Indian import tracking website Zauba shows that LG Y70 has entered the country. In fact, LG has imported 22 units on February 5. The phone sports a 4.7" display and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. Upon deeper investigation, MyLGPhones.com reports that the model number of the phone is LG-H422 and that the display is likely to pack 720p resolution screen.

The LG Y70 is believed to be the successor to the LG L70 and as such is a substantial upgrade over its 4.5" WVGA display. Sadly, additional specifications of the phone aren't available at this time.

However, the model names of the phone's market variations are out, too. The phone will be available in Mexico, Brazil and Europe. There's no information if the phone will make it to the US, but Asia is a likely market for the Y70, in spite of not being leaked yet.

Source |…

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It is no secret that everybody seems to be waiting for Samsung's next big flagship device. The highly-anticipated Galaxy S6 and its alleged double-curved variant have been gathering so much interest that our news section has practically been overflowing with leaks and little bits and pieces of information.

But while the amount of leaks is staggering ( you can check out our recap) those coming from Samsung itself are rather limited. We today we've got one of those rare occurrences where the Koreans didn't successfully keep their next flagship under wraps.

The new puzzle piece in the Galaxy S6 mystery holds little additional information, but is a serious teaser none the less. It appears that while the Korean tech giant is keeping silent about tits next flagship the process of updating webpages for the release has already begun. Two rather empty such pages have surfaced on the manufacturer's official Swedish and Finnish websites that seem to bear the model numbers of the future flagship and its edged variant.

Based on earlier leaks the Galaxy S6, should bear the model SM-G920X, while the Galaxy S Edge or Galaxy S6 Edge, whichever turns out to be the final name, will most likely be formally called SM-G925X. These are supposedly the European variants of the handsets.

The two devices will be officially unveiled on March 1 at Samsung's "Unpacked" event. From what we have heard so far we expect to see them equipped with a QHD Super AMOLED display, 3GB of RAM and a 16-megapixel main camera. If Samsung did in fact shy away from using the Snapdragon 810 SoC, like news indicates the Galaxy S and its edged variant will most likely boast the in-house Exynos 7420.

Source 1 | Source 2 |…

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The wait is finally over for the Ubuntu OS to become commercially available on a smartphone. As planned, the BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubunto Edition is being launched today in Europe.

The Aquaris E4.5 is not an entirely new device, it's been available for some time booting Android KitKat. The specsheet of the smartphone is nothing to write home about, but it's still a balanced package.

The name reveals the screen size of 4.5 inches, and the qHD resolution of the IPS panel results in a pixel density of 244ppi. Running the show is a Mediatek chipset with its Cortex-A7 CPU clocked at 1.3GHz. A single gig of RAM is onboard as well as 8GB of internal storage, of which 5.5GB are available to the user. A microSD slot offers expansion up to 32GB.

The dual-SIM phone is limited in connectivity options, only packing radios for 850/900/1800/1900MHz GSM bands and 900/2100MHz 3G. Battery capacity is 2150mAh, stuffed in a 137 x 67 x 9 mm body weighing 123g.

Hardware is not the main topic here, though, the new OS is. The Ubuntu for smartphone has long been in the works, and after years of development British company Canonical has managed to bring it to market. The new mobile OS is unique in concept, ditching the common app grid in favor of content-grouped tabs. Dubbed Scopes, the innovative interface learns from previous experience and aggregates user-specific content in easy to navigate panes.

The BQ Aquaris E4.5 will be available online starting today for a price of €170. Stay tuned to the @bqreaders and @ubunto twitter accounts to find out how and where you can grab…

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The OnePlus One caused quite a stir in the mobile world when it was first introduced as a budget-conscious high-end hardware device. But what really helped it stand out among the crowd was perhaps the choice of CyanogenMod as a native OS.

While the handset does have a lot of shortcomings is still remains a tinkerer's dream with its alternative open approach and capable internals. Today the small, but dedicated Chinese team behind the device announced yet another official OTA for the OnePlus One. The release is still based ok CM 11S, so we are still looking at an Android KitKat-based ROM, but the latest 05Q release still brings a lot of features and fixes.

Among the most notable changes in the new version we find that the SwiftKey and MaxxAudio applications are now bundled with the OS. The OnePlus team also boasts improvements to BlueDroid, an updated configuration for NFC, updated media codecs (as well as enabled WMA DSP and AAC codecs), and a few security fixes. There are also some notable changes to the camera and modifications to various settings menus, throwing away unused options and bringing in new ones.

It is clear that the team is very active in developing the software and that is most of what the OnePlus One is all about. Third party developers area also showing a lot of love for the device. There is an overwhelming amount of unofficial ROMs available for the smartphone, ranging all the way from the Latest Lollipop CyanogenMod 12 to AOSP builds and pretty much all other popular custom Android flavors. In other words there is a lot of room for experimenting if you are not afraid to deviate from the beaten path and experiment with software beyond the official builds.

Here is a comprehensive changelog of the new 05Q build:

Recovery:

• Fixed dab with Linux 3.10

• Improved ADB Sideload

• Improved wipe confirmation screen layout

• Improved progress bar

General:

• Fixed wrong emergency call property

• Improved audio policy flexibility

• Increased void volume

• Improved light controls

• Updated WCNSS configuration

• Upgraded ADCB Files

• Powered HAL improvements

• Upgraded SQLite to version 3.8.6

• Reduced volume increment/decrement step per click

• Added support for Query SIM SMS capacity

• Upgraded TP firmware to 14001220

• Fixed headset insert/remove crash

• Fixed ability to hang up a call from a wired audio headset

Set Up:

• SetupWizard: Allow turning on mobile data if off by default

FileManager:

• Fixed force close when sharing multiple files over Bluetooth

FOTA:

• Displays download size as a decimal prefix

• Enabled scrolling on the system update screen

• Added Download clicked notification

• Shows download size on UI

• Updated Icons

• Added progress bar

CameraNext:

• Added letterbox view for to show actual capture in preview

• Added toast information to aid in first time use of Continuous shot

GalleryNext:

• Additional supported video types

Dialer:

• Blacklist, strip extension from number

• Fixed screen rotation behavior during call

Clock:

• Call events can be handled on alarm

• Fixed city and time zone entries

At this rate it seems more than likely that we will be seeing an official Lollipop CM ROM for the OnePlus One in the not so distant…

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BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 update is coming on February 19 for all of the company's current smartphone line-up that's not featuring the latest OS version. Currently, the BlackBerry Classic is the only one to run BlackBerry OS 10.3.1.

The information is unconfirmed by BlackBerry and originates from N4BB.com, who claim to have it from a source within the company. Regardless, the update will be available for the BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9983, BlackBerry Z30, BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10.

The latest BlackBerry OS version will come with an updated virtual assistant that will bring BlackBerry closer to the likes of Siri and Google Now. Additionally, version 10.3.1 will come with notification profiles, enhanced calendar reminder dialogs, task recurrence, mark pictures and videos as hidden. Other novelties include a battery saving mode and the option to restrict apps to run while minimized.

Source |…

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If you're living in India and are interested in purchasing a OnePlus One smartphone but do not have an invite, here is some good news: the device will be available for purchase without an invitation on Amazon India tomorrow, the same day the Mi 4 is scheduled to go on sale in the country.

The OnePlus’ invite-free sale will begin at 10am, and will last for 24 hours. The device, which was launched in the country last December, will be available at the usual price of INR 21,999 ($353).

Specifications-wise, the OnePlus One features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with 2.5GHz Krait 400 CPU and a 5.5-inch 1080P display. It comes with 3GB RAM, 16/64GB of internal memory, and a 3100mAh battery.

The device has 13MP main camera with dual-LED flash and 5MP front camera, and runs CyanogenMod OS 11, although it will next receive an update to the company's own Android Lollipop-based fork, dubbed Oxygen, which will be launched on February 12th.

Source |…

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Last week, a report from market research firm Canalys said that Micromax has overtaken Samsung as the leading smartphone manufacturer in India. However, the South Korean company was quick to refute the report, claiming that it’s still the top player in the market, based on numbers released by GfK India.

Now, a latest report from market research company CyberMedia Research (CMR) also suggests that Samsung hasn't been dethroned yet, although it points out that the tech giant is “losing its earlier firm grip."

As per the report, total handset shipments in India last year stood at around 257 million units, with Samsung claiming 16.5% share, down from 20.3% at the beginning of the year, while Micromax and Microsoft (Nokia) claiming 13.3% each.

"However, Samsung was seen to be losing its earlier firm grip on market, as its share of the market showed a downward trend during the year, as compared to Micromax that gained primarily in April-June 2014, but then continued to remain flat during the rest of the year," the research firm said in a statement.

The report noted that Samsung has been losing grip in the smartphone segment too, with market share falling to 29.3% at the end of 2014, compared to 43.2% at the beginning of the year. On the other hand, Micromax registered some gain, with market share rising from 17.5% in January-March 2014 to 18.9% in the last quarter of the…

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Alibaba Group announced that it will invest $590 million in the smartphone manufacturer Meizu. The Chinese online behemoth will become a minority owner of Meizu Technology Limited.

Meizu and Alibaba ” will collaborate at both strategic and business levels to achieve a deeper integration of Meizu’s hardware and Alibaba Group’s mobile operating system.” Alibaba has its own YunOS smartphone platform, based on Android. A version of Meizu MX 4 with the OS has been available for some time now.

With market value of $213 billion, Alibaba will surely be a welcome partner for Meizu. The latter will help the retail giant promote its mobile OS and will benefit from its vast network of online stores and users.

Alibaba didn’t disclose how much equity it acquired in Meizu for its investment.

Source | Via…

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More images of Samsung Galaxy S6 in a protective case made the rounds online. The latest batch of renders showcase the upcoming flagship smartphone wearing a rugged cover.

In line with past leaks, the images once again showcase the new spot of the heart-rate sensor and the camera flash on the device. The newcomer will have the setup on the right side of its camera as opposed to below it in the Galaxy S5.

Samsung Galaxy S6 will debut on March 1 in Barcelona alongside an Edge variant. You can find a round-up of all the rumors about the smartphone over here.

Source (in…

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Announced a year ago, the original Sony Xperia E1 is an entry level smartphone with a 4-inch screen.

Today, thanks to a tip by one of our readers, we spotted that the website of the Spanish retail chain PhoneHouse shows the specs of the next iteration of the smartphone. Interestingly, it won't be called Xperia E2 or similar, but Xperia E1 II instead.

By the looks of it, the image listed on PhoneHouse.es is not the new Xperia E1 II, but rather the original model. Their specs page however describes a completely different device.

Regardless of what the slightly changed name may suggest, the phone's internals have been upgraded a lot.

The new Sony Xperia E1 II still has a 4-inch screen, but this time it's got a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels instead of 480 x 800px.

Then, the dual-core 1.2GHz processor has been upgraded to a quad-core 1.3GHz one (or 1.4GHz one depending on which part of the page you read).

The camera has also been upgraded to 5MP compared to 3MP of the original model. The front camera is 2MP.

There is 1GB RAM and 8GB on-board storage – both representing double jumps over the previous specs. The Xperia E1 II runs Android 4.4.

Unlike the internals, the physical dimensions of the Xperia E1 II as listed on the website are suspiciously identical to the one of the Xperia E1, so we would have to wait and see is they really won't be changed at all.

By the looks of it, the Xperia E1 II is bound to be announced at the MWC 2014, which will take place in the beginning of next…

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