Samsung Galaxy Ace Snap Review

With the Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung has set their sights on conquering the all important mid-range market. The Galaxy Ace isn’t for geeks, it is for people who are looking for a smartphone that just works well and aren’t interested or impressed in features they do not need.

With the Galaxy Ace, Samsung has designed a phone that is not only elegant, but also simple to use. There are two touch sensitive buttons on the front with a directional pad in between them. The buttons are backlit and disappear when not in use. This gives the Galaxy Ace a simple design. The reasonably sized screen is bright, sharp and is sensitive enough to detect any finger swipes. The device on a whole is solid and well built.

Two battery covers are included for some form of personalisation, one of which is black and rubbery and the other in glossy white. A 2GB microSD card for installing applications and any music and videos is included. Also included in the box is a USB cable, a wall charger and a stereo headset.

A 5 Megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash is on the back. While the camera will not replace a dedicated digital camera, images captured are printable, provided there is reasonable lighting. The camera interface is excellent and provides easy access to a number of features, including manual control for photography buffs. It also supports face and smile detection, macro feature for close-up shots and geotagging.

Samsung has customised the Google Android operating system with their own user interface. The homescreen has up to seven panels that users can populate with widgets like clock, news and weather and Google Search. As a now mature ecosystem, Android offers users plenty of features, including easy access to Google’s many online services.

Applications are easy to get to and if a user needs more, they can easily access the Android Market where thousands of free and paid-for applications are available. The Galaxy Ace is reasonably quick though it slows down a bit when running many applications concurrently.

As expected from a phone that runs on Android, the Galaxy Ace is an excellent messaging device. The default messaging application supports SMS and MMS, while there is also a generic email application that handles POP and IMAP email services. Threaded messaging is included as standard giving the user a conversational style interface.

The Android browser is one of the best available on a smartphone. The browser works like any modern smartphone browsers do – it’s pinch to zoom, as well as tap to zoom. Text reflow makes it easier to browse websites that are not mobile optimised. Because the Galaxy Ace is on Three’s fast 3G network, web browsing on the go has never been quicker.

All in all, I am surprised by how much I liked about the Samsung Galaxy Ace. Despite being light on high-end features, the Galaxy Ace is a great all rounder and easy to use smartphone that anybody can pick up and use right away.

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Smartphones soon to replaced your wallets

If there are two things that most of us carry with us every waking moment of the day, it's our phones and wallets. So, in the name of convenience, some of the biggest technology companies are hard at work to combine the two. By giving your smartphone the ability to make payments at retail locations, you may never have to fumble with physical cash or credit cards during checkout ever again. So, just how close are we to a world of virtual wallets? Let's take a look.

How it works

The technology powering smartphone payment systems is called "near field communication," or NFC. It is essentially a short-range radio transmission. Devices with NFC capability have a special chip that sends signals to other NFC-equipped devices within an inch or so. The short range helps ensure security and streamlines the digital payment: You just touch your phone or tablet to the payment terminal and voila you’ve paid.

The NFC payment software works just like a built-in smartphone app and can be loaded with multiple debit and credit cards, which allows you flexibility at the register. This payment information is typically stored in the cloud, and can be accessed on any device that uses near-field communication for payments.

Because your information is stored on a server, you have to enter a passcode to access your payment information. This makes the system far more secure than a standard credit card. For instance, if your phone is stolen, the thieves won’t be able to use it to make payments without your passcode.

When tapped against an NFC-enabled payment receiver at a retail store, your credit and debit card information is transmitted securely. Digital wallets save you time at checkout and because your payment information is kept secure behind online firewalls, it can be safer than the tradition of credit cards and cash payments.

When will it get here?

Actually, it's already arrived. Android devices are currently leading the virtual wallet movement, and there are currently a dozen or so smartphones and tablets that offer the feature. Google Wallet has emerged as the frontrunner of NFC software, and has already reached agreements with more than two dozen merchants to carry NFC terminals in their stores. Foot Locker, Old Navy, CVS, RadioShack, and Macy's are just a few of the retailers where you can use your smartphone to make purchases.

However, Google isn't alone, and a number of companies are attempting to carve out a piece of the virtual wallet pie all for themselves. Google Wallet may currently have the most promising — and widespread — approach, but PayPal, Visa, American Express, and even wireless carriers want to offer their own versions of NFC payment software. Verizon even prohibits its customers installing Google Wallet due to the competition between the companies.

The competitive approach to NFC payments isn't helping any of the various companies gain a decent foothold. And while the concept of a virtual wallet can be confusing on its own, having multiple versions to choose from exacerbates the problem further.

Apple's approach

The company's trademark approach to new, unproven technology has always been to sit back and see whether it floats or sinks before making a move, and virtual payment technology is no different. Because of this, Apple has yet to release iPhones with NFC chips.

Apple launched its Passbook app last September, which helps organize coupons, gift cards, and event tickets from select retailers like TicketMaster, Starbucks and more. The information stored in Passbook is scanned instead of transmitted like the NFC system. Because of that, the app can't be used to make payments from debit or credit cards, so the chances of it replacing your wallet are low.

If Apple were to jump in the mobile payment pool with its own NFC model phone, it would not only mean including the technology in a future iPhone in the first place, but also be the launch of something much bigger: Apple's own payment software. Based on its Maps fiasco, it’s clear Apple would not leverage the NFC path forged by competitors like Google.

An uncertain future

At this point, it's difficult to predict whether virtual wallet technology will indeed kill off physical debit and credit cards anytime soon. With so many companies interested in profiting off of their own NFC offerings, it's likely going to be a number of years before a dominant platform emerges.

Until then, make sure you don’t lose your old reliable wallet. - source

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HTC Butterfly Snap Review

A Smartphone that apparently makes the tagline of Taiwanese manufacturer HTC – “quietly brilliant”- true to the core. With the launch of this costly Smartphone, the company has geared up for the battle of Androids.

Design:

The phone is sort of sophisticated and elegant, which is made using plastic coated with soft rubber and boasts of uni-body construction. It has three touch-sensitive keys- Home, Back and Task Switcher- below the display, while the sensors and secondary camera reside above it. It is IPX-5 certified and can withstand water at low pressure. Even though it is plastic, the build quality is good. 

Everything seems solid and there are no loose parts. The phone heels quite comfortable to hold in hand and weighs 140 grams. However because of the larger surface area and good weight distribution, the device feels lighter than the S III. Even though the device is a bit long, it will easily slide into pockets because of its slim profile.

Inserting SIM in the device is a bit complicated. Since the same location fits the microSD card as well, HTC was not able to fix the SIM tray onto the plastic cover. Instead of a cover that opens up, it is attached to the body. Hence, while ejecting the tray out of the socket, it is a bit difficult but the microsD is much simpler to insert.

Processor and operating system:

The Butterfly runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system and features the updated version 4+ of the HTC Sense User Interface and has 1.5GHz quad-core processor. Unlike the stock user interface, Sense uses more colorful icons, more elaborate animations and fancy widgets.

Screen:

The phone comes with a 5-inch Super LCD 3 1920*1080p display with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 and a pixel density of 441 pixels-per-inch, which is the highest in industry. A display of that size and resolution gives crisp text and images. In terms of sharpness, it is the main attraction here. It’s really good for people who like to read a lot. The display is extremely smooth and it’s great to use especially with the curved edges.

Battery life:

The HTC butterfly is powered by a non-user-replaceable 2020 Li-Ion battery which can stand its charge up to 45 hours.

Camera:

The phone is packed with an 8MP camera which captures images of 3264*2448 pixels in 4:3 mode and 3264*1840 in 16:9. It also captures 6 MP images during video recording. The HTC ImageSense or the camera interface is the same for both the still camera and the video camera and the camera functions as a UI shared between both functions. The 8MP camera delivers quality photos under daylight as well as low-light conditions. The front 2.1MP camera does a good job during video calls and clicking photos.

Storage and Connectivity:

The phone has 2GB RAM and packed with 16GB of in-built memory and microSD card support of 32GB. Connectivity features of the device include Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. The Wi-Fi works perfectly well and the device isn’t affected by any grip issues like HTC Sensation. The phone can be used to convert cellular data connection into a Wi-Fi hotspot as well as supports Wi-Fi direct and DLNA.

Wrap-up:

HTC Butterfly, one of the most expensive Smartphones in the market is one of the best Android phones to combine best features like brilliant HD screen and great build quality. The device is a brilliant mix of hardware and software along with good looks, a beautiful display and classy build.

Pros:

The Smartphone offers a stunning display with full-HD of 1080p and runs on 1.5GHz quad-core processor which makes its performance much faster. It shines in excellent build and solid water resistance ratings.

Cons:

It loses image especially in the high price which is kind of pretty-expensive for Smartphone users and its confusing SIM tray mechanism and disappointing camera.

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Unroot the Huawei Ideos X6 U9000

Looking for an easy way to unroot your Cherry Mobile Magnum HD, CSL Spice Mi410 aka Huawei Ideos X6 U9000 smartphone but can’t find the procedure anywhere? No problem, in the following guide, we’ve compiled all the steps you should follow to unroot your smartphone. It will flash the stock firmware on your device so you can have a pure Android device, let’s see how you can do it.

I. Before You Begin:

1. The procedure will wipe off all the data on your device. Therefore, take a backup first and then go ahead.

2. You must have a SD card formatted in FAT32 file system.

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. Stock ROM (Download link’s given in the first post)

III. Unrooting the Huawei Ideos X6 U9000:

1. Place the Stock ROM file on your Desktop.

2. Unzip files from the Stock ROM archive to your Desktop. You will get a file called UPDATE.app.

3. Connect the smartphone to your PC using the USB cable. Make sure that you have SD card inserted in your smartphone.

4. Using Windows Explorer, create a new folder on the root of your SD card called dload.

5. Transfer the UPDATE.app file you extracted in Step-2 over to the dload folder on your SD card.

6. Disconnect the device after the file has been transferred.

7. Turn OFF the device.

8. While your device is turned OFF, press and hold the Volume UP+RED+Power buttons together.

9. The Stock ROM should begin flashing on your device. The progress bar will be shown on your screen.

10. As soon as the flashing is done, your device should reboot.

11. You’re now unrooted !

Congrats! Your device’s now running on the Stock Firmware released by the Huawei itself, with no root access.

If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here and here.

If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below.

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World's Smallest Android Set-Top-Box

Chinese handset maker Xiaomi revealed the Mi Box Mini, an Android TV-like device that can play games. Everyone and their mother (in Tech News) is monitoring Xiaomi, the *fourth largest smartphone maker in the world behind Samsung, Apple and Lenovo (owners of Motorola). But that doesn't mean everything they put out is gold.

Xiaomi's been at the TV game the longest after it's smartphone when they first released the Mi Box, their answer to Apple TV. Like the Apple device, the Mi Box could play games, download apps, and stream content. However, unlike the Apple device, the content supported by Xiaomi is mostly China-centric, and this is no different with the Mi Box Mini.

Let's a take a step back and look at the Mi Box Mini. The thing is small, sleek, and did I mention small? At the size of a smartphone charger, the Mi Box Mini only has a plug and an HDMI output. It connects online via Wi-Fi. Xiaomi is offering "1.4 million hours" of content to go with it.

Of course, since it's an Android device, and similar to Android and Apple TV, the Mi Box Mini also has another feature going for it: gaming. The Mi Box Mini's specs surpass those many early Android consoles:

Most of the content available on the Mi Box Mini, and the Mi Box, for that matter, is in Chinese. Some of it might also be illegal and unlicensed content, but I did find Archer in English.Most of the content available on the Mi Box Mini, and the Mi Box, for that matter, is in Chinese. Some of it might also be illegal and unlicensed content, but I did find Archer in English.

Okay, enough about the video, onwards to video games! Sadly, like its predecessors, the Mi Box Mini isn't a gaming machine, even after the various deals that Xiaomi has made, including the one with Ouya. Part of the problem of the device as a gaming platform is Xiaomi's own lackadaisical offerings.

The company has on its store, free of charge, games like Timberman, Flappy Bird and Plants Versus Zombies. Of course there are also loads of Chinese-made mobile games. The games are simple casual titles that would find their way onto many a smartphone, mine included (I really liked Timberman).

Now, according to Xiaomi's forum's and Engadget, there's a way to side load apps onto the Mi Box Mini. I haven't figured out how. There's no Micro SD or SD slot anywhere, so the hardware is limited to 2 GB of usable memory. The Mi Box Mini should also connect to any Bluetooth controller, however it's not connecting to my Moga Pro.

However, at a price of about $30, the Mi Box Mini is incredibly attractive for people looking for a media solution to terrestrial and cable TV. With Xiaomi supposedly slated to hit State-side in the coming year, they may work out something with the Mi Box Mini for Western audiences. I still can't get over how tiny the box is.

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Is Apple iPhone 5C Best Than 5S ?

Now that Apple has officially announced the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, a new question has probably come to mind for anyone in the market for a new phone: Which one should you buy? The iPhone 5S is Apple’s high-end, luxury smartphone, with the aluminum build, fingerprint sensor, and 64-bit architecture to prove it. The iPhone 5C meanwhile, comes clad in five fun plastic colors, and starts at $100 less than the iPhone 5S.

Pre-orders for both phones start on Friday, so you’ve got a little bit of time to figure out which one you want. I’ve compared some of the specs and features for each phone to help you decide which one should end up in your shopping cart.

Siblings, or at least cousins

Let’s start with the similarities, as there are quite a few. The iPhone 5C basically contains the same guts as the iPhone 5, and many of these features carry over to the iPhone 5S. Both phones, for instance, feature a 4-inch retina display. Battery life should be about equal for each device, and each phone has an 8-megapixel camera (though I’ll get to some camera differences in a bit). Also, both phones ship running iOS 7, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.

Aluminum? Or plastic fantastic?

So what makes them different? The first, most noticeable difference between the two phones lies in the design. The iPhone 5S features the same aluminum build as the iPhone 5, though Apple is offering it in three colors this time around: gold, gray and silver. The iPhone 5C brings a completely different look to the party. Made of a hard-coated polycarbonate body with a reinforced steel frame, the iPhone 5c comes in five bright colors, which is a big change for Apple.

Compared to the industrial, steely iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C is like a breath of fresh air. It’s also probably going to sell like hotcakes among smartphone-carrying tweens, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to bring it into the boardroom. Also note that it’s a bit heavier. While both phones measure nearly the same size, the iPhone 5c weighs 4.65 ounces compared to the 3.95-ounce iPhone 5S. It’s not a big difference, but it’s worth considering.

64-bit or bust

The next major disparity lies in the processing power of each device. Though Apple keeps the specific details of its chips under wraps, the iPhone 5S is the first smartphone in the world to be powered by a 64-bit A7 system-on-a-chip. Additionally, Apple has added an M7 motion coprocessor, which handles all of the data from the accelerometer, compass and gyroscope. This should offload some of the work from the A7 and improve power efficiency. It also opens up new doors for more advanced wearable fitness trackers. And according to Apple, these changes make for performance that’s twice as fast as the A6 chip in the iPhone 5C. So if you’re a gamer, a fitness nut, or you just want the fastest iPhone possible, the iPhone 5S represents a significant step up in power.

Two killer cameras

As I mentioned earlier, both phones have an 8-megapixel camera, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. The iPhone 5C basically uses the same camera as the iPhone 5, which is a good thing—the iPhone 5 still has one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. But the 5S takes that camera and makes it even better.

The iPhone 5S features an f/2.2 camera as opposed to the 5C’s f/2.4. It also features a larger sensor and uses bigger 1.5-micron pixels, which should make for better sensitivity and low-light performance. The iPhone 5S camera has a new burst mode, as well as the ability to record 120fps 720 slow motion videos.

But perhaps the best new feature is the True Tone flash. The 5S features two different color lights for flash—the traditional bright white along with a new amber light—and automatically combines the two to make for a more natural-looking flash. Would-be photographers, take note: the iPhone 5S is the phone to get.

Say goodbye to swipe-to-unlock

One feature that doesn’t quite fit on the spec chart is the new fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S, which Apple calls Touch ID. This allows you to unlock your phone by simply placing your finger on the home button, rather than entering in an unlock code or swiping to unlock the phone. Better yet, it allows you to enable purchases (like in the App Store) without having to enter a password—just place your fingerprint on the home button and buy away. This makes using the iPhone easier than ever.

Pricing it out

The iPhone 5C comes in 16 or 32GB storage options, while the iPhone 5S adds a 64GB option to the equation. You’ll pay for it, though. A 64GB iPhone 5S costs a whopping $399 with a two-year contract.

But when it comes down to it, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C are really only $100 apart. You can buy a 16GB iPhone 5C for $99 or you can get a 16GB iPhone 5S for $199 (both of those price are with a two-year contract). Similarly, an unlocked iPhone 5C will cost you $549, while an unlocked iPhone 5S costs $649.

All things considered, I think the iPhone 5S is the better buy here. Think about how much money you spend over the length of a two-year phone contract. If you just have one line, it’s probably close to something like $100. Over the course of two years that’s $2,400, and when you look at it in context, it pays to throw down an extra $100 for a boatload of new and improved features. After all you’re getting a faster processor and a better camera, as well as Touch ID.

Chances are you’ll be carrying this phone for the next two years. So unless you really love the look of brightly colored plastic, I say splurge a bit on the iPhone 5S. That way when Apple announces in the iPhone 6 in a year from now, it won’t burn quite as big a hole in your pocket, begging you to trade it in.

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Apple iPhone 6 Rumors: Release Date In 2013, But Cheaper iPhone 5 Won't Feature A Retina Display

For months, we've been talking about two different successors to the iPhone 5, including a true sequel with all the bells and whistles -- the iPhone 5S -- and an all-new design said to aim specifically at emerging and lower-income global markets like India and China. But to build this cheaper, more affordable "iPhone 6," one analyst believes Apple (NASDAQ:APPL) will release the phone without a Retina display.

On Friday, RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani released a research note (via MacRumors) saying he believes the low-cost iPhone 6 will see its release date in June or July 2013, but the phone will not feature Apple's signature Retina display.

"Our supply-chain checks indicate that AAPL is working to launch multiple new phones in the June/July time-frame this year," Daryanani said. "Specifically, AAPL will launch the iPhone 5S and a more affordable but lower-income iPhone at the same time, in either late CYQ2 or Q3. The low-end iPhone will have the same 4" form factor as the iPhone 5 but will have plastic casing and no retina display [sic]. With a lower price-point, AAPL will be able to target a growing and important part of the Smartphone market (sub-$400 price-band)."

Several other analysts have said the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 will both be released simultaneously in 2013, but Daryanani's note about the device's Retina display conflicts with other trusted reports from analysts who have proved accurate in the past. Specifically, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who correctly predicted Apple's entire product pipeline in 2012, believes the iPhone 6 will indeed release in June or July, but will feature the same 326 ppi Retina display as the iPhone 5.

It would make little sense for Apple to introduce an inferior display in the iPhone 6. Even the iPhone 4, which is currently available for free in the U.S. (with a two-year contract), features a Retina display. If Apple wants to lower prices, reducing the screen density won't make much of a difference in overall cost. Instead, it's been reported that Apple will build the phone with different materials, opting for a "hybrid casing of fiberglass and plastic" that makes it lighter and slimmer than most plastic-encased smartphones, but certainly cheaper to make. KGI Securities' Kuo believes the iPhone 6 will still be heavier than the iPhone 5S, which will reportedly be cased in aluminum and released around the same time.

Need more reasons to believe the cheaper iPhone 6 will feature a Retina display? On Thursday, Apple officially told developers that all apps submitted to the App Store must support the Retina display resolution (326 ppi) and 4-inch screen size of the iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod touch starting May 1. If all developers are being forced to scale their apps to the new screen size in May, Apple will likely make a big iPhone and/or iOS-related announcement soon after -- most likely at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Why Apple Should Release The iPhone 6 In 2013

Apple is facing stiffening competition from its rivals at Samsung Electronics (KRX:005935), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), and even Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT); recently, Apple got to see Samsung release its newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S4, which looks to be the biggest competition to the iPhone in 2013 -- like 2012 all over again. Apple will need all the firepower it can muster in its smartphone line-up if it hopes to maintain customer interest in a tightening marketplace.

With the advent of cheaper, smaller, and more power-efficient chipsets, Apple can certainly afford to build an entry-level smartphone in addition to its current iPhone 5 (or 5S) -- either making it larger, like the Samsung Galaxy S3, or possibly a smaller iPhone Nano -- to appeal to consumers who can’t quite afford Apple’s most popular product, including many in China.

Reports of Apple's desire to build multiple iPhone models have been echoed on Wall Street. On Jan. 2, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White said the company will likely release its iPhone 5 successor in more colors and screen sizes, implying that Apple might sell an iPhone that's smaller or larger than the current iPhone 5 or even the previous-generation iPhone 4S or 4 units.

"Although Apple offers a 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5 and a 3.5-inch screen on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, the company has never offered multiple screen sizes for a single model," White said. "We believe this is about to change with the next iPhone offering different screen sizes that we believe will allow Apple to better bifurcate the market and expand its reach."

China is the biggest new market for Apple at this moment: The company is reportedly trying to strike a deal in 2013 with China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE:CHL), the largest telecommunications carrier in the world with 703 million active subscribers, to build a TD-LTE version of the iPhone 5 to work on the carrier’s high-speed networks. Apple CEO Tim Cook even visited China Mobile headquarters on Jan. 10 to meet with company Chairman Xi Guohua to discuss “matters of cooperation,” but Apple needs this deal now: The Samsung Galaxy S4 will release on TD-LTE this year, which presents an enormous opportunity for Samsung if it can release its popular smartphone unopposed.

Considering Apple’s urgency to strike a deal with China Mobile, as well as the growing competition to be compatible with China's most popular carrier, it’s likely we could see Apple release both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 this year in an attempt to dominate the growing markets in Asia.

iPhone 6 Rumors: What Features Might It Include?

iLounge editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz detailed in January what he called the "budget iPhone 5," which he said looks like the iPhone 5, but features several new design tweaks.

“Yes, it will be made substantially from plastic,” Horwitz wrote, echoing an earlier DigiTimes report that said the iPhone 5S or 6 would feature a hybrid chassis made of both plastic and metal. “No, it won’t just be a Retina- and Lightning-equipped refresh of the iPhone 3G or 3GS, Apple’s last plastic iPhones, nor will it look just like an all-plastic version of the iPhone 5. This new model is actually a cross between the iPhone 5, the fifth-generation iPod touch, and -- wait for it -- the iPod classic. Yes, really. It will have a 4-inch screen, like the iPhone 5, a bottom like the latest iPod touch and a shape that’s most similar to the iPod classic.”

The original DigiTimes report on the low-cost iPhone 6 said the new iPhone’s internal parts could “be seen from the outside through a special design." If this rumor is accurate, the finished design for the cheap iPhone 6 might look like an iPhone 5 mixed with the plastic enclosure of the iPhone 3GS from 2009 mixed with the final design for the Bondi blue iMac in 1998, which was characterized by its brightly colored, translucent plastic casing that could let users see the innards of their desktop computers for the first time.

Horwitz believes the low-cost iPhone 6 will feature specs nearly identical to those in the iPhone 5, but will be "a half-millimeter taller and a half-millimeter wider," as well as a full millimeter thicker. While these changes are minimal, Horwitz noted the biggest design change in the iPhone 6 will be the curves.

“Apple’s budget housing looks closest to the iPod classic in shape, though not in materials,” Horwitz said. “Unlike the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, which featured soft curves on all sides, the budget iPhone’s curves start and end at flat surfaces, so each side and the back are flat. This seems like a trivial change, until you realize that it allows Apple to use flat rather than curve-matched parts: The right side has a flat, centered SIM card tray just like the iPhone 5’s, while all of the buttons and ports are on flat rather than curved surfaces. A flat-backed iPhone won’t rock on a flat surface when it vibrates, either.”

The proportions of the iPhone 6 will resemble those of the latest-generation iPod touch, with similar locations for the camera, microphone and rear flash, according to Horwitz. The bottom microphone, headphone jack, Lightning dock, and speaker are in the same locations as in the iPhone 5, but the new iPhone 6 is said to have an extra microphone on the bottom, as well as four individual holes for the speaker grill, rather than the 26 speaker holes at the bottom of the iPhone 5.

“In summary, the budget iPhone will look a lot like an iPhone 5 from the front, an iPod classic from the side, and an iPod touch 5G on the bottom -- only made from plastic rather than glass or metal,” Horwitz concluded. “It won’t make any bold departures from past Apple designs, but then, it’s supposed to be an inexpensive iPhone and achieves that goal pretty much as expected.”

Besides the form factor, Horwitz believes the next iPhone will feature a processor bump -- possibly an Apple-built A7 chip -- as well as improvements to the camera and flash, integrating a new aperture and 13-megapixel lens.

That said, most rumors about the iPhone 6 have revolved around its display, as Apple is reportedly investing a great deal of time, energy and capital on the screen for its next-gen iPhone 5S and iPhone 6.

A Jan. 3 report by the China Times said Apple might switch to a "Touch On Display" panel currently in development at one of the company's suppliers, Taiwan-based Innolux Corp. (TPE:3481), which has reportedly licensed Sharp's proprietary IGZO display technology.

Whether or not Apple taps Innolux to make screens for the next iPhone, however, the company will most likely feature Sharp's ultrathin IGZO display technology in its next iPhone -- the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or both.

In late December, Asymco analyst Horace Dediu and DigiTimes both mentioned Apple’s alleged investment in the ultrathin IGZO displays produced by Sharp, predicting the inclusion of the technology in Apple’s next batch of iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads. Dediu also pointed to Apple’s recent $2.3 billion investment in “product tooling, manufacturing process equipment, and infrastructure,” believing the cash was used to help bail out Sharp, which had been in financial straits last year. Sharp is reportedly going “all in” on IGZO technology, so it’s possible Apple saved Sharp to leverage its investment in the next generation of displays.

As noted by Tom's Hardware, the IGZO display is not only thin and tough, but also can handle even higher screen densities than Apple’s Retina display, which is visually stunning on its own. IGZO displays can reportedly handle display densities north of 330 ppi: In comparison, the new iPad 4 can only achieve 264 ppi.

One of the advantages of IGZO display technology is its lower power consumption. Most Apple products, from the iPhone 5 to the iPad 4, require cartoonishly big batteries to achieve just eight hours of power -- this is because current-gen Retina displays are extremely power-hungry. If Apple wanted its iPhone 6 not only to last longer during the day but also to charge faster when plugged in, IGZO seems to be the way to go for the next generation of iOS devices.

Apple sold 47.8 million iPhones and 22.9 million iPads in the company's fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 29.

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List of Best Dual Core Android Phones

For people who live by their smartphones for whatever reasons, there are times when the average single core processor won't be enough. Whether its for work, file share, socializing or gaming, the rate at which all the apps in the world are evolving demands for a faster smartphone. So here are the best upcoming dual core smartphones that you can choose from.

Top 5 Dual Core Android Smartphones

They are big, they are powerful and they are a must have for anyone who lives on the go. Take your pick from among the best of the best.

Motorola Droid Bionic 4G

Features:

• Android 2.3.4
• 4G LTE Networks
• 1 GB RAM, OMAP4 Dual-core 1GHz processor
• 1735 mAh battery
• 4.3 qHD 540×960 TFT LCD
• 16GB internal storage memory RAM, microSD
• 8-megapixel camera

The Droid may win the race based on its battery power. The problem with dual core processors is that they use up too much power and the slimmer your phone, the weaker your battery and the shorter time for which your phone remains usable. But the Droid offers 10h 40min of talk time on one full charging. As far as competition with the iPhone 5 is concerned, rest assured that the Droid's 4G LTE Network is faster than what the iPhone can come up with, including the AT&Ts HSPA+.

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II

Features:

• Android 2.3 Gingerbread
• 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor
• 16GB or 32GB of storage, micro SD apart from 8GB of phone memory
• 1GB of RAM
• 4.3 inches SUPER AMOLED Plus touchscreen of 480 x 800-pixel resolution
• 1080p video recording at 30fps
• Standard battery, Li-Ion 1650 mAh

There are only two things that can bother you about the S II. The first one is the price. The original reports stated the price of the phone to be around $800, which later settled to be around $599-$699 for the 16GB version. The other problem is the low resolution. But it really isn't that big of a deal as the colors the phone has are vibrant enough to nullify any pixellation. Also, the phone lacks a hardware camera button and you need to remove the battery when you want to take out the SIM card. Apart from that, the phone is regarded as the perfect dual core smartphone for anyone. If you can afford it, you will be a very happy Android user.

Motorola Photon 4G

Features:

• Android 2.3.3
• 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual-Core processor
• 48GB combined storage capability
• 1GB of RAM
• 540 x 960 pixel resolution and 4.3 qHD display
• 8 Megapixel camera
• Standard battery, Li-Po 1700 mAh

The Photon will sell mostly because of its international GSM capability (via Sprint), making it a very convenient option for people who travel countries a lot. The other plus point for the Photon is its superb web browsing capability that actually manages to make surfing on the phone a fun thing to do.

HTC EVO 3D

Features:

• 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8660 Snapdragon CPU
• 4.3-inch qHD 960 x 540-pixel Autostereoscopic 3D display
• dual rear 5-megapixel cameras with dedicated camera button, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera
• HDMI 1.4
• Standard battery, Li-Ion 1730 mAh
• 1GB internal storage, 32GB microSD external storage
• 1GB RAM

The biggest problem with this phone is its battery life. This sort of dampens the joy of having a phone with features too many to count.

HTC Sensation 4G

Features:

• Android OS, v2.3
• 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm MSM 8260 Snapdragon
• S-LCD capacitive 540 x 960 pixels, 4.3 qHD
• 1 GB storage, 8 GB internal with microSD extension up to 32GB
• 768 MB RAM
• Standard battery, Li-Ion 1520 mAh
• 8 Megapixel camera

The phone wins for its 1080p video recording and stereo audio recording capability. The resolution of the screen is quite good too. There have been few minor issues with the phone heating up during usage, but nothing too serious.

More Phones

Those are the best in the business of dual core Android smartphones. There are other phones that are good too, but I found the above phones much better compared to them.

• Motorola Atrix 4G: The phone runs on Android version 2.2 Froyo (upgradable to 2.3.4 Gingerbread), the Tegra 2 AP20H chipset and comes with configurable camera settings.
• LG Thrill 4G: It comes with a 5 Megapixel camera and a 4 inch capacitive touchscreen.
• LG G2X: Slower than others due to its 526MB RAM, runs on Android 2.2 but will soon be ready for 2.3.

All phones are available in the market now. These smartphones are set to redefine what blazing fast on the mobile means. You would be joining many, if you intend to buy one of them and use your older smartphone as a second phone. All you need now is carrier information and you're set to buy your very first dual core smartphone.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5

If you’ve ever found yourself in the middle of the impossible decision of choosing between iOS and Android for the first time, you see just how exciting a time it is for the mobile industry. Samsung and Apple seem to be the heavyweights right now, and the new Galaxy S4 is more than enough to give Apple something to worry about.

Apple and Samsung both have phones that exist on nearly every network in the world, but for the purposes of this comparison we’re going to be looking at the Verizon Wireless variant of the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 just to make sure things are as fair as possible. These two LTE superphones are easily the best of their breed, but which of the two offers the best overall experience?

Are you case sensitive?

We’ve reached a point where smartphone manufacturers are unable to sell a smartphone solely using its spec sheet. The experience offered by the operating system, the app ecosystem, and whatever exclusive features are what drives competition today. That doesn’t mean that specs don’t matter at all, especially when you are looking for a phone to perform well throughout a whole day, offer superior functionality on a WiFi or mobile network, or be able to function with the current and next generation of accessories. Out of context, a spec sheet isn’t helpful anymore. When you compare phones that are able to offer similar features, however, the spec sheet could be what acts as the final push to choose one over the other.

If you are looking for the best phone to fit in your pocket (or in your hand if you’ve got small hands) the iPhone 5 is undoubtedly better than the Galaxy S4. It’s lighter, thinner, and the display just over an inch smaller overall on the diagonal. The iPhone 5 was the first 4-inch phone Apple released, even though the rest of the mobile industry has been leaning towards larger and larger phones. The Galaxy S4′s 4.99-inch screen makes the whole phone noticeably larger than the iPhone 5, but it is also just slightly thicker.

The Apple’s case features an aluminum body with a slightly textured coating, while Samsung’s is a glossy plastic, again with a slight texture. These handsets both look and feel very different — Apple’s glass-and-metal mix vs. Samsung’s high-tech polycarbonate.

Specs absolutely matter

Under the hood, Samsung and Apple are nothing alike. Apple’s dual-core A6 processor clocked at 1.2GHz certainly feels like more than enough for the handheld computer, but Samsung’s 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 is an incredibly powerful chip capable of much more. Samsung also includes twice the RAM as the iPhone, while the GPUs offer a comparable experience in daily usage. Both of these phones also offer the highest quality mobile radios, capable of a diverse collection of network types. Their Bluetooth and storage options are identical, though the Galaxy S4 allows for an additional 64GB of storage.

The only other area on the spec sheet Samsung and Apple differ is the inclusion of an IR blaster and the availability of 802.11AC for the S4.

More than Retina, for what it’s worth

The screen is typically the most important part of a smartphone, and in this area Samsung and Apple have always been different. Apple’s LED-backlit IPS LCD and Samsung’s Super AMOLED displays each offer an amazing experience, but nothing ever really looks exactly the same on these displays. Apple’s LCD technology washes out in direct sunlight, but offers an unparalleled experience in terms of viewing angles. Samsung’s screens are amazing in direct sunlight, and their rich colors and deep blacks offer a great viewing experience, but their use of the PenTile display matrix is often off-putting for many.

Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5

Whatever your thoughts on the screen technology, there’s no arguing which is the more impressive experience. The iPhone 5′s 1136 x 640 resolution Retina display offers 326 ppi. On that 4-inch screen, Apple’s software makes everything look amazing despite the low resolution. Samsung’s latest display is 1920×1080 (that’s 1080p) at 441 ppi, which is a significant increase over any display currently being used by Apple. The Super AMOLED display in the Galaxy S4 is the first of its kind, and stands proud next to the iPhone 5′s smaller display.

The more powerful processor, and larger screen size undoubtedly takes its toll when it comes to battery life. Apple’s phones aren’t exactly known for being able to get you through a whole day without the need to charge, the iPhone 5′s 1440mAh battery is more capable than most. Samsung’s 2600mAh battery is a bump from last year’s model, but there’s still a lot going on that can drain the battery. Fortunately for S4 owners the battery is removable, and a larger battery can be installed. In contrast, Apple’s phones are sealed, which helps the design, but means you’re on your own when the battery gets low.

Ecosystem and Apps: It’s all about preference

Access to apps is incredibly important, but we’ve pretty much reached a point where Apple and Google are able to offer the same app experience. Both of their stores are growing at an exponential rate, and most companies release apps for both platforms on the same day. There are a few outliers, and depending on what you do that may make all the difference in the world, but most people can pick up either an Android phone or an iPhone and get by pretty easily.

What makes both the iPhone and the Galaxy S4 unique are the experiences that only they offer. Apple’s exclusives are pretty well known. If you get roped into iTunes, iCloud, Siri, or any of Apple’s exclusive apps, you’ll have a hard time finding anything like them on another platform. Samsung’s exclusives are pretty new, and not really all that well known. The Dual Camera modes offer one of a kind photography and video experience, making it possible to use both the front and the rear camera simultaneously. If you’ve got multiple people using Galaxy S4s, you can link them all together and play the same song simultaneously. All these small features might not sound like much on their own, but in combination Samsung has built a powerful array of software into this smartphone.

Both phones offer a wireless streaming system, and while Miracast and Allshare are more functional than Airplay, Samsung can’t compete with how easy it is to set up Apple’s offering.

In the end, the experience you create on these phones is all about choice. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is clearly the more powerful phone, and the hardware is clearly designed to remain relevant for quite a while. The iPhone 5 is just barely 6 months old, and Apple is already far behind in the hardware game — Samsung’s previous model, the Galaxy S3 , was enough to compete with the iPhone 5. As long as you aren’t tied to the Apple ecosystem already, the Galaxy S4 will be able to offer you much more than the iPhone is capable of.

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Android’s Devices battery issues

Smartphones are instantly gaining fame among seasoned mobile gadget users and newbies alike. The near desktop PC speed plus the pocketable size has turned many heads to look into the promise of this new technology.

Android, furthermore, revolutionized the smartphone market by bringing in cheaper gadgets for the populace to enjoy and take advantage. Yet, one draw backs of having an Android smartphone (and tablet) is shortage of juice (power).

Most droid powered devices can run from a meager 1800maH battery or even less giving us a few trips to our wall outlets for another recharge just to make it through the day. This is what makes many people frown and sigh in disappointment. Even so, power shortage will most likely kill the deal and potential consumers will just keep the gold for the next best device.

Despite the mediocrity of the battery issue, many apps and methods can be employed into practice to keep up with the power requirements. Several battery saving apps can turn off unnecessary features on your smartphone and conserve all you can with just a few taps on the screen. Most of the time the cuplrits are Wi-Fi, mobile data and bluetooth connectivity eating up all the resources and turning them on demand is the best practice. Rooting (establsihing admin access) your gadget can help turn off stock apps that may be using up your phone’s battery.

Conclusively, battery power is a common issue among Android users. If you are thinking of delving into the world of Android, be ready to accept this flaw. Besides, there are more workarounds to address this surfacing matter.

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Tepid Chinese response to new iPhone highlights Apple's challenge ahead

BEIJING -- The iPhone's magic as China's must-have smartphone is eroding.

Last year, eager buyers in Beijing waited overnight in freezing weather to buy the iPhone 4S. Pressure to get it -- and the profit to be made by reselling scarce phones -- prompted some to pelt the store with eggs when Apple, worried about the size of the crowd, postponed opening.

Just 18 months later, many Chinese gadget lovers responded with a shrug this week when Apple Inc. unveiled two new versions of the iPhone 5. Today's market is glutted with alternatives from Samsung to bargain-priced local brands.

"There was no big change, no surprise at all," said Gu Lanjun, a 29-year-old employee at a Shanghai bank. Having bought the three most recent iPhone models as soon as they were released, she said, "I won't update this time."

That lacklustre reception suggests Apple faces a struggle in defending its shrinking share of China's crowded, increasingly competitive smartphone market and its premium prices.

That matters, because China is a key part of Apple's growth plans. CEO Tim Cook told the official Xinhua News Agency in January he expects this country to pass the United States as its biggest market.

"Apple's market position in China has stagnated," said telecommunications analyst Jan Dawson of the research firm Ovum, in an email.

One problem, he said, might be that Apple's high price limits it to targeting the top market tier, and customers in that segment who want an iPhone already have one.

The two models unveiled this week "will largely be sold to existing subscribers and won't win many converts," Dawson said.

Earlier iPhones became status symbols in China even before they were formally sold here.

Buyers paid hundreds of dollars for handsets brought in from Hong Kong and modified to work on China's phone network. Companies treated them as luxury goods, buying hundreds at a time to give to important customers as Chinese New Year's gifts.

Now, Apple faces increasing competition. Samsung has made inroads into its premium market segment. For the mass market in a country with an average annual income of only about $4,000 per person, less than one-tenth the U.S. level, newcomers such as China's Xiaomi offer smartphones that run Google Inc.'s Android system for as little as 799 yuan ($125).

The rapid growth of the lower segments where Apple doesn't compete has helped to shrink its share of the overall market even as its sales grow.

Apple's share of China's smartphone market fell by nearly half, from 9.1 per cent to 4.8 per cent, over the past year, according to research firm Canalys.

Apple appeared to be trying to capture some of that lower-tier market with this week's announcement of the lower-priced 5C. But the company's website said it will start at 4,488 yuan ($712) in China, well above analysts' expectations of as little as 2,500 yuan ($400).

"People were expecting a much cheaper version to expand the market to the mid-tier segment. But that didn't happen," said analyst C.K. Lu of Gartner Inc. "We don't see much is going on in the China market with this new product launch."

Investors gave Apple's two new iPhones a similarly lukewarm reception.

Shares fell 6 per cent in U.S. trading on Wednesday following the announcement. Apple stock has fallen nearly 30 per cent since peaking at $705.07 when the last iPhone came out.

Apple also disappointed observers by failing to announce an agreement with China Mobile Ltd., the world's biggest phone company by number of subscribers, though Apple had promised no deal.

After this week's announcement that Japan's biggest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo, would support the new iPhone lineup, China Mobile is the last major holdout. A tie-up would require Apple to create an iPhone that runs on China's homegrown mobile standard but would give it a partner with 750 million subscribers.

The latest iPhone release also marks an upgrading of Apple's marketing in China. For the first time, the new model will be released in China at the same time as it debuts on Sept. 20 in the United States and other major markets such as Britain, Japan and France. In more than 100 other countries, it will not go on sale until December.

But advance orders for the iPhone 5S and 5C have been "much lower" than for previous models, according to Zhang Xue, a saleswoman for China Telecom Ltd., one of two Chinese carriers that support the iPhone.

"Customers are much calmer when they face the new iPhone lineup," Zhang said.

Apple still has plenty of fervent admirers in China, but some complained the latest iPhones offer too few technical advances.

Liu Guanlin, a junior at the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy, said he traded up from Samsung Galaxy to an iPhone because Apple's operating system seemed more stable. But he said the 5C didn't look like it would be worth the money.

"I have lots of Apple products, yet my complaint about the iPhone is it lacks innovation," said Liu. "I can't see major breakthroughs in the latest models, which is disappointing."

Others complained Apple failed to live up to its stylish design standards.

"The covers look garish. It will take people back to 10 years ago," said Gu, the Shanghai bank employee. "I would rather wait for the iPhone 6 and if there still is not much change, I will think about switching to another brand." - source

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Huawei Honor 3 Snap Review

Huawei has just released the third version of its popular mid-range phone. The Huawei Honor 3, or Glory 3 in some markets, is now available, but so far only in Chinese markets.

The Honor 3 first entered our radars back in May, when it was rumored to take on Samsung in the Chinese market, rivaling the Galaxy S 4. However, the specs that were later leaked revealed instead a mid-range phone, and it seems to have turned out that way indeed. The phone sports Huawei’s own quad-core K3V2 chip running at 1.5GHz and has 2 GB of RAM with 8 GB of internal storage, which is expandable with a microSD card. The Honor 3 runs Android 4.2.2 with Huawei’s Emotion UI on top.

That isn’t the end of the story, though. Huawei also threw in some rather interesting features. First, the Honor 3 features a 13.1 megapixel Exmor RS rear camera and a 1 megapixel front camera. It is also claimed to be water and dust resistant with a rating of IP55 or IP57, making it resistant not just to wet hands but to immersion under water. And finally, it has an infrared transmitter that the manufacturer claims is compatible with around 3,000 models of appliances ranging from TVs to set-top boxes, to even air conditioning units.

The Huawei Honor 3 is now available with a price tag of 1888 yuan, or around $310. If this smartphone has intrigued you, you might have to wait and hope for a while as there is no news yet whether it will be made available to markets other than China.

While we’ve ever covered the news about the new Huawei Honor 3 Android smartphone, is now we have a dozens picture of Huawei Honor 3 picture, this phone is very interesting since has IP57 certification, it’s mean the phone has water, dust and shock ressistant.

Huawei Honor 3 built-in new 1.5GHz Hisilicon K3V2e processor, 4.7-inch incell IPS screen with 1280x720pixel display, 2GB RAM and 8GB ROM, and 13-megapixel/F2.2 rear camera, own 2230mAh battery. While the body of Huawei Honor 3 is more thinner than predecessor with only 133×67.2×9.9mm dimension.

Here are the picture of Huawei Honor 3 Smartphone :

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Android Malware Can Launch DDoS Attacks From Your Smartphone

Be careful of what you install on your Android device as you might unwittingly get it infected with malware. A new Android malware has just been discovered called Android.DDoS.1.origin and works by carrying out a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack from your smartphone to any target.

This latest threat was discovered by a Russian security company, Doctor Web, which reported this new threat uses social engineering techniques to spread itself. Android.DDoS.1.origin disguises itself as a Google Play icon tricking users into thinking it is the real thing. Once you click on it you will be routed to the actual Google Play store which is its way of distracting you from what is really happening.

This malware works in the background without your knowledge. Once it is activated it searches for its command and control center and sends out information regarding your device there. One piece of information that will be sent is your phone number. The criminals will be using this number to send text messages to your phone to control the malware.

The commands that can be sent to your infected device are for it to launch a DDoS attack or to send out text messages. A DDoS attack is performed when your device receives an IP address and a port that that it will need to ping. While one smartphone won’t make a difference, imagine what millions of infected smartphones can do to a particular site. It’s going to take that site down once it reaches critical mass. Your device can also be used as a platform to send spam text messages which might let you incur charges from your network provider.

The good news about this is that it doesn’t seem to be spreading quickly. You should however be prepared to take preventive measures by always making sure to have an updated security software running on your Android device. - source

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How-To Safety Hard Reset : Easily Master Format LENOVO A850

Tips and tricks for solving LENOVO A850 problem. When we need Android smartphone with big LCD screen and reasonable price, then LENOVO A850 is the answer. Because LENOVO A850 have 5.5 inches LCD screen width IPS capacitive touch screen. If we like to take pictures a lot, LENOVO A850 will help you to fulfill that need by using 5 megapixel digital camera and also have LED flash to help taking better photo in low light conditions.

What is Advantage of LENOVO A850 Specifications:

• GSM 3G HSDPA Dual SIM GSM-GSM
• LCD 5.5 inches touch screen
• Internal memory 4GB
• RAM 1GB
• External memory microSD, up to 32 GB
• Main Camera 5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
• Front camera for VGA for Picture and Video conference
• Processor Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7
• GPU Mali-400MP2
• Operating system Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
• Battery Li-Ion 2250 mAh

How to Fix or Problem Solving for Recovery LENOVO A850 hang or not responding or malfunctions or stuck or freezing or bricked ?

Having big LCD screen Android will make us feel so happy to play games or install other applications from Google Play Store. But we have to know that not all applications will run smooth in Lenovo A850 because some creator does not make their applications in good functions, especially for Lenovo A850. In this case, if we force to install unnecessary applications, sometime it will make our smartphone become hang or stuck or bricks or frozen or blank or LCD touch screen not responding. If we get this problem, we need to try doing soft reset or reboot or restart Lenovo A850 to delete cache and temporary files. If Lenovo A850 still get the same problem, we need to do hard reset or master format.

How to force Soft Reset or Reboot or Restart LENOVO A850 ?

When we use Lenovo A850 and get hang or stuck or frozen problem in the middle of using applications, we can try to force reboot or restart Lenovo A850 by pressing POWER BUTTON for several seconds. If the POWER BUTTON can not work, then try to remove the battery of Lenovo A850 by open back case cover and unplug the battery for about 5 seconds. After that we can plug it again in the right positions and turn on Lenovo A850 to finish the restart or soft reset step. In normal situations, doing soft reset or reboot can be done by pressing POWER BUTTON for several seconds until the pop up menu appear, then choose Restart or Reboot to soft reset Lenovo A850. Doing soft reset is safe, because this step will not erase or wipe any important data like contact or photo or files from Lenovo A850.

How to Hard Reset LENOVO A850 with Hardware Button key:

1. Confirm and make sure that LENOVO A850 Battery is fully charge or not empty
2. Turn off LENOVO A850
3. Press together : POWER + VOLUME UP about several second, that the warning will appear at the LENOVO A850
4. Choose: Reset Device or Wipe data or Clear eMMC
5. Make sure we already sure than we know that our application and data will be loose or clear while Resetting LENOVO A850

How to Restore and Reinstall Clean Android Operating system / firmware at LENOVO A850?

LENOVO A850 using Android as operating system, in the first production when ship to store, LENOVO A850 use Android Jelly Bean version 2.2 which run very smooth in this smartphone. After using several month and install many applications, sometime the operating system could damage or broken. In this case maybe we need to reinstall or restore clean and factory default Android operating system or firmware. The source file of factory default Android operating system already saved inside LENOVO A850 rom. We do not need to copy any data for preparing the reinstall step. Just follow the hard reset step above, then the clean and factory default setting Android operating system will be reinstall by itself. The time to reinstall will take less than 5 minutes. Please make sure all data already backup before doing reinstall or hard reset, because all data will be wipe or removed from internal memory.

How to Unlock or Fix or Bypass or Solutions for LENOVO A850 forgot password code or security lock screen pattern or pin (lost password)?

The recommended options to give security protections for LENOVO A850 is using screen lock pattern. Some user still also like to use password pin protections. We can easily choose and change how to secure our LENOVO A850 data when the phone away from us, but using screen lock pattern is faster to open then using password in some situations. The problem happen when we forget the answer of that screen lock pattern or password pin protections. We do not need to worry, because Android have option to bypass or unlock forgotten screen lock pattern or password pin protection. Please do several time wrong answer for that security protection continuously until the phone frozen or locked for several seconds. In this time, we will see Forget Password / Pattern button to help us unlock protection using Google account or Gmail account. If we can not use or Google account at this phone, then we need to do hard reset or master format.

How to Improve Performance LENOVO A850 to make run more faster?

Running LENOVO A850 for Games or doing office activity will be fun if the phone does not have problem. But some user have problem with their LENOVO A850 which run more slowly then before. As far as we know, if the phone run slowly, because there are many applications run in the background and the processor LENOVO A850 performance will be working more hard when that applications doing update or work in progress. That is why we are really recommend for uninstall not use applications, especially which run in the background. If we can not find out which applications that make problem, and need to tweak LENOVO A850 performance run more faster again like beginning, then we may need to perform hard reset or master format to clean anything from our phone and run with factory default applications. After that we can carefully choose and install only specific applications that we use everyday.

Is That Any Secret Code for Doing Format LENOVO A850?

There is no secret hidden code for LENOVO A850 to make it back to factory default. Do the options above to hard reset it.

How to Upgrade or Update LENOVO A850 operating system to Kitkat ?

By default the shipping ROM of LENOVO A850 is Jelly Bean version 4.2.2. Base on the specifications, the LENOVO A850 can be upgrade to Android Kitkat version, but unfortunately until we write this articles, there is no official upgrade for LENOVO A850 to Android Kitkat version. However, there are some other unofficial Kitkat ROM for LENOVO A850 from other community homepage, but if we are not sure how to upgrade it, please do it carefully, because it could make our LENOVO A850 broken or can not use anymore. Using official Jelly Bean at LENOVO A850 is still recommended to use everyday without problems.

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Goophone: The Cheapest iPhone 5S only $99

There is some rumors about cheap version iPhone 5S, but Apple will doesn’t confirm it before next generation iPhone unveil. Lots of market analysts think it is necessary to complete with Samsung, the latter provide more option for smartphone buyers. Apple is not so fast as before, before iPhone 5 launching, the China factory already released their iPhone 5 clone, and get patent of appearance, although they never sue Apple with this weapon, maybe it will hurt themselves. Today, something happened again, Goophone released their cheap version iPhone 5S: Goophone i5S, and only $99 for first 1000 buyers by some sellers.

The Goophone i5S has same appearance with iPhone 5, but with low-level hardware: 4 inch oneglass screen, 1GHz MTK MT6577 processor, 512MB RAM, 5-megapixel rear camera, and Android 4.1 OS is installed. This phone has 2 interface: iOS UI and original Android UI. You may switch them easily by a code.

Maybe you have doubt about this smartphone, does it work smoothly? How about playing games? Here is hands-on video, you will find how amazing the goophone i5S is.

The Goophone i5S is entry-class smartphone, of course has an incredible price. The listing price is $149.99, but on Android-sale, they will provide a big discount for first 1000 buyers at March 12th, you will get a iPhone 5 clone with $99. Wow, who will be those lucky ones.

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iPhone 5 Nokia Lumia 920 Comparison

Earlier, we brought you the ultimate battle of the two most popular smartphone vendors and their flagship devices. Having assessed the iPhone 5 of Apple and Samsung’s Galaxy S III, we found both to be technically advanced, and the differences between the two – such as screen and device size – are only important if one prefers a large display, or a smaller one.

To spice things up a little, we’re now going to pit the iPhone 5 up against another to-be-released beauty – Nokia Lumia 920. Announced last week, it offers a dual-core processor, Windows Phone 8 and a camera which – by the looks of things – will be the best smartphone snapper available on the market.

Yes, it does look a great deal like its predecessor, the Lumia 900 but hey, doesn’t the iPhone 5 as well? Here, we run over the key tech specs, and if you’re in the market for a new smartphone this fall, you’ll certainly want to check out these two:

As you can see, there is once again very little to choose between these very adequately-equipped smartphones. The iPhone 5 offers an Apple A6 processor, which is quite a bump from the Lumia’s dual-core Qualcomm composition, but with both the iPhone 4S and Lumia 900 as smooth as butter on iOS 5.x and Windows Phone 7.x respectively, such features shouldn’t make or break your choice.

Both pack in LTE, and the Lumia has the advantage of packing in NFC – something expected of the iPhone 5 right up until the last moment.

Nokia’s high-end devices have always packed in a decent camera (the N97′s snapper still looks rather good for a device five years of age), and with Apple having already shown us what the Sapphire-encrusted rear-camera can do, both will be perfect for those using Instagram or Flickr on a frequent basis.

Wireless charging offered by Lumia 920 is another plus over iPhone 5 if you are into that sort of thing.

The most decisive segment of the chart has to be the apps section, and for all the promise both Nokia and Windows Phone 8 offers, the success of the device and its platform will rest firmly on getting the developers’ backing. 100,000+ sounds like a lot, but with Apple almost at three quarters of a million now and counting, the Windows Phone Store needs filling up with Apps. Pronto.

In the end, it really comes down to the platform and ecosystem that you want to go with. - source

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Google Nexus 7 Review

I viewed Google I/O, Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) and the first Nexus tablet as Google's last chance to deliver a knockout in the tablet space before the onslaught of Windows 8 and Windows RT devices later this year. While the show was undoubtedly a success, I don't know that the market for $499+ Android tablets has a life after Windows 8/RT hit. We should see Windows RT tablets at $499, and Ivy/Haswell based Windows 8 tablets will handle the higher price points.

It seems that Google also realized this as the Nexus 7, its first Nexus branded tablet, starts at just $199. There's a huge market for tablets as a primary computing device, and I believe Windows RT/8 offers something unique and compelling for that usage model. At the same time however, there's decent demand for a tablet to augment your existing computing world. It's a far more specific usage model but one that really demands a lower price point. Users are willing to spend a lot for something that does everything in your life, but for something that's more nice than necessity, price matters even more.

The Nexus 7 is aimed at the latter. It's a device for users who need ultra portability and tons of battery life for content consumption. While Apple has been quietly empowering the iPad to be a content creation device, and dockable Windows 8/RT tablets will attempt to replace your notebook, the Nexus 7 is a more traditional ARM based tablet by default.

It's clearly Google that I have to thank because the Nexus 7 is the most solidly built ASUS tablet I've ever used. That's not to say that its predecessors were examples of shoddy workmanship, it's just that the Nexus 7 is damn near perfect. The back has a great grip to it. The whole thing actually feels like a well made book because of the soft touch plastic back. The book comparison is sort of hilarious because it's a feel that Amazon couldn't get right with its overly generic Kindle Fire. The book illusion stops once your hands touch the glass for obvious reasons, but man does it feel nice to hold.

The Nexus 7 feels considerably lighter than the Kindle Fire, but I still had to prop it up on something or hold it in two hands if I was going to use it for a long period of time.

The power button and volume rocker are placed much like they would be on a phone - at the top right edge of the device. The sole buttons on the device do feel a bit ambiguous, something I feel that I would get used to over time. I had the disadvantage of switching between several tablets during this review and never did get used to the position and feel of the buttons on the N7. That's probably the biggest gripe I have about the design of the device. In other words, there's not much to hate.

The Nexus 7 features two mics for noise canceling action (likely in support of Google Now). You get NFC, Bluetooth and 802.11n WiFi but there's no LTE option as of now. I know there's internal debate about releasing an LTE enabled version at some point in the future.

Cost is the major selling point for the Nexus 7: for $199 Google will sell you an 8GB version with a $25 credit at the Google Play store, along with some preloaded magazines, books and a movie (Transformers: Dark of the Moon). It's tough to buy a new tablet and not buy apps for it, so the $25 credit is likely to be incredibly useful - making the effective retail price of the Nexus 7 $174. If you want 16GB of storage the price does go up to $249 however. Unfortunately even Google is not above charging $50 for $4 of MLC NAND.

The limited NAND capacity prevents the Nexus 7 from being home to more than a single full length movie or a couple of TV shows. Streaming video content isn't a problem, Netflix works beautifully on the device but there's no hope if you want to keep a ton of content local. Unfortunately USB OTG isn't supported for storage, so you're left with no other option for expanding local storage (short of rooting the device).

In every sense outside of portability, a 10-inch display is much nicer to look at than a 7-inch one in my opinion. There's less zooming in you need to do on web pages or magazines. Text in general is just easier to read and perhaps I'm getting too old, but there's something nice about everything being comfortably bigger.

Does the Nexus 7's form factor make it feel substantially better than using a smartphone? Yes, I'd say so. The same reasons I gave above for a 10-inch tablet being nicer to use than a 7-inch tablet are equally applicable to 7-inch tablet vs. a smartphone. There's this size/usability optimization curve that requires some soul searching to figure out exactly where you land on it. I suspect most people fall into the small smartphone + large tablet dichotomy, but the beauty of this current mobile revolution is the availability of choice. The Nexus 7 in many ways is very much like the 11-inch MacBook Air. A bit impractical for many, but those who crave portability are drawn to it. The Nexus 7 still feels like you're using a tablet, just a small one.

I needn't dwell on the benefits of a 7-inch form factor for portability any longer. If I'm wearing baggy enough pants I can even pocket the Nexus 7, something I simply couldn't do with the iPad. I'm more likely to carry the Nexus 7 with me than I would the iPad, but the comparison isn't quite as open and shut as that. The iPad offers LTE, the Nexus 7 is more portable, the iPad is easier to look at, the Nexus 7 is more affordable...the back and forth is endless.

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