Samsung Galaxy S 4 heads to AT&T for $250 on contract, pre-orders begin April 16th

Samsung Galaxy S 4 heads to AT&T for $250 on contract, pre-orders begin April 16th:

Just two days ago, T-Mobile's potty-mouthed CEO John Legere gave us a tentative May 1st launch date for Samsung's Galaxy S 4 on that network. And now, AT&T's making its S 4 plans public, opening up pre-orders for the device on April 16th. Subscribers that sign-up for a two-year plan will be able to snag the 5-inch 1080p GS 4 for $250. As to when it'll actually ship, well, that bit's still up in the air and we expect AT&T to elaborate in the weeks to come. But you can bet it won't be long before Samsung rushes to get its next big Galaxy thing into eager hands.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, AT&T
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Source: AT&T Consumer Blog

Lenovo rolls out extra-compact ThinkCentre Edge 62z all-in-one for $549

Lenovo rolls out extra-compact ThinkCentre Edge 62z all-in-one for $549:

Some of Lenovo's pro customers can be very fussy: hospitals and schools want multiple computers in a small area, but without skimping on the usual features they'd expect from desktops. If any PC could resolve those contradictory demands, it might be the company's new ThinkCentre Edge 62z. The extra-angular design purportedly fits a 18.5-inch all-in-one into a third of the space of a 20-inch display, all while carrying up to a Core i3 processor and a DVD burner. Whether or not you see the 62z as a feat of engineering, the design has some room to grow with up to 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. The price may be the real clincher for some customers -- Lenovo expects this lower-tier ThinkCentre Edge to cost $549 when it reaches the US in May, which could squeeze it into a few more IT budgets.
Filed under: Desktops, Lenovo
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Via: Far East Gizmos
Source: Lenovo Singapore

Lockheed Martin's technology hub brings startups closer to government needs

Lockheed Martin's technology hub brings startups closer to government needs:

Wondering who would be the first to concoct a Kickstarter for governmental wishes? We suppose it's Lockheed Martin. Today, the aforementioned outfit has launched an initiative "aimed at expanding its collaboration with Silicon Valley companies to meet the diverse technology needs of the federal government." Called the Lockheed Martin Silicon Valley Alliance, the hub will reportedly "provide the federal government with greater visibility into innovative technology solutions developed locally," even going so far as to suggest that a game developer could use their resources in order to improve the realism of a military simulation system. It sounds as if Lockheed will end up being the middleman between aspiring companies and entities like the Department of Defense and NASA, essentially ensuring that whatever is built meets federal requirements. Those interested in venturing down such a rabbit hole can give the source link a look, but as always, we'd caution you to register at your own risk.
Filed under: Science, Alt
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Source: Lockheed Martin

Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini will reportedly go on sale shortly after GS 4

Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini will reportedly go on sale shortly after GS 4:

Not too long after the Samsung Galaxy S 4 was announced, we started hearing whispers of a "miniature" version of the device -- which makes sense, given the Galaxy S III had a smaller sidekick of its own. Today, however, Bloomberg reported the unannounced device is indeed coming soon after the flagship makes its appearance at the end of April. If it follows a similar pattern to its bite-sized predecessor, it likely will be offered in Europe as a lower-cost alternative to the Galaxy S 4. The device is rumored to offer a dual-core 1.6GHz processor, a 4.3-inch display and 8MP camera. Sadly, no official details were given, but we've reached out to Samsung officials for comment and will update when we receive word.
Update: Samsung pinged back with the following comment, which doesn't do much towards confirming or denying whether or not the GS 4 mini is indeed on the horizon. A spokesperson informed us: "We have not announced the product mentioned in the Bloomberg story."
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung
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Via: SamMobile, 9to5Google
Source: Bloomberg

Nexus 4 gets subtle design tweaks, nubbin to write home about

Nexus 4 gets subtle design tweaks, nubbin to write home about:

If the one thing you wanted from your Nexus 4 was LTE (we mean proper support), then still no joy. That said, some recent modifications suggest that LG and Google are still working to improve it in other -- albeit utilitarian -- ways. Spotted by German site MobiFlip, was the addition of a small protuberance at the base of the rear, and a difference in the aperture of the camera hole. It's suggested that the former might exist to help project sound from the rear speakers while the phone rests on a table, or to prevent that smooth, glass back from scratches. The camera tweak, however seems less clear, and possibly less functional in its existence. So, if you have one of the newer designs, let us know when and where you got it. If you don't, then just think of yours as a limited edition.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, LG
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Via: Android Police
Source: MobiFlip (German)

The best news for BlackBerry: Its success may not hinge on the American market

The best news for BlackBerry: Its success may not hinge on the American market:
Everything we've seen so far suggests that AT&T (T) has put absolutely no effort into marketing the BlackBerry (BBRY) Z10 to its customers or has even trained its retail staff how to talk about the benefits of the Z10. But there's some good news for BlackBerry out of all this — it made not even need the American consumer market to thrive. Barron's points us to a new note from Bernstein Research analyst Pierre Ferragu, who says that the slow start on AT&T shouldn't derail BlackBerry's fortunes long-term because "BlackBerry isn’t a U.S. story anymore."

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Amazon reportedly increasing Kindle phone screen size in response to ‘phablet’ fever

Amazon reportedly increasing Kindle phone screen size in response to ‘phablet’ fever:
Earlier reports have suggested that Amazon (AMZN) is preparing to launch its long-rumored Kindle smartphone later this year. According to Digitimes, the new device will include a 4.7-inch display, slightly bigger than the 4.3-inch display that the company had originally planned. Amazon is said to have increased the screen size in response to the growing demand for larger devices among consumers. The company has also reportedly been working on "enhancing other specifications of the smartphone," which may relate to recent reports of manufacturing delays. The Kindle smartphone will presumably run a heavily customized version of Android, similar to the Kindle Fire tablet, and could cost between $100 and $249. The device is expected to be released sometime after June.