Exclusive: the LG G3 will feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD display and advanced personalization

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New Samsung SM-G3858 seems to feature a built-in projector and metal back

We just came across an unannounced Samsung Android smartphone called SM-G3858. This was approved by China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center recently, and it’s not particularly interesting when it comes to specs. 
However, what caught our attention is that the handset appears to have a metal back - and we all know that Samsung smartphones with cases made out of metal are a rare sight.

What’s more, the SM-G3858 has an unusual bump on the upper side of its rear case. This resembles the bump that the Samsung Galaxy Beam has in order to house a built-in projector. So we can only assume that the SM-G3858 also comes with a built-in projector. Of course, we may be wrong.

In any case, what we know for sure is that the Samsung SM-G3858 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and is made for China Mobile (it could also have versions for carriers outside of China). We mentioned that the handset’s specs aren’t that exciting, but that doesn’t mean we have to omit presenting them. So here they are: 4.66-inch display with 480 x 800 pixels, quad-core 1.2GHz processor (possibly a Snapdragon 200), 1GB of RAM, VGA front-facing camera, and a 5MP rear camera with LED flash.

For now, there is no word on when the Samsung SM-G3858 will be announced. We’ll keep an eye on this and provide more details when we get them.
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WhatsApp's VoIP feature for iOS revealed in leaked screenshots

Just a few weeks after WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum hinted that his Facebook-owned service will integrate voice communication features (VoIP, specifically) into its apps by this summer, we're finally seeing alleged screenshots that show off what it'll look like on iOS. The shots, which were leaked by iPhoneItalia, show an interface that looks awfully similar to the iOS 7.1 phone UI -- complete with circular buttons, blurred background and even a similar keyboard (is the shift key on or off?), albeit with a camera button on top. We're hearing that you'll be able to make calls for free over WiFi or cellular, which will help WhatsApp compete against the litany of other VoIP apps and services available on the market.

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Via: 9to5Mac

Source: iPhoneItalia

Tags: apple, facebook, ios7.1, ismyshiftkeyonornot, leaks, mobilepostcross, voip, whatsapp Next: The Engadget Podcast is live at 12PM ET!
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Google Wallet's tap-to-pay feature will require Android 4.4 KitKat starting April 14th

It's time to upgrade that old phone you've been using for Google Wallet payments at the local store. Google is now telling Android users that they'll have to run KitKat to use Wallet's tap-to-pay feature from April 14th onward. The company prefers the newer OS' "improved experience" for NFC-based payments; in other words, it would rather use a more universal, cloud-based approach to processing your banking info. You may be out of luck even if you are using KitKat, though, since the new requirements rule out support for the EVO 4G LTE, Galaxy Note 3 and 2012-era Nexus 7. We suspect that many Wallet fans are early adopters that already carry qualifying devices, but Google's move could have many shoppers looking for alternatives.

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Via: Droid-Life

Source: Google

Tags: android, e-commerce, google, googlewallet, kitkat, minipost, mobilepostcross, mobilepostmini, nfc, payment, retail, shopping, smartphone Next: Uber now insures drivers (and passengers) whenever its ridesharing app is turned on (update)
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How to port the Xperia Z2 Smart call handling feature to the Z1 and Z1 Compact

Sony took its sweet time, but with the Xperia Z2 you are finally able to answer a call by just bringing the phone to your ear. The feature is enabled from the Smart call handling set on the Z2, and has been present on phones from other manufacturers for a while now...
Even though it's on the Z2, enterprising contributors over at XDA-Devs, have managed to port Smart call handling to the Xperia Z1, and Z1 Compact. Needless to say, your device needs to be rooted first, and recovery installed, which is pretty straightforward. Still, if you don't know what these actions are, better lay off the porting for now. Here's what you need to do: 
1. Download the Intelli_sign zip file, and flash it to your device in recovery mode2. Download the Gesture.2.apk file, sideload it, and install3. Start the Gesture app, enable the Smart call handling feature, and start answering calls by just raising the phone to your ear
source: RyokoN (XDA-Devs) Share: Discuss13 Tweet

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Google Wallet's new 'Orders' feature lets you track online shipments

Nice to see Google is keeping the regular Google Wallet updates coming. A few weeks after introducing loyalty card scans, the company is adding a feature called "Orders," which lets you track your online shipments using Google Wallet's iOS or Android app. In particular, you can view receipts for purchases you made online, as well as check the shipping status (Google says it's made arrangements with "primary package carriers in the US"). The roll-out appears to have already begun, though it could take a while for the update to reach some devices -- yours truly, for instance, is still waiting.

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Source: Google (Twitter), (Blogspot)

Tags: google, googleorders, googlewallet, orders Next: Microsoft's OneNote may come to the Mac this month .fyre .fyre-comment-divider

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CrunchWeek: Mt.Gox Implodes, GrubHub Seamless $100M IPO, Facebook Kills Email Feature

Next StoryAs India User Base Nears 100M, Facebook Hopes To Earn Big Revenue From SMBs

FacebookTwitterLinkedInImplosion of Mt.Gox, Seamless IPO, and Facebook Kills Facebook Email
There’s a lot to be excited about today: March is coming in like a lion, Mercury is finally out of retrograde, and it’s time for a brand new episode of CrunchWeek, the show that brings three writers together at the TechCrunch roundtable to talk about the most exciting tech news stories from the past week.

In this episode, Ryan Lawler, Alex Wilhelm and I discuss the implosion and bankruptcy of the Mt.Gox Bitcoin exchange, GrubHub Seamless filing to raise $100 million in an initial public offering, and Facebook killing its Facebook.com email feature.

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Netflix 'post-play' feature that automatically jumps to the next episode is now optional

Netflix has been rolling out a 'post-play' experience (shown above) on various platforms since late 2012, but not everyone is a fan of how it jumps to a new episode automatically. That's not a problem anymore, since TechHive points out that now there's a toggle in your Netflix account settings (under playback settings) that keeps it from playing the next episode automatically. By default the feature is on, although as Netflix explains, it still requires a prompt of some kind to keep going after a couple of episodes have played. The post-play UI remains intact no matter what you choose, so watching the credits for every last best boy, grip and "no animals were harmed in the making of" will still require jumping on the remote to zoom back in. Of course, if your main concern is of House of Cards moving on an episode or two after you've dozed off, then this will fix it. Like other settings it's locked to individual profiles, so turning it off for the kids can keep them from turning out like the rest of us -- far too lazy to bother clicking a button to advance.

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Spotify Adds Commission-Free Merchandise Feature As Artist Sweetener

Spotify has added the ability for artists distributing music via its platform to offer merchandise to fans without taking any commission on sales of t-shirts et al. It was previously running a pilot of the feature with 200

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Baidu Translate App Features A Cool Image Recognition Feature

Baidu, the company best known for making China’s top Internet search engine, just made its translation app available for iOS. The descriptions for the iPhone and Android versions are in Chinese (search for “Baidu Translate” in the stores), as are its intro/instruction screens, but don’t worry–the app’s user interface is mostly in English.

One of Baidu Translate’s key features is voice translation for English, Mandarin and Cantonese, which I found to be very accurate. But that’s not the cool part. I am having the most fun with Baidu Translate’s image recognition feature, which lets you take a picture of something and circle it. The app then attempts to identify the object and tell you what it is in Chinese and English.

The image translator’s accuracy is currently hit-and-miss, with often hilarious mistakes. It correctly identified a picture of my kitten (though it called her a Norwegian Forest Cat, when she is actually a Taiwanese Alley Cat), an Xbox 360 controller (but not by brand–Baidu Translate just described it in English as a “wireless handle”), a tin wind-up toy, a mug, a pen, and a chair. But the app thought my Homer Simpson Pez dispenser was a “cartoon duck” (to be fair, he does look like a yellow rubber ducky) and it described an image of Harry Potter as a “braised carp head.”


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LG makes Knock a standard feature, update coming for L Series II models

LG first rolled out its Knock feature on the G2 earlier this year, but now that item will become a standard feature on future handsets. If you'll recall, the power button on that smartphone is situated around back, so Knock allows users to turn the unit on by double tapping on the screen. In addition to those upcoming devices, the outfit will add Knock to existing L Series II gadgets via a maintenance release update starting next month. Of course, specific availability will depend on region and carrier, so you might have to wait a bit longer for the add-on.

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Source: LG

Tags: feature, knock, lg, mobilepostcross, software, update Next: Google, Audi to announce in-car Android plans next week, says WSJ .fyre .fyre-comment-divider

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Snapchat Sacrifices Ephemerality With New Replay Feature

My least favorite part of Snapchat is mistakenly opening a video Snap when I can’t hear it, like in a noisy public place or when my sound is off. Snapchat tried to address that today with an experimental new Replay feature that lets you rewatch one old Snap per day. But by fixing that problem it created a much bigger one. It killed off some of its ephemerality.

A lot of the excitement and urgency of Snapchat stems from the fact that you only get one shot to look at a Snap. That means you have to pay close attention and be fully engaged.

But with Replay, you can be lazy. Once a day you can re-view a Snap a second time if you don’t close the app or get another Snap first. “Oh, that looked funny. Wow, they looked sexy. I’ll watch it again.”

It’s not quite the “forever” of Facebook’s Timeline, but suddenly I’m a bit more self-conscious of what I send. Did I line up the shot right? Does my stupid hair look ok?

A big draw of Snapchat was that once someone had viewed your Snap, it only lived on in their imperfect memory. That made sending them carefree and lightweight — something I’d do without second guessing what could happen. That encouraged the silly and racy behavior Snapchat thrives on, and set it apart from other photo sharing services that create a permanent record you have to worry about.

Now whoever I send a Snap to can verify their first impression, show it to someone else, or get a second camera or phone out and secretly screenshot it. This makes sexting with Snapchat a lot more risky. Who wants to flash their jubblies if they have to worry they’ll get replayed in front of a crowd or a camera?

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Apple iOS 7 beta update hints at upcoming 'car display' feature

(Credit:Apple)

Apple on Friday released a second version of its iOS 7.1 beta to registered developers. It's an incremental update that fixes some bugs and moves some things around. For example, TouchID and passcode settings are displayed more prominently.

Related postsPinterest updates iPad app for iOS 7Apple shows 74 percent of devices now run iOS 7 Heads up Apple, Android to make big gains in 2014, IDC predicts

But one nugget worth noting is a setting in the "restrictions" menu that lets a user turn the "Car Display" on and off. The addition of the toggle setting suggests that Apple may release its "iOS in the Car" feature sooner rather than later. The car integration feature, according to 9to5Mac, will let users attach an iOS device to a car's console and provide an interface that lets them control things like music, messages, and maps right through the vehicle.

Sources also told 9to5Mac that there were other references to "iOS in the Car" elsewhere in the new beta update, and in the first iOS 7.1 beta update, released to developers last month. Apple's car integration launch could of course be pushed back, but it looks like the goal is to take the wraps off alongside the wide rollout of iOS 7.1.

(Via 9to5Mac)

Topics: iOS Tags: iOS 7 in the Car, Apple, iOS 7

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