AndroidGuys |
- Archos 101XS review
- ARCHOS Gen10 series announced, hits U.S. in November
- U.S. Cellular intros Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G
- Gameloft provides first gameplay footage of Wild Blood
- Sony releases open source DASH sensor framework
- Nikon intros Android-based 16-megapixel camera
- T-Mobile to offer Unlimited 4G plans starting September 5
| Posted: 22 Aug 2012 12:44 PM PDT What we liked: Super thin, lightweight, and sexy in white, the Archos 101XS looks beautiful and feels solid in hand. It’s the best effort from the company yet and the optional accessories add to the value. We’re also glad to see the Coverboard included in the box. Bonus points for a nearly stock Android 4.0 experience. Room for Improvement: It’s going to be tough to sell this device at $400 against bigger companies with more advertising capabilities. Even with its Coverboard and extra ports, the 101XS could stand to drop a few bucks off its price tag. Those burned by a previous Archos tablet experience may not be convinced of value. Review at a Glance: Archos was previously in the poor spot of trying to compete with companies like Samsung and Motorola for a piece of the Android tablet market. The new Coverboard immediately puts it in the conversation with Asus Transformer series. Thanks to a lower price point, the 101XS is a great bundle in the box, but it’s just a tad too high for average consumers. With most folks thinking “$200 tablets”, Archos will have a challenge convincing people to open their wallets a bit wider. HardwareNo matter what you look at, the first thing you will notice about the Archos 101XS is its white and grey color. While most companies are going with variations of grey or black, it’s refreshing to see this starkly different color scheme. The outside of both the display and the Coverboard feel somewhat soft to the touch, especially on the white parts.
A front-facing camera is found centered on the left hand side while the speaker sits across the display on the other side. When sitting on the desk on a tablet stand or the Coverboard neither of these bothered us. Pick the tablet up and hold it on its own, however, and you’ll find yourself covering one or both up. The volume rocker and power button are found on the right side (landscape) and feels okay when docked. Again, picking the tablet up, you want the camera up top and the speaker across bottom front. Sadly, this puts volume and power buttons at the bottom edge and in a very awkward spot. PortsArchos is one of those manufacturers that often integrates ports that don’t make it into other brand tablets. The same goes for the current mode as it includes microSD slot (up 64GB), micro-USB, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a mini-HDMI port. Charging is done via micro-USB with plugs on both the tablet and the Coverboard. We liked that the plug is directly in the back of the keyboard and not sticking out of some random side or front. Another plus in micro-USB is that we have so many of these lying around. Keep one near your desk and the Coverboard can sit there semi-permanently. DisplayThe Archos 101XS features a 10.1-inch 1,280×800 pixel display and really loves to pick up your fingerprints. And while it’s not on the level of IPS displays we have seen elsewhere, we were pleased with the vibrant colors and video playback. There were a few instances where we found the display not registering swipes or taps, but nothing worse than other tablets we’ve used. Blacks and whites were crisp and the overall picture impressed those who saw the tablet CoverboardWe’re big fans of the Coverboard however we understand that it’s not perfect technology. Heck, even trying to pull the display apart from the keyboard/cover is not always easy. We tried to be gentle as to not risk dropping the Archos 101XS but found it challenging on more than occasion. In fact, we’ve already noticed that the Coverboard no longer seems to fit snug against the display. Perhaps as a result of trying to pry the two apart to open them, the plastic keyboard could be stronger. Of course if you error on the other side and make the magnets weaker, then you’ll have complaints of tablets that don’t have a “snap together” feel. You’re supposed to be able to simply twist and pull the two halves apart but it is never that easy. We fear that extended use of the tablet could result in a less-than-desirable locking.  A week into use and it shows signs of wear. We are used to having a spot for our palms to rest on netbooks, notebooks, and even the Transformer Pad dock. The Archos does not give you anything to set your hands on and could stand to be a little deeper. However, to do anything along those lines, then we’d not have a perfectly-sized Coverboard. Unlike the Transformer Prime, the Archos 101XS Coverboard does not charge your tablet while docked. That’s certainly not a deal breaker for us, and it was to be expected considering the lower price point. If you want something that keeps a spare charge for your tablet, then you’ll have to pay a premium at this point.
Although it sounds like we are not digging the Coverboard here, we actually appreciate it quite a bit. It’s thin, very light, and the Android-specific buttons are great. As much as we like general Bluetooth keyboard, nothing beats one that has dedicated buttons for home, menu, brightness, lock, and more. At nearly half the thickness of the Transformer Pad and dock, the Archos Gen10 comes across super sleek and modern looking. Regardless of what is under the hood, the weight and design drew “oohs and ahhs” from our friends and family.
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| ARCHOS Gen10 series announced, hits U.S. in November Posted: 22 Aug 2012 09:15 AM PDT Watch out Asus, Archos is gunning for you and your tablet form factor. Today, as expected, Archos introduced its next series of Android tablets in the Gen10 ARCHOS 101 XS. Priced at $399 we’re big fans of the design and think its the best Archos product to date. It’s called the Coverboard and its what turns the already-powerful tablet into a versatile, laptop-like experience. When attached (magnets!) to the tablet, it doubles as a protective house. Opened up, it holds (more magnets!) the display in place and allows for a full-sized typing experience.
Hardware for the Gen10 includes an 1.5GHz OMAP 4470 CPU with PowerVR SGX544 GPU, a 10.1-inch (1280×800) display, 16GB internal storage, microSD expansion, front-facing camera, microUSB charging, mini HDMI, and more. Pretty impressive on its own merit, but the Android-specific keyboard adds a whole new level of functionality. Added flexibilityIn addition to the magnetic Coverboard, the Gen10 series features a proprietary adapter for accessories. Archos is also introducing no less than three products.
Look for the Archos Gen10 series to hit Europe in September followed in November with a U.S. release. Later this year, Archos also plans to release an 8-inch and 9.7-inch variant of the series, each of which having the same technology, Coverboard, and proprietary adapter. ReviewWe’ve been playing around with one of these for the better part of a week now and have put together our review.
ARCHOS Gen10 series announced, hits U.S. in November was written by the way cool dudes at AndroidGuys. Follow at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Popular PC time management game, Legends of Atlantis: Exodus, is now FREE to play on Android! Features 50+ strategic levels, achievements, bonuses, power-ups, and more!
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| U.S. Cellular intros Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:50 AM PDT
U.S. Cellular has begun selling a new Android-powered Samsung smartphone online and will later release it in retail stores later in the week. Called the Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G, it runs $179.00 after $100 mail-in rebate. Should you live in a current or prospective 4G LTE market you’ll be able to get it for an even more attractive $129.00 after $100 mail-in rebate. Details include a sliding QWERTY keyboard, a 4.0-inch display, a 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel camera, and front-facing camera. Certainly not a top-line smartphone but what do ya expect for that kind of money? U.S. CELLULAR LAUNCHES NEXT 4G LTE SMARTPHONE: SAMSUNG GALAXY METRIX 4G QWERTY Keyboard Device Available Online Today and In Stores Friday CHICAGO (August 22, 2012) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung Mobile), have announced that the Samsung® Galaxy Metrix™ 4G is available online today at uscellular.com and will be available in stores on Friday, August 24. The Android™ powered smartphone runs on the 4G LTE™ network, with speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. The Galaxy Metrix 4G sells for $179.00 after a $100 mail-in rebate and $129.00 after a $100 mail-in rebate in markets where 4G LTE service is currently available and will be available by the end of 2012. Visit uscellular.com for detailed pricing. The Galaxy Metrix 4G has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard to get your message out quickly and a front-facing camera for easy video chatting. The 4.0-inch touchscreen allows you to clearly view movies and video games and use the Internet on-the-go. You also have access to Google Play™, a one-stop shop for Android users to access nearly half a million apps, millions of songs and books, and thousands of movies. "We are excited to offer our latest 4G LTE smartphone for our customers to help them get more done in less time," said Edward Perez, vice president of sales and marketing operations for U.S.Cellular. "The large touchscreen and popular QWERTY keyboard for fast typing make the Galaxy Metrix 4G the go-to device for customers who depend on their smartphone to keep up with their busy schedules." Highlighted features:
The Galaxy Metrix 4G will be available to all U.S. Cellular customers and will run on the 4G LTE network in markets where it is available and on U.S. Cellular's nationwide 3G network in all other areas. U.S. Cellular customers enjoy unique benefits, such as new devices faster without continuously signing contracts, free Overage Protection and free Battery Swap. U.S. Cellular also offers customers the only points-based rewards program in the industry, which rewards customers for simple things, such as paying bills on-time, adding a line or referring friends and family. Points may be used for faster phone upgrades, additional lines, devices, accessories and ringtones. U.S. Cellular, in partnership with King Street Wireless, currently offers 4G LTE service covering 31 percent of their customers in select cities in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin. Later this year, 4G LTE coverage will expand to cover select cities in Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. By the end of 2012, 58 percent of U.S. Cellular customers will enjoy faster 4G LTE speeds. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G. The Galaxy Metrix 4G will be available for $179.00 after a $100 mail-in rebate. It will be available for $129.00 after a $100 mail-in rebate in markets where 4G service is available today or will be available by the end of 2012. Visit uscellular.com for detailed pricing. Purchase of a data plan is required and a new two-year agreement and activation fee may apply for new customers. Additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Samsung, Galaxy and Metrix are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Other company names, product names and marks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners and may be trademarks or registered trademarks. 4G used in connection with the Samsung Galaxy Metrix refers to the fact that it is capable of operating on U.S. Cellular's 4G network. About King Street Wireless, L.P. About Samsung Telecommunications America About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. About U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular intros Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G was written by the way cool dudes at AndroidGuys. Follow at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Popular PC time management game, Legends of Atlantis: Exodus, is now FREE to play on Android! Features 50+ strategic levels, achievements, bonuses, power-ups, and more!
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| Gameloft provides first gameplay footage of Wild Blood Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:16 AM PDT Gameloft is taking a very slow, controlled approach to their latest game, stringing us along with bite-sized glimpses of Wild Blood. Today sees the developer providing the first in-game footage from the title, a video which we’ve embedded below. According to the description there is yet another clue hidden in the 51-second clip. We’re anxious to get our hands on this one as it looks to push the boundaries of mobile gaming. Here’s to hoping we don’t watch our iOS brethren get a head start on us. Gameloft provides first gameplay footage of Wild Blood was written by the way cool dudes at AndroidGuys. Follow at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Popular PC time management game, Legends of Atlantis: Exodus, is now FREE to play on Android! Features 50+ strategic levels, achievements, bonuses, power-ups, and more!
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| Sony releases open source DASH sensor framework Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:06 AM PDT Sony today announced that they are releasing their Dynamic Android Sensor HAL (DASH) sensor framework as an open source GitHub project. Essentially this means that custom ROM developers and other mobile players can contribute to the project and improve things for all involved.
According to Sony, the CyanogenMod team has already been helping the cause, adding to the framework.
If you or your development team is interesting in making code input for future Xperia models, you’re advised to head to Sony’s blog post for additional details.
Sony releases open source DASH sensor framework was written by the way cool dudes at AndroidGuys. Follow at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Popular PC time management game, Legends of Atlantis: Exodus, is now FREE to play on Android! Features 50+ strategic levels, achievements, bonuses, power-ups, and more!
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| Nikon intros Android-based 16-megapixel camera Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:54 AM PDT Nikon today announced a 16-megapixel Android-based camera in the form of the recently rumored S800C. Featuring a 10X optical zoom and Wi-Fi support, the camera runs 2.3 Gingerbread under the hood and should be plenty powerful enough to do some editing and filters before uploading to social networks. Thanks to full Google Play integration, the S800C is able to access hundreds of thousands of apps.
Other noteworthy details include the following:
The S800C is available in either black or white options and runs $349.99 at various retailers. Is this for you?What do you think of a camera that runs Android? Is this something you would consider using for photos instead of your handset? Let’s hear it! Nikon intros Android-based 16-megapixel camera was written by the way cool dudes at AndroidGuys. Follow at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Popular PC time management game, Legends of Atlantis: Exodus, is now FREE to play on Android! Features 50+ strategic levels, achievements, bonuses, power-ups, and more!
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| T-Mobile to offer Unlimited 4G plans starting September 5 Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT While other carriers have started offering pooled data plans, T-Mobile is doing a little something different. Late last night (or early this morning) T-Mobile announced that they will be soon offering unlimited 4G data plans for new and existing subscribers. Set to begin on September 5, customers will find that they can add the feature for $20/month when added to a Value voice and text plan or $30/month if tied to aClassic voice and text plan. T-Mobile Unleashes Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data Starting Sept. 5, T-Mobile will be the only carrier with a nationwide 4G network to offer unlimited nationwide 4G data BELLEVUE, Wash. — Aug. 22, 2012 — T-Mobile USA, Inc., today announced an industry first — a truly Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan. Featuring no data caps, speed limits or bill shock, as well as fast, dependable nationwide 4G coverage, T-Mobile's new Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan offers the ultimate worry-free experience. The new plan is designed to satisfy both data-hungry customers who want to experience all their smartphones are capable of and those wanting the peace of mind of never having to keep track of their data usage. Today's smartphones offer amazing experiences, and consumers are increasingly relying on them for everything from navigation, entertainment and shopping to just staying connected. With the introduction of the Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, T-Mobile® is the only U.S. carrier to empower customers to do what they want, when they want, with their smartphones by making fast, nationwide 4G data accessible for everyone — without limits and at a great value. "We're big believers in customer-driven innovation, and our Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan is the answer to customers who are frustrated by the cost, complexity and congested networks of our competitors," said Kevin McLaughlin, vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. "Consumers want the freedom of unlimited 4G data. Our bold move to be the only wireless carrier to offer an Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan reinforces our value leadership and capitalizes on the strength of our nationwide 4G network." For customers seeking an unlimited experience on their smartphones, T-Mobile offers several ways for new and existing customers to take advantage of its Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan. New customers can purchase any smartphone in T-Mobile's robust lineup of innovative devices or bring their own compatible smartphone and have access to a worry-free unlimited data experience on T-Mobile's fast nationwide 4G network. Current T-Mobile customers on Classic or Value plans can simply upgrade their existing service by adding an Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan. The Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan will cost $20 per month when added to a Value voice and text plan or $30 per month when added to a Classic voice and text plan. For example, a single line Value plan with unlimited talk and text combined with unlimited nationwide 4G data will cost $69.99 or a single line Classic plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text and unlimited nationwide 4G data will cost $89.99. Available starting Sept. 5, T-Mobile's Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan will provide smartphone customers with uncompromised, dependable access to data on the blazing-fast speeds of T-Mobile's nationwide 4G network. The Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan will be available at T-Mobile retail stores, on http://www.T-Mobile.com/ About T-Mobile USA: Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of Deutsche Telekom management with respect to future events. These forward-looking statements may include statements with regard to the expected development of revenue, earnings, profits from operations, depreciation and amortization, cash flows and personnel-related measures. You should consider them with caution. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond Deutsche Telekom's control. Among the factors that might influence our ability to achieve our objectives are the progress of our workforce reduction initiative and other cost-saving measures, and the impact of other significant strategic, labor or business initiatives, including acquisitions, dispositions and business combinations, and our network upgrade and expansion initiatives. In addition, stronger than expected competition, technological change, legal proceedings and regulatory developments, among other factors, may have a material adverse effect on our costs and revenue development. Further, the economic downturn in our markets, and changes in interest and currency exchange rates, may also have an impact on our business development and the availability of financing on favorable conditions. Changes to our expectations concerning future cash flows may lead to impairment write downs of assets carried at historical cost, which may materially affect our results at the group and operating segment levels. If these or other risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, our actual performance may materially differ from the performance expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We can offer no assurance that our estimates or expectations will be achieved. Without prejudice to existing obligations under capital market law, we do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to take new information or future events into account or otherwise. In addition to figures prepared in accordance with IFRS, Deutsche Telekom also presents non-GAAP financial performance measures, including, among others, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted EBIT, adjusted net income, free cash flow, gross debt and net debt. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information prepared in accordance with IFRS. Non-GAAP financial performance measures are not subject to IFRS or any other generally accepted accounting principles. Other companies may define these terms in different ways.
T-Mobile to offer Unlimited 4G plans starting September 5 was written by the way cool dudes at AndroidGuys. Follow at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Popular PC time management game, Legends of Atlantis: Exodus, is now FREE to play on Android! Features 50+ strategic levels, achievements, bonuses, power-ups, and more!
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