First true octa-core smartphone unveiled

MediaTek was the first to announce a chipset with a true octa-core processor back in June and now the first phone utilizing it has gone official. The UMI X2S broke cover at the Autumn Edition of Hong Kong Electronics Fair.
All of UMI’s phones are intended for the Chinese market and that’s why you’ve probably never heard of the brand. The UMI latest X2S smartphone is powered by MT6592 chipset with an octa-core Cortex-A7 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. There is no word on the GPU, but when the MT6592 got benchmarked it was rocking a Mali-450, so that's probably it.
The rest of the UMI X2S specs include a 5” 1080p display, 32GB internal storage, a 13MP camera with Sony lens, and NFC connectivity. Since MG6592 is LTE-capable, we guess the X2S should be LTE-enabled as well.
There is no info on the pricing and availability yet, but the gadget is supposed to be very affordable, despite its fancy CPU.
MediaTek was indeed the first one to design and release a true octa-core chip and will probably remain the only one for a while as early hopes of Samsung enabling 8-core processing on its Exynos 5 Octa via a firmware update were squashed. And the revised Exynos 5 is unlikely to make it in actual hardware before the Galaxy S5 comes around next year.

Sony Xperia Z1S press image leaks

Popular leak-source evleaks has struck again, delivering a photo of the Sony Xperia Z1S, which is allegedly due for announcement this year. There were no details provided, so it's unclear what exactly the Xperia Z1S will be.
Given that the xperia z1s went on sale just a few weeks ago, it's seems extremely unlikely that Sony will be releasing a new flagship before the year runs out. So the Xperia Z1S might be the international version of the Sony Xperia Z1 mini, which already broke cover in Japan as the Xperia Z1 f.
Another possible theory is that what we are seeing here is the T-Mobile version of the Sony Xperia Z1. The location of the front-facing camera is different compared to the international Xperia Z1, but perhaps Sony had to shuffle a few internal components around before shipping its smartphone to the States. The name change for the US market is not uncommon either.
Given that all manufacturers are aiming to bring their lineups to the store shelves before the end of November, we'll probably see an official announcement from Sony in the next couple of weeks, solving the mystery. And there's a good chance that more leaks will fill in some of the details in the meantime. We'll keep you posted if we hear anything, so stay tuned!

Apple iPhone 5s review: Step by step

Introduction

It's that time of year again and Apple's in the usual record-breaking mood at the box-office. This is an S year in the Cupertino calendar but different enough - it may be that two phones instead of one account for almost double last year's record sales. We can only guess as to which one contributed how, but this is hardly the point. We have the latest flagship reporting for duty and it will be both the main course and the desert, considering the 5c didn't quite impress as an appetizer.
As with every "S" version of the iPhone the changes are subtle but not illusory. There's no new design obviously, no bigger screen or a bump in resolution - nothing to go against the conservative grain of how Apple typically delivers iPhone upgrades every other year. That said, it's not this phone's fault that the iPhone 5 wasn't the full-digit upgrade everyone was hoping for.
As usual with Apple - we need to give it that - a certain set of users just can't wait to get the next big thing. Others, though, won't just get rid of the iPhone 5 unless the newcomer is convincing enough. An iPhone may fail to meet the (usually over-inflated) expectations but it has never been a product to be displeased with.
The new OS version may be a decider as well, if more people share our experience and feel the slowdown on an iPhone 5 running iOS 7, but the rest of the new stuff may as well be just enough to tip the scales in favor of the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5s
The first thing that makes a tangible difference is Touch ID, with a fingerprint scanner having made the iconic Home button its residence. The camera has a bigger sensor and dual LED flash, and gladly takes advantage of what's probably the most notable improvement - the 64-bit A7 chip. The iOS enters its 64-bit stage in its seventh iteration, well ahead of the competition. What this means is better memory management and more complex tasks and apps ahead. This could as well be the first step to bringing the iOS closer to Apple's dedicated desktop OS X - an early message that both platforms are due for a rendezvous eventually.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and quad-band or penta-band 3G support with 21 Mbps HSDPA, 42 Mbps DC-HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• LTE support on all models and CDMA support when sold by CDMA carriers
• 4" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen of 640 x 1136px resolution, 326 ppi
• Corning Gorilla Glass, fingerprint-resistant coating
• 1.3 GHz dual-core ARMv8 64-bit CPU, PowerVR G6430 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Apple A7 SoC
• iOS 7 and iCloud integration
• 8 MP autofocus camera, 1/3'' sensor size, 1.5µm pixel size, True Tone dual-LED flash, touch focus, digital image stabilization
• 1080p video recording at 30fps, 720p@120fps slow motion videos
• 1.2MP secondary front-facing camera, 720p video recording
• Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded into home button
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
• GPS with A-GPS connectivity, GLONASS support; digital compass
• 16/32/64GB storage options
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated secondary microphone, dedicated third microphone for Siri
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack, stereo Bluetooth v4.0
• Apple Maps with free voice-guided navigation in 50-odd countries
• iTunes Radio
• AirDrop file transfer
• Voice recognition, Siri virtual assistant
• Supports HD Voice (needs carrier support too)
• FaceTime video calls over Wi-Fi and cellular
• Impressively slim and light

Main disadvantages

• Screen feels small by 2013 standards
• Very expensive without carrier subsidies
• TouchID is greatly underused
• No USB Mass Storage mode, iTunes required for data transfer
• No FM radio
• No expandable storage, sealed-in battery
• No NFC connectivity
• 1080p@30fps video recording is low by current flagship status
• Mono audio recording in videos

The iPhone 5s pushes the major re-design another year back - but this is something we can live with. After all, the styling of the iPhone is still relevant - to say the least. Digging a little deeper reveals that Apple has taken good care of bringing many major facets of performance to a new level on its latest flagship. The processor, the camera, Touch ID, video recording and still imagery, low light performance, and naturally, the look and feel of iOS 7.

The iPhone 5s at HQ
However many things are still annoying about the iPhone - many, if not all, repeating themselves years on end. We like the premium compact and lightweight body of the iPhone but perhaps Apple is running out of excuses in terms of screen size and resolution.
And that's what makes the next point even more agonizing - the price. Apple tax or not, the iPhone 5s is more expensive than any of the competition's flagships, and by a good margin too. The bottom line is Apple is charging more and delivering less: a smaller screen, lower resolution, less storage. Oh well. Who can blame them if they can get away with it? Scratch that - make an art of it.
Anyway, an iPhone has always been more than the sum of its specs. But we're going to do the math anyway. Starting with the hardware, which may look similar but not without some noteworthy changes. Let's go.

Unboxing the Galaxy Note 3

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes in a box not much taller or wider than the phablet itself. It's Samsung's usual green box - as in eco-friendly, not the color. The color is brownish, which Samsung makes look attractive with a subtle wood texture pattern printed in soy-based ink. The manuals are recycled paper and soy ink too.

The eco-friendly box • 2A charger, microUSB 3.0 cable and headset
Other than that, the box holds the regular accessories - a powerful 2A charger, a cable and a headset. The cable looks unusual because it's a microUSB 3.0. Common microUSB 2.0 cables will work too.
The headset is an in-ear design, the remote has three buttons (answer and volume controls) and flat, tangle-free cables.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review: Jugger-note

Introduction

From an experimental niche product to standard-setter in just three generations. The Note 3 boasts a beautiful large screen, cutting edge tech and hardware design that shows Samsung is finally taking looks seriously.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 official images
The Galaxy Note family is credited with not only starting the phablet craze, but also resurrecting the stylus. The S Pen is no ordinary stylus though - the special screen digitizer and a button on the S Pen work their magic to augment the thumb-on-screen experience, and rival it in terms of speed and options.
Other than that the Galaxy Note 3 phablet continues the tradition of being the current generation's Galaxy S phone on steroids - a large 5.7" screen (in a body the size of the Note II), choice of Snapdragon 800 or Exynos 5420 chipsets, 2160p (a.k.a. UHD) video recording, USB 3.0 (a first on a pocketable device) and Samsung's ever-growing list of software features available right out-of-the-box.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE; quad-band 3G with HSPA; LTE (N9005 only)
• 5.7" 16M-color 1080p Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen; Adobe RGB mode
• S Pen
• Android OS v4.3 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
• N9005: Quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset
• N9000: Quad-core 1. 9GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7, Mali-T628 MP6 GPU; Exynos 5420 chipset
• 3GB of RAM
• 13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash
• N9005: 2160p video recording @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fps, 720p @ 120fps
• N9000: 1080p @ 30fps; continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• 2 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
• Dual shot and dual video recording, Drama shot, Shot and sound
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
• 32GB/64GB of built-in storage
• microSD card slot
• microUSB 3.0 port with USB host and MHL 2.0; Backwards compatibility with microUSB 2.0
• Bluetooth v4.0
• NFC
• IR port for remote control functionality
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Barometer, thermometer, hygroscope
• IR gesture sensor for Air gestures
• Smart gestures: Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll
• Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
• Ample 3,200mAh battery with great endurance
• Smart volume and Adapt Sound features for the music player

Main disadvantages

• N9000 model (Exynos) lacks LTE and 2160p video capture
• Large size makes single-hand operation problematic
• No OIS
• No dedicated camera key
• No FM radio
• Shared camera interface makes framing tricky

Besides putting the Exynos-powered model in question, the list of disadvantages is grasping at straws - Samsung went all out with the Galaxy Note 3 and may well have created the best Android device to date.
Yes, it's large but ask anyone who has used a 5.5+ inch device - it takes a while to get used to, but after that regular phones feel like tiny toys. And it's not that big - it's the same size as the Note II except thinner and lighter.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 visits us at the office
The phone launches with the latest Android version available - 4.3 Jelly Bean - on which Samsung has grafted its government-approved security feature called Knox. Samsung is aiming hard for the "bring your own device to work" business crowd that BlackBerry and its secure services have now lost.
It helps that Samsung decided to quell the "glossy plastic" complaints with a surprising move to a faux-leather look that feels almost like the real thing - instead of being tacky, it adds a touch of class.
Samsung also invites power users to the Galaxy Note 3 with tons of bespoke features, customization options, easy expansion with a removable battery and card slot, not to mention two of the most powerful mobile chipsets available. The 2160p (or UHD) video capture is nearly unique and with millions of Note 3s to be sold, Samsung is setting up nicely for its UHD 4K TVs.
As you can see from the bulging list of features, we have plenty of ground to cover, so let's get started with a peek at the design on the next page.

Apple iPhone 5s vs. LG G2 vs. Nokia Lumia 1020: War of the worlds

Introduction

You know what they say - three is a crowd. On a second thought though, no one here's got romance on their mind. The three-horse race has had its highs and lows, but it's the playoffs and we got a front-row seat. It's not about heroes and villains anymore, everyone's a bit of both. Each phone here will look at the other two and see the worst of both worlds. Now, can we keep a cool head and try and see the whole picture?
One thing's certain, the Apple iPhone 5s, the LG G2 and the Nokia Lumia 1020 just don't mix. The three platforms are usually targeting a completely different set of users. But each of these gadgets is the best of its species and that's the cross section of everything the industry has to offer at this point.
Apple's iPhone 5s has just hit the shelves, setting a new sales record to be broken yet again a year from now. It looks the same as iPhone 5, but is powered by a brand new 64-bit A7 chip and runs the impressively redesigned iOS 7. Easily the standard-setting touch interface has just got better and the content Apple users have access to is second to none.

The iPhone 5s

Apple iPhone 5s over the LG G2 and Nokia Lumia 1020:

• 64-bit Apple A7 chipset and PowerVR (Series 6) G6430 GPU
• iOS 7 with Siri voice assistant
• Access to the impressively rich App Store
• Touch ID fingerprint scanner
• Premium aluminum build
• Compact size

The LG G2 is the top Android smartphone at the moment (this may as well be the most precarious position of them all, considering the rate at which droid flagships are released). But still, the timing is spot-on and the G2 being what it is has nothing to do with luck. LG has equipped it with the latest Snapdragon 800 chipset, a massive 1080p display and Android 4.2. They didn't shy away from experimenting either, and the result is nothing short of impressive.

LG G2

LG G2 over the iPhone 5s and Nokia Lumia 1020:

• Huge 5.2" IPS True-HD+ FullHD display
• Snapdragon 800 chipset with Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB of RAM
• 1080p@60fps video recording, dual-video recording, video stabilization
• 2.1MP front camera with 1080p@30fps videos
• Great video playback capabilities
• Stereo FM radio with RDS (over the iPhone 5s only)
• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with LG Optimus UI

Finally, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is the most powerful Windows Phone smartphone and by far the best cameraphone, with a 41MP camera sensor, optical image stabilization, xenon and LED, and even 4x lossless zoom. The video recording is limited to 1080p@30fps, but thanks to the HAAC microphones and the lossless 4x zoom you can even film at concerts without compromising the audio or video quality. The Lumia 1020 also has an AMOLED display and a premium polycarbonate unibody, while Windows Phone 8 has an unmatched office package and Nokia's free lifetime voice-guided navigation that also works offline.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia Lumia 1020 over the Apple iPhone 5s and LG G2:

• AMOLED display
• 41 MP camera (38 MP effective, 7152 x 5368 pixels, 1/1.5'' sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size), Carl Zeiss optics, optical image stabilization, auto/manual focus, Xenon & LED flash
• 4x lossless digital zoom, high-amplitude audio capture (HAAC) microphones
• Polycarbonate unibody
• Windows Phone 8 with MS Office, Nokia Drive+, Nokia Pro Cam and Nokia Creative Studio

It's not like each of those phones is only as good as its weakest spot, but it's not as straightforward either as simply praise this one's camera, that one's app store or the other one's full-HD screen. This can easily get out of control and into a three-ring circus, but we're gonna give it a try anyway.

Samsung Galaxy S5 to withstand the elements

Rumors out of Korea indicate that base version of the next iteration of Samsung's Galaxy S flagship line, the Galaxy S5, will come with dust and water resistance. This is similar to the strategy incorporated by Sony in its flagship models like the Xperia Z1, and would be a logical move by Samsung if it aims to stay competitive on all fronts.


If this move turns out to be more than a rumor, it will likely spell the end of future versions of devices like the Galaxy S4 Active, which is essentially a ruggedized version of the current S4 flagship with an IP67 dust and water resistance certification. It's unknown what, if any, IP-rating the S5 will feature.
This bodes well for fans of waterproof flagships in another way as well, as separate waterproof versions like the Active often featured inferior specs compared to the original.
We're curious to see how ruggedizing the Galaxy S flagship will coincide with rumors of a new ultra-premium Galaxy F line, where Samsung will supposedly be exhibiting its A-grade devices that feature metal construction. Perhaps, if the rumors pan out, the S line will become the new Active line, after all?