DROID RAZR M Review SlashGear Beyond the basics, on the other hand, these two devices will not be compared unless Verizon workers are asked which device has Android and is basically the same size as the iPhone. More than likely you won't find a lot of people entering the store with ... See all stories on this topic »
Preschool apps to help build routines USA TODAY From Heppi, best for ages 3-5, $1.99 for iPad, $.99 for iPhone and iPod Touch (called "Bo's Bedtime"), $.99 for Android. Rating: 4 stars (out of 4). By helping a baby giraffe, known as Bo, get ready for bed, kids start to see that there are certain ... See all stories on this topic »
Android's 2012 Tastes Like Gingerbread Hot Hardware It's one of the biggest advantages of going Apple, while the opposite can sometimes be said about Android. Would you believe that despite having been released last October, Ice Cream Sandwich still isn't the dominant Android version? It gets even worse. See all stories on this topic »
Mobile Bingo Launched for Android Online Casino Reports Now, a newly minted mobile bingo product - the creation of gaming software giant Playtech - has come on the market for Android devices. The product gives Android users access to the same high-quality Playtech bingo games which players on the web enjoy. See all stories on this topic »
Samsung says Android's multi-touch isn't as good as iOS', Apple ... By Edgar Cervantes Just when you think these patent lawsuits are starting to calm down, more drama comes around. Samsung and Apple are now going at it in the Netherlands, disputing over "touch event model" multi-touch software – it basically stops users from ... Android Phone Fans
Should Barnes & Noble leave Android to make a Windows 8 Nook ... By Edgar Cervantes Rumors of a new tablet from Barnes & Noble are starting to circle the internet, with an announcement said to come by late September. This is no surprise, as we are getting close to a year since the NOOK Tablet's release. Speculations seem to ... Android Phone Fans
New Kindle Fires can be ad-free for a one-time $15 fee | Android... By Jerry Hildenbrand If you were worried about having non-removable ads on your new Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD, there's nothing to fear. They can be removed if you pay Amazon a $15 fee. Android Central - Android Forums,...
Tip: Use quotes ("like this") around a set of words in your query to match them exactly. Learn more.
Folks, we usually get teardown features from the likes of IHS iSuppli and iFixIt, and are primarily meant to confirm the components and even the prices of devices. In time for the UK and U.S. releases of the Sony Xperia Tablet S, we get a product teardown of the ICS tablet. But what’s interesting is that Sony itself did the teardown of its own tablet computer for fans and analysts alike.
Sony’s Tablet S teardown showcases the device’s components, ports and peripherals, which include (from outside in) the multi-port connector and LCD ribbons, memory, battery, motherboard, communications radios, camera and screen. Sony’s engineer, Takuya Inaba, also compared the new Xperia Tablet S with the older-generation, which reveals the upgraded hardware specs and a few changes in construction and design.
A few notable observations:
Plastic panels are held together with adhesive and hooks, and require some delicate handling
Battery is Sony-made and is considerably larger than the first-generation Tablet S. It is made to be thin, though.
The LCD takes considerable time to detach due to the splash-proof nature of the screen
The Tablet S’ construction is made with a magnesium frame for lightness and rigidity
Of course, being an in-house teardown, Sony did not share prices of components, which are usually used by iSuppli and iFixIt to estimate how much a device actually costs to build. Here’s a rundown of the specs:
NVIDIA(R) Tegra(R) 3 mobile processor/1.4 GHz quad-core processor: Maximum 1.4 GHz (1 core operation), Maximum 1.3 GHz (MultiCore operation)
Android™ 4.0
1280 x 800 pixels, TFT Color LCD
1 GB RAM
16/32/64 GB internal storage and expandable up to 32 GB via SD card (sold separately)
8 MP rear camera and 1 MP front camera
Another interesting part of the teardown is how the Sony engineer was able to re-assemble the Xperia Tablet S. Check out the video below.
If you happened to catch our attempted LIVE show last night, you’re aware that we had all sorts of technical difficulties. Our Hangout On Air on Google+ was lagged. We were getting disconnected, some people even thought all of our fan girls were using up all of our bandwidth. After a few failed attempts we decided to reschedule the show, a day later.
Fast forward to today, we went live, without issue. This week we focused on Motorola and Amazon’s recent announcements. Motorola announced the Droid RAZR HD, Droid RAZR MAXX HD, and the Droid RAZR M. The latest round of RAZR’s are pretty amazing, if we do happen to say so ourselves. Motorola is also giving you a $100 credit to buy a new phone if your 2011 Motorola phone won’t be getting Jelly Bean. Besides phones, this week we also saw Amazon drop 3 new Kindle Fire tablets onto the world. We saw an upgrade to the original Kindle Fire, a new Kindle Fire HD 7 inch, a new Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch and even one with LTE.
Sprint decided to finally update their Nexus devices. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G have begun receiving Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1 and a few other devices finally got their Android 4.0 ICS updates. uTorrent arrived on Android and last but not least HTC plans to sue Apple with their LTE patents.
The Give Away
We're giving away a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (International) here in the near future. If you're interested and want another chance to win, during the show we give away a super secret entry code. Once you get the code, just head on over to the contest page and enter your code into the Rafflecopter.
We earlier learned that a few major companies are trying to reduce their dependence on Google for content and services. For example, Apple is ditching YouTube on iOS 6 and is also moving away from using Google Maps. Amazon is itself going for Nokia Maps instead of Google Maps in its new Kindle line. But in an even more drastic move, Amazon actually integrates Bing search instead of Google in the Kindle Fire HD.
Eliane Fiolet of Ubergizmo was able to get a hands-on experience with a Kindle Fire HD, and were quite surprised to find that the tablet’s Silk mobile browser had Bing as the default search engine.
“Bing comes as the default for Silk, Amazon says, but users will have the option of switching to Google or Yahoo if they wish,” writes Eric Abent at Slashgear. Eric speculates that Microsoft may have sponsored Bing’s prominent placement in Amazon’s Silk browser, although the company would not comment on the matter.
But given that Microsoft is having a hard time getting users to switch from Google to Bing on the desktop, this could be one of their ways of aggressively pushing their homegrown search engine to reach more users. Some commentators, however, say that Amazon is doing this on their own accord, given that Google may already be challenging Amazon’s dominance in e-commerce, with its own sale of ebooks, music and the like.
The question now is this. Will more smartphone and tablet manufacturers follow suit?
While we don’t usually feature non-Android related announcements here on Android Authority, we do have space for relevant industry news. And the next-generation iPhone launch is surely a significant event for many reasons. Apple has a media event on September 12, and rumors have it that this will include the sixth-generation iPhone (the “iPhone 5″), an upgrade to the iPod line, and possibly an iPad Mini.
What’s interesting to note is that the international launch and release dates may also coincide with the U.S. launch of the new iPhone. While historically, developing nations in the Asia Pacific and Europe get product shipments two to three months after their launch, some carriers are already hinting that they may already have the new iPhone coming.
According to our sources in the Philippines, local carrier Globe Telecom has been sending SMS messages to this effect:
The latest phone is almost here! Be sure to get it only from Globe, the leader in Postpaid. Interested to get updates? Text iP5<space>Email Address and send to 2910 for FREE.
We can take it to mean that “iP5″ means the iPhone 5, which is what the sixth-generation iPhone is rumored to be branded.
Moreover, Globe has an ongoing Weekend Sale, offering significant discounts for the iPhone 3GS (8GB), iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Could Globe be finishing off its inventory of current iPhones to give way to the new one? If I were a hardcore iPhone fan, I’d be waiting for the release of the new model. But perhaps first-time smartphone buyers or long-time Globe postpaid subscribers who are still on feature-phones might find the weekend sale interesting.
But wait. Other analysts speculate that Apple may be facing supply constraints, which could lead to a delay in releasing the new-generation iPhone, even in its primary markets. Knowing Apple, however, it is able to exert strong pressure on suppliers and component manufacturers, such that it could usually command its own price, leading to a hefty markup on each iDevice sold.
Any readers particularly interested in the iPhone launch out there? I know most of our audience consists of Android fans, but we can’t deny that a new launch by Apple is a major industry event. If Apple could start penetrating emerging markets more quickly with new products, then this could threaten Android’s dominance in the lower- and mid-range markets in these places.
Good news for Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and Galaxy Note 10.1 owners who have cravings for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The folks at Sam Mobile have gotten a hold of the pre-release OTA update of the buttery smooth OS for the two tablets.
To be more precise, the leaked OTA files are for the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (GT-P3100) and the Galaxy Note 10.1 (GT-N8000).
You can find download links of the leaked Jelly Bean firmware for the two slates, as well as the instructions, on Sam Mobile's website below. The instructiuns don't really involve any complicated steps, but you do need to make sure that your tablet has the specific firmware base (N8000DDALH1 for the Tab 2 7.0 and P3100DDBLH3 for the Note 10.1) beforehand. Then it's only a matter of using ODIN to flash Jelly Bean.
Make sure you back up all important files, documents, and apps if you do decide to test out the leaked Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean (JRO03C) firmware. But be warned that this is a pre-release version, so there's a possibility that you'll come across some unwanted bugs. As always, proceed at your own risk.
The world's favorite Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S3, has now reached a certain point of popularity where it's more apt to ask the question of who doesn’t have the phone yet. But we're sure there are still many who are waiting for the price to come down. If Verizon is your carrier of choice, you're just in luck, because Amazon Wireless has some pretty sweet deal on Big Red’s variant of the Galaxy S3.
Are you a new Verizon customer? You can take advantage of the offer by paying only $139.99 for a brand new Galaxy S3 – Marble White or Pebble Blue, that’s your choice to make. The price tag is $60 cheaper than what the carrier is charging for the phone on its website. Of course, both require you to activate a two-year service.
If you're looking to upgrade to the Galaxy S3, you need to pay an extra $10. This means for $149.99 you can soon sport the hottest Android phone in town, while at the same time getting $50 in savings when looking at Verizon’s price. The standard two-year contract agreement also applies here.
Sounds like a great deal? Head to Amazon Wireless now if you don't want to miss the limited-time offer.
Having the full backing of Google is an advantage that Motorola has over other manufacturers. It's not that the Droid maker was in the dump pre-Google days, but we sure like to see Moto make the best of use of its position. It also certainly won't hurt for Motorola to flaunt a little.
There are some moves that have Google stamp all over them, but we are yet to see the full effect of the takeover.
What could the latest commercial for the recently announced family of Droid Razr phones, entitled "Every feature comes standard", possibly tell us? The ad provides a glimpse of where Moto is heading: a company that is more confident, and one that wants to shout to the world that it’s now faster, smarter, brighter, and ultimately better.
Check out the ad yourself and tell us if you think that Motorola has achieved that goal.
Just a couple of days have passed since Jeff Bezos summoned the press in an aircraft hangar in Santa Monica to introduce Amazon's new Kindle Fire family of tablets. Now, a number of high-profile game publishers have already revealed that they are working on games that are optimized for the new Kindle Fires.
First off, Electronic Arts announced they are hard at work bringing their mobile games to the new Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD. According to Droid Gamers, EA already has ten games that are optimized for the Fire HD slates, including Madden NFL 12, Tetris, The Game of Life, and Plants vs Zombies. Moreover, the publishing giant has a number of other games in its Amazon Appstore that we could expect to see optimized for the new Fire HD at some point.
Another video games heavyweight, Activision, announced a new title for the Kindle Fire and Fire HD – Skylanders Cloud Patrol, a gallery style shooter currently available for iOS. The title will feature a unique game mechanic (or should we call it a selling mechanic?) that Bezos showcased during the launch event. Players will be given the opportunity to buy physical toys right from the game. You like the Trigger Happy character? Buying a real life version is just a few taps away, and you won't even have to leave the game. As a bonus, purchasing the toy will also unlock its virtual version in the game.
I just hope that Activision and Amazon have put some thought into making the system kids-proof. Otherwise, I could just write the "5-year old buys $2,000 worth of toys in Skylanders Cloud Patrol" post right now.
Fibble for iOS gameplay
Finally, Crytek (of Crysis and Far Cry fame) has announced that owners of the new Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD will be able to buy Fibble, a physics-based puzzler that's currently only available on iOS. As you would expect from a game made by Crytek, Fibble features beautiful 3D graphics that will definitely look gorgeous on the 1920 x 1200 resolution screen of the Fire HD 8.9. The title will go for 99 cents and should hit the Appstore in the following weeks.
We'll keep you posted about new titles announced for the Kindle Fire family. Meanwhile, tell us, which game do you look forward the most?
Sony has been investing heavily in its CMOS production facilities, spurred by the huge demand for imaging sensors for mobile devices. Apparently, the billion dollars that the Japanese have been pouring into their Nagasaki factory hasn't been enough to ramp up production to satisfy the high demand for its new 13MP CMOS image sensors.
According to a report from the Korean website DDaily, Samsung had initially planned to fit the newly launched Galaxy Note 2 with a 13MP image sensor supplied by Sony. The report explains some of the rumors about the Note 2 that circulated a few months ago, which eventually proved inaccurate. The Galaxy Note 2 is fitted with "just" an 8MP camera, identical with the one in Samsung's other flagship, the Galaxy S3.
So, what prevented Samsung from carrying out its plans? It appears that Sony has been unable to satisfy the demand for 13MP sensors, which forced Sammy to settle on the safer 8MP solution.
That didn't stop the other large phone maker in Korea, LG, from securing an order of 13MP sensors for its upcoming Optimus G. Was LG's CMOS order the reason why Samsung was unable to get enough sensors for its Galaxy Note 2? Not likely.
LG estimates that it will sell a relatively small number of its Optimus G flagship – about 1 million according to an analyst quoted by DDaily. Samsung on the other hand, expects to push between 5 million and 10 million Galaxy Note 2, a figure that is perfectly feasible considering the success of the Galaxy S3 and the original Galaxy Note.
Most likely, Sony is simply unable to produce that many 13MP sensors right now. I expect however to see the new sensors integrated in Samsung next-generation devices, the Galaxy S4 and the Note 3.
Do you consider the 8MP camera on the Note 2 a letdown?
However unobtrusive it may be, some people aren't ecstatic to hear that the entire new lineup of Kindle Fire will come with "Special Offers" promotion, otherwise known as spammy ads that will show up on the device's lock screen. The latest confirmation from Amazon ruins whatever hope that consumers have that they would be able to opt out from receiving such ads, as previously thought.
A spokesperson for the online retailer giant has confirmed that the Kindle Fire ads are here to stay, and that consumers can't opt out of the offers — regardless of the model that they choose to purchase. Like it or not, they will see the ads on their device.
We understand the logic behind providing options for buyers who don't mind getting the ads in exchange of a reduced price for the device. But to force the ads on some of the more premium models, such as the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD 4G LTE, which Amazon is selling for $499, is certainly a head-scratching decision.
What do you think? Is this potentially a deal-breaker for you? Or do you think you'll enjoy getting those special promotions on your Kindle Fire?
The LG Escape seems to be unable to escape from leaks and rumors. This devices was first leaked last week, where we found this AT&T 4G LTE smartphone could be a good options. The specs seemed great, but it seems the last rumor may have been a bit wrong (or maybe this one is).
We now have a clearer image from our friends at EVLeaks, who have been bringing us some great leaks for a while now. They are also reporting the following specs: 4.3-inch qHD IPS display, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 5 MP/1.3 MP cameras, NFC, 4G LTE, a 2150 mAh battery and Android 4.0. Past rumored specs also include 1 GB of RAM, which sounds reasonable.
Not a bad option for AT&T users! We wouldn’t necessarily consider it a high-end smartphone anymore, but it is close enough and should be kept an eye on. We certainly will, so stay tuned and we’ll let you know more as soon as more details emerge!
Amazon’s Special Offers in the Kindle Fire HD variants has brought upon a great deal of angry customers. This makes sense as they are a bit intrusive, but it seems what upsets users more is uncertainty. Amazon representatives said that there would be an option to opt-out of these ads, and later other representatives said it would not be possible. So will we be able to or not?
Tech Crunch is now reporting that opting out of these pesky ads will, indeed, be an option. This will cost customers $15, and it will get rid of lock-screen and bottom-page ads for life.
“We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out. We're happy to offer customers the choice.”
Sadly, we are still a bit wary about believing this, since multiple Amazon has been informing many sites that opting out of said advertisements will simply not be possible. And Tech Crunch isn’t clear about the origin of this information, which they claim to be an announcement.
But who knows, maybe Amazon simply had a change of heart. Let’s hope this one is true! Also, don’t forget to check out our hands-on video. That little tab is not shabby at all for that price!
Update: Engadget confirms
So it seems the guys at Engadget have also received word on the matter and users will, indeed, be able to opt-out of Special Offers by paying a one-time $15 fee. This will come as a relief to many of you, and it is great Amazon is at least giving us an option. Even though many of you don’t mind them.
“I wanted to let you know that with Kindle Fire HD there will be a special offers opt-out option for $15. We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out. We’re happy to offer customers the choice.”
Sony was not the best Android tablet manufacturer last year, but the company now holds power over its mobile department (previously known as Ericsson) and aims to turn it all around. The Sony Xperia Tablet S was announced at IFA 2012 with a slightly better, yet similar design and better specs. But just in case you missed it, the tablet was released yesterday, September 7, in the US.
The Xperia Tablet S comes with a 1.4 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 1 GB of RAM, Android 4.0 and a 9.4-inch display; all for $399 for the base version. It won’t win any awards with those specs, but it should be a great tab for many users. What is quite remarkable is the accessories Sony is offering for this device.
I personally love the docking stand; it gives the tablet a very nice touch of elegance. And that case with an integrated keyboard will definitely make some of you more productive. Honestly, these accessories impressed me more than the tablet itself.
Regardless, this is just a heads up. You can now get these from both Sony.com and Amazon.com, so head over there and check them out if interested. For some reason we don’t see these flying off the shelves, though. Sony seems to continue having too much competition and not enough of a “wow” factor.
Is it a good tablet? sure, at least on paper it is. But there are definitely many options when we look at tablets with similar specs and prices. So what do you guys think – will you be signing up for Sony? If so, why? Is it the unique form-factor? Is it the cool accessories? Do you simply like Sony’s tablets? Let us know in the comments!
HTC’s Desire brand is usually attached to international devices. These tend to receive a different name when offered in the US, but if the latest leak proves to be true, Verizon could be releasing a device with the Desire moniker.
The leaked document names this rumored device the HTC Desire 4G LTE, and it doesn’t seem to be related with any current or upcoming devices coming to Big Red. It is suggested that this could be a low-to-mid-end device, as it does not carry the DROID branding. Now, having the DROID branding doesn’t mean a device will be high-end, but DROIDs are usually given the spotlight and tend to be of more importance. We must keep in mind that this could also change when/if the smartphone is released, though.
We have no details about the device (other than the fact that it will have 4G LTE connectivity), but we will definitely be keeping an eye on this one. It would be exciting to see this become a good option for Verizon subscribers, but it might also be just another version of one of HTC’s current phones. Let’s just hope it is something worth “desiring.”
Just when you think these patent lawsuits are starting to calm down, more drama comes around. Samsung and Apple are now going at it in the Netherlands, disputing over “touch event model” multi-touch software – it basically stops users from accidentally tapping two buttons at once. According to Apple, Samsung has taken iOS’ functionality to use it on its own devices. Samsung disagrees, and throws a statement that may make Android fans raise an eyebrow.
As a cry during desperate times, Samsung claims that Android’s multi-touch software simply isn’t as good as that of iOS. Samsung’s lawyers state that Android’s solution is more “hierarchical,” making it harder for developers to use it. In addition, Apple’s solution works on an OS level, while Android’s takes care of the problem in the application level.
This suggests that Samsung believes Android to be inferior (in this sense) and more complex. Any company would be flattered to hear this, but Apple wants to win and begs to differ (talk about reverse psychology). Apple’s lawyers go on to mention that Samsung does not have a lesser solution for a multiple input “conflict situation.”
Samsung then states that Apple was not the inventor of this technology, giving two examples of prior art that is very similar to both companies’ solutions. One being DiamondTouch, which allows multiple users to operate a touch-based table at the same time, and the second being software synthesizers, which can ignore certain keystrokes while using a keyboard.
Once again, Apple disagrees. DiamondTouch’s solution is meant for multiple users, not just one. And software synthesizers are not applying this technology to a touch-screen, so to this is simply unrelated to the Cuppertino Giant. (Seriously, this sounds like two kids arguing with their mother over who is right and wrong).
This is only one patent lawsuit, and as you can expect, there are many more happening as we speak. If you would like to know how this one concludes, stay tuned for October 24, when judgement is scheduled to be delivered. A ban could halt Samsung’s sales in all of Europe, as the Netherlands is where the company’s distribution center is located. So yeah… this is a big one.
Rumors of a new tablet from Barnes & Noble are starting to circle the internet, with an announcement said to come by late September. This is no surprise, as we are getting close to a year since the NOOK Tablet’s release. Speculations seem to favor the probability of this new tablet being a Windows 8 device, though, which is much more shocking.
Microsoft and Barnes & Noble have been getting very cozy since the first-mentioned company decided to invest $605 million to step into the e-reader and college business. After the fact, it would not surprise us one bit if something like this took place.
Barnes & Noble has been a relatively important player in the Android ecosystem since the release of the NOOK Color. The book retailer more recently released the NOOK Tablet, which competed directly with the original Kindle Fire. But the 7-inch Android tablet market is getting fierce – could switching the whole focus of their devices be Barnes & Noble’s best bet?
We now have devices like the Nexus 7 competing with other affordable tablets. Odds are Apple will also be launching that rumored iPad Mini. With these on the table, even Amazon and its new Kindle Fire HD tablets are seeing a bit of a rough road ahead.
Arguably, Barnes and Noble could be making a smart move by shifting their focus and aiming to a whole other audience in order to compete. The rumored NOOK device would be released around October, meaning there would be very few other Windows 8 competitors. Most probably with higher prices, making this affordable device stand out.
We have taken Android to a whole new level, where it is much harder for any smaller company to compete. We have grown as Android enthusiasts, and so have our demands. This leaves Barnes & Noble with very few options; this tablet could be dirt cheap or it could be substantially superior to the competition. Both options being very hard to accomplish.
As an Android fan, it would be sad to see any company leave the platform, but can we blame them? After all, these businesses have to look out for their interest and the continuation of their brands. Especially for a business like Barnes & Noble, which has been suffering with the hit physical book purchases have taken. The company is simply not in a position to risk too much.
Remember, though, nothing is official just yet. We will have to wait until an announcement to say for sure. This is simply a topic that could be interesting to bring to the table and discuss with our readers. And it doesn’t only relate to Barnes & Noble, many companies are finding themselves in equally challenging situations lately. The larger Android manufacturers have simply become too strong.
Without further ado, we would like to see what you guys think of this. Would you be upset if Barnes & Noble switched sides? Am I simply crazy and you think the company still has much room to expand in this market?
If you have been rocking that shiny new Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 or Galaxy Note 10.1, you are still stuck on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. That is, if you haven’t gone the hacking route and flashed a custom ROM yet. Sometimes that is simply not the best option for many users, though, and flashing an official build may be more comforting.
The guys at SamMobile have managed to get a hold of some leaked official builds for both tablets, and they are ready for your downloading and flashing pleasure. Remember these are not final versions of the update, so they will likely come with a few bugs. But of course, it can’t be fun without a little risk.
Just remember that tinkering with your device may void your warranty or affect your device, so do your research and proceed at your own risk. The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 leak brings you to version P3100DDBLI1, while the Note 10.1 build number is N8000DDALI1. Both are Android 4.1.1.
Before flashing, make sure to be on stock build P3100DDBLH3 for the Tab 2 7.0 and N8000DDALH1 for the Note 10.1. If you are set with that, you can go ahead and follow SamMobile’s instructions and enjoy your Jelly Bean goodness!
An interesting find today: the Samsung Galaxy Note II might come in a dual SIM variant, although currently it sounds like it might be available only in China. As you can see in the image above, there are 2 SIM slots unlike the handset most journalists got a hand on at IFA.
Dual SIM capability is quite a popular feature in developing countries like China and India, though I haven’t quite understood the real benefit of it. Is there anyone out there who’d love to get a flagship smartphone with dual SIM? Do let us know in the comments, and in particular the reason you want the feature.
Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD LTE might already be available on pre-order, with shipping set for late November, but it’s still to get one important certification without which the product cannot actually be put into customer hands: an FCC certification. Due to regulations, Amazon can’t actually publicize the LTE version without a disclaimer, which they have put on their site albeit, like all disclaimers, it’s not difficult to miss.
It’s very unlikely that Amazon won’t get the certification in time, but from the following passage on Electronista, it looks like Amazon’s broken a rule by offering the device on pre-order before they have the clearance, though I must admit the disclaimer’s wordings puts it heavily in the grey area.
Mitchell Lazarus, FCC approval expert at law form Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth said companies cannot cannot accept orders and payments from retail customers prior to FCC approval. Wholesale orders can be accepted from retailers, but the same shipment prohibition applies.
The Note II’s already got some amazing specs, but on the one front that some might have been disappointed has been Samsung putting “only” an 8MP shooter on it. That’s primarily because the rumors pointed towards the possibility of a 12 or 13 megapixel camera. IntoMobile is reporting today that the decision wasn’t really about cutting costs or something, but rather an issue on Sony’s side, with the Japanese CE giant unable to provide sufficient CMOS sensors to Samsung. [IntoMobile]
I still remember when the Kindle Fire was still nothing more than a rumor, every blogger who wanted to see the end of Android (*cough* MG Siegler *cough*) spoke of how Amazon was about to not just put a fork on the OS, but also end up stabbing it to it’s death. That never happened, and if I were to argue I’d say it probably strengthened the Android tablet market even if just slightly by giving OEMs a model to follow to register big sales numbers, while at the same time encouraging developers to create apps for the bigger devices.
The explanation these bloggers gave was that Amazon was feeding off Google’s hard-work, and they are. Jeff Bezos admitted it himself, and has given credit where its due.
Android is accomplishing everything that Amazon needs it to and, at the same time, giving the company flexibility to customize things. We treat Android like Linux, and so it's a base OS layer. We have a large dedicated team that customizes Android and that's what you see on the Kindle Fire.
The Kindle Fire’s success is Android’s success, even if not to the same degree as that of the Nexus 7. Of course, the issue with these bloggers is that they think that Google wasn’t aware of the possibility of this happening. Most of them never seem to get Android nor the openness behind it. Or, the simpler, clearer explanation, they just don’t want to remove their rose-tinted glasses.
I hate writing about patent news, but I can’t deny that every time I come across something positive for an Android OEM a part of me wants to cheer them on in their battle. This time, it’s HTC that brings us some good tidings, with the Federal Judge in their lawsuit against Apple turning away the Cupertino-based company’s claims that the patents in question should be invalidated because HTC bought ADC Telecommunications Inc with the sole purpose to use the IP aggressively. I guess the law book that they have states that it’s OK when they do it, but not the other way around.
Thankfully, Judge Thomas Pender has decided to keep the case moving forward, saying:
"I don't care if they bought these patents to sue you or not. They are a property right. Clear and convincing means something to me. I have to be pretty darn certain a U.S. patent is invalid."
The lawsuit primarily centers around LTE technology, which HTC claims they are a pioneer in since they brought the first LTE-enabled touchscreen devices to the US and that 4G was central to their entire 2011 strategy. Since LTE is a standard, there’s always the issue of the patents falling the in the FRAND category and it seems highly unlikely Apple would face an import ban on the iPad and the upcoming iPhone.
I hope they good money for it, though. If Samsung devices looking like Apple’s, or having slide-to-unlock or overscroll-effects cost Apple $1 billion in terms of revenue, then I’m pretty damn certain LTE on Apple devices cost/will cost HTC as much, if not more.
Alright, so we just got done telling you guys about a leaked system dump from a purported AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and now some screenshots from the SGH-I317 have slipped out, with our friends at Brief Mobile nabbing the exclusive (they have a very cooperative Samsung tipster).
We had little-to-no-doubt the device would eventually make its way to AT&T (international frequency bands mostly match AT&T’s) but what’s interesting is Samsung’s quad-core Exynos 4412 is seemingly intact. No dual-core Qualcomm to be found. Remember, the last Note (and even the Galaxy S3) had to switch to a Qualcomm chip for compatibility with AT&T’s 4G LTE. Looks like Samsung patched everything up in their latest quad-core.
There’s a handful of screenshots showing specs for the Note — 1280×720 resolution, Android 4.1.1, etc. — along with benchmarks. The device scored a respectable 5912 in Quadrant, and ATuTu gave it a 13551 (higher than even the Galaxy S3). Nothing we haven’t really seen before.
When it came to a release date the source couldn’t pin one down, saying only to expect it “soon.” Guess we wont have to wait much longer for an official announcement but with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 already leaked for T-Mobile, Sprint, and now AT&T — who will be first?
