Top 10 Best Android Keyboard Apps for Smartphones

The best Android keyboard apps for smartphones can be downloaded for free at the Google Play Store. You don’t really need to spend some cash on these wonderful applications. All that you need to do is to know the best apps so you won’t be able to waste your time with those apps that won’t be of much use to your phone. And speaking of which, we have already collected the best keyboard apps and you can simply pick the one that you think would be beneficial to your typing experience. So if you are all set to know these download-worthy apps, feel free to browse our list below.

1 – GO Keyboard by Go Dev Team

From the brilliant developers of Go Launcher Ex, the alternative launcher for Android phones, GO Keyboard will give you the full ability to customize your phone’s keyboard. This neat app supports Emoji and comes in multiple languages and keyboard layouts. You can also download themes to match your keyboard to your preferred style or colors. There are a couple GO Keyboard themes that you can download for free at the Google Play Store and GO Store. This includes the Go Keyboard iPhone Theme, Pink Theme and a whole lot more. Moreover, you can set your custom backgrounds and skins and you can easily revert back to your default keyboard. Just make sure that you have at least 5.65MB of free storage space on your phone.

2 – TouchPal Keyboard by Cootek

Now is the right time for you to free yourself from typing errors. If you opt to have the TouchPal Keyboard installed on your smartphone, you will be able to take advantage of the Swype technology that has already been integrated on your phone. TouchPal can somewhat be considered as the innovated version of Swype and it automatically predicts the word that you are about to type. For example, if you want to type the word ‘acknowledgement’, just swipe the letters a, c, k and n and the app will do the rest of the work. You will, of course, be saved from spelling errors unless of course, you are fond of using your own smartphone text lingo. With this app, you can easily send a text message without frequent tapping the backspace button.

3 – SlideIT Soft Keyboard by Dasur, Ltd.

Similar to the concept of Swype typing, the SlideIT Soft Keyboard app allows you to swipe through the letters of the word that you are about to type. No need for taps. Plus, you can even adjust the size of the keyboard screen according to your liking. This particular feature is mostly absent from any other keyboard apps. Moreover, you can make use of shortcuts. If you want to type the phrase “I Love You”, you just need to type three letters and that’s I, L and U. That way, it would be easier and faster for you to send your messages or do a quick search. And if you are the artistic type and you want to customize your keyboard according to your preferred style, you can easily do so because the app comes with a built-in support for keyboard customization.

4 – SwiftKey X Keyboard Free by Touchtype, Ltd.

Everybody knows that the main objective of these keyboard apps is to make you type faster and easier. But with SwiftKey X Keyboard Free, you can do more than that. It’s a very intuitive app that understands how words work and it will magically predict the words that you are about to type by simply putting in the first letter. Moreover, the app gives off a very fluid UI. The interface looks very neat without those fancy and unnecessary buttons. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs and professionals. And similar to any other apps, you can choose from its wide variety of themes. The buttons are also big enough for your finger to tap. Just a bit of reminder: This app will consume at least 4.8MB of your free storage space so be sure to remove those unnecessary apps.

5 – MultiLing Keyboard by Honso

What’s in a MultiLing Keyboard that you cannot easily find on any other keyboard apps? Actually, with this app you can easily switch from English to Arabic to Japanese to Korean in just a few taps. No need to go to settings and have your keyboard language set after a bunch of confusing options. You can even add a couple of unique symbols that you thought you can only do on your laptop or computer. Apparently, this app is recommended for those that can write and read a couple of different languages such as those who consider English as their second language. And you will definitely be delighted to know that this app can also allow you to make use of those cute emoji icons!

6 – Simeji Japanese Keyboard by Adamrocker

Japanese and Japanese wannabes will find this keyboard app very useful especially in their day-to-day text conversations. If you are hooked to almost everything that’s related to Japan and their native language, Nippongo, you can have this app installed on your smartphone. This app combines the Japanese language together with the English language and you can easily toggle between these two languages in just a few taps. Furthermore, the interface of this app looks very cute and you can even customize the background of your keyboard according to your liking.

7 – A.I. Type Keyboard Free by A.I.Type

If you are currently looking for an app with the ability to complete your current word and suggest your next word, look no further. What you have here is a very reliable keyboard application for Android called A.I. Type Keyboard. However, you have to keep in mind that this is the free trial edition and if ever you want to continue to avail the app’s value-added features, you have to buy the paid version of the app from the Google Play Store. On the lighter side, the free version can stay on your phone after the trial period and it will still be usable. You just need to be aware of the limitations. True to its name, this keyboard app will learn your unique style of writing and by the time that you will need to type a message, it has already learned your words.

8 – iPhone Keyboard Emulator Free by SixGreen Labs, Inc.

Android users who are looking to experience what it’s like to type like those with iPhones can now do so thanks to this neat app called iPhone Keyboard Emulator. By downloading this app, you will have the ability to change your default keyboard and make it look like the keyboard of Apple’s iPhone. The features are not really 100% similar to the iPhone but you can somewhat say that it looks very close to the original iOS keyboard.

9 – Siine Keyboard by Siine, Ltd.

The Siine Keyboard app might surprise you. That’s because it is not like the usual keyboard apps that you can find on the Google PLAY Store. With Siine, you are bound to encounter a whole lot of new ideas that has been effectively implemented on a keyboard. You can make your emoticons, you can delete your misspelled words in a breeze and you can even make use of shortcuts to make your texting faster and easier. For example, you can just press the icon for ‘Call you Later’ and the app will automatically type those pre-set words. The app will work on your phone like magic.

10 – ThickButtons Keyboard by Brightside Software

We often get annoyed by the small buttons of our phone’s keyboard. The numeric keypad might do well for quick taps but if you switch on QWERTY, you will definitely have no choice but to set your phone on landscape mode. But with ThickButtons, there’s no need for you to adjust to your keyboard. Instead, the keyboard will adjust for you in a way that it will predict the next letters that you are about to tap and it will make them go larger. Aside from enlarging your keyboard buttons, the app will also highlight these letters and it would be easier for you to type the words. The concept behind this app appears to very simple but also very practical. We couldn’t agree more!

The above apps are those that we consider as the best keyboard apps for your Android smartphones. Just see to it that your device is qualified to download any apps as there are certain requirements that you need to comply. Nonetheless, majority of these apps can be installed on smartphones with Android 2.0 Froyo or any of the latest Android versions. It is also not very unusual for Android users to opt for these apps instead of using their phone’s stock keyboard. For sure, there will come a time where you will also begin to feel bored of your default phone keyboard and when that time comes, you can simply look for an alternative at the Google Play Store. Most importantly, free apps are the best because you don’t need to pay and you can instantly download the app that you like and have it installed on your mobile device. But if ever you do want to try any of those paid keyboard apps, you can always do so.

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Sony Xperia ST26i First Photos Leaked

There’s good news for all Xperia fans out there because Sony would be releasing another member of its Android lineup, the Sony Xperia ST26i. Didn’t we say that Sony has become aggressive in releasing new Android devices starting the first quarter of this year? In fact, we just reported yesterday the existence of LTE-capable Xperia GX and Xperia SX. What kno now is that Sony is currently working on another Android handset with model number LT29i whose photos have also been leaked yesterday before the formal announcement. But today, another leaked photos emerged which allegedly came from ‘a person close to the production line’ of the company. The leaked graphics were showing off another model that goes by the model number ST26i.

Fortunately, the tipster didn’t just leaked the photos, he had the specs go with them. So, we really have something to talk about here. Rumors prior to the leakage of the photos and specs suggested that Sony Xperia ST26i will not come with capacitive buttons in front of the screen, instead a green globe logo will be put in lieu of those buttons. The photos however, did not show the logo but the capacitive buttons so we can speculate that those rumors were false. But we’ll see about that if the company will make slight changes prior to the release. Meanwhile, below are the specs of Sony Xperia ST26i.
The leaked information indicated that Xony Xperia ST26i will come with ST-Ericsson U8500 chipset clocked at 1 GHz frequency with complementary DB8500 graphics processor. Since it is targeted to land on mid-level market, the handset was given 512MB of RAM which I believe is more than enough to make the operations smoother and faster. It has 8GB of built-in memory and does not support microSD card, but so far, these are the specs you can expect from a mid-level handset, although it has an almost impressive resolution at 540 x 960 pixels stretched on a 4-inch screen.
We haven’t got information about its camera but it seems to me that Sony would continue releasing devices that would also promote its digital camera technologies just like what it did with its Cybershot. So, we can almost expect we’d be getting high pixel camera in this handset. And considering it sports an L.E.D. flash it is almost tantamount to saying Sony Xperia ST26i has a camera with higher and better sensor. This device could actually become successful and be put in line with other success Xperia mobiles in the market today.
The downside that I can see in this handset, however, is the fact that Sony will be releasing it with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It seems to me that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is too much for Sony to give to its new devices. Basically, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the full functionality of this phone if we cannot upgrade it to ICS. But we are hoping that update would soon be rolled out after the release. Otherwise, the company would lose the potential buyers of this device. Anyway, we didn’t get information whether or not this handset would be offered outside the Japanese market

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Sony Announced PS3 Call of Duty (CoD):Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) Bundle For $299

Sony announced today that it will be releasing a limited edition of its popular PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming console bundled with Activision’s popular first-person shooter video game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. This edition of PS3 will be offered for just $299 wherein gamers would be able to get a 320GB PlayStation 3 Slim with a dual-shock controller and of course a copy of CoD: Modern Warfare 3. Both Sony and Activision are positive their bundle would become a success with them joining forces to conquer, or at least take the lead, in the global gaming market.

Sony has become so aggressive this year perhaps because it has to compensate the revenues lost in 2011 because of the hacking that brought down its online store and pushed thousands of customers away. The company had to offer promotional items in order to retain its customers. The first quarter of 2012 was a good start for Sony especially when its newly released PlayStation Vita was warmly accepted in the United States and the United Kingdom. Basically, the company is doing well in both gaming market and the mobile industry. The truth is, this is the reason why it didn’t hesitate to connive with Activision to bring a bundle of the popular gaming console and video game.
The announcement was brought to us by Associate Brand Marketing Manager of Hardware, Crystal Mackenzie, who confirmed that Sony would start distributing it on May 25th. This partnership between Sony and Activision seems to be brighter than other partnerships that the Japanese company have tried before considering there is a huge volume of following in the gaming industry. Entertainment is actually the best commodity for people right now and gaming consoles as well as video games are always included on the list of the most sought-after products.
PS3 have acquired impressive following in the UK and Asia so basically, Sony is just trying to squeeze out more juice from the slim version of PS3. Reports indicate that it is nearing the release of yet another gaming console to replace the third generation PlayStation. PlayStation 4 is believed to be released in 2013 in which it is expected to face its fierce competitor, Xbox 720 (or whatever Microsoft would call it). In fact, Sony also released the limited edition Red PS3 in the UK and it would soon make its way to the US. And we can tell, it is trying to generate more revenue from PS3 before PS4 arrives.
Activision, on the other hand, is also about to release Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 this year. If the PS3 CoD: Modern Warfare 3 would become a hit, we might be seeing another bundle from these companies next year. But that is just mere speculation. In fact we don’t really know if this first bundle would make an impressive sales projection. We are actually thrilled to know whether Sony and Activision could really pull off a good partnership. After all, they are not competitors, so it would be better to work together to gain more customers and profit.

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Kobian iXA Tab Launches in India At Price 3,999 INR

Once again, India would be seeing another budget-friendly Tablet as Kobian announced today its newest entry into the Indian tablet market in the form of Kobian iXA Tab. Speaking of budget-friendly slates, Kobian iXA Tab is actually among the ones that are offered below INR 4,000, thus very affordable for ordinary students and masses. In truth, Kobian does not only target the students in the country but also ordinary people who might have been looking for cheaper tablets available in the market just to be able to experience or learn the ways of portable yet very useful portable computers. But for INR 3,999, you cannot really expect a device that would compete the ones in the mid-level market, so it’s better we set our expectations a bit lower.

I would like to reiterate that Kobian iXA is not for tech enthusiasts who basically are looking for more muscles from a tablet. This device is designed for moderate use and is mediocre in most aspects. Nonetheless, anyone who simply wants to learn how to used these devices would be helped when he/she buys this tablet for a very affordable price. Now, let’s try to look a little closer into the inside properties of this tablet and see if it is worth the price.
Kobian iXA Tab comes with a single-core processor clocked at 1GHz frequency paired with 512 MB of RAM. I could say we can always expect these key specs from a device as cheap as this one. But when you ask about its performance and usability, you would be amazed to know a 1GHz single-core CPU with 512MB RAM could also impress you with smoother operations and normal performance. These specs are more than enough for this device and it’s good to know Kobian didn’t decide to go lower than these specs. I couldn’t say it performs better than other tablets in the same category because almost all of them have the same hardware and features, but as far as price is concerned this tablet is cheaper. The same specs and features for lower price, it’s a good deal.
I think one of the downsides of this tablet is the fact that it is coming with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. This is actually one of the biggest factors that would affect the decision of the buyers. We have seen a lot of tablets having the same specs as this but were released with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This is the part where Kobian failed to impress anyone who knows a thing or two about the Android mobile OS. Everybody is looking forward to using ICS even if they have devices with lower specs.
As of now, we could say that it could have been better for Kobian to put ICS into this device just for the sake of being ‘updated’ as far as firmware is concerned. A 1GHz CPU and 512 MB RAM are more than enough to run ICS smoothly. But the least we can hope for now is for Kobian to assure the people before the release of this device that an ICS update will be coming shortly after the release. Otherwise, Kobian iXA Tab would become just another dusty tablet on the shelves. Knowing it only has 7 inches screen and 4GB of internal memory, the OS could have been the only redeeming factor to impress potential buyers and users of this device. But at least, iXA Tab is among the cheapest tablets in the Indian market today. For students, this device could become a great help as it is very useful in school. So, in fairness to Kobian, the company still made a good decision is making this tablet as affordable as it can be. The specs are just worth the price.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4.0 (ICS) Ice Cream Sandwich Update

Reports suggest today that the official Samsung Galaxy Note Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) firmware started rolling out in select countries bringing along the promised Premium Suite exclusive to the device. We have been expecting this since March as it was during that time Samsung revealed its plan on what to give to GN when the ICS firmware is ready. So, it doesn’t come as a shock to us but it sure brings a lot of excitement knowing there were be tons of features on top of the stock Android 4.0 firmware.

Samsung Galaxy Note owners who have already updated their device confirmed the reports that the package is 318 MB in size, evident that it is really a major bump as far as firmware is concerned. Unfortunately, the update has been made available only to select European countries including Netherlands and Germany and only unlocked units can be able to pull it down from Samsung’s servers. But there have already been confirmation from owners who have successfully bumped their devices. Some of them posted updates on XDA Developers forum with screenshots and other information needed.
Among the most notable features in this update is the fact that Galaxy Note owners will enjoy the beauty of Samsung’s own interface known as TouchWiz which comes on top of Android 4.0 ICS interface. All high-end Android devices from Samsung gets TouchWiz adding more features to the already feature-packed ICS. This UI has already received tons of good feedback knowing it is stable with cool designs and unique features. Virtual buttons have been added to ensure the device becomes more interactive than normal.
The New S Note app has also made its way into the Galaxy Note. The Korean company believes that this app is a great tool in taking notes and it also functions a productivity booster tool. But I believe writers and artists are the ones that could take advantage of this app to its optimum level. Of course, you can use this effectively with the use of S Pen which is also going to receive a serious bump. Basically, everything that comes with Galaxy Note will be getting an upgrade.
Another feature that Galaxy Note owners have been waiting for is the New S Memo Widget. There is already an app that functions like this in the Google Play Store, but Samsung’s own memo widget is designed to function well with S Pen. In short, it is customized to pull off functions native to Galaxy Note. With the use of S Pen, a user would be able to do hand-writing on the screen bearing and displaying the same trace made by the pen. This functionality could also be done on S Memo Widget.
The Samsung Galaxy Note Premium Suite will be packed with other cool apps like Shape Match, Formula Match, My Story, and personalized Angry Birds Space with special level made for GN owners only. But contrary to what we’ve reported here that Samsung would be going for Android 4.0.5, this update actually bears Android 4.0.3 and I think there wouldn’t be another update for Galaxy Note this year. Nonetheless, this is a necessary update and we can’t complain about it as it is better than what we expected.

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Top 10 Free Cricket Game Apps on Google Play Store

Cricket fans can finally hook themselves up into their favorite bat-and-ball game by simply downloading an app onto their Android smartphones. And speaking of which, we have already scouted the Google PLAY Store for the best Cricket apps. Thus in this post, we will reveal the top ten free cricket game apps that you can install on your smartphone. Of course, there are a lot of cricket apps out there that you can download for free but not all of them are good enough to deserve a slot inside your phone. You should be picky because you might end up throwing the game into your bucket of unused applications. Trust us, you wouldn’t really want to waste your time on app that would only give you a bunch of lags and force close errors. So if you want to make the most out of your virtual cricket gaming experience, feel free to read on!

1 – Cricket T20 Fever 3D by IndiaGames

If you want to experience best ever cricket game in full HD 3D graphics, then you shouldn’t miss this app called Cricket T20 Fever 3D. With this game, you can play a variety of modes such as tournaments, ODIs, T20 Matches and even those exciting Powerplay style matches. Most importantly, the graphics of this game are very realistic that would make you feel like you are actually playing a real cricket game. In addition, this app won’t cost you a single dime and you can easily control the players as you switch from batting to bowling. The game is comprised of six premium venues that include the Lords & Eden Gardens. You can also choose from its eight world-class international teams.

2 – IPL Cricket Fever by IndiaGames

It’s quite rare to see an Android game that would entice you to play in exchange for a chance to win a luxurious Volkswagen Vento car. The car looks really grand and for sure, a lot of cricket players (and even those who are just wannabe players) would be wishing for one. So here’s your chance to play this game on your smartphone and get your fingers in action. With IPL Cricket Fever, you will experience the action of your favorite sport with vibrant graphics and ultra-realistic animations. Some of the value-added features that you can get from the game are as follows: 9 official IPL teams, official IPL players, quick match, power play and IPL tournament game modes, 3 difficulty modes and a whole lot more.

3 – Cricket WorldCup Fever by IndiaGames

Cricket has never been this fun on Android. But with Cricket WorldCup Fever, you will be able to taste the true victory of winning as you create your own strategies to outwit your opponent teams. And just like the IPL Cricket Fever game, you can also set your gameplay mode out from the game’s three gaming modes: Quick Match, Power Play, Pass-N-Play and World Cup. But that’s not all. This app will also allow you to play in the standard One-Day or Test Match rules. If you’re a newcomer, you can easily set the difficulty of the game according to your preferred option. And most importantly, you can evaluate your performance by merely looking at your scoreboard. That way, you will be able to identify your weaknesses as you aim to become a pro.

4 – Turbo Cricket by Games2win

If the above three games failed to capture your interest, you might as well check out this game from Games2win called ‘Turbo Cricket’. With this game, you will have the chance to challenge your skills as you aim to become the ultimate batsman in the cricket world. The graphics and animation of this game app may not be as grand as the above three games, but mind you – there’s a whole of hidden features that you are bound to uncover. You can even challenge your fellow players. Show them your prowess as you hone your abilities to beat their scores. The interface and controls of this game is very simple. You don’t need to memorize a lot of keys and you can easily get your player moving on the field.

5 – Stick Cricket by Stick Sports, Ltd.

The graphics and animation of this game may look a bit cartoonish. But mind you, this is one of the best cricket game apps that you can download from the Google Play Store for free. Who would ever think that the world’s most played cricket game can be easily drawn right from your pocket? The gameplay of this game is also very simple. Just choose a team and face the world’s most skilled cricket players as you keep your eye on those head-cracking bouncers. Just keep in mind that this is the free version and if you want to get some more, you can purchase the game’s paid version. Anyways, with the free version you will be able to access your detailed statistics and you will also receive a couple of Dynamic team updates.

6 – Street Cricket by Nextwave Multimedia Pvt Ltd

This app will take your favorite sport into the streets. You will play cricket in the midst of your urban neighbourhood and your team will be composed of five players. Unlike the usual game, you won’t have any formal field. Instead, you will be doing your matches on the roads. You also need to win the toss to have the option to choose if you would bat or bowl. To score, you need to complete a single run by running between the wickets. If you hit over the building, you will score 2 runs and 1 run if you hit the wall. Just keep in mind that this app can only be installed on devices with Android 2.1 Froyo or any of the latest Android versions.

7 – Turbo Cricket Pro by Games2win

No, Turbo Cricket Pro is not the paid version of the Turbo Cricket game app that we have mentioned earlier. Instead, it is a stand-alone game that you can also download for free at the Google PLAY Store. With this game, you can use your cricket scores to capture those areas around you. You can also dominate a particular area as well as capture a range of cricket flags. Furthermore, you can make use of upgrades and power ups. There are special items such as bats and cricket balls. This game will definitely ease your boredom regardless if you are at school, at work or at home. All that you need to do is to have this game installed on your Android phone.

8 – Champion Cricket Quiz by Tune Systems

Are you an avid fan of cricket? How sure are you that you know everything about your favorite sport? If you want to challenge your knowledge about cricket, then this is the perfect game for you! With Champion Cricket Quiz, you will be asked to answer a series of questions that’s related to the said sport. And if you are good enough, you might end up seeing your name at the leaderboard. Just don’t keep your hopes up for there are a lot of people out there who would attempt to go over your score. You can even submit your own questions.

9 – Beach Cricket by Nextwave Multimedia Pvt Ltd

Beach Cricket will take your favorite sport to a whole new level. With this game, you will be able to play cricket on the beach as you take the heat of the sun while you the wonderful scenery of the sea. Your team will be composed of 11 players but the batsmen will be predefined. Similar to Street Cricket, you can only have the chance to choose between ‘bat’ or ‘bowl’ if you win the toss. You can play a 5 over match and as soon as you’re done with your game, you can freely start with another.

10 – Big Cup Cricket Free by Square Enix, Ltd.

With Big Cup Cricket Free, you will have the ability to play cricket on your smartphone. You can play your game anytime and anywhere. The graphics and animation of this game are quite cartoonish but pretty much enjoyable. Plus, you will have the opportunity to choose your team out of the pre-set teams. This game will definitely challenge your skills as you prove to the world that you can be an all-rounder. You can also opt to set your gameplay to tournament or challenge mode. This game can only be installed on Android devices with OS versions that doesn’t go any older than 2.1 Froyo.
So there you have it folks! Our top ten list for the best free cricket games that you can download at the Google PLAY Store. Just keep in mind that some of these games may not be available to your device due to certain limitations. But it is very for these games to work on mobile devices with Android 2.0 Froyo or any of today’s latest Android platforms. We also recommend that you check your phone’s available storage space before you download any of those apps that we have mentioned above.
As expected, Cricket is a fun and thrilling game and it is certainly good to know that technology has made it possible for us to play the game right at our very own Android phones.

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Top 10 Free Basketball Game Apps on Google Play Store

The top 10 free basketball game apps can be easily searched and downloaded from the Google Play Store. But in order for you to find them, you must be willing to try each app that you see on the search results. And if you are the type who dislikes the idea of downloading an app for the sake of knowing if it’s good or bad, you might as well refer to our list below. That way, you would be saved from the burden of deleting a pile of unused applications. Most importantly, you will have the chance to play your favorite game on your smartphone.

1 – Basketball Shot by Droidhen Casual

This game is pretty much similar to the one that you often see on the arcade. The only difference is that you can play this game on your phone. There are no special features or whatsoever. But the simplicity of this game appears to be a very effective tool in captivating the interests of those who are fond of the game. You won’t have to compete against an opponent team. Instead, you will be challenged to shoot the ball on the ring before the time runs out. Just use your finger to shoot the ball and make sure that it will go on your preferred direction. If you manage to make a couple of good shots, you will eventually be rewarded with a high score.

2 – Tip-Off Basketball by Iopixel

With Tip-Off Basketball, you will have the chance to play your favorite game to a whole new level. With different backgrounds to choose from, you will be hyped up to give your best as you aim to make a good shot. To play the game, you will need to use your finger. Throw balls and do a bunch of cool combo shots. You can even opt to play the game in career, network or campaign mode. There are a total of 25 levels that you need to complete and each level will be filled with challenges that will certainly test your skills. Plus, you will have the ability to challenge your fellow players on the court. Some of the game’s features are as follows: online cross-platform multiplayer mode, training modes (free throw and timed mode), worldwide leader boards and a whole lot more.

3 – Basketball Throw! by Workpail

Despite of its simple-looking layout, this game called ‘Basketball Throw!’ is a very challenging basketball game that you can play on your Android phone. With this game, your optimum goal is to throw the ball to the basket and score as many points as possible. Just drag your finger to aim for the basket and make a basketball shot. And once you are ready, release your finger to launch the ball. That may sound easy but you will definitely encounter some difficulties especially on that part wherein you will need to calculate the angle and the distance of the basket to your ball. If you are good at physics, then this game will certainly be a no-brainer!

4 – Basketball Shots 3D by Creative Mobile

The graphics of Basketball Shots 3D can somewhat be compared to the real NBA court. But with this game, you will not play along with your team. Instead, you will go solo. The gameplay of this game is pretty much simple to follow. Your main goal is to score 25 shots from 5 different positions in less than 5 seconds. You can also challenge your friends and earn some coins. With this game, you will be entitled to choose from its four difficulty levels. Plus, there are achievements that you need to unlock and you will be able to monitor your progress through the game’s live leaderboard. Somehow, we can say that this is one of the most exciting basketball games that you can have on your Android phone.

5 – Midnight Basketball by Bonfire Media, Inc.

This particular basketball game app would allow you to experience the feeling of playing your game in the middle of the night. Of course, your environment will be dark but you don’t have to worry. That’s because you will be able to see the most important elements of the game and that is the basket and the ball. To play, just press and drag your ball then release in a slingshot action. The speed, distance and trajectory of the ball will greatly depend upon the way you control your motion. So you have to be wise and you have to know what you are doing. That way, you will be able to win the game.

6 – Hoopz Basketball by Mominis

Just imagine that you are practicing for an upcoming basketball tournament and you are staying up late just to hone your shooting skills. You aim for a three-point shot and you will do anything to improve your performance. Well, you can practice right through your phone. Just download Hoopz Basketball. In this game, you will be able to choose among three modes: freestyle, adventure and survival. You also need to pass through the game’s 45 levels as you attempt to complete your mission. This game is very fun and addictive. You will certainly be pleased to have this game installed on your tablet or smartphone.

7 – Basketball Shoot by Runner Games

Basketball Shoot is a very simple game that’s based on realistic physics. In this game, you will play basketball but not inside the court. Instead, you will play the game on different environments. You will be taken to the airport, the beach, the rooftop and so on. To play, just touch the screen and drag the dotted line to change the power and angle. Keep in mind that if you drag too much, your ball might go way farther than your goal. So you have to estimate your distance before you release your ball. Moreover, this game is suitable for players of all ages. There’s no age restriction. Just don’t forget to allot at least 2.1Mb of storage space on your phone.

8 – Basketball Pointer Lite by WaGame

There’s no need for you to go the arcade. With Basketball Pointer Lite, you can play basketball right through your smartphone. The concept and gameplay of this game is pretty much similar to Basketball Shot. It’s just that the graphics of this game appears to be fancier and you can toggle between two language options: Chinese and English. You can also brag your top score to your friends on Facebook as you attempt to beat the game’s most skilled player. Just point and shoot your ball to the basket and enjoy!

9 – iBasket by Ludei

With iBasket, you will be playing your game outside the court. The overall vibe of this game can somewhat be compared to street basketball. Even the background has been set on the suburbs. Similarly, this game will make use of your phone’s touchscreen. To play, just click and drag your ball to a particular direction and make sure that it will go through the basket before you run out of time. If you manage to make a three-point shot, you will be rewarded with a bonus score. And just like Basketball Pointer Lite, you can also brag about your score. One of the greatest challenges of playing this game is to beat your own high score. You will also be able to evaluate your performance as you compare your score to the scores of your fellow players.

10 – Basketball Lite by Ellis Markov

Basketball Lite is a very simple looking basketball game that’s been specifically designed for Android tablets and smartphones. The concept of this game is to shoot the ball to the basket from the farthest distance. You can also set your gameplay according to your preferred mode. There are five different modes to choose from and that includes the ever popular NBA H.O.R.S.E mode. There’s also the network mode that allows you to challenge your fellow gamers regardless of where they are in the world. But of course, you have to be brave enough to do so. Or else, you might end up losing and you will have to exert more effort to redeem your lost reputation.
The above mentioned basketball game apps are very fun and exciting. You will definitely be hooked to your phone for hours especially during those times that you have nothing to do at home. It is already a known fact that basketball is a very thrilling and challenging sport. However, not all are able to play this game because of certain factors. Some may intend to play but they simply don’t have the time to do so. As for others, they might just want to try the game out but not in the real sense of the word. That is why it is quite good to have such games that you can readily play on your phone. No need to drop a sweat or run through the basketball court. Just gather along with your friends, pull out your device and you’re all set to make that glorious shot as you tend to aim for a high score.

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Top 10 Free Football Game Apps on Google Play Store

If you’re in the mood for some cool football game for Android, you can head straight to the Google PLAY Store. You can find a bunch of thrilling football games out there but you have to pick the ones that would give you the best experience. And although there are a lot of cool football game apps, you should know that not all of them are free. You need to pay for a certain price before you can download and install the said app to your tablet or smartphone. That is why we have come up with an idea to list the top ten free football game apps on Google PLAY Store. This way, you won’t have to dig the market and all that you need to do is refer to our list and choose the game that you think would give you the best gaming experience. And most importantly, you don’t have to spend anything. All of these apps can be downloaded for free.

1 – Real Football 2012 by Gameloft

The newest season of Real Football has finally arrived. All thanks to Gameloft, you can now be part of the most exciting football game on smartphones. Stand out from the crowd as you create your team’s custom jerseys and shorts. You can even scout for cool jersey designs and use them as your own. This app offers a smoother and more realistic gameplay with over 700 motion-capture-based animations. It would really feel like you’re in the real game because the AI players have been designed to intuitively adapt or respond to your actions. You will also be thrilled to experience the game’s new effects and cutscenes that go along with a wide selection of game modes. You can choose to play your game in Exhibition, League, International Cup, etc. And if you do want to hone your skills, you can set your game on Training mode.

2 – Football Kicks by Distinctive Wireless Inc.

Football Kicks is a very unique and challenging game that will give you the chance to master your free kicks on the pitch. The game comes in three distinctive game modes: Beat the Wall, Beat the Clock and the well-acclaimed Sudden Death mode. If you believe that your skills can be honed through frequent practice and hard work, then this game would suit you best. And for every successful kick that you make, you will be granted with FK coins. You can use your coins to get yourself a customized kit and you can even customize the appearance of your player. Plus, this game is very easy to control. Just swipe the screen using your finger as you aim to control the path of your shot. Just don’t be too confident that you can hit the goal that easily. You will definitely need to practice a lot.

3 – Football FreeKick (Soccer) by VirtueSoft Ltd.

Football FreeKick may not be packed with superb graphics and realistic animation but it is unique in its own way because it offers the game with cartoon-like animations. It is very simple to play but also very addictive. At first, it would be easy for you to learn the basic tricks but as the game progresses, you will eventually be challenged to create your own techniques. Swiping the ball to the goal may sound easy but when it comes to the point wherein you will need to curve the ball around the wall and goal, you will surely need to make sure that you are well capable of doing so. Oh well, that’s one of the reasons why you should try the game out on your phone.

4 – Flick Kick Football Kickoff by PikPok

Now is the time for you to prove to the world that your football kicks are way better than any other players in the world. With Flick Kick Football, your skills will be challenged as you try to keep your high score. The game features intuitive flick kicking that allows you to swipe your fingers across the ball to drive and past the walls of the defenders and you will also be driven back to the ‘Golden Era’ as you view the game’s unique graphical presentation. The animations and effects are also superb and you could somehow say that this game is way far better than Angry Birds. Oh well, except for those who are not really into football. But if there’s one thing that you should love about this game, it’s the fact that you don’t need to upgrade to a paid version.

5 – Street Football by bitand

This game will take your football experience to the suburbs. You would feel the drive of beating up your opponents in street football. And we’re not saying that it’s plain and simple. As a matter of fact, you will be facing the game’s most intuitive AI and your opponents will comes from 16 nations including Spain, Brazil and a whole lot more. Plus, you will truly be amazed with the game’s smooth and responsive gameplay. No lags with dirty graphics and superb sound effects. You just can’t get enough of this game and don’t blame us if you get addicted.

6 – World Football Free & Full by bitand

World Football Free is similar to street football. But this time around, you will be facing your opponents on the actual football field. You will also be challenge to beat the game’s very intuitive AI as it will predict your next moves. It wouldn’t be easy for you to hit the goal. So you have to be wise enough to outwit your opponent as you attempt to create your own signature kicks. With 16 nations to challenge, you are about to play the most exciting football game on your smartphone. Plus, this game is very light and can be easily installed on low-end smartphones.

7 – Football Rush Beta by SillyCube

With Football Rush, you will be tasked to pick the football and rush to the enemy field. If you feel like joining the NFL (even if it’s just in your dreams), then you shouldn’t miss this game. The graphics and animation of this game have been designed in a cartoon-like style so it is expected that you will definitely enjoy every bits of moment that you spend on playing this cool game. Plus, you will be delighted to know that this game features a bunch of cool effects and actions. For example, if you tilt your phone, your player will automatically move to your preferred direction.

8 – Tiny Football (Soccer) by begins

In this game, you will be entitled to choose from three thrilling game modes – Friendly, TinyCup and Challenge. You can also make use of your phone’s Wi-Fi to challenge your friend on a one-on-match as you try to prove your prowess. You will be tasked to control your team, kick the ball and score some goal. Of course, that won’t be easy. You have to be skilled enough to be able to defeat your opponents in the field.

9 – Top Eleven Football Manager by Nordeus

With Top Eleven Football Manager, you can finally live your dream to become the world’s best football manager. You will be given the ability to create your own football (soccer) club as you play against friends and other players in friendly matches and even in leagues and cups. Some of the game’s thrilling features are as follows: individual player training to boost squad performance, manage your team or squad’s finances, buy and sell players in live bidding system, set up formations, coach and make substitutions, track your friend’s team, choose between several sponsorship deals, hire new players and a whole lot more.

10 – Kick it Out! Football Manager by Ludetis UG

Kick it Out is similar to Top Eleven. But with this game, the gameplay isn’t too complex and you can easily control your team. In addition, this game supports multiple languages including French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Bulgarian. Also, you can play along with your friends or opt to challenge other players regardless of where they are in the world. The UI of the game is also very light and cartoon-like and you can easily set your move by clicking or tapping a particular icon. For example if you want to go to shop for new items, you can just tap the icon for Shop. Or if you want to train your players, you can just click the training icon.
Football games are not just meant for the football addicts but also for the football wannabes. You know how it feels like when you are so hooked to your favorite sport and yet, all you can do is watch your favorite players as they go and aim for the goal. At least with football game apps such as the ones that we have mentioned above, you can be part of the game yourself. No need for you to train for months. As long as you get your fingers ready, these games will definitely get you thrilled and challenged for hours! So if ever you are eyeing to become the next football pro player, don’t you even dare to miss any of these apps.

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BlackBerry Curve 9320 vs Curve 9220: Smart Comparison

In the past years, Research In Motion (RIM) have been in the limelight due to its struggle in coming up with phones. Though the company lacks interesting devices in the high-end segment, Its Curve series have been excelling well in developing markets such as in India and South East Asia. While the legendary BlackBerry Curve 8520 has still been selling well in some countries due to an update, RIM will be releasing the BlackBerry Curve 9220 that is faster and provides a better built. The phone also offers several new features. The strategy of the company dwells on the improvement of the 8520 while maintaining its market segment.

In addition to the 9220, RIM has also announced that it will also be releasing the BlackBerry Curve 9320 which shares much of the design and specifications of the Curve 9220. The Curve 9320 is the 3G variant of the Curve 9220 and even offers few other improvements over the non-3G version. Let us examine the similarities and differences of the BlackBerry Curve 9320 and the BlackBerry Curve 9220.
Design
The BlackBerry Curve 9220 took much of its design concepts from its predecessor, the BlackBerry Curve 8520. Below the screen display, a row of shortcut keys can be seen with the optical trackpad at placed at the middle of the four keys. A three row QWERTY keyboard and another row of short keys below it comprise the front of the phone. The casing of the phone is made entirely with plastic, though it feels really solid. On the right edge of the phone, the dedicated volume keys and camera key can be seen. The left edge includes the microUSB slot and a dedicated BBM key which is very interesting. The dedicated BBM key launches the BlackBerry Messenger directly and the quick access key can also be configured to launch other apps that the user wishes to set it up with.
A rubberized material also runs along the edges of the phone which adds improves the grip on the phone. Among the few things that Curve 8520 users will miss is the quick access media keys since the top of the Curve 9220 has only the power or lock key and the 3.5 mm audio jack. Similarly, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 shares similar design concepts as the 9220. On the outside, the metallic edges of the Curve 9320 provide the distinction between the two. Conversely, the BlackBerry Curve 9220 also comes in different colors such as Black, Fuchsia Pink, Pure White, and Teal Blue. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 wins this round with its more premium look than the Curve 9220. However, the younger generations may be more interested with the vibrant colors that are available for the BlackBerry Curve 9220.
Display
BlackBerry Curve 9220 and BlackBerry Curve 9320 houses the same display, a 2.44 inch TFT screen that has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and a pixel density of 164 PPI. Since both devices is equipped with the same screen, this round is clearly a draw.
Processor
Both phones are powered by an 800 MHz processor with 512 MB of installed RAM. This allows both devices to run apps smoothly. The devices also features three sensors for the phone namely, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass. We call this round also a draw.
Camera
The BlackBerry Curve 9220 has a camera with 2 megapixel sensor and can take photos at 1600 x 1200 pixels. On the other hand, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 offers an upgraded camera with a 3.2 megapixel sensor. The camera also features geo-tagging options and image stabilization. Both cameras can also record videos. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 wins this round with its higher sensor than the Curve 9220.
Software
Both devices will run the latest BlackBerry OS 7.1. The latest OS provides key features that would let its users enjoy an FM Radio and an auto suggest feature via universal search. The auto suggest feature functions by filtering local search results and suggested BING! Web search with a every keystroke. This round is also considered a draw. Apart from the propriety BBM features of the devices, the phones are also pre-equipped with Twitter and Facebook applications that includes Social Feeds for updating various social apps as well as accessing RSS feeds, news, and a lot more in a single platform.
Data Connectivity
The BlackBerry Curve 9220 supports GPRS and EDGE connectivity. It can also connect to Wi-Fi hotspot locations and has a Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP. The device also uses a microUSB for data transfer and for charging the device.
On the other hand, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 offers support for HSDPA and HSUPA data networks that can have speeds of up to 7.2 mbps and 5.76, respectively. Similar to the Curve 9220, the Curve 9320 also has Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 2.1, and a microUSB. The winner for this round is the BlackBerry Curve 9320 since it can offer 3G capabilities.
Memory
The BlackBerry Curve 9220 and the BlackBerry Curve 9320 has an internal storage of 512 MB which a bit low for a mobile device. However, it can easily be expanded with the availability of a microSD slot. The devices are capable of supporting SD cards of up to 32 GB. This round is again a tie.
Battery
Both devices are equipped with a 1450 mAh standard battery. The manufacturer of the latest HTC handset claims that the battery of the BlackBerry Curve 9220 and the BlackBerry Curve 9220 can last for 7 hours for talktime and 28 hours for music playback.
Price
The BlackBerry Curve 9220 is considered as the most affordable BlackBerry 7 smartphone in the market today. It has been released last month in India and had a selling price of Rs 10,990 or about £130. On the other hand, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 was officially announced yesterday in the UK and the price tag of the phone is around £139.99 on pay as you go basis and can also be availed as a free handset on a £15 per month contract from any telecomm providers. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 offers the best deal when it comes to price since the prices of both devices do deviate that much with only less than £10 difference.
Conclusion
The BlackBerry Curve 9320 and the BlackBerry Curve 9220 will surely dominate the lower market sector with the latest addition of these products. RIM offers its consumers with affordable phones that can function well and at the same time offer the premium features of BlackBerry devices such as BBM and other key features. Though the specifications of the devices do not look pretty enough on paper, the latest BlackBerry phones are still expected to be a big hit on its target consumers which are among the developing markets of India and other South East Asian countries.
Though both devices share several common features and hardware, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 offers greater value on its price since it is 3G enabled and it has a better camera with only a £10 addition. We are still hoping for more powerful devices from RIM as the higher-market are mostly dominated by Android smartphones.

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Top 10 Free Checkers Game Apps on Google Play Store

If you go to the Google PLAY Store, you will surely find a lot of free checkers game for Android tablets and smartphones. Not all may like to play this challenging board game but for those who are fond of drilling their brains, checkers is a highly recommended game. It can be played via single-player or multi-player. And if you can’t find any worthy opponent, you can always opt to play against the game’s AI player. That is why in this post, we have decided to list the top ten free checkers game that you can download from the Google PLAY Store. For sure, you won’t be disappointed and all that you need to do is to sit back, relax and enjoy! We’ve done all the hard work for you and we hope that you could find the one that you like most.

1 – Checkers Free by All Factory Limited

Developed by one of today’s leading app developers, Checkers Free is a very challenging game that’s packed with classy graphics and super smooth gameplay. With this app, you will play against the CPU (aka the non-human player) and you will be challenged to make a record of zero losses and zero draws. You can also adjust your game settings by selecting the level of difficulty and forced capture option. Some of the game’s enticing features are as follows: 10 difficulty levels (starts from Beginner to Expert), 2 player hot-seat, 2 Checkers Piece Sets and Boards, User Stats, Undo and Hints, compulsory and non-compulsory capture option, unobtrusive ads and a whole lot more. Moreover, the game is very responsive and you won’t be annoyed by frequent force close errors.

2 – Checkers Free by Optime Software

We can say that this game is one of the best checkers games that you can find at the Google Play Store. Just take note of the developer because you might get confused since this game is of the same name as the one from All Factory Limited. Anyways, with Checkers Free you can play against your friends or challenge a computer opponent. Just tap a piece using your finger and move it to a certain direction. And if ever you make a wrong move, you can always tap the undo button. In addition, this game is packed with exciting features. There’s Autosave for instances wherein you need to quit and continue at a later time. You also have the ability to enable or disable the game’s forced capture function.

3 – Checkers by Magma Mobile

With Checkers by Magma Mobile, you are free to choose the design of your board. You can also have it resized in 6 x 6, 8 x 8 or 10 x 10. That way, you can be assured that you will be getting a very clear view of your game. And just like Checkers Free by Optime, you can opt to play against friends or against the game’s very own AI aka the Magma Mobile Artificial Intelligence Engine. The difficulty of this game is quite challenging and will surely bring a delight to those who are craving for a thrilling board game. You will also be delighted to see the game’s neat graphics that goes along with its responsive UI.

4 – Checkers for Android by Aart Bik

If you are still new to checkers or you are the type who often falls on the losing side, you might as well check out this app by Aart Bik called Checkers for Android. With this app, you will be able to enable the option for ‘move coach’ and the game itself will guide you through. It will show some valid moves and it will also highlight your last move. As for its undo feature, you can take back up to eight half-moves to correct your mistakes. You can also opt to play on both sides or independently. The board has been pre-set to 8 x 8 and you can also set your game to mandatory or non-mandatory forced capture. That’s if you don’t have the confidence to win on strict regulations.

5 – Battle Chinese Checkers by SohoMob

Battle Chinese Checkers is not your average game of checkers. It’s a modified game that can be played by 2 or more people. The maximum number of players allowed to play this game is six and your objective is to move all your marbles into the point of the star wherein you will be directly opposing your home point. Furthermore, the level of difficulty of this game will definitely challenge your wits and if you don’t have any friends to call on, you can always choose to play against the game’s AI. You don’t have to worry though. If you are a newbie, you can easily set the game’s difficulty to Easy. And by the time that you have already gotten used to the game, you can simply opt for a more difficult mode.

6 – Checkers Pro by Mouse Games

The graphics and UI of this game is quite simple but also very appealing. It’s like you will be taken back to the old times as you will be challenged to show how good you are at checkers. And just like most of the games that you can find at the Google Play Store, Checkers Pro will give you the ability to play via single-player or multi-player. Some of the game’s interesting features are as follows: simple but appealing graphics with awesome sound effects, outstanding AI engine with 5 difficulty levels, undo function, enable or disable forced captures and game center support.

7 – Dalmax Checkers by Dalmax.net

The GUI of this game may not be too appealing but when it comes to gameplay, it is very unlikely for you to experience any lags or force close errors. Most of all, this game is very unique because you can create your own rules and deviate from the standard playing options. Of course, you can always opt for the classic game but it would also be nice if you can play according to your own liking. Some of the pre-set rules that you can use on this game are as follows: English rules (Draughts), international rules (Polish Draughts), Russian rules (Shashki), Spanish rules, Portuguese rules and a whole lot more. You can also set the level of difficulty of your game by using its level scale.

8 – Checkers by Wintrino Mobile Prime

If you are still in the hunt for a free classic checkers board game, you should not miss this app called Checkers that’s been brought to you by Wintrino Mobile Prime. With this game, you can easily play draughts or dama (that’s the other term for checkers) on your tablet or phone and view your pieces on its 8 x 8 board. Each side of the board will be composed of 12 pieces and you can choose between its black and white pieces. Just keep in mind that you must move diagonally to capture your opponent’s pieces. The only time that you are allowed to move forward is when you reach the other end of the board. Also, do take note that your device must run on Android 2.1 Froyo or any of the latest Android versions.

9 – Checkers V Free by ZingMagic Limited

If you want to play the game with lots of options, you can go for Checkers V Free. With this game, you are entitled to choose among the game’s wide selection of gameplay options. For the game level, you can opt to play as Beginner, Intermediate or Difficult and you can also opt to play in 1 sec per move, 5 sec per move, 20 secs for move, etc. And just like Dalmax Checkers, you can customize the rules of the game into English Draughts, American Checkers, International Checkers, etc.
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10 – Checkers Online by CloudDroid

Checkers Online is very nice looking game with chat room support. That being said, you can play and chat with your friends and you can even make use of emoticons. In addition, this game comes with multi-player support and you can easily challenge your fellow players. And if ever you feel like losing, you can resign or call for a draw. You can also create your own profile with very own profile photo as you brag about your achievements and high scores.
These ten free checkers game apps are very fun and challenging. Checkers does help boost your ability to adapt to diverse challenges as you use your intellect to create a strategy. Just like chess, this game is ideal for those who are gifted with the skill to outwit their opponents. And because of the advent of modern technology, you no longer need to bring your wooden checker board. Instead, you can simply bring out your tablet or smartphone. It doesn’t really matter where you are for this game can be played indoors. You can call a friend to have a match with you and it would be more fun if you can organize a competition. But most importantly, these games won’t cost you a single dime. You can play without limits and you will no longer be bored.

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Apple’s MacBook Pro & iMac Running on Intel Ivy Bridge Processor

We have already heard about the rumors that Apple would be using Intel’s chips for its next generation MacBook Pro and iMac since 2011. I thought such rumors would be confirmed late this year but as early as today, GeekBench confirmed through a benchmark entry that Apple is almost ready to launch it’s new computers. The said Canadian website has a history of revealing correct information about the specs and benchmark scores of several products prior to the official announcement of the manufacturers. So, we have a good reason to believe that the scores (dated May 10 and May 13, 2012) showed from GeekBench’s database are from the real Apple machines.

Apple’s decision to use Intel Ivy Bridge chips was motivated by the fact that there will be around 10% to 15% boost in overall performance and that seems to be the case here. The information posted by GeekBench on its website dated May 10, 2012 shows 12,183 benchmark score for the new iMac13,2 running on Intel Core i7-3770 clocked at 3.40GHz. The score is way better than the current iMacs which only have 11,500 benchmark scores. I believe the iMac13,2 shown on the website was the 27-inch model running on the powerful quad-core processor.
The Intel Core i7-3770 sports 4 cores and each of them runs 2 threads at the same time. Thus, it is apparent this CPU could run 8 threads at the same time making it very useful for processes that require hyper-threading like extensive video and photo editing. In the same information sheet, it was shown that iMac13,2 will be sporting 4GB of RAM while operating on Mac OS X 10.8 (Build 12A2040). So, basically we are looking at a very powerful machine from Apple which would become the fiercest rival of any Windows desktop computers.
Another benchmark result was shown on GeekBench’s website dated May 13, 2012. This time it’s the MacBookPro9,1 which is still running on Intel’s Ivy Bridge chip and achieved 12,252 score which is way higher than the scores of the current MacBooks. MacBookPro9,1 is running on Intel Core i7-3820QM clocked at 2.70 GHz. While the clockspeed is lower than that of the chip used in iMac13,2 it has doubled the RAM (8GB) so it has achieved a higher score than the previous.
This is going to be very difficult to beat by any Windows laptop available in the market or the ones that are about to be released. Considering the reputation of Apple when it comes to building high-quality computers and really cool operating system, we can expect that these products would soon dominate both the desktop and laptop markets. Apparently, the use of Intel’s chipsets brought very impressive results to the already powerful brands and products. For the past two years we’ve seen how dual-core computers battled over dominance in the market, this year we will be seeing how quad-cores clash while trying to put their competitors down. But the thing is, Apple has never lost a fight with Windows and the latter won’t admit being underdog, so we can expect a heated competition this year.

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How To Update Samsung Galaxy Ace CM9 Android 4.0.3 ICS Nightly Firmware

Our friends over at GalaxyICS Project just released the CyanogenMod 9 (CM9) Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) nightly build firmware for Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830. Considering millions of people own Galaxy Ace, many are waiting for the ICS firmware update of this device. We are lucky that someone took the burden of developing the CM9 ICS custom firmware. And just to explain what’s a nightly firmware is, it’s actually just like any other custom ROMs or firmware only that literally many developers write codes for it at night or after their daytime job. Nevertheless, it’s the same as the other and would function without any problems. One of the most common differences between the nightly build and the normal custom ROMs is that the developers may not be able to provide proper documentation of change logs of what have been done. For this case however, we are lucky as change log is provided.

According to the change log, CM9 ICS nightly build’s sources have been updated. So the firmware is now better and more stable than the previous ones. Problems in the Settings have also been addressed and you don’t need to reboot your phone every after you change the settings. Support for themes was also added and there were added custom icons on the lock screen now. Maclaw’s lib audio receive a generous update, too.

Pre-Requisites

Before you do anything on your Galaxy Ace, there are just a few things you need to do to ensure the safety of your data as well as the safety of your phone. These things might be basic for you but it wouldn’t hurt us to remind you that these are very important.
A. All your data should be backed up so that you can always restore them any time you want. Also, if things go bad during the update process, at least your data are safe.
B. Recharge your phone and make sure you have at least 60% of your battery. If you can fully recharge it, that would be better to make sure there will be no power-related disruptions while on the process.
C. Enable USB Debugging on your device since you will be connecting it to your computer. Go to Settings => Applications => Development => USB Debugging.
D. If possible, disable or turn off all your security suites and apps. Sometimes they will also cause disruptions especially that we are not dealing with the official ICS firmware.
E. If you are using any custom ROMs, then you need to wipe all of your phone’s data and clear cache from the recovery mode. Additionally, you also need clear the Dalvik cache.

Updating Galaxy Ace

Step 1: Download CM9 ICS Nightly Firmware here and save it to your computer in a directory you can easily remember or access. Please note that the link provide here points to the download page where other firmware are placed. So be sure to choose the one labeled as ‘Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830‘ to be able to continue the update process without problems.
Step 2: Now, connect your phone to your computer and copy the package to the root directory. Do not put it into sub-directories as you will not be able to access it during the update process. Once the package is copied, disconnect your phone from your computer and turn it off.
Step 3: Put your device into Recovery Mode by holding down both the Menu and Power On buttons together. If it fails to boot into Recovery Mode, you should try this step over again.
Step 4: If you are in Recovery Mode already, select “install zip from sd card” followed with “choose zip from sd card” and then browse through the root directory of your phone and locate the zip file you just copied.
Step 5: Let your phone do the updating. All you have to do is wait until you are brought to Recovery Mode screen where you need to select “++++ Go Back ++++” then “reboot system now.”
The reboot may take longer than the normal so you just have to wait and never interrupt the process. However, if Galaxy Ace refuses to start and show the Home Screen after 5 minutes, you have to take the battery out and re-insert it. This time it would boot normally, so check if it’s now using the nightly build CM9 ICS. If not, then do this tutorial again.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook Announced

Lenovo is up to something really spectacular. It is trying to get the title of a manufacturer to ever release the lightest 14-inch ultrabook in the form of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon which has been announced today together with other powerful ThinkPad devices. Just so everyone knows, Lenovo is actually going for the high-end market so we can expect that ThinkPad X1 Carbon would be sporting Intel’s Ivy Bridge. But let’s try to look a bit closer into this ultrabook to see what the company has in store for us and what does it mean when it said it’d be releasing really powerful devices.

First, let’s try to see what made this ultrabook fairly powerful by looking into the properties of its processor (CPU). Lenovo hasn’t revealed much information yet only that it said ThinkPad X1 Carbon would be sporting the third generation Intel Core or the i3 core. So far, Intel’s Ivy Bridge CPUs are the most powerful ones that even Apple will use for its next geneation iMac and MacBook Pro. Lenovo however, didn’t go further into using even more advanced and powerful Ivy Bridge chips like i5 or i7 simply because for professional use, a dual-core CPU is enough to keep everything running. But for an ultrabook as thin and as light as ThinkPad X1 Carbon, we are even lucky to get i3.
While the amount of RAM to be used in this device hasn’t been revealed yet, we are inclined to believe it will sport at least 4 GB of RAM to optimize the its performance considering it will operate on Windows 7 64-bit. It is the most typical size of RAM for laptops like this but it could even go up to 8 GB and in this case it is not impossible. The least we can hope for is for this ultrabook to support even up to 16GB of random access memory. Basing on its design, Lenovo has apparently done a good job with sleeker innovations. One of which is the Carbon Fiber enclosure. You might have asked yourself why it’s called ThinkPad X1 Carbon, now you know why.

Lenovo chose to use carbon fiber instead of ordinary plastic because primarily it is very durable. If you’ve not known yet, carbon fiber is also used as coverings for racing cars because of its durability and being lightweight. That’s exactly what the designers of this ultrabook thought when deciding the best material to embrace the delicate yet powerful hardware inside. Besides, this material is glossy and couldn’t easily be bruised. But one of the features of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook is its 14-inch display that works perfectly with Vibrant Hi-Resolution technology to provide more vivid, clearer and deeper display. Plus, you’ll be getting a fairly high resolution at 1600 x 900 pixels.

If you’ve noticed, Lenovo is more inclined to offering entertainment features and the same is true with this ultrabook; you will be enjoying the Dolby Home Theater v4 audio plus the ThinkPad Enhanced Experience 3.0 software to make everything about this device beautiful. And don’t be surprised if the front-facing camera could record HD videos of up to 720p @30fps featuring Face Tracking functionality because that’s just one of the many things you can get from Lenovo devices.

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LG Optimus 4X HD Releasing in (Europe) Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland & Sweden

We Just acquired information from LG today that it will be launching its new LG Optimus 4X HD in June for select European countries including Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden. This is going to be LG’s entry entertainment-oriented device category because basically, Optimus 4X HD’s features are enhanced to offer entertainment at its best. From its display down to its audio, you will easily notice this device is best used for multimedia playback putting it ahead in the competition when displayed on the shelf with other devices sporting the same specs. While it is targeted for entertainment purposes, you could just underestimate what this device can do because it also has the specs you wished you have in your smartphones.

While everybody was stunned by Samsung Galaxy S3 and its specs, many people haven’t noticed that other major manufacturers like LG have also been vying to release as powerful devices and Optimus 4X HD is just one of them. Let’s try to talk about the CPU first. LG Optimus 4X HD will sport the popular nVidia Tegra 3 Cortex-A9 quad-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz. In short, it comes with the possible maximum power a smart phone nowadays could have. Together with this powerful processor comes ULP GeForce graphics processing unit (GPU) to cater extensive graphics rendering.
To pair with the specs above, LG gave this handset 1 GB of RAM which is just typical for any dual-core and quad-core devices. The first time I heard about LG’s first smart phone with 2GB RAM (LG Optimus LTE2) I thought the company would also give Optimus 4X HD the same amount of random access memory but I was wrong. LG simply wants to stick with the trend, after all having 1GB of RAM is more than enough you could ask for. Considering Android OS eats very little memory as well as its apps, a user couldn’t even use up 512MB at one time however powerful the device is. But of course, having a bigger RAM would always have impact on performance and smoothness of the processes.
I don’t know if there will be 32GB and 64GB models of this device but I am certain the lowest capacity one can get is 16GB. If you think that’s not enough then you don’t have to worry as a microSD slot is available for future upgrades. LG Optimus 4X HD got 8MP camera and features all the typical functionalities you can get from any LG device. But since this handset boasts of its High-Definition IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, you can expect that the camera can also record full HD videos at 1080p@30FPS. It has fairly wide screen at 4.7 inches with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution.
As expected, LG couldn’t afford its powerful handset to come with dated OS. So, you will be getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) which is just perfect for optimum performance. People have always been wanting to update their Android devices to the latest version and in the following months, majority of Android users should be using ICS. Thus, LG couldn’t just let its devices be left behind by the trends as far as firmware is concerned. One of the things you could also appreciate about this device is that it has a considerably powerful battery at 2,140 mAh; that could give you 6 to 7 hours of straight talk time and video playback.

We have heard reports that this handset is among the most stable devices LG would release and that there are very few bugs and inconsistencies, so we can expect really good battery performance in this. LG Optimus 4X HD is obviously not targeting the LTE market. Otherwise, it could sport nVidia Tegra 3 chipset just like other LTE device from other major manufacturers.

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Sony Vaio E Series 15.5 & 17.3 Ultrabooks Revealed

Today, Sony announced the newest additions to its Vaio line of laptops and ultrabooks, the Sony Vaio E Series 15 and Sony Vaio E Series 17. We’ve already learned that Sony is striving to bring as huge revenue as possible this year to cover up what it had lost in 2011. So, aside from being aggressive in releasing gaming consoles and high-end smart phones, the Japanese company has also engaged into a battle in the high-end laptop market competing all major laptop manufacturers that also want to dominate. Sony’s line of Vaio laptops has become popular and successful in the past 4 years that even until now, the brand has a good reputation. Perhaps this is the reason why Sony does not hesitate is setting loose all of the devices it believes to be able to perform better in the current market trend.

Both Sony Vaio E Series 15 and Vaio E Series 17 have almost the same specs and power. Just by looking at the model numbers (Vaio SVE1511W1E and Vaio SVE1711V1E) you will know almost immediately what the difference is; Sony often use the screen size as a part of the model number. Needless to say, the other is a bit wider or bigger than the other although both have the same power and capabilities and that’s what we are going to look into. But you should know that these are only two of the Vaio computers the company is planning to release this year.
Sony Vaio E Series 15 has a screen size of 15.5 inches while Vaio E Series 17 has 17.3 inches. Although both have the same 16:9 ratio, the previous gets 1366 x 768 pixels resolution while the latter gets 1600 x 900 pixels. And speaking of power and muscles, both of these devices will be getting Intel Core i5-2450M processor, it is a newly launched i5 variant with 2 cores and clocked at 2.5 GHz frequency. If you were thinking Vaio E Series would be getting quad-cores, you’re wrong because this model only has two and could run 4 thread at the same time. Nonetheless, laptops with this kind of CPU are more powerful than you think they are.
While these two E Series model use the same graphics processing unit (AMD Radeon HD 7650M), E Series 15 only gets 1GB VRAM while E Series 17 gets 2GB. So, when it comes to rendering heavy graphics, videos or games, the latter and the bigger one has a little edge over the smaller. Since both will be operating on Windows 7 64-bit with Service Pack 1, both are also given 6 GB of RAM each to put their performances to the maximum level.
Either of the two, you will get 750GB of hard disk drive. However, the smaller unit gets only DVD RW optical drive while the bigger one gets Blu-ray Disc combo player. I haven’t know about the release date and the pricing of these devices but based on Sony’s practices, it would always take a month or two after the official announcement before the devices will be released. We are inclined to believe it is targeting June as the perfect month to release these Sony Vaio E Series 15 and Vaio E Series 17.

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HTC EVO 4G LTE vs EVO 3D: Smart Comparison

HTC has finally launched the company’s latest flagship smartphone, the HTC Evo 4G LTE, under Sprint. Sprint has chosen its nameplate as it would be the true successor of the HTC Evo 4G. HTC Evo 4G LTE is much closely related with the HTC One X in terms of its hardware and specifications. In addition, it also relived the Evo-style design of HTC with the presence of a decent looking kickstand.
On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D was released two years ago and was considered as a variant of the HTC Evo 4G rather than its successor. Evo 3D shared several similarities with the Evo 4G in terms of its specifications but the Evo 3D offers more appealing features, especially its 3D capabilities and its ability to let the users to experience 3D viewing without the use of 3D glasses through its stereoscopic view technology.

Today, we will reminisce of the features of the opt successor of the Evo 4G, the HTC Evo 3D, and compare it with the latest HTC handset that takes the seat as the true successor of the well renowned Evo 4G, the HTC Evo 4G LTE.
Design
Though the HTC Evo 4G LTE shares several similar specifications with the HTC One X, RIM took emphasis on its design and build to set it apart from other high-end smartphones in the market today. HTC Evo 4G LTE is built with an anodized aluminum body that provides it with a premium look and makes it comfortable to hold. It is also 8.9mm thick which makes it even easier to slip in pockets.
HTC Evo 4G LTE retains the design similar to the One series of having only three capacitive touch sensitive keys to provide more screen space. Along the right side of the device are the volume rocker and the dedicated camera shutter button. The 3.5mm audio jack and the power button is placed on the top of the phone and the microUSB port is placed at the left side of the device to allow the user to charge the phone or connect it to an HDTV even when the kickstand is popped out. Evo 4G LTE has an aluminum body casing which also includes the natural aluminum finish edges of the device that provides contrast to the matte black color.
On the rear of the HTC Evo 4G LTE, it can be noticed that there two tones of black. The upper part is a glossy black sturdy plastic casing that houses the microSD slot and the SIM card slot. It is also said that the NFC chip is placed within this part of the device. The lower portion is made with an anodized aluminum and has a matte black finish. A quarter inch red stripe separates the two portions and also houses the kickstand of the Evo 4G LTE. The kickstand was a trademark feature of the Evo 4G and was it relived in the design of its successor. Improvements were also made with the kickstand wherein the user has the option to change the angle of the device while it sits.
On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D have made some marked improvements as compared with its sibling, the HTC Evo 4G as it was made thinner and made slightly longer to make it feel less bulky while holding the device. The soft rear matte finish of the Evo 3D slightly improves grip and the red linings on camera makes its distinguishable as an Evo series device. Along the left side of the phone is the microUSB port for charging and transferring data, it also possible to have a high definition output since the port support MHL. On the right side, the volume rocker, 2D/3D camera switch, and the bulky dedicated camera shutter button is placed. The 3.5mm audio jack and the power button can be seen on the top edge of the phone. The rear side of the device presents the dual camera of the device which allows it to take stereoscopic images. It also has dual LED flash placed between the cameras.
While the HTC Evo 3D offers an interesting look with its dual camera, the HTC Evo 4G offers a stunning design and the Evo trademark feature, the kickstand. The downside of the Evo 3D is its capacitive touch keys below the screen which quite crowded. Though it retains the circular ring around the touch keys, placing four keys as compared to the three keys of the Evo 4G LTE often leads to accidentally hitting the home and search keys more often. The aluminum casing of the HTC Evo 4G LTE also provides added protection to everyday wear and tear of daily usage. Thus, the HTC Evo 4G LTE offers more design advantages than the HTC Evo 3G making it the winner of this round.
Display
The HTC Evo 4G LTE houses a 4.7 inch Super IPS LCD2 screen display that is one of the best displays that we have seen so far. It is capable of a display resolution of 720 x 1280p and has a pixel density of 312 PPI which makes it nearly impossible to spot individual pixels. The display also suffers from oversaturation similar to AMOLED screens but at lesser degree to a point that is not that noticeable. It also offers a wider viewing angle due to its IPS technology and it performs well on the outdoors. The screen is also protected with the latest Gorilla Glass 2 technology by Corning.
On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D uses a 4.3 inch qHD Super LCD display with a resolution of 540 x 960p and a pixel density of 256 PPI. There is marked improvement over other HTC devices however it is inferior over the Evo 4G LTE due to its lack of the IPS technology and often washes out at extreme angles. What makes the HTC Evo 3D unique is its parallax barrier overlay that offers a 3D viewing experience without the need of 3D glasses. However, based on some reviews extended 3D viewing with the phone causes mild headaches but nonetheless the device can perform well on 2D.
By comparing both devices in terms of its 2D HD viewing experience, the HTC Evo 4G LTE provides a better performance than the HTC Evo 3D and the fact that the Evo 4G LTE has an IPS display screen makes it far more superior than the qHD screen. Thus, the HTC Evo 4G LTE is the winner of this round.
Processor
The HTC Evo 4G LTE is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait dual-core processor clocked at 1.5 GHz with 1 GB of installed RAM. The chipset also includes an Adreno 225 GPU that provides superb performance on graphic intensive processes. It scored 5099 in Quadrand standard benchmark test and 6995 on AnTuTu which very impressive, though not as powerful as the Samsung Galaxy S III.
On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D runs with a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8660 dual-core processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and also has a 1GB RAM that helps well with the extensive needs of the device to run 3D videos and games. The chipset also includes an Adreno 220.
The HTC Evo 4G LTE clearly provides greater performance capability than the HTC Evo 3D with its newer chipset. Thus, the Evo 4G LTE is the winner of this round.
Camera
The HTC Evo 4G LTE has an 8 megapixel camera that can produce 3264 x 2448p resolution photos and features an LED flash. It also features simultaneous HD video recording and image recording similar to the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III. HD videos are recorded 1080p and its 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera can also record 720p HD videos.
On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D is installed with two 5 megapixel cameras that can capture images at 2560 x 1920p resolution. The set cameras of the Evo 3D is capable of capturing stereoscopic images and videos, though only at 2 megapixels. HD videos are recorded at 720p resolution and it also has a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera.
Though the HTC Evo 3D is capable of capturing and recording 2D and 3D videos and images, the HTC Evo 4G LTE offers better resolution and photo quality. To some, the 3D feature is not that relevant on a day-to-day basis of usage. With that in mind, we prefer the 8 megapixel camera of the HTC Evo 4G LTE making the smartphone the winner of this round.
Software
HTC Evo 4G LTE runs the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with an overlay of HTC’s latest Sense 4.0 UI. On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D runs the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS out of the box and is said to be capable of an OTA update to Android 4.0 OS. Evo 3D also has an overlay of HTC Sense 3.0. In this criterion, we choose the HTC Evo 4G LTE as the winner since it runs the on ICS and Sense 4.0. This means less bugs and hassle on the users end.
Data Connectivity
HTC Evo 4G LTE supports LTE network as well as Rev A, Cat3 with speeds up to 50 mbps, and UL that can reach speeds up to 100 mbps. It also supports DLNA, Wi-FI direct, and Wi-FI hotspot. Along with its advanced connectivity features is its NFC support, Bluetooth 3.0, microUSB with MHL.
On the other hand, the HTC Evo 3D supports HSDPA and HSUPA networks, but its lacks the LTE support that Evo 4G LTE has. It also has DLNA and Wi-Fi hotspot feature but lacks the Wi-Fi direct and NFC support. HTC Evo 3D has the same Bluetooth and microUSB as the Evo 4G LTE.
LTE network support have been a major trend nowadays due to its high data speeds, thus the HTC Evo 4G LTE has the advantage making the device the winner of this round.
Memory
HTC Evo 4G LTE comes with an internal memory of 16 GB which a huge advantage over the 1GB storage of the Evo 3D. Both devices also support microSD expansion up to 32 GB. The HTC Evo 3D comes with an 8GB SD card out of the box which smaller than the other device. However, the HTC Evo 4G LTE still has the edge especially when fully maximizing the storage expansion of both devices, the Evo 4G LTE will provide a large storage space. Thus, the HTC Evo 4G LTE the winner of this round.
Battery
HTC Evo 4G LTE is equipped with a 2000 mAh as compared with the 1730 mAh standard battery of the HTC Evo 3D. The stronger battery of the Evo 4G LTE provides its users with increased mobility and longer hours of video and gaming hours which will surely get the interest of consumers. HTC Evo 4G LTE wins this round with ease.
Price
Reports indicate that the HTC Evo 4G LTE will be offered at $199.99 with a contract with Sprint. When the HTC Evo 3D was released two years ago, it also had the same price with the Evo 4G LTE today. With the same price and duration of the contract, the HTC Evo 4G LTE will provide more advanced features, functionality, and performance. HTC Evo 4G LTE wins this round.
Conclusion
Sprint will again cater its subscribers and soon-to-be subscribers one of the most advanced smartphones in the market today as they did in the past years. Its release of bundled packages with the HTC Evo 4G and HTC Evo 3D were a success and had gained popularity for the last two years will again offer an impressive device, the HTC Evo 4G LTE, that dominates over other HTC devices and predecessor. The HTC Evo 4G LTE will provide its users with the top-of-the-line features and performance, though it may come a bit pricey for the common individual. However, we can say that the Evo 4G LTE is a good buy especially when considering the overall package of this device.

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Sony Vaio S & Z Ultrabooks Announced Featuring Intel Ivy Bridge Processor

In an announcement today, Sony confirmed the rumors that the Sony Vaio S and Vaio Z will be sporting an Intel Ivy Bridge processor to be able to cope up with the cutting edge competition. The company also announced Sony Vaio E Series 15 and E Series 17 today as additions to its already popular Vaio brand. It seems like the company is cramming up to release as many laptop computers as possible during summer. Just in April and May, we have already been hearing a lot of rumors, speculations and confirmed reports that Sony will be bringing more products in the market this year and that includes gaming consoles, smart phones and laptops or ultrabooks.

Early this month, one of our writers here also reported about Sony Vaio T11 and T13 and how these computers would eventually take the lead. Aggressiveness is one of the things the company is showing to everyone right now and it means serious business as most of these Vaio line of ultrabooks and laptops come with Ivy Bridge processors. While there were no sufficient information as to what chipset Sony would be using for these devices, we already know it would be using Intel Core i7 processor.
Apparently, Sony is going for very thin but powerful laptops because in today’s world anyone is looking for smaller or thinner devices. For smart phones, pocket size handsets always have advantage than bulky ones. But for laptops, it would always be appealing to everyone if it is thin but comes with really powerful hardware with impressive specs. That’s what exactly Sony is trying to do just to acquire more attention than it already has.
As I was saying, both of these devices will be sporting the quad-core i7-3612QM and each will have 8GB RAM to make use of Windows 7 64-bit to its optimum level. Basically, these models will become the rivals of Apple’s MacBook Pro that also uses the same CU but with slightly different chipset. Nonetheless, the power these devices will offer would be more than what we think they can offer. If last year was the time for dual-core computers, this year is for quad-core.
We know exactly that manufacturers are competing on a very stiff market for both smart phones and computers. Having to use powerful and first-class processors is just one of the  many marketing tactics each one of them is using to attract more buyers and customers. While it is now becoming congested in the tech market, no one would actually benefit from it but the buyers and tech enthusiasts who are on the lookout for great new devices. This year, we will be seeing really powerful devices offered at fair prices.
There are no other information as to when the release dates of these devices would be or how much they would be marketed for. But I believe Sony will be going to release them in time for the summer; June could be the perfect month for great releases, although July could also be possible. But let’s just wait for further information from Sony.

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