Asus launches redesigned FonePad 7 for $137

Asus Philippines has launched a new and improved version of the FonePad 7 tablet. The new version of the slate comes with the model number FE170CG and is said to be significantly lighter and thinner than the original model.

However, the tablet goes down a notch in terms of the screen resolution (from WXGA to WSVGA), internal memory (8 GB to 4 GB) and camera (5 MP to 2 MP). The rest of the hardware remains identical to the original version.

The new Asus FonePad 7 FE170CG is currently available in Philippines and is priced at PHP 5,995 (about $137).

Apple launches 8GB iPhone 5c in India

You all know the iPhone 5c – it was supposed to become the long awaited cheap iPhone that will help Apple expand its reach and strengthen its presence in developing markets. Except that it wasn’t particularly cheap, which kinda ruined the whole deal.

As previously expected, in an attempt to fix that Apple has now launched a new 8GB version of the iPhone 5c in India. It costs INR37,500, which translates to €470 or $640, which is INR4,000 (€50/$68) lower than the 16GB version of the “unapologetically plastic” smartphone.

That’s hardly the definition of cheap and one can certainly wonder whether spending that much money on a phone with storage so limited is a smart move. Yet those that don’t have a big multimedia library or play too many games might see things otherwise.

It’s also worth pointing out that there are several promotions going on that let Indian customers save INR4,000 on the 16GB iPhone 5c, so if the 8GB version receives the same treatment it might drop to slightly more sensible levels. Still, even if that happens the 8GB iPhone 5c will cost as much as theSony Xperia Z1 Compact, Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo or an LG G2 – that’s certainly not going to be an easy sell for Apple.

Samsung and LG to start using sapphire displays

Apple has invested heavily in producing Sapphire displays for the upcoming iPhone 6. The coating is the same technology that watch manufacturers have been using for some time now to protect the faces of their timepieces from unwanted nicks and scratches.

Well it looks like Samsung and LG have decided to follow in the footsteps of Apple and coat their upcoming phones’ displays with Sapphire.

How do we know this? Well, according to inside sources in Korea, LG and Samsung have been reaching out to Sapphire glass manufacturers and are requesting product samples.

It’s also been reported that both Korean cell phone manufacturers looked into Sapphire display manufacturing as early as last year, but ultimately decided to forgo the process, as it was considered too expensive of an endeavor.

That brings the question of increased future smartphone cost. Sure, a handset rocking the latest and greatest hardware is something that appeals all of our minds, but how about our wallets? Apple’s devices have always commanded premium prices, but many Android handsets are usually more affordable, especially when you buy them outright. What will Sapphire coating mean for the prices of upcoming Samsung and LG phones?

HTC One mini 2 to hit UK on June 30, early pricing is steep

The HTC One mini 2 went official a couple of weeks ago, but we didn't get very specific availability and pricing information back then. A launch in EMEA and North Asia in June was all we got, but that's hardly enough for anyone in a desperate need of a super sleek compact smartphone.

Later on we got some pricing info courtesy of a couple of Dutch retailers. The unofficial info had it that if you wanted to get a shiny new HTC One mini 2 in Europe, you'd have to shell out about €470.

Now, however, Amazon UK has chipped in with a listing for the smartphone, which tells a somewhat different story. The One mini 2 is priced at £498.85, which translates to the much steeper €615. We wouldn't hit the panic button just yet - such preliminary listings put an inflated price, which goes does by the time the device launches more often than not.

The more interesting (and probably more accurate) part of the listing is the estimated availability date - the One mini 2 is set to go on sale on June 30. That's not ideal given the earlier timeframe, but at least it's a specific date to look forward to.

The good news is you can kill some of the time waiting by checking out our HTC One mini 2 hands-on.

Get an Unlimited Everything plan for $20 in the US

US cell provider, FreedomPop, promised to give free cell phone use to anyone with a compatible cell phone, however, there was a catch: you could only use 200 minutes a month, 500 texts, and a paltry 500MB of data. Then, you’d get charged an additional 1 cent per minute of calls and 2.5 cents per megabyte of data that you used.

Well, FreedomPop is allowing users to bypass all of that with their new $20 Unlimited Everything plan with LTE data. Sounds like a great deal, but there are a few things you need to consider.

First, it’s on Sprint’s network, which isn’t known for its overwhelmingly broad coverage or particularly fast data speeds. Also, you’ll be getting only 1GB of LTE data, after you burn through that, you will have unlimited data, but it will be relegated to Sprint’s 3G speeds. You will get unlimited text and talk for $20, which is still a pretty good deal.

Also, there are only four phones on FreedomPop’s network that are LTE compatible: The Galaxy S4, SIII, the Samsung Victory 4G LTE, and the iPhone 5.

Not exactly on the forefront of mobile technology.

Still, it is a pretty good option for someone who doesn’t use that much data and stays in an area where Sprint’s network is strong.

Nokia X2’s tech specs leaked in benchmark

Nokia’s first foray into the world of Android was a bit underwhelming from a raw technical standpoint.

The Finnish company is clearly reserving their higher-end offerings for Windows Phone, but it seems as if they wanted to test the waters by offering a device with Google’s mobile OS. The origina Nokia X was a budget friendly handset priced to move units.

When word of the Nokia X2 broke out, it got us to thinking that maybe Nokia would try and bring a higher-spec’d Android phone to market. However, if this leak is to be believed, the Nokia X2 will be another entry-level smartphone.

We already knew that phone will be powered by a Qualcomm MSM8210 chip, but we didn’t know anything else, until now.

The AnTuTu benchmark report reveals that the Nokia X2 will be rocking Android 4.3, a a dual-core CPU capable at running from 300-1190MHz, an Adreno 305 GPU, 1GB RAM/4GB ROM, and a 4.3” display with 800x480 resolution. On the camera side of things, the X2 will have a 5MP primary unit and a 0.3 selfie snapper.

Any hopes of Nokia taking Android to a flagship status were dashed with this latest report, however, the X2 will still probably be a success if Nokia continues to price the handset aggressively.