Friday, September 7, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority

Apple struggles to overturn HTC’s LTE patents

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:20 AM PDT

Apple is trying to get two patents held by HTC invalidated. The patents in question relate to data transmission in wireless devices, more specifically technology that are essential for 4G LTE devices. If Apple announces support for 4G LTE networks in its new iPhone, and possibly iPad, next week, then HTC will seek an import ban. The strategy is intended to force Apple into a settlement and get the company to drop its many patent infringement suits against HTC.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) Judge, Thomas Pender, had this to say:

"Clear and convincing means something to me. I have to be pretty darn certain a U.S. patent is invalid."

HTC acquired the patents in April 2011 as part of a portfolio it bought from ADC Telecommunications Inc. for $75 million. That was just before the company began selling its first LTE phone, the Thunderbolt. HTC said it bought the patents as protection against Apple. The Taiwanese company also pointed out that it is an innovator in the LTE space and an early-adopter, even a "pioneer".

In a previous case HTC was denied the use of patents that Google tried to lend the manufacturer, but this time around Judge Pender told Apple's lawyer:

"I don't care if they bought these patents to sue you or not. They are a property right."

Apple has been aggressive in its pursuit of HTC. Apple requested an emergency ban of several HTC devices just a couple of months ago, and the two companies are embroiled in a number of suits and countersuits in the US and beyond.

Related Posts

ITC: HTC can't use Google patents in legal fight against Apple, Apple countersues HTC in Virginia for abuse of 4G LTE FRAND patents, Google, Apple start bidding for Kodak’s digital patents

This article, Apple struggles to overturn HTC’s LTE patents , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Watch the full Amazon Kindle Fire event here

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:10 AM PDT

We hope you didn't miss our extensive coverage of Amazon's Kindle Fire event yesterday. Introduced on stage by Jeff Bezos were several formidable Nexus 7 and iPad rivals, such as the 7-inch and 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD, a refreshed Kindle Fire, and the frontlit Kindle Paperwhite.

We've also recapped the event in one place to make it more practical for you to get the essential information on the new devices.  But of course, nothing beats seeing the whole thing unfold before your very eyes on video.

If you have about an hour to spare, the whole press conference of the Amazon event has been uploaded on YouTube. This is your chance to relive the full event – with a side of a new TV commercial for the retailer giant at the beginning of the video.

If you don’t want to miss out seeing Jeff Bezos tearing up last year's crop of Android tablets, which he claimed to be mere gadgets, unlike the Kindle Fire, as the messiah of Android tablets, and the services it provides, hit the play button below.

Related Posts

No related posts.

This article, Watch the full Amazon Kindle Fire event here , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

HTC unveils China-bound One SC, One SU and One ST phones

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:00 AM PDT

Although 2012 was supposed to be the rebound year for HTC in the Android world, the Taiwan-based tech manufacturer seems to sink towards mediocrity by the day. The One X "hero" had nothing against Samsung's Galaxy S3, the latest financial results are frustrating to say the least, and people are simply starting to look away from HTC gadgets.

The special event scheduled for September 19 might be the start of a new era for HTC, but it's far too early to call it that as we still don't know exactly what new gadgets will be unveiled then. We've heard a lot about a supposed One X+ super-phone, a Verizon-bound phablet, a rather bizarre-looking 10-inch tablet, and a 7-incher to follow in the footsteps of the 2011 Flyer, but none of these devices has been officially confirmed yet.

Now we have three new HTC phones popping up out of thin air over in China, and, although they don't look very special, they could be part of the company's new rebound strategy and therefore on show come September 19.

HTC One SC

By far the quirkiest of this new trio, the One SC doesn't exactly pack a lot of heat under the hood. The design however is a whole different story, and, while the front looks run-of-the-mill for a One Series phone, the back is… well, weird.

There's a sort of segmented design there that I for one have never seen, with a large HTC logo dominating the more "crinkled" section and a unique metallic housing for the camera. This is by far one of the boldest designs ever to be employed on an Android phone, and I'm sure it will raise a lot of controversy if the SC will ever hit the West. Is it cool-looking and original? Or is it just tacky?

As far as tech specs go, the One SC looks like a not so special mid-ranger, with a 4.3-inch WVGA screen, a dual-core 1 GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of on-board memory, a 5 MP rear-facing camera, a 1,800 mAh battery, microSD support, and Android 4.0 ICS with Sense 4.0 on top.

HTC One SU

If the appeal of the SC's design will depend on one's personal tastes, the One SU looks like it could very easily please any crowd. The second fresh 4.3-incher from HTC has very sharp edges and an overall industrial look that breathes elegance and style.

The SU is pretty much as thin and light as its "brother" (8.85 mm thickness and 116 grams weight), and comes with basically the same specs and features, including a 4.3-inch WVGA screen, a dual-core 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory, a 5 MP camera, microSD support, a 1,800 mAh battery, and ICS with Sense 4.

HTC One ST

Though they aren't high-enders, the SC and SU have a rather good chance of getting outside of China soon and at least hit Europe. As far as the One ST goes, this is almost without a doubt a China-exclusive phone, coming with dual-SIM, a 4.3-inch WVGA display, a 1 GHz dual-core CPU, 1 GB of RAM, a 5 MP camera, and Android 4.0 with Sense UI on top.

The ST looks rather special too, but in a bad way, with rounded edges that make it look cheap and tacky. It should come in several different colors, including a snazzy red.

All three new phones are currently up on HTC China’s official website, but neither one has pricing and availability details attached to its name. Still, it’s safe to assume that they’ll all start selling in a couple of weeks or so, unless one or two of them will be on show in New York, in which case the price tags might be kept under wraps until then.

Anyone interested in any of these three new additions to the One Series of smartphones?

Related Posts

Motorola unveils RAZR V XT889 phone for China, comes with ICS, Motorola to replace Google with Baidu on its China-bound handsets, launches SHOP4APPS app store, Spotted: T-Mobile-bound Huawei MediaPad 4G Tablet in the Wild, AT&T-bound HTC Holiday at FCC

This article, HTC unveils China-bound One SC, One SU and One ST phones , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Jeff Bezos: Amazon “likes” Android, will have more devices in 2013

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 02:39 AM PDT

Boy, did Amazon take us on a crazy ride yesterday with its special unveiling event in Santa Monica! There were so many exciting new gadgets on show that it's almost impossible to keep track of them all and decide which one to go for.

That new Kindle e-reader is surely impressive looking with its lighted display, the revamped Kindle Fire is unbelievably cheap, while the 7 and 8.9-inch Fire HDs come with breathtaking quality-price ratios. Not to mention the Fire HD 4G LTE, which is not cheap, but does come with one connectivity option that you don't see a lot of in today's tablet market.

Above it all though, Amazon's press conference was a demonstration of how you should handle such a public event. Of course, we did see a lot of bragging from the Kindle makers, but unlike other similar events, this one seemed much more organized and focused. It was lacking any attacks towards the competition and only concentrating on what was on show.

It was also a pleasure to hear from Jeff Bezos again, Amazon's founder, chairman, president and CEO, a man of (usually) few words, but a great public speaker nevertheless. Bezos might not be as straightforward and funny as The Woz, but he speaks his mind and that's certainly something we can appreciate.

The guys at allthingsd.com managed to grab a quick word with Bezos after the "show", and, as always, the Albuquerque-born entrepreneur had very few things to say, but very important things nevertheless. He addressed the collaboration with Android head on and said that Amazon has no plans to move away from Google's mobile OS anytime soon.

"We like it" said Bezos about Android, which he characterized as "a base OS layer" similar to Linux. He also said that Amazon has a "large dedicated team that customizes Android and that's what you see on the Kindle Fire."

There you have it, simple and straightforward, with no BS, no avoiding the question, and no trying to tickle Google's ego. Amazon is simply using Android to its benefit, and as long as it works fine, he "likes" the "base OS layer". As some of you already know, both the first-generation Kindle Fire and the tablets unveiled hours ago are based on Android, but run on heavily forked and customized versions of the OS (the 2011 Fire is based on Gingerbread, and the 2012 ones on ICS).

Jeff Bezos also answered a couple of questions about Amazon's future plans in the allthingsd interview, confirming that his company will, in fact, unveil more gadgets at some point, but "not any time soon". "Next year we have some more things that we hope people will enjoy", said Amazon's CEO.

That wasn't exactly the most direct answer Bezos could have given, but it now seems even less likely that we will be seeing an Amazon phone released this year, despite recent rumors. Then again, we're now certain that such a smartphone will be coming next year (what other "things" could he have been talking about?), so that's something to clearly wait for.

So, have you guys had the chance to look at all of Amazon’s new gadgets? Have you decided yet if you are going to buy one or the other? If not, keep in touch with our website, because we will get back to you soon with reviews of the new tablets, but also head-to-head comparisons with the competition so as to help you make a wise and informed decision.

 

Related Posts

No related posts.

This article, Jeff Bezos: Amazon “likes” Android, will have more devices in 2013 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Analysis: The Kindle Fire HD, what it’s got and what it hasn’t got

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 02:24 AM PDT

As the dust settles from Amazon’s special event, which included three new Kindle Fire tablets, a new Kindle e-reader and the launch of the Kindle Fire in the UK and Europe, it is time to look a little deeper into the new Kindle Fire HD and see how it stacks up against the competition. What unique features does it have and what is it missing?

Price

Before looking at features it is important to look at the pricing. Not everyone is a millionaire and most of us have a budget. Pricing is a crucial factor when choosing a tablet and Amazon have aimed the 7 inch Kindle Fire HD directly at the Google Nexus 7. Both tablets start at $199 and have a model with more storage for $249. However the key bonus for the Kindle Fire HD 7 is that it comes with 16GB of internal storage for $199 and not 8GB like the Nexus 7. The bigger model has double that of the bigger Nexus 7 with the Kindle sporting 32GB while the biggest Nexus only holds 16GB. Another competitor is the newly announced Kobo Arc which is due to hit stores in November. Its pricing is similar to the Nexus 7 with 8GB costing $199.99 and the 16GB model setting you back $249.99.

Moving up to the bigger form factor, the Kindle HD 8.9 starts at $299 for 16GB while the 32GB model costs $369. It isn’t fair to compare this to the Nexus 7 but you can compare it to the iPad which starts at $399 for an iPad 2 or $499 for a ‘new iPad’. Both come with 16GB of flash storage.

Finally, the revamped Kindle Fire (non-HD) is priced at a jaw dropping $159 (£129 in the UK). That means you get a dual-core, 7 inch, 1024×600 Android tablet with IPS (in-plane switching which means better viewing angles) and 8GB of storage for $20 more than a Kindle Keyboard 3G… Impressive.

So clearly in terms of raw price, Amazon has done an incredible job and is the clear winner.

Features

So the new Kindle Fire range is brilliantly priced, but what do you get for your money? The unique features of the Kindle Fire HD are:

  • Dolby Audio and Dual-Driver Stereo Speakers – The dual-driver stereo speakers are on both sides of the display and when combined with the Dolby Digital Plus technology, the result should be the closest thing to home theater sound that you can get from a tablet. The Kindle Fire HD also has audio profiles which change depending on what you’re doing. The output is optimized for different activities like watching a movie or listening to music.
  • Two Antennas and Dual band support – Amazon say that the Kindle Fire HD has 40% faster Wi-Fi compared to the ‘new iPad’. By using dual Wi-Fi antennas and Multiple In/Multiple Out (MIMO) technology the tablet can send and receive over both antennas simultaneously. It can also use the 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency (used by 802.11a) in conjunction with the 2.4 GHz band. The tablet is able to automatically switch between the two and use the less congested 5 GHz band for better range and less interference. Of course, you will need a dual-band router to take full advantage of these features.
  • 11 hour battery life – The Google Nexus 7 has a 9.5 hour battery life, while the iPad lasts about 10 hours. Amazon are claiming that the 7 inch Kindle Fire HD will last for 11 hours. Hype? Perhaps slightly exaggerated, but still an impressive number.

So clearly the dual-core, 1280×800 Kindle Fire HD has a lot to offer, but what is missing:

  • GPS and magnetometer – One of the neat features of the Nexus 7 is that it includes a GPS and magnetometer which means it can be used for turn-by-turn navigation as well as for a whole bunch of location aware services like Google Now. But the Kindle Fire HD has none of these. This means that the Fire HD is a very much stay at home device. For many that will be fine, but for some this gives the Nexus 7 the edge. The 3G versions of the iPad also have GPS where as the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch 4G LTE does not.
  • Bluetooth and NFC – Does a tablet need Bluetooth and NFC? I don’t know, but the Nexus 7 has both and the iPad has Bluetooth. If you need them then the Kindle Fire HD isn’t for you.
  • Decent cameras – Devices like the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 include rear and front facing cameras. The Nexus only has a front facing 1.2 MP camera while the Fire has an unspecified front facing camera. Do people take photos with their tablets? Nah! Is a front facing camera useful? Yes! Is the front facing camera on the Fire HD good enough? Yet unknown.
  • Lack of Google Play – Just about every Android device in the universe offers access to Google Play (with the exception of some low-end Chinese makes) but Amazon has its own ecosystem for films, TV, music and of course apps. The Amazon Appstore isn’t as large as Google Play but all the essentials are available both in terms of free apps and paid apps. Some people don’t like it. If you absolutely need access to Google Play then none of the Kindle Fire devices are for you.

Summary

The situation is basically this: if you need Google Play, GPS and NFC then don’t buy a Kindle Fire HD. Otherwise, considering the price and the 16GB/32GB of storage, the Kindle Fire looks like an excellent choice. Watch out for more in-depth reviews when the devices become available.

Which way will you go? Does the Kindle Fire HD look attractive to you?

Related Posts

Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD coming to UK & Europe on October 25, The entire Kindle Fire family will be ad-supported, Amazon stockpiling 2 million Kindle Fire 2 ready for August 7 launch

This article, Analysis: The Kindle Fire HD, what it’s got and what it hasn’t got , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

What happened to the Amazon smartphone?

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 01:58 AM PDT

Contrary to our report-slash-expectation yesterday that Amazon would have an Android-powered phone to show off on its Santa Monica event, insiders quoted by The Verge indicated it was a sure thing. But we found out that the Kindle phone wasn't on the menu for the day.

So it looks like the rumors of an Amazon-branded phone will live on as …rumors – for now. But as the saying goes, sometimes you win some (Kindle Fire HD, New Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite), and sometimes you lose some (Kindle phone).

Looking back at what the sources said, it was mentioned that the so-called Kindle phone is  still a work in progress, which explains why it was absent from yesterday's event. Seeing that there are only about 3.5 months left in the year, it's looking likely that we won't see it surface in 2012.

Further, introducing a phone amongst the sea of new tablets and e-readers may not be the best way to get folks excited, as it'd have to fight for that narrow place under the spotlight.

What we did get out of Amazon's live event was a placeholder for a future Kindle phone — and other Amazon devices — with 4G connectivity, with the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD 4G LTE leading the way. Partnering with AT&T, those who purchased the tablet will have access to the carrier's 4G network by paying $50 a year to get a monthly 250MB data allowance. We don't see why Amazon and AT&T wouldn't want to build on this partnership for a future phone, especially if the first venture turns out be successful.

But honestly, between the revamped Kindle Fire and its $159 price, and the two Kindle Fire HDs, we don't think anyone would be losing any sleep over the cancelled Amazon phone announcement, which may not even be in the cards, in the first place.

 

Related Posts

The Verge: Amazon to introduce an Android-based phone today, Amazon Kindle devices selling over 1 million units a week thoughout the month of December, Amazon (Kindle) smartphone already in testing?

This article, What happened to the Amazon smartphone? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD coming to UK & Europe on October 25

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:25 AM PDT

The Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD are leaving the USA for the first time. The two new 7″ tablets, which Amazon announced yesterday, will be available in the UK and mainland Europe from October 25.

Price wise for the UK, Amazon has done a reasonable job and fortunately long gone are the days when $100 in the USA meant £100 in the UK. In the USA the Kindle Fire HD cost $199 for the 16GB version and $249 for the 32GB version. In pure exchange rate terms (without considering sales taxes and import duties) that would mean £125 and £157, respectively. But things like VAT (sales tax) do exist and so the Kindle Fire HD will be available for £159 for 16GB and £199 for 32GB, not bad!

In mainland Europe, the conversion hasn’t worked out so well, apparently $1 does equal 1 Euro (whereas in fact $1 is 0.80 Euros). So the 16GB Kindle Fire HD is EUR 199 while the 32GB variant is EUR 249. That works out at $251 and $314, not as nice! As for the revamped Kindle Fire (non-HD), it will hit the UK shores for just £129, while in Europe it will cost EUR 159.

Interestingly the Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD will also include advertising. As we revealed yesterday the entire Kindle Fire family is now ad-supported and that includes the models coming to the UK and Europe. According to Amazon.co.uk, these personalised special offers and sponsored screensavers will include offers on items like Kindle accessories or products from Amazon’s digital catalogue (kindle books, apps, games and music). The offers will be displayed on the screensaver and on the bottom of the home screen.

If you live in the UK or mainland Europe and are thinking about getting a Kindle Fire then leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

 

Related Posts

Bigger Kindle Fire Coming in Mid-2012, Amazon Appstore launching in Europe soon, Kindle Fire on its way too?, Amazon Appstore launches in Europe preparing for the Kindle Fire 2

This article, Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD coming to UK & Europe on October 25 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Sprint finally updates Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G with Android 4.1.1

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:15 AM PDT

Jelly Bean madness is spreading across the globe as the latest functional release of Android, and Sprint has decided to open the floodgates to their network. They’ve started with the popular Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G, a duo of brains and brawn under the hood.

Improvements with this update will be: Google Now, an improved notification and voice search system (Siri anyone?), offline dictation and a smoother UI via the famous Project Butter.

With that news, we’d like to know if you have received your update yet? If so, how has it changed your Gnex or Nexus S 4G experience?

Related Posts

No related posts.

This article, Sprint finally updates Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G with Android 4.1.1 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Motorola announces new “exchange program”

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:56 PM PDT

We’re not sure what the deal is with Moto, but they have a reputation for not updating their phones to the latest Android. This is not only frustrating for consumers who may want to see what new features/capabilities their phone has, but also for the company’s public trust. Maybe they haven’t figured out restricting their devices restricts their revenue growth?

Then again, maybe they have, which is why they recently went live with a $100 credit program towards a new Motorola device. The first catch is you have to be the owner of a Motorola phone already. The other catch is you’d really have to be a fanboy to buy another Moto device knowing they don’t update their devices. I mean, seriously Motorola, why not just correct the problem instead of bribing people which adds to your bottom line?

When you’re ready, and if you have an older non-updated Moto device, go here and inform the and they’ll give you the credit for a new device. Then you can be happy with 2 devices that may still run Gingerbread, while everyone else is showing off Jelly Bean. At least they’ve started unlocking bootloaders, so we can only assume they are on the right path.

Do you have a Moto device and are you interested in this credit?

Related Posts

No related posts.

This article, Motorola announces new “exchange program” , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

uTorrent beta now available on Google Play

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:48 PM PDT

uTorrent for Android (Photo credit: Janko Roettgers / GigaOM)

Downloading files and media through BitTorrent used to be the realm of desktop computers, but with mobile broadband and unlimited data plans, users now have another way to download through the protocol — uTorrent for Android.

BitTorrent Inc. has released the Android client in beta, and it offers functionalities that are good enough for basic peer-to-peer file sharing on mobile devices:

  • Search functionality
  • Subscription to RSS feeds for serialized downloads
  • Upload and download limits

GigaOM notes that the search feature just takes you to a Google search, which means users might have difficulty finding .torrents (especially with Google cracking down on illegal download sites). Still, it’s good enough as a basic Torrent client. It can be noted that BitTorrent launched support for mobile device syncing in uTorrent last year, but that alpha release did not allow transfers straight from the mobile device.

BitTorrent says it plans to offer access to faetured legal content straight from the uTorrent mobile client. There is no word, though, on when this can be implemented, and whether BitTorrent will be partnering with content providers for the delivery of music, movies and other content straight to Android devices.

uTorrent is available as a free download on Google Play. The great thing with having a Torrent app on your mobile is that you can use your data plan for downloading big files without a tethering plan. Just make sure you stay within your bandwidth limits, and that your carrier won’t throttle down your speeds for excessive use.

If uTorrent is not enough for you, check out other BitTorrent clients available for Android.

Related Posts

uTorrent Now Available For Android Devices, VideoLAN (VLC) beta app now available for Android on Google Play, it might start the Mayan Apocalypse, Chameleon Launcher now available in beta from Google Play, full release to follow soon

This article, uTorrent beta now available on Google Play , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
Posted by at 4:04 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)