Apple Mac Pro on sale starting tomorrow.Holidays are coming

Apple’s highly-anticipated (and most powerful) desktop machine, the Mac Pro, will finally go on sale tomorrow. It’s the company’s first Mac to come standard with dual workstation GPUs, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for a machine worthy of powering a new 4K display.

For $3,000, the lowest end Mac Pro comes with a 3.7GHz quad-core Xeon E5 processor, 12GB of 1866MHz DDR3 DRAM, a 256GB solid-state drive (with read/write speeds of up to 1 and 1.2 GB/second), and dual FirePro D300 GPUs, each armed with 2GB of video RAM. There are a total of six Thunderbolt 2 ports that can transport data at up to 20 GB per second. You can also connect up to three 4K displays or six Thunderbolt displays.

For a grand more, you get six 3.5GHz Xeon E5 cores, 16 GB of DDR3 ECC memory, D500 GPUs with 3 GB of video RAM, and the same 256GB solid-state drive. All that firepower gets packed in a shiny sci-fi looking black cylinder.

You can grab the new Mac Pro from the Apple Store starting tomorrow.

What Obama's Anti-"Human Trafficking" Order Means for Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the White House on Tuesday to talk about the NSA. The spy agency has had a run of bad publicity, especially regarding its global surveillance network. If the public freaks out too much about spy tech, that could erode faith in technology in general, which could make people think twice about buying things like iPads and iPhones, which would be bad for Apple’s bottom line. But another initiative from President Barack Obama could cost Cook sooner and in a more direct way, courtesy of the company’s much-vaunted supply chain.

Friday is the deadline for corporate suppliers of the world’s biggest consumer — the U.S. government — to have a say in new regulations aimed at ending indentured servitude overseas. The rules stem from an executive order Obama signed last year, called “Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking In Persons In Federal Contracts.” The President’s dictate is unequivocal on one key point: If a company wants to keep the government as a customer, it must stop hiring overseas workers who had to buy their jobs.

You read that right: Workers actually buying jobs. As Bloomberg Businessweek reported in November, foreign workers recruited from some of Asia’s poorest corners often go deep into debt to pay brokers for a crack at jobs on consumer-electronics assembly lines. These factories are in Malaysia and other countries that rely almost exclusively on migrant labor for production. For years Apple has ordered its suppliers to keep such fees below one-months’ net pay at a factory, but its audits last year turned up $6.4 million in overcharges.

While Apple has said it led the electronics industry in limiting abuses stemming from excessive fees (and ordering refunds after audits), Obama’s administration now appears ready to change the conversation. The debate is no longer, How much is too much? It’s, Why should foreign migrants have to buy these jobs at all? (Apple declined to comment on what it thinks the new rules could mean for its business.)

Procurement lawyers in Washington say the ban applies all the way down the supply chain. It even applies to contractors selling what are known in government-speak as “COTS” items — commercial off-the-shelf goods (although the compliance requirements likely will be less stringent for these contractors, the ban on job-buying still applies).

Other technology companies are already concerned about the ban, and Apple should be too. Washington is a huge and growing business for Apple. The company has a dedicated online store tailored for government buyers, including simplified ways for federal contractors to purchase Apple gear with government-issued SmartPay credit cards. According to IDC Government Insights, which tracks government spending, iPads and iPhones have become commonplace equipment at NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s chief financial officer, highlighted government sales during a conference call with analysts in July.

The government has been using procurement rules to help achieve some larger goal for ages. To cite a recent example: Obama’s June pledge that the government get 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

Whether the process works this time remains to be seen. Depending on the particulars—and we won’t know those for a while—the new rules could force manufacturers to shoulder more of the costs of filling factories with cheap labor. Today those costs often fall on the workers and their families; shifting the burden would probably increase prices all the way up the supply chain.

Hey, someone has to pay for your new gadget.

Real Racing 3 brings live multiplayer mode on iOS

Real Racing 3 has been offering a multiplayer mode, which allowed you to race against the time of your friend’s ghost car, but today’s iOS updates adds another, more compelling dimension to the mode. The new multiplayer mode allows for up to four players to race against each other in real-time.

The new multiplayer mode will be available for iOS users only, but the update also brings a couple of new cars. Android and iOS users alike will be treated to the latest McLaren P1 plug-in hybrid and the next-gen Lamborghini Veneno. Naturally, they require some in-game cash to purchase, but it certainly sounds tempting

Check out the trailer of Real Racing 3 below to see the new cars in action.

Viber now available for Windows 8

The popular free calling and chat service Viber has expanded its availability today and has now hit the Windows 8 Store.

The release comes 7 months after the company released Viber for PC and Mac and the new app is fully optimized for the Windows 8 touch interface. You can now pin conversations to the Start screen or dock Viber on the side of the display with the Windows 8 Snap View feature.

Viber has also integrated with the universal search of Windows 8 and you can look up for contacts using the search charm. Switching between desktop and mobile modes is easy too and requires a single button tap.

Talmon Marco, the CEO and founder of Viber commented on the release saying this is a natural next step for the service following the support for Windows Phone 8. Viber recently unveiled it’s Viber Out calling service that gives Skype a run for its money.

Pink Samsung Galaxy S4 to hit UK soon

The color option comes in addition to the standard White and Blue colors and the, uh, other Blue color. Phones4u claims this means it offers the widest range of color options in the UK.

Anyway, the pink Galaxy S4 will be available for pre-order starting in early January 2014 for new contracts and upgrades. The phone will be free with a £33 contract (3G data) or £38 (4G data). The choice of carriers is Vodafone, E, Orange and T-Mobile.

Phones4u will also throw in a wireless speaker – the retailer doesn’t specify make or model, saying only it usually costs £120.

UK users who want a pink Samsung Galaxy phone, but find the Galaxy S4 either too small or too big, can check out the pink Galaxy Note 3 and pink Galaxy S4 mini.

Gold HTC One hits UK

UK retailers selling golden handset on-contract

Remember the gold HTC One? No, not the real gold HTC One — the one that's still made of aluminum but has a pale gold-colored exterior. The most exclusive of all the HTC One colors is now available from UK retailers Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4u. Both outlets are selling the phone on-contract, but apparently not SIM-free, so you'll need to sign up for a monthly plan to get your hands on the champagne-hued device.

Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4u have deals on all the major UK networks except Three, with prices ranging between £17 and £62 per month depending on monthly data allowances and how much you want to pay upfront for the phone. The cheapest deal for a "free" gold HTC One is a £29 per month plan on Vodafone with 1GB of 3G data.

BlackBerry Messenger to be preloaded on LG phones

BlackBerry has announced that its BlackBerry Messenger app for Android will be preloaded on LG smartphones, with the LG G Pro Lite being the first come bundled with the messaging service. The decision to preload BBM on the G Pro Lite initially suggests that the companies are targeting emerging markets with the move — the entry-level 5.5-inch handset is sold in Russia, China, India and the Middle East.

Today's announcement follows recent hints from BlackBerry that it'd secured deals with "leading OEMs" to preinstall BBM on Android handsets. BBM will continue to be available as a free, standalone app for Android and iOS, the company says.

Source

Vivo Xplay 3S with 2K Display Ofiicialy unveiled

Next year will be the year of smartphones with 2K displays, but Vivo gets the trophy for being the first. That and $5.00 might get them a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but I am sure it’s an exciting day for the folks at Vivo. The Vivo Xplay 3S was officially unveiled in Bejing a few hour ago.

The metal body sports a 6-inch 2K (2560 x 1440) display, which translates to 490ppi. It also has the Snapdragon 800 (8974AB) processor, Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 13MP rear camera, 3,200mAh battery, LTE. and DTS sound. It also has a fingerprint sensor on the back of the device. It comes in either black or white, but no pricing was specified. Rumors have it at around $740.

Apple misled customers about their consumer rights, watchdog finds

Apple agrees to court-enforceable agreement to ensure staff inform customers of rights under Australian consumer law

Apple has agreed to improve staff training and provide a more informative website regarding consumer rights and Apple policies. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Apple has come to a court-enforceable agreement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after investigations by the watchdog found the computer giant was misleading some consumers about their rights to refunds, replacements, and repairs.

The ACCC expressed concern that Apple was applying its own policy to customers, and ignoring the Australian consumer law (ACL), particularly with the company’s 14-day returns policy, 12-month limited manufacturer’s warranties, and offers of store credit for faulty returns instead of refunds.

The ACL, which came into effect in 2011, enshrines protections for consumers purchasing goods and services, including that if they buy a faulty product they are entitled to a refund, replacement or repair, depending on the level of faultiness. Suppliers may be contravening the ACL if they tell customers they are not entitled to these protections.

The ACCC chairman, Rod Sims, said: “The ACL consumer guarantees have no set expiry date. The guarantees apply for the amount of time that it is reasonable to expect given the cost and quality of the item or any representations made about the item.”

After their investigation, the ACCC raised concerns with Apple that Apple staff had told customers the company was not obliged to offer refunds, repairs or replacements for faulty goods.

The ACCC also found that some customers who bought faulty non-Apple products from the Apple store were not given redress and were instead sent to the manufacturers of the faulty item.

Apple has acknowledged some of the ACCC’s accusations and has admitted that some staff may have made misleading representations to customers, according to a statement from the ACCC.

Apple has agreed to undertake compliance measures for a minimum of two years, including improving staff training and a more informative website regarding consumer rights and Apple policies, as well as a commitment not to make misleading representations to customers which are “contrary to the ACL”.

“This undertaking serves as an important reminder to businesses that while voluntary or express warranties can provide services in addition to the consumer guarantee rights of the ACL, they cannot replace or remove those ACL guarantee rights,” said Sims.

The undertaking applies to iPods, iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, iMacs and peripherals, as well as non-Apple products bought in Apple stores, and products or software bought from iTunes or the App Store. As part of the agreement, Apple will reassess all claims made by customers over the last two years and provide customers with what they were legally entitled to.

A spokesman for Apple told Guardian Australia: "Apple is dedicated to making the best products in the world and delivering unmatched customer service everywhere we do business.

"In Australia we have been working closely with the ACCC to make sure our customers understand their local consumer rights and receive the industry-leading customer service they expect.

PS4 Priced at Rs 39,990 In India; In Stores On January 6th 2014

Sony India announced the price of it’s next-generation (at least in India) console PlayStation 4 (PS4) in India today and as expected it was Rs 39,990. The device will be available in stores on January 6th 2014, and consumers can pre-order it online on all major e-commerce stores. It needs to be noted that many hardcore gamers have already imported the console from US or SE Asia and several others have already bought it from grey market it similar rates. The PS3 was also priced at Rs 39,990 when it launched in India.

Update: Those  who are complaining about the price, do note that it is because of duties and taxes. Sony India also announced that PlayStation Camera aka Eye Toy and controller (for those who play split-screen games) will be priced at Rs 4,990 each.

Sony released PS4 in US in late November with a price tag of $399. It runs on a modified AMD APU with 8 cores that offers a theoretical peak performance of 1.8 TFLOPS and also has 8GB unified RAM, 500GB HDD (user upgradable), WiFi, blu-ray support among other features.  The console also has a new redesigned its dualshock controller which is now bigger and more ergonomic as opposed to the ones that came with PS3 and earlier models.

Sony announced that it has sold over 2.1 million consoles as of December 3.

Costlier games: One factor that is going to put off a lot of people is the retail price of games. Publishers and distributors across the board have hiked the price of PS4 games in India. Games published by Sony will be priced at Rs3,999, those published by EA such as Battlefield 4, FIFA 14, NFS Rivals and NBA Live will cost Rs 4,499.

E-Xpress which is planning to distribute Assassins’ Creed 4: Black Flag, NBA 2K14, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Just Dance 2014 and Injustice: Gods Among Ultimate Edition has not yet announced the pricing.

MCVIndia reports that e-xpress games will be sold in India at much lower rates Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is priced Rs 3,499, NBA 2K14 and Just Dance 2014 will retail for Rs 2,999 and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and Injustice Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition are priced at Rs 2,499.

However, it needs to be noted that Sony’s titles and some titles such as Assassins’ Creed 4: Black Flag are available for Rs 500 cheaper on PlayStation Network. The downside of that deal is the fact that these games can be as big as 40GB; so don’t bother if you don’t have a fast Internet connection.

Sony’s strategy: Since the launch of PS3 in India, Sony has followed a dual console strategy, through which they tried to target the price sensitive consumer with a cheaper PS2 which also had several small India themed games. PS3 on the other hand was priced closer to Rs 40,000 at launch, but its prices more or less halved over the years after the introduction of the slim model.

Bose had said that PS3 prices won’t drop rapidly any time soon, but we can expect a small cut in a year or so. That said, don’t expect it to be priced as low as PS2 which was selling at around Rs 8000 towards the end of its life this year. Sony discontinued manufacturing of PS2 this year, but a few models are still available in several stores across India.

Competition: Its competitor, Microsoft’s Xbox One is not expected to release in India till late 2014 as they are trying to partner with Indian television channels, studios and service providers to source local content. Microsoft was the first company to launch their console in India last generation when they brought Xbox 360 almost a year ahead of Sony. However, they lost their initial momentum and as per anecdotal evidence PS3 games outsell 360 ones 3 to 1. It needs to be noted Sony has sold 230,000 to 250,000 PS3 in India, while Microsoft hasn’t disclosed the exact number of consoles they have sold here over the years.

HTC Desire 501 dual sim announced in India

HTC unveiled three phones at the end of last month, two of which were dual-SIMs. The exception was the HTC Desire 501, but it turns out that its dual-SIM version was just a few weeks late.

The HTC India website now lists the HTC Desire 501 dual sim as "coming soon". The phone is a more affordable HTC One mini alternative with a 4.3" WVGA screen, dual-core 1.15GHz processor (likely a Cortex-A7) with 1GB RAM running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4.0 on top.

The Desire 501 dual sim has two microSIM card slots with dual-active support – you can switch lines or use data during a call. Only one SIM is 3G-enabled, it does 14.4Mbps downlink with HSDPA.

Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with Apt-X and NFC. The 501 dual sim packs an 8MP back camera and 2.1MP front-facing camera, both of which have f/2.0 apertures. The main camera can record 720p video and uses HTC's ImageChip technology.

The phone has 8GB of built-in storage expandable with microSD cards. The whole thing is powered by a 2,100mAh battery.

There's no official word on availability and pricing, but the Desire 501 dual sim is so far only listed on HTC India's site.

Why Nokia Won't Go Android Top 5 Reasons

There's been too many speculations surrounding Nokia and the Finnish phone-maker adopting the Android platform. However, we don't think it's happening anytime soon. Why? Read on the 5 reason to know!

5 Comfort Zone

Nokia has been doing their own thing for too long now and clearly, the Finnish phone-maker is in a comfort zone. It might be a little more than difficult to completely uproot and do a brand new thing. Also, by the looks of it, they aren't the number one anymore but the predicament isn't really lamentable. Plus just look at the number of Android phones out there! Talking of which...

4 Stiff Competition

It's a rat race. The Android market is one confused hawker's zone by the looks of it. Entering the fray now, where there's constant scuffle and a fight for dominance, might only hamper Nokia's reputation, not add to it. There's just an overdoes of Android out there and in a way, we're glad Nokia is doing something different. Which brings us to the next point...

3 Uniqueness

What we really do like is that despite being down (and almost out) Nokia still fought and retained their identity. The cool yet cute Asha series phones are standing proof. The success of the cute, heart-melting devices not just in India but even abroad has definitely set Nokia apart. The fact that these phones are budget phones doesn't really hurt...

2 Lumia Success

Nokia has tasted their second round of success with Lumia devices. The Lumia series phones offer everything that Android platform does not: quirkiness, experimental, something different, a new platform, etc. While the older generation might still be wary of experimenting, the younger population have really taken to these cute but functional phones. Also, the camera combined with MS Office features have made the phones a success.

Nokia Lumia 1020

1 Microsoft

After the announcement that Nokia will now be a part of Microsoft, it's clearly not possible for Nokia to move to the Android platform even if they want to. They're stuck with Windows for now. And for good, we think!

Nokia Lumia 1520

Twitter launches emergency alerts system for real-time updates during natural disasters

Twitter has launched a feature allowing emergency services to provide real-time warnings to mobile phones during bushfires and other natural disasters.

Organisations will be able to mark tweets carrying critical information as "alerts", which will feature an orange bell for added visibility.

More than a dozen organisations have signed up to the service, including five state police forces, a number of state fire services, and federal and local government departments.

Participating organisations will choose for themselves what information merits a Twitter alert designation.

After signing up to receive alerts, users can elect to have the tweets delivered as SMS notifications directly to a mobile device.

Those with iPhone or Android phones can opt for push notifications instead of SMS alerts.

Twitter says the service will make it easier for those organisations to get critical information to the right people at the right time.

"We have made this service available because it’s important for our users to be able to receive reliable information during times of immediate crisis," Twitter said on its Australia Blog.

In US Women Prefer iPhone 5C over iPhone5S

Apple’s “unapologetically plastic” and color iPhone might have struck a chord with the fair sex.

Prior to its release, it was rumored that the iPhone 5C would be a cheaper smartphone that would propel Apple in the mid-range market. However that didn’t entirely turn out to be the cast. iPhone 5C isn’t as cheap as originally imagined, but it does come in a variety of different colors that leave customers spoilt for choice. It goes without saying that the iPhone 5S has been outselling the iPhone 5C by a significant margin, but the latter appears to be more popular among women as opposed to the former.

Analyst Benedict Evans went through Facebook’s ad platform numbers to quantify sales of iPhone 5C, since no official figures have been released. He made the not so shocking discovery that particularly in the U.S., iPhone 5S has sold twice as many units as its sibling. However in the U.S.,iPhone 5C appears to have gained ground, selling over two million units in the last three months alone. Evans also discovered that twice as many women have opted for the iPhone 5C, whereas twice as many men have gone for the iPhone 5S as opposed to the women.

Evans himself doesn’t draw any conclusions from this data, but evidently there’s something about the iPhone 5C that’s attractive to women. Could it be that women appreciate the color choices more, or that men can’t have enough of the biggest and baddest processors?

Source

Google Play Catching Apple's App Store in User Spending..Google vs Apple

Google has narrowed the gap with Apple in the amount spent on apps by users of its Android system this year, even though users of Apple’s iPhone and iPad remain the biggest spenders on digital content.

A new report from Distimo, tracking spending on Apple’s App Store and Google Play, also revealed the dramatic extent to which business models for app developers have shifted from upfront payments to in-app purchasing, in part driven by messaging apps in Asia.

According to IDC, Apple’s smartphone market share stood at 13 per cent in the third quarter, down from 14 per cent a year earlier, while Android’s had increased from 75 per cent to 81 per cent over the same period.

By contrast, Distimo found that Apple’s share of app store spending in November remained much higher at 63 per cent, compared with 37 per cent for Google Play.

However, Google’s share has risen from 30 per cent since June, eating into Apple’s lead. Many Android handsets are sold in China, where Google Play is not widely available and third-party app stores are more popular, which also accounts for some of the disparity.

Average daily combined spending on the 200 apps that generate the most revenue on Apple’s App store rose from $15m to $18m over the past year, Distimo estimates, while Google’s equivalent almost quadrupled over the same period, from $3.5m to $12m.

“The Apple App Store is still leading in terms of total revenue,” said Distimo analyst Christel Schoger. “However, during 2013 Google Play’s piece of the pie was consistently increasing month over month.”

A lucrative app store helps to attract developers, who create the software and services that can keep mobile phone buyers loyal to a particular platform.

Google overtook Apple by the volume of apps downloaded this year, analysts say, but Android has taken longer to catch the iPhone in terms of the amount spent on those apps. Apple’s legacy of selling music through iTunes helped it to accrue hundreds of millions of credit card details, enabling its customers to pay for apps much more easily.

Distimo’s report also showed the rapid rise of so-called “freemium” business models, which are particularly popular among game developers.

The portion of revenue from in-app purchases through apps that were initially free to download in the Apple App Store was 53 per cent two years ago. By January this year that had risen to 77 per cent, but by November it reached 92 per cent for freemium services. The dominance of the freemium model is nearly absolute on Google Play, where it accounts for 98 per cent of all spending on Android apps.

The move from paid to freemium apps has been accelerated by the growth of Asian customers. Spending in South Korea, China and Japan increased several times over the course of 2013. People in the US, Japan and South Korea are the biggest spenders on apps, Distimo found, followed by the UK for Apple customers and Germany for Android owners.

Distimo found that all 10 of the top-grossing apps on Apple’s App Store were games, while also making up most of those on Google Play. Supercell, the Scandinavian maker of Clash of Clans, and King, creator of Candy Crush Saga, were the games companies that made most money on Apple’s app store, followed by the more established console games publisher Electronic Arts.

On Google Play, chat app Line generated the most revenues, thanks to a variety of games that use its platform and sales of digital “stickers” to its users, many of whom are in Japan and South Korea. KakaoTalk, a local rival to Line, has also become a popular platform for games developers, something analysts say could present a nascent threat to Facebook, which has become the dominant site for social gaming in the US and Europe.

Apple's Store designer hired by Samsung..Apple vs Samsung

SAMSUNG may have lost the latest court decision, but Samsung Electronics scored a personnel victory over Apple this month by hiring away a senior store designer.

Samsung said Tim Gudgel, who has played a role in designing Apple's stylish retail outlets, joined the company this month as a vice president and general manager of retail-sales operations. Samsung didn't elaborate further on Gudgel's responsibilities.

The hire, earlier reported by The Information, calls attention to Samsung's retail strategy. While Samsung has a few retail shops overseas, including in its home market of South Korea, its U.S. retail presence is limited to a partnership with Best Buy. The retailer allots space within its stores for "Samsung Experience" shops, where customers can try out Samsung's smartphones and other devices.

According to his LinkedIn page, Gudgel had worked as a director at Apple since March 2008. Before that, he spent six years at Gehry Partners, founded by legendary architect Frank Gehry. Among Gudgel's accomplishments at Apple, he was a designer on a patent filing for the curved glass roof of the Apple store on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Apple and Samsung, the two dominant forces in the smartphone industry, are locked in a series of lawsuits over patents pertaining to mobile-device technology. Last month, a federal jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $290 million, bringing the total damages it owes to Apple to $930 million. The case was a retrial of a portion of the $1.05 billion in damages awarded in the original case in 2012.

Samsung vs Apple. Samsung comes up with IRIS SCANNER

You know what's cooler than unlocking your phone by scanning your fingerprint? Unlocking your phone by scanning your eye. And that's what Samsung has planned for next year's Galaxy S5, according to a new report out of Korea.

Our sister site ZDNet Korea quotes industry sources who say the company's next flagship mobile will pack an iris scanner -- a first for any phone -- and a massively high-resolution display. These are just rumors for now, but it sounds like we could find out more soon.

According to the sources, the unnamed phone -- most likely the Galaxy S5 -- will debut at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in late February. The iris scanner is likely to work like the iPhone 5S's handy fingerprint scanner, meaning you can use your own unique biometrics to unlock the screen. A reliable, secure eye scanner would be harder to fool than a fingerprint detector, but would need a very high resolution camera.

Moto X bamboo backplate available via Moto Maker for $100 extra

Motorola told us earlier this week that we wouldn’t have to wait too much longer for wooden Moto X back covers, and right on schedule, they have appeared on Moto Maker. Just in time for Christmas, Moto Maker has a new category of materials called “Neutral,” with bamboo as the only option under the category, currently. Choosing bamboo will add an extra $100 to the cost of the phone, and also a delivery delay of up to 14 days.

White edges are required with the bamboo back, but all other color and engraving options are available for the front and accents of the device.

Samsung Galaxy S 5's Camera is in Testing by AT&T

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S 5 smartphone may be making rounds to at least one U.S. right now. According to @evleaks, AT&T is testing the SM-6900A smartphone. He adds that this device has a high resolution display that gives “some support to the theory that it’s an int’l flagship.” This specification matches the 2K display rumor from yesterday.

What’s interesting is the model number. So far we have seen the SM-6900F, SM-900S, and now the SM-900A. These variants could be for models that are compatible with various carriers. Being that the AT&T-tested version ends with the first letter of the alphabet, it makes sense that it would be the international version. But don’t get too excited for a release date. The Samsung Galaxy S 5 is expected to be released in late April. Would you mind waiting for a metal chassis?

LG to unveil the Chromebase at CES, an all-in-one computer powered by ChromeOS

LG sent out a presser tonight announcing that they will be showing off the Chromebase at the Consumer Electronics Show next month. What is a Chromebase you ask? It’s an all-in-one computer powered by Google Chrome. It features a 21.5-inch widescreen Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display, an Intel Celeron CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB iSSD storage, 1.3MP webcam, 5W built-in speakers, HDMI-in, USB 2.0 x 3, USB 3.0 x 1, LAN, keyboard, mouse, and cable organizer.

“LG’s Chromebase is an exciting new form factor that expands the options available to customers who want a fast, simple and secure computing experience for the home, school or office,” said Caesar Sengupta, vice president of product management, Google. “LG Electronics makes great devices that customers love, and we’re glad to welcome them to the Chrome family.”

We will be sure to get some hands on time with the Chromebase at CES, but for now, hit the break for the presser.

LG TO INTRODUCE WORLD’S FIRST ALL-IN-ONE CHROMEBASE AT CES 2014

With Full HD IPS Display, Chrome OS Computer Offers an Intuitive, Hassle-free User Experience

SEOUL, Dec. 18, 2013 — LG Electronics (LG) will unveil the first-ever Chromebase, an all-in-one computer powered by the Google Chrome operating system at next month’s  2014 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The LG Chromebase (Model 22CV241) offers the highly efficient Chrome operating system for a fast, simple, secure and affordable computing experience. Along with the unique OS, a 21.5-inch widescreen Full HD IPS display and a raft of advanced features, this innovative new desktop computer comes packaged in a chic, space-saving design.

Simple and Easy to Use OS
The LG Chromebase all-in-one computer is underpinned by a simple yet powerful architecture and comes with several outstanding Google applications. It also serves as a gateway to tens of thousands of web apps in the Chrome Web Store, many of which work just as well offline as they do online. The LG Chromebase allows users to write emails and documents, read the latest news and ebooks, edit videos and photos and play entertaining games. The streamlined platform makes almost any task effortless and is the perfect device for taking advantage of Google products such as Gmail, Drive, Search, Maps, YouTube, Play or Google+ Hangouts. The LG Chromebase also offers robust built-in security, employing multiple layers of protection to keep users’ information safe. Moreover, with automatic built-in updates, Chrome OS reduces the hassle of manually having to conduct maintenance on thecomputer.

“Simple to operate for all types of users, the award-winning LG Chromebase computer represents the successful combination of simplicity, power and greatdesign,” said Hyoung-sei Park, head of the IT Business Division at LG Electronics. “LG Chromebase is the wave of the future for desktops, expected to be widely adopted not only at home, but especially in schools, hotels, call centers and other business settings.”

Brilliant Full HD IPS and More
With excellent hardware in a minimalistic package, the LG Chromebase reflects the power and simplicity of the Chrome operating system. Ideal for both personal and business use, the versatile computer features a 21.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display that delivers accurate color reproduction, stunning contrast and an impressive 178-degree viewing angle. The processing power of the fourth-generation Intel® CPU enables the LG Chromebase to handle web apps, games and graphics with ease. The versatile computer also incorporates a 1.3 megapixel webcam and a microphone for easy video calling. What’s more, this AIO computer delivers clear and powerful sound and music through a pair of built-in 5W speakers.

“LG’s Chromebase is an exciting new form factor that expands the options available to customers who want a fast, simple and secure computing experience for the home, school or office,” said Caesar Sengupta, vice president of product management, Google. “LG Electronics makes great devices that customers love, and we’re glad to welcome them to the Chrome family.”

Visitors to LG’s booth at CES 2014 (Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall #8204) will have the opportunity to see this unique product for themselves from Tuesday, January 7 through Friday, January 10.

Specifications and Features
- Processor: Intel® Celeron® CPU
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Display: 21.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS
- Memory: 2 GB
- Storage: 16GB iSSD
- Ports: HDMI-in, USB 2.0 x3, USB 3.0 x1, LAN
- Accessories: Keyboard, Mouse, Cable Organizer
- Webcam: 1.3 M 720 HD

Sony’s Xperia Z1 MotionShot camera app available on any device with Android 4.0 and up

Need to get your hands on the Sony Xperia Z1 camera app? Thanks to XDA Forum MemberxperiaZ2, you can. Android devices running at least Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or higher can download the app that allows users to snap a photograph with motion. This merges the motion into one single image for your viewing pleasure. To download, hit the link below. 
 Download Link

Source 

Galaxy S5 Release Date is March-April 2014: Expect Killer Camera as One of the Core Features

Loads of killer features have been touted to usher in the Galaxy S4 successor but on release date one sure thing about the Galaxy S5 is it will sport a camera that beats rivals like the iPhone 5S and the Nokia Lumia product lines

This is based on the latest move by Samsung to merge its camera and imaging divisions, the purpose of which, according to Gotta Be Mobile, is for future Galaxy devices to showcase game-changing camera capabilities.

These exciting improvements should start showing up on high-end Galaxy smartphones in 2014, with the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 as the initial recipients. It is also understood that the powerful features will be extended to Galaxy tablets, said the same GBM report.

And as the technology is already in place, though a giant and quick leap-frog is required for the actual implementation, the likelihood is Samsung should be all set to rollout the GS5 within the first four months of 2014.

In a separate report, GBM said that all signs currently point to March or April as the likely release date for the Galaxy S5. Should it be March 2014, this will be in line with earlier reports that Samsung has set February as the debut time for the GS5.

The claim is supported by reports coming from South Korea that mass production of the GS5 will commence by early January, which strongly suggests too that everything about the handset - its design, make and features - have been pretty much finalised.

What is left to see for millions of Sammy fans are the specific specs and features that are expected to upstage both the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 3.

So far, rumours have suggested that Samsung is cooking a beastly but beautiful device in the Galaxy S5. It goes without saying that the GS5 will strut around in a slim and body finish, with the Galaxy maker likely employing a new manufacturing technique that was first used in the Note 3.

There were chatters too that the GS5 will reflect a complete makeover from GS4 and the highlight of the radical change would be the introduction of a metallic Galaxy S5. However, while this possibility is not dismissed by Samsung, it was floated that the GS5, like its predecessor, will hit the market in numerous variants.

Some editions will be built geared for the upscale market while there will be builds that will roll out to emerging markets. Therefore, it would be hardly surprising for Samsung to release premium and mass-market versions of the Galaxy S5.

To date, however, these talks remain speculative as Samsung only confirmed that its 2014 flagship will deliver 8-core Exynos processing chips with 64-bit computing capabilities. The information prompted analyst to predict that part of the GS5 package is 4GB of RAM and higher on-board storage.

On its release date, the Galaxy S5 will on run on the latest Android OS KitKat 4.4

Dead Trigger 2 gets a holiday update

Like last year, Madfinger is bringing a holiday update to their popular zombie-killing mobile game, Dead Trigger 2. This year’s update includes a handful of extra content, including four new weapons, a new environment to play around in, new story and challenge missions, and a bunch of Christmas themed elements to get you in the holiday spirit.

Some of the new weapons are melee weapons that include the Big Hammer, Butterfly Sword, and the classic, a Machete. You’ll now be able to fight zombie hordes in China and access a bunch of new challenges and story missions, just in case you were running out. Madfinger is also bringing Google Play Achievements to the title. There are also some Christmas presents strewn throughout the game right now, but Madfinger isn’t saying exactly what they’ll do. If you’re an avid Dead Trigger fan, you may want to stock up on those for when they do get an actual purpose in the game.

Alongside Dead Trigger 2, the original Dead Trigger is getting an update, but unfortunately there’s nothing Christmas themed. It’s really just an optimization update that adds support for extremely high-res phones and tablets. If you’re still playing the original, this might help you moving forward to devices with better screens

Angry Birds Star Wars gets final update with 30 new levels

Rovio is finally updating Angry Birds Star Wars to include its final 30 levels and a finale to the saga in the game. There are 15 levels on an Imperial Star Destroyer and 15 levels on the Death Star, all of which build up to boss fights against Lard Vader and the Emperor. We’ll also finally see Lard Vader unmasked at the conclusion.

Unfortunately, Rovio’s first Star Wars crossover had to come to an end sometime, but it looks like they’re going to make this ending almost as epic as the original Star Wars trilogy. The update (and original game) is free to download.

AT&T Galaxy Note II Gets Android 4.3 Today

It would appear that many devices are receiving the latest iteration of Jelly Bean this month. The Galaxy Note II for AT&T is no different. While T-Mobile’s Note II was the first to receive the update, the AT&T update isn’t too far behind. The new update will bring the Baseband version to I317UCUBMK6. Besides the Android 4. 3 enhancements you should see the following:

• Samsung Galaxy Gear compatibility
• Premium Suite Features
  • PEN.UP
  • Group Play 2.5
  • Multi-Window (Note 3 Version)
  • Camera – Shot & Sound
  • Group Messaging
  • Samsung Link (Preload)
  • New Easy Mode
  • Samsung Apps
• Knox

There you have it. If you are rocking a Note II and have been itching to get Galaxy Gear now’s your chance. If you’ve received the update, let us know. We’d love to hear what you think of it.

Apple envisions PC with wall being the display

The so-dubbed "desk-free" computer would jettison the monitor and use a projection system to display the image on a wall or other surface.

Would you buy a computer with no case or monitor or tangled cables to deal with? Apple has proposed such a system in a newly-awarded patent.

Granted on Tuesday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent called "Computer systems and methods with projected display" describes a "desk-free" computer that would dispense with a case, monitor, and wired cables. Instead, the entire package would be housed in a projection system that would include all the necessary components and display the image on a wall or other surface.

Similar to an all-in-one PC, Apple's projection system would house the CPU and all the other internal parts. A wireless network interface and speakers could also be integrated, eliminating the need for any external peripherals. Onboard sensors would control the projected image to display the optimum color, resolution, and size.

The system would also combine elements of a desktop and laptop, displaying a large screen but offering some degree of portability so you can use it beyond the confines of your office or living room.

Perhaps best of all, the system would be virtually or entirely cable-free. The mouse and keyboard would talk to the computer using Bluetooth or another wireless technology. The system could grab its juice through batteries or inductive charging rather than directly via AC power cords.

The patent itself describes the technology as follows:

Computer systems and methods may provide a projection display as a primary visual output. In particular, a computer system may include an integrated projector output. Such a computer system may be substantially or even entirely externally wire-free. Methods of image processing may involve a computer system with an integrated projector output. Such methods may involve using raw presentation data for image processing, including adjustment and/or correction for brightness, color and/or geometry artifacts generated from aspects of the projection surface (such as geometry, texture, color or the like), the surroundings (such as ambient light), the relation of the computer system (or integrated projector output) to the projection surface (such as distance, orientation or the like), and/or the relation of a user/viewer to the projection surface (such as viewing angle, distance or the like).

As always, even an awarded patent doesn't mean the technology will ever see the light of day. But such a system would certainly be an innovative step up from all-in-one computers that include all the internals but still saddle you with a large monitor that takes up space.

Source