Lucid 2 : A Verizon's LG Sequel

Moving from a basic phone to a smartphone can be exciting. And, as with any leap forward, there are many new things to discover and learn.

However, transitioning doesn’t mean that users have to be thrown into unfamiliar settings and features or, alternatively, forego functionality that they may want at a later date. Smartphones like the compact Lucid™ 2 by LG, exclusively at Verizon Wireless, with a long-lasting battery and 4.3-inch qHD display make it easy for first time smartphone owners to enter the smartphone world, discover new features and apps, and personalize their experience.

Turning on a smartphone for the first time and watching it come to life is the beginning of a new experience. The Lucid 2 lets users choose from different modes, Starter Mode or Standard Mode, when they take the phone out of the box.

Starter Mode is a simplified and more intuitive experience ideal for those who are new to smartphones. This option has five easy-to-learn home screens, featuring pre-set widgets such as My Apps, My Contacts and My Settings. Standard Mode is a general smartphone setting for those who are familiar with the Android experience. Users can pick the mode that best suits their needs, letting them get accustomed to the phone, find the most common features, and uncover their favorites.

Apps are an integral part of the experience for both first-time and experienced smartphone owners. The Lucid 2 features QuickMemo™, an app that allows users to capture screenshots and use their finger to add personalized commentary or drawings. Video Editor and Video Wiz apps bring a mini editing studio into a user’s hand to edit and customize video clips that can be quickly shared. And with Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, customers can use features such as Google Now to see relevant updates for traffic, weather, meetings and more.

With a smartphone, users can take advantage of a wide range of accessories. The Lucid 2 is wireless charging capable with the purchase of a wireless charging battery cover, allowing owners to easily charge their phone by setting it on a wireless charging pad (sold separately).

Lucid 2 by LG will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com for free with a new two-year customer agreement beginning on April 4 and will be in Verizon Wireless stores in the coming weeks.

Sony Sell Xperia ZL to US Consumers

Sony Mobile today announced that the Xperia ZL is available for preorder from the Sony Mobile web store. The ZL was announced at CES in January and is a slightly smaller version of the Xperia Z. It loses the Z's water resistance, changes the back shell, and adds a physical camera button. 

The ZL includes support for various LTE frequencies, including those used by AT&T in the U.S. The ZL features a 5-inch FHD display, 13-megapixel camera with HDR video capture, and quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Sony is offering the Xperia ZL for $759, as well as a penta-band HSPA+ version for $719. The Xperia ZL is being sold with no contract.

Is Android 4.2.2 the end of Android version for Samsung Galaxy SII and Samsung Galaxy Note?

How daring do you feel? We ask this because a list has leaked and it is a very important list for those who are totin' Samsung's mobile devices. According to a Samsung insider, this list names those devices from the Korean manufacturer that will be moving on to Android 5.0 (Key Lime Pie). The list also includes those devices who will come to the end of the line with Android 4.2.2. Only 5 devices are moving ahead to Key Lime Pie, although there are a number of different variants of each device. Are you ready? Dim the lights, here we go.

Let's start with those that are moving on to Android 5.0. First, we have the Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung Galaxy S III LTE (GT-I9300, GT-I9305). No surprise here. Also not a surprise is the inclusion of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE (GT-I9500, GT-I9505). Three variants of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 (GT-N5100) are in line to receive Key Lime Pie including the LTE and Wi-Fi model (GT-N5105, GT-N5110). Also on the list is the Samsung GALAXY Note II (GT-N7100) and the Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE (GT-N7105). Lastly, Android 5.0 is supposedly coming to the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Wi-Fi (GT-N8000, GT-N8005, GT-N8010).

Those devices that will be coming to the end of the line with Android 4.2.2 include the Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy S II Plus (GT-I9100, GT-I9105), Samsung Galaxy Grand and Samsung Galaxy Grand DUOS (GT-I9080, GT-I9082), Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 (GT-I8160), Samsung Galaxy S III mini,  (GT-I8190), Samsung Galaxy Beam (GT-I8350), Samsung Galaxy Express (GT-I8730), Samsung GALAXY S Advance (GT-I9070), Samsung Galaxy Premier (GT-I9260), Samsung GALAXY Note (GT-N7000), Samsung Galaxy Young and Samsung Galaxy Young DUOS (GT-S6310 and GT-S6312), Samsung Galaxy Fame (GT-S6810) and the Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 (GT-S7710).

Keep in mind that this is a leaked pre-list and is not written in stone. Stranger things have happened than seeing the Samsung Galaxy S II get a last second reprieve.
 

BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Torch beat BlackBerry Z10 on Amazon

This is not turning out to be the U.S.launch of the BlackBerry Z10 that CEO Thorsten Heins had been dreaming about. Consider the response at Amazon, which has the BlackBerry Z10 in stock and ready to to be shipped for $199.99 with a signed two-year pact. How embarrassing would it be for BlackBerry if we told you that the Z10 did not even make the AT&T Top 100 smartphones on Amazon's list? And suppose we told you that beating out the first BlackBerry 10 handset is the Sony Ericsson W580i, made by a company that is no longer around.

Even worse is the news that the BlackBerry Curve 8520 is number 67 and the  flagship 'Berry before the Z10, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is number 38. The highest ranking 'Berry is the BlackBerry Torch 9810 at number 21 on a list dominated by Android models like the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Samsung GALAXY Note II.

Perhaps BlackBerry misjudged the market and should have released the QWERTY equipped BlackBerry Q10 first. That is the model that BlackBerry could have pointed to as having something that even the Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung GALAXY Note II didn't have. CEO Thorsten Heins had best have a Plan B ready because at this point, no amount of spin is going to turn the BlackBerry Z10 into lemonade.

Jelly Bean 4.1 for Droid 4 and 4.2.2 for Galaxy Nexus (Verizon)

After previously being rolled out to selected subscribers in testing within the past few weeks, Verizon has officially begun rolling out the latest Android Jelly Bean updates for the Motorola Droid 4 and the now discontinued Galaxy Nexus, which had previously languished with a four versions old version of the operating system.The roll outs for each update began yesterday and will continue for the next few weeks.

The Droid 4 update pushes the software version to 98.72.18.XT894.Verizon.en.US and features the following updates and changes inline with 4.1:

GOOGLE NOW
Cards appear throughout the day automatically as the personal assistant software uses your search queries to present the most relevant information possible.

VOICE SEARCH NOTIFICATIONS
Android lets you search the web with your voice, and it’s convenient for getting quick answers. It speaks back to you and is powered by the Knowledge Graph, bringing you precise answers and ranked search results. Take action directly from the notifications panel. Send emails, return calls, share photos and more. Notifications are expandable and you can scan multiple emails, see event details or full images and more.

SMART KEYBOARD
More accurate and relevant dictionaries have been implemented. Jelly Bean’s keyboard guesses the next word before you type it and voice typing now works offline without a data connection. Text-to-Speech capabilities have also been improved.

ADDITIONAL JELLY BEAN ENHANCEMENTS
+ Move between Home screens with intuitive graphics and smooth transitions.
+ Enjoy reactive and uniform touch responses.
+ Personalize home screen easily by placing widgets directly on the screen.

Verizon has started to officially roll out Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 for the Galaxy Nexus after months of of relative silence on the issue, and has added more features with the update, such as Photo Sphere support, display mirroring with an MHL compatible dock or cable and Daydream active screensaver support. The update pushes the software version to I515.FK02.

Watch for Apple or Samsung ?

In the never-ending war of one-upsmanship, we have a Bloomberg report that Samsung is also working on its wearable devices line by developing a wristwatch. This confirms rumors from last month about a Samsung watch in the making.

During an interview in Seoul, Korea – Lee Young Hee who is E.V.P of Samsung’s mobile business said “We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long…we are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.” Hee did not give a glimpse behind the curtain regarding features or pricing. Some attest Samsung’s disclosure about their watch to based on reports that Apple has about 100 product designers working on everything from shape of the glass and housing to map capabilities, bio-sensors, and a complete iOS.

According to rumors coming out of the Cupertino campus, Apple wants to introduce the iWatch (unofficial but makes sense) later this year. If that happens, they can set the market with a price that can capture the initial influx of consumers who may turn out to be loyalists to their platform – outside of the present Apple loyalists of course – for the smart watch. In that regard, Apple would have an advantage on pricing. Then again, if Samsung were to deliver the goods first the advantage could lie with them just as easily as many would be expecting an OS much akin to the  Android platform.

WEARABLE DEVICES

Considering that both Samsung and Apple are fully aware that smartphone sales are slowing down (analysts project growth will slow  to 9.8% by 2017 down from 27% this year) the race for a smart watch is on. Wearable devices are expected to be big business especially if an item like a smart watch can sync with already owned devices such as a tablet or smartphone. The key will be ease of use and style.

A new product line is needed and the first to deliver wins. For now at least.

Blackberry Z10 and BB10 First Update

BlackBerry has now started staging and rolling out the first major update for the Z10 following the launch of the smartphone last month in Europe and Canada. The update pushes the software version on the phone to 10.0.10.85 and features the following fixes, improvements and changes:

• 3rd Party App Performance
  We’ve improved performance for 3rd party applications, so developers can build apps that run fast and smooth for you. With this update, you might want to keep an eye out for some fresh new app launches in March, like WhatsApp.

• Phone, Calendar, and Contacts
  Among the top improvements and features are fixes for Gmail calendars on BlackBerry 10. You’ll also find improvements in the BlackBerry Hub for logging calls log and how conversations are handled. We’ve also made general improvements to importing contacts from online sources.

• Camera
  We’ve optimized the camera for better photos in low-light situations. You’ll love the difference this makes for photos where you don’t use a flash – like the Time Shift Camera feature.

• Browser and Media
  With more and more of you using the gorgeous screen on the BlackBerry Z10 to consume online videos and media, we’ve made a number of improvements to the software in the way the browser handles video playback to provide a fantastic experience. 

• Battery Life
  The software team has included a number of battery life optimizations with over 60 battery saving improvements since launch to keep you moving. These combined improvements are designed so that you see improvements in battery life and heavy users especially should see a longer average usage per charge cycle.

The list of improvements and changes follows the amount of critical judgment placed upon the platform and the Z10 itself, as the phone was met with mixed reviews, owing to its highly praised hardware and software touches, though the camera performance in particular was judged rather harshly compared to current Android and iPhone flagships. The rest of the changes also reflect the amount of criticism for the initial release of BB10, something that will no doubt be improved as the platform is given more time to mature and grow as the userbase expands.

Currently, the US launch of BB10 and the Z10 is slated for later this month across multiple carriers, with T-Mobile USA expected to be the first to launch its version of the Z10 after internal testing revealed that the software and hardware was more stable than expected after initial testing. Further carrier releases are expected well into April and May.

Sony Xperia TL Jelly Bean 4.1 Update

Sony Mobile has begun rolling out the long-awaited Android Jelly Bean 4.1 update for the Xperia TL sold on AT&T, weeks after it rolled out the update for the international version.

 

The 4.1.2 update features a much smoother user interface and also features an extended battery mode option for increased battery life. The update also adds the built-in HDR camera capability for pictures taken with the sensor at the cost of slightly reduced resolution (a 1MP decrease for each photo) and the Wi-Fi connection is said to be more stable than before the update.

The browser quick commands wheel in the labs section is also said to be well organized and responsive. The keyboard is also said to be improved with more responsive input and improved accuracy.

The update is available over Sony’s PC Connection desktop software as an over-the-wire update with no word on a wider OTA release.

Samsung Galaxy Camera Wi-Fi Version

Samsung today announced a Wi-Fi version of the Samsung Galaxy Camera will be offered in the coming weeks. Stopping short of giving a price or exact launch time frame, the hardware maker indicates that the camera is the exact same as the 3G/4G model. This means the same Android 4.1 Jelly Bean experience with 21x Super Long Zoom lens and a super-bright 16M BSI CMOS.

These 184 Carriers Will Carry HTC One

HTC this morning officially unveiled its new flagship for 2013: the HTC One. So far, we've posted the full specs, our hands-on, and the list of carriers in the U.S. and Canada, but if you live outside those territories, you might be wondering exactly which carriers and major retailers to visit to pick up the One when it becomes available in March.
We've got the current list, courtesy of HTC, right below. I imagine it may grow in the future, but in the meantime I applaud the company for itemizing it in such great detail - something you don't get to see too often these days. The list is broken down into six regions:

1. Europe, Middle East and Africa
2. Asia-Pacific
3. China
4. United States
5. Canada
6. Latin America

Here we go.

Europe, Middle East, and Africa

1. 1&1 Germany
2. A1 Telekom Austria
3. AB Poland
4. Allo Ukraine
5. AMC (Cosmote) Albania
6. Avea Turkey
7. Beeline Kazakhstan
8. Belcompany Netherlands
9. BH Telecom Bosnia & Herzegovina
10. Bite Latvia
11. Bite Lithuania
12. Bouygues Telecom France
13. Carphone Warehouse UK
14. Cell C RSA
15. Citrus Ukraine
16. Cosmote Greece
17. Cosmote Romania & Global Bulgaria
18. Cyta
19. DT Mobile(TS) Latvia
20. Du UAE
21. Dustin Sweden
22. Eagle Mobile Albania
23. EE UK
24. Elisa Estonia
25. Elisa Finland
26. El-Giganten Denmark
27. El-Giganten Sweden
28. Elkjöp Norway
29. EMT (TS) Estonia
30. E-Plus Germany
31. ERC Ukraine
32. Euroset Russia
33. Gigantii Finland
34. Go Malta
35. H3G Austria
36. H3G Denmark
37. H3G Italy
38. H3G Sweden
39. H3G UK
40. HT Eronet Bosnia & Herzegovina
41. K-Cell Kazakhstan
42. KPN Belgium
43. KPN Netherlands
44. Life Belarus
45. LuxGSM Luxembourg
46. Megafon Russia
47. Melita Malta
48. Meteor Ireland
49. Mobilezone Switzerland
50. Mobilochka Ukraine
51. Mobily KSA
52. MSH Belgium
53. MSH Germany
54. M-Tel Montenegro
55. M-Tel Bosnia & Herzegovina
56. MTI Ukraine
57. MTN Cyprus
58. MTS Belarus
59. MTS Russia
60. Netcom Norway
61. (Telefónica) O2 Czech
62. (Telefónica) O2 Germany
63. (Telefónica) O2 Ireland
64. (Telefónica) O2 UK
65. Omnitel Lithuania
66. One Macedonia
67. Optimus Portugal
68. Orange France
69. Orange Maldova
70. Orange Poland
71. Orange Romania
72. Orange Slovakia
73. Orange Spain
74. Orange Switzerland
75. Partner Communications Israel
76. PhoneHouse France
77. PhoneHouse Germany
78. PhoneHouse Netherlands
79. PhoneHouse Sweden
80. Phones4U UK
81. Play Poland
82. Plus Communication Albania
83. Polkomtel Poland
84. Proximus Belgium
85. SFR France
86. SiMobil Slovenia
87. STC KSA
88. Sunrise Switzerland
89. Svyaznoy Russia
90. Swisscom Switzerland
91. TDC Denmark
92. Tele2 Croatia
93. Tele 2 Estonia
94. Tele2 Latvia
95. Tele2 Lithuania
96. Tele2 Russia
97. Telia Denmark
98. Telia Sweden
99. Telekom Slovenija
100. Telenet Belgium
101. Telenor Denmark
102. Telenor Norway
103. Telenor Sweden
104. Telenor Hungary
105. Telenor Serbia
106. Telkom Serbia
107. TIM Italy
108. TMN Portugal
109. T-Mobile Austria
110. T-Mobile Croatia
111. T-Mobile Czech Republic
112. T-Mobile Germany
113. T-Mobile Hungary
114. T-Mobile Macedonia
115. T-Mobile Montenegro
116. T-Mobile Netherlands
117. T-Mobile Poland
118. T-Mobile Slovakia
119. Turkcell Turkey
120. Tus Mobil Slovenia
121. Velcom (TAG) Belarus
122. VIP Operator Macedonia
123. VIP Mobile Serbia
124. Vipnet Croatia
125. Vivacom Bulgaria
126. Vodacom RSA
127. Vodafone Albania
128. Vodafone Czech Republic
129. Vodafone Egypt
130. Vodafone Germany
131. Vodafone Greece
132. Vodafone Hungary
133. Vodafone Ireland
134. Vodafone Italy
135. Vodafone Malta
136. Vodafone Netherlands
137. Vodafone Portugal
138. Vodafone Romania
139. Vodafone Spain
140. Vodafone Turkey
141. Vodafone UK
142. Wind Greece
143. Wind Italy
144. Yoigo Spain
145. Yug Contract Ukraine
146. Zain KSA

Asia-Pacific

1. China Mobile Hong Kong Company Ltd.
2. ChungHwa Telecom
3. 3HK
4. CSL
5. Fareastone
6. M1
7. Mobifone
8. Optus
9. PCCW mobile
10. Reliance Communications
11. Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.
12. SmarTone
13. StarHub
14. Taiwan Mobile
15. Telecom New Zealand
16. Telstra
17. Vodafone Australia
18. Vodafone New Zealand

China

1. China Mobile
2. China Unicom
3. China Telecom

United States

1. AT&T
2. Sprint
3. T-Mobile
4. Cincinnati Bell
5. Best Buy

Canada

1. Rogers Communications
2. Bell Mobility
3. TELUS
4. Virgin Mobile Canada

Latin America

1. Claro Argentina (América Movil)
2. Telecom Personal Argentina
3. Entel Chile
4. Iusacell México
5. Telcel México (América Movil)
6. Claro Perú (América Movil)
7. Claro Puerto Rico (América Movil)
8. Movistar Venezuela (Telefonica)

Ice Cream Sandwich Updates for Verizon HTC Thunderbolt

Sweet relief from Gingerbread is finally here for HTC Thunderbolt owners who haven't jumped ship or upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich without Verizon's blessing. Big Red's finally approved Android 4.0.4 laced with Sense 3.6 for the device and is serving it up for download. In addition to souping up the hardware with increased stability and the features you've come to expect with ICS, the upgrade removes the Verizon, BlockBuster, Rhapsody, and Mobile IM apps from the smartphone. Ready to welcome your lightning rod for bad luck phone to 2011? Mosey over to your handset's system update section to check for the fresh build.

iPad 4, 128 GB Storage ?

Still waiting for a 128GB iPad? One could come sooner than you think. Accordinf to 9to5Mac, Cupertino is preparing to add a new SKU to its fourth-generation tablet line up, slotting next to the existing 16GB, 32GB and 64GB configurations as a premium model. A source at a well known US retailer shared the devices' SKU information with the outlet, marked up with internal Apple terminology that described both WiFi-only and cellular-capable slates in black and white facades. The devices' description column features a lone adjective, too: ultimate.

9to5Mac couldn't confirm that the description meant a 128GB model was inbound, but the assumption seems reasonable enough -- developers are finding references to 128GB iOS devices in iOS 6.1 beta code, and icons for the size were found in iTunes 11. Moreover, "good," "better" and "best" have all been used to describe different iPad configurations in the past -- ultimate seems like the next logical step. Strong evidence, to be sure, but we'll hedge our bets until we see something official. Read on to see the leaked SKU information for yourself.

Next Generation iPhone and iPad : iPhone 5s, iPad Mini and iPad 4

The rumors of next generation iPad and iPhone are already starting to pick up steam. According to the latest report from iLounge, the iPhone 5S is said to enter mass production in July.


Note the start of the mass production is usually a few months before the actual announcement, so Apple can fill up its warehouses ahead of the launch weekend. 

The report also says that the company's tablet lineup refresh is coming in October. The iPad mini with Retina display is reportedly codenamed J84, while the iPad 5 is dubbed J72. Apple's rumored next-gen iPads are expected to retain the design of their predecessors, but the mini should be getting a Retina display. It's anyone's guess what kind of upgrades will come with the iPad 5.

As for the iPhone 5S - it is expected to include a faster processor and a Sony-made 13 megapixel camera sensor. Furthermore, the device is rumored to feature an improved rear LED flash. The iPhone 5S versions are codenamed N51 and N53 and predictably the device will have similar design to the iPhone 5.


The new iPhone is also rumored to feature a fingerprint scanner, which is based on the Authentec technology acquired by Apple last summer.

Business Phone from Blackberry after Blackberry 10?

Research In Motion CEO Thorsten Heins has openly flirted with the idea of licensing the company's software in the run-up to launch of BlackBerry 10. Heins today revealed that he's also open to getting out of the manufacturing business entirely and sell RIM's handset operations. 

In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt, Heins said that RIM would consider selling its smartphone operations or licensing its software to other companies. Heins had previously stated that all options were on the table related to the licensing of BB10, but he now says that a sale is on the table as well. Of course, any potential change in RIM's business model is contingent on the successful launch of BlackBerry 10, which is set to debut January 30. If BB10 manages to regain some of RIM's lost market share or at least stop the trend of customers abandoning the platform for Android or Apple iOS, it would make BlackBerry a more attractive product.

Heins told Die Welt (translated by Google):

Before you licensed the software, you must show that the platform has a large potential. First we have to fulfill our promises. If such proof, a licensing is conceivable.

Should RIM decide to sell its handset manufacturing business, it would follow the path of Google and Microsoft and focus on licensing software rather than controlling both the hardware and software portions of the business. It could also decide to continue manufacturing phones and license to other companies, like Samsung or LG. Heins says the company will conduct a strategic review after it launches BlackBerry 10 and then assesses its options

LG Optimus G Pro emerge, LG Optimus G sells 1 million units?

LG's late 2012 flagship smartphone, the LG Optimus G, has sold more than 1 million units worldwide. On the same day that the company confirmed the milestone to Yonhap, news of a successor to the phone has already emerged. Engadget has posted a leaked slide from an anonymous tipster that supposedly shows the upcoming Optimus G Pro. Coupled with information seen on Blog Mobile, the leak reportedly reveals what to expect when LG debuts its first major Android smartphone of 2013.

The LG Optimus G Pro is rumored to have a 5-inch display with 1080p resolution, a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, LTE connectivity, and a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone is also said to have a 13 megapixel camera and a 2.4 megapixel front-facing camera. The Optimus G Pro is designed for release in Japan, but considering that competing phones from Samsung and HTC have established comparable specs, it's likely that LG will bring a phone with these hardware features to the North American and European markets as well.

LG has not managed to capture much market share in the Android ecosystem, but the company has dedicated itself to becoming a bigger player in the smartphone industry. The Optimus G managed to sell about 250,000 units per month since its release in September, and an enhanced follow-up of the phone could increase that momentum in the next product cycle

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2

Samsung has confirmed that it is now updating three of its Android tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and both Wi-Fi models of the Galaxy Tab 2, to the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean firmware. The update also enhances its S Pen stylus and Premium Suite software features. The Wi-Fi versions of the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2, both the 10.1 -inch screen and 7-inch screen versions, should see improved performance and speed with Android 4.1. Once users update their device through Samsung Kies or navigating to Settings > About tablet > Software update, the following features will be made available:

Cascade View: The feature allows users to freely resize, move and pin selected applications in multiple views, running them simultaneously or while operating the home-screen. This PC-like feature will help users to be more productive, and actually do multiple tasks at one time.

Air View: Allows users to use S Pen to conveniently and quickly preview content without having to open it. This feature allows user to preview video while scrubbing, preview email attachments without opening, preview photos without opening the album, and more.

Quick Command: With Quick Command, the S Pen quickly activates applications and services that are used most often by allowing you to write command shortcuts using customized and preset S Pen strokes.

Enhanced handwriting: Users can quickly and easily send personalized handwritten notes and memos to friends and family via email, as well as hand-write directly into their S Planner

Enhanced S Note: S Note now features additional ready-to-use templates; allows users to add effects to their digital content with Idea Sketch; and enables the insertion of video directly into not only Note templates but also other templates. Users can also launch S Note directly from their home-screen for added convenience.

Easy Clip: Allows users to select and clip content to save, paste or share in seconds.

Photo Note: Add personalized handwritten notes on the back of your photos to help capture the moment.

Paper Artist: Besides enabling users to enliven sketches or content with different color or pencil styles, Paper Artist enables over 30 artistic effects that can be applied to images or media. Users can also draw or write onto the content and share it with others.

A smarter S Pen: The S Pen now allows users to select writing or color modes at the touch of a button, or unlock the home-screen simply by removing the S Pen.

Free VoIP Call in Facebook Messenger for iPhone

Apple iPhone users can make free VoIP calls using the latest version of the Facebook Messenger iOS app. Previously available in testing for Canadian users, Facebook has made it possible for U.S. members to place calls in Messenger without using minutes from their monthly calling plan.

The data-based voice calls are part of Facebook's efforts to make its Messenger app an all-encompassing solution for communication. The app, which already supports instant chat and recently added the ability to leave voice messages, now provides an instant calling option. Calls are accessible by choosing a contact and then pressing the "i" button in the top-right corner. The following page should then reveal a "Free Call" button to place the call, but that may not always be an option. Messenger voice calls require an iPhone in the U.S. or Canada, and the feature is rolling out in stages to users, so some Facebook members may not be available for calls

HTC M7 Leaked

Two separate leaks on Monday reportedly gave smartphone fanciers another look at what's expected to be HTC's next flagship phone.

The HTC M7, with Android Jelly Bean and the new Sense 5.0 UI, is tipped to arrive at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in late February.

Firstly, Pocket Now has picked up a new render of the purported device, very different to the one that appeared last week, which, according to two HTC sources who've seen the device, is "spot on."

The new render appears to look a little like the HTC Windows Phone 8X handset, although the M7 is expected to be slightly smaller, with a 4.7-inch 1080p display.

The real deal?

Following the leaked render on Monday, the Android Police site joined the party, claiming to have laid its paws on snaps of the real thing.

Both leaks seem to show a very similar handset, although the 'real' hardware photo, doesn't appear to be as complete as the elaborate render.

It is possible, that the picture is of an earlier version of the handset, while the render shows what will be the finished article.

Other specs are said to include a 1.7GHz quad-core processor and a 13-megapixel camera. It looks like we'll find out for sure at MWC in a month's time.

Sony Xperia Tablet with 1.5 GHz Quad-core Processor

Sony today announced a new Xperia Tablet Z that follows some of the trends of its previous Xperia tablets, but upgrades the device with some new features that are more competitive with tablets set to be released this year. The Xperia Tablet Z has a 10.1-inch screen with a WUXGA display and Mobile BRAVIA, Sony's custom displays with optimized colors and brightness settings. It has a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage.

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software with Sony's custom user experience and suite of mobile applications for media consumption. It also has an 8.1 megapixel rear camera with Exmor R that does a better job of taking auto photos based on light settings nearby. Front-facing speakers give the Xperia Tablet Z a virtual surround sound, and the presence of NFC enables one-touch streaming of photos or music to compatible devices.

 The Sony Xperia Tablet Z has LTE connectivity and will be available in black or white color options. The tablet will first be sold in Japan this spring.

HTC Butterfly Ready in Rusia

Just ten days after the HTC Butterfly hit Australian shores, now the 5", 1080p smartphone is finally making its way to Europe's stores, specifically those in Russia.

The device should make the Russians quite happy as they are the first in Europe to have the opportunity to purchase the first Android smartphone with a full HD display.

The price however is a little steep at €692 (RUR27,990). Having in mind though, that smartphones in Russia tend to be a bit overpriced, we expect the HTC Butterfly to sell for less when it finally makes its way to Western Europe.

That kind of cash gets you a 5.0" Super LCD3 screen of FullHD resolution and Gorilla Glass 2 protection for it. Inside there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 SoC with a quad-core 1.5GHz Krait CPU and Adreno 320 GPU as well as 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (with a microSD card slot).

At the back, there's an 8 megapixel primary camera with 1080p video recording, 2.1 megapixel front facing camera. Connectivity is covered with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS + GLONASS, NFC.

Sony Xperia Z - Ultimate-Super-Megaphone

The Sony Xperia Z touched down in style at CES 2013 in Las Vegas with a fabulous 5-inch full HD display, powerful quad-core processor and stand out 13MP camera.

With so much on offer we've rounded up the best features of the Sony Xperia Z for you to digest as your leisure.

The Xperia Z pulls in expertise from Sony's TV, camera and computing divisions to deliver a phone with a beautiful, full HD 5-inch display.

Sony's heritage in the TV industry comes into play with the Mobile Bravia Engine 2 which is created by specialist engineers to really make you feel like you're part of the action.

With a wealth of power under the hood, highly functional Android Jelly Bean operating system and dazzling CyberShot camera with an EXMOR RS sensor, the Sony Xperia Z is well equipped to bring you the best mobile viewing experience.

Whatever your vice may be, from movies to music, downloads and steaming the Xperia Z has you covered from head to toe.

With a vivid 5-inch full HD display, powerful 1.5GHz quad-core processor, slick Android Jelly Bean operating system and optimised 2,400mAh battery the Xperia Z is ready, are you?

On top of offering the ultimate viewing experience, fantastic performance and stunning design the Sony Xperia Z also features a wealth of great connectivity options.

The Xperia Z provides you with one-touch connectivity, giving you the easiest and fastest way to wirelessly share music, photos and videos from your phone.

With the NFC technology built into the Sony Xperia Z, you can easily pair the handset to other compatible devices such as your NFC-enabled BRAVIA TV or wireless headphones.

The Sony Xperia Z manages to marry a dust- and waterproof design with a stunning 5-inch full HD display and powerful 1.5GHz quad-core processor for a truly super-phone experience.

Carrying IP55 and IP57 certificates, you can take the Xperia Z for a dip in fresh water up to 1 metre for 30 minutes, meaning a trip into the bath or a slip into the toilet shouldn't end your phone's existence.

You can also rest easy when you next head to dustier climates as these are no problem for the tough Sony Xperia Z, which laughs in the face of such danger.

Google Nexus 4 Miscalculate

LG is suddenly rather talkative about what's going on with supplies of the Nexus 4, a phone it makes in partnership with Google that's harder to find by the hour.

Following comments allegedly made by an LG spokesperson to a Korean site that there was nothing on LG's end causing the handset hold up, Cathy Robin, director of mobile communications for LG France, chatted with Challenges.fr about the 4's supply issues.

"Supply problems are not necessarily completely related to LG," Robin, as translated by Google, said. The issue, at least to some degree, has to do with poor math by Mountain View.

"Google has presented forecasts calculated according to their previous sales history of Nexus. But they have been less [in] demand."

 

Regional differences

LG continues to make Nexus 4 deliveries on a regular basis, Robin continued, but "it is lean."

According to Robin, the supply problems are at least partially to blame on inaccurate country-by-country allocations of the handset. France, for example, got too few phones while too many were sent to the U.K. and Germany.

Despite what can't be a pleasant time for either company's customer service or PR departments, Robin said there's no bad blood between LG and Google and the relationship between the two is "going smoothly."

That's a little surprising, considering not just what LG has said but the comments its comrade has made.

In December, Dan Cobley, Google UK and Ireland's managing director, took to Google+ to write: "Supplies from the manufacturer are scarce and erratic, and our communication has been flawed. I can offer an unreserved apology for our service and communication failures in this process."

While Cobley doesn't quite lay it on LG, the implication is that the latter was an unreliable manufacturer and difficult to talk to about what was holding up phone orders. There's blame on Google's end, but hey, look to the other guy.