Hasta La Gadget!

Did you think Huawei’s Ascend P6 was a slim smartphone? It has nothing on BBK’s just-unveiled Vivo X3. Despite a 5-inch (if 720p) screen, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a front 5-megapixel shooter and a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, the X3 measures a wafer-like 5.75mm thick in its blue variant. There’s plenty of party tricks under the hood, too — the Android 4.2 device has both an infrared sensor for touch-free gestures and a dedicated audio chip from ESS. It also preserves much of the better hardware from its slower and thicker X1S cousin, including the 16GB of non-expandable storage and the 2,000mAh battery. The Vivo X3 ships to China on September 1st for the same ¥2,498 ($408) as the X1S. If the device proves tempting, you can check out the Engadget Chinese hands-on; their English-language video is available after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: Vivo

As Apple continues their front against the mapping apps of the mobile industry, they make pushes like the acquisition of mapping startup Embark Inc – as they’ve been revealed to have done today. It’s through Jessica Lessin that this business deal appears, with people knowledgeable about the deal suggesting that Apple will directly integrate what […]

We knew DirecTV had a few things in mind for its various mobile apps, with the focus being on discovery features and an overall better experience. Now, following a refresh to the iPad app earlier this month, the iPhone version is getting updated to version 3.0. The highlights of today’s release are the completely overhauled look and user interface, which allow users to browse content in an easier way and have more customization options within the guide — things like setting your favorite channels. DirecTV also added a redesigned Info Page that displays more details about the content you’re interested in, while a new Watch Button will let you seamlessly choose whether you want to view something on your iPhone or TV. Oh, and just in case you’re still stuck in the old days, we should tell you that the company says this is the last update to support iOS 5, so any future versions are to only be friendly with iOS 6 or later.

[Thanks, Stuart]

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Mobile, Apple

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Source: App Store

Well, Apple has a bit of egg on its face right now. Seems as if an update to the Find My iPhone app has been pushed out to some devices before it was ready for consumers. The update brings that pretty new matte icon that is part of the iOS 7 make over, but it also brings with it the inability to log in to the service without a developer account. That’s right, this update was meant only for devs, but it’s being pushed out to at least some members of the public. When users go to try and log in an error message pops up informing them that “you must be a registered iOS developer and have iCloud configured on iOS 7.0 Beta to use this version of Find My iPhone.” We’ve reached out to Apple from comment, we’re expecting something along the lines of “oops…

Update: Apple hasn’t issued a formal statement, but we’ve been told the issue has been fixed. Best of all, there’s no update required — users who have updated should just be able to log in now.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Apple

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Source: 9to5Mac

Microsoft announced new data from IDC indicating that Windows Phone is the second-most-used mobile platform in Latin America. It would be simple to dismiss it as a minor victory in a secondary market, but the news is in fact a validation of Windows Phone’s strategy to grow its install base and accelerate its unit shipment growth.

Microsoft, obviously proud of the silver medal, reported the data, saying that “in one year, the operating system went from fourth to second place,” and that “there was 12 percent growth compared to the previous quarter.”

The context for this is twofold: Microsoft is gunning for volume while its low-cost handsets resonate in emerging markets, and while Windows Phone’s global aggregate market share is low, the platform is able to find traction in at least one hemisphere.

The news that Windows Phone is second place in Latin America is not a surprise, given the recent and steep sales volume of the Nokia Lumia 520 handset. The cheap device has quickly become the most popular Windows Phone handset, spanking earlier title holders, and not slowing down in its ascent.

The quick shift in Windows Phone market share in Latin America mirrors closely the rise of the Lumia 520 in the past few months, during which time — according to data from AdDuplex – its sales accelerated. Without too much mental stress, it isn’t hard to lash the trends together and deduce that Lumia 520 sales are helping to drive Latin American market share.

Microsoft implies as much: “In Latin America, there are more than 20 countries where the Windows Phone range of devices is available, from low-end smartphones, such as the Nokia Lumia 520 […].” Does this matter? Yes, and more than merely implying that Microsoft’s long, expensive, and somewhat lumpen mobile efforts are finally paying off, but also that the strategy behind its bets is sound.

Nokia, as chief OEM partner, gave Microsoft avenues to secondary markets that it could not have hoped to build or foster itself. And those secondary markets appear to be driving unit volume for Windows Phone.

So Microsoft wants to reach all markets, with devices from the Lumia 520 to the almost comically ostentatious Lumia 1020, but it appears that its cheaper phones in developing economies are for now providing it with the sort of growth it has long sought.

Top Image Credit: Vernon Chan