Latest on the Nexus 6

We are almost exactly a month away from Google's highly-anticipated announcement and release of their stock Android driven Nexus 6, and we are greeted with some new renders. This image, courtesy of Android Police shows off what looks to be the new Nexus device and also some interesting renders of the new application icons.

The render, which can be seen below, matches up with the device that was leaked prior in our earlier post, you can see that here. The device is indeed a bigger version of the Moto X (2014) that comes with a 5.9 inch QHD display (1440 x 2560 with 496 ppi), front facing speakers, a 3200+ mAh battery, a 13 megapixel camera in the rear with optical image stabilization, and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. On the internals, the device will also sport Qualcomm's Snapdragon 805 CPU and 3 GB of RAM.



What can be seen on this new mock-up of Android L is the new application icons. These have not been seen in the developer preview as of now, but this is what Google is heading to. Overall there is a continued push towards the flatter design.

We can see an all new phone-dialer icon and what seems to be a new messaging app. Google might be going back to two separate options for messaging, rather than just Hangouts. There is also a revamped icon of the Google Play Store that is much flatter than its predecessor. The new camera icon comes with a new 'lens'. It seems Google has merged the 'Photos' app into the icon of the actual camera.

The Nexus 6 is expected to be debuted this October, most likely the 31st on Halloween.

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Rumor Roundup: Android L and Nexus X (6)

There has been a lot of rumors and news going around the smartphone community as of late. Whether it is the supposed leaked images of Shamu (Nexus X  or Nexus 6), the latest hint at Android L being named, or the ever controversial BendGate topic, we have you covered in this edition of Rumor Roundup.

Nexus X



The Nexus X or Nexus 6 has been the topic of the latest leaks and rumors, mainly because of its expected specs. The new Nexus device, is expected to come with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 805 processor, 3 GB of RAM, and QHD display rumored to be anywhere from 5.2 to 5.9 inches.

The previous iterations of the Nexus have all been very good phones, however their specs were never atop the market. That is what makes the phone, codenamed 'Shamu' so intriguing. To go along with the overhaul  on specs, the device is expected to have the biggest screen of a Nexus phone to date.

When the new Nexus device was first rumored to be made by Motorola, it was expected to come with a massive 5.9 inch display. This is much larger than its predecessor. The Nexus 5's display measures in at 5 inches. However, once the Moto X (2014) was debuted, rumors shifted. It was thought that the device would pony off the X and use the same chassis.

All of that has changed, once this image (seen below) leaked onto the internet. The image shows, what appears to be an enlarged version of the Moto X (2014) sitting next to an LG G3. The Nexus device dwarfs the G3, which comes with a 5.5 inch display. This definitely feeds fuel to the fire that the new Google device will sport a massive 5.9 inch display.

The new Nexus device is expected to be debuted on Halloween this year, October 31st, and see a release date of  the following week in November.



Android L

Android L has been around ever since Google debuted the updated Android OS on June 25 at the Google I/O Conference this year. Although the updated OS has been debuted, and extensively available through developer previews, the tasty desert name is still MIA. A new image that Google posted celebrating their 16th birthday, may be the closest hint at to what the new name will be.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the name for Android L might be Android Lion. To give some credit to this rumor, Google partnered with Nestle for Android K naming after the crunchy candy KitKat. Lion is also a candy bar made by Nestle, however it is not readily available stateside and is not very popular worldwide. It is unlikely that Google would do this again.

To go along with the Lion rumor, there was a period of time where lemon meringue pie was rumored as well. In FCC documents regarding WiFi testing on a Google device, the build had the initials 'LMP'. This sparked the Android Lemon Meringue Pie kick. This has slightly faded over the past weeks.

The original name thought to be for Android L was Lollipop. This was rumored after KitKat was debuted, and has long been on top of the rumor mill. This name has reemerged after an odd birthday cake Google posted for their birthday.

For Google's birthday, they posted an image of asking Google Now "why do we put candles on birthday cakes?" In the image, you can see that the cake doesn't have candles on it, however it is adorned by lollipops. The fact that they are using Google Now, which is Google's answer to Siri, showing off lollipops, gives us a strong hint as to what Android L will be called: Android Lollipop.

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Sony SmartWatch 2: Full review

Smartwatches are slowly entering our lives whether we like it or not. They are becoming more and more popular with every feature that gets added to each device. Eventually, smartwatches will be as popular as Bluetooth headsets and just as powerful as our phones. Slowly, but surely, manufacturers like Sony are ironing out bugs, adding performance, and designing watches that don't make the user... well for lack of a better term, look like a nerd.

The SmartWatch 2 is Sony's second stab at the smartwatch market. It has an overall sleek design that comes with an aluminum body that is IP57 rated, supports Android 4.0 or higher, and sports a 1.6 inch transflective LCD screen with a resolution of 220 x 176 (176 ppi). It comes with an ambient light sensor and three off-screen buttons: home, back, and menu. The device supports NFC and Bluetooth connectivity for pairing it to your device.

Design

The overall design of the SmartWatch 2 has a both the premium feel and look. Sony did a very good job of mimicking the look and feel of their Xperia phone line on this watch. It has the same flat edges, rounded corners, silver lip protecting the screen, and a circular lock button.  The chassis is made out of aluminum that comes with an IP 57 rating, which means it is not entirely protected from the ingress of dust and it can sustain being under one meter of water for at least 30 minutes. This means you can wash your hands without worry of wrecking your brand new smartwatch.

Overall, the device is very light. It comes in at 122.5 grams, or just of 4 ounces including the stock wristband. The device has an option of two wristband styles, silicon and metal. The silicon version comes in at a cheaper price, but don't worry, any 24 mm wristband will fit the watch-face. Sony did a good job not limiting its customers to only their wristbands. It is very easy to find an alternative.


Screen

The screen may not have the most crisp display, but it definitely does its job as far as being a watch. Going from inside to outdoors, the watch does a good job of adjusting the display. It makes it very easy to glance at the watch to get the time with out tapping the screen or pressing the lock button to brighten the display. We had no trouble seeing the time or other notifications in broad-daylight.

The main reason the device is so successful outdoors, is its transflective display. This means that along with transmitting light for the display, it reflects the incoming light back out. It has the ability to have the pixels be illuminated from both the front of the display and from behind the display. Along with the benefit of being able to see the watchface in daylight, it saves battery consumption. It does not have to continue brightening the LCD panel to compensate the ambient light.



This is one thing Sony did exceptionally well. It made the SmartWatch 2 functional for what its main purpose is: being a watch. Sony made sure that while the device is a 'smart' watch, it didn't lose sight of its most important, yet most basic feature. With the smartwatch market on the rise, many manufacturers are trying to pack as many features as possible to 'one up' or make theirs better than the competition. They lose focus on the reason of having a watch: to see the time at a glance.

Battery

Battery life has been the big surprise for the SmartWatch 2. On the box, it says battery life is three to four days, and that is definitely on par. We got a full four days out of the device with ease. Coming to the fifth day, we were around 20% battery, so we gave in and put it on the charger. We had all notifications enabled, so it would vibrate due to text messages, Facebook notifications, phone calls, etc. Although the it may not have the best screen, it definitely makes up for it with the extended battery life; especially when comparing it to the all-new Moto 360 that makes it around one or two days (the Moto 360 does have more features though). 

Operating System

The big question on the Sony SmartWatch line has been the operating system. Sony hasn't adopted Google's Android Wear operating system because of the amount of time and research they have put into their own. The plus side of this, is that it adds to the overall battery life. Android Wear has been known to drain battery life with its amount of features, but that isn't the case of the SmartWatch 2.

For those who consider Android Wear a deal-breaker, don't worry. Sony's SmartWatch 3 does comes with Android Wear as its Operating System instead of Sony's in-house OS.

Performance

For the most part, our time with the SW2 was pleasant one. The device is very responsive alerts the user of the notifications almost instantaneously. When we had an incoming call, the SW2 would actually start vibrating before our actually phone, so that was nice.

Occasionally, if we wanted to reject a call with a message or reply to a text message, the application would freeze up. We could scroll through the pre-made messages and smiley-faces, however when we would press the option we wanted, it would not send. This became bothersome, and the only way to get it to work, was resetting the device. Fortunately, the SW2 has a relatively quick boot time. 

Missing features

Some features that are a must that don't come on the SmartWatch 2 is a microphone and speaker. Without a microphone mounted on the watch, texting custom messages from the watch is impossible; minus the fact that you can send emoticons and pre-made texts such as "I'm in class." The SW2 also gives you the option of dialing phone numbers or contacts straight from the device, but it seems counter-intuitive. You can dial from your watch, yet you have to take your phone out of your pocket to field the call.

Conclusion

Overall, the Sony SmartWatch 2 is a great starter smartwatch. It doesn't have all the features that a $200-300 smartwatch would have, but it only comes in at around $140 on average, which makes it a great value. It may not have the flashy features, but we didn't mind. The first and foremost reason for having a watch is the ability to tell the time, and the SW2 does a fantastic job at that. We will give the credit on that one to the transflective display.

If you are looking at test-driving a smartwatch to see if this is the device you 'can't live without', we recommend picking up the SmartWatch 2. It is a great starter watch at a very reasonable price.

It is a great start and step in the right direction for Sony's version of the smartwatch. We are looking forward to the SmartWatch 3 to see how Sony improved upon this solid device.

Overall: 7/10

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 cracks 48,000 on the AnTuTu Benchmark

The Galaxy Note 4 has shown up on the AnTuTu Benchmark scale with a massive score. The Galaxy Note 4 sporting the Snapdragon 805 processor that is clocked at 2.7 GHz and 3 GB of RAM came in at a score of 48,285. This is considerably higher than its predecessor the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 3.

The Note 4 is one of the most highly-anticipated devices of the year, due to its massive specs and new design. The Note 4 will ship with a metal chassis for the first time, a 16 megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, and a 2K display (1440 x 2560).

Do you plan on picking up the Galaxy Note 4? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or comment below!

via GSMArena

Source

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Smartphone debate: Metal vs. Plastic

One of the hottest debates surrounding smartphones in the past few years have been whether phone manufacturers should have their devices come in metal or plastic. It all comes down to premium vs. cheap feel. Consumers pay hundreds of dollars for smartphones, and they want the biggest bang for their buck; which most people will say is a phone that comes with metal in the form factor.

As of late, it seemed as if this debate was all over. HTC, Samsung, and of course Apple, three of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world, have been pushing devices with a premium feel and metal form-factor. Apple has long been the king of premium devices with their metal-framed iPhone series, leading the charge in premium design. HTC has been a strong proponent of premium devices, and they have done a wonderful job with the One series. Samsung has been the latest to jump on premium bandwagon, by first debuting the metal-framed Galaxy Alpha, and more recently the highly-anticipated metal-framed Galaxy Note 4.

This issue has been rekindled due to a problem some new iPhone users are posting about. It seems that the iPhone 6 Plus, being as big and thin as it is, is prone to bending slightly while in the users pocket. This was confirmed by Unbox Therapy as they put the iPhone 6 Plus through a bend test and compared it to the Galaxy Note 3. We will include the two videos for you to see below.

Since this is a newly reported problem, bend-tests haven't thoroughly been done before; unlike drop-tests, scratch-tests, etc. With devices getting bigger and coming with more 'premium' materials as of late, we expect this to become a standard test.

With the Galaxy Note 3 holding up especially well to extensive force, it shows that while plastic may not be the most 'premium' material to go with, it is indeed more flexible, and up to the rigors of bending. It makes us wonder what results the upcoming Galaxy Note 4 will generate.

The Galaxy Note 4 has close to the same dimensions of the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, however it is quite thicker. The Note 4 comes in at 8.5 mm whereas the 6 Plus comes in at 7.1 mm. We'll have to wait for the release, but if Samsung's new device holds up better than the iPhone 6 Plus, they will definitely market and exploit Apple's 'defect'.

So this brings up the age-old question. Plastic or metal? Does this video make you want to stay away from metal devices or is the premium feel worth the risk? Is the flexibility and strength of plastic worth the peace of mind, knowing your device is very unlikely to bend?  Let us know in the comment section below, on Twitter, or on Facebook!

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Samsung Galaxy Alpha is confirmed for AT&T: September 26

According to SamMobile, the Galaxy Alpha will be headed to America. As of today, it is only known that it will be added to AT&T's phone lineup. AT&T posted the 'Just Alpha' video on their YouTube timeline to welcome the premium device to their lineup.

The Americanized version of the Alpha will ship with mostly the same specs; it will have a 4.7 inch 720p display, 32 GB of storage, 2 GB of RAM, and a 12 megapixel rear camera. The one difference is it will come with the Snapdragon 801 chipset that is clocked at 2.5 GHz instead of the Exynos chipset that comes in the international version.

It will be available on AT&T starting September 26th for $199.99 on-contract and $612.99 off-contract. The off-contract plan would come in at $25.55 per month.  It will be available in black, white, and gold.

Now that the premium Galaxy Alpha is coming to America, do you plan on picking it up? Let us know!

An infographic that SamsungTomorrow posted on the Galaxy Alpha can be seen below.

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Sony SmartWatch 2: First-takes

We have had the Sony SmartWatch 2 in-house for an entire weekend so far, and we will give you some first-takes before we put up the entire review later this week.

The SmartWatch 2 is Sony's second stab at the smartwatch market. It comes with a aluminum body that is IP57 rated, supports Android 4.0 or higher, and sports a 1.6 inch transflective LCD screen with a resolution of 220 x 176 (176 ppi). It also has an ambient light sensor and three off-screen buttons: home, back, and menu.

First-takes

Screen: The screen may not have the most crisp display, but it definitely does its job as far as being a watch. Going from inside to outdoors, the watch does a good job of adjusting the display. It is easy to glance at the watch to get the time with out tapping the screen or pressing the lock button to brighten the display. We had no trouble seeing the time or other notifications in broad-daylight.

Battery: Battery life has been the big surprise for the SmartWatch 2. On the box, it says battery life is three to four days, and that is definitely on par. We are currently on the third day without a charge and are sitting at 57%. Although the it may not have the best screen, it definitely makes up for it with the extended battery life; especially when comparing it to the all-new Moto 360 that makes it around one or two days (the Moto 360 does have more features though).

Operating System: The big question on the Sony SmartWatch line has been the operating system. Sony hasn't adopted Google's Android Wear operating system because of the amount of time and research they have put into their own. This could be the downfall of the watch, but we'll find out with more use and we'll let you know in the full review.

Missing features: Some features that don't come on the SmartWatch 2 is a mic and speaker. Without a microphone mounted on the watch, texting custom messages from the watch is impossible; minus the fact that you can send emoticons and pre-made texts such as "I'm in class." While you can make calls from your watch, you better have your phone handy, because you'll need it to talk and hear to the person on the other line.

That's our first-takes on the Sony SmartWatch 2, be sure to check back later on in the week as we will have our full review up by then.

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One of the first people to buy an iPhone 6 drops it on live TV

How would you feel if you just bought a brand new iPhone 6 and dropped it on the concrete right as you opened it? That happened in Australia yesterday, as one of the first purchasers of the iPhone 6 tried to open it on the Today Show.

Jack Cooksey, was the first person in Perth, Australia to get his clumsy hands on the brand new iPhone 6. He may have even been the first person in the world to get an iPhone 6 due to Australia's time. The Today Show of Australia was there with him to interview him on TV.

When he tried to open it, whether it was excitement of getting the brand new iPhone or the nervousness of being on TV, he had a hard time opening the box. When he pulls the lid off his iPhone 6, his brand new phone goes flying! The reaction from the reporter and the entire crowd can be heard in the video that can be seen below.

We congratulate you Jack. You are the first person in the world to drop the new iPhone 6.




via Kotaku

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Galaxy Note 4 pre-orders start tomorrow; Launches October 17 [updated]

Samsung has officially announced the release date of the Galaxy Note 4. The device will be up for pre-orders starting tomorrow and will come in  two colors; Frost White and Charcoal Black. It will be available on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

The Note 4 comes with beefier specs than its predecessor, sporting a 5.7 inch QHD display (1440 x 2560) that comes with 515 ppi, the all new Snapdragon 805 processor clocked at 2.7 GHz, a bigger 16 megapixel camera with optical image stabilization (a first for Samsung) and a slightly bigger, 3220 mAh battery. The entire spec list can be seen below.

Screen size: 5.7"
Resolution: 1440 x 2560 (515 ppi)
Weight: 176 g
Dimensions: 6.04 x 3.09 x .33 inches
Camera: (rear) 16 megapixels (OIS) - (front) 3.7 megapixels
Hardware: 2.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor 
Battery: 3220 mAh
RAM: 3 GB
Storage: 32 GB expandable
Debut: September 3, 2014
Release date: October 17, 2014

Pre-orders will start tomorrow (September 19) for AT&T and Verizon, whereas T-Mobile pre-orders will start September 24. Pricing can be seen below for each carrier (minus sprint).

• AT&T: $0 down, $34.42 monthly for 24 months, $299.99 with two-year agreement, or $825.99 full retail.
• Sprint: $0 down, $30 monthly for 24 months. $720 full retail.
• T-Mobile: $0 down, $31.24 monthly for 24 months. $749.99 full retail.
• Verizon: $299.99 with two-year agreement.

Are you planning on pre-ordering the all new Galaxy Note 4? Let us know!

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iOS 8 to be released to public at 1 P.M. eastern

The Cupertino, California company is expected to release their latest stab at their mobile OS to the public Apple community today. Previously, iOS 8 has only been available to developers, which costs around $100 to gain 'gold' access.

The so called 'biggest iOS release ever" will be officially available to the public starting around 1 pm eastern today. This time frame has been seen in the past with previous iOS releases, and this one shouldn't be any different.

The latest version of iOS is expected to add a multitude of features to the Apple operating systems, most notably the support for 3rd party keyboards, more developer options, and Apple's Health app.

Along with the bigger features, Apple has continuously worked to improve their current hardware such as messaging, the native keyboard, photos, and many more stock applications. Messaging allows more features, such as adding voice to the conversation, the keyboard is their 'smartest' keyboard ever, and photos is now easier than ever to organize.

The full list of the new features can be seen on this Apple page.

The full list of devices on which iOS 8 is compatible on can be seen below.

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Samsung is next inline to feature a 'Selfie' smartphone: Galaxy Grand Prime leaked

As of late, smartphone manufacturers have been finding every way to invade the market and be successful. The term 'selfie' has made it big and has officially been added to the Oxford Dictionary in August of 2013. With an estimated 1 million selfies taken a day, according to the USA Today,

 It seems as if every smartphone manufacturer is taking a shot at the 'selfie' market. Some of those include Sony with the Xperia C3 and Nokia with the Lumia 730. Both of which feature a front-facing 5 megapixel shooter.



A new leak shows that Samsung is now entering the 'selfie' smartphone ring, with the Galaxy Grand Prime. The Grand Prime won't have specs to write home about, but it will be more than sufficient enough to get your selfie taken. The Grand Prime will sport a Snapdragon 400 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and a 5 inch 720p screen. This phone is expected to be released in Vietnam and other Asian markets.





Via GSMArena
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Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders top 4 million

Apple has hit it big-time with their new devices, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. According to Apple, pre-orders have topped over four million in 24 hours, which is a record number of pre-orders for any Apple device to date. The Apple press release can be read below.




CUPERTINO, California—September 15, 2014—Apple® today announced a record number of first day pre-orders of iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, with over four million in the first 24 hours. Demand for the new iPhones exceeds the initial pre-order supply and while a significant amount will be delivered to customers beginning on Friday and throughout September, many iPhone pre-orders are scheduled to be delivered in October. Additional supply of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available to walk-in customers on Friday, September 19 at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores. Customers are encouraged to arrive early or order online from the Apple Online Store(www.apple.com) to pickup in-store or receive an estimated delivery date. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple Authorized Resellers.


Did you pre-order an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? Will you get your phone on time or is your order back-ordered? Let us know!

via Apple

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Samsung compares the Galaxy Note 4 to the Galaxy Note 3 [infographic]

Samsung Tomorrow has put out another infographic, this one details their new Note 4 device and also compares it to its predecessor. If you had questioned why should you upgrade from your current Note 3 to the Note 4, Samsung lists a few reasons why. The infographic can be seen below.

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Back ordered iPhone 6 Plus: Will it hurt Apple's sales?

The new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have already made a huge impact on the smartphone market. According to Apple, the amount of iPhone 6/6 Plus's pre-ordered were chart toppers. Apple hasn't released their numbers as of yet, but they did confirm that it is their highest grossing pre-order to date.

Many websites, including Apple's own, were overrun with online consumers that many sites were downed from the traffic. Pre-orders started at 3 AM eastern time on September 12.

The iPhone 6 is on schedule as far as expected delivery time and how many stores will have in stock. The same cannot be said about the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus.

The iPhone 6 Plus, is currently on backorder for a minimum of three to four works due to large demand and limited supply. This could be due to the rumored trouble Apple had in manufacturing the larger phone's display. Along with the manufacturing problems, Apple didn't expect their longtime loyal iPhone users to be interested in a massive (somewhat standard today) phone.

Apple has long stood by their decision to keep a smaller display and it seemed that would be just fine for sales. Now that the average screen size in 2014 is approaching 5 inches, Apple knew they had to do something.

So now, with the iPhone 6 Plus backordered for at least three to four weeks, will it hurt their overall sales? A month gives consumers enough time to mull over their options, including the Galaxy Note 4, which is the iPhone 6 Plus's direct competitor. Only time will tell.

Did you have your sights set on the iPhone 6 Plus? Will a delayed release make you double think you're choice? Let us know what phone you're picking up or if you pre-ordered the new iPhone.

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Galaxy Note 4, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 comparison [infographic]

The beginning of the so-called 'Techtember' has passed leaving us with a handful of new devices. Most notably the Galaxy Note 4 and the iPhone 6. The Note 4 brings the very first QHD (1440 x 2560) resolution to a Note series phone, whereas the iPhone 6 gets a bump in screen size to 4.7 inches and the iPhone 6 Plus gets a huge bump up in screen size to 5.5 inches with full 1080p resolution. We went ahead and created an infographic comparing the two devices. Let us know what you think and what other devices we should compare!

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The iPhone 6/6+: A good step in the right direction

On Tuesday, September 9th, Apple unveiled their next line of iPhone devices to an eager crowd in Cupertino, CA. They showed their iPhone 6, sporting a bigger 4.7-inch screen, and their highly anticipated iPhone 6+, showing off a much bigger 5.5-inch screen. The iPhone 6+ comes with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 which is the first Apple device to sport a full HD display (compared to the iPhone 6's 750 x 1334 resolution). While the iPhone 6 has the same pixel density as the iPhone 5s (326 ppi), the iPhone 6+ comes with 401 ppi. Since these two devices are Apple's biggest (two biggest) phones to date, where is Apple looking when it comes to iPhone creation and technology?

Many people have criticized Apple for a long time for being slow to the game when it comes to new technology and overall phone design. When the very first iPhone came to the market on June 29, 2007 it was a total game-changer. Apple was leading the charge of innovation in the smartphone market. Their design was second-to-none and they also had something other phones lacked: a great UI and an enormous (at the time) display. There were other smartphones, Apple just perfected faster than anyone else. It made it a no-brainer to purchase an iPhone in 2007.

Apple might be slow at adding new technology to their devices, but that isn't necessarily their goal. Apple likes to provide the user with an easy interface that is both stable and efficient. While Android phones have been standard on at least having 2 GB of RAM and at the very minimum a 720p display as of late, Apple hasn't. The new iPhone 6 and 6+ both only have 1 GB of RAM still, and we are in 2014... Android phones are moving towards 3 GB of RAM as a standard and may even make the switch to 4 GB as soon as the Snapdragon 810 processor is released.

The thing that leaves Apple with being competitive, is their unified design. iOS is not open source which limits the changes developers can make to the device, therefore drastically limits what Apple has to do to make the device stable. This limits the users experience as far as customization, but that isn't why consumers purchase iPhones. People who purchase iPhones understand it, and know it will be reliable.

Along with their unified OS, their software is designed to specifically run off their hardware, the A chipsets. Many thought that Apple was going to make the jump from dual-core on the A7 processor to quad-core on the A8 processor. We are finding from benchmark tests that it isn't necessary. Apple's all new dual-core A8 processor is clocked at 1.4 GHz whereas its predecessor, the A7 is clocked at 1.3 GHz.

As you can see in the benchmark below, the iPhone 5s may not be on the top of the list, but for its hardware it definitely puts up great numbers. For comparison, the Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 are both sporting a Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz and 2 GB of RAM. For a phone with half the amount of RAM and 1.1 GHz less to put up those numbers, Apple is definitely doing something right.

The release of the iPhone 5s was the first time Apple decided to step out of their comfort zone. They gave themselves a good start with the TouchID fingerprint scanner and continued with the larger 4 inch screen that came originally on the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5s was Apple's last chance at resisting the inevitable; giving into the large screen market. The improvements on the next-gen iPhones seems to take a few key hints from their competitors and consumers. It's no surprise that many of the Android companies (Samsung, LG, HTC, etc) have started the race to bigger and better screens.

Large screens at first were mocked at, but now it is more and more common to find a screen in the 4.5 to 5 inch plus category for the majority of people. Samsung, one of Apple's key competitors has showed that large screens can be successful. They showed this with the S series and more extensively in the Note line. The Note phones have been around for years, showing that you can have a big tablet style device but retain much of a phone's properties.

Apple has been opposed to expanding their display size, but they were missing out on a huge market. The iPhone 5s wasn't a direct competitor to the Note because of its size, 4 vs 5.7 inches. Seeing the Note 3 sold over 10 million devices in its first two months of being released Apple must have rethought its plan of attack.

The fact that Apple finally caved into producing phones with larger display, leaving 2010 in the rearview mirror is great for the Cupertino, California company. Screen size was definitely holding Apple back. Consumers who liked their hardware and design were stuck at the crossroads if they wanted a bigger display. This left them with an ultimatum: stay with a device they like or move to Android for a bigger display. Apple can now convert those users to stay with Apple with a simple design change.

To go along with the addition of a bigger display, Apple has finally upped their resolution to a respectable full 1080 HD. Apple has long pushed their Retina display as a competitor to full HD because pixel count isn't everything. Now that Apple has pushed their Retina display to a full 1080 x 1920 resolution, it is a great sign.

Apple has also increased the battery size to the largest capacity ever seen in an iPhone. The iPhone 6 will sport a 1800 mAh battery whereas as its 6+ counterpart will have an enormous 2915 mAh battery. This a huge jump from the 1570 mAh battery that is now seen in the iPhone 5s. Apple has always been great at maintaining battery life, so now that they have finally increased their battery capacity is a great sign. Battery life is one of the most important things consumers look at when buying a new smartphone.

The iPhone 6 and 6+ are showing that Apple may finally get back in the smartphone game as an innovator. Apple was trying to please their current crowd too much and not trying to appeal to the masses. You either hear someone prefers Android or Apple. Now that Apple is going towards more standardized hardware in 2014, it may convert some Android users over. While their specs and hardware are nothing to brag about, there is no need. With their limited hardware, they provide a seamless experience that cannot be duplicated on an Android phone with the same specs.

Hopefully the iPhone 6 and 6+ are a good sign as to what is to come to the iPhone series.

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The rise of the Smartwatch

Image courtesy of Phandroid

Now that IFA 2014 and Apple's event has passed, we are left with a handful of devices. Most notably the iPhone 6/6+ and the Galaxy Note 4/Edge, but in 2014, every smartphone deserves a companion... and it isn't a bluetooth headset.

Smartwatches are on the rise in both popularity and practicality. When smartwatches first arose, they were big and bulky, not very practical as far as features, and the design wasn't very pretty. IFA 2014 however, introduced us to an entirely new looking smartwatch. The Moto 360 and the LG G Watch R both sport the first circular display to come on a smartwatch.

At first, smartwatches were not very easy on the eyes, coming with big square displays that lacked features. Thanks to the new innovation in display technology, watches are now able to come in both circular designs (which I find the most appealing) and square designs that have a slight curve to them. The profile to the watches are becoming more to what we are used to as far as wrist watches go.

Not only is the design of the smartwatches improving, so is practicality. The interfaces, specifically Android Wear, are always improving. Google is all-in on wearable tech and they have promised to continue to update Android Wear as much as possible. The success of the smartwatch could solely rest on Google and their ability to put out an operating system that is efficient and functional. A smartwatch without a good OS is just an glorified MP3 player and notifier you can fit on your wrist.

Along with Google, Apple and Samsung are releasing their own operating systems for their respective smartwatches. This is just what the smartwatch market needs: competition. Companies competing and forcing each other to always put out up-to-date software and continue to make improvements will only make the smartwatch more successful.

Most smartwatches now are even coming with an IP 67 rating. This means that the watches can survive under one meter of water for at least 30 minutes without getting damaged and are completely dust-tight. Smartwatches are becoming as practical as normal watches. The ability to take a shower or go swimming with your wearable tech is also a huge step in the right direction.

Along with the more practical features, the device will only succeed if other companies, such as application developers jump on board. Developers are key to creating useful software that smartwatches utilize so users don't get bored with their experience. Currently the Google Play Store has thousands of Android Wear apps with more and more being added everyday. Companies are already developing apps for the Apple Watch (iWatch) and that can be said about Samsung's Tizen OS as well.

Smartwatches are on the rise, and it doesn't seem that they will slow down anytime soon. The push from large phone companies such as Apple, LG, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony is too great for it to fail. As long as smartwatches continue to become more and more efficient and practical, they will only gain popularity.

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Will a later release date hurt the sales of the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge?

This fall was highly anticipated due to the massive amount of devices that were to be debuted, mainly because of the Galaxy Note 4 and the iPhone 6. Well, September 3rd and September 9th have now passed, and we are left with four new devices. Two from both Samsung and Apple. Apple debuted their flagship iPhone in two variants, a 4.7 inch base device and a 5.5 inch premium device. Samsung debuted their iconic Galaxy Note in two variants as well, one with a standard display and another with a curved display.

Since the release of the Galaxy S5 didn't go as well as Samsung had hoped, they shifted all of their attention to the upcoming Note to make up for the sales. Leading up to the release of the S5, Samsung's shares were as low as they had been since August of 2013, but the device seemed to pick up the slack for awhile leading to Samsung's stock peaking on May 30th, around two months after the release of the S5. It has been on a downward trend since.

Thanks to the debut of the Note 4 and the Note Edge, Samsung's stock has been on a slight rising trend, even with the debut of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus yesterday. One thing that could derail this recent upswing is the release date of the new devices. Originally it was thought that Samsung moved up its debut and release date to take the iPhone 6 head-on and beat it on to the market. After the debut of the new Note devices, Samsung said the device would be released in October; the rumored release for the Note 4 and Note Edge is Friday, October 10, 2014.

Yesterday, the iPhone 6 was debuted, and it was expected to be released in October. Apple completely did a 180 and will release the two iPhone variants on September 19, 2014 in most markets. This throws a wrench into the gears of Samsung. Samsung was expected to beat the iPhone to the market to convert the consumers on the edge of iOS and Android to upgrade to the Note 4 or Note Edge. Those consumers on the edge may now go to Apple if they want to upgrade sooner.

We will have to wait for the Notes to be released this October. Samsung will definitely sell a lot of devices, but Apple will as well. Will the Note 4 and Note Edge be enough to take on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus? We'll have to wait and see.

What do you think? Will the Note series help salvage some profits for Samsung or will their smartphone profits continue to dwindle?

Images courtesy of Google Stocks and Android Central

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iPhone 6 leaks flooding the internet ahead of today's launch

Today is finally the day where Apple will debut its iPhone 6, both the 4.7 and 5.5 inch variants, and maybe even a the long-anticipated iWatch. We are a little over four hours away from the debut event, and leaks are spreading like wild fire.

TechnoBuffalo has a posted multiple images of the new iPhone 6, in an apparent hands-on session via China Mobile. The images that we will post below, shows the user going through multiple Apple applications including FaceTime and messaging.

Along with the images, TechnoBuffalo says the devices expected specifications include a 750 x 1134 resolution that comes in at 290 ppi, which is well short of the iPhone 5s' 326 ppi, sapphire glass, and an A8 processor.









MacRumors has also posted a good chunk of information surrounding the iPhone 6. The same person that zzray, that leaked the first images of the 'actual' iPhone 6, posted some benchmarks of the 4.7 inch variant.

This image shows that the device will indeed come with 1 GB of RAM and will have a dual-core processor. It was rumored that it could be a quad-core processor, and have 2 GB of RAM but this disputes that. This is still a leak, so until the debut in a few hours, nothing is finalized.



Another leak, this one coming from GSMArena, is claiming that China Mobile has already started advertising the upcoming iPhone 6 in Russia. It shows the two iPhone 6s, side by side and comes with a few calender dates.

The first date, is September 10, likely to represent when the iPhone will be up for pre-order through the carrier. The next dates are September 19 and 26, the first might represent the shipping date whereas the later date could be the actual release of the iPhone 6.

We believe that this ad is a hoax, due to a the  Passbook application not holding up to previous leaks. In the images above, you can see the Passbook app has four stripes instead of three. The red stripe, which is not seen in the ad, is likely the new mobile payment option for the iPhone 6. GSMArena tends to post supposed tipped 'leaks' that turn up false a lot of the time, so we'd be careful with this one.



The Apple event can be streamed by all, under certain conditions. According to MacRumors, you must be on a Mac/iOS device while using the Safari browser to access the stream. The event starts at 10 AM pacific standard time.

What are your thoughts on the leaks; are you picking up the iPhone 6? Let us know in the comment section below or find us on Twitter or Facebook.

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Nexus 5 (2014) specs leaked

A few months ago, it was reported that the Nexus 5 would stay in the lineup, regardless of the release of the Google and Motorola device, the Nexus X (Shamu). Today we have new information surrounding the phone, giving our best look at the Nexus 5 2014 edition.

Smartphone leaker EMT Leaks released the image seen below yesterday. A few things worth noting is that this device will come with a 5.2 inch QHD display (1440 x 2560), 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal storage, and the all new Snapdragon 805 CPU clocked at 2.7 GHz. 

Another thing that is worth noting in this leak, is the name the benchmark gives the operating system: Android 5.0 (Lion™). This is an interesting development due to the rumors of the codename being either Lollipop or Lemon Meringue Pie. Lion is a chocolate candy bar made by Nestle. This is definitely a possibility due to the partnership with Google and Nestle over Android 4.4 KitKat. 

The specs list can be seen below.

Screen: size: 5.2"
Resolution: 1440 x 2560 (565 ppi)
Weight: 150 grams
Camera: (rear) 12 megapixels (OIS) - (front) 2 megapixels
Hardware: 2.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 CPU
Battery: 2400 mAh
RAM: 3 GB
Storage 32 GB
Expected debut: October 31, 2014
Expected release: November 2014

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Comparison of the Sony Xperia's Z1 through Z3

With the recent release of Samsung's comparison chart showing the differences from the original Note, Note 2, Note 3, and the all new Note 4, we decided to make our on chart comparing the Xperia series. For an easy comparison of the devices, just check out our infographic below.

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Sony Xperia Z3 Rundown

On the heel of the Z3 Compact, Sony has finally unveiled its next flagship phone: the Xperia Z3. Along with many new features and an upgraded camera module, let's take a look at how exactly this phone is different than the less than year old Xperia Z2.

Spec-wise, the Xperia Z3 comes with a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and an upgraded 20.7 - megapixel camera with a new 25mm wide-angle lens. On top of that, they've upgraded the IP waterproof and dustproof rating to IP65/68. The screen stays the same with a 5.2-inch 1080p display.

How about the body on the Z3? Well they still use the glass front and back (available in white, black, silver/green and copper), and aluminum around the perimeter. The difference is the Z3 is thinner and lighter, measuring 146 x 72 x 7.3 mm and weighing only 152 g. They've also broken down the aluminum corners and rounded them with caps made out of a type of nylon. According to Sony, these corners should hold a little more strength, leading to less dings or dents if you drop the phone.

Software side, we haven't seen announces of the new Android L yet, so this should be running the same Sony Android 4.4.2 skin thats akin to the Xperia Z2 phone and tablet. Sony has added a few key features to the Z3, like DSEE HX low-res audio upscaling, The camera, on top of that wide-angle lens boost, has some new technology tricks. Sony's Steadyshot "Intelligent Active Mode" video shooting that offers improved stabilization, while their "AR Fun" mode lets you add 3D AR effects to a picture frame. They've changed the way the camera app works, adding the option to limit the ISO setting to 12,800 and use WiFi Direct to connect multiple cameras (only Sony cameras and smartphones for now) allowing you to use both viewfinders on the screen and direct video from only one device.

Another new feature announced for all Z3 series devices is access to Sony's Remote Play for PS4. Just like how it works for the PS Vita, you can use this feature virtually anywhere (minus lag for long distances) and hook up Sony's new controller mount to the phone to have a Dualshock 4 played optimally with a phone right above it.

Right now, only T-Mobile has confirmed that it'll be carrying the Xperia Z3 at launch, but only time will tell if they end up being the only carrier in the USA to bring the phone stateside again (read; T-Mobile's Sony Xperia Z1S).

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Working iPhone 6 shows new home screen layout

As of late, most of the leaks regarding the iPhone 6 have come from Chinese sources. This is due to the fact that the manufacturing plant for Apple is in China. Along with that, the Chinese workers are not compensated well, therefore a leak can be their chance at five-minutes of fame. These new images come from a Chinese site where a user posted the photos.

First off. most notably is the difference in the home screen. As you can see, there is now room for 6 rows of Apps on the home screen compared to 5 on the iPhone 5s. The device also has the correct camera and sensor layout that has not been seen on previous high-profile leaks. 

On the back of the device, we can see it has the dual-LED flash, which is universally agreed upon that Apple will stick with that. The buttons also come with the same slim profile as its predecessors. 

On this image we can see that the user is on the official Apple App Store and in the settings app, which has been missing from the clones due to the fact that they are running Android heavily layered with an iOS skin. In the 'about' section of the settings, iOS 8 is visible along with the 64 GB of storage. 

Either this leak is a very good fabrication of PhotoShop or we may have our first actually glimpse of the iPhone 6 ahead of its September 9th debut. This device is sporting everything the other clone devices have missed, so it is promising. If any other images get released, we'll have you covered. 

If you would like to see the video where the user unlocks the device with the TouchID sensor, you can see it here. 

Source

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