Samsung is famous for releasing all sorts of hardware configurations to fit the needs of just about anybody out there. To make matters worse for their competitors, the company is said to be planning to release different variants of their latest and greatest smartphone, the Galaxy S4. We have told you about the rugged S4 and about the S4 Zoom, but the most talked about handset is the S4 Mini.

The device that you see above and in the gallery below could be the S4 Mini, and it looks similar to the S4 but with a smaller display. No other details are available, and we can’t really say whether this is the real one.

As for what we know, the S4 Mini should be cheaper and less powerful when compared to the S4. The rumored specs include a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED qHD display, 1GB RAM, a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, a 5MP camera, Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and many of the features coming with the S4.

The device is expected by many to hit the market by the end of this month.

[Source]

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Late last year, Microsoft introduced the Windows RT-based Microsoft Surface tablet.  Would it be out of the realm of possibility for Microsoft to create an Ultrabook of their own?  With a continued push by Microsoft’s hardware partners into convertible territory, some rumors suggest that an ultrabook convertible/hybrid could be the next obvious step.

Designer Clemente Puertolas feels the same way and has come up with a Surface ultrabook concept of his own. The concept ultrabook has touchscreen capabilities, the power of Windows 8, and an ultra thin design that is even thinner than the Apple MacBook Air.

While touchscreen laptops already exist, Puertolas thinks they are too complicated, fragile and sometimes too thick.  Based on his designs, this Surface Ultrabook concept looks insanely thin and very stylish. Is this an avenue you think Microsoft would be willing to take?

Would they have more success here than they have had with the Surface RT?

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The post Designer Creates Microsoft Surface Ultrabook Concept appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The concept is similar to the Sony Tablet P, and allows for either two apps to run at once utilizing their own screens, or taking up both screens for a larger view of things.

Currently only certain apps such as Google Maps, the web browser and media players make use of the dual-screen function. The ability to fold the phone in half and share videos, and photos with people sitting opposite sounds particularly useful, and could be used in future games (Connect 4, Battleships etc).

The Medias W is currently only available in Japan, and it seems as though this dual-screen wonder might stay that way for sometime to come. What do you think, would you be interested in seeing such a device ship outside of Japan or do you feel that this is a very niche product with limited real world use potential?

[ Source ]

The post NEC Medias W is a Dual-screen, Folding Smartphone appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Yes, we’ve reached that final stretch of the holidays and now you’re frantically looking for some last minute gift ideas. Believe it or not, there are still some great last minute gadget deals online that you can score before Christmas. In the spirit of the 12 days of Christmas, here are 12 deals on tech that you can put under your tree in time for Christmas morning.

Happy holidays and happy last minute shopping!

The post 12 Awesome Last Minute Gadget Deals You’ll Still Get by Christmas appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Curious about BB10, or more specifically the fullscreen touch Blackberry L-Series? Thanks to Tinhte.vn we now have in-depth photos that show the overall design and styling found in the L-Series.

We still don’t know too much about the hardware inside the L-Series, but the photos do tell us a few things. First, we now know that the phone has a removeable 1800mAh battery and microSD card slot. In a world where expandable memory and removable batteries are starting to become somewhat scarce, this is good news.

We also know that the phone has micro-USB for charging and has a micro-HDMI port as well.

Honestly, I have to say I’m quite impressed by the overall look of this phone. Sure, it isn’t anything revolutionarily different, but it has an attractive industrial style that I personally like quite a bit.

That said, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this phone design. This looks very similar to the Blackberry London leak that we saw around January of this year. For tons of pictures of the L-Series, hit the source link below.

So how about it, are you excited for the Blackberry L-Series, N-Series and Blackberry 10 in general?

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The post In-Depth Photos of the Blackberry L-Series Hit the Net appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ah, the good old days of movie drive-ins. Unfortunately, drive-in theathers are a very rare find in today’s world. What if you could make your own drive-in wherever you went? That’s what the new Smart Forstars concept car plans to do.

The vehicle is scheduled to be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show from September 29th to October 14th and is an electric sports utility coupe that also functions as a mobile video projector.

In a word: awesome. I like the all glass top where its name “forstars” comes from (star viewing, get it?). It also lets you view stars on the big scren through the project, so dual meanings to the name, I suppose. The projector itself is operated by smartphone and linked to a high-quality sound system with speakers in ventilation openings behind the doors.

The car features a 60 kW magneto-electric motor and has a top speed of 80MPH- quite zippy for such a little city car. Looking at the photos you’ll quickly figure out that this car is all about standing out in a crowd. Its style is bold and sexy, and it is very different from other cars in the market.

Personally, I was sold as soon as I heard it had a movie projector built right in- guess I’m easy to please. As a concept car, this might never see reality, but it’s still a really impressive looking electric auto. What do you think of the Smart Forstars? Intrigued or not?

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The post Smart Forstars Concept Car Combines Car with Movie Projector appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

A new patent from Apple shows that Apple might be looking into the idea of using illuminated touchpads. Whether this is aimed at the MacBook line or the Magic Trackpad, or both, it’s hard to say. The new patent isn’t merely about lighting up your touchpad so you can see in the dark, instead its about having light-based feedback when performing certain actions on your touchpad.

As an example, as you drag your finger across the touchpad, certain colors might occur. Another color or brightness level could indicate how hard you are pressing. Basically this is just another technology that makes it easier to do gestures and other special touchpad functions. It’s also worth noting that Apple’s patent makes mention of using the technology in other ways such as through an OLED, LCD or e-ink display. Instead of brightness and colors, the patent suggest visual feedback would be provided instead.

Keep in mind that companies like Apple file for patents all the time, so it’s really hard to say whether or not this will ever make it into an actual product. If it does, what do you think of the idea of illuminating touchpads coming to the MacBook and other Apple products?

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The post Patent Suggest Apple May Consider Illuminating Touchpads appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

What do you get when you cross a paper shredder with a lamp? The Eliminator. This unique concept design is both a table lamp and a paper shredder, designed by industrial designer, Merve Kahraman. The Eliminator is primarily a trendy lamp, but it also can work as a paper shredder, allow it is a hand-cranked model, as opposed to modern automatic shredders.

The device uses two light sources, one that shines up and outward, and another that shines down and outward. The idea is that you leave the remains of whatever document you wish hanging from it, and the light will illuminate it. Not only does this mean you have a multi-function device, it is very unique and makes for a great conversation piece in your living room, as well.

The style can be changed and affected multiple times by the user, simply by changing the material that is shredded from it, which will affect the direction of the light, too. The detailed pictures show that this ‘concept device’ likely is a working prototype, but no commercial announcements exist for the Eliminator at the moment.

Having such a lamp not only sets a trend and stands out, but it is environmentally safe and a great way to recycle your shredded paper while making a bold and artsy statement. What do you think of the Eliminator? If it ever became an actual purchasable product, would you consider one?

[ source via Trend Hunter]

The post Unique Lamp Doubles as a Paper Shredder appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

While most iPod docking stations are small, subtle and designed for the use of a few tunes and perhaps as an alarm clock, the Phillips FWP3200D clearly isn’t your ordinary iPod speaker docking station. Gone are the sleek white curves and i-Style colorings on most docks, replaced instead by one serious speaker system that is geared towards more than just everyday listening.

The FWP3200D might not be a good enough replacement for a full DJ system, but its pretty close with its unique lighting system, 300 W RMS output, and the existence of basic Djing tools such as dual microphone sockets and a crossfade. The speakers even are designed to support the djay iOS app. While this Phillips speaker system is primarily geared at the i-Crowd, it does support other devices through a 3.5 mm line-in and can also play music directly from USB sticks. Other features on the Phillips player include an FM radio, a remote, and an LED that provides visual feedback.

The bad news is that Phillips is limiting this device to the UK, at least at the present. The UK-only FWP3200D runs at a price point equivalent to $470 US dollars (£299.99).

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With the Microsoft Surface we’ve seen how the idea of a cover that acts as a keyboard could truly add both beauty and function to the tablet experience, but it seems that Apple has an even more ambitious smart cover system in mind. A year-old patent filing from Apple has now been made public, in the filing Apple details out a cover that can take power and data from a dedicated connector on the side of a tablet and then can use at least one segment of the Smart Cover to augment the main display with useful information such as notifications, additional icons, multimedia controllers and similar functions. The drawings included with the patent even suggest that the inner surface of the cover would have the ability to work as a drawing area or a virtual keyboard.

While a patent doesn’t necessarily mean that Apple will ever build such a cover, it is certainly a unique idea that I wouldn’t mind seeing come to light. What about you?

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