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Monday, September 29, 2014

Video: Watch Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 get unboxed for the first time

Video: Watch Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 get unboxed for the first time:

Galaxy Note 4 Video
Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 is easily one of the most hotly anticipated smartphones of 2014, though there's no question that Apple's new iPhone 6 Plus stole the spotlight when it debuted earlier this month. There are still millions of people waiting to get their hands on Samsung's latest and greatest handset, of course, and many of them in South Korea now have their chance. The rest of us will have to wait until sometime next month to check out the Note 4, but Samsung posted a video on Friday that should help tide us over just a bit.

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Hey buddy, want to buy a smartphone manufacturer? Pantech puts itself up for sale

Hey buddy, want to buy a smartphone manufacturer? Pantech puts itself up for sale: Being a Korean smartphone manufacturer these days, means having to compete with companies like Samsung and LG inside your own home country. Pantech is the third largest smartphone manufacturer in Korea, and after scoring six consecutive losing quarters (allowing the companies that produce red ink to have some nice profits), the manufacturer has put itself up for sale.



There is plenty of competition in the Koren smartphone market, even within the country's borders. 90% of Korean smartphone buyers purchase a home-grown device. That actually makes purchasing Pantech a quick and easy way for ...


Analyst: Apple to sell 189 million iPhone units in 2015

Analyst: Apple to sell 189 million iPhone units in 2015: Keith Bachman is an analyst who hangs his abacus at BMO Capital. After running through some calculations, he now estimates that Apple will sell 189 million units of the Apple iPhone in fiscal year 2015. Short term predictions are harder to compute at the moment, because of the lack of visibility involved in figuring out when China will allow the Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus to go on sale. Right now, the two models have not received all of the approvals they need from regulators in the country. Last year, China (for the first time) was one of the countries included in the initial launch ...


Breakthrough could lead to 400% clearer smartphone displays

Breakthrough could lead to 400% clearer smartphone displays: Using nanotechnology, Professor Stephen Chou increased the effectiveness of solar cells by 175% back in 2012. Now, Professor Chou has improved the LED. Besides making them last longer and more efficient, the professor has made LEDs five times clearer. The implication for smartphone users is tremendous. Currently, only 2% to 4% of the light generated by an LED is actually emitted by the diode. This makes the light dim and also helps give an LED short life since it is generating heat inside itself.



Scientists have been able to raise the percentage of light generated by LEDs to 38%. In doing ...


BlackBerry Passport is sold out as 200,000 units move

BlackBerry Passport is sold out as 200,000 units move: Ok, so it isn't a figure in the millions. Still, word that 200,000 units of the BlackBerry Passport were sold two days after the device was unveiled, is being seen as a positive sign for the model, and the company itself. The wide, square-shaped handset has captured the attention of the BlackBerry faithful. The device is made for the power using businessman and to BlackBerry's credit, the company went all out to build a flagship phone that not only is a great tool for business, but can compete with the flagship models offered by other platforms.



The BlackBerry Passport QWERTY also showed ...


Galaxy Note 4 sells out in South Korea… all 30,000 of them

Galaxy Note 4 sells out in South Korea… all 30,000 of them:

Galaxy Note 4 Sold Out
Scared of Apple’s iPhone 6 launch success, Samsung pushed up its Galaxy Note 4 release date, at least in its home market, where the company on Friday started selling its latest flagship phablet. ZDNet Korea says the Galaxy Note 4 sold out within a few hours, although the actual numbers of sold units isn’t something to brag about just yet, and it’s far from Samsung’s bold internal sales target.

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Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus to launch in China on October 10th?

Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus to launch in China on October 10th?: A leaked internal document showing a timeline for a Chinese retail store, indicates that the new Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus will be launched in China on October 10th. Unlike last year, when China was one of the countries that received the Apple iPhone 5s and Apple iPhone 5c with the initial launch of the phones, those in the country who wanted the new versions immediately had to rely on handsets smuggled into the country. Some of those who waited in lines outside New York City Apple Stores on the day of the launch, were filmed handing off their purchases to some shady looking characters.



The ...


Huawei Honor Tablet is official; 8 inch slab makes and takes phone calls

Huawei Honor Tablet is official; 8 inch slab makes and takes phone calls: The Huawei Honor Tablet has been introduced today, and this 8 inch slate is closer to being a large smartphone than most other tablets. The Honor Tablet will make and take phone calls, and send out SMS posts. Pre-orders start in Malaysia on September 29th for the slate, which is priced at the equivalent of  $183.77. The device is expected to launch on October 16th.



The 8 inch IPS display offers a resolution of 1280 x 800. Under the hood is a quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 CPU, and inside you'll find 1GB of RAM and 16GB of native storage. A 5MP snapper is on back with a .3MP camera ...


Vendors stop developing touchscreen notebooks

Vendors stop developing touchscreen notebooks: As demand for touchscreen notebooks has been far weaker than expected, notebook vendors have stopped developing touch-enabled notebooks for the fourth quarter, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.


Foxconn assisting China smartphone vendors, looking to reduce reliance on Apple

Foxconn assisting China smartphone vendors, looking to reduce reliance on Apple: Despite having strong performance thanks to iPhone sales, Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) has been aggressively helping its China-based smartphone clients such as Xiaomi, Meitu, Oppo and Meizu boost their sales and is looking to increase the revenue contribution from non-Apple players, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.


iPhone 6 panel demand expected at 116 million in 2014, says report

iPhone 6 panel demand expected at 116 million in 2014, says report: Panel demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is expected at 116 million units in 2014, according to a new report from the China Times.


Friday, September 26, 2014

The next iPad Air might get a key spec upgrade you didn’t get with the iPhone 6

The next iPad Air might get a key spec upgrade you didn’t get with the iPhone 6:

12.9-inch iPad Pro Rumors: Specs
Apple will unveil at least one new iPad model this year, according to various reports, and Taiwanese publication TechNews has confirmed an earlier report that said only the iPad Air 2 would be coming this October. However, the publication also says that a 12.9-inch iPad Pro is in the works for next year, at which point a new iPad mini might also be released. More importantly, the report says that Apple's upcoming tablets will get some significant upgrades to improve performance.

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Leaked pic may show us just how massive the Nexus 6 will really be

Leaked pic may show us just how massive the Nexus 6 will really be:

Motorola Nexus 6 Leaked Picture
Google is expected to unveil the Motorola-manufactured Nexus 6 next month and we know from leaked specs that the device will likely feature a display in the range of 5.9 inches. Droid Life has posted a new picture that purportedly shows the new Nexus 6 next to LG's G3 flagship phone and if the picture is genuine, then the Nexus 6 will be an absolutely massive phone.

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The Galaxy Note Edge might just be a limited edition marketing trick

The Galaxy Note Edge might just be a limited edition marketing trick:

Galaxy Note Edge Release Date
Samsung’s bold Galaxy Note Edge was announced alongside the regular Galaxy Note 4 during the company’s September event, but the curved handset won’t be as widely available as the normal phablet version. Unsurprisingly, Samsung can’t mass produce enough units for a big launch, and ZDNet Korea reports that the South Korean giant has confirmed the Galaxy Note Edge will be a limited edition run.

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The only phone more popular in Japan than the iPhone 5s is the iPhone 6

The only phone more popular in Japan than the iPhone 5s is the iPhone 6:

Japan iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus Sales
It's never much of a shock any more when Apple's latest iPhone dominates the sales charts in the days and weeks following its release. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were no exceptions, breaking sales records previously set by the iPhone 5s, but unlike the iPhone 5c, the 6 Plus doesn't appear to be a clunker. In fact, Forbes is reporting that both phones struck a chord overseas where the iPhone 6 has taken Japan by storm.

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Korea and Taiwan touch panel makers showing signs of declining operations

Korea and Taiwan touch panel makers showing signs of declining operations: Korea and Taiwan touch panel makers are showing signs of declining operations as low-price competition from China makers continues to increase.


Commentary: Taiwan electronics industry experiencing outflux of talent to China

Commentary: Taiwan electronics industry experiencing outflux of talent to China: Taiwan's electronics industry is experiencing an outflux of talent to China while upper management is beginning to retire, leaving many industry analysts worried about the stability of Taiwan's technology segment in the future.


3M releases an iOS app for the Post-it note

3M releases an iOS app for the Post-it note: If you are one of those people who still rely on the old-fashioned 3M Post-it note in order to get things done, we have some interesting news for you. 3M has created an iOS productivity app for the little square notes with a bit of adhesive on the back. With the app, you take a photo of your notes to save your thoughts, and up to 50 can be captured in a picture at one time. The notes can be arranged in groups or organized any way you want. And if you're working as a team, team members can add their own ideas and thoughts at any time from any place.



The Post-it app can support PowerPoint, ...


PC shipment value in Japan down 26.8% in August, says JEITA

PC shipment value in Japan down 26.8% in August, says JEITA: PC shipments in the Japan market in August 2014 came to JPY44.8 billion (US$410 million) in value, decreasing 26.8% and hitting the lowest monthly level since April 2007, according to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA).


Asustek sees over 50% share in Taiwan notebook market in August, says paper

Asustek sees over 50% share in Taiwan notebook market in August, says paper: Asustek Computer saw its share in Taiwan's notebook market break 50% to reach 52.9% in August, leading the second-largest vendor by over 34pp, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report citing Asustek as saying.


The Samsung Galaxy A3 passes TENAA certification, specs leak once again

The Samsung Galaxy A3 passes TENAA certification, specs leak once again: When the Galaxy Alpha got launched, little did we know that Samsung is purportedly intending to make it the pioneering device in a new series of metal-clad mid-range Alpha-like smartphones. Consequently, details and pricing about the next additions to Samsung's new line, the Samsung A700, A500, and A300 leaked. It is expected that the will be named the Samsung Galaxy A7, Galaxy A5, and Galaxy A3, respectively. All of these will reportedly sport a metal rim, similar to the Galaxy Alpha and the recently-unveiled Galaxy Note 4.



The latter of these apparently just got certified by TENAA, China's ...


iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus invade many other markets today

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus invade many other markets today:

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may already be sold out in the first launch markets, but Apple on Friday is launching its 2014 smartphones in a second wave of countries. Customers in more than 20 markets will be able to purchase one of the new iPhone 6 models starting today either online or in local Apple retail stores.

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

BlackBerry's Passport is a square in looks but not personality

BlackBerry's Passport is a square in looks but not personality: For the first time in ages, I'm intrigued by a BlackBerry device.

That's rather unusual these days, but it wasn't always this way. I remember when I first saw the Pearl eight years ago; it was one of the most beautiful devices I'd ever seen. The...


The Galaxy Note 4 launches in two days… but only in South Korea

The Galaxy Note 4 launches in two days… but only in South Korea:

Galaxy Note 4 Release Date
The Galaxy Note 4 phablet is indeed coming earlier than expected, following the surprising (for Samsung) iPhone 6 sales success, but the company has only officially pushed up the device’s launch in its home country, according to a new post on its blog.

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Acer enjoys strong on-year growth in enterprise PC shipments in North America

Acer enjoys strong on-year growth in enterprise PC shipments in North America: Acer enjoyed a 51.4% on-year shipment growth in the second quarter in North America's enterprise PC market, registering the biggest growth among all vendors, according to Acer citing figures from research firms.


Acer enjoys strong on-year growth in enterprise PC shipments in North America

Acer enjoys strong on-year growth in enterprise PC shipments in North America: Acer enjoyed a 51.4% on-year shipment growth in the second quarter in North America's enterprise PC market, registering the biggest growth among all vendors, according to Acer citing figures from research firms.


Acer enjoys strong on-year growth in enterprise PC shipments in North America

Acer enjoys strong on-year growth in enterprise PC shipments in North America: Acer enjoyed a 51.4% on-year shipment growth in the second quarter in North America's enterprise PC market, registering the biggest growth among all vendors, according to Acer citing figures from research firms.


Tablet sales momentum to slow down in 2015, say IC suppliers

Tablet sales momentum to slow down in 2015, say IC suppliers: The growth momentum of global tablet sales is expected to slow down in 2015 due to the rising popularity of large-size smartphones and a rebound in demand for notebooks, according to related PC chip suppliers.


Acer expected to take over Chromebook demand left by Samsung in Europe, says paper

Acer expected to take over Chromebook demand left by Samsung in Europe, says paper: Samsung Electronics exiting Europe's notebook market is expected to benefit its competitors Hewlett-Packard (HP), Acer and Asustek Computer, especially Acer as the vendor will have a good chance of taking up demand for Chromebooks that was left by Samsung, according to a Chinese-language Apply Daily report citing market watchers.


Motorola's president and COO claims the “days of the $600-$700 smartphone are numbered”

Motorola's president and COO claims the “days of the $600-$700 smartphone are numbered”: Motorola already renovated its portfolio with the new Moto X and Moto G troopers, as well as its compelling Moto 360 wearable. If we judge by last year's crop of Motorola smartphones, their refreshed successors will most probably give the competition a pretty hard time. It's not only Motorola though – the top smartphone makers on the smartphone market are also being undermined by various named and unnamed China-based rivals, as if the competition from the likes of Motorola is not enough.



It seems that Motorola might be basking in a wave of confidence that 2014's Moto G and Moto X will not ...


Google’s next Nexus smartphone might be a bigger version of the amazing Moto X

Google’s next Nexus smartphone might be a bigger version of the amazing Moto X:

Nexus X vs Moto X: Specs, Features and Release Date
Motorola’s 2014 Moto X model may be considered the best Android phone currently available in stores by some people, but there’s a way the handset can get even better. 9to5Google has learned from sources familiar with the matter that the Motorola Shamu – the codename for the Nexus 6, or Nexus X as it’s been called lately – will be Google’s first phablet model, featuring a 5.92-inch display. Furthermore, the device is “basically going to be a scaled up second-generation Moto X with minor tweaks to make the larger screen easier to use.”

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Apple still rules back-to-school

Apple still rules back-to-school:

Mac Sales 2014
During the back-to-school shopping period (July 4th through Labor Day week), Apple saw notebook sales rise 16% year over year as customers clamored for the latest MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros, according to research firm NPD Group. Even more impressive is how well sales of Apple notebooks did in the final three weeks of the period, rising 27% year over year. That growth allowed Apple to capture 26.8% of the unit device share.

Overall, Mac OS-based products rose 14% year over year, partially helped by the recent price cuts and refreshed MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks Apple has instituted in recent months.

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Will #bendgate impact your decision to get the iPhone 6 Plus?

Will #bendgate impact your decision to get the iPhone 6 Plus?: As you can see in the video below, the ultrathin Apple iPhone 6 Plus can be bent comparatively easily when applying pressure. The malleable aluminum might crook slightly at the area of the button cutouts, which is not that big of a surprise, given that the 6 Plus is one of the thinnest phablets out there, so you might have to proceed with caution when carrying around without a case in skinny jeans and while driving a stickshift, for instance. Not that anyone would try and fit it in skinny jeans, given how tall the 6 Plus is, but you never know.


That is why we wanted to ask you ...

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 sells out in South Korea before it even launches

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 sells out in South Korea before it even launches:

Galaxy Note 4 Preorder Sales
As expected, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have dominated the news cycle ever since Apple took the stage in Cupertino earlier this month. Records were broken and lines were formed, but on the other side of the world, another huge smartphone launch was taking shape. South Korean newspaper Metro reports that Samsung has had to cut off preorders for the Galaxy Note 4 after overwhelming demand depleted the supply of the phablet at every major carrier in the country.

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Afraid of Apple’s iPhone 6, Samsung pushes up Galaxy Note 4 launch

Afraid of Apple’s iPhone 6, Samsung pushes up Galaxy Note 4 launch:

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4
Samsung failed to properly react to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus launch – the company inexplicably delayed announcing launch details for the Galaxy Note 4 model even though it announced the device almost a week before Apple unveiled its biggest iPhones ever – and a new report from South Korea reveals that Apple’s record iPhone sales have really scared the giant. As a result, Samsung will push up the launch date of the fourth-generation phablet, at least in South Korea, The Korea Times reports.

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Teardown shows Apple once again pays $200 to build an iPhone

Teardown shows Apple once again pays $200 to build an iPhone: Last week, we saw the first teardown of the new Apple iPhones, and now the estimations have come in on how much it costs Apple to build each new handset. In the past, the estimated cost of building an iPhone has never been over $200 (estimations ranged from around $188 to $199 for various iPhones), and while the iPhone 6 Plus reportedly cost Apple more than that to build, the iPhone 6 is right on target.


IHS has done the math, and is saying that the parts and labor to build an iPhone 6 is somewhere between $200 and $247, while the iPhone 6 Plus costs somewhere in the range of ...

Samsung plans to stop selling laptops in Europe

Samsung plans to stop selling laptops in Europe: Is the PC dead? Well, that depends on who you ask. Still, no one can deny that people's habits have changed drastically over the past few years, namely due to the rise of smartphones and tablets. Samsung, for example, has found huge success selling...


Acer Chromebook 13 review: long battery life, but performance falls short

Acer Chromebook 13 review: long battery life, but performance falls short: After years of getting little respect, Chromebooks are finally on the rise (at least in schools), which means every major PC maker is trying to get in on the action. That includes chip makers too, like NVIDIA. Though the company previously shied away...


Leaked pics reveal a new Motorola phone that might be even better than the 2014 Moto X

Leaked pics reveal a new Motorola phone that might be even better than the 2014 Moto X:

Motorola Droid Turbo Leaked Photos
Motorola has already released its flagship second-generation Moto X on multiple carriers, but has it been saving something even better as a Verizon exclusive? Engadget points out that the leakers over at HelloMotoHK have just published pictures of a new Motorola smartphone called the Droid Turbo that will be an exclusive for Verizon. What's more, Engadget says that "some reports suggest it'll pair a Quad HD display with a 2.65GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and a 20-megapixel camera." In other words, this new phone could offer more impressive specs than the ones Motorola offered with the 2014 version of the Moto X.

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Second wave of Android One smartphones could be released starting December

Second wave of Android One smartphones could be released starting December: As previously reported, Google and some of its hardware partners started releasing Android One phones earlier this month in India. At the moment, only three models are available to buy: Karbonn Sparkle V, Spice Android One Dream UNO Mi-498, and Micromax Canvas A1.



But more Android One handsets are coming soon. According to The Hindu, the second wave of Android One devices could start hitting the Indian market in late December - with a new phone made by Karbonn. Intex (another Indian manufacturer) may release its first Android One handset as soon as January.


The list ...

Digitimes Research: China to hold 35% of global small- to mid-size TFT LCD capacity in 2017

Digitimes Research: China to hold 35% of global small- to mid-size TFT LCD capacity in 2017: The global proportion of small- to medium-size TFT LCD production capacity from China is expected to increase to 35% as of 2017, up from 15.5% in 2011, according to Digitimes Research. In terms of large-size TFT LCD applications, China's global share will increase from 5.3% in 2011 to 25.5% in 2017.


Digitimes Research: China to hold 35% of global small- to mid-size TFT LCD capacity in 2017

Digitimes Research: China to hold 35% of global small- to mid-size TFT LCD capacity in 2017: The global proportion of small- to medium-size TFT LCD production capacity from China is expected to increase to 35% as of 2017, up from 15.5% in 2011, according to Digitimes Research. In terms of large-size TFT LCD applications, China's global share will increase from 5.3% in 2011 to 25.5% in 2017.


Taiwan market: HTC leads in August smartphone sale

Taiwan market: HTC leads in August smartphone sale: HTC was the largest smartphone vendor in the Taiwan market in August, accounting for 22% in terms of unit sales and 25% in terms of sales value, according to Taiwan-based Central News Agency (CNA).


Taiwan market: HTC leads in August smartphone sale

Taiwan market: HTC leads in August smartphone sale: HTC was the largest smartphone vendor in the Taiwan market in August, accounting for 22% in terms of unit sales and 25% in terms of sales value, according to Taiwan-based Central News Agency (CNA).


Wintek may stop production at Yangmei-based facilities

Wintek may stop production at Yangmei-based facilities: Following three years of financial struggles including approximately NT$3 billion (US$100 million) in financial losses in the first half of 2014, Wintek may choose to stop production at one of its facilities in the city of Yangmei, according to rumors in the industry.



Wintek may stop production at Yangmei-based facilities

Wintek may stop production at Yangmei-based facilities: Following three years of financial struggles including approximately NT$3 billion (US$100 million) in financial losses in the first half of 2014, Wintek may choose to stop production at one of its facilities in the city of Yangmei, according to rumors in the industry.



iPhone 6 Plus: US$100 costlier for consumers, US$15.50 more expensive for Apple to make, says IHS

iPhone 6 Plus: US$100 costlier for consumers, US$15.50 more expensive for Apple to make, says IHS: For consumers opting to buy Apple's iPhone 6 Plus rather than the iPhone 6, the additional 0.8-inch of screen size will cost US$100 extra. However, for Apple, the iPhone 6 Plus costs only about US$16 more to produce, delivering to the company an even heftier margin than normal for its wildly popular smartphone line, according to IHS.


Huawei is the new official smartphone provider for Chinese officials, Samsung and Apple outlawed

Huawei is the new official smartphone provider for Chinese officials, Samsung and Apple outlawed: Back in August, we told you that the Chinese government officials and agencies representatives have been officially barred from using Apple products due to some serious privacy concerns. The reason for this are the inter-global intelligence tensions between China and the USA, but it seems that Cupertino's greatest rival, Samsung, has been dragged into the spy-related saga as well. The smartphones of the South Korea-based giant are now also among the banned mobile devices that Chinese officials should stay away from. The reasons for this move are once again of security ones, but it was also said ...


Samsung: the Galaxy Note Edge is a "limited edition concept device", only 1 million units to ship in 2014

Samsung: the Galaxy Note Edge is a "limited edition concept device", only 1 million units to ship in 2014: Yesterday, we learned of Samsung's "emergency" plans to release the Galaxy Note 4 earlier than scheduled, but the bent-display curiosity that is the Galaxy Note Edge wasn't mentioned anywhere. Today, we're filling in more details in the picture. This morning, Samsung held a press-conference in its homeland of South Korea, where it officially announced the Galaxy Note 4 launch schedule.


The phablet's regular version will be released in Korea Friday, September 26, and it will arrive in an additional 140 markets by the end of October. It looks like the official US launch date ...

Amazon's eyeing wearables and automated homes next

Amazon's eyeing wearables and automated homes next: One of the nice things about operating the world's biggest online retail store, besides the money, is that you can get a real-time picture of what consumers around the globe want. Amazon's used that insight to launch its own e-readers, tablets and a...


Amazon's eyeing wearables and automated homes next

Amazon's eyeing wearables and automated homes next: One of the nice things about operating the world's biggest online retail store, besides the money, is that you can get a real-time picture of what consumers around the globe want. Amazon's used that insight to launch its own e-readers, tablets and a...


BlackBerry is about to announce the Passport – here’s how to watch live!

BlackBerry is about to announce the Passport – here’s how to watch live!:

BlackBerry Passport Announcement Live Video
September has been a ridiculously busy month for new smartphone launches as we've seen the announcement of the Galaxy Note 4 as well as the release of the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus and the 2014 Moto X. But we're not done yet because BlackBerry is getting ready to unveil its flagship Passport smartphone at a special media event in Toronto starting at 9 a.m. EDT.

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Rock steady: here is the 2014 flagship phone rank for best battery life

Rock steady: here is the 2014 flagship phone rank for best battery life: This year is arguably the first when smartphone battery life got a more serious focus from manufacturers, and received a significant boost on average as a result. Shaking your head in disbelief? Just look at the graphs below, where we rank flagship smartphones by battery life, according to our own benchmarks. Notice the overarching trend? Yep, we are getting about 25-100% longer battery life from this year's flagships, compared to their 2013 editions.


Not too shabby, and we also have to add the proliferation of actually useful battery saving modes to this pleasant trend. ...

Rock steady: here is the 2014 flagship phone rank for best battery life

Rock steady: here is the 2014 flagship phone rank for best battery life: This year is arguably the first when smartphone battery life got a more serious focus from manufacturers, and received a significant boost on average as a result. Shaking your head in disbelief? Just look at the graphs below, where we rank flagship smartphones by battery life, according to our own benchmarks. Notice the overarching trend? Yep, we are getting about 25-100% longer battery life from this year's flagships, compared to their 2013 editions.


Not too shabby, and we also have to add the proliferation of actually useful battery saving modes to this pleasant trend. ...

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

iFixit tears down the iPhone 6 Plus - confirms 1 GB of RAM on-board

iFixit tears down the iPhone 6 Plus - confirms 1 GB of RAM on-board: Well, it's iPhone day. The two new handsets from Apple are being sold in stores in select countries across the world and, like always – people are lining up to get their hands on an iPhone 6 of their choosing, before stocks run out.



Of course, this makes it more widely available to more media outlets out there. And while some will do a drop test, to see if the iPhone 6 is somehow magical and will not break, others take a substantial amount of time to tear it down piece by piece, documenting every step, exposing hardware that Apple doesn't have a habit to talk about, and evaluating the phone's ...


Survey in U.K. of those waiting on line, shows large preference for the Apple iPhone 6 Plus

Survey in U.K. of those waiting on line, shows large preference for the Apple iPhone 6 Plus: U.K. gadget insurer Protect Your Bubble decided to take an impromptu survey of 100 people camped outside the Regent Street Apple Store, waiting to purchase their new iPhone. What the survey discovered is that 41 of the 100 were waiting to buy the Apple iPhone 6 Plus. That is an interesting number since the 5.5 inch phablet is expected to be in extremely short supply. 20 responded by saying that they were waiting for the Apple iPhone 6, and 29 replied that they were waiting to purchase both models. That leaves 10 people whom we guess ended up on the line by mistake, perhaps thinking that they were ...


Samsung sells 1 million Galaxy S5 smartphones... in Germany

Samsung sells 1 million Galaxy S5 smartphones... in Germany: While Samsung hasn’t updated us on how many Galaxy S5 smartphones it shipped around the world since May (when the company said that 10 million units had been shipped in 25 days since launch), we know that it was hoping to ship at least 35 million units around the world this year. This doesn't seem to be an impossible goal, because Samsung today revealed that it sold (not just shipped) 1 million S5 handsets in Germany alone.



It’s the first time when Samsung talks about specific Galaxy S5 sales numbers for a country other than South Korea. To celebrate this, Samsung offered a €500 voucher ...


One important thing Apple can improve with next year’s iPhone 6S

One important thing Apple can improve with next year’s iPhone 6S:

iPhone 6 Vs. LG G3
Despite the massive hype surrounding the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, no product is perfect and there's always room for improvement in one way or another. Ben Bajarin has found something for Apple's hardware engineers to think about when it comes time to develop the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus next year — namely, how to deliver a phone that has a big display within a smaller overall frame.

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Samsung's 6-inch Galaxy Mega 2 officially presented in Asia

Samsung's 6-inch Galaxy Mega 2 officially presented in Asia: Although some folks in Thailand and Malaysia can buy the Galaxy Mega 2 since last month for around $400, it’s only now that Samsung is listing the handset on one of its official websites - namely the Thai one. As a result, we now have official Galaxy Mega 2 images, alongside a list of official features.



The new Mega comes to replace last year’s Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Mega 5.8 - so it’s a very big smartphone, sporting a 6-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixels, and measuring 163.6 x 84.9 x 8.6 mm, obviously being larger than the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (which itself is a very large handset). The ...


Early data shows the public favoring the 4.7 inch Apple iPhone 6 by a wide margin

Early data shows the public favoring the 4.7 inch Apple iPhone 6 by a wide margin:

Early data indicates that online traffic attributable to the smaller 4.7 Apple iPhone 6, is overwhelming traffic related to the larger 5.5 inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus. According to analytics firm MixPanel, a little more than 24 hours after the launch of Apple's two new handsets, the evidence clearly shows that the public is favoring the Apple iPhone 6, and by a fairly wide margin, too.



Early Saturday (4am UCT), the Apple iPhone 6 represented 3.60% of the iPhone traffic seen by MixPanel. That dwarfs the .49% of traffic related to the Apple iPhone 6 Plus. That means that for each iPhone 6 ...


The 10 phones that fueled the big-screen revolution

The 10 phones that fueled the big-screen revolution: It's safe to say that Steve Jobs was off the mark when he declared that no one would buy big smartphones -- they've become popular enough that Apple itself is now making large iPhones. But how did these supersized devices escape their niche status to...


From paper to pixels: the arrival of the e-reader

From paper to pixels: the arrival of the e-reader: Ray Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, once said: "Nothing a computer can do can compare to a book." For some, the pleasure of flipping through a paperback may never change, but pragmatism is starting to take hold. More people than ever are...


Leaked document suggests September 26th launch for Verizon's Motorola Moto X

Leaked document suggests September 26th launch for Verizon's Motorola Moto X: A leaked internal document suggests that Verizon will be launching the Motorola Moto X on September 26th. The memo reveals that the White/Bamboo model will be available for just $99 with a signed two-year pact, from September 26th through October 10th. Normally, that particular model is $25 more. The pricing on Verizon Edge is $27.49 monthly.



Other pricing listed on the leaked document shows the Black/Resin model priced at $99.99 with a two-year pact ($24.99 a month on Verizon Edge). Moto Maker pricing starts at $99 for the 16GB Motorola Moto X ($24.99 on Edge). For a 32GB model on the Moto ...


Best gold-colored smartphones

Best gold-colored smartphones: Like it or not, gold smartphones are here to stay. We’re not talking about devices that are actually made out of gold, but about those that just have gold among their standard color options.


The trend seems to have started after Apple released the iPhone 5s last year, offering it in grey, white, and gold. Sure enough, gold-colored phones existed before, but they weren’t as popular and diversified as now.



As of this year, almost every notable flagship smartphone has a gold version - in addition to classic colors like black, white, or grey. Thus, this is a perfect ...

Notebook touch panel makers expect limited shipment growth in 2H14

Notebook touch panel makers expect limited shipment growth in 2H14: Orders for touch panels used in notebook applications are expected to be limited in the second half of 2014 as vendors aim to release low-priced products in order to further compete in the market.


Notebook touch panel makers expect limited shipment growth in 2H14

Notebook touch panel makers expect limited shipment growth in 2H14: Orders for touch panels used in notebook applications are expected to be limited in the second half of 2014 as vendors aim to release low-priced products in order to further compete in the market.


Notebook touch panel makers expect limited shipment growth in 2H14

Notebook touch panel makers expect limited shipment growth in 2H14: Orders for touch panels used in notebook applications are expected to be limited in the second half of 2014 as vendors aim to release low-priced products in order to further compete in the market.


Commercial replacement demand upholding global PC shipments in 2014, says MIC

Commercial replacement demand upholding global PC shipments in 2014, says MIC: Shipment volume of global PC systems - comprising of notebooks and desktops - is forecast to reach around 299 million units in 2014, down 0.1% on year, according to MIC.


Samsung's metallic Galaxy Alpha officially launches on AT&T this week

Samsung's metallic Galaxy Alpha officially launches on AT&T this week: Samsung’s brand new Galaxy Alpha is officially coming to the US, as AT&T today announced that it would start selling the handset on September 26. The carrier mentions the word “exclusive”, so it doesn’t look like other US mobile operators will offer the Galaxy Alpha - at least not for the beginning.



AT&T allows customers to choose between various pricing schemes for the Galaxy Alpha: $199.99 with a 2-year contract agreement, $25.55 per month on AT&T Next18, $30.65 per month on AT&T Next12, or $612.99 with no annual commitment. The smartphone will be available in black, white, ...


BlackBerry's one-of-a-kind Passport phone will cost $599

BlackBerry's one-of-a-kind Passport phone will cost $599: Over the past few months, BlackBerry has been putting a lot of effort into building some buzz around its newest, oddly-shaped smartphone, the Passport. Today, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, company CEO John Chen revealed one of the...


New video shows your iPhone 6 can take an absolute beating

New video shows your iPhone 6 can take an absolute beating:

iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus Comparison Durability
You shouldn't try to charge your iPhone 6 in a microwave but that doesn't mean the device can't take a beating. According to durability tests conducted by consumer electronics protection firm SquareTrade, the iPhone 6 might be the most durable smartphone on the market today.

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