One of the more interesting “matchups” consumers can expect in September is the iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Alpha matchup, featuring two much-hyped phones getting released around the same time.  While not a true flagship phone based on its specifications, the Galaxy Alpha nonetheless stands out as Samsung’s first metal phone, a comprehensive design improvement over previous Galaxy S flagships.  Of course, we’ve seen those iPhone 6 mockups and renders hinting at Apple’s own design improvements for its flagship.  As it seems, consumers who consider design top priority when purchasing a new phone will have a tough decision when choosing between the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy Alpha.

Thanks to respected designer Martin Hajek, we now can see how the iPhone 6 would look like if compared side-by-side against a Galaxy Alpha.  Hajek’s render, as usual, is based on iPhone 6 rumors, and sports the design nuances present on those earlier leaks – curved edges, a thinner frame that could measure less than seven millimeters, and a Touch ID home button.  The Galaxy Alpha, which launched earlier this month and is due for a September release, is also present on the new Hajek renders, looking as stunning as it did when it made its debut not too long ago, with its metal edges and tweaked design lines.

Samsung has not yet provided an exact release date for the Galaxy Alpha, but it should hit stores next month with specs and features that include a 4.7-inch, 720p display, an eight-core processor for all markets except the U.S. (the American version, if it should come to pass, may run on a Snapdragon 801 quad-core chipset), a 12-megapixel rear camera, and the Galaxy S5’s heart rate tracker and fingerprint reader.

The iPhone 6, on the other hand, is said to come in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch form, with pixel density possibly exceeding 350 ppi.  Other rumored technical details include a new A8 chip, an 8- to 13-megapixel rear camera, iOS 8 out of the box, and an improved Touch ID fingerprint reader.  Expect to see the iPhone 6 announced on September 9, and released on September 19.

The Moto 360 appears to have gotten another pre-release date sighting, appearing on a Best Buy listing right before the retailer pulled it down.  Could this be a case of Motorola and/or Best Buy “trolling” consumers as they eagerly wait for the Moto 360’s actual release?

Although the Moto 360 was launched at Google I/O 2014 along with the Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch, the device is the only one of those three companion smartwatches that has yet to be seen in retailer stores.  But thanks to Best Buy, as well as a few other sites that have published the details leaked out in that quick sighting, consumers now have a much better idea of what to expect from Motorola’s upcoming smartwatch.

The Moto 360, as shown on the listing, will cost $250, making it slightly more expensive than the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live, but still more affordable than Samsung’s Tizen-powered Gear 2 smartwatch from earlier this year.  If the listing is to be believed, it will also come with a 1.5-inch display with 320 x 290 resolution, a heart rate monitor, a Gorilla Glass 3 display, a heart rate monitor, and a durable stainless steel casing.  The Moto 360 is also expected to be powered by a Texas Instruments chipset.

The use of a TI chipset has been singled out as the most interesting basic spec of the Moto 360, and that’s because Motorola, like other Android  OEMs, has typically used Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.  Peculiar as this move may sound, TI has been making some moves to become more recognized as a mobile parts provider, so it may not be that surprising after all to see TI working with Motorola this time around.

Rumors of the Nexus 6 are heating up again, not long after prominent (and now-inactive) leaker Evleaks seemingly doused cold water on the possibility of a Google-branded flagship phone in 2014.  A new report seems to reveal the Nexus 6’s specifications, with a benchmark showing the performance of a phone known as the Motorola “shamu.”

Android Police is the publication responsible for this new spate of Nexus 6 rumors, as the publication reported earlier in the week that the Nexus 6 was spotted on a GFXBench benchmark.  The phone is identified as the Motorola “Shamu,” a misprint of sorts as Google typically uses lower-case for codenames, but the use of an aquatic-related codename is vintage Google.  According to the benchmarks, the Nexus 6 tested for graphical performance that’s comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2, HTC One M8, and OnePlus One.  All of those phones are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processors, so that may be a clue pointing to one of the Nexus 6’s expected specifications.

As for the other Nexus 6 specifications hinted at by Android Police, it seems likely that Google will again go for a device that combines impressive (though not class-leading) specs with a competitive price point.  The Nexus 6 is expected to run on 2 GB RAM, sport a 5.9-inch, 1080p display, and come with a 13-megapixel rear camera, or maybe an 8-megapixel shooter like its predecessor, the Nexus 5.  The phone is expected to be released alongside Android L in October or November, and some have even speculated that Google may also launch the Nexus 8 tablet at the same event.

The chip you see on the side just might turn out to be the first real confirmation of a MacBook Air with Retina Display, though that was, in fact, the product Intel was planning to announce earlier this week.

Laptop customers have long been in the market for a Retina MacBook Air, and they didn’t quite get that when Apple refreshed the MacBook Air earlier this year.  That MacBook Air came with some internal upgrades (emphasis on “some”) and boasted of a lower price tag, but it didn’t come with the all-important spec of Retina Display.  However, Intel’s announcement could be a hint at that long-awaited Retina MacBook Air and a holiday release date.

“Intel today disclosed details of its newest microarchitecture that is optimized with Intel’s industry-leading 14nm manufacturing process,” read the official press release, which goes on to add that these chips “will provide high-performance and low-power capabilities to serve a broad array of computing needs”, which is, as it is, already a hint at an imminent MacBook Air with Retina Display release date.

However, it’s later on in the press announcement where Intel really hints at what its new Core M processor could be powering, and when such a machine would be released.  According to Intel, the “first systems based on the Intel Core M processor will be on shelves for the holiday selling season followed by broader OEM availability in the first half of 2015.”

This does not make for an official confirmation of a Q4 2014 MacBook Air with Retina Display release date, but it sure comes close.  The machine has been making the rounds of the rumor mill since late 2013, and is expected to sport a 12-inch display with 2304 x 1440 resolution, according to a previous note from respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.