Samsung Electronics announced the industry’s first 1.0μm-pixel-based 16 megapixel (Mp) CMOS image sensor for use in advanced mobile devices.

This market-leading small pixel “the S5K3P3 image sensor” minimizes the overall size and height of an image sensor module, making it an ideal solution for today’s increasingly thinner mobile devices. This sensor is said to leverage company’s proprietary ISOCELL technology that enable high performance 1.0μm pixels

According to Kyushik Hong Vice President and Head of S.LSI Marketing at Samsung Electronics, we are pleased to be the first to deliver the most advanced 1.0μm-pixel imager, which meets both high-resolution and slim design requirements for smartphone cameras.

He continued to say, starting with 16Mp sensor, Samsung plans to further expand 1 .0μm-pixel product category and lead the image sensor market for high performing slim mobile devices.

Read more: Samsung’s first mobile 1.0μm-pixel based Imager Sensor the S5K3P3 - going on mass production.

On 22nd/July BlackBerry announced its intension to buy AtHoc a provider of secure, networked crisis communications, as it moves to broaden its software offering and generate revenue from its BBM messaging service.
The deal is expected to close by November.

AtHoc is a leading provider of secure, networked crisis communications. Its software platform enables people, devices and organizations to exchange critical information in real time during business continuity and life safety operations. The AtHoc platform will integrate with BlackBerry's enterprise portfolio and trusted global network to offer customers new capabilities for safety, security and mission-critical business communication.

The acquisition will enable AtHoc to expand globally and increase scale, as well as deliver new applications on a secure platform for mass communication. For example, new applications may include integrating AtHoc solutions with BBM Meetings during an alert to enable live video feeds or transmit messages to provide real-time collaboration by leaders and decision makers.

Read more: BlackBerry to acquire AtHoc a messaging alerts firm by November/2015.

Samsung has expanded its metal-clad Galaxy A-series line-up with the launch of the Galaxy A8. At just 5.9mm, the phablet is also samsung's thinnest smartphone till date.

Samsung Galaxy A8 sports a 5.7-inch full HD(1080x1920p) Super AMOLED display, the largest in the range.

Powered by a 1.5GHz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon octa-core processor and 2GB RAM, the phone comes in 16 and 32GB storage options with a microSD card slot for expansion.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy A8 unvieled, so far the thinnest from Samsung todate

Google launched an updated Nexus 7 tablet this week calling it a “significant upgrade” to the premiere version.

The new Nexus 7 is a thinner, lighter, and more powerful follow-up to Google’s entry into the tablet market last year. The new device is also touted as the first true 1080p HD 7-inch tablet available. its 1,920 x 1,200 pixels on a 10-point touch IPS panel at 323ppi pixel density. Apart from that, a quad-core 1.5GHz S4 Pro Qualcomm processor would keep it chugging along nicely without any slowdown, where it is accompanied by an Adreno 320 GPU, 2GB RAM, and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean right out of the box.
Google claims it is the highest resolution device of its kind on the market. The device is also available in an unlocked 4g LTE version. 

Read more: Google unviels its NEXUS 7, the thinner, lighter HD smart phone.

Nokia on Thursday (9th/May/2013) unveiled a USD 99 (about Rs 5,350) touch screen mobile with internet capability on its popular Asha series as it looks to regain lost ground after having fallen behind in the global smartphone race.

The Asha 501, which will be built in India, will roll out to 90 countries by June and will cost USD 99 excluding taxes. The phone will use a new software that allows users to multitask between built in applications for popular social media sites.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop unveiled new software, called the Asha platform, to run its Asha devises. The new software is revamp of the old version and has been bundled with a pact that lets customers use Facebook for free on their handsets. 

Read more: Nokia unviels its ASHA 501 touch screen to be sold at $99 with new software platform.