Android Phone Fans |
- Leaked images of the Polaroid IM1836 shows an Android powered mirrorless interchangeable lens camera
- Add holiday cheer to your devices with these wallpapers, apps and games
- The internet is freaking out over Instagram’s new Terms of Service – But is there really cause for concern?
- Top 5 Android stories of 2012
- Google Music cloud matching feature now live in the US
- Samsung offers up official 3,000mAh extended battery for Galaxy S3; costs $65
- Five more cities get lit up with AT&T LTE
- NVIDIA Tegra 4 said to be a 4+1 chipset with six times the power of Tegra 3
- Samsung drops injunction requests against in Europe
- Samsung debuts 5-inch Galaxy Grand with dual-SIM support
- Android Overload: Sony Yuga pictured in the wild (again), new Verizon 4G LTE markets, and more
- Apple denied permanent ban on Samsung products, Samsung denied trial due to juror misconduct
- HTC M7 gets detailed: 4.7-inch 1080p display, 13MP camera, 2GB RAM, Sense 5, and more
| Leaked images of the Polaroid IM1836 shows an Android powered mirrorless interchangeable lens camera Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:14 PM PST
Looks like this whole “Android camera” thing is really starting to take off. After Samsung released the Galaxy Camera a few short weeks ago, it seems it may have been the start of a trend. We know Nikon released their own (underpowered) point in shoot a few weeks before Samsung, and here we are today with some leaked images from Russia, showing what could be a new Android-powered camera from Polaroid. Looking strikingly similar to the Nikon 1 J2, Having already announced an Android point-n-shoot earlier this year at CES 2012, Polaroid is still banking on the Google’s mobile OS, this time with a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera codenamed the IM1836. Looking striking similar to the Nikon 1 J2, I have to admit, whatever their inspiration, Polaroid definitely got the looks down. When it comes to the rest of the hardware, the IM1836 is packing an 18.1MP camera sensor, 3.5-inch touch screen, pop-up flash, WiFi, micro SD card slot, and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Processor wasn’t mentioned but we wouldn’t get our hopes up. The only details as of yet un-released are the pricing, lens options, and date when we should expect these in stores. CES 2013 in a few weeks sounds like a good a time as any for Polaroid to show off their latest wares, in which we’ll make sure to get a good hands-on for you. If you’re hoping for something cheaper than Samsung’s offering, keep in mind we’re talking about a higher class of camera here. What do you guys think? Is Android really a draw when choosing your next camera? [via PhotoRumors] |
| Add holiday cheer to your devices with these wallpapers, apps and games Posted: 18 Dec 2012 02:39 PM PST Christmas is right around the corner and many of you are looking to adorn your phone with great wallpapers and play some great games to celebrate. Thankfully for you, decorating a phone is a lot easier than decorating a house, and we’ve come up with a great list of apps and games that anyone can use to bring the holiday cheer they’re looking for whenever they look down on those nice, big displays. GamesKids Connect the Dots (Free) – This game is more for your children to enjoy than anyone, but it’s still a great way to get into that Christmas spirit that starts to fill the souls of everyone around this time. You simply connect the dots in the order that they’re numbered, and the result can be anything from bright green Christmas trees to beautiful white snowflakes.
Dead Trigger (Free) – Zombies might not be what you had in mind for the Christmas season but Madfinger has decided to inject its undead nightmare simulator with some holiday fun. A North Pole arena for taking on waves of zombies and a new Zanta Claus boss await you in this game, and since the initial download is free (supported by in-app purchases) then there’s nothing wrong with taking on the apocalypse while you celebrate another great holiday. Pretty Pet Toy Store (Free) – Ever wanted to run your own toy store? Me neither, but after seeing this game I can’t say it’s not an interesting prospect. Pretty Pet Toy Store asks you to help Cuby run nine different toy stores to make sure kids keep coming back to beg their parents to buy new toys for Christmas. It’s like “Diner Dash,” except instead of whiny adults ordering obnoxiously-priced burgers you’re getting whiny children asking for toys instead. Hey, someone’s gotta do it, right? AppsA Charlie Brown Christmas ($1.99) – You could head to your local bookstore and buy this book, and you could even bye the film to go along with it, but this cheap app will provide an even more immersive experience for you and your loved ones to enjoy this classic story. A complete narration by Charlie Brown voice-man Peter Robbins will take you through a animated tale, alongside the ability to play Schroeder’s piano, finger paint with Charlie and his friends, sing along to Christmas carols and more. Zappos (Free) – Surely there is some last minute shopping you still need to get done, right? Well, Zappos can help you find some great gifts. You can drill down by category to find the perfect gift for whoever you decided to blow off until the last minute, and you can even order straight from your device (with Paypal support, to boot). You’d better hurry and download it so you can order your goods to ship in time for Christmas! Zoomingo (Free) – Here’s another shopping app that you’ll probably cherish. Zoomingo takes on the task of sniffing out the best deals for a lot of different categories. Need something for the gamer or fashion freak in your life? Suggestions for neither type of person will be spared. One of the greatest things is it searches for these deals locally, too, so you won’t be bound by the hassles of getting your gifts shipped online with potentially horrid issues with last minute Christmas deliveries. Download it! Live WallpapersChristmas HD ($1.99) – This live wallpaper is $2, but should that stop you from downloading it when it probably won’t last long past December 25th? Well, YES! This wallpaper has so much to offer in terms of customization that you probably wouldn’t mind keeping it up well past the new year. The stockings hanging on the fireplace mantle can be stitched with whatever words you like, you can change several decoration options on the Christmas tree, and you can even customize the gifts sitting beneath it. You can use your own pictures for the photos on top of the mantle, find a countdown to Christmas calendar that automatically updates as each day goes by, and even customize a letter from Santa. There’s a ton of functionality and flexibility to be had here to be sure to throw a couple of bucks at these developers, and once you’re ready to take it all down you can just keep it around for next year (because the developers are awesome and add new stuff each year). Oh, and don’t forget to take a look at your phone once Christmas day actually arrives — you’ll want to catch the special occurrence that’ll happen once that special day arrives! Snowfall Live Wallpaper ($0.99) – Tired of not getting snow? Well, you haven’t lived in Wisconsin all your life like I have. But if you want to have a white Christmas but can’t quite get the weather to go your way then why not simulate things with this live wallpaper? Turn your phone’s homescreen into a window that’s peering out into an epic landscape filled with the most beautiful snow-draped pine trees you’ll see. The phone features a neat day/night cycle that’ll automatically change from a sun-lit sky to a glowing moon depending on what time it is, settings for colors and Christmas lights, random Santa sightings and more. Landscape mode is fully supported for those who prefer using their devices in that orientation. For just under a dollar this is a no-brainer. Santa Bobble (Free) – Whichever genius decided to combine the awesomeness of bobble heads with the awesomeness that is a snow globe, I commend you. This app will give you four different bobble heads — Santa, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Hermey the Elf — trapped inside snow globes. The heads will react to you moving your phone, and if you shake your phone violently the characters will emit funny (well, funny to you) reactions. The direction of the snowfall in the globes will also react to movement so it feels like an actual snow globe, and since I can’t seem to own a snow globe without accidentally smashing it at some point this would be the perfect download for someone like me. List your own!There are way too many great apps, games and more content to list from the Google Play Store so be sure to get over there and check it all out for yourself. If you already have some great apps in mind to add be sure to suggest them below so we can all get into the holiday spirit. And don’t forget that the Google Play Store also features great Holiday music, movies and books for you to sink your teeth into so check all of that content out and have yourselves a very Merry Christmas! |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2012 02:22 PM PST
We mentioned it briefly in last night’s Android Overload but we figured we’d better “alert” those that may have missed it. Some changes to the now Facebook-owned Instagram is raising more than a few eyebrows this morning. Okay, maybe “raising eyebrows” is an understatement — people are freaking the $%#& out. This, after some apparent changes made to Instagram’s Terms of Service — effective January 16th — could seemingly allow the company the right to sell its user uploaded ‘grams to a 3rd party. That selfie posted by your exhibitionist girlfriend? BOOM. Valtrex ad all over the net the very next day. Or at least that’s what the language supposedly suggests in the new ToS and what has everyone up in a tissy.
What’s interesting is Instagram really hasn’t changed much. They simply reworded some things in an effort to become more transparent with their users, in a sense explaining how they plan to monetize their service. Everyone seems to forget that Instagram is home to millions of users worldwide, yet you never see a single ad displayed in the app? How are those dudes even making money? Are your 612×612 photos really going to be sold to the highest bidder for use in billboards and child pornography sites? Instagram pushed this notification to their app today attempting to quell some of the backlash:
There you go. Your private photos will still remain private and yes, you technically still “own” all of your photos. Nobody is going to take away your Toaster filtered pic of creme fraiche, only to sue you later for posting them to your own timeline. You’re good. Now, when it comes to Instagram making a little side money by selling or rather, allowing a 3rd party to use them in ads, that’s a different story. One that should already sound very familiar if you’ve been using Facebook. Remember, folks — Facebook now owns Instagram. And the same way Facebook can display “sponsored posts” showcasing a product your friend has liked on your timeline, expect something similar on Instagram in the near future. Here’s an excerpt from the new Terms of Service:
Yes, it sounds scary but don’t forget, in the US we already have laws in place that regulate what advertisers are even allowed to do with their ads. For instance, pictures of minors require parental consent, and when it comes to Instagram advertisers aren’t allowed to otherwise modify your photo in any way (this includes slapping a big Viagra logo on one of your pics). So, even though your fears of showing up in a Viagra ad should be next to nil you may still wind up in a sponsored post on Instagram if you hashtag “#Viagra” in one of your pics. But again, you won’t have to worry about when it comes to your kids appearing in a BabyGap store window. It seems that any time we see changes to an online service’s ToS — Google most recently comes to mind — there’s always a huge backlash over privacy concerns from its users. And I get it, I really do. Privacy is important. I just find it ironic that these same people are uploading their entire lives to some company in the cloud to share with strangers they used to know in grade school, only to cry foul play when they realize there is no such thing as privacy on the internet. But I guess the real concern comes from a lack of understanding. You’d think by now companies would learn to use more natural language, as opposed to legalese, when drafting out their Terms of Service. Even better, why not take the time to explain exactly how you intend on using these rights you’ve given yourself? Maybe then less people would rush for their pitchforks. But I guess Instagram is learning the hard way, posting to their Twitter and Facebook today:
Looks like clarification is indeed coming. In the meantime, I have some lunch to upload. We’ll let you know when we hear more. How are you guys feeling about the whole mess? When uploading photos of your entire life to the world wide web, do you really expect any sort of privacy? Or is this simply a matter of personal rights? UPDATE: Kevin Systrom co-founder of Instagram just took to the official blog to clarify the whole fiasco with their terms of service. Here’s the gist of it:
Can the internet finally just go back to posting selfies? |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2012 12:56 PM PST
The days have grown short, the weather cold. The halls are decked for Christmas and we can already hear the faint echoes of “Auld Lang Syne” in the distance. It all means — provided an apocalyptic Mayan prediction doesn’t hold true — that one year is coming to a close as the calendar turns to the next. 2012 was a big year for Android, though it may have lacked some of the flash of the little green robot’s previous trips around the sun. We saw plenty of new devices, updates to the Android ecosystem, a few hallmark legal cases coming to a close, as well as Google’s completed acquisition of Motorola. As we look ahead to next year, CES, the Galaxy S4, Key Lime Pie, and more, we thought it would be appropriate to reflect back on some of the biggest moments for Android from the past 12 months. Follow along as we count down the top five Android stories of 2012! 5. OUYA pre-release buzz proves there is a market for alternative Android devices
Google has made several attempts to take Android out of the pocket and put it in the living room. Google TV has managed to carve out a small niche while other products like the Nexus Q media orb (which we will touch on later in this list) failed to gain any traction. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that we greeted the OUYA game console and its humble Kickstarter beginnings with plenty of skepticism. But what started with a prototype and a plan quickly grew to be one of the most-hyped Android devices of recent memory. The team behind the Android-based gaming system quickly met their funding goal and then some, and we’ve watched every step since with keen interest. While OUYA is far from your traditional Android hardware, it proves there is a place for the OS outside of smartphones and tablets. OUYA likely won’t ever be part of Google’s vision for the platform, but with dedicated developers and plenty of interest, it could grow to be something altogether its own. OUYA will ship early next year, and from the looks of things, it won’t be alone. Will 2013 be the year of the standalone Android home entertainment device? 4. In first full year without Steve Jobs, Apple goes the Android route
A 4-inch iPhone? An 8-inch iPad? In the Steve Jobs era of Apple, a period that sadly came to a close when the architect of the iGeneration died of cancer in 2011, such devices would have been unthinkable. Under new CEO Tim Cook, Apple has had to admit that perhaps consumers are looking for more options when it comes to device size. This year Apple released the arguably underwhelming iPhone 5 and long-rumored iPad mini. The former eschewed the 3.5-inch display found on previous iPhone models for a larger 4-inch screen. The latter cut a few inches off the size of the standard iPad and left a few greenbacks in the wallets of those rushing to buy the lower-priced tablet option. Both are the direct result of increasing pressure from Google and its manufacturing partners. Otherwise, the devices failed to impress as previous Apple models have. Specs were modestly increased, iOS was tweaked, but the end result was a rather pedestrian, though beautiful, set of devices. In contrast, manufacturers like Samsung pushed the boundaries of smartphone and tablet tech with massive HD displays, quad-core processing, and unique sharing capabilities. Once the biggest argument against Android, fragmentation has only served to spur on competition and innovation. 3. Google Play opens new world of content to Android users
Google made a bold move in 2012 when they decided to ditch the Android Market in favor of Google Play. The rebranding came with little to no warning and was much more than a simple name change. As has slowly been realized throughout the course of the year, the shift to Google Play was as much about Google’s long-term goals as it was about short-term strategy. With the dawn of Google Play, the former Android Market expanded its content offerings far beyond apps and games. It marked the consolidation of several Google content services, including books, music, and movies, into one streamlined ecosystem. The store crossed over from digital-only to physical goods when it began selling devices from Google’s Nexus lineup, marking a return to a once-abandoned strategy to sell smartphones contract-free and potentially shakeup the way the mobile industry operates. That hasn’t happened just yet, but as the Google Play Store continues to grow it has quickly become a go-to source for the latest media, apps, games, and more. 2. Apple wins major case over Samsung as patent lawsuits run rampant
If we had to come up with an unofficial subtitle for 2012, “The Year of the Patent Lawsuit” would get our vote. Intellectual property litigation reached a new high as major companies and patent trolls alike sought to collect cash and ban products from the US to Europe and beyond. Several major cases came to a close this year. Google came out on top in a patent spat with Oracle over Java while HTC and Apple reached a cross-licensing agreement, but perhaps the biggest verdict came out of Judge Lucy Koh’s California courtroom in the case of Apple v. Samsung. A jury concluded that Samsung had infringed upon several Apple patents across multiple devices, a decision that came with over $1 billion in penalties. The particulars of the ruling are still being sorted out, but most recently it was ruled that none of the offending Samsung handsets would face a sales ban. Several major cases, including a second US trial between Apple and Samsung, are still awaiting their time in front of a judge, so the patent war could easily consume 2013 as well. Here’s hoping some of these company’s come to their senses. We’d love for the new year to be one of creative and robust competition and innovation, not mudslinging and petty money grabs. 1. Google releases first tablet, the Nexus 7 with Jelly Bean, entire lineup expands
Nexus rumors were plentiful in 2012 as were Nexus devices. While we didn’t quite get the overhauled Nexus program we were dreaming of, Google not only managed to release their first tablet, the Nexus 7, but it dropped a second by year’s end alongside the latest Nexus smartphone. The Nexus 7 launched at Google I/O alongside the latest version of Android, Jelly Bean. It was an instant hit thanks to its mix of hardware (including a quad-core CPU), features (like Android 4.1′s Google Now), and pricing (starting at $199). Its availability in the Google Play Store marked a new focus on device sales by Google. The Nexus 7 was followed in the fall by a new version of Jelly Bean (Android 4.2) and the Nexus 4 and Nexus 10. The Nexus 4 was an instant hit and created plenty of customer frustration when supply failed to meet demand. Many buyers are still waiting for their handsets to ship. It wasn’t all cherries and roses for the Nexus line in 2012, however. The ill-fated Nexus Q was also announced at Google I/O, but after a short pre-sale period was pulled from Google’s site and shipments to buyers were cancelled. The eventual fate of the Nexus Q is not known, but things aren’t looking good for the odd media orb. *** Disagree with our list? Would you put it in a different order? Did we miss something you consider huge? Vote in the poll and sound off in the comments below! |
| Google Music cloud matching feature now live in the US Posted: 18 Dec 2012 12:35 PM PST When Google finally delivered Google Music to the United Kingdom, the search giant introduced a new feature that many were excited to see. They introduced the ability to automatically scan and match your music in order to add it to your Google Music account, all without the need to endure ridiculously long upload times or even initiate the process yourself. Well, Google has finally brought it to those of us who dwell in the United States.
This is a huge convenience feature that I wish existed when I uploaded my 4,000 song music collection the day Google Music went live. Since I tend to buy a lot of my music from the Play Store now — and since anything I buy outside the Play Store is few and far between — I haven’t had to deal with uploading much music to my account, but I’ll still get a kick out of this feature for the sheer simplicity of it. The music is made available for streaming in bitrates up to 320kbps so you can ensure you’re getting the best quality. We’re not sure if Google’s going to have any reservations about how it identifies your music. If they go based on the file’s ID3 tags then there should be no issues with any of your music that’s been properly tagged. DRM-enabled music is a different beast altogether that I can’t personally test (I avoid DRM wherever I can). If you happen to use the feature to add some music you’ve acquired recently let us know how things go in the comments section below, then proceed to grab some headphones and knock yourself out. You can get started at music.google.com. [via Google+] |
| Samsung offers up official 3,000mAh extended battery for Galaxy S3; costs $65 Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:03 AM PST While the Samsung Galaxy S3 didn’t launch with the beastly 3,100mAh battery that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 did, Samsung’s looking to offer more juice for those who absolutely require it. The company has started to ship extended batteries to resellers that will give users about 900mAh more power than the one that ships with the device. That’s right — you can now buy an official 3,000mAh battery and be just 100mAh shy of its bigger cousin’s power output.
The difference, of course, is that you’ll need to sacrifice size for juice as the extended battery will no doubt add a bit of a hump to the Galaxy S3. Its chassis simply wasn’t built for a slim profile while maintaining a battery of such capacity. That’s a small price to pay for many, though, as it’s important to be able to go an entire day without having to tether yourself to a power outlet. Typical extended batteries exist, but the difference with an official Samsung unit is that the battery door will come with the NFC contact points the device requires for using NFC. Most third party battery doors, you’ll quickly find, will not come with these contact points. Whether or not that’s worth the extra money is up to you to decide, but if more juice is as important as NFC then there aren’t many other options. One price that isn’t small, however, is the monetary cost itself. Retailer MobileFun has it listed for $65 including VAT. Again — it comes down to whether or not you want NFC, because there are a lot better deals you can find for an added 900mAh. Head to the source link if you’ve been waiting on something like this. [via MobileFun] |
| Five more cities get lit up with AT&T LTE Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:33 AM PST If you’re not with a carrier whose name start with “V” and ends with “erizon” you might feel like LTE launches are coming in at a snail’s pace, but AT&T’s looking to pick the pace up as it has announced five more cities are getting 4G LTE. This is on top of several more which will be getting expansions to provide even better coverage. The new markets include Green Bay, Wisconsin; Oxford, Mississippi; Tucson, Arizona; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Melbourne, Florida. On top of that, those in Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; New York City, New York; and Salt Lake City, Utah will all benefit from even better coverage wherever they go within their respective towns.
AT&T has made very nice on its promise to quickly and effectively roll LTE out as it enjoys regular launches on — at the very least — a monthly basis. The carrier straddles the line between its biggest competitor, Verizon, and its closest counterpart in Sprint in terms of both volume and frequency of rollouts. Verizon tends to roll new coverage out at the same rate as AT&T, but in bigger chunks, while Sprint isn’t doing as many launches but promises that more cities are being added to a list of eventual launches all the time. We suspect Sprint will want to make sure it builds up its coverage a bit so that it can drop a bombshell on the American airwaves as the carrier has long promised that it would get a vast majority of its network complete by the end of 2013. Sprint 2013 will likely be the carrier’s target point for beginning rollouts, but it has been mum on the roadmap outside of the bigger picture. As it stands, though, America is getting drenched in LTE by the day no matter which carrier you decide to stay loyal to (unless, of course, you’re with T-Mobile, but your day should be coming at some point next year). In the meantime, folks with an AT&T LTE phone should turn that 4G radio on without delay and experience just how fast it can be for themselves. |
| NVIDIA Tegra 4 said to be a 4+1 chipset with six times the power of Tegra 3 Posted: 18 Dec 2012 07:33 AM PST While NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 is still a great quad-core chipset some would argue that it has been handily outclassed by competitors. Samsung’s Exynos line is moving along with the 5-series SoCs set to be in devices soon, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro is already inside several devices released to date. Well, it looks like NVIDIA will be moving just as fast as its competitors, and the next big step will be with Tegra 4. According to a leak by Chip Hell, Tegra 4 — which carries the codename Wayne, likely extracted from the last name of the caped crusader Batman — will be a 28nm chipset that has a 72 core GPU. It’ll apparently offer up six times the performance of NVIDIA’s standard Tegra 3 setup, and that would make it one very powerful piece of circuitry.
It’ll be a Cortex-A15 configuration so it’ll be right up there with Samsung’s Exynos 5, and comparable to the new Krait-based Qualcomm series. Hardware features will include support for displays with resolutions up to 2560×1600 and can support 1080p playback at 120hz. We might even get 4K support, but considering 4K hasn’t even hit the consumer market for televisions yet we can’t say this will be of much significance. It’s always nice to remain future-proofed, though, and that’s exactly what NVIDIA will look to ensure with Tegra 4. It wouldn’t be surprising to see NVIDIA head to CES with Tegra 4 details in tow, but we can’t say for sure if that will be the case. There haven’t been many tablets rumored for the big show, and the ones that we’ve heard about haven’t really tipped us off to the vendor’s next big chipset. What that says about NVIDIA’s roadmap remains to be seen, but it’s something to note. Something else of note is NVIDIA’s difficulty in getting Tegra 3 phones to market, specifically here in North America. It seems a lot more OEMs prefer Qualcomm’s Snapdragon line when it comes to high-end phones, with the biggest player — Samsung — making its own very powerful chipset. The most notable device to launch with Tegra 3 thus far is AT&T’s HTC One X+ but pickings are slim beyond that. To say NVIDIA would like to woo more competitors to go with its chipsets for phones would be an understatement, but the vendor still enjoys a very nice spot within the tablet game. What would you say to having the apparent beast that is Tegra 4 within your next phone or tablet? [via Engadget]
|
| Samsung drops injunction requests against in Europe Posted: 18 Dec 2012 07:31 AM PST
As the final rulings are reached in Apple’s case against Samsung in the US, the latter company is rethinking its litigation strategy in Europe. Today Samsung released a statement saying they would withdraw injunction requests against Apple in Europe. Samsung cites “protecting consumer choice” as a driving force behind the decision. The real reason might go a bit deeper than simply “protecting consumer choice,” but Samsung is framing their decision so as to say “we’re taking the high road.” Perhaps it signals a shift in Samsung’s mentality towards reaching an out-of-court agreement (the company did, after all, say it was open to negotiating a settlement with Apple). Perhaps the Korean company is feeling the blows of one too many unfavorable court decisions. The injunctions in question were based on Samsung’s standards-essential patents, which have proven tricky to litigate in the past. Currently, such patents are to be licensed under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. Groups including Apple and the European Commission have questioned in the past if Samsung has been abusing such patents. A recent decision in a dispute between Motorola and Microsoft set a precedent to forego injunctions for standards-based patents in favor of FRAND-based fees. The complication in seeking an injunction on such patents arrises from their use of certain openly available standards, such as a video codec or wireless format. It was determined that given the availability of such technology to all, it could not be proven that infringement had caused irreparable harm. [via The Verge] |
| Samsung debuts 5-inch Galaxy Grand with dual-SIM support Posted: 18 Dec 2012 06:35 AM PST
Samsung today announced the Galaxy Grand, an Android 4.1.2 smartphone that looks right at home with the handset maker’s Galaxy Note lineup. The Galaxy Grand features a 5-inch TFT display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and 8MP rear camera while staying true to the design language introduced with the Galaxy S3 and continued with the Galaxy Note 2. The Galaxy Grand ships with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI and gets such enhanced features as Popup Play for picture-in-picture video viewing as well as S Voice and enhanced gesture support. The phone will first be available as the dual-SIM GT-I9082 followed by a standard single SIM GT-I9080. Samsung did not detail availability, but the Galaxy Grand will likely hit inter nation markets before (or if) it ever reaches the US. Based on specs, the Grand appears to be targeted towards folks looking for a large display experience but not ready to go all out with the Galaxy Note 2 (the Grand’s spec list reads like that of an upgraded version of the original Note). Unfortunately, it appears no S Pen support is included. [via Samsung] |
| Android Overload: Sony Yuga pictured in the wild (again), new Verizon 4G LTE markets, and more Posted: 18 Dec 2012 01:43 AM PST
The Android Overload is the place where we stash all of the stories/articles/news bits that didn’t make it onto our illustrious front page. But, just because they weren’t featured doesn’t mean they aren’t worth taking a look at. In fact, there’s almost always a little something here for everyone, so take a look around and let us know if you find any gems. Oh, and I already posted the warning below but you may wanna stay away from the comment section of that Apple Insider article. That is, unless you wanna rage. Night, folks.
|
| Apple denied permanent ban on Samsung products, Samsung denied trial due to juror misconduct Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:25 PM PST
We all know the story: a few months ago Apple accused Samsung of violating both their aesthetic and UI design of the original iPhone, unique intellectual properties Apple claimed to own. A jury agreed for the most part and Samsung was ordered to pay up around $1 billion in damages. The court drama continued today as Apple and Samsung met in court yet again — Apple hoping Judge Koh would agree to a permanent sales ban on the infringing products — and Samsung hoping Judge Lucy Koh would agree to issue another trial due to Velvin Hogan’s juror misconduct. Both requests were denied this evening with Judge Koh ruling that Apple wasn’t able to provide sufficient evidence that consumers were flocking to Samsung devices based on their infringing features, stating that the court had already performed “irreparable harm” in the case. In the court filing she said:
When it came to Samsung, Koh felt that Samsung was unable to act with “reasonable diligence” in discovering Hogan’s past, all of which was disclosed during the jury selection process. When it came to Hogan running his mouth in interviews post-trial, Koh said interviews couldn’t be submitted as evidence unless Hogan stated somewhere that he had come to his decision from outside knowledge in the case. Since he never said anything of the sort — no dice, Samsung. So, while both sides walk away empty handed, Samsung’s final grand total is still up in the air. Judge Koh has yet to rule on either additional, or decreased damages in Samsung’s total payout. [Injunction Denial, Juror Misconduct Denial | via The Verge 1, 2] |
| HTC M7 gets detailed: 4.7-inch 1080p display, 13MP camera, 2GB RAM, Sense 5, and more Posted: 17 Dec 2012 07:18 PM PST
While you’re probably just getting settled with your HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S3, or Droid DNA, the world of Android slows down for no one. As we enter into the new year, the rumor mill is already churning with talks of Android’s “next big smartphone.” The manufacturer? HTC. The phone? The HTC M7. According to anonymous sources at both Unwired View and @evleaks, the M7 is said to pack every high-end spec you can think of, in an attempt at getting a jump on the next round of high-end devices by a solid few months. Here’s what HTC could be doing to raise the bar. DisplayThe HTC M7 is said to carry a 4.7-inch 1080p full HD display with an estimated 468ppi. That is nothing short of amazing. When it comes to the display tech being used, HTC has something up their sleeve they’re calling “SoLux.” Whether or not that’s something different from the SLCD3 being used in the DNA/Butterfly, remains to be seen. If you were hoping for something a little bigger (around the 5-inch+ mark), keep in mind this will be HTC’s flagship, targeting the average consumer (as a flagship should), not niche market. Processor and SoftwareHTC’s not skimping when it comes to processing power. The M7 will release with a higher clocked 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon (we’re going to assume S4 Pro) CPU. There’s also talk of a new version of Sense — dubbed Sense 5 — that will come atop Android 4.x Jelly Bean. Although there are no details as of yet, I’m excited to see what HTC has come up. Let’s hope it will come out of the box with 4.2 so non-Nexus users can finally start snapping some Photo Sphere shots. CamerasHTC’s camera tech is some of the best in the business, and it looks like they’re only going to improve on that by upping the resolution of their rear facing camera to 13MP. The new lens will come with an even larger f/2.0 aperture. HTC’s real draw will be in their improved camera software dubbed “Cinesensor,” allowing for slow-mo video capture, and even HDR video recording. The front facing camera is improved as well. At 2MP, it can capture 1080p HD video and although there was no mention of it, we’d expect to see HTC’s new wide angle lens as found on the HTC 8X and HTC Droid DNA. Storage and AudioThere’s still more here to love. You can look forward to 2GB of RAM which should handle even HTC’s aggressive RAM management. For storage, it’s looking like the M7 will come equipped with 32GB — not the 64GB of the HTC One X+ — though hopefully enough to pacify most media enthusiasts. Of course, the Beats audio software will be making another appearance highlighted by the devices unique stereo speakers and enhanced call quality with Sense software HTC is calling “Clear Words.” Wireless, Network, BatteryLooks like HTC is finally starting to give a little when it comes to larger capacity batteries as the M7 is said to come with a modest sized 2,300mAh lithium ion. When it comes to wireless, the M7 will come equipped with LTE — as any flagship device should — as well as compatibility for the new 802.11ac WLAN networks. Right now, the device is rumored to arrive on Sprint and Verizon Wireless, although I find the latter a bit odd as Verizon recently launched a similar spec’d Droid DNA a few short weeks ago. The HTC M7 is rumored to be unveiled at this year’s Mobile World Congress in February at which point will learn more on this legendary device. Guess the only thing left out is a leaked image of the device, which we’re sure @evleaks will deliver as we approach the device’s official unveiling. What say ye, Phandroids? Anything you think this device is missing (aside from the kitchen sink)? |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Phone Fans To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment