The Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio, which were announced by Google back in September last year and are currently available only in select countries, will soon be available in Australia.

According to a report by Ausdroid, both devices are now listed in the Australian appliance and media retailer JB Hifi’s inventory system, and are expected to launch in a couple of weeks from now. As for the price, the devices will carry a tag of $59 each.

“The SKU’s are in the system, with JB using 937278for the Chromecast 2 and 937282 for Chromecast Audio – both of which unfortunately do not show up in a search on their site,” the report said.

Both Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio are also being offered by Kogan Australia, the report notes, adding that the retailer has currently listed the devices as Coming Soon, with 1-2 weeks shipping time-frame for the black version of Chromecast. While the price tag for both devices remains the same ($59), Kogan will also charge you a delivery…

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We already know that the Microsoft Lumia 650 will come in both single- as well as dual-SIM variants, carrying model number RM-1152 and RM-1154, respectively. We also know that the former has passed through the FCC. And now. it has come to light that the latter has also cleared the regulatory hurdle, and has been approved for sale.

The mid-range device – which has already been the subject of several leaks and rumors until now – is expected to be made official sometime next week. As for the price, it is expected to carry a tag of €220 in Europe, and around $200 in the US.

For those who aren’t already aware, rumors – along with alleged live images – of an XL variant of the Lumia 650 sporting a 5.4-inch 720p display also surfaced this past weekend. If true, the variant should also get unveiled along with the standard single and dual-SIM models.

Source |…

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

Day One 2

The original Day One was a journaling app for iOS. The new one still does that, but with a few new features, such multiple photos per entry, multiple journals with unique names and colors, custom reminders, entry management, timeline filters, timezone support, 3D touch support, map view, Day One Sync 2.0, and more.

iOS

Remember The Milk

Remember The Milk is a to-do app that just got a massive update. New features include subtasks that breaks down your tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks, drag and drop reordering, colored tags, organized sidebar navigation, custom sorting and grouping, list sharing, ability to give tasks to your contacts to complete, and a lot more, including a brand new interface. The app is available on iOS, Android, Mac, and the web.

iOS • Android

Airmail

Airmail is a popular email client for OS X, and it is now on the iPhone. Airmail on the iPhone is a powerful and highly customizable email app, with everything you’d want in an email client, and more, including support for 3D Touch on the new iPhones and iCloud sync with the desktop client. Recommended for those who are looking for an alternative for the default Mail app.

iOS

CastBox

CastBox is a free podcast app for Android. You can listen to hundreds of free podcasts and radio stations and subscribe to them so new episodes are downloaded as they are available.

Android

Splash Cars

Splash Cars is a top down driving game where you race around literally painting the town red, or any other color. While you do that, you also have to avoid the cops, and get other people to join in your crusade to color your surroundings. It’s more fun than it sounds.

iOS • Android

Adventures of Mana

Adventures of Mana is a remaster of the Game Boy classic Final Fantasy Adventure. It’s a classic action RPG and should be right up the alley for Final Fantasy fans. It’s also worth a shot if you haven’t played FF or RPG games before but want to give the genre a try.

iOS •…

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Samsung’s alphabet goes like this: E, J, A, S. That is if you want to arrange its series from “budget” to “premium,” but this doesn’t tell the whole story – the new A-series is closer to the S-series than it is to the Js.

So far we’ve examined the middle of the pack – the 5.2″ Galaxy A5 (2016) and the 5.5″ Galaxy A7 (2016). There are also the 4.7″ A3 and 6″ A9 (plus a rumored 5.7″ A8) too, but it’s the A5 and A7 in the spotlight today.

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) is a knock-out – a phone with a premium design and a premium build. We even think it’s slightly better than the Galaxy S6 flagship, but there’s a catch.

The price. It costs almost as much as the S6 right now and that’s not easy to justify. Both have fingerprint readers and Samsung Pay and we don’t miss the QHD resolution too much (the A5 has a 1080p screen). The camera just isn’t as good, though – not for photos, not for video.

We like having a microSD slot again (even if we have to give it up to use the second SIM slot). What do you think?

The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) is built on the same platform, the key difference is screen size – 5.5″ (with 1080p resolution). In terms of pricing, it’s positioned much better, a good deal cheaper than the Galaxy S6 edge+, for example.

Like the A5 (2016), the 13MP camera on the A7 has a bright f/1.9 aperture and optical image stabilization.

The Galaxy A7 (2016) has its own problems, though. It’s not a big upgrade over the original A7, which also has a metal frame, a 5.5″ 1080p Super AMOLED and a Snapdragon 615 chipset.

Are the fingerprint reader and camera improvements enough?

You have a week – and two reviews – to make up your mind before you cast your…

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The Lenovo Vibe K4 Note’s reign in our Top 10 trending chart has come to an end after a three-week stretch in the number 1 spot. The Samsung Galaxy J7 and J5 pair returns to the top with the larger model reclaiming the gold.

And that’s pretty much everything notable that’s happened this week. There are no new entries to speak of and only the occasional shuffling in the lower parts of the chart.

We find the Galaxy S6 in 4th, same as last week, and the J2 has remained stationary too, in 5th. The Grand Prime hasn’t moved an inch either, and stays in 6th. The iPhone 5s and 6s have kept their spots, 8th and 10th, respectively.

It’s the Galaxy Note5 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 that have swapped places. Samsung’s phablet has climbed two spots up to 7th, while the Redmi Note 3 is between the two iPhones in 9th.

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Samsung Galaxy J7
RANK: 1WAS: 2

specs review

Samsung Galaxy J5
RANK: 2WAS: 3

specs review

Lenovo Vibe K4 Note
RANK: 3WAS: 1

specs gallery

Samsung Galaxy S6
RANK: 4WAS: 4

specs review

Samsung Galaxy J2
RANK: 5WAS: 5

specs review

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
RANK: 6WAS: 6

specs review

Samsung Galaxy Note5
RANK: 7WAS: 9

specs review

Apple iPhone 5s
RANK: 8WAS: 8

specs review

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
RANK: 9WAS: 7

specs review

Apple iPhone 6s
RANK: 10WAS: 10

specs…

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The Mate 8 has been enjoying very warm welcome, even helping Huawei win our Best of CES poll. Now on its own it’s doing equally well, securing a formidable 78% of upvotes in the latest iteration of our Hot or not poll.

The result beats the LG V10’s 76% from a few months ago, but doesn’t quite make it to the nearly unanimous approval of the Lumia 950 XL, at 88%.

Judging by the comments, if there’s something that made readers hit the thumbs-down side of the poll, was the camera, and that coincides with our own findings. Others focused their complaints on the GPU, and price was often mentioned as a drawback as well.

For all its shortcomings though, the Mate 8 excels in plenty of other areas, and the numbers indicate that the pros more than make up for the…

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Another week and it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S7 stole the show yet again. This is definitely justifiable after the Korean giant finally set an official date for the MWC announcement – February 21, fueling fan interest even further. A pair of new models – the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge made their way through FCC, proving that at least one flat and one edged variant will be available in the US. We also managed to catch a glimpse of what is said to be the back design of the handset, which will apparently be disrupted only by a 0.8mm camera hump, much smaller than the one on the S6.

Speaking of camera humps, Apple has apparently taken the outcry of its fans to heart, as reports claim that the iPhone 7 will have a flat back. And while we are on the topic of Apple, the Cupertino giant will offer a wave of March 15 announcements, prior to the new iPhone 7 in September. The event should see the unveiling of the iPad Air 3 and a new 4-inch phone – the iPhone 5se.

The Xiaomi Mi 5 has also been a major topic of conversation throughout the week. The latest wave of leaks showcased the device in a GFXBench listing and offered a glimpse of its glass back panel. Windows fans can also rejoice, as the Xiaomi flagship will apparently have a Windows 10 variant as well.

In other news, the LG G5 camera setup was revealed in detail thanks to a case leak. Also, the Microsoft Lumia 850 has been featured in a few leaks and so has the Lumia 650.

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iPhone 7 reportedly won’t have camera hump, antenna bands on the back
The next flagship smartphone from Apple will launch later this year, having a design that will be mostly similar to its predecessor’s.

Leaked Samsung Galaxy S7 photo shows the back design
As per the photo, Samsung intends to keep the glass design of its upcoming batch of flagships.

LG G5 case shows camera setup in detail
A dual-LED flash and likely a laser autofocus window peek from in between the two lenses.

Galaxy S7 and S7 edge roll through the FCC
As per usual, the FCC reveals some physical evidence of a phone’s legal entry into the US. The Galaxy S7 is to be revealed on February 21 at MWC.

The Bluboo Xfire 2 comes with a metal body and fingerprint reader for $60
The latest addition to the little known OEM’s lineup offers impressive value with a dual-SIM variant also available.

Samsung confirms Galaxy S7 edge, wide and narrow edge features will be supported
Functionality detailed on a company website, we’re yet to see if the Koreans will go for a capital ‘E’ this time.

Xiaomi Mi 5 to get a Windows 10 variant as well
Aside from the OS, the Win 10 variant is said to be identical to its Android cousin.

Samsung Galaxy S7 camera to protrude just 0.8mm
The latest batch of leaks suggests Samsung made a lot of subtle changes to the back design of its upcoming flagship.

World’s most valuable company is no longer Apple
Alphabet, the parent company that owns Google, has surpassed Apple as the most valuable company in the world.

It’s official: Samsung to unveil Galaxy S7 on February 21
The event is scheduled to begin at 19:00 CET in Barcelona, just a day before MWC 2016 officially kicks off.

S6 and S6 edge get Marshmallow update in South Korea
Comes with slight UI tweaks along with under the hood improvements.

MediaTek confirms bug that affects Android devices running its chipsets
The chip-maker says the…

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The 4-inch iPhone is apparently happening, judging by the mounting rumors on the subject. Things have escalated to the point where we’re now talking of a March 15 unveiling, alongside an iPad Air 3.

There was significant debate on the naming, with sources pointing in different directions, but so far it’s settled on iPhone 5se. So this iPhone 5se will come in at least three color options, Silver and Space Gray the more orthodox, but also Pink.

And by pink this time we mean pink and not rose gold as on the current iPhone 6s/6s Plus (the 5.5-incher pictured above). A report from Japan cites exhibitors at the recent 81st Tokyo International Gift Show, who have compared the color to the one of the 6th-gen iPod touch and the 7th-gen iPod nano. It’s unclear whether there will be a Gold color option, but Rose Gold seems to be reserved for the proper iPhone 6s.

iPod touch

In a way, the current iPod touch is already the iPhone 5se, minus the cellular radios. Specs of the 5se have been rumored to include a 4-inch display (duh…), A8 chipset, and 8MP/1.2MP camera combo – all of these are already aboard the iPod touch. The Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and NFC chips from the iPhone 6s just need to be bolted on, plus a larger battery, and it’s good to go.

Source |…

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A couple of weeks ago a Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro was said to be under development, though it wasn’t clear how it would differ from the regular Galaxy A9 (2016). The other day customs data revealed that the SM-A9100 model had entered India for testing, again leaving the specs a mystery.

A new entry in the GFXBench database finally sheds some light on the matter. Starting off with what doesn’t seem too believable, the listing states that the smartphone’s display size is 5.5 inches. The plain Galaxy A9 (2016) is 6 inches in diagonal, the A7 (2016) is at 5.5 inches and whether there will be a 5.7-inch Galaxy A8 (2016) or not, a 5.5-inch A9 Pro just doesn’t make sense.

The rest, however, looks pretty good. An octa-core CPU with Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 1.8GHz inside a Qualcomm chip all sounds like the Snapdragon 652. One of the notable spec bumps is the 4GB of RAM versus the 3GB in the non-Pro A9.

The other is the primary camera, which the benchmark reports at 15MP. The 4,608 x 3,456 pixel resolution makes for 15.92MP and we’re inclined to call that 16MP, but GFXBench seems to count only a complete million pixels as a megapixel, hence the 3,264 x 2,448 pixel front camera (7.99MP) is reported as 7MP.

Anyway, the Galaxy A9 (2016) has a 13MP primary camera, while the Galaxy A9 Pro will allegedly have a 16MP one. The specific pixel dimensions of the image hint at the Sony IMX298 sensor, used in the Huawei Mate 8, but we have no way of verifying this for the time being. Samsung has used Sony sensors in the past, including on the current Galaxy S6 flagship, so it won’t be a firs, that’s for sure.

That’s all there is to know so far on the Galaxy A9 Pro (with a 2016 model year thrown in there somewhere, possibly), but by the looks of things, the smartphone is headed for official announcement in the coming weeks, and we’ll keep you…

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The shatterproof Motorola Moto X Force has had its price slashed over at Carphone Warehouse in the UK. The retailer is now selling it for £299.99, or £180 off its regular price. We’re talking about an unlocked SIM-free device.

Meanwhile, on Motorola’s UK site the Moto X Force goes for £499 (though you do get Motomaker in this case), Expansys currently sells it for £500 minus a penny, and you can find it on Amazon.co.uk for as low as £503.54. Makes it sound like a solid deal over at Carphone Warehouse, and you have close to 5 days left to make up your mind – the offer expires on February 11 at 8am.

Thanks for the tip, Daniel!

Source 1 2 3…

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