BlackBerry Confirms BBM for Windows Phone Arrives This Summer

Following Stephen Elop's announcement during Nokia's MWC 2014 press conference, BlackBerry issued an official statement confirming that BBM would be available on Windows Phone devices in the coming months.

The good news for those who don't own Nokia Windows Phone handsets is the fact that BlackBerry did not mention any exclusivity for Lumia handsets, so it should be available on most compatible Windows Phone devices. According to BlackBerry, BBM will be made available to Windows Phone, as well as Nokia X users in the coming months. Moreover, the application will be available as a free download via Windows Phone Store sometime this summer. In addition, BlackBerry Messenger for Nokia X will also be available for free from the Nokia Store when the Nokia X platform launches. Both Windows Phone and Nokia X users who download and install BBM will be provided with lots of major features that are also available on iOS and Android platforms.

BBM for Windows Phone will include features such as BBM Chats, BBM Groups, BBM Voice, BBM Channels, lots of new emoticons and various personalization options. Keep in mind that BBM users on Windows Phone, Nokia X, Android, iPhone and BlackBerry devices also have access to fast one-click sharing of photos, documents, voice notes and more. “BBM continues to grow in popularity as millions of people use our mobile platform for chatting and connecting with friends or colleagues, and we are very excited that we will soon welcome Windows Phone and Nokia X users to the BBM community,” said John Sims, president, global enterprise solutions at BlackBerry.

“Today marks an exciting moment for Nokia. By bringing BBM to the Windows Phone and Nokia X communities, our customers will be able to experience this popular global messaging app,” said Bryan Biniak, vice president and GM of developer relations, Nokia Corporation.

BBM logo
Image credits to BlackBerry

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Samsung Galaxy S5 Leaks in Live Pictures Ahead of Official Announcement

With just several hours left until Samsung's Unpacked 5 press event, where the company is expected to unveil the next Galaxy smartphone, a couple of pictures showing the Galaxy S5 have just leaked online.

Courtesy of HardwareZone Forums, we now know what the standard version of Samsung Galaxy S5 will look like. Judging by the leaked photos, the Galaxy S5 looks very much like Samsung Galaxy S4, but it's slightly larger. The cited source also provides some info on the fingerprint scanner that will come integrated in the Galaxy S5. It appears that users will be able to make payments via PayPal with just a swipe of their finger.

In order to set up the fingerprint scanner, one would need to swipe 8 times on the home button for the smartphone to store the fingerprint. You can authorize up to 3 fingerprints to be used with the Galaxy S5. The smartphone also comes with updated Samsung apps and services, including S Healh and Fitness. A brand new Download Booster app seems to be included as well. Images gallery below, click for larger image.

Samsung Galaxy S5
Images credits to Hardware Zone Forums

Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S4
Image credits to SaudiAndroid

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Samsung Launches Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, Drops Galaxy Branding and Android for Tizen

As previously expected, Samsung has taken the opportunity at MWC 2014 to unveil the new Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo.

Note the absence of the Galaxy branding, which can be explained by the fact that Samsung has dropped the Android platform in favor of its own Tizen. Samsung says the change will affect battery life which will be capable of lasting up for up to two or three days, almost double from what the original Galaxy Gear managed (via SamMobile). The new Gear and Gear 2 Neo are lighter and thinner than the Galaxy Gear, but the design make-over isn’t so radical as previously thought. One thing that stands out is that the camera now lives in front of the watch and not on the wristband. Both smartwatches come with the same 1.63-inch screen with a resolution of 320 x 320, the same as the original Galaxy Gear. Under the small hood there’s a 1GHz processor combined with 512MB and 4GB of internal storage.

New features that might convenience you to get one of these babies include IP67 certification (watches are dust and water resistant), a heart sensor and IR blaster. If you were wondering about the difference between the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo is the second doesn’t come bundled with a 2MP camera. There’s no info about pricing but the two smartwatches will be made available in the second quarter of the year. Images gallery below.

Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo launched
Images credits to SamMobile

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Microsoft Officially Announces Windows 8.1 Update 1

Microsoft announced at the Mobile World Congress that Windows 8.1 is set to receive a major update this spring, confirming that the company is working to improve its operating system on both touch and non-touch devices.

Joe Belfiore, Microsoft’s executive in charge of the devices unit, explained during his keynote that Microsoft will make it easier for users to launch apps from the taskbar, probably hinting at options to start Metro apps from the desktop, as we’ve seen in leaked builds. At the same time, he also added that Windows 8.1 Update 1 will bring several improvements for the desktop, including options aimed at those relying on mice and keyboards. “Some of those touch affordances weren’t really tuned as well as we could do for those mouse and keyboard users,” Belfiore was quoted as saying by The Verge. “We found people weren’t aware of where they should look in the UI. Those are the things we’ve really started to improve for this update coming this spring.”

Windows 8.1 Update 1 will also represent another attempt by Microsoft to bring more Windows devices to the market, with recent reports pointing to a 70 percent license price cut for OEMs. It turns out however that Redmond is also reducing hardware requirements in Windows 8.1 Update 1, allowing the new OS version to be installed on devices with only 1GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage space. Belfiore hasn’t provided a release date for the new update, but it’s believed that Microsoft is planning to use the upcoming BUILD 2014 developer conference in early April to introduce the new OS version. Of course, Update 1 is going to be offered free of charge to all Windows 8.1 users and will be delivered through Windows Update as an optional download for both desktops and tablets.

Windows 8.1 Update 1 will launch in April
Image credits to Microsoft

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Apple Hires 17-Year-Old Jailbreaker “Winocm”

Apple has hired jailbreaker “winocm,” a teenager who was able to port the entire iPhone operating system over to Nokia N900.

Of course, winocm’s resume doesn’t just include this single feat. He says he’s been able to do some “insane” things with both iOS and OS X on a core level, and he’s responsible for some iOS jailbreaks (for iOS 6.1.5, more recently). “I had to basically do exactly what Apple did when they were making iPhone OS originally,” winocm tells Cult of Mac which points out that “By rewriting the iPhone OS from the ground up, he was essentially able to create an open source version of the operating system.” Winocm added, “It’s really complex and hellish stuff. Usually they have a team of people working on this type of thing, but I’m just one person, not a team.” Hence the reason why Apple could really use a guy like him.

Winocm himself broke the news about his hiring on Twitter yesterday, when he relayed to his 44K followers, “I figured now is the right time to say this, I will be working at Apple starting later this year.” The Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc. will most likely use winocm’s skill set to strengthen the security of iOS and OS X. As always, Apple hiring an iOS jailbreaker is somewhat ironical, having indulged in a fierce cat and mouse game before shaking hands. On the other hand, jailbreaking is getting less and less necesary these days, as Apple is offering more features and flexibility in its mobile software. But where there’s room for tweaks that Apple doesn’t allow, you can bet lots of people will still want to jailbreak their devices.

In related news, Apple has discovered and subsequently patched a serious vulnerability in iOS 7 where “An attacker with a privileged network position may capture or modify data in sessions protected by SSL/TLS.” The issue affects most iPhones and iPads currently in circulation today and has been addressed with the release of iOS 7.0.6 for new-generation hardware, and iOS 6.1.6 for old devices, such as the iPhone 3GS. Apple TV Software 6.0.2, released in tandem with these two updates, also includes the security patch.

Winocm tweet
Image credits to Winocm on Twitter

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BlackBerry Intros Stickers for BBM, Kicks Off Limited External Beta

Shortly after introducing Voice Chat for BlackBerry Messenger on both Android and iOS platforms, the Canadian company announced that it would add a brand new feature for BBM users, stickers.

This time however, the new feature won't be available for free, but will come for a price. Those who wish to take advantage of these stickers will have to purchase them via BBM Shop. BlackBerry has announced the it has started a limited external beta for stickers and the BBM Shop, but it's unclear whether everyone can access it or you have to be accepted into the beta. As we have mentioned earlier, stickers will be available for purchase via BBM Shop in packs that will contain between 20 and 25 stickers, which will be theme-related (CosCat, Gilbert’s Tales, Bubble Bot). BBM users on Android and iOS are surely not aware of what stickers are as the feature was only available for BlackBerry 10 users.

Speaking of which, BlackBerry Stickers is a separate application for 10 OS devices that allows BBM users to spice up their chats with friends by adding stickers. BlackBerry will probably do the same for Android and iOS users and will release separate applications for stickers, but we have yet to receive a confirmation from the Canadian company. Stickers are larger emoticons, some may be animated and featuring a much better resolution than standard emoticons. It's possible that BlackBerry will throw in some free to download stickers as well, but for now, we should assume they will only sell in packages of 20-25 stickers. The method of sending stickers to your friends is pretty simple on BlackBerry 10. You will need to open the Stickers for BBM application and select the sticker you wish and then select Send. Obviously, you can add some text as well.

For the time being, there are 35 stickers available for BlackBerry 10, of which 20 are animated and must be purchased, whereas 15 are static and are available for free. Stay tuned for more updates on the addition of stickers to BBM for Android and iOS.

Stickers for BBM
Image credits to Blackberry

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Dual-SIM ARCHOS 50c Oxygen with Octa-Core CPU Unveiled Ahead of MWC 2014

French company ARCHOS has just unveiled its lineup of smartphones for the first half of 2014, which contains only 3 devices: 50c Oxygen, 64 Xenon and 40b Titanium.

The most advanced of the three, ARCHOS 50c Oxygen is a dual-SIM smartphone that comes equipped with MediaTek's true octa-core chipset. The good news is that the smartphone will be available for purchase for less than £200 (€240 / $330) off contract. Unfortunately, there's no word on when exactly the ARCHOS 50c Oxygen will go on sale and where you will be able to pick it up. All three ARCHOS smartphones will ship with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box. It's unlikely that any of these devices will receive any major upgrades in the future.

As we have mentioned earlier, ARCHOS 50c Oxygen is powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor, a Mali 450MP4 graphics processing unit and 1GB of RAM. ARCHOS 64 Xenon is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor, a Mali 400MP2 graphics processing unit and 1GB of RAM. Last but not least, the ARCHOS 40b Titanium packs a 1.3GHz dual-core Mediate MT6572 processor, a Mali 400 graphics processing unit and only 512MB of RAM.

“ARCHOS’ new lineup of products highlights the company’s commitment to innovation and confirms its position in the 3G/4G market. Our new product offerings continue to push the boundaries of technology, blending superior design, cutting-edge technology and impressive affordability,” said Loic Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. It is also worth mentioning that the 50c Oxygen sports a 5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display that supports HD (720p) resolution, while the 64 Xenon boasts a huge 6.4-inch IPS LCD display with HD (720p) resolution. ARCHOS 40b Titanium comes with a much smaller 4-inch display that supports 800 x 480 pixels resolution. Apart from the ARCHOS 50c Oxygen, which packs 8GB of storage, the rest of ARCHOS' smartphones feature 4GB of internal memory.

“MediaTek is very pleased to see its portfolio of dual-, quad-, and octa-core ‘Systems-on-a-Chip’ well represented across ARCHOS’ breaking new smartphone line-up. This is another proof-point of MediaTek’s commitment in making rich multimedia features, leading edge multi- processing and multi-mode connectivity available to everyone at affordable price levels,” added Siegmund Redl, MediaTek's VP and GM of corporate marketing in Europe.

ARCHOS 50c Oxygen

ARCHOS 40b Titanium
Images credits to ARCHOS

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Sony SmartWatch 2 Might Arrive with New Garmin Navigation App

The smartwatch competition is getting pretty intense, so Sony is looking to up its game with its all-new intelligent time-keeping wearable.

The most recent batch of rumors claims the new Sony SmartWatch 2 device will come equipped with a Garmin navigation app, says Pocket-Lint. Regardless of how diversified the market for smartwatches seems to be now, keep in mind that Sony was one of the first to offer such a product back in 2012. The device didn't really catch on back then, perhaps being a little ahead of its time. Garmin is another company that’s clinging to existence, in recent times. The company used to provide top-class navigation devices and software, but ever since the advent of services such as Google Maps, its time seems to have passed.

By partnering up with Sony, Garmin is hoping to reestablish itself by offering its servicing to an established Android platform. Sony’s upcoming SmartWatch 2 is said to be capable of displaying higher quality images. The same Garmin Navigation app is said to arrive on the upcoming Xperia Z2 code-named Sirius.

Sony SmartWatch 2 might come bundled with the Garmin app
Image credits to AndroidCommunity

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Nexus 8 to Arrive in July with Android 4.5

We have told you about the upcoming Google Nexus 8 in the past before, but as it turns out we’ll get to see the device appear this summer in July.

This week it's been announced Google will be hosting its I/O 2014 developer conference between 25 and 26 of July, which raised a lot of speculations regarding what we were going to see during the event. The guys over at the AndroidGeeks were a tad more curious, so they got in touch with a person familiar with the matter who managed to confirm that the new Android 4.5 build was going to be introduced to the press during the event. The Google Dublin employee said the conference would be the launching platform for something else as well. Yes, you've guessed it, the Nexus 8 is going to be introduced at the I/O 2014 conference, too. As you might probably remember, Google was said to be abandoning the manufacturing of 7-inch tablets, a decision prompted by seeing disappointing Nexus 7 2013 sales. Albeit being a good tablet, featuring a set of capable specifications and a decent price-tag, the tablet has failed to impress the public.

On top of that, pressure from the phablet-market is cueing customers to reorient their preferences towards tablets with larger displays, so Google will be taking up the manufacturing of 8-inchers, instead. At the moment, there are a bunch of notable 8-inch products on the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, new Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 or LG G Pad 8.3. The Dublin Google employee couldn't specify whether the new Nexus 8 will come pre-installed with Android 4.5, but it’s highly likely this will be the case. A previous Asian report placed the rolling out of the Nexus 8 somewhere around April, but if we are to listen to the Dublin source, the launch date has been pushed a few months.

Nexus 8 tipped to arrive with Android 4.5
Image credits to Pocketnow

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Dual-Boot (Android / Firefox) Geeksphone Revolution Goes on Sale for $300 (€220)

Last week, Spanish company Geeksphone confirmed that it would make its “revolutionary” Revolution smartphone available for purchase on February 20.

The smartphone is unique in the fact that it allows users to switch between two operating systems (Android & Firefox) while on the move. The Revolution is now available for purchase via Geeksphone's online store for only $300 (€220). The device can be shipped anywhere in the world, but shipping fees are not included in the outright price mentioned earlier. Aside from the dual-boot smartphone, Geeksphone has previously announced that it will launch a series of accessories for the Revolution, but they are not available yet. Geeksphone Revolution comes equipped with a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor, which is complemented by 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory.

Although it comes with such a low amount of storage, users will be able to further expand internal memory up to 32GB via microSD memory card. For those wondering if Geeksphone Revolution supports their carriers' networks, the Spanish company has confirmed that the smartphone is fully compatible with the following HSPA/WCDMA bands: 2100 / 1900 / 900 /850 MHz. In addition, the Revolution supports the following GSM / GPRS / EDGE bands: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz. The Revolution has a more than decent 4.7-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display that supports 540 x 960 pixels resolution. It also packs an enhanced 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording, as well as a secondary 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls.

Geeksphone Revolution is powered by a 2000 mAh battery and offers a wide range of connectivity options, including HSPA (21Mbps) and HSUPA (5.76Mbps), along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Keep in mind that Revolution comes with Android Jelly Bean operating system by default, but you will be able to switch to Firefox OS seamlessly thanks to the “Multi OS” technology integrated in the smartphone.

Geeksphone Revolution
Images credits to Geeksphone

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