Refresh Roundup: week of August 26th, 2013

at 6:50 pm on 10 Sept 2013
Refresh Roundup: week of August 26th, 2013 data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 419};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20709020' !== '') ? 'bsd:20709020' : ''; var postID = '20709020'; var modalMNo = '93399734', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"zachary-lutz", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93399734", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93399733", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Refresh Roundup: week of August 26th, 2013 MobileBypostedSep 1st, 2013 at 9:00 PM 0

Refresh Roundup week of August 26th, 2013

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Official Android updatesSony Xperia S, Xperia SL and Xperia Acro S: Sony has revealed an Android 4.1-based maintenance release for this trio of smartphones, which brings improved white balance and smoother 1080p video capture, improved battery life and better support for Exchange Active Sync. You'll also find the ability to launch Google Now by long-pressing the home button. The update is now rolling out, with its arrival time depending on region and carrier. [Sony]HTC One X and One X+: Continuing its European rollout, an update to Android 4.2.2 and Sense 5 is now available to One X users within the UK. [Android Central]Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0: Android 4.2.2 is now available within the UK for the WiFi version of this tablet, which follows availability for the HSPA+ version in other parts of Europe. [Thanks, Matthew]Sony Xperia Z Ultra: New software for this sizable smartphone brings a keyboard that's optimized for one-handed typing, a new look for the email app and an updated version of X-Reality for Mobile, which is said to improve photo and video quality. [Android Community]Sony Xperia Tablet Z: Android 4.2.2 is now available for the WiFi versions (SGP311 / SGP312) of this tablet, which follows the recent update for the LTE version. In addition to support for 64GB microSD cards, you'll find the virtual navigation buttons are now centered and the notification bar is now at the top of the screen. [Xperia Guide]Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackeryHTC One: A pre-release build of Android 4.3 for the One has been used as the basis for a custom ROM known as MaximusHD, which now sits at version 12.1. The new software is said to perform better than the current stock release, and you'll also find the ability to add your own music to Zoe Share clips. [Phandroid]Nexus 7 (2013): SomethingExplosive 1.2.2 is now available, which brings a handful of tweaks such as superuser, USB tethering and an extended power menu to an Android 4.3 ROM that's built from AOSP source. [xda-developers]Other platformsHTC 8X and 8S: Windows Phone 8 GDR 2 is now available from Bell Mobility and Rogers in Canada, and Verizon Wireless in the US. [MobileSyrup, WPCentral]Refreshes we covered this weekGoogle Keyboard 1.1 update adds long-press number row to tabletsHangouts for Android starts scoring video chats over cellular on AT&TChromecast update breaks local media streaming in third-party apps (updated) when.eng("eng.perm.init")
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Lenovo CEO shares $3.25 million of his bonus with employees (again) after record year

at 9:18 am
Lenovo CEO shares $3.25 million of his bonus with employees (again) after record year data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 419};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20709073' !== '') ? 'bsd:20709073' : ''; var postID = '20709073'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"steve-dent", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Lenovo CEO shares $3.25 million of his bonus with employees (again) after record yearBypostedSep 2nd, 2013 at 3:04 AM 0

Lenovo CEO shares $325 million of his bonus with employees again after record year

After helping Lenovo thrive in the wretched PC industry -- while also making it the number one Chinese smartphone maker -- CEO Yang Yuanqing earned a sizeable bonus. And like last year, he's sharing the wealth with front-line employees, giving $3.25 million of his $14.6 million salary to 10,000 workers in 20 countries. Lenovo grabbed a record $34 billion during its last fiscal year, along with an all-time high $653 million in profit. While the sum he shared may be small compared to that, it's almost a month's pay for the 85 percent who work in China. And we can't say we've seen too many CEOs stateside willing to part with their personal private jet fuel stash.

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Acer announces 10.1-inch Iconia A3 Android tablet for €249 and up

at 12:15 am

Acer Launches a Touch More Entertainment with 10.1" Android Tablet
@ IFA 2013

Update: Iconia A1 and Iconia B1 with a touch more colour

Editors' Summary:

• Immersive, cinematic sound experience with Dolby Digital and ergonomic speaker placement
• Smooth media performance with quad-core processor
• Vivid, consistent visuals on 10.1" LED-backlit display with IPS¹ technology

BERLIN, Sept. 2, 2013 - Acer will unveil at IFA 2013 the new Acer Iconia A3, a 10.1-inch tablet was designed to offer a touch more entertainment, multimedia, gaming and web experiences. Movie and music lovers will find in the Iconia A3 their perfectly balanced couch mate with immersive sound, wide viewing angles and quad-core performance to further enhance their entertainment and enjoyment.
The Acer Iconia A3 was introduced alongside other product updates, including the Acer Iconia A1 and B1 with additional colour options. The full-featured single-handed use 7.9-inch tablet is now available in a touch of white, smoky grey and ivory gold. The Iconia B1 7-inch tablet, targeted at first time users or tablet newbies, is now also available in a touch of oceanic blue and vermilion red.

A touch comfier

Designed for rich multimedia entertainment, the Iconia A3 comes with Dolby® Digital Plus™ creating a virtualized 5.1 channel surround experience over headphones, reduced background noise and dialogue volume boost resulting in clear dialogues and consistent volume levels, without sways across content and apps. To top this off, the Iconia A3 boasts an ergonomic placement of the speakers on both sides creating a virtual sound box for stereo sound effects.

The 10.1" WXGA display (1,280 x 800) with IPS technology offers crisp and accurate colours from wide viewing angles for a better visual experience whether users are lounging on the sofa, lying on the bed or sharing the view with a loved one. The 16:10 aspect ratio of the Inconia A3 is ideally suited to watch video content and playing games in landscape mode. Complete with a built-in micro HDMI port, users can connect the tablet to an external display to share and enjoy movies and videos on a bigger screen. The Acer Iconia A3 keeps consumers connected to Wi-Fi networks or built-in 3G mobile data connection. Plus, the integrated Bluetooth 4.0 lets consumers quickly connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and printers.

A touch smarter

Powered with a quad-core 1.2GHz cortex A7 processor, the Iconia A3 delivers smooth 9 hours of video playback, better mobile gaming, as well as fluid and fast navigation through apps and websites.
Acer IntelliSpin expands the tablet's screen image rotation feature, so that even when lying flat, the screen image will rotate to match the tablet's orientation when turned.

Acer's Touch WakeApp provides users with fast access to their favourite apps straight from sleep mode. A great feature if the tablet is shared by different users, the multi-user support featured by Android 4.2 allows customers to create up to eight separate and customisable user spaces on a single device.

To maximise user fun, the 5MP back camera can take snapshots at full video resolution while recording a video. It can also snap immersive 360° pictures and wide angle shots. Available as 16GB or 32GB version with the option to expand via microSD, the Iconia A3 is the ideal home entertainment companion for people who like sharing and consuming multimedia content.

A touch purer

A smooth profile with rounded edges make it easy to grab the tablet with one hand. The minimalist design is accentuated by the silver profile that sets off the white of the back cover and complements the current design of Acer's Android tablet family. With a slim profile at just 10.15 mm and a weight of less than 600 grams, the Iconia A3 is easy to carry along and check anything in a flash whenever needed.

Pricing and Availability

The Iconia A3 (WiFi) version will be available in Europe, Middle East and Africa early October with a suggested a starting price of €249.

The Iconia A3 (3G) version will be available in Europe, Middle East and Africa early November with a starting price of €299.


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Acer announces 6-inch Liquid S2, 'first 4K-recording smartphone'

at 3:31 pm on 9 Sept 2013

A Touch More Resolution with Acer's First 4K Recording Smartphone @ IFA 2013

Editors' Summary:
• Ultra multimedia: 13MP camera, 4K Video, fast full HD, 4 x slow motion, full panorama 27MP photo, LED flash
• Ultra performance: Full HD 6" display with IPS technology
• Ultra connectivity: 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac

BERLIN, Sept. 2, 2013 - Acer will unveil at IFA 2013 the new Liquid S2, a full HD 6" with IPS technology 4K recording capable smartphone with ultra-fast connectivity including 4G LTE and the new Wi-Fi 802.11 ac standard. Following the recent successful launch of the Liquid E, Z and S series, Acer is now ushering in a different world of clarity with four times the resolution of full HD. This technology has been featured in some cameras already, but it's a completely new experience with smartphones running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz processor capable of recording in 4K.

The real beauty of the smartphone is its iconic soft round curves and red elements for the receiver mesh and metallic ring highlighting the four LED ring flash for low light and macro capturing. The curved glass surface keeps a soft touch and "edgeless" feeling around the rim.

A touch of visual moments

The Liquid S2 combines the simple and visual interface with a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera to take professional looking photographs or videos with a smartphone. The front-facing 2-megapixel camera allows consumers to capture moments with an 88-degree wide viewing angle.

The Liquid S2 is loaded with several enhancements to capture reality:

• BSI Sensors and LED Ring Flash: Sharper pictures in any environment
• Video Recording: 4K Ultra HD, fast full HD 1080p 60FPS, 4 x slow motion
• Full Panorama Pictures: Up to 27-megapixels in a single picture
• Quick First Shot: Take picture right from unlock the screen with automatic center-focus by tapping any location on the screen
• Smart Best Shot: Automatically detects photo type and takes multiple shots for best selection
• Tag Widget: Convenient photo browsing with scene tag.
• Favorite Mode: Create up to five profiles with customized effects, flash, capture mode and scenes
• Exposure Control: One finger focus and exposure adjustment
• Freehand Capture: Crop out anything on the screen using hand or a digital pen
• Live Screen™: Share ideas and journey through pictures and scribble

A touch faster

This feature-packed Android smartphone will operate on 3G and 4G networks to boost customers with an average upload speed of up to 150Mbps. It will also support the latest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11 ac, offering significantly faster data transfer, better coverage and power efficiency when compared to today's 802.11 n standard. The Easy Hotspot enables the smartphone to act as a mobile Wi-Fi router to share wireless internet connectivity with up to 6 Wi-Fi enabled devices. The internet connection can also be shared with QR codes and NFC.

Acer Float User Interface allows several app windows to stay open, so users can multitask without having to back out of one app to work on another. The press of a key brings up the Float Apps shortcut where apps on a translucent screen float over the function being used. It is easy to access or switch Float Apps anytime and can be customized with up to 7 favored app shortcuts. A Float Caller notification ensures that users will not be interrupted by incoming calls that take over the full screen. When a call comes in, the Float Caller mini-window pops up and the user can choose to take the call or reply with a quick message.

A touch more power

The latest addition to the Acer smartphone family is designed with a full HD display with IPS technology and 368 ppi for brilliant, stunning graphics on the 6-inch screen with a wide viewing angle. It is 8.99 mm thin and has two stereo speakers powered with Dolby Digital Plus for a stunning sound experience. The Liquid S2 also uses curved Gorilla Glass® 3.0 to boast native damage resistance, making it stronger and more resistant to scratches and daily usage than before.

Available in red or black, the Liquid S2 is powered by Qualcomm's quad-core 2.2GHz processor, 2GB of internal memory and 3300 mAh battery for extended use on a single charge. Users can store a large library of photos, music and videos on the expandable memory of up to 128GB to complement the standard 16GB on-board storage.

Features and specs

Display 6", full HD (1,920 x 1,080), 368 PPI, IPS
Main camera 13 MP auto-focus, f2.2, 28 mm lens, BSI sensor, LED ring flash, 4K video
Front camera 2 MP, f2.2, 24 mm lens, 88° wide angle, BSI sensor, 1080p video
Processor: Quad-core 2.2 GHz
Storage / memory: 16 GB / 2 GB
Battery: 3300 mAh, non-replaceable Li-polymer battery
Dimensions: 166 x 86 x 8.99 mm,
Network: 4G: 800/1800/2600 3G: 900/2100 2G: 850/900/1800/1900
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11ac/a/b/g/n, Bluetooth® 4.0, GPS+GLONASS, NFC
Sensors: Light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, digital compass, gyro
Operating system: Android™ 4.2.2
Acer features: Acer Float UI, Acer HD Channel, Acer Docs and Acer Remote Files, Acer
Data Traffic Manager, Acer Float Caller, Acer Float Apps
(maps/notes/camera/calculator), Acer Live Screen™, Acer Print, Acer
Easy hotspot
Additional features: Skitch, YouTube™, Moodagent, Polaris Office, Swype text input, Google
Keep, Evernote®, wireless display, Dolby Digital Plus

Pricing and Availability

The Liquid S2 version will be available at the end of October in. Exact pricing and availability will be announced at a later stage.


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Meizu MX3 unveiled with Exynos 5 Octa, 5.1-inch screen, Wolfson audio and 128GB option

at 5:37 am
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Meizu MX3 unveiled with Exynos 5 Octa, 51inch screen, Wolfson audio and 128GB option

Ahead of main rival Xiaomi's big event later this week, Meizu has today unveiled its latest Android device, the MX3, at the Beijing National Aquatics Center. Like many recent flagship phones, this one finally breaks the previous 4.4-inch barrier to make way for a 5.1-inch display, though with an odd 1,800 x 1,080, 15:9 panel from Sharp and JDI to follow Meizu's string of odd aspect ratios. At the same time, the manufacturer has managed to keep the screen bezel at 2.9mm thick, making the carefully curved body 72mm wide (as well as 9.1mm thick and 143g heavy). This is apparently the result of Jack Wong's 30-plus handcrafted wooden prototypes, followed by some 3D scanning. Read on for more.

Update: Our hands-on post is up as well! Meizu MX3 unveiled with Exynos 5 Octa, 5.1-inch screen, Wolfson audio and 128GB option See all photos 29 Photos

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As a close buddy of Samsung's semiconductor division, it's no surprise to see Meizu embracing an Exynos 5 Octa SoC for the MX3. Assuming It's the same 5410 variant as used by the Galaxy S 4, we should be looking at with quad Cortex-A15 1.6GHz cores plus quad Cortex-A7 1.2GHz cores, along with 2GB of RAM and SGX544 MP3 graphics. As for the camera, rather than joining the 13-megapixel hype, Meizu's opted for Sony's third-generation 8-megapixel sensor, along with a fast f/2.0 lens (with second-gen sapphire glass), zero-delay image stabilization and a Fujitsu ISP that helps enable capture speed of up to 20fps. Sadly, the front-facing imager has a resolution of just 2-megapixels, which is dwarfed by many other Chinese options.

Another notable feature is that the MX3 comes with a Wolfson audio chip, which apparently enables a high 113dB signal-to-noise ratio plus a low distortion rate of just 0.002 percent. Like some of the latest Chinese flagship phones, you'll also find Dirac HD codec and a dedicated audio amplifier on the here. On a related subject, the MX3 has a triple-mic setup -- just like the Moto X -- for improved voice quality.

As you'd expect, this new phone comes with a common bundle of radios: NFC, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. CEO Bai Yongxiang, previously a lead engineer at the company, also boasted the MX3's patented antenna technology that enables much better cellular reception than the iPhone 5, while at the same time keeping the specific absorption rate lower than said competitor. For those wondering, the MX3 will be launched with WCDMA radio, meaning its 3G connection will work in most parts of the world.

Meizu MX3 unveiled with Exynos 5 Octa, 51inch screen and Wolfson audio chip

With so many goodies included, Meizu thinks the 2,400mAh Sony cell can still provide 9 hours of 3G browsing, 10 on Wi-Fi or 7 hours of 1080p video playback. The CEO also assured the audience that the phone has much improved heat dissipation, crediting a dual-layer design to separate CPU heat and display heat. Of course, only time will tell if this is as good as it sounds.

Last but not least, MX3 comes with Flyme 3.0, Meizu's latest custom Android ROM. We won't name all the improvements, but there are a total of 324 updated interaction features (like pull-down to refresh, plus self-repositioning soft keys that adapt to your finger habits), 1,579 updated visual features (like cleaner icons and optimized notification bar layout), an AirDrop-like file-sharing feature and new camera filters. Oh, and China-based users can enjoy the Duomi music store, LeTV video store and Lakala payment service straight out of the box. We'll dig into these in our eventual review.

There's no word on international availability just yet, but for those who are based in China, you can now make a reservation and then pick up an MX3 starting from the second half of September. The price goes from CN¥2,499 (about US$410) for the 16GB model, all the way up to CN¥3,999 (US$650) for a whopping 128GB option -- a first for smartphones! Looks like Meizu's got all the right ingredients on paper this time, but we'll have a better idea once we get our hands on the phone.

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iPhone 5C glimpsed in blue and other colors, doesn't look awful

at 9:31 pm on 8 Sept 2013
iPhone 5C glimpsed in blue and other colors, doesn't look awful data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 419};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20709202' !== '') ? 'bsd:20709202' : ''; var postID = '20709202'; var modalMNo = '93399738', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"sharif-sakr", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93399738", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93399737", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});iPhone 5C glimpsed in blue and other colors, doesn't look awful MobileBypostedSep 2nd, 2013 at 9:27 AM 0

iPhone 5C glimpsed in blue and pink, actually looks quite premium

Our previous look at a tangled pile of iPhone 5C's wasn't especially flattering, and it only showed the plain white version of the rumored handset. The newer image above is impossible to authenticate, but it's a tad more sympathetic and it comes from a batch of photos of yellow, pink and blue plastic iPhones (or perhaps knock-offs) that briefly appeared on Chinese site iapps.im before being deleted at the request of a "relevant party." Although there are definitely some echoes of Nokia's Lumia 620 here, the close-up shot of the blue model suggests we may be looking at something a bit thinner, with slightly less rounded edges, and with a non-removable unibody that may also have a more serious matte finish -- although the translucent packaging makes it hard to be sure. Go ahead and squint at the other photos after the break.

iPhone 5C glimpsed in blue and other colors, doesn't look awful

iPhone 5C glimpsed in blue and other colors, doesn't look awful

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Meizu MX3 hands-on: a significant improvement from the MX2 (video)

at 11:46 am
Meizu MX3 hands-on: a significant improvement from the MX2 (video) data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 419};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20709315' !== '') ? 'bsd:20709315' : ''; var postID = '20709315'; var modalMNo = '93312529', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"richard-lai", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-13f",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93312529", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93312530", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Meizu MX3 hands-on: a significant improvement from the MX2 (video) MobileBypostedSep 2nd, 2013 at 10:37 AM 0

Meizu MX3 handson a significant improvement from the MX2

Having sat through Meizu's entire launch event in Beijing, we have to admit: the new MX3 took us by surprise. We weren't expecting much after knowing some of the key specs from the leaks, and to be frank, the Chinese company lost its way with the MX2; but Jack Wong's team seems to have put its focus back in place with its latest flagship. First off, while the MX3 has preserved the predecessor's metallic-rim design, Meizu has now managed to refine the manufacturing process to remove all the sharp edges, and boy does that new body feel good. The TOL (touch-on-lens) display may look odd with its 1,800 x 1,080 resolution, but it looked good on the demo units, and that 15:9 aspect ratio has some advantage for web browsing in portrait mode.

There were many other features that we couldn't comment on based on our hands-on, such as the audio quality from the Wolfson chip and the image quality from the third-gen Sony 8-megapixel sensor, but the presence of these components suggests that Meizu may be headed back in the right direction. The number of improvements on the slick, Android 4.2-based Flyme 3.0 is also impressive, making it slightly more user-friendly (especially for first-timers) as well as more pleasing to the eye. It'll just take some getting used to with Meizu's own soft key approach (virtual buttons on a "Smart Bar" plus a capacitive home button). Much like the battery life and radio performance, we'll only be able to properly comment on the software part over an extended period of usage, so do keep an eye out for our MX3 review in the near future. Oh, and we have a hands-on video after the break. Meizu MX3 hands-on See all photos 23 Photos

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Acer unveils 24-inch all-in-one running Android with a Tegra 3 CPU

at 1:50 am

Acer Launches a Touch More All-in-One Desktops Designed to Become the Hub of Family Life @ IFA

Editor's Summary:
• A new range of AiO desktop designed to offer an easy and outstanding touch experience
• Introducing the Acer DA241HL, the first Android AiO supporting multi-tasking, web browsing, gaming and video
• Powerful performance and top entertainment with the modern and flexible Aspire U5-610
• Optimized sound and simplified access and terrific visuals with the Aspire Z3 series

BERLIN, Sept. 2, 2013 – Acer today unveiled the Acer DA241HL, the first All-in-One based on the Android OS and NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor from Acer. It's designed to offer users the same familiar experience as with tablets and smartphones. The company also took the opportunity to launch several new All-in-Ones aimed at offering users an improved and more ergonomic full HD touch experience. The range of new models includes the elegant, modern and flexible Aspire U5-610, the Aspire Z3-105 and the Aspire Z3-610, designed to unlock a world of optimized sound, simplified access and full HD touch enjoyment for the entire family.

Acer DA241HL

With the DA214HL, Acer introduces the first Full HD touch 24-inch AiO based on Android Jelly Bean 4.2 and featuring NVIDIA Tegra quad-core performance. Users can now find on their home PC the same familiar interface used on other Android devices, such as smartphones and tablets that are increasingly popular for media consumption, web browsing or social media interactions.

What's more, the Android OS unlocks a world of exciting games and affordable productivity solutions, and the same 1 million+ apps from the Google Market can be accessed across multiple Android devices under the same user account. This provides a simplified and convenient user experience, as content can easily be synchronized across devices. The Tegra processing power provides access to the top sold emulated games and features on Google Play that are not supported or slow to play with other processors. On top of it, the DA241HL can offer a personalized experience to each family member, as it allows the customization of settings and apps for up to 5 users.

Thanks to MHL connectivity, the DA241HL can easily transmit smartphone content to a larger display for more comfortable viewing. It can also connect to any PC with Windows 8 via an HDMI port or USB cable becoming a 2-point Touch Display. In addition, the tilting angle of 20° to 75° enables a comfortable touch experience.

Acer Aspire U5-610

Elegant, contemporary and flexible, the Aspire U5-610 is the perfect home AiO for modern day explorers. Bundled in a stunning, futuristic design, the Aspire U5-610 is engineered to deliver top performance for first-class entertainment and maximum productivity. It couples the latest 4th generation Intel® Core™ processors, providing better CPU performance and enabling applications to load faster. And NVIDIA's® GeForce® GTX 760M allows faster content creation, smoother gaming and better digital entertainment; plus up to 16 GB DDR3 memory provides faster multitasking.

Besides great performance, the Aspire U5-610 offers users a top of the range entertainment experience. On the 23" Full HD touch display that touts wide viewing angle colours, saturation and contrast are fine-tuned by Acer's CineBoost Color Engine (ACCE). CONEQ™ Sound Technology, designed to improve sound direction towards the user, expands the sound images to better match visual movie effects and maximise sound coverage regardless of users sit. Acer Remote helps to control Windows 8 via iOS or Android mobile devices. Pairing an iOS or Android mobile device with the Aspire U5-610 via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth instantly unleashes a series of remote applications over the touchpad, media, keypad, Windows 8 Metro, Power point and Laser control.

Optimized to allow users to capture and share more, the Aspire U5-610 features a Full HD webcam with up to a 75° wide Field of View (FOV) enabling a larger coverage of visuals during video chats. Moreover, to let family, friends or business contacts clearly hear what users are saying, the Acer Purified.Voice provides clear communication with no volume reduction by tracking the speaker's voice and eliminating background noise. The HDMI with MHL support lets users easily access and share content on a bigger screen from their mobile devices while charging.

Aspire Z3-105

The Aspire Z3-105 is powered with AMD's latest A series quad-core processors and Radeon graphic solutions to offer best performance and let families enjoy enhanced entertainment. The 23" full HD touch display with IPS technology grants amazing images and life-like colours, while premium front-facing Harman Kardon® speakers and Dolby® Home Theater® v4 surround sound unlock a world of fantastic cinematic audio. The front-facing ports and webcam make it easy for customer to connect external devices or chat with friends.

Aspire Z3-610

The Aspire Z3-610 all-in-one desktop is designed to offer the best performance and an all-round entertainment to the entire family. Now available with Intel's 4th generation processors, it can pack either integrated graphics from Intel or Nvidia's GeForce GT 740M graphic solution to ensure a fast multimedia experience. While the 23" full HD touch display with IPS technology presents stunning images and natural-looking colours, premium front-facing Harman Kardon® speakers and Dolby® Home Theater® v4 surround sound for crystal clear, accurate sound.

A touch IFA 2013
Acer International Media & Partner Lounge
Where: Die Kunztschule, Schuetzenstrasse 6, 10117 Berlin
When: September 3 – 7, 2013, 15:00 – 22:00

Acer Booth
Where: Hall 12/101
When: September 6- 11, 2013

Availability and Pricing
The Acer DA241HL will be available mid-October with a starting price of €429.-.
The Acer Aspire U5-610 will be available in December with a starting price of €1,129.
The Acer Aspire Z3-105 will be available in December with a starting price of €799.
The Acer Aspire Z3-610 will be available in January with a starting price of €799.


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DICE+ digital gaming cubes now shipping

at 5:05 pm on 7 Sept 2013

A New Way to Play Together

DICE+ Launches at Gamescom

5000 Years of Board Game History Has Come to This: DICE+ Now Available

Game Technologies Brings the Social Back to Digital Gaming with Revolutionary Board Game Controller

DICE+, the universal board game controller that brings real-world social interaction back to digital gaming, launches today at Gamescom 2013, the world's biggest gaming convention. DICE+ can be purchased for $39.99 at www.dicepl.us

The revolutionary DICE+ controller interacts with Bluetooth-enabled smart devices and combines the physical touch and feel of a gamedice with the potential for unlimited digital game ideas. DICE+ has the power to make board games appealing to a new generation of players: Powered board games application will enable you to get together with friends around the same device and experience a wealth of new gaming opportunities that combine the power and visual excitement of tablet gaming with the joy of playing games in a group.

From digital renditions of classic board games to new gaming experiences that leverage the built-in gyroscopic motion control, DICE+ comes with a host of dedicated games to show off its capabilities. Also coming 2013 and early 2014 are a wide range of titles based on popular franchises, including family-friendly fare, top-quality edutainment titles and intense classics that are sure to please even the most hardened board game aficionado. Developers can also unleash their creativity with the DICE+ development kit, dreaming up new ways to utilize this versatile controller for a wide range of games.

Developed in Poland by Game Technologies, DICE+ will be available for $39.99. You can learn more about Game Technologies and its exceptional new product at http://www.game-technologies.com.


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Acer outs 27-inch WQHD touch display for €799

at 7:30 am

A Touch More Real-Estate with Acer T272HUL 27" WQHD LED Display @ IFA 2013

Editor's Summary:

• 27-inch 2,560 x 1,440 WQHD LED panel delivers four times the resolution of HD and a 178-degree viewing angle

• 10-point multi touch display for a more ergonomic and collaborative touch experience

• Seamless video calls or video conferences thanks to an integrated webcam and microphone

BERLIN, Sept. 2, 2013 – Acer today unveiled the T272HUL display featuring a 27-inch WQHD LED display with 10-point multi-touch for a touch more viewing real estate and collaborative experience. The built-in webcam and microphone allows users to set-up vibrant video conferences in full HD. Slender and elegant, the new Acer T272HUL edge-to-edge display is a masterpiece of design and technology appealing to graphic artists, professionals and design-conscious users.

Delivering four times the pixel resolution of HD, the 27-inch Acer T272HUL is a 2,560 by 1,440 Wide Quad High Definition (WQHD) touch monitor that brings incredible definition to games, videos and everything else. The wide viewing angle with VA panel enables more pristine image quality with a 178-degree viewing angle to easily share what's on the screen with others.

A touch more management

Acer's exclusive Adaptive Contrast-Management (ACM) optimizes contrast to present the highest level of clarity and detail by analysing every scene, adjusting images frame by frame, and enhancing detail and gradation. Featuring an outstanding dynamic contrast ratio of 100,000,000:1, the T272HUL renders razor-sharp images with rich colours through the enhancement of detail and gradation in bright or dim scenes. The 5ms response time helps avoid the blurring effect in fast-paced videos or games.

A touch edge-to-edge

The T272HUL edge-to-edge display flaunts a stylish asymmetric stand that gives the monitor a futuristic look and allows users to adjust the tilt angle up to 60-degrees. This ensures a more comfortable touch experience, especially during sustained use, as it allows touch control from above. The 10-point multi-touch technology means the T272HUL monitor supports multi-user scenarios and makes for a seamless collaborative touch experience. To engage in live video chats with friends and share colourful images and feelings, the display is equipped with a two megapixel full HD webcam and integrated microphone.

A touch connectivity

Digital input maximizes the connection quality between LED monitors and other digital sources, such as touch notebooks, tablets or smartphones. The Acer T272HUL monitor comes with both dual-link DVI, DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4 to provide advanced digital connectivity and enable outstanding high-definition viewing and quality audio. Complementing its high-definition visuals, it's built with two 2-watt speakers for high-quality audio playback. Three USB 3.0 ports ensure fast data transfer to and from external devices, plus one port can be used to fast charge devices. For greater convenience and space savings this display is also wall-mountable.


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Engadget's back to school guide 2013: bags and cases

at 9:46 pm on 6 Sept 2013
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Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! Today, we've got a killer selection of bag and case recommendations. Head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as we add them throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back; in early September, we'll be giving away a ton of gear, including one of the picks in this very guide.

Engadget's back to school guide 2013 bags and cases

What's a stellar arsenal of tech if you've got nary a thing to store it in? Lucky for you, we're serving up a collection of bags and cases to protect and sort your gadget stash -- and to keep that stylish look on the up and up as well. From a case that adds some extra juice to your iPhone 5's battery to a solid rucksack that adapts to a trip as easily as you must, this collection has something for everyone -- head below to dive in.

BackpacksMission Workshop VX / R8 Arkiv Field PackDNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & Cases

Looking for a backpack that can adapt to any task? Well, Mission Workshop's modular offering will do just that, thanks to a variety of weatherproof add-ons that can store gadgets from smartphones to tools and everything in between. Of course, those extra compartments can be moved or removed whenever it suits your fancy.

Key specs: 20- or 40-liter capacity, pocket for 15-inch laptop, PTFE waterproof membrane, VX70 ripstop liner.

Price: from $320+ at Mission Workshop

You might also like...DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & CasesTopo Designs Trip Pack

When a smaller rucksack is needed, Topo Designs' Trip Pack can stash your slate of choice in addition to a few crucial cables and other odds and ends. This selection is made in the US, too.

Price: $89 from Topo Designs

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & CasesThule Perspektiv Daypack

If you're the sort who lugs around a DSLR on the regular, Thule's Perspektiv Daypack can wrangle it and all of the related extras. The pack also allows for quick and easy side access to that hardware, should a sudden photo op arise.

Price: $160 on Amazon

Messenger Bags and DufflesTimbuk2 Freestyle PlusDNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 bags and cases

The folks at Timbuk2 know a thing or two about messenger bags, and the Freestyle Plus is a prime example of the company's expertise. A padded sleeve for protecting a tablet and 11-inch MacBook Air, plus a waterproof liner, should keep things nice and tidy while you're on the move.

Key specs: Ballistic nylon exterior, waterproof TPU liner, padded laptop sleeve, internal organizer, adjustable cam buckle.

Price: $66.75 from Timbuk2

You might also like...DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & CasesDefy Redacted Grey

Premium rugged materials that include truck tarp lining, seatbelts and Austri Alpin Cobra buckles make the Defy Redacted bag both a bold statement bag and a reliable storage space for a 15-inch laptop.

Price: $267+ from Defy

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & CasesSkooba Design Laptop Weekender v.3

Worried about carrying a couple days' worth of clothing and all of the tech you'll need for a weekend away? Fret not; with more than 12 pockets and compartments, Skooba Design's duffle will organize it all -- likely with room to spare.

Price: $115 on Amazon

Cases

Mophie Juice Pack Helium (iPhone 5)

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & Cases

Day trips to the nearest national or state park can last well beyond the iPhone 5's battery life. That's where the Juice Pack Helium comes in: its 1,500mAh built-in battery will keep your social media exploits going strong for up to six additional hours -- without adding a ton of extra bulk to that Apple-flavored smartphone.

Key specs: 1,500mAh battery, 13 percent thinner than previous models, LED indicator, 1.6 ounces.

Price: $71 on Amazon

You might also like...DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & CasesOtterbox Commuter Series (HTC One)

Smartphone protectors from Otterbox have been known to make an appearance in our IRL feature from time to time, and now that there's a Google Play edition HTC One, the Commuter series comes to mind again. Adequate protection without a huge amount of extra heft? Yes, please.

Price: $30 on Amazon

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 Bags & CasesSamsung Galaxy Note 2 Flip Cover

Samsung's Flip Cover for its smartphone behemoth provides an added bit of protection without mucking up the hardware's natural gloss too much. It's available in a rainbow of colors, too.

Price: $15 on Amazon

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Megaman creator reveals crowd-funded Mighty No.9, his new (familiar-looking) game

at 12:56 pm
Megaman creator reveals crowd-funded Mighty No.9, his new (familiar-looking) game data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 419};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20709057' !== '') ? 'bsd:20709057' : ''; var postID = '20709057'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"gaming",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"mat-smith", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Megaman creator reveals crowd-funded Mighty No.9, his new (familiar-looking) gameBypostedSep 1st, 2013 at 10:49 PM 0

Megaman creator launches crowdfunding project for new familiarlooking Mighty No9 game

Keiji Inafune is a bit of a games-making legend. Co-designer of the original Megaman, not to mention producing both the Dead Rising series and multiple Resident Evil titles, he's going back to his roots. Inafune announced at PAX this weekend that he's working on a new 2D action shooter, Mighty No.9, that looks (and apparently plays) an awful lot like some of his prior hits. The plot is pretty familiar too: a plucky robot has to battle six rouge automatons (or eight, depending on funding), stealing unique weapons and abilities from each one. According to the man himself, there's been no reaction from Capcom -- at least not yet -- and he's looking for you to help make the game a reality. The project's live on Kickstarter, and it's aiming to raise $900,000 (in just 30 days) to develop the title.

Twenty bucks will net backers a digital copy (through Steam), while $40 will also include digital copies of the game manual, art book / strategy guide and a copy of the original soundtrack. Naturally, the game will be ported over to major consoles if backers can reach a set of defined stretch goals. Crank up your donation to $60 and you'll get it all on old-school physical media, alongside a playable golden version of the game's protagonist -- and we all know everything's better in gold.

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Canon's Legria mini camcorder wants to be best friends with your social media (hands-on)

at 4:51 am
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Canon Legria mini goes on sale this month, ready to record fullmotion selfies handson

It's a strange one. Canon's new pocketable camera certainly isn't your typical video camera. Aimed squarely at those looking to capture themselves, the Legria mini records up to 1080p video through a special wide-angle (170-degree) lens, ensuring you can fit your whole family (or dance crew?) into your clips. With a 180-degree flexible display on board too, you can adjust the camera's position as needed. When we tested an early unit in Canon's home turf in Japan, the combination of both a posable screen and a stand beneath the unit meant getting a good angle from the floor or work surface was a simple task. Behind that wide-angle f/2.8 lens, there's a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, mechanical shutter, Canon's DIGIC DV 4 processor and (in case you needed it) a 12.8-megapixel sensor for stills. Looking to improve your video coverage of, well, you? We've got more details and impressions after the break. Canon Lexia mini / iVIZ mini hands-on See all photos 15 Photos

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Testing out the video recording option, there's a visible fish-eye effect in action if you're too close to the video cam, but we reckon it adds to the appeal -- you certainly didn't shoot this video on a phone. We didn't get time to share our videos to other device, but the unit throws in WiFi connectivity, HDMI-out and both Android and iOS apps to link up with. From the video playback we've seen, it might not rival Canon's dedicated camcorder division, but it's more of a distant, more flexible, relative.

There's also more to the 160-gram camera than just the ability to comfortably capture antics at the park or at home, though, with an interval recording mode, slow (half speed at 720p, quarter-speed at VGA) and fast (up to four times) video capture all built-in. Through the companion smartphone apps, it can even live stream to the web -- and be controlled wirelessly. Hopefully, then, there's plenty of new creative options for those looking to up their game on Vine or Instagram. There's no built-in storage, but the camera uses microSD cards (up to 64GB), which makes sense, given the footprint of the camera.

Canon's Legria mini wants to be best friends with your social media, is ready to record fullmotion selfies handson

Along the right edge, you'll find the HDMI-out, a DC port for charging, power switches and a play button, while on the opposite side there's the microSD slot, micro-USB port and shutter button. Otherwise, video controls and settings are all done through a bright, 2.7-inch LCD touchscreen, which was responsive during our testing. Menus will also be familiar to anyone that's handled Canon cameras prior. The Legria mini (or iVIS mini in Asia) is still set to launch both in Europe and Japan mid-September. Canon's Japan branch has offered up a specific date (September 17th) and more importantly, a price of 29,980 yen -- that's roughly over $300. It's definitely pitched towards social media addicts, but given the high-level recording chops of recent smartphones (and that price) it may run the risk of niche appeal.

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Acer updates Aspire R7 with active pen and Haswell, brings touchscreens to the Aspire E Series

at 7:26 pm on 5 Sept 2013

A Touch More Touch Notebooks @ IFA

Editor's Summary:
• Designed for touch, the Aspire R7 now features a 4th generation Intel processor and Acer Active Pen to make the most use of its flexible design
• Touch-screen display models and new colours enhance the thin & light Aspire E1 series

BERLIN, Sept. 2, 2013 – Acer today announced its award-winning Aspire R7 notebook now includes the latest 4th generation Intel processor and an Acer Active Pen to further redefine the notebook touch experience. Designed to provide the best environment for both touch and typing, the R7 features a repositioned keyboard and high-definition touchscreen mounted on a revolutionary "Ezel hinge" that allows it to flip, reverse, lie flat or float.

Unveiled in May, the Aspire R7 has won several awards for its revolutionary design, including the best Choice Award at Computex 2013, the Red Dot Award for product design, and the Computex d&i Award.

Acer also unveiled additional trendy colours for the Aspire E1 notebook line as well as a 10 point multi-touch display option with a range of graphic solutions for everyday computing.

Aspire R7 – A touch more apps with active pen support

With four modes of operation, the R7 can easily be used as a traditional notebook, a table top pad, a display, or switched into "Ezel" mode, allowing the screen to float over the keyboard at various angles. Whether sitting or standing, at a desk or outdoors, users can always find the most suitable and comfortable way to use the R7, seamlessly transitioning from one mode to the other, from touching to typing, then from writing to drawing.

The Ezel Hinge makes it easy to flip the 15.6-inch full HD 1920 x 1080 touchscreen around to share visuals, games and more with others. The dual hinge technology allows for single-hand switching between modes and keeps the display rock-steady when touched. The keyboard is closer to the edge of the chassis, making typing more comfortable since there is no need to stretch your arms over palm rest and touchpad, keys fall naturally under the fingers and typing becomes more relaxing.

The Aspire R7 now comes with the new Acer Active Pen, so users can enjoy greater accuracy and a more comfortable feel when writing and drawing. The Acer Active pen uses electromagnetic induction technology and responds to varying degrees of pressure sensitivity like an actual pen, resulting in a greater range of pen strokes and more natural writing. The Acer Active Pen can be used with gesture controls at the same time, so customers can for example resize a picture with the pinching gesture and adjust fine details with the pen.

To make the most of the touch experience, the R7 packs a set of new useful and fun touch apps. There is always a story behind a picture and Acer MemoryBinder realistic paint brush effects helps users tell it, adding colour and feelings. With Acer ScreenGrasp any image can easily be captured, personalised and shared to social networks or pasted to office documents. Acer Scrapboard makes it easy to collect images and ideas from the web for future reference or for a project or to share them. Acer AccuFinger is designed to help users acquire tiny items on the screen more accurately when using their fingers.

Aspire R7 – A touch more performance

When the display is slid back behind the keyboard, you have a powerful, full featured notebook computer that is now available with Intel's 4th generation processor for great performance and efficiency. It also features up to 12GB of memory, up to 1TB hard drive (or up to 256GB SSD), and full-size backlit keyboard. Users can also take advantage of Windows 8.1 that offers new ways to personalize the PC and includes plenty of awesome new apps and services.

Aspire R7 – A touch more entertainment

Offering a superior audio visual experience, the R7's powerful features and high-definition display are complemented by a premium sound system with Dolby Home Theater and four 8-watt speakers. Because of its transformative design, the audio channels automatically reverse when switching modes, so stereo sound is always perfect.

In addition, the dual microphones have been placed at the front and at the base of the notebook below the keyboard. This provides for the best voice sound quality, and enhances the aesthetics of the touchscreen by eliminating the need for holes in the bezel.

Aspire E1- A touch of daily computing with ease

The Aspire E1 notebook series bundles the latest Intel 4th generation or AMD A-Series processors and graphics technologies to deliver customers rich entertainment and day-to-day productivity at an affordable price. New models in the series are now available with a 10 point multi-touch display to tap and swipe away through the web, apps, photos and more.

To maximize entertainment with colourful and crisp images, the Aspire E1 notebooks series is available in two high-definition display sizes – 39.6 cm (15.6") and 35.6 cm (14") – as well as with a choice of graphic solutions. The 15.6" model supports various discrete graphics options, such as NVIDIA GT720M, NVIDIA GT740M and AMD Radeon™ HD 8000M, while the 14" version is available with NVIDIA GT720M graphics. Favourite movies can be displayed on a bigger screen thanks to the HDMI port.

Thinner than previous generations, the Aspire E1 series has the slimmest form factor within its price segment. The updated notebook line is now available in a wide selection of colours to choose from: the 14-inch model comes in elegant Misty Silver, Piano Black and Keyboard White while the 15.6-inch comes in Clarinet Black, Cherry Red and Steel Grey. The chicklet keyboard provides comfortable typing, while the compact design makes these notebooks perfect to be carried wherever you go.
The icing on the cake is that the E1 series is shipped with M-DISC Ready Drive™, which means users can keep their priceless memories and data safe virtually for ever on M-DISCS™.

Pricing and Availability*

The Aspire R7 will be available in Europe, Middle East and Africa in Q4 2013 with a suggested price of €999.-.

The Aspire E1 will be available mid-October with a suggested price starting at €399.-.


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Oppo N1 will have a Snapdragon 800 to go with its swappable camera system

at 9:48 am
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Oppo N1 flashes its Snapdragon 800 as exec leaks logic board pic

Oppo's N1 smartphone has been sitting on our watch list ever since we first got wind of its strange N-Lens camera add-ons, which will apparently offer a choice of zooms up to 15x. Now we can flesh out another key spec: the Chinese handset will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor, which should more than cope with its equally unusual dual touch inputs and possibly help it to rival other imaging-centric Androids like the Galaxy S4 Zoom and Sony's upcoming Honami. The HSPA+ Snapdragon processor (MSM8274) was shown on a photo of the N1's internals that was "leaked" by an Oppo marketing exec on Sina Weibo -- and unless we're horribly, horribly mistaken, the photo also seems to show a microSD slot to store all those optically stabilized, 16-megapixel images. Barring other significant pseudo-leaks, you can expect the next big N1 update on September 23rd.

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