After clearing the FCC hurdle in the US, the Samsung Galaxy A9 smartphone has been certified by Chinese certification and regulatory authority TENAA, confirming most of its rumored specs.

As per the TENAA listing, the device – which carries a model number of SM-A9000 – is powered by a 1.8GHz octa core CPU (should be Snapdragon 620), and sports a 6-inch (1920 × 1080 pixel resolution) AMOLED display. It has 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable internal memory. Although TENAA didn’t reveal, the device is said to pack in a 4,000mAh battery.

In terms of camera, the listing reveals that the handset features either 8MP or 13MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. Measuring 161.7 × 80.9 × 7.4mm and weighing in at 200g, the smartphone runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop OS out-of-the-box. Color options include gold and white.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1U3NCZY
via IFTTT

This year, the biggest new feature that landed in the popular WhatsApp messenger was support for making voice calls. Now that this has been implemented, it seems like Facebook is looking forward to the next thing it can bake into the app. And this could in fact be something that Facebook Messenger can already do, namely video calls.

According to a report from Germany, the latest private beta versions of WhatsApp for iOS have video calling support built-in. You can see a couple of screenshots of the new functionality below. During a video call you can mute your microphone as well as switch cameras, and the small square that shows your video can be moved around freely.

The new feature is in testing, and will apparently make its way to the public in the coming weeks. When it lands, video calling support will make WhatsApp an even bigger competitor to Skype than it was before.

Alongside video calls, a future WhatsApp update shall also sport a new design, with a big focus on the color green. What’s more, some sort of tab-based UI is said to be in testing. Tabs should make switching between different conversations easier than before, as you can jump from one tab to another directly, without having to go back to the conversation list first.

Source (in German) | Via 1 • Via…

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

The Microsoft Surface Hub was first showcased in January, yet the company still hasn’t shipped any units. The touchscreen PC went up for pre-order in July, and it was first supposed to become available in September. That didn’t happen, as it got delayed to January 2016.

And now it’s been delayed again, in both 55-inch and 84-inch iterations. This time the release time frame has become a lot more vague too, with Microsoft only saying it will deliver the PC sometime during the first quarter of 2016. That could mean March 31, keep that in mind.

But wait, there’s even more bad news. Accompanying the delay is an unfortunate price hike for the already very expensive device. Both models now cost $2,000 more than before. The 55-inch Surface Hub can be pre-ordered for $8,999 (up from $6,999), while the 84-inch unit goes for $21,999 (previously $19,999).

The only good news here is that Microsoft will honor the initial price for those who have already managed to pre-order their Surface Hub.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1OJy4GT
via IFTTT

Google has launched a last-minute holiday deal of sorts for its Play Music All Access streaming music subscription. Do note however that it’s only meant for those who are not currently, and have not previously been paying subscribers.

If you want to try Google’s music service, and haven’t done so before, you can now get access to the entire Play Music catalog for just $1. The special price will get you three months of listening, and don’t forget that YouTube Red comes along for the ride too, for no additional cost whatsoever.

That’s a pretty compelling package you’re getting for only $1. The final caveat is that you need to be in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Brazil, or Mexico in order to be shown this deal.

Furthermore, as part of its holiday deals, Google is now selling all music albums for half their normal price. And movie rentals are all 75% cheaper than before, if you’re interested in that type of…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1OJrS1E
via IFTTT

Last week, Lenovo started teasing the upcoming K4 Note, which we assume will be the successor to the affordable K3 Note from earlier this year. Back then it wasn’t clear whether the new phone would actually end up being called K4 Note, but now the Chinese company has confirmed its name.

Furthermore, it just keeps on teasing the device. Through a competition of sorts, Lenovo has basically revealed that the K4 Note will sport 3GB of RAM – that’s 1GB more than its predecessor. Some reports are also pegging its internal storage at 32GB, which would be double that of the K3 Note. The new model will feature a metal build. Past rumors had it coming with a fingerprint scanner too, and it could be powered by MediaTek’s Helio X10 chipset.

The K4 Note will be officially announced sometime in 2016, and January is a safe bet given how eager Lenovo is to tease it already. It’s being speculated that we might see the K4 Note at CES, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Source | Via 1 • Via…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1NK9cPm
via IFTTT

Just a few months after it was revealed that the LG-made Google Nexus 4 smartphone won’t be receiving the official Android 6.0 update, alternative Android OS developer Cyanogen has released the Marshmallow-based CyanogenMod 13 nightly for the device.

Weighing in at around 277MB, this is the first CM13 nightly build for the three-year-old handset. So, there are high chances that you may encounter some bugs or stability issues. Also, be warned that installation of nightly builds can not only result in a bricked device, but also void your handset’s warranty.

To download the Nexus 4 CM13 nightly build, head to the Source link…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1V3PNxV
via IFTTT

Today Google has announced that a new batch of Chromecast-enabled games are available both on Android and iOS. Such titles are games you install on your mobile device, but since they work with your Chromecast you can actually play them on your TV (the one to which Google’s HDMI streaming dongle is connected).

On the list is Angry Birds Friends from Rovio (pictured below), which lets you compete in weekly tournaments. Driver Speedboat Paradise by Ubisoft makes you race your boat through different canals and waterways from across the world.

Other titles are Monopoly Here & Now, Yahtzee Blitz, The Game of Life, Scrabble Blitz 2.0, and Risk. Do note however that these are only out in the US and Canada.

Some of these games have a smart split-screen experience to offer. For example, in Monopoly Here & Now, the moves you make are shown on the TV, but only you can see your cards. The full list of games that work with the Chromecast is available…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1V3Aaq1
via IFTTT

So far, Viber has been known for its eponymous app, which lets you chat with your friends, whether through text, voice, or video. Now though, Viber wants to take on Snapchat and the many other apps specializing in ephemeral messaging.

Hence, Viber Wink was born. This app is already available for iOS and Android, and it’s free as you’d expect. It lets you set an expiration time for the photo and video messages you send your friends, and when that passes the contents of your communication are gone forever (well, unless your friends know how to take a screenshot).

Viber Wink is not a fully standalone app, though. It needs Viber to be installed in order to work, because it sends stuff to the friends you already have in the main…

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

Motorola’s Moto X Play and Moto X Style offer some of the best value you can find in a smartphone this year, and following up on the flagship Style in 2016 would be a tough task for Motorola. Sure enough, the company is already working on a successor, and a new leak allegedly gives us a glimpse into the device’s insides.

What is perhaps the most notable feature is the heat pipe that will keep the chipset cool and churning at full power. That’s nothing new anymore, after all this year’s Microsoft Lumia 950 XL and Sony Xperia Z5 Premium adopted a similar approach to control the overheating of the troubled Snapdragon 810 SoC.

Next year’s Moto X (plus whatever moniker Motorola chooses to end its name with) is likely going to be powered by the Snapdragon 820, and while Qualcomm’s next-gen chip shouldn’t be plagued by such issues, Motorola might be playing it safe just in case.

Aside from the thermal aspects of its design, the image reveals the inner side of the metal unibody that the Motorola Moto X for 2016 will be built around (or rather, inside). The single shot is well in line with the previously leaked photo of the smartphone’s rear – both the camera and the speaker meshes are in the exact same positions in the two images.

That said, the fourth generation Moto X is still several months away, and as its development progresses it may end up looking very different from this early prototype.

Thanks to Ankur Sharma for the…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1U2r0c8
via IFTTT

Yesterday we told you about a nice Christmas deal for the Motorola Nexus 6 and today we got another one for you. The Samsung’s latest flagship – the traditional Galaxy S6 is on sale on eBay and you can have one for $399.99.

The offer is for the SIM-free and unlocked model of the Galaxy S6, black sapphire flavor, with 32GB storage and 12-months US warranty from Samsung.

The quantities of the Galaxy S6 in this offer are limited so you may want to hurry up if you are interested.

Sure, the savings aren’t that big, at least not as the seller suggests – $200. The Galaxy S6 is currently selling for about $480 in the States from various retailers, but nevertheless it’s still a nice offer and will do for a last-moment Christmas present.

eBay |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1Tf0EUt
via IFTTT