Google Fit app lands in the Play Store

Google Fit has arrived in the Play Store. The app is meant to be the central repository for all your fitness-related data. It automatically detects whether you’re walking, biking, or running.

It lets you set and monitor fitness goals based on your activity levels, and it can be connected to other apps too – Strava, Withings, Runtastic, Runkeeper, and Noom Coach being name dropped by Google in its official announcement.

Sony to open the world-first Xperia Aquatech Store in Dubai on December 3

Sony has announced that the first of its kind Xperia Aquatech Store is near completion and is set to debut off the coast of Dubai on December 3. The shop will offer its customers the chance to go test the latest Sony smartphones, tablets and accessories under water.

One of the main stars in the aqua store are going to be the Xperia Z3 Tablet, Xperia Z3 Compact and they are going to sit four meters below the sea surface for visitors to check out.

Fitbit announced Charge, Charge HR, and Surge fitness bands

Fitbit has announced three new fitness bands to replace its current Fitbit Force. The new range includes the Fitbit Charge, Charge HR, and the Surge.

The Fitbit Charge is the base model and is priced at $129 and tracks basic information, such as steps taken, distance travelled, sleeping pattern, etc. It features an improved design that is less irritating on the skin than the Force. The device pairs with your smartphone and syncs the information with the Fitbit app, and also shows caller information on the OLED display. The Charge has a battery life of 7 days.

Samsung refuses to pay licenses to Microsoft after Nokia buyout

Samsung has issued a court filing regarding its collaboration with Microsoft on Windows Phone and states that it refuses to fulfill its end of the deal as it now sees the software giant as a direct competitor. The business collaboration agreement between the two companies sees Samsung pay Microsoft north of $1 billion in patent royalties and $6.9 million interest due to payment delays. Microsoft took action in early August in an attempt to collect the cash.

However, that's unlikely to happen if the New York federal court, where the filing is made, decides in favor of Samsung. The company says that because of the Nokia acquisition, Microsoft violated its 2011 deal with Samsung. According to the deal, Samsung had to pay Microsoft royalties in exchange for a patent license on its Android smartphones.

Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android, leaves Google

Andy Rubin has left Google. Rubin was heading Google's robotic division but has now left the company to start his own incubator for hardware startups. He will be replaced by James Kuffner.

Andy Rubin is the co-founder and ex-CEO or Danger Inc. and Android Inc. He oversaw the development of Android until March 2013, when Sundar Pichai took over and Rubin went on to manage Google's robotics division.

Lenovo completes Motorola acquisition from Google

Today, Lenovo announced that its acquisition of Motorola from Google is complete. The deal cost the Chinese company $2.91 billion and was announced in late January. Motorola remains headquartered in Chicago and it's brand is intact, but it's now a "Lenovo company".

Lenovo will operate Motorola as a wholly-owned subsidiary. It owns the brand and the company's portfolio, including current products like the Moto X (2014), Moto G (2014) and the Moto 360.

Oppo R5 officially becomes the world's thinnest smartphone

After the Oppo N3 cameraphone, the company unveiled its first 64-bit smartphone, which is coincidentally also its thinnest yet. The Oppo R5 measures just 4.85mm thick, the "slimmest phone in the world," Oppo claims. The company has shaved quite a bit of thickness compared to the 6.3mm Oppo R3.

The frame of the phone is made of 3D-welded aluminum alloy. The frame has been hand-polished and measures just 4mm thick. The other measurements are 148.9 x 74.5mm (that's rather tall for a 5.2" device) and the weight is 155g.

Anyway, the Oppo R5 has a 5.2" AMOLED screen of 1080p resolution (423ppi). The company is promising the best brightness, lowest reflectivity and highly accurate colors.

IHS iSuppli: Xiaomi outpaces Huawei as 3rd largest manufacturer

The champagne is popping over at Xiaomi headquarters as according to IHS iSuppli, the company is now the third largest phone manufacturer. The analysts reports that Xiaomi outpaced Huawei with a total of 19 million smartphones shipped in Q3 2014. For the same period, Huawei managed to sell 16.8 million smartphones.

Xiaomi's pace has been growing continuously over the past couple of years. In 2012, it sold 5.7 million phones and 18.7 million in 2014 (note that these are full year numbers). This year it sold 11 million and 15.1 million in Q1 and Q2 respectively.

Samsung Galaxy A5 Specs

Also known as Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A500F
Available as Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A500G/DS, A500H/DS, A500M/DS with dual SIM card slots
GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
  GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 - SM-A500G/DS, A500H/DS, A500M/DS
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE
SIM Optional Dual SIM (dual stand-by)
Announced 2014, October
Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, November

Samsung Galaxy A3 Specs

Also known as Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A300F

Available as Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A300F/DS, A300G/DS, A300H/DS, A300M/DS with dual SIM card slots

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SM-A300F

  GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 - SM-A300F/DS, SM-A300G/DS, A300H/DS, A300M/DS

3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100

4G Network LTE

SIM Optional Dual SIM (dual stand-by)

Announced 2014, October

Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, November

LG G3 Dual-LTE Specs

Also known as LG G3 Dual-LTE D856
GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100 - SIM 1
4G Network LTE 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 TD-LTE 2300
(Bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 40) - SIM 1
SIM Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)
Announced 2014, October
Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, November

Oppo R5 Specs

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 
TD-LTE 2300 (Bands 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 17, 20, 28, 40)
SIM Micro-SIM
Announced 2014, October
Status Coming soon. 2014, November

Oppo N3 Specs

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 
TD-LTE 2300 (Bands 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 17, 20, 28, 40)
SIM Dual SIM (Nano-SIM/ Micro-SIM)
Announced 2014, October
Status Coming soon. 2014, November