Appeals court slashes payout in Apple-Samsung trial

In August, 2012 a jury found Samsung guilty of infringing multiple Apple design patents as well as claims the manufacturer had filed on “trade dress.” Trade dress refers to the specific appearance or visual art of a product that a consumer would find recognizable. The case has been tied up in appeals ever since, and now the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has found that while the awards for design and utility patent infringements were appropriate, the awards for infringement of trade dresses were not. That’s a massive amount of money altogether — the amount of money Samsung owes Apple just fell nearly 40%.

Note that while the Apple-Samsung case was primarily discussed in terms of patents, the case covered issues of trademark infringement and trade dresses as well. Much of the damages awarded to Apple were based on the argument that Samsung had misappropriated distinct elements of Apple design.

At present, Samsung owes Apple an estimated $548 million, down sharply from the $1.049B that Apple was initially awarded back in 2012. The Appeals Court’s findings were based on balancing the protected nature of trade dresses against the protected right to imitate. It might surprise you that this last is legally allowed, but it is. This balancing act is necessary because there’s a risk that a company might seek trademarks on the functional features of an object.

Imagine, for example, that a blade manufacturer could get a trademark on the design of a blade with a sharp cutting edge on one side and a dull edge on the opposite, affixed to a wooden handle with a full tang. That’s the basic description of a well-made knife and the law recognizes that the functional design of a knife cannot be protected by a trademark. This is critically important, because one difference between a patent and a trademark is that a trademark can be held in perpetuity, whereas a patent eventually expires. The usability test is important because it implies that a product ought to be designed in certain ways in order to be useful. Imagine if any single auto company had been allowed to claim that the number of wheels on a vehicle were a form of trade dress.
Down with rounded corners

One of the claims Apple made in its initial court case was that the rounded corners on the iPhone represented such a significant design element that Samsung had infringed upon the Cupertino manufacturer’s trade dress in building a similarly shaped product. The Appeals Court ruled against this claim, specifically because it finds that the much-derided “rounded corners” of the iPhone confers superior practical qualities.


Samsung was able to convince the court that rounded corners weren’t matters of trade dress, in other words, because putting round corners on a device confers a utilitarianadvantage in much the same way as putting a handle on a knife blade. Technically, a knife doesn’t need a wooden handle — but it’s much easier to use a knife if the dull section of the blade meant for gripping is reinforced and made larger to better fit the hand.

Apple then further lost on additional claims because, “Apple, while asserting that there were ‘numerous’ alternative designs, fails to show that any of these alternatives offered exactly the same features as the asserted trade dress… Apple simply catalogs the mere existence of other design possibilities embodied in rejected iPhone prototypes and other manufacturers’ smartphones.”

The court used similar reasoning to dissect Apple’s other claims of protected trade dress and found against the company in all of them. These findings — that most aspects of the Apple iPhone are functional rather than decorative — collectively represent a major win for Samsung. The company still owes Apple hundreds of millions of dollars for infringing on other claims, but slashing the value of the case will still be seen as a major win.

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Posted at 6:33 PM |  by Unknown

New Android phones to get excited about in 2015

We've already seen some great smartphone releases in 2015, with the Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4, HTC One M9 and Huawei P8 already gracing many people's palms. But the year is far from over and there's plenty more to come from the big manufacturers, as well as some possible surprises from up-and-comers. Read on for a list of the phones that AndroidPIT's most excited about seeing in 2015.




The next Nexus - Nexus 5 2015 ?

Google’s silly naming convention means we have no idea what the next Nexus will be called – the successor to the Nexus 6 can’t be the Nexus 7 – because Google used that two years ago for its 7-inch tablet, and some pundits believe Google will dump the brand completely in 2015. Who knows though, it could very well be the Nexus 6 2015.

Recent speculation suggests that Huawei will be at the helm of Google's next 2015 flagship, which would make sense for Google’s reach in China, and the company is already well-versed in producing quality hardware at attractive prices. Intriguingly, a Google video touting Project Fi revealed a mystery phone that many thought could be the next Nexus. The phone looks virtually bezel-less, and seems to have a similar design to the Nexus 5. Could this be the Nexus 5 2015? We hope so.

Xiaomi Mi5

Though it’s not sure that western markets are going to be able to get their hands on this one, we do know that Xiaomi is keen to enter the US market in the near future. This would suit us fine, because the Xiaomi Mi5 could be one of the best devices to ever be released on Android.

Rumors suggest the Mi5 will feature a bezel-less design, a 5.2-inch QHD display, and an octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset with either 3GB or 4GB RAM. These fine specs could be rounded off by a 16MP camera and 3000mAh battery. It's early days yet, but we're excited already.

Project Ara

Project Ara won't produce a flagship. More intriguingly, it'll let you create your own phone, with your design, your preferred hardware and software features, and built to your own specifications. It will be unique to you, and this is why your phone might be the Android phone to get excited about in 2015.

We already got a glimpse at some of the capabilities of Project Ara - with unique components like a night-vision camera module - and the range of design opportunities that Project Ara presents are extremely exciting. Consider this: typical smartphone manufacturers can't include components to appeal to "niche" user interests because they are built to attract as wide a demographic as possible. It's not built for you, it's built for everyone. Project Ara is going to change this. What are you into? What do you want to see from a smartphone? Project Ara will let you create your own answers to these questions.
Project Ara: everything you need to know

Oppo Find 9

Chinese manufacturer Oppo brought a fantastic phablet to the Android table last year with the Find 7. It's no easy task to compete with the other names that dominate Android, but Oppo is doing just that, and we fully expect a Find 9 to appear later this year to take Oppo's intrepid journey into smartphone manufacturing to the next level.

Details on the Find 9 are a little thin at the moment, but early signs indicate Oppo could be pursuing a bezel-less design like the Sharp Aquos Crystal for the Find 9, on a square device bearing little semblance to the Find 7. Rumors suggest it could also feature a 5.5-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset, and 4GB RAM, so it should be powerful as well as pretty.

Sony Xperia Z4 / Z4 Ultra

The Xperia Z4 had a surprisingly muted release in Japan in mid-April. It looked like a decent handset, following a similar design philosophy to its predecessor while kitting out the internals with a Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset and shaving a few decimals of a millimetre off in thickness. It's still waterproof too, though this time there is no unwieldy flap covering the microUSB port.

In truth, the model that's being released in Japan didn't excite us too much either, but we're intrigued by rumors of an Xperia Z4 Ultra being in the works, which could pack a 5.5-inch QHD display, along with a metallic slate design.

There is a lot of speculation right now about what form the Xperia Z4 will take when it appears in the west - (Ultra version, compact, improved specs?) - so we're excited what it offers when it hopefully makes an appearance at IFA 2015 in September
Sony Xperia Z4 release date, news, specs and rumors

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Thanks to the iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung no longer has the premium phablet market to itself - even though it created that market when everybody else was still mocking the idea of big-screened phones. That means the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 needs to be something special - a true Android phone to get excited about.

Rumors suggest an Ultra HD 4K display and a camera with up to 55 megapixels, although that resolution is possible rather than definite so far - if Sony’s sticking to 21 MP the presence of a higher resolution sensor in the Note 5 might be a gimmick rather than a great leap forward. In light of the success of Samsung's in-house Exynos chipset in the Galaxy S6, there are big question marks over whether Samsung would go back to a Qulacomm Snapdragon for the Note 5.If Samsung chooses to go with an Exynos - which we think is more likely - then that could spell the end of Samsung's relationship with Qualcomm for flagship phones.

We’d like to see wireless charging and two-day battery life too. The latest word on the grapevine suggests that the Note 5 could come with a dual-edge design, which we wouldn't mind one bit - if it's not too expensive.
Galaxy Note 5 news and rumors

OnePlus Two

Some firms could teach Google a thing or two about sensible names - the next OnePlus handset is almost certainly going to be called the OnePlus Two. After a split with Cyanogen Inc, OnePlus is going it alone and has already developed a new OS, Oxygen OS, for its second device. Here are the differences you should know about between Cyanogen OS and Oyxgen OS.

The now-familiar blend of great hardware and provocative marketing is likely to continue, and the device, currently codenamed Lettuce, should pack a 64-bit Snapdragon and Lollipop for a very good price. Count on OnePlus's invite-only purchase system to return also.
OnePlus Two release date, specs, news and rumors

Motorola Moto X 2015

The Moto X (2014) is a great phone at a great price, and we’re hoping the 2015 version addresses some of its weaknesses: the rubbish battery, the mediocre camera, the just-OK screen and the lack of stereo speakers and microSD slot. But will that be enough to keep Moto at the top of the table?

Which Android phone are you most looking forward to in 2015?

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Posted at 12:40 AM |  by Unknown

Apple Acquisition May Give Next iPhone DSLR-Like Camera

The next iPhone's camera could rival your DSLR, thanks to a new acquisition made by Apple. The Cupertino, Calif., hardware giant has acquired LinX, a company that specializes in making powerful, small camera modules, for an estimated $20 million.

LinX creates smartphone and tablet cameras that are designed to offer rich color fidelity, strong low light performance and low shutter lag. The company's camera can also track depth, allowing for features such as post-shot refocusing and 3D modeling.

It's not surprising that Apple is looking to stay on top of the smartphone camera game. According to data from Flickr, the iPhone is the most used-camera on the image-sharing site, beating out dedicated cameras from companies such as Canon and Nikon. The new Samsung Galaxy S6'sexcellent 16-megapixel camera is one of the best we've seen on any smartphone, giving Apple all the more reason to beef up its camera offerings for future devices.

An improved camera is one of several new features expected to come to the next iPhone, which could arrive in iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and 6 mini variations. Apple's next generation of handsets is rumored to tout the haptic Force Touch technology found in the new MacBook, as well as more RAM for faster performance. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are expected to run on new Apple A9 processors, while the more affordable 6 mini may feature the current A8 chip.

While we likely won't be seeing new iPhones until September, it shouldn't be long before we see what software the new phones are going to run. Apple is expected to showcase iOS 9 at its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June, so stay tuned for the news out of Cupertino, Calif., as it unfolds.

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Posted at 12:02 AM |  by Unknown

Weird iPhone 7 Concept Inspired by Apple Watch

Another year, another iPhone. But before all the rumors and leaks start surfacing, artists have been hard at work coming up with ideas about what the next iPhone could look like. But this concept takes the cake. In a video uploaded to its YouTube channel, ConceptsiPhone showed off an iPhone 7 with a bizarre feature borrowed from the Apple Watch - the Digital Crown.

Added to the right side of the phone above a volume button is the knob from the Apple watch. Presumably, you'd rotate it to navigate the proposed iPhone 7, and the dial would also house the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and act as a home button. In place of the traditional home button below the screen is a proposed Sense Button, which ConceptsiPhone describes as a set of sensors that catch your gesture and movements.


The rest of the video describes other aspects of the proposed iPhone 7, such as a so-called Retina HD+ (2560 x 1440) display, thinner-than-ever 6.9 mm profile and purported A9 CPU and M9 motion co-processors. Other than the addition of the Digital Crown, the concept iPhone 7, designed by Antonio de Rosa, looks largely similar to the iPhone 6.


ConceptsiPhone more recently put out a video of what it thinks iOS 9's lock screen could look like. The conceptualized OS features a lock screen that groups your notifications and lets you carry out actions such as reply to a text, add and edit your reminders or return a missed call.

The Apple Watch has proven immensely popular despite its high starting price, and the company has already received close to a million pre-orders for the device. But while people may like the Apple Watch and its features, we're not sure they'll enjoy having a large, protruding knob on the side of their sleek smartphones. Thankfully, this is all just a concept and seems very unlikely to come to pass.

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Posted at 11:55 PM |  by Unknown

Samsung Galaxy S6 Camera Defeats iPhone 6

Round 1: Daylight Still Life

We start with the easiest test — shooting objects that don't move under sunlight, albeit diffused sunlight owing to gray New York City skies. Photos from both cameras look great. The iPhone 6 Plus photo (at right) shows a hint of extra green, yielding slightly fluorescent-looking greens in the apples. The Galaxy S6 photo puts a bit too much blue in the image, giving the apples a slight purplish tint. But this is nitpicking. Both show crisp detail, though the Galaxy S6 photo is a tad sharper, owing to its 16-megapixel sensor, compared to the 8-MP chip in the iPhone 6 Plus camera.

Round 2: High-Color Still Life

We saw a clearer difference in these shots of brightly colored flowers, mostly under cloudy sunlight, with a bit of fluorescent lighting from the vendor's stall. The Galaxy S6 photo, at left, has a pleasing higher color saturation. It also shows more detail — due not only to higher resolution but also to better contrast, which brings out fine shading in the petals. The iPhone 6 Plus photo has a hazy appearance. We sometimes see this due to the camera's tone mapping, which tries to pull back areas that are overexposed. It goes too far here, producing a flat image.

Round 3: Daylight Portrait

Both cameras capture the skin tone of our colleague Dave pretty well. The iPhone 6 Plus image makes his face look brighter and clearer, though; whereas it looks a bit flat in the Galaxy S6 photo. The iPhone 6 Plus pic also shows a stronger black in his coat. It's a close call, but the iPhone 6 Plus does better overall.



Round 4: Indoor Still Life

Low-light performance is a strong point for the iPhone 6 and a priority for the Galaxy S6. This photo shows that Samsung has not only closed the gap but actually pulled ahead. Not surprising is that its higher-resolution camera captures more detail, as in the label on the Captain Morgan's bottle. But further, the Galaxy's default real-time high dynamic range (HDR) produced a better exposure, not only bringing up the shadows but also capturing more detail in highlights.

That, as much as resolution, makes the text on the frosted Absolute Mandarin bottle sharper. The Galaxy S6 captures more and brighter highlights, too, as on the brown rum bottle at the left. The clear bottles show complex reflections and diffractions in the S6 photo that appear at best as blobs in the iPhone image.

Round 5: Indoor Portrait

Both phone cameras captured nice photos of our co-worker Valentina in a dim hallway with mixed fluorescent and LED lighting. However, the iPhone 6 Plus photo appears a bit flat compared to the higher-contrast Samsung image, and it doesn't capture the reddish highlights in her hair.

The Galaxy S6 photo better reflects the color of the lighting. Perhaps this is due to the infrared sensor, but we can't say for sure. The higher-resolution Galaxy S6 photo also shows much finer detail, evident in her scarf.

Round 6: Low-Light Portrait

This is an extreme-low-light test — images taken with only dim overhead light. There are several variations between the two photos: for example, the Galaxy S6 image appears too warm while the iPhone 6 Plus image looks greenish. But the glaring difference is that the iPhone 6 Plus photo shows yellow splotches on her face, such as her forehead and under her eyes. We've occasionally seen the iPhone 6 tone mapping turn overexposed areas yellow, but this is worse than usual.

The Galaxy S6 photo also appears a bit brighter, possibly due to its f/1.9 aperture, which lets in about 30 percent more light than the f/2.2 aperture of the iPhone 6 Plus camera.

Round 7: Flash Photo Portrait

Sometimes, a camera simply needs to use a flash, and here, the Galaxy S6 beats the iPhone in a few ways. It shows far more detail, again evident in her scarf. Colors also appear more accurate in the Galaxy S6 image. The Samsung's flash is perhaps more powerful than some people might want, but the photo is not overexposed.

The most noticeable aspect of the iPhone 6 Plus photo is that there are yellow splotches, especially on her cheek and neck, due to failed tone mapping. The iPhone 6 Plus image also has a worse red-eye effect, but this could just be a matter of chance.

Round 8: Sunny Cityscape

Both the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy S6 cameras performed well — as they should — in this cakewalk photo test. People we asked around the office preferred the warmer colors of the iPhone 6 Plus photo, and so it takes the round, but only by a hair. The Galaxy S6 photo is also of high quality.

Round 9: Backlit Street Scene

There was no contest in this comparison. When the subjects were backlit, the whole image appeared faded in the iPhone photo, while the Galaxy S6 photo retained good contrast. We saw similar results in other backlit shots taken with both cameras.

Round 10: Front-Lit Street Scene

The differences between the two phones go away when strong sunlight hits the front of the subject. Here both cameras captured detail well, and the fast phase detection autofocus in both cameras helped each capture a sharp image of the moving subjects. People viewing both photos tended to prefer the iPhone 6 Plus image for its warmer tone, but again, the differences are subtle.

Round 11: Sunlight Group Portrait

The iPhone 6 Plus won our competition in the portraits of Dave under diffused sunlight, and it triumphs again in this very bright photo of Dave, Valentina and our colleague Sherri — with richer, truer colors and far stronger contrast. This is a pattern we have consistently seen between the two cameras in photos under intense sunlight. If you're going to the beach, the iPhone will certainly serve you better.

The iPhone 6 Plus image is far from perfect, though. Tone mapping has flattened out details and produced those characteristic yellow spots on Valentina's and Dave's faces. Because the S6 image retains more tonal detail, it might ultimately produce a better photo after editing. But straight from the camera, the iPhone 6 Plus image looks much richer.

Scorecard

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Posted at 11:45 PM |  by Unknown

G Flex 2, ZenFone 2, Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 Plus: Top 10 smartphones 2015

Already we've seen big name companies including Samsung, LG and Asus unveil new flagship smartphones designed to entice buyers away from the stream of, still impressive, handsets that arrived in 2014.

In fact, the influx of new hardware, combined with the sea of rumours surrounding many, as yet unconfirmed handsets, such as the next iPhone, have justifiably left many people baffled what is available, what's on the horizon and what's currently fiction.

Here to help we've created a definitive top 10 list of the biggest smartphones currently available of confirmed for release this year.

10) LG G Flex 2
Display technology is an increasingly competitive area in the world of smartphones. Traditionally companies have worked to dominate the space by improving their displays' resolution, colour balance and brightness levels.

LG however has chosen to take a different tactic over the last year and has instead been working to push its curved display technology to the masses.

This started in 2012 when LG unveiled the G Flex and continued at CES 2015 when the Korean firm unveiled its follow up curved smartphone, the G Flex 2.

The G Flex 2's standout feature is its" flexible" 5.5in, 1080p, OLED display, which according to LG is 30 percent more durable and crack proof than its predecessor and can absorbs impacts when it hits a hard surface.

Add to this the G Flex 2's octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and Android 5.0 Lollipop mobile operating system and LG's latest handset is on paperone of the most advanced smartphones ever seen.

9) Asus ZenFone 2
Asus unveiled its first Android 5.0 Lollipop smartphone, the ZenFone 2, at CES 2015. While the use of Lollipop, which more upgrades to Android than can easily be counted, is pretty awesome, Asus has done a stellar job loading the ZenFone 2 with a wealth of top end hardware.

Chief of these are the ZenFone 2's 13MP rear camera with an f/2.0 wide-aperture lens, Optical Image Stabilsation (OIS) and a 5MP PixelMaster front camera.

PixelMaster is a custom technology designed to improve the ZenFone's imaging performance by adjusting the pixel size and image-processing algorithms to "improve low light performance by 400 percent" and "enhance noise reduction and colour contrast by up to 200 percent".

The ZenFone 2 will also feature an upgraded camera application that allows the manual adjustment of settings like ISO and shutter speed.

The combination of imaging tech and software mean the ZenFone 2 may be one of the best options for avid photographers come its release later this year.




8. Nexus 6

With the Nexus 6 finally unveiled we have to say this is one of the few instances where the run up rumours didn't do the device justice.

Built by Motorola, the Nexus 6 is on paper one of the finest Google flagships ever made and features an impressive array of hardware and software features.

One of the biggest of these is its completely reworked aluminium design. This is a big deal as, while we were fans of the Nexus 5's unassuming design, we found its polycarbonate frame slightly flimsy and the device could break or pick up marks when subjected to even the smallest of bumps.

Even better, within its metallic frame the Nexus 6 houses some pretty top-end components. Chief of these are a sizeable 6in quad HD display, powerful quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and 13MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilisation.

This combined with the added allure of Google's latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, with Samsung Knox integration and a reworked 'Material design, makes the Nexus 6 one of the best smartphones currently available.


7. HTC One M8
Taiwanese firm HTC is probably the only company in the world that is as focused on design as Apple. As a result it's no surprise its 2014 flagship smartphone, the One M8, is one of the best looking and designed smartphones currently available.

Even better, underneath the One M8's robust, but elegant metal chassis lies a wealth of top end components. HTC's loaded the M8 with a high power Snapdragon 801 processor, high resolution 5in, 1080x1920, 441ppi, Super LCD3 capacitive touchscreen and Duo camera technology.

Duo Camera is a new technology that lets One M8's 4.1MP Ultrapixel rear camera capture spatial information using a second supporting camera sensor. This lets users manually adjust the point of focus and create a depth-of-field effect on a captured image.

The technology also lets the One M8 know the distance of objects in the shot and use the information to selectively ignore items in the foreground when applying filters and make it a great choice for any blogger looking to get creative when shooting photos with their smartphone.




6. Blackphone
Since news of the PRISM spying campaign broke, privacy has been at the forefront of many people's minds. The scandal has made people more concerned than ever about what happens to their data.

So secure communications specialist Silent Circle teamed up with hardware engineers at Geeksphone to create a new snoop-busting Blackphone. The Blackphone will run using a heavily customised, security-focused version of Android, codenamed PrivatOS.

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption protocol creator and Silent Circle president Phil Zimmermann has lent his support to the phone and promised it will let users securely send and receive data. This all adds up to mean the Blackphone is one of the best choices available for any privacy conscious smartphone buyer.

5. Sony Xperia Z3
Sony continued its rapid-release strategy at the IFA trade show in Berlin at the start of September 2014 when it unveiled its latest Xperia Z3 flagship smartphone.

The firm announced the Z3 a mere six months after its predecessor, the Xperia Z2, and while it doesn't offer huge improvements Sony has made a few important changes.

For starters the Xperia Z3 is thinner than the Xperia Z2 and will run using a more current version of Google’s Android 4.4 KitKat operating system.

Add to this its stellar 5.2in Full HD screen, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and 20.7MP rear-facing camera and we can't help but be impressed by the Sony Xperia Z3




4. Nokia Lumia 930
Microsoft made a big deal about Windows Phone 8.1, listing it as the first "enterprise-ready" version of its mobile OS, when it first arrived in the UK.

Having thoroughly tested Windows Phone 8.1 during our full review, we can understand why. Featuring advanced security and productivity features, such as a new Word Flow Keyboard, and mobile device-management support plus all the inherently great mobile applications seen on previous Windows Phone versions, Windows Phone 8.1 is truly fit for business.

As a result it's no surprise the Lumia 930 – which, as well as running on Windows Phone 8.1 also features top-end hardware, including the Finnish firm's hallowed PureView imaging technology – is one of the best phones currently available.

3. The iPhone 6 Plus
Apple claimed for years that users didn’t want big-screen smartphones and there was no need for a handset to have a display any bigger than 4inches. However, given the popularity of big screens in other ecosystems, such as Android and Windows Phone, it’s become increasingly clear this is a false hypothesis.

Finally aware of this, Apple this year unveiled its first-ever phablet, theiPhone 6 Plus. Featuring a sizeable 1920x1080, 401ppi Retina HD display the iPhone 6 Plus is the first ever handset to bring all the inherent benefits of iOS 8 to the big screen.

As an added incentive Apple’s actually optimised its latest iOS 8 mobile operating system to work better on the iPhone 6 Plus’s display. For example, the iPhone 6 Plus's Messaging and Mail apps have a special two-tier horizontal user interface and separate keyboard


2. Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung handsets' releases always come with a lot of fanfare. Luckily this year the fuss was justified and Samsung unveiled what in our mind is its most innovative smartphone to date, the Galaxy S5.

Featuring a rugged, water and dust proof IP-certified design and wealth of top end components, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and upgraded 16MP rear camera, there is a lot to like about the Galaxy S5 from a hardware perspective.

However, the Galaxy S5's charms don't stop there. Samsung's also added custom fingerprint scanner and Knox security services to the phone.

The fingerprint scanner lets users set the Galaxy S5 to only unlock when the user has proven their identity using it. Knox is a sandboxing feature based on NSA technology that lets users set up work and personal areas on the phone. The work side is password protected and encrypts any data stored on it, ensuring it should remain safe should the Galaxy S5 be lost or stolen.

The combination of top end tech and robust security make the Galaxy S5 one of the best Android smartphones currently available to businesses.

1. iPhone 6

Apple launched its iPhone 5S last September, and according to its own sales stats the handset was another winner. Apple managed to shift nine million iPhone 5S and 5C devices in the first three days of availability.

One year on the firm looks set to continue its success with its latestiPhone 6 smartphone. Unveiled in September the iPhone 6 is in many people’s eyes, including us here at V3, Apple’s most interesting smartphone to date.

Featuring a completely new curvaceous metal design, super-fast A8 processor Apple claims is 25 percent faster than the previous-generation A7 and sizeable 4.7in, 1334x750, 326ppi Retina HD display, coupled with Californian firm’s latest iOS 8 mobile operating system the iPhone 6 is the best smartphone currently available.

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Posted at 7:03 PM |  by Unknown

74 million iPhones, smarter covers, new version of iOS

Apple sells 74M iPhones over the holiday quarter

The holidays were good to Apple as reported by the company this week. Over 74 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets were sold. This contributed heavily to the firm's outstanding financial results reported this week.

The iPhone sales led Apple to a record quarter for both revenues and profits.

iOS 8.1.3 lowers free memory requirement for OS upgrades

Owners of iOS devices with low storage capacity were unable to easily upgrate to iOS 8 when it was first released. A process involving deleting stuff to create enough free storage was required to upgrade from iOS 7 to version 8.

Apple released iOS 8.1.3 this week that among other things reduced the free space required for OS upgrades to make them easier to install in the future.

Patent shows iPad Smart Cover could gain cool features

Apple has a new patent that involves increasing the functionality of the iPad Smart Cover. Currently the cover uses magnets to turn the iPad on and off when the cover is opened and closed, respectively.

Diagrams from the patent application show the ability to open just a fold of the cover, exposing onscreen controls that can be operated without unlocking the iPad.

More Android owners switching to iPhone than ever

Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that after the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus they have seen more Android owners switching than ever. The number of switchers have only been tracked for three years.

Perhaps more importantly, Cook also said that only 15 percent of new iPhone purchases were made by those upgrading from an older iPhone. Since Apple sold over 74 million iPhones last quarter, that is a huge number of new customers for the iPhone.

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Posted at 6:56 PM |  by Unknown

New Phones Coming Out In 2015

It was at 8:00 in the morning during breakfast the IFA, HTC unveiled its first smartphone octo core 64 Bit. A mid-range device but whose specifications are interesting.


HTC Desire 820, the first smartphone octo core 64 bit HTC




New phones coming out in 2015: HTC

OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat via the user overlay HTC Sense 6.0
Screen: 5.5-inch LCD, 720p HD resolution
Processor: 64 Bit octo core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (four coresclocked at 1 GHz and 1.5 GHz clocked at four)
GPU: Adreno 405
Ram: 2GB
Internal Storage: 16 GB expandable via the addition of a microSD card
Mulimédia: 13 Megapixels image sensor aperture f / 2.2, front camera 8 megapixel BSI and stereo speakers BoomSound
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, DLNA
Network: HSPA +, 4G / LTE
Battery: 2600 mAh
Dimensions: 157.7 x 78.74 x 7.74 mm
Weight: 155 grams
Colours: white, black, blue, red, pink




New phones coming out in 2015: Samsung
After Sony, Samsung had to turn a waterproof 8-inch tablet with capacitive stylus.


The Galaxy Tab Active

Galaxy Tab Active

OS: Android KitKat
Display: 8-inch 1280 x 800 pixel resolution
Processor: quad core clocked at 1.2 Ghz
Ram: 1.5 GB
Internal Storage: 16 GB
Multimedia: 3.1 Megapixels camera sensor and front camera of 1.2 Megapixels
Degree of protection: IP67
Dimensions: 126.2 x 213.1 x 9.75mm
Weight: 393 grams



Samsung Gear S

Samsung Gear S

Screen: 2.0-inch Super AMOLED (360 x 480)
Processor: Dual core 1.0 GHz
RAM: 512 MB
Internal memory: 4GB
OS: Tizen for connected objects
Certification: IP67 (dust tight and immersion of a meter)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi 802.11 b / g / n, A-GPS / Glonass, USB 2.0
Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, heart rate monitor, light sensor, UV, barometer
Dimensions: 9.8 x 58.3 x 12.5T
Battery: 300 mAh
Health and sport: S Health, Nike + Running
Other features: S Voice, Find My Device, Power Saver Mode
Networks: 2G, 3G

New phones coming out in 2015: Sony
For its part, Sony expanded its range with the Xperia E3, a midrange that inherits the design of Z3 while offering 4G.


Xperia E3, 4G on the midrange

new phones coming out in 2015 xperia E3


OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
Screen: 4.5 inch - definition of 480 × 854 pixels
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.2 GHz
GPU: Adreno 305
RAM: 1 GB
Internal Storage: 4GB expandable to 32GB via microSD
Sensors: main 5 MP - front, 0.3 MP
Battery: 2330 mAh
Networks: 2G - 3G - 4G
Dimensions: 137.1 x 69.4 x 8.5 mm
Weight: 143.8 grams


New phones coming out in 2015: LG
LG side, no big announcements on the side of the mobile but the opportunity to see its first round watch more closely.


LG G Watch R

LG G watch R

OS: Android Wear (compatible with devices from Android 4.3)
Display: P-OLED 1.3-inch resolution of 320 x 320 pixels, 245 dpi resolution
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
Ram: 512 MB
Storage: 4GB
Battery: 410 mAh
Certification: IP67
Sensors: gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, barometer, heart rate monitor
Color: black
Interchangeable straps: yes


New phones coming out in 2015: Huawei
After weeks of relentless teasing, Huawei formalized its latest high-end Ascend Mate 7 and another smaller device, the Ascend G7.


Huawei Ascend Mate 7, the official is phablette


huawei ascend mate 7 phablette ifa 2014

Screen: IPS 6-inch screen, Full HD 1920 x 1200 pixels (resolution 368 ppi)
Processor: Kirin 925 (1.8 Ghz A15 and 1.3 x 4 x 4 Ghz A7)
Ram: 3 GB or 2 GB depending on model
Internal Storage: 16GB or 32GB depending on the model, expandable via micro SD
Photo Sensor: Sony rear fourth generation 12 megapixel BSI, f / 2.0 - 5 megapixel sensor before.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G LTE Category 6 (up to 300 MB / s downlink speed)
Other sensors: digital pressure sensor, placed in the back of the camera
Battery: 4100mAh Li-Po
Dimensions: 157 x 81 x 7.9 mm
Weight: 185 g
Colors: black, silver, and gold
OS: Android 4.4 with 3.0 interface EMUI


Huawei Ascend G7 4G, metal and 64 Bit

new huawei ascend G7 phones coming out in 2015

OS: Android KitKat via Emotion UI
Screen: 5.5 inch HD resolution 1280 x 720 pixels, 267 dpi resolution
Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 64 Bit (MSM 8916) running at 1.2Ghz
Ram: 2GB
Internal Storage: 16 GB expandable via microSD
Multimedia: 13 Megapixels image sensor and front camera of 5 Megapixels
Network: 4G LTE Category 4
Battery: 3000 mAh
Color: gold, silver, gray


New phones coming out in 2015: Lenovo
For his part, Lenovo did the same with the Vibe X2 and Z2


Lenovo Vibe X2

new phones coming out in 2015 lenovo vive x2

Display: 5-inch full HD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: MediaTek MT6595 octo-core clocked at 2.0 GHz
RAM: 2 GB
Internal Storage: 32 GB
Sensors: Main, 13 MP - front, 5 MP
Battery: 2300 mAh
Weight: 120 g
Dimensions: 140.2 x 68.6 x 7.27mm
OS: Android 4.4 KitKat

Lenovo Vibe Z2


new lenovo vibe z2 phones coming out in 2015

Screen: 5.5 inch HD (1080 x 720)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8916 64-bit Quad-Core running at 1.2GHz
RAM: 2 GB
Memory: 32 GB
Sensors: Main, 13 MP - frontal, 8 MP
Battery: 3000 mAh
Weight: 158 grams
Dimensions: 148.5 X 76.4 X 7.8 mm
OS: Android 4.4 KitKat

New phones coming out in 2015: Acer
Acer welcomed into his line-up two new phablettes coming out in 2015



Specifications of Acer Iconia Tab 10

New Acer iconia tab 8 mediatek

Display: 10.1-inch IPS screen, Full HD
CPU: MediaTek quad-core (MT8127T) 1.5GHz
Ram: 2GB
Internal Storage: 32 GB expandable via micro SD
Photo Sensor: 5 megapixel rear sensor for the primary - 2 Megapixels for front
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth
Dimensions: 256 x 171 x 8.9 mm
Weight: 510 g


Specifications of Acer Iconia Tab 8

Acer iconia tab 8

Display: 8-inch IPS screen, resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels
Processor: Intel Atom (Z3735G)
Ram: 2GB
Photo Sensor: 5 megapixel rear sensor for the primary - 2 Megapixels for front
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth
Dimensions: thickness of 8.5 mm
Weight: 340 g


New phones coming out in 2015: Alcatel
The new Alcatel One Touch Hero range phones coming out in 2015 is enriched with a tablet and a phablette.


Alcatel One Touch Hero 2

Alcatel onetouch hero 2

Display: 6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) CPU: MediaTek MT6592 octo-core clocked at 2.0 GHz.
RAM: 2 GB
Internal Storage: 16 GB expandable via microSD up to 32GB
Sensors: Senior 13.1 MP - 5 MP front
Battery: 3,100 mAh
OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
Dimensions: 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 mm
Weight: 175 grams.


Alcatel One Touch Hero 8

Alcatel onetouch hero 8 4G

Screen: 8 inch WUXGA 1920 x 1200 pixels
CPU: MediaTek MT8392 octo-core (WiFi version) MT6290 (version 4G)
RAM: 2 GB
Internal Storage: 16 GB expandable via microSD up to 32GB
Sensors: main 5 MP - front, 2 MP
Battery: 4,060 mAh
OS: Android 4.4 KitKat

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Posted at 2:23 AM |  by Unknown