MWC 2014 Barcelona, Spain – GSMA the group behind the Mobile World Congress awarded the “Best Smatphone” to HTC One breaking the winning streak of Samsung (Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3). HTC One is favored over Galaxy S4 – Samsung’s 2013 flagship and other smartphone manufacturer like SONY, LG and among others.

HTC launched a mid-range phone in MWC 2014 with their Desire 816 while they are preparing for their big event this March 25 in London. We might be able to see the second generation HTC One. The HTC One is one beautiful mean beast and it’s one of the few Android devices with Aluminum body. Personally my vote goes to HTC One as well versus Galaxy S4 and Xperia Z. My top three Android phone of 2013.

HTC is also updating the HTC One to Android 4.4 Kitkat in all its variant.

MWC 2014 Barcelona Spain – This is the time of the year where all Mobile manufacturers showcase their yearly flagships. For Samsung their Galaxy S5 has been anticipated that we’ve been reading leaks left and right.

What’s new with the Samsung Galaxy S5? What are the upgrades they added and other features that you might need as a user? If so happen you read a lot about the Galaxy S5 since its announcement you will not be surprise to my criticisms both bad and good about the S5.

Let us start with the external. The design of S5 is much like a hybrid of S4 and S3 but I was reading some comments in Reddit that they suggest that this much look like the Galaxy S2 that for me is the most beautiful Samsung phone ever made. The curve and bezel is much a like the S4. Samsung is still using non-capacitivie or physical home button and capacitive buttons for the side buttons.

Its display is a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, yes it is a full HD screen much like of the S4 giving a true to life colors. The processor is very powerful at 2.5Ghz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM for multi-tasking.

The 16-Megapixel rear-facing camera has new features for more stabilization and focus and 2-Megapixel front-facing for video calling for example. Yes some uses it for selfies! This new Samsung flagship has fingerprint scanning feature mainly use to unlock your device or do some payment just like the Apple iPhone 5S. The back casing is removal and it is like the Nexus 7 backplate made of rubber. The S5 is IP67 certified meaning it is water proof up to 3-feet and would last up to 30mins.

The win-win for this phone for me is the expandable memory up to 128GB if you like to store HD files and lossless music files. If you store HD files you need a faster connectivity and Samsung put USB 3.0 to the new S5, 5x faster than the USB 2.0.

The most notable of all the feature is the battery capacity at 2,800mAh. The battery capacity of our smartphone nowadays is mediocre for our needs especially for those who travel a lot.

The Software side:

Samsung and Google agreed that Samsung will reduce the S-branded apps bundled with the device to give way more to Google’s own native apps. Samsung also gives emphasis in Health. We have to admit that many of the users are more health conscious that they use their phones to track their health with the use of 3rd-party monitoring apps and Samsung joins this trend. The Galaxy S5 has a heart rate monitor and connected to its app S-Health 3.0.

There is no price release for the Galaxy S5 but it will be available this April 11 worldwide including the Philippines.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Specs:

• Display 5.1″ FHD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080)
• Processor 2.5GHz quad-core application processor
• OS Android 4.4.2 (KitKat)
• Network LTE Cat.4 (150/50Mbps)
• Camera 16MP (rear), 2.0MP (front)
• Video UHD@30fps, HDR, video stabilizationVideo Codec : H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8
• Video Format: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM
• Audio Audio Codec : MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/ AAC+/ eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC
• Audio Format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA
• Camera Features HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot & More
• Additional Features IP67 Dust- and water-resistant
• Ultra Power Saving Mode
• Download Booster
• S Health 3.0
• Quick Connect
• Private Mode
• Kids Mode
• Google Mobile Services Chrome, Drive, Photos, Gmail, Google, Google+, Google Settings, Hangouts, Maps, Play Books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movie & TV, Play Music, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube
• Connectivity WiFi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac HT80, MIMO(2×2),
• Bluetooth: 4.0 BLE / ANT+
• USB 3.0
• NFC
• IR Remote
• Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Hall, RGB ambient light, Gesture(IR), Finger Scanner, Heart rate sensor
• Memory RAM: 2GB
• Internal Memory: 16/32GB
• microSD slot up to 128GB
• Dimensions 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g
• Battery 2800mAh
• Standby time: 390 hrs / Talk time: 21 hrs

Image: Khidr Suleman / itpro.co.uk/authors/khidr-suleman

Samsung main man JK Shin proudly said that their latest flagship Smartphone, the Galaxy S4 has sold 40 million units since it was announced earlier this year. This, according to Shin is a followup on the report that 20 million S4′s were sold in just two months prior to its release.

Samsung’s CEO also noted that 30 million S3 units were released in 2012, making it a double celebration for the Korean mobile manufacturer.

The company also has a lot of things to look forward to, considering that they just outed the Galaxy Note III, the Galaxy Gear and the soon to be announced Galaxy Round as the world’s first Smartphone with a curved display screen. Also in line is the recent development of the Galaxy S5 and the company’s next flagship, the Galaxy F series.

Bravo, Samsung, bravo.

We’re talking about the LG Flex. Yes, it is also one of only two devices with a curved real estate – an OLED 6 inches to be exact, and will probably give its co-Korean tech flag bearer a run for its money. The only downside on the Flex is that it only has 244ppi, or 720p resolution, whereas the Galaxy Round flaunts a 386ppi on (1920×1080) on full HD.

And it’s curved on the Y-axis as opposed to X on the Round. There’s not much review on both devices as of today, but for some reason, I’m digging the Flex, since I usually keep my already out of date device on my pocket with my thighs bulging all over my jeans.

Moreover, the Flex is powered by the Snapdragon 800 processor, clocked in at 2.26GHz and will also have 2GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel rear clicker and a 3,500mAh battery.

LG also expressed that the Flex will incorporate their “self healing” technology – a special film placed on the back of the Flex that, according to them will “heal minor scratches withing minutes”. Too science fiction, but at the cost of erasing those hairline to cat like scratches on a device this beautiful, it’ll all be worth my imagination. OUR imagination, actually.

It’s up to here as of the moment. So far, no pricing and availability on the LG Flex in the Philippines. Keep it locked here on PinoyDroid for the latest in the Flex and all other Android stuff!

Also in the news is a Google+ event, which is probably a hint of things to come – a highly straight to the point concept that heightens our expectations before the great announcement of the Nexus 5, the Android KitKat, the Nexus 10 and the Gem Smartwatch.

Leaks of the supposed Nexus 5 were recently spotted in an LG distribution warehouse in Canada where boxes upon boxes of the 5 were seen. Reports also said that there are some 30,000 of these babies scattered across the country and it is quite evident that the box that comes with the LG’s latest flagship Smartphone is as good as it gets.

Well, not that awesome as that of the S4, but it’s all fine and dandy on my end.

I am, as a confirmed fan of the Nexus 5 going to update and confirm to you guys, the somewhat legitimate specifications of the device:

• Display: 4.95 inches with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 at 1920×1080 (445ppi)
• Camera: 8 megapixel (rear, with OIS), 1.3 megapixel (front)
• Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
• 2.3GHz Wireless Dual-Band
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
• 16/32 Internal Memory
• RAM: 2GB

Pretty convincing, eh? Begin the countdown.

The Galaxy Gear can be a hard sell considering that after its launch, it only supported the Galaxy Note III. Those, on the other hand who doesn’t want to ditch their already perky handsets and/or doesn’t have that much cash for the Note III AND wants to own the Smart watch will be completely left in the dark. What else can they do but hope that Sammy’s gonna extend the Gear’s compatibility to other devices aside from the newly released Note.

The Galaxy Gear will now be compatible following the recent Android 4.3 update on the Samsung Galaxy S4, S3 and Note II, just after what the Korean company did on Germany’s S4 earlier this month.

S3′s and Note II’s update will include easier text inputs, hyped graphics and a handful of Samsung related perks, including:

• Samsung KNOX＊, a secure and comprehensive mobile solution for enterprises and consumers. (＊Galaxy S III 3G version will get Samsung KNOX with a platform security only in select countries.)
• Smart Switch to seamlessly transfer content from other smartphones to Samsung devices
• HomeSync to store, share and enjoy content securely wherever you are
• Group Play 2.5 with shared video support

The support will also come to the S4 Mini, S4 Active, S4 Zoom, the Mega line (5.8, 6.3) at the end of October and will vary on the country and carrier that your’e on.

One of the country’s Smartphone trailblazer, Cherry Mobile recently announced the follow-up of its W900 Dragon Phone with the same fire breathing reptile that can access Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks.

The photo leak suggested that the W900 LTE is a single-SIM Smartphone and will run on a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, a 4.3-inch High Definition OGS display screen and a 12 megapixel BSI clicker with LED Flash.

The Dragon LTE will also come with a 1GB of RAM and 8GB internal storage and will cost P11, 499. This is kind of an entry level considering the line of quad-cores Cherry Mobile has been outing of late, but with it LTE friendly, this unit is good on our end.

Cherry Mobile W900 LTE Specs:

• 1.5GHz Dual Core Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor
• Android Jelly Bean 4.2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB Internal Storage, expandable via microSD Card
• 4.3-inches HD (1280 x 720) OGS Display
• 12.0-megapixels primary camera with LED Flash and BSI
• Price: Php11,499

In the past few weeks, every Android geek in the world was almost as excited as I was when buzzes around Samsung next flagship Smartphone, the S5 started to tingle with its leaked specs and hardware ingredients. Now, word has it that it will incorporate a Galaxy Note 3-esque plastic casing with faux leather on its behind.

That, and a 16-megapixel camera.

We were also living up to the expectation that the S5 would be dust and water proof, just like Sony’s Xperia Z line. It’s kinda disappointing now that Samsung held back this property and slapped it with a semi ridiculed polycarbonate and leather which is, too me is way behind the supposed “proofing” the company had first imagined. Again, let’s just make everything safe that Samsung will ditch plastic and go with a more modern flair with metal on the Galaxy F family.

In addition, the biometric eye scanner that we also heard plus a 65-bit processor is now hanging over nothing in terms with the S5 and again, playing the good advocate, we’ll pray that it’ll somewhat be with the Galaxy F, too.

Let’s move on, shall we? The last of Samsung S line will be announced in mid January of next year or at the MWC 2014 in February.

My “close second” favorite company – Sony is bringing their uber dual-SIM Smartphone, the Xperia C to the Philippines sometime in December.

This is according to the company’s holiday catalog and, according to some bytes around the Net should land in the country just in time for you to write to Santa or save that company bonus. The Xperia C will be available in hues of white, black and purple and cost around P13,990 plus some perks worth P2,890.00.

Specs for the Xperia C:

• 5-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen
• Mediatek MTK MT6589 1.2GHz quad-core
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage
• up to 32GB via microSD card
• 8MP Exmor R rear autofocus camera
• HSDPA, HSUPA
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi hotspot
• Bluetooth
• GPS with with A-GPS support
• Android 4.2.2 Jellybean

What do you think of the Nexus 5? Are you getting one! Share your thoughts by commenting below.