Samsung S4 marketing charm wears off

Samsung S4 marketing charm wears off

SEOUL: Analysts fell under Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's marketing spell when they made what they now admit were hopelessly optimistic forecasts for its smartphone sales. Samsung's huge share of the high-end smartphone market also persuaded some analysts to downplay industry data pointing to a fast-saturating segment, a reality that is already eating into sales of Apple Inc's iPhone 5. Woori Investment & Securities, one of South Korea's largest securities firms, cut its outlook for Samsung's earnings and target share price on June 5. It was the first to adjust its view. A massive wave of downgrades has since followed, with forecasters including JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs taking a harder look at their assumptions of how well the S4, Samsung's latest Galaxy smartphone, would actually do.

BlackBerry Z10

BlackBerry Z10

The BlackBerry Z10 is the first handset from the company formerly known as RIM, now renamed BlackBerry, to run its new operating system BlackBerry 10, and there's much more on the line here than simply making a few pennies – arguably the company's survival rests on the success of this device and the BlackBerry Q10. It's no secret that BlackBerry has been on the rocks for the past year or so, with the company even admitting that it hasn't been in the best shape of late, and the 4G toting Z10 is the start of what is hoped to be a successful revolution. Since its launch a few months ago the BlackBerry Z10 has received a software update which has seen things become more stable, plus the app store has also witnessed some new arrivals, so we've taken the time to update the keys parts of our review with the latest information. In the UK the handset has witnessed a slight price drop since launch and you can pick up the Z10 free on contracts starting at £32 per month, while you'll need to fork out a still princely £470 if you want it SIM-free. The US was only treated to the BlackBerry Z10 in late March, available for around $199.99 on contract and about $630 SIM-free. Sporting a 4.2-inch 1280 x 768 display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and its steep price tag, the BlackBerry Z10 finds itself jostling for position with the Nokia Lumia 920, Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5. Lock eyes on the BlackBerry Z10 and you'll notice it's an unassuming slab of black glass and plastic that mimics the general aesthetical design of many a smartphone these days. The Z10 is a little bezel-heavy with a sizable gap above and below the screen, and that's before we even get to the additional plastic chunks stuck on both ends of the handset. BlackBerry Z10 review It all seems a little unnecessary but luckily it doesn't make the BlackBerry Z10 overly cumbersome, with the handset measuring a comfortable 130 x 65.6 x 9mm (5.1 x 2.6 x 0.4 inches). Weight wise the BlackBerry Z10 finds a happy medium – weighing 137.5g (4.85 oz), it's nowhere near as heavy as the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820, yet it's not as feather light as the iPhone 5. BlackBerry Z10 review The weight gives it a reassuring presence in the palm and while the chassis is distinctly plastic, the handset's heft at least restores some form of premium feel. Around the back you're greeted with a textured plastic rear that is slightly rubberised, providing a decent level of grip. BlackBerry Z10 review There are only a couple of things to note on the back of the BlackBerry Z10: the 8MP camera with a single LED flash, sat in the top-left corner, and the shiny metallic BlackBerry logo in middle. We were pleased to find that the rear can be removed easily by placing a finger in the indented speaker grill at the base of the Z10, enabling us to simply peel off the plastic. BlackBerry Z10 review Underneath you'll find microSIM and microSD slots, with the latter capable of supporting cards up to 32GB in capacity, although we've been told that a future update may see this support boosted to the 64GB variants. This means you can build nicely on the already decent 16GB of internal storage, which will appeal to many who have been put out by the likes of the iPhone range and HTC One, which don't offer storage expansion. BlackBerry Z10 review An added boon is the removable 1,800mAh battery, enabling you to switch out a dead battery for a fully charged one if you're someone who likes to carry multiple power packs around. On the rear cover itself you'll notice the NFC pad, which enables the BlackBerry Z10 to interact with other compatible wireless devices. BlackBerry Z10 review On the right-hand side of the Z10, anyone familiar with the BlackBerry PlayBook will instantly recognise the triple button setup, with volume rocker switches separated by a central key – used for playing/pausing music and activating voice control when held down. Up top you get a centralised power/lock key next to a 3.5mm headphone jack, while on the left there's a couple of handy connectivity ports. BlackBerry Z10 review The metal finish of the keys gives the handset a touch of class - if not a little sharp when you catch your finger on them - and all are well positioned, enabling us to reach them easily when using the Z10 one-handed. The now standard microUSB port that features on pretty much every phone these days (bar the iPhone) is present, alongside a miniHDMI port. This enables you to connect the BlackBerry Z10 directly to a TV for big screen viewing. BlackBerry Z10 review There's no HDMI cable in the box so you'll need to pick one up separately, but there is at least a USB cable so you can hook the Z10 up to your computer. The BlackBerry Z10 doesn't wow us with a new design, but it's a sturdy handset with a decent build quality and functional layout that makes it easy to handle. 

News Source :  www.techradar.com

Apple iPad mini Wi-Fi 16GB

Apple iPad mini Wi-Fi 16GB

With the web abuzz with rumors of a new iPad 5 with an iPad mini-like design and even a redesigned mini with a Retina Display, retailers are beginning to slash prices on the device. On Wednesday, Walmart began selling Apple’s iPad mini for $299, marking one of the first price drops for the device since its release. The $299 price point is only available for the 16GB WiFi iPad mini and is the same price that Apple is currently selling its refurbished units for. The iPad mini, from both Walmart and Apple still come with the Cupertino company’s standard 1 year warranty on all of its products and accessories. However, if the iPad mini is purchased from Walmart, the customer will be receiving a new device, as opposed to Apple’s refurbished units. If a customer decides to partake in this deal, they may go through the in-store pickup process, giving them the option reserve a device online and then pick up in the store. It also appears that the “ship to home” option is also available, even though it was not when the deal originally went up. It is unclear if other retailers will begin to lower prices on Apple’s iPad. However, if other retailers do decide to follow suit with Walmart’s discount, it may be very soon, especially since Apple is expected to introduce a new lineup of iPads in the next several months.

News Source :  www.touchreviews.net

Apple iPhone 5 - 16GB White & Black (Latest Model) (AT&T) Smartphone

Apple iPhone 5 - 16GB  White & Black

Apple's iPhone 5 page has gone live, along with all of its full specifications. Let's see if we can find a few surprises that weren't in announcement... Size and weight: Height: 4.87 inches (123.8 mm) Width: 2.31 inches (58.6 mm) Depth: 0.30 inch (7.6 mm) Weight: 3.95 ounces (112 grams) Cellular and wireless: GSM model A1428*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 4 and 17) CDMA model A1429*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25) GSM model A1429*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5) 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz) Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Location: Assisted GPS and GLONASS Digital compass Wi-Fi Cellular Display: Retina display 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi 800:1 contrast ratio (typical) 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical) Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously Camera, Photos, and Video: 8-megapixel iSight camera Panorama Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos and HD video (720p) up to 30 frames per second Autofocus Tap to focus video or still images Face detection in video or still images LED flash Improved video stabilization Photo and video geotagging Power and Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G Standby time: Up to 225 hours Internet use: Up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 8 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi Video playback: Up to 10 hours Audio playback: Up to 40 hours Audio Playback: Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV User-configurable maximum volume limit TV and Video: AirPlay Mirroring to Apple TV support at 720p AirPlay video streaming to Apple TV (3rd generation) at up to 1080p and Apple TV (2nd generation) at up to 720p Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format Headphones: Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic Storage and travel case Rating for Hearing Aids: iPhone 5 (Model A1428): M3, T4 iPhone 5 (Model A1429): M4, T4 Mail Attachment Support: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel) Sensors: Three-axis gyro Accelerometer Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor System Requirements: Apple ID (required for some features) Internet access5 Syncing with iTunes on a Mac or PC requires: Mac: OS X v10.6.8 or later PC: Windows 7; Windows Vista; or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later iTunes 10.7 or later (free download from www.itunes.com/download) Environmental Requirements: Operating ambient temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C) Nonoperating temperature: −4° to 113° F (−20° to 45° C) Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m) Languages: Language Support English (U.S.), English (UK), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Keyboard Support English (U.S.), English (UK), Chinese - Simplified (Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke), Chinese - Traditional (Handwriting, Pinyin, Zhuyin, Cangjie, Stroke), French, French (Canadian), French (Switzerland), German (Germany), German (Switzerland), Italian, Japanese (Romaji, Kana), Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Emoji, Estonian, Finnish, Flemish, Greek, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic/Latin), Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Dictionary Support (enables predictive text and autocorrect) English (U.S.), English (UK), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, French (Canadian), French (Switzerland), German, Italian, Japanese (Romaji, Kana), Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, Flemish, Greek, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Siri Languages English (U.S., UK, Canada, Australia), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain), French (France, Canada, Switzerland), German (Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Mainland China, Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong) In the Box: iPhone 5 Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic Lightning to USB Cable USB Power Adapter Documentation.

News Source :  www.imore.com

Apple iPhone 5

Apple and T-Mobile open iPhone 5 pre-orders, shipping April 12th By Matt Brian on April 5, 2013 03:56 am Email @m4tt 24Comments Don't miss any stories Follow The Verge Follow Gallery Photo: iPhone 5 review pictures 2 inShare Apple and T-Mobile today opened pre-orders for the iPhone 5, a week ahead of the smartphone's official April 12th release. T-Mobile, the fourth largest carrier in the US, becomes the last of the big four operators to offer the iPhone, following behind AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint. Last week, T-Mobile unveiled its new Uncarrier branding and smartphone plans, no longer requiring customers to sign up for a long-term contract. Instead, T-Mobile offers a 16GB iPhone 5 for $99 upfront with 24 months of $20 payments on its Simple Choice plan, or $579.99 in full, $70 less than an unlocked iPhone 5 bought direct from Apple. T-Mobile also offers the iPhone 4S, which costs $69.99 upfront with payments of $20 per month, while the iPhone 4 costs $14.99 plus a $15 monthly charge. T-Mobile says the older models will only be available in "select markets." "T-Mobile becomes the last of the big four operators to offer the iPhone" The iPhone 5 is compatible with T-Mobile's expanding LTE network and its "4G" HSPA+ networks. The carrier also boasts it is the only US mobile provider to offer nationwide HD Voice on the handset. The company is currently bringing preorders online, so keep trying if you can't process your order.

News Source: www.theverge.com

Nokia Lumia 900

Nokia Lumia 900

Android could learn a thing from the nearly bloatware-free Windows Phone – the Nokia Lumia 900 brought together a big screen and an excellent OS. It was a triumph of design for Nokia at the time, but has since been superseded by other polycarbonate-clad handsets; not least by Nokia itself during the intervening period. It's a shame the camera hardware doesn't live up to its software – there's so much more that can be done here. It's not as exciting as it once was, as we have the fancy Nokia Lumia 920 on the market - plus that brings 4G and the next version of mobile software through Windows Phone 8, where the Lumia 900 will always be stuck on Windows Phone 7.8 Quick verdict The Nokia Lumia 900 certainly isn't an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy beater - but it's a decent Windows Phone device that's not too pricey. If you're a fan of a simple interface with some quality add-ons, then you should definitely look at Nokia's older flagship. Nokia Lumia 900 review Compare the best Nokia Lumia 900 deals

News Source: www.techradar.com

20 best mobile phones in the world today

The HTC One - the world's best mobile phone

What's the best mobile phone? Our verdict on the best smartphone/best phones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you? Well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our continually updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones you can get in the UK. The last update saw the Samsung Galaxy S3 take the top spot most people thought it deserved... but with the iPhone 5, HTC One and Sony Xperia Z now upon us, has the Korean brand held off ANOTHER onslaught from the Cupertino, Taiwanese and Japanese powerhouses? And what of the supercheap but powerful Google Nexus 4 by LG? Does price matter over software? And what of the impending Samsung Galaxy S4? But we probably shouldn't forget the Apple iPhone 4S as a viable option, and while the Nokia Lumia 900 used to be top dog in the Windows Phone 7 game, it's the Nokia Lumia 920 that's flying the flag for Windows Phone 8. If that still doesn't help, well, there's always our extensive mobile phone reviews pages as well - or check out our personally crafted smartphone buyer's guide: And when you've decided which new phone to buy (and checked out the best mobile phone deal), why not cash in your old one with our phone recycling price comparison service? Here are our rankings for the best mobile phones around, currently available in the UK.

New Source: www.techradar.com