The Amazon Kindle Fire
A look at gadget happenings, as reports say Amazon’s updated Kindle Fire is looming nearer, rumours of a Samsung tablet running on Windows RT and ARM technology start doing the rounds, and former Nokia employees resurrect MeeGo smartphones.
Amazon starts briefing developers on new Kindle Fire
A new Kindle Fire is coming later this year, sometime late in the third quarter, says AllThingsD. The report claims Amazon has been approaching developers to brief them on the new hardware and these sources have revealed that the new model will be thinner and lighter than the current version, and feature a better, sharper 1,280 x 800 display, which brings with it a new aspect ratio for the device akin to the Google Nexus 7. It is also expected to come with a built-in camera, faster processor, improved graphics and upgraded operating system.
Samsung rumoured to have a Windows RT tablet in the works
Bloomberg reports that Samsung is planning to release a Windows RT tablet in October this year. Windows RT is Microsoft’s first operating system to run on ARM chips, which already power the majority of tablets on the market, including the iPad. Details on the specifications of the tablet are scarce, but a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is expected to be at the heart of it.
Former Nokia employees to revive MeeGo smartphones
A new mobile start-up, Jolla, is planning to produce MeeGo smartphones. Founded by former Nokia employees, Jolla plans to pick up where the Finnish phone manufacturer left off with the free Linux-based platform, which it developed with Intel before dropping it in favour of Microsoft’s Windows Phone.
Nokia released one MeeGo smartphone, the N9, which saw limited release, and the developer-only N950, before putting the operating system out to pasture. Now, along with international investors and partners, Jolla’s team of MeeGo enthusiasts – some of whom worked on the Nokia devices – will design, develop and distribute new MeeGo smartphone models, with the first expected for release later this year.
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