Goophone i5S KIRFs the iPhone 5S early, gives the iPhone 4S a run for its money (video)

Goophone i5S KIRFs the iPhone 5S early, gives the iPhone 4S a run for its money video

Ah, Goophone. The company that made its name keepin’ it real fake with eerily similar clones of other companies’ devices, sometimes before the originals have even launched. It’s clearly not dropping that tradition anytime soon, as it just previewed the i5S, an attempt to preempt the supposed iPhone 5S before even the rumor mill has produced anything tangible. As you’d almost expect, it’s really a not-very-subtle imitation of the current iPhone 5 body and software that does its best to mask the use of Android (this time Jelly Bean) rather than iOS. Don’t think that Goophone has learned any more about shadowing Apple on the technology front, however. The i5S is running hardware that would sometimes be trounced by a 2011-era iPhone 4S, including a dual-core 1GHz MediaTek processor, 512MB of RAM, an 854 x 480 screen and a 5-megapixel rear camera. The firm is mostly banking on absurdly low pricing to make up for the sleight-of-hand — at its $150 launch price, the i5S costs a fraction of the real iPhone 5’s price while undercutting the older yet somehow more sophisticated Goophone i5. Catch a video demo of the uncanny facsimile after the break.

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Via: Phandroid, GizmoChina

Source: Android-Sale.com

Must See HDTV (March 11th – 17th)

Must See HDTV March 11th  17th

This week is surprisingly 3D heavy, with basketball tournament action on ESPN and a pair of movies (Life of Pi and Rise of the Guardians) on Blu-ray, but a blast from the past has caught our eye. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Australian Grand Prix
Formula 1 is finally back, and for the first time in the US, on NBC Sports. We’ll have to wait and see if their presentation can match or surpass what we’ve been used to from Fox / Speed, but a just-released broadcast schedule that shows every race airing live is a great start.
(March 17th, NBC Sports Network, 1:30AM)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit
For its 25th anniversary this pioneering live action / animated combo is coming to Blu-ray. Besides the movie starring Bob Hoskins as toon-hating detective Eddie Valiant, it also packs three restored Roger Rabbit shorts — our nostalgia will not allow us to pass on this one.
($16.99 on Amazon)

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BlackBerry Q10 prototype caught in the wild with a rubberized back

BlackBerry Q10 prototype caught in the wild, shows a rubber back that might have been

When we put our mitts on the official BlackBerry Q10 design in January, it carried a “glass weave” back that was meant to convey a premium feel, not to mention give Bold 9900 series owners a sense of continuity. The crew at Genk have snagged a pre-production example that teases what could have been. Their black device has the same grippy, rubberized back as the Z10, suggesting that BlackBerry was at least experimenting with using the same extra-practical (if less refined) material up until the unveiling. What else do we learn? While we wouldn’t want to judge the user experience from a prototype, the look reminds us that there should be a 2,100mAh battery inside — a big boost over the Z10’s 1,800mAh pack, especially when there’s a smaller screen involved. If only we didn’t have to wait until later in spring to try the finished product.

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Via: CrackBerry

Source: Genk (translated)

Neo N003 may deliver a 1080p smartphone for $145, but don’t expect miracles

Neo N003 may deliver a 1080p smartphone for $145, we wouldn't expect miracles

Neo is known for building smartphones with price tags so low that a Nexus 4 would seem like a luxury. If GizChina‘s contact (and convenient product render) is accurate, that bang-for-the-buck ratio may grow especially wide in the near future. The N003 will supposedly include a 5-inch, 1080p display and a quad-core processor for a target price of ¥899 ($145) in China for a basic Youth version, and ¥1,499 ($241) for a Premium model — both big deals for the size, we’d reckon. However, there’s little doubt that the N003 at those prices would be slower than a truly high-end phone like the HTC Butterfly, especially considering its pedigree. The N002 uses a MediaTek chip and just 4GB of storage, and earlier rumors have the N003 using MediaTek’s frugal MT6589 alongside either 8GB or 32GB of space for its respective trim levels. Neo hasn’t confirmed the details as of yet, let alone set expectations. Any alignment between the claims and reality could nonetheless see the N003 punching well above its weight, even if most Americans would never feel the impact.

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Via: Unwired View

Source: GizChina

Google Fiber TV channel lineup sees its first 3D additions with 3net and ESPN3D

Google Fiber TV channel lineup sees its first 3D additions with 3net and ESPN3D

Google’s Fiber efforts may not be that widespread yet, but it’s obvious the search giant is doing all it can to improve the service for those who are lucky enough to have it. With that in mind, Google announced it’s now brought an initial batch — albeit a minor one — of 3D channels to its growing Fiber TV lineup, giving “Gigabit + TV” subscribers (who own a three-dee-ready TV, of course) access to 3net at no extra cost and to ESPN3D for an additional $5 per month. While the inclusion of 3net and ESPN3D might seem like a pretty minor one on paper, it’s without a doubt a step in the right direction for Fiber TV — and, as the company puts it, this shows how the company is “committed to making these qualities that you’ve come to expect from Google Fiber TV better and better.”

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Via: CNET

Source: Google

Lenovo S920 and S820 leak, could pack Android 4.2.1, quad-core CPUs and dual-SIM slots

Lenovo's S920 and S820 leak out in blurrycam shots, could pack Android Jelly Bean, quadcore CPUs and dualSIM slots

Lenovo’s still far from a boldfaced name when it comes to Android smartphones. Its Clover Trail+-packing K900 aside, the company’s mobile focus tends to skew towards the lower-end. And so it seems the company’s prepping two new Jelly Bean handsets for the Asian market, the purported S920 and S820, judging by a few leaked blurrycam shots over on MyDrivers.com. From what we can see, the devices appear to share a similar slim, rounded edge design language with a rear-facing camera protruding prominently on back. According to the rumored specs, both are tipped to rely on MediaTek’s quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC, include dual-SIM support and run Android 4.2.1 (skinned, of course). It’s not clear what resolution Lenovo has in store for the phones, but if the S920’s 5.3-inch screen size proves true, it’s likely to be of the 720p variety. The S820 is more of an unknown, but the Chinese site maintains it’s meant for a more fashionable, female demo. Here’s to hoping it launches with a charm dongle. Remember that?

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Via: Android4fans

Source: MyDrivers.com (Translated)

AT&T Plus trial winding down on March 31st

AT&T Plus trial winding down on March 31st

AT&T has been testing the viability of loyalty rewards through a limited AT&T Plus trial over the past year. Unfortunately, time’s up: as you can see in the letter above, the carrier is shutting down the Plus experiment on March 31st, with discounts and fee waivers ending for existing members on May 31st. We wouldn’t expect a follow-up in the near future when AT&T isn’t moving past the trial level “at this time,” according to a spokesperson we reached. Most of us won’t be affected when the Plus test has been limited to a handful of areas, but perks are perks — it’s sad to see them go away.

[Thanks, Drew]

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Canadian government sets November 19th as date for 700MHz auction

Well, it’s not the first half of 2013 as originally promised, but the Canadian government has now set a specific date for the country’s first 700MHz spectrum auction: November 19th of this year. Alongside that bit of news, Industry Minister Christian Paradis also detailed a set of rules that he says will help provide consumers with “more choices and more access at better prices.” That includes what the government describes as extended and expanded requirements for carriers to allow roaming on their networks, as well as a more general goal to have at least four competitors in each region of the country. Paradis also says the government is tightening its rules to increase cellphone tower sharing, a move aimed to both increase wireless coverage and “reduce cell tower proliferation.” You can find his full statement after the break.

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Via: MobileSyrup

Source: Government of Canada

Engadget Mobile Podcast 172 – 03.07.13

Engadget Mobile Podcast 172 - 03.07.13

You might think that after last week’s major event, that there’s be little to talk about this week. Seriously? If you were actually thinking that, then we’re guessing you’re new around these parts! Get your weekly mobile-news hug right below.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen

Producer: James Trew

Music: TychoCoastal Brake (Ghostly International)

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Engadget HD Podcast 339 – 03.07.2013

Engadget HD Podcast 339 - 03.05.2013

Now that Cablevision is actually suing Viacom over channel bundling, is there a chance that major changes are coming to the pay-TV landscape? We’re not entirely optimistic, and most regular listeners may already understand why but we’ll lay out the obstacles as they stand (spoiler: money). Still, progress marches on with new developments from YouTube and DirecTV apparently getting ready for its inevitable 4K channels. We also take a look at F1’s first 3D broadcast just as LG starts shipping its… unique new laser projector.

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)

Producer: James Trew (@itstrew)

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