Lenovo clarifies, says Ashton Kutcher is working on tablets, not phones

This is something of an odd story, because although it is something that we've known about since October of last year, the details of it either keep changing or keep being misreported. Originally, we heard that Ashton Kutcher had been hired by Lenovo as a product engineer to work on tablets. Then last week at MWC, it was reported that Kutcher would also work on phones. But, it seems that may have been a misquote.

So, Lenovo's Chief Marketing Officer David Roman was quoted last week telling Re/code that Kutcher would be working on a line of phones. But, Lenovo is now saying that was a misquote, and Ray Gorman, director of external communication at Lenovo, has told Pocket-lint that Kutcher will only be working on tablets, just as he has been.

Whatever Kutcher is working on with Lenovo, we hope that it gets a bit better. So far, Kutcher has been attributed to the Lenovo Yoga tablets that came out late last year. Although we liked those tablets overall, one of the sticking points was the homescreen layout, and Kutcher has been said to specifically be working with the UX software teams which could mean that one of the few things we didn't like was one of the main areas of his input.  

 

 

 

 

 

source: Pocket-lint

Microsoft OneDrive app for BlackBerry 10 now available from BlackBerry World

Hey BlackBerry 10 owners, looking to store your files and content in the cloud? Well, now you have your own Microsoft OneDrive app that is waiting for you in BlackBerry World. With Microsoft OneDrive you can arrange to have pictures and videos saved automatically. You can also share important files and documents. The app allows you to edit documents, or comment on them while on the go, an important feature for the business user. And lastly, you can "seamlessly and easily" work with online files on your BlackBerry 10 handset.
Microsoft OneDrive is a free download and new users will receive 7GB of free storage. Get 500MB of free storage for every friend you refer, with a maximum of 5GB allowed. Set your device to automatically send photos and videos to OneDrive and you'll receive an additional 3GB of free cloud based storage.
Of course, BlackBerry10 users have other cloud based storage options to choose from, such as Dropbox. But starting today, Microsoft OneDrive is also an option for BlackBerry 10 users with their heads (and files) in the clouds.

Screenshots from Microsoft OneDrive for BlackBerry 10





 source: MicrosoftOneDrive

Samsung patents design for a tablet with curved margins

Samsung’s tablets have always been a bit on the boring side when it comes to design. Admittedly, it’s difficult to make a tablet that’s unique-looking and easy to handle at the same time. But Samsung seems to be trying to do just that.
The South Korean company was granted a patent recently for the design of a tablet that has curved margins. Its display isn’t curved, but that’s actually a good thing. Only the left and right margins of the tablet are curved - slightly curved to the front, to be exact, this probably allowing us to get a better grip on it. Rear and front-facing cameras are visible. The bezel around the display is quite thin, and the apparent lack of a hardware home button makes us think about a possible next-generation Nexus 10 tablet. Of course, we shouldn’t get too excited for now, since this design might never be used for a real device. Plus, HTC might be the maker of Google’s next Nexus 10, not Samsung.Anyway, the patent application for the curved tablet - filed with the USPTO - doesn’t tell us much, just that Samsung is claiming “the ornamental design for a tablet computer, as shown and described.”

 

source: USPTO

Facebook Messenger launches on Windows Phone 8

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Facebook delivered on its promise to Windows Phone users and launched its Facebook Messenger on WP8. The app features the full social network experience with stickers, photos, statuses, checking messages without opening Facebook, and more. 

There's group conversation and location sharing support. You can see who's read your messages, who's using Messenger, who's active on Facebook, and who's who in general. You can have notifications on and off at your will, and keep your conversation history and contacts backed on your phone.

The app looks exactly how the screenshots depict it, and runs very smoothly. It's separated in two screens - "recent" and "messenger". There's a minimum amount of buttons to navigate and text your way through the app. There's also a very handy feature that lets you browse your friend list by the first letter of your contacts' names.

However, if you don't have friends that start with "A", for example, the app won't waste your time with an empty screen, but it will visually indicate there are no A-names to be found in your address book.

Overall, Facebook Messenger was worth the wait. It's polished, lightweight, and shows Facebook gave it the necessary attention. You can download it from the link below.

Download FB Messenger: Windows Phone 8 

 

via WPCentral

Animal Face for Windows Phone

With selfies in the news recently, a new app for Windows Phone puts the fun back into the, ahem, art form. Animal Face takes your face and replaces it with a face belonging to an animal. Ok, so it is nothing but fun, that doesn't make it a waste of time. And it s a free download after all, although for 99 cents you can eliminate the ads and add more Animal Face options to the app.
There are 15 Animal Faces in the basic version of the app, which includes a bear, tiger, cougar, fox and more. You can snap a new picture or take one from your gallery. And re-sizing the face of the animal to fit over the existing human face on the photo is a snap.
If taking selfies are getting boring, Animal Face is the perfect app to liven things up. It is waiting for you right now, in the Windows Phone Store. And by the way, there are similar apps available from different developers in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Screenshots from Animal Face for Windows Phone




source: AnimalFace via WPCentral

MediaTek looking to add value to smartphones with new peripheral chips

Silicon slinger MediaTek is developing chips that will raise the value of smartphones by offering features like wireless charging, NFC support and fingerprint recognition. Most chip producers are expected to offer 64 bit octa-core processors in the second half of this year, and in early 2015. If this situation takes place, smartphones will have to compete based on the number of different features they offer instead of the number of cores employed by the processor.
According to industry sources, MediaTek, which is already known for is low price chip solutions and for its true octa-core MT6592 CPU, is talking with 10 IC design houses. The talks are being conducted to help the Taiwan based company offer features like wireless charging.
Three of the design houses, On-Bright Electronics, Leadtrend Technology and iWatt, have had their rapid charge controller ICs tested for use on MediaTek's chipset technology. Even with the testing, there is no word as to when the company will make these chips available to smartphone manufacturers.




source: DigiTimes

John Gruber: Apple's iOS 7.1 update arriving any moment

If you've been desperately tapping the update button on your iPhone or iPad, in the hope that the iOS 7.1 update is arriving any day now, you might be in for a pleasant surprise. Tech head John Gruber claims that iOS 7.1 should indeed hit Apple's mobile gear any moment, citing the perennial "little birdie".

He backs up this claim with the fact that the SXSW festival starts next week, but the dedicated app isn't out yet on iTunes. The reason for that, his sources advise, is that the app requires iOS 7.1, in order to stream the show, hence the conclusion that the update is arriving in the next few days.

The newest iOS version is expected to bring a number of incremental improvements, such as new animations, calendar features, accessibility settings, and simplified adding of contacts after dialling, as well as the usual bug fixes. 

 

 

 

 source: DaringFireball & Apple