Sunday, July 29, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Move aside, Apple Retina Display – here come 350ppi OLED screens from Samsung

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 06:54 PM PDT


Android fans have a long list of bragging material when comparing devices with Apple’s. There is one factor we haven’t quite been able to beat, though – Retina Display. But we all know the day when we can also silence Apple fanboys in this department is coming eventually, and it may be sooner than you think. Samsung may be able to bring this technology’s pixel density, along with the advantages of OLED panels, to upcoming Android devices.

With the development of FMM (Fine Metal Mask), Samsung is said to be able to achieve an OLED pixel density of up to 350 ppi (pixels per inch). Currently, such high-density pixelation can only be achieved by with LCD mobile displays. And even though we have devices like the Galaxy Nexus, which does have a 720p AMOLED display, the crispness and clarity can never match that of the HTC One X or Apple’s Retina Display (due to its need of a pentile display).

Mixing the colors of Super AMOLED displays with the non-pentile pixel-density of LCD would be a dream. The difference would mostly be noticed in small text, which is actually pretty crisp in AMOLED HD displays. But does it match HD LCD? Definitely not.

Long story-short: this technology is said to be easily applicable to current OLED technology. This makes it inexpensive and simple to start manufacturing such OLED displays, and we might be seeing them in upcoming Samsung devices rather soon. Anyone want a Galaxy S4 with one of these? Maybe the next Nexus smartphone?

[Source: ETNews Via: OLED-Info]

Affordable tablet manufacturers have to change their strategy or find a new market

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 04:51 PM PDT


Companies like ARCHOS have been able to make a name for themselves for one reason, and it is not for the quality of their products. This is not to say that these tablets are horrible either, but their main focus has been affordability, which meant sacrificing good specs and build quality. These cheaper tablets were a life-saver for those who didn’t want to spend $500 on a good device. But with the tablet market taking a turn and devices being more affordable, these manufacturers are finding themselves in quite a deep hole.

It is tablets like the Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, ASUS Transformer Pad 300 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 that are slaughtering the affordable tablet market. Major companies are offering great options for the same prices that ARCHOS sells its tablets for. We are talking Tegra 3 (or comparable) processors, 1 GB of RAM, HD displays and some come with the latest Android version (or at least they are getting it soon enough). Starting at $200, these tablets are making it impossible for tablets like ARCHOS’ to compete.

This became more evident when the ARCHOS 97 Carbon was announced, and more recently released. This $250 tablet offers a 1 GHz single-core processor, 1 GB of RAM. 16 GB of internal storage, Android 4.0 and a 9-inch display. Compared to the Nexus 7, this tablet is simply left in the dust. It does have a microSD slot and a larger display if that is what you fancy. But is it worth giving up other superior speeds?

I have been able to lower my storage needs by using cloud services. I literally have to try in order to fill up my 16 GB phones and tablets. The display may be larger, but has the same definition as the Nexus 7. This means that pixel density is much lower. I prefer looking at a smaller, but crisper display.

So where does this leave ARCHOS et al? These companies will be forced to change their strategies, prices and quality. Or else they will simply disappear as fast as they came. At this point, though, it will be rather hard to match the popular manufacturers. They would need to improve their hardware and specs significantly. If not, these tablets will have to be extremely affordable.

But even if ARCHOS managed to sell a tablet like the 97 Carbon for $100, I would not think twice about going for a Nexus 7, even if this would cost double the price. It has really reached that sweet spot. So much that most of my recommendations nowadays are for the Nexus 7 or Transformer Pad Infinity (for the hard-core users). Even if the tablet is meant for a kid.

The tablet market, as we know it, is simply no longer existent. ARCHOS, get your team together and think of some major changes. We would hate to see a player with good potential being left behind.

[ARCHOS]

Soulja Boy tablet? You got it!

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 03:03 PM PDT


Tokova is not the most popular Android tablet manufacturer. In fact, I am willing to bet that about 99% of you probably haven’t even heard about it before. But when it comes getting respect in the mean streets of your neighborhood, this company’s tablets might be your best option. A good ol’ tablet just doesn’t seem to be enough for Soulja Boy fans, as the rapper has partnered with Tokova to release a couple exclusive tablets.

The Soulja Boy Edition tablets come in two versions – the Tokova Tiger Shark (image to the right) and Tokova Great White. Both feature an exclusive design with the singer’s name and image. Aside from that, these tablets offer the same as their original editions. Which makes it seem like Tokova is simply using Soulja Boy’s popularity to drive a few sales.

On paper, these tablets don’t seem as horrible as one would think. The $400 Tiger Shark is a 7-inch pad with Android 4.0, a 1.2 GHz processor and 64 GB of internal storage. Meanwhile, the Great White goes for $500 and offers a 9.5-inch display, Android 4.0, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.

For what it’s worth, these seem like very capable devices. But they are rather expensive, at least considering the company’s fame (or lack thereof). And taking the competition into consideration, it is very hard for us to figure out who would be able to take advantage of these. Other than raging Soulja Boy fans.

If they follow Soulja Boy’s example, they probably like to throw away money and blow their noses with $100 bills. Wasting your money should be no issue. All 5 of you can now raid the store and get your new tablets now. I will stick with my Nexus 7.

[Source: Tokova 1, 2]

A better look at the Sony Xperia J

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 02:19 PM PDT

The Xperia J has been hiding under a rock ever since its filing to the Indonesian government. Details continue to be scarce up to this point, but now Mr. Blurrycam has taken a break and given someone else the chance to leak some good images. These are much more clear, displaying 3 Xperia J devices in different colors; black, pink and white.

Once we take a longer, better look at the device, its lower-end (“plasticky”) build quality is much more noticeable. This device is meant to be an affordable handset, though, and its specs also serve as proof of such. The Xperia J is said to come with a 1 GHz single-core processor, a 4-inch WVGA display, a 5 MP camera and Android 4.0.4.

It won’t rock your world, but Sony is remarkably good making mid-end devices. This is of course, considering their price, specs and competition. This device should be a great option for those looking to buy a good smartphone without spending breaking the pocket.

Price and availability are still unknown, so let’s just stay tuned until Sony decides to take this little guy out of its hiding spot.

[Source: ePrice Via: Xperia Blog]

Google Play Store app updated to version 3.7.15 [Download]

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 01:36 PM PDT

An update to the Google Play Store is currently rolling out to Android devices, bringing it to v3.7.15. Though it may always be exciting to see what the Search Giant has cooked up for us, this update is not as significant as the latest one (which added TV show purchases and magazine subscriptions). Instead, we are currently seeing an improvement in performance and bug fixes.

What improvements we might be receiving continues to be a mystery, though. It does seem like Sprint users are no longer getting errors while downloading apps using the 4G network. Aside from that, it would be anybody’s guess at this point.

Our friends from Android Police have managed to pull out the APK file for you to download and install. Simply allow app installations from “Unknown Sources” and side-load the app as usual. Many of you may already have it. But if you don’t, try it and let us know how it is treating you! Are you noticing any improvements?

Download: Mirror 1, Mirror 2, Mirror 3, Mirror 4

The ZTE Flash has quite the package, heading towards Sprint in Q4?

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 12:31 PM PDT

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720p IPS display. 12.6 megapixel camera. LTE. NFC. Android 4.0, maybe even 4.1 by launch. And all this could be available to Sprint users in mid-October if this little leaked image that made it’s way to Talk Android were to be true. ZTE’s been making a bit of news recently with the Grand X, but really, this device called the Flash sounds like what we should be really looking forward to.

There is one small bummer with the 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, and though I know the dual-core Snapdragon S4 packs quite a punch, we’re talking about mid-October, a time when we could soon be smelling the quad-core Kraits and the LTE packing Exynos and Tegras, not to mention the new Nexus. Or maybe even Nexii.

[via Talk Android]

[Developer] Action Bar Style Generator updated with preview

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 10:37 AM PDT

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Back in June, when we kickstarted our Developer Appreciation month, I wrote about Action Bar Style Generator that I believed would be an excellent tool for developers to create the resources they require for their project. I have used it extensively since I first came across it, and probably will never start another project without it.

One issue I did have, however, when I first started using it was that I wasn’t certain exactly what the file names mentioned over there meant, and what look I was going to get. As a result, it took me several tries before I got the perfect combination. Fortunately, though, creator Jeff Gilfelt has updated the generator with a preview tool. For newbies, and frankly even for those that have been using it for a while, it’s an excellent addition.

[via Android UI Patterns on Google+]

 

Phandroid’s Best Android Apps: 3D-Effect Live Wallpaper by Robert Tieber [Video]

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 10:20 AM PDT

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Back in the summer of ’09, I was exposed to a design firm calling themselves The Astonishing Tribe (or TAT for short). Believe it or not, but these guys were actually involved in designing the basic Android UI we saw in the Cupcake days. On their YouTube channel, they uploaded some of their most impressive concepts and demos of TAT Mobile UI that made my jaw drop harder than the bass on a dubstep track. One of the demos they showed off was 3D Eyetracking UI. This demo gave us a look at a launcher with icons that moved independently of the background, creating a 3D effect like no other. No frilly, stereoscopic nonsense. I was impressed to say the least, but disappointed that the demo never made it out of the concept stage.

A few days ago, a friend of mine told me about an app called 3D-Effect Live Wallpaper, a live wallpaper that faithfully recreates the TAT UI 3D Eyetracking concept. Since it was a paid app, I was a little apprehensive at first. I decided to try similar free apps in the Play Store all were found lacking. Terribly. I finally ponied up the $1.26 and gave her a spin. What I discovered changed my life forever. Check out my video below for my full demonstration/walkthrough of 3D-Effect Live Wallpaper.

For you tinfoil hate types (or those of you that are just sensibly cautious), 3D-Effect Live Wallpaper requires no special permissions of any kind — your data, identity, and nudes are safe. You can pick up the app right now in the Google Play Store for $1.26. I’ve also gone ahead and linked to a zip file containing a handful of my favorite videogame wallpapers to compliment the pixely side effect of the app. Enjoy.

DeadEndThrills Video Game Wallpapers: Download

[Play Store Link | Wallpapers via DeadEndThrills]

One of the best ways to keep up-to-date with the Olympics is this Guardian website

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 09:10 AM PDT

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Not exactly Android news, but something I feel is worth sharing anyway. If you’re looking for some of the best ways to stay updated with the buzz coming from #London2012, I highly suggest the Guardian’s newly-launched Second Screen. The website is optimized for touchscreen devices, and provides some great information via the Guardian’s own network and a hand-picked set of bloggers and photographers.
While I am a big sports fan, and am most definitely excited about the Games, I must admit there are very few events that I would actually want to see on TV. The Second Screen proved a great filler, with an excellent way to filter through the content I want to see. For example, the bar graph that you see in the screen shot indicates the level of buzz being generated on Twitter. It can be used to see when something exciting is or was happening.

That little peak you see slightly before 20:30 (my local time in India) was when a huge upset occurred in the Men’s bicycling road race event, when the British who some expected to canter to a gold medal, failed to pick up any.

Also, in a nod towards Android’s action bar design strategy, the site provides additional filtering options in the top bar when space permits. The filter option can be used to turn on or off updates from the Guardian’s network, Twitter, photographers and the medal count.

There are a few bugs, as this second screenshot shows as I viewed the latest standings table which was probably caused by the lack of width on my phone. But, on the whole, the Guardian’s use of technology continues to impress me. They are by far my favorite traditional media outlet, and probably the only one I hold in high regard.

Motorola Android devices banned in Germany after losing patent case against Microsoft

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 07:50 AM PDT

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Yet another day, yet another bit of patent-related lawsuit news. And, unfortunately, this time an Android OEM is on the wrong side of the judgement. A Mannheim court has ruled that Motorola infringes on Microsoft’s patents on FAT technology. The court has granted Microsoft’s request for a ban on all relevant devices, as long as they pay a 10 million Euro bond (peanuts for the company, unfortunately).

Motorola will be required to pay damages which haven’t been determined as yet. Microsoft, as expected, are gloating in the wake of the recovery. They had already won an injunction request in late May, and believe this bolsters their position.

"We already have an injunction against Motorola products in Germany as a result of a ruling on May 24, and today’s ruling serves to strengthen this injunction. In the long term, if Motorola wishes to sell products on the German market, it must either take a license or stop using the technology covered by our patents including the ones at issue in this week’s decisions."

-David Howard, Microsoft Deputy General Counsel and Corporate VP

There’s really not much to say in this. I can’t pretend that the justice system around the world is going to change for the better. There have been some signs for the better, but nothing’s going to change until there’s a complete revamp of the system. Until then, there’s really no point expecting Microsoft to have a change of heart and decide to compete on quality. They know they can’t, and they know that the only thing in their interest is to either make a ton of money from licenses, or put such a high price on manufacturing Android handsets that OEMs decide not to.

[via Talk Android]
Posted by at 7:42 AM

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