iPhone 6 to be waterproof ?

There’s no shortage of iPhone 6 leaks and we can’t really tell whether this is the real deal or a hoax. Apple’s been so good at keeping secrets of its upcoming devices in the past, and then we’ve seen the latest Apple products being leaked all over, so this could go both ways. What you see above and below (and at least two dozen other images at the source link) is purportedly the waterproof Apple iPhone 6?

Wait, what? Well, that’s what the image below seems to try to convey. The device pictured in this set seems to be in line with other rumors we’ve heard, including a somewhat curvy screen/front panel, as well as resemblance with dummies pictured (both front — with the golden button ring — and back) previously.

However, most importantly, if Apple makes the iPhone 6 waterproof, it will manage to create a product that would compete, in this category, as well, with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia Z2 (which we’re currently reviewing).

Of course, this set of images allegedly showing off the waterproof Apple iPhone 6 needs to be taken with the usual dose of skepticism. Other rumors talk about not one, but two iPhone models for this year: a 4.7-inch for August, and a 5.5-inch version for September.

Note: some of the images show scratches on the front of the device, meaning it’s either a pre-production model with a plastic front — the iPhone 6 is expected to have sapphire glass front — or just a dummy whose legitimacy is up to you.

Source: Moscoat

Oppo Find 7a review.

Within China, native phone manufacturer Oppo is a well-known and respected brand. Elsewhere, it’s presence isn’t nearly as domineering or demanding of attention.

However, that hasn’t stopped the Chinese maker from turning heads around the world. Oppo first grabbed the attention of many with the Find 5, followed by the N1, a highly regarded phone amongst the tech enthusiasts in which comes in a Cyanogenmod flavor. Just months later, the company announced two new smartphones, the Find 7 and Find 7a.

On paper, these two smartphones look rather impressive. The latter of the two is actually the lower-end model, but we use the term “lower-end” loosely, as it’s still evenly matched with Sony’s, HTC’s, and Samsung’s best.

That said, mountains of past devices have taught us that specifications are not always all-important. So we spent the last three weeks, give or take, using the Oppo Find 7a to see if its monster specs make it the killer phone it’s meant to be.

Does it hold its own? Is it worth the asking price? Or should you wait for the upcoming Find 7? Here’s our take on the Oppo Find 7a.

Full review @ http://goo.gl/hLxCqe

Top Ten Cool and Weird Mobile Phone Concepts.

As we are racing unusually faster in this mobile tech world as everything age's in weeks and years a few concept devices have only come into existence like flexible phone example: LG G Flex or Samsung Galaxy Round a few other concepts which would be few have been listed here. @ http://goo.gl/xahGjd

MOTO 360 VS LG G WATCH.

When looking at Google’s freshly announced Android Wear, it’s difficult not to see this new platform as a way and mean of unifying the smartwatch market segment. However, this doesn’t mean there will be no competition between Android Wear-powered devices; just as the Android OS hasn’t brought all the smartphone manufacturers together either. In other words, by not differentiating themselves through software, the fight for supremacy between Android Wear smartwatches will actually be very brutal. It will all come down to pure hardware specifications, design and of course, the price.

While it has been confirmed that numerous manufacturers will deliver new hardware to go hand-in-hand with Android Wear, so far the only two truly confirmed smartwatches are the Moto 360 and the LG G Watch. As such, these are actually our first contenders, and so the battle for supremacy begins.

Moto 360 vs LG G Watch – Android Wear Clash

Moto 360 vs LG G Watch – Android Wear Clash

For those of you who are unaware of this, the LG G Watch is expected to become the first gadget powered by Google’s new Wear platform. This should give the Korean manufacturer a head start, but will it be enough to guarantee its success?

Well, fact of the matter is that there’s not a lot to say about the Moto 360 and the G Watch spec-wise, but the 360 does seem to be play in a league of its own. Motorola’s smartwatch is expected to pack a 1.8 inch display, a circular orientation-free design, and interchangeable wrist bands. The company’s Jim Wicks has also confirmed that the device will be dust and water resistant, but no other details or IP certifications have been revealed.Rumors have also hinted at sapphire glass, as well as the idea that the device will be built out of premium materials, such as metal and  leather.

The LG G Watch on the other hand, adopts a different and more conservative design language. It comes in a rectangular shape, and the gadget seems to be built out of plastic. The device will reportedly pack a 1.65 inch display and 4 GB of internal storage; the display will supposedly feature an “always on” function, and the gadget will be water and dust resistant.

LG has also mentioned that the smartwatch will be a “low barrier to entry for developers“, meaning that the device could facilitate the development of third party apps. That’s definitely a plus in our books, and makes us wonder how app developers will approach the Moto 360′s odd display form factor.

Aside from that, the G Watch has been confirmed to come in at least two flavors, including black and “Champagne Gold“.

That’s all for now, but don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and let us know which one of these smartwatches you think will be more successful.

Oracle Wins Suit Over Google.

Back in 2010 Oracle took Google to court claiming that Google had violated its copyright by including 37 Java APIs within Android. Although Java itself had originally belonged to Sun Microsystems,Oracle had previously acquired the rights to the popular framework.

In May 2012 it seemed that Google would win the battle, as a judge determined that the structure of the Java APIs couldn’t copyrighted and therefore shouldn’t be protected under such law. At the time Google might have found victory, but the war was just beginning.

Today it has been announced that the original ruling in Google’s favor has been reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The three-judge panel determined that “a set of commands to instruct a computer to carry out desired operations may contain expression that is eligible for copyright protection.”

Of course, things are far from over. The reversal means that Oracle can continue to pursue its legal case against Google, where it is asking as much as $1 billion in damages. The case has now been referred back to the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, which means its only a matter of time before the two companies return to battle before a judge.

Even after this next case is done, more than likely the losing side will end up appealing the decision and things will drag on indefinitely — not unlike the Samsung-Apple patent war.

Here’s the big question though: should APIs be subject to copyright law? Or will this only stifle innovation further? If you’re interested in learning more about the 63-page decision, you can do so by heading on over to Re/Code.

Samsung S5 Not As popular As S4.

A Korean outlet is reporting that Samsung has already shipped 10 million units of the Galaxy S5. However, Samsung typically publicizes these kind of achievements, so where’s the official announcement?

According to a rather vague Korean language report, Samsung has managed to ship (sell to retail channels) 10 million Galaxy S5 units in just 25 days. Assuming the report is accurate, that’s a great performance at face value, though the growth of the shipping rate compared to last year is not as good as Samsung would probably want it to be.

In 2013, the company announced the reach of the same milestone on the 27th day from launch, boasting that it managed to move four Galaxy S4s per second in this celebratory video.

So while the Galaxy S5 may be Samsung’s fastest selling smartphone ever, it’s only slightly better than its predecessor, the S4. Looking back, the Galaxy S3 before it hit the 10 million milestone in 50 days, while the S2 and Galaxy S required five and seven months respectively.

Also worth noting is that the general smartphone market grew substantially in the past year, and that Samsung launched the S5 in 125 markets simultaneously, compared to just 60 markets for the Galaxy S4.

These factors all point to a slowdown in sales, and Samsung’s latest earnings report appears to reflect that. This apparent slowdown may be the reason why Samsung has not trumpeted the milestone like it did with its previous flagship phones.

5 Cool Features Of One Plus One.

The OnePlus One, a hot new Android phone that comes with CyanogenMod preinstalled, has generated a lot of buzz this spring among Android diehards who want an alternative to theGalaxy S5 or the HTC One (M8). For the unconverted, however, the question remains as to why you should choose the OnePlus One over the other more widely known alternatives. Thankfully, a new video put together by Marques Brownlee will give you some answers about what makes the OnePlus One special by breaking down five of the new device’s coolest features.

In the video, Brownlee walks us through the OnePlus One’s modified Android camera that makes it easier to take panoramic shots and add Instagram-like photo filters to pictures and videos; the built-in Screencast app that will let you record all of the actions that you take on your device’s screen, which should make it much easier to do mobile app and mobile game demonstration videos; the Themes Showcase app that gives you additional customization options that you previously had to root your phone to acquire; the ability to turn on-screen buttons on and off so you can open up more screen real estate; and new capabilities that let you easily add more settings to your Quick Settings menu.

The full video is worth checking out and can be found below.

HTC M8 Windows Version For Verizon Leaked.

The image above may not be the HTC W8 leaked by @evleaks just recently (or it could very well be), but it shows how Windows Phone would look on a phone resembling (or even being) the HTC One (M8). It’s been a while since HTC ousted a Windows Phone, and it was about time, and apparently that’s exactly what the HTC W8 will be.

There’s no other info aside from the HTC W8 moniker, and that it will land on Verizon’s line-up sooner or later. We also hear that it will be a flagship, and, if we’re about to speculate concerning the naming, W8 is pretty close to M8, so this might very well be the Windows Phone-powered One (M8); also, at this point, if this thing turns out to be true, it is safe to assume Windows Phone 8.1 on it. We’ll keep you posted as we find out more.

Source: @evleaks (Twitter)

Ways to save Windows 9.

Ten ways Microsoft can save windows 9   http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/388630/windows-9-ten-ways-for-microsoft-to-save-windows

iOS 8 and Mac OS X.

New reports said iOS 8 and new Mac OS X 10.10 will show up in WWDC 2014 on June 2, while Apple TV and iWatch will not. The Cupertino-based electronics company has been set for its annual big event, and is expected to have iOS 8, Mac OS X 10.10, Healthbook app, iCloud enhancements and some app updates as the highlights.

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REUTERS/Toru Hanai/Files

Re/code saidsources who are familiar with Apple's plans told them what to expect in next month's Apple's big yearly event. The mythical watch, Apple TV or the any Apple TV software should not be anticipated. Tech experts said Apple is making sense as to why should a new OS like the Apple TV software be unveiled before a big update of its hardware.

Big announcements in the event will be OS X 10.10, iOS 8 and the Healthbook app. Coincidence or not, with regard to the Healthbook, days before WWDC 2014, Samsung will have an event in San Francisco on May 28, which is said to discuss "around health".

iOS 8 will showcase its new features and there are chances that Apple will divide the mobile OS' new features to versions 8 and 8.1. The upcoming iOS 8 devices will be powered by the new and powerful A8 processors, and are predicted to come with larger displays and longer battery lives.

For the new version of Mac OS X 10.10, it is said to inherit some of the iOS features and is a total redesign. Apple intends to make its products have uniform experience across devices. The upcoming hardware will support the new OS X and the first shipments will be in the autumn.

Meanwhile, earlier reports said a new Apple TV software is in the works and may show up in this year's WWDC. As the event comes near, reports reiterate Apple TV will not show up. This goes true with the iWatch. The company will likely have them both come out later this year or early 2015.

Coming along the Healthbook app are some updates for iTunes Radio app, Maps and more. iCloud is said to be enhanced for simpler and more efficient development. Siri may also get a new feature to identify songs.

Moto E Specs And Press Render With Images Leaked.

Though Motorola’s Moto G has already been regarded as quite cheap when compared to most flagship phones out there, Motorola is not quite finished with their cost-cutting party. They are expected to announce a cheaper alternative to the G, the Moto E, at an event in London on May 13, and we have finally started seeing leaks of the design of the device.

The first source shows the alleged Moto E to the right of the Moto G — we see that Motorola may have removed the front-facing camera as an additional cost-cutting measure, there seem to be front-facing speakers (yes!), and the phone seems pretty similar to other Motorola devices (in that it looks to be running a near-stock build of Android, and has a fairly minimalistic design).

Our next source is showing us red, white, lemon, and teal Moto E models allegedly — no word on whether these backs will be hot-swappable as on the G, or whether you will have to buy the different color options straight from Motorola.

The third leak shows us possible press renders of turquoise and lemon models of the G, and though we don’t have front-facing images to cross-verify the authenticity of the first source, this lines up with everything else we have seen related to the device so far.

Our second to last source looks to lend credence to the all the previous rumors — we see a black phone with the same speakers as previously mentioned, and no front-facing camera. The back is almost exactly the same thing as the previous leak showed.

Finally, we may have got specs for the device from a Brazilian retailer, along with even more pictures. This phone could feature Android 4.4 KitKat, 4GB of on-board storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon Dual Core 1.2 GHz processor, and a 4.3″ display along with a 5MP camera. Finally, the codename could be “XT1025″.

Amid this torrent of leaks, we are anxiously awaiting the May 13 reveal of this device, where we will know for certain what the device looks like, along with (crucially) the specs and price.

Sources: hellomotohk (Google+), Android Police,@evleaks (Twitter), Hudson Martins (Twitter), Droid Life 1, 2, Fastshop

S5 For AT&T Receiving Blot Ware Update Today.

Owners of AT&T-branded Galaxy S5 devices should be receiving an update this evening with no real new features, but plenty of bloat to keep them company. Although, if you’ve been facing some bugs on the current build of KitKat 4.4.2, you may find yourself a fix in this release.

Firmware version G900AUCU2AND3 brings four new apps from AT&T – Yellow Pages, Lookout, Find My Mobile, and Reactivation Lock.

In terms of bug-fixes, the recent apps button has been fixed in some cases, according to the XDA Senior Member who received the OTA.

If you end up grabbing the update on accident, don’t worry, you’ll be able to revert to a previous firmware build —  all you have to do is hop through the via link down below to find out how.

Source: AT&T
Via: xda-developers

Windows Phone 8.1 Life Cycle Official.

Windows Phone 8.1 is official. The first native WP8.1 handsets arrive this month, and owners of existing devices have been able to start working with the platform thanks to Microsoft’s Preview for Developers program. But what of those current WP8 users who aren’t feeling too confident about registering as a dev and installing pre-release software? When will they be able to join the WP8.1 party? Back when Microsoft unveiled the platform in early April, it said to expect OTA updates for existing phones to arrive “in the next few months.” We still don’t have any firm dates there, but today we do learn about one interesting milestone along that path, as Microsoft sets its lifecycle start date for Windows Phone 8.1.

The lifewhatnow? Microsoft commits to a certain length of software support for its platforms. For Windows Phone, that used to be 18 months, but the release of WP8 bumped it up to 36 months. The lifecycle date is what the company uses as the start point for calculating how long support should last. In this case, the WP8.1 start date is June 24.

Does that mean that we won’t see any 8.1 OTA updates until then? Well, no. For instance, we saw the first WP7.8 updates start arriving in late January 2013, but the official 7.8 lifecycle start date wasn’t until February 8 of that year. So chances are, we’ll also see 8.1 updates start arriving in advance of June 24. We’d love to see them quite a bit before that, and we still may, but we’ll have to wait for a new leak before we start getting a sense of just when.

Source: Microsoft
Via: WPCentral

Samsung S5 Family The Mega Leaked.

Samsung Galaxy S flagships aren’t just smartphones: they’re progenitors. From those single devices we see spring a whole family of related models, and this year should be no different for the Galaxy S5. We’ve been talking about it being joined by devices like a GS5 Mini or GS5 Neo, not to mention a quad HD GS5 Prime. Today we check out a new leak that attempts to firm-up details on a few of these models, while also setting us straight about another.

We’ve already seen evidence pointing to the GS5 Mini being Samsung’s model SM-G800, and the GS5 Prime arriving as SM-G906. This new leak appears to confirm those details, reinforcing what we expected about screen resolution, and adds support for possible display sizes.

The most interesting part, though, might be what it says about the SM-G750. First we thought that might be the GS5 Mini, and later it was looking like a possible GS5 Neo. Instead, this leak claims the G750 could be the giant of the bunch, arriving as a new Galaxy Mega model with a six-inch 720p display.

That resolution might be a disappointment for users hoping that this year’s model would improve on the 720p screens in the 6.3- and 5.8-inch Megas from last year, but honestly we’re just happy to finally be getting to the bottom of the G750′s story at all, having dealt with so much uncertainty thus far.

Source: GSM Arena

HTC B2 ie Butterfly Render.

A lot’s been said lately about HTC’s next move after the One M8. There’s all that M8 Prime stuff, sure, but as far as a more direct follow-up is concerned, the rumors have been coalescing into two distinct paths. One of them’s been talking about a mass market phone that could be essentially the M8 in a plastic body, the so-called M8 Ace. The other’s been focusing on a new model in HTC’s Butterfly family of devices, again sticking with largely M8 hardware and going with a plastic build. Whether we’re hearing about the same thing from two different sources here, we can’t say, and we may be looking at very similar devices but intended for different markets. In any case, the Butterfly-sequel rumors picked up earlier this week as we heard the codename B2 assigned to this handset. Today we add to that name a potential render, with the release of what may be the first pic of the B2.

Right away, we see big similarities to the Butterfly S, with the same black-and-red styling and those stereo Boomsound speakers. The front-facing camera moves over to the right, matching the layout on the M8 itself, and we see the disappearance of the old capacitive Android buttons, just like we’d expect from this generation.

Unfortunately, we don’t get a corresponding rear render, which is a shame because we’ve got unanswered questions about the camera situation on this phone, and specifically whether it might eschew the M8′s Duo Camera setup in favor of a single 13MP sensor.

Source: @evleaks

Android UI Changes Coming Soon.

For about the past month now we’ve been hearing rumors about some pretty major changes Google could be planning for Android. It all started with word of Project Hera, and while the reports of a whole new way for apps to multitask and present notifications were captivating, the idea was so unlike what we’re used to from Android that it was difficult to fully appreciate the scope of the changes. That was followed up by rumors of a massive expansion of Google Search, bringing the “Ok Google” voice prompt system-wide. Alongside that, we also heard about a redesign to the Android nav bar, dropping the home button entirely in favor of a Google logo that would act as a search button and implementing a new app switcher, one that would be tied to all this Hera business. But what of the home screen itself? Today, this rumor continues to develop, as we pick up new reports about what Google’s experimenting with for its Android launcher.

None of this is set in stone, and while evidence has suggested that Google may be playing around with ideas along these lines, nothing should be taken as certainty until the actual software gets released or an announcement is made.

That said, it looks like Google may be doing away with the traditional user-customizable home screen and the old app drawer in favor of this new multitasking interface. Active apps would appear as cards, while your choice of apps to launch would show up in a grid arrangement reminiscent of iOS. This may mean that things like widgets no longer have a place on this highly modified “home screen,” though it’s still possible that Google may retain traces of the experience – widgets and all. It’s just not clear yet how that might fit in with the rest of these changes.

There’s also word of some big adjustments to notifications, as they take on the look and feel of Now cards. We could see a two-phase shade where the first swipe displays higher priority notifications, and another swipe would be needed to pull up the rest. Google Now might also switch positions, moving from the left of the home screen where it currently lives to down below, which sort of fits with that idea of the Google search button on the nav bar.

How much of this might actually make it into a future Android release? Well, based on all the evidence available it seems likely that Google will go forward with at least some of these changes, but the full scope is hard to judge at the moment. We’d imagine that Google will try to nail down some of its decisions as I/O approaches, so we may have something a little more concrete in just a few more weeks.

Source: Android Police

APPLE - BEATS ACQUISITION ALMOST COMPLETE.

Last night word came in that Apple was about to finalize an arrangement that would see the company buy Beats Electronics in a $3.2B deal. This wouldn’t be the first time that a smartphone manufacturer got itself involved with Beats,following HTC’s investment years back. That deal saw HTC owning as much as 50.1% of Beats at one point, though by 2012 it was already divesting itself of its shares, and last year it finally offloaded its remaining stake. As for this new Apple involvement, we still haven’t heard official from the company, but based on what we’re seeing from the Beats side of things, the deal is looking very much like it’s happening.

We brought you an update a little earlier today about musician/actor Tyrese posting a since-removed Facebook post referencing the deal, and now we’ve seen the video to go with it. While the deal itself isn’t directly discussed, Beats co-owner Dr. Dre’s mention of being the “first billionaire in hip-hop” certainly supports the reports we’ve heard of this deal.

That said, there also seems to be some confusing information going around about all these rumors, like the pic below of Dre and Eminem. While we’ve seen it being presented as evidence in favor of Beats acquisition reports, it actually dates back from the summer of 2012, during a visit to an Apple store in Tokyo.

With all the attention this news is getting, we’re optimistic that a formal announcement will be coming down the line shortly.

Source: Tyrese (YouTube – mature content), Tokyo Twilighter
Via: Apple Insider

Moto E On Pictures.

Next Tuesday Motorola’s got a London event where it’s promised to introduce its next smartphone. We’ve talked about a couple possible contenders for that spot, but one of the most likely candidateshas got to be the Moto E. We’ve heard rumorsabout the phone being very slim and very affordable, and earlier this week looked at some evidence that seemed to both confirm the Moto E name and that very low price. Today we check out an image that sure seems to depict an unreleased Motorola Android, and one we’re told is the Moto E.

On the left there we’ve got a Moto G with its 4.5-inch screen, and the device next to it on the right it supposedly this Moto E. Just slightly smaller than the Moto G, it sure seems like we’re looking at a 4.3-inch display.

We also start getting a sense for some of the choices Motorola might be making to keep the Moto E’s price as low as it’s rumored to be – for instance, there’s no sign of any front-facing camera here. Sources have offered several stabs at suggesting a price for the phone, and while we don’t have a ton of confidence in any one figure, we’re almost certainly looking at a handset that will retail in the $110-$180 range – any higher than that, and we’re elbowing-in on Moto G turf.

Source: Android Police

Xperia phone For Nexus price.

Sony’s one of those rare smartphone manufacturers that really seems to have a great sense of design identity; while from across the room you might struggle to tell an LG phone from a Samsung model, an Xperia handset is unmistakably Sony’s. It’s also been keeping on top of hardware advancements,delivering flagships like the Z2 that compete on even footing against other Android heavyweights this season. In some respects, Sony’s even been a bit ahead of the curve, being one of the first manufacturers to really embrace waterproofing on its devices. But for all it does right, Sony has still managed to come up short in one area that’s becoming increasingly important for OEMs: its budget phone lineup. That may soon be changing, with rumors suggesting that Sony could release a waterproof Xperia model with a very competitive price tag.

Industry sources out of Taiwan claim that Sony is interested in making a waterproof Xperia for 2015 that would retail for $300 or less, without subsidies. While Sony’s been able to hit low price points like that with devices like the Xperia M, that’s come at the expense of features like waterproofing which are otherwise present on the company’s higher-end offerings. If this rumor hits the mark, we may start getting the best of both worlds.

Of course, there’s more that goes into making a budget phone worthwhile than waterproofing, and we’d be curious to see if Sony can deliver a model that also manages to compete with budget efforts from companies like Motorola in the performance department – in this sub-$300 space, every component is part of a balancing act, and it’s tricky to select the right mix of capability and affordability.

In addition to Sony, these sources suggest that we’ll be seeing a lot more waterproofing in general from the rest of the smartphone OEM crowd.

Source: Digitimes
Via: phoneArena

Galaxy Tab S to sport galaxy S5 design.

Last week the long-standing rumors about Samsung returning to the use of OLED displays for some of its tablets started getting a bit closer to commercial reality, with the arrival of the name Galaxy Tab S to designate this new family of slates. We heard about 8.4 and 10.5-inch models, both with the sort of high-end specs that would be appropriate for a tablet running a bright, beautiful, high-res 2K OLED screen. What we haven’t had is much in the way of hard evidence for either of theses units, but that all changes today, with the first leaked pics purporting to depict the Galaxy Tab S 10.5.

Unlike the Note-3-like faux leather texture on this year’s TabPRO models, or the Tab 4 devices with their less-adorned textured rear panels, the Tab S sure looks like it’s taking a page form the Galaxy S5′s playbook and returning with the same dimpled look. That’s bound to raise a few eyebrows, but we’re already starting to come around to it, and what we see here has us anxious to get our hands on one of these guys and really experience how it feels for ourselves.

In addition to that rear shot we also get our first glimpse at the tablet’s face – so is this an OLED panel we see? Well… maybe. While using an OLED screen seems like the whole point of the Tab S project it’s been one details that’s notoriously difficult to confirm; despite all the rumors, we’ve yet to see any leaked docs positively describing the Tab S with an OLED screen, nor any component pics that might let us make the ID for ourselves. Maybe just a comparison shot, of this Tab S up against a TabPRO 10.1 with its LCD? At this point, we’ll take anything.

Source: SamMobile

Microsoft details internet explorer 11.

Microsoft has finally detailed the features and improvements from IE10 in the debut version of Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Phone 8.1. The company had first announced IE11 for Windows Phone 8.1 at its Build 2014 conference in April, alongside the introduction of Windows Phone 8.1itself.

The blog post details features for the current very limited number of Windows Phone 8.1 users.Microsoft notes that it will release separate posts for developers soon.

Primary change according to the company is the browser performance seen on IE11. The company has taken on two things, "First, you[user] need to tell the browser where you want to go, and second, the browser needs to get there as fast as possible."

To address the first, IE11 features a new address-bar URL predictions capability. It remembers favourite URLs and shows a possible URL with highlighted part. Also on faster browsing part, the company says it has made progress on the benchmarks (like SunSpider, Acid3, Octane, and others).

The IE11 also brings the unlimited multi-tabbed browsing, which means that company has removed the six tabs limit for the browser on Windows Phone. The ease of accessing both tab button and refresh button is taken care of in the update. Now the button next to the address bar accesses your tabs by default.

One much needed feature that has been added in IE11 for Windows Phone 8.1 is the ability to sync browsing data across phone, tablet, and PC. This include favourites, history, passwords, and open tabs. Also to make sure about the sync data limit, a user can define limit via DataSense app.

Other than the DataSense the new IE11 for Windows Phone 8.1 will now have High Savings Mode, which downloads only the most important pieces of the Web site and heavily compresses images. Users can choose to always enable High Savings Mode, never enable it, or keep it set to automatic.

With IE11 for Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft says users can also pin their favourite websites, blogs like a live tile to the main screen, getting updated in the background.

Users will be able to watch video in high quality and simultaneously comment from the browser itself, says the Redmond giant. The video will also keep playing even if the screen is locked.

For the readers a new Reading View icon can be accessed from the address bar. This will remove the clutter and stitch all pages of the article together. Also while reading an article users can wipe to go back and forward.

Microsoft also claims IE11 also provides better privacy with SmartScreen Filter and DoNotTracksignal for a protected browsing experience. The IE11 browser for Windows Phone 8.1 has got some accessibility features like high remembering password, choosing location for downloaded files, contrast mode support, Narrator, and an override switch to allow zooming into all Web pages.

Sony xperia Z2 VS Samsung galaxy S5.

L

What’s cooler than a Snapdragon 801-powered, 5-inch-plus, waterproof smartphone?

Another Snapdragon 801-powered, 5-inch-plus, waterproof smartphone.

That’s a poem by noted smartphone researcher Eesee Oveur Eyenot, and while it tells part of the Samsung/Sony drama of 2014, it sure doesn’t come close to painting the whole picture. The Xperia Z2 vs Galaxy S5 rivalry is a story of similar specs, yes – but it’s also a tale of dueling casings, design approaches, and even lifestyles. One device comes to the ring courtesy of a once-unstoppable juggernaut that’s recently let off on the gas somewhat, while the other represents another massive manufacturer not often heard from in the United States (which is fast becoming a shame).

From the glass-vs-plastic debate to the measurement of the megapixels, we cover as much as we possibly can in this observation-packed comparison. So join us for Xperia Z2 vs Galaxy S5; even if you’re not waffling between these particular options by, you’ll get a slick preview of our forthcoming Xperia Z2 review. 

Android Malware That Extorts $300 For Illegal Pornography.

Ars Technica

Ars Technica alerts us to research that has uncovered Android-based malware that disables infected handsets until the users pay a cash payment to for their viewing of illegal pornography:

“The malware is automatically downloaded when people visit certain pornography sites using an Android phone. The sites then claim that the APK installs a video player used for premium access. To be infected, a user must change Android settings to allow out-of-market apps and then manually install the APK.”

Using the logo of the FBI and President Barack Obama, Android-Trojan.Koler.A uses a location function to tailor the warnings to whatever country that you reside in. The malware prevents users from accessing the home screen of their phones, making it impossible to use most other apps installed on the phone.

In some cases, a phone can be restored only when you pay a so-called “fine” of about $300, using payment services such as Paysafecard or uKash that are incredibly difficult to trace. Thankfully, there is no evidence that the malware encrypts any files on a phone’s storage.

The malware has already claimed at least 68 victims in the past six hours:

• 40 in the United Arab Emirates
• 12 in the UK, six in Germany
• 5 in the US
• Others in Italy and Poland

Almost two years ago, Symantec found that malware extorts an estimated $5 million a year from users through devices that become unusable and often display logos of local law-enforcement agencies, along with warnings that the user has violated statutes involving child pornography or other serious offenses. Thewarnings then offer to unlock the computers if users pay a fine as high as $200 within 72 hours. The report identified at least 16 different ransomware versions spawned by competing malware gangs.

More recently, scammers have built strong cryptography into malware, known as Cryptolocker, that holds entire hard drives hostage until end users pay a Bitcoin ransom of around $300.

Kiandra

These issues are another reminder that Android users are being targeted by the malware and social engineering attacks.

HTC nexus rumoured again.

Yesterday, we learned of the possibility of the next Nexus’s codename to be “Flounder,” through a Chrome bug report. We were enlightened that this was likely an upcoming Nexus device, and that it was running a test build of Android.

Today, through an Android 4.4.3 changelist, we’re learning that this “Flounder” device could perhaps be manufactured by HTC. Also, we have learned of the possible existence of another device from Google, “Molly,” perhaps a Nexus 5 successor.

Though it is not yet certain by any means, we are thinking that “Flounder” could be a Nexus 7 successor, perhaps the elusive Nexus 8. It is still very possible that this could be a followup to the Nexus 5, however. In the changelist, we see “project device/htc/flounder/,” which tells us that we will most likely be seeing an HTC Nexus pop up anytime soon now.

As far as Google’s “Molly” goes, we know nothing of it other than the fact that it was mentioned in the document. It is pure assumption at this point, but perhaps we could be dealing with a Nexus 5 refresh.

We have yet to see any images or specs leak of these upcoming devices from Google, but at least the rumor mill has started churning. Here’s hoping that we will be seeing these new devices soon.

Source: Android 4.4.3 (KitKat MR2) changelist
Via: xda-developers