Oppo N1 Mini.

The Oppo N1 didn’t really take the world by storm in the way many of us expected. Surely it did give us a variant that included CyanogenMod out of the box, and yes, we even received a swivel camera mechanism, which was actually more than just a novelty, as many smartphones don’t really offer a compelling front-facing camera. If you were in the market for the Oppo N1, but don’t want a phone that’s so big, you might want to hold up a bit.

Oppo has now made the launch date of the N1 Mini official, if you want most of these N1 features in a smaller package. You can expect the phone as soon as May 30th, though the spec sheet is kind of odd for a “mini” phone. First of all you have a 5-inch 720p display, which definitely doesn’t fall into “mini” territory. Still, you get the same swivel camera, and even though the rest of the specs aren’t clear, we have heard that there could be either of two octa-core chipsets – either the MediaTek MT6592 or the Exynos 5422 Octa SoC. Sadly we still don’t know if there will be a CyanogenMod variant of this device as well.

Expect more news on pricing and availability for this phone very soon.

Source: Weibo
Via: GSMArena

iOS 8 Health book app concept

We’re just a week away from Apple’s launch of iOS 8, and one of the things we’re expecting to see at the launch is Apple’s new Healthbook platform. The idea behind this project is for your iPhone to become the tool that keeps track of everything your personal health needs, in a similar way to what Samsung offers with S Health, only that focused on more than just fitness. Sadly all we’ve seen about it are a couple of renders of what the product might look like and not a real working concept, at least until today.

The attached video shows us a working concept of Healthbook, which is apparently planned to work in the same fashion as we currently see with Passbook, but with immediate visual information of your health instead. Obviously for this concept, and even for the idea of Healthbook to work, you need a wearable that can track your information accurately. You’ll notice that the concept actually invites you to pair your iPhone with an iWatch for this to work.

You’ll notice that the concept envisions reminders for medication, alerts for your current heart rate, and pretty much everything a human would need to actually need Healthbook as a tool. It’s hard to tell if this will become a reality, but if it does, Apple would definitely redefine the need for a smartwatch and a smartphone.

Source: ConceptsiPhone (YouTube) – Working trial 
Via: PhoneArena

LG G3 HANDS ON.

LG unveiled its G3 today as part of a coordinated global introduction event, and while the main announcement streamed out of London, we made the trek over to New York City to get the opportunity to go hands-on with the phone for ourselves. Does the 2K display live up to the hype? Does this hardware feel as good to use as the phone is pleasing to look at? Check out our encounter with the G3 for yourself to learn what we found.

While the G3 has a 5.5-inch display, LG’s done something very nice here with the phone’s bezels, and by optimizing the use of space the manufacturer has been able to put together a pahblet-sized device that’s not unfathomably wide; we found it to be a pretty nice fit in the hand. The rear controls are easier to interact with than ever, and though we might have preferred some One M8-style metal rather than mere “metallic” accents, the G3 still manages to feel quite nice.

The software, on the other hand, may be more of a mixed bag, and our initial run-in with LG’s new, flatter UI left us a little underwhelmed; sure, things are simpler, but they also appear a little drab. Luckily, the phone’s features are slightly more impressive, and we especially came away with a healthy appreciation for the LG Smart Keyboard and its easily resizable layout.

We also get to check out that focus-assist laser, andwhat once sounded like preposterous speculationhas been 100% confirmed. When it comes to the G3′s camera, the laser’s just the tip of the iceberg, and we also look at the OIS improvements and tweaks on the software side of things.

Expect more in-depth G3 coverage from Pocketnow, including our full-length review, in the days and weeks to come.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Activ To get KitKat Update Today ?

Google’s launch of Android 4.4 KitKat is already 7 months old, and it isn’t until now that we’re seeing most OEMs update their smartphones to the latest and greatest version of the operating system. Such is the case of Samsung, which has done a decent job this year with updates, but not as good as OEMs like Sony and HTC. Still, we’ve seen the leaked time-lines for the update, and we’re now seeing some of last-year’s models getting the update.

Today Samsung has officially launched Android 4.4.2 KitKat for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active. This ruggedized variant of last-year’s Galaxy S4 has received a lot of praise, especially in our review, and it’s great to see that it finally joins the list of Samsung devices getting updated. Now that said, this update is only available for the International variant of the smartphone. Those of you who got this device as an AT&T exclusive will still have to wait to get the goods.

Obviously it takes some time for all devices to receive their updates, so just keep an eye out, as it should reach your compatible device soon.

Source: Sammobile

LG G3 Released Finally.

LG is taking steps in 2014 to be a more competitive Android player, and for the past several months we’ve seen the manufacturer preparing for a much earlier-in-the-year introduction for its latest Android heavyweight, the G3. We’ve been fascinated by specs like a quad HD 2K screen, as well as captivated by the further refining of a design LG’s been developing for some time now. This afternoon, the company’s simultaneous global launch events get underway, as it reveals the G3 to a waiting public.

It’s been confirmed six ways from Sunday by now, but in case you’ve been living under a rock, the G3 features a 5.5-inch quad HD screen with 538 ppi pixel density. The phone runs a Snapdragon 801, and it turns out that confusion over its RAM configuration is with good reason: there will be two G3 variants, one with 2GB and one with 3GB. And while LG confirms microSD support, this time it mentions the sensible 128GB upper limit (based on available cards), instead of that 2TB jive that was going around earlier. As for internal storage, we’re again looking at two options, with either 16GB or 32GB.

The G3 gets a 13-megapixel main camera with optical stabilization, with a 2.1-megapixel front-facer. And just as the leaks (eventually) got to the bottom of, the primary camera is assisted by a laser auto-focus.

The handset measures 74.6 mm wide, 146.3 mm tall, and is just 8.9 mm thick. Its mass is 149 grams, and the phone packs a 3000mAh removable battery with a graphite cathode for extended life.

On the software side of things we see the arrival of that flattened UI that’s been prominent in so many leaks, as well as learn about a few specific abilities. Those include things like LG’s Smart Keyboard that goes beyond learning your typing habits to offer handy customization, like an adjustable on-screen height. LG tackles the so-hot-right-now virtual assistant field with its Smart Notice service, which places an emphasis on using natural-sounding language as it delivers its reminders.

The phone’s camera also picks up some software tricks LG wanted to show off today. To complement that laser-assisted auto-focus (which can pull off focusing is a little as 276 milliseconds), the G3′s software will let you quickly grab shots, as tapping the screen will not just focus the camera, but simultaneously snap a pic, as well. OIS gets an upgrade from previous LG designs, now compensating for even rougher handling. Even the front-facer gets in on the fun, with a gesture-recognizing mode that allows you to set a short count-down timer by just forming a fist and releasing.

On the subject of audio performance, the powerful 1W speaker we saw leaked is confirmed, and the phone’s software performs dynamic microphone adjustments to keep recording levels within acceptable ranges even in noisy environments.

On the accessory front, we already knew about the QuickCircle covers, and LG once again mentions that Tone Infinium Harman/Kardon Bluetooth headset we shared with you overnight. And with support for wireless charging, we’re also going to get an official G3 Qi charger.

What about availability? LG says that its worldwide G3 rollout begins tomorrow, May 28, in South Korea. How quickly it will spread from there, and who will get the phone next, remains to be seen.

We have heard a few announcements from US carriers already: T-Mobile is opening pre-registration for the G3 now, with the phone itself arriving “later this summer.” T-Mobile’s G3, we can confirm, will be the 3GB model. AT&T has also expressed its intentions to carry the G3, but doesn’t offer anything more specific than that it will get the phone later this year.

Source: LG, T-Mobile, AT&T

iPhone 6 Launch Date Leaked.

It’s never likely that Apple will reveal its most prized secrets, and then again, with the amount of buzz that Apple’s competition is making lately, it’s also logical that the Cupertino gang needs to keep some hype behind its own product. We’ve seen a ton of leaks of the iPhone 6 lately, though nothing points to a launch any time soon, and if you were wondering if the launch would somehow happen at WWDC 2014 next week, think again.

Reports have it that the Deutsche Telekom call center has been contacting customers lately and telling them the exact launch date of the iPhone 6, with the idea of getting these customers to commit to a contract renewal. We haven’t been able to confirm, but the report points to a possible launch on September 19th, which could mean that the event could happen 10 days earlier. It could also be that the event will happen on September 19th, with a possible launch 10 days later.

Historically this is quite close to previous launch dates of the last iPhone models. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were launched on September 20, 2013, while the iPhone 5 did so on September 21, 2012, and the iPhone 4s on October 14, 2011. Obviously the iPhone 6 could launch at two separate dates, given the rumors mention two separate phones, but time will tell.

Source: Apfelpage.de
Via: BGR

LG G3 RETAIL BOX AND SALE LEAK.

We’re just a couple of hours away from the official announcement of the LG G3, the company’s 2014 flagship, but that doesn’t stop the leaks. We’ve seen several aspects of the phone unofficially unveiled recently, and now, what you can see in the image above, is claimed to be (and we believe that it indeed is) the LG G3 retail box. (note the faux metallic look, emulating the back of the phone, as seen in previous leaks).

Laser auto-focus is confirmed, as part of the new OIS camera on the LG G3, as per the leaked slides below testify. The mystery of the backplate is also uncovered, as the slide (probably a leaked part of the upcoming microsite) confirms a “lightweight metallic design”. 1 watt speaker with the boost amp should take care of your multimedia needs, while the quad HD screen should offer great reproduction of multimedia. Wireless charging is also found, as well as other details, embedded below.

There are also a munch of different press renders that have leaked. You can see the device from several angles, in all three colors.

Source: Underkg
Via: GSMArena, PhoneArena

Watch LG Event live.

In a little under three hours, LG’s May 27 press event will get underway, where the company will reveal its G3 Android flagship. While the G2 and Optimus G before it were also smartphones we eagerly anticipated, neither seemed like it could even touch the level of buzz that’s attached itself to the G3. Leak after leak has been revealing the smartphone for us, and based on what we’ve heard so far, the G3 sounds like it will be a beast: quad HD display, narrow bezels, laser focus assist… we’ve got a look to look forward to. The team here at Pocketnow will be bringing you coverage of the event as it happens, reporting live on the announcement and having a man on the ground in New York for early hands-on action, but if you can’t wait even one second longer than you have to, LG’s got a live feed all ready for you to view.

We’ve embedded the stream for you below, and as you can see it’s counting down until 12:30 Eastern. Wait, but doesn’t the G3 event start at 1pm? You’ve been paying attention; yes it does. Presumably, LG will simply flip the cameras on at that early point and you’ll be able to start watching the venue fill up – but the announcement itself still isn’t scheduled to kick-off until 1pm.

And if you’d rather not sit through lengthy product demos or you simply can’t watch the video at work, well that’s what we’re here for. Check back with Pocketnow starting at 1pm for the start of our live G3 event coverage.

Source: LG (YouTube)

Toshiba's New Budget Tablet Line.

The last time we had the opportunity to talk to you about a Toshiba tablet, we were looking at the eight-inch Encore running Windows 8 late last summer. At $330, it was already a pretty affordable tablet, but even that low price isn’t low enough for Toshiba. Today we see the company introduce not just two new Windows tablets that manage to outdo the Encore when it comes to affordability, but also an Android model with an extremely low price of its own.

On the Windows side of the fence we get the two new Encore 2 tablets, an 8-inch and 10-inch model. Both run quad-core Atoms, and both have relatively low-res 1280 x 800 displays – nothing incredibly exciting there, and not a big step forward from the original Encore… until we get to pricing. Instead of $330 for the 8-incher, the new Encore 2 will sell for just $200. Even moving up to the 10-inch version only raises that price to $270.

Over in Android-land, the prices dip even lower. The new Excite Go is a 7-inch tablet with a 1024 x 600 screen, quad-core Atom SoC, and 16GB storage with the option for microSD expansion. Again, far from stellar specs, but with a price tag that just might make up for that: the Excite Go will sell for a scant $110. Can you pay more and also get more from other tablets? Absolutely, but if price is your main limitation, we can think of worse options.

Look for sales of all three tablets to begin sometime in July.

Source: Engadget

New Touch id For new iOS device.

One of the most disappointing parts of last year’s iPad lineup for some was the lack of Touch ID sensors for biometric authentication on it. Apple will use Touch ID sensors on all of its 2014 iOS devices, reports KGI.

This news leads us to believe that all new iPhone, iPad, and (possibly) iPod touch models from the year will support this kind of authentication. Shipments of the sensor are set to increase by 233% this year, according to the same report. This isn’t surprising if these new iOS devices indeed get the scanner.

These sensors will also reportedly get an upgrade — Apple may be eyeing tin as a material for the “Touch ID module packaging”. This upgraded sensor hopefully will also fix some issues many users experienced, where the Touch ID sensor would stop working accurately as time went on from its first configuration.

Source: KGI
Via: 9to5Mac

LG G3 UNITS SHOW UP AT RETAILERS.

We’re pretty much hours away from the launch of the LG G3, and even though many of us didn’t really like the LG G2 at its launch, we can’t deny that we became believers after using the phone during our review period. LG has done such a great job with its past two G iterations, that Google has used these smartphones as the basis for the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5. We pretty much know everything we want to know about this phone, but if you had any doubts about the design, think no further.

The first retail dummy units are already available in some stores in Asia, and everything we’ve seen leaked about this phone over the last couple of weeks is pretty much confirmed. We’re expecting yet another LG flagship here with monster specifications like 5.5-inch IPS QHD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with quad-core CPU and 3GB of RAM. We’re expecting another optically stabilized 13 megapixel rear with a 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera as well.

We’ll keep you posted as more news develop of this official launch.

Source: underkg.co.kr
Via: GSMArena

64 GB moto x for sprint !!

Motorola’s Moto X is beginning to enter its twilight years (for a smartphone, at least), having launched last August. While we’re definitely looking forward to a sequel, Motorola doesn’t seem content letting this model languish in its old age, and appears ready to keep introducing new options. Over the weekend we noticed a slight tweak to the company’s Moto Maker offerings, switching walnut out for rosewood among the phone’s natural finish options, and also heard rumors about a forthcoming 64GB variant. That 64GB model still isn’t showing up on Motorola’s own site, but today we pick up some new support for the idea of its existence, as the 64GB Moto X makes a brief appearance over at Sprint.

While there doesn’t appear to be any formal product page for Sprint’s 64GB Moto X, we are seeing the phone pop up as an option when browsing through models with the intent of shopping for accessories. We don’t get any insight into possible pricing, nor do we end up with a specific sense for when the phone might be available, but seeing this here at all has us optimistic that it could go up for sale sooner rather than later.

Considering we had already heard that the 64GB Moto X might be coming to Sprint, this could well be strong confirmation. We still have to entertain the possibility that this could still be one big coincidence coupled with a typo, but Occam’s razor has us looking at all this and really wanting to believe that a 64GB Moto X from Sprint could be nearly ready to go official.

Source: Sprint

Apple to launch new platform at WWDC.

Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference is just a week away, and the Internet is full of rumors regarding what to expect. We’ve heard Apple is working hard on bringing us more health-oriented features for iOS 8, aside from the possibility of somehardware being launched as well. What’s interesting is that the rumors don’t stop there, as apparently Apple has more up its sleeve.

The company is rumored to launch a smart home platform at the event, to compete with rival offerings from Google’s acquisition of Nest, and even Samsung. The service will apparently be similar to what we already see in the market, where you can control some of your home appliances with your iPhone or iPad. What isn’t clear is how Apple plans to differentiate its offerings from the competition, which some assume might include some iBeacon magic to get the job done.

Whatever the case may be, Apple might pull-out another hobby here, as its previous attempts with products like the Apple TV, haven’t been as popular as the company would’ve wanted.

Source: Financial Times
Via: BGR

Samsung Leaks 4.4.3 dev updates.

Back around the start of May, an internal Samsung document leaked out, revealing the company’s work in pursuit of Android 4.4.2 updates for a number of currently available smartphones. What it revealed wasn’t great news – for instance, we saw the Galaxy S III fail to make the cut for models that would get the update – but it was still nice to insight into Samsung’s progress. Today we return with an update, and while there’s not a ton of progress on the 4.4.2 side of the fence, we also touch briefly on the pending arrival of 4.4.3.

From last month’s 4.4.2 update phase four report we graduate to phase five, and things seem to be moving along quite smoothly: completed updates are now pending release, those in final testing are now completed, and so forth. No ETAs seem to have changed, and there’s no progress on the GS3 – where it had once been marked as “n/a,” its status now reads “unstable.”

We also get a companion doc, and this one for Samsung’s updates based around KTU70 builds: Android 4.4.3. Only the GS4 and GS5 themselves make the list at this early date, and all we get is the note that Samsung is still integrating the software – meaning this isn’t even to the testing phase yet. That could place a release quite a while out (and as you can see, there aren’t even any loose ETAs just yet).

It’s also worth noting that the GS4 mentioned here is one of those LTE-Advanced models with the Snapdragon 800. Will those models see 4.4.3 arrive before their Exynos and Snapdragon 600 siblings?

Source: SamMobile

LG G3 HARMAN KADRON ?

We thought we knew everything about the LG G3, and even compiled it all in one place. That may not be the case, however — new material allegedly from an LG server tells us that the company has possibly been working with Harman Kardon. Could they be working to release a Harman Kardon edition of the phone?

The image, brought to us by TK Tech News, shares that “joint development” on the G3 may have occurred between LG and Harman Kardon. The text is cut off (and translated from Korean), so it is difficult to say what exactly the point is. However, there are two references to a “Bluetooth stereo headset”.

If you can remember, the HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition came with a special pair of earbuds, designed to offer great quality sound when coupled with the software enhancements on the device. We are thinking that a similar deal may be in place for the G3, or a special variant (we just hope that, if this is the case, it won’t be exclusive to Sprint this time around). We are leaning toward there being a special variant, as that is what the leaker mentions in one of his Instagram posts.

The image of the “Bluetooth stereo headset” itself is pretty regular, and you can make out the LG and Harman Kardon logos fairly easily. It is embedded right down below, along with the images of the alleged LG site in both Korean and (translated) English.

Source: TK Tech News (Instagram), 2, 3

Update: This Bluetooth headset is actually the Tone Infinim, which LG previously announced as a collaboration with Harman Kardon. This headset is optimized for the software features found on the G3, so there likely will not be a Harman Kardon edition G3.

High End Android Flip Phone ?

Save for the standard wafer style smartphone, practically all other form factors are dead.

Last year around this time, I revisited all the old form factors that, for all intents and purposes, are no more: vertical QWERTY, horizontal slider, vertical slider, dual-slider and dual-flip phones, some experimental form factors, and the age-old clamshell style. Instead of various form factors, style differentiation can now only be found in color, size and weight, display size, and shape.

To be fair, the candy bar form factor just … works. It’s the most logical and efficient style. It gets all the moving parts out of the way in favor of longevity; trades wasted space (physical keyboards, hinges, bezels) for useful and valuable display real estate; and packs all the important parts down into the slimmest package possible. The virtual extinction of other form factors was predictable and practical, at least for the way we use smartphones today.

That’s not to say, however, that the candy bar form factor is the be-all and end-all of smartphone form factors. It’s not necessarily the most efficient for all users, and it definitely isn’t everyone’s favorite form factor.

For one, every phone on the market using the same form factor is tragically boring.

Imagine if every car on the road was simply a different scale, color, and shape of the same vehicle type. For instance, say there were no sports or compact cars, no trucks, no family vans, and only giant SUVs everywhere. It’s a snoozefest that doesn’t work for everyone. On a less dramatic scale, this is effectively what’s happened to the cell phone market (if you exclude feature phones, that is). Phones like Motorola’s DROID series, Samsung’s Captivate Glide or Epic 4G, HTC G2 (someone queue “Taps”, please), or even the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G simply don’t happen anymore, especially not on a large scale.

Different form factors definitely still exist in the practically forgotten non-smartphone market, and some manufacturers in the Asian market still often experiment with different form factors.

For instance, late last year, Samsung introduced itsGalaxy Golden flip-style smartphone. It comes with two displays, mounted back-to-back, so the user can access a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED display when the phone is open or closed. Inside, it has a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, LTE support, and it comes with an 8-megapixel camera.

It’s nothing outstanding, which begs the question:what if there were a high-end flip smartphone? I’m going way out on a hypothetical limb here, but what if a Galaxy S5 Flip – a proper Galaxy S5 with a clamshell design – emerged?

Would you buy it?

Obviously, the biggest hurdle is the dial pad. We live in a world where T9 simply doesn’t cut it anymore. The fast-paced messaging we’ve all grown used to doesn’t work so well with T9.

Samsung, however, is a particularly great candidate for such a concept. It’s the creator of one of the most timeless feature phones ever: the Alias. It had a hinge which flipped both vertically and horizontally, and the E Ink keyboard displayed different keys based on how the phone was opened – a standard dial pad for vertical and a full QWERTY keyboard for horizontal.

What if the imaginary Galaxy S5 Flip were a new-age incarnation of the Alias? Sweet, right? Bear with me here while I take the hypothetical one step further. What if it were essentially a more respectable and better executed version of Kyocera’s Echo?

The story of the Echo was a tragedy. It was a novel concept that flopped extra hard and found itself among our worst devices ever. It’s a shame, honestly. As awful the dual-display concept was on battery life, there are a handful of exceptionally useful advantages to having a smartphone with two displays.

The dual-display setup could work particularly well for Samsung, especially paired with something like the Multi-Window feature. And the detriment it is to battery life could (hopefully) be offset by rapid charging.

Maybe I’m desperate for something new and different – or maybe even something a little old.

I just want to see some manufacturers step outside their comfort zone and try something different for a change. I’m tired of seeing the same ol’ thing rehashed year after year, only marginally improving and offering no real value over last year’s models.

Clearly not every OEM has given up on the dual-display dream. We saw the NEC Medias W at MWC 2013 and Fujitsu has tinkered with the idea, though I wouldn’t say I’m impressed by its execution.

The dual-display concept is one that resonates well with me … for several reasons. The ability to watch a video and browse the web at the same time is extremely valuable, which is why I love Multi-Window. But its usefulness is limited on a single smartphone display. Multi-Window and a dual-display setup are practically built to be together.

A next-generation flip phone could definitely give the smartphone market the extra spice it’s been lacking in recent years, and with phones as slim as they are these days, a dual-display flip phone could be something work taking a gander at. It wouldn’t necessarily have to be half an inch thick or as heavy as a tablet. It could actually be svelte, and with the right amount of tender loving care, it could be non-traditional nudge the smartphone market needs.

I’d be in line for the first high-end, dual-display flip smartphone on launch day.

What say you, ladies and gents? Is a new-age flip smartphone something you would consider? What if it were dual-display or a newer, cooler version of the Alias? Or are you perfectly happy with the standard, overused candy bar form factor?

Image via Teknofil.no

Samsung Galaxy Tab S.

In a little over two weeks, Samsung is holding its Galaxy Premiere event, and unless we’re being intentionally misled, we’re likely to see the debut of Samsung’s next family of tablets, the Galaxy Tab S series featuring bright, high-saturation OLED displays. Now, a lot of information about these tablets has already arrived, and we’ve even checked out pics of the actual hardware thanks to the FCC, but so far one key detail has eluded us: seeing these OLED screens in action. And really, isn’t that the whole point of these models? Well, it’s still a little difficult to appreciate the LCD/OLED difference with everything filtered through another screen like this, but today we get what may be our first look at one of these Tab S models in action, OLED display and all.

Unsurprisingly, what we get here seems quite bright and colorful, but it’s just so hard to really make the benefits of OLED components stand out without an A/B comparison. The tablet itself appears to match our expectations well enough, aligning with the layout we saw in those FCC pics, so we’re inclined to believe this may well be the real deal.

Beyond that new pic, we also see Samsung prepping for the tablet’s launch, and the manufacturer has prepared support pages for the SM-T800 (the 10.5-inch model) on a couple of its international sites. There’s nothing much of note there, aside from the fact that Samsung is hosting these pages at all.

Source: SamMobile, Samsung
Via: SammyToday

HTC ONE M8 ACE PRESS RENDERS.

Over the course of the past week, a bunch of new information has arrived concerning rumors of a new HTC One-series model, the M8 Ace. First we got a render that was supposedly confirmed by a second source, and then we saw China’s TENAA publish official pics of a phone that sure seemed to matchthe initial leak that arrived all the way back at the start of April. We start this week off with a new render, but this time it might be the source of more questions than answers.

The rear of this silver phone you see up above is a dead ringer for last week’s render of the back of the M8 Ace – same angle and everything, just in a different color. But this time we also get a front shot… and it doesn’t look like that TENAA pic at all. Gone is the expansive speaker grille, in favor for a cookie-cutter copy of the One M8.

So which is the real M8 Ace? Is this new pic just a fan render, cobbled together from multiple sources? Perhaps, but that rear shot really looks the part, leaving us a little unsure where to place our bets.

As if that uncertainty wasn’t enough, we also pick up a new candidate for the M8 Ace’s launch name: the One M8 “Vogue Edition.” Like similar reports of a One Style or Fashion Edition, we wonder if this is some artifact of a poor translation, but it’s worth keeping in mind, all the same. According to this source, the phone could launch as soon as June 3, just over one week from now.

Source: ifanr (Google Translate)
Via: phoneArena

Samsung's Next Galaxy Gear to be Round like moto 360 ?

There’s money in them hills, and Samsung knows it. This past Thursday, the U.S. Patent office published the particulars of a Samsung patent application, filed last August, that describes a round faced smartwatch. At first glance, it appears to be not unlike the Moto 360, but then it dives into a different take on mounting and touch-less gesture support.

The description of the smartwatch offers next to nothing in terms of specifications and dimensions, we’ll have to wait for the FCC filingfor that. Instead, we are treated to a long list of UI functionality, physical configurations and gesture based interactions.

A bunch of the renders include expected functionality and looks, including different watch faces, weather reports and fitness tracking/mapping with built-in features that could include a heart rate monitor.

Not seen in Today’s batch of smartwatches is Samsung’s proposed flexibility of mounting this unit. Taking it well beyond a watch, the round main unit can be removed from a wristband and attached to a clip, necklace, keychain and even utilized as a TV remote.

There is a camera built into the wristband, familiar to the original Galaxy Gear smartwatch, but mounted slightly lower on the band. The idea is to optimize the viewing experience for the user – plainly put, they want to ensure that the camera is looking where you are when the watch face is pointed straight at you. Let’s avoid the funky ‘twisted wrist to get the right shot’ problem some have expressed of earlier devices. In addition, images from the camera can be run through image/object recognition, barcode scanning and even text OCR with translations.

Finally, the built-in camera offers a new set of touch-less gestures to control the device. The patent goes on to explain many examples of finger and hand position detection and certain movement recognition. The interesting thing here is that with the camera mounted so low along the back side of the band, you perform the gestures below your watch attached arm, eliminating the need to obscure your own view of the display.

It is still early on, and this is only a patent application, but it is interesting to see where Samsung may be headed with their tech. Based off of what you see here, do you think Samsung will impress with their next generation of smartwatches?