Nokia N1 Update Brings New Z Launcher, Improved Double Tap Feature

Those lucky enough to own a Nokia N1 tablet will be pleased to know that the Finnish company has just released a new software update brings some new features and improvements.

The hard to come by Nokia N1 is only available in China, but the manufacturer promised it will start selling the tablet in other countries as well. The problem is we don't know when and where the N1 will be released, other than China, so we'll have to patiently wait for more info on that one. However, we do know for sure that Nokia plans to keep improving its tablet, which is already seen a great product and strong rival to Apple's smaller iPad. With the latest software update that was tested during February, Nokia is making N1 owners happier, as a handful of improvements and new features are meant to offer users smoother experience.

A few new icons added and some third-party issues have been fixed

The official changelog has been published in China, since this is the only country where the N1 has been officially introduced. Spotted by the folks over at NokiaPowerUser, the changelog for the Nokia N1 update mentions that it adds improved Double tap to wake-up sensitivity and Touch experience. In addition, the new software version comes with updated iterations for Nokia Z Launcher and App Store. The former features increased operational stability, while the latter improves interface fluency. It's also worth mentioning that the update brings a new Native Launcher icon to dynamically display the actual calendar date. One other tweak included in the update is the new headphones icon into the status.

According to Nokia, they have also fixed some third-party issues with the recording process after recording only mono headphones. This new software update is now deployed OTA (over the air) in China to all Nokia N1 tablets, so make sure you check yours today to capture it.

Nokia N1
Image credits to Nokia

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LG G4 to Pack 5.6-Inch Quad HD Display

LG G4 is the next big thing coming in the smartphone industry, so it's worth reporting every new piece of the information that we get on the upcoming device.

Last week, the first press renders of the alleged LG G4 leaked online and we now have a pretty good idea on what the South Korean company plans to go with its next flagship smarpthone. The said pictures confirmed that the G4 will feature a curved form factor, just like the LG G Flex series. However, no details on the size of the display were available at that time. The good news is the same person that published the pictures is now back with more info on the matter. So, according to @OnLeaks, LG G4 will boast a large 5.6-inch capacitive touchscreen display, which is a bit unusual for smartphones these days.

Apart from that, there aren't any other details regarding the phone's specs. Still, for those who want to know more about the G4, here is a quick rundown of all the rumors we got on its specs.

Snapdragon 810 CPU and 4K video recording camera

First of all, the LG G4 will be equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, probably clocked at 2GHz, which will be complemented by 3GB of RAM and 16/32GB of internal memory. We also know that the phone's camera will offer 4K video recording, as well as LED flash, probably Laser auto-focus feature and OIS (optical image stabilization). As mentioned earlier, the 5.6-inch display will support Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution, as well as Corning Gorilla Glass coating. We're not yet sure whether or not LG will also include its self-healing technology for the back cover as it did for the G Flex, but it's highly likely.

LG G4 is expected to be officially unveiled in mid-April, but we're pretty sure many of its specs will be leaked by then, so stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

LG G4 press render
Image credits to @OnLeaks on Twitter

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Nokia Looking to Bring “New Category of Device Products” on the Market

The moment Microsoft announced it will buy Nokia's mobile division, the hopes and dream of millions of fans have crumbled into dust. Since the Finnish company has been back on the market with a new product, the N1 tablet rumors about Nokia's comeback in the smartphone business have been popping up online like mushrooms.

However, Nokia's fans may have a long time of waiting ahead if they want to grab the next smartphone entirely made by the Finnish company. The agreement with Microsoft forbids Nokia from entering the smartphone market until Q4 2016, so there's more than a year until we'll be talking about a real Nokia handset. Until then though, we're still going to see some announcements from the Finnish company, which might lend its software/hardware expertise to other handset makers, or even license its brand for some devices.

In order to do that, Nokia has started hiring and is now looking for designers who are willing to be part of its team and developer devices and services “that work as the building blocks of a new story that is engaging, monetizable and build Nokia brand.”

Nokia is slowly building its team of designers once again

A new job opportunity has been recently posted on Nokia's career page, which provides us with more information into what the company's future plans are, NokiaPowerUser reports. According to the post, Nokia is now “hiring a key player to complement this team to give technical guidance and facilitate the renewal of our design heritage through new products. You will be reporting on day-to-day basis to the Program Lead and with regards of your function you will report to the Head of Design.” The person who thinks is suitable for the job should that he/she will have to “lead the interaction design activities for a new category of device products, including helping to define the product proposition and business opportunity.”

This new category of device products could be smartwatches, smartphones, tablets or other types of the electronics. We just hope that Nokia's expertise on hardware and software will be poured in into anything that the company plans to launch.

Nokia 1100 concept smartphone
Image credits to androidjs.org

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Sony Xperia Cosmos Leaks with 5MP Front Camera, Octa-Core MediaTek CPU

Sony is looking for ways to streamline its mobile business and make it more efficient and one of the solutions the company has come up is less flagships and less smartphones in general launched each year.

While everyone is waiting for Xperia Z4 to be revealed, Sony is now preparing other Android smartphones. The latest handset announced by the Japanese company was the Xperia M4 Aqua, which was showcased earlier this month at Mobile World Congress 2015 trade fair. However, it looks like Sony has yet another Android smartphone in the pipe, but this one seems to have much better specs than the Xperia M4 Aqua. The so-called Xperia Cosmos is a new smartphone that exists at least as a prototype. The first pictures of the device have been published by @upleaks, but details on the phone's specs are a bit scarce at the moment.

The smartphone will ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop onboard

We do know for sure that Sony will include a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, along with a LED flash, which is a bit strange and rare for a smartphone. Later on, the leaker also confirmed the Xperia Cosmos' is known with internal name E5306. In addition, the smartphone will be powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor. No word on the clock value or the amount of RAM and storage yet. We're also not sure when exactly Sony will go official with this Xperia Cosmos, which might have another market name. There's a small chance that will be unveiled this week at CeBIT 2015 trade fair, which kicks off on March 16.

Judging from the leaked specs the Xperia Cosmos won't be just another affordable smartphone, but it will definitely not be Sony's next flagship smartphone. We'll be keeping an eye out on this one, so stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

Sony Xperia Cosmos (front)

Sony Xperia Cosmos (Bluetooth options)
Images credits to @UpLeaks on Twitter

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