Posted: 06 Mar 2012 01:19 AM PST  Sure, going full-size touchscreens might be the new trend, but touchscreen keyboards will never beat physical keyboards. In fact, one of the original and best-selling Android devices of all times was a full-qwerty phone, the Motorola Droid. For those of you who don’t know, a “QWERTY” keyboard is a nickname for a device with a full physical keyboard. The name comes from the first 6 keys on the top row of every standard keyboard. Check out our comprehensive list of of the seven best QWERTY phones of 2012. Droid 4 (Verizon)November 6, 2009 — the original Droid was released, and Motorola sold over 1 million devices in the first 74 days. That number passed even the original iPhone in sales for the first 74 days. Over 2 years later, on February 10, 2012, Motorola Mobility released the Droid 4. The new smartphone is powered by Android 2.3, but is upgradeable to Android 4.0 in the near future. It is the newest QWERTY phone on the block, building on the success of the original blockbuster device, the first Droid. The new Droid 4 features a fantastic 5-row keyboard, with backlighting. For me, it’s the best keyboard on any mobile device to date, and comes packed with a great responsive tactile feel and some handy shortcuts. It didn’t take me long to develop some serious muscle memory with this device, and, after a while, I found that I didn’t even have to look at the keyboard, which really enables me to take my productivity to a whole new level. Specs
Source: Motorola Droid Pro (Verizon and Sprint [Motorola XPRT])The Droid Pro has been out for over a year now, and, although it didn’t take over the market, so to speak, it is a business man’s (or woman’s) delight. With a design that really embodies the look and feel of a Blackberry, it’s powered by Android, which is clearly the superior option for smartphones. Furthermore, the phone will not cost you a buck, as long as you sign up for a two year contract. Finally, this device is a Global Ready device (Verizon), meaning that you can take it with you wherever you go. And best of all, it works on two of the best carriers in America (Verizon and Sprint). Specs
Samsung Captivate Glide (AT&T)Moving into the AT&T category, the Samsung Captivate Glide is a great 4G device that costs slightly less than its competitors. In addition, the Glide is a powerhouse, thanks to its dual-core processor, and has a great array of specs, which helped Samsung’s QWERTY phone gain its spot on our list. Needless to say, the phone sports a truly beautiful QWERTY keyboard, with 4 dedicated buttons that work with the Android OS (home, menu, back, and search). Although, at first, the battery may seem below par, the 4″ display won’t be hogging as much power, compared to the display of a Galaxy Nexus or Note. Specs
HTC Status (AT&T)Are you a Facebook fanatic? The HTC Status from AT&T lets you instantly share those “priceless moments” with all your friends. With one push of a button, the HTC Status helps you stay in the center of your social circle. In addition, the HTC Status boasts a candybar form factor, 5MP Rear camera, and HTC Sense. Specs
Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint)For those of you wondering, this phone is very similar to the Samsung Captivate Glide. However, if you are a Samsung fan, the Captivate Glide is a few specs up on the Epic 4G. Either way, this device is 4G capable, and serves as one of Sprint’s best full QWERTY Android devices. Packed with an older version of Android, the Epic 4G is built to suit power-users for just $99.99 (with a “Mail–in Rebate via Reward Card”). Specs
myTouch 4G Slide (T-Mobile)Moving on into T-Mobile territory, the myTouch 4G Slide is going to be your best bet if you need an affordable full QWERTY device. This device packs 4G capabilities, dedicated Android buttons (in addition to the full keyboard), an above-par battery life, and a sweet camera/camcorder. For the time being, the dual-core processor is also top of the line equipment. Specs
LG Optimus Slider (Virgin Mobile)Despite the incredibly outdated screen size and resolution, the LG Optimus Slider is a good QWERTY option for Virgin Mobile customers. Most of its main specs are sub-par, but the device itself looks pretty good, and it’s a great choice for the users who don’t need quad-core processors or 1080p video capture. Specs
Seriously though, if you work for one of the companies mentioned above, you would be wise to build a QWERTY device with the following specs: QWERTY Dream Phone of 2012:
Manufacturers – make it now! Of course the image above is a cross between a QWERTY device and a Galaxy Note. Anyone want one? Yes, yes you do! Any thoughts?No related posts. This article, The Best QWERTY Android Phones of 2012 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 05 Mar 2012 01:27 PM PST  If you think that the days of Portable Media Player are over, you'd better think again. Samsung, as one of the few major players to remain in the market, has decided to refresh its PMP line with the introduction of not one, but two strictly-WiFi multimedia players. They are the Galaxy S WiFi 4.2 and the Galaxy Player 70 Plus.  The Galaxy S WiFi 4.2, as you'd have guessed from the name, comes with a 4.2-inch IPS screen with 480 x 800 resolution, 1GHz processor, 8GB storage, and 512MB RAM. It has a 2MP rear shooter alongside a secondary VGA front-camera; both should be good enough for those quick vanity shots. Android 2.3 Gingerbread is what you'll find running on the device. The 5-inch Galaxy 70 Plus is the high-end model here due to the inclusion of a 1GHz dual-core processor. Apart from the bumped up speed, which would provide enough horsepower to play 1080p videos, the player also comes with a host of hardware improvements compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S 5.0. The improved specs include a 5MP shooter and a larger 2500 mAh battery. No international pricing or date of availability have been set yet for the two media players. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S 70 Plus is now available in South Korea, with the 16GB model going for approximately $350 and the 32GB model for roughly $410. Samsung isn't exactly the first to bring out dual-core PMPs to the market; this is a feat that has already been achieved by Sony Walkman Z. Unfortunately, at $250 a pop for the 8GB model, the blistering price made many people declare the device dead on arrival – and rightly so. With the prices of Android smartphones sliding down, do you think there's still room for an Android-flavored portable media player in your tight jeans pockets? Related posts:
This article, Samsung Introduces Galaxy S WiFi 4.2 and Galaxy Player 70 Plus , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 05 Mar 2012 01:09 PM PST  Can the Padfone change the restrictive tethering policies of U.S. carriers? Since we were first introduced to the ASUS Padfone, almost a year ago, we were intrigued by the possibilities created by this seemingly wacky device. Is it a phone, is it a pad? It's a Padfone! This comic book-reminiscent tagline summarizes the whole idea behind ASUS' shape-shifting product. Instead of confining their thinking to the proverbial box, the Taiwanese chose to go their own way. The result is a device that is truly ground-breaking, not only in terms of design, but also through the concept that it promotes. Why run around with three devices, when you can have one? Why waste time synchronizing mail, calendars, or media across devices? Most importantly, why pay tethering fees, when you can use the data that you paid for, the way you want it? Darcy Lacouvee, our Editor-in-Chief called the Padfone "an ideological shift, and likely one of the biggest shake ups to the world of mobile technology that I have ever laid hands on". Darcy goes even farther when he says that the Padfone has "so much socialism embedded deep within its soul that I almost want to help the workers of the world unite". Of course, he then called his last affirmation a joke, but we know him for the aspiring Commander Che he really is. So, will the Padfone be the hero that liberates people from the tyranny of tethering-hating carriers? Or will it go straight to the dustbin of history, to join the ranks of so many other "revolutionary" devices? American Carriers Will Hate the PadfoneIt's no secret. American carriers don't like you tethering, or, better said, they don't like you tethering for free. What they do like is to charge you an arm and a leg for the privilege of using your puny 3 gigabytes/month of data on your tablet or laptop. And why are AT&T and the rest of the gang doing this? Because they can. Nobody can stop carriers from claiming that tethering is a value-added feature that costs money to offer. And if the FTC doesn't do anything about the tethering charges, why would the carriers stop? No matter how you play your cards, they win. For carriers, tethering fees are not only good for filling the piggy bank, but also, an excellent tool to kick people of grandfathered unlimited plans. Now here comes the Padfone, with its innovative 3-in-1 concept. By sticking your smartphone inside your tablet, which in turn can become your netbook, you essentially get a tethering-free method for using your mobile data, in whatever way you consider fit. I bet carriers hate the idea. Here's why: 1) No tethering feesWith a Padfone, you can peacefully browse the web, on a smartphone, tablet, or netbook, with one single plan, without having to pay extra fees. No jailbreaking, no rooting, no apps. Remember, you're not using two separate devices (that would be a breach of the user terms). You are browsing from your phone, which happens to be connected to a 10-inch touchscreen. So carriers won't be able to claim their $20-$30 monthly protection racket. Multiply that fee by a million, and you begin to understand the magnitude of the problem.2) More data consumptionCarriers like you to use as little data as possible, while still hanging on to the 2GB or 3GB monthly quota. You see, the average American smartphone user consumes only 0.59GB of their 2GB-5GB allowance. Computerworld's JR Raphael did a basic test and determined that a day of heavy smartphone usage consumes about 30MB of data. Over a month, that would be about 0.9GB.The natural question: why do carriers offer either small and very expensive plans (like AT&T's 300MB option for $20/month) or large and relatively expensive plans (like AT&T's 3GB option for $30/month)? Because they don't want you to pay for just what you need. It's like a fast-food joint offering a $100 salad and a $75 all-you-can-eat buffet. When you're starving, you'll definitely choose the $75 buffet, even if all you wanted was a $10 burger. And guess what, the other joints down the street offer the same menu. Tough luck, buddy! By making big-screen browsing (not to mention Netflix streaming content) accessible, the Padfone will disrupt the money-making scheme that AT&T, Verizon, and the gang have carefully set up. Padfone users will likely use more than the average 0.6GB of data, and probably reach consumption levels that are close to the 3GB/5GB floor. In other words, Padfone users will be much less profitable for carriers than "regular" users are. 3) Less devices sold and less plansNow this one's up for debate. We're not sure how the purchasing behavior of Padfone users will differ from the customers that tout other devices. At least in theory, a cheap Padfone (cheap for what the Padfone offers) should create a bit of a stir in the market. As we've saw from the arrival of the Kindle Fire, people are crazy for affordable technology, even if the features or product quality are not cutting-edge. At around $600-$700 (without a contract), the Padfone may be the next big thing. Remember that ASUS was the company that popularized the original netbook concept in 2007. Back then, few gave a chance of success to ASUS's diminutive machines, yet they were a smashing hit, until the tablets came over and ruined all the fun. Could ASUS be doing history all over again? If that's the case, other manufacturers will be soon to follow ASUS's lead. This could drastically reduce the amount of standalone devices sold, and hence, the number of plans sold by carriers. How Will the Carriers React to the Padfone?In my opinion, there are three ways in which American carriers might react to the Padfone:1) Reject itIf no carrier will subsidize the Padfone in the U.S., ASUS may have an uphill battle on their hands. It's not impossible for the Padfone to catch on unsubsidized, but it will be a lot harder. Who might dare to carry it? I don't think that AT&T or Verizon, with all their grandfathered unlimited plans. Sprint is still offering unlimited plans for $40 – will they risk drawing legions of Padfone-wielding data hogs? T-Mobile? Who knows?2) Embrace itThe opposite scenario – what if one of the smaller carriers decides to embrace the Padfone and to promote it heavily? If the Padfone catches on to the public, the other carriers may be forced to jump on the bandwagon. The impact on the entire tech sector would be tremendous, and very hard to predict.3) Ignore itThe middle way – the carriers may decide that the Padfone will go down the drain in a couple of months. Some may offer it with a Padfone-specific data plan, designed to offset their potential loses, which we outlined above. Can the Padfone Really Change Something?If the Padfone gains traction, some big changes are headed for to the world of mobile technology. Carriers will have to re-do their math, and, hopefully, they’ll be forced to drop those outrageous tethering fees. And not only carriers will be affected. Every player in the tech industry, from Apple to Huawei, will have to take the Padfone into account. ASUS' wacky device may be just the beginning of a long lineage of similar all-in-one gadgets.On the other hand, this article may be simple wishful thinking. In this case, in six months from now, we'll look back at it with sadness (not to mention embarrassment).But again, the Padfone might hit it big, with or without the support of the carriers. Who knows? The release of the Padfone may be the opening act of the next revolution in computing. We can't wait to see. What do you think? Can the Padfone change something? Will it rise to our lofty expectations? How will the carriers react to it? Let us know your thoughts! Related posts:
This article, The ASUS Padfone: A Revolution in the Making? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 05 Mar 2012 11:25 AM PST  A recent report from the prestigious DigiTimes Research claims that global shipment volumes of e-book readers will drop during the first quarter of 2012 to an estimate of 2 million units. During the fourth quarter of 2011, global e-book shipments reached the impressive figure of 9 million units. Simple math tells us that's a 77% quarter over quarter decrease in shipments. Is the e-book reader industry dead and gone? Not by far! During 2011, almost 23 million ebooks were shipped, 9 million of which in the last quarter alone, so it's safe to assume that the end-of-the-year holiday season heavily contributed to the increase in sales & shipments during Q4 of 2011. But there's more to the low Q1 2012 figures than just a simple return to normality. According to the same Digitimes Research report quoted earlier, the introduction of Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet (released November 15, 2011) caused sales of the Kindle e-book reader to drop, so Amazon has now reduced the number of Kindle e-books they've ordered from their hardware suppliers. This makes a lot of sense, since the Kindle Fire is not exactly a tablet by the true meaning of the word. Running on a heavily-modified version of Android (with no Android Market, just the Amazon Appstore), the Kindle Fire is still an e-book reader in the customers’ opinion, but with a color touchscreen instead of the E-Ink display, and added overall functionality thanks to the aforementioned Amazon Appstore. The same train of thought applies to the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet and Nook Color when compared to the original Barnes & Noble Nook e-book reader. They are still e-book readers, not genuine tablets, although the distinction is increasingly harder to make, as time passes and technologies converge. Even so, it is expected that annual global shipments of e-book readers will increase to north of 60 million units by the end of 2015. Related posts:
This article, Report: Global E-Book Shipments To Drop 77% During Q1 2012 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 05 Mar 2012 09:49 AM PST  The new HTC One series is part of HTC's strategy to simplify the branding (and naming convention) of all its Android smartphones. Following a very successful showcase at Mobile World Congress 2012 at the end of February, all eyes are now on HTC to announce the release date of its three new One smartphones – the HTC One X, One S, and One V. Digitimes reported that HTC plans to ship the One series in March, with an initial shipment target of 400,000 units per month. While there's no specific worldwide release date yet, the company is aiming to have the smartphones in retail stores by April. In the US, the HTC One X will be available on AT&T’s network in the coming months, while the HTC One V is heading to T-Mobile. The relatively short period between the initial announcement of the three phones and their release dates is a smart move. HTC needs to strike the iron while is hot, and not let other high-spec smartphones steal its spotlight. With the imminent announcement of its biggest rival, the Samsung Galaxy S3, time is ticking down for the HTC One X. HTC One X is the company's flagship model, boasting a Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, a gigantic 4.7-inch HD screen with a 1280 x 720 Super LCD2 panel, plus an 8MP rear-facing camera with f/2.0 lens and a 1.3MP front-camera to match. The HTC One S is the mid-range model, and comes with a dual-core processor and a 4.3-inch display. As for the HTC One V, the model is geared towards the budget-conscious Android crowd, with its 1GHz single-core processor and 3.7-inch display. Both One X and One S come with 1GB RAM, while the One V only has 512MB RAM. To differentiate their position in the market, the One series phones are equipped with the newly introduced ImageSense chip and its super-fast shutter speed, which allows you to capture brilliant pictures in a fraction of a second. In the audio department, all the phones come with Beats Audio integration. Until the April launch of the HTC One series, we let you feast your eyes with some sample images taken using the HTC One X, as found on HTC's Facebook fanpage.    Related posts:
This article, HTC One Series to Launch in April, Shows Off Camera Quality , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 05 Mar 2012 03:15 AM PST  Unfortunately, more details about Key Lime Pie — henceforth known as KLP — are pretty much still non-existent, given that we are still waiting for that Jelly Bean treat. It’s not certain either if KLP will bring the Android version number up a notch to 6.0 . This is because we can’t tell if KLP will be a major revision of Android (6.0), or a incremental upgrade (5.5, for instance). Speaking of Android desserts, here's a quick Facebook-like timeline of the OS up to now.
So, tell us! Are you down with KLP? Do you think international desserts, like Kulfi or Kugel (Google them), should've been given a chance? Sound off your 'sweets' suggestions below. Related posts:
This article, Has Google Chosen ‘Key Lime Pie’ as Jelly Bean’s Successor? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Update - 145
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