Thursday, May 23, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Verizon HTC One “will be announced later”

Posted: 23 May 2013 11:07 AM PDT

We were expecting Verizon Wireless to announce the HTC One during their CTIA ‘special event’ yesterday and instead got to watch Jennifer Lopez announce Viva Movil. Given the steady stream[...]

Hisense Sero 7 Pro Tegra 3 tablet gets official – watch out Nexus 7

Posted: 23 May 2013 10:46 AM PDT

Today the folks from Hisense, a popular Chinese manufacturer, have just announced and revealed their brand new tablet for the U.S. market that will take on the Google Nexus 7.[...]

Mailbox for Android confirmed to be in the works

Posted: 23 May 2013 10:26 AM PDT

The Mailbox email app launched for the iPhone a little while back. The app launched with a great amount of fanfare and as of today the developer has released the[...]

LG launches the waterproof Optimus GJ smartphone

Posted: 23 May 2013 09:56 AM PDT

Today, LG has officially unveiled one of their truly first fully waterproof and dustproof smartphones, the LG Optimus GJ. All the details regarding this new handset were revealed in Taiwan,[...]

Verizon Wireless GALAXY S 4 availability begins today

Posted: 23 May 2013 09:41 AM PDT

The pre-order period has come to an end and as of today, the Samsung GALAXY S 4 is available with Verizon Wireless. The carrier has the handset available in black[...]

Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Appstore availability expands

Posted: 23 May 2013 08:58 AM PDT

Amazon will soon be expanding the availability of the Kindle Fire HD 7 and the HD 8.9. According to details coming from Amazon, the tablets are now available for customers[...]

AT&T launching the Aurora Red GALAXY S 4 in mid-June

Posted: 23 May 2013 08:14 AM PDT

Samsung confirmed four additional GALAXY S 4 colors earlier this morning and it looks like one of those new colors will soon be launching with AT&T. The carrier will be[...]

HTC Desire 600 to launch with dual-SIM support and a 4.5-inch qHD display

Posted: 23 May 2013 07:30 AM PDT

HTC has officially announced their latest handset, the Desire 600. This model is set to arrive in June and will be joining the midrange lineup. HTC will launch the Desire[...]

Samsung GALAXY S 4 shipments cross the 10 million milestone

Posted: 23 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT

Samsung CEO JK Shin recently spoke at an industry event in Seoul and the topic of GALAXY S 4 sales came up. Shin touched on how GALAXY S 4 sales[...]

HTC First ‘Facebook phone’ UK launch plans put on hold

Posted: 23 May 2013 06:34 AM PDT

While there remains some debate over the success of the HTC First “Facebook Home” phone in the US market, it looks like the handset will not even be getting a[...]

ASUS Padfone Infinity rumors point towards a U.S. release

Posted: 22 May 2013 05:15 PM PDT

The folks from ASUS have some pretty impressive devices they’ve released lately. Between the ASUS Padfone Infinity being an awesome smartphone, and tablet, to the FonePad with an Intel Inside.[...]

Google invites #ifihadglass applicants to try Google Glass

Posted: 22 May 2013 03:58 PM PDT

The Google Glass Explorer program officially started last year at Google I/O where those in attendance were able to pre-order the next-gen wearable technology. However, for the rest of us[...]

Google Play Magazines updated with card UI to match Google Music

Posted: 22 May 2013 03:28 PM PDT

This week the folks from Google have been on a roll with software updates. After having a pretty mild Google I/O that was aimed at developers, we’re now seeing updates[...]

Verizon to boost 4G LTE with ‘small cells’ rollout later this year

Posted: 22 May 2013 03:10 PM PDT

Verizon has been on a roll lately regarding their updates and continued improvements to their 4G LTE network, and today we have even more good news. Aside from the odd[...]

Chrome for Android updated with fullscreen browsing and better search

Posted: 22 May 2013 02:38 PM PDT

Today the Google Chrome for Android team pushed out a quick update that should make plenty of users happy. The update however, is essentially the same thing we saw a[...]

Coolpad Quattro II 4G and 8920 hands-on

Posted: 22 May 2013 01:49 PM PDT

Coolpad is a name that may not be all that familiar for those in the US market, however the company has had some success. MetroPCS launched the Coolpad Quattro as[...]

Apple claiming Google Now infringes on Siri patents

Posted: 22 May 2013 01:19 PM PDT

We had known Apple was looking to include the GALAXY S 4 in the patent suit with Samsung. As of today however, it looks like Apple has filed a motion[...]

Kyocera Hydro XTRM and EDGE hands-on

Posted: 22 May 2013 12:44 PM PDT

Kyocera has been showing a pair of smartphones during CTIA, both of which will be coming available for those in the US market. These are both rugged devices and will[...]

Verizon Wireless partners with Jennifer Lopez for Viva Movil

Posted: 22 May 2013 12:04 PM PDT

The Verizon Wireless CTIA event has come to an end and while we didn’t see any new devices announced, there was some big news for the Latino community. Jennifer Lopez[...]

Google Drive Android app update brings document scanning with OCR

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:12 AM PDT

Google Drive for Android has been updated. This update brings a handful of new features as well as mention of bug fixes and visual improvements. Perhaps more exciting here though,[...]

Android Authority

Android Authority


It’s not all bad news: HTC One sales hit 5 million so far

Posted: 23 May 2013 01:13 AM PDT

HTC One Stealth Black 5 1600 aa

Amidst a flurry of negative reports, a glimmer of hope for HTC – the One is selling relatively good, moving five million units since launch.

The last few days brought us a series of worrying news about HTC. According to insiders cited by The Verge, there's an executive exodus going on at the embattled Taiwanese phone maker, with the company's Chief Product Officer and top marketing exec leaving for sunnier shores. Then CNET Asia reported that two top executives from HTC Asia, one of the company's critical markets, have also decided to pursue other interests.

The wave of departures is a sign of internal struggle, but amidst all the bad news, there is a glimmer of hope. According to an anonymous HTC executive cited by WSJ, the crucial HTC One is selling "pretty good so far."

The executive revealed that HTC sold about five million One units since launch, a performance that is deemed encouraging. However, sales have been limited by the persisting supply issues (documented here and here) that still plague the production of the HTC One.

Here's the key quote from the HTC executive:

Orders are pretty good so far and are still more than what we can supply. This is partly due to the shortage of components. When the issue is resolved next month, we will have a better idea if it's doing really well or not.

As you can see, the demand for the One is larger than the supply, and the component shortage is only partially responsible, which could be good news for HTC. To speculate, it may mean that customers love the HTC One and that sales could further increase once the manufacturing issues are finally solved.

How good is the 5 million sales figure? Samsung just trumpeted today the reach of the 10 million sales milestone for the Galaxy S4. The HTC One began selling in late March in Germany and the UK, and in late April, in the US, China, and other markets. Given the supply issues and the stuttered release, it's probably safe to say that the One and the Galaxy S4 have been out for about the same time on the market.

I think that the fact that HTC managed to sell 5 million Ones in about a month of full availability is encouraging. Consider that HTC is nowhere near the influence it had in its heyday, and it now lacks the carrier clout and marketing spending power that Samsung uses so liberally. So the fact that HTC managed to sell half as many phones as Samsung is a pretty good sign.

We'll see how the HTC One does once the supply issues are fully resolved, but so far, it's good news for Peter Chou, who reportedly vowed to step down from the top of HTC if the One fails to bring a turnaround to the company.

    


Google seen as a more valuable brand than McDonald’s and Coke

Posted: 23 May 2013 01:03 AM PDT

brandz-list-2013The Oscars equivalent for brand names, the BrandZ list of the most valuable global brands of 2013, has been published and the three most valuable brands are technology companies. Apple, Google and IBM top the charts followed by the food giants McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.

The BrandZ list, which is now in its eighth year, ranks the brands according to the views of potential and current buyers of a brand along with financial data. Although Apple remains on the top with a brand value of $185 billion, it only managed to grow 1 percent  in the last year. This could be potentially worrying as it closest real world competitor Samsung grew its brand value by 51 percent. However the Korean electronics giant still has some way to go to catch Apple and Google as it is only ranked at number 30 with a brand value of $21 billion.

Google’s brand value was actually in decline when the 2012 list was published, but this year the search giant and benevolent curator of Android grew its brand value by 5 percent to  swap places with IBM and secure the number 2 spot with a brand value of $114 billion. IBM is now number 3 with a brand value of $112 billion.

Resisting the urge to philosophize about why the three  the most valuable global brands are technology companies and why the next two are fast food related brands, it is worth noting that Microsoft is the seventh most valuable brand, having dropped two places from 2012, with a brand value of $69 billion. Amazon is 14th at $45 billion and Facebook ranks just after Samsung at 31 with $21 billion.

brandz-top10-2013

Showing the economic power of China, there are at least three Chinese brands in the top 40 including China Mobile (number 10 with $55 billion), China Construction Bank (at number 22 with $26 billion – more than Samsung and Amazon) and the Agriculture Bank of China (taking the 37th spot with a brand value of just under $20 billion).

What is also interesting is that Sony, LG, Nokia and HTC don’t appear anywhere in the top 100. This is an odd dichotomy in that the biggest two brands Apple and Google are technology companies with heavy interests in smartphones. They are clearly valuable brands, but other than Samsung (and Microsoft) no other smartphone manufacturer appears in the top 100. This only goes to prove Apple’s genius at marketing and Google solid position as a household name.

Does the list reflect your value of these brands? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

    


It’s official: Galaxy S4 hits 10 million milestone, more colors coming this summer

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:53 PM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 blue arctic red aurora

Samsung announced that the Galaxy S4 has broken previous sales records, selling 10 million units in less than a month of availability.

It isn't actually a surprise, but the Galaxy S4 is selling like hotcakes. Samsung announced today the first major milestone in the life of its latest flagship, and, predictably, the fact that the milestone was reached faster than ever before.

Less than a month since the Galaxy S4 became available in the first market, Samsung clocked in the 10 millionth sold unit. How impressive is this performance? Well, the original Galaxy S needed seven months to sell ten million units, the Galaxy S2 needed five months, while last year's popular Galaxy S3 reached the milestone in 50 days.

Put another way, Samsung sold four Galaxy S4's every second since the device went on sale, 27 days ago.

While this is a huge performance for Samsung, we have to note that the Galaxy S4 is still not the bestselling smartphone ever, the title belonging (for now) to Apple's iPhone.

To go with the festive mood today, Samsung also announced the upcoming availability of several new colors for the Galaxy S4. Just like last year, the Koreans are aiming to provide a color scheme for every taste, meaning that, in addition to the Black Forest and White Mist models out now, we'll also see a Blue Arctic (already out in Japan), Red Aurora, Purple Mirage and Brown Autumn. The new models are slated to start selling "this summer".

    


Samsung Wallet launches in Korea, US beta now out to compete against Apple Passbook and Google Wallet

Posted: 22 May 2013 06:27 PM PDT

Samsung Wallet announcement

Do you still bring your wallet everywhere you go? Chances are you still do, but with the rise of wallet and “passbook” apps, we might soon find no need to bring actual cash, tickets or coupons (except perhaps your driver’s license, or maybe the DMV can support e-copies, too). Samsung has joined the fray, announcing Samsung Wallet earlier this year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Apparently, Wallet is now online in South Korea, and is also in beta stage in the US.

Users of select Galaxy devices in South Korea can now download Wallet on their compatible Samsung devices — namely, the Galaxy S4, S3, Note, Note 2, Note 10.1 and S2 HD LTE. Currently, Wallet in South Korea is more of a single point of access for users’ credit cards, as it promises convenience by having to key in your PIN or one-time-password (OTP) once at point of purchase. No need to whip out your credit card(s), as you can pay straight from the app assuming you’ve already keyed in your card details beforehand.

Engadget reports that the app is now available in beta in the US, where the coupon-storage capability is in limited availability. Once fully launched, Samsung Wallet — simply named “Wallet” — can store transit tickets, event tickets, coupons and membership cards.

samsung wallet

According to Samsung, about 30,000 retailers in South Korea already support its Wallet application, and NFC payments will be supported in the near future. Given that Samsung Wallet comes with an open API, it should not be too difficult for establishments, shop owners, e-commerce providers and other services to integrate into the system.

Now the question at this point is availability and applicability. Given that Samsung is essentially competing directly against Apple’s Passbook for iOS devices and Google’s own Wallet app, how big can Samsung’s market be? Granted, it can probably dominate in its home South Korean market. Samsung is also the top-selling smartphone brand to date, which means the brand can likely get enough traction with its tens of millions of devices out there. But will Samsung also make its Wallet app available to other brand Android devices, as well?

Have you tried Samsung Wallet already? How does it compare with Apple Passbook and Google Wallet?

    


Microsoft Xbox One vs Google TV: The war for the living room

Posted: 22 May 2013 05:05 PM PDT

Xbox One

For the last several decades your living room has largely been controlled by one powerful force: your cable (or satellite) company. This is slowly changing as companies like Apple, Roku and Google work to steal some of the spotlight.

It’s true that Google TV has had mixed success so far, but there is a ton of untapped potential for the Google TV platform. Will Google ever reach it? That’s hard to say, but the pressure is certainly on now more than ever, especially with Microsoft’s announcement yesterday of the Xbox One.

The Xbox One might be a game console, but Microsoft is clearly pushing multimedia and TV integration with its next-gen console in its own major play for the living room. As you’d expect, this draws quick comparison between the Xbox One and devices like Google TV.

The Xbox One takes a familiar idea and expands on it

Like Google TV devices, the Xbox One doesn’t actually replace a cable box. Instead, you hook your Xbox One up through HDMI and the signal is sent from the cable box over to Microsoft’s console.

So how does Xbox One handle TV differently? The biggest difference is that in right conditions you can control your TV content by using extremely polished voice commands. Instead of grabbing the remote, you simply say "Watch MTV" and it will switch to MTV, there are also hand gestures using Kinect’s camera. As an added bonus, the Xbox One is extremely fast at switching between Live TV and other Xbox One content.

Xbox One also has sleek multi-tasking abilities, making it easy to snap an app on one side of the screen and watch TV on the other 2/3 of the display. This is particularly useful if you are watching a show and want to look up something about it on the net.

That said, Xbox One’s great TV communication setup is a bit of an illusion. Why’s that? Because it only works perfectly like this under the right conditions. Not all cable providers will partner with Microsoft to make everything work, and not all cable boxes allow channel changing through HDMI. That means that for many users, you will still need to grab the cable box remote to change channels and get things done.

Asus Qube Google TV

Should Google TV and other competitors worry about the Xbox One?

The Xbox One is a gaming console. That means it will be targeted primarily at gamers who are looking to get a multimedia and gaming experience through just one device. Could Microsoft’s Xbox One steal away people who might have otherwise considered a Google TV device or even an Apple TV or Roku? Yes it certainly could, but pricing will be a factor for those who don’t need the “fancier” gaming features.

The Xbox One’s price is currently unknown, but a price tag between $400-$600 wouldn’t be too far-fetched. In contrast, the recently released Google TV-based Asus Cube is just $139.99, and many other boxes cost even less than that.

Google should pay attention to what Microsoft is doing with multimedia, but they shouldn’t worry. Instead, they should build on what Microsoft announced, and do it better.

Everything Microsoft does, Google can do better (and cheaper!)

Obviously I have a slight Google bias working for an Android site, but I also have a Windows PC and an Xbox 360 console. I don’t consider myself against Microsoft, I try to stay objective, and will strongly consider purchasing an Xbox One in the future.

The thing is that just about everything we saw with the Xbox One, Google can match – sans high-end gaming and perhaps the camera abilities of the Kinect.

Google has already shown what it can do with voice technology, and could easily one-up Microsoft here with a little work. Google also has the advantage of being an open platform, which means that it will likely allow many more apps into its store than Microsoft will push to the Xbox.

That leaves pricing and multi-tasking. While partner devices might not be able to compete with hardware while keep price low, a revamped Nexus Q could. Such a device could be sold at cost, which would allow it to pack decent hardware that would allow it to switch back and forth between TV just as flawlessly as demo’d with the Xbox One.

Hell, throw in optimized Google Play Games support on Google TV and Google might even been able to attract some casual and family gamers that would have otherwise considered a conventional console. No, Google TV can’t compete with Microsoft on a gaming level and certainly won’t replace consoles EVER, but they don’t have to. The Wii wasn’t a powerful console, but it still played a big role in the living room wars and stole some of the sales and hype away from Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

What do you think of the Xbox One? Will it stomp all over Google TV and other living room devices, or are they two completely different products that won’t see much overlap?

    


The Best Android Widgets!

Posted: 22 May 2013 02:41 PM PDT

Best-Widgets-Header

As long as Android has been around, there have been widgets. It is one of the features that has separated Android from its competitors for all these years. There are widgets for everything too. News feed widgets, social networking widgets, calendar, weather, clock, battery, and pretty much everything else you can think of. So which ones are the best? We went to search the Play Store for the best widgets for Android and found some pretty good ones. As usual, if you’d rather watch than read, we’ve posted the video at the bottom.

Battery Widget Reborn

BatteryWidgetReborn

Battery Widget Reborn isn’t a must-have widget, but it has a lot of features that you’ll find to be pretty useful. You can track your battery usage (i.e. what is using your battery life), temperature of the device, battery history, and you can even set up some more advanced power saving functions.

Additionally, the widget is very customizable. There’s an ongoing notification in your notification panel that is highly customizable. Also, there’s a a widget you can setup on your home screen, which has quite a few customizeable options as well, including changing the color of the widget and how much space it takes (i.e. 2 by 2 or 4 by 4).


Get it on Google Play


Clock Now

ClockNow
Next on our list is Clock Now. As the name implies, it’s a simple widget with that beautiful Google Now card-like theme. So, if you’re looking to spice your home screen up with that authentic Google look, you’ll love this widget right off the bat. There’s also a bit of customization that can be tinkered with. You can set up four different background options and two color options for the text.

In addition to the clock, this particular widget will also let you see some quick weather info and an incon of your choice. The icon acts as an alternative way to toggle off your Wi-Fi connection. If you’re looking for more toggle spaces than just one, Clock Now provides you with up to six spaces.


Get it on Google Play


DigiCal Calendar & Widget

DigiCal
DigiCalender & Widget pairs as an app and a widget. Most stock and OEM skinned calendar offerings are very well put together, but more often than not, they lack a good widget. DigiCal looks to fill that void with some really awesome widget options.

DigiCal offers a lot of different styles of widgets. It has just about anything you’d think a calendar widget should have. Full screen month view? Check. A 2 by 4 day by day widget? Check. The widgets also have a neutral color, so you shouldn’t notice any conflicts with themes. On top of that, you’re able to control the transparency.

All in all, it’s a really nice calendar widget, and unlike a lot of apps and widgets, it has tablet support. That said, it should look really nice on whatever device you put the widget on.


Get it on Google Play


HD Widgets

HDWidgets
HD Widgets is perhaps one of the most popular and highly raved widgets on the Google Play Store. There’s two reasons for its wild success. The first reason is that HD Widgets is one of the few true widget apps to have an extremely wide range of widget configurations. It has literally everything. Toggles, clocks, weather data, date widgets, you name it. The majority of these widget configurations can be combined as well.

The second reason for its wild success is the sheer amount of customization that HD Widgets offers. You can tell this is a really good widget app when you spend a good 20 minutes configuring the widget to your liking. Each individual widget can be customized in a number of ways. You can change the color of the text, background colors, and clock colors. If that’s not enough, you can download their Colorform app to add a plethora of other customization options.

This is a must have widget app for widget aficionados.


Get it on Google Play


Taptu

Taptu
Last on our list is Taptu. If you’re familiar with our work here at Android Authority you may recall that this particular app made it in our Best Google Reader replacement apps list awhile back. That’s because Taptu offers some very nice widgets to aggregate your news.

The first option is a scrollable widget, but if that’s too resource intensive, there’s another card-like widget. Both can be customized to show a certain stream of news. While Taptu doesn’t really need a whole lot of customization, you’re able to change a few things, such as the style and color. When it comes to news widgets, and aside from Pulse, Taptu is one of the best options out there.


Get it on Google Play


Conclusion

LeaderboardARTICLE
If you take a gander out our leaderboard (image above), you’ll be able to see how these apps compete with one another. As per the norm, the leaderboard is based on Google Play Store ratings and downloads, so there isn’t any bias on our part.

This is a great list of widgets, but it was a difficult list to compile. It’s very hard to judge the value of a widget, as most of them are very niche oriented. In example, something like Taptu is great, but it’s completely useless for someone who doesn’t use their devices to catch up on the news. Similarly, someone who doesn’t really care about saving battery life as long as they can get through the day won’t care about the Battery Widget Reborn app.

With that said, we’ve put together a list of honorary mentions for you. These include UCCW, Beautiful Widgets (similar to HD Widgets), Battery Monitor Widget, Resizeable Contacts Widget Pro, and Minimalistic Text.

As I mentioned, widgets are very niche oriented, which means there’s an innumerable amount of them on the Play Store. If you’ve got a favorite widget or just a widget that should have been included in this list, let everyone know about it in the comments!

    


LG Optimus GJ officially announced in Taiwan, arriving in June

Posted: 22 May 2013 02:39 PM PDT

lg-optimus-g-sprint-1

Ruggedized handsets are all the rage these days. Sony’s flagship Xperia Z has a waterproof and dustproof design. Sammy is also reportedly looking to bring its own rugged Galaxy S4 Active to the market. That’s why it comes as no surprise that LG has now officially announced the Optimus GJ E975W.

So what’s so special about the Optimus GJ? Honestly, not much. In essence this is nothing more than an Optimus G, wearing slightly modified clothing that allows for IPX7 certification.

That means the Optimus GJ is good for thirty minutes of playtime in the water, as long as it doesn’t go any deeper than a meter. The only other noticeable difference is that the GJ is a bit larger and thicker from its older sibling, at 131.9 x 68.9 x 8.5mm versus 136.9 x 68.9 x 9.9mm.

All hardware specs carry over from the Optimus G. For those that need a refresher, this means that the phone is powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and features 2GB of RAM. The display is 4.7-inches and has a resolution of 1280 x 768. Other specs include a 13MP rear cam, Bluetooth 4.0, 16GB storage, microSD, and a 2,280 mAh battery. As for the OS, you get Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean out of the box.

LG Optimus GJ

At least for now, the Optimus GJ looks to be coming exclusively to Taiwan with a planned June arrival. The phone will set you back $17,990TWD, or about $600. There will be two color choices: black or black/red.

Creating rugged handsets that can handle active lifestyles is a smart move, but it would have probably made more sense if LG would have held out and gave this kind of design to the rumored LG Optimus G2 instead. That said, I’m sure there is still a market for the handset among those that don’t need the newest hardware and are simply looking for a capable rugged device.

If the LG Optimus GJ came to your local market, would you consider it? Or are there just too many other waterproof alternatives that pack more punch?

    


No Verizon HTC One, instead J.Lo’s Viva Movil is announced at CTIA 2013

Posted: 22 May 2013 12:44 PM PDT

viva-movil-jennifer-lopez-1

Contrary to speculations, Verizon did not unveil its own HTC One version during its media event at CTIA 2013, introducing instead J.Lo's Viva Movil mobile experience of which Verizon is an exclusive partner.

In addition to Verizon, the partnership includes other companies such as Moorehead Communications and Brightstar, and its meant to offer U.S.-based Latino population a new mobile shopping alternative.

Targeting the 50 million and growing Latino population, Viva Movil will offer customers a family-centric social networking-based shopping experience. Where does Verizon fit into place you may ask? Well, the carrier will be the exclusive provider of wireless services and devices, although Big Red does not have a stake in the company whose major shareholder is Jennifer Lopez (co-founder and chief creative officer).

Viva Movil will open 15 brick-and-mortar stores by the end of the year in various markets including New York, Miami and LA. In addition to mobile devices and cellular plans, buyers will be able to buy accessories, "fashionable" J.Lo-branded accessories and enjoy a bilingual support.

The online Viva Movil site is up and running and you can already check it out and order your products – you'll find a variety of smartphones and tablets inside (Android devices are obviously included).

As for that elusive Verizon HTC One version, the handset is yet to become official – not that we ever had solid evidence that the carrier would indeed launch the device. For what it's worth, just earlier today we looked at a report saying that a Verizon HTC One running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean was discovered in the wild, but the carrier did not confirm the existence of such hardware during the show.

In fact, the event was all about J.Lo's mobile initiative, as no new hardware was unveiled during the 30-minute keynote.

    


Verizon takes first place in customer satisfaction, T-Mobile lagging behind

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:57 AM PDT

Verizon

According to the results of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Verizon Wireless has been named to have the most satisfied subscribers among the big four carriers.

The survey takes a number of factors into account, including network coverage, data speeds, diversity of plans, call clarity, dropped calls, the quality of a carrier’s website, and the helpfulness of in-store employee’s. Verizon excels in a lot of these areas, so it’s not particularly surprising that they reached the top.

Out of a possible score of 100, ASCI showed that Verizon is top dog on the ladder with a total of 73 points, a rise of three points from last year’s results. In second place is Sprint with a steady 71 points. Dragging a mere point behind Sprint, AT&T is in third place with 70 points. Finally, T-Mobile, the only carrier who saw a 1% decline in the ACSI results, sits in fourth place with 68 points.

acsi-scores

Something to keep in mind is that this survey is extremely subjective. Every subscriber is going to have a very different experience, especially when it comes to network coverage, data speeds, and dealing with customer service representatives.

The index also reflects interviews with more than 70,000 customers, which is quite small. For instance, Verizon and AT&T alone serve 100+ million customers. Interviewing 70,000 for a survey isn’t really going to accurately tell you how well a carrier competes against the others.

So how about we hear it from you? What do you think about Verizon being at the top in terms of customer satisfaction? Do you think that other carriers deserved higher scores? Let us know in the comments!

ACSI: Customer Satisfaction with Wireless Phone Service, Subscription TV Improves; ISPs Debut at Bottom of Index

Verizon Tops in Multiple Industries; Comcast Makes Gains but Stays Low; Apple Slips While Samsung Surges

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (May 21, 2013) – The annual Information Sector report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) shows that customers are happier with telecommunication services and technologies than they were a year ago. The Information sector benchmark-the combined aggregate score for wireless telephone service, Internet service providers (ISPs), subscription television service, cellular telephones, fixed-line telephone service and computer software-climbs 0.6% to 72.3 on a 0 to 100 scale. The improvement, along with gains for energy utilities and health care (reported by ACSI in April), pushes the national customer satisfaction benchmark up 0.4% to 76.6.

“Customer satisfaction with the Information sector is improving, but none of these industries score higher than the national average,” says Claes Fornell, ACSI founder and chairman. “Limited competition combined with high consumer expectations for information services are a formula for relatively weak buyer satisfaction, despite the gains.”

Subscription TV: Customer Satisfaction Improves in a Low-Performing Industry

Subscription television service ends a three-year run of stagnating customer satisfaction with a 3.0% gain to an ACSI benchmark of 68. While the boost is good news for cable, satellite and fiber-optic television providers, the industry remains the third worst of the 43 industries covered in the ACSI.

Among TV service providers, those offering service via fiber optics or satellite earn the best marks for customer satisfaction. On average, fiber-optic/satellite service receives an ACSI score of 72 compared with 63 for cable service. Verizon (FiOS) stays in first place at 73 (-1%), with DIRECTV at 72 and AT&T (U-verse) at 71 close behind after strong gains of 6% and 4%, respectively. DISH Network rounds out the above-average group with a near-steady benchmark of 70 (+1%).

While most cable providers do better in 2013, all remain below the national ACSI average. Cox Communications leads at 65 (+3%), but is chased by a much-improved Charter Communications at 64 (+8%) and a modestly stronger Comcast at 63 (+3%). Time Warner Cable backslides, dropping 5% to an industry low of 60.

“While nearly 90% of households have some form of TV subscription, the industry is facing small, but growing, competition from Internet video streaming,” says ACSI director David VanAmburg. “The industry’s pattern of yearly price increases, coupled with sporadic reliability, keeps customer satisfaction low relative to other household services and vulnerable to new technologies that enter the market.”

Subscription TV customers give picture quality strong ratings for both HD and basic resolution, but find call center service to be lacking compared with most other industries.

Internet Service Providers Enter ACSI With Weak Customer Satisfaction

The ACSI’s coverage of telecommunications expands with inaugural measures for the Internet service provider (ISP) industry-a change that ensures comprehensive assessment of customer satisfaction with the video, voice and data services available to U.S. household consumers. ISPs debut with a customer satisfaction benchmark of 65-the lowest score among 43 ACSI industries.

“High monthly bills combined with problems across a broad spectrum of customer experience benchmarks-such as service reliability, data transfer speed and video-streaming quality-leaves customers less than satisfied with their ISP service,” says Fornell. “But in a market even less competitive than subscription TV, there is little incentive for companies to improve.”

Only Verizon’s FiOS and the aggregate of all other smaller ISPs break out of the 60s with identical ACSI scores of 71. Cox beats the average at 68, followed by AT&T U-verse and Charter at 65. The low end belongs to CenturyLink at 64, Time Warner Cable at 63 and Comcast at 62.

Customers Happier As Wireless Service Improves and Smart Phones Deliver

The wireless phone industry performs an about-face in 2013, reversing a two-year trend of declining customer satisfaction with a 2.9% gain to an ACSI benchmark of 72. Despite matching its 10-year high, wireless service remains well below the national ACSI average.

“Barriers to switching, including contracts with cancellation fees, make the wireless industry less competitive,” says VanAmburg. “ACSI research shows that customer satisfaction is almost always lower when consumers have less choice and more headaches when it comes to switching to another seller.”

The aggregate of smaller wireless carriers easily tops the industry at 78 (+3%). Verizon Wireless leads the larger carriers due to a 4% jump to 73, leapfrogging a stalled Sprint at 71. Nearly in line with Sprint, AT&T Mobility inches up 1% to 70, while the sole decliner, T-Mobile, drops 1% to 68.

Much like its service counterpart, the cellular telephone category improves customer satisfaction by 2.7% to match its historic ACSI high at 76. With smart phones representing just over half of all phones purchased, the industry is delivering better features and more apps.

Apple dominates at a score of 81 despite a 2% ACSI loss. Still, compared with Apple’s PC benchmark of 86, the iPhone is not quite at the same lofty level. Samsung leaps 7% to 76 after launching Galaxy S III, but stays significantly behind Apple. Nokia (+1%) also earns an ACSI score of 76, while Motorola, up 5% to 77, creates a virtual three-way tie for second place. HTC drops 4% to 72 and LG falls 5% to 71. BlackBerry seems lodged in last place-flat at 69.

Consumers respond positively to cell phones for ease of calling and text messaging. Battery life, however, is an irritant. For wireless service, the top customer experience benchmarks go to in-store staff for courtesy and helpfulness. For reliability, the wireless industry lags its older technology counterpart, fixed lines, by receiving lower marks for call clarity, dropped calls and network coverage.

Strong Gain for Fixed-Line Phone Service Amid Shrinking Market

Customer satisfaction gains populate nearly the entire fixed-line phone business, even though customers continue to migrate toward wireless. The paradox of higher satisfaction amid dwindling usage reflects the fact that those who stay are more satisfied than those who leave. The fixed-line industry’s ACSI score increases 5.7% to 74, with gains for individual companies ranging from 4% to 8%.

The aggregate of smaller landline companies, such as Frontier and Vonage, holds on to the category lead despite a 1% slip to 75. Among larger providers, Verizon surges 6% and Cox gains 4% to tie for the lead at 74. AT&T follows closely at 73 (+4%), while digital phone provider Charter enters at 72. Large increases of 8% and 6%, respectively, bring CenturyLink and Comcast into a tie at 71. In its first fixed-line appearance, Time Warner Cable falls short at 68.

Among the telecom industries, fixed-line benefits from quality and clarity of calls, along with the ability to keep outages to a minimum. Similar to other telecom services, however, fixed-line does not receive high marks from its customers regarding website or call center satisfaction, although it beats low-scoring ISPs on both benchmarks.

Computer Software: Deteriorating Customer Satisfaction Continues

Customer satisfaction with computer software for desktops and laptops continues to fall. This year the category’s ACSI score slips 1.3% to 76. Market-share leader Microsoft and the aggregate of smaller software makers both backslide 1% to 74 and 76, respectively. With global PC shipments having their largest quarterly drop in 20 years, the market remains thorny. Windows 8, criticized by users for its interface, has not derailed customer satisfaction for Microsoft, but it has not helped either.

The full report is available for free download at www.theACSI.org. Follow the ACSI on Twitter at @theACSI and Like us on Facebook.

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the data and information in this release without the express prior written consent of ACSI LLC.

Read more: ACSI: Customer Satisfaction with Wireless Phone Service, – FierceWireless http://www.fiercewireless.com/press-releases/acsi-customer-satisfaction-wireless-phone-service#ixzz2Txx1G1hV

    


More great stuff: Google updates four Android apps

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:39 AM PDT

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If you thought the good stuff was all at I/O, you'd be wrong.

Two major Android updates have landed today, along with two others that went a bit under the radar. The first, a big update for Chrome, adds some really nice functionality. We'll get full screen mode, as well as some smaller tweaks that really enhance the overall experience. For tablet users, the history function is really special.

From the Chrome Release Blog:

The Chrome team is excited to announce the promotion of Chrome 27 to the Stable channel. Chrome for Android 27.0.1453.90 contains a number of improvments including:

  • Fullscreen on phones – Scroll down the page and the toolbar will disappear.
  • Simpler searching – Searching from the omnibox will keep your search query visible in the omnibox, making it easier to edit, and show more on your search result page.
  • Client-side certificate support – You can now access sites that require you to use a certificate and Chrome will allow you to select an installed certificate
  • Tab history on tablets – Long press the browser back button to view your tab history
  • And a ton of stability and performance fixes

Google Earth

Earth

Google Earth also got an update to version 7.1.1, and adds some really cool functionality we saw at I/O. In the recent Google Maps update, Street View for the browser was updated. The update gave us a new fly-in animation, which is the same type of thing we see in the new Google Earth for Android update. While the Maps app hasn't yet been updated, this all seems to be a precursor for that. Additionally, we get some very Map-like features, such as directions and transit info. From the Google Play Store:

New in 7.1.1

  • Google Maps Street View: With Street View, you can explore the world at street level.
  • Improved directions/search: Updated directions let you can visualize transit, walk, bike and drive directions in 3D while update search result list will let you browse search results quickly.
  • Improved interface: Easily browse and enable different layers through use of new left hand panel

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Play Music

Google Play Music, which was already amazing, also received an update. The update is not as major as the All Access update, but delivers another layer of utility. All very small tweaks that add to the rich experience we have already come to enjoy, it also proves that Google is very serious about All Access. If you liked Play Music (especially All Access) before, you're going to really enjoy the tweaks this update has for you. The changelog notes the following:

  • Brand new user interface for phone, tablet, and TV
  • Support for All Access subscription service in the US
  • Key All Access features: Explore section to discover new music, Radio with unlimited skips, Add albums to My Library, Share and subscribe to playlists
  • New Listen Now page that makes it easy to find something to play
  • Swipe to remove from playlist or queue
  • Swipe to switch songs on the now playing screen or now playing bar
  • Go to album or artist from any song

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Drive

Finally, we have Drive for Android. Of all the updates today, this was the most poignant. An updated UI brings a fresh look, and one that ties into other Google Android services. Aside from the fresh coat of paint, the new grid view cements the cohesive look. Accessing the grid view makes Drive look like the Play Store, with your folders up top as small icons, and files below as larger ones. Another exceedingly cool function is the ability to get a quick view of files or folders. So often we forget just where something is, or what that file really contains. This all serves to make life easier, faster, and simpler.

If that wasn't enough, you can also download files locally, and scanned documents will be scanned for content to aid in searches. It's a whole lot of awesome, packed into one slim app. Impressive isn't the word. From the Play Store "What's New" tab:

  • New grid view makes it easier to find your files
  • New quick preview lets you view photos and other files from within the app
  • Scan documents, receipts and letters for safe keeping in Drive; then search by contents once uploaded
  • Download a copy of files to your local device (Honeycomb+)
  • Spreadsheet editor now supports changing fonts, colors and cell alignment
  • View properties of files from within the editors
  • Bug fixes and visual improvements

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Common thread

I found that in all three app updates (not Chrome), Google has implemented a left-hand side menu. Three little bars, in the top left, all hiding a slide-out menu. It's a nice feature, and allows us to focus on the necessary stuff. The Android team clearly understands that screen real estate is at a premium, and bottom bars are fussy.

It may seem as though the slide-out menu on the left will compete with the drop-down menu we're used to, but it doesn't. They are meant to achieve different things altogether. The slide-out menu is more about discovery, while the drop-down menu is about actions. For instance, the slide-out menu in Earth is for layers, while the drop-down menu is for actions like finding your location, or changing settings. In Drive, the left menu is for accessing folders or offline docs, the other is for adding a new document or refining search. Left side 'find', right side 'do'. Pretty simple, yeah?

Play Music and Drive also share a new look, which ties them into the Play Store update from a few weeks ago. If the new look is any indication of HOLO, count me in. They're beautiful, easy to use, and seem snappier.

Android is a mature system. As we've said time and again, shared functionality is the new path forward. Drive looks absolutely gorgeous, and gives users some major enhancements they've been requesting. Play Music continues to wow us, and Earth is priming itself for a Maps bear-hug. We're excited for what's next, which is what Google always delivers on.

    


Thieves be damned! LoJack is making its way to the Galaxy S4

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:24 AM PDT

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Today’s mobile devices are not only expensive, they also often contain sensitive data and precious photos. Keeping our phones safe and out of the wrong hands is certainly important, and that’s why there are quite a few security apps out there that can not only remotely wipe the content of your mobile device, they can even lock or track the device.

These types of apps certainly add an extra layer of protection, but they rarely result in the return of your lost or stolen smartphone. Not only that, it is possible that an experienced thief could find a way to wipe the phone, removing your ability to track it down. That’s where Samsung comes in, bringing Absolute Software’s LoJack for Android over to the Samsung Galaxy S4.

With LoJack software you not only get an easy way to wipe sensitive information, you also receive the assistance of LoJack’s recovery specialists. While Absolute Software doesn’t fully guarantee they will be able to get back your phone, their service agreement does promise you some level of compensation in the event that it can’t be returned to you.

lojack-galaxy-s4

Okay, but what about the whole app wiping thing? Unlike most security apps, LoJack isn’t an app. Instead, the service exists as a firmware layer. That doesn’t make it completely foolproof, but it certainly makes it much more difficult for a thief to get around it. You hear that would-be thieves!? As Lil’ Wayne would put it: “You ain’t got nuthin on me the GS4!”

The only catch to the LoJack service is that it is in a dormant state unless you choose to activate by paying for a subscription, which starts at $29.99 per year. Subscriptions range in terms from one to four years.

This is certainly a great move for Samsung, and an appreciated feature for those of us that want to take our phone security to a whole new level. Expect LoJack for Android service to become available sometime this summer, perhaps as early as June.

What do you think, is LoJack for Android worth the cost? Or do you feel there are better solutions already out there?

    


Fast & Furious 6 Android game now speeding into the Google Play Store

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:17 AM PDT

Fast & Furious 6

The Fast & Furious 6 Android game is now available on the Google Play Store as a free download.

Accompanying the movie with the same name, hitting theaters these days, the game is perfect if you want to relax and do some racing on your Android tablet or smartphone. The action of the Fast & Furious 6 game (which was teased in a trailer a while ago) takes place in the streets of London, and you’ll be able to take place in a wide range of races, while buying new cars and tuning them along the way.

You can follow the story and help your friends with some “jobs,” and you can also increase your income by entering various racing events throughout the city, some organized in ladders, like the Drift and Drag ones.

Winning events gets you cash, as well as gold, which you can use to purchase cars and upgrade them (and you’ll need to do that to make progress in the story). The difference between the two is that you can always purchase gold with real money, thus advancing faster in the game. Also important is that, just like in some other racing games, you need gas to race, and when you’re out you can do one of two things – buy it with gold or wait (which many won’t be too happy to do).

Fast & Furious 6

The Fast & Furious 6 game features a world you can start to take over, area by area, together with your crew, and the game can become a lot of fun once you get the hang of things. The controls can be a bit hard to master when you start, but it gets a bit easier after you’ve gained some experience.

A lot of its appeal is due to the fact that Kabam has done a very good job on the game’s graphics, which look very good. The large number of licensed four-wheeled monsters in it also contributes to making the title an interesting game.

Have you downloaded the Fast & Furious 6 game yet? What do you think about it?

    


Opera browser for Android is out of beta, demoed at CTIA 2013 [video]

Posted: 22 May 2013 11:08 AM PDT

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The Opera browser for Android finally got out of the Beta stage this week and Android Authority met with the guys at Opera at CTIA 2013.

Opera includes the Discover tab, a new look at Internet search, which brings a curated news feed into your web browser and is similar to other news feed apps like Flipboard or HTC’s BlinkFeed. Opera says that this will help when you are on a bus and have a spare 10 minutes to indulge yourself with some news and in other similar situations.

The Beta version of the app already offered the popular Opera Mini feature "Off-Road Mode," which completes the rendering of a website on the Opera servers and allows you to save an estimated 80% in data usage. This can help when you're roaming, or when your signal strength is weak and has been improved in the updated version of the app.

The Speed Dial and Bookmarks tabs have been combined into one, meaning all your favourite websites are one tap away.

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When asked why you should choose Opera over the myriad of other web browsing application choices for Android (like Chrome and your built in browser), the Opera representative replied that speed and the user interface were big factors.

Opera has been big on getting its browser on as many platforms as possible and it believes that its ability to offer a consistent user interface and experience will play in its favor. For an in depth look at the Opera web browser, hit the play button down below, and to download the app, hit the source link also found below.

Will Opera be your choice as an Internet browser? Do any of the new features interest you?

    


Talk to your browser! Voice search included in latest Chrome update

Posted: 22 May 2013 10:10 AM PDT

Google Voice Search for Chrome

At Google I/O, we all marveled at Google Now's new voice search feature. With that function, the line was blurring between our mobile device and desktop computer. We were seeing the genesis of complete cohesion, and a disregard for platform.

Functionality is the order of the day, and with the latest Chrome update we get more of it. Searching by voice is included in the latest stable version of the Chrome browser, which is version 27. As you see in the picture above, there will be a little microphone in the search bar. Simply click on it, tell Google Now what's on your mind, and get some results.

For all the talk of a Chrome-Android merger, and just what that would mean moving forward, it looks like we have a glimpse. We've long proposed that both platforms have some functionality that can (and should) be shared, and voice search is one of them. Most computers have a microphone, just like your smartphone. Both search the same place for information, so it was really a matter of sharing a little code.

If you're not sure about which version of Chrome you're running, or need to upgrade, go to 'Settings' in the browser and click on 'Help'. It will do a little search for which version you're on, and if you need an upgrade. If you do, it will prompt you to restart your session. If you don't, go ask Google some fun questions and let us know what answers you get in the comments section below!

    


Samsung Galaxy S4 set to land on Cricket on June 7

Posted: 22 May 2013 10:07 AM PDT

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Arriving even later than Verizon, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available on Cricket come June 7.

Cricket is a prepaid carrier, so you’ll be shelling out $599.99 up-front for Samsung’s Next Big Thing. Alternatively, Cricket offers a payment plan. If you decide to go with that, a $54.99 down payment is all that is required. The downside with that is you’ll be paying for the device on a month-to-month basis along with a Cricket service plan.

It’s actually a really nice deal. The device costs $649.99 through AT&T, so if you live in a Cricket service area, you’re getting a pretty nice discount.

The Galaxy S4 supports a beautiful 4.99-inch Super AMOLED 1920 x 1080 Full HD display with 441ppi. It has a 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP rear-facing shooter, a 2MP front-facing camera and has a microSD slot with support for up to 64GB of expandable storage. You may really want to consider that microSD card too. There’s a very small amount of storage avaialble on the 16GB model.

If you’re not familiar with the Galaxy S4, be sure to check out our full review of the device (video below)!

Do you plan on getting a Galaxy S4 through Cricket when it arrives on June 7? Let us know in the comments!

Cricket Announces Launch of the 4G Samsung Galaxy S®4

- Next Generation of the World’s Best-Selling Smartphone Available On Cricket’s Value-Packed Unlimited No-Contract Plans
- Rate Plans Start as low as $50 per Month including Unlimited Muve Music

SAN DIEGO – May 22, 2013 – Cricket Communications, Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone builds on the success and innovation of its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3, and provides a suite of new innovations that will change how customers interact with a smartphone. The Galaxy S4 uniquely makes advanced technologies and features easy to use by integrating them into the way individuals use their phones every day. The Galaxy S4 will be available at Cricket company-owned stores, dealers and at www.mycricket.com starting June 7, 2013 for $599.99 (MSRP). Qualifying customers can put $54.99 down at purchase plus monthly payments.

“The Galaxy S4 redefines the smartphone and we are very proud to offer our customers the highest level of wireless technology on the market,” said Matt Stoiber, senior vice president of devices for Cricket. “Cricket’s three smartphone rate plans start as low as $45 per month1 and give customers value-packed choices for the plan that’s right for them with unlimited music included.”

The Galaxy S4 is the first device to enable consumers to control the device with touch-less features including scrolling or turning a page and viewing documents within a file folder or a link on a web page. It enhances memorable moments with innovative camera features that captures progressive action and easily removes unwanted people from the photo. The Galaxy S4 also enhances the TV watching experience with the new Samsung WatchON™ service that simplifies searching and recommends TV, movies and sports according to personal tastes. With WatchOn and the built in IR blaster, the Galaxy S4 also functions as a remote control for home theater equipment.

The Galaxy S4 combines the simple and visual interface introduced with the Galaxy Series Camera with a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera to take professional looking photographs with a smartphone. The front-facing 2-megapixel camera on the Galaxy S4 allows consumers to capture special moments in unique and new ways with Dual Camera shooting mode. Dual Camera mode takes pictures with both the rear and front cameras simultaneously to enable the photographer to be in the photo as well.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is available on Cricket’s 4G LTE Android Muve Music Double Data service plans that offer, for a limited time, double the monthly full speed data allowance offered in 3G rate plans. The $50 4G LTE Android Muve Music Double Data Rate Plan allows 2GB of full-speed data; the $60 plan allows 5GB of full-speed data and the $70 plan offers 10GB of full-speed data.

The Galaxy S4 is also available on Cricket’s 3G all-inclusive smartphone rate plans start at $50 for unlimited talk and text plus up to 1GB of full-speed data per month. The $60 smartphone plan contains up to 2.5GB of full-speed data per month and the $70 smartphone plan offers up to 5GB of full-speed data per month. With the $60 and $70 plans, customers can use their device as a hot spot to power additional wireless devices.

Cricket 4G LTE service is now available in Philadelphia, Phoenix, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Laredo, Corpus Christi and the Brownsville-McAllen-Harlingen market, Texas in addition to existing 4G LTE service in Las Vegas and Tucson. The company’s LTE service now covers approximately 21 million potential customers.

    


IBM’s Watson for smartphones? It could be.

Posted: 22 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT

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Ready or not, here comes big brother.

The company that gave us Deep Blue, the chess-champion supercomputer, has also been working on their Watson project. Watson, which is a very robust artificial intelligence query engine, has been designed to answer questions in natural language.

Rather than keep with Watson's tradition of beating world-class Jeopardy champions, IBM is set to take it mainstream. If IBM is correct, about 66% of all customer service related calls go unresolved, and could have been handled efficiently with more adept access to information. For a select few companies, Watson will begin serving as their customer service representative. IBM may also make Watson available via apps on your smartphone, as well as web chats or email queries.

For many of us, the term "customer service" relates to hold times and an agent on the other end who seems befuddled by that charge on your credit card. Watson may be able to handle that, but the aim and scope seem different. It looks like Watson will concentrate more on the financial matters for now, but could also serve to assist representatives get faster access to more poignant information. Many of Watson's guinea pigs are banks or other financial institutions, and seem intent on using Watson's knowledge to better analyze and serve their customers' needs.

Does this mean the end of human interaction? Not specifically. Watson may be smart, but it's not personable. The art of reasoning is one computers can't quite figure out right now, no matter the brilliance they hold. Asking a complex question with specific details is one thing. Asking for an opinion is another. Some things simply can't be quantified in an algorithm.

 

    


Is HTC a sinking ship? Resignations, poor sales, and absent leadership suggest so

Posted: 22 May 2013 09:00 AM PDT

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It has been difficult to know exactly what to make of HTC recently. The company has been touting success with the One, and is turning decent profits after months of underperforming, but today we learned that HTC's Chief Product Officer, Kouji Kodera, left the company last week, and that the smartphone manufacturer is facing a bout of resignations.

It appears that, under the surface, HTC has been struggling with discontent employees for quite a while. In the past three months or so, HTC has lost of number of key employees to some of its competitors. After months of frustration, some of the company's internal problems are being aired publicly, with one source suggesting that:

Anyone who's heard of them in Seattle doesn't want to go work for them right now… They're in utter freefall.

Whilst another ex-employee took to twitter to advise others remaining at HTC to get out:

To all my friends still @HTC - just quit. Leave now. It's tough to do, but you'll be so much happier, I swear.

These departures have mainly taken place in the company's marketing departments; global retail marketing manager Rebecca Rowland, director of digital marketing John Starkweather, and product strategy manager Eric Lin each choosing to jump ship in the past few weeks. Interestingly, the US based hardware and software design teams have been relatively unaffected, suggesting that there's plenty of work happily being done on individual product development. The frustration may be setting in when it comes to creating a coherent marketing and sales strategy for the company.

A lack of leadership

A few other sources have suggested that many of the company's issues stem from problems at the top. Some believe have the new CMO Ben Ho has caused a stir by moving some of the company's planning and strategy departments from the current base in Seattle back to HTC's headquarters in Taipei. Others are pointing the finger at Peter Chou, HTC’s co-founder and CEO, who has failed to make a long term plan for the company, instead opting to take snap decisions when it comes to deciding the company's future.

Whilst specific handsets have been selling quite well, mainly the One, HTC lacks a broader vision for products which appeal to consumers in quite the same way. The company just isn't pushing the boundaries with interesting products, like some of its competitors. It's essentially being propped up by the occasional decent product, and even at that the One isn't shifting close to as many units world wide as Samsung's Galaxy S4, which sold 10 million units in a single month.

HTC Monthly Revenue April 2013

Revenues have clearly been boosted by the HTC One, but a lack of other products is costing the company money in the long term.

The problem with HTC, in my opinion, is that it's a company which doesn't do anything to stand out, it's constantly standing in someone else's shadow. HTC dabbles in a few products, taking on Samsung with top of the line smartphones, sharing Windows Phone with Nokia, and producing a selection of mid-range handsets that are neither particularly budget nor hardware orientated, but the company no longer has a unique edge in the market.

Taking a closer look at the product line-ups of HTC and Samsung, Samsung has a range of very unique products like the Galaxy Ace, Note, and Tab, as well as a strong flagship smartphone, which are all considered top products in their respective categories. Compared this with HTC's range of handsets which are, for the most part, somewhat similar and rather undefined. Other than by slight changes in specs and the price tag, and you can start to see where HTC's business plan is going wrong.

Furthermore, risky devices like the First, which we'll talk about more in a minute, are again signs of a business which is struggling for original and market breaking ideas.

Component shortages

But there seems to be more trouble at the top of the company than just a lack of a defined vision. There's also a problem with communication. You've no doubt heard about the component shortages which plagued the launch of the HTC One, and it turns out Chou knew about the possibility of severe delays months ahead of the One's release.

HTC staff is said to have alerted Chou to the issue months in advance, but they were told to push ahead with the product, most likely to at least put the One out ahead of the Galaxy S4, even if the handset’s availability would be affected. It's difficult to know whether or not this was the correct decision, as it's impossible to tell whether HTC would have been better served by waiting to launch the One after the Galaxy S4 or not.  The One's launch was clearly hindered, but sales are apparently gaining some strength now that these issues are sorted out.

The HTC First debacle

The Facebook Home powered First was always a divisive produce when it was first announced back in April, with many writing it off almost immediately. To me, it seemed like a spur of the moment product who's fate would ultimately be tied to the quality of a third party piece of software, which doesn't sound like a particularly well thought out business idea.

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At the very least, the First was always a bit of a risky product, but according to those briefed on the plans things should have worked out a little differently.

Facebook originally intended to launch a downloadable version of Facebook Home after the release of the First, to offer HTC time to sell an exclusive product. Unfortunately for HTC, nothing was set in stone and Facebook instead decided to launch its Home software at the same time as the First, which no doubt decimated the handset’s sales figures. Surely it would have been a rational business proposition for HTC to draw up a binding contract before agreeing to manufacture the phone.

The handset has seen dreary sales since its launch. With a dramatic price cut from $99 to just one cent on contract, and a rumoured discontinuation, it's clear already that the product is a failure. One source simply called the handset a "disaster", and I think you'll find it hard to disagree.

What's next?

As for the future of HTC, it's rather unclear. Financially, the company looks relatively stable for now, but there doesn't appear to be a strong sense of direction for future products, judging by the disastrous First. Disgruntled employees and a lack of a long term vision are sure to stifle the company's performance over the rest of the year, and with HTC already sitting in a precarious position, it's tough to see how the company plans to maintain its much needed recovery.

Although its devices are selling relatively well, no-one can claim that HTC is close to being a top dog in the smartphone world anymore, despite the high quality of its handsets, and that's just one of HTC's worries. With a history of poor market performance, increasingly dominant competitors, and a staff struggling to maintain faith in their own company, it's hard to see HTC making a recovery any time soon. Perhaps it’s time for a change in management and some fresh perspective.

    


Going hands-on with the Kyocera Hydro EDGE and Hydro XTRM

Posted: 22 May 2013 08:28 AM PDT

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Earlier today at CTIA 2013, Android Authority’s Joshua Vergara took some time to show off the heavy-duty Cat B15. Not everyone needs such extreme protection for their phones, however. What if you are just looking for a little extra durability at a budget price? If that’s the case, you might want to join us as we go hands-on with Kyocera’s new Hydro XTRM and EDGE handsets.

Let’s start with the champion model in the Hydro line-up, the XTRM. The Hydro XTRM features a 4-inch display with an 800×480 resolution. The heart of the phone is a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor and 1GB of RAM. Other specs include a 5MP rear cam, 1.3MP front cam, LTE support, 4GB storage, microSD, a 2,000 mAh battery and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

As already mentioned, the XTRM is waterproof, but even more interesting, it’s also shockproof. According to Kyocera, the phone can even be dropped 26 times from a height of 4 feet without any major issue – not that we’d ever recommend beating the crap out of your phone just for fun (or would we?).

As for carrier choice, the XTRM will only be available in the United States through U.S. Cellular. The phone will arrive May 24th and will cost just $29.99 with two-year agreement.

Moving on to the lower-end Hydro EDGE, we get a 3G smartphone with the same 4-inch display, though a slightly "cheaper" design. The EDGE also shares many of the same specs as found on the XTRM, with the biggest differences being a slower 1GHz dual-core processor and the lack of a front cam and LTE. The EDGE also has a smaller 1,600 mAh battery.

No word on how much the Hydro Edge will set you back or exactly when it is coming, but we do know it will arrive both through Boost Mobile and from Sprint. If we had to take a guess on the price? Considering the original Kyocera Hydro arrived to Boost Mobile for $129.99, we wouldn’t be surprised if the new EDGE model aims for a similar price.

For those looking for a closer peak at the EDGE and XTRM (as promised) here’s some hands-on footage:

Bottom-line, these phones might not be super-powered quad-core devices, but they could be perfect for those that need a bit more durability without having to pay top-dollar to get it.

Kyocera Hydro Edge 1 1600 aa Kyocera Hydro Edge 2 1600 aa Kyocera Hydro Edge 3 1600 aa Kyocera Hydro Edge 4 1600 aa Kyocera Hydro Edge 1600 aa KYOCERA HYDRO XTRM (3) 1600 aa KYOCERA HYDRO XTRM (6) 1600 aa KYOCERA HYDRO XTRM (8) 1600 aa Kyocera Hydro XTRM 1600 aa

What do you think of Kyocera’s latest Hydro handsets, could you see yourself picking one of these models up?

    


Qualcomm shows off its 2560 x 1440 577ppi 5.1-inch smartphone display

Posted: 22 May 2013 07:48 AM PDT

Qualcomm Logo aa (1) - 600px

Qualcomm is best known for its range of mobile processors, but did you know that the company is also working on its own display technologies as well? Known as Mirasol, Qualcomm's new displays aim to rival the current crop of OLED and LCD displays with a higher resolution and improved energy efficiency.

Although these products are still quite far from a release, we have been given our first glimpse at next-gen Mirasol displays in a few proof-of-concepts shown at the SID Display Week in Vancouver.

Qualcomm demoed some of its smartwatch prototypes, which use a tiny 1.5-inch 223 pixel per inch (ppi) Mirasol display. The display is designed to be highly energy efficient, and should offer around a week’s worth of battery life, which is a great selling point for wearable products.

The technology giant also showed off the same screen used on the back of a smartphone as a mini display for checking messages and other notifications. Whilst these were just concept devices, the display technology should be heading our way in third-party products at some point in the future.

More interestingly for us smartphone enthusiasts though, Qualcomm also showed off the same technology used in a 5.1-inch smartphone display. The screen has a mighty resolution of 2560 x 1440, which works out at an impressive 577ppi. Compare that to current top of the line 1920 x 1080 smartphones like the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, which have pixel densities of 441ppi and 469ppi, respectively, and you can see that there are quite a few more pixels packed in, resulting in a much sharper image.

Again, the display is designed to be more energy efficient than current technologies, offering up to six times the battery life over LCD and OLED screens, which is great news for our strained smartphone batteries.

If you'd like to see these devices and the Marisol display in the flesh then check out the video below, courtesy of Engadget.

Whilst none of these products are scheduled to come to market, at least not in the forms shown off in the video, we will probably see similar products based on these designs or using this technology at some point in the future. Sadly though, the impressive looking smartphone display is still a few years away from the production line.

    


Cellcontrol demoed at CTIA 2013, allows driver identification [video]

Posted: 22 May 2013 07:29 AM PDT

CellControl

Cellcontrol’s  new feature called DriveID, allowing it to prevent only the driver of the car from using his phone, is demoed in the video Android Authority took at CTIA 2013, alongside the other features of the driver security protocol.

Android Authority’s Joshua Vergara has received a first-hand demo of the features Cellcontrol offers in order to keep drivers (and especially teenagers) safe while behind the wheel.

Until we get driverless cars on every road, it’s a good idea to keep teenagers from using their phones while driving, and Cellcontrol is a great way of doing just that. It has a module that plugs into the car’s OBD2 port and communicates with your phone (any car made later than 1996 will have that port, so you shouldn’t be too worried regarding compatibility).

The device won’t allow you to use your phone when the car is moving, meaning it prevents access to calls, e-mail, Facebook or Twitter. Instead it shows a lock screen, as you can see in the image below. Apps or calls from certain contacts can be whitelisted so, for example, the teenager does get calls from the parents and can use the GPS navigation on the smartphone (emergency calls are always possible). You can even get notifications when the driver goes over the speed limit, for example.

CellControl

The problem was that, if a passenger was in the car, he couldn’t use his phone, either, even if he wasn’t driving. As you’ll see in the video below, a solution has been found to this problem, in the form of a solar-powered box on the widescreen, which creates zones in the car. It distinguishes between the area the driver is in and the one for passengers, so passengers can use the phone, but the driver can’t.

The technology is called DriveID and you can watch it at work in the our demo video below:

While the Cellcontrol device costs $89 and can be bought from Walmart, the new DriverID device is coming in Q3, with the price not known yet.

CellcontrolTM Unveils Groundbreaking Driver Identification Technology at CTIA 2013TM

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2013) – Today CellcontrolTM, the world's leading technology to stop distracted driving, unveiled the industry's first and only driver identification platform, DriveID, at the mobile industry's largest event, CTIA 2013TM. This groundbreaking technology allows Cellcontrol to accurately detect who sits in the driver's seat, and only apply a safety policy to that individual's mobile devices – leaving passengers free to talk, text, email and browse.

With the addition of DriveID, Cellcontrol continues to overcome industry usability challenges – providing the accuracy required for user-based insurance (UBI) programs and deeper distracted driving intelligence to protect drivers and their passengers.

According to distraction.gov, more than nine people are killed and 1,060 more are injured every day in crashes that involve a distracted driver. Further, drivers who use mobile devices are four times more likely to get into injurious crashes. Through its cutting edge, non-pairing Bluetooth signaling technology, DriveID brings a user-friendly distracted driving solution to families and fleets.

"The future of UBI and distracted driving prevention relies on intelligent driver identification – and we've accomplished just that with DriveID," said Joe Breaux, chief technology officer of Cellcontrol. "Our company continues to innovate the industry through technology and usability advances, and we look forward to bringing DriveID to the marketplace in the coming months as we continue to reduce the number of preventable auto crashes."

In the second half of 2013, consumers and fleet administrators can purchase a solar-powered DriveID standalone device, which is simply placed on a vehicle's windshield. This device will integrate with Cellcontrol's signature non-pairing Bluetooth technology to enforce usage policy, score usage, and/or audit usage of only the driver's phone.

For more information, visit cellcontrol.com/driveid

    


Samsung Galaxy S4 Brown version seen in musical short film [video]

Posted: 22 May 2013 05:44 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S4 Brown

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Brown edition appears in a new Samsung video that’s designed to showcase some of the Samsung flagship’s signature features.

The short music video, called “Hi Hey Hello,” features The Chicharones’ song by the same name, and has been directed by Grammy Award-winning director Joseph Khan, a man known to have worked with names such as George Michael, Maroon 5 and Lady Gaga, to mention but a few.

The video is the classic story of a couple of college students falling in love in 2013. You get the idea: boy sees girl, boy tries to impress girl with his Samsung Galaxy S4′s features (whatever happened to flowers?). Among the features shown in the video is Group Play, and that’s when (at around 1:08) you can notice a couple of Brown Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones among the ones used to play the song. You can watch the video below:

Since Samsung’s marketing team does nothing without a purpose in mind, you should probably see the Samsung Galaxy S4 Brown edition on the shelves soon enough (alongside the Blue Arctic one, recently shown in Japan).

The video does what Samsung Galaxy S4 ads (you may remember the Pool Party one) usually do: it showcases as many Samsung Galaxy S4 features possible in a few minutes. It’s an efficient way of getting the message across to users, and Samsung is making full use of it lately. That is why, alongside Group Play, you’ll see Smart Pause, Drama Shot, Sound Shot, Air View and Air Gestures in this new music video.

Just in case you haven’t made up your mind about buying a Samsung Galaxy S4 or not, take a look at our review of the device:

What’s your favorite Samsung Galaxy S4 color? Are you looking forward to the Brown edition?

    


Buying guide: Best Android phones – Canada, May 2013

Posted: 22 May 2013 05:13 AM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 vs htc one standings aa

This spring a variety of top-notch Android devices have been released, including Samsung's fourth generation Galaxy S smartphone, the fully aluminum One from HTC, and the Xperia Z, a sleek high-end phone from Sony.

Android has truly become the benchmark for all mobile operating systems. Sure, the market is fragmented and filled with cheap devices that no one wants or needs, but there are also some truly fantastic devices available, that have groundbreaking features and stunning designs. Many exciting announcements have come over the last few months, and it is no wonder that Android is holding its throne at the top.

Let's take a look at some of the best Android phones available in Canada this month, on contract and on pre-paid.

Best phones on contract: high-end

HTC One

In recent years, HTC has been losing the momentum it once had. They released too many flagship phones with confusing names and have fallen behind in marketing compared to Samsung. With the One, HTC is trying to bring itself back into the game as a true contender to Samsung's flagship.

HTC has vastly improved Sense with the new version 5.0, presenting it with a cleaner, more responsive interface. The Taiwanese company has also added in extra features, such as BlinkFeed, a Flipboard-style news feed that resides on the One's homescreen, and Zoe, which brings your photos to life. There is also a range of added camera features to go along with the improved four ultrapixels sensor.

The ultrapixel sensor is one of the most impressive features of the HTC One, allowing it to take fantastic, dynamic photos, even in low-light conditions. The secret is the novel technology that allows each pixel to capture more light, thus packing more information in each image. However, the low pixel count can be worrying; in some situations, the low-resolution sensor causes images to turn out blurry or lacking in details.

More coverage

HTC One video review

HTC One availability and pricing

  • Rogers – available for $149 on a new 3 year plan
  • Telus – available for $149 on a new 3 year plan
  • Bell – available for $149 on a new 3-year plan
  • Virgin Mobile – available for $149 on a new 3-year plan

Samsung Galaxy S4

After building up Apple-style hype, Samsung launched last month the new Galaxy S4, sending shockwaves throughout the industry.

The Galaxy S4 is filled with software features, but some of them come off as gimmicky or of questionable utility. These new features include things such as scrolling a website with your eyes, hovering over the screen for previews, a useful health app, and a lot more. They are not necessarily groundbreaking, but they do add a lot to the user experience.

Much ink has been spilled over the fully plastic build of Samsung's flagship phones. Plastic is perhaps not the best material in the world, but it does ultimately hold up well and doesn't take away from the user experience. It also allows the back cover to be taken off, revealing the replaceable battery and SD card slot, which are widely considered important smartphone features. We thoroughly enjoyed this device and found it to be the best contenders in many categories, with its super-fast quad-core processor, stunning display, and brilliant 13-megapixel camera.

More coverage

Samsung Galaxy S4 review

Samsung Galaxy S4 availability and pricing

  • Rogers – available for $199 on a new 3-year plan
  • Telus – available for $199 on a new 3-year plan
  • Bell – available for $199 on a new 3-year plan
  • Virgin Mobile – available for $199 on a new 3-year plan

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

With the success of the Galaxy S3 on their belt, Samsung proceeded to introduce the second generation of the Note series, which was remarkably successful amongst consumers.

The Note line was introduced with the primary aim to make a phone which doubled as a tablet. The result was a device with a large screen, though not large enough to be considered a tablet. Despite the massive size, many people find the idea of such a large device appealing, especially when combined with the S Pen.

One of the unique features of the Galaxy Note 2 is its S-Pen, which is a stylus that can perform many tasks around the Galaxy Note 2, such as the ability to write down notes quickly and without hassle using the fabulous S-Note app.

The Galaxy Note 2 is no spec monster by 2013 standards, but it still holds up well, with its 5.5-inch 720p screen, quad-core processor, and 8-megapixel camera. It also features a removable battery and an SD card slot. So, If you're looking for a compromise between a phone and a tablet, with lots of extra features added on, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a solid choice.

More coverage

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 availability and pricing

  • Rogers – available for $149 on a new 3-year plan
  • Telus – available for $149 on a new 3-year plan
  • Bell – available for $149 on a new 3-year plan

Sony Xperia ZL

The Sony Xperia ZL is the smaller brother to the Xperia Z. It retains the same 5-inch Full HD display, high-powered quad-core processor, and 13-megapixel camera that the Xperia Z has, but in a smaller, more portable package, which helps with one handed use. The handset is running Sony's custom UI, which is not the best interface on a smartphone, but it does add some extra features and is smooth and reliable.

We have however, noted that the display lacks great colors and wide viewing angles, which could potentially be a problem, but if you look past the display, the Xperia ZL is still a great on-contract choice.

More coverage

Sony Xperia ZL review

Sony Xperia ZL availability and pricing

  • Rogers – available for $124 on a new 3-year plan
  • Bell – available for $99 on a new 3-year plan

Next page: phones on contract (budget) and unlocked.

    


BitDefender’s Clueful tells you what apps are endangering your privacy

Posted: 22 May 2013 03:19 AM PDT

Clueful

Clueful, an app that BitDefender has recently launched for Android, allows you to find out which apps on your device constitute a threat to your privacy.

BitDefender is offering the app as a free download in the Google Play Store (link below) – similarly, you can get BitDefender Free Edition, also made available at no cost not long ago. Even with a security suite installed and the measures Google is taking to keep the Play Store safe, it’s still not a bad idea to see what risks you’re taking by using one app or the other.

Clueful is extremely easy to use: right after installing it, the app will scan your device and give you a privacy score, based on the permissions of the apps you have installed. The lower that score is, the more dangerous the apps you have installed on your Android device. The results come from comparing your list of apps to BitDefender’s cloud database.

You’re also getting buttons, at the bottom of the Clueful interface, to see which apps are high risk, moderate risk or low risk. Clicking each one of those will send you to a list where you can check out the permissions each app has. A button that allows you to uninstall the app right away is provided, without the need to go to your device’s Settings menu for that.

Clueful

The app is extremely easy to use, yet it can provide you with some essential information about the dangers which could lurk behind apparently harmless apps. Also, you don’t need to refresh your score every time you install something new, as Clueful will offer you a notification regarding every new app right after installation.

Will you be using Clueful on your Android device?

Bitdefender Launches Free Clueful for Android App to Protect Users From Privacy Invasion

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA–(Marketwired – May 21, 2013) – BITDEFENDER HQ – Bitdefender, the creator of innovative global antivirus software solutions, has launched the groundbreaking app Clueful for Android, giving device owners a way to monitor suspicious or careless apps that endanger privacy, handle sensitive data carelessly, deliver unwanted spam and access private information.

Bitdefender Clueful for Android gives you — totally free — a tool to monitor and analyze Android apps to see which ones can use your phone and read your messages without permission, send spam notifications, access your photos, send your passwords unencrypted over the internet, upload your calendar, interrupt your phone calls with audio ads and more.

The free app offers a comprehensive analysis of app behavior that is only available from Bitdefender. From the maker of Bitdefender Mobile Security, PC Mag’s Editor’s Choice for Android security, Clueful checks your apps against a constantly updated Cloud database to let you know when your privacy is at risk. Moreover, Clueful checks each app as soon as you install it, and rates the overall security status of your device with a “Privacy Score” to measure your vulnerability.

“Your smartphone is probably the most personal device you own, containing private messages, sensitive banking information, personal photos and other data that can leave you vulnerable if handled carelessly,” said Bitdefender Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi. “Meanwhile, the world of apps is still like the Wild West — poorly regulated, chaotic and open to exploitation by unsavory characters. Clueful offers you a solid defense in an often dangerous milieu.”

Bitdefender will launch Bitdefender Clueful for Android in an event for the media at Pepcom’s MobileFocus at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas on May 21, the opening night of the CTIA 2013(TM). Clueful will be available starting the same day on the Google Play store.

Clueful is crafted and maintained by world-leading developers at Bitdefender, drawing on years of experience on the front lines of the fight against malware. Innovation and dedication has won the company top awards, including the #1 spot worldwide in testing by independent analysts of AV-TEST in 2013, the Product of the Year for 2012 by AV-Comparatives, 12 consecutive VB100 awards from Virus Bulletin and more.

    


CAT B15 first impressions and hands-on (video and gallery)

Posted: 22 May 2013 03:04 AM PDT

Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 8 1600 aa

At CTIA 2013, Android Authority’s Joshua Vergara had some hands-on time with the CAT B15, the latest in Caterpillar’s range of rugged devices.

The CAT B15 is one of the strongest Android devices out there, and it’s perfectly capable of getting through anything you might think to throw its way. Available now in the U.S. for $350, after it launched in Europe and the U.K. last month, the device is certainly not for those looking for a discreet smartphone. Although Caterpillar’s reps say that it’s relatively slim and light, the CAT B15 is not a phone you’d expect to see in a woman’s purse.

The CAT B15 is aimed at people like executives in the construction industry or at outdoor enthusiasts, and, if you’re one of them, you’ll certainly appreciate what it has to offer.Thanks to its aluminum sides and rubber casing, you can safely drop the B15 from six feet or submerge it in three feet of water for up to half an hour. It’s also dust and scratch resistant.

The device, which runs Android 4.1.2, manages to offer a decent set of specs to go with its robust build, including a 4.1-inch screen, a dual-core MediaTek MT6577 CPU, with a 5 megapixel back camera and a VGA front one.

Check out our hands-on video below to see the CAT B15 in action.

While the CAT B15 is only available through the manufacturer’s website at the moment, the company is working on getting it to retailers and carriers.

Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 15 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 13 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 12 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 8 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 6 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 5 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 4 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 3 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 2 1600 aa Caterpillar CAT B15 CTIA 1 1600 aa

Are you a fan of rugged devices? Will you get a CAT B15?

    


Ingress updated to version 1.26 with vital notifications and new animations

Posted: 22 May 2013 03:02 AM PDT

google-ingress-niantic-project-1

Ingress, the augmented-reality game developed by Google in cooperation with Niantic Labs has just received another update, this time a pretty major one, a few days after that huge Ingress event held during Google's I/O conference.

Certain game features received a much needed makeover and Ingress now includes several new elements, in addition to the expected bug fixes.

As seen from the changelog of version 1.26, developers have integrated detailed information about the health of the portal and the percentage of faction control right inside the Portal Keys panel from the Inventory menu. Moreover, support for Jarvis Virus and ADA Refactor objects has been added.

Ingress is now capable of sending notifications in case someone attacks a portal or neutralizes it. The same applies when another member of the game mentions you using your @codename. Another important addition is the new Recharge visual animation, which will be displayed each time a portal is healed.

Even though the update is counted as a major one, Ingress is still in the closed beta stage. Those wishing to join the conquest can request an invite from the official website or from a high-ranked member (level six or above).