Being water-resistant is not enough: this dual-camera Android smartphone can survive an explosion and whatnot

More and more devices are embracing dust- and water-resistance as one of their more notable features – during 2014, all major Android manufacturers have released at least one device that boasts a certain IPxx certification – the Galaxy S5, the Xperia Z2, and many others. Some niche devices, such as the durable Kyocera Brigadier, are even shock-proof and will survive in even harsher environments. But all of these are bound to bow before BARTEC PIXAVI Impact X, which might turn out to be the most rugged Android smartphone ever.

This aluminum-clad device is not only dust- and water-proof (IP68-certified), it will also survive a straight, up to 2-joule rendezvous with the ground from up to 2 meters. The 2mm Gorilla Glass screen at the front is custom-tailored for the device. The Impact X is also not afraid of corrosion and perfectly capable of withstanding great temperature amplitudes. Thanks to its unprecedented rigidity, the Impact X is intended for those that workers in extremely hazardous environments.

Alas, that's not the most notable feature of the Impact X. See, it is flaunting IECEx and ATEX Zone 1 certifications, which means that it's also explosion-proof and suitable for hazardous areas. We'll let the former sink in a bit. Wow.

The dual-camera setup of the device also deserves special attention. The manufacturer explains that many smartphone users usually record portrait videos, because they want to hold the phone with one hand while recording. BARTEC reveals that it has solved this issue by adding a second camera to the Impact, which is rotated 90 degrees in comparison with the other one, which means that regardless of the phone's orientation, all videos will be landscape ones (as it should be). Both cameras are 8MP ones. The Impact X has also been equipped with a dedicated camera shutter button at the front of the device, which is positioned below the hardware navigation buttons.

"Today’s workers expects the same snappy performance in their enterprise apps as they do at home when playing Angry Birds."

However, pretty little is known about the hardware specs of the device, as its maker stresses on its durability and not the power of the silicon inside. All we know is that it boasts a 4.6-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, a 3,000mAh battery, Android 4.2.2 aboard, and HSPA+ capabilities. Not something to write home about, but we guess that this is the price one has to pay for such an extreme ruggedness. Speaking of prices, the Impact X will probably cost between $1,000 and $1,200. Availability is unknown at this moment.

The explosion-proof BARTEC PIXAVI Impact X

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Samsung Galaxy S5 mini will be Flipkart exclusive in India

It appears that Flipkart will be exclusive retailer to offer the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini in India. The compact SM-G900 relative is expected go officially go on sale in the country in the coming days.

The retail giant broke the news by posting an image of the device on its official Facebook page. It came with the message to “expect something small from a big name in smartphones.”
This is not the first time Flipkart scores exclusivity on a high-profile device. Back in February, the retailer did the same exercise with Motorola’s budget-friendly Moto G.
Source | Via

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Galaxy S5 helps Samsung sell more LTE phones than Apple in Q2 2014

Released around the world in April, the Galaxy S5 reportedly helped Samsung grab a 32.2% share of the global LTE smartphone market in Q2 2014 (April - June). According to Strategy Analytics, Samsung sold 28.6 million LTE-capable smartphones in the quarter, overtaking Apple as the world’s largest LTE smartphone vendor.

Apple was the leader in Q1, controlling 40.5% of the market, but its share fell to 31.9% this quarter - probably not just because Samsung released the Galaxy S5, but also because many customers are holding off from buying new iPhones as they’re waiting for the iPhone 6 to be launched (this should happen next month).

Unlike Apple, which doesn’t have cheap iPhones, Samsung is selling lots off different LTE handsets. While devices like the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 3 are expensive, smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Core Lite offer LTE for less than $300. Affordable LTE devices could help Samsung lure customers in emerging LTE markets - though competition from local manufacturers is now tougher than ever.

Far behind Samsung and Apple, LG grabbed a 5.2% share of the global LTE smartphone market in Q2. Combined, the three companies sold almost 70% of all the LTE-capable phones during the quarter.

source: Strategy Analytics via The Chosun Ilbo

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EU Galaxy S5 LTE-A firmware leaks, announcement imminent

Samsung has released the European Galaxy S5 LTE-A (SM-G901) firmware hinting at the phone's imminent announcement. The firmware is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and is available in the UK and Switzerland. As time passes, Samsung will roll it out to additional European countries as well.

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