Sony Xperia SP Receiving Firmware Update 12.1.A.1.201, Adds Improvements

Sony Xperia SP owners disappointed that their smartphones will not receive the long-awaited Android 4.4.2 KitKat update may be appeased by the fact that the Japanese company has released a new firmware version that brings some necessary improvements and bug fixes.

According to XperiaBlog, Sony has just started the rollout of firmware version 12.1.A.1.201 for Xperia SP, so it should be available worldwide in the next couple of days. Keep in mind that the update is available for all free Xperia S models: C5302, C5303 and C5306. Firmware version 12.1.A.1.201 is still based on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and is available OTA (over the air), as well as through Sony PC Companion desktop software. The official changelog of the update has already been published by Sony and mentions that it adds many improvements for the Xperia SP, such as enhanced user experience, improved battery life and software performance enhancements.

Some bug fixes are included as well, though no additional details are provided. Sony Xperia SP owners who have yet to be notified of the update should manually check for it by heading to Settings / About phone / Software update / Update. Make sure your phone’s battery is at least 50% charged and back up your sensitive information just in case.

Sony Xperia SP update changelog
Image credits to Sony Mobile

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Windows 8.1 Update Now Available for Download

As announced earlier today, Microsoft released the new Windows 8.1 Update on MSDN, so subscribers can now download the released files and install the product before everyone else does it on April 8.

Although Terry Myerson hasn’t mentioned it during his keynote, Windows 8.1 Update is available on MSDN in two different flavors, as MSU installers and as standalone ISOs that allow users to perform a clean install, without the need for relying on Windows Update to deploy the files. The Windows 8.1 Update ISO measures 3924 MB and allows users to install any of the available versions of the operating system, including 8.1 Core, 8.1 Embedded, and Server 2012 R2. The MSU installers, on the other hand, have 360 MB in size for x86 and 770 MB for x64 and provide support for the same versions.

Windows 8.1 Update brings a long series of changes to the modern platform, including a revamped Start screen, context menus in the Modern UI and options to pin Metro apps to the taskbar. All users should get the new Windows 8.1 Update on April 8, the same day when Microsoft releases the Patch Tuesday fixes to resolve glitches in its software. Of course, it’s going to be offered free of charge to all those running Windows 8.1.

The new builds are now available on MSND
Image credits to MSDN/Microsoft

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Microsoft Officially Confirms the Return of the Start Menu

Exciting news for users of modern Windows at BUILD 2014! Microsoft has decided to bring back the Start menu in Windows in a future update, in an attempt to make the operating system more appropriate for desktop computers.

Microsoft’s Terry Myerson confirmed at the show that the Start menu will return sometime in the future, but he refused to provide any specifics on when exactly this is going to happen. As you can see in the screenshot posted above and shown during his keynote, the new Start menu will mix the classic design with a modern touch, showing both the list of installed apps, as well as live tiles. The main power options are still there, so you can easily shut down or reboot your computer.

The same screenshot shows that users will be allowed to launch Metro apps in their very own windows, which means that the company is working to mix the Modern UI and the desktop in a future update. Previous reports indicated that such a change could take place in Windows 9, but Myerson hasn’t mentioned anything else besides “a future Windows update,” so expect these improvements to be released to users sometime this year, maybe as part of a second major update for Windows 8.1.

This is the new Start menu of Windows
Image credits to Microsoft

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New Huawei Ascend P7 Photos Allegedly Leak Online

Chinese mobile phone maker Huawei has been long rumored to plan the release of a new high-end smartphone running under Android, and some more leaked images with the phone have allegedly emerged online.

The upcoming device, supposedly called Ascend P7, made it online a few times before, and was expected to make an official appearance at CES or MWC, but it has not been in sight until now. However, chances are that it will be announced sooner rather than later, especially since it has made it online in more leaks. The new photos with it come from weibo (via gforgames). Although no official info on the smartphone has been provided as of now, some details on its hardware specifications are already available, suggesting that the phone will feature a 5-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution. Moreover, it should arrive on the market with a 1.6GHz quad-core Hi-Silicon SoC from Huawei, as well as with 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal memory.

On the back, the phone is said to include a 13-megapixel camera with full HD video recording capabilities, complemented by an 8MP front camera for making video calls while on the go. The handset should be powered by a 2460mAh battery, while running under Huawei's Emotion UI, which is based on the Android 4.4.2 operating system. Stay tuned for more details on this smartphone.

Huawei Ascend P7
Image credits to weibo via gforgames

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Sony Xperia Z2 Gets Rooted, ClockworkMod Recovery Available for It

On February 24 this year, Japanese mobile phone maker Sony Mobile made official its new Android-based flagship device, in the form of Xperia Z2, yet the device isn’t shipping as of now.

However, even before being actually released on shelves, the phone has been rooted, and a ClockworkMod Recovery is now available for it, it seems. The smartphone too will arrive very soon, so this is good news for enthusiasts. As detailed in an XDA-Developers Forum thread, the Touch Recovery is based on CWM Recovery 6.0.4.6 and comes from renowned developer DooMLoRD, that was helped by Koush people involved in the CyanogenMod project. Apparently, all the testing was performed on a user’s handset, and the installation of the ClockworkMod Recovery requires that the handset’s bootloader be unlocked. At the same time, those interested in trying out the new piece of software will need to make sure that they have a working fastboot on the phone, and that the device is running under stock Android 4.4.2 KitKat firmware (version 17.1.A.2.36 - v01).

Some issues with this still exist, as the recovery needs an unlocked bootloader which, in its turn, requires TA backup. Without it, DRM keys will be irreversibly lost. Furthermore, it appears that adb is not working in recovery, though this issue can be resolved in the future. On the other hand, the camera on Xperia Z2 will still work after unlocking the bootloader. Flashing the software through fastboot requires that users download the kernel image, save the boot.img to the folder containing fastboot binary, then flash it using the “fastboot flash boot boot.img” command. Then, simply reboot using the “fastboot reboot” command. To root the device, users will need to download the latest SuperSU update.zip, save it on the phone’s microSD card, and then reboot into recovery. From there, they will need to flash the SuperSu update.zip and reboot from recovery into OS.

According to DooMLoRD, users should also strongly consider installing busybox after rooting. It can be found in the Google Play Store and should be installed on/system/xbin. All the necessary info on the files needed for rooting and installing the custom recovery on Sony Xperia Z2 can be found in the aforementioned forum thread. Links to the downloadable files are available there as well. Just keep in mind that rooting a smartphone will void warranty. Users will be the only ones held responsible in the event that anything happens with the smartphone when trying to tweak it.

Sony Xperia Z2
Image credits to Sony

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Qualcomm LiQUID with Snapdragon 805, Adreno 420, Windows Tested

Now here’s something interesting. Back in November, Qualcomm announced a new version of its Snapdragon 800 processor, the Snapdragon 805 tablet processor capable of handling Ultra HD (4K) video playing on a tablet or streamed to a TV.

Anyway some evidence of a Windows device running the above-mentioned 4K-ready tablet processor has been uncovered in the lofty GFXBench database. A device called “Qualcomm LiQUID” has been spotted there, listed with Adreno 420, and a cropped screen with 1422 x 800 screen resolution (full resolution might be 2560 x 1440 pixels). There’s no mention per se of Snapdragon 805, but currently the Adreno 420 is married to the Snapdragon 805 process that supports 4K resolution. Furthermore, the device in question runs Windows OS, so this could as well be Windows Phone 8.1 or Windows RT. The GFXBench doesn't show information about the device’s manufacturer, so there's no information regarding this aspect.

Anyway, the idea of a Snapdragon 805 processor testing in combination with a 2K display (?) on a Windows device seems pretty interesting and something lots of us could be looking towards. A previous leak showed us Windows Phone could support 2K screen (double 1080P) resolution, so maybe a handset is incoming. On the other hand, Qualcomm LiQUID could turn out to a tablet too.

Mystery Qualcomm LiQUID appears in benchmarks
iImage credits to GFXBench

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iPhone 6 Photos Reportedly Leaked from Foxconn Factory, Phone Looks Relatively Unchanged

An alleged leak from Foxconn would suggest that Apple’s iPhone 6 will not sport a radical redesign, as many fans hoped, but rather a few minor aesthetic changes, along with a bigger screen and rounded edges.

Assuming these images leaked on weibo.com are genuine, it appears that the next-generation iPhone will have a similar design to the current-selling hardware, something that might spell trouble for Apple, (as we opined recently). The device seems to be constructed from metal (aluminum, most likely) and there will be two radio / WiFi windows on the back of the phone, as with the current iPhone 5s. Again, these images cannot be verified, but their source claims to have obtained them straight from Foxconn, Apple’s assembler. The phone appears to be a lot thinner, which may help it project a sense of major redesign. The back shell appears to be slightly tapered around the edges, and the camera module seems to stick out of the case, in what would suggest a design compromise to enable a more powerful camera in a thinner chassis. Apple has done the same with the fifth-generation iPod touch. Various design mockups from artists around the world have portrayed the iPhone 6 as a bigger iPod touch. This leak certainly lends credence to that vision, but Apple might need more oomph to keep unconvinced customers from jumping ship (to Android).

The purported Foxconn leak includes an image that depicts a schematic, along with precise measurements for what would appear to be assembly instructions from the California giant. According to one of the images, the headphone jack is being moved closer to the Lightning port, and one of the speaker/mic grills is no longer there. Nothing is being said about the screen size (or at least nothing can be made out from the low-resolution photos), but the phone presumably has a larger display that goes beyond the 4.5-inch mark (on the diagonal). Apple is rumored to launch not one, but two versions of the iPhone 6, one of which actually has an even bigger screen, measuring over 5.5-inches on the diagonal. All in all this seems to be a credible leak, but a disappointing one at that for customers hoping to see a completely reimagined iPhone this time around. As we noted in our editorial this weekend, Apple might also need to change the face of its smartphone, not just the enclosure.

Purported iPhone 6 photos
Image credits to Weibo

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MSI B85I and B85M Gaming, Mini-ITX/Micro-ATX Military Class 4 Motherboards

Micro-Star International's Gaming line of hardware has just welcomed a new pair of motherboards, one of which isn't exactly as large as one would expect, but should enable some decent PC specs regardless.

Even now, gaming hardware and computers come in large, solid, sophisticated packages, but there has been a steady rise in the number of small products as well. Most notably, mini PCs have begun to provide specs on par with those of the high-end desktops of half a decade ago. And since DirectX 11 support is pretty much always included in the spec sheet, that basically means that it's possible to play even the latest game on a mini personal computer now. It all boils down to the power supply unit, the cooling, how big the case is (on the inside, since video cards can be pretty big) and, lastly, how good the motherboard happens to be. Micro-Star International has just released a pair of the better new models, which can power a good LAN party system.

The B85I micro-ATX is one. Such motherboards don't really stand out anymore, with their two memory slots, one/two PCI Express x16 slots and standard I/O support and storage interfaces. There is a mini-ITX B85 motherboard as well though, also bearing the Gaming logo. MSI's new creations have Military Class 4 components though: Hi-C CAPs, Solid CAPs, Dark CAPs, SFC and Dark Chokes. They allow the platforms to stay stable even at high load, and to survive for a long time. EMI protection and ESD protection is present as well. Another asset is the USB Audio Power technology, which prevents sound quality from suffering (on external DACs and such) when the other USB ports are populated as well (with chargers, flash drives, peripherals, etc.).

The USB Audio Power design powers each port individually, instead of splitting energy between all of them, hence the clearer sound and less noise. A third asset is the onboard software: OC Genie 4 (for overclocking of the CPU, memory and video), Click BIOS 4 and the Command Center (combines monitoring, tuning and hardware control in a single interface). Finally, the MSI B85 microATX and Mini-ITX Gaming motherboards both benefit from Killer LAN, special networking tech that prioritizes games over torrent programs and everything else web-connected when you're playing something online. Especially when said title comes with in-game chat of some sort (for MMOs or co-op play).

MSI B85I Gaming
Image credits to MSI

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ASUS ROG G56JR with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M Sells for €999 / $1,373

The Republic of Gamers line of notebook has a new member addition. ASUS quietly introduced the ASUS G56JR, an elegant new laptop with a more classic look than what we're used to seeing with this line.

The notebook boasts a 15.6-inch screen and comes with a brushed metal surface, but compared to other ROG models looks like it’s targeted at the average consumer. However, the red trim around the notebook’s edges and the red ASUS logo plus the blacklit keyboard help maintain the overall ROG feel. In the specifications department, we have a decent configuration, although ASUS doesn't go as far as it did with the brand new ASUS G750. The idea is that the laptop has been designed in such a way as to attract a larger number of customers, gamers or not. ASUS still offers the option of choosing the specific configuration, so users can go for either an Intel Core i5-4200H or the more powerful i7-4700HQ processors under the hood. In both cases, the lappy can be fitted with up to 16GB of RAM. Unlike the G750, the G56JR will not come with the latest NVIDIA GPU, but will take advantage of the previous generation, in the form of GeForce GTX 760M. Like those familiar with the ROG line-up might know, ASUS offers a wide range of storage solutions, starting from the traditional hard drives of 500, 750GB or 1TB 5400 RPM (or 500, 700 GB 7200 RPM) and as far as hybrid model with 750GB and 5400 RPM with 8GB cache.

As previously mentioned, the G56JR has a 15.6-inch HD display and users can add even an optical DVD, Blu-ray combo drive. Furthermore, ASUS has added four USB 3.0 ports, VGA, HDMI video outputs, audio jacks for headphones and microphone, memory card 3-in-1 (SD/MS/MS Pro/MMC), Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HD webcam and sound system SonicMaster with Digital Amplifier Bang & Olufsen ICEpower. The G56JR is currently available for purchase in select markets across Europe (including Poland, France, Spain) and Singapore, South Africa. The laptop sells in Europe for €999 / $1,373 a pop. In other news, we should probably remind you that the ASUS ROG GT70JZ line-up is available for pre-orders. For those craving to have a notebook bundled with the latest NVIDIA GPU, these laptops come equipped with either the high-end GTX 880M with 4GB of video memory or the GTX 870M / 860M. Pricing for the base model with the 860M graphics card starts at $1,399 / €1,007.

ASUS quietly introduces ROG G56JR
Image credits to ASUS

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HTC One M8 with 2.5GHz CPU (Asian Version) Tops Benchmark Scores

Only two days have passed since Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC Corporation took the wraps off of its latest flagship Android-based device, the HTC One M8, and people have already found out that it can perform much better than other high-end devices.

According to a recent article on ePrice, the Asian version of HTC One M8, which was unveiled with a 2.5GHz processor inside, is capable of delivering higher benchmark scores than Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2. The LG G Pro 2 was also compared to the new device. The phone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974-AC CPU, which is faster than the 2.3GHz MSM8974-AB processor inside the US version of the handset, thus offering better performance capabilities, it seems. Screenshots that emerged at ePrice show the phone’s performance in benchmarking tests such as AnTuTu, Quadrant, Vellamo, Basemark, and 3D Mark, and unveil that it is indeed capable of leaving its rivals behind. Based on these results, the HTC One M8 can be considered the most powerful Android-based smartphone to date. However, it appears that only people in Asia will actually enjoy such performance levels when purchasing it.

The 2.3GHz version of the mobile phone will still have a lot to offer to its customers, that’s for sure, even if it is a bit behind the Asian model in terms of performance, as similar test results have unveiled not long ago. Apparently, while the 2.5GHz model managed to top 35,000 points in AnTuTu, the 2.3GHz variant of the device did not go beyond the 30,000 mark. All in all, it is clear that HTC managed to bring to the market a great, powerful Android smartphone, one that will certainly prove a worthy rival to other flagship smartphones out there, especially since it has already been put up for sale in some markets. For those out of the loop, we should note that HTC One M8 was launched with a 5-inch full HD touchscreen display, the aforementioned quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor inside, and 2GB of RAM.

Moreover, it features 32GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes, dual-cameras on the back, and a 5-megapixel camera on the front, for making video calls and shooting great selfies. The smartphone runs under the Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system but features HTC’s own user interface loaded on top of it, none other than Sense 6.0, with exclusive features such as BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe, and others.

HTC One M8 tops benchmark tests
Images credits to ePrice

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