Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumoured for 5.99-inch 1080p display, octa-core processor

Itching for the latest scuttlebutt on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3? There are some more details as to the specs of the device thanks to SamMobile. The site believes that the next iteration of the device will fit a 5.99-inch 1080p panel into roughly the same dimensions as the Galaxy Mega 5.8. How exactly is Samsung going to pull that off? By shrinking down the bezel on the Note 3 as much as possible. It’s the same tactic that the company used for the Galaxy S4. The South Korean manufacturer managed to slim down the bezel on the design of the handset to accommodate a 5-inch panel, a slight bump from the 4.8-inch display of the Galaxy S III. As for the display tech itself, SamMobile believes that once again Samsung will use Super AMOLED technology in a similar pixel arrangement to the Galaxy S4.

Other specifications are said to include an Exynos octa-core processor along with 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera, most likely the same sensor found on the Galaxy S4. In addition, the Note 3 may feature an even more powerful octa-core Mali 450 GPU. Just like previous rumours indicated, the device will run the latest version of Android, most likely 4.3 given recent indicators.

SamMobile closes by saying that the Galaxy Note 3 could be announced either in August or September. The most likely scenario is for Samsung to unveil the handset at IFA 2013, as the company announced the Galaxy Note II at the same event last year.

Lenovo K900 launching in India May 10 carrying a sub-Rs. 25,000 (440 USD) price tag

Lenovo K900, the 5.5-inch phablet with Intel's dual-core Clover Trail+ processor inside, is set to launch in India on May 10 at a "very aggressive price", NDTV Gadgets has learnt from its sources.

The India launch will be accompanied by a huge marketing push by the company, likely a TV campaign for the K900 corresponding with the final stages of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). While the exact launch price isn't known yet, our sources have revealed that K900 is likely to be priced in the sub-Rs. 25,000 (~$460) category, making it an excellent value for money proposition given the power it packs under the hood.

Lenovo K900 was first showcased at CES earlier this year. The K900 packs in Intel's dual-core Clover Trail+ platform, specifically the Intel Atom Z2580 dual-core processor clocking in at 2GHz. The device features a full-HD display, 2GB RAM and is expected to come with 16GB of internal storage.

The phablet comes with 13-megapixel rear camera with a new Sony Exmor BSI sensor and a 2-megapixel front camera. It is expected to ship with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

Earlier this month, benchmarks featuring the device surfaced online, which showed the Lenovo K900 rubbing shoulders with the Samsung Galaxy S4 as far as pure benchmarks are concerned.

Having this much power at 50-60% of the cost of the Samsung Galaxy S4 will surely excite prospective customers, though Lenovo will have to address issues like brand image and dealer network, for the device to gain traction in the India market.

Lenovo K900 key specifications

5.5-inch 1080p IPS capacitive touch display
Intel Atom Z2580 2GHz dual-core processor (Clover Trail+)
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
13-megapixel camera with Sony's Exmor BSI sensor
2-megapixel front camera
Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

LG Optimus GK Comes With 5-Inch Display.

Is it just me, or do South Korean smartphone manufacturers just love the option of having plenty of choice when it comes to the kind of mobile communications device that you use? Take the Samsung Galaxy S series for instance, we have seen more than our fair share of different variants of a particular model, and LG is not absolved from this particular phenomenon, too, if you would allow me to call it just that. The LG Optimus G, for instance, has just received a new variant which specifically targets folks living in South Korea, where this new model is called the LG Optimus GK.

The LG Optimus GK is said to be similar to the one-off Optimus G Pro which arrived in Japan via NTT DoCoMo, where it would see features such as a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB RAM being crammed into a more manageable 5” form factor, but fret not, the Full HD display has not been tampered in any way other than the size, where it boasts a pixel density of 440ppi. Other hardware specifications include a 3,100mAh battery, 16GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot and a 13-megapixel camera at the back and a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter.

Google's Eric Schmidt admits talking to Glass is 'the weirdest thing'

We're still getting to grips with an Explorer edition of Google's Glass ourselves, but Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt has noted that Glass may take some getting used to. Talking to an audience on Thursday at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, he said that alongside the unusual sensation of voice control, people would have to develop new etiquette to deal with the fact that incoming wearables like Google Glass would be able to capture images and access information at whim. "There are obviously places where Google Glasses are inappropriate,"

he said, while stifling a cheeky wink

iPhone 6 To Feature Fingerprint Sensor, Feature To Skip The iPhone 5S

 

Fingerprint security sounds like a pretty solid way of securing your devices, although after watching countless movies, thieves may not only steal our phone, but could end up chopping off one of our digits as well. Pretty scary stuff, right? However if you do not believe that will happen, or at least be a rare occurrence, then how do you feel about an iPhone with a fingerprint sensor that could act as a security measure? We’ve all heard the rumors that future iPhones could come with said technology, especially after Apple’s acquisition of security firm AuthenTec last year.

Many speculated that this feature would make its way into the iPhone 5S which could be seeing a release later this year, but Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, believes otherwise and claims that the fingerprint sensor will instead arrive on Apple’s iPhone 6, a rumored 4.8” device that according to Munster, will be revealed in Q1 2014. A rather odd date since Apple has of late revealed their phones towards the later part of the year, but then again with Apple releasing the iPad 4 less than a year after the iPad 3, we don’t see why not.

We’re not sure what the fingerprint sensor could do, or if it is even needed, but we guess it could give Apple an advantage in the enterprise and government sector if they could offer not just more secure software, but hardware as well. In the meantime we will be taking this with a grain of salt and suggest you do the same.

Apple Sued For Patent Infringement With Siri

 

Well, well, what do we have here? A company that has decided to take Apple to court? This is definitely something that most folks have taken for granted, considering how Samsung and Apple were trading barbs in the courtroom since last year. The latest lawsuit thrown in Apple’s direction does not come from the South Korean conglomerate, however, as it is a China-based company that decided to sue Apple for a patent infringement that involves Siri, Apple’s voice controlled assistant.

Apple made an appearance in a Shanghai court today, where the Cupertino-based

firm had to deal with a patent suit that claimed that the Siri digital assistant which is currently featured in iPhones and iPads is actually software that infringed on the China-based company’s patents. Zhi Zhen Network Technology, received a patent for their Xiao i Robot software in 2006, where Xiao i Robot boasts of voice interactions, and has the smarts to answer questions and carry out simple conversations. A monetary settlement could end up as a result for a happy ending for everyone, but Apple is definitely not going to give up without a fight.

Windows Phone Outsells iOS And BlackBerry OS In Several Markets

Just how well do you think that Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform is doing at the moment? Well, we know for sure that they are not going to overtake the two 800 lbs gorillas at the moment, namely iOS and Android, but it sure as heck has a fighting chance to remain in third position, with the only real competition around being the BlackBerry 10 operating system that was introduced earlier this year alongside some of the newer BlackBerry devices. According to Microsoft’s VP of Corporate Communications,

Frank Shaw, he cited a report by the IDC that stated how Windows Phone has already outsold the iPhone in seven markets, while the BlackBerry has been slain in 26 markets.

Of course, there was no mention just which of these 7 and 26 markets, respectively, were the ones with Windows Phone in front, but surely it oozes with a glimmer of hope that Windows Phone is a platform that is certainly gaining its fair share of traction among those who are tired of the iOS and Android formats?

The Sun & Cloud Camera Needs No Batteries, Operates By Cranking It Manually

The problem with cameras is that they rely on batteries, meaning that if you don’t charge it, or bring a spare battery, you might find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having your camera die on you in the middle of the day. If you’d like to prevent that from happening, would a camera without batteries be of interest to you? While it might not necessarily be the most practical or take the best photos, the Sun & Cloud camera does have a degree of novelty value, thanks to its shape and the fact that you have to crank the mechanism by hand in order to power it.

The camera comes with a 3MP sensor and allows users to apply a variety of filters to it. It can also be charged via USB for those lazy to crank it themselves. Like we said, we doubt it will take the best photos but if you’re into lomography, basically non-conventional styles of taking photos, perhaps the Sun & Cloud camera might be worth taking a look at. It is priced at $199 and is available for purchase via AC Gears.