HOW TO FIX EVASI0N7 BUGS IN IOS 7 JAILBREAKING

Recently guys from evasi0n have found a way to jailbreak all the iDevices running on iOS7

evasi0n Jailbreak

There are some bugs in this Jailbreaking method,some of the commons bugs that you may find are given below

• whatsapp and facebook app crashes,In whatsapp when downloading any picture or video it crashes and exits and Facebook crashes when loading.
• Camera and photo album not opening and while uploading photos or videos n any messenger like whatsapp facebook and tango etc the app crashes and exits

Now here is the solution to fix these bugs and its pretty simple

1. Restore iphone via itunes with DFU mode
2. Jailbreak without restoring from backup
3. Then you can restore from your itunes back up after jailbreak. 

Publisher: Unknown - 23:10

HOW APPLE SAVED US FROM THE UGLY QWERTY'S

You in the back old days smartphones weren't quite stylish as they are now.Today's big names in the market are the iPhone 5s,Galaxy S4,HTC One,Lumia 1020,Nexus 5 etc.

 In fact, as Business Insider’s Jay Yarrow points out that pretty much every phone released at around the same time as the first iPhone had a boxy, unattractive build highlighted by a tiny, pixel-poor display crowded out by full QWERTY keyboard. Although BlackBerry showed that it was certainly possible to make stylish QWERTY smartphones during its heyday, these devices were the exception and not the rule.

Take a look at the top phones from 6 years ago

While we take touchscreen smartphones for granted today, many within the mobile industry thought at the time that Apple was taking a big risk by not attaching a physical QWERTY keyboard to its flagship device. Most notorious among the skeptics was Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who famously ridiculed the iPhone as a device that business users would avoid in droves because it lacked a keyboard.

And this is were we say thanks to Apple because if apple hadn't  taken that big risk.Who knows wat kind of smartphones we would be having today.Even the Apple  haters will have to give a big applause for Apple because what they did changed the entire face of the smartphone industry.

The iPhone didn’t just change consumers’ expectations for what a phone should be able to do but also for how a phone should look. Proud Galaxy S4, HTC One, BlackBerry Z10 and Lumia 1020 owners all have Apple to thank for pushing their favorite companies to make better devices.

Publisher: Unknown - 03:31

ANDROID FIGURES ARE NOTHING WHEN COMPARED TO APPLE'S

Apple doesnt care much about the market share and the reason is given below.Its because of its valuable customers who are ready to spend a couple of $,Thats why Apple doesnt give much importance to developers because they get more revenue from the ordinary users.

One of the big problems with focusing on a broad metric like mobile platform market share is that it ignores some of the more important  questions about how these platforms are actually used.

For example, which customers are most valuable in terms of spending money?

According to IBM analytics, over Christmas U.S. iOS users drove 5x the total online sales of U.S. Android users — driving 23 percent of transactions versus 4.6 percent for Android.

On average, iOS users spent $93.94 per order compared to $48.10 for Android users: almost twice the figure. iOS also led the way in terms of overall traffic, with 32.6 percent vs. 14.8 percent for Android.

These figures over a strong counterpoint to the suggestion that Apple is being battered by Google when it comes to mobile operating systems.

While developers will ultimately prioritize whichever platform is most dominant, the not-insignificant matter of who is most likely to spend money is one that is not going to go unnoticed.

Publisher: Unknown - 22:23

ANDROID IN THE CAR GETS REAL

Google and Audi plan to announce a partnership to build in-car dashboard systems based on Android, according to a new report.

The deal will be rolled out Jan. 7 at the big International CES trade show in Las Vegas, says The Wall Street Journal, with the companies also set to reveal others involved in the collaboration, including Nvidia.

Android would likely replace Audi’s in-house platform, called MMI, which already uses Google Maps and Google Earth data. The Android initiative would compete in the marketplace against Apple’s iOS in the Car, announced last June at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, and also MirrorLink, developed by the Car Connectivity Consortium.

Google is reportedly intending to use Miracast to connect Android devices and in-dash screens and computers. Earlier reports said Google would announce at CES an industry consortium and new communications standards for the Android in the Car initiative.

Even high-end electric automaker Tesla may be embracing Android. Tesla chief Elon Musk announced earlier this year his decision to add Android emulation and a Google Chrome browser to the 17-inch screens in Model S cars. Both Tesla-specific apps and general-purpose Android apps could run on it, according to reports. The new Android support could hit cars by late next year, according to Musk.

For those who can’t wait for Android in the Car, it’s also possible to just build a Nexus 7 into the dash.

Actually, all these reports of Android coming to cars is fantastic news. That means iOS in the Car will have some real and open competition that’s more aggressive and flexible than MirrorLink, which probably won’t be able to hold its own against the Silicon Valley giants.

Publisher: Unknown - 22:03

SAMSUNG WITH ITS NEW 4GB DDR4 MOBILE DRAM

Samsung has been working hard lately and it paid off,Today Samsung announced its 8Gb (that's 1GB) LPDDR4 mobile DRAM chip. This is not only the industry's first LPDDR4 mobile DRAM, but it's also the first mobile DRAM to fit such a high density (8 gigabits) on a single die. Four of those dies can successfully be combined for a total of 4GB of mobile memory - an amount that so far has not been achieved commercially.

Fabricated on the 20nm manufacturing process, the new mobile LPDDR4 chips promises to be 

• 50% faster than the fastest LPDDR3 memory
• Consumes 40% less power at 1.1 volts.

Now thats an impressive feat and will be well received through out the entire phone industry.

The data transfer speeds the new 8Gb LPDDR4 DRAM chip can achieve are 3,200Mbps per pin - twice the speed of currently produced 20nm LPDDR3 DRAM.

Samsung also hints that the resulting 4GB RAM modules will be included in "UHD smartphones, tablets and ultra-slim notebooks," which paints a picture  about the jump in smartphone screen resolution going on now. Perhaps even the upcoming Galaxy S5 may be one of those UHD smartphones.

To utilize that kind of memory, the Galaxy S5 will need a 64-bit CPU architecture. Good thing Samsung promises it's 64-bit SoC will be ready in time for the phone's announcement (usually in the first half of the year).So we can expect the Galaxy S5 to be a heavily packed smartphone.

Publisher: Unknown - 11:07

HOW TO ROOT GALAXY S4 THE EASY WAY

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Download and install Samsung’s USB Drivers.

2. Pull down the notification bar and tap the Settings icon.

3. Tap More > About Device.

 4. Tap Build Number repeatedly until the device pops up a notification saying “You are now a Developer”.

5. Go back and tap on Developer Options.

6. Turn USB Debugging on.

7. Plug your device in via USB cable and wait for the drivers to install.

8. Download the Motochopper program to your desktop.

Motochopper (the download is in the first post in the thread)

9. Extract the .zip file to your desktop.

10a. Double click the run.bat file inside the the newly extracted folder if on Windows.

10b. If on a mac, open Terminal (inside Applications > Utilities) and then type the following into Terminal with hitting enter at the end of each line:

cd desktop
cd motochopper
./run.sh

11. Select OK on the device when prompted.

12. Once it’s all done, check for SuperSU in your applications drawer. If it’s there, you’re all set.

Congratzzzz!!! you have successfully rooted your Galaxy S4!!!!!!!!!!

Publisher: Unknown - 10:14

G-ARCH THE NEW SMARTWATCH FROM LG

Now is the time of Smart-watch race and Samsung is leading it with Galaxy Gear.Sony is also a part of it,even-though they had a head start they didn't do well.Besides these two giants Apple & Google are rumoured to be releasing their very own smartwatches soon.So its time for the Korean giant to step into the race as well with its new G-Arch Smartwatch.

Rumor has it that, in concurrence with the launch of the G3, LG will be releasing the G-Arch smart watch and the G-Arch fitness band. The names of the devices are self explanatory, so expect them to have features similar to the Galaxy Gear smart watch and Nike fuel band respectively. In fact, LG had a device akin to Nike's fitness recorder at CES 2013 called the Smart Activity Tracker, so they definitely do have their eyes on wearable tech.

LG hasn't confirmed any specific details on potential wearable devices, but they did confirm that they were planning to release a "wearable product" in the future. A debut at CES 2014 is a safe bet.

Publisher: Unknown - 10:30

OPPO N1 PEPSI EDITION

We have already seen a Cyanogen Mod edition Oppo N1.A Cyanogen Mod edition N1 makes total sense. The team of hackers have been modifying and improving Android software for a very long time now and hackers around the world laud their exploits all across the internet and now there is gonna be a Pepsi Edition.Softdrink & Smartphone i dont know how that combination works out but its true.

The Chinese Pepsi N1 edition comes in a retail packaging sporting the Pepsi colors, and the phone itself is rocking a back cover with the iconic red, white, and blue logo. There's no word on any special software that will come with the phone, aside from a pre-installed Pepsi theme.

If you're a huge Pepsi fan or want this fizz-inspired cola handset, your only shot at getting one is participating in a dedicated contest, held by Pepsi in China. You know, the usual stuff, buy a Pepsi for your chance to win. If any of our lucky readers happens to win the Pepsi N1, let us know, we'd love to share some live images with our readers!

Publisher: Unknown - 10:22

HP MIGHT UNVEIL A LARGE SCREEN ANDROID PHONE THIS MONTH

According to a new report, HP has plans to reenter the smartphone market. The electronics giant allegedly has plans to release large-screen Android smartphones by the end of the year.

The report shows a render of a HP branded smartphone and interestingly, the leak comes in time soon after the Senior Director Yam Su Yin was quoted saying that the company is looking forward to give a re-enter to the smartphone business with a unique model. He said, “HP has to be in the game”.

However, there are is information regarding the specs and pricing of the upcoming handset from HP and no hints are available suggesting the date of availability. Moreover, the only thing that can be speculated as of now is that it will probably be fueled by Android and could possibly feature Snapdragon processor like its predecessor.

HP's upcoming smartphone may take a chance to upgrade the same Pre 3 into a competitive smartphone, basically suitable for the trending market.

Publisher: Unknown - 22:36

WISHING EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS

We hope everyone of you had a wonderful year.We also wish that the upcoming year will be even more wonderful.We wish you all the love in the world along with the peace to enjoy it.


We have seen a wonderful readership from all over the world this past year and we hope to see you all back next year.Christmas is the Blessed season which engages the entire world in a conspiracy of love. Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!

Publisher: Unknown - 22:17

iOS 7 JAILBREAK GOES LIVE

A good news for all those have iDevices running on iOS 7.The guys at evasi0n has finally found a way to jailbreak iOS 7.evasi0n's iOS 6 jailbreak was one of the most popular tools to jailbreak iDevices. However, Apple patched all the exploits that were used by evasi0n through its regular software updates.

Now, evad3rs has released a new version of evasi0n, which can jailbreak your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and iPad mini models that are running on iOS 7.0 through 7.0.4.

The new version is currently compatible with Mac OS X or Windows OS and can be downloaded from the link below.

Here

Note:The process of Jail-breaking is easy to understand,But be sure to follow instructions step by step otherwise you will end up with bricked phone.So only proceed if you are sure about this.

Publisher: Unknown - 21:57

CHRISTMAS THEMED UPDATE ALLOWS YOU TO RUN AS SANTA IN TEMPLE RUN

WE bring a good news for the Temple Run fans,Check out the lastest update for Temple Run 2. It adds a water slide and mysterious artifacts, but it also adds a little Christmas fun. You can now run as Santa and get Santa hats for your characters. It might cost you though. You will need 60 gems to unlock Santa, so hopefully you have them. If not , you will will have to break into your wallet. You can also unlock the Santa hats by finding all the Christmas artifacts. Download link given below.

Publisher: Unknown - 07:07

BEST SMARTPHONES OF 2013

As 2013 is coming to an end,Its time to declare the best smartphones of 2013 and here I have created a list of some of the best phones released in 2013.I also have created 8 categories and named the best phone in that category.Here are the following Categories.

1.BEST DESIGN

Competitors:iPhone 5s,HTC One,Xperia Z,Backberry Z10Winner:HTC One

This category was a little easy because one look at HTC One and you will know its the best design you have seen in 2013.Only Apple's 5s gave it a bit competition but 5s isnt much different from the 2012 iphone 5 so there is nothing new going on.  The well made aluminium body with the convex back.The 2 Boom-sound speakers on the front producing some of the best sound we have ever heard.So we give away this category to HTC One


2.BEST DISPLAY

Competitors:Galaxy Note 3,HTC One,iPhone 5s,LG G2.Winner:Galaxy Note 3

This category was a bit tough.There is iPhone's Retina display  HTC Ones HD display with unparallel pixel density,LG G2's super contrast.So deciding the winner was a bit tough.But when compared the Galaxy Note 3 display beats them all.Its just not  a big display its also the best.The Super AMOLED display with its stunning  clarity , the contrast  t is also impressive and not exaggerated like Galaxy S4. So Note 3 takes this category

3.BEST ANDROID PHONE

Competitors:Galaxy S4,HTC One,LG G2,Xperia Z1,Nexus 5Winner:Galaxy S4

This was one of the toughest Category.There was tough competition especially from LG G2. When Google announced its latest Android Kitkit running on Nexus 5 it almost gave a fatal blow to Galaxy S4.To make matters worst the Nexus was very cheap compared to S4. Then there is HTC One with its perfect design. Xperia Z1's performance and its camera.But S4 hold its ground and it is the fastest selling Android phone.Samsung has shipped millions of S4 around the world.The plastic finish of the S4 is a big downside but the things packed inside covers up for that loss.So looking at the overall factors like Camera,Performance,Battery life,Sleek Design & Cost.We can say that Galaxy S4 owns this Category.

4.BEST WINDOWS PHONE

Winner:Lumia 1020

This was one of the easy category as there isn't much competition going on.Nokia owns Windows market.So obviously the best flagship from Nokia is the best Windows phone on market.This spot was taken by the Lumia 1020 with its amazing 41Mp camera blows your mind away.But camera isn't the only factory the bright AMOLED display,the poly-carbonate case,the smooth performance adding all these up gives you the Best windows phone of 2013 and thats the Lumia 1020.

5.BEST iOS PHONE

Winner:iPhone 5s

Well its the Obvious choice.iPhone 5s with its outstanding design and performance.The latest iOS 7 and the new Finger print ID gave us an idea about things to come in future as Apple is dead serious on security.The 5s has also improved battery life when compared to other iPhones and it has the best Retina display ever.Simply putting we can say that iPhone 5s is the best iPhone Apple has made till now.The only downside is its heavy price tag.

6.BEST VALUE FOR MONEY.

Competitors:Galaxy S4,Xperia Z,Nexus 5,LG Gr,5cWinner:Nexus 5

This was a little easy choice.Nexus 5 is one of the best phones we have seen in 2013. Eventhough other phones best it at performance test.The Nexus 5 inst very far away with performance scores.The Nexus 5 has a good design and its running smoothly on Android Kitkat. But the big factor is that its at least a 100$ cheaper than rest of the smartphones.So we can say that Nexus 5 deserves this spot.

7.BEST PHABLET

Competitors:Lumia 1520,HTC One Max,Note 3Winner:Note 3

Supersized smartphones are now becoming a trend so its best if we pick the best phablet of the year too.Now there was tough competion from Lumia 1520 & HTC One Max.But Note 3 beats them all with ease.Not everyone likes Note 3 but for that money no other phablet in the world gives that much functionality and it have the best display we have ever seen.We can say with no doubts that Note 3 is the King of Phablets

8.BEST PERFORMANCE

Competitors:Galaxy S4,HTC One,Note 3,iPhone 5sWinner:iPhone 5s

The category everyone has been waiting for.I am sure Android fans wont be happy with the decision and probably will think i am a Apple boy.But let me tell you something i own a Galaxy S4 and know how good Android is and the decision is unbiased.Everyone believes how a dual core 1.3GHz 5s can compete with Android phones with Quad-core & Octa-core cloacked at over 2GHz but let me tell you its not all about numbers. Here is the reason

As Extensive testing performed by well respected device reviewer Anand Lal Shimpi revealed that 5s doesnt just keep up with Android phones when it comes to performance it slaughters them.A lot of factors contribute to this outstanding performance.Among them are the optimizations in iOS and the overly criticized Retina display of Apple.Its true that Retina display packs far fewer pixels than the Full HD screens of Android phones.But iPhones display is still among the best there and with fewer pixels spread across a smaller 4 inch panel means it takes less oomph to power them and it also has an impressive pixel density of 326 ppi.

Now the other big factor in play is the new iOS 7.With the new iOS 7 update there are some bugs on the iPhone than ever before.Each new update trims these bugs and when it comes to app performance and user experience Apple is in a level of its own with no rivals to compare.So far the only downsides of Apple iPhones i have seen is the restrictions imposed by Apple but these restrictions are all meant for improving security.The big set back is the enormous price tag of the iPhones. But looking overall iPhone is one awesome device.

Publisher: Unknown - 22:30

JOLLA IS NOW ON SALE ACROSS EUROPE

Jolla is selling out like hot cakes,the initial units were sold out quickly in Finland.The Jolla online store is now live and smartphone is in stock accross European countries like Norway and Switzerland.You can order yours for €399 plus €15 shipping expenses.

The Jolla smatphone is expected to reach more regions in the following year.If Jolla is a success it will make a significant impact on the market dominated iOS & Android.

The Sailfish OS is based on Nokias MeeGo which was seen in N9 and the good news is its compatible with lots of Android apps through the pre-installed Yandex store.

Publisher: Unknown - 20:05

SAMSUNG GONNA UNVEIL THEIR TIZEN PHONE AT MWC 2014

The wait is finally over as the Korean giant Samsung in cooperation with intel who also a member of the Tizen alliance have sent out invites for a press event in February and its going to take place a day before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The invite didnt specify the type od device they are gonna announce but it did say Samsung will show off Tizen Os running on devices.

According to analyst Geoff Blaber of CCS Insight, Samsung has to show commercial devices at the Mobile World Congress. This would make Tizen their strong backup if Anroid takes a turn for the worse.

Back in November, 36 companies chose to back Tizen, including Panasonic, eBay, Sharp, McAfee, and Intel just to name a few.

More light will be shed on this aspect as Samsung and Intel unveils Tizen on February 23 when the event is scheduled.MWC 2014 will take place in Barcelona from February 24 to 27,So check back with us to find more about Tizen

Publisher: Unknown - 19:46

UK WILL BE GETTING PINK GALAXY S4

Good news for girls in UK because Galaxy S4 is gonna be coming in pink color very soon.UK retailer Phones4u has already announced that it will be exclusively be offering the Samsung Galaxy S4 in Pink early next year.They seem to make it a special deal for the upcoming Valentines Day

The color option comes in addition to the standard White and Blue colors and there is an other Blue color. With this Phones4u claims this means it offers the widest range of color options in the UK.

The pink Galaxy S4 will be available for pre-order starting in early January 2014 for new contracts and upgrades. 

The phone will be free with a 

£33 contract (3G data)

£38 contract (4G data). 

The choice of carriers is Vodafone, E, Orange and T-Mobile.

Phones4u will also throw in a wireless speaker – the retailer doesn’t specify make or model, saying only it usually costs £120.

Note: pink Galaxy Note 3 and pink Galaxy S4 mini are also available in the market

Publisher: Unknown - 03:11

GOOGLE'S SMARTWATCH MIGHT RELEASE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS

As an answer to Samsung's Galaxy Gear & Apple’s nonexistent “iWatch.Google is coming up with its own smart-watch According to a report on Tuesday from The Wall Street Journal, Google plans to launch a smart-watch within the next few months. The report mirrors earlier rumors suggesting Google’s intelligent assistant Google Now will play a key role on the device, but adds a few details. “The smart-watch will be able to communicate with other devices such as a smartphone, and draw information such as travel schedules from a user’s email through Google Now,” a source told the paper. WSJ also says that Google has been working hard to provide decent battery life on its smart-watch, though the bar has not been set particularly high,if Google manages to set this high it will easily overtake Samsung's Gear when its launched because Gears charge only lasts about a day and its a nightmare to charge it again with its charging cradle

Publisher: Unknown - 21:02

iWATCH MAY LAUNCH IN OCTOBER 2014

Now there is a tough competition going on about wearables,and Samsung is wining it with its Samsung Gear.The iWatch rumor mill has grown suspiciously quiet over the past month, but the latest report might be the most exciting and substantial yet. According to C Technology, inside sources say that Apple’s smartwatch will be revealed alongside the next iPhone in October 2014. The report also states that Apple is making solid progress with its wearable prototypes, which currently feature 100 mAh batteries and the ability to charge wirelessly from up to one meter away from the charging station. As C Technology points out, the battery seems oddly small in its current state, especially considering the 315 mAh battery in the Galaxy Gear. Of course, this is only a prototype, and the battery will likely see an increase in size in the final model. That said, despite the larger battery of the Galaxy Gear, plugging the Gear into its charging cradle is a nightmare, so the wireless charging capabilities of the iWatch will be a welcome change

Publisher: Unknown - 20:50

NO ANDROID DEVICES FROM NOKIA

All those big talks about Nokia releasing android phones and all is now officially over. Chinese site CTechnology has some insider info about the status of the project, though, and the news isn't good.

The Android development was led by Peter Skillman, former VP MeeGo UX and Services Design and current Head of Design for HERE. Skillman was also VP of Design at Palm until 2010 around the time the Palm Pre came out.

All in all, if we had to pick someone to do a fork of Android, Peter Skillman sounds like the guy for the job. And Nokia was reportedly working on several Android devices, including a 7" tablet powered by Snapdragon 400.

These developments were done separately from the division that is going to Microsoft, but as part of that deal Nokia can't sell Nokia-branded phones for two years and a new brand is almost not possible now

So Android phones are out of the picture for now, Nokia will instead focus on wearables – augmented reality and flexible displays, wireless power transmission and electromagnetic energy generation are quoted as the things that will set a Nokia wearable apart from the competition. A Nokia smartwatch may not be part of the package though as that project is reportedly headed to Microsoft.

Publisher: Unknown - 20:41

APPLE'S TRYING TO INTEGREATE ITSELF INTO OUR EVERY DAY LIFE

Apple’s big push to integrate itself even further into your daily life might be right around the corner. When the latest iOS 7.1 beta was sent to developers on Friday, 9to5Macnoticed an interesting inclusion to the Restrictions Settings menu: a toggle for Car Display. Apple originally announced iOS in the Car quite a while ago, but it was not ready for the initial release of iOS 7, and so it was pushed back for a future update.

“iOS in the Car seamlessly integrates your iOS device — and the iOS experience — with your in-dash system,” according to the description on Apple’s website. “Now you can easily and safely make phone calls, access your music, send and receive messages, get directions, and more.”

Although there are no assurances that iOS in the Car will be finished in time for iOS 7.1, the evidence from the beta release speaks for itself.

Publisher: Unknown - 23:34

MICROSOFT BRIBES SAMSUNG TO PRODUCE WINDOWS PHONE

In addition to mentioning several unconfirmed details about upcoming Windows Phone 9 changes, Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin has also revealed an even more interesting note about Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone plans: apparently the Redmond-based giant plans to pay an astounding $1 billion “bribe” to another tech behemoth to ensure that it continues making Windows Phone handsets. “Another ‘good’ news from Microsoft,” Murtazin wrote on Twitter. “Company negotiates withSamsung and offer $1 billion support if vendor will produce Windows Phone devices.”

While this is just a rumor at this point, it wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft puts its cash reserves behind the development of Windows Phone, which is yet to pick up significant market share or profits in a world dominated by Android and iOS. The company paid Nokia $250 million per quarter to adopt Windows Phone, even though the Finnish company “returned” the favor with Windows Phone licensing fees – in March 2013, Nokia revealed that it still had to pay around $650 in licensing fees from that point until the contract expired, at which point licensing fees would surpass Microsoft’s “platform support payments.”

Microsoft did not stop with its Windows Phone spending spree there, deciding to buy the mobile division of Nokia for over $7 billion, a purchase that has received the go ahead from shareholders and industry regulators. Also worth noting is that Microsoft incentive developers with serious cash to bring their apps to the Windows Phone ecosystem.

As for Samsung, the South Korean company is currently king of the mobile business when it comes to market share, while dividing mobile profits with Apple, although the latter gets the larger chunk of cash each quarter. In addition to its Android and Tizen interests, Samsung already makes Windows Phones handsets and Windows 8 computers.

The company has been known to avoid placing its eggs in one basket when it comes to its mobile business and flooding the market with handsets to match every taste and pocket, so making Windows Phone smartphones may still be in the cards for Samsung for the near future, regardless of whether Murtazin’s rumor is correct or not. One thing that Microsoft is also said to be considering is dropping licensing fees for Windows Phone, which could also be a good enough incentive for interested OEMs to make more Windows Phone devices.

Publisher: Unknown - 23:19

NORMANDY THE ANDROID PHONE FROM NOKIA

Nokia is said to be readying a low-cost Android phone for release next year according to multiple sources familiar with the company’s plans. Codenamed Normandy, and known internally at Nokia under a number of other names, the handset is designed as the next step in low-end phones from the Finnish smartphone maker. We understand that Nokia has been testing “Normandy” with a special “forked” variant of Android that’s not aligned with Google’s own version, akin to what Amazon does with its Kindle Fire line.

An image of the handset was published in November by @evleaks, showing a Lumia-style device with no apparent capacitive buttons for navigation. We’re told that Normandy supports Android applications like Skype, and other popular top apps. Nokia has been developing the Android-powered phone despite Microsoft’s plans to acquire the company’s handset business. It’s now unclear whether Nokia will release the handset before the Microsoft deal is finalized, or whether Microsoft will continue with the plans for the device.

Multiple sources have revealed that Normandy is designed as an Asha equivalent to push low-cost devices with access to more traditional smartphone apps — something the company has struggled to achieve for its Series 40-powered Asha line. Nokia’s effort is similar to Amazon’s own use of Android, allowing the company to customize it fully for its own use. Nokia employees working on Normandy were informed the device is planned as a 2014 release, and one insider described the Normandy effort as "full steam ahead." Unless Nokia manages to release Normandy ahead of its Microsoft deal, we can’t imagine Microsoft is interested in using Android to target the low-end over its own Windows Phone operating system.

Publisher: Unknown - 23:06