Wednesday, June 27, 2012

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Google Android News Android Forums

MEIZU MX Quad-Core Release Date and Price Officially Announced

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 04:17 PM PDT

The MEIZU MX was first revealed back in fall of last year debuting with a dual-core processor. During the unveiling, MEIZU did reveal that a quad-core version of the MX would be made available in the future. Today, they’ve officially announced that the quad-core model will hit stores in China and Hong Kong sometime on June 30th.

The phone will look exactly the same on the outside and the processor will be the only change. The phone will sport the Exynos A9 quad-core CPU at 32nm. As for the rest, it’s the same as its predecessor with a 4″ qHD (960 x 540) screen, 8MP rear camera, and 1700mAh battery. It also runs the “Flyme OS” UI, and will ship with Android 4.0.

The MX quad-core will be offered in two models: 32GB and 64GB, and priced at roughly ￥2999/3999 CNY ($425 USD) and $3099/4099 HKD ($630 USD) respectively. The company is also dropping the price of the dual-core model to ￥2399 CNY/$2599 HKD ($380 USD), effective immediately. Definitely not a bad price range for an unlocked phone. Here is MEIZU’s full press release from April after the break:

HONG KONG – April 16, 2012 – MEIZU today announces the brand new MEIZU MX Quad-core smartphone to be available in June this year. Among many surprises, the MEIZU MX Quad-core is the first smartphone in the world to use the brand new and powerful Exynos A9 quad-core processor.

The MX Quad-core uses a power efficient quad-core Exynos A9 CPU with industry-leading 32 nm HKMG technology which has been optimized to reduce CPU power consumption by up to 20%. In addition, itwill last even longer with a new 1700mAh battery.

With its state-of-the art hardware, the MEIZU MX Quad-core is better in every way than its predecessor. The MEIZU MX Quad-core CPU is 60% faster, and GPU 50% faster compared to the previous MX. Whether it is browsing through menus, playing the latest games, or watching 1080p video, the MX Quad-core easily beats dual-core devices.

MX Quad-core comes with a vivid 292 PPI high definition ASV display. With no visible pixels on the screen, it provides the user with the ideal smartphone viewing experience. On the back side, the MX Quad-core has an 8 megapixel BSI camera with an f/2.2 lens aperture, capable of taking great photos even in low light conditions. The MX Quad-core will come with MEIZU's unique Flyme OS based on Android 4.0, providing users with beauty, simplicity and buttery smooth performance at every interaction.

The MEIZU MX Quad-core will be available in MEIZU's 400 retail stores during June at ￥2999/3999 CNY and $3099/4099 HKD for capacities 32GB and 64GB in Mainland China and Hong Kong, respectively. With MX Quad-core, the company also releases MX back covers in five colors in addition to the original white, allowing users to experience the MX on their own terms. Coinciding with the announcement of MEIZU MX Quad-core, the MEIZU MX will have its price adjusted to ￥2399 CNY and $2599 HKD in Mainland China and Hong Kong respectively. The reduced price for the MEIZU MX is effective as of April 16, 2012.

 

Latest Instagram update brings Facebook sharing and new search features

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 03:17 PM PDT

Since Instagram made it’s long awaited debut on Android earlier this year it has been improving slowly and steadily. The photo editing gurus have been hard at work on another update and it’s a significant one this time. Users now have the ability to share any photo they like direct to Facebook at the click of a button. Furthermore users can now search for other users and specific tags in the explore tab from within the application. There are also a series of bug fixes and app optimisations bundled in for good measure.

The update is available right now, you can grab it through the QR code or Google Play link below. Enjoy!

 

Google Play

AT&T Motorola Dinara passes through Bluetooth SIG

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 02:38 PM PDT

Stories of the fabled Motorola MB886 have been travelling the tech websites for the best part of a year now. The rumours have been heating up more recently with a leaked press image and a cameo at the FCC hitting the headlines within the past couple of weeks. The MB886/Dinara has successfully made it a hat-trick for June as it has today been approved by the Bluetooth SIG. Surely an indication that an announcement from AT&T is imminent?

Watch this space as we bring you further news on the Mystery Motorola device as it breaks. In the meantime you can check out the bluetooth certification below.

Source: unwired view

Toshiba Excite 7.7 Review

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 01:30 PM PDT

The world of Android tablets gets bigger and bigger each day, and so far no one has stood out in the crowd. Toshiba has been a solid player in the laptop/notebook side, and they would really like to kick things into gear with tablets. Last year’s Thrive line didn’t impress much and this year, they’re hoping people will be excited (no pun intended) for the Excite line. There newest models are available now and include the Excite 10, Excite 7.7, and Excite 13. They are all very similar tabs other than the screen size, but the Excite 7.7 is the only one with a Super AMOLED display. Because of that it’s actually priced higher than the Excite 10, and considerably higher than competing 7-inch tabs. It does pack a lot under the hood, but should you consider it? Hit the break to find out, but you can also check out my initial hands on video here.

Design

One thing Toshiba has down is design and quality. The second you pick up any of the Excite tabs you realize it’s a really nice piece of hardware. It has Gorilla Glass on top and the back side is textured Aluminum. Yes it’s a cliche, but it does feel great in the hands. It’s also quite thin as it comes in at 7.6mm. That’s less than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, which is at 7.9mm. As far as weight goes, it’s a little heavier, at 380 grams as opposed to the Galaxy Tab 7.7, which is 340 grams.

At the top you will find the power button, volume buttons, and a multi-toggle switch. In past models this was used for locking the orientation, but it’s now programmable in the settings. In can also be set to toggle mute on/off or to lock the power and volume buttons. The right side has the microphone jack, micro SDXC slot, and micro USB port. The bottom has the proprietary port for charging and connecting to docks, and last but not least, the left side is completely bare.

Hardware

Other than the 7.7-inch Super AMOLED (1280 x 800) screen, it features a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of storage, microSDXC slot for up to an additonal 128GB of storage, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, stereo speakers enhanced by Toshiba and SRS Technologies, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

Battery

10 hours seems to be the norm for most tablets as was the case with the Excite 7.7. I was able to get just under 10 hours and 30 minutes out of it playing continuous video while the display was turned up to 2/3′s brightness. It didn’t match the prowess of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, but then again nothing out there does.

Performance

With the NVIDIA Tegra 3 under the hood you would expect top notch performance. It was very good, but a little off from the performance of the ASUS tabs. I did have some minor hesitations in spots, but nothing to distressing. Most of it seems software related. For games, it performed very well with minor hiccups. Unless you’re a hardcore user, I can’t imagine anyone being unhappy with the performance. As you all should know by now, I don’t believe in benchmarks, but they make a good story. I ran the obligatory AnTuTu Benchmark and it came in at 10,264, which is hair below the ASUS Transformer Prime. This tab has plenty of power, no question about it.

The 1280 x 800 display is gorgeous. Toshiba markets it as Super AMOLED so you would think it’s a PenTile display since there is no “Plus.” Toshiba says the display isn’t PenTile, but they can’t use the Plus designation since it’s owned by Samsung. It might be confusing, but the Galaxy Tab 7.7 has the Super AMOLED Plus display and the Excite 7.7 has a Super AMOLED display, but both are PenTile free, and both sport 196 PPI. I found the Excite 7.7 to be as good as the Tab 7.7, but even though they both have the same screen resolution, everything on the Tab 7.7 is smaller. For example, on the home screens, you can put 8 icons on one line on the Tab 7.7, but with the Excite 7.7 it’s only 6. For other apps like Gmail and the Play Store everything is smaller (like fonts and graphics) on the Tab 7.7. In a nutshell, I wouldn’t say the Excite 7.7 is a better display, but it’s easier to look at. All in all, both displays are awesome you won’t find anything better from any other sub 10-inch tablet.

The sound quality was lacking, which is surprising. Toshiba touts that their speakers are enhanced by SRS Technologies, but something doesn’t jive. It’s not that the sound was bad, it was just too low.

Software

The Excite 7.7 features Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, and it’s basically stock as far as the UI. They do include some custom apps like the video player, but purists will be happy that the major elements of the ICS UI are intact.

As far as bloatware you will find Adobe Reader, Amazon MP3, Book Place, Crackle, Hardwood Solitaire, Hardwood Backgammon, Hardwood Spades, Hardwood Hearts, Hardwood Euchre, Kaspersky Tablet Security, LogMeIn, Media Player (Toshiba), News Place, PrinterShare, Quickoffice, Register (for registering your tab with Toshiba) Toshiba File Manager, and Zinio.

For the keyboard, they pre-installed Swype, but it’s not set as the default. The default keyboard gets the job done for those that like traditional typing.

Camera

The 5MP camera is average at best. I stopped putting example photos from tablets in my reviews because it really doesn’t make sense. Tablet cameras will probably never become mainstream cameras, but it’s nice to have for emergencies or in situations where you to need to take a shot for whatever reason. The Excite 7.7 will get the job done, but be warned, the shutter speed is slow. After using phones like the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X, it’s painfully slow. As to the front-facer, we’re happy they gave us a 2MP lens because it makes video chatting so much better at least for the people we’re chatting with.

Closing

The Excite 7.7 is a really nice tablet, but the biggest concern has to be price. At $499 for the 16GB version and $579 for the 32GB version, it appears they priced themselves out of the market. Yes, it has an amazing screen and the Terga 3, but the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 is less than $400 and packs a 10.1-inch display. There’s also the pending announcement of the Google Nexus Tablet, which will most likely have similar specs as the Excite 7.7, but be priced for $199 to $249. When it comes to 7-inch (or approximate) displays, I don’t think people expect 10-inch pricing. Toshiba came out with the Excite 10 priced at $449, which is a little high, but at least in the ball park. For whatever reason they decided to throw in a better display in the 7.7 and price it higher, which just doesn’t make sense. Buyers of smaller tablets aren’t looking for all the bells and whistles. In closing, this is a very nice tablet, but I’m having a hard time recommending that you spend your dollars on one.

Jelly Bean Becomes Official as New Statue is Added to the Googleplex Lawn

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 12:24 PM PDT

There we have it folks! Short of an announcement from tomorrow’s keynote, Android Jelly Bean is official!

Jelly Bean will make an appearance sometime over the next couple days at Google I/O but as you can see in the image above the JB statue was already added to the Googleplex lawn. I am in San Francisco to cover this year’s event and I am hoping to bring you guys some hands on goodness with Google’s latest OS. Who knows, maybe it will be on the Nexus tablet that is rumored to be sent home with all attendees. :-) If that is case, you can expect a full Jelly Bean review in the coming days!

Stay tunned for all the great announcements to come from this years I/O and don’t forget that you can watch the live keynotes right here on Talk Android… Things are about to get all kinds of awesome for Android!

source: Google+

Problems with quad-core CPU to delay Huawei Ascend D Quad again

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 12:11 PM PDT

Back in February, Huawei announced the introduction of the Ascend D Quad, a high-end smartphone, scheduled to be available in April 2012. With an impressive list of features, Huawei claimed it would be the fastest smartphone in the world. In March, it was reported production would be delayed until June with July delivery dates. News is now coming out that yet another delay has struck Huawei. Production is now expected to commence in August with delivery probably not occurring until September.

The delay is traced to Huawei's own production of their quad-core chip. Huawei's Consumer Business Group CEO Yu Chengdong indicates production of the quad-core chip "has encountered some technical problems which caused the delays in production."

The Ascend D Quad, if released on schedule, would have been a top tier smartphone. Specs include a Huawei K3V2 1.2GHz quad-core chipset; a 4.5-inch HD Touch-Enabled screen, supporting 720p resolution at 330 PPI; an 8MP BSI rear-facing camera and a 1.3MP front-facing camera; and support for full HD (1080p) video recording. While still a relatively strong contender, with competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X already available, Huawei may have missed their opportunity to establish a foothold in the high-end smartphone market.

source: Unwired View

Verizon pulls Android data widget; new version supporting shared data plans in the works

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT

Readers with Android devices from Verizon may have already noticed a message today about the "My Verizon Data Widget" being discontinued. The widget was a tool users could include on their screens to quickly view their data usage. Seeing that information is extremely useful if one does not have an unlimited data plan. Without the widget, one has to navigate the Verizon web site to access data usage information.

The good news is the removal of the widget is a temporary measure. A tweet from Verizon support indicates the widget is being reworked to be compatible with their new Share Everything Plans.

source: androidcentral

Mozilla announces the new Firefox for Android

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 08:07 AM PDT

Last week Mozilla teased that something big was coming this week, and just like that it’s next week. Mozilla just unveiled the new Firefox for Android. It’s been available as a beta for some time now, but it’s now official and in the Google Play Store. They say it’s “screaming fast” with everything from startup and page load times to panning and zooming.

To help them make Firefox two times faster than the stock browser, they created a new benchmark called Eideticker. It measures the actual Web experience and it helped them maximize speed.

As you would expect Firefox Sync brings all your browsing history, bookmarks, passwords, and form data to your Android phone. As with most third party browsers, Firefox for Android features tabbed browsing as well.

Last but not least, Firefox for Android supports HTML5 including the ability to play their BrowserQuest multi-player role playing game.

Hit the break for a video, download links, and the full presser

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link

Full press release:

Mozilla Launches a Speedy and Powerful Upgrade to Mobile Browsing with Firefox for Android

As a pioneer of the Web, Mozilla unlocked the Web experience on the desktop with Firefox and we are doing it again in mobile. We're proud to announce a new Firefox for Android is now available for download in the Google Play store. The new Firefox for Android is a snappy and dynamic upgrade to mobile browsing that makes it faster and easier to get where you want to go on the Web.

Super Fast – We redesigned Firefox for Android to make it a screaming fast and personalized upgrade to mobile browsing that lets you take your Web experience everywhere you go. You'll notice dramatic performance improvements that make Firefox on your Android phone super fast with everything from startup and page load times to panning and zooming and Web app performance when you just want to play Mozilla's BrowserQuest game with your friends.

Firefox for Android is significantly faster than the stock browser that ships on Android phones according to the leading industry benchmarks, such as Sunspider. In addition, we developed a new benchmark, called Eideticker, that measures the actual user Web experience and we built Firefox for Android to it, yielding an experience that is two times faster than the stock browser.

Upgrade to Mobile Browsing – Firefox for Android has a fresh, streamlined look with a personalized start page that saves you time getting where you want to go on the Web. The new Awesome Screen powered by Firefox Sync delivers all your browsing history, bookmarks, passwords and form data to your Android phone. We also optimized your favorite features like tabbed browsing, Firefox Sync and Firefox Add-ons to deliver the best mobile browsing experience possible.

Firefox for Android supports Flash so you can watch videos, play games and interact with more Web content on your Android phone.

Based on the same open technology platform as the desktop version of Firefox, Firefox for Android offers the highest level of privacy and security features in mobile browsing. Firefox respects your privacy and protects your security with features like Do Not Track, Master Password, HTTP Strict Transport Security and more.

Upgrade to the Web Platform – New HTML5 capabilities in Firefox for Android enable developers to create rich Web apps and websites based on HTML5, JavaScript, CSS and other open Web standards. As the advocate for the Web, Mozilla exposes new Web APIs and submits them to standards groups to move the Web forward as a platform. Among the standards that Mozilla helped build are Camera API, Vibration API, Mobile Connection API, Battery Status API, Screen Orientation API and Geolocation API.

You can play Mozilla's HTML5 BrowserQuest multi-player role playing game across desktop and mobile Web experiences to see just how powerful, fast and fun the Web can be.

Facebook Messenger gets updated to 1.8 with new features

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 06:54 AM PDT

The Facebook Messenger app got updated yesterday to version 1.8. Now you can quickly switch between multiple conversations with in-app notifications and share bigger photos. You can also include friends of friends in conversations and see who’s available when you start a new conversation. Of course they also added some bug fixes and other minor improvements as well. Hit the break for the download links if you don’t already have the app or just head over to the Play Store and update that bad boy.

QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link

 

Hulu Plus Gets Updated To Bring Improved Support To 7-Inch Tablets And High-Res Screens

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 06:33 AM PDT

Hulu Plus was recently updated to make it just a smidge better than it already is. The biggest addition is the improved support for devices— namely 7-inch tablets such as the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. Not to be forgotten is improved support for devices with high-resolution screens, which means we can look forward to items such as higher quality video. This is definitely an opportunity for existing Hulu Plus members to grab the app in order to enjoy all those delicious episodes of The Office.

You can grab the app by hitting the Play Store link below or scanning the QR code.

Play Store
Posted by at 5:42 AM

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