Cool Tech : November 2013

Monday, November 18, 2013

Flipboard is now available for Windows 8.1 devices

The popular news-gobbling app Flipboard is now officially available for Windows 8.1 devices, including those running the RT version of Redmond’s OS. The application is available to install from the Windows Marketplace.

As expected, Flipboard for Windows 8.1 comes with all the features we’ve come to like from its iOS and Android relatives. Furthermore, the Windows version allows users to pin magazines and sections to their Start screen, thus taking advantage of its live tiles functionality.
The app has also been optimized to work with the Windows 8.1 specific gestures. They include swiping up and down to perform various tasks, as well as viewing Flipboard side by side with other apps

Samsung looking to eclipse Apple and ship 100 million tablets in 2014

Apple’s stranglehold of the tablet market may be coming to an end next year, as Samsung has polled its supply chain to ship an even greater amount of tablets in 2014. The Korean company’s ambitions amount to some 100 million units.

This follows reports of a sizeable increase in tablet market share in Q3 2013 where Samsung was able to ship almost 10 million units, an increase of 123% over the same period in 2012.
For the same time period, Apple was able to increase its year-over-year growth by only 0.6%, and saw its market share fall from just over 40% in 3Q12 to 29.6% in 3Q13.
According to ETNews out of Korea, Samsung is in talks with several Korean panel makers to ensure it will have enough supply as it anticipates to eclipse its 2013 figures by more than two-fold.
Since bringing up yield for the production of touchscreen panels is both expensive and time consuming, it makes sense for Samsung to want to get their ducks in a line early so as to not suffer from production issues next year. As higher resolution displays come to market and component complexity increases, the risk of supply shortages becomes even more prominent – just take a look at Apple’s recent Retina iPad mini production woes.
Source | Via

Get 70 pound discount on the Apple iPad Air today

If you live in the UK, you can buy the latest Apple iPad Air for just £329 today. This is £70 off the official retail price and comes courtesy of a one day-promotion by Play.com.

The promotion is only for the 16GB Wi-Fi only Space Gray model of the iPad Air.
The amazing deal is available on UK’s Play.com as a part of the Mega Monday promotions. The slate is not sold directly from Play.com, but from a trusted seller.
International shipping is available on Play.com, so if you like this price you may want to check if your country is included into the delivery regions.
Once again, the promotions is valid for today only, so you might want to hurry up if you are to take advantage of it.
Source | Via

Qualcomm Toq smartwatch launches on December 2 for $350

Qualcomm will celebrate Cyber Monday – the Black Friday of buying tech online – with the release of its Toq smartwatch. The watch showcases Qualcomm tech like the color Mirasol display that uses ambient light (so it has great visibility outside) and the WiPower LE wireless charging tech for quick and painless top ups of the battery.

You’d need to do that about twice a week – the Qualcomm Toq has 3 day battery life. Check out how it compares against the Sony SmartWatch 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Gear here.
The Toq works with any Android phone running 4.0.3 and above (4.3 preferred) and will show notifications and allow you to accept incoming calls and talk on the optional wireless stereo headset. An AccuWeather app and a stock app by E*TRADE will be available at launch and Qualcomm promises future enhancements with software updates.

The Qualcomm will be available online on Cyber Monday, December 2, for $350. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Gear is $280 and the SonySmartWatch 2 is $170.
Source

Samsung suspends the Android 4.3 update for Galaxy S III

Just two weeks ago Samsung started seeding the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean firmware to its Galaxy S III ex-flagship. It brought variety of new features and support for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, but was plagued by lots of issues.
Early adopters reported their Galaxy S III's becoming unresponsive on different occasions, crashing and being incapable of proper multi-tasking due to poor RAM manager, stuttering on music playback and even battery drain.
Today Samsung UK officially responded to requests for an official statement saying the following:
"As we are currently investigating the reported issues with Galaxy S3 4.3 Jelly Bean update, the upgrading service has been temporarily suspended. We are committed to providing customers with the best possible mobile experience, and will ensure to resume the upgrading service at the earliest possibility."
So, the Galaxy S III update has been pulled from Kies and the OTA service has been suspended. We hope Samsung resolves this issues quickly and resumes the update rollout shortly. The Galaxy S III skipped Android 4.2.2 and its owners are waiting a year to get a newer Android version since the official 4.1 Jelly Bean ROM was released in 2012.
Via

A Foxconn factory reportedly stops iPhone 5c production

The production of the iPhone 5c reportedly took yet another hit, according to DigiTimes. First, in the beginning of October we heard rumors Apple is halving the production of the iPhone 5c due to the low user demand and sales.
Just few days ago we learned Apple is cutting the iPhone 5c production in Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory from 50,000 per day down to just 8,000 per day.

Now a new report comes in, suggesting that the same Zhengzhou factory is going to cease all iPhone 5c production and will be switching to iPhone 5s instead.
Even though Apple earnings and sales are still amazingly high, we never actually learned how the plastic iPhone 5c is doing on the market as the company doesn't provide breakdown of its sales by model.
It seems the plastic iPhone isn't doing all so well - something that isn't going to surprise anyone who has had the chance to spend some time with it. The company earnings are safe, though, as the iPhone 5s is doing excellently, which probably was the plan in the first place. If Apple fails to react to the poor iPhone 5c performance it will be all but certain that the company never meant to diversify its portfolio with it, but just make sure the iPhone 5s gets all the attention.
Source | Via

More details on QHD Vivo Xplay 3S emerge

The Vivo Xplay 3S is shaping up to be a Galaxy Note 3 killer. A new batch of leaked specs reveal more about the mysterious phone with a 5.5" QHD screen (2,560 x 1,440). That resolution (4x 720p) requires a beefy GPU.
The chipset is a Snapdragon 800 with Adreno 330 and it's the 8974AB version, which has the GPU clocked at 550MHz instead of 450MHz, which is the norm in most Snapdragon 800-powered devices (including the Note 3). There's 3GB of RAM too.
The device will have a camera of unknown resolution with an f/1.8 aperture. There's also a built-in Hi-Fi audio chip" and USB 3.0 connectivity (which is unique to the Note 3 among pocketable devices).
Other connectivity includes 4G LTE – of the international and Chinese varieties.
The Vivo Xplay 3S is yet to be officially announced but rumors point to a launch in the first half of next year.
Source (in Chinese) | Via

Sony Xperia Z1S spotted again next to bigger Z1

We've encountered yet another image of the upcoming Sony Xperia Z1S, sitting next to the Xperia Z1. The Xperia Z1S is taunted as the international version of the NTT DoCoMo Japan-exclusive Xperia Z1F.
According to the source of the image the picture handset is Xperia Amami, but the widely rumored Xperia Z1S name hasn't been confirmed by Sony just yet.

We've already seen a similar image a couple of days ago. And earlier we also got a glimpse of the UI.
There's no way to know when Sony will be releasing an international Xperia Z1 mini, but it shouldn't take long now with the holiday season fast approaching.
Source (in Chinese, requires log-in) | Via

Samsung Galaxy J leaves Japan, Taiwan is first to get it

The Samsung Galaxy J is already official and on sale on Japan's DoCoMo carrier but it now appears the phone is getting a wider release. The Galaxy J has been spotted on the Taiwanese communications regulatory website carrying the model number SGH-N075T, which could mean it will be available in other parts of Asia.

The Samsung Galaxy J features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, 3GB of RAM, and a 5" 1080p display. The Galaxy J will be available in three different color schemes Coral Pink, Satin White, and Lapis Blue.
While there's still a chance that the phone will remain exclusive to Taiwan and Japan, at this point it seems more likely that Samsung will launch it in at least several more markets. The Galaxy J, which looks like a mash-up between the Galaxy S4 and Note 3, will certainly find its fans outside Japan, so this is certainly good news.
Samsung currently holds the largest market share in terms of smartphones sold and the Koreans certainly have their diversified portfolio to thank for that. Adding another premium smartphone might have boost its lead even further, although it might cause trouble with after-sales support if the company doesn't have the resources to update so many devices.
Via

Nokia Music to make its way onto Android and iOS

A leaked internal document coming out of China reveals that the proprietary Nokia Music service will be coming to Android and iOS as a web app.

Nokia Music lets you download playlists to listen offline for a monthly subscription fee, and is available in some 43 countries.
This latest development is contrary to what was initially thought would be Microsoft’s plans for Nokia Music.The service was expected to either be shut down altogether, or incorporated into an eventual Xbox Music platform once Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s Devices and Services division is complete.

Also revealed is support for Windows 8 and RT desktops, as well as Mac OSX. No word on when we can expect to see the expanded Nokia Music service on other operating systems, mobile or otherwise, but it will likely occur after the planned acquisition by Microsoft around the beginning of next year.
Source (Chinese) | Via

LG G Flex clears FCC and goes on sale in the US

Eager for some curved screen action? Why don’t you have an LG G Flex? It will still cost you dearly, but at least you don’t have to travel to Korea to get it any more. The smartphone has just gone on sale in the US for a few dollars north of $1000.
Overseas Electronics has the LG G Flex in stock and asks for a cent under $1050 for it. The listing mentions LTE-A support on the 850 and 1800 bands, which means that it won’t work on any carrier in the US. Of course that was to be expected given that these are imported Korean units, rather than a tailor-made US version.
Negri Electronics also has the LG G Flex listed on its website, but it's a pre-order and there's no delivery date mentioned. The e-tailer priced it at $1109.50 and gives you the choice of KT Telecom and SK Telecom versions. The former has some limited compatibility with LTE networks in the US, but you better not count on it.

Curious as the curved smartphone might be, it’s really hard to recommend spending so much money on a version not even meant for sale in that market. The LG G Flex has just cleared the FCC, which aligns nicely with previous rumors, which suggested that it will be officially hitting AT&T, Sprint and Verizon in January. So unless you absolutely have to have a curved smartphone for Christmas, you are better off waiting for a couple of months more.

Samsung Galaxy J leaves Japan, Taiwan is first to get it

LG-made Nexus 10 leaks in two images

A Reddit user claiming to be an employee at carrier Telefonica has leaked out two images of what is allegedly the LG-made Nexus 10 tablet.

The tablet looks pretty similar to the current-gen Nexus 10 that’s made by Samsung. The image suggests the model number of the upcoming Google table is LG-V510. Despite the poor image quality, you can see the a single speaker on top of the display – the Samsung Nexus 10 packed a dual-speaker configuration.
As the second image shows, the Nexus 10 by LG will be priced at £299 for the cellular version. The source claims, this will be the first Nexus tablet to be offered in black and white configurations. According to him, sales will commence on November 22 with both the Wi-Fi and cellular versions getting their launch at the same time.

Naturally, don’t take those leaks too seriously for now, as later in the summer we saw a report suggesting ASUS will be the manufacturer to make the 2013-edition Nexus 10. We’ll just have to wait for November 22 to see if those rumors pan out.
Source • Source (2) | Via

Octa-core Ascend P6S confirmed by Huawei president

The Huawei Ascend P6 is not only one of the slimmest, but also among the best looking smartphones around. It is also a pretty decent smartphone with the only part of its hardware that wasn’t quite impressive being the chipset, which tended to deliver more heat that actual processing power.
The Chinese manufacturer has obviously acknowledged that as it’s now preparing to release an upgraded version of the smartphone featuring a new chipset with an octa-core CPU. The news was delivered by the company’s president Xu Xin Quan through the Weibo blogging platform.

Powering the upcoming Huawei Ascend P6S will be another custom designed SoC that will come to replace the K3V2 on the company’s products. It will come will a true-octa core processor, meaning that all cores will be able to operate simultaneously, unlike the current crop of Samsung Exynos chipsets which only allow up to four cores to work at a time.
The rest of the Ascend P6S specifications remain unknown, but the naming suggests that it won’t be a huge upgrade over the Ascend P6 (pictured above). We also have no information just yet on pricing and launch dates for the new smartphone.
Source (in Chinese) | Via

Sony sells 1 million PlayStation 4 consoles in 24 hours

Sony managed an amazing achievement with its latest PlayStation 4 console topping 1 million sales in the first 24 hours. With the console being available only in the US and Canada for now, the figure sounds even more impressive.

The PlayStation 4 will have its wider rollout on November 29, when it’s going to hit Europe and Australia. Sony expects to sell as many as 3 million units of the console by the end of the year. Sony has reported to Bloomberg that it will have “adequate supplies” of the PS4 through Christmas and expects to hit the 5 million sales mark in March.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint, but getting out to a nice start is a good thing,” , Jack Tretton, president and chief executive officer of the company’s U.S. computer entertainment division, said. “That hurdle has been cleared. We’re very, very confident we’re in great shape.”
The Xbox One by Microsoft will have a much wider launch than the PS4 and will be available in 13 countries on the day of its release – November 22. We’ll see how if it manages to outdo the PS4 oppening sales.
Source | Via

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy Note II leaks

The Android 4.3 update should be hitting the Samsung Galaxy Note II pretty shortly, but if you don’t feel like waiting any longer you’d be interested to know that a leaked ROM is available for flashing right now. It’s reportedly a build very close to the final ones, so it will have no trouble serving as a daily driver.

Along with incrementing the Android version number to 4.3 and bringing the core features of the last of the three Jelly Bean releases, the update also brings several changes to the Galaxy Note II UI. It now looks much closer to the Galaxy S4 and the Note 3, which already received the Android 4.3 treatment. Samsung Knox and Samsung Wallet are debuting on the Note II as part of the Android 4.3 update. Here’s the complete changelog:

OpenGL 3.0 Support
ANT+ Support
Samsung KNOX Implementation (KNOX bootloader and dedicated application)
Samsung Wallet comes pre-loaded
Improved RAM management
Improved Display colour reproduction (Display looks much sharper than before)
Improved TouchWiz Launcher (Much less launcher redraws and less lag)
New Samsung Keyboard
New Samsung Browser (Full screen by default, new tab interface and more)
New Reading Mode (Optimises display for reading, used by only a few specific applications)
New Camera firmware
Minor UI tweaks (Contacts app, Flashlight Widget, dialog boxes etc)

The leaked ROM is only compatible with the N7100 version of the Galaxy Note II, so if you happen to have a N7105 LTE unit you are unfortunately out of luck. You can download the necessary files and find the instructions on how to flash them by following the source link below.
Source

Sunday, November 17, 2013

HERE Drive+ updated with real-time traffic, route overview

Today Nokia released a new update for the HERE Drive+ navigation suite. It adds real-time traffic information, a route overview list with turn-by-turn directions and more.

The new version of Drive+ brings lots of new traffic features. You get real-time traffic info, which helps you to get very precise arrival times. You can also check entire traffic overview on your map.
Another new feature is the list of turn-by-turn directions for your route. This way you can explore the route you are about to take and get familiar with it.
The final new addition is Find My Car. This cool extra saves the location of your car the moment you reach you destination and then you can find your car using the LiveSight augmented reality feature of HERE Maps and now in HERE Drive+.
HERE Drive+ is available for free on all high-end Lumia smartphones (such as 920, 925, 1020, 1520). If you own one, you can get the new Drive+ version from the Store right now.
Source | Via

Android 4.3 coming to Asus Transformer Pad TF710T in four days

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for the latest Asus Transformer Pad TF710T will be released on November 18.

The Tegra 4-based slate was launched with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but Asus seems to be ready with the new update.
According to Android Police, the Android 4.3 firmware, in addition to Google’s novelties and optimizations, will also improve the battery life as well as the dock battery charging time and trackpad responsiveness.
We already met the Transformer Pad TF710T and you can read all about our encounter right here.
Source | Via

Apple iWatch could come in men’s and women’s styles as early as this year

Apple’s speculated foray into the wearable devices category – the iWatch – has been touted as the next big thing from the Cupertino company.

The latest rumors surrounding the iWatch come out of Korea, where sources indicate that Apple will produce different models for each gender – a 1.7-inch for men, and a 1.3-inch for women. This takes after the traditional design approach for watchmakers have been following for centuries, and it makes sense for there to be a larger and more robust model for men, and a smaller, more elegant variant for women.
According to the Korea Herald, the iWatch could roll out as early as the end of this year, but that’s probably hoping for too much. Or is it? With supply shortages of the new iPad mini with Retina display all but confirmed by Apple, they certainly could use something to ensure a strong holiday season, and Apple’s first wearable would be just the thing. Nevertheless, this contradicts initial reports we heard in August of a late 2014 release for the iWatch.
David Hseih, Vice President of DisplaySearch for Greater China, revealed Apple’s iWatch plans today at a conference in Taiwan. It’s also speculated that Apple has delayed the development of their new Apple televisions to focus on wearable devices.
With smartwatches still in their infancy, many are hoping that Apple will lead the charge in innovation. Let’s see if it will deliver – and when.
Source | Via

Mugen launches 6,500mAh battery for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is one of the several great Android smartphones for power users, thanks to the convenience of its large 3,200mAh battery. However, if you want even more power, Mugen has you covered, as it has released a 6,500mAh extended battery for the Note 3.

Since the Mugen extended Note 3 battery is thicker than the stock one, the company also provides a custom back cover to house it. It’s available in black or white, and the end result makes the Galaxy Note 3 a bit thicker than its usual 8.3mm waistline.
Mugen states its extended Note 3 battery lasts 2.03 times as long, which is logical judging from the 6500mAh capacity rating. Happily, it also comes with NFC chip inside, so the Note 3 doesn’t loose points in the connectivity department.
The battery currently sales for $98.50 on Mugen Power’s website. First shipments are expected to arrive on December 6.
Source | Via

Samsung Galaxy Gear update brings full support for notifications

The Samsung Galaxy Gear got treated to a major update which addressed one of its biggest shortcomings – its lack of proper support for notifications. The latest firmware for the gadget allows users to receive all types of notifications on their device.

Once applied, the update for the Samsung Galaxy Gear allows users to select the apps which send notifications to the smartwatch. Preview of emails and messages is also available, thus massively improving the functionality of the device.
Before the firmware update, an unofficial app solved the Galaxy Gear’s notification woes. It was far from perfect though, so Samsung’s solution to the problem is certainly a welcome sight.
You can check out our Samsung Galaxy Gear review over here.
Source

Google Play Music for iOS is now available with a free month of All Access

Slightly over a month after we heard about it being tested, the official Google Play Music app for iOS is now officially available. Interested users can now go ahead to the App Store and download the app.

The highly-anticipated application packs all the goodies which its Android and desktop counterparts have to offer. It also comes with a free month of Google Play Music All Access which is one of the finest music streaming services available around.
Google is said to have an iPad-friendly Play Music app in the works.
Source | Via

Google Play Music for iOS is now available with a free month of All Access

Motorola Moto G beats Nexus 4 in AnTuTu

XDA-Developers member jonmorris got his Moto G and shared some early benchmarks and battery stats of the sub-$200 Android handset. Also, it turns out the Moto G has a feature called Trusted devices, which disables the lockscreen when the phone is connected to a certain Bluetooth device.

This is a great alternative to the Motorola Skip (which requires NFC and the Moto G doesn’t have that) and will work great with Bluetooth headsets and smartwatches.

Anyway, back to the benchmarks. In AnTuTu, the Moto G scored 17,263, which puts it ahead of the Nexus 4 and a bit behind the Samsung Galaxy S III. Those are some pretty surprising results, considering those two are flagships only a year old and the Cortex-A7 based Snapdragon 400 is no performance monster.

Android 4.4 KitKat factory images available for a trio of Nexus devices

Google has released the Android 4.4 KitKat binaries and factory images for the LG Nexus 4, the original Asus Nexus 7 and Samsung Nexus 10.

In the KitKat announcement bulletin, Google said the factory images will come after the OTA updates have started rolling out for all devices, but it has jumped the gun and now users eager to have a taste of the latest version of Android can do flash those themselves.
Mind you, if the bootloader of your Nexus product is locked, then your user data will get deleted. If it’s not, then you’ll be presented with an option to skip the data wiping and just install the update.
Now, follow the source link below and get cracking. You can find beautifully laid out instructions on the exact steps of the flashing process following the via link. Happy flashing!
Source | Via

Coin is the one card to rule them all

Tired of carrying around multiple credit or debit cards everywhere? What about those gift cards, membership cards or loyalty cards that some of us have? The new Coin card should help you with that.

Coin stores all your credit, debit, gift, membership or loyalty card data inside it, so all you need to carry with you is the one Coin card and you automatically have all your cards with you, inside it.
Coin looks and works exactly like a credit or a debit card. You add your card information to it using the mobile app and a free accessory they provide. You connect the accessory to your phone and then swipe your current cards through it. The accessory transfers the card data to the phone app and saves it there. Then you take a photo of the card to help you identify it. The app then transfers the card data to the Coin. The app can hold an unlimited number of card data but Coin itself can store up to eight.
When making payments, you just choose the card you want to use from the button on the Coin card and it shows you the card name on the small display. Then you swipe it the same way as you would a normal credit or debit card. Because Coin masks itself as any other card, it can work anywhere where all those other cards do.
Coin also pairs with your phone so if you accidentally forget the card behind (and thereby goes out of the range on your phone), your phone will show a notification alerting you about it. Coin also uses 128 or 256 bit encryption for all storage and communication with the app and servers. If you lose your Coin, it will deactivate itself after a preset time that you can choose from the app.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

‘Asphalt 8: Airborne’ now available on Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8

Gameloft has released their latest hit game, Asphalt 8: Airborne, on two new platforms. Launched initially on iOS and Android, the game is now also available on Windows Phone 8 and even Windows 8.1.

We reviewed Asphalt 8 when it was initially released and found it to be pretty enjoyable, although in some ways, not as much as its predecessor, which is still a really fun game. Having said that, Asphalt 8 is a marked improvement in terms of visuals and should be great on Windows 8.1 with a powerful desktop GPU (it wasn’t very smooth on mobile).
Asphalt 8: Airborne is available for a dollar on Windows Phone 8 and for two on Windows 8.1. The pricing for the WP8 version comes as a surprise since the game recently went free on iOS and Android. You can download both versions from the links below.
Windows Phone 8 • Windows 8.1

AT&T sale sees iPhone 5s and Lumia 1520 prices drop to $99

AT&T has started a sale on its website, slashing the prices of a number of hot smartphones. The Apple iPhone 5s and 5c got price cuts and so did the Lumia lineup offered by the carrier. Several Samsung smartphones also got discounted, but unfortunately the Galaxy Note 3 wasn’t among them.
If iOS is your thing, you can now have a shiny new 16GB iPhone 5s in a color of your choice for $99 on contract. Unfortunately the 32GB and 64GB versions are still at their old $299 and $399 prices. The Apple iPhone 5c is now $49 for 16GB and $99 for its 32GB version. In fact the $150 discount on the latter is the biggest in the AT&T sale.
If you’ve been planning to get one of the recent Lumia flagships on the AT&T network, you’d be glad to find out that the carrier has started a promotion cutting their on-contract prices in half. This means that right now you can pre-order the Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet for just $99. Of course it will take until November 19 to get your order shipped, but that’s just three days away now.
The price reduction gives the Nokia Lumia 1520 a considerable advantage over its main rivals – the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the HTC One Max, which cost $299 and $249 respectively. Packing the much younger WP8 OS, the Lumia 1520 certainly needs all the help it can get if it to make a serious impact in the phablet market and this sale suggests AT&T and Nokia are taking it very seriously.

Two more WP8-powered Nokia handsets got price cuts, too. The Lumia 1020 with its humongous 1/1.5” 41MP sensor is also now offered for $99, while the Lumia 925 has its price slashed to $49. If you don’t mind a little extra heft and would appreciate built-in wireless charging capabilities you can grab the Lumia 920 former flagship for 49 cents.
Of course you’ll also have to sign a new two-year contract with the carrier, but even so some of the offers are quite tempting. The deals are available online and come with free shipping so you don’t even have to get off your chair to take advantage of it. You can check out all the AT&T promo deals and place your orders by following the source link below.
Source | Via

Apple to spend $10.5 billion on manufacturing equipment

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple will be putting the pilies of cash it is sitting on to good use.The Cupertino giant is said to invest $10.5 billion in manufacturing equipment.

Apple’s massive investment will include a host of new equipment, ranging from assembly robots, all the way to precision milling machines. They will cover tasks like polishing iPhone 5c bodies, carving the aluminum bodies of Apple’s family of Mac computers, testing the camera units for iOS devices, etc.
Many of the equipment deals struck by Apple will include exclusive rights to the machinery, thus helping the company maintain an edge over its rivals in the manufacturing process. They include cutting edge tech previously exclusive only to the aerospace industry.
Apple’s huge investment is outlined in the company’s fiscal 2014 capital expenditure forecast. It is however, a relatively small fraction of the $171 billion the compamy had in sales in the fiscal 2013.
Source

Android 4.4 KitKat update for HTC One GPE now ready

When the Google Play Editions of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4 came out everyone was wondering if those two will get future Android revisions as quickly as the Nexus lineup. Now obviously they didn’t quite match the speed of the Google purebreds, but it appears that the HTC One GPE won’t be too far behind either.
The company has officially announced that the Android 4.4 KitKat ROM for the smartphone has been fully developed and submitted to Google. It’s now up to the search giant to approve the code and start seeding it to the actual smartphones. It certainly shouldn’t take too long, although we haven’t been given a specific time frame.
Android 4.4 KitKat brings Project Svelte performance optimizations, bigger UI icons, removes the widgets from the app drawer and comes with the new Hangouts SMS/MMS/Gtalks unified hub. There’s also the new Email app, new Phone app with nearby search that should be coming to the HTC One GPE.
Samsung is yet to announce when the Galaxy S4 GPE gets the Android 4.4 KitKat treatment, but we are hoping the Koreans won’t take too long to release the update.

Good news, we've delivered KitKat code to Google for HTC One GPE. Timing of push via PlayStore to be determined by Google.
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) November 15, 2013

Special thanks to Raj for sending this in!
Source

Acer C720-2848 Chromebook announced for $199

Acer has released a slightly stripped down version of the previous Acer C720 Chromebook. Technically the C720-2848, the new model is still referred to as the C720 on Google and Acer’s website.

In terms of changes, there is just one. The new model comes with 2GB instead of 4GB of RAM, which has allowed Acer to drop the price down from $249 to $199 in the US.
The rest of the hardware is identical and includes the same 11.6-inch, 1366×768 resolution display, Intel fourth generation Celeron processor clocked at 1.4GHz, 16GB flash memory, dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, one USB 3.0 and 2.0 port each, HDMI out, VGA camera, and 8.5 hours of claimed battery life. It also comes with 100GB Google Drive storage and 30-day Google Play Music All Access trial.
Source

Sony PlayStation 4 scores high for repairability

The PlayStation 4 is a hot piece of tech and as such it simply couldn’t avoid being torn to bits and pieces by the ifixit team.

While you probably wouldn’t have guessed it given the relatively modest size, the latest Sony console is quite easy to repair at home. No adhesive was used for putting the PS4 together, which means taking it apart and putting it back together is quite easy (although it does void your warranty).
The only problem was that the metal mid-plane is very sharp – an issue the teardown guy found the hard way. If you can get past that however you will be able to replace just about every component of your console without taking it to a service center.
Source | Via

Google Search update for Android brings some KitKat goodness to older smartphones

Another thing that came along the Motorola Moto G announcement yesterday is the update to the Google Search app for Android. The latest version of Google Search is now available on the Google Play Store. The update brings to Android smartphones all the latest developments of Google Search, including prettier search results and a smarter Google Now. Of course, Google Now, as before, is only available to devices running Android 4.1 and above.

The new version of Google Search will allow you to have short dialogues with Google Now when you are conducting searches. In these dialogues, Google Now should be able to understand when you referring to your search term by an indirect pronoun instead of using the full name. It will also answer back when there are several options for action.
Another perk of the new version is that you can now activate the Google Now voice commands handsfree by simply starting with a “Ok, Google” instead of pressing the Mic button. This however, should only work in US locales. This has been available to iOS users for a little more than a week now.
Google Now now also taps into the crowd-sourced real-time traffic information by Waze – a popular smart navigation app project that Google purchased earlier this year.
There will also be more location-based information. When you visit certain places of interest such as tourist sights, Google Now will come up automatically to supply you with information.
There are also several new cards, which allow you to subscribe to updates from a website, a news topic or a notable people.
The new Google Search app also comes with compatibility with the Google Experience Launcher, the Nexus 5 stock Android home UI, which recently got leaked, so now you can install the Launcher on any v4.1+ Jelly Bean device.
There’s surely a lot more to it and a lot we still haven’t discovered, so if you have already updated, you can tune in the comments below and add other new feature you may have noticed.
Google Play • Via

Street View goes on a gondola ride in Venice

Google’s Street View in Maps is a great way to explore the world around us. It has 360-degree coverage of a large part of the world and let’s you talking viral strolls without leaving your desk.

As part of its Street View Trekker tech, which allowed Google to bring Street View to the Galapagos Islands, Mounts Fuji and Everest, the Eiffel Tower, and even underwater in the Great Barrier Reef, we now have the chance to trek through the Venetian channels

Kindle Fire HDX 7 now on sale in UK

Today Amazon UK started the sales the sales of the Kindle Fire HDX 7 slate. It is available for purchase at the retailer’s website and costs £199 for the 16GB ad-supported version.

If you add £10 more you can get the ad-free model.
An LTE-enabled Kindle Fire HDX 7 is available too. It costs £269 (ad-supported), but you’ll have to wait until November 27 for it.
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX has a 7″ IPS display of 1920x1200px resolution and is powered by the latest and greatest Snapdragon 800 chipset. The Amazon’s OS is based on Android Jelly Bean, but is highly customized and has lots of restrictions, most notable of which is the lack of Play Store access.
So if having the Amazon Appstore as you solitary app repository doesn’t bother you and you If you live in the UK, now is the time to get one. Its HDX 8.9 sibling is coming on November 19, starting at £329.
Source | Via

Nokia Refocus comes to revolutionize mobile photography

Nokia has released its Refocus app in the Windows Phone app store. The app captures a series of images (2-8 to be precise) with different focus points and then allows you to create the coveted selective focus effect of large-sensor cameras.

In order to get the app you’ll need to own a PureView Lumia (920, 925, 928 or 1020 quality) with the Amber software update installed. The Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet will be joining the list, too, once it hits the shelves.

Facebook Messenger app gets a complete overhaul

Facebook has released an update to the Facebook Messenger app for iOS and Android that brings with it a complete overhaul of the UI. The design clearly looks like it was made for the new iOS 7 but carries over to the Android version as well.

At launch you’ll notice that the older dull gray and Facebook blue colors have been replaced by bright white and a brilliant blue combination. There are no more gradients and drop shadows anymore and the UI has a clean, flat UI that is consistent with the rest of iOS 7.
The new app makes it easy to see who is online and who isn’t. It also lets you send messages to people who are not on Facebook over SMS but you will have to sync your contacts with the app for them to appear in your list. Most of the other features remain the same.
The new design is available on both iOS and Android and even though it is optimized for iOS 7 it still looks great on Android. I’m hoping the main Facebook app also gets this updated UI shortly as it is long overdue. You can download the Facebook Messenger update from the links below.
App Store • Play Store

Facebook Messenger app gets a complete overhaul

Apple iPad mini 2 bares it all in an iFixit teardown, gets a low repairability score

A day after it hit the store shelves, the iPad mini 2 unsurprisingly paid a visit to the folks at iFixit. As expected, Apple’s slate got a proper teardown to go with the traditional iFixit repairability score.

The first thing to grab the attention under the hood of the second generation iPad mini is a beefy 24.3Whr battery. The latter is a massive upgrade over the 16.3Whr unit of the first generation – hardly a surprise as it has a lot more pixels to light up than the previous model.
The larger battery of the new iPad mini allows Apple to quote the same battery life as that of the first generation. Impressively, its size hasn’t affected the waistline of the slate – it has only grown by .3mm.
Going forward, the teardown reveals an LG-made display, Toshiba flash memory, as well as silicon from the likes of Texas Instruments, Broadcom, Fairchild, and USI.
The second generation iPad mini got the lowly repairability score of 2 by iFixit. The reason for it was the huge amount of adhesive found inside the tablet. It holds all major components inside the tablet, thus making repairs difficult.

Jolla smartphones to feature Nokia HERE maps

Jolla announced today it has successfully integrated Nokia HERE maps as the default navigation app of Sailfish OS. The Finnish company also says its OS will get access to thousands of Android apps thanks to the Yandex.Store marketplace

Just yesterday, the Tizen Association got the word out that the Samsung and Intel co-developed Tizen OS will also incorporate Nokia HERE maps as the navigation of choice. The Jolla agreement to license the Nokia HERE business will provide map data as well as local information from over 190 countries.
“We are excited that HERE is providing its leading positioning services for Sailfish OS and that our maps application will be powered by HERE cloud services. This will help us deliver the optimal mobile maps experience to our customers,” says Jolla CEO, Tomi Pienimäki.
As for the support for Android applications, Jolla said that the Yandex.Store has over 85,000 apps in over 17 categories. Some important and popular apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Viber and games like Angry Birds are available there.
Jolla recently unveiled more specifications of its upcoming smartphone. The global pre-order for the Jolla phone is over, but Finns can still book one for €100. The total price of the handset is €400 (including VAT, the phone is unlocked).
Source

Apple to spend $10.5 billion on manufacturing equipment

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple will be putting the pilies of cash it is sitting on to good use.The Cupertino giant is said to invest $10.5 billion in manufacturing equipment.

Sony releases PlayStation App for iOS and Android

Sony has released a new PlayStation App for iOS and Android devices, designed to help you connect with your PS4 console from anywhere. With this app you can see your PlayStation Network friends, see what they are playing, compare trophies and also chat with them.

You can also receive notifications, game alerts and invitations on the app and can use your phone as a mobile keyboard to enter text on your PS4, much better than doing it through the controller.
But by far the best feature is being able to browse the PlayStation store and being able to check prices and even purchase games from within the app. The purchased games are then pushed to your PS4 and downloaded for you, so you can purchase a game when you’re out and if you have a fast enough connection it would be downloaded and ready to play when you get home.
The PlayStation App is a similar attempt as Microsoft’s Xbox SmartGlass app but both apps feature some things that the other lacks.
The PlayStation App is currently only available in North America and Europe (basically where the PS4 is available) for free on the App Store and Play Store.
Source • App Store • Play Store

Official CyanogenMod installer is now available in the Google Play Store

As promised, the developers from CyanogenMod Inc. released an installer to help users with flashing the company’s popular Android ROMs on their device. The app is currently available for free in the Google Play Store.

The app requires companion desktop software which is available to download on Windows PCs for free. Combined, the desktop software and mobile app should make installing a CyanogenMod ROM a breeze. Of course, the user’s Android smartphone must be on the list compatible devices to get the special treatment.
You can download the CyanogenMod installer in the Google Play Store right now. Feel free to share your experience with us by dropping us a line in the comments section.
Source

Upcoming BlackBerry update to allow Android app installs but no Play Store access

Rumors surrounding the upcoming BlackBerry update have made quite a stir in recent days, as it was speculated that it would allow access to the Google Play store to install Android apps.

A BlackBerry spokesman has recently quashed allegations that BlackBerry is planning any sort of Google Play access. Nevertheless, insiders have revealed that the update will include the Android runtime, which means that you’ll be able to install and run Android apps.
The official line from BlackBerry to n4bb goes like this:

“We can confirm that there is no planned support for Google Play on BlackBerry. BlackBerry World remains the primary source for trusted and curated BlackBerry applications and we continue to support open standards and open source tools so BlackBerry developers can continue to create apps on any of the development platforms we support.”

Meanwhile, folks over at the CrackBerry forums have revealed that the Android runtime will, in fact, be included with the upcoming BlackBerry 10.2.1.1055 update, which will allow you to sideload Android .APK files and install them right from the file manager.
You can also use various .APK downloaders to make the task easier, and you obviously won’t have to convert them to BlackBerry’s native .BAR files beforehand. Currently, Android widgets won’t be supported, but we’re hopeful that complete Android implementation will be available before long – BlackBerry stock would certainly appreciate it.
Via

Android 4.4 KitKat update for Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 is now seeding

Google began rolling out Android 4.4 KitKat for Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets. The good news arrived on Android’s official Google+ account.

The latest Android version is currently seeding to Wi-Fi only 2012 and 2013 Nexus 7 tablets. Nexus 4 users, as well as those with Nexus 7 tablets which have mobile data will get treated to some KitKat goodness soon.
Source

Vine for Windows Phone is finally here

The much-awaited Vine for Windows Phone platform has finally launched and you can now capture and share moments in short video clips from your WP powered smartphone.

The popular service, which is owned by Twitter, allows you to create looped videos by just tapping and holding your finger against the screen of your WP device. Much like the features on the other platforms, the Vine app for WP brings the camera tools and the option to shoot with the front-facing camera.
With the dedicated app, Windows Phone users can now explore all the popular posts, browse through channels or keep an eye on what’s trending. Furthermore, you can pin your Vine accounts to your home screen and with Pivots, you can switch between apps without any hassle.
Vine for Windows Phone app can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store.
Source