this week

Nvidia shows off Tegra 5 running Battlefield, bashes iPad for its “vintage 1999” graphics 

Nvidia has some huge plans for the future and it has just shown what mobile graphics will look like when the Tegra 5 (codenamed Logan) with their Kepler GPU arrives. In an extremely impressive demo Nvidia’s chief executive Jen-Hsun Huang showed Kepler powering a fully functional Battlefield game.Huang went back and forth between the upcoming Tegra 5 and the latest iPad’s A6X chip which right now has the best graphics in an ARM-based mobile device that we know of. The difference was staggering and enough for Huang to bash it for having “vintage 1999” graphics.The Kepler graphics support DirectX 11 and handled themselves very well with high-dynamic range lighting and active shadows in the Battlefield demo.“We want to get multiple years ahead of the competition,” Huang said. “It was worth the sacrifice.”
Let’s remember, though, that there is still a year until the Nvidia Tegra 5 arrives as even the first Tegra 4-based devices are not out yet. But if we get to play Battlefield and games alike, the patience would definitely be hugely rewarded.

TSMC kicks off 16nm FinFET manufacturing in 2013, to test EUV at 10nm in 2015

TSMC has confirmed its plans to aggressively pursue 16nm FinFET chip manufacturing by the end of 2013, and it also expects extreme UV lithography to allow it to make 10nm silicon in late 2015.

TSMC is the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, but is facing competition from Globalfoundries and Samsung. Led by 50-year silicon veteran Morris Chang, TSMC still expects growth in the teens this year while other fabless companies forecast 9% growth in 2013.

“It looks like we have another 7 to 8 years ahead in advances -- maybe more -- we can see in technology down to 10 and even 7nm,” said the TSMC CEO Chang.

“Moore’s Law is going to go on and we will be there -- if anyone pursues it, we will pursue it,” he told an audience of several hundred chip designers .

Nokia's PR2.0 update for Lumia models brings 'always-on' clock to the screen and more?

With a firmware update said to be coming for Nokia's Windows Phone 8 Lumia models, some of the features have leaked out. The update is expected to bring an optional 'always-on' clock for the screen. Another new feature is expected to be 'double tap to awake' which is probably one of the easiest ways to awaken a sleeping handset. You might recall that the Nokia N9 offered the same awakening technique.

A new firmware update is expected to bring an always-on clock to Nokia's WP8 Lumia phones

Some other features being mentioned include a new lens option called Smart Camera that offers similar features to Smart Shoot, but will include Nokia's version of Blink. Blink takes a quick burst of shots just before you completely depress the shutter, and just after you snap a picture, allowing you to find the perfect shot.

We have no idea when this firmware update is coming, but it apparently will be another way to differentiate Nokia from the other Windows Phone manufacturers.

Huawei EDGE future flagship leaks out surprising us with gorgeous looks and aluminum body

Chinese manufacturers have long stood for their capacity to blast away affordable devices that might perform well but come with sub-par quality and uninspiring design. That has been the cliche, and Huawei seems to have had enough of it.

The Huawei EDGE that has just leaked out is a gorgeous extremely slim aluminum Android flagship device with a curved back.

The Huawei EDGE will only measure 6.3mm thick and this will make it one of the slimmest (if not the slimmest) devices on the market.

The Edge packs some noteworthy specs: a 4.9-inch 1080 x 1920 pixel display, a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera. The handset will be sold in a 16GB and 32GB versions and will run on the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

In that slim device, Huawei has somehow managed to cram in a capable 2600mAh battery as well.

The Huawei Edge is expected to become the company’s flagship when it launches in the second half of the year. Here timing will be key (and the device is not yet official of course), but it definitely seems that more and more companies are finally starting to realize the importance of good design, and that can only be good news.

Microsoft said to be working on a 7-inch Surface tablet

We have reported in the past that Microsoft is allegedly working on a 7-inch gaming tablet under the Xbox brand. It seems, though, there will be another 7-inch tablet from Microsoft in the near future.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is working on a 7-inch version of the Surface tablet. There are no other details available about this product at this time, including which version of Windows it would be running and what would be the specifications, pricing and release date. WSJ does say, however, that the tablet will go into mass production later this year.
A 7-inch version of the Surface does make a lot of sense and to be honest should have been there from the start (the current Surface running Windows RT could have been a 7-inch tablet instead of 10-incher). The Surface has so far received a lukewarm response from customers but a cheaper, smaller Surface might change tha

1080p screen support coming to Windows Phone later this year

As the saying goes, better late than never! Anonymous sources have told The Verge that microsoft windows phone operating system will finally get support for 1080p screen resolutions. That is supposed to happen before 2013 is out with the launch of the third General Distribution Release update for the platform. 

Manufacturers of Windows Phone hardware are expected to release 5-inch 1080p smartphones once the new software is available, but higher (or maybe smaller) screen sizes offering that same resolution aren't out of the question. If all goes as planned, this next batch of Windows Phone 8 flagship devices should hit the shelves in time for the Holiday season.

The GDR3 update to Windows Phone 8 is also expected to add support for Qualcomm's new quad-core Snapdragon SoCs – the same ones that already power Android high-ends, such as the HTC One or one of the Samsung Galaxy S4 variants. As a side note, HTC originally planned to launch a 4.7-inch WP8 handset with a quad-core chip, codenamed Zenith, but eventually scrapped it due to the lack of display resolution support beyond 1280 by 768 pixels.

As for that rumored "Windows Blue" update, allegedly meant to bring all Windows OSes under one roof, that's supposed to come in early 2014, according to the same source. A specific launch date for it has not been set in stone at this time.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 with 5.8-inch qHD display, 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.2 announced

Samsung has also announced the Mega 5.8 along with the Galaxy Mega 6.3 in their new Galaxy Mega line. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 has a 5.8-inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels) TFT capacitive touch screen display, powered by a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 8MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash and a 1.9 MP front-facing camera. similar to the Galaxy Mega 6.3. It also has dual SIM support with dual Standby and dual SIM Always On feature.


Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 specifications

• 5.8-inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels) TFT capacitive touch screen display
• 1.4 GHz dual-core processor
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS
• 8MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash
• 1.9 MP front-facing camera
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with dual standby
• 9.0 mm thick and weighs 182 grams
• 1.5 GB RAM, 8 Internal Memory, expandable memory up to 64GB with micro SD
• 3G HSPA＋21Mbps, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS＋GLONASS
• 2600 mAh battery

The Galaxy Mega 5.8 would be available globally starting from Europe and Russia in May 2013. No word on pricing yet.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 with 6.3-inch HD display, 1.7 GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.2 announced

• Samsung has finally announced the rumored Galaxy Mega line of smartphones. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 is the high-end device in this series that has a 6.3-inch HD ( 1280 x 720 pixels) TFT capacitive touch screen display, powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 8MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash and a 1.9 MP front-facing camera. This phone lies between the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2 and the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 / Galaxy Tab 2 310. Huawei unveiled the Ascend Mate with a 6.1-inch HD display at CES 2013 earlier this year.
  
  Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 specifications
  
• 6.3-inch HD ( 1280 x 720 pixels)  TFT capacitive touch screen display
• 1.7 GHz dual-core processor
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS
• 8MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash
• 1.9 MP front-facing camera
• 7.9mm thick and weighs 199 grams
• 1.5 GB RAM, 8/16GB Internal Memory, expandable memory up to 64GB with micro SD
• 4G LTE 100/50Mbps, 3G  HSPA＋21Mbps, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS＋GLONASS, NFC, MHL
• 3200 mAh battery

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 would be available globally starting from Europe and Russia in May 2013. No word on pricing yet.

T-Mobile announces Nokia Lumia 521, coming in May

T-Mobile has just officially unveiled the Nokia Lumia 521 coming exclusively to the carrier in May and it is the most affordable way to get Windows Phone 8. The Lumia 521 is priced at only $180 off contract and still brings brings a 4-inch screen, Nokia’s free HERE Maps offline navigation and the free Nokia Music Mix Radio service.

The Lumia 521 is a slightly modified Lumia 520 rebranded with the T-Mobile logo. The device features a 1GHz dual-core processor and 512MB of RAM, a configuration that allows it to run most apps on the Windows Phone Marketplace (the cheap Lumia 610 in contrast could not run Skype).

The Nokia Lumia 521 comes with 8GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD cards, and it supports cellular data speeds of 21Mbps HSPA+.

The handset is coming in May at Walmart, T-Mobile and Microsoft retail stores.

Patent Details Nokia tablet Equipped With Kickstand and Keyboard; Beat Microsoft to it

• Nokia have been toying with tablet designs and concepts for a while now, everybody knows this; but nobody knows exactly what or when it’s coming. A recently unveiled patent application shows a Nokia tablet concept with a keyboard and a kickstand that “envelopes” the device (which matches the rumors we’ve heard before). The patent application was filed before Microsoft unveiled its surface tablet; which has its now iconic flip out kickstand (which seems to be  the only feature they’re capable of marketing).
  There are rumors on the interwebs that Nokia had a hand in designing the Surface with Microsoft, or at least some part in “inspiring it”; given strength by Microsoft’s choice of colors for the tablet’s clip on covers (Cyan, Magenta and black). Of course there is no proof of that, but certainly is intriguing.
  

  Oppo building world’s thinnest, 6.13mm phone: quad-core and coming on April 26

  Leaked image of the Oppo R809T

  Oppo is already proud to have once built the world’s thinnest smartphone, but leaks have shown it is preparing an even slimmer device. The Oppo R809T will measure only 6.13mm or 0.24 inches thin, and it is said to be a quad-core device coming in just two weeks, on April 26th.
  Oppo built the Find 3 that became the world’s thinnest at its time but was later outdone by devices from Alcatel and Vivo measuring around 6.5mm.
  The Oppo R809T in contrast is noticeably slimmer. It is also expected to run on the quad-core Mediatek MT6589 chip with 1GB RAM and have a 4.5-inch 720p display. That sounds like a good balance between performance and features, as a 1080p display would probably choke the MediaTek chip.
  Pricing will be slightly higher than most other Chinese smartphones though as Oppo plans to ask 2500 yuan or around $403 off contract. In comparison to other devices from manufacturers like Samsung and Apple that still looks fairly cheap, though.

  Analyst: 2 to 3 different screen sizes for the Apple iPhone 5S?

  
  If Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White is right, those looking to purchase the next version of the Apple iPhone 5S will be able to decide from 2 or 3 different sized displays. White recently met with a "tech-supply chain company," and perhaps something was said in that meeting to make the analyst believe that multiple screens will be available for the Apple iPhone 5S. White told his clients on Tuesday, that he believes that Apple has come to the conclusion that a "one size screen fits all" approach doesn't work any longer.
  
  

  Will we see a 4.8 inch Apple iPhone like the rumored iPhone Math?

  The analyst didn't say what the screen sizes will be for the Apple iPhone 5S. From the OG Apple iPhone through the Apple iPhone 4S, the display was 3.5 inches. The Motorola DROID brought its 3.7 inch glass to the market late in 2009 at about the same time that the  HTC HD2 took the screen for a smartphone over the 4 inch line with a 4.3 inch display. Last September, Apple increased the size of its screen to 4 inches with the Apple iPhone 5 although it still puts Apple well behind Android models that offer screens as large as 6.1 inches.
  
  White, like his fellow analysts, is looking for Apple to offer a low-priced version of the iPhone. But unlike some who are calling for a price south of $200 for such a model, White doesn't see Apple pricing the low-cost model under $300 for a device that would be sold unsubsidized in emerging markets like China.
  
  If Apple is going to fight back against Android, realizing that one size does not fit all is the first positive step that the Cupertino based firm can take.
  

  Panasonic launches LUMIX GF6 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

  Panasonic has launched the new LUMIX GF6, a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The GF6 has a 16 megapixel sensor with a new Venus Engine that can shoot up to ISO 26,000 and can record videos at 1080i60.
  
  The GF6 has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC. The Wi-Fi can be used to transfer images and playback content on a DLNA compatible television. The NFC helps connect the camera over Wi-Fi to compatible devices with just a tap. There is also built-in GPS for geo-tagging your photos. On the back is a 1040k dot articulating touchscreen LCD.
  No price or release date has been announced so far.
  

  ASUS 7 inch MeMo Pad launches in the U.S. for $149.99

  
  Back in February, we passed along a video that showed off features of the ASUS 7 inch MeMo Pad. For example, ASUS Studio lets you use your finger to edit and tag your pictures. Buddy Buzz does what it sounds like, which is to track all of your social networks in one location. My Painter lets you become an artist on the fly, and if you need to write a note or are in the mood to doodle, SuperNote Lite lets you type, write or scribble anywhere, anytime. And with WebStorage Online Office, you can create, edit, view and share office files.
  
  

  The 16GB ASUS 7 inch MeMo Pad is just $149.99 in the U.S.

  The ASUS 7 inch MeMo Pad is another in a long list of 7 inch low priced Android tablets. At $149.99, the slab actually comes in $50 cheaper than the ASUS manufactured Google Nexus 7. But you really can't compare the two slates to each other because the Google Nexus 7 uses a quad-core 1.2GHz processor versus the single-core 1GHz processor on the cheaper MeMo Pad. The Google Nexus 7 also has a higher resolution screen.
  
  The ASUS 7 inch MeMo tablet is filled with 16GB of native storage and can be purchased in the U.S. at places like GameStop, and Amazon. An 8GB variant of the tablet at an even lower price is not available in the U.S. and at this point, there is no sign that it will ever touch down in the states. Android 4.1 is installed on the device, right out of the box.

this week

Rumours: Nokia EOS 41MP; Nokia Catwalk specs, OctaOLED, 8.4mm slim, 2000mAh, f2.0 with OIS, May 15th

Corroborating previous rumours, the Nokia Lumia ‘Catwalk’ is rumoured for a May 15th Launch.

• OctaOLED 4.5″ 1280X768
• 129mm x 8.4mm x 71mm
• 132g
• OIS
• 2000mAh
• 1GB RAM, 8.7MP
• All aluminium
• https://twitter.com/flapic
• Is this flavio trustworthy?

There’s another rumour inserted in at the end. A different phone with 41mpx.

LeakyLeak: Nokia Lumia 928 renders – with Xenon Flash, coming to Verizon.

A press image of the previously tipped, long-awaited Nokia Lumia 928 for Verizon Wireless has made the rounds on Twitter. The Big Red's upcoming Windows Phone 8 flagship will likely be officially released by the end of this month.

As its name mildly suggests, the Nokia Lumia 928 will be closely related to the AT&T exclusive Lumia 920 - it is expected to share the same CPU and display. The Verizon offering however, will one-up its AT&T counterpart by packing a xenon flash in addition to the standard LED one. It is also expected to ditch the 920's polycarbonate unibody for an aluminum outfit.

Apple applies for patent on removable touchscreen laptop displays 

Basically, there are two different ways that Apple works. Apple will either take a device market that has fallen into the doldrums, and inject it with hype and excitement (see: MP3 players, smartphones, tablets), or Apple will look at how other companies are succeeding and do something similar, but with the extra Apple "magic" (read: marketing). Yesterday, Apple applied for a patent for a removable touchscreen laptop that we don't really expect to become a device, but it does point towards an important question: How long until we see an iPadBook Air?

The patent filing shows a device that would be a laptop, not a mobile device, that has a removable touchscreen display. The display would connect to the laptop base through a 60GHz ultrawideband format (like WiGig perhaps). The display would also use induction charging through the laptop hinge to charge the display for wandering use. To be clear, this patent is not for a device that mashes together an iPad and a Macbook, but that device seems much more likely to us than the one pictured in the patent. 

Nokia Win 8 tablet framed to sport exclusive apps like 'Adidas micoach'

Nokia keeps denying it, but developers keep leaking it - that's roughly the state of the rumor about an eventual Finnish foray into the tablet game with a Windows 8 slate to go with your Nokia Lumia device.

The latest development comes from a developer (pun not intended), who at his own personal blog writes that he had helped design a proposal for an exclusive Nokia Tablet app. Now we all know how Nokia's Lumia phones are chock-full of exclusive apps that only their Windows Phone ecosphere sports, so we'd imagine Nokia might have something similar in mind to make its alleged Windows tablet stand out as well. Here's the full listing:

Helped design and concept the Adidas micoach app proposal for the Nokia Tablet. The Tablet App intended to be an extension of coaches allowing them to build teams and monitor individual trainings for each athlete. The way that works is to connect he app to existing technology on Adidas products to read the workout data registered by cell chip implants. The app also tapped into the community allowing users to challenge each other by sending notifications to friends and their social feeds.

While the app proposal certainly sounds interesting, the newsbreaking part here is that they are talking at all about a Nokia Tablet like it's a done deal. You know, smoke=fire, but we'll see if and what Nokia comes up with in its first Win 8 slate.

Samsung Galaxy Win with 4.7-inch display, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor goes official in China

The Samsung Galaxy Win (GT-I8552) that surfaced recently has gone official in China. It is listed on the Samsung China’s official website. All the specifications matches the leaked specs. It has a 4.7-inch (800 x 480 Pixels) TFT display, run on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with Touchwiz and is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor. It has a 5MP Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash and a 0.3MP (VGA) front-facing camera.  It has dual SIM support with dual standby and dual SIM Always On feature.

No details about the RAM or the internal memory yet. It is not clear which quad-core chip it uses, but according to earlier rumors it might feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play MSM8225Q procssor. Samsung would also sell other variants GT-I869 and GT-I8558 for different Chinese carriers. It would come pre-loaded with ChatON, Sina microblogging app, and QQ.
Samsung Galaxy Win specifications

• 4.7-inch (800 x 480 Pixels) TFT capactivie touch screen display
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 1.2 GHz quad-core processor
• 5MP Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash
• 0.3MP (VGA) front-facing camera
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with dual standby
• 9.65mm thick and weighs 143.9 grams
• Expandable memory card slot
• 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 3.0, GPS
• 2000 mAh battery

HTC First gets unveiled for AT&T in the United States

After making a couple of appearances prior to its announcement, the Facebook-centered HTC First got officially unveiled. The Android smartphone will be available exclusively on AT&T in the United States from next Friday, April 12 for $99.99 with a two-year contract. Pre-orders for the handset kick-off today.

Naturally, the most important feature of the HTC First will be the integration of the freshly announced Facebook Home launcher into its Android OS. Facebook Home is built with your social networking cravings in mind.


HTC First official photos
Hardware-wise, the HTC First features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with a dual-core CPU and a gig of RAM. A 4.3" 720p display, 5MP camera, and access to AT&T's LTE network are also part of the smartphone's specifications. The Android version on tap will be 4.1 Jelly Bean.
In Europe, the HTC First will be offered by Orange and EE in the coming months. No pricing and availability have been set though.

HTC Desire Q goes official, available in Taiwan for $234

HTC recently launched its Desire P mid-range smartphone and now the Taiwanese company has officially unveiled the other part of the duo that leaked last month. The Desire Q is an entry level smartphone with specifications similar to those of the HTC Desire U.

HTC Desire Q
The latest HTC smartphone sports a 4" WVGA display, measures 118.5 x 62.3 x 9.3 mm and weighs 114 grams. The Desire Q is powered a 1 GHz single core processor along with 512 MB of RAM, 5 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, Beats Audio and a wide range of connectivity options.
HTC Desire Q runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and relies on a 1,650mAH battery to provide the juice. The smartphone is currently available in Taiwan and is priced at NT$6,990 (about $234). Unfortunately, there is no word on the global availability of the device so the HTC Desire Q might remain exclusive to the company's home market.

Low-end BlackBerry 10 device with QWERTY keypad leaks

After the Z10 and the Q10, a new BlackBerry 10 device has been uncovered. What you see below is known only as the R-Series for now but is supposedly an upcoming BB10 device.
Like the Q10, the phone above has a full QWERTY keypad and a square touchscreen. It is, however, said to be a low-end device, which you can tell from the general design.
This particular handset is said to have 8GB internal memory with microSD card slot and an 1,800mAh battery but other than that no other specifications and details are known at this point.
It also remains to be seen when BlackBerry would launch this phone, if at all. The Q10 announced along with the Z10 is still a month away from release.

Sailfish OS SDK released for Linux, Windows and Mac

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Software builders with a can-do attitude should be delighted to learn that the SDK for Sailfish OS has arrived just a few days late of its pencilled-in due date. Jolla, the company behind the open-source MeeGo revival, has crafted versions for developers using Windows and OS X as well as 32- and 64-bit Linux machines. It's available for free at the source link, with the aquatic caveat that the SDK is just a minnow, but the company hopes you won't toss it back straight away.

5" LG Optimus G Pro hits shelves in Japan, US to follow in Q2

While the US is still waiting on the promised Q2 date for the launch of the LG Optimus G Pro flagship here, the phone got official in Japan. It's the 5" reincarnation, not the exclusive 5.5" behemoth that the homeland of South Korea received not long ago, and already logged some impressive sales numbers.

The phone is part of the NTT DoCoMo spring portfolio, and, besides the 5" Full HD display panel, features the modern Snapdragon 600 chipset with 4G LTE connectivity, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal memory, 13 MP camera and a monster swappable 3000 mAh battery, plus a memory card slot for storage expansion.

At least on paper these specs make it a lot of flagship for the money this season, so we can't wait for its North American counterpart to sail across the ocean and land on US carriers some time this quarter.

Alleged iPhone 5S prototype pictured, is it the real deal?

We received some interesting pictures of what is allegedly a prototype of the next Apple iPhone (5S, perhaps).
While the pictures aren't of the best quality or taken in studio conditions they do reveal a lot about the pictured smartphone. For one it sheds off the iconic home button and replaces it with a real edge-to-edge display (although we can't see the actual screen underneath).
Then there's the design - it's sloped towards the edges, which isn't typical of Apple. Apple likes the more squarish designs, which allow it to make full use of the space within the smartphone's chassis.


We urge you to take these photos with several pinches of salt as the device pictured above could either be photoshopped or even digitally rendered altogether. Even the guy who sent them in couldn't swear by their authenticity.
There's one scenario that might make sense here - what you are seeing could be a prototype on which Apple is working. All major manufacturers consider and test a number of different designs before settling on the final version. It might also be a case specially designed to conceal the look of the Apple iPhone 5S, but that seems too much effort - these dev units are usually simple plastic rectangles.

Nokia Catwalk to strut its stuff on May 15?

An anonymous tipster who goes by the sobriquet South has revealed that Nokia is set to reveal the Nokia Catwalk on May 15.
South, who could have chosen a cooler moniker, let's face it, didn't have much more to say from him/herself beyond that, other than that the launch will take place in London, UK.
The news came by way of My Nokia Blog, which says it has had accurate information from South before, although it doesn't say exactly what so we'll just have to take their word for that.

It's not the first time we've heard tell of the Nokia Catwalk, said to be the follow-up to the Nokia Lumia 920.
We're excepting a thinner, lighter body thanks to the use of aluminium instead of the 920's polycarbonate. Aside from that, the last report suggested that the specs will be pretty similar to the existing Lumia 920.
It's been a while since Nokia busted out a high-end handset - MWC 2013 was all about the mid-range for the Finns - so May isn't too ridiculous a date to expect a hotter Lumia to hit.
But since we can't verify the source and Nokia's keeping schtum, you'll have to file this one under 'perhaps, perhaps, perhaps'.

Lava Iris 455 with 4.5-inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1 launched

Lava has launched the Iris 455, a new Android smartphone in the Iris Series on Blockbuster Phoneday. It has a 4.5inch (960 x 540 pixels) qHD capacitive touch screen display and has a 1GHz dual-core  processor similar to the Iris 454 that was launched earlier this year for Rs. 8,499, but this runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) instead of ICS. It has a 5-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED flash and a VGA front-facing camera.
Lava Iris 455 Specifications

• 4.5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
• 1GHz dual-core  processor
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with dual standby
• 9.92mm thick and weighs 120 grams
• 5MP auto focus camera with LED flash, VGA front-facing camera
• 512MB RAM, 4GB of internal memory (2GB user memory), expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
• 3G (HSDPA 7.2Mbps; HSUPA: 5.76 Mbps) , WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, aGPS
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• 1500 mAh battery with up to 6 hours talk time (3G)

Samsung announces Galaxy Win and Trend II droids for China

China woke up to two new Android phones from Samsung. One is the Galaxy Win that leaked yesterday – a quad-core droid with a 4.7” WVGA screen. It’s a single-SIM phone, unlike the one that leaked. The Samsung Galaxy Trend II, the second new device, does have a dual-SIM version, though.
Samsung Galaxy Win
The Samsung Galaxy Win runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, packs a 4.7” TFT screen of WVGA resolution (199ppi pixel density). It has a 5MP camera that shoots D1 video, a 3MP front-facing camera and a microSD card slot. The battery has 2,000mAh capacity.


On the connectivity side, the Galaxy Win offers Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS. The phone is 9.7mm thick and weighs 143.9g. It’s preloaded with Samsung’s ChatON but also popular Chinese services Sina Weibo and QQ.
The phone is launching in Asia first and later moving to Europe. The dual-SIM version of the Samsung Galaxy Win is nowhere to be seen right now.
Samsung Galaxy Trend II and Trend II Duos
The Samsung Galaxy Trend II is an Android 4.1 phone with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a 4” WVGA screen (233ppi pixel density). It has a 3MP camera that shoots D1 video, a microSD card and 1,500mAh battery. The connectivity covers Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0 but no GPS.


The dual-SIM version, the Galaxy Trend II Duos is a hair thicker (11.3mm vs. 11.1mm) and a gram heavier than the single-SIM version (127.6g). Both come with ChatON and China Telecom value-added services

Xbox 720 being tweaked to match-up to the PS4?

The advantage of letting Sony go first with its PS4 announcement is that Microsoft now has time to tweak the Xbox 720 to ensure it matches up with Sony's console.
And that's just what it is doing, according to Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat, who told Eurogamer that it's been a long five-year wait for the game maker - "much longer than we were anticipating".
Without letting any actual detail slip, Mallat said that the next Xbox would be "aligned with what Sony announced".

The means "it's going to be connected. It's going to be social. It's going to be immersive. It's going to be interactive".
Talking about the games that Ubisoft is developing for the next-gen hardware, Mallat bigger up the "mind-blowing graphics" but added that "the connected aspects and the social components will be what will define the difference between a next-gen experience and a current-gen experience."
As for when we'll see the fruits of Microsoft's labour - that's still anyone's guess but we've got our fingers crossed for a reveal at E3 2013.

Windows Blue to be known officially as Windows 8.1

We have been hearing about this Windows Blue for quite some time now. The newest build of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system, Windows Blue, as it has been known until now, features some significant improvements, most of which are under the hood, that promise improved performance and user experience over Windows 8.

Now, according to the sources at The Verge, it has come to light that Windows Blue will be known officially as Windows 8.1 when it releases later this year. This won’t be like your run-of-the-mill service pack and will feature more significant upgrades. As such, it could be a paid upgrade for existing Windows 8 users, although that is yet to be officially confirmed.
A public preview will be released during the Build conference in June, which would allow us to get a closer look at this update. Hopefully, it packs in noticeable improvements in performance and usability, especially if it has to become a paid upgrade.

More HTC First images emerge, reveal its Facebook Home UI

Less than 24 hours before its scheduled unveiling, a number of HTC First photos made an appearance. Unlike yesterday's image however, today's images reveal the Facebook device's Facebook Home UI of its Android OS.

The photos of the device reveal a minimalist UI with full-screen imagery, and stock Android icons. The app drawer on the other hand, reveals buttons for instant access to Facebook status updates, photo uploads, and location check-ins.
The HTC First with Facebook Home will break at 1PM Eastern Time tomorrow. Be sure to tune in for the full scoop on both the device and its UI.

Chinese HTC One 802w has microSD card slot, two SIMs

A Sina Weibo user with early access to the HTC One version tailored for China Unicom has pictured the One 802w smartphone. The picture reveals a removable back cover, two SIM slots (WCDMA) and a microSD card slot just under the 4 MP camera lens.

Taking a peak under the HTC One 802w back cover
The HTC One will globally be available with either 32 GB or 64 GB of storage built-in but without the expandable option, which has caused quite a lot of controversy.
There's no word if the 802t (China Mobile) and 802d (China Telecom) versions of the HTC One will also come with expandable storage and two SIMs but the 2 at the end of the product number can be indicative of the dual-SIM abilities. The European version's model number is 801n.

New browser being developed by Samsung and Mozilla

This crazy world that we live in needs a number of new things, but a new browser is not one of them. That makes it seem strange that Mozilla and Samsung are teaming up to build a new browser that is being called Servo. The browser is being built from the bottom up using Rust, Mozilla's code language that at version .6, is in its early days. According to Mozilla, the pair wants to take advantage of the coming "faster, multi-core, heterogeneous computing architectures."Both companies have decided to put resources into the project although there is no target date for having the software available. With Samsung's help, Mozilla wants to bring the Servo browser to Android and ARM. Thus far, the Korean tech titan has provided an ARM backend to Rust as well as the build infrastructure needed for Mozilla to cross-compile to Android.

Mozilla is currently working on getting Firefox OS out and Samsung continues to flex its muscles in front of Google to let the Mountain View based tech titan know that the Korean OEM is not a Google hand puppet playing in the Android Theater. It is the same reason why Samsung is keeping Tizen around, to let Google know who really is responsible for Android's success and to make Google concerned that at anytime, Samsung could take its ball back and go home.

A7 chips for next year's Apple iPhone 6 to come from TSMC?

A rumor, relayed by Taiwan's Economic Daily News, suggests that with Samsung's contract with Apple to produce chips for its rival about to expire, Cupertino based Apple will turn to TSMC. The paper says that for 2014's Apple iPhone 6, TSMC will provide the A7 chip, built using the 20nm process. That would indicate that this year's rumored Apple iPhone 5S will not be powered by the next generation of silicon.

The Apple A6X is used on the fourth iteration of the Apple iPad

The report does add though, that the branding mentioned above could be off and that the 20nm chip could actually be called the A8 or something else. TSMC Chairman and CEO Morris Chang is extremely bullish about the 20nm technology, predicting that the line will outsell the chips made by the 28nm process in two years. At this point, any working relationship between the Taiwan chipmaker and Apple is speculation. There has been talk for years about Apple leaving Samsung and looking for a replacement. The difference is that now the acrimony between the two is so fierce after last year's epic patent trial, that a divorce between the two seems like the only way out.

The A-series chips debuted with the A4 in the OG Apple iPad in 2010. Since then, the latest version of the Apple iPad has been powered by an enhanced version of the current Apple iPhone chip using an "X" designation, like the current A6X used for the fourth generation iPad. The Apple iPhone 5 is powered by the A6

One Sony line to start with the 20 MP Cyber-shot quality Honami phone

Over at the Esato forum threads dedicated to upcoming Sony phones that have been a source for many correct predictions in the past, the One Sony rumor we got fleshed out by a tipster last week is getting some even more heated speculation.

Our source indicated that the new line under the One Sony strategy will be different from the Xperia brand, and titled a different way, too, indicating that this will be the best Sony can offer in a mobile device, in collaboration with other departments outside of Sony Mobile.

Sony has a lot to offer in the camera department with the Cyber-shot brand, and in the audio realm with all the tech surrounding the Walkman moniker, but the saying now is that there will only be one flagship phone under the new umbrella, not separate devices for camera aficionados with Cyber-shot module, and with Walkman branding for music fans.

This One Sony flagship is codenamed Honami, the poster hints, and is not fully decided on yet, though design might be finalized as soon as this month. Specs are reiterated again to be a Snapdragon 800 chipset at 2.3 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, 5" Full HD screen, and a 2700-3000 mAh battery. The display panel is said to gravitate around two choices - JDI panel with WhiteMagic tech, or a Sharp IGZO screen.

The most interesting part, however, is the alleged Cyber-shot camera module, which might be around 20 MP with the fashionable pixel-binning tech that got pioneered in a phone by the 808 PureView, accompanied by an eventual Xenon flash for the still shots. If this is not enough to make you drool about Sony's new flagship strategy, the Honami phone is also claimed to be water and dust resistant, so it sounds like the dream Android device, depending on how compact Sony managed to make it with all that camera jazz inside.

Last but not least, Sony is apparently still mulling whether to announce it in the summer or a bit later to take on the holiday shopping craze directly. It is also indicated that Sony might not be giving this camera tech to Apple or Samsung to put in their phones, like it's been doing so far with its mobile camera sensors. Well, if Sony pulls this off, this year will certainly mark the most stunning competition amongst flagship phones we've seen in a while, and will leave consumers bewildered by choices, which is a good thing.

The Facebook-centered HTC First press photo leaks out

Two days before its likely announcement, an alleged photo of the Facebook-centric HTC First leaked out. The smartphone will all but certainly make an appearance this coming Thursday, on April 4 during a press event hosted by the social networking giant.

The leaked press photo reveals the front of the upcoming device and a three-button configuration below its display. Curiously, there are no logos whatsoever present on the device's front.
The rumored specs of the HTC First include a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus CPU, a gig of RAM, 4.3" 720p display, and a 5MP camera. The OS is expected to be Android 4.1.2 with HTC Sense 4.5 and, of course, deep Facebook integration.

Androidbook to be an Android notebook, to come in Q3 2013?

Androidbook, an Android-powered notebook might get unveiled in the third quarter of 2013, according to an interesting speculation from DigiTimes, a publication with deep roots in Taiwan’s tech supply chain.

the digitime resarch the analytical division of the publication, has suggested that the Androidbook could become a reality in Q3 2013. It cites the arrival of Google’s Chrome head, Sundar Pichai, on top of the Android system. To remind you, Google has recently unveiled its Chromebook Pixel notebook that beat the MacBook Retina to become the laptop with highest resolution on the market.

Up until now, though, there were no clues of Google bridging the gap between Chrome OS and Android, and while an Androidbook won’t exactly merge the platforms, it might cannibalize ChromeBook sales. Don't forget that this is just a speculation from DigiTimes analysts, and this time it does not seem to have its roots in their famous supply chain sources, so take it with the usual grain of salt.

Still, the Linux-based Android definitely has a lot of the versatility of the of a traditional desktop platform. And with more than 700,000 apps, it definitely has an edge over Chrome OS. What do you think, would you consider buying an Androidbook?

Alleged photo of a Nokia Lumia 950 prototype pops up

An alleged photo of Nokia Lumia 950 prototype has emerged, thus pointing at what could be the Finnish company's upcoming flagship. Accompanying the photo were some rumored details on the upcoming device, whose name subtly harks back at the good old days of Nokia N95.

The Nokia Lumia 950 is reportedly going to feature an AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280x768 pixels. The display is reportedly sporting similar PureMotion HD tech as the one found in the Nokia Lumia 920.
The Nokia Lumia 950's camera is tipped to pack a larger sensor than its competitors'. Xenon flash, lossless zoom, oversampling, video stabilization, and superb low-light performance are among the camera's rumored features.

iOS 7 behind schedule but will have significantly updated UI

It seems the upcoming iOS 7 update is running behind schedule, according to the Daring Fireball. Engineers are now reportedly being pulled from the OS X 10.9 update to work on Apple's mobile operating system.

While that may seem like a bummer, there is good news as well. It seems that iOS 7 will be a major overhaul in terms of UI design over the previous versions of the operating system. The heavily skeuomorphic UI elements, such as leather trim, linen backgrounds and torn paper edges are reportedly being trashed, hopefully in favor of a cleaner, simpler UI. Engineers who are field testing the OS are carrying special devices with polarizing filters on the screen that limits the visibility so as to not give the new UI away. They normally wouldn't go this far if it wasn't significantly different.
Ever since Scott Forstall left Apple and handed over the reigns of iOS to Sir Jonathan Ive, it has been speculated as to what direction the future versions of iOS will take under the command of their new master. While Forstall clearly favored a more flamboyant approach to design, Ive has a much more simpler and minimalistic style, as can be seen from Apple's hardware.
As such, it is no surprise that iOS will also be taking a similar route in terms of design under Ive. Other than getting rid of the gaudy UI elements that had few fans, the new update will also give iOS a much needed UI refresh, which has clearly started looking long in the tooth.
We can now say we are genuinely looking forward to seeing what Apple has to showcase this year. Hopefully, they won't take too long.

ARM and TSMC successfuly tape out the first Cortex-A57 processor, using 16nm tech

Forget Cortex-A15 processor cores, as found in Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa processor for the Galaxy S4, and partially in Qualcomm's newest Snapdragons, like the 600 in HTC One.

The British mobile chip designer from ARM Holdings, and the TSMC foundry announced they have successfully taped out the first 64-bit Cortex-A57 processor, made using TSMC's novel 16nm FinFET production tech, after a cooperation in the 64-bit realm with the 20nm process that started last year. The project completion took just six months, and ARM says this is their most powerful processor yet.

When exactly are we to see the monster silicon in tablets and other mobile computing gear remains to be told, but given the pace with which things are happening in the mobile realm, this moment shouldn't be far off. We can only salivate at the possibilities such powerful processors will bring to devices, as ARM says it is even suitable to cluster up for servers, so how about them tablets with Cortex-A57 cores? TSMC was rumored to supply Apple with some 16nm FinFET chips for a "breakthrough product," so we might be seeing ARM's new baby in future iPads or even Macs at some point.

Moreover, after the report today that TSMC is ahead of schedule with the 20nm process, now comes the 16nm die shrink, which is sure to put some pressure on Samsung, whose foundry allegedly struggles with the 28nm production of the Exynost 5 Octa still.

Samsung makes Galaxy Star and Pocket Neo official

The venue is the Samsung Forum in South Africa and the news are the Samsung Galaxy Star and Galaxy Pocket Neo. Both handsets are now official and have been updated with specifications but we're yet to find about their respected availabilities and price.
The Galaxy Star comes with a 3" QVGA screen, Android Jelly Bean 4.1, 1 GHz single-core processor, a 2 MP camera and microSD card support.
The Galaxy Pocket Neo also boasts a 3" QVGA display but sheds some MHz from the processor, ending up with a single-core 850 MHz unit. It also has Jelly Bean 4.1 on tap and shares the 2 megapixel camera of the Galaxy Star.

Samsung Galaxy Star • Samsung Galaxy Pocket Neo
Both smartphones will also have dual-SIM versions, with the availability varying by markets.
We've heard before that the Galaxy Pocket Neo would be arriving in mid-May, but we are yet to get any info about the Galaxy Star.

Could this be a new Nokia Asha phone?

Phones belonging to Nokia's Asha lineup are anything but exciting, which comes as no surprise since they belong to the feature phone kind. Yet they are doing quite well in developing market, so perhaps it makes sense for their maker to keep on developing the series and expand it even further. Well, that's exactly what might be going on at Nokia's workshops right now.

The phone that appears in the image above was posted online by @evleaks – a trustworthy source of insider information. Supposedly, that's a new Nokia Asha model right there, or at least a concept of what the company has in stock for its budget-conscious customers. The handset, if real, appears to have adopted quite a few visual cues from the Nokia lumia smartphones, including the colorful shell and the simplified interface. It also looks quite iPhone-esque with that single button positioned in the middle. While this recent leak shows only the handset's front side, a set of renderings leaked back in February shows what's hiding in the back.

 Ultimately, what makes us think that we're looking at a conceptual device is the home button's design – the device in the middle has a "back" arrow while the ones on its sides have just a simple circle. But then again, what's rendered in the image might not differ much from what Nokia's about to launch. What do you, guys, think? Would a simpler design make Ashas more attractive?

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 to debut in May or June, cost €300

Another year, another Galaxy Ace smartphone is in the works. According to SamMobile, Samsung is preparing a follow-up to the Galaxy Ace 2 with an updated screen, processor and more color options.

The Galaxy Ace 3 would carry the GT-S7272 model number, which following Samsung's nomenclature hints to a dual-SIM version. The third-gen Galaxy Ace is purported to sport a 4.0" display of an yet undisclosed resolution, although rumors have it that a 720p display and a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU are likely. Android Jelly Bean is going to be in the driver's seat, but a specific version isn't yet known.
The specs sheet of the new Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 includes a 5MP camera, 4GB of internal storage and 1,500mAh battery, which happens to be exactly the same as the one found in the Ace 2. The variety of colors available is nice as well - Metallic Black, Metallic Blue, Pure White and Wine Red.
Expect the mid-ranger to debut towards the end of May or beginning of June, with a price of about €300.