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- Rumor: Samsung GT-N5100 to be 8-inch Note after all, specs include Android 4.2 and 2 GB of RAM
- T-Mobile expands Nexus 4 availability in its stores
- MediaFire for Android now available, gives you 50GB of free storage
- Sony’s 6.9mm thin Xperia Tablet Z might be introduced in Japan next week
- Amazon offers HTC Droid DNA for $100 with a contract
- Temple Run gets a sequel on iOS, Android version to come out next week
- Google Glass hackathons scheduled for late January and early February, devs to get their Glass on-site
- Nexus 7 3G now shipping with choice of AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card
- T-Mobile’s LTE launch just days away, Las Vegas and Kansas City to be first
- Galaxy Note 3 to feature Exynos 5 Octa chip, Galaxy S4 left out?
| Rumor: Samsung GT-N5100 to be 8-inch Note after all, specs include Android 4.2 and 2 GB of RAM Posted: 17 Jan 2013 02:29 AM PST
With CES behind us, but MWC already looming on the horizon, the Samsung rumor mill was expected to reboot its grinding any day now. And boy, has it started grinding again! We haven't even had time to digest the bittersweet story of the Exynos 5 Octa powering the future GNote 3, but not the Galaxy S4 that we already have something else to focus all our attention on. Does anyone remember the GT-N5100? Of course you do, as it was the protagonist of not one, not two and not three, but four different reports back in October and December of last year. In a nutshell, the leaked Samsung tablet was said to be a shrunken down Note 10.1 (or an upsized Note 2, if you will) with a display of either 7 or 7.7 inches, Android 4.1 and a 1.6 GHz Exynos 4412 CPU. Obviously, the gadget was never confirmed officially, but there was enough behind it for us to be certain of its existence. And now we're more than certain, as our good friends from Sam Mobile have let more details slip about what's become the Galaxy Note 8.0. That's right, it seems that the slate will be sporting an 8-inch panel after all, which, we're guessing, it's going to help take the battle to Apple's iPad Mini. But will the Note 8.0 have enough heat to face such an epic war? We're cautiously optimistic, but we should probably let you be the judge of that.
If Sam Mobile's sources are to be trusted (and they usually are), the GT-N5100 will be featuring a 1,280 x 800 pix res Super Clear LCD screen, 5 MP/1.3 MP dual cameras, 2 GB of RAM, 16 and 32 GB of on-board storage, microSD support, a 4,600 mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and A-GPS. There should be both a Wi-Fi only and a 3G-enabled version of the tab (the first one being dubbed GT-N5110), while the whole package will be wrapped in smooth butter courtesy of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Finally, the 8-incher's measurements are said to be 211.3 x 136.3 x 7.95 mm, while the weight is rumored to be of around 330 grams. You might notice that there's a little spec missing there, the CPU, but that's what earlier rumors are good for. Also, there will naturally be S-Pen support, though it remains to be seen if Sammy will be introducing a new stylus as well or recycle one of the "old" ones used for the GNote "phablets" or the Note 10.1. We don't want to put the above specs in a head-to-head battle with iPad Mini's features yet, as we feel that might be an apples and… Samsungs comparison, but we'll tell you this – everything sounds good about the Note 8.0 in theory as of now. The pricing and design will probably be the ultimate tiebreakers, so let’s reserve our verdicts until MWC… or whenever those will be revealed as well. Who’s with us? Related Posts |
| T-Mobile expands Nexus 4 availability in its stores Posted: 17 Jan 2013 02:27 AM PST
Still trying to get to the end of the Nexus 4 rainbow? We told you earlier in the week that T-Mobile is planning to stock more units of the Nexus 4 this week. Now, the carrier has announced that it's expanding the availability of the flagship Nexus phone to its entire stores. According to the announcement, T-Mo has restocked the Nexus 4 in select retail locations since yesterday, but it'll take a few weeks for the device to show up on all of its store shelves across the country. It’s best to call up your local store if you don’t want to go home disappointed. If you don't feel like making the trip to their brick-and-mortar stores, you can snag the Nexus 4 from T-Mo's website starting from January 23. The N4 is selling for the same price of $199 with a contract, while getting it unsubsidized means shelling out $499. Anyone managed to score some N4? Hoping to get one soon? Let us know in the comments below. Related Posts |
| MediaFire for Android now available, gives you 50GB of free storage Posted: 17 Jan 2013 02:08 AM PST
Currently at version 1.0, MediaFire for Android comes with the ability to let users listen to audio, watch videos, and access office documents, including spreadsheets and presentations. It also allows direct uploading of pictures and videos to a user’s own MediaFire account. All devices that are running Android 2.2 Froyo or later are officially supported. MediaFire for Android does have one shortcoming: it currently does not allow batch uploads (or actions) through the app itself. If you don’t care for that one minor inconvenience, then feel free to head on to Google Play via the link below and download a cope for yourself. Just remember to supply your own Internet connection for it. Related Posts |
| Sony’s 6.9mm thin Xperia Tablet Z might be introduced in Japan next week Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:44 AM PST
We learned yesterday that Sony's flagship smartphone might get a tablet companion in the Xperia Tablet Z. While it's not yet official, we certainly hope that it'd be announced sooner rather than later – especially after finding out the specs. Fortunately, word has it that Sony – with the help of Japanese carrier DoCoMo — will unveil the new tab in its home country on January 22. Upon introducing the device, the Tablet Z will also be showcased in select DoCoMo stores until January 27. This information was briefly listed on DoCoMo's website, but has since been taken off. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z has yet to pose for the camera, but here are the specs once more to get you excited:
Intrigued by Sony’s upcoming tablet offering? We’ll keep you posted. Related Posts |
| Amazon offers HTC Droid DNA for $100 with a contract Posted: 16 Jan 2013 10:40 PM PST
The HTC Droid DNA has only been out for less than two months on Verizon, but the 5-inch 1080p smartphone has seen its fair share of price cuts. Is it not just selling well? Whatever the reason is, we don't think customers would mind. The latest offer comes from Amazon Wireless, which is dropping the price of the Droid DNA to $100 with a two-year contract. However, note that this staggering low price is only valid for new Verizon subscribers. If you're looking to upgrade, you'll have to shell out $50 more. We've praised the phone on our HTC Droid DNA review for many good reasons. Aside from the aforementioned 5-inch screen with 441 ppi, you'll get a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8MP rear camera, 2.1MP front-facing camera, NFC, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. There's no doubt that the Droid DNA is one of HTC's finest offerings. Hit the link below if you're interested. Related Posts |
| Temple Run gets a sequel on iOS, Android version to come out next week Posted: 16 Jan 2013 07:28 PM PST
Casual games are all the rage with touchscreen devices like smartphones and tablets. Temple Run is one such title, and the runner has actually soared to popularity on both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store, garnering a million downloads on its first three days alone after launch on Google Play, and a total of 100 million downloads in its first year. The game has since had a spinoff, based on Disney’s Brave animated film. Just yesterday, Imangi Studios released version two of the wildly popular running game. The game’s sequel was first launched in New Zealand, and will be made available to the rest of the world thereafter. The game has been updated with new gameplay features and storylines. The landscape is more diverse, and gameplay is made more exciting by new obstacles and traps. Imangi Studios says the game features better graphics, new characters and special achievements. Oh, don’t forget the bigger monkey!
Folks who are not too excited with the basic gameplay can purchase upgrades in-game upgrades, which include Coin Value, Coin Magnet, Shield Duration, Pickup Spawn, Boost Distance, Power Meter and more. A few points to note:
The initial release of Temple Run 2 is an iOS exclusive, but Imangi has promised that the Android variant — for both smartphones and tablets — will be out on Google Play next week. As before, the app is a freemium download, which means you can download it free, but will need to make in-app purchases when you want premium content. Check out the video below. Related Posts |
| Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:12 PM PST  Sergey Brin demonstrates Google Glass at I/O in June 2012 After months of not hearing any news, Google announced a Google Glass hackathon called the Glass Foundry in late January or Early February in San Francisco and New York. This invitation-only event is aimed at developers who have signed up and paid the $1,500 fee for the developer edition. An email was sent to Explorer Program developers with an unspecified number of slots for the two day event. Even though Google has been silent with any official news, Google Glass has been receiving a lot of media attention. Time Magazine named it as one of the "Best Inventions of 2012." At the same time, the wearable tech has also become the subject of ridicule as being too geeky for the average user to wear. The Glass Project was intended to create an augmented reality head-mounted display, which would show information like a smartphone. It would run on Android, and controlling the device will be hands free, such as through head movements, gesture and voice control. For instance, Google envisions the device to let users browse the internet using natural language commands. Google has promised to actually deliver at the event — developers will receive their Google Glass at the hackathon, where they will be given the opportunity to build all sorts of apps and products. There have been prior attempts at an augmented reality tools, as well as head mounted displays. But so far, these attempts have not been successful in the market. Glass Project lead Babak Parviz was earlier interviewed to hint that the company expects developers and users to find the platform interesting, although there are still doubts as to the actual applications. The hackathon is meant to explore these different possibilities. As a recap, the Glass Project was introduced to the public during Google’s I/O developer conference in June last year. The prototype presented had audio and video capability, a built-in compass and accelerometer. Users can control the device with head movements. Since then, it has been used by Diane von Furstenberg during the New York Fashion Week. Models filmed the audience while they walked the runway. Other improvements and plans include voice commands, a touch pad and phone call capability. At Glass Foundry, agenda for the first day will be about developing the software for the AR platform. The second day will be for showcasing the demos, where special guest judges will decide on the best ones. Target date for the actual release of Google Glass to the public is by the end of 2013, and it is expected to sell for the same price as a smartphone. The $1,500 developer kit includes a working Glass, as well as tools and the API for the device, which should enable developers to build apps and interfaces for the wearable tech. Developers can pre-register for the event until January 18, and the event is set either for January 28-29 in San Francisco or February 1-2 in New York. Related Posts |
| Nexus 7 3G now shipping with choice of AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:03 PM PST
Up until now, Google Play was bundling their unlocked Nexus 7 HSPA+ model with an AT&T SIM card, requiring T-Mobile users to buy their SIM card separately. Starting today, Google Play will now offer a T-Mobile SIM card bundle as well. Other than including the T-Mobile SIM card instead, this is the same 32GB HSPA+ tablet and it still costs the same $299. While this really isn’t much of a change, it still means that users can jump right in when their tablet arrives without having to pick up a T-Mobile SIM card first. Considering how cheap SIM cards cost, it would be nice if Google just included both an AT&T and T-Mobile card with the Nexus 7 3G, allowing consumers to pick and choose which SIM they wanted to use and making it easier to switch between carriers down the road. Of course AT&T and T-Mobile probably wouldn’t be fond of that idea. Anyhow, if you are interested in picking up the tablet with a T-Mobile SIM, it is available now through Google Play. Related Posts |
| T-Mobile’s LTE launch just days away, Las Vegas and Kansas City to be first Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST
According to Fierce Wireless, T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray proclaimed that LTE was very nearly ready to be deployed. After Las Vegas, Kansas City is next in line for T-Mobile’s new LTE network. From there, the roadmap for LTE release will reportedly follow that of their HSPA+ network. This means that Baltimore, Houston, and Washington DC will be next in line after Kansas. T-Mobile has been adament that they’ll be getting their LTE up pretty quickly. They have estimated that by mid 2013, over 100 million people will have LTE coverage. By the end of the year, that number should double. This will match the estimated 200 million people who will have HSPA+ by the end of 2013. That’s a lot of 4G for everyone. Will T-Mobile be able to pull this off?That is hard to determine. When Sprint began rolling out their LTE, they had a pretty firm plan in place. A myriad of delays has prevented them from achieving their initial goals. Thankfully, T-Mobile didn’t make the same bad mistake that Sprint did. T-Mobile’s current devices still support HSPA+ as will their future devices, so even if you don’t have LTE, you’ll still have their HSPA+ network. So no one will get stuck on crummy 3G because because the carrier didn’t think to include support for their other 4G network. In terms of devices, the Galaxy Note 2 will reportedly get a quick update to turn on the dormant LTE chip. In addition, T-Mobile will release a variant of the Galaxy S III with LTE so customers can pick that up as well. Technically, the Nexus 4 can as well, but the FCC really prefers if you didn’t activate it. T-Mobile customers, are you looking forward to the LTE launch or will you be more excited when it’s been completed? Let us know! Related Posts |
| Galaxy Note 3 to feature Exynos 5 Octa chip, Galaxy S4 left out? Posted: 16 Jan 2013 12:59 PM PST
The Exynos 5 Octa eight-core mobile chip was one of the new products that Samsung unveiled at CES 2013 last week. However, the company failed to tell us which future Android devices will user the high-end power-efficient processor this year. We speculated at the time of the announcement that flagship handsets like the upcoming Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 could benefit from a faster processor that's also more efficient. But a new report reveals that the Galaxy Note 3 will pack the new SoC, at least according to unnamed Samsung execs, with the Galaxy S4 was left out of the conversation for the time being. The Korea Times reveals that Samsung took advantage of CES to initiate talks with various Chinese Android smartphone makers, including Huawei and ZTE, which could become potential chip buyers. The publication says that Samsung is interested in replacing business lost from Apple with new partners that could use mobile chips in their handsets this year, especially Chinese companies that are starting to make more and more interesting Android smartphones and phablets. At CES, Samsung "top" execs including Samsung Electronics CEO Kwon Oh-hyun met with Huawei and ZTE officials to discuss potential deals, according to a senior-level Samsung executive.
And it's apparently the same source(s) that told the newspaper that the new Octa processor will be found inside of the future Note:
Huawei and ZTE officials did aknowledge the meetings with Samsung, therefore confirming the Samsung exec's disclosures to The Korea Times:
In light of that, we should assume the person that talked to the publication has some idea of Samsung's 2013 smartphone strategy, including plans related to chip use in future devices like the Galaxy Note 3. However, with that in mind, and considering we're certainly a long way from seeing the Galaxy Note 3 become official, we have no way of confirming any Galaxy Note 3 details at this point even though it certainly makes sense to see the new Exynos 5 Octa inside the future phablet. And since we're talking about unreleased devices, what about the Galaxy S4? Will the next Galaxy S handset sport a different Exynos chip, maybe one of the currently available ones? Related Posts |
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