Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


First Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 image “leaks”. Real or fake?

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 01:47 AM PST

Galaxy Note 8.0

Initially thought to be a 7-inch Note, Samsung's GT-N5100 tablet has increased in size last week, courtesy of a source close to Sam Mobile. The new Galaxy Note 8.0 has earlier today been confirmed, but the questions still stand on the slate's design and spec sheet.

With the official intro looming and with an MWC showing next month almost a certainty, it was obvious we had to keep our eyes peeled for new info. Which we did, although to be honest we weren't expecting a pic to be spilled so fast.

The above image is supposedly a press render of the Note 8.0, according to the @ClasificateArg Twitter account. At a first glance, we have no reason to doubt the credibility of this leak, but if we pay attention to a couple of details we'll notice a few things are off.

First, what's up with the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 mention on the home screen? Even if you don't think it's very unusual to see an ad for a gadget on a whole different gadget (which we definitely do), you still have to admit it's bizarre for a tablet that's supposed to come out in 2013 to make a reference at a 2012 slate.

samsung_galaxy_tab_2_70_

Digging even deeper in that weird home screen, we can't help but notice everything about it looks awfully familiar. Which is probably because it's a one-one-one copy of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 screen as shown by Samsung in multiple press renders. Oops, did anyone forgot something in his photoshop session with the 7-incher?

We think so, even if there are in fact multiple differences between today's leaked image and the official ones starring the OG Tab 2 7.0. The rear-facing camera is placed differently for one, while the corners are slightly more rounded, following the design philosophy of the Nexus 10. You can obviously do those kinds of tweaks in Photoshop, but maybe we're wrong.

And maybe it's also a coincidence that this doesn't really look like a bigger than 7-inch tablet. Or that the "S-Pen slot" is barely noticeable in the lower left corner of the back of the device. Or that the specs are conveniently mentioned below the image and fit the already existent rumors. And maybe the image is real after all. What do you guys think, real or fake?

Related Posts

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for Sony Xperia S gets previewed ahead of release

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 01:38 AM PST

Xperia-S-Jelly-Bean

We know that the Xperia S alongside other recent Xperia models have been promised to get Android 4.1 at one point in the future. If you want some proof that Sony is still working hard to make the Jelly Bean dream comes true for its customers, check out these screenshots from the "leaked" JB firmware running on the Xperia S.

The Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean firmware for the Xperia S is an early build that has somehow made its way to the folks at XDA-developers. Apparently, there are still quite a few kinks that need to be ironed out in order for it to live up to its buttery smooth reputation.

Xperia-S-JB

Some added features that Xperia S owners can expect to see include one-touch screen mirroring, power management options, a new lockscreen, and loads more.

The new firmware isn’t expected to be rolled out by Sony to the handset until April at the earliest. We’re hoping it’ll come much sooner. To make the wait more bearable, you have the screenshots to look at and enjoy.

Xperia-S-JB-3

Excited about the Jelly Bean update? What do you think of the sneak peek? Drop your comment below.

Related Posts

1Weather app adds tablet support with refined UI

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 12:47 AM PST

1weatherThere are some places in the world where it is pretty much guaranteed to be either constantly hot or constantly cold. But for those of us in temperate areas, the weather is changeable and often the subject of small talk! The great thing about Android is that there are several good weather apps which deliver all the latest weather information right to your device!

One of these is 1Weather and the popular free app has just been updated with several new and interesting features. The app, which has over half a million installs, now fully supports tablets and sports a more refined user interface.

On a tablet the app looks great and it makes good use of the available space. The main screen displays the current weather for the chosen location along with the hourly forecast in the bottom section. Swiping the forecast moves it from hourly to a two day forecast with the days split into morning, noon, evening and night. A second swipe takes you to the extended six day forecast with each day showing a symbol to summarize the weather along with the expected temperature range.

Down the side are some icons which allow you to access the more detailed forecast, precipitation charts and the radar section. In the new version the radar section has been improved. The app also puts weather notifications in the notification bar and can be configured to alert you of severe weather warnings. For Android 4.2 Jelly Bean users there is also the ability to add a lock screen widget.

Have you tried 1Weather? What do you think of the new version, especially if you are using it on a tablet?

Related Posts

Galaxy S4 announcement set for March at U.S. Mobile Unpacked event, report claims

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 12:24 AM PST

banner-galaxy-s3-i9300-increase-internal-sd-card-mod

Mere hours ago we were talking about how the Galaxy S4 won't make it to MWC 2013 in Barcelona, Spain in late February and we now hear that Samsung may have scheduled a special "behind enemy lines" launch operation for this year's flagship smartphone.

According to Asia Economy, Samsung has scheduled a special Mobile Unpacked event at some point in March right on Apple's home turf, although Samsung is yet to confirm the media event.

The Galaxy S4 is rumored to sport a 4.99-inch Full HD AMOLED touchscreen display, an eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel camera and Jelly Bean right out of the box. However, these specs are not confirmed at this time either.

What's worth noting is that, traditionally, Apple unveils a new iPad in the first quarter of the year and launches it by the end of the period in several markets. We have no idea whether new iPad models are coming by the end of March – and certain reports out there seem to indicate that new iPads could be launched only later this year given that the fourth-gen iPad and the iPad mini were released just a few months ago – but Samsung's play is definitely interesting, as it will certainly divert some attention from Apple products rumors to new Android devices.

As for previous Galaxy S announcements, the original model was unveiled in March 2010 at CTIA in U.S, the Galaxy S2 was announced in February 2011 at MWC in Spain while the highly-acclaimed Galaxy S3 was unveiled in early May 2012 at a special London-based event.

A March Galaxy S4 announcement means that the handset could hit some markets in the coming weeks, with late March or early April making a great launch period for the device.

Are you buying a Galaxy S4 this year or are you looking to other Android devices first?

Related Posts

LG makes the Optimus G Pro official in Japan, it features a 5 inch 1080p screen

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 09:44 PM PST

After two days of rumors and semi-confirmations from several Korean news outlets, today the LG Optimus G Pro has finally been officially announced. According to The Verge, the Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo says the Optimus G Pro will hit the local market in April. We all thought it would have a 5.5 inch 1080p screen, but we were wrong. Instead, it’s going to ship with a 5 inch 1080p screen, just like the Xperia Z/ZL, ZTE Grand S, and pretty much every other phone that was announced at CES.

So, what do we think about the design? Let’s start with the most obvious fail. It’s 10 mm thick. That would’ve been totally acceptable two years ago, but in today’s world … that’s massive. Why so large? Because there’s a 3,000 mAh battery in there. That sounds wonderful, but we have to test the device first before coming to any conclusions.

As for the rest of the phone, there’s a quad core 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon in there, 2 GB of RAM, it ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and it has a 13 megapixel camera. Again, we can’t emphasize this enough, this phone is going to hit Japan in April. You can buy a 5 inch 1080p smartphone, today, from HTC at your local electronics store. Verizon has the DNA, and this writer has seen the Butterfly with his own eyes at two shops in Kuala Lumpur.

The worst thing about the G Pro is that it’s going to be LG’s flagship phone for barely six months. It’s widely expected that we’re going to see the Optimus G2 during the second half of the year. It’ll probably have one of those new fancy Snapdragon 600 or 800 chips, and maybe even a larger screen.

In case you can’t tell by now, we’re not excited by the G Pro. If you think our opinion is wrong, please do leave a comment below, because we really want to love LG, but we just can’t.

Related Posts

Micromax to launch Canvas HD in India in February, a quad-core 5-inch Jelly Bean phone for $280

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 08:00 PM PST

Micromax-Canvas-HD

The influx of 5-inch+ smartphones into the market shows no sign of slowing down. While offerings from top-tier manufacturers obviously won't come cheap, those who are looking for an alternative that won't cost an arm and a leg can look forward to the Micromax A116 Canvas HD hitting the store shelves soon in India.

The Micromax Canvas HD will be up for grabs starting February for Rs. 15,000, which translates to about US$280. It boasts a 5-inch IPS screen with 1,280 x 720 resolution and is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6589 processor.

The rest of the specs include an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), 3G connectivity, a 2,100mAh battery, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The Canvas HD shares many similarities to the Beidou Chi, which was just released in China last December sporting a $103(!) price tag, but the innards have been vastly improved. All in all, it seems like a great phone for the price that it is offered at.

Anyone planning to queue up and get the Canvas HD next month?

Show full PR text

Micromax launches Canvas HD to strengthen phablet leadership

Micromax, India’s leading handset manufacture today announced its partnership with MediaTek, the leading chipset manufacturers for the launch of their first quad core processor phone –A116 Canvas HD.

Designed for comfort and convenience, the Canvas HD is powered by MediaTek’s MT6589 1.2 GHz quad core processor and run on Android Jelly Bean. With an HD IPS screen with a HD resolution of 1280×720 and a color depth of 16.7 million, the phone comes with superb graphics and HD viewing experience. Supported by a 2100mAh battery, it is the ideal phone for the young generation who is always on the lookout for better, faster and savvier smart phones on the go!

Commenting on the launch and association with MediaTek, Mr. Deepak Mehrotra, Chief Executive Officer, Micromax said, “At Micromax, we constantly strive to innovate and develop great technological experiences for our consumers. Today’s launch marks our association with MediaTek to bring forth our first quad core phone in this segment, offering consumers a great user experience with latest features and added functionality.” He further added, “We are excited with the success of Canvas 2, which has clearly established Micromax as number one player in the new 5″ phablet category in India. We are looking forward to similar success with the new phone being unveiled today.”

The A116 Canvas HD promises superior quality graphics, multi-tasking and improved application performance. The phone sports an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and multiple camera settings such as night mode, 4X zoom – to further enhance the superiority of the memorable moments. 3G enabled A116 will help users in faster browsing, downloading attachments and watching streaming videos with excellent quality. The users can download HD quality videos and watch them on their phone without compromising with the quality. Users now can get to keep all their downloaded music by storing them in the phone’s external memory which is expandable up to 32GB.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Finbarr Moynihan, General Manager – Business Development at MediaTek, said, “In less than 2 years of launching our first smartphone chipset, MediaTek’s shipments in this category have grown more than ten times, with 110 million units in 2012. As the world’s first commercialized quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC, the MT6589 is an innovative solution that accelerates product development, simplifies differentiation, and offers the best possible experience that mid to high-end smart device owners desire. Micromax shares our core philosophy of pushing the bar on innovation and bringing it within the reach of the masses. We are delighted that India’s leading youth mobile brand has chosen MediaTek to power its top-end mobile smartphones.”

Related Posts

11 HTC Droid DNA Tips & Tricks

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 08:00 PM PST

htc-droid-dna-review-1

If you have seen our review of the HTC Droid DNA, you probably noticed that despite its shortcomings, we think it's a great phone. While sales might not have been as high as HTC and Verizon hoped, there are still plenty of fans of the DNA, so for those of you using the phone, here are 11 tips and tricks to get the most out of it.

If you would rather see these tips in video format, you can jump to the video at the bottom of the article. Otherwise, read on.

1.) Use Best Shot Mode

You're human; you move. It's a fact of life that can often ruin photos. Luckily, the HTC Droid DNA has a built-in feature that can provide a solution to this problem.

When you take a photo with your DNA, instead of simply pressing the shutter button, hold it down. The camera will take a rapid series of exposures–up to twenty photos. Now you can either use Best Shot to automatically select the best looking photo, or save them all and pick the best yourself.

2.) Change Your Lock Screen

We're all different, and that means that we all use our devices in different ways. The very first thing you're going to do when you pick your phone up varies greatly from person to person, including what they do with their lock screen.

htc-droid-dna-lock-screen

The HTC Droid DNA offers a wide range of different lock screens, starting with the most basic: your wallpaper and a few icons. By going to Settings -> Personalize -> Lock screen style, you can choose from a variety of different lock screens starting with Productivity, which shows your most recent notifications, Photo Album, Weather, People, Clock, Stocks and Music. You can even choose to have no lock screen whatsoever if you wish.

3.) Turn Off 3-Finger HTC Gestures

If you have an HTC Media Link device, you can easily connect your Droid DNA by swiping up on the screen with three fingers. However, this has the side effect of preventing other apps from using three-finger gestures.

If you don't use HTC Media Link or would rather have three-finger gestures available to other apps, simply go to Settings -> Display & gestures and uncheck the box next to HTC gestures. Now any three-finger gestures will be recognized by other apps. Music apps in particular seem to use these gestures, so you may want these types of gestures to pass through.

4.) Create Custom Scenes

If you like to customize your home screens but don't like to take risks, custom scenes may be for you. While there are a few included to choose from, like Verizon, HTC, Work, Play and Travel, you can also create as many custom scenes as you want.

htc-droid-dna-custom-scene

Just go to Settings -> Personalize -> Scenes, and hit the menu button at the top. You will see the option to delete or rename existing scenes as well as create new ones. When you create a new scene, your home screen will be nothing but wallpaper and the app drawer button. Feel free to add widgets and apps as well as customize your skin and wallpaper. If you want to return to a previous look, just select the desired scene in Settings.

5.) Turn Off Fast Boot

Fast Boot is a great feature that does exactly what it promises to–it allows your HTC Droid DNA to boot up quickly. The problem is that when this feature is enabled, you're never really actually shutting down your phone. Instead, it's more similar to the hibernate feature found on PCs. While this is handy, sometimes you just want to start over with a clean slate.

htc-droid-dna-fast-boot

To turn off Fast Boot, just head to Settings -> Battery and uncheck Fast Boot. Now the next time you reboot or power off your phone, you will actually be rebooting. While you're probably not always going to want to have Fast Boot turned off, it might be nice to do this if you want to flush out your system, so to speak.

6.) Flip Your Phone

We've all been there: your phone starts to ring at the worst possible time, and you need to scramble to silence it. Luckily, with the Droid DNA, you can simply flip the phone face down on a desk, for example, to silence it immediately.

htc-droid-dna-review-6

This same gesture can also prove useful when you're in the middle of a conversation as well. Flipping the phone down in front of you mid-conversation will automatically activate the Droid DNA's speakerphone. Picking the phone up again will deactivate speakerphone.

7.) Use Two-finger Scrolling Options

While this isn't going to work with every app, some of the built-in apps included with the HTC Droid DNA offer alternate modes of navigation when scrolling with two fingers. Two examples are the built-in Mail app and your Contacts.

In contacts, for example, scrolling with two fingers allows you to quickly scroll through the alphabet. I personally don't have enough contacts for this to be especially useful, but those of you with huge contacts lists will no doubt find this incredibly useful. It's a shame that this type of navigation can't be used in Gmail, for example, but it's understandable that this doesn't work. Still, one can hope.

8.) Try Out Slo-mo Video

While a lot of the items on the list so far have leaned more toward the useful side of the fence, this item is a lot closer to just plain cool. I doubt you'll find much use for this, but it is definitely worth playing around with.

To try out Slo-mo video, all you have to do is enable in the shooting options menu in the camera app. Now any video you capture will be slowed down considerably. Unfortunately, there's a major downside in that the quality of the video is reduced drastically. Still, experimenting with this feature can lead to some fairly interesting results.

9.) Enable HTC Sense Keyboard's Swype-style Features

When we talk about replacement keyboard apps, it is almost impossible not to mention Swype. While it isn't everyone's cup of tea (I'm not a fan, for example), many people swear by it and the ease of use it brings to typing for some people is a huge time saver. With the Sense keyboard on the HTC Droid DNA, you don't even need to download it.

htc-droid-dna-sense-keyboard

To enable Swype-like functionality on your DNA, head to Settings -> Language & Keyboard -> HTC Sense Input and check the Trace Keyboard option. Now you can use your keyboard either normally or exactly as you would Swype.

10.) Improve Your Battery Life

There are a lot of things you can do to save battery life on any Android phone, and I'm not going to cover them all here, but there are a few quick things you can do to improve battery life on your HTC Droid DNA in a just a few seconds with minimal impact on performance.

First, turn off automatic brightness and set the brightness as low as you can while keeping the screen usable. Not only does the reduced brightness save battery, but the lack of monitoring to change the brightness helps a bit as well. Now, if you're on WiFi, turn off mobile data. Even if you're not using it, this can chip away at your battery. Finally, head to Settings -> Battery -> Usage and close any apps you're not using that are eating up battery.

Alone, none of these solutions will do much, but together, they'll help squeeze out a little more crucial battery life on a busy day.

11.) Unload Unused Apps From RAM

I've said before that I'm a big fan of the multitasking or Recent Apps button on any phone that has it. With the HTC Droid DNA, there is a nice bit of functionality here that some people don't seem to know about.

htc-droid-dna-recent-apps

In addition to simply switching between apps, it's possible to flick them upwards and off of the screen. This does more than simply remove them from the list; it actually removes the app from memory. The simplest way to test this is to open a page in the brower and hit the home button. Open the browser again and you'll see the page appear instantly. Now hit the Recent Apps button and flick the browser off the screen. Open the browser again and you'll see the page has to load.

If you have a lot of apps going at once, this is a handy way to free up some extra system resources without much trouble.

Video

Now obviously everyone is going to have their favorite tips and tricks, and the ones we've mentioned are just a few. What are some of your favorite tips or tricks for the HTC Droid DNA? What do you think of the tips we mentioned? Let us know in the comments below.

Related Posts

Cherry Mobile Cruize: $110 can buy you a 5.2 inch phablet in the Philippines

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 06:09 PM PST

Cherry Mobile is a company that you’ve probably never heard of, but don’t worry, because neither have we. Some quick Googling reveals that they’re a Filipino handset maker that was founded in 2008. They buy parts from China, slap them together in the Philippines, and then sell them to the locals. Why not just import Chinese phones directly? There’s probably some issues with customs and taxes that these guys are skirting around. But anyway, let’s get to today’s news, the Cherry Mobile Cruize.

For 4,499 Philippine Pesos, which translates to about $110 or less than 85 Euros, you can get a 5.2 inch 800 x 480 smartphone/tablet that has a 1 GHz processor from Broadcom, 512 MB of RAM, 3G/WiFi/GPS, and it runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. There’s even a massive 2,500 mAh battery inside, so chances are it’s going to last a full work day.

Will this thing ever leave the Philippines? No. Why are we covering it then? To show you guys that Android is blowing up people’s preconceived notions of what a smartphone is and who is and is not a reputable smartphone manufacturer. Benedict Evans, an independent analysts, recently said:

Whether deliberate or not, Android has had the effect of hugely increasing the number of people with access to the mobile internet. Just as Wintel 25 years ago powered an army of cheap PC ‘clone’ makers churning out tens of millions of cheap commodity PCs, Android and a small group of mobile chip companies (mainly Qualcomm, EMP, Mediatek, Spreadtrum) have enabled a flood of cheap commodity smartphones and tablets.

We’re all fans of super high end expensive smartphones here at Android Authority, but it’s the bigger picture, devices like the Cruize, that really make us fall in love with Google’s mobile operating system.

Related Posts

Galaxy S4 to be a no-show at MWC 2013, Samsung’s JK Shin reveals

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 04:31 PM PST

banner-galaxy-s3-i747-i535-t999-illusion-1-1-1

The Galaxy S4 will most likely be one of the Android stars of 2013, but just like with its predecessor we have no idea at this time of year when the handset will be introduced and launched.

The device was rumored to arrive early this year, either at CES or at MWC, but the handset did only visit Las Vegas behind closed doors – reportedly – and it looks like it won't make it to MWC next month in Barcelona, Spain, either.

The most important show in mobile of the year, MWC 2013 will surely offer us quite a few new Android devices, especially considering that some of the big guns in the business decided not to announce any new mobile devices at CES.

But Samsung's mobile division head JK Shin revealed earlier today, when confirming that the Galaxy Note 8 will be unveiled at the trade show, that the Galaxy S4 will not be announced during the event.

This is certainly not a surprising move from Samsung, but at least it should put rumors to bed, or at least for the time being. Then again, this isn’t the first time Samsung says the phone is not going to appear at MWC 2013, is it? But at least this time around the denial seems to come for one of the most important execs with the company.

Will history repeat itself then? Samsung announced the Galaxy S3 in early May 2012 and started shipping it later during the same month in various markets. Is Samsung going to announce the Galaxy S4 about a year after its predecessor became official?

Related Posts

LG Optimus G with Jelly Bean hitting over 50 markets starting this January

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 03:52 PM PST

lg-optimus-g

Even though later than anticipated, LG seems more and more capable to play in the big leagues when it comes to high-end smartphones.

The company launched two virtually similar flagship devices in late 2012, the Optimus G and the Nexus 4, both selling quite well in various markets. The Optimus G has been confirmed to have passed 1 million units in sales since its release, while the Nexus 4 has passed half a million units in sales.

Sure, these are not numbers comparable to Samsung's Galaxy S3 or Apple's iPhone 5 sales, but they certainly help LG advancing in the mobile business.

In fact, it looks like LG is ready to go international with the Optimus G, as the phone will be available in over 50 markets this month – in case you were wondering, the company is yet to unveil the Optimus G Pro / Optimus G2.

The company failed to mention which countries will get the handset in the coming days, but it did say that it all starts with Singapore at the end of January. And the phone will come complete with Jelly Bean support and 4G LTE support where available.

So far, the Optimus G has been selling officially in the U.S., Canada, South Korea and Japan. Did you buy one yet?

Show full PR text

SEOUL, Jan. 22, 2013 -– The Optimus G, LG's most premium and powerful 4G LTE smartphone, will begin its global roll-out into over[j1] 50 countries this month. The Optimus G has already been launched in the United States, Canada, Korea and Japan to very favorable reviews and LG is aiming to build on the excitement already generated to launch the device in other LTE markets.

"As 4G LTE availability expands on a global scale, we will leverage our strong LTE technology and expertise to offer consumers the best 4G experience through our devices," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "With the latest Jelly Bean OS and improved software, Optimus G will make a strong case for the title of ultimate premium 4G LTE smartphone."

Since the launch of Optimus Glast September, the smartphone has been enthusiastically received by audiences as one of the most advanced 4G LTE devices currently available. Optimus G has been receiving accolades from consumers and industry thought leaders alike for its powerful performance and thoughtful user experience. Optimus G's unrivaled power originates from its innovative hardware design which includes Qualcomm's advanced Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Quad-Core processor. The device also delivers blazing fast data transfer speeds using today's 4G LTE telecommunication network.

"LG's long history of LTE know-how is evident in the DNA of the Optimus G," said Dr. Park. "As such, we hope consumers will take a deep, hard look at Optimus G when deciding which smartphone will give them the best 4G experience."

The Optimus G will be available starting at the end of January in Singapore followed by other markets worldwide offering 4G LTE service.

Related Posts

Android and Me

Android and Me


HTC M7, Sense 5 pictures reveal even more details

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST

If you’re starting to get annoyed with all the HTC M7 news lately, we suggest you move on to another story. Yesterday we saw the first believable rendering of the HTC M7, and today we have a pair of high-quality pictures that show off the front and back of the device. The good [...]

Visit our site to read the full article.

Samsung’s JK Shin confirms Galaxy Note 8 will make an appearance at Mobile World Congress

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 01:11 PM PST

If you have your heart set on an 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Note, your wait may finally be over. Rumors about an 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Note tablet have been floating around the web for a few month, but now we have official confirmation [...]

Visit our site to read the full article.

HTC Sense 5 spotted on HTC Droid DNA

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 10:40 AM PST

The HTC M7 has been making headlines lately, but that doesn’t mean HTC’s older phones can’t get a piece of the limelight. A new image surfaced this morning, showing the Verizon Droid DNA running HTC Sense 5. Before you get all excited about the prospect of a new version of Sense...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


LG Optimus G global roll-out begins

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 02:59 PM PST

While many of us in North America and parts of Asia (namely Korea and Japan) have already had a chance to own the LG Optimus G, LG still hadn’t gotten its global roll-out of the flagship device underway. The rest of you aren’t far behind now, though, as LG has just announced that its global roll-out will begin at the end of this month.

Over 50 new countries will be getting the device through the various carriers of the world, and likely via unlocked channels if you’d like to go that route. LG says the device will come with the “latest Jelly Bean OS and improved software,” though we’re not sure if they’re referring to the absolute latest version (Android 4.2) or just Jelly Bean in general (4.1 or higher). We’ll look to get more clarification on that particular line.

In the meantime, you might want to do yourself a favor and check out our LG Optimus G review. According to our own Edgar Cervantes this is definitely LG’s best smartphone yet, but whether or not it wows and impresses you will come down to whether or not you find Optimus UI 3.0 to be as helpful and unimposing on the Android experience as it is beautiful.

No one should have any major qualms with the hardware as it sports a 4.7 inch 720p display, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, 2GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel camera, NFC and more. Be sure to read on for full press details.

SEOUL, Jan. 22, 2013 – The Optimus G, LG's most premium and powerful 4G LTE smartphone, will begin its global roll-out into over 50 countries this month. The Optimus G has already been launched in the United States, Canada, Korea and Japan to very favorable reviews and LG is aiming to build on the excitement already generated to launch the device in other LTE markets.

"As 4G LTE availability expands on a global scale, we will leverage our strong LTE technology and expertise to offer consumers the best 4G experience through our devices," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "With the latest Jelly Bean OS and improved software, Optimus G will make a strong case for the title of ultimate premium 4G LTE smartphone."

Since the launch of Optimus G last September, the smartphone has been enthusiastically received by audiences as one of the most advanced 4G LTE devices currently available. Optimus G has been receiving accolades from consumers and industry thought leaders alike for its powerful performance and thoughtful user experience. Optimus G's unrivaled power originates from its innovative hardware design which includes Qualcomm's advanced Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Quad-Core processor. The device also delivers blazing fast data transfer speeds using today's 4G LTE telecommunication network.
"LG's long history of LTE know-how is evident in the DNA of the Optimus G," said Dr. Park. "As such, we hope consumers will take a deep, hard look at Optimus G when deciding which smartphone will give them the best 4G experience."
The Optimus G will be available starting at the end of January in Singapore followed by other markets worldwide offering 4G LTE service.

# # #

About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company
The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a global leader and innovator in mobile communications. With its breakthrough technologies and innovative designs, LG continues to establish a number of benchmarks in the smartphone market, while also helping create a better lifestyle for consumers by delivering a wholly enhanced smartphone experience. As a leader in 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, LG continues its commitment to developing groundbreaking LTE technologies and fulfilling consumer demands with differentiated LTE devices of the highest quality, all of which are based on the company's wealth of LTE patents and technical knowledge. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.

Motorola X Phone said to be headed for all carriers, sold through Google Play Store? [RUMOR]

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 01:16 PM PST

We haven’t heard much about the Motorola X Phone other than it was supposed to be a high-end beast of a phone with Google’s heavy influence injected. It wasn’t necessarily said to be a Nexus phone, though early details would have anyone believing that’s exactly what it could become. Well, a new set of rumors have popped up and this is one doozie of a story.

According to information posted by a supposed trusted member of the community, which independent sources of Droid-Life’s seem to corroborate, the Motorola X Phone will be announced at Google I/O this may and all carriers will sell the device. An early July release date is said to be targeted, but things could obviously change between now and then.

The device won’t be marketed as a part of the Nexus line, and that unfortunately means Google won’t be guaranteeing updates straight from Mountain View as opposed to carrier-delivered upgrades. We imagine folks would still get timely upgrades for the most part, but as we learned with the Galaxy Nexus debacle nothing is promised.

The rumors state you will have to pay Verizon $15 per month if you buy the device and get it unlocked through them, but if you buy it through the Play Store you’ll get it unlocked with no fee to speak of. Staying on the topic of Verizon, it’s assumed their version will cost $300. It sounds like carriers can price the device according to their own tastes so it might not be the same for the likes of Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile.

Carriers will be permitted to install bloatware on the X Phone, but users can choose to remove any of it after they unlock the phone. This is an action that typically requires root so we’re glad to hear that we probably won’t need to wait for the community to enable us with that functionality.

As excited as you might get reading this, keep in mind that these rumors — although mouth-watering in some aspects and delivered by seemingly trustworthy messengers — are still to be treated as if they’re completely unsubstantiated. We don’t want people getting their hopes up only to be crushed in the event that none of this solidifies, so take it with a grain of salt and treat it as little more than a wishlist until we can gather up some more evidence. What would you say to these particular details?

[DroidRzr.com via Droid-Life]

OneLouder’s 1Weather gets big 2.0 update

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 11:47 AM PST

Our friends at OneLouder, the studio behind Play Store hits such as TweetCaster and FriendCaster, have let us know that its weather app has gotten itself a nice big upgrade today. We’re in version two, and with that comes new support for Android tablets. You’ll get an entirely new user interface tailored specifically for the bigger devices so you can get your comprehensive weather experience no matter which device you prefer to use.

The user interface in general has been refined for phone and tablet users alike, giving folks a nice, clean look at everything they need to know about the elements in the days ahead. One of the major changes users can look forward to is an improved layout severe weather alert notification screens.

An optimized radar screen, improved ongoing notification support, a map pin feature, lock-screen widgets for Android 4.2 owners (there’ll be a few different options to choose from in terms of styling, one of which you can see just above) and more are all part of today’s updates.

It’s an exciting piece of work for sure, and more exciting is the fact that it’s still free — you’ll just have to deal with an ad or two. If that bothers you then you’ll be happy to know that OneLouder gives you the ability to get rid of the ads for a nominal, small fee of $2. Give it a shot in the Google Play Store and see if 1Weather will finally give you a reason to get excited about weather.

In wake of HTC M7 leak, Droid DNA gets a taste of Sense 5

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 11:19 AM PST

Over the weekend not only did we get a leaked peek at the upcoming HTC M7 flagship, but we also got an early glimpse at Sense 5. Now the new version of HTC’s custom interface has found itself on Verizon’s Droid DNA. The image surfaced at LeakROMS, and likely only represents a port of the M7′s software, not an early build of a future update for the 5-inch handset.

It’s a long shot to think we might see Sense 5 on any phone before the launch of the M7. HTC will take the launch of that phone as an opportunity to show off the new features that will be baked into the latest evolution of the Android skin. But if any older handsets are going to get the new version, the Droid DNA is as good a candidate as any. Just don’t go knocking down HTC’s door just yet.

[via Android and Me]

CyanogenMod continues M-Series builds with version 10.1

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 09:59 AM PST

CyanogenMod fans will be delighted to learn that the team has finally reintroduced M-Series builds for version 10.1 of its AOSP-based custom ROM. Development of M-Builds were temporarily suspended as the team worked on CyanogenMod 10.1, the Android 4.2 base which we’ve all been waiting for.

The CyaogenMod team classifies an M-Series build as a build that is “mostly stable,” so if you wanted an early taste of CyanogenMod 10.1 that’s good enough to be your daily driver then this is what you’re looking for. They aren’t completely stable, but any bugs you find should be minimal.

Those who own the Samsung Captivate, Nexus S/4G, USA Galaxy S3 devices, Samsung Galaxy S, Nexus 7, Galaxy Nexus (all variants), Nexus 4, Nexus 10, ODroid U2 and any models of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 or 10.0 can enjoy these builds as early as today. More builds are being worked on right now so if you don’t own any of these devices then you’ll have to stick to the nightlies until they’re ready.

As usual, you can find the downloads on CyanogenMod’s mirror site so be sure to grab your download. Also, keep it in the back of your mind that your device is still your own responsibility — should the result of your retooling be its transformation into a sentient being then you, and you alone, will have to deal with the robot rebellion. I’ll get Will Smith on the horn if you need some advice.

[via CyanogenMod]

Google and Samsung cooking up quad-core Nexus 10?

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 09:09 AM PST

Is Google cooking up an updated Nexus 10 in conjunction with Samsung? Sources say yes, and go one step further, claiming the new tablet is already making the rounds wearing the case of the original Nexus 10. Bright Side of News says the prototype model was sneaking around the back halls of CES and could again make a covert appearance at MWC before a grand unveiling at Google I/O.

So what’s new in the rumored second-gen Nexus 10? A quad-core CPU with 8-core Mali-T678 graphics, an upgrade from the dual-core Exynos 5 found in the first iteration. According to the initial report, the folks at Bright Side of News were able to take the tablet for a test drive and benchmarks proved to be “night and day” by comparison.

Making thing a little more interesting, the rumor immediately called us back to a story from earlier today detailing new tablet models from Samsung. One in particular, codenamed Roma and carrying model number GT-P8200, appears lined up as the successor to the Nexus 10, which carries the model number GT-P8110. While talk of a quad-core version of the slate is strictly rumor at this point, the existence of this Roma tablet creates a good deal of intrigue.

If a quad-core model proves to be in development, don’t expect it to launch any time soon. Google reportedly plans to launch the device closer to the back-to-school fall season.

[via DroidLife]

Would Sony launch a 6.44-inch smartphone or media player?

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 08:49 AM PST

Samsung seems to have created a very attractive market as many OEMs are looking to literally stretch their smartphone lines a bit. Every day we hear about bigger and bigger phones on the horizon that could almost pass for tablets. The 5-inch sweet spot that everyone seems to be enjoying right now isn’t what we’d call an extremity, but it seems another player could be gearing up to test the 6 inch market in the near future.

A component leak served up by Digi-wo suggests Sony is looking to build a device that has a screen size of 6.44 inches. The component appears to be the front, outer bezel which would cover up the ugly bits that we don’t want to see. You can clearly see a Sony logo on the right side of what looks to be holes for the camera and light/proximity sensors.

We’re not sure if this is supposed to come to us as a smartphone, but if so it would be one strange phone as the component doesn’t seem to make room for a speaker grill. At this size we would be more likely to believe that the device will come to us as a media player. It would certainly seem to fit Sony’s domain as the company still has a lingering Walkman brand it could look to revitalize.

Whatever’s happening, I can tell you that a 6.44 inch device looks awfully awkward to hold. Trying to palm it looks like it’s almost one stop short of trying to palm a basketball so it’ll be interesting to see how that feels in person. Should these claims be legit then we could see Sony show something off at Mobile World Congress, an event Sony holds near and dear to its heart, and one it absolutely loves to use to announce its latest wares.

[via The Verge]

Report: Galaxy Note 8 confirmed for MWC, Galaxy S4 won’t be shown

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 08:13 AM PST

New reports are shedding light on Samsung’s expected Mobile World Congress lineup. The news comes from several outlets, but all is attributed to Samsung Mobile Vice President JK Shin. A report from iNews24 confirms the rumored Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for a debut at MWC while News1 reiterates that much while adding that we can expect the Galaxy S4 to be unveiled at a later date.

While the yearly global trade show makes sense for the Galaxy S4 debut, Samsung has in recent years opted to host their own event to unveil the marquee device. The Galaxy Note 8, which appeared in recent benchmark reports as the GT-N5100, seems far more likely. Samsung debuted the 10-inch Galaxy Note at last year’s show, and will look to do the same with their new line of Galaxy tablets this time around.

The Galaxy Note 8 is rumored to feature a 1280 x 800 resolution 8-inch display, 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos chipset, and support for Samsung’s S Pen. The Galaxy S4 will be used to launch Samsung’s next generation of screen technology with a Full HD AMOLED display and could debut Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa SoC. That device is expected to be announced at a separate event in the spring.

[via GigaOM, DroidDog]

Samsung announces upcoming UK availability of NFC-equipped Galaxy S3 Mini

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 07:45 AM PST

The original Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini was supposed to launch with NFC support, but Samsung seems to have disabled that for some reason. We’re not sure of the Korean manufacturer’s reasoning, but the company has opted to refresh the smallish device with operational NFC capabilities. You can expect the same package as before, except now you can setup WiFi Direct connections to other supported devices as well as use the full extent of Samsung’s S Beam.

Being that the original S3 Mini is only a few months old it’s not hard to guess that there are a few folks out there not happy to hear this news. While Samsung isn’t obligated to accommodate those who were duped into buying the NFC-less option, we’d be very happy to see the company do something to help folks upgrade to the new version.

Despite its name, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini doesn’t match-up too closely to the original Samsung Galaxy S3. Other than the screen size being smaller, users also get a 1GHz dual-core processor and just 1GB of RAM. Compare this to the international version of the S3 which comes with a quad-core Exynos chipset ad 2GB of RAM.

Perhaps the idea was to get the price lower, but it would be more accurate to call this a Galaxy S2 Mini than anything else. The phone isn’t bad, of course — it’s just that we’re left wanting a little bit more from something bearing the S3 moniker.

Nevertheless, this new NFC-equipped version of the S3 Mini will give UK users another decent option that should be paired with some rather inexpensive tariffs starting later this month. As far as PAYG options go the original S3 Mini was about 270 pounds, and while Samsung hasn’t confirmed a price for the refresh just yet we imagine it won’t be much more or less than that.

First look at Jelly Bean for the Sony Xperia S

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 07:06 AM PST

A user over at XDA is giving us our first look at Android 4.1.2 for the Sony Xperia S. The long-in-development update moves the build number to 6.2.x.x.xx and a new 3.4 kernel. Aside from bumping the handset’s Android version up from Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean, the new software also includes a selection of features found in newer Xperia phones.

The Xperia S will gain access to new power management options, screen mirroring, and Find My Xperia. The phone will also get a new lock screen experience. Add this on top of Jelly Bean’s standard enhancements such as Google Now and Project Butter.

There is no release date for the Android 4.1.2 update just yet — the build we see pictured here is still in testing. Even if all goes smoothly (and it sounds like there is still some work to be done), April might be the earliest we can expect Jelly Bean for the Xperia S.

[via XperiaBlog]

Huawei made $2.5 billion profit in 2012, but don’t credit smartphone sales

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 06:32 AM PST

Huawei has just reported its 2012 earnings, giving us a look at how much money the company raked in and a small idea of where, exactly, that money came from. The Chinese telecommunications and OEM company generated revenue of about CNY 220 billion, which comes out to about $35 billion. Of that, $2.5 billion turned out to be a sizable profit for Huawei.

It can be easy to forget that Huawei doesn’t only deal with smartphones, though. The company has its hand in mobile broadband, gateways and set-top boxes, network infrastructure technology, healthcare, logistics and more. CFO Cathy Meng says a whopping 70% of Huawei’s revenue came from the company’s dealings with 45 of the world’s top 50 telecommunications operators.

Meng didn’t give us much in the way of its smartphone numbers, though, only noting that smartphone penetration is still way too low for Huawei’s tastes, and that the company still has a lot of room for growth. Huawei’s desire to become a leading player in the booming smartphone market has been met with a new aggressive strategy by the OEM.

The plan will be to introduce more high-end smartphones and establish a name as a premium global handset maker. We imagine most of Huawei’s smartphone success has been possible due to the entry-level and mid-range options that are attractive to budget shoppers, but if Huawei wants to spur growth and change its image then it must do so with a bigger volume of quality releases.

The transformation actually began around this same time last year where the company introduced the Ascend P1 and P1s at CES. Since then, we’ve seen a number of exceptional smartphones and tablets coming from the Huawei camp, with the most recent and exciting being the Huawei Ascend D2 and Huawei Ascend Mate. You can find more info about those phablets from our hands-on time here and here.

For the foreseeable future, Huawei also has plans to announce a follow-up to the aforementioned P1. The Ascend P2 is said to be the star of the company’s Mobile World Congress offering, and it will look to reclaim the title of being the world’s thinnest smartphone.

Huawei’s desire to improve its global image in 2013 is backed by a solid plan and a nice stable of hardware, but it’s not clear how easy it will be for the company to grow into the likes of Samsung, Apple and HTC. It might not happen this year, and it might not even happen next year, but there doesn’t seem to be a better track for Huawei to be on so only time will tell whether or not there’s room for them to shine. Read on for full press details.

Huawei CFO Announces 2012 Financial Results
Achieves Effective Growth, Says ICT Sector Opportunity Is Growing

[Beijing, China, January 21, 2013]: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today released its 2012 financial performance results.

Cathy Meng, Huawei Chief Financial Officer, said the company achieved effective growth in 2012 by focusing on customers, streamlining management and improving efficiency. Ms. Meng is positive about the industry’s future growth prospects.

Huawei expects its 2012 global sales revenues to reach CNY 220.2 billion, an 8% year-on-year increase, with a net profit of CNY 15.4 billion, a 33% increase from the previous year. The earnings disclosure today is part of Huawei’s ongoing commitment as a private employee-owned company to be more open and transparent with stakeholders. The 2012 results audited by KPMG will be outlined in the company’s annual report, which will be released in April.

Ms. Meng explained that Huawei’s success in 2012 can be attributed to maximizing value for the customer.

“We insist on strictly controlling G&A expenses and allocate more resources to bolster the front line and ensure continuous improvements on customer delivery and service quality,” said Ms. Meng. “In addition, Huawei continued its ongoing management transformation, raising combined operating efficiency with an integrated financial services program.”

Continuous innovation focusing on customer needs is also an important driving force for Huawei’s growth. The company has cumulatively invested CNY 120 billion in R&D over the past 10 years, including a CNY 29.9 billion investment in 2012, accounting for more than 13% of the year’s revenue.

Huawei has strategically focused on developing sophisticated communications network infrastructure, or “pipe.” Huawei has invested in and developed its Carrier Network, Enterprise and Consumer businesses in order to provide faster, broader and smarter information services to its customers, while addressing the challenges and opportunities in the era of big data. About 70% of Huawei’s revenue was generated from serving leading telecommunications operators, including 45 of the world’s top 50.

One of the key factors for Huawei’s success is that the individual interests of Huawei employees are combined with the company’s sustainable growth – meaning everyone works hard to ensure Huawei’s long-term development. Huawei’s management team highly values integrity and self-discipline. The personal income of each member of the management team, from board members to middle-level managers, is limited to their salary, incentive bonus and stock dividends provided by the company, with policies to ensure that no one in the company abuses their power for self-serving purposes.

Huawei’s three business groups continued their steady growth and achieved performance in line with expectations. Huawei’s Carrier Network business group, a traditionally strong business group, continued to be a leader in the industry, with sales revenues of CNY 160.3 billion. Huawei’s Consumer business group recorded robust sales revenue of CNY 48.4 billion, with sales continuing to grow in developed markets including Europe and Japan. Huawei’s Enterprise business group further developed its portfolio and won contracts, generating sales revenue of CNY 11.5 billion.

66% of Huawei’s overall revenue came from outside China. Among the overseas revenue, the Asia-Pacific region saw revenue of CNY 37.4 billion, while Europe, Middle East and Africa recorded CNY 77.4 billion and the Americas contributed CNY 31.8 billion. The domestic market China recorded CNY 73.6 billion.

The convergence of mobile internet, smartphones, the digital and physical world is likely to generate hundreds of times more data in the coming years, which presents tremendous challenges as well as unprecedented opportunities for development of the ICT industry. Huawei believes that pipes with large bandwidth that can transmit and process massive data flow are the key to addressing these challenges and also Huawei’s key growth driver in the future.

Ms. Meng concluded with a projection that Huawei expects its overall revenue to grow 10-12% in 2013.

First Galaxy Tab 3 report pegs 7 and 10.1-inch models plus one more

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 05:55 AM PST

As Samsung looks to refresh its product lineup in 2013, you best believe we’ll be getting a new series of Galaxy Tabs. Now, one of the first insider reports on what we can expect has surfaced. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, which is currently being developed under the Santos codename, will launch with 7 and 10.1-inch options. In total, there are currently four different Galaxy Tab 3 models, which account for 3G-enabled and WiFi-only versions of each size class.

In addition to the new Galaxy Tab slates, Samsung is developing yet another tablet under the codename Roma. It’s unclear how Samsung plans to brand the device (it could be a Galaxy Tab, but might not), but known specs and a model number of GT-P8200 suggest it could be closely related to the Samsung-made Nexus 10. The mystery tab gets a 5MP camera and will ship with 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.

All models are expected to launch during the first half of the year and will be available in a white deco, at the very least. The timing makes the devices excellent candidates for a Mobile World Congress unveiling.

[via SamMobile]

 

ASUS MeMo Pad 10 spotted in unboxing video, rumored specs revealed

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 05:46 AM PST

ASUS came to CES with the 7 inch MeMo Pad, and while the OEM clearly wasn’t looking to “ooh” and “wow” the crowds of the world, the tablet should be a very nice option for those looking for a tablet around the $150 price point. Well, it looks like another variant of the MeMo Pad is in the works and ASUS could be bringing it to us at Mobile World Congress next month.

A 10 inch version of the MeMo Pad has shown up in an unboxing video on YouTube. The device goes with the safest of 10-inch tablet designs as it has a very ordinary-looking glossy white back plate and a black bezel on the front. The profile looks to be thin enough for ASUS to be proud about, but it’s nothing we haven’t become accustomed to by now.

The software front even seems all too familiar, though this does give us an opportunity to marvel at the device’s snappiness. You are probably wondering what’s under the hood that makes it look as smooth as it does. Thankfully, some of those details have already surfaced.

For the display, we’re getting a 10 inch 1280×800 panel which indicates this tablet will look to be competitively priced. It’s said to feature NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 clocked at 1.2GHz. That’s no beast by 2013′s standards, but it is still one of the nicer chipsets on the market. Other specs will include 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front camera.

A $300 price point doesn’t sound far off the mark for such a configuration, but there’s no telling what ASUS will look to do here. We’ll know more at Mobile World Congress next month where ASUS is expected to reveal this thing on a global  scale. We’ll see if an attractive price point will be the biggest thing going for what seems to be a very ordinary package otherwise. Have a look at the unboxing above.

[via Tablets Magazine, Tech Hive]

New HTC M7 render and screenshots leaked? [PICS]

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 05:09 AM PST

We’re all wondering what HTC is looking to bring to Barcelona in order to help turn recent financial woes around in 2013. The OEM’s latest flagship — what we know to be the HTC M7 — is said to be the first flagship device for the new year, but until now we haven’t had much of an idea of what to expect from it other than the obvious belief that it’ll be a high-end smartphone with an updated version of HTC Sense. Well, it looks like we could have ourselves the first early and clear look at the device from a couple of different angles.

On one hand is a render, the one you see just above, procured by HTCSource. Skepticism regarding its legitimacy whisked across our plate at first, but it’s worth talking about anyway. This render suggests the phone borrows a lot of design elements from HTC’s Windows Phone 8 flagship, the HTC 8X. They look so similar, in fact, that some have suggested that the Sense-based home-screen and standard set of Android buttons for Home, Back and Recent Apps were photoshopped onto an 8X.

The folks at Android Police threw a small wrench into the fold, however, as it also seems to have procured some solid evidence of its own. This leak actually produced in-the-wild shots of the M7, and a few things seem to match up. For starters, the new configuration of buttons — where the Home button now flanks the right side of Back and Recent Apps — is the same. The backplate design is also very similar in look and feel, though it seems the Beats logo is a bit different and the camera flash moves to the left side.

 

We suspect the discrepancy could be due to the fact that either the render is an earlier design or the phone shown above is an early prototype. The possibility of HTC coming to Mobile World Congress with more than one variant also exists, though we doubt the changes made between different variants would be this subtle. The truth of the matter is that we won’t really know for sure until HTC announces the phone itself, so we’ll have to wait until Mobile World Congress for that road show.

The other side of the equation involves HTC Sense, and it looks to match up with what we’ve seen from previous leaks. Something new we haven’t seen is the clock/weather widget and a few starter widgets designed to help people get started with their phones. The new clock widget employs a much more clean and modern design than the popular style HTC has used since Sense on Windows Mobile.

Other than that, we can see that the default dock icons are identical between both of today’s leaks and leaks in the past, so there’s little doubt that this is what to expect from HTC’s latest software. We could bicker about what’s real or not all day, but I’d have a hard time imagining the M7′s design would be a far cry from what we’re seeing here. It’s a safe bet, but we’re not in Vegas — we’ll look to late February to get the official word straight from HTC.

PS: there’s also the little guy below that we were slipped, but we have a feeling this particular image isn’t what we’re expecting to see at Mobile World Congress.

 

Sony Xperia Tablet Z officially unveiled with Full HD display, only 6.9mm thick

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 05:02 AM PST

A couple weeks removed from announcing their Xperia Z flagship smartphone, Sony has unveiled their next Android tablet. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z debuted in Japan and brings a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, enough for 1080p full HD and then some. But that’s not even the most impressive bullet point.

While a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU from Qualcomm is nice, as is 2GB RAM and an 8MP camera, it’s the slate’s 6.9mm thickness that will turn heads. The measurement makes the Xperia Tablet Z the world’s thinnest in its size class while still managing to pack a 6,000mAh battery.

The waterproof, dustproof tablet will run Android 4.1 out of the box. Exact pricing and release details haven’tbeen revealed, but an LTE-enabled version of the device is likely headed to Japan’s NTT DoCoMo. A more general availability is expected to be announced at a later date.

[via Engadget]