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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs. Galaxy Note 2

With Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumors swirling, and firming up, it’s time to take a look at how the rumored Galaxy Note 3 is stacking up against the current Galaxy Note model, theSamsung Galaxy Note 2.

Last August, Samsung took to the stage in Berlin, Germany and showcased the its latest in its line of Galaxy Note phablets. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 replaced the original Galaxy Note, upping the screen size and improving the S Pen stylus, and hitting numerous carriers in the United States including Verizon Wireless.

The device, while aging, remains one of the top choices on the Android platform thanks to its high-end hardware, unique software that takes full advantage of the S Pen and a massive display that is perfect for those that like to stay production whilst on the go. While the Galaxy Note 2 is a fantastic smartphone, the lives of all smartphones come to an end and the end of the Galaxy Note 2′s life appears to be closer than ever as rumors of a third-generation Galaxy Note model mount.

Rumors suggest that Samsung is currently developing a new Galaxy Note, dubbed Samsung Galaxy Note 3, that will be hitting shelves sometime later on this year to replace the Galaxy Note 2. Some details remain a mystery, including its exact design, but we already have a very good bead on what to expect from the Galaxy Note 3 when it touches down on shelves.

Of course, while the Galaxy Note 3 will indeed be replacing the Galaxy Note 2 as the company’s flagship, it won’t be replacing the Galaxy Note 2 completely. Instead, the Galaxy Note 2 will remain on shelves as a very viable option for those looking to snag a new smartphone. In fact, we expect there to be a bit of an internal battle between the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Note 2 in just a few months.

So how is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 stacking up against the Galaxy Note 2? Here, we take a look at everything we know so far about this brewing match up.

Release Date

The Galaxy Note 3 launch date is rumored for September 4th.

Obviously, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date has come and gone which means that the device is only biding its time before its flag is lowered and a new flagship Galaxy Note emerges. That Galaxy Note is said to be the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which has quickly become one of the most heavily rumored smartphones of the year.

Like the Galaxy S4, Samsung has been unable to quell leaks and the Galaxy Note 3 has leaked out numerous times over the past few months. One of the details that has leaked out is the Galaxy Note 3 launch date which is thought to be similar to the launch dates of the previous Galaxy Note models.

In the past, Samsung has used IFA 2013 as a springboard for its Galaxy Note announcements and signs are pointing to a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 arrival at or around IFA 2013. At the moment, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launch date has been pegged for an Unpacked event on September 4th, just two days ahead of IFA. Samsung typically hosts its own event outside IFA and then uses the show to showcase its device.

Earlier this year, Samsung hosted its Unpacked Episode 1 event for the Samsung Galaxy S4 and that likely means that Episode 2 will be for the Galaxy Note 3. As for its release date, it’s said to be possibly be coming in late September, though no date has been given. The release date, or at least a release window, will likely be given at the event.

Design

Early on, rumors suggested that Samsung was toying with several different Samsung Galaxy Note 3 designs including one that was made of metal. More recently, rumors have insisted that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will not take on a metal design but instead, will utilize a plastic design like its predecessors and the well-known Galaxy S4.

In fact, the device is said to have a design that is similar to the Galaxy S4, which could mean that Samsung will use more durable plastic and a faux-metal band around the side of the device. It could also mean that it will have rounded corners.

The Galaxy Note 3 design is said to borrow from the Galaxy S4′s.

Rumors also suggest that Samsung will be trimming the Galaxy Note 3 down from the dimensions of the Galaxy Note 2. While the Galaxy Note 2 checked in with a 9.4mm frame and a weight of 180 grams, the Galaxy Note 3 is expected to be slimmed down to around 8mm and weight just a tad over 180 grams at 182 grams. The difference is likely due to the rumored increase in display size.

If the display does increase, consumers should expect the Galaxy Note 3 to be taller than the Galaxy Note 2 and possess a bit larger of a footprint. Those that need a visual can simply take a look at what Samsung did with the Galaxy S4 which is taller and slimmer than the Galaxy S3.

Users should also expect a microSD card slot for expanded memory and a removable back for use with wireless charging and an extended battery, hallmarks of Samsung’s plastic designs.

Display

Samsung’s Galaxy Note series is known for its large displays and from the looks of things, it appears that the company will not only be improving the resolution from the Galaxy Note 2 display to the Galaxy Note 3′s, but it will also be increasing the size.

The Galaxy Note 3 display could be larger than the Galaxy Note 2′s 5.5-inch display.

Rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 3 display will check in somewhere between 5.7-inches and 6-inches. If true, that means that it will be increased anywhere from .2-inches to a full .5-inches.

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While the Galaxy Note 2 display checked in with 720p HD resolution, the Galaxy Note 3 is all but confirmed to be coming with 1080p resolution like the Galaxy S4 before it. That should mean a higher resolution and it should also mean a higher pixel-per-inch count. The increased resolution and higher PPI will translate into better looking content and games.

Camera

Samsung decided to keep the cameras on the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note relatively the same, outfitting them with 8MP rear cameras that produced solid photos and 1080p video.

The Galaxy Note 3 is thought to have a 13MP camera.

Camera rumors have come into focus for the Galaxy Note 3 and suggest that it will be coming with a 13MP camera sensor, same as the Galaxy S4. If true, it will likely mean that the Galaxy Note 3 will offer better photo and video quality while also allowing for better content shot in low-light.

One of the draw backs of the Galaxy Note cameras has been their low-light quality and Samsung could potentially change that with this new sensor. What’s more is that the camera could come with 3X optical zoom, something that would potentially put it in another league not only when it comes to the Galaxy Note series but smartphones in general.

Processor & RAM

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 arrived with a Exynos 4 quad-core processor from Samsung, which at the time was at the top in terms of quality. However, since then, Samsung and other companies have introduced new chips that offer improved performance and better battery life.

Two of those chips are the Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor from Qualcomm and the Exynos 5 Octa octo-core (but really quad-core) processor from Samsung. Both of these chips were introduced at CES 2013 and replaced CPUs from last year.

Both of these chips are rumored to be inside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and it could be that Samsung, like it did with the Galaxy S4, splits them up based on region. It’s also entirely possible that we could see one dominate throughout though that remains uncertain. What is certain is that whatever chip is inside the Galaxy Note 3 will likely dominate the chip in the Galaxy Note 2, both from a performance and a battery saving standpoint.

The Galaxy Note 3 is also rumored to have 3GB of RAM as opposed to the 2GB RAM found in the Galaxy Note 2. If true, it will help increase performance on the new Galaxy Note.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note series is known for its powerful software. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 arrived with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on board, one of the first devices to possess the software out of the box, and it also delivered powerful features for the device’s S Pen stylus including the popular S Note note taking application and the well-known Multi-View Feature.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 remains on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean though an Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update, loaded with features from the Galaxy S4′s version of TouchWiz, is supposedly en route sometime this quarter. Galaxy Note 2 owners should also expect to receive a number of the Galaxy Note 3′s features down the road as well.

The Galaxy Note 3 software should feature hints from the Galaxy S4.

Those software features remain unknown though one rumor suggests that the device will usher in a camera feature called Samsung Orb that is similar to the 360 panorama feature, Photo Sphere, which is found in Android 4.2.

It’s clear that the Galaxy Note 3 will have some of the software found on the Galaxy S4, the Galaxy Note 2 borrowed from the Galaxy S3 after all, though unique features, particularly when it comes to the S Pen, remain firmly in the shadows.

Carriers

Samsung’s new Galaxy Note should arrive on the usual suspects.

One of the biggest upgrades that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 had was a multiple carrier launch. While the original Galaxy Note was stuck on AT&T and T-Mobile, the Galaxy Note 2 arrived on all five of the largest service providers in the U.S.

And with the Galaxy Note 2 as successful as it is, and with the same carriers picking up the Galaxy S4, we expect AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon to all offer the Galaxy Note 3.

The only hint of a carrier thus far was a rumor that claimed that Samsung was meeting with executives to show off a Galaxy Note 3 prototype ahead of its launch. AT&T has been a close partner of Samsung, launching several Galaxy S4 branded smartphones and the past two Galaxy Note models, so at the very least we should see AT&T.

Price

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 hasn’t fluctuated much through carriers though it has seen its price drop by $100 at carriers other than Verizon where it remains at a lofty $299.99 on-contract. Of course, now that the Galaxy Note 2 is old, retailers like Amazon are hosting huge discounts on the Galaxy Note 2 so buyers would be wise to check those prices before purchasing through a carrier.

Needless to say, regardless of the Galaxy Note 3′s price, the Galaxy Note 2 will be the cheaper option of the two and it will remain that way until carriers put an EOL (End of Life) status on the former flagship.

As for the price of the Galaxy Note 3, nothing has leaked out yet, but consumers can be sure that the pricing will fall in line with previous years. That likely means $299.99 on-contract with T-Mobile offering the device somewhere in the vicinity of $550 and $650.

PureGear's Retro Game Cases Are Available For The Samsung Galaxy S4 – $29.99 With Free Ground Shipping

Do you ever feel like you're a little too productive? If the tiny glowing screen of unlimited entertainment in your pocket hasn't already robbed you of all motivation, there are the PureGear Retro Game Cases. These neat wrap-around cases have just been released for the GS4, and they look fun.

  

Each of these cases does the normal case-type stuff. You know, protects the phone and such. However, each one has a small maze game with beads embedded in the back. There are three varieties to choose from:

• Amazing: Navigate the ball through the challenging maze from start to finish
• Groovy: Maneuver the balls until all are in the center at the same time in a game of wits
• Undecided: Hold vertically and shoot the ball for a magically [sic] answer to your question

The Retro Game Cases take up a bit more space than a regular one might, but they're unique and very cool. Each brightly-colored case is $29.99 and comes with free ground shipping. Yes, it looks like they cover the speaker. Bummer.

[PureGear]

Flashify Lets Root Users Flash Boot, Recovery, And Zip Updates, Backup Kernels And Recoveries To Dropbox, And More

If you're a heavy custom ROM user or a dedicated modder, you want this app. Flashify is a brand-spankin' new tool for root users with a ton of advanced function, specifically tailored to those who use custom recoveries, kernels, and boot images. The app can flash any of them right from Android, automatically rebooting your phone and applying your changes. It can do the same with more generalized Zip update files as well.

  

But wait, there's more! Flashify can also backup your current recovery image and kernel, either to your device's internal memory or SD card, or straight to Dropbox. It works with Android's share menu, so you can send a ZIP or IMG file to Flashify from just about any app with file browsing capabilities. Flashify will keep a record of everything that it's done to your phone or tablet.

Developer Christian Göllner reminds users that flashing files of any kind is potentially dangerous to your device, and offers no guarantee of function or safety. The app has only been tested on Nexus devices so far, but should work for anything running Android 2.2 or later. In other words: make sure you've got a Nandroid backup handy before you start playing around. And of course, you'll need to have a rooted device to use the app.

Flashify is a free download, but it's limited to three flashes per day; a reasonable $1.99 in-app purchase will unlock unlimited use of the app

MEGA Acquires Android App, Makes It The Official Client And Adds New Features

Feeling apprehensive about cloud storage with recent goings on? Well, MEGA might be the cloud for you with 50GB of free encrypted space. There's now an easier way to access your cloud storage with the official MEGA Android app. This isn't new per se – MEGA has acquired the top third-party client and made it official.

 

The app provides full access to all your encrypted online files, with full support for uploads, camera sync, and more. Here is the current feature list:

• Browse your MEGA storage account
• Fast upload and download files from your Android device
• Camera Sync, upload your photos and videos to MEGA automatically
• Search for files within your MEGA account
• Create public link to files in your MEGA account
• Download
• Delete files
• Rename files
• Move files
• Create folders
• New: New design
• New: Using same thumbnails as mega.co.nz All current thumbnails will be removed. To get thumbnails for your images, just re-download them. All new images will have thumbnails.
• New: Fixed bug for some devices when default folder for Camera Sync didn't work
• New: Added option to select absolutely any folder on your device (just press back button a few times)
• New: Other bug fixes and improvements

 

MEGA, the brainchild of MegaUpload's Kim Dotcom, swears up and down it takes privacy seriously. While the future of the service is uncertain given its lineage, 50GB of storage isn't bad.

Snapchat Android update adds transparency, still lacks 'bad judgment' filter

The latest version of Snapchat's Android app cleans up its interface and adds gesture-based navigation controls. Everything from conversation view and the contact list received a once over making it feel more like a platform-native app, even though it's more than a blush similar to the last iOS update. Perhaps the biggest fix is the new shutter button, which is a clear bubble instead of a big blue bar. Now nothing's obscuring your view of a poor snap decision.

VIA: Phandroid
SOURCE: Google Play

Snapchat Android update adds transparency, still lacks 'bad judgment' filter

The latest version of Snapchat's Android app cleans up its interface and adds gesture-based navigation controls. Everything from conversation view and the contact list received a once over making it feel more like a platform-native app, even though it's more than a blush similar to the last iOS update. Perhaps the biggest fix is the new shutter button, which is a clear bubble instead of a big blue bar. Now nothing's obscuring your view of a poor snap decision.

VIA: Phandroid
SOURCE: Google Play

Latest Humble e-book Bundle lets you pick your own price for unicorns

For the next two weeks, you can snag four e-books for whatever price you want with the second Humble e-book Bundle. As always, each contribution benefits whoever you prefer, be it the authors, charity, Humble itself or a combination of the three. If you want access to all six books, as per the Humble pricing model you need to kick in a sum greater than the average $9.40 donation. For less than a few gallons of gas you'll net Wil Wheaton's Just a Geek and Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn in addition to the other four tomes shown below. The sun hasn't set on the first day of this six-pack promo and over $150K's been donated so far. Reading-on-the-beach season's half over, so get crackin'!

• The Last Unicorn - Peter Beagle
• Just a Geek - Wil Wheaton
• Little Brother - Cory Doctorow
• Boneshaker - Cherie Priest
• Spin - Robert Charles Wilson
• Shards of Honor - Lois McMaster Bujold

VIA: Humble Mumble
SOURCE: Humble Bundle

Sony and NTT DoCoMo announce limited edition Hatsune Miku-themed Xperia A

NTT DoCoMo has a heritage of exclusively signing up fictional personalities to hawk its handsets and following the likes of Evangelion, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure andOne Piece, it's the turn of not-actually-real pop idol Hatsune Miku. She'll be emblazoned on DoCoMo's Xperia A, on a limited run of 39,000 handsets. Vocaloid's poster girl offers a turquoise theme to the hardware, with a hair decal on the back. While there's no specific word yet on software-based tweaks, a website explaining the collaboration is inviting suggestions for logos, ringtone and wallpaper. The phone will launch in Japan only this September, so we advise overseas Miku fans to get straight to work on that visa application.

VIA: Engadget Japan
SOURCE: DX39

Apple allegedly preparing "an army of new products" this fall

Apple is allegedly preparing “an army of new products this fall.”Chief executive Tim Cook met with Store Leaders to discuss a number of issues and left them confident in the strength of Apple’s upcoming fall lineup.

Cook organized the meeting in an attempt to boost iPhone sales through Apple Stores. While Apple’s iconic modern glass-decorated stores are extremely efficient in selling MacBooks and iPads, they only sell around 20% of the total number of iPhones sold. The remaining majority of iPhone sales happens via carriers and other channels.

Apple however wants to change this as it considers the iPhone an important gateway into the company’s other products as people who buy it are more likely to buy other Apple devices as well.

Interestingly, we are already seeing the first fruits of that effort in Apple’s just launched Back to School promo campaign offering a $50 gift card towards iPhone purchases for students. The other element of Apple’s strategy to raise awareness about Apple Stores as the best place to buy an iPhone is a trade-in program that is set to launch in the near future. It could also include incentives towards a new iPhone purchase for those that come in store with a damaged handset.

Another topic that Tim Cook discussed with Apple Store Leaders was allegedly a rumor that carrier stores provide incentives to employees to sell devices other than the iPhone. Since Apple cannot do much about this, it is instead concentrating more efforts on selling devices in its own stores.

Cook also spoke about how hugely important iOS is to the company’s future. But the most important piece of news here is the fact that Apple is all ready to ship a brand new selection of iPhone, iPad and Macs this fall. Exciting, isn’t it?

source: 9to5Mac

Six games on sale for Windows Phone till July 9th

It's not a huge July 4th sale, but hey, it's still something. The publishers Electronic Arts, Chillingo and PopCap have discounted six games in total for Windows Phone: Battleship, Bejeweled Live, Contre Jour, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, The Sims 3 and Tetris.

• Battleship (download) is now available for $1.99. Basically, the game represents the popular board game by Milton Bradley – try to destroy your opponent's ships with random shots. New gaming mode is added to improve the game's blandness – Superweapon mode, which boosts the gameplay with numerous weapons. Online multiplayer is supported, yet it takes ages to load. 

• Bejeweled Live (download) is down to $2.99. This is a puzzle game where you have to align three identical gems either horizontally, or vertically, to earn points. Classic, Race the Clock, and Endless are the three available modes to play the game on your Windows Phone device.

• Contre Jour (download) is now $1.99 and it's PhoneArena's pick from the list. The game itself is joy to the senses, starting from the music, going through the gameplay, and finishing with the graphics. One has to manipulate the surroundings in order for Petit, our heroic black ball, to reach the end of the level. Art in the making.

• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit's (download) sale price is $2.99. If you are in a mood for some incandescent races, NFS is your game. Thing is that the difficulty has been raised to the ceiling and there are probably better racing games than this, like Asphalt 5 or Real Racing 2 and 3. Still, if EA's series is your cup of tea, go for it.

• You can get The Sims 3 (download) for $3.99. In this game, you create your own Sim, design their home, send them to work, introduce them to the neighbors, feed them, order them to take a shower; you are a God, intrinsically. Bear in mind that you will be fighting through clumsy interface and long loading times though.

• And, finally, Tetris' (download) new price is $1.99. You know the game, you know the rules, you know the blocks. Gravity and Radical game modes have been included in this version of the game, which makes it even more variegated. Give it a spin if you miss the old days.

Leak saga goes on: Nokia EOS aka Lumia 1020 back plate image confirms 41-megapixel camera

If there ever was an award for most leaked device, the Nokia EOS, aka Nokia Elvis, aka Nokia Lumia 1020, aka Nokia’s camera superphone, would definitely snatch it. We’ve seen it all from all sides, and the leaks just won’t stop days ahead of the official unveiling pegged for July 11th.

Infamous leaker @evleaks is at the center of the whole leak affair and just keeps on teasing. After releasing what looks like a press render of the front of the device, we now get to see the back and it’s just what we’ve seen before - a huge circular cutout for the camera and both a Xenon and LED flash.

This setup definitely seems interesting. If true, that would mean that Nokia would rely on the Xenon flash for well-lit images, and the LED flash light could fire up to reduce red eye effect in images.

The most important piece however is not the flash, it is the number 41 engraved on the back of the NokiaLumia 1020. It’s an obvious indication that the phone features a 41-megapixel camera. That’s the same impressive number of megapixels we saw on the Nokia 808 PureView, and should translate into lossless zoom capabilities and simply outstanding images, beating all other smartphones.

Take a look at the handset right below.

Android now has a real contender

Sony seems to be preparing to launch Firefox version of its Xperia Ein India. As we reported earlier, it is busy testing the phone and is expected to soon release in India. By doing so Sony will save a lot of money as it won't need to develop new hardware; it's just porting that needs to be done. We do not expect Sony to price the phone at Rs 5,000 level. Rather the Firefox version will be priced at same level as Xperia E Android version. Both Firefox and Android are free operating systems so it is only the hardware and development cost which will determine the price. We do not know the timelines of the launch, but we hope that it is sooner than later.

ZTE Open and Alcatel OneTouch Fire, the Firefox OS devices have hit store shelves in Spain, Poland, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil for approximately Rs 5000.
While being very basic with 3.5 inch display, 1 GHz processor and 256 MB RAM, these handsets sport 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS with A-GPS support as well. The OS is very light; hence the phones are expected to perform well despite the skinny specs. There is a 3.15 megapixel primary camera, 512 MB internal storage with micro SD card slot and 2 GB card in the package.

Against the ZTE and Alcatel that have gone to the Spanish corners of the world, Xperia E that comes to India has better specs as to RAM and storage. It has 512 MB RAM and 4GB storage (against 256 MB RAM and 512 MB storage in the Latin American releases of the other companies. And of course, there is the Sony advantage too.

The significance of the launch lies with the fact that Firefox OS is the only challenger to Android in entry level segment to reach the market. While Apple iOS and Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 both compete with Android but only in the mid to high segment. Android has so far had unchallenged reign in entry level smartphone and tablet segment, which is contributing biggest chunk for Android based smartphones.

Firefox OS is made by Mozilla and supports HTML5 based applications, which means that it will be very easy for developers to develop apps for these phones. Also the OS is very light and therefore will not put a lot of drain on phones resources and therefore it is expected that phone like ZTE Open will still run smooth despite having very basic specification.
So why is it that Mozilla chose to ignore India which is by far the largest market for entry level smartphones? Well it has to do more with logistics and distribution issue than anything else, Mozilla has gone for operator driven sales model wherein operators sell the phones.
In India, except a few operators many many sell the phones as they don't have that channel available in India.
However other big reason is the predominance of Indian players in the handset space who are deeply into Android ecosystem and for them to change to offer Firefox OS based devices will take a lot of convincing from Mozilla.

EA discounts classic Windows Phone games by 40%

EA is currently running a promotion where they are discounting their classic Windows Phone games by 40% for the next 6 days.

The deal has  Battleship on sale for $1.99, Bejeweled Live for $2.99, Contre Jour for $1.99, NFS Hot Pursuit for $2.99, Tetris for $1.99, and The Sims 3 for $3.99.

The sale ends next Tuesday. Find the games at the corresponding links above.