Screenshots from eBay-bought Windows Phone hint at notification center, interface tweaks

Alleged screenshots from eBaybought Windows Phone tease notification center, interface tweaks

You know how it goes, you buy a phone on eBay, and it comes with a developer / pre-release version of a major mobile OS. Well, if these images are to be believed, that’s at least what happened to one bargain-hunting Windows Phone fan. The screenshots — said to be taken from a Nokia 920 — show Windows Phone 8, but with a few new tweaks and features. Most notable, will likely be the notifications, but other tidbits include App list ordering based on frequency of use, week view in the calendar and the option to kill apps from the multitask screen. The phone reports a build number of: 12084.WPMAIN(wpbldlab).20130509-1407 leading some to infer that this version could have been compiled sometime in May. A tease of something to come? As always, hard to tell, but expect the price of second-hand 920s to bump up a little, for the next few weeks at least.

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Via: The Verge

Source: Reddit

Nokia Chat 1.1 beta sends contacts to other Lumias through NFC

Nokia Chat 11 beta lets friends send contacts through NFC

While chat apps excel at adding contacts from the online world, they don’t cope so well with real life — reciting and typing screen names isn’t very elegant. Nokia is bringing back some of those social graces with its Nokia Chat 1.1 beta, which revolves around NFC transfers. If both friends own NFC-equipped Lumia phones, they can tap to exchange their own details, other contacts or even the app itself. It’s also easier to share locations: contacts with Lumias will see a Here Maps-based preview of any given place. These additions don’t make as much sense outside of an all-Nokia ecosystem, but there’s certainly enough for existing users to upgrade at the source link.

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Via: Nokia Beta Labs, WMPoweruser

Source: Windows Phone Store

Engadget Mobile Podcast 181 – 06.06.13

Engadget Mobile Podcast 179 - 05.09.13

It’s our second week of being on a regular schedule and we’re so excited we rejoiced with Joseph Volpe as our guest. We’ll talk about the worst phone name we’ve ever heard, WWDC pre-event rumors and some rumblings from Computex. Stream this episode below and download Brad’s “Ahh” ringtone from last week if you haven’t yet.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen

Guest: Joseph Volpe

Producer: Joe Pollicino

Music: TychoCoastal Brake (Ghostly International)

Hear the podcast

Download Brad’s “Ahh” ringtone

LISTEN (M4A)
LISTEN (M4R)

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BLU Amour phone comes with crystal home button, gender stereotypes

BLU Amour phone comes with crystal home button, unfortunate stereotypes

BLU Products: we like your value-packing smartphones, but we have to talk. Your just-shipped Amour is leaning a little too heavily on female stereotypes with its Swarovski zirconia home button, quilted back and luxury-themed take on Android 4.0. We’d rather you focus on the quite respectable budget phone inside. For $159, customers are getting a real bargain: there’s a 4-inch WVGA screen, a dual-core MediaTek chip, dual SIMs with unlocked 3G, a 5MP rear camera and a front VGA shooter. That kind of bang for the buck can appeal to frugal buyers of all kinds, not just those replacing an HTC Rhyme.

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Source: BLU Products

LG Optimus F3 for Sprint shows up in deep purple, predicts mild summer

LG Optimus F3 for Sprint shows up in deep purple, predicts mild summer

We already saw a rendered image of the LG Optimus F3 break cover. Now we can get slightly better look at the entry-level Android offering, in a purple hue that’s reportedly heading to Sprint. There’s nothing to suggest any advance on the reported 4-inch WVGA display, 2,460mAh battery and Jelly Bean (4.1.2) specifications. Pretty much the only other aspect to become clear is the textured rear. We’re not reading too much into the June 24th date on scree, but if it does turn out to be mostly sunny in Chicago that day, we’ll for sure pay more attention next time.

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Source: evleaks (Twitter)

LG Optimus F7 for US Cellular leaks through company documents

LG Optimus F7 for US Cellular leaks out

US Cellular isn’t just looking to spice up its device roster with the ATIV Odyssey. We’ve obtained documents that point to LG’s upper mid-range Android smartphone, the Optimus F7, also reaching the carrier in the near future. Outside of the unintrusive branding on the back, it’s a very straightforward port: the F7 should still carry its 4.7-inch qHD screen, LTE data, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an 8MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front camera. The materials we’ve seen make no mention of launch details, although we’re not expecting either a long wait or a high price.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

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HTC One Android 4.2.2 update adds UI features, sticks with Sense 5.0

HTC One Android 422 update adds UI features, sticks with Sense 50

If you’ve already got an HTC One, news of a Sense-free version will have been interesting for the presence of Android 4.2.2, as much as anything else. While we can’t tell you when your handset will get updated, we can tell you that it’ll bring with it some useful additions. A popular one will be the percentage battery level indicator that you see above. There’s also extended quick settings, a long-press-for-menu on the home button, Android Daydream, and some changes to the app drawer (remove icons from the dock etc.). So that’s the what, we’re just waiting for the when.

[Thanks @androidcreature]

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Source: Android Revolution

Engadget Mobile Podcast 180 – 05.29.13

Engadget Mobile Podcast 179 - 05.09.13

It’s been three long weeks since you last heard us, but the news cycle has been far from quiet — we hope you’ll forgive our absence. In this episode we’ll focus on Google I/O and catch up on the latest in mobile from BBM to HTC. To apologize for being away, we’re also including an awesome downloadable ringtone for the noise of horror Brad makes whenever the word phablet is muttered. Get to streaming below and subscribe after the break.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen

Producer: Joe Pollicino

Music: TychoCoastal Brake (Ghostly International)

Hear the podcast

Download Brad’s “Ahh” ringtone

LISTEN (M4A)
LISTEN (M4R)

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Alcatel’s One Touch Idol now available in the US for $300 unlocked

Alcatel announced today that its One Touch Idol smartphone is now available for the US market, but without a carrier. Weighing in at only 110 grams, the supposed “world’s lightest” handset will be sold unlocked for $300 via the company’s website. Meant as an entry-level device, the specs betray its low-end status: you get a 4.7-inch qHD (960 x 540) IPS display, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage, an 8-megapixel camera and a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with Android 4.1 in tow. Still, its quad-band GSM and 900 / 2100 MHz HSPA bands mean it’ll work with either AT&T or T-Mobile, which should be good news to those who want carrier flexibility. If that sounds like a bargain to you, head on over to the source below to snag one for yourself.

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Source: Alcatel

Verizon Galaxy S 4 to support AWS-based LTE through software update

Samsung Galaxy S 4 on Verizon

While we already knew that Verizon slipped support for AWS-based LTE into its edition of the Galaxy S 4, it didn’t say how those extra frequencies would come alive. The carrier’s Mike Haberman has just cleared the air(waves): he tells Bloomberg that Samsung’s flagship will get a software update to support AWS bands. Haberman hasn’t said when the patch will arrive, although it’s contingent on the higher-capacity 4G network rolling out in the next few months. The GS4 isn’t likely to be alone, whatever the timing. The Nokia Lumia 928 also supports AWS, and we’ve reached out to learn if and when the higher-tiered Windows Phone will get an upgrade to reach its full potential.

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Source: Bloomberg