Google Reportedly Killing the Nexus Series in Favor of “Silver” Lineup

Mountain View-based Internet giant Google is reportedly planning on partnering with various mobile phone makers out there for the launch of a new series of premium devices, called Silver phones. This new family of handsets would arrive on shelves with high-end hardware specifications packed inside, as well as with close-to-stock Android software, and might replace the currently available Nexus lineup. These handsets are expected to become available for purchase both though Google’s own channels and via other retail channels, with only up to five such devices up for grabs at the same time. The info comes from The Information, which also claims that the program is well underway, and that Google is planning on conquering the very high-end...

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LG L80 Officially Introduced in Indonesia

Yesterday, we reported that a brand new L Series III smartphone leaked ahead of its official launch, the L80 dual. The smartphone was spotted in Russia, where it is set to arrive in late May for an unknown price. However, it looks like LG has officially introduced the L80 in Indonesia several hours after the smartphone’s leak in Russia. This time, we have more details on the phone’s price tag and specs sheet. According to GSMArena, the LG L80 will be available for purchase in Indonesia soon for only IDR 2,500,000 outright, which is about €155 or $215. Although no exact release date has been confirmed, we can safely assume that the smartphone will go on sale next month. The LG L80 will be available in two variants, single SIM and dual...

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Huawei Ascend P7 Leaks in New Photos Ahead of Official Release

Next week, Chinese mobile phone maker Huawei should make a new flagship device official, namely the long-rumored Huawei Ascend P7, and a new set of leaked photos with the device is now available for your viewing pleasure. Available courtesy of NowhereElse, these photos show a design similar to that of Ascend P6 last year, which does not come as a surprise, since the phone was already rumored to resemble its predecessor a lot. When unveiled in early May, the Ascend P7 will feature a 5-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, as well as a 1.6GHz processor inside, coming from Huawei itself. Moreover, the upcoming flagship device is also expected to land on shelves with 2GB of RAM packed inside,...

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Intel Might Not Have a Choice but to Use ARM Cores from Now On

The idea that Advanced Micro Devices would start to use ARM technology in its processors is one that has been both supported and dismissed by the world at large for the past year. No longer though, and Intel might have to adjust its tactics because of that. You might have already come upon the news about the new APUs (SoCs really), the Beema and Mullins chips that AMD has just launched. I’ve already explored pretty much everything in regard to them that can be of interested to us common mortals. I have even taken a closer look at that nifty little Intelligent Boost technology that overclocks the processor while taking into account how warm/hot the skin on your hands is. However, in the end, the most game-changing element in the new...

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Samsung’s First Tizen OS Smartphone to Land in Russia in May

South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics has already confirmed plans to launch its first smartphone running under the Tizen OS sometime in the second quarter of the year, but no official release date for it has been provided as of now. According to the latest reports on the matter, however, we might see the company making the upcoming device official in Russia in May. According to a post on tizenindonesia, the phone will also come to other markets soon after, including Brazil, and other countries where Samsung’s Bada OS has managed to get some traction. No confirmation on the matter has been provided as of now, but said news site notes that the info comes from a Samsung official, who also confirmed that the mobile phone...

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Samsung SM-G906S Spotted Online Again, Could Be Galaxy S5 Prime

One of the devices that South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics might bring to the market in the not-too-distant future is a premium version of the Galaxy S5, and the device appears to have emerged online once again. A certain Samsung SM-G906S has been spotted in official Samsung documents for the Find My Mobile service, where it is listed among the devices supported in the service, despite the fact that Samsung hasn’t made it official as of now. Previously, the mobile phone was spotted in benchmarks with a 2K (2560 x 1440 pixels) touchscreen display, which suggested that this might indeed be the premium device model that enthusiasts were looking for, as SamMobile notes. Supposedly called Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime, the device...

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Android 4.4 KitKat Update for Meizu MX3 Now Available for Download

We reported about two weeks ago that Chinese company Meizu confirmed it would offer Android 4.4 KitKat updates for its MX2 and MX3 smartphones on April 28. True to its promise, Meizu has just started to seed Android 4.4 KitKat for the MX3. The information has been confirmed by meizufans.eu forums where the full changelog of the update has been published as well. The update contains an update for Flyme OS 3.6.1A and lots of new features, improvements and bug fixes. There’s also a new ART mode, which can be enabled via Developer Tools. Some camera bug fixes have been included in the update as well, along with the music player issues. New compatible Bluetooth Smart devices that support Bluetooth Smart bracelet have been added, as well...

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LG G3 Emerges in Leaked Photo, Back-Mounted Buttons Confirmed

LG G3, the next flagship Android-based handset from the South Korean mobile phone maker, is expected to arrive on shelves sometime this summer with a design similar to that of LG G2 from last year, and an allegedly leaked photo with the device appears to confirm this. The image, available courtesy of GSMArena, shows that LG G3 will sport Volume and Power buttons on the back, beneath the camera, just as LG G2 did. Moreover, it also unveiled that these buttons have been slightly changed, and that LG will also include a new sensor next to the camera, which explains the cut hole spotted in plastic cases for the device earlier this week. The smartphone will pack a LED flash to one side of the camera, with the aforementioned sensor on the...

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Cheap Nexus 6 Model to Pack a 64-Bit Processor

Recently, Mountain View-based Internet giant Google has been rumored to plan the release of a cheaper version of the Nexus 6 handset, which is reportedly set to land on shelves sometime towards the end of this year. Up until now, Google and its hardware partners have released Nexus devices with high-end hardware packed inside, though with appealing price tags attached to them. However, it seems that this might change when Nexus 6 arrives this fall. Apparently, the company has decided to release a cheap Nexus model that would target the entry-level market, though it seems that it will still pack it with appealing hardware inside. Rumor has it that the phone will hit shelves at less than $100, and that it will sport a MediaTek processor...

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ASRock Z97 Extreme 4 Is a Surprisingly Powerful Mid-Range Motherboard

ASRock may have unleashed five different Z97-based motherboards, but one of them is likely to outsell all the others, because mid-range products always sell the best. There's a reason they're called “mainstream” after all. The motherboard in question is called ASRock Z97 Extreme 4, which means that it still has some pretty nifty assets but manages not to cost an arm and a leg. Presumably, anyway. Since ASRock hasn't exactly shared the prices with us, we can't really do anything other than guess at this point in time. Anyway, the newcomer has a similar black and blue color theme as the ASRock Z97 Extreme 6, sharing many of the visual elements with it really. Still, it does only have 8 SATA 6.0 Gbps ports instead of 10, and a single...

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ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 Motherboard Released with 7.1 Channel Purity Audio

The Z97 OC Formula may be ASRock's latest and greatest motherboard, not counting anything larger than the ATX form factor anyhow, but it's not the only one that the company released. In fact, it's just one of five. Still, of the four that we haven't checked out, the Z97 Extreme 6, at least, deserves to be looked at independently, so here we go. You can tell that the Z97 Extreme 6 isn't meant for the same ludicrous overclocking opportunities as the OC just from looking at the power distribution. The CPU only gets one 8-pin ATX power connector instead of two, even if the VRM (voltage regulation module) still has 12 phases. Even without overclocking, though, any PC powered by the Haswell refresh CPU from Intel will perform well. And...

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Xiaomi’s Tablet to Come with Retina Display (2048 x 1536 Pixels) and NVIDIA/Intel CPUs

In case you were missing some more conflicting rumors regarding the mythical Xiaomi tablet, we have a new batch for you. As you might remember, we were hoping the slate will make an appearance yesterday at Xiaomi’s media press event, but as it turned out, the company ended up launching two wireless routers and TV box instead. Like the next-gen Nexus 10 tablet, the Xiaomi slate has been said to arrive since forever. Even more puzzling, the rumor mill couldn't agree on its specifications whatsoever. Now a new report coming to us via Focus Taiwan claims the slate is indeed on its way and will arrive with a pretty amazing set of specs. For starters, the device will boast an iPad mini-like 7.85-inch display with an ultra-sharp resolution...

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Pantech IM-A888S Emerges in AnTuTu with Snapdragon 805 CPU

South Korean mobile phone maker Pantech is gearing up for the release of a new high-end handset, one that might land on shelves with the Snapdragon 805 processor packed inside, as a recent listing in AnTuTu shows. The company has been rumored before to plan the release of such a device, but no proof of that has emerged until now. However, a certain Pantech IM-A888S has been spotted in the aforementioned benchmarking app powered by this processor. According to the listing, the handset should land on shelves as a flagship model, packing a screen capable of delivering a 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution, and pairing the Snapdragon 805 CPU with 3GB of RAM. The handset managed to score 36970 points in AnTuTu. As PhoneArena notes, considering...

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Oppo R1S Goes Official with 5-Inch HD Display, Quad-Core CPU, on Pre-Order from April 25

After launching the Oppo R1 mid-range Android smartphone, the Chinese company decided to try its luck with a sequel, which is dubbed Oppo R1S. The Oppo R1 and R1S have been priced similarly, although they have different specs, so it’s up to each and every Android enthusiast to choose the right device for them. The official launch of the R1S doesn’t come as a surprise given the fact that the smartphone received its certification in China last week. However, we did not know when exactly Oppo would announce the new smartphone. Powered by Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system with Color ROM, Oppo R1S is another mid-range smartphone that offers more than decent hardware specs. According to fonearena, the R1S will be available for pre-order...

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Meizu MX4 Coming to China in August with 2560x1536 Resolution Display

Word about Meizu planning a new flagship smartphone this year emerged over the weekend when Jack Wong took it on forums to confirm that the new MX4 would be bigger and better than its predecessor. Although no details on the phone’s specs sheets were revealed by the company’s official, the mere statements regarding the existence of Meizu MX4 caught fans’ imagination. Today, new info on Meizu MX4’s possible release date emerged online via Phonearena. According to Chinese blog site 163.com, the MX4 should arrive in the Mainland sometime in August. Meizu MX4 is said to be priced at around $320 (€230), though Android fans should take the information with a grain of salt until the Chinese company confirms the smartphone’s suggested retail...

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Motorola to Launch Moto E (XT1021) Model Soon

Last week, mobile phone maker Motorola was rumored to plan the release of some new handsets in the near future, including one that would feature model number XT1021 and a thin body, and some more info on the matter is now available. According to a recent article on xataka.com.mx, the handset is expected to arrive on shelves in Mexico as Moto E, which will debut a new phone series at the vendor. Motorola was also said to plan the release of new versions of its Moto X and Moto G devices, and it seems that it is determined to expand its portfolio as much as possible this year, though it will continue to focus on the low- and mid-range markets. The new Moto E should pack rather appealing specs for a budget-friendly handset, including...

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Aqua Computer Full Water Block for Radeon R9 295 X2 Dual-GPU Graphics Card Released

Dual-GPU graphics cards are special products with equally special demands, and while NVIDIA managed to get away with a more or less common-looking cooler, the same cannot be said about AMD. It looks like there was still room for improvement though. Aqua Computer has formally launched a full-cover water block for the Radeon R9 295 X2 dual-Hawaii “Vesuvius” graphics card. This is actually a more surprising development than one might think, because the dual-chip graphics card already has a surprisingly good cooler. Instead of using some air-based solution, AMD instead called on Asetek to make a hybrid cooling module that combines the benefits of a heatsink and fan with those of a radiator and two water blocks, one for each GPU. It's...

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iPhone 6 with 5.5-Inch Display Could Be Delayed Until 2015

Samsung’s SDI battery division and LG Chemical are being hard-pressed to produce some of their thinnest batteries yet for the unannounced “iPhone Air” launching towards the end of this year, as some analysts have predicted. Taiwan’s Commercial Times says Apple wants the battery for an upcoming iPhone to be less than two millimeters thick, in what is giving the aforementioned cell makers “headaches.” The unannounced phone is dubbed “iPhone Air” in the report, and it is this particular model that Apple wants to equip with a 5.5-inch “phablet” display, the paper says. Analyst Ming Chi Kuo working with KGI Securities wrote in a recent research note that Apple is indeed planning to deploy such a device, but that the Cupertino company won’t...

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Premium Galaxy S5 Leaks as Project KQ with 2K Screen, Snapdragon 805 CPU

South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics has been long rumored to plan the release of a premium version of its Galaxy S5 handset, and some new info on the matter has emerged now. Previously, Samsung’s Galaxy S5 was said to hit shelves in two flavors, including one that would be called Galaxy S5 Prime, and which was expected to pack better hardware capabilities when compared to the standard model, something that could pan out soon. Although Samsung has denied any intention to launch a premium variant of the device, new information that emerged online over at SamMobile suggests that the new handset variant is real and that it could become official sooner rather than later. Said device is supposedly featuring the codename...

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The iPhone 6 Could Really Come on June 2, and Here’s Why

It has long been speculated that Apple can’t afford to stall the big-screen upgrade, and several analysts have predicted that WWDC 2014 will be the time and the place (Einstein would probably call it the “timeplace”) of the iPhone 6 launch. It’s not just possible, it’s probable The first argument that springs to mind whenever someone asks me "when do ya' think the iPhone 6 will be announced" is the leaks. The massive amount of leaks that are cropping up all over the place, much earlier than expected. Take, for instance, that heavy tool that’s said to be used for the machining process to carve a block of aluminum and achieve the desired final shape. Apple has been doing cases like this for years now, and it seems they’re at it again....

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Google and MediaTek Reportedly Partner for Cheap Nexus Devices

Google’s Nexus series of smartphones is well known for the high-end hardware specs that it brought to the market over the years at low price tags, yet it seems that the lineup might see a series of changes in the not-too-distant future. According to the latest reports on the matter, Google might actually consider the launch of much cheaper handsets in the series, while packing them with lower hardware specifications than before. Info coming from Chinese media suggests that Google might have partnered with MediaTek for the release of an Android phone at under $100 (€73), and that the device will land on shelves with the Nexus brand attached to it. The info reportedly comes from sources with Taiwan supply chains, though no exact details...

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OnePlus One Benchmark Scores Leave Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 Behind

Later this month, Chinese phone maker OnePlus is set to make official the first handset that has been specifically designed for the CyanogenMod platform, and it appears that the company will unveil a truly high-end device when that happens. According to a screenshot from AnTuTu benchmark, the upcoming smartphone, which will be called OnePlus One, can score as high as 38,179 when tested, which is much more than what flagship phones available on shelves today can offer, as PhoneArena notes. The screenshot comes from OnePLus CEO’s Weibo account, which suggests that it is legit. Moreover, it is meant to prove that the company was serious when announcing that its handset would be able to offer new levels of performance to all users. Previously,...

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Huawei Ascend P7 Shows Its Metallic Chassis in Newly Leaked Photos

One of the handsets that Chinese mobile phone maker Huawei has been long rumored to plan on bringing to the market is the Huawei Ascend P7, which emerged in a new set of leaked images today. Said images, available courtesy of weibo (via gforgames), show that Huawei is likely to adopt a metallic case for the new handset, which should translate into a premium design for the yet unannounced handset. The specifications list of the new device are also said to be high-end, which does not come as a surprise at all, considering the fact that Huawei Ascend P7 is expected to arrive on shelves as the next flagship phone from the Chinese vendor. Previous rumors on the matter suggested that Huawei would pack the device with a 5-inch full HD touchscreen...

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iPhone 6 Will Be Made from Aluminum, Leak Indicates

New photos depicting Foxconn molds destined for the iPhone 6 have emerged corroborating a previous leak and potentially confirming Apple’s plans to have a bigger iPhone deployed this year. According to Steve Hemmerstoffer of Nowhereelse.fr, “Some of the holes that were drilled into the block in fact serve to fix the inserts which will form a crude which is then machined housing (finishes) using a CNC milling machine.” Aided by the comparison iPhone 5s placed next to the mold, the dimensions suggest that the hardware will be used to machine the case of a larger iPhone, seemingly the rumored 4.7-inch model. This is the second leak of its kind. The hardware looks identical, in what would confirm that the former was also legitimate. The...

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LG G3 Leaks in Live Photo, Confirms QHD (2560x1440) Display

LG is expected to launch its next flagship smartphone, the G3, sometime in Q2 2014. According to the latest rumors, the South Korean company may officially introduce the device sometime in May, while the phone will go on sale in June. Although these timeframes are just speculation for the most part, what’s certain is the fact that LG G3 will come with a stunning display that will support QHD (2560x1440 pixels) resolution. Ubergizmo has just published a picture showing the alleged LG G3 running the AnTuTu benchmark. The cited source claims it has reached out to LG for comments on the G3’s specs and the company has confirmed that its flagship handset will indeed boast a QHD display. Sadly, this is all that LG wanted to comment...

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Gigabyte Selling the GeForce GTX Titan Black Graphics Card with Two Coolers

NVIDIA's GeForce GTX Titan Black graphics card is the best single-GPU board that NVIDIA has up for sale at the moment, and the best single-GPU board period, according to quite a few people. Gigabyte's latest version of it is pretty odd though. We say that not because the board is factory overclocked, which it is, but that's something we'll look at later on. No, we say that the new video card is peculiar because it ships with two coolers instead of one. The card itself has the stock model, with a single fan and the well-known grey and black shroud, covering a card-length heatsink. However, the box also contains the WindForce 3X cooling system, which can withstand a TDP (thermal design power) of 600W. Normally, an OEM would install...

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