HTC M4 possibly spotted next to two monstrosities: alleged Nokia Lumia 1030 and Sony ‘Togari’ (update: likely fake)

DNP HTC M4 possibly pictured alongside alleged Nokia Lumia 1030 and Sony 'Togari' cellular monstrosity

If there's an award for the meatiest leak of the year, then this would make a fitting nomination. The above photo (reformatted for this page) was tweeted earlier today by France-based Dahny El Perro, who claims the blue device in the top right corner is an upcoming Nokia Lumia 1030. While it's hard to tell the physical features from the blurred shot, the wider spacing around the Windows Phone soft keys suggests this might be a larger device than the existing Lumia 920. More interestingly, its screenshot features an extra tile column, which is a feature rumored to be part of the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update, according to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley.

Next up we have what appears to be the rumored 6.44-inch, 1080p Sony "Togari," whose front panel was first spotted way back in January. Alas, there's little to see here, but we were quickly distracted by the much smaller HTC device next to it. Many have simply dismissed this as the One, though if you look close enough you should notice the subtle differences: the frame is white all around the phone, and the speaker grills are shorter. Indeed, this device matches @evleaks' earlier render of the 4.3-inch M4, thus making this leak its first real-life appearance. But of course, there's also a good chance that this is merely a very clever hoax involving three unannounced devices, not to mention that the Twitter account is also super fresh, so we won't be placing any bets just yet.

Update: WPCentral's sources say Nokia currently does not have plans for this type of over-sized phone, and they've confirmed that this image is inaccurate. Upon further research and analysis, we're leaning towards believing this is indeed an elaborate hoax.

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Via: Blog Of Mobile (Japanese)

Source: Dahny el Perro (Twitter)

Huawei Ascend Mate review: a supersized phone with supreme battery life

Huawei Ascend Mate review a supersized phone with supreme battery life

When Huawei revealed the Ascend Mate at CES this year, it felt like smartphones had reached an end point -- they surely couldn't get any larger. We've since been proven wrong by Samsung's Galaxy Mega 6.3, but the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate has gone on sale first, and it's every bit as intimidating as it was in January. The question is whether or not Huawei has more than just size on its side. Is this nearly tablet-sized device worth putting in our pockets, and can it fend off the suddenly tiny-looking Galaxy Note II and Optimus G Pro? Read on past the break, and you'll find out.

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The FT: Nokia planning ‘phablet’ for 2013, 41-megapixel Lumia too

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Between the Lumia Tablet and a Windows Phone device with proper PureView technology, the list of mythical Nokia devices is pretty short. The Financial Times, however, thinks that the company might be wading into the middle ground with a 5- or 6-inch device that'll rival the Galaxy Note. The paper's coterie of sources also reiterated the rumor that we'd see a Lumia flagship with the 41-megapixel sensor we'd seen on the 808, as well as a skinnier Lumia 920 arriving through the year. We'd love to believe it, but the story's appearance just before the company's first-quarter financial results makes us wonder if this isn't a distraction.'

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Via: WMPowerUser

Source: The FT (Paywall)

The 6.3″ Samsung Galaxy Mega: When 5.5″ Isn’t Big Enough

If you thought that the 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note II wasn’t big enough for your needs, then you’ll be happy to learn that the Samsung Galaxy Mega takes it up a few notches with its 6.3-inch screen, begging the question – when does a phablet simply become a tablet? I guess when it doesn’t make phone calls.

samsung galaxy mega front

The Samsung Galaxy Mega comes in two versions, a 5.8-inch and the 6.3-inch.

samsung galaxy mega display

The smaller version has a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of storage which is expandable via microSD, an 8MP rear-facing camera and a 1.9MP front-facing camera. The battery is 2,600 mAh. Screen resolution isn’t as high as the Galaxy Note II, at 960 × 540 (vs 1280 × 720 in the Note II). The battery is also smaller than the Note II, which has a 3,100 mAh capacity.

samsung galaxy mega comparison note 2

The 6.3-inch monster has a 1280 × 720 resolution, 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and the same cameras. Its battery is 3,200 mAh, besting the Note II – though with a larger screen, it’s likely to consume more power. Both phones run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and include all of the new features Samsung announced for the Galaxy S4.

The unlocked 6.3″ Galaxy Mega is listed for pre-order in Europe for €699 (~$915 USD), and will gradually be available in other markets, presumably with price breaks if you sign up with a mobile contract.

Soon enough, people will be walking around with 6- to 8-inch devices as their phones, looking completely ridiculous. And if you’ve got small hands, you probably won’t be interested in one of these.

[via Samsung & Ubergizmo]

Samsung Galaxy Mega is official and comes in 6.3- and 5.8-inch sizes

Samsung Galaxy Mega is official and comes in 63 and 58inch sizes

We knew Samsung was planning more devices, but we didn't expect the arrival of two Galaxy Mega smartphones at the same time. Both are apparently headed to Europe some time next month, continuing to prove that Samsung are willing to test out any screen-size. The 6.3-inch model has an 'HD display' (we're chasing the precise resolution, though it's likely 720p) alongside a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, Android 4.2 and an 8-megapixel camera. Software features like Air View, Multi Windows, Pop-up Play will make sure you have plenty to do on that giant screen. The Galaxy Mega arrives somewhere between Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note II, although we're hoping it'll be priced slightly more humbly than either neighbor. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 houses LTE and HSPA radios, while you'll get GPS and GLONASS to aid any location-based antics. There's a 3,200mAh battery and internal storage that can be expanded by microSD up to 64GB, with 8 or 16 gigs (there's two models) built-in to begin with.

The HSPA-only Galaxy Mega 5.8 reduces the size -- and pretty much all the other specs. The resolution drops down to qHD (960 x 540), while it packs a lesser 1.4GHz dual-core processor. It has the same 8-megapixel camera, while the smaller, er, Mega, will arrive in only one size -- an 8GB model. No word on pricing for either yet, but the Ubergizmo team has already got the chance to handle the Korean manufacturer's 6.3-inch goliath. Take a look at their first impressions at the More Coverage link.

Update: Samsung has confirmed to us that the resolution on the 6.3-inch model is in fact 1280 x 720.

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Source: Samsung

Switched On: Tablets offer a new choice for voice

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

DNP Switched On Tablets offer a new choice for voice

The term "phablet" has always been, at best, a relative descriptor. It kicked in with the release of the original Galaxy Note even though the voice-enabled Dell Streak had beaten that product to market. And while the portmanteau raises the question of whether there is any meaningful difference between a phone and tablet other than size, all it means is "a big phone."

Up until recently, and barring the use of Bluetooth headsets, the constraints defining the upper practical limit of a phone included the ability to fit into a pocket and be held against the side of an (adult) head to facilitate a voice call. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, two companies smashed through at least the first of those criteria. Twisting the name of the PadFone, which extended the screen of a handset to that of a 10-inch tablet by use of a touchscreen shell enclosure, ASUS introduced the FonePad.

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The ever-expanding smartphone screen: how supersized became everyday

Ever expanding smartphone screens

It used to be that any smartphone screen beyond three inches was considered big -- and it was, for an audience still weaning itself off of flip phones and PDAs. Flash-forward several years, however, and we're to the point where many won't even consider less than a 4-inch screen, and the once-unfathomable 5-inch display is quickly becoming the de facto standard for high-end models. It's clear that many of us like our phones supersized, Zack Morris style. But when the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate is a reality, and Mobile World Congress or future events may push the boundaries even further, there's still a worry that the focus on successively bigger displays might have gone too far. Have we pushed too hard for more glass? Or are we witnessing a wholesale shift away from the smartphone as we once knew it? There's truth to both sides. Follow along as we look at how smartphones have swelled over time, and how we're learning to love (or cope with) their dimensions.

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Distro Issue 79 examines the rise of the ever-expanding smartphone screen

Distro Issue 79 examines the rise of the everexpanding smartphone screen

Once upon a time, the future belonged to an increasingly smaller form factor when it came to mobile phones. Now it seems the tide has changed, and larger screens continue to expand their requisite real estate on new handsets. In this week's issue of our weekly, Jon Fingas takes a good, long look at the rise of those big screens, starting with 2002's BlackBerry 5810. Weekly Stat charts a day with an asteroid, Eyes-On has a peek at LaCie's collaboration with Philippe Starck and Brad Molen recounts week two with the BlackBerry Z10. We've just scratched the surface of the latest installment of this e-publication, so navigate to your favorite download link to procure a copy.

Distro Issue 79 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store

Distro in the Windows Store

Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

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Source: iTunes, Google Play, Windows Store

LG promo confirms 5.5-inch Optimus G Pro for Korea

LG promo confirms 55inch Optimus G Pro for Korea

If you were worried that you might have to wait until Mobile World Congress to learn whether or not a 5.5-inch version of the Optimus G Pro was real, your mind can rest at ease. While hoping to drum up buzz for a launch beyond Japan, the company has ever-so-casually mentioned that at least the South Korean edition of the G Pro has a 5.5-inch, full HD screen -- half an inch larger than the Japanese model, and just as large as the panel on the Galaxy Note II. Want to know more? That's part of the promo. Borrowing a page from Sony, LG promises to reveal more of the phone the more Facebook Likes it receives. While previous tips suggest that the 5.5-inch edition will mostly be a larger take on an already supersized device, it's still very tempting to click that Like button -- just don't expect one of the mentioned prizes if you live beyond LG's native borders.

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Source: LG Social (translated), LG Electronics (Facebook)

Pantech Vega No 6 Android 5.9-Inch Smartphone: Phace It, It’s a Phablet.

I’m beginning to think that the smartphone wars are leading to devices with oversize screens that are becoming impractical. For a long time a big-screen for a smartphone was in the area of four-inches. Smartphone screens have begun to creep up in size as the so-called “phablet” has become popular. A phablet is a smartphone with a screen larger than normal, yet smaller than a tablet.

vega no 6 phablet

One of the most popular tablet segments is the seven-inch device. While most phablets have screens that are in the low five-inch range, Pantech has a new offering with significantly larger display. The smartphone is called the Vega No 6[KR] and it features a whopping 5.9-inch screen. Just try and cram that into your pocket.

vega no 6 phablet 1

The 4G/LTE device runs Android 4.1 and has a full HD resolution IPS LCD display. The rear camera is a 13-megapixel unit that’s able to record full HD video at 30 frames per second. The front camera captures two-megapixel images and video. The phone is powered by a large 3150 mAh battery. The device also has a touchpad area on the back (similar to the PS Vita) underneath the camera allowing users to control the phone with one hand.

The phone will be available this February in Korea for 849,000 Won (~$778 USD). There’s no word on pricing or availability in other markets.

[via FarEastGizmos via Engadget]