BlackBerry 10.3 Spotted Running on BlackBerry Z30

Over the last few days, we have had the chance to learn a nice range of new details on what the upcoming BlackBerry 10.3 operating system version will have to offer when made official later this year, and some more info on the matter is now available.

In fact, BlackBerry enthusiasts can now admire the upcoming platform release of the latest high-end smartphone from the Canadian vendor, thanks to a series of leaked photos that have made it online today. Available courtesy of ZonaBlackBerry.com, these photos show many of the changes that have been recently spotted in the platform, but also unveil some more details on what the operating system will have to offer to its users. According to the news site, the BlackBerry Z30 in said images is running under BlackBerry OS 10.3.0.296, a platform iteration that packs a series of subtle changes when compared to what has been showcased lately. For example, users can see that the interface of the alarm clock app has been modified a bit, and that its design is flatter now, similar to what has been spotted in the recently published screenshots with the BlackBerry 10.3 icons, as N4BB notes.

Said images also offer a glimpse of the calendar app in the upcoming platform iteration, while also providing us with some details regarding several advanced interface capabilities of the OS, which will allow users to save battery and do more. Previously, the operating system was unveiled to sport various improvements to the home screen, including a new icon for getting back to it fast, along with email enhancements, and new features in BlackBerry Hub. Following the upgrade to BlackBerry 10.3, users will also be able to easily download attachments from an email, while enjoying multiple Bluetooth file transfers at once. The Quick Settings drop-down menu will suffer a series of changes as well, allowing users to easily open it through a two-finger swipe from the top, regardless of the application they are in.

Overall, the next major platform release from BlackBerry is expected to be capable of providing users with a nicely improved experience when compared to what is available for them at the moment, that’s for sure. What remains to be seen, however, is whether this will in any way affect the performance of the platform on the market. The OS has seen significant drops in market share and lately, and it might continue to do so moving forth as well, so stay tuned to learn how things might turn out for it in the end. Images gallery below, click for larger image.

BlackBerry 10.3 on BlackBerry Z30
Images credits to ZonaBlackBerry.com

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Moto E Allegedly Emerges in Leaked Photo Ahead of Official Launch

Next week, mobile phone maker Motorola should make official a new cheap handset in the form of Moto E, and a leaked photo that allegedly offers the first look at the device is now available online.

According to the guys over at Android Police, the aforementioned photo with Moto E was posted by a user on Motorola Mexico’s Facebook page, only days before the device should make an official appearance. In the photo, which can be seen embedded above, Moto E is on the right, sitting nicely next to a Moto G handset. The two smartphones resemble a lot, which falls in line with the previous reports on the upcoming device, although no official confirmation on the matter has been provided as of now.

Moto E also appears to be coming to the market with some branding on the front, though it’s yet uncertain whether this will be present only on pre-release testing units, or will also be featured on final iterations of the device. The photo has been already removed, which suggests that the device in it might indeed be the real deal, and that it has been leaked ahead of schedule. All on Moto E should go official on May 13, so stay tuned to learn more on the matter.

Moto E allegedly emerges online next to Moto G
Image credits to Android Police

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Possible Google Device/Nexus Codenamed Molly Emerges Online

One of the rumors that have emerged online over the past several months has been related to the launch of Google’s Nexus 6 smartphone, suggesting that HTC, the vendor that launched the very first Nexus phone out there, might release it.

Three mobile phone makers have brought Nexus phones to shelves until now, including HTC, Samsung, and LG, in this chronological order. With the past two devices coming from LG, it has been somehow expected for the upcoming phone to arrive from a different vendor, though no specific details on which of them might have embarked in this quest have been provided as of now. Some rumors have pointed at LG remaining the manufacturer of choice for the Nexus 6, while others have claimed that HTC could be that company. Considering the fact that the first Nexus came from this vendor, and that Samsung and LG have already launched two such devices each, we could easily accept that HTC would bring the sixth phone in the series to the market.

Alleged confirmation on HTC’s involvement in the upcoming Nexus comes by means of the Android 4.4.3 (KitKat MR2) changelist, which unveils two devices, codenamed Flounder and Molly, as the guys over at XDA-Developers have uncovered. The former is believed to be the HTC Nexus 8 tablet PC that has made it online a few times before, but little is known on what Molly might be all about, and rumor has it that this could actually be the successor of Nexus 5. We’ll take this with a grain of salt for the time being, but, as mentioned above, the new details seem to be falling in line with what has happened in the lineup until now. Only one thing appears to be certain at the moment, namely the fact that Google is getting ready for the release of two new devices, most probably set to be included in the Nexus lineup soon.

Additionally, there’s also the matter of the Nexus series of smartphones being supposedly set to end its journey this year with the launch of Nexus 6, and expected to be replaced with a certain Silver family of devices in 2015. These new phones should offer a similar stock Android experience, as the Nexus and Google Play handsets are doing at the moment, but they will be targeted at the very high-end market, rumor has it. Hopefully, more on the matter will emerge sooner rather than later, so stay tuned to learn the news. According to Android Police, Molly might actually prove to be Android TV, and not a phone or tablet PC.

Android 4.4.3 KitKat changelist
Image credits to android-review.googlesource.com

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Pantech Introduces Vega Iron 2 Flagship Smartphone, It’s a Beast

Pantech’s Vega Iron 2 smartphone is no news. Information about the South Korean company’s flagship handset surfaced many weeks ago, though looking back at the first details on its specs, they don’t seem that accurate.

For example, the initial rumor claimed that Pantech Vega Iron 2 could be equipped with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which is not yet available on the market. Given today’s official unveil of the Vega Iron 2, we can now confirm that the smartphone does not come with a Snapdragon 805 chipset inside. However, as Phonearena points out, the device is equipped with a powerful quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3GHz. This is the same CPU included in the Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One M8, so when it comes to performance, Pantech’s Vega Iron 2 seems to be on par with some of the most powerful smartphones available on the market.

Aside from the powerful processor, Pantech has also confirmed that its flagship smartphone will be packed with no less than 3GB of RAM, which is the same amount as the Xperia Z2, but more than One M8’s 2GB. On the back, the Vega Iron 2 boasts an incredible 13-megapixel photo snapper, which features autofocus, LED flash and something called “Wide Optical Image Stabilization.” There’s also a secondary 2.1-megapixel camera in the front for video calls and selfies. Design-wise, Pantech Vega Iron 2 looks like a candy bar or a very slim brick (in a good way). It measures 144.2 x 73.5 x 7.9mm and weighs only 152 grams (battery included). The smartphone sports a stunning 5.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display that supports full HD (1080p) resolution. Furthermore, the Vega Iron 2 comes with support for LTE Cat.4 connectivity, also known as LTE Advanced, which offers download speeds of up to 150Mbps.

It is also worth mentioning that Pantech Iron Vega 2 has no less than 32GB of internal memory and drains energy from a huge 3220 mAh battery. When it comes to software, Pantech Vega Iron 2 runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system, but also offers some unique customization features for widget, calendar and other apps included in the phone. Check out the video below for more details on how these work. According to Pantech, the Iron Vega 2 will be available for purchase sometime at the end of the month, but no details on the phone’s price tag have been shared. For the time being, it’s unclear whether or not it will go on sale internationally.

Pantech Vega Iron 2
Image credits to itsit.kr

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Motorola Moto X+1 for AT&T, Verizon and Sprint Briefly Appears on Official Site

We’re still in the dark regarding the so-called Motorola Moto X+1. There are many questions concerning this tagline, especially due to the fact that we’re not even sure if it’s a device or a promotional program that Motorola plans to introduce this month.

Either way, it seems that we’re close to an official reveal, as reports of the Moto X+1 sightings on Motorola’s official website have started to emerge recently. The folks over at Droid-Life have been tipped on the brief appearance of the Moto X+1 on Motorola’s official website. Along with the device/promo that’s been listed on the site, there are also mentions to some of the carriers that will have it in their offer. It appears that Moto X+1, whatever it may be, will be available from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. These three major carriers will be selling the Moto X+1 more or less around the same timeframe.

Unfortunately, these are all the details uncovered from the references on Motorola’s official website, but we expect additional information will surface in the coming days. On a side note, Motorola prepares for a May 13 launch event, where the company is expected to introduce another budget-friendly Android smartphone, the Moto E.

Motorola Moto X+1 for AT&T
Image credits to Droid-Life

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The Evad3rs Are Breaking Up, No More Jailbreaks for iOS 7.1/iOS

A sketchy report by the Air Herald states that “Enthusiastic jailbreakers have been suggested by hacking group Evad3rs not to upgrade to the iOS 7.1 and stay away from it.” The reasons are unknown, but it is being suggested that the team is breaking up.

According to the report in question, the team didn’t provide any solid reason as to why jailbreakers should refrain from getting iOS 7.1, but it most likely has to do with the fact that Apple killed off all known jailbreaks in this particular update. Since iOS 7.1.1 supersedes iOS 7.1, the same warning applies for the newer firmware. It’s also common knowledge that iOS 7.1 poses a battery drain risk, so that’s another thing to look after. Nevertheless, most of the iDevice customer base (and by most I mean almost everyone) is already on iOS 7. The report adds, “...one of the members of it said it seems evad3rs won’t be focusing any more on [iOS 7.1] as a team,” suggesting that the crew is breaking up. This wouldn’t be the first time a dev-team fails to get along and its members move on to work on separate projects.

The notorious Dev-Team, of which famous hacker pod2g was a member, broke up and then got reunited (adding a few new members while losing others) to become the evad3rs. It seems this team has also run its course. Evad3rs team member pod2g tells us "there are no plans of breaking up I am aware of."

Evad3rs header
Image credits to Evad3rs

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8 GB Sapphire Radeon R9 290X Vapor-X Shipping for €730 in Europe

The Radeon R9 290X graphics card from Advanced Micro Devices is pretty powerful even in its base form, but Sapphire decided not only to overclock it, but also add a cooler and, to make matters even more serious, double the memory too.

So instead of a 1 GHz Radeon R9 290X with 4 GB GDDR5 VRAM at 5 GHz frequency, we have the Sapphire Radeon R9 290X Vapor-X with 1.060 MHz GPU clock and 8 GB of GDDR5 operating at 5.6 GHz. It's like having a dual-GPU video card, only without the extra GPU and the whole extra power consumption that comes with it. Or the hybrid cooler. Or the reputation. Or the expectations for that matter. No one will expect Sapphire's Radeon R9 29)X Vapor-X to play Lichdom: Battlemage on three 4K UHD displays any time soon.

The price of the board in the UK is of £599.99, while the tag in the EU is €730. That should mean roughly $1,016. Look for the triple-fan cooler with a mixed color theme of dark grey and light blue. You can't miss it, especially given the very distinctive box holding everything. You could just add another 50% to the sum and just buy the dual-GPU Radeon R9 295 X2 though. Just a thought.

Sapphire R9 290X Vapor-X 8GB
Image credits to Overclockers UK

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Intel's Core i7-4770K CPU No Longer the Fastest

Reviews can be really enlightening things, and the one that TweakTown posted not long ago did us the nice favor of showing that the strongest unlocked CPU in Intel's lineup is not the strongest of all CPUs anymore.

You would think that it would take a bit longer for this to happen. After all, Intel hasn't released the fourth generation "refresh" unlocked CPUs. That range, known as Devil's Canyon, will only come out during the summer. That didn't stop the newest Haswell fourth-generation processor from outdoing the Core i7-4770K though. Sure, the Core i7-4770K can be overclocked like nobody's business, but in its base form, it loses to the Core i7-4790. Granted, the name of the latter kind of spoils that, but there was enough room to wonder about the performance difference.

In the end, the review has confirmed that the newcomer is incrementally faster than the Core i7-4770K, as the 100 MHz extra clock speed implied. For those who want a reminder as to what the specs of the chips sound like, here they are: the Core i7-4770K runs at 3.5 GHz most of the time, but can reach 3.9 GHz in a pinch. Meanwhile, the Core i7-4790 has a base clock of 3.6 GHz, but can attain 4 GHz when the Turbo Boost Technology comes into play. It makes it seem odd that there could be any doubt as to whether the 4790 is any faster than the 4770K, but the latter is a top-tier chip, and could have had an advantage over the other in spite of refraining from overclocking. That's not the case, so if you're the sort of person that wants a very strong computer to play games on, but don't plan to tweak the clocks any, you can go ahead and get the Core i7-4790 without any worries.

The K chips often only get bought by people seeking to set new records, or to just go wild with liquid nitrogen cooling and the like. Well, there are also those folks who prefer unlocked multipliers because it ensures that they can steadily push performance higher as years pass, postponing the necessity of purchasing a new CPU for longer than two or three years. Indeed, the Core i7-4770K (and whatever Devil's Canyon equivalent is on the way) should be good for five to ten years. Especially if you eventually invest in a water cooling system, of the all-in-one, closed-loop variety or otherwise.

Intel Core i7 flagship CPU proven second fastest
Image credits to Intel

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BlackBerry OS 10.3 Icons to Sport a Flat Design

BlackBerry OS 10.3, the operating system version that Canadian handset vendor BlackBerry is expected to make official before the end of this year, will bring along a series of UI changes to icons, the company has confirmed once again.

We already knew that the smartphone maker was preparing such changes for the platform, but no specific details on what they might be all about has been provided as of now. However, courtesy of BlackBerry’s Michael Clewley, we can now make a better idea of what to expect in the operating system once it arrives on devices towards the end of 2014. The first thing that you will notice when looking at the screenshot attached to this post is that the dark gradient box behind the icons will no longer be present in the upcoming OS iteration. As N4BB notes, these icons still feature a thin drop-shadow effect in addition to the flatter design, but they do look much better than before overall.

BlackBerry OS 10.3 was also said to come with other UI changes inside, such as primary actions brought to the center, and some red accents. Other enhancements are also expected to arrive along with the new OS iteration, though it seems that we’ll have to wait a bit longer for them to be unveiled.

BlackBerry OS 10.3 icons
Image credits to N4BB

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MSI Radeon 270X GAMING 2G ITX Released, Has 30% Lower Temperature

The Radeon R9 270X graphics card may not be the best of AMD's single-GPU adapters, but it's close enough that it's not too shocking to see it factory-overclocked and custom-cooled beyond recognition.

Well, maybe not beyond recognition because the box still has “R9 27X” proclaimed in large, bold letters. White ones. Although, admittedly, the rest of the name, Mini-ITX Gaming, is written in even bigger and thicker font. It's quite a strange name really. Mini-ITX is a motherboard form factor, not a graphics card one. However, the moniker does perform its job properly: state that the new card can be used with mini-ITX motherboards and, by extension, in mini-PCs. Normally, the PCB (printed circuit board) would not be short enough for this particular video controller. MSI had to jump through a few hoops to get it done. In the end, though, it managed to achieve its goal: create a strong video card that can be installed in a miniature PC that still has gaming-grade capabilities.

In fact, the company has even managed to institute a factory overclock of 30/20 MHz, bringing the GPU clocks to 1030 / 1070 MHz Base/Boost instead of 1000 / 1050 MHz. And all the while, the temperature has been reduced by around 30%, as seems to be customary for MSI Gaming graphics cards. Moving on, Micro-Star International included the XSplit Gamecaster program, which lets you live stream or record your gameplay. All you need to do is hit CTRL + TAB to bring up the in-game overlay. After that, you just need to click start or stop/pause. Furthermore, you can draw in-game annotations, selecting parts of the gameplay. Pretty useful in a replay of the file, or if you're just joining a game as an observer. We imagine that StartCraft players in South Korea will appreciate this feature, especially if they're teaching others how to play.

You can use drawings or highlights to enhance your commentary. Moreover, if you factor XSplit Gamecaster into the mix, you can add your webcam feed to the whole things, even using a green screen transparency effect by hitting the Chroma key. All in all, for a miniature video card, the MSI 270X GAMING 2G ITX is pretty packed with enthusiast gaming assets. Now if only we had a price. It can't be of just $200 / €200.

MSI 270X GAMING 2G ITX
Images credits to MSI

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