Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


AT&T offers video-on-demand service to discourage cord cutting

Posted: 08 Jan 2013 02:46 AM PST

AT&T_U-Verse

The discussion about cord cutting has been growing louder as more and more people consider ditching expensive cable packages and replacing them with video-on-demand services offering libraries of content. The popularity of Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Redbox Instant, and Hulu has got some traditional providers worried. AT&T is the latest company to introduce some kind of video-on-demand service for existing customers, possibly to try and combat the lure of Netflix and the gang.

Announced at CES in Las Vegas yesterday, the new service is called the U-Verse Screen Pack and it will cost $5 per month. It's only available to existing U-Verse TV subscribers and currently it offers a library of 1,500 movies which can be viewed on TVs, laptops, tablets or smartphones. AT&T is offering a free preview week which ends on January 13th.

The service is focused on movies, unlike Netflix which also offers TV shows, and AT&T has promised that more titles will be added as they strike deals with studios. Currently 1,500 movies puts it a long way behind the competition.

When you consider the economic imperative for many people to consider cutting the cord in the first place, you have to wonder why AT&T is charging extra for this. Subscribers to U-Verse are already paying monthly fees, charging them an extra $5 per month for a service that sounds far inferior to the video-on-demand competition doesn't seem like a sure fire way of retaining customers. What do you think?

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Sony Xperia Z coming to Phones4U UK on March 1 for unspecified price

Posted: 08 Jan 2013 02:30 AM PST

Sony-Xperia-Z

Sony's new flagship, first known as the Yuga and then as the Xperia Z, stopped being a secret a while ago, so you can't say we're very surprised to see it on display at CES. Even the 5-incher's spec sheet was more or less an open book for weeks now, so no surprises there either.

But what we didn't know and hoped to hear about in Las Vegas was the monster phone's ETA and pricing. Unfortunately, Sony insists to keep us on our toes, so we only got an ambiguous Q1 2013 as a release timeframe during the company's CES press conference.

Then again, Sony can't stop retailers and carriers from spilling the beans to build the hype, so we now have the first official word from a future Xperia Z seller. Phones4U in UK will have the big guy up for grabs starting on March 1 both online and in retail stores.

Sony Xperia Z-2

Naturally, pricing is kept under wraps by the British retailer too, but if you pre-register on Phones4U's website, you should be updated with further news in the coming weeks.

As for carriers expected to sell the Z, the only one who's being able to confirm anything at this time is Vodafone (though no ETA has been announced). However, we know from Phones4U that the handheld is due to land on "a range of networks", so launches on EE, O2 and Three are all in the cards.

Meanwhile, we still don’t know a single thing about ZL’s release in “selected markets” or Z’s landing in the US, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for you and come back with whatever news we get ASAP.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S4 might be unveiled as early as March

Posted: 08 Jan 2013 02:28 AM PST

galaxy-s4-hands-on-mockup-1

Seeing that it was never expected in the first place, we're not too disappointed about the Samsung Galaxy S4 not making a cameo at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

While Las Vegas hasn't brought us any information about the smartphone, a new report from Samsung's home country reveals that the Galaxy S4 might be unveiled earlier, with March being put down as the tentative date.

The date was revealed by a Samsung official, who also said that the company is still deciding whether to officially launch its next flagship device in South Korea, America, or the UK. If you remember, Samsung held a coming out party for the Galaxy S3 in the UK in May 2012, so there's a good chance that they may try to recreate the magic the second time around.

Speaking of rumors – maybe, just maybe, that dodgy-looking invitation isn't a fake after all? Nah. What we do know for sure is the Galaxy S4 name has been confirmed. Also, the phone is likely to carry the GT-i9500x model number.

The next few months will be exciting/frustrating. Are you ready for the Galaxy S4 ride?

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Samsung to preload Dropbox on its PCs and smart cameras

Posted: 08 Jan 2013 12:38 AM PST

Dropbox

The partnership between Samsung and Dropbox started with the Galaxy S3, the first smartphone from Sammy that comes with a free 50GB online storage courtesy of the cloud company. With the app seemingly becoming a permanent fixture on Samsung's phones and tablets, Dropbox has announced that its cloud service will be integrated into more Samsung devices.

The official announcement, which was made yesterday, means that Dropbox will make its way to Samsung PCs and smart cameras starting from March 2013.

“Extending our successful relationship with Samsung from mobile phones to cameras gives users more opportunities to access and share photos, videos and documents, regardless of what device they are on," said Lars Fjeldsoe-Nielsen, Dropbox Head of Mobile Business Development.

Dropbox reached 100 million users back in November. The expanded availability of the cloud service on various Samsung devices will definitely help it gain more users and stay ahead of the competition.

 

Show full PR text

Dropbox Continues to Grow Samsung Partnership with Several New Integrations

Dropbox to be embedded on new Samsung GALAXY Grand and Samsung SMART CAMERAs

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – January 7, 2013 – Dropbox, a free service that lets you bring your documents, photos and videos everywhere and share them easily, today announced a deep integration with several new Samsung devices, including the upcoming Samsung GALAXY Grand smartphone and SMART CAMERAs .

This marks the next step in the partnership between Dropbox and Samsung, which began in 2012 with Dropbox integrations on the Samsung devices, including Samsung GALAXY S III, Samsung GALAXY Note II, and Samsung GALAXY Camera.

“Dropbox and Samsung share a common goal when it comes to connectivity across devices. We believe that the things that matter most to people should be accessible at all times,” said Lars Fjeldsoe-Nielsen, Head of Mobile Business Development at Dropbox. “Extending our successful relationship with Samsung from mobile phones to cameras gives users more opportunities to access and share photos, videos and documents, regardless of what device they are on.”

Beginning in March 2013, Dropbox will also be integrated on Samsung PCs and a number of Samsung SMART CAMERAs being released throughout 2013.

The GALAXY Note II was the first Samsung device to launch with Dropbox deeply integrated in the photo and video gallery. Every photo or video users take on their Samsung device will be automatically uploaded to their Dropbox folder. This eliminates the need to hook up cables or remove SD cards to transfer photos to a PC, making it even easier to access and share content across devices and furthering Dropbox’s mission of simplifying people’s lives.

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Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 800 and 600, says goodbye to the S4

Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:52 PM PST

You know how Qualcomm’s chips used to be called the S3, but then last year we started seeing devices featuring chips known as the S4? Chances are you were expecting the S5 to be announced this year, right? Well, we’re sorry to say this, but Qualcomm has gone ahead and switched things up. Instead of having S1, S2, S3, and S4, from now on we’ll be using Snapdragon 200, 400, 600, and 800. The last two have just been announced.

Starting with the 800, it’s built using TSMC’s new 28 nanometer process called HPm. Think of it like a more efficient version of the 28 nanometer process that’s currently being used by the S4 and S4 Pro. The 800 has four Krait 400 processors that can go as high as 2.3 GHz. There’s also a new GPU called the Adreno 330 that’s twice as fast as the Adreno 320. The memory interface gets updated to 800 MHz LPDDR3 RAM, which is said to deliver 12.8 gigabits per second. On the wireless side, LTE speeds get bumped up to 150 megabits per second (maximum theoretical), and 802.11ac support (1 gigabit per second) gets added. The total package should be 75% faster than today’s fastest S4 Pro.

Now as for the 600, it can best be thought of as a lightly tweaked version of the S4 Pro. It has a faster memory interface, faster graphics processor, and the Krait architecture has been rejiggered to deliver more performance at equivalent clock speeds. Speaking about clocks, the Snapdragon 600 should hit 1.9 GHz. When all is said and done, the 600 should be 40% faster than the S4 Pro.

When will these chips come out? The Snapdragon 600 should be in retail devices on store shelves by the end of Q2 of this year. The Snapdragon 800 is going to take a little while longer.

If you want more information, we can’t recommend this article on AnandTech enough. There’s also the whole question of benchmarks. We obviously can’t run those just yet, but as soon as we get our hands on retail hardware, except some pretty charts from us.

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LG’s futuristic smart home appliances officially unveiled

Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:50 PM PST

LG-smart-appliances

We may not be getting any announcement about LG's 5.5-inch 1080p smartphone at CES 2013, but as hinted before, the electronics giant is introducing a slew of connected home appliances. Keeping up with The Jetsons won't be too hard if you got LG's smart refrigerator, washing machine, cooking oven, and HOM-BOT – a vacuum cleaner that you can remotely start and steer.

LG Smart Refrigerator

What exactly makes LG's offering smarter? Aside from sporting an LCD display, LG's smart fridge also comes with a Smart Manager feature, which allows you to record and check food items stored along with their expiration dates, as well as getting recommended menus and recipes from the available ingredients based on your personal profiles.

LG-smart-fridge

With the help of your smartphone, you can input food item list by simply scanning the grocery receipts, or check for items that are almost running out when you're in the grocery store.  Other features and functions include digital photo albums, calendars, news reports and text memos.

LG Smart Washing Machine

Similar to the connected refrigerator, you can get updates on the operational status of the washing machine on your smartphone, such as whether your socks are still being washed or dried, as well as when the washing cycle is completed. The smart washing machine can self-diagnose problems, download new washing cycle programs, and more.

LG-smart-wash-machine

LG Smart Oven

Using LG's Smart Oven, budding chefs can easily check and change cooking settings via their smartphones. The oven can communicate with its smart refrigerator cousin for easy sending of recipe and automatic oven setting.  It also comes with LG's Infrared Grill technology, which helps it run more efficiently.

LG-smart-oven

LG Smart Vacuum Cleaner / HOM-BOT

The HOM-BOT definitely isn't your ordinary vacuum cleaner. Thanks to the embedded Smart Access feature, not only can you remotely start the vacuum cleaner via your mobile device, but you can also steer the HOM-BOT!  You see, it comes with an all-seeing “eye” of its own for remote navigation. Maybe it can double as a surveillance camera?

LG-smart-vacuum

If you’re strangely excited by these smart appliances like we are, you can check out the press release below for more details.

Show full PR text

LG SMART APPLIANCES FOR 2012 DELIVER CONNECTIVITY, EFFICIENCY THROUGH SMART THINQ™ TECHNOLOGIES

Device-to-Device Connectivity and Unique Home Energy Management System Enhance Efficiency in Time, Energy and Costs

Device-to-Device Connectivity and Unique Home Energy Management System Enhance Efficiency in Time, Energy and Costs

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled a new series of smart appliances at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (booth #8204) that reflect the company's vision for a more connected, eco-friendly lifestyle. Centered on LG's proprietary Smart ThinQ™ technology, LG's new smart appliances are equipped with innovative device-to-device connectivity features and the LG Home Energy Management System (HeMS), opening up a new era in convenient and efficient home management.

"LG's direction in smart appliance development has been in pursuing technological advancements that will make consumers' lives more convenient and ultimately upgrade their quality of life," said Moon-bum Shin, CEO of LG Electronics Home Appliance Company. "Device-to-device connectivity with smartphones and among LG appliances is a new and exciting way for us to realize this goal, helping consumers handle housework in a smarter manner by saving time, money and energy."

LG has differentiated its smart appliances with its advanced and highly complementary technologies. These four core technologies – the Linear Compressor, the Inverter Direct Drive™, the Infrared Grill and the KOMPRESSOR® – enable superior performance. At the same time, Smart ThinQ™ technologies – Smart Manager, Smart Diagnosis™, Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Grid – bring smart savings and enhanced convenience to consumers. Technology enthusiasts will notice that LG's Smart ThinQ™ technologies have evolved considerably since their introduction at CES 2011. For example, LG's smart refrigerators and smart washing machines are now connected to Smart TVs and smartphones, which enables convenient monitoring of the operational status of the two appliances*.

Device-to-Device Connectivity: Building a Smarter Home*

One of the most compelling features in this year's LG smart appliances is enhanced device-to-device connectivity, which enables LG's smart refrigerators and smart washing machines to be monitored from a Smart TV or smartphone. For instance, individuals can monitor the status of their laundry cycles from their TV screen without being physically present in the laundry room.

The Smart Refrigerator Gets Smarter with the Enhanced Smart Manager*

Built around the company's signature Linear Compressor, which comes with a 10-year manufacturer's limited warranty, LG's flagship smart French-door refrigerator is equipped with a full range of Smart ThinQ™ technologies. Key among them is Smart Manager, which transforms the refrigerator into a complete food management system. Consumers can use the refrigerator's LCD panel or their smartphones to check the food items stored inside, as well as their location and expiration date. Using the Smart Manager's Freshness Tracker, users can also enter various food items, such as eggs, milk and vegetables, and check their suggested expiration dates. Additionally, the refrigerator recommends dishes that can be cooked using the ingredients available in the refrigerator.

There are multiple ways to record the food items stored in the refrigerator including selecting icons from the panel or using voice recognition technology. Additionally, grocery receipts can be scanned using smartphones, allowing the refrigerator to automatically download the food item list. Barcodes can also be scanned with smartphones to input food items.

Smart Shopping is another new aspect of the Smart Manager feature. It offers online grocery shopping directly from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone. A shopping list is created by selecting food items from the inventory, which will be loaded onto Smart Shopping by pressing the "Go Shopping" button. Consumers can purchase these food items from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone, while items not on the list can be searched for and selected manually. These features eliminate the hassle of having to write down grocery shopping lists the old-fashioned way or the need to visit the grocery store, saving time and increasing convenience.

The Smart Manager also now includes LG's unique Health Manager feature, which recommends recipes and menus based on personal profiles that take into account factors such as an individual's age, gender, weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI). The information is used to determine options that may be more suitable to the person's physical condition and might be particularly useful for consumers with medical conditions that require special diets, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or food allergies, and for those on a weight-loss program**. The Health Manager even recommends daily or weekly meal plans based on personal profiles, while also providing recipes for each dish. Should consumers wish to cook a recommended dish, they can select the dish and press "Send to Oven," which sends the necessary information to a LG Smart Oven and automatically arranges the proper oven settings.

The Smart Access feature lets users check the status of their LG appliances via smartphones, regardless of their geographic location. For refrigerators, consumers can check food items that are running low in quantity while they are at a grocery store. That can help reduce accidental double purchases and save money on groceries.

Meanwhile, LG's Smart Diagnosis™ feature helps customer service representatives to quickly and efficiently troubleshoot mechanical issues. Once the consumer contacts the LG service center by phone, a technician will direct her to press the "Smart Diagnosis™" button, which then triggers a series of signals that the service center uses to determine the faults and errors and whether a service call is required. In addition, consumers can be directly alerted through their smartphones about minor issues, such as when the door is left open or the ice-maker is switched off.

The refrigerator is also Smart Grid-ready. As local utility companies begin offering Smart Grid-compatible, differentiated energy-rate time slots, the refrigerator will be able to automatically readjust its temperature and function settings to take advantage of optimum energy rates on a daily basis, offering a smart energy-saving solution. In addition to the Smart Grid-ready feature, LG's smart refrigerator also offers the "Night Saving Mode," which reduces energy consumption for up to four hours at nighttime and a "Customize Saving Mode" that lowers energy use during periods pre-set by the user.

The smart refrigerator also offers useful and entertaining functions, such as access to digital photo albums, calendars, text memos and news reports. Additionally, a voice memo function is planned for the future.

A Smart Washing Machine with Wi-Fi Smart Diagnosis™*

Another highlight at CES 2012 is LG's smart washing machine, which incorporates Smart Diagnosis™, Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Grid-ready features. Smart Diagnosis™ has undergone an impressive upgrade for the smart washing machine, an effort which resulted this year in Wi-Fi Certification for a washing machine from the Wi-Fi Alliance. This addition enables LG's washer to self-diagnose its problems via Wi-Fi connection. Should a problem, such as a water input issue, occur with the washer, Wi-Fi Smart Diagnosis™ quickly and efficiently helps troubleshoot, limiting costly, inconvenient service calls and in-home visits. Also, a downloadable smartphone application alerts consumers about less significant problems, such as when the door is left open.

Like the refrigerator, the washing machine uses Smart Access to keep owners connected regardless of their location. Consumers no longer need to worry when leaving the house with the washer running as Smart Access makes it possible to monitor the overall operational status of the washer and dryer, such as the stage of operation and remaining time. Certain functions, such as changing the pre-programmed wash time or adding fabric softner, can be adjusted remotely controlled and pop-up messages on the smartphone signal when the wash cycle is finished. In addition, consumers can check the washing status from their living room through a Smart TV. Meanwhile, Smart Adapt makes it possible to download new washing cycle programs, such as Super Rinse and Baby Sanitize, through smartphones or the washing machine's LCD panel.

Smart HOM-BOT:A Vacuum and So Much More*

The LG Smart HOM-BOT is a remotely controlled vacuum cleaner that uses the Smart Access feature to allow users to start their Smart HOM-BOT and monitor the vacuum's progress from remote locations. Techies will love its advanced control features, as the HOM-BOT can be steered via smartphones in a manner similar to a remote-control car. In turn, users can remotely roam their house while using the HOM-BOT's camera eye for navigation. Furthermore, while outside their homes, consumers can use a smartphone application to use their roving HOM-BOT to communicate with their family in any room.

In addition, the smart mapping navigation enabled by the robotic vacuum cleaner's triple eye camera helps LG's vacuum to clean smarter, faster and more efficiently. The Smart HOM-BOT is equipped with LG's innovative learning algorithm, which memorizes mapping information to calculate optimal paths for future cleaning sessions.

A Smarter Oven for Smarter Cooking*

LG's Smart Oven comes equipped with a suite of Smart ThinQ features, including Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Diagnosis™, which opens up a whole new array of smarter cooking possibilities. Smart Access enables home chefs to monitor cooking settings, such as time and temperature, via their mobile devices. With Smart Adapt, users can send cooking time information by smartphone directly to the oven to make sumptuous dishes via the oven's auto-cooking function. Smart Diagnosis™ makes it easy to diagnose simple problems, using a smartphone application or through direct contact with the customer service center for quick and efficient diagnosis and troubleshooting.

The smart oven is also equipped with LG's unique Infrared Grill technology, a unique technology that helps cook food more efficiently and evenly. The Infrared Grill is another new way to enjoy convenient, gourmet cooking. The freestanding electric single oven is extremely large at 6.2 cubic feet, allowing consumers to cook large dishes with ease, a welcome addition for holiday meal preparations and when entertaining for large groups.

Extending the Smart Concept from Connectivity to Total Home Management*

LG's new Home Energy Management System (HeMS) is an ultra-intelligent companion to the Smart Grid technology that helps manage smart appliances, lighting and HVAC in a more power-efficient manner. Through a smart meter, HeMS collects energy usage data throughout a home. Consumers can monitor the electricity usage of each smart appliance by the hour, day, month or year; the overall energy consumption in a home; and the resulting costs. The collected data can be viewed anytime, anywhere through PCs and smartphones. HeMS even suggests ways through which overall energy consumption can be reduced, enlightening users with ways to save on their electricity bills, while doing their part in helping the environment.

For more information and product images, please visit LG's online press kit at www.LGnewsroom.com/ces2012./main.php

# # #

* Wireless Internet connection required and sold separately.

**The Heath Management feature is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice. Users should consult a healthcare professional for any special dietary needs.

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2010 global sales of KRW 55.8 trillion (USD 48.2 billion), LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. For more information, please visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

About LG Electronics Home Appliance Company

The LG Electronics Home Appliance Company is an innovator in the home appliance industry, dedicated to offering healthier and greener products, blending smart technology and trend-setting design and providing a complete solution for improving daily life. LG's insightful products, including refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, cooking appliances, vacuum cleaners, and built-in appliances, are designed to resonate with consumers around the world. LG's innovative technologies and convenient features, including the world's first interactive refrigerator, steam washing machine and combination oven and microwave, set new trends in the appliance industry, helping to establish LG as a global leader.

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Google on track to have over a million apps in the Play Store this June

Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:29 PM PST

Look, I’m not going to lie to you, I really don’t care about how many apps are in one app store versus another app store. Now don’t get me wrong, this used to be quite an important metric just a few short years ago when people were wondering which platform had more users and which platform had more revenue potential for developers, but these days you can find pretty much anything you want on either iOS or Android. If you’re a RIM user or you’re one of the crazy people trying to get on-board the Windows Phone train, then yes, the number of apps available in your respectieve app store is significant. When and if those two platforms start gaining traction, then we’ll start the app store battles again, but until then … just forget about it.

There is one number though that’s bound to generate some headlines: one million. Will Apple’s iOS App Store be the first platform to break a million apps or will it be Google’s Play Store? According to data gathered by The Sociable, Google is on track to break the million barrier faster than Apple. When exactly will this happen? They say June, but again, it’s just a guess at this point.

Should Google or Apple publish the “one million apps available” press release first, you shouldn’t care about it either way. Some of you will and you’ll probably start trolling the opposing team. Please note that anyone I catch banging on their chest will get an evil stare from me and the rest of the Android Authority team. We all love Android here, in case you haven’t noticed, but being an Android fan doesn’t mean you have to spend your free time hurling insults at iPhone owners.

That kind of behavior is just plain not cool.

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More HTC Sense 5 screenshots hit the internet, and damn they look good

Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:06 PM PST

We caused quite a bit of uproar yesterday when we said we weren’t huge fans of HTC Sense. Admittedly, the company does have quite a few fans out there, but just one look at their current financial situation shows that they don’t have as many as they need to stay healthy. But enough about that, let’s talk about the future. Yesterday we stumbled upon two images of what was alleged to be the next version of HTC’s Android skin, Sense. Today, courtesy of Pocketnow, we have a few more. We’re happy to say that the same clean lines are there, along with an updated homescreen that looks a bit something like what we saw in the HTC Rhyme. The most obvious question if of couse when will HTC formally announce their new software?

Let’s think about this logically. Mobile World Congress is next month. We think that a device that’s codenamed the “M7″ will be announced there. It’s set to be similar to the Butterfly/DNA, but have a better camera, and a design language that’s more polished than anything we’ve seen from HTC in the past. So could Sense 5 show up on the M7? Possibly, but the number 5 just bugs us a little bit. Shouldn’t it be reserved for the next version of Android? If so, does that mean HTC is going to do what Samsung did in 2012 and announce the M7 by holding their own event? Google I/O is in May this year. See where we’re going with this? HTC could launch Sense 5 on top of Android 5 either at Google’s event or shortly thereafter.

Yes, we know we sound like conspiracy theorists, but we can’t help but think deeply about HTC. They were the first company to produce an Android phone, they were the first company to make a Nexus, and for many of us, they’re a company that’ll never leave our hearts.

But given the choice, we’d rather own a Samsung. Maybe that’ll change this year.

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Polaroid makes the iM1836 official, anyone want an Android camera with interchangeable lenses?

Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:41 PM PST

Polaroid has finally made their Android powered camera phone, the iM1836, official. The specs match up exactly with what the first leak said in mid-December. Let’s start with the camera. This thing packs a massive 18 megapixel sensor, making it one of the highest resolution Android devices we’ve ever seen. The lenses are interchangeable, but there’s a small catch. You have to buy them from Polaroid. You can use Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lenses, but you’re going to need an adapter. As for the screen, we hate to tell you this, but it’s only 3.5 inches diagnol, so don’t expect to make this your daily driver. Android 4.1 is on-board, but we’re not sure about the guts. What SoC is inside? How much RAM? What we do know however is that it’s going to cost $399 when it lands in Q1 2013.

Should you buy this thing? Without even reviewing the device, we’re going to say no. If you really care about imaging, then the best thing you can do right now is wait. The Galaxy Camera, arguably the best Android powered camera currently on the market, doesn’t produce images that are significantly better than the Galaxy S3. That’s got to make you wonder, how much better will the camera be in the Galaxy S4 when it gets announced in a few months? There’s also Mobile World Congress in February, what sort of awesome camera phones are we going to see there?

We think there’s a huge market potential for devices that look like cameras from the front, but from the back they’re just like any other Android phone. That being said, it’s early days. Remember how awkward the first Galaxy Note was, but then when the successor came out it was that much better? The same thing is likely going to happen to devices like the iM1836.

What do you guys thing, is this product category viable?

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Sony Xperia Z official: specs, features, pricing and release date

Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:41 PM PST

sony-xperia-z-official-image-1

While we didn't expect Samsung to unveil its 2013 flagship device at CES, we certainly waited for Sony to announce its own high-end super Android phone at this year Las Vegas trade show.

And Sony delivered, presenting to the world a very interesting new device, the Xperia Z that was featured in so many rumors in the preceding weeks – you may know it as the Yuga.

Specs and Features

So what is the Xperia Z all about? We'll show you its most important features now that the handset is official.

  • 5-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
  • 13-megapixel Fast Capture camera with Exmor RS for mobile, HDR video, Superior Auto and Noise Reduction to effortlessly capture razor sharp pictures and videos in any conditions
  • Dust and water resistant (IP55 & IP57) with a durable glass display
  • 1.5 GHz asynchronous quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor
  • 2GB RAM
  • microSD support
  • 4G LTE support
  • NFC support
  • Battery STAMINA mode improves standby time by at least 4 times
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgradeable to Android 4.2 "shortly after launch"
  • Size: 7.9mm thin

The device certainly look interesting, and we’re particularly impressed with that home button that’s placed on the side of the handset, not under the display as you would have expected. Is this an anti-patent action measure?

sony-xperia-z-official-image-2

Pricing and Release date

While we don't have pricing details for the Xperia Z at this time, we do know it's launching globally in Q1 2013 – one rumor did say the Xperia Z is going to be released a week after CES, but that doesn't appear to be the case yet. In fact, it looks like the phone will hit stores at some point in March.

In addition to the Xperia Z, a smaller Xperia ZL will also be available in "selected markets" and will launch around the same time.

Are you buying a Sony flagship smartphone this year?

Show full PR text

Introducing Xperia™ Z –the best of Sony in a premium smartphone

Full HD 5″ Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for super brightness and clarity
Sony’s media applications deliver rich user experiences and instant access to entertainment services
Easy and fast One-touch functions to wirelessly share music, photos and videos across devices
New stand-out Sony design with water and dust resistance

January 7th 2013, Las Vegas, USA – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces its new flagship Android smartphone, Xperia Z. With a 5″ Full HD 1080p Reality Display, Snapdragon™ S4 Pro quad-core processor, 13 megapixel fast-capture camera and 4G LTE, Xperia Z has all the specifications expected from a premium smartphone. On top of this, it brings the best of Sony’s unique technology, content, design and connectivity to deliver rich user experiences. Xperia Z will launch globally in Q1 2013.

“With Xperia Z, we are bringing over half a century of innovation in TV, imaging, music, film and gaming to create a superphone experience that truly stands out,” said Kuni Suzuki, President and CEO, at Sony Mobile Communications. “With great specifications, Sony’s media applications and One-touch functions,

Xperia Z is well positioned for leadership in the smartphone market. By putting smartphones at the heart of our strategy, Sony is enabling people to create, enjoy and share content and experiences like never before.”

Intelligent Sony Technology
Xperia Z’s razor sharp Reality Display, powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2, brings Sony’s long-standing TV expertise to the smartphone and delivers an immersive viewing experience with super brightness and clarity. The smartphone shares capabilities with Sony digital cameras and features Exmor RS for mobile, the world’s first image sensor with HDR (High Dynamic Range) video for smartphones. HDR technology gives clear images against strong backlight, so users can capture razor sharp pictures and videos whatever the conditions.

Xperia Z also includes Battery STAMINA Mode that can improve the standby time by four times or more*by automatically shutting down battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off and starting them up again when the screen is back on.

Discover, enjoy and share entertainment with Sony’s media applications and One-touch functions

Sony media applications offer a consistent entertainment experience across a range of Sony devices. Pre-loaded on Xperia Z, the “WALKMAN”, Album and Movies apps, enable discovery of on-line and off-line content through a single access point with new ways to enjoy and share that content. The “WALKMAN” application provides access to all your downloaded music, a library of 18 million songs to explore from Music Unlimited and Facebook social integration. The Movies application gives consumers access to over 100,000 movies and TV series from Video Unlimited while the Album application enables easy access to Facebook friends’ photos as well as browsing photos by location.**

One-touch functions enable consumers to easily share music, photos and videos from their smartphone to an array of NFC-enabled Sony devices, including speakers, headphones and now TVs. With the new BRAVIA TV, also announced today, simply touch Xperia Z to the remote control of the TV to instantly enjoy your photos and videos on the big screen.

Two additions to Sony’s range of NFC-enabled headsets were also introduced today, the Stereo Bluetooth™ Headset SBH20 and the Wireless Headset DR-BTN200M. Touch Xperia Z to either headset and begin listening to tracks instantly.

Stand-out design and durability

Precision engineered with premium materials, Xperia Z introduces a unique OmniBalance design with subtly rounded edges and smooth reflective surfaces on all sides. Despite its slim 7.9mm body, Xperia Z is highly durable with tempered glass and anti-shatter film on the front and back, as well as the highest levels of dust and water resistance*** (IP55 and IP57) found in a premium smartphone.

In selected markets, a design variant of Xperia Z – Xperia ZL – will also be released in Q1 2013. Xperia ZL delivers the same immersive entertainment experiences as Xperia Z but in a smaller form factor.

Xperia Z and Xperia ZL will launch on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and will be upgraded to 4.2 shortly after launch for the latest Android user experience.

Key features for Xperia Z

· 5″ 1080 x 1920p full HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2
· 13MP Fast Capture camera with Exmor RS for mobile, HDR video, Superior Auto and Noise Reduction to effortlessly capture razor sharp pictures and videos in any conditions

· Dust and water resistant (IP55 & IP57) with a durable glass display
· 1.5 GHz asynchronous quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB RAM

· Battery STAMINA mode improves standby time by at least 4 times

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