Showing posts with label Rumor Rundown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rumor Rundown. Show all posts

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).





Motorola Rundown: Moto X (2nd Gen) and Moto 360

With IFA 2014 winding down, we have seen many great devices including the Galaxy Note 4 and Edge, Xperia Z3, Asus Smartwatch, and many more. One of the most anticipated devices to be debuted was the Motorola Moto 360 smartwatch and the Moto X (2014). That day has come and we have a full rundown of what these two devices feature, when you'll be able to get your hands on them, and all the specs.

Moto X


Motorola Moto X (2014) specs review

For the longest time, it was rumored that the upcoming Motorola device would be called the X+1, but it turns out it is following the path of the HTC One. Motorola will stick with the Moto X name and will identify it as the 2nd Gen.

The Moto X (2014) was highly talked about leading up to its debut, due to the popularity of its predecessor. The original Moto X came at a low price, decent specs, and was completely customizable. Moto Maker came with the options black or white for the front of the device, twenty-six colors for the rear of the device, four more in wood-grain, and ten more color options for accent pieces such as the camera ring and buttons. This was a first in the smartphone industry.

Along with the customization, the original Moto X carried along decent specifications, such as a 1.7 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2 GB of RAM, 16/32/64 GB of ROM, 10 megapixel camera, and a 4.7 inch 720p display. The price for this device off-contract originally was $579.99, but was later dropped to $399.99

The Moto X (2014) has been updated all around such as screen, processor, and camera. All of this will come at an off-contract price of $499.99, cheaper than the debut of its predecessor. Essentially, the Moto X is the big brother of the original Moto X; bigger, faster, and stronger. Expect to see it on the market later this month.You can see the full specs below.

Screen size: 5.2"
Resolution: 1080 x 1920 (425 ppi)
Weight: 144 g
Dimensions: 5.54 x 2.85 x .39 inches
Camera: (rear) 13 megapixels - (front) 2 megapixels
Hardware: 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor 
Battery: 2300 mAh
RAM: 3 GB
Storage: 16/32 GB 
Debut: September 5, 2014

Release date: September 2014

Moto 360


Along with the anticipation of the Moto X came the Moto 360. Motorola's first smartwatch has been teased for sometime now, mainly because it is the first of its kind to feature a round display. Many of the smartwatches to come before the Moto 360 sported cumbersome rectangular or square displays that looked odd and bulky. Motorola has taken a step in the right direction with their debut of the Moto 360. 


As of today, you can already order the Moto 360, at $249.99. This comes in at middle of the pack as far as prices go; below the $299.99 of LG's G Watch R and the $259.99 expected form the Asus ZenWatch.

The Moto 360 will sport a 1.56 inch display, 512 MB of RAM/4 GB of ROM, and a 320 mAh battery. It will run on Google's Android Wear OS and come with a OMAP 3 processor made by Texas Instruments. The device comes with a steel construction and is IP 67 rated. Motorola claims that the device will easily last a full day and it only compatible with Android 4.3 or higher. 

Along with claiming one of the first round displays on a smartwatch, the Moto 360 will come with an option of a steel wristband. This however will not be available immediately, but likely to see a release in November. The band will run you $79.99 by itself, or the device with the band will run $299.99.

The specs on the Moto 360 can be seen below. 

Screen size: 1.56"
Resolution: 320 x 290 (205ppi)
Hardware: OMAP 3 Processor (Texas Instruments)
Battery: 320 mAh
RAM: 512 MB
Storage: 4 GB 
Debut: September 4, 2014

Release date: September 4, 2014 

Images courtesy of Android Central and Phone Arena

Smartwatch Rundown: Which smartwatch are you most excited for?



This fall, a massive amount of devices are being released. Some of those include the Galaxy Note 4, iPhone 6, Nexus X, and many more. Along with the upcoming flagship devices being released, manufacturers are iniating the biggest push in smartwatch history. Apple, Samsung, Asus, LG, and Motorola are planned to debut their newest watches. Below, you can see a profile on a few of the major upcoming smartwatches.

Apple iWatch

Apple has been rumored to be releasing the iWatch for sometime now, but the time is finally coming. Apple is expected to debut their highly-anticipated iWatch in the coming weeks in California. The iWatch is expected to come with a 1.5 inch round display. It has been rumored that it will include a curved display, but it is unlikely. The device will run a version of iOS 8 and will come with Siri, full app support, the ability to take calls and texts, and will sport a camera. The iWatch will also support wireless charging.

Price: $400+
Expected release: January 2015


Asus ZenWatch

Rumors surrounding the upcoming Asus smartwatch have been kept to a minimum, aside from Asus released teasers. Asus has been teasing their upcoming device by stating "marvel at how time will be transformed at #IFA2014 Berlin with the Incredible ZenWatch." While not much is known about this device, it is expected to come with a low price, which could be is biggest feature and will run Google's Android Wear OS. If Asus releases a smartwatch with comparable specs to other smartwatches that are soon to be released, the lower price could make it very successful.

Price: $100-150
Expected release: October 2014

ASUS IFA debut teaser



LG G Watch R

The G Watch R is expected to be an updated version of its predecessor, except it will come with a round display. The device will run Android Wear OS, and is going to come with a 1.3 inch display, with a resolution of 360 x 360. One of biggest features of the LG G Watch R is that will come with a metal chassis. It is also rumored to have around a 400+ mAh battery which would equate to around one to two days of use. This could be a concern, but the fact that it comes with a round display, could entice users to purchase it anyways. 

Price: $300
Expected release: November/December 2014

lg_g_watch_r_black.jpg




Motorola Moto 360

One of the most anticipated smartwatches is Motorola's Moto 360. This device was already on display at Google I/O 2014, and it received  high praise. The Moto 360 is expected to be charged entirely by wireless charging. There is no microUSB port on the device. It will sport a 1.5 inch display and take advantage of gesture commands. One example is to view notifications, the user just needs to twist their wrist. This device will also run Android Wear OS and work on any Android device 4.3 or higher.

Price: $250
Expected release: October 2014

Moto 360: It’s Time.




Samsung Gear S

The Gear S will be the sixth device in Samsung's smartwatch career, and will come with an all new feature. The watch will be a standalone device and will not need to be tethered to a smartphone. It will be able to send and receive texts and calls over 3G networks. While its biggest feature is the fact that is solo (S), one downfall is that it will come with Samsung's Tizen OS. This means that it will not be able to connect to the Android Wear app store nor Google Now. The display will be rectangular with a slight curve and will measure 2 inches diagonally.

Price: $200+
Expected release: September 15, 2014


Rumor Rundown: Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6L

On today's edition of Rumor Rundown, we will go over all of the rumors and news surrounding the successor to the iPhone throne, the iPhone 6. Rumors have been plenty surrounding Apple's upcoming flagships, while some have proven legitimate, some have been downright wrong. From increasing the screen size to scratch-resistant glass, we'll give you the rundown.



One of the most prevalent rumors, which indeed is reality now, is that the iPhone will receive a bump-up in size. Apple has long been one of the manufacturers that sell devices with a small in today's standards phone. The first three generations of the iPhone all featured the same 3.5 inch display. It wasn't until the iPhone 5 was released that Apple decided to increase the screen size to a sub-standard 4 inches. The average screen size today is over 4.8 inches.

The new iPhone 6 will come in two different screen sizes however. The first iPhone 6, will have a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 960 x 1704 and a ppi of 416. Although Apple is also increasing the resolution, it still isn't the mobile standard of 1080p. The iPhone 6L, or so its rumored to be called, will come with an above average 5.5 inch display. Rumors on this device have been slim, but it could feature a 1080p display to keep the ppi above 400 (it would come in at 401).

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The one thing that always comes with a bigger screen is a bigger battery. At first it was reported that the iPhone 6 would receive an upgrade to 1810 mAh, up from 1570 mAh of the iPhone 5s. This was a welcome change, however most phones that sport a 4.5 inch plus display usually run around a 2000+ mAh battery. This could cause some concern for users who use their device heavily throughout the day.

The latest report on the battery came out a few days ago in a new leak. The purported pictures show that the 4.7 inch model will sport between a 1810 - 2100 mAh battery, while its 5.5 inch counterpart would come with a 2915 mAh battery. This would be a welcome increase, seeing as Apple's direct competition, the Galaxy Note 4 is expected to come with a massive 3400 mAh battery.

While these batteries may seem a bit low compared to the market standard, iOS is very efficient when it comes to battery life. The 5s has 1230 mAh less than the current Galaxy S5 and will still throughout a day. Apple definitely users their operating system to its advantage to squeeze every ounce of life out of the smaller batteries.

One of the biggest possible selling points of the upcoming iPhone device won't necessarily be the screen size, but the front panel that goes over the display. Rumors surrounding the expected sapphire crystal display have been running rampant. Our best look at it has come from fellow phone reviewer MKBHD, when he put the iPhone 6 front panel through a scratch test. The video can be seen below.



If sapphire crystal sounds familiar, that is because it is already used on iPhones today. If you have an iPhone 5s, it comes with the material in two places. The rear-facing camera on the iPhone 5s has sapphire crystal to protect the camera lens, also to resist scratching. This keeps the lens as high-quality as possible. The other location is on the home button. This is to keep the fingerprint scanner as clear as possible to make sure your log-in is safe and secure. Both these pieces are made out of pure sapphire to have the highest resistance.

This video peaked the interest tech reviewers and consumers alike due to the durability of the front glass. In every day use, it seems that the sapphire crystal front panel is unscratchable. It is only scratched when it comes into contact with sandpaper. To give you a perspective of how strong one hundred percent sapphire is, it comes in on the Mohs Scale at a nine, while Corning Gorilla Glass comes in at a six.



Granted, this is pure sapphire that reaches a nine on the scale. If the front panel were to be made entirely out of sapphire, it would be much too expensive for manufacturing. Believe it or not, a solid piece of sapphire may be more scratch-resistant, but it doesn't flex as much normal glass. This would make the front panel less durable and more prone to breaking.

It was rumored that because of the extra cost to manufacture the sapphire crystal display, Apple was going to release two variations of the iPhone 6. Both the 4.7 and 5.5 inch devices would see a launch in the coming months, where the premium variations with the sapphire crystal display could come out at a later date. If Apple were to do that, it could diminish their overall sales on the debut phone, because of consumers holding out for the premium models. The sapphire crystal will be a huge selling point. This rumor seems to be busted, seeing has Apple has come up with a new manufacture process for the high-tech glass.

Apple has patented a way in which they synthetically bond the sapphire crystal to regular glass to keep costs down. They use a very thin layer of sapphire on the top of the panel towards the surface, and have regular glass on the bottom. This gives the phone added protection without the added cost.

The iPhone 6 will also ship with a brand new CPU. Apple has continuously been upgrading their devices at every release, and this will be no different. On the iPhone 6, expect Apple to debut the dual-core A8 processor, which will be clocked at 2.6 GHz. This is a huge upgrade from the current iPhone 5s with A7 CPU that is clocked at 1.3 GHz. It is also rumored that Apple could ship the iPhone 6L with quad-core processor. While it will still be called A8, it could just be a different variation. Another first for Apple is will be their expected jump up in RAM. The iPhone 6 is expected to come with 2GB of RAM whereas its 6L counterpart may ship with 3GB. Both are around the industry standard in 2014. If you thought the 5s was fast, expect the 6 to blow it out of the water, especially with iOS 8.

One of the latest details surround the upcoming iDevice has been the name. At first it was reported that Apple executives have decided not to use the '6' moniker, instead going with something along the lines of Apple iPhone Air. This would make sense, it is a bigger and thinner device, differing from original iPhones. It also could coincide with the release of the new iPad Air 2, however that has changed... again. Just the other day, it was reported that the 'Air' name wasn't going to happen and they were going to stick with the iPhone 6.

Regardless of what the new iPhone is called, it will still be debuted September 9, 2014 with a late September to early October release. Apple appears to be throwing every upgrade possible at its upcoming flagship device. The iPhone 6 will be a completely new device, coming with a new design, new specs, and maybe even a new name. The iPhone 6 countdown continues with 23 days until its highly-anticipated debut. Thanks for reading today's edition of the Rumor Roundup! Below you can see a quick reference of the upcoming iPhone 6 specs.

Thanks for reading!


iPhone 6: 4.7"
Screen size: 4.7"
Resolution: 960 x 1704 (416 ppi)
Camera: 10 megapixels (rear) - 2.1 megapixels (front)
Hardware: Apple A8 processor (2600 MHz) - dual-core 
Battery: 1810 mAh
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32-128GB
Water resistant: No
Features: fingerprint scanner, pressure sensor
Expected debut: September 9, 2014
Release date: Late September - October 14, 2014 (tentatively) 

iPhone 6L: 5.5"
Screen size: 5.5"
Resolution: 1080 x 1920 (400 ppi)
Camera: 13 megapixels (rear) - 2.1 megapixels (front)
Hardware: Apple A8 (2) processor (1300 MHz) - Quad-core
Battery: 2915 mAh
RAM: 3GB
Storage: 32-128GB
Water resistant: No
Features: Scratch resistant glass, fingerprint scanner, pressure sensor
Expected debut: September 9, 2014
Release date: Late September - October 14, 2014 (tentatively)


Rumor Rundown: Samsung Galaxy Note 4

On the very first edition of Rumor Rundown, we will be going over the new up and coming Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The Note 4 is expected to come with the highest specs of any Galaxy device to date, and could have the highest specs ever seen in a high-end smartphone. We will go over all of the rumors regarding the Note 4 top to bottom, and go over the specs one more time. From having a three-sided display, to having a retina scanner. We have all the rumors for you on one page.

One of the first rumors to come out regarding the Note 4, was that it was to be the first Galaxy device stateside to include a UHD display. The resolution of an ultra high definition (UHD) or 2K display is 2560 x 1440. Although the Galaxy Note 4 is expected to tout this vivid display, it wasn't the first phone to feature this display.  The G3 from LG beat it out to be the first UHD phone. This is the most guaranteed feature that the Note will come with. UHD will soon be the standard, just as 1080p has been in the past year.

The second most guaranteed feature to come with the Note 4 is the anticipated ultra-violet or UV sensor. Samsung continues to build off their success with their 'S-Health', which first debuted on the Galaxy S4. S-Health started as an app where users could monitor their calorie intake, fitness, and it even came with a pedometer. With the Galaxy S5, Samsung introduced the first device to come with a built in heart-rate monitor. While this is a nice add-on, you can currently download an app to do the same task, as long as you have a flash with your camera. It only makes sense for Samsung to continue building on S-Health, and it will be the first smartphone to feature a UV sensor.



Samsung may have the first UV sensor on a smartphone, but they also might have the first ever retina scanner. In mid-July, the Samsung Exynos Twitter tweeted a photo of a Samsung device with an eye being scanned with a retina scanner, stating "Security can be improved using features unique to us. That's what we envision. What would you use?" This one tweet started churning the Note 4 rumors even more. The device, also just happens to appear like a Note 4.While it is unknown if the Note 4 releasing with the Snapdragon 805 processor stateside will come with the retina scanner, it may be exclusively in select markets that have the Exynos 5433 CPU.

Once again, this rumor may just be on the international model that features the Exynos 5433, but one Galaxy Note 4 variant will come with a first-ever three sided display. If you are wondering how a phone would function with a three-sided display, you can see the mock-up above. Instead of featuring physical buttons on the side of the device, it would have them on the second and third display. It would also have its own app drawer, so you could pick and choose what apps you want to show up on the side of the display. It would also be a source for notifications, if you were only able to see the side of the device. Earlier this month, it was reported this display had entered production, so it is likely on the horizon. Unfortunately, its probably only going to be released in Korea, just like the S5 Prime and Galaxy Round.

To go along with the UHD display, will be the same 5.7 inch front panel we saw on the Note 3. The first report about the Galaxy Note 4 screen size was that it was going to bump it up to a massive 5.9 inches. This would continue the trend of the Note series increasing the display size. However, a few months later, it was reported that Samsung would downsize in order to be in more direct competition with the iPhone 6L. This would include the same 5.5 sized display that is expected to ship with the 6L. It turns out those were exactly that, rumors. Now it is official that the Note 4 will come with same sized display as its predecessor. 




The latest development around the Note 4 would be its most prominent. For the first time in the Note series, it will feature a metal chassis. Samsung first debuted the Galaxy Alpha as the first Galaxy device to feature a metal chassis. Samsung supporters have been clamoring for a device to come with the 'premium' design and feel to it, and Samsung has been delivering. This could be Samsung's biggest asset in taking down the iPhone 6 and 6L.

One feature that has yet to be confirmed or denied, is whether this phone will be water-resistant. Samsung took a big step forward by making the Galaxy S5 come standard with an IP67 rating. In the pictures above, there does seem to be a cover over the microUSB 3.0 charging port, which could suggest that it will be water-resistant. If it does come with an IP67 rating, this device will truly be a one-of-a-kind. 

We also have not got a glimpse at what size battery will come in this phablet. One trend that Samsung has stuck with, is fitting a bigger more powerful battery in the same sized chassis. They fit a battery that was 200 mAh bigger in the S5 compared to the S4. Consider it likely they will do the same with Note 4. The Note 3 came with a 3200 mAh battery, so expect Samsung to easily fit a 3400 mAh battery in the Note 4 to combat the extra battery drain because of the UHD display. 


samsungunpacked2014

With a debut confimed to be on September 3, 2014 we are still waiting for a confirmation on the release date. While that won't come until Samsung's unpacked event, a leak has suggested that it will be released on September 15, 2014. That is when PTO (paid time off) blackouts are company wide at Samsung. 

Below you can see a quick rundown of the specs expected in the Note 4.



Screen size: 5.7"
Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (515 ppi)
Camera: 16 megapixels (optical image stabilization) (rear) - 3.6 megapixels (front)
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 - 2.7GHz - quad-core | Exynos 5433 - octa-core (international)
Battery: 3400 mAh
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 32GB - expandable up to 128GB
Water resistant: Yes
Features: Heart-rate monitor, fingerprint scanner, UV sensor, touch-pen, three-sided display (international), metal chassis
Expected debut: September 3, 2014
Release date: September 15, 2014

Thanks for reading the Rumor Rundown on the Galaxy Note 4. Tomorrow we will feature the iPhone 6/6L.