Android Authority |
- Scalado Album: Alternative image gallery app with awesome UI
- Best Android Apps for learning music
- Love gaming on your Android tablet? $20,000 could be yours!
- No official bootloader unlocking for AT&T’s HTC One X
- How smart is the Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone?
- HSPA+ vs LTE: Which one is better?
- Samsung Galaxy S2 vs HTC One X – Last year’s best against HTC’s latest
| Scalado Album: Alternative image gallery app with awesome UI Posted: 07 May 2012 01:00 AM PDT
We’ve slowly been discarding our heavier digital cameras for the portability of our Android mobile devices and with the increasing power of today’s cameras, it isn’t difficult to unleash our inner shutterbug and snap a shot at every turn. After all, who wants to lose her or his precious moments? But, the more pictures we snap, the slower it’ll take to load them. Instead of reminiscing as you flip through your photos, you’ll feel frustrated at how slow each image is loading. One app however has been causing a stir for its superior gallery performance and clean and smooth user experience–Scalado Album.
Scalado Album, developed by Scalado Inc., is an app designed to make your day-to-day photo experience great. It has an attractive, clean, and simple design that allows you to easily find and navigate through your pictures. Scalado Album was built from the ground up using the Scalado Imaging Platform to push for maximum performance on Android devices. The app gives you intuitive browsing and navigation. Scalado Album lets you see all the images located on your Android device in one large patchwork of color. If you’d like to be specific and find photos taken at a specific location, Scalado Album lets you view images sorted by their geographical location. You can also view pictures taken nearby where you are; you even have the option to view, on a map, where pictures were taken so you can pinpoint your memories.
If you can’t remember the exact date of when you went on a vacation, simply tap on the Months option and tap on the month that you want. Of course, there’s also the standard folders categorization. tapping Camera Roll lets you view every image taken by your device’s camera, sorting out those images you downloaded from your e-mail or other phones. Enjoying every tiny detail of a picture is easy when you can just double tap on the screen and zoom in. You can even pan across the image quickly. Scalado Album calls itself “the world’s fastest photo album” and based on what we’re seeing, it certainly looks to be. View a picture and move on to the next one by swiping across the screen. Do it again and again and Scalado Album will have already loaded up the images for you to enjoy. Scalado Album doesn’t make browsing for pictures easy, it also makes browsing for videos a dream. Instead of seeing a fuzzy thumbnail of your video, Scalado Album gives you an animated video thumbnail.
Because Scalado Album is so straight to the point, users are itching to see a few more features from it. The app could definitely benefit from a built-in slideshow option. Scalado Album also seems to consume your device’s resources with a 32 MB background process. Addition of features and improvement on how heavy the app is may be seen in future updates, so keep your eyes open for it. Your device needs to be running on at least Android 2.3 Gingerbread for Scalado Album to work. You should also disable the “Force GPU rendering” option, as Scalado Album is fully GPU-accelerated. Scalado Album also works on Android tablets, so treat yourself a little. Start enjoying your pictures and videos using Scalado Album. Purchase it from the Google Play Store today. This article, Scalado Album: Alternative image gallery app with awesome UI , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Best Android Apps for learning music Posted: 06 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT
You’ve got dreams of being a music legend. You’ve rocked out to Guitar Hero, sung your heart out at the karaoke bar, and strutted your stuff in the shower. But, if you really want to perfect your singing skills, you’ll need to get serious. You have the option to enroll in music school, hire a music instructor or, if you’d rather walk the road by yourself, at least take your Android device with you. And, at least make sure that your Android device has an app that’ll help you polish your music skills. There’s no limit to what people can find on the Google Play Store and if you’re aspiring to learn the medium of your passion, you’ll need something lightweight to carry around. Open your ears, flex those fingers, and get ready for our selection of some of the best Android apps for learning music. Music Tutor Sight Read
Before you can embark on your journey to become the world’s next best musician, you’ll need to learn the basics. That may seem boring but Music Tutor Sight Read is here to make sure that you won’t have a dull moment learning how to read and write music. It’s a quiz game designed for music students for learning to read and write music. Because it packs some games, Music Tutor Sight Read makes sure that you’re on your toes. Learn to read and write music staves and when the game asks for it, answer a key signature by choosing a key in the keyboard. Some of the game modes include timed tests, a study option for you to answer questions without a time limit and learn, in which the user touches the answer panel and Music Tutor Sight Read shows the question corresponding to the given answer. Music Tutor Sight Read is a must-have for folks who want to build on their music foundations. Unfortunately, Music Tutor Sight Read doesn’t allow you to review your mistakes, so you’ll have to try to avoid giving the same erroneous answer. Chord! Guitar Chord Finder
It’ll take more than just strumming and hoping you sound at least half good. If you’ve got a guitar, you should learn how to play it. Though Chord! Guitar Chord Finder is primarily a guitar or fretted instrument chord finder, it generates chord diagrams in any tuning and with any number of strings. Hear how each diagram sounds by sweeping your fingers across the strings. All diagrams are displayed in color so it’s easier for you to figure it out. With over 400 entries in its database, Chord! Guitar Chord Finder allows you to plot on a neck in any tuning or reverse search. You can find the scales corresponding to the notes you enter on a neck and explore the variations that the app gives you. If you’re left handed, don’t worry because Chord! Guitar Chord Finder also supports left-handed instruments/people. Once you’ve got your chord progressions figured out, you can save them in PDF format and share them via e-mail. Chord! Guitar Chord Finder is available on the Google Play Store for a fee, but it’s definitely worth it if you’re a serious aspiring musician. My Piano Assistant
Round out your repertoire with some piano. It’s timeless and it’ll get you in the mood for some soulful music. With My Piano Assistant on your Android device, you’ll have a reference to piano chords and scales. Request a chord or scale, My Piano Assistant gives its formula and notes according to a selected root. It also shows positions of notes on the piano keyboard and allows you to listen to the selected chord or scale. If you want to keep one of the tutorials easily accessible, tap on the star so you can access it later. For seasoned piano players, My Piano Assistant is also helpful to keep your skills sharp and to help you in composition. My Piano Assistant supports different screen sizes and can cater to the way you’d like to have your Android device by supporting both portrait and landscape modes. If you’re excited to get learning the piano, My Piano Assistant is available for your Android device for free at the Google Play Store. Mobile Metronome
If you need to practice on the go, take Mobile Metronome with you. Mobile Metronome is extremely handy for when you practice and when you want to keep pace especially when you play the clarinet or the drums. Pick the time signature, the amount of beats and the click sound. Mobile Metronome is simple to use, robust and fully functional for Android devices. You have the option of fine tempo tuning from 10 BPM to 230 BPM as well as features like tap tempo, load and save presents, adjustable tempo signature for simple, compound and complex meters. The volume is also adjustable, packs a visual beat counter and Italian tempo markings. If you’ve got an incoming call, don’t worry. Mobile Metronome automatically turns itself off when you’ve got a call. Unfortunately, Mobile Metronome can’t go any higher than 230 BPM and may not be able to keep a steady pace while other audio apps are running. Mobile Metronome is ad-supported and is available for free from the Google Play Store. Ultimate Guitar Tabs
View guitar Tablatures on your Android device using Ultimate Guitar Tabs. But, more than just letting you view guitar tablatures and bass tablatures, Ultimate Guitar Tabs also lets you view drum tablatures and chords. It gives you an unlimited access to Ultimate-Guitar.com’s large database. View a huge collection of tabs and learn or practice new songs even when you’re traveling. Ultimate Guitar Tabs has SD Card support, which means you can save not only this application on your SD card but also save tabs for offline access. The app allows you to find tabs by entering an artist’s name or song title as well as making your Favorite tabs available for offline browsing. Create a custom playlist of your tabs and view chord diagrams while reading chords. If you’d like to view the popular tabs for you guitar, drums or bass, Ultimate Guitar Tabs lets you view the Top 100 Tabs for each tab type. Some devices may have compatibility issues with Ultimate Guitar Tabs, as reported by some users, and may lead to force closes. Apart from this small snag, however, Ultimate Guitar Tabs is definitely handy. xPiano
Who says you need to be in front of a piano to practice? Keep those skills sharp with xPiano for your Android device. This simple piano app has a 4-octave piano keyboard, as well as 12 instruments. You can even adjust the keyboard width. The app offers multi-touch capability for devices running on Android 2.1 and higher. Play one or both of the sample songs that xPiano comes with and if you’re feeling confident, xPiano also comes with a Record and Play option. You may not be cranking out any Mozart with xPiano, but it’s definitely fun and if you’ve got the motivation, xPiano can serve as your stepping stone to learning the actual piano. You don’t need to be a seasoned piano player to enjoy this app; some users have reported learning songs like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” just by sound. xPiano is available for free for your Android device. If you want 5 octaves, 128 instruments, more functions, and more songs, you can purchase xPiano+. Drum Kit
If you’re not a huge fan of guitars or pianos, then Drum Kit might be for you. This multi-touch application promises to provide the best experience for finger drumming. With a top down view, you can play with a drum set with the tips of your fingers. Since Drum Kit packs multi-touch support, tapping on the instruments can mimic actually playing with a real drum set. Drum Kit packs features like movable drums and percussions, cool animation, Drum Editor, and a Composer so that you can create basic rhythms which allows you to play finesse beats while the rhythm automatically plays. With the animation enabled, you won’t have a hard time determining which part of the drum set you’re tapping because the drum briefly enlarges. Users may find the ads to be obtrusive and obstructive, as some have reported that whenever they try to play the bongos, they end up redirecting themselves to the Google Play Store. Drum Kit is available on the Google Play Store for free; download it today and unleash your inner drummer. Robotic Guitarist Free
Don’t have your guitar within arm’s reach? No problem. If you’ve got Robotic Guitarist Free on your Android device, you can enjoy playing around with your favorite string instrument. It’s handy for both learned guitar players and for students. Robotic Guitarist Free is a multi-touch guitar emulator, but it doesn’t require you to have to put your fingers into position to get the sound you want. Pick a chord and hit the strings. Strum or enjoy any other techniques thanks to two picking modes. If you are learning to play the guitar seriously, Robotic Guitarist Free also packs a chord guide, so you can mimic where to put your fingers. If you do have a guitar with you but you’d like help in tuning your instrument, turn to Robotic Guitarist Free. Choose from acoustic and electric guitars, piano, chorus or flute and map them out to the guitar. Have fun experimenting with Robotic Guitarist Free, available, you guessed it, for free from the Google Play Store. Chordbot Lite
If you’re looking for something a little bit more complicated, Chordbot Lite allows you to create and play advanced chord progressions easily on your Android device. If you’re experimenting with songwriting or you need an accompaniment to your guitar solos, Chordbot Lite is a must-have. You might be a songwriter in need of some musical help. Chordbot Lite will surely make your shower singing sessions more interesting and who knows, maybe you’ll finally get that song fully fleshed out and ready to be shared with your fans. Chordbot Lite comes with 60 chord types in all keys with inversions, slash chords, transpositions, and more. Some users have had trouble with Chordbot Lite’s buttons since they are too small and the device lacks a few key features, such as more chords and octaves. Chordbot Lite is free to download, but unfortunately some features have been disabled. If you’d like to save or export your creations, you’ll need to purchase Chordbot Pro. Musical Piano Pro
Don’t be fooled by its name. Musical Piano Pro is more than just a piano app; it’s also got a drum kit, a metronome, pipes, an autoharp, and more. You even have access to games to help you practice your piano, as well as piano and drum multi touch. Flex those pianist’s fingers by playing the piano in practice mode and play along. Musical Piano Pro comes with over 20 songs, a 2-octave stacked piano, and 128 General MIDI instruments. Acapella singers might love Musical Piano Pro as it can give you backup pitching. Users may find a small lag between tapping and the sound produced, as well as lacking a wider variety of songs to play. Apart from that, Musical Piano Pro is definitely handy for anyone who needs to make a little music. Described as a Swiss army knife for musicians, Musical Piano Pro is a must have for the musician, aspiring or seasoned, on the go. You can purchase Musical Piano Pro for a price from the Google Play Store. What are you waiting for? Download one, or all of these music apps for your Android device and get jamming. If we didn’t include your favorite music app, share it with us in the comments and help out your fellow aspiring musicians. This article, Best Android Apps for learning music , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Love gaming on your Android tablet? $20,000 could be yours! Posted: 06 May 2012 07:14 AM PDT
The massive advances in processor, graphics, and display technologies has made gaming on a handheld device a favorite past-time for many. Not only are there hugely popular made-for-mobile games such as Angry Birds, Draw Something, and Cut the Rope, but we’re now witnessing an increase in classic PC games and far more graphic-intensive games making their way onto our smartphones and tablets, as well. Procrastination, you are our friend. If you are one of those users who is addicted to gaming on your tablet and can go on for hours and hours — 26 hours nonstop to be specific — you now have the opportunity to make up to $20,000, courtesy of Qualcomm. At this year’s E3 event, Qualcomm will be hosting the Snapdragon Gaming World Challenge and, in collaboration with the Guinness Book of World Records, will attempt to set the record for the longest mobile gaming marathon on a tablet. Each gamer will be using a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 provided by AT&T and each gamer will be play the same game for the duration of the event. You can sign-up here to be a part of a lucky draw to be grab one of 120 possible spots for the qualification party that will take place on Tuesday, May 22, at 7PM in Los Angeles. 50 gamers will then be selected to participate in the main event during the E3 event on June 5 – 6. The only catch is that you have to be a resident of California, be above 18 years of age, and of course, be available on the dates for the event. Here’s the reason for why each of those 120 spots will likely be highly coveted with the opportunity to win hefty cash prizes and a new Android tablet:
Apart from the cash prizes, each winner will also receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9. If you live in California, will you be attending? What game do you think will be featured for the competition? Have you ever undergone a gaming marathon lasting over 24 hours? Let us know in the comments section below. This article, Love gaming on your Android tablet? $20,000 could be yours! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| No official bootloader unlocking for AT&T’s HTC One X Posted: 06 May 2012 07:06 AM PDT
Just when we thought manufacturers have made peace with devs and others who want to have the freedom to create their own smartphone experience with the Android OS on their phones, it is sadly appearing that HTC’s One X on AT&T is exempted from it, as the bootloader of the phone is locked and HTC's official unlocking tool reportedly not working. The Verge got in touch with a representative of the company, and here's what HTC has to say on the matter:
From the explanation above, it's hard not to jump into the conclusion that AT&T is part of the "restrictions" that prevent the bootloader on the HTC One X from being unlockable. Seeing that these are hard times for HTC, as the manufacturer tries to reverse several quarters of missteps and misfortunes, we're guessing their hands are rather tied for the time being and have to succumb to the demand of the carrier partner. Though this means you can't officially unlock the bootloader on your AT&T’s HTC One X, we're sure an alternative solution or two will be provided by the development community sooner rather than later. After all, one unlocking solution for the international version of HTC One X has already been found. Any thoughts on this? What will it take for carriers and manufacturers to get the message? This article, No official bootloader unlocking for AT&T's HTC One X , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| How smart is the Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone? Posted: 06 May 2012 06:57 AM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S3, revealed a couple of days ago, definitely sports some of the best hardware specs around, but it also looks like Samsung have managed to integrate software functions that give a new meaning for the word "smart" in smartphones. Marketed by Samusng as human-centric functions, these are features exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S3. On a personal level, I feel like the smart features on the Samsung Galaxy S3 represent a major improvement towards simplifying tasks on your smartphone. Granted, we expect more from a thinking smartphone, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. So let's take a quick look at the software functions that make the Galaxy S3 a truly unique smartphone: S Voice
Voice recognition software has been available in some form or another for the past decade, but it was Apple's Siri, a personal voice assistant that brought a more ‘natural’ form of voice recognition to smartphones. Siri was a major marketing factor for the iPhone 4S and Samsung has decided to come up with a personal voice assistant of their own. Dubbed S-Voice, this feature of the S3 allows you to control your smartphone only by using your voice. Commands can be personalized, but possible uses for S-Voice include unlocking the smartphone, launching apps, taking pictures with the 8MP camera, music control (such as stop, play, pause and skip), snoozing the alarm, turning on the Wi-Fi /Bluetooth and more. S-Voice is available in the following languages: British, USA English, Italian, German, French, Spanish and Korean. Social Tag
Possibly one of the most interesting intelligent functions of the Galaxy S3 is the social tagging feature. According to Samsung, the Galaxy S3 is capable of identifying and properly tagging the people in your photos as long as you have them added as contacts (with an attached picture). If this face recognition software works as Samsung claims it does, it is one of the most interesting smartphone capabilities ever. The Social Share ability takes matters one step further, by allowing you to instantly share the pictures with the contacts the S3 has recognized in the photo. Direct Call
Direct Call allows you to make a call simply by lifting the phone to your ear while writing a message to someone, or while specific contact details are brought up to the display. Just lift, and speak. Personally, I can think of many scenarios where this could go wrong and I'm not actually sure that the couple of extra touches that you save are really all that important, but it is a nice feature to have. Smart StayThis is definitely the most useful of all the smart functions available on the Galaxy S3. Smart Stay detects if the user is looking at the display and keeps the display from timing out until the user looks away. A very useful feature for those of us that regularly read text on our smartphones, as I'm sure you'll agree. Smart AlertsIf you've been away from your smartphone for a while, it's possible that you have missed a few calls and messages. Granted, Android smartphones always notified you of the stuff you missed, but the Galaxy S3 takes one step further and vibrates to inform you of the action that happened while you were away. Not exactly the most revolutionary of features! So there you have it! These are the smart, human-centric functions of the Samsung Galaxy S3. While other smartphones (think of the HTC One X) might stand up to the S3 hardware-wise, these smart functions will make sure Samsung's Galaxy S3 stands out from the increasingly populated Android smartphone market. Make sure you drop us a line in the comment section below and let us know how you feel about these software tweaks! This article, How smart is the Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| HSPA+ vs LTE: Which one is better? Posted: 06 May 2012 06:29 AM PDT
We have all marveled at the revolution in mobile communications technology. The 1980′s saw the introduction of the “brick” style wireless mobile phone accessible to a privileged few. Since then, we have seen a lot of shifting trends in designs and capabilities, but an exponential increase in availability and popularity. We now live in a world boasting over 6 billion mobile phone users, with most high-end devices mimicking the capabilities of a computer, featuring dual-core or even quad-core processing capability.  Ah, the Zach Morris brick. I still recall a time when the primary purpose of a mobile phone was voice communication. Now, with smartphones bursting onto the scene in ever growing numbers, the mobile landscape is changing rapidly. With devices now featuring messaging, social networking connectivity, email and browsing capabilities, and the ability to stream or download high-quality music and videos, making and receiving calls has almost become a secondary feature. Of course, none of this would be possible without an equally impressive evolution in mobile networking technology. From first generation communication networks to the current 4G craze, these advances have made it incredibly easy for any user to always be connected. Today we will compare the latest networking technologies, namely HSPA+ and LTE, and take a look at what the future holds. HistoryFirst generation mobile networks were basic analog systems designed purely for voice calls. Mobile devices and call rates were very expensive and therefore not available to everybody. The early nineties saw the introduction of the first digital cellular networks. 2G brought with it improved sound quality and a higher capacity, allowing for data services, albeit at very low speeds up to 14.4 kbps. Further advances in this technology introduced GPRS and EDGE features with quicker data speeds between 40kpbs to 100kbps.
This was followed by the 3G revolution. Apart from wide-area voice telephony, it introduced high-speed internet access, far improved audio and video streaming capabilities, support for video calls and conferences, and internet TV. With effective speeds ranging from 128kbps to 384kbps, the advent of 3G completely changed the way people use their mobile phones. The effective entry of the tablet and increasing dependency on handheld mobile devices led to demand for even faster speeds and connectivity options, leading to a new standard, HSPA+, followed by 4G LTE. What is HSPA+ and LTE?
HSPA+HSPA+ or Evolved High Speed Packet Access, is a souped-up version of HSUPA and HSDPA 3G standards with speeds comparable to the newer LTE networks. Theoretical speeds are said to feature download speeds up to 168Mbps and uplink of 22Mbps. These are of course theoretical speeds, with the actual speed available to users being much lower. While most HSPA+ networks around the world boast a theoretical 21Mbps(download) speed, T-Mobile(USA) and Deutsche Telekom(Germany) feature 42Mbps networks. A hotly debated issue is the 4G tag offered by cellular network companies to advertise their HSPA+ networks(T-mobile and AT&T), while most accept that it should be considered, at most, a 3.75G network. LTE
On the other hand, LTE, or Long Term Evolution, is considered a “true” 4G network. Theoretical speeds boast downlink speeds of 300Mbps and uploads of 75Mbps. LTE, which is an IP-based system, is a complete redesign and simplication of 3G network architecture resulting in a marked reduction in transfer latency. Because of this, LTE is not compatible with 2G and 3G networks and thus, functions on an entirely different wireless spectrum. Unfortunately, this means that erecting an LTE network requires it to be built from the ground up. This is one of the main factors behind the delayed launch of complete 4G LTE networks. Bottom LineHSPA+ is the tip of the mountain with 3G technology, and LTE is simply the foundation for a new mountain. LTE, also k nown as 4G, is the most advanced telecommunications technology currently available, and is one that defines a clear path toward future developments, making it the most attractive choice for carriers these days. Speed ComparisonThe biggest question consumers have is whether the additional cost of buying an LTE-enabled device and the higher data charges are worth it, compared to the “slower” but relatively cheaper 3G and HSPA+ networks. Let’s take a look. Under consideration are speed comparisons based on the recently conducted wireless speed tests by PCWorld, of the major network carriers in the US (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint). For our purposes, we are going to compare the LTE-based AT&T and Verizon 4G networks, against the 42 Mbps HSPA+ based T-Mobile “4G” network. While Sprint and T-Mobile both aim towards launching their LTE networks soon, as of now, they are based on Wi-Max technology and HSPA+ respectively.
PCWorld, along with their testing partners Novarum, conducted the tests using Ookla’s speed test app in 13 cities across the US including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, New Orleans, New York, Washington D.C., and Boston. There are a few key points to note from the chart above:
Granted these results for HSPA+ aren’t standard the world over, with most networks featuring 21Mbps download capabilities. But all these network carriers are planning to upgrade to 42Mbps and even 84 Mbps networks, so HSPA+ still has a lot of potential, and is certainly “good enough” for now. CoverageAs you can see from the map above, 4G LTE is certainly the network of the future. With the much faster speeds, higher efficiency, and increased reliability, it is the next logical step in network technology development. There are some key points to note about the map though, which shows that LTE coverage isn’t as “colorful” as it seems:
On the other hand, HSPA+ is more along the lines of a software enhancement that elevates 3G data network performance. Of course, the process isn’t as simple as it sounds, but it is definitely easier than building a completely new LTE supported network. As such, any carrier that has an established 3G network, have upgraded to an HSPA+ network. With over 100 network carriers worldwide featuring HSPA+ networks with most boasting over 80% coverage. To keep up with current LTE speeds, carrier networks are also upgrading the their “slower” 21Mbps networks to 42Mbps or even 84Mbps (theoretical) download speeds. CostAs mentioned earlier, the biggest issue with taking advantage of the faster speeds of a 4G LTE network is coverage. Availability is still quite limited but that will of course, get better. What surprised me is the lack of a difference in cost between a carrier’s HSPA+ and LTE networks.
Of course, I’ve only used the information from two places I’m most familiar with, so there might be other networks worldwide where there is a more evident price difference (or not), so if there are, do let us know in the comments section. Device availability HSPA+ and LTE variations of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Device availability is another area where I consider LTE to be at a disadvantage. Here’s why:
The FutureHSPA+ Evolution of HSPA HSPA+, with its theoretical 168Mbps downlink speeds, still wasn’t the pinnacle of HSPA technology. Back in 2010 began talk of LTHE or Long Term HSPA Evolution. LTHE brought with a lot of advantages including:
Unfortunately, almost every network around the world has decided to move onto LTE as their network for the future. HSPA+ networks will likely be upgraded to the 42Mbps or even 84Mbps download capability, but now, it seems like that is as far as this evolutionary technology will be pushed. LTEWhile HSPA+ was the peak of 3G technology, the current variation of 4G LTE is only the first step in this next stage, opening up numerous possibilities for much further advancement in this field. It is somewhat strange that advances in LTE technology are already being spoken about when the “original” standard networks aren’t even close to being fully established. Yet, that is the rapid speed in which the tech world progresses. Let’s take a look at some of these developments:
ConclusionAdvantages of LTE over HSPA+
Advantages of HSPA+ over LTE
As you can see, LTE is definitely the way of the future, and the potential with this technology is incredible. But I still think there are a lot of factors that lead me to conclude that HSPA+ networks are certainly more than enough for now. What are your thoughts? Is HSPA+ good enough for now? Is LTE not here fast enough? Let us know in the comments section below. We’d love to know what you think! This article, HSPA+ vs LTE: Which one is better? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy S2 vs HTC One X – Last year’s best against HTC’s latest Posted: 06 May 2012 05:40 AM PDT
So now I’ve had a good go with a Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC One X. Both are impressive phones, and they both have people swearing by them. Which is best though? Well, I’m going to give you my thoughts on this. How do they feel in your hand?What’s really important to me is that a phone should be powerful, but remain easy to hold in hand. If a phone is too large then using it becomes a clumsy and awkward experience. Myself, I prefer the Samsung Galaxy S2 to the HTC One X. Yes, that’s right. The Samsung Galaxy S2 may be inferior in hardware terms, with a lower resolution screen, slower processor and all the rest of it, but it remains easy to hold and quick to retrieve from your pocket. The HTC One X is huge and doesn’t meet this basic requirement of a phone – convenience. It’s a phone trying to be a baby tablet. As you can see in the photos below, it’s very difficult if not impossible to touch every corner of the One X when you have it in one hand. It’s a stretch but still relatively comfortable with the SGS2.  I can just about reach the corners of the Samsung Galaxy S2  but, unless you are an absolute giant, that isn't true of the One X In regards to thickness, the phones are equal. When lined up on a table or held in hand (see pic below) there is barely a millimetre of difference. The phones to feel different to hold but this is because of the One X case being metallic and the S2 being plastic. The screen sizes also mean you have to shape your hand differently and whilst the SGS2 is comfortable, the One X can’t be used sensibly with one hand.  They are the same thickness, it's the length and width that makes them feel so different to hold. The displays?These are the exact specifications: HTC One X – 1280×720 Super IPS LCD2 display over 4,7inches. The Samsung Galaxy S2 is SuperAMOLED 480 x 800 over 4.3 inches.
In the last section I supported the GS2, now it’s flipped over to the HTC One X. As I said in my One X review the display is unbelievable. Nearly impossible to pick out individual pixels, bright and sharp. The Samsung Galaxy S2 also has a decent display. Though you can pick out individual pixels if you stare hard enough don’t be put off, it’s still very hard to do. The display remains High definition and a treat to look at. However after prolonged exposure to one device or the other, you do notice the difference when you switch over. How is the sound?Once again the Samsung Galaxy S2 has to submit to the One X. The GS2 has a single speaker on the rear of the device, and the sound that comes out of that is ‘acceptable’. At least it seems that way in comparison to the Beats audio system on the One X. The clever system in there makes sound seem like it’s coming from a small stereo speaker set in front of you. Anything you play will be heard with great clarity and quality. Processing power, general speed and benchmarks Samsung Galaxy S2 Benchmarks The One X is very impressive in this regard. To test out how the phones fair against each in this regard I cold-launched my favourite Reddit application (Reddit Sync) at the same time. Whilst the SGS2 takes about one second to load the application with it’s powerful dual-core Exynos @ 1.2 GHz, the One X tramples it with an undetectable loading time using the 1.5GHz nVidia Tegra 3 chip. As soon as I press the icon for the application it’s on my screen. Check out how much more powerful the HTC One X is below.  Benchmarks of the quad core HTC One X. Insanely powerful. When loading the Play Store, the One X is ready with a list of my installed applications in one second, for the SGS2 it takes about five. Camera ComparisonRear-Camera Here the phones should be evenly matched, both with an 8Megapixel LED flash camera. Interestingly, I found they are neck and neck when it comes to open landscape and general photographs, but when you go for something close up, the differences can be clearly seen.  The Samsung Galaxy S2's photo.  HTC One X's photo. There’s no doubt that the SGS2 works better in low-ish levels of artificial light (where these were taken). I also think it has slightly richer colour, don’t you? However even if the SGS2 does beat the One X for camera quality, remember that the One X has burst shot! I also noticed that while the S2 takes about 2 seconds to take and save a photo, it takes no time at all, near instantaneous. Front-Facing CamerasWhile the One X has a 1.3MP camera, the GS2 has a 1.9MP front facing camera. Not a lot of difference and low quality really, but the difference is detectable to people viewing through video chats. I’ve been in a couple with both of the phones and people have commented that the SGS2 is better. Not vastly so, but there is definitely a detectable difference. Battery LifeThis is where the Samsung Galaxy S2 undoubtedly takes the gold. The HTC One X has a 1800mAh battery and the Samsung has a 1650mAh battery, however the smaller screen, less intense CPU and a variety of other factors mean the SGS2 can go for days without needing to charge the battery, assuming you don’t use it non-stop. The One X, alternatively, can do three quarters of a day at best. A smartphone should be able to last you from when you leave for work in the morning until you come home at night. So which one wins?
It all comes down to what you want from a phone of course, but if you placed a Samsung Galaxy S2 and an HTC One X in front of me saying I could have either one – I would take the SGS2. It’s easier to hold, lasts far longer and is still a very powerful smartphone. The One X is fun for having a sleek design and a high resolution, but it’s also hard to use one handed and doesn’t last a day on a full charge. You can’t put it in your jeans pocket and sit down. As for which phone is more impressive in terms of speed and hardware (and you don’t care much about battery life), then the One X will give you great satisfaction as you use it. What are your thoughts? Are you swayed by HTC’s new quad core speed demon? Or does the Galaxy S2 still hold a warm place in your heart (and hand)? Let us know your thoughts. We’d love to hear! This article, Samsung Galaxy S2 vs HTC One X – Last year’s best against HTC’s latest , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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