Hasta La Gadget!

While the HTC One appears as a Google Edition and rumors persist of a Verizon model popping up soon, an image has appeared today that suggests an “M4″ model might not be far behind. While the HTC One is part of a hero smartphone strategy that has HTC fulfilling their aim to centralize their aim in one ideal design, the M4 has appeared in system code and here, today, as a fully realized model – albeit in a blurry photo, too.

The similarities between this smaller machine and the original HTC One – if this photo ends up being legitimate – begin with the units basic look. You’ve still got one large glass pane up front, silver speaker grilles above and below, and the back, HTC, home button arrangement. The display has been suggested to be coming in at a slightly more conservative size than the HTC One’s, here at 4.3-inches with 720p resolution.

This machine has been tipped to be coming with a plastic rim, speaker grilles that are a bit less wide than the original, and another “UltraPixel” camera on the back. This release would continue to work with the newest version of HTC’s Sense user interface and would have a processor of unknown made and power under the hood.

And the image certainly does seem to be too good to be true, doesn’t it? It’s quite possible that we’re looking at a collection of hand-crafted forgeries here, just as possible as it is that the entire image has been photoshopped and amped-up from previous releases.

Also appearing in this photo is a massive Sony device rumored earlier this year as an oversized “Togari” model, complete with 1080p display at 6.44-inches. This machine has an aesthetic not unlike that of the Sony XPERIA Z, mind you, but its ultra-thinness does seem a bit suspect.

Then there’s that massive Nokia device in the background. While it could just as easily be a sort of flattened-out HTC Windows Phone 8X, it’s suggested by the leakster himself that it’s a 1080p Lumia from Nokia. This image also suggests that Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 will be allowing a third column of live tiles in the near future – getting closer, and closer, and closer to icons the size of those on other operating systems.

VIA: Engadget
SOURCE: Dahny El Perro

HTC M4 “HTC One mini” leaked aside 1080p Nokia Lumia and oversized Sony is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is a neat device and all, but like a lot of flagship devices, the off-contract price can be a little off-putting to those not willing to shell out the cash for it, which is why subsidized pricing is a lot more attractive to consumers. However, that isn’t stopping Microsoft from taking a whack at the Galaxy S 4, saying that its off-contract price is just way too expensive.

Microsoft pits the Samsung Galaxy S 4 up against the Windows Phone 8-based Nokia Lumia 521. Right off the bat it’s kind of an unfair fight performance- and feature-wise, but the Lumia 521 only costs $150 off-contract, compared to the $750 off-contract price of the Galaxy S 4 at Best Buy (although you can get it for $650 at Verizon and other carrier stores).

Microsoft says that both phones offer “a good camera, a good display, thousands of apps, and the ability to keep you connected to the weather, sports, news, and all of the people you care about,” but they ultimately tout the low $150 price tag of the Lumia 521, and they show us what else customers could buy with the $600 dollars that they’d save if they went with the Lumia 521.

For instance, with the money you save from buying the Lumia 521 instead of the Galaxy S 4, Microsoft says you could buy a 3-month Xbox Music pass for $30, a 16GB microSD card for $20, a pair of Monster Purity earbuds for $100, and to top it all off: an ASUS VivoBook X202E laptop for $450. Seems like a pretty sweet deal.

Obviously, the Lumia 521 isn’t one of Nokia’s flagship devices, nor is it even one of their more decent high-end handsets. We reviewed the Lumia 520, which is just a slightly different variant. It’s merely a budget device from Nokia that really doesn’t stand a chance against the Galaxy S 4. Pitting the Lumia 920 up against the S 4 would be a fairer fight, but we know Microsoft wouldn’t want to do that.

Samsung Galaxy S 4 dissed by Microsoft over high price is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nokia is likely to announce a profit warning to investors within the next few weeks, the Royal Bank of Canada has suggested, after worse than expected sales in Q2 2013. Lumia shipments haven’t met with Nokia’s predictions, the RBC claimed in a note to investors today, Finnish paper Taloussanomat reports, with operating margin for the smart devices division tipped to be around -3%.

Nokia had forecast a strong growth in Windows Phone sales back when it announced its Q1 2013 figures, suggesting that sequential growth in unit volumes would be “higher than the 27% sequential growth in the first quarter.” However, it still expected its Devices & Services operating margin to be around -2% (+/- 4-points).

According to the bank’s numbers, Nokia is estimated to sell 30m smartphones – down 2m from the previous estimates – while regular phone sales will drop from 218m to 193m, it’s suggested. The claimed reason for the shortfall is one we’ve heard many times before: cheap Android phones eating into the entry-level segment.

It’s not been a good few months for Nokia. Earlier this week, it was suggested that even in the company’s own home territory, Finland, Samsung was now outselling Nokia phones.

Meanwhile, the company has continued to flesh out its Lumia range, with the 925 the latest device to break cover. A variant of the Lumia 920 – and one which will stay on sale alongside that and the Verizon exclusive Lumia 928 – the new phone introduces a new camera system among other things.

At the other end of the market, the relaunched Asha Touch range has kicked off with the Asha 501, though that won’t begin shipping until late-June, Nokia has said.

We’re waiting on an official comment from Nokia, and will update when we know more. Update: Nokia tells us it “does not comment on market rumor.”

VIA Stefan Constantine

Nokia Q2 profit warning rumored as Lumia sales reportedly disappoint is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nokia’s Asha devices get Mail for Exchange for added productivity on the go.

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Earlier today, we learned that Samsung had bested Nokia on its home turf by claiming the lion’s share of phone sales in Finland last quarter, but its invasion of Nokia’s territory won’t end there. Samsung will soon unveil a new research hub in Espoo, Finland, and a company rep confirmed that the center will open its doors on June 13th. Though specifics about the nature of research are being kept under wraps, a recent job posting from Oikotie revealed what could be the center’s name: Samsung Electronics Research Institute. SERI could potentially be related to Samsung’s partnership with Finland’s VTT Technical Research Center, announced last month, to explore energy efficient technologies. Beyond that, details are sparse, but we’ll keep you posted as more information on Samsung’s latest R&D endeavor trickles in.

Filed under: Cellphones, Science, Mobile, Samsung

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