Phablet wars heat up with ZTE’s quad-core Nubia Z5

2013 is shaping up to be the year of the “phablet” with virtually ever major handset maker preparing to challenge Samsung’s (005930) impressive Galaxy Note lineup. While there’s no clear definition on how large a phablet is, most tend to have screens that hover in the 5-inch range, though Huawei’s upcoming 6.1-inch smartphone will only push that boundary. ZTE’s newly announced Nubia Z5 packs a 5-inch...

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Temple Run was downloaded more than 2.5 million times on Christmas Day

Millions of men, woman and children awoke on December 25th to find a smartphone or tablet under their Christmas tree. After opening these gifts, users are typically quick to fire up their new devices and download the most popular apps. Keith Shepherd, founder of Imangi Studios, announced on Wednesday that the company’s Temple Run game saw unprecedented attention on Christmas Day. The executive revealed...

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Original Samsung Galaxy Note Getting Jelly Bean Update

If you bought one of the original Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones and have been kicking yourself for not waiting for the Galaxy Note II and all its Jelly Bean-powered features, you can stop feeling bad. The first Note will be getting Jelly Bean very soon.Samsung posted details about the Note's Premium Suite update on the product website. Enabled by an upgrade to Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean," the feature...

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Lack of low-end BlackBerry 10 phone could be a serious stumbling block in RIM comeback bid

South Africa is one of Research In Motion’s (RIMM) top five markets in the world, and it is a decent proxy for the entire African market. Leading regional carrier Vodacom’s November smartphone statistics illustrate exactly why BlackBerry 10 cannot arrive soon enough… and why RIM badly needs a cheap new BlackBerry 10 model by spring.[More from BGR: Apple CEO Tim Cook sees pay drop 99% in 2012]Vodacom...

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Samsung expects to ship more than half a billion phones in 2013

Samsung (005930) had a big year and despite some legal setbacks, the company saw record profits led by its mobile division. In 2012, Samsung became the world’s largest cell phone vendor with shipments estimated to have reached about 420 million units. According to the Korea Times, the company expects to ship 510 million phones in 2013, an increase of 20% over this year. More than half, or 390 million,...

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AP sources: Reid won't be back as Eagles' coach

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Andy Reid's time is up as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.Reid is out after 14 years in charge, three people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press following Sunday's 42-7 season-ending loss to the New York Giants.Reid is scheduled to meet with owner Jeffrey Lurie on Monday to discuss his future and an official announcement will come afterward, according...

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Jets fire GM Tannenbaum, Ryan stays

The New York Jets have fired general manager Mike Tannenbaum and say coach Rex Ryan will be back next season.The Jets finished 6-10 and were in constant turmoil from the moment they acquired Tim Tebow in a trade before the season.Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement Monday that "like all Jets fans, I am disappointed with this year's results."Tannenbaum, who signed off on Tebow trade, has two...

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AP Source: Browns fire coach, GM

 The Browns are changing again.A person familiar with the decision says the Cleveland Browns have fired coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert.Shurmur and Heckert were informed Monday at the team's facility, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not yet announced the moves. The expected dismissals come one day after the Browns lost their finale 24-10...

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NFL-Shurmur is first coaching head to roll on Black Monday

Pat Shurmur became the first coaching casualty on what has become known around the National Football League as Black Monday when he was sacked by the Cleveland Browns just hours after the regular season had concluded.The 5-11 Browns, who closed out the season on Sunday with a 24-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, were among the first teams to begin house cleaning by announcing Shurmur and general...

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Reid among 4 NFL coaches sacked in firing frenzy

Less than 24 hours after the regular season ended, NFL firings began at a furious pace.In a span of about 90 minutes before lunch Monday, coaches Andy Reid, Pat Shurmur, Romeo Crennel and Chan Gailey were let go by their teams after losing seasons. None of the moves were surprising, and more are expected.The Jets decided to keep their coach, Rex Ryan, but fired general manager Mike Tannenbaum.The...

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