LG restructures to focus on key business areas and growth
As with many of the “old guard” of smartphone OEMs, LG has seen its market share erode as well as sales start to stagnate. Despite the company’s holding true to form with the G4 – as opposed to Samsung’s controversial approach with its flagships – and just recently releasing an almost unbreakable V10, the profit picture as far as mobiles go does not look so lavish. To this end, the Korean conglomerate is restructuring its top management.
Three Representative Directors will be heading the company starting in the new year: Jo Seong-jin, President and CEO of Home Appliances & Air Solutions, Juno Cho, President and CEO of Mobile Communications, and David Jung, President and CFO. The existing Vice Chairman and CEO, Koo Bon-joon, will return to LG Corp, the parent company of LG Electronics.
LG has indicated that the “appointments are effective as of Dec. 1, 2015 with promotions taking effect on Jan. 1, 2016. The overall new organizational structure will take effect once confirmed at the general meeting of shareholders in early 2016.”
The company has explained this new management decision as a way to “give each executive more independence and responsibility to facilitate rapid decision-making in today’s fast-changing business environment and diversified consumer segments.”
Adding further detail to the above, LG clarified:
The new structure will also give each of LG’s four companies — Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance & Air Solution and Vehicle Components — more autonomy to respond quickly and decisively to market conditions and business growth opportunities. Complementing LG’s ongoing leadership in televisions, mobile devices and appliances, high-growth areas such as automotive components, energy, IT and B2B are expected to drive more of LG’s growth going forward.
With this new change in organization and subsequent explanation, it should give readers an idea of what areas the company may seek to prioritize in the coming year. This is not to say that mobile sales will be placed on back-burner status per se, but with television, appliances, and even automotive parts offering larger potential income, it may ultimately result in an even slimmer smartphone selection for the year to come.
Readers may recall a recent pair of posts that dealt with LG’s apparent decision to make use of an all new, metallic design with next year’s flagship, the G5. Given the backlash some had against Samsung’s decision to forgo a removable battery and microSD from its prime products this year, one can only begin to speculate just how damaging – if at all – the effect would be on LG’s sales.
At the very least, it’s clear the company isn’t putting all its proverbial eggs in one basket, and as such the new year is going to be met with a trio of executives to tackle the tasks ahead.
OnePlus responds to USB Type-C cable confusion: offers refunds
Goolger Benson Leung has been calling out a lot of USB Type-C adapter cable manufacturers lately for not correctly sticking to the official specifications and potentially causing damage to older charging hardware. One of the companies caught out was OnePlus, which supplies a USB Type-C cable and adapter to charge up its OnePlus 2 flagship. OnePlus has now issued a response to the complaint.
OnePlus has restated that its charger is perfectly suitable to power up its OnePlus 2 smartphone from its charger, but also acknowledges that its cable does not correctly meet the USB Type-C standard to ensure that the adapter works with third party devices powered by a variety of power sources.
“Recently it has come to our attention that two of our products, the OnePlus Type-C cable and the OnePlus USB Type-C adapter, are using a resistor that may not be fully compatible with some third-party devices. Please rest assured that this cable and adapter are safe to use with the OnePlus 2.” – OnePlus’ Carl Pei
OnePlus previously stated that its USB Type-C cable was complaint with the Type-C 1.0 standard, but the company now acknowledges that it is using the incorrect resistor value for supporting older USB charger types. The Oneplus cable uses a 10kΩ instead of a 56kΩ resistor, which is a common problem. OnePlus has already begun work on a replacement cable that includes the correct resistor value.
Learn more: USB Type C and 3.1: clearing up the confusion
So what does this all mean? Well, OnePlus’ cable is safe to use for Type-C to Type-C charging and for use with the OnePlus 2. However, other devices may draw too much current from other power charging ports that don’t offer their own regulation, potentially causing damage to them. To help clarify the situation, OnePlus has issued this overview:
OnePlus also recommends that you check that your charger has been certified by the CE, CCC or UL, and to look for the logo. As this means that the charger should have its own self-regulation circuit that should prevent any damage.
If you’re not satisfied, OnePlus is also offering customers refunds on the cable before December 31st 2015. North American and European customers can ask for a refund through this website, which will be processed through PayPal. Chinese and Indian consumers should take their cable to the nearest OnePlus repair center for their refund.
Huawei unveils the Mate 8 with Kirin 950 processor, 6-Inch Full HD display and Marshmallow
The Huawei Mate 8 has been the subject of quite a few leaks in recent weeks, from renders to benchmarking sites, and now it is finally official. Huawei launched the Mate 8 earlier today, unveiling a 6-inch handset made of aerospace-grade aluminium with a unibody design. Join us after the break for the rundown on its specifications.
Besides the aluminium build materials, Huawei says that the Mate 8 also carries a 2.5D curved diamond cut glass which adds to its sleekness. As you can see from the images, the bezels are really slim, helping the Mate 8 achieve an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 83%.
Specifications:
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Emotion UI
- 6-Inch Full HD IPS LCD display (1920 x 1080 resolution)
- Kirin 950 Octa-core processor (4 x A72 cores @ 2.3GHz + 4 x A53 cores @ 1.8GHz) with i5 coprocessor to handle low-power functions
- 3GB/4GB LPDDR4 RAM (depending on model)
- 32GB/64GB/128GB Internal storage (depending on model)
- MicroSD card support
- 16MP Rear camera with OIS and LED Flash (Sony IMX298 sensor)
- 8MP Front camera (Sony IMX179 sensor)
- Rear fingerprint scanner
- Dual nano-SIM support with 4G networking (Cat 6)
- 4,000mAh battery
- Available in Champagne Gold, Moonlight Silver, Space Gray and Mocha Brown
The Mate 8 should go on sale in China in Q1 2016 after it has been re-announced at CES in January. Some details on pricing have become available, and as you can probably guess, because the Mate 8 is being aimed at the premium market, there is a premium price attached.
Prices:
- 3GB/32GB Mate 8 – 2,999 Yuan ($469)
- 4GB/64GB Mate 8 – 3,699 Yuan ($578)
- 4GB 128GB Mate 8 – 4,399 Yuan ($688)
If you are really flush with cash, Huawei is offering the 4GB/128GB Mate 8 paired up with a Steel Strapped Huawei Watch for just 6,888 Yuan ($1078), giving a saving of just 100 Yuan ($15). It ain’t cheap, but hey, it’s still a saving of some sort. There’s no word on international availability as yet.
Come comment on this article: Huawei unveils the Mate 8 with Kirin 950 processor, 6-Inch Full HD display and Marshmallow
Indie puzzler ‘Fez’ resurfaces with a $100 special edition
We aren’t getting a sequel to the adorable retro indie puzzler Fez well… ever. But that doesn’t mean developer Polytron is out of things to sell fans. The Canadian company hopes the wound it opened by canceling the sequel won’t deter you from dropping $100 on a special edition of the game that features a rather handsome hardcover notebook, “bound in red canvas with debossed gold foil inlay presented in a matching slipcase,” download codes for PC and OSX versions of the game and a copy of its killer soundtrack from composer Disasterpeace.
Via: IGN
Source: Polytron
HTC unveils its consumer Preview program: wants early product feedback
HTC has been having a pretty tough year and appears to be turning to us, the consumer, for tips and feedback on its upcoming products, which might just help to turn things back around. During a Reddit AMA, HTC announced its new Preview program and is currently accepting registrations from its fans.
HTC is looking for early feedback on its software and successful applicants might even be invited to take part in hardware trials before products are released to the majority of consumers. However, HTC says that this isn’t a guaranteed way to get early hands on with new hardware and shouldn’t be viewed as a faster software upgrade path either. HTC states that it is looking for responsible participants, as the signing of NDAs is required.
“What do I, as a user, get in exchange for helping you with this preview program?
Aside from getting a new free smartphone to play with for the duration of the trial, you can also get a taste of the latest and greatest HW & SW while the rest of the general public is patiently waiting for a leak or rumor.”
HTC’s latest handset: HTC One A9 review
Reading further through some of the AMA responses, it seems that another aspect of the HTC Preview program will be about collecting information on device usage. Statistics on app usage times, battery information and even network quality look to be of interest. HTC can then see how consumers use their devices in order to make better product decisions.
“What data is collected by HTC as part of this program?
Logs are running in the background and collect data on network/signal strength, battery information, usage times, apps used. We do not collect personal data (such as passwords, account information, text messages, MMS, emails, call logs unless authorized by you).”
Furthermore, applicants must have an active account with one of the four major carriers in the US, that’s T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon. If you’re interested, you can sign up at this link: https://preview.htc.com
HTC also mentioned that the program will eventually expand to additional carriers and that the company is looking to bring EU and Asian consumers into the program in the future.
So, who’s signing up?
[Deal] The WileyFox Swift is just £99 at Amazon
There are a ton of deals flying around at the moment as Black Friday craziness ramps up, and one deal that might prove interesting is for the WileyFox Swift. For today only, the Swift is just £99.99 from Amazon UK, giving a saving of 23% (£29.50).
For £99.99, you get a handset that supports Dual-SIM cards, uses CyanogenOS 12.1, and featuring enhanced privacy and security. Hardware wise, the Swift sports a 5-inch 720p IPS display, with a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 1.2GHz 410 processor provides the grunt with 2GB of RAM available for multi-tasking, and 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded via the MicroSD card slot. The Swift supports 4G networks and carries a removable 2,500mAh battery.
Let us know in the comments below you are going to pick up a WileyFox Swift.
Source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: [Deal] The WileyFox Swift is just £99 at Amazon
Panasonic makes its 4K Toughpad more film industry-friendly
When Panasonic’s 20-inch, 4K Toughpad tablet arrived to CES 2013, there was nothing even remotely like it on the market. The company did have a method to its madness, however, positioning the then-$6,000 tablet as a bulletproof, strictly-business tablet aimed at industrial CAD designers and graphics pros. It has now updated the Windows 10 Pro device with specs better suited to its price, and aimed it at a new, deep-pocketed market: cinema companies. The $4,229 FZ-Y1D Toughpad model now has HDMI 2.0 input, and thanks to Panasonic’s proprietary software, can function as a Digital Cinema 4K (4,096 x 2,160, 60fps) monitor for cameras like Red’s Raven.
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Source: Panasonic
Raspberry Pi’s latest computer costs just $5
Over the years, the Raspberry Pi Foundation has enabled universities and hobbyists to create their own DIY computing projects with its affordable boards. But that doesn’t mean it’s stopping there. Today, the company unveiled its latest programmable computing board, the Raspberry Pi Zero, and it costs just $5 (£4). With its Broadcom BCM2835 application processor (1GHz ARM11 core), 512MB of RAM, a micro-SD card slot, a mini-HDMI socket supporting 1080p (at 60 frames per second), micro-USB sockets and an identical pin layout to its larger Pi siblings, the Zero can do plenty of heavy lifting, despite its tiny size. For context: at 65mm x 30mm, it’s smaller than a credit card and has 40-percent faster chip than the first ever Pi.
Via: Raspberry Pi Blog
Source: The Pi Hut (UK), Pimoroni (UK), Element 14 (UK), Adafruit (US)
Happy Thanksgiving! 15 HD festive wallpapers for your smartphone
Happy Thanksgiving!
Whether you love eating turkey or a tofu turkey, Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to relax and enjoy a feast. To help get the celebrations started we have assembled 15 HD wallpapers for you to liven your holiday spirit.
Check out the wallpapers and download as many as you would like.
The wallpapers are all in the scrolling images above, and if you want to save them, follow these instructions:
- Click the left/right arrows to scroll through the images
- Maximize the image you like by clicking on it
- Long press or hold down on the image and click “save”
- Go to your gallery or Google Photos and find your image
- Click “use as” and then click wallpaper
If you see a wallpaper that belongs to you and you would like to receive credit, I would love to give it to you! Just drop a comment in the section provided below with some proof (You know, just so we don’t have people claiming things that are not theirs…) So, please choose those that you like and enjoy!
The post Happy Thanksgiving! 15 HD festive wallpapers for your smartphone appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Get a $100 prepaid card when you buy a Verizon LG G4 or LG V10
Are you tired of all the deals yet? We are definitely not, and this one is a especially awesome. LG is offering a $100 rebate in the form of a prepaid card to anyone who purchases an LG V10 or LG G4 from Verizon on, or before, the 25th of December.
All you have to do is purchase the phone sometime between 11/23 and 12/25 at participating Verizon retailers and register for your rebate at LG’s specified website. Also, this offer comes from the manufacturer, so it doesn’t really affect separate discounts Verizon itself may be running. For example, the LG V10 can be had for $100 off during Verizon’s Black Friday weekend event. And you can even get up to $300 for trading it another phone!
Considering all that, you have the chance to save up to $500 on the new phone. Pretty awesome, right?
And these LG handsets are no weak contenders. These are the best LG has to offer, as well as some of the most attractive devices currently in the market. The LG V10 comes with a super solid construction, a large 5.7-inch QHD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 16 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front shooter and a 3000 mAh battery.
On the other hand, the LG G4 has a smaller 5.5-inch QHD display, a Snapdragon 808 processor, 3 GB of RAM, a 16 MP rear camera, an 8 MP front camera and a 3000 mAh battery. In a way, the LG V10 is everything the G4 lacked to be, but they are both great devices, and many of us do prefer the G4’s aesthetics better.
Are you guys thinking of getting a phone from Verizon? Nos is a good time to go with LG’s high-end gadgets!
AIVAnet 