iOS 7 GM (Gold Master) On iPhone 5 – Early Impressions

All the talk right now is understandably centered around the two new smartphones that Apple will be unleashing to the world on September 20th. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were officially unveiled by Phil Schiller at Apple’s Cupertino Campus yesterday, and the two will no doubt be hugely popular with buyers next week. While the hardware is certainly catching the eye, the new handsets are more than just some new specs or fancy plastics. There’s iOS 7, too.

I’ve been using the beta releases of iOS 7 from day one, and I’ve been keeping you all apprised of how they have progressed from iOS 7 beta 1, right through to iOS 7 beta 6 that I was running till this morning. Now though, my iPhone 5 is running the latest, and last iOS 7 version that we will see – iOS 7, Golden Master.

The final build of iOS 7, and bar any last minute changes the version that will launch on September 18th, the GM should be as stable as stable gets, and there shouldn’t be any surprises as far as features are concerned when the big release comes. Apple is still Apple though, so we won’t rule out anything at this point.

So, iOS 7 GM download went live after the event yesterday, and I’ve been using it for a few hours now. What’s new? Well, not a lot, really. You’ve probably already seen the new wallpapers that have been added, with the majority clearly aimed at the new, more colorful iPhone 5c handsets that will go on sale next week. They’re nice and all, but they don’t tend to sit too well on my black iPhone 5 – especially the bright red one! Still, if you’re really fond of bright colors, or indeed color blind, then you may well like what you see.

There are new ring and alert tones, too. Mostly you’re going to notice newly revamped versions of all the classics, which is nice. The new tones especially get a big thumbs-up, but it’s not exactly going to make anyone rush out to buy an iPhone over the competition. Still, anything new is a bonus here.

As has been the case with other beta releases, the biggest change is the speed at which things happen. Animations seem to have been cut shorter once more, and things are again snappier than with previous betas. Apple seems to have been tweaking things throughout the beta process, trying to find a happy medium between speed and having fancy animations to show off. I’d rather things work quickly than have to sit and watch something slide around my screen before I can do anything, but maybe I’m the only one who thinks that way.

We’re now just a week away from iOS 7 being something that everyone can get their hands on, and I think people will like it. Once the jarring icons have settled into everyone’s consciousness and they’re all used to the new colors, I’m sure they will come to admit that iOS 7 feels more modern, more alive than previous releases of Apple’s mobile OS. It’s still not perfect, but it’s better.

And you can’t ask for more than that!

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Alleged iPhone 5S render shows new home button / 'Touch ID sensor

We're just a few hours away from Apple's big iPhone press conference, andNowhereelse.fr has just posted this render (from a "very reliable" source) that claims to show the iPhone 5S. The most notable change shown is of course, the home button, seemingly minus the usual squarish target and called the "Touch ID sensor". That is expected, considering repeated rumors (check out our roundup) including an apparent confirmation tonight from the Wall Street Journal, that Apple's next flagship phone will include a fingerprint sensor. Whatever the truth is, it will be unveiled at 1PM ET, and we'll be there liveblogging every minute.

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Here’s How Google Glass Works [Infographic]

Since last year, Google Glass has taken the tech world abuzz as the next big innovation in mobile technology. These glasses, when worn, allow users to carry out tasks that are currently only possible on smartphones, all through an augmented reality layer placed on the user’s eyesight. If you have been wondering how this technology actually works under the hood, a German artist has put together an infographic that clearly illustrated the inner workings of this new futuristic device.

As illustrated by the infographic, Google Glass is comprised by some of the hardware that would usually make up a smartphone, including a microphone, camera, battery, speakers and the CPU, in addition to a mini projector. Images from the mini projectors, which are cleverly hidden next to each of the lenses, are bounced off the prism straight into the user’s retina. This allows the user to see the world around them naturally, where “layers” of information can be displayed on top of it. As one would expect, the position of this augmented reality layer can be changed by simply repositioning the glasses.

The designer also speculates on the main question that many have asked about this upcoming product: how can people who already wear glasses, and with low vision, can actually use the product? The proposed solution will involve changing the position of the prism, ensuring that it sits on top of the standard glasses, which as you might expect would bump up the price quite significantly as it involves creating a product which is, you know, custom in nature.

Google Glass, which began internal testing in April of last year, is currently in prototype stage and gaining interest from consumers and hardcore enthusiasts alike. In addition to some limited developer testing, Google recently launched the Glass Explorer program, which is aimed at allowing a limited selection of early adopters to give the new device a try.

We will be left to see whether these new augmented reality glasses will replace smartphones one day. But we strongly believe that Glass will probably end up as an accessory rather than a proper day-to-day device. Considering how Glass might cause issues when being worn in the workplace, it would be interesting to see how Glass would be used, or accepted in big organizations and firms.

(via: 9to5Google)

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Google & KitKat – Four Fingers, Two Videos And One Nexus 5 Leak

It’s been a pretty big day for Google. It all kicked off when the Android maker announced via Google+ that the next version of Android would be called Android 4.4 KitKat. The first time that a brand name has been used for one of Google’s famous sweet inspired version names, KitKat is more than just a title.

As the day has progressed it has become clear that Google and KitKat have entered into a partnership that will help the confectionary brand as much as it will Google with special limited edition chocolates being sold giving buyers the chance to win Google Play credit or a shiny new Nexus 7. Is this the start of a new era in product branding?

But things haven’t stopped there. KitKat has since posted a video, and it’s a doozy.

Extolling the virtues of ‘KitKat 4.4,’ the ad does what is fast becoming the norm for anyone that isn’t Apple – it pokes fun at the iPhone maker.

Following the now infamous video techniques of the boys and girls from Cupertino, KitKat even got their own British man to take the place of Jony Ive, and if we’re honest he does a pretty good job of it. The impostor explains how KitKats work perfectly in both landscape and portrait as well as many other Apple-isms. It’s probably the best spoof ad we’ve seen, so top marks to KitKat for that, even if the idea of cloning Apple ads is getting a little long in the tooth at this point.

The video releases didn’t stop there though, and the second to appear is rather more important. This time Google wanted to show off its new KitKat-shaped figure that has been installed outside the search giant’s offices. Every time a big new release of Android comes along, a new figure comes with it. This time though, Google looks like it may have slipped up.

Towards the end of the short video, which involves lots of Googlers looking far too excited about a large KitKat-shaped model, one person is seen taking a photo of the object. While that’s nothing to write home about, it’s the phone that he is using that has caught everyone’s attention.

With a ‘Nexus’ logo running vertically down the middle of the device’s rear and a larger camera lens than we have previously seen on a Nexus device, the internet is abuzz with the suggestion that Google has accidentally leaked its own Nexus 5 device.

Assuming Google didn’t do it on purpose – and we wouldn’t be surprised either way – this could be rather embarrassing for the company. Still, at this point it can’t be too long before the new Nexus handset is announced, and with Apple announcing its new iPhones next week, Google has done a stellar job of stealing the news cycle on the same day that Apple sent out invites for its September 10th iPhone event.

Let the battle commence!

(image credit: BBC)

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How To SIM Unlock Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 For Free

Having a network locked device can really hamper how you use it, especially if the network isn’t of your choice. While most of the times, the operator in question would let you unlock your device for a small fee, not everyone might be that lucky. Imagine a scenario where you’re travelling abroad and want to use another network’s SIM card, only to discover that you cannot thanks to a carrier lock. Unlocking can really save you from quite a few hassles and tight spots.

As a rule, you can get almost any device unlocked by paying a small fee directly to the carrier, or to several online services that would let you purchase an IMEI unlock. However, in my personal experience, nothing beats the feeling of doing such a process yourself, and save those precious bucks in the process. Samsung, generally, has been more relaxed towards letting its users carry out a network/SIM unlock on their devices on their own, provided they knew the right steps to follow. Earlier, we brought you a tutorial on how to carrier unlock Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II fairly easily without any specialized tool. Today, we’ll guide you through unlocking of the new flagship from Sammy, Galaxy S4 GT-I9505.

Before we proceed, please be advised that the usual disclaimer applies. Playing around the carrier lock is risky business, and more complicated than your average Android modding. Follow these instructions at your own perusal. Redmond Pie cannot be held liable for any loss whatsoever resulting from following this method. Also, this method applies to GT-I9505 only, and not to other variants of Galaxy S4.

Step 1: Launch the Phone app on your Galaxy S4, and dial in: *#0011#

Step 2: Press the Menu button followed by the Back key. Then, hit the Menu button again and select KEY INPUT. Enter 1 and press the OK button to enter ServiceMode.

Step 3: Press Menu one more time and tap back again. This will pull up the Main Menu forServiceMode. Tap [1] UMTS.

Step 4: Now select [1]DEBUG SCREEN, followed by [6] PHONE CONTROL.

Step 5: From the next screen, pick [6] NETWORK LOCK.

Step 6: You’ll get three options. Hit the one that says [3] PERSO SHA256 OFF.

Step 7: Now, you need to get back to Main Menu. To do this, hit the Menu button followed by the Back key. In Main Menu, now pick [6]COMMON, and then [6] NV REBUILD.

Step 8: The phone will tell you that a Golden Backup exists. Tap [4] Restore Back-up.

Your device will now go through a series of “conditions”, where it will first freeze, then get on a black screen with Blue LED on and both capacitive buttons on, after which it will reboot automatically. The whole cycle might take a couple of minutes, so be patient. Once it powers back on, it’s network unlocked, permanently. Enjoy!

Thanks, Caesar for the hat tip!

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How To Fully Optimize Android Devices For Speedy Performance And Extended Battery Life [VIDEO]

Although smartphones are getting progressively better in all departments including power, performance and battery life, one must still take care in order to maximize the lifespan and so general daily operations are carried out without hitch. After all, technology is still far from perfect at times, and if you’re in ownership of a mobile device, you will have encountered dwindling battery life and performance at some point. But with an app like Super Optimize for Android, you can keep your device in good health for as long as possible, and if your device is currently struggling to cope with the daily grind, this one is for you.

Whether you’re running out of storage space, or your device just feels a little lethargic and in need of a belated Spring Clean, Super Optimize for Android has the tool set required to get your smartphone or tablet firing on all cylinders once more. Set in a Holo-eseque interface, it’s very easy to navigate through the various options, and once you have applied the tweaks, your device should be left feeling a lot slicker and ready for action.

You can readily check which apps are commanding the most juice, and if you don’t see the app as entirely necessary, you can simply strike them off. Although we all have a rough idea of which apps drain battery the quickest, you may be surprised about some lurking apps silently siphoning off those precious droplets, so the battery management aspect of the app is incredibly useful.

You can also easily uninstall apps, a process that also allows you to remove those space-hogging temporary files. From a privacy aspect, Super Optimize also allows you to clear away your call history, email search history and message drafts, meaning you can remove, for good, your personal data if need be.

With a neat, intuitive interface and a multitude of options, Super Optimize is the easy way to free up space and fine-tune your device in general. Grab it via the link below – it is free, after all – and be sure to leave your comments below.

(Download: Super Optimize for Android on the Play Store)

Make sure to check out our Android Apps gallery to explore more apps for your Android device.

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Official Chromecast App For iOS Is Now Available To Download

The Google Chromecast dongle has been making some ripples recently in the portable technology world. The little $35 dongle allows users to stream high-definition content directly to a TV set through service providers such as Netflix and YouTube. The content may be fairly limited at the moment, but with the Mountain View company planning on adding additional providers, the future looks bright for Google’s little connected device. Having said that, controlling and interacting with the Chromecast got a tad bit easier with the official release of the Chromecast app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.

Google is pushing the Chromecast as being one of the easiest ways for enjoying online videos and Web based content directly on the big screen in your home. The release of the universal iOS app certainly indicates that the company is committed to developing the product and ensuring that it’s as easy as possible to use and maintain. The majority of people are familiar with interacting and using smartphone apps, and the Chromecast app does a fairly good job of abstracting away any would-be complicated setup and maintenance processes.

The look and feel of the app follows Google’s trend of pushing out very clean and minimal software. It is immediately recognizable when placed alongside the Gmail or Google Maps apps, with the iPhone and iPad variants following the same design considerations. Rather than being a fully functional media based app, the Chromecast app is more of a setup and settings tool that allows users to get up and running with multiple Chromecast installations throughout the home and ensure that everything is working correctly. In short, it’s a ditto copy of itsChromecast for Android counterpart.

Users of the app can also interact with the currently running Chromecast dongles existing on the same network. A number of different device settings can be changed through the iOS app, which include amending the Chromecast dongle name as well as manipulating the currently connected Wi-Fi network. The actual dongle itself seemed like an extremely appealing option for those who love consuming visual media, but with the promise of additional content providers, and now the release of native apps, it’s starting to look like a must-have piece of kit.

(Source: Chromecast for iOS on the App Store)

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First hands-on video comparison of gold iPhone 5S/5C/5 casing emerges

You’ve seen the supposed photos of the upcoming iPhone 5S’s chassis and watched a video depicting the scratch-resistance of the plastic iPhone 5C. Now what? Well, how about the ultimate video hands-on showing off the rumored gold/champagne iPhone 5S and a blue iPhone 5C variant next to an iPhone 5?

Your prayers have been listened to: you’re in for a treat as one blogger has posted exactly such footage, and it’s been making the rounds this morning…

Dom Esposito of AppAdvice has gotten hold of a high-definition video that seems to provide a rather detailed comparison of what appears to be the casing of Apple’s rumored gold iPhone 5S and the polycarbonate plastic iPhone 5C.

The clip compares the iPhone 5S/5C casing to the existing two-tone aluminum and glass design of the current-generation iPhone 5, have a look below. Of course, there’s no telling whether these parts are legit, even if they line up with previous leaks.

Esposito writes:

As shown in the video, the back inlay on the gold/champagne iPhone 5S has enough room to accommodate the rumored dual LED flash, but aside from its color, there’s not much of a difference when compared to the iPhone 5.

The author notes that the “iPhone” text on the back appears to be a bit thinner on the 5S relative to the 5, though“its font matches the text found on the blue iPhone 5C”.

As per usual, you’re advised to proceed with caution, pinches of salt and everything.

A couple notes here.

Firstly, even though these images look authentic, there’s no telling whether the supposed plastic iPhone represents a genuine part or if it’s some prankster’s exquisite 3D print (imagine that).

Secondly, that gold iPhone 5S casing could have been easily faked by anodizing the existing iPhone 5 chassis and most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

Thirdly, it could also be a counterfeit iPhone – they’re that good.

Fourthly, the iPhone 5C shell could be for an Android handset – it wouldn’t be the first time a white-label maker sold an Android phone based on the budget iPhone design.

And lastly, even if these are actual prototypes, there’s no telling if we’re dealing with the final designs here or early-stage prototypes that Apple could have dropped long ago.

For the sake of completeness, our favorite parts leaker Sonny Dickson published the above image today, suggesting another possible iPhone 5S color option – graphite.

At any rate, the prevalence of these “leaks” is a tell-tale sign we’re getting close to the official announcement.

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Galaxy Golden Announced, Another Flip Phone By Samsung Powered By Android

While clamshell devices have been regarded by most consumers as a distant memory in today’s mobile world, Samsung simply will not let the form factor drop. We’ve already seen and heard quite a few reports out of Korea suggesting the S4-maker was planning to release a series of flip phones, and today, a short while after announcing the Samsung Hennessy, the company has announced the Galaxy Golden. It features two displays, the antiquated flip styling, and, all told, a fairly decent set of hardware specs. Details after the break!

There’s little debate that the day of the flip phone has come and gone. Many products and styles see a successful second coming, but with the single touch screen now the de facto form factor for the smartphones across the board, it would seem as Samsung’s Galaxy Golden is perhaps a decade too late.

Yet, while the look of the device may present something of a throwback, the hardware within is very much of the present day. Both displays are 3.7-inch in diameter – think: bigger than iPhone 4S, smaller than iPhone 5 – and are of the Super AMOLED variety. The device boasts a 1.7GHz, dual-core SoC and an 8-megapixel camera, both of which are more than adequate for a mid-range handset.

While this device probably wouldn’t much, if any joy in the Western market, some areas of Asia are still regular consumers of flip phones, and considering the Galaxy Golden also includes features such as an S Health-ready a pedometer, it’s like a slightly endearing mixture of old and new.

With features like “easy mode” made to appeal to those less technically proficient, it could perhaps appeal to those who remember the days when mobile phones were a little less bamboozling  although with an asking price at the equivalent of  $700, might be a difficult sell.

While we’re on the topic, would you buy a flip phone such as the Galaxy Golden, provided it had all of the features to which you have become accustomed? Does the design bring back some fond memories of the days when devices were less smart and more, well.. dumb, or would you rather not be reminded?

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How To Force Android 4.3 OTA Download For Galaxy S4 And HTC One Google Play Edition Devices Right Now!

There are many advantages to owning a smartphone running stock Android, one of which is that, when a new version of Google’s software arrives, you don’t have to wait forever for the OTA to hit your device. Such is the case with the Google Play Edition Samsung Galaxy S4 andHTC One, which will both begin to see the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update as of today.

Not every Samsung smartphone owner is a fan of the company’s TouchWiz overlay, and similarly, not everybody wielding an HTC device does so because of their undying love for Sense. Acknowledging that some consumers like the pure Android experience, both Samsung and HTC recently teamed up with Google to offer stock versions of their respective handsets through the Play Store, at which point the HTC One Google Play Edition and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition were born.

While owners of the original S4 and One will be waiting quite a while to see any of the latest and greatest flavor of Android, Google Play Edition owners will be getting their OTA as of today. With an abundance of new and exciting features, perhaps the most notable of which is the introduction of restricted profiles, Android 4.3 is a fairly substantial update for both end user and developer.

As well as the profile facilities, Android 4.3 also offers support for OpenGL ES 3.0, bringing a better graphics output that allows developers to really make the most of the resources available to them. This, in turn, will help to boost the performance of games in general, and with mobile devices becoming ever more integral to the gaming community, this can only be a good thing.

If you have a Google Play Edition HTC One or Galaxy S4, there’s not really any good reason for you not to update, so just sit patiently and wait for that magic notification, and you’ll be soon enjoying the very latest version of Android on your device.

For the rest of you, although an update may be forthcoming at some point, you’re probably more than aware that the wait can often be cumbersome. The best thing to do – if your device wasn’t announced by Google as immediately supported – is to presume it’s not going to be arriving at all; that way, you can avoid any disappointment later on down the line.

However, this works as sheer luck, you can try to force the Android 4.3 update on your device – if you haven’t received it yet, of course – by following the steps given below:

Step 1: Put your handset in Airplane mode.

Step 2: Go to Settings on your device and go to Apps.

Step 3: Swipe to All and scroll down and locate Google Services Framework, tap it.

Step 4: Tap on Force Stop, and then tap Clear data and Clear cache.

Step 5: Go back, turn on Wi-Fi (with Airplane mode still on) and connect to your Wi-Fi network. And in Settings, scroll down to About and then tap on System updates. Now tap on Check now.

Step 6: You should see the Android 4.3 update on the screen. Simply install.

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‘iPhone 5C’ Will Have An 8-Megapixel Camera Sensor, According To Latest Leak [IMAGE]

The rumors surrounding the existence of a lower-cost, budget based iPhone simply won’t seem to go away and have even accelerated to the point where a number of sources are suggesting that the device is already in production. Although the alleged hardware is yet to be confirmed – or strenuously denied – by any official source, a number of leaked components that are said to be from the device could potentially give an insight into the expected specification.

Earlier leaked images have shown what many corners believe could be the faceplate panels from the budget device that would bear a remarkable resemblance to the existing iPhone 5. The only main physical and aesthetic difference being that any budget variant of the device would come with a plastic back panel to keep costs at a minimum. To go hand-in-hand with those leaks, a new image has emerged that is said to show the camera module that will ship with the low-cost iPhone, or iPhone 5C as many are calling it.

If the module itself looks similar, then worry not, as the originating source is suggesting that it’s the same 8-megapixel sensor that allows the iPhone 5 to capture the glorious images that users have become used to. If indeed this is the same module lifted from the current-generation iPhone then the only difference would seem to be the plastic casing that surrounds and protects the sensor itself. The existence of this particular component in its shown form would seem to pour water on the suggestion that a cheaper iPhone intended for emerging markets would only come with a 5-megapixel rear camera.

The idea of Apple releasing a "cheap" or "budget" device is still something that a lot of fruit fans and analysts can’t get their heads around. In recent years, the Apple brand has become synonymous with premium products that sit at the higher end of the price scale in their respective markets. The suggestion of the company introducing two new iPhones as part of this year’s product refresh definitely can’t be ruled out, but it seems a lot more likely that any budget based announcement would far exceed the technical specification and quality standards that seems to have been reported thus far.

Video review

With iOS 7 currently sitting on beta 4, with August underway and an expected announcement in September, it won’t be long until we find out exactly what Apple has planned.

(Source: IT168 [Google Translate])

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iOS 7 Beta 4 On iPhone 5: First Impressions

Arguably a week late due to Apple’s developer portal security breach and then that portal subsequently being offline for far, far too long, iOS 7 beta 4 is now finally in the hands of developers. Three weeks after the third beta was pushed out, this new fourth iteration brings with it the usual raft of interface changes as well as some tweaks under the hood. I’ve been using it for a good few hours at this point, and following on from my previous posts along the same vein, here’s how beta 4 is shaping up in these early hours after I updated my iPhone 5.

You don’t need to be some kind of ninja in order to get your hands on a change log for iOS 7 betas, and the fourth release is not much different to the three that came before it. I suspect the ones that come after it won’t differ a great deal either, but with iOS 7 being such a departure from the norm, and with so many changes shaking iOS users to their very core, this release of Apple’s iPhone and iPad software is as much about how it makes us feel as it is how it works at a fundamental level. After a few hours of use, beta 4 already feels rather different to the release that came before it.

Possibly a minor change, but one that new users and iOS novices will be very grateful for, is the removal of the lock screen arrow that implied an upwards swipe would unlock the device. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of iOS would know that a horizontal swipe is needed in order to get into the device, but that doesn’t make it good design. It’s a little change that makes much, much more sense now. We just wonder why it took four goes before they got it right.

As seems to be the case with each of these beta releases, Apple has tweaked and improved the animations that iOS 7 seems to favor so much. The interface flies around the screen in a noticeably snappier fashion than it did in beta 3, and that was an improvement over everything that came before it. With each beta release Apple seems to be improving transition times, making us wait less and less time before we can get on with what we need to do. Fancy transitions are great, but don’t make me watch them happen when I should be tapping things!

In the few short hours I’ve been using iOS 7 beta 4, I’ve not had the usual lock-ups or reboots/crashed apps that seemed to plague beta 3, though obviously it’s far too early to count our chickens in that regard. There are clearly things going on under the hood in iOS 7 beta that plenty of existing apps just don’t like, but as with all big operating system releases for any platform, it’s only a matter of time before developers get their software updated accordingly. Let’s hope the likes of Google+ and Skype get updated soon, though!

Overall, iOS 7 beta 4 feels more polished, almost more finished than earlier betas, and that’s exactly how it should be. We’re still quite some way away from the finished article and indeed, a public release of iOS 7. It’s clear Apple’s got some more work to do, though, and I’m sure beta 5 will be better still.

Hopefully we’ll find out in a couple of weeks.

Source: Redmondpie

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New iPhone 6 Concept Features 3-in-1 Foldable Screen In One Awesome Package [IMAGES]

The next-gen iPhone will probably take a similar form factor to the current flagship iPhone 5, leading many to believe the device will carry the ‘iPhone 5S’ moniker. However, Apple has a habit of changing things up and pulling the wool over everybody’s eyes, so until we see the device as revealed perhaps later this year, there’s scope for everybody to dream up their own ideas of the shape the next generation iPhone will take. That’s exactly what designer Pritesh Chavan has done with his transforming iPhone 6 concept that sees the device unfold into a phablet-type device before eventually revealing another seam to create a fully-fledged tablet.

We think it’s a pretty cool idea, and although it’s something Apple is unlikely to pursue anytime soon, it’s certainly a very interesting concept. The demand for larger screened smartphones is a trend Apple has, to a degree, already caved in to, and although the longer 4-inch display of the iPhone 5 isn’t exactly much to write home about, speculation suggests its successor is already subject to delay due to the fact that the Cupertino is considering going even larger with the next-gen handset.

Chavan’s concept folds out using a flexible display, and while it is, in concept, a very attractive and nicely arranged piece, this design wouldn’t work in practice; at least, not yet. The tech just is not yet in place for foldable innards, so as we continue to drool over this delicious iPhone 6 concept, we have to face the fact that it won’t be happening for a very long time.

Back on planet earth, I do hope the rumors of Apple breaking the 4-inch boundaries turn out to be true, even if this does mean delays. The thought of an iPhone 5S with incremental upgrades – including a bumped processor and iOS 7 off the bat – doesn’t particularly capture the imagination, and while it may not necessarily be the case that a bigger display is beneficial to everybody, it would be interesting to see if Apple are brave enough to give it a shot.

On the topic of the Chavan design though, would you buy it if it were real? Goodness knows how much a smartphone-tablet-phablet branded with that famous Apple logo would cost, but if money were no object, I don’t think I could say no to a device like this.

We have seen an iPhone phablet concept before, but this one, on a lot of levels, pushes the boundaries one notch further.

(Source: YankoDesign)

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Samsung starts making 3GB low-power memory for smartphones

We hope you weren't just getting used to having 2GB of RAM in a smartphone, because Samsung is already moving on. The company is now mass-producing 3GBLPDDR3 packages whose 0.8mm (0.03in) thickness can accommodate most device sizes. The capacious, 20nm-class memory should also be quick when there's a pair of symmetric channels to keep data flowing. The first smartphones with 3GB of RAM should ship in the second half of the year; Samsung isn't revealing which phones will have the honor, but it's not hard to make some educated guesses.

Samsung Now Producing Industry's Highest Density (3GB) LPDDR3 Mobile Memory for Smartphones

SEOUL, Korea – July 24, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the industry's first mass production of three gigabyte (GB) low power double data rate 3 (LPDDR3) mobile DRAM, the highest density mobile memory solution for next-generation smartphones, which will bring a generation shift to the market from the 2GB packages that are widely used in current mobile devices.

The Samsung 3GB LPDDR3 mobile DRAM uses six of the industry's smallest 20-nanometer (nm) class* four gigabit (Gb) LPDDR3 chips, in a symmetrical structure of two sets of three chips stacked in a single package only 0.8 millimeters high. With a full line-up of package dimensions, Samsung's new ultra-slim memory solutions will enable thinner smartphone designs and allow for additional battery space, while offering a data transfer speed of up to 2,133 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin.

"Three gigabyte mobile DRAM will be adopted in the most up-to-date, high-end smartphones starting in the second half of this year − an initial adoption that will expand to most high-end smartphones worldwide next year," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. "We will develop a new 3GB LPDDR3 solution based on four 6Gb LPDDR3 DRAM chips by symmetrically stacking two chips on each side, which will boost smartphone performance to the next level by year-end."

With the increased mobile DRAM capacity, users can enjoy seamless high-quality, Full HD video playback and faster multitasking on their smartphones. Also, the new LPDDR3 speeds up data downloading and is able to offer full support for LTE-A (LTE Advanced) service, a next-generation mobile telecommunication standard.

Samsung's 3GB LPDDR3 DRAM connects with a mobile application processor using two symmetrical data transfer channels, each connected to a 1.5GB storage part. Though asymmetric data flow can cause sharp performance dips at certain settings, the symmetrical structure avoids such issues, while maximizing system level performance.

Considering that the current memory storage capacity for PCs is about 4GB, offering 3GB of DRAM memory on mobile devices should help most users enjoy PC-like performance, in narrowing the performance gap between PC and smartphone computing.

With the new 3GB LPDDR3 DRAM, Samsung is now offering the widest range of mobile DRAM densities (1GB, 2GB and 3GB), while providing the industry's first mobile DRAM based on 20-nm class process node technology. Samsung plans to continue to lead the growth of the mobile memory market, as it seeks to maintain unrivaled competitiveness in the premium memory sector.

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