MWC 2014: Samsung Galaxy S5 is Here with Fingerprint Scanner, 4K Video Recording

As expected, Samsung has taken the wrap-off its next Galaxy S smartphone. Samsung Galaxy S5 is now dust- and waterproof (IP67 certified) and comes with a fingerprint scanner placed under the physical Home button.

We've already reported on the Galaxy S5's fingerprint scanner, which allows users to keep their data safe, as well as make payments via PayPal with just a swipe of the finger. Samsung Galaxy S5 will ship with Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system out of the box and a new TouchWiz UI, which strongly resembles the previous version. Hardware-wise, the high-end smartphone is equipped with a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, which is complemented by an Adreno 330 graphics processing unit and 2GB of RAM. Another strong point of the Galaxy S5 would be the 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, which features autofocus, LED flash and 4K video recording. Even though previous rumors pointed to a 5.25-inch QHD (2650 x 1440 pixels) resolution, the Galaxy S5 comes with a slightly smaller 5.1-inch Super AMOLED full HD (1080p) capacitive touchscreen display.

Aside from the 2GB of RAM, Samsung Galaxy S5 comes packed with either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory, which can be further expanded up to 128GB via microSD memory card. Connectivity-wise, the Galaxy S5 offers a wide range of options, including LTE Cat4 (up to 150Mbps downloads, 50Mbps uploads), Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac (MIMO 2x2), Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, ANT+, NFC (Near Field Communication), IR blaster, and USB 3.0. Design-wise, Samsung has replaced the cheap glossy back cover with a more stylish dimpled back side that offers better grip over the phone. The Galaxy S5 also comes with a much better 2800 mAh battery, which is rated by Samsung for up to 10 hours of web browsing or up to 12 hours of video playback.

According to Samsung, the Galaxy S5 will be available for purchase beginning April 11 in no less than 150 countries. Unfortunately, no information has been provided on price tag yet, but we suspect Samsung will offer more details on pricing very soon. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

Samsung Galaxy S5
Image credits to Samsung Mobile

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First Ubuntu Phones Revealed at MWC 2014

The first Ubuntu phones are now being displayed at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2014 event, which takes place this week in Barcelona, Spain, between February 24-27.

Canonical announced last week that the forthcoming Ubuntu-powered phones will be manufactured by the Chinese company, Meizu, and a Spanish phone designer and manufacturer, named BQ. The names of the two Ubuntu phones have been revealed today at MWC 2014, the BQ Aquaris and the Meizu MX3. Unfortunately, the prototype phones showcased at the Ubuntu booth in Barcelona have no operating system.

However, the Canonical employees are hard at work, showcasing the latest Ubuntu Touch software on a Google Nexus 5 phone. If you are in Barcelona, go to MWC and visit the spectacular Ubuntu booth, because those phones look really good. We will have more pictures tomorrow morning!

http://www.gizchina.com
There have been a lot of rumours over the past few weeks claiming Meizu are gearing up to launch a new version of the MEizu MX3 running Linux Ubuntu! The leaked video we have here cetainly shows us an MX3 running Ubuntu,but it remains to be seen if Meizu will actually launch such a device!
More Meizu news at GizChina.com
Video credits to GizChina

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BlackBerry Confirms BBM for Windows Phone Arrives This Summer

Following Stephen Elop's announcement during Nokia's MWC 2014 press conference, BlackBerry issued an official statement confirming that BBM would be available on Windows Phone devices in the coming months.

The good news for those who don't own Nokia Windows Phone handsets is the fact that BlackBerry did not mention any exclusivity for Lumia handsets, so it should be available on most compatible Windows Phone devices. According to BlackBerry, BBM will be made available to Windows Phone, as well as Nokia X users in the coming months. Moreover, the application will be available as a free download via Windows Phone Store sometime this summer. In addition, BlackBerry Messenger for Nokia X will also be available for free from the Nokia Store when the Nokia X platform launches. Both Windows Phone and Nokia X users who download and install BBM will be provided with lots of major features that are also available on iOS and Android platforms.

BBM for Windows Phone will include features such as BBM Chats, BBM Groups, BBM Voice, BBM Channels, lots of new emoticons and various personalization options. Keep in mind that BBM users on Windows Phone, Nokia X, Android, iPhone and BlackBerry devices also have access to fast one-click sharing of photos, documents, voice notes and more. “BBM continues to grow in popularity as millions of people use our mobile platform for chatting and connecting with friends or colleagues, and we are very excited that we will soon welcome Windows Phone and Nokia X users to the BBM community,” said John Sims, president, global enterprise solutions at BlackBerry.

“Today marks an exciting moment for Nokia. By bringing BBM to the Windows Phone and Nokia X communities, our customers will be able to experience this popular global messaging app,” said Bryan Biniak, vice president and GM of developer relations, Nokia Corporation.

BBM logo
Image credits to BlackBerry

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Samsung Galaxy S5 Leaks in Live Pictures Ahead of Official Announcement

With just several hours left until Samsung's Unpacked 5 press event, where the company is expected to unveil the next Galaxy smartphone, a couple of pictures showing the Galaxy S5 have just leaked online.

Courtesy of HardwareZone Forums, we now know what the standard version of Samsung Galaxy S5 will look like. Judging by the leaked photos, the Galaxy S5 looks very much like Samsung Galaxy S4, but it's slightly larger. The cited source also provides some info on the fingerprint scanner that will come integrated in the Galaxy S5. It appears that users will be able to make payments via PayPal with just a swipe of their finger.

In order to set up the fingerprint scanner, one would need to swipe 8 times on the home button for the smartphone to store the fingerprint. You can authorize up to 3 fingerprints to be used with the Galaxy S5. The smartphone also comes with updated Samsung apps and services, including S Healh and Fitness. A brand new Download Booster app seems to be included as well. Images gallery below, click for larger image.

Samsung Galaxy S5
Images credits to Hardware Zone Forums

Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S4
Image credits to SaudiAndroid

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