Enough with the rumors, the LG Nexus 5X is finally official. The phone was just unveiled at Google’s Nexus and Android event.

The phone is built around a 5.2″ IPS LCD display of 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 424ppi. The screen is covered with a layer of Gorilla Glass 3.

Google launches the Nexus 5X with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. It runs on the Snapdragon 808 chipset with a hexa-core CPU, 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 418 GPU. Internal storage is either 16GB or 32GB with no option to expand it.

At the back, the 5X sports a 12.3MP camera sensor with a f/2.0 aperture and 1.55 micron pixel size. Sadly, it lacks OIS but is nevertheless capable of shooting 2160p video. LG has thrown in its IR laser-assisted autofocus and a broad-spectrum dual flash setup.

Measuring 147 x 72.6 x 7.9m, the Nexus 5X is slightly thinner than its predecessor. Weight is up to 136 grams, from 130 grams for the Nexus 5 (2013). The added weight has come from the addition of a fingerprint sensor and a larger 2700mAh battery (the Nexus 5 touts 2300mAh). At the bottom, there’s a next-gen microUSB Type-C port.

Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2×2 MIMO), NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 and GPS/GLONASS. There’s a single front-facing speaker, which is joined by 3 microphones (at the front, top and bottom).

The LG Nexus 5X will be available for pre-order starting September 29. Those in the US, UK, South Korea, Japan and Ireland will be able to pre-order the phone starting at $379.99 for the 32GB…

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A year after the Nexus 6 Google unveils the next-generation phablet – meet the Nexus 6P. Despite its name it has a 5.7″ screen and it’s not made by Motorola this time but by Huawei instead. It’s the first Nexus to feature a metal unibody, which is only 7.3mm thick (almost 3mm thinner than the previous model).

Google and Huawei positioned the new Nexus against the flagship phablets with a smaller 5.7″ screen. It’s still an AMOLED with QHD resolution (1,440 x 2,560px), the front-facing speakers were also carried over to the new design. The whole thing measures 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3mm, just a tad taller than an iPhone 6 Plus despite the two front speakers.

The camera was spruced up as well with a new 12.3MP sensor, which boasts large 1.55µm pixels and a relatively wide F/2.0 aperture. This is in addition to the dual-LED flash for promising low-light performance. It records 2160p, naturally. The selfie camera is no slouch either 8MP sensor with 1.4µm pixels and F/2.4 aperture.

A highlight of both Android 6.0 Marshmallow – which debuts with the Nexus 6P – and the phablet itself is native fingerprint reader support. The reader is on the back instead of the Apple-preferred front position.

Another Marshmallow feature is Doze, which promises improved battery life with lower standby power use. The 6P further helps that cause with a bigger battery – 3,450mAh, bigger than both the Nexus 6 and Note5 batteries. Wireless charging isn’t available this time available as before (thanks to Qualcomm’s new tech, which works with metal bodies).–>

Wired charging is handled by USB Type-C, the new reversible standard that also has native fast charging – 10 minutes charging for 7 hours of use.

The Nexus 6P is powered by a Snapdragon 810 chipset (the cooler-running v2.1 refresh). It should give games on the QHD screen a boost compared to the Snapdragon 805 in last year’s Nexus 6. The chipset is paired with 3GB of RAM (same as last year).

Nexus 6P official images

For storage you get a new option – 128GB if you really need a lot of stuff offline. For smaller budgets there are 32GB and 64GB options (no memory expansion, as expected).

The metal unibody comes in plain Aluminum, Graphite, Frost and Gold colors (however, the Gold one is exclusive to Japan for now).

The Nexus 6P 32GB will cost $500 and will be available in multiple countries starting today (others will have to wait a bit). For the 64GB model expect to pay $550 and for the 128GB $650. In the UK and Europe those prices are £450/£500/£580 and…

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Apple has announced that it will be releasing the final build of OS X El Capitan to compatible Macs tomorrow, September 30. The update will be free and will be available via the Mac App Store.

El Capitan is the eleventh release in the OS X series and more of a refinement of the previous Yosemite release than a major update. Changes include things like Split View for making running apps side by side easier, improved Mission Control for better window management, smarter Spotlight search, improved Mail, Notes, Maps, and Photos, pinned tabs and AirPlay support in Safari, improved performance, and a new typeface – San Francisco – first seen on the Apple Watch and…

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Google is livestreaming today’s Nexus and Android oriented event. The company will unveil two smartphones – LG the Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P – alongside Android 6.0 Marshmallow and a couple of other gadgets.

Chances are we’ll see the Chromecast 2 and Pixel C tablet.

Check out the livestream below and join us in the comment section as it…

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Google’s September 29 event has the new Nexus duo as its stars and will also see the official launch of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It’s been a busy couple of weeks for the company with rumors flying left and right about what it’s going to unveil.

In short, we’re in for:

Two smartphones: LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P
Android 6.0 Marshmallow official launch
Chromecast 2
Pixel C tablet
Play Music subscription updates including a Family plan

Let’s go for a deeper dive in what we know for each one of the above as suggested by the rumor mill.

LG Nexus 5X

LG and Google continue their partnership for a third Nexus device. The LG Nexus 5X will be slightly larger than its predecessor with a 5.2″ display versus the 4.95″ for the Nexus 5. The resolution will stay the same though, at 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Under the hood, the Nexus 5X is expected to rock a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset with a quad-core 1.44GHz Cortex-A53 and a dual-core 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57, 2GB of RAM and Adreno 418 GPU. It was first rumored that the phone will rock a microSD card slot, but that was quickly debunked and the only storage you can expect to have is either 16GB or 32GB.

At the back, there a 12MP camera with dual LED flash sitting above the fingerprint sensor. The camera will be able to shoot 4K video at 30fps, but it won’t sport OIS. The LG IR laser-assisted autofocus is also present. The front camera is 5MP.

Sadly, the Nexus 5X also lacks wireless charging, as suggested in the very recent leaks, courtesy of Android Police. Below the back cover, there’s a 2,700mAh battery. The whole phone weighs 136 grams and measures 8mm thick.

Pricing: Pre-orders of the phone will start today in the US, UK, Korea, Ireland and Japan starting $379.99.

Huawei Nexus 6P

For the first time ever, Google will launch two Nexus smartphones simultaneously. It’s also the first time the company cooperates with Huawei on a Nexus device. The Huawei Nexus 6P is the more premium offering and sports a 5.7″ QHD AMOLED panel and a metal unibody.

Inside it ticks a Snapdragon 810 (v2.1) chip with 3GB of RAM. The battery is 3,450mAh, which brings up the weight of the phone to 178 grams.

The Nexus 6P sports dual front-mounted speakers and a USB type-C reversible port for charging and tethering. Internal storage options include 32GB, 64GB and 128GB, with no microSD card slot in sight. The official measurements of the device that leaked earlier are 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3mm.

At the back, the phone uses the same 12.3MP camera as the LG Nexus 5X and again sport a fingerprint sensor. Google will offers the Nexus 6P in Aluminum, Graphite, Frost and Gold color options.

Pricing: Pre-orders of the phone will start today in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and Japan starting $499.99.

Pixel C tablet

The Pixel brand that Google launched with the Chromebook Pixel is going to now include a tablet. Dubbed Pixel C, it will allegedly flaunt a 10.2″ display with a pixel density of 308ppi. The display is suggested to be quite bright, capable of reaching 500nits.

Expect the Pixel C tablet to sport an Nvidia X1 quad-core CPU and Maxwell GPU in addition to 3GB of RAM. A USB type-C port will be utilized for charging and data transfers.

It’s important to note, that the Pixel C isn’t marketed as a member of the Nexus lineup. We’ll know the pricing and launch date once the event kicks off today.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Google will officially unveil more details about the latest release of Android dubbed Marshmallow. Android 6.0 brings Now on Tap, which is a more convenient way of searching information from anywhere on the device. Peeking is another feature that gives users control of each app notification. Hardware permissions will enable you to deny apps crawling into your personal data such as location.

Android Pay will be included by default on supported devices launching with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, too. There are also small tweaks such as improved volume control and, allegedly, better use of the battery on the software side.

It’s all but confirmed that Android 6.0 Marshmallow will roll out on October 5.

Play Music

We are also expecting Google to update the Play Music subscription options with a Family plan. The plan will cost $14.99/month and offers unlimited music streaming for up to six accounts.

The addition to…

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HTC has just announced the Butterfly 3 smartphone to succeed last year’s flagship in polycarbonate attire, the Butterfly 2. And before you asked – yes, it is essentially the same phone as the J Butterfly which has been official in Japan since May.

So the new HTC Butterfly 3 comes with a 5.2-inch QHD LCD display, Snapdragon 810 chipset, and 3GB of RAM. Internal storage is quoted at 32GB and could be expanded by up to 2TB via microSD – theoretically, that is, as we’re yet to see a card beyond 200GB.

It’s all about imaging with this one, rocking a 20.2MP primary camera on the back, with a secondary sensor to capture distance information. This results in what HTC calls a Duo setup, allowing for post-shot autofocusing and a few other creative effects. The lens is a Sapphire crystal-protected f/2.2 27.8mm-equivalent, and has a dual-tone dual-LED flash to help in the dark. Naturally, it supports 4K video recording.

On the front you’ll find a 13MP selfie shooter, again with a BSI sensor. The lens has a faster f/2.0 aperture, though it’s a smidge narrower 28.2mm equivalent. The front cam can shoot videos up to 1080p.

The smartphone measures 150.99 x 72.99 x 9.99mm, according to HTC’s specsheet, but we’d go ahead and drop those 9s for a much neater 151 x 73 x 10mm. It weighs 161g, while packing a 2,700mAh battery, but most importantly carries an IP57 rating for dust and water protection.

The HTC Butterfly 3 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with Sense 7 on top. It will be launched in Taiwan on October 20, priced at TWD 19,900, or roughly $600. Global availability and pricing is yet to be…

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After long and arduous development, the ambitious Samsung Pay service is now showing a lot of promise. Despite still being in its infancy, the phone-based payment platform is already off to a flying start on the OEM’s home Korean market, with over $30 million worth of transactions for a single month since its launch.

All seems to have went well with this beta rollout and Samsung Pay is now officially live in the US as well. The service has already undergone beta testing in the US as well and the Korean giant is now spreading the word and trying to tempt users to give the platform a try. Samsung’s latest ad highlights just how easy using Samsung Pay is, the main focus being the industry-leading combination of NFC and MTS-based technology. The video is done in a very lighthearted and wholesome tone, but it does take a few stabs at competitors.

For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, here’s the short version: When Samsung set out to create its mobile-based payment solution it wanted to go one step beyond competitors such as Apple Pay and Android Pay. Instead of relying solely on NFC and potentially requiring additional hardware from merchants, like the latter two, Samsung Pay also supports MST-based transactions, or in other words, uses a technology that imitates a card swiping through the payment terminal via magnetic waves. This new concept was a great technological challenge, but, in the end, Samsung achieved an almost magical result – paying with a phone at almost any conventional terminal.

This definitely gives the platform an edge over its competitors and so do future plans for implementation of online payments (PayPal style) into the system as well. This could make Samsung Pay incredibly popular in the US as a universal payment tool. But, before you get too excited and start tossing your credit cards in the drawer, Samsung Pay still has some important limitations. First, you need a compatible Samsung device that has the MST hardware to use Pay. Currently, these are the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge, Note5 and S6 edge+. Then, you need a compatible card, from a supported bank.

These currently include VISA, MasterCard and AMERICAN EXPRESS, issued by a supported bank. This list is sure to grow in the future with more credit and debit cards, as well as merchant cards and vouchers all with the ultimate goal of getting rid of those clunky plastic cards. To sweeten the deal even more and facilitate a quick US expansion, Samsung is also offering a free gift to early Pay adopters. If you download and activate the app on a supported carrier and with a supported card before October 11, you can choose between a free wireless charger or a flip case. More details can be found at the second source link.

Source 1 | Source 2 |…

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Coincidentally or not, HTC decided to host an event of its own mere hours before Google unveils the next pair of Nexus phones. That timing in itself sets the stage for some quick-to-be-forgotten announcements and from the looks of things HTC itself hasn’t prepared anything really groundbreaking to begin with.

The company debuted a new variant of the One M9+, dubbed the “Supreme Camera”. It is a camera update for the existing model, with nothing else really changed. The phone is now equipped with a 21MP camera with OIS and laser auto focus. The phone still retains its signature dual-lens design, but the upper bit is no longer a secondary camera, but a laser AF system instead. Together with phase detection, it is said to deliver focus speeds as fast as 0.1 seconds.

Other that the camera upgrade the specs on the new One M9+ variant are unchanged. It still has a 5.2-inch QHD display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage and runs on the octa-core MediaTek MT6795T Helio X10 SoC. The 2,840 mAh battery is also present and so are the front-facing BoomSound stereo speakers and the fingerprint scanner inside the home button.

The big accent with the new One M9+ is understandably the camera and HTC is expected to launch the device along with an upgraded camera app. Speaking of which, the device should be available in Taiwan starting October 6 with a price tag of about…

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Better start practicing your “surprised” face for this evening, but first watch this hands-on with a non-working Nexus 5X prototype. Again, this unit doesn’t power on (in fact it’s missing its internals), it’s still good enough for a quick comparison.

This unit comes in “Mint” color. The camera on the back protrudes more noticeably than the one on the old Nexus 5. The 5X has a bigger 5.2″ screen and the device itself is noticeably bigger – the front-facing speakers did not help, but don’t look for a compact device.

Google still has some potential to surprise us, but there’s little about the LG-made Nexus 5X that isn’t known yet – here are the specs and here’s the…

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The HTC One A9 was supposed to be unveiled today going head to head with the new Nexus phones. It seems that HTC has rescheduled, but the A9 still made an appearance today, albeit an unofficial one.

Several hands-on photos have surfaced of the device that looks suspiciously like an iPhone 6. The photos don’t reveal much besides a peek at the UI, which unsurprisingly is Sense UI based.

You also get the opportunity to see the rounded sides of the aluminum unibody and the microUSB 2.0 port (HTC isn’t making the jump to Type-C it seems). Worryingly, there seems to be a loudspeaker on the bottom and no stereo speakers on the front, HTC’s trademark.

Unofficial photos of the HTC One A9

The glass panel over the screen is beveled for a smooth 2.5D shape. Below is a 5″ 1080p AMOLED screen according to specs and other mid-range specs: Snapdragon 617 chipset, 13MP OIS camera and 2,150mAh battery, at least according to various leaks. The metal body will be available in a variety of colors. Price is expected to be an unrealistic €700 (fingers crossed this is wrong).

Source (in Chinese) |…

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