Android World: AndroidGuys

Thursday, January 31, 2013

AndroidGuys

HTC M7 reportedly due March 8 with two color options
Sony C530X HuaShan images leaked ahead of MWC
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Plus rumored with 2560×1600 display
Open Garden app review
ZTE reveals 5.7-inch Grand Memo

HTC M7 reportedly due March 8 with two color options

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 02:04 PM PST

The much-rumored HTC M7 will reportedly arrive on March 8 where it will be made available in two color options, indicates HTCSource. Should the details prove accurate, this means HTC will be release the handset less than three weeks after the February 19 announcement.

In terms of colors, the HTC M7 will come in either black or white/silver options. As the source points out, the design does not necessarily lend itself to two tones and likely means white glass bezel around the display with a silver case along the sides and rear.

As to which carriers will see the HTC M7, so far the top three U.S. providers are seemingly good-to-go with only T-Mobile USA still yet-confirmed.

The early March release dovetails with long-standing rumors of HTC wanting to push out 4-5 million units of the handset.

HTCSource

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Sony C530X HuaShan images leaked ahead of MWC

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST

Sony’s recent smartphone line is becoming quite impressive and it seems that they are off to a great start in 2013. I recently had some hands-on experience with the new devices and I can attest that Sony has improved a lot, and I am looking forward to some new Sony devices at Mobile World Congress.

One Sony device we might see which has recently been leaked, is code named as Sony C530X HuaShan. The design structure is similar to that of Sony Xperia Z, also it features the signature Power/Lock key on the side as well. It is said that there will be total three phones in this new Sony family: the C5302, the C5303 and the C5306. It seems like Sony will be introducing this series as a mid-range Android powered phones for various markets across the globe.

It is rumored that the C530X series will feature specs such as a 720p display, a 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 , Adreno 320 graphics, and a late version of Android, or 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

Overall, it seems like a good Android package. So, are you looking forward to new Sony devices at MWC? Tell us about it in the comment box below.

via: Android Authority

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Plus rumored with 2560×1600 display

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:29 AM PST

Samsung may soon introduce a new, high-resolution member of the Galaxy Tab, if rumors prove to be correct. Reportedly, details for a GT-P8200 have been spotted and point to a 10-inch tablet with a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution display. Given this is the same stuff we have in the Nexus 10 it makes sense to consider the tablet would be a premium experience, and a premium price.

As it appears today, Samsung will announce the Galaxy Tab 3 in the coming weeks with this new GT-P8200 getting a Galaxy Tab 3 Plus moniker. Rumors suggest that Samsung’s new round of tablets will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

If it were up to us we would like to see the following costs for the new Galaxy Tab 3 series.

Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 16GB – $199
Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 32GB – $249
Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 16GB – $299
Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 32GB – $349
Galaxy Tab 3 Plus (10.1) – $399
Galaxy Tab 3 Plus (10.1) – $499

Via: Unwired View

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Open Garden app review

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:55 AM PST

Share mobile data connections among all your devices with this free Android app.

Face it, you don’t want to pay for a tethering app and you’re not in a hurry to add another $10 a month to your data plan. Many of you don’t even want to bother with “rooting” a phone. Why bother spending extra money for a tablet that only needs a data connection every once in a while? Why jump through hoops? What to do? Download and install Open Garden, that’s what.

Open Garden lets users share their mobile data connection with laptops, tablets, and other device. No rooting needed, no charges to worry about. FREE.

open_garden_screens

Let’s say you have a phone with a 4G data plan and a tablet that you want to take with you for a road trip. Open Garden will take the data connection from your handset and share it with your tablet. In an office environment and have various devices with 3G/4G speeds and/or Wi-Fi? Why not connect them all together and share that data?

Users can find the fastest connection and most powerful signal without checking every available network, and can move between networks seamlessly. Open Garden provides a way to access more data at faster speeds in more locations.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi connection and it surely doesn’t matter which carrier or model you’re using.

Simply install the app, press “connect” and let the two devices find each other over Bluetooth. Once running, you’ll see a visual representation of all of the devices talking to each other and get an understanding of how you’re connected.

Open Garden is essentially a free mobile WiFi hotspot app and provides the same features of tethering apps. If you’re familiar with PDA Net or EasyTether then you have a sense of what’s happening. Where Open Garden trumps these two is that it does not require a USB cable. Yes, it works like a few other tethering apps out there but many of them require users to have root access on the phone(s) or tablet(s).

I was impressed with the quick and painless setup; installation takes but a few seconds. It’s simply a matter of running the app on my phone and tablet and tapping the “connect” button. From there, the two will talk to each and establish a connection. And, for those of you who have devices with NFC, you can tap them together to initiate the connection.

It’s worth pointing out that not all applications or games will work properly via Open Garden. Some apps look for 3G,4G, or Wi-Fi connection to send and receive data and will not “know” that there is available internet. Some of the instances we ran into included downloading from Google Play, Netflix, Gmail, Google Now, Slacker Radio, and Pandora.

While this might seem like a turnoff for a few, we did find that all of the browsers we tried (Android, Chrome, and Firefox) worked just fine and Facebook was no problem. We were content with checking email from the browser and accessing other services through the internet.

These “connection issues” are actually known and documented and stem from the Android platform and apps not checking for VPN as a mode of connectivity. The developers of Open Garden are actively working on solutions and workaround and have even reached out to other apps to help. In other words, we recommend keeping an eye on the app’s dedicated forum thread for updates. Also, Google has recognized the issue and plans to implement a fix for future releases of Android.

I’ve yet to try Open Garden in the field with a handful of devices sharing data to a Wi-Fi tablet but my understanding is that this should work quite well. I have read multiple comments in Google Play where users are pleased with the results so I expect it to work without issue..

What we liked:

Very easy to set up and connect devices
Connect multiple devices to provide optimal network speeds
No rooting required
Free

Room for improvement:

Drains battery a bit more than we’d like
Sometimes need to disable Bluetooth in order to stop from connecting

Download Open Garden (Google Play)

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ZTE reveals 5.7-inch Grand Memo

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:58 AM PST

ZTE today introduced the next member of its smartphone stable, the 5.7-inch Grand Mate, at a press event in Hong Kong. Details include Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a 720p HD display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chips, 13-megapixel camera, and microSD card slot. Reportedly, ZTE will officially unveil this model at Mobile World Congress in late February.

While the specs aren’t too shabby, our colleague Stone Ip said the choice of finish on the body didn’t feel as nice as the Grand S’, and the silver bezel made the Grand Memo look worse, but in ZTE’s defense it was a prototype and the design may improve in the retail version. – Engadget

Engadget