LG to show off the 5.7-inch Stylus 2 at MWC 2016

Alongside the G5 and some new midrange entries, LG has now announced that it will unveil the LG Stylus 2 at Mobile World Congress 2016. The Stylus 2 is the follow-up to 2015’s G4 Stylus, packing a large 5.7-inch screen and, as the name implies, a handy stylus.

The smartphone also packs some notable extras to take advantage of the included stylus. For example, a feature called Pen Pop toggles a shortcut menu when the stylus is removed. The Stylus 2 also includes what LG is calling Pen Keeper, which helps users keep from misplacing the included stylus by sending a notification if it detects the phone is in motion while the stylus is removed.

As for basic specs, that 5.7-inch screen comes in at a relatively low 1280 x 720, and the phone itself is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor running on a 3,000mAh battery. There’s also 1.5GB of RAM on board, along with 16GB of storage, expandable via microSD. As for cameras, you’re looking at a 13MP rear shooter, with an 8MP camera up front.

LG will be showing the Stylus 2 off at MWC 2016, and we’ll bring you more from the show floor.

Press Release:

ALL NEW LG STYLUS 2 TO MAKE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AT MWC 2016

Enhanced Stylus Pen Offers Easy Note Taking and Drawing Experience

SEOUL, Feb. 16, 2016 ― LG Electronics (LG) will unveil its new LG Stylus 2, the enhanced sequel to the G4 Stylus, at MWC 2016 to be held in Barcelona, Spain. The exceptionally-priced 5.7-inch handset shares many of premium features available on LG’s flagship models but also includes a pen with a nano-coated tip for more accuracy compared to the previous rubber-tipped pen.

The device features a set of proprietary functions developed specifically for the LG Stylus 2 to enhance the user experience such as Pen Pop, which toggles a popup menu when the stylus is removed to offer shortcuts to Pop Memo and Pop Scanner. Also new to LG Stylus 2 is Pen Keeper, which prevents the stylus from being misplaced by displaying a popup message when the phone is detected as being in motion when the stylus bay is empty. What’s more, the new Calligraphy Pen font allows one to write as beautifully and decoratively as if using a fountain pen.

Only 7.4mm thin and weighing 145g, the LG Stylus 2 is noticeably thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The handset delivers a unique design statement with the incorporation of a Protruded Flat Display in the front, Spin Hairline pattern on the back and metallic frames on all its edges. The LG Stylus 2 sports a hefty 3,000mAh removable battery and a SD card slot to allow users to enjoy a variety of multimedia content on its large 5.7-inch screen. . “LG Stylus 2 provides both the big screen and premium notetaking functions of a premium large phone at a price of a mid-tier phone,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “This device is another example of our commitment to the mass-tier segment where there is so much opportunity for growth and creativity.”

LG Stylus 2 Key Specifications:

• Display: 5.7-inch HD In-Cell Touch (1280 x 720)
• Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core
• Camera: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP
• Memory: 1.5GB LPDDR3 RAM / 16GB ROM / MicroSD
• Battery: 3,000mAh (removable)
• Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Size: 155 x 79.6 x 7.4mm
• Weight: 145g
• Network: LTE / HSPA+ / GSM
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.1 / USB 2.0
• Colors: Titan / White / Brown

Google gets musical with its latest Android ad

As the Grammy Awards bring a myriad of musical medleys to televisions tonight, Google has released a musical tribute of its own in its latest Android commercial. As the latest in a series of ads featuring the “Be together. Not the same.” tagline, Google drives that sentiment home using a pair of pianos. However, while one piano is tuned normally, the other is a little special. From Google:

A piano has 88 keys. Each one is different. But what if they were all the same? To find out, we took apart a piano and reengineered it so that it only plays one note: Middle C. Be together. #NotTheSame

While the actual Android operating system doesn’t make an appearance, the concept behind the ad still makes it a fun watch. Be sure to take a gander at the ad above, and let us know what you think in the comments. And if you’re interested, you can check out a separate video that goes over how the ad was put together as well.

Source: Android (YouTube)

Hands-on: Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 and A7 2016

Flagship-level design and build quality for half the cost.

For those that can’t justify the cost of a Galaxy S6, Samsung has the Galaxy A series, which offers a similar design with hardware that’s a step down from its flagship. When the Galaxy A3, A5, and A7 launched last year, there wasn’t a frame of reference for Samsung, as the A series was its first attempt at all-metallic devices. But with the Galaxy S6 and Note 5 featuring a glass and metal design, the 2016 refresh of the Galaxy A series brings the devices’ design in line with that of the Galaxy S6 and the Note 5.

As such, we’re looking at metal sides with chamfered edges, and glass backs protected by Gorilla Glass 4. Even the protruding camera sensor at the back is similar to that of the Galaxy S6. The edges are rounded, you get the volume rocker on the left and the power button on the right, and both phones have fingerprint sensors embedded in the home button. The sensor works just as well as it does on the S6 and the Note 5, although you can configure only three fingerprints (you can set up to six on the flagships). With dimensions of 151.5 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm, the Galaxy A7 is not too unwieldy for one-handed usage, and with an overall weight of 172g, it has a reassuring heft to it.

When it comes to the specs on offer, the Galaxy A7 offers a 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, with much better color accuracy from the first-gen model. Despite the screen size, the Galaxy A7 is barely larger than the Galaxy S6, thanks to the narrow bezels. Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Exynos 7580 octa-core processor, which offers eight Cortex A53 cores (ARMv8-A architecture) clocked at 1.6GHz. The GPU is ARM’s Mali-T720 MP3, clocked at 700MHz. Samsung is also offering an international edition of the Galaxy A7 with the Snapdragon 615, which has four Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.2GHz and four Cortex A53 at 1.5GHz.

Other specs of the Galaxy A7 include 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, microSD slot that can take memory cards up to 128GB in size, 13MP camera with f/1.9 lens, 5MP front camera, LTE Category 6 connectivity (300Mbps down), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, and dual SIM functionality. When it comes to battery life, the Galaxy A7 outmatches the Galaxy S6 with a 3300mAh battery. Combine that with a Full HD display, and you get a battery that lasts a day and a half with ease.

The Galaxy A5 shares most of the specs, with the major difference being the screen size, which is at 5.2 inches. You still get the excellent Full HD Super AMOLED display. Storage is also the same at 16GB, although the amount of RAM is reduced to 2GB. The battery sees a decrease to 2900mAh, which is still great for a 5.2-inch device.

The main drawback with the Galaxy A5 and A7 2016 is the storage, with 16GB far too less considering you’re left with around 11GB after the system partition. Given their pricing, Samsung should have offered 32GB as standard on the phones.

Samsung went with a 13MP camera on the first-gen Galaxy A series, and while the megapixel count is the same in this year’s models, you now get optical image stabilization. Photos taken in daylight offer plenty of detail, although the image processing is noticeably different from the Galaxy S6 in low-light conditions.

When it comes to the software side of things, Samsung is yet to roll out the Marshmallow update to its phones, and as such the Galaxy A5 and A7 come with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box. Samsung’s continuing to partner with Microsoft when it comes to pre-installed apps, with both phones offering Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote and Skype. We’ll talk about the real-world performance in the review, but as of now, the Galaxy A7 and A5 do not present any problems.

The first-generation Galaxy A series was targeted at emerging markets, and Samsung is continuing the trend with this year’s refresh. The Galaxy A5 and A7 are available in India for ₹29,400 ($433) and ₹33,400 ($492). Samsung also launched the Galaxy A3 and the Galaxy A9 with a massive 6-inch display in China, and as of now there’s no mention as to when these phones will be available in other markets.

Stay tuned for in-depth coverage of Samsung’s latest.

Samsung teases water resistance for upcoming Galaxy S7 phones [Update]

Ahead of the official unveil of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge at Mobile World Congress, Samsung Indonesia has posted a video on its YouTube channel teasing its upcoming flagship phone. Tagged #TheNextGalaxy, the commercial shows Indonesian archer Dellie Threesyadinda incorporating the phone’s predecessor, the GS6 edge+ into her training.

In one section of the video, last year’s phone is briefly shown being used out in the rain, implying that rumors of water-resistance in the GS7 series may be on the money. The video also shows off wireless charging — a well-known GS6 feature — and Samsung Indonesia’s teaser website points to a camera that can take better pictures in low-light conditions. (This is all stuff we’ve previously heard in Galaxy S7 leaks to date.)

Samsung will reveal all on Feb. 21 in Barcelona. Stay tuned to Android Central for all the details from the ground!

Update: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the rumored Galaxy S7 edge itself appeared in the video. In fact, the phone in question is a Galaxy S6 edge+.

Source: YouTube (Samsung Indonesia); Via: The Verge

Samsung Galaxy S7

The Galaxy S7 is expected to be announced at Mobile World Congress in late February 2016.

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An Indian brand is going to launch a $7 smartphone later this week

Ringing Bells, an Indian handset vendor, is all set to launch a smartphone for under ₹500 ($7) on Feb. 17. The vendor already has an LTE-enabled handset that retails for ₹2,999 ($43), and with its upcoming phone, called the Freedom 251, it is looking to promote the government’s Make In India initiative, and empower “India to the last person, transforming India’s growth story.”

From the media invite:

The phone will be popularly priced at under Rs 500. This event and launch stands as a true testimony of success of the latest initiatives taken by the Government of India.

The vendor will make the phone with “immense support” from the Indian government, with the country’s Union Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar set to launch the handset. This isn’t the first time the government has worked with a vendor to make affordable hardware available to the citizenry. In 2011, Datawind was commissioned to make tablets that retailed for $45.

We’ll have more details about the Freedom 251 in a day’s time. It will certainly be interesting to see what the vendor manages to offer for $7.

Source: Facebook (Ringing Bells)

Sony’s new super-compact Exmor RS sensor offers lightning-fast autofocus

Sony has announced a new compact, yet capable stacked CMOS image sensor. The Exmor IMX318 is the company’s latest innovation when it comes to smartphone camera tech, which introduces a number of new features. It’s certainly a step in the right direction for the company, and is a measure we think Sony needs to take this year to remain relevant.

The IMX318 is a type 1/2.6-inch stacked 22.5 megapixels CMOS image sensor, which is more compact than previous generations, yet promises to offer improved performance and greater image quality. It’s boasted as the industry’s first imaging sensor to be equipped with built-in hybrid autofocus, which can result in speeds of up to a staggering 0.03 seconds. Then you have 3-axis image stabilization for even better shots, making the IMX318 quite the capable little sensor.

“As smartphones grow ever thinner, so too are image sensors growing increasingly more compact. In line with this trend, Sony has developed a miniscule 1.0μm pixel sensor that, despite its small size, realizes high image quality. To accomplish this, Sony employed manufacturing technology that improves light utilization efficiency, as well as circuit design technology that eliminates noise, a root cause of deterioration in image quality.”

As well as superior photos, the new sensor will allow for 4K recording at 30fps (frames per second), while 1080p and 720p offer 120fps and 240fps, respectively.

The new imaging sensor is expected to start shipping in May later this year. We can look forward to seeing the company implement the new tech in its product line-up. We’ll hopefully learn more about Sony’s plans for 2016 and beyond at MWC so stay tuned. Should you be interested to learn more about Sony’s new sensor chip, we strongly urge you to check out the company’s official announcement.

Find out more about the new Exmor RS

LeEco Le Max goes on sale in India for ₹32,999

LeEco announced the Le Max in India last month, and the vendor is now kicking off sales of the phone. The Le Max can now be purchased from Flipkart for ₹32,999 ($485) for the variant with 64GB internal memory, with the 128GB model listed for ₹36,999 ($543).

Here’s what you get with the Le Max:

Category LeEco Le Max Display 6.33-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) SoC Octa-core Snapdragon 810 64-bit processor RAM 4GB DDR4 RAM Internal storage 64GB, 128GB Rear camera 21MP with dual-tone LED flash, OIS, f/2.0 Front 4MP, 81.6-degree wide-angle lens Dimensions 167.1 × 83.5 × 8.95 mm Weight 204 grams OS Android 5.1.1 Lollipop-based EUI Battery 3400mAh

The phone certainly packs a punch, and is priced lower than flagships from established vendors. If you’re in the market for a large-screened handset, check out the Le Max from the link below.

See at Flipkart

LG G5 captured in the flesh in Dubai ahead of unveiling

The LG G5 is expected to be announced later this month at Mobile World Congress 2016, and since we’re in the run-up to the event it’s around this time when we start to see new leaks and mysterious live photos of products circle online. The latest is of the LG G5 in Dubai, which has been captured in the flesh on a commerce website.

According to this mysterious LG G5 listing, one lucky person has managed to get their hands on the unannounced smartphone from the U.S. and is now attempting to sell it. While we’re unable to verify the legitimacy of said images (and the listing in general), it certainly resembles that of the LG G5 with the dual-camera setup and what appears to be a fingerprint sensor.

As with all leaks, rumors and photos that manage to get published, we recommend you take everything here with a certain level of salt. We’ll be at MWC 2016 to bring you all the latest from the floor, so remain tuned to see what LG has in store for everyone.

Source: Dubizzle, Via: PhoneArena

LG G5

The LG G5 is expected to be announced at Mobile World Congress in late February 2016.

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Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact discounted by up to $60 at Amazon

If you’re in the market for Sony’s Xperia Z5 or Xperia Z5 Compact, you may want to check out Amazon’s deal, as the retailer has slashed the price of the phones by up to $60. The bigger savings comes on the full-sized Xperia Z5, dropping the price from $599 down to $539, a savings of $60. As for the Compact variant, you’ll save $50 when buying from Amazon, making it now $449 instead of $499. These discounts are the first since the devices made their way to the U.S. around a week ago.

The big difference between the two phones is screen size, with the Xperia Z5 coming in at 5.2-inches, while the Compact is only 4.6-inches with a lower resolution display. There are some other internal differences, like 3GB of RAM vs 2GB of RAM, but you’ll find the same 23MP camera in both devices. If you’re interested in grabbing an unlocked Xperia Z5 or Xperia Z5 Compact, you won’t want to miss this savings at Amazon.

Sony Xperia Z5 at Amazon Sony Xperia Z5 Compact at Amazon

Via: TechnoBuffalo

SanDisk’s 200GB microSD is just $89 at Amazon

Amazon is offering a great deal for those in need of some additional storage for their phone or tablet. You can now grab SanDisk’s 200GB microSD card for just $89, or if you need to spend a little less you can go with the 128GB card for only $44. When SanDisk first released the 200GB card, it carried a price tag of around $250, meaning that this new price is a 64 percent savings from its initial release price.

You can also find the 64GB card on sale for $22 or the 32GB card for $12, so there is something for every price point. If you are in need of additional storage for your phone, tablet, computer, camera or other electronic device, be sure to check out the savings from SanDisk at Amazon.

See at Amazon

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