New Nexus 7 to launch within weeks?

The latest rumours suggest that the new Nexus 7 tablet could launch within weeks, sometime at the end of July or beginning of August.

Tawainese supply sources that the new Nexus 7, thought to be the official name for the device, will launch within the next month co-developed by Asus and Google.

This latest leak supports the new Nexus 7 release date and specs teased by an Asus rep at the start of the month, which also suggested that the next 7-inch Google tablet would make an official appearance this month.

The second-generation Google Nexus 7 tablet will bring a 7-inch 1980 x 1200p display, boosting the 1280 x 800p resolution of the current slate.

It will include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 CPU, quite a change from the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor used at present, but retain the same 1.2-megapixel front facing camera.

The new Nexus 7 could introduce a 5-megapixel rear camera to the device, which would be quite interesting seeing as the first generation Google slate lacked any kind of rear camera.

Alongside the latest new Nexus 7 release date leak, the Digitimes sources suggested the Google tablet will retail with an expectedly modest $199 - $229 price tag, equating to around the same prices as the current models, despite the spec bump.

The sources estimate that 8 million new Nexus 7 devices will be sold across the world this year after it launches, but could face competition from other similarly priced tablets from Lenovo, Acer and HP.

When it launched last year, the existing Google Nexus 7 shipped 6 million units because of its attractively low price, but the new Nexus 7 may not have as much success because of the increased rivalry.

The new Nexus 7 appeared online with Android 4.3 in tow last month via an FCC filing, but could easily be one of the first devices to run the eagerly anticipated Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, coupled with the Nexus 5 smartphone.

Next, read our pick of the best tablets of 2013.

readmore »»  

Moto X caught on video

Moto X gets caught on camera

The Moto X has been caught on video in the hands of a top Motorola executive showcasing the smartphone in the flesh for the first time.

The video was posted on Robert Scoble’s Google Plus account and was taken at an exclusive gathering organised by new Motorola employee Guy Kawasaki, previously thought to be the official launch of the Moto X before that rumour was debunked by Motorola.

In his video of the party he filmed using Google Glass, Scoble managed to catch the Moto X in the hands of the Senior Vice President for Product Management at Motorola, Rick Osterloh.

Now, while we only get a brief glimpse of the Moto X the smartphone seen does tally with the Moto X phone images leaked earlier this month that also showed the rear of the device.

It also looks to have the same curved rear back that is showcased in the latest leaked picture of a fully assembled Moto X that emerged today and is included below.

It has quite a large camera sensor, a flash and below that an embossed Motorola M logo. It also seems to have a rubberised matte finish on the rear, complementing the gloss plastic front panel of the device spotted in the Moto X Clear Pixel camera spec leak.

The Moto X is tipped to have a 4.7-inch 1280 x 768p resolution display, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU.

Potentially running a very close to stock version of Android 4.3, the Moto X probably won’t be a powerful Android device but will focus on innovative software features.

Motorola has already confirmed the existence of the Moto X, the company’s upcoming flagship, and has said it will be the “first smartphone that you can design yourself.”

As of yet we’re not quite sure what that means, but could provide users with a basis body smartphone akin to the Google Nexus 4 that they can then customise the case of.

Head to 3.10 in the video on Scoble's Google Plus page to see the Moto X for yourself.

Next read our Nexus 4 tips and tricks.

Via: Android Authority

readmore »»  

Major Windows Phone 8 fixes won’t arrive until 2014

Windows Phone 8 users will not receive the major “Blue” update until early 2014, according to sources close to Microsoft.

Despite Microsoft’s latest Windows Phone 8 update launching imminently, “sources familiar with Microsoft’s Windows Phone plans” say that the significant WP8 changes aren’t due until next year.

Microsoft is so focused on the Windows Phone Blue update that it is only releasing incremental modifications in the Windows Phone 8 updates rather than introducing significant changes.

The latest update due to roll out shortly is called General Distribution Release 2 (GDR2), which doesn’t scream new and exciting updates.

It will bring fixes to Xbox Music metadata, a new Data Sense app for all network providers, the option to set a Lens app as the default camera app and bring back the FM radio feature.

There are a few other minor tweaks, but nothing that is going to jump out as a new feature for the user, which is sad seeing as the WP8 platform has now been out for eight months.

Microsoft could add Blue features to WP8 later this year in a GDR3 update including a rotation lock option, a useful addition to WP8 devices like the Nokia Lumia 920.

Windows Phone Blue update will bring major updates to Windows Phone 8 devices, such as a much anticipated Windows notification centre , improved multitasking functionality, and big changes to pre-installed WP8 apps.

The official word from Microsoft on major Windows Phone updates is mixed. The software giant said it is preparing what it is calling a feature pack update in the first months of 2014, which will contain VPN support and enterprise improvements.

As for other additions, Microsoft is staying mum.

For desktop and tablets, Microsoft has unveiled Windows 8.1, which introduces a host of big changes and features for users, including the return of the Start button.

Next read our Windows Phone 8 tips and tricks.

Via: The Verge

readmore »»  

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S Laptop Review

What is the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S?

The Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 11S is an ultrabook, first and foremost. It’s a powerful one at that thanks to 8GB RAM and a generous 256GB of solid state storage, but the Yoga part of its name refers to the extra flexibility it offers. Like the larger 13-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, its screen flips a full 360 degrees to create a tablet – albeit one with a dormant keyboard and touchpad on its backplate.

As such, this is aimed at someone looking for something ultra-portable, who isn’t quite prepared to lose the keyboard completely, but is open to the flexibility a tablet provides. But how does it stack up in the real world?

Want a standard laptop? Read our top 10 best laptop round-up.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S – Design & Build Quality

Lenovo has a reputation for distinct, stylish design and the IdeaPad Yoga 11S follows this tradition with a tasteful two-tone colour scheme. The outside has a chrome silver finish, while the inside has a very dark grey and black design. The keyboard side feels slightly rubberised, which is actually quite comfortable, but is presumably also designed with practicality in mind when this is the backplate of the device in ‘tablet mode’.

The screen itself moves to a glossy black colour scheme, with a second Windows Home button there too, so you’re never far away from the controls when you’ve parked the keyboard. The bezel is quite thick for a laptop, but looks like what we’ve come to expect from tablets.

Connectivity-wise, the IdeaPad keeps things simple: two USB ports, a headphone jack, an HDMI-out port, an SD card slot and the AC point. On top of that, there are a few extra buttons on the side: a volume control and a rotation-lock button, only available when held in tablet mode.

Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 11S – Screen Quality

As you’d hope with a device that wants to be a tablet as well as a laptop, the screen quality is, for the most part, excellent. The colour temperature, at 6595K is almost spot on (6500K is the ideal), and the contrast of 1059:1 is also pretty impressive. Icons appear sharp on the 11.6-inch screen, and day-to-day usage is a pleasure.

Two areas slightly let it down: firstly, the brightness isn’t very impressive at all; the peak brightness as measured using our Xrite i1 Display Pro is a distinctly average 202 nits, a long way short of the fantastically bright Sony Vaio Pro 13 that managed 372 nits at its brightest. This, combined with the glossy finish, means the Yoga 11S is difficult to use in bright light as the screen is very reflective and the it’s not bright enough to compensate.

The second weakness is that viewing angles are merely okay. The screen is just too reflective for angled viewing. Neither is too serious in a laptop, but in tablet mode when it’s designed for more use out-and-about these aren’t areas you want to be at all disappointed in.

On the bright side, as a touchscreen it works very nicely. It’s a 10 point touch interface, although on an 11.6-inch screen, you’ll struggle to get all 10 fingers on it at a time. As with all Windows 8 touchscreens, we have the usual issues: the big buttons on the start menu work well, but the desktop mode gets a bit fiddly.

readmore »»  

Meet Wauki.tv: the new LoveFilm and Netflix rival

Wauki.tv - could LoveFilm and Netflix have met their match?

There’s a new LoveFilm and Netflix rival on the block and its name is Wauki.tv.

Offering the first hybrid PAYG and subscription streaming service, Wauki.tv is being launched by Rakuten as a new competitor to the successful Netflix and LoveFilm offerings.

Users can either rent or buy moves or TV series episodes they wish to watch, or can subscribe to the Wauki.tv service on a pay monthly basis.

“Streaming services have grown significantly in the UK, and we see a huge gap to offer a hybrid of the traditional subscription and a la carte models,” said Jacinto Roca, Wauki.tv Founder and CEO. “Our Wauki Plus subscription offers a quality service at an attractive monthly rate.”

The Wauki Plus monthly subscription is priced at £5.99 per month normally, but early subscribers can take advantage of the beta-phase’s introductory £2.99 per month subscription for life.

Any customers already signed up to Wauki.tv’s sister site, Play.com, will also get a 50 per cent discount on their first two film rentals.

Movie rentals are priced at £3.49 or £3.99, while TV series can be purchased on a season basis, with prices according to how recent their release date is.

“However, we know many people also want to rent or buy the very latest new releases, which are usually not available on subscription streaming services immediately, and other simply prefer to have on-demand on an a la carte basis. With Wauki users can have both, and pick-and-choose what they want, when they want.”

Already home to thousands of films and TV programmes from Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, Disney, the BBC and Twentieth Century Fox, Wauki.tv certainly looks like it is lining up as a strong contender against the dominant existing streaming services.

Wauki.tv is currently only available on desktop platforms, Wauki.tv will be launching smart TV, tablet and game console apps over the summer months to increase its service.

“We’ve already seen huge success with the hybrid model in Spain, with over 600,000 users and we believe we’ll see similar success in the UK and other European markets. It is a competitive market, but we believe putting the consumer in control through our one-stop-shop solution for video on-demand will give us an edge.”

Next, read our pick of the best TVs of 2013.

readmore »»  

Oculus Rift support for Xbox One and PS4 inbound?

Oculus could make its virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift compatible with the Xbox One and PS4 , but it is worried about console lifecycles.

Encouraging other companies to create their own VR technology, Oculus isn’t averse to making the Oculus Rift work with the next-generation consoles but worries that the hardware within them will be soon outdated.

“Well, we love consoles. We play them a lot,” said Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe. “There’s no reason it can’t technically work, it’s just getting everybody involved. Right now we’re focused on the PC platform and Android.”

PCs are less restricted by their technical innards than the upcoming consoles, due to the fact they are a platform can be upgraded and modified.

“We’d like to see it eventually become compatible with consoles, but right now we’re mostly focused on the PC side – we’d love them to come up with something.”

Iribe said he is “excited” by the next-generation consoles, and can see Oculus Rift working with both. However, he heartily encourages other companies, including Microsoft and Sony, to make a start on their own VR or AR devices.

“We love what both the console guys are doing. I hope one or both of the console guys make VR headsets, or something similar, like an AR headset. The more that they push into this space, even if it’s a different device, or their own device, a different experience, the more that they’re throwing into AR and VR, the better it is for everybody.”

The fixed hardware on the Xbox One and PS4, combined with long console lifecycles would impose limitations on AR and VR technology that is bound to make huge advancements in quality and useability in a short space of time.

“I think that you will see VR move fast – AR also, but especially VR. You’re going to see rapid innovation, and one of the concerns that we do generally have around consoles is that their life cycles are getting longer all the time – it’s a seven to eight year lifecycle and in eight years, VR is going to be insane. Incredible.”

If Microsoft or Sony made their own devices, at least it wouldn’t force other companies to be restricted by the innards of the consoles.

Next, read: Forget Xbox One and PS4, all I want for Christmas is an Oculus Rift.



Via: OXM

readmore »»  

BlackBerry A10 image leaked

Following recent rumours of the BlackBerry A10's power and size, the first image of the device has leaked onto the internet.

The picture revealed by BGR (see below) shows the BlackBerry A10, also known as the Aristo, in all it's large-screen glory.

It'll be a touch-only device (no trademark BlackBerry keyboard) with a large 5-inch Super AMOLED display - the largest BlackBerry smartphone yet.

It's claimed that this screen won't be particularly sharp with a resolution of 1280 x 720. That's just 720p, when most new 5-inch Android devices are 1080p.

The BlackBerry A10 will apparently feature a dual-core CPU backed by 2GB of RAM, as well as a separate GPU. Previous reports claim that BlackBerry will leverage this setup to make the A10 a gaming powerhouse.

The rounded edges and touches of white revealed in this picture appear to partially confirm previous suggestions that the BlackBerry A10 would resemble the Samsung Galaxy S4 more than any previous BlackBerry. Having said that, we can definitely see plenty of the BlackBerry Z10's design language in there.

Apparently the BlackBerry A10's rear will "feature something similar to the BlackBerry Q10," though we're not quite sure what that's supposed to mean at this point.

The report maintains that we'll be seeing the BlackBerry A10 hit the market some time this autumn.



Interested in BlackBerry handsets? Check out our full BlackBerry Q10 review.

readmore »»