While some of you may have been disappointed to see no official release information on the elusive White Nexus 4 at Google I/O, it appears there may be some light at the end of the tunnel after all. Whispers are emerging that the device is still on course for a release next month and Google may make up for the delay, by releasing the White Nexus 4 as the first device to run Android 4.3.

Android 4.3 is now almost certain to be the next version of Android to release after 4.2, with Google seemingly not ready yet to wow the world with an Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie reveal. The big question now is whether Android 4.3 is going to be a major improvement from the previous version, or if Google plans to make it a minor update.

Either way, the White Nexus 4 will take on added significance next month, as the first device to receive and ship with Android 4.3 out of the box. A rumor over at AndroidandMe suggests that the device will officially go on sale on June 10, direct from the Google Play Store.

As we revealed in a previous report, the White Nexus 4 also looks set to ship with a white back casing only, with the front still enclosed side a black shell. Has Google left it too late though to release the variant, with the ‘White’ color smartphone craze perhaps showing signs of dying out?

Paying $299 for a device, when the fresher Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus is available at the end of June for $649, may end up being the key factor that requires a lot of thought. Then again, the Nexus 4 is still by no means a hardware slouch, shipping with a quad-core 1.5Ghz processor, 2GB of RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean amongst other delights.

So there we have it. How bad do you want Android 4.3? Desperate to get the White Nexus 4 at launch, or happy to wait until your current Android phone gets an upgrade?

It has been a long wait indeed, but we are now officially entering Samsung Galaxy S4 launch week. It appears in some cases though, that many consumers have already hit jackpot – with some Verizon Galaxy S4 pre-orders, already being shipped out with official notices from Big Red informing consumers of the good news.

Don’t forget this is on top of the fact that Verizon also recently confirmed that the official launch date of the device had been pushed forward, from May 30 to May 23. If you have already ordered a Galaxy S4 a while ago, it may be a good idea now to check your Verizon mail, as we have word that FedEx is already delivering units to some lucky consumers.

You can see evidence of this thanks to a shipping confirmation image obtained by CNET. It confirms that a consumer’s 16GB Black Mist Galaxy S4 is already on the way, meaning that actual deliveries may take place on Monday May 20, a full three days ahead of schedule.

It goes without saying that the wait for a release has been a painful one, especially with AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile already offering the device to their respective customers for some time. However, everybody loves an early release date and a surprise in the post, so hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones as you wake up on Monday morning.

If you have a Verizon Galaxy S4 on order, let us know if you have already received a shipping notification from the carrier yet, confirming a delivery by FedEx. Better yet – is there anyone out there who already has their device in-hand as of last week?

Earlier on this week we told you about the exclusive Samsung Galaxy S4 variant that the Japanese market would be receiving, in the form of a stylish Blue Arctic model. Now, we have the first video straight from Japan to show you, giving you an idea of how the Blue model looks when compared to the traditional black Galaxy S4.

To recap, Samsung’s flagship device is launching in Japan this week and it looks like they will have an exclusive color all to themselves. The Blue Arctic variant joins the Black Mist and White Frost colors, and arguably looks the best out of the three – especially for those that loved the Pebble Blue Galaxy S3.

Now you can see what the device looks like yourself, thanks to an early video from Japan. We see the device running on NTT DoCoMo which has the Blue Arctic color and what it looks like side-to-side with the black model. We can’t help but notice that the device also seems to be something of a fingerprint magnet, but this is obviously easily rectified with the right care and attention – or a case on the back.

Amid the interface browsing on the device, you can also spot what appears to be a cartoon character making its way across the display screen. It probably looks a bit bizarre to you and me, but no doubt it will provide a buzz for the Japanese audience. Watching the video makes us wonder if the device will ever be announced for a release in US and Europe – we would easily prefer an Blue Arctic model over Black Mist or White Frost.

Take a look for yourself and let us know what you think about the new color. Are some of you even thinking of importing one?

Google may have announced big new changes to their Maps and Hangout services at Google I/O just hours ago, but arguably the biggest announcement of the day was the unveiling of a Samsung Galaxy S4, with a stock Nexus user experience which Google will directly sell themselves through the Play Store.

It means that we didn’t get to see the announcement of the mysterious Google X phone from Motorola, but perhaps we don’t need to anymore. The Samsung Galaxy S4 unveiling by Google will be a stock device, running an untouched version of Android 4.2 which will be a major incentive for a lot of consumers who don’t like using Samsung’s Touchwiz custom skin.

Another major incentive is the fact that Google’s Samsung Galaxy S4 will come with an unlocked bootloader straight out of the box and will have LTE support, on T-Mobile and AT&T. While that is fantastic news for customers on those networks, it is going to be a painful blow for those on Verizon and Sprint who will just have to sit and watch while others enjoy the ultimate Galaxy S4 experience.

Google has confirmed that the device will go on sale on June 25, but the asking price may prove to be a stumbling block for some of you. Unlike the Nexus 4, Google are asking for $649 for their Galaxy S4 and that is only for a 16GB device. There has been no mention of a 32GB model from Google, which could prove to be another issue to contend with.

$649 for a device with impressive hardware features, but only around 12GB of storage to play around with – that surely isn’t enough for most consumers, right? Then again, this is a stock Nexus experience we are talking about, plus a device that is now going to be first in line for all future Android updates – including Android 4.3 which is coming next.

If you are on Verizon or Sprint, give us your reaction to the news. Are you tempted to switch carriers just for this phone? Let’s hope the Google Play Store can keep up with demand this time.

Samsung may have only launched their new flagship Galaxy S4 in Black Mist and White Frost, but it looks like other regions could be in line to receive some exclusive colors. Over the shores, Japan is gearing up for the launch of the handset this week and Samsung looks set to offer consumers a sexy new Galaxy S4 in Blue Arctic colors.

Some of you may be missing the shade of blue on the Galaxy S4, as you won’t need us to tell you that the Samsung Galaxy S3 launched with a Pebble Blue option. However, it is just black and white at the moment in Europe and the US, leaving Japan consumers with a brand new color all to themselves.

The Blue Arctic model looks fantastic as well and arguably the most visually appealing color as well compared to Black Mist and White Frost. Unfortunately, Samsung hasn’t revealed the slightest hint on whether the new color will be appearing outside of Japan, so for now it remains exclusive on the NTT DoCoMo network.

Now would be the perfect time to contact that distant friend in Japan and ask them to get hold of one for you, especially if they remain exclusive to the country – it could earn a fortune on places like Ebay. We just have to sit back, wait and hope that Samsung makes the announcement soon as no doubt many consumers will be feeling a little jealous at the moment.

Imagine the reaction if Verizon announces an exclusive on the Blue Arctic Galaxy S4, to make up for the fact that they were late on the official launch of the device compared to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile? We wouldn’t rule it out from happening, since the carrier has been known to snap up official smartphone colors in the past.

Would you like to get your hands on a blue Galaxy S4, or are you happy with your black or white model?

We are just hours away from Google’s highly anticipated I/O event at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Excitement and speculation has been building up on a possible Google X phone to be unveiled in collaboration with Motorola, but there is also the little matter of the outstanding White Nexus 4 as well, which has yet to go on sale.

When the Nexus 4 initially launched, many consumers were under the impression that they would be able to choose from a white version as well, along with the traditional black model. However, it never happened due to unexplained reasons and the White Nexus 4 has managed to stay a mystery for over half a year.

We have had small leaks during this period, but perhaps the biggest has come just before Google’s event. The device has appeared in a video originating in Dubai, but not how you expect it. A white Nexus 4 would come with a white body all over you would presume, but now we have learned that Google may be offering the device with a white back cover only, with the front still featuring black colors.

Watch the video above to see what we mean then decide what you think about it. We would have preferred to see a full white coating, but some of you may actually like the hybrid design on this occasion. The white crystalized design on the back certainly looks nice, while the reminder that the device is made by LG is still there to see as well.

Hardware specs are thought to be exactly the same as the original, while this device in particular is running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The device is also locked in place as you can see, since the video was apparently captured at a Qualcomm booth – giving further evidence that this black and white iteration of the Nexus 4 is definitely on the way.

What do you think about the mixture of colors? Would you prefer to have a white paint job all over or not?

If you are still in possession of a Samsung Galaxy S3 device on T-Mobile, we have some very good news for you this week. The Galaxy S4 may be available on the network, but T-Mobile are still keeping up with their support for the old model we’re pleased to see. A new software update is available, bringing the T-Mobile Galaxy S3 to Android 4.1.2.

More importantly, it specifically adds the very useful multi-window feature, which will allow users to use two apps simultaneously side-by-side – perfect for multitasking lovers. It essentially means that you can open up a video on YouTube, having it playing and then continue to view the video as well as another app next to it at the same time.

Android 4.1.2 on the Galaxy S3 also adds an auto-pairing feature via NFC, as well as some enhanced camera options that picture lovers will appreciate. The update officially started rolling out on May 13, so hopefully a lot of you should have already received a notification to update to Android 4.1.2 OTA.

Once installed, you should have a new baseband of T999UVDMD5 – you can check this in your device settings. If you are yet to receive a notification, you can also attempt to push the update manually in phone settings, or grab the update using your computer and the Samsung Kies software.

As always, make sure you are on a WiFi connection and have sufficient battery life available. T-Mobile has said that the update is around 168MB in size, so make suitable requirements as necessary. We think it’s nice that T-Mobile dropped the update during the Galaxy S4 launch fever – just a nice reminder that the love is still there from the carrier for those that are deciding to hold on to the Galaxy S3 for a little while longer.

Have you received the update to Android 4.1.2 yet in your area?

We have some more details to share with you now, on the elusive Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. Samsung has yet to officially acknowledge a smaller version of their current flagship just yet, but frequent evidence and picture leaks suggests that it is on the way soon, just like the Galaxy S3 Mini before it.

We first heard about a smaller Galaxy S4 towards the end of March, when we told you that the device was apparently on schedule for a release sometime in June or July. A smaller model usually implies a reduction in hardware grunt and as we saw with the S3 Mini, it looks like the Galaxy S4 Mini will follow suit.

We could see a device with a 1.6Ghz dual-core processor and a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display – a significant change from the 5-inch display that ships with the normal Galaxy S4, as well as a quad-core processor in the US and an Octa core Exynos chip in Europe.

We now have some new pictures of the device to show you, courtesy of some whispers emerging out of China. The device has appeared on Sina Weibo, allegedly showing what the Galaxy S4 Mini will look like in black, compared to the Galaxy S3 side-by-side. Just to remind you, the G3 had a 4.8 display, so you can see the difference above with the 4.3-inch Galaxy S4 Mini next to it.

It certainly looks very compact in a smaller size, but a dual-core processor may be a bitter pill to swallow for consumers who were still expecting to see a quad-core chip. Then again, if the price is very reasonable then it could be overlooked for those that value price over hardware features.

It is twice that we have now seen notable leaks on a smaller Samsung Galaxy S4. Does it mean that an official announcement is just around the corner? Let’s hope so.

We have some important news for those of you who were confident enough to pledge a donation for the Kickstarter-funded Ouya console. The highly anticipated Android system has received a slight delay, due to high demand from retailers according to company CEO Julie Uhrman.

The good news however, is that the device will still be available in June. The official launch of Ouya was due to take place on June 4. Now though, it has been confirmed that Ouya will instead be available on June 25, giving time for the team to step up their efforts behind the scenes to make sure that sufficient supply will be available from retailers.

If you are planning to buy Ouya from the UK, you’ll be able do so from specialist retailer GAME and Amazon. For those looking for some emulator action in the US, Ouya will be going on sale throughout GameStop and Best Buy, as well as online from Amazon too. Aside from SNES, NES, N64 and Commodore 64 support, Ouya has also been backed by a large number of big name publishers.

Square-Enix is one such name that has lended their support, offering Final Fantasy III as a title available straight from launch. Fez is also a game that is on the way later in the year, with more developers likely add to add support once the console has successfully launched.

In other related news, the team behind Ouya has also acknowledged a fault with the controller and have confirmed that the problem (involving sticky buttons) has already been fixed and will be implemented on controllers in time for the revised June 25 launch. Backers who are yet to receive their console will get the fixed controllers, while those who already have Ouya have been advised to contact customer service to solve the problem.

Are you on the Ouya bandwagon, solely due to the emulator support, or will you be buying one for other reasons? Let’s hope some more big developers lend their support throughout the year.

It has only been a few days since we told you about a launch update that was surprisingly on the way to the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S4. Now, it appears that the other two major carriers in the US that have the device, are following suit as well. Official software updates for the Galaxy S4 on Sprint and AT&T are rolling out this week, but are they actually updates or rather fixes?

If you have the highly popular device on T-Mobile, you can now install the M919UVUAMDL update, which will add ‘improvements’ to visual voicemail and the Isis wallet app. Not to be undone, Sprint and AT&T are now getting in on the act – posting official support pages of their own referencing new software updates that are going live this week.

To start with Sprint, the carrier has started to roll out the update within the last 24 hours, adding SMS notification improvements and S-Health enhancements to the device. It’s an OTA update that will install automatically when you have received the notification, with Sprint stating that it will take 10 minutes to download on a WiFi or 4G connection, and 20 minutes on a 3G connection.

That means that the update should be available already to most Galaxy S4 owners on Sprint. If not, you can also try to push the update manually be following these steps: Apps > Settings > About phone > System Update > Update Samsung Software > Check now.

Meanwhile, AT&T has also posted software update notes of their own on their support website. The new update will change your baseband version to I337UCUAMDL and will offer touch screen senstivity improvements, an enhanced Multi window experience and also an update to S-Health as well. AT&T’s update can also be pushed manually for those looking to get the new version straight away.

While these are all obviously minor updates, do you believe that they are improvements that the carriers simply didn’t have time to fix before launch? Having said that, any official support is always welcomed of course, so let us know what you would like to see from each respective carrier in relation to major improvements.