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    Default GSMArena

    Canadian carrier variants of the HTC One M9 - those on Sasktel, Rogers, Wind, and Videotron - will start receiving the Android 6.0 update starting tomorrow. This was announced by the company's US VP of Product Management Mo Versi in a tweet.

    Great news for our Sasktel, Rogers, Wind and Videotron HTC One M9 owners! We'll go live on Monday for the Marshmallow OS update. Thank you!— Mo Versi (@moversi) January 15, 2016



    While answering some user queries on Twitter, Versi also revealed that the Sprint and T-Mobile One M8 units will get the Marshmallow update by the middle of next week and starting January 25, respectively. The update for the latter is currently under testing.

    @NoleMario15 Yes, our target is mid next week. Thanks.— Mo Versi (@moversi) January 15, 2016



    @cameron29016996 We're in the lab. should be soon - our target is 1/25.— Mo Versi (@moversi) January 15, 2016



    For those who aren't already aware, the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for the unlocked One M9 and M8 units in the US starting rolling out last month.

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    Nintendo confirms its first mobile game Miitomo is on track for March launch

    Nintendo unveiled its first mobile game - dubbed Miitomo - last October. Although the game was initially set to arrive at the end of year 2015, the launch was delayed to March 2016 in order to better promote it.



    While the March launch time frame, too, was apparently not set in stone at that time, the company has now confirmed that the game is indeed launching a couple of months from now. The confirmation came from the Japanese company's president Tatsumi Kimishima, who revealed this in an interview with newspaper Mainichi Shimbun.

    For those who aren't already aware, Miitomo doesn't seem to be a game in true sense, it's more of a chat app that lets users create and customize their Miis - characters that were debuted alongside the Wii via the Mii Channel. Users (or players) then interact with each other through their Miis in real time.

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    Default Report says no signs of Apple Watch 2 coming this March

    Rumors so far have suggested that the second generation Apple Watch will be unveiled in the month of March. However, if a new report from TechCrunch is anything to go by, there are no signs indicating that the wearable will be made official any time soon.The report cited Creative Strategies analyst Ben Bajarin, who said that supply chain doesn't seem to be occupied enough to suggest a March unveiling. "With the supply chain cuts from the usual suspects of Apple component providers, the timing does seem suspect for a new product given orders would have taken place in the latter part of 2015 if a new product is shipping first half of 2016," he said."We are observing some interesting new patterns in Apple's supply chain that are making the waters more murky than before. As with the current edition of the Apple Watch, no one really saw that coming via supply chain so it is possible to not see it. However, the Apple supplier warnings of soft revenue ahead do seem to cause one's eyebrow to raise when thinking about a new product supposedly shipping in a few months."In addition, the report noted that there has also not been any major action at the developers' end to suggest that a new Apple Watch is coming in around a couple of months from now.The report comes just a few days after there were rumors that trial production for the Apple Watch 2 will begin by the end of this month, adding weight to the March announcement...


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    Report says Microsoft Lumia 650 will be made official early next month
    The Microsoft Lumia 650, which has been the subject of several rumors and leaks until now, will be made official early next month - February 1 to be precise, according to a new report.The unveiling would likely be a low key affair, with the report stressing that the mid-range device's details - including its pricing and availability - will be announced in a blog post rather than a dedicated media event.In addition, the report notes that the Lumia 750 and 850 have been cancelled, and there isn't much expected from Microsoft at this year's MWC. It also adds that the Lumia 650 will be the first and last Lumia phone for 2016 - the rumored Surface Phone is said to be on track though.As for Lumia 650's price, a recent leak from Europe revealed that the Windows 10 handset will carry a tag of around...


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    Default Apple acknowledges issue with iPhone 6s battery percentage indicator

    There seems to be an issue with the battery indicator on the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, which prevents the battery indicator from reducing proportionately with the actual charge of the battery, thereby suggesting you have more power left than you actually do.Apple is aware of the problem and has suggested a simple fix for it. It seems the issue is caused by the device time settings, so moving between timezones causes the battery meter to malfunction. The fix is to either restart the phone or check if the clock is set to update automatically through the settings.A more permanent fix should be rolled out in the next iOS...


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    Dual SIM Galaxy Note5 now available for purchase in India
    Inline with the announcement made late last week, the dual SIM variant of Samsung's Galaxy Note5 flagship smartphone is now available for purchase in India. The device is listed on the South Korean company's India eStore.As for the price, the 32GB model - available in Gold, Black, and Silver colors - carries a tag of INR 51,400 (around $760). Although the 64GB model isn't currently listed, it was last week revealed that the device will set you back INR 57,400 (around $850).With the launch of the dual-SIM variant, Samsung has slashed the price of the single SIM version - both 32GB and 64GB models are down INR 6,000 (around $90), available for INR 47,900 (around $705) and INR 53,900 (around $795),...


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    Android 5.1-based CyanogenMod 12.1 nightly now available for Galaxy Nexus
    The Samsung-made Galaxy Nexus was launched way back in 2011, and officially got updates till Android 4.3 Jelly Bean before Google abandoned it. However, alternative Android OS developer Cyanogen kept the device alive thereafter, releasing a stable Android 4.4-based CyanogenMod 11 ROM for the device in 2013.Now, the team has released the first Android 5.1-based CM 12.1 nightly build for the Galaxy Nexus, allowing users to enjoy the Android Lollipop experience on the device. The build weighs in at around 250 MB.You can download the nightly by heading to the Source link below. However, before you do that, bewarned that that nightly builds aren't usually stable - you may encounter bugs. Plus, as you might already know, installing a custom ROM can result in a bricked...


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    Samsung's upcoming SM-R150 activity tracker leaked in images
    Back in November last year, there were reports that Samsung is working on an affordable fitness tracker. It was also revealed that the device carries a model number of SM-R150 and an internal codename of Triathlon.Now, some alleged leaked images of the wearable have surfaced online, revealing that it sports a round display as well as a rotating bezel, making it similar in design to the South Korean company's Gear S2 smartwach.The images indicate that the device features a heart-rate sensor, and is also capable of counting exercise repetitions as well as keeping track of water intake.Finally, it will also be possible to attach the SM-R150 fitness tracker to your chest.There's currently no information on the pricing and the availability of the wearable...


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    User agent profile reveals new LG phone; possibly the G5
    The HTTP user agent profile of a new LG device has surfaced online, revealing the model number it carries and the OS it runs. As you can see in the screenshot below, the model number of this new handset is LG-H830.Given the fact that LG's G4 flagship carried LG-H810, LG-H811, LG-H812, and LG-H815 model numbers, it's safe to assume that the new smartphone in question is the company's upcoming G5 flagship smartphone. In addition, the profile also revealed that the device runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.The LG G5 has already been the subject of several leaks and rumors until now, revealing its possible design and specs. The device is expected to be made official at LG's pre-MWC press event on February 21, invitations for which have already been sent..Via...


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    Samsung Z1 Tizen 2.4 update to roll out in a few days
    The Tizen 2.4 update for the Samsung Z1 smartphone will start rolling out in a few days - around January 22. This was revealed by Jason Dongwon Kwak, Managing Director of the South Korean company's R&D Institute in India.Kwak also revealed that the update will bring along support for "SHAREit and WhatsApp voice call," as well as many other features. These include Ultra Data Saving mode, enhanced messaging, and the ability to hide your personal messages and memo as well as record your voice along with your favorite songs. In addition, it will also feature easy video player controls, memo creation, and setup wizard.For those who aren't already aware, Samsung has already released a couple of Tizen 2.4 beta firmware for the Z1 so far. However, this would be the final OS...


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    Best Apps and Games of the Week
    These are the best apps and games that came out this week.SKRWTSometimes when you shoot a picture on your phone, it's hard to get everything right. Later when you view it, you realize it's tilted, or improperly framed, or the perspective is off. Some apps let you do minor adjustments before you upload but nothing is as comprehensive as SKRWT. Previously an iOS exclusive, the app is finally available on Android. With SKRWT you can do the basic things like cropping and tilting but also change the perspective by selectively tilting individual sides of the image till everything looks just right. It can also add or remove vignetting effect and other lens distortions such as fisheye. There's a lot to explore and if you're a fan of precision and symmetry in your photography, you'd definitely appreciate what this app has to offer.Price: $0.99Download: iOS • AndroidWildcardWildcard brings content curation to your news app. All the stories are curated by their editors to ensure only the best and most relevant stories from top sources end up on your timeline. The stories appear as cards, which can be skimmed and if you want to find out more, tap to see the full story in an easy to read layout.Price: FreeDownload: iOS • AndroidPocket MortysPocket Mortys is a game based on the TV show Rick and Morty. The game is very similar to the Pokemon games on Nintendo consoles, wherein you have to collect Mortys in the game by fighting them with your own Morty. It's a reasonably entertaining affair, especially if you're a fan of the TV show or enjoy this style of gameplay.Price: FreeDownload: iOS • AndroidThe Room ThreeWe already talked about The Room Three back when it debuted on iOS. The game is now available on Android and just as good as ever. If you enjoy puzzle games and have been a fan of the first two then there is no reason not to pick this one up.Price: $4.99Download: iOS •...


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    Week 2 in review: Xiaomi devices, Samsung Galaxy S7 rumors
    Xiaomi undoubtedly takes the cake this week with a pair of intriguing new devices. Both the Xiaomi Redmi 3 and the Redmi Note 3 are spectacular offers, mainly for their excellent value. With a 5" display, Snapdragon 616 SoC, 2GB of RAM and a 13MP camera among other things, the former is priced at an almost unbelievable RMB 699 (around $105 at current exchange rates). The Redmi Note 3 ups the game quite a bit, providing a 5.5-inch FullHD display, up to 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 650 (former 618) chip. The device is not entirely new, but it does come with a more powerful SoC, integrated X8 LTE with Cat 7 speeds and support for VoLTE and also sells for the spectacularly affordable $151 for the base model.To finish off Xiaomi's presence in the news this week, there are a number of new rumors, including images and a full set of specs now available for the company's upcoming flagship - the Xiaomi Mi 5. It is shaping up to be a true high-end offer with a 5.2-inch QHD display, 4GB of RAM and running on Qualcomm's latest beastly chip - the Snapdragon 820. Speaking of major device rumors, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is getting ever closer to a release and people are still busy figuring out all of the versions it will come in and their respective release dates. Last we heard, it's a fifty, fifty affair between having a total of three or four versions.Lenovo also had a strong week in the mobile realm. It announced the Lemon 3 - an interesting mid-ranger with a 5.0-inch FullHD display, Snapdragon 616 SoC, 2GB of RAM and a 13MP main camera, which looks to be directly aimed at the Xiaomi Redmi 3 and even bears the same price tag of RMB 699 (around $105) in China. Then there is the Lenovo A7000, which was launched in India with high hopes to build on the whopping success of its predecessor and the K4 Note, which was spotted at retailers in Saudi Arabia. Speaking of which, new rumors suggest that a K5 Note is already on the way.In other news, thy mystery around the alleged resurrection of a 4" iPhone is slowly unraveling. And the Nokia brand is getting more frequent mentions in the news section as well, this time with a new leak that hints at a flying return to the smartphone realm for the company in 2016..news-item
    Xiaomi Redmi 3 announced with Snapdragon 616 SoC, 4,100mAh battery
    Priced at RMB 699 (around $105 at current exchange rates), the device will go on sale in China starting tomorrow.
    Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 with Snapdragon 650 announced 1.8GHz hexa-core CPU, Adreno 510 GPU, integrated X8 LTE with Cat 7 speeds and support for LTE.
    Lenovo Lemon 3 launched with SD616 SoC, 1080p display
    The device carries a price tag of RMB 699 (around $105) in China. Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge and S7 edge+ to launch simultaneously A leaked promo image mentions them in the same breath. No S7+ though. All-metal Nokia smartphone leaks in photo, could be one of three 2016 models This might be our first glimpse of a new wave of Nokia smartphones, said to come this year. Xiaomi Mi 5 shows up on retailer's website, complete with specs The page listed the upcoming flagship's specs, but not the price. Nokia 230 24K-gold-plating costs more than the phone, still worth it Vietnamese luxury specialists Karalux will do the job for you for $67. Xiaomi Mi 5 is said to arrive in two different versions According to a new rumor out of China, the upcoming flagship will get two designs. All 2016 Moto devices will have fingerprint scanners, Lenovo exec...


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    Weekend poll: Huawei Nexus 6P, LG V10 or Samsung Galaxy Note5?
    For the trio of 5.7" phablets - Huawei Nexus 6P, LG V10 and Samsung Galaxy Note5 - we asked your unbiased opinion on their camera performance with a blind shootout. We also shared our thoughts of the three flagships.Now it's time to pick the Reader's Favorite. Is it the LG V10 with its excellent camera? The Galaxy Note5 with its screen and battery? Or the Nexus 6P with its premium build and stock Android?Keep in mind the V10 didn't do so hot in the benchmarks and battery tests. And the Note5 camera was behind the LG, its chipset behind the Nexus. The Nexus 6P itself did well all-round, but its screen calibration is off and the camera didn't always deliver.You have until next weekend to make up your mind. By the way, we're working on the next trio of large-screened phones so the choice of best phablet will just get more...


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    Top 10 trending phones of week 2
    The Samsung Galaxy J7 has finally met its match. The long-standing champion has been dethroned by the Lenovo K4 Note, whose rise to the top took only 2 weeks.And for the first time in a long while the Galaxy J7 is the only J-series Samsung on the podium - the J5 has been pushed off by the newly-launched Xiaomi Redmi 3. The Galaxy S6 has kept its 5th spot from last week, but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is dangerously close, so nothing's guaranteed for next week. The occasional podium finisher Galaxy J2 has slipped yet another spot compared to week 1, and is now in 7th. A similar faith has been shared by the Galaxy Grand Prime, which we find in 8th this week.The Apple iPhone 5s, which we thought was a one-off entry last week, seems to be here to stay, occupying the same 9th position. The Galaxy Note5 is the last to make the chart, with the Galaxy A5 giving it a hard time, but not hard enough..news-item


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    Samsung said to launch Gear S2 and Gear VR in India this month
    The Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch is expected to launch in India this month, according to a new report. The wearable device was unveiled at the end of August 2015 ahead of the year's IFA show, and went on sale in the US a couple of months later.The report, however, contained no information on the exact launch date as well as the official price at which the smartwatch will be available in India. Also not revealed was whether or not all variants of the device will be available for purchase in the country.Along with the Gear S2, the South Korean company will also launch its virtual reality headset - Gear VR - in the Asian country, the report noted. The report comes just a day after Samsung announced that it will launch the dual SIM variant of the Galaxy Note5 smartphone in India on January 17, which is...


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    Now the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra is receiving Android 5.1 Lollipop update
    Just two days ago Sony surprised us by releasing the update to Android 5.1 Lollipop for the Xperia C4 smartphone. This was unexpected because previously the Japanese company said this device would jump from Android 5.0 straight to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with no 5.1 update planned in between.And today it's time for a new handset to get the exact same treatment. According to Sony, the Xperia C5 Ultra was also supposed to go directly to Marshmallow. Yet an update to Android 5.1 for it is now rolling out nevertheless.In this case the new release is being sent to all the variants of the C5 Ultra, regardless of where they've been sold. When it comes to model numbers, that's the single-SIM E5553 and E5506, as well as the dual-SIM E5533 and E5563.Obviously though, as this is a staged rollout, you could need to wait a few days before it hits every device out there. If you own the single-SIM Xperia C5 Ultra, then after applying the update you will be on build number 29.1.A.0.87, while for the C5 Ultra Dual it's 29.1.B.0.87.Hopefully the release of these Android 5.1 updates won't delay the upcoming rollout of Android 6.0 Marshmallow for these...


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    Poll results: Huawei gets best of CES 2016 award
    Smartphone manufacturers have gradually started avoiding Las Vegas for high-end announcements, for better or worse. Apparently then whoever brings a flagship to CES, be it one already announced before, gets most of the attention.This has been the case this year, judging by the results in our poll from last weekend. Huawei gathered a total of 44% of votes, all thanks to the Mate 8, which has been official since late November, and the Honor 5X from a month before. Okay, that's not completely true, Huawei did bring to Las Vegas the entirely new MediaPad M2 10.0 tablet.And it was a tablet that surely brought Samsung to the second place in the poll. Despite bearing the Galaxy moniker, the 12-inch TabPro S runs Windows 10, and is a Surface Pro competitor. Whether it's solely responsible for Samsung's 27% result, or the Notebook 9 and Chromebook 3 had their say, we'll never know.Lenovo placed third with 12% of upvotes, but at least it brought a smartphone to the show in addition to all the ThinkPads, the Vibe S1 Lite. Two new smartphones from a just-conceived range meant 11% for LG in our poll, only marginally behind Lenovo, but in fourth...


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    New phones of the week
    This week we got phones ranging from 4.5" to 5.5", each of them ranking high on feature and low on price. Xiaomi kicked things off with the Redmi 3, a phone that barely crosses the $100 mark, but brings an all-metal body, a 5" display, octa-core chipset and a surprisingly big 4,100mAh battery for its 8.5mm of thickness.A few days later the company launched the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3... no, not this one, this one. The 5.5" phablet aimed at the international market and swaps the Helio chipset for a Snapdragon 650 and upgrades the camera to 16MP along the way.On the other end of the size scale is the Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016), which tiptoed into official status. It has a 4.5" screen (Super AMOLED), a quad-core chipset and a 5MP camera. Its official price tag of $135 is $10-$20 above what can be found with a bit of shopping.The Lenovo Lemon 3 competes with the Redmi 3 with a 5" screen (with a higher resolution, 1080p) and a similar just-over-$100 price tag. It has a 13MP camera and the same Snapdragon 616 chipset.The Asus Live is another 5-incher. It's heading to Brazil where tech gets a hefty markup. The phone features a 720p display, 8MP camera, two SIM slots and a built-in digital TV...


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    Samsung Gear S2 gets a $100 discount in the US
    Samsung's Gear S2 smartwatch has received a price cut in the United States, where retailer Adorama is now offering a cumulative discount of $100 off the wearable device's listed price, which is $300.Those purchasing the device will receive a mail-in-rebate of $50. Plus, you can use coupon code 50OFFJAN to get the remaining $50 off, taking the total discount to $100, meaning you'll effectively have to pay $200. For more information on the offer, which ends January 20, head to the Source 2 link below.The Gear S2 is officially being sold for $300 in the US. Other third party retailers like Amazon are also selling the Tizen-powered watch at the same price.Source 1 | Source 2 |...


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    Default WhatsApp scraps $0.99 annual subscription fee

    Popular mobile messaging service WhatsApp has announced that it is doing away with the $0.99 annual subscription fee which was applicable to some of those using the service after their first year. The announcement was made by WhatsApp in an official blog post.WhatsApp admitted that the approach of charging an annual subscription fee hasn't worked well for the company primarily because many of the service's users don't have a debit or credit card, which is required to pay the fee.So, what would be the company's revenue model now? Third party ads? Well, WhatsApp says NO. The company is instead planning to earn money by offering services aimed at connecting businesses with individuals. "Starting this year, we will test tools that allow you to use WhatsApp to communicate with businesses and organizations that you want to hear from," WhatsApp said."That could mean communicating with your bank about whether a recent transaction was fraudulent, or with an airline about a delayed flight. We all get these messages elsewhere today - through text messages and phone calls - so we want to test new tools to make this easier to do on WhatsApp, while still giving you an experience without third-party ads and...


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    Sony MWC 2016 press event set for February 22
    Sony will be holding its Mobile World Congress press event on Monday, February 22. Sadly, there's little info about what the company might be announcing. The invite is quite simple, compared to its previous ones, so we can't really get anything from it.Sony unveiled the Xperia Z5 models at IFA 2015 in September, meaning that it might be a tad early for a refresh. This leaves room for updates in the company's mid-range and wearable line-ups. Whatever it is we'll be on site, covering new announcements for...


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    Samsung LED View Cover for Galaxy S7, S7 edge clears FCC
    The US telecom governing body has certified a pair of accessory cases for what appear to be the Samsung Galaxy S7, and the S7 edge (though we're yet to find out for certain just how many S7's there will be and what kinds specifically).Dubbed LED View Cover, the new cases are the flip cover variety, but what exactly the LED part stands for remains to be seen. What we can deduct from their visiting FCC in the first place (and a brief look at the test report) is that they will communicate via NFC with the smartphones.How they will be different from the Clear View Covers of the current-gen Galaxy S6, and why they weren't part of the earlier accessories leak are another couple of questions that remain unanswered.Good thing then, that there's only about a month before it all gets revealed, when the smartphones go official around February 21.Source 1 Source 2 |...


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    Default Lenovo K4 Note up for grabs in first flash sale today

    Lenovo's recently announced K4 Note smartphone will be available for purchase on Amazon India via flash sale today. The sale, which is for the INR 12,499 ($185) priced Vibe K4 Note VR Bundle that also includes an ANT VR headset, will begin at 2pm IST.The phone will separately be available for purchase 2pm IST tomorrow on Amazon - that'll also be a flash sale. The Chinese company has revealed that it has received a total of 480,566 registrations for today's flash sale, and those who have successfully registered for it will also be eligible for tomorrow's sale. Lenovo, however, didn't reveal the number of units that'll be up for grabs both today and tomorrow.Those who missed out on registering for today's sale can now register for the next week's sale - just head to the Source link below and hit the Register Now button.Source |...


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    Saygus V2 with dual microSD card slots will finally start shipping this quarter
    If you recall, back in February last year, we told you about the Saygus V2, an Android phone featuring top-of-the-shelf specs as well as dual 128GB microSD card slots. The $549 handset went up for pre-orders that month, and shipments were expected to begin soon.However, that didn't happen and the company kept delaying the shipments last year citing one reason or the other. Now, the company is saying that the device will start shipping this quarter.Details: We hoped to ship in February, but the Chinese New Year eats up a couple of weeks then. Our CES 2016 projection of 'Q1" appears safe— Team Saygus (@Saygus) January 18, 2016Saygus - which is a US-based company located in Salt Lake City - also explained that V2's shipments got delayed due to the company's business differences with one of its manufacturing partners.The Holidays were busy and we apologize for the lack of updates! Our second ODM in 2015 was released for the vast difference in biz policy— Team Saygus (@Saygus) January 18, 2016It has been a great relief not having to count on the words from a partner who may or may not provide us with accurate details or updates.— Team Saygus (@Saygus) January 18, 2016Specs-wise, the V2 is powered by a Snapdragon 801 SoC and sports a 5" 1080p screen. It has 3GB RAM and 64GB internal memory, and packs in a 3,100mAh battery. In terms of camera, the handset features a 21MP rear unit and a 13MP front shooter. There's also a fingerprint scanner, and the device is...


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    New Asus Zenfone 2 update brings Android for Work support
    Asus has started rolling out a new update to its Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) smartphone that bumps the firmware version number to 2.20.40.164. and brings along support for Android for Work as well as fixes to several issues and stability-related improvements.As per the release notes, the update fixes issues related to video sound, SmartBox, phone hang-up, SDcard, and PosteMobile NFC. Plus, it also fixes the google play stop service, issue of displaying wrong operator name when roaming and searching network as well as an issue with YouTube volume while using miracast.In addition, the update - which weighs in at around 74MB - also brings along improvements to power usage of Email App as well as the stability of ASUS ZenUI Launcher and Cell Broadcast. There's also a new feature - that adds screenshot sound settings - included in the update.Head to your phone's settings to manually check for the update if you haven't received it yet.Source |...


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    Motorola's 'shatterproof' Moto X Force landing in India soon
    Update: A new report, citing sources, says that the device will be launched on February 2. To access the report, head to the Via link at the bottom.Original story follows:The Moto X Force, which Motorola claims is the world's first smartphone to come with a shatterproof display, will be launched in India soon. The company's India Twitter account has posted a new teaser confirming the same.Are you one amongst 40% of people who are deathly scared of dropping their phones? Watch the #Motofaceoff, know more https://t.co/Cx9AqxdpbW— Motorola India (@MotorolaIndia) January 18, 2016The teaser includes a video which shows several flagship phones - from Motorola's competitors like Apple, Sony, and Samsung - ending up with broken screens when dropped. Towards the end, the video features the Moto X Force, which the company advertises as being shatterproof.While Motorola is yet to officially reveal the exact date on which the handset will be launched in the country, the company's India general manager in an interview last month had said that the launch will happen in January.Source |...


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    Google now lets you install apps directly from Google Search results
    Sometimes, when searching for something on the Google, you might see a suggestion to install an app. Normally, you'd click on the app suggestion which opens a link into the Play Store, and then you'd hit install and go from there.The new feature is: If you click on a suggestion, the app will directly begin installing from the search results. You will get the installation banner that appears before downloading an app, all without having to open the Play Store at all.This feature is a minor one that may be slowly but surely rolling out through Google Play Services. It looks like this will work when using the Google App or the Google Search widget on Android. It doesn't seem like this would work from Chrome or another browser.Android Police has had reports of this feature working dating back to about a month ago. While none of our devices were able to perform this action, let us know if you are able to do this using the Google app.Source |...


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    $243 for a 2nd gen. Moto X, also, 2nd gen. Moto G w/dock for $100
    Best Buy looks like it's trying to get rid of its Moto X inventory. It is offering the 2nd generation Moto X 16GB in Black for $242.99 before sales tax. This price should last until Saturday, as any changes to Best Buy's pricing are usually made overnight for Sunday.Good luck finding any in-store though, as the ‘store pick up' option is not available through the website. You may be able to find one if you call your local store. Though, you are more likely to not find one.B&H Photography also has the 2nd generation Moto G on its website going for $99.99 before taxes and includes a free Belkin Charger Dock. B&H's website even lets you choose between the worldwide variant and the US variant which only differ in cellular bands.The Moto X 2nd gen. features a 5.2 inch AMOLED 1080p screen with a Snapdragon 801 processor. It has a 2300 mAh battery, 13 MP rear-facing camera, and Motorola's own Moto Display which pulsates notifications on the actual screen.Note that the Moto X does not have a microSD card slot, so you'll be stuck with only 16GB of internal storage. Motorola only decided to include a microSD card on the 3rd generation of its ‘X' line.The Moto G 2nd gen. features a 5 inch 720p LCD screen and an 8MP rear camera. Motorola's Moto G was among the best performing smartphones in sales numbers around the globe. Motorola made some great hardware and hope that Lenovo has plans to keep it that way.Source 1 (BBY) | Source 2 (B&H) |...


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    Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) gets benchmarked, has specs revealed
    Samsung is working on a successor to the Galaxy J5 from last year. The J5 (2016) has so far been spotted entering India for testing purposes. On that occasion we found out that it sports a 5.2-inch touchscreen.And now we have a list of its most important specs to glance at, courtesy of a benchmark run someone's put a prototype Galaxy J5 (2016) through.The information screen in GFXBench reveals that the handset has 720p resolution, a 12 or 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP selfie shooter, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage. It's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 410 chipset, which comes with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU. It runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.So this means the next-gen J5 will have a slightly bigger screen and more RAM compared to its predecessor, while the rest of the specs have stayed mostly the same. Like the original J5, the new one should be reasonably priced too.Source |...


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    Leaked LG G5 diagram shows new design, volume buttons on the side
    LG is apparently going to unveil the G5 at MWC next month, ahead of its usual schedule for G-series smartphone launches. The company is said to finally be ready to tackle its Korean competitor Samsung head-on. Samsung will be revealing the Galaxy S7 at MWC, and so LG wants its G5 to directly compete with that.To ensure the G5's success, LG has been rumored to have significantly altered the design when compared to past G-series devices, including the G4 from last year. And now a leaked diagram for the G5 confirms just that.As you can see, the G5 is probably going with a fully metallic build, given the cutouts on the back. It will also have its volume buttons on the side, something that hasn't been seen in the G line since the Optimus G from 2012. On the other hand, the power button stays on the back, underneath the camera, yet this time around it will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner. A single speaker is on the bottom side of the device, while the 3.5 mm headset jack is up top.The G5's dimensions will allegedly be 149.4 x 73.9 x 8.2 mm. These make it taller yet narrower than its predecessor. Past rumors have talked about it featuring a 5.6-inch QHD touchscreen, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC at the helm, a 20 MP rear camera, and an 8 MP selfie snapper.Source 1 (in Hebrew) • Source...


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    Two HTC Nexus phones coming this year, rumor claims
    Last year for the first time ever Google launched two Nexus smartphones at the same time - the LG-made Nexus 5X and the Huawei Nexus 6P. And this manner of going with both a more mainstream size as well as a phablet for the Nexus line might be the new trend - one that Google is said to repeat in 2016.According to a new and unconfirmed rumor out of China, we shall once again see two Nexuses hitting the streets this year. One of them will have a 5-inch screen, while the other will get a 5.5-inch display. If true, this would represent an odd move for the mobile world, where handsets generally get bigger from year to year, not smaller (the Nexus 5X has a 5.2-inch panel, while the 6P has a 5.7" screen). Then again, the original Nexus 6 from Motorola had a 6" display and that was shrinked in its successor, so anything is possible.What might be more shocking is what company is said to be manufacturing both 2016 Nexuses: HTC. The Taiwanese smartphone maker has been in trouble, sales-wise, for many, many months now, and it probably hopes that this move will get it into the spotlight for the right reasons once more.On the other hand, the analyst who is the source of this rumor is of the opinion that the two Nexuses will be too little to help HTC escape all of its problems. The Nexus 9 tablet from 2014 certainly wasn't the success HTC had hoped it would be.Apparently Huawei was also in the running for producing this year's Nexuses, but the Chinese company lost out to HTC in the end. Obviously you should have taken all of this with a huge chunk of salt, because it comes from just one person. If there is any truth to this information, then expect to see it reiterated in the future.Source (in Chinese) |...


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    LG Watch Urbane is now going for just $199.99
    The original LG Watch Urbane can now be yours for a lot less than you might expect given its initial launch price of $349. The smartwatch is normally being sold for around $250-260 these days, but an eBay deal currently going on will let you have one for just $199.99.The device you're buying is brand new, and it comes with US warranty. It ships anywhere in the US, and retail tax is only charged in New Jersey. Two color versions are up for grabs, gold with brown strap and silver with black strap.The Watch Urbane was announced in February of last year, as the more upscale version of the G Watch R. It runs Android Wear, has a round touchscreen, and is IP67 certified for water and dust...


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    Samsung Galaxy A3, A5, and A7 (2016) get priced in the UK and Germany as pre-orders start
    At the beginning of December, Samsung officially unveiled the 2016 edition of its A series smartphones. So far, the Galaxy A3 (2016), Galaxy A5 (2016), and Galaxy A7 (2016) have all been available only in China, but that's going to change soon.The three handsets are already up for pre-order in the UK at MobileFun. The retailer has thus revealed the SIM-free pricing of the devices for the UK.The new A3 will set you back £269, the A5 costs £319, and the A7 is priced at £399. There are no details yet about when they might start shipping, so it could be a while before the unit you pre-order makes it to your doorstep.Over in Germany, several retailers are giving you the option to place an order for the Galaxy A3 or Galaxy A5 (the A7 doesn't appear to be up for grabs just yet). Pricing starts at €306.31 for the A3, and €396.17 for the bigger A5.The members of the new 2016 A-series come with a metal frame and glass front and back, emulating the Galaxy S6's design somewhat. The A5 and A7 both have OIS enabled for their rear cameras, as well as a fingerprint sensor, features that the new A3 lacks (but it is the cheapest of the bunch, and it does sport other upgraded specs compared to its...


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    HTC to spin off its nascent VR business into a separate company
    A report from the company's native Taiwan says that HTC is getting ready to spin off its nascent VR business into a new company.According to some unnamed sources in the industry, HTC CEO Cher Wang will soon create a new entity that will only handle VR products such as the upcoming HTC Vive headset. For starters, this new company will be wholly owned by Wang and HTC.The move is meant to separate the hopefully successful VR-related endeavors by HTC from its smartphone division, which hasn't been doing all that well in the past few years. Dealers working on the Taiwan Stock Exchange said investors now have high hopes that "the VR business will help HTC offset the impact resulting from escalating competition in the global smartphone market".HTC shares went up by more than 5% following the news. That said, the company hasn't issued an official statement on the matter, at least not yet.The HTC Vive will be up for pre-order starting on February 29, and it may end up costing around $1,500. It was initially presented at last year's MWC, and it will finally become available in April. It was developed in cooperation with...


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    Marshmallow update for HTC One M8 units in UK to begin rolling in next 48 hours; One M9 to follow shortly
    HTC has announced that the One M8 units in the UK will start receiving the Android 6.0 update in the next 48 hours. The announcement came in the form of a tweet sent out by the company's official UK twitter account.Great news! We'll be rolling out the Marshmallow update for the HTC One M8 over the next 48 hours. One M9 to follow shortly.— HTC UK (@HTC_UK) January 18, 2016In addition, the Taiwanese company also revealed that the update will be rolled out to the One M9 units in the country shortly thereafter, although no specific timeframe was mentioned.While there's currently no official word on it, it'd be safe to assume that the update in question will only be rolled out to unlocked units of these devices, with operator-specific versions getting it later.For those who aren't already aware, the Canadian carrier variants of the One M9 are set to receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update...


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    BlackBerry Priv landing in India on January 28
    BlackBerry's debut Android smartphone Priv will be launched in India towards the end of this month - January 28 to be precise. The Canadian company has sent out invitations for the launch event that will be held in the Indian capital of New Delhi.There was, however, no word on the price tag the handset will carry in India. Over in the US, it carries a tag of $699, while in Europe it is officially selling for €779.This comes shortly after BlackBerry expanded Priv's availability to France. Just days prior to that, the smartphone landed in some other European markets, including Italy, the Netherlands, and...


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    All OnePlus orders above $100 get free shipping
    OnePlus has just announced that it will be offering free standard shipping on all orders $100 and up. The number (and consequently, value) varies by country and is €100 or £60, for example.In effect, what this means is that every order containing a smartphone (One, 2 or X) will be eligible. If you're only shopping for accessories, though, you'd need to purchase a whole bunch of cases and/or backs, or team up with a similarly inclined friend.Priority shipping will also get a price cut. For a single OnePlus 2, shipped to the US, that means $9.63 instead of the $17.63 it was until now. To the EU, the savings are €8 flat, the service now costing €16.49, instead of ...


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    iPhone 6s Plus vs. Lumia 950 XL vs. Galaxy Note5 vs. LG V10: Blind shootout
    The last blind shootout got us in a competitive spirit, so let's do another one. This time we bring in the Apple iPhone 6s Plus and the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL and carry over the LG V10 and Samsung Galaxy Note5 from last time.


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    Samsung fixes Galaxy Note5, a wrongly inserted S-Pen no longer breaks it
    The Galaxy Note5 launch was followed by some peculiar complaints, about the iconic S-Pen. In case you've already forgotten the whole fiasco, we shall give you the quick tour.The S-Pen of the Galaxy Note5 could be inserted backwards in its slot, which may not be something many people will do on purpose, but as it turned out eventually lots of people did. Either by accident, or caught up by the wide media coverage - thousands of people got their S-Pen stuck in the slot backwards. This led Samsung to send some special tools to the service center for safely removing the stuck pens.Unfortunately, those who tried to get it out by themselves, often broke the S-Pen detection mechanism and thus rendered their S-Pen a pointless stick.If you broke your Galaxy Note5, or already own it, we are sorry, but an official Samsung support center is your only solution.But if you are about to buy a Note5 right now, we have some good news. Apparently Samsung has pre-installed a failsafe mechanism, which will allow you to extract the S-Pen safely if inserted backwards.The company has upgraded the mechanism without an official announcement. Previously the company said that this wasn't really an issue and urged customers to read the manual, while denying the device a fix. We are glad to see Samsung has addressed the issue and the new adopters won't be threatened with the possibility of breaking their Note5. As for the earlier buyers - well if your Note5 lasted until now, you are probably safe, but still watch how you insert that...


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    Default New Dell Venue 8 Pro comes with Atom x5 processor, FullHD display, for

    Dell has updated the Venue 8 Pro tablet bringing its specs more than a notch up. Along with that, the new Venue 8 Pro 5000 Series comes with a price to match, at $449 it's twice as expensive as some versions of the predecessor.On the hardware end, the new tablet features an 8-inch FullHD display, or rather WUXGA, as the 16:10 ratio results in 1,920 x 1,200 pixels. That resolution, however, seems to be optional, judging by the product page, so the old and coarse 1,280 x 800 pixels might still be available.What's definitely new is the processor, which is the Intel Atom x5-Z8500 at this point, but we may be seeing the Z8300 at a later stage. There's 4GB of RAM on board, and 64GB of built-in eMMC storage, no other options so far. There is a microSD slot for expansion, though, so storage shouldn't be an issue. Windows 10 Pro is standard equipment, but you could opt for Home, for $50 less.Either way, you're getting a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front unit. More importantly, however, there's Wi-Fi 802.11ac with 2x2 antennas, and USB 3.0 with Type-C connector. It's ready for cellular connectivity too, thanks to its microSIM slot, but we gather that will be optional as well. The Dell Active Pen is supported, but not part of the package - it typically goes for an additional $50, but Dell will knock $5 off its price if you buy it with the tablet.The Dell Venue 8 Pro can be ordered now, but let's hope you're in no rush as will ship in 11-14 business days.Source |...


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    UK-based Bush launches Eluma, a Windows 10 phone on a budget
    UK-based company Bush has launched a budget smartphone that runs Windows 10 Mobile OS. Dubbed Eluma, the device is powered by a quad-core processor and sports a 5-inch HD IPS display.The handset has 16GB of internal memory (expandable up to 128GB via microSD slot), although the amount of RAM isn't yet known. In terms of camera, the Eluma features an 8MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. No official word on the battery capacity, too, although reports say it's 2,100mAh.The smartphone offers support for 4G as well as dual-SIM functionality. Measuring 142 x 72 x 8.2mm and weighing in at 152g, the handset carries a price tag of £79.95 (SIM free). It is available for purchase in the UK from online retailer Argos, which is selling the black model and is also offering a white-colored back case free with each purchase.Source |...


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    Default Apple files application to open retail and online stores in India

    Apple has filed an application with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of India to open its own chain of retail stores in India, according to the DIPP secretary Amitabh Kant speaking to The Times of India."We have just received Apple's proposal. We are examining it," said Kant. He also confirmed that Apple is seeking the government's approval to sell its products through its own online store.Apple had previously tried to go down this route of selling its products directly in India through online and offline retail stores but back then the Indian Government's FDI policy mandated that any foreign company investing more than 51% should source 30% of its products from within the country and also did not allow foreign single-brand retailers from opening their own online stores. Since November of last year, these restrictions have been relaxed, which means companies like Apple can now finally go ahead with their plans.All this time, Apple has been selling its products through a network of franchisee-owned stores, such as Croma. With the relaxation of the rules, Apple can now apply to open its own retail stores in India, the way they have in several countries worldwide. The current Apple 'stores' in India are designed to mimic the look of official Apple stores everywhere else but aren't quite the same. But if Apple ends up opening its own stores then customers in India will finally get to experience the proper Apple sales and service...


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    Deal: Buy a Droid Turbo 2 or Maxx 2 and get 50% off on second unit
    If you are planning to purchase either the Droid Turbo 2 or the Droid Maxx 2 (both Verizon-exclusives), here is some good news: the carrier is currently running a promotion that allows you to purchase a unit and get 50% off on the second one.Specifically, purchasing a Droid Turbo 2 will get you 50% off a second unit of the device or the Maxx 2. On the other hand, if you purchase the Droid Maxx 2, you can only get the discount on the second unit - no discount on the Turbo 2 in this case.For those who aren't in the know, both Droid Turbo 2 and Maxx 2 were launched in October last year, carrying a price tag of $624 and $384, respectively.Although Verizon hasn't specified when the promotion ends, the deal is apparently aimed at couples, and with Valentines Day just a few weeks away, it should presumably extend till February 14...


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    Motorola posts Android 6.0 release notes for Moto G (2nd Gen)
    Looks like Motorola will soon start rolling out the Marshmallow update to its second-generation Moto G smartphone. The company has posted Android 6.0 update release notes for the device on its India support website.The handset was launched in September 2014 running Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) out-of-the-box. Although it started receiving the Android 5.0 Lollipop update in January 2015, Android 5.1 hasn't hit the device yet. So, turns out the phone will directly jump from Android 5.0 to Marshmallow.This comes just a day after the Motorola Moto G Turbo Edition started receiving the Android 6.0 update in India.Source |...


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    Samsung Gear S2 landing in India tomorrow
    The Samsung Gear S2 will be launched in India tomorrow - January 21. The South Korean company has sent out invitations for the launch event that will be held in the city of Gurgaon, near the country's capital of New Delhi.Although the invite doesn't mention Gear S2 explicitly, the image it contains speaks for itself. This comes just days after there were reports that the smartwatch will be launched in the country this month.While reports also mentioned that Samsung's virtual reality headset - the Gear VR - will also be launched along with the Gear S2, the invite at-least doesn't contain any such...


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    Huawei MediaPad M2 10.0 clears the FCC hurdle
    Unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Huawei MediaPad M2 10.0 has passed through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States, suggesting an imminent launch of the tablet in the country.Specs-wise, the device is powered by a Kirin 930 SoC and sports a 10.1-inch (1200 x 1920 pixel resolution) IPS display. It comes in 2GB/3GB RAM options and 16GB/64GB internal memory options, and packs in a 6,660 mAh battery.In terms of camera, the tablet features a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. Measuring 239.8 x 172.8 x 7.4mm and weighing in at 500g, it runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box. The 2GB/16GB model comes in silver color, while the 3GB/64GB variant comes in gold - both are available in WiFi + LTE and WiFi-only versions.Prices begin at $349 and go all the way up to $469.Source |...


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    Report says Apple Watch Hermès edition will be available for purchase online starting January 22
    The Apple Watch Hermès edition will go on sale online starting January 22, according a report from fashion news site Fashionista. On sale since October last year, the collection has only been available at select Apple retail stores and Hermes' luxury boutiques until now.For those who aren't in the know, the Hermès Apple Watch edition is a result of Apple's partnership with French fashion house Hermès.It features specially designed leather straps - there are three variants: the Single Tour, Double Tour, and Cuff, costing $1,100, $1,250, and $1,500, respectively. In addition, the wearable also sports an exclusive Hermès watch face.The report says the complete Hermès collection will be available for purchase on Apple.com and Hermes.com beginning this Friday.Via 1...


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    Verizon FreeBee Data, a new twist on Net Neutrality
    Verizon is introducing a new way to make money at the potential inconvenience to consumers. It is going to offer sponsored data at the expense of marketers and companies who want to advertise.An ad or link would have a little bee next to it signifying that it is sponsored and has already been paid for, the user can then click the content, view, or consume it in any way.Basically, Company X can post an ad with content like videos or articles which will not be deducted from the subscriber's data bucket upon viewing the content. It will be billed at Company X's own expense. While this isn't really a benefit for the customer, nor an inconvenience, it's just a way for Verizon to make more money off its large subscriber base.Net Neutrality supporters have been bugging T-Mobile about services like Music Freedom and Binge On. The difference with the two is that T-Mobile's services actually provide benefit to the customer while Verizon's FreeBee data only makes Verizon more money.When you think about it, this is much like what T-Mobile is already doing, except it is explicitly charging the companies for flagging content as free data. The way that Verizon wrote the press release sounds like it is taking advantage of its customers to a certain extent. I may be sounding harsh and this might not even be Verizon's intention at all, but this could end up badly for Verizon or its consumers.The only way FreeBee could be successful for Verizon is if these ads are unobtrusive and don't put preference of other content over what the subscriber is actually looking for. It really boils down to what marketers want and what Verizon can offer to them.If Verizon can respect what is obtrusive and annoying to the subscriber, I guess it's not THAT bad. Once Verizon crosses a line, it becomes a slippery slope and customers could become irritated.This program is actually in beta-testing, so the only content providers right now are Hearst Magazines, AOL, and GAMEDAY. These are initial test runs to see how well the program performs before proceeding.Source |...


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    Upcoming Sony PlayStation VR headset gets priced in Switzerland
    Not long ago, the official pricing for the Oculus Rift VR headset was revealed. It will cost $599. On the other hand, another highly anticipated entry into the VR space comes from Valve and HTC. This will go up for pre-order on February 29, and it's been rumored to set you back a whopping $1,500.So you may be wondering where Sony's upcoming PlayStation VR headset (codenamed Morpheus) will be in terms of pricing. While we still have nothing official from Sony on that, no less than three different online retailers from Switzerland have listed it already.Oddly though, each of them has a different price for the device. They range from CHF 499 to 552.45. At the current exchange rates, that would be $497 to 550, or €455 to 504. If these prices even somewhat reflect Sony's plans (and aren't just random guesses by retailers eager to get some clicks and perhaps some pre-orders), then we assume the PlayStation VR will go for $499 in the States and probably €499 in the Eurozone.On the other hand, in a recent report originating in Taiwan about the HTC Vive, the PlayStation VR was said to cost $1,125 - so do take all of this with a pinch of salt. If Sony is close to finally releasing Morpheus into the wild, then hopefully it will reveal pricing details soon.Source | Via 1 • Via...


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    Huawei Honor 6 Plus, Honor 6, and Honor 4X get beta Marshmallow builds in the UK
    The Ascend Mate7 isn't the only Huawei device in the process of receiving a beta build of Android 6.0 Marshmallow soon. The Chinese company's Honor sub-brand wants in on that beta action too.So if you're from the UK and own the Honor 6 Plus, Honor 6, or Honor 4X, you can now sign up to become a beta tester for the Marshmallow update for your device. This follows a similar campaign that was outed for the Honor 7 last month. To try your luck at getting selected for this, you have to fill out the form here.You need to supply your handset's IMEI number (dial *#06# to get it), as well as its current firmware version. This has to be a specific one noted in the document linked above, otherwise you won't be able to participate.Of course you should keep in mind that such beta builds can be filled with bugs, and make sure you back up your data before you...


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    Microsoft will recall some Surface Pro chargers because of fire hazard
    On Friday, Microsoft will issue a worldwide voluntary recall of the chargers and charging cables shipped with its Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, and Surface Pro 3 tablets. Affected are the tablets that were sold in the US before March 2015, and in Europe before July 15 of last year.According to the statement which Microsoft will release in a few days, if those power cords are "sharply or repeatedly bent" or "tightly wrapped" they are prone to overheat, which can turn them into a fire hazard.A Microsoft spokesperson had this to say about the matter: "As a result of damage caused by AC power cords being wound too tightly, twisted or pinched over an extended period of time, a very small proportion of Surface Pro customers have reported issues with their AC power cord. We will be releasing details of how customers can obtain a free replacement cable shortly".As of Friday, the company will set up a specialized website where affected owners of the Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, and Surface Pro 3 tablets can claim their free replacement charger and cable. They will be advised to recycle or dispose of the faulty cables.The recall will not target the Surface Pro 4 or non-Pro Surface tablets.Source 1 • Source 2 |...


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    Apple is now pushing iOS 9.2.1 to all supported devices
    Today Apple has commenced the rollout of the update to iOS 9.2.1 for all supported iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch units out there. The general release starts today following a beta version of iOS 9.2.1, which went out to eager testers last month. In the meantime, an iOS 9.3 beta has been outed as well for those who are part of Apple's beta testing program.As its version number implies, iOS 9.2.1 is not a big release. It doesn't come with new features, it only focuses on bug fixes, performance improvements, and reliability enhancements.Included is a fix for an issue that could prevent the completion of an app's installation when using an MDM server. For now it's unclear if the battery indicator bug that we've reported on yesterday is also fixed in iOS 9.2.1. Surely though some other unnamed improvements are in...


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    Facebook's Android app now has Tor support built-in
    Facebook has been accessible through Tor-enabled browsers since 2014, but starting today the social network is making another step in protecting your privacy. That's because the Facebook app for Android supports Tor now too.To use the app through Tor, you first need to install the Orbot proxy app on your device. After you do that, if you go to Settings inside the Facebook app, you'll see the option highlighted in the screenshot below.Turn that on, and you'll be connected to Facebook via Tor. The feature will apparently be rolling out over the next few days to users of Facebook's Android app, so you may not see it...


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    US court bans sales of Samsung devices that aren't on sale anymore
    We've got a new episode in the seemingly neverending Apple v. Samsung patent spat. This time around there isn't a big sum of money that Samsung has to pay Apple or anything like that.US District Judge Lucy Koh has granted Apple a motion for permanent injunction against Samsung devices found to have patent-infringing technology. Translated from legalese, that essentially means that Samsung is now banned from selling these handsets in the US.That sounds very bad, until you look at the list in question and realize that none of these smartphones have actually been on sale anywhere for quite a while, since they're all very old. We're talking about the Admire, Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S2 Epic 4G Touch, Galaxy S2 Skyrocket, Galaxy S3, and Stratosphere. The most recent device in there seems to be the Galaxy S3 from 2012.So this ruling does favor Apple in the ongoing patent war with Samsung, but it is in the end completely pointless. The Korean company will suffer absolutely no losses from not being able to sell handsets it hasn't been selling anymore anyway. A Samsung spokesperson said that "while this will not impact American consumers, it is another example of Apple abusing the judicial system to create bad legal precedent which can harm consumer choice for generations to come". Apple representatives have remained mum on the decision.This could be impactful in other ways, however. In the future such sales bans could be decided by judges in an easier manner than before, with this precedent having been set - especially when talking about complex devices such as smartphones, many different aspects of which can be patented.Source |...


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    LG's new K7 arrives at Boost Mobile as the Tribute 5
    Today Boost Mobile, one of Sprint's prepaid brands, has added a new cheap smartphone to its roster. It's called LG Tribute 5, but it's actually just the recently announced K7 with a different name. The new K series is supposed to bring decent design and specs to very low price points according to LG.The Tribute 5 comes with a 5-inch 480x854 IPS touchscreen, a couple of 5 MP cameras (one on the front, one on the back), Qualcomm's Snapdragon 210 chipset running the show (with a 1.1 GHz quad-core CPU), 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage, 4G LTE support, and a 2,125 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop.You can pick one up straight from Boost Mobile for only $99.99, and since this is a prepaid carrier there's no need to sign a long-term contract. You can pair it with a plan that gives you unlimited talk and text as well as at least 2GB of data, starting at $30 per...


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    Android Marshmallow beta test starts for the Huawei Ascend Mate7
    Slowly but surely, Huawei keeps working on updates to Android 6.0 Marshmallow for its devices. And now it's reached the Ascend Mate7 from 2014.The company is currently looking for eager people to beta test the new software on their Mate7 units. There are some prerequisites before you can apply, though. First off, your Mate7 needs to be either the MT7-L09 model or the MT7-TL10 to qualify. You should also back up all your data before you install the Marshmallow beta, because things can always go wrong in such instances.If you're fine with that and are willing to test the upcoming release, you have until January 22 to send an email to mate7betatest1@huawei.com which has to include your phone's IMEI number (which you can find out by dialing *#06#), as well as your current firmware version (listed in the About phone part of Settings). That's it. If you're lucky you'll be among the chosen ones who will get to play with the Android 6.0 update before it rolls out to everybody.Thanks for the tip, Muhammad Idrees!Source (in German) |...


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    BlackBerry Priv lands at T-Mobile on January 26 for $719.99
    We've known that the BlackBerry Priv would eventually be headed to T-Mobile ever since last month, when a leaked document claimed as much. And today the "un-carrier" has decided to make it official.Yes, T-Mobile is about to join AT&T in offering BlackBerry's first Android-running smartphone. The Priv will become available at the magenta carrier starting on January 26.To grab one, you'll pay nothing upfront (as is customary at T-Mobile), then followed by 24 monthly payments of $30. Another option is to go with an 18-month lease, which will set you back $34 every 30 days (but at the end of this period you must return the handset in working order or pay it off to keep it). The full retail price of the Priv is...


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    Is this the new Nokia phone in the company latest video?
    Nokia is building up towards its long-awaited return to the smartphone stage, following a no-compete period after the Microsoft acquisition of its original smartphone business. Judging by this latest promo video, we're nearly there.The video is mostly filled with inspirational talk, pretty images and brand promotion. It's easy to dismiss then as just another marketing exercise, but you'd be foolish to do so as you'd miss what appear to be the future Nokia devices.Coming in at 1:16, there's a tablet, which looks a lot like the existing N1. Gentle as the model's hands may be, though, the thing appears more than a little larger that the current product. The power button is also closer to the edge, and there's a black spot in the middle of the top plate, which isn't present on the N1. It's then safe to assume we're in for a new tablet.Next comes the smartphone, allegedly named C1, which appears to have a glossy plastic case, contrary to either metal-built leak we've seen so far. Camera placement is off compared to these two, but is more in line with renders that have been circulating.You can check out the entire video below, and look for other visual clues at what to expect from Nokia in 2016.Source |...


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    Sony to bring the Xperia M5 to Europe in February
    Sony announced the Xperia M5 back in the August, 2015, but it's yet to bring it to Europe. Things are about to change, as the company has expressed its plans to launch its latest midranger there next month.The Xperia M5 product page is live on Sony Poland and Sony Netherlands websites. Furthermore, T-Mobile Netherlands is offering the device on-preorder for €439.95 SIM-free. Shipping will start on February 2.For the price you get a 5" 1080p IPS display, a MediaTek Helio X10 chipset with a 2GHz octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a 2,600mAh battery. At the back, there's a 21.5MP camera with an Exmor RS sensor boasting 0.25-second Hybrid Autofocus.Expect more information on pricing and availability in due time as the Xperia M5 becomes widely available.Source • Source(2) |...


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    Default Alleged Meizu MX6 launch invite leaks

    A couple of images seemingly of media invites for an upcoming Meizu launch event have surfaced online. While the images do not reveal anything about the product being launched, reports say they are for the company's MX6 flagship smartphone.The MX6 has been the subject of little to no rumors or leaks so far. However, its launch is said to be just a few weeks away - sometime around March to be more specific. It is said to feature ultra-thin bezels with metal frame + glass design.The device was spotted on AnTuTu last week, revealing that it is powered by a MediaTek Helio X20 SoC with 10-core CPU and Mali-T880 MP4 GPU, and sports a FHD display. RAM is 3GB, while internal memory is 32GB.In terms of camera, the MX6 is rumored to feature a 20.7MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. Running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the device is also said to pack in a large 4,000mAh battery.Aside from the MX6, we've also been hearing about a mini variant of the company's Pro 5 smartphone. Reports, however, indicate an April launch for the device, i.e, after the MX6. Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed, so take it with a pinch of salt.Via 1...


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    Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) specs spotted on GFXBench
    Samsung's refreshed 2016 "J" series is really shaping up nicely. A few days ago, we saw the Galaxy J1 (2016) quietly go on sale in Dubai and shortly after, the new J5 (2016) made an appearance with a full specs reveal on GFXBench. Naturally, it didn't take too long for the Galaxy J7 (2016) to follow.It made a quick visit to GFXBench as well, so we now have a full rundown of its hardware. The RAM has been doubled and now stands at the respectable 3GB. The screen diagonal has been preserved at 5.5 inches, but the resolution is now FullHD. The chipset looks to be unchanged and is still the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615. The same goes for the camera setup, at least on paper that is. The new J7 has a 13MP main shooter and a 5MP selfie one. Onboard storage is reported as 16GB, also consistent with its predecessor.Source |...


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    Microsoft lowers requirements for Continuum for phones
    Continuum - probably the most coveted Windows 10 feature is now expanding its reach. Currently it is reserved only for the OEM's latest and greatest tech, namely the Lumia 950 XL and Lumia 950, but now the US giant has decided it will lower the hardware requirements just a bit. However, before you get too excited and start asking questions about a myriad of legacy devices, the support is expanded only slightly to include Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 617 chipset.The mid-range silicon utilizes a total of eight ARM Cortex A53 cores, clocked at up to 1.5 GHz. It does lack any of the new high-end A72 chips of many of its higher end siblings, but one thing it does support is video output. This is undoubtedly the definitive requirement for Continuum to function and we are sure that Microsoft would have lowered chipset requirements even further, but neither the Snapdragon 616 nor the 615 can output to an external screen.Taking into consideration this new processor requirement, the minimum specs for any future Windows 10 phone to support Continuum seem to include the aforementioned Snapdragon 617, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and at least 720p resolution. This new guideline does open the door to a lot of potential future offers, but it is hard to say if, when and from whom we might see such devices in the future, considering the current state of the Lumia brand, as well as the anticipated return of Nokia to the smartphone market.Source |...


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    Default Samsung Gear S2 and Gear VR launched in India

    As expected, Samsung has launched the Gear S2 smartwatch in India. Both standard as well as the classic edition will be available for purchase in the country starting today via the company's physical retail channels, with Flipkart being the exclusive online retail partner.As for the price, the Gear S2 carries a tag of INR 24,300 (around $360), while the classic edition will set you back INR 25,800 (around $380). The South Korean company also confirmed that Gear S2 users in country will also be able to access dial faces with Indian themes.Along with the Gear S2, Samsung also launched the Gear VR headset in the country, as was rumored earlier. The device carries a price tag of INR 8,200 (around $120), and like the smartwatch, will be sold through Samsung's physical retail channels and online retailer Flipkart.In addition to the Galaxy Note5, S6 edge+, S6, and S6 edge, the headset also supports the dual SIM Galaxy Note5, which was recently launched in...


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    Apple launches new Music Memos app, updates GarageBand
    Apple has launched a new app for iOS devices. Called Music Memos, the app helps musicians instantly record their music whenever inspiration strikes.One might think that sounds like the Voice Memos app that already comes pre-installed on iPhones. The difference is that the Music Memos app can intelligently tell the difference between voice and instrument, and which instrument is being played. It can then analyze the tempo and rhythm and automatically adds a suitable drum and bass background to accompany your music. This way the music feels more complete while you are recording it and later when you're playing it back. The app is optimized for acoustic guitar and piano but also works with other instruments. Apple has a few samples for you to listen to on its website.Music Memos also records uncompressed audio, either through the built-in mic or an external microphone and you can build a library and then name, tag, and rate your music. You can also comment and share your recordings and they get backed up on iCloud and synced across your devices.The Music Memos app is available for free for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.Apple also updated the GarageBand app for iOS. The two main new features here are Live Loops and Drummer. Live Loops brings a grid of loops that you can tap to play looping sounds. You can use the existing sounds or create new ones and then drag them around and rearrange them in the track flow to create your own arrangement.Drummer includes nine virtual session drummers with their own individual style. Just like in the Music Memos app, the drummers can listen to the music you are playing and automatically come up with a beat that goes along with what you're playing in an incredibly realistic manner that sounds like you're jamming with a real person. You can control every aspect of the drumming or switch to another one to suit your preference.Lastly, GarageBand for iOS also adds support for the larger, higher resolution display on the iPad Pro, and the 3D Touch on the iPhone...


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    Microsoft mistakenly reveals unannounced Lumia Phone X
    Looks like Microsoft is working on a new Lumia handset. Dubbed Lumia Phone X, the device was mistakenly revealed by the Chinese unit of the Redmond, Washington-based company when they uploaded a video explaining how Continuum works.While the video in question doesn't contain any reference to the yet-to-be announced device, its the description accompanying the video where the Lumia Phone X was mentioned as one of the four devices that currently support Continuum - the other three being Lumia 950/XL and Acer Jade Primo.The description - which has since been edited - read (translated):Homemade Welcome Mobile phone Continuum, this function can convert your phone large screen projector and utilities. Use dock or adapter to connect to a TV or monitor, and then use your application on a larger screen and view your content. You can also make your mouse and keyboard computer phone has the same powerful features, such as production of Office documents, send e-mail, and even type text messages. Upon completion, the file will be saved on your phone, you can continue working. Of course, you can watch videos, view photos, surf the Web and so on. Note: This feature requires a compatible mobile device is intended for use, for example Lumia 950/XL, Lumia Phone X and Acer Jade Primo.And here's the video in question:There's been information (not even rumors) about the Lumia Phone X so far. A recent report suggested that the Lumia 650 will be the first and last Lumia phone for 2016. So perhaps, Microsoft is targeting a 2017 launch for the device. And who knows, this could also be the long-rumored Surface Phone, which is said to release this...


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    HTC Desire Eye tipped to receive Marshmallow update later this year
    The HTC Desire Eye smartphone, which was launched back in November 2014, will get the Marshmallow update sometime later this year. This was revealed by the usually reliable leakster @LlabTooFeR, who said the device will be updated to Android 6.0.1.Confirmed. HTC Desire Eye to get Android 6.0.1 with Sense 7.0 later this year.— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) January 20, 2016For those who aren't already aware, back in September last year, HTC USA released a list of smartphones that the company said will receive the Marshmallow update. The Desire Eye, however, wasn't mentioned in the list.In addition, @LlabTooFeR also revealed that the Marshmallow update for the handset will also include version 7.0 of the Taiwanese company's Sense UI. The Desire Eye currently runs Android Lollipop with Sense 6.0...


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    T-Mobile confirms Marshmallow update for LG V10
    T-Mobile started selling the LG V10 in the last week of October 2015. Weeks before that, the carrier released a list of devices on its network that it said will receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. Quite understandably, the V10 wasn't in the list at that time.However, being a flagship smartphone that released in October itself, there was never a doubt that it will receive the Android 6.0 update. Just that T-Mobile had to officially confirm it, which the carrier has done now by adding the V10 to the aforementioned list of devices.There's no information when the T-Mobile V10 Marshmallow update will actually roll out. A quick look, however, at the carrier's website reveals that the device is in the first stage of the update process - Manufacturer Development - which is basically a point where the carrier and the device manufacturer agree to support a new software update.For those who aren't already aware, the LG V10 comes with Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) out-of-the-box. Its selling point is a secondary ticker display that is positioned directly above the device's main touchscreen. You can read our review of the device...


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    Uber to launch full-fledged food delivery service in 10 US cities in coming weeks
    Uber has revealed that it will launch a full-fledged food delivery service in the US in the coming weeks. The revelation was made by the ride-sharing company in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal.The service will allow people to order food from local restaurants using a dedicated standalone app dubbed UberEats, and have it delivered by an Uber driver. Users will, however, have to pay a delivery fee of about $5 per order.Already available in Toronto, Canada, UberEats will only be available in select US cities initially, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Austin, Washington DC, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle and Dallas.It's worth mentioning that Uber already offers a lunchtime service - which promises deliveries under 10 minutes - by the same name in these cities. That service will be renamed to Instant...


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    New report confirms Lumia 650's early Feb launch, reveals German pricing
    According to a new report out of Germany, the Microsoft Lumia 650 will go on sale in the country early next month. This is inline with recent reports that said the device will be made official on February 1.As per the report, O2 Germany will have the Windows 10-powered handset in stock, although only the black variant will be available for purchase. As for the price, the smartphone will carry a tag of €219, which is around $238 at current exchange rates.The new report comes just a few days after it was revealed that the Lumia 650 will be priced at CZK 5,491 (around $222 or €203) in the Czech Republic. The device has already been the subject of several rumors and leaks until now.Via...


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    iPhone 6s Plus vs. Lumia 950 XL vs. Galaxy Note5 vs: The tri-platform throwdown
    Google's Android dominates the market in sheer numbers while Apple's iOS fights in the premium market and is winning the profit margin game. And then there's Microsoft's Windows 10 Mobile, trying to find its place under the sun. We've handpicked the best phablets from each of these platforms to put them head to head, focusing on the devices rather than the platforms they represent.


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    32GB Moto X (2nd gen) is just £199 in the UK until February 1
    Motorola's UK arm is holding another promotion for the second-generation Moto X smartphone. This time the price reduction is even better than what was offered for Black Friday last year.You can purchase a 32GB Moto X (2nd gen) for just £199 until the offer ends on February 1 at 11:59 PM. What's more, you can use MotoMaker to customize your device before you buy it, and you can even choose wood or leather back panels without shelling out anything more than that £199.The Moto X (2nd gen) runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow now, and it comes with a 5.2-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, a 2 MP selfie cam, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, 2GB of RAM, 4G LTE, and a 2,300 mAh battery.Source |...


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    Skype for Android now lets you schedule calls in Outlook, open Office documents directly
    Skype has outed a new update for its Android app today, which brings with it two new features.First off, you can now easily schedule Skype calls in Outlook, straight from Skype (see the screenshot on the left below). You just tap on the person you want to schedule the call with, and then through the menu in the upper-right corner choose the adequate option. After you've created the event, you can send an invite to the person you want to talk to. The good news is that this works with other calendar apps too, not just Microsoft's Outlook.Next up, Skype for Android is now integrated with Microsoft's Office apps for Google's platform. So if you have Word, Excel, and PowerPoint installed, when you receive a document through Skype you'll be able to directly open it in the relevant app with one single tap. And if you don't have the Office apps installed already, tapping on such a file will give you instructions on how to get them. So basically this is just a way for Microsoft to push its other apps to users of Skype. And this new feature seems to simply forgo showing you the usual Android app selector when you tap on an Office file.Anyway, the updated version of Skype should be already available in the Google Play Store.Source |...


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    Rumor says HTC One M10 won't be unveiled at MWC, but sometime in March
    As we get closer and closer to MWC, we've seen a lot of leaks about the Samsung Galaxy S7 and even the LG G5. Both of these smartphones are expected to become official at MWC, so that makes sense. However, HTC's successor to the One M9 from last year has been completely absent from the rumors.And now we may have found out why. It turns out that the Taiwanese company might not unveil the One M10 at MWC, instead opting to hold a dedicated event for it sometime in March. The phone should become available in April.HTC did reportedly plan to out the M10 at MWC, but was forced to delay the introduction after management returned quite a few prototypes to the design team. With the handset set to receive an entirely new design, its launch had to be postponed, even if not by much.The One M10 is allegedly going to feature a fingerprint scanner, a 23 MP rear camera, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 at the helm, and a 3,000 mAh battery. In a first for HTC, it will also be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.Unfortunately this is nothing but an unconfirmed rumor at this point, so you really shouldn't take it for granted. Hopefully we'll get some confirmation of these details in the future.Source (in Chinese) |...


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    Huawei's women-focused Watch Jewel and Elegant go up for pre-order starting at $414.99
    At this year's CES Huawei unveiled a couple of women-focused iterations of the Watch. The Huawei Watch Jewel and Huawei Watch Elegant were then said to start at $499, but thankfully they might be cheaper than that.UK-based retailer MobileFun has started taking pre-orders for both models, and its pricing is undercutting the Chinese company's official figures. The Watch Elegant goes for $414.99, while the Watch Jewel costs $497.99.The latter comes with 68 1.5mm Swarovski crystals in its bezel, hence the price differential. Both variants have straps made from Italian leather, and they are both set to become available in March.On the inside, these are identical to the original Huawei Watch, so they offer the same 1.4-inch 400x400 AMOLED touchscreen, Snapdragon 400 chipset, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, 300 mAh battery, heart rate monitor, as well as a six-axis sensor. The software powering things is Android Wear.Source 1 • Source 2 |...


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    Leica unveils dust, water, and shockproof X-U camera
    Leica's latest camera is unlike anything you've seen before from the company. That's because the X-U is rugged.So rugged, in fact, that its maker claims you can drop it from up to 1.22m without a worry. Not only that, but it can withstand being submerged in water up to 15m deep for up to 60 minutes. And it even promises to take some amazing photos underwater, thanks to its fast prime lens with an underwater protection filter, as well as an underwater snapshot button. The X-U is also dust sealed.It comes with a 16.5 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a 3-inch LCD screen, and a 23mm f/1.7 fixed prime lens. It can record 720p and 1080p videos at 30fps (no 4K though), and maximum ISO sensitivity is 12,500.The Leica X-U will become available towards the end of this month for $2,950.Source | Via 1 • Via...


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    Vodafone Tab speed 6 now available for £125 on Pay as you go
    In a continued move to show us how much it loves the number 6, Vodafone has introduced a new own-brand Android device today. And this is not a smartphone, like the Smart prime 6, Smart ultra 6, Smart first 6, or Smart speed 6 from last year.The Vodafone Tab speed 6 is a tablet in fact, as its convoluted name implies. It comes with an 8-inch 1,280x800 touchscreen, a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 5 MP rear camera, a 2 MP selfie snapper, 4G LTE built-in, and a 4,060 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop.The tablet may not be anywhere close to a high-end offering - on the other hand it is priced at just £125 on Pay as you go. It's already up for grabs on the Vodafone website, and when you pick one up you also get 6GB of data valid for up to 30 days. If you are into signing long-term contracts, then Vodafone will happily oblige and provide you with a free Tab speed 6 if you choose a 3GB data plan that costs £16 per...


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    Asus ZenFone Zoom finally goes up for pre-order in the US, shipping on February 1
    After more than a year since its initial introduction, the Asus ZenFone Zoom is now actually close to becoming available in the US. The handset has so far been released in Taiwan, and it was recently revealed to be making the jump to the US sometime in February.That hasn't changed, but starting today you can pre-order one if you so wish. It turns out that the phone will be exclusive to B&H stateside. The retailer will let you pre-order one for $399. That price is for an unlocked unit of course. The ZenFone Zoom is set to start shipping on February 1.As a quick reminder, the device sports a 13 MP rear camera with f/2.7-f/4.8 aperture, dual-LED flash, laser autofocus, 3x optical zoom, and optical image stabilization. It also has a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, the Intel Atom Z3590 SoC (with a 2.5 GHz quad-core CPU), 4GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, 4G LTE support, a 5 MP front-facing camera, and a 3,000 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.0...


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    Samsung Galaxy S7 hits Antutu, Exynos 8890 and 5.1" display
    The Samsung Galaxy S7 is the usual state flagships are a month ahead of announcement - constantly leaked and almost entirely revealed. The case of the Galaxy S7 is a bit more interesting, because it remains unclear in what shapes and screen sizes it will be available, but that aside, we now have another confirmation on key specs.Antutu reports that the SM-G930F has been spotted running the benchmark, and it's the vanilla 5.1-inch version with QHD display resolution (Samsung will reportedly stick to that for 2016 flagships). More importantly, the smartphone is powered by the in-house Exynos 8890 chipset, in this (historically speaking) international F version. That obviously doesn't mean there won't be a Snapdragon 820 version, on the contrary.RAM is quoted at 4GB and internal storage is 64GB, but that second number seems too generous for a base model. Additionally, the benchmark states that the smartphone does indeed pack a 12MP primary camera, so the move to fewer but larger pixels is happening. On the front, Samsung is sticking with 5MP for another generation.And we know you were hoping for a score, but alas, there isn't such a number in Antutu's Weibo post. However, with the smartphone being in a pre-production testing phase, the figures wouldn't have been indicative of final devices anyway. So let's just patiently wait it out until MWC, when the Galaxy S7 is set to become official.Source |...


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    Huawei planning to enter the PC market
    The mobile realm is definitely a hard environment to survive in, but despite the fierce competition, the market is still expanding rapidly. The situation is direr on the PC front. Due to a complex combination of trends, mobile devices being a bigger part of the overall mix, shares for the more traditional part of the industry are shrinking and only the strongest, fittest and most versatile are posed to survive.This is why it is particularly strange to see new players trying to make their way into the realm. The latest such rumor however, says that Huawei might be making the unlikely move.While the tech giant is far from a complete stranger to PC tech, its involvement has pertained mostly to network solutions and primarily on the enterprise side. Industry sources now claim that the OEM is planning to try its hand at a consumer PC. Most of the speculation stem from a recently filed trademark claim for the "MateBook" moniker.Not much else is known about the alleged venture, but some have speculated that the device or perhaps even family line may use an Intel processor and employ the 2-in-1 form factor. This would, effectively, pit it up against established competitors, such as the Microsoft Surface. Of course, the name could just as easily be attributed to a standard laptop product, with a less than subtle reference to Apple's legendary MacBook series.Currently, we can't really say how much truth this rumor holds, but it is worth noting that Xiaomi - another major Chinese OEM that has been on the rise lately has been involved in a similar laptop affair for well over a year now and an actual product is yet to materialize. We'll just let you be the judge, so be sure share your opinion in the comment section...


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    Default Verizon LG G3 starts getting Marshmallow update

    Looks like Verizon has started rolling out the Android 6.0 update to LG G3 devices on its network. A Reddit user by the name of Jrdnram_98 is claiming to have received the OTA notification on their handset just a few hours ago, and also shared the following screenshot:As you can see, the update carries the build number MRA58K and bumps the software version to VS98546A. It also includes Google's security patch for January. Going by those who have commented on the Reddit thread so far, no one else seemed to have received the update yet.Late last month, the LG G3 units in Poland started getting the Android 6.0 update. As you might already know, the small European country has over the time become a sort of test bed for the South Korean company's software updates. Once the roll out is successful there, the update starts hitting devices in other regions worldwide.Via |...


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    Default Microsoft Lumia 950 now down to £390 in UK

    If you are in the UK and are planning to purchase the Microsoft Lumia 950 flagship smartphone, you'll be glad to know that the Windows 10 device is now available for £390 in the country.Amazon UK is currently selling the handset for that price, which is further £10 less compared to the £400 price it came down to just last week. Other third party retailers like Carphone Warehouse have currently listed the phone for £399.99.However, if you're looking to purchase the flagship directly from Microsoft, you'll have to shell out a bit more as the Redmond company is currently selling the device for £419.99 in the country.Source 1 2...


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    Motorola starts soak testing Moto G (2nd Gen) Marshmallow update
    Motorola has announced that it has begun soak testing the Android 6.0 update for the second-generation Moto G (both LTE and 3G-only variants) in India and Brazil. The announcement was made by the company's senior director of software product management David Schuster on Google+.This comes just days after the company posted Marshmallow update release notes for the device on its India support website, indicating an imminent roll out of the update.For those who aren't already aware, soak test means that only a small subset of users will receive the update, and if everything goes fine - which means if there aren't any critical issues - a full launch will follow shortly, which is likely after a week in this...


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    Android-powered Acer Jade Primo apparently in the works
    Windows 10-powered Acer Jade Primo (shown below) isn't available for purchase yet, and looks like the Taiwanese company is already working on an Android variant. A new device - the Acer S58A - was recently spotted on Geekbench benchmarking site, which reports say is the Jade Primo's Android model.If you recall, the current Jade Primo is the Acer S58. So, the Acer S58A definitely points to a variant of the Windows 10 handset. The Geekbench listing reveals that the new device is powered by Android 6.0 Marshmallow, while other specs including the SD808 chipset and 3GB RAM are same as that of the Windows 10 variant.It is being said that the company is developing the Android variant as a back up plan in case the Windows 10 model flops - the latter has already been hit by delays. The Android Jade Primo is rumored to be made official at this year's Mobile World Congress, which is scheduled for next month - February 22 to February 25.Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed, so take it with a pinch of salt.Source | Via 1 (translated)...


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    Google has reportedly made $31 billion in revenue from Android
    We know that Google doesn't reveal the revenue or profit it makes off of its Android mobile-operating system. However, looks like the well-guarded secret has just been revealed by Oracle. The the database maker's attorney in an ongoing lawsuit against Google revealed last week that the latter has made a total of $31 billion in revenue and $22 billion in profit from Android till date.Google said that the figures were derived from its confidential internal financial documents, adding that the "extremely sensitive information" shouldn't have been publicly disclosed as it was meant for "Attorney's Eyes Only.""Google does not publicly allocate revenues or profits to Android separate and apart from Google's general business," the company said in a court filing. "That non-public financial data is highly sensitive, and public disclosure could have significant negative effects on Google's business."The Mountain View, California-based company urged the court to edit related portions of the public transcript of last week's hearing, following which the transcript was removed from electronic court records.Filed way back in 2010, the lawsuit accuses Google of copyright violation saying that the company used Java APIs in its Android OS without permission. While Google argued that APIs can't be copyrighted, a court in 2014 ruled otherwise. Following this, the search giant took the battle to the Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court's ruling.The ongoing arguments are now for the damages that Oracle will receive from Google. "Look at the extraordinary magnitude of commerciality here," Oracle's attorney had said last week while disclosing Android's revenue and...


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    Newly-announced Platinum and Rose Gold Gear S2 classic variants now up for pre-order in Europe
    The Platinum and Rose Gold variants of the Samsung Gear S2 classic smarwatch, which were announced by the company at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, are now available for pre-order in Europe.Netherlands-based Coolblue, which is one of the largest online retailers in the country, is currently taking pre-orders for both the variants. As for the pre-order price, both carry a tag of €480, which translates into $520 at current exchange rates.Those pre-ordering the Gear S2 in Platinum or Rose Gold will get their units shipped starting February 24.Source 1 2 |...


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    Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge spotted at Zauba, screen sizes confirmed
    Already been the subject of several rumors and leaks, Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphones - the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge - have now been spotted on Zauba, a website which tracks India's import and export.As you might already know, the SM-G930R4 and SM-G935R4 are rumored model numbers of the S7 and S7 edge, respectively. And their Zauba listing reveals that the former sports a 5.1-inch screen, while the curved screen variant has a 5.5-inch display.If you recall, this is inline with the information we exclusively reported last month. Also, just days ago, the Galaxy S7 (the Exynos variant) was spotted on Antutu, revealing a 5.1" QHD display.Via...


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    New rumor claims HTC One M10 will have Snapdragon 820 and MediaTek versions
    Hardly 24 hours ago we told you about a rumor claiming that HTC won't announce its next flagship smartphone at MWC in February, but at a dedicated event in March.And now this has been 'confirmed' by another rumor. Although the source of this has leaked pretty accurate HTC-related information in the past, make sure you don't forget your grain of salt.The One M10 (codenamed Perfume) will run Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with HTC Sense 8.0 on top. It's said to come in two hardware versions, with two different chipsets powering it. Over in the US and EU, we'll see the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 at the helm, while in China and South-East Asia the handset should sport a MediaTek SoC (though the exact model isn't mentioned).An unveiling in March (perhaps even towards the end of the month) would explain why we've seen almost no leaks or rumors about the One M10 yet. That said, do expect to hear (much) more about it in the coming...


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    Two Asus ZenFone 3 versions may have been benchmarked already
    Last year Asus launched many different phones called ZenFone 2, and there's no reason for us to expect anything else in 2016. We assume this time too there will be quite a few handsets going by the ZenFone 3 moniker, and so far the rumors had them launching in May or June.Before that happens, Asus employees could be benchmarking two iterations of the ZenFone 3. Two different yet unofficial Asus smartphones, known just by their model numbers, have been put through the paces of GFXBench, yielding a list of the most important specs for each.First off, the Asus Z010DD comes with a 5.9-inch 720p touchscreen, a 12 or 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP selfie snapper, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset (with a 1.5 GHz octa-core CPU), 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and Android 6.0 on board.Next up, the Asus Z012D has a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 SoC (with a 1.7 GHz hexa-core CPU), and again 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow running things.Obviously we can't yet be sure that these are in fact going to be part of the ZenFone 3 line, but since that's clearly going to be Asus' most well-known series this year we see no reason for them to be called anything else.Source 1 • Source 2 |...


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    New design for Google Weather on Android launches today
    A couple of weeks ago we told you about an entirely new design that Google was testing for the weather information you can summon through Google Now on Android. And here's some good news - the test is over, and the new design is now rolling out to every Android device out there.While this seems to be a server-side update, having the latest version of the Google app for Android (5.8.50.19) does apparently help get it faster. So make sure you're up to date. If so and you still don't see the new design, just be patient for a little while longer - Google loves to stage such rollouts.The new weather card is not only prettier than before, but it also packs much more information. You get hourly sky conditions and chance of rain, severe weather alerts, a more detailed ten-day forecast, air quality info, UV index, as well as sunrise and sunset times.The app-like experience is packed into three self-describing tabs (between which you can swipe sideways) - Today, Tomorrow, and 10 days. The update also brings some new functionality. Namely, when you search for a new location after the weather card is already on the screen, you can save that city for later. If you do, it will show up inside the drop-down in search.Finally, you should know that the background colors change according to the time of day and sky conditions, and Google calls the frog-like character that you can see in the app "a new meteorologically inclined friend".Source |...


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    Kickstarter finally has an Android app
    Amazingly, Kickstarter has not so far had an Android app. Yet starting today that's changed, with the crowdfunding service launching Kickstarter for Android in the Google Play Store. That's almost three whole years after the same happened for iOS.The app is free, as you'd expect, and it lets you browse through projects more easily than the website. Obviously you can pledge to support whatever sounds good to you straight from the app.You also get updates on projects you've already backed, and you can see what your friends are backing - to get some new ideas perhaps. Kickstarter boasts that its users have so far pledged over $2 billion using the platform, and that number will probably keep on...


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    vivo X6SPlus gets detailed through TENAA certification
    Back in November of last year, Chinese smartphone maker vivo outed its latest handsets, the X6 and X6Plus. And now it seems like it's already working on a successor to the latter.That's because the vivo X6SPlus has just been certified for sale in China by TENAA, the country's FCC equivalent. However, unlike in the case of Apple devices sporting "S" in their names, the vivo X6SPlus isn't so different from the non-S model on the inside.Basically there are only two differences between them, at least as revealed by the Chinese regulatory authority. First off, the new phone has a 1.8 GHz octa-core CPU, whereas the X6Plus boasts 100 MHz less. It's not clear what chipset the new model employs though. And finally, the X6SPlus has a 16 MP rear camera, up from the 13 MP unit in its predecessor.Everything else seems to have stayed the same when it comes to internals. So the vivo X6SPlus also has a 5.7-inch 1080p AMOLED touchscreen, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and an 8 MP selfie snapper. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop.As for the outer shell, the X6SPlus looks like it's got an identical design to the non-S iteration. That said, the dimensions have changed ever so slightly. The new handset measures 158.16 x 79.94 x 7.7 mm, and it weighs 190g. That makes it shorter and narrower than the X6Plus, but thicker and heavier. Based on this, we assume there might be a beefier battery inside than the 3,000 mAh cell in last year's model, but TENAA data doesn't list that so nothing's certain just yet.Speaking of which, there's no telling when the X6SPlus will be launched, or if it will ever make its way out of China.Source (in Chinese) |...


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    Mysterious all-metal Nokia resurfaces in a new set photos
    2016 seems to hold particular promise for Nokia and its return to the smartphone market. If you don't remember, the Microsoft buyout of the Finish's Titan's mobile business involved a non-compete clause that prevented the company from releasing smartphones under the Nokia brand. That expired on December 31, 2015 and eager fans can hardly contain their excitement at the possibility of new Nokia handsets. One possible candidate for a 2016 release surfaced in leaked shots a few weeks ago and now it would appear another round of photos of the same model has made it online as well.If there is one definitive aspect about the design of the handset in question is that it is very boxy, but not necessarily in a bad way, especially considering the all-metal body, disrupted only by a pair of antenna lines on the back. Other controls that can be spotted on the phone are a volume rocker on the left side and below it the power button. On the flip side, we find something that resembles a well isolated cover, possibly for the SIM tray and microSD card slot. This could hint at some IP rating, but we wouldn't get our hopes too high.It is also interesting to note that the newly pictured phone seems to be a different unit, as it lacks the prototype marking of the first one. This does add a bit to the authenticity of the leak and could mean that the device in question is really one of the three new Nokia smartphones, allegedly heading towards a release this year.Source (in Chinese) |...


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    Verizon reports solid Q4, adds 1.5 million new postpaid customers
    Verizon has released its Q4 financial results, revealing slightly higher-than-expected revenue and earnings. The US' largest telecommunications company reported a revenue of $34.25 billion last quarter, up from $33.19 billion it reported in Q4 2014.The Q4 revenue was also slightly up compared to the quarter prior, when the figure stood at $33.2 billion. For the full year, total consolidated revenues came out to be $131.6 billion, up 3.6% compared to 2014.The carrier's Q4 net income stood at $5.5 billion, or $1.32 per share. Adjusted earnings per share stood at 89 cents, up from the 88 cents figure analysts were expecting.Verizon added a total of 1.5 million new postpaid customers last quarter, bringing the company's total postpaid customer count to 106.5 million. Overall wireless customer count stood at 112.1 million."Verizon embraced transformational change in 2015, and in 2016 the company has a huge opportunity to drive a new era of growth in our industry," said CEO Lowell McAdam.Head to the Source link below for the full...


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    Exynos 8890 and Kirin 950 duke it out in Geekbench 3
    A Canadian version of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S7 (one with Exynos 8890) was tested on Geekbench 3. A Kirin 950-powered Huawei Mate 8 also put in a score.The Galaxy S7 score wasn't in "crazy high" territory, but both the hardware and the software are under development so expect the final score to go up.The Kirin 950 chipset, on the other hand, shows a massive improvement over the Kirin 935 and pulls ahead of the Exynos by a hair..jrGraphContainer { background: none !important; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee !important;} ul.jrGraph { left: 146px !important; } ul.jrGraphControls { padding: 0; margin-left: -10px !important; } JRGRAPH_EXPANDABLE_VERSION = false; GeekBench 3Higher is better Huawei Mate 8 (Kirin 950) 6088 Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos 8890) 5946 Samsung Galaxy S6 (Exynos 7420) 5215 Huawei Nexus 6P (Snapdragon 810) 4539 Huawei Mate S (Kirin 935) 3475Source 1 2 |...


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    Foxconn allegedly wants to buy Sharp
    Sharp has been struggling for years and now chatter from Japan indicates that there's a bidding war going on for the ailing company.Interestingly, Foxconn is said to have made a $5.1 billion bid. Sharp is one of Apple's main display suppliers and, of course, Foxconn is Apple's one of primary manufacturers. Foxconn chairman Terry Gou bought 38% of Sharp's LCD business back in 2012.The Chinese company isn't alone though, the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (a state-controlled fund) has also made an offer.The dollar amount isn't clear and it may turn out not to matter - the INCJ is interested in keeping Sharp ownership inside Japan (Sharp lenders allegedly want the same thing). The fund has already invested in Japan Display Inc - a joint operation of former Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi businesses.Speaking of, INCJ may also be interested in buying the electric appliances division of Toshiba. This could be part of a larger plan to pull another JDI and combine the electric appliances of Sharp and Toshiba.Back in 2013 Samsung made a $111 million investment in Sharp (buying 3%) as it too sources parts from the Japanese company but so far Samsung's name isn't mentioned in the bidding...


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    ZUK Z1 gets its first taste of Marshmallow with CM 13 nightlies
    The ZUK Z1 definitely stands out from the ever-growing crowd of Chinese devices for a few good reasons. First, unlike many of its competitors, it has a strong brand backing by non-other that Lenovo, but perhaps more importantly, the handset struck an official partnership with Cyanogen from the very beginning. In an essence, the OEM tried to pick up where OnePlus left off with the OnePlus One, before the OS scandal and the strategy seems to be generating results.The ZUK Z1 was posed to receive a Cyanogen 13 build sooner or later, given this arrangement, but we were a little surprised to see working ROMs before the end of January. Now, there is a catch, the Android 6.0 builds in question are nightlies (read not retail-ready) and come from the development branch. This means that they are prone to bugs in this early stage, as evident by the fact that two packages cm-13.0-20160120-NIGHTLY and cm-13.0-20160121-NIGHTLY were published only a few hours apart. Plus, they are marked as Cyanogen Mod and not Cyanogen OS, like the official release will be.An official build is imminent and once it becomes available, it will start seeding to devices as a stable OTA. If you rely heavily on the ZUK Z1 and want it to function properly, we would advise you to wait on the official update, but eager developers and tinkerers can head over to the download page in the source link and manually flash the firmware today.Source |...


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    Android 6.0 coming to Xiaomi Mi Note as soon as Friday
    Testing over folks, the Xiaomi Mi Note is getting the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update soon - should be tomorrow!The Developer Edition already received the update and it's firmware version MRA58K. The MIUI interface is at version 7, no surprises here.A screenshot of the updated About screenKeep in mind that this is for the Xiaomi Mi Note, not the Note Pro.Source (in Chinese) |...


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    Asus unveils the Pegasus 5000 in China
    Asus enriched its model lineup, or at least its Chinese section with a new mid-range handset today. Dubbed the Pegasus 5000, it comes as the latest addition to the Pegasus line, after the We initially caught a glimpse of the Pegasus 5000 a few weeks ago in a certification, so the mid-ranger has little to surprise with in terms of hardware. It is powered by an octa-core processor 1.3 GHz Mediatek MT6753 SoC and has a 5.5" FullHD display. The main camera is a 13MP shooter with an LED flash and there is a 5MP selfie one on the front. The Pegasus 5000 is 4G enabled with Cat.4 LTE and has dual-SIM functionality. Local connectivity includes Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. A 4850 mAh battery runs the show.As for memory options, there is a base model with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, like the aforementioned certification described. But, there is also a 3GB one, again with 16GB of space. Both versions will be available from China Telecom for CNY 1,299 (about $198) and CNY 1,799 (about $273), respectively.Source (in Japanese) | Via (in...


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    Default Google has reportedly made $31 billion in revenue from Android

    We know that Google doesn't reveal the revenue or profit it makes off of its Android mobile-operating system. However, looks like the well-guarded secret has just been revealed by Oracle. The the database maker's attorney in an ongoing lawsuit against Google revealed last week that the latter has made a total of $31 billion in revenue and $22 billion in profit from Android till date. Google said that the figures were derived from its confidential internal financial documents, adding that the "extremely sensitive information" shouldn't have been publicly disclosed as it was meant for "Attorney's Eyes Only." "Google does not publicly allocate revenues or profits to Android separate and apart from Google's general business," the company said in a court filing. "That non-public financial data is highly sensitive, and public disclosure could have significant negative effects on Google's business." The Mountain View, California-based company urged the court to edit related portions of the public transcript of last week's hearing, following which the transcript was removed from electronic court records. Filed way back in 2010, the lawsuit accuses Google of copyright violation saying that the company used Java APIs in its Android OS without permission. While Google argued that APIs can't be copyrighted, a court in 2014 ruled otherwise. Following this, the search giant took the battle to the Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court's ruling. The ongoing arguments are now for the damages that Oracle will receive from Google. "Look at the extraordinary magnitude of commerciality here," Oracle's attorney had said last week while disclosing Android's revenue and...


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    Newly-announced Platinum and Rose Gold Gear S2 classic variants now up for pre-order in Europe
    The Platinum and Rose Gold variants of the Samsung Gear S2 classic smarwatch, which were announced by the company at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, are now available for pre-order in Europe. Netherlands-based Coolblue, which is one of the largest online retailers in the country, is currently taking pre-orders for both the variants. As for the pre-order price, both carry a tag of €480, which translates into $520 at current exchange rates. Those pre-ordering the Gear S2 in Platinum or Rose Gold will get their units shipped starting February 24. Source 1 2 |...


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    Default Microsoft reportedly pushes back Windows 10 Mobile rollout once again

    Back in October last year, Microsoft said that Windows 10 Mobile rollout for older Windows Phone device will begin in December. That obviously didn't happen. Then the Redmond, Washington-based company said the rollout will begin early 2016. The software giant has been mum since then, although there have been a couple of reports of Windows Phone handsets receiving the update, as well as a French carrier first announcing that the update will rollout this month and then saying it's delayed until late next month. Now, according to a new report, Microsoft has confirmed to its partners that the update has indeed been delayed. Not only this, the monthly service update for its Lumia 950 and 950 XL flagship smartphones has also been pushed back. Both updates will now be rolled out in the "early to mid February" timeframe. Let's hope there are no further...


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    Leader of Apple's 'Titan' car project is leaving the company
    The leader of Apple's rumored 'Titan' car project is leaving the company, according to a new Wall Street Journal report. Steve Zadesky, who also helped the company create the iPod and iPhone, has been leading the Cupertino-based company's car efforts for the last couple of years. The reason(s) behind Zadesky's decision are said to be personal, meaning his stepping down has nothing to do with his performance in his current role. The report, however, notes that he is still at Apple for now. The news comes nearly an year after the WSJ reported that the iPhone-maker is secretly working on an an electric vehicle that apparently looks like a minivan in its current form. While initially it was said that it would take several years to complete the project, the publication later reported that the company has sped up the work, and is now eyeing a 2019 shipment...


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    HTC One A9 (unlocked) getting January security update
    HTC has announced that it has started rolling out the latest Android security update to unlocked One A9 units in the US. The announcement came in the form of a tweet from the company's US VP of Product Management Mo Versi. HTC One (A9) unlocked owners! The Jan security updates and bug fixes is being updated via OTA this morning! Thanks.— Mo Versi (@moversi) January 22, 2016 Aside from the January security fixes, the update also includes some general bug fixes, Versi revealed. If you haven't received the OTA notification yet, you can manually check for the update by heading to your device's settings. For those who aren't already aware, HTC had said last year that the One A9 will receive every Android update within 15 (business) days of the Nexus line having received it. And true to its promise, the Taiwanese company rolled out the November and December updates on...


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    Best Buy: Free Gear VR with qualifying purchase of Samsung Galaxy smartphone
    Offer Valid: January 22-23 2016 Best Buy wants to move Gear VR and Galaxy smartphone units out of its inventory at the very beginning of US tax season. It is offering a free Gear VR with a qualifying purchase of either the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, or Note5. Best Buy says "When you add a qualifying Galaxy smartphone to your cart, a free Samsung Gear VR will be added automatically as well.", though it isn't explicitly stated if the promotion is only valid online. It wouldn't hurt to call your local store and ask to speak to a Mobile or Samsung associate, though, you might have better luck talking to a Samsung Associate. The Gear VR is one of best ways to get into VR since it's made specifically for your Galaxy smartphone and straps to your head. No need to hold it up to your face. The Samsung Gear VR retails at Best Buy for $99.99. You can ask any of the Samsung reps at Best Buy's Samsung counter if you want to test drive the VR goodness. Source |...


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    Latest WhatsApp build reveals Facebook linking option
    Ever since Facebook acquired WhatsApp back in 2014, not much has changed to the popular messaging platform beside the addition of voice calls between users. It and Facebook have stayed separate entities up until now. New leaks reveal that WhatsApp is also planning to allow cross communication between Facebook and WhatApp accounts. When messing with root commands, version 4.12.413 of WhatsApp shows the option of linking a WhatsApp account with a Facebook account to "improve Facebook experiences". We aren't quite sure what the possible benefit of this is. Perhaps there will be shortcuts to post on a WhatsApp contact's timeline, though this is entirely my own speculation. Coincidentally, in the same week, WhatsApp dropped its subscription fees in pursuit of gaining even more users. Maybe Facebook can use WhatsApp features that are exclusive to Facebook users as incentive for them to create a Facebook profile as this is where the company makes revenue. Only time will tell, but WhatsApp is definitely up to something big. Source |...


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    Microsoft Lumia 650 has been delayed until mid-February, rumor claims
    The oft-rumored and much-leaked Microsoft Lumia 650 was expected to become official on February 1, as per a report from a few days ago. That date has even been corroborated by a second source, though now a new rumor claims something different. Apparently the Lumia 650's introduction has been delayed until mid-February. An actual unveiling date hasn't been mentioned this time around. Some unnamed software issues are reportedly to blame for this delay, according to "sources close to the matter". The Lumia 650 wasn't expected to get its own launch event or anything like that, rather it was going to be made official through a blog post by Microsoft. That could still be the case, only we'll now have a bit more waiting to do for it. Since the announcement itself has been postponed, we assume the Lumia 650 will become available very quickly after it. Along with this information comes word that the metal edge of the phone is laser cut, which means it's going to be matte on the sides but shinier on the edges. The 650 is also said to be the only new Lumia-branded smartphone launching this year. And it's unclear what will happen to the brand from 2017 onwards. On the other hand, a Surface phone may be unveiled towards the end of this...


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    CDMA version of the Nextbit Robin to ship in April
    The Nextbit Robin "cloud phone" is finally going to start shipping on February 16, after many months since its initial introduction. However, that date is only valid for the GSM version of the crowdfunded device. The situation is completely different for the CDMA model. The people behind Nextbit have explained today that the CDMA Robin will probably start shipping in April, although an exact date can't be given yet. More information should become available as we get closer to that month. The delay of the CDMA model compared to the GSM one has to do with the fact that development of the former only started after Nextbit saw people's response on Kickstarter. The team now admits they "got a little carried away in the excitement of the campaign" when they estimated they would be able to deliver the CDMA Robin in February...


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    Sony Xperia M5 is now up for pre-order in the UK, ships by February 8
    Just a few days ago we learned that Sony is finally getting ready to bring the Xperia M5 to Europe. Back then the only confirmed countries to get it were Poland and the Netherlands, but from today you can add the UK to the list as well. That's because Carphone Warehouse has started taking pre-orders for the Xperia M5, with delivery expected to happen by February 8. What's more, this retailer says it has an exclusive on the gold color of this smartphone. So you won't be able to buy the handset in gold anywhere else in the UK. At the moment you can't pre-order an Xperia M5 in SIM-free form or on Pay as you go - you have to pick a contract with an operator. If you do that, the M5 is free with plans starting at £22 per month. That cheapest option is at Vodafone and will bring you 500 minutes, unlimited texts, and 500MB of 4G data each month. If you need more, you can pick different plans of course, all the way up to one that nets you unlimited talk and text as well as 10GB of data. This is £36 per month at Vodafone, £39 at O2, and £44.99 at EE. The Sony Xperia M5 has a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 21 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 13 MP front-facing camera, MediaTek's Helio X10 chipset (with a 2 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU), 3GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, 4G, and a 2,600 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. Source |...


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    Moto X (2nd gen) is only $249.99 until January 26
    Motorola is certainly into promotions for the second-generation Moto X these days. Following a deal for the UK, which we told you about earlier this week, the company has decided to shave something off the price of the device in the US too. So you can now buy a brand new Moto X (2nd gen) for just $249.99. That's $50 less than before. The caveat here is that the offer expires on January 26 at 10:59 am CT. So if you're interested, make sure you act fast and purchase the handset this weekend (or on Monday). Obviously, $249.99 is just the new starting price. You can use the MotoMaker service to customize your handset how you wish, and certain options do cost extra. Oh, and one more thing to note - we're talking about unlocked units here, so there's no requirement for you to sign a long-term contract with a carrier. Source |...


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    16GB OnePlus 2 is no longer offered in North America and Europe
    OnePlus has decided to stop selling the 16GB version of its latest flagship smartphone in the US, UK, and continental Europe, according to a new report. The Chinese company has confirmed the move, a spokesperson basically saying that people in these regions simply haven't been interested in the 16GB iteration of the OnePlus 2. The model has been removed from the OnePlus online store in the US and Europe at the beginning of this week. The 16GB variant will however still be offered in other markets such as India, where customers have been much more interested in it. The 16GB version of the OnePlus 2 was being sold for $329 or £239 and it was the cheapest of two options, the other being the one with 64GB of storage. Now this is the only one on sale in the US and Europe, and it costs $389 or...


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    1TB Core i7 Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book now on sale along with gold Surface Pen
    Today Microsoft has started selling a new version of both its Surface Pro 4 tablet and the Surface Book (pictured below). In both cases, the company has paired a 6th generation Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. You can already purchase the models in the US and Canada. In this configuration, a Surface Pro 4 costs $2,699, while the Surface Book is priced at $3,199. Finally, Microsoft is bringing a gold-colored Surface Pen to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the US. Obviously in this case there aren't any internal changes, just a different hue being introduced. As such, the price for the gold Surface Pen is the same as for the black, blue, or silver models, namely $59.99. Source | Via 1 • Via...


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    OnePlus One gets an official OxygenOS 2.1.4 ROM
    If you remember how OnePlus earned itself a spot in the mobile realm, then you surely remember the legendary OnePlus One. It was the "flagship killer", which promised cutting - edge specs at an affordable price. Without digging too deep into the viral marketing aspect and the whole invitation sales policy, we will simply stick to the positive and reiterate that the OnePlus One is still a legendary device and one that has been a de facto standard and choice for a large part of the Android modding and developer community. Whether it is the original Cyanogen OS or any of the hundreds of other custom ROMs, OnePlus One users are spoiled for choice when it comes to software. To reaffirm its love for their original product, the OnePlus team has made the extra effort to enrich the ROM pool with one more addition - a new version of OxygenOS. It powers the OEM's new line of devices, namely the OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X and it makes a lot of sense to offer original fans a taste of the homebrewed experience as well. Today, this came in the form of an official OxygenOS 2.1.4 build for the device. There are, however, a few notable catches. First of all, the ROM comes in a complete end-to-end package, including a bootloader, recovery and the Android image itself. This naturally entails that the software won't be made available as an OTA and has to be flashed manually onto the device. One obvious and unpleasant consequence is that the device storage is wiped while doing so. A lot of users have also expressed their concerns whether the stock recovery, provided by OnePlus can be replaced with a custom one after the flash, let's say TWRP, a valid question for any modding and root access enthusiast. If the aforementioned points don't constitute drawbacks for you, you can go ahead and flash the ROM. OnePlus has even provided an extensive guide for the whole process, although we are fairly confident that most interested users are already pretty familiar with the matter. However, be advised that the experience on offer isn't quite identical to that on the OnePlus 2 or OnePlus X. The OEM has had to strip away MaxxAudio's proprietary sound technology and apps. Manual camera mode and RAW capture are also absent from the build. Also, a few final notes. Going through the OnePlus forum thread and XDA, we came across quite a few people trying to side-load the ROM through TWRP. That could potentially work, but the official instructions strictly advise against it as it could lead to a malfunctioning radio. Be sure to lurk around the threads for a possible status update and resolution on the matter before you go and brick your unit. There have also been reports of an inability to charge the phone under OxygenOS 2.1.4, which is something to look out for as...


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    Xiaomi co-founder confirms February 24 launch for Mi 5
    We already knew it was coming next month, but didn't have the exact date. Well, that was until now, as it has now been confirmed that Xiaomi's much anticipated Mi 5 flagship smartphone will be made official on February 24, which is around 1.5 years after its predecessor Mi 4 was launched. The confirmation came in the form of a Weibo post today from the Chinese company's co-founder and Senior VP Liwan Jiang. He said that the handset will be unveiled at the company's Spring Conference, which is scheduled for Feb 24. More details about the event will be announced next Tuesday - January 26. Meanwhile, a leaked Xiaomi presentation slide is doing rounds online (head to the Via 1 link below), revealing that the main launch event will be two hours long (2pm to 4pm). This has led to speculations that multiple devices may be announced during the event, although there's currently no information (not even rumors) of any other device launching alongside the Mi 5. Via 1...


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    Microsoft updates Office apps for iOS with support for 3D Touch gestures and Apple Pencil
    Microsoft has updated its Office suite on iOS to make good use of Apple's latest input methods. 3D touch, for example, is now integrated inside the apps to offer Quick actions (peek and pop). This allows apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint to quickly open up recent documents on launch, among other things. The other big upgrade to the software is the addition of a new Draw tab within said apps. Its title is pretty self-explanatory - you can use your finger or a stylus to write, draw and annotate text. There is also support for the Apple Pencil on the iPad Pro for a very precise writing experience. Another notable feature in the update office apps is the integration with iOS 9's spotlight search. Documents can now pop up in search results on the fly. Word, Excel and PowerPoint can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but some of their features do require a subscription to Office 365. Source |...


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    Xiaomi Mi 4 starts getting Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update
    Shortly after it was the rollout for the Xiaomi Mi Note, the Marshmallow update has also started seeding to the company's Mi 4 flagship smartphone. As you can see in the screenshot above, the device is directly being updated to Android Marshmallow version 6.0.1, compared to the Mi Note which is supposed to get Android 6.0. The update, which bumps the build number to MMB29M, reportedly weighs in at around 100 MB. In case you aren't already aware, the phone was launched back in 2014 running Android 4.4.3 (KitKat) out-of-the-box. It received Android 5.1.1-based MIUI 7 update last October and the MIUI 7.1 update this month. A Xiaomi executive confirmed last month that the device, along with the Mi Note, will get the Marshmallow update...


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    Motorola starts soak testing Moto G (2nd Gen) Marshmallow update
    Motorola has announced that it has begun soak testing the Android 6.0 update for the second-generation Moto G (both LTE and 3G-only variants) in India and Brazil. The announcement was made by the company's senior director of software product management David Schuster on Google+. This comes just days after the company posted Marshmallow update release notes for the device on its India support website, indicating an imminent roll out of the update. For those who aren't already aware, soak test means that only a small subset of users will receive the update, and if everything goes fine - which means if there aren't any critical issues - a full launch will follow shortly, which is likely after a week in this...


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    Android-powered Acer Jade Primo apparently in the works
    Windows 10-powered Acer Jade Primo (shown below) isn't available for purchase yet, and looks like the Taiwanese company is already working on an Android variant. A new device - the Acer S58A - was recently spotted on Geekbench benchmarking site, which reports say is the Jade Primo's Android model. If you recall, the current Jade Primo is the Acer S58. So, the Acer S58A definitely points to a variant of the Windows 10 handset. The Geekbench listing reveals that the new device is powered by Android 6.0 Marshmallow, while other specs including the SD808 chipset and 3GB RAM are same as that of the Windows 10 variant. It is being said that the company is developing the Android variant as a back up plan in case the Windows 10 model flops - the latter has already been hit by delays. The Android Jade Primo is rumored to be made official at this year's Mobile World Congress, which is scheduled for next month - February 22 to February 25. Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed, so take it with a pinch of salt. Source | Via 1 (translated)...


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    Default Best Buy: Free Gear VR with qualifying purchase of Samsung Galaxy smar

    Offer Valid: January 22-23 2016Best Buy wants to move Gear VR and Galaxy smartphone units out of its inventory at the very beginning of US tax season.It is offering a free Gear VR with a qualifying purchase of either the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, or Note5.Best Buy says "When you add a qualifying Galaxy smartphone to your cart, a free Samsung Gear VR will be added automatically as well.", though it isn't explicitly stated if the promotion is only valid online.It wouldn't hurt to call your local store and ask to speak to a Mobile or Samsung associate, though, you might have better luck talking to a Samsung Associate.The Gear VR is one of best ways to get into VR since it's made specifically for your Galaxy smartphone and straps to your head. No need to hold it up to your face.The Samsung Gear VR retails at Best Buy for $99.99. You can ask any of the Samsung reps at Best Buy's Samsung counter if you want to test drive the VR goodness.Source |...


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    Latest WhatsApp build reveals Facebook linking option
    Ever since Facebook acquired WhatsApp back in 2014, not much has changed to the popular messaging platform beside the addition of voice calls between users. It and Facebook have stayed separate entities up until now.New leaks reveal that WhatsApp is also planning to allow cross communication between Facebook and WhatApp accounts.When messing with root commands, version 4.12.413 of WhatsApp shows the option of linking a WhatsApp account with a Facebook account to "improve Facebook experiences".We aren't quite sure what the possible benefit of this is. Perhaps there will be shortcuts to post on a WhatsApp contact's timeline, though this is entirely my own speculation.Coincidentally, in the same week, WhatsApp dropped its subscription fees in pursuit of gaining even more users.Maybe Facebook can use WhatsApp features that are exclusive to Facebook users as incentive for them to create a Facebook profile as this is where the company makes revenue.Only time will tell, but WhatsApp is definitely up to something big.Source |...


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    Microsoft Lumia 650 has been delayed until mid-February, rumor claims
    The oft-rumored and much-leaked Microsoft Lumia 650 was expected to become official on February 1, as per a report from a few days ago. That date has even been corroborated by a second source, though now a new rumor claims something different.Apparently the Lumia 650's introduction has been delayed until mid-February. An actual unveiling date hasn't been mentioned this time around. Some unnamed software issues are reportedly to blame for this delay, according to "sources close to the matter".The Lumia 650 wasn't expected to get its own launch event or anything like that, rather it was going to be made official through a blog post by Microsoft. That could still be the case, only we'll now have a bit more waiting to do for it. Since the announcement itself has been postponed, we assume the Lumia 650 will become available very quickly after it.Along with this information comes word that the metal edge of the phone is laser cut, which means it's going to be matte on the sides but shinier on the edges. The 650 is also said to be the only new Lumia-branded smartphone launching this year. And it's unclear what will happen to the brand from 2017 onwards. On the other hand, a Surface phone may be unveiled towards the end of this...


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    CDMA version of the Nextbit Robin to ship in April
    The Nextbit Robin "cloud phone" is finally going to start shipping on February 16, after many months since its initial introduction. However, that date is only valid for the GSM version of the crowdfunded device. The situation is completely different for the CDMA model.The people behind Nextbit have explained today that the CDMA Robin will probably start shipping in April, although an exact date can't be given yet. More information should become available as we get closer to that month.The delay of the CDMA model compared to the GSM one has to do with the fact that development of the former only started after Nextbit saw people's response on Kickstarter. The team now admits they "got a little carried away in the excitement of the campaign" when they estimated they would be able to deliver the CDMA Robin in February...


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    Sony Xperia M5 is now up for pre-order in the UK, ships by February 8
    Just a few days ago we learned that Sony is finally getting ready to bring the Xperia M5 to Europe. Back then the only confirmed countries to get it were Poland and the Netherlands, but from today you can add the UK to the list as well.That's because Carphone Warehouse has started taking pre-orders for the Xperia M5, with delivery expected to happen by February 8. What's more, this retailer says it has an exclusive on the gold color of this smartphone. So you won't be able to buy the handset in gold anywhere else in the UK.At the moment you can't pre-order an Xperia M5 in SIM-free form or on Pay as you go - you have to pick a contract with an operator. If you do that, the M5 is free with plans starting at £22 per month.That cheapest option is at Vodafone and will bring you 500 minutes, unlimited texts, and 500MB of 4G data each month. If you need more, you can pick different plans of course, all the way up to one that nets you unlimited talk and text as well as 10GB of data. This is £36 per month at Vodafone, £39 at O2, and £44.99 at EE.The Sony Xperia M5 has a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 21 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 13 MP front-facing camera, MediaTek's Helio X10 chipset (with a 2 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU), 3GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, 4G, and a 2,600 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop.Source |...


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    Default Top 10 trending phones of week 3

    As it turns out, the Lenovo K4 Note is fully capable of defending its top position from last week in our Top 10 trending phones chart. The long-standing champion Samsung Galaxy J7 couldn't reclaim its title, not this week at least, and places second in terms of interest. The Galaxy J5, on the other hand makes it back to the podium, after briefly dropping to number 4 last week.The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is slowly climbing back up the chart, after it was in third spot a few weeks ago, but then almost fell off the chart in Week 1. Right after it, we find its smaller sibling, the Redmi 3.From there on, it's mostly Samsung, with the Galaxy J2 in sixth and the Galaxy Grand Prime in seventh. The flagships stand further down - the Galaxy Note5 is in eight, two spots up from last week, while the Galaxy S6 drops four positions to this week's ninth. And the iPhone 5s is still going strong, participating in all three editions of chart this year.

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    11 thoughts on the Huawei Mate 8
    The Huawei Mate 8 is already at the office and while we are already busy preparing its full review, we thought you might appreciate a bunch of early impressions we got. An all-aluminum design like the one of the Huawei Mate 8 is no rarity these days, particularly in the high-end, but the lack of ugly plastic inlays of different color really makes it stand out. Plastic is still there as it's required for the bunch of antennas inside to work, but it's been painted over and matches the rest of the back, looking like accents rather than defects. We especially like the Space gray version, though ladies might prefer the Mocha Brown one.Having said that, at 157.1x80.6x7.9 mm, the Mate 8 is unlikely to attract a lot of female attention. Given the 6" screen, however, Huawei actually did a very impressive job with the bezels - the new phablet is just as large as a 5.7" Galaxy Note - if you can handle one, you'll do just fine with the other.The 6" screen sticks to 1080p resolution, as Huawei believes that anything higher is merely a waste of battery and computing power. Its sharpness does suffer a bit if you make direct side-by-side comparisons, but the overall image quality seems pretty good. We detect a slight purplish tint, but contrast seems great and the screen is easily visible when outside.Another thing to justify the ample size is the enormous 4,000mAh battery - we don't have the exact numbers just yet, but even at this early stage it's clear that it's going to be one of our battery champions.As with other devices hailing from the East, the Mate 8 launcher (based on Android 6.0) exhibits a flat style - that is, no app drawer (every shortcut goes on the homescreen, mixed in with the widgets). You get a rich app package out of the box and certain quirks (e.g. the RAM cleaning button that's more placebo than useful).The automatic battery manager feature that detects apps running in the background and consuming too much power and prompts you to disable them. Mind you, it's not preventing the app from running altogether - it just doesn't allow it to stay in the background when you are done with it.The first smartphone to pack the new ultra-powerful Cortex-A72 cores, the Mate8 delivers blazing fast performance. Our particular unit has 3GB of RAM as opposed to 4GB on the 64GB versions, but it still breezes through its UI with no traces of lag.The 16 MP camera seems like a large step forward over the Mate7- it comes complete with OIS and a larger 1/2.8" sensor and a dual-LED flash. Selfie lovers will also appreciate the 8MP front snapper, which is among the highest resolution ones on the market.The photos have nice colors although detail isn't as impressive as we hoped. We suspect that might be due to some issues with the AF missing that we can't quite get our fingers on just yet. We hope it's a software issue that Huawei will address by the time the Mate 8 hits international markets, but we'll investigate just to be on the safe side. Huawei Mate 8 camera samples: Good and low-lightLack of 4K video is a disappointment for a flagship in this day and age. Likely stemming from the limitations of the Kirin 950 chipset, this relegates the Mate 8 to a lower tier, compared to its direct rivals. Smooth 1080p at 60fps and slo-mo 720p@120fps are available and they look decent although far from making up for the lack of detail that a good 4K-capable camcorder delivers.The fingerprint sensor implementation is still arguably the best on the market - located on the back as befitting a phablet and always on, the sensor lets you go from a locked screen to homescren before you have completed taking the phone out of your pocket. We had our reservations about Huawei switching to a circular sensor, but as it turned out it doesn't make any difference to the...


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    Play Store had twice the downloads of iOS App Store in 2015, earned less cash
    A new App Annie's report for 2015 takes a detailed look at quite a few statistics from major app stores and a few observations from the report instantly stand out.For one, it appears that in 2015, Google's Play Store has registered twice as many downloads as the Apple's App Store. The difference stood at around 60% in 2014, which means that Google's mobile software ecosystem I truly growing at a phenomenal rate so as to outpace iOS. However, we shouldn't fail to mention the enormous difference in market share between the two platforms and the sheer number of Android users definitely help justify the doubled app download counter. The biggest growth spurts in 2015 came from emerging markets, such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Mexico.Volume is one thing, but what does that equate to from a business perspective? The trend here is plainly clear as well - even though Apple users are downloading less apps, they are spending a lot more than their Android friends, about 75% more to be exact. In 2014, Apple's App store also out-earned its rival by 70%, so the trend is only solidifying. Cupertino clients seem to be inclined to spend more, which has been a well-known fact for some time now and it is natural for app developers to take advantage of that with increasing efficiency.As a final interesting observation from the report - that games still constitute around 90% of downloads and revenue on the Google Play Store, whereas for Apple that number is closer to 75%. Source |...


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    Google pays £130m in back taxes in the UK
    Google and the UK tax watchdog Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have come to an agreement following a six-year open audit of the US company's books. According to it, Google will be paying £130 million for a period dating back to 2005.Google, among others, has been accused of avoiding taxes in the UK, thanks to its multinational tax structure, with EU headquarters in Ireland, where corporate taxes are lower than the UK, and also holding offices in corporate tax heaven Bermuda. This has lead to the company paying just £20.4 million in taxes on sales valued at £3.8 billion in 2013. The tech giant has agreed that, going forward, a larger portion of its sales activity will be registered in the UK.Another change from now on will see Google paying taxes based on sales, rather than profit, which has been the case so far. Matt Brittin, president of Google's EMEA business and operations branch, has insisted, that the company always followed the rules as they were at the time, and will continue to do so.Source |...


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    Live images of the Samsung Galaxy S7 front camera and display surface
    The Samsung Galaxy S7 is now less than a month away, with a rumored announcement due for February 21. And right on schedule, after we're almost entirely familiar with the specs and looks of the upcoming flagship, we're now being treated to a couple of photos straight from its production line.One shows an array of front camera modules, with the SM-G930F model name (which we already know is the Galaxy S7's internal designation, plus the F at the end for regional version) clearly stamped on the board. If that means anything, it's probably revision number 5 of the module, judging by the R05 marking.Compared to the one inside the existing Galaxy S6, this new camera has its connector offset to one side, while the old one was centered, teardowns revealed.The second photo depicts the entire smartphone, though in developer attire, making its design nearly recognizable. You're getting the purpose of the rig - to have a functioning device for testing, without revealing the looks.Despite the sticker on top of the brand name though, the home button and capacitive key markings clearly state Samsung. Which makes it all the more ironic that the shot is taken with what is almost certainly an HTC One, the first one.Special thanks to Hiep Thong for the...


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    Apple's next 4-incher now tipped to be named iPhone 5se, iPhone 6/6s hardware inside
    A possible new 4-inch smartphone from Apple has been entertaining the mobile world pretty much ever since the company moved to larger diagonals with the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus generation. Some have called it the iPhone 7c, others insist on iPhone 6c, and iPhone 5e was also mentioned.Well, apparently, the latter is closest to reality, if this new report is to be believed. According to sources close to 9to5Mac, Apple's return to 4 inches will be named iPhone 5se and will be a blend of the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s.So the alleged iPhone 5se will drop the chamfered edges in favor of gently curved glass on the front, like the iPhone 6. It's been said to come with the 8MP/1.2MP camera duo from the iPhone 6, which was in turn borrowed from the 5s. The iPhone 6s will lend its Live Photos to the new model too.Apple iPhone 5sWhat will come straight from the iPhone 6 is the A8 chipset, but it is said to be complemented by some iPhone 6s hardware, namely the Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE and Wi-Fi 802.11ac chips. The iPhone 5se will also come with NFC support, so it could hop on the Apple Pay train.The intel seems pretty detailed and thus perhaps believable. However, until we hear the announcement from Apple, we're not betting on any of the above, and neither should...


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    Apple Watch Hermes now available online, prepare $1,250 for the Double Tour
    So far only available in select physical stores, the Apple Watch Hermes collection has been released to the masses. If the masses are willing to accept the $1,100 to $1,500 price tags, that is.Listed on the Apple's online store, 7 out of the 10 available models are based on the 38mm Apple Watch. The Double Tour models, which have dominated promotional material for the range, and counsequently are the ones to get, come in four colors and 38mm size only. Price is $1,250/€1,450/£1,150.Single Tour models (which is basically your regular leather strap) go for $1,100/€1,300/£1,000 for the 38mm case and 50 more of either currency for the larger version. The most expensive option is the Apple Watch Hermes Cuff, only available in 42mm size and listed for $1,500/€1,750/£1,350.Source |...


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    January security update hits Huawei Honor 5X ahead of its US launch
    Just a week after we reported that the Honor 5X smartphone - which is set to launch in the US on January 31 - will get regular android security patches, the January update has hit the device.As you can see in the screenshot above, the 'Android security patch level' field has a value of 'January 1 2016' after the update. The size of the update is 111 MB.This means that those purchasing the handset in the US will have the latest security patch pre-installed on their device. The $200 handset is currently up for pre-order in the country, available from Amazon, Newegg, and...


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    Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 with Windows 10 launches on January 26
    Xiaomi has announced that it will be offering the Windows 10 version of the Mi Pad 2 tablet starting on January 26. The company had promised back in November last year that such a Mi Pad 2 would exist, but it's only now that it will actually be available for purchase.The Mi Pad 2 features a 7.9-inch display with 2,048 x 1,536 pixels resolution and is powered by an Intel Atom X5-Z8500 chipset with a quad-core 2.24GHx processor. There's 2GB of RAM on board, and internal storage for the Windows 10 model is 64GB, while you can alternatively get 16GB if you go Android. Neither model has a storage expansion slot, though.The tablet has you well covered and future-proofed on all other fronts with Wi-Fi 802.11ac, USB Type-C connector, and an 8MP/5MP camera combo. The battery inside packs 6,190mAh worth of juice and it all comes in a nicely finished metal body.The Windows 10 Mi Pad 2 will retail for CNY 1,299 ($200 minus change), which is the same price as the 64GB Android version.Source |...


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    Leakster reveals Samsung Galaxy S7's US launch date
    Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S7 smartphone has been the subject of endless rumors and leaks until now, revealing its design, variants, specs, and even accessories. As for its availability, an MWC 2016 unveiling has been rumored.However, what we haven't heard yet is when it will go on sale, especially in the US. Well, looks like now we have an answer to that, too. According to the usually reliable leakster ‏@evleaks, the flagship will be available for purchase in the US on March 11.Starting to look like a Friday, March 11th Galaxy release in the U.S.— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 22, 2016To refresh, the S7's predecessor - the Galaxy S6 - was unveiled at last year's Mobile World Congress and went on sale in the US and several other countries on April 10.Needless to say it's still just a rumor despite coming from a leakster of repute, and as we all know, rumors aren't always correct. So, take it with a pinch of...


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    Report says new Apple Watch bands and WatchOS 2.2 coming this March, Watch 2 in September
    According to a new report, Apple will release new Watch band color options in March this year. In addition to partnering with fashion firms, the Cupertino-based company is also developing bands made out of new materials.The report also noted that the WatchOS 2.2 update will also be released in the month of March. If you recall, the the watchOS 2.2 beta was made available to developers last week.The new version features the ability to pair multiple Apple Watches with one iPhone, as well as a new Nearby menu (in the Glances section of the Maps app) with sub-categories like Food, Drinks, Shopping, Travel, and Health to choose from.Finally, the report says that the next generation Apple Watch will be made official in the month of September, adding weight to recent reports that the new iteration won't be unveiled in...


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    Asus Zenfone Zoom with 13MP camera and 3x optical zoom launched in India
    As scheduled, Asus has launched its Zenfone Zoom smartphone in India. The device, which is claimed to be the "thinnest phone with 3x optical zoom," has only been available in the company's home country of Taiwan until now.The handset carries a price tag of INR 37,999 in India (around $560), and is available for purchase from online retailer Flipkart, which has both black and white variants in stock. Asus Exclusive stores in the country will start carrying the device starting next month.The company is also offering a bundle consisting of the phone, Zenflash, and Tripod. The bundle costs INR 39,999 (around $590) - apparently, it isn't available on Flipkart yet. Announced way back at last year's CES, the smartphone is currently up for pre-orders in the US, and will start shipping there in February.Source |...


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    Leader of Apple's 'Titan' car project is leaving the company
    The leader of Apple's rumored 'Titan' car project is leaving the company, according to a new Wall Street Journal report. Steve Zadesky, who also helped the company create the iPod and iPhone, has been leading the Cupertino-based company's car efforts for the last couple of years.The reason(s) behind Zadesky's decision are said to be personal, meaning his stepping down has nothing to do with his performance in his current role. The report, however, notes that he is still at Apple for now.The news comes nearly an year after the WSJ reported that the iPhone-maker is secretly working on an an electric vehicle that apparently looks like a minivan in its current form. While initially it was said that it would take several years to complete the project, the publication later reported that the company has sped up the work, and is now eyeing a 2019 shipment...


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    HTC One A9 (unlocked) getting January security update
    HTC has announced that it has started rolling out the latest Android security update to unlocked One A9 units in the US. The announcement came in the form of a tweet from the company's US VP of Product Management Mo Versi.HTC One (A9) unlocked owners! The Jan security updates and bug fixes is being updated via OTA this morning! Thanks.— Mo Versi (@moversi) January 22, 2016Aside from the January security fixes, the update also includes some general bug fixes, Versi revealed. If you haven't received the OTA notification yet, you can manually check for the update by heading to your device's settings.For those who aren't already aware, HTC had said last year that the One A9 will receive every Android update within 15 (business) days of the Nexus line having received it. And true to its promise, the Taiwanese company rolled out the November and December updates on...


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