Android Community |
- AT&T is now listing HTC One X for pre-order
- Verizon removes Incredible 2 from sales listing
- Philips to offer multiple 7″ tablets with Android 4.0
- Huawei MyTouch for T-Mobile spotted at FCC
- ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 Review
- AT&T HTC One X pre-orders coming to Radio Shack for $149
- Samsung teases Galaxy S III with Facebook photo
- HTC One X Drop Test Thrills
- Verizon Galaxy Nexus price plummet Monday
- T-Mobile tipped to get Galaxy Note
- iHome for Android not just Apple any more
| AT&T is now listing HTC One X for pre-order Posted: 22 Apr 2012 10:47 AM PDT Starting today you can now pre-order the HTC One X on AT&T’s website. Current pricing for the phone is $199 with new 2 year contract with it either being a new customer or an upgrade. You could also by it outright with no obligation for $549 if you are between upgrades and want to get your hands on one of these bad boys.
Also listing the phone today is Radio Shack which just happens to be offering a pre-order special that makes the phone a mere $149 with the required 2 year contract. With other special offers from them it makes it a very attractive option over going directly through AT&T. As we mentioned yesterday, this special goes away when the phone goes on sale on May 6, so hurry and get your order in. For those who may still be curious as to what the fuss is about this phone, we recently did a review of the HTC One X and came away quite impressed with its capabilities. We would like to hear your opinions about the phone if you plan on getting one or are waiting to see how it does after its introduction. Just post in the comment section and see what others have to say about it. Device Info
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| Verizon removes Incredible 2 from sales listing Posted: 22 Apr 2012 10:06 AM PDT Recently listed as “out of stock” on Verizon’s web site, the Incredible 2 is not listed for sale any more. If you still need support or over view of the phone, those pages are still available to read, but you won’t be able to find any sales pages. With the introduction of the Incredible 4G coming on April 26, this may not come as any surprise.
As the successor to the Incredible 2, the new Incredible 4G is coming is with a list of nice features. Including the dual core 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm processor, 1GB of RAM and qHD display. Similar to the HTC One S it is however going to be able to use Verizon’s LTE network and incorporates an NFC Chip. Also available will be an expandable memory slot for a micro SD card. We have recently done a review on the HTC One S if you would like to get some idea of the potential for this new phone. Just remember the added features that the Incredible 4G is adding to the mix of goodies. If you are planning on getting one of these phones as an upgrade from the Incredible 2, let us know what you think in the comment section. [via droidlife]
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| Philips to offer multiple 7″ tablets with Android 4.0 Posted: 22 Apr 2012 09:20 AM PDT Philips recently announced its plans to offer Android 4.0 in their new line of 7″ tablets. Initially only slated for introduction in China, it’s not known if they will make their way to the US market. Though not the first to use the 4.0 software, they are going a different route with its processors.
Where most manufacturers are using primarily ARM or 86x processors, Philips has gone with the MIPS processor. Philips is not the first to use this combination of MIPS and 4.0,the Ainol Novo 7 being one of the original devices doing it. Google has taken notice of the expanding use of the newer MIPS based units and is promising more support with their software. Looking at the 2012 line up of new tablets from Philips, we can get some specs on the pending releases. Resolutions appear to be either a 1024×600 pixel or 800×480 pixel depending on model. Also there will be support for the different media types including MP4, H.264 and WMV. Projected battery life is going to be 4 to 5 hours for the new devices. Philips has been introducing many new products recently that support Android devices so this move just seems makes sense. [via liliputing]
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| Huawei MyTouch for T-Mobile spotted at FCC Posted: 22 Apr 2012 07:59 AM PDT After months of speculation and guessing, recently posted docs from the FCC show that Huawei and T-Mobile will be introducing the new MyTouch. Though not a lot of information is given, there are some basic specs that are given for the approval. These include supporting the 850/1700/1900 UMTS bands, Bluetooth and Wi-fi.
The Huawei U8680, as it is called, most likely won’t be out anytime before this summer. Huawei has requested a hold from March 7 for a 180 days on the release of any documents from being made public. When the phone comes out, as we are quite confident now that it will, it will be T-Mobile’s third manufacturer in a little over a year having gone with HTC and LG previously.
We have been hearing these rumors for some time now and have even seen some in field testing. With the strides that Huawei has been making into the high-end phone market over seas, hopefully T-Mobile will have another prime phone to offer.Check out some of our previous stories on the new MyTouch and let us know what you think. [via TmoNews]
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| ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 Review Posted: 22 Apr 2012 12:01 AM PDT The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime has many charms, but price is not among them. At $499 for the entry 16GB model, it’s a step higher than the original Transformer, and ASUS has been selling them side by side since the Prime’s introduction in December. But with the new Transformer Pad TF300, ASUS has replaced its original tablet at a more palatable $379 while still keeping some impressive performance capabilities thanks to the NVIDIA Tegra 3 platform and the Transformer’s trademark keyboard dock. Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box is the icing on the cake. The Android tablet landscape is a lot more competitive now than it was a year ago – let’s see if ASUS has kept up.
Hardware If you took the original Transformer and the Transformer Prime and blended them together, you’d get something like the Transformer Pad TF300. It keeps the slim profile of the Transformer Prime and the 10-inch screen and connection capabilities of both, but uses a plastic body instead of an all-metal chassis. This is a little cheaper, but it should help alleviate the poor WiFi and GPS issues that Prime owners faced – you’ll find no dongles here. The TF300 is slightly chunkier than the Prime, but still considerably smaller than the original Transformer.
You’ve got quite a few color and storage options for the Transformer Pad TF300: the first Royal Blue units will cost $379 and $399 for the 16GB and 32GB versions available April 23rd, with Torch Red and Iceberg White versions of both coming down the pipeline in June. The color-matched keyboard docks will cost $149. The pricing for the TF300 is very competitive, considering that the 8GB Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 2 is expected to retail at the $400 mark.
And speaking of the dock – it’s essentially the same one that fits the Transformer Prime, with a few material changes and color options. Working with the Transformer Pad TF300 in what we’ve come to think of as “Netbook Mode” is the same as it ever was – far from perfect, but much more flexible than the tablet alone. Android-specific shortcut keys and the extended battery options are appreciated, but the small and somewhat finicky trackpad isn’t.
Navigating the tablet interface via the dock is simple, though all too often you’ll still need to resort to touch control. Gamers and mobile professionals might as well add a Bluetooth mouse if they’re springing for the dock. The dock adds a full-sized SD card slot to the tablets’ MicroSD slot, plus a secondary battery that charges the tablet while attached. You can also charge both through a single cable when the tablet is inserted.
As far as guts go, you get the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, a gigabyte of DDR3 RAM, a 10-inch IPS LCD 1280×800 screen and the standard Bluetooth/WiFi combo. Mobile wireless versions of the Transformer Pad TF300 are in the works, but won’t be available any time soon. Weight is an interesting issue: the tablet itself weighs 1.3 pounds, with the dock coming in at half that. This makes the Transformer Pad TF300 “top-heavy” when used in the dock. Check out our comparison video of the Transformer Pad TF300 and the Transformer Prime below: Compared to the Transformer Prime, the Transformer Pad TF300 holds up well considering the lower price and cheaper materials. The screens are identical save for the IPS+ rating on the Prime, making it slightly more comfy to use for an extended period of time. The plastic body makes the Transformer Pad TF300 feel lighter, even if it isn’t’ actually much of a margin. From a hardware perspective, it’s a solid choice for those who don’t want to spend the extra money.
Software & Benchmarks If the hardware of the TF300 and the Prime is similar, then the software is nearly identical. The Transformer Pad TF300 is ASUS first tablet to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich, which shares much of the same code and ASUS/NVIDIA extras as the Android 4.0.3 update to the Prime. ASUS’ additions don’t get in the way of Android – a few custom icons and menu options to take advantage of the unique hardware are all you’ll see.
One of these is the Performance Mode and Power-Save Mode, accessible by the ICS pop-up menu. This takes advantage of the 4-PLUS-1 design of the Tegra 3, with a fifth core that engages during periods of low processor activity. You’ll want to keep an eye on the manual switch if you often find yourself mixing gaming and traveling. Another unique aspect of the software (though unique only to Tegra devices, not the Transformer line) is NVIDIA’s Tegra Zone. This app grants access to some exclusive Tegra-optimized games that you won’t find on the Google Play Store, though some of them wind up there eventually. Check out a few in the video below:
Those who want some top-end power out of their tablet won’t be disappointed, and at this price point it’s a very compelling inclusion. The nearest Tegra 3 competitor in price is the Acer Iconia Tab A510, at $70 more expensive for the base model and $50 more than the equivalent 32GB TF300. And considering that ASUS’ build quality is generally a step above Acer’s, even on the lower-end Transformer, it’s hard to recommend the more expensive Iconia based on performance.
The various benchmarks show the TF300 as lagging slightly behind the Transformer Prime with its Ice Cream Sandwich update. This might be something of a sour note, if it weren’t for the fact that the Transformer Prime is already the fastest Android tablet out there. On the AnTuTu tests, the TF300 is running around 90% of the Transformer Prime’s Ice Cream Sandwich scores. This should be more than enough for the most enthusiastic gamer, and will probably remain so for at least a year as Android games become more and more complex.
Camera The Transformer Pad TF300′s camera is the same one found on the Prime: an 8-megapixel shooter with 1080p video capability and an F/2.2 lens. There’s one important difference, beyond the cosmetically larger lens: the TF300 has no LED flash. It’s a disappointing exclusion considering that even cheap phones come with a flash these days, but perhaps ASUS wanted another differentiation between the two models.
You can see samples of the camera’s photos and videos below – quite good, especially considering that most tablets tend to skimp in the camera department. The only real difference here is the lack of flash, making nighttime and indoor shots much harder to take with consistency. Color and sharpness are great, easily as good as any of the later smartphones on our review table, with the exception of the HTC One X and HTC One S.
Battery The Transformer series has always been pretty solid when it comes to battery life, and that tradition continues here. We’ve gotten more than 7 hours of continuous operation with some 3D gaming and video streaming thrown in, so users who keep it to less intensive tasks can expect to meet or beat ASUS’ 8.5-hour battery life rating on the Transformer Pad TF300. Connect the dock (which can be charged separately or at the same time) and you’ll boost longevity all the way up to 12 hours easily. You can thank the Tegra 3′s well-documented power management for the excellent battery life.
Wrap-Up
The Transformer Pad TF300 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a WiFi tablet, and not just those who can’t afford the Transformer Prime. The combination of performance, features and price may be the best we’ve seen yet from any Android tablet. Up-to-date software and ASUS’ typically solid build quality make it a tempting device for anyone in the market.
The few sacrifices made to reach the price point – plastic construction, no LED flash and a slightly slower processor – are more than worth it in my opinion. Compare the TF300 to any other 10-inch tablet and you’d be hard-pressed to find one with as many features at this price point. And of course, there’s always the dock option to consider – you could get a 16GB TF300 and a matching keyboard dock to extend its battery and utility for just a bit more than the Transformer Prime (or iPad 3, or Galaxy Tab 10.1, etc.) alone. If you want a good tablet at a great price, this is it.                                                  Device Info
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| AT&T HTC One X pre-orders coming to Radio Shack for $149 Posted: 21 Apr 2012 05:34 PM PDT Ice Cream Sandwich is finally going to be available to AT&T customers and it is going to be packaged in a premium phone. HTC will be the host for this OS and with the HTC One X it intends to make a statement. Originally slated to be released on May 6 for $199 (with 2 year contract), it can be scooped up at Radio Shack for the amazing price of $149. This is a special pricing by Radio Shack is on pre-orders only. The price goes back up to $199 after the release.
This flagship phone for AT&T will be provided with a whole list of hardware including the 1.5Ghz Snapdragon dual-core processor. For the photo bug, there is a 8 MP camera on the back with advanced processing that allows you to take photos while the video is running. Audio is provided by Beats by Dre, in both hardware and software so when you plug in you phone to an external audio player you get the full rich sounds you would expect from a premium device such as this one. Check out our recent review of the HTC One X to find out all you get with this powerhouse. With the $149 price tag and other special offers from Radio Shack for the pre-ordered phones this could be one of the best bargains of the year. Be sure to get yours soon, you can start pre-ordering on Monday, April 22. Device Info
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[via Engadget]
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| Samsung teases Galaxy S III with Facebook photo Posted: 21 Apr 2012 03:36 PM PDT The rumor mill has been turned up a notch with Samsung Denmark releasing a Facebook photo in its gallery of what is supposed to be the new Galaxy S III. It shows a simple blue back ground with 12.05.03-20.00 in white lettering and a conspicuous imprint of a phone pressed from behind. Subtle yet tantalizing at the same time.
The impression is an obviously curved phone, much like their Galaxy Nexus. This is contrary to the leaked photos that have surfaced suggesting that the other photos were of “mules”, S III electronics in a generic case. This had long been rumored about the cases being dummy’s and this lends some credence to that. There are new theories about the lettering on the banner and what they may mean. One set is obviously the date for the launch of the phone, but the “+” at the beginning has people scrambling for answers. Possibly the 20.00 being the time in military numbers being that the US is 7 or so hours behind London where the release is planned. This would make sense because they wouldn’t want to release the phone when arguably their biggest market is asleep. We will do our best to keep you appraised of all the new rumors and news that is sure to come out about the phone in the next few weeks. So keep checking in with us for all the latest info on this development and all your other favorite Android gear. [via Facebook]
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| Posted: 21 Apr 2012 03:09 PM PDT What happens when you drop one of the hottest new phones on the market? You get what we have all experienced at some time or another, that feeling of dread that your pretty new toy has a scratch or worse, a broken screen. Face it, no matter how hard you try to baby your phone it is going to happen, so maybe this will give you some incentive to be even more cautious with your treasure.
The video shows how tough the shell of the HTC One X is as it only shows some dings and scratches after the first two drops, the scars of a real life phone. What is also shows is how you no longer have to piece your phone together after you go scrambling for the parts when it does fall. This seems to be the growing trend in phones, the one piece back with non removable batteries. Spoiler alert, the third and final test may make you think harder about getting that expensive phone case, especially if you are prone to the effects of gravity. So, watch if you dare or you happen to like seeing bad things happen to good equipment. Check out our recent review of the HTC One X and let us know if you plan on picking one up! [via htcpedia]
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| Verizon Galaxy Nexus price plummet Monday Posted: 21 Apr 2012 01:50 PM PDT Great news for all you Nexus fans looking to upgrade into one, as of April 23 you will be able to pick one of these bad boys up for $199 with either a new 2-year contract or an upgrade for 2-yrs. It would be wise to hold off for a couple more days if you were planning on dropping your money on one this weekend. It could save you $100 to do so, and who couldn’t use that kind of saving?
With this drop in price, past history would suggest that a 16g phone may also be released then or shortly after. Realistically, with no real news otherwise,this is will most likely just be a price drop for the phone. Also to take note is that the RAZR phones are going to be coming off of the MAP list the day before on April 22, a good indicator that new phones will be hitting the shelves and pockets soon. Some of the more commonly mentioned are the Droid RAZR HD (known to some as the Droid Fighter) and the Incredible 4g.We recently did a review of the Galaxy Nexus, check it out here: Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G LTE review. We examine all the features so you can decide if this powerhouse is the right phone to fix your needs. [via Droidlife]
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| T-Mobile tipped to get Galaxy Note Posted: 21 Apr 2012 01:22 PM PDT Though we can’t say for with any kind of certainty, it appears that T-Mobile may be the recipient of Samsung’s Galaxy Note. According to some transmissions and office memos from vendors, it seems likely that this will happen.
Using the nomenclature of SGH-T879 the new device has the earmarks of a T-Mobile tablet since SGH-T8x9 is usually the designation for their tablets. Of course we are only going on speculation but there is not another Samsung device that carries a screen resolution of 800×1280 and it would be unlikely that they would create a whole new unit just for T-Mobile. Another clue to the possibility of this being a Galaxy Note is the bluetooth doc that links the SGH-T879 as variant of the SGH-i717… An AT&T nomenclature for the Galaxy Note. This comment, however, has suspiciously been removed from postings. Some other clues to lead us to this conclusion about it being a Note and not a Galaxy 10.1 Tablet: The designation SGH-T879; Resolution of 800×1280 which is normally a smart phone orientation and pixel count; SGH-T879 is designated a phone by the Bluetooth SIG and Wi-Fi Alliance; The user agent string in captured post above lists like the AT&T Galaxy Note, known also as the SGH-i717. Even though these are all just speculations with a dash of hope, one thing is certain, there is a new device coming to T-Mobile. Is it going to be a replacement for the current tab by a Galaxy 10.1″, maybe. However, with the wording used by the Bluetooth Sig and the Wi-Fi alliance in calling it a phone, it lends to the very good possibility that it will in fact be the Galaxy Note and it will be for T-Mobile. We should also note, no pun intended, that Samsung made T-Mobile devices are registered with the FCC using the SGH-Txx9 titles. [via TmoNews]
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| iHome for Android not just Apple any more Posted: 21 Apr 2012 12:12 PM PDT Most of us by now have heard of the company iHome, and their broad selection of iPod based music systems. Well, having heard the call and seen the desire of the Android fans, they have responded. Releasing three models that are designed to work with most Android based phones. Giving you the same options and sound that only the Apple fanboys had access to previously.
Starting with a compact unit that includes a clock and FM radio, the IC50 has a unique feature that allows it to work with the many positions of the micro USB port on the Android phones. Their solution is to use a sliding dock that will allow you to center up the phone on the stand to provide a stable mount. This is something that they had not had to deal with previously with the Apple devices. Though it may be small, the IC50 still can crank out some good tunes with their EXB bass enhancement tuning to get the most out of its size. And with the FM radio, and alarm clock you can set it up to wake you with either your phone music, the radio or the classic beeping noise we all grew up with.
The next offering is a small wedge shape stand they call the iC3 that also provides the the sliding USB option so that you can use a wide range of phones as well as some tablets. Though lacking the radio and clock features, it is still capable of providing you the ability to charge your device and give you excellent sound quality. With their Reson8 technology incorporated into the stand, you should be able to get surprising bass from this device as well.
The last accessory they will be introducing has not made its presence yet, but should be available sometime this summer. It will be called the iC16 and is expected to provide an alarm clock and also the ability to be portable. At the same time it is going to be able to charge your phones. With the option of being portable we might expect a lighter device and styling to make it easier to carry yet still give you the functionality we expect from iHome. Hopefully with these new Android based devices coming out from a company as big as iHome, we could expect to see more and more options for the Android fans from them as well as other companies. No doubt the others will wait to see how well they sell, but if they take off, the one paving the way should also be the winner. As a side note, both of these stands were shown on the iHome web page but were taken down within hours of going up. However they are both still available from Amazon.com with the iC50 coming in at $49.99 and the iC3 for $39.99. The projected price of the soon to be available iC16 should be $59.99. [via Android Authority]
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