Chinese report claims Windows Phone 8.1 release set for July or August

Various leaks have already surfaced about the upcoming operating system from Microsoft. And if the report from China is to be believed, then Windows Phone 8.1 will come out around July or August. The report claims Windows Phone 8.1 developer preview will be available with an App Studio account around April. There will reportedly be new WP phones when the OS update will come out.

Source: Ubergizmo

LG debuts L Series III smartphones ahead of MWC 2014

LG wants to be top of mind before Mobile World Congress with debut of new L Series III smartphone line. The L40, L70, and L90 aims to target users from the emerging markets. All devices run on Android 4.4 KitKat and 1.2GHz dual-core or quad-core processors. Screen sizes range from 4.5 inches to 4.7 inches. RAM starts at 512MB to 1GB and memory is either 4GB or 8GB. Do not expect the devices to be LTE capable though.

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Leaked render of BlackBerry Z3 points to new entry in emerging markets

Emerging markets have always been steady for BlackBerry and while they've come out with the Q5, there really isn't a candybar-styled entry level device designed for these markets. The Z10 and the Z30 are both flagship devices in terms of specs and pricing. A leaked render of the purported Z3 codenamed "Jakarta", a device BlackBerry CEO John Chen referenced some time ago during an earnings call, shows a rather sleek, utilitarian handset that looks like a pared-down Z10 (the same way the Q5 looked like a very basic QWERTY enabled device). This 5-inch handset is expect to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress and come to market soon after.

Another source, BBIn, posted a list of specs. So, while we take all leaks with a grain of salt and a shooter of Tequila, there are some specifics to ponder on after the jump.

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Google buys company behind sound-based password alternative

Google has just acquired the recently launched SlickLogin. The company introduced a new concept for account security. SlickLogin will verify a user’s identity with the help of a website meant to generate a unique and almost silent sound that will be played over the computer speakers. And then an app on your phone will pick up and analyze the sound and then send it back to the site to confirm your identity. We will inform you about details of the acquisition once more information surface.

Source: Tech Crunch