LG G Flex set for international release

LG G Flex set for international release December date pegged for flexible phone. LG’s much-vaunted G Flex, the company’s first phone to pack a flexible display, is set to make its international debut next month. The curved-screen wonder has been available in the company’s native South Korea since early November. A special media event, detailing plans for the device’s global rollout, will be held on December 3rd in Hong Kong. Orange's French division has already said it’ll be selling the G Flex across the pond ahead of Christmas...

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HTC One Dual SIM makes UK debut

HTC One Dual SIM makes UK debut Number-switching comes to flagship phone. HTC has confirmed that the One Dual SIM blower is on its way to the UK, having already made its debut in China in recent weeks. The new version of the Taiwanese mobile-maker’s flagship device has the ability to handle two SIM cards simultaneously, making it perfect for those who pack two devices for work and home. There’s a special dual-network manager tool, which allows users to personalise each SIM to prevent confusion when taking calls...

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iPhone 5S stock shortages ease on UK networks

iPhone 5S stock shortages ease on UK networks Calm breaks out in the iPhone market. Supply of the iPhone 5S is finally catching up with demand, spelling an end to mammoth delays that have blighted the phone’s release thus far. Until recently, online orders placed with UK carriers were subject to wait times of up to four weeks. That applied irrespective of the colour or storage variant you were after. However, signs are now abroad that the situation has eased. Just in time for this year's seasonal stampede. Cursory visits to O2 and EE's sites pledge that orders processed today will be delivered within two working days. That goes for every colourway. Even the massively in-demand gold model. Meanwhile,...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody Another designer gets all ‘what-if?’ on us. The next flagship Galaxy S smartphone will be a radical break with form. Or at least it will be if the Samsung-fixated sorts at galaxys5info.com have anything to do with it. A designer at the site has worked up a concept phone packing the flexible screen technology that’s been earmarked for Samsung phones for what feels like ages. But which has been omitted so far, presumably because it’s not market-ready yet...

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Samsung Galaxy S3 gets Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Galaxy Gear support

Samsung Galaxy S3 gets Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Galaxy Gear support One-time flagship phone now plays nice with smartwatch. Samsung has made Android 4.3, aka Jelly Bean, available for UK editions of the Galaxy S3, bringing some swell new features to the smartphone as well as support for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. The software is available to download over the air now for Galaxy S3 owners who bought their handsets off-contract. To get it, just head to 'Settings' and select ‘More’. Done that? Good. Then go to ‘About device’ and choose ‘Software update’ to start the download. If you got your phone via a monthly contract, you’ll have to wait until your carrier approves the update. That's having first...

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Samsung Galaxy Round to be first flexible phone?

Samsung Galaxy Round to be first flexible phone? Round the bend. The name of the first-ever flexible screen-toting smartphone might just have leaked online, ahead of its debut later this month. According to sources cited by South Korean site Asiae, Samsung will opt for the name 'Galaxy Round', which we’re guessing alludes to the curved effect of the display. The report, which puts the phone's asking price at $900, also claims that it's spec sheet will closely resemble the Galaxy Note 3 and that it will be made in very limited quantities. This chimes with earlier leaks that claimed this was down to low production yields for the screen tech, as well as Samsung's wariness of overcommitting to technology...

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Apple trims price of iPad Air and iPad Mini for Black Friday

Apple trims price of iPad Air and iPad Mini for Black Friday iPhone and iPad Mini 2 discounts a non-starter, though. Apple has cut the price of its flagship iPad and first-generation micro tablet for 24 hours, as the buying bonanza-cum-newly-minted-Xmas-tradition that is Black Friday gets underway. Buy an iPad Air from the Apple Store today and you’ll qualify for a £31 discount on the 16GB model in its Wi-Fi-only and 3G flavours, bringing the asking price down to £368. Reductions on the 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models are £41, £51 and £61 respectively. Disappointingly, there’s no discount on the iPad 2, aka the slate that Apple’s diktats insist we refer to as the ‘iPad mini with Retina Display...

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Top 5 iPhone 5S alternatives

Top 5 iPhone 5S alternatives Other smartphones are available.... There’s an awful a lot to love about the iPhone 5S. But there’s a lot that people aren’t so keen on too. Problems with iMessage and a divisive new version of Apple's operating system mean that for every person who loves iOS 7, there’s one who preferred iOS 6. Look no further than our poll to see just how much His Iveness’s meisterwerk has split opinion. Add to that glitches with gyroscope and compass levels, random reboots, reports that up to 25% of iOS users experience motion sickness due to the software’s whizzy animations and issues with logouts and it’s fair to say not everything is rosy in iPhone 5S land. The good news is that you’re...

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 bundled with free Galaxy Gear smartwatch

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 bundled with free Galaxy Gear smartwatch Flavor Flav-style massive timepiece up for grabs gratis. One of the UK’s largest retailers is offering Samsung’s debut smartwatch for free when customers shell out for the Galaxy Note 3, amid reports that consumers’ response to the smartphone peripheral is more than a little disappointing. Under the terms of Phones 4U’s offer, gadget-fanciers who buy the Note 3 on a two-year monthly contract at £42.99 per month before Thursday (that’s November 14th, date fans) qualify for a free Samsung Galaxy Gear. Depending on where you do your gadget-shopping, the smartwatch is normally priced between £240 and £299 or so. Alternatively, you can pick...

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iPad mini 2 on sale today from Apple, supply shortages looming already?

iPad mini 2 on sale today from Apple, supply shortages looming already? But for how long? The iPad mini 2 is on sale now at the Apple Store, defying rumours that the tech giant would be forced to delay the slate due to manufacturing problems and stock shortages. At the time of writing, the space grey and silver-white models were both in stock in all storage iterations. However, some models are in short supply already, it seems. Order the space-grey Wi-Fi-only model in either the 16GB or 32GB flavour and you’re looking at a paltry wait of between one and three days before it’s dispatched. But if you want any the Wi-Fi-only 64GB or 128GB models or any of the 4G-capable editions, you’re warned to expect...

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Moto G gets priced up ahead of launch

Moto G gets priced up ahead of launch Cheap SIM-free price Motorola’s Moto G smartphone isn’t due to get the official nod until September 13th. But Amazon UK appears to have got trigger happy, revealing the price and firming-up rumours about the device’s spec sheet. The mid-tier Android phone will cost just £159.99 when it’s launched tomorrow. That’s for a 16GB model, with higher pricing expected for more capacious devices. The rear shell will be available in a number of different, unspecified colours, while the screen will come in at a more than ample 4.5-inches. A quad-core processor completes the picture, suggesting the Moto G will be impressively specced considering the cost...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody Another designer gets all ‘what-if?’ on us. The next flagship Galaxy S smartphone will be a radical break with form. Or at least it will be if the Samsung-fixated sorts at galaxys5info.com have anything to do with it. A designer at the site has worked up a concept phone packing the flexible screen technology that’s been earmarked for Samsung phones for what feels like ages. But which has been omitted so far, presumably because it’s not market-ready yet. The 5.3-inch flexible OLED YOUM screen wraps around the edges of the phone, with touch-sensitive controls where you’d normally expect to find a physical volume rocker. The standard...

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iPad air and iPad mini 2 unveiled, more powerful and dropping November

iPad air and iPad mini 2 unveiled, more powerful and dropping November Apple takes the fight to low-cost slates. Apple landed a heavy one-two punch combination on its rivals in the burgeoning Christmas tablet market tonight, with the unveiling of new, significantly upgraded full-size and mini iPads. The new full-size tablet has been re-christened the iPad air and was touted at the press event as the "biggest leap forward ever for the full-size iPad". As its name suggests, it's 20% slimmer at 7.5mm thick and has slimmed down from 1.4lb to 1lb while retaining its 9.7-inch super-high-density Retina Display, thanks in part to a smaller bezel around the screen. According to Apple's Senior Vice President...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 to pack 16-megapixel camera?

Samsung Galaxy S5 to pack 16-megapixel camera? Camera details filter through. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 has been on sale just shy of six months or so now. But already it seems the handset’s maker’s next flagship smartphone is starting to take shape. Over recent weeks, a slew of reports have attested that the Galaxy S5 will pack iPhone 5S-style biometric security technology. But that it will scan users’ eyeballs and not fingerprints to determine their identity. Depending on who you believe, the S5 is also rumoured to feature a faux-leather, Galaxy Note 3-style back, an aluminium unibody construction and possibly even a flexible display. Oh and could sport the octa-core Exynos processor that some expected...

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Microsoft’s iPad attack: If tablets are 'easy' why was the Surface a flop?

Microsoft’s iPad attack: If tablets are 'easy' why was the Surface a flop? Back-biting is never a good look, says Joe Minihane. This week’s blistering attack by Microsoft’s vice president of communications Frank Shaw on Apple’s decision to release the new iWork for free, and by extension its new iPad Air, shows an astonishing level of hubris. In a blog post that appeared just hours after Tim Cook had gazumped Microsoft and Nokia’s announcements of new Windows Phones and a new Lumia tablet, Shaw tore into Apple’s move. According to the Big M’s man, it showed that the ‘reality distortion field’ of an Apple event had extended beyond Cupertino, suggesting the coverage of the decision to free iWork...

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HTC One and One Max get update to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

HTC One and One Max get update to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Sense 5.5 incoming too. HTC has begun rolling out Android 4.3 and HTC Sense 5.5 to its flagship One phone and its phablet cousin the One Max, bringing a suite of spiffy new features to the handsets. Originally scheduled to arrive on European smartphones back in September, Android 4.3 isn’t a massive upgrade over 4.2. But it’s not without its merits, not least among them the fact it adds support for multiple users with security-protected profiles. The fresh software (fresh-ish, anyway) also enables One and One Max users to pair their handsets with Bluetooth Smart accessories. And the latest version of HTC’s Sense custom skin isn’t to be sneezed ...

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LG G Flex curved phone official

LG G Flex curved phone official Korea only. LG has pulled the wrappers off the new G Flex curved phone in its home territory of South Korea. The first LG handset with a flexible display, it’s going head-to-head with key rival Samsung’s recently revealed Galaxy Round. Rather than curving from left to right like Sammy’s effort, the G Flex uses a flexible display which curves from top to bottom. The idea is that the handset sits more comfortably when taking calls. Packing a whacking 6-inch screen, the G Flex only manages to squeeze in 720p resolution, a step down from the 1080p devices that are dominating the top-end of the smartphone sector...

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iPad air to defy predictions and outsell iPad mini 2 by 2 to 1, survey reveals

iPad air to defy predictions and outsell iPad mini 2 by 2 to 1, survey reveals Top-end tablet is most in-demand. Analysts who forecast the iPad mini 2 would trounce the refreshed version of the top-end Apple slate in the sales stakes were wide of the mark, a survey suggest. The second-gen iPad and the fifth-gen full-size tablet, now rebranded as the iPad air, debuted last week at an uncommonly busy launch event down at Yerba Buena. In the week before the showcase, smartphone-industry sages from the likes of RBC Capital Markets predicted that the iPad mini 2’s Retina Display and keen price point would see it outsell its more established stablemate by a margin of two to one. Not so, it seems. At least...

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Samsung Galaxy Gear returns running at 1 in 3, says US retailer

Samsung Galaxy Gear returns running at 1 in 3, says US retailer First iterations of new gadgets are never perfect. But even so… The Samsung Galaxy Gear has left early adopters unimpressed, it seems, with return rates at a cripplingly high level at one of the US’s largest gadget retailers. According to a hush-hush doc procured from Best Buy reps by Geek, Samsung’s heavily marketed smartphone accessory is being brought back by 30 per cent of buyers. The document states: "The Galaxy Gear attachment rate within Best Buy is the highest among all channels; however the overall return rate is trending above 30 per cent, The reason for the slew of unhappy customers isn’t yet clear. But it’s certainly something...

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Samsung Galaxy Gear returns running at 1 in 3, says US retailer

Samsung Galaxy Gear returns running at 1 in 3, says US retailer First iterations of new gadgets are never perfect. But even so… The Samsung Galaxy Gear has left early adopters unimpressed, it seems, with return rates at a cripplingly high level at one of the US’s largest gadget retailers. According to a hush-hush doc procured from Best Buy reps by Geek, Samsung’s heavily marketed smartphone accessory is being brought back by 30 per cent of buyers. The document states: "The Galaxy Gear attachment rate within Best Buy is the highest among all channels; however the overall return rate is trending above 30 per cent, The reason for the slew of unhappy customers isn’t yet clear. But it’s certainly something...

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LG G Flex: Why curved phones will never catch on

LG G Flex: Why curved phones will never catch on LG’s new G Flex phone is the second curved phone released in the past month. The Korean company’s big-time rival Samsung released its Galaxy Round device to much fanfare in its home territory a few weeks ago. It means flexible screens, so often touted as ‘the next big thing’ at tech trade shows, are finally getting something approaching mainstream recognition. There are key differences between the two devices. LG’s phone curves from top to bottom, meaning it supposedly sits more comfortably on the face when taking calls. Sammy’s effort curves from side to side, offering neat features which allow it to be pushed up to notifications without turning it on. LG’s...

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iPhone sales soar, but Apple profits drop

iPhone sales soar, but Apple profits drop iPhone still on top. Apple sold a massive 33.8 million iPhones in the three months from July to September, smashing its previous record for the quarter. The number represents a substantial jump from the tech giant's sales of 26.9 million in the same period last year and 31.2 million handsets shifted from April to June this year. That headline number covers the launch of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, which accounted for nine million sales in their opening weekend alone. However, both devices only launched in the last week of the reported period, suggesting iPhone 5 sales remained strong over the summer. Despite these impressive results, Apple profits slipped...

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Samsung Galaxy Round to be first flexible phone?

Samsung Galaxy Round to be first flexible phone? Round the bend. The name of the first-ever flexible screen-toting smartphone might just have leaked online, ahead of its debut later this month. According to sources cited by South Korean site Asiae, Samsung will opt for the name 'Galaxy Round', which we’re guessing alludes to the curved effect of the display. The report, which puts the phone's asking price at $900, also claims that it's spec sheet will closely resemble the Galaxy Note 3 and that it will be made in very limited quantities. This chimes with earlier leaks that claimed this was down to low production yields for the screen tech, as well as Samsung's wariness of overcommitting to technology...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody Another designer gets all ‘what-if?’ on us. The next flagship Galaxy S smartphone will be a radical break with form. Or at least it will be if the Samsung-fixated sorts at galaxys5info.com have anything to do with it. A designer at the site has worked up a concept phone packing the flexible screen technology that’s been earmarked for Samsung phones for what feels like ages. But which has been omitted so far, presumably because it’s not market-ready yet. The 5.3-inch flexible OLED YOUM screen wraps around the edges of the phone, with touch-sensitive controls where you’d normally expect to find a physical volume rocker. The standard physical...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody Another designer gets all ‘what-if?’ on us. The next flagship Galaxy S smartphone will be a radical break with form. Or at least it will be if the Samsung-fixated sorts at galaxys5info.com have anything to do with it. A designer at the site has worked up a concept phone packing the flexible screen technology that’s been earmarked for Samsung phones for what feels like ages. But which has been omitted so far, presumably because it’s not market-ready yet. The 5.3-inch flexible OLED YOUM screen wraps around the edges of the phone, with touch-sensitive controls where you’d normally expect to find a physical volume rocker. The standard...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody Another designer gets all ‘what-if?’ on us. The next flagship Galaxy S smartphone will be a radical break with form. Or at least it will be if the Samsung-fixated sorts at galaxys5info.com have anything to do with it. A designer at the site has worked up a concept phone packing the flexible screen technology that’s been earmarked for Samsung phones for what feels like ages. But which has been omitted so far, presumably because it’s not market-ready yet. The 5.3-inch flexible OLED YOUM screen wraps around the edges of the phone, with touch-sensitive controls where you’d normally expect to find a physical volume rocker. The standard...

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LG G Pro Lite gets official

LG G Pro Lite gets official Phablet unveiled. LG has given the official nod to the recently leaked G Pro Lite device. The super-sized phablet packs in average-sounding specs, pitting it against the slightly cheaper Samsung Galaxy Mega, as opposed to its Korean rival’s new, high-end Galaxy Note 3. The Android 4.1.2-powered phone's key feature is the 5.5-inch display. That’s more than ample for watching movies on the move, although the 960x540 resolution doesn’t exactly excite. Sure, things will look sharp, but they’ll be well short of the HD standard we’ve come to expect. There’s also an 8-megapixel snapper round the back, while under the bonnet there's 1GB of RAM and a 1GHz dual-core processor to keep...

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Google Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 Kit Kat dropping October 15th?

Google Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 Kit Kat dropping October 15th? Google clearing the decks for double-whammy. The future of the Android platform will hove into view next week, rumours suggest, amid chatter that October 15th will see the unveiling of the fifth-gen Nexus phone alongside all-new smartphone software. Talk doing the rounds among developers at the Google Launchpad event indicates that the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4, aka Kit Kat, will show their faces at a press event in New York next Tuesday. A double-whammy of announcements is entirely in keeping with Google’s previous form. The search giant typically uses new Nexus devices to showcase freshly baked versions of Android and set standards for...

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BlackBerry sale: why it's descended into farce

BlackBerry sale: why it's descended into farce Things have taken a turn for the ridiculous in Ontario. For a once-great company, BlackBerry is really making a hash of its sale. While Nokia bowed out gracefully, fixing up its inevitable deal with Microsoft with minimal fanfare, the deal to sell BlackBerry is becoming much like the launch of its products: Drawn-out and tedious. After seemingly arranging a deal to sell to key investor Fairfax Financial, the company said others would be welcome to bid. It then turned out it had spoken to Google and attempted to draw Samsung and LG into a battle for its patents and enterprise network. That’s understandable. Analysts have said already that the company...

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iOS 7 blocks unofficial Lightning cables

iOS 7 blocks unofficial Lightning cables Third-party peripherals given the heave-ho. iPhone owners will no longer be able to use unofficial Lightning cables to charge their handsets, reports reveal, with the news that Apple’s new software renders them incompatible. According to 9 to 5 Mac, iOS 7 blocks third-party cables from charging iKits that use the newish dock standard. That's the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Official Apple cables pack a chip as a means of authentication. It’s not clear if all non-certified cables are affected all the time. However, an unreliable charger isn’t much use, given how rubs smartphone batteries are in the first place. That’s especially the case in light of...

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iPhone 5 and 4S to be discontinued to make way for iPhone 5S and iPhone 6?

iPhone 5 and 4S to be discontinued to make way for iPhone 5S and iPhone 6? Current-gen model to go the way of all flesh? The iPhone 5 may not be long for this world, it has emerged, amid speculation that the handset could be phased out when new models land later this year. According to Korean site ET News, whose scoop was brought to the western world by MacRumors, the current-generation iPhone, plus the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, are being dropped to make way for the new standard iPhone and the low-cost model. Apple’s move is partly aimed at allowing it to phase out its trad iPhone connector and ensure the newer standard it adopted last year is used across its smartphone range. The iPhone 5 will apparently...

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iPhone 5s and 5c: Five key differences between them

iPhone 5s and 5c: Five key differences between them Colours, cameras, cases and more. Apple made history this week by announcing not one but two new iPhones. But which one is right for you? We've put together a list of the main differences between them, so you can decide which to make room for in your pocket. 1 Price The 5c was rumoured to be a budget iPhone, but that turned out to be off the mark. It'll set you back £469 SIM-free, or starting at £30 on contract (though you'll have to shell out £32 a month for two years). And that's the more affordable of the two new additions to the iPhone range...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept packs flexible screen and aluminium unibody Another designer gets all ‘what-if?’ on us. The next flagship Galaxy S smartphone will be a radical break with form. Or at least it will be if the Samsung-fixated sorts at galaxys5info.com have anything to do with it. A designer at the site has worked up a concept phone packing the flexible screen technology that’s been earmarked for Samsung phones for what feels like ages. But which has been omitted so far, presumably because it’s not market-ready yet. The 5.3-inch flexible OLED YOUM screen wraps around the edges of the phone, with touch-sensitive controls where you’d normally expect to find a physical volume rocker. The standard...

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BlackBerry co-founders keen on takeover bid

BlackBerry co-founders keen on takeover bid Lazaridis rises. Mike Lazaradis, the erstwhile-BlackBerry CEO, company-founder and the man who oversaw BlackBerry's rise and fall, is said to be readying a takeover bid for the company. Partnering with co-founder Doug Fregin, Lazaradis has asked Goldman Sachs to help find potential backers for a $4.7 billion deal. That’s according to a filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US. The men already own an 8% stake in the failing mobile-maker. They started the firm in 1984, with Lazaradis helping it to become dominant in the pre-iPhone era. However, his and co-CEO Jim Balsillie’s blasé approach to the threats of Apple and Google helped...

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iPhone 6 could feature Liquidmetal exterior

iPhone 6 could feature Liquidmetal exterior Very metal. Changes could be afoot when it comes to the iPhone’s build quality, it has emerged, amid signs that Apple could ditch the glass and aluminium construction of the current-gen model for Liquidmetal. Rumours that Liquidmetal would figure in a future iPhone have been circulating since April last year. The alloy is favoured by Apple because it is less scratch-prone than glass but still offers the same silky smooth surfaces. However, speculation that a LiquidMetal iPhone is an idea whose time may have come got fresh legs today after a site discovered a patent awarded to Crucible Intellectual Property. This is the inauspicious-sounding company at the...

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Microsoft: Nokia deal won’t affect other Windows Phone partners

Microsoft: Nokia deal won’t affect other Windows Phone partners Really? Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia will not affect other mobile makers’ Windows Phone plans. That’s according to Big M executive vice president of operating systems, Terry Myerson, who says the tie-up will help build the third place OS’s market share. In a post on the Official Windows Blog, Myerson writes, “Today’s announcement doesn’t change [our approach] – acquiring Nokia’s Devices group will help make the market for all Windows Phones, from Microsoft or our OEM partners.” “We have exciting ideas, and so do our OEM partners. Our partners bring innovation, diversity and scale to Windows....

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Android exec Hugo Barra quits for Chinese mobile maker

Android exec Hugo Barra quits for Chinese mobile maker Moving to Xiaomi. One of Android’s leading execs has quit his post and is heading to China to work for one of the country’s mobile manufacturers. Hugo Barra, Android’s vice-president of product management who has worked at Google for five and a half years, is set to join Xiaomi, working on developing their Android portfolio. In a post on Google+, Barra said, “In a few weeks, I'll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally — as Vice President, Xiaomi Global. “I'm really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to...

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4G UK: which next-gen network is the best?

4G UK: which next-gen network is the best? With the UK’s 4G revolution in full swing, which network has the best proposition for you? With Three's official confirmation that it will be offering 4G for free to existing customers when it launches its next-gen network in December, we now have a clear idea of every network’s LTE plans. O2 and Vodafone have both recently launched their offerings, with EE’s service now almost one year old. So, how does each service break down and which one should you go for? Read on to get the lowdown. O2 Launched this week in London, Leeds and Bradford, O2’s 4G packages offer basic deals, with charges varying depending on the device you decide to buy. As with Vodafone,...

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Samsung Galaxy Gear: New screens confirm specs

Samsung Galaxy Gear: New screens confirm specs App unveiled. Samsung’s Galaxy Gear is all set for its official unveiling on September 4th. But the chaps at @evleaks are still unearthing the goods about Sammy’s forthcoming new smart watch, this time revealing screen shots of the device’s smartphone control app. The pair of screens confirm a string of info which has already leaked about the timepiece. NFC is mentioned, with a diagram showing a Samsung phone and a Galaxy Gear pairing via touch. A ‘My Apps’ tab supports rumours that the Galaxy Gear will have its own suite of dedicated add-ons. And, interestingly, there’s a ‘Find My Watch’ function mentioned too. How this works is as yet unclear, but we’d...

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iPhone 5S: champagne and graphite models star in new videos

iPhone 5S: champagne and graphite models star in new videos Golden future. Apple’s forthcoming champagne and graphite iPhones have starred in a pair of new videos, as their planned September 10th launch date edges ever closer. The champagne iPhone 5S, filmed by the guys at TLD, highlights the differences with the current iPhone 5. Aside from the colour options, the video also looks at the internal changes, with greater space for the battery, suggesting Apple might have at last cracked its power woes. In a separate video, the graphite iPhone 5S is shown alongside the current black and white editions of the iPhone 5. But with initial iPhone 5 prototypes having come in this colour, it’s been suggested...

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Wozniak’s note of caution is a rare slice of common sense

Wozniak’s note of caution is a rare slice of common sense Is the Woz-man right to urge more patience with Apple's pace of innovation? Joe Minihane gives his two cents. The pace at which the world of smartphones and tablets moves today means that the demands from hardcore fans, hungry for bleeding edge updates, are relentless. If a new phone doesn’t cram in a game-changing feature, then it’s instantly dismissed as irrelevant, despite the fact its software may be spanking new and a game-changer in and of itself. That’s why this week’s words from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak are so refreshing. In an interview with the BBC, Wozniak essentially put demanding fans in their place. “Everybody says, ‘oh my...

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BlackBerry boss: We can survive as niche company

BlackBerry boss: We can survive as niche company Not over yet. BlackBerry can continue to exist as a niche company and will not be completely killed off once it’s been bought out. That’s the opinion of Bert Nordberg, who sits on the ailing mobile maker’s board. In a wide-ranging interview with The Wall Street Journal, Nordberg said, “I think BlackBerry is able to survive as a niche company. "But being a niche company means deciding to be a niche company. Historically, BlackBerry has had larger ambitions. But battling giants like Apple, Google, and Samsung is tough." Nordberg said that BlackBerry’s products did still have something to offer. “BlackBerry's unique assets make it stand apart from other phone...

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iPhone 5C: New manual and package images leaked

iPhone 5C: New manual and package images leaked One week to go. Just eight days before Tim Cook is due to reveal the iPhone 5C, new images purporting to show the device’s packaging and manual have appeared online. The most intriguing is a snap of the red version of the budget handset. The packaging is consistent with previously leaked pics of the phone, with the same design and a mocked up screen of iOS 7. Users on Chinese site Weibo have also been treated to shots of the iPhone 5C’s one card manual, as well as a photo of the classic Apple SIM ejection tool bundled with the blower...

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Samsung Galaxy Gear photos leak, fitness monitor highlighted

Samsung Galaxy Gear photos leak, fitness monitor highlighted Not much of a looker. And pretty huge at 3-inches too. Images purportedly showing a prototype of the soon-to-land Samsung Galaxy Gear have leaked online, ahead of the device’s launch tomorrow. Sourced by VentureBeat, the work-in-progress smartwatch appears to blend industrial design aesthetics with the, um, practical, unshowy looks of Garmin’s sportswatches and packs a whopping three-inch screen that has seen it termed unappealingly bulky in some quarters. But while it’s indisputably not much of a looker, it may yet emerge that what we’re looking at is unrecognisable from the finished product. That's certainly been the case with Samsung Galaxy...

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iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S dropping Sept 20th, network leak reveals

iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S dropping Sept 20th, network leak reveals Carrier cancels holiday, sparks release-date chatter. Speculation that the next-generation iPhone and its cheaper stablemate will go on sale on September 20th got a good deal more credible today, amid rumours that one of the largest US networks has cancelled holiday for staff for the period. Talk of the handsets tipping up on the 20th has been abroad for months now. The date was initially mooted after some keen-minded deduction on the part of the editor of the International Business Times, who based his prediction on Apple’s previous form. His claim got fresh legs over the weekend when mysterious sources told TmoNews that T-Mobile employees...

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iPhone 5C working model crops up on video

iPhone 5C working model crops up on video First time we’ve seen iOS 7 and plastic shell in tandem. With shells in multiple colours, buttons, screens and mock-up devices appearing online in recent months, the iPhone 5C could well be Apple’s most-leaked phone ever. But there’s been no sign of a working model. Until now, that is. A lo-fi, grainy clip has surfaced on Chinese tech site C Technology showing the phone fully assembled, running the forthcoming iOS 7 version of Apple’s operating system and working well enough to enable the user to conduct a web search. Judging by the footage, the iPhone 5C and its proprietary Safari browser zip along at a fair old lick for what’s being touted as a cheap phone,...

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Microsoft buys Nokia phones business for £4.6 billion

Microsoft buys Nokia phones business for £4.6 billion Nokia sold. Microsoft is to buy Nokia’s phones division in a deal worth £4.6 billion. The news, announced overnight, will see Microsoft take ownership of Nokia’s Devices and Services, as well as licensing its HERE maps and patents. While the Big M will own the Lumia and Asha brands, the Nokia name will be licensed for ten years and used to brand ‘current Nokia mobile phone products’ according to a statement from Microsoft. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, along with a number of other senior executives, will now work for Microsoft, with Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors, stepping up to act as Interim CEO...

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HTC Zara: new mid-range smartphone leaked

HTC Zara: new mid-range smartphone leaked Plastic model incoming. HTC is working on a new plastic handset, dubbed the Zara, with a release date pegged for late 2013. The device was leaked by evleaks, which is developing a solid-gold reputation for getting the inside line on new mobiles. With HTC unleashing aluminium handsets earlier this year, with the One and One Mini leading the line, a plastic device makes sense in light of the impending release of Apple’s iPhone 5C. The Zara is said to pack a 4.5-inch qHD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 plus processor and 1GB of RAM. Beats Audio and an ample eight-megapixel camera complete the package. A Q4 release date is expected...

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