Samsung Galaxy S5 will not have OIS camera

Before the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 came out there were rumors that it will have a camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). It didn’t and rumors had it that it was due to the insufficient supply of stabilized modules in time for the launch. Then there were a couple of OIS-enabled cameras linked to Samsung – a 13MP one and a 16MP one – with speculations coming that they'll be used on the Galaxy S5.
Not so fast, says Korean publication ETNews. Apparently, the next Galaxy S flagship will not have OIS due to a number of issues. For one, OIS camera modules are thick and might not fit in the thin Galaxy S5.
Getting enough units is another issue – the Galaxy S phones sell in the tens of millions and Samsung is reportedly worried that camera suppliers won't be able to deliver enough units, at least in time for the S5 launch early next year.
Samsung execs recognize that competitors are using OIS as a marketing point, but the next flagship smartphone will most likely miss out on the feature.
Keep in mind that that these rumors are in no way official and might turn out to be false. The same goes for other Galaxy S5 rumors including the metal frame and 64-bit processor.

Would the lack of an OIS camera on the Galaxy S5 be a deal-breaker for you?

Virgin Media brings its TV Anywhere service to UK Android devices

It took a while, but Virgin Media has finally brought its TV Anywhere service to Android. Already available on the iPhone and iPad for more than a year, the app comes to Android smartphones and tablets with nine new UK TV channels including Alibi, Dave, Drama, Good Food, Home, Really, Watch, Yesterday and CBS Reality. That takes the total number of mobile channels up to 67, with up to 90 available online. Virgin Media boasts it now offers more choice than rival service Sky Go, but like it's competitor, some might be frustrated by the patchy support for Android devices. Although you'll find support for Samsung's Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note, HTC One, Sony Xperia Tablet Z and Google's Nexus tablets, you might experience issues if your device is running Android 4.4 KitKat. While you won't be able to install it on your Nexus 5 just yet, Virgin says more Android devices will join the line-up "in the very near future."

Microsoft could pick Mulally or Nadella as next CEO by end of year: Bloomberg

Microsoft’s board has placed Ford’s CEO Alan Mulally and internal executive Satya Nadella at the top of its potential CEO list, according to a report by Bloomberg. Quoting “people familiar with the matter”, the source says that internal candidate Tony Bates and former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop are still on the list, but are considered less likely to be offered the job. The new CEO could be chosen

The report also claims that the board is aiming to finalise the CEO this year, though an announcement could be pushed back until early next year. The source has also reported that a document has been prepared by the board for the CEO search to describe the ideal candidate.

 Preferences remain “fluid”, says the source, and other people are being considered and could emerge as frontrunners later on, although these candidates remained unidentified. The board wants to quickly replace longtime CEO Steve Ballmer, who announced in August that he would be retiring within the next 12 months.

According to the document, the next Microsoft CEO is one who has an “extensive track record in managing complex, global organizations within a fast-paced and highly competitive market sector; track record of delivering top and bottom line results. [The candidate should have] proven ability to lead a multi-billion dollar organization and large employee base.”

In the past few months, there have been reports of Microsoft shifting focus to hardware and Internet-based services like Office 365 to cope with a steady decline in the worldwide PC market. Spokesman from both Microsoft and Nokia declined to comment about this, and Ford Motor spokesman Jay Cooney said, “There is no change from what we announced last November. Alan remains completely focused on executing our One Ford plan. We do not engage in speculation.”  

The source reported that the board met on November 18 regarding the CEO search. Microsoft chairman and co-founder Bill Gates, at a shareholder meeting last week, was reported saying that he and other directors have met with “a lot of CEO candidates.” He did not give a timeline for when the final decision would be taking place, saying that it “is a complex role to fill.” Ballmer, on the other hand, was reported saying that the shareholder event was a “fun meeting” when compared with the teary goodbye message he gave to employees at an internal meeting.

HTC One Dual SIM with microSD slot coming to UK

HTC One hit the shelves in late March and despite its initial production issues, it's still one of the most popular smartphones in the market.
Unfortunately HTC One didn't have a microSD card slot for memory expansion and it faced a lot of negative feedback about it. What's really odd is that HTC was offering a microSD-enabled dual-SIM model of the One on the Chinese market, but didn't give the international version the same treatment.

 The phone can switch between two networks on the fly, and HTC’s Sense makes it easy to manage the two network connections (GSM and GSM/HSPA/WCDMA) and two sets of contacts.
The device does not support LTE, but besides that, nothing has changed in terms of specs compared to the original version of the One. Despite the removable back plate, the 2,300 mAh battery is not removable.
The microSD card slot enables the addition of up to 64GB of storage, double the internal capacity of the top version of the HTC One. Though few will probably notice the difference, the removable aluminum back-plate makes the HTC One Dual SIM 10 grams heavier and 1.1mm thicker than the original model.
The HTC One Dual SIM is now available for pre-order on HTC’s UK site for £495 ($809), and will become available from other retailers and carriers in the future.

BT to broadcast and stream live NBA games in the UK

BT has landed quite a few major sports broadcasting deals as of late, including its buyout of ESPN's British and Irish channels back in February. Today, it's extending its athletic empire with an exclusive arrangement to air NBA games in Ireland and the UK. The agreement will see BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and ESPN broadcast as many as seven live games per week, with some of them streaming through BT Sport's website and mobile apps. While there isn't a huge market for basketball in the country, the pact will make life much easier for diehard UK fans and American ex-pats -- they won't have to buy online passes or otherwise bend over backwards to keep up with their favorite NBA teams.

VuTV brings 13 more channels to the UK's Freeview TV service for £7 per month

Brits can't really complain about Freeview TV since it comes at no recurring charge, but it doesn't stop them tiring of the channel selection. Those who also aren't interested in signing on the dotted line with the likes of Virgin, Sky or YouView now have another way to perhaps cure their programming apathy with VuTV. Launched today, the new service adds 13 channels to compatible Freeview-equipped TVs or set-top boxes for a fee of £7 per month (no extended commitment necessary). VuTV manages to add these new channels via a selection screen hosted within a single Freeview channel, Inception-style. While it sounds like a fair deal, we're far from convinced it's worth the money, unless you're into MTV-made reality shows or have a house full of children to keep entertained. Then again, Comedy Central is a good pick-up on VuTV's part, and you can always take the two-week trial before throwing down any cash. Full channel list after the break.

• Lifetime
• Comedy Central
• MTV
• CNN
• History
• H2
• Crime & Investigation Network
• Cartoon Network
• Boomerang
• Nickelodeon
• Nicktoons
• Nick Jr.
• Cartoonito

LG G Flex reported to bend up to 90 degrees

While the LG G Flex is yet to hit retail in most parts of the world, rumors have already started making the rounds about the successor to the device. The LG G Flex II as it is expected to be called will have a screen that can bend up to 90 degrees forward

The LG G Flex can already spread open on applying pressure and this is definitely quite impressive. However, bending up to 90 degrees is akin to a laptop screen being flattened out from an open position. We’re not entirely sure what purpose this would serve though it should help impact resistance. Depending on the curvature, the phone will also fit better along your leg and should be easier to slip out.
The LG G Flex is one of only two phones with curved displays that are currently shipping. The other phone is the Samsung Round and is relegated to only the South Korean market. The successor to the LG G Flex should be released sometime in 2014 and the company already has plans to announce and/or release fully bendable phones sometime in 2015 so this does seem quite plausible.