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.

Siri Optimation from Apple

Even though she's already starred in a handful of commercials with some of entertainment's biggest names, Siri could still use a little work.

The hit-or-miss voice activated search function proudly touted by Apple as a key feature in its newer iOS devices like the iPhone 5 and iPad mini may be popular for parlor tricks, but Apple has grander plans for Siri.

That's just the kind of sentiment Apple is hoping to avoid in the future and, according to a new job listing, is looking to rectify rather quickly.

Siri Poppins

In a twist only the best fairy tales could have predicted, Apple is currently searching for a new writer to transform Siri from the blunt, brash femme vocale she is today into a more sophisticated and charming leading lady.

The job listing hopes to wrangle a writer who will "help the Siri team evolve Siri as a distinct, recognizable character," and that would "develop and write original dialog to support new Siri capabilities."

Additionally, Apple is hoping the writer will be able to maintain Siri's ability to "explain things in engaging, funny, and practical ways," as her personality is what Apple hopes will set Siri apart from the competition.

Apple claimed in the posting "Siri is known for 'her' wit," but her laconic delivery makes even Steven Wright look like the most jovial and outspoken comedian on the circuit.

Whomever lands the job certainly has quite the task in front of him or her, but the prospects of creating an entire persona that will "live" inside millions of smartphones around the globe should be more than enough motivation for any writer to apply for the opportunity.

Galaxy S4 Specification ?

It certainly feels like Samsung is taking over the world right now – at least, the Android world. There's no doubt that last year's Galaxy S2 was arguably the phone of the year.

And not in recent times, discounting Apple of course, can we remember the anticipation and expectation of a phone as much as the Galaxy S3.
If you needed a barometer of this, just look at how it was unveiled. Not at MWC like lots of others, but its own event, proving the Galaxy line has reached the level where it can guarantee hoards will come just for an unveiling.

The name was even 'confirmed' at a recent event by a researcher, which means it's coming closer and closer to reality.

But that's last season's device, and we're looking forward to the next level of what to expect in the Galaxy SIV. The trickle of 'sources' talking about this new device is starting to build to a steady stream, so we're on hand to help let you know which whispers have a notion of truth about them - as well as providing our wishlist of what we want Samsung to improve on the new handset.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 screen

The Galaxy S2 had an amazing Super AMOLED Plus display – and boy, was it vibrant. The S3 upped the screen size from 4.3-inches to 4.8-inches and the pixel density went from 217 to 306 to take a run at the iPhone's Retina Display.

But, Samsung also opted for a PenTile approach, to the chagrin of geeks. What does that mean for the end user?

Well, the screen looks great but you can make out pixels if you really, really strain. And some of the vivacity and colour saturation is lost. On the plus side, Samsung reckons the screen will last longer – but we'd rather see a much more S2-like screen with a sharper resolution - and given that's now appeared on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we're pretty hopeful we'll get it on the Samsung Galaxy S4 too.

Alternatively, there have been a number of rumours that Samsung is going to bring a flexible screen to the Galaxy S4 - but given the Korean brand is already pushing the delivery of such tech back into 2013 for its customers, we think we'll be in Galaxy S5 territory before that happens.

Update: that dream could be closer to reality after the pretty likely screen for the Samsung Galaxy S4 was shown off by Samsung Display at CES 2013, featuring a 4.99-inch screen with a Full HD pixel count and a dizzying 440PPI resolution, which is set to ship in Q1 2013... also known as the perfect time frame for manufacturing the S4.


However, the bad news is that due to reported manufacturing issues these may have been delayed... does that mean the phone will have to be pushed back as well?

A source for the Verge suggests that the flexible display option really is out of the question, with no Galaxy S device sporting the new screen tech in 2013, although it will be shown off as a concept at the Vegas smorgasbord of gadgetry.

There seems a much more likely option in the shape of the 5-inch 1080p screen that could offer up an eye-splitting 441ppi, making it easily the highest res out there. It would probably need to be shrunk down a smidge to fit into the palm, or Samsung could actually just make the phone even closer to the edges of the screen. Dare we dream of an edge-to-edge display like on the 9000 series TVs?

Samsung Galaxy S4 release date

It seems more than likely that Samsung will eschew MWC 2013 once more for the release of its top handset, instead focusing on the launch in May 2013, which we'd really like to see. A recent teaser by Samsung promised something at CES in January, but this is really rather unlikely - although apparently the brand showed off prototypes to key execs from networks and supply chain-ers.
This is for a number of reasons: time to allow the current customers to buy the S3, being able to scoop up all the customers about to come out of contract from the S2 and also not making its fans feel like its throwing out a new flagship phone every three seconds.

However, that didn't stop the rumour mill deciding that the Galaxy S4 launch was set for March 2013, based on something a Samsung 'representative' said to the media. The brand quickly took to Twitter to discredit the rumours, so it looks like the middle of the year launch is still firmly on the cards.

Since then another rumour, of a phone dubbed 'Project J', has emerged, and that's set for an April unveil... so it seems we're looking at a Q2 2013 Samsung Galaxy S4 launch as it stands, which means you'll probably be able to actually hold one in your hands come May, and it will likely be given the model number of GT-I9500, which is leap from GT-I9300 but has been confirmed as likely legit when showing up in firmware versions, as well as on Samsung's official software page.

Another source has written off the chance of the Galaxy S4 appearing at CES 2013 and MWC 2013 - giving the suggestion that an April event is on the cards more weight.

Update:New sources, apparently Samsung's Korean execs themselves, are touting an April Samsung Galaxy S4 release... and it will even come with an S Pen accessory too! However, this seems unlikely given it's only currently used on the Note range, so a boring C Pen upgrade could be all that's on the cards.
Samsung Lebanon has weighed in too, revealing that it's not coming in the next three months: "The Galaxy SIV won't be released before May 2013," the brand said, rather emphatically - despite some sites carrying news that an anonymous exec was claiming March as the release date and the venue for launch was going to be in the US, UK or South Korea.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 specs

There's not a lot around about specs at the moment, but the rumours emanating from the good ol' internet rumour mill are certainly enough to make us excited.

The first is that the S4 will have a quad-core chip, which might sound a little 'last gen' to many. However, it will be based on ARM's A15 architecture, bringing with it a big boost in power for all those resource-intensive tasks we love to do all the time.

But then again, that's not Samsung's way really, is it? We want to see bigger, bangier and faster, so doubling it again to an OCTO-core would be the way to go.

Rather than just making it super powerful though, the eight core innards would split into two groups: A15-spec chips for the big stuff, and A7 when things need to get a little lower power, bringing with it the best of both worlds.

The other big news that we think should be on our wish list is the fact that Samsung's internal storage bods have been hard at work bringing the flash memory down in size and up in speed... so think even thinner phones with higher capacity that can be written to up to 10x faster. We're now looking forward to the S4 even more now.

A quad-core processor looks more likely than an eight core offering after the new Exynos 5440 quad-core chip appeared on Samsung's site, making it a strong contender to feature in the Galaxy S4.

Update: Actually it looks like there really could be an eight core phone coming from the Korean firm, as the Exynos Octa was announced at CES 2013 complete with four big cores and four smaller ones, as part of ARM's big.LITTLE architecture. Eight cores. Mental.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 operating system

What's the good word here? Well, given the time scales involved, we'd fully expect to see the Galaxy S4 running a more mature version of Android 4.2, better known as Android Jelly Bean, as well as the next generation of TouchWiz skin on top.

There are some more daft rumours floating around, namely that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will run off a different operating system called Tizen, simply because Samsung is using it on other phones.

Don't worry, this won't happen...although a variant of the phone could be used as a blueprint for a decent alternative handset.

More likely is Samsung bringing out the Galaxy S4 to coincide with the next version of Android from Google, called Key Lime Pie.

April would be roughly the time we'd start seeing rumours of such things, so it's not unbelievable that you could buy an S4 with a cutting edge OS.
In truth, we've never really seen this happen from the Koreans, so chances are it will be boring old Jelly Bean when your S4 appears in your hands.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 battery

Ok, we admit we always want more. The S2's 1,650mAh was manageable and the S3's 2,100mAh blows that out of the water. But it's still only OK.
You can get by on a day of moderate use but if you use this phone heavily (and we're talking watching TV shows on the morning and evening commute alongside your normal tinkering), this handset will still want a plug in at some point.

Motorola has proven it can be done by whacking a 3,300mAh power pack into the RAZR Maxx which can still be considered a skinny Minnie. Something of that size – along with ICS and Samsung's power management abilities – would really be the icing on the Ice Cream Sandwich.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 camera

What's that? You're bored of an 8MP camera on the Samsung Galaxy S3 since you've seen the likes of the Sony Xperia Z popping up with a 13MP snapper attached?

Well, good news everyone: a picture supposedly captured from the S4 hints at an at least 10MP camera, according a snap shown on Picasa. Remember, EXIF data can be faked though, so there's every chance this amazingly well-framed photo is just the work of a chancer hoping to jump on the S4 bandwagon:

 

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 design

We've lost count of the amount of people we've shown our device off to who've replied with the words: "Yeah, it's great but looks like a bit of a toy." It's a double-edged sword: the plastic is used to keep this handset nice and light, but does detract from what should be a premium device.

A bit of glass wouldn't go amiss. Android users, say what you like about the iPhone 4/4S (and we know you won't be short of words), but aside from being smash-tastic, the glass really adds that premium and expensive feel that the S3 just doesn't have.

Forget what your mum told you – it's what's on the outside that counts too, so the Samsung Galaxy S4 needs to step it up in the design stakes.
We've now had the first in what we expect to be many leaked shots claiming to be the Samsung Galaxy S4 - and it isn't filling us with a huge amount of confidence as it could quite easily be a mash up between the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3, 6.3 inch with eight-core processor ?

Reports from Samsung's Korean homeland have claimed that the company is planning an even larger version of its Galaxy Note smartphone-cum-tablet.
According to the Korea Times, the Galaxy Note 3 will have a whopping 6.3-inch display, compared with the already-massive 5.5-inch screen on the popular Galaxy Note 2 phablet.

The report also suggests that the world's leading smartphone manufacturer will use the device to introduce its next-generation eight-core Exynos Octa processor later this year.

The Note 2 packs a quad-core Exynos chip, which is by no means a slouch, but the new unit would provide even more power and, importantly considering the larger screen, enhanced battery life.

 

China-bound

Interesting, the Korea Times report also revealed that Samsung is pitching its processing products to smartphone manufacturers in China, in order to lessen its reliance on Apple.

The company has already reached out to the likes of Huawei and ZTE who're beginning to make strides in the west.

A senior Samsung official is reported to have said at CES: "We have introduced the Exynos 5 Octa to appeal to Chinese clients and diversify our client base in China with better pricing and output commitment."
An unnamed Huawei official confirmed the companies are in talks. He said: "Yes, we were approached by Samsung. If the firm offers favorable conditions, there's no reason to deny the new business."

Samsung is believed to be concerned that its legal squabbles with Apple may result in the company looking elsewhere for the chips that power its iOS gadgets.

Redbox Instant for iPhone and Android

Netflix leads the premium video subscription pack, but Redbox and Verizon have teamed up to challenge for the crown. Redbox Instant is an on-demand streaming and rental service that provides an online and mobile component to the popular red kiosks that rent DVD's for low prices, but will the streaming model prove as useful or popular? Here's a hands-on video of Redbox Instant for Android and iPhone.

Android 4.1 For Galaxy SIII and Rugby Pro

After a quiet roll out via Kies last month, AT&T has started to roll out its Android Jelly Bean update over the air for Galaxy S III owners starting today. The one caveat is that the update is only being pushed out via Wi-Fi and not 3G. In addition, AT&T and Samsung are also pushing out the same update to the Rugby Pro.

With Jelly Bean being pushed out to both phones AT&T is updating both phones 6 months after the initial release of Jelly Bean 4.2, though AT&T’s own testing policies force such a long wait between major updates. Both updates feature the key features of Jelly Bean 4.1 including Google Now, the Project Butter enhancements, and additional fixes for each device for performance and stability.

Blackberry 10 on January?

After weeks of carrier testing and preparation in the run up to its long-awaited debut, embattled and beleaguered platform developer and manufacturer Research in Motion has announced two launch dates for its new look BB10 operating system.
The first launch date, set for January 13th is the official worldwide launch of BB10 with carriers rolling out support for the new platform and RIM rolling out the latest updates to its platform for BB10 suport on that date. The second launch date of January 30th is the official consumer launch party for the platform, whereby consumers will be able to test and use the first wave of BB10 devices at specially planned launch parties around the world.

With RIM setting these two dates for future availability of the platform, the company looks to calm investor concerns about availability of the platform after facing considerable delays, delays which have relegated the company to a fourth place position in the market with Windows Phone 8 looking to become the third alternative to the dominance of iOS and Android.
Whether the new dates will make an impact remains to be seen, as both dates are well outside of the International CES tradeshow window and many industry watchers expected RIM to debut BB10 during CES. With RIM deciding to launch outside of the International CES window, it may mean that the company does not want to risk being overshadowed by other technology announcements made during the show and would rather host its own events in order to shore up media coverage.

Lenovo K900, Intel Atom-based Smartphone

Following on last year’s release of the K860, one of the first Atom powered phones, Lenovo announced the K900 today just after show closing on the first day of CES.

 

The K900 uses an Intel “Clover Trail+” Atom processor, which is considered the second-generation of Intel powered smartphones, and the first generation intended for widespread consumer adoption.

The K900, as a device, is generally considered to be a rival to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and other five-inch-plus Android superphones. Lenovo appears to have announced it after the end of show hours for CES day one, in order to avoid being drowned out by the waves of news developing over the course of the day.

In addition to a 5.5-inch display, the phone is also ultra-thin, at just 6.9 mm, something Lenovo claims puts it as the smallest phone in its class. Lenovo is also arming the K900 with new camera optics, claiming to be the first with a F1.8 focal length lens, which is wide enough to rival some SLR lenses. It also is high in the megapixel count, with 13 mp, possibly a record for an Android smartphone.

Don’t expect a ton of real-world use with the K900 at the show, as Lenovo was the first to admit something well known… Intel has yet to formally announce its second-generation Clover Trail Atom smartphone chipsets. As such, it’s unlikely that Lenovo will let CES attendees handle a device with unannounced chips at the show this year. 

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