T-Mobile Branding Spotted On Supposed HTC One X+

HTC One X+

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It appears that T-Mobile may be the first mobile network provider to offer the HTC One X+ into the market following the emergence of a picture of the upcoming smartphone.

Numerous reports about the features of the upcoming HTC One X+ had emerged in the past. But the latest leak has shown that the latest smartphone offering of HTC may be initially released through T-Mobile.

The upgraded version of the HTC smartphone is reportedly faster and stronger compared its predecessor. The upcoming HTC One X+ will feature the Jelly Bean Android 4.1 OS along with the HTC Sense 4.5 custom user interface. The device will feature the 1.6GHz Tegra 3+ AP37 quad-core processor. It will also become one of the first smartphones to come with a quad-core chipset together with 4G LTE connectivity. Due to this, the HTC One X+ is considered a very powerful smartphone.

Aside from T-Mobile, the HTC One X+ will reportedly be offered by AT&T before the end of the year. Ma Bell will also offer the latest version of the flagship smartphone of HTC according to recent filings with the FCC.

Next Day Pick-up for Online Orders of iPhone 5

iPhone 5

(Image Credit: http://www.apple.com)

Even as customers will have to wait up to four weeks for iPhone 5 units purchased only, Apple recently a new option where they can reserve a new unit to be picked up the next day in the store.

The reservations for the iPhone 5 unit will be accepted from 10PM to 4AM local time and can be picked up at the nearest apple store the following day. The note of the website of the company indicated that people should purchase “an iPhone from the people who know it best.”

Prior to the latest announcement, Apple was preparing for its reservation system for the iPhone 5.

Apple had indicated that the stocks of the iPhone 5 in the Apple stores are limited and are available to customers until supplies last. Fans of the smartphone offering of Apple lined up at stores all around the world last Friday, wanting to be among the first people to purchase the latest model of the device.

Pre-orders were accepted at 3AM Eastern last September 14. However, the units were easily sold out. The waiting time for the delivery of the iPhone 5 was initially at around one to two weeks before it was moved back further recently. Some consumers, who were able to order the iPhone 5 is the morning of September 14, received their units recently.

Last October an online reservation system was also opened by Apple for its iPhone 4S. A lottery system was also introduced by the company for its clients in Hong Kong, in an effort to stop scalpers. The iPhone 5, the latest version of the much-loved smartphone offering of the company, had been the subject of numerous reports prior to its recent launch by Apple.

Nokia Asha 308 and 309 Offered For Emerging Markets

Nokia Asha 308

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Two new additions to the Asha lineup of Nokia were unveiled recently, the Nokia Asha 308 and 309. The two new capacitive touchscreen handsets are set to be offered at around $99 when they are released by the fourth quarter of the year.

The new Asha handsets of Nokia will reportedly be offered for customers in the emerging markets.

The Nokia Asha 308 and 309 feature a three-inch touch screen and 2MP camera at the back. These two new handset offerings of Nokia will use the Series 40 OS of Nokia instead of the Windows Phone OS of Microsoft.

Although the Nokia Asha 308 and 309 basically look the same, the Nokia Asha 308 offers a built-in dual SIM that will allow users to switch up to five cards. On the other hand, the Nokia Asha 309 only has one SIM.

The Asha lineup of Nokia has allowed the company to build a good following in the emerging markets around the world. Nokia had announced earlier that the sales of the Series 40 handset have reached 1.5 billion units. Despite being left out of the limelight due to the rivalry between Apple and the Android smartphones, Nokia continues to survive. The Lumia lineup of Nokia has not really put up a good challenge to the high-end smartphones in the market including the iPhone of Apple.

Nokia has not shied away from introducing the Asha lineup due to its significance for the company. The company introduced three Nokia Asha devices last June that were price from $81 up to $115.

The Nokia Asha 308 and 309 are 2G-capable devices that offer multiple home screens, loudspeakers, stereo radio, and support for microSD memory card of up to 32GB. Nokia also aims to attract more buyers through the free EA games that come with the purchase of the handsets.

Samsung Galaxy S3 and Other Handsets Susceptible To Swiping

Samsung Galaxy S3

(Image Credit: telegraph.co.uk)

A flaw on the Android OS may reportedly result to a remote wipe of a number of Samsung smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The swipe or the factory reset of the Samsung Galaxy S3 can result from clicking a link that has a malicious code and the users will be warned about it. It can also be triggered by scanning a modified QR code. The issue was initially discussed in detail during the Ekoparty security conference and exposes the susceptibility of the Samsung Galaxy S3 to a simple reset.

Once the reset is started, it cannot be undone or cancelled. Making matters worse, the SIM card of the handset may also be killed by the people behind the hack.

USSD codes are used by the hack. This is the same protocol used by smartphones to link up with wireless mobile providers. Once the USSD code is transmitted to the smartphone through an SMS message, from a website, through QR codes, or through NFC, the dialer will be brought out and activate the factory reset of the smartphone such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, which would wipe all the data.

The users will reportedly be able to see the process of wiping as it takes place, however, they cannot do anything to stop it.

Aside from the Samsung Galaxy S3, the other Samsung devices that are reportedly included in the list of devices that can be affected by the exploit are the S Advance, Galaxy Beam, Galaxy S2, and the Galaxy Ace.

These devices reportedly use the TouchWiz custom user interface of Samsung in addition to the Android OS. However, it appears that the stock version of the Android OS on the Galaxy Nexus may not be affected by the hack.

Users of Samsung smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S3 are advices to be careful with their devices until the vulnerability is recognized by Samsung, and a patch is released. Samsung Galaxy S3 users are advised not to click on links or websites that they are not familiar with.

Owners of these Samsung devices including the Samsung Galaxy S3 may also disable the automatic loading of links form the QR code readers and NFC.

Production of iPhone 5 Delayed by New Display

iPhone 5

(Image Credit: http://www.apple.com)

People who are still waiting for their iPhone 5 units will have something to blame for the delay, the new display of the latest iPhone offering of Apple.

When Apple decided to use the slimmer and lighter touchscreen display for the iPhone 5, it has resulted to the four week backlog of the device. The in-cell screen technology used by Apple merges the display and the touch sensors into one component, which allowed the iPhone 5 to become slimmer.

Even as this new feature has allowed Apple to sell five million units of the iPhone 5 in three days, it has also resulted to the delay in the release of the device since it is not easy to manufacture compared to the screen displays of the previous models of the iPhone.

According to the Tom Dinges, senior principal analyst of HIS iSuppli, the launch of the iPhone 5 is similar to the initial weekend opening of a summer blockbuster movie. It was necessary to release numerous products in a rather tight window, and the supply issues had some effect on this.

Japan Display and LG Display are the manufacturers of the displays for the iPhone 5. However, Apple has also contracted Sharp to help in the production of the screen displays. The supply issue may not last for long since Apple will likely be given preference when it comes to new components.

Time Cook, CEO of Apple had announced that the company is working on releasing the iPhone 5 units to its customers as soon as possible. Even though sell-outs were widely-noted, regular deliveries of the device were made to the stores.

The company is still making money despite some issues on the supply chain. A recent teardown of the iPhone 5 by HIS iSupply revealed that the 16GB model of the latest iPhone offering of the company costs around $207 to manufacture. This confirmed earlier reports in the possible cost of production of the next-generation iPhone.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Targeted By Apple

Samsung Galaxy S3

(Image Credit: telegraph.co.uk)

Following its win in the patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung, it appears that Apple is now setting its sights on the most popular device offering of the South Korean company, the Samsung Galaxy S3.

A new front has emerged in the legal battle between the two manufacturing giants as Apple has added a number of devices on its complaint against Samsung. Among the devices that the company included in the lawsuit are the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S2, the Galaxy Note, and the Galaxy Note 10.1.

The sale of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone is already banned in the US market following the recent ruling on a case filed by Apple last February. And it appears that Apple is aiming to have the ban extended to other Samsung devices including the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The supposed infringed patents that were included in the February lawsuit were separate from the case filed by the company in April of last year.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been quite popular in the market as sales surpassed the tenmillion mark in the first two months it was available in the international market. If the sales of the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be prohibited in the US market, it will ruin its success in the market.

The amended complaint of Apple reportedly showed similar contentions in all of the patent cases the company field against Samsung.  Apple indicated that Samsung copied the innovative products, features, designs and technology of Apple and has flooded the market with numerous devices that infringe the patent of the company in order to take part of the market share held by Apple.

However with the upcoming danger of a ban on its sale in the US market has resulted to the increasing popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S3 in the market.

A recently-conducted survey by a securities analyst showed that following the recent verdict against the South Korean company, sales of the Samsung Galaxy S3 have increased with some retail outlets reporting a sold-out status for the device.

Latest Samsung Series 9 Laptop Unveiled

Samsung Series 9 Laptop

(Image Credit: http://www.engadget.com)

Samsung recently unveiled its latest laptop offering during the IFA trade event in Berlin recently. The latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop will reportedly feature a pixel density that rivals the fifteen-inch MacBook Pro of Apple.

The 2560 x 1440 pixel density of the latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop reportedly rivals the 2880 x 1800 pixel density of the latest MacBook offering of Apple. In addition to the enhanced resolution of the device, the recently-unveiled Samsung laptop will reportedly allow user to easily view the screen due to its matte finish.

The latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop will reportedly have a density of 220 PPI if the screen size of the latest laptop is similar to the current Series 9 laptops of the company at 13.3 inches.

However since the laptop offering of Apple is already in the market, it has a distinct advantage over the latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop, which is currently an engineering sample. The South Korean company has not revealed much about the features, release schedule and price it the device.

Since a higher display resolution would mean more power needed for the device, some industry watchers are more concerned with the battery life of the latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop. This issue may be more pronounced if the company aims to maintain the slim design of the laptop, which is slimmer compared to the MacBook Pro of Apple with Retina Display.

The latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop is also expected to be costly since this is a high-end laptop offering of Samsung. The Series 9 laptop of Samsung has a base price of around $1,300. It is expected that the latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop will cost more than this due to its enhanced screen resolution.

However the latest thirteen-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop does offer another option for consumers who are in the market for a high-end laptop. 

Display Suppliers Readied For iPad Mini

iPad Mini

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It appears that the 7.85-inch display screen for the upcoming iPad Mini will be supplied by LG Display and AU Optronics, if recent reports are proven to be accurate.

The two companies were reportedly contracted by Apple to manufacture the display screens of the smaller version of the iPad. In addition to LG Display and AU Optronics producing the display screen for the iPad Mini, Yeh Cheng Technology of Foxconn and TPK Holding will reportedly provide the lamination coating of the display of the upcoming device.

The current model of the iPad has a screen size of 9.7 inches. Reports about the iPad Mini have emerged in recent months and its existence has yet to be acknowledged by Apple. Despite this, reports have continued to emerge along with supposed images of the upcoming device.

Recent reports have hinted at an October launch for the iPad Mini, which will reportedly have a price tag of around $249.

According to Rhoda Alexander, an analyst from HIS iSuppli, the competitors of the iPad Mini will likely be massacred if Apple will give its upcoming device a $249 price tag.

However prior to the launch of the iPad Mini, Apple is supposedly set to unveil the iPhone 5, which is the next generation model of its smartphone offering in the market. Reports have indicated that the iPhone 5 will feature a bigger screen display along with better features compare to the existing model of the device.

The iPhone 5 will reportedly be launched by Apple on September 12 and become available in the market by September 21. Earlier reports had initially indicated that the iPad Mini will be launched together with the next generation iPhone however latest reports have pointed to a possible October launch of the smaller version of the iPad.

Apple has not issued any statements on the reports in connection to the iPad Mini.

Display Supply Problems Affect Production Of iPhone 5

iPhone 5

Even before the iPhone 5 is unveiled by Apple, it appears that it is already experiencing some issues on the supply of its display screen.  The next version of the iPhone is expected to be launched by Apple within the month and it appears that supply issues will result to a backlog in the release of the device into the market.

The supply issue on the iPhone 5 display was reportedly experienced by Sharp, which is one of the suppliers of the display for the next iPhone. The two other suppliers are Japan Display and LG. Mass production of the new display of the iPhone 5 was already started by LG while Sharp supposedly started production last month.

Reports have indicated that the problems in the production of the displays for the iPhone 5 were due to the technology that is being used for the new screen displays. The high production cost has supposedly affected the profit margins of the company although no statements were issued by Sharp on the reason for the delay.

A new display was used by Apple in order to make the iPhone 5 slimmer. The technology utilizes touch sensors located inside the color filters of the display. In comparison, the touch sensors on the existing models of the iPhone are positioned on top of the color filters. The technology was patented by Apple, which will be the first company to use it and it will reduce the thickness of the iPhone 5 by at least 0.5 millimeters.

Aside from being slimmer, the screen display of the iPhone 5 will reportedly be bigger compared to the previous versions of the smartphone. According to reports, the screen size of the iPhone 5 will be around four inches, which is bigger by thirty percent compared to the existing models.  Due to this, the iPhone 5 will also be taller compared to the previous models and will feature a screen resolution of 1136 x 640.

Apple has not issued any statements in connection to the reports on the issue of the display supply for the upcoming iPhone 5.

Images of New Amazon Kindle Device Leaked

Amazon Kindle

(Image Credit: http://www.theverge.com)

Prior to the event that will supposedly launch the latest versions of the Amazon Kindle devices including the Amazon Kindle Fire, images have reportedly emerged showing the upcoming e-reader of the online retail giant.

The new models of the Amazon Kindle devices will supposedly be unveiled within the week and it appears that consumers have been given peek at the upcoming devices.

The images that were acquired by The Verge indicate that the shape of the device has generally remained the same as the previous versions of the Amazon Kindle. However the button located under the display has been removed while the bezel has become considerably darker compared to the earlier models of the device. The images also show the new Amazon Kindle devices will feature a higher resolution, better contrast, built-in lighting and a battery life lasting eight weeks.

The leaked images also refer to the Kindle Paperwhite and were supposedly promotional materials for French-speaking consumers. Despite its reference to the Kindle Paperwhite, it remains uncertain if this will be the new name of the upcoming device since it may also point to the new display screen of the device which is significantly brighter compared to the earlier models of the device.

The source of the images was not revealed by The Verge and Amazon has not made any statements on the supposed leaked images of the new Amazon Kindle devices.

Amazon has also announced recently that the Amazon Kindle Fire was sold out in the market. The new models of the device are expected to be unveiled during an upcoming event scheduled on September 6.

Reports Indicate That Apple iPad Mini Name Confirmed

iPad Mini

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Macotakara, a Japanese blog, has reported that the seven-inch tablet offering of Apple has been christened the iPad Mini.

The name, which has been making rounds over the net in recent months, will supposedly become the official name of the upcoming device. The blog site cited information from a source in Asia and the 7.85-inch iPad Mini will feature the familiar logo of the iPad at the back.

Although the accuracy of the report remains to be seen, iPad Mini was the name given by industry watchers when reports on the upcoming device started to emerge.

However the company may still come out with a surprise when the device is finally unveiled in the same way that industry watchers expected the third model of the iPad would be called the iPad 3. Instead Apple surprised everyone by simply calling the device as the new iPad.

An All Things D report indicated that the iPad Mini will be released by Apple by October. The same site also indicated that the company will schedule two events to launch its latest devices, the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5, which will reportedly be launched within the month.

These reports have contradicted earlier reports that hinted at a September 12 release for the two devices. However scheduling two separate launch events for the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5 appears sensible since it will allow the two devices to stand out once they are unveiled by Apple.

Even as majority of industry watchers are focusing on the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5, the company will reportedly offer the latest version of the iPod soon.

The new iPod Nano will reportedly feature Wi-Fi connectivity as well as support for the iTunes service of the company. Speculations have emerged hinting at the possibility that the upcoming refresh of the iPod Touch will feature support for NFC technology or near field communication technology.

Apple enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to before the end of the year although much of the focus has been on the iPad Mini and the latest version of the iPhone.