Microsoft has just pulled the wraps off the Lumia 650. The handset frequented our rumor mill over the past few months, and is now finally official.

The specsheet starts with a 5-inch 720p display, but unlike the lesser Lumia 550, the 650 packs an AMOLED panel. Microsoft is so proud of it that it calls it “our most beautiful screen ever” … “at this price point”.

The Snapdragon 212 is in charge of powering Windows 10 (but no Continuum), and its quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU clocked at 1.3GHZ – the sole difference to the S210 in the Lumia 550. It’s coupled with a single gig of RAM too, but storage has gotten a bump to 16GB, expandable via microSD. Imaging department is represented by an 8MP primary camera (type 1/4 inch sensor, 28mm equiv. focal length, f/2.2 aperture), while on the front you’re getting a 5MP sensor behind f/2.2 lens.

You get a full set of connectivity options, with multi-band 2G/3G/4G, and LTE is Cat 4 (150Mbps down, 50Mbps up). There’s Bluetooth v4.1, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, and GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, and Beidou. A dual-SIM version of the smartphone is also present. An FM radio receiver is on board too, for those who asked.

Microsoft Lumia 650 press images

The Lumia 650 boasts a solid aluminum frame, with exchangeable back covers and upon launch it will be available in black and white color schemes. The smartphone weighs 122g and measures a pretty sleek 142 x 70.9 x 6.9mm. Inside there’s a 2,000mAh battery, user-replaceable too.

The Microsoft Lumia 650 will be available in select European markets starting February 18, priced around $199 before taxes or subsidies. Yes, we too are wondering why Microsoft has announced a European launch with a price in dollars.

Source 1 Source 2 |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/2143HTO
via IFTTT

Apple pocketed more than 90% of the mobile market’s profits in 2015, according to data posted by Michael Walkley, who works as an analyst with market research firm Canaccord Genuity. The iPhone maker’s share of the smartphone market stood at 17.2% last year.

Samsung, on the other hand, captured around 24% of the market, but its profit share stood at only 14%. If you notice, the combined profit pocketed by both Apple and Samsung comes in at 105%. However, the figure comes back to 100% given that many of the other players in the market were in loss.

Quarter-wise, the Cupertino-based company has been taking home over 90% of the market’s profits for the past five consecutive…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1QClMBa
via IFTTT

A couple of new Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge renders have leaked, showing off the devices in various color options. The render for the S7 edge reveals that the handset will be available in grey, black, and gold colors.

The information comes from the usually reliable leakster @evleaks. He also shared a Galaxy S7 render (shown below), which reveals only a couple of color options for the device: black and gold.

Scheduled to be unveiled on February 21, both flagships have already been the subject of endless rumors and leaks until now, with a latest one suggesting that the Galaxy S7 will carry a price tag of €700, while the S7 edge will set you back €800.

Via 1…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1TiaVB4
via IFTTT

Chinese smartphone manufacture Meizu will likely unveil a new Ubuntu-powered phone at the Mobile World Congress next week. The company recently released a teaser that suggests the same, although it doesn’t reveal anything else about the device.

If you recall, this is not the first time Meizu will be presenting an Ubuntu smartphone at MWC – back in 2014, the company showed off the Ubuntu MX3, and last year’s MWC saw the company unveiling the Meizu MX4 Ubuntu.

There’s currently no official word on which Ubuntu-powered Meizu device we’ll see at this year’s MWC event, although reports say that the company could unveil the rumored Pro 5 Ubuntu Edition. The teaser shown above reveals that the handset will be on display beginning February 22, the day MWC 2016 kicks…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1PWguE7
via IFTTT

If you are in the US, and are planning to purchase a Microsoft Surface 3, here is some good news: the company is currently running a deal on the tablet that lets you save up to $150, depending on the model you choose to buy.

The $150 discount is on both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + LTE models with 4GB/128GB memory configuration, bringing their prices down to $449 and $549, respectively. The 2GB/64GB models, on the other hand, are currently available for $399 and $499, respectively, which is down $100 from their regular prices.

Those interested in availing the $150 discount need to act fast given that the promo ends today – February 15. The $100 discount is, however, available till February…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1PLP1l1
via IFTTT

LG has announced that it will unveil a new ‘X’ series of smartphones at the Mobile World Congress next week. Two models from the series – X cam and X screen – will make their debut at the event. The company says the devices “are designed for customers who do not want or need all the bells and whistles that come with today’s high-end phones but still desire a great camera or advanced display.”

The X cam is powered by a 1.14GHz octa-core processor and sports a 5.2-inch FHD display. It comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory, and packs in a 2,520mAh battery. In terms of camera, the device features two (13MP and 5MP) rear units and an 8MP front shooter. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box, and weighs in at only 118g.

On the other hand, the X screen is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and sports a 4.93-inch HD main display as well as a 1.76-inch LCD (520 x 80) secondary display, similar to the one the V10 sports. Memory configuration is 2GB/16GB, while the camera department is handled by a 13MP/8MP duo. The device packs in a 2,300mAh battery, and runs Android Marshmallow.

“Everyone has a favorite smartphone feature,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “At LG, we think there’s room for devices that do one thing very well and that customers shouldn’t have to pay for features that they don’t want. At the end of the day, we’re committed to offering consumers more choices.”

The handsets will be unveiled on February 22, a day after the G5 event, and will first go on sale in Asia, Europe and Latin America next…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1U2oJQO
via IFTTT

These are some of the best apps and games that came out this week.

1Password

1Password for Android received a major update with version 6. The app now has a complete redesign with full support for Google’s Material Design. It also supports fingerprint sensor on devices running Marshmallow, which means you can now lock the app with your fingerprint. It also now includes teams feature, so you can share your passwords with a group of people.

iOS • Android

Launchify

Launchify is an app shortcut app that places a tray of apps on your lockscreen so you can quickly launch the apps from the lockscreen itself. It can also place them in the notification menu, so you are a swipe and a tap away from your favorite apps. It can also learn from your usage and change the shortcuts to your most used apps.

Android

Infltr

Infltr’s claim to fame is infinite filters. Instead of having present filters for your images, the app lets you move your thumb around on the image and it smoothly adjusts the colors to give practically infinite options for you to choose from. Apart from having countless filters, the app is also easier to use than thumbing through multiple presets. Only drawback could be no way to jump to one particular favorite color filter as in most apps.

iOS

Alto’s Adventure

Popular iOS game Alto’s Adventure is now on Android. The game is a side scrolling endless runner of sorts, where you are skiing down a slope, collecting llamas, avoiding rocks, and jumping off cliffs doing sick backflips. The game is beautiful to look, simple enough to play, and quite addictive. Also, completely free on Android.

iOS • Android

GTA: Liberty City Stories

Yet another GTA game has made its way to the mobile platform. Well, to Android actually, as the game has been on iOS for some time now. The mobile version features shortened missions but other than that it’s the same game that came out on the PSP back in 2005. If you’re a fan of GTA and want to relive some of the old school action then give this one a try.

iOS • Android

Bombing Bastards

Previously released for the consoles and the PC, Bombing Bastards is an arcade game that should be familiar to anyone who played Bomberman growing up. The game is identical to the console version and has now been optimized for the touchscreen. It has 30 levels across 5 worlds with plenty of enemies to blow up including 5 boss battle levels.

iOS •…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1RDgg66
via IFTTT

MWC 2016 is now merely days away and excitement is in the air. However, with the constant influx of rumors, leaks and speculations, it is somewhat hard to keep track of everything. To address this situation, here is our take on a concise rundown of what each manufacturer allegedly has in store.

Samsung

We kick things off with the big guns. The Korean giant is due for an upgrade to its flagship line and it will come in the form of the Galaxy S7 family. As of writing this article, we have solid evidence that at least a basic Galaxy S7 and a curved Galaxy S7 edge will be announced.

The former is said to come with a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display, while the latter will probably be slightly bigger at 5.5 inches. We have also heard rumors of a bigger still 6-inch model that will be offered in both a flat and edge variant as well – a sort of successor the the Galaxy S6 edge+, but it might come at a later point in time.

The rest of the Galaxy S7 specs include Samsung’s own Exynos 8890 chipset or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, depending on which version you go for and performance differences are expected. RAM is set at 4GB with 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage. As for the camera, the main shooter will probably use the new Samsung BRITECELL sensor with a resolution of 12MP and a large 1/2″ size.

The camera module is also expected to protrude just 0.8 mm from the back of the phone. To wrap things up, industry sources have suggested waterproofing on the Galaxy S7, bigger 3,000 mAh and 3,600 mAh batteries for the S7 and S7 edge, respectively, as well as an Always On display.

Finishing up with Samsung, there is the distinct possibility that a new Galaxy Tab S3 line will be unveiled at MWC. It should consist of a smaller 8-inch and a 9.7-inch members. As for specs, both should run on a new Snapdragon 652 SoC, with four Cortex-A72 and four Cortex-A53 cores, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The resolution will be 2,048 x 1,536 pixels and 150 Mbps LTE will be an option.

LG

LG is also expected to update its flagship offer at MWC 2016, which, introducing the G5. Unlike with previous generations, this time around, the OEM is likely to mix things up quite a bit with a brand new design. If rumors are to be believed, this entails removing the power button and volume rockers from the back of the phone in order to shave some girth and placing them on the sides. Another interesting concept that has been tossed around is a removable bottom segment on the phone that reveals a sliding out user-removable battery.

As for specs, a leaked Geekbench test hints at a Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage with a microSD card slot. The phone is said to be equipped with a 5.6-inch QHD display with an Always On feature. A small secondary display, like the one on the LG V10 is also a possibility. As for the camera, we are currently expecting a dual sensor setup on the back (16MP + 8MP) along with two LED’s.

Xiaomi

The Chinese OEM doesn’t have a history of announcing devices at MWC, so we don’t expect anything different this time around either. However, the Xiaomi Mi 5 is expected to debut on February 24 and rumors suggest that the device will still be present at the venue, despite the lack of a formal event. This hopefully means that we will get a chance for a first hands-on experience as there is actually quite a bit to be excited about.

The Xiaomi Mi5 is still shrouded in a lot of mystery, mainly concerning all its alleged variants. Some sources claim that a 1080p version with 2.5D glass will exist alongside a flat QHD variant, also with some differences in memory – 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB. As for display size, most agree on 5.2 inches.

Under the hood, we expect a Snapdragon 820 SoC and a 3,600 mAh battery pack. The main camera is said to be a 16MP one and a 13MP shooter on the front. Another extra is the fingerprint reader in the home button on the front.

Sony

Last year, Sony decided to skip on a formal event at MWC, but this year, the Japanese giant has scheduled something for February 22. Sadly, not much is known about what devices might be present there. An Xperia Z5 Tablet seems possible and we will likely see the Xperia C6 Ultra. A flagship smartphone is still a few months away, it seems.

HTC

As of writing this article, HTC is yet to…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1SOJQXQ
via IFTTT

Well, it’s that time of the year again and MWC 2016 is almost upon us. In the wake the mobile world’s biggest and most important event, we decided it would be fun to take a look back in time to MWC 2006 (called 3GSM world congress back then). Partially to reminisce about the history of mobile tech, but also to try and get a better perspective on just how far we have come in 10 years.

It might not be regarded as that long in historical terms but a decade, especially the last one, seems like a millennium in tech innovation. Despite the rapid pace of change, the MWC conference was already around for a few years in 2006 and it was just as important as it is today, perhaps even more so.

Originally called the GSM World Congress, back then it was referred to as 3GSM World Congress, which became the Mobile World Congress, now simply called MWC. 2006 was the first year the show took place in Barcelona, which has been its home since. Prior to that, Cannes was the preferred location, so the 2006 show was definitely marked by some transition turbulence.

Still, the spirit of innovation was just as strong and announcements were plentiful. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the highlights of the show in no particular order.

Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson was a big player back in 2006 with many dedicated fans and some of the hottest tech around. The K610 was definitely a star attraction. At the time it was actually one of the smallest 3G phones on the market and getting the significantly faster network connection was a top upgrade priority for both manufacturers and users at the time. In a lot of ways, the K610 took inspiration from the 2004 Sony Ericsson K700 – one of the company’s signature devices.

Sony Ericsson K610

Upgrades were introduced all around, besides the aforementioned 3G, the display got bigger at 1.9″, had a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and was a lot more colorful with 256K color support. The camera was significantly better – a 2MP shooter, rather than a VGA one and there was even a secondary VGA camera for video calls, which were becoming trendy at that point. Another important aspect is storage, the K610 supports Sony’s proprietary M2 micro cards for up to 2GB extra – a whopping amount at that point.

Sony Ericsson W950

Sony Ericsson W810

The 2006 show saw the introduction of a couple of Walkman phones too – the W810 and the W950, the latter being a true flagship offer. It had everything going for it – a huge 2.6″ 256K display with a resolution of 240×320 pixels, 3G, a powerful 208 MHz processor, 4GB of storage and last, but not least, it was a true smartphone, thanks to Symbian OS 9.1.

Sony Ericsson P990

But speaking of a huge display and productivity, few could match Sony Ericsson’s “P” series. You might remember these models by their chubby and really extravagant appearance with a touch screen and a hinged overlay keyboard. The design was bold and innovative and in a lot of ways really emphasized how much more diversified phones were back in the day, as opposed to today’s “slate” design.

But there were other far more extravagant offers out there, which we will get to later. The P990, which was the last and very best to use this form factor, was all about productivity with a 2.7″ resistive touchscreen, 64MB of RAM and a 208MHz processor, among other things.

Samsung

Speaking of alternative design, Samsung, like many other OEMs was constantly experimenting with radical new concepts to slip in between the large number of bar and flip phones. Few are more radical than the Samsung Serene, featured at the 2006 MWC show.

It was a collaboration between Samsung Electronics and Bang & Olufsen and technically came out in 2005, although very few people have actually seen it in person. It is an eccentric piece of tech, with a ludicrous price tag of about €1000 at launch, but the very fact that it exists, proves our point about the freedom for design experimentation.

Samsung Serene

While we are on to topic of alternative concepts, there are the Samsung P900 and P910. Their standout feature was built-in T-DMB or DVB-H tuner for TV watching on the go and a rotating screen to go with it for a better viewing experience.

Samsung P900

Samsung…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1SpQOSH
via IFTTT

The Mobile World Congress officially starts on February 22, but announcements will start even earlier than that. Which phone are you most excited about?

The Samsung and LG have events set for the day before, the 21st, and obviously, we expect the Samsung Galaxy S7 (along with edge and edge+ variants) and the LG G5.

The LG G5 will scale back the screen size a touch, it will add Always On functionality and bring the next generation camera upgrade. The Samsung Galaxy S7 is expected to bring back things the S6 lost – things like S5’s water resistance and the microSD slot.

Sony’s event is scheduled for the next day, the 22nd. But this is too soon for the Xperia Z6, so what then? Well, the Xperia C6 is the rumor mill’s best guess.

Unlike Sony, Xiaomi’s February 24 event is pretty clear – the Xiaomi Mi 5 will be the star. Hugo Barra even posted camera samples from the phone this week. Interestingly, the phone may have a Windows variant so we’ll be on the lookout for Microsoft employees.

You’ll have a week to vote, by that time we’ll have arrived in Barcelona. We will attend these events and report first-hand impressions if these devices have lived up to…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1ofNCNh
via IFTTT