LG V10 goes official with 2 Displays, 2 Front Facing Cameras and much more!

LG officially announced the high-end V10 smartphone with secondary display and a duo of front-facing cameras. The Korean manufacturer’s latest flagship phablet will hit the shelves in Korea this month in five different color schemes – Space Black, Luxe White, Modern Beige, Ocean Blue, and Opal Blue.

Just as the leaks suggested, the defining feature of the LG V10 is an secondary display located above the handset’s 5.7” QHD unit. The 2.1” additional screen has a resolution of 1040 x 160 pixels and can display app shortcuts and other relevant information in always on mode.

In addition to ints rather unique display setup, LG V10 packs a duo of 5MP front-facing cameras. One of the units has a standard angle lens, while the other on offers a wide angle solution for easy group selfies.

LG V10 features a body with 316L stainless steel frame and display covered by dual-layer Gorilla Glass 4.The removable back cover of the device is made of silicon-like material dubbed Dura Skin.

Specs-wise, LG V10 packs Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable memory via microSD card slot. A fingerprint sensor that’s embedded in the power button, Hi-Fi DAC, full connectivity suite, and 3,000mAh removable battery are also on board. The handset boots Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

The main camera of the smartphone is the same 16MP unit with f/1.8 lens and laser autofocus found in LG G4. This time around, LG has brought manual controls even to the smartphone’s camcorder. Users can even adjust the sound volume of the clips they record.

Physical measures of the LG V10 are 159.6 x 79.3 x 8.6mm. Its weight tips the scale at 192 grams.

LG V10 will also launch in the United States, China, as well as other markets in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Specific launch details about each market will be announced in the near future.

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LG G4 officially unveiled: Fashion and firepower collide in a flagship!

LG just unveiled its next generation flagship – the G4. The highly anticipated smartphone was announced at dedicated events, held simultaneously in London and New York.

LG focused on three main areas in its presentation – design, display and camera. The genuine leather back which was the headline feature in numerous leaks is indeed the key styling element. LG is proud to have employed vegetable tanning, which is typical of the luxury leather industry and only 10% of leather goods are processed this way.

Not all G4s will ship with a leather back though, and the removable plastic cover will come with a hammered pattern in either ceramic white or metallic gray. Each one will be curved though, albeit only slightly, with a 3000mm radius. The company claims that the gentle curve results in better handling and a 20% increase in rigidity.

The LG G4 packs a 5.5-inch display of QHD resolution. LG has opted for a Quantum LCD panel, which is said to deliver outstanding color accuracy. LG claims the new display boasts 20% wider color reproduction, 25% improvement in brightness and 50% higher contrast than the G3.

The new flagship is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, a notch below the 810 top dog. It’s a 64-bit chipset and packs a hexa-core processor in a dual-core Cortex-A57 and quad-core Cortex-A53 arrangement. LG claims that it has worked closely with Qualcomm in customizing the SoC and has achieved a level of performance higher than the Exynos 7420 in daily tasks. 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage are on board, and expansion via microSD is possible.

The smartphone boots Lollipop out of the box with the company’s latest UX 4.0 overlay. LG is keen to point out that UI has been stripped of bloatware and one such example is the use of Chrome as the sole browser in most markets.

The camera of the G4 took center stage in the announcement, and it has all the merits to deserve it. It utilizes a 16MP sensor with a 1/2.6” diagonal, which sits behind a bright f1.8 lens. This means an 11% increase in gathered light over the f1.9 lens in the Samsung Galaxy S6.

The G4 also comes with optical image stabilization which works over three axes, as opposed to the already capable two-axis system on the G3. Additionally, the OIS system is now able to compensate movements up to two degrees in range, compared to the predecessor’s single degree.

The camera app offers a lot of advanced features including high ISO settings, live histogram and manual shutter speed, and is capable of recording RAW images. The G4 is able to shoot panoramas up to a whopping 104MP, compared to the Galaxy S6 which is capped at 60MP. The main camera is complemented by an 8MP front unit and both are capable of shooting 2160p video.

The LG G4 comes with support for wireless charging, but a dedicated back cover will need to be purchased to use it. Otherwise, the supplied 1.8A charger must be used to fill up the 3,000mAh cell. Power users will be happy to know that the battery is user-replaceable, too.

The G4 will be available on its home Korean market starting tomorrow, but the rest of the world will need to wait a bit more. Pricing is yet to be detailed too.

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Android 5.0 Update: Which Smartphones will get Lollipop and When?

The launch of a major software update is an exciting event for any smartphone geek. Updates patch bugs and bring goodies of all sorts, including visual and functional improvements. But an update’s release can be annoying in that it always takes time for the software to arrive. And sometimes, the wait is a lengthy one – it has been six months since Google previewed Android L, which subsequently became Android 5.0 Lollipop, and the update has yet to land on most popular smartphones out there.

Still, it should be easier to cope with the wait when you know how long you’ll be waiting for. That’s why we combed the web in search of official and trustworthy information on the matter. Here’s when the popular Android smartphones are going to get their Lollipop updates. Keep in mind that we’ll be updating the post if/when new information becomes available.

Samsung 

Samsung Galaxy S5 – Android 5.0 Lollipop for the smartphone is already available in a number of markets worldwide, including South Korea, Russia, Malaysia, as well as parts of central and Western Europe. Galaxy S5 owners in the U.S., however, still have Android 4.4.x KitKat running on their handsets. The AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile variants of the smartphone are probably going to get the new software in the coming weeks, although that’s just an assumption.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – While official information on the Android 5.0 update for the Galaxy Note 4 is scarce, rumor has it that the new software should start rolling out before January is out. U.S. carriers are also expected to launch Lollipop on the Galaxy Note 4 within this time frame. Interestingly, Samsung is said to be skipping the 5.0 version of the OS and will update the Galaxy Note 4 straight to Android 5.0.1, which brings along a number of bug fixes.

Samsung Galaxy S4 – Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S4 will get its Lollipop treat, and we’ve already had the chance to see what the new software should look like. However, we’re not exactly sure when the update is going to land on the non-GPe versions of the handset.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – Unofficial Lollipop ROMs for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 have been floating around, but an official update is still nowhere to be found at this point. At least we know that an update to Android 5.0 is definitely in the works and will come sooner or later, most likely after the company’s newer phones have been updated.

Furthermore, Samsung is planning on pushing out Android 5.0 Lollipop updates to the Galaxy Note Edge, Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy S5 Active, Galaxy S5 Mini, and the Galaxy Note 2. We’ll update this post once we learn more details as to when the updated software might launch.

LG 

LG G3 – LG was quick to bring the Android 5.0 Lollipop update to its flagship smartphone; the software has been out since November. Its availability, however, is still limited. So far, we have reports of the update launching in South Korea and select parts of Europe, including Poland and the Nordic countries. Vodafone subscribers in the U.K. have been reached by the update as well, reportedly.

LG G2 – The good news is that LG’s former flagship, the LG G2, will surely be updated to Android 5.0. Unfortunately, we don’t have any specifics as to when the software might launch. What we know is that the Lollipop update will reach the G2 soon after it rolls out to the G3 globally. The new software is expected to update the G2’s UI by bringing the skin currently present on the G3, along with some or all of its perks.

Another smartphone we’re expecting to get Android 5.0 is the LG G Pro 2, but its maker has not announced any update plans yet. Likewise, there’s no word on whether any recent mid-range Android smartphone by LG will get the Lollipop treat.

HTC

HTC One (M8) – Android 5.0 Lollipop was expected to arrive on the One (M8) by January 3, but that didn’t quite happen, obviously. Word on the street has it that the software is actually bound to roll out within 1 to 2 weeks, although we’re assuming that U.S. carriers may take longer to push the update to their subscribers.

Lollipop will not bring a new version of HTC Sense, as thought at first. Or at least that’s what the latest leaks indicate. Of course, this doesn’t rule out the possibility of seeing a Sense 7.0 interface update launched in the future.

HTC One (M7) –  HTC’s former flagship is also in line for an update, but your guess as to when the software might start rolling out is as good as ours. It seems safe to assume that the HTC One will be updated soon after the One (M8) gets the Lollipop update.

In addition, the Android 5.0 Lollipop update is likely to be released for smartphones covered by the HTC Advantage program. These include theHTC One (E8), One Mini 2 (also known as the HTC Remix on Verizon), One Max, and the One Mini. Older devices will take longer to update, we assume.

Motorola

Motorola Moto G (2014) – The Moto G (2014) was one of the first non-Nexus devices to receive an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. That happened back in mid-November, when the software launched for both the US and global versions of the device. However, there’s still a number of markets where the update has not been given the green light yet. Motorola isn’t giving any specific times and dates regarding the software’s further release.

Motorola Moto G (2013) – Yup, last year’s Moto G is getting updated to Lollipop as well. In fact, there have been reports of Android 5.0 already reaching some Moto G owners, although there appear to be many who are still waiting for their update to arrive.

Motorola Moto X (2014) – Android 5.0 launched for the handset back in November, when the Pure Edition of the device was served some Lollipop goodness. The Verizon model followed suit several days later.

In addition to these smartphones, Motorola will update the following handsets to Android 5.0 Lollipop: Motorola Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, Droid Mini, Moto E, and the 2013-edition Motorola Moto X.

Sony

Sony Xperia Z3 – First, the good news: the Xperia Z3 will most likely be the first non-GPe Sony smartphone to get the Android 5.0 update. As for the not-so-good news, the new software is going to take about a month more to arrive; Sony is aiming for an early February roll-out.

Sony Xperia Z2 – The Xperia Z2 should get its Lollipop dose soon after the software hits the Xperia Z3. This means we’re probably going to see the update launching in February.

Sony Xperia Z1 – There’s definitely an Xperia Z1 Android 5.0 update in the works, but, to no surprise, the Z2 and Z3 are being prioritized over the former flagship. If you’re an Xperia Z1 owner, you might want to brace yourself with patience.

As for the rest of the Xperia lineup, Sony has confirmed that all of its premium Z-series smartphones and tablets will be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop. These include the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z3v, Xperia Z3 Compact, and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

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What to Expect from CES 2015 Next Week: Smart Appliances, Smart Cars, Drones and much more Weird Stuff!

The next Consumer Electronics Show is right around the corner. We will provide you with in-depth news and videos on the latest tech from the show floor. But since we’re already super excited about the show, we thought we would give you our top 15 predictions for what you can expect to see at CES 2015.

New Oculus Rift headset will be revealed: It seems like Oculus revealed its new Crescent Bay prototype just yesterday, but by the time CES 2015 rolls around, it will be six months old. Crazy how time flies. Since then, the company has acquired camera/hand-tracking company Nimble VR. While the acquisition was recently made, Oculus told us at last year’s CES that the company was working on technology that would allow you to see your hands in-game. Could the new prototype finally offer this capability?

More VR peripherals: Speaking of Oculus Rift, expect copycat VR headsets at the show. In addition, expect more VR controllers. Everybody’s trying to find the best solution to allow you to control VR, so expect to see many wacky endeavors in that space.

The Internet of Things things: As much as we hate the term “The Internet of Things,” you can expect to see smarter appliances like microwaves, fridges, and more that are hooked up to the web.

Smarter cars: A lot of people seem to gloss over the fact that cars are a big part of CES. As a matter of fact, they usually take up an entire hall of the convention center. While you shouldn’t expect driver-less cars for sale anytime soon, you can expect to see a more robust system of driver-assisted cars with online integration.

Wearables: Last year, we saw a slew of wearable devices. As a result, many people thought 2014 was going to be “the year of the wearable.” That hasn’t exactly panned out, but we’ll probably see a maturation of many of those products this year. One added benefit of wearables is that they allow you to closely track your fitness. As a result, you can expect many of these devices to cater to the health sector.

No Steam Machines: Last year, Valve debuted its Steam Machines at CES 2014. If you’re thinking Valve will be there again this year, you’re likely mistaken. Valve told us that it won’t have a presence at this year’s CES. Luckily, the company did tell us that it is “planning to be at GDC in a big way.” The company also added that this announcement will pertain to the Steam Machines. GDC 2015 happens March 2–6 , so you won’t have to wait too long after CES to hear more from Valve.

Beyond 4K: Dell initially revealed its 5K monitor to us back in September, and Apple has since released its 5K iMac. With that in mind, expect more 5K (and higher) displays at the show.

More sophisticated 3D Printers: With each passing year, 3D printers are picking up steam. Expect a new wave of 3D printers to take advantage of the burgeoning market. We could see faster printers, printers with integrated scanners, or printers that can print using a wider variety of materials.

Faster components: This one’s a given, but you should expect to see faster computers, parts, processors, and everything else at CES. Intel and Nvidia will be on the show floor, so it wouldn’t be a big leap to suppose both companies will be showing off new products.

New chassis/PCs: Pretty much all of the desktop vendors are going to be there, and that means you should expect to see some new computer designs/cases. Small form factor PCs were pretty big last year, and you should expect to see more of those, along with perhaps a few quirky surprises.

Lack of Microsoft: We asked Microsoft if it will have a presence at this year’s CES, but the company said that it wouldn’t. If you’re looking to hear more about Windows 10, however, you won’t have to wait too long, considering Microsoft is planning its own Windows 10 event January 21.

More PC peripherals: Expect more variations on mechanical keyboards, gaming mice, and headsets to be on display at the show. RGB devices will be big this year, but hopefully, we’ll see new, interesting devices like Roccat’s wireless Sova mechancial gaming keyboard.

Drones: Drones are the new hotness. You can thank Amazon’s Prime Air faux advertisement for that. Whether or not these drones actually take off (pardon the pun), expect to see a new wave of remote-controlled drones at this year’s CES. Let’s just hope no packages fall on people’s heads.

More media streaming devices: We all know media streaming boxes aren’t new, but with physical media reaching a point of near obsolescence, you should expect to see more of these devices. Hopefully, they’ll be able to stream more than just Netflix movies.

Weird stuff: The truth is, CES tends to showcase the good along with the ridiculous. A lot of quirky products like Razer’s Project Christine, for instance, never actually see the light of day. Expect to see a bunch of other wacky doodads that will either go nowhere or simply find a small niche.

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Here’s the LG G3 Dummy Ahead of its Launch!

Another day, another LG G3 leak. We have already seen it all – press renders, live images, official accessories and what not? Today, we get to see the dummy unit of the upcoming LG G3 smartphone, which was spotted in a store in Korea.

The images reconfirm that the smartphone will come out with ultra-thin bezels and will feature redesigned back buttons as compared to the G2. The dummy unit also shows the positioning of the USB port, 3.5 mm audio jack and the IR blaster. We also get to see the default wallpaper of the G3.

We know that the G3 will sport a 5.5-inch IPS QHD display and will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with quad-core CPU and 3GB of RAM. The 13 megapixel rear snapper with OIS and the 2.1 megapixel front facing shooter will complete the camera department.

A recent leak also confirmed the price of the device. LG G3 will house a 3,000mAh removable batteryand will run on the new Optimus UI out of the box.

Meanwhile, LG has released promo videos to build up hype before the official announcement, but with most of the information already out, the company has less room for pulling any surprises at its event on May 27. Here’s one:

We will be bringing you all the latest news from the event along with our first impressions on the LG G3. So, stay tuned!