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Jawbone Mini Jambox delivers tiny tunes for $179, available for preorder today (hands-on)

Posted by Unknown Rabu, 04 September 2013 0 komentar

The Jawbone Jambox became one of the first big-name portable Bluetooth speakers when it debuted in 2011. Jawbone supersized it the following year and introduced the larger, more expensive Big Jambox. And now the company is going the other way: the new Mini Jambox is, as you can guess, a Bluetooth speaker that’s about half the size as the original. In fact, the $179 rechargeable isn’t much larger than an iPhone.

In addition to its tiny size -- the Mini is just 58mm by 154mm by 24.5mm (HWD) and tips the scales at a mere 9 ounces -- the main attraction of the Mini Jambox is style. Unlike many of the "meh" Bluetooth speakers flooding the market, the Mini Jambox looks and feels great: the body is a single aluminum enclosure, housing stereo drivers and a passive radiator. It’s available in nine different versions, a mixture of different colors and varying grille styles ("purple snowflake," "graphite hex," and the like.)

You’ll find the standard Bluetooth speaker features on board -- charging via micro USB, line-in for wired audio sources, and built-in speakerphone capabilities. Topside buttons provide play/pause and volume controls, and the Mini includes the same speech cues and “LiveAudio” sound processing mode found on the other Jambox models. As for battery life, Jawbone is promising 10 hours of streaming time on a full charge of its integrated lithium ion battery.

Like all other Bluetooth speakers, the Mini Jambox is effectively universally compatible with nearly all smartphones and tablets, with the ability to stream any audio from those mobile devices. (Up to three devices can be paired to the Mini Jambox at once.) But iOS and Android users get a bonus: the new Jawbone app. In addition to letting users remotely control the Jambox’s options, the app provides one-stop access to Rdio, Spotify, and (on iOS) iTunes.

So, how does the Mini Jambox sound? I got a brief demo of the diminutive speaker last week, and I can't say I was blown away. The smaller the speaker, the tougher it is to get a full-bodied sound. That's just physics -- smaller drivers can't move as much air as their larger counterparts. While the Mini delivered more oomph than the speakers of your average smartphone or tablet, it didn't measure up to my memory of the sonics of larger wireless speakers.

That said, my demo was in a vacuum; we didn't get to directly compare it to the existing Jambox(which is already available for closer to $150), the budget Cambridge Soundworks Oontz ($50), or -- probably the Mini Jambox's biggest competitor -- the $200 Bose SoundLink Mini. So I'll reserve judgment until we can do so. (Look for David Carnoy's full review in the near future.)

In the meantime, the Mini Jambox is available for preorder now, and will be available shortly at major online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Best Buy, the Apple Store, and Target.

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Acer Liquid S2 is a 6-inch Galaxy Note rival that brings both 4G and 4K

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When does 4 and 4 equal 2? When 4K and 4G add up to the Acer Liquid S2, a new phablet rival to the Samsung Galaxy Note that shoots ultra-high-definition video.

Revealed at technology industry shindig IFA in Berlin this week, the 6-inch S2 shoots dizzyingly detailed 4K video, the next generation of ultra-high-definition video, as well as plain old 1080p video.

The S2 sports a 6-inch Gorilla Glass screen displaying 368 pixels per inch. So shooting 4K is one thing, but actually watching it is quite another: you can't see the extra detail on the phone itself, and unless you have a cinema in your den or you've forked out around four grand for a UHD TV, you can't see the extra detail packed into each frame.
Pictures and video

The S2 shoots 1080p full high-definition video, recorded at up to 60 frames per second. It'll play back at four times slow motion for slo-mo action.

The 13-megapixel f2.2 camera fires up from the lock screen for quick snapping, and you can set up to five profiles that each remember various settings, so you can quickly switch among different setups without having to alter each setting individually. Say your phone is set up for taking well-lit pictures in a well-lit, sun-dappled garden when you walk indoors to a darkened room; you don't need to change every setting, just switch to a different profile, where everything is set up for a low-light situation.

If one photo won't do justice to a particularly expansive landscape, an unusually large group of friends or just a particularly massive sandwich, you can capture an extra-wide 27-megapixel panorama.

Acer Liquid S2 is a 6-inch smartphone that shoots 4K video (pictures)

To shed some light on things, there's an LED ring flash on the back. And there's a 2-megapixel 1080p camera on the front for video chat.

After you've taken your snaps, a handy widget helps you tag each photo to keep them in order.

Hands-on impressions

Getting our mitts on the S2, we were surprised by how weighty it felt, but not disappointed. It has a reassuring heft to it, and that's complemented by the rounded edges and some cool design tweaks around the speaker grilles. The model we tried out had a cool red sheen to it.

The whole thing is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.2GHz and backed by 2GB of RAM. Swiping around home screens feels very slick and responsive, and this mobile should be capable of handing any game you care to throw at it.

The S2 gives you 4G data speeds, capable of connecting to the Web at a dizzying 150Mbps -- although the actual speed of course depends on your 4G phone network.

Also included is the latest Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, NFC, GPS, and a digital compass. There's 16GB of memory, or you can add a memory card for up to 128GB -- useful for storing the large files that result from detail-packed, high-resolution 4K video.
Android and apps

The software is Android 4.2.2, which is almost but not quite the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. Acer has also added Float Interface, a feature that allows apps or incoming calls to float on top of the app you're currently using.

Bonus apps include Polaris Office, Swype for typing without taking your finger off the screen, and Evernote.

The Acer Liquid S2 comes in black or red, and goes on sale at the end of October. Pricing and availability are yet to be confirmed, but while we're waiting for news be sure to check out more of our excellent IFA coverage.

Despite being among the world's top laptop makers, Acer has yet to make a name for itself internationally as a smartphone manufacturer. While its latest smartphone is unlikely to change that, one feature will certainly pull people's attention away from Samsung, Apple and the rest: a 4K camera. Acer's 6-inch Liquid S2 is the first smartphone to be announced with the capability to record 4K videos. It's a feature that's been rumored for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note III smartphone for some time, but Acer has beaten its Korean rival to the punch — the Note III will be announced at a September 4th event in Berlin. Although 4K UHDTVs are definitely still in their infancy, there are several tablets around, such as Apple's iPad, that are able to play content at higher resolutions than the industry-standard 1080p.

Other than the 4K camera, the Android-powered Liquid S2 has an enormous 6-inch 1080p IPS display, a Snapdragon 800 processor paired with 2GB of RAM, and also features a LED ring flash around the camera, which is good for 13-megapixel still shots in addition to 4K video. Despite the very competitive specs, the Liquid S2 isn't likely to make a splash internationally. Acer hasn't announced any plans for a US release, and will sell the handset in Europe starting October. The company will be showing off the smartphone at this week's IFA conference in Berlin, where we'll get a closer look at its 4K video capabilities.

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LG announces G Pad 8.3 in the tablet market

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G Pad 8.3 now official

Ahead of next week's IFA tech show, LG has officially unveiled its rumoured G Pad 8.3 tablet, which it hopes will rival similarly-sized options from Apple and Samsung.

As the name suggests, the new G Pad has an 8.3-inch screen, which packs a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1200. LG claims it as the first full HD tablet in its size category.

The device bares an extremely strong resemblance to the company's recent G2 smartphone, with a slimline, minimalist design.

Internally, the G Pad 8.3 comes loaded with Android 4.2.2Jelly Bean (no 4.3 out of the box), there's 16GB of storage and a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB RAM.

The company is also promising a new app called QPair which will enable users to manage calls and messages by pairing up with a smartphone.
Stiff competition

LG has said it will launch the device in the US and Europe in the fourth quarter of the year, but is yet to confirm pricing. Perhaps we'll find out more from the show floor at IFA in Berlin.

Just as it is in the smartphone world, LG is up against stiff competition to break the Apple and Samsung stranglehold in the 8-inch category.

Apple is rumoured to be launching a second-gen iPad mini before the year is out, while Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.0 is a highly-rated option.

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Samsung Galaxy Gear release date, news and rumours UPDATED Taking on the iWatch

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Samsung's about to get wrist-smart

As the great smartwatch battle looms on the horizon, one big upcoming combatant is Samsung. The South Korean tech giant is looking at the area of wrist-based wearables and has its device ready to go.

Right now we know that the watch is called the Samsung Galaxy Gear, which Samsung confirmed after a recenttrademark filing outed the name.

We also know a few things about the smartwatch's features, which currently suggest the Gear is really looking to bring the smartphone experience to the wrist. So what else has Samsung got in store?

Samsung Galaxy Gear release date

The Samsung Galaxy Gear will touch down on September 4 at IFA 2013 - that's a fact confirmed by Lee Young-hee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business.

The watch will be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Note 3, which is also confirmed to be arriving at Samsung's Unpacked: Episode 2 event.

An IFA launch will put it ahead of Apple's own rumoured foray into the wearable domain, the iWatch, though just behind Sony which launched theSony Smartwatch 2 in June.

As for when we'll see the Gear on the market, one insider reckons it will arrive on the last week of September.

Android hits the tiles?

Samsung Galaxy Gear features and specs
That's all well and good but what will the Galaxy Gear bring to our lives? Again, a lot of this has come out in the discovered trademarks.

The most recent of which describes "wearable digital electronic devices in the form of a wristwatch, wrist band or bangle capable of providing access to the Internet and for sending and receiving phone calls, electronic mails and messages."

However it seems the watch will act as more of a secondary device to your smartphone and won't actually be able to make calls on its own. Instead it will connect to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth and NFC.

We also have reason to believe that it'll be going big on the fitness angle too, which isn't hugely surprising given that this is where the iWatch is also believed to be heading.

Earlier this year we reported on some leaked screens that claimed to belong to the Gear. While they show off a very Windows Phone 8-like tile interface, we'd say it looks like more of a custom Samsung OS. This could throw a bit of water on the Android fire, though it could also be Android in a fancy new suit.

Note the icons too: that folded paper looks very much like a map to us, and GPS is one feature we're very much expecting to see in the onslaught of smartwatches.

Oddly, one of the screens refers to the watch as the Samsung Galaxy Altius. However this was also the Galaxy S4's codename, so we'd say it's unlikey to be what Samsung's naming its watch.

As for the specs, a recent report reckons the Gear is opting for a 2.5-inch square OLED display. We also hear that the Gear could feature a Exynos 4212 SoC along with 1GB of RAM.

Samsung Galaxy Gear design and specs

With all things wearable, form is as important as function, and some information on the Gear's design has also been outed over the past few weeks.

First, we're hearing that the watch will come in five colours. It will be available in white, orange, grey and black from the last week of September, and in gold a week after that.

Some sketches published in the same Galaxy-outing trademark hinted at what Samsung might have had in mind and the fact the design included a flexible display immediately grabbed our attention.

However these hopes were later dashed by Samsung, which confirmed that a flexible screen is not going to feature just yet. Sorry about that.

Then came some leaked pictures of what was claimed to be a prototype version of the watch, but some insiders then came out to say that the final version revealed at IFA will look different to this.

Samsung Galaxy Gear: Android for your arm?
Until recently, we'd understood that the Samsung Gear was a name the company was floating for its wearable. But now we know that it will be named the Galaxy Gear, that new middle name could be a key indicator of what will be on offer.

First, this means the Gear could be slotting into Samsung's Galaxy ecosystem, which makes perfect sense if the watch will be communicating with our smartphones and tablets.

Plus it would also suggest that Samsung could be opting for an Android operating system, given that this is the software that binds its Galaxy devices together.

Gears sent out to developers have reportedly been running on either an Android 4.1 or 4.2 interface, but we're now hearing that it will in fact come packing a version of Android 4.3.

How close this imitates the full phone Android experience remains to be seen, but we'd expect it to have been chopped up and remolded a bit for the diminutive display.

The same source to claim an Android appearance also said that Samsung will offer a watch app for phones and tablets that will communicate with the Gear instantaneously. This means if you're halfway through reading a message on your wrist, you can switch to your phone and it will pick up exactly where you left off.

This app is said to be appearing on the Samsung App store and not the Google Play store - could this mean we'll need a Samsung phone in order to get full functionality out of the Gear?

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Sony teases new flagship smartphone for September 4th

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DON'T MISS STORIES FOLLOW HACKLEAKS

"The best of Sony is about to get even better." That's the promise the resurgent manufacturer is making in a new teaser advertisement. The ad shows close-ups of a phone that looks very similar to the Sony Xperia Z, which was marketed as "the best of Sony in a smartphone," before promising a reveal at its September 4th event during the annual IFA conference in Berlin. A tweet from Sony's Xperia Twitter account plays to expectations that the phone will be called the Xperia Z1.

It's been rumored that Sony is working on an update to its Xperia Z smartphone, codenamed "Honami," for some time. The focal point of the new phone is thought to be a 20-megapixel camera sensor, which Sony hopes will help it compete against other camera-focused handsets like Samsung's Galaxy S4 Zoom and Nokia's Lumia 1020. After multiple leaks, Sony also looks certain to launch a series of high-end camera attachments at the same event. The so-called "lens cameras" will reportedly attach to any Android or iOS smartphone, transforming it into a high-end point-and-shoot camera. We'll be bringing you live coverage from Sony's event in Berlin next week, so stay tuned for further details.

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Sony's rumored 'lens cameras' turn any phone into a point-and-shoot

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After leaking ultra-low fidelity images last month, Sony Alpha Rumors has uploaded the first high-resolution photos of Sony's new wireless "lens camera" series. The lens cameras are essentially a lens, a sensor, and all of the accouterments needed to take a photo in a single package, such as an SD card slot and a processor. The cameras will reportedly click onto smartphones, and will connect wirelessly to allow the phone's display to work as a viewfinder.

According to Sony Alpha Rumors there'll be a range of such cameras. The one pictured at the top of this article will feature a 10x zoom f/3.3-5.9 G lens with a 1/2.3 inch 18-megapixel CMOS sensor. Expect performance on that to be similar to Samsung's Galaxy Camera. The high-end model will be a little more special, however: it's based on the lens and sensor found in Sony's superb RX100M2. As previously reported, the high-end accessory will feature a 1-inch 20.2-megapixel Exmor R sensor and an f/1.8 Carl Zeiss lens.

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Nexus 5 seemingly revealed in Android 4.4 KitKat unveiling

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IN DEPTH Where next for the Android in-house rollercoaster?

Nexus 5 seemingly revealed in Android 4.4 KitKat unveiling

Google Nexus 5: what we want to see
The launch of a new Nexus phone has become as traditional an event as the coming of the usual Christmas debauchery.

Google started this trend with the HTC-made Nexus Oneback in January of 2010, followed by the Nexus S a little under a year later, then the Galaxy Nexus and this year's extremely tempting Nexus 4.

The latest Nexus always arrives accompanied by a new version of Google's Android OS, so as well as a new lump of hardware to play with we also see a refresh of the Android code arrive, too.

It is all very exciting indeed.

So, now that Google and its hardware partners are preparing for the fifth generation Nexus for launch at the end of 2013, we can't help but start to wonder what it'll be like.

Will LG still be making it, after this year's Nexus 4 stock debacle? Or will previous rumours of Sony getting a go at making it turn out to be true? And what of Android 5.0, or Key Lime Pie as Google insists we reluctantly call it?

The many components of the next Nexus are still up in the air, which is as good a time as any to come up with some ideas regarding what shape the phone should take when it falls into place at the end of 2013.

So here's our Nexus 5 fantasy wishlist.

The Nexus S. Nice, but largely overlooked, despite introducing a subtle curve to the display surface.

Nexus 5 Display
The Nexus 4 features a great 4.7" display, with LG's screen running on its own True HD IPS technology and outputting at 768 x 1280 resolution, minus a bit at the bottom for Android 4.2's now standard software buttons.

That's something we'd expect to change when it comes to next year's Nexus, though, as several Android hardware makers are now talking about 1080p resolution displays for future mobiles, with the rumoured Sony Yuga said to be arriving early in 2013, with a maximum HD resolution 1920 x 1080 screen.

We'd expect to see 1080p screens become the norm for high-end Android models during 2013, as the makers continue to try and out-do each other, so whoever ends up making the Nexus 5 surely has to make it operate at today's commonplace 1080p res.

Perhaps Google will also sell the things in a decent quantity next year?

Nexus 5 release date

This one's pretty easy to compute, as the Nexus range of phones operates outside the usual February Mobile World Congress reveal and spring launch cycle, instead appearing in the winter months to give Android fans something to look forward to during the dark days.

The Nexus S arrived in December, the Nexus One in January and the Galaxy Nexus and LG's Nexus 4 both launched in November, so expect the Nexus 5 to stick to that schedule and appear in time to feature on the Christmas present lists of the world's smartphone enthusiasts next year.

Nexus 5 specs

This one's harder to guesstimate, as power seems to vary depending on the whims of the maker.

Last year's Samsung-made Galaxy Nexus was only a moderately-powered model, while this year's Nexus 4, complete with its cutting-edge Qualcomm S4 Pro quad-core processor and 8MP camera, is about as high-end as you can get right now.

What we've seen emerging from LG recently is the news of the LG Optimus G2, a phone supposedly built around a 2GHz version of Qualcomm's S4 Pro chipset.

With the Nexus 4 based around the chassis of the original Optimus G, we could see the G2 appear as the Nexus 5, should Google and LG team up again for the next Nexus phone.

We should also beg Google to change its mind when it comes to locking down the physical aspects of the hardware.

We've seen plenty of Android models arrive with sealed cases, fixed batteries and no SD card support, which is putting some users off the idea of plumping for a Nexus.

The lack of SD-card expansion is becoming accepted and seems like it'll become the norm in 2013, but surely a nerd-focused phone range like the Nexus series ought to feature an SD card slot? Especially with the move to HD media and photography, which makes the Nexus 4's limited 8GB model seem rather poor.

We'd also expect the Nexus 5 to feature LTE support, something missing (officially) from the Nexus 4. Even the UK will have a decent 4G network by 2013, so it must be in the next model.

The LG Optimus G, which LG stuffed into a different case, loaded up with Android 4.2 and renamed it the Nexus 4.

Nexus 5 design

This is the one area where the Nexus range has traditionally lagged a little, with Google seemingly issuing orders to its makers not to try anything too avant garde, or to stray too far from the curved, black rectangle aesthetic when making the Nexus models.

This year's LG Nexus 4 bares quite a few visual similarities to last year's Galaxy Nexus from Samsung, with only its sparkly back to add a little excitement to the Nexus range.

We'd love it if the Nexus models could start to set a standard for design as well as software, as the vast number of boring black Android phones isn't setting anyone's loins on fire.

We're not suggesting pink snap-on after-market back covers, but something a little more thrilling would help differentiate the Nexus line from the competition.

Also, LG has come into quite a bit of stick for copying Apple's idea of sticking a glass back on the phone, with plenty of early Nexus 4 buyers claiming it's a bit on the fragile side. Perhaps a return to robust Korean plastic might be in order for the Nexus 5?
what's next to be in 4.4 kitkat?
Google officially announced this week that the latest iteration of Android will go by the name of Android KitKat, but it also may have let something else slip as well.

In a commercial for its sweet-flavoured operating system, Google revealed what seems to be the long-awaited Nexus 5.

There has been much rumour about this handset, with supposed leaks stretching back to March of this year. But this is the first time we have seen the fifth iteration of Google's phone in the wild.

We always expect a new Nexus phone to arrive with an equally fresh version of Android, so we might reasonably demand to find Android 5.0 arriving on 2013's Nexus handheld.

Thing is, that's nearly an entire year away, and with Android 5.0 already showing up in online benchmaking tools, we may see that version of Google's code appear sooner rather than later.

So - and this might sound a bit bonkers - we could therefore see the Nexus 5 arrive with Android 6.0 or maybe something less drastic like, say, 5.1 or 5.5.

And Google's chucking out new versions of Android so fast we could easily hit double figures by this time next year.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO:

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HTC's 5.9-inch One Max pictured before purported September launch

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UPDATED The fabled HTC T6 phablet could take things to the Max

Apparently there's something big brewing over in Taiwan as news of the super-sized handset going by the monikerHTC One Max begins to make its way onto the web.

After the success of the HTC One the Taiwanese firm is probably feeling pretty bullish about its chances going forward and it's no surprise that rumours have begun to crop up suggesting it's looking at a One mini and aphablet device codenamed T6.

Update: Leaked documents claiming to be from O2 Germany have provided more fuel for the HTC One Max fire as it appeared alongside the HTC One Mini in a list of products.

We've sifted through all the HTC One Max/HTC T6 talk to bring you a definitive run down of what you might be able to expect from HTC's monster mobile.

HTC One Max release date and price

HTC currently doesn't have any events planned for this year, but that hasn't stopped speculation on a possible HTC One Max release date.

At the moment reports point towards a release towards the end of this year, so the One Max might be one for the Christmas list.

Pricing is equally as unknown for now, but expect to shell out the big bucks for this larger than life handset.

Growing pains

The main attraction on the HTC One Max will be its display which is apparently shaping up to be a mammoth 5.9-inch, full HD affair.

This would dwarf the 5.5-inch, 720p Samsung Galaxy Note 2, but with rumour of a Galaxy Note 3 on the horizon the One Max may find itself matching Samsung's next phablet when it comes to screen size.

Original reports suggested HTC would only give the T6 a modest screen bump, upping if from 4.7- to 5-inches from the HTC One - although those rumours seem to have been laid to rest now.

Anyone for Key Lime Pie OR Android 4.4 (kitkat)?

One of the big surprises with the much talked about HTC One Max surrounds the operating system it'll be running.

According to details leaked by The Unlockr the One Max won't sportAndroid 4.2 Jelly Bean, nor version 4.3 of the software. Instead it will apparently rock up flaunting Google's next generation of mobile platform, affectionately known as Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

Key Lime Pie hasn't even been announced yet so if it is to appear in the HTC T6 then Google's going to have to get a shift on - unless it decides to team up with the Taiwanese manufacturer for a joint launch. Tasty!
Double take

Usually with key phone launches a whole platter of images claiming to depict the handset in question are leaked online, although when it comes to the One Max we've only had one so far in the form of a blueprint.

If the picture does indeed show the HTC One Max then fans of the HTC One will be pleased to learn that it won't really deviate from the flagship's design language.

From the rear, the One Max (or HTC T6 if you want to use the codename) appears to be identical to the handset it's based on.

On the front only minor cosmetic changes show up, with additional width to accommodate the larger display and a shift of the sensors at the top of the device from the left to right side of the upper speaker grille.

Specs of MAX

In terms of other specifications for the HTC One Max we only really have The Unlockr report to go on, but it's worth noting the details came via @evleaks, which has a pretty decent track record when it comes to uncovering handsets.

Apparently the One Max will feature a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 2.1MP front camera, UltraPixel rear camera and a sizable 3300mAh battery.

Now those are some pretty tasty specs and it will certainly give the competition a run for its money - but we're going to have to wait and see if they are accurate.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date, news and rumours

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UPDATED Big is set to get bigger

This just isn't big enough is it?

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 now out of the way the door has been thrown open for the Korean firm's other high-end smartphone to get a reboot in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Rumours are circulating about Samsung's next super-sized handset, suggesting it's going to get even bigger - even though the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 raised eyebrows with its larger size.

Samsung executive J.K. Shin has confirmed the existence of the Galaxy Note 3, revealing it will feature a non-flexible 5.9-inch OLED display.

Samsung Kazakhstan has also slipped up, accidentally revealing the Galaxy Note 3 on its official website alongside the Galaxy Z4 Zoom and Galaxy Tab 3 10.1.

We're constantly on the look out for Galaxy Note 3 news and you'll be able to find all the latest right here. You lucky things.

Galaxy Note 3 release date and price

After a tentative Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date of September 4 was leaked a while back the Korean firm has now revealed that it will be holding an Unpacked event on that date at IFA 2013.

We've already had one Unpacked event this year which saw the introduction of the Galaxy S4 and "Episode 2" (as Samsung is calling it) carries the tagline "Note the date" - wonder what it might be announcing?

You can expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to carry a hefty price tag, probably in line with the Galaxy S4 - making it more expensive than its Chinese rivals the ZTE Grand Memo and the Huawei Ascend Mate.

The Note 3 will probably set you back at least £550 (around $800/AU$770) give or take, plus there will be regional variances too.

In terms of when you can expect it to hit stores a report in Taiwan is suggesting the Galaxy Note 3 release date is set for September 27 - which would be three weeks after the launch event.

However, a later report from the Three network in the UK says that the Galaxy Note 3 release date will actually be September 24 - which would be even closer to the launch event.

Does the screen need to get bigger?

Although exact specs are still unknown the general consensus seems to suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will sport an even bigger screen than its 5.5-inch predecessor.

Early reports pointed towards a whopping 6.3-inch display, which would see the handset dwarf the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate and 5.7-inch Grand Memo.

Other sources have claimed that the Galaxy Note 3 could actually pack a slightly more modest 5.9-inch AMOLED screen.

We thought Samsung may have let the cat out of the bag on its own website after listing a smartphone accessory compatible with screens from "4- to 6.3-inches", potentially hinting at a massive display bump for the Note 3 - although with the announcement of the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3 this is now less likely.

Screen size, then, remains a mystery but that's not the only quandary we have regarding the display on the Galaxy Note 3. Oh no, there are nowreports suggesting it will be the first phone to sport a flexible OLED display.

Samsung did show off such a display at CES 2013 - although it wasn't part of a phone at the time and we reckon there's still some way to go before it's ready to hit our handsets, but it certainly gives us food for thought - especially now there are reports that Samsung is mulling three designs, one of which includes a flexible option.

We're also hearing that the Galaxy Note 3 may actually pack a 5.99-inch, Full HD display (although this came from unknown "inside sources"), as well as word that Samsung is potentially working on a number of variants with varying screen sizes.

Could this be Samsung replacing the Note range, or adding more feathers to its super-sized cap?

With JK Shin "confirming" the existence of the Galaxy Note 3, the Samsung exec is also reported revealing the 5.9-inch OLED display the super sized handset will pack.

The 6-inch screen size gets another shout out as part of an image leak on Twitter, with @punkpanda noting the screen was "accounting for 84%" of the front of the device.

A full HD resolution looks to be pretty much on the cards whatever size the screen ends up being after more leaks pointed towards 1080 x 1920 for the Galaxy Note 3.

Update: A couple of images have popped up on ETrade Supply apparentlyouting the display for the Galaxy Note 3 as a 5.68-inch affair.

Credit: ETrade Supply

Galaxy Note 3 operating system conundrum

We can be pretty sure that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will roll up running Google's Android platform, but which particular version that will be is not so black and white.

Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie was expected to be announced at Google's IO event in May, but it failed to materialise and since then we've seen the search giant launch a new version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.3.

However if history has taught us anything it's that assuming is for fools - as we've seen numerous handsets launched with older versions of Android - but Key Lime Pie is pretty unlikely and there's no guarantee the Galaxy Note 3 will arrive with Android 4.3 on board.

It could well run Android 4.2 out of the box, but he latest reports do point towards the Note 3 running Android 4.3.

Galaxy Note 3 specs

The big screen won't be the only feature Samsung will want to shout about though, as you can expect the Galaxy Note 3 to be packing some serious tech under the hood.
Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY Note II

It could be another industry leading handset (the Note 2 was the most powerful smartphone when it launched) with reports suggesting it will follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy S4 with a ridiculous octa-core chip.

And like the Galaxy S4 the Exynos 5 Octa version may not be available in some markets with Qualcomm's 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core chiplikely to feature in some variants.

Update: There are now reports that the octa-core version of the Galaxy Note 3 has been put on hold with no launch for the UK, US or Australia in the near future. Looks like we may have to settle for quad-core after all.

As this device will fall into Samsung's "Note" family you can expect the fabled S-Pen to make another appearance here as it looks to rub shoulders with the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Note 10.1.

According to Android Geeks a software engineer has spilled the beans on the S Orb camera feature which is apparently destined to debut on the Galaxy Note 3, after reports earlier this year suggested it would arrive on the Galaxy S4.

The usually reliable SamMobile has also had its say on the Note 3, with its own "inside sources" claiming the handset will be the most powerful in the world with a octa-core processor, eight-core GPU, 3GB of RAM, 5.99-inch Full HD display and a 13MP rear camera.

There's been further leaks surrounding that 13MP camera, with news claiming the snapper will sport optical image stabilisation tech, which will apparently give traditional cameras a run for their money.

Update: According to "industry officials" the Galaxy Note 3's camera could well support 4K video recording, although we reckon this is highly unlikely.

4K recordings would take up vast amounts of storage on the handset and there are very few devices the video can be properly enjoyed on at the moment.

The suggestion of 3GB of RAM was given another boost by a second source "confirming" the memory of the Note 3 and since then reports that Samsung has been ramping up production of 3GB RAM has added further fuel to the fire.

Apparently the Galaxy Note 3 will measure 8mm in thickness and weigh in at 183g, so slimmer than the Galaxy Note 2, but pretty much the same weight.

With all that power, and of course the huge display the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is going to need a decent battery and the latest from the rumour millpoints toward a 3450mAh power pack which would beat the 3000mAh battery in the Sony Z Xperia Ultra.

Update: It's not just what's on the inside that counts, with Samsung tipped to launch the Galaxy Note 3 in a trio of colours - black, white and pink. It's all very exciting.
Plastic or metal?

Many were hoping the Samsung Galaxy S4 would see the Korean firm change its way when it came to chassis construction - ditching the plastic for a fancier metallic finish, but alas this wasn't the case.

The whole plastic vs metal debate isn't over though and now rumours are suggesting the Galaxy Note 3 could well sport a hard alloy case.

SamMobile sources reckon the HTC One has "worried" Samsung, leading the manufacturer to consider a new material for the Note 3.

We've also seen an image slip out online claiming to show the metallic body of the Galaxy Note 3 and a completely new design language for Samsung - although we're not overly convinced by this.

Those hoping Samsung will pull out some premium materials for the Galaxy Note 3 may have their dreams dashed as inside sources claim the handset will follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 in terms of design.

More images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 have surface, this time showing off a rounder handset which bears more of a resemblance to the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S4.

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