More Nexus 5 Render Leaks!

Yet again, thanks to @evleaks on twitter, we get another official looking render of the Nexus 5! Looking good. Please good, just announce the Nexus 5!

Nexus 5 is OFFICIAL! Nexus 5 design reviled!

Here we go folks, after all the leaks and rumors, Google has "reviled" there new Nexus 5! The next Nexus looses the glass on the back and opts for the "Nexus 7" feel, and my guess is that the Nexus 10 would look something like these 2 devices too. The Nexus 5 looks much more simple with the front facing camera in the center, the light sensor on the side, and the screen with a smaller bezel. The rear camera looks much more "bigger" because it packs a bigger aperture letting more light hit the pixels, which means this camera should perform superb in low light.

Android 4.4 (KitKat) looks to have more aesthetic changes as well with more simple and "cartoony" icons, with a more poppy feel. The black & boring on screen buttons and the task bar is now "clear" and the task bar's colors have been changed to all white. The new camera icon looks like the icon found in touch wiz, and there is a great refresh on the app drawer button now looking more softer. The phone icon has a great new touch to it.

As we know from the leaks, the Nexus 5 will have the following specs:
- A 2.3 Ghz Quad Core Snapdragon 800 chip
- 2 GB of RAM
- A gorgeous  1080P HD 5 inch screen
- An 8MP camera with a bigger aperture.
- Android KitKat (Android 4.4)

Also, as the ports & buttons goes, there is a headphone jack uptop, volume buttons on the right, power button on the left, and the micro USB port on the bottom.

According to the leaked "Google Play Store" the Nexus 5 will start at $349 and Google will more than likely be dropping the 8 GB version for the more standard 16GB. The URL that the Nexus 5 image leaded to had "black" in it, hinting that where will more than likely be a white or even more color versions of the phone.


Are you exited for this phone? What features are you looking forward to on the Nexus 5?

New Line of Droids Released! Droid Mini, Droid Ultra, And Droid Max. 8 CORE PROCESSOR!

Just as expected, Verizon revealed its new family of DROIDs today, courtesy of Motorola. The smallest is (naturally) the DROID Mini, entry-level counterpart to the big daddy Ultra and MAXX, and ostensible sequel to the excellent DROID RAZR M. The phone uses the same Kevlar-wrapped style as the larger phones, with the naturally updated hardware that you'd expect. It launches on August 20th for $99 on-contract, and pre-orders will be live today.

All three new phones use a Motorola-branded octocore system on a chip, the X8. (This may be a bit of a misnomer - a Verizon slide mentioned 2 processor cores, 4 GPU cores, one contextual computing core, and one language processing core.) Verizon claims the CPU is 24% faster, while the GPU is 100% faster - not bad, considering the respectable Snapdragon S4 on the previous phones. The Verizon event is still going on, so it's not clear how large or dense the screen is, just that it's smaller than the Ultra and MAXX.

More interesting is the change in style that Motorola has gone with. The Nexus-style virtual navigation buttons from the RAZR M have disappeared, replaced with capacitive versions (but thankfully in the standard back-home-recents configuration). We don't have a reason for this change, but it is a bit disappointing from a pure Android perspective. The rest of the phone is much improved cosmetically - gone is the jarring mix of materials and finishes from the somewhat disjointed M. It's smooth, rounded Kevlar, glass, and not much else.

Features include active display alerts, which lights up a portion of the (presumably Super AMOLED) screen instead of using an alert light, the "Quick Capture" feature seen in the Moto X camera leak, and the Command Center widget. This is the old "Circles" Motorola widget on steroids. And for you Ingress players, the Google location game is pre-loaded. (Here's hoping it can be disabled.) Buying the DROID Mini between now and September 30tht will get you free Google Music All Access for six months.

Information on the DROID Mini will be updated as we receive it.

Pictures:

Google to acquire WhatsApp for nearly $1 billion

Google is in talks to acquire cross-platform messaging application WhatsApp, a new report claims.

Google and WhatsApp have been talking for "four or five weeks," according to Digital Trends, citing a person who claims to have knowledge of the negotiations. So far, WhatsApp has been able to push the acquisition price to nearly $1 billion by "playing hardball," Digital Trends' source says.

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging applications available to mobile users. The app allows users on just about any mobile platform, including Android, iOS, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone, to instant-message with each other, as well as send images, audio, and video messages. The messaging app essentially allows for cross-platform texting without having to pay for SMS.

Nexus 4 First Thoughts

The Nexus 4, announced yesterday and rumored for about 50 years before then, goes on sale directly from Google starting November 13. The unlocked, off-contract phone will cost $300 for an 8GB model and $350 for the 16GB version.

 So what's the phone actually like to use? I haven't had it for long -- I'll be sharing more detailed thoughts after I've had a chance to really get to know the thing -- but my first impression is that this is one very nice device.

 In terms of basic hardware and form, Google has clearly taken the best parts of LG's Optimus G -- the foundation upon which the phone is based -- and polished them to near-perfection. This is truly a melding of LG's basic hardware and Google's sense of design.

 Put simply, the Nexus 4 looks and feels like the way a high-end smartphone should. It's sleek, solid, and not at all flimsy. There are no cheap-feeling, plasticky surfaces here.

 The Nexus 4's 4.7-in. display extends all the way to the side edges of the phone's face. That brings up an important detail: On the Nexus 4, the glass is curved, but it's curved in a different way than what we've seen with past Nexus devices. Here, the glass curves along the edges of the phone -- something the Android team did in order to match the way you hold and interact with the device. (The glass curvature on past Nexus devices, in contrast, was designed to match the contours of your face -- but let's face it, most of us hold our phones in our hands far more than we hold them up to our heads these days.)

 Speaking of the screen, boy, is it a beaut. If you've seen the Optimus G, you know what to expect: The device uses True HD IPS technology and boasts a resolution of 1280 x 768, with 320ppi. It looks fantastic -- crisp, clear, and bright, with phenomenal detail. This is hands-down one of the best screens I've seen on an Android phone, rivaling the likes of HTC's One X for the gold-medal spot.

Surrounding the screen is a seamless silver metal band that extends all the way around the phone's perimeter. The level of thought put into this design is apparent: The band meets the edge of the screen's glass in a soft, subtle curve that looks and feels incredible. It's easy to see how the slightest change in approach could have resulted in a sharp-feeling edge or an awkward-looking meeting point -- but Google and LG avoided those pitfalls and achieved a solution that begs to be caressed.

 Last but not least, there's the back of the phone -- which, like the phone's front, utilizes Corning Gorilla Glass 2 for protection. At the risk of firing off an overused adjective, I feel compelled to say that the back of the Nexus 4 is -- yes, I'm going there -- beautiful. LG has created a mesmerizing moving-crystal effect that brings to mind the classic Google Nexus wallpaper. The design actually appears to shift as you change your perspective. It's really something to see. (The downside: The glass does seem to pick up an inordinate amount of visible fingerprint smudges.)

 There's so much more to be said about the Nexus 4 -- and rest assured, we're barely scratching the surface. I'll be spending the next several days using the phone and getting to know both its hardware (this phone is F-A-S-T) and pure Google software (the new Android 4.2 Camera app looks absolutely awesome) inside and out. I'll share my detailed thoughts in an in-depth review next week.

Samsung infringes four Apple patents including touch screen and design, U.S. trade judge says

Samsung Electronics Co. infringes four Apple Inc. patents, including one for the design of the iPhone and one for touch-screen technology co-invented by Steve Jobs, a U.S. trade judge said in a decision that gives Apple another legal victory over its biggest smartphone competitor.
Two other patents, including one for the exterior shape of the iPhone, weren’t infringed, U.S. International Trade Commission Judge Thomas Pender said in a notice on the agency’s website. The judge’s findings are subject to review by the full commission, which has the power to stop goods that infringe U.S. patents at the border. The agency has twice before forced companies to alter foreign-made smartphones if they wanted to keep selling them in the U.S. HTC Corp. phones were held up at the border in May after Apple won a trade case, and the Cupertino, California- based company has an enforcement action pending that accuses HTC of violating the trade agency’s exclusion order. Google Inc.’s Motorola Mobility unit was ordered to remove a feature to coordinate schedules from its phones after they were found to infringe a Microsoft Corp. patent.
The case in today’s ruling is one of more than three dozen between the makers of about half of the world’s smartphones, who have run up hundreds of millions of dollars in legal bills. Samsung, which lost a $1 billion jury verdict in August against Apple, is challenging a different ITC judge’s findings that its own patents weren’t infringed by Apple.

New LG Nexus Phone Specs and Design leaked! [Update New pics in! This is the real deal!]

A steady stream of recent rumors have suggested that Google's next volley of Nexus devices will include an LG smartphone, and a new gallery of photos posted by an xda-developers forum member might give us our first peek at what the handset is going to look like when it's announced in the coming weeks. The images show a phone that bears a striking resemblance to LG's recently-announced Optimus G flagship — as expected —this comes with a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, an Adreno 320 GPU, 2 GB of RAM, 8GB of non-expandable storage (only for prototype), 768×1184 320 ppi display, an 8 megapixel camera, Jelly Bean MR1 and Kernel 3.4.0. 

More evidence lies in the phone's About screen, which shows a model number of "Fully JellyBean on Mako" — Nexus afficionados might recognize mako as a type of shark, and all Google-designed Android devices (dating back to the T-Mobile G1) have been named after fish. Labels on the phone also indicate a model number E960, which Droid Lifenotes has been attached to the mythical LG Nexus phone in previous rumors and has recently passed FCC testing.

Signs point to an announcement as soon as late October, so we won't have long to wait to find out whether LG's finally getting a shot at the Nexus program.

Honestly, this device looks ok. LG making a Nexus is a not a great idea, I rather see a HTC Nexus then a LG Nexus. The front looks good (normal) but the back looks devastatingly terrible, especially the camera. Would you get this over a Samsung Nexus? 


(UPDATE: In person, the back looks great. Still, the camera and flash looks very un-dynamic compared to the Galaxy S4) 

HTC One X+ Reviled; Impressive Specs and new "facelift"

Following a number of leaks over the past few weeks, HTC has finally made the One X+ official this morning. In many ways, the handset is a lot like its predecessor; it has the same polycarbonate unibody, the same 4.7-inch Super LCD display, and offers the same 1GB of RAM. But  the One X+ is a whole new smartphone.

The big upgrade is the 1.7GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, which makes the One X+ “up to 67% faster” the the One X LTE, according to HTC. There is no microSD card slot in the new handset, but it does come with 64GB of internal storage as standard, plus 25GB of Dropbox storage absolutely free — so you should have plenty of space to store just about everything you’d like to pack into your smartphone.

The One X plus features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera capable of shooting 1080p HD video — just like the original One X — plus an improved 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera that shoots 720p HD video. The battery has also been improved by a non-replaceable 2,100 mAh cell, which promises 50% more talk time.

Another great feature of the One X+ is its software: It comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean pre-installed, with HTC’s new Sense 4+ user interface laid over the top. As you’d expect, this update brings a number of improvements to the device, including new imaging and movie hubs, improvements to the camera app, and more.

The HTC One X+ with 3G connectivity will be making its way to Europe and North Asia in mid-October, then South Asia in November. And for those of you in the United States, HTC has said that it will be making a separate announcement regarding a One X+ with LTE connectivity later.

For all you people who got the HTC One X, eh, too  bad... So, what do you think of this? Will it beat the iPhone 5 (already did) or the Galaxy S3?

New HTC Device to rival Samsung Note? HTC One X 5

Something big has been brewing at HTC. While there have been unconfirmed photos of prototypes floating around, a Sina Weibo user has posted what we have reason to believe is an authentic press image of the finished result: meet the One X 5.

 As the name and image suggest, the phablet-class device should be dominated by a 5-inch (andpossibly 1080p) screen that makes even a regular One X look dainty. Internal details haven't been nailed down alongside the looks, although previous benchmarks have had it using a Snapdragon S4 that might ultimately be a quad-core S4 Pro. There's no immediate signs of a stylus or other tricks besides that sea of glass. We may not have long to wait before we find out, however. HTC just happens to have a New York City event planned for this Wednesday, and previously detected links between the 6435LVW and Verizon could see the One X 5 quickly reach the US if it's meant to show at that gathering -- although it might get another name change to fit into the Droid family.

[Reblogged from Engadget]

AWESOME LOOKING HTC DEVICE HEADING TO CHINA (HTC ONE SC) Poor Specs, Great Design

HTC released a new smartphone to its One series today, only for users in China. The device is called the One SC, and the design is pretty rad for a mid-range Android handset.

This device has 4.3-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, and 4GB of internal storage. It’s got Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with HTC’s Sense 4.0 user interface. The One SC is just 8.85mm thick, and weighs 116 grams.

While the One SC is exclusive to China, there’s a possibility its unique design may appear on one of HTC’s global smartphones in the near future. The Taiwanese company has an event scheduled on September 19 in New York City, where it is expected to announce its latest Windows Phone smartphone. In my opinion, if the HTC One S got a upgrade to look like this, I would totally get one.

The specs are pretty bad but the device its self looks rad, if a "HTC One S" upgrade is released in the US, would you buy it?

[Via: PhoneArena]

New HTC Device LEAKED! HTC Proto to be the upgraded version of HTC One V

Is the HTC Proto really just more of the same?

(Credit: The Verge)

Rumors of a slightly improved HTC One V recently started leaking online, alongside hints at an HTC fall refresh.

Details for the so-called HTC Proto point to a larger 4.0-inch display and 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 1 GB of RAM. 

The first official-looking images of the HTC Proto show a more rounded design, with no signs of the One V's chin. In fact, it's strikingly similar to the Desire V, which recently launched in China.

Should the Proto follow suit, we can look for microSD expansion, Bluetooth 4.0, Beats Audio, and a 1650mAh battery. In other words, more of the same stuff that HTC is already doing.

HTC sorely needs a hit right now, but the HTC Proto won't be much help for a company looking to grab a bigger slice of the pie. To be fair, this handset has likely been in the works for the better part of a year. It may be a few more months before we see anything from the reinvested and refocused HTC.

It isn't clear when HTC plans to announce the HTC Proto; however, Germany's IFA is just days away and would be a good venue. That said, if they have a beefed up HTC One X and tablet-like handset on the horizon, we may yet see a splashier, standalone press event away from the Berlin noise.

The Next Galaxy Nexus specs LEAKED!

Will Google stick with Samsung for the next Nexus-series phone? If this spec sheet that just leaked is accurate, it looks like Samsung could be returning for a three-peat, with what amounts to a small upgrade over last year’s Galaxy Nexus.

Instead of a quad-core Exynos, this document claims the phone would stick to a dual-core SoC, but ramp the clock speed up to 1.5GHz. Unfortunately, there’s no work on just which SoC we’re talking about, only that it won’t be a new design based around A15 cores.

Supposedly, this model GT-I9260 will keep a 4.65-inch display, which is now noted as an HD component; that’s a bit odd, since the Galaxy Nexus already has an HD screen. Why mention it for one but not the other if they’re the same resolution?

According to this, the next Nexus would use the same cameras as the Galaxy S III, with an eight-megapixel component around back, and would also offer the same microSD compatibility the GS3 enjoys.

Frankly, it’s all a bit underwhelming, and we can’t help but hope to see something a little more exciting from the next Nexus. That’s not to say that these specs look underpowered; maybe we’re just expecting too much to be wowed, when we really need a more utilitarian upgrade to a solid design.

Via PocketNow

Galaxy S3 Black leaked in T-Mobiles website

The black Samsung Galaxy S III is headed to the United Kingdom in 4-6 weeks, but now it appears the phone will make its way to the United States, too. T-Mobile’s website currently has a small rotating platform that displays several of its most popular and powerful smartphones that it offers. However, about 30 – 45 seconds into the clip there’s something we haven’t seen from T-Mobile before: a glossy black Galaxy S III.

We’ve included the image above (and below) for your enjoyment and have reached out to T-Mobile USA for official comment. This could be a mistake on the part of the web design team, or it could mean we’ll be seeing the smartphone pop up soon. We’ll keep you updated as soon as we hear more.

Samsung Galaxy Note II Design and Specs LEAKED!!

"A new image of what is allegedly Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note II has surfaced online. The shot showcases the front of the new handset, and it looks a lot like a Galaxy S III that’s been stretched out. It features a physical home button that’s significantly larger than that of the original Galaxy Note, in addition to a front-facing camera." -TechnoBuffalo

With the handset’s official unveiling now just a couple of weeks away, this is certainly the right time for official press shots to be leaking. But Samsung has been cracking down on leaks like these, and the Korean company managed to keep the Galaxy S III’s design a secret right up until its unveiling.

The image was sent into GSMArena, who have been unable to confirm its authenticity with their other sources. However, as they note, Samsung is expected to make the second-generation Galaxy Note look a lot like the Galaxy S III, and so even if this is a fan-made mockup, it’s likely to be pretty close to the truth.

The tipster also provided some specifications for the device. They say it will it will sport a 1280 x 800 pixel Super AMOLED display that measures 5.5 inches diagonally. A full HD display did undergo testing, according to the source, but it was found to be consuming too much battery life and had to be scrapped.

The handset will also boast a 1.5GHz quad-core Exynos processor and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera. It is expected to ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich rather than 4.1 Jelly Bean, but an update to the latest OS is expected later on — as you’d have hoped with a brand new handset.

What do you think of this alleged press shot? 

NEW HTC 5 INCH SMARTPHONE REPORTED TO COME THIS SEPTEMBER, The Galaxy Note 2 will have some competition.

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note II may not be the only “phablet” this fall. According to "technoBuffalo" and “industry sources” speaking to DigiTimes, HTC is planning to debut a 5-inch smartphone in September or October, which will have a full 1080p high-definition display with a 1794 by 1080 resolution.

The new 5 inch tablet is likely that it will have 126 vertical lines will be dedicated to Android’s virtual navigation buttons, which were introduced with Ice Cream Sandwich. That means the device would actually feature a 1920 x 1080 panel.

Back in July a GLBenchmark test, which details a “HTC 6435LVW” with a 1794 x 1080 display, powered by Qualcomm’s MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 processor running Android 4.0.4. appeared.

That seems to confirm a device with these specifications is currently being tested by HTC, but whether or not it will show its face this fall remains to be seen. It seemed like only a matter of time before the Galaxy Note got a rival, though.

[via The Verge]

HTC One S Rants, HTC One S vs Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC Amaze

Right now, at this point I have owned a HTC Amaze, however, I was thinking to upgrade to the HTC One S. But, I changed my mind because of the fact that HTC One S is worst than the HTC Amaze. On the HTC Amaze, the front facing camera is 2 megapixel and the rear camera is a 8 megapixel camera with many amazing features (see what I did there?). Yet the HTC One S has a VGA front camera (the one on the HTC Sensation) and the rear camera is 8 megapixels but the image warps in film mode, and has a badder camera than the HTC Sensation. The only reason people would buy the phone is because of the sleek aluminum unibody and probably the Beats Audio. The sleekness and the aluminum body does look much better than the HTC Amaze, and right now its the same price as the HTC Amaze. The Beats audio has no difference to the audio though, the only thing this does is make you buy Beats headphones and when you plug the headphones (Beats) in, a Beats logo pops up in the task bar. So impressive. The stunning this about this phone is the screen quality. You've got to admit, its much better than the Galaxy S3 and even though the One S still has the same screen size as its predecessors. The Galaxy S3 clearly learn from the mistakes of the Galaxy S2, with a bigger screen size, better camera (doesn't warp as much in video, but HTC Amaze camera looks better),bigger battery, better design , and a much smarter UI. The only way the One S evolved was to get a better screen but not bigger, crappier cameras, Beats Audio (doesn't come with headphones), sleeker, sexy aluminum unibody, and Sense 4.0 that completely blind outs Android 4.0. 

Moral of the Story: Don't get the HTC One S. It has a good exterior looks but the specs aren't so good. The HTC Amaze isn't the most thinnest or the most beautiful, but it has a much better camera, still has the genuin Android 4.0 feel, and more cheap, it becomes free on the T-Mobile website sometimes. If you have 279 dollars, get the Galaxy S3 if you want to be more happy.   

HTC One X+ Specs appears in benchmark results

Hot on the heels of a rumor about a new HTC device codenamed Proto, we've got a benchmark for another unannounced handset from the Taiwanese manufacturer to check out. This time we're looking at the NenaMark results for the HTC PM63100, which is a model number that actually popped up in some GLBenchmark test results last month. The NenaMark page lists the PM63100 as packing a 1.7GHz Tegra 3 processor and 720p screen resolution, both of which also showed up in the aforementioned GLBenchmark tests, as well as Android 4.1.1. Last month's results suggested that the PM63100 could be headed to AT&T. LandofDroid suggests that the PM63100 is the One X+, which we've heard may also be T-Mobile-bound.

While this PM63100/One X+ device isn't quite official just yet, with purported specs like a 1.7GHz Tegra 3 and 720p display, it definitely sounds like it's got the makings of a flagship handset. The good news is that a leaked T-Mobile roadmap claimed that the One X+ (codenamed "Era 42" for Magenta) may be landing at the end of September, so it may not be long before we get a chance to put the handset through its paces ourselves. What do you all make of the One X+ so far, Android fans? Has it piqued your interest or is there another device that you're lusting after?

Via TmoNews, LandofDroid, NenaMark

Re-blogged from Phonedog and TechnobuffaloHt

HTC “Proto” Reportedly Coming This Fall

HTC’s One V will reportedly receive a refresh later this year in the form of an unannounced device carrying the codename “Proto.” Tipped to The Verge, this HTC handset is said to be 9.62mm thick and feature a 4-inch WVGA SLCD display, a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, Beats Audio and a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon processor.
While the aforementioned specs are fairly detailed, there’s no mention of what version of Android the Proto will launch with. Looking at its mid-level hardware, we suspect this handset to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich, opposed to the highly sought after Jelly Bean.

Re-blogged from Technobuffalo
[via: The Verge]

Sony Xperia SL Leaked: Features Silver body

 The phone above is "called" the Sony Xperia SL (model number LT26ii), and even though the phone looks exactly the same as the Xperia S, the SL's will get a few notable changes. The Xperia S has  a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 MSM8260 processor,but the Xperia SL is said to have the same processor, the SL's is said to be clocked at 1.7GHz. Other Xperia SL additions include having Android 4.0.4 preloaded and coming in silver and pink color options (shown in render form at ePrice) in addition to the black and white bodies that the Xperia S launched in.

The Xperia SL is said to be similar to the Xperia S, and the specs are as followed: 4.3-inch 720x1280 display, 1GB RAM, 32GB storage, 12-megapixel rear camera and 1.3-megapixel front camera. Sony is holding an event in Berlin on August 29 right before IFA 2012 so it's possible that we'll hear more about the Xperia SL (and maybe that recently-leaked Xperia Tablet) then. The release of this phone hasn't been released but in the mean time, would you buy this?

 Via GSMArena (1), (2), ePrice

New SONY Phone Leaked! (Sony Mint)

While people been fussing over the Xperia GX (aka the LT29i), it seems Sony's been working on something much better. Mobile-review has published a run-down of a device it claims is called the LT30p -- aka the Mint, which appeared way back in January -- which  appears to have many of the specs  from a high-end phone. The front has a 1280 x 720 4.3-inch LCD (reports also say that possibly the screen could be a 4.5 display), while the rear has the same 13-megapixel camera as the GX, and there's a microSD slot on the side too. Mobile-review reports that the phone is running ICS and posses a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The build quality looks a bit unfinished and I'm not sure that this is a final production handset. If this comes out would you possibly consider it? Or will you stick with the S3 or One X? Comment below!