New iPhone 5S and entry-level iPhone rumored to come in different colors

The biggest story of the week in mobile tech is hands-down the collection of rumors surrounding Apple's upcoming iPhone 5S and cheap, entry-level iPhone. There's no solid proof to support or deny anything yet. But, there's already been talk of possible new colors, a date for unveiling, and even size options, which would of course mean a whole range of fun new gadgets and accessories for iPhone's next incarnations.

The first rumor, that of possible production and unveiling dates comes from a pretty reputable source, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). They reported recently that Apple is planning to begin production of the new iPhone "in the second quarter of this year," or sometime between now and June.

They also allude to the upcoming iPhone 5S as "similar in size and shape to its current one." So maybe Apple isn't going to make you ditch your iPhone 5 cases just yet, as you had to do with the upgrade from the 4s.

Meanwhile, the WSJ says that Apple is still working with parteners in Asia on making a cheaper version of the iPhone, a 4-inch device that "that could be launched as soon as the second half of this year." They also say that the "cheap" iPhone may be available in different colors.

But people are also speculating that the iPhone 5S, as well as the rumored entry-level iPhone, will be available in different colors. Citing Macotakara, 9to5Mac reported that the iPhone 5S could be launching in up to three additional colors, as well as standard black and white.

And though the report from the WSJ left us hopeful that maybe some of our current iPhone 5 cases could convert as accessories for iPhone 5S, a report from BGR says the iPhone 5S will likely be available in at least two, if not three different screen sizes. So we really can't be sure until Apple decides it's time to let the cat out of the bag.

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Motorola's Guy Kawasaki sparked rumors with a post about custom cars

In the world of mobile gadgets and accessories, it doesn't take much these days to start the rumor mill turning. So when Motorola advisor Guy Kawasaki made a Google+ post last week about a customizable car, the internet naturally started speculating about what that could mean regarding the rumored upcoming Google-Motorola X Phone.

The one line post, which reads, "Wouldn't it be great if you could personalize your phone like this," has prompted many to wonder whether the X Phone will itself be customizable. (The X Phone hasn't yet been officially announced, by the way.)

Some are really running with the rumor. AndroidAndMe posited that "customers will be able to customize their devices," choosing their color, as well as "some of the hardware specs like RAM and internal storage."

Going even further, AndroidAndMe proposes the possibility that the X Phone won't just be one smartphone, but an entire line, designed to compete with Samsung's Galaxy brand.

So, is this taking Kawasaki's Tweet way too far? Maybe so and maybe not. As CNET points out:

"Surely, the timing of Kawasaki's comments is not coincidental. Or is it? In the age of Reddit and Internet trolling, I begrudgingly must reserve some skepticism for the rumor. Is Guy having a bit of fun with his fan base or is he legitimately gauging public interest?"

If there's truth to the speculation, this could be a major follow-up to Google's previous smartphone offering, the more or less standard Nexus 4. But we'll probably find out for sure soon enough. As CNET notes, "should there be fire behind the smoke, this is the sort of rumor that won't be contained for long."

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An invite for Samsung's Galaxy S4 launch event March 14

We've been hearing rumblings and rumors about a new Galaxy phone from Samsung for months now. But nothing really solid has come of it, until now. Like right now. This morning, at Mobile World Congress, Samsung's mobile division chief J.K. Shin told Edaily that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will launch March 14.

Here's what he said:

"We introduced the Galaxy S3 in London last year, and this time we changed the venue (to New York)... as we were bombarded with requests from U.S. mobile carriers to unveil the Galaxy S4 in the country."

So it's official, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is coming in less than a month. However, Shin fell short of saying anything about its specs or design.

Still, at least we have the good old cell phone accessories industry to help us out in that department. Business Insider reported last week on some leaked pictures of what are supposedly Galaxy S4 carrying cases.

Leaked pics of Galaxy S4 cases may reveal what the latest Galaxy phone looks like before its big unveiling

If the pictures (and Mobile Fun, the site which first revealed them) can be trusted, the Galaxy S4 is shaping up to be a bigger than the Galaxy S3, with a 5 inch screen like that of the Galaxy Note.

Otherwise, notes SlashGear, "there’s the usual Samsung layout of a headphone jack up top, lock and volume keys on the side, and a charging/syncing port on the bottom, presumably microUSB. A hole for the microphone is alongside it."

Still, we can't totally rely on Mobile Fun, since, like the rest of us, they've yet to actually see the latest Galaxy in Samsung's lineup. But at least we won't have to wait too long, since the Galaxy S4's big reveal is less than a month away.

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HTC One, the company's newest flagship phone, in silver

We're already well acquainted with HTC's One X and One S phones, but yesterday, as CNet joked, the company unveiled "One phone to rule them all." Just to be clear, that's the HTC One, no additional letter required.

This latest HTC flagship device may only have been unveiled 24 hours ago, but already the opinions, reviews and hype are adding up to a potential blockbuster for HTC.

Gizmodo quipped that it's "exactly how you're supposed to build a phone," highlighting not only the device's sleek, lightweight design but also its top of the line screen and its interface which, though this is an Android phone, has some similarities to a Windows Phone.

Let's talk about the looks: at 4.7 inches in size The HTC One boasts a beautiful and sleek aluminum body that's lightweight with a slight curve on the back. Its Gorilla glass 2 screen, according to Gizmodo, "is gorgeous." With a resolution of 1,920 × 1,080 and pixel density of 468ppi, we'd have to agree that it's one of the best out there right now.

On the inside of this Android-powered beauty is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.7 gigahertz quad-core processor, with 2GB of RAM and a 2,300 mAh embedded battery.

Another feature everyone seems really excited about is the HTC One's cameras. The Front-facing one is fairly standard at 2.1 MP, but the rear-facer, though only 4 MP, is totally unique.

As Engadget notes, "before you go apoplectic with rage – the company's magical new imaging technology means that the One's 4-megapixel sensor isn't the slap in the face with a wet fish you'd assume it to be." Rather, as CNet reports, he camera will better pick up light and will work better in the dark than rival smartphone cameras such as the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III."

Another nice thing about the new camera on the HTC One is its "Zoe" picture feature, which lets you take photos as short video clips, with the camera actually starting a second before you press the button and continuing for three more seconds.

"By scrolling through the photo gallery, shots come alive like something out of 'Harry Potter'," writes CNet. "In addition, collections of photos from a specific event are automatically collected and joined with music to create 'Zoe Highlight' videos."

Like previous flagship phones, the HTC One also integrates Beats audio technology, and it's got dual front-facing "Boom Sound" speakers for a pretty great video-watching experience.

We'll definitely be keeping our eye on the HTC One as it begins rolling out this March, and we can't wait to get our hands on one, or to start stacking up the accessories for the latest and probably best HTC phone to date.

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For most of us in North America, BlackBerry's latest and hottest phone isn't even available yet. The company only unveiled their new all-touch Z10 device last week, but already there are signs that the smartphone (a total redesign for BlackBerry) could be worthy of the hopes the company has been pinning on it.

With the Z10 first released U.K., the response and early sales of the device already has the company beaming with pride. The company's U.K. Managing Director Stephen Bates told TechCrunch this week that some U.K. retailers have sold out within just days of the new BlackBerry's launch:

"The response we’ve seen exceeded all of our launch partners’ expectations. Customers are choosing to buy the BlackBerry Z10 in large numbers [...] In fact some of our partners have told us that they sold out over the weekend in some of their key retail locations."

And though Bates didn't offer any specific figures on those sales, he did add "The partners’ call centres are also flooded with calls, as people phone to ask for more information about the device, and also where and how to buy it.”

Meanwhile, in Canada, where the Z10 isn't available yet but where several carriers have opened up pre-ordering for it, it's been pretty popular too. Canadian carrier Bell is even planning to open their stores early for the Z10's launch, expecting big numbers. And what's more, according to a CIBC analyst, more than half of the pre-orders for the new all-touch BlackBerry are coming from people who are "non-BlackBerry users."

If BlackBerry's really going to parley their shiny new all-touch device into a brand resurrection, that's the kind of response they're going to need, as satisfying existing BlackBerry users simply won't be enough to help them compete with the likes of Apple and Android.

As for the U.S., the BlackBerry Z10 has for a March release date scheduled. And, for the company's sake, we'd hope it meets with at least equal entusiasm as it's seen overseas and with our friends to the North.

We at Pure Mobile think there's a pretty good chance of that, and we're already lining up our BlackBerry accessories and fun gadgets in time to welcome its arrival. In the meantime, we'll be keeping you up to date as we check on BlackBerry's progress in what is definitely a new chapter for the longtime mobile underdog and would-be comeback kid.

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CEO Thorsten Heins shows of new BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 handsets at today's BlackBerry Experience event. Image courtesy of CTV.

First they take Manhattan, and then they take the world?

Perhaps marking one of the most important milestones they've ever had, BlackBerry maker RIM held its long-anticipated BlackBerry Experience event today in Manhattan. As promised, the company unveiled its two newest BlackBerry phones, the BB10-powered Z10 and Q10 handsets.

But what's really got the mobile industry bubbling is the Z10, since it's the first ever BlackBerry phone without a physical QWERTY keyboard. "Gone is the impish keyboard, loved and loathed alike, to be replaced by the now ubiquitous display," writes the Huffington post, with one of their live bloggers at the event adding, "The handset looks impressive for the company's first major foray into the keyboard-less phone area."

BlackBerry's newly-unveiled all-touch Z10 phone. Image courtesy of Gizmodo.

After a few years lagging behind the likes of Android and Apple, BlackBerry 10 is being lauded as "RIM's latest, best comeback attempt," (BusinessWeek) and its star attraction is this glossy, sleek, new all touch phone. Oh, and by the way, it's not RIM anymore, it's just BlackBerry.

So, what, exactly was revealed today about the Z10, BlackBerry's great new hope?

For starters, its display has better resolution than that of the iPhone 5 (1280 x 768 vs. 1136 x 640.) Slim and sleek, it sports a 4.2" screen and boasts textured surface that's easy to grip feels good in hand.

And, as though to completely demolish the perception that BlackBerry's all about keypads and physical buttons, the new Z10 heavily stresses swiping rather than button pushing. You don't even have to push a button to turn it on, just swipe up!

But one of the best features of BB10, which applies to both the Z10 and QWERTY-touch Q10 phones, is the way it lets the user manage apps.  All apps are integrated into the BlackBerry 10 "hub," so that app notifications and emails are easily accessed with a single swipe, even when another app is open. "You are only one swipe away from the heart of your activities," said CEO Thorsten Heins of this new innovation.

Already, the Z10 has been praised as "striking," "powerful," and "beautiful." And from what we've seen, we at Pure Mobile have to agree. Of course, the phone will only become available in the U.S. as of March. But if you're as excited as we are, hold tight, because we're already lining up accessories for BlackBerry Z10 in time for its release.

Google's CEO has been fuelling rumors of a Motorola-made shatter-proof Google X phone

According to some recent rumors, Google and Motorola may just be working on a phone that that can go without the usual protective cases and accessories.

Mashable reported recently on a rumored Motorola-made Google phone termed the Google X, which has been stirring up speculation since at the Wall Street Journal broached the topic this past fall. Still, there's been little information as to what the new phone's specs might be.

But in a recent interview with WIRED magazine, Google CEO Larry Page gave us a pretty fresh hint – the Google X may be unbreakable:

"There’s a lot of room for innovation in hardware [...] The phones we use now have glass that everyone worries will break if they drop the device. Five or 10 years from now, that will be different."

Needless to say, Page is a reliable source when it comes to what we can expect from a Google-backed phone. And some are positing theories that the Google X may sport a flexible display or may, at the very least, be shatter-proof.

"The benefits of a 'bendy' phone are questionable, but using a flexible display would result in a phone that's much more immune to shattering, unlike the relatively fragile touch screens of today," says Mashable.

If these theories hold any water, Google may have a product on its hands that doesn't even need the shock-absorption of a case. And while that's bound to make users happy, third-party accessories makers probably wouldn't be thrilled.

But all this is moot anyway, since Google hasn't officially confirmed the existence of the Google X, much less its design specs. Until they do, the talk of a case-less, shatter-proof, bendy Google  phone will have to remain squarely in the realm of speculation.

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Among the rumors is one that the iPhone 5S will come in a range of colors

No doubt about it, Apple's huge. Even so, analysts say its been, well, less huge than usual in the past few months. But nevertheless, they're expecting great things from the iPhone maker in the coming year.

If Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White is to be believed, that's because Apple is already planning the launch of its next generation iPhone, the iPhone 5S. As cited by BGR, White explained that the release of the next iPhone is expected to make up for Apple's recent 25% stock drop and that the new device is partly responsible for the fact that "Apple is our top overall pick for 2013."

We know it seems like just yesterday that we were scrambling for cases to fit our newly resized iPhone 5. But Apple didn't get to where it is by resting on its laurels, and a follow up to the iPhone 5 is only to be expected.

According to White, we can expect the next generation sooner rather than later, with a tentative launch date between May and June. There are also musings that "the next iPhone will have more choices for customers," which may entail "an expansion in both the color patterns and screen sizes." If that's true, says BGR, this would be "the first time Apple has released one phone with multiple display size options."

So what can we then expect from accessories for the newest iPhone? Maybe open-front clear cases that show off the iPhone 5S' bright new colors and fit the different screen options? That's just a guess, so we'll have to wait til summer, if the rumors are true, to really find out.

We at puer Mobile couldn't be more excited for the official launch of BB10 or for the two new BlackBerry handsets that'll be the OS' flagship smartphones.

But for many longtime BlackBerry users, change is scary. It isn't that a new device will mean learning a new OS, or even that users will have to get all new BlackBerry accessories (shopping for cool new cases is actually fun.)

It's that, for so many, the draw of BlackBerry is its signature Qwerty keypad, something RIM has done away with in their upcoming all-touch device – or have they?

Actually, judging from a new hands-on video detailing the new BB10 touch keyboard, and according to Gizmodo, the "BlackBerry 10 touch screen keys could rival even its traditional keyboards."

For starters, RIM's made the transition from physical keyboards to all touch keys pretty seamless. As Blackberry's Head of Software Portfolio Vivek Bhardwaj explains in the demo video, the keypad of the new L-Series device has stayed true to the look of traditional BlackBerry keyboards, right down to the signature "frets." So it looks and feels like the blackBerry devices you're used to.

Where it does differ from the original is that the new touch keyboard is more intuitive and intelligent than its predecessor. It automatically separates words when you forget to hit the space bar, it understands context, learns your personal vocabulary, and knows when to switch between languages.

The video below should put your mind at ease about making the upgrade to BlackBerry's first ever all-touch smartphone. So let the accessorizing begin!

A Vietnamese site has leaked the clearest images and most detailed video of BlackBerry's latest smartphone

A couple of days ago, we posted a teaser image released by RIM of the upcoming BlackBerry 10 all-touch device on Pure Mobile's Canadian blog. At the time, it seemed exciting, the first real glimpse of the L-Series, not just some bogus leak. And it confirmed that images of the device leaked previously weren't really the real deal.

But what a difference two days make. Thanks to super detailed pictures and a lengthy video leaked by Vietnamese site Tinhte.ve, the RIM-sanctioned teaser pic of the L-Series now looks "lame" by comparison, to quote TechCrunch.

While the teaser pic had left us wanting more, the Tihnte.ve leak gave us pretty much a full showing of BlackBerry newest, and perhaps sexiest, smartphone. Of course, that's assuming the handset shown off in their 5-minute video and high-res pics is the final design, but we have very good reason to believe that's the case.

The device shown in the leak sports the same textured back as the the L-Series does in RIM's official teaser pic

First off, it's got the same mesh-textured backing we saw in the L-Series the teaser pic, and which was lacking from BlackBerry devices in previous leaks. Meanwhile, says TechCrunch, if it isn't the final design, it's at least "very recent," since the handset is equipped with "the recently-renamed BlackBerry World App."

So what's the scoop? We couldn't help but notice – and these feelings were confirmed by Gizmodo – that the device looks a heck of a lot like the iPhone 5 in some shots, though it's perhaps a little bit slimmer, proportionally. Though its rounded rectangular shape is also not unlike the BlackBerry London pics we started seeing over a year ago.

But it's also not far off from the BlackBerry Dev Alpha B smartphone handed out to developers last year, in that the placement of its front-facing camera, front speaker, microphone, and BlackBerry logo are more or less the same. With the removable back panel off, it reveals an 1,800 mAh battery, and microUSB, micro-HDMI, and microSD slots.

Opinions on BlackBerry's latest and greatest, though perhaps premature, are certainly abundant, ranging from ravingly enthusiastic to underwhelmed. "This is going to blow the iPhone out of the water," "Go home Blackberry, you're drunk and dead in the water, it's an Android and iOS world now," are just a sampling of the responses found in the comments for the Tinhte video.

Likewise, tech sites seem to differ. "It looks kind of wonderful," spouted Gizmodo, while TechCrunch was resigned to saying "Overall, the device doesn’t look too bad."

For our part, we're waiting to get more details on the real guts of the device, and to see how it works with the new BB10 OS when BlackBerry officially unveils it on January 30. But in the meantime, we're giving it the benefit of the doubt and hoping it'll be the best smartphone BlackBerry's made in years, or at least good enough to pull RIM out of its recent troubles.