Lenovo to debut Windows-powered phone mid-year 2015

Lenovo has been previously listed as a partner for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 but they haven’t released any device yet. Now, with Windows 10 coming out, it seems Lenovo is finally entering Microsoft’s mobile space. According to a blog post from Microsoft, they will be debuting in 190 countries and that Lenovo will be creating a Windows-powered phone. It is said to be available in the middle of 2015 through Chinese carrier China Mobile.

According to CNET, China Mobile is the nation's largest carrier. They have around 808 million subscribers, which certainly can help boost both Lenovo’s and Microsoft’s efforts in the mobile space. It isn’t known yet though what type of device it’ll be or if it’ll make its way out of China. But getting into that market will be important for Microsoft especially as they look to roll out Windows 10 to all devices (from phones, tablets, to PCs) and make its presence known in the mobile device space. China would be a good place to start as it has the largest smartphone market.

Source: Microsoft + CNET

Google now reviews apps before they’re put up on Play Store

As a US$7 billion-plus market, it’s no wonder Google is policing apps now with a new review and rating system. Much like what Apple does when it comes to the App Store, Google now reviews apps before they get put up on the Play Store to make sure no malware or any bad apps get put up. The search giant is also introducing a new rating system to help developers better target the users they want as well as help parents police children when it comes to apps that they can or can’t use. Google has partnered with several independent bodies to help rate ads. They’re working with the likes of ESRB, USK, PEGI, the Australian Classification Board, and ClassInd. Countries not covered by those rating boards will get a generic age-based rating.

Developers are going to be asked to answer content rating questionnaires. If they don’t choose to comply, they might be banned from certain regions or from specific users. Beginning in May, all new apps and updates will have to go through the questionnaire before they can get published.

Source: Android Developers

Google opens registration for I/O developer’s conference

Have you been waiting for a chance to get into Google’s developer conference? Now’s the time to start registering. Google I/O is happening on May 28 and 29 in San Francisco and will be host to Google’s latest innovations. Developers will get to see the latest news for Android and all things Google-related.

Registration will be happening until March 19. One ticket will cost you US$900 but active, full-time students, professors, faculty, and staff can apply for tickets with a $300 discount. You can sign up over here.

Source: CNET

Samsung debuts mid-range Galaxy Tab A

Samsung’s newest tablet has made its first appearance in Russia. The Galaxy Tab A is a mid-range device said to be occupying the space previously held by the Galaxy Tab 4. It features metal frames (perhaps that’s why it gets the “A” in its name) and runs Android Lollipop 5.0 out of the box. This slate has a 4:3 aspect ratio similar to what the iPad and Nexus 9 have. It will be available in 8- and 9.7-inch display sizes with 1,024 x 768 resolution. It’ll run on a 1.2GHz Cortex-A53 chip with 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage with microSD support, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. Battery capacity for the 8- and 9.7-inch models are 4,200mAh and 6,000mAh, respectively. These tablets are also LTE-ready. The prices in Russia start at over US$270 for the 8-inch Wi-Fi version and over $430 for the 9.7-inch with LTE.

Source: Ubergizmo