Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


LTE in the wild: seeking the fastest mobile speeds in the USA

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 10:49 AM PDT

The 4G LTE data speeds we get on our smartphones have come a long way in the short two years since LTE first hit the streets. I remember loving how fast that HTC Thunderbolt was, even though I was still in T-Mobile land. Now that most have 4G LTE including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and more, we want to see how fast yours is.

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Being stuck on T-Mobile 3G a few years back then finally switching to a Verizon 4G LTE capable GALAXY Nexus, I saw the light. Getting 12-15 Mbps down and similar up continuously was just awesome. Updating apps took seconds, instead of minutes, and downloading that latest game was no longer a WiFi-only process. It’s wonderful. And don’t even get me started on trying to do anything with the Sprint network.

Last week when Verizon Wireless pushed out a quick software update for the Galaxy S III a few issues arose where users were losing their 4G LTE. In the comments we saw some stunning (good and bad) speeds during the commotion so we’ve decided to seek out the fastest speeds around. Here’s a few of mine lately with Verizon 4G LTE and the GALAXY S 4. Topping 53 Mbps download throughout Las Vegas.

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One comment in particular (Thanks ImmaDroid – see screenshot below) is consistently seeing speeds that rivals many users home internet. In fact, it puts most to shame. Of course the Speedtest.net app isn’t anything scientific, or remotely official, but that’s what most use these days. With all the reviews we’ve done here at Android Community we always give Speedtest a run. The good, bad, and worst always come out through speedtest. We know bars don’t matter, but still want to see your results.

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Averaging above 60 Mbps down and roughly 19 Mbps upload with speeds on a daily basis, it’s safe to say I’d take a grandfathered unlimited data plan and be canceling my home internet. Those speeds are just ridiculous. Those aren’t something you see everyday though, nor can you expect them. At least not yet. I recently reviewed the AT&T LG Optimus G Pro and saw pretty good speeds too. Ranging from 20-50 Mbps on the daily. We don’t need these speeds to truly enjoy our smartphones, but it’s always nice to fire up the Speedtest app and see speeds besting our home internet.

Surely these can probably be faked, but we’d love to see the fastest speeds across the USA. Don’t give us WiFi or Google Fiber results, we want your AT&T, Verizon and others 4G LTE data tests. The 53.34 Mbps you see above of mine is the fastest I’ve ever achieved, personally, and we’d love to see yours.

Post your screenshots below and don’t forget to mention the location, carrier, and device if you’d like.

AT&T 4G LTE expands across thirteen states

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 10:40 AM PDT

AT&T has announced the latest 4G LTE expansions. This time around we are seeing new and expanded coverage spreading across 13 states. The list includes Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington. Perhaps even nicer, some of these states have multiple markets seeing the new coverage.

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Beginning first with Arkansas. This happens to be the first state alphabetically, however this time around they seem to be getting the most in terms of new coverage. The Arkansas coverage includes Batesville, Blytheville, Brinkley, Forrest City, Helena and West Helena, Newark, Newport and Pleasant Plains. Keeping things going alphabetically here and we can move into the next several states.

The Colorado coverage is for Colorado Springs and the Florida coverage is for Clewiston. The Idaho coverage deals with a few markets and includes Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Rexburg. The Indiana coverage deals with the Columbus and Seymour markets as well as Fort Wayne. Rounding out the first half and we have coverage going live for those in Muskegon, Michigan.

Additional markets include Miami, Oklahoma; Farmington, New Mexico and Wooster, Ohio as well as Bridgeton, Millville and Vineland, New Jersey. The coverage for Pennsylvania includes Williamsport. Those in Utah will be seeing coverage in the Heber City area and those in Washington will now have LTE speeds for those in Olympia and Spokane.

All said and done, while this may not have been the biggest AT&T 4G LTE roll-out, it is nice to see these regular updates. As compared to the other of the big four carriers, AT&T may not be in the lead, however they do appear to be way ahead of T-Mobile and Sprint. On the flip side, AT&T LTE was shown to be faster as compared to Verizon Wireless. Of course, in the end this coverage is important as we are only seeing AT&T release devices with LTE support at this point.

SOURCE: AT&T

HTC One mini leaks with Ultrapixel camera and more

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:46 AM PDT

HTC’s upcoming miniature version of their popular HTC One smartphone has appeared today, and we’re getting a full gallery of images as well as all the details. We’ve been talking about the HTC One mini (aka M4) for some time thanks to leaked details, but today the picture is very clear. This 4.3-inch smartphone rocks 720p, the Ultrapixel camera, and the same beautiful design so check out more below.

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There is still nothing official from the manufacturer, but all signs are pointing to a release very soon. The smartphone has leaked multiple times over the past few weeks, and today’s Mr. Blurrycam photos are the first real-life shots that actually look real. He’s also confirmed countless details that should have many excited for this device.

Just like the bigger brother the Mini rocks an impressive Ultrapixel camera (of the same caliber) beats audio integration, a beautiful brushed aluminum design and same curves we’ve been enjoying from the One. Then he goes on to confirm the 4.3-inch 720p display, Snapdragon dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and even running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

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Thankfully for us, this leakster was also nice enough to give everyone a decent little comparison with the smaller handset sitting next to its older sibling. And for that, we thank him/her. The phone overall doesn’t appear much smaller than the original One as a whole, but clearly you can see the difference in the shots.

HTC has yet to make any formal or official announcement, but they could and should be coming sometime soon. According to the leaked details we could see an early August launch, so stay tuned.

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SOURCE: Forte
VIA: SlashGear

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active official: Rugged, waterproof with Aqua Mode camera

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:36 AM PDT

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Active, the ruggedized version of the Galaxy S 4, has been officially revealed, capable of surviving underwater as well as in dusty, bumpy conditions. Based largely on the S 4′s specifications, though with a few notable changes, the Galaxy S4 Active has a 5-inch Full HD display though uses TFT LCD rather than AMOLED, while the rear camera steps down to 8-megapixels from 13-megapixels.

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However, it’ll still record Full HD video, and thanks to a new Aqua Mode in the camera app, it’ll apparently shoot great underwater pictures and footage as well. The IP67 ruggedization means the Galaxy S4 Active is good for up to thirty minutes at a depth of at most a meter.

There’s also a front-facing 2-megapixel camera, and a water-resistant earphone jack. Inside, you get a 1.9GHz quadcore processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage (11.25GB user-accessible) and a microSD slot.

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As for connectivity, there’s LTE and HSPA+, together with WiFi a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0. NFC and infrared appear – the latter for use with the WatchON universal remote app – and WiFi Direct. You also get an accelerometer, digital compass, and gyroscope, along with proximity, barometer, gesture, and finger-hovering sensors.

All of Samsung’s usual TouchWiz tweaks are present, on top of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The phone tips the scales at 151g with its 2,600 mAh battery, and measures in at 139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1 mm.

Samsung says the Galaxy S4 Active will go on sale, initially in the US and Sweden, this summer. Three colors will be offered – grey, blue, and orange – and we’ll be able to see more of the tough smartphone at Samsung’s June 20 “Premiere” event.

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Samsung and Jay-Z look to sign $20 million deal

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:21 PM PDT

Is Samsung preparing even more music streaming options? Today a crazy report and rumor has appeared stating that Samsung is looking to ink a deal with superstar and entrepreneur Jay-Z for what we’re hearing will be roughly $20 million. What for you ask? The details haven’t been revealed yet so that is anyone’s guess. According to the New York Post this deal is basically done and close to being finalized.

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Any sort of terms of the deal or agreement weren’t made public, so for now we’ll just have to guess and wonder what this could possibly mean for the company, and for Jay-Z. The Hip-hop superstar and entrepreneur is one of the most successful in the industry, and is expected to be worth around $500 million, so this deal must be pretty big to get him on board.

With Google Music All Access, Apple looking to get into the music streaming service, and options like Spotify all over the place many are speculating this could be another attempt from Samsung in that space with their Music Hub. With Jay-Z obviously being a huge part of the music industry, a deal of this size makes sense for some sort of music service. Whether that be streaming or not remains to be seen.

JLo teamed up with Verizon for her own Latino-inspired Viva Movil network, HTC is working with Dr. Dre and Beats Audio, and now it looks like Jay-Z could be the face of the next big movement from Samsung. We might be seeing some of his music, and his labels coming front and center with Samsung products in the future. For now however, we’ll just have to wonder what Samsung and Jay-Z have planned. We’ll update once we learn more, or if this deal actually gets finalized.

VIA: IntoMobile

Samsung GALAXY S 4 advert shows the company’s cute side

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:37 PM PDT

Samsung surely isn’t showing any signs of slowing down with their advertising campaigns. In fact, they’re only going to increase now that all major US carriers and more are offering their latest flagship GALAXY S 4 smartphone. Instead of poking fun at the iPhone we’re seeing Samsung’s sensitive side in this latest ad spot. Check it out after the break.

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The new GALAXY S 4 ad spot is called “Swaddle Master” and might end up being one of the most sensitive and cute videos you see all week. Unless of course you frequent /r/aww as much as I do. Instead of getting obnoxious at pool parties or showing celebrities Samsung is giving us a look at a more realistic and personal usage scenario.

Instead they are once again highlighting key features of their new smartphone, and doing so in a fun and cute manor that surely many first time dad’s can relate to. In this clip we’re seeing the awesome AirGesture features for hands-free usage, not to mention using S-Voice for instant hands-free YouTube video searches and more. Take a peek below.

Then in what is probably the best part of the commercial (aside from the 0:48 second mark) is Samsung showing off their eye-tracking technology called smart stay and smart pause. The GALAXY S 4 will track your eyes while playing back video, and pause each time the user isn’t looking directly at the display.

This is one of those neat features the average user might not know is available when they get their own GS4. I feel for all you dads getting left alone with the little man. It’s tough to change a diaper and watch NFL network at the same time. Tough indeed. Good job Samsung for playing it nice and showcasing your product at the same time.

VIA: AndroidAuthority

BlackBerry Messenger hitting Android June 27

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:44 PM PDT

Get excited folks because BlackBerry Messenger is reportedly coming to Android and iOS on June 27th. Back in May BlackBerry confirmed it was coming this summer, but never revealed a release date. Recently however an unofficial confirmation appeared on Twitter stating the once exclusive chat will be arriving on both platforms later this month.

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I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not all too excited about this. Between Google Hangouts getting released at IO, and only expected to improve, BBM might be too late. We know many are happy to hear the news though, with more than 60 million monthly users still to this day, BlackBerry Messenger isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Even if their phones are.

Take notice that this release date of June 27th hasn’t been officially confirmed by BlackBerry, but the Twitter account above seems to have insider information confirming the date. More so, they’ve also got an image showing the messenger on an iPhone, for what it’s worth. We’re hearing from multiple sources that June 27th is the day, but take it with a grain of salt.

Some of the features that are expected to arrive with BBM for Android include BlackBerry Groups as well as voice note sharing, multi-person chat and the same quick service that current BBM users experience. However, all the file sharing, voice features and more probably won’t arrive at first, but are expected to be added in due time. For now this is all just a rumor but we’ll update once we learn more or hear an official date from BlackBerry themselves.

VIA: GSMArena

comScore: Android remains top platform despite small drop in share

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:22 PM PDT

The latest comScore report has been posted and once again we are looking at Android as being the top smartphone platform. The report shows Android with 52 percent of the market share which is sitting against the 39.2 percent iOS happens to have. We suspect the Android faithful will be happy with that little bit of news, however there is another side to this story. In fact, there is a side we suspect that same group of Android faithful will not be all that happy to hear.

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This marks the fourth consecutive month with Android on the decrease. The overall drop hasn’t been what many would consider huge, but there has been a drop nonetheless. Looking at the April 2013 percentage of 52 and there has been a 0.3 percent drop from the beginning of the year. A January 2013 comScore report had Android sitting with 52.3 percent of the market share. Otherwise, aside from the small but steady drop with Android, much of the other numbers and names are where and who you would expect.

Rounding out the top five smartphone platforms and we are seeing a significant drop as we move from second to third. BlackBerry is in the number three position with a 5.1 percent share, Microsoft is next with 3.0 percent and Symbian is fifth with 0.5 percent of the overall share. Aside from the drop with Android, the other notable drop was BlackBerry with a decrease of 0.8 percent. Apple on the other hand, saw a 1.4 percent increase coming from 37.8 percent in January 2013.

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The interesting aspect here, despite the small but steady drops in Android, it seems like a significant change will be needed to see it removed from top position. Apple with iOS and Google with Android are roughly 13 percent apart at the moment and even if the other three platforms in the top five dropped in favor of iOS, that would still only add an additional 8.6 percent and leave Android on top.

Aside from looking at the platforms, we also have the top smartphone manufacturer numbers to consider. In this case, Apple sits on top with 39.2 percent of the market share. Similar to previous reports, Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG round out the top five. For the April 2013 comScore report, we are seeing Samsung with 22.0 percent, HTC with 8.9 percent, Motorola with 8.3 percent and LG with 6.7 percent.

SOURCE: comScore

Vine for Android gets its first update, camera still needs work

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:16 PM PDT

For that that missed the news yesterday, Vine for Android was officially released to the public. Following a rush of users the app was down for a good part of the afternoon, but now you’re able to create 6 second clips with ease all on your Android device. It’s their initial release, and isn’t anything near the iOS version, but getting its first update already.

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Vine for Android is as basic as it gets. Like as basic as Vine was when it first launched on iOS. They weren’t able to implement all of those features they’ve added for us Android users, but that will hopefully all be coming soon. Today Vine Inc issued their first (of many) updates for their Android app, but it didn’t really do anything.

So this post is more of a PSA that Vine is now available for Android, in case you missed the news yesterday, and at the same time doubling as somewhere to call out Twitter and Vine for the lack of features. For starters, the camera is a mess. It’s awful, doesn’t autofocus, doesn’t focus at all actually, and even my 13 megapixel GALAXY S 4 images don’t turn out too great. Then of course the front facing camera support like iOS has is missing.

Today’s update lists “Updated user settings and other bug fixes” and that’s all for now. So basically just the most minor update as humanly possible. The developers have promised “frequent updates” the the platform, and this is at least a good sign they might hold to that promise. So are you guys liking Vine on Android? Feel free to share any masterpieces below. Get the latest update to Vine and enjoy!

SOURCE: Play Store

Verizon Galaxy Note II price drops by $100

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 01:32 PM PDT

We have been seeing more and more talk of the Galaxy Note 3 lately, however it looks like Verizon has just given a reason to pay attention to the currently available Galaxy Note II. That reason, or more specifically, the 100 reasons have arrived in the form of a price cut. Simply put, Verizon Wireless has slashed the price of the Galaxy Note II and the handset is now sitting at $199.99.

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Of course, that price assumes a two-year agreement. This price drop includes both of the available colors and so far, it is looking like this is a permanent price drop. Or at least, Verizon has yet to offer anything to suggest this is a limited time sale. With that in mind, there is the talk of the Galaxy Note 3 to consider. Those who are tying to always have the latest and greatest may want to hold off on a purchase, but otherwise, the Note II is still a solid handset.

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The Galaxy Note II is running Jelly Bean and sporting a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720, quad-core 1.6GHz Exynos processor and 2GB of RAM with 16GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that supports cards up to 64GB in size. So sure, it may not the latest anymore, but it is still more than respectable. The handset also has LTE connectivity.

The other perks that come with the Note II include the massive 3100 mAh battery and S Pen which brings the ability to easily capture written notes and also edit and otherwise spice up your images. As far as the camera situation goes, the Note II has a front-facing 1.9 megapixel and a rear-facing 8 megapixel.

Otherwise, looking towards some of those Galaxy Note 3 rumors and it looks like we are expecting a handset with a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera that has optical image stabilization along with an octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 5.99-inch Full HD display. The Note 3 is also expected to launch with the latest versions of Jelly Bean and TouchWiz. Samsung is expected to announce the Note 3 during IFA in September.

Verizon inks multi-year deal with NFL – more live streaming coming in 2014

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:49 PM PDT

Today the National Football League and Verizon Wireless have agreed to another multi-year deal that will extend their exclusive access to NFL Mobile for Verizon customers. We’re not learning any details about how long this new extension is for, but we have a feeling Verizon won’t be letting go of this anytime soon. The most important part of the news is the additional features and live streaming options coming next year.

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The NBA Playoffs are just something I watch to pass the time until the NFL returns, and I can’t wait for the season to get started. My Green Bay Packers are stacked, and ready for the 2013 season where they return to the Super Bowl. Ok back to the Verizon deal. We’ve learned that live steaming and access to NFL games on the go is getting even better.

The current NFL Mobile on Android (and other platforms) will be getting some serious improvements following this new deal between the two parties, but sadly the good stuff won’t arrive until the 2014 season. However, this year we can expect an updated and improved app, the same exclusive access to Thursday, Sunday, and Monday night football games on mobile, and much more.

The new update will deliver “unprecedented inside access to all the latest news, stats, exclusive game highlights, plus an extensive collection of on-demand video featuring analysis and inside access from NFL Network and NFL Films.” Then here’s the good part. Starting in 2014 NFL Mobile from Verizon will give all subscribers access to CBS and FOX Sunday games (amazing) all NFL Playoff games, and of course the Super Bowl. I just got super excited!

NFL Mobile continues to be the best option for NFL fans to enjoy the best sport on Earth, and sadly for all the other carriers this won’t be getting shared by Verizon anytime soon. Expect the updated app to arrive before the 2013 season kicks off, and we’ll let you know when it’s live.

SOURCE: NFL

Falcon Pro v2.0 enters the Play Store as a public beta

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:36 PM PDT

Falcon Pro offered a bit of a teaser for the 2.0 update earlier this morning and it looks like you can now download that update. The one catch here, Falcon Pro 2.0 is still available in beta form. Assuming you don’t mind playing with a beta release, this is open and available for those wanting to check things out. The Falcon Pro beta is being handled through the Play Store and requires nothing more than a few clicks and a minute or so to update the app on your device.

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You will first need to join the Google+ community setup for this beta and then choose to “become a tester.” Once those are done it is just a matter of the update and posting any feedback or bug reports in the Google+ community. First things first though, lets break down the steps;

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And worry not, if for some reason the beta release isn’t playing nice on your device — you do have the option to revert back to the current stable release (which at the moment happens to be v1.9.1). One catch that we should mention though, as Falcon Pro is a paid app, the beta program will only be available for those who have already purchased the app. Or for those willing to make a purchase.

As a recap from our earlier post, some of the highlights in the Falcon Pro v2.0 beta include a new “flat design” that is available in three colors. Of course, perhaps the biggest attraction would be the multiple account support. Looking back through the Google+ community and it doesn’t look like there are any issues dealing with stability.

That by itself sounds good for those who may be nervous about leaving an app that currently works well for a beta release. In fact, the few issues we are seeing from the community appear to be minor and more related to design and the overall looks. Specifically, the colors and layouts and things along those lines. With that, those looking to get started need to simply follow the directions we listed above.

SOURCE: Google+

HTC One unlocked edition gets random $25 price increase

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:26 PM PDT

Well that’s just a bummer. Recently it appears that team HTC has decided not to lower the price of their new handset, but actually increase it. The fully unlocked HTC One over on the HTC store went up in price this week from $574.99 to $600. There’s no official word as to why we are seeing a price hike, but we have a few ideas as to why.

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With HTC having some extremely stiff competition from the folks at Samsung and their GALAXY S 4, you’d think they’d be lowering the price at any and all costs, not raising it. As Droid-Life states, this could very well be an answer to the recently announced $599 price of the Nexus edition vanilla HTC One that’s coming to market later this month.

It wouldn’t make much sense for HTC to offer their regular One smartphone with all its amazing features for less than the inferior in their eyes (depending on if you like stock Android) Nexus experience model being offered on the Play Store for $599. So that’s probably the reasoning here, but really, we don’t know why.

As a reminder, the unlocked HTC One does come with 32GB of internal storage, and of course is completely unlocked for buyers to do as they please with the smartphone. Which makes sense for the small premium you’ll be paying. So now that they are even. Would you go with the unlocked HTC One covered in Sense UI, or the stock Nexus experience model hitting the Play Store later this month? Let us know!

SOURCE: HTC

YouTube update adds slide-out navigation app wide, suggestion overlays

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 11:56 AM PDT

Google has been busy with updates as of late, and they’ve also been adding the popular slide-out navigation drawer to many of their popular apps. Gmail being the latest to receive this new navigation system, and today Google has improved the feature for YouTube, as well as a few other minor changes we’ll mention after the break.

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For those wondering. Yes, YouTube already had the slide-out navigation bar before the update that arrived today. However, they did change a few things, the animation was tweaked, and the slide-out navigation panel is now available app wide. Before you could only access this from certain points in YouTube, now you can instantly side it out for quick access to channels, subscriptions, options and more.

They’ve removed the “app button” and now a simple swipe from the left edge or tap of the button on the top left will instantly open the slide-out menu. It’s a nice touch, but a small change. Those aside there really isn’t much new here, but here’s the full changelog from the Play Store.

* Open the guide from anywhere in the app for quick access to your subscriptions and feeds
* Video suggestion overlays during playback
* Bug fixes and stability improvements

Interestingly we also have “video suggestion overlays during playback” but we’ve yet to get any suggestions or overlay popups to appear while watching video. Have you seen this yet? Then of course we have the usual bug fixes and stability improvements. The comments on the Play Store are a mixed bag of happy and angry customers, so let us know how the update serves you in the comment section below. Get it, as always, for free from the link below.

SOURCE: Play Store

Android Authority

Android Authority


Sprint Vital leaks: 5-inch HD screen and dual-core CPU (pictures)

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:58 AM PDT

Sprint Vital

The Sprint Vital, a smartphone with a pretty interesting set of specs, has had quite a few of its details leaked, including images and specs.

The handset, which has already made its presence felt a while ago as the ZTE Quantum, seems to be getting closer to its release date, as Engadget has received plenty of details about it (you can check out the device in the images below).

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According to the documents the publication received, the ZTE-made device runs Android 4.1 and packs a dual-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and 1GB of RAM memory. It has a 5-inch HD display, but the resolution of said display is not specified. However, the previously leaked information said it was 1280 x 720 pixels, and that would seem about right.

The main camera of the Sprint Vital is a 13-megapixel one, while a smaller front-facing camera for video conferences is also present. 4G LTE and NFC support is also included. The presentation video that Sprint has prepared for the device also mentions that the handset comes with the Real Racing 3 game preloaded, so you can have some fun right after taking the device out of the box.

Sprint Vital

Another important thing to mention is that the Vital will have a 2500mAh battery and that internal storage is at 8GB. However, if you’re not happy with that, you can add to it, using the microSD slot that’s also present.

Being a Sprint exclusive, it’s to be expected for the Sprint Vital to be pushed by the carrier at a good price with two-year agreements. We’re sure we’ll find out what that price will be soon enough because, judging by the amount of promotional material Sprint has prepared, the launch date shouldn’t be too far away.

Do you find the Sprint Vital tempting? Would you be interested in buying one when it comes out?

    


Google Glass XE6 update brings better photo quality

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:06 AM PDT

Google Glass

The Google Glass XE6 update is now available, with the most important improvements being the ones concerning photo quality.

If the previous update, codenamed XE5, brought you, among other things, Google+ notifications, this one deals with the photographic side of things more, because the ability to capture the world around you must be one of the most important reasons you would wear Google Glass.

As mentioned in the Google+ post announcing it, the new software captures a sequence of shots whenever you take a picture with Glass, combining them to improve image quality and yielding better results in dark settings. The software, which will also capture HDR images when in a bright setting, also promises to get results when the subject is in motion.

Here’s an example of the difference between how a picture was captured with the previous software and the current one (the Google+ post at the Source below includes an album featuring a lot of such examples). You can click on the image to see a large version, and you’ll notice some very visible improvements.

Google Glass XE6

Another new thing is that you’ll now be invited to add a caption to your image right after you’ve taken it, using your voice.

Apart from these two important updates, the Project Glass team also promises a number of smaller ones, including changes of notification sounds for Off Head and shutdown, as well as better Google Now cards for Sports and a new card for Birthdays. Off Head detection has also been improved.

Not long after announcing the update, Google has also posted the factory image for the XE6 update on the Glass Developer site, allowing you to flash the device to factory specifications, provided you really know what you’re doing.

Are you one of the lucky Google Glass users? What features would you like to see in the next update?

    


Samsung officially announces Galaxy S4 Active

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:06 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
It has been barely a month since the first bits of info about it started to surface on the Internet, but now we finally have definitive proof of its existence. Samsung today officially announced the Galaxy S4 Active, the “rugged” version of its latest flagship Android smartphone. It carries many of the same features flaunted by the original but at the same time, it also comes in a redesigned body that’s meant to make sure it survives all kinds of environments in the wild.

Samsung designed the Galaxy S4 Active to follow the IP67 certification, which means that it is both dust tight and waterproof up to 1m in depth for up to 30 minutes. The press release states that it can handle anything “from the most rugged mountain trails to the roughest rivers.” Yet it’s only just a little over 1mm thicker than the original, and just about 20g heavier in its nearly same-sized body.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active’s main features include a 5-inch Full HD TFT LCD screen (with pixel density set at 443 ppi), an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi ac, NFC, Wi-Fi Direct, irDA, and USB connectivity. Meanwhile, its innards contain a 1.9GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM, a number of different mobile sensors, and approximately 11.25GB of user-available memory — at least for the model that is advertised as having 16GB.

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Although it is an entirely new phone, it really isn't that different from its non-rugged counterpart overall. For instance, it will also run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean right out of the box. And it will be equipped with several exclusive Samsung software features, such as S Travel (Trip Advisor), S Translator, Smart Pause, Airview, Air Gesture, and S Health.

Speaking of exclusive software features, the Galaxy S4 Active will have one unique camera offering to its name: Aqua Mode. This is a new camera setting that is said to “increase visual quality and clarity for enhanced underwater images and video.”

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active 2
Samsung plans to start selling the Galaxy S4 Active first in the U.S. and in Sweden beginning this summer in three different color options: Dive Blue, Orange Flare, and Urban Gray. It will also be featured at an upcoming Samsung event scheduled to happen in London on June 20, 2013.

What do you think about the Galaxy S4 Active? Did you wait for its official announcement, and if so, was it worth it? Sound off in the comments section below.

Samsung Introduces the GALAXY S4 Active : The Perfect Companion for Exploration, Activity and Adventure

GALAXY S4 Active lets users focus on living life to the fullest by providing a rich experience without the fear of damage from outdoor elements

SEOUL, Korea 17:00 KST – June 5, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in mobile technology and digital solutions, today announced the GALAXY S4 Active, designed to enhance life experiences of the active user who wants to stay connected while exploring environments from the most rugged mountain trails to the roughest rivers.

"The GALAXY S4 Active is the newest addition to the GALAXY series and is purposefully designed for active users who love the outdoors," said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. "Samsung has taken the innovative features of the GALAXY S4 and added breakthrough protective design elements to create a device that thrives in an active environment and is built for a lifestyle of travel and exploration."

Maximizing Durability

Recognizing the demands of a dynamic lifestyle, the GALAXY S4 Active was engineered to keep active users connected as they explore and experience the world around them.

The GALAXY S4 Active has qualified protection from dust and water (IP67*), so you never have to leave the device at home during a long day at the beach or dusty hike. The fully sealed design keeps dust particles out and protects against water damage for up to 30 minutes of submergence at a depth of one meter. Equipped with a water-resistant earphone jack, the GALAXY S4 Active frees you to use earphones in more adventurous conditions, in the same way you've used them in normal ones. Whether capturing every moment of a wild rafting trip or taking a great underwater photo in the pool, the device's unique construction lets users capture amazing moments previously impossible using a normal smartphone.

(* IP stands for International Protection against ingress of solid foreign objects and harmful ingress of water. The highest level is IP68,)

Explore Longer with Powerful Performance

An active lifestyle requires plenty of energy, and the GALAXY S4 Active offers a long-lasting and powerful user experience.

Featuring a 1.9 GHZ Quad-Core processor and 2,600mAh battery, the GALAXY S4 Active can handle the most intensive tasks with ease and precision. Striking color and stunning resolution on the device's beautiful 5.0'' Full HD TFT LCD screen (443 PPI) makes playing the newest games or watching hours of video easy on the eyes. And with 'Glove Touch', cold weather is no longer a problem since the touchscreen can be fully operated while wearing gloves.

With an 8-megapixel rear camera, users can easily share their vivid experiences while on the go. Unique to the GALAXY S4 Active camera, 'Aqua Mode' can be used to increase visual quality and clarity for enhanced underwater images and video. The volume key located on the side of the device can be used as a camera key, allowing users to easily and quickly open the camera application to capture photo and video the moment it happens. Additionally, the camera transforms into a powerful LED flash light to assist in low-light and nighttime activities with a simple long press of the volume key.

Richer & Fuller Life Experience

The GALAXY S4 Active is designed with a seamless interface that incorporates popular features of the GALAXY S4.

'S Travel (Trip Advisor)' offers travel assistance, local information, and recommendations to provide a more seamless experience in an unfamiliar environment. 'S Translator' makes international travel easy by providing instant text or voice translation for emails and text messages.

The camera interface is designed to make capturing and sharing meaningful moments intuitive and more engaging with multiple shooting modes including 'Drama Shot', which allows users to see all the action in one continuous time-lapse, and 'Sound & Shot', which uniquely stores sound and voice together with the image to capture the moment in an immersive visual/audio format. With 'Story Album', photos taken with the GALAXY S4 Active are collected and sorted according to a user's timeline, geo-tagging information or a specific event to instantly create an organized photo album. To help facilitate sharing, users can also use the 'Group Play' function to enjoy music, photos, documents and games together and across various devices including GALAXY S4, GALAXY S4 mini, GALAXY Mega 6.3 and GALAXY Mega 5.8.

'Samsung Smart Pause' enables users to control of the screen using optical cues. While watching a video, the video pauses when you look away and starts right up again when returning to view, saving vital battery life and time spent rewinding. 'Air View' lets you preview the content of an email by simply hovering your fingers over the screen, which saves time and data. With 'Air Gesture', you can change the music track, scroll up and down on a web page, or accept a call with a simple wave of the hand. Additionally, 'S Health' helps you keep track of your personal health statistics. When paired with the S Health Accessory, you can monitor your heart rate, weight, sleep pattern and other personal measurements to assist in a healthy lifestyle.

Enhanced Content and Services

The GALAXY S4 Active also offers competitive content and services to provide a seamless mobile experience anytime and anywhere.

Using the 'Samsung Hub', users can access music, videos, books, games and engaging educational content. With a beautiful magazine-style interface, users can browse a variety of content across services, as well as purchase and manage their content easily with a single Samsung Account. Users can also control their TV through Samsung WatchON's IR remote, which transforms the GALAXY S4 Active into a remote control for TVs, set-top boxes, and DVD players. Through 'Samsung WatchON', the GALAXY S4 Active also offers a broad selection of entertainment content including live TV, cable TV and video on demand, facilitated by the rich digital context provided by Samsung's EPG (Electronic Program Guide) system. 'ChatON', another unique feature, connects and facilitates group chats, media sharing and interacting in creative new ways using pictures, hand drawings or figures across mobile devices. Further enhancing the device's sharing capabilities, users can use 'Samsung Link' to share and sync content across multiple Samsung digital devices.

The GALAXY S4 Active will be available for purchase beginning this summer, with initial retail in the U.S. and Sweden. It will be offered in three different color options: Urban Grey, Dive Blue and Orange Flare. Specific availability will vary depending on the market.

Media requests and invited partners will be offered hands-on demonstrations with the GALAXY S4 Active at the Samsung Premiere 2013 GALAXY & ATIV in London on Thursday, June 20th.

* All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation
* Android, Google, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Play, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Places, and Google Navigation are all trademarks of Google Inc.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 236,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

    


Internet of things coming to Android with Bluetooth Smart support

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:41 AM PDT

Bluetooth Smart coming to Android API 18One of the important Android announcements made at Google’s recent developers conference was the upcoming support for Bluetooth Smart (or Bluetooth low energy as it is sometimes known) in the next version of Android. Android 4.2 Jelly Bean supports Android API level 17. The commitment from Google is that Android API level 18 will support the  Bluetooth Smart. Official API level support for Bluetooth Smart will finally allow the “Internet of things” to come to Android.

“Internet of things” refers to the world of interconnected smart devices, ranging from sensors in your shoe to smart doors that can open themselves. For this next generation of smart-devices to communicate a common protocol is needed. Bluetooth Classic was able to provide such comms, but it was a battery killer. The new Bluetooth low energy (BLE) specification allows devices to consume only a fraction of the energy of a classic Bluetooth device. Where as classic Bluetooth devices measure their battery life in hours, Bluetooth Smart devices measure their battery in months or even years!

Although several devices including the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S4, the HTC One X and the HTC One are Bluetooth Smart Ready, the lack of native API support in Android meant that manufactures had to provide their own Bluetooth Smart SDKs. This wasn’t very satisfactory as any apps designed to work with these smart-devices needed to be implemented on each Android device separately.

The native Android support for Bluetooth Smart Ready technology available in the coming months means Bluetooth Smart developers will have an easy way to connect their devices to and distribute their applications within the massive Android ecosystem.
Suke Jawanda, CMO of the Bluetooth SIG

Now that Android will support Bluetooth Smart, developers have a chance to start creating some very exciting smart devices that can communicate with an Android device. There are of course some already on the market including the Pebble smart-watch and  Fitbit’s range of personal fitness trackers. According to the official Bluetooth website there are already a whole range of gadgets in existence that rely on Bluetooth Smart including  weight scales, proximity sensors, heart rate monitors, treadmills, GPS tracking devices, glucose monitors, dimmer lamps and helicopters!

The potential for these Bluetooth Smart devices is enormous. Beyond the current range of heart sensors and GPS trackers there is a whole untapped market for sensors that can monitor everything from the speed of a golf ball to the temperature inside an oven.

The Bluetooth Smart specification defines certain profiles which give us a peek into what is possible. Aimed at ‘always-on’ devices with long battery lives, Bluetooth Smart allows a button to be pressed on one device and an alarm to sound on another. So it looks like the days of those missing keys which have slipped behind the sofa are gone.

There is also a profile for proximity detection. It allows one device to detect whether another device is close by. This allows an alarm to be sounded (or another action like opening a door automatically) when the devices are a certain distance apart. There is also provision for a device like a wristwatch to receive notifications from another device, such as a phone, to alert the wearer to something happening on the phone, like an incoming call, alarm or notification.

It isn’t clear yet if API level 18 will be Android 4.3 or Android 5.0. A couple of weeks ago the Nexus 4 received official Bluetooth 4.0 certification and shortly after the Nexus 7 with Android 4.3 was spotted going for its Bluetooth 4.0 exam. Also we here at AndroidAuthority.com have noticed quite a few Android 4.3 builds not too long ago in our server logs.

When looking to get your next Android device the key phrase to look out for is  ”Bluetooth Smart Ready.” That means the device has a dual-mode Bluetooth chip that can use Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Smart. A device with only ”Bluetooth Smart” certification can only talk to smart-devices and can’t use “normal” Bluetooth devices.

What smart-devices would you like to see and how would they interact with your Android device?

    


Asus chooses Qualcomm over Intel for LTE-enabled MeMo Pad FHD 10

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:05 AM PDT

ASUS MeMO Pad FHD10
We’ve already given you a roundup of all the new devices announced by Asus at the Computex expo in Taiwan this year, but as it turns out, the Taiwan-based OEM is not done yet. According to a new post on Engadget, ASUS CEO Jerry Shen took the stage at Qualcomm’s Computex 2013 keynote to showcase yet another Android tablet — one that was not included in the original Asus press conference.

If you’re curious to know what it is, then read on. As you may already know, Asus announced a number of new Android-powered tablets during its press event. One of them was the 10-inch MeMo Pad FHD 10. Its main features include a 10-inch Full HD screen, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and most importantly, an Intel Atom processor. The version announced during the Asus press event is supposed to have built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, among other things. What about a version with built-in 4G LTE?

Well, Asus is indeed going to release an LTE-enabled counterpart to this particular tablet. However, it will not be running on the same Intel chip as the Wi-Fi-only model. Instead, it will utilize a Snapdragon Qualcomm chip with an accompanying LTE radio. And that is why it was unveiled at Qualcomm’s own keynote instead of the one Asus did a couple of days ago.

What does this mean? We can’t say for sure, but it’s likely that Intel was not able to finish its work on the new XMM 7160 LTE chip in time for Asus to make use of it. It’s a good thing that Intel is following through on its earlier promise of launching a new processor family that uses the new Silvermont microarchitecture, but it’s clear that it’s still got its work cut out for it as long as industry giants like NVIDIA and Qualcomm are still in business.

Will we ever see an Intel-based Android tablet with 4G LTE? Perhaps in the future. But one thing we know for sure is that the Asus MeMo Pad FHD 10 LTE — which is said to be scheduled for an official launch some time this fall — won’t be one of them.

    


Samsung and Jay-Z ‘close to inking’ $20 million sponsorship deal

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:10 AM PDT

Jay Z using a smartphone
Throughout his long and illustrious career in the music industry, hip-hop legend Jay-Z has been known to be a BlackBerry user. He even referred to himself as a BlackBerry Bold in one of the songs from his album The Blueprint III, which came out back in 2009. But times have changed, and if you were to ask the famous rapper now, he would probably tell you that he’s a Samsung Galaxy S4.

The reason for Jay-Z’s change of heart? A new deal that involves king of all Android smartphone makers, Samsung, which is said to amount up to eight figures in total.

According to a Page Six story that first appeared on The New York Post, the rapper is currently in talks with mobile industry giant Samsung and is close to signing a new $20 million deal. What exactly this multi-million dollar deal covers is still uncertain. But we’re willing to bet a whole $20 of our own that Jay-Z will be getting a new Samsung Galaxy phone of his own as part of it.

One of the NY Post‘s sources stated that Samsung and Jay-Z will complete negotiations and sign all the necessary paperwork “in the next few weeks.”

This could mean the arrival of a new kind of music service that somehow involves Jay-Z and some of his upcoming works, or that Samsung is simply signing Jay-Z as a brand ambassador of some kind to promote some of its future products. Either way, we’re bound to see an interestingly fresh new collaboration with a hopefully fresher set of sounds to go along with it.

    


Firefox OS tablet quietly unveiled by Foxconn

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 11:05 PM PDT

Firefox OS tablet
In case you have any doubts that Mozilla is going to release a Firefox OS tablet in the future, we’re here to tell you that you shouldn’t be entertaining those kinds of thoughts at all. And why? Because the Firefox OS tablet is real, and it’s here, at least in pre-retail form as seen in the Foxconn booth at this year’s Computex expo in Taipei, Taiwan.

The unnamed Firefox OS tablet first went on display beside a number of Firefox OS phones on a table manned by a Foxconn employee, according to a report that was first published on Pocket-Lint. The Firefox OS tablet looks to be equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen display and comes with rounded corners that make it look a bit like the Samsung-made Google Nexus 10.

We know that it’s still quite a ways until Mozilla’s hardware partners finally release the first Firefox OS phones, but now it’s also reasonable to believe that they’ll be releasing similarly-equipped (software-wise) tablets as well.

Back in February, we got a chance to speak with one of Mozilla’s leading Firefox OS developers. Through the interview, we learned of Mozilla’s plans to introduce an all-encompassing computing experience that spans more than just smartphones and tablets but desktop computers as well. Here’s proof that they are truly working well towards completing that plan.

In case you missed it, here’s the video of our interview with the Mozilla spokesman. We’ll keep you updated with the latest information on this Firefox OS tablet as soon we get a hold of it.

    


Samsung wins a U.S. import ban on AT&T iPhone 4 and older 3G iPads

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:55 PM PDT

Apple

Every time we turn around, Apple and Samsung seem locked into yet another patent dispute. Internationally, many of these battles end in favor of Samsung. Stateside? Well – we all remember Apple’s big win against Samsung in California just last year.

This time around, Samsung has turned the tables on Apple, as the U.S. International Trade Commission has now issued a ban on several AT&T versions of older Apple iDevices including the iPhone 3, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G.

As you might already know, the ITC is responsible for handling trade into and out of the United States. Since Apple’s devices are made overseas, the ban would prevent these older devices from entering the country.

So what led to the ban of all these Apple products? It all comes down to the violation of just a single patent, No 7,706,384, entitled "appartus and method for encoding/decoding transport format combination indicator in CDMA mobile communication system." According to Sammy, Apple had used technology on its older devices that violated the patent, though apparently this doesn’t apply to newer Apple devices.

Apple had previously hoped to get the patent classified as a "standards essential". This would have meant that the technology would be open for use by Apple on a ‘fair use’ licensing basis. Unfortunately for Apple, this didn’t happen.

So what’s next? This is a final ruling and must be overridden by either the White House or the federal circuit courts, it also won’t go into effect immediately. Additionally, Apple has already declared plans to appeal the decision.  Basically, the fight isn’t exactly over just yet.

If these are old products that aren’t even on store shelves anymore (with the exception of the iPhone 4) why does this ‘win’ even matter? For a couple reasons.

First, it’s a symbolic victory. Sure, we aren’t talking about the iPhone 5 or the latest iPad, but the point is that Apple doesn’t win them all, home ground or not. It is also nice to see Apple get a taste of its own medicine.

Second, this could hopefully set a precedent. Globally we are seeing Sammy win more victories than losses as of late. We are also seeing several cases thrown out, and patents invalidated. The tide could be finally be turning in Samsung’s favor.

Personally, I’m sick and tired of the patent wars. I want companies to stop bickering over these little claims in and out of the courtroom, and instead prove themselves where it matters the most: through their products.

What do you think of this latest victory for Samsung?

This situation is currently developing. If we hear more, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

    


DigiTimes: Samsung may experience in-house chipset supply shortage in 2013

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:30 PM PDT

Exynos 5 Octa

Due to projected high demand for upcoming Samsung products, the company may experience a chipset supply shortage in 2013. That's according to a report by DigiTimes, which anticipates Samsung's in-house production of chips like Exynos will be unable to meet keep up with global orders.

That isn't the only setback Samsung's suffered as a result its products' blockbuster sales. We told you in April that the company was forced to begin purchasing DRAM from rival SK Hynix to keep up with demand, and China Post reports that Samsung will prioritize production of Galaxy devices this month by cutting supplies of DRAM and NAND Flash modules to Taiwan and China.

While these supply shortages may seem cause for alarm, it's important to remember the kind of weight Samsung can throw around the chip fabricator industry. The company is the world's largest producer of computer memory chips, and regularly posts billion-dollar earnings. It's highly unlikely recent disruptions in the chip supply chain will cause major manufacturing delays for Samsung, and probable the shortages won't go on for long.

    


Larry Page and Steve Jobs: advice given, lessons learned

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:21 PM PDT

Larry Page

At the time Steve Jobs was nearing the end of his long bout with cancer, an important shift in Google management was afoot. Eric Schmidt had been running the show, while Larry Page and Sergey Brin decided what direction they wanted to pursue within Google, and his tenure at the top was just about done. Larry was set to take over the day-to-day operation, and Sergey decided to play in his laboratory, creating all kinds of forward-thinking products and services.

Page, understanding that Jobs was ill (and not going to recover), made a pilgrimage. Steve Jobs was the single greatest mastermind the tech world has known; a technology Jesus of sorts, both building Apple from scratch, and later resurrecting it. He was himself once a young man, in charge of a very large technology company. If anyone could provide proper insight to a young Page as he became the leader of the free tech world, it was Jobs.

steve jobs

The advice

"Figure out what Google wants to be when it grows up". Succinct, salient, and sound advice. This was Jobs in his final months. He fondly recalls his gut reaction to Page asking for a meeting was to say "F you", but his cooler head later prevailed. Remembering that HP co-founder Bill Hewlett once guided him, Jobs thought it best to pay it forward.

We did not enter the search business. They entered the phone business.

Jobs clearly saw promise in the future, if not Page. Under Schmidt, Google had been seen as direct rival to Apple. “We did not enter the search business. They entered the phone business. Make no mistake, they want to kill the iPhone. We won’t let them.” was Jobs' line from a 2010 town hall meeting. Schmidt, who had been a mainstay on the Apple board of trustees, was squeezed out over increasingly competitive practises at Google. Android and Chrome were considered to be in direct competition with Apple products, and Jobs was not fond of someone he considered the enemy, sitting on his board.

Meaning

Jobs, for all his thermonuclear talk, was benevolent in his twilight. After the initial chat, Jobs approached Page for a follow-up commentary. He cautioned Larry about the quality and number of Google products. "They're turning you into Microsoft", Jobs quipped.

Fiercely proud of his Apple products and brand, Jobs was giving Page the only advice he knew to deliver. Perhaps Jobs was urging Page to take the reigns of Apple's momentum, and ride it into the next frontier. What can be taken from the commentary is that Jobs so wanted Google to emulate Apple in some respect. He wanted young Larry to be more like Steve Jobs.

Apple Logo iPad 2 1600

The Apple way

Apple has made some fantastic products over the course of their timeline. They've also innovated some stellar services, and pioneered one of the most crucial shifts ever in the music industry's move to digital. Would Google be wise to follow that path?

The company Jobs bled for is fabulous at delivering his vision of technology. It is not, however, good for us. Variety is important, and Apple is a little too vanilla in that regard. A variety of colors is not terribly important to mobile tech fans, but a choice in functionality is.

Larry Page had no intention of turning Google into Apple, but he listened to the message Jobs gave.

Apple services work fabulously. They are simple, straightforward, and fairly intuitive. From desktop to mobile, Apple does it right. They also settle into a niche once they expand a sector of the market. After taking a notable share of the mobile market is 2008, The tandem of Android and iOS have effectively wilted the competition since. In 2009, iOS boasted roughly ten times the sales of Android devices.

Since that time, Android has grown rapidly, and continues to do so. Apple's iOS platform has not enjoyed such a rise, and has since settled into a niche. The same effect had been seen years before in the PC market: Apple expansion, then Microsoft dominance. Beautifully crafted products, which move slowly for an increasingly rapid moving technology landscape. The Apple way is not the only way, and Page knew that.

    


Google: Don’t panic, your “intercepted” white Nexus 4 shipment is still coming, as scheduled

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 01:18 PM PDT

white nexus 4

You might have seen reports on the net suggesting that the white model of the LG Nexus 4 has run into a few shipping problems. It’s even possible that you have tracking information that says your order was intercepted in transit for return back to its origins. Don’t panic just yet! According to Google, it’s nothing more than a minor tracking number issue.

Here’s the email that Google is preparing to send out, letting you know what’s going on (if they haven’t sent it already):

A small number of customers were sent a ship confirmation with an incorrect tracking number on 5/31 and 6/3. In these cases the incorrect tracking number may indicate that the package is being returned to sender.

Please disregard this tracking number. Another ship confirmation with the correct tracking number will be emailed to you within 24 hrs. Please reference the tracking number in the 'Thank You' section of the ship confirmation.

Please rest assured that your package's arrival date is unaffected by the incorrect tracking number.

In other words, Google says that you should be receiving your phone on time, with no delay, even if your order is currently listed as "intercepted". For those of you that ordered the white model on the day that it launched, that means that it hopefully will be arriving sometime today.

This should come as a relief to those that had heard some of the wild theories that were making the rounds earlier, such as claims that Google had sent out the wrong color option, or that there might be something wrong with the first batch of units.

For those wondering, most of these tracking report issues seem to center around the 16GB model of the white Nexus 4, though it’s possible that those who ordered the 8GB model might also be affected by this tracking number issue.

So how about it, for those whose orders were originally due to be delivered today: did the white LG Nexus 4 arrive as promised?

    


Intel reveals Merrifield, a next generation mobile processor design

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:57 PM PDT

Intel logo

Move over, ARM, Intel's finally hitting its stride in mobile. At least, that's the impression the chip maker gave when it formally unveiled its fourth-generation CPU product family. Emphasizing the comapny’s growing presence in portable devices like smartphones and tablets – Lenovo's K900 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 are such examples – Intel detailed the next iteration of its low-power, 22nm processor for phones.

The big focus for this chip generation is battery life. Intel said Merrifield CPUs will consume significantly less power than predecessor Medfield designs. In addition, the company says performance gains will be substantial, in part because Merrifield is based on an "entirely new Atom architecture." Intel didn’t specify what kind of physical design the new CPUs will adopt; Medfield was a single-core design, while mobile benchmarks discovered by Chinese blog Blue Ringer Men show a dual-core Intel prototype clocked between 1.6GHz and 2GHz. It’s entirely possible the product hasn’t yet been finalized.

Intel Medfield Benchmarks

Our initial benchmarking of Intel’s Medfield processor in the Lenovo K900 demoed a very powerful SoC

Intel promised Merrifield would include an "integrated sensor hub," which suggests the chips will have the ability to directly interface with, for example, accelerometers and proximity sensors, potentially saving motherboard space. Unfortunately, Merrifield isn't due out for a while: the company said the tech's on track for early 2014 availability. Hopefully, we'll learn more about the new CPUs before then.

Innovation, Reinvention on Intel® Architecture Fuel Wave of 2-in-1 Devices, New Mobile Computing Experiences

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Intel introduced 4th generation Intel® Core™ processors that serve as foundation to wave of new 2-in-1s that combine stunning PC performance with tablet-like mobility in one device and deliver on Ultrabook™ vision.
New Intel Core processors deliver biggest power savings in company history, enabling over 9 hours of battery life1 with stunning performance and two times the graphics capability versus the previous generation2.
Intel demonstrated for the first time its next-generation 22nm quad-core Intel® Atom™ SoC for tablets in conjunction with its forthcoming 4G LTE multimode data solution.
Showed first smartphone reference design platform based on next-generation 22nm Intel Atom SoC for smartphones.

COMPUTEX, Taipei, Taiwan, June 4, 2013 – Ushering in a wave of new Ultrabook™ andemerging 2-in-1 devices that deliver a PC when you need it and a tablet when you want it, Intel Corporation today introduced its ground-breaking 4th generation Intel® Core™ Processor family.

Speaking at Computex Taipei 2013, Executive Vice President Tom Kilroy said Intel has more than 50 different 2-in-1 designs in the pipeline across a range of price points, including premium Ultrabook 2-in-1s powered by the new Intel Core processors, and other designs powered by forthcoming processors based on the company’s 22nm Silvermont microarchitecture.

“Today we deliver on the vision set forth 2 years ago to reinvent the laptop with the introduction of our 4th generation Intel Core processors that were designed from the ground up for the Ultrabook and serve as the foundation for a new era of 2-in-1 computing,” said Kilroy. “We made one of the most seismic changes to our roadmap ever to build these new Core processors that deliver the stunning performance of the PC and the mobility of a tablet in one device. The new processors power the most exciting 2-in-1 designs to-date.”

Kilroy also highlighted momentum in ultra-mobility, pointing to Intel’s next-generation 22nm quad-core and most powerful Intel® Atom™ system-on-chip (SoC; codenamed “Bay Trail-T”) yet for tablets coming this holiday, the company’s forthcoming 4G LTE multimode solution and its next-generation 22nm Atom SoC (codenamed “Merrifield”) for smartphones.

“With the new Intel Core processors introduced today, our next-generation Atom SoC for tablets and other 22nm products coming soon, the advances in Intel® architecture are accelerating the pace of innovation, enabling new experiences and powering some of the best mobile devices coming to market this year,” said Kilroy.

New Intel Core Processors Foundational to 2-in-1 Computing, New Experiences
Designed first and foremost with the Ultrabook in mind and based on the company’s flagship 22nm Haswell microarchitecture, the 4th generation Intel Core processors deliver a 50 percent increase in battery life in active workloads over the previous generation1. This is the largest generation-over-generation gain in the company’s history, equating to over 9 hours of battery life in active workloads1 for some Ultrabooks based on the new processors.

Intel’s newest Core processors are the first SoCs for PCs with stunning performance, and power a variety of innovative devices, including Ultrabook, 2-in-1 and portable all-in-one designs. Systems based on the quad-core version of the new Core processors are available now, with additional versions available in the coming months.

The 4th generation Intel Core processors also have built-in graphics that deliver discrete-level performance, or up to 2 times the performance of Intel’s prior generation2. Offered on select versions of the new Intel Core processors, Intel® Iris™ graphics bring the Ultrabook and other mobile PCs to life with built-in, eye-popping visual experiences.

Select Ultrabooks powered by 4th generation Intel Core processors will deliver the Intel performance people expect combined with the mobility and responsiveness of a tablet, making them the premium, ultra-versatile 2-in-1 devices. With touch capability and a keyboard, the system adapts to the user and also offers full application compatibility. People can lean forward to work and lean back to relax using just one device.

Kilroy also showcased progress in bringing human-like senses to 2-in-1 and other Intel-based devices through the addition of touch, voice and facial recognition and other technologies. Called perceptual computing, these technologies take advantage of Intel processing power to make interaction with devices natural, intuitive and immersive.

He demonstrated immersive, short-range gesture and voice-based interaction by giving new Intel Core-based Ultrabook 2-in-1 devices “eyes” with the Creative Senz3D* peripheral camera, noting general availability for the camera starting next quarter. Looking to the future, he said Intel is working on an integrated solution to build 3-D depth camera technology directly into future Intel-based devices targeted for the second half of 2014.

Accelerating Fast: Tablets, Smartphones and LTE
Intel’s 22nm low-power, high-performance Silvermont microarchitecture is enabling the company to accelerate and significantly enhance its tablet and smartphone offerings.

For tablets on shelves for holiday 2013, Intel’s next-generation, 22nm quad-core Atom SoC (“Bay Trail-T”) will deliver superior graphics and more than two times the CPU performance of the current generation. It will also enable sleek designs with 8 or more hours3 of battery life and weeks of standby, as well as support Android* and Windows 8.1*.

For the first time, Kilroy demonstrated Intel’s 4G LTE multimode solution in conjunction with the next-generation 22nm quad-core Atom SoC for tablets. The Intel® XMM 7160 is one of the world’s smallest4and lowest-power multimode-multiband LTE solutions and will support global LTE roaming in a single SKU.

With a number of phones with Intel silicon inside having shipped across more than 30 countries, Kilroy previewed what’s coming. He showed for the first time a smartphone reference design platform based on “Merrifield,” Intel’s next-generation 22nm Intel Atom SoC for smartphones that will deliver increased performance and battery life. The platform includes an integrated sensor hub for personalized services, as well as capabilities for data, device and privacy protection.

    


Unlocked HTC One pricing increases, goes from $575 to $600

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:24 PM PDT

htc one coming to verizon

Normally when a phone has been on the market for a little while, it is only natural to see price changes. Almost always this means lower pricing than before, but not in HTC’s case. Apparently the HTC Store is now selling the unlocked HTC One for $599.99, a $25 price increase.

When HTC first started selling the HTC One through its store there was no indication that this was limited time pricing, so what gives? While we can’t say with any real certainty, it seems likely this has something to do with the HTC One with the Nexus User Experience, which will arrive to Google Play on June 26th for $599.99.

Having a $25 price difference between the HTC One NE and regular version wouldn’t have made a lot of sense, after all. Okay, but why didn’t the HTC One NE just price at $574.99 to begin with? Only HTC and Google know for sure.

One possibility is that the change maybe had to do with keeping the Samsung Galaxy S4 NE and HTC One NE within a similar pricing range (a $50 difference this way).

That’s assuming that Google requested the $599.99 price tag. What if it was the other way around? HTC might have decided that it wouldn’t get involved with putting stock Android on the One unless they could make a few extra bucks out of the deal, and then simply decided to raise its earlier pricing to reflect the new Google Play price.

Of course both of these theories are complete speculation on our part, and are admittedly pretty lame reasons. Then again, can you think of a good, not-lame reason for a price increase at this point? I certainly can’t.

To be fair, a $25 price increase probably isn’t going to break the bank, but that doesn’t make this move any less strange. What do you think, is the $25 price increase a big deal? Any interesting theories as to why HTC increased the pricing?

    


HTC One Max (T6), Butterfly 2 to launch in second half of 2013, analyst says

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:20 PM PDT

HTC One logo

In a research note to investors, an analyst said that HTC is expected to see "strong revenue growth" in the second half of the year thanks to two new flagship devices including the HTC One Max (currently known as the HTC T6) and the HTC Butterfly 2 set to launch during the period.

This is the second report today that mentions potential HTC devices for the second half of the year, and we're finally given a product name for the T6 – HTC One Max makes plenty of sense considering that the handset is expected to be a bigger HTC One version, a 5.9-inch competitor to the Galaxy Note 3.

Alvin Kwock from J.P. Morgan Hong Kong revealed that many carriers are "highly interested" in the HTC One Max, according to Focus Taiwan, as the device " is the only flagship model with a uni-body casing back-cover to be released in the second half of this year."

In addition to the already mentioned metal design and 5.9-inch screen, the HTC One Max would is also said to pack a 2.2GHz processor and the latest Android version, which is specifically mentioned as being Key Lime Pie.

These details are pretty much in line with what previous reports have said about the T6, and we have no way of knowing whether they're accurate or not – after all, analysts don't always get it right. Other details about the HTC One Max have not been offered.

As for the HTC Butterfly 2, the handset is expected to be promoted by more carriers than its predecessors, but actual specs and features are not revealed.

The publication says that two other HTC handsets could arrive in the third quarter according to Kwock including the HTC Butterfly S and the HTC One mini. It's not clear at this point whether the Butterfly 2 and Butterfly S are one and the same phone or whether they're different – common sense says that the Butterfly S makes sense as a name for the second-generation HTC Butterfly model, but nothing is official at this time.

Based on these expectations, Kwock said that HTC's revenue will grow 75% sequentially in the second quarter, and continue to grow by 15 to 20 percent in the following quarters. Thus, he gave HTC stock an "overweight" rating, with a NT$390 (about $13) target price in sight. Currently, HTC stock is trading around NT$287 in the region.

That said, we'll remind you to take everything with a grain of salt, as we're yet to see these upcoming devices confirmed.

    


Intel announces plans to pair Bay Trail SoCs with new XMM 7160 LTE chip

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 11:21 AM PDT

Intel-LogoToResize

Intel may not be one of the biggest players in the mobile world, but they are working hard to change this. Recently we reported on Intel’s acquisition of a GPS chip division that could play into their future mobile plans, but their mobile ambitions certainly don’t end there. Earlier today at Computex 2013, Intel officially revealed its XMM 7160 LTE modem, which it plans to pair with its next-gen 22nm Bay Trail Atom SoCs for tablets.

According to Intel, the new LTE chip is one of the world’s smallest and lowest-power multimode-multiband LTE chips. It’s also worth noting that the chip supports global LTE roaming.

There is currently no word on exactly when the first consumer devices will roll out with integrated LTE support, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see devices show up with the technology in time for the Holiday 2013 shopping season.

One thing is clear, Intel is seems to be on a roll in the mobile world. The big question is whether or not their recent moves in the mobile world will be enough to take on established players like Qualcomm and Nvidia.

What do you think, is 2013 the year that Intel truly makes a dent in the mobile market?

COMPUTEX, Taipei, Taiwan, June 4, 2013 – Ushering in a wave of new Ultrabook™ andemerging 2-in-1 devices that deliver a PC when you need it and a tablet when you want it, Intel Corporation today introduced its ground-breaking 4th generation Intel® Core™ Processor family.

Speaking at Computex Taipei 2013, Executive Vice President Tom Kilroy said Intel has more than 50 different 2-in-1 designs in the pipeline across a range of price points, including premium Ultrabook 2-in-1s powered by the new Intel Core processors, and other designs powered by forthcoming processors based on the company’s 22nm Silvermont microarchitecture.

“Today we deliver on the vision set forth 2 years ago to reinvent the laptop with the introduction of our 4th generation Intel Core processors that were designed from the ground up for the Ultrabook and serve as the foundation for a new era of 2-in-1 computing,” said Kilroy. “We made one of the most seismic changes to our roadmap ever to build these new Core processors that deliver the stunning performance of the PC and the mobility of a tablet in one device. The new processors power the most exciting 2-in-1 designs to-date.”

Kilroy also highlighted momentum in ultra-mobility, pointing to Intel’s next-generation 22nm quad-core and most powerful Intel® Atom™ system-on-chip (SoC; codenamed “Bay Trail-T”) yet for tablets coming this holiday, the company’s forthcoming 4G LTE multimode solution and its next-generation 22nm Atom SoC (codenamed “Merrifield”) for smartphones.

“With the new Intel Core processors introduced today, our next-generation Atom SoC for tablets and other 22nm products coming soon, the advances in Intel® architecture are accelerating the pace of innovation, enabling new experiences and powering some of the best mobile devices coming to market this year,” said Kilroy.

New Intel Core Processors Foundational to 2-in-1 Computing, New Experiences
Designed first and foremost with the Ultrabook in mind and based on the company’s flagship 22nm Haswell microarchitecture, the 4th generation Intel Core processors deliver a 50 percent increase in battery life in active workloads over the previous generation1. This is the largest generation-over-generation gain in the company’s history, equating to over 9 hours of battery life in active workloads1 for some Ultrabooks based on the new processors.

Intel’s newest Core processors are the first SoCs for PCs with stunning performance, and power a variety of innovative devices, including Ultrabook, 2-in-1 and portable all-in-one designs. Systems based on the quad-core version of the new Core processors are available now, with additional versions available in the coming months.

The 4th generation Intel Core processors also have built-in graphics that deliver discrete-level performance, or up to 2 times the performance of Intel’s prior generation2. Offered on select versions of the new Intel Core processors, Intel® Iris™ graphics bring the Ultrabook and other mobile PCs to life with built-in, eye-popping visual experiences.

Select Ultrabooks powered by 4th generation Intel Core processors will deliver the Intel performance people expect combined with the mobility and responsiveness of a tablet, making them the premium, ultra-versatile 2-in-1 devices. With touch capability and a keyboard, the system adapts to the user and also offers full application compatibility. People can lean forward to work and lean back to relax using just one device.

Kilroy also showcased progress in bringing human-like senses to 2-in-1 and other Intel-based devices through the addition of touch, voice and facial recognition and other technologies. Called perceptual computing, these technologies take advantage of Intel processing power to make interaction with devices natural, intuitive and immersive.

He demonstrated immersive, short-range gesture and voice-based interaction by giving new Intel Core-based Ultrabook 2-in-1 devices “eyes” with the Creative Senz3D* peripheral camera, noting general availability for the camera starting next quarter. Looking to the future, he said Intel is working on an integrated solution to build 3-D depth camera technology directly into future Intel-based devices targeted for the second half of 2014.

Accelerating Fast: Tablets, Smartphones and LTE

Intel’s 22nm low-power, high-performance Silvermont microarchitecture is enabling the company to accelerate and significantly enhance its tablet and smartphone offerings.

For tablets on shelves for holiday 2013, Intel’s next-generation, 22nm quad-core Atom SoC (“Bay Trail-T”) will deliver superior graphics and more than two times the CPU performance of the current generation. It will also enable sleek designs with 8 or more hours3 of battery life and weeks of standby, as well as support Android* and Windows 8.1*.

For the first time, Kilroy demonstrated Intel’s 4G LTE multimode solution in conjunction with the next-generation 22nm quad-core Atom SoC for tablets. The Intel® XMM 7160 is one of the world’s smallest4and lowest-power multimode-multiband LTE solutions and will support global LTE roaming in a single SKU.

With a number of phones with Intel silicon inside having shipped across more than 30 countries, Kilroy previewed what’s coming. He showed for the first time a smartphone reference design platform based on “Merrifield,” Intel’s next-generation 22nm Intel Atom SoC for smartphones that will deliver increased performance and battery life. The platform includes an integrated sensor hub for personalized services, as well as capabilities for data, device and privacy protection.

    


Nvidia CEO demonstrates innovative stylus technology at Computex 2013

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:50 AM PDT

Nvidia

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has shown an interesting new stylus technology at Computex 2013.

Namely, the Nvidia official has demonstrated how a non-digitizer stylus can be used to perform actions normally only possible with a digitizer one – such as the S Pen used with Samsung Galaxy Note devices and made by Wacom (a company in which Samsung has bought a stake).

Using a Tegra 4-powered 7-inch tablet, Huang has used a normal stylus to draw and write at different levels of thickness, depending on the pressure he was applying, as you can see in the image below. Furthermore, he showed that the bottom of the stylus could even perform as an eraser.

According to Engadget, sensitivity was excellent, giving a lot of hope for the technology’s future.

Nvidia stylus

Nvidia says that the innovation should help save on battery life and also promises to detect curved lines in a better fashion. The technology will only work on Nvidia’s own Tegra 4 hardware, combined with its DirectTouch technology. The latter moves some of the load of processing the touch input from the controller to the processor.

Unfortunately, the company hasn’t mentioned yet when we’ll see the new technology in a commercial product.

    


New Play Store web version is currently being tested at Google

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:45 AM PDT

Play Store web version Chris Yerga

Google has been making a lot of changes to apps lately. We expected changes for various mobile apps, but when those changes bleed into the desktop, it's worth note. Rarely do desktop apps or services follow the pace their mobile counterparts set.

The Play Store has gone through many changes in its lifespan, even suffering a name change not too long ago. What it hasn't yet done is become cohesive with the mobile app. News suggests that the new desktop version of the Play Store is being dogfooded at Google, meaning it will be ready for release sometime in the near future.

For those that are unfamiliar, dogfooding is the process Google goes through to internally beta test. Employees sign up to test a new app or product, and are then given permission to do so. Feedback is given, the service tweaked, and then made available to the public.

While the Play Store may not look exactly the same across devices, or even into the desktop, this update brings it much closer to true functional unity than any we've seen prior. Like the mobile app design shift we've seen lately, there is also a menu at the top left for navigation, allowing users to quickly move through the Play Store.

We like the unity Google is bringing to the Play Store across devices. We saw it briefly at the I/O keynote, and we’re impressed then as well. The new layout is clean, easy to navigate, and makes finding content really simple. What do you think of it?

Play Store web version

    


Google Glass won’t be getting porn. Ever.

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 09:24 AM PDT

google glass porn Credit: DVF

Being the first at anything is always notable. The first to develop a porn app for Google Glass? Sure, that's good for a few turned heads. What it won't do is make it onto Google Glass.

MiKandi, the company behind – wait for it – Tits & Glass, is in a bind. The app, which allows Glass users to see pics of the human form in all its glory, was released yesterday and quickly pulled from the Glassware hub. Google changed their Glass developer guidelines Friday to reflect pornographic or adult material. The guidelines for adult material read as follows:

We don't allow Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. Google has a zero-tolerance policy against child pornography. If we become aware of content with child pornography, we will report it to the appropriate authorities and delete the Google Accounts of those involved with the distribution.

MiKandi notes on their corporate blog that they went over the guidelines very carefully to make sure their app was in compliance. It seems to be a case of coming up a little short for the porn app, missing their window of opportunity by a few days. The company is promising to re-release a conforming app today, though something about porn-less porn just isn't appealing.

This falls right in line with Google's stance on facial recognition software. It seems the "don't be evil" mantra at Google is coming to fruition with Glass. This is also not what Glass is meant for, and Google takes the program seriously. The real benefit, here? No more middle-aged bloggers taking pics of themselves in the shower.

    


Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 receives LTE support

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 09:24 AM PDT

Qualcomm logo

Earlier today, popular chip manufacturer Qualcomm issued a press release detailing some of the new features that are heading to its Snapdragon 400 line-up of processors. The Snapdragon 400 is a mid-range mobile processor which will be appearing in products like the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini among others.

The major news is the addition of multimode 3G/4G LTE, which will provide handset manufacturers with an integrated LTE compatible chip without the high price tag associated with premium integrated processors like the Snapdragon 600.

The feature will be available on all new Snapdragon 400 and reference design dual and quad-core processors before the end of 2013, the aim being to ensure that emerging regions are equipped for further introductions of 3G and 4G LTE networks. In addition to multimode 3G/4G LTE, Qualcomm is integrating other key modem features that are important to regions China and other emerging markets, including TD-SCDMA, HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), and multi-SIM capabilities.

Snapdragon 400 diagram

To top of the list of features, the processors also support integrated Qualcomm VIVE 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM and NFC, just like their more expensive Snapdragon 600 and 800 counterparts.

Come the end of the year, and into 2014, this means that we should see a selection of mid-range smartphones sporting LTE capabilities, and emerging markets will see a greater range of affordable handsets offering access to faster data speeds.


TAIPEI, TAIWAN – June 04, 2013 – Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., is expanding the offering of its Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 400 processors with the introduction of its newest processor, featuring quad-core CPUs with integrated multimode 3G/4G LTE. This makes the Snapdragon 400 tier the first to offer multimode 3G/4G LTE on processors with both dual-and quad-core CPUs for high-volume smartphones. In addition to multimode 3G/4G LTE, the processor integrates key modem features that are important to China and other emerging regions, including TD-SCDMA, HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), and multi-SIM capabilities. The new Snapdragon 400 processor (8926), along with its Qualcomm Reference Design counterpart, will be available in late 2013 and will deliver the optimal balance of multimedia features, modem technologies and performance to high-volume smartphones.

"By offering a multimode 3G/4G LTE variant to Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 tier of processors with quad-core CPUs, we are ensuring that emerging regions are equipped and prepared for the imminent transition to multimode 3G/4G LTE, in addition to being equipped for every major 2G and 3G technology," said Cristiano Amon, executive vice president and co-president of mobile and computing products, Qualcomm Technologies. "Snapdragon 400 processors provide customers with a wide range of innovative smartphones for both the high-volume and mid-tier segments."

Building on Qualcomm Technologies' previous Snapdragon processors, the newest Snapdragon 400 processor will continue to support multi-SIM capabilities of Dual SIM, Dual Standby and Dual SIM, Dual Active and is optimized to deliver a smooth, graphics-rich gaming experience and provides Miracast™ support for wireless streaming of multimedia content. The platform also supports a rich set of wireless connectivity functionality including integrated Qualcomm VIVE™ 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM and NFC. It also offers a differentiated feature set that includes support for the latest Android and Windows Phone 8 software. In addition, it includes the QuickCharge 1.0 feature charges devices up to 40 percent faster than conventional charging methods.

Qualcomm Technologies will also be releasing a Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) version of the Snapdragon 400 processor with integrated multimode 3G/4G LTE. The QRD program provides device manufacturers with comprehensive handset development platforms and access to third-party providers of tested and verified hardware and software components. Under the QRD program, customers can rapidly deliver differentiated smartphones to budget-conscious consumers. There have been more than 200 public QRD-based product launches to date in collaboration with more than 40 OEMs, and there are currently more than 100 designs in progress.

    


After several delays, WikiPad will finally arrive June 11th for $249

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:47 AM PDT

Wikipad

The Wikipad started out with a fair share of hype around it when it was first announced last year. Unfortunately, quite a few delays and internal problems quickly pushed the Wikipad into "vaporware" status. The good news is that the WikiPad is in fact real and on its way soon, with the tablet arriving on June 11th.

According to the folks behind the WikiPad, the tablet will be available for just $249 from retailers such as TigerDirect, Best Buy and Walmart. The company also plans to expand its list of retail partners and will announce these details at the upcoming E3 gaming show.

So was the WikiPad worth the long wait? The answer depends on what you are looking for. If you want a big-name device that has tons of raw power, the Nvidia Shield might be a better choice thanks to its high-end Tegra 4 processor. If you don’t care so much about raw power, the WikiPad tablet provides a cheaper entry price ($100 less) and also has the advantage of a larger, detachable display that can be used a standard tablet.

Outside of the Tegra 3 processor, the WikiPad features a 7-inch 1280×800 IPS display, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage, microSD, GPS, a front cam and the power of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The WikiPad also includes Google Play, NVIDIA’s TegraZone, Big Fish Unlimited web games and is a Playstation Mobile certified device.

What do you think of the WikiPad, is it worth the $249? Or are you more interested in the Nvidia Shield?


(LOS ANGELES, CA – June 4, 2013) — Wikipad, Inc. today announced its 7" Wikipad tablet will be available on June 11, 2013 at a retail price of $249 in the US, with an UK and global launch planned for this summer. Thanks to its award wining and patented interchangeable game controller, Wikipad redefines the mobile tablet experience bringing together the console quality experience with the functionality and portability of a premium tablet.

"The launch of the Wikipad 7 tablet signals a transformative turning point in the direction of the mobile gaming industry. Wikipad's tablet combines the latest range of features found in a premium Android tablet together with the unrivaled console video game experience only available with a gamepad," said Matthew Joynes, Chairman of Wikipad Inc.

The Wikipad is the only tablet to possess both the unique combination of a console quality experience with the functionality and portability of a tablet thanks to its award-winning and patented detachable dual-analog controller. Wikipad offers a multi capacitive 7 inch touch screen, 16 GB memory with an additional micro SD slot to support a further 32 GB of storage, together with micro USB, GPS, accelerometer and gyroscope. The tablets ultra-light and thin chassis is powered by the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core mobile processor that’s optimized for cloud gaming with a 12 core Nvidia GPU. With an aspect ratio of 16:10, a 2-mega-pixel front facing camera the Wikipad tablet offers true widescreen HD display and HDMI out.

Consumers will have instant access to entertainment and videogame content of over 700,000 apps from Google Play from Google Mobile Services, PlayStation®Mobile games from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., and TegraZone – NVIDIA’s free app that showcases the best games optimized for the Tegra processor. When the gamepad controller is detached, Wikipad's sleek design and full Android 4.1 Jelly Bean functionality make it a powerfully versatile tablet for surfing the web, emailing, enjoying all the latest films, books, magazines and music, conversing via Skype or experiencing the latest apps at home or on the go.

"Wikipad’s dual-analog gamepad controller transforms our mobile games such as the multiplayer Shadowgun: DeadZone and the action FPS Dead Trigger into entertaining AAA console-like experiences,” Tomas Slapota, Vice President, MADFINGER

Games

For a full list of retailers, product specs, a comprehensive support page, technical forums, retailers and video games that take full advantage of the Wikipad's dual-analog stick controller, please visit: http://www.wikipad.com/

    


Android stats for June: Jelly Bean almost beats Gingerbread

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:43 AM PDT

Android robot logo 3 1600 aa

Android stats have been published on the Android Developers website, showing once again that Jelly Bean is on the rise.

The Android fragmentation that our favorite platform’s enemies like to bring up so much is getting closer to its end, as the current round of Android stats show increasing number for Jelly Bean, compared to last month.

The stats, which are based on numbers of devices visiting the Google Play Store, show that the share of Android users running Jelly Bean on their devices is growing rapidly. As you can see in the chart below, the percentage of Jelly Bean users has grown to 33 percent, an increase of about 4.5 percent compared to last month’s 28.4 percent.

Jelly Bean still hasn’t managed to beat Gingerbread as the most used Android OS, but it’s getting there pretty quickly – as you can see in the chart, Gingerbread is currently at 37 percent, down from 38.5 percent last month.

Android Stats

Ice Cream Sandwich is also down to 25.6 percent from 27.5 percent in the last edition of the Android stats, while Froyo has registered a smaller drop, from 3.7 percent to 3.2.

What does this tell us?

This is the result of a number of factors, the most obvious one being the huge success of flagship Android devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, which are running Jelly Bean. But that’s not all – manufacturers have started using Jelly Bean on cheaper devices, too, offering you, the user, the experience of the most advanced Android OS out there. Just think of affordable devices, like the Sony Xperia L, coming with Jelly Bean out of the box. Those show up in the numbers just as much as more expensive devices do.

More than that, news articles about older devices getting Jelly Bean updates are no longer something out of the ordinary, meaning that more and more users get to enjoy the latest versions of Android.

We’re all still waiting for Android 4.3, which was recently spotted running on a Nexus 4 at Thailand Mobile Expo.

    


The HTC One is selling well but the company’s COO resigns

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 07:10 AM PDT

HTC Desire X logo aa 3 1600

HTC has posted its latest monthly revenue figures, which should tell us exactly how the company is fairing in the face of competitive pressure from the Galaxy S4. In typical HTC fashion, there's been some good and bad news.

We'll start with the good news: HTC's May sales leapt up an impressive 48% compared with the company's April figures, and have almost doubled since March. In monetary terms, HTC's sales increased from $NT19.6 billion in April to $NT 29 billion in May, which puts the company well on track to hit its $NT70 billion revenue target for the second quarter of the year.

This jump is sales is clearly down to the success of the HTC One, which seems to have held up well despite the launch of Samsung's Galaxy S4 flagship. The handset has reportedly sold somewhere around 5 million handsets so far. Sales have improved month on month for HTC since the launch of the One, which appears to have been the company's saving grace after the preceding month on month declines.

HTC revenue May 2013

However, HTC is still facing yearly declines from 2011, and there's certainly a long way to go before the company can be considered to be in full recovery mode. A further line-up of strong products will be needed to cement this change in fortune, especially considering how poorly the First was received. But the new Butterfly and One mini handsets could prove to be better bets.

Unfortunately for HTC, the success of the One doesn't appear to have stopped the tide of resignations that are plaguing the company, as HTC's Chief Operating Officer Matthew Costello has become the third major figure to resign in as many months. Matthew Costello had been with the company for the past three years and, according to Bloomberg, is set to be replaced by HTC's current president of engineering and operations, Fred Lui.

With HTC set to easily surpass its Q2 revenue target, the company is finally starting to look much more financially stable. However the internal issues with the business could spark another round of problems at the company when it comes to planning for the future. The next couple of months will be critical for HTC, but on the whole things are looking a bit better than they have for a while.

    


Sony Xperia Tablet Z 4G ready version available at Vodafone U.K.

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 05:56 AM PDT

Sony Xperia Tablet Z

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is now available at Vodafone U.K. as a 4G ready device.

Vodafone U.K. plans to launch 4G services by the end of the summer, so it’s only logical for the carrier to prepare a range of devices that can take advantage of the much touted new generation of network technology.

You can get the Xperia Tablet Z from Vodafone U.K.’s website (link below), in black and white color variants, with 16GB of memory. The price is £99 with a 24-month plan costing £32 per month and including 2 GB of data. If you don’t want to pay that much per month, or if you think that 2GB is more than you need, you can also purchase the Sony Xperia  Tablet Z with a plan costing £28 a month and coming with just 1GB of data, but you’ll have to shell out more for the tablet itself – £199.

The 4G LTE version of the tablet is also listed on the Sony UK store, but is currently out of stock (the price there is  £499, and you won’t be committing to a contract in that case). If you don’t need a data connection, and can do on WiFi alone, the 16 and 32 GB WiFi only versions are also available in the same store, for £399 and, respectively, £449.

If you’re still haven’t made up your mind on the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, you can take a look at our hands-on video below:

Do you plan to buy an Xperia Tablet Z and if so, which version? Tell us in a comment!

    


Sony Xperia M announced: a sleek mid-ranger with a dual-SIM version

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 05:23 AM PDT

Sony Xperia M

The new Sony Xperia M may not be fabulous in terms of specifications, but it may prove a great option for those looking for an affordable device.

Rumored to be working on the high-end Togari and making plans to sell the Xperia Z with a carrier in the U.S., Sony hasn’t forgot about the low and mid-end segments of the market.

The Sony Xperia M falls into the same category as the Xperia L, announced earlier this year – a smartphone with decent features, sporting the Omnibalance design philosophy that the Japanese company uses on higher-end devices. The Xperia M also features a nice notification LED light under the screen, which gives it a touch of originality.

The device, which the company has just announced, comes with a 4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels, and is powered by a dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm CPU and 1GB of RAM.

The internal memory is 4GB, but you can always use a microSD card to supplement it with up to 32GB, while the main camera features a 5MP Exmor RS sensor.Sony Xperia M

The Xperia M also features NFC functionality, which Sony promoted in relation to the Xperia Z in a nice little ad not long ago, as well as a Stamina mode.

Sony has announced a single SIM version of the Xperia M, as well as a dual-SIM one, called the Xperia Mdual. Four color versions will be available for the new device – black, white, purple, and yellow, but the yellow color option will only be available for the single SIM variant.

The Sony Xperia M will be available globally in Q3 2013, but no information on pricing has been revealed yet.

Introducing Xperia™ M for the Best of Sony Connectivity and Design

LONDON, June 4, 2013 /CNW/ -

  • Latest model added to the Xperia range of premium smartphones, with Xperia M offering unique Sony experiences at new price point
  • Combines Sony’s technology and design expertise with one-touch functions and a beautiful, striking form
  • Dual SIM version also available – Xperia Mdual

Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces Xperia M featuring Sony’s innovative one-touch functions for effortless connectivity, and signature premium design.

Xperia M is designed to bring Sony experiences to a new market and price point; NFC connectivity for one-touch functions, stunning design and a range of technologies including: a high quality screen for sharp viewing; smart camera functionality for impressive pictures and videos; Battery STAMINA Mode for outstanding battery life; and Sony’s signature media apps for enjoying photos, music, movies and games on the go, integrating Sony Entertainment Network services directly in the apps.

“Consumers looking for their first steps into the world of Xperia smartphones would be well-advised to look at Xperia M or Xperia Mdual,” said Calum MacDougall, Director of Xperia Marketing at Sony Mobile Communications. “Both models benefit from Sony’s proven innovation and engineering expertise, and are perfect for those who want the premium technology and experiences often only associated with high-end models.”

Ease of sharing and enjoyment

Xperia M features Sony’s one-touch functions, allowing you to easily and instantly enjoy photos and music across an array of devices, such as Sony’s SBH20 wireless stereo headset and latest range of NFC-enabled BRAVIA TVs, with just a single touch.

Premium, signature Sony design

Xperia M boasts Sony’s now familiar OmniBalance design, first introduced in flagship Xperia Z. The aesthetic language takes the form of a precision-crafted skeleton frame, and gives the phone a seamless look that is both tactile and sleek. Designed to complement the slim style, Xperia M also features colour-changing illuminations that can be personalised to visually alert you to incoming calls, text messages and alarms.

Xperia M and Xperia Mdual will be available in Black, White and Purple – a Yellow colour variation will also be available for the single SIM model.

Key features for XperiaM

  • One-touch functions with NFC and screen mirroring, to display content on your TV or to share music and photos between devices
  • Sony’s OmniBalance design, with generous 4″ FWVGA touchscreen display and LED illuminations
  • Sony’s signature audio enhancement technology ClearAudio+, xLOUD and 3D Surround Sound (VPT)
  • 5 megapixel fast capture camera with auto-focus and HDR for photos, and dedicated shutter key
  • Fast performance with dual-core processor
  • Battery STAMINA Mode for outstanding battery life
  • Available in Black, Purple, White and Yellow colour variations

Consistent Sony entertainment experiences

Xperia M benefits from Sony’s media applications, offering consistent entertainment experiences across mobile, tablet, desktop and console platforms. The “WALKMAN”, Album and Movies apps provide online and offline content through a single access point with new ways to enjoy and share that content. The “WALKMAN” application provides access to all your downloaded music, plus Music Unlimited* with over 18 million songs to explore, and Facebook social integration. The “Movies” application gives consumers access to over 100,000 movies and TV series from Video Unlimited*. The “Album” application enables easy access to Facebook friends’ photos, as well as the ability to organise images both by location and, through the new “Faces” function, by the people that feature in them.

Sony’s entertainment technology turns content into experiences, and with Xperia M you can enjoy these experiences for longer thanks to Battery STAMINA Mode. The latest version of Sony’s battery management technology improves the standby time of your smartphone by four times or more**, by automatically shutting down battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off and starting them up again when the screen is back on.

Xperia Mdual

The Dual SIM variant Xperia Mdual lets users select between two SIMs before making a call or sending a message with just a single click. Each SIM card can also be customised separately – for example, a formal ring for business or another tune for pleasure – perfect when users want to separate work from play, and handle calls more efficiently.

Xperia M and Xperia Mdual from Sony Mobile will both be available worldwide from Q3 2013.

For all the latest news, views and info on Sony Xperia smartphones, follow @SonyMobileNews on Twitter.

For the full media kit and detailed specifications, please visit:

http://blogs.sonymobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Xperia_M_press_release.pdf

* Sony Entertainment Network services are subject to availability by region, please see http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com  for more details.

SOURCE: Sony Mobile Communications AB

    


16GB White Nexus 4 already out of stock at the Google Play Store

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:56 AM PDT

White Nexus 4

There’s some bad news for anyone who was planning on picking up the sleek new white Nexus, as after being on sale for just a few days, the 16GB white Nexus 4 has already sold out at the Google Play Store.

Mind you, this is something that we're quite used to seeing; the original Nexus 4 was repeatedly out of stock in various regions pretty quickly after its initial launch as well. The Nexus 4 is clearly an incredibly popular device. Either that or Google really needs to sort out its supply chain.

But it's not all bad news – the 8GB version is still available on the Play Store, so, as long as you're ok with the somewhat limited storage capacity, you can still grab an unbranded handset. If you're desperate for the extra space then T-Mobile still has the 16GB in stock on its online store, but the white variant is currently only available on a contract.

Google hasn't commented on the matter yet, so we're in the dark as to when the white Nexus 4 will be back in stock in the Play Store. Hopefully there's already a steady stream of handsets making their way to the store as we speak.