a 5,500 mAh extended battery for the S4, a power solution with more than twice the capacity of stock. Needless to say, it's a beast. According to Mugen Power, the Galaxy S4 extended battery will more than double battery life. If you limit your smartphone usage to the occasional app install, e-mail reply, and website browse, the company doesn't think 3-4 days of power is an unreasonable estimate. The best part? You don't have to worry about compatibility or sacrificing functionality; the Mugen Power battery matches the stock battery's voltage, and the cover includes an NFC coil for near field fun. Mugen Power plans to ship the Galaxy S4 extended battery in late July. It'll retail for $89.50, and backplates will come in black and white.

Google Glass FAQ page leaves the most important question unanswered Posted: 03 Jul 2013 05:01 PM PDT Admit it: whether you want them or not, you're curious about Google Glass. What do they do, really? Are they heavy? Is Google concerned about privacy? It's such a radical shift in technology, we're naturally curious. Google is cautious to implement Glass, so those who have actually worn a pair are a rare breed. Even though I had them for a night on the town during I/O, I'm still left with a lot of questions. The benefit to all this is that we get a chance to see some official answers. You could go down to the Google Campus in Mountain View, California and beg Googlers wearing them for info, but security would probably frown on that. You could try to find an important guy on the subway in New York wearing them, but I'm pretty sure that only happened once. You could check out a number of Google+ communities, but would you even know where to begin with your questions? If you're just plain curious, check out the Google Glass FAQ page, which launched today. In there, you'll find all kinds of interesting info about Glass, including those potentially embarrassing questions above. From info about the experience of wearing them, all the way down to current news issues dogging the program, the FAQ page is pretty unique and detailed. Google tends to be fairly tight lipped about certain topics, so it's nice to see them address a few issues as they relate to Glass. The benefit to all this is that we get a chance to see some official answers. We also have a better idea of what this program and hardware is all about, and can form an opinion on what we're willing to spend. Oddly enough, the one question not addressed is the one many of us are most interested in: what will it cost at retail?

Exclusive: Oppo is working on a dedicated camera to rival Samsung’s Galaxy Camera Posted: 03 Jul 2013 04:23 PM PDT Details are still sparse, but a source tells us that Oppo is working on a dedicated camera. Much like the Samsung Galaxy Camera, this is said to be a standalone device for point-and-shoot enthusiasts. What we do know is that Oppo has held a briefing on the camera, a photo from which you will see below. In this briefing, attendees were told the device would be "high resolution", and use an "owl" image processor. We can deduct from that statement that an Oppo camera may utilize a type of night owl processor, probably meant to enhance low-light situations. Another unique bit of information is the camera will offer "true to form" image replication, which also ties into the high resolution claim. While this clearly doesn't outline everything, it already sounds like a pretty robust offering from Oppo. Interestingly, Oppo also noted their camera would have an "innovative" body design, and an interface meant to support creativity. What that entails is still unknown, but we can safely guess it will run Android and embrace photo editing apps. It will also support a remote shutter and flash, which we assume means an app will accompany the device, much like Samsung has for their cameras. To tie in with the remote capabilities, the camera is reported to have a fast shutter speed. As photogs everywhere know, a quick shutter means crisp action shots, and snappier capture in many situations. While this clearly doesn't outline everything, it already sounds like a pretty robust offering from Oppo. As we get more details, we'll continue to update you. An innovative design and impressive features have us interested, though. For a company already making some of the thinnest smartphones on earth, we'd like to see just how much they can pack into an innovative, unique shell. Their Find 5 was a blockbuster without an audience, so we're curious to know if we'll see this camera stateside when it comes out.

Moto X customization and awareness features detailed in new report; carriers to get “standard versions” Posted: 03 Jul 2013 02:20 PM PDT Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside A new report reveals the kind of personalization and contextual awareness features that will be available to Moto X buyers, and, as expected, hardware customization isn't one of them. ABC News has learned from its sources that Motorola will let Moto X phone buyers "fully customize the look of the device" with different colors and even engravings: Through a website, buyers will be able to select from a palette of different colors. One color can be used for the back case and another can be selected for the trim of the phone. Users will also be able to engrave a name or message on the back cover as well as upload a personal photo through the site to be used as the wallpaper on the phone's screen, according to people familiar with the rollout. As for hardware, users will not be able to customize it, but the handset will come with "multiple storage options." Will such customizations be enough for your needs? Earlier today an other source painted a familiar picture on the kind of Moto X customizations that will be available to the buyer. With so many rumored physical customizations for the Moto X, it will pay off to have a U.S.-based factory manufacturing the device. That way, Moto should be able to ship custom orders in a timely fashion after an order is placed – the report says that Google will ship devices "within days of placing the order" – a feat that would be a lot more difficult for devices made in other regions of the world: Without mentioning specs, the publication describes the handset as a mid-range device, with an Android 4.2.2 version already being tested by carriers. X Phone concept More importantly, ABC News also shares some more details about how the contextual awareness features would work. Apparently the phone will know when you want to take a photo and will automatically launch the camera app. Similarly, the phone will know you are driving, at which point it will automatically launch the speakerphone function. The handset is also expected to feature "advanced voice recognition technology." ABC News also said that buyers will be able to purchase the handset directly from the web, "but also buy standard version through carrier stores." That particular detail is very interesting as it seems to suggest that carrier-bound Moto X phones may not be customizable, but "standard." While we're still waiting for final specifications and availability details for the Moto X, we'll note that the first Moto X ad has been published in the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal. Moreover, the company has opened up a registration page on its website where potential Moto X buyers can sign up to receive more details about the device. That said, these Moto X details are still not official, even though it's coming from ABC News.

Motorola X Phone customization will probably let us down. Posted: 03 Jul 2013 12:32 PM PDT Motorola has decided to keep teasing us with tidbits of information about the X Phone, and we're left to wonder what it all means. Made in the USA? Great for keeping jobs domestic. Available soon? That's just mean, Motorola. You know we want that phone! More than anything, we're wondering about this customization claim of theirs. What does that mean? How thorough could the program be? We can hope for a lot, but let's not assume too much. Yesterday we pointed out just why this could all be a dream come true. It's all lining up the right way, but the dream of full customization still seems so far off. What we want and what we'll get will probably be disparate, but we don't really know that. We still operate on innuendo, with people claiming to have knowledge of the situation. We can hope for the best, but we expect to see something much less. What we want If we had it our way, all the rumors would be true. The device was so built up, so thoroughly discussed, we have no real option but to be let down. If there could be one saving grace, it would be great customization. If we could build our own device, suiting our needs (whatever they may be), then the chatter about how good or terrible this phone is goes out the window. You could know 10 people with the "same" X Phone as you, but very different specs. In our ideal environment, we go to the Play Store and build the exact X Phone we want. In our ideal environment, we go to the Play Store and build the exact X Phone we want. Processor, RAM, memory, screen size, color, case materials; it's all up for grabs! Like ordering a pizza online, whatever we add or take away changes the cost. If your X Phone with a monster processor and tons of RAM is lost or stolen, you can easily order another device. Maybe you don't have the cash to replace that lost phone as it was, but you can always build another for a lower cost. With so many different wants and needs flying around, the ability to completely alter the device silences many critics. A prominent complaint is the very anemic memory that comes on phones, or lack of SD Card slot. If I had the option to add memory, then my needs are satisfied. A faster processor takes care of many other issues like lagging game play, and a selection of screen sizes means no more wishing for moonshot phones that don't exist.

Back to Basics: Processors explained Posted: 03 Jul 2013 11:50 AM PDT This week's edition will be focusing on one of the biggest factors in a smooth running device – the processors that run our smartphones, tablets and other Android running devices. What is an SoC? If you've ever read a review of a smartphone or tablet, then you've often read the word SoC. SoC stands for System on Chip and is where the CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), modem, and a few of other components are housed. The Snapdragon 400 SoC By keeping all of the components in a small package, manufacturers can make their devices smaller, faster and more battery efficient. This also makes the devices cheaper to build and reduces costs when assembling. The major manufacturers of Android SoCs are Qualcomm, Nvidia, Samsung and Intel. Qualcomm makes the Snapdragon SoC, Nvidia makes the Tegra SoC, Samsung makes the Exynos SoC, and Intel uses its Atom SoC. Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 series The Snapdragon S4 series is Qualcomm's 2012 SoC and is found on a multitude of devices and in particular smartphones. The S4 series is split into 3 model tiers: The S4 Play is for mid-range devices and features an Adreno 203 GPU, the S4 Plus is a slightly faster processor with a better GPU, and features a dual-core Krait processor, and the S4 Pro is a high-end SoC and features an improved GPU and CPU. Snapdragon 200, 400, 600 and 800 The Snapdragon 200 and the Snapdragon 400 SoCs are designed for budget and mid-range devices. The Snapdragon 600 is found on high-end devices from earlier in the year 2013 and the Snapdragon 800 is the fastest SoC from Qualcomm and will be found on high-end devices later in the year. Nvidia Tegra 3 The Tegra 3 is an SoC built by Nvidia with a quad-core CPU and an additional "companion" core, which is used for battery efficiency. The Tegra 3 is found mostly in tablets, as it lacks some of the LTE radios which are used in smartphones. Tegra 4 and the Tegra 4i The Tegra 4 is Nvidia's SoC for high-end devices and uses the same 4+1 CPU design that was found in the Tegra 3 except with an ARM Cortex-A15 design. The Tegra 4i is a SoC designed for budget smartphones and tablets and while it isn't as fast as the Tegra 4, it incorporates a LTE/HSPA+ baseband, meaning it's more likely to be used in smartphones than the Tegra 4. Samsung’s Exynos Samsung's Exynos SoCs are usually found in Samsung smartphones and tablets. The Exynos 4 Quad is a quad-core processor which is found on last year's high-end smartphones like the Galaxy S3. The Exynos 5 Dual is a dual-core A15 processor which is designed for high-end devices and in particular high-resolution tablets. The Exynos 5 Octa uses a quad-core A15 processor for higher performance, and a quad-core A7 processor for battery efficiency and low-power tasks. Keep in mind that the two processors will not be running at the same time, so this is not a "true" eight-core processor. Intel Atom While Intel was late to the mobile processors market, nobody could discount the world's largest chip maker. Although Intel's Medfield processors didn't make their way into many smartphones or tablets, Intel's newer Clover Trail processors have attracted attention for their performance and battery efficiency. What should you buy? Multi-core processors The most commonly associated terms in regards to processors are "dual-core" and quad-core". A single-core chip would feature a single CPU, a dual-core processor would feature two CPU chips which are combined, a quad-core processor would feature four CPU chips which are combined, and so forth. The reasoning behind multi-core chips is that they provide more power for tasks as the load can be shared among the processors. An analogy can explain this more easily. If one person had to lift a 50kg bag, it would take more effort than two or four people lifting the 50 kg bag together. A quad-core CPU While people often associate more cores with more power consumption, it is often not the case. Even though it may appear as if a dual-core processor will provide double the performance of a single-core processor and a quad-core processor will provide double the performance of a dual-core processor, this is not always the case. There are many variables which determine the speed of the processor, and the overall speed of the device. The fact of the matter is that there are many variables which determine the speed of the processor and the overall speed of your device. Factors like RAM and software optimization can affect the speed of your device as well. It's easiest to place the processors spoken about above in tiers, with tier 1 being the worst performing and tier 4 being the best performing. Tier 1: Snapdragon 200, Snapdragon S4 Play, Exynos 4 Dual. Tier 2: Snapdragon 400, Snapdragon S4 Plus, Tegra 3, Exynos 4 Quad Tier 3: Snapdragon S4 Pro, Exynos 5 Dual. Tier 4: Snapdragon 600, Snapdragon 800, Exynos 5 Octa, Tegra 4. Antutu is a benchmark that tests many variables to offer a performance score (The higher the better). High-end processors tend to have better performing GPUs which are essential for people who like to play graphics intensive games like Dead Trigger and N.O.V.A. 3. These high-end processors are usually found in flagship devices like the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, while budget devices will sometimes use lesser known SoCs, like MediaTek, NovaThor and OMAP, which balance performance with costs. Software optimization and RAM The latest versions of Android perform much better than older versions. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and upwards all use Google's Project Butter, which ensures devices run at 60fps and are much smoother overall. Therefore, two devices that use the same processor, but with one running Android 4.0 ICS and the other running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, will not have the same performance. Devices running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and upwards tend to perform much better than devices running older versions of Android. RAM is another factor in the speed of your device. Without going into too much detail, the more RAM your device has, the smoother it will run. This is because RAM allows you to keep apps and other tasks in memory for quick access. The more RAM you have, the more you'll be able to store and the smoother your device will be. Wrap up While the processor should be a major factor in the purchasing of your device, it should not be the deciding factor when purchasing your device as there are many different variables that affect whether your device will be a smooth performer. If you’d like to learn more about mobile processors, check out these articles: Mobile Processor Guide – Summer 2013 System on a chip guide – Spring 2013 Quad-core processors: A layman's guide Showdown: Nvidia Tegra 4 vs Samsung Exynos 5 Octa Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 offers "ludicrous speed," its GPU is the "new king," benchmarks show We'll be back next week with another edition of the Back to Basics series, but if you have a question about Android, head over to our AA Q&A page, where our team will answer your questions every Wednesday or just drop your questions in the comments below and I'll be happy to respond.

Former Nokia employee aims to create $1,300+ Android-powered ‘adventure smartphones’ Posted: 03 Jul 2013 11:01 AM PDT Think that $640 off-contract price for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is expensive? That's peanuts, at least compared to the $1300 – $6500 that it will cost to bring home upcoming Android handsets from Adaia. If you are now scratching your head wondering who Adaia is, they are a brand new Finnish startup that is lead by a former Nokia employee, Heikki Sarajärvi. As you already guessed, the startup's goal is to create high-end luxury phones. Adaia is far from the only "premium" handset maker, as companies like the formally Nokia-owned Vertu certainly come to mind. So what sets Adaia's phones apart from the luxury competition? Adaia aims to create an expensive phone that is way more than just a status symbol. The idea is to create a mobile device that looks great and fits in nicely around the office, but can also work well with an active lifestyle. The company’s website even bills their products as ‘adventure smartphones’: “With the world’s first Adventure Smartphone, you can push the outside of the envelope anywhere in the world, under any circumstances – with a single, beautifully designed device.” So why Android? As Heikki says “there is no alternative.” We certainly agree, though I have a feeling that Heikki’s former boss probably doesn’t. Adaia  has yet to reveal its actual product line-up, but we can look towards their current prototype to get an idea of what to expect. We don't know what kind of processor, RAM or storage the prototype packs, but we do know it has quite a few unique features. Most of us wouldn't spend $1000+ pricing for a smartphone, but there are certainly folks that would love the idea of a phone that truly can take any abuse thrown at it. For starters, the phone has an extremely durable design that utilizes titanium reinforcements and hard plastic. There are also functions such as the ability to hot-swap batteries at the push of a button, and even an integrated satellite antenna. Even more impressive, the phone can apparently withstand water depths of down to 10 meters, and altitudes up to 9000 meters. Try that with other "durable" handsets like the S4 Active. On the downside, the current prototype has just a 4.8-inch display and a pretty hefty weight, at 250 grams. Yes, that's even heavier than the Nokia Lumia 920. We have to admit, this 250-gram Android prototype sounds rather impressive. Most of us probably wouldn’t spend $1000+ pricing for a smartphone, but there are certainly folks that would love the idea of a phone that truly can take any abuse thrown at it. What do you think, can Adaia find success in the extremely-durable handset market?

UPDATE: Samsung acquires Boxee for $30 million Posted: 03 Jul 2013 10:38 AM PDT Well, I can't say this was unexpected. According to a report by Israel-based finance website The Marker, Samsung is in the process of acquiring company Boxee for $30 million. Perhaps best known for the PC media server software of the same name, Boxee partnered with D-Link in 2009 to produce the Boxee Box, a set-top box with a focus on streaming video. More recently, the company dabbled in TiVo-like live television augmentation with the Boxee TV (now Cloud DVR), which offered unlimited recording of over-the-air shows for a monthly fee. Both companies have a lot to gain from the sale. Samsung has long shown interest in improving and expanding its living room offerings. Though the company's remained one of the world's largest television manufacturers for years, falling prices and a contracting market have forced the company to incorporate differentiating features into its range of TV and media products. Samsung refreshed its internet-connected television lineup in 2010, placing a greater emphasis on apps, voice and motion control, and streaming content. More recently, the company's adopted a different tact, selling set-top boxes in an apparent bid to infiltrate living rooms without Smart TVs: the Samsung HomeSync media streamer launched early this year, boasting advanced streaming features and a massive amount (1TB) of local storage. Boxee, for its part, could use the financial backing of a hardware giant like Samsung. The company was never really able to find its footing after exiting the desktop software market, mostly languishing after its partnership with D-Link resulted in the release of less-than-exceptional products. Boxee's been searching for a buyer for several months, so a purchase by Samsung would be an answered prayer. What's to come of Samsung's acquisition of Boxee? Most likely, Samsung intends to incorporate some of Boxee's UI and features into future TV or set-top box product lines. It's difficult to say whether Samsung would everbe interested in producing a device with live TV integration like Boxee’s Cloud DVR, but such a feature definitely has the potential to boost sales of the company's Smart TVs. What do you think of Samsung’s reported purchase? Would you like to see a Samsung DVR in the near future? Let us know! UPDATE: Samsung confirmed to the New York Times that it has purchased Boxee.

The Android-killer that wasn’t? Tizen is “almost dead”, says industry insider Posted: 03 Jul 2013 10:34 AM PDT Yesterday, news broke that Samsung would delay the release of the first smartphone running Tizen, a Linux-based operating system that the Korean company has been developing together with Intel and other partners. According to the Korean website iNews, the reason for the delay of the device, widely thought to bear the GT-I8800 code number, would be the lack of a strong ecosystem of apps that users can install at launch. The GT-I8800, a phone that is similar to the Galaxy S3 when it comes to specs, was initially pegged to launch in the third quarter of 2013. However, the report claims that Samsung and Intel have postponed the phone's debut by two months, in an effort to muster more apps and more support from developers. But this delay may be more than a simple bump in the road for Tizen. Eldar Murtazin, the Russian tech blogger with connections deep inside the mobile industry, just tweeted that the Tizen project faces termination. Tizen is almost dead. It isn't delay. That's cancel of the whole project. I doubt that samsung will launch more than one device for 2014 — Eldar Murtazin (@eldarmurtazin) July 3, 2013 Tizen is Samsung's attempt to reduce its reliance on Android, which, although wildly successful, Samsung can't control as much as it would like to. Intel helped Samsung for similar reasons – the chip giant was off to a late start in the mobile revolution, and control over a successful alternative to Android would have provided a major boost. Some industry watchers have seen in Tizen a viable threat to Android, especially since a group of major international carriers have announced its support for the project. However, if Murtazin is onto something here, Tizen might be joining Bada, Meego, or Meltemi in the cemetery of failed operating systems. In a follow up tweet, Murtazin alluded at what the future holds for Tizen: @LSAwesome it will be another intel connected project (android based). It's more interesting in all ways — Eldar Murtazin (@eldarmurtazin) July 3, 2013 It may be that not all the work of the Tizen team would be in vain, even if the operating system won't make it to the market in the current form. Would the untimely death of a potential competitor good for Android? What would happen if Android would kill all its competitors? My colleague Gary Sims attempts to answer these questions here.

Samsung GEAR trademarked, could be the official name of Samsung’s smart watch Posted: 03 Jul 2013 08:38 AM PDT Whether you realize it or not, the wearable revolution has already begun. For Google, the push towards the wearable future revolves around the company’s ambitious Google Glass project. For everybody else, it seems that the first step forward will come in the form of a smart watch. While we’ve already seen devices like Sony’s next-gen smart watch and the Pebble, it doesn’t end there. Motorola, Samsung, Apple and even Qualcomm are all rumored to be working on their own smart watch hardware. In fact, Samsung’s project even goes beyond rumor. Back in March, an exec confirmed that Samsung had been working on a smart watch project for a long time. So we know it is coming, but what the heck are they going to call it? While Galaxy Watch easily comes to mind, the real name might have nothing to do with the Galaxy brand at all. According to new trademark information first uncovered by Phandroid, the watch might arrive under the name Samsung GEAR. There are two different listings associated with the trademarked GEAR name. The first of these talk more about software and could refer to just about any type of computing device. It is the second listing that really has us excited. Here we find several references to watch terms like electronic clocks and control clocks. There is also a pretty clear statement found embedded in the filling, that describes exactly what the GEAR is all about: [watches, watchbands and/or bracelets] that communicate data to personal digital assistants, smart phones, table PCs, PDA, and personal computers through internet websites and other computer and electronic communication networks Now the big question is whether the Samsung GEAR line will be more like the Pebble, or if Samsung will seek to bring more robust Android functionality to its smart watch. Something tells me the later is more likely, but we’ll see. Either way, a storm is coming. Can Samsung navigate through the weather and arrive as a leader in the wearable computing market?

Moto X phone sign-up page goes live on Motorola’s website Posted: 03 Jul 2013 08:34 AM PDT Motorola has published a Moto X phone sign up page on its website, although the device is not yet officially listed. By signing up for more information, you'll make sure you receive more Moto X info via email, once Motorola is ready to reveal more details about the handset. But that's pretty much all you get right now, a chance to register your interest for the device. The page looks very much like yesterday’s ad, reminding users that the USA-made Moto X will be coming soon and will feature support for some user customizations. The company confirmed the handset during the D11 conference last month, but it did not show official images of the upcoming flagship smartphone, nor did it mention specs and features for the handset. That still hasn't changed, even though the company has posted the Moto X sign-up page on its website. What's clear though is that Google is interested in creating plenty of Moto X buzz around July 4, considering that the handset will be assembled in the USA. Since seeing the first official ad for the Moto X yesterday, we heard that the handset will reportedly not be included in the Droid family with Verizon, and we've seen several other details about the device get mentioned. While nothing is official just yet, we're definitely interested in seeing the handset's contextual awareness features and language processing abilities in action. What we do know is that the phone will be launched later this summer with a variety of U.S. and international carriers, so it's probably safe to assume that the handset will be properly announced in the coming days/weeks.

Android Authority Q & A #005 – July 2, 2013 Posted: 03 Jul 2013 08:32 AM PDT Welcome to another installment of Android Authority Q & A. Each week we take questions from you, our wonderful readers and viewers, and answer them both here and in video form on our YouTube channel. In a hurry or don't like to read? Skip right to the video. Q: Den asks: Kris, what do you think about the Acer Liquid E2? And what is the best phone for that price range? A: Looking at the specs, it has a MTK6589 chipset, quad-core Cortex A7 CPU, PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU, 1 GB of RAM and a 2,000 mAh battery. That certainly isn't bad. While it doesn't have a HD display, the 960 x 540 display doesn't seem too bad. It certainly seems like a decent phone, especially selling for around $300 off-contract. My personal pick in the $300 range is the Google Nexus 4. It either matches or exceeds the the Liquid E2's specs, though it isn't without its downsides, mainly lack of LTE. Q: Dolev says: I'm moving from an iPhone and wanted to ask about Chinese smartphones. I'm looking for something nicely spec'd: a MTK6589T or Snapdragon 600 chip, 2 GB of RAM, full HD in the price range of around $250-$300. What are your thoughts? A: If you're looking for a Snapdragon 600 chipset, it's going to be a little harder to get into your price range. With a MTK6589, though, you've got a lot of options. The Huawei Ascend D2 meets your criteria, but it's not within your price range. Basically, just pour over reviews until you find the phone for you. That's the best advice I can give here. Q: Anthony asks: When will the new firmware update for the Galaxy S4 come out in the US? The one that allows us to move apps to an SD card. A: That's a tough one. I couldn't find any official announcement of when the update might hit the U.S., even though it began rolling out last month. For all we know, it could just start hitting S4s in the U.S. without any warning, which would be nice. Stay tuned for more info. Q: Ritvik asks: Will the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 really be even bigger than the Note 2? Galaxy Note 3 concept A: While there are a lot of rumors floating around about the Galaxy Note 3, no details have been officially nailed down. One of the most recent rumors however, has the display on the Galaxy Note 3 at 5.7 inches, 0.2 inches bigger than the Note 2's display. Whether or not this will happen is still up in the air, but I would be that Samsung's goal is to release a device about the same size as the Note 2, but with a larger screen. It would be a win-win situation for fans. John asks: When is the release date for the Sony Xperia Z in Canada? A: It seems that Sony has been teasing Canada about the possibility of a Canadian release of the Xperia Z since back in January. Unfortunately, while the company hasn't officially ruled it out, Sony hasn't gone on record saying that the Xperia Z will be headed to Canada either. There was a brief glimmer of hope a few months ago, though it turned out that Sony was talking about the Xperia Tablet Z coming to Canada, not the phone. That said, there still might be hope, so don't give up just yet. Q: Xanee asks: My Galaxy S3 charges really slowly now, taking about 12 hours or more to charge from 20% to 100%. How can I fix this? A: While it's possible that your battery is malfunctioning, you didn't mention any other symptoms of a bad battery, so we'll assume that isn't the case. Especially since there is a fairly well known issue with the charging cables that shipped with the Galaxy S3, all though this can happen to any cable. What happens is that the cable starts to break inside, so the charge is interrupted occasionally, though only briefly. The Galaxy S3's software notices this, and reduces the charge rate to make up for the inconsistent connection. First, try using a different cable. If that doesn't work, try charging the phone with another charger. If neither of these works, you may have a problem with your battery. Video Join us next week for more questions and, of course, more answers! If you would like to, head over to the Q & A page to ask us some questions of your own.

No more filthy smartphone screens with Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Posted: 03 Jul 2013 07:53 AM PDT Corning’s new generation (Gorilla Glass 4?) of thin and durable glass is expected to pack new features that may make Dragontrail and even the superbly durable sapphire glass appear inferior. This time, it’s not just a solution similar to oleophobic coating, Nokia’s ClearBlack display polarizer system, or Sony’s OptiContrast design. The new Gorilla Glass itself will have significantly lower reflectance compared to every other glass used to cover the displays of mobile devices. This anti-reflection technology was already hinted at by Corning’s director for marketing and commercial operations at the Computex expo in Taipei last June. Now, the company has a convincing demonstration of the kind of dramatic reflectance reduction its new glass will offer. At the MIT Mobile Technology Summit, Corning’s senior vice president and operations chief of staff, Dr. Jeffrey Evenson, presented the evident effect of the company’s new technology in reducing the reflectiveness of glass. He showed an image of a thin sheet of glass that appears to have a hole at its center. The hole, as Evenson revealed, turns out to be the portion coated by Corning’s new anti-reflection solution. There was actually no hole on the glass! It was an optical illusion that demonstrated the kind of technology that would seem to be the perfect solution to the visibility limitations of most displays outdoors, under bright sunlight. Every glass-covered device on the market suffers visibility problems under the sun. Even the devices touted to have the highest display brightness and contrast can’t adequately compensate for the reflectivity of the tempered glass used to cover them. With Corning’s new technology, the future of better outdoor display visibility looks assured. Going beyond clarity, here are a few highlights of Corning’s latest products: The glass can withstand an enormous amount of pressure, at 10 gigapascals. That’s equivalent to the weight of 10,000 elephants stacked atop an area covering that same theoretical elephant’s foot. Glass is essentially super-cooled liquid, so regular glass “flows” and “sags” after time. In contrast, Corning’s glass will take 20 trillion times the Earth’s age to show a visible sag. Glass is impermeable, especially compared with plastic. Corning explained that a molecule of oxygen can pass through a one-millimiter thick piece of plastic in two weeks’ time. Its glass? About 30 billion years. Since water and oxygen are enemies of OLED and other advanced display technologies, Corning says its glass is the best enclosure for these displays. Not that you’re going to let an elephant dance atop your smartphone screens, but these only show how strong Corning’s glass is in terms of compressive stress. Now as for impact resistance and bending, that’s a different thing altogether. No more filthy touchscreens Even better, Corning also presented their antimicrobial solution to filthy mobile devices. The upcoming Gorilla Glass will come with a technology designed to minimize bacterial proliferation on mobile displays. Evenson showed a clip that compares bacterial presence between standard glass and the new Corning antimicrobial glass after two hours. A microscopic view of the two glass surfaces showed the apparent effectiveness of Corning’s antimicrobial solution. The company claims that their new glass offers more than 106 bacterial reduction potential. These new features, obviously, don’t mean any advantage for some other applications of durable glass like using it as roofing for benches or as windshields, where reflectance is deemed advantageous. These are meant for the glass used on the displays of mobile devices, as well as for televisions, desktop and laptop computer monitors, and the giant displays used in outdoor advertising. Also, reduced reflectance will benefit solar energy panels, a market that Corning also plans to exploit with its flexible solar power roofing glass. Corning claims that its durable glass is now used in approximately 1.5 billion devices. This 162-year-old company holds the biggest market share in the tempered glass market worldwide. The announcement of its new Gorilla Glass features is expected to solidify its dominance as the leading supplier for smartphone and tablet glass covers. Still, the company appears to have no intentions of slowing down on its offerings. It has also launched this month the Corning Willow Glass, a super-slim flexible glass that appears to be the perfect partner for LG’s or Samsung’s upcoming flexible displays.

Galaxy S4 Active root app available from famous iPhone jailbreak hacker Geohot Posted: 03 Jul 2013 07:44 AM PDT Famous iPhone (and Sony PlayStation) jailbreaker Geohot has already rooted the recently released Galaxy S4 Active rugged phone. Moreover, he provided an app which any Galaxy S4 Active owner can use to root his or her device without hassle. Naturally, we'll remind you that we don't advise you to root your devices, and that anything that happens during such procedures falls under your responsibility. That said, if you want to root your device, you'll have to head on to Geohot's website (Source link below) and follow the instuctions: visit on an active click the lambda install the apk run activeroot It doesn't get any easier than that, does it? However, you should know that this root method is confirmed to work on the AT&T Galaxy S4 Active (model number SGH-I537) so better make sure your Galaxy S4 Active version is supported before you move forward. Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Review [6:49] In case you're still unsure whether to buy Samsung's latest rugged handset, you can always check out our thorough review here (video above) to make up your mind.

Sick of the “bloatware” on the Galaxy S4? TrulyClean can help Posted: 03 Jul 2013 07:38 AM PDT Ranging from potentially useful apps like Facebook, to apps from the manufacturer's marketing partners, to obscure apps that users have no idea what to do with, bloatware takes up precious storage space, fills up app drawers, and some say, even affects the performance of the device. And the worst part is that, unless you root the device, you can't even uninstall the offending applications. That's true for Samsung's latest flagship, the Galaxy S4 – bloatware is an especially pressing issue for users of the 16GB version of the device, who only get 9GB of free space out of the box. Enter TrulyClean, a script developed by XDA-Developers user schoolsux, that removes almost 100 pieces of bloatware and frees up 600MB of storage in the process. Warning – before you read any further, know that using TrulyClean requires a rooted device and a minimum of knowledge about flashing in recovery mode and running scripts. The script is compatible with both the GT-I9500 (Exynos 5 Octa) and GT-I9505 (Snapdragon 600) versions of the device. Proceed with caution, only if you want a basic, devoid of cruft version of TouchWiz. The TrulyClean script removes a lot of apps and features, including some that you may find useful. These include apps like Samsung Hub, ChatOn, Google Plus, Polaris Viewer, TripAdvisor, and features such as Samsung Text to Speech or S Translator. Most apps on the list can be reinstalled from the Play Store, but before you go ahead and run the script, we recommend that you carefully read schoolsux' instructions, as well as the comments to the original XDA thread. If you want to keep some of the apps on the blacklist, you can edit the script relatively easily, so it may be a good idea to go through the list before you use it.

Purported HTC One Max (T6) and HTC One Mini sightings keep coming in Posted: 03 Jul 2013 07:05 AM PDT HTC One It’s not news anymore that HTC is expected to launch two additional handsets part of the One line, a smaller HTC One Mini smartphone to take on all the mid-range minis from the competition, and a HTC One Max flagship device to compete against supersized smartphones, but the devices have been sighted in reportedly leaked carrier documents, but also pictured (at least the One Mini). New HTC One Max rumors The HTC One Max – also known as the HTC T6 – has apparently been spotted in internal O2 Germany documentation alongside other upcoming handsets, including the HTC One Mini, the Nokia Eros and the Nokia Mars (the last two devices are most likely running Windows Phone). Source: MobiFlip The image above shows that the One Max would be available in silver, although actual details about the handset are not available at this time. Existing rumors suggest the phone will pack a 5.9-inch Full HD display, 2.3GHz quad core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, Ultrapixel camera, 3300mAh batter and Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. We'll note that Android 5.0 is yet to be confirmed as Key Lime Pie, even though that's what most reports expect it to be called. More information about the handset has apparently leaked suggesting that the T6 will be available in multiple versions when it comes to cellular capabilities. Depending on markets, the handset will pack support for LTE-Advanced, WCDMA/GSM, TD-SCDMA, CDMA, FDD-LTE and will come in a dual-SIM version as well. Source: TechKiddy. Naturally, these are still rumors at this point, so we'll look forward for HTC to confirm them. New HTC One Mini rumors While images of the HTC One Max are not available at this time, a new picture reportedly showing the black HTC One Mini has been leaked. Bulgarian site SmartNews had access to the handset, and it's apparently able to confirm some of the specs of the device including a 4.3-inch display with 342ppi, dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and Android 4.2.2. This isn’t the first time the HTC One Mini is reportedly spotted in the wild, however we’re yet to see it in stores. The phone is said to arrive at the end of the third quarter. While the images in the gallery above show the handset in black, the leaked O2 document we mentioned before lists the handset as coming in both silver and black, just like its bigger brother. That said, we'll still have to wait for HTC to make everything official.

Moto X to feature standalone language processing and context awareness chips, and more rumors Posted: 03 Jul 2013 06:07 AM PDT TechCocktail/Flickr The rumor mill has churned out a variety of stories, often vague and contradicting, about the Moto X, also known at one point as the X Phone. However, as Motorola begins to lift the veil on its groundbreaking new device, it turns out that at least some of the rumors that seemed crazy a few months back are actually accurate. One of the rumors that shape out to be on to something is that about the customization options offered by the Moto X. Just yesterday, an ad that Motorola will run in tomorrow's press has leaked, establishing without doubt that the Moto X will indeed be customizable. Now the person that started the rumor in the first place, Taylor Wimberley, the founder and former owner of Android and Me, came out with some new information about the Moto X. Much of it isn't new, but it's still worth recapping. I synthesized here Wimberley's points he made in a Q&A session on Google Plus and on Twitter. Specifications – The specs that leaked so far are real: 720p display, dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM. Battery life – unknown, but it will be "industry leading". Storage – multiple options available. Availability – in August, US first, Verizon not likely to get it, other countries to get in Q4. Will also sell unlocked. Price – not specified, but around $299 or less. Customization – users will get to choose the case material and the color, as well as the wallpaper, ringtone, and apps through a web portal Materials – plastic, wood, metal, carbon fiber (based on rumors) Contextual aware – always-on listening mode, supported by a standalone language processing chip and a contextual awareness chip that analyzes the input from an array of sensors. Again, these seem to be a collection of educated guesses and previous rumors, but given that Taylor Wimberley was spot on about the customization options and the contextual awareness rumors, I think his words hold weight. These rumors also corroborate with the official info we have from Dennis Woodside and from other sources. With that said, treat this info with caution. With the flood of details leaking about the Moto X, it's only a matter of days, or weeks at most, until the device becomes real. If all the rumors pan out, Motorola should be commended for breaking away from the blind specs race to try something different and unique.

Intel BayTrail benchmark dominates ARM Posted: 03 Jul 2013 05:39 AM PDT Intel has been boasting about its mobile processor performance to handset manufactures recently, but it looks like the company wasn't just blowing smoke when its CEO stated that its technology was superior to Qualcomm's processors. The first benchmarks of Intel's upcoming BayTrail processor have appeared online, and the results are quite astonishing. The results have appeared in the always popular AnTuTu benchmark under a device named "byt_t_ffrd10″, a Bay Trail-T reference device I suppose, and looks to be around 30 percent faster than Qualcomm's top of the line Snapdragon 800. The score: a mighty 43416. The result is impressive enough on its own, but there's something even more shocking that you should probably note. The quad-core Baytrail chip is apparently only clocked at 1.1GHz, compared with the Snapdragon 800 which runs at more than double the clock speed, typically around 2.3GHz. For the sake of an easier comparison, I've updated our benchmark chart with these scores, although please remember that the Snapdragon 800 and BayTrail results aren’t from finalized devices. This BayTrail result clearly beats everything on the market right now, dominating the current top of the line Exynos 5 Octa and Snapdragon 600 processors, and none of the Snapdragon 800 benchmarks are even close to touching Intel's new SoC - it truly is a monster, if these results are accurate. However, it is worth noting that we're not sure exactly what sort of device this result was recorded with, and therefore we don't know what the power consumption was like or if this quad-core chip will ever be used in a smartphone. So, it remains to be seen whether BayTail can perform this well in a real handset or tablet, where there are greater limitations on power requirements. On the other hand, the final version of BayTrail is expected to clock in at a more regular 2.1Ghz, which could potentially double the AnTuTu benchmark result. The Silvermont cores used in the BayTrail SoC are also expected to be much more power efficient, Intel says five times as efficient, than the existing Saltwell cores used in its CloverTrail chips. Either way, this result seriously suggests that Intel may finally be onto a winner with its latest mobile processor, now all we need are a few devices to make use of all this power. What do you make of the score, are you keen to get your hands on a BayTrail powered handset or tablet?

Barclays warns that HTC risks being drawn into a marketing war Posted: 03 Jul 2013 04:23 AM PDT HTC just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to the company's finances. The British bank Barclays Plc has cut its estimate for HTC Corp's earning throughout 2013, due to concerns that the smartphone manufacturer will have to spend more on marketing to combat the fierce competition currently present in the smartphone market. Dale Gai, a Barclays analyst in Taipei, expects HTC to increase its marketing expenses by 20 to 25 percent in 2013 and 2014, in order to counter the aggressive marketing strategies employed by rivals Samsung and Sony, which will cause a squeeze on the company's bottom line. We expect the marketing war, led by Samsung and Sony, to force HTC to increase global co-marketing and incentive programs, a negative for margins, Dale Gai, Barclays Plc But even if HTC was to end up increasing the ratio of its marketing expenditure to sales revenue to the same levels as Samsung, Barclays believes that HTC still wouldn't receive as much exposure as its biggest rival. Gai also stated that HTC could face risks in the high-end smartphone market from an increasingly long replacement period in developed countries, a shorter product cycle, less differentiation in the Android platform, and decreasing subsidies from operators. These concerns have led to Barclays reducing its forecast for HTC's 2013 earning per share by a rather large 16 percent, down to NT$14 per share from the expected NT$16.68. Daniel Chang, an analyst at Macquarie Capital Securities, is also equally concerned about HTC's financial prospects, echoing worries about Samsung's aggressive marketing strategy and the exceptionally competitive high-end smartphone market. We agree HTC One is a good phone but our key concerns remain the maturing high-end market, which will lead to significant price competition, and HTC's inability to compete in the low-end space Daniel Chang, Macquarie Capital Securities But it's not all bad news for HTC, Gai also expects that HTC's second-quarter sales will reach $NT75 billion, which is around 7 percent higher than HTC’s own forecast of NT$70 billion for Q2 2013. Third quarter sales are also expected to grow by a further 12 percent, driven by the current demand for the HTC One and the company's new line-up of products. The high-end market is probably the most competitive that it's ever been, there are numerous top of the line smartphones and tablets on the market right now, so over saturation is certainly a reasonable concern for investors. But these anxieties regarding the high-end smartphone market permeate other companies, as well as HTC, so it's likely that we'll be hearing more negative outlooks on the subject of sales performance in the coming months.

MediaTek looks to be working on an octo-core processor Posted: 03 Jul 2013 03:11 AM PDT MediaTek seems to be really cranking up its pressure on the high-end processor manufactures, and the news that the company is working on its own eight core processor confirms that MediaTek is just interested in peak performance as much as it is budget technologies. First news of the octo-core chip came from UDN yesterday, which stated that MediaTek began introducing its new processor to potential clients last week. The new chip will be known as the MT6592, which puts it in the same naming system as its other mobile processors, and it will be clocked somewhere between 1.7 and 2 GHz. This adds another chip to the pile that MediaTek appears to have been working on recently, the company is expected to release a new line of dual core, quad core, and even its own big.LITTLE processors over the course of the year. Credit: Endadget The discovery of an octo-core CPU does seem a little as odds with MediaTek's statement that it wasn't interested in producing octo-core processors earlier in the year, but the technology industry is rather fleeting and new ideas come and go all the time. However, MediaTek's new chip supposedly won't be like the "fake" 8-core Exynos 5 Octa produced by Samsung. The Exynos big.LITTLE architecture uses two sets of asymmetrical quad-cores, four Cortex-A15s and four Cortex A7s, in order to balance peak performance against lower power consumption in less demanding and low power states. Even though technically big.LITTLE can run in MP mode to enable use of all eight cores at once, it's still not quite the same has having eight equally powerful cores. Anyway, the processor is believed to be built from eight ARM Cortex A7 cores, the same cores used in most of MediaTek's processors, which, as already mentioned, will be clocked with a maximum frequency of between 1.7 and 2 GHz. Now usually you wouldn't expect Cortex A7s to put in a particularly high-end performance, but, according to UDN, the eight cores managed to pull in a decent result in an initial AnTuTu benchmark test, scoring around 30,000, which is just behind Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 800. A score of around 30,000 would put the MT6592 ahead of the all the current processors on the market. Other features, like GPU specifications or 3G/4G support, aren't known about yet, but MediaTek has been investing heavily in 4G LTE development in recent months. There's a good chance that, if this chip makes is way onto smartphones, it could incorporate an LTE modem. The chip will also be compatible with the MT6582 quad-core chip socket, which is due for a Q3 launch later this year and is aimed at smartphones, so we can expect that the new MT6592 is also heading to mobile devices. The chip is expected to go into mass production in November this year, and will be manufactured using TSMC's 28nm process. The first devices to use this chip could be heading to the market in early 2014, although no handsets or tablets have been confirmed as of yet.

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