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Google makes it official: sells Motorola to Lenovo for $2.91bn, retains patents

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

Hot on the heels of the news that Google might be planning to offload Motorola to Lenovo comes the official announcement. Google today revealed that Lenovo plans to acquire the Motorola Mobility smartphone business for $2.91 billion. Google had acquired Motorola for a whopping 12.5 billion dollars which makes the sale price seem suspiciously low. That said, Google will retain control of Motorola Mobility's patent portfolio which seems to have been the intention all along. Lenovo will receive a license to get access to this patent portfolio. It remains unclear if this will be an exclusive license however, Lenovo will also receive over 2,000 patent assets as well as the brand and trademark portfolio for Motorola Mobility. The breakdown for payments will be in the form of $660 million in cash, Lenovo shares worth $750 million. The remaining $1.5 billion will be paid over a course of three years. The move will work well to help Lenovo increase its foothold in the smartphone space and more so in the western markets. "As part of Lenovo, Motorola Mobility will have a rapid path to achieving our goal of reaching the next 100 million people with the mobile Internet. With the recent launches of ...

Lenovo to buy Motorola from Google for 3 billion USD

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:38 PM PST

Lenovo, the world's no. 1 PC maker and one of the top 5 Smartphone vendors in the world, is reportedly buying out Motorola's Mobility division from Google for close 3 billion USD, reports Reuters. With final talks between Lenovo and Google going on, Reuters adds that the Motorola mobility division is the one that makes the Moto X and the recently launched popular budget device, Moto G. Lenovo will also be getting its hands on certain patents as a part of the deal, reportedly. Google created a lot of flutter, not long ago, when it announced that it will acquire Motorola's mobility division for a whopping 12.5 billion USD. It was assumed that the money was for all the patents, but Motorola(under Google's leadership) announced the Moto X and the Moto G, with very few tweaks and modifications, which possibly signaled more Google intervention than ever, but it looks like that was not the case then, nor is it now. Lenovo and Google have just made the acquisition official, read here for more details. Lenovo will reportedly finance the deal with cash, stocks and deferred payments to Google. For Lenovo, which has been rumoured to be in talks of many high profile ...

Apple releases iOS 7.0.5 to tackle network provisioning error

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:38 PM PST

Apple is reportedly pushing a new update, iOS 7.0.5, that will fix persistent software issues with the iPhone 5s and 5c being sold in China. There have been reports of problems around network provisioning for units of the iPhone 5s and 5c being sold in China and the update is expected to be a fix for that. The popular phones launched on the biggest operator in China, China Mobile, to much success and the numbers reflected in Apple's sales figures. Apple managed to push a record 51 million units of the iPhone in Q1 2014.  The iPhone 5s and 5c brought with them a major change to the interface and underlying capabilities via iOS 7. While the exact nature of the error is unknown, it is possible that the tweaks made to iOS 7 are partly responsible for the network provisioning error. The iOS 7.0.5 update weighs in at 35.4 megabytes and is available only for non-US models of the iPhone 5c and 5s. The update is available to all non-US devices including and is not restricted to devices in China. [Via - 9to5 Mac]

Samsung reportedly toning down TouchWiz tweaks and apps due to pressure from Google

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 12:48 PM PST

Samsung, the world's biggest Android manufacturer, is reportedly toning down its TouchWiz UI tweaks and own custom apps due to pressure from Google, reports re/code. Not long before, the Korean Chaebol unveiled a range of new Android devices at the Consumer Electronics Show, all featuring the company's latest and heavily modified Touchwiz "Magazine" UX, that looked nothing like Android. And then we saw a couple more leaks of its adaptation for the mobile form factor, and even that was a drastic departure from the previous version of TouchWiz, let alone stock Android. This might have set Google off and reportedly, the two companies have come to a compromise(among many other things) in which Samsung will tone down its UI tweaks and replacement apps for Google's services, going forward. The image above, taken from a Ars Technica opinion piece paints a clear picture of how Samsung had its own ecosystem around Android, replacing almost every little Google service possible. It is all set to change soon. Multiple sources familiar with the companies' thinking say the two technology giants began hammering out a series of broad agreements at CES that would bring Samsung's view of Android in line with Google's own. The results ...

LG G Pro 2 shows up in leaked images

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST

Earlier this week LG confirmed that it would launch the LG G Pro 2, successor of the LG G Pro next month. Live images of the device has surfaced in Korea, which shows off G2-like  rear-mounted power button and volume keys, textured back panel, unlike G Pro's shiny plastic panel with square pattern elements. It also has a sleek curved design, according to the leaked image. Even though LG confirmed the G Pro 2, it is yet to reveal the specifications of the device. According to earlier rumors, the G Pro 2 is expected to come with a 6-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 800 processor, 3GB of RAM, Android 4.4 KitKat and LTE-A support. Even though the large-screen phone is expected to be Note 3's rival, it might not come with a stylus, since these leaked don't show a stylus dock on the back of the phone. It would obviously have Knock (Previously Knock ON), QSlide and more software features. The LG G Pro 2 would go on sale in Korea next month, and is expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) next month. Via

Samsung Galaxy Gear gets another price cut to Rs. 14,999 in India

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 04:55 AM PST

Galaxy Gear is the first Smartwatch from Samsung, the world leader in consumer electronics. One would have expected it to sell like how the Note sold, even after reviews lambasted it for being too big and otherworldly, but that isn't the same case for the Galaxy Gear. It has received price cuts after price cuts and we are now at a stage in which it sells at a price of Rs. 14,999 in retail, a huge 8,000 discount from the original launch price of Rs. 22,990. The price has fallen by almost 40%, which indicates the kind of demand that the product is getting in the market. Sure, the market is not really a "Smartwatch" market per se, but bundling it with the Note 3 was a clever strategy from Samsung, which unfortunately did not work in its favour. To be fair to Samsung, there are several forces at play here that have contributed to the non-sales of the product. First, the Gear is a v1 product, so it's definitely not perfect. It can only get better from here, but a product with limited device support and half baked software are clear indications of a work in progress and people obviously ...

Lava Iris 404e with 4-inch display, Android 4.2 listed online for Rs. 4065

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 04:34 AM PST

Lava Iris 404e, the latest smartphone from Lava in the Iris range has been listed on Flipkart. It has a 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels) display, powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. It has 2G (EDGE) connectivity, Dual SIM support with dual standby, 2-megapixel rear with LED flash and VGA front-facing camera. Lava launched the Iris 405+ earlier this month for Rs. 6999, which has a similar design, but it comes with a 5-megapixel camera and 3G support. Lava Iris 404e specifications 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels) capacitive touch screen display 1.2 GHz dual-core processor Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS 2MP rear camera 0.3MP (VGA) front-facing camera 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio 9.9mm thick and weighs 113g 2G (EDGE), Bluetooth with A2DP, Wi-Fi 256 MB RAM, 2GB Internal memory (1GB user memory), Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD 1400 mAh battery with up to 7 hours talk time and up to 150 hours standby The Lava Iris 404e comes in White color and is priced at Rs. 4065.

Tata Group reportedly planning to exit telecom business

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 04:05 AM PST

A year after taking over as chairman of the Tata group, Cyrus Mistry, has decided to exit the telecom business completely, according to a recent report from Economic Times. Tata Group, which includes Tata Communications and Tata Tele has initiated talks with Vodafone to sell the company, but the discussions are at an early stage. NTT Docomo owns 26% stake in Tata Tele and has a put option which expires on March 31, 2014. It may give a one-year extension for a deal with Vodafone, according to the report. The Indian government also holds 26% stake in Tata Communications. As part of negotiations with Vodafone, Tata Group will buy out government's stake in the company and then sell it to Vodafone. Since both Tata Tele and Tata Communications have large shareholders, it will be a deal in several stages, the report adds. According to recent numbers published by the Department of Telecom, Tata Tele has net worth of minus 5,346.65 crore, which makes them a possible target for acquisitions. If Vodafone buys Tata Tele, it will be India's leading player in terms of subscribers, overtaking Airtel. According to the ET report both Tata and Vodafone denied to confirm anything.

Gionee Gpad G4 with 5.7-inch HD display, Aluminium body now available for Rs. 18999

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 02:22 AM PST

Gionee Gpad 4, that appeared online back in November is now available in India from online retailer Snapdeal as Gpad G4. It has a  5.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD one-glass solution (OGS) display, powered by a  1.5 GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589T processor with PowerVR SGX 544MP2 GPU and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with 28mm wide angle lens.   It has aluminium body, packs a 3200 mAh battery and comes with in-built Digital Theatre System (DTS) Sound. It also has several software features such as pause video playback by looking away, Gionee Xender app and more. Gionee Gpad G4 specifications 5.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display based on OGS technology 1.5 GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589T processor with PowerVR SGX 544MP2 GPU Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Dual SIM with dual standby 13MP rear camera with LED Flash, BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture and 1080p video recording 5MP front-facing camera Aluminium Unibody design Dimensions: 163.5×81.3×7.95mm 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio 1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS/A-GPS 3200 mAh battery The Gionee Gpad G4 comes in White and Black colors and is priced at Rs. 18,999 online.

Lava Iris Pro 30 Camera Samples

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:55 AM PST

Lava recently announced their latest flagship smartphone - Lava Iris Pro 30. As seen at the announcement event, specifications are not the strength of this device. However, it comes with its own strength in the form of a spectacular build quality; looking like the industry standard iPhone and with a very light 114g body. We recently brought you the unboxing of this device and today we will be checking out how the 8MP camera on the back of the Lava Iris Pro does. Though the Lava Iris Pro 30 doesn't have the 13MP camera that the competition boasts off, Iris Pro comes with a dual LED flash with a blue filler for supposedly better photos in the low light. The 8MP rear camera can take 1080p videos at 30fps while the 3MP front camera takes 480p VGA videos. We will be waiting till the review to judge the quality of the camera, but today you can take a look at the camera samples from Lava Iris Pro right below. [gallery link="file" ids="94624,94625,94626,94629,94627,94631,94628,94630,94632,94633,94634,94635,94637,94638,94639,94640,94641,94642"] You can take a look at the video sample right below. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUsKPIJThfY

Celkon S1 with 5-inch 1080p display, 13MP camera launched for Rs. 14999

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:49 AM PST

Celkon has launched the Celkon S1, the company's latest flagship smartphone. It has a 5.0-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display based on one-glass-solution technology, powered by 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean). It has a 13-megapixel auto focus rear camera with dual LED Flash and a 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone is very sleek at just 6.5mm. It packs 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and packs a 2300 mAh battery. This would compete with Karbonn Titanium S7 that was launched last year. Celkon S1 specifications 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display based on OGS technology 1.5 GHz quad-core processor Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean) 13MP auto focus camera with dual LED Flash 8MP front-facing camera 6.5mm thick and weighs 137 grams 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, aGPS 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Gyroscope Sensor 1GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory 2300 mAh battery The Celkon S1 comes in Black color and is priced at Rs. 14,999 (MOP).

Korea’s KT launches LTE Broadcast powered by Qualcomm’s technology

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 12:33 AM PST

KT Corporation, one of the largest telecom providers in Korea has introduced the world's first commercial LTE Broadcast/eMBMS (evolved Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service) for its subscribers using the latest Samsung Galaxy Note 3 smartphone. We already know that the LTE variant of the Note 3 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. This service is based on Qualcomm's LTE Broadcast Solution, which includes highly optimized broadcast middleware, a software development kit (SDK) and the eMBMS-enabled Qualcomm LTE Advanced chipset. Using the Olleh LTE Play application from KT, the Galaxy Note 3 users would get 2 live TV channels of Olleh TV Mobile without any data charges. This service started on January 27th, 2014 in select regions in Korea, exclusively for the Note 3 users. Samsung has partnered with KT to provide its eMBMS network equipment and solutions in support of the service's roll out. This service enables multiple users to simultaneously and efficiently enjoy HD quality video service for an enhanced multimedia consumption experience. It also lets operators to more efficiently manage their network loads for real-time, high-demand content such as live sporting events, breaking news etc. Qualcomm demoed LTE Brodcast at the MWC 2012 last year and also released some whitepapers about ...

HTC One Android 4.4.2 KitKat update starts rolling out in Europe

Posted: 28 Jan 2014 11:22 PM PST

Back in November HTC promised that it would roll out the Android 4.4 Kitkat update for the HTC One users in EMEA countries (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) starting from January-end. It has kept its promise and has started rolling out the KitKat update in parts of Europe, including Nordic region. The HTC One Google Play Edition got the KitKat update back in November last year. The new software update (v4.19.401.8) for the HTC One brings Android 4.4.2 update Security enhancements Printing improvement - Cloud print service Bluetooth improvement - New Bluetooth profiles to support more media interactions Browser - Support of Flash Player removed The KitKat update also brings white icons, but the battery indicator is still in green. Adobe killed the Flash Player development for mobile devices back in 2011. HTC has finally decided to remove Adobe Flash support in the stock HTC web browser, since it has switched to Google's Chromium engine, according to ROM developer LlabTooFeR. The Android 4.4.2 for the HTC One is available as a OTA update, which is 308.24MB . The version and the size might vary depending on the region. Since Asia is not in the early roll out list, Indian users would have to wait for the update. Via

Opera Mobile Store surpass 100 million users

Posted: 28 Jan 2014 10:45 PM PST

Opera has announced that their Opera Mobile Store has reached 105 million monthly visitors at the end of Q4 2013. It now has over 100 million users globally, with a tremendous growth of 230% annually. It currently offers more than 200,000 mobile apps and games across most mobile platforms, including Android, Java, BlackBerry, Symbian and iOS. Last year it got redesigned, which brought new users and more downloads. The Opera Mobile Store several partnership such as MTS Belarus and MTS Ukraine, Yandex in Eastern Europe and more. The top-three countries based on the number of Opera Mobile Store users were India, the United States and Indonesia, says Opera. The company launched co-branded versions of Opera mini in partnership with several Indian operators including, Airtel, Idea, Tata Docomo and Vodafone, over the past few year. Last year it partnered with Indian OEMs to pre-install Opera Mini browser on Android devices. Commenting on the new milestone,  Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software, said, The Opera Mobile Store was launched in September 2011, based on the technology from the acquisition of Handster. In just over two years, the Opera Mobile Store has shown strong growth – from 18 million monthly visitors to 100 million, and has seen a fivefold increase in the number of apps ...

Lava Iris 401e Unboxing

Posted: 28 Jan 2014 10:38 PM PST

Lava Iris 401e is among the very entry range Android smartphones and comes with a now extinct Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board. Compromising on a lot of things, it offers near antique Android experience within a very very affordable range. It is priced less than the Nokia Asha 501 which sets the benchmark for entry range feature phones. Today we are unboxing the Lava Iris 401e smartphone.   You can check out the unboxing video right below. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVLSs1Bj3xo Box contents Phone Battery Silicon cover Scratch guard User guide Earphones MicroUSB to USB cable USB charger The specifications of this entry range smartphone are as follows 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels) capacitive touch screen display 1 GHz processor Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) 3MP camera with LED Flash 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio 2G EDGE/GPRS, WiFi,Bluetooth FM Radio, Sound recorder 256MB RAM, around 200MB user memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD 1500 mAh battery The build quality is surprisingly good given its price range. Despite an all plastic build, the phone feels solid. The glossy back however is scratch and finger print prone. You can check out more photos about the box contents right below. [gallery link="file" ids="94604,94603,94602,94601,94600,94599,94598"]
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