Nexus 5X is now official with 5.2-inch display and Nexus Imprint (VIDEO)

After the countless leaks and rumors, the Nexus 5X is finally official. LG’s long-awaited successor to the Nexus 5 improves upon the fan favorite from two years ago. The 5X is slightly cheaper and less powerful compared to the Nexus 6P.

The Nexus 5X has a 5.2-inch 1080p display. It’s powered by the familiar Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor. On the back is a 12.3MP camera that Google says is especially good at indoor photos. The back is also home to a fingerprint sensor, which is used for a feature called “Nexus Imprint.” It’s basically the way you’d expect a fingerprint sensor to work, but Google says it gets better over time.

The Nexus 5X will be available for pre-order today from the Google Store. It will start at $379. You’ll be able to get your hands on it later in October, and it will work on all major US carriers (including Project Fi). It will also come with 90 days of Google Play Music All Access, a $50 Google Play credit, and optional Nexus Protect protection plan.

Google officially announces the Huawei made Nexus 6P (VIDEO)

Google has made it all official, folks: this is the Nexus 6P by Huawei. There aren’t many surprises by now, but it’s nice to get an official rundown of everything this phone has to offer.

It’s a 5.7-inch AMOLED display surrounded by a ton of metal and backed by a lot of processing power. Here is the full spec sheet for your consideration:
Screen: 5.7”, 518 PPI, WQHD AMOLED
Camera: 12.3MP Rear / 8MP Front (1.55 μM, F2.0 / 1.4 μM FF)
Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 810 v2.1 processor
Battery: 3,450 mAh (Built-in)
Dimensions: 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3
Weight: 178g
RAM: 3 GB (LPDDR4)
Storage: Comes in 32/64/128 GB

You’ll notice there’s no wireless charging or microSD slot, but there’s plenty more to like here. The device features Nexus Imprint, which is a fancy name for that fingerprint scanner you see on the back. It can be used to authorize purchases from Google Play or in financial apps, as well as the ability to authorize Android Pay purchases.

The device also works with the new “Android Sensor Hub,” a low power mode which is always working to deliver context-sensitive functions. For instance, tapping the fingerprint scanner will bring the device from sleep to wake in no time — it’s nearly instantaneous. It also powers the ambient display mode, which — coupled with an awesome AMOLED display technology — makes it easy to jump in and out of notifications even while the display is powered off.

The Nexus 6P will obviously ship with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and all the features which come with that goodness (including Google Now on Tap). Google also confirmed that it’s fully compatible with all major US carriers, as well as most carriers in Canada and around Europe. Oh, and there’s Proect Fi support — can’t forget that. You can order one from the Google Store right now starting at $499 in Aluminium, Graphite, or Frost color options.

Leaked presentation confirm Nexus 6P design, specs, and colors

A training presentation that’s intended for US retailers, reviewers, and presenters has leaked in full glory, revealing nearly everything about the Nexus 6P besides pricing and availability. If you can’t wait until Tuesday, September 29th, this slideshow is for you. Enjoy.

Also, don’t forget to check out the speaker notes for even more Nexus 6P goodies and marketing buzz on the features, design, Nexus Camera details, fingerprint sensor, and more. Here’s an updated Nexus 6P spec list.

Nexus 6P specs
Screen: 5.7”, 518 PPI, WQHD AMOLED
Camera: 12.3MP Rear / 8MP Front (1.55 μM, F2.0 / 1.4 μM FF) – Final resolution of the images may be less than 12.3MP
Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 810 v2.1 processor
Battery: 3,450 mAh (Built-in)
Dimensions: 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3
Weight: 178g
RAM: 3 GB (LPDDR4)
Storage: Comes in 32/64/128 GB

You can find more images here

BlackBerry CEO John Chen Goes Hands-on With the Priv (VIDEO)

Confirming rumours, BlackBerry unveiled its first device with Android’s operating system. John Chen gave BNN’s Amber Kanwar a worldwide exclusive first look at the phone.

Earlier today BlackBerry finally let the cat out of the bag and confirmed rumors they are indeed close to launching a new Android slider they’re calling the BlackBerry Priv. It was the very same day last week we got an early sneak peek at the Priv in a hands-on video, but in case you were looking for something a little more official, BlackBerry CEO John Chen gave BNN’s Amber Kanwar a worldwide exclusive first look at the phone.

In his extremely awkward hands-on on demo (it’s clear Chen still needs to get better acclimated with the new OS), the CEO fumbles around the OS a bit before giving up. He also mentions again that Priv is short, not only for privacy, but the privilege you end up with after buying the phone. Ummm… Okay. In case you wanted another look at the phone that could be ours — and many of yours — next daily driver, the cringe-worthy video can be found below.

iPhone 6S plus still can't beat the Galaxy S6 edge plus or LG G4 in a camera shootout (VIDEO)

Camera shootout: iPhone 6S vs. Galaxy S6 vs. LG G4 - fantastic video


Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or consciously skip past any Apple related news), you’d know that today is iPhone Launch Day. With the Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus officially hitting stores today, you’ll be up to your ears in reviews, comparisons, and drop tests. The internet is full of them right now. Given that Apple made a big deal about the new camera tech inside the iPhone 6S (it now comes with a higher resolution 12MP camera among other improvements), sites are putting Apple’s claims to the test with head-to-head battles against some of Android’s greatest.

In years past, this would have ended in a massacre, with the iPhone always winning top honors. But things have changed this year. Android OEMs have finally stepped up (with the exception of HTC, of course), creating a blend of camera software and hardware working together to deliver superior results than even Apple’s long standing iPhone line. With the new iPhone, you’re probably wondering if Apple was finally able to reclaim their crown, or will it continue fall short when compared against heavyweights like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4? In The Verge’s latest video, they took all 3 of these aforementioned phones out on the town, comparing photo quality in a dark room and discussing the results.

We know, typically The Verge’s blatant Apple bias creeps into reviews like this, but this one seemed a little more objective than most (despite them calling it a tie when it seemed to us the Galaxy S6 was the clear winner in most cases). Be all that as it may, their final ruling was that all of them are great in their own respects, it just comes down to personal preference on which output you prefer. Maybe they just didn’t want to believe that their $750 investment didn’t quite live up to Apple’s promises. We’ll let you decide for yourself in the video down below.

LG releases a video teaser for its upcoming V10 phablet

LG today released a new teaser video on its YouTube channel for its upcoming V10 phablet with a secondary ‘ticker’ display.

Unsurprisingly, the teaser focusses on the phablet’s secondary ticker display, giving us our first glimpse at it ‘in action’. The secondary display of the phablet could be used to display app shortcuts as well as notifications, as seen in the leaked render posted by leakster @evleaks yesterday. We’re guessing the secondary ticker display could function in the same way as the side edge on the Galaxy S6 Edge+ or the Galaxy Note Edge.

The V10 phablet is set to go official on October 1st at LG’s media event in New York City. Most of the phablet’s specs have been leaked already, thanks to the TENAA listing. It will feature a 5.7-inch 1440 x 2560 Quad HD display, Snapdragon 808 six-core SoC, 3GB RAM, 16MP rear camera, 64GB expandable memory, dual selfie cameras, and a fingerprint scanner embedded on the power key.

Rumors: LG G5 next year comes with a Snapdragon 820 and Sony 20 MP camera

The LG G4 was universally praised for its camera output and we were big fans of it ourselves. About 5 months after it was made official, we're beginning to hear its successor mentioned every now and then.


An anonymous source, who claims to have inside information, is now shedding light on two of the most important bits of the potential G5's hardware. The camera, for one, will use a new Sony-made 20MP sensor with a half-inch diagonal - one of the largest around.

For example the G4 has a 1/2.6" diagonal, this year's Samsung Galaxies (S6/S6 edge/S6 edge+/Note5) and the iPhone 6/6 Plus use a smaller 1/3" chip, and Sony's own Xperia Z5 series boast a 1/2.3" imager. All those are of course miniature compared to the 1/1.2" sensor of the Nokia PureView 808, but iconic or not, the 808 is ancient history. What's even more interesting though, is that the new sensor will only be provided to LG, and won't be used by other manufacturers.

The source also states that the upcoming LG flagship will be powered by the Snapdragon 820 chip. That's an easy assumption to make without insider information, but reports have been surfacing that LG is in development of its own top-end chipset. Apparently though, LG will stay in Qualcomm's camp for yet another generation.

The source has been deemed trustworthy, but even if the above is correct at the time of writing, there's no less than 6 months before we get to see the LG G5, so bear in mind that things may change.

Vertu updates its Signature Touch luxury smartphone with Snapdragon 810 and 4GB RAM (PHOTO/VIDEO)

Too often do we hear of these super premium and luxury phones, only to find out that the phones are only premium in design. It’s usually trainwreck under the hood, with underwhelming specs murdering any inkling of desire to own the phone if we were even able to afford them.

But Vertu has gotten the memo: beauty is only skin deep, and my $10,000 phone needs to perform like a $10,000 phones. Its 5.2 inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 810 chipset, 21 megapixel camera with 4K video are enough to make us feel tingly inside. Wireless charging and NFC? That’s basically unheard of, but they have it.

For design, we have a device wrapped in one of 4 materials and in a variety of colors. Here’s the full list:
Jet Calf
Garnet Calf
Grape Lizard
Pure Jet Lizard
Jet Alligator
Pure Navy Alligator
Clouse De Paris Alligator
Pure Jet Red Gold

The doors on the rear swing open to reveal microSD and SIM trays, as well as an area where you can get a custom engraving. On the front, the display is covered in sapphire crystal glass.

To bring things full circle, they’ll add “Vertu Concierge” and “Vertu Life.” The former is a personalized 1-to-1 helper who can get you going on flight and hotel reservations, invite-only events and any other reasonable requests you might have. That’s a service you’d normally have to pay for, but you’ll get 18 months’ worth of the VIP treatment if you buy this thing.

Vertu Life can be seen as a natural extension of Concierge as it’s a suite of perks such as complimentary access to private clubs and events, closed shopping events and more. Its goal is to learn what you prefer so it’ll deliver the latest happenings that you might be interested in attending.

Topping it all off is Vertu Certainty, a security platform which was made thanks to a partnership with Silent Circle (makers of the most secure Android phone you’ll ever find). Full encryption of calls, texts and other communication? It’s all there for the types of rich folks who have a lot of sensitive data to protect.

Those who want to buy the phone will actually need to submit an application to buy one, and they can only do so at one of a hanful of private boutiques around the world (Harrold’s in the UK is the exclusive seller). Furthermore, you only have between September 25th and October 8th to buy one, making it all the more exclusive. If you have the means, the desire and the coin to buy one then you’ll want to start tracking them down as soon as possible.

Samsung Galaxy S7 to have versions with curved and flat displays

In case you haven't noticed, Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 edge are now 6 months old, which means that, in about another 6 months from now, their successors - most probably included in the Galaxy S7 series - will likely be ready to hit the market.


Not long ago, we heard that Samsung could launch a 5.2-inch S7, as well as a 5.8-inch variant. Now, SamMobile is reportedly "confirming" that the Galaxy S7 will indeed have two versions, though it's not clear if their screens will differ in size. What SamMobile notes is that the two S7 variants (model numbers SM-G930 and the SM-G935) will resemble the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge in one regard: the SM-G930 will have a regular screen, while the SM-G935 should sport a dual-curve one.

It's said that, internally, Samsung is referring to the SM-G930 as the "Hero", while the SM-G935 is being called "Hero2". The entire Galaxy S7 project is known internally as Project Lucky. Depending on market, the two S7 smartphones should be powered by either Samsung's Exynos 8890 processor, or Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820.

According to SamMobile, the two Galaxy S7 handsets will be available in the US, Canada, Europe, China, and South Korea (though this doesn't mean we won't see them in other markets, too). All relevant US carriers are expected to offer the new Galaxies.

Of course, for now we can't be sure of anything regarding Samsung's next-gen Galaxy flagship series.

Samsung Galaxy Note5, S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+ might soon get a major update - Android 6.0?

With Google getting ready to launch Android 6.0  as soon as next week - when two new Nexus smartphones are expected to make their official debut - major Android handset makers are likely already planning updates to the latest version of the OS.
Or at least this seems to be the case with Samsung.

According to SamMobile, Samsung is currently working on a "major" software update for its Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, and Galaxy Note5. Since all four handsets already run Android Lollipop, this major update will probably bring Android 6.0 Marshmallow to all of them (though for now SamMobile can't confirm this). Of course, the update might also be related to changes that won't necessarily bring Android 6.0, though it makes sense for us to expect all of Samsung's latest high-end smartphones to get Marshmallow sometime soon.

In related news, it's said that the Galaxy Note 4 will also be updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which isn't exactly surprising. It's not clear if the Note 4 will get Marshmallow at the same time with the newer high-end Galaxies, but let's wait and see what happens, okay?

LG's intriguing V10 smartphone (with two displays) shows up in a new photo

Remember the unannounced LG V10 that showed up earlier this month? Thanks to @evleaks, we can now see the handset in a new photo which seems to confirm the fact that it's got two screens: a regular one, and a ticker display above it, which shows shortcuts to various apps (Instagram, contacts, camera, etc).
Most likely, this secondary display is touch-sensitive, though for now we can't confirm this.

On the left side of the ticker display, we can see what appear to be two front-facing cameras. Overall, the LG V10 looks intriguing.

The main screen of the new handset is supposed to be a 5.7-inch one with 1440 x 2560 pixels (Quad HD). The V10 should also feature a six-core Snapdragon 808 processor, 3 GB of RAM, 64 GB of expandable storage space, and a 16 MP rear camera with laser auto focus. Like all other recently released LG handsets, the V10 has its power and volume buttons on the back.

The LG V10 could be announced next week, on October 1, during an event held in New York City.

Omate has a smartwatch that runs Lollipop and makes phone calls

Let's face it: deep down we probably all have wanted a smartwatch made by wearables company Omate that runs Android 5.1.
Okay, that's an overstatement. But there are at least a few folks out there that fit this bill and they'll likely be pretty pleased about the news that the new call-capable TrueSmart+ is Lollipop flavored. The company took to Facebook to announce that both the TS+ and its slightly cheaper sibling will hit sometime either late October or in November for $169 and $149, respectively. Oddly enough, the pricier model doesn't have a built-in camera like its predecessor but Omate says it has a TSi model with one.

What the TS+ does pack, however, are fancy rubber straps that do double duty concealing WiFi, 2G and 3G antennas. Oh, and that 1.54-inch screen's been upgraded to 320x320 resolution , while the Android 4.4-powered TSi rocks a 240x240 display of the same size. Preorders open September 22nd and that window closes on Halloween.

Apple said "If it's not an iPhone, it's not an iPhone", here's Samsung's reply (VIDEO)

Back in July, Apple launched a video ad for the iPhone, outlining how the company designs and builds both its software and hardware. This has its obvious benefits over competitors, who often use someone else's software (Google's Android) and depend on externally-designed hardware parts (Qualcomm's Snapdragon system-on-chip) in order to build a quality device.
Apple's iPhones can “get away” with not having a bajillion-core processor, or 4 gigabytes of RAM, but still run buttery smooth, even snappier than most other flagships, because Apple itself can optimize the operating system that the phone is running on. So, after outlining the fact that software and hardware work in unison, the ad closes off with the hard-to-forget line “If it's not an iPhone, it's not an iPhone”.

Alright, that's all well and good, but one gripe many users have with iOS – and a flaw that Android camp inhabitants often point out – is that it lacks a lot in terms of customization. In fact, there are two things you can do to personalize an iPhone – rearrange the app icons (in a fairly constrictove, row-by-row manner, too) and change the background image. Homescreen widgets are a no-no, and icon packs or themes sounds like something so outlandish, it may never happen on iOS.

Of course, having added theme support with its newest iteration of TouchWiz, Samsung chose to play on exactly those customization options. The latest ad from the company starts with the sentence “Sure, you can change your background, but why stop there?”. We didn't need a throat-clearing sound there to catch the subtle reference. The following shots in the clip show a homescreen with its apps ordered in diagonal – something that's impossible to do on an iPhone, various widgets, and the aforementioned themes. The ad soon closes with the words “If it doesn't look like your phone, it's not your phone”.

Well played on Sammy's part, we'd have to say. The ad certainly isn't an in-your-face “Galaxy S6 is better than the iPhone!” propaganda, which, let's be honest, the company has come close to before. This is the second spin-off from the “If it's not an iPhone, it's not an iPhone” motto we've seen recently – last time, it was “It's not a phone, it's a Galaxy”.

iOS 9: Apple releases 'Move to iOS' app for Android and gets slammed in Google Play Store

Apple has released a 'Move to iOS' app on Google's Play Store, intended on helping people move to its phones — but which has had the effect of upsetting many Android users.


The app lets users transfer their data from any Android device running 4.0 Kitkat or above to their new Apple product. “With just a few steps, you can migrate your content automatically and securely from your Android device with the Move to iOS app,” the app's description says.

The tool can move photos, messages, account details, contacts, internet bookmarks and other data. The newly acquired iPhone creates its own private WiFi network, requests permission from the Android device and then transfers all the data before organising it into the correct folders.

The app has quickly invoked the wrath of users who feel strongly about the Android and Apple rivalry. “No thanks Apple,” commented one user, “I prefer being the one in control of my phone.”

Some users are even giving and funny comments - "This application has made me a better man. Right after I installed, I realized that I was better than everyone else. "

Google announces Android Marshmallow-themed event for September 29

Google sent out invites for an Android Marshmallow themed event in San Francisco on September 29. The occasion will all but certainly mark the debut Android 6.0, as well as new Google hardware.


We are likely to see a duo of new Nexus smartphones made by LG and Huawei. The devices are expected to debut as Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P respectively.

The LG-made Nexus 5X has already leaked on a number of occasions. Its rumored specs include Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC, 2GB of RAM, 5.2” 1080p display, 12.3MP main camera, and a fingerprint sensor.

Nexus 6P on the other hand, is rumored to pack Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB of RAM, and 5.7” QHD display. The Handset will be Huawei’s first Nexus device.

Android on BlackBerry Venice - video!

BlackBerry Venice based on Android Lollipop is a large pull-out QWERTY keyboard these days is one of the hottest topics. The best view on it today gives us the first video work, published by the Canadian distributor of Baka Mobile.


But also from a pile of photographs published it became clear that the BlackBerry here has something very interesting. Today's video gives us the most detailed picture of how the BlackBerry Venice works and how it might best Android OS improved QWERTY keyboard in the world and some practical BB software features.

While this video does not confirm this, apparently this is a 5.4 "screen, a prime mover of Snapdragon 808 with 3 GB of RAM. On the back is a 18 MP camera with OIS.

As the uncle said in the video, let's hope this is a miracle in this form and soon reach the market.

Samsung S Health now for all Android Devices (APK)

Samsung S Health is a complex suite of tools for health monitoring, and is now available in the Play Store and all Android devices, whether Samsung or other manufacturers bear the logo.

Still there in April of this year Samsung has its S Health set in the Play Store, to make it easier to update, but remains applications were compatible only with some Galaxy models. But now the Health can be downloaded and installed on any Android on the white world provided that revolves Android 4.4 KitKat and newer.

If you do not know, except for the Health Support for integrated pedometer, steps converted into calories, offers daily calorie intake, can measure the intensity of UV radiation and many other things, depending on the sensors, which your device has.

All information, the Health shows the pleasant graphs, encourages you to realize our goals and generally represents a solid alternative to Google Fit tools.

>>Download here<<

Samsung's Turtle Glass Could Be A Gorilla Glass Alternative

To date Samsung has largely relied on Corning’s Gorilla Glass for their smartphone displays. This isn’t surprising given that Corning has supplied many OEMs with their glass displays which are favored due to their tough and scratch-resistant nature. In fact on Corning’s website, Samsung’s latest flagship phones are currently using Gorilla Glass.

However that could soon change. According to recent sightings, it seems like Samsung has applied for registration for the Turtle Glass branding. While we can’t say for sure what exactly is Turtle Glass, it doesn’t really take much to figure out that it could potentially be an alternative to Gorilla Glass.

After all turtles are known for the hard shells, which is what Samsung might be trying to imply here. Unfortunately it is unclear as to how far along Samsung is with regards to the development of Turtle Glass, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it made its way into the Samsung Galaxy S7 next year.

It also might not be that Samsung will abandon Corning entirely. We have seen Samsung continue to push out phones powered by Qualcomm’s chipsets despite them making their own line of Exynos chipsets, so perhaps Turtle Glass could be used selectively here as well. In any case take it with a grain of salt for now since Samsung hasn’t announced anything official yet.

Europe not getting the Samsung Gear S2 3G, not yet

Okay, Samsung, what did Europe do to you? First no more laptops, then no Note5 and now no Samsung Gear S2 3G...
That's right, the 3G-enabled version of the Tizen-powered smartwatch will be launching only in the US and South Korea, Europe and other markets are only getting the versions without mobile data.

Samsung points to the e-SIM – an "embedded SIM" format that's available in the US but hasn’t been adopted by EU carriers. It can't be removed from the device, instead carriers can reprogram it to make it their own.

Apple has a similar feature, Apple SIM used in US iPads, and UK carrier EE even supports it. But not the GSMA-standardized e-SIM. The original Gear S used a tiny nanoSIM and avoided such problems.

VP of Samsung Mobile for Samsung UK says that fitness is the driving factor behind smartwatch adoption and for that you need GPS.

GPS is available only on the Gear S2 3G, the plain S2 and Gear S2 classic don't have a receiver. They still have fitness tracking functionality, but runners and bikers will be missing out.

Launch details for the Samsung Gear S2 will be unveiled next week. The VP hinted at a price around £320 for the models to be available in the UK.

Sony released a promo video for the camera Xperia phone Z5 (VIDEO)

Sony finally brought a completely revamped camera for its flagship Xperia Z series. The new cam features a next-generation 23MP sensor with Hybrid autofocus (which gets an accurate lock in just 0.03s), but optical image stabilization was not in the cards.

Instead the company imbued the Xperia Z5 family with the Intelligent SteadyShot Active Mode - the lot of words to say digital image stabilization. Here's an official video that shows the Xperia Z5 camera put in a tough, dynamic environment.

The front-facing camera also supports SteadyShot to eliminate handshake from your selfie shots.

Here's a 1-minute look at the new camera specifications.

Russia's YotaPhone 3 to Be Manufactured by ZTE, Arrives in Q1 2016

Yota, a Russia-based smartphone manufacturer which sells dual-screen phones, is said to be working on a new smartphone, in the form of the YotaPhone 3.

Recently, the company has attempted to expand beyond European confines by bringing its phones into the US via Indiegogo. Shortly after, however, Yota Devices announced it had to cancel the US launch due to unforeseen delays in producing and delivering the North American variant of the device. Still, the company is confident that it can survive without the US market.

Actually, the company is prepping the next-gen YotaPhone 3 as we speak. According to a fresh report coming out of Oana News claims that the Russian device maker has entered a partnership with ZTE for the manufacturing of its next-gen flagship.

The company is said to have explained that ZTE will handle not only the production of the new smartphone but also the development and integration of mobile services and software. Until now, the YotaPhones were manufactured in Singapore by an unknown “entity.”

The new YotaPhone is coming next year

What about availability? According to the aforementioned report, the handset should make a debut around Q1 next year, although we don’t have an exact date. Initially, around 100,000 units of the YotaPhone 3 will be offered for purchase.

The current YotaPhone 2 offers a main 5-inch AMOLED display with full HD (1080p) resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 3, as well as a secondary 4.7-inch always-on greyscale display with qHD (540 x 960 pixels) resolution.

So Yota Devices has a lot of room to improve upon here. With its next-gen device, it could offer a QHD display and an improved E-ink display. The current model is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor with Adreno 330 graphics and 2GB of RAM.

Given the fact that the YotaPhone 3 will make a debut in Q1, we might assume that the Russian company might be willing to implement a Snapdragon 820 or Snapdragon 620 under the hood of its next project.

Earlier reports indicated that the company was also prepping a YotaPhone 2c model, which is probably a downsized version of the YotaPhone 2, designed to be sold for a more affordable price.

See Yota Phone 2 on video below 

Huawei Nexus to have a 5.7" QHD screen, 12MP camera

The Huawei Nexus has cropped up in another benchmark database, this one gives more detail about the upcoming Google phablet. GFX Bench 3.1 detected 5.7" screen with QHD resolution (1,440 x 2,560px).

The chipset is the expected Snapdragon 810 with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It will be running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, naturally.

The main camera is only a 12MP shooter with 2160p video, nothing extravagant. The selfie camera has an 8MP sensor that maxes out at a 4:3 version of QHD for video.

We expect Google to unveil both Nexus phones – Huawei's 5.7" model and LG's 5.2" one – on September 29, with pre-orders starting two weeks later.

Published new photographs LG Nexus 5 phone

The bulk of leaks we've been seeing recently has revolved around Google's upcoming device launches, the pair of them. The LG Nexus 5 and the Samsung Nexus 6 take turns appearing in the hands of insiders, and this time it's the former.

The angle here is that the smaller Nexus will be available in the third Mint color option, in addition to the already seen White and Black. The picture shows a very gentle tint and if it were not for the source to testify that it is indeed mint, they could have just assumed it's white, and the camera messed up the white balance.

Not much else gets revealed this time around and we're left with previously rumored specs, which point to a 5.2-inch FullHD display, Snapdragon 808 chipset, 3GB of RAM and a 12.3MP/5MP camera combo. Pioneering Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the LG Nexus 5 (2015), or maybe Nexus 5X, is rumored to be unveiled on September 29 alongside the higher-end Huawei Nexus 6 (2015, perhaps).

Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 goes from 0 to 80 percent in 35 minutes (VIDEO)

The new standard improves charging by 27% over the Quick Charge 2.0.

Qualcomm's latest line of SoCs have a new charging feature, dubbed Quick Charge 3.0. The new standard, which will ship on the Snapdragon 820, 620, 618, 617, and 430 next year, promises to take a phone battery from 0 to 80 percent in about 35 minutes. Qualcomm says the new charging standard will "improve fast charging up to 27 percent or reduce power dissipation by up to 45 percent when compared to the Quick Charge 2.0." provided vendors use Qualcomm's "advanced parallel charging configurations."

The new standard uses an algorithm called "Intelligent Negotiation for Optimum Voltage (INOVA)," which lets the device continually request a power level from the charger, from 3.6V to 20V, in 200mV increments. Quick Charge 2.0 only offered four charging voltages, but 3.0 offers 82 different voltage "sizes," which Qualcomm says results in "minimized losses, increased efficiency, and improved thermal performance."

Quick Charge 3.0 is backward compatible with versions 1.0 and 2.0 and is connector-independent. You'll need a new phone and a new charger to take advantage of the higher speeds.

Qualcomm says to expect the speedier charging standard in new phones due out next year.

Miss Moneypenny picks up James Bond's new Z5 and Sony Xperia latest cross-promotion ad (VIDEO)

Back in September, Sony released a couple of "Made for Bond" teasers that promoted the upcoming 007 movie "Spectre" and the Sony Xperia Z5.
With Sony's Columbia Pictures studio distributing the movie (which hits US theaters on March 6th), the electronics and entertainment giant decided to do some more cross-promotion of the handset and the movie.

In a movie-quality ad that was filmed using Sony's F65 professional 4K cinema camera, and directed by Danny Kleinman, we see Bond associate Miss Moneypenny using Sony's new Sony's RX100 IV to keep an eye on the bad guys as she handles a very important task . What kind of mission could she be on that would put her life in danger? She's delivering James Bond's new Xperia Z5 the British spy.

The ad will run the U.K. TV from November 1st through November 8th. This is not the first time that Sony has called on 007 to promote its handsets. Back in 2008, the Sony Ericsson C902 was featured in Quantum of Solace. Four years later, the Sony Xperia T Bond Phone was released with pre-loaded content related to the Ian Fleming creation.

The Z5 Sony Xperia, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact Sony Xperia Z5 Premium will all be released next month. While you're waiting, grab some popcorn, turn off the lights and click on the video below.

Vibe P1 with its massive 5000mAh battery now available for pre-orders; phone ships next month

Amazon is now taking pre-orders for the Vibe P1. This is the handset that is stuffed with a massive 5000mAh battery inside. Made using a magnesium alloy, the handset can be reserved for $ 359.99.
The device will start shipping some time next month. Obviously, a 5000mAh juicer brings with it a promise of long battery life. And since the 5.5-inch LCD screen has a 1080 x 1920 HD resolution, you should be able to go quite a while between charges.


The Vibe P1 is equipped with the Snapdragon 615 CPU under the hood, carrying an octa-core 1.5GHz CPU and the Adreno 405 GPU. 2GB of RAM is inside, along with 32GB of native storage. Additional memory can be obtained via the use of the handset's 128GB capacity microSD slot. The camera combo from back to front weighs in at 13MP / 5MP, and Android 5.1 is pre-installed with Vibe 2.68 UI running on top.

The handset measures 9.9mm thick. Thanks to the massive 5000mAh battery, the phone weighs 189g. Speaking about the battery, it will charge to 67% in one hour, and 100% in two days. There is also a fingerprint scanner on board that unlocks the phone in half a second. The Vibe P1 supports 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 and USB connectivity.

A lost Huawei Mate S will answer you if you call out for it (VIDEO)

Huawei has stuffed quite a few features into the Huawei Mate S, including its version of Force Touch. Another interesting feature allows you to call out for your mate with if it is misplaced. When setting up voice commands for the handset, you can choose a keyword that the device will respond to by setting off noises, music and flashing lights to help you locate your missing phone.

So let's say that you've set your keyword is' Mate. "If you can not find your handset, you merely say" Hey mate, "followed by" Where are you? "Your Mate With Huawei will then vibrate, set off the flash, shake some more, and then play some music. While the music is bouncing out of the speaker, you can hear the phone say repeatedly, "I'm here."

The video below shows the "Find Your Phone feature, but on the Huawei  P8. It works the same way on the Mate S.

Galaxy S7 again rumored to come with a larger screen and dual camera setup

It's already Galaxy S7 rumor mill time, indicating that Samsung might have indeed succeeded to shorten the development timeframe for its flagship through a more robust project management techniques, as rumored.
In fact, the newest type from the swaths of Korean media claims that the Galaxy S7 production will start ramping up in January, with the grand unveiling expected at the end of February. That's going to be out of whack, though, as the Galaxy S6 was announced in the beginning of March, so there will still be about a year between the two, if this pans out.

Moreover, we've already heard that the Galaxy S7 might employ two chipsets - Snapdragon 820, and Samsung's upcoming Exynos M1 project - but today's report claims that the share of Exynos-powered S7 handsets will be much higher than that of the 820-laden units, the source also reiterates that the Galaxy S7 may come with a significantly larger display than what we have now - a 5.7 "panel - and that seems to be a derivative of the rumor that it might have two versions - one with 5.2" and another with a 5.8 "screen. These sound like totally different phones, however, so we'd take the larger screen with a grain of salt.

The most interesting new rumor that the publication speculates on, however, is that amongst the final specs considered for the Galaxy S7, is a dual camera setup, like on the HTC One M8, or the Huawei Honor 6 Plus. We'd have to see that to believe it, but this speculation has been bandied about before. Reportedly, both Apple and Samsung are looking into the advantages of a dual camera tech, and Samsung may have even Monday started testing prototypes to go into devices next year, so who knows what the S7 will bring.

Is it the Galaxy A9 on the picture?

Those keeping watch on Samsung will be excited to learn about an interesting new smartphone of its apparently that's in the works. And no, we're not talking about the Galaxy S7, or any weird flip / slider phones whose indisputable retro charm does look out of place in 2015. Rather, we're talking of a purported Galaxy A9, powered by the Snapdragon 620 SoC a representative of Qualcomm's next-generation processor line-up.

The device appeared in Geekbench's score database, presented as "Samsung msm8976fhdlte-eur-open". The "msm8976" part of its name is a dead giveaway for the Snapdragon 620's presence. The chip's CPU contains eight cores - four Cortex-A72 ones and four Cortex-A53 ones. The SoC is capable of 4K video recording and playback, and contains a new, unnamed Adreno GPU. The chipset's bundled with an X8 LTE modem, which means that you can enjoy download speeds of up to 300Mbps and upload ones of up to 100Mpbs. Camera sensor support is limited to 13MP.

Besides the Snapdragon 620, the alleged Galaxy A9 packs 3GB of RAM memory and runs Android 5.1.1. With this configuration, the device scored 1325 in the single-core test, and 4461 in the multi-core test, an impressive result for what's considered to be Qualcomm's "not premium" silicon.

Sony now says waterproof Xperia phones should not be used under water

Most of the recent waterproof Xperia smartphones and tablets come with the IP68-rating. 6 This translates into a dust-tight device, while the second digit - the 8 - means submersion into deeper than 1 meter of clean water for 30 minutes or more.


Before the Z5 Sony Xperia lineup, many of the Xperia phones were advertised with the press photos showing selfies or taking group photos with fully submerged underwater devices. Those images indirectly suggested you can actually do those things.

But we know Sony has been reluctant to repair devices with liquid damage. In many cases the company said the damage resulted by some of the plastic caps not being tightly closed and thus the warranty did not apply.

It turned out supporting waterproof phones is a tricky business and Sony has finally taken care of the problem by altering warranty terms and conditions.

As of recently Sony does not allow full submersion underwater, no matter the kind of water. It says NOT to use any waterproof device for underwater actions, such as taking photos.

Here are some excerpts of the new waterproof conditions:

The IP rating of your device was achieved in laboratory conditions in standby mode, so you should not use the device underwater, such as taking pictures. Do not use the device to take photos while performing any type of activity underwater, including diving or snorkeling.
Taking photos and movies in wet surroundings. Remember not to use the device underwater. If you accidentally get the device wet with non-fresh water, wash the device with tap water.
Sony devices that are tested for their waterproof abilities are placed gently inside a container filled with tap water and lowered to a depth of 1.5 meters. After 30 minutes in the container, the device is gently taken out and its functions and features are tested.
The rest remains the same - close all covers, if you drop your phone / slate into a pool / salt water rinse it under tap water, and that speakers and mics can stop working for up to 3 hours after water exposure.

Reading further Sony still allows you to use your phone under rain, the shower or in pools where splashes of water are all around. Just not fully submerge it. And in case you do, it will most probably endure.

While some people may have been overly abusive with their waterproof phones, perhaps Sony should take a large part of the blame as it made the IP rating and the key selling point for its devices. Now that it has changed its policy many will certainly be disappointed, but it's better to be clear with customers about what they are getting rather than facing issues with after-sales support.

For more information you should definitely visit Sony's support page. And to drop us a line in the comments section, saying whether you'd still be getting a Sony phone if it were not for all the water fun promises.

Ex-Android and HTC employees launch Robin, "cloud-first" smartphone (PHOTO/VIDEO)

It's not often a new Android OEM comes along, but today a company called "Nextbit" is taking the wraps off of its first ever phone: the Robin. The Robin is a high-end phone launching on Kickstarter for $ 349 (with discounts for early birds), but the real draw of the Nextbit Robin-according to the company-is the phone's "cloud-first" software.

Nextbit's Android-based OS mixes cloud-based storage with onboard storage, giving you the onboard 32GB of storage on the phone, plus 100GBs in Nextbit's cloud. If you get close to filling up the onboard storage, the software automatically moves some of your phone's data to the cloud, which frees up space. It will not just be pictures and videos moved, either-even Friday the Robin will move apps to the cloud.

During a demo, we watched the phone backup and remove apps from the device to make room for a 4K video that was being recorded. Apps would get deleted, but the personal data would be kept on the device. Icons for the apps automatically removed-would stay on the phone as black-and-white icons. Tapping on a removed app re-downloads and installs the app from Nextbit's cloud, it merges with the personal data stored on the phone, and launches. The Robin tries to intelligently guess which apps it should move to the cloud based on your usage patterns.

It's certainly a different way to go about increasing phone storage, skipping the more obvious route of increased internal storage or a microSD slot in favor of some proprietary cloud action. There are some downsides though. This system will, of course, use more data than a conventional setup and will not be able to transfer data if you're offline. Launching a cloud-stored app seemed like a painful process, too, as the download / install / launch process took about 15 seconds in our demo.

Nextbit is worth a look because while the name might be new in the industry, the people behind it are not. The company's CEO, Tom Moss, was an executive on the Android team at Google. Mike Chan, the company's chief technical officer, was with Android versions from 1.0 to 3.0. Heading up product and design for Nextbit is Scott Croyle, the former SVP of Design at HTC. Croyle launched some of HTC's best designed products, including the Evo and the One M7.

As for the hardware, the shape of the phone is about as basic as it gets: it's a rectangle. The corners are rounded but only enough to not be sharp-it's basically a box. The colored top and bottom pieces are plastic, while the middle section is metal. On the back of the device is the Nextbit logo and a few LEDs. When the phone is transferring data to the cloud, the lights will turn on to let the user know something is happening. The unique design traits continue on the front of the phone, which puts the usual ambient light and proximity sensors behind a circular lens that looks just like the front facing camera.

The Nextbit Robin has a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 808 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a 2680m battery. There are a ton of extras here, too. There's a USB Type-C port on the bottom that-unlike the OnePlus 2 supports USB 3.0 speeds. There's a fingerprint reader on the device, but it's integrated into the side-mounted power button. You also get dual front-facing speakers, NFC, and a 13MP camera. Nextbit told us they want to embrace the modding community, too, as they will allow users to unlock the bootloader phones without voiding the warranty.

The phone is launching a Kickstarter campaign though that's asking for $ 500,000. Devices are for sale for $ 350 and ship in February. After the Kickstarter the company plans to sell the device directly to consumers for $ 399