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Nokia Smartwatch Likely to be Launched by Q3, 2014

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Most digital device makers have caught up to the smartwatch concept right now. Nokia that is seeking to reclaim its lost turf as a phone maker of repute with its new range of Lumia devices has also taken up the smartwatch concept in a big way. Smartwatches are a part of the smart wearable gadgets that device makers are actively pursuing right now and such a device from the Finnish phonemaker can be expected to be released towards the third quarter of next year. This talk has been making the rounds for quite some time now.

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Meanwhile, now that Nokia has been taken over by Microsoft, the next logical conclusion or question is whether the smartwatch would be a Nokia product or a Microsoft product. It is only the handset division of Nokia that is being taken over by Microsoft thought it’s quite likely for the smartwatch to be a Nokia product upon release. In any case, the said smartwatch is expected to be closely tied to the Lumia range of smartphones.

Axel Meyer and Peter Skillman who head the Nokia division of emerging devices are said to the brains behind this smartwatch device. Amongst the interesting features that are being speculated to be present on the smartwatch is the Nokia Morph feature.

That Nokia would be coming up with such a device is not new but this time the date of third quarter being added to the bit of information makes the overall picture of the device a more real one. 2014 could therefore see both the Nokia and the Apple smartwatch being launched in the market.

HTC One Successor Expected in 2014, Likely to Come With Sense 6

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HTC has had mixed success with its One smartphone device though that can’t be considered as the right measure of the smartphone’s brilliance. However, the company got the script wrong once they failed to infuse the market in enough numbers which cost the company dearly in the end. HTC had to deal with production issues owing to the complexities in manufacturing the ultrapixel camera that the device incorporates. By the time it had sorted out the issues, it found the market swinging to the tune of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Ironically, the S4 too seemed to have run out of steam after an initial good run at the market while sales of the HTC One too stabilized. However, both models are fast loosing sheen in the face of newer models launched by competing companies, which means new gen versions are already in the making.

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Coming back specifically to the successor to the HTC One, that we would be treated with it sometime in 2014 is all too obvious. The possible names that the new product could take on are HTC M8, though there are some who mention the name of HTC One Two. Whatever be the label of the product, the specs the upcoming device is expected to sport include a 5 inch full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip along with the same Ultrapixel camera as seen on today’s HTC One. Another factor from the hardware side would be the Boomsound speakers that give the current HTC One an edge over others in the market of its genre.

Coming to the software and apps that can be associated with the next gen HTC One device, @LlabTooFeR reports that it would come with Android 4.4.2 pre-installed on it. This can be considered a pretty safe bet considering that is the Android version that would be in vogue by the time the smartphone is ready to enter market. The source also points out the device would have Sense 6 installed, which would be the newest UI that the company is in the process of developing for its sets.

With the major events like CES and MWC scheduled in the early part of 2014, there is for sure more to be learnt at these two events.

Verizon Affiliated Lumia 929 aka Lumia Icon Could Launch on Jan 16, 2014

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The Verizon edition of the Nokia Lumia had been reported to be in development stages under the model number 929 though the smartphone is expected to be launched under the name of Lumia Icon. That would have been a parting of ways for Nokia who are known to launch their products with a number prefix.

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Nothing has been confirmed by Nokia, even of its present stage so speculation is yet the only source for information on this product. And the latest bit of information that has emerged mentions the date of 16 January, 2014 to be the possible date of release of the smartphone device. The date of 16 January has been speculated since it is a Thursday and hence tallies well with the usual Verizon practice of announcing its products on Thursdays. Another benefit of launching the device on the aforementioned date is that it being after CES 2014, the device would no doubt gain from a lot of publicity during the event, it being the biggest tech event held in this part of the world.

The other issue of interest is the specification of the phone itself. There too, not much is known officially and what is known off the record is that it is a smaller version of the Lumia 1520 with a 5 inch display. this should suffice those who prefer a big screen device though not as big as the Lumia 1520 that comes with a massive 6 inch display, which makes it the second biggest phablet after Sony Xperia Ultra device that offer 6.4 inches of screen real estate. The Lumia 1520 is currently the only device in the phablet segment that runs Windows and offers a HD display. the Lumia 929 or Lumia Icon will surely add more options in the Windows phablet segment.

Samsung Rumored to Launch 4 New Tablets in Early 2014

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Samsung has been able to make a solid mark in the field of smartphone and tablet devices with its Galaxy line of products. However, it is smartphone devices that have brought Samsung more laurels and accolades than tablet devices. The company’s 2013 flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4 sold over 40 million units in the very first six months of its launch. The Galaxy Note 3, a big screen smartphone that offers enhanced functionality thanks to the stylus that it incorporates has also been a grand success, having sold 10 million units in first two months of launch. However, Samsung has been hard pressed to replicate the same kind of success when it comes tablet devices. Instead, it has been left watching its competitors such as the Nexus 7 tablet made by Asus or the likes of the Kindle Fire range walk away with the cake.

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However, things could be vastly different from next year onwards now that Samsung is reported to be working on at least 4 new tablet that it hopes will reverse the trend in the coming year. Of the four tablets, one of them would for sure be the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite aka SM-T111. Samsung aims to take on the budget tablet segment with this one, being tagged at 100 Euros or $138. Other three tablets can only be speculated upon to be the Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2 inch aka SM-900. If it is so, then the tablet sector would get a new dimension so far as size goes, as there is no tablet of 12.2 inch as of now. It would be closer to the size of the laptop and therefore office and business users may find it more convenient to use. Another guess is that the tablets would carry AMOLED displays. There is also speculation of the line of tablets having one with dual boot feature of both Android and Window and being 13.3 inch by size.

Right now, Samsung manufactures the Nexus 10 for Google though unfortunately, the tablet has never made it to the top of the sales chart in spite of it offering the highest pixel density in the 10inch segment. poor battery live along with a few other factors is attributed to the tablet’s dismal run in the market though it remains to be seen how soon and by how much the tides turn in favor of Samsung in the coming days so far as tablet devices are concerned.

Apple Slated to Launch Bigger iPad With 12.9 Inch Display in 2014

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Come 2014 and we would find large sized iPads in the market as Apple too has decided to go the big screen way. Till now Apple had been restricting the size of their tablet devices to the 9.7 inch limit. Now if speculations doing the rounds are proved to be true, there could a new addition to the line-up, one that sports a bigger 12.9 inch display. Quanta Computer have received orders from Apple for the making of these iPad’s with the launch date set tentatively for 2014. While this is a quantum jump in the size that tablets are normally seen in, it could also mean Apple is testing the water and therefore we must not expect to see large number of units of this 12.9 inch iPad when it is finally launched.

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Apple has been keen to have a slice of the business tablet market to itself as well and the bigger 12.9 inch iPad version could well be the device to soldier its way into the business community. Such a device will also ensure it has a competitor to Microsoft and its Windows based devices that are for long considered a natural ally to the entrepreneurs.

Apple has also been reported to have other devices too in the anvil, which includes the wearable iWatch which again is being worked on for a launch in 2014. The iWatch manufacturing is being taken up by Inventec, Foxconn Electronics and Quanta. This apart, DigiTimes is also reporting that trial units of the iWatches had been released this year but mass production met up with some hurdles due which its launch date has been moved to 2014.

It is not only Apple that is taking to developing bigger sized tablet devices as Samsung too is reported to be working on such a concept as well. There has been a marked decline in the demand for desktops as well as notebooks which appears to be the reason makers of computing devices have been thinking about coming up with a bigger screened tablet.

Other publications of repute such as Wall Street Journal and Macotakara had also reported the appearance of large screen iPad like the 13 inch version in the year 2014. This had been further affirmed by DisplaySearch in their columns.

Nokia Expected to Launch 8 Inch Lumia 2020 by April 2014

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The recently launched Nokia Lumia 2520 which is a tablet in the 10.1 inch group has been generating quite some buzz lately and rightfully so considering it’s the first from the Finnish company. Also of course their tablet line up won’t just comprise of a single device and there already are murmurs of Nokia being in the process of coming out with an 8 inch tablet as well. That the 8 inch version too would be part of their Lumia line of products is all too evident. Digitimes has reported this device to bear the code name of “Illusionist” and at time of marketing may bear the model number Lumia 2020. They have also mentioned a released date of somewhere in the first quarter of the coming year, likely around April.

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Nokia is making endeavors to pitch its bit in the $200 and below category which it appears is the most sought for market in the tablet sector. There are many other tablets also in the same range and therefore the competition is stiff. Given this scenario, Nokia have given some good features to their gadget to make it interesting. The Lumia 2020 it appears from what Digitimes reports is far higher in specifications than the Lumia 2520.

A list of hardware and other features of the upcoming 8 inch tablet from Nokia has been obtained by Dusan Belic of IntoMobile. As per their report, the Lumina 2020 will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core processor and the RAM would be of 2 GB. The OS is going to be Windows 8.1 RT which if we note is all the same as that of the Lumia 2520. Belic has also gone on to state that the Nokia would unveil the Lumia 2020 at the CES to be held in January else at the Mobile World Congress event scheduled for February. There is no information if Nokia will have a separate version running Windows 8.1 as well considering many of its competitors have already come up with affordably priced 8 inch tablets running the full blown Windows 8.1.

The reports by Digitimes have a note of discord from Unwired View who classifies them to be getting sources that are always anonymous. Daniel Shen in Taipei and Steve Shen of Digitimes have been the sources for these bits and pieces of information regarding the Lumia 2020.

Amazon Expected to Launch New Kindle Paperwhite by Q2, 2014

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The tech world is already rife with reports of Amazon coming up with the next generation of its Paperwhite line of e-Readers. The online retail giant had just released the second generation Paperwhite a few months back and now they are in the process of releasing the third generation model somewhere in the second quarter of 2014. The good part of the Amazon products has been the improved specs that they have included in every new edition of their Paperwhite.

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What TechCrunch were able to obtain was a prototype of the next Paperwhite to be. Code named “Ice Wine”, the first thing to notice with the new Paperwhite is the hike in resolution of the display that the device receives. With a pixel density of 300 ppi it does mean a sharp rise from the previous edition which had 212 pixels per inch. There is also the other e-readers to compare this factor with, like the Kobo aura HD which has a ppi count of 265.

Other features for e-readers to note are the inclusion of a new font that has been made especially for the Paperwhite and will be exclusive to it. The brightness would also adjust automatically depending on the ambient light. The transit of the brightness also takes place in a paced fashion and therefore not cause strain to the pupils for instant adjustments.

The design and feel of the product also undergoes favorable changes. The plastic screen is being replaced by a matte-finish glass that stretches to the edges of the device. Page turning process is also made more comfortable with the squeezable button placed at the side and the feedback feature which helps in page turning action. The casing also is more angular making it easier to hold like that of the Kindle Fire HDX design.

These are of course not the final features of the device as it yet remains in the design stages. There sure would be more changes added and subtracted from the item prior its final launch.

HTC to Roll Out Android KitKat Update Towards End Jan, 2014

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HTC users in the United States, Europe, Middle East and Africa would get their update to Android 4.4 KitKat version starting end of January 2014. This has been officially confirmed by HTC, making them the first among the frontline companies to actually come up with concrete plans to upgrade to Android KitKat. HTC has also announced the models that would be covered under this update scheme. These would be the HTC One, HTC One Max and HTC One Mini. While HTC users would get their updates in Jan next, those who have picked up their sets from Google Play store, would have their updates earlier.

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Come mid November, users of the Google Play Edition of the HTC One should be getting their update. That would also be when Samsung Galaxy S4, the Google Play Edition also gets their KitKat update. There is however other methods for getting the update earlier. That of course needs individual updates to be executed and little bit of tech knowledge. Articles on how the same could be updated on the Nexus 5 have been available and that is the same way that other sets could also be updated.

A press release from HTC mentions about the Android 4.4 roll out across EMEA with Sense 5.5 from end January of next year. The Press release also mentions about mid November dates for the update for the Google Play Editions.

The HTC One Mini and HTC One Max however has not been mentioned in the Press release possibly as these are yet to make their mark in the market as yet. We can expect that sooner or later these two models would also get their Android 4.4 KitKat update.

The Droid DNA is another device that would be provided with the Android 4.4 KitKat upgrade. The smartphone is yet to receive Android 4.2 or Android 4.3 Jelly Bean upgrade, which HTC hopes to release before the end of the year. And upgrade to Android KitKat just a month later seems unlikely for the Droid DNA that has already been in the market for about a year now.

New Shield 2 Gaming Console Likely to be Launch in 2014

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NVIDIA had launched the Shield handheld gaming device back in July much to the glee of hardcore gaming enthusiasts. It is basically a handheld gaming console that is based on Android and come with some high end specs. The device also boasts of superior quality which together with its ability to stream PC games ensured it never went out of favor with the gaming community. It’s three months stay in the market has been without a hitch after it had suffered about a month of delay during launch due to some issues with a particular component of the device.

Shield 2

Nvidia though isn’t sitting on the laurels and have dropped enough hint of there being a successor to the first gen Shield that is already in the making. Likely to be named Shield 2, the new gen device is expected to break cover sometime during early 2014.

That the possibility is quite true stems from the report of Endgadget after they had an interview with the CEO of NVIDIA, Jen-Hsun Huang. The talk was centered around the Tegra chip that is in the making when Huang mentioned about the new Tegra chip would be coming with the new SHIELD. He also mentioned in his talk that the company comes out with a new Tegra chip every year. The building of the Tegra chip is associated with project named Logan.

The market gets a fresh update of Smartphone and tablet on a near regular basis every year. This does not happen for gaming consoles. If NVIDIA does follow a new gaming console with every new Tegra chip that they come up every year, then this trend would be a very welcome one for gamers all over the world.

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