| ASUS PadFone 2 firmware update released, still at Android 4.1 Aug 26th 2013, 04:06, by Juan Carlos Torres ASUS has just made available a software update to the ASUS PadFone 2, the second of its interesting take on a phone/tablet hybrid. Firmware version 10.4.17.7 brings in a couple of security fixes and performance improvements, but unfortunately does not bump the Android version. 
The concept behind the PadFone is quite intriguing. What you really have is a smartphone that docks into a tablet which basically acts as a larger screen to the phone. The idea has met quite an amount of success, enough for ASUS to introduce its second generation late last year. The PadFone 2 has a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro clocked at 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, 32 or 64 GB of internal storage with no expandable storage options, 4.7-inch Super IPS+ HD screen, and a 13 megapixel camera. The PadFone 2 has so far only been available in select countries in Europe and Asia, ASUS updated the device to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean last year and has released several updates over the past few months. This new update doesn’t bring in a lot of new features but works instead to improve user experience and security. It adds in security patches coming from upstream Android and fixes bugs reported by users. It also improves the camera firmware, particularly with regards to auto-white balancing, as well as keyboard input. The PadFone 2 is still stuck on Android 4.1, however, with no news if it will ever see an Android 4.2 upgrade. The firmware is already available for download from ASUS in a 767 MB zip file. Device owners should note, however, that there are different downloads for different versions of the device. Download: ASUS
VIA: Android Police |  | Samsung ATIV Q hounded by patent problems, could be canceled Aug 26th 2013, 03:25, by Juan Carlos Torres There’s some bad news for those eagerly waiting for Samsung‘s latest tablet/laptop hybrid to hit the market. It seems that the Samsung ATIV Q has hit a substantial snag in the form of a patent issue which has caused its delay, and might even cause its death. 
Samsung announced the device last June at their Premiere event in London. The ATIV Q is basically a hybrid that features a slider form factor instead of a detachable or a bluetooth keyboard. But what makes the device really interesting is that it features what Samsung claims to be the world’s highest resolution tablet display, with 3200×1800 squeezed into a 13.3-inch screen. And, of course, one cannot ignore the tablet’s ability to run Windows 8 and Android side-by-side almost seamlessly. You can catch up with our hands-on impressions of the ATIV Q and see why we were quite interested in getting one. Unfortunately, that day may never come. Insider sources revealed that the ATIV Q has been delayed because of patent issues regarding the device’s selling feature: the ability to run two operating systems together at the same time. We’re not privy to the exact technology involved, but we can only assume that it might not be the same thing that’s used when running a full OS inside another OS via virtual machines, something that has been in existence for quite a long time now. The source says that Samsung is working on trying to resolve these issues but that things aren’t looking good and Samsung has reportedly canceled pre-orders. Nothing is official yet, so it’s probably not yet time to bid farewell to an interesting and possibly impressive device. VIA: G for Games | | Motorola Moto X dev edition appears in Motorola website, still coming soon Aug 26th 2013, 02:45, by Juan Carlos Torres Developers and modders who have been pining for Motorola‘s latest flagship might soon have their craving satisfied now that the Moto X Developer Edition has made an appearance on Motorola’s Moto X website. Some amount of waiting is still needed, though, as the device is still marked as “Coming Soon”. 
In itself, we were already quite impressed by the Moto X, which you can read about in our review here. With 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, a 4.7-inch HD display, and a 10 megapixel camera, the hardware might not be entirely record-breaking, but its performance makes you feel it was made of finer stuff. And particularly interesting is its X8 Computing System, which, while based on a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, is augmented by Motorola’s own design of low-power “context computing” chips. But probably most relevant for modders is the developer-friendly roots of the Moto X, which is the first Motorola Android smartphone developed directly under Google’s supervision. Motorola confirmed that the device will come with an unlockable bootloader, which eases the processes of developing and flashing custom Android ROMs on the device. Although it was also reported that Verizon and AT&T will only offer locked versions, a developer edition would make that moot. Now that promised edition is almost here. The Moto X developer edition features a distinct look, with a black top and a white back cover engraved with “Developer Edition”. It has double the storage capacity at 32 GB and, of course, has an unlockable bootloader. No word yet on exactly when Motorola will start accepting orders, though, so we’ll be keeping an eye on that spot for updates. | |
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