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- New version of Google Play Books with “read aloud” feature
- Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Frame to be on display at MWC 2013 with mid-range specs
- Quad-core 2 GHz CPU, Android 4.2 and $230 price tag: now that’s what we call an iPhone 5 clone!
- Google’s relationship with China is like Google’s relationship with Amazon
- ZTE U887: Say hello to the Chinese version of Samsung’s new Galaxy Grand
- Update for Angry Birds Rio adds 24 new levels, makes players earn it
- ZTE Grand Era LTE: This puppy can handle both TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE
- Six new Sprint LTE sites have gone live, more spread out this time
- HTC has canceled several devices they were planning on launching next year
- Motorola patent not good enough against Apple, ITC judge says
| New version of Google Play Books with “read aloud” feature Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:07 AM PST
The answer is that it isn’t bad but neither is it brilliant. I downloaded the new app and opened up a book. A new option is now available on the menu called “Read aloud”. Tapping it will start the book reading on the current page. As the voice reads it highlights the text being read. The highlight jumps from one sentence to the next as the reading progresses. This is actually a useful feature as it means you can quickly see where the app is reading from. In terms of voice quality the default, low quality voice is quite harsh but there is an option in the Settings to enable the “High-quality voice.” The downside of the high definition voice is that the app needs to use the network. This is OK when you are on Wi-Fi but it remains to be seen if this is an expensive feature in terms of mobile traffic. The higher quality voice is more natural and quite listenable, the actual downside now is not the voice but the intonations. The app does a good job of pausing at commas etc but over all the reading can be quite flat and without any flair. Still if your eyes are too tired to read this new feature could be quite useful. One other small problem is that if you press the power button and put your device to sleep then the reading stops, a better idea would be for the reading to continue in the background similar to when music is playing or when using Tune In. More new featuresOther new features include better zoom controls. You can now pinch-zoom or double-tap-zoom in all books. Along with the various bug fixes and performance enhancements Google has now enabled all the text editing features for notes. In terms of commercialization, Google says that personalized recommendations are now shown at the end of your library and at the end of the books. Related Posts |
| Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Frame to be on display at MWC 2013 with mid-range specs Posted: 19 Dec 2012 02:48 AM PST
Less than 24 hours after reporting about a mysteriously confusing Galaxy Young Duos that Samsung is supposedly going to reveal at MWC 2013 in February, we're at it again with another rumor about an unreleased mid-ranger. This new device might be called the Galaxy Frame, which is a truly puzzling moniker. We've never heard about a Samsung gadget carrying a similar name and we have no idea what the "Frame" might be referring to, but the folks over at SamMobile seem to be pretty convinced the rumor is legit, so we're going to have to trust their word for now. The GT-S6810 model number doesn't tell us much either, with the only released device in the same ballpark being the GT-S6500, aka Galaxy Mini 2. SamMobile notes that the Frame is going to be a mid-end device with similar specs to the Ace and Mini, but that just goes to confuse us some more.
You couldn't really call the Galaxy Ace, Mini or Mini 2 mid-range devices when they got released, let alone now, when 480 x 320 pix res displays, 800 MHz CPUs, 384 MB of RAM and 3.15 MP cameras are truly pitiful specs. That said, one of two scenarios is going to happen: either the Galaxy Frame will resemble one of those three phones, but it will take the spec sheet up a couple of notches, or it'll just be an entry-level budget-friendly device oriented at emerging markets. The Frame is said to be coming at the MWC for its formal introduction, while the actual release could happen sometime in March. The only other detail “known” at this time is that the phone will see daylight in “Pearl White”, though other color schemes could become available soon after. We’ll be sure to keep our eyes peeled for any additional info on the phone, so keep in touch if you want to find out more. Related Posts |
| Quad-core 2 GHz CPU, Android 4.2 and $230 price tag: now that’s what we call an iPhone 5 clone! Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:52 AM PST
Apple's iPhone 5 got its fair share of Chinese Android-based clones before and around the time of its release, but since it's been out there hasn't been much movement in Shanzhai Land. The Zophone i5 has been the only half decent knock-off to come to our attention in months, and, while that copied iPhone 5's design by the letter, it didn't exactly rock the specs of a lifetime. We don't want to be mean (oh, alright, we do), but it was like "the thinnest, lightest and fastest iPhone ever" was not worth the efforts anymore – or at least not as much as Samsung's Galaxy S3 and Note 2. But forget about all that, because Jingxian has now introduced one of the snappiest clones we've seen in a while, and it's not based on any star in Samsung's Galaxy, but on Apple's iPhone 5. The yet unnamed device (though we're guessing it'll carry an i5 kind of moniker) is set to come out next month in China for a starting price of $230.
You probably wouldn't expect much for just over 200 bucks, but Jingxian's clone will actually be powered by a whopping quad-core processor clocked at 2 GHz. As dreamy as that sounds, it'll probably not deliver the real-time performance that a quad-core 1.5 GHz S4 Pro can for instance, being a Mediatek MT6589 CPU based on the older ARM7 architecture. That's still pretty decent though, and when you add in the equation the running of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box, 1 GB of RAM, and a PowerVR SGX 531 GPU you definitely get a lot more oomph than what you'd traditionally expect from a clone. We can't say we're too excited about the 4-inch 1,135 x 640 pixels resolution display, but hey, the grasshopper had to prove it learned a few tricks from the master, right? The 8 MP rear-facing camera is another common spec between the original and the clone, while on-board storage will range from 8 to 32 GB. All the other features are kept under wraps for now, but we should find out more soon enough. Now, do you fancy getting one (or two) of these considering that low, low price and pretty nifty set of specs or are your still prejudiced against Chinese clones? Related Posts |
| Google’s relationship with China is like Google’s relationship with Amazon Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:42 AM PST
There are a lot of stories floating around the internet that suggest the success of Android in China can’t really be called a success due to the fact that almost half of all Chinese Android phones are not connected to Google in any way, shape, or form. So does Google have a China problem? Let’s get something out of the way: Google had two goals in mind when they created Android. Their first goal was to disrupt Microsoft’s business model of charging a licensing fee for an operating system. Android was born free and it’s going to die free. Their second goal was to get more people looking at ads on the internet. How? By making it easier for companies to build devices that come with internet browsers. People using Google Maps and Gmail while on the go was just icing on the cake as far as Google was concerned. Case in point, when Amazon announced the Kindle Fire, Google didn’t flinch. Matias Duarte, the guy who is responsible for making Android look like Android, said in an interview that he’s “excited for that future“, the future being a world where companies take Android and make it whatever they want it to be. We can’t stress this enough, Google doesn’t make any money from Android, at least not directly. Yes, there are a ton of Android phones that use a different search engine by default and have an App Store that’s filled with pirated Android applications, but do you really think Google cares? China is going to become the most important smartphone market over the next few years, and most of the phones that are going to be sold there will have deep integration with the services that people in China are already using. Is that a bad thing? Not in the slightest bit. What does a Google engineer sitting in California know about how a migrant worker might want to access the internet on his mobile phones? Exactly. Related Posts |
| ZTE U887: Say hello to the Chinese version of Samsung’s new Galaxy Grand Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:14 AM PST
When Samsung launched the 5.3 inch Galaxy Note last year, everyone in the media industry made fun of the so-called “phablet”. Who in their right mind would buy such a monstrosity? But then something interesting happened in 2012. Phones got bigger. So big in fact that when Samsung announced the second generation Note, which had an even larger 5.5 inch display, people weren’t shocked. Strangely enough, people fell in love with the device. Tim Stevens, Editor in Chief of the most widely read technology blog on the internet, Engadget, uses a Note II on Verizon as his main phone. That should tell you something. Now there’s a slight problem with the Note. One that’s hard to get around. It’s expensive. Really expensive. Depending on the country you’re in, it can cost over 650 EUR, which is a lot when you consider that a brand new Galaxy S3 can be had for over 100 EUR less. Enter the Galaxy Grand, a 5 inch smartphone that was announced yesterday. You take the Galaxy S2, make the screen 0.7 inches larger, and change the body to look like a Galaxy S3, and that’s essentially the Galaxy Grand. Which brings us to today’s news. ZTE, which can copy Samsung faster than just about anyone, has announced the U887. As our headline suggests, it’s the Chinese Galaxy Grand. It even looks the same! Under the hood there’s a dual core processor from MediaTek, 512 MB of RAM, and a 5 megapixel camera. This phone isn’t going to blow anyone’s socks off, but it’s just further evidence that there indeed is a market for large devices. How much will the U887 cost? When will it come out? We have absolutely no idea. What’s sad is that Samsung also failed to answer those questions when announcing the Grand, so it looks like we’re going to have to wait to get further clarification. Related Posts |
| Update for Angry Birds Rio adds 24 new levels, makes players earn it Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:58 PM PST
The Angry Birds series is undoubtedly among the most popular of any mobile gaming series. With a popular Star Wars spin off already in circulation and a big movie on the way, Rovio has done good work with the series. Now, an oldie but goodie, Angry Birds Rio, has just gotten an update. Rovio has outdone itself with this latest update. At first glance, it seems the game is just getting 24 new levels. This is a pretty modest update for Angry Birds Rio. However, there is a catch. Gamers will have to earn these new levels. To help keep things festive, the levels are all Samba themed. They earn levels by collecting a certain number of stars. So if your first play through was mediocre, you might actually have to go back and play the game again. Rovio likely did this on purpose so players had a reason to go back and play it again. Where can I get these new Angry Birds Rio levels?It’s an update to their app in the Google Play Store. So if you have the game downloaded, you should have already gotten a notification for the update. If you don’t have it and want to revisit the game, you can find it in the Google Play Store. Has anyone given the new levels a try? How are they? Related Posts |
| ZTE Grand Era LTE: This puppy can handle both TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:56 PM PST
ZTE has just announced a device that supports both flavors of 4G LTE. Didn’t know there were two flavors? Time for a short lesson. Most wireless operators around the world use spectrum that’s duplexed, meaning they have a chunk of spectrum dedicated to downloading data, and a chunk of spectrum that’s meant for uploading data. This is generally done to reduce interference. GSM, 3G, 4G FDD-LTE, these are all using duplexing technology. But there’s another way to transmit data, one that involves taking a massive chunk of spectrum and then using it to transmit data for a few milliseconds, then download data for a few milliseconds. This process of switching between uploading and downloading happens so fast that most people don’t notice. The phone that ZTE announced today, the Grand Era, works on China Mobile Hong Kong’s dual TDD/FDD 4G LTE network. Do any other networks use TDD-LTE? Actually, yes. Despite the fact that this flavor of LTE was developed in China, operators in several other countries picked it up, most notably Sprint in America. Their current network uses FDD-LTE, but they’re soon going to have Clearwire’s 2.5 GHz spectrum. That spectrum will go TDD-LTE. What does this all mean for consumers? You really shouldn’t have to care about any of this at the end of the day because there are so many other things you need to take into account when picking an operator. How’s the coverage? How are the real world speeds? How are the prices? T-Mobile showed the world that they can deliver 20+ megabits per second using DC-HSPA+, but you have to be living in a relatively small city. Meanwhile AT&T and Verizon struggle to offer more than 10 megabits per second in the middle of Manhattan, but hey, it’s New York City for crying out loud! Back to the phone for a second, it’s your typical 720p screen phone with a dual core 1.5 GHz processor and a gig of RAM. Nothing too exciting. Related Posts |
| Six new Sprint LTE sites have gone live, more spread out this time Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:41 PM PST
The Sprint News Room has confirmed that six new markets now have LTE coverage. They are:
Unlike Sprint LTE roll outs of the past, this roll out is more spread out. There are parts of the California, Virginia, Indiana, Puerto Rico, and Pennsylvania. Does this mean Sprint is getting their act together and doing things more quickly?No, it just means that they has launched LTE in six new markets. There is no indication that roll outs will happen any faster. As Android Police points out, Sprint has made a lot of moves in the last year. So there is an outside chance that the LTE roll out may go more quickly as the big moves settle in. Has anyone tried out the LTE in these new markets? Let us know how it is! Related Posts |
| HTC has canceled several devices they were planning on launching next year Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:03 PM PST
HTC isn’t exactly in great shape. They make good phones, but they don’t make great phones. Ask just about any Android fan whether they’d have a Galaxy S3 or a One X and there’s a good chance you’ll hear the word “Samsung” come out of their lips. The recently launched DNA/Butterfly certainly has people talking about HTC again, but let’s be serious for a second, just because HTC was the first company to launch a 1080p smartphone, that doesn’t mean they’re going to fix all their problems. According to a new report in DigiTimes, HTC has canceled “a number” of new models that were supposed to come out next year. That obviously means they’re going to focus on fewer products, which is a good thing, right? Bad news, the report goes on to say that HTC has also been reducing their component orders. That’s a nice way of saying HTC expects to sell fewer phones. DigiTimes also says HTC expected Q1 2013 shipments to be 20% to 30% higher than shipments for Q4 2012, but those numbers have now been cut in half to 10% to 15%. Normally companies sell fewer phones in Q1 than they do in Q4, but you have to remember that HTC is a Taiwanese company; Chinese New Year is in February. That’s a huge holiday in that part of the world. Speaking about China, we know that the Chinese don’t like buying expensive phones, and that’s forcing HTC to change their strategy. Just a few short months ago, back in June, HTC’s CEO told the Wall Street Journal that they weren’t going to sell low end devices. This is no longer the case. DigiTimes says HTC is now competing in the sub 2,000 RMB ($320) market, not because they want to, but because they have to in order to stay alive. So the obvious question that springs to mind is can HTC turn things around? Sadly, it’s too early to tell. Related Posts |
| Motorola patent not good enough against Apple, ITC judge says Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:00 PM PST
Apple has obtained another victory against Google-owned Motorola, as an ITC judge found in a preliminary ruling that the iPhone maker is not violating a Motorola proximity sensor patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,246,862). According to Judge Thomas Pender, the '862 patent – which describes a technology that "stops phone users from dialing wrong numbers on touchscreen devices” – is invalid. While the ruling is not final and an ITC panel will review it, it seems unlikely that the decision won't be overturned. Earlier this year, the commission cleared Apple of allegedly infringing three other Motorola patents in the same case. The '862 patent was left with Pender for further examination, and it looks like the iPhone maker will be cleared on this one as well. So far Google's attempts to fight back in the patent wars against Apple have not been successful at all. The company purchased Motorola – and paid a hefty $12.5 billion price, with the costs not stopping there since Moto is not yet a profitable subsidiary – mostly for its patents, as one Google exec revealed not so long ago. As for Apple, the company has received plenty of favorable rulings against its main Android rivals, with the most recent ones (not counting this Motorola ITC patent dispute) coming in its cases against Samsung. A U.S. judge upheld the jury verdict in a first case between the two companies in the country, while the South Korean company decided to drop all of its FRAND-based European lawsuits targeting Apple in Europe. However, the patent wars are hardly over, as the only Android maker to settle with Apple so far is HTC. Related Posts |
Google has released a new version of its book reader with some interesting new features including the ability to listen to books, making them a kind of audio book, with the new “read aloud” feature. Text to speech technology is something that Amazon has dabbled in and appears on some Kindle readers but it can be a bit annoying listening to a computer generated voice. The important question is how well does Google Play Book read aloud?
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