Unannounced Samsung SHW-M550S Receives Bluetooth Approvals

A new Samsung device has been spotted over at the Bluetooth SIG, featuring model number SHW-M550S, but with no official info available on it as of now.

The device, however, has been found to arrive on shelves with support for W-CDMA / GSM frequencies, though it seems that no LTE capabilities will be included in it. The phone will also pack Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities when launched, and is expected to hit shelves at wireless carrier SK Telecom in South Korea.

Furthermore, a recent article on Ameblo notes that Samsung is also working on the development of a SHW-M550K model of the device, which should hit the market in the country at KT. The unannounced Samsung device has received the necessary approvals from Bluetooth SIG on April 28, yet specific info on when it might be officially launched hasn’t been unveiled as of now.

Samsung SHW-M550S at Bluetooth SIG
Image credits to Bluetooth SIG

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Samsung Preparing Two 11-Inch Tablets for Later This Year, One Has 8 Cores

Samsung, being one of the largest business conglomerates on the IT industry, is, naturally, planning on releasing a new bunch of tablets as soon as it gets the chance, though it hasn't completely detailed those plans.

That doesn't mean they can't become known through different means though, and sure enough, they have been revealed. Not through an official press release or anything, but thanks to the folks at SamMobile website, who have received the plans for 2013 and have been gracious enough to share them with the world.  There are four Android tablets in the works, but we'll check them in pairs. You'll have to stay tuned for the 7-inch Galaxy tab DUOS 7.0 and 8-inch Galaxy Tab 8.0. Here, we will check out the Galaxy Tab 11 and Nexus 11, both of which measure 11 inches in diagonal. We'll look at the Galaxy tab 11 first. It is powered by a dual-Core Exynos 5250 processor, whose clock speed is of 1.7 GHz.

It also has 64 GB of NAND Flash storage space (micro SD card). Two cameras (8 megapixels back, 2 megapixels front). As for the screen, it is a Super PLS TFT with, most likely, 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution.  Then, there is the Nexus 11, which has many things in common with the Tab 11, enough that we would be tempted to think it is just a rebranded version. But there is one key difference: the CPU. Instead of the Dual-Core Exynos, the Nexus 11 runs on the Octa-Core Exynos 5410.

And by octa-core, we mean to say that demanding tasks activate the four A15 cores, but that the tablet runs on the much more power-efficient A7 cores when less heavyweight programs and apps are used. Google Nexus 11 will actually be the world's first octa-core tablet, which will earn it and Samsung quite a bit of esteem.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Image credits to Samsung

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Huawei P6-U06 Aims World’s Thinnest Smartphone Title

It looks like Huawei plans to launch another high-end Android smartphone, the P6-U06. Obviously, this is just a codename, so we should expect a more commercial name for the devices closer to official launch.

According to GSMInsider, Huawei P6-U06 has been recently spotted in China at TENAA (Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center), which is a slight indication that the smartphone will be initially launched in the Mainland. The Chinese company has yet to make it official, but the latest rumors claim that Huawei P6-U06 will be the thinnest Android smartphone available on the market. The phone is said to be only 6.18mm thin and measures 132.6 x 65.5mm. It also weighs around 120g (battery included), which makes it lighter than Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, which weighs 130g. Currently, the thinnest Android smartphone available on the market is the Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra, at only 6.45mm thickness.

Unfortunately, there are no details on the Huawei P6-U06’s release or pricing options yet, but rumor has it that the smartphone will be available in the coming weeks in black, white and pink. Specs-wise, the P6-U06 is a decent high-end smartphone and comes packed with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor manufactured by Huawei, complemented by 2GB of RAM. Furthermore, the device is said to sport a large 4.7-inch capacitive touchscreen display that supports HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution. On the back, it will boast an 8-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and video recording (1080p@30fps), while in the front, there’s a secondary 2-megapixel camera for video calls.

Last but not least, Huawei P6-U06 is said to ship with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box. Still, the Chinese company may offer an Android 4.2 upgrade soon after launch. No word on the phone’s release date or on whether or not Huawei will make it available outside China, so stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

Huawei P6-U06
Image credits to Tenaa

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New Windows 8.1 Build 9385 Screenshot Leaked

Windows 8.1 build 9385 got leaked a few days ago, indicating that Microsoft is indeed making the final adjustments to the next Windows release due this summer.

A new screenshot that reached the web a few hours ago shows us that the tech giant is pondering the introduction of even more customization options, some of which might concern the Charms bar. As you can see in this photo, the Settings Charm available in Windows 8.1 build 9385 is red, which could mean that users might be allowed to change the color of this particular feature in the first Windows 8 upgrade.

No official details are available for the time being on Windows 8.1, but word is that Microsoft might actually debut the final build this summer, most likely in August or September. Furthermore, the public beta could be released in just a couple of months at the BUILD developer conference in San Francisco.

Windows 8.1 might include Charms bar customization options
Image credits to pcportal.org.ru

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Nokia to Launch Windows 8 Tablet on May 14, Specs Leak

Nokia might be finally ready to unveil to the world the first tablet PC in its lineup, and rumor has it that May 14 could be the lucky day for enthusiasts.

Apparently, the Finnish mobile phone maker is planning the launch of this tablet PC at the May 14 press event already announced for London, at least this is what sources from India claim, a recent article on news.zol reads. The upcoming device is expected to hit shelves with a 10.1-inch display that can deliver a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, and might run under either Windows 8 or Windows RT.

Furthermore, the tablet is said to sport a 1GHz processor inside (most probably multi-core), paired with 1GB of RAM, which should make it only a mid-level device. The tablet measures 256.6 x 175.3 x 9.7 mm and weighs 676 grams.

Nokia Windows 8 tablet rendering
Image credits to netbooknews.de

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LG's New Galaxy S4 Rival, the Optimus GK

LG is about to announce its top-tier Optimus G Pro in the United States and it looks like the South Korean company won’t stop there.

The handset maker has just launched a new high-end Android handset in South Korea, which is supposed to compete with Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4. Dubbed LG Optimus GK, the devices will be available for purchase in South Korea beginning May via major carrier KT. No word on pricing options yet, or whether or not it will go on sale outside Asia anytime soon. The Optimus GK is a slightly smaller version of the Optimus G Pro, which is expected to be officially introduced in the United States on May 1. Unlike the Optimus G Pro that features a large 5.5-inch display, the newly announced LG Optimus GK sports a 5-inch full HD IPS capacitive touchscreen display that supports 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and Zerogap Touch technology.

On the inside, the smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset that accommodates a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, an Adreno 320 graphics processing unit and 2GB of RAM. That seems to be the same hardware configuration as the Optimus G Pro’s, so there’s nothing changed when it comes to power.  It is also worth mentioning that LG Optimus GK features full support for 3G HSPA+ and 4G LTE. The phone also boasts an impressive 13-megapixel rear-facing photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording. A secondary 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera is included as well, along with 16GB of internal memory and microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 64GB).

Unfortunately, the Optimus GK will ship with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box, opposite to Galaxy S 4’s Android 4.2.2. Other highlights of the smartphone include: Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, NFC (Near Field Communication) and 3,100 mAh Li-Ion battery. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

LG Optimus GK
Image credits to LG

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