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ZTE unveils first smartphone with NVIDIA’s Icera modem, Tegra goes mainstream Posted: 20 Feb 2012 05:30 PM PST When most think of a mainstream or entry-level smartphone, we picture some cheap junk with a small low-res screen, crappy camera, and an outdated version of Android. Now imagine a smartphone running Android 4.0 with a 4.3 inch qHD display, 5 MP rear camera + VGA front camera, and a dual-core Tegra 2 processor. Obviously the specs don’t match up with the upcoming high-end devices, but what if I told you such a phone could be purchased for around $150, without a contract. Today Chinese handset manufacturer ZTE announced the Mimosa X. It features all the specs mentioned above along with NVIDIA’s Icera 450 HSPA+ modem. NVIDIA just acquired Icera last year and this is the first Android device to feature their technology. “The ZTE Mimosa X is exciting for a few reasons,” said Michael Rayfield, General Manager of the Mobile business at NVIDIA. “The Mimosa X marks the first time NVIDIA technology powers all the major processors in a single smartphone, and also the first time a premium mobile computing experience is coming to the mainstream smartphone market.” ZTE said the Mimosa X will launch around Q2, but no carrier partners were announced. The final price still remains a mystery, but NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang hinted at it during a recent earnings call. When asked about growth opportunities for 2012, Jen-Hsun mentioned that Tegra 2 was a good fit for mainstream phones. Jen-Husn said, “The third growth opportunity is the 999 or what some people call 1000RMB phone. And this is an affordable, very affordable smartphone with dual-core capability and the way that they describe it, the way the marketplace internalized it is it’s a phone that has the capability of an iPhone 4 but is extremely affordable.” The “1000RMB” term stands for 1000 Chinese Yuan, which is around $159 with the current conversion rates. In today’s pre-paid market it is possible to find Android phones priced below $199, but I wouldn’t recommend them to any of my friends. If ZTE can deliver the Mimosa X at that sub-$199 price range off contract, then I think we will see them move a lot of units. Heck at that price, we could see it on one of the big carriers for free on contract. Overall, the Mimosa X looks like a solid effort from ZTE. Hopefully more details will be revealed next week at Mobile World Congress. ZTE just showed off a Tegra 3 tablet at CES, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they also unveil a Tegra 3 smartphone.

Sony’s tiny phone strategy will not be left in the past, Xperia U images leaked ahead of MWC Posted: 20 Feb 2012 02:05 PM PST Sony Mobile Communications is going to make some major changes, now that Ericsson is no longer part of the equation. But it seems like the Japanese manufacturer is not going to stop making mini devices anytime soon. Mobile World Congress is just around the corner, and we have a flurry of leaked images displaying the Sony Xperia U standing right next to its big brother, the Sony Xperia S. This device seems to be Sony’s new iteration to the Xperia Mini family, but with a form factor and design similar to the Xperia S. And if you were worrying about lower specs, this bad boy won’t be too bad. At least according to the latest rumors. The Xperia U is said to feature a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 3.5-inch display (854x480p), and a 5 MP rear-facing camera. Most of these are still rumors, though. And it seems like it is running the same version and UI overlay as the Xperia S, which should be getting Android 4.0 later on (currently running Android 2.3). If you are a fan of the fun size smartphones, this might just be the one to take a look at. So check out the images below, and let’s stay tuned for official details at MWC. How many of you would go for one of these little guys? Gallery

Video: Xperia S unboxing videos, leaked commercials; a new era for Sony ‘non-Ericsson’ Posted: 20 Feb 2012 11:35 AM PST After a few short months of proposing a Sony acquisition of Ericsson’s mobile division, the deal has been finalized. The Japanese electronics giant is at the dawning of a new era, and we’re already starting to see the fruits of their labor. New smartphones like the Xperia Ion and Xperia S no longer have the Ericsson branding embedded. Recent unboxing videos show the same pattern for the boxing of new devices, but with some major changes in packaging design. We must say that the new Xperia S box is a bit odd. It’s wider and thinner, making it look a bit cheaper. But it’s interesting and unique, nonetheless. We know you guys couldn’t care less about the packaging, as it goes to the closet (or the trash can) soon after it’s opened. If you want to see how the device performs and looks, the second video should be more to your liking. It displays the device’s good looks and translucent buttons bar and Sony’s new UI, which seems to be called UXP NXT (also seen in the teaser video). Major changes seem to include tweaks to the gallery, media player and TimeScape. You may or may not like Sony’s UI Overlay, but it’s not as bad as others. And after making a few modifications, it has the potential to be much better. We can see in the unboxing videos that Sony has included Ericsson chargers and cables in the boxes (probably just trying to get rid of them). But this is the beginning of what could be a great improvement for Xperia smartphones. Either way, the Sony Xperia S is an awesome device. And it looks like it should be coming very soon, as review units are already being delivered. Let’s sit tight and wait for more details. In the meantime, make sure to take a look at our hands-on post and video. Check out the videos and let us know what you think. Do you like this device? Do you see Sony doing a better job in the Android ecosystem now that it’s running solo?

Chrome Senior VP speaks about the future of Chrome for Android – big things to come Posted: 20 Feb 2012 10:56 AM PST We have been begging and pleading for Android to get the Chrome browser for years. And now that we have a Beta version available for Android 4.0 devices, the world seems a bit more at peace. Many of you may currently be enjoying this to its full potential, but as usual, Google is not stopping any time soon. Senior VP of Chrome, Sundar Pichai, has gone on the record, and we are expecting some huge improvements within the coming year. Google’s plan is to make more money directly from Chrome via purchases of web apps. In part, the browser for mobile is being improved, along with the experience, to lure customers into spending more cash on their browsing experience. But with Google Chrome being one of the most popular browsers out there, we assume that will be no problem. Chrome for Android is only available for Android 4.0 devices, which makes for about 1% of the Android-using population. In just a few weeks, it has been downloaded from 100,000-500,000 times. Sundar Pichai is very proud of the consumer response, and claims that complaints are minor. But he plans to keep working hard on it, and goes on to say that in a year from now, Chrome will take “leaps and bounds.” Given that it's a beta product and only available on ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich, aka Android 4.0, which has only barely penetrated the market), we're really happy where it is. I think most people haven't experienced it on tablets. They will discover a lot of good things there as well. We've received positive feedback, and the feature requests are pretty minor. We are going to continue releasing Chrome for Android at a pretty healthy pace. In a year from now, we're going to take leaps and bounds.Sundar PichaiSenior VP of Chrome But what exactly are some of the improvements we are talking about? The details are scarce, but Pichai goes on to mention that people’s favorite characteristics of Chrome for Android are the speed, sync and tab stack. And what users request more is the ability to see full desktop versions of websites. As we know, the days of Flash are over, but the team will be focusing on HTML5 and assures us that they are working on bringing this feature. There is much to expand on, and it would be great to see all of the other Chrome features come to Android. Extensions and apps are just the beginning. But we would like to know what you guys think. What do you think we will coming from Chrome in a year? Hit the source link to read the full interview, and let’s see what the future holds for Chrome.

Borderlands 2 and Demolition Inc. coming to Tegra Zone Posted: 20 Feb 2012 09:47 AM PST With the wave of upcoming Tegra 3 devices about to be announced later this month, we felt it was a good time to preview a couple of upcoming games for Tegra Zone. NVIDIA’s showcase app has racked up a couple million installs since it launched last year and it now boasts close to 40 games optimized for Tegra devices. Now that more devices are coming to market, we are starting to see more quality releases (like Grand Theft Auto III and Shadowgun) and more developers are signing up to bring their games to Android. Read on for our top Tegra picks. Borderlands 2 Last week at PDXLAN 19, Dallas-based studio Gearbox Software showed off Borderlands 2 running on a Tegra 3 tablet. Some attendees at the event were disappointed because they were expecting a demo of NVIDIA’s next-gen Kepler GPU, but this is still a significant announcement for Android. Borderlands 2 is scheduled for a summer release on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. We are still waiting for more details, but this could be the first time that a console-quality game sees a simultaneous release on Android. We know that Tegra 3 has a PC-class GeForce GPU, but only a couple of developers have taken full advantage of it. Check out the Borderlands 2 site for future updates on this game. Demolition Inc. Also announced last week was Demolition Inc. from Zeroscale. This action strategy game lets you assume the role of a demolition worker and shows off the physics processing power of Tegra devices. Demolition Inc. is currently scheduled for a March release. Highlights of Demolition Inc. include: Car and building physics are fully simulated. Everything is destructible and nothing is pre-animated. Use the endless possibilities of combining your tools and weapons to make devastating chain reactions. Use your tractor beam to take control of cars, place anti-gravity ramps to maximize damage, use the huge wrecking ball to make way. Three cities and 15 districts are awaiting to be demolished by you and lead to their true destination! Compare your skills with those of your friends and the world-wide steam community.

A closer look at Motorola’s Android 4.0.3 build for the Verizon DROID RAZR Posted: 20 Feb 2012 07:38 AM PST Today we’re getting a second look at the Android 4.0.3 update for Verizon’s Motorola DROID RAZR. The new leaked images show off the detail of Motorola’s new UI which is a much needed improvement over the most recent versions of MotoBLUR. As you can tell from the images, Motorola has done a full reset with Android 4.0, removing most of their custom skin and allowing the Android 4.0 Holo theme to shine through a bit. The only real customization that Motorola has done to the home screen and the app launcher is swap out the stock Android 4.0 application icons with their own and add functionality to the app launcher which allows users to sort their applications by various groups. Diving deeper into the OS, you will find that Motorola’s customization of Android 4.0 gets a little heavier. The dialer, camera, lock screen and settings all bear the classic MotoBLUR look while pulling in a bit of Ice Cream Sandwich styling. Gallery According to the official Motorola Android 4.0 update list, the Verizon DROID RAZR update eligibility is still “under evaluation” while the international version of the phone is scheduled to receive its update in Q2 of this year. We have a feeling that Motorola is planning on giving Verizon’s DROID RAZR owners a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich in Q1 and maybe even beating HTC in becoming the first OEM to push out an Android 4.0 update. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out. What do you think of the Android 4.0.3 build for the Verizon Motorola DROID RAZR? Is Motorola on the right track with the latest version of MotoBLUR or do you prefer HTC’s approach to Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4.0?

LG Optimus LTE Tag features NFC, cuts down on the display Posted: 20 Feb 2012 06:17 AM PST The LG Optimus LTE is getting a bit of a spin-off. A press release issued this morning by LG announced the LG Optimus LTE Tag, which adds the forward-looking NFC capability to LG’s flagship device. NFC on the Optimus LTE Tag offers a unique twist in addition to the standard LTE functionality. The Optimus LTE Tag features the LG Tag+ program which uses the Optimus LTE Tag’s NFC chip to communicate with special stickers (really) that can be programmed to change your phones settings in certain locations. Imagine placing a big ol’ sticker on your car’s dashboard which disables the ability to send text messages while in the car, or a sticker on your workstation that turns on Wi-Fi and puts your device into silent mode when you’re at work. Adding NFC comes at a cost, however, and unfortunately this is in the way of display. The 4.5″ IPS HD display found on the LG Spectrum (Verizon) and LG Nitro HD (AT&T) were some of the better displays we’ve seen on a mobile device. The LG Optimus LTE Tag instead opts for a smaller 4.3″ IPS display with an 800 x 480 resolution. We’re scratching our heads a bit over why LG would choose to put a lesser display into the Optimus LTE Tag, and we’re sure you are as well. Specs on the Optimus LTE Tag include: 1.2 GHz dual-core processor 4.3″ IPS display Android 2.3 Gingerbread with an upgrade to Android 4.0 coming later NFC (duh) 16GB on-board storage 5 megapixel rear-camera, with 1.3 megapixel front-facing 1,700 mAh battery The Optimus LTE Tag will likely launch in Asia later this year, and we don’t know whether this device will be making its way stateside. We’ll be looking for the Optimus LTE Tag at Mobile World Congress next week, and will bring you our impressions if it makes an appearance. Anyone interested, or is it time for the 800 x 480 resolution to go the way of the dodo? Show Press Release OPTIMUS LTE TAG FROM LG OFFERS NFC, BUT WITH A TWIST Unique Tag+ Feature Allows for User Customization Without The Hassle of Fiddling with Phone Settings      SEOUL, Feb. 20, 2012 – LG today announced its newest addition to its LTE smartphone line-up for the Korean market, the Optimus LTE Tag. Coming on the heels of impressive sales of its Optimus LTE, the world's first HD LTE smartphone, the Optimus LTE Tag advances LG's vision of offering the most diverse collection of LTE devices for all types of customers. "Our goal is to offer the widest variety of LTE smartphones in the industry in 2012," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "The Optimus LTE Tag isn't just a cosmetically-enhanced version of Optimus LTE, it offers a truly innovative feature which we think really makes a smartphone smarter." The Optimus LTE Tag gets its name from a unique new feature, LG Tag+, which uses NFC (Near Field Communication) to communicate with special stickers or "tags" that can be programmed to automatically change the phone's settings. Swiping a tag upon entering the office could put the Optimus LTE Tag in silent mode and activate Wi-Fi. A tag on the car dashboard could be programmed to turn on Bluetooth, GPS and raise the volume. The options are limitless. With Slim and sleek design, the Optimus LTE Tag is available in white. Running a 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread (with the option to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich later) and 4.3-inch IPS display, the Optimus LTE Tag is the ideal multimedia environment. Key Specifications: Chipset: 1.2GHz Dure-Core processor  Display: 4.3-inch (800 x 480) IPS  Memory: 16GB eMMC  Camera: 5.0MP with AF-LED Flash (Rear) & 1.3MP (Front) OS: Android 2.3 Gingerbread Battery: 1,700mAh Others: LG Tag+, MHL(Mobile High Definition Link), DLNA(Digital Living Network Alliance)

Barnes and Noble to unveil an 8GB Nook Tablet on Wednesday Posted: 20 Feb 2012 04:19 AM PST It seems Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet isn’t too keen on being shown up by Amazon’s Kindle Fire in the sales department. The more-powerful Nook Tablet is certainly the better spec’d tablet on paper, and with only a $50 higher price tag, it probably should be selling more than it is. Nevertheless, the major bookseller has watched it’s Nook Tablet’s modest sales pale in comparison to Amazon’s, which became America’s #2 tablet in just 6 short weeks. The original Nook Tablet has 16 GB of storage to the Kindle Fire’s 8 GB, and storage is widely thought to be the biggest reason for the price difference between the two tablets. No longer content to sit back and watch the Kindle Fire bask in success, Barnes and Noble will launch an 8 GB version of the Nook Tablet, likely with the same $199 price tag of its main competitor. The Verge got its hands on an internal document that shows not only that the 8GB tablet does in fact exist, it’s coming a lot sooner than you think. Wal-Mart and Barnes and Noble will begin selling the device starting this Wednesday, February 22nd. No official announcement has come from Barnes and Noble to date, though we suspect that’ll drop relatively soon and confirm the $199 price point. Anyone out there planning on picking up a $199 8 GB variant of the Nook Tablet, or are you already reading this article on your Kindle Fire, thank you very much?