This intel comes from DigiTimes, which has a sketchy history on reliability, but because they sometimes get it right, we felt it was worth sharing with you guys. Supposedly, AUO (AU Optronics) will be providing the newly improved 1900 x 1200 display panels for the next generation Nexus 7. Google is still partnering up with Asus for the overall device, but even Asus uses third parties for its displays, making this rumor more likely to be accurate. Here's a quote with some of the details,

Co-created by Google and Asustek Computer, the second-generation Nexus 7 will start shipping the end of the second quarter and is expected to hit market shelves in the third quarter, according to supply-chain sources. The new tablet will feature a 7-inch low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) panel, produced mainly by AU Optronics (AUO), the sources claimed.

DigiTimes also shared that Asus and Google expect to ship a great deal more units of the new Nexus 7, to the tune of 8 Million for all of 2013. If this information turns out to be correct, that means we are only a couple months away from a launch for the new Nexus 7. As always, stay tuned and we will share more details when they hit the electronic highway.

Source: DigiTimes

It's amazing what a truly talented digital artist can come up with sometimes. The above pic is a concept render of a device idea that Samsung patented not too long ago. The idea is a flexible tablet whose bottom portion folds to create a stand and keyboard. Below is the picture from Samsung's patent filing to show you a good comparison. Here are the supposed specs of the device:

• Flexible AMOLED screen
• 1920X1080 pixels
• 10.1 inch
• 2 GB RAM
• 32 GB internal memory
• Expandable up to 64 GB
• 1.6 GHz Exynos 5 Octa processor
• 3 megapixel front camera
• 8000 mAh battery

There is no word on if this leaked render is actually "official," or is simply a fan's production, although there was some additional info shared with this render suggesting it might be something in the production stages right now.

Source: PhoneArena

Sprint users who are ready to pull the trigger on purchasing the new HTC One flagship will be wise to check out Amazon's new deal. You can grab the phone for just $99.99 on a contract renewal, or if you are signing up for new Sprint service it's only $79.99. This is an amazing bargain for a phone that many consider to be better than the Samsung Galaxy S4 (at least according to a plethora of reviews around the web).

The deal works for either the Silver or the Black version, and is $100-120 bucks cheaper than if you get it directly through Sprint. Here is a link below to grab yours.

Source: Amazon

This next bit of news will come as a huge surprise to Verizon Wireless customers. Samsung has announced that it will be releasing their Galaxy S4 Developer Edition smartphone on both Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Yes you read that right. Verizon Wireless is actually going to allow a bootloader unlocked Samsung Galaxy S4 on their network. Keep in mind though that these phone will not come subsidized, so customers will be paying full retail for the handset. The handset will be available with 16GB of onboard memory and in one color (Black Mist.) There is no official word on release dates or how these handsets will be offered, but that info should be hitting the web sometime soon.

Anyone going to pull the trigger when this handset is released?

Source: Samsung/Samsung

The launch of the HTC First, (aka the Facebook Home phone), in the UK has been cancelled. We've recently heard rumblings that the phone was a colossal failure for HTC, and this seems to confirm that. Apparently, due to poor feedback from US customers, they decided to pull the launch in the UK. Here's the quote,

“Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customisation features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision.

Rest assured, we remain committed to bringing our customers the latest mobile experiences, and we will continue to build on our strong relationship with Facebook so as to offer customers new opportunities in the future.” ~ Online Retailer EE

It looks like the cost to launch the device was going to be greater than the expected numbers on sell through.

Source: SlashGear

For folks who have been yearning for the HTC One on Verizon, and building up false hope because of the rampant rumor-mill, you should probably stop torturing yourselves. Sadly, HTC indirectly confirmed for the second time, that the HTC flagship will not be coming to Big Red. HTC’s Senior Global Online Communications Manager, Jeff Gordon (one of the execs who recently left the company) said,

“it’s always a great thing to have our phones on as many operators as possible, but we’ve got nothing to announce in terms of Verizon.”

This quote was his response to the direct question of why Verizon doesn't have the HTC One. Reading between the lines it's obvious that Verizon didn't want it, again probably because they already have a similar device with the HTC Droid DNA. There is another small rumor floating around that the reason the HTC One didn't come to Verizon was because Verizon wanted their own special branded/named version of the device but HTC wasn't willing to comply with this.

There was one other bit of news from HTC. They also explained why there is no MicroSD card slot on the the US and UK versions of the HTC One, yet the Chinese and Japanese versions do. Apparently space was the issue. The Chinese and Japanese cellular radios take up less space, so they were able to squeeze a MicroSD slot in for those devices. The larger radios in the US and UK versions wouldn't facilitate that.

Source: TalkAndroid

LG has a new water-proof active-lifestyle phone in the works. They just officially announced the LG Optimus GJ E975W. It will be priced at $599.99 without a contract, and will first go on sale in Taiwan. There is no word yet on if/when it will launch in other markets, but we will keep an eye out just in case it does. Here's a spec breakdown:

• IPX7 certification – up to 1m underwater – for up to 30 minutes
• 4.7 inch IPS HD display
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 13MP rear camera
• Quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 16GB of internal memory
• MicroSD card slot
• 2,280 mAh battery

As you can see, the specs are pretty robust for an "active lifestyle" phone. Is this something you guys would like to take to the pool or the beach?

Source: UnWiredView

Today's the official day. You can now get the Verizon version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 from Verizon online or their retail stores for $199.99 on a new two year contract. For now this is the 16GB version only. The 32GB version is unavailable at the moment.

If you want to save some cash, Amazon has the same phone on the same new contract with Verizon for twenty bucks cheaper, at $179.99. Here's a link below to both companies so you have your choice.

Verizon - Official Launch day of the Samsung Galaxy S4 for $199.99 On Contract

Amazon - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 for $179.99 On Contract

AT&T has announced that they will be carrying the Galaxy S4 in a new color known as “aurora red” in the US. The 16GB version will be the one coming in the new color option and is exclusive to AT&T customers. The 'new device' will go up for pre-order May 24, 2013 (tomorrow), and the brick and mortars should have it by June 14.

Source: AT&T

Despite the fact that Google Now in other forms has been out longer than Siri, it looks like Apple has added the service to its long list of lawsuits against Samsung, referring specifically to the Google Now functionality on the Galaxy S4. Here's a quote with some additional detail,

Apple has updated an earlier lawsuit filed against Samsung with claims that the Galaxy S4 and its Google Now feature violate two Apple patents covering functions of its own virtual personal assistant, Siri. Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents relayed news of the updated complaint on Wednesday, and he noted that two of the patents — U.S. Patent 8,086,604, and U.S. Patent 6,846,959 — cover technologies related to Siri. Both filings describe a “universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system.” Apple also added three more patents to its earlier complaint that are not related to Siri, according to the report.

As you can see, Apple is up to its old tricks again. It's interesting that they are targeting Google Now on the SGS4, but not going after Google in the courts directly. Perhaps it's just a publicity stunt to convince people Apple had voice search and assistance first, even though it had been on Android for quite a bit longer. At this point it almost looks like Apple's lawyers are simply throwing stuff at the wall to see what they can get to stick.

Source: BGR

Several reports have come in today indicating the HTC executive leadership team is in anarchy. The once-great mobile hardware maker may have a new hit on their hands with the HTC One, but that won't matter if the internal damage within the company brings it down from the inside. A large list of executives left the company recently, including a couple of them today. One of them, ex-strategy head Eric Lin, even tweeted the above message after leaving, suggesting that all his friends quit and "leave now." Another high-profile executive to leave today was the HTC Asia CEO Lennard Hoornik. Here's a breakdown of all the execs who recently left the company including their former titles,

• Eric Lin - Strategy Head (left today)
• Kouji Kodera - Chief Product Officer
• Jason Gordon - vice president of global communications (left on Friday)
• Rebecca Rowland - global retail marketing manager
• John Starkweather - director of digital marketing
• Lennard Hoornik - HTC Asia CEO (left today)

According to unnamed sources, the morale is so low at the company it is described as being in "utter free fall." Also, this same source said that even though the HTC One has been a solid success, the HTC First was a disaster.

Ouch! A mass mutiny at the command level on an already floundering ship is a bad sign. What do you guys think? Could we be seeing the beginning of the end for HTC?

Source: BGR

Just yesterday we shared a rumor about a phone which could be the Verizon and/or Sprint version of the Motorola X Phone. Some .inf USB drivers showed a device called the XT1060 with CDMA capabilities, that was loosely identified as the elusive X Phone. Today, some new intel suggests a different device is headed for Sprint which is speculated to be their X Phone.

This one has the model name XT1056 and it just passed through the FCC with Sprint radios. If this info and our previous story are accurate it would mean the following model numbers correspond to the listed carriers:

• AT&T X Phone = XT1058
• Verizon X Phone = XT1060
• Sprint X Phone = XT1056

All of the pieces seem to be falling into place for the X Phone, and not all of them are terribly exciting. We have seen pics and specs which seem to confirm Google execs' previous statements that the current pipeline of Motorola products will be lackluster. It looks like the device will come with a Snapdragon S4 Pro. This is a capable and powerful quad-core chip to be sure, but it is still technology from last year. Of course, it's still possible we will see some other innovations which will generate excitement fo the new X Phone, but we will have to wait and see when it actually is officially announced.

Source: Phandroid