Sony to reveal something ‘slimmer, lighter, brighter’ at MWC

Sony has announced that it will reveal something "slimmer, lighter, brighter" at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC), scheduled to kick off in Barcelona next week.

The company posted a teaser image (see above) on Twitter showing a person holding a white device, which looks similar to the Xperia Z4 tablet that leaked just days ago.

The Z4 leak revealed Xperia Z3-like design with rounded metal edges, and it is said to carry a 2K display.
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BlackBerry Classic Non Camera is up for pre-order at Verizon

Today the BlackBerry Classic is scheduled to become available for purchase online at Verizon. But what if you like the Classic yet your employer doesn't let you go to work with any devices containing cameras?

The solution is the BlackBerry Classic Non Camera. This is essentially the same smartphone we already know, but it's had both of its cameras removed. So it's a perfect fit for those working in secure environments.

The handset is now up for pre-order at Verizon, with shipping set to start on March 31. Its price is set at $99.99 with a new two-year contract, or $399.99 without a long-term commitment.

If you'd rather use Verizon's Edge installment plan, you can do that too, in which case you put down nothing upfront, then followed by 24 monthly payments of $16.66.

Like the its camera-touting sibling, the BlackBerry Classic Non Camera comes with a 3.5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD), and a 2,500 mAh battery. It runs BlackBerry OS 10.3.1.

Source | Via 1 (in Russian) • Via…

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VAIO might enter the smartphone market with a new phone

As some of you might remember the VAIO brand was once part of Sony's vast enterprise, back when the company was enjoying its golden years. Ever since 2014 it has been in the hands of Japanese Industrial Partners (JIP), a move which at the time Sony justified with an intention to leave the PC market and focus on mobile phones and TVs.

In a surprise move, new rumors now state that the brand will make a debut on the mobile scene with a smartphone. The release date is allegedly set for March 12 when a VAIO branded phone will be unveiled. As it turns out Sony did not entirely part with the brand and currently holds about 5% of its shares. This may not sound like much, but is enough grounds to fuel a partnership between the companies, which, as some speculate, has already resulted in the upcoming device.

The above story might just turn out to be more than a fairytale as the mysterious new device has already popped up in a benchmark, offering some much-needed proof as well as a glimpse at its hardware. Seeing how the device is part Sony, part Vaya, it will probably bear a lot of resemblance to the Xperia line.

According to the rumor, the VAIO phone will be powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 chipset, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. It will sport a 5-inch 720p display and a fairly decent camera setup, consisting of a 13MP main and 5MP front-facing shooter. The handset should also come with Android 5.0 out of the box.

While the above surely sounds like a dream come true for a lot of Sony fans, it should be definitely taken with a grain of salt as the rumor mill can often be cunningly misleading. In any case, we intend to patiently wait it out and we will keep you updated if any new information surfaces.

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Apple announces March 9 event, probably for the Watch

Apple's first wearable is on track to be released in April. Ahead of that, however, the company looks set to hold a special press event just for the Apple Watch.

This will happen on March 9, as has just been revealed by Apple itself through an invite sent to the press. This doesn't detail what the event will be about, but the consensus is that it will serve as yet another introduction for the Apple Watch.

This time around, though, we're sure to find out everything there is to know about the smartwatch. Last fall when Apple first talked about it, it didn't offer any information about many features and specs. In the meantime we've heard tidbits here and there, but this upcoming March event should clear everything up.

So we're bound to find out all about the watch's one-day battery life, the fact that it's splashproof, and maybe even that 100,000 apps will be available for it from the day it goes on…

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Meizu teases the MX4 Ubuntu edition for the MWC

The second Ubuntu phone is on its way and it's a version of the Meziu MX4. There's not a lot of info right now but the company has released a teaser image showing three MX4 phones showing a glimpse of the mobile Linux OS.

The phone will be unveiled at the MWC and the tagline is a rather optimistic "More than better." We'll have to wait until the event to find out a launch date and price, though if we had to guess it will launch soon at a similar price to the regular MX4.

Unlike the BQ Aquaris E4.5, the Meizu MX4 is a much more premium affair – it has a 5.36" IPS screen with 1,152 x 1,920px, an octa-core processor (Cortex-A17 + A7 big.LITTLE) and 20.7MP camera with 2160p video.

Normally, it runs Flyme 4.0 based on Android 4.4 KitKat, but there's also a Yun OS version. That's Android again, but customized by Alibaba.

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More photos of the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge leaked

Just when we couldn't have enough of the leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy S6, more surface online. Samsung is set to launch the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge on Sunday, March 1.

Two new leaked images show a better view of the both Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge to affirm the possibility that there might be no microSD card slot or a removable battery. Also, the image does show the slopes on both sides of the display on the Galaxy S6 Edge.

Samsung has introduced a new design language with the new models. However, the new design does look like a mashup of Meizu MX4 and Xiaomi Mi Note along with the Apple iPhone 6 like metal frames.

There's an IR Blaster and microphone on the top while the audio port is at the bottom next to a microUSB port and speaker pinholes. More details can be expected at the formal launch coming this Sunday. We will be covering the launch of Samsung Galaxy S6 launch live. Be sure to tune in to find out everything about the smartphone.

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Acer teases new phones and a wearable for the MWC 2015

We are now mere hours away from MWC 2015 and the hype is at an all-time high. Naturally, all eyes are on the major players and their much anticipated flagship devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the HTC One (M9), but the Barcelona venue also has a lot more mobile tech in store.

Acer will not be skipping on announcements, but specifics are a mystery as to what the company might bring to the show. A new banner released on Acer Malaysia's Facebook page confirms that we will be seeing new phones and a wearable device at MWC. The teaser itself is very cryptic and holds little information, but it does carry across a lot of style.

From the looks of things, Acer is going to accent on fashionable patterns and materials in its upcoming products. Three of the pictures in the banner show parts of devices, but it is rather hard to gather any information from the close-ups. Acer has set its official MWC event for March 1, alongside most major players, so we will just have to wait and see what they have in store.

Thanks for the tip,…

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Possible Nubia Z9 shows up in a video, promises premium build

The ZTE Nubia Z7, the top end offering in the company's Nubia line-up, may soon be treated to a successor, if we are to believe a video, posted on Chinese social media. It only gets a cameo in a fashion presentation, but that's about enough to reveal a few details on what will likely be the Nubia Z9.

For starters, the new model will sport a shiny glass back with a central Nubia badge, very much reminiscent of the Z members of the Sony Xperia family. The boxy rectangular shape with a surrounding metal frame is not far from Sony's design language either. To be fair, though, the marginally rounded corners are a feature of the current Nubia Z7 as well.

The previous model packed a 5.5-inch QHD display, and in the gentle model's hands it appears that the screen size will remain the same. She is, however, tapping on a black screen, so it could just be a mockup.

Unfortunately, we're still in the dark when it comes to hardware. The alleged Nubia Z9 might make it to the MWC, merely a few days from now, so the wait won't be long.

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Lollipop update rolling out to AT&T Moto X (2nd Gen)

If you are an AT&T Moto X (2nd Gen) user, here is some good news: Motorola has announced that Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update is now rolling out for the device.

"Android 5.0.2 Lollipop is one of the most significant in recent Android history. It improves your experience in many areas including visual style and how you interact with your device," Motorola said.

The update brings several new features and improvements, including Material Design, a new flashlight option in Quick Settings, redesigned Overview space (formerly called Recents), and Smart Lock. If you have not yet received a notification message for the update, you can manually update your phone by heading to Settings -> About phone -> System updates.
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Gionee Elife E7 to get KitKat update in March

The long awaited KitKat update for the Gionee Elife E7 will be arriving shortly. The update is set to start rolling out in March and brings with it several key improvements.

Other than the KitKat features, the E7 will also get the updated Amigo UI from the S5.1. There will be an improvement in battery life as well as the camera performance of the device.

If you have the device, make sure to keep an eye out for the update next…

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