Android Authority |
- LG Optimus 3D Max flexes its muscles in benchmarks, not much to look at, unfortunately!
- If Windows Phone takes off, who will lose market share?
- Samsung Galaxy S3: The truth is out there
- What’s new on Google Currents version 1.1.0? Automatic sync, international users support, and more
- Boeing: from jumbo jets and satellites to Android smartphones
- Sony’s SmartWatch out for sale: control your phone from your wrist
- Dolphin Browser 8 Beta now available exclusively for Android
- Polaroid 7-inch tablet does the FCC dance, to come soon with ICS on board
- Who needs Google Glasses? Brilliant hacker makes his own with off-the-shelf components
- Is this the HTC Droid Incredible 4G on Verizon?
| LG Optimus 3D Max flexes its muscles in benchmarks, not much to look at, unfortunately! Posted: 13 Apr 2012 03:29 AM PDT
Despite the fact that Android-based smartphones with 3D capabilities haven't exactly taken off, the Koreans at LG are still trying to make a push in this market niche and will release in the near future their next 3D-enabled handheld, the Optimus 3D Max. LG's Optimus 3D was the first ever 3D smartphone to hit the market last April, and, while this 3D Max should be an upgraded version of that handheld, it doesn't look like a device to really look forward to. At least that's what we can make from a few benchmark scores leaked by Greek website PostPC.gr yesterday and that look… pretty awful, to be honest. Well, not awful if we were to compare the 3D Max with some of last year's high-end smartphones, but terrible in a head-to-head confrontation with this year's top-notch handhelds. The 3D Max scored 2,314 points in Quadrant, 747 in Vellamo, and a 31.7 in NenaMark 2, all these results being much lower than expected. For comparison, you can check out Engagdet's post here, where you can see LG's 3D Max scoring less than half of the performance of HTC One S in two of the benchmarks and less than a third in the Vellamo test. What will these scores actually mean for real users? Well, it's pretty difficult to say right now, as we all know that some gadgets behave better in day-to-day performance than benchmark tests indicate, but one thing is clear, nevertheless. If you are on the hunt for a snappy smartphone, and raw performance is the first thing you look for in a gadget, the LG Optimus 3D Max should not be on top of your shopping list.
For those of you who missed the smartphone's unveiling a while back, let's quickly go through the 3D Max' most important features and tech specs. LG's handheld will sport a 4.3-inch IPS LCD screen with 800 x 480 pixels resolution and will be powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor. With dual 5 MP cameras, the 4.3-incher will also come with 1 GB of RAM, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, and 8 GB of on-board memory. In terms of software, the 3D Max is set to disappoint a lot of users, as it will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box. Of course, the phone’s dual cameras are capable of capturing 3D content, while the screen does not need special glasses to display 3D images. These are actually the two single aces up this smartphone's sleeve, if you ask me, and might be the only features to draw in some customers. There are still no details about the smartphone's price and availability (we know that it will come sometime in Q2, though), but keep in touch with our website to find out more details about the LG Optimus 3D Max. And in the meantime, please let us know your opinions on the gadget and whether you would buy it once it’s available! This article, LG Optimus 3D Max flexes its muscles in benchmarks, not much to look at, unfortunately! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| If Windows Phone takes off, who will lose market share? Posted: 13 Apr 2012 02:47 AM PDT
I've been writing about Android since the release of the first smartphone to run the OS, the HTC Dream (those of you from the US might know it as the T-Mobile G1), back in October 2009. At the time, I must have read about a hundred articles by authors of all calibers, all arguing why Android didn't stand a chance to become what it is today: the largest smartphone OS in the world by market share. But despite the fact that I’m a big Android fan who honestly believes that Android is the best mobile OS out there, I'm not going to make the same mistake that all those writers did back in 2009. I am not going to let my preferences get it in the way of observing how other platforms evolve. And neither should you. Android wasn't always the top dogAlthough I wouldn't call it a slow start, I would say that the past 12-18 months have definitely been a lot kinder to the Android ecosystem than its first couple of years. It is during this period that we've seen Android provide an overwhelming (just ask Apple snobs, they'll tell you) variety of top-class hardware, combined with a first glimpse of what some call maturity (yes, I'm talking about Android 4.0 ICS). In this context, it was to be expected that Android's market share will eventually soar past that of iOS, and so it did. But being king of the digital hill doesn’t mean Android is fault-proof. Moreover, some developments, such as ongoing privacy issues, over-fragmentation, and a recently evolving piracy problem pose more of a threat than ever to the health of the ecosystem that Google worked so hard to grow. In addition, a recent rumor talks about a number of unhappy Android manufacturers that plan to fork the OS in the future. Sure, it will still be Android at base, but the end experience will become even more fragmented than it already is. That’s obviously not a good sign, since a smoother overall experience is exactly what Apple is marketing about their iPhones and, let’s face it, one of the biggest drawing factors for the smartphone buyer. Although the iOS and Android seem to complement each other perfectly, in a mobile OS ying-yang way, I can’t shake the feeling that there's room for a much more powerful third OS, now that RIM is breaking one negative record after the other. And that's exactly where Microsoft, the main competitor to both Apple and Google in a number of other markets, steps in with its Windows Phone OS.
Windows Phone to gain momentum in 2012Since the Windows Phones that came out last year were just slightly modified versions of Android smartphones (in terms of hardware), there were few reasons to believe that Microsoft's re-born mobile OS was anywhere close to taking a stab at Android and Apple. But then came the surprise announcement of the Nokia-Microsoft partnership, and WP's chances started looking a lot better all of a sudden. Now, just a few days after the massive US launch of the AT&T Nokia Lumia 900, we have major reasons to believe that Windows Phone has finally reached an inflection point:
What about Android and the iPhone?Obviously, although Nokia and Microsoft seem to finally got their act together, it doesn't mean the 2012 Android smartphone line-up will disappoint. On the contrary, we're just 1/3 into the year and we've already seen a couple of major releases from HTC (the flagship One X and the more-than-mid-end One S are both very attractive smarphones), while Motorola's and Samsung's response is expected to arrive during Q2, in the form of the highly-expected Samsung Galaxy S3 and the rumored Droid Fighter. A new Google Nexus smartphone is also expected to come by the end of 2012, as are a number of low-cost high-end smartphones from Huawei and ZTE. In the meantime, it’s highly unlikely that Apple won’t do their absolute best to top both of its competitors. After all, until recently, the US manufacturer was able to best all Android smartphone manufacturers combined, so expect the iPhone 5 to sell an impressive number of units, as was the case with all previous iterations of the iPhone. Back to Windows Phone, even if the recent rumors that claim Microsoft will buy RIM in the near future don’t turn out to come true – a vision shared by many (myself included) – it is likely that WP will gain some momentum and start gaining market share points. Thus, an obvious question arises: who will lose the points that Microsoft will win? Will all of them come from RIM’s moribund BB OS and the half-dead Symbian? Or will Apple and Google suffer as well? By the looks of it, 2012 will bring even more heat to the scalding-hot smartphone market. No matter if you are an Android fan or an iOS fanatic, as the end user, this should only make you happy. Competition is what drives companies to come up with better solutions at lower prices. It’s what makes technology evolve. So, if WP takes off, who will lose market share? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.This article, If Windows Phone takes off, who will lose market share? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy S3: The truth is out there Posted: 13 Apr 2012 01:46 AM PDT
We have seen and heard far too many rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S3. We “know” almost everything about the device, including the display, the size, the processor, the internal storage, the camera, and the battery. The only problem is, none of it might be true. Or all of it could be. We will not know for sure until the official announcement, which is expected to be May 22 in London. But again, that is another rumor that needs validation. Apart from specification rumors, we’ve also been seeing numerous images of the supposedly real Galaxy S3. Most were easy to identify as fakes, while some were completely different devices. But we aren’t any closer to getting any accurate information about the phone than the day we first heard the name “Samsung Galaxy S3.” After a lot of visitors commented along the lines of “Stop talking about the S3 because you don’t know anything about it,” I started to wonder as to why. Why don’t we know anything concrete about this phone yet? Especially if we are as close to the launch as we think. Up to eight weeks before a launch, manufacturers are known to send out their devices for carrier testing. While most vendors would do anything to prevent information leaks, it is during this carrier testing phase that we receive the most credible leaks, including specification sheets, “future” press shots, and, in some extreme cases, even hands-on videos. According to the Korean Financial and Tech Blog ET News, Samsung had sent out the Galaxy S3 for carrier testing over six weeks ago, which is in line with our estimated release date. Yes! We finally get to see the real Galaxy S3! Not quite. In a move straight out of Apple’s playbook, Samsung is using disguised prototypes, said to be in a “lunch box” design, when sending out the device for testing. If you are confused, what this means is that while the internal hardware and device firmware are the same, the casing itself is inconspicuous and is nothing like the final design of the product. This allows carriers to test the device, while also preventing information leaks. This ploy is a brilliant way to maintain secrecy, and without an semi-official leak, allow Samsung to make design changes right until the launch. Who knows, all the speculation and rumors so far might be a part of Samsung’s strategy to find out what, we, the consumers, would like to see on its next flagship device. All we know for certain at this point, and something we knew all along, is that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will feature the Android 4.0 OS. What are your thoughts? Do we now have concrete information on why we don’t have any concrete information about the Galaxy S3? Also, how many times have I stated or implied a rumor in this article? No related posts. This article, Samsung Galaxy S3: The truth is out there , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| What’s new on Google Currents version 1.1.0? Automatic sync, international users support, and more Posted: 12 Apr 2012 12:57 PM PDT
Google Currents was introduced back in December, bringing to the Android platform yet another app that collates news from websites, various publications, and blogs to present them in a more interesting magazine-like layout. While Google initially restricted access to the app to users in US only, it didn't stop the APK file from making the rounds on the Internet, allowing international news junkie to get their daily fix of information. It's only today Google rolls out the international version of Google Currents. Along with the international roll out, which now makes the app available in 44 languages, the new 1.1.0 version of Google Currents comes with other improvements. The most notable one is the improved sync speed, which Google apparently has boosted by seven times. One of the things people disliked about the old Google Currents was how fetching new editions of certain publications seem to take ages. We'll see how the new one handles it. The updated version of Google Currents removes the sync button from the app's main interface, as it gives way to the instant online sync feature. This means users can simply select a publication and the app will fetch the latest stories for them. There's still a handy menu to sync all the publications you have by going to the settings, which is something we'd actually prefer. Instead of waiting for the app to fetch the stories from each publication as you open it one by one, it'd be much more efficient to click that one button and wait until everything has been updated. If, for some reason, you want your news to come in another language, you can now have the app translate everything to your desired language, and you have 38 to choose from. Some old features have also receive a facelift. For instance, the Google trending feature now provides a glimpse of what local topics are the hottest in countries outside the US, such as France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Australia. We love what we're seeing so far at the new Google Currents. Our main gripe is not about the update itself, but about how some publications don't actually show the whole articles and force you to go to their website. But this is more of an exception, rather than the rule. So we can live with that! What do you think about the new update? Yay or nay? This article, What's new on Google Currents version 1.1.0? Automatic sync, international users support, and more , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Boeing: from jumbo jets and satellites to Android smartphones Posted: 12 Apr 2012 12:17 PM PDT
If a company that makes heavy-duty vehicles can develop Android phones, we really shouldn't be questioning Boeing's decision to jump on the mobile business bandwagon. This is apparently what the aerospace giant is planning to do – creating a highly secure communication device that is based on the Android platform. Boeing Network and Space Systems president Roger Krone (awesome title, by the way) said that this would mark the first time that the company, which is associated more with jumbo jets and missiles, will offer such communication device. If you think this is just another one of those vanity projects that will never see the light of day, prepare to eat your words. The Android phone, which is dubbed, creatively, "the Boeing phone", is already near completion and it is set to blast off into the smartphone space at the end of 2012. Creating a phone is one thing, but where will Boeing market it? For sure, you won't find it at the places where the regular Joe and Jane go to get their phones. The spokeswoman confirmed that the US government defense will be the main user of the Boeing phone, which we'd like to shorten as the "Bo Pho". No? Oh well, we'll stick with the long form then. Did you know that secure and encrypted mobile communication devices, like the one that Boeing is developing, can fetch up to $20,000 a piece? No wonder this makes perfect business sense. Boeing secure infrastructure group leader Brian Palma said that, "We are going to drive down towards a lower price point, but not mass-market price point." The phone is expected to cater to the needs of those from the defense and intelligence sectors, while still remaining usable in the commercial world. Essentially, users of the phone get the best of both worlds. It will offer a safe and secure way to communicate for those delicate and highly sensitive matters, but still come with the ability to use popular apps. Going back, Krone said that the company may not end up using the "the Boeing phone" moniker. But one thing is for sure, he is very optimist with what Boeing can achieve. In fact, he already envisions how the next generation of the phone would be – thinner and smaller. Do you think the Boeing phone will soar to the sky? Or will it fail to take off at all? This article, Boeing: from jumbo jets and satellites to Android smartphones , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Sony’s SmartWatch out for sale: control your phone from your wrist Posted: 12 Apr 2012 10:58 AM PDT
After drawing our attention back at the CES in January with its cool looks and functionality, Sony's SmartWatch is finally up for sale and might well become popular among gadget lovers, as it is not very expensive. While looking as your ordinary wristwatch at a first glance, the SmartWatch is much more than that. The micro display accessory can establish an active Bluetooth communication with pretty much any Android-based smartphone out there. In other words, you can connect this gizmo via Bluetooth to an Android handheld, so that you can receive email and SMS notifications, manage calls, keep tabs on your social networking accounts, as well as control music and snap pictures on your phone. The SmartWatch comes pre-loaded with 15 apps, including Facebook, Twitter, Calendar Notifications, Gmail, and a Weather widget, but you can also download a bunch of other compatible apps from Google Play. The 1.3-inch OLED display with 128 x 128 pixels resolution is crisp enough and offers pretty good viewing angles (considering its size), being very easily mountable to any standard watch band. Furthermore, the SmartWatch is very sleek, measuring a mere 0.3 inches thickness, as well as functional, with a robust, but elegant dust and splash resistant aluminum casing.
As far as autonomy goes, you pretty much risk forgetting when you last powered the gadget, as manufacturers claim that it can go for up to three or four days of "typical usage" between charges. The gadget can be purchased right now at Sony's online store for $149.99, which, if you ask me, is a decent price for what this little guy can do. It also comes with its own black rubber strap and clip, so you won't have to worry about buying that separately in order to enjoy the device's functionality. I personally like very much the fact that the gadget is not only compatible with the Japanese' line of Xperia smartphones, but also with a whole bunch of handhelds from HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and others. I'm not sure if there's a complete list of devices that work with the SmartWatch, but the guys at Sony stated in the press release issued earlier today that the gizmo is compatible with "most Android (2.1 and above) smartphones". So, how about it, guys? Would you fancy such a gadget for those moments when you need a subtle way to check out your Facebook or Twitter accounts? Or for when you simply can't handle a smartphone with enough care? Please hit us with a comment and let us know! And also, don't forget to check out the promotional video clip below! This article, Sony’s SmartWatch out for sale: control your phone from your wrist , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Dolphin Browser 8 Beta now available exclusively for Android Posted: 12 Apr 2012 10:26 AM PDT
Developed by Mobotap, the Dolphin mobile browser for Android and iOS devices was one of the first alternatives to the standard Android browser. It introduced innovative features such as support for browser tabs, support for add-ons, gesture-based commands, and voice commands. It has become one of the most popular third-party Android browsers. With the latest Android Dolphin Browser 8 Beta version, the developers have made significant design changes to provide a more polished and better browsing experience, while also making it easier to access various settings. Some of the new features include:
The changes certainly make for an easier browsing experience and the easy access to both gesture and sonar features is a big help. The Dolphin Browser v8.0 is still in beta, but you can download it from the developer site here or by scanning the QR code below. After the testing phase, the final release will be available for download from the Google Play Store.
Have you tested out the latest iteration of Dolphin Browser? If yes, what do you think about it? Did the changes make a big difference to your experience? Is there any other updates you were looking for? Let us know in the comments section below. You can also give direct feedback to the developers by filling out this short survey about your experience here. This article, Dolphin Browser 8 Beta now available exclusively for Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Polaroid 7-inch tablet does the FCC dance, to come soon with ICS on board Posted: 12 Apr 2012 08:33 AM PDT
While most of us cant't even conceive buying an Android-based tablet manufactured by anyone else than the already established names in the industry (Samsung, Asus, Motorola, Acer, and a few others), some smaller firms are trying to carve themselves a niche in the still very young Android tablet market. With a glorious history going back over 70 years and still one of the most important camera manufacturers in the world, Polaroid is not exactly a small company, but we surely didn't expect it to get in the Android tablet business anytime soon. However, it seems that Polaroid has some interesting plans for the near future, with an Android 4.0 slate coming very soon to a store near you. The PMID701i (yeah, I know, a horrible name, but it's probably not definitive) has showed up on the FCC website and could be one of summer's pleasant surprises. The PMID701i is actually not the first Polaroid Android-based tablet to come to our attention, with a series of similar gadgets officially unveiled back at the CES, but it will be the first one to come with ICS on board. While it doesn't exactly come with the best hardware around, Polaroid's tablet will draw some attention by running ICS out of the box. As you probably all know (and are pissed about it), most Android-based slates out there are still stuck with Gingerbread or Honeycomb, and some big names don't even have a planned Ice Cream Sandwich update for the near future.
Powered by a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, the 7-incher will most likely sport a pretty mediocre 800 x 480 pixels resolution display and should feature 512 MB of RAM, as well as 4 GB of on-board storage, WiFi connectivity, and a microSDHC card slot. There's also talk about a battery supposed to go for about five or six hours between charges, so all in all, it's pretty clear that we are not dealing with a high-end device. Then again, if this little guy will be priced according to its specs (maybe $150?), it might actually sell, once again due to the fact that it will come with ICS. On the other hand, we have to mention that Polaroid’s 7-incher won’t come with your regular access to the Google Play Marketplace, but instead with access to Amazon’s AppStore, which could be both a strong and a weak point. What do you guys think, could a gadget like this interest you if it were to hit the market in, say, a month? Or do you think it would be too risky to go for a device manufactured by a company that in inexperienced in this field? Hit us back with a comment and let us know! No related posts. This article, Polaroid 7-inch tablet does the FCC dance, to come soon with ICS on board , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Who needs Google Glasses? Brilliant hacker makes his own with off-the-shelf components Posted: 12 Apr 2012 07:51 AM PDT
We here at Android Authority are so excited for the upcoming Google Glasses. Unfortunately, Google has only given us a demonstration video of how they’ll work, and besides press-release images, we have no other info on them. Most importantly, we have no idea when (or even if!) Google plans to release them to the public. But that didn’t stop augmented reality designer Will Powell to cobble together his own augmented reality glasses to help ease the wait until the real deal is released. Though they certainly aren’t as…. discreet, as the Google Glasses, they can perform similar tasks. Powell created an unedited or manipulated video to show off his creation. Within it, he performs many of the functions we see demonstrated in the video that Google released, ncluding checking the weather, sharing to Google+ circles, checking schedules, and taking pictures. Powell head mounted contraption is composed of a combination of hardware, including Vuzix glasses, HD webcams, and a mic headset. The software behind the lot is Adobe Air. It also uses our old friend, Dragon Naturally Speaking, to handle voice commands. Here is the video: As an augmented reality fanatic himself, Powell was well aware that what Google is developing now was already possible with off the shelf technology. Although Powell’s device apparently works well, let’s say that he doesn’t look like the most sophisticated of people when wearing it. He looks like he is either going to terminate me or clear a 747 for take-off. It isn’t just hackers who are trying to beat Google at its own game, other manufacturers are jumping on the augmented reality train, as well. Who will win? Will Google start public interest in augmented reality and other companies will best them with their products? We just have to be patient and see. No related posts. This article, Who needs Google Glasses? Brilliant hacker makes his own with off-the-shelf components , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Is this the HTC Droid Incredible 4G on Verizon? Posted: 12 Apr 2012 07:12 AM PDT
Verizon isn't really short in HTC devices – with three Android smartphones made by the Taiwanese manufacturer currently being offered by the carrier, namely HTC Droid Incredible 2, HTC Rhyme, and HTC Rezound. But given the fanfare that the HTC One Series has been receiving, it's quite odd how the biggest carrier in the US seems to be left out in the cold. AT&T and Sprint got their HTC One X, while T-Mobile sports the HTC One S – what new and shiny HTC phone is coming to Verizon? Without any hype (it sure feels like it), Verizon might be releasing the HTC Droid Incredible 4G, the phone that was once known as the HTC Fireball, at the end of this month. To be precise, April 26 is apparently the date when you'll be able to purchase the phone. Granted, this is but old news, since the news was leaked a month ago. What we do have for showing is a new "official" rendering of the HTC Droid Incredible 4G and some actual images of the device, coming from Pocket Now and Android Police respectively. Different from the first image we saw a month ago, the HTC Droid Incredible 4G only has three capacitive buttons, with the search button now nowhere to be seen. Apart from this minor facelift, it's hard to tell the new render apart from the old.
And here are the alleged hands-on images from Android Police:
Out of the three HTC One Series, it can be said that the HTC Droid Incredible 4G resembles the HTC One S the most in terms of its internals. While the display size is unknown (4-inch is a possibility), it is expected to feature a qHD resolution (much like the One S), as well as a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and 8MP rear camera. The HTC Droid Incredible 4G will come in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich flavor. It's not certain yet that Verizon will stick with the HTC Droid Incredible 4G name, but if the release date holds up, we should be hearing more from Verizon soon. No related posts. This article, Is this the HTC Droid Incredible 4G on Verizon? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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