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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Updated: BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982 launches as metal clad Z10

Shiny, shiny BlackBerry

What should a company do when it's in trouble? Well if you're BlackBerry apparently it's launch a premium smartphone for the high rollers - introducing the BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982.

While it's got an all-new name and the Porsche Design branding splashed across its front, the P'9982 is actually a humble BlackBerry Z10 in a swanky Italian leather and stainless steel suit.

The only hardware difference is the P'9982 comes with a sizeable 64GB of internal storage, trumping the paltry 16GB found in the Z10.

That means you get the same 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 4.2-inch 720p display, 8MP camera and the latest BlackBerry 10.2 OS - the P'9982 is certainly going for style over substance, then.

What you do get is an official certificate of authentication in the box, plus an exclusive BlackBerry pin which starts "2AA" to let everyone know you're part of this elite club.

In terms of on-screen goodies the P'9982 comes with a grey wallpaper (yes, plain grey), a special Porsche Design ringtone and a dedicated area in App World.

n terms of price, this smartly dressed Z10 is going to set you back a fair bit, although the exact price hasn't been announced.

TechRadar has been told that it'll sport a similar price tag to the previous Porsche Design smartphone - the P'9981 - which retailed at around $2400/AU$2500.

Update: BlackBerry has told TechRadar "information on pricing for the P'9982 will be announced through Porsche Design and other retail partners. The suggested retail price for the P'9982 smartphone is $2350 (around AU$2500)."

Meanwhile the Z10 can be yours for just $280 (around AU$340).

At that price you'd think that the P'9982 would be a limited edition phone, but BlackBerry has said it'll sell as many as it can - so if you really want one you won't need to know "someone on the inside."

If you're sold then you'll be able to nab the Porsche Design P'9982 from November 21 in selected retailers around the world - with Harrods in the UK getting the handset exclusively from that date.

Updated: New wireless charging pad for Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 now available

Wireless magnet charging rectangle of power

Update: Order up! The new Nexus Wireless Charger is now on sale.

Unfortunately it's only available in the US and Canada Google Play Stores, at least to start, and it will cost a good chunk of change - $50 (about 31, AU$53) not including tax and shipping.

The Qi charger is designed to work with the Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 and comes in black. With a 9W 1.8A AC Adaptor, microUSB cable and the all-important warranty card, new Nexus device owners can start juicing up their machines as soon as the disc arrives on their doorsteps.

Purchase one now, and that could be as early as Thursday.

Original article from October 31 below...

It's costume and candy time, and the treats just keep coming from Google.

The search giant unveiled its Nexus 5 flagship and Android 4.4 KitKat earlier, and now it's unearthed a new Nexus wireless charger, as well.

Google's new wireless charging pad is officially compatible with the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7, though as a Qi charger it should also be compatible with devices like the Nexus 4 and even some Nokia devices.

But the new Google wireless charger also features magnets that help devices stick to it, a feature that only works with devices that also have magnets in them. Currently, that's only the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7.

The new Google Nexus wireless charging pad features a redesigned look and feel that better matches the aesthetic of the Nexus 5.

The pad is an upside-down trapezoid, a square that's wider on top, with a glossy black finish that looks like it might be slippery for devices without magnets in them.

Compare it to the Nexus 4's wireless charger, which resembles a hockey puck with sticky rubber on top.

The Nexus 5 and Nexus 7-compatible wireless charging pad is expected to go on sale today in the Google Play Store, though pricing is still unknown.

We've asked Google to clarify some of these details and we'll update this article when we hear back.

Via The Verge