Google Play celebrates its own 1st birthday

It's been a year since Google shed the Android Market name in favor of Google Play. As questionable as the rebranding may have been, Google has decided to celebrate the change with special promotions for all types of content in Google Play, as well as some real-world rewards.

The Google Play Team announced the "Our Gifts To You" promotion that offers several free TV episodes, bonuses to stores, and discounts on other purchases. The promotion will last for the remainder of the week and will feature things like:
- 99 cent movie rentals
- 99-cent magazine purchases
- Book purchases for only $5
- Music album purchases for $3.99 to $6.99
- Free single TV episodes
- Heavily discounted in-game purchases for virtual goods

Google offers discounts and gifts for items outside of Google Play. For instance, users who download the Hotels.com app can save 10 percent off their next booking. Fancy offers a $15 gift card with first purchase, and Gyft offers $20 gift cards to various big box retailers. Full information is available at the Google Play Birthday promotion landing page.

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Another set of leaked Samsung Galaxy S IV screenshots confirm 13 MP camera and 1.8 GHz quad-core processor

Next Thursday's Galaxy S IV announcement is fast approaching, and Samsung is having troubles keeping the phone's features under wraps as more and more carriers and partners are already in possession of the handset.

Right after the first batch of screenshots from the new Nature UX today, comes another one, this time from Israel. The new leaks confirm a 13 MP camera, 5" 1080x1920 pixels display, 1.8 GHz quad-core processor and 2 GB of RAM….Read more

Samsung Galaxy S IV features Smart scroll, Smart pause, Smart rotation revealed by screenshots

There have been several rumors concerning the Samsung Galaxy S IV, which is set to be officially announced on March 14, and new screenshots supposedly from the Galaxy S IV appear to back-up many of those rumors.

The New York Times reported on Monday that the Galaxy S IV will feature eye-tracking software that will be able to determine when to scroll down. As the user looks at the bottom of the screen, the phone then automatically scrolls. Leaked screenshots lend credence to that rumor, showing a "Smart scroll" feature that fits that description. It also shows Smart Pause, which pauses when the user looks away; Smart rotation, which changes screen orientation based on angle of sight; and the already available Smart stay, which prevents screen timeout when it detects a user is looking at the screen.

The screenshots, courtesy of GSM Israel, also suggest that the Galaxy S IV will have a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, a 1080p display (480 ppi), a 13-megapixel rear camera, and a screen size of at least 5 inches. These are just rumored specs that appear likely to be true, but we won't know confirmed details about the Galaxy S IV until next Thursday at Samsung's launch event.

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HTC One to hit Russia in April, to carry RUB 29,990 price tag

Info on HTC One pricing keeps rolling in – the flagship is expected to hit Russia on the first Sunday of April for RUB 29,990 ($977). This is according to info shared by Russian retailer Euroset, but other retailers should get the One around the same time for about the same price.

The HTC one can already be pre-ordered at the Euroset’s website in silver or black. There are a number of plans available for multiple carriers.

The HTC One is also coming to the UK (£510 / $773 SIM-free or£41/month for 2 years on contract) and Germany (€600 / $782). It will also hit the US on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.

The HTC One will be available in a huge number of other countries too, you can check the complete list.

Canon’s new full-frame CMOS sensor for video cameras has whopping 19-micron pixels

Canon has developed a high-sensitivity, low-noise, full-frame 35mm sensor specifically for video capture. The new sensor opts for 19-micron pixels, which are 7.5 times bigger than those on the EOS-1D X…Full Article

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Next Apple iPhone might feature a smart stylus, rumor suggests

As the rumor has it Apple might be working on a smart stylus for its next-gen iPhone 6. It should work the similar way as the Note and Note II S-Pens but support even more functionality.

You should definitely take this one with a healthy pinch of salt as it's coming from The Sun, which is not exactly known for its tech industry coverage. Anyway the tabloid's sources had it that the next iPhone will have a smart stylus, just like the S-Pen on the Note smartphones.

The rumor also has it that the next flagship by Apple will offer some sort of motion gesture password protection and mini barcode scanner.

What lends some credence to those rumors is the fact that Apple recently filed three patents for stylus technology. The Cupertino giant might simply be preparing for another legal round (with Samsung probably), but it might be getting ready to try and attack the Koreans' Note lineup instead.

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SONY XPERIA Z VS. NEXUS 4 COMPARISON [VIDEO]

The Google Nexus 4 is at the cutting edge when it comes to the latest Android software, but the recently released Sony Xperia Z is pushing boundaries when it comes to hardware. First announced at CES in January, the Sony Xperia Z has a 5-inch 1080p display, a 13 megapixel camera capable of HDR photos and videos, and a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor. It even manages to deliver those features in a body that's waterproof and dustproof. Does that make it a better option that the Nexus 4, Google's flag-bearer for Android 4.2? Here's a video touring the Sony Xperia Z hardware and software options, as well as an Xperia Z vs. Nexus 4 side-by-side comparison.  

Video: By MobileBurn

Samsung Galaxy S IV will reportedly feature eye scrolling

It looks like the headline-grabbing Smart Stay feature of the Samsung Galaxy S III will be taken even further in its successor. According to a New York Times report, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S IV will have eye scrolling on the list of its software tricks.

The word on the Samsung Galaxy S IV's software talent is reportedly coming from an anonymous Samsung employee who has had the pleasure of trying the handset out. Samsung's trademarking the terms EyeScroll and Samsung EyeScroll in the EU and the United States points at such feature as well.

The Samsung Galaxy S IV will break cover on March 14 in NYC. We will be reporting live from the unveiling, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop on the upcoming Android beast.

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Samsung has already sent out invitations for a press event on March 14, where it will unveil the Galaxy S IV smartphone. It seems though its plans for the announcement are much bigger. Today Samsung invites all of its social network followers to join the Galaxy S IV premiere in New York. Everyone is invited on March 14, 7PM at Times Square. The people there will be able the follow the... full story 

Ubisoft Officially Announces Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Ubisoft has just announced the fourth major installment of the Assassin’s Creed saga – it’s called the Black Flag. The game is currently in development but will be released on PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U, once it’s done.

Since the controversial ending of the Assassin’s Creed III, as well as the uninspiring plot and repetitive gameplay, lots of fans considered the game to be the last of the series or at least the last one they would buy. Yet here is Ubisoft announcing Assassin’s Creed IV with pirates.

As it turns out, the previous rumors about a new Assassin’s Creed game turned out to be true. There is still no official info besides the Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag name and the four platforms it will be released on.

Ubisoft promises to reveal more info on March 4 at 6PM CET.

Samsung announces Wallet to rival Apple's Passbook

In its annual Developer Day, held at the Mobile World Congress, Samsung has announced a ticket and coupon management app called Samsung Wallet, which is said to be quite similar to the Apple’s Passbook app.

Samsung Wallet will allow users to store and manage event tickets, boarding passes, membership cards and coupons in one place. The South Korean manufacturer has also released an Application Programming Interface for its newly launched Wallet allowing partnering service providers to integrate their applications with the Wallet.

According to reports, the API is open to selected partners at the moment and will be made public in May 2013.

Samsung Wallet is all set to come out with time and location based push notifications, which is quite similar to the one on Apple’s Passbook. The feature promotes the coupons and tickets of its partners through push notifications. The app offers you real-time updates on membership card points and any changes in the boarding passes.

Samsung also announced partners including Walgreens, Belly, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Lufthansa.

Samsung is all set to launch its new Galaxy SIV smartphone on March 14 in New York. It looks like Samsung Wallet will be one of the phone's major features, and it will be interesting to see how the application stands against its rival Passbook app from Apple.

More images allegedly from the Samsung Galaxy S IV camera get posted online

A couple of new photographs have appeared on Picasa that could very well have been snapped using Samsung's next flagship Android phone. The two photos are certainly not going to win a prize for artistry as they both show the back of a desktop computer tower.

The EXIF data show that the device used to take the photos was the Samsung GT-I9505 which sounds like the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S IV. The data also show that the resolution on the newer pictures is 2322 x 4128 which does show that a 13MP camera could have been used. We should point out that EXIF data can be faked. The Picasa account is under the name of Su Ya and the subject of the pictures says "Test," which would make sense if these are indeed pictures taken while testing the camera on the phone.

Micromax A116 Canvas HD goes on sale

When you hear about a quad-core phone with a large HD screen, you’d probably think about a very expensive top of the line device like say the Samsung Galaxy Note II or the LG Optimus G. But while those devices cost a ton of money, you can now get a quad-core phone for an off-contract price of merely $260, almost a third of the price of say the Note II.

That quad-core phone is one of many more to come, and it is the Micromax Canvas HD, sold in India for the extremely affordable 13990 rupees ($260). The Canvas HD packs a 5-inch 720p IPS display, an 8-megapixel camera and dual-SIM functionality, all of that running on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

How is it even possible to put all of that into such an affordable phone? The key is the new chip by Mediatek, the MT6589, a quad-core solution that costs a fraction of what silicon like the Exynos chip cost.

Truth is, quad-core does not tell the whole story, and it is the actual performance that matters. The MT6589 is based on the new low-energy Cortex A7, delivering a performance of 1.9DMIPS per MHz.

Now, to put this number into perspective, we’d need to mention that the Krait processor in Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 delivers 3.3DMIPS per MHz. But since it still ships in a dual-core setup in most phones, the theoretical performance of the quad-core Canvas HD would be almost on par with a dual-core Snapdragon S4. Quite an achievement.

It’s no wonder the Canvas HD sold out in hours after its launch in India. And while the Micromax device is only available there, a ton of other handsets with the MT6589 chip are coming soon from China and will definitely end up on eBay and other retailers.

• Video has been removed by Micromax.

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean makes a landing on the Nexus 4

Shortly after its tablet siblings got the treatment, the Nexus 4 also received its fix of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The update is currently seeding to Nexus 4 smartphones over the air…Read the full article here

LG Optimus L3 II shows its face ahead of announcement

Just two days ago we informed you about the upcoming upgrade of the LG Optimus L lineup. As the latest rumors have it the Optimus L3, L5 and L7 will get new editions with various hardware and software upgrades.

Today, we can show you a real life photo of the white Optimus L3 II. Its model number is E435F and while we can't be sure if this small fella is the same as the one on the previously leaked official pictures from two days ago, it's still a phone we haven't seen yet.

The source claims there will be an E430 model, which will be the same phone but with dual-SIM support. Most of the first generation Optimus L phones had a dual-SIM siblings as well, so this sounds plausible.

The entry-level LG Optimus L3 II is expected to feature a beefier 1GHz CPU, a 3.2-inch WVGA IPS display and a 5MP camera.

The LG's MWC event is just two weeks away now and we expect at least 4 phones to be announced there (according to the invite). We bet the Optimus G Pro will be one of them, but we also expected a whole new lineup from LG - the mysterious F series, so we aren't sure where this L II series will fit. Anyway, we'll be covering the event live, so make sure you keep an eye on our homepage when the time comes.

Read more about LG Optimus L3 at  GSMarena

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Supposed leaked images of the Apple iPhone 5S surface

Images of is supposedly an upcoming variant of the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5S, have surfaced.

Not much is known about the phone which is speculated to be announced at some point this year, possibly alongside the iPhone 6.

  

According to the leak, the Apple iPhone 5S is expected to be both stockier and cheaper, with a plastic casing 8.2mm thick, compared to the 7.6mm aluminum unibody of the current flagship. There are rumors of it being available in up to six colors as well.

While the leak shows off what is undoubtedly an assembly line producing what appears to be iPhones, many speculate that this is a factory that produces iPhone knockoffs rather than the real thing. Given that Foxconn is usually doing pretty well to prevent leaks from within its manufacturing plants, take these images with the usual grain of salt.

Vodafone warns its Apple iPhone 4S customers not to update to iOS 6.1

Apple had recently released the latest update for its iOS platform, improving LTE support and fixing a few bugs. Unfortunately, iOS 6.1 seems to be having issues with connecting to the internet, sending and receiving texts and also occasionally with making and receiving calls on the iPhone 4S.

That's why Vodafone is warning its customers using the Apple iPhone 4S that they should not update the operating system on their handset to iOS 6.1 at this time.

Windows Phone users unable to download apps, receiving error code 805a0193

It seems Windows Phone users are unable to download apps for the time being. The Windows Phone Store is having technical issues, which is preventing the download of new apps.

Users trying to download or update apps are being shown the below error message, with the error code: 805a0193. The issue seems to be widespread.

No word yet on what's causing the issue.

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ASUS Memo Pad Smart 10.1 inch Quad Core Tegra 3 Tablet Unveiled

Asus has officially unveiled the rumored 10″ Memo Pad Smart ME301T at the Thailand Mobile Expo. Asus also is expected to showcase the tablet at the upcoming Mobile World Congress.

Asus Memo Pad Smart comes out with a 10.1″ WXGA display, 1.2 GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor along with 1 GB RAM, 16 GB inbuilt memory and microSD card support. The tablet has a 5-megapixel rear camera, 1.2-megapixel front camera and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

A review of the Asus Memo Pad Smart is already available on YouTube.

The 9mm thick tablet is priced at THB10,900 (about $360) and will be available in white, blue and pink color variants.

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EE announces 27 new cities set to receive 4G LTE by June

British operator EE has the current distinction of having the only 4G LTE network in the U.K., and the company yesterday announced that it will widen that lead by expanding into several more markets before its rivals have a chance to introduce a competitive 4G network.

EE plans to cover more than 65 cities and towns throughout the U.K. by June, which would raise the coverage area from 45 percent of the population to 55 percent. Beginning in April and concluding in June, the following areas will receive 4G LTE service:

-Aldershot

- Ashford

- Basildon

- Basingstoke

- Blackpool

- Bracknell

- Camberley

- Colchester

- Crawley

- Farnborough

- Guildford

- Horsham

- Huddersfield

- Leatherhead

- Maidstone

- Milton Keynes

- Oldham

- Oxford

- Redhill

- Reigate

- Sevenoaks

- Stevenage

- Tonbridge

- Royal Tunbridge Wells

- Warrington

- Wigan

- Woking.