Samsung’s New DeX Accessory Does a Pretty Good Job Making Your Smartphone a Desktop

Editor's note: I read this article and found myself wondering if I was looking at the death of desktops. Yes, I know the PC market has not been doing well, but I figured that businesses, school, and hardcore gamers would keep desktops/laptops going. Now? I am not so sure…

BGR

We went over the basics in our hands-on Galaxy S8 preview as well as our other coverage of Samsung's be announcements on Wednesday. In a nutshell, the new Samsung DeX is a tiny puck that slides open to become a cradle. The Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ sits in the dock and connects via the USB-C port, and the DeX can then connect to a monitor and wired or wireless keyboard and mouse.

…

We were lucky enough to check DeX out in person, and we can assure you that the experience is impressive. The skeptics out there will wonder if there's really any way Android translates well to a desktop environment, and we can assure you that the answer is yes.

Samsung's own apps have been optimized for DeX, so they look just like desktop apps on other platforms. Windows can be dragged around and resized, and Samsung has even added right-click support with contextual menus like you would find on Windows or macOS. Some third parties have optimized their apps as well — most notably, Microsoft's Office suite — and more support is undoubtedly coming.

Third-party apps that haven't been optimized for DeX still work just fine on the big screen, they just can't be resized. It's a lot like Android app support in Chrome OS. In fact, the entire experience feels a lot like Chrome OS in that it's lightweight and super fast. Apps open in the blink of an eye, and web pages load just as quickly.

Continue reading…

Source: Samsung's New DeX Accessory Does a Pretty Good Job Making Your Smartphone a Desktop

Huawei P10 news - UK price, release date, features and specifications

Huawei's P10 is now available to buy in the UK. Read the latest news on the Huawei P10 specifications, features, price and UK launch date. Huawei has announced its colourful 2017 flagship, aka the Huawei P10, at MWC 2017

By Lewis Painter | 28 mins ago

Huawei took to the stage during MWC 2017 to showcase not only the Huawei Watch 2, but also to reveal its 2017 flagship, the Huawei P10. It's shiny, colourful and boasts features ideal for selfie takers, and is now available in the UK. Read next: Best smartphones of 2017.

When is the Huawei P10 release date?

The Huawei P10 is now available in the UK following a 31 March 2017 release date. The good news is most UK mobile operators are offering the P10 on contract, although the P10 Plus is yet to be made available.

If you would rather buy SIM-free, Unlocked Mobiles and Carphone Warehouse have UK stock of the Huawei P10 at £569.99. Read next: Huawei P10 vs Huawei P10 Plus comparison review.

How much does the Huawei P10 cost in the UK?

Following the MWC 2017 announcement, Huawei announced that the Huawei P10 will set consumers back around £569.99, although the exact price is dependent on the retailer.

Meanwhile the Huawei P10 Plus will cost 699 Euro, with no confirmed UK pricing.

If you wish to buy on a contract, Vodafone is offering the Huawei P10 on contract for £42 a month with a £10 upfront fee, with unlimited texts and minutes, along with a whopping 24GB of UK data and 2GB of roaming data.

Huawei P10 Lite now available to buy in the UK

Along with the Huawei P10, the Huawei P10 Lite is also now available to order in the UK, this time from EE. The P10 Lite is a cheaper, less powerful version of Huawei's flagship smartphone, boasting a 5.2in FHD display, a Kirin 658 CPU and 4GB of RAM. The most notable difference between the P10 and P10 Lite? There's only a single 12Mp camera on the rear, unlike the dual-camera setup of the standard P10.

Those interested can order the Huawei P10 Lite from EE, Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse on contract or SIM-free for £299.

What does the Huawei P10 look like?

The Huawei P10 is reminiscent of the P9 in design, but with a few subtle changes, including moving the fingerprint scanner to the front of the smartphone, coupled with more obvious changes: the selection of colours available. Rather than offering the standard gold, silver and black colour options, Huawei has injected a bit of colour into the P10, including Dazzling Blue and Greenery.

Those with a keen eye will also notice a new finish, which Huawei dubs the hyper-diamond cut, and is available on the dazzling blue and dazzling gold P10. It's a nice change from the standard sandblasted look, and feels nice in the hand. Unfortunately, unlike many other flagships, the Huawei P10 isn't water resistant and probably won't survive a dip in the bath.

What are the features and specifications?

It's unusual that a mobile manufacturer concentrates more on the design than the spec of its flagship smartphone during its announcement, and now we understand why. Huawei's P10 may be the 2017 flagship, but its internals are almost identical to the Huawei Mate 9, which launched back in November 2016.

It uses the same Kirin 960 processor, Mali G71 GPU, same amount of RAM (4GB) and even boasts the same amount of storage, at 64GB. It's not a bad thing though, as we described the performance of the Mate 9 as "blisteringly fast". Also, those looking for slightly more power can opt for the Huawei P10 Plus, which features 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. 

For those that feel 64GB of storage isn't enough, don't worry as the P10 also features a microSD card slot that can expand storage by up to 256GB if required. 

In terms of display, the standard Huawei P10 features a 5.1in Full HD IPS display, while the Huawei P10 Plus features a slightly larger 5.5in WQHD IPS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440. 

Of course, one of the main draws of the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus is its camera setup, and there are several improvements when compared to the Huawei P9. First up, the monochrome sensor is bigger at 20Mp compared to 12Mp, although the colour sensor is still 12Mp. It features improved lenses that should help capture better quality photos, and the same hybrid zoom featured on the Huawei Mate 9. The P10 Plus arguably has the better cameras, featuring "dual camera 2.0" with improved Sumulux H lenses and f1.8 for better low-light photography. 

However, it's the introduction of the Portrait mode that grabbed the attention of many. Using the dual-lens setup of the Huawei P10, the smartphone can identify and track your face, analyse and adjust the light and more, all in real time to focus on your features and contour your face. This should seriously up your selfie game, and generally improve any photos taken that feature people. Although it's designed for the rear-facing camera, it's also compatible with the front-facing camera of the Huawei P10.

Speaking of the front-facing camera, it has also had an upgrade compared to the P9 and is now co-engineered with Leica, just like the rear-facing cameras. It's also smart enough to recognise whether you're taking a selfie or group shot, and will adjust the angle accordingly, providing a wider angle for group shots and a narrower angle for selfies.

Read next: Best Android smartphone of 2017

Source: Huawei P10 news - UK price, release date, features and specifications

Do What You Can’t: Samsung Bounces Back With The New Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung is back in the mobile device game again. Nearly one year after the official release of its latest cellular device, the Samsung S7, and over 6 months after the unfortunate recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the global communications brand officially announced the next device in its technological line-up: the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+.

In an effort to one-up its previous model, Samsung decided to push the envelope of smartphone technology once again. With an Infinity Display and near bezel-less design, the Galaxy S8 stands at a solid 5.8 inches while the S8+ adds a little more workspace without compromising its size at 6.2-inches, making one-handed operation that much more comfortable and easy. The front and back of these devices also features Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5,

READ: Samsung Lives Up To Being A Galaxy Of Possibilities At Lollapalooza 2016

Paired with its compact design, the latest Samsung Galaxy model delivers cutting-edge technology with its advanced 8MP F1.7 Smart autofocus front camera and 12MP F1.7 Dual Pixel rear camera as well as its industry's first 10 nm chip, making phone usage faster and more efficient. Just like its predecessor, the Samsung S8 devices are water resistant, include a MicroSD slot, and, of course, includes fast and wireless charging capabilities.

"The Samsung Galaxy S8 ushers in a new era of smartphone design and fantastic new services, opening up new ways to experience the world," said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. "The Galaxy S8 is our testament to regaining your trust by redefining what's possible in safety and marks a new milestone in Samsung's smartphone legacy."

READ: 5 Things We Learned About Samsung And Six Flags' New Ride

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be available in the United States for pre-order in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray and Arctic Silver in the United State. Pre-orders for both devices will begin at 12:01 EDT on March 30, 20173. AT&T, Cricket Wireless, Sprint, Straight Talk Wireless, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless will carry the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in stores beginning Friday, April 21. As for the retail price, it has yet to be revealed.

To learn more about the upcoming cellular device, visit Samsung.com for more information on the new cellular devices.

Source: Do What You Can't: Samsung Bounces Back With The New Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Seeks to Lure Back Buyers With Sleek S8 Smartphone

(Bloomberg) -- Samsung Electronics Co. knows it needs to get its new flagship smartphone right. Apart from making sure the gadget won't cause bodily harm, the company packed it with a plethora of new features: taller, curved screens, encrypted facial recognition, deeper display colors, system-wide voice control and the ability to turn into a desktop computer.

The Galaxy S8 comes in two sizes, a standard 5.8-inch display model and a Plus version with a 6.2-inch screen. Both are larger than the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the lineup's main competition until Apple Inc. rolls out its 10th-anniversary iPhone later this year. In line with smartphone trends, Samsung's new devices feature slimmer bezels alongside the display and are curved on all four corners. Pre-orders will begin soon after the unveiling, ahead of the S8's April 21 release. It comes in five colors:  midnight black, maple gold, coral blue, arctic silver and orchid gray.

The S8 represents Samsung's biggest prospect for a turnaround after the Note 7 debacle last year. The bigger-sized smartphone debuted to positive reviews, only to be killed off after some units showed a tendency to catch fire and explode, forcing the South Korean manufacturer to yank the product off shelves. The crisis cost the company more than $6 billion and its global lead in smartphone sales. Samsung accounted for 17.8 percent of global smartphone sales in the last three months of 2016, slightly less than Apple, according to Gartner. While Samsung may be targeting Apple, it also faces challenges from up-and-coming rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co. and Oppo, especially in China, the world's biggest smartphone market.

"We must not only win back customers' trust, but also the high expectations that they have always held for Samsung," said Lee Young-hee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business. "We have put our utmost effort to provide customers with near-perfect devices to earn back their trust."

Also casting a shadow over the S8's debut is the trial of Jay Y. Lee, the Samsung group's heir apparent and de facto chief, who was arrested on bribery and embezzlement charges stemming from a national influence-peddling scandal. He has denied any wrongdoing. Still, even with the Note 7  imbroglio and legal troubles, Samsung shares have been trading near record highs, thanks to a robust semiconductor business. The stock rose as much as 1.6 percent in Seoul trading after the phone was unveiled.Read More: Samsung Apologizes to Shareholders for Involvement in Scandals

Unveiling the S8 Wednesday at New  York's Lincoln Center, Samsung's president of mobile communications, DJ Koh, highlighted innovation and how the company had learned from its mistakes.  Executives describing the phone focused mostly on its aesthetics, and went through the specs fairly quickly, a strategy probably meant to avoid ``discussing things like the battery, which could remind people of their troubles,'' said Simon Blanchard, assistant professor of marketing at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. 

The S8's design features and new and improved cameras should be enough to entice consumers to go see it in a store and then potentially make a purchase, Blanchard said. ``They might have in the back of their mind that Samsung phones had issues, but they might say, `This is a phone that looks pretty,' so they'll go see it,'' he said.

KB Securities Co. expects Samsung to ship about 46 million S8 handsets and the mobile business to post a 67 percent rise in operating profit to 3.5 trillion won ($3.1 billion) in the second quarter on the back of the new devices.

Samsung's corporate logo is now gone from the front of the device, making room for a taller, 18.5:9 ratio screen, which the company is calling the Infinity Display. The new dimensions mean the thin black bars that typically surround widescreen videos can be eliminated, making them look bigger when played. The home button, with vibrating feedback, is integrated into the bottom of the screen. On the software side, users can now clip specific apps to the top of the screen so that, for instance, they can compose emails while reading a web page. 

The S8 will also feature a digital assistant that studies its owner's activities to offer helpful tips and information, seeking to challenge Apple's Siri and Amazon.com Inc.'s Alexa. Called Bixby, Samsung's service can be activated via the phone's side button. The system has a few parts: one is a standard, Siri-like voice control view, another is a list view of upcoming calendar appointments and reminders. The feature is also integrated with the camera so that it can identify objects like buildings, or a particular bottle of wine. Users can operate many of the phone's functions via voice instead of the touchscreen.

While some previous Galaxy models let users unlock their device using a facial scanner, the S8 is the first Samsung phone to encrypt facial data. Combined with iris and fingerprint scanning, that can be used to offer more security for mobile banking and other sensitive applications.

Another new trick: the new Samsung phones can essentially become a full-blown desktop computer via a separately sold docking station called the DeX (an idea introduced by Motorola in 2011). The phone will add upgraded front and rear cameras, and continue to include wireless charging. The camera app will include built-in Snapchat-like stickers that can be placed over images.

Unsurprisingly, Samsung is touting the safety of the S8's battery, given that the cause of the Note 7 fires was due to faulty battery design. A Samsung television commercial released earlier this year shows engineers testing batteries by drilling a hole and apparently heating them in what the company called an "eight-point battery safety check." The company says the standard S8 model has a 3,000 mAh battery while the Plus version has a capacity of 3,500 mAh.

"Success isn't going to come overnight for the S8 and it'll be a while before consumers feel confident the phone has no problems like the Note 7," said Koo Chang-hwan, who researches corporate brands at Seoul-based Korea Reputation Center. "The biggest issue hobbling the company is still the trial of its de facto chief. That will overshadow the S8 and a single product may not be enough to put the risk surrounding the top executive behind."

Source: Samsung Seeks to Lure Back Buyers With Sleek S8 Smartphone

Samsung, After Combustible Galaxy Note 7, Unveils New Smartphone

Photo Attendees wait in line in New York on Wednesday for a Samsung media event, where the company introduced a new smartphone. Credit Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg

SAN FRANCISCO — Dogged by combustible smartphones and recalls of other electronics, Samsung Electronics is hoping to find a path to product redemption.

The South Korean company on Wednesday introduced the Galaxy S8, its first major smartphone release since the scandal over its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, which were discontinued last year after some of the devices spontaneously caught fire.

"It's been a challenging year for Samsung," said D.J. Koh, the company's head of mobile devices, adding that Samsung was ready to start anew.

Samsung's Galaxy S8 phone features a large 5.8-inch screen without adding bulk to the d evice. The company said it made room for the screen by reducing the size of the bezel — or the forehead and the chin — on the face of the device. Samsung also made the home button into a virtual button and shoved it under the display.

With the Galaxy S8, Samsung also rolled out its virtual assistant, Bixby, to rival Apple's Siri, Google's Assistant and Amazon's Alexa. Similar to previous virtual assistants, Bixby responds to voice commands.

Time — and sales — will tell whether the Galaxy S8 will restore confidence in Samsung's smartphone brand. Last year, after the company received dozens of complaints about the Galaxy Note 7 overheating, and in some cases exploding, the company recalled the phones. But replacement phones continued to catch fire, and the company had to recall the devices a second time before killing the product altogether, sacrificing billions of dollars in revenue.

The Note 7 may still make a reappearance. On Monday, Samsung said that it might sell refurbished versions of the phone.

Jan Dawson, an independent analyst for Jackdaw Research, said the Galaxy S8 could help Samsung recover as long as the product worked reliably.

"Note 7 definitely did some damage to the Samsung brand, especially for people who had little or no personal experience with Samsung devices," he said. "But as long as the S8 does well and doesn't suffer from any of the same problems, the memories of the Note 7 issues will fade and Samsung will recover well."

Samsung last year also issued a separate recall for 2.8 mil lion washing machines in the United States. The machines were prone to detaching from the washing machine chassis, posing a risk of injury.

The Galaxy S8 arrives in stores next month with a starting price of $750.

Continue reading the main story
Source: Samsung, After Combustible Galaxy Note 7, Unveils New Smartphone

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ announced: Release date, price, and everything else you need to know

They're here. No, seriously. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are really, truly here. It seemed like this day might never come considering how long leaks and rumors have been flooding the web — what started as a slow trickle quickly became roaring rapids following BGR's exclusive back in early March. Now, however, we can finally say that we'll never have to worry about another Galaxy S8 leak again.

Samsung unveiled its new flagship smartphone duo during a press conference in New York City on Wednesday, and it confirmed nearly everything we've already seen all over the internet lately. There were still a few important questions that needed to be answered — namely the pricing and release date — and now every blank has finally been filled in.

First and foremost, let's cover the only two questions that remained: pricing and the release date. Where the latter is concerned, Samsung confirmed that it will release the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ on Friday, April 21st. Of course you won't have to wait that long to order one of the company's hot new phones, because pre-orders will open tomorrow, March 30th at all major US carriers.

Speaking of wireless carriers, pricing is in line with expectations and you can learn everything you need to know about how to buy the S8, where to buy the S8 and how much it will cost in this post.

Moving on to the phones themselves, there are pretty much no surprises at all. You can read all about Samsung's stunning new designs in our hands-on Galaxy S8 and S8+ preview, but the bottom line is this: no phones on the planet are more sleek, more stunning, or more powerful than Samsung's new flagship phones. They're incredible.

Here's a quick rundown of the key specs:

Galaxy S8

5.8-inch Super AMOLED Quad HD+ display (2960×1440, 570ppi)

148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm, 155g

US: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor — Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process

Global: Samsung Exynos 8895 processor — Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process

12-megapixel Dual Pixel rear camera

8-megapixel front-facing camera

3,000 mAh battery

64GB of storage

4GB of RAM

Iris Scanner

USB-C

Android 7.0 Nougat

Galaxy S8+

6.2-inch Super AMOLED Quad HD+ display (2960×1440, 529ppi)

159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm, 173g

US: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor — Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process

Global: Samsung Exynos 8895 processor — Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process

12-megapixel Dual Pixel rear camera

8-megapixel front-facing camera

3,500 mAh battery

64GB of storage

4GB of RAM

Iris Scanner

USB-C

Android 7.0 Nougat

In the US, Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will be available in three different colors: Black, silver and gray. Preorders will open at 12:01AM on Thursday at all major US carriers, and they include a free next-generation Gear VR headset with Samsung's new wireless controller and an Oculus game pack. Samsung's new DeX Station accessory that enables the Galaxy S8's Desktop Experience will be sold separately.

Source: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ announced: Release date, price, and everything else you need to know

Malware infection rate of smartphones is soaring – Android devices often the target

Smartphones are by far the most popular target of mobile malware, and the infection rate is soaring, according to new research by Nokia.

During the second half of 2016, the increase in smartphone infections was 83% following on the heels of a 96% increase during the first half of the year, according to Nokia's latest Mobile Threat Intelligence Report gathered from devices on which Nokia NetGuard Endpoint Security is deployed in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

+More on Network World:  Cisco Talos warns of Apple iOS and MacOS X.509 certificate flaw+

The percentage of infections among all phones still seems low – .9%, up from .49% during the first half 2016 – but the relative jump, 83%, is noteworthy.

In the second half of last year, of all the infections in mobile networks, 85% were against smartphones, which is an increase of 83% from the first half. Among these smartphones, Android devices are most often the target (81% of the time). iPhones fall victim less than 4% of the time.

These increases are fueled by a steep increase in the variety of mobile malware, particularly directed against Android devices. In January 2016 Nokia had less than 600,000 Android mobile malware samples in its database, but by the end of the year that had grown to just under 12 million.

+More on Network World: Cisco: IOS security update includes denial of service and code execution warnings+

Perhaps surprisingly, 15% of infections were registered against Windows PCs attached to mobile networks via wireless dongles or tethered to cell phones acting as wireless access points. While that's the second most frequent target, the percentage of infections of these devices compared to smartphones has been on the decline since the middle of 2015. Then, Windows devices accounted for 80% of infections.

Attackers historically focused on Windows platforms because they were the most popular way of accessing the internet. "However, as the smartphone becomes the more preferred platform for accessing the internet, cybercrime is clearly moving in that direction," Nokia says.

While the surge in attacks against mobile phones was most significant, the rate of increase against all forms of wireless devices including phones was less steep, up 25% in the last half of the year. The average infection rate over those six months was 1.08% of all devices, hitting a peak monthly rate of 1.35% in October.

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Source: Malware infection rate of smartphones is soaring – Android devices often the target

Yes, the new Nokia Android phones are coming to the US

However, it looks like the company has now confirmed that it has ambitious plans to release Nokia 3, 5, and 6 in as much as 120 markets at the same time, during the second quarter of 2017.

As for the expected retail price, HMD announced that the Nokia 3 will cost €139, Nokia 5 €189 and the Nokia 6 €229 which may vary depending on where it is being sold.

And with so many companies having different interpretations for the term global launch, it was until now, unclear about Nokia's USA release of the phones.

GPEC Weighs In On Intel's Acquisition Of MobileyeAccording to Market Watch , HIS Market predicts as many as 21 million autonomous vehicles are going to be sold in the year 2035. BMW announced in January of this year that it would deploy 40 self-driving vehicles for tests in the United States and Europe.

USA supply concerns keep oil prices under pressureUSA crude imports have risen by 615,000 barrels per day last week to 7.9 million barrels per day. USA oil drillers boosted the rig count by 14 to 631 last week, data from Baker Hughes showed.

BJP hails SC advice for amicable settlement of Ram Mandir disputeAll these years, there was no possibility of an out-of-court settlement; that is why the matter is in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday called for consensus to end the Babri Masjid/Ram Temple dispute.

As for the new Nokia 3310, you can read our early impressions of the brightly coloured, Snake-playing feature phone here ahead of a full review at a later date. And now a tweet by Nokia's official Twitter handle gives us a little more information for the devices to hit the store shelves. According to a press statement by HMD Global, more Android smartphones will be unveiled in H1 2017.

Nokia finally dug itself out of the grave entering the Android realm and unveiling three new budget smartphones- Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. All three phones run on Android Nougat 7.1, promising pure Android experience without any clutters and offer regular updates. The Nokia 5 steps things down with a 5.2-inch display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and 13MP/8MP cameras. It also has a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and an all-metal body. It is backed by a powerful 3,000 mAh battery.The home button in Nokia 6 doubles up as a fingerprint sensor.

The screen size is at 5 inches while the resolution is still decent at 720p. In the tweet, the company rep was only referring to the Android-powered Nokia devices, so we can not be completely sure about the updated Nokia 3310 making it to the US. The price of Nokia 3 is Euro 139 which is around Rs 9800.

Source: Yes, the new Nokia Android phones are coming to the US

Panasonic Intros Two Eluga Smartphones with AI Assistant Arbo

First to feature the company's new Arbo virtual assistant, both the smartphones will be exclusively available on Flipkart and will fight the likes of budget smartphones from Chinese and Indian smartphone makers such as Xiaomi, Lenovo, Huawei, etc. and Lava, Intex, Micromax respectively. What do you think of these new phones from Panasonic? Besides, the company mentioned that Arbo also keeps a detailed list of all the applications functioning on the smartphone, gathers detailed information on their habits and informs them about it accordingly. According to Panasonic, Arbo is derived from Esperanto and it means "a framework that supports climbing plants".

With the launch of our first AI-enabled smartphones, we are now expanding our product offerings which will help empower our consumer base and assist them in performing tasks in a smarter way.

Talking about the Eluga Ray X, it comes with an IPS 5.5-inch HD display with a resolution of 720×1280 pixels. It is powered by 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737 64-bit processor with Mali-T720 GPU and 3GB RAM.

On the camera front, it has a 16MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, and an 8MP front camera with a wide-angle lens and a flash. It houses a 3,000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. It also bears a fingerprint sensor built in the home button. It weighs 165 grams and measures 148x73x9.5mm. As for connectivity, it includes 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, FM radio with RDS, and Micro-USB with OTG support. "It comes with a 5.2" IPS full-HD display with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels, and it is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The phone packs 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card.

The handset features a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. This phone gets its juice from 4000mAh battery. Other features on the smartphone include a fingerprint sensor, 4,000mAh battery, and connectivity options like 4G with VoLTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and Global Positioning System. This phone has dimensions of 153.4×77.0×10.5mm and weighs 193g. The Panasonic Eluga Ray X is priced at Rs 8,999, while the Eluga Ray Max is priced at Rs 11,499 for the 32GB variant, and Rs 12,499 for the 64GB variant. The smartphone will come in Gold, Metallic Silver, and Rose Gold colour variants.

As of now, this new virtual assistant will be available only with Panasonic Eluga Ray Max and Eluga Ray X. It will not be available on older phones as if now, but Panasonic is not ruling out the possibility of making it available on some of their popular phones through an OTA update.

Source: Panasonic Intros Two Eluga Smartphones with AI Assistant Arbo

Remember those exploding Samsung phones? They plan to refurbish and sell them again

Samsung may have recalled the Galaxy Note 7 in October after battery issues caused some to explode or start fires, but the company may not be done with the model yet. In a statement released two days before the company plans to unveil its latest smarphone, the company said Monday it would consider refurbishing and selling the devices they had recalled last year to be evironmentally conscious.

"Devices shall be considered to be used as refurbished phones or rental phones where applicable," the statement read, though the company acknolwedged that "applicability is dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities and carriers as well as due consideration of local demand. The markets and release dates will be determined accordingly."

The Note 7 was recalled in 2016 after months of reports of fires or other battery failures, including almost 100 in the United States, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Though Samsung initally attempted to pr ovide free replacements, several countries independently announced recalls of the phone before Samsung announced eventually it would stop sales worldwide. Airlines and the FAA also banned the phone from flights because of the fire risk.

According to Samsung, phones that cannot be refurbished will be taken apart for components that can still be reused, and metals will be extracted from the remaining parts in an environmentally safe way.

The statement followed a Greenpeace protest at one of the company's meetings, demanding an answer to how the company would dispose of the millions of phones it had taken back, according to the Verge.

Though most of the phones were returned after the recall was announced, Samsung said earlier this month it would disable the remaining Note 7s that had been sold by disabling charging on the remaining devices, according to the Korea Herald. The company had also suggested to tech site Motherboard it would destroy all the phones collec ted by the recall before issuing its new statement Monday.

Samsung is set to launch its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8, Wednesday. The electronics conglomerate has struggled since the Note 7 fiasco, losing billions in profits from the phone's production and losing value in the company's stock, according to CNN.

Source: Remember those exploding Samsung phones? They plan to refurbish and sell them again

Galaxy S8, S8+ Release Date – Samsung’s upcoming smartphone reported features, price, specs, more

Samsung Galaxy S8 release date will be made available in the US and Europe a full month after its official launch on April 29. Further reports have suggested that the Galaxy S8 and S8+ to hit in South Korea as early as April 11.

The South Korean electronics giant Samsung is slated to announce its next iteration flagship smartphones with the forthcoming launch of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ on March 29th.

If the rumors are to be believed, these smartphones should be better than anything anyone has seen before with an upgraded display panel, new CPU and improved camera sensors possibly making the Galaxy S8 the cellular device to beat this year.

The Korean tech giant Samsung already has some strong competition with LG, Huawei and Google itself all recently launching new flagship smartphone devices.

The Cupertino-based tech titan Apple will also launch a fully refreshed iPhone in fall which is expected to include some state-of-the-art new technology.

So, to get fans reaching for their pockets, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is going to need to be very good and these are some of the few things the OEM needs to get right to help it top the award-winning Galaxy S7 Edge.

The rumors suggest that the Galaxy S8 will include Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 835 system on chip processor which could bring an immense improvements to this latest smartphone's power.

Samsung's new flagship needs to outscore the competition when it comes to speed and the firm will be hoping this CPU boost will finally place it ahead of the Apple iPhone and Google Pixel. The Galaxy S8 will no doubt ship with Android Nougat out of the box but the OEM needs to make sure its users get access to Google's next mobile operating system update much faster in the future.

All the Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors point to the having another curved display.

Samsung makes some of the best display in the industry and this new device will no doubt be bigger, better and, crisper and brighter.

However, Samsung was accused of having issues with the Galaxy S7 Edge with a number of users reporting problems with light bleeding from the edge of the screen display.

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The South Korean OEM responded to the claims saying that "due to the curved display, light can spread around to the curved areas of the screen display. With display technology getting more advanced day by day, hopefully the company has sorted this setback on the Galaxy S8.

The Galaxy S8 is expected to follow the its predecessor with wire-free charging but the firm really needs to pop a charging dock out of the box. The competition in Android OEM community are also thought to be developing on wireless charging without the need for a dock.

According to latest reports, all the important details has now been confirmed, and for those desperate to get their hands on the Galaxy S8, luckily you don't have to wait any longer.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 pre-orders will actually be offered on March 29, just minutes after the smartphone is handed its formal announcement. However, the much-anticipated Android smartphone isn't expected to hit retailers' shelves until April.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will sports Qualcomm's latest high-end Snapdragon 835 CPU and paired with 4GB of RAM and Google's latest Android 7.1 Nougat mobile platform. There is also a 12-megapixel camera sensor with the ability to capture 1000fps super slow-motion video alongside a new 8-megapixel on the front-end of the phone.

Some reports suggesting the Samsung Galaxy S8 release date will be made available in the United States and Europe a full month after its official launch on April 29. Further reports, however, have suggested that the phone to hit Samsung's native land in South Korea as early as April 11.

Early reports suggests that the phone will cost €799 starting price, with the larger, 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S8+ to be priced €899.

Source: Galaxy S8, S8+ Release Date – Samsung's upcoming smartphone reported features, price, specs, more

New Microsoft Patent Detailing Rumored Surface Phone Pops Up Online Ahead Of Spring Launch?

Is Microsoft finally releasing its long-awaited and long-rumored Surface Phone this year? A new patent that was published this week surfaced online, and it contains details for what could be the powerful Windows-running smartphone of the Redmond giant. 

Last Thursday, Microsoft was awarded with patent US 2017/0086308 A1. The patent, which was originally filed on Sept. 17, 2015, is for different configurations of a display device's components. The display device being described by the document has four main parts: two transparent panels that are adjacent to each other and a display layer with two display panels separated by a gap. There are redirecting elements positioned between each side of the transparent panel and display panel combination. The end-result is a folding display device.

Despite the separation between the two sides due to the gap, Microsoft indicated in the patent that users will perceive the image being displayed by the folding device as one single image. This is because the gap is being kept to a minimum size. There is also mention of organic light-emitting diode or OLED panels and liquid crystal display as the materials to be used for the display panel. There are several other embodiments mentioned in the patent, but Microsoft noted that each is subject to change.

The publication of the new patent online just comes a day after "All About Microsoft" reporter of ZDNet Mary Jo Foley shared some juicy bits on what fans can expect from the Redmond tech giant this spring. During the latest Windows Weekly session, Foley claimed that it's unlikely for Microsoft to bring out the successor to the Surface Book line. For the most part, Foley speculated that Microsoft is creating a new breed of clamshell device that would still focus on creativity like the Surface Book and Surface Surface.

"We keep hearing that there's going to be a spring hardware launch from Microsoft. And now we're officially in spring, right? No invitations have gone out … But we do keep hearing that there is gonna be a hardware launch," Foley said before adding that the tech giant is unlikely to introduce the Surface Book 2 and the Surface Pro 5 at this time of the year. 

Although there is no confirmation that Microsoft is already working on its Surface Phone, any new information that could be hinting at the handset's existence is being taken as a sign that the Redmond company is ready to put out its highly anticipated powerhouse soon. Furthermore, the new patent somehow corroborates another patent that was awarded to Microsoft back in January. The latter basically outed details about a 2-in-1 device that folds from being a smartphone into a tablet and vice versa, as per Phone Arena. 

Should Microsoft really introduce a folding smartphone this spring, it is going to meet some tough competition from South Korea companies Samsung and LG. There have been reports about the two working on foldable phones for release. Aside from the upcoming Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung is believed to be hard at work in developing prototypes for its foldable phone. On the other hand. LG has already earned three patents for a phone-tablet hybrid. 

A new patent by Microsoft containing details for what could be the Surface Phone has surfaced online. Photo: Reuters/Mike Segar

Source: New Microsoft Patent Detailing Rumored Surface Phone Pops Up Online Ahead Of Spring Launch?

Not My Laptop! New Ban Troubles Airline Passengers

As the indignities of modern air travel go, the latest ban on laptops and tablets on some international flights falls somewhere between having to take off your ratty shoes at the security checkpoint and having your baby food and milk tested for bomb residue.

It's yet another inconvenience in the name of security for weary travelers, especially those from or passing through the 10 mostly Middle Eastern and North African countries covered by new U.S. and British policies. While it's not quite as disruptive as an outright ban on smartphones -- much less a travel ban based on nationality -- the laptop limitation loomed large for some people as they prepared to travel.

"Why are only Middle Eastern airlines subject to this ban?" asked Kelsey Norman, a doctoral student who plans to fly home Friday to Los Angeles from Beirut -- and expects to have to check her laptop, a Kindle tablet and her DSLR camera. "Overall this policy is inconvenient, discriminatory, and continues to hurt America's rapidly deteriorating reputation globally."

Ban Logic

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security rules forbid laptop computers, tablets, Kindles, some gaming devices, cameras and other electronics larger than a smartphone in carry-on baggage. The U.S. government cited unspecified threats as the reason for the ban. The U.K. government instituted a similar ban; neither government's restrictions affect U.S.-based airlines.

On the positive side, items people can still carry into the airline cabin include smartphones, overstuffed duffel bags, winter coats, tiny bottles of hand lotion, Tupperware containers full of tuna salad, earplugs, nose hair trimmers, and babies. For now, at least -- tomorrow could bring a new unspecified threat and with it a new ban.

Lost Productivity

Other travelers, especially of the dutiful business variety, worried that laptops in checked bags could be stolen, damaged or compromised -- and that in the meantime, they wouldn't be able to get any work done. Some tried rerouting flights to avoid the affected airports, but this is not easy.

Banu Akdenizli, a native of Turkey, said having to fly 17 hours without her laptop will cost her precious time to work and prepare for a conference.

"It might seem trivial to a lot of people, but what you get from these parts of the world are usually business travelers," said Akdenizli, an associate professor of communications at the Doha, Qatar, campus of Northwestern University. "It's not just about watching movies, but also being able to get some work done."

Of course, others may well revel in the prospect of a few hours of laptop-free time, stretched out in their luxurious middle coach seats instead of hunched over Excel spreadsheets. It wasn't so long ago that such this was the norm for air travelers.

And there still are a few ways to make do without those laptops, tablets and portable DVD players. Sort of.

Awkward Workarounds

If you're someone who insists on working, it's possible to take import documents into Google Docs and thumb away on your smartphone's keyboard, at least so long as you remember to save them to your phone before you take off. But features can be limited with some apps; Microsoft's Office app, for instance, only lets you open one document at a time.

Such apps are OK for simple proofreading and minor editing, but probably won't do if you're working on your novel. Among other things, the text is tiny when fitting a full page on a phone's screen, though there's a button to temporarily reformat text for the smaller display.

Catching up on email or cleaning out your inbox could be another way to pass time without your laptop, especially if you shell out for in-flight Wi-Fi.

If you can resist the urge to work, you can download shows from Netflix or Amazon onto your phone for offline viewing -- though again, you have to remember to do this before your flight. And you might want to stick with comedies or TV shows rather than epics designed for big screens.

At Least It's Not Phones

For most of us, laptops and other gadgets play mere supporting roles compared to our extra limb, our one and only -- the smartphone. We go to sleep with it and look at it the first thing in the morning. Had the ban included smartphones, passengers might now be agitating for the return of zeppelin travel.

Last fall, Samsung asked users of its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 to "power down and stop using the device" when getting on a plane. (The phone was later banned, and then recalled.) People followed the directions but found clever workarounds, such as borrowing non-Note 7 phones from friends.

But at least then people could see Note 7s bursting into flames on YouTube, leading to the natural conclusion that this would be bad on a jetliner. Here, the threat is much harder to envision, travelers say.

A few manage anyway. Nick Lieber, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen living in Jerusalem, plans an April trip to Chicago that will take him through Amman, Jordan, and therefore subject him to the ban. He said stowing his laptop in his checked luggage won't be too inconvenient because he doesn't anticipate having work on the flight.

But he worries about laptop lithium-ion batteries -- which have been blamed for past aircraft fires -- stored in the plane's cargo hold. "I'm a nervous flyer already," Lieber said.

© 2017 Associated Press under contract with NewsEdge/Acquire Media. All rights reserved.

Source: Not My Laptop! New Ban Troubles Airline Passengers

Nokia confirms US availability of its Android phones

Finnish tech firm Nokia, which made a comeback with three Android-based phones -- Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) -- has confirmed that the handsets will be available in the US this year.

Parent company HMD Global announced the handsets during the MWC.

"We're planning on a global release so yes they will be. Get the latest updates by registering at http://Nokia.com/phones," the Nokia Mobile Twitter account said in its reply to a query by US-based book blogger Qwill.

Nokia 6 features a 5.5-inch full-HD screen and is crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminium. The device will be available in four colours -- matte black, silver, tempered blue and copper.

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 mobile platform and Qualcomm Adreno 505 graphics processor, Nokia 5 features a 5.2-inch IPS HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass.

Nokia 3 is focused on converting feature phone users towards their first smartphone.

The new range of Nokia smartphones will run Android Nougat and offer a pure, secure and up to date experience and will all feature Google Assistant.

--IANS anuj/ksk/vm

( 195 Words)

2017-03-25-12:38:07 (IANS)

Source: Nokia confirms US availability of its Android phones

NFC Market Size To Grow Owing To Increasing Penetration Of Smartphones In the Developing Economy Till 2024: Grand View Research, Inc.

Grand View Research, Inc. – Market Research And Consulting.

According to new report by Grand View Research, The global near field communication (NFC) market size was valued at USD 4.80 billion in 2015. The industry is poised for an unprecedented growth over the forecast period owing to the increasing penetration of smartphones in the developing economy.

The global near field communication (NFC) market is expected to reach USD 47.43 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The industry is poised for an unprecedented growth over the forecast period owing to the increasing penetration of smartphones in the developing economy. Increasing adoption of mobile payment services has led to the intensive utilization of POS with the launch of e-wallet and Apple Watch. Banking entities, payment gateways, and payment processors are expected to expand the capabilities for accommodating the new enhanced technology. The emergence of the mobile wallet services has allowed users to pay for services through mobile devices or through cashless payment modes, which have further enhanced near field communication market growth.

The increasing demand for the NFC-based payment solutions has led the manufacturers to develop an enhanced version of the digital payment platform, further developing the market growth. Growing penetration of wearable technology devices as a significant component of Internet of Things with lowered costs have immensely contributed to the industry growth.

The emergence of mobile wallets, such as Android Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay, are also expected to further drive the substantial mobile payments growth, owing to their capability of paying through mobile phones instead of cards or any other cashless payment modes. The increasing number of vendors is expected to increase the concentration and propel the development of near field communication infrastructure, thus accelerating the market growth. The increasing need for lowering the cost of ownership and the increased convenience need will continue to dictate the market development.

Full research report on NFC Market analysis: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/near-field-communication-nfc-market

Global NFC Market, 2014 – 2024 (USD Billion)

 

Further key findings from the report suggest:

Banking entities, payment gateways, businesses and payment processors are expanding with the emerging payment technologies.

Near field communication Tags is expected to grow with a significant  CAGR over the forecast period as the technology provides a possibility of data exchange within the range of 10cm wirelessly.

SIM card type near field communication is expected to have the substantial transaction revenue over the projected period owing to the technological advancement and increasing penetration of smartphones

The transaction segment is estimated to have the significant market share and is expected to remain as the key segment for generating revenue over the forecast period. The increasing demand for contactless payments and growing interest of banks and other financial institutions in the segment have led to the immense growth.

The data sharing application is expected to have the considerable growth as data sharing segment includes the sharing of consumers' personal data, such as pictures, videos, and MP3

 U.S. NFC market is driven by in-store payments as a smartphone ecosystem leads to enhanced mobile platforms. Canadian smartphones are used widely for checking balances, online transaction, and funds transfer, which offers an opportunity of further technological advancements.

The key players in the NFC market include Identiv Group Inc (U.S), Broadcom Limited (A subsidiary of Avago Technologies) (U.S), Gemalto NV (Netherlands), Inside Secure (France).

View more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/communication-services

Grand View Research has segmented the near field communication (NFC) market on the basis of product type, application, and region:

Product Outlook (Transaction Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 – 2024)

SD Cards

SIM Cards

NFC Cover

NFC ICs

NFC Tags

NFC Readers

Application Outlook (Transaction Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 – 2024)

Access Control

Ticketing

Data Sharing

Medical Devices

Transaction

Product Identification

Others

Regional Outlook (Transaction Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 – 2024)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

MEA

Browse Press Release of this Report: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-near-field-communication-nfc-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For more information: www.grandviewresearch.com

Media ContactCompany Name: Grand View Research, Inc.Contact Person: Sherry James, Corporate Sales Specialist – U.S.A.Email: Send EmailPhone: 1-415-349-0058, Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519Address:28 2nd Street, Suite 3036City: San FranciscoState: CaliforniaCountry: United StatesWebsite: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/near-field-communication-nfc-market

Source: NFC Market Size To Grow Owing To Increasing Penetration Of Smartphones In the Developing Economy Till 2024: Grand View Research, Inc.

Nokia phones will launch globally in Q2 2017 at affordable prices

A lot of us are expecting the new Nokia phones all over the world and from the looks of it so is Nokia. According to official statements tweeted by their Nokia Mobile account the company plans to release all of their new phones globally at the same time – around April – June 2017.

Nokia has high hopes for Chinese and Indian markets in order to better promote their devices, so they plan to manufacture their upcoming models through Foxconn in India from day one, in order to have better reach on the region. According to an official statement by Ajey Mehta, India VP at HMD Global all of Nokia's Android smartphones will be available in Indian stores by June this year.

All phones (including Nokia 3310) will be sold through a solid distribution network offline and online all over China and India, with HMD Global having specific focus on after sales support.

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Also Read:

Always on the move... Love to blog, write about smartphones, technology and telecoms. I also like to snowboard, when I have the time :p I'll be around for a while so, be prepared.

Source: Nokia phones will launch globally in Q2 2017 at affordable prices

iPhone 6s named best-Selling smartphone of 2016

Zen Mobile unveils Admire Swadesh at Rs 4,990

Oppo F3 Plus with dual-front camera launched, pre-book at zero interest EMI on Snapdeal

Oppo F3 Plus vs Vivo V5 Plus: Whats different?

Limited edition Midnight Black OnePlus 3T with 128GB of storage launched in India

Source: iPhone 6s named best-Selling smartphone of 2016

Super Mario Run Is Now Officially Available on Android Phones

Nintendo released Super Mario Run for iOS last year in December, but announced that the version for Android would come much later, in March this year. As scheduled, Nintendo made Super Mario Run available for Android smartphones.

Super Mario Run works on smartphones running Android 4.2 and up. The Android version features the same pricing as the iOS release and users can freely try it, but if they wish to play the whole game, they need to make a one-time purchase of $9.99.

The Android version seems to be identical to Super Mario Run on iOS, containing multiple modes, while only three are available before purchase: World Tour, Toad Rally and Kingdom Builder. After making the purchase, users will be able to play 24 courses over all 6 worlds and get access to many playable characters. The game requires Internet connectivity to play and data charges may apply.

Super Mario Run is a success on iOS

The release on Android comes about three months after Super Mario Run, Nintendo's first smartphone game, was launched on iOS. The game became very popular among iPhone users, as it saw 40 million downloads during the first four days since it was released and became the fastest-selling iOS game in the history of the App Store.

The 2.0 version of Super Mario Run is currently available both on Android and iOS, after the latter received a major update with new playable characters, new buildings and an enhanced tutorial to show users how to play the game.

Nintendo brought iOS Super Mario Run users the option to select Easy Mode before starting a curse and make adjustments to appearance rates of different colored Toads in Toad Rally. Rally Tickets in the Bonus Game House can be grabbed much more easily and developers made a larger part of the game free to play.

You can download the Super Mario Run APK from Softpedia.

  CHECK OUT THE GALLERY  (2 Images)

Source: Super Mario Run Is Now Officially Available on Android Phones

Hypori Modernizes the Secure Mobile Experience with Next Generation of Virtual Smartphones

Hypori Modernizes the Secure Mobile Experience with Next Generation of Virtual Smartphones

Hypori, a leader in secure mobility, released a new version of its platform that delivers updated virtual smartphones running Android (News - Alert) 6.0 Marshmallow, providing users a more modern, secure and familiar mobile experience. Other aspects of the platform release focus on improvements for both end users and enterprises desiring an easier, more manageable path to secure mobility.

Virtual smartphones equipped with Android Marshmallow allow users to take advantage of key third-party features constructed around components new to Marshmallow like the fingerprint API, improved UI and stronger encryption. Calls and notifications on Hypori virtual smartphones are now more straightforward as well. Improvements to push notifications in the latest release help users stay informed of activity on their virtual smartphone even if they close the Hypori Client app. A new phone dialer app greatly simplifies the process of making cellular calls to numbers in the virtual smartphone.

To maintain Hypori's industry-leading reputation in security, this release contains major advances in multi-factor authentication. The Hypori platform has always used a public key infrastructure (PKI) credential in addition to a password to authenticate users. With the upgrade to Android Marshmallow, end users are able to leverage Touch ID on physical iPhones and similar fingerprint scanning on Android physical devices as a second factor of authentication for frictionless, secure access to the virtual smartphone. Hypori also supports integration with derived credential solution, such as the Defense Information Security Agency (DISA) Purebred key management server, in order to authenticate users and apps running on virtual smartphones.

"Unlike traditional MDM solutions that pit security against user experience, Hypori satisfies these historically competing needs without compromise," said Brian Vetter, CTO of Hypori. "With this release, we've continued to meet expectations that end users have for a modern mobile experience while fulfilling the needs of IT administrators deploying secure mobility across an entire enterprise."

Other enhanced security measures that benefit the IT organizations deploying Hypori's platform include the fact that the Hypori Admin Console is now isolated, making it accessible only from a management network and thus further insulating it from attackers. A TLS proxy feature permits enterprises to more securely enable users from outside the enterprise network to connect into their virtual smartphones.

The latest release also incorporates shared device support, so that IT administrators can configure corporate-owned physical devices to be used by multiple people. This is particularly useful for mobilizing healthcare workers (such as nurses) or retail salespeople, who can use a tablet when on shift to access their own virtual device, apps and data before returning the tablet when they are off shift so someone else can use it.

Hypori's updated platform provides many of the reporting and analytics tools that enterprises demand. Administrators can analyze when and where users connect to their virtual smartphones, providing value for compliance and audit purposes. They can also see what specific apps are launched most commonly on virtual smartphones as well as the amount of time spent in each app, which helps in understanding the ROI of enabling a specific app, especially ones that are paid or licensed. Lastly, in order to better assist in troubleshooting and support, administrators can pull up an on-demand view of an individual user's virtual smartphone screen. To this point, these innovative analytics and reporting capabilities have not been available via traditional mobility management solutions.

About Hypori

Hypori's virtual smartphones provide the rich mobile experience users expect, while keeping all enterprise data and applications completely off the user's device.

At Hypori, we believe that all users should be able to work using their mobile devices and that secure mobility does not have to come at the expense of end user privacy or usability. Founded in 2011, we have built a user-centric solution to address mobility and compliance requirements, especially for regulated industries including healthcare, financial services, public sector and payments. Learn how you can realize your mobile initiatives without having to wrap or modify applications at http://www.hypori.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170322005313/en/

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Source: Hypori Modernizes the Secure Mobile Experience with Next Generation of Virtual Smartphones

Hypori Modernizes the Secure Mobile Experience with Next Generation of Virtual Smartphones

Hypori, a leader in secure mobility, released a new version of its platform that delivers updated virtual smartphones running Android (News - Alert) 6.0 Marshmallow, providing users a more modern, secure and familiar mobile experience. Other aspects of the platform release focus on improvements for both end users and enterprises desiring an easier, more manageable path to secure mobility.

Virtual smartphones equipped with Android Marshmallow allow users to take advantage of key third-party features constructed around components new to Marshmallow like the fingerprint API, improved UI and stronger encryption. Calls and notifications on Hypori virtual smartphones are now more straightforward as well. Improvements to push notifications in the latest release help users stay informed of activity on their virtual smartphone even if they close the Hypori Client app. A new phone dialer app greatly simplifies the process of making cellular calls to numbers in the virtual smartphone.

To maintain Hypori's industry-leading reputation in security, this release contains major advances in multi-factor authentication. The Hypori platform has always used a public key infrastructure (PKI) credential in addition to a password to authenticate users. With the upgrade to Android Marshmallow, end users are able to leverage Touch ID on physical iPhones and similar fingerprint scanning on Android physical devices as a second factor of authentication for frictionless, secure access to the virtual smartphone. Hypori also supports integration with derived credential solution, such as the Defense Information Security Agency (DISA) Purebred key management server, in order to authenticate users and apps running on virtual smartphones.

"Unlike traditional MDM solutions that pit security against user experience, Hypori satisfies these historically competing needs without compromise," said Brian Vetter, CTO of Hypori. "With this release, we've continued to meet expectations that end users have for a modern mobile experience while fulfilling the needs of IT administrators deploying secure mobility across an entire enterprise."

Other enhanced security measures that benefit the IT organizations deploying Hypori's platform include the fact that the Hypori Admin Console is now isolated, making it accessible only from a management network and thus further insulating it from attackers. A TLS proxy feature permits enterprises to more securely enable users from outside the enterprise network to connect into their virtual smartphones.

The latest release also incorporates shared device support, so that IT administrators can configure corporate-owned physical devices to be used by multiple people. This is particularly useful for mobilizing healthcare workers (such as nurses) or retail salespeople, who can use a tablet when on shift to access their own virtual device, apps and data before returning the tablet when they are off shift so someone else can use it.

Hypori's updated platform provides many of the reporting and analytics tools that enterprises demand. Administrators can analyze when and where users connect to their virtual smartphones, providing value for compliance and audit purposes. They can also see what specific apps are launched most commonly on virtual smartphones as well as the amount of time spent in each app, which helps in understanding the ROI of enabling a specific app, especially ones that are paid or licensed. Lastly, in order to better assist in troubleshooting and support, administrators can pull up an on-demand view of an individual user's virtual smartphone screen. To this point, these innovative analytics and reporting capabilities have not been available via traditional mobility management solutions.

About Hypori

Hypori's virtual smartphones provide the rich mobile experience users expect, while keeping all enterprise data and applications completely off the user's device.

At Hypori, we believe that all users should be able to work using their mobile devices and that secure mobility does not have to come at the expense of end user privacy or usability. Founded in 2011, we have built a user-centric solution to address mobility and compliance requirements, especially for regulated industries including healthcare, financial services, public sector and payments. Learn how you can realize your mobile initiatives without having to wrap or modify applications at http://www.hypori.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170322005313/en/

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Source: Hypori Modernizes the Secure Mobile Experience with Next Generation of Virtual Smartphones

Fancy a new iPhone? Apple launches new design and updates to its popular smartphones

APPLE

LAUNCH: Apple has unveiled its new iPhone 7 PRODUCT RED special edition smartphone

Apple iPhone fans have just been given some extra choice with the US technology giant unveiling a range of updated smartphones.

From today, in recognition of more than 10 years of partnership between Apple and (RED), the iPhone now comes in a stunning new colour.

Along with the eye-catching red casing the new iPhone also features a beautiful aluminium Apple logo - a first for the company.

"Since we began working with (RED) 10 years ago, our customers have made a significant impact in fighting the spread of AIDS through the purchase of our products, from the original iPod nano (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition all the way to today's lineup of Beats products and accessories for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO.

"The introduction of this special edition iPhone in a gorgeous red finish is our biggest (PRODUCT)RED offering to date in celebration of our partnership with (RED), and we can't wait to get it into customers' hands."

APPLE

NEW: The latest iPhone has been produced to mark 10 years of working with (RED)

If you fancy owning one of the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (PRODUCT) RED special edition smartphones you can choose between a 128GB and 256GB models.

Prices start from £699 for the 128GB iPhone 7, and £819 for the 128GB iPhone 7 Plus.

The special edition (PRODUCT) RED iPhone joins the five existing finishes, including Jet Black, Black, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold.

Both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (PRODUCT) RED editions will be available to pre-order on Friday March 24th – with the new iPhone models shipping to customers by the end of March.

Alongside the new (PRODUCT) RED iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has also pushed-out an update to its SE model.

iPhone SE has been bumped-up to 32GB and 128GB storage models – doubling the current capacity and replacing 16GB and 64GB variations.

The updated smartphone will be available to pre-order on Friday March 24th for the same UK price, starting at £379.

The new iPhone SE will be available in both brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, as well as online on Friday, Apple has confirmed.

The Cupertino-based company also unveiled new colours for its iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus silicone cases.

These now include Azure, Camellia and Pebble, as well as updated leather cases in Taupe, Sapphire and Berry.

Related articles
Source: Fancy a new iPhone? Apple launches new design and updates to its popular smartphones

Red iPhone 7 release date revealed as Apple teams up with AIDS charity for new colour option

Apple has launched a red version of its flagship iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartphones, expanding the range of options available to customers.

The red model will join Apple's existing choice of colours, which includes silver, gold, rose gold, black and "jet black".

The red model marks more than 10 years of partnership between Apple and AIDS charity (RED), founded by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver.

Buying the phone gives customers a way to contribute to the (RED) Global Fund, which aims to eliminate AIDS, while also boasting a "special edition" Apple device.

The red iPhone will be available to order online worldwide and in stores beginning Friday, March 24.

It will be available in 128GB and 256GB models, starting at £699 from Apple.com and Apple Stores, and from Apple authorised resellers and mobile operators such as EE and Carphone Warehouse.

Read More

Apple has not said what proportion of the sales price will be donated to the Global Fund, but (RED)'s chief executive Deborah Dugan claims that the phone maker has contributed more than $130 million (£104 million) over the past decade.

"Combining the global reach of the world's most loved smartphone with our efforts to provide access to life-saving ARV medication in sub-Saharan Africa, customers now have a remarkable opportunity to make a difference," she said.

First launched in September 2016, the iPhone 7 sports the same aluminium design and rounded edges as the iPhone 6 and 6s, but this time without the white antenna lines across the back.

It is both water and dust resistant, with a classification known as IP67, meaning it can be submerged in water to a depth of roughly 1 metre for up to 30 minutes.

Read More

The iPhone 7 's Retina HD display is 25% brighter than on the iPhone 6s, while retaining the 3D Touch capability.

It also features a "force-sensitive" Home button, meaning it works together with a new Taptic engine to give users haptic feedback when pressed.

There's no headphone jack on the iPhone 7, but Apple does include a pair of headphones in the box, with a Lightning connector that plugs straight into the charging port.

There is also a headphone-jack-to-Lightning-port adaptor, so you can still use your old headphones with the iPhone 7 if you're particularly attached to them.

Read More

The iPhone 7 has one rear-facing 12MP circular camera, while the 7 Plus has a dual-camera setup, allowing users to create more artistic effects.

You can read our full reviews of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus be clicking on the links.

Source: Red iPhone 7 release date revealed as Apple teams up with AIDS charity for new colour option

Sony announces Xperia L1 smartphone

Sony just recently launched the Sony Xperia XZ Premium but the company has already announced a brand new smartphone, the Sony Xperia L1.

As noted in a report from TechRadar, the Sony Xperia L1 features a 5.5-inch 720p display with an 'efficient' chipset and smart software designed to improve screen interactions.

While no price has been revealed for the Sony Xperia L1 it is expected to have an 'accessible price point', and will launch in Europe from late April.

We'll have more information about the Sony Xperia L1 closer to the release date.

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Source: Sony announces Xperia L1 smartphone

Bixby : A New Way to Interact with Your Phone

InJong Rhee, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Software and Services

Technology is supposed to make life easier, but as the capabilities of machines such as smartphones, PCs, home appliances and IoT devices become more diverse, the interfaces on these devices are becoming too complicated for users to take advantage of many of these functions conveniently. User interface designers have to make tradeoff decisions to cram many functions into a small screen or bury them deeper in layers of menu trees. Ultimately users are at the mercy of the designers with an increasingly steep curve that makes learning a new device difficult. This is the fundamental limitation of the current human-to-machine interface.  Since Samsung makes millions of devices, this problem impacts the core of our business.

Samsung has a conceptually new philosophy to the problem:  instead of humans learning how the machine interacts with the world (a reflection of the abilities of designers), it is the machine that needs to learn and adapt to us.  The interface must be natural and intuitive enough to flatten the learning curve regardless of the number of functions being added. With this new approach, Samsung has employed artificial intelligence, reinforcing deep learning concepts to the core of our user interface designs. Bixby is the ongoing result of this effort.

Bixby will be a new intelligent interface on our devices. Fundamentally different from other voice agents or assistants in the market, Bixby offers a deeper experience thanks to proficiency in these three properties:

1. Completeness

When an application becomes Bixby-enabled, Bixby will be able to support almost every  task that the application is capable of performing using the conventional interface (ie. touch commands).  Most existing agents currently support only a few selected tasks for an application and therefore confuse users about what works or what doesn't work by voice command. The completeness property of Bixby will simplify user education on the capability of the agent, making the behaviors of the agent much more predictable.

2. Context Awareness

When using a Bixby-enabled application, users will be able to call upon Bixby at any time and it will understand the current context and state of the application and will allow users to carry out the current work-in-progress continuously.  Bixby will allow users to weave various modes of interactions including touch or voice at any context of the application, whichever they feel is most comfortable and intuitive.  Most existing agents completely dictate the interaction modality and, when switching among the modes, may either start the entire task over again, losing all the work in progress, or simply not understand the user's intention.

3. Cognitive Tolerance

When the number of supported voice commands gets larger, most users are cognitively challenged to remember the exact form of the voice commands. Most agents require users to state the exact commands in a set of fixed forms. Bixby will be smart enough to understand commands with incomplete information and execute the commanded task to the best of its knowledge, and then will prompt users to provide more information and take the execution of the task in piecemeal. This makes the interface much more natural and easier to use.

We know that adopting new ways to interact with your devices will require a change in user behavior. The inconvenience of learning a new interface can cause friction and force users to revert back to old habits (e.g. the touch interface). At the same time we believe the key to success for a new voice interface is to design a scheme that reduces friction and makes the experience significantly more rewarding than the existing interface. So at its core, Bixby will help remove friction. It will simplify user education with new voice interfaces and will make using your phone even more seamless and intuitive.

Another example of removing friction will be the dedicated Bixby button that will be located on the side of our next device. Confusion around activating a voice interface is a barrier we have removed to make it feel easier and more comfortable to give commands. For example, instead of taking multiple steps to make a call – turning on and unlocking the phone, looking for the phone application, clicking on the contact bar to search for the person that you're trying to call and pressing the phone icon to start dialing – you will be able to do all these steps with one push of the Bixby button and a simple command.

There has been a lot of excitement and speculation about what we will deliver with the launch of the Galaxy S8 later this month, especially due to the advancements in artificial intelligence. We do have a bold vision of revolutionizing the human-to-machine interface, but that vision won't be realized overnight. Ambition takes time.

Bixby will be our first step on a journey to completely open up new ways of interacting with your phone. At the launch of the Galaxy S8, a subset of preinstalled applications will be Bixby-enabled. This set will continue to expand over time. Our plan is to eventually release a tool (in SDK) to enable third-party developers to make their applications and services Bixby-enabled easily.

Starting with our smartphones, Bixby will be gradually applied to all our appliances.  In the future you would be able to control your air conditioner or TV through Bixby. Since Bixby will be implemented in the cloud, as long as a device has an internet connection and simple circuitry to receive voice inputs, it will be able to connect with Bixby. As the Bixby ecosystem grows, we believe Bixby will evolve from a smartphone interface to an interface for your life.

Bixby is at the heart of our software and services evolution as a company.  We are fundamentally and conceptually changing our attitude toward software and services and working hard on innovation throughout all aspects of our mobile ecosystem. Our investment in engineering resources speaks for itself – we have thousands of software developers supporting this effort. This is something that I'm very excited about. Innovating in software and services enables opportunities for creativity and the ability to build new experiences from the ground up.  With the continued investment from Samsung on artificial intelligence, the possibility of what Bixby can become is endless.

Source: Bixby : A New Way to Interact with Your Phone

New e-tattoos to turn your skin into smartphone controls

Science TechnologyPosted at: Mar 19, 2017, 9:50 PM; last updated: Mar 19, 2017, 9:50 PM (IST)

Berlin, March 19

Scientists have developed ultrathin temporary electronic tattoos which can turn skin blemishes and wrinkles into touch-sensitive buttons for controlling your smartphone.Researchers, including those from Saarland University in Germany, used conductive ink to print wires and electrodes on temporary tattoo paper.The tattoos, called SkinMarks, are thinner than the width of a human hair. These tattoos are transferred onto the skin using water and last a couple of days before rubbing off, 'New scientist' reported."People intuitively know the location of their own bumps and birthmarks, which makes them ideal locations for touch-sensitive buttons", said Martin Weigel of Saarland University."You could adjust your smartphone volume by sliding one finger across a tattoo placed along the side of another finger. Bend the tattooed finger, and the volume slider could become a play and pause button," researchers said.Similarly, tattoos on the knuckles could act as four distinct buttons w hen the hand is making a fist, but then function as one long slider when the fingers are extended."We make use of the elastic properties of the skin, including bending and stretching," said Juergen Steimleof Saarland University."By having the tattoos responsive to changes in the skin surface, they incorporate multiple commands at one location," he added. — PTI All readers are invited to post comments responsibly. Any messages with foul language or inciting hatred will be deleted. Comments with all capital letters will also be deleted. Readers are encouraged to flag the comments they feel are inappropriate.The views expressed in the Comments section are of the individuals writing the post. The Tribune does not endorse or support the views in these posts in any manner.

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Source: New e-tattoos to turn your skin into smartphone controls

Windows 10 Creators Update may remove some features from the Windows 10 Mobile and PC

Microsoft has planned to release Windows 10 Creators Update for Windows 10 PCs in April and later for Windows 10 Mobile Devices. Windows 10 Creators Update will introduce new features and improvements to Windows 10 Devices. However, the Windows 10 Creators Update will take away some features from the Windows 10 Operating System. The company will remove the features completely and it would never return to the operating system. Microsoft would also drop support for some features.

Earlier Microsoft has removed Kids Corner feature from the Windows Phone. The feature allowed users to give their phones to children in a locked down state by protecting their data. This feature was however not used much by the users of Windows Phone and Microsoft pulled this feature from Windows Phone with the release of Anniversary Update. Now Windows 10 Creators Update will the end support for the Apps Corner feature on Windows 10 Mobile.

Furthermore, the Reading List feature will be removed the Windows 10 Devices. For more details about a listed feature or functionality and its replacement, see the below image.

Image Courtesy: Microsoft.com

The list has been intended for IT professionals who are updating operating systems in a commercial environment. The Windows 10 Creators Update is primarily targeted towards the artists and professionals, hence the 'Creators' moniker. Adding new Inking capabilities, 3D creation enhancements, PC gaming enhancements and a few additional new features, the update is jam packed with goodies for Windows 10 PC.

The update will get pushed out to the PCs first and then get pushed out for Mobile later. Last minute bug fixes and improvements will get pushed out as a cumulative update after the initial release to offer a smoother ride for all the Windows 10 devices. New Insider builds will most probably be available from April and with Redstone 3, things sure will get spiced off for fans, users and insiders alike this year.

Source: Windows 10 Creators Update may remove some features from the Windows 10 Mobile and PC