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HP was last known for it's HP Pre 3 which didn't get launched in the end. However, HP is still gearing up for another foray into the smartphone market with a $200 (RM650) phablet. This rumour comes courtesy of Yam Su Yin, HP Senior Director who said "HP has to be in the game" and that they have to offer a phone that is unique. Based on a recent Bluetooth SIG listing, the name of the device could be the HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, while tech specs and features for the device have already appeared at GFX benchmark. These tech specs include a 6-inch 720 x 1280 resolution display, 1GHz quad-core Marvell processor and Android 4.2.2. No news on exact Malaysia release dates but the device is supposedly headed to emerging markets like Malaysia which could mean we'll see the HP Slate 6 Voice Tab soon.

A new Samsung Galaxy device recently appeared in a Zauba listing. Zauba is an Indian website which tracks Indian exports and imports, a bit like the SIRIM database here in Malaysia. Back to the Zauba listing, the mystery Samsung Galaxy device is listed as Samsung GT-I9405 and has tech specs which include a 5.5-inch display and single SIM capabilities. The device is listed for testing and evaluation. So far, it doesn't seem to be the Samsung Galaxy S5 because the model numbering is below that of the Samsung Galaxy S4 which is GT-I9500 and it doesn't match with the Galaxy Note series either as Note numbering goes from N7100, N9000 and so forth. It isn't the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo either as the matching SM-N7500 / SM-N7505 model number has already appeared in Zauba. The value pricing of the listing is a big hint though as 32746 Indian Rupees (RM1721) places the device squarely in the mid-range. Check out the listing in the article for yourself but do stay tuned for more updates.

It isn't big news that Microsoft's Windows 8 hasn't been doing well. Despite losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars both in terms of Windows 8 and Windows RT based devices as well as software, Microsoft has kept plugging at it with the latest update being Windows 8.1, but even this doesn't seem to be taking off. Rumours have recently surfaced that Microsoft may be scrapping all the changes Windows 8 did and come back to the old Windows 7 interface. One of these rumours comes from Paul Thurott who is quite well known for Windows related news. What sets his rumour apart is that he predicts Microsoft will come out with Windows 9 in April 2015. According to him the announcement will come in April 2014 with the roll-out release next year. As a dedicated computer desktop user I can't say that I've been thrilled by the rather intrusive Windows 8 redesign, but it has been getting a following for it's various touchscreen devices. We still don't know what tech specs or features the Windows 9 revamp will have but it is rumoured to have three major points along with an optional Metro 2.0 feature. Stay tuned for more updates.

While the Apple iWatch is expected to arrive in late 2014, there are still quite a few creative people out there making concept renders of Apple's upcoming smartwatch. This time around the concept renders come courtesy of Martin Hajek who has been known for making concept renders of previous Apple products before. He offers two concept renders, the Apple iWatch S and iWatch C. A glance at either design easily reveals the inspiration for both as they are patterned after the Apple iPhone 5S and 5C. While the renders certainly look good, it does seem a bit strange for the Apple iWatch to look like last year's Apple iPhones when it will probably be revealed with the Apple iPhone 6.

Samsung's Lee Young Hee, Executive VP of the Mobile Division certainly likes to drop plenty of teasers for Samsung products in his quotes with this one concerning the next Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. Confirming that the still unnamed smartwatch which could turn be named the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 would be unveiled with the Samsung Galaxy S5 by April, he said:

“When we release our S5 device, you can also expect a Gear successor with more advanced functions, and the bulky design will also be improved. Health-care related functions will be the most inherently tied functions to future wearables. We see a very big potential from there.”

Another day, another teaser from Samsung executive VP of Mobile, Lee Young Hee. This time around he has been quoted as saying that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 could be coming by Q3 or Q4 of 2014 and that it will be a high-end device, aimed at professionals. This also means it would probably have a rather high price tag, but it mainly raises rumours that the Note 4 could finally be the smartphone to use a three-sided display. The three-sided display or wraparound display prototype has already been shown both at the Samsung Youm flexible display demo and in patent filings. While this may seem faddish, it would add on a whole new level of control for the interface. However, while other sites are saying this would mean that the device would be unbreakable this wouldn't be the case if it still used common glass to protect it. Either the new Note 4 or three sided display device has use a clear plastic substrate cover or perhaps employ a curved glass covering from Corning, which Corning have already come up with recently. No news on exact Malaysia release dates or pricing but we'll find out for sure in a couple of months.

As the rumour mill continues to churn for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5, we now have some confirmed details of sorts from an inside source. Coming courtesy of Lee Young Hee, Executive VP of Samsung's Mobile Division, the confirmation is about several things including that the Galaxy S5 would be released by April 2014. The company also said that it knew that the design of the Galaxy S4 was too similar with the Galaxy S3 which is why we can also expect a new design for the S5. While they haven't said if this could mean a metal chassis, kevlar backside or just plain polka dots, a different design would make the S5 stand out more. The other notable rumour is that instead of a fingerprint scanner, the Samsung Galaxy S5 could include an iris scanner or eye scanner for bypassing password screens and certifying purchases. This feature we feel wouldn't be all that difficult to implement as you don't really need a dedicated eyeball scanner to do this. Other rumours include a three-sided curved display and more. In any case, April is still a few months off, so do take this rumour with a pinch of salt.

Nokia has finally released their Lumia Black update for various Nokia Lumia smartphones. The first Lumias to get the update would be the Nokia Lumia 1020 and Nokia Lumia 925 so if you have these two models you can start downloading. For your information (and all the other Lumia owners waiting for the update), the Lumia Black Update includes a more customizable Glance screen, better Bluetooth 4.0 support, a better Camera app, Nokia Beamer and easier sharing capabilities. Other notable additions include the Nokia Storyteller app and better image capture quality thanks to improved imaging algorithms. There are pre-requisites though in that the Lumia needs at least 1GB of RAM for the Nokia Beamer to work. Check out the video in the article or go to the main site for more information.

We mentioned this happening earlier but Apple's Red Friday one-day sale has started. As expected the discounts aren't really that high, but they are a good incentive to get a new Apple product. That's right, rather than sell old products for cheap, the Apple Malaysia Store are selling mostly new and current Apple products like the Apple iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display. The more notable ones you can see below but for more information go check out the Apple Malaysia store site.

While Samsung has already come out with quite a few new tablets this CES 2014, it seems that they may still have some more planned for the future. What this future tablet may look like was revealed in a recent US patent which involved a foldable tablet. While it may not be a completely bendable screen device the image shows that the tablet can fold in half and still work. No news when this might become a reality or for how much but there is already a concept video of how it might look like.