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Showing posts with label smartphones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smartphones. Show all posts
Acer outs a pair of Liquid Z phones and Liquid Jade Z
Acer has just lifted the curtains of its MWC 2015 Android line-up of smartphones. The trio of phones includes a pair of Liquid Z devices and the Liquid Jade Z.
Starting off with the Acer Liquid Jade Z, which is the higher tier offering from the company. Featuring a 64-bit MediaTek CPU, the phone is built around a 5" 720p display. Acer uses a new Zero Air Gap technology on the unit, too, in addition to a Gorilla Glass 3 layer for protection.
Acer Liquid Jade Z
The Acer Liquid Jade Z is LTE-ready and weighs 110 grams and its body is 7.9mm thin. Visually, the phone is reminiscent of the Liquid Jade S, which isn't a bad thing at all. At the back, there's a 13MP snapper with LED flash, while a 5MP front-facing camera takes care of video chatting and selfies.
The Liquid Z220 packs a 4" display, while the Liquid Z520 has a 5" - both with WVGA resolution (233ppi and 186ppi pixel densitym respectively). Under the hood, the Liquid Z520 packs a Snapdragon 400 with a quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM, while the Liquid Z220 makes do with a Snapdragon 200 chipset with dual-core CPU.
The two differ in the main camera department, as the Liquid Z520 has an 8MP camera with LED flash, while the Z220 has a 5MP shooter, again coupled with an LED flash.
Acer has packed the Liquid Z520 with DTS studio sound speaker at the back.
Acer Liquid Z220
In terms of pricing, the Liquid Z220 and Liquid Z520 will launch in March and April, respectively. The Liquid Z520 will retail for €109, while the Liquid Z220 will be €89. The Acer Liquid Jade Z will be out in March with a €199 price tag.
Intel plans for 10nm chips in 2016, 7nm in 2018
Intel has been working on the 14nm node for years, but it’s now sorted out and shipping – both as the mobile Broadwell processors in laptops and the Cherry Trail chipsets for phones and tablets. The next stop will be at 10nm, but Intel has plotted the future to 7nm as well.
These nanometers reflect the size of a silicon chip’s components. The smaller they are, the smaller the chip is. Also, shrinking the process node is the leading way to improve power efficiency and reduce the amount of produced heat.
That’s of vital importance on mobile devices, which throttle their chipsets as they build up too much heat in a matter of minutes all the while eating through the battery.
Getting to 14nm with Broadwell was a difficult path with several delays to get the manufacturing process just right. Intel senior fellow Mark Bohr says that 10nm is expected in 2016 and things on the new process are going twice as fast as they did for the 14nm process.
After that comes the 7nm process, which is expected in 2018, which Intel believes can be achieved without exotic manufacturing methods.
There’s an often misquoted Moore’s law (named after Intel co-founder Gordon Moore) that states that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every two years. This is often simplified as “the power of a chip.” Anyway, this is made possible by making transistors smaller, otherwise chips will get too big, too expensive and too hot. The death of Moore’s law has been predicted for years, but Intel will keep it alive at least until 2018.
Sesame Phone is world’s first completely touch-free smartphone, designed for the mobility impaired
Sesame Enable has developed a smartphone that’s completely touch free, allowing users with disabilities to use and control the device simply by moving their head. Dubbed Sesame Phone, the Android handset is basically a modified Nexus 5 that features proprietary head-tracking technology.
The idea originated when Giora Livne, who himself is disabled, saw a computer game that could be controlled with head movement. He along with Oded Ben Dov, the game’s developer, then founded Sesame Enable to bring the idea to life. They had also started an Indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for the project, and they reached their goal last month.
The $1,000 device is aimed at people with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis. It recently won a “Verizon Powerful Answers’ Award”, with a $1 million prize.
Lenovo dragged to court over Superfish security flaw
Just days after Lenovo admitted that the Superfish software, which comes pre-installed on some of its consumer laptops, could leave systems vulnerable to a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack, it has been slapped with a class-action lawsuit.
Filed by Jessica Bennett, whose laptop was damaged due to what she termed a “spyware”, the lawsuit charges both Lenovo and Superfish with fraudulent business practices, breaching users’ privacy, and tracking their Internet browsing habits.
For those who aren’t in the know, Superfish is a software which Lenovo claims enhances users’ shopping experience by displaying extra advertisements while they’re browsing a website, even if it uses HTTPS. Under the hood, the software installs its own root certificate on systems as a means to bypass the secure connections. It affects non-ThinkPad models such as G Series, U Series, Y Series, Z Series, S Series, Flex, Miix, Yoga, and E Series.
Lenovo has already released an Automatic Removal tool as well as a step-by-step guide to ensure complete removal of Superfish. The software can also be removed by using Microsoft’s Windows Defender and McAfee’s security applications.
LG Magna, Spirit, Leon and Joy mid-rangers go official
LG announced a quartet of mid-range smartphones ahead of MWC. LG Magna, Spirit, Leon and Joy will be showcased in Barcelona next week alongside the LG Watch Urbane smartwatch.
The newcomers will be available in 3G or LTE variants. The LTE models will feature distinctive metallic back covers.
LG Magna is the leader of the pack. It features quad-core CPU (1.2GHz or 1.3GHz depending on the market), 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable memory, and 5” 720p display. An 8MP main camera (5MP for 3G model) and Android 5.0 Lollipop round up the highlights in the device’s specs.
Physical measures of LG Magna are 139.7 x 69.9 x 10.2mm. A 2,540mAh battery powers the smartphone.
LG Spirit packs similar specs as the Magna, but in a smaller form factor thanks to a 4.7” 720p display and 2,100mAh battery. The device’s measures are 133.3 x 66.1 x 9.9mm.
LG Leon packs similar internals as it larger siblings, 4.5” FWVGA display, and 1,900mAh battery. Its measures are 129.9 x 64.9 x 10.9mm.
With 4” WVGA display, the LG Joy is the smallest from the bunch. It features quad-core or dual-core CPU depending on market, 1GB of 512MB of RAM, and 8GB or 4GB of expandable memory. The device will ship with Android 5.0 or Android 4.4.
LG Joy’s measures are 122.7 x 64.0 x 11.9mm. It offers the same 1,900mAh battery as the LG Leon.
most trending phones of the week
The Samsung domination in weekly chart is breaking records and this week the Korean company's phones have managed to throw out arch-rival iPhone 6 completely. Apparently no force is strong enough to bring the Lumia 535 down and the Microsoft budget model remains in the chart.
The Top 10 trending phones chart is a recap list of the devices that gathered the most hits throughout the week. In other words, the chart represents the interests of the majority of your interests, and is an indication of what currently interests you.
There is little action at the top with the Samsung Galaxy A5 still holding the crown. Galaxy S6 is the runner up, and is a favorite to claim the title as early as next week, when it goes official. Strong support comes from the Galaxy Grand Prime and the Z1 down the ranks.
The Galaxy S4 reentered the chart after it got Lollipop and is the only fresh face this week. The Asus Zenfone 5 is slowly being pushed down the chart, while the Lumia 535 remains in tenth position for a third week in a row.
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NEW IN
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WAS: 5
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WAS: 10
Motorola is announcing something on February 25
Motorola is slowly letting people in the media know that it has something planned for February 25, which is next Wednesday. On that day, the company will be making "an exciting announcement". What it will unveil, though, is still unknown.
It's an unconventional product launch, that's for sure. Motorola is sending media outlets a mysterious box, which is set to arrive at their doorsteps on the aforementioned date. The contents of the box haven't been revealed yet, but apparently "everything you need fits inside one box".
So those who will receive these boxes will be "in the front row" for the announcement thanks to what's in the box. It's all rather puzzling.
But MWC is fast approaching, and perhaps Motorola wants to steal some thunder from Samsung and HTC, who are set to intro their new flagships at the end of next week.
The Lenovo-owned company may be presenting a successor to the Moto 360, or perhaps a new smartphone. Stay tuned and we'll find out.
Sixth Lenovo smartphone confirmed for its MWC lineup
Yesterday, we reported on Lenovo's upcoming line-up of five smartphones for MWC 2015, but we've been tipped that there's in fact one more phone that will debut there. As it turns out, the sixth new Vibe member is the Vibe Max, which isn't the same as the Vibe Shot.
The Lenovo Vibe Max, as MXPhone.com tipped us, is a big screen device with a 6.0" display boasting QHD resolution. It's performance oriented, but specifics on the chipset aren't available yet. The Vibe Max will be the first Android smartphone from Lenovo to pack a stylus. It's called AnyPen and we suspect it will be able to do some cool stuff, although details are scarce.
The Vibe Max also packs a big battery, probably north of 4,000mAh and the phone will include a fingerprint sensor and NFC connectivity. Sadly, photos of the phone aren't available yet.
At the Mobile World Congress this year, Lenovo will reveal its 2015 Android line-up including the Vibe S1, Vibe X3, Vibe P1, Vibe P1 Pro and the Vibe Shot in addition to the Vibe Max.
Samsung slips to number five in Chinese smartphone market
Samsung, which was dethroned in China by local upstart Xiaomi last year, has slipped to the fifth position in the country's smartphone market now, according to a latest report from the market research firm IDC.
As per the report, in Q4, 2014, the South Korean company captured just 7.9% of the market, a whopping 50% decline compared to the year ago quarter.
On the other hand, with an year-on-year growth of 150%, Xiaomi occupied the first place, capturing 13.7% of the market. Next came in Apple, with 12.3% market share, followed by Huawei and Lenovo, with 11% and 9.5% market share, respectively.
Overall, a total of 107.5 million smartphones were shipped in the country in Q4 last year, representing a 2% quarter-on-quarter growth.
Meizu not aiming for 20 million sales this year, will still reach it
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu sold a record 1.5 million smartphones in the month of January. At this rate, there are chances that the company could reach the 20 million figure by the end of the year, however, it seems like that's not what it is aiming at the moment.
According to Meizu's VP of Marketing and Sales Li Nan, selling 20 million devices this year is not the company’s goal. He made the comment on his official Weibo (Chinese Twitter) account.
The news comes just over a week after Alibaba Group announced that it will invest $590 million in Meizu. Just Yesterday, the smartphone manufacturer teased a new OS that could be unveiled at this year's MWC.
Most trending phones of the week
Mobile World Congress is approaching and it's becoming increasingly more obvious which smartphone is on top of the hotly anticipated list. There's no stopping the Samsung Galaxy S6 on its quest up the charts, and it's only the Galaxy A5 that's managed to put up a fight.
The Top 10 trending phones chart is a recap list of the devices that gathered the most hits on the web throughout the week. In other words, the chart represents the interests of the majority of people, and is an indication of what currently interests you.
The Galaxy A5 is keeping it on top, but the future flagship is nearing, driven by pretty renders. Galaxy Grand Prime is losing ground and after it surrendered the top position last week, we find it in third sport this time around.
The chart is otherwise overflowing with Samsung devices, the Koreans occupying a dominant 7 spots. The Asus Zenfone 5 somehow manages to hold its own against the Samsung crowd, but is losing position nonetheless. The iPhone 6 keeps Apple in the running, and the Lumia 535 retains its tenth position so Windows Phone is still represented.
Samsung Galaxy A5
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Samsung Galaxy S6
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Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
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Samsung Z1
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WAS: 8
Samsung Galaxy S5
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Asus Zenfone 5
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Samsung Galaxy Note 4
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WAS: 5
Samsung Galaxy A3
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WAS: 9
Apple iPhone 6
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WAS: 6
Microsoft Lumia 535
RANK: 10
WAS: 10
The Top 10 trending phones chart is a recap list of the devices that gathered the most hits on the web throughout the week. In other words, the chart represents the interests of the majority of people, and is an indication of what currently interests you.
The Galaxy A5 is keeping it on top, but the future flagship is nearing, driven by pretty renders. Galaxy Grand Prime is losing ground and after it surrendered the top position last week, we find it in third sport this time around.
The chart is otherwise overflowing with Samsung devices, the Koreans occupying a dominant 7 spots. The Asus Zenfone 5 somehow manages to hold its own against the Samsung crowd, but is losing position nonetheless. The iPhone 6 keeps Apple in the running, and the Lumia 535 retains its tenth position so Windows Phone is still represented.
Samsung Galaxy A5
RANK: 1
WAS: 1
Samsung Galaxy S6
RANK: 2
WAS: 7
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
RANK: 3
WAS: 2
Samsung Z1
RANK: 4
WAS: 8
Samsung Galaxy S5
RANK: 5
WAS: 3
Asus Zenfone 5
RANK: 6
WAS: 4
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
RANK: 7
WAS: 5
Samsung Galaxy A3
RANK: 8
WAS: 9
Apple iPhone 6
RANK: 9
WAS: 6
Microsoft Lumia 535
RANK: 10
WAS: 10
Canaccord report says Apple accounted for 93% of smartphone profits in Q4
Apple captured 93% of smartphone profits during Q4 last year, according to leading financial services company Canaccord Genuity, which has raised its price target on the Cupertino-based company to $145 from $135.
Analyst Mike Walkley said that market data suggests continued strength for the iPhone 6 upgrade cycle, and predicted that by the end of the year 2018, the iPhone maker may have a third of all smartphone users.
As you can see in the chart shown above, Apple and Samsung are the only two companies to register significant profits in the industry during Q4 last year. For the whole of 2014, Apple captured 79% of profits.
$24 / year Imgur Pro service is now available for free
To mark its sixth birthday, the image hosting/sharing service Imgur has announced that it is making its Pro service free for all. Imgur Pro typically costs $3 per month or $24 per year (if you pay in advance).
The company has ditched its subscription-based model in favour of ad-supported business. One display ad per page will now be shown.
Going forward, users with free Imgur accounts will be able to store unlimited number of images, receive multiple thumbnail options on all uploads, and access complete image analytics and referrer data. They will also be able to manage, edit, or delete any uploaded image at any time, as well as interact with the Imgur community through commenting, voting, and sharing.
The company has also sent out emails to all its Pro subscribers informing them about the change. Those who’ve paid for a Pro subscription within the last 30 days will get a complete refund through PayPal or Google Wallet.
Joe Belfiore tweets: Windows 10 update for 512MB phones coming soon
Microsoft promised that the Windows 10 update is coming to "most" of the Lumia phones, but that meant some are not getting it. One suggestion was that it will be phones with 512MB RAM that will get the axe as even the lowly Lumia 435 has 1GB of RAM.
But no – Joe Belfiore (VP of Operating Systems) confirmed on Twitter that Microsoft is working on an update for those phones. Note that "working on" is not the same as "will certainly release." Also, Belfiore says that "features may vary," the timing of the update is variable as well.
It's sill not clear which features will be cut. In fact it's not particularly clear what new features Windows 10 will add to phones, beyond the universal app platform. Limiting features is not a new practice, Apple has been doing it with iOS and older iPhones for years.
This month Microsoft will be releasing the first test build of Windows 10 for phones to the Insiders community that is helping with the beta testing. This will give us a better idea of what the new phone OS will be like.
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