Friday, 28 February 2014

Respawn confirms 'Titanfall' won't run at 1080p on Xbox One

Respawn Entertainment’s Vince Zampella has revealed that the Xbox One version of Titanfall won’t hit at resolution of 1080p, leaving questions on the actual targeted res for the upcoming shooter.



It appears that a new resolution gate debacle might have just kicked off, as a developer over at Respawn has confirmed that Titanfall will not run at full 1080p HD on the Xbox One.

In a recent Tweet, Vince Zampella responds to a very specific query regarding the game’s targeted resolution, replying in the negative when asked if Titanfall will be in full HD on Microsoft’s next-gen gaming console.
@nico_n12 @Titanfallgame no

— Vince Zampella (@VinceZampella) February 26, 2014

While the resolution drop may seem trivial to many casual gamers, in the past this topic has ignited even more fire to the console war, dividing the gaming community even further. In terms of specifics, some see the Xbox One’s marked lack of full-HD games as a detrimental factor, taking away from the system’s overall value–but it remains to be seen how the final game performs on the Xbox One.

Furthermore it’s worth noting that Titanfall‘s beta test on the Xbox One was in 792p resolution–a rather odd number–and we’re not sure what the actual retail version will target, as Respawn has kept it under wraps thus far.

Respawn has recently commemorated Titanfall’s finished form as they announced the game has gone gold, and it will be interesting to see how this news affects both gameplay and sales.

From a gameplay perspective, though, the game looks to be one of the major contenders for the Xbox One in 2014, and may outshine the competition in spite of the shockwave of negativity that accompanies this news. It is a bit disappointing that the more costly console runs games at a lower resolution, further supporting the past allegations of infamous NeoGAF users like CBOAT who proclaimed that most Xbox One games will run at 900p.

Further rumors indicate that Respawn is targeting the 900p mark for the finalized version of Titanfall , possibly adding more credence to the forum user’s claims.

To find out for sure, though, we’ll have to wait until the game hits store shelves on March 11, 2014 for Xbox One and PC.

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Speakers with optical input

any recommendations , yeah cause I'm looking for speakers with optical input..



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Is Microsoft looking to take the wind out of Mantle’s sails?


A “closer to the metal” version of Direct X is in the works, and while AMD says it supports such efforts what does it mean for the future of PC Gaming?




Microsoft may be looking to capitalize on AMD’s struggle with Mantle with its next version of DirectX by integrating vendor specific extensions to allow Mantle-like low level access to the hardware.

When AMD first announced the Mantle API last year at its #gpu14 event in Hawaii, the company said it would give developers low level access to GCN hardware where ever it was present be it PC or console. Shortly after Microsoft and Sony denied this would be the case for their consoles, AMD’s PR backtracked and said Mantle would provide developers console like experience when developing code. Since then AMD’s problems with Mantle have not let up. The Mantle patch for Battlefield 4 was months late, and the other big Mantle title, Thief, won’t launch with Mantle enabled. When*Battlefield 4‘s Mantle patch finally launched the performance boosts were in the single digits and far from revolutionary.

A number of presentation abstracts from Microsoft speakers at next month’s Game Developer’s Conference have pointed towards a Direct X update in the works that would allow lower-level hardware access. Consider the synopsis of this talk hosted by Anuj Gosalia, Development Manager for Windows Graphics, titled “DirectX: Evolving Microsoft’s Graphics Platform”:


For nearly 20 years, DirectX has been the platform used by game developers to create the fastest, most visually impressive games on the planet.

However, you asked us to do more. You asked us to bring you even closer to the metal and to do so on an unparalleled assortment of hardware. You also asked us for better tools so that you can squeeze every last drop of performance out of your PC, tablet, phone and console.

Come learn our plans to deliver.


In another one, titled Direct3D Futures, Microsoft’s Max McMcullen, promises to “discuss future improvements in Direct3D that will allow developers an unprecedented level of hardware control and reduced CPU rendering overhead across a broad ecosystem of hardware.”

All this is not to say that Microsoft is interested in developing a Mantle clone with its next version of Direct X. Only AMD can develop something that has such intimate access to the GCN core since they know the hardware best. But while Microsoft won’t be offering Mantle, it is capitalizing on what Mantle can do — lower level access to hardware — and what it can’t do — entice developers and have them deliver Mantle to games on time.

In response to all of this AMD has released a defensive statement: AMD supports and celebrates a direction for game development that is aligned with AMD’s vision of lower-level, ‘closer to the metal’ graphics APIs for PC gaming.*

But not everyone is convinced that the “closer to metal” access that Mantle provides is necessary for overhead-killing performance boosts. In October, John Carmack tweeted, *“9x draw calls is credible over stock D3D, but Nvidia OpenGL extensions can give similar improvements.” He followed this up in November at an Nvidia event by saying, “Mantle only became interesting because of their dual console wins.”

While Carmack didn’t mention this, draw calls are not an accurate metric to gauge performance. Draw call requirements can differ widely from title to title depending on the payload.*

It will be interesting to see how DirectX evolves with a push in this “low level” direction. For all this talk of the evolution of DirectX, one can’t help but remember that it was almost a year ago Roy Taylor — who much to the chagrin of AMD’s PR corps has very interesting insights into the hardware arms race — said DirectX as we know it is on its way out.

There will be no DirectX 12. That was it. As far as we know there are no plans for DirectX 12,” he said to a German publication called Heise . “If this should not be, and someone wants to correct me – wonderful.”

For its part, Microsoft didn’t outright deny Taylor’s claims and only responded by saying, “We have absolutely no intention of stopping innovation with DirectX.”

Perhaps given the change and evolution Microsoft is planning for its API they will abandon the DirectX numbering convention and Taylor will be proven right after all.

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Samsung’s 64-bit chips will launch later this year

Samsung is set to commercially launch its first 64-bit offerings by the time Google makes a 64-bit version of Android available.



In an interview with CNET, Kyushik Hong, vice president of marketing for Samsung’s system LSI business, said that the manufacturer will be ready with its 64-bit chips as soon as there is an ecosystem for it. “Our chip will be ready whenever the operating systems and ecosystem go 64-bit. 64-bit is very important… in the sense that there’s a real demand, whether you need it or not. We are very actively working on it.”

Other major SoC manufacturers like Qualcomm and MediaTek have already launched their 64-bit offerings. While there is not much advantage to be gained from a 64-bit SoC at this moment, manufacturers are launching them anyway mostly due to OEM demands. Qualcomm even made a mention of this in its official unveiling of the Snapdragon 615, its first octa-core 64-bit offering. Intel also demoed two new 64-bit offerings, while Nvidia is set to launch its first 64-bit Tegra K1 later this year. Broadcom and LG are also in the mix.

Samsung has launched two new SoCs earlier this week at the Mobile World Congress, but none of them featured a 64-bit architecture. Hong added that there is no hurry to launch a 64-bit chip, and that Samsung will launch it well before there is a 64-bit version of Android. *”We’re pretty sure we’re not going to be the bottleneck for that (64-bit Android).”

Hong also outlined Samsung’s drive to gain a more significant market share with the Exynos line of hardware. He stated that a major hurdle in doing so is because of Samsung’s strong presence in the consumer market, which makes it difficult for Samsung’s LSI division to sell the Exynos line of hardware to manufacturers who are traditionally rivals to the South Korean manufacturer. He clarified by saying that, “There is some perception in the market, naturally, because it’s the same Samsung name, but there’s a clear division between Samsung Mobile and Samsung System LSI. Once we work with our customers, then they fully appreciate this separation between the different business units.”

With all major manufacturers actively invested in 64-bit hardware, it remains to be seen as to when Google launches a 64-bit version of Android. Latest rumors indicate that the search giant will introduce a 64-bit version of Android sometime in June along with a new Nexus 8*and a smartwatch.

Source: CNET



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New Mana Game by Square Enix Looks Action Fantastic

Square Enix finally unveils the trailer for Rise of Mana, the newest game in the Mana series that is coming soon on iOS and Android.




The Mana (Seiken Densetsu in Japan) series may not have Final Fantasy’s big and expansive international fan base, but even long before Square Enix, it has been one of Square’s longest running series. This year, another title will be added to series, as Square Enix unveils the first trailer of Seiken Densetsu: Rise of Mana.



Seiken Densetsu: Rise of Mana has been announced to be completely free to play. However knowing Square Enix, it would be highly likely that the payments would simply come in the form of in-game microtransactions. Nevertheless, the game looks quite hopeful, with all the real-time action and non-linear adventure elements that define the series itself.

There are no specific release dates revealed, but the iOS version is reported to be coming very soon, followed by the Android version sometime within this year.

Source: Square Enix*(JP)



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Collaboration spirit driving concept of co-working spaces in Indonesia

From Berlin to Beijing, from Bangalore to Bali, co-working spaces are a new trend. Here, e27 takes a look at the co-working space scenario in Indonesia Over the past few years, co-working spaces have become a global trend. From Berlin to Beijing, from Bangalore to Bali, the world is witnessing a new trend, where people Read the full article...



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India a hotbed for analytics companies!

As per an industry report, 6% of analytics firms globally are based in India or have ops there, having grown three-fold in last 1.5 yrs Analytics firms are making it big in India. Startups such as Fisheye Analytics and Little Eye Labs also managed to catch the attention of industry stalwarts such as Kantar Media Read the full article...



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Is falling in love with an operating system strange? We think not!

In latest movie ‘Her’, the lead character falls for his OS. In this world where we are perpetually attached to gadgets, is the notion weird? Falling in love with an operating system (OS) might sound strange, but ‘Her’,*the latest movie from Spike Jonze, will make you think otherwise. Anyway, to think again, it isn’t so Read the full article...



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Only 0.15% of mobile gamers make up 50% of in-game revenue!

Analytics company Swrve states that the key to attracting big spenders or “whales” is social advertising If you’re planning on getting into the mobile gaming business thinking that in-app purchases (or IAPs) are the meal ticket to riches, you may need to think twice.*According to an infograph by Swrve (via VentureBeat) that details mobile app Read the full article...



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Citylink Mall is host to S’pore’s 1st Bitcoin ATM by Bitcoin Exchange

The ATM scans a Bitcoin QR code and sends the cryptocurrency to the user’s Bitcoin wallet; more ATMs to be installed by the end of 2014 Singapore-based firm Bitcoin Exchange today launched Asia’s first public Bitcoin ATM at Citylink Mall, 1 Raffles Link in the city-state. This follows the firm’s announcement nearly a month ago Read the full article...



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WeChat makes its way to Mac OS X



WeChat is late to the game on the desktop, as Japanese rival Line already has an established desktop presence. *





Third party IM clients are the talk of the town now. Just recently*Facebook acquired WhatsApp for a resounding $19 billion, which speaks volumes of the rapid growth of such apps.

Yet another popular cross platform instant messaging app, WeChat, has just begun its expansion into the desktop segment by launching its dedicated app for Mac OS X. There is talk of WeChat being launched on Windows machines as well, which doesn’t sound farfetched given the company’s expansion plans. The app is compatible with any Macs running OS X 10.7 Lion or above.

This move by WeChat is seen as a counter action against another IM client Line, which is popular in Japan and Japan aligned countries like Taiwan. The Line client has already made its way to Windows computers and Macs, so it was only logical for WeChat to enter the fray as well.

WeChat users will be greeted to a very familiar user interface with the Mac iteration with immediate syncing of contacts and messages. Functionality wise, there’s nothing different here and you will be able to chat with all your WeChat contacts across platforms just like you would on your iPhone or Android app. WeChat has a browser version as well, but the launch of a native Mac client is very welcome.

Can we expect WhatsApp to begin such an expansion? Only time will tell.

Via: The Next Web



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Control your devices easily by putting a Ring on it!

New wearable input device Ring allows to control your gadgets via hand gestures, letting you send texts, turn on appliances, make payments It can be said for a fact that input devices have been growing sleeker and less obstrusive as technology marches on. From ball mice and full-sized mechanical keyboards to touchscreens and motion sensing, Read the full article...



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Singapore’s TheLuxeNomad relaunches site to include 24/7 booking rates

Online luxury members-only travel accommodation site TheLuxeNomad today announced its new pivot. How will it affect its initial focus? Thou shalt not live by flash sales alone, but with 24/7 booking rates alongside current operations. That’s what Singapore-based members-only hotel and villa flash sale site TheLuxeNomad.com is saying with its most recent pivot and relaunch. Read the full article...



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Warner Bros. looking to bring ‘Minecraft’ to the big screen

Markus “Notch” Persson is in talks with Warner Bros. in launching a feature film based on Minecraft.


Minecraft, one of the bestselling indie games of all time, will soon be turned into a full-length feature film by Warner Bros. Markus “Notch” Persson, the creator of the game, announced on Twitter that talks are undergoing with the studio in creating a full-length movie based on the game. Persson also said that he wanted to thwart potential leakers by leaking the news himself.

Someone is trying leak the fact that we’re working with Warner Brothers on a potential Minecraft Movie. I wanted to be the leak!

— Markus Persson (@notch) February 27, 2014

Deadline has more information regarding the movie, claiming that Warner Bros. bought the rights for the movie from Mojang AB and that it will be a live-action movie. Producer of the hugely successful The Lego Movie Roy Lee will be at the helm of this project as well. The Lego Movie is one of the biggest commercial hits of the year thus far, and has managed to accrue over $187 million in U.S. sales and an additional $93.5 million internationally. Warner Bros. is now considering a sequel to the movie that is set to debut in two years’ time.

The studio’s decision to make a feature film on Minecraft might turn out to be just as profitable, as the game*was one of the most played titles last year. With sales of over 100 million, the game was also one of the best-selling last year. 2 Player Productions even made a documentary detailing the story of Mojang, which you can view below:

Source: Twitter



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Does the glam fashion world need technology’s aid?

Efficient supply chain and product lifecycle management can revolutionise the fashion industry, says*Robert McKee of Infor For many people, fashion is fashion, technology is technology, and never the twain shall meet. After all, so the stereotypes go, tech geeks are the very epitome of anti-fashion with their dated, casual sartorial choices, and fashionistas are portrayed Read the full article...



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Delete my long path files?

Hello friend's

I'm ansley please suggest me best tools delete my long files?





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[FREE][iOS][Android] Glass Mountain Fairy Tale

Glass Mountain Fairy Tale for iOS and Android is finally out!



Glass Mountain is a well known fairy tale that we all loved when we were kids. Now our kids can enjoy it too! Read and hear this marvellous story of a young man who managed to reach the top of a huge glass mountain and found his fortune.



Interactive content, movable objects, smooth animations, five languages (EN, DE, LT, PL, RU), wonderful music, hand drawn illustrations and many pages to see and enjoy!



App is absolutely FREE!



Trailer:

http://ift.tt/1k9Strg



Check this out!



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Recommend: Vortex KBT RACE 2 and PURE PRO

Coming soon.





RACE II

a) Black

1. 82 keys

2. Dual coat ABS keycap

3. White Backlit

4. Programmable







b) White

1. 82 keys

2. Dual coat ABS keycap

3. Green Backlit

4. Programmable



PURE PRO

1. ANSI layout

2. 62 keys

3. Dual coat ABS keycap

4. Green & Blue LED

5. Programmable










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Critic’s Corner: Castlevania – Lords of Shadow 2

Patrick Stewart’s vocal talents alongside demon-slash-vampire-hunting action aren’t enough to placate harsh criticisms for Konami’s latest The first Castlevania: Lords of Shadow game was met with divided views from fans and action gamers. Longtime worshippers of the 2D and Metroidvania-style iterations of the series decried it as a derivative God of War clone, while critics Read the full article...



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California court rules that using mobile navigation while driving is legal



Distracted driving rules in California were first put in place in 2006, but a court has admitted that times have changed and the laws should be updated.*





A California court has ruled that checking maps or navigation on your mobile phone while driving isn’t against the law.

This comes after Steven Spriggs, a driver, was fined $165 for using his mobile phone for navigation while stuck in heavy traffic. He was found guilty of breaching California State laws regarding distracted driving, was fined accordingly, but decided to appeal the fine.

The driver’s appeal worked.

A court ruling on the case claimed that times have changed since these laws were originally put to place back in 2006.

“When the statute was enacted in 2006, most wireless telephones were just that—a telephone—rather than an electronic device with multiple functions,” an excerpt from the ruling read.

Spriggs was naturally quite relieved by this verdict and claimed that he was against people texting or talking on the phone while driving.

*”If our distractions cause us to drive erratically, we should be arrested for driving erratically,” he is quoted as saying.

This could be a landmark judgment by the court which would allow users to navigate to their desired destination using their smartphone without fearing the authorities.

Via: Ars Technica



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ZipMatch secures funds to scale real estate marketplace business

Finding your dream home can be a nightmare. How will consumers in the Philippines benefit from ZipMatch? Having moved to the Philippines from California three years ago, John Dang*couldn’t help but notice that there were an incredible number of buildings under construction. This mushroomed into a startup idea and he went on to launch*ZipMatch*in 2012.*Yesterday, Read the full article...



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Porsche P'9981 (Gold): $650Apple Ipad4 16GB WiFi (Black/White) Price:400usd Apple Ipa

Apple Ipad4 16GB WiFi (Black/White) Price:400usd

Apple Ipad4 32GB WiFi (Black/White) Price:400usd

Apple Ipad4 64GB WiFi (Black/White) Price:450usd



Apple Ipad Mini Wi-Fi 16GB Price:150usd

Apple Ipad Mini Wi-Fi 32GB Price:250usd

Apple Ipad Mini Wi-Fi 64GB Price:300usd

Apple Ipad Mini Cellular 16GB Price:170usd

Apple Ipad Mini Cellular 32GB Price:270usd

Apple Ipad Mini Cellular 64GB Price:330usd





Apple Ipad Mini 4GWi-Fi 16GB Price:300usd

Apple Ipad Mini 4GWi-Fi 32GB Price:350usd

Apple Ipad Mini 4GWi-Fi 64GB Price:450usd



iPhone 5S (16GB) (Black/White) Price:450usd

iPhone 5 (32GB) (Black/White) Price:400usd

iPhone 5 (64GB) (Black/White) Price:450usd

iPhone 4S(16GB)(Black/White) Price:380usd

iPhone 4S(32GB)(Black/White) Price:400usd

iPhone 4S(64GB)(Black/White) Price:450usd

iPhone 4 (16GB)(Black/White) Price:300usd

iPhone 4 (32GB)(Black/White) Price:350usd



HTC Sensation Z710E Unlocked Price:200usd

HTC 8x c620E 16GB Unlocked GSM Price:350usd

HTC One X with Beats Audio Unlocked ( White/Gray) Price:350usd

HTC Sensation XE Z715E with Beats Audio Price:300usd

HTC EVO 3D 4G Android Phone (Sprint) Price:200usd



Samsung I9500 GALAXY S4 16GB(Black/White) Price:500usd

Samsung I9500 GALAXY S4 32GB(Black/White)Price:580usd

Samsung I9500 GALAXY S4 64GB(Black/White)Price:650usd

Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 16GB(Gray/White )Price:400usd

Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 32GB(Gray/White )Price:450usd

Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 64GB(Gray/White )Price:550usd

Samsung I9300 16GB Galaxy S III Price:400usd

Samsung I9300 32GB Galaxy S III Price:430usd

Samsung i9100 Galaxy S II 16GB Price:300usd

Samsung i9100 Galaxy S II 32GB Price:350usd



BlackBerry Z10 Smartphone (White/Black) Price:400usd

BlackBerry PORSCHE DESIGN P9981 Unlocked Phone Price:700usd

BlackBerry Bold 9900 Unlocked Phone Price:320usd

BlackBerry Bold 9780 Unlocked Phone Price:220usd

BlackBerry Bold 9800 Unlocked Phone Price:300usd



Galaxy Note 10.1 16GB (White/Deep Grey) Price:350usd

Galaxy Note 10.1 32GB (White/Deep Grey) Price: 400

Galaxy Tab (10.1-Inch, 16GB, Wi-Fi) Price:298usd





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Intel launches the SSD 730 series aimed at gamers and enthusiasts

Drives in the new SSD 730 series come with an overclocked controller and can achieve 470*MB/s writes.





With the SSD 730 series, Intel is courting gamers and DIY enthusiasts once again.

The drives in this series are very similar to what Intel offered in the enterprise segment with the SSD DC S3500 Data Center SSD. The products in the SSD 730 series also feature Intel’s third generation 6 Gbps controller and the same 20nm NAND flash memory that was used in the SSD DC S3500. However, Intel has overclocked the controller by 50 percent and the NAND clocks by 20 percent, but there still isn’t the ability for users to directly overclock the SSD controller.

The drives come with enterprise-level consistency in terms of performance and can undertake writes of up to 70GB every day for 5 years without failing. The drives come in two variants: 240 GB and 480 GB. The read/write numbers for the 240 GB version are 550/270 MB/s while the 480 GB variant can achieve 550/470 MB/s. Read latency is low at 50µs for the 240 GB variant and 65µs for the 480 GB model. The drives also feature a skull motif, which is a throwback to Intel’s Skulltrail gaming platform.

Intel has announced that the drives will be available from March 18, with a suggested retail of $249 for the 240 GB version and $489 for the 480 GB variant.

Source: Intel*



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PopCap veterans form cloud-based mobile-focused startup

Former managers from Bejeweled studio are starting up Fixer Studio that will use “dynamic staffing system” for its workforce You’re probably familiar with the work PopCap Games has done over the years: Plants vs. Zombies, Bejeweled and Peggle. *Avery Alex, Eric Olson and Christopher Langmuir, former higher-ups of that company, are starting up a new Read the full article...



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Can the NSA spy on your iMessage chats?



An Apple whitepaper on iOS security explains what happens in an iMessage conversation, and why it is more secure than most other chat apps. But are we sure no one is listening in?





Judging by the amount by which Facebook acquired WhatsApp in the past week, there is a big interest in such apps — both as a tool for data gathering and monetization through the social messaging platform. However, given the prevalence of mobile chat apps, these have also become a target for eavesdropping. Messaging platforms have been target of privacy concerns of late.*For instance, leaked documents would indicate how government agencies use mobile apps and platforms to spy on their targets.

Apple’s iMessage has been lauded as more secure than the typical app, due to the end-to-end cryptography used by the service. For one, Apple itself claims that it cannot read messages exchanged over the network, much less share information with the authorities. Additionally, the fact that iMessage is limited to among iOS and OS X devices makes the population of potential targets a bit smaller.



Apple recently released a white paper that discusses the security protocols used in Apple devices, and this includes iMessage, among others. What’s interesting to note is how Apple implements layers of security over iMessage, such that even the company cannot open messages without a particular recipient device’s private key.

When a user turns on iMessage, the device generates two pairs of keys for use with the *service: an RSA 1280-bit key for encryption and an ECDSA 256-bit key for signing. For each key pair, the private keys are saved in the device’s keychain and the public keys are sent to Apple’s directory service (IDS), where they are associated with the user’s phone number or email address, along with the device’s APNs address.

This is explained in simpler terms with a mailbox analogy. With iMessage, there is a mailbox and two keys: one for placing messages inside the inbox and one for opening the inbox to read messages. As these are not interchangable, only the recipient device can open a message. Each iMessage sent over Apple’s network is encrypted from the source using the public key stored on Apple’s databases.

If a user has several iOS devices, then the message is encrypted for each of these devices, and only the intended device can open the particular message sent to that device. *Once the encrypted copy of a message is retrieved, it is then deleted from Apple’s servers.

Apple says that everything is encrpyted, except for metadata. “Metadata, such as the timestamp and APNs routing information, is not encrypted.”

While the threat of eavesdropping is minimized, however, some observers point out that a main-in-the-middle attack can be performed, although it will require Apple’s intervention, or access to Apple’s systems, in order to perpetrate such an attack. Additionally, metadata can be used to extrapolate information, to some extent.

Still, this level of encryption might make iMessage a viable medium of information exchange for users who want to ensure privacy — something akin to privacy-focused apps and devices like Silent Circle, Telegram and Blackphone.

Sources: *Apple (PDF)



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'Titanfall' goes gold as Respawn lays the finishing touches

Respawn has officially finalized Titanfall,*their*magnum opus mech shooter**coming next month.



Titanfall has been the subject for much acclaim over the past few weeks, and for good reason: the stunning mech-infused FPS capitalizes on tried and true methods across the genre and brings an engaging, immersive experience to the table.

The sci-fi elements melded with Halo-esque fragfest action is a welcome addition to the Xbox One’s somewhat lackluster library, and the hulking titanous mechs add in that distinct blend of Mech Warrior chaos.

Now Respawn has revealed that they are officially finished with Titanfall, and celebrate with a Tweet to mark the occasion:
We’re gold!!!!!! #titanfall http://t.co/wnaBNIVBa8

— Respawn (@Respawn) February 27, 2014

Going “gold” doesn’t reflect the actual sales of the game itself, but instead reflects on the hundreds of hours that went into fabricating the Titanfall and acts as a milestone for the dev team. The announcement is a nod to the gaming community that the title is indeed finished and ready to go, while also commemorating the game’s launch-ready state.

Furthermore the above image is an exact mirror image of the retail versions that will be on store shelves next month, giving Xbox One owners a sort of preview of what’s to come.

As an offer to new Xbox One owners, Microsoft has bundled a Titanfall-themed console that includes a digital copy of Respawn’s mech-shooter for free–keeping the original retail price of $499. Be sure to remember to make room for the game, as its install requirements will be somewhat titanous as well: the game is believed to take up to 40GB of Xbox One memory and up to*48 GB of PC memory.

Titanfall is slated for a release on March 11, 2014 for Xbox One and PC, and for more information be sure to check the game’s official website.

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Thursday, 27 February 2014

JobStreet Thailand bids farewell after 4 years of operations

Where will job seekers go, now that JobStreet Thailand has ceased all operations? JobStreet,com Thailand, the Thai subsidiary of Malaysia’s online jobs portal,*announced last night that “from midnight February 28, 2014, it will cease its operations with immediate effect”. Users of JobStreet Thailand will still be able to log in and apply for existing jobs Read the full article...



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Google’s Project Ara modular smartphone will be available for just $50

Google is targeting a $50 price point for its modular smartphone, which will see a commercial launch next year.



Google may have sold Motorola to Lenovo for $2.9 billion, but it did retain Motorola’s unit that was working on the Project Ara modular smartphone.

Google dished out more details about the handset earlier this week, and mentioned that it will hold a trio of developer conferences focused on the project. The first Ara Developers Conference will be held on April 15-16 and will be streamed online. At the event, Google is set to unveil the first Ara Module Developers’ Kit (MDK) that allows developers to design their own modules for the device.

The modular handset will be available next year, with the most basic version set to retail for just $50. This variant will only feature Wi-Fi connectivity out of the box, but users have the ability to add more modules. With the handset, Google is looking to create a platform which developers can then build on and provide additional modules. The device itself which will be built by google comes with an endoskeleton constructed out of aluminium. The endoskeleton features circuitry that allows modules to talk to one another. *On this endo, users can attach and remove modules as they see fit.



However, there will be designated slots for certain hardware. For instance, an antenna module cannot be installed anywhere, as it would affect the cellular signal. But other than that, users have full control on what modules they wish to add. Furthermore, the modules that users add at the front will be secured by latches, while the ones at the back will be held in place by magnets. The device will also be water resistant. There is no indication as to when the device might actually be available, or whether regulatory agencies like the FCC sign off on such a device, but if anyone has the resources to bring such a handset to the market, it is Google.

Source: ProjectAra





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Facebook to kill Messenger apps for Windows and Firefox on March 3



Facebook is shutting down its dedicated desktop Messenger clients for Windows and Firefox this coming Monday, March 3rd.





Facebook is killing off its dedicated client for Windows desktops starting March 3, 2014. This comes after the social network announced that it is likewise shutting down its facebook.com email service, which provides all users with a @facebook.com email address. That particular move was done because the interface was not user-friendly enough, and because the chat-oriented Messenger service was more in-demand.

There was no reason cited for killing of the Facebook Messenger client for Windows, although it came just three days after the social network announced it was working on a dedicated Messenger app for Windows Phone. “We’ve been working with Facebook testing out their implementation for a while,” says Microsoft corporate vice president and Windows Phone manager, Joe Belfiore in a media conference at MWC 2014.



Facebook has confirmed to The Next Web that the company is “notifying people who use Facebook Messenger for Windows that it will no longer be available as of March 3.” In addition, the social network is likewise shutting down Messenger for Firefox, also on the same day. “We’re sorry, but we can no longer support Facebook Messenger for Firefox, and it will stop working on March 3, 2014,” a notice on the app informs users.

This news comes after Facebook’s $19B acquisition of mobile messaging app WhatsApp, and the meteoric rise of its own standalone Messenger app for Android and iOS. While there have been earlier speculations that Facebook might have a dedicated OS X app in the works for its messenger service, it would now seem that the company is focusing on its mobile efforts, as well as sticking with its strategy of compartmentalizing its offerings, including Messenger for chats, Instagram for social photo sharing, and Paper, its latest mobile-oriented app meant for accessing the News Feed.

Source: The Next Web



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Opinions on samsung galaxy golden I9235

It is a flip phone, gold color, whom is this for?





























Am I too young to use it??

:cover:





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BlackBerry could launch another tablet, but not in the near future



The struggling company says it may very well enter the tablet market once again after a failed attempt in 2011.





BlackBerry PlayBook was the company’s first and only tablet offering. Even though it looked promising on the surface, it failed to resonate with customers, who picked up iPads and Android tablets in droves. The PlayBook was nothing short of a disaster.

At first it was believed that the 7-inch tablet would be followed up with a 10-inch version, but that never materialized, presumably because the company couldn’t hitch its wagon to a product which had a high chance of never taking off in the first place.*Little has been said about its tablet ambitious since the demise of the PlayBook, but VP of global product management Francois Mahieu has opened up a bit about what the future might hold.

Mahieu has said that BlackBerry will surely consider entering the tablet market once again, though its not going to do so in the coming months. He also says that while BlackBerry has equity in the tablet space, its simply not ready at this point.*That makes sense, the company is simply not in a position to take bets on products that could fail. That’s why its 2014 flagship is bringing back trackpad and physical buttons that were ditched when BlackBerry 10 was introduced last year, to appeal once again to loyalists who’re still living in the glory days.

Its hard to say when a BlackBerry tablet might surface, and when it does, exactly what it will offer. One thing is for sure though, the company needs to regain its lost market share in the smartphone market, so that there’s ample cash flow and its no longer threatened by the possibility of going belly up.

Source: Pocketlint



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Fujitsu's new touch panel concept introduces solid texture

Fujitsu enriches potential touch browsing experience by giving the sensation of roughness and smoothness to a tablet’s surface.




Haptic feedback, also known as resistive or force feedback, is an important feature in touchscreens today. Vibrations for example, give the sensation of actually pressing something, against what would otherwise be a simple, featureless touch panel surface.

Fujitsu, pushing the advantages of this feature even further, has developed a prototype tablet that not only gives the user a sense of actually accessing something, but even simulates solid texture to whatever is accessed on the touchscreen. The technology uses controlled ultrasonic vibrations, and the temporary change in the perceived level of friction on the surface is what creates the sensation of smoothness or roughness to the touch panel surface. Depending on what is touched on the screen, the unit could simply adjust the vibrations to give a smooth or a rough texture effect.


To simulate a smooth, almost frictionless surface, the ultrasonic waves pass through uniformly to the panel surface. The miniscule floating or elevating effect on the touch medium of this method lowers the perceived level of friction, thus giving the sensation of a smoother surface.

To simulate a rough surface, the unit divides the panel into small, separate sections, with evenly spotted portions having increased smoothness using the previous method. The difference in overall smoothness of the panel surface is what would provide the rough sensation to the touch medium.

Aside from the touch stimulating benefits of this concept, a touch panel that could control its perceived level of smoothness or roughness could also help make other apps seem more realistic. In guitar and piano apps for example, the user can have the sensation of actually strumming the guitar strings, or actually pressing the key of a piano.

Fujitsu plans on diversifying the concept further to other types of solid textures, as it goes nearer and nearer towards standard commercial use. The company estimates that it will be able to finalize the technology for use on actual touchscreens as early as 2015.

Source: AndroWire (JP), Fujitsu (JP)



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Sharkoon Mask ATX Case Review

You might know Cooltek and their hardware products? In this review we look at their new Sharkoon Mask ATX Case. It's a classic case with room for a lot of hardware components, and the build quality of the case is rather good.



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HTC continues 'All New One' hype building as blurry device photos crop up

Expected out on March 25, the all new HTC One has posed for Mr. Blurrycam again, also making a censored appearance in a hilarious official teaser video.




Mocking Samsung’s Galaxy S5 didn’t quite work out for HTC, despite there being so much about the “next big thing” you could ridicule, but luckily for the Taiwanese, they’re better at humor when not trying so hard.

Enter the first 2-minute episode of soon to become YouTube video series “Technical Translations”. A savant of sorts and a seemingly not as bright individual tackle HTC’s BoomSound audio system, found on the original One and coming to the all new One too.

Each describes the dual front-facing speakers in terms closer to them, one with far too complex scientific lingo, and the other, well, by using analogies that include beatbox sounds, a super-loud moose mating call, and… two horns.

Silly? Definitely. Useful in any way to reveal something about HTC One’s sequel? Not at all. Amusing? You bet.

But wait, the clip does disclose, or rather confirm, a tidbit – the phone we knew so long as the M8 will indeed carry the “All New One” moniker. The savant utters it at one point, so there’s no turning back now.



Meanwhile, worry not that the handheld is pixelated in the teaser, since there’s little doubt as to its appearance. Several unofficial live photos surfaced online last week, and today they’re corroborated by another duo of images.

Sure, they could still be fabricated, but why would anyone bother? HTC One’s design was always its strongest suit, so it makes perfect sense to keep it intact, or very subtly tweak it. Like you see above. Also visible, dual cameras.



The back cover is probably not bolted this time around, as microSD support should finally become a standard feature on HTC’s flagship devices. Bottom line, it’s early days, but it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S5 may get one-upped on March 25. Thoughts?

Sources: Phandroid , Hard Forum, Phone Arena



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Steam developers now able to offer discounts and sales on their own



Valve has confirmed that a new tool gives these liberties to all Steam developers.





Developers are now able to set their own discounts for the titles that they offer through steam, the tool also gives them the ability to choose whether or not they want to opt in to weekly Steam sales.*Previously if individual Steam sales were to be created, Steam and developers had to work together.

At first a screenshot of a page describing the new Steamworks tool surfaced online, it revealed how developers would now be allowed to set their own discounts and launch their own sales, they will be able to offer discounts and sales for custom periods. Essentially developers will be able to control all aspects of a sale, thus providing the customers with the best possible incentive to pick up a title.

Doug Lombardi of Valve has confirmed with the folks at Polygon that the screenshot is legitimate, and also elaborated that giving developers this ability is part of Valve’s plan to bridge the gap between developers and their customers. The company holds the view that this will enable developers to better coordinate their promotions with announcements, events or major updates that they have been planning.

Steam allows developers to opt into an upcoming weekly sale up to two months in advance. Sales that developers create themselves can also be set up two months in advance for a maximum of two weeks. These choices can be pre-set and will automatically go live when the time comes.*This obviously doesn’t mean that the frequency of sales on Steam will go up, its entirely up to the developers, they may choose not to offer discounts on their titles at all.

Source: Polygon



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Indonesian OTA Tiket.com will sell Kidzania tickets too

Extending its service to family entertainment, Indonesia based online travel agent, Tiket.com has partnered with kids’ amusement park Kidzania Indonesia’s leading online travel agent, Tiket.com is branching out beyond travel and will now be selling tickets for Jakarta (Indonesia) based amusement park Kidzania too. Gaery Undarsa, Managing Director, Tiket, said that the company will always Read the full article...



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Take note of M1 new hidden speed cap policy

recently, my M1 line has no connection. At first i thought must be M1 backend screwed up again which happened quite often. I called into 1627, the technical CS asked me to off my hp for 30 mins then restart. (quite a clever way to delay problems) After a few hours, with my problem not solved, i called in again. This time, the CS told me my setting could be wrong. (hello, i have 2 M1 lines, why didn't other had no problem????) Nevertheless, i followed the instruction to set up my xperia Ultra. Guess what? didn't help at all. So, i called in a 3rd time!



This time, they broke the news to me. They have speed cap my line. In other words, my 4G mobile line have an access speed of 0.0X mbps. reason being i have used too much data!!

In my contract with M1, they only mentioned there is a price cap of $88.xx regardless of the data consumed. What boiled me were:



1. why did the CS take me for a ride for the entire day, they could have told me from my first call in.



2. when i asked them the data usage level before this speed cap kicks in, they told me they cannot disclose the numbers. (???????) meaning we as customers, cannot know the term and conditions in our contract??? BTW, my usage level was 48GB on that day they started the speed cap.



3. this speed cap policy is new. Does it mean they can just add in policies at their advantages as and when they like????



4. when i asked to speak to their supervisor, DAVE, he didn't even dare to come to the phone. He just asked Raquel, the CS on the phone with me, to tell me even if i speak to him, the outcome is the same. what kind of supervisor is this???? *shake head*



5. they have no solution for me, not even if i am willing to pay. this speed cap will last till my next billing cycle which is two weeks later.



Frankly, I am disappointed with M1 non disclosure tactics. I feel customers have the right to know all the policies that are in the contracts. I will definitely bring my business to other telco since M1 do not value it.



Question: who can i complain to? M1 CEO? IDA? CASE?





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Taiwan’s HWTrek wants to match your crowdfunding idea with experts and manufacturers

HWTrek seeks to help people overcome the manufacturing hurdle in getting their crowdfunded hardware projects off the ground through mentorship.



Lucas Wang, the CEO of HWTrek, isn’t that impressed with FitBit’s Force activity tracker. Examining the device in his Taipei office, Wang offers a critique of the device: the display is not aligned perfectly with the frame; there’s light leakage; the charging port is exposed to skin.

The last of his critiques pointed out something that has cost FitBit dearly. After reports of skin irritations on the wrists of users, FitBit has recalled all of the devices. The jury is still out on the exact cause of the issue, but Wang offers a theory that has been floated around online. Because the device’s charging port is exposed, a buildup of sweat and moisture on the user’s arm has the possibility of creating a slight discharge from the charging port.

In many ways the FitBit recall is also a compelling advertisement for Wang’s company, HWTrek.

HWTrek offers to match makers – people with a design or prototype they want to see become a reality – with experts in a specific field. HWTrek has a variety of experts in its stable to cover every facet of the manufacturing process, from industrial design consulting to liaising with Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Taiwan to get a production run going. If one of HWTrek’s experts had seen prototype of the FitBit Force, they would have probably caught these quality and design issues before it went to manufacturing.

A Match.com for ideas



Wang explains HWTrek as something between a dating site for ideas and experts, and a crowdfunding service to get hardware*projects off the ground. It started with just the former, and recently added the latter.

“We try and bridge the gap between a software guy and hardware guy,” he said. “We want to be the ‘Match.com’ for putting*together ideas and hardware experts.”

Lucas Wang



Wang said the idea for HWTrek came about during a trip to San Jose. During his time in Silicon Valley he noticed there seemed to be a plethora of people looking for hardware solutions for their proposed software, a contrast to the demand he observed in Asia where hardware manufacturers were looking for software for their gear.

Why not try and link the two groups?

All someone has to do to get their project off the ground with HWTrek is submit an idea, Wang explained. Ideally this would include technical and CAD diagrams, as well as a proof of*concept, but a detailed writeup would also work. For users perhaps unfamiliar with submitting a formal Request for Quote – a technical summary and pitch of the idea – HWTrek provides a free online tool. After the idea is fleshed out, experts in the relevant field can be consulted to ensure the idea is plausible and without any major oversights. From there the project can either be crowdfunded or linked up with a buyer who might commit to financing the production run. Finally, the project is set for manufacturing and the creator can try and match it with an ODM or OEM to get it built.

Wang said that HWTrek has relationships with over 130 companies in the ODM and OEM business, including Pegatron, Wistron, Qisda, and Foxconn. While he can’t guarantee that they would commit to a project, they would certainly be receptive to the pitch.

A realistic model for makers, creators and crowdfunders



The defining problem of the crowdfunding model is in the delivery stage. An idea may be promising, but in many circumstances the people behind the project haven’t thought of it through to the delivery stage. The failure to deliver has spanned the gamut of projects when it comes time to put ideas into motion, from phone accessories, to boardgames, to attempts by Gawker to get a video of a mayor smoking crack. Often people are left without their money, as on many crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter there is no obligation for refunds to be issued if the project does not go through. *Most of these problems have come from people getting carried away with their idea and not thinking it through to completion.

HWTrek’s model of mentorship and communication with experts will help instil more faith into the crowdfunded model. Experts can assess whether a project is viable, or has some major flaws in it. They can help makers pitch their ideas to manufacturers, to guide them through the process of getting a production run going.

The potential is there for HWTrek to incubate some exciting and innovative projects. It will be interesting to watch where it goes as the service matures.

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EA founder’s new startup is making games to help children

Trip Hawkins’ new company If You Can receives US$6.5 million in funds to develop titles that help a child’s social and emotional skill Games like Math Blaster, Civilization and Oregon Trail have shown us that video games can educate and entertain at the same time without coming off as forced and trite. Family-oriented users can Read the full article...



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[Gaming] Japan Watch: February 24, 2014

The PS4 debuted in Japan, and the numbers made it clear that the country is still comfortable with current gen gaming at the moment In this weekly feature, we take a look at the recent Japan games sales and share our own two cents on the current market. And so, Japan has finally entered the Read the full article...



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Online-offline war: Indian brands declare e-commerce sites “unauthorised”

Following Nikon, Toshiba and Lenovo’s advisories, now Canon India too has joined the fight against e-commerce websites who allegedly undercut prices In an interesting turn of events, Canon India has declared Indian online marketplaces Flipkart and Amazon as its authorised dealers. E-commerce websites in India lately have been in line of fire after consumer durable Read the full article...



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ZALORA Singapore launches first pop-up event over this weekend

Are pop-up stores the new popular? Rocket Internet-backed ZALORA is organising its first pop-up weekend in Singapore This February 27 to March 2, shopaholics in Singapore can look forward to ZALORA‘s first pop-up event in the city-state. Taking over a boutique in Tiong Bahru, the weekend spree will feature apparel and accessories from RiverIsland, EZRA Read the full article...



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Microsoft could cut Windows Phone licensing fees to attract more OEMs



Redmond is reportedly making this move to better compete against the barrage of low-cost Android phones in the market.





There are countless OEMs developing Android phones, some are focusing solely on the low-end market and flooding it with cheap devices that try their best to offer a decent smartphone experience. If rumors are correct, Microsoft is now going after those customers.

The company’s new CEO Satya Nadella has already declared that Microsoft’s new strategy will place mobile first, and there have already been indications that the company is well on its way in this particular direction. Earlier in the week it announced nine new manufacturing partners that have committed to developing Windows Phone devices, a major addition to the previously rather small list of just four manufacturers.*Once again its focus on emerging markets came into the spotlight, with manufacturers like China’s Huawei, ZTE, Gionee being added alongside India’s Karbonn Mobiles and Xolo.

To further entice more OEMs to jump on the WP bandwagon, rumor has it that Microsoft may cut Windows Phone licensing fees down by as much as 70 percent. Fees are said to range between $20-$30 at this point in time, the cut would effectively bring them down to $6-$10, giving a large number of small manufacturers to consider making Windows Phone devices.*The entire premise behind this, which would certainly result in a significant dip in Microsoft’s licensing revenues, is to launch a much more effective offensive against Android phones.

While Microsoft hasn’t confirmed the fee cut, its focus on the low-end and mid-range segment is quite evident. Even the upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update is bringing features that would appeal more to this particular market segment, such as dual-SIM support and ability to install apps on SD cards, thus enabling OEMs to ship phones with less memory.

Source: PC Mag



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Samsung Galaxy S5 pre-registrations blow up as various price hints surface

Early interest in Samsung’s freshly unveiled Galaxy S5 seems to be almost abnormally high, according to a T-Mobile exec, while pricing remains a puzzle, but one that’s getting increasingly easier to solve.




Who said the Galaxy S5 is a dire disappointment? More of the same, anyone? A shoddy rehash rather than a “next big thing”, maybe? Well, you might want to think again, as Mike Sievert, T-Mobile USA’s Chief Marketing Officer, took to Twitter a few hours ago to boast about “record” pre-registrations.

Apparently, over 100,000 people publicly declared their interest in the water-protected, fingerprint sensor-toting Android in a measly 48 hours through T-Mo’s website, prompting Sievert to anticipate “this (i.e. the commercial release) is gonna be big”.

It certainly sounds like it, though keep in mind these are mere pre-registrations, not actual pre-orders, so no one paid anything, or even committed to pay anything. They just signed up for news and updates.

Talking of key updates in GS5’s road to world fame, let’s mention we’re starting to narrow down the phone’s possible price range. Mind you, that’s all we can offer right now, as mum’s the word via the company’s officials.



One very useful hint has emerged thanks to a US sweepstakes organized by Samsung, as part of which you can win a Galaxy S5 a day between now and March 19. In the “prize details” section of the rulebook, the ARV (approximate retail value) of the S5 is listed in black and white at $700.

Case solved? Not so fast. After all, this is an early approximation. Also, it looks like T-Mobile may have inadvertently spilled the beans, listing for a short while the 5.1 incher at $672 “full retail price”. Glitch? Typo? Maybe. But it could be legit.

Finally, Korean online publication ZD Net brings the best, most optimistic news of all, reiterating an older rumor of the Galaxy S5 possibly costing less than the Galaxy S4 and Sony’s Xperia Z2. It’s unclear though if they’re referring to on-contract or outright pricing. The former would slate the S5 at around $150, and the latter at roughly $600. Fingers crossed for both, eh?

Sources: Twitter, IB Times, Tmo News, Phone Arena, ZD Net



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Nokia Lumia 1520 review

Nokia hasn’t shortchanged users on any facet of the Lumia 1520: With an enormous 6-inch full-HD screen combined with a*Snapdragon 800 and 2 GB RAM the Lumia 1520 is one of the fastest devices you can buy today.



The Lumia 1520 boasts a lot of firsts. It is the first full-HD device on the Windows Phone platform. It is also the first phablet from Nokia, and the first device to feature a quad-core processor from Qualcomm. With the Lumia 1520, Nokia has ensured that the Windows Phone platform has something on offer that goes head to head with the high-end devices on Android and iOS. And it has largely succeeded in doing so. The Lumia 1520 not only features the best hardware currently available, but also has a bold design that is unlike anything on Android or*iOS. Nokia has had a storied history of creating some of the best-looking handsets to date, and with the Lumia 1520, it has shown that it still has the ability to push boundaries.



Design and screen quality



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The Lumia 1520 is designed similarly to other devices in the Lumia series, but looks almost gargantuan thanks to its 6-inch screen. The device is constructed using the same polycarbonate material that Nokia has used before, and the result is a device that is an instant attention grabber. The device comes with hardware navigation buttons, with the Back and Search buttons on either side of the Home button.

Volume and power buttons are on the right of the device, along with a two stage camera shutter key. The left side features the nano-SIM card slot and the micro-SD slot. At the back, the camera lens protrudes slightly, so when you leave the Lumia 1520 flat on a table, it comes in contact with the surface.

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The Lumia 1520 is quite comfortable to hold, but cannot be used one-handed. Carrying the device is also a bit of a hassle. But all that becomes insignificant the moment you switch on the screen. The 6-inch full-HD screen on the Lumia 1520 is one of the best there is. Colors are vivid and vibrant, and blacks are detailed. Nokia gives you the ability to tweak white balance and color saturation levels with the Lumia Color Profile settings utility. The 367 ppi pixel density makes the solid color-based Windows Phone UI seem incredible immersive. Viewing angles are also great, with minimal loss in clarity even when viewed from the extremes.

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In addition, the Lumia 1520’s screen features Nokia’s ClearBlack technology that allows for better screen readability outdoors. The screen is coated with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2 that adds a layer of scratch resistance. The screen also has an always-on mode, which is termed Glance Mode. Glance Mode allows you to quickly check the time as well as view unread messages and emails while the device is locked.

Hardware and performance



The Lumia 1520 is the best Windows Phone device there is. While the Lumia 925 featured a great design, it was ultimately let down by decidedly mid-range hardware. The Lumia 1020 was similarly limited by its hardware even though it featured one of the best cameras to be included on a mobile. There are no such limitations on the Lumia 1520. The Lumia 1520 comes with 2 GB RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) SoC and 32 GB internal storage. The device has four Krait 400 cores that can be individually clocked to anywhere between 1.5 GHz to 2.2 GHz in addition to an Adreno 330 GPU.

The inclusion of high-end hardware means that the Lumia 1520 is blazing fast, and can hold its own against high-end Android handsets. It is in fact faster than other Android handsets that feature the Snapdragon 800 as Windows Phone is more efficient at managing resources. There is no lag when watching HD videos, nor is there any latency when playing resource hungry games like Modern Combat 4. HD videos and games look particularly incredible on the 6-inch full-HD screen.

Software



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The Lumia 1520 comes with Windows Phone 8 GDR3. One of the changes that we’ve seen with the Lumia 1520 is the ability to fit more Live Tiles on the start screen. The tiles can also be resized according to your needs. One of the major issues with the Windows Phone launcher is the fact that it doesn’t give you much in the way of organizing content. All utilities are sorted in an alphabetical list. Another issue is multitasking. While you can multitask, you don’t get to seamlessly switch between tasks as you would when using Android. There is also no single place to view all your notifications. However, all these issues are set to be fixed in the Windows Phone 8.1 update.

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Windows Phone 8 GDR3 does come with a set of new features, like Data Sense, a utility that lets you view your data usage, Kid’s corner, a service that gives you the ability to password protects content and Driving Mode, a feature that lets you mute texts and calls when driving. Nokia exclusive utilities like Here location services bring a lot of added functionality to the device. The device also comes with a full-fledged Microsoft Office suite.

A lack of content isn’t a viable excuse for not considering Windows Phone devices anymore. Microsoft has actively focused on adding apps to the Windows Phone store, and has largely succeeded in doing so.

Imaging



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The Lumia 1520 comes with a 20MP PureView camera that has a sensor size of 1/2.5-inches. While the sensor size is a third of the imaging sensor used in the Lumia 1020, it does manage to deliver great results. There is no Xenon flash, but in its place Nokia included a dual-LED flash. The Lumia 1520 features Nokia’s Pro Camera, which is an imaging software that is designed to give you more control when it comes to taking images. The utility allows you to adjust white balance, ISO, shutter speed, focus and flash settings manually.

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Every time you take an image, the camera takes two shots simultaneously. One is a full-resolution 19 MP image, and the other is a 5MP image that can easily be shared over social networks. In addition, the camera utility features a lot of effects like Burst Mode, Action Shot and Motion Focus. Burst Mode takes a set of 10 images in one go. Action Shot takes a series of images and then stitches them together into a single image. Motion Focus lets you focus on a single element in an image and blur the background. The Lumia 1520 also features Nokia’s Refocus lens that lets you change focus after taking the image. It works by taking many shots of the same image that focus on a different section of the image.

Image quality from the images taken on the Lumia 1520 is great. The images feature a lot of contrast and there is little to no amount of noise. The 5MP shots are also very detailed thanks to oversampling. The Lumia 1520 is similarly great at taking low-light images even though there isn’t a Xenon flash. The presence of OIS allows you to reduce jitter to a great extent from videos. The Lumia 1520 shoots full-HD video at 30 fps by default, but you can also shoot at 24 fps and 25 fps.

Battery life and connectivity



The Lumia 1520 comes with LTE Category 4, which allows you to download at 150 Mbit/sec. The device also works with legacy networks like HSDPA. The device also features dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. There isn’t Miracast, but Nokia has an alternative in Nokia Beamer. Although the utility allows you to share your screen, it isn’t as seamless as Miracast as Beamer works via the Internet. You can use the service to send the Beamer URL via text messaging, email or social networks. Your friends will then be able to view your screen by accessing that URL.


The Lumia 1520 comes with a 3,400 mAh battery and features the Qi wireless charging standard, which means that it can be charged wirelessly. The energy efficient nature of the Windows Phone platform combined with the large battery mean that the Lumia 1520 lasts for two days of normal usage on a single charge. You get 12 hours of continuous video playback and 12 hours of browsing on LTE, which is astonishing considering the device comes with a 6-inch full-HD screen.

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Pros:

  • Gorgeous 6-inch full-HD screen.

  • High-end hardware*and sturdy build quality.

  • Great camera along with a strong set of software features.

  • Decent battery life for a handset this big.


Cons:

  • Too big to carry around and make calls.

  • At $700, the device is too costly.



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