Skype Qik on iPhone. Screenshot: Cult of Android

Others have tried and failed to knock Snapchat off its perch, and now Microsoft is throwing its hat into the ring with a new service that uses Skype as its backbone. It’s called Skype Qik, and it allows users on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone to send self-destructing videos up to 42 seconds long.

Photo: Tenaa.com.cn

Lenovo’s new Sisley handset may not feature the protruding camera and unsightly antenna bands that were criticized in some corners about the iPhone, but don’t let it be said that this is entirely an iPhone 6 carbon copy without the compromises.

Having had its hardware capabilities revealed, it’s clear exactly where the sacrifices have been made: and they’re entirely related to the specs.

Read on to find out why this is no iPhone beater.

A cartoon Nexus 6 appears in Google’s new Android ads. Screenshot: Cult of Android

Google’s upcoming Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices have made a seemingly accidental appearance in a number of awesome new Android ads. The three clips, which are all less than 30 seconds long, were published on the Android website on Monday night before being quickly removed.

The Sisley is an iPhone 6 knockoff. Photo: Weibo

In an effort to make the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus as thin and as light as possible, Apple made some sacrifices. Battery life — particularly on the smaller iPhone 6 — isn’t as good as it could have been, and the rear-facing iSight camera on both devices sticks right out. Could the Cupertino company have done a better job?

Lenovo seems to think so. Leaked pictures of its upcoming Sisley handset show a device that looks almost identical to the iPhone 6 — without the protruding camera and with slightly less unsightly antenna bands.

Will Android L be named ‘Licorice’? Image: Google

We’ve been pondering Android L’s real name for as long as I can remember. Google decided it didn’t want to put us out of our misery when it announced the update at Google I/O back in June, so we’re still guessing. Some reports have suggested it could be called Lollipop, while others say it will be named Lion after another chocolate bar made by Nestle.

Now a Google+ post from a sculptor you’ve probably never heard of suggests Android L will be named Licorice instead.