THE TECH-LICIOUS

Google Now Detects Accents & Mimics

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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Google Now is still a half measure for many Android users, the cards look like the most potent part of the program, but the voice recognition service still needs a bit of work. A new feature looks to make it easier for multiple language users to swap over on the fly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">The new system allows users to add more than one language, swapping from one another on the fly. This could allow localisation for user’s who move country often. Google Now can even detect accent change, as </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYBuS0jM5o&channel=shadow321337" style="color: #0068cf; font-weight: inherit;" target="_blank">one video shows</a><span style="color: black;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Moving from English (UK) and English (US) is completely impractical for anyone, but does show the voice recognition service has a good understanding of accent, something Apple’s Siri has not been great at detecting, especially stronger English accents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Google Now" height="419" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Google-Now.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Accents are a hard thing for programmers to understand, voice recognition naturally works with one voice, but Google is looking to add multiple languages and accents. This means Google needs to take more real world accents and voices, to get the practical information needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Google Now and voice recognition in general is still a questionable service, but there are some uses like taking notes, setting dates and asking for travel times. Google, Apple and other voice recognition services just need to fan out some of the clutter in their services.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The secondary language option is available now, but not to everyone. Google is restricting it to some countries and it may take a while for them to update it on all Android devices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://news.filehippo.com/2014/08/google-now-detects-accents-and-mimics/" target="_blank">tech beat</a></span></div>
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Google Now Detects Accents & Mimics

Google Now is still a half measure for many Android users, the cards look like the most potent part of the program, but the voice recognit...

Build Your Own Bluetooth Gloves For Taking Calls

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You may remember that a little while ago we reported on what looked like a pair of normal winter gloves, which in actual fact had bluetooth capabilities, allowing you to take calls simply by holding your thumb and forefinger up to your ear and mouth. The gloves, which can be charged in thirty minutes and give you twenty hours of talk time, are great if you want to avoid getting cold hands. However, if you love tinkering and building your own gadgets, did you know it is possible to build your own bluetooth gloves?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Hi-Fun Gloves" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-18127 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/hi-fun-gloves.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="365" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/hi-fun-gloves.jpg" style="background: rgb(236, 240, 244); display: inline; float: none; max-width: 708px; padding: 10px;" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That’s what Instructables user,  known as <a href="http://www.instructables.com/member/WiseGuy10x/" style="color: #0092dd;" target="_blank">WiseGuy10x</a> has done. Using a glove, a push button, soldering iron, soldering wire, wire and of course a bluetooth headset, he has been able to build his own bluetooth glove that allows you to take easily take calls, without actually getting your phone out of your pocket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="bluetooth gloves" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-18128 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bluetooth-glove.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="477" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bluetooth-glove.jpg" style="background: rgb(236, 240, 244); display: inline; float: none; max-width: 708px; padding: 10px;" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The step-by-step guide is pretty straight forward and could perhaps be a great first project for any budding gadget hacker. For full instructions on how to build your very own ‘Bluetooth Glove: Version 3.0′, then check out the guide on<a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Bluetooth-Glove-Version-30/" style="color: #0092dd;" target="_blank"> Instructables</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://news.filehippo.com/2014/08/build-bluetooth-gloves-taking-calls/" target="_blank">tech beat</a></span><br />
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Build Your Own Bluetooth Gloves For Taking Calls

You may remember that a little while ago we reported on what looked like a pair of normal winter gloves, which in actual fact had bluetoo...

Laser device detects blood glucose levels without the finger-prick

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="A new system developed at Princeton University allows diabetics to check blood glucose lev..." height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/laser-blood-glucose-diabetes.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Finger-prick tests to monitor blood glucose levels can be the bane of a diabetic's life. In a move that could put an end to such tests in the future, researchers at Princeton University have developed a non-invasive way to test blood glucose levels using a laser.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like a number of other blood glucose measuring research efforts we've seen in recent years, such as carbon nanotube "tattoos" and biochips that measure glucose in saliva, the Princeton team's method doesn't require direct analysis of a blood sample.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Instead, the new approach detects the level of blood sugar by directing a specialized laser at a person's palm and measuring the amount of absorption by the sugar molecules in the person's body. Rather than the person's blood, the laser targets dermal interstitial fluid, which has a strong correlation with blood sugar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Instead of near-infrared light, which is used by many medical devices, the Princeton team's method uses mid-infrared light. This is because although near infrared light is not blocked by water, making it suitable for use in the human body, it interacts with a number of acids and chemicals in the skin, making it unsuitable for detecting blood sugar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">However, the use of mid-infrared light presents its own problems – it is difficult to harness with standard lasers and requires relatively high power and stability to penetrate the skin and scatter off bodily fluid. The researchers found the answer in the form of a new type of device particularly capable of producing mid-infrared light called a quantum cascade laser.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/laser-blood-glucose-level-mesurement/33466/pictures#2" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The new monitor uses a quantum cascade laser, instead of blood sample, to read blood sugar..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/laser-blood-glucose-diabetes-1.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Quantum cascade lasers boast the ability to produce one of a number of frequencies by passing electrons through a "cascade" of semiconductor layers. Recent developments have also provided increased power and stability, allowing the researchers to produce mid-infrared light with the properties required to penetrate the skin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In testing the approach the researchers measured the blood sugar of three healthy subjects before and after eating 20 jellybeans and compared the results to measurements taken with a finger-prick test. These measurements were conducted repeatedly over a period of several weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Although the laser measurement readings produced average errors larger than the standard blood sugar monitors, the research hers said they remained within the clinical requirement for accuracy. Glucose monitors need to produce a reading within 20 percent of the patient's actual level and the early version of the new system met that standard with an accuracy of 84 percent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"It works now but we are still trying to improve it," said Sabbir Liakat, the lead author of a paper detailing the new approach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The experimental setup the team started with took up a moderate-sized workbench and required an elaborate cooling system to work. However, they have since solved the cooling problem, allowing the laser to work at room temperature, and will now look to shrinking the device.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"This summer, we are working to get the system on a mobile platform to take it places such as clinics to get more measurements," Liakat said. "We are looking for a larger dataset of measurements to work with."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/laser-blood-glucose-level-mesurement/33466/" target="_blank">gizmag</a></span></div>
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Laser device detects blood glucose levels without the finger-prick

Finger-prick tests to monitor blood glucose levels can be the bane of a diabetic's life. In a move that could put an end to such te...

Organs-on-Chips emulate human organs, could replace animals in tests

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Emulate's lung-on-chip, seen here, is lined with human lung and blood vessel cells " height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/emulate.jpg" title="Emulate's lung-on-chip, seen here, is lined with human lung and blood vessel cells " width="640" /> </span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The search for more efficient tests of pharmaceuticals without animal
 models is taking a stride forward, with a new technology being 
developed in the US called Organs-on-Chips. The new miniature platform 
and software, which mimic the mechanical and molecular characteristics 
of human organs, were developed by bioengineers from the Wyss Institute 
for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The device, about the size of a small computer memory stick, is 
created using microchip-manufacturing techniques. It features a porous 
flexible membrane that separates two channels at the center of the 
device. The channels are filled with living human cells and tissues 
cultured in a fluid that mimics the environment inside the human body. 
Micro-engineering and automated instrumentation allows the system to 
perform real-time analysis of biochemical, genetic and metabolic 
functions within single cells.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The idea is to authentically replicate, or "bioemulate" in 
science-speak, the workings of human organs. This way, scientists and 
even clinicians without high-level expertise can determine the efficacy 
and safety of potential new drugs, chemicals and cosmetics, with no 
animal models in the process.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Wyss Institute team has formed a company called Emulate to 
further develop and market the product. They have also developed a 
system to automate the chips and connect them with a blood-like medium 
in order to reproduce the experience of the whole human body on chips. 
This way, researchers can get a better picture of the responses of the 
body as one unit and not just as series of individual organs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"This advanced technology is the beginning of a revolution in the way
 we study human biology and disease," said senior scientist Geraldine 
Hamilton. She added that Emulate is more predictive of the human 
situation than animal models, besides being more cost-effective and less
 time-consuming. Therefore, new pharmaceuticals could get to market, and
 to those in need of them, more rapidly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another aspect of the new technology is that it paves the way for 
more personalized treatment with stem cells. "Our vision is we can one 
day put each patient’s cells on chips that mimic the function of organs,
 and this will open up new ways for us to design truly personalized 
treatment with stem cells, based on each patient’s unique genetic 
profile on their own individualized Organs-on-Chips," added Shlomo 
Melmed, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and Dean of the 
medical faculty at Cedars-Sinai, one of the institutional investors in 
the new company.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Emulate has just secured a US$12 million Series A financing to 
develop the product for commercial purposes. The team will now focus on 
design, biology and engineering in order to further develop the 
technology and design new products for various industries.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Besides the lung-on-chip
 seen at the top of the page, in the last four years the researchers 
have also developed more than 10 types of organ/chips, including some 
that emulate the liver, gut, kidney, and bone marrow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Elsewhere, other researchers are looking for methods to replace animal testing including the similarity ensemble approach and sensor nanoparticles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/organs-on-chips-testing/33337/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a> </span></span></div>
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Organs-on-Chips emulate human organs, could replace animals in tests

The search for more efficient tests of pharmaceuticals without animal models is taking a stride forward, with a new technology being ...

Download iOS 8 On Your Android – Sort Of

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">While iOS 8 is Apple’s forthcoming operating system which will be 
available sometime later this fall, you can easily download a taste of 
it now. Here’s the catch: you have to be an Android user. Yes, that’s 
correct – if you want your phone to look like it’s running Apple’s iOS 
8, you have to have an Android phone. (Android users, don’t deny it – 
sometimes you really like that iOS look). If you’re one of those people,
 even if you don’t like to admit it, I have an easy way to help you. All
 you have to do is download the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.one.appx.launcher" target="_blank"><em>iOS 8 Launcher HD Retina Theme</em></a> from the Google Play Store. Best of all, it’s free!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is a pretty simple way to get the best of both worlds – you 
still have all of your Android functionality with the new iOS look. Who 
says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? The launcher even acts 
like iOS – for instance, when you hold down on one of the icons, it will
 jiggle around, just like on an iPhone. It also transforms all of your 
icons and folders into iOS-like buttons.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Download iOS 8 On Your Android - Sort Of" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-17991 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9f4ca9348d71ae7fb8e6217a100646929a8603c4.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="524" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9f4ca9348d71ae7fb8e6217a100646929a8603c4.jpg" style="display: inline;" width="640" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pretty impressive, huh? As I said earlier, all this app does is give 
your phone a visual change – it does nothing to how your Android works 
on the inside.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">SOURCE-TECH BEAT </span></span></div>
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Download iOS 8 On Your Android – Sort Of

While iOS 8 is Apple’s forthcoming operating system which will be available sometime later this fall, you can easily download a taste of ...

Samsung Galaxy Alpha launches with iPhone 6 in its sights

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is finally here - a premium Galaxy smartphone that shares some similarities to the flagship Galaxy S5 while also ploughing its own furrow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's
 the metal framed chassis which Samsung is putting the main emphasis on 
here, as it looks to bring a higher class look and feel to the handset.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Galaxy Alpha won't be competing with the likes of the HTC One M8 or Sony Xperia Z2 however - the 4.7-inch, Super AMOLED 720p display links this particular handset more closely with the upcoming iPhone 6.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A
 super slim, 6.7mm body wrapped in a band of metal is reminiscent of 
Apple's design, although Samsung's new soft touch, dimpled polycarbonate
 rear still sneaks its way onto the back of the device.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While
 the screen may not live up to the full HD offerings we're now 
accustomed to, the octa-core (quad 1.8GHz + quad 1.3GHz), 2.5GHz 
quad-core (depending on which country you're in) processor and 2GB of 
RAM is certainly up there with the best of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finger scannin' good</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Galaxy Alpha also inherits the fingerprint scanner under the home key and the heart rate monitor on the rear from the Galaxy S5, but there are no water or dust resistant features in play here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another
 area that takes a bit of a spec hit is the camera, with a 12MP snapper 
adorning the rear, while on the front you'll find a 2.1MP offering.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<figure><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Samsung Galaxy Alpha" src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Samsung/Galaxy%20Alpha/Press/GalaxyAlpha-Press-04-580-90.jpg" width="580" /></span></span></figure></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In
 terms of storage there's 32GB of internal space to play with, but in an
 interesting twist Samsung has decided not to put a microSD slot into 
the Galaxy Alpha.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There doesn't appear to a SIM tray 
round the outside of the handset, so we're still hopeful the rear cover 
will come off providing access to that and the 1860mAh battery - 
although we'll have to wait for confirmation.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<figure><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Samsung Galaxy Alpha" src="http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Samsung/Galaxy%20Alpha/Press/GalaxyAlpha-Press-05-580-90.jpg" width="580" /></span></span></figure></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
 Samsung Galaxy Alpha release date is set for the start of September and
 it will be available in Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold, 
Sleek Silver and Scuba Blue, although we currently have no word on 
price.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-alpha-launches-with-iphone-6-in-its-sights-1261344" target="_blank">TECH RADAR </a></span></span></div>
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