Microsoft Says Mango Will Come This Fall, O2 UK Says Very Soon

Early reports on the availability of Windows Phone Mango, the next version of Microsoft's mobile operating system, have indicated that some HTC smartphones in Taiwan have already tested the update, yet Microsoft says that we should wait a little longer for it to arrive.  The update is almost here, yet it will take at least another week before it arrives, the Redmond-based software giant explains, without offering a firmer release date for it.  A tweet from Microsoft's Joe Belfiore was meant to put all the possible rumors on the release date of Mango to a rest: “9/15 isn't mango day, that was another rumor, folks. We've been saying 'fall'... it's not fall yet!” The fall, however, should kick off on the North American continent no later...

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Intel Core i7-2700K 3.5GHz Operating Frequency Confirmed

In just a few weeks time, Intel is expected to bring the first update to it high-end Sandy Bridge processor lineup with the introduction of the Core i7-2700K CPU, which was just confirmed to have a base operating frequency of 3.5GHz. The upcoming Intel chip was recently listed by motherboard maker Biostar in the CPU support list for one of its LGA 1155 motherboards. Besides the improved clock speed, the most important feature brought by the Core i7-2700K is its unlocked multiplier design, as this means overclockers will be able to push the operating frequencies of the processor further than Intel's specifications. The existence of this chip was uncovered just a few days ago when Intel listed it in the company's updated Material Declaration...

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iPhone 5 to 'Steamroll' RIM's BlackBerry 7 Lineup, Says Analyst

Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities has issued a new research note to investors saying he believes Apple’s iPhone 5 will "steamroll" RIM's BlackBerry 7 phones. Research In Motion (RIM) is struggling to push its Blackberry 7 phones as Apple gears up for yet another iconic refresh of its own smartphone business. This time around, Research in Motion will again be caught off guard, as the iPhone 5 will simply "steamroll" their BlackBerry 7 lineup, White said. Apple’s iPhone business has had the advantage of gaining momentum, something that has been perpetuated every year since 2007, when the original Apple smartphone saw the light of day. That momentum is going "off the charts" in October, White said, when Apple's iPhone 5 is expected...

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Windows 8 Metro Still Embryonic, Yet to Reach Its Full Potential

Metro is the most palpable example of user interface innovation that Microsoft built into Windows since the release of Windows 95.  A new platform as well as the medium facilitating a new interaction model for Windows users, Metro is much more than just UI. It’s key to catalyzing new user experiences powered by immersive applications in the Redmond company’s chromeless next-generation Windows operating system.  And it’s critical in bringing tangible form to the marriage of concepts such as graphical user interface (GUI) and natural user interface (NUI), enabling users to interact with the Windows client like they have never done before.  I had the chance to play with the Samsung Windows 8 Developer Preview PC, the device that...

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'Fairly Different' iPhone 5 Launching in Weeks, Says Apple Engineer

An actual Apple engineer has reportedly spilled the beans on the next-generation iPhone 5, confirming that it will not be as similar to the iPhone 4 as previously thought. Pundits have long speculated that this year Apple will introduce a new iPhone that takes many cues from the iPhone 4. But that’s not to say it can’t brings some of its own to the game. According to an Apple engineer quoted by the New York Times’ Bits blog, the new handset would be “fairly different” from the current-generation iPhone. This person, reportedly familiar with the new iPhone, suggested the device was substantially altered both on the outside, and on the inside. But the engineer did not mention any parts that the iPhone 5 rumor mill hasn’t churned up. He said there...

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iPhone 5 Rectangular Home Button Seems Likely to Happen

Puported iPhone 5 screen protectors obtained by a Chinese web site indicate there will be an elongated home button on Apple’s next-generation iPhone, which falls in line with many recent rumors on the subject. Likely slated for release in the September - October timeframe, Apple’s next iPhone is believed to sport a bigger screen, both wider and slightly longer, measuring close to four-inches on the diagonal. In addition to the bigger screen, there are several other rumored design alterations, such as a tapered metal back, and an elongated home button that boasts touch functionality. Ukwire.hk is flashing around these screen protectors claiming they belong on iPhone 5 units, and they conveniently show a rectangular-oval opening where the home...

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