Packaging of the latest Alcatel phone reportedly doubles as a Google Cardboard VR viewer

Alcatel has found a clever and fun way to make use of its OneTouch Idol 4S device. The packaging the phone comes in will reportedly ship in a plastic box that will work as a Google Cardboard-compatible VR viewer. Like other Google Cardboard devices, all it has are two eyepieces, a slot for holding the phone, and a single button to tap on the screen. It’s not high-tech but it sure is a nifty way to package a device.

The Idol 4S is a mid-range device that runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor with a 5.5-inch quad HD AMOLED display, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB internal storage. It’ll have a 16-megapixel rear shooter and 8-megapixel front-facing camera. It will reportedly sell for under US$400 and will supposedly come out in May.

Source: VentureBeat | Via: The Verge

Tesla plans to debut US$35,000 Model 3 next month

What can be considered as a very smart move for Tesla is the upcoming release of its reasonably priced new vehicle, the Model 3. The new car will be debuting at the end of next month and scheduled to hit showroom floors in 2017. It’ll retail for US$35,000, which is a far cry from the more higher-end units the company sells. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his team have been working to make sure they stick to that price while promising to offer the features they provide in their more expensive vehicles. We can’t wait to hear more about this when Tesla officially launches it on March 31.

Source: Tesla | Via: The Next Web

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge rumoured to be carrying a 3,600mAh battery

If recent leaks are to be believed, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S7 edge will be getting a rather sizable upgrade battery-wise. A recent FCC filing shows that one of the new flagships will be sporting a 3,600mAh battery, which will be up from the current 2,600mAh battery of the S6 edge. The screenshot shows the FCC ID A3LSMG935KOR and the battery size. The FCC ID was previously confirmed to be for the S7 edge. There is no other similar screenshot though that confirms this to be the Galaxy S7’s battery.

Source: 9to5Google | Via: Android Community

LG teases Always On display for upcoming LG G5

LG is preparing its latest flagship, the LG G5 and one of the features it is teasing is an always on display that can show missed calls, notifications, emails and calendar events at all times. This feels like a throwback to the days when flip-phones displayed this information on a small screen when closed but should be a welcome feature for anyone who hates having to use an unlock code just to see what they've missed. Samsung, similarly, is expected to offer an always on feature on its Galaxy S7 flagship but no cohesive details are available right now.

Always On technology, while welcome on smartphones and tablets, should be a standard feature on smartwatches whose primary function it is to tell time as well as mirror notifications and alerts. Hopefully we will see this made a key feature for wearables sooner rather than later.