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LG Optimus F7 available on Boost Mobile, June 27

Boost Mobile announced today that it will begin offering the 4.7-inch, LG Optimus F7 on June 27 for $299.99.

The device will be equipped with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, Android Jelly Bean, and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera.

We first caught wind of this smartphone back in February, when LG debuted the handset at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

In addition, U.S. Cellular started offering the Optimus F7 earlier this month for $99.99 with a two-year carrier agreement.

Other features include 1080p full HD video-recording capabilities, 4G LTE, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, … Read more

49 iPhone games that would rock with a controller

Apple's opening up iOS 7 like nothing before it, allowing and even encouraging the use of game controller hardware that will finally bring physical buttons to iPhones, iPods, and iPads.

This has been done before, of course, but not with Apple backing those efforts. Companies like Ion Audio and its iCade have brought hardware add-ons, though they required developers to tweak their games in order make those things work. This new option from Apple also requires that, but aims for a standardized set of controls that developers can plug into their software, and that come baked into Apple's … Read more

More 8-inch Android tablets on the way, says analyst

Android tablets have largely been a 7- or 10-inch affair to date, but 8 inches could be the new sweet spot, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

Dell and Lenovo are among the tablet makers preparing 8-inch Android tablets, according to a blog post Tuesday from NPD DisplaySearch.

Supply chain indications point to production of Android-based tablet PCs with 8-inch, 1,280x800 displays in Q3'13 [third-quarter 2013]. Brands including Acer, Asus, Dell and Lenovo are expected...Initial panel production plans suggest that the 8-inch tablets will make up between 5 to 10% of the total tablet PC market by the end … Read more

Apple could include LinkedIn for deep iOS 7 integration

Even though Twitter has been Apple's pick of social networks to be integrated into iOS 7, it's looking like LinkedIn could also make it to the chosen circle.

Developers have found code-based references to deep LinkedIn integration in the beta version of iOS 7, which was supplied by Apple, according to 9to5Mac. This code shows that a single sign-on system is in the works for the professional social network -- much like how iOS currently works with Facebook and Twitter.

The developer that supplied 9to5Mac with the code sheets said that certain bits of code are missing for … Read more

Redesigned iPad Mini may arrive before Retina: DisplaySearch

A slimmer iPad Mini may arrive before the Retina version, according to a report Tuesday from NPD DisplaySearch. A 9.7-inch iPad with a future A7 processor may also be on the way.

The next Mini, due in the second half sometime, will sport a 1,024x768 display (like the current version) but get a processor upgrade to the A6 from the A5 that's in the Mini today, said NPD DisplaySearch in blog post today.

"The new iPad mini will continue to use a 7.9-inch display with a 1024×768 resolution, but it will use the … Read more

Video shows what looks like iOS 7 running on an iPad

Apple has yet to give developers an iPad version of iOS 7, but photos, videos, and reports are popping up left and right about what the new operating system will look like on the tablet.

A new iPad iOS 7 video (see below) surfaced Tuesday from a Russian-based YouTube user named Rozetked who claims to have the upcoming OS running on his iPad. In the video, the user holding an iPad taps and swipes through different screens and features.

What's shown is awfully similar to what is known about iOS 7 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. When Apple … Read more

Preview iOS 7 using nothing more than your browser

With the curtains pulled back on the new-look iOS 7, it's only natural for users to want to get a better idea of what the changes actually mean to their daily use. People don't like change -- big or small -- especially when it comes to the tech that's used on a daily basis.

Should you not be a developer and have access to early beta builds of iOS 7, or don't want to deal with all of the bugs and issues that come from dealing with the early test builds, you can click your way … Read more

Google's low-cost Chromebooks coming to 6,600 more stores

While Google hasn't done a lot of promotion around its Chromebooks, there's no doubt that the company is still working on bringing the low-cost laptops to more people around the world.

The tech giant announced Monday that it's bringing Chromebooks to more than 6,600 new stores worldwide -- that's three times as many stores as before.

The lion's share will go to Walmart and Staples. Walmart will sell the $199 Acer C7 Chromebook in about 2,800 of its stores across the U.S. And Staples will bring Chromebooks from Acer, HP, and Samsung … Read more

Official RC robotic transformers coming soon?

Remember the robotic Transformer shown off by Brave Robotics at last year's Tokyo Maker Faire? It seems the toy caught the eye of official Transformers toy maker Tomy, which is now working with Brave Robotics to create a commercial line, according to Italian hobby news Web site Hobby Media.

Tomy, which hit robotic success in the 1980s with its Omnibots line, is seeking to get up to date with current technologies to make a dream come true for Transformers fans everywhere. … Read more