Samsung Galaxy S8 Leak: Next Flagship to be a VR Solution?

#GalaxyS8 #Smartphone – Samsung Galaxy S8 Leak: Next Flagship to be a VR Solution? : Details of the Samsung Galaxy S8 are starting to leak, the latest of which might have just painted what the next flagship's biggest advantage will be.

The latest Samsung Galaxy S8 leak indicated that the South Korean company's next flagship will be a virtual reality (VR) powerhouse. This is based on the other leaked specifications so far.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumored Specs

As per Forbes, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is going to house some powerful specs, including an ARM Mali-471 graphics chip paired with an octa-core Snapdragon SoC.

The former is one of the most powerful GPU in the market today and while the CPU is still not yet determined, it is expected to be the latest from Qualcomm, perhaps the next-generation Snapdragon 830.

To top it off, a display with 4K resolution is reportedly in the pipelines as well. With these ingredients, many noted that Samsung is brewing a flagship with advanced VR capabilities.

Other rumored specs include a curved screen only variant, which effectively ditches the flat screen, and a dual camera set-up like in the iPhone 7 Plus, LG V20 and other flagship smartphones from other companies.

There are also speculations suggesting that Samsung might take a page from Apple's iPhone 7 and oust the 3.5mm headphone jack, but that remains to be seen.

Next Phone is Overpowered?

However, there are reports casting some doubts over the leaked specs. According to some, the Samsung Galaxy S8 might be overpowered for the casual user. These high-tech specs are too much for the average consumer, which may affect sales.

Nonetheless, it is expected that Samsung will up their game and push for a flagship that is more technologically advanced than its competitors. Especially now that the tech giant is facing huge scandals following exploding batteries and washing machines.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is pegged for an early 2017 launch. Source: Itechpost

Source: Samsung Galaxy S8 Leak: Next Flagship to be a VR Solution?

Sony unveils flagship Xperia XZ with triple sensor camera

Xperia XZ will be available across all Sony centres and major electronic outlets for Rs 51,990 (the best buy price is Rs 49,990) from October 10. (Reuters)

Sony on Thursday launched another premium flagship smartphone in its Xperia range that comes packed with triple image sensing technology.

Xperia XZ will be available across all Sony centres and major electronic outlets for Rs 51,990 (the best buy price is Rs 49,990) from October 10.

The water-resistant Xperia XZ has two powerful cameras – a 23 MP main camera with triple image sensing technology that captures images with three times the precision and a 13 MP wide angle front camera.

The sensing technology allows users to capture beautiful images in motion in virtually any condition.

The triple image sensing technology has three technologies.

While "Image Sensor" provides a powerful blend of high-quality image, "Laser Autofocus Sensor" with distance-sensing technology captures blur-free photos in challenging low-light conditions.

RGBC-IR Sensor with colour-sensing technology adjusts the white balance based on the light source in the environment.

"Xperia XZ is the World's first smartphone with 5-axis video stabilisation technology, enabling users to shoot smoother and stable video recording and playbacks," the company said. This feature is applicable to both front and main camera.

With loop surface design, the 13.2 cm (5.2) glass full-HD display with Gorilla Glass 4 and metal back of the Xperia XZ become one to provide a perfect fit in the hand.

The fingerprint sensor power button is intuitively placed on the side of the phone, so users can securely unlock the device in a single movement.

It runs on a powerful 2.15 Ghz 64-bit processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 with 64GB internal memory and 3GB RAM.

Xperia XZ has 2900 mAh battery with "Qnovo Adaptive Charging" and "Battery Care" that optimises battery charging based on user behaviour and battery condition to deliver up to two times battery life span.

The dual SIM (GSM) smartphone accepts Nano-SIM. Connectivity options include 4G, VoLTE, ViLTE, VoWiFi, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and NFC.

Sensors on the phone include Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer and Gyroscope.

The device is pre-loaded with Android Marshmallow and Android Nougat will be available via upgrade in the coming months.

In the limited period pre-booking offer, customers will get free SmartBand Talk SWR30 worth Rs 8,990.

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Source: Sony unveils flagship Xperia XZ with triple sensor camera

Why Xiaomi's new handsets won't give it an edge in the smartphone market

The stand-out feature introduced was the ultrasonic fingerprint sensing technology, which Xiaomi said could read a user's fingerprint using ultrasonic waves when the user placed a finger on the sensor. This allowed Xiaomi to put their fingerprint sensor under the top glass of the phones, which eliminated the need for a ridge button or touch pad that is common in other handsets including the Samsung Galaxy S7.

"In theory, this would be more accurate since dirt will not affect the finger print being read here," IDC's senior market analyst, Xiaohan Tay, told CNBC by email.

"Xiaomi has never failed in its messaging of delivering phones with good specifications at a low-cost. My thoughts are that consumers will still see it as a low-cost alternative to Apple's newest iPhones," she said.

The new Mi 5s and 5s Plus handsets may not give Xiaomi the kind of boost in the smartphone market that it was hoping for, both O'Donnell and Tay agreed.

"I think smartphones peaked in fourth quarter 2015, and this year's going to be relatively flat, and perhaps even down," said O'Donnell, alluding to sales figures. "I'm not so sure if these new phones are going to make a dramatic difference for them."

The gap between Xiaomi and the world's largest smartphone makers has widened this year.

Data from research firm Gartner showed in the second quarter of 2016, Xiaomi held a 4.5 percent market share as the fifth largest vendor worldwide, compared to a 4.7 percent share a year earlier. In contrast, market leader Samsung increased their market share in the second quarter to 22.3 percent, from 21.8 percent a year earlier.

IDC numbers, on the other hand, showed the smartphone maker was pushed out of the global top five by Chinese rivals OPPO and vivo this year, while rival Huawei consolidated its third spot on the table.

Tay added that most of Xiaomi's shipments would continue to come from its low-end Redmi line. "I think that [Xiaomi] will see its mid-range shipments improve once it is able to improve on its branding."

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Source: Why Xiaomi's new handsets won't give it an edge in the smartphone market

One Plus 4 to boost futuristic features of smartphones

#OnePlus4 #Smartphone – One Plus 4 to boost futuristic features of smartphones : One Plus, a Chinese smartphone maker, was hounded by rumors that One Plus 4 mobile will soon surface at the tech market.

Though no official confirmation was being disclosed, talks on One Plus 4 mobile are moving with a rapid pace in the internet world.

The rumors, which made head-to-head comparison between One Plus 4 and iPhone 7, showed One Plus 4 as the superior compared to the other.

If talks are true, the results of the comparison will be well known to the viewers of this post.

As per the reports, One Plus 3 made a tremendous roar in the smartphone market and the expectations from the One Plus 4 enthusiasts might go well with the speculations as specified.

Reports suggest that One Plus 4 is rumored to be made with aluminum curved body with a 5.5 inch diagonal screen with OLED display with 4k resolution along with 3D technology and other features.

One Plus 4 is expected to have a powerful battery with 4000mAh, which is expected to run very well along with a feature of wireless charging that is rumored to be the first phone from One Plus with this technology.

The monster One Plus 4 phone is rumored to have will come 8gb of RAM and a QUALCOMM Snapdragon 830 processor with Android Nougat OS incorporated in its internal storage.

Its 32gb of internal storage is expandable up to 256gb. It will also carry an OLED display, USB-C port, NFC support, 21MP or 23MP rear camera with Sony sensor integration, and 8MP front camera for selfie craze.

With the current rumored features and specifications, the other mobile companies should plan their next flagship by keeping One Plus 4 as a main aim before developing any smartphone. The rumored specifications shows that the One Plus 4 is way ahead of its time.

The release date of One Plus 4 as per the source is speculated to be in 2017 with a price predictions of 300USD to 400USD.

If the rumors turn out to be true, One Plus 4 is likely to roar the smartphone market in 2017. Source: HNGN

Source: One Plus 4 to boost futuristic features of smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S8: Release date, price, specs and other rumours about the next generation smartphone

Samsung's next flagship smartphone will have to be the best one its ever produced.

Firstly, the South Korean company will have to overcome the disastrous rollout of the exploding Galaxy Note 7. And secondly, there's the small matter of the iPhone 7 to compete with.

Although it's unlikely that we'll see the next Samsung Galaxy phone much before March 2017, there are already supposed leaks showing up online.

Read More

Whilst Apple appears to refine and strip down its phones, Samsung appears to be going the other way. If the current crop of internet rumours are to be believed, the company will be throwing everything it has into its next blower.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 was a big hit in early 2016

So, what do we know so far? We've collected all the latest whisperings right here and will continue to update this piece as we learn more.

Read More Latest news

The most recent news regarding Samsung's next creation is to do with the processor chips inside the phones themselves.

A report on Samsung-watching site SamMobile hit on the fact that the S8 may include an Exynos 8895 processor coupled with a Mali-G71 GPU. According to the site, that means the new phone will be up to 1.8 times more powerful than the already-impressive Galaxy S7.

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What's more, SamMobile echoes other sites that suggest the S8 will have a 5.2-inch 4K-capable display. The reason? Samsung's pushing heavily into virtual reality and having a powerful screen resolution means you can use the phone in VR headsets like the Samsung Galaxy Gear and Google Cardboard.

Release date

We might not know anything concrete about the Galaxy S8 release date for months yet, but thankfully it's a relatively easy thing to predict.

Read More

Samsung's Galaxy phones have (since the S2 in 2011) been announced at or around the time of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona. It happens each year in late February or early March. This lets Samsung have its phones on the shelves by the end of March or, more likely, early April.

The entrence to the exhibition centre before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, 28 February 2015.

The 2017 Mobile World Congress event will take place from February 27 to March 2. Meaning we can expect a new Samsung announcement around February 26 or 27 next year.

Price

As with Apple's iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy handsets have more or less plateaued when it comes to price. The current 32GB S7 comes in at £569 whilst the slightly larger S7 edge is £639. It's unlikely that Samsung's new phones will deviate too far from this kind of pricing. So you better start saving.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge aren't cheap Read More

What could change things is if Samsung decides to offer multiple storage options. At the moment you can only get the S7 with 32GB of storage. If Samsung opts to increase this to 64GB or even 128GB the price could increase also.

However, the company could also keep the storage space as it is and instead include the capacity of the microSD card slot.

Specifications

Aside from the aforementioned 4K screen, there are a few rumours circulating about what kind of power the S8 may have under the bonnet.

Samsung's cameras have been exceptionally good recently, but the proliferation of dual-lens snappers from the likes of Apple, Huawei and LG may inspire it to follow suit. According to tech site Trusted Reviews , Samsung is indeed planning to include dual-lens cameras in its next phone.

Read More

A recent leak, reported on by the gadget site Pocket Lint , seems to have a clear picture of the S8's specs. It says the new phone will pack in 6GB of RAM and a 30-megapixel camera.

An exploded Samsung Galaxy Note 7

There will also be a 4,200mAh battery which - providing it doesn't explode - should easily see the phone through 24 hours of solid usage.

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Source: Samsung Galaxy S8: Release date, price, specs and other rumours about the next generation smartphone

iPhone 8 release date, specs rumors: Next flagship’s possible logo revealed

#iPhone8 #iPhone7 – iPhone 8 release date, specs rumors: Next flagship's possible logo revealed : Now, while Apple Inc.'s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have just been unwrapped for the entire world to feast on and experience, the Cupertino-based firm is now gearing up for its next biggest release from the iconic iPhone lineup.

And for good reason. The next iPhone iteration will mark the company's 10th year in the smartphone industry. And if there is something Apple is very known for, it is that the company is always at the top of its game when it comes to preparation.

As such, a few significant details have already surfaced about the forthcoming iteration, the most talked-about of which is the company's purported logo for iPhone 8. According to Patently Apple, the U.S. tech giant may already have the smartphone's logo in mind. Filed in Hong Kong on Sept. 23, 2016, the "8" logo is presented with colored circular bars. The design is very much akin to those found on Apple's "Activity" app.

As per the same publication, Apple has filed two different trademark requests in the country in which it says, "One of the trademark filings was filed under International Class 9 which covers everything under the sun." Meanwhile, the second request details the personal services and a provision for customer-specific information in both online and real life. It is wrapped under "International Class 45."

On the other hand, a conceptual design on iPhone 8's speculated features has been put out in the open, much to its fans' excitement. The renders were created by Veniamin Geskin, which was later shared directly to TechnoBuffalo and consequently, through his Twitter account.

The concept is very much inspiring as it combines the iteration's heavily speculated, upcoming features. The device is shown to be sporting a "wrap-around" display, similar to Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Further, the unit features a ceramic build, akin to the company's Apple Watch Edition Series 2.

In addition, a portion of the renders has shown the device's wireless charging functionality, evidently removing the Lightning port altogether. Ultimately, the result is nothing short of miraculous in terms of its aesthetics and durability. And if these turn out to be legitimate, then Apple might very well be distancing itself apart from most of its competition in a very strategic way. Source: christiandaily

Source: iPhone 8 release date, specs rumors: Next flagship's possible logo revealed

Sony Xperia Z6 could be XZ in disguise; Device packs 4K video, water resistance, 23MP camera

#Sony #XperiaZ6 – Sony Xperia Z6 could be XZ in disguise; Device packs 4K video, water resistance, 23MP camera : After the IFA 2016 event in Berlin, Sony Xperia fans did not get a glimpse of the flagship phone included in the Xperia lineup, the Z6, which paved way for rumors on the unit's cancellation or with Z6 disguising as XZ.

Sony also announced in the event that Xperia XZ phone will be available for United Kingdom in early October; however, the exact release date is still unknown.

There was nothing official on the new smartphone's price, though rumors claim that it will have a price between £500 and £600 (SIM-free) once it launches.

According to Headline and Global News, Xperia XZ will have a 5.2 inch triluminous display with dynamic contrast enhancement for a display that could render the device extremely bright, crisp and vibrant. It will also possess a beautiful exterior body made from glass, Polycarbonate and Alkaleido (Aluminum alloy).

Moreover, the Xperia XZ will have a more rounded edge compared to other models, and it will be equipped with the IP68 water resistance feature ensuring users a worriless experience, Asiastarz has learned.

In addition, what makes Xperia XZ a powerhouse device is its camera and video features. The device is powered by a 23MP Sony IMX300 rear camera with Auto Focus, SteadyShot and 5-axis optical image stabilization and 13 MP front camera. It is also 4K capable in video capturing with 2160p and SteadyShot.

Furthermore, Xperia is already powered by Snapdragon 820 chipset, Quad-core Kryo processor, Adreno 530 GPU with 3GB RAM. It also has an internal storage of 32GB but expandable up to 200GB via microSD.

It will also carry a 2,900 mAh battery, a USB Type-C port, stereo speakers and a fingerprint sensor at the side (power button). Unfortunately, the Xperia XZ will not be released with a fingerprint sensor in the United States.

Xperia XZ is produced in three colors, particularly, Mineral Black, Platinum, and Forest Blue; however, talks are still on hand about an additional color called Deep Pink, which may be launched later. Source: Yibada

Source: Sony Xperia Z6 could be XZ in disguise; Device packs 4K video, water resistance, 23MP camera

Moto Taking Preorders for Unlocked Moto Z Smartphone

The unlocked version of the Moto Z can be preordered for $699.99. The handset will work with AT&T, T-Mobile and other GSM networks.

Two weeks after launching its latest Moto Z Play Droid Edition smartphone with Verizon on Sept. 8, Moto.com has begun taking preorders for the unlocked version of the Moto Z.The unlocked Moto Z, which sells for $699.99, is compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile and other GSM networks and allows owners to switch carriers, will be changing out the phone's SIM card. The unlocked 4G LTE handsets, which do not include preloaded bloatware from any carriers, were announced by Motorola on Sept. 22. A release date for the new phone was not announced but previously was targeted for October.The latest Moto Z features a 5.5-inch quad HD 1440p AMOLED touch-screen display (2,560 x 1,440 resolution) with a Corning Gorilla Glass cover, a 1.8 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, an Adreno 530 GPU, 4GB of LPDDR4 memory, 64GB of on-board storage and a microSD card that supports external storage cards up to 256GB.The unlocked Moto Z runs on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow operating system and a lso includes a 13-megapixel rear camera with an f/1.8 lens, optical image stabilization, laser autofocus, 8X digital zoom and 1080p HD and 4K video. The 5-megapixel front camera has an f/2.2 wide-angle lens and its own flash. Powering the handset is a 2,600mAh rechargeable battery with TurboPower fast charging that gives eight hours of use after just 15 minutes of charging. In addition, the unlocked Moto Z includes a fingerprint reader for user and device security, a water-repellent nano-coating for protection against accidental spills of liquids and a USB-C port for headphones, charging and data transfer. A 3.5mm USB-C headphone port adapter is included. The unlocked Moto Z is 6.03 inches tall, 2.96 inches wide and 0.20 inches thick, and weighs 4.79 ounces and also includes WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1 and Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity. The handset comes in black with lunar gray trim and a black front lens.

Earlier in September, Motorola launched its Moto Z Play Droid Edition smartphone exclusively through Verizon. The Moto Z Play Droid Edition features a 5.5-inch 1080p HD Super AMOLED touch-screen display, estimated battery life of up to 50 hours on a charge and a $408 price tag. The 4G LTE handset, known as the Moto Z Play elsewhere around the world, features a 2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, an Adreno 506 graphics processor, 3GB of memory, 32GB of on-board storage and a microSD card slot for additional storage.

The Moto Z Play Droid Edition handset also includes a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera with laser auto-focusing, an f/2.0 lens, 4X digital zoom and 4K video capabilities, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2.2 lens and LED flash, and a fingerprint reader for device and user security. The handsets are built around an aluminum frame and have a glass back plate. Like its unlocked Moto Z stablemate, the Moto Z Play Droid Edition phone features TurboPower fast charging, the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow operating system, a water-repellent nano-coating to protect it from spills and WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC connectivity capabilities. The Droid Edition handset is 6.15 inches long, 3 inches wide and 0.27 inches thick and weighs 5.8 ounces. It comes in Black/Silver/Black Slate or White/Fine Gold/Sugar White color combinations.A standard Moto Z Play model is available in Europe for about $558.All of the Moto Z phones, including the latest unlocked model, work with Lenovo's Moto Mods col lection of modular attachments. The latest such attachment is the Hasselblad True Zoom module, which is a camera attachment that adds a Hasselblad-engineered camera to the Moto Z handsets. The Hasselblad True Zoom module snaps onto the phone and adds capabilities, including 10x optical zoom, a Xenon flash and RAW image capturing. The Hasselblad True Zoom module sells for $249.99.In June, Lenovo announced its latest Moto Z and the Moto Z Force smartphones, which also feature a series of interchangeable, modular Moto Mod backs that can be snapped onto the phones to add varying features as needed by users, including a larger battery, a big-screen projector or a boom box speaker system for over-the-top audio. The Moto Z and Moto Z Force handsets are flagship smartphones that include all-metal bodies, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processors and Moto TurboPower fast charging capabilities. The Moto Z Force also includes the Moto Shattershield display, which is guaranteed not to crack or shatte r. 
Source: Moto Taking Preorders for Unlocked Moto Z Smartphone

Surface Phone VS iPhone 7: Which Smartphone Comes Out On Top?

#SurfacePhone #iPhone7 – Surface Phone VS iPhone 7: Which Smartphone Comes Out On Top? : Microsoft Corporation has always remained at the pinnacle of the computer world due to its Windows powered devices and software, but the Redmond-based tech giant has had a far less fortunate experience in the smartphone market.

After the sad demise of its Windows Phone, Microsoft is highly tipped to be gearing up for a comeback with its highly anticipated Surface Phone which could mean trouble for big players in the smartphone market, especially Apple.

Interestingly, reliable sources have indicated that the upcoming Microsoft Surface Phone could boast specifications which could ultimately make the recently released iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus look very irrelevant. Here is a quick comparison of the upcoming Surface Phone with Apple's latest flagship smartphone device.

Display: Apple has incorporated a very respectable 4.7-inch display in its iPhone 7 model but reliable sites are speculating that the upcoming Surface Phone will sport a massive 5.7-inch AMOLED display which would easily outperform the display of its rival smartphone. There is no secret that AMOLED displays have an upper hand against LCD displays, making the upcoming Surface Phone significantly more desirable to work with.

Processor and RAM: This is another area where the upcoming Surface Phone can have a major advantage against its iPhone 7 counterpart, as the former is highly rumored to be powered by the next generation QUALCOMM Snapdragon processing chipset.

Even though the iPhone 7 is incorporated with the latest A 10 processor, it would be no match for the processing power rumored for Microsoft's next generation smartphone. Also, the high-end version of Surface Phone is highly tipped to feature a massive 8GB RAM which would give the upcoming smartphone all the power it needs to get the better of its iPhone rival.

Memory: Apple deserves a lot of credit for boosting the internal memory of its flagship smartphone device but it still falls behind some of the leading smartphone devices in the market. Poplar sites have suggested that the high-end version of Surface Phone will feature a jaw dropping internal memory capacity worth of 1TB which would make the device a dream come true for heavy multimedia users. Hence, this is another area where the upcoming Surface Phone is highly rumored to get the better of the iPhone 7.

It is important to remember that this comparison is based on rumored specs for the Microsoft Surface Phone, so it would be unwise to draw any solid conclusions unless the tech giant officially announces its next generation smartphone models. Hopefully, we will get to hear about the rumored Surface Phone during Microsoft's upcoming event in October. Source: thecountrycaller

Source: Surface Phone VS iPhone 7: Which Smartphone Comes Out On Top?

Google smartphone expected at Oct 4 event

Google has sent out invitations to an October 4 event, hinting that the Internet titan will show off a new smartphone powered by its Android mobile software.

Emailed invitations sent late Monday revealed only the time and place for the gathering in San Francisco, the message topped by blue, red, yellow, and green dots of color.

Google fired off a Twitter message with hashtag #madebygoogle and a video of what appeared to be a long rectangular search term box morphing into a silhouette of a smartphone.

Industry trackers have been expecting Google in October to show off its own smartphone, showcasing the prowess of its new Nougat version of Android software.

Google may stamp its latest smartphones with a "Pixel" brand instead of the "Nexus" name it has used in the past for Android smartphones it has made in collaborations with partners.

A Google smartphone would be fielded as a standard to which other's making Android devices should aspire, and would come just weeks after Apple's began selling new iPhone 7 models.

An enticing Google smartphone could also prove a contender for the attention of buyers during the prime year-end holiday shopping season.

Scenes in Apple stores around the world on Friday were reminiscent of days before online ordering became a norm and people camped out for days to be first to get hands on the California company's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Enthusiasm was peppered with disappointment due to shortages of the large-screen iPhone 7 Plus and a jet-black iPhone 7, but it was unclear if the shortages were the result of strong demand or limited supply.

The devices chart a new path for the tech giant by eliminating headphone jacks, a move seen as setting a trend for a wireless future

The iPhones also boast Apple's freshly-released iOS 10 mobile operating system.

While the company has touted total iPhone sales of one billion, the number sold in the quarter ending June 25 fell 15 percent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the key profit driver.

Growth has become challenging with many mobile phone markets saturated, with Apple rivals producing a wide variety of devices powered by Android software that Google makes available for free.

Apple faces stiff competition from traditional rival Samsung, although the South Korean giant is currently on the back foot after being forced into a massive recall because of exploding batteries of its flagship Galaxy Note 7.

Source: Google smartphone expected at Oct 4 event

Google smartphone expected at Oct. 4 event

Emailed invitations revealed only the time and place for the gathering in San Francisco, the message topped by blue, red, yellow, and green dots of color.

Google fired off a Twitter message with hashtag #madebygoogle and a video of what appeared to be a long rectangular search term box morphing into a silhouette of a smartphone.

Industry trackers have been expecting Google in October to show off its own smartphone, showcasing the prowess of its new Nougat version of Android software.

Google may stamp its latest smartphones with a "Pixel" brand instead of the "Nexus" name it has used in the past for Android smartphones it has made in collaborations with partners.

A Google smartphone would be fielded as a standard to which other's making Android devices should aspire, and would come just weeks after Apple's began selling new iPhone 7 models.

An enticing Google smartphone could also prove a contender for the attention of buyers during the prime year-end holiday shopping season.

Scenes in Apple stores around the world on Friday were reminiscent of days before online ordering became a norm and people camped out for days to be first to get hands on the California company's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Enthusiasm was peppered with disappointment due to shortages of the large-screen iPhone 7 Plus and a jet-black iPhone 7, but it was unclear if the shortages were the result of strong demand or limited supply.

The devices chart a new path for the tech giant by eliminating headphone jacks, a move seen as setting a trend for a wireless future

The iPhones also boast Apple's freshly-released iOS 10 mobile operating system.

While the company has touted total iPhone sales of one billion, the number sold in the quarter ending June 25 fell 15 percent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the key profit driver.

Growth has become challenging with many mobile phone markets saturated, with Apple rivals producing a wide variety of devices powered by Android software that Google makes available for free.

Apple faces stiff competition from traditional rival Samsung, although the South Korean giant is currently on the back foot after being forced into a massive recall because of exploding batteries of its flagship Galaxy Note 7.

gc/mdl

© 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse

Source: Google smartphone expected at Oct. 4 event

LeEco Le Pro 3 Leaked: Images Found Prematurely On The Internet

#LeEcoLePro3 #Mobile – LeEco Le Pro 3 Leaked: Images Found Prematurely On The Internet : LeEco, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, has been aggressively promoting  their upcoming LeEco flagship devices. The Le Pro 2 was just launched in April 2016 and the le Pro 3 was supposed to be released in six months time after the first release. However, images of the device have been found on the internet ahead of launch.

While a few leaks describing the specs of the LeEco phone have been teased by the Chinese company, there has never been a live image of the device just yet.

However, a Chinese actor recently got his hands on one of the LeEco Le Pro 3 smartphones and decided to share images on a social media platform, Weibo, which is the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, GSM Arena reported.

These kinds of leaks should normally be taken with a grain of salt, However, this case is different.  The official account on Weibo of the LeEco company has reblogged the actor's  post which then confirms that it was, in fact, the LeEco Le Pro 3 smartphone device.

There were two images posted on Weibo. One of which shows the Le Pro 3 lying upside down on the table showing its back. The second image shows the actor holding the phone.

The question of its authenticity was then answered by the company by re-blogging the actor's post while adding that the phone will be launched at an event on September 21, according to Android Headlines.

The LeEco Le Pro 3 will have two variants as teased earlier by the company. One variant will be having a 5.5-inch full HD screen while the other will have a 5.7-inch HD-quality screen.

The 5.5-inch variant will have a 1920 x 1080 resolution and features a  16 MP rear camera with 8 MP camera up front. On the other hand, the 5.7-inch variant will have 2560 x 1440 screen resolution with 13 MP rear camera and a powerful 16 MP front camera. Additionally, both devices will sport the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip. Source: Universityherald

Source: LeEco Le Pro 3 Leaked: Images Found Prematurely On The Internet

Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, specs: Flagship to be launched without the headphone jack?

#GalaxyS8 #Smartphone – Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, specs: Flagship to be launched without the headphone jack? : In the advent of wireless audio in mobile devices spearheaded by Cupertino-based Apple, the trend seems to be catching up to other phone makers and one of the notable companies that may well seem to follow is Apple's closest rival, Samsung.

Despite the South Korean tech giant's current fiasco involving their Galaxy Note 7 flagship, the company is said to be gearing up in devising the next Galaxy S smartphone and as aforementioned the handset is rumored to be veering away from the audio connector.

However, the company may not go wireless after all as reports are suggesting that the still-prevalent audio jack might be replaced instead with a USB Type-C hub that is now being adopted by most of the current and upcoming mobile devices.

Meanwhile, if the spinning rumors about the hyped device are anything to go by, the Galaxy S8 is slated for next year's release and is currently in development. Moreover, reports say that there will be two iterations of Samsung's 2017 flagship handset and they are said to be donning the product IDs SM-G950 and SM-G955, as well as the codenames "Dream" and "Dream 2."

In addition, the Galaxy S8 is speculated to be powered by either Samsung's Exynos processor or Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipset that are both timed with impressive speeds. Nonetheless, fans should be taking this with a pinch of salt since the handset's release is still far-off.

There were also suggestions from online tech gurus pointing out that the company should be setting their sights on re-establishing their reputation now that the Galaxy Note 7's erring battery has flawed the Galaxy moniker.

Analysts further explained that Samsung should be gearing up a notch in perfecting the Galaxy S8 to have an earlier than scheduled reveal and at the same time dampen the worsening Galaxy Note 7 woes. Source: Vinereport

Source: Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, specs: Flagship to be launched without the headphone jack?

LG V20 Android flagship smartphone

LG V20 Android flagship smartphoneMark Peters : September 17th 2016 - 22:44 CET Android Nougat flagship smartphoneThe LG V20 comes with the mobile user interface LG UX 5.0+ to make it easier to use the multimedia functions tailored to customer needs. The LG UX 5.0+ is an upgraded version of the LG UX 5.0 first introduced on the LG G5. It is also the world's first smartphone interface to run on Android 7.0 Nougat. The LG V20, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with X12 LTE, introduces Steady Record 2.0, leveraging Qualcomm Technologies' electronic image stabilization 3.0 to record sharper video footage while neutralizing shaky images. The gyro-based EIS improves sync accuracy between the image and the gyro by reducing sync latency to only 50 milliseconds. Electronic image stabilization is complemented by digital image stabilization which further improves video quality in post-processing by adjusting objects across frames and minimizing distortion caused by rolling shutter for smoother action. Smartphone with Hi-Fi video recordingLG V20 owners can record Hi-Fi videos and manually control the settings for perfect audio quality using options such as Low Cut Filter (LCF) that removes unwanted background noise and Limiter (LMT) that sets recording distance. The LCF reduces background noise while the LMT zeroes in on voices the user wants to record. The V20 also captures audio using 24-bit / 48 kHz Linear Pulse Code Modulation (LPCM), the same format used in professional video equipment. The LG V20 is the world's first smartphone to feature a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, powered by ESS Technology, designers of high-performance audio products. Powered by ESS SABRE ES9218, the Quad DAC in the V20 delivers clearer sound by minimizing distortion and ambient noise by up to 50 percent. With 75-stage fine volume and L/R balance controls as well as support for lossless music formats including FLAC, DSD, AIFF and ALAC, the V20 delivers high-quality sound to any pair of earphones. Next level of mobile sound recordingThe HD Audio Recorder represents the next level of sound recording. This feature lets users capture studio quality audio with a wider dynamic frequency range using three high AOP microphones to record incredible sound that surpass audio recordings on conventional smartphones. With Studio Mode, manually control sound with easy-to-use keys similar to ones found in video cameras and use Music Recorded to create high quality audio suitable for auditions by recording singing voices over existing music. In an effort to further enhance audio functions and design, LG continues its collaboration with B&O PLAY. The result in the LG V20 is a natural, balanced sound, reflecting B&O PLAY's acoustic engineering philosophy. Wide-angle lens photographyThe wide angle capabilities of the front and rear cameras capture photos with an inclusive background, meaning users get more in the frame and leave nothing out. The 5MP front camera with a 120-degree lens expands the selfie experience to take bigger pictures with even more friends. The 8 megapixel rear camera with its 135-degree lens is perfect for taking pictures in front of a gorgeous vista or inside a gigantic stadium. The large aperture standard angle lens captures sharp images at a maximum of 16 megapixel with its 75-degree lens. The Auto Shot Function on the front camera produces perfect selfies with its face detection feature, which triggers the shot when the subject is ready and smiling. There is no need to press the shutter button, which usually increases camera shake and the likelihood of a blurred shot. Hybrid Auto Focus and Second ScreenThe V20's Hybrid Auto Focus (HAF) ensures a sharp picture every time. A fast and stable auto focus is delivered in any environment by integrating three AF mechanisms - Laser Detection AF, Phase Detection AF and Contrast AF - for both videos and photos. The V20 determines if LDAF or PDAF is best for a particular shot and then refines the focus with Contrast AF. Users can take full advantage of the LG V20 when capturing sharp images of friends or family in action, in any lighting conditions. The popular Second Screen feature that was first introduced on the V10 has improved in visibility. With double the brightness and 50 percent larger font size compared to the V10, the smaller display located above the main display allows users to easily view notifications and alerts in outdoor situations at a glance. LG V20 test conducted by an independent laboratoryTo achieve both a sophisticated look and solid durability, LG uses lightweight aluminum, together with a new silicon-based material. AL6013 metal, found in aircraft, sailboats and mountain bikes, was selected to cover the back of the phone due to its sturdy but light properties. If dropped, the top and bottom of the phone are protected from damage by Silicone Polycarbonate (Si-PC). This innovative material, found in helmets, reduces shocks by more than 20 percent compared to conventional materials. The LG V20 Android Nougat smartphone has also passed the MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test for durability conducted by an independent laboratory that conforms to U.S. military standards. The test determined that the V20 could withstand shocks and still function when dropped repeatedly from a height of four feet and landing in various positions, including the front, back, sides and corners.

Source: LG V20 Android flagship smartphone

As iPhone 7 Hits Stores, Apple Devotees Click ‘Buy’

Updated Sept. 16, 2016 5:49 p.m. ET

A slightly unusual scene unfolded Friday at some Apple Inc. AAPL -0.56 % stores around the world, where the normal lines of camped-out shoppers eager to buy the latest iPhone were replaced in certain locations by smaller throngs who had preordered the largely sold-out phone.

The big question, whose answer could take time to become clear, is whether these fans' launch-day zeal will ultimately stem declining sales of the company's flagship smartphone.

Analysts and investors have long looked at opening-weekend sales as a gauge of enthusiasm for the smartphone.

At Apple's flagship store in San Francisco's Union Square, the line of a couple dozen people Friday morning paled in comparison to previous years, when hundreds of people waited for new iPhones.

Rene White stepped to the end of the line at about 6 a.m., planning to buy a rose gold iPhone 7. She expects to order online next year. "I've never waited in line for any Apple products before," the 33-year-old said. "It has looked exciting, but this really wasn� ��t. It's just a line, really."

In New York, a security team guarded a mostly empty plaza at the Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan by 4:30 p.m. Customers like 20-year-old Alexander Klyus were in and out of the store with a new phone in 15 minutes.

At the Beijing Apple store in the Sanlitun shopping district, most of the people who had arrived Friday morning had preordered a phone online.

Wang Tianxiang, 23, said Apple's preorder website in China earlier this week was overloaded, but he managed to get his order in by refreshing repeatedly at 2 a.m. He decided to switch to an iPhone for the first time from his Chinese-designed Oneplus smartphone.

"iPhones are more reliable and the interface is better," he said.

In Japan, more than 200 people lined up Friday morning in front of Apple stores in Ginza and Omotesando, two of Tokyo's ritziest shopping districts. Japan's three major mobile phone carriers— NTT DoCoMo Inc., DCM -1.01 % KDDI Corp. 9433 -0.49 % and SoftBank Group Corp. 9984 0.93 % 's local unit—said they were seeing the highest number of orders since they started selling iPhones.

Initial excitement doesn't necessarily translate into bigger sales, however. Initial iPhone 6s and 6s Plus orders exceeded those from the prior year, though sales declined in the past two quarters. Apple doesn't specify sales by model.

For the first time, Apple this year isn't planning to report first-weekend sales, calling the numbers irrelevant as it knows the iPhone 7 will sell out. Apple already signaled it wouldn't be able to meet demand when customers walked through the doors Friday. It said the iPhone 7 in shiny "jet black"—its newest finish—and the larger iPhone 7 Plus in all colors, sold out during preorders.

Adding to the prelaunch hype, T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS -1.34 % and Sprint Corp. S -2.06 % earlier this week suggested strong consumer interest, though without providing specific numbers.

"Nobody does product launches better than Apple—we know the phones will sell out. They always sell out," said Rob Handfield, a professor of supply-chain management at North Carolina State University. "What we don't know is whether or not the hype and demand will last."

Even though Apple is a consumer-product veteran run by a logistics expert, it perennially comes up short in meeting initial iPhone demand. Knowing how much supply to produce for highly coveted new products, like an iPhone with a new color, is tough, said John Haber, chief executive at the consulting firm Spend Management Experts and a former UPS executive who spent a decade working in corporate strategy and finance.

Still, Apple has been selling the iPhone for nearly 10 years. And creating buzz with the appearance of customers hungry to get their hands on an item in short supply is a tactic straight from marketing textbooks.

"They're happy not meeting demand this weekend," Mr. Haber said. "This is a common tactic for companies that want to turn selling a new product into what are essentially events—Apple devices, Air Jordans, Harry Potter books, it's all the same tactic to generate interest."

Such temporary shortfalls generally don't hurt total sales of a new device, as Apple's supply in the past has caught up with demand by the time it really counts, in time for the winter holiday rush.

Apple declined to comment on its supply chain and launch strategy.

—Megumi Fujikawa and Imani Moise contributed to this article.

Write to Nathan Olivarez-Giles at Nathan.Olivarez-giles@wsj.com, Eva Dou at eva.dou@wsj. com and Mike Cherney at mike.cherney@wsj.com

Source: As iPhone 7 Hits Stores, Apple Devotees Click 'Buy'

Apple Says Some iPhone 7 Models Are Already Sold Out

As the latest iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models go on sale Sept. 16, some customers won't be able to get them that day in stores.

Apple's new iPhone 7 flagship smartphones have been in such demand during preorders that the company is already sold out of its initial opening day supplies of the jet black iPhone 7 and all colors of its larger iPhone 7 Plus handsets as their Sept. 16 launch date looms.The company announced the thinning supplies of some of the phone models in a statement released Sept. 14, according to BGR.com."We couldn't be happier with the initial response to iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and we are looking forward to beginning sales through our retail stores and partners around the world," Apple said in its statement. "Beginning Friday, limited quantities of iPhone 7 in silver, gold, rose gold, and black will be available for walk-in customers at Apple retail stores. During the online preorder period, initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus in all finishes and iPhone 7 in jet black sold out and will not be available for walk-in customers. Availability at partner locations for all finishes may vary an d we recommend checking directly with them."Apple is still taking orders for the new phones in all colors, but not all models and colors will be available when sales open in stores, the company added. "Customers can continue to order all models in all colors on Apple.com. We sincerely appreciate our customers' patience as we work hard to get the new iPhone into the hands of everyone who wants one as quickly as possible." Apple did not respond to several email inquiries from eWEEK seeking comments on its brisk iPhone sales. Preorder sales of the new handsets, which were publicly announced Sept. 7, have been steady and hot for mobile carriers including T-Mobile and Sprint, according to a recent eWEEK report. The handset preorders have already outranked previous iPhone preorder numbers at T-Mobile and set a single-day preorder sales record for any smartphone ever offered by T-Mobile.T-Mobile's preorders from Sept. 9 through Sept. 12 were nearly four times the level of the next most popular iPhone and are continuing to be strong, according to the carrier. T-Mobile said the iPhone preorder figures are the highest preorder numbers in its history, and its preregistrations for the iPhone 7 before preorders even opened also broke records for T-Mobile, exceeding preregistrations for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s handsets.Sprint said it is also seeing soaring preorder rates for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which are up more than 375 percent in the first three days over last year's release of the iPhone 6s models. The latest iPhone 7 models, which start at $649, are splash-, water- and dust-resistant, include new 12-megapixel cameras (dual lens cameras in the iPhone 7 Plus model) and the new A10 Fusion processor. The handsets come in 32GB, 128GB or 256GB versions. The new iPhones no longer include a headphone jack, however, and come with a set of ear buds that connect to the phones using the existing Lightning port. Apple's new optional wireless AirPods sell for an additional $159 to allow users to go wireless, though other options also exist.The iPhone 7 has a 4.7-inch Retina touch-screen display, while the iPhone 7 Plus uses a 5.5-inch Retina touch-screen display. Both handsets offer 4K video recording capabilities as well as autofocus and optical image stabilization features.Apple's latest iOS 10 mobile operating system, which is preloaded on the new iPhones, was released by Apple on Sept. 13 and is being pushed out to compatible devices.
Source: Apple Says Some iPhone 7 Models Are Already Sold Out

Qualcomm announces Clear Sight dual camera tech for flagship devices

Qualcomm processors have already supported a number of smartphones with dual camera technology. Today, they announced Qualcomm Clear Sight, powered by Spectra ISP that is designed to mimic the attributes of the human eye. This new tech offers improved dynamic range, sharpness, and less noise in low light.

Read the explanation from Qualcomm about this new technology,

The human eye is a great analogy because your eyes contain cells called "cones" and "rods." Cones are great at capturing color, but require well-lit environments, while rods excel in capturing light in low-light conditions, but don't capture as much color. Clear Sight is designed to mimic cones and rods to give you the best of both worlds, producing an image that has optimal contrast and brightness.

Clear Sight features two cameras, each with its own lens and image sensor. Like your eyes, the lenses have identical focal length (meaning they see the same distance). But each camera has a different image sensor: one color image sensor (to mimic cones), and a separate black and white image sensor (which can absorb more light, to mimic rods).

With Clear Sight, the color sensor and black and white sensors are the same. But the black and white sensor can capture light 3x more than color sensor which is helpful with low-light environments. Clear Sight merges the information from both color and black and white sensors to create photos that have less noise and improved sharpness.  This dual camera tech is only supported on their flagship processors Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and 821 processors.

Clear Sight consists of a single, fully integrated hardware module that contains two cameras, plus computational low light imaging algorithms that enable Qualcomm Spectra ISPs, designed to take photos at the exact same time and merge the two photos together, instantaneously, with outstanding image quality even in low lighting.

I'm sure that many upcoming Android flagship devices will come with Clear Sight as Dual Camera seems to be the trend going forward in smartphones. Not all Dual Camera implementations are same in smartphones. LG V20 for example uses one fisheye lens and one regular lens for capturing really wide-angle photos. Apple uses one telephoto lens and one wide-angle regular lens to offer improved zoom experience. Huawei devices comes with Dual Camera setup that is similar to Qualcomm's Clear Sight. They use color and black & white lens setup for improved imaging.

I was expecting Nokia to release the first Dual Camera smartphone in the market when they invested in Pelican Imaging few years back, but as you all know it didn't happen for many reasons. I hope Microsoft follows the current trend and includes a dual camera setup in their next flagship Windows mobile device.

Source: Qualcomm announces Clear Sight dual camera tech for flagship devices

iPhone 7 Mistakes: The Top 7 Things We Dislike About The New Apple Smartphone

Apple unveiled its latest flagship smartphones, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, in a press event in San Francisco last week.

While it is always big news whenever Apple announces the next iPhone models due to the new features and improvements, there will always be criticism surrounding these new devices.

The iPhone 7 is certainly powerful and worthy to be called a premium device, but here are the top seven things we hate about the upcoming smartphone.

Headphone Jack Removed

The first thing on the list is arguably the biggest complaint that users have for the iPhone 7. Apple has decided to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the device in favor of a Lightning port, and will include Lightning EarPods and a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter in the smartphone's box upon purchase.

With the headphone jack replaced by a Lightning port, it has now become more difficult and more expensive to charge the iPhone 7 and listen to music at the same time.

AirPods Not Included

Apple's new wireless earbuds not only look great, but they are efficient as well. AirPods, which are said to have a 24-hour battery life thanks to its charging case, automatically activate once they sense that they are worn, and can connect to all of the user's Apple devices and even Siri.

The problem, however, is that AirPods are not included with an iPhone 7 purchase. They will cost $159, and absent-minded owners will need to be extra careful not to misplace the wireless earbuds.

No Wireless Charging

Wireless charging capabilities have made it very convenient for users of supported smartphones to recharge their devices without worrying about tangled wires. Apple is seemingly focused on going wireless for its products, but it seems that it has not yet perfected the technology to be added to the iPhone 7.

No Water Damage Warranty Coverage

Apple has finally given the iPhone 7 protection from water, with the smartphone coming with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. However, users should note that having water resistance is not the same as being waterproof, with the warranty for the device not covering any cases of water damage.

Jet Black Scratches Easily

The jet black option is a new color for the iPhone 7. The glossy black finish, however, is apparently easy to get scratched, and it is Apple itself making that statement. The solution, as the company added, is that users should use one of the cases available for the smartphone, which will protect the iPhone 7 from scratches but hide the jet black beauty.

No Dual Lens Camera

Apple claims that the company's dual lens camera system is the best out there. However, the technology is only found in the iPhone 7 Plus, and reports claims that for next year's model, the dual lens system will still only be found in the larger iPhone model.

Big Difference Between iPhone 7 And iPhone 7 Plus

The 4.7-inch iPhone and the 5.5-inch iPhone Plus used to only be different due to the size of their displays, but for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, that no longer seems to be the case. In addition to the dual camera system, the iPhone 7 Plus has 3 GB of RAM compared with the 2 GB of RAM of the iPhone 7.

Should You Purchase The iPhone 7?

The iPhone 7 has a lot of flaws, with some users claiming that Apple made several mistakes in the design, features and specifications that they used for the upcoming flagship smartphone.

Then again, the same can be said of most smartphones in the market. Fans of Apple's iPhones and the iOS looking to upgrade their devices will not go wrong with the iPhone 7, and it is a fine smartphone for Android users to switch into Apple's ecosystem.

The iPhone 7, despite these flaws, could still be considered a good purchase. At the very least, the iPhone 7 does not have an exploding battery.

© 2016 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: iPhone 7 Mistakes: The Top 7 Things We Dislike About The New Apple Smartphone

LG V20 Flagship Smartphone Unveiled

Taking over the Flagship spot for LG this year is the V10's successor the LG V20 phablet. The LG V20 sticks with the 5.7 inch IPS LCD 2560 x 1440 pixel IPS LCD display. It's geared to be a multimedia monster and will feature MIL-STD 810G drop protection but not the IP68 dust, water, shock, temperature resistance.

The V20 still features the LG flagship defining feature with the ticker or secondary display for notifications, quick launch, date/time that is always on by default and works independently of the main screen. The main screen measures 5.7 inch 2560 x1440 at 501ppi. The notification display measures 2.1 inches with a resolution of 160 x 1040.

The overall aesthetics have been revised a bit from the V10 and polished up for civilian life. Though the V20 still carries the MIL-STD 810G drop certification its much different than the bullish, no apologies brutish design of the V10. The new flagship LG brings a much more refined look and feel with it's rounded corners and soft curving bevels.

We happily find the volume rocker back along the left side of the phone, hurray!

But the power/fingerprint scanner still reside on the back top center just under the dual rear cameras. The design is overall more refined or boring you take your pick depending on what you like. It sort of reminds me of a cross between tablet and a filing cabinet but that office feel. Not that I find that bad.

The Guts

LG's V20 comes equipped with a Kryo 64-bit Quad Core 2150 MHz CPU aka Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 CPU that also powers the Galaxy S7, Galaxy Note 7, HTC 10 and the LG G5's innovative modular design. Up in speed from 1800MHz of the Hexa core in the V10 and down in cores to a quad. Slightly disappointing on the totem pole of expectations but as we saw with the HTC 10 the Snapdragon quad core 820 CPU performs very well implemented properly.

The 14nm Snapdragon 820 Kryo also brings along some added benefits of the X12 LTE modem which allows for Cat.12 LTE speed support. Additionally the Adreno 530 GPU will support OpenGL 3.1 the common denominator for Android games and the new Vulkan API for a bit of future proofing.

Beyond the CPU and GPU the LG V20 will come equipped with 4GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB of onboard storage memory. Unfortunately the V20 isn't seeing much of an increase in battery life with a (just an added 200mAh) removable 3200mAh battery. A larger 4000mAh battery would have been much appreciated as battery life on the V10 can be a little less than convenient at times.

3.5mm Headphone Jack, mic, USB Type-C, Speaker

A welcome USB-Type C speeds up your data and makes charging just that much easier with no wrong way to plug it in. The V20 will be offered in 32GB/64GB storage capacities and will ship with Android 7.0 Nougat.

LG V20 Dual Rear 16MP standard & 8MP Wide Angle Cameras

The dual rear firing camera setup is features a 16MP standard f/1.8 and an 8MP wide angle sensor f/2.4 with 135 degrees of capture view. Additionally front side is an f/2.2 5MP Duo camera for selfies and conferencing. The V20 is equipped with HiFi Quad DAC audio for cleaning up playback and features HD 24-bit audio recording with 3 microphones.

Coming Soon

The LG V20 brings with it a refined more civilized design from the likes of the V10's pronounced stainless steel rails. It features some great hardware as you might expect from the flagship LG that comes with Dual rear cameras with a wide angle 135 degree 8MP sensor and 16MP standard sensor, HD recording and HiFi Quad DAC audio with Android Nougat should make for a fun phone to use.

The V20 is set to be available by the End of September.www.lg.com

Source: LG V20 Flagship Smartphone Unveiled

Did a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 just do this? Man claims smartphone exploded in his Jeep

FACEBOOK/NATHAN DORNACHER

FIRE: Man claims his Galaxy Note 7 did this to his jeep

Things keep going from bad to worse for Samsung and its new Galaxy Note 7.

The new smartphone from Korea has already been blamed for a fire in a hotel room, been banned from some flights and yesterday the firm told anyone who owned a Note 7 to switch it off and return it immediately.

Now a Note 7 user has claimed his Jeep was set on fire after his new smartphone exploded while being charge inside the vehicle.

FACEBOOK/NATHAN DORNACHER

OUT: Fireman were called to extinguish the blaze

FACEBOOK/NATHAN DORNACHER

BURNT: The Note 7 after the incident

Nathan Dornacher says he had returned home after a yard sale with his family when the Samsung smartphone caught on fire.

Writing on Facebook about the incident, which took place in Saint Petersburg, Florida, Mr Dornacher explained: "We were planning on grabbing the dog and Bonnie and heading to PetCo.

"I head back out to the car to grab my phone which was on the charger (me and Lydia always fight over the house charger) go to open the door and see flames inside." (sic)

Firemen were able to contain the blaze, which tore through the Dornacher family Jeep.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 camera test – just how good is this smartphone snapper?

GALLERY

Samsung told FOX 13 that it was aware of the incident.

The South Korean firm said it was working to investigate to find out whether there was any way it could replay the cost of the vehicle destroyed in the fire.

Guess it is time to get a lawyer. You had your chanceNathan Dornacher

However it appears negotiations between the technology giant and Mr Dornacher are not off to the best of starts.

The Note 7 owner posted on Facebook, writing: "Samsung has blown me off after over a hour on the phone this morning. (sic)

"Never called back as promised. Guess it is time to get a lawyer. You had your chance."

If you own a Note 7, Samsung is advising you to switch it off and take it to your nearest retailer.

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Source: Did a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 just do this? Man claims smartphone exploded in his Jeep

What will be awesome about GoPro's Hero5? We asked the experts

It's no secret that, in addition to its first-ever drone, GoPro plans to refresh its Hero camera. CEO Nicholas Woodman stated earlier this summer that the Hero5 would come out in the fourth quarter of 2016. For Wall Street, that date can't come soon enough, because GoPro is in need of a hero – both in the hardware sense, with its flagships Hero4 Black and Hero4 Silver now nearly two years old, and in a more literal sense. The company needs to reverse falling sales trends.

"This next launch will be the most important product launch in [its] history, as GoPro enters a new category, hones their media empire and flexes their muscle as the dominant brand in the POV category," Scott Peterson, a senior analyst for Gap Intelligence, told Digital Trends.

Fans likely won't have to wait long to find out what GoPro has up its sleeve.

While we know the camera's arrival is imminent, other details are scant (official ones, that is). And although the company's stock has begun to pick up, the features of the next Hero camera (and drone) could determine just how quickly it recovers, according to analysts.

So, what's next for the Hero5? Digital Trends asked two industry analysts to look into their crystal balls and weigh in on what GoPro's next flagship model could include – or perhaps, should include – from both a hardware standpoint and the way the company is poised as a whole.

Hero5 should be a flagship action cam

Last year, GoPro ventured into the budget action cam market, and it didn't go well. Industry experts expect new flagship models, not low-price options.

"They used to have a simple product line – momma bear, papa bear, and baby bear," Peterson explained. "Then, they added the Hero+ and the Hero + LCD and they blew up their own formula, which was simplicity and a clear product line – they muddied it up."

As an analyst that reports strategic research on the camera market to multiple companies, including GoPro, Peterson has predicted GoPro's moves before – including the recent price slash on the small Session camera. The Hero+ and Hero+ LCD were GoPro's attempt to compete with third-party brands offering budget-priced action cams, but it discontinued those budget models in April after disappointing sales.

While the Session was originally not priced as a budget camera, two price cuts that left the camera at half of the initial list price (from $400 to $200) made the tiny camera GoPro's most affordable option. When it cut the price, it also rebranded the camera, eliminating the Hero4 from the name and just calling it the Hero Session. The removal of that model number hints that the Session won't be updated along with the Hero4 Black and Silver.

Analysts expect GoPro to return to its roots with a flagship action camera. Doing away with the budget options, Peterson said the Hero5 needs to return to the leader board for their spec sheets, since the Hero4 no longer has the best features on the market.

Related: Developer program opens new worlds for GoPro cameras

Pinpointing what a well-endowed action camera will include is tricker. 4K is expected, and is currently offered in the Black but not the Silver. Alan Bullock, the associate director of connected imaging trends for InfoTrends, expects that high-resolution will be enticing beyond its 4K capabilities. The higher resolution makes it easier to add elements like digital image stabilization and footage cropping, he explained. With 4K, there's more room to do that without degrading the quality.

However, price still needs to justify the specs. "I think that the Hero5 also needs to be affordable," Bullock said. "They took a hit when they had to drop the price on their last camera a few times."

It should have auto recording and voice control

One of GoPro's pain points, Peterson explained, is that action cameras are often used in an environment that makes it difficult to stop and start the recording on time, resulting in the need to sort through long clips for a 30-second highlight.

Related: Use GoHawk to control your GoPro with your mouth

Peterson suggested that more integrated sensors could also introduce new recording options, explaining that lifelogging cameras have speed sensors and face detection that automatically start recording when those sensors detect something out of the ordinary, like a sudden increase in speed.

Sensors – whether that's voice, speed, or even altitude –  could help by automatically tagging the footage and making the sorting process simpler, or by magically starting and stopping the footage itself. The camera could record a few seconds before starting and a few seconds after stopping, Bullock said. If features like that are included on the next Hero camera, it would be a big help.

A supposed leak of an incomplete instruction manual suggests GoPro may add voice commands to start and stop recordings, although there are questions on the manual's legitimacy, including font differences in some sections. There's nothing to confirm if the leaked manual offers a legitimate look at the Hero5, but voice control would help address the difficulty of starting and stopping a recording at the right time, if you're in the middle of the action.

Bullock does caution that the rumored voice control may be hard to use in many of the environments that GoPros typically excel in. "Many of the environments where action cameras are used might be difficult to use voice control unless they have microphones that can tune in to the user and strain out extraneous noise," he said.

It should easily live-stream, and have LTE

Wi-Fi is standard for using GoPro with a smartphone or remote, but connectivity is one avenue GoPro could decide to expand. Although CEO Woodman has said the Hero5 would be GoPro's "most connected and convenient" camera ever, the predictions were a bit cloudy. But it's a good bet GoPro is working on something unique involving connectivity.

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One possibility is live-streaming, which is rapidly growing in popularity, thanks to services like Facebook Live and Twitter's Periscope. While streaming large files like 4K live can be tough to do, it could give the next GoPro an edge in easier sharing.

Another prediction is cellular LTE connections, though Bullock said that feature would have a smaller audience of people willing to pay for that service.

It should have a cloud backup service

With the next set of GoPro products, experts wouldn't be surprised if the company focused on the entire experience of recording video from start to finish. GoPro recently acquired two video editing apps, rebranded them Quik and Splice, and released them for even non-GoPro shooters to edit footage on the go.

The Hero5 needs to return to the leader board for their spec sheets.

Along those same lines, future GoPro products may include ways to enhance the entire action camera experience beyond the hardware.

One possibility was detailed in the supposed leaked manual – something referred to as GoPro Plus, according to The Verge. The document suggests the feature is a cloud storage system that will allow for automatic backups and easy transfers between camera, computer, and smartphone. It will also be a way for folks with multiple GoPros to organize their footage in one place. A cloud service could be big for GoPro, Peterson said.

It should be an action cam for everyone

While GoPro started by selling in surf shops and specialty stores, the company's next move could be expanding in ways that are more accessible to everyday people. Much of GoPro's original audience – the extreme athletes – already own an action camera, though they might be enticed to an update if the features are intriguing enough.

"I think [GoPro] need[s] to expand beyond that market and start looking at consumers that are looking for a compact camcorder," Bullock said. "We've had many people tell us they are using it as a traditional camcorder because it's small and they're not afraid to take it places they wouldn't take their smartphone camera."

Peterson agreed, noting that GoPro's Super Bowl ad one year was cats, another one, babies. "That got consumers thinking, 'Hey, I've got cats, I got a baby. I'm not extreme, but I can do extreme things,'" Peterson said. "That's the ease of use that's really going to help GoPro attract new users and keep users in its ecosystem."

GoPro

The key to expanding its audience, both Peterson and Bullock said, is simplicity, and not just in the camera but from the moment of recording to sorting, editing, and sharing footage. Peterson said that many consumers think that turning a 30 minute video into something short and easily shared is too difficult and time consuming. GoPro is keenly aware of this, hence the Quik app acquisition, which is software that helps you quickly create short video clips with transitions and music, with minimal effort on your part.

One potential avenue for GoPro's future development is a 360 camera for the masses. The company already has the Omni, but as a six-camera rig with a $5,000 price tag, it's not for ordinary people. An all-in-one solution, like the Nikon KeyMission or 360Fly, may already be in development, Peterson theorized.

It's hopefully coming soon

While the GoPro Hero5 doesn't yet have an official release date, the company says it will be out before the end of 2016. But if the past release patterns and the $50 price reduction on the Hero4s are any indication, the release will be sooner rather than later, Peterson said. It's possible the company could time the release of all its new products together with the launch of the Karma drone, analysts predict (GoPro teased a major announcement scheduled for September 19). Whether the Hero5 will top the competition in specifications, include voice control and a cloud service, or try to attract mainstream buyers, is unknown, but fans likely won't have to wait long before finding out what GoPro has up its sleeve.

Source: What will be awesome about GoPro's Hero5? We asked the experts

How to tell an explosive Galaxy Note 7 from a non-explosive one

If you're buying a new Galaxy Note 7, look for the small black square and the big blue S. Samsung reader comments 79 Share this story

Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, is prone to exploding. Once the flaw was discovered, Note 7 sales were halted, but that move only came after millions of devices were shipped to consumers and retail outlets. Samsung is now faced with recalling millions of potentially dangerous devices, and it's up to consumers to identify the potentially explosive devices from the non-explosive ones. Communicating this to every Note 7 customer is turning into a challenge, as a few days after the recall a Note 7 apparently burned down a customer's Jeep.

Further Reading Galaxy Note 7 review: What's the opposite of "bang for your buck?" If you're shopping for a Galaxy Note 7, Samsung has announced a new bar code label for the box that will let you know your new device is not explosive. The new packaging is shown above, which Samsung says has "clear identifiers on the box; a small black square on the white bar code label along with a white sticker with a blue letter 'S'."

That new packaging requires you to have the box handy, though. If you want to know if an unboxed Galaxy Note 7 has been repaired, things are a little more complicated. Samsung says that next Tuesday, September 13, the company will launch an online IMEI database that will let customers type in their device's unique ID and lookup if it has been fixed. On the Galaxy Note 7, the IMEI number is located on the bottom of the device next to the USB port. Customers can also call Samsung customer service to have their device identified.

Further Reading Samsung will recall Galaxy Note 7 because of exploding batteries [Updated] Samsung has also issued an official statement on why Note 7s are exploding. Earlier charging-based speculation seems to be wrong—the issue is with the battery shorting out. The company says, "Based on our investigation, we have learned that there was an issue within the battery cell. An overheating of the battery cell occurred when the anode-to-cathode came into contact which is a very rare manufacturing process error."

If you have a pre-recall Note 7, Samsung recommends powering it down immediately and seeking a replacement.

Source: How to tell an explosive Galaxy Note 7 from a non-explosive one

Watch Apple’s Intro of the iPhone 7’s New Camera Features

Apple just announced the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, a smartphone it calls "the world's most advanced smartphone."

I remember the first time I picked up a digital camera. It was 2003 and I got this little Canon G5, a good point-and-shoot, and it was 5 megapixels.

A group of vandals have been caught on camera destroying an iconic rock formation on the Oregon coast known as Duckbill Rock or Thor's Fist, prompting many to both mourn the icon's loss, and call for justice against the videotaped vandals.

NASA recently released a shocking slide show that shows, picture-by-picture, the death of what was once the fourth largest lake on Earth. Known as the Aral Sea, this endothermic lake is now mostly an arid wasteland.

A cafe based in Dublin, Ireland, rubbed photographers the wrong way today by poking fun at a photographer who had requested credit for a photo used without her permission.

Myths and misconceptions persist because they're either compelling or no one bothers to correct them. For photographers, many myths of digital photography arose when trying to draw imperfect analogies to film photography.

To promote the second season of its post-apocalyptic zombie TV show Z Nation, Syfy recently released an interactive choose your own adventure game called Find Murphy that was shot from a first person point of view. The footage was captured using a special face-mounted Sony a7S mirrorless camera.

The winners of the 2016 Australian Professional Photography Awards were announced last week, and one of Australia's top photographers isn't happy with the selections. He says the prestigious awards have been "hijacked by manipulators" whose work should be considered illustrations rather than photographs.

Canon hasn't given up on the EOS M series of mirrorless cameras. In fact, it seems they're preparing to launch what might be considered the "next chapter" in the M-line: The EOS M5. And today we get our first look at it.

Fujifilm just brought its Instax instant film into the world of black-and-white photography with the unveiling of its new Instax Mini Film Monochrome.

When photographers think of my country they think of windmills, Amsterdam, and tulips. These are generally the most photographed subjects in the Netherlands. What they don't know is that my country turns purple in August.

The consumer camera market is dead. Buried. Worm food. And if camera manufacturers don't switch their focus to enthusiasts fast, they'll lose them too. That seems to be the core thesis behind this interesting industry breakdown by photographer and educator Tony Northrup.

So this was the first sunset I captured in 2012. It cost me $6,612 to take this photo.

With Photokina coming up later this month, we'll soon have a good chance to see whether Nikon is playing to their competencies or incompetencies with their next round of announcements. Every company has some core competencies that can't be denied. What are Nikon's?

In 1871, the Prevention of Crimes Act made it a legal requirement that anybody who was arrested in England and Wales had to have their photograph taken—thus was born the official "mug shot". But mug shots from the late 1800s look very different from the ones you might see today.

Sails Chong of Studio NEXT-IMAGE is one of the most creative wedding and couple photographers in the world. His compositions are gorgeous and he seems to be constantly pushing the envelope. Here's a quick peek at two of his latest pre-wedding shoots... explosions included.

Film photographers sick of the same-old who want to try something totally different definitely need to give Film Washi a look. The self-styled "world's smallest film company" just started making its signature black-and-white film "W" in 35mm format!

As with most creatives, when I have a concept in mind it will distract and consume me until it becomes a reality. I wanted to create a conceptual self-portrait that was dreamlike, surreal, and relevant to an inner conflict in my life.

French criminologist (and high school dropout) Alphonse Bertillon was a pioneer in the field of anthropometry – the use of human measurements – to identify criminals. As a part of this practice, Bertillon standardized the modern mugshot in 1888 with the now familiar frontal and profile portrait, the latter of which was selected because Bertillon believed the ears to be a highly identifiable characteristic.

The most appreciated photography project on all of Behance this week is also probably the most touching portrait project you've seen in a while. A simple series of portraits, the project embarked to send one simple message: smiles don't get old.

Source: Watch Apple's Intro of the iPhone 7's New Camera Features

Apple upgrades smartphone, smart watch

A person takes a photo of a set of wireless Apple AirPods during a media event at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California on September 07, 2016. (Xinhua/ AFP PHOTO)

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Apple Inc. announced on Wednesday the upgrade of its flagship product, the smartphone known as iPhone, with new features such as water resistance, double-lens camera, stereo speakers and wireless headphone.

Along with the new iPhone 7, which will be available for pre-order on Friday and for delivery starting a week later, Apple said at an event in San Francisco, northern California, that it had upgraded its smart watch, known as Apple Watch, to be water resistant.

However, away from its description in the initial offering of the watch nearly two years ago, when Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook called the product "a collection," Apple renamed the previous version "Series 1" and the new wearable "Series 2", which includes global positioning system (GPS) function.

Apple Watch, once expected to catch up with the popularity enjoyed by iPhone, has extended its working with luxury brand Hermes and sports brand Nike by highlighting features of the two brand names.

About the iPhone, the new series has a new A10 central processing unit (CPU) chip with 4 cores to run hardware and software operations, improved battery life that is claimed to last two more hours on average than iPhone 6.

Significant changes to the hardware include the elimination of headphone jack; the introduction of AirPod, a wireless headphone with 5 hours of battery life on each charge; the two speakers imbedded to replay stereo sound; and the camera with a wide-angel lens and a telephoto lens to better suit different situations.

Compared with previous Apple events of the kind, the technology company headquartered in Cupertino, south of San Francisco, brought fewer executives onto the stage, and the response seemed to be less enthusiastic off the stage.

Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) shows dancer Maddie Ziegler (R) a newiPhone during a product demonstration at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California on September 07, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO)

Cook, like in the past five years, did speak as a host at the two-hour event on Wednesday, but he and other Apple officials did not mention the company's other products, which include iPad tablet and MacBook notebook and Macintosh desktop computers.

In a video clip shown at the beginning of the event, Cook seemed to be in the passenger seat of a vehicle and on the way to Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, where the event was held, and the driver talked about the security of iPhone 7 and called it the best. Cook agreed. But he did not discussed the topic once within the auditorium.

Apple has bragged about security features of its products, especially iPhone. Earlier this year, when it refused to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to access an iPhone 5c used by one of the two gunmen in the San Bernardino, California, terror attack on December 2, 2015, Cook opened his speech at a similar event in late March by talking about data security.

"We believe strongly that we have a responsibility to help you protect your data and protect your privacy," he said then.

However, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which runs the FBI, on the same day scraped its request for Apple's assistance at a federal court and said a week later it had retrieved the data from the phone in question.

In the months thereafter, there have been reports about vulnerabilities in iPhone's operating system iOS that could expose users to hackers.

Source: Apple upgrades smartphone, smart watch

What to do if you bought Samsung's exploding Galaxy Note 7

Last week, Samsung halted sales of its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, after reports of battery explosions and said that it would voluntarily replace every device.

"We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market, but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest-quality products to our customers," the firm said in a statement last week. 

Samsung said it had shipped 2.5 million of the devices and confirmed 35 cases in which the batteries exploded either during or after charging normally. The phones have a failure rate of about 24 per every million, the company said.

Although only a few dozen cases have been confirmed, those who've bought the devices may be wondering: Do I really need to trade it in? The answer is yes. 

Samsung will let smartphone users swap their current Galaxy Note 7 for a new one when they become available. Samsung is also going to give customers the option to swap their Note 7 for another Samsung phone -- the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge -- that has not had battery issues. The company will refund the difference in price.

The company has also said that "consumers will receive a $25 gift card or bill credit from select carrier retail outlets when choosing a Galaxy S7 family device or the Galaxy Note 7 within the exchange program." AT&T is one of those retailers.

All four major carriers -- AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile -- have stopped selling the phones and suspended restocking and shipping fees for exchanges. T-Mobile and Verizon have said the policy is in place until at least Sept. 30.

Each carrier's policy varies, so check with your company for specific instructions on how to exchange phones. 

Samsung has not issued an offic ial recall for the Galaxy Note 7.

Source: What to do if you bought Samsung's exploding Galaxy Note 7