Following on from the news that Samsung shipped 2.6x the number of smartphones that Apple did last quarter, new figures released by research firm IDC show that Samsung tablet shipments grew by 123% to 9.7 million tablets over the same period. While Apple still leads the way with 29.6% of the tablet market, this is down considerably from the 40.2% share the company captured during this same quarter last year. Samsung meanwhile holds a company record 20.4% of the market, while Asus holds 7.4% (representing a 53% year on year increase). The two biggest growth companies for tablets are Acer and Lenovo — with their shipments increasing 346% and 420% respectively to represent 0.9% and 1.1% of the overall market.

Given Google’s apparent disregard for secrecy when it comes to the new Nexus 5, you won’t be surprised to see that the device is already being unboxed all over the globe ahead of its official unveiling.

We already know what it’s going to look like and almost every piece of hardware that’s packed into it, of course, and now we get to take a sneak peek at some of the new features built into Android 4.4 KitKat, too — including an “iCloud for Android” backup service.

Announced last month at IFA 2013 in Berlin, ASUS’s latest Transformer Pad variant, the TF701T – which ships with a revamped version of the traditional dock and runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean– is now available to purchase in the U.S. through Amazon for $499.

Phones 4U has today launched the pink Galaxy Note 3 in the United Kingdom. The retailer has secured exclusivity of this particular variant during November, so you won’t find it anywhere else just yet, and you can order it online starting today or pick one up in a Phones 4U store from tomorrow.

The relatively new U.S. operator, Republic Wireless is holding a contest on its official Facebook page, in which it plans to give away what it calls a “Moto X Prize Pack,” consisting of a Moto X handset, 12 months of free service from the carrier and an impressive package of accessories.