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Saturday, March 19, 2016

Sony is rumored to unveil upgraded PlayStation 4 with 4K support

According to a new report coming from some unnamed "developer sources", Sony has started working on an upgraded version of its PlayStation 4 gaming console. This new iteration won't be a totally revamped offering like a PS5.
Instead, it will have more GPU power than the PS4, in order to be able to support 4K gaming. Sony has already started briefing developers about it, the report goes on to say. They are calling the new product PS4.5, but that may just be a joke and not the actual commercial name of it.
The improved GPU in the new console will also help it enhance the games supported by thePlayStation VR headset which is launching in the fall. And this move should help Sony's VR efforts compete better with the more expensive Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets, both of which rely on powerful PCs for processing.
The PS4 can output 4K resolution for videos and photos, but maxes out at 1080p in terms of resolutions supported for actual gameplay. Aside from the bump in resolution, the rumored PS4.5 would let developers use more effects to make their games look better, thanks to the better GPU.
While Sony has understandably chosen not to comment on this rumor, it has apparently been confirmed by multiple sources. However, one of those sources said the device was more like an exploration of possibilities, and that it may not actually launch in 2016. If it ever does see the light of day, it's possible that it will be priced at $400.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge takes the crown for best mobile camera according to DxOMark

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is available for purchase, the folks over at DxO Labs have thoroughly tested its camera for inclusion in the DxOMark mobile camera category. The result? Well, move over Galaxy S6 edge+ and Sony Xperia Z5, the S7 edge is the new cameraphone champion according to DxOMark.
It's managed an overall score of 88, which is the best ever for a mobile camera, and one point ahead of the aforementioned two devices which both scored 87. Rounding up the top five are the Galaxy Note5 and the S6 edge, both having 86 points. Apple's iPhone 6s Plus follows with 84 points, the same amount as the Huawei Nexus 6P and the Motorola Droid Turbo 2.
Getting back to the Galaxy S7 edge, its lens helps it deliver very accurate exposures, even in tricky contrast scenes. It's also scored 88 points in the photo category, tied for stills with the S6 edge and the Xperia Z5. Its autofocus is fast and accurate, and it has a very good compromise between noise and detail in shots. Shooting with the flash also results in good detail preservation, accurate white balance, and color preservation.
Cons for pictures include a warm cast which is visible when snapping under tungsten lighting, the brightest tones getting clipped in very high dynamic scenes, as well as visible ringing.
The video sub-score of 88 is ahead of last year's S6 edge, which scored only 84. Videos capture nice exposures, pleasant colors, and the performance of the autofocus and stabilization features is excellent. Detail preservation is good in bright light, and noise levels remain low even in low-light conditions.
On the flip side, a jitter artifact is visible in low light, where loss of detail is also noticeable. Color shading is slightly noticeable in all light conditions, and is more pronounced in low light. For the full test results, make sure you visit the Source link below.

CEO Dorsey on Twitter's 140-character limit: "It's staying"

Over a couple of months after there were rumors that Twitter is doing away with its 140-character limit for tweets, CEO Jack Dorsey has cleared the air by saying that the limit isn't going anywhere.
"It's staying," Dorsey said today on the NBC Today Show. "It's a good constraint for us and it allows for of-the-moment brevity."
For those who aren't aware, reports from publications including the Wall Street Journal andRecode had suggested that the microblogging company is extending the 140-character limit to as many as 10,000 characters.
At that time, Dorsey also added further fuel to the fire by tweeting a screenshot of a large wall of text, and hinting at building additional functionality into the service if there is a need for it.

New leaked Meizu Pro 6 shots reveal a lot of design continuity from the Pro 5

The Meizu Pro 6 has been gathering a lot of attention lately with its frequent visits to the rumor mill. There might actually be quite a lot to be excited about, as rumors have hinted at things like 6GB of RAM and 3D Touch capabilities.
From the looks of things, the Meizu Pro 6 bears a striking resemblance to its own predecessor - the Pro 5 more than anything else.
In the photos we can clearly see the metal unibody design with the characteristic curved sides. Similarities extend even further to the beefy rear camera sensor and its design, as well as the quite distinctive Meizu Mtouch fingerprint scanner, which the manufacturer has apparently decided to stick with. The display on the Meizu Pro 6 also looks quite impressive, mainly because it appears to extend to the very edges of the front panel, hinting that the phone might be bezel-less or at least come close to the effect.
As for other alleged specs on the model, we currently expect a 5.5-inch FullHD display, 4GB of RAM in the base model (6GB being reserved for the very top tier) and 64GB of onboard storage, possibly going up to 128GB. The camera setup should consist of a 21MP main shooter and a 5MP selfie one on the front. Last, but definitely not least, we already know the chipset inside the Pro 6 will be the new MediaTek Helio X25. It was developed through a partnership of both parties and will apparently be a Meizu exclusive, at least or the first few months after its release. It is basically an enhanced version of the X20 and has a three cluster design - 2x Cortex A72 cores and two quartets of A53. The difference with the Helio X20, being the higher 2.5 GHz clock rate of the A72 cores and the 850 MHz speed of the GPU.

T-Mobile throws in free LG 360 Cam if you get the G5 before April 5

T-Mobile will start selling the LG G5 online on March 29, three full days before you'll be able to find it in stores (on April 1). If you purchase the phone before April 17, LG is throwing in a free battery bundle, consisting of a second battery and a battery charging cradle.
But if you act fast and are among the first people to snag a G5 from T-Mobile, the carrier will also give you an LG 360 Cam for free (while supplies last). The trick is that you need to purchase the device before April 5. The 360 Cam is a $200 value apparently, so this is quite a good deal.
You'll be able to pick up the G5 from T-Mobile for $0 down and then 23 monthly payments of $26.25 and a final 24th installment of $26.24. The full retail price of the handset is $629.99. You need to get wireless service too on top of that, of course, and as always with the magenta carrier, if you cancel it then the remaining phone payments become due.

Friday, March 18, 2016

LG G5 global launch set for March 31; Best Buy starts taking pre-orders

LG has announced that its newest flagship - the G5 - will go on sale globally on March 31. The South Korean company said that the modular phone will come with freebies (ranging from its camera module to a battery pack worth over $100) that will vary depending on the country.
Prices of a couple of G5's friends (accessories) have also been revealed: the Cam Plus camera grip will carry a price tag of around $85, while the audio module (Bang & Olufsen DAC) will set you back around $160.
Over in the US, Best Buy has started accepting pre-orders for the AT&T and Sprint variants - Verizon variant will be up for pre-order starting March 24.
The retailer is offering $100 savings on the device with purchase and activation of a 2-year contract with Sprint. Alternatively, buyers will get a $100 Best Buy gift card with purchase and activation of monthly installment plan - this promo is also available for the AT&T variant.
In addition, all purchases will come with a free bundle (worth $90) that includes a replacement battery, charging cradle, and USB-C to micro-USB adapter.

Lenovo K3 Note gets the Marshmallow update

The Lenovo K3 Note is getting the Android Marshmallow. Customers in India can now check their phone to download the OTA update.
Back in January, Anuj Sharma, Lenovo Product Manager for smartphones in India, teased an image of the phone running a test build of the new OS. Since then there hasn't been any word from him or Lenovo on the status of the update, until today when users started getting the update.
The build number is K50a40_S121_150813_ROW_TO_K50a40_S322_160314_ROW and the size is 1657MB. Check if the update is available for download on your device.

LG X screen now available for purchase in Europe

If you recall, LG announced a new 'X' series of smartphones last month. The first two devices in the series - the X cam and X screen - were unveiled at this year's MWC. Now, the company has started selling the latter in Europe.
Specifically, the handset is now available for purchase in the Netherlands, where the black color variant of the phone is currently listed on woos.nl for €343.64.
Specs-wise, the X screen is powered by a quad-core 1.2 GHz CPU and sports a 4.93-inch IPS LCD display. It comes with 2GB and 16GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a 2,300 mAh battery. In terms of camera, the device features a 13MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Other devices in the X series reportedly include the X max, X speed, X style, and X power, and they are expected to be unveiled sometime later this year.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge now selling in India

Samsung is wasting no time when it comes to bringing its new offers to the Indian market. A little over a week after the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge were announced at a New Delhi event they have started selling throughout the country. You can buy either one straight from Samsung's online sore or retailers like Flipkart, as well as many local stores.
The Indian market is getting Exynos 8890-based models and a hybrid dual SIM card slot for extra convenience. As a quick reminder, other specs highlights include a 5.1 or 5.5 inch Super AMOLED display, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 12MP camera with Dual Pixel technology and a spacious battery (3000 mAh or 3600 mAh). The typical retail prices are INR 48,900 ($733) for the S7 and INR 56,900 ($855) for its edge sibling. Be sure to keep these in mind while shopping, so you don't overpay.
Amazon India seems a bit late to the party, as it still doesn't offer the flagship duo. However, that is said to change shortly. It is also worth noting that the Korean giant has conveniently timed the Galaxy S6 Marshmallow update and the OTA is currently seeding.

First update to Android N Developer Preview rolling out

Just over a week after the Android N Developer Preview was released, Google has pushed out the first update to it. Rolling out to the Nexus 5X6P9, and 9 LTE over-the-air (OTA), the update addresses some performance issues.
The updated factory images have also been uploaded in case you want to stick to the traditional way of flashing and updating. Keep in mind that your device should be beta-enrolled to receive the OTA.
The update carries a build number of NPC56W for the Nexus 5X and 6P and arrives as NPC56X for the Nexus 9 and 9 LTE. Reports say the update - which weighs in at around 30MB - is also rolling out to the Nexus Player, carrying a build number of NCP56R.

Alcatel Idol 4 Pro spotted on GFXBench with 6-inch display, 20MP camera

Just a day after an alleged render of Alcatel's Idol 4 Pro smartphone (shown below) leaked online, the Windows 10-powered device has been spotted on GFXBench, revealing some of its previously-unknown key specs.
The listing reveals that the handset sports a 6-inch display, and features a 20MP rear and 9MP front camera. RAM is listed as 2GB, although we think it should be more than that (3 or 4GB considering it's a high-end device). Internal memory should be 64GB.
Other specs, such as 1080p display resolution and Snapdragon 820 SoC have been mentioned in some earlier rumors as well. Aside from these, the Idol 4 Pro is said to be powered by Windows 10 Mobile, and is also rumored to support Continuum.

Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge getting March security update

A week after they officially went on sale, both Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge have started receiving this month's Android security update. Specifically, T-Mobile has already started the roll-out, while Verizon will begin pushing the update on March 18.
While T-Mobile doesn't explicitly say that it's Android's March security update, Verizon's update page clearly mentions that the update includes "the most up to date Android security patch." The T-Mobile update carries a build number of UVS2APB8, while the Verizon's arrives as build number VRS2APB4.
With two of the Big Four US carriers rolling out the update, we assume that the other two - AT&T and Sprint - will also get into action soon. In case you don't already know, this is not the first update for the edge variant, which received a small but urgent update a day before the devices' official launch.