Apple May Bump iPhone 5S Storage up to 128GB

While rumors suggest that Apple may launch a cheaper, plastic iPhone and a smartwatch for the first time, a new report reveals another potential first for the iPhone family. The next flagship iPhone, reportedly dubbed the iPhone 5S, may come in a 128GB variant, according to Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, who is known for his Apple predictions. Apple Insider went on to report this is the same addition Apple offered for its fourth generation iPad back in February. Apple’s current line of iPhones are available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants.


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There’s no telling if Apple will actually launch a 128GB iPhone, but the rumor comes just as reports have suggested the iPhone 5S will see some notable camera improvements. The next-generation iPhone 5S is rumored to come with a 12-megapixel camera and a new video recording option that lets users shoot footage in slow motion. If this holds up to be true, Apple could be offering up more storage space in anticipation of increased camera usage with its next iPhone.


Apple would be one of the few smartphone vendors to offer 128GB of built-in storage, if the analyst’s predictions prove accurate. Nearly one year ago in September Samsung began mass producing 128GB NAND storage chips for smartphones, although we haven’t seen such devices hit the market yet.

The bump in storage capacity is just one of the many rumors surrounding Apple’s purported iPhone 5S. The device is also believed to be available in a new gold champagne color according to Kuo, and may come with a fingerprint scanner and new Apple A7 processor. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company is expected to lay these rumors to rest at a press event on Sept. 10, so we may have to wait until next month to know exactly what Apple has in its pipeline.

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Samsung’s 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega Coming to U.S.

Are you looking for a new smartphone, but have hands the size of Butterball turkeys? Then you’ll be happy to know that Samsung’s gargantuan Galaxy Mega 6.3 is finally coming to the U.S. for AT&T, U.S. Cellular and Sprint. Packing a 6.3-inch display, the Mega is already available in Europe, and it’s every bit the hulking behemoth you’d imagine it to be.

There’s still no word on pricing or availability for the Mega, though Samsung said each carrier will be making its own announcement in the near future.

The phablet essentially looks like a Galaxy S4 on steroids, right down to the physical home button and capacitive Back and Recent Apps buttons. Unfortunately, for a smartphone with a 6.3-inch screen, the Mega’s Super Clear LCD display’s resolution is limited to just 1280 x 720. The Mega’s internal specs aren’t exactly top of the line either.

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AT&T to Offer 6.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Mega for $149

AT&T has announced that it is bringing Samsung’s massive 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega phablet to the U.S. for a relatively wallet-friendly $149 with a two-year contract. The handset, which is the largest in Samsung’s stable of smartphones can also be had for $24 per month on AT&T’s Next early smartphone upgrade service.

From a design standpoint, the Galaxy Mega is a carbon copy of the Galaxy S4 right down to the physical home button and capacitive Back and Settings buttons on the handset’s front panel. Unfortunately, for a 6.3-inch screen, the Mega’s display resolution is a disappointing 1280 x 720. The phablet’s internal specs aren’t anything to write home about, either. You only get a 1.5-GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage.

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How to Run a Web Server on Your Android Device

Whether you have a $50 mini PC that you leave plugged in all the time or a 5-inch smartphone that you carry with you, you can use any Android device as a full fledged web server that’s accessible either on LAN or from anywhere on the Internet. With an Android web server, developers can easily test their code without paying for a hosting service. Freelancers can carry a copy of the web tools they’ve built with them to show their clients. Home and small office users can even set up custom web tools for users on the local network.

Here’s how to set up a web server on your Android phone, tablet or mini PC.

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Sony Patents 3D Head-Tracking Glasses For Future PlayStation Consoles

Forget controllers– the future of gaming could be all about wearable tech. Your future video game console may integrate with glasses that would be just as crucial to gameplay as your controller. At least that’s what Sony and Microsoft are hoping to accomplish. A recent patent filed by the PS4-maker described a set of 3D glasses that can track your head movement and adjust light based on the ambient lighting conditions within the gaming environment.

Following a very similar patent from Microsoft, Sony’s invention would involve 3D illuminated glasses that work in conjunction with a motion-controlled camera similar to the Kinect. The two devices would capture the player’s movement and feed the information to the console. The patent notes that users would be able to control the game using just the wearable device or both the 3D glasses and a traditional controller.

MORE: PS4 vs. Xbox One: Console Comparison

For example, the glasses would detect when a player swings his or her head from side to side while playing a game. If the lights in the room are dimmed, the game console would send a wireless signal to the glasses to adjust lights embedded within the wearable peripheral. These tracked head movements could also be used as inputs to the game to render 3D images, according to Sony.

“Head tracking can be critical for games that render based on where a user’s head is,” Sony writes in its patent.

Sony says that head tracking can create a more immersive gaming experience by making movements and interactions more lifelike. For example, the head monitoring tech can be used to make it seem like a user is actually moving closer to a person or object within a video game as he or she steps toward the television.

“There exists a need in the art for more robust head tracking that is not too expensive for the average consumer,” Sony writes.

Although there’s no telling when such a device would launch or if Sony will ever bring this tech to the market, the fundamental elements are already present in Sony’s PlayStation 4. The controller for the PS4 comes with a light bar that works in conjunction with the console’s camera system known as the PlayStation 4 Eye. This gauges depth and how far the player is from the system. Sony’s patented glasses appear to be a more evolved version of this technology, which will probably provide more robust ways to interact with the console through motion.

Microsoft and Sony have been neck and neck when it comes to the console war, and this competition is likely to continue in the wearable tech space. Microsoft recently filed a patent that details 3D glasses that could bring augmented reality to the Xbox.

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Androidly Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Android Smartwatch

While smartwatches such as the Pebble Watch and Sony SmartWatch make a quality companion to your smartphone, they can’t necessarily replace it. The folks behind Androidly aim to change that, as they’re building an Android smartwatch complete with access to a 2.5 GSM network for making calls and pulling data from the web. Androidly needs your help to bring their experimental vision to life, so the company has launched an Indiegogo campaign in an attempt to fund the device’s fall release.

Androidly describes its product as a “watch with an Android phone,” as the device runs on a custom version of Android 2.2 with full access to the Google Play store. The 6.4 x 4.2 x 1.4 cm smartwatch packs 256 MB of RAM, 8 GB of included SD storage, a 2-megapixel camera, and a 320 x 240 touchscreen. Androidly also boasts GPS and Bluetooth functionality, and will support custom apps for Android developers.

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Samsung Users More Likely to Switch to iPhone Than Other Smartphones

A new study by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners has found that Samsung smartphones owners are more likely to switch to Apple’s iPhone than any other handset. The study indicates that among smartphone buyers who switched brands, 33 percent went from Samsung to Apple, while only 11 percent went from Apple to Samsung.

According to Fortune, the report, the report, which covered the time period between July 2012 and July 2013, states that 43 percent of Samsung users had previously owned another Android phone. Though more current smartphone users are switching from Apple to Samsung, roughly 37 percent of new smartphone purchasers went with a Samsung handset as compared to 26 percent for the iPhone. The study, which consisted of 500 consumers who purchased smartphones within 90 days, also found that Samsung pulled more users away from HTC, Motorola and Nokia, than Apple could. Cupertino, however, took more former BlackBerry users than Samsung did.”

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Deal of the Day: Save 15 Percent on an HP Envy 15 Quad-core Multimedia Laptop

Sponsored Content: Each day, LogicBuy brings you the hottest technology sales and coupons on the web. Whether you’re shopping for a new Ultrabook, looking to grab a new tablet or just want to see the biggest discounts online, we’ve got them 7 days a week.

We let our deal hunters rest a little over the weekend, but it’s Monday now and we are hot on the trail of today’s best deals. Leading today’s charts is a very well-equipped HP Envy multimedia laptop, complete with 4th gen Core i7 quad-core CPU, 12GB RAM, GeForce graphics, and more for only $849.99. We also found a bargain Android tablet from Lenovo for just $109 with free shipping. Be sure not to miss the killer Seagate 1TB USB 3.0 hard drive deal, marked down to $59.99 from $99.99 for a limited time. Scroll down to grab these and other deals.

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How to Use Your Android Device as a Security Camera

If you want to monitor your home or business while you’re away, you’re going to need an Internet-connected camera. However, if you have an old smartphone that’s sitting around gathering dust, an old tablet that has lost its luster or an Android stick with a webcam like the Measy U2C, you can turn it into an always-on, wireless camera with minimal hassle. Here’s how to turn your Android device into a security camera

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Wacom Reveals Standalone Cintiq Companion Lineup

Wacom has been providing artists with digital drawing accessories for years, but its electronic canvases haven’t gone mobile . . . until now. The company just unveiled the Cintiq Companion and Cintiq Companion Hybrid, two standalone tablets packed with everything users need to create art in any environment.

Powered by Windows 8, the Cintiq Companion packs a 3rd generation Intel Core processor and Intel HD Graphics 4000. The device is optimized for the latest build of Photoshop Creative Cloud, and works as a standard Windows 8 tablet when not being used as a mobile workstation.

Those who want to take their Cintiq on the go while retaining the PC and Mac interactivity of Wacom’s older devices can opt for the Cintiq Companion Hybrid. The Hybrid allows for standard sketching and painting when connected to a computer, but becomes an Android tablet when used by itself. Powered by the Nvidia Tegra 4 processor and running on Android Jellybean, the device comes with the new Wacom Creative Canvas drawing app and ASTRO File Manager for quick creating and sharing.

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