Android Community |
- HDC One clones HTC with a quad-core and Jelly Bean for $160
- SoundHound gets major tablet overhaul, livelyrics, and social sharing
- Expedia app update adds Itineraries feature with real-time updates
- Sony Xperia Tablet Z delayed until May
- US Cellular GALAXY S 4 pre-orders confirmed for April 16
- HP Slate 7 release pushed to June
- NVIDIA shows The Conduit HD on Project SHIELD
- MEGA launches “experimental” mobile site ahead of native app
- LG Optimus G2 for T-Mobile spotted with Snapdragon 800 processor
- T-Mobile cuts several hundred Bellevue HQ employees
- OUYA game console retail availability set for June 4
- Songkick Concerts helps you find your favorite bands
- Geomerics founder says programmers “loathe” developing games for Android
- New Android malware threat looks like an IRS e-mail
- Could Andy Rubin be headed to Facebook?
- Facebook to introduce its new “home on Android” on April 4
- Google vows not to sue with their patent portfolio, unless attacked first
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0 with FHD AMOLED display coming soon
- Carphone Warehouse offering free Tab 7 with GALAXY S 4 order
- HTC One gets an iFixtIt teardown
| HDC One clones HTC with a quad-core and Jelly Bean for $160 Posted: 29 Mar 2013 11:27 AM PDT The folks from HDC are at it again and have cloned one of the best flagship Android smartphones currently available. That being the impressive HTC One. This time though, their name just so happens to be very similar and it’s being called the HDC One. You can hardly tell the difference but it’s what’s under the hood that will obviously be the give away.
HDC are no strangers to cloning smartphones, but this one is just so much better for the amazing design and extremely similar name. That isn’t all either, the HDC One rocks pretty decent specs and still will only run users in China $160 – according to reports. I’m just a bit worried with that April 1st release date, as we all know what happens on the first. You won’t get an aluminum unibody design, but everything else about the HDC One is exactly the same. Right down to the front facing speakers and power button up top. It’s a quality knock-off that is for sure. Once you use the device however, it might not be the same. We’ll be working with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, but the processor is a 1.2 GHz quad-core from MediaTek, which certainly is no Qualcomm 600 series CPU. Then we get only 1GB of RAM, and the display has also been reduced to the average 720p resolution.
You’ll also get an 8 megapixel rear and 2 MP front camera, and a measly 1,700 mAh battery with the HDC One knock-off. We do have good news though. This smartphone isn’t getting delayed and will be available apparently on April 1st for the low price of $160. We aren’t sure if this is an April fools joke or not, but they’ve released awesome clones in the past. Those Chinese sure know how to make a knock-off, and fast. Who’s interested? [via GizChina] |
| SoundHound gets major tablet overhaul, livelyrics, and social sharing Posted: 29 Mar 2013 10:59 AM PDT Today one of my favorite apps that I use way more than I should is getting a massive update on the tablet front. Our favorite music discovery application SoundHound has just received a large update that is improving tablet support and adding tons of features that previously only phone users were enjoying. Check it out below.
There might be plenty of Shazam fans out there, but SoundHound has been my go-to app for a long time when it comes to discovering neat new music. I don’t know how often I’ll be using my tablet for discovery, but the entire tablet app has been redesigned with a tablet-specific stunning design. The UI has been redesigned for 7-inch and 10-inch tablets, most notably the Nexus 7 and 10 – as well as a few others. The entire experience is more visual with large album artwork, details laid out in a simple manor, and they have taken a few cues from Amazon’s Fire UI it seems with song suggestions and similar artists. We now have Livelyrics for those who want to sing along, as well as all those top hits and album charts with popular songs and more.
The update also adds deeper integration with Rdio, and you can listen to the song right after recognition using Rdio. And just like anything these days they’ve added better social features for Facebook and Twitter sharing. SoundHound also briefly mentions the update improved the speed of music recognition for smartphones, but it was already amazingly fast so we’ll just take it for what it is. For all those music-lovers, go get the latest SoundHound from the link below and give it a try.    [via Play Store] |
| Expedia app update adds Itineraries feature with real-time updates Posted: 29 Mar 2013 10:33 AM PDT An updated Expedia app rolled into the Google Play Store this morning. The updated app is now sitting at version 3.0, but perhaps more important — this update has brought some new features as well as some improvements and fixes for previously existing features. One of the new items is itineraries. And nicely done, these will update in real-time as you travel.
Expedia has said the itineraries will be a “beautiful timeline of your upcoming trips.” Perhaps key though, is the part about them keeping up in real-time. These updates will include the key details for your travel. That is to say you can expect to see information on everything from the hotel, to flights and even rental car details. Basically, if you included something in your Expedia booking, it will be included as part of this itineraries feature. The other new addition is flight bookings for those in Spain, Sweden, Austria, and the Netherlands. This one does however come with a catch though, they are only available for those using the Expedia app on a smartphone (not a tablet). Moving on and we shift over to the fix which took care of issues that were affecting the guest checkout process for those in Canada and the UK. The improvements begin with a simplified checkout process. This is described as having been simplified in an effort to make the checkout process so that you can “book even faster.” We have to say, the checkout process was fairly speedy in the past, but hey, we aren’t one to argue about something getting a bit faster. The other improvement dealt with the process of selecting dates for multi-night hotel stays and roundtrip flights. All said and done, the big addition here is obviously the itineraries, however those remaining items all seem like worthwhile changes and additions. [via Expedia] |
| Sony Xperia Tablet Z delayed until May Posted: 29 Mar 2013 10:04 AM PDT Sony initially released their new Xperia Tablet Z back on March 22nd in Japan, but everywhere else is still waiting for its arrival. Initial reports when they revealed the sleek slate at Mobile World Congress stated an April release, but it seems the dates been pushed back to at least late May, and could fall even further behind schedule.
Earlier this week we reported that UK retailers had pushed back their shipping dates, and now Sony themselves appear to be confirming this. Unfortunately those looking forward to getting this super-thin slate will have to wait a bit longer. Sony’s own site has pushed back the shipping dates. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z was one of the more impressive tablets shown off this year at MWC, and after looking at our hands-on you’ll quickly know why. It’s extremely well built, sleek, thin, and looks pretty sharp. If the UK is delayed, it’s likely other regions and markets will see delays as well, but so far we haven’t heard any additional details. We know it’s a small delay, but it’s still a setback we were hoping wouldn’t happen with such a beautiful tablet. This 10-inch 1080p full HD tablet with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean fits perfectly with that Sony BRAVIA TV, and we’re sure many of you are awaiting its arrival. We’ll update when we hear anything else regarding Xperia Tablet Z availability. [via XperiaBlog] |
| US Cellular GALAXY S 4 pre-orders confirmed for April 16 Posted: 29 Mar 2013 09:25 AM PDT Another of the US carriers have announced when the GALAXY S 4 pre-orders would be available. This latest is coming from US Cellular and they of course, join in alongside AT&T. While we still need details from several other carriers, these dates do appear to be lining up. US Cellular has announced April 16 as the day GALAXY S 4 pre-orders will be available. For those keeping track, that is the same date with AT&T.
Unlike AT&T though, US Cellular has yet to announce any pricing. We can hope that they will have the handset priced lower than $250, but right now that has yet to be announced. The other key item is the shipping date. Neither AT&T or US Cellular have said anything on the topic. Otherwise, the US Cellular GALAXY S 4 page is similar to AT&T in that they are both teaser style pages. Aside from the mention of a pre-order date, US Cellular is using the GALAXY S 4 page to highlight their $40 per month (per line) unlimited LTE data plan. The other part that is of interest are the points US Cellular is using to promote the GALAXY S 4. They have is listed as the “phone that gets to know you.” They are showing features such as SmartScroll and have a bit about how you can turn your phone into a TV remote control. We can imagine some using the remote control feature, however SmartScroll seems like a feature that will sound great to many, but get used by few. The teasers on the US Cellular page also then have one that makes sense — the camera, and a bit about how you will be able to “take photos you’ll never believe came from a smartphone.” That one, that could possibly sell a few handsets. [via US Cellular] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
 Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
 |
| HP Slate 7 release pushed to June Posted: 29 Mar 2013 09:03 AM PDT HP officially announced the Slate 7 tablet back in late February and at the time they were pretty forthcoming in terms of price and specs. The release details were not quite as complete, however HP did say the tablet would be available beginning in April. Well, it now looks like that release time has quietly been pushed up a few months. HP hasn’t said anything specific, but the Slate 7 page on the HP website has been updated.
Basically, it is looking like the April launch has been pushed to June. The odd part here is we had recently seen the FCC filing which implied that progress was moving along as expected. The Slate 7 page on the HP website currently has the tablet as being “available June 2013″ and a notify me button.
There also appears to be a very small addition on the back of the tablet. The model pictured on the HP website now has the “Slate 7″ name sitting above the Beats Audio logo. The model we spent some hands-on time with in February was missing the name. Otherwise, the specs for the Slate 7 include a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, dual-core 1.6GHz Cortex-A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. The tablet will also have a front and rear-facing camera — VGA and 3MP respectively, along with a thickness of 10.7mm and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The Slate 7 will be selling for $169. With that, those looking for a bit more on the Slate 7 may be interested in checking out our hands-on from February. [via Engadget] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network Device Connectivity
|
| NVIDIA shows The Conduit HD on Project SHIELD Posted: 29 Mar 2013 08:26 AM PDT NVIDIA has returned with another Project SHIELD game demo. This latest is for The Conduit HD and it is a title that may sound familiar to some as we recently took a look at the Tegra 3 version of the game that launched for Android last week. Of course, while the game may sound familiar in name, this Project SHIELD release has been optimized for the Tegra 4 processor.
A little background on the game reveals The Conduit HD as being set in near-future America. You play in the role of Michael Adams who is a Secret Service agent in Washington DC. Adams is recruited into the shadow organization that is Trust and will go about his business fighting aliens and humans. The game has 14 unique enemies and a total of 18 different weapons. You can check the above video for a brief walkthrough of the game as played on Project SHIELD. While the overall game has been enhanced for the Tegra 4 processor, some of the specifics mentioned include visual enhancements by High Voltage software. These are said to be everything from an enhanced polygon count to enhanced lighting. The game looks well enough, however given the recent release of the Tegra 3 version, a side by side of game play would have been good to see. Otherwise, those looking for a bit more on The Conduit HD can check out our hands-on from last week which included both screenshots and a video walkthrough. The Conduit HD is currently available from the Google Play Store and is priced at $4.99. No specific mention as to when the Tegra 4 version will arrive, but as we have yet to learn when Project SHIELD will drop, that release of the game is not as important at the moment. [via NVIDIA Blog] |
| MEGA launches “experimental” mobile site ahead of native app Posted: 29 Mar 2013 07:49 AM PDT MEGA launched a while back and did so with a rather large cloud offering of 50GB worth of storage space. While things appear to have been going well with MEGA as a whole, the one piece they are still lacking are the mobile apps. Of course, we want to see a MEGA app for Android, however we hope they launch on multiple platforms at the same time. We have yet to learn when a native (and official) MEGA app will be available, however the mobile experience has recently been improved.
MEGA, as of this morning, has announced a new mobile site. The site is noted as being experimental, but does come with another teaser. They have said this is “certainly not a replacement for a full-blown app (which will follow suit).” Again, we know an Android app is coming, we just do not yet know when. Basically, this mobile site can be found by surfing to mega.co.nz on a smartphone or tablet. A quick walkthrough of the mobile site appears to have things in line and as to what one would expect and/or hope to see. Plus, there is also easy access to switch back to the full desktop site, just in case you feel more comfortable on that side.
Aside from the launch of the MEGA mobile site, there are some third party Android apps already available. We mentioned one called MEGA Manager in the past, however there are also several more. A few others include MEGA Storage Manager and MEGA Secure Cloud for Android. And yes, these are all available for free, just like the 50GB of storage space that is given with the MEGA accounts. [via MEGA Blog] |
| LG Optimus G2 for T-Mobile spotted with Snapdragon 800 processor Posted: 29 Mar 2013 07:21 AM PDT We often see benchmark filings for handsets that are expected, or for those that happened to have been previously rumored. As of today however we have one that appears to be somewhat of a mystery device. The handset is shown as the LG D801 and so far, we have yet to see any images. In fact, aside from a few small details coming from the filing, the LG D801 is mostly a mystery. That said, based on what we have seen — it is a mystery we are interested in seeing the outcome of.
The details are coming by way of a GLBenchmark filing and show the LG D801 as having a Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor. The display resolution is shown as being 1794 x 1080 and the filing shows the handset as having some rather nice performance. In fact, the filing shows the handset as having outperformed other top devices including the HTC One. The LG D801 is also ranked above the iPad 4. While the bit about the LG D801 having a Snapdragon 800 processor is rather nice, there are some other key details available. Other bits coming from the filing show the handset as running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and as having a build device name of “g2.” Possibly the Optimus G2. But wait, there is a bit more. The filing also lists the handset as being the “g2_tmo_us” which sort of implies that it is heading to T-Mobile. Basically, it is looking like T-Mobile will be launching the LG Optimus G2. We have yet to hear anything direct from T-Mobile, however assuming this plays out as we expect — an Optimus G2 with a Snapdragon 800 should make a nice addition to the lineup. [via GSM Arena] |
| T-Mobile cuts several hundred Bellevue HQ employees Posted: 29 Mar 2013 06:50 AM PDT It still looks like the T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger is on track for approval from all necessary parties, however it seems as if one of the nastier side effects has also happened. The layoffs. While this is not necessarily the best of news, it is coming as expected. T-Mobile actually confirmed earlier in the month that the layoffs would be happening. So far these layoffs have been from the Bellevue headquarters.
Those earlier details were suggesting T-Mobile would be laying off about 100 people from marketing as well as some from other groups. And well, it looks like these have happened just as expected. The Seattle Times is reporting that T-Mobile has cut 100 people from marketing as well as between 200 and 300 from the operations group. The employees were a mix of administrative assistants to senior vice presidents. In a prepared statement, T-Mobile has said this was done to better align their business with their new strategy and position and that “this affects a small number of employees relative to the overall size of the business.” As one would expect, T-Mobile has declined to comment on the process, however at least some of the employees were not all that happy with the way things went down. One in particular was noted as saying that the only communication they got were the rumors and that they “never dealt with anything so unprofessional.” It seem that these employees had been called into the conference room, which was done by way of an electronic calendar invite. From here they were told what was happening and given 30 minutes to clear out and turn in their badge. This aside, the next step for the merger process is set for April 12 when the shareholders will vote. [via SlashGear] |
| OUYA game console retail availability set for June 4 Posted: 29 Mar 2013 06:23 AM PDT We know the OUYA game console began shipping out to the Kickstarter backers as of yesterday, however we are now seeing some additional details. These are details in terms of the shipping process as well as the upcoming retail launch date. The folks at OUYA have also given an updated status in terms of the amount of available games and left things with a promise that these shipments are “only the beginning.”
In fact, the OUYA team has dubbed this an “exclusive preview period” and promised that in the lead up to the June 4 retail availability — users would be seeing goodies to include refinements to the user interface as well as new features. One point worth mentioning, these Kickstarter shipments are going out over time. In other words, just because you were a Kickstarter backer, that does not necessarily mean your OUYA console is ready to ship just yet. The shipping process is expected to last “several weeks.” Some good news for those with a console on the way as there should be plenty to keep you busy. As of this time there are just over a 100 available games including Final Fantasy III, Beast Boxing Turbo, Stalagflight, Knightmare Tower and Save the Puppies. Alternatively, for those looking to a bit more aside from gaming, we have already seen the OUYA serving as a media center thanks to XBMC. Otherwise, it looks like those plugging in a console for the first time should expect a software update to be waiting. The OUYA team hasn’t detailed the update, however they did mention that moving forward, they hope these updates will be done in the background. Finally, as for games, you will have to put a credit/debit card on file for purchases, however all games are still free to try. [via OUYA] |
| Songkick Concerts helps you find your favorite bands Posted: 29 Mar 2013 05:12 AM PDT Android using fans of live music might want to check out a new app called Songkick Concerts. The application is designed to make it easy for Android device users to find when their favorite artists will be on tour. The application has two different ways that users can find their favorite artists.
A tap of the “+” icon allows the user to type in an artist name and search for the specific artist and then track that artist. Artists that are on tour will have a red “on tour” sash on the listing. If the artist you search for isn’t on tour, the application will return a no upcoming events response. The more interesting way to search for your favorite artists is to simply allow the app to scan your music library from your device. The app will also scan Pandora and Last.FM applications looking for artists that you listen to and match them against its database. The app reportedly works as well for established mainstream artists as for smaller and relatively unknown independent bands. The app also has a calendar section of allows you to add a concert date to Google Calendar that you might want to attend. The app also has links allowing you to purchase tickets to the shows as well. [via PC Mag] |
| Geomerics founder says programmers “loathe” developing games for Android Posted: 29 Mar 2013 05:03 AM PDT Android is the most popular smartphone platform in the world and smartphones running the operating system are some of the most popular individual devices in the smartphone market. You would think with the incredible popularity of the Android platform that game developers and software developers would be thrilled to be working on the platform. However, one Android industry developer says that isn’t the case.
According to Chris Doran, the founder of Geomerics, programmers “loathe” developing for the Android environment. Doran says that Android isn’t a great environment for graphics. He notes that developers “have to do it” meaning developers have to develop for Android because it’s dominant. Geomerics may not be a company name you’re familiar with, the company develops software that help game developers incorporate light into the games they’re developing. Doran made his comment this week during the Games Developers Conference. Doran went on to say that Google “just doesn’t put enough love into it [graphics].” Other developers on the same panel during GDC defended Android and game developers. Samsung technical marketing manager Michael Ludden noted that developers didn’t enjoy developing programs for iOS at first. However, he said as the development tools advanced developers became happier with the Apple platform, the insinuation is that the same will happen with Android. [via Venture Beat] |
| New Android malware threat looks like an IRS e-mail Posted: 29 Mar 2013 04:50 AM PDT Security researchers are warning Android users that there is a new malware attack spreading specifically aimed at Android devices. The Android malware was discovered by the security arm of Dell called Secureworks. According to the security researchers, the malware is currently circulating heavily around the Internet.
The malware is designed to steal sensitive data from the user’s smartphone and enable the attacker to place premium phone calls. The image above is a shot of what the IRS e-mail used by the malware looks like. When the user clicks through to the website in the e-mail, a fake Adobe Flash updater pops up. If the user clicks on that fake updater, malicious software is installed allowing access to the device. The malware installed is also able to intercept text messages allowing the nefarious hacker to bypass two-factor authentication programs. The security researchers say that there is a reasonable chance the typical Android user will encounter this threat due to the huge volume of spam distributed by the bot net that is behind the attack. To protect yourself, the security researchers say that users of Android devices shouldn’t allow the installation of applications that are not distributed through the Google Play marketplace. The researchers say that users need to be sure the “Allow Unknown Sources” option is disabled in the device security settings. The malware is using the Cutwail Botnet for distribution. [via USA Today] |
| Could Andy Rubin be headed to Facebook? Posted: 29 Mar 2013 04:39 AM PDT If you follow Android, you know that the father of the operating system, Andy Rubin, is no longer overseeing Android at Google. It has remained unclear exactly what Rubin will be doing after stepping away from leading Android. Forbes writer Jean-Baptiste Su has an interesting theory on what Rubin might be doing.
According to Su, when he heard the Rubin left Android “it was clear to me that it was not voluntary.” Sure, this is speculation but Su claims to have known Rubin for years so he should have some insight into the man. Su says that at first he thought perhaps Rubin would be taking over at Motorola. However, after Facebook announced its Android event for next week something else became a possibility. This is all pure speculation, but it is certainly interesting to think that the father of Android might end up over at Facebook. If true, Rubin certainly wouldn’t be the first important Google executive to leave and go to Facebook. Sheryl Sandberg left Google to take a position right beneath the Facebook CEO previously. What would lure Rubin away from Google to Facebook? Su thinks that it’s possible Facebook made Rubin an offer he simply couldn’t refuse. How cool would it be if Facebook lured Rubin away from Google with the promise of only working on Android and not having to mess with Chrome and other Google services. Interestingly, Rubin has also reportedly been tweaking his Facebook profile considerably of late. Could Rubin be the essential cog in bringing the long talked about Facebook phone to market? [via Forbes] |
| Facebook to introduce its new “home on Android” on April 4 Posted: 28 Mar 2013 06:59 PM PDT It seems Facebook is up to something, and hopefully that something is exciting. Just a bit ago, press invites went out to an event on April 4 inviting guests to “come see our [Facebook's] new home on Android.” What that means is up in the air, but we won’t have to wait very long to find out. The event is in seven days, and some sources are already leaking information.
The invite doesn’t say anything about the event except that it is Android-centric, and is taking place in Menlo Park, California. Whether the social network giant will unveil a new Android app or its own operating system is unknown, but sources that talked to the folks over at TechCrunch are saying it will be an operating system/phone. The source had advised them to keep an eye out for a Facebook event in April, which helps lend them a bit of authority on the topic. According to the source, the Android operating system that will be unveiled won’t be a complete remake, but rather a modified version of the mobile OS that has Facebook functionality woven throughout it. The sources are also quoted as saying that this Facebook operating system will most likely be presented in conjunction with an HTC handset, although model wasn’t specified. Keep in mind, neither the operating system nor the Facebook Phone are official, and the only thing we know for sure is that Facebook plans to show us something in a few days. Stay tuned, and we’ll update you next week! |
| Google vows not to sue with their patent portfolio, unless attacked first Posted: 28 Mar 2013 04:32 PM PDT Could times truly be changing in regards to the patent and lawsuit game and situation we’ve seen in technology lately? Google‘s latest move and pledge at least makes us hopeful. The companies unofficial motto is “Don’t be evil” and today that slogan lives on as they’ve announced their Open Patent Non-Assertion (OPN) Pledge. So what is that?
As we all know, Google believes that an open system will in the end win – and we’re seeing that with Android. To show just how much they mean this Google has publicly pledged to never sue anyone with their array of patents, unless being attacked first. Their words were they would “not sue any user, distributor or developer of open-source software on specified patents, unless first attacked.” Interestingly they added that “unless first attacked” in there. Meaning that they’ll play nice until someone else decides not to. If a company or developer is using a patent later decided to attack Google on something completely different, they’ll then open up their can of patents and go to town. Basically saying can’t we all get along? And if not, well lets do this. This is Google’s latest effort to back open-sourced projects and software, which Google states is a driving and innovating force in the mobile and internet-connected world we live in. Google also detailed 10 patents that are already being widely used called MapReduce-related patents, and put that forward as an initial 10 patents they’ll offer everyone in this new OPN. We have a feeling they’ll have to open up a lot more patents than 10 to make any major difference, but this is a start. In the end hopefully this will remove the worry of lawsuits for many, and in return stir innovation across the board. [via Google] |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0 with FHD AMOLED display coming soon Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:32 PM PDT Samsung’s line of Galaxy Tabs are pretty nice, but only one rocks their impressive Super AMOLED technology. That being the Galaxy Tab 7.7 that has been available for some time. However, multiple reports have surfaced over the past few weeks suggesting Samsung is preparing to offer those same beautiful displays in full 1080p HD on an array of tablet sizes.
All their tablets but the one mentioned above have been LCD displays, but that will soon be changing. Last week we reported on a possible 11.6-inch Full HD Super AMOLED tablet in the works from Samsung with blazing high retina resolution like the Nexus 10, and now it looks like those same panels will be coming to smaller slates. According to SamMobile Samsung is getting ready to start manufacturing full 1920 x 1200 full HD Super AMOLED panels for use in multiple upcoming tablets. In particular they mention the Galaxy Tab 8 (not a note) that will take on the next generation iPad mini, as well as Google’s rumored second-gen Nexus 7. They go as far as to state this will be unveiled at IFA in late August at the Samsung Unpacked event, which will be Unpacked Episode II of the year. First being the GALAXY S 4 event. This means Unpacked could have Samsung pretty busy with the rumored Galaxy Note III, the Galaxy Tab 3 (10-inch) as well as this 8-inch slate mentioned today. It’s about time Samsung refreshes their tablet lineup, as they’ve been focusing all their attention on the Note devices as of late. If they can deliver a Galaxy Tab 8 with a full HD AMOLED panel, Exynos 5 Octa 8-core processor, front facing speakers like current tablets and Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie all for a good price – I’ll take two. Stay tuned, it will be a busy summer for Samsung. [via SamMobile] |
| Carphone Warehouse offering free Tab 7 with GALAXY S 4 order Posted: 28 Mar 2013 02:17 PM PDT The excitement is building as the release date for the new Samsung GALAXY S 4 is approaching, and at least one online retailer is looking to gain some additional attention. The folks over at Carphone Warehouse have announced that along with pre-orders for the popular new GALAXY S 4, you’ll also get a free Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch slate with your order.
That isn’t a bad deal at all. It appears that starting today the first 2000 people who order the GALAXY S 4 from Carphone Warehouse on a pay monthly order will receive the Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch absolutely free. That’s a quality dual-core Android 4.1 Jelly Bean powered tablet that I’m sure many would enjoy. Especially for free. That isn’t all either. They’ll also be tossing in an accessory pack with a screen protector, case and car charger for those in need. We’ve been hearing the anticipation and excitement around the GALAXY S 4 is 4x what it was with last years smartphone, so this deal might not last long. If you’re interested in the GS 4 this might be a good option to take.
Carphone Warehouse has the new smartphone shipping on April 26th, but pre-orders with the free Tab 7 opened up today. At this time of writing the deal is still being plastered on their site, so it’s pretty safe to say they haven’t reached that 2,000 person limit yet. Who will be ordering from Carphone instead of others just to get this deal? We sure would if we were in the UK. Good luck folks! [via Carphone Warehouse] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| HTC One gets an iFixtIt teardown Posted: 28 Mar 2013 01:55 PM PDT The HTC One is made from a solid block of aluminum and is touted as having a zero gap construction. Well, as it turns out, the lack of gaps in the construction was not all that much of a deterrent in terms of getting inside the smartphone. Granted, we wouldn’t suggest this for everyone, however the folks over at iFixIt have said that a “small amount of heat and a suction cup were all that was required to create a gap.” Yes, the HTC One has been torn apart.
The process took 19 steps and ended with the handset being give a score of one (out of ten) in terms or repairability. Of course, these days we don’t see many people repairing their smartphones, but instead buying new. In that respect, a score of one flips nicely to mean that the One is a solid device. In fact, the teardown noted that the “solid external construction improves durability.” The majority of the teardown seems to reveal components that were expected. Nothing all that surprising in that respect though, especially considering HTC was pretty forthcoming in terms of the hardware. The teardown process does reveal what appears to be a rather well thought out arrangement in terms of the interior guts — especially in terms of the antenna.
The talk of the antennas comes in at step 16 and this is one part where there is some mystery. The teardown revealed three spring contacts along the top side of a board and well, it was said that if they “had to guess, that’s where HTC put the antennas.” The reasoning here was because that particular board was said to be on the receiving end of the motherboard’s antenna cables and also because it sits directly under the plastic bezel at the top of the phone. All said and done, the HTC One appears to be a solid device, just not one that will be good for any user repairs. [via iFixIt] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Community To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment