Samsung reportedly squeezed out 350 ppi out of an OLED display panel

It looks like Samsung is about to answer all critics of the PenTile natured displays of the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S III in an adequate fashion. The Korean giant has reportedly squeezed out the jaw dropping 350ppi out of an AMOLED display with RGB stripe.

 The feat has been accomplished in laboratory test, via the application of fine metal mask technology, which is a departure of the, currently used by Samsung, laser-induced thermal imaging method.
Naturally, we hope that the new tech makes it to production as soon as possible. After all the possibility of 350ppi display sporting Samsung smartphone will surely be tempting to many.

Samsung has started pushing out Android 4.0.4 to Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has reportedly, just started receiving its update to Android ICS.

Currently, the update has gone live in Italy, but should hit other regions soon.
This comes in line with previous information that Samsung would be updating their older Galaxy tablets to Android 4.0 in July and August.
You can receive the update either OTA or via Samsung Kies, but it’s recommended that you enable WiFi if you’re going the over-the-air route.
The other tablets which are slated to receive the update next month are:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wi-Fi
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wi-Fi + 3G
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Wi-Fi
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Wi-Fi + 3G
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Wi-Fi
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Wi-Fi + 3G

Samsung claim that the update will address various stability issues, as well as improve performance. While this is, unfortunately, not the most recent version of Android available (no Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for now), it’s still a step in the right direction. Here’s to hoping it won’t take them too long to seed Jelly Bean too.

Leaked Sony slides reveal a new Xperia tablet

According to some leaked slides, Sony is going to release a new Android tablet under the Xperia brand, thus unifying its smartphone and tablet business into one brand.

If the slides prove to be correct, the tablet is going to feature a 9.4-inch display with a 1280×800 pixels resolution powered by the quad-core Tegra 3 chipset.
Just like the company’s rather unsuccessful Tablet S, the upcoming Xperia tablet is going to rock the “wedge” design, but will boast 8.8mm thickness, making it 42% thinner than its predecessor. The battery is upgraded to a 6000mAh and boasts 10-hour browsing time.
All of this will be put into an all-aluminum construction, which would also be splashproof. Another good thing is the 8MP camera at the back, and a 1MP unit at the front for video chatting.
Naturally, there will be some accessories available, too. Among them will be a charging cradle, dock, speaker, stand and a carrying case.
With an expected release in September, the 16GB version of the tablet will cost $450, the 32GB a hundred more, and the 64GB version will retail for $650. However, an insider from Sony firmly believes the prices will start from $400, which is good news.

Sony is yet to decide which 2011 Xperia phones will get Jelly Bean

When a Sony spokesman let it slip that the company wouldn't update its 2011 Xperia Android smartphones to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, users got upset. Big time!

 But now it's time to turn that frown upside down, for Sony has released an official statement that this information was given "in error". The company says it's still researching which of the devices will actually get to receive the tasty Jell Bean update.

We are actively investigating Android OS upgrades for all devices, but in the meantime, our Ice Cream Sandwich rollout for Xperia S and 2011 Xperia smartphones continues as planned.

This is great news for owners of 2011 Xperia devices like the Xperia Arc and Xperia Mini Pro. All there's left to do now is wait and believe in Sony, though at that rate, we wouldn't expect ay update earlier than the holiday season.

An 11.8″ Samsung slate with ‘retina’ display gets revealed in court papers

It turns out that, along with the usual spat over current and past products, the legal battle between Apple and Samsung can also offer a look at future releases as well. An upcoming Samsung tablet with the rather unusual screen size of 11.8″ has been revealed in court papers from the Apple v. Samsung trial in California.

Codenamed P10, the slate is listed as having the ‘retina’ moniker deserving resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. That’s right in line to compete with Apple’s latest iPad, whose screen is with lower resolution, but slightly better pixel density due to its smaller size.

Since this is not the first time we’ve heard about such a tablet coming our way from Samsung, all we are left with is to be patient and wait for an official announcement. It might happen as early as August 15.

Facebook updates photos with a new mosaic view

Facebook has revamped the photos view in your profile, which will now show up as a mosaic of different sized photos that roughly resembles the Metro UI on the Windows 8 homescreen. It also looks very similar to the way Google+ arranges images in its photos view.

 The new photos view also puts all your pictures in one location. If you want to highlight certain images, you can click on the image and select the Highlight option, at which point that photo’s thumbnail will appear four times bigger than the others. Of course, you still have the albums as before, now in a separate section.

 As is usual for Facebook changes, this new update will roll out gradually to everyone, so if you don’t have it already, you should get it soon.

Reuters and AllThingsD confirm an Apple event for September 12

We were seriously considering turning a deaf ear to yesterday's rumors about Apple shifting their expected launch date to September 12, much like we did with that August launch rumor.
Still, we decided to run the story and today, the rumor is getting even more supporting evidence thanks to Reuters and AllThingsD, who claim independently that unnamed sources of theirs confirm the speculated date.
Yesterday, we heard both from iMore and iLounge that come mid-September we'll see Apple unveil their next iPhone, their next iPod Touch, an update to the iPod Nano and a refresh of the iPad, including a smaller, sub-8-inch version of the popular slate.

 Today, AllThingsD are adding that a source of theirs has also confirmed there will be an event in the week starting on September 10. A Wednesday event is highly probable, so the date of September 12 is a safe bet.
Reuters too, chime in with a confirmation, thanks to "a source familiar with the plan", but they also add that the date is not set in stone and is still a subject to change.
The announcement of the next iPhone is one of most anticipated industry events and the next iteration (be it called iPhone 5 or else) is expected to have a larger, 4-inch screen, a new, smaller connectivity port and an audio jack shifted to its bottom.

Sony Xperia LT29i Hayabusa previewed before launch

The Sony Xperia LT29i Hayabusa (the international version of the Xperia GX) has teased the rumor mill with a few spy shots of the device and a couple of camera samples, but now someone at ePrice got their hands on an engineering sample and did an extensive preview of the phone, complete with 13MP camera samples. It's a bit odd, but the prototype bears the "Sony Ericsson" logo.
Anyway, the Hayabusa is 8.6mm thick - a hair thinner than the Xperia arc - and features a similar curved back. The weight is reported at 127g. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 with a dual-core Krait processor, which will run at 1.5GHz at launch (the engineering sample is underclocked to 918MHz), 1GB of RAM and Adreno 225 GPU.

 The screen is a 4.6" LCD with 720p resolution and there are no physical keys on the front. Here it's shown next to that of the HTC One X and exhibits color shifting when viewed at an angle (this is typical of Xperia phones).

 

The XPERIA logo below the screen is illuminated and even pulses in rhythm when there' music.

The Sony Xperia LT29i Hayabusa runs a customized version of Android 4.0.4. Check out the video below, which shows the task switcher that also launches floating widgets (similar to the mini apps in Samsung's tablets). The task switcher is at 1:30, but the rest is pretty interesting to

The star of the show is at the back - a 13MP camera with LED flash that can record FullHD video. The camera samples look really good, though there's no decent video sample (only one shot in the dark and heavily compressed by the video sharing service).
Also on the back is a noise cancelling microphone and an NFC antenna. Below the back cover is a 1700mAh battery plus SIM and microSD card slots. Unlike some Xperia devices of late, the battery is removable, which is a relief.

We don't know for certain when the Sony Xperia LT29i Hayabusa will launch - the Xperia GX (that's the Japanese version of the phone) will launch on August 9 according to rumors, but the Hayabusa may come out as late as October. 

Samsung Galaxy Beam is officially available in the UK

The Samsung Galaxy Beam is now officially available throughout the UK. Reportedly, some stores have already been selling it for a week or so, but it is today that Samsung deems the official launch of the smartphone/projector.

If you've followed the previous news about its availability, you will know that the Galaxy Beam does not come cheap (be it in or outside the UK).
Buying at Clove UK will cost you the cool £412 ($647; €528) with VAT included.
The Carphone Warehouse would also offer you the handset for free with a number of contract options with Orange and T-Mobile.
Amazon UK doesn't offer it, but there are some sellers there that have it for about the same price as Clove.
Expansys UK sells a cheaper European model and a more expensive UK one.
We guess you can get it in many more online shops, those just came up first in our search. Feel free to shop around.
And if you are interested in getting one, don't forget to check out our review before you shell out the cash.

Microsoft Surface to launch along with Windows 8 on October 26

Microsoft has revealed in its annual report filed this week that the anticipated Windows 8 based Surface tablet will be released along with the operating system on October 26.

So far we only knew that the tablet would go on sale sometime after the launch of the OS but it’s good to know that the tablet will also be releasing on the same day.
In case you are not aware, the Surface is Microsoft’s upcoming tablet designed completely in-house by Microsoft. There will be two versions of it, the Surface, running Windows RT on an ARM-based NVIDIA Tegra processor and the Surface Pro, running Windows 8 on an Intel Ivy Bridge processor. The Surface has a 10.1-inch HD display, whereas the Surface Pro ups the resolution to FullHD. The tablet has an molded magnesium casing called VaporMg with an integrated kickstand. Microsoft will also be providing a unique soft cover for the tablet that has built-in capacitive keyboard and trackpad.
No price information is known at the moment but it is speculated that the base Surface will start at $499, same as the new iPad.

Samsung launches the Omnia M S7530, costs around €270

Couple of months after the announcement, Samsung is now launching the Omnia M S7530.

The device runs the soon-to-be-obsolete Windows Phone 7.5 Tango and specs-wise looks like a cut-down version of the Omnia W. It's powered by a 1GHz single-core processor and comes with 384MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage (unlike the 1.4GHz and 512MB of RAM found in the Omnia W).
Compared to the Omnia W, the Omnia M packs a bigger 4.0-inch Super AMOLED at the front, but a similar 5MP camera at the back, which unfortunately, doesn't capture 720p videos, but still has an LED flash. Additionally, 3G HSDPA speeds go only as high as 7.2Mbps instead of the 14.4Mbps on the Omnia W.
The Omnia M carries an official price tag of Rs.18,650 (about €270) in India, which doesn't make much sense considering the Omnia W costs significantly less than that. However, you can find it cheaper thanks to some local deals.

Android NFC 'hacking' is ingenious, but not yet dangerous

The Black Hat conference takes place in Las Vegas this week, where hackers, security experts and representatives from major companies meet to discuss all things relating to information security. If you're following the news out of the conference today, you may have come across reports of a new security vulnerability in Android (and NFC-enabled Meego phones) that could allow a malicious NFC (near-field communication) tag to beam malware directly onto your phone. Sounds terrifying, right? Now hackers can take over your smartphone without you even doing anything. But as is always the case with these kinds of security issues, it's not as simple as it seems. And this NFC 'hack,' sexy and technically impressive as it is, isn't really anything particularly scary to regular smartphone users.
First off, we should quickly explain what NFC actually is. It stands for near-field communication, and it's a a very short-range wireless communication technology designed for sending small amounts of data instantly over very short distances. On smartphones, this can be used to transfer things like URLs from one handset to another, or alternatively to scan NFC "tags," which can themselves contain small quantities of data that the phone can then act upon. It can also be used for facilitate payments, for example via Google Wallet.
Multiple sources report that security researcher Charlie Miller demonstrated a variety of techniques for hacking into the Nexus S (on Gingerbread), the Galaxy Nexus (on Ice Cream Sandwich) and the Meego-powered Nokia N9 at Black Hat this week. Many of the scariest exploits were found on the N9, but we'll focus on Android here, 'cause that's what we do. (And that's also what many of today's headlines focus on.)
Starting at the high end, on the Galaxy Nexus Miller demonstrated that NFC-enabled Android phones running Ice Cream Sandwich or later use Android Beam, a feature which some (but not all) have turned on by default. Amongst other things, Beam lets users load URLs from another phone or NFC tag directly into the device's web browser. That means it's possible, with a malicious NFC tag, to send an unassuming user directly to a malicious web page. For that to work, though, the tag needs to be within the very short range at which NFC radios can operate -- basically all but touching the back of the device. Android Beam opens tagged URLs automatically without any prompt, by design. It's a valid security concern, but not an exploit in the traditional sense, as in order to do anything you need to find a vulnerability in the user's web browser of choice.
If you're using the built-in Android browser on Android 4.0.1, then such a bug exists, and that could allow a specially designed web page to run code on the device. Again, an entirely valid security issue, but using NFC as a delivery method for this kind of exploit is far from practical. Not to mention Android 4.0.1 was only released on the Galaxy Nexus, a phone which has since been updated to Android 4.0.4 or 4.1.1, depending on your carrier.
Miller also demonstrated how he could exploit bugs in Android 2.3's memory management to cause a Gingerbread device with NFC support to execute code using a malicious tag. That potentially gives an attacker the ability to take complete control of the device using only an NFC tag, but we should point out a few factors that make this a less serious issue that you might think. Sure, Android 2.3 Gingerbread is still the most-used version of Android, and many new Android devices ship with NFC support, but there's little cross-over between the two. The Nexus S was the first Android handset to support NFC, but that's since been updated to Jelly Bean. Other NFC-supporting devices shipped on 2.3, but most of the mainstream Android phones with NFC run at least version 4.0.3, which isn't vulnerable to the exploits used in this demo. In fact, we can't think of a single Gingerbread phone with NFC that's yet to be updated to at least Android 4.0.3.
So vulnerabilities certainly exist, but right now the only serious ones are limited to a very small subset of the Android population with NFC, and a very specific OS version. What's more, the phone needs to be powered on, the NFC radio needs to be enabled, and the user needs to be distracted enough so as not to notice the tell-tale NFC tone or vibration.
Ultimately, any exploit involving physical access to the device being hacked is going to be of limited use to the real bad guys. Taking control of a smartphone over NFC in the real world is going to be dangerous and impractical to would-be perps, even after the methods shown at Black Hat are publicized. If I have access to your phone, powered on, for an extended period, with malicious intent, NFC isn't going to be my first port of call. The exploits demonstrated by Charlie Miller this week are ingenious and undeniably cool to read about. But it's easy to exaggerate the real danger they pose, especially when the mainstream reporting of these hacks is light on important technical details.
Bottom line -- if you enjoy using NFC on your Android phone from time to time, you're safe to continue doing just that.

Sony's tiny Xperia Tipo headed to O2 and Orange in the UK

Sony's latest entry-level smartphone, the Xperia Tipo, is set to launch on O2 and Orange in the UK from next month. Announced in mid-June, the pint-size handset comes loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as well as Sony's UXP NXT software. That makes the Xperia Tipo the first entry-level Sony handset to ship with ICS.

Hardware-wise, the Xperia Tipo provides enough horsepower for a basic Android smartphone experience -- a 3.2-inch screen, an 800MHz CPU, a 3.2MP rear camera and 1500mAh battery, which Sony says can deliver more than 24 hours of usage. Internal storage is split between 768MB for apps and 2.5GB for media, and that's expandable via a microSD card slot. That's all wrapped up in a neatly-designed package reminiscent of last year's Xperia Active.

An O2 "coming soon" page indicates that the Xperia Tipo will be arriving sometime in August. There's no word on pricing yet, but we'd expect the phone to sell for around £100 on Pay As You Go, or to be given away for free with 24 month contracts.

Samsung announces UK availability for Galaxy Beam

 It's been more than five months since we first saw the Samsung Galaxy Beam at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and now it looks like the phone/projector hybrid is set to officially make its way to the UK. A Samsung press release indicates that the Beam is available in Britain from today, though no specific retailers, networks or price points are mentioned. Pre-order prices have suggested a fairly hefty £454.80 including VAT, or £379 (~$600) excluding VAT to buy the Beam outright.

The reason you might pay that much is the Galaxy Beam's built-in pico projector, which allows you to fire images up to 50 feet away from the device, depending on various factors like ambient lighting. Other specs are relatively run-of-the-mill -- a 1GHz dual-core CPU, a 4-inch WVGA display, 5MP camera and Android 2.3 Gingerbread (yeah, we know) backed up by Samsung's TouchWiz software. So there are certainly better deals to be had elsewhere for mainstream buyers, but if you want a portable image projector that ties into your smartphone, this is, for the moment, the only way you'll be able to get it.

We've got the full spec sheet and today's press release after the break.

NASA unveils Orion space capsule

 Kennedy Space Center (KSC) director Robert Cabana said: "As KSC celebrates its 50th anniversary I can't think of a more appropriate way to celebrate than by having the very first Orion crew vehicle here. Orion is ushering in a new era of space

 

The Orion's spacecraft olive-green aluminum-lithium metal panels are still to be covered by an advanced version of the thermal protection tiles that were earlier used on the space shuttle. The Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) capsule is

NASA's first space-bound Orion crew capsule on display in Kennedy Space Center's Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building in Florida, July 2, 2012. The spacecraft is set to launch on an unmanned test flight in 2014.

First Apple computer fetches $374,000

 The Apple l, the first Apple computer made by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, is seen on display at Sotheby's on June 8, 2012 in New York City. The computer was an integral component to the the personal computing revolution; it is set to be auctioned on June 15, 2012 and is expected to earn between $120,000 and $180,000. When originally sold, the monitor, keyboard and cassette interface were sold separately. It is believed less than 50 of the original Apple l are still in existence, with only six known to be in working condition. 

 

Nokia to launch Windows Phone 8 powered phones in September

This year is a big year for Microsoft.The company has rebuilt the Windows ecosystem around Windows 8 and its new Metro UI. There is alot riding on the success of Windows 8 and the recently demoed Windows Phone 8 OS which is Microsoft's successor for the Windows Phone family.
Nokia (which continues to see declines) was hit a blow when Microsoft announced that existing Windows Phone devices could not upgrade to Windows Phone 8 as it left current owners between a rock and a hard place and it would most certainly deter some new buyers from buying a device with an OS that was soon to be outdated.
Reports are however, that Nokia will be releasing devices rocking the anticipated Windows Phone 8 as early as September, that is way ahead of their competitors. If you are a Nokia fan or a fan of Windows Phone, then this is most certainly good news... a double rainbow if you wish. For Nokia, this is crucial, because it would allow them to gain important foothold in the lead-up to fall mobile sales as well as the upcoming holiday season and also against Apple as there are reports that Apple might also release it's new mobile phone and OS later this year.
The new Nokia devices, reportedly the Nokia Lumia 910 and 920 are expected to sport multi-core processors and High Resolution displays as Windows Phone 8 supports processors of up to 64 cores and a 720p high res displays. This is all thanks to Windows Phone 8 sharing it's core with Windows 8. As such, you can expect alot of additions, upgrades and perks in the upcoming release. The devices are expected to included Nokia PureView imaging technology which the monster Nokia 808 PureView sported with its impressive 41MP camera.
If the report does turn out to be true, then Nokia has some time to gain traction in the smartphone market. This may be one of the best chances they might ever get.

New iPhone Coming Sept 21st to be Announced on Sept 12

According to iMore the all the rumors will stop about what the new iPhone will look like on Wednesday, September 12, 2012. This is date that they have etched in stone as when Apple will have their big unveiling.
iMore got this information from "sources who have proven accurate in the past." This source has also told them that the new "Mini iPad" will be announced at this event which would make this a pretty big day for Apple fans the world over.
In keeping with Apples normal announce than release almost immediately trend the iPhone 5 is rumored to be available for purchase on Friday, September 21. There is not date known yet for the mini iPad as of yet.

Samsung reveal plans for two future Windows Phones

A look at some of the documents shown in the Apple vs. Samsung trial shows Samsung has two new Windows Phone devices in the works.

Both are set to feature the dual-core MSM8960 chipset, as well as support for HSPA+ 21Mbits and LTE.
The Odyssey will sport a 4.65" Super AMOLED screen of HD resolution, as well as an 8 MP rear-facing camera accompanied by a 2MP front-facer. Samsung have also confirmed support for NFC on this device.
The Marco will be the lesser of the two offerings, with a 4-inch Super AMOLED of 800 x 480 pixel resolution, and a 5 MP main camera alongside a 2MP front-facing one.
The court document indicates that the two devices will be released in Q4 of 2012.

HTC to shut down its office in South Korea

HTC will be shutting down its office in South Korea, reports The Next Web.
The reason for this is reportedly due to HTC's inability to compete with Korean companies like Samsung and even LG on their home ground, where sales of HTC devices are reportedly “sluggish”. Apple is the only other non-native company that has done well in this market.

This does not bode well for HTC, who is also losing ground to Samsung in other market. HTC barely managed to scrape a profit in the second quarter. On the other hand, Samsung is growing from strengths and managed to achieve an impressive $5.9 billion in operating profits, overshadowed only by Apple in the mobile segment.
We'll see how HTC performed in the third quarter when they release their quarterly report. Hopefully, the One series of smartphones would have helped bolster the company's sales and profit figures.

The World's Smallest Camera.

This is the world's smallest digital camera, measuring just over one inch in all dimensions and weighing only half an ounce. Reminiscent of devices employed by Cold War-era operatives for intelligence gathering, the camera appears to require Lilliputian agility, yet its one-button operation provides easy picture taking. Providing automatic focus, it uses a 2 MP image sensor that takes still images at 1600 x 1200 resolution and captures video at 30 fps at 640 x 480 resolution. Images are taken as JPEGs and videos as AVIs, both saved onto an included 2 GB microSD card (supports up to 32 GB cards). Images and video can be viewed when connecting it to a computer running Windows 7, XP, or Vista using the included USB 2.0 cable. Rechargeable battery provides up to 30 minutes of operation from a one-hour

Samsung Creating Very High Density OLED Screens

We love OLED displays because of their bright, high-contrast screens, but when it comes to really high pixel densities, we start seeing a lot of LCD panels, instead. Sure, plenty of OLEDs get pretty high up there, like the Galaxy Nexus at 316ppi, but as we start pushing much past that point, it seems like everything’s an LCD. Some new components from Samsung may be about to give OLEDs the densities they need to make some really sharp, really impressive screens, with pixel counts up in the 350ppi range.
Samsung has reportedly manged this feat thanks to Fine Metal Mask technology. Reportedly FMM is something Samsung can integrate into its existing OLED production lines without too much hassle, making us hopeful that we’ll see displays utilizing the tech start making their way to commercial hardware without an extended wait. Being able to shoehorn FMM into its current systems in this way may also mean these new screens would arrive without being overly expensive.
For comparison’s sake, a 4.2-inch 720p screen would have a pixel density of very nearly 350ppi.

Motorola Xoom WiFi Owners In the U.S. Getting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

We knew that Motorola was working to bring the latest Google mobile platform to the Xoom because they confirmed it and now the tablet which was regarded by many as Google’s first Nexus tablet — even though it really wasn’t — is getting its Jelly Bean treat.
One word of note right at the beginning: only the WiFi version is getting it at the moment and only if you are in the U.S. Among the features to look out for are expandable, actionable notifications so you can take action directly from the alert, seamless viewing and sharing of photos with instant view and swipe away to delete, smarter keyboard for more accurate typing and more relevant suggestions, enhanced text-to-speech capabilities that work even without a data connection, “Gesture Mode” for blind users to navigate using touch and swipe in combination with speech output; also supports external Braille input and output devices via USB and Bluetooth, and enhanced search capabilities via voice and with new Knowledge Graph to make finding the right result easier.

Will We Ever See Nokia Apps on iOS or Android?

you won’t find many people that will argue with the statement that Nokia makes some really great hardware. What some may not know is that Nokia can also develop some pretty nice software, too! Meego was proof of that, before the project was killed off.
Today Nokia and Microsoft are buddies. An advantage Nokia phones had over other Windows Phones was the inclusion of their own location-based apps, most notably Drive. Nokia Drive is an intelligent GPS-based navigation app with some logic built in to help monitor traffic and dynamically re-route based on conditions.
Sounds familiar, right? Android and iOS devices have Waze and each OS has navigation solutions from their respective backers, but a lot has been said about Nokia Drive and some of its features that are reportedly superior to other solutions on the market.
Not long ago, Nokia announced their decision to make Nokia Drive available to all Windows Phone 8 partners. At first glance this sounds like a great idea, but looking deeper, one has to ask why. Nokia Drive was one feature that differentiated Nokia-built Windows Phones from those made by other manufacturers. Perhaps that was the problem: Microsoft likes uniformity — at least when it comes to software.
With this move — and Nokia’s previous experience with Linux-based environments — Nokia has the potential to offer their location-based apps not only to Windows Phone 8, but to Android as well. If they do that, how long until they’d expand to iOS. Why might they want to do that?
Offering Nokia Drive on other devices provides a chance for Nokia to advertise their brand, something that’s losing popularity in the States. It would be an opportunity to show off what Nokia software can do. The next time a buyer goes to get a phone and sees “Includes Nokia Drive!” featured prominently next to some devices those buyers may be more likely to consider them because they include something familiar.
Nokia got rid of most of their Linux developers when they dropped Meego. That having been said, do you think Nokia could consider releasing their apps on other platforms to help woo potential customers back to the Nokia brand? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Google Handwrite official, lets users conduct searches by writing them out

If you're interested in trying out a new way to conduct your mobile searches, then Google is happy to oblige you. The company today announced Handwrite, a way for mobile users to conduct searches on their phone or tablet by writing out letters with their finger rather than typing characters out on a keyboard. Once enabled, users can navigate to google.com, tap the Handwrite icon in the lower right corner of their display and then write out the letters of their search anywhere on the screen. Users can also choose to tap the search box to type with a keyboard. Handwrite is compatible iOS devices running iOS 5 and up as well as Android phones running 2.3 or higher and tablets on 4.0 or higher. Google adds that Handwrite is experimental and that it works better in some browsers than others, adding that the feature works best in Chrome.
After playing with Handwrite for a minute or two on an iPhone, the feature seemed to work fairly well, only making one or two errors when I wrote letters at a fairly steep angle. Google says that Handwrite can recognize 27 different languages, and while my high school Spanish is a tad rusty, the few words I tried were recognized. If you've got a compatible device, you can give Handwrite a go yourself by hitting up google.com and then heading into the "Settings" option at the bottom of a phone's display or by click on the gear icon on a tablet. We've got a brief promo video available below. If you decide to give Handwrite a shot, tell me how it goes for you in the comments below!

Archos 97 Carbon now available for purchase, priced at $249.99

Remember the Archos 97 Carbon? This 9.7-inch Android tablet was first introduced earlier this month, and although we got spec and pricing details for it at the time, Archos only said that the slate would be available sometime in July. It looks like sometime is now, as the 97 Carbon is now available for purchase from the Archos website. As expected, the 97 Carbon is priced at $249.99.
As a refresher, the 97 Carbon's spec sheet includes features like a 9.7-inch 1024x768 IPS display, 1GHz processor, 2-megapixel rear and 0.3-megapixel front cameras, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage, microSD slot and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Also included are micro-USB, full-size USB and HDMI-out ports. That may not be the most bleeding edge spec sheet we've ever seen, but for folks that want a larger display than what's found on that other recently-released tablet, the 97 Carbon is now an option.

More photos of the alleged next generation iPhone emerge

looks like we have caught a glimpse of the alleged next generation iPhone in its full splendor, folks. More photos of Apple's upcoming smartphone have emerged, revealing a fully assembled device, to go with shots of some of its components.

 

The fresh spy shots are in line with previous leaks on the subject, and therefore as legit as they get these days. They do confirm the smaller dock connector, as well as the relocated 3.5mm audio jack.

Now that we know the alleged looks of the next Apple iPhone, together with the OS it will boot, all we need is an announcement date. We doubt that it will be a long wait for this one.

New Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 video ad lands on YouTube, announcement to come in three weeks

An official video ad of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 was uploaded on YouTube. It focuses on the S-Pen input and unfortunately reveals nothing, but the supposedly retail design.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 was initially announced at the MWC in February and was supposed to be powered by a dual-core Exynos chipset. Later, though, Samsung decided to delay the tablet and equip it with a better CPU.
Here is the Galaxy Note 10.1 ad:

 

Samsung is still mum on the new chipset, but the latest rumors and leaked benchmarks suggest a quad-core Exynos ticking inside the final Galaxy Note 10.1 – the same powering the Galaxy S III smartphone.
Samsung is holding an event on August 15 in New York. Chances are Samsung will finally reveal the revamped Galaxy Note 10.1 there and we’ll get the answers to all our questions.

Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro based MDP announced, costs $1,299

We already knew a quad-core version of the excellent Snapdragon S4 processor was in the works and now Qualcomm has officially unveiled it. But it hasn’t just announced the chip, and is also offering you a chance to use it on their new Mobile Development Platform (MDP), which for the first time is available in a tablet form-factor and will be sold through BSQUARE.

The MDP/T is primarily targeted at developers and hardware manufacturers who would want to try the new chipset and test their apps on it. The device runs on Android 4.0 but the software is not final, as is often the case with these developer devices.
Before we talk about the chipset, let’s talk about the MDP/T itself. It has a 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution display, 2GB of LPDDR2 RAM @ 533MHz, 32GB built-in memory, 13 megapixel rear camera, stereo speakers, seven (!) microphones, and the usual array of sensors, including accelerometer, gyroscope, light, proximity and even temperature and pressure sensors. There is also a fingerprint reader on it.
Now, speaking of the chipset, we are talking about Qualcomm’s APQ8064 here. This chip lacks the network functionalities, which is fine for a tablet but will need to be paired with a modem for use on a smartphone. The APQ8064 has the same basic CPU as the MSM8960, except instead of two you now have four cores. The GPU has seen the biggest change, and so now we get the Adreno 320, which is said to be three to four times faster than the Adreno 225. It also adds support for OpenGL ES 3.0 and Direct3D 11 feature level 9_3 (for Windows).
Early benchmarks show the APQ8064 obliterating everything else out there, except for the Apple A5X, which still has the most powerful GPU around (PowerVR SGX543MP4). Having said that, this is a MDP unit, which is designed to offer the best performance without worrying about things such as battery life that consumer products have to take care of. So expect the performance on the retail devices to be a bit slower as OEMs tune the performance to get the best balance between speed and battery life.
The Qualcomm MDP/T can be a good tool for developers but at the current price of $1,299 it is clearly targeted at only those who are serious about their job.

Microsoft Surface tablets to be priced at $599 for RT, $999 for Pro

You all remember the sleek hardware that Microsoft presented last week. Called Surface, the tablet has two versions – one with a Tegra 3 chipset, running Windows 8 RT, and another one with a proper x64 processor by Intel – that one running regular Windows 8 Pro. We’ve all been wondering what sort of pricing would the new tablets have.

Well, know we sorta know. According to “a close source to Microsoft”, the Tegra version will have a price tag of $599 and the Surface Pro will go for $999.
These prices work out with what we previously knew. Back at the announcement event, a Microsoft rep commented that the pricing of the Windows RT tablet would be around the same as that of other ARM tablets with 32GB and 64GB storage. The price of the Surface Pro, too, was supposed to be around the price of current Intel ultrabooks.
I would probably understand the high asking price for the Pro version – after all, they stuffed some serious hardware in an impressively thin shell and the thing has a FullHD screen. They are not even that many laptops with a FullHD screen, let alone tablets. The Surface Pro is an engineering feat.
The RT version, on the other hand, sounds like a regular run-of-the-mill tablet with just a different OS on it. Now, $599 is probably ok for a top-of-the-line 32GB tablet and it even matches the price of the latest iPads, so obviously Microsoft does not intend to go on a price war. But somehow the tablet suddenly lost its appeal to me. Now that I know that for its price, I would be able to get any other premium tablet on the market, I kinda started to doubt whether it’s worth it.
Bloomberg also reports that the first available Surface models will be Wi-Fi-only, so these prices most probably will go even higher for the 3G equipped versions.
Since Microsoft is obviously not after making this platform more affordable than the competition, it would be interesting to see how they intend to lure in new customers. The tablet market is severely saturated already – consumers are already spoilt for choice. The Kindle Fire sales storm last holiday season already proved that there’s a huge market opportunity only for sub-200 tablets. In the $500+ range, the iPad simply has no competition. I wonder how all that fits in Microsoft’s plans for their tablet business. Perhaps they’ll let some other manufacturers build the cheap machines. Because without cheap machines, I don’t see them making much out of it.