While ZTE might not be as well known as major brands like Sony, Samsung, HTC and LG – it is a decent Chinese handset maker with a reasonable international presence, and it’s latest ZTE Grand X2 doesn’t look half bad.

The newest phone sets itself apart from the competition by ditching the ARM processor in favor of an Intel Atom 2GHz Z2580 processor. While it is certainly not the first Intel smartphone, they still are somewhat of a rare breed, so this is an interesting enough choice.

Outside of the processor, the phone has 8GB storage, 1GB RAM, microSD support, 2000mAh battery, 8MB rear cam, and a 4.5-inch display with a 720p resolution. There is also Android Jelly Bean onboard.

What seems a bit odd is pairing a fast 2GHz Atom with only 8GB storage. Still, this should be a reasonably high-end device, and yet will still likely have a pretty low cost compared to “more mainstream” brands.

So when is it coming? No specific date, simply a project fall release for Europe. No word on other markets like North America, but considering the United State’s recent attitude towards Chinese carriers, I wouldn’t be that surprised if ZTE decided to skip releasing the phone stateside.

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This year’s Google I/O keynote didn’t see hardly anything in the way of hardware announcements, but it did see one very interesting development: the announcement of a Samsung Galaxy S4 “Google Edition”.

This new version of the Galaxy S4 will be sold unlocked through Google Play, and will run on a stock version of Android – ditching Sammy’s TouchWiz UI and custom S4 software. The idea here is that you effectively get a Nexus device, which means that you will get the latest and greatest versions of Android directly from Google at a much quicker pace.

It also means that some of the customized features on the Galaxy S4 won’t work, as they rely on the TouchWiz UI. Still, for those that absolutely love a pure vanilla Android experience, this could be their dream phone.

Unfortunately, it might be like a Nexus – but there isn’t Nexus pricing here. The 16GB Galaxy S4 will sell through the Play Store for $649. While the Nexus 4 sold like hotcakes, part of its success was that it was dirt cheap relative to the specs that the phone packed.

Considering there are devices that aren’t much weaker than the S4 (like Nexus 4) but considerably cheaper, this might be a hard sell except for those that absolutely want the most cutting edge hardware or are big Samsung phone fans that happen to dislike TouchWiz.

So when is it coming? The phone will arrive to Play on June 26th and will only be sold in the United States. Additionally the phone will have LTE and will work with both AT&T and T-Mobile.

More than likely this will be the same Snapdragon 600 version sold by carriers, but how cool would it be if the Google Vanilla version of the S4 instead ran on the Exynos processor? What do you think of the S4 Google Edition, would you pay $650 outright for it?

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Surprise, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a smash hit! Okay.. so that’s not really a shocker, is it? As expected, the Galaxy S4 is a runaway success so far, but the big question is just how many units have already been shipped. According to Samsung, the number has now reached 4 million globally (through April) and is quickly rising.

In comparison to Galaxy handsets of the past, the Galaxy S3 took 21 days to reach 3 million units and the Galaxy S2 took 55 days to reach just 3 million.

Demand is continuing to grow for the S4, and one unnamed Sammy executive even says they’ve already sold more than 6 million units, and some predictions say that by this month’s end, they will reach 10 million Galaxy S4 shipments.

Keep in mind that Samsung’s “sales” are not to the end-user, but to the wireless carrier, making them look a little better than they actually are.

Still, no matter how you slice it, the Galaxy S4 is looking to be Samsung’s biggest hit yet. What’s interesting is that for the first time in a while, Samsung actually has major competition in the form of solid devices like the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z and yet it doesn’t seem to be slowing the Korean giant down any.

With S4 variants like the Zoom and Mini rumored to be on their way in the not-too-distant future, I’d say that it will be a long while before the Galaxy S4 hype dies down.

What do you think of Samsung’s latest? How does it compare to devices from Apple, Sony, HTC, Nokia and other major competitors?

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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.

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The post Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Image Leaks to the Net appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Think the Samsung Galaxy S4 is pretty great? Things are only getting started, as several variants could be one their way in the near future.  The newest of these rumored devices is the Galaxy S4 Zoom. 

It is a variant of the yet to be released S4 Mini, but this handset’s special niche is the fact is will boast a 16 MP rear facing camera, with 10x optical zoom.  I’ll give you a minute to re-read that, yes 10x optical zoom.  That blows the Nokia 808 PureView’s miniscule 3x zoom out of the water.  According to Unwired View, this variant arrived for certification at the Bluetooth SIG this week under the model number SM-C101.

Samsung is making a run at a majority market share with all its variations of their Galaxy S4s (at least if rumors are to be believed).  They have brought to the table the mini for those that don’t want such a large screen.  Also a variant that is similar to the Xperia Z, made to be rugged and withstand the worst conditions that can be thrown at you, and now the S4 Zoom which will have amateur shutterbugs doing backflips at the possibility.

Thus far optical zoom was really the only thing traditional cameras had over the previously limited point and shoot cameras in mobile phones.  This will pave the way for a new standard in mobile phone cameras if it takes off like I’m sure it will.

This variation is rumored to land soon, maybe even as early as June according to some of the circulating rumors.  Keep your eyes open for more info on this handset.  It will surely be a hit with users serious about photography and those casual snappers alike.  What do you think about the Zoom?  Is this a technology that you would like to see on your phone, or should it be left to the handheld camera market?

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AT&T subscribers, listen up.  AT&T is now offering the long awaited Samsung Galaxy S4 on their US network.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is a 32GB, 5 inch Super AMOLED 1920×1080 display with a quad core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor running the show with 2 GB of RAM. It also has a super high quality 13 MP rear facing camera and 2 MP front facing camera.  What will this set you back you ask?  You can own one for a reasonable $249.99 with a new two year contract with AT&T.

That price is quite reasonable for this powerhouse of a phone.  What do you think of the Galaxy S4, how does it compare to other flagship handsets from brands like Nokia, Sony, Apple and HTC?

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Google Now recently launched on iOS devices giving iDevice users a taste of the personal assistant service and predictive search, although it does not run in the background. Those using Android 4.1 and above can simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen to get to Now, but it’s different on the Galaxy S4.

The Galaxy S4 has its own S-Voice assistant. The good news is that using Google Now is not only still possible, but actually pretty easy to do.

You can try the following ways on the S4:

• Just long-press the home key to bring up the task switcher and press the “g” icon at the very bottom of the screen.
• You can add an app shortcut or widget on your home screen. The app can be accessed with a single tap and the Now widget will allow you to view predictive cards without opening the app.
• You can also long-press the menu key when on the home screen to go straight into the Google Search bar and view the Now cards below recent search results.

What do you think of S-Voice versus Google Now, which do you prefer?

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Samsung is right now leading the smartphone race, so something big certainly should come from Apple if they have plans to reach the top again. Apple is expected to bring out their next iPhone at their worldwide developer conference in June. Further evidence that this is happening comes from reports claiming that suppliers are already making the display for the so-called iPhone 5S.

While other companies have already started the manufacturing, the next gen iPhone’s LCD displays from Sharp will enter production in June. All these developments are pointing to a possible launch sometime in June or July.

The iPhone 5S is expected to run iOS 7 and come with an updated processor, a fingerprint sensor, improved cam, and more RAM, among other additions. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has earlier said that the device will take time to arrive due to delays in development of the fingerprint sensor and their next OS.

Meanwhile, the rumored low cost iPhone, which is expected to be unveiled beside the iPhone 5S, could enter mass production sometime in the near future. This has been suggested by a new rumor about Apple supplier Pegatron’s plans to increase its workforce in China by 40 percent in the second half of 2013.

As for their upcoming iPad Mini 2, it is expected to arrive with a high resolution Retina Display, which could delay the manufacturing of the device.

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The Sony Xperia ZL has been available from the Sony website since March, but if you have been waiting for their Xperia Z, then your day has come. The handset is now available through the US Sony Store.

The device is available unlocked, in black, white, and purple colors, with a price tag of $630. But, it will only work on AT&T’s HSPA+ network, there is no LTE.

Fortunately, Sony has decided to ask the same price for its Xperia ZL. So for $630 (down from $760), you can choose the ZL with LTE and the same hardware as the Xperia Z, though no water-resistivity. Or you can simply wait for an official LTE version to launch on AT&T, although there is no certainty about that happening. There have also been rumors and leaks about the Z heading to T-Mobile.

So, are you going for one of the Xperia phones? Or are you interested in the S4’s extra power under the hood? Maybe our comparison will help you to make a decision.

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BlackBerry devices have always been marketed as being very secure. It looks like the Department of Defense agrees. The DoD has officially approved the use of BlackBerry 10 devices, including the full lineup of the Z10, Q10 and the PlayBook, on its network.

This approval has come after earlier reports that the DoD was going to approve Apple iOS devices and some Samsung Galaxy handsets. While iOS 6 devices are expected to join BlackBerry 10 devices in being allowed in the next two weeks, devices running Samsung Knox, the South Korean company’s enterprise mobile solution, have already got the green light.

The Knox was earlier expected to be available with the S4, but later reports have pointed to the feature being available only by July. Samsung is certainly making a good effort, but BlackBerry is still the best when it comes to security.

Scott Totzke, SVP, BlackBerry Security at BlackBerry says: “BlackBerry 10 is ideal for our government customers because it offers a rich, highly responsive mobile computing experience, along with BlackBerry’s proven and validated security model – a combination that’s unmatched in the industry. This approval will enable DoD customers to connect their BlackBerry Z10 or BlackBerry Q10 smartphones to DoD networks and securely access assets from work, while enjoying the wealth of consumer-oriented functionality that BlackBerry 10 brings to market”.

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