[LEAK] Nokia X gets priced in Vietnam for $110 USD
Looks like somebody’s been a little trigger happy. According to a thread in Techrum, the Nokia X, AKA the Nokia Normandy, has been priced on an online retailer in Vietnam, showing the price for the unannounced Nokia phone to be between 2.2 to 2.5 million Vietnamese Dong. Don’t freak out at those numbers though; that amount equates to about $110 USD, which is right about where you’d expect a phone with its specs to be.
As per the rumours we’ve been hearing, we’re expecting the Nokia X to be announced as a low-end Asha device at MWC 2014 followed by a launch in March in multiple markets around the world. We also most recently heard that Nokia may continue to have unhindered development control over the Asha line of phones, letting it potentially create a higher end model of the Nokia X, which I think will appeal a lot more to Android fans, though there is also the issue of it running a forked version of Android. It does seem like the Nokia X has multiple things working against it despite finally adopting an Android OS, though with this low price and Nokia’s lauded reliability, perhaps there is still light at the end of the tunnel.
What do you think about this price for the Nokia X? Does this make it look any more attractive? Let us know what your opinion is in the comments.
Source: Techrum via Phone Arena
Google and VMware team up to put your Windows desktop on Chromebooks
So, your bosses have replaced most of the office computers with Chromebooks, but you need those old Windows apps to keep you sane. If the IT folks aren’t on top of it already, you may want to tell them about a remote access solution developed by Google and VMware called Horizon Desktop as a Service (DaaS). According to VMware (known for its Fusion desktop clients), DaaS gives you secure access to all your Windows apps and data by storing sensitive info on remote servers instead of devices carried around by forgetful employees. The product’s only available as a subscription-based offering right now, but folks at home who can’t live without their trusty Windows applications may want to hold off on doing a protest — it’s also slated to hit the Chrome App Store sometime soon.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Google Enterprise, VMware
Steam’s new user-tagging feature matches the best games to your tastes
The next time you get a specific urge to play a certain type of real-time strategy game, with a sci-fi theme, base-building and large quantities of blood for the blood god, Steam will have you covered. Instead of just browsing its catalog by genre, the Steam client now lets all users add their own tags to product pages — tags which then become searchable by everyone else. The community seems to be embracing the feature quite quickly, with plenty of eclectic labels already visible. As a result, the store should steadily become more fun to navigate, especially with added features like automatic, tag-based game recommendations. Spess Mahreens, for the Emprah!
Filed under: Gaming
Via: Joystiq
Source: Steam
LG G Pro 2 is now official, boasts 4K, 120fps and slow motion video recording Chops
Today was D-Day for the unveiling of LG’s latest smartphone and they didn’t disappoint: the LG G Pro 2 is now official and it might even have its main competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, quivering in its shoes. The successor to the LG Optimus G Pro upgrades its screen size to a massive 5.9-inches, behind which it packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, 3GB RAM, either 16 or 32GB storage (with additional microSD slot) and a 3,200mAh battery.
Also running Android 4.4 KitKat, the G Pro 2 also features a 2.1MP front camera, and crucially a 13MP rear camera which LG says is capable of recording 4K video. This 13MP camera, which utilizes LG’s proprietary OIS+ technology, can also capture HD video at 120fps as well as being able to edit videos into 4 different speeds which include slow motion. LG also brings its KnockON feature over from the LG G2 which allows you to unlock your phone using just a light knock against the screen. The full list of features for the LG G Pro 2 include:
- Chipset: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 800 (2.26 GHz Quad-Core)
- GPU: Qualcomm Technologies’ Adreno™ 330
- Display: 5.9-inch Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080), Slim Bezel
- Memory: 3GB DDR3 RAM / 16GB/32GB eMMC ROM / microSD slot
- Camera: Rear 13.0MP OIS+ / Front 2.1MP
- Battery: 3,200mAh (removable)
- Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Size: 157.9 x 81.9 x 8.3mm
- Weight: 172g
- Network: LTE / HSPA+
- Connectivity: Bluetooth Smart Ready (BT 4.0) / USB / WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) / NFC / SlimPort
- Colors: Titan, White, Silver
- Other: Knock Code™, 1W Hi-Fi Sound, Content Lock
The LG G Pro 2 is available now in Korea in Titan, White and Black, though no price has been named, and while LG has not specifically said where the phone would be headed outside of Korea, it’s hard to imagine that it wouldn’t be available in every major market very soon. I’m still disappointed LG didn’t include a stylus with its phablet, which could be a key area that the Note 3 has a monopoly over in the phablet space, but I think the impressive camera firmly puts it as one of the best devices available on the market right now.
What do you think about the LG G Pro 2? Any designs on getting one? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: LG Newsroom via engadget
Motorola Mobility CEO, Dennis Woodside, rumoured to be moving to Dropbox
It’s not unusual to see upper management in companies get shaken up when acquisitions happen, and whether it was instigated by acquirer Lenovo or not, Motorola Mobility‘s CEO, Dennis Woodside, is rumoured to be following this familiar path. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Woodside will be leaving Motorola to take up the position of Chief Operations Officer at cloud storage giant Dropbox, and yes, this move might be considered by some to be a step backwards.
Woodside’s time at Motorola wasn’t without its downsides, most obvious of which was the fact Motorola was still floundering in the smartphone market despite a very innovative release in the Moto X and a surprisingly impressive device in the Moto G. I personally thought that Woodside was a very good leader, at least in the talks and interviews I’d seen him in and appeared to be genuinely interested and active in all of Motorola’s projects including its modular phone project, Project Ara.
If it is true, whatever the reasons for Woodside’s move, we wish him the best at Dropbox. What do you make of Dennis Woodside’s rumoured departure from Motorola Mobility? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: Wall Street Journal via engadget
Apple says most iPhone metal suppliers conflict-free, pushes the rest to get in line
It’s easy to forget that the wondrous, tiny computer in your pocket is built from components sourced all over the world, and sometimes, those building blocks come from not-so-nice origins. War-torn regions of the world often use resource and mineral sales to fund local conflict, creating a moral dilemma for gadget consumers and hardware manufactures alike. Naturally this issue has gotten some attention, and Apple says it’s doing its part to ensure that its products are built from conflict-free materials.
In the company’s 2014 Supplier Responsibility report, Cupertino confirmed that as of January 2014, all of the smelters that provided tantalum metal to its supply chain were verified as conflict-free by third-party auditors. The company couldn’t quite say the same for the other metals used in consumer electronics, however: several of its gold, tin and tungsten suppliers won’t openly verify compliance with the Conflict-Free Smelter Program (CFSP). Apple hasn’t cut ties with these manufactures, but it has pledged to publish a quarterly report of the names, countries and CFSP status of all its suppliers to help “drive accountability” and promote participation. With any luck, Cupertino will be able to shame the rest of its supply chain into boycotting conflict-minerals — delivering on its 2011 promise to build guilt-free iPhones.
Source: Apple, Wall Street Journal
500px iOS app finally lets photographers upload their work on the go
If you’re on the go and would rather post your pictures to 500px without running them through Light Room first, the photo-sharing app’s latest iOS update addresses just that. You can now upload iPhone shots directly from the application, and all you need to share DSLR pictures without a PC are an iPad and its SD-card reader. There’s a step-by-step guide on the developer’s website should you need it, but the entire process is pretty straightforward. No, it isn’t revolutionary, but the new functionality essentially puts the application on par with Instagram. There is a key difference between the two photo apps though — one could earn a (marginal) profit by uploading to 500px.
Filed under: Cameras, Tablets, Mobile, Apple
Via: 500px
Source: iTunes
The Safe Solution for use iPhone While Driving
If you own an Apple iPhone then you most likely know all about ‘Apps’, those small programs or applications that you can make use of to customize your device to let it do an entire host of things in addition to being a terrific mobile phone. There are also a multitude of docking stations from lots of different producers that let you play music saved on your iPhone with external speakers, however exactly what it is more difficult to find is an excellent hands complimentary vehicle kit that is committed to the iPhone. Partly this is since a hands free kit will generally link to the iPhone using Bluetooth, which indicates that one gadget will be compatible with lots of mobile phone kinds and so producers have no reason to develop a device that will work specifically with the iPhone. This does not imply however that there you can not get some good vehicle kits that work very well with the iPhone.
The FM Transmitter for iPhone 5s is simply such a gadget, compatible with many handsets, however with a range of exceptional functions to offer a more secure means to use your iPhone whilst you drive. FM Transmitter is a hands free car kit is a gadget which enables you to hold a mobile phone discussion in your car without the requirement of sacrificing the use and accessibility of both hands. In this method, you keep the stability of your driving and can still quickly respond should a barrier or an unanticipated activity occur when you are behind the wheel. These hands cost-free devices are a vital active ingredient in assisting to ensure that the reaction times of motorists are not compromised. Matter in reality, soon every driver will require to make a choice in between quiting mobile phones in the vehicle or tailoring this popular communication activity to consist of a hands cost-free device of some kind. iPhone FM Transmitter is the Affordable Option for Getting a Hands Free Device in Your Vehicle
Apple Confirms Suppliers Do Not Use Conflict Mineral Tantalum
Apple today published its 2014 Supplier Responsibility Report, releasing the results of its supplier audit program for 2013 and confirming that its partners do not use tantalum, a primary metal used in electronic components mined from war-torn regions in Africa.
In January 2014, we confirmed that all active, identified tantalum smelters in Apple’s supply chain were validated as conflict-free by third-party auditors, and we will continue to require all suppliers to use only verified tantalum sources. We know supply chains fluctuate, and we’ll maintain ongoing monitoring of our suppliers’ smelters.
Apple’s senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams, also spoke to The Wall Street Journal on the matter:
In the company’s 2014 Supplier Responsibility report published on Wednesday, Apple identified that its suppliers use 20 global smelters or refiners whose tantalum has been verified by third-party auditors as what the industry calls “conflict-free.” Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of operations, said the company has had success in pressuring tantalum smelters to agree to a third-party audit because Apple and other consumer electronics firms are the biggest users of the metal.
The gathering of tantalum, along with other minerals such as gold and tungsten, has become a controversial subject in the tech industry due to their sourcing at mines blamed for funding conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Apple added in its report that it will continue to support conflict-free supply lines and economic development in the region instead of abandoning the questionable minerals.
Apple’s report also noted a number of other achievements for 2013, including driving suppliers to achieve a 95% compliance rate with the company’s standard maximum 60-hour workweek, requiring suppliers to reimburse $3.9 million in excess foreign contract worker fees, and tracking the weekly work hours for over 1 million supply chain workers.
In its Supplier Responsibility Report for 2012 published last year, Apple revealed that it had dropped one of its suppliers in China after finding evidence of 74 underage workers at one facility.
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Xbox One Media Remote briefly surfaces, hints at March 4th release
Between Kinect, Smartglass and the Xbox One controller, there are plenty of ways to control Microsoft’s new home entertainment system – but no traditional clicker for media moguls. That might change next month. A pre-order page for an Xbox One Media remote briefly appeared on Amazon’s Canadian website today, revealing an image, a price and little else. The page wasn’t up for long, but a Google Cache preserved the details: the above image, a $24.99 price tag ($22.69 in US currency) and a March 4th release date. The Xbox-branded clicker is light on buttons, and seems outfitted only with the bare minimum needed to navigate the console’s menus, switch apps and pause, play or rewind media. It seems like a nice (and affordable) companion to Microsoft’s other March-bound Xbox One accessories, but take this leak with a grain of salt: the Amazon page lists the remote as a game, and even gives it a pending ESRB rating. At least you’ll know if it’s safe for your kids.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Amazon.ca (Google Cache)
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