Meizu Preparing Two Meizu MX4 Models

Chinese mobile phone maker Meizu is reportedly getting ready for the release of a new device in its popular MX series, namely the Meizu MX4.

The new mobile phone is now said to arrive on shelves in two different models, one of which should pack a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1536 pixels touchscreen display, and which is also expected to land on shelves with 4G LTE connectivity packed inside. Apparently, this will be the high-end flavor of the smartphone, which should be accompanied by a cheaper model, one that will sport a 5-inch 1080p Full HD screen.

This phone variant is also said to arrive with an octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor inside, and also with 4G LTE connectivity. Meizu MX4 is expected to be officially announced sometime next year, and it might be one of the first devices from Meizu to be released outside China, as UnwiredView notes.

Meizu MX4 might arrive in two different versions
Image credits to UnwiredView

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Sony Xperia Z1 f Already Outselling the iPhone in Japan

Last week, Xperia Z1 f, the latest Android-based smartphone that Sony has launched on the market in Japan, managed to top selling charts in the country, leaving Apple’s iPhone 5s behind.

The device, launched as the smaller version of the Xperia Z1, packs powerful hardware inside, similar to that of its larger brother, but it is available only in Japan for the time being. In fact, Sony hasn’t confirmed any plans on launching the smartphone in other markets around the world, despite the fact that there have been quite a lot of rumors on the matter already. The one thing that is certain at the moment is the fact that the market performance of the handset in Japan could determine Sony to launch it in other countries out there. The phone could be released internationally as the Xperia Z1 mini, just as previous reports on the matter have suggested.

In Japan, the device landed on shelves with a 4.3-inch IPS touchscreen display capable of delivering a 720p HD resolution, as well as with a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor inside. Furthermore, Xperia Z1 f features 2GB of RAM inside, as well as a 2300mAh battery, which can easily deliver longer usage times than Xperia Z1’s 3000mAh battery does, as PhoneArena notes. On the back, the smartphone packs a 20-megapixel camera, the same as Xperia Z1 does, which means that it can offer the same imaging experience as Sony’s current flagship.

The smaller device is priced only a bit lower than the Xperia Z1, but that does not appear to be an issue for enthusiasts. Given the handset’s hardware specifications, we can clearly see why. What remains to be seen is whether the phone’s momentum in Japan will continue, so stay tuned for more on the matter. Hopefully, CES 2014 will bring along an announcement regarding its international availability.

Sony Xperia Z1 f next to iPhone 5s
Image credits to SonyViet via PhoneArena

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Tizen OS-Powered Samsung SC-03F Coming Soon to NTT DoCoMo

Samsung and Intel have already announced a joint press event for February, where there first devices powered by Tizen operating system will be announced.

The information has been confirmed earlier this month, but no additional details on the number of devices and their specs sheets have been leaked yet. However, the folks over at SamMobile report that the Indonesian blog site tizenindonesia has just uncovered one of the first Tizen-based smartphones to receive clearance at FCC (Federal Communications Commission).

The unannounced Samsung SC-03F seems to be en route to Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo, though there are no details on when exactly it will hit shelves next year. The smartphone is said to feature a similar design as the Galaxy S4 and FCC documents mention that the SC-03F measures 136.1 x 69.1mm. No other details on the phone’s specs are available for the moment, but we expect additional details to leak as we’re getting closer to MWC 2014.

Samsung SC-03F diagram
Image credits to FCC

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Chinese iFive Mini 3 Tablet Gets Updated to Android 4.4 KitKat

More and more Chinese manufacturers seem to be jumping on the Android 4.4 KitKat bandwagon, which is pretty amazing to say the least, especially if you consider brand vendors are quite slow when it comes to performing software updates on their models.

One of those white-box markers is iFive, which has just pushed out an official ROM update for its iFive Mini 3 tablet, thus bringing the device up-to-date into KitKat land. And, according to Tablet Republic, the new build brings numerous improvements compared to the previous Android 4.2 firmware, like optimized RAM usage, and a smoother performance which definitely constitutes a plus for owners of this rudimentary device.

After the update, the device has managed to score 4,594 points on AnTuTu benchmarks, placing the slate directly below the HTC One X, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 lags in way behind. The iFive Mini 3features a 7.9-inch IPS screen with a capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and draws power from a quad-core RK3188 processor backed up by Mali 400 MP4 GPU. It might not be much, but with Android 4.4 onboard, the tablet might be worth a second glance.

iFive Mini 3 tablet updated with Android 4.4
Images credits to Tablet Republic

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Jolla Sailfish OS 1.0.2.5 Platform Update Released

Finnish startup Jolla has made available for download an updated version of its Sailfish OS, namely version 1.0.2.5.

The new platform release comes to devices with some appealing enhancements packed inside, including some camera improvements when it comes to exposure time and low light focus and to the switching between the front and back cameras. A series of bug fixes and other system improvements were also included in the new release, MyNokiaBlog reports. The release notes for the update include:

• Google calendar sync to your Jolla (one way)
• Camera support in Android apps
• Updating/uninstalling apps from Yandex store
• Camera now supports all 4 orientations
• Advanced recovery mode [details]
• Ability to accept any server certificates during Exchange ActiveSync account setup

Those who would like to learn more on the updated Sailfish OS should head over to this page on JollaSuomi for the full changelog.

Jolla's Sailfish OS smartphone
Image credits to Jolla

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Oppo Find 7 Will Sport a 5.5-Inch 2K Screen

Chinese mobile phone maker Oppo has been teasing its upcoming Find 7 flagship smartphone for quite some time now, and it has recently confirmed some more of the device’s hardware specs.

The mobile phone will hit the market with a 5.5-inch touchscreen display and will be able to provide users with a 2k resolution, the handset vendor has confirmed in a recent tweet. Previously, Oppo did note that this smartphone would hit shelves with a screen capable of delivering a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, but it did not mention its actual size until now.

Oppo Find 7 will feature a pixel density of 538PPI and will also arrive on the market with a very small bezel, which will make it feel like a 5-inch smartphone, as Pocketnow notes. No specific info on when the smartphone will become official has been provided as of now, but it might not be too long before that happens, so stay tuned.

Oppo Find 7 will pack a 5.5-inch 2k screen
Image credits to Oppo on Twitter

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