Android Authority |
- Pantech reportedly prepping bezel-less 5-inch phone with Snapdragon 600 CPU
- LG Optimus G Pro software features showcased in Value Pack Upgrade video
- Nexus 10 official covers, available now
- Chrome Beta for Android update brings users much-needed new features
- Glass coming to Glass Explorers within a month, Google launches Glass Collective
- Get disposable numbers for calls and SMS with Burner
- T-Mobile may update offer for Metro PCS
- Shape changing plastics could shape future device interaction
- Galaxy S4 teardown performed ahead of the phone’s official launch
- Infographic: Android device popularity across the world
| Pantech reportedly prepping bezel-less 5-inch phone with Snapdragon 600 CPU Posted: 11 Apr 2013 02:28 AM PDT
Although it's not exactly a household name in the global mobile industry, Pantech is extremely popular in South Korea. In fact, believe it or not, Pantech has been the second best-selling handset maker in its homeland in 2012, behind Samsung, but ahead of LG, Apple and all the others. But why not believe it, when the company has sensational phones like the Vega No.6 or Vega R3 in its portfolio? Also, if we are to trust existing rumors, Pantech has great plans for the future – a mystery IM-A870 device targeted against Samsung's Galaxy S4. The near future, that is, because apparently the company's next flagship will go on sale as soon as the end of April. Based on the model number, this is surely set to up the ante of the Vega No.6, aka the IM-A860. Details on the exact specs are still slim, but if Korean website ET News is to be trusted (and something tells me it is), the A870 will come with a 5-inch bezel-less display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 CPU and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
Hold on, bezel-less display? As in truly borderless and not just the kind of edge-to-edge display that Motorola and Intel teased last year, but failed to deliver after all? That would be huge! I mean, we've all been waiting and dreaming and craving for something like that for God knows how long, only to hear from everyone that it's virtually impossible to design a functional phone that's all screen. And Pantech could make that happen? Sign me up for a dozen of these already! Unless, you know, the report is not legit or the whole thing will turn out to be just a cheap marketing ploy. Also, even if the IM-A870 does happen to be the world's first true bezel-less phone, the issue of potential limited availability remains in place. But hey, let's not be negative and hope Pantech will be looking to go for gold worldwide for a change.
Back to the 5-incher's rumored spec sheet for a second, I have to mention that, after doing some digging, I've discovered an older AnTuTu benchmark of the IM-A870L, the version for Korea's LG U+. This "confirms" there will be on-board Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, but shows a 1.7 GHz S4 Pro CPU inside and not a Snapdragon 600. That makes the IM-A870 score lower than Samsung's GS4, although 24,000 points is still rather zippy. For comparison, the HTC One scored about as much in our AnTuTu test, while Sony's Xperia Z lagged behind, at a little over 20,000 points. Now how could you not get excited about Pantech’s rumored next spearhead? No, seriously, I want to know how I can make the wait bearable, because I feel like I’m going to explode! |
| LG Optimus G Pro software features showcased in Value Pack Upgrade video Posted: 10 Apr 2013 10:02 PM PDT
Samsung is no longer the only one who can lay claim to being able to offer eye-tracking software features with its flagship Android smartphone. The LG Optimus G Pro, which is scheduled to get a special “Value Pack Upgrade” for software this month, will soon have a new feature called “Smart Video” which automagically pauses video playback the moment a user looks away from the screen. Also part of the upcoming software upgrade are two features called Dual Camera and Pause and Resume Recording. All three of these new software features have just been demonstrated by LG through a new video of the Optimus G Pro that was posted today on YouTube. It shows a woman using the Optimus G Pro in an office trying out the three new features one by one. The first thing she tests is Smart Video, then follows it up with Dual Camera, and ends the presentation with Pause and Resume Recording. It’s quite baffling that a feature that lets users pause while in the middle of recording video has not been available on LG Android phones until now. In any case, it’s a welcome addition to the Optimus G Pro’s arsenal of software niceties. Check out the Value Pack Upgrade video below. And if you haven’t seen it already, watch our full LG Optimus G video review here. |
| Nexus 10 official covers, available now Posted: 10 Apr 2013 09:36 PM PDT
The Play Store is a wicked mistress. Sometimes, we get exactly what we want from it. Other times, we go wanting for what seems like an eternity. Then, on days like today, we have things at our disposal we weren't even aware of. No warning, no alerts… just items coyly slipped in there, as if they belonged the entire time. Today, the Play Store brought us something new… something we desire greatly. The Nexus 10, that absolute beast of a ten-inch tablet, finally has an official cover. That's right, a proper cover that takes full advantage of the device. It attaches to the device by removing that Nexus 10 cover on the back, so it adds minimal bulk. It will also put the screen to sleep once it's closed, and re-awaken it once it's opened back up. If you've never had a cover that does that before, go ahead and wear out a battery charge entertaining yourself with it. We won't tell. The cover also comes in 2 colors, a "Dark Grey" and "Scarlet". From the pics, Scarlet looks a little more orange than red… but it's still nice to have a color option. The rounded corners add a nice touch, and finish off the original look nicely. They are currently on sale for $29.99, and we'd suggest you get them while you can. If Play Store stock levels are any indication, we can't promise this will be around long… or come back anytime soon. Now, about that pogo charger we’ve been waiting for…
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| Chrome Beta for Android update brings users much-needed new features Posted: 10 Apr 2013 09:32 PM PDT
The team of developers behind the Chrome Beta web browser for Android has just rolled out a new software update that you would be keen to look into, primarily if you have found the lack of certain search bar-related features in previous versions quite disappointing. The latest iteration of Chrome Beta for Android, which currently sits at version 27, offers a few new features that stand to improve the overall user-experience greatly. According to a post on the official Google Chrome Releases blog, the latest Chrome Beta for Android update adds fullscreen on phones, allowing users to “hide” the browser toolbar simply by scrolling down a web page. It now offers tablet users tab history as well, which can be accessed easily by doing a long press on the back button. According to the full changelog, other new features include client-side certificate support and an improved omnibox that retains search queries that have been typed in instead of replacing the same with URL search results after a user hits Enter. There are a number of minor issues as well, such as occasional slowness when it comes to typing on text fields and opening tabs. To find out whether this version of Chrome Beta for Android is right for you, then spend a few minutes testing it out yourself by first downloading it from Google Play, as referenced in the sourced linked to below. |
| Glass coming to Glass Explorers within a month, Google launches Glass Collective Posted: 10 Apr 2013 07:10 PM PDT
If you attended Google I/O 2012 and happened to hand over $1,500 promising that you’d buy Glass or if you were one of the 8,000 selected in Google’s recent #IfIHadGlass contest, you’ll be happy to know your time is about to finally arrive. Someone close to the matter spoke with TechCrunch, informing them that Glass Explorers shall be receiving their wearable tech within the next month. The timing for this couldn’t be any more perfect as Google I/O 2013 is just around the corner in San Francisco from May 15th to 17th. Glass will most likely be an extremely hot topic and even a center stage event next month. Getting Glass to developers seems like a smart move as Google wants developers to be excited for Glass.
Glass is one of the most innovative ideas with mobile technology since the mobile phone debuted 40 years ago. If you have an innovative idea for Glass and you are looking for funding, Google just might have a solution for you. Today, Google Ventures launched the “Glass Collective” in collaboration with Andreessen Horowitz and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The Glass Collective is an investment group set out to provide seed capital to Glass entrepreneurs, to help them get started on their projects. Things are about to get really exciting. As a Glass Explorer, I’m like a giddy school girl over today’s announcements. I can’t wait. |
| Get disposable numbers for calls and SMS with Burner Posted: 10 Apr 2013 06:35 PM PDT
 Call me, maybe? (Image credit: Shutterstock) Want to give your date your number, but not sure if it’s going to work out in the long term? Signing up for a service, but don’t want to incessantly receive marketing calls and SMS? Are you selling items online, but don’t want to be bothered with calls and texts after your transaction? Maybe you’re planning to do some late April Fool’s pranks. Burner is the app for you. Burner is a mobile app that gets you disposable numbers without the need to purchase a new SIM. You can place calls and send SMS from your temporary phone number, as well as receive calls, SMS and voice mail from the same number. When you’re through with it, you can simply switch to a new one or stop the service altogether.
Initially available on iOS, Burner has recently released its Android app on Google Play. Burner offers one free number in several area codes in the US, and an initial allocation of five voice minutes and 15 SMS messages valid for a day. Burner is not exactly cheap, though, as you will need to get more credits as an in-app purchase in order to extend the validity of your burner number to more days, additional minutes or SMS allocation, or if you want to dispose of your number and get a new one. Additionally, Burner is only available in the US. If this is a limitation, or if you think the pricing scheme is a bit too steep, you can also check out apps like Hushed, which also offers a similar functionality, and also has support for numbers from other countries, and also support for acquiring US numbers from other countries (which makes it an ideal app for signing up for a Google Voice number). Burner is a free download on Google Play. An iOS version of Burner is also available for the iPhone. iPad and iPod touch support is also included, which can, in essence, turn these devices into phones that can make calls and send SMS. |
| T-Mobile may update offer for Metro PCS Posted: 10 Apr 2013 05:32 PM PDT
Last week, we reported on T-Mobile's bid for Metro PCS meeting opposition from shareholders. Essentially, Metro PCS shareholders weren’t fond of the deal, as they felt it didn’t represent their best interest. Well, it didn’t represent their best financial interest, at least. That groundswell of opposition either had more traction than we knew, or T-Mobile is just not in the mood to play around. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that T-Mobile intends to sweeten their offer to buyout Metro PCS. This sweetened deal will likely reduce that $15 billion loan debt the newly formed company would almost immediately assume. There are no details on just what the terms of a new offer might be, as T-Mobile is unwilling to discuss the matter. It could be a number of things, though. Perhaps the "reverse merger" we told you about previously will be re-structured, though that's doubtful. In a situation like this, a reverse merger makes the most sense long-term. Our money is on… money. The current offer made by T-Mobile values Metro PCS shares at about $7-8/share, and it currently trades for quite a bit more than that. A pending merger, with the promise of increased revenue, should only steady or push that price higher. Shareholders want what they feel is a fair price, considering the climate surrounding the deal. Many are excited for this merger, but unhappy shareholders present problems in the future. This merger, which combines the LTE service of Metro PCS and the un-carrier offerings of T-Mobile, could be a very big deal for US cellular service moving forward. If they can keep an eye on this curve-ball, T-Mobile will have a home run.
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| Shape changing plastics could shape future device interaction Posted: 10 Apr 2013 04:42 PM PDT
What if your phone could change its texture? What if your screen could create physical buttons, or provide pinpoint haptic feedback? There is technology that could deliver that for us. It's probably a long way off, but the concept is amazing. If you have ever had a phone with a physical, QWERTY keyboard… you probably understand how great those are. It took away from the screen size, but at the time those were popular… we had no use for a larger screen. Now that we have Smartphones, with games and such, we can't get enough of the larger screens. Yet, now and then, we all wish those physical keyboards could somehow be worked into our slim, sleek devices. Perhaps, with this new technology, we can. What's being called 'shape changing plastic' has the ability to manipulate itself on a very small scale. The technology, which utilizes electrostriction, basically applies an electrical field to your touchscreen. In doing so, the material the screen is made of reacts to the charge, and the varied charge can create texture. The actual material of the screen is different, of course. It is a polymer which can be manipulated by "as much as 10%". The only information on it is that it is a "high-strain electromechanical material", and will re-form itself quickly after manipulation. This has usually been a compromise; we either got material that could be manipulated, but reformed slowly… or had limited formation properties, while keeping its shape well. Tons of cool things are possible with this technology. Take, for instance, gaming. If, while playing a game, the actual physical interaction of your device could change… it would add a layer of enjoyment we've not yet imagined. Skateboarding over rough cement, or walking through mud… even flying into a headwind. All that could be realized in much better detail than our current method of altered game physics. We'd actually feel what we're doing, not just experience it. AccessibilityShape changing plastic has a much deeper impact than many of us may realize, also. Think of those who need a little assistance functioning in society, under the parameters it has set forth. Some of us get by with a little help from our friends, or in this case… devices. How many signs do you see in braille? Not many, I'm sure. A pinpoint haptic feedback screen could be manipulated into braille, adding a layer of functionality to society for our blind citizens. While audible feedback is handy, braille on a touchscreen could make things much more discoverable for them. As our tech world becomes more ingrained with our physical one, simple tasks we may take for granted, like stopping outside a restaurant to read a menu, could become available for a greater number of people. The GPS would know your position, and offer to give you the restaurant info and menu.
ConclusionThings that make life better also have the ability to make it simpler. Even though this technology is still in its infancy, it is absolutely one we should keep an eye on. Passive polymer such as this has the ability to do much more than enhance touch, as the video below demonstrates. The audio quality produced isn’t fantastic, but it's a good start. Will we ever see something as cool as a 3D model, popping from our mobile device screen? That's hard to say. To be fair, we didn't think a device screen could manipulate itself. There was also a time we didn’t think tilting a device could result in action, or viewing a web page could be done in a mobile environment. The future is an exciting place, and we’re all going. |
| Galaxy S4 teardown performed ahead of the phone’s official launch Posted: 10 Apr 2013 03:57 PM PDT
The Galaxy S4 is not even available yet to regular customers and a teardown of the Samsung flagship handset has already been performed. While iFixit is the go-to source for professional teardown procedures for such popular gadgets, this time we're looking at a teardown performed by a TechnoBuffalo source with access to the phone. The Galaxy S4 model that was disassembled for the public's viewing pleasure is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 version, not that it matters all that much when it comes to tearing down the handset.
According to the report, the Galaxy S4 seems to be pretty sturdy when it comes to internal components and "a bit of prying" is required to separate the front and back even after the nine screws that hold everything together are removed. More importantly, the Galaxy S4 is apparently "incredibly easy to fix," as various parts can be easily replaced including the microSD card slot, SIM slot, microUSB charging port, camera module and others. However, unlike the displays on the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 that were "easier to remove," the Gorilla Glass of the Galaxy S4 "could cause a problem," when trying to service it.
Comparatively, the HTC One is a lot tougher to repair than the Galaxy S4. In fact, Samsung's new flagship is said to be "one of the 'most repairable smartphones'" that the person performing the teardown has ever worked on. Obviously, we're not recommending anyone to teardown any device in order to repair it, and you'll be the only person responsible for whatever happens with your gadgets during home repair procedures. |
| Infographic: Android device popularity across the world Posted: 10 Apr 2013 03:32 PM PDT
Despite Android growth leveling off in the U.S., it's still the number one mobile OS worldwide. Handset Detection recently analyzed 35 million Android devices in seven countries across four different categories: Top models, top screen sizes, number of unique devices, and what percentage of phones compared to tablets. Starting in the U.S., here are the top 10 models:
Handset Detection doesn’t specify what "Android Generic" is, though it appears in the ‘top models’ for other countries as well. The most popular screen size in the U.S. is 1280 x 720, followed by 960 x 540 and 480 x 320. In total, there are 1,360 unique devices. Smartphones are significantly more popular than tablets, making up almost 86 percent of all Android devices. Here are the top 10 Android devices in Great Britain:
As far as the top screen sizes, 800 x 480 is number one, followed by 1280 x 720 and 1280 x 800. There are 961 unique Android devices in Great Britain with 78 percent of all devices being smartphones. Here are some interesting facts about Android usage worldwide:
To see how well other countries stacked up, you can check out the full infographic below.
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