Super-Slim Oppo R809T to Arrive on Shelves as Oppo Find 2

Chinese mobile phone maker Oppo is reportedly getting ready for the launch of what might become the slimmest Android smartphone in the world, a device that was spotted online not long ago as the Oppo R809T, and which is now said to be set to hit shelves as Oppo Find 2.

The handset was already said to sport design similarities with the Oppo Finder 3, and GizChina claims that this comes as proof of Oppo’s plans for the device. The handset is supposedly set to be officially announced on April 26, and to be one of the thinnest devices in Oppo’s lineup, at only 6.13mm, which would also make it a unique device in the world.

The Android phone is also said to sport a 4.5-inch 720 display, a quad-core MT6589 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, dual-SIM capabilities, and support for WCDMA networks in China. The phone is expected to be priced at around 2498 Yuan ($404 / 310 Euro).

Oppo R809T (Find 2)
Image credits to GizChina

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Micromax A111 Canvas Phablet with 5.3-Inch Display and 1.2GHz Quad-Core CPU Leaks

It looks like Indian company Micromax readies a new Canvas series Android smartphone. The A111 Canvas is a mid-range device with a few high-tier features that will most likely appease Android enthusiasts in India.

Although the smartphone has yet to be officially introduced, Micromax A111 Canvas has been leaked via MMX Newscaster twitter account and looks to be the next hot smartphone that Android users in India have been waiting for. Obviously, there’s the question of price, but Micromax is well known for selling its products pretty cheap, so hopefully the A111 Canvas will be priced according to what it has to offer. We don’t have any details on exactly when the smartphone might hit shelves, but given the fact A111 Canvas has been leaked online it shouldn’t take the Indian company more than several days to make it official. When it comes to hardware and software specifications, Micromax A111 Canvas looks pretty solid. The phone will ship with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box, but it has the power to run Google’s latest Android 4.2 if Micromax decides to offer this upgrade.

In this regard, Micromax A111 Canvas is said to be equipped with a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8225Q processor. The bad news is the smartphone packs only 512MB of RAM, which seems odd given the powerful CPU that’s been included. Furthermore, there are 4GB of storage inside, which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD memory card. Another strong point of the phone is the large 5.3-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display that supports 540 x 960 pixels resolution and Glove Touch technology. On the back, A111 Canvas boasts an enhanced 8-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and video recording, while in the front there’s a secondary 1.2-megapixel camera for video calls.

Last but not least, Micromax A111 Canvas is only 9.9mm thick and features 2100 mAh Li-Ion battery, as well as 3D Graphics Accelerator, Ambient Light Sensor, Accelerometer and Proximity Sensor. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

Micromax A111 Canvas
Images credits to MMX Newscaster

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ZTE N988 Emerges with 5.7-Inch Screen, Tegra 4 Processor

Chinese mobile phone maker ZTE is reportedly gearing up for the launch of a new flagship Android-based device, one that might pack a Tegra 4 processor inside, and which is said to sport the model number ZTE N988 at the moment.

The upcoming mobile phone is also said to pack a 5.7-inch touchscreen display, capable of delivering a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, which would make it similar in size with the ZTE Grand Memo. Furthermore, the handset is expected to pack 2GB of RAM inside, thus being capable of providing users with increased performance capabilities. However, a recent post on GSMInsider notes that, while ZTE might opt for Nvidia’s Tegra 4 CPU for the smartphone, a quad-core Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm could also be selected to power it. The hardware specifications list of the yet unannounced smartphone is also said to include an 8-megapixel or higher photo snapper on the back (most probably a 13MP sensor), as well as a front camera to enable users to make video calls while on the go.

Additionally, ZTE N988 is expected to arrive on the market with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity packed inside, USB port, GPS receiver, FM Radio, and a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes. Rumor has it that it would be set to hit the market in three color flavors, namely black, white, and red, and that it would be powered by Google’s Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system right from the start.  Despite its large screen, ZTE N988 should weigh only 110 grams, mainly due to its thin design. The smartphone is said to measure only 6.9mm in thickness. The available photos with the device show a design similar with that of ZTE Grand S, though various differences can also be spotted on it. Apparently, no carrier has been yet selected to bring it to shelves, though specific info on this might be unveiled in the not too distant future.

ZTE N988
Image credits to GSMInsider

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Firefox-Based KEON and PEAK Smartphones Get Priced, Shipping Next Week

GeeksPhone, the first company to launch Firefox-based smartphones, has just announced its Keon and Peak handsets will go on sale next week.

GSMArena reports that the Spanish company has just priced the affordable smartphones at €91 / $119 and €149 / $195, respectively. Keep in mind that these prices do not include taxes or shipping fees. Although Mozilla confirmed that it would launch Firefox-powered smartphones in five countries, GeeksPhone will ship its Keon and Peak devices anywhere in the world. Customers who wish to grab one of these two cheap smartphones will be able to do so starting next week via GeeksPhone online store.

Specs-wise, the Keon will be equipped with a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a 1GHz single-core processor, 4GB of internal memory, 512MB of RAM and 1,580 mAh battery. The better-featured Peak sports a much larger 4.3-inch qHD IPS display, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, 8-megapixel rear camera and 1800 mAh battery.

Firefox OS logo
Image credits to Mozilla

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Samsung Galaxy S4’s Launcher Ported to All Jelly Bean Devices

Samsung Galaxy S4 won’t arrive on shelves until later this month, but users can already get a taste of its launcher, as long as they own a smartphone running under Android Jelly Bean.

The phone’s launcher and Weather Widget were ported to Android 4.1 and Android 4.2 devices, and offer support for a variety of ROMs, it seems. According to XDA-Developers forum member emwno, both of them have already been tested on TouchWiz ROMs, CM10 and CM10.1, AOSP, Sony builds, and LG ROMs, and should work just fine on devices powered by them.

The main features of the port include AccuWeather Widget, smooth performance across devices, support for all JB ROMs, XXHDPI / XHDPI / HDPI / MDPI, and support for folders. The port is available as version 1.0 at the moment. Those interested in learning more on it should head over to this thread on XDA-Developers.

Galaxy S4 launcher ported to other Jelly bean devices
Image credits to XDA-Developers

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BlackBerry 10.1 New Features and Improvements, Here Are Some

BlackBerry is expected to launch a new version of its OS 10 operating system in the coming months and the Canadian company has already released the BlackBerry 10.1 SDK.

Developers will have time to analyze the new features and improvements that BlackBerry intends to bring in OS 10.1 update and offer their feedback. The folks over at CrackBerry rounded up a short list of new features included in BlackBerry 10.1C SDK, which is only aimed at developers. Check out below some of the changes that are currently taken into consideration of the first major BlackBerry 10 update:

• HDR option for taking photos;
• PIN to PIN messaging now available and present in the BlackBerry Hub;
• APN editing is now enabled (Though this may remain carrier based);
• 'Highlights" for text such as word correction on the keyboard are now green, instead of blue;
• 'Text Picker' has been improved, now allows for easily moving left and right between letters easier;
• Sharing menu is now black, just like on the BlackBerry Q10;
• New help demos and walkthroughs after initial boot;
• Select All for broadcast messages is now available;
• Ability to turn off alerts for specific applications;
• Easier to check for updates in BlackBerry World;
• Phone can be fully unlocked at lock screen now by the power button;
• BlackBerry World now has options for coupon redemption;
• Pasting of phone numbers directly into dialpad;
• Installed apps can be opened from with BlackBerry World (No longer shows 'installed' now shows 'open').

However, keep in mind that this list contains only a fraction of what’s to come in BlackBerry 10.1, so there may be other new features that have not been mentioned yet. It’s also important to understand that this list of changes is not final, as BlackBerry has already stated some of these features might be dropped, while others may be heavily modified. For more details on each of the changes in the list, head over to CrackBerry’s forum site. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

BlackBerry 10 logo
Image credits to RIM

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