Posted: 01 Feb 2012 07:00 PM PST  Mobile World Congress is less than a month away in Barcelona and the anticipation is quickly building for the gadgets that will be announced. We expect to see all kinds of Android devices from tablets to TVs, but the star of the show will be smartphones. And at this year’s show a particular kind of smartphone will take center stage: the quad-core-powered-beast. Why do you need quad-core performance in a phone? Some people will say that mobile applications aren’t ready to take advantage of all that horsepower, and for the most part they are right. In our recent interview with NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang he explained the situation by saying, “It's a little bit of the chicken and the egg. If the applications aren't ready, you have to build a processor that inspires the applications to be ready.” NVIDIA has already delivered their quad-core Tegra 3 processor to the OEMS and it must have inspired them to build some awesome devices because the number or rumored phones is starting to add up. Read on for the full list of quad-core phones that we should see at Mobile World Congress. HTC Edge (aka Supreme aka Endeavor) I still can’t believe I’m typing this, but HTC is rumored to power their 2012 flagship phone with a chip from NVIDIA, instead of Qualcomm. This comes as a shock for many since almost all of HTC’s recent phones have been powered by the Snapdragon processor, and Qualcomm has a minority investment in HTC. This move was first hinted at last year when Stefan Streit, HTC's VP of Marekting, said there was no exclusive deal with Qualcomm and “Nvidia or TI-powered smartphones and tablets are possible in the future.” Then rumors of the Tegra 3-powered HTC Edge started appearing in November, and it appears the phone is quite real. Rumored specs of the HTC Edge include:
The high-end specs are nice, but I hope HTC has some surprises up their sleeves to show off what this hardware can do. Based on recent leaks, it appears that HTC’s Sense 4.0 UI really hides the beauty of Android 4.0, but we haven’t really seen everything it can do. Given HTC’s good reputation with the developer community, the Edge has a chance to become the most popular Tegra 3 phone. Fujitsu Arrows Tegra 3 Fujitsu also surprised a lot of folks at CES when they were the first company to showcase a Tegra 3 phone. Their prototype Arrows phone was kept under the glass, but they had a working unit that was running the game Riptide GP on the big screen. Fujitsu has traditionally targeted the Japanese market with most of their handsets landing on NTT Docomo, but a company representative told me they plan to enter the U.S. market this year. Highlights of the device include:
Look for Fujitsu to unveil a slightly redesigned Arrows smartphone at MWC. We expect they could ditch the hardware buttons and go with software buttons we have seen on other Android 4.0 phones. LG X3 LG was the first company with a Tegra 2 phone, so we expected them to deliver another device based on the latest Tegra offering. Earlier this month, Evan Blass of PocketNow posted the first report of the LG X3, which he said is likely to debut at MWC. Highlights of the device include:
Huawei Diamond Series Huawei impressed us at CES with their Ascend P1 LTE phone, but the company says they have a new Diamond Series coming at MWC that will be their “smartest, fastest and most high-performing smartphone.” The Ascend P1 LTE was using the new dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4, so we expect the Diamond Series could feature Tegra 3. Not much else is known about the Diamond Series, so hopefully we learn more at MWC. ASUS quad-core phone? Asus has announced they will unveil a newly redesigned Padfone at Mobile World Congress. Protoype units show at CES were running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor, but there have been conflicting reports that the final design could feature Tegra 3 instead. Asus produced the first quad-core tablet with their Transformer Prime, so it’s possible they could use the same processor in this flagship phone.The Padfone is sure to impress with its innovative tablet dock that brings the smartphone’s content to a larger display. The tablet dock is also said to work with the ASUS keyboard docking station from their Transformer tablets, so this could be one of the most interesting products we see at MWC. Samsung, Motorola, and MeizuIn addition to all the leaked quad-core phones, we might see a few surprises. Samsung will not be showing their Galaxy S III phone at MWC, but they will be showing several exciting new mobile products that could include some quad-core devices. These products could be powered by Samsung’s own quad-core Exynos 4412 processor or Samsung could use NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 again (like they did with the Galaxy Tab 10.1).Motorola appears to be firmly aligned with Texas Instruments processors, but they have a history of dual-sourcing their parts. We saw Motorola use Tegra 2 for their Xoom tablet and Atrix smartphone, so it’s always possible they could surprise us with a Tegra 3 device. My gut tells me they will debut a couple products powered by the new dual-core 1.8 GHz OMAP4470, but anything is possible. Finally, we could see a special appearance by the Meizu MX quad-core phone. Their dual-core model was powered by the Exynos 4210 and their quad-core model is rumored to use the Exynos 4412, but that chip is not official yet so anything is game. And the competition?NVIDIA will steal the show at Mobile World Congress when it comes to mobile quad-core processors, but they won’t be the only game in town. Qualcomm will make a strong showing with their dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4, Texas Instruments will impress with their dual-core 1.8 GHz OMAP4470, and Samsung could reveal their dual-core 2.0 GHz Exynos 5250.Even though Qualcomm, TI, and Samsung may have chips that offer faster performance, it looks like the average consumer already assumes that quad-core is better than dual-core. I believe most of these chips will offer performance numbers in the same ball park, and the average consumer doesn’t care who wins the different benchmark scores. It will come down to which OEM can best take advantage of the hardware they choose and who can deliver new user experiences that will excite the customer. My prediction? With Samsung holding their Galaxy S III for a separate event later in the year, HTC comes away with the best smartphone of MWC 2012. |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 03:26 PM PST  We’ve known this was coming for some time now, but US Cellular has finally laid out specific details on their 4G LTE launch. You’ll be able to kick the tires and light the fires and of course also satisfy your need for speed in March. That is of course assuming that you are in one of the select cities in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and/or Wisconsin that are part of the initial class[1]. Additional coverage will be announced later this month. The next logical question is what are you going to be able to use on your nigh unlimited new super network and the answer is a bit of a letdown as the two devices that will be available first are the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is going to arrive first in March and it should be indistinguishable from the versions that have been available for about 8 months now. The Galaxy S Aviator is a new name, but it bears a striking resemblance to last year’s Droid Charge. It has the same 4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus display with an 8MP rear-camera, front-facing camera and HDMI port. If you were forced to go with one of the early 4G LTE phones from Verizon that probably would be my pick, but it would have been nice to see something more in line with the Galaxy S II or of course the Galaxy Nexus as was rumored. While the devices might not be blockbusters it’s nice to see the regional carriers putting pressure on the majors like this. If US Cellular can get a second round of devices out in late Q2 or early Q3 that are a little more in line with at least today’s top-end devices they will be worth serious consideration if you live in one of their LTE regions. Show Press Release U.S. CELLULAR ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 4G LTE NETWORK NEXT MONTH ALONG WITH UPCOMING DEVICES Brings up to 10 times faster download speeds and better web browsing experience CHICAGO (Feb. 1, 2012) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), in conjunction with its partner, King Street Wireless, is launching a 4G LTE network next month that will enhance the wireless experience with countless entertainment possibilities and help customers simplify and organize their lives. The 4G LTE network will cover 25 percent of U.S. Cellular's customers and will coincide with the launch of the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 4G LTE mobile tablet followed shortly by the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™ 4G LTE smartphone.4G LTE speeds allow customers to begin watching a movie in seconds and enjoy smoother video streaming with little to no buffering, and video chatting with family or business colleagues is seamless. With the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™, customers have the ability to talk and access the Internet at the same time. They can talk to their family about dinner plans while downloading an app to find nearby restaurants and simultaneously check out reviews online. The March rollout of 4G LTE includes select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma, including some of U.S. Cellular's leading markets such as Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wis.; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, N.C. U.S. Cellular is the first wireless carrier to offer 4G LTE in several of these markets. The next wave of market launches will be announced later this month. "With 4G LTE speeds, you can quickly get what you want when you need it," said Mary N. Dillon, president and CEO of U.S. Cellular. "This 4G LTE network builds upon our industry-leading network satisfaction and is the only one that comes with a valuable rewards program and other unique benefits like Overage Protection and Battery Swap that make our customers the happiest in wireless." The Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 is powered by Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) and has a 10.1-inch WXGA TFT touchscreen. It features superior multi-tasking capabilities, a video watching experience similar to TV and smooth graphics and responsive controls for faster gaming. Apps are downloaded faster on the sleek Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™ smartphone that comes with Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread). It has a 4.3-inch WVGA s-AMOLED plus touchscreen, 8 megapixel rear camera and front-facing camera for easy video chatting. Both devices will provide download and browser speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and be similar to a cable Internet connection. The 4G LTE network builds on the 3G data services that U.S. Cellular customers already enjoy on the carrier's high-quality nationwide network. U.S. Cellular has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G. References
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 01:13 PM PST  It’s days like these when we know Google has our back. They’re constantly working to make all their services better. Today, the Search Giant has released solid updates to two of their services – Google Docs and Chrome to Phone. These updates include some aesthetic improvements for both phones and tablets, as well as offline availability for your documents. Chrome to Phone This new update comes with a rehashed look to the interface. Mostly, the minimalist arrows make it much sharper and more sleek. It might be a bit different for those who don’t have Android 4.0, though. When I tested the update on an HTC Thunderbolt with Gingerbread, the arrows still had the older look.The guys from Android Central have a much different look, though. And it might be due to the software differences of Ice Cream Sandwich. The UI is still missing the new unified Ice Cream Sandwich look. It would be great if Google could integrate the same updated look to all of its apps, including this one. Instead of the image on top, it could be a bar with options, the search button and the menu button, much like Google Docs (image below) and many other apps out there. The update also includes a fix to the crashes when copying text, which is definitely welcome. Also, if you’re a landscape user, you might be happy to know that this feature has been included to Chrome to Phone as well. Google DocsGoogle Docs saw a more exciting update this time around. Many of our tablets are WiFi-only. This means that we find ourselves without an internet connection much of the time, in which case you can’t access or edit documents from Google Docs.This update adds offline usability to Google Docs. Simply choose which documents you want to be able to access offline, and they become available wherever you might be. As with all Google Services in Android, this app is meant to be easy to work with. Basically, after you choose a document to be available offline, the app syncs automatically whenever possible. You can make any changes to a document, and the changes will be updated as soon as the tablet hits internet connectivity. (This can also be done manually). This would be very helpful for tablet users who are constantly working on their documents. Go ahead and work; the changes will be automatically updated when possible, creating a much more unified experience. That’s not the only new feature in this update, though. There’s also a new feature for tablet users. Now when you open a document (while online) you will see a “high-resolution” version. This has much of a magazine feel. You can swype left and right through the pages, displaying all your hard work.  Wrap-UpKeep them coming, Google! If you want to check out these new updates, go ahead and get them straight from the Android Market. We have posted the links below for your convenience. Be sure to let us know what you think. |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:40 PM PST  The week is half over and that means the ref’s whistle just sounded and the first annual Android Bowl has officially reached halftime! If you have not been keeping up, we’ve paired with @NVIDIAtegra to give away three Transformer Prime tablets, complete with quad-core processing power and a keyboard dock to boot. The bad news is that a bunch of you guys seemed to miss the theme- nay, the spirit of the first post. We’re just using the timing of the big football game to try to parallel a battle between Android brands. While some of you got this, most of you guys tweeted and commented about the actual football teams. Not that we don’t love some football, but the Android Bowl is about Android. We’re looking to find the brands, carriers, and manufacturers that you guys most trust and enjoy. To play along, you visit the Edit account page and select a carrier and manufacturer. When talking trash and sharing the link, root for your Android team! Halftime statsTo keep the ball moving, we’re going to share a peek at a few of the Android Bowl stats we’ve racked up so far. We’re not only tracking the number of users each team has, we’re keeping tallies of the actual score and rank of each user, allowing us to make some interesting comparisons.For instance, even though Verizon is in the top carrier slot by number of users, the And Me Accounts belonging to team T-Mobile actually have a higher average rank. In addition to monitoring the top performers, we’re also keeping a close eye on the bottom of the pack. Motorola currently has the lowest average rank among manufacturers with at least 100 users, while some teams like Amazon don’t have even a single member (no Kindle Fire fans?). We’ll be back at the close of the Android Bowl to share all the stats you guys created, but we thought halftime might be a good time to head to the locker room and rally your team. Bragging rights are at stake. Is your carrier or manufacturer going to come out on top? If you’d like to talk trash, make predictions, or try to convince your friend to join your team, we’ve left a preloaded tweet box below: Oh yeah, and the free Primes?We’re picking a winner from a random comment from each day (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) who will receive a Transformer Prime, with dock, direct from @NVIDIAtegra. We already closed comments on Day 1, comments here will be live (if you’ve entered a carrier and manufacturer) until our next post comes on Friday. Break! |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 11:21 AM PST  Today’s survey statistics involve quite a deal of comic ‘relief.’ Not only are we dominating the smartphone market, but we’re also beating everyone in other fields. According to a couple of surveys, it seems Android users are most likely to use their phone while in the toilet and to have one night stands. Smartphones & Toilets[1]The first numbers come from marketing agency 11mark. This survey relates to the use of smartphones in the lavatory, and it seems Android users are the ones to do it the most. 87% of surveyed Android users admitted to using their smartphones while sitting on the toilet. We don’t happen to be much more prone to do this, compared to BlackBerry and iPhone users.84% of BlackBerry users admitted to doing the same. iPhone users brought up the rear at 77%. As you can see, we’re all a bunch of smartphone kings, controlling our life from the throne. But it also seems BlackBerry users are most likely to answer calls while in the toilet; a whopping 75% of them say they’ve done so. This is a bit high compared to Android users at 67% and iPhone users at 60%. It might also be interesting to note that there’s not much of a gender gap with this habit. The survey proves that men and women are almost as likely to fall in this category. 74% of men and 76% of women surveyed said this was something they did. Smartphones & Relationships[2]Now let’s move out of the restroom (unless you guys like to do the following there, too), and on to the bedroom. The next survey was held by Match.com (a popular dating site) and is about relationships and smartphones. (Survey held in Canada). In this survey, we Android users are categorized as “The Seducer.”It seems Android users are the most likely to get close and personal on the first date. 62% of studs admitted that they’ve had sexual relations during the first night out. iPhone users stand at 57%, while BlackBerry users are lonely at 48%. But just as we start loving quick, it seems we also stop loving quick ; Android users are also the most likely to have one-night stands. 55% of the participants admitted that this is something they have done before. And we’re also the ones most inclined to visit dating sites (72%). It also seems iPhone users like having relationships within the workplace and like to call you right back the day after your first date. (Come on guys, some time to breathe can’t hurt!). If you’re the dreamer type, you might want to go with a BlackBerry user. 67% of these guys believe in love at first sight (and they’re more likely to get their drinking on on the first date – 72%). Wrap-upThese percentages make me wonder if Android users are much more likely to be single. The love life survey paints a picture of us as social butterflies looking for affection. I also wonder if we’re flirting with our significant others while in the toilet. Now that would make for a very intimate relationship.What you guys think of this? Do you feel like you’re more comfortable with intimacy as these surveys suggest? References
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 10:24 AM PST  FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction is demolition racing at its extreme. The PC series has previously been available through Steam, but now the developer Team6 is bringing their latest creation to the Android Market. Company CEO Ronnie Nelis recently revealed that FlatOut 3′s popular Stuntman mode would be turned into a full-blown game for Android devices. The concept of the game is simple. Gameplay includes the player driving their vehicles into obstacles, which ejects the driver who flies out the window. Mission objectives include hitting a target with the driver, breaking as many bones as possible, or just causing mass destruction. When we were doing concept art for the levels we had in mind, we suddenly realized that there is not a single game we can think of that's more fun to develop than 'FlatOut: Stuntman'. It's the pure essence, it has all the ingredients, of what the perfect videogame should be made of: The gameplay is entirely based upon very short levels but each of them highly additictive with a replay-value like no other game. The visuals we were able to achieve on Tegra 3 are truly unbelievable and meanwhile our level design assured that gamers will be pleasantly surprised or even shocked by the possibilities in gameplay and content: There is nothing left for us to wish for what a great game should include.Ronnie NelisTeam6NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 is mentioned as the target platform, but we expect the developer will target as many Android devices as possible that can handle the game. For an idea of what’s in store, check out the trailer for the PC version of FlatOut 3 below. |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:59 AM PST  Samsung just released a teaser video for their upcoming Super Bowl XLVI ad. This is the company’s first Super Bowl ad, so they decided to go all out with a 90 second spot, one of the longest of the big game. Samsung previously announced that the Bobby Farrelly, known for directing famous comedy films There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, would produce the ad and it would run during the 4th quarter. As you can see from the clip below, the ad will continue Samsung’s The Next Big Thing campaign that pokes fun at Apple fans waiting in line for the iPhone 4S. We already know that Samsung will use the spot to promote the AT&T Galaxy Note, which goes on pre-order February 5th. Based on the comments from our previous article, it looks like people are stoked about the ad but they are still unsure about their feelings for the Galaxy Note. Make sure to tune in Sunday at 6:30 PM to catch the big game and then come back to let us know what you think. For those of who can’t find the game on a local affiliate, it will also be streamed live on NBC.com. Samsung is also encouraging their fans to visit their Facebook page and vote the add as one of their favorites for the Super Bowl. Any guesses what happens next? |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:30 AM PST  Planning to watch the New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday? The NFL just released their official Super Bowl XLVI Guide to the Android Market where it’s free to download. It appears the app has a lot of features geared towards those lucky enough to be in Indianapolis this weekend, but there are plenty of other goodies for those watching from home. Highlights of the app include:
For those who are not a fan of American Football, you still might want to tune into the 4th quarter when Samsung will unveil their next big ad. Also, don’t forget to pick your team in our first annual Android Bowl, where you can win a free Asus Transformer Prime powered by Tegra 3. |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:14 AM PST  Developer Madfinger Games has been on a roll recently with their hit title Shadowgun, easily one of the best looking Android games to date. The company just released their free add-on, dubbed The Leftover, and now they are hard at work on their free multiplayer expansion called Deadzone. Today at 2 PM PST / 5 PM EST, Madfinger CEO Marek Rabas will host a live chat on Gamestop’s Facebook page to answer any questions that you might have. Hopefully he will announce a release date for the Shadowgun: Deadzone beta and reveal what other projects his team is working on. In addtion, Madfinger games is also running a contest on their Facebook page to give away a free Asus Transformer Prime. Just like their page and fill out a quick form, and you are entered to win. We will make an effort to join the live chat later today, so we look forward to seeing some of you there. What questions would you ask Madfinger Games about Android game development? |
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 05:56 AM PST  We knew Samsung was reviewing their options for the Galaxy S III launch, and now it appears the company will skip Mobile World Congress in favor of hosting their own special launch event. A Samsung representative issued a statement to TechRadar which read, “Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012. The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.” Some have speculated that Samsung had a delay in manufacturing or it was a strategic move to rival the iPhone 5 that is rumored to launch in July. We are hoping this move means that we could see Samsung’s new 2 GHz Exynos 5250 processor inside the Galaxy S III. This next-generation processor will be the first to feature ARM’s Cortex-A15 CPU core and Mali-T604 GPU. Samsung recently announced it would go into volume production in Q2, so we think it should be ready for the device’s launch. Thankfully Samsung will still introduce some other new mobile devices at MWC 2012, and we will be on-site to check out whatever gets revealed. |
Thursday, February 2, 2012
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