this week

LG's Optimus G Pro revealed in leaked image with 5-inch 1080p display, 3,000mAh battery and LTE

The LG Optimus G is one of the most powerful phones on the market right now and it got the honor of being the basis of the latest Google Nexus phone. Yet, LG may already be working on an improved version, the LG Optimus G Pro.
Blog of Mobile came upon some info that points to the Optimus G Pro joining the 5” 1080p fight. The quad Krait CPU will be clocked at 1.7GHz (up from 1.5GHz) and the battery capacity has been bumped up to 3000mAh. It might also pack an IR port, similar to the Sony Xperia ZL.
The rest is pretty much the same – 13MP camera, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, LTE connectivity, dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, NFC, wallet and a couple of digital TV standards (presumably, those won’t make it to the worldwide version).
The LG Optimus G Pro will measure 139 x 70 x 10mm and weigh 160g according to rumors.
A couple of things lend some credence to the G Pro rumors - the image above was sent to Engadget by an anonymous tipster and Piet Zweegers, who sent this in to us, found out LGOptimusGPro.nl is registered by LG Electronix Benelux (there's nothing at that domain at the moment).
This isn't the first time we're hearing of such a device - it sounds very close to the rumored specs of the LG Optimus G2.
If it pans out, it will be interesting because the G Pro will depart from the 16:10 aspect ratio of the Optimus G (unless the Pro has a 1200 x 1920 screen, which was mislabeled as 1080p by the rumors) and it will undoubtedly spark rumors of a Nexus 5.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11

The Yoga 11 is the little brother of last year's Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, one of the flagship laptop-tablet hybrids for the launch of full-blown Windows 8. At 11 inches, it's smaller and runs the ARM-powered so it has more in common with an Android tablet than a traditional laptop. While the market has been disappointingly quiet, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 offers something a little different for Windows hybrid hunters. Its screen is the same size as the Sony Vaio Duo 11, and an inch smaller than the Dell XPS 12, but those machines run full-fat x86 Intel chips and cost over £1,000/US$1,100 to the Yoga 11's £699/$849. It's a nifty device in itself, but it's not as fun as Microsoft Surface, and unless you're looking for a work laptop that doubles as a nifty tablet to watch films on, we'd advise forking out for the Sony Vaio Duo.


Microsoft Surface Pro

Microsoft Surface Pro is the full-blown Windows 8 version of the Surface RT laptop-tablet hybrid device we reviewed in Tech. last year. It will run on an Intel chip rather than a low-power mobile option, and will consequently be able to run any software that any other Windows 8 machine can run. In other words, it's the non-hamstrung version. The one people might actually want to buy. Microsoft isn't yet ready to talk about the exact launch date for this product, but we have had a chance to have a good play with it and to try out the new pen. We didn't have enough time to test battery life but Windows Store apps feels just as responsive as on Surface RT, and desktop programs feel as responsive as you'd expect from a Core i5. Microsoft's first real PC is shaping up to be really great and really portable.

Nikon 1 J2

Although the Nikon 1 J1 proved to be an incredibly popular compact system camera (which has since been replaced by the Nikon 1 J2 and joined by the Nikon 1 J3), its larger sibling, the Nikon 1 V1, was never as popular. Perhaps seen as not serious enough for "advanced photographers", its high asking price put off the beginners who were busy investing in the Nikon 1 J1. Now, however, Nikon has replaced the Nikon 1 V1 with the Nikon 1 V2, which promises to be an evolution of the existing camera and is what Nikon hopes will attract those lucrative more serious customers - the ones who are more likely to buy additional lenses and other accessories down the line. Although this camera probably still won't overtake the J series in terms of popularity, the images from it are a step up for those looking to get a little more serious with their photography, making it a good introduction to the world of CSCs.

PS4 to be more powerful than Xbox 720 state developer sources

A leading gaming website has reported that the PlayStation 4 will be significantly more powerful than the next Xbox, although Microsoft's machine will boast more RAM.
Widely-respected website VG247 has quoted developer sources who have knowledge of the specs for the PS4, codenamed Orbis, and the Xbox 720, codenamed Durango.
According to the site the PS4 will have a run-capability of 1.84 teraflops, significantly more than the suggested 1.23 teraflops from the new Xbox.
However, when it comes to RAM - not something to be overlooked - the Xbox will have 8GB compared to Orbis' 4GB.
Last, but not least, the Xbox will apparently play Blu-ray discs this time, something that was confined to Sony's PS3 in the current console generation.
Of course, without official word these specs remain rumours, but there is nothing here that does't have a ring of truth to it, and VG247 certainly has decent contacts within the industry.
And it sets the scene or another round of fanboy arguments as to which console represents the better gaming experience.
For many gamers, the most important piece of information is just when the new consoles will be arriving - and it looks increasingly likely that both Microsoft and Sony could choose March to make their announcements.
That could mean that the PS4 and Xbox 720 arrive in time for the turn of the year in home territories, with the likes of UK and Australia not too far behind.

From VG247

FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard hands-on

At first thought, we really wondered what case scenario would best fit a pocketable Bluetooth keyboard. Considering that the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard can be tucked away in your pockets, some would naturally think it’d be an ideal companion for many of today’s gadgets – like tablets and smartphones. Even though we’d prefer a keyboard that’s more full-sized, we soon realized that there is one perfect case where the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard best fits in.

With its pocket friendly size, we find that the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard is best used on the couch. Yes folks, you heard that right – the couch. Actually, we paired it up to a Motorola DROID RAZR HD, which we connected to a high-def television via its HDMI-out connection. Seeing that there’s a very useful built-in trackpad on the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard, we’re able to navigate through the UI of the phone with no issues at all. Also, it helps that there are left/right mouse buttons to ease the navigation too – especially paired to any Windows/Mac PC.

As for the typing experience, we really can’t complain about it, since the buttons are adequately sized for the pocket-size of the keyboard. Bubbled in the center of each button, there’s enough distinction between them – and that’s despite the fact they’re crunched up next to one another. At the same time, there’s a nice responsive click feel with every press. Showing off its usability, we also appreciate that there is a dedicated row for numbers, and another set for various media functions.

Finally, the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard is great for presentations as well because it’s also packing along a red laser pointer – so there’s plenty of fun with it. Rather than relying on usual replaceable batteries, it’s comforting to know it’s using a rechargeable one instead. And if you plan on using this with a PC, it’s great that the USB Bluetooth adapter is neatly tucked away into the body of the keyboard (where the battery is located) when it’s not in use. Honestly, for $50 you’ll need to fork over to pick this up, there’s plenty of value in the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard – plus, it’s a versatile tool!

Korean researchers make 'the world's first imprintable and bendable lithium-ion battery'