Author: Shivaank Rana

Rumour : Nokia EOS Rumored To Be First True PureView Windows Phone

The Nokia EOS is set to be the first Windows Phone 8 handset to sport the Finnish firm’s impressive PureView camera technology.

A source “familiar with Nokia’s plans” claims that the codenamed EOS will pack a camera similar to the one found in the 808 PureView – suggesting it also sports a 41MP sensor.

Sources also claim that the Pureview EOS will also be built using an aluminum shell as opposed to the polycarbonate generally used in Nokia Constructions. The phone will be pegged in a higher end category, so it may never reach markets like India commercially, considering the already high price of the Lumia 920. While many rumors are pointing toward a total remake of the Lumia series, the Pureview EOS will be the flagship, while the whole lineup drops polycarbonate to go for a aluminum chassis.

Nokia had first showcased its 808 PureView at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012. This smartphone garnered a lot of attention, thanks to the massive 41-megapixel camera sensor that it has on-board. Other features of the smartphone include a 4-inch 360x640pixel AMOLED display, 16GB of internal storage, 1.3GHz processor and Nokia Symbian Belle OS.

This rumor is also being backed up by Italian smartphone guru Flavio via his Twitter account, which claims “project EOS” will indeed have a 41-megapixel camera.

Nokia 808 PureView debuted in India in June 2012. Its current price is mentioned as Rs. 26,499 but it is currently listed as out of stock on Nokia India official store.

The Verge claims that the Pureview EOS handset will be primarily designed for US network AT&T, who will make the device available to consumers later this year. Reports are already rimming a replacement of the 920 with a lighter aluminum shell called “Catwalk” . Nokia’s Catwalk device is designed as a successor to the Lumia 920 and will debut as a replacement to the company’s current Windows Phone 8 flagship with similar internal hardware specifications. A move towards aluminum brings Nokia back to the pre-Windows Phone days when the company launched N8 a Symbian 3 device.

[Verge]

January 23, 2013
BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Officially Released And Available For Download

RIM can cross another action off the list. Today they’ve announced that BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10) is available for download. This mobile device management solution has been one of RIM’s prize possessions for more than a decade and has been revamped/reworked for the launch of BlackBerry 10. Company IT departments will be able to securely manage devices running BlackBerry 10 and the PlayBook, plus competing platforms such as iOS and Android (BlackBerry Fusion is being rolled into BES 10).

[quote]According to the press release BES 10 has received some positive feedback from both corporate clients and industry analysts. Peter E. Lesser, Director of Global Technology, from a big law firm with too many names called “Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom” stated “We’ve been testing BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 in our environment and we’re pleased with the manageability, security and reliability that the solution offers, along with expanded management capabilities to other devices within our network.”[/quote]

In addition to bringing device and application management capabilities for the BlackBerry 10 handsets, the release of BES 10 also marks the retirement of RIM’s standalone mobile device management product and brand, Mobile Fusion. In future, Mobile Fusion functionality will be a part of BlackBerry Enterprise Service, available to BES customers.

[Mobile Syrup]

January 23, 2013
Google’s Q4 Revenue Jumps 36 Percent

Google eked out slightly higher earnings in the fourth quarter, despite a financial drag caused by the Internet search leader’s expansion into device manufacturing and a decline in digital ad prices as more people gaze into the smaller screens of smartphones.

The results announced Tuesday pleased investors, helping to lift Google’s stock by nearly 5 percent in extended trading. The performance lifted Google’s stock by $34.14, or 4.9 percent, to $737.01 in Tuesday’s extended trading.

The company earned $2.89 billion in profit on revenue of $14.42 billion, a staggering number that was up 36% over the previous year and 8% from the prior quarter.

Motorola Mobile, the newly-acquired handset division, earned $1.51 billion in revenue but lost $353 million overall. In comparison to last quarter, Motorola Mobility lost less money but earned significantly less revenue, so we’re hoping that Google stops the bleeding somehow. A Motorola X Phone may help the situation immensely.

2012 was the company’s first $50 billion year, which is pretty incredible, and Google now has 37,544 employees, though it’s set to lose 5204 as it sells Motorola’s Home division in the coming months. The company’s market cap is roughly $231 billion based on the last share price, though it should spike on the good news.

January 23, 2013
Windows Phone 7.8 Official Update On January 31

According to Microsoft’s Colombian Facebook page, the long-awaited Windows Phone 7.8 upgrade is set to roll out on January 31st.

Handsets stuck on Windows Phone 7.5 have not been treated to the plush Windows Phone 8 OS which is reserved for new handsets. Version 7.8 their only salvation, but it’s been slow coming.

The update mainly addresses the home screen, which will match Windows Phone 8 for the ability to resize tiles according to users’ needs. Other tweaks, such Bluetooth file transfers and new theme colours, are minor at best but will address a few lingering issues with the soon-to-be-deprecated operating system. Considering newer WP7.5 devices like the Nokia Lumia 900 are less than a year old, the lack of a true software update is sure to be grating.

But Microsoft has made the difficult and likely-correct decision to focus its resources on Windows Phone 8, which shares a kernel with its desktop counterpart and supports multi-core processors, high-definition screens and a larger number of development tools.

It usually takes a few weeks for an update to hit every handset, so you may be looking at mid-February before you’re treated to Windows Phone 7.8.

January 22, 2013
LG Optimus G Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Update Starts Rolling Out

When LG announced the Optimus G they stated their premier device would be upgraded from Android OS 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to OS 4.1 Jelly Bean sometime “early Q2 of 2013.” According to a press release today by LG they “will begin its global roll-out into over 50 countries this month.” The first country to receive the upgrade will be Singapore “at the end of January,” then slowly work their way through other countries with LTE networks. This most definitely rules India out of the picture for now.

The Optimus G launched last year to great expectations with a new 4.7-inch HD display, quad-core power by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM, and of course that 13 megapixel camera.

The update brings Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to the Optimus G. Which includes a better keyboard, enhanced and smoother performance, and of course Google Now voice actions. The expandable notifications will be a feature many will enjoy too. In the past LG’s been slow to updates and while many have beat them to Jelly Bean, this is certainly quicker than we expected and a step in the right direction for good old LG.

Check out the press release below :

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

LG’S ULTIMATE 4G LTE SMARTPHONE TO BEGIN
WORLDWIDE ROLL-OUT THIS MONTH
Optimus G to be Available in Over 50 Markets, Expanding LG’s LTE Leadership

SEOUL, Jan. 22, 2013 – The Optimus G, LG’s most premium and powerful 4G LTE smartphone, will begin its global roll-out into over 50 countries this month. The Optimus G has already been launched in the United States, Canada, Korea and Japan to very favorable reviews and LG is aiming to build on the excitement already generated to launch the device in other LTE markets.

“As 4G LTE availability expands on a global scale, we will leverage our strong LTE technology and expertise to offer consumers the best 4G experience through our devices,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “With the latest Jelly Bean OS and improved software, Optimus G will make a strong case for the title of ultimate premium 4G LTE smartphone.”

Since the launch of Optimus G last September, the smartphone has been enthusiastically received by audiences as one of the most advanced 4G LTE devices currently available. Optimus G has been receiving accolades from consumers and industry thought leaders alike for its powerful performance and thoughtful user experience. Optimus G’s unrivaled power originates from its innovative hardware design which includes Qualcomm’s advanced Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Quad-Core processor. The device also delivers blazing fast data transfer speeds using today’s 4G LTE telecommunication network.

“LG’s long history of LTE know-how is evident in the DNA of the Optimus G,” said Dr. Park. “As such, we hope consumers will take a deep, hard look at Optimus G when deciding which smartphone will give them the best 4G experience.”

The Optimus G will be available starting at the end of January in Singapore followed by other markets worldwide offering 4G LTE service.

[/toggle_box]

January 22, 2013
Temple Run 2 Hits 20 Million Downloads in Four Days

Temple Run 2, the sequel to Imangi Studios’ immensely popular mobile game, has been downloaded over 20 million in its first four days on the iTunes App Store.

It didn’t hurt that upon its release Apple promoted the run-for-your-life game to Editors Choice, putting it front and centre in its App Store carousel. The brand, however, speaks for itself. The original has been downloaded over 170 million times across the Android and iOS ecosystems (including Amazon) but its sequel looks to quickly surpass it. The free-to-play game emphasizes in-app purchases, too much in our opinion, but it’s still a great game to play with a few minutes to kill.

The game’s co-creator, Keith Shepherd, tweeted over the weekend that Temple Run 2 had surpassed 10 million users in Game Center, Apple’s online leader board, and was quickly catching Cut The Rope and Angry Birds: Seasons in overall usage. Pretty incredible stats considering the number of game choices out there for people to peruse.

Last year, Angry Birds Space rocketed to 10 million downloads in its first three days, but those numbers included Android, Amazon and Windows Phone platforms as well. It will be interesting to see in a week or so how the addition of Android contributes to Temple Run 2?s download numbers.

You can watch our review of Temple Run 2 below :

January 22, 2013
Rolls-Royce Wraith Set To Be Unveiled

The Rolls Royce Wraith was pictured doings laps at the Nürburgring. Credits : Car Scoop

Rolls-Royce has confirmed that its new two-door coupé, the Wraith, will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March.

A two-door coupé version of the Ghost, the Wraith is said to be the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce production car there’s ever been. It is rumoured that its V12 engine will produce in the region of 600bhp.

[quote]The Wraith name was first used by Rolls-Royce in 1938. Speaking about the choice of name for the new car, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “Wraith alludes to an almost imperceptible but powerful force, something rare, agile and potent, a spirit that will not be tethered to the earth. It is the perfect name for our new model.”[/quote]

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is based in Goodwood, West Sussex, and owned by BMW. Last year it sold a record 3,575 cars, up from 1,002 in 2009.

Targeting the likes of the Bentley Continental and Mercedes-Benz CL Class, and to a lesser extent the Aston Martin DB9, the Wraith is expected to feature the Ghost’s turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12 but with power turned up to around 600 horsepower. By comparison, the Ghost is rated at just 563 horsepower.

Importantly, the Wraith will also be lighter than its sedan counterpart (perhaps as much as 440 pounds lighter), and its chassis tuned for improved performance. Look for uprated brakes and tires, stiffer suspension and a 10-millimeter lowered ride height.

The first Wraith production cars will be delivered to customers at the end of the year.

Check out the trailer below :

January 22, 2013
2013 Audi R8 Launched In India At Rs 1.34 Crore
The Audi R8 has to be among the most popular supercars of recent times. The R8 has been in market since about half a decade now and sometime earlier, Audi felt that the car has aged a fair bit and came out with a mid life facelift to keep the car fresh.

For the 2013 Audi R8, Audi has replaced the R-Tronic Transmission with a 7-Speed S-Tronic Transmission that enables faster and smoother playing between the gear ratios. For those who won’t settle for anything but a manual, Audi also offers a 6-Speed Manual transmission.

The high end variants of the Audi supercar line up are powered by a 5.2-liter V10 that pumps out 522 HP of power and 540 Nm of torque. The Entry level Coupe variant however, comes equipped with a 425bhp V8 engine.

On the outside, the car gets styling revisions at the lights, bumpers, grille and diffuser. The tail pipes are now circular in shape. The interiors get new seats and revised console. However, the nature of changes is such that only the purists would be able to spot the difference between the new and outgoing editions of the car.

Audi had a very successful 2012 in India, selling 9003 cars, and hopes to cross the 10,000 figure in sales in 2013. It is also targeting the number one slot, as it closed 2012 at second place, just about 300 units shy of BMW India’s sales.

2013 Audi R8 prices in India (ex-showroom, Delhi)
- Audi R8 V8 Coupe – 13,455,000 rupees (430hp 4.2L engine)
- Audi R8 V10 Coupe – 15,788,000 rupees (525hp 5.2L engine)
- Audi R8 V10 Convertible – 17,355,000 rupees (the top opens and closes electrohydraulically in 19 seconds up to 50kph)
[Motoroids]
January 21, 2013
RIM’s Rebranded BlackBerry World Web Store Launched

RIM officially put the naming of the BlackBerry App World to sleep this morning. In its place is the new branding of “BlackBerry World.” This change was noted at BlackBerry Jam Americas back in November and will play a big part in the launch of BlackBerry 10. According to their company blog, BlackBerry World “reflects a shift in the type of things you can purchase from the store,” such as apps, with music (powered by 7Digital) and movies coming later. RIM promises that the new BlackBerry World will be your “one-stop shop for all of your mobile entertainment needs.”

The beleaguered manufacturer made the change in preparation for the launch of its new OS, BB 10, later this month. It recently announced that it had amassed 15,000 BB 10 app submissionsin just two days, and calls BlackBerry World “the one-stop shop for all of your mobile entertainment needs.”

Their website and mobile store have been redesigned. BlackBerry smartphone or PlayBook owners will see the new BlackBerry World changes arrive on their device “in the coming weeks.” RIM also notes that we can easily share links to the content via BBM, Facebook, Twitter, or you can use your NFC-enabled device and “simply tap smartphones together and invite your friends to download it.”

The change to RIM’s online store is rolling out now, and should be available to everyone in the next 24 hours. It will be rolled out to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and BB smartphones in the coming weeks.

January 21, 2013
Lamborghini Aventador Roadster To Launch In India On 25th January

The Indian arm of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., an iconic Italian super sports car maker, is going to introduce its Aventador Roadster to domestic audience on January 25, 2013. The stunning two-seater ‘Raging Bull’ was unveiled at the 2012 Los Angeles auto salon, wherein it thrilled the supercar aficionados across the world with its ravishing design and power.

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster engine generates peak power of 700 PS and peak torque of 690 Nm. Powered by the same 6.5L petrol engine that powers the coupe variant, the roadster will have a top speed of 350 kmph and a 0-100 acceleration time of 3.0 seconds. Respective figures for the Aventador coupe variant stand at 354 kmph and 2.9 seconds. Deceleration from 100-0 kmph can be achieved in just 60 ft. Aventador is the fastest Lamborghini ever. It has a power (bhp) to weight (kgs) ratio of 1:2.34.

The open-top Lambo comes with a removable two piece carbon fibre roof with each piece weighing about 6kg. The roof can be folded and conveniently stowed in the small storage solution provided under the car’s nose.

To compensate for the reduction in structural rigidity, the rear pillars have been reinforced and there is a metal hood to cover the engine instead of the hardtop version’s glass hood.

At present, the Lamborghini Aventador is offered to domestic sports car enthusiasts at a price tag close to Rs. 3.7 crore in the country. Accordingly, industry experts believe that upcoming Aventador Roadster will be pitched at a slightly higher pricing than its coupe version in the Indian auto market.

[Rush Lane]

January 19, 2013
Sony Xperia Z To Receive Android 4.2 Update Shortly After Launch

Sony will be rolling out an update to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean shortly after they launch their new Xperia Z smartphone sometime in the next couple of months, likely in March. Talk Android reports that the news came earlier today on Twitter, during a company question and answer session.

From Sony’s Twitter account: “Xperia Z launches on JB 4.1, but will receive 4.2 shortly after launch. As always, we’ll share more info on this over the coming weeks on the blog.”

The Jelly Bean 4.2 update will bring some modest improvements over 4.1, like a more reactive user interface through touch-responsive CPU boosting, automatically resizing widgets, lock-screen widget options, and Android Beam, which is basically that “tap to share” feature that the Samsung Galaxy S3 boasted in its launch advertisements.

While it’s great that Sony is promising quick action on the update front, especially since if they do follow through with it in good time it will be one of the first non-Nexus devices to run Google’s newest OS, we’re left wondering whether the whole thing is lip service to a very small group of users and journalists.

As we’ve reported earlier, the Sony Xperia Z will be a quite impressive piece of hardware to run Android Jelly Bean on, no matter what version you have. With a five inch screen capable of 1080p high definition resolution, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor with 2 GB of RAM, and a 13 megapixel rear camera with 16x digital zoom, the Xperia is going to be a hot smartphone to have when it releases sometime in the next couple of months (it’s being released in the United Kingdom on March 1st, so it’s a safe bet that soon after it will land here).

January 19, 2013
LG Optimus G Sells 1 Million Units As Rumors Of Optimus G Pro Emerge

The LG Optimus G flagship handset has crossed the 1 million sold mark, according to the smartphone maker. Available in a number of markets around the globe since September, the phone is set to arrive in Europe and China later this month where it should pick up momentum.

1 million units puts it significantly behind rival handsets from Samsung and Apple. The Galaxy S3, for instance, has achieved 41 million in channel sales since its launch last May, and Apple sold over 2 million iPhone 5 units in just its first weekend of mainland China sales.

The LG Optimus G features a 4.7-inch (768 x 1280) True HD IPS Plus Display, 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor, 16GB of memory, 16GB microSD card, LTE, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel rear-shooter and 1.3-megapixel front-shooter.

Specs for the Optimus G Pro also leaked recently, said to feature a 5-inch Full HD screen, 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a whopping 3,000mAh battery. Rumours are pointing towards a Japan launch.

LG also announced that its smartphone sales reached 7 million in the third-quarter, beating the previous high of 6.2 million, reports Yonhap News.

LG has had some troubles in the past few years, but their last Q3 results have shown the company is back on its feet, ready to fight back the big dogs.

[TNW]

January 19, 2013
Opera To Launch WebKit-Powered ‘Opera Ice’ Browser For iOS And Android in Febuary

Opera Software, the company behind the popular browser of the same name, will launch a new smartphone and tablet browser called Opera Ice in February, Pocket-lint has revealed. It is an attempt to stay relevant and take the fight to Google and Apple in the mobile browser stakes.

According to a preview obtained by Pocket-lint, the company plans to do away with many of space-wasting icons and boxes, opting instead for gestures and big, beautiful icons.

The company will launch Opera Ice for Android and iOS, and it will be optimized for tablets as well as smartphones. It appears that the new version will take over from the traditional Opera Mobile as the company’s flagship mobile browser, but it will still offer its bandwidth-saving Opera Mini browser for legacy smartphone users.

The app focuses on gestures to navigate between pages and to access the home screen, which resembles an iOS or Android screen with bookmarks that mimic native applications. Opera means to utilize WebKit to ensure ultimate standards compliance, and to allow HTML5-based web applications the most space to run. The company is betting on HTML5 as a cross-platform development unifier and WebKit, as we saw recently with Microsoft’s mobile IE10 woes, is the only true player in the space at the moment.

The company also stated that it may bring a Windows Phone version to market, but it first wants to evaluate whether there is enough demand for such a product.

Look for Opera Ice to debut during Mobile World Congress next month in Barcelona.

[Pocket-lint]

January 19, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Note II To Come In Amber Brown And Ruby Wine As Well

Remember that black Galaxy Note II, the one we were so excited about? It was a fake, a render, a disappointment. But there is hope.

Samsung has announced two new colours of the Galaxy Note II, Amber Brown and Ruby Wine, which will be hitting Asian markets in the coming months. They’re a little more ornate than the aforementioned render, but they also stand to appeal to a wider audience.

The existing lineup, which includes white and slate grey, has been available since the phone’s release last year, but Samsung has traditionally waited several months between variants, hoping to appeal to the wait-and-see crowd.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 has always been a sexy slab of silicon, especially on the inside, where it rocks a quad-core Exynos 4412 CPU and 2 GB of RAM. However, if you’re one of those guys or gals that like to stand out with eccentric or bizarre fashion statements (I’m trying to avoid the “fashionista” term), you probably weren’t too swept off your feet by the phablet’s color combos.

Other than the funky and snazzy colours, the GNote 2 will have the same hardware or software installed inside including a HD Super AMOLED display, quad-core Exynos 4412 CPU, 2 GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB internal memory and 8 megapixel rear camera and front camera for video calling, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and a 3,100 mAh battery. Even though the existence of a Topaz Blue and back versions of Galaxy Note II still remains a sweet dream, the availability of the phones in new colour combinations will truly evoke the fans.

[Android Authority]

January 18, 2013
Video : Blackberry 10 Photo Editing App

BlackBerry 10 is about just over 12 days away and the excitement is certainly high. One of the most talked about features that will be on camera – which will be an 8MP shooter – is Time Shift. This gives users the ability to edit a picture and make it perfect. Another expected camera feature to be built-in to BB10 is a picture editor app that’s similar to Instagram. With this you’ll be able to crop, remove red eye, add various filters and style, then share with your contacts.

The filter wars seem set to continue if you were to take the latest leaked video of the BlackBerry 10 photo editing app that has started to make its rounds online. At first, we had Instagram adding in a new filter, where Twitter and Flickr followed that up by adding more filters to their sites.

BlackBerry does not want to miss jumping aboard the photo editing bandwagon, which is why we have this video of a pre-production version of the BlackBerry Z10 that comes with just 1GB RAM and does not have the final software for security purposes, showing off some of the more notable features found in the smartphone’s camera app.

Are you excited to have the native capability of adding filters and other effects to photos and videotaken on your BlackBerry 10 device? Check out the video and sound off in the comments with your thoughts on it.

[Mobile Syrup]

January 18, 2013