This could be Nokia’s answer to ipod shuffle

Once again @evleaks gives us some interesting news. And this time its about Nokia. The picture (above) shows a basic audio device that, he says, is similar to Apple's entry-level music player, except that it has NFC to allow easy pairing to either a smartphone or to other speakers and headphones. There's also a micro USB charging and/or sync port, as well as some very simple controls, although we can't see if there are any buttons on the far side. As to whether this thing -- which may be called the "Guru" -- is just another Bluetooth receiver and DAC for headsets (like Nokia's existing BH-221), or whether it has local storage and other features of its own, we'll probably find out in Nokia's event.

HTC’s CEO and Chairwoman hints at future tablets and wearable devices

In interview with the Financial Times, HTC CEO Peter Chou and Chairwoman Cher Wang offered some fresh insight into the troubled smartphone maker's future plans — including hints at entries into new product categories.

For future products, the HTC CEO and Chairwoman hinted at a return to the tablet market, as well as a possible entry into the world of wearables. Chou reportedly mentions that HTC worked on a smart-watch type device with Microsoft "several years ago," but dismissed the current crop of wearables: “It has to meet a need, otherwise if it’s just a gimmick or concept, it’s not for people’s day-to-day lives. That is an opportunity for us.” Nevertheless, he describes wearables as "a critical segment for us," adding “it matches what we do today as a mobile experience overall. That is one area we are excited about.”

Wang is quoted as saying, “when the [HTC] tablet comes out it will be something nice and disruptive.” But with strong competition from many of the major consumer electronics brands, HTC, as a smaller player with fewer marketing dollars to spend, could find its tablets facing issues similar to those affecting its smartphone business.

Chou, however, shares a more optimistic view: “The market is really big. HTC is a small company. For us to stay competitive and survive is not a huge problem.” He adds that there's a good chance of the company winning a 15 percent share of the high-end market, and a five percent overall smartphone market share — a figure he describes as a “pretty good number for us.”

Sony to introduce fast wireless charging in 2014

Samsung isn't the only smartphone manufacturer looking to shake up wireless charging, as Sony is rumored to be working on technology capable of charging its Xperia handsets fast wirelessly.

Sony, together with electronics supplier Rohm Co., has developed wireless charging technology using between 10 and 15 watts and supplies twice the energy of earlier wireless chargers. The end result, it's said, is double the charging speed, meaning a smartphone can be fully charged, wirelessly, in just one hour.

Earlier this week, a separate report revealed that Samsung is also eyeing improvements for wireless charging for inclusion in next year's Galaxy S5 smartphone.

Samsung's technology would allow handsets to be charged from a distance by using magnetic resonance, even when the source charger isn't actually making contact with the device. Wow! This looks interesting.

Commercialization of the new tech is expected to begin in the second half of 2014, meaning we could see it in Sony smartphones and other devices before the end of next year.

Lenovo A10 – An Android Laptop

Lenovo recently announced the Lenovo A10, an affordable, ultra-portable, dual-mode laptop and the company’s first to run on Android 4.2 OS. Weighing less than 1 kg and measuring just 17.3 mm at its thickest point, the Lenovo A10 is an ideal companion for users on the go, providing easy access to a wide range of apps on a unique, dual-mode platform, which enhances the user experience for entertainment and Web browsing as well as productivity.

The A10 sports a 10.1-inch HD 1,366 x 768 resolution touch screen display. The screen flips back 300 degrees to transform into "stand mode," and uses the keyboard surface as a stand to prop it up. The stable hinge and “fold-back” design keeps the device steady and prevents shaking and bouncing while using the 10-point multi-touch screen. It also sports stereo speakers and a .3-megapixel camera for video chatting. It's powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 ARM processor, with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. Lenovo says it can play video for up to 9 hours on battery power.

The company has also built file manager software into the A10, which it claims "makes it easy to locate and manage a library of documents, videos and music. The A10 also includes a full AccuType keyboard and touch pad.

With the recent explosive growth in Android-based, smart connected devices, customers are relying more on Android apps for both work and play. Lenovo’s A10 brings ultra-portability and dual-mode benefits to Android users at a reasonable price,” said Bai Peng, vice president and general manager, notebook business unit, Lenovo Business Group.

Amazon partnering with HTC to release its phones

Rumors of an Amazon smartphone have circulated for well over a year now, but a new report says that the retail giant will use HTC to help it make its upcoming devices. Three different smartphones are said to be in development.

Sources of the Financial Times claim that a range of phones are in the works, with at least one that is in advanced stages. The phone is said to be released as early as the end of this year, but launch plans have changed before and may be pushed back again until 2014.

Earlier rumors pointed to two different Amazon smartphones, one of which would use a new 3D interface. The other device is rumored to be at a very low price.

Amazon has traditionally used white label manufacturers for its Kindle devices, holding all branding to itself. The move to partnering with HTC for manufacturing is something that HTC is well-accustomed to, but it's unclear what Amazon has to gain from having the HTC logo on its devices.

Both Amazon and HTC declined to comment on the rumors to The Financial Times, but chief of marketing Ben Ho told the paper that "We have been very focused on building our own brand, but we have also been very open to co-branding and collaborating with carriers and other technology brands.”

Presumably the partnership could be mutually beneficial if Amazon targets the product correctly. Amazon could potentially leverage HTC's brand recognition and history of dealing with wireless carriers, and an Amazon-driven phone that sells extremely well would be a boon for HTC's currently struggling financial situation.

Angry Birds Go! Coming Soon

Looks like Rovio is experimenting. Its latest installment in the Angry birds series is a downhill racing game called Angry Birds Go!. The Go! is not like kart racing games of the past like Mario Kart, with side-by-side racing taking you through difficult obstacles, collecting coins and taking out opponents along the way but will be more fun to play.

Angry Birds Go! is a full 3D game - the first in Rovio's history. And even though the gameplay trailer is almost certainly running on iOS hardware, the graphics are good enough. Even the design of the environments and the karts themselves are interesting, incorporating the whimsical nature of the parent franchise. The game includes weapons, power-ups, and various environmental hazards in typical kart racer fashion.

Rovio is also telling us up front that the game will be free-to-play, with several game modes and features included from the start. But we know there will be some kind of catch here, and can expect things such as kart customizations and unlocks to be managed through in-app purchases.

Excited to play? Rovio says that the game will be hitting Android soon.

Skullcandy Smokin Buds 2

Smokin Buds 2 are Skullcandy's popular earbuds that are equipped with Supreme Sound and extra sonic kick. These in-ear headphones deliver great audio while the squishy Off Axis silicone gel ear pieces give you maximum comfort. The Smokin' Buds 2 earbuds fit perfectly into a discrete size carrying case you can stash them anywhere and go and come equipped with Mic1+ so you can control your device with one button mic & remote.

The buds are made up of moisture resistant material and will not play victim to your sweaty adventures. The Skullcandy Smokin Buds 2 earbuds are a great choice for audio clarity and on the go sound and is available in a wide range combination of colors like white-black, black-hot red, black-hot blue, black-black, blue-hot lime, hot lime-purple, plum and tortoise. So choose your color and enjoy.