Mobile Devices - Page 157

We know that Motorola and Google are going to unveil the Moto X smartphone on August 1 in New York City, but now we have more of an idea of what to expect to be baked into Motorola's highly anticipated smartphone.

I knew we weren't to expect anything in terms of a high-end handset, but I was hoping for something special at least. But according to Android Police, who have some photos of the AT&T Moto X "Ghost" which ran the AnTuTu and 3DMark tests. These results from the Moto X aren't that surprising, but we know it will arrive as a mid-range Android 4.2.2-based smartphone.

Inside the Moto X, we should expect a 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM and a 720p screen. 16GB of on-board flash storage will be on offer, as will NFC. As for the cameras, we should expect a 10.5-megapixel rear-facer and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. As you can see, there's nothing to get crazy about, but we might not be seeing the whole picture here, either.

Sony's Xperia Z Ultra smartphone will launch at the end of this month in Hong Kong for $799, which includes 3G connectivity. There's also a 4G version which will be available for $824, just $25 on top of the 3G version.

What makes the Xperia Z Ultra special is that it is the world's largest smartphone, coming in at 6.4 inches. This beats Samsung's also-huge Galaxy Mega 6.3, but the price tag might turn people away. While it hasn't been formally priced for the US market, we should expect the same pricing. Sony are marketing the Xperia Z Ultra as the 'world's thinnest' Full HD smartphone too, as it measures in at just 0.27 inches (6.5mm).

Sony have crammed in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, which is a quad-core processor clocked in at 2.2GHz, while including the Adreno 330. There's 16GB of on-board flash storage backed up by microSD storage that can provide another 64GB. There's an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that features a mobile Exmor RS sensor.

The encryption used in some SIM cards could allow hackers to take control of your smartphone remotely, according to a security researcher, and a report from The New York Times.

The flaw in question is found in SIM cards using DES (Data Encryption Standard) for encryption, which is an older standard that is slowly being phased out by most manufacturers, but the point is that it is still baked into hundreds of millions of SIMs across the world. The founder of German firm, Security Research Labs, Karsten Nohl, found that sending a fake carrier message to a phone prompted an automated response from 25% of DES-based SIMs, which revealed the cards' 56-bit security key.

If a hacker has that key, they can send a virus to the SIM with a text message. This virus allows a hacker to impersonate the phone's owner, where they can access text messages, and even make carrier payments. Nohl says that the entire procedure takes "about two minutes" and only requires a regular PC.

After a week full of rumors and much championing by Google executives during earnings calls, we will finally get to see the long-awaited Moto X Phone revealed. The unveiling will take place during an event scheduled for August 1 in New York City. This is no rumor, tip, or speculation. Today, Motorola began sending out invitations for the event to tech journalists all over the country.

This unveiling will come after months and months of rumors, speculation, and leaks which all came to a head last week when the chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, was spotted using the device at a CEO get together at the Allen & Co Business Summit in Sun Valley. We knew a launch was imminent when multiple executives from Google made mention of the phone during their earnings calls this week.

As always, we will be offering full coverage via a live blog that will take place during the event. Stay tuned to TweakTown and keep an eye out for our news post announcing the live blog.

We will most likely see Android 4.3 unveiled at next week's mystery press event being held by Google, but today we get to learn all about the next iteration of Android thanks to a video that has surfaced on the web. The video below (courtesy of AndroidCentral) was taken of a Nexus 4 running Android 4.3 which was purchased from a Google employee.

While most of the updates are minor and the user experience will feel much like that of Android 4.2, one of the most notable new features is the ability for the phone to automatically suggest phone numbers from your contact list as you dial. Additionally, as I speculated yesterday, Android 4.3 will also feature the updated camera application that has been spotted on the Google Play editions of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Other new features include the ability to let apps turn on Wi-Fi to get a lock on your location before turning Wi-Fi back off again. This feature will prevent apps from pestering you about turning on Wi-Fi. Also in line with speculation is Android 4.3's ability to utilize Bluetooth Low Energy technology as well as the inclusion of OpenGL for Embedded Systems 3.0.

This morning, HTC officially announced a smaller version of its HTC One. Dubbed the One Mini, this new handset is a 4.3-inch version of the company's popular flagship device. Unfortunately, appearances and software are where the similarities end. HTC says that they will be offering the One Mini "at pricing points below that of the HTC One" and as a result, a few hardware downgrades have had to take place.

Included in the trade-offs is a step down to QUALCOMM's Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor which is clocked at 1.4GHz. It also features 1GB of RAM, 16GB of non-expandable storage and there is no NFC present. Additionally, HTC has removed the optical image stabilization from the One Mini as well as the IR blaster that gave the phone the ability to control your home entertainment system.

HTC one also switched out the LCD from a 1080p panel to a 720p super LCD, which features a pixel density of 341 ppi. Battery capacity was also reduced and now features an 1800mAh which was expected due to the overall smaller form factor. It appears that BoomSound has stuck around as well as the aluminum unibody. HTC says that it will roll out the One Mini starting in August and two colors will be available: silver and black.

It feels like a new leak forms every day about Apple's upcoming "low-cost" iPhone. This time the leak comes in from iOS developer Sonny Dickson who compares the plastic shell that houses the rear of the phone to a current generation iPhone 5. In the images, we can see a green and white version of the shell which appears to be a bit thicker than the iPhone 5 sitting next to it.

Other than the thickness, the "low-cost" iPhone appears to be roughly the same size as the iPhone 5. This works to disprove rumors that stated the new budget friendly iPhone would be sized closer to the iPhone 3GS. Speculators still suggest that we will see not only the "low-cost" iPhone 5 launch this fall, but an updated version of the iPhone which will be named the iPhone 5S as well.

Griffin Technology has announced today the launch of its highly anticipated PowerDock 5 iOS device charging stand. The company says that the PowerDock 5 is built to safely charge and store up to five iPads, iPhones or iPods at the same time from a single power source. This makes the new PowerDock 5 the ideal charging and storage solution for families, businesses, and schools who routinely use multiple iOS devices.

The PowerDock 5 was designed with convenience and efficiency in mind while still being able to feature five charging bases that each push up to 10W of power per USB port. Each bay is large enough to accommodate iPads with even the largest of cases, including Griffin's own military-duty Survivor. What makes the PowerDock 5 so unique is its use of standard USB ports that allow you to use your own charging cable as well as the ones provided. In the event Apple decides to change his connector port again, the PoweDock 5 will still be able to charge your iOS devices.

"The PowerDock 5 is ideal for households and work environments that use multiple iOS devices," said James Finney, Category Manager of Griffin's power products. "It keeps users' device cables tucked away and organized, ready for use at any time." Griffin's PowerDock 5 is available from the company's online store for $99.99. For those interested in the key features I have posted a list below.

It appears that T-Mobile's "UnCarrier" strategy is pressuring rival wireless carriers into offering similar services of their own. In what has turned out to be a major plus for consumers, AT&T has announced today that it is launching a new initiative called AT&T Next which will allow customers the option to upgrade their device once every 12 months. The upgrade will come with no down payment, no activation fee, no upgrade fee, as well as no financing fees.

This essentially allows AT&T customers to pick up a new device with no down payment and then make monthly payments on it for the next 12 months at which point they'll be able to upgrade to a new device again with no down payment. If the customer wishes to keep their existing device, an additional eight payments will be required, bringing the total payments up to 20 months.

Monthly payments fees range from $15 to $50 depending on the device. For example, a $200 entry-level Android phone might run $15 a month, while a $700 iPhone 5 would require the $50 a month fee. "With AT&T Next, customers can get the newest smartphone or tablet every year with no down payment. That's hard to beat, and it's an incredible value for customers who want the latest and greatest every year," said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive officer of AT&T Mobility.

This morning, Sprint launched three new LTE devices that will function on both Sprint's LTE spectrum as well as the 800 MHz frequency band that Sprint once reserved for its Nextel devices. The spectrum will supplement the company's LTE coverage at the higher frequencies, but this will not take place until Sprint has had the chance to refarm the spectrum. The 800 MHz spectrum will provide better coverage inside homes and businesses because its radio waves penetrate walls better than the higher 1900 MHz and 2.5 GHz bands.

Two of the new devices come from Netgear. The first is being called the Netgear Zing and is a mobile hotspot that retails for $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Up next from Netgear is the U341 USB Dongle which will retail for $19.99 after the same $50 mail-in rebate. The Zing features a 2.4-inch LCD touchscreen and will last for up to 10 hours of of use on a single charge and can share a connection with up to 10 devices over Wi-Fi.

Finally, customers can also choose the new MiFi 500 from Novatel Wireless, which is priced at $49.99 after the same $50 mail-in rebate from Sprint. You'll be required by Sprint to agree to a two-year contract and a service plan, which starts at $34.99 a month for 3 GB of data per month. Customers are also offered a 3G/4G data plan which includes 6 GB of bandwidth for $49.99 or 12 GB of bandwidth for $79.99 per month. Each of the three new devices will launch in stores and online later this week on July 19.

We've been waiting to see anything official on the Moto X phone, the first phone from Motorola that would be unique after their acquisition by Google. Well, according to a leaked video from Canadian wireless carrier, Rogers, we now know what the phone is capable of.

It will be an always-listening device, that responds to your voice requests without pressing any physical, or on-screen buttons. The video, above, shows a user speaking to the phone in order to receive weather information from Google Now by simply starting off with "Ok Google Now." This simple command will have the phone prepared to listen, waiting for your next voice command.

Talking to the Moto X isn't just for fun, as it learns your voice. This is how it will become more of a day-to-day feature versus something like Siri where you only do it at first, then not as much afterwards. Also, "information quietly appears on the screen," which is a nice feature for notifications, with the ad saying "instead of a blinking light that doesn't actually tell you anything." Another nice little touch, that might end up becoming a very nice feature.

Nokia has just unveiled a brand new case for the just launched Lumia 1020 41-megapixel Windows Phone. While a new case for a new phone is hardly anything to talk about, this case is different than any other you have ever seen. Knowing that the 41-megapixel sensor would attract shutterbugs, Nokia designed and released a case that effectively turns the Lumia 1020 into a compact digital camera.

The Camera Grip clips onto the phone and gives the user the freedom to use the camera one-handed without the fear of dropping their brand new $300 smartphone thanks to a ergonomic palm grip and wrist strap. The grip features a two-stage shutter button that allows photographers to accurately focus before snapping the photo.

The grip is equipped with an additional 1020mAh rechargeable battery which almost doubles the battery life of your Lumia 1020. Also featured is a standard 1/4-20 threaded tripod mount on the bottom of the case which obviously lets you mount the phone to a stationary stabilization device. Like the actual phone, the case comes in yellow, black, and white and features the same refined and sleek curves of the Lumia 1020. The case will retail for $79 when it is released later this month.

Sun Valley may be known for its world class skiing during the winter months, but in the summer its claim to fame is undoubtedly the Allen and Company media conference where the tech industry's top executives gather to rub elbows, talk shop, and do whatever CEOs do behind closed doors.

Among the attendees at this years conference is Google's Eric Schmidt, and it appears that he brought along a shiny new toy for everyone to play with. The "mystery" phone that Schmidt has been carrying around appears to be none other than the legendary Motorola Moto X. It appears to have a white carbon fiber-like appearance similar to the Nexus 4. The phone also appears to have a curved back which can be seen in a photo looking at the top of the phone.

When asked about the device, Schmidt said that he "could not comment on the nature of this phone," which was an obvious ploy to generate as much hype and speculation about the device as possible. We here at TweakTown are almost positive that this is the new Motorola Moto X (Previously called Motorola X Phone) and judging from other industry analyst, everyone else thinks it is the X as well. One thing is certain, with Google's top man using the device in public, a public launch can not be far away.

We all know the Microsoft Surface RT has not lived up to the hype Redmond wanted it to and as a result it appears that the company could be readying substantial price cuts across its debut tablet. Today, The Verge is reporting that Microsoft will cut prices on its 32GB and 64GB models.

The report says that a 32 GB Surface RT will see is price slashed to just $350 while the 64 GB model will now run consumers $450. Those wishing to add a touch cover can look to spend $100 more raising the prices to $450 and $550 respectively. Engadget contacted Microsoft for comments and the software giant replied that it does not comment on rumors or speculation. Of course we all know that this effectively means "Yes we are slashing prices but do not tell anyone please."

More details have surfaced on LG's upcoming flagship smartphone, the Optimus G2. Engadget has just posted several leaked photos of a new LG device that is said to be the company's new flagship smartphone. The phone takes some design cues from LG's Nexus 4 with rounded corners and an almost edge-to-edge screen.

The phone features no hardware buttons and looks significantly more sloped without the Nexus 4's hard edges. According to Engadget, the G2 is significantly larger than the Nexus 4 due to it featuring a 5.2-inch 1080p screen. LG has revealed in the past that the next generation Optimus G phone will feature a QUALCOMM Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3GHz.

The phone will feature 2 GB of RAM and will sport a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. Most notable is that LG has chosen to place the volume rocker buttons on the back of the phone below the rear camera. The reasoning behind LG's decision to do this is unknown and quite frankly, I think it is a horrible idea. Rumors are circulating that we could see the G2 launched on August 7 at a press event LG has been sending out invitations for. All images are courtesy Engadget.com.

This morning, reports are coming in that Apple has began to cut production on its iPhone 5 model. The report comes from Brian Blair of Wedge Partners, an analyst who closely follows Apple's production numbers. Apple's core suppliers are said to be expecting a cut as large as 20 percent for orders of components that make up the iPhone 5.

"So, when they make a dramatic change in their forecast, they need to let their suppliers know," Blair said. "And this is coming from some of our supply-chain work out of China and Taiwan that has let us know, not exactly, but that there's been roughly this kind of a change in their forecast for the period from June to December, about a 20 percent cut in what they've been telling their suppliers to be ready for."

Industry insiders say that Apple has cut iPhone sales forecast down from 115 million units to about 90 million units. Cutting back production is usually seen as an indication that Apple is getting ready to release its next generation in the iPhone series, so maybe we will begin hearing a solid release date for the iPhone 5S as well as that low-cost, budget level iPhone as well.

This morning, I posted a report that seemed to confirm the existence of the Nokia Lumia 1020, a 41-megapixel PureView Windows Phone 8 device. The report showed off images taken by a Microsoft exec who posted them on his Twitter account. This afternoon, we are seeing even more leaks come in about the future king of the camera phone.

It appears that Nokia will be releasing the Lumia 1020 PureView in a trio of colors including a vibrant yellow, white, and black. My original guess of a Xenon flash seem to be confirmed as well as speculation about built-in optical image stabilization. Website WPCenteral is confirming specifications including 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and no SD card slot. Also present is an FM radio, Near Field Communication, Wireless Charging and Windows Phone 8 version 8.0.10322.71.

WPCenetral is also reporting that the phone will take images at 32MP and 5MP at the same time at 16:9. The 5MP image is oversampled and drops 7 pixels into each pixel of the 5MP image, thus creating a "Super Pixel." The phone is said to capture a 38MP image in 4:3 mode as well. As we learned earlier, it will feature an f/2.2 aperture and Zeiss glass. If these newly released specs are true, this just may be the most bad ass camera phone ever released.

It appears that the Google Edition of HTC's One will be replaced by yet another HTC One. This morning, records have popped up on the Bluetooth SIG website that indicate a version of the HTC One running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean is in existence with the model number PN071, which is the same model number listed on the existing Google Play Store listing.

This second version of the HTC One will feature Bluetooth 4.0 LE support which is why it is making an appearance at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. With more leaks and images of Android 4.3 popping up everywhere these days, it can only indicate that the official Android 4.3 launch is imminent. While 4.3 is mostly a backend update, there are a few features that will be sure to wow hardcore Androidians.

Most importantly, Android 4.3 will bring us yet another step closer to Android 5.0 which is supposed to bring forth a new era of smartphone and tablet innovation. The jury is still out on whether this will happen, but with every generation of Android being better than the last, we can safely say that whatever 5.0 brings, it will be amazing!

We have been hearing rumors of a PureView based Nokia Lumia for months now, and it appears today that we finally have real-world confirmation that the device actually exists. Officially named the Lumia 1020, the smartphone will feature a 41-megapixel image sensor that is backed up by a Carl Zeiss lens.

Some sample photos have popped up on Flickr by Microsoft Windows Phone manager Joe Belfiore. The series features several shots from various Lumia Windows Phones, but the interesting images are two that appear as "Nokia Lumia 1020." Looking at the EXIF info of the two photos reveal an aperture of f/2.2 and a resolution density of 240x240 dots per inch.

The images appear to be very sharp at their original resolution of 2947 x 1658 which appears to have been resized in Adobe Lightroom. I have included screen caps of the EXIF information in the News Gallery images below as well as linked to the original sized images posted on Flickr at Source #2 and #3 below.

Future Apple devices could be flexible according to their latest patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Their patent talks about the creation of a flexible battery shape, which could take form in their iWatch that has been rumored for quite a while now.

The patent was filed all the way back in December 2011 and published yesterday, sees a flexible battery pack that uses a number of different cells connected through a laminate layer which is designed to "allow the battery to be shaped to fit a form factor of the electronic device."

Apple's patent goes a little further, suggesting that the flexible battery pack could have certain cells removed and replaced with thermoelectric coolers, flashes, or a camera. According to the company, the flexible battery solution could be used in numerous devices, including "wristwatches, calculators, laptop computers, tablet computers, and/or music players."