Android Community |
- iOS classic game iBomber hits the Google Play Store
- FedEx Mobile for Android updated with Delivery Manager and more
- Dead on Arrival 2 beta arriving next month
- ESPN Fantasy Football updated for 2013 – Get ready for the draft
- Improved GALAXY S 4 model to be waterproof and dustproof
- US traffic safety regulators release guidelines to curb in-vehicle distractions
- Verizon GALAXY S 4 pre-orders open tomorrow as shipments remain secret
- Facebook Messenger app update brings stickers to Android
- T-Mobile, MetroPCS merger receives shareholder approval
- T-Mobile HTC One in-store availability begins today
- Sony Xperia P, Go and E Dual Jelly Bean updates beginning this week
- T-Mobile GALAXY S 4 online availability pushed to next week
- Acer Liquid E2 smartphone gets official
- ZTE signs Microsoft patent license agreement for Android
- Groupon app update brings support for Android tablets and more
- BBC finally brings iPlayer Radio app to Android
- Swype now available from the Google Play Store
- Samsung GALAXY S 4 Review
- European HTC One update includes a camera enhancement suite and performance boosts
- Huawei shifting focus from US market
| iOS classic game iBomber hits the Google Play Store Posted: 24 Apr 2013 11:06 AM PDT If you’re looking for a casual game to keep you busy this weekend, we have one worth checking out that has been played by millions and millions. It’s called iBomber and is a hit iOS game that’s been available for a long, long time. A few years too late the game is finally available on Android, but still loads of fun.
This probably wasn’t the best few weeks to release a bombing game to the Play Store, and our hearts go out to the families of Boston. You’ve probably heard of the game before as it was highly successful on iOS for more than a few months, and has been played by millions of iOS users. We wish this game hit Android sooner, but at least it’s finally available – about 3 years late. This is a WW2-style arcade bomber game where you drop missiles and bombs on targets below from an airplane, and is loads of casual fun. Being originally developed in 2009 for iOS the graphics aren’t the best by today’s standards, but they are still pretty decent. I’m sure many of you played this on your iPod Touch back in the day, but now you can enjoy it on all those Android devices that have taken over the mobile market. The game sees you flying dangerous missions over the Pacific Ocean during 1943, there’s over 26 different levels to complete, and this new Android version has a few social network features baked in for additional fun. For some reason I’m oddly excited this is finally available for Android. Give it a try from the link below. [via Play Store] |
| FedEx Mobile for Android updated with Delivery Manager and more Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:51 AM PDT If you’re like us you probably do tons and tons of shopping online these days. From ordering a shiny new smartphone case, a new 60″ TV to watch Football on, and everything else. If you’re always checking FedEx tracking numbers and more like us, you might want to get the latest FedEx Mobile app for their new delivery manager features. Although, Google Now seems to track my packages just fine these days.
Yesterday the folks in purple from FedEx released a brand new Android app full of a few new features specific for those who love to patiently await and track their package. I’m guilty of checking it far too often, and now FedEx looks to make that process and much more even easier on Android smartphones and tablets. The update brings a new ‘Delivery Manager’ that will allow you to do all types of neat things, as long as you have a FedEx account. You can reschedule deliveries, pause a package if you’re not home or on vacation, update the package with delivery instructions for the driver and more. They’re getting into the 21st century. Yay! The update hit the play store yesterday bringing FedEx Mobile to version 2.0 and you can give it a try now, as long as you’re in the US. Sadly the user interface is still pretty awful, to say it nicely, and we would love a few more features. Let us scan our tracking numbers into the app, maybe set reminders and such too. Give the app a try from the link below if you’re one of those online shoppers always awaiting a package. [via Play Store link] |
| Dead on Arrival 2 beta arriving next month Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:39 AM PDT It isn’t a secret that NV3 Games will be releasing Dead on Arrival 2, however what we had been waiting on was word of a when that release will be. Well, we have yet to see when the final release will be available, but we now have word of an upcoming beta. The details have recently been shared on the official Dead on Arrival 2 site where they are asking for those who aren’t afraid of the dark and those who “have a stomach for wave after wave of bloodshed and mayhem.”
Basically, NV3 Games has put out an open call for Dead on Arrival 2 beta testers. The beta release is expected to arrive in May, though a specific date has yet to be announced. Aside from those recommendations we already mentioned above, NV3 Games is looking for those with a device running Android 4.0 or higher and powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. For those who do not quite meet those preferred specs, the minimum requirements are listed as being Android 3.0 or higher and an NVIDIA Tegra 2. Anyway, those looking to get in on the beta action can sign up using by visiting the Dead on Arrival 2 beta site. For those who are curious but not as familiar with the game, the teaser can be seen in the video sitting below. Additionally, Dead on Arrival 2 was also shown for the Project SHIELD back in mid-February. At that time we saw the Tegra 4 optimized version as being played on the yet-to-be released handheld system. In addition to this title, other games that have been shown on Project SHIELD include The Conduit HD, Dead Trigger 2, Riptide 2 and many more. [via Android and Me] |
| ESPN Fantasy Football updated for 2013 – Get ready for the draft Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:27 AM PDT For all those NFL and Fantasy Football fans out there, we have good news from ESPN today. They’ve beat the rest and are ahead of the curve by already updating their Fantasy Football app for the 2013 NFL season. For all you NFL fans out there like myself stuck watching NBA playoff games and the media’s endless and exhausting coverage of the Lakers, get ready for the draft!
The 2013 NFL season is still way too far away, and this is always the worst part of the year waiting for NBA to move over so we can get back to Football. At least for me anyways. For those that like to partake in the amazing fun of Fantasy Football the ESPN app on Android has all your needs covered. It’s what I’ve used for the past few seasons. As you can see they obviously changed the logo up a bit, which actually looks pretty snazzy this year although it’s what the app can do we’re concerned about. We were hoping for some draft status information but this app is clearly only for Fantasy Football so there’s no such new feature. You’ll be able to select and manage multiple teams, players, free agents and more all with the ESPN Fantasy Football 2013 app. Better to update now than a week after the season starts, so we’ll take it. Now I just need my Packers to pick up a few Wide Receivers, and maybe my boy Ziggy Ansah from BYU and we’ll be set. Get ready for the 2013 season guys. Who’s ready for the draft tomorrow? [via Play Store] |
| Improved GALAXY S 4 model to be waterproof and dustproof Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:00 AM PDT The Samsung GALAXY S 4 is finally starting to pick up steam with all the U.S. carriers announcing details and reviews hitting the streets, but a redesigned and more rugged model might already be in the works. While speaking at a conference this week a Samsung exec might have spilled the beans. Stating a slightly redesigned waterproof model could arrive in “the coming weeks.”
We know Samsung likes to make devices of every shape, size, and spec possible so this isn’t really a surprise. It’s interesting to hear just a few days before most U.S. carriers even launch the original though. Speaking at press event President of Samsung Gulf, Young Soo Kim, made these comments and now it will just be a waiting game. Young’s words weren’t very detailed but he essentially mentions a ruggedized waterproof and dustproof GALAXY S 4 is already in the works and is actually going to be available in the coming weeks. This is the first we’ve heard of such a device and while many smartphones today have water-resistant coatings, a “waterproof” GALAXY S 4 sure would be nice. The smartphone is set to hit AT&T and T-Mobile in the coming days, then this morning it was confirmed for Verizon on May 30th, but those will be the standard version. We’ll probably not see this redesigned rugged smartphone in the U.S. but we’ll update if we hear any further details. In the meantime check out our detailed and feature-packed GALAXY S 4 Review. [via TechView] |
| US traffic safety regulators release guidelines to curb in-vehicle distractions Posted: 24 Apr 2013 09:52 AM PDT The topic of distracted driving is often discussed in regards to texting while driving. While that may be one aspect, the truth is there is plenty of opportunity to be distracted while behind the wheel. In addition to smartphones, you also have stand-alone navigation devices and increasingly, touchscreen devices sitting in the dash.
On that note, US traffic safety regulators have recently released a set of voluntary guidelines to help keep drivers focused on the road ahead. Coming along with the published guidelines, the US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has said that while they feel that “distracted driving is a deadly epidemic” they acknowledge that “today’s drivers appreciate technology.” With that in mind, LaHood went on to talk about how they are trying to find “a way to balance the innovation consumers want with the safety we all need.” According to LaHood, this balance will eventually include a mix of laws, enforcement and driver education. For now though, these guidelines are just that, guidelines. These begin with a recommendation to limit the amount of time a driver must remove their eyes from the road to perform a task. For this they are suggesting that be limited to two seconds at a time and twelve seconds in total. They are also suggesting that some options be disabled unless the vehicle is in park. These options include manual text entry on a device (to include texting), no video-based entertainment or communications and even restricting any incoming text messages and social media updates. Anyway, these guidelines come as a result of a recent study. Said study found that “visual-manual tasks can degrade a driver’s focus and increase the risk of getting into a crash up to three times.” Some of the higher risk activities were shown to be text messaging and even answering the phone. In that case of text messaging, the study noted an increased risk of crash by two times due to the driver’s eyes being off the road for an average of 23 seconds. Similarly, activities such as reaching for your phone and then looking up a contact and dialing increased the risk of a crash by three times. Image credit: mrJasonWeaver on Flickr [via NHTSA] |
| Verizon GALAXY S 4 pre-orders open tomorrow as shipments remain secret Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:51 AM PDT While we have yet to see some of the specifics from Verizon Wireless, we now know they will have GALAXY S 4 pre-orders available as of tomorrow. The details have arrived by way of their official @VZnews Twitter account, however despite being able to move forward with a pre-order on April 25 — we are still yet to see an official release date.
Verizon Wireless has previously said the GALAXY S 4 would be available in May, but aside from offering that tidbit, the specific release date remains a mystery at the moment. Needless to say, we suspect some are ready and willing to move forward regardless. That being the case you should probably be aware of the pricing. Verizon has said the 16GB GALAXY S 4 will be selling for $199.99. The catch with that price is how it comes after a $50 mail-in rebate. In other words, be prepared to shell out $249.99 on the day of purchase. This of course places the Verizon GALAXY S 4 at the same price as the AT&T GALAXY S 4. T-Mobile on the other hand is still using their UNcarrier approach which means the GALAXY S 4 will be available with a downpayment of $149.99 with an additional 24 payments of $20. Taking the May release timeframe into consideration, and we can only hope that doesn’t mean May 30. Otherwise, one point that Verizon Wireless users will not have to worry about is deciding between the GALAXY S 4 and the HTC One. That being the case, our recently published GALAXY S 4 review may help to answer any lingering questions that you may have. [Update] Verizon hasn’t said when the GALAXY S 4 pre-orders would ship just yet, however they have since confirmed the in-store availability date. The details were posted by Ken Muche (@VZWken) who has said the handset will be available in-stores on May 30. Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
 Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
 |
| Facebook Messenger app update brings stickers to Android Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:14 AM PDT With details coming by way of a previous app update, Facebook had said they would have Chat Heads and stickers available for everyone over the next few weeks. Those stickers were later found to be hidden and available for those willing (or able) to tap a tiny little spot next to the plus button. As of today though, Facebook has once again updated the Android Messenger app and this time they have added the sticker support.
Basically, stickers are now available and users can send them as they see fit. When in the Facebook Messenger app, a tap of the smiley face icon will allow you to send what Facebook is describing as a “playful kitten or another cute critter.” The stickers can be accessed by tapping the smiley icon, which sits in the ‘write a message’ box, just to the left of the location arrow. Not much to the stickers aside from the bit about them now being readily available as opposed to being hidden and hard to access. Otherwise, in addition to the release of stickers, this Facebook Messenger app update also took care of some unspecified bugs. All that being said, we offer this — not everyone will see that smiley icon just yet. In fact, it seems that quite a few users are saying they are not able to access them. Rest assured though, if you are not seeing them just yet, you will soon and you are not alone. That aside, we can confirm the stickers are available and in fact, you can get a look at some of the options in the above screenshots. [via Google Play Store] |
| T-Mobile, MetroPCS merger receives shareholder approval Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:32 AM PDT Having received the approval from the board of directors earlier in the month, the T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger was left needing only the approval from the shareholders. The original shareholder meeting was delayed, which resulted in a push back to April 24. Anyway, the shareholder meeting has taken place as expected and it looks like the merger has been approved.
The details are coming by way of Reuters, who are reporting the shareholders have “voted to approve.” As we had previously seen approval come from the Department of Justice, FCC and the Committee on Foreign Investment, this means the all the necessary parties have offered approval and we should now begin seeing details of the actual merger process. While the approval has been given, we know that this likely comes as a result of the recently improved offer from Deutsche Telekom. News of this improved, which was said to be the “best and final” offer came from Deutsche Telekom on April 11 and included a reduction of the shareholder loans as well as a reduction on the interest rate and a longer lockup period. To sum the offer up, the shareholder loans dropped from $15 billion to $11.2 billion, the interest rate was reduced by 50 basis points and Deutsche Telekom will not be permitted to publicly sell shares of the combined company for 18 months (which was upped from 12 months). Otherwise, it was also said that shareholders P. Schoenfeld Asset Management and Paulson & Co are now happy with these improved terms. Of course, that probably just goes to show why the merger received the shareholder approval [via Reuters] |
| T-Mobile HTC One in-store availability begins today Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:03 AM PDT The HTC One first came available with T-Mobile back on April 19. Coincidentally, that was the same day the handset came available with AT&T. The catch with the T-Mobile availability though, as of the 19th the handset was available online only. As of today however, the HTC One is now available in retail stores.
T-Mobile has said the HTC One will be available in “select” retail stores beginning on April 24. While we suspect that some users may have been waiting until today so they could venture into a retail store and check out the HTC One and Samsung GALAXY S 4 side by side, remember the release for the latter has since been delayed until April 29. As a recap, the HTC One can be purchased with a downpayment of $99.99. In addition to the downpayment, those making the purchase will then need to shell out an additional $20 per month for 24 months. Alternatively, those looking to avoid those monthly payments can opt to shell out the full retail price, which in the case of the One happens to be $579.99. Aside from the price and availability of the HTC One, those planning a purchase will be grabbing the handset along with one of the new UNcarrier Simple Choice Plans which begin at $50 per month for unlimited talk, text and data. That plan also includes an additional 500MB of data at high-speed. With that, those still torn between the One and the GALAXY S 4 may benefit from reading our previously published comparison post. Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| Sony Xperia P, Go and E Dual Jelly Bean updates beginning this week Posted: 24 Apr 2013 06:38 AM PDT We recently heard from Sony about Jelly Bean coming to a select group of Xperia branded handsets. Those details were posted on Twitter and really just amounted to Sony teasing about Jelly Bean for the Xperia P, Go, S, SL, acro S and ion smartphones. With that in mind, we now have a confirmed release (beginning this week) for the Xperia P, Xperia Go and Xperia E Dual.
According to details coming from Sony, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update would begin “this week” for those three handsets. The update process will be done in batches and is said to be ramping up over this month and next. Simply put, just because the update process will begin this week — that does not necessarily mean it will arrive on your handset this week. As we often see with Jelly Bean updates coming from Sony, they include Android specific features as well as some updates on Sony specific features and apps. The Xperia P, Go and E Dual update is not any different. Those updating will see the Jelly Bean perks such as Google Now and the enhanced notifications. The update will also bring updates for the Sony Media apps which include the WALKMAN, Album and Movies apps. In this case, Sony has said they are going to be “newer and even more intuitive versions.” Additional items with this update include Battery STAMINA Mode, improvements in terms of organizing your app tray, a new search function for the app tray and the ability to add up to 7 homescreens, which comes as part of a updated homescreen experience. [via Sony] |
| T-Mobile GALAXY S 4 online availability pushed to next week Posted: 24 Apr 2013 06:20 AM PDT The Samsung GALAXY S 4 was expected to be available with T-Mobile beginning on April 24, however that release has since been pushed up a bit. T-Mobile has recently released a statement which brings talk of an “unexpected delay with inventory deliveries.” Basically, regardless of the reason for the delay, this means those who may have been planning to make a purchase still have a few days to wait.
T-Mobile has said the GALAXY S 4 will be available for online sales beginning on April 29. For those without a calendar handy, the 29th would be this coming Monday. Really just a small delay, but in a positive side, the carrier didn’t offer anything new in terms of pricing. Of course, that is just another way of saying the price point hasn’t changed. Previous details from T-Mobile revealed the GALAXY S 4 would be selling with a downpayment of $149.99. This falls under those new UNcarrier Simple Choice Plan options which are contract free. In addition to the downpayment, those picking up a GALAXY S 4 with T-Mobile will also need to shell out an additional 24 payments of $20. That $20 is above the price of the plan you choose. Those Simple Choice Plans begin at $50 per month and include unlimited talk, text and data as well as 500MB of high-speed data. If 500MB worth of high-speed data will not be enough, T-Mobile also offers the option to up that to 2GB or unlimited for $10 or $20 additional per month. Bottom line here, those looking for unlimited talk and text as well as unlimited data can expect to shell out $70 per month (plus the price of the monthly payments which would bring the total up to $90 per month). In the meantime, those looking for additional GALAXY S 4 coverage should venture down into the Story Timeline below which includes our recently published review. [via T-Mobile] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| Acer Liquid E2 smartphone gets official Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:57 AM PDT Acer has officially unveiled its latest smartphone offering running the Android operating system. The smartphone is called the Liquid E2 and is the first quad-core smartphone from Acer to feature optional dual SIM card slots. Having two SIM card slots means that users have the functionality of two mobile devices in one easier to manage handset.
The smartphone operates on HSPA+ networks at up to 42 Mbps. The mobile phone also features an eight-megapixel rear camera promising a zero shutter delay. Having no shutter delay means that you can take a picture of exactly what you see, which is particularly important if you’re trying to shoot fast action.
The smartphone features a 4.5-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen and a two-megapixel front camera. Acer integrates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an FM receiver, GPS, and a microSD card slot for storage expansion. The smartphone can also be had with a single SIM card slot. Other features include integrated accelerometer, and e-commerce, light sensors, proximity sensor, dual front stereo speakers, and a 3.5 mm audio Jack. The sound system for the smartphone supports DTS Sound and features Moodagent to create playlists based on the user’s mood. The Liquid E2 will be available in Belgium, Netherlands, Ukraine, France, Spain, UK, Italy, Germany, and Russia in the middle of May starting at €229. The phone will be available in black or white colors. [via Acer] |
| ZTE signs Microsoft patent license agreement for Android Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:43 AM PDT Microsoft continues to land significant patent license agreements with manufacturers of Android smartphones and tablets. The latest company to come on board with Microsoft and sign a patent license agreement is the ZTE. The company has signed an agreement licensing both Android and Chrome OS devices.
That out of this deal comes on the heels of an agreement between Microsoft and Hon Hai, the parent company of Foxconn, earlier this month. Microsoft says that the licensing agreement gives ZTE access to its “worldwide patent portfolio.” Microsoft has also bragged that almost 80% of all devices running Android are now covered by patent agreements. Microsoft also took the opportunity to note that it has invested over $4 billion in the last decade to acquire IP rights for various products. Microsoft says that that is part of its balanced approach that has led to its success with entering into licensing partnerships with various manufacturers. Reports indicate Microsoft makes more money from licensing Android patents than it makes off its own mobile operating system. With the announcement of a licensing agreement in place with ZTE, Microsoft also made a statement that patent suits could be avoided if companies would recognize and fairly seek rights to intellectual property owned by others. In other words, just pay up. [via SlashGear] |
| Groupon app update brings support for Android tablets and more Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:12 AM PDT If you’re a fan of the coupon/deals app Groupon, the company has issued an update for Android users. The embedded application brings a new universal search feature to make it easier to find deals that are nearby. That improved search functionality allows users to search not only time sensitive local deals but persistent offers that are close by as well.
Groupon says that the new search feature will eventually be made available outside of the United States. Exactly when the search feature will be rolled out to other countries remains to be seen. So far, Groupon has only said that the search feature will be enabled across its entire mobile footprint this year. Another important new upgrade that comes with the app update is support for tablets. This update marks the first time that the app has been optimized for screens up to 10 inches in size. The Android application also gains support for some new countries including Belgium, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, and Switzerland. That means the Android app is now supported in 18 countries. Currently the iPhone app is supported in 42 countries, but Groupon says that it hopes to bring parity between the iPhone and Android app user base by the end of the year. The updated app is available to download now. [via Groupon] |
| BBC finally brings iPlayer Radio app to Android Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:02 AM PDT If you’re a fan of British radio programming that uses an Android device, you’ll be glad to hear that the BBC has finally launched its iPlayer Radio app for Android users. It’s been six months now since the BBC launched the app for iOS users. The good news is that BBC’s James Simcock says the Android app has improvements that make it better than the iPhone application that launched last year.
The app supports streaming radio with live and on-demand content along with behind-the-scenes videos. A new navigation system allows users to take advantage of gestures to navigate between stations. The app also supports better notifications with integration for the Android drop-down menu. The Android version of the iPlayer Radio app also makes it easier for users to share content by taking advantage of the Android sharing system. That feature allows users to easily trade and share links to programs, artists, and tracks with other apps. The app also features an alarm clock that works even when the app isn’t running in the foreground of your Android device. The features of the application include the use of the HLS protocol to deliver content to Android devices. Using that protocol claims to improve multitasking performance. The application supports devices running Android 4.0 or higher. BBC also warns Galaxy S III owners that the app might not work with some smartphones due to a firmware problem only a few wireless carriers have addressed. Android tablet users will also like that the Android version of the application has a layout specifically for tablets. [via SlashGear] |
| Swype now available from the Google Play Store Posted: 24 Apr 2013 12:05 AM PDT It has been a long time coming, but Nuance has finally released Swype on Google Play, doing so with a special low price and a free trial option. This is in addition to the app being updated with a couple new keyboards and a few new features and improvements. For a limited time, users can grab Swype for $0.99, with the price later on increasing to a yet-unspecified rate.
Nuance doesn’t say how long the price will sit at $0.99, nor what the price will be when the special rate comes to its end. For those who have never used the keyboard before, a free 30-day trial is also available, giving users a solid month to try it out before it stops working and must be purchased or removed. As we mentioned, in addition to the launch on the Play Store, Swype has also been updated. Those who nab the latest version will find two new keyboard designs: Holo and Artic. This brings the total number of designs available to 13. Living Language Dialect support has also been updated, receiving an expansion with support for 20 dialects. Nuance uses Australia as an example, saying that Australian users will find local words automatically added for certain things, such as brekky in the place of breakfast. Specific to those who use Dragon Mobile Assistant, a new shortcut has been implemented that makes it easy to pull up the personal assistant – dragging one’s finger from the Swype key to the Dragon flame. Says Swype’s Executive VP: “Based on the incredible success of our beta program and our vocal customers, we decided to extend the power of Swype to more Android users through Google Play. Android users deserve the best keyboard – settling for an alternative is no longer necessary.” [via SlashGear] |
| Posted: 23 Apr 2013 09:00 PM PDT Samsung’s new GALAXY S 4 has some pretty big shoes to fill. Destined to replace the most popular smartphone on the planet and the best selling Android smartphone to date, the Galaxy S III. With more than 50 million sold the GS3 was very popular, and with good reason. Can Samsung’s new flagship remain the smartphone King? While it looks very similar, there’s tons of differences. Samsung expects to sell nearly 100m of their new smartphone so read on to find out what it’s all about.
While the GALAXY S 4 may look and feel, at least at first glance, much like the GS3, it actually has been completely redesigned and improved with all the latest and greatest specs in the mobile world. Samsung’s topped this device out to ensure it doesn’t get beat by Motorola’s upcoming devices, or the HTC One. Can it keep the lead? Hardware & Design Samsung chose to stick to their same (but highly successful, obviously) design language which is built wrapped in a lightweight plastic. Some aren’t fans, but many love the idea of a lightweight phone rather than an aluminum device that’s prone to scratching and dents. It’s hard to tell the difference between the GS3, GS4, and the Note II, but once you have them together things start becoming noticeable.       You all probably know the specs of this flagship phone but if not, here they are again. The screen is bigger and HD, and everything else got a boost too. Samsung’s improved the GALAXY S 4 to what only can be described as a simply beautiful display. It really is stunning. You’ll enjoy a 4.99-inch 1920 x 1080p full HD AMOLED display – and you’ll love it. Powered by Qualcomm's 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, the GS4 comes with a 5-inch Super AMOLED Full HD touch screen, 2GB RAM, 16/32/64 GB internal storage, microSD card slot (thank you), NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi, 13 megapixel camera, 2 megapixel front facing camera and even an IR-blaster. Yeah! Samsung checked off all those must-have boxes for this one.
With more on the screen and software below, how does if feel? Excellent! OK, it feels like the Galaxy S III – lets just be honest here folks. That’s a good thing though, so don’t even fret. Even though it’s actually thinner, the GALAXY S 4 felt fatter to us, because the more squared sides feel a bit blunt. Overall though, it’s an extremely similar experience. The chrome trim is still present and Samsung moved the earpiece all the way to the top with the new model, then of course thinner bezels made the physical home button and those capacitive back/menu buttons even more cramped than before – which was already an issue on the Galaxy S III. You might accidentally hit that back button a few times while trying to snap a photo. We sure did. The plastic is lightweight and comfortable, the sides being more squared makes it easier to hold, but it’s still slippery and could be dropped easy – so use caution while carrying this device. We’ll compare the hardware to the HTC One and others later, but lets just say it certainly feels premium, while not feeling premium – if you get our drift. Take a peek at our hands-on video review below. Display
The GS3 is a 4.8-nch device with a decent 720p res, but the new GS4 is a full 4.99-inches and 1920 x 1080p resolution on on board gives it a clear edge. Clear as mud! Obviously the size might be an issue for some, but keeping it roughly the same size as the GS3 makes this a perfect transition to a larger screen, and we doubt anyone will mind. This bigger is better mentality needs to stop, but we’re content with using a device of this size. Software Obviously Google’s 4.2. Jelly Bean has been skinned to the edge and back with Samsung’s TouchWiz or “Nature UX” providing their own tailored experience – and it’s a similar one. It has a long long list of new features, but the look and feel remains similar to the Galaxy S III, Note II, Galaxy Note and Tab 10.1 and more as of late.
We still have Samsung’s S-Voice Siri and Google Now competition for voice actions and such, and S-Memo for taking notes, as well as a few others. With Android 4.2.2 and the GS4 we have tons more. Here’s the full list of S-features: Hover, Smart Stay, Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air Wave, Air Browse, Air Jump, Health and more. S-Health will monitor fitness and exercise and they even have an S-Band accessory to pair along with it that’s coming soon. We still have Samsung’s Music Hub, ChatON messenger, and all the multi-screen modes that were on the Galaxy S III – but there’s plenty of new ones too. Samsung brought all those S-Pen features we love about the Galaxy Note line to their smartphone. Air Gesture and Air View does all those hover stylus and almost mouse pointer-like features of the Note just by using your finger. Their new display recognizes your finger as you hover it around. Hold your finger above a folder in your gallery for a preview of the photos, and the same will give you a live playing preview of movies from your camera, or videos in storage. This also tells you little pointers for what buttons do what, and much more. Hover your finger over a Flipboard story, calendar entries, and more for this but it doesn’t work everywhere. Gmail doesn’t support it, but Samsung’s own email app does. So there’s a toss up of the feature vs what you’re use to using. Then sometimes Airview was a bit sluggish. While these features are next-gen and fun, personally I found myself showing it off but just clicking as usual when in actual use. It’s fun, but not 100% practical. Oh and that same fancy screen now works with gloves of all types. Perfect for those cold NYC winters.
Then we have Air Gesture and all those eye-recognition features. Some I’ll be using day to day, but honestly the rest are a little gimmicky. We’ve been hearing the words “software gimmicks” a lot, and sadly it’s somewhat true. We love taking a screenshot by the swipe of our palm. Scrolling down a webpage with eye-scroll is awesome and rather nice too, but the rest just aren’t necessary. S-Pause will pause a video when your eyes look away. It’s nice, but sometimes I want to listen and not be completely engaged in the video – so we disabled it. Don’t worry though. While Samsung brought tons of features, some you’ll use and some you won’t, they are all removable should you want to keep it clean and simple. The Android 4.2 dropdown bar with extended setting controls Google announced is present. And with Samsung it’s on steroids. You can enable and disable all types of things all from the dropdown notification bar with ease.
Samsung’s Peel remote works with the IR Blaster just like many of their recent tablets, the S-Health app will work with their S-Scale (yes they have that too), and various other accessories will all be coming shortly. More details on those below. In closing, the software is excellent and as fluid as ever. The Snapdragon 600 keeps things running butter smooth, and surely the 8-core model will too. This phone is fast! However, Once AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon get their hands on these smartphones you’ll have additional apps and bloatware, but in general the main software and features will all remain the same. This is Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean like we love, covered in TouchWiz and S-features galore. We’re thankful for those disable options though.    Performance
With the standard for benchmarks, Quadrant, the GALAXY S 4 scored 12,593 overall. Barely beating the HTC One with the same quad-core and resolution under the hood. Then the old Linpack for Android it also beat HTC’s flagship, managing 749.63 MFLOPS compared to the One’s 694.102. In Qualcomm’s unbiased Vellamo test, the GS4 scores 1,783 in the HTML5 category and 814 in the Metal test. Trading blows with the One. Lately AnTuTu has been the go-to benchmark app and surprisingly the HTC One blew out the GALAXY S 4 for whatever reason. With the S4 scoring 17,320, nearly 5,000 points behind the One.    Overall we are highly impressed with the Samsung GALAXY S 4, but we knew we would be. Samsung’s tossed in some impressive specs all around. The only thing we’re left wondering is how the Exynos 5 Octa 8-core processor using their big.LITTLE technology will handle these tests. We’d love to get our hands on that model, and once we do we’ll surely be testing everything all over again. Sadly all U.S. carriers will get that Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series quad-core variant – which could be a good thing. We’re not sure yet. Camera, Battery & Phone The camera we have mixed feelings, to say the least. Obviously a smartphone camera can only be so good, and lighting helps, but we were expecting a bit more with their 13 megapixel lens over the 8 MP Galaxy S III. Sadly in real world usage the benefits are minimal at best. Not to say the camera was bad. The GSIII had one of the best, so we’re not too concerned.
Close-up photos seemed to struggle (and not even Macro-shots) and occasionally the GS4 struggled to focus, and that can be fixed with a software update – but it was worth mentioning. Then of course low-light photos were a bit grainy, but comparable to the HTC One and other high quality smartphone sensors. Here’s a gallery of a few.       Samsung 360 panorama HDR Adding to the many software features Samsung brought with this new device, the camera received a slew of them too. We have Sound & Shot, Dual Shot and something called Cinema Photos. The dual-shot mode captures two images at once and blends them for the perfect shot. Then Sound & Shot adds 1-9 seconds of audio to capture the moment for true enjoyment like never before. It adds drama to the image. Again this is nice, a little bit of a gimmick, but fun to show off and mess around with while enjoying a vacation or pictures of the kids. Then they also have Cinema Photo that takes a moving image and lets you place your photo inside a quick video so you have a static image, while also showing movement. It will be like a GIF image. All these camera features combined make for a truly awesome experience with GALAXY. Then Samsung added a pause feature to the 1080p recording, instead of only stop, so you can resume and have a single file. Lastly dual shot also enables video and photo features from both cameras. Record 1080p with the rear, while capturing the person recordings face and more in 1080p using the front, and the same time. Check it out below! (and halfway through you’ll see the AC logo somewhere) Last, just for good measure is a quick sample photo between the Galaxy S 4, HTC One, and the iPhone all in low light. The HTC One actually wins this battle.    Battery Life
Obviously this varies by user, their apps, what’s pulling data and more. Using the GS4 heavily with games, apps, browsing the web, snapping some photos, and a few real-time messenger apps like ChatON and Line running nonstop we saw 14-15 hours of usage. Certainly enough for an entire work day, but you’ll be reaching for the charger overnight. Someone that uses the device more moderately will have no problems just charging once every morning. So that’s a major plus. It isn’t quite the Galaxy Note II with a 3,100 mAh battery – but it’s close.
Add in the fact that the Snapdragon quad-core model uses Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 1.0 technology for up to 60% faster charging, this device will juice up quick and last all day with no worries. Enjoy it! Competition
Lastly, the number one competition to the GS4 could be the Galaxy S III. Being lowered to $99 or less on many carriers for a similar experience across the board, Samsung will be competing against itself. However, as we mentioned above this phone looks the same but is leaps and bounds above the older brother. It will probably see updates faster too, so that’s another thing to consider when making a purchase decision. Wrap-Up Samsung has what we all can agree is cutting edge hardware, and even though some are gimmicks this is packed full of cutting edge software, and we’ll get plastered with advertising to keep it front and center in our thoughts. And the thoughts of millions of potential customers watching ESPN and wherever else they air their ads.
Ads can go a long ways that’s for sure, but don’t mistake that for the reason this smartphone will sell by the millions. Samsung has a real winner here. A device that has improved upon the original in every single aspect of a smartphone. Some not by the leaps and bounds we’d like with a flagship, but in the end this is a solid improvement to an already stellar device. The similar design might make it seem like more of a small incremental update than an evolution of their brand, but that’s exactly what they wanted. Just like Apple it seems Samsung is content with riding the high wave, and will continue to innovate and make our lives easier along the way with a beautiful HD AMOLED display, better software, and improved battery life. Sure we all want front facing speakers, maybe something other than plastic for the build quality, and something truly amazing with that WOW factor to get us all giddy. In the end the GALAXY S 4 has done that, just in a subtle way. Wait until you get your hands on one! Samsung certainly played it safe with the GALAXY S 4, but with nearly 100 million sales waiting in their future can you blame them? In closing this is a solid, well rounded, and extremely capable device that will sell by the truckloads.       Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| European HTC One update includes a camera enhancement suite and performance boosts Posted: 23 Apr 2013 03:58 PM PDT HTC confirms that an update for the European HTC One is rolling out at the moment that will bring the device a plethora of new features. The update, labeled version 1.29.401.13, is set to be released in waves, so if your device doesn’t receive the update today, it should be receiving it within the next week or two. The update brings several enhancements to one of the major selling points of the HTC One, its Ultrapixel camera, and it also brings improvements to the device’s performance and stability.
The camera enhancement suite brings improvements to sound capture when you’re using HTC Zoe. It also improves noise reduction when you’re doing a slow motion movie capture. It reduces over-exposure in non-HDR images and improves color reproduction and dynamic range in various conditions. Also if you manually adjust the ISO settings, the correct ISO info will be displayed in the EXIF information. Currently, the update is only rolling out to the European HTC One, but hopefully it will reach HTC One users all around the world, including the U.S., soon. Users will be able to access the update OTA through the “Check for Updates” setting in their “About Phone” page. Alongside the camera enhancement suite, the update will also bring fixes to make your device more stable, as well as performance boosts to make your Android experience much more pleasant. The HTC One is HTC’s flagship smartphone. The company hopes that this device will save it from the financial rut that it is currently in. So far things are looking pretty good for the phone. Many critics praised the phone, even Android-haters, and have stated that its the “most beautiful Android phone ever made”. Be sure to check out our review of the HTC One to see what the hypes all about. [via SlashGear] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| Huawei shifting focus from US market Posted: 23 Apr 2013 02:31 PM PDT We may have recently seen Huawei release the Premia 4G smartphone with MetroPCS here in the US, however it looks like that may not be happening moving forward. Huawei has said they would be shifting their focus from the US market due to “geopolitical reasons.” A representative from the company has said they are ready to “face reality” which seems to touch on the recent issues that Huawei were having in the US.
If you remember back to last October, a US congressional panel suggested that telecom operators stay away from Huawei due to alleged ties to the Chinese government. In addition to the facing reality comment, the company also spoke about how they now plan to “focus on the rest of the world.” Further noting that remaining market is “reasonably big enough and is growing significantly.” Basically, it seems that Huawei is being optimistic in terms of a future which has them outside of the US market. Despite comments about the carrier business growing significantly outside of the US market, Huawei did make it clear that they would “love to get into the US market.” The reasoning here is because at 30 percent (of the world’s carrier business), that makes the US amount to what Huawei considers to be a “high-value market.” Aside from the allegations, Huawei maintains their equipment is safe to use. Outside of the US, Huawei may begin looking more towards China and their soon be to launching 4G markets. It was said that China now has more than a billion mobile phone accounts, which seems to imply there is plenty of room for smartphone sales. [via PC World] |
| 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 | |
