this week

Lenovo launches IdeaPad Flex, a dual-mode Windows 8 notebook PC

Lenovo has officially taken wraps of IdeaPad Flex, a dual-mode notebook PC with a 10 point multitouch feature. Lenovo’s newest addition comes with an ability to flip 300 degrees to instantly switch between laptop and stand modes.

With the laptop mode, you get the integrated keyboard and a touchpad, while the stand model is designed for touch usage and social functionality.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex sports a 14-inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The notebook measures 343 x 250 x 21nn and weighs about 2 kilograms.
The Flex runs Windows 8 and is powered by a 4th generation Intel core i3 processor along 4 GB of RAM. The NVIDIA GeForce GT740M completes the graphics department. IdeaPad Flex also features a 720P camera, Dolby advanced audio certified speakers and a wide range of connectivity options.
The juice for the portable computer comes from a 48Wh battery, which according to the company lasts for about 6 hours of 1080p video playback.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex will be up for grabs in Black with Silver Grey edge color combination starting at $680.

Xolo Q2000 goes official, 5.5-inch display in tow

Xolo has officially unveiled the Q2000, a mid-range phablet with a 5.5" 720p screen. The device runs Android 4.2 Jelly Beans on a 1.2 GHz MediaTek quad-core processor with 1 GB of RAM. There's 8GB of internal memory that can be expanded up to 32 GB via microSD card slot.

Xolo Q2000 also houses a 13 megapixel rear camera with LED flash. The camera app features scene detection and tuning, HDR, face recognition, vertical and horizontal panorama.
Furthermore, the phablet packs a relatively small 2,600mAh battery that offers 17 hours of talk time on 2G and 12 hours on 3G. Xolo's newest offering measures 156 x 77.8 x 9.8 mm and weighs about 180 grams.
Xolo Q2000 is priced at INR 14,999 (about $240) and will be available in Black.

Limited edition Oppo N1 with CyanogenMod gets announced

Oppo announced that it will sell a limited edition of its N1 flagship with CyanogenMod out of the box. The smartphone will be available next month for the same price as the regular N1.

As expected, the CyanogenMod version of the Oppo N1 will support all the device’s features, including its tricked out camera. Furthermore, the device will come with unique retail box (as seen in the photo above) which includes a special case to go with other CyanogenMod specific accessories.
The “regular” Oppo N1 will not be left out of the CyanogenMod party as well. The device will come with the ROM pre-loaded, so users will be able to flash it right out of the box.

Samsung reaffirms its support for Tizen, sheds light on its future

A report in Korean media emerged, shedding light on Samsung’s future plans for Tizen. According to the head of Samsung Electronics’ visual display unit, the OS represents a “significant investment” for Samsung, and much progress has been achieved in its development.


The company’s executive further iterated that a Tizen smartphone will be released before any other device. However, the launch of Samsung’s first handset has been pushed for 2014, not this year as initially expected.
On a couple of different occasions recently, we saw the Samsung Z9005 Redwood appear with Tizen on board. The smartphone however, is a developer-only device.

Sony reveals its Android 4.4 KitKat upgrade plans

Google officially announced the 4.4 KitKat a couple of days and today, Sony has revealed its Android upgrade roadmap. In an official blog post, the Japanese manufacturer has also announced its plans with the 4.3 Jelly Bean roll out.
As promised, Sony will be bringing the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to its Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia SP, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Tablet Z. The software roll-out will begin from next month and as usual, the upgrades will seed region by region.


The Android 4.3 Jelly Bean upgrade list just doesn't end with the top-tier smartphones. Sony has confirmed that Xperia T, Xperia TX and the Xperia V will be upgraded to 4.3 Jelly Bean.
Sony is also the first smartphone manufacturer to break the news about its Android 4.4 KitKat upgrade cycle. For now, the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra and the Xperia Tablet Z will be in the queue to get the latest 4.4 KitKat update.
Google has already announced that the 4.4 KitKat is designed to scale and automatically fit on the devices with as little as 512 MB of RAM. So, the update might eventually make it to a numerous Xperia devices, but no further model names have been confirmed at the moment.

Google debuts ART in KitKat, aims to change Android

Here's something you probably haven't even heard of yet. It's a little something that Google engineers have been working on for over two years, which will change the very way your Android smartphone runs apps.
ART, which is short for Android Runtime, aims to replace Dalvik and change the way your Android-powered smartphone runs. Dalvik is the one responsible for running apps on Android. Its runtime uses the JIT complier (Just-In-Time) to interpret bycode, which is a partial version of the original application code. ART uses the AOT process (Ahead-Of-Time) and basically pre-compiling the bycode into machine language the moment an app is installed, making them in essence native apps.


This will eliminate the need for a virtual machine or interpreting code, which will cut startup times greatly. Currently ART is in experimental stages but you can still enable it on your KitKat Nexus device by going to Settings > Developer options > Select runtime. Keep in mind that this will require a reboot and will take about 10 minutes to boot all apps up again. Also don't try this on other AOSP builds right now as it makes the OS crash and become unusable.
Initial observations show that execution time on most apps has been cut in half. And once Google gets around to making ART official, the runtime process would be market ready and much faster.
The compromises with this method of running apps is that each app would take a longer time to install, which isn't ideal if you're coming from a backup and are waiting for loads of apps to install. Also the app would consume more storage because the bycode is being fully compiled - around 10% to 20% more.
Still if ART proves ready for prime time it would promise better app loading times, increased battery life and superior multitasking.

Future Samsung devices will pack house-made CPUs, 560ppi displays

Samsung’s mobile devices will feature house-made CPU core and displays with 560ppi in the near future. The word arrived during today's conference call, where the company’s executive team spoke about what lies ahead.

The move of CPU core production in house will be a particularly important shift for Samsung, as currently, the company’s chipsets feature CPU cores licensed from ARM. It will be accomplished in two-steps – Samsung will first develop 64-bit cores based on ARM designs and then move to its own.
Mobile displays were another hot topic of conversation during the analyst event. Next year, Samsung will out RGB AMOLED displays with a pixel density of 560ppi. Combined with the targeted WQHD resolution (2,560 x 1,440 pixels), the aforementioned pixel density points at a display with a 5.25” diagonal coming our way (quite adequate for a Samsung Galaxy S5 we’d say).

Furthermore, Samsung will out mobile devices with 4K displays in 2015. With a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, those screens will represent a huge leap compared to the 1080p units which are in fashion today.

Archos announces 101 XS 2 Android tablet

Archos has launched a new large Android tablet, the 101 XS 2. It has a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 resolution IPS display and Archos Coverboard keyboard that snaps magnetically to the tablet and acts as a cover, keyboard and a kickstand.

On the inside is a quad-core Cortex A9 CPU clocked at 1.6GHz and Mali 400 MP4 GPU, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage space with microSD card. The tablet has 2 megapixel cameras on the front and back. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
The Archos 101 XS 2 will be available in December in the UK for £249.99.

Verizon Ellipsis 7 with quad-core processor goes official

After appearing in rumorland, the Verizon Ellipsis is now official. Verizon’s first tablet is 4G LTE enabled and will rub its shoulders against the likes of Google nexus 7.

As the name suggests, Verizon’s Ellipsis is a 7-inch slate with a 720p IPS LCD display. The tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and there is 8 GB of internal storage which can be expanded via microSD card slot.
Verizon Ellipsis runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box and will be eligible for future OS updates. Lastly, the juice for the slate comes from a 4,000mAh battery.
Verizon’s newest addition to the tablet club is priced at $249. However, you can get one for $149 if you purchase it with a two-year contract.

Google announces Helpouts

Google Helpouts is a brand new service from Google that will let you get help on any topic you want from real people over the internet through a video call. The service offers you a bunch of topics to choose from and you can also type in what you need help with.

Helpouts then presents you with options that match your query. You will see a list of Helpouts that you can choose from that best match your query, with the name of the people who will be conducting the call. You can start a Helpout call with the person immediately or schedule it for later.
Most of the Helpouts are paid and you will be paying from $1 onwards (I’ve seen some costing over $100 per call) depending upon the person you will be contacting. Some Helpouts are free but those are few and far between.

Nikon has announced a new member of their high-end FX format DSLR

Nikon has announced a new member of their high-end FX format DSLRs. The Nikon Df straddles the line between a classic Nikon camera designed around the lines of the old Nikon ‘F’ series of 35mm film cameras and a modern day DSLR.

On the outside, the Df is all retro. The body is made out of magnesium alloy and leather. On the top sits a roof mounted pentaprism with a hotshoe. The camera comes with a smattering of mechanical dials to adjust everything, from ISO to exposure compensation, release mode and exposure mode and a body mounted shutter button with threaded release port. The Df is being released with the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition lens that is designed to match the look of the camera.

On the inside, the Df is basically the previously launched Nikon D4. It has the same 16.2 megapixel full-frame FX format CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 100 to 12,800, expandable up to 204,800. The 39-point auto-focus system, however, has been borrowed from the Nikon D610. The Df also has a high resolution 921k dot 3.2-inch LCD on the back. One thing missing from the Df, however, is a video recording mode.
The Nikon Df will be available in black and silver for $2,749.95 (body only) and for $2,999.95 with the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition lens later this month.

Nokia is reportedly working on a compact Windows RT tablet dubbed Illusionist

As the Nokia Lumia 2520 enjoys its fair share of attention, a report on the company’s second Windows RT tablet made the rounds. Allegedly, an 8” Windows RT slate dubbed Nokia Illusionist is in development.

Reportedly the Nokia Illusionist will be released in early 2014 with Qualcomm silicon on board. The slate will slot perfectly in the range between the 10” Nokia Lumia 2520 and the 6” Lumia 1520 Phablet.
Unsurprisingly, the upcoming 8” Lumia tablet will sport similar design to the 2520 (think a stretched Lumia smartphone). The device is said to sport a lower model number than the one of its larger relative.

HGST creates helium-filled HDDs with 6TB capacity

HDDs are still kings when it comes to capacity (especially if you look at GB/$ ratio) and HGST, a Western Digital subsidiary, has been working hard to ensure that this remains the case. The company’s new helium-filled Ultrastar He6 HDDs have 6TB capacity, 50% more than the 4TB of current drives.

The helium-based design has other advantages too – the gas is significantly less dense than air, which results in less friction and lower operating temperature for the drive. Helium-filled HDDs spinning at 7,200RPM run 5 degrees cooler than conventional HDDs.
They use up to 23% less power too, which is another major consideration for datacenters. HGST plans to sell to server and storage array manufactures. Netflix, a client of HGST, says these two factors will play a big role in optimizing the video streaming servers of the company.
Anyway, the Ultrastar He6 is the same size as conventional 4TB drives but fits seven platters instead of five, which helps increase the storage capacity. The He6 drives are also lighter (no, not because helium is lighter than air), which will be good for laptops so here’s hoping the company brings its helium design to 2.5″ drives, too.

Nokia Lumia 525 gets certified in China, new images appear

The Nokia Lumia 525 has bouncing around in rumorland by its codename "Glee" for quite a while now. The upcoming device will be the replacement for the hugely successful Lumia 520, and naturally, the smartphone is set to compete strongly in the midrange sector.
We now have the first leaked images of the Lumia 520 successor, which comes from China's mobile certification agency TENAA, which is equivalent to the FCC in the US.

According to the certification, the Lumia 525 is said to be a music oriented smartphone. The hardware specifications of the device are rumored to be similar to what we found on the Lumia 520, except for the RAM being boosted from 512MB to 1GB.
Sources say the Nokia Lumia 525 will be announced by the end of the year and the smartphone will be available in White, Yellow, Black and Orange color options.

Samsung deals with Nokia on patents for another 5 years

Samsung and Nokia have agreed to extend their patent agreement for another 5 years, granting the Korean tech giant access to Nokia phone patents until 2019. Samsung will pay additional compensation for patent use for the period starting January 1, 2014 (which is when the previous agreement was scheduled to end).


The exact amount of compensation is expected to be settled in a separate binding arbitration scheduled for 2015. Nokia expects the arbitration to save significant transaction costs related to licensing disputes between the two companies.
The patent extension sheds some light on Nokia's plans after the Microsoft acquisition, namely that the company will continue to make money on smartphones by "actively managing its patent portfolio and licensing activities," which are not part of the Microsoft deal.

Motorola posts teaser page for upcoming Moto G midranger

The Moto G existence has officially been confirmed by Motorola and Google but all we're getting right now is a teaser. The official announcement will take place on November 13, which is next Wednesday.



We received a new tip from an employee of a UK-based retailer with the photo below. Our tipster was told not to put up the tag until November 25, which makes the 25th the likely launch date for the Moto G.
From past leaks we know that the Moto G is a cheaper alternative to the Moto X. It will have a 4.5" 720p screen with Gorilla Glass, quad-core Snapdragon chipset (perhaps a 200 with quad-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A7), 5MP camera with 720p video, and 8GB of storage. The G will run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean instead of 4.4 KitKat (though this rumor is from before the KitKat announcement).
According to a tip we received, the Moto G will cost just £135 off contract (that's $215 or €160).
The teaser page for the Moto G shows a globe, which may indicate a worldwide launch (the tip from the UK helps too). This is welcome news considering the Moto X is next to impossible to find outside the US.

Qualcomm to introduce Adreno 400 in 2014

Qualcomm's Adreno 330 GPU that powers the Snapdragon 800 is currently one of the most successful and powerful on the market. However, Qualcomm won't settle with resting on its laurels and the popular chipmaker is already working on its successor, the Adreno 400. The new GPU series is expected to debut alongside a new Snapdragon chipset.
In the past, Qualcomm has showcased its new innovations at CES and the company might well continue to do that early next year in the 2014 edition of the Consumer Electronic Show.


The Adreno 400 is said to come out with a significant boost to its graphic performance. However, if rumors are to be trusted, the Adreno 400 will not support OpenCL.
Currently, the Adreno 330 has the ability to push 3.6 Gigapixels per second. Naturally, the next iteration of the GPU is expected to be a lot quicker than that.
However, please keep in mind that there is no official word from Qualcomm just yet, so take all this information with a pinch of salt.