World Mobile News

Microsoft may soon end-up owning Nokia, but it doesn’t want to be the only game in (Windows Phone) town. Rather, it wants a live eco-system, consisting of a number of different handset makers from all around the world. And if it really wants to succeed – it should corner Samsung. And that’s exactly what it’s apparently trying to do. According to Mobile-Review’s Eldar Murtazin, the Redmond giant is offering $1 billion to the Korean giant so it continues to make Windows Phone devices. This, of course, is still a rumor but it does make a lot of sense. If Microsoft wants to stay relevant in the mobile game, it *must* have the world’s biggest phone maker on its side. The problem, however, is how to convince someone who makes a majority of its money from a competing platform (Android) while also working on its own operating system (Tizen). Then again, no matter how much money Sammy is making these days, an additional billion dollars could help it further improve its standing. The upcoming C...

The Dec. 15 Deal of the Day is the Samsung S-View Flip Cover for Galaxy S4 . This case is designed to provide the best of both worlds, combining the fashion and privacy of a Flip Cover with the convenience of a screen window that allows view-through access to alerts, status and vital information. Color options include black and white. The Samsung S-View Flip Cover is available for just $39.75, 34% off today only . Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping. Find more great deals on Samsung Galaxy S4 accessories at ShopAndroid.com! Canada Deal of the Day SCOSCHE II High Capacity Backup Battery Today Only: $44.95        

Performance tweaks and camera improvements for Z Ultra among changes in latest Sony firmware Sony had previously promised that the Android 4.3 rollout for certain Xperia phones would begin this month, and now the first two devices on the list are being updated. Android 4.3 for the Sony Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra has started rolling out today, bringing an update from 4.2.2 and some Sony software improvements. Among the changes are enhanced performance and updates to Sony's suite of built-in apps, such as Messaging, My Xperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, Track ID, Sony Select and the media apps, including Walkman, Album and Movies. As of this release the Xperia Z Ultra also gets access to Sony's "Smart Social Camera" feature from the Z1, which lets the rear camera use Sony's downloadable camera apps. The new firmware also supports downloadable themes through the Xperia Themes system, a feature Sony says it'll expand upon in the future. The update shoul...

The Logitech USB Headset Stereo H650e is another business-orientated headset from Logitech. In many ways it is very similar to the Logitech Wireless Headset Dual H820e, with an almost identical design that is simple, yet also good looking and professional. It has the same faux-leather ear cups and head rest that look nice and ensure that the headset is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. As with the Logitech Wireless Headset Dual H820e, the microphone's boom arm is adjustable, so you can place it in the 'up' position when you're not using it. The H650e comes as a stereo headset with two ear pieces, which do a good job of cancelling out surrounding noise, so you can concentrate on your call. Where the H650e is different to the H820e is that it is not wireless, instead coming with a USB cable. The cable is long enough to connect to your computer and not have you awkwardly leaning over the keyboard, though it's still a far cry from the freedom offered by the...

The latest update of the Roku media player, hitherto known as the Roku 3, features a number of welcome refinements over the cheaper Roku 2 and entry-level 720p Roku LT. It offers wired and wireless connectivity and a much faster dual-core Broadcom chipset. In short, it's the best built Roku player seen to date, but it still has foibles. A cursory glance might suggest that nothing much has changed in Rokuville. This new player is still a glossy black puck, although with slightly less girth, at 90mm across. In situ, it looks like little a futuristic pebble sprouting cables. The distinctive Roku fabric tab is still in evidence and there's a tiny status LED which glows when the unit's on. While the Roku 3 has integrated dual-band Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n compatible), the wired Ethernet option is invariably the best choice when it comes to streaming. The unit sports an HDMI output and USB for local media playback. Completing the I/O roster is a MicroSD storage expansion slot used to incr...