Samsung Officially Announces Galaxy Premier (I9260)

Today Samsung and officially announced its new Android smartphone, the Galaxy Premier.

Galaxy Premier is one of Samsung’s ill-kept secret and the company has now officially announced the Galaxy Premier (I9260). The phone as expected, is an improved Galaxy Nexus with Galaxy S III-inspired design and features Samsung software improvements like TouchWiz UI, S Beam, Smart Stay, Direct Call, Pop-Up Play, S Voice, Best Photo and runs Android 4.1.

On the hardware front, most likely a 1.5 GHz dual-core TI OMAP4470 (not confirmed by Samsung), 1GB of RAM, 8GB/16GB of internal storage, 8-megapixel main camera, 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, HSPA+ or LTE (depending on the region), microSD card slot (up to 32GB), 2100mAh battery, will come with all Samsung goodies: S Beam, Smart Stay, Direct Call, Pop-Up Play, S Voice, Best Photo and run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI on top of it. It will launch in Russia (November) and Ukraine (December) and will retail at around $680. via SammyHub.

Samsung Officially Announces Galaxy Premier (I9260)
Images credits to Samsung

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A Closer Look at Lenovo IDEAPHONE K860

Today, Chinese maker Lenovo went official with no less than five new Android-based mobile phones for the Indian market, including the IDEAPHONE K860, the flagship of the series.

The smartphone is not completely new, as the company had previously made it available in China, but that does not mean that its features and capabilities are not as impressive as they can be. Featuring a large 5-inch touchscreen display and a quad-core 1.4GHz processor inside, the new device should easily prove a great option for mobile phone users in India. Clearly, Lenovo designed the new smartphone to take on handsets such as the Galaxy Note II, LG Optimus Vu, and even the Samsung Galaxy Note that was made official last year, androidos.in notes. The Lenovo IDEAPHONE K860 was announced with a price tag of INR 28,500 ($530 / €408) attached to it, which makes it a bit cheaper than other devices included in the same category.

The phone’s specs will certainly put it in line with the aforementioned phablets, starting with the Exynos 4412 quad-core CPU complemented by 1GB of RAM, and moving to the 5-inch IPS screen that can deliver a 1280×720 resolution (294 ppi). On the back, the handset sports an 8-megapixel photo snapper with auto-focus, LED flash and support for full HD video recording, complemented by a 2MP front camera for making video calls. Lenovo also packed 8GB of internal memory inside the IDEAPHONE K860 and a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of external storage space.

The specifications list of the new device also includes Wi-Fi 802.11b/g /n, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, A-GPS, and a 2250mAh battery, user replaceable. Accelerometer, proximity, and compass have been packed inside the device as well, while Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was loaded on top of the hardware. The phone should arrive on shelves soon in parts of India, while reaching the entire country not long after.

Lenovo IDEAPHONE K860
Images credits to Lenovo

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Sony Xperia T (The Bond Phone) Launching in Canada on November 14

Sony Mobile confirmed last month that the Xperia T, also known as the Bond Phone, would be available in Canada this month.

The smartphone will go on sale through various carriers across the country, including Rogers, Bell, Mobilicity, MTS and Videotron. Today, the guys over at MobileSyrup have learned the Xperia T will be available for purchase in Canada starting November 14. Sony Xperia T comes with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich platform onboard and packs a dual-core processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, which is built on Krait architecture.

The smartphone also boasts an impressive 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording, as well as a secondary 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls. It is also worth mentioning that Sony Xperia T comes packed with “exclusive Bond content including behind the scenes footage, interviews, video clips, wallpapers, ring tones, and more.”

Sony Xperia T (The Bond Phone)
Image credits to MobileSyrup

Bell Canada internal document
Image credits to MobileSyrup

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Windows Phone 8 New Emoticons [Video]

One of the appealing new features that Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 platform will arrive on shelves with includes the availability of a new series of emoticons for users.

Windows Phone already provided users with the possibility to include a series of smileys in text messages (SMS), but the system has been updated, and more options are available for them in the new platform release. According to WPCentral, Windows Phone enthusiasts are certain to love the new emoticons, especially since there is a new selector available at the bottom of the screen so that users could choose between faces, food, symbols and more.

The keyboard has also been designed to learn from users’ habits, which means that frequently used smileys will show up in a frequently used area for faster access, regardless of the application one is in. Have a look at the video above for more info.

Microsoft has greatly overhauled the emoticon system for Windows Phone 8. Now you can send hundreds of different smileys and symbols with just a touch. It even remembers your most frequently used choices.
Video credits to WMExpert

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BlackBerry 10 L-Series Device Leaks Again

Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion will not bring to the market handsets running under its new BlackBerry 10 operating system until the first quarter of the next year, but we can now have another look at what the first such devices might look like.

A new photo with a BlackBerry 10 L-Series smartphone made it to the web, courtesy of a CrackBerry forums member, providing us with yet another glimpse at what should soon become a real handset. At the moment, RIM is applying the final touches to its upcoming mobile platform, but it won’t be until next year that the first handsets powered by it will be announced.

The good news is that the company is already working with wireless carriers around the world for the testing of this smartphone, just as RIM’s CEO confirmed on Wednesday.

 RIM BlackBerry 10 L-Series smartphone
Image credits to Crackbery

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Lenovo ThinkPad T430u Ultrabook

Saying that Lenovo's ThinkPad T430u ultrabook is three months late in arrival might not be as correct as some may think, since the initial demo happened all the way back in January (2012).

Still, the company, who so happens to be the newest leader of the PC market, did say it would release it in August, so the point made in the title stands. To be fair, Lenovo probably did not know for certain when Microsoft would release the Windows 8 operating system. Either that or it had not yet decided whether or not to wait for the new OS to debut. Regardless, the laptop is here now or it will soon be. Lenovo's online store finally lists it at least, though shipments will only commence on November 11. Buyers get to choose between the Windows 7 Home Premium OS and Windows 8. We did not find a mention of touch support, so the Modern UI on the latter will have to do with the mouse cursor and nothing else.

Speaking of the screen, it is one of those that Linus Torvalds, the inventor of Linux, said he would like never to see on notebooks again. That is to say, one with a resolution of just 1366 x 768 pixels (HD). At least the LCD uses LED backlighting. Lenovo decided to let buyers select between Core i3 and Core i5 Intel CPUs. A Core i7 should be up for grabs too, assuming money isn't a problem. Likewise, the memory capacity is customizable (4 GB base RAM), as is the storage: the default unit is a 500 GB HDD, but a 128 SSD can be selected instead. Customers could very well guess everything else: a 720p webcam, USB 3.0 support (two ports), Gigabit Ethernet and video ports are included (one mini DisplayPort and an HDMI output).

Lenovo ThinkPad T430u
Images credits to Lenovo

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iGame Colorful GeForce GTX 660 Ti Graphics Card

There are many gaming competitions around the world. The final of one of them took place quite recently, in Shanghai, China. Colorful has decided to celebrate it somehow.

The method to do so turned out to be quite straightforward: create a video board dedicated to the occasion. The result was the GeForce GTX 660 Ti, with a multi-colored shroud and no fewer than three fin arrays that are outside the PCB. Those three heatsinks are detachable and bear the name of “Air Kit” as a set. In truth, the GK104-based graphics card with 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and 192-bit interface doesn't really need such a complicated and large cooler, but it never hurts to have a justification for a slower fan and, thus, less noise.

Colorful decided to add dual-BIOS functionality too. The BIOS-es are actually identical, but one (secondary EEPROM chip) will always be there to restore the main one if it is flashed wrong, or if overclocking settings become problematic. Availability will be restricted to China and maybe Europe. No price was given, but it will definitely be higher than the reference $290 / 290 Euro.

iGame GeForce GTX 660 Ti Graphics Card
Images credits to MyDrivers

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iPad Mini Teardown by iFixit

The word is out that iFixit has kicked off its iPad mini teardown, with plans to dissect the tablet right down to the smallest chips. Although the analysis is still underway, they’ve already removed pretty much all the parts making up the diminutive tablet.

iFixit reports that “The iPad Mini continues Apple's repair-impeding practice of keeping iPads together with copious amounts of adhesive. This is one area in which the friendly-to-open Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD are clear winners.” The repair shop found that the LCD needs to be removed prior to removing the digitizer, due to the placement of connectors. The good news is that the LCD and front glass are two separate components, which means that the iPad mini will score more points on iFixit’s repairability scale. “This contrasts the fused glass-LCD assemblies in both the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7. Thanks for the repairability, Apple!” says the company. Some markings on the back of the LCD reveal that it’s made by Samsung, which comes as a surprise considering how much the two companies have grown apart lately.

But, as iFixit points out, other iPad mini units are likely to employ screens made by the likes of LG Display and others. The techies proceeded to remove the connector-fastened battery, “not like the soldered-in battery found in the iPod Touch.” Despite Apple placing a plastic card to ease up prying the battery up from the rear shell, “it's still a very difficult task to break through all of the adhesive securing it to the rear case without puncturing the cells,” iFixit reports. The battery itself holds a bit of mystery, as even the tinkerers at iFixit found themselves scratching their heads reading the markings. “Whatever the capacity, it's decidedly mini when compared to the massive 43 Whr battery in the iPad 3. Even the venerable iPad 2 sports a 25 Whr package, 50% more than the iPad Mini,” says the repair shop.

Moving forward with the teardown, they confirm that iPad mini has stereo speakers (as opposed to a single speaker as generally found in iDevices). “The folks at Amazon doubted, but we can confirm the Mini does indeed sport stereo speakers. In this one regard, the Mini outdoes the still-mono Retina iPad,” says iFixit, adding that “the sound quality is anything but mini.”

iPad mini teardown
Images credits to iFixit

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Fujitsu F-074 Waterproof Smartphone Now Available in India via Tata DoCoMo

It looks like Japanese handset maker Fujitsu decided to enter the Indian mobile phone market. The company has just announced it has teamed up with Indian carrier Tata Docomo to bring Android enthusiasts the Fujitsu F-074 smartphone.

The folks at AndroidOS report the device has been originally launched in Japan last year and made it to India just now. However, if we take into consideration that smartphones launched in Japan are at least several months more technologically advanced in comparison with those released in other regions, then it stands to reason that the phone is not so old for the Indian market. Fujitsu F-074 will be available soon at Tata Docomo brick and mortar stores in Bangalore for only Rs 21,900 (405 USD or 315 EUR) off-contract. The carrier has some interesting deals for customers who purchase the F-074 smartphone. Tata Docomo promises buyers will receive unlimited 3G data for 3 months, unlimited local and STD calls on any network and a free premium number for life, but only if they choose the unlimited 899 GSM Postpaid plan.

Those who choose to grab the F-074 on any other postpaid GSM plan they will receive a free premium number for life and 1 GB 3G data for 3 months. Fujitsu F-074 ships with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system out of the box and packs a single-core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz. Furthermore, the smartphone sports a 4.0-inch WVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display and a 5-megapixel rear camera. The phone features a water-proof body and a scratch resistant display. On the inside, Fujitsu F-074 packs 512MB of RAM, 1GB of storage and microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB).

“It is our great pleasure to introduce Fujitsu’s first smartphone in India in cooperation with Tata Teleservices and NTT DOCOMO. We hope our phones will add new value to TTL and its customers, as we offer our smartphone in India for the first time,” said Nobuo Otani, corporate senior vice president and president of Ubiquitous Products Business, Fujitsu Ltd.

Fujitsu F-074 Waterproof Smartphone
Image credits to AndroidOS.in

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Lenovo Launch Five New Android Handsets in India

Today, Lenovo made official a number of five smartphones running under Google’s Android operating system, all of them aimed at the mobile phone users in India, namely the IDEAPHONE K860, S880, S560, P700i, A60 devices.

The company appears set to assault the smartphone segment in the country on all fronts, thus aiming these devices at various price points, starting with the entry level and moving all the way up to the high end of the market. The new Lenovo A60+ is the company’s entry-level smartphone, with a 3.5-inch touchscreen display on the front and a 1GHz processor inside. However, it also comes with dual-SIM capabilities, as well as with a 1,500 mAH battery inside, and with Google’s Android 2.3.6 platform loaded on top. It will feature a price tag of INR 6,500 ($120 / €93).

Lenovo’s P700i is another dual-SIM smartphone included in the company’s new lineup, with a 4-inch WVGA IPS display and a 5MP camera on the back, a 2,500 mAh battery, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a price tag of INR 12,500 ($232 / €179). The third new smartphone from Lenovo is the S560, a mid-ranger that comes with a 4-inch WVGA IPS display on the front, but with a 1GHz dual-core processor inside. It will hit the market with a 5-megapixel photo snapper on the back, the Android 4.0 platform release on top, and a price tag of INR 14,499 ($269 / €208), androidos.in reports. While these are fairly affordable devices for Indian users, there are also two smartphones with higher-end features packed inside and a bit more expensive than these three.

The Lenovo S880 is the cheaper of the two, with a 5-inch WVGA display on the front, a 1GHz processor, a 5MP camera, 2,250 mAh battery, and Android 4.0, while featuring a price tag of INR 18,999 ($352 / €273). There is also the Lenovo K860, which is seen as a direct competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Note II and to LG’s Optimus Vu. The smartphone packs a 5-inch 720p IPS display, a 1.4GHz quad-core processor inside, an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, a 2,250 mAh battery and the same Ice Cream Sandwich platform on top. It will hit shelves at INR 28,500 ($530 / €408).

Lenovo K860
Image credits to AndroidOS.in

Lenovo S880
Image credits to AndroidOS.in

Lenovo S560
Image credits to AndroidOS.in

Lenovo P700i
Image credits to AndroidOS.in

Lenovo A60+
Image credits to AndroidOS.in

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RIM Confirmed That Over 50 Carriers Already Testing BlackBerry 10 Devices

BlackBerry 10, the next-generation mobile operating system coming from Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion, is already being tested by over 50 carriers around the world, the company confirmed on Wednesday.

The handset vendor is determined to make the first devices running under the new platform available for purchase in the first quarter of the next year, and their availability through carriers might be a key factor in their success. In a recent interview with Cnet, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins confirmed that the company had already discussed the availability of BlackBerry 10 devices with wireless carriers worldwide, and that they have started testing them. “I'm very pleased to confirm that we have passed a critical milestone in the development of our brand new mobile computing platform, BlackBerry 10,” he said. “In the last week, BlackBerry 10 achieved Lab Entry with more than 50 carriers -- a key step in our preparedness for the launch of BlackBerry 10 in the first quarter of 2013.” Some of the latest reports on RIM’s ability to deliver the new platform suggested that, while made official in the beginning of the next year, the first BlackBerry 10 devices might not arrive on shelves before March 2013.

Thorsten Heins’ statement does not confirm or deny the rumor but, with March being the last month in the first quarter of the year, chances are that it might pan out. Moving forth, the company will get in touch with more operators around the world to provide them with BlackBerry 10 handsets for testing purposes, a move that is part of its commitment to the new OS flavor. “We made this commitment during our recent results conference call and we have delivered. This process will continue in the coming months as more carriers around the world formally evaluate the devices and our brand new software,” Heins continued. At the moment, RIM is focused on building a strong ecosystem for the BlackBerry platform, which is starting to see challenges not only from Android and iOS, the current market leaders, but also from Microsoft’s mobile platform, which has just arrived in a new version, namely Windows Phone 8.

BlackBerry 10
Image credits to RIM

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