Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

Samsung has made its Galaxy S4 Active Android smartphone official so here's the phone's release date and price information in the UK. See also: Samsung Galaxy S4 Active hands-on review.

After many a rumour, the Galaxy S4 Active has been announced by Samsung. The smartphone is a tougher, more durable version of the flagship Galaxy S4 and will be released initially in the US and Sweden this summer. No price has been detailed.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active: Release date

As usual Samsung didn't announce a specific release date for the Galaxy S4 Active but online retailer Clove has confirmed that the smartphone will arrive on 1 July.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active: Price in the UK

Samsung didn't announce a price for the S4 Active either but Clove has the handset listed for £488 inc VAT for the 16GB model in 'dive blue'.



"The Galaxy S4 Active is the newest addition to the Galaxy series and is purposefully designed for active users who love the outdoors," said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Communications at Samsung. "Samsung has taken the innovative features of the Galaxy S4 and added breakthrough protective design elements to create a device that thrives in an active environment and is built for a lifestyle of travel and exploration."

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active: Specs

The Galaxy S4 Active is similar to the Galaxy S4 in specification but offers a full sealed design comparable to the Sony Xperia Z's. The handset has an IP67 rating meaning it is dust and waterproof – up to 30 minutes at a depth of one meter. There's even a water-resistant headphone jack.

Like Samsung's flagship device, the Galaxy S4 Active has a 5in Full HD touchscreen (TFT rather than SuperAMOLED) and a 1.9GHz quad-core processor. However, it does have a downgraded rear camera – 8Mp compared to 13Mp.

The Galaxy S4 Active still comes with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and software features found on the GS4 like Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View and Air Gesture. It supports NFC, 11.ac Wi-Fi, and 4G LTE networks.

If it wasn't for the downgraded camera, the Galaxy S4 Active would be a better version of the Galaxy S4, albeit a chunkier version.

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New Nexus 5 release

Google I/O has been and gone, with no mention of the new Nexus 5's release date or potential specs. We take a look at when the Nexus 5 will tip up and what it could offer.
The Nexus 5 could be the Google device to introduce the next version of Android, 5.0 Key Lime Pie. So naturally, we're keen to know what it will offer.
Although the Nexus 4 has issues with stock shortages, it's been well received and popular with punters. A high-end smartphone for £239 is a bargain even if it's a bit limited on storage. See also: iPhone 6 release date: When will Apple's next iPhone arrive?
Thoughts are turning to the Nexus 5 and what it has to offer to rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One. At the moment, it's LG which is supposedly manufacturing the Nexus 5 but Google is also considering other vendors.

New Nexus 5 release date

Google hasn't announced when the new Nexus 5 will be revealed, or even if it is making one but here are the rumours on when it will arrive.
The first possibility was that Google would announce the Nexus 5 at its Google I/O (input/output) developer conference which takes place in May in San Francisco. However, the event came and went with no Nexus 5 or even Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.
At last year's Google I/O which took place in June, the firm unveiled the Nexus 7, its first tablet running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It seemed likely new hardware would be revealed at this year's conference but this wasn't the case - unless you include the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition.
Google I/O 2013
Now Google I/O is in the past, it's likely that we'll see the new Nexus 5 arrive around a year after the Nexus 4, in October. The Galaxy Nexus was announced in November and the Nexus S in December.
New Nexus 5 specs

Rumoured specifications for the Nexus 5 include a Full HD screen either 5in or 5.2in in size, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz and a whopping 3GB of RAM.
There's also been suggestion it will feature a 16Mp camera made by Nikon. Other sources suggest a smaller 4.5in screen with a 720p resolution.

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Eye Tribe-slice with your eyes

Eye tracking has been actively discussed by technology enthusiasts throughout these years, but it’s really challenging to implement. But Eye Tribe actually did this. They successfully created the technology to allow you to control your tablet, play flight simulator, and even slice fruits in Fruit Ninja only with your eye movements.

It’s basically taking the common eye-tracking technology and combining it with a front-facing camera plus some serious computer-vision algorithm, and voila, fruit slicing done with the eyes! A live demo was done in LeWeb this year and we may actually be able to see it in in action in mobile devices in 2013.

Currently the company is still seeking partnership to bring this sci-fi tech into the consumer market but you and I know that this product is simply too awesome to fail.

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The Galaxy S4's Key Lime Pie problem

Samsung's latest flagship will have the newest version of Android -- for about two months.

The new Galaxy S4 features cutting edge hardware.
Too bad its operating system will be out of date about four weeks after the phone hits store shelves.
Samsung Electronics' latest phone, which will debut in April at the earliest, will run Android 4.2.2, also known as Jelly Bean. It's also the latest version of Android -- for now.
The problem is another version of Android, widely believed to be called Key Lime Pie, will likely make its debut at Google's I/O developer conference in May.

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Microsoft to end Windows Phone 7.8 and 8 support in 2014

The company says that Windows Phone 8's support will end in July 2014, while Windows Phone 7.8 will continue to receive support until September.

Microsoft has put an end date on its support for Windows Phone 7.8 and Windows Phone 8.
The company's support page lists both operating systems, and says that Windows Phone 7.8 will be supported through September 9, 2014, while Windows Phone 8 will receive support through July 8, 2014.


The difference is based on Microsoft's life cycle start date and its decision to support platforms for 18 months. Microsoft pegs the Windows Phone 8 start date at December 14 and Windows Phone 7.8 at February 9.
Windows Phone 8 is the latest and most featured-packed version of Windows Phone. Windows Phone 7.8 was the option Microsoft offered to former Windows Phone 7 owners who didn't want to buy a new device. There's no clear upgrade path to Windows Phone 8 from Windows Phone 7, so Windows Phone 7.8 provides some, but not all, of the features in Microsoft's operating system.
That Microsoft is ending support for its latest operating systems next year isn't all that surprising. The mobile space is driven by rapid operating system updates. Apple, for example, launches a new version of iOS each year. And since most consumers update their devices every two years, needing to keep operating systems updated for several years doesn't make much sense.

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Motorola X-Phone

It likely won't be called Motorola X-Phone when the project hits the prime time, but the project is at least very much real. A job posting on Linked In advertised an "X-Phone" product manager.

Plenty of other rumors swirl around the suspected device, including one that the X-Phone may offer hardware choices that resemble the Droid Razr Maxx HD, suggests a PhoneArena source.

Newly tipped rumors include that it will have up to 128GB internal storage, a 3,000mAh or larger battery, and a Kevlar body. Expected as the first Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie device, the X-Phone could also boast a 4.8-inch display and a Sony Exmor camera sensor. It's worth noting that most of these new specs line up with last week's speculation of an unbreakable case, extended life battery, and wireless charging.

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new HTC M4

Photos of the rumored HTC M4 surfaced earlier in the week, giving us a look at what may be in store for the midrange experience. As noted by HTC Source, the handset closely resembles an early mockup of the also-rumored HTC M7.
In a related note, Japanese tech blog Blog of Mobile (translate) pairs the same images with an HTC 603e. Expected to launch in China, the specifications mostly line up with previous M4 details.
One key difference would be the camera, which is listed at 5-megapixels. Early rumors tied the phone to a 13-megapixel camera, though a 5-megapixel shooter seems more likely for a midranger.

Other hardware for the M4 may include a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, a 4.3-inch 720p display, 16GB internal storage, and 2GB RAM. Powered by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the M4 is expected to feature a lighter Sense 5.0 interface.

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