Samsung Galaxy J, Coming Soon to NTT Docomo

It’s a little bit over a week since Samsung Galaxy J leaked online for the first time. The smartphone was spotted at FCC (Federal Communication Commission) on its way to Japanese carrier NTT Docomo.

Today, the first live pictures of the Galaxy J surfaced via Japanese blog rbmen. The smartphone has been confirmed to arrive at NTT Docomo in three color options, Satin White, Coral Pink and Lapis Blue, but additional details on specs sheet are a bit scarce. However, the smartphone is said to come equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset inside, 3GB of RAM and 5-inch full HD (1080p) capacitive touchscreen display. It will also pack 1Seg for TV service for the Japanese market.

Samsung Galaxy J, also known as SC-02F, is expected to be officially unveiled at NTT Docomo later this week, so stay tuned for more info on the matter.

Samsung Galaxy J (SC-02F)
Image credits to rbmen

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ASUS Radeon R9 270X DirectCU II Top Details

For all the might of the Radeon R9 290/290X and R9 280X, they will probably sell less than, say, the R9 270X. It comes with being more affordable while retaining good capabilities.

ASUS' version of the graphics card will be called Radeon R9 270X DirectCU II Top. Or, well, one of them will be, assuming ASUS is preparing more than one. The graphics card uses the Curacao XT GPU, with 1280 stream processors and a memory interface of 256 bits. Speaking of which, the card has 2 GB of GDDr5 VRAM at 5,600 MHz, while the GPU operates at 1,120 MHz. For 1080p gaming, it should be more than enough. Even if it is the slowest card with a 256-bit memory bus, it is very powerful.

It even has DIGI+ VRM with Super Alloy Power technology, meaning that overclocking is possible. The 6+2 phase design will help there. All in all, the R9 270X DC2 TOP should work 4% better than the original, which, in turn, is a few percentage points better than Radeon HD 7870. DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI, and DisplayPort connectors are included. The price will be around $199 / €199.

ASUS Radeon R9 270X DirectCU II Top
Image credits to VideoCardz

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Samsung Galaxy Round Has 5.7-Inch Full HD Curved Display (Side to Side)

We have reported earlier today that Samsung is rumored to announce the Galaxy Round sometime this week, thus beating LG in the race for marketing the world’s first curved smartphone.

It’s only been a few hours since word on Samsung’s imminent announcement surfaced online and the first details on Galaxy Round’s specs sheet have started to arrive. According to Korean publication ETNews, Samsung’s OLED flexible display that will be included into the Galaxy Round measures 5.7 inches and it’s only 0.12 mm thin. Furthermore, Samsung has confirmed that its flexible display weighs 5.2 g, which makes it lighter than LG’s 6-inch flexible screen that weighs 7.2 g.

The Galaxy Round’s 5.7-inch display is said to feature full HD (1080p) resolution. On the inside, the smartphone will pack the usual Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset and it will ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box. It is also worth mentioning that Samsung’s 5.7-inch flexible display is curved side to side and not top to bottom like LG’s screen.

Samsung OLED flexible display
Image credits to Samsung

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3's Regional Lock Bypasses by This Apps

Galaxy Note 3, the latest Android-based high-end smartphone from Samsung, was released on shelves with a regional lock for the SIM card in various European markets, yet a way to bypass it has already emerged.

The SIM card lock was applied to other smartphones in Samsung’s lineup as well, yet the bypass is available for Galaxy Note 3 SM-N9005 running MI7 firmware alone. The bypass is, in fact, an application called RegionLock Away, which is available from XDA-Developers forum member Chainfire.

The application requires root, and was meant only to remove the regional lock that Samsung has included on the device. However, chances are that the lock will be restored upon a firmware update. Users interested learning more on the app should head over to this thread in the XDA-Developers forum.

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Rumor: iPhone 6 to Have 4.8-Inch Display

An investor note from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek is said to shed some light on Apple’s future plans with the iPhone, as well as some bad news regarding the colorful iPhone 5c.

Quoted in a Business Insider report, Misek reportedly had some chats with Apple’s suppliers in the Far East and learned that “Apple is targeting a 4.8-inch iPhone for the iPhone 6.” He expects investors to get excited “as the bigger iPhone gets further into development,” but he also has some bad news to relay to those who read his research notes for financial advice.

Apparently the analyst also said, “Apple is cutting orders for the iPhone 5C because it's not selling as well as hoped.” Misek thus believes the Cupertino giant might actually end up slashing the phone’s price to increase sales.

iPhone 6 concept
Image credits to iphonehacks.com

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Skorpion Charger Can Also Scan Smartphones for Malware

Charging a smartphone and scanning it for malware at the same time is now a reality, courtesy of a new charger coming from Kaprica Security.

Called the Skorpion charger, the device has been designed so as to analyze the OS on a device without actually relying on the platform itself, or on the handset’s memory or processor. According to technologyreview, the company believes that its solution is better due to the fact that the charger is a separate accessory, and that it can detect malware that sits silently on the smartphone, stealing users’ information.

The device is not vulnerable to malware, Kaprica cofounder and CEO Doug Britton says. He also believes that the charger is capable of detecting even malicious code that would otherwise hide from antivirus software when detecting a scan in progress. The Skorpion charger should become available for purchase either later this year or in early 2014, priced at $65 (€48). It would also come with a $3 (€2.21) or $4 (€2.95) monthly subscription for updates and the like.

Skorpion Charger
Image credits to Kaprica Security

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