LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition Now Available, Specs & Price Details

Looks like there will be a tough competitor for the LG G Pad 8.3 slate. It’s none other than the new G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition (GPE). For sure, all those who are planning to purchase the latter would be more curious about its difference with its relatively new twin.

The Google Play Edition comes with the newest software, the Android KitKat especially designed without anyalterations from carriers or manufacturers. There might be concerns though especially on the Knock On (double knock) feature and the Slide Aside feature present in the original version and not on GPE; but this doesn’t actually get in the way in the usability and the basic functions of the gadget. Other LG-made features including QRemote and QSlide won’t be available, as well.

There are also noticeable differences especially in the camera interface. There isn’t a manual setting for the camera so you will have to do with the auto mode whenever you’d like to take images. The GPE version also doesn’t have the gallery app to store pictures. Google+ Photo app has been the replacement for this. On the other hand, there isn’t much of a difference in physical appearance between the original G Pad 8.3 and Google Play edition. They actually have the same hardware components, although the difference is with the software.

The GPE tablet has been released and is ready for the consumers for a price of $350 in the US. This is similar to theprice of the precedent gadget.

Dell Chromebook 11 Laptop Is Affordable, Made For Students & Teachers

Dell is officially releasing its Chrome OS laptop, the company’s first, come January 2014. The Chromebook 11 is said to be ideal for the education sector, particularly the teachers and their students, for online collaboration thanks to the Wyse PocketCloud app. An entire school will be connected to a secured network with the security, tracking and configuration handled by IT administrators using a clouse-based management console.

This makes the laptop ideal for the education ecosystem wherein Dell’s resources and the Google Apps work hand in hand to provide integration suitable to the education environment.  The learning infrastructure makes use of the WiFi, Webcam, graphics, USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0 functionalities.The 2.9-pound computing device is powered by a 1.4GHz Celeron processor and it has a solid state drive with a maximum capacity of 16GB. The 11.6-inch Chrome OS gadget has a battery with a lifespan in-between charges of 10 hours, longer than Acer’s C720.

The version containing a RAM of 4GB arrives in UK and the US in the same month but the planned 2GB model is set for release within the first quarter of 2014. The Dell Chromebook 11 that comes out in January is the 4GB variant and it has a price tag of below $300 with orders from both UK and the US accepted on the company’s website.

Digital Storm Steam Machine: Expensive Price Disappoints Gamers

A new Steam Machine is coming out from Digital Storm and it functions more as a PC rather than agaming console, hence its high price tag. It looks similar to the Bolt PC but this one is bigger with a much improved cooling system under the hood. The cooling part is made possible with the numerous airflow vents and the use of a 240mm radiator (integrated) for that state-of-the-art liquid cooling system.

It can take Nvidia GForce GTX Titan as an option while power supply can boosted to 700 watts. In addition to the cooling system, it also has an airflow thermal management system inside. The exact dimensions of this machine is 4.4 –inch x 14.1-inch x 16.4-inch compared to the Bolt’s 3.6-inch width. Digital Storm is set to offer the Steam Machine at CES 2014 and the gaming PC promises good performance in an uncompromising fashion. The best part of this device is it comes with both Microsoft Windows and Linux-based SteamOS from Valve allowing it to dual-boot at any time.

The high price notwithstanding, the package should contain premium components that will put existing video gaming consoles such as Xbox One and PlayStation 4 to the sidelines. The starting price is set at $1,469 which is indeed very far from the poplar consoles now in the market.

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Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition Now Available, Specs & Price Details

Fans of Sony Xperia Z Ultra can check a new rendition of the device courtesy of Google. The Z Ultra Google Play Edition (GPE) is now available for purchase in the US flaunting thin and lightweight profile like the original version weighing just 212 grams.

Specs are similar with the original including its ginormous 6.4-inch Triluminos LCD display with 1080p resolution. Theunlocked version is compatible with the majority of LTE networks but doesn’t have features present on Xperia-branded devices like Bravia Engine and manual settings for the camera phone (did you notice the “Xperia” brand was dropped on the GPE version?).

The GPE comes with a stock camera UI, standard HDR setting, Google+ photos apps and the stock version of Android 4.4 (Z Ultra GPE owners will also be getting future updates ahead of other Android devices).

The hardware profile is similar for both devices including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8-megapixel rear camera, HSPA+, 4G LTE and waterproof features.

The Z Ultra Google Play Edition is available for $650 which is quite expensive for such minor software tweaks. If you’re willing to shell out this amount of money to get a large-display phablet with stock KitKat OS then this device could be the right one for you.

Sony Dual USB Flash Drive For Android Launching In January

2014 has something in store for Sony fans with the release of the company’s 2-in-1 USB flash drive.

The latest offering from Sony includes dual micro USB and USB 2.0 connectors for fast and easy back-up of files. Since the drive is compatible with Android smartphones and tablets from versions 4.0.3 to 4.3, it can enable storing and sharing of personal content without the help of cables, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi access.

All portable drives have USB On-The-Go (OTG) function that allows smartphones and other handheld devices to serve as a host to connect with other USB peripherals. In order to easily operate from a smartphone, users just have to download the free File Manager from the Play Store. The manager also helps the users easily copy, delete, and sort files.

Buyers can choose their own style of the 2-in-1 flash drive as it comes with options of three different cap colours They can also choose from 8, 16, and 32 GB memory storage, all with the capability of storing feature-length movies, music libraries, and other large data files.

A locking cap serves as a protector of the connectors from damage, dust, debris, and other particles. It also makes the devices durable enough for everyday use with its metal body structure.

Interested customers can purchase these dual flash drives beginning January next year with prices as follow: 8GB ($19.99), 16GB ($29.99), 32GB ($62.99).

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GTA: San Andreas iOS Download Now Available For iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad

Another fun adventure awaits game enthusiasts! For iDevice owners, you will surely be delighted of the newest game app download for your iOS devices, whether it be your iPhones, iPod, and iPads. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is one of Rockstar’s open world games that involves 3 fictional cities like the Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas. This basically involves different characters, cars or vehicles and everything in between.

GTA: San Andreas is said to have more enhanced graphics that suits your mobile gadgets well. You can play with your character’s look since graphics are rich in colors and more graphic choices to choose from. It also has personal controller support, cloud save support, dual analog stick controls and customizable controls which you can freely display should you need to.

Specifically, the game may be downloaded for iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPod touch 5th-gen, iPad 2, 3rd-gen, and 4th-gen, iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad mini with Retina display. New generation iDevice owners (including iPhone 5 series, iPad 4 and above) can enjoy more immersive graphics including detailed shadows and real-time environment reflections).

The game has also the new checkpoint system in which one can play the game using any of their multiple iOS devices and you can have the game paused so that you can continue playing them later on without losing your gameachievements or levels.

Meanwhile Android, Amazon Kindle and Windows Smartphone owners may avail of this game come December 2013. The iOS version is now available in Apple Store for $6.99.

LG V510 To Launch As Nexus Tablet (Rumor)

Looks like there will be a new sister for LG V500 (LG G Pad 8.3), dubbed as LG V510. Rumors are circling that the new LG V510 is said to be the newest Nexus tablet. This idea was formulated out from the leaked service manual of the said device.

According to the manual that leaked in China, this new device is an 8.3 inch tablet that comes with a 1200 x 1920 pixels resolution.  It is equipped with a RAM of 2 GB. The device also features 2 cameras with the main camera at 5 MP and the front camera with 1.3 MP. Its battery powers up to 4600 mAh.

Although there are rumors about this device as the next Nexus device, it isn’t included in the information obtained from the leaked manual.

There isn’t much news about other detailed technical specs in the leaked manual. However, the 8 inch screen is said to be the key feature of this device. Surely, this will attract the attention of many tech-savvy consumers. This will however, set a higher price for this reported device.

There isn’t much news as to the release of this device but for sure, all LG fanatics would indulge into this new productof technology.

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Samsung 840 EVO 1TB mSATA SSD Announced For December

Samsung updates its 840 EVO mSATA SSD line-up with a high-capacity storage leaving other manufacturers behind. The new 840 EVO model has a ginormous 1TB capacity, a first of its kind.

Solid-State Drives (SSD) utilizes flash memory to store data compared to metal plates on HDD. The result is more power efficient and lighter storage that paves the way for smaller, lighter and thinner computers.

Samsung’s 840 EVO was introduced in July during Samsung’s SSD Global Summit originally offered in 120GB, 250GB and 500GB. The 1TB model utilizes four 16-layer 128 gigabit (Gb) NAND flash memory packages with a total weight of 8.5 grams and 3.85 mm thickness – which is 40% thinner and 92% lighter than standard hard drives. In addition, all 840 EVO SSD models yield 98,000 random read and 90,000 random write IOPS; and 540MB/s sequential read speeds and 520MB/s sequential write speeds. All models  utilize Samsung’s own controller and TurboWrite technology.

Other storage drives (HDD /SSD) can be used with all 840 EVO SSD models as long as it supports mSATA port. Users may also use Samsung Magician 4.3 software to boost sequential read speeds up to 1000MB/s while on RAPID (Real-time Accelerated Processing of I/O Data) mode.

Interested consumers are expected to pay top dollar for the SSD when it launches later this month.

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Motorola Project Ara Phone Almost Finished, Release Still Pending

3D Systems is collaborating with Motorola in making Project Ara a reality with the near completion of the partnership’s first ever modular smartphone. It will be a unique kind of smartphone because the components are all replaceable similar what is done on Legos. CEO Dennis Woodside of Motorola made the confirmation silently on Google+ Hangout but the post caught the attention of many in the tech-world.

The collaboration between the two companies proves to be beneficial to the project since both parties contribute their expertise to the success of the project. Motorola has its technical expertise while 3D Systems gives its design expertise in conceptualizing the modular phone model.  It is a perfect combination of design and engineering at its best. Motorola is currently eliciting feedbacks from social media about the viability and workability of the smartphone model.

The project stemmed from the need to provide different parts of a smartphone as replaceable components to deter the traditional way of throwing an entire smartphone even if only one component has malfunctioned, which is a waste of smartphone parts and money on the part of the owner. Project Ara wants to reverse that trend by allowing a user to buya part to replace the one that is malfunctioning. It could be a Wifi component, a battery component or even a speaker component.

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Google Glass WordPress Plug-in Publishes Blogs By Voice

Just when you thought that the smartphone is the best technological breakthrough that can put the power of real-time publishing in your fingertips, think again.

Weber Shandwick, a PR firm, recently released the WordPress plugin for Google Glass which enables you to post yourawe-inspiring photos online in no time through voice command.

The unofficial wpForGlass plugin enables Google Glass users to instantaneously publish content to WordPress, one of the most common blogging platforms and content management systems, through a simple voice dictation. The plugin is reliant on Google’s Mirror API, a web-based service for glassware, to carry out its efficiency.

The wpForGlass plugin makes sharing so easy. All you have to do is take a photo, dictate a caption, and share it for the whole world to see. Gone are the days when you have to get on to that speed-typing hype and think of a witty caption that goes with your photo before posting it to any of the social media sites.

It comes in handy for reporters and other media practitioners as they may now update stories and share videos directly through the high-tech “looking glass.” What’s convenient about the plugin is that it also supports multiple authors.

It is designed for people on-the-go or for those who are not so on-the-go but are wondering how those cool spy moviegadgets work. Oh what fun it would be to live-tweet hands-free!

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Xiaomi Modular Phone To Compete With Motorola’s Project Ara

A fully customizable modular phone is on its way but apparently, not from Motorola alone.

In the social networking site Weibo, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun posted photos of the company’s project, which depicted a lot of similarities to the concept of Motorola’s “Project Ara“. The CEO admitted in earlier reports that the company is also considering the possibility of venturing into the creation of a modular phone.

Dubbed as the “Magic Cube,” Xiaomi’s modular phone is said to utilize blocks like Lego bricks. It is seen in the photos that each brick is designated to hold a certain part of the phone- may it be the phone’s camera, battery, or memory.

Motorola said the concept of a modular phone allows users to upgrade their phones with ready-made hardware. There will be “spare parts” so that when a part of the phone breaks, it may easily be replaced with a new one, without compromising the other parts.

Users of the modular phone would be given the power to decide what features they want for their phones and how it would look. They may change the battery, expand the memory, or install a better camera to the phone as time goes by.

Motorola said it is in collaboration with Phoneblocks to complete the project. The company said it is hoping to have developers on board soon with an early Module Developers Kit set for launch in the coming winter.

It’s still unknown whether or not Xiaomi would officially launch its modular phone concept to the market. Still, it’s exciting to see that other phone manufacturers were interested to build such unique devices in the future.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 64-bit Chip Debuts In china Next Year

Qualcomm has finally produced its newest chipset that is ready to conquer the phone market whether it is entry level or high end smart phones. The newSnapdragon 410 chipset is said to have 64-bit architecture with 4G LTE support. The company wouldstart their market in China next year.

The new 410 chipset is designed in a way that it will fit all brands of handsets because of its flexible OEM. It has a 28 nanometer process technology, a 64 bit processor and an Adreno 306 CPU. Surely, you can play a video that has up to 1080 pixel resolution and take quality photos with up to a 13 MP camera.

Moreover, this chipset can support 4G LTE and 3G. The chipset can also pair with major operating systems like Android, Windows and Firefox. Since the chipset is LTE capable, it means that in any part of the world, the chipset can facilitate multimode and multi band connectivity.

Although Qualcomm targets both the entry and high end level of handsets, a more ready version for the entry level market is said to be released in the earlier quarter of 2014 for manufacturers. The consumer market is said to be invaded by this chipset in the middle part of 2014. This will surely be the newest hit product of today’s innovations.

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Halo Spartan Assault For Xbox One on Christmas, Xbox 360 Release Delayed

A new version of the Halo series spin-off game is coming to town and its codename is Halo: Spartan Assault. It will be available for the Xbox One beginning on December 24 with a price tag of only $15. Though the game’s eventual release this month is already known, it is just now that the release date is made official by Major Nelson. The good this is its availability is worldwide since it comes as a digital download.

Owners of a version for Windows 8 or a Windows Phone 8 will also receive a discount of $5 whenever they purchase an Xbox One version on or before December 15. The Xbox 360 version of the game will be delayed for now and its release is expected in January 2014 yet. The Xbox One version will offer 1000 Achievement Points for gamers to gun for and a full list of the assault achievement is already available online.

The sci-fi shooter video game also comes with a few extras such as the single-player expansion for Operation Hydra and the online coop mode. In addition, there will be new abilities, weapons and enemies with the game running on 60fps and 1080p resolution. So, it’s good to wait until the Christmas Eve comes whenever your location may be as buy the game as soon as it is available online.

Tom Clancy’s The Division Touts Snowdrop Engine For Surreal Graphics

The latest game from Ubisoft, Tom Clancy’s The Division has been showed off and it’s pretty stunner onthe trailer. Credit goes to the Snowdrop engine that makes the view super natural with its awesome lighting techniques and a unique destruction effects incomparable to others. Massive, the game’s developer has exerted extra effort to evaluate and test the engine’s real-time performance and it looks that everything comes to its satisfaction as shown by its integration to the latest Tom Clancy game.

The Snowdrop engine is touted to be a next-gen because of its outstanding visual effects that make the backgroundmore realistic. Empowering The Division has put it to a test in terms of performance and visual effects. Gamers would love playing The Division because of the remarkable differences any one could easily notice when compared to the other games without the engine. This is not to say that the game will rise to prominence because of the engine but, performance-wise, gamers would love the background and the gameplay regardless of how the game is played.

The engine is based on the pillars of Empowerment, Real time and Fun bringing out the best innovation a developer could think of while adhering to the core value of continuous improvement. It’s not known as to what gaming platform this one should be destined but for argument’s sake, it is presumed to be the next-gen consoles and the PC. No word as to price and availability for now.

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