Amazon Kindle Fires to get refresh, packing Snapdragon 800 and higher res

Now that the Google has announced the next Nexus 7 and rumors of what could be the next Nexus 10 circulating online, it seems that the time is just right for Amazon to refresh its own Android tablets. And based on leaks, it just might indeed do that soon with some rather unusual and not so unusual upgrades to its Kindle Fire line.

The new 7-inch Kindle Fire HD will be sporting an upgraded resolution of 1920×1200 from the current 1280×800 resolution. On the other hand, the 8.9-inch model, which currently already has a 1920×1200 resolution, will be upgraded to an impressive 2560×1600 display. This gives it a pixel density rivaling that of the iPad and the Nexus 10. Both devices will be upgraded to 2 GB of RAM, which is not that unusual with today’s models.

What might be a bit surprising is that these new models will be running on a Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 800, which leaks say will be clocked to “around” 2 GHz. Considering that Texas Instruments, which provided the current Kindles’ CPUs, is no longer manufacturing mobile processors, it only seems natural to use Qualcomm’s chips. However, the power that the SoC provides might seem overkill for the Kindle, which could hint that Amazon might be planning to take the device into new territory.

With this set of tasty specifications, one could wonder how Amazon will keep prices down. Considering one of the biggest selling points of the Kindle is the affordable cost, it will be interesting to see how the company will solve this difficult balancing act.

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Sony Honami benchmarks arrive with mention of Snapdragon 800

The recent Sony Honami leaks seem to have been mostly image related, but as of today we are getting a look at some specs. The details are coming by way of a GFXbench report which is showing details of the processor, graphics and version of Android. The handset is listed as model number C6903 and shown to be running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

The report shows the handset as having a MSM8974, which is better known as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. The other details include the handset having Adreno 330 graphics and a 1080p display. Finer points from the report include a max CPU speed of 1958Mhz, though we know the Snapdragon 800 is capable of more. Not to mention, earlier leaks have pegged that at being 2.2GHz.

There is also mention of the display size being 1794 x 1080, but that will likely translate to 1920 x 1080. While this filing was showing the handset as running Android 4.2.2, it seems likely that Sony will have it running Android 4.3 by way of a future software update.

Other recent Honami leaks included the FCC filing, which suggested that an announcement would be happening in September. Earlier leaks have also suggested a similar timeline for an announcement. Some of the other still rumored specs point towards a handset with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a 3000 mAh battery.

The Homani related leaks have been plentiful and out of those, much of the focus seems to be on the camera. The handset is expected to arrive with a 20 megapixel rear-facing camera. That camera is expected to have a 1/1.6 sensor and Xenon flash. There is also expected to be some software related goodies. A recent leak detailed some camera modes that included one that was able to “broadcast live video to Facebook” and one that offered augmented reality views.

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Qualcomm Samsung Galaxy S4 camera specs typo admitted, no 60fps after all

Remember when Qualcomm said in a blog post that the Samsung Galaxy S4′s back camera was capable of capturing 1080p video at 60fps and we were seriously suspecting an error.

Well, it looked like an error because it was an error indeed. Phone Arena has asked Qualcomm about it and the company (that’s helping HTC promote the One these days) gave an answer.

The person writing the blog post made a typo, writing 60fps instead of 30fps, and getting the whole planet worked up about it in the process. It would have been something to see the first smartphone camera capable of recording 60fps video in 1080p (and it would have been even more interesting to find out why Samsung wasn’t promoting the feature,) but I guess we’ll just have to wait for it for a while longer.

When do you think we’ll have a smartphone capable of recording Full HD video at 60fps on the market?

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Sharp to miss investment deadline issued by Qualcomm - report

After failing to advance far enough toward a manufacturing process goal, Sharp says that it will miss a March 29 deadline to receive the second half of a $120 million investment from chipmaker Qualcomm.

In December, the ailing Japanese electronics maker said it reached a partnership with U.S.-based Qualcomm, which agreed to invest $120 million in a project to jointly develop display panels. However, as reported by Reuters, Qualcomm's conditions included the stipulation that Sharp meet strict deadlines to fabricate power-conserving screens, and as a result, Sharp will not yet be granted the remaining $60 million the San-Diego based firm originally pledged.

In addition, Qualcomm has insisted that Sharp must make an operating profit in the second half of 2013, and at least $1.05 billion of net assets have to be in place.

The screens that Sharp has to produce were developed in conjunction with Pixtronix, a subsidiary of Qualcomm. The panels are focused on conserving power through Pixtronix's low-power MEMS (micro electromechanical systems) displays and Sharp's IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology.

Instead, both firms are falling back to a deadline of June 30, according to Reuters. Although this gives Sharp time to get its act together, if the electronics maker does not produce the jointly developed screens in time for the second deadline, it is likely to put even more financial pressure on the already struggling company.

This month, South Korean firm Samsung agreed to invest 10.4 billion yen, or about $111.3 million in Sharp for roughly a 3 percent stake in the company. In a press release announcing the deal, Samsung said the investment was aimed at building up "mutual trust" in the LCD display business as well as offering Sharp a little help getting out of its financial mire -- although it won't be nearly enough. Sharp currently supplies display panels for Samsung products.

Sharp must pay off a $2.1 billion convertible bond in September this year, and reports suggest that the Japanese company has been forced to take out bank loans totaling $313 million to try and stay afloat.

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