Hasta La Gadget!

HTC has confirmed that the Android 4.3 update for EVO 4G LTE will be launched in the U.S. by the end of this year. The confirmation comes from HTC America’s president Jason Mackenzie, who tweeted that the device will receive the Android 4.3 and HTC Sense 5.0 update by the end of this year. However, Mackenzie has not provided a concrete release date, he has only provided a timeframe for us to work with. There’s the possibility that the update might take longer to release, given that the carrier would first want to run its own tests before rolling it out to its customers.

The company is already under the process of rolling out Android 4.3 update for HTC One in the U.S. Sprint is one of the first carriers to roll out the update to its subscribers. Mackenzie has already said that other carriers will be launching the update soon too, though it might take slightly longer than originally anticipated. It can be speculated that the reason behind the delay could be carriers running various tests. Mackenzie has used Twitter frequently to keep HTC customers up to date with the company’s firmware update release schedules, its a good practice, certainly eliminates having to wonder if a particular update is going to be rolled out for a device at all.

EVO 4G LTE Android 4.3 Update Launches Before Year’s End original content from Ubergizmo.

Out of the blue and without any fanfare, Google rolled out Android 4.3.1 for LTE Nexus 7 2013. It is an incremental update, but Google hasn’t described at length exactly what changes this update, Android 4.3.1, (JLS36I) brings. As of now, the update has only been rolled out for the LTE Nexus 7 2013, and not for any other Nexus device. Since no new major features have been added, the update weighs in at just 9.42MB and is available for download right now on the compatible tablet, over the air.

The changelog of Android 4.3.1 indicates that the update brings performance and stability improvements for the Nexus 7 tablet. Moreover, it also mentions the inclusion of “restricted profiles,” while will allow users to limit the access their family members have to apps and content on their tablet. The restricted profiles mode can also be used to secure a tablet in a kiosk setting. Google Keep comes bundled with the update. It is essentially a note taking app which is already available for download through the Google Play Store. Notes can be color coded to make them easier to spot, the home screen widget ensures that taking a quick note is never more than a tap away. There haven’t been reports of any other Nexus 7 users receiving the update apart from LTE Nexus 7 2013, lets see if the update is rolled out for other Nexus tablets.

Android 4.3.1 For LTE Nexus 7 2013 Released original content from Ubergizmo.

It has been rumored a few times that an offline mode for SimCity might be introduced, but nothing has materialized so far. Since its launch, SimCity has received seven major updates and yet no offline mode has been added to the game. Maxis Emeryville studio’s General Manager, Patrick Buechner, has breathed life into the possibility. In a blog post, Buechner wrote that “exploration for Offline Mode is happening,” confirming that Maxis really is looking into making SimCity playable without an always-on internet connection.

Buechner acknowledges that this is something that players have anxiously been waiting for a long time, but says that he can’t make any promises on when there will be more information about this. Maxis has a “team specifically focused on exploring the possibility of an offline mode.” Buechner writes that Maxis would like to give players the ability to play SimCity even if they do not choose to connect, and that an offline mode would allow the modding community to tinker without breaking the multiplayer experience. So at this point in time, it can not be said for sure exactly when a SimCity offline mode will be introduced. Maxis is looking into it, but doesn’t provide a timeframe for us to work with. The best SimCity players can do is wait patiently.

SimCity Offline Mode Is Under ‘Exploration’ original content from Ubergizmo.

Lately there has been all sorts of speculation about upcoming Apple products. The next products expected to come out of Cupertino include new iPads, a smartwatch and a full fledged television set. Previous rumors suggest that the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 with Retina Display might be unveiled on October 15th, though recent reports claim that Retina iPad mini might not be announced until 2014. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White, who met with various suppliers in China and Taiwan, seems to have heard the same from a number of sources.

Poor yield rates of Retina Display panels for iPad mini is said to be the reason why iPad mini might not be unveiled alongside the iPad 5 on October 15th, which remains an unconfirmed date as of now. White says that the people he met with said nothing about the iPad mini, while they talked at length about the iPad 5 and the “big changes” that it is expected to come with. Based on this, White believes that the Retina iPad mini might not be coming out this year. Sources reiterated most of what we already know about the iPad 5, that it will be thinner, lighter and its design will be similar to the existing iPad mini. A source White spoke to claims that Apple’s HDTV isn’t “ready for primetime” yet, the person believes that Apple will unveil it sometime next year. Apple has long been rumored to be working on a television set of its own, so far the company hasn’t said if such a product is in the pipeline.

Retina iPad Mini And Apple iTV Might Come Next Year [Analyst] original content from Ubergizmo.

The Nexus 5 rumor mill has just received a 16-wheeler’s worth of fresh-cut lumber. According to Android Police, a service manual for the LG-D821 (quite possibly one of the makes and models for the next Google Nexus smartphone) today was leaked and posted to Scribd, spilling a substantial amount of insider information about the upcoming […]