Sony have officially announced a new entry into its Xperia smartphone family, the Sony Xperia UL.

Set to be a Japan-only release for the time being, headed to the KDDI network on May 25th, it offers a 5-inch 1080p display running Android 4.2.

A chubbier take on the Xperia Z, Sony have popped a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) processor under the hood, powering an Exmor RS 13MP camera capable of shooting 15 frames per second. A physical shutter button is also onboard to court smartphone snappers.

Connectivity includes NFC alongside the Felica wireless payment system, while a water (IPX5/8) and dust resistance (IP5X) casing (coming in white, black and hot pink shades) is also in attendance.

Check out the handset in action in the video below.

The HTC One is the best Android phone on the planet at the moment. Check out our full review to find out why.

However, it may be about to be bested by a new variant of the very same handset out of HTC's stable. The HTC J One will be a Japan-only revision of the impressive HTC One (or at least at this moment it doesn't seem to be headed to any other territories), landing on the Japanese KDDI network and adding microSD support (up to 64GB) to the original HTC One's feature list.

That's in addition to the One's already-stellar feature list that includes a nifty all-aluminium chassis design, the Ultrapixel camera, Blink Feed software and BoomSound speakers.

A promotional video (popped at the bottom of this post) also reveals what appear to be new camrea software features for the HTC J One, including a time-shift feature that will let you pick out the best smiles from a series of shots of your friends, not unlike similar features found in the latest BlackBerry 10 software. There's also a host of new accessories to go with the handset, including the HTC J One Mini Bluetooth sidekick handset.

Though we're not holding out hope for a UK release to accompany this Japanese one, we'll keep you posted if that changes.

If you've got £100 burning a hole in your pocket and are on the hunt for a budget-friendly Android smartphone, it looks as though Vodafone have been reading into your mind beams and answered your prayers. They've just revealed the Vodafone Smart III, an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean smartphone that's going to keep your wallet healthily plump with its £95 Pay As You Go pricing.

Also available on £13 a month 24 month contracts, the handset has a four-inch WVGA screen, running off a 1GHz processor backed by 512MB of RAM. Hardly the most extravagantly powerful phone in the world, but when it costs less than a ton, what do you expect?

Elsewhere, the phone offers up a 5MP rear camera snapper with LED flash, WI-Fi and GPS connectivity, and full Google accreditation giving access to the Google Play store and pre-loaded Google apps.

Ready to take a punt? The perfect second-smart phone in time for festival season, perhaps? Click here to give it a look.

If the latest Samsung-related tablet leak is to be believed, the South Korean tech giants may be on the verge of releasing a new 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 model, with alleged press shots and an accompanying spec sheet hitting the web.

Spotted first by SamMobile, the tablet is said to have a codename model number of SM-T310 for the 3G version, with a Wi-Fi only edition picking up the SM-T311 identifier.

Running Android 4.2.2, the tablet is said to have an 8-inch TFT display running at a 1280 x 800 resolution, with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor backed by 1.5GB of RAM (unusual since RAM usually comes in whole numbers). Built in storage is rumoured to be 16GB, with a further 64GB available through microSD expansion if you've got one of the memory cards lying around.

In terms of imaging, the tablet is said to have a 5MP rear-facing camera and 1.3MP front facing snapper, while all the standard Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and A-GPS connectivity options should be present. Charging over a USB 2.0 connection, the tablet's battery capacity is said to be a healthy 4450mAh.

SamMobile's sources have this Galaxy Tab 3 variant pinned down for a June launch, but between the odd sizing (so small a difference between it and the 7-inch Tab 3) and the weird RAM count, we're a bit skeptical. We'll file this one away under "rumours" and let you know if Samsung lift the covers on this unlikely tablet.

There's no shaking Google's Android and Apple's iOS from first and second place respectively at the top of the smartphone user number rankings charts, but the battle for third place is a corker. The latest stats have just come in from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, covering Q1 2013, seeing Windows Phone overtake BlackBerry for third place.

Microsoft's mobile OS now sits at 3.2% of the smartphone market share, up from 2.0% last year, with BlackBerry dropping down to 2.9%, a considerable fall from their 6.4% share a year earlier in Q1 2012.

While that's a 133.3% growth for Windows Phone, BlackBerry's share has shrunk by 35.1%. This is despite a gigantic new hardware and software push from the Canadian company, launching new handsets like the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10, as well as the well-considered BlackBerry 10 OS. While the Nokia and Microsoft partnership across the Lumia line-up is finally making headway it seems, leading the Windows Phone charge, it must be very worrying times over at Blackberry HQ.

"Windows Phone claiming the third spot is a first and helps validate the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

"Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alterative to Android or iOS."

As expected, Google's Android OS retains the top spot with 75% of the market share (that's 79.5% year-on-year growth), with Apple's iPhone line taking a 17.3% share in second place.

For more from the report, click here.

HP have revealed two convertible touchscreen successors to their Envy x2 hybrid laptop/tablet mashup, one a standard Windows 8 machine, the other running Android.

Looking first at the HP Split x2, pictured above, it's a Windows 8 touchscreen PC with a detachable keyboard, powered by a choice of either Core i3 or Core i5 processors.

With a screen measuring 13-inches in size with a 1366x768 resolution, each component has its own storage space and battery power, with the attached keyboard boosting on-the-go battery life and giving users access to a 500GB hard drive.

Audio is covered by HP bessie-mates Beats Audio, while Wi-Di screen mirroring is also onboard.
Next up is the HP SlateBook x2, the Android machine.

It runs version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean of Googles OS with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running at a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution.

It too has a detachable keyboard, with the SlateBook x2 powered by the powerful Nvidia Tegra 4 mobile processor, meaning intensive TegraZone optimised Android gaming apps should run like a dream on it.

Launching first in the States (UK availability details are to follow), the SlateBook x2 will be available from $479.99 and the Splt x2 will sell for $799.99. Both hit stores in August.

Samsung make lovely phone hardware, but they've still not quite got that interface stuff sorted yet. Their TouchWiz UI, placed over the top of stock Android on their Galaxy range of smartphones is put together with the best of intentions to add extra functionality to your phone, but is incredibly garish and, at times, a bit of a resource hog. It's one of the few bugbears people have with the otherwise-great Samsung Galaxy S4.

Rumour now has it that Samsung are sitting up and listening to the criticism directed at its custom interface. According to Geek.com, today's opening of the annual Google I/O developer conference will see Samsung launch a "Google Edition" of the Galaxy S4, running the stock Android interface.

Due out in June according to the report, the phone will not only push the more attractive standard Android build to the fore, but will also free up a substantial amount of internal memory currently given over to the TouchWiz UI.

As it stands, those who otherwise want to run stock Android on a Galaxy S4 have to first root the phone and install the Cynogen custom rom, which voids warranties.

With the conference opening in a matter of hours, we'll keep you posted whether or not the report's details indeed turn out to be true.

Name: Disgo 8400G

Type: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean tablet

Specifications: Click here for full specs

Price as reviewed: £149.99

The race to the bottom of tablet pricing continues, as Disgo offer up their 8400G tablet for a mere £149.99. Considering its 3G connectivity it's a steal, but can this budget offering stand up against its premium rivals? Read on to find out!

Design
Though an uninspiring design, the Disgo 8400G packs in enough compelling hardware features to make it a cut above the budget tablet competition. Packing in 3G connectivity as well as Wi-Fi, the tablet also has GPS and A-GPS capabilities (making it a reasonable alternative to a dedicated sat nav)  and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity with Disgo pulling in some low power elements of Bluetooth 4.0 in an attempt to extend battery life.

A 7.9-inch screen sits in a sizeable bezel, with the device measuring a chunky 214 x 155 x 11 mm and weighing a hefty 460g. Though it's thick bezel makes it comfortable to grip and watch movies without obscuring the screen, it's weight makes it uncomfortable to hold in one hand for extended periods of time, something that should be a benefit of the 7-inch form factor. A textured finish on the rear made the plastic casing a little easy to hold without slipping though.Were you deciding to sit and watch many films on the Disgo 8400G you may be a little disappointed. Running at a 1024 x 768 resolution, the screen suffers from a lack of sharpness, brightness and a tighter viewing angle than its competitors offer. A tablet newbie won't necessarily notice at first glance, but pop the 8400G next to an iPad and there's a marked difference in screen quality.

Port placement is a little busy too. When held in portrait orientation, you'll find practically every connectivity port sitting along the top. These include the microUSB data transfer and charging port, a 3.5mm headphone socket, a volume rocker, a power button, a microSD port and a SIM tray. Bunching so many connections together looks unsightly and can make it uncomfortable to hold in landscape orientation.The tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, backed by 512MB of RAM. With so little RAM and a processor speed that would be considered entry-to-mid level by today's top-end standards, performance across all aspects of the tablet is as expected a bit lifeless, with a notable lag between your input in almost all tasks, and choppy visuals on more demanding applications. It is however, performance consistent with the price, considering there's a premium 3G connection also squeezed in here.

It's worth noting too that we tested out two units over the course of our review, as the first shipped with a faulty flickering screen and an accelerometer that would lock and make certain games unplayable. The second tablet had no such issues, but in the interests of full disclosure, the review unit initially sent out was not without its problems.

Interface, Apps
Thankfully, apart from a "Nature" inspired theme with homescreen imagery fitting of the title, Disgo have pretty much stuck with the core Android Jelly Bean UI experience. Five homescreens can be customised to your liking, letting you add app shortcuts across the device from the app drawer. There are also a number of resizable Live Widgets pre-loaded on the Disgo 8400G; these are larger icons spread across the homescreens that offer live updating information at a glance. Calnedar, web bookmarks and contact details are among the pre-installed widgest, though others such as condensed Twitter or Facebook feeds, email inboxes or weather reports, for example, can be grabbed from the Google Play store.

Google's Play store is a welcome addition on a budget tablet, with many manufacturers often scrimping on the effort it takes to get accreditation from Google. Over 600,000 apps are up for sale through the store, and unlike Apple, Google are open to more zany (sometimes unsavoury) submissions. Though it's slightly more susceptible to attracting hackers and dubious apps, there are also loads of really impressive apps available that can really add to your enjoyment of the Android experience. The catalogue improves all the time; whether you're a gamer, a reader, someone hunting news stories or recipes, a photographer or a blogger, there's something for everyone. Many are free too, and few cost more than £3 or so. The pre-installed suite of Google-built apps (including YouTube, Gmail and Maps), is impressive too, offering a wide array of functionality right off the bat. When it comes to mapping, Google's Maps app is far and away the best navigation solution available, particularly in comparison to the woeful Apple Maps. Likewise, the stock Android web browser is among the best on mobile devices, only bested by Google's own Chrome, itself a free download from the Google Play store.

It's a shame then that the Disgo 8400G's processor isn't a little more responsive. Whether swiping through homescreens, multitasking or downloading apps, it's incredibly easy to overload the tablet, leading to a sluggish experience. Whether jumping between apps, opening and closing apps, loading a complex web page or dragging around items to customise the interface, expect the Disgo 8400G to lag behind your intentions.

Calling and Messaging

It's not often we get to talk about calling and text messaging when putting together a tablet review, but with the Disgo 8400G packing in 3G connectivity, you can also use it to ring up your buddies and send SMS messages once you've popped in a SIM-card.

Using the stock Android contacts, dialler and messaging systems, it's a nice option to have if you've got a Bluetooth headset, though you'll look utterly ridiculous holding the chunky device to your ear for a call the old fashioned way. Text messaging though is actually rather pleasant, thanks to the larger keyboard afforded by the 7.9-inch screen.

Gmail comes pre-installed, as does the stock Android email up for connecting up an account from another non-Google service, and both are of the same high quality that Android users have come to expect. Instant Messaging is handled by the pre-loaded Google Talk app, but of course you can download the one of your choice from Google Play.

Typing away on the Digso 8400G has a nice and tactile feel thanks to its haptic feedback (something few tablets offer), but the sluggish responsiveness of the tablet made typing at speed difficult; if you can touch type at a decent speed you'll regularly overtake the tablet's ability to process your input, which can lead to spelling mistakes.

Media Playback and Gaming
Being an Android tablet, its easy to fill the Disgo 8400G with either your own content side loaded from a computer, or fresh movies, music and TV shows from the Google Play store. Though it's still no match for iTunes, Google Play offers a wide variety of film and TV shows at a reasonable price to buy or rent. And if you're the user of multiple Android devices, your purchases carry over across devices too.

However, the screen's low brightness, muted colours and tight viewing angle made it an unpleasant watch, with video regularly becoming choppy, even if little or no multitasking was happening. Sound over the loudspeaker was at a good volume though, and reasonably clear for a single speaker.

Though it's microSD support makes it capable of holding a large media library, the overall performance makes it unlikely to be your primary playback device. A lack of DLNA support is also notable, meaning you wont be able to access networked videos straight away.

Gaming on the tablet is at times a thankless task too. Though graphically simple games like Angry Birds are perfectly playable, the tablet became hot and performance became choppy when we tried to play more demanding 3D titles like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. It's unsurprising given the price tag, and considering many Android games are less graphically demanding than our test game, it may prove serviceable in this department for casual gamers.

Camera performance

Though you'd be mad to use a tablet as your primary snapping device, the Disgo 8400G has a particularly unintuitive photo taking app. All control sit on the right hand side of the screen, with the image taking up the left.

Three different modes can be used (still, video and panorama shots), with a circular menu dial giving you control over zoom level, which is the active camera and access to the setting menu, letting you tweak things like exposure, picture size and geotagging. It's all a bit cramped and hidden away, with icons that don't clearly line up with the settings they represent.

Having said that, the actual resulting pictures on the Disgo 8400G are at least a match for similarly priced tablet's cameras. Shooting 2MP still, it handles outdoor photography well enough to illustrate a Facebook post or tweet, but struggles with a lack of flash for low light and indoor photography. Video, captured in H264, H263 or MPEG4  formats however is choppy at best, with poor response from the microphone and a general lack of detail with the video. That 0.2MP front facing camera though is perfectly acceptable for Skype calling, and really all you need from a tablet in terms of photography.

Battery life

Though Disgo claim you'll get 8 hours of battery life out of a single charge of the 8400G, we found that in reality that figure to be closer to 6 hours. You'll need to keep the screen brightness up very high for it to look its most readable, and a combination of video playback and 3G browsing quickly take its toll on a tablet lacking any notable battery management facilities.

Thankfully, the 8400G charges over a standard microUSB port though, meaning you can plug it into a computer or laptop and charge it at work if need be without the need to carry a proprietary charger around with you.

Value
Though we've some reservations about the performance with the Disgo 8400G, one thing that's indisputably excellent is its value for money. At £149.99, it's one of the cheapest 3G-enabled tablets around. Compared to rival tablets in the 7-inch category, that's considerably less than the 3G Nexus 7 (£239) and a hell of a lot cheaper than the 3G iPad Mini (£369). Of course, the premium you pay on those two devices bags you a more consistent user experience and premium design sensibilities, but considering the Disgo 8400G shares much of the same functionality as those two more expensive rivals, it's maybe a concession worth considering. If you simply looking for the cheapest possible tablet and can live without 3G functionality, check out Amazon's Wi-Fi Kindle Fire tablet line; starting at £129, even the entry-level model is altogether slicker than the Disgo 8400G.

Verdict:

It ain't perfect, and it certainly ain't pretty, but the Disgo 8400G offers great value for money and reasonable performance for its low, low price. If you're desperate to get in on the tablet craze, and love to be able to access the internet when on the go it's definitely worth checking out. However, if its just the pennies you're worried about and not the added 3G functionality, you may want to check out Amazon's very cheap Kindle Fire line instead.

Google are looking to make multiplayer gaming a bigger part of the Android ecosystem, with a new service called Google Play Games uncovered by Android Police.

Part of Google Play Services (v3.1.36), the update will add in multiplayer features such as notifications, matchmaking and game invites (naturally channelled through Google+ circles, of course), as well as other features including synced game saves over the cloud to multiple Android devices, console-like achievements and finally public and Google+ circles centred leaderboards.

Said to be rolling out gradually over the coming days and weeks, it's not yet clear which games will tie into the new services, or whether it will be a global feature set for all games.

The timing however is perfect, as Android begins to establish itself as a notable gaming platform with the release of the crowd-funded Ouya games console and plug-and-play Game Stick.

It also gives Google the chance to more competently take on Apple's strong gaming credentials, with iOS's Game Center features offering similar functionality to what seems set to be present in the Android alternative.

With Google's annual I/O conference kicking off this week, expect all the details to be ironed out in the coming days.

UPDATE:
Google has informed us that the offensive app has now been flagged for investigation, and issued this statement:

The original story follows.

We've covered some bad apps over the years, usually because they're either comically awful or attempting to rip you off. Sometimes they're both. But it's not often we pick up on an app just because it makes us so angry.

But that's what "Racist Jokes" on the Google Play store has inspired us to do, made all the worse by the fact that Google seem to be making money from it.

As spotted by app expert (and former Tech Digest writer) Stuart Dredge, it's full of the sort of naff, unfunny and (most importantly) massively offensive jokes that should be left in the notebooks of "naive" (to put it euphemistically) comedians of the 1970s.

Now, there's much to recommend about the Google Play store being open to all sorts of submissions, allowing for a wide range of apps that would never make their way onto Apple's App Store. Sometime that means they're just a bit rubbish, down to poor quality control, but sometimes it means that you can get hold of great Android apps that give you far more control over how your phone works than you ever could on iOS, down to that very same open nature.

But when horrible stuff like this slips through the cracks, it makes us wish Google paid a bit more attention to what's going up, and what's putting cash in their pockets.

Racist Jokes costs 0.63p, and with Google taking a 30% cut of its estimated 1,000 to 5,000 current sales tally, the company are actually making money out of bigotry.

The argument that, by writing this post, we're giving the app some sort of profile, is somewhat valid, but if such horrible content is allowed to go onto the Play store unchecked, how else will it ever be policed? A quick search on the store shows there are at least two similar apps already on the Google Play store, and no obvious parallel on Apple's App Store.

While the Cupertino company's App Store approval process can sometimes seem draconian, at least it sets standards that prevents this sort of rubbish going up.

The Racist Jokes app has so far only had a few thousand downloads, and you could argue that the Play store polices itself through the user submitted ratings.

Racist Jokes currently has a score of 3.5 out of 5. It doesn't take a master mathematician to figure out that's an above average score.

So what if an easily influenced youngster comes across this relatively high scoring app looking for what's advertised as an opportunity to "get in on the comedy"? There's freedom of speech to consider, but also the potential this app has to cause upset and inspire hatred.

We believe it shouldn't be allowed. In the UK, the app may even fall foul of Racist and Religious crime laws according to CPS guidance.

We've contacted the developers Viper Gaming for comment, and have contacted Google too. We'll update this post once we get a response.

LG's Nexus 4 Google flagship phone was, despite supply shortages, one of the best phones of last year, if not the best thanks to its affordable pricing. Now it seems as though Google and LG are looking to team up once more for new tech treats in 2013.

According to The Korean Times, Google CEO Larry Page has shared a coffee or two with LG's chief executive Koo Bon-joon, with the pair discussing a potential successor to the Nexus 4, as well as exploring possibilities relating to LG's OLED technologies.

Google in particular are said to be incredibly keen to use LG's OLED tech, not just in phones, but possibly in a big-screen tie-up with Google TV.

With the recently announced rollout of LG's curved OLED TVs, could Google be looking at getting in on a premium TV set release?

If the rumours are true, they seem to lay to rest claims that LG were at fault when it came to the Nexus 4's frustrating supply shortages. Many felt that the blame laid at the feet of LG and their manufacturing partners as Nexus 4 stock ran incredibly low, put it's possible it was a cynical move by both Google and LG to limit supply to increase demand. We all want what we can't have, right?

RELATED:
REVIEW: Google Nexus 4 Android smartphone by LG

HTC have posted their earning for the first quarter of 2013, and they show the company to still be struggling.

HTC posted quarterly revenue of NT$42.8 billion (around £930 million), and a gross margin of 20.3%, with the operating margin sitting at 0.1%.

Net profit sits at NT$85 million (£1.8 million) - that's down a staggering 98% from NT$4.5 billion ($152 million) a year ago, despite the rave reviews the company's new HTC One flagship smartphone is receiving.

"This was a pivotal quarter for HTC," said CEO Peter Chou, looking for the silver lining on what's becoming a very dark cloud indeed.

"In February our teams set a new standard for smartphones, launching the new HTC One. The reviews of fans and critics alike have been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to delivering on the promise of this device."

The HTC One is estimated to have sold 750,000 units since launching in April, despite supply delays in major territories such as the US, with the company expecting to sell more than three times that amount in the second quarter. Ten million HTC One handsets are expected to be sold by the end of 2013, a figure that pales in comparison to 60 million estimated sales of the Samsung Galaxy S4 before the end of the year.

RELATED:
REVIEW: HTC One

Google's Android OS has claimed the biggest slice of the tablet market share for the first quarter of 2013.

Analysts over at IDC have seen Android tablet sales account for 56.5% of all tablets sold in the first three months of the year, while Apple's iOS slates sat in second with 39.6% share.

However, with Apple the sole manufacturer of iOS tablets compared to the multitude of Android tablet manufacturers, Apple stayed the single biggest tablet selling company, shipping 19.5 million devices and even out doing IDC's own optimistic predictions.

Samsung hit second place on the manufacturers list, shipping 8.8 million units, with Microsoft hitting the top five for the first time, managing to shift 900,000 Windows-based Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets.

"Sustained demand for the iPad mini and increasingly strong commercial shipments led to a better-than-expected first quarter for Apple," said Tom Mainelli, research director of tablets at IDC.

"In addition, by moving the iPad launch to the fourth quarter of 2012, Apple seems to have avoided the typical first-quarter slowdown that traditionally occurred when consumers held off buying in January and February in anticipation of a new product launch in March."

Total tablets sales over the quarter hit 49.2 million, a 142% year-on-year increase that overshadows sales of even the first 6 months of last year.

MiiPC, the Kickstarter-funded, family-orientated Android PC, is to offer a spec bump for backers based on the demands of those who've pledged to support the machine.

The mini computer will now also be available with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of flash storage space (up from 1GB/4GB respectively) for just an extra $15 dollars to those who back the campaign before it closes in a week's time, showing just how much influence crowd-funding backers can have over the development of such a product.

Young Soung, Founder of MiiPC, explains: "Throughout the campaign our backers have enquired as to whether they can upgrade the memory of their MiiPC, and we have been listening. We are very excited to offer the double memory option to all of our Kickstarter backers and new backers alike at an affordable price, for those who want to get more performance headroom with their MiiPC devices".

Based on a modified version of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the PC hooks up to an external monitor over HDMI and is designed to be used in a desktop scenario, playing nicely with a keyboard and mouse set-up. Parents can use a companion mobile app to keep a close eye on what their children are getting up to on the PC.

The MiiPC has reached nearly triple their original funding goal of $50,000 with just under a week to go. Costing $89 for the basic model (around £60), early-bird backers can expect to recieve their MiiPC by July of this year.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 has gone official, with the South Korean tech giant confirming the specs of their upcoming Android tablet. And rather than wowing with top-notch specs, it looks more like a safe approach to compete against cheap rivals like the Google Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire.

A seven-inch model, it packs in a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and will sell in either 8GB or 16GB variants. MicroSD support will allow for up to 64GB expansion of storage.

Front and rear cameras feature at 1.3MP and 3MP respectively, with a solid-sounding 4,000mAh battery installed.

Screen resolution is an acceptable 1024 x 600, using a TFT display, while Android 4.1 is the OS version of choice.

Wi-Fi models will launch globally in May, with 3G versions to follow in June. No word yet on a 4G version, nor confirmed pricing points, but we'll keep you posted.

HTC have revealed the Desire L Android smartphone, a new mid-range blower intended to bolster the company's budget-end line-up.

Popping in a 4.3-inch display, HTC have equipped the Desire L with a 5MP camera, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and a 1,800mAh battery. There's a measly 4GB of storage included, but at least microSD support lets you boost that substantially if you require it.

Measuring 128 x 66.9 x 8.9mm and weighing a reasonable 118g, the Desire L runs Android Jelly Bean (4.1.2), the handset has a simple slate-like design with loudspeakers housed on the rear.

Both pink and black hues will be available at launch in Taiwan for the handset, but there's yet to be any announcement of global availability.

Which is a shame: HTC battling Samsung's Galaxy S4 with the HTC One at the top-end of the Android smartphone market, the Desire L looks capable of bringing the fight to Samsung's own mid-range Galaxy Ace line-up, as well as Nokia's competing Windows Phone 8 Lumia 720 handset.

A new malicious string of Android malware called "BadNews" may have been downloaded as many as 9 million times say mobile security experts Lookout.

Revealed in a Lookout blog posting over the weekend, the malware has sat hidden in 32 Android apps, with its creators avoiding Google's virus-tracking Bouncer software by only injecting the malware into the apps as post-launch updates.

The malware, which was hidden in downloads including games, dictionaries and wallpapers, contains code which harvests sensitive information including phone numbers and handset serials before relaying the information back to a server.

"You can't even say Google was at fault in this because Google very clearly scrutinized all these apps when they went in," said Marc Rogers, principal security researcher for Lookout, speaking to Ars Technica.

"But these guys were cunning enough to sit there for a couple of months doing absolutely nothing and then they pushed out the malware.

"This is a wakeup call for us in the industry to say: 'Bad guys are smart as well and they'll take a look at the security models we put in place and they'll find weaknesses in them. That's exactly what they've done here."

For more on the "BadNews" malware, check out Lookout Mobile Security's detailed blog posting.

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APP OF THE DAY: Lookout Mobile Security (Android)

Google's Nexus 4 was one of the best Android phones available last year, putting top-specs in a cut-price handset. According to SIDHTech, it now looks as though Google are looking to give the smartphone a 2013 makeover, updating the storage and network capabilities of the sought after phone.

The original Nexus 4 came in only 8GB and 16GB sizes, but the rumoured new addition to the line will double the storage capacity up to 32GB. The Autumn launch of the handset also saw 4G LTE connectivity a bizarre omission, and that too now will be rectified in the 32GB version.

These networking upgrades will come compete with CDMA support, giving the handset compatibility with as wide a range of high-speed networks as possible.

The revised Nexus 4, which may well have been on the cards since the line's initial launch (itself beset by stock shortages), is expected to land during Google's annual I/O conference in May.

This year's I/O conference is also expected to see the unveiling of the latest build of Android, 5.0 Key Lime Pie, and it's possible that the revamped Nexus 4 could ship with the newest version of Google's mobile operating system baked in.

We loved the Google Nexus 4. Read our in-depth analysis on the top notch Android mobile by clicking here.

Pantech's latest smartphone, the hardcore-sounding Vega Iron, looks set to catch your attention with its slinky thin bezel.

Packing in a 5-inch 1,280x720 display, the screen sits in a chassis with bezel edges just 2.4mm wide on each side. To put that in perspective, that's roughly half the width of the bezel on an iPhone 5, and makes the screen account for 75.5% of the phone's front-side surface area, sitting just behind the Xperia ZL's 75.8%.

Under the hood the handset sounds just as impressive, with a 1.7 GHz Snapdragon 600 processor backed by 2GB of RAM, in-cell LCD tech in the display and Gigabit Wi-Fi.

32GB of built-in storage is the only model set to be available, with expansion via microSD, while a rear camera is set to snap 13MP shots.

Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is the operating system baked in, with a 4.2 update planned for the near future, while 4G is also supported. Battery capacity is 2,150mAh.

No word yet on a UK or US release, but this should be hitting South Korean stores soon. With Pantech looking to expand to Western markets, this wouldn't be a bad handset to get the ball rolling with.

Samsung's galaxy looks set to extend further again following the leaked specs of a new Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 handset hitting the web.

Spotted on the GL Benchmarks site by SamMobile under the GT-S7272 codename, it looks like another mid-range Android handset set to replace the Galaxy Ace 2.

Packing in a 1GHz dual-core processor, it's running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on an 800x480 display, backed by 1GB of RAM.

There's also a 5MP camera on the rear with 720p video recording capabilities, as well as NFC tech.

No official confirmation from Samsung yet, but it's looking quite good for what's expected to be a fairly low cost handset. It's rare to find both NFC and the latest version of Android on the budget end of the mobile scale, and it's possible that the Galaxy Ace 3 could be a real steal on contract deals.