Windows 8.1 Pro Preview Build 9374 Leaked Online

Microsoft might release the first public beta of Windows 8.1 as soon as June, according to people familiar with the matter, but it appears that the company has almost completed the development of the preview version.

A new leaked build of Windows 8.1 seems to confirm that we’re getting closer to the official release of the beta, even though Microsoft has decided to keep everything secret on the project. New screenshots show that Windows 8.1 build 9374, apparently labeled Pro Preview, is now tested by select Microsoft partners, so the Redmond-based giant is most likely giving the final touches to the “final” preview flavor as we speak.

There’s no info on the release date, but the BUILD developer conference scheduled to take place in June in San Francisco is very likely to witness the debut of the beta, while the full release could arrive in August or September.

Microsoft might release the first public beta of Windows 8.1 in June
Image credits to WinForum.eu

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Xiaomi Mi3 to Feature Both Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 and Nvidia Tegra 4 CPU

With the new Xiaomi Mi2S and Mi2A already official, eyes turn to the upcoming Xiaomi Mi3 smartphone from the Chinese mobile phone maker, supposedly set to become official sometime in fall.

No official info on the device has been provided as of now, but some of the latest reports on the matter suggest that it would be released in China in two different flavors, given the type of processor inside, GizChina reports. One model will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, and will be generally available in the country, while the other will feature an Nvidia Tegra 4 processor, and will be launched only on China Telecom’s CDMA network.

As far as rumor goes, Xiaomi Mi3 will sport a 5-inch full HD touchscreen display when released, with a very thin bezel, and will pack a 13-megapixel photo snapper on the back. The handset is also expected to hit shelves with 2GB of RAM and NFC capabilities.

Xiaomi Mi3
Image credits to it163 via UnwiredView

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Xiaomi Mi2A with 4.5-Inch HD Screen, 1.7GHz Dual-Core CPU

In addition to making the new Xiaomi Mi2S official, Chinese mobile phone maker Xiaomi has also announced the upcoming availability of a cheaper smartphone in its lineup, namely the Xiaomi Mi2A.

The handset was unveiled with a 4.5-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, a 1.7GHz dual-core processor packed inside, and 1GB of RAM. Furthermore, Xiaomi Mi2A features 16GB of internal memory, an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, and a front camera for making video calls.

Featuring WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC capabilities, along with Dirac HD Sound, the smartphone is expected to arrive on shelves soon, replacing the rather outdated XIaomi Mi1. The Xiaomi Mi2A runs under Google’s Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system (with the MIUI V5 interface loaded on top) and will sport a price tag of 1499 Yuan ($242 / 185 Euro) when released (the vendor's website also shows it in multiple color versions).

Xiaomi Mi2A
Image credits to Xiaomi

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Google Play Store 4.0.25 APK Now Available for Download

Android fans and enthusiasts rejoice, as the latest version of Google Play application is now available for download.

Although Google announced the new update will be rolled out in stages, it will take around three weeks until the new version of Google Play will reach all Android devices. Luckily, the folks over at AndroidPolice managed to get their hands on Google Play 4.0.25 .apk file, so those who wish to update manually can do so without having to wait until Google pushes the new version to their devices.

According to the search giant, the new Google Play application is fully compatible with all devices running Android 2.2 Froyo and up. For more details on how to download and install the new Google Play Store 4.0.25, head over to the original thread.

Google Play (screenshot)
Image credits to Google

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AMD Radeon HD 7990 in CrossFireX [Photo]

As some may or may not know, Advanced Micro Devices is finally ready to launch a reference dual-GPU Radeon HD 7000 graphics card.

The company hasn't really released it yet, but it's getting close, and some people even have the card available to play with already. Case in point, Reddit user Repilur has posted a photo, a very blurry photo too, of his computer, a desktop with a side window. Inside, there is not just one of the Radeon HD 7990 Malta graphics cards, but two, set in CrossFireX.

That means there are no fewer than four Tahiti graphics processing units working in tandem, and with a clock speed of 1-1.1 GHz per GPU and 6 GB times two memory, that means a lot of horsepower, and needed energy for that matter. The triple-fan-cooled graphics card will show up this quarter.

AMD Radeon HD 7790 Malta
Image credits to Reddit

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