The Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 was announced before CES 2014, but it wasn't until the Las Vegas-set convention that we got to pour over every inch of this extra-large tablet.
The Android KitKat device felt like a true laptop replacement thanks to its 12.2-inch WQXGA LCD at a 2560x1600 resolution and accompanying S Pen.
The Galaxy Note Pro's S Pen is actually the difference-maker between this tablets and the otherwise identical Samsung Galaxy Tab 12.2.
That's right, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro vs the Samsung Galaxy Tab 12.2 comes down to the stylus interaction.

Drawing one of eight supported windows with the S Pen

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro stylus

The thin S Pen, while still feeling like cheap plastic, is actually a major upgrade in functionality over using your hands on the abnormally large screen. It's also a cleaner experience that doesn't get your grubby fingerprints all over the ultra-rich display.
Hovering over the screen with the stylus and pressing its single button brings up the half circle pen wheel. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition users should be familiar with these five Air Commands.
Out of Active Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write, S Finder and Pen Window, it was Pen Window that we found most useful on the large screen. That's because we were able to open a ridiculous amount of windows without the tablet hardware skipping a beat.
Pen Window enabled us to draw and open a total of eight windows (opening a ninth will close down the first one we opened) and easily switch between them on the 12.2-inch display. While this isn't true Multi Windows technology, it's still pretty novel to easily switch between eight separate-but-still-running apps.
Multi Window actually returns and it supports up to four different apps in a resizable two-by-two grid. Again, it's extra spacious on this Samsung tablet's big screen and in stark contrast to the Galaxy Note 3 phablet.

There's room to write legibly with the S Pen

Android KitKat with Magazine UX

The Samsung Galaxy Note Pro runs the latest version of Google's operating system Android KitKat 4.4 with a TouchWiz twist.
The variation, dubbed Magazine UX, is that Samsung's overlay is takes on an eye-pleasing Flipboard-style magazine presentation.
Seeing mail, calendar, messages and other widgets elegantly spread across the screen in a variety of box sizes makes the dashboard interface feel optimized for this particular 12-inch tablet.
It may have taken eight versions of TouchWiz to get right, but Samsung's newest front-end Android interface finally feels right thanks to its new Magazine UX on the Galaxy Note 12.2.

The virtual keyboard is also easy to type on given the space

More Galaxy Note 12.2 specs

The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 processor configurations vary from region to region, as we have come to expect from Samsung devices ever since its Galaxy S4 device launched last year.
The WiFi and 3G models contain an Exynos 5 Octa chip with a combined 1.9 GHz quadcore and 1.3 GHz quadcore processor.
At the heart of the Note Pro 12.2 LTE model is a Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz quadcore processor.
All models, no matter the connectivity variations, boast 3GB of RAM and there are two options for internal storage: 32GB and 64GB. This can be upgraded with a microSD card up to 64GB.
Speaking of connectivity, the tablet supports LTE bands 800/900/1800/2600＋850/2100 as well as 3G HSPA＋ bands 21 850/900/1900/2100.
The rear camera takes 8-megapixel photos with auto-focus software and an LED flash. There's supposed to be zero shutter lag and we didn't experience any any issues using testing out this main snapper.
Around front, the tablet fits in 2-megapixel camera. It's obviously not as high resolution as the main camera on the back, but it's effective for Pro-using business owners to accomplish video conferencing when on the go.

Large but not thick

Galaxy Note 12.2 dimensions, battery

With a tablet of this size, it's important to note the Galaxy 12.2 dimensions and battery capacity.
The larger-than-normal Samsung device measures 295.6 mm x 204 mm x 7.95mm and weighs in at 750g for the WiFi model. The 3G and LTE models of the tablet carry a tiny bit of extra heft at 753g, according to the official tech specs.
Battery with such a dynamic-looking 12.2-inch screen screen is of the utmost importance. It's 9,500mAh.
That compared to the Galaxy Note 10.1 8,220mAh Li-Polymer, which is clocked to run up to 10 hours with video usage and 9 hours with internet surfing.

S Pen and optional mouse accessory

Galaxy Note 12.2 price, release date

Samsung was forthcoming with the large specs and S Pen functionality of this tablet, but it wasn't ready to reveal the Galaxy Note 12.2 price.
Its larger screen size means that it'll likely cost more than the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.
The same applies to the unconfirmed release date. Both the Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro have been set up for a global launch starting sometime in the first three months of 2014.
We tested out the international versions, which included a SIM card and phone capabilities, so that version should be out soon. After all, Samsung wants to get its extra-large tablet out in front of any possible 12.9-inch iPad Pro announcement from Apple.

Early Verdict

The foot-long screen of the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 provides enough room for proper S Pen markup. Likewise, the ability to open up four Multi Windows without any slowdown thanks to its just as large specs makes it a business friendly or productivity focused tablet choice.

The largest Samsung Galaxy Tab to date made its official debut at CES 2014, coming in a range of sizes to suit all manner of 'professional' user. However, the top dog was the Tab Pro 12.2, physically overshadowing its smaller brethren thanks to its massive 12.2-inch screen.
We went all ten fingers on the Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2's spacious WQXGA LCD with a 2560x1600 resolution and found that the dimensions aren't as ridiculous as they seem at first. That's because this foot-long display was immediately made useful when we ran Google Docs, a Spreadsheet, a YouTube video and the Chrome browser in four Multi Windows.
That's right - you can see four things running at once on the large and expansive screen. This became progressively more cramped as you went down to 10.1- or 8.4-inch displays, but even at the 12.2 iteration having four things open at once smelled suspiciously of gimmick over genuinely useful feature.

At least it was easy to change the window sizes, with the central button allowing you to move the size around with a quick flick of the finger.
The Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 ends up being a business-appropriate tablet that happens to have a consumer-friendly new TouchWiz interface called Magazine UX. It's overlaid on top of Android KitKat and presented the widgets in the grid style of Flipboard.
The screen size makes all of these boxed-off widgets readily visible even when split into the smallest subsets. We certainly didn't face the cramped quarters problem we've seen on some 7-inch tablets.
While we liked the new UI (change is always good, and the TouchWiz version was getting a little tired) there was still a lot of noise going on with each window, thanks to each being crammed up against the next.

The benefit of Windows is that each application gets its own distinct space; while that wasn't a massive problem here, the amount of stuff going on in front of your eyes did get a little dizzying at times.
There was also a big worry in that, despite each of these Tab Pro tablets running at least a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU with a huge 3GB of RAM there was significant lag when slipping between home screens and using the internet.
Samsung is often plagued by these prototype bugs on its devices at trade shows, but we weren't expecting to see it quite so severely on show at CES.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 vs Note Pro 12.2

The difference between the Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 and Note Pro 12.2 comes down to one very fine point - a pointy stylus S pen.
Whereas Samsung's newest and largest Note includes the plastic-feeling S Pen and handy Air Command functionality, the Tab Pro sticks with a touch-based interface.
That actually makes the 12.2-inch screen all the more important, especially for someone who intends to focus on productivity and doesn't want their fingers to wander into bezel territory all of the time.
The remaining specs are exactly the same between the two new 12-inch tablets. It really comes down to whether or not you're a touch person or a touch and pen person.

Comes in both black and white colors

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro specs

While the large screen is the highlight of this Samsung tablet, the remaining specs are impressive too.
The Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 packs an Exynos 5 Octa for the WiFi and 3G models. This chip runs a combo of quadcore processor of 1.9GHz and 1.3 GHz.
Opting for the faster speeds of the LTE model leaves you with the less exciting Samsung 800 2.3GHz quadcore processor configuration. And here's the good news: as you go down in screen size, the spec list doesn't diminish.
While this is an impressive feat of engineering at the 8.4-inch level, it's even more breath-taking when you watch video or browse the web. It's 'only' 359PPI, but on a tablet it looks similar to how we feel when stuffed in front of a fancy 4K TV.

Like a lot of Samsung devices, the Pro range is going to be region-specific, so the choice unfortunately isn't yours to make. Luckily, all regions receive the healthy 3GB of data that allows Multi Window to keep up to four apps running all at once.

The back of the Galaxy Tab Pro is either white or black depending on your color choice and is sports a rear camera that snaps 8-megapixel photos. Auto-focus, an LED flash and zero shutter lag are all part of the Samsung's camera software. In the front, a 2-megapixel camera brings video conferencing to these business-friendly tablets.

Sadly, that white or black is still the same faux-leather-and-stitching effect that we first saw on the Note 3. This does make it more grippable, but looking at it makes us still cringe. It's a feature that we can understand to a degree, but come on Samsung - you can do better than this.
The three tablets are actually quite distinct thanks to their varying screen sizes - the same specs inside means consumers finally have a genuine choice to work with.
We were taken with the Tab Pro 8.4, as it works really well in both portrait and landscape modes and is pretty easy to hold in the hand. The 10.1 feels a little lackluster in some ways, thanks to being neither the whopping device of the 12.2 nor the compact 8.4.

It's hard to say truly what makes this a pro range though - without a keyboard, it's just a set of impressive specs, some security software and a bunch of subscriptions to ripple through.
The stylus-compatible Note 12.2 has some great drawing capabilities and the same specs, but it's likely to cost more than the touchscreen-only Tab 12.2 as a result.

That being said, the official Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro prices haven't been announced, even though we were able to play around with the hardware of both tablets. Samsung should divulge pricing information soon. It plans to start rolling out its new tablets within the next three months.

Early verdict

The Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 is large and in charge but it's ably backed up by the 10.1- and 8.4-inch versions.
We like the look of all three, with the smallest and largest really offering something different, and the raw power under the hood is going to impress a lot of people.
However, we're not sure what makes these tablets truly 'pro', nor why there's such a lag in the interface at this stage of the product design.
AND YES WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE LOOK OF THE NEW INTERFACE. Its expected that a new redefined touchwiz shall be out via S5 and Note 4 and its definitely for the better!
We're just hoping Samsung prices these things sensibly - it's a long shot, given the brand's usual method of trying to match the iPad (and the fact that largest screen isn't going to be cheap) but should these undercut the competition enough we can see them turning at least one or two heads.

One of the newest trends to hit mobile is the modular smartphone. It  started with Phonebloks, a device that was made up of various pieces that were stuck to a main board. Motorola then adopted this idea and worked with the people behind Phonebloks to create Project Ara, which is the same concept but supported by Motorola’s decades of experience in mobile. Now it looks like another competitor has emerged.
The ZTE Eco-Mobius follows the same basic idea as Phonebloks and Project Ara. The device is split into four interchangeable parts: the display, the core (which includes processor, RAM and such), the camera and the battery. ZTE already has a prototype built, but it was kept behind at CES so that no one could touch it. It looks surprisingly sleek for a modular prototype.
ZTE says it’s also creating a platform for people to buy, sell and trade modules for these products. This would make upgrading and customizing your device much easier when Eco-Mobius launches, which ZTE says could happen within two years. That’s an exciting prospect. Do you think modular phones are the future? Leave a comment!

After the first leaked KitKat build for the Galaxy S4 was posted online a few days ago, it’s now time to see an Android 4.4.2 test firmware for the Galaxy Note 3 (SM-N9005 model) become unofficially available.


The same Sam Mobile has posted up build N9005XXUENA6 up for this Galaxy Note 3 version (see Source link below,) describing it as “one of the ‘final’ Android 4.4.2 KitKat test builds” for the handset, which means “nothing will be included or excluded in future builds of Android 4.4 for the giant phablet, except a few bug fixes and improvements here and there.”


The publication says Samsung may roll out the official update for the device in one or two weeks, although nothing is official just yet.


Galaxy Note 3’s unofficial KitKat update brings over the same kind of changes we have already seen in the Galaxy S4’s build, alongside the expected performance improvements that are reflected by “off the charts” benchmark scores.


For what it’s worth, we’ll remind you that the Galaxy S4 KitKat build from the other day temporarily broke SuperSU functionality, so don’t be surprised to see the same thing happen on the Galaxy Note 3 following the update.


As always with unofficial builds, we’ll remind you that it’s up to you to decide whether to go down this route, or whether to wait for the official software – we’re not going to advise you to install unofficial ROMs on your devices, and you’ll be the only person responsible for whatever happens during these procedures

          

Some of the more popular file-hiding apps on the Android market right now are pretty good at their jobs, that is hiding photos, videos, documents, and such. What many of them aren’t very good at doing is hiding themselves. More often than not, such apps have their very own, very obvious app icon and name in the app drawer. Or in the case of the more ‘elaborate’ apps, there may be a ‘dummy’ UI with an icon of a shady looking character in the corner that you must press.

So rather than making it obvious that you have things to hide, XDA Forum Member IDSprofile created an app called Smart Hide Calculator, which not only hides files, but also hides itself. It takes on the innocent disguise of a fully-functioning calculator; has ‘Calculator’ as its name, as well as a matching app icon in the app drawer; and a calculator UI that will rouse absolutely no suspicion.

However, by tapping a pre-determined pin number and the equals button, Smart HideCalculator reveals its true self: a fully fledged app that hides and unhides files, and freezes and unfreezes apps. One must keep in mind that root access is required to freeze apps. As of right now, Smart Hide Calculator is still in its beta phase, and according to IDSprofile, a host of new features and functions will be implemented in the future.

Screenshots :  

               



               

Download :

                                       

                 

After so long a wait, we're already here.
Following the unique preceding episodes, Sherlock takes another distinct tonal turn with the finale of Series Three. This time, we're heading into far more mature territory in terms of the characterization and plotting, Steven Moffat's script taking the viewer on a relentless rollercoaster of emotion and jaw dropping, unexpected twists. 
Make no mistake, this is arguably the darkest episode in the series' history, going to places it has never trodden before. It is emotionally devastating in ways completely different from The Reichenbach Fall, while retaining a vein of tight, fierce humour that relies explicitly upon character based incident and wordplay that is also markedly different from the comedy that appears in The Sign of Three, for example.
Paramount to the harder edge that defines His Last Vow is Charles Augustus Magnussen, magnificently played by Lars Mikklesen. Magnussen is a repellent, icy foe, a man so assured of his personal power over others it gives him the justification to behave how he likes. Completely different from Andrew Scott's volatile yet insanely endearing Jim Moriarty, this is a luridly predatory, genuinely skin crawling and frightening villain, someone who can stand toe to toe with Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes and yet, shockingly, dominate the room.

Without any specifics, the deployment of this striking new antagonist induces a case - from the very start of the episode - that causes the leading characters to be placed into situations that we have never seen them. Some we have potentially been anticipating for a long time, others come out of nowhere. This is not what some have cited as the 'fan service' that has appeared in The Empty Hearse and The Sign of Three, more a logical follow-through from previously established events and a fulfillment of some possibly long held suspicions that coalesce into some dramatic final closing scenes.  
That said, His Last Vow continues the trend of this third run of episodes in defying the expectations of an audience, a grand adventure that raises the series to striking new heights. Steven Moffat's script is magnificently Canon-laden, reverential asides and cunning deviations running throughout in full effect, and it also features plenty of further expansion and development. As some of the events in The Sign of Three may have signposted, these are now very much Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' versions of these beloved characters, true yet not slavish to the originals written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the character based aspects of the narrative here flow from developments that we have already seen.
Visually, this is another stunning episode, the use of location in particular giving it a scale that eclipses the previous two installments. Nick Hurran has been handed a gift of a screenplay and certainly doesn't squander it, turning established rules on their head at times and extrapolating others to new places. The Art of Deduction, in particular, undergoes a striking and extended renovation within the visual context of one showpiece, uniquely dramatic sequence. David Arnold and Michael Price's score somehow keeps getting larger and more expansive. It's impossible to wonder how much higher and - dare we say it - operatic the pair could take the themes they have developed across the three series of Sherlock from here, but by now familiarity with the motifs they have created is not a problem but an utter boon, not reliance but distinctive calling cards that heighten the emotional response to what you are seeing.
Yes, as we've already said, His Lost Vow is an emotional experience. To say anymore of the how's and why's that that is the case would be churlish and wrong. Like The Empty Hearse, this is an experience that should be Experienced, unsullied with prior knowledge or spoilers of what is coming. Though there is one thing we will say, to ensure your viewing of this barnstorming finale to the third series of Sherlock is complete.
When the end credits start, do not turn off your television or change the channel. Watch to the very close.
And that is the only Clue we will give you.

Despite the fact that Samsung has yet to officially say even one word about a lite version of the Note 3, we’ve heard numerous rumors and reports suggesting such a handset is in the works. More recently, we even saw a UAprof that indicated the Note 3 Lite would feature a 720p display, and now we are learning even more about the handset thanks to newly leaked internal Samsung documents.
If the newly leaked documents from GSM Arena prove to be genuine, the Note 3 Lite will officially be debuting under the name Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo. What’s more, the handset will reportedly utilize a processor that features a 1.7Ghz dual + 1.3Ghz quad-core CPU. No word on whether it will actually be able to use all cores at once. Somehow we doubt it, but anything is possible.

Aside from the CPU, the handset actually shares quite a few of the same specs as the Note 2. The Note 3 Neo has a 720p Super AMOLED display, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, an 8MP camera and a 3100 mAh battery.


For those wondering what the Note 3 Neo might have in common with the original Note 3, we’d say very little except for the faux leather design language and some of the same advanced software features. Simply put, the Note 3 Neo name is all about marketing. People know that the Note 3 is the ‘best’ that Samsung has to offer, and so they’ll expect a similar premium experience from the Neo as well.


As for when we can expect the handset to debut? The internal documents don’t talk about pricing or a release target, leaving us guessing. That said, we wouldn’t be too surprised to see the handset officially announced at MWC next month. Just remember that, even though the documents look real, Samsung has yet to confirm the existence of the Note 3 Neo and so take the rumor with a grain of salt.


What do you think, excited by the idea of a lower-cost Note 3 variant or not?

Nvidia is having its traditional CES press event and has taken the opportunity to reveal some details on its next generation Tegra chip. Nvidia has talked about its mobile plans a little in general terms recently, but now we have a name and some specs to go on. The successor to Tegra 4 will be called the Tegra K1 and it comes in two different versions. 

 

The headlining feature Nvidia is touting in Tegra K1 (previously codenamed Logan) is the 192-core GPU based on the desktop Kepler architecture. By comparison, the current Tegra 4 is limping along with only 72 older GPU cores. Nvidia had a number of fancy charts to illustrate how superior the Tegra K1 GPU happens to be. The company says Tegra K1 will support DirectX 11.1, CUDA, and has more raw horsepower than the PS3 or the Xbox 360. All this and it is expected to be more power efficient than the current Tegra GPU. 

 

Perhaps even more notable than the new GPU is a shift in Nvidia's previously reported roadmap. There will be two flavors of Tegra K1 – the first will be a quad-core Cortex-A15 CPU cluster with the Kepler GPU (and a helper core), but there will also be a version with dual-core Denver CPUs. Nvidia's Denver architecture wasn't expected to debut for another generation past Tegra K1. Denver is a custom design for Nvidia's new ARM-compatible CPU cores, so there won't be any more Cortex reference CPUs in Tegra – it's just like Qualcomm and Krait. Denver is based on the next-generation ARMv8 instruction set and supports 64-bit. 

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang didn't specify any exact timeline for each version of the chip, but the A15 edition is expected to be out in the first half of the year. The Denver CPU version will come after that in the second half of 2014.

Lenovo may not have a US launch scheduled for the Vibe Z yet, but do you really want a 5.5-inch Android phone when you could have a 28-inch 4K display running Android? That’s right, Android is no longer a smartphone or tablet OS. Lenovo is bringing it to the big screen with 3840×2160 pixels. When it comes to market in July of 2014, the Lenovo ThinkVision 28 4K display will run Android 4.4 (the unit we played with at Lenovo’s suite at CES was running Android 4.3) and will sell for $1199.  Internal specs include an  NVIDIA Tegra processor, WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, 2.1 megapixel camera, 2 5W speakers, microSD card slot, HDMI, USB 3.0 and DisplayPort.
Lenovo and and NVIDIA are not naming the exact chip used inside the ThinkVision 28, but we did get a smile and a wink when we asked if it was the newly announced NVIDIA Tegra K1 SoC.
The ThinkVision 28 may run Android, but Lenovo will be pitching the device mainly as a 4K display with the added bonus of having Android built in. The display has multiple HDMI inputs, so it could be used as a standard touch-screen display for a PC. Technically, the ThinkVision 28 could be an all-in-one Android PC, but you would need to connect a separate mouse and keyboard; there is no software that would allow pass-through of those peripherals from a connected PC.
Those who purchase the display will have full access to Google Play and all of Google’s Android apps. We spent a few minutes playing with the ThinkVision 28 – slinging some 4K Angry Birds around at some green pigs and taking in Google Maps satellite view of Las Vegas. Lenovo still has some work to do on the performance side, but we have a feeling things will be sorted out once the final Android build is installed and optimized for the Tegra chip.

During its press conference at CES today, Samsung revealed a new line-up of tablets for 2014. In fact, there are two new lines this year, the NotePRO and TabPRO lines, which each feature different tablets. Without further ado, let’s just jump right into it.

Starting with the smallest of the bunch, we have the Samsung Galaxy TabPRO 8.4. The TabPRO 8.4 packs these specs:

• 8.4-inch 2560×1600 display
• 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 8-megapixel rear camera
• 2-megapixel front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz
• 4,800mAh battery
• 16/32GB storage expandable via microSD

Even though it’s not Samsung’s largest tablet, the TabPRO 8.4 packs some very nice specs and one of the sharpest screens on an Android tablet. Judging by the photos, it also carries the same faux leather back as the Galaxy Note 3, which can be a pro or con depending on your taste.

Next up is the Galaxy TabPRO 10.1, the latest 10-inch tablet to hit the market. The TabPRO 10.1 includes:

• 10.1-inch 2560×1600 display
• 1.9GHz Exynos octa-core processor (Wi-Fi model)
• 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor (LTE model)
• 2GB RAM
• 8-megapixel rear camera
• 2-megapixel front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat with Touchwiz
• 8,220 mAh battery
• 16/32GB storage expandable via microSD
• IR blaster

Like the TabPRO 8.4, this also features a faux leather back and Samsung’s new magazine style TouchWiz hub for larger tablets.

The next in the bunch is the massive Galaxy TabPRO 12.2, Samsung’s largest tablet. The TabPRO 12.2 features:

• 12.2-inch 2560×1600 display
• 1.9GHz Exynos 5 Octa processor (WiFi model)
• 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor (LTE model)
• 3GB RAM
• 8-megapixel rear camera
• 2-megapixel front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz
• 9,500mAh battery
• 32/64GB storage expandable via microSD
• IR blaster

Just like the other new Galaxy tablets, it features Samsung’s faux leather back.

The last new tablet is the Galaxy NotePRO 12.2, another behemoth tablet that is practically the identical twin of the TabPRO 12.2, except with the added functionality of the S-Pen. The NotePRO 12.2 brings:

• 12.2-inch 2560×1600 display
• 1.9GHz Exynos 5 Octa processor (Wi-Fi model)
• 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor (LTE model)
• 3GB RAM
• 8-megapixel rear camera
• 2-megapixel front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz
• 9,500mAh battery
• 32/64GB storage expandable via microSD
• IR blaster
• S Pen

That wraps it up for Samsung’s new tablets. This new selection is looking quite high-end and should appeal to plenty of consumers if the price is right. Speaking of price, we don’t know anything about that or availability (besides Q1 2014) just yet, but we’ll let you know when Samsung releases more about that. You can find more pictures of all the tablets down below. Do any of them pique your interest?