Normally when we talk about teardowns here on Android Community, they’re conducted by a third party organization and are meant to give us not only a better idea of the hardware inside, but also the price of all the parts included in the device. That isn’t the case with this teardown of the Xperia Tablet S, as Sony has decided to conduct the teardown itself. As a result, the company won’t be telling us the combined price of all of the components, but we still get a close look at the tablet’s innards nonetheless.
This teardown also serves as something of a comparison to Sony’s last generation tablet, the Tablet S. The Sony Xperia S – which went on sale today, keep in mind – is quite a bit more compact than its predecessor, but it still comes packing some power under the hood. We’ve got a NVIDIA Tegra 3 mobile processor/1.4 GHz quad-core processor running Ice Cream Sandwich, a TFT Color LCD display capable of 1280×800 resolution, 1 GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1-megapixel front-facing camera.
Once Sony engineer Takuya Inaba is inside – which wasn’t the easiest thing to do thanks to the removal of the adhesive tape seals – we’re greeted by the battery, which is pretty large. Despite the fact that it takes up more surface area than the battery in the Tablet S, it’s also quite a bit thinner, lending to the smaller overall size of the Xperia S. The 6000 mAh battery weighs in at 130g, providing around 23% of the total weight of the Xperia Tablet S.
The motherboard sports 4 EMI shields and comes equipped with a carbon fiber material, which dissipates heat and keeps the tablet running cool. On the motherboard itself we have the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi module, DSP, a 16GB eMMC (though you can also bump that up to 32 or 64GB), 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM, the antenna, the audio codec, and of course, the CPU. Removing the LCD screen was something of a pain, as Inaba had to get through all of the sealant that makes the tablet splash-proof, but when he finally did, we were told that the glass is “quite study” and adds a significant amount to the tablet’s weight (Sony didn’t say how much weight, though).
After tearing everything down, Inaba was tasked with putting everything back together. You can see the whole teardown and reconstruction process in the video above, and of course, you can also check out the full teardown over at the Sony Blog, which is quite interesting so long as you don’t mind a little self-promotion to go along with it. All in all, the Sony Xperia Tablet S looks to be a well-constructed machine and at $399, the price isn’t too bad either. Did any of you pick one up today?
This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about this interesting Android-powered gaming device but today we learned some important details. The WikiPad 10-inch tablet has been a mixed bag of feelings for us but the gaming tablet will finally see store shelves next month. They’ve announced pre-orders are available now and it will be shipping in October.
As I’m sure you already know if you’re interested in this device you’ll get a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 resolution IPS display Android tablet that docks into a full featuring game controller with improved speakers, controls, d-pads and more. The tablet runs an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and is quite unique looking once docked.
Today the tablet went up for pre-order from Gamestop for $499. Yes the price might be a little steep but you get that awesome game controller too. We aren’t sure what type of response the gaming community will give this, but would love to hear your thoughts on the slate.
The tablet runs an NVIDIA Tegra 3 so will obviously enjoy TegraZone THD games, they are seeking Sony Playstation certification, and Gamestop will apparently be negotiating deals with game developers to get even more certified games for the tablet. GameStop's Joe Gorman envisions the Wikipad as a device capable of bridging the gap between traditional tablets game consoles allowing the user to "not only work hard, but play hard."
Sony‘s newest tablet to grace the Android marketplace is the Xperia Tablet S. It was announced just a week ago in Berlin, Germany, during IFA 2012 and went up for sale immediately in the UK. Today however the new and improved tablet can finally be purchased for those in the US who’d like to enjoy that Xperia goodness.
Yup, the tablet went up for pre-order back when they made their formal announcement on August 29th but today you can buy it right from Sony themselves along with tons of different accessories and stands. That neat keyboard cover from the IFA announcement will run you $99 but it sure looks neat.
Starting at just $399 the Sony Xperia Tablet S will get you Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. It might not be the cheapest tablet around but you get all of Sony’s Playstation certified games, Music Unlimited, Movies Unlimited and more from Sony’s collection.
Oh and in case you didn’t know this tablet can be used as a universal remote for all those Sony Bravia TV owners. This magazine-like design has been improved over the original Tablet S and features a lightweight aluminum design instead of cheap plastic, and hopefully Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is in its near future. Head to Sony.com and get started today.
LG is at it again today by teasing everyone about their upcoming quad-core smartphone called the Optimus G. This time around they are calling it “The Newest Premium Quad-Core Smartphone.” And have released a quick teaser video over on YouTube to get everyone excited about a smartphone without limits.
This new smartphone has been teased once before, then leaked, then officially announced by LG and Qualcomm themselves so it’s safe to say they are plenty excited about it. The clip is rather short and doesn’t really give us anything new or show the device (other than a glance at the front) but it does make a big point on the quad-core processor. Enough talk, enjoy the video below.
Again for those that aren’t too sure, this phone should be a beast. LG’s mentioned it as rocking their brand new TrueHD IPS panel that is 4.7-inches in size, rocks Qualcomm’s brand new S4 Pro quad-core processor, has 2GB of RAM, 13 megapixel camera, and will have 4G LTE in select markets.
LG and Qualcomm have confirmed the impressive new smartphone will be arriving as soon as mid September, so we can expect to be learning all the official details extremely soon. Then Qualcomm also stated it would arrive in the US around October. We’ll probably see it first stateside as the LG Eclipse 4G LTE on AT&T, but we have a feeling they’ll try and push this to multiple carriers Galaxy S III style. Stay tuned as I’m sure LG will drop all the details soon enough.
An awesome new game has just cruised into the Google Play Store and NVIDIA TegraZone and it’s called Beach Buggy Blitz from Vector Unit. If that sounds familiar it’s because they brought us two addicting racing games in Riptide GP and Shine Runner. Yesterday this awesome game was released and to help celebrate we are doing another one of our awesome Tegra tablet giveaways thanks to NVIDIA and Vector Unit. Read on below for your chance at a Nexus 7 tablet or the ASUS Transformer Prime and keyboard dock.
Just like a few other awesome games as of late this awesomely addicting game with fun levels and lifelike graphics is an exclusive to the NVIDIA Tegra 3 set of devices. Using the power of the Tegra 3 the graphics come to life, water ripples across your screen and the entire environment is destructible and amazing. The game is essentially something like Mario Kart for mobile only the graphics are better, the music is fun and upbeat, and you can play for hours on the couch. The developers from Vector Unit describe this awesome game as this:
Drive your hot-rod beach buggy as far as you can into the uncharted depths of a mysterious tropical island. Swerve and smash through a gorgeously detailed and completely destructible world packed with Tiki statues, grass shacks, giant crabs and lava monsters. Explore sun-swept beaches, secret cave shortcuts, fog-shrouded swamps and temples, and erupting volcanoes in an action-packed quest of discovery and mayhem!”
Sounds pretty fun right? Before we get started on the Giveaway details you’ll want to take a peek at our hands-on video with Beach Buggy Blitz below.
The game is available right this minute over at the Google Play Store, and the NVIDIA TegraZone as usual. If you are interested you’ll want to run down and give it a try today. Then for those that don’t have a Tegra 3 device to enjoy this awesome new NVIDIA exclusive we’ll be giving away three brand new tablets.
Yup, you have a chance at one of 3 tablets this week. We will be offering up two Google Nexus 7 16GB tablets, as well as one ASUS Transformer Prime and keyboard dock combo to give to a few lucky readers. If you’ve been eying an Android tablet you can’t go wrong with a Tegra 3 powered one so take a chance and enjoy the giveaway by following the details below.
Rules: It’s quite simple – all you’ve got to do is show your NVIDIA love:
2. Comment on your favorite NVIDIA Tegra 2 or Tegra 3 device on the market, your favorite TegraZone game, or a game you’d love to see come to Android. These can be games and devices that are out now or will be out soon – and you can find a vast collection of both [here in our Tegra hub] and be sure to say WHY you love or want it!
3. Sit back and cross your fingers!
This giveaway starts on Friday, September 7th, 2012 and runs until Friday, Sept. 14th at midnight. We’ll pick a collection of our favorite entries and from that set we’ll choose three winners at random – we’ll announce the winners on Monday, September 17th in the forums and right here in this original giveaway post!
Competition is open to residents of the US only, over the age of 18. One entry per person. Family members of NVIDIA, ASUS, Google, Vector Unit, and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified Android Community forum post; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized.
The winners will be contacted by an Android Community/SlashGear staff member IN THE FORUMS upon being selected and will be expected to respond to that staff member; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected.
Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners agree that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to Android Community, SlashGear, NVIDIA, and Vector Unit.
Prizes consist of two 16GB Google Nexus 7 tablets, and a Transformer TF201 Prime tablet and keyboard and that’s it! There are no other alternative for prize winners unless this prizes become unavailable, in which case Android Community reserves the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value. Giveaway provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizes provided by NVIDIA and Vector Unit. Any questions regarding this giveaway should be directed to giveaway [AT] slashgear.com.
Yesterday Amazon announced their new Kindle Fire HD tablets, and while the 8.9-inch model might have stolen the show it’s their smaller 7-inch model that could be the big hit. Amazon’s new 7-inch Kindle Fire HD packs a pretty impressive spec sheet and a great price to match it. But is that enough for it to rival the Nexus 7?
The Kindle Fire HD received a pretty massive overhaul compared to last years model, but it still didn’t quite hit some of those top end specs we’ve been seeing of late. We’re not going to compare every last detail here and tell you what to buy — especially since we’ve only managed a few minutes with the newcomer. Instead here’s some details about the differences, as well as a few fun pictures. For a full breakdown head to our own device comparison tool by clicking here.
Google Nexus 7: -Android 4.1 Jelly Bean -7-inch 1280 x 800 IPS Display -Quad-core 1.3 GHz Tegra 3 -8GB storage (no SD slot) -7.8 x 4.7 x 0.4 and 12 oz.
Kindle Fire HD: -Android 4.0 ICS (skinned) -7-inch 1280 x 800 IPS Display -Dual-core 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4470 -16GB storage (no SD slot) -7.6 x 5.4 x 0.4 and 13.9 oz.
Now a few things out of the gate you’ll notice the Kindle Fire HD only rocking a dual-core while the popular Nexus 7 has a quad-core. Amazon mentioned the Texas Instruments 4470 was actually “faster” than the Tegra 3 — although we doubt that. They also mentioned floating operations per second was better which helps with overall user interface performance. Then you’ll also notice the Kindle Fire is a bit larger, has massive bezels, and weights a decent amount more too.
On the flip side the Kindle Fire HD is the first tablet to offer dual-band MIMO WiFi support that should seriously improve overall WiFi signal, speed, and performance so that is a big difference. It also has stereo surround with Dolby Digital Plus and HDMI-Out while the Nexus 7 has mono sound and no HDMI. Then for another win in Google’s corner you have well over 650,000 apps in the Google Play Store vs about 55,000 from Amazon. The Nexus 7 also has NFC for Google Wallet and other sharing features as well as GPS, while the Fire HD has neither.
In terms of hardware they both actually feel quite excellent. Amazon really stepped up and refined their build quality over the original Fire, but I can’t help but think it reminds me of the DROID XYBOARD tablets from Motorola for some reason. Both screens were pretty equal in terms of overall quality but I just might have to give a win to Amazon with this one. Their single layer touch sensor should help improve performance while reducing glare and keeping colors more accurate — which seems like a fair statement given our quick time with it.
Obviously the big thing here comes down to ecosystem and the software. Being a diehard Android fan I’ve already made up my mind that I’d rather have the Nexus 7 simple for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (or just stock vanilla Android in general.) Amazon’s heavily customized skin basically sets the blazes on Ice Cream Sandwich and makes it completely unrecognizable. Obviously Amazon has made the entire experience customized around their own ecosystem of options, apps, and content — and Google’s done the same with their Nexus 7.
In general can the Kindle Fire HD “dethrone” the Nexus 7 from being one of the best tablets around? That question is ultimately up to you. I think there’s room for both and neither will out-due the other. Amazon has a huge reach with their online store that can really help keep it in the eye of the public, but then so does Google when they put the Nexus 7 on their homepage.
Until we get the Kindle Fire HD in to review ourselves we’ll reserve a true comparison and comment for later. For now enjoy a few additional images below, plenty of content regarding both devices, as well as our full device spec sheets at the end.
Bing will be the default search engine on the Kindle Fire HD ... By Macky Evangelista With Amazon unveiling their new Kindle Fire lineup at such low prices given the specs of the tablets, it looks like they have been finding numerous ways to make back some of the money they're going to lose upon each Kindle Fire they're ... Android News, Rumours, and Updates
Android Community Beach Buggy Blitz Tablet Giveaway | Android... By Cory Gunther An awesome new game has just cruised into the Google Play Store and NVIDIA TegraZone and it's called Beach Buggy Blitz from Vector Unit. If that sounds familiar. Android Community
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Still waiting for some news on when Samsung will bring Galaxy Note 10.1 and its S Pen to Canada? Information about launch is still as scarce as when the tablet was officially unveiled a month ago, as the company is still mum on when Canadian folks can start unleash their creative side. The good news is it looks like you'll be able to pre-order the S Pen-equipped tablet soon from one retailer in the country.
Future Shop has listed the Galaxy Note 10.1 on its latest newsletter. To be more precise, it's the 32GB WiFi model of the Note 10.1 that it apparently will start selling for $499.99. We're not sure how accurate the listing is because the same version is going for $550 in America (as of today, CAD 500 is about US$510).
Unfortunately, that's as detailed of information as the newsletter gets. There's no mentioning of expected shipment date nor is there any information about the other models, particularly if you're eyeing on the 4G LTE version. As shared by Mobile Syrup, a link to the preorder page is available, but it hasn't gone live yet.
Samsung better get a move on if it doesn't want to disappoint customers who are ready to embrace the Note 10.1. Are you one of them?
Barely a day after Sony started shipping its latest Xperia Tablet S in the UK, we now have word that Sony is now shipping its tablets in the U.S. We have three models on sale Stateside, and these are on stock both at the Sony Store and Newegg.
Here are the SKUs, storage capacities and prices:
SGPT121US – 16GB / $399.99
SGPT122US – 32GB / $499.99
SGPT123US – 64GB / $599.99
Just a short recap of what you’ll get for your 400 bucks: the Sony Xperia Tablet S is the same magazine-style design built from aluminum that makes the Tablet S unique. In terms of specs, you’ll get a Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 9.4-inch IPS touch screen panel at 1280×800 pixel resolution, a 6000 mAH battery and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box.
Intrigued? You can satisfy your curiosity better with these six demonstration videos of the Xperia Tablet S’ capabilities. You can also check out the feature video that Newegg has presented, which includes accessories, and what Xperia Blog says is an interesting host.
It might be an interesting afterthought that Sony is referring to its tablet as the “Xperia Tablet,” ommitting the “S” in most of its U.S. website. Perhaps Sony wants to simplify its branding, given that this is their only current-generation tablet, and due the potential confusion with the Xperia S smartphone.
Oh, appy day! August has come and gone, and we’re now in the -ber months. What better way to welcome the first of the -ber months (i.e., September) than to check out what’s new and what’s fresh in the world of Android apps this week.
In this September 7 issue of our weekly roundup of the best new and fresh Android apps, we take a look at an app that
persistently reminds you of whatever it is that you want to be persistently reminded of;
helps sports coaches keep an eye on their athletes’ field performance and body mechanics;
hides music, video, photos, call logs, messages, and contacts from intruders;
frames your photos and produces a unique work of art;
helps you do 300 reps of workout routines so you can carve your body to perfection;
brings together Facebook and Twitter into one app for managing your social network posts, feeds, and more;
tracks your baby’s milestones and growth;
takes oral dictation of items that you want to be written down on a list;
lets you take note of everything, the paperless way;
automatically (de)activates sound and network profiles according to the time you specify;
sates your craving for Power Ranger videos and clips;
displays a neon alarm clock on your phone, plus a shake-to-use flashlight feature;
enriches your vocabulary with words that you probably have not heard of before;
acts as the audio/sound equivalent of emoticons; and
aids you in beginning and succeeding with yoga.
Go ahead and take your pick from our list of the best new and fresh Android apps this week. At the end of this list, take part in our poll and let the devs know that you like their new apps.
We live in a busy and hectic environment. We have things to do here and things to do there. Sometimes, we even tend to forget to do the things that need to be done. That is why there are a variety of apps that remind you and help keep things organized. The Lock Screen Reminder app also has the same the same purpose and helps you remember things.
Contrary to what the app’s name misleadingly says, this app does not put a reminder on your lockscreen. Instead, this app lets you add a simple note and attaches it to the background of your homescreen so that every time you unlock your phone, your note will be sitting on your homescreen wallpaper. You can add any note, just make them short enough to fit.
The app only allows you to add a short note. You can actually add a long note, but doing so will make the text smaller. I also did not find a button to disable the app. Once you launch it, you cannot remove the note on the background unless you uninstall the app. (Being able to remove it somewhat defeats the purpose of a having persistent reminders, right?)
Lock Screen Reminder can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
Being a coach involves hard work. You need to train your players, monitor their progress, and keep a keen eye on them. If you’re a coach, you can borrow the keen eyes of the Coach’s Eye app and keep detailed records of your players’ performance.
Practicing and maintaining proper body posture while playing is one of the keys to winning a game. Teaching and demonstrating proper body mechanics sound easy, but can be hard to follow during an actual performance. That is where the Coach’s Eye app comes into action. With this app, you can analyze your players and check whether they are doing the right thing during a game.
All you need to do is to take a video of your players. The app will allow you to view and carefully analyze the video of your athletes. You can play the video in slow motion and detect flaws in the athletes’ body mechanics. The app also allows you to draw figures and lines to emphasize right body posture. After you have made your analysis, you can share it to your players via the app.
To have the keen eyes of the Coach’s Eye app, you will need to give up a few dollars. Small price to pay for great performance on the field, if you ask me.
One of the perks of having a smartphone is that you can carry any file right in your pocket. You can save your important files for work, your personal videos or pictures, and even your personal contacts right on your Android phone. The disadvantage is that these files are at risk of being accessed by intruders or your friends who may accidentally open the gallery or your contacts. But, by using the Smart Guard Plus app, you can safely hide your audio, contacts, video, images, call logs, and messages from prying eyes.
Before you can use the app, you will need to create a unique password. You will use your password to open and access the app. Once you are logged in, you can now explore your files and safely hide it in the app. The app is like a safety vault for your personal files on your Android device. All you need to do is select the file and the app will safely store it within its vault.
While testing the app, though, I experienced several app crashes and force close errors, but the app was able to succeed in playing hide and seek with my contacts, images, messages, and call logs. I tried using the app to hide one of my contacts, and voila! When I checked my phone’s default contact list, the contact was out of sight. The same went for my images, messages, and even my call logs. All the hidden files are accessible within Smart Guard Plus’ vault.
Smart Guard Plus, which is ad-supported, can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
Do you want to create unique and wonderful pictures but don’t have the skill of using a photo editor? Worry no more — Photomica is here to help solve your photo creation problems. With this app, you can take pictures and instantly put them inside frames. You can place your picture on a big billboard, place it as graffiti on a wall, make a portrait of yourself, and many more.
All you have to do is launch the app, choose a frame, attach a picture, and you have yourself a unique piece of art. There a tons of frames to choose from. You can create your own advertising board, place your picture within another picture, and even put your picture beside gorgeous models. You can also take a picture by using the camera or choosing one from your gallery. The app also allows you to crop and rotate a picture to make sure it fits in your chosen frame. Once you have created your masterpiece, you can save it or share it through email or MMS.
I noticed some lag (on my Galaxy S3 at that!) while using the app, especially when it is loading the frames. Nevertheless, the app worked pretty well when I edited my photos.
The ad-supported Photomica app can be downloaded free from the Google Play Store.
Getting into shape is hard work. It only takes a few seconds to eat food, but it takes much longer to lose extra fat. But, until scientists discover food that doesn’t make us fat, we’d still need to keep our body healthy by manually doing crunches and curls. Most men dream of bodies that they can strut around with in order to make the girls and other men go crazy. So, what are you waiting for, quit sitting around and use the 300 Workouts app.
The 300 Workouts app will help you attain the body that you truly deserve. As its name suggest, the app will recommend workout sets with a total of 300 repetitions. The app shows steps and images to guide you in performing an exercise. I personally find the images a good motivator for attaining a well-carved body. The app includes a workout set for beginners to help newbies get started with their fitness program.
300 Workouts can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Although ads don’t appear on the app’s interface itself — and I actually somewhat like that they don’t — the app will pushes ads to your notification menu, which can be an issue for some users. If you don’t mind ads on your notification menu, then this app is worth a try.
Okay, it's not a documentary, it's a mockumentary that was posted on YouTube in two parts. But since it's almost the weekend, we may as well check out the hilarious videos, entitled simply "Shit Apple Fanatics Say, Part 1," posted a few days ago and – wait for it – “Shit Apple Fanatics Say, Part 2,” released earlier today.
Now, Android fans, while you get to laugh on Apple's expense, you're not completely off the hook, because, let's face it, a "Shit Android Fanatics Say" clip, or something similar, must be just around the corner.
In fact, can you already think of some sort of argument you'd use as an "Apple Fanatic?" If you do, let us know in the comments section below!
The world has been waiting for the next Kindle Fire ever since the original was released, because let's face it – the specs of the original model could have used some improvement. Whatever shortcomings the Kindle Fire had, it didn't stop Amazon from ruling the (Android) tablet universe for a good while, as it became one of the must-have items of the last holiday season. Demand has considerably cooled off now, but then the same can be said about other aging tablets.
Here we are back with Amazon announcing several new tablets, as it did a year ago with the original Fire. Brimming with more confidence, Jeff Bezos and Co. not only unveiled a refreshed version of the Kindle Fire, but also a plethora of new models with HD display and LTE radio. Given the popularity of the budget variety the first time around, it's hard not to predict great responses from consumers for the new Kindle Fire and its $159 price tag, which brings us to its closest and fiercest competitor: the Google Nexus 7.
For a sub-$200 tablet, never has there been a more worthy rival to the Kindle Fire than the Nexus 7. It simply has all the makings of a best-seller, thanks to the combination of its $199 price point, above-average specs, and Google's full backing.
Is the 2012 7-inch Kindle Fire here to spoil Google's Nexus 7 party? Let's find out in our edition of the new Kindle Fire vs Google Nexus 7 comparison.
Design
When Amazon set out to create its first budget Android tablet, it has probably put too much emphasis on the budget part, because that's what the Kindle Fire felt on the hand – a budget offering with an OK built quality. That’s not to say that the design looks bad, because it's not, but the new Kindle Fire apparently doesn't offer any design improvement over the predecessor.
The Nexus 7 was also built with similar criteria in mind, but Google and Asus did a better job than Amazon, as the Jelly Bean tablet has a more refined look and just feels more comfortable due to the use of a better rubberized back. Wondering which device is bigger when it comes to size but also weight? Here are the official measurements:
New Kindle Fire: 190 x 120 x 11.4mm – 400 grams
Nexus 7: 198.5 x 120 x 10.55mm – 340 grams
While the Nexus 7 is slightly taller than the new Kindle Fire, the quad-core tablet is both thinner and lighter.
Winner: Nexus 7. On paper, 60 grams may not seem like a lot, but your hands will thank you later.
Hardware
Unlike the design part on the revamped Kindle Fire that has been left virtually untouched, Amazon has improved some aspects of the tablet's hardware. You'll still find the same dual-core 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor inside, though it now runs 40% faster, according to Amazon. The new version also comes with more RAM (1GB) and a battery life that should offer 8.5 hours of continuous usage.
Aside from the above, we're still looking at the same ol' Fire and its limitations: no GPS, no Bluetooth, and no camera (both rear and front).
The Nexus 7, on the other hand, pounces on the Kindle Fire's door with its quad-core 1.3GHz Tegra 3 processor, 1GB RAM, Bluetooth, GPS, and 1.2MP front-facing camera. The two tablets share some similarity in that they both have 8GB internal storage (for this price) and no expansion slot.
Sure it's nice to have a front camera for video chat purposes, but that's not ultimately how the round is decided. The new Kindle Fire still retains its year-old 1,024 x 600 display resolution, while the Nexus 7 is ready to bring pleasure to your eyes with its HD display (1,280 x 800 resolution) and a much better pixel density (169 ppi vs 216 ppi, respectively).
Winner: Nexus 7. For something that is meant to be a consumption device, having a higher screen resolution is a must. It also helps that the Nexus 7 comes with more bells and whistles.
Software and Ecosystem
Oh boy, this is where things get rather tricky. Out of the box, Amazon offers a very simple take of the Android experience. The interface on the Kindle Fire is basically a catalogue for everything you've purchased from Amazon.
Since the OS used on the Kindle Fire is a forked one, consumers will not find the usual Google core apps inside (no Gmail app, Google Maps, etc), and they can't even access the Google Play Store. What they'll get instead is a whole new ecosystem that Amazon has created, albeit with a hint of Android flavor.
The New Kindle Fire
Long time Amazon customers will no doubt find themselves in a safe and familiar territory with the Kindle Fire, where things are even better for Prime members – as they get unlimited access to Amazon's trove of TV episodes and box office movies. But as far as getting apps and content from other sources, you can fuhgeddaboudit.
While Google seems to be playing catch up to Amazon – though it continually adds more multimedia content (movies, songs, books, magazines, etc) on Google Play – Nexus 7 owners have a wider range of options and aren't limited only to one place to shop and spend. They can even dip their toes inside Amazon's pool.
Then there's the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean factor, the latest Android OS that runs on the Nexus 7, oh those sweet jelly beans. It's possibly the first critically acclaimed iteration of Google's mobile operating system that is deemed fast and user-friendly enough to lure mainstream customers.
Winner: Nexus 7. Can easily hop on to other ecosystem. Jelly Bean.
Overall
Let's get one thing out of the way. Yes, the new Kindle Fire is cheaper than the Nexus 7, but we have to say that it’s really worth it to pay the extra $40 needed to get the Nexus 7 and thus obtain the admission ticket to Google's playground, not to mention all the extra hardware perks that you'll get.
The way we see it, and judging from the warm reception that the tablet has received worldwide, Google has a winner in the Nexus 7. It's no different when it's pitted against the new Kindle Fire, as the Nexus 7 is no match for it and is simply a better deal all around.
What say you, dear reader? Will you find it hard to resist the improvement offered by the 2012 Kindle Fire and the slashed price? Or will you spend a bit more for Google’s tablet champ the Nexus 7?
You may have not heard much about Oppo, and that’s because it’s a Chinese company, but it has already released some very interesting smartphones, like the Oppo Finder, which is currently the thinnest smartphone on the market, measuring only 6.65 mm in thickness, and the Oppo Find5 X990, called the thinnest quad core smartphone.
Oppo Find 5
But soon it’s about to have an even more interesting device on the market – the Oppo Find 5, which will be a 5-inch phone with a 1080p screen and 441 PPI. This may very well be the first phone to ship with this resolution, and the first phone with such a crazy high pixel density.
As you can see below, the closer you get to 500-600 PPI, the closer you get to achieving paper-like LCD’s. The ideal pixel density may be 1200 PPI for really crisp photographic papers, but I figure we have at least a decade until we’ll have screens or processors that can handle that (there’s always e-ink until then).
The Oppo Find 5 one will certainly be one of the devices pushing us towards that future, with its 441 PPI screen. It has more than a great screen though. It also has a quad core S4 Pro processor, which sounds like a perfect match for a resolution this high, and it will arrive with Jelly Bean on board.
Apparently the beleaguered Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer, HTC, is planning to focus more on Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 platform. The one-time Android hero has been suffering of late. HTC was releasing the best Android smartphones on the market for a while, but Samsung has long since overtaken them with a series of heavily marketed, high-end Android phones. Deviations from HTC's premium, high quality strategy were disastrous and marketing efforts have flopped. Even flagship devices like the HTC One X have failed to hit expected sales figures despite being comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S3 (see our HTC One X vs Samsung Galaxy S3 comparison).
Now, according to a Reutersreport, HTC is pinning its hopes on a successful line of Windows Phone 8 smartphones. Jason Mackenzie, HTC’s president of sales and marketing, said:
“I feel very strongly we’ve got very concrete carrier support in every region around the world including the United States and I’m not talking about just one carrier. Our plan is to go big on Windows 8.”
You may be thinking that Samsung has already gotten the drop on HTC with WP8 as well, with the surprise announcement of the ATIV S last week. McKenzie sees it differently, suggesting that other manufacturers are not typically giving their best devices to the Windows Phone platform. Samsung certainly seem to save the cream of the crop for Android, so HTC senses a chance to make a flagship device for the new version of Microsoft's mobile platform.
His statement about carriers seems to be a dig at Nokia, as the company failed to name any carrier partners when it unveiled the new Lumia 920 and the Lumia 820 in New York this week.
Sales of HTC devices continue to drop while Samsung just announced its flagship Galaxy S3 surpassed the 20 million sales mark in 100 days. HTC needs to get more out of its marketing efforts and there are plans to make better use of social media and online advertising. The company needs a clever approach because it cannot go toe-to-toe with Samsung and Apple on marketing spend.
Don't panic if you're an Android and HTC fan, McKenzie did also say, despite a new focus on WP8 “That wouldn’t mean we’d want to dial back on Android” it is more about achieving a better balance and not being reliant on Android.
The ads – Amazon's Special Offers – will appear on the lock screen, and users won't be able to pay Amazon the extra buck to remove them. And while the ads aren't exactly intrusive, and users would not mind seeing some special offers – especially the ones they'd like to take advantage of – the fact still remains that not everybody likes to be bombarded with ads.
This aren’t the first Amazon-made devices to get the Special Offers treatment. Amazon has offered its customers a variety of Kindle devices that came with Special Offers on top. The devices were cheaper than the ad-free versions, and users had the option to get rid off them as long as they were willing to pay the full price for the device.
Today we learn that Amazon will offer Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD buyers a way to opt out of these Special Offers, and that doesn't mean they'll have to pay more cash to do it – or at least such a thing is not clear yet.
Here's what Amazon customer support replied to an Engadget reader concerned about the presence of the ads:
“Special Offers appear directly on your Kindle Fire. Offers appear on your lock screen, and you can also view offers from the Home screen by tapping Offers. By delivering these offers to your Kindle Fire, Amazon is able to sell it for a lower price.
“I understand that you would like to opt out of the special offer and willing to pay extra for opting out special offer. Options for unsubscribing special offer will be announced soon.
“To ensure the utmost attention, I’ve also passed your message on to the appropriate people in our company. We value customer feedback such as yours as it helps us continue to improve the service and selection we provide.”
We're definitely interested to hear how buyers will be able to escape those ads, especially if it doesn't mean paying extra for their chosen device. After all, Amazon explained that its ads-on-tablets policy enables it to sell the new Kindle Fires for a lower price point, so the company will look for some way to make up for the revenue loss generated by a customer's decision to opt out from the Special Offer ads.
In the aftermath of Apple’s big patent win against Samsung, industry observers have wondered whether it would affect the iPhone maker’s relationship with the South Korean company in terms of its supply contracts for components. In fact, our own Mike Andrici posited that Apple and Samsung are not about to divorce anytime soon, due to the mutually beneficial nature of the two companies’ supplier-client relationship.
But recent rumors indicate that Apple may already be starting to look elsewhere. A source “with direct knowledge of the matter” cited by Reuters and the Korea Economic Daily says that Apple is cutting back its orders of memory chips from Samsung as it diversifies its supply sources.
According to the report, Apple has dropped Samsung from its list of suppliers for the upcoming iPhone (to be announced this September 12), but instead listed Toshiba, Elpida Memory and SK Hynix for its DRAM and NAND memory chip requirements.
The source, however, denied that the move is directly a result of Apple’s legal battles with Samsung. In fact, Apple had already been expanding its supply sources, particularly after component difficulties resulted in shortages after the new iPad launched.
Samsung has declined to comment and Apple had been unavailable as of Press time, says Reuters.
Is Apple’s supply relationship with Samsung starting to sour due to the two firms’ patent disputes? Or is this just a strategic business decision made by Apple in order to hedge its portfolio of suppliers and protect its interests?
The Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update is getting closer, that's certain. Samsung has already confirmed the phone will be soon updated to Android 4.1.1 during its Unpacked event in Berlin, Germany last week, although it did fail to reveal rollout dates.
Now we're going to tell you that more North American Galaxy S3 owners can install a pre-release Android 4.1.1 build for their handsets, as long as they don't mind running an unofficial ROM – not that we'd ever encourage anyone to pursue such procedures.
A Canadian Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean build has been leaked, version I747MVLALI2c, which means Rogers, Telus and Bell subscribers that have purchased Samsung's flagship device can perform the unofficial upgrade – technically the leaked ROM is meant to run on the Bell's Galaxy S3 version, but MobileSyrup reports it's compatible with Rogers and Telus too:
At this point in order to install the leak you need to be running Bell's version of the LH1 firmware and install this 308MB OTA update from the official recovery, or through Kies. Custom ROMs are being developed as we speak and will likely be available in the next 12-24hrs for all variants of the i747M.
Let's hear it from Canadians then, are you going to upgrade to Jelly Bean these days?
