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- Deal alert: Grab the HTC One V on Virgin Mobile for $50 contract-free
- DailySteals has 16 GB Nexus 4 available for $499, but is it really a steal?
- Nexus 7 3G goes back up on Google Play in the UK
- HTC Droid DNA’s bootloader unlocking tutorial is up
- Rumor: Google to launch a 12.85 inch touch enabled Chromebook next year
- ZTE to launch an octo-core smartphone called the “Apache” in 2013
- SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son on the Sprint deal: “I am betting $20 billion that I’m going to be successful.”
- Motorola Mobility sites in Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa got shut down by Google
- TSMC breaks ground on the world’s first 20 nanometer fab, watch out Intel!
- Sony dips Xperia P in gold, makes it the best luxury smartphone ever
| Deal alert: Grab the HTC One V on Virgin Mobile for $50 contract-free Posted: 26 Nov 2012 03:05 AM PST
Many moons ago, HTC released a trio of phones under the "One" branding – the One X, the One S and the One V – in the hope that they'd help recapture the firm's ever-declining grab of the market. While it didn't exactly turn out that way, these are still well-made smartphones – the One V included. If its The One V doesn't exactly pack the best of specs, but for $50 it's certainly a steal. In case you need a reminder, the phone features a 3.7-inch Super LCD2 display with 800 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB onboard storage, microSD support, 5MP rear camera, Beats Audio enhancement, 1,500mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Unfortunately, the One V doesn't boast a 4G LTE radio to make use of Virgin Mobile's 4G LTE network, so you'll have to be content with 3G. The offer ends today, so you better make your mind up fast. Related Posts |
| DailySteals has 16 GB Nexus 4 available for $499, but is it really a steal? Posted: 26 Nov 2012 02:49 AM PST
While we knew from the get-go that Google and LG's Nexus 4 was going to be really special, we never imagined it could break one of the age-old golden rules of technology. That is the phone, unlike other gadgets, but just like wines, will increase its value with time. We're not kidding, just think about it. Google had this big boy up for grabs starting at $299 for like a couple of seconds and is struggling to meet demand and get it back in stock. Meanwhile, T-Mobile sold it for a far heftier price and still managed to run out, while Ebay listings got crazier and crazier to the point that an 8 GB Nexus 4 is now around 600 bucks and a 16 GB model is $1,000. Now we've just come across a new way to procure yourselves a precious "pure Google" phone, though you might still not be too happy with the "deal". DailySteals has the 16 GB unlocked Nexus 4 for $499, which the discount site claims to be $300 off the list price. Yeah, maybe the list price on Ebay. Still, this is not the absolute worst deal that you could make nowadays and is actually the same price T-Mobile will charge you for the 16 GB model when it'll get back in stock. As for Google Play, we have no idea when or even if the Nexus 4 will reboot its availability anytime soon (like, before Christmas).
So, should you get the Nexus 4 via DailySteals? We have no idea, but whatever you decide make it quick. The special offer, as usual, is a one-day affair with around 18 hours to go, but this time around we're ready to bet we won't see that counter going all the way down to zero. And that's not just because there'll be huge demand for the phone, but also because DailySteals has no way of packing a very hefty stock after all the madness from these past couple of weeks. Quick reminder in spec land – the Nexus 4 features a 4.7-inch IPS LCD screen with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, a quad-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2 GB of RAM, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, an 8 MP rear-facing camera, NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There's no microSD slot on board and no 4G LTE support, though technically there is an LTE chip inside that sorta kinda works. Who’s taking advantage of DailySteals’ “special deal”? And who’s ready to wait for Google to get the phone back in stock even if that could still take weeks? Related Posts |
| Nexus 7 3G goes back up on Google Play in the UK Posted: 26 Nov 2012 02:19 AM PST
Heads up, UK folks! Close to two weeks after the Nexus 7 3G went on sale and sold out at a blink of an eye, the 3G variant of the 7-inch Nexus tablet is once again available for purchase from Google Play Store. The 32GB Nexus 7 with mobile data is selling for its usual £239 self. According to the listing, the device will be delivered in 3-5 business days. Meanwhile, the rest of the Nexus cousins are still out of stock. Both the 16GB and 32GB Nexus 10 tabs, going for £319 and £389, respectively, are only listed as shipping soon. Same thing with the Nexus 4, as it's shown as "Sold Out" on the Play Store, but with no timeframe given of when the device will be back up. Unlike the 3G-enabled Nexus 7, you can get the unlocked Nexus 4 from third-party retailers, though it comes with a more expensive price tag. Anyone planning to grab the Nexus 7 3G while it's still available? Or are you looking forward to the Nexus 4 more? Related Posts |
| HTC Droid DNA’s bootloader unlocking tutorial is up Posted: 26 Nov 2012 02:09 AM PST
The fact that the HTC Droid DNA comes with a locked bootloader may have deterred some from going to the stores to pick up the 5-inch super phone, but those who stuck by HTC's side will be thrilled to hear that a workaround has been found, one that allows them to get on with their Android tinkering lifestyle. The folks at Rootzwiki have provided detailed instructions on how to softmod the Droid DNA so that you can unlock the smartphone’s bootloader once more using the official HTCDev unlocking tool. Needless to say you have to be quite proficient in using ADB. After downloading the provided app and backup file, the first few steps seem simple enough to follow, but the rest can be pretty complex. It can't be stressed enough how you need to follow the instructions 100% if you don't want to be left with a bricked device. It's worth noting as well that you may not be able to return the HTC Droid DNA to its locked state for warranty purposes. Having said that, the door to rooting, installing custom ROMs and more on the Droid DNA is now open for the adventurous type. As always, proceed at your own risk. Related Posts |
| Rumor: Google to launch a 12.85 inch touch enabled Chromebook next year Posted: 26 Nov 2012 01:41 AM PST
Google’s Chromebooks, in case you haven’t heard of them by now, are basically laptops that run only one application: Chrome. There are several models available at various price points, the cheapest being an Acer unit for $199 that uses an Intel chip. There’s also a Samsung unit that uses the company’s own Exynos 5 ARM based processor; it costs $249. According to a rumor from DigiTimes, which we have to stress is a site that has a mixed track record, Google is working on a touch screen enabled Chromebook. Said device allegedly has a 12.85 inch screen, but here’s where things get interesting: Instead of Google asking Samsung or Acer to make them this new machine, Google is going to launch this touch Chromebook under their own brand. The story goes on to say that Compal will be doing the assembly, which should kick off by the end of the year. Realistically speaking, when would this device actually launch? We’re speculating here, but we think this would be the perfect device to announce at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Why? Because just about every laptop maker on the face of the planet is going to announce a Windows 8 machine there. Google could leverage the hype those machines are going to generate by pitching their machine as a Windows 8 substitute. Speaking about Windows 8, that OS was made specifically for touch in mind. Chrome OS, the way it’s shipping today, isn’t exactly touch friendly. Is Google planning on overhauling the OS to make it easier to use with your fingers? If so, why is Google pouring so much effort into Chrome OS instead of Android? There are a lot of unanswered questions here that we should be getting the answers to early next year. We here at Android Authority just want one thing, we wish Google made Chromebooks easier to buy in countries other than the United States and the United Kingdom. Related Posts |
| ZTE to launch an octo-core smartphone called the “Apache” in 2013 Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:53 AM PST
Smartphones packing four ARM Cortex A9 processors have been out on the market for a little over half a year. We thought that the next step in performance would come from devices that feature two ARM Cortex A15 processors. The Nexus 10 has just such a chip inside. According to a report on the China Times, ZTE has other plans. They’re going to launch an octo-core smartphone in 2013 called the “Apache”. Here’s where things get interesting: The chip with these eight cores isn’t going to be made by Qualcomm, NVIDIA, or Samsung. Instead it’s going to be made by MediaTek and it’s allegedly called the MT6599. Little is known about this chip because it’s yet to be announced, but we do know something about a chip that’s slightly less powerful, the MT6588. The MT6588 is a quad core chip, but unlike the Tegra 3 or the Exynos 4 Quad, it uses ARM’s weaker Cortex A7 core instead of the Cortex A9. On paper, four ARM Cortex A7 processors should deliver roughly the same performance as two Cortex A9 processors. Why bother making a quad core A7 chip then? Sadly it comes down to marketing. So will the “Apache” be a killer device? Probably not. We have a strong feeling that it’s going to pack two clusters of four ARM Cortex A7 processors. That would make the chip easy to manufacture. We just don’t think MediaTek of all companies has the resources to out engineer a company like Samsung or Qualcomm. That’s an extremely hard pill to swallow. When will we know more about this magic phone? Knowing how much America hates China right now, we’re probably going to have to wait until Mobile World Congress in February. That being said, we’d be pleasantly surprised if something turned up at CES in January. Related Posts |
| Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:22 AM PST
Remember when the Japanese operator SoftBank announced that they were going to buy 70% of Sprint? Everyone in the office scratched their heads because we frankly didn’t know how to react to the deal. Now, thanks to an exhaustively researched piece on The Wall Street Journal about Masayoshi Son, SoftBank’s CEO, we not only know a lot more the Japanese company, but we’re also filled with excitement. Starting with Mr. Son’s history, he grew up in a shack in the middle of nowhere. He wanted to change his life, so he went to America. He went to High School in California and then got a degree in Economics from U.C. Berkeley. The WSJ piece then goes on to cover what he did over the next decade or two, but let’s focus on SoftBank, which actually started out as a software distributor. Mr. Son bought Vodafone Japan in 2006. At the time, SoftBank was an internet service provider. When he finally took control of the wireless operator, he slashed prices by 75% in a bid to gain new customers. Today, SoftBank is the third largest operator in the country. Last month, SoftBank announced their intent to buy a local competitor called EMOBILE. When that deal goes through, SoftBank will become the second largest operator in the country with 39.1 million customers. The leader, NTT DOCOMO, has over 60 million. Why are we so excited about Masayoshi Son? He means business. One of his friends remembers visiting an ice cream shop with him. Know what Mr. Son said to the guy working there that day? His milkshake “had better be extra thick” or he wouldn’t have paid. What kind of sane person says that? The WSJ goes on to say that Mr. Son is going to dedicate himself to Sprint. He will be overseeing what devices they offer, the price plans they offer, and even the ads that they’re going to run. Once a week he’ll have a conference call with Sprint, and once a month he’ll visit them in person. We can’t wait to see what this short 55 year old man can do. Related Posts |
| Motorola Mobility sites in Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa got shut down by Google Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST
They aren’t the changes we all expected. Google’s first order of business for Motorola was to shut down a number of their websites. As The Next Web reports, Google said they would be making cuts to Motorola Mobility. The websites going down was part of that. Thus, the websites in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East were all cut off. Instead, visitors will see a message similar to the one in the picture above. They have closed down the product sites but the support sites are to remain open. They also link customers to a product page. Along with it comes a warning that products on the product page may not be available in certain countries. So what does this mean for Motorola Mobility?It means that Google is finally starting to reshape the struggling Motorola. As Chinese website Sina reports, Motorola Mobility was struggling long before Google bought them. The only difference between then and now is that now Motorola Mobility is costing Google money. Google didn’t get to be the second biggest tech company by wasting money. The move definitely isn’t what everyone was hoping for. After all, we were all dreaming of Motorola Nexus devices. Meanwhile, Google was making strategic cuts to save the company money. The websites going down is likely just the beginning of these cuts. Perhaps the worst part is that we’re back to the waiting game. It will likely be a long time before the reshaping of Motorola is complete. At the very least, we can say there was a definite beginning to Google changing Motorola. Was shutting down the websites and making cuts to Motorola a smart move by Google? Tell us what you think. Related Posts |
| TSMC breaks ground on the world’s first 20 nanometer fab, watch out Intel! Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:31 PM PST
Chances are that the smartphone you have in your pocket right now is powered by a chip that was made by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, TSMC for short. Qualcomm uses TSMC, NVIDIA uses TSMC, and roughly 150 other companies also depend on TSMC for their chips. According to Focus Taiwan, TSMC just broke ground on a new factory, or fab in industry parlance, that will pump out 20 nanometer chips. When will this factory be done? That wasn’t mentioned, but we’re hearing rumors that we should start seeing 20 nanometer chips in smartphones either by the end of 2013 or very early 2014. How much money is TSMC pouring into this fab? Again, we don’t have an exact number, but we do know that the company is going to be spending roughly $17.2 billion over the next five years to expand their operations. Why should you be excited about 20 nanometer chips? Because chips made using smaller transistors use less power, which translates to increased battery life. That and some of the next generation ARM processors, such as the Cortex A15 and Cortex A57, are a lot larger than what’s on today’s market, so companies are going to want to use smaller transistors in order to save money. What about Intel and Samsung? Intel’s fabs make 22 nanometer chips today, but, and this is a big but, Intel’s fabs only make Intel chips. Samsung on the other hand, they make chips for not only themselves, but for Apple as well. They’re currently producing 32 nanometer chips. Will either of these companies upgrade their fabs in 2013/2014? Sure, Intel is working on ironing out all the kinks with their 14 nanometer parts, and Samsung is busy trying to get 20 nanometer processors out the door. Qualcomm’s quad core Snapdragon S4 is likely going to remain the most advanced smartphone chip on the planet for at least the next two to three quarters, so if you’re thinking about waiting for “the next big thing”, we say don’t bother. Related Posts |
| Sony dips Xperia P in gold, makes it the best luxury smartphone ever Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST
As Engadget points out, there are better smartphones in the Sony lineup that could’ve gotten dipped in gold. Why they went with the Xperia P is anyone’s guess. In case you’re not familiar, the Xperia P isn’t the worst smartphone out there. It sports a dual core, 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, and 16GB of storage. It is pretty mid range compared to today’s standards. So this gold plated Xperia P is the best luxury phone out there?It may not seem like it, but it really is. When compared to luxury offerings like the Aston Martin phone mentioned above, it’s a veritable Porshe. After all, the Aston Martin phone rocks an 800MHz, single core processor and a whopping 256MB of RAM. We would’ve compared it to a Lamborghini, but their offering wasn’t much better than Aston Martin’s. Compared to the competition, the Xperia P is a rock star. Unfortunately, these will never go on sale. According to the Sony Mobile’s blog, only 15 were made and they’re likely being given away on their Facebook page. Was this a good move by Sony, or should they have gone with a better phone than the Xperia P? Let us know! Related Posts |
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