Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Midrange Samsung Galaxy Alpha benchmarked with 64-bit SoC

A new Samsung smartphone has been caught running GFXBench. And with that we get the list of its most important specs, thankfully.The handset has the model number SM-A5000, and this A-series has been rumored to be a new, upcoming line of Galaxy Alpha-like devices (probably featuring metallic design of their own).




The first offering in the new portfolio seems to be this A5000, which looks like it may be a pared down variation of the Galaxy Alpha.It comes with a 4.8-inch 720p touchscreen, a 12 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front snapper, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage.The most interesting thing about it is that it has the Adreno 306 GPU, which means the SoC running things is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 - and that is a 64-bit chipset. It's actually the first 64-bit SoC to be announced by Qualcomm, and it got official late last year.Despite the fact that it's 64-bit, the Snapdragon 410 is still a mid-range part, made for mid-range phones. It can sport a quad-core CPU clocked up to 1.4 GHz, based on the ARM Cortex-A53 architecture.In the case of the Samsung SM-A5000, it seems to be clocked at just 1.2 GHz, but these things can change before the actual release of the phone in question.The SM-A5000 also has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, a compass, a gyroscope, but no NFC nor a barometer.Although Samsung has a pre-IFA event planned for tomorrow, it's likely that the Korean company will want to focus on just the Galaxy Note 4 on that occasion, so the official unveiling of the SM-A5000 may come later in the year.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Sony Xperia Z3 leaked press images reveal its color options

Hot on the heels of its compact sibling's shotsSony Xperia Z3 press images leaked out in the eve of itsscheduled announcement. The press photos showcase the upcoming flagship in four different color schemes, headed by a rather fashion-centric copper finish.
The remaining three colors in the leaked photos are black, white, and green. Other than the fresh color schemes, the press photos of the handset carry no surprises – they are right in line with past leaks.
 
Sony Xperia Z3 photos (click to enlarge)
In addition to the Sony Xperia Z3, the press images reveal a wearable device with an E Ink display. It is all but certain to debut alongside the already leaked, next generation smartwatch by the manufacturer.
Sony Xperia Z3 specs were seemingly confirmed earlier today. The smartphone will be announced alongside a Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact.

Network exodus continues as Vodafone ditches Phones 4u


Network exodus continues as Vodafone ditches Phones 4u
Phones 4u was plunged into crisis after Vodafone opted against renewing its network agreement with the retailer which expires in February.At the same time, the network operator also announced that it will be “enhancing” its distribution partnership with Dixons Carphone, although refused to elaborate on the specifics of the deal.“Earlier this year Vodafone UK said it was reviewing its distribution strategies in the UK and that it would be opening a further 150 stores and creating 1,400 new jobs,” said a Vodafone spokesperson.“As part of that review, Vodafone today confirms that it will be enhancing its distribution partnership with Dixons Carphone from early next year and will not be extending its existing contract with Phones4U, which expires in February 2015. We will continue to work with a range of other indirect partners, who represent an important part of our business mix.”Phones 4u chief executive David Kassler said he was “disappinted” at the news and that following discussions with the network operator it was clear that a renewal was off the table. It added that it was in active talks with existing partners, other networks and MVNOs.It leaves the independent retailer with EE as its only network partner, although it also sells Virgin Mobile tariffs. O2 dropped it in January of this year after claiming it made up just eight per cent of the network’s sales in 2013.The firm claims to have sold 430,000 Vodafone contract connections and 125,000 prepay SIMs in the 12 months to February 2014. This represented £212 million worth of sales and £18.5 million EBITDA.Kassler was also keen to point out that its own brand MVNO, LIfe Mobile, which uses the EE network, was now fully road tested and pointed to what it claims is their high market share in the youth market.“We are continuing to set new benchmarks as the leading independent retailer of 4G, with over 70% of connections on this superfast standard,” he added.“Both transactions and search traffic through our new mobile commerce site are growing rapidly as customers increasingly look to begin their purchase journey online, and they are continuing to choose to shop with Phones 4u because of the great service and value they get across all channels.“The independent researcher, YouGov, rated Phones 4u as #1 for iPhone buying experience, which is perfect preparation for the Apple announcements expected this month.”

Alleged Sony Xperia Z3 Compact press shots make the rounds

Alleged press images of Sony Xperia Z3 Compact made the rounds online. The photos showcase the unannounced successor of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact in all its glory.
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Unsurprisingly, the design of the upcoming device is quite similar to that of the model it is bound to replace. The most noticeable difference is the presence of a speaker slot below the display – right in line with previous leaks.
The leaked images also reveal that the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact will be available in at least four color schemes. They are white, black, red, and green.
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact will debut in less than two days, during the company’s IFA press event. Its rumored specs include Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, 20.7MP camera, and a 1080p display.

Monday, September 1, 2014

PlayStation 4 White Destiny Console


Includes:
  • PlayStation®4 console (White)
  • DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller (White)
  • Destiny
Gamer Focused, Developer Inspired
PS4 was designed from the ground up to ensure that the very best games and the most immersive experiences reach PlayStation gamers. PS4 accomplishes this by enabling the greatest game developers in the world to unlock their creativity and push the boundaries of play through a system that is tuned specifically to their needs.
PS4 also fluidly connects players to the larger world of experiences offered by PlayStation, across the console and mobile spaces, and PlayStation® Network (PSN).
The PS4 system architecture is distinguished by its high performance and ease of development. PS4 is centered around a powerful custom chip that contains eight x86-64 cores and a state of the art graphics processor.
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has been enhanced in a number of ways, principally to allow for easier use of the GPU for general purpose computing (GPGPU) such as physics simulation. The GPU contains a unified array of 18 compute units, which collectively generate 1.84 Teraflops of processing power that can freely be applied to graphics, simulation tasks, or some mixture of the two.
PS4 is equipped with 8 GB of unified system memory, easing game creation and increasing the richness of content achievable on the platform. GDDR5 is used for this memory, giving the system 176 GB/second of bandwidth and providing a further boost to graphics performance.
* Stand Sold Separately
From Bungie, the creators of Halo®, and Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty®, comes Destiny, the next evolution in interactive entertainment and an epic adventure unlike anything players have experienced.  
In Destiny you are a Guardian of the last city on Earth, able to wield incredible power. Explore the ancient ruins of our solar system, from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus. Defeat Earth’s enemies. Discover all that we have lost. Become legend.  
Destiny delivers a new way to experience first-person action games. A sweeping adventure set within a bold, new universe, Destiny features an unprecedented combination of cooperative, competitive, public, and personal activities seamlessly woven into an expansive, persistent online world.  
KEY FEATURES:
  • Brave New Worlds – Destiny will instantly draw players into a universe of heroes and legends, with worlds and storytelling crafted by Bungie, the creators of Halo – one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed entertainment franchises of all time.  
  • Your Legend – In Destiny you create your own legend as you and your friends venture out into the solar system to reclaim the treasures and secrets lost after the collapse of our  Golden Age. Over the course of your adventures you become more powerful, able to wield rare and exotic weapons, gear, and powers.
  • A Connected Universe – Destiny is more than a disc in a drive, it is a persistent online universe filled with other players. As the story grows and expands over time, so do the destinations you can access, the activities you experience, and the rewards you can earn.  
  • A Social Experience – Destiny’s many destinations will feature areas called Public Spaces where players journeying solo or with friends will seamlessly cross paths with other players and Fireteams, some on similar missions, others engaging in completely different activities.
    • Public Events – Contained within some of Destiny’s public spaces are realtime dynamic events that players and Fireteams in the area can choose to engage in.  These Public Events are short skirmishes where multiple players work together to defeat their common enemies and collect awesome loot.    
  • Classes – Destiny features three unique classes to choose from, each with their own custom looks and abilities.  Players will be able to crush their enemies as a Titan, vanquish foes as a crafty Hunter, or unleash incredible arcane energies on any adversary as a Warlock.
    • Titan – The first Titans built the Wall, and gave their lives to defend it. Now, you stand in the same high place, steadfast and sure, protecting all who shelter in your shadow. You hail from a long line of heroes, forged from strength and sacrifice. Our enemies may be deadly and merciless, but so are you. 
    • Hunter – Hunters once prowled the wilderness and wastelands, taking big risks for even bigger rewards. You're no outlaw—at least, not anymore—but making your own luck has always meant bending the rules. Your unique brand of daring and ingenuity is needed now more than ever. 
    • Warlock – Warlocks have long studied the Traveler, mastering some of its arcane energies. Its true purpose still remains a great mystery, but discovering truth has always driven you into the unknown. Now, our enemies are the only thing that stands between you and the lost wonders of our Golden Age.
  • Adventure Awaits – Personalize and upgrade every aspect of how you look and fight with an expansive combination of armor, weapons, and visual customizations. Take it all with you into every mode, including Destiny’s story, competitive multiplayer, and public combat destinations. Return to The City, Destiny’s third person social space to rearm and repair before going out on your next adventure.

Samsung Galaxy S Duos 3 surfaces in India

Samsung will probably make the Galaxy S Duos 3 official very soon, at least for the Indian market. That's because this device is already in stock at one Mumbai-based shop.
This is the same outlet that leaked the existence of the Galaxy Ace NXT days before its official introduction, so history may be repeating itself in this case.
And in a rather strange twist, the new Galaxy S Duos 3 has almost the exact same model number as the aforementioned Ace NXT. The new handset is thus the SM-G313HU, while the Galaxy Ace NXT is also known as the SM-G313H.
That hints at the specs of the two SKUs being similar, and they are. Still, why Samsung chose to only append a new letter to the NXT's model number for the Galaxy S Duos 3 remains a mystery.
The new dual-SIM smartphone comes with a 4-inch touchscreen that has 480x800 resolution, a 5 MP rear camera with LED flash, a VGA front camera, and an FM radio.
It's powered by an unnamed 1 GHz dual-core CPU, aided by just 512MB of RAM. Internal storage is 4GB (of which 2.1GB is user accessible), though that should be expandable via microSD.
The phone has support for 21 Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, and it comes with a 1,500 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat. Its recommended retail price for India is apparently set at INR 8,590 (which is around $141 or €108).
Compared to the Galaxy Ace NXT, the Galaxy S Duos 3 has a higher-res rear camera, and one extra processor core (though it is clocked a bit lower).

Nokia Lumia 730 teasers are out, prepare for selfies

Microsoft will be announcing new Lumia smartphones in less than three days at IFA in Belin. We expect the Lumia 730 and Lumia 830 to go official on stage during the event.
Meanwhile Microsoft has begun releasing teasers hinting the Nokia Lumia 730. It's the selfie phone Joe Belfiore teased a month ago and now Microsoft has posted a second teaser on the Nokia Conversations Blog. You bet it's another selfie!
Nokia Lumia 730 has already passed the FCC, leaked in live photos, and even we got its $240 price tag confirmed. It is expected to feature a 4.7" 720p display and run on the widespread Snapdragon 400 chipset with a quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU. The front camera will be a 5MP unit, while the rear sensor will be capable of shooting wide 6.5MP photos.
Nokia Lumia 730 is going to premiere at IFA in two days, while it is tipped to hit the shelves by the end of September. Mid-range Nokia Lumia 830 with PureView camera is also expected to go official at IFA.