Thursday, June 6, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


US smartphone ownership is closing in on 60 percent

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 11:02 AM PDT

Pew Internet has released a new report talking about smartphone ownership within the US market. This first number may not be all that surprising given the amount of people you likely see staring at a phone, however the report shows that 56 percent of Americans now have a smartphone. In addition, the report touches on the percentage of users without any phone as well as trends in platform adoption and even a bit about smartphone ownership by income and age.

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As we already mentioned how 56 percent are using a smartphone, how about we continue down that path. On the flip side this report shows 35 percent of Americans are still using a regular feature phone. Those keeping track of the totals will likely realize there is still 9 percent missing. Well, that accounts for the group of Americans that do not have any mobile phone at all. As one would expect, that number is on the decrease and has dropped from 17 percent in May 2011. The feature phone user base is also dropping and has dropped from nearly half (48 percent) in May 2011.

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Now onto the topic that many Android users like to see — who is winning in terms of Android and iOS. The current report, from May 2013 has Android with 28 percent and iOS sitting slightly below with 25 percent. While Android has been above iOS (according to Pew) for several years now, the gap seems to be narrowing a bit. Looking at the numbers from May of 2011 and the split was Android with 15 percent and iOS with 10 percent. Basically, it seems that as smartphone usage is growing, so are both platforms.

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Interestingly, this report is showing that 49 percent of cell phone owners that have a household income of $150,000 or more report using an iPhone. Another interesting take from this report comes from looking at the income and age grouping. Looking at the numbers here and it shows those between 18 and 29 are likely to use a smartphone regardless of their income level. Specifically, the report shows 77 percent of those making less than $30,000 per year have a smartphone with 81 percent of those making between $30 and $74,999 and 90 percent of those making more than $75 per year are using a smartphone.

The interesting part is that is seems as the age brackets increase, the usage decreases. For example, looking at the middle of the line (between $30 and $74,999) bracket and we see usage going from 81 precent for 18-29 year olds to 68 percent for 30-49 year olds. This number drops even further going to 40 percent for the 50-64 year old market and down to 21 percent for the 65 and older market. Of course, in the end we suspect the smartphone ownership for Android Community readers must be 100 percent, or at least very close to that.

SOURCE: Pew Internet

Modern Combat 5 trailer for E3 shows mobile gaming at its finest

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 10:58 AM PDT

Gameloft is so excited for the upcoming E3 gaming expo taking place next week that they couldn’t wait any longer, and for that we thank them. Today, Gameloft is teasing us with a quick video of their upcoming mobile FPS shooter game Modern Combat 5. The latest release in their action-packed shooter is coming soon, and looks outright incredible.

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Modern Combat has been a staple in the mobile gaming scene for their cutting edge graphics, unparalleled gameplay and more from Gameloft, and this next installment looks to be no different. Giving their teaser video a quick look you’ll instantly see why we are saying this is mobile gaming at its finest. The graphics are truly impressive.

Say what you want about Gameloft and their recent in-app purchases and freemium game titles, this looks awesome. Surely MC5 won’t be free, but the gameplay and graphics will surely make up for what we’re expecting to be a $5.99 title on Android or iOS. With a few hints from Call of Duty and Assassins Creed this lately level blowing apart the streets in Venice surely looks promising for all you mobile gamers.

Give me Modern Combat 5 and an NVIDIA SHIELD game console and I’ll be set for the entire weekend of fast-paced gaming and explosions. We don’t know much about the game for now, but Gameloft will be revealing all of the details next week. We can obviously see real-time lighting and next-gen visuals in the trailer, so expect this to be an impressive game when it arrives later this year.

Between Modern Combat 5, Dead Trigger 2, and a few other games it looks like mobile gamers will have plenty of quality titles to enjoy this summer.

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HTC T6 Phablet knockoff gives us a glimpse of the future

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 10:21 AM PDT

Today, we are getting a glance at what we could expect to see with the new HTC T6 phablet that’s been in the news as of late. Thanks to a pretty well made knock off device spotted on video at Computex, we’re seeing the impressive HTC One design on a massive 6.3-inch device. Rumors have HTC’s new device coming in at 5.9-inches, but this is pretty close so take a peek below.

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HTC has a new smartphone tablet hybrid in the works that they hope will directly compete with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note III, LG’s Optimus G Pro and its 5.5-inch display, and even the recently announced ASUS FonePad 6. The device is being called the HTC T6 for now (The One was M7) and the full details still aren’t known.

However, while we wait for the HTC T6 to leak in the flesh and give us an idea of what to expect, some Chinese manufacturers have already produced a pretty stellar looking device in their honor. Bringing the unique design hues and front facing speakers (although they might not work on this knockoff) all to a massive 6.3-inch device. After checking out some YouTube closed captioning we have some of the details on this device too.

The device in the video above is apparently called the Galaxy GalaTab 6.3, which makes zero sense given it doesn’t look anything like a Samsung Galaxy device. It rocks a 6.3-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, 8GB internal storage, and is running Android 4.2.2 from what we understand. It’s a pretty good looking device right? Even though it isn’t the final design.

For now we have no idea what exactly we can expect from HTC, but if the recently leaked HTC One Mini is any indication, we could get the exact same design in a much bigger package with the T6. Similar to what we’re showing here today. Rumors have HTC’s phablet launching later this summer, so we should know more soon enough.

Would you rock this phone for your daily device? Or is that just too big?

– Thanks for the tip Faris!

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NVIDIA SHIELD also has a non-gaming Nexus experience

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 09:55 AM PDT

We had known the NVIDIA SHIELD was more than just a gaming system. This detail was revealed early on and in fact, the SHIELD will arrive running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Given this and given things will not be buried and hidden, this means SHIELD users will be able to do just about everything they can on a regular Android smartphone or tablet. In fact, some of the experience actually looks quite nice.

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With that in mind, the folks at NVIDIA have recently dropped another SHIELD Showcase video and this one is showing off the non-gaming experience. The video is on the shorter side coming in at just a bit more than two minutes, but it does manage to offer a look at everything from web surfing to downloading content from Google Play. It also gives a look at using Gmail, Google Maps and Google Local.

Taking a deeper look at the web browsing surfing and we find the left joystick can be used to scroll up and down. The slightly more interesting aspect here comes with the right joystick. Using this will bring up a small cursor that will allow you to click on some of those smaller links without having to zoom on the page. Of course, you can also use the touchscreen, which as many will remember is a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720.

The one limitation that many will find as compared to an Android smartphone — the lack of constant connectivity. Needless to say, that should be something many are familiar with as we often see Android tablets with only WiFi connectivity. Basically, that just means you sometimes need a bit of pre-planning in terms of downloading content. Or as shown in the video, downloading your Gmail before you take off and lose access to the WiFi.

Otherwise, the NVIDIA SHIELD is still available for pre-order. The system is priced at $349 and expected to begin shipping by the end of the month. Finally, those making the purchase can expect to get the system itself along with a silver lid, AC adapter, USB Cable and two games. The games will be Expendable: Rearmed and Sonic 4 Episode II THD.

BlackBerry Messenger for Android coming June 27

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 08:57 AM PDT

BlackBerry Messenger looks like it will be arriving for Android users on June 27th. We have yet to see the official confirmation from BlackBerry, however the June 27th date seems to keep popping up with this latest mention coming from T-Mobile UK. The carrier shared the date on Twitter and in addition to the Android release, it looks like iOS users will also be able to join in on the fun that same day.

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The details were on the lighter side and the message reads as follows;

“Great news – BlackBerry Messenger will be available to download on iOS and Android from June 27th!”

Looking back at the earlier BBM related leaks and chatter and we have noticed the previous Twitter account that shared the date has since been removed. We wouldn’t expect that to happen with the T-Mobile UK page, however we must remember that date is still unconfirmed until we hear something direct from BlackBerry.

Otherwise, other recent BBM chatter included talk of the app being pre-loaded on select Android handsets. This bit came by way of BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear. The COO said "there is interest from other handset makers,” but unfortunately failed to provide any specifics.

With that, BBM for Android will allow for cross-platform chatting however some of the initial features will be limited as compared to what BlackBerry users have. Some of the missing items will include group chat, voice calling and screen sharing. As far as support, BBM for Android will be available for devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and above.

The real question here will be as to whether BBM will receive a warm welcome or a cold shoulder when it arrives in the Play Store. Not to say BBM isn’t a viable option, but there happens to be quite a few alternatives already available and in use.

[Update] Looks like that T-Mobile UK tweet has since been deleted. In addition, BlackBerry has released a statement saying they haven’t “announced a date” and that BBM for Android is “coming this summer.”

VIA: SlashGear

Evernote for Android update adds Reminders, we go hands-on

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 08:28 AM PDT

Evernote added Reminders to the Mac and iOS apps a short while back and as of today it looks like Android users have gotten that same update. Basically, the Evernote for Android update has added the support for Reminders. More to the point though, that means Android users will have the ability to pin notes to the top of the note list as well as create note based to-dos and alarms.

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Using the Reminders is pretty simple. You open (or create) the note you want a reminder on and look for the alarm clock icon sitting in the lower left hand corner. A tap of that will present you with three options; Mark as Done, Clear Reminder and Set Date. These options are all just as they sound and to initially create the reminder you will want the Set Date option.

You can get a look at this in the above screenshots. After you tap on the Set Date option you have the option to choose a time and a date and then from that point you click the ok button. Or alternatively, if you want to start over, click cancel. Once the reminder has been set you will notice a few changes. Another look at the bottom left (by the alarm clock icon) will also show the date of the alarm.

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Furthermore, a look at your All Notes view will show the notes with Reminders set up top. This can be adjusted by tapping the “reminders” link and they can also be sorted by date using the three dot menu icon in the upper right. Additional options in the dot menu icon include hiding the upcoming and hiding the completed.

Aside from the Reminders, this Evernote for Android update has also improved copy and paste in the note view, corrected photo order in multi-shot camera, improved shortcuts functionality and improved the support for Japanese. One again, you can get a look at the process of creating a reminder from the screenshots sitting above and otherwise, there is also a short video that walks you through the process.

VIA: Google Play Store

SOURCE: Evernote Blog

Huawei Ascend P6 images continue to leak ahead of June 18 ‘Beauty’ event

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 07:53 AM PDT

Huawei has already confirmed the Ascend P6 will be unveiled during the upcoming ‘Beauty’ event. This will be taking place in London on June 18th, however it doesn’t appear as if the leaks and rumors are going to stop. We have seen a few sets of leaked specs and leaked images and as of today it looks like another round of images have surfaced.

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Bottom line here, it is looking like the only thing left for the June 18th event is to make this all official and finally put an end to the rumors. With that in mind, how about we talk about this current round of images. Starting with the one sitting above, which is offering a full and fairly clear image of the front of the handset. There isn’t much revealed on this one, but the following three images do highlight one of the key features from the Ascend P6.

That feature is the thickness. Or more specifically here, the lack of thickness. The Ascend P6 is expected to measure in at 6.18mm thick. The images sitting in the gallery below are offering a look at the profile. You can get a good look at both the left and right sides and as you can see, they are pretty clean looking. Albeit, a bit similar to the iPhone.

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The right side of the handset is shown to have the power button and the volume rocker as well as what appears to be a pair of SIM card slots. There isn’t much on the left side, but there does appear to be a small button towards the bottom of the handset. This could possible be a camera shutter button.

Otherwise, Huawei is expected to announce the Ascend P6 with a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 display, quad-core 1.5GHz Hass K3V2 processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset should also arrive running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with version 1.6 of the Emotion user interface sitting on top.

VIA: TechKiddy

Samsung GALAXY S 4 update brings Apps to SD, new Camera firmware, more

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 07:18 AM PDT

Samsung has begun to rollout a new software update for the GALAXY S 4. This particular update is for the GT-I9505 which is the model sporting the Snapdragon 600 processor. The initial reports show this update as arriving for those in Germany, however Samsung is expected to roll this out in other markets. Perhaps more important, this update deals with several key issues including storage space and the smearing issue.

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Unfortunately the part of the update that deals with storage is not going to magically free up a bunch of space. Instead what users will be able to do is move apps to the SD card and run them from the card as opposed to the internal storage. Depending on the size of the apps, this may or may not be as useful for everyone. The smearing issue has been resolved and moving forward users shouldn’t see any of the purple effects while scrolling.

The remaining items coming with this update break down as follows;

  • New Camera firmware
  • Smart Pause Toggle
  • HDR Video (can now record HDR video)
  • Semi-transparent status bar
  • New Icons in the Settings
  • Increase in display legibility
  • Secure boot status (About Phone)

Otherwise, this update measures in at hefty 365.67MB in size and is available over-the-air and by way of the Samsung Kies app. Remaining details show this update as leaving your handset with Android 4.2.2. As mentioned earlier, this update is only available at the moment for the GT-I9505 (Snapdragon) model, however it is also expected to arrive for the GT-I9500 (Exynos) model as well.

So far Samsung has yet to announce any timeline as to when that could be expected, but we suspect that will likely come down to a decision from the carriers. In the meantime, those sporting a GALAXY S 4 can take some comfort in knowing that Samsung is at least working to bring some improvements.

VIA: SamMobile

LG Optimus F7 launches with US Cellular

Posted: 06 Jun 2013 06:30 AM PDT

LG originally announced the Optimus F7 during Mobile World Congress and as of today, the handset has come available by way of US Cellular. The handset is available as of today and it has arrived with a relatively low price point. US Cellular has the Optimus F7 listed at $99.99 on a two-year agreement. For that you will get a device that LG is pushing as being able to offer a "premium user experience and the speed of 4G LTE to a mass audience."

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With that in mind, the handset does indeed have support for the US Cellular LTE network. Other specs include a 4.7-inch IPS display with a 720p resolution, dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, 2450 mAh battery and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset also has a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, microSD card slot and is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

As to what that “premium user experience” comment means. That touches on the software features that LG has taken from some of their higher-end devices. Specifically, some of these features had only been available on the higher-end devices in the past. That being said, these include items such as QSlide and Live Zooming.

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QSlide is a multi-tasking mode that will allow the user to run two (supported) apps at the same time. Think of this as being along those same lines as Samsung has with the Galaxy Note II. The Live Zooming is a video related feature and as the name would imply, it will allow the user to zoom into a specific area of the video.

In addition, US Cellular and LG are pushing VuTalk and QuickMemo as being two key features. the VuTalk will allow you to draw and share ideas in real time with other users and the QuickMemo will be good to capturing and sharing notes and memos.

Otherwise, while the $99.99 two-year contract price seems decent enough, those looking to pay full retail can opt to shell out $399.99 to avoid the feeling of being stuck for two-years time.

SOURCE: LG Newsroom

Google teases Android 4.3 in latest Play Store app listing

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:19 PM PDT

While this might be a stretch, what we’re about to mention below is obviously Google teasing us. Google has been busy lately updating many of their key apps to work with ease across all versions of Android. As well as improve features, options, and more. From Google Search and Google Now, Gmail, Chrome Browser, Google Music, and even today they’ve released Google Keyboard to the Play Store for all.

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Many might already know this little tip we’re about to share, but if not, prepare to let the rumor mill run wild a bit. Google has been putting the Android OS version nicely and casually as the time (clock) on the screenshots they upload for that particular app to the Play Store. If you look at Google Maps in the Play Store, their screenshots giving you a preview of the app all have the time listed as 4:10. Or as I see it, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Every application as of late that Google has updated and released to the Play Store has the clock listing Android 4.2 (or 4:20) for the time. The latest Gmail, the brand new Calendar that was just updated, Google Hangouts that was announced at Google I/O, Google Drive and more. They all show 4:20 on the clock. Since that’s our latest version of Android. Not all of their apps do this. Google Music shows 11:53, and Google Search shows 4:00 so this is a little stretch, but clearly not an accident.

However, with today’s release of the Google Keyboard we’re seeing the first Google app as of late showing a different time in the clock. What would that be? 4:30. Or as I see it, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. There really isn’t anything of importance here, and maybe there’s just a system behind closed doors in which Google does their screenshots, but we think they’re having fun at our expense here.

We know Android 4.3 Jelly Bean is coming. It’s been spotted in server logs, seen on a Nexus 4, and mentioned multiple times in leaks. The latest report suggested Google will release it come June 10th, but that’s slowly looking pretty unlikely about now. At the same time dropping an update on the same day as Apple’s big WWDC event could be fun.

What do you guys think? Are they teasing 4.3 is coming soon, or are we just a little overly excited here?

Google Keyboard hits the Play Store to rival the competition [Download]

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:24 PM PDT

If you loved what you saw from Google‘s keyboard in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, we have some excellent and rather unexpected news this evening. Google has just packaged up and delivered their completely stock (and amazing) keyboard and released it to the Google Play Store. That means most Android devices can now enjoy that absolutely stock Jelly Bean keyboard with gesture typing and all.

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Google has slowly added all of their stock Android apps to the Play Store, which is enabling them to improve Android as a whole without updating the OS in general. We’ve seen this with Google Search and Google Now, Calendar, and other apps, and now their impressive keyboard can do the same. Sadly this appears to be for Android 4.0 or above devices only, and is currently only available in English.

The stock keyboard from Android 4.2.2 is now available to everyone, and it’s still one of my favorite keyboards to date. Google rivals SwiftKey and Swype with their gesture typing experience, which also offers a dynamic floating preview of the word. Then of course you’ll have the awesome voice typing experience of stock Android, instead of relying of Dragon dictation like Swype. Here’s the full feature list.

• Gesture Typing with dynamic floating preview
• Voice Typing
• Next-word suggestions and current-word completions
• Dictionaries for 26 languages
• Advanced keyboard layouts
• Works across your Android devices (tablets and phones)

That dynamic floating preview will suggest words before you even finish gliding your finger. Once the preview guesses the word you want just let go, you don’t even have to finish typing. Google also has a pretty impressive next-word prediction engine, which is enabled by default, but can be removed in the keyboard advanced settings for those who’d rather not have that present. Disabling “next-word prediction” replaces the top prediction area with a pretty great punctuation prediction, so that’s helpful.

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Google’s keyboard has the most accurate swiping gesture-based experience in my opinion, and many should be extremely happy to give this a try. Take notice. Every screenshot on the Play Store for the keyboard has 4:30 as the time. Hinting at Android 4.3, as previous screenshots have all been 4:20 lately. Of course it is completely free so grab it from the link below and enjoy!

Update: Sadly this is region restricted because the keyboard only supports English, but we’re expecting an update soon. In the meantime hit the link below to download the APK.

SOURCE: Play Store
Download: Google Keyboard

T-Mobile Galaxy S III with LTE hits shelves today for $69

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:57 PM PDT

Samsung’s new flagship GALAXY S 4 smartphone might be the popular choice at the moment, but not everyone needs the best of the best or is willing to pay top dollar for a smartphone. Samsung’s king of all smartphones last year, the Galaxy S III, is back on T-Mobile shelves but upgraded to support their new 4G LTE network. The device is available today and comes in at a great price too.

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The Samsung Galaxy S III offered 4G LTE on AT&T and Verizon when it was released, but T-Mobile is a little late to the LTE game. However, they don’t want the highest selling smartphone to date to just drop off their radar, so they’ve replaced the GS III on their shelves with a new model that supports LTE.

Back in May there were rumors the device would be available today, and now it is. If the larger screen and $199 price for the GALAXY S 4 doesn’t do it for you, the Galaxy S III from last year with still fairly impressive specs should treat you great for just $69 – although that’s only a down payment.

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Of course this is with T-Mobile’s installment plan. Where you’ll pay $69 now and $20 a month for 24 months for the device, which isn’t the best in the long run, but great for those on a budget. The GS3 is still a great phone with a 4.8-inch 720p HD display, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and a powerful 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM under the hood.

Personally I’d save a few more bucks for the HTC One if I was over on T-Mobile, or just opt for the GALAXY S 4. However, if the price is right and you don’t need the latest and greatest head to the link below or your nearest store and get the Galaxy S III LTE today from T-Mobile.

SOURCE: T-Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 ad highlights all the features at once

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:31 PM PDT

Samsung isn’t slowing down with the commercials and ad spots for their products, and in fact, it looks like they’ve learned that showcasing and highlighting features is the best route. Instead of making fun of the competition (which can be funny) their latest set of commercials shows all the features that daily users can enjoy, and this latest Galaxy Note 8.0 video is a prime example.

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If you want to know nearly everything about the Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet and what it can do, aside from reading our Note 8.0 Review, this video will explain most of it. Samsung does a pretty excellent job here highlighting everything that makes their slate useful, nice, yet different from the competition.

To be honest the commercial actually makes me want the Galaxy Note 8.0, and most ad spots never really do that for me. From showing off the Airview features, S-Pen stylus support (even on capacitive buttons) the great all-day battery life, taking notes at work, and even enjoying a few books on the train. They cover it all here. Take a peek yourself.

From multi-screen mode with true multitasking and more this video really does touch on many of the key aspects that makes the Note 8.0 different from most slates. Yes it still has Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but it does much more too. He even uses the Galaxy Note 8.0 and the rear 5 megapixel camera to snap some photos, although it just looks weird holding up a tablet to take a photo. Ending the video off with a casual meet up with his pretty lady friend for a date.

Samsung understands it isn’t just about knocking the competition anymore, since they are at the top. Instead they’re showing us all the benefits of their devices, and what they can do for us, the consumer. Anyone more inclined to buy the Note 8.0 after seeing that?

BlackBerry looking to have BBM pre-loaded on select Android handsets

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:11 PM PDT

BlackBerry Messenger has been confirmed as coming to Android. That news arrived back in mid-May and while there was some initial excitement, that appears to have for the most part gone away. There was a brief mention yesterday suggesting BBM would be launching for Android on June 27th, however even that wasn’t meet with much in terms of excitement. For now the June 27th launch date remains unconfirmed, but there appears to be more to this story.

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It seems BlackBerry is looking to have Messenger pre-loaded on select Android handsets. Basically, it is looking like BBM could end up another piece of bloatware and hopefully it will be a piece that is able to be removed. While this bit has been confirmed by the folks at BlackBerry, there hasn’t been much said in terms of which devices may have BBM pre-loaded.

BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear told CNET that “there is interest from other handset makers.” Touching on that potential release date, Tear declined to comment on when BBM would be released for Android. There was some talk of the current user base. At present Tear noted that BBM has an active user base of 61 million and that 70 percent are using it daily.

While that is certainly not a small number, there may be another hitch in terms of the success on Android. This other hitch comes from Google. Specifically, Hangouts which we saw announced a short while back during Google I/O. BBM may seem like a good option for Android users to keep in touch with friends and family on other platforms, however so is Hangouts.

The other side of this story is whether BBM coming to other platforms will convince some BlackBerry users to finally switch devices. After all, we suspect there may be a few long term BlackBerry users that are sticking around for a few limited reasons, one of which may be BBM. Of course, that was addressed by Tear who spoke about how they (BlackBerry) doesn’t “feel like that is a risk.” So how about it, is anyone excited about the upcoming launch of BBM on Android?

SOURCE: CNET

Galaxy Note II and GALAXY S 4 e-ink cases unveiled by Gajah

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:37 PM PDT

E-ink isn’t something you often see associated with smartphones. There have been some exceptions to that rule with a few notable mentions coming in as the dual-screen YotaPhone and the popSLATE case which is only available for the iPhone 5. Well, coming by way of Gajah International it looks like those with a Galaxy Note II or GALAXY S 4 may soon have an option available for purchase.

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These cases were unveiled during Computex and both will put an e-ink display on the backside of the phone. The cases pair with the phone using a Bluetooth connection and the display will be available for glanceable information. Some of the potential use cases include using the display as an ebook reader or to view information such as the current weather or even your horoscope.

As these cases are not currently available for sale, there does seem to be some questions remaining. A big question will likely deal with battery life, however for now it looks like those with a Galaxy Note II will be able to answer that question before GALAXY S 4 users. According to an Engadget report, the Galaxy Note II case specs have been revealed along with a price while the GALAXY S 4 case remains open and the availability will depend on potential sales and general interest.

The Galaxy Note II case will connect with the handset using Bluetooth 2.1 and feature a 4.3-inch display with a resolution of 600 x 800. This case will arrive priced at $129 and is expected to initially be available for those in China and Malaysia. Despite only one model being in the works towards a release, an image of both the Galaxy Note II and GALAXY S 4 cases has been released (and can be seen above).

Aside from the question dealing with battery life, the other item that comes to mind is whether these will prove to be a useful tool or more of a novelty. That will have to remain unanswered for now, however if nothing else we suppose having the option to remove that e-ink display (by removing the case) may be a bit better as compared to what you would get with the YotaPhone which has the e-ink display firmly attached to the backside.

SOURCE: PR Newswire

Sony Xperia Z Google Edition in the works tips insider

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:32 PM PDT

The past few weeks have been pretty crazy with all these “Google Edition” smartphones. At Google I/O we learned of the stock Google Edition GALAXY S 4, then last week HTC announced the Nexus experience HTC One, and now it sounds like Sony could be next. And I’m sure Huawei and LG will probably follow. Read on for more details on the Xperia Z GE.

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Sony’s Xperia Z is a pretty impressive and well rounded smartphone. Too bad we can’t have that 5-inch 1080p display and top tier device on Verizon Wireless. Options are always a good thing. Since that will never happen, it looks like we’ll have to resort to the Play Store for future possibilities with Sony too.

According to the folks at Android.GS an “insider from Sony” which wishes to remain anonymous has confirmed that Sony and Google have also teamed up on a Google Edition smartphone. None other than their flagship Xperia Z will be getting the treatment, and also go up for sale on the Play Store. This tipster claims the phone won’t be announced until July, which honestly feels a bit late considering the GS4 and HTC One models will already be for sale by that point, but anything is possible.

Just today we saw further evidence that Sony will be bringing their water and dust-proof Xperia Z to T-Mobile, and it would make perfect sense for the device to be offered on the Play Store with 4G LTE support for both AT&T and T-Mobile. As a reminder the Xperia Z rocks a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel rear camera, and great battery life all in a sleek and IP57 certified package.

A water and dust proof flagship device running stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean sounds pretty nice right? It should be revealed as the Sony Xperia Z Google Edition and hit the Play Store for $599 – if the reports and rumors are correct. Which one would you buy now?

Madfinger Games teases Tegra 4 features in Dead Trigger 2 video

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:51 PM PDT

We suspect there are more than a few waiting for the release of Dead Trigger 2 and while this isn’t the first time we have seen details of the game, there is new trailer video that has recently been released. The trailer was released by Madfinger Games and it highlights the Tegra 4 specifics. And in addition to a brief look at what can be expected in terms of how the game will look, Madfinger Games has given a slightly more narrowed down release timeframe.

dt2-side-by-540

Earlier reports were calling for the game to be released during the second quarter of the year. The game is now expected to arrive sometime this summer. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything specific in terms of a date or even a month though. While we wait, lets get back to this newly released trailer. The video is short and comes in at just a bit over a minute in length, but it does offer several Tegra 3 and Tegra 4 side-by-side views.

Now that you have seen the trailer (which is sitting above), there isn’t much room left for spoilers. Basically, it seems the Tegra 4 version of Dead Trigger 2 will be much improved. That brings some other news, Dead Trigger 2 will not be limited to those with a Tegra 4 powered device. As this video shows, those with a Tegra 4 will have better graphics, but those without will still be able to fight the zombies.

Otherwise, those looking back will likely remember this game was originally shown in early January as the first Tegra 4 game. Perhaps more important for those who are looking forward to the release of the NVIDIA SHIELD, Dead Trigger 2 will be available. In fact, we managed to spend some hands-on time with Dead Trigger 2 for the SHIELD back in March.

Connecting these two dots and in addition to Dead Trigger 2 being the first Tegra 4 game shown, the SHIELD will be the first device to market with the processor. As a recap, the SHIELD is currently available for pre-order and expected to begin shipping soon. The system is priced at $349 and sporting a 5-inch 1280 x 720 display along with the previously mentioned Tegra 4 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Google Glass updated to XE6 with improved camera, HDR, and voice actions

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:42 PM PDT

While Google Glass still isn’t out and readily available to the public, not to mention seeing heavy criticism for the privacy aspect of things, the Mountain View company is still updating it rather quick. Google vowed to deliver monthly updates for Glass, and as expected, last night they pushed out XE6 to all you Glassees with tons of camera enhancements.

Screen-Shot-2013-04-30-at-2.33.03-PM-540x296

We received the new update on our own set last night, but Google also posted all of the details and what to expect over on Google+ at their +Project Glass page. The focus was on better photos, as well as using voice for photo captions, and a few other small improvements. Now all we need is another pair, and maybe some better battery life.

The update to XE6 actually brings some pretty incredible improvements to the camera as a whole. Just a few software tweaks and users are taking much improved photos, lighting is seriously noticeably better, and they’ve added HDR mode and more. Now you can take a low light photo that will actually turn out great, and Glass will even prompt you to add a caption should you choose. Here’s a quick sample

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While photos were the majority of the update Google confirms that head-on detection was improved, and it added better support for Sports and birthday cards in Google Now. Then Google mentions several bug fixes and performance improvements, but nothing specifically. Last month they fixed a lot of bugs, this month the focus was on that camera.

For even more details and tons of before/after pictures post update hit the +Project Glass link above for all the details direct from Google.

VIA: SlashGear

Google I/O 2013 summed up in 5 minute highlight video

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:09 PM PDT

We know Google I/O is one of those coveted experiences and developer conferences that tons of you want to enjoy. Whether you’re a fan or developer of Android, Chrome, YouTube, and more. While sadly not everyone that wants to attend gets to (tickets sell out fast) Google always posts the events online. They were nice enough to live stream the sessions, and now have posted their annual round-up highlight video.

Screen Shot 2013-06-05 at 12.01.28 PM

So for those who weren’t able to attend Google I/O themselves, or have been too busy to catch up on anything and everything they missed, Google has you covered. Just like last year the team over at Mountain View has put together a neat little video clip just under 5 minutes long showing all the highlights.

While the event wasn’t quite as exciting as some in the past, mainly because we didn’t get a brand new version of Android to play with and enjoy, it was a huge event and milestone for Google. Showing they don’t need to update the OS and put manufacturers behind in order to improve the OS as a whole. That was one of many important factors we took away from the event. Anyways, here’s the clip:

From Google Glass being all over the place (but not in the news) Google Play Games, Music All Access, an improved Google Maps, all those developer events and more. The event was packed full of good stuff for 3 days and Google wants to share these moments with everyone. Relive Google I/O 2013 from the video above, then hit our IO Portal for all our coverage.

What would you like to see at Google I/O 2014? Too soon?

Lenovo IdeaTab A-Series tablet lineup expands

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:02 PM PDT

Lenovo has announced two new entry-level Android tablets. The models expand upon the IdeaTab A-Series and include the IdeaTab A1000 and the A3000. Both of these models offer similar specs which include a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. With that in mind, the A1000 is priced at $189 and the A3000 is priced at $229.

lenovo-ideatab-a1000-a3000

Other specs that are shared across both models include 1GB of RAM, 3500 mAh battery, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, VGA quality front-facing webcam and 16GB of internal storage space. Both models also have a microSD card slot, however the spec sheet notes a difference in the support. The A1000 supports cards up to 32GB in size and the A3000 supports cards up to 64GB in size.

Lenovo IdeaTab A1000

lenovo-tablet-ideatab-a1000-black-back-detail-6 lenovo-tablet-ideatab-a1000-black-front-back-2 lenovo-tablet-ideatab-a1000-white-front-back-1

As far as the IdeaTab A1000 goes, this model is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz MT8317 processor and is sporting measurements of 7.83 x 4.76 x 0.42 inches with a weight of 0.77 pounds. This model is also available in two colors — black and white. Of course, the basics such as an accelerometer, 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB (for charging) can also be expected.

Lenovo IdeaTab A3000

lenovo-tablet-ideatab-a3000-black-back-detail-6 lenovo-tablet-ideatab-a3000-black-front-back-2 lenovo-tablet-ideatab-a3000-black-front-detail-3

The IdeaTab A3000 has a single-core 1.2GHz MediaTek 6575 Cortex A9 processor align with a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto-focus. The A3000 is close to the A1000 in terms of size and weight with measurements of 7.63 x 4.72 x 0.43 inches. This model weighs in at 0.76 pounds. Finallly, unlike the A1000, the A3000 is only available in black.

Touching back on the pricing of the A1000 and it looks like Lenovo currently has a coupon code available that will lower the price by $40. The code is listed on the Lenovo website as “IDEADEAL” and will bring the price of the A1000 down to $149. This is listed as being a “weekly deal” however there isn’t anything specific in terms of an expiration date.

SOURCE: Facebook

Android Authority

Android Authority


Google Keyboard for Android now available as a Play Store download

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:19 PM PDT

Google Keyboard
If you have been searching for an easy way to get the whole Nexus typing experience for Android onto your own device, we’re here to tell you that your search is over. Today, Google Keyboard was added to the Google Play Store — announced via the Android page on Google+ — and anyone with a compatible device may now download it for free.

If, for whatever reason, you still haven’t gotten the chance to try out the Google Keyboard yourself, all you need to know is that it offers the stock Android typing experience, which is why it’s referred to as the Nexus typing experience above. It is said to transform the usual method of typing into something that is smart and easy, so if you’re big on actually being able to type the words that you want to say, then this is something that you definitely need to look into.

Google Keyboard should offer Gesture Typing, a feature that lets users glide their typing fingers through keys in order to type words, as well as automatic error correction, and even word predictions. Tapping on the microphone in Google Keyboard enables Voice Typing for easy message composition on the go. And built-in dictionaries ensure that the best typing experience is available for up to 26 different languages.

If you still don’t have it on your own Android-powered smartphone or tablet yet (and you’re using Android 4.0 or later), then check out the Google Play link in the source below to install it.

    


The Best Launchers for Android!

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:34 PM PDT

best android launchers

Sometimes your Android home screen can be boring. You may not like TouchWiz, Sense, Motoblur, or even stock Android. You may not want to root your device to fix that either. Thankfully there’s a different way to give your Android device a bit more oomph. We’ve gone into the Google Play Store in search of some of the best launchers for Android, and we’ve come back with a few impressive ones! As usual, if you’d rather watch the video, just head on down to the bottom of the article.


91 Launcher

91Launcher

First up is 91 Launcher. This is a fun and simple launcher that offers a very smooth experience, even if it seems pretty simple. While you can get into deep customization with this particular launcher, 91 Launcher sticks with the basics: good widgets, wallpapers, and themes.

Don’t let its simplicity fool you though. 91 Launcher has a lot of themeing and customization options, such as transition animations. It’s not going to take you a lot of time to come up with a customization that you’re happy with. So if you’re looking for a great launcher that doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles, 91 Launcher is worth checking out.

Get it on Google Play


Apex Launcher

ApexLauncher

The Apex Launcher may ring a few bells to you, as its been around for quite awhile and has garnered a good amount of popularity. Unlike 91 Launcher, Apex is filled to the brim with features and customization options. We’re not kidding either — you can do a lot of customization, such as the app drawer, home screens, themes, icon packs, and cool transition effects. It really is one of the more customizable launchers out there that doesn’t get too hectic.

After customizing your smartphone, you may want to set up the same customization options on your tablet. Like most of these apps, Apex Launcher does have tablet support, so that’s entirely doable. It’s an overall positive experience, and despite all of the customization options, it’s very slick in the performance department. The only downside is that all of the cool features are in the paid version, but that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Get it on Google Play


GO Launcher

GOLauncher

GO Launcher is the most downloaded launcher on our list, which probably has something to do with it being a freemium offering. It’s packed full of features, and you can even further customization options by downloading a seemingly endless supply of add ons.

The performance of GO Launcher is pretty good, but GO Launcher can’t be fully appreciated until it’s entirely set up. This is where things get painfully annoying. Getting the launcher set up to your tastes can take hours, as there are a plethora of themes, customizations, features, and add ons. If you like fiddling around with a truck load of options, GO Launcher may just be up your alley. However, out of the rest of these launchers, some might find GO Launcher to be one of the more chaotic launchers out there.

Get it on Google Play


Nova Launcher Prime

NovaLauncherPrime

One of the most dependable and well-received launchers is NOVA Launcher. Like most of the options on this list, there are a plethora of features, themes, and customizations, though, not nearly as many as GO Launcher. So if you like eye candy, NOVA Launcher has a good amount of it.

Perhaps one of its best features has to deal with widgets. You can put any 1 by 1 widget in the dock and even overlap your widgets to conserve that precious home screen space. Furthermore, you can even create widget collages. Aside from that, NOVA Launcher runs smooth. It’s just an all around good launcher.

Get it on Google Play


Smart Launcher Pro

SmartLauncherPro

Last up on our list is Smart Launcher Pro, and it’s different from the rest of the launchers on our list. Instead of keeping the general Android aesthetics, Smart Launcher Pro offers its own thing. However, this particular launcher seems to do it right, as unlike a lot of launchers that try this, people have responded positively with what Smart Launcher offers.

Here’s how it works. You start with a single home screen with shortcuts arranged in a circle. These shortcuts can be programmed to open whatever app you want, so you can get to your frequently used apps quickly and efficiently. From there you can access a modified app drawer and a 3 home screen lay for all of your widget needs.

All in all, it’s a launcher that does things differently, and it does it well. It’s very much worth giving a shot.

Get it on Google Play


Final thoughts

LauncherARTICLELEADER

If you take a look at our leaderboard (image above) you can see how these apps compete against each other. The ratings are based on Google Play Store ratings and downloads, so there’s no bias on our part.

Launchers are interesting, as each one does something unique. So we have a few honorary mentions. These include ADW Launcher, Launcher 7, Launcher 8, Next Launcher, EZ Launcher, Chameleon Launcher, and Big Launcher.

If there’s a good launcher that we should have mentioned, be sure to tell everyone in the comments below!

    


Ethically-sourced Fairphone hits its pre-order goal ahead of schedule

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:00 PM PDT

Fairphone

Let's face it, phones aren’t exactly great for the environment, and that's probably not going to change anytime soon. For Dutch startup Fairphone's part, they don't claim their upcoming smartphone is completely environmentally friendly, but instead the goal is to be as transparent and ethical as possible when it comes to using resources in its construction.

The company’s goal is to use conflict-free resources for the device when possible, but what exactly does that mean? The idea is that they will work to find partners that treat their workers as fairly as possible when it comes to working wages and conditions. The goal is also to use source materials that have as little of an ecological impact as possible.

For Fairphone, this is an important project, as they hope to set a better standard for the creation of electronic devices. And clearly folks are interested in the idea, as the company has already hit its production target of 5,000 pre-orders with eight days left in Fairphone’s early funding campaign.

If this seems like a project you'd like to support, you still have a few days left to snag yourself a limited edition version of the phone for €325, or roughly $425. What kind of specs are under the hood? The phone is powered by a 1.2GHz MTK6589M quad-core CPU, featuring 1GB of RAM. It also has a 4.3-inch qHD display, 16GB storage, microSD, an 8MP back cam, a 1.3MP front-cam, dual-SIM support and Android 4.2.

While the specs aren't going to blow anyone away, that's not exactly the key reason for buying the phone. The hope is that by throwing your support behind the phone you not only help Fairphone work to improve conditions globally, but you send a clear message to other manufacturers that a phone made with conflict-free source material is important to you.

What do you think of the Fairphone and the company's long-term goals to improve transparency in the materials used to create smartphones?

    


Sony Xperia Tablet Z review (video)

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:49 PM PDT

sony xperia tablet z aa gaming

Sony kicked this year off with a bang by launching two incredible smartphones — the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. They’ve still got a few tricks up their sleeves though, as the Japanese company, after a few short delays, just launched the Sony Xperia Tablet Z across the world.

Let’s take a look, shall we? We’ll go through the design, build quality, display, specs and software of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z. In a hurry? Jump straight to the video review.

Design and build quality

It’s a known fact that Sony is adept at designing smartphones, and that holds true for their tablets as well, namely the Xperia Tablet Z. If you’ve seen the Xperia Z, you’ll notice its design made a return in a much larger, 10-inch form. Much like the smartphone, the Tablet Z got angular corners and is flat all over, and it’s nice to see that Sony took that slate design philosophy literally.

sony xperia tablet z aa ports

While the design of the Xperia Tablet Z is extraordinary, probably the most impressive thing about the tablet is how thin and light it is — it comes in at a mere 0.27-inches thick and weighs 495 grams. Due to how thin and light the tablet is, the Xperia Tablet Z is very easy to handle and keep a good grip on.

sony xperia tablet z aa thickness standing

Aside from the camera optics on the back, you’re getting a completely black textured back that looks really slick and doesn’t slip when in the hand. Similarly, the front of the Xperia Tablet Z is also completely black, and it’s quite clean, with the front facing camera and Sony logo placed up top. On the left side of the device you’ll find all of the buttons, including the standard volume rocker and iconic Xperia metal silver power button.

sony xperia tablet z aa back in hand

The speakers are on the bottom of both sides, and, as you would expect, the microUSB and microSD slots are at the bottom, which are covered by small bits of plastic covers. What’s up with those? Sony’s famous water resistance, of course! This entire 10-inch slate can be submerged in water and come out operational. While we’ve seen this a lot on smartphones, it seems to be a rarity for tablets, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless.

sony xperia tablet z aa thickness

Display

A 10-inch tablet isn’t going to be very good without a nice display, and, thankfully, the Xperia Tablet Z excels in this area. It has a 10-inch 1,920 x 1,200 resolution screen rated at 224ppi. It’s very good, considering that this device will, in most cases, be far enough away from your face to make pixelation much less of an issue. Regardless, media and text still look stunning on this device.

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Sony’s Xperia Z and ZL smartphones suffered from viewing angle issues, but fortunately they seemed to have disappeared in the Tablet Z. The display is even more beautiful, as Sony brought the BRAVIA Engine 2 to this device to bring more contrast and vibrancy. However, the color temperature tends to the warmer side.

sony xperia tablet z aa viewing angles

While a rating of 224ppi isn’t very large compared to recent smartphone releases, the Tablet Z still looks gorgeous, and will be perfect for your Android needs, especially when it comes to media consumption.

Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 is hitting a lot of devices on the market, such as the Galaxy S4 or HTC One. So it might be disappointing to find that the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is “only” running a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro, which powered last year’s smartphones. The proc is backed by the Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM, which means the device is far from being a slow performer. AnTuTu rates this bad boy right around where its smartphone counterpart ranks — the 20000 mark. When we put the device through Epic Citadel, it ran really smooth and ended with a very high performance rating.

sony xperia tablet z aa performance

The Snapdragon S4 Pro is not a bad processor — flying through the Xperia tablet’s UI was very fast. However, there are some brief moments of lag, but nothing that’ll truly hinder your experience. Multitasking with the Small Apps and going by app to app was as easy as ever, which further proves that the Tablet Z is a great performer for just about anything.

Coupled with its gorgeous screen, you’ll find the Xperia Tablet Z a formidable device for Android gaming and media consumption. Whether you’re working or playing, you’ll get everything done in a timely manner, and in style too.

Hardware

Hardware on the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is standard, but the big advantage that you won’t find on many tablets is water resistance. The microSD card slot that we mentioned earlier can expand your onboard memory by 16 or 32GB of storage. Then you’ve got the usual accelerometer, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, and an LTE version is available overseas.

There’s also an IR Blaster that allows for control of TVs and related devices, and if you’d like to take advantage of data transfer capabilities, the Xperia Tablet Z has NFC functionality too. The stereo speakers are side mounted, which is a lot better than being placed on the rear, however, the tablet sounds decent at best. Perhaps the sound quality was held back to help with water resistance. The sound isn’t very rich, but you’ll find that the volume levels are quite impressive.

sony xperia tablet z aa ir blaster

Battery and camera

One of the Tablet Z’s best selling points is easily its 6000mAh battery. After running a whole season of Community, it only drained the battery to around half life after just over four hours. So you could get around eight hours of constant usage on a full charge out of this bad boy. However, not everyone is going to use a device like this for eight hours straight. With less rigorous usage, you could probably get up to two whole days of work and play before the Tablet Z runs out of juice.

sony xperia tablet z aa battery

Compared to its smartphone counterpart, the Xperia Tablet Z isn’t rocking a 13-megapixel camera — instead it touts an 8MP shooter. The app does get the same elements of Superior Auto and then the many different scene settings to help you get the perfect shot. Other than that, everything’s fairly standard — touch to focus, touch to capture, and burst shots. Of course, there are a few extras thrown in, such as HDR and sweeping panorama.

sony xperia tablet z aa camera app 1

As for the picture quality, it’s decent at best. You’ll notice that it does not perform nearly as well as the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL’s cameras. Photos have a level of grain in full daylight shots. It’s more noticeable in lower light shots though. There’s even a lack of a flash diode, which puts the Xperia Tablet Z’s camera feel like any other camera on any other tablet. It’s not really going to blow anyone away.

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Software

If you’re already familiar with the Xperia UI from Sony’s smartphone, it’s largely the same with the Tablet Z. The Jelly Bean 4.1.2 powered UI consists of mostly darker tones — a look that is largely reminiscent of Ice Cream Sandwich. The notification dropdown is kept on the bottom right and like a few different UI’s, it has some quick settings available. You can find Navigation on the bottom left while the Small Apps and Remote Control shortcuts have been centered, and all of your apps can be accessed via a tap of a button at the top right.

sony xperia tablet z aa notification dropdown

sony xperia tablet z aa recent apps

Other than these few location changes, the experience is pretty much what you’d expect, though, home screens, the app drawer, and settings pages are customizable with a few themes that simply change the color schemes if you’re not a fan of the default.

As for additions, you’ll notice the addition of Jelly Bean’s Google Now and Sony’s Small Apps, much like you’d find in the Xperia smartphones. The Small Apps are pretty cool, as they’re overlays that go over your current screen and help support quick multitasking.

sony xperia tablet z aa small apps

One addition is the Clip manager, which lets you take an editable screenshot. There’s also the Walkman, which manages to be synonymous when it comes to good music players. Finally we have Sociallife, which combines Facebook, Twitter, and other social network feeds.

sony xperia tablet z aa sociallife

When it comes down to it, Sony has packed a great suite of software in the Xperia Tablet Z, making both productivity and media simple to access and do.

Video review

Price and final thoughts

Like most premium tablets (i.e. the Nexus 10), the Sony Xperia Tablet Z doesn’t come cheap — $499 for 16GB variant and $599 for the 32GB. It’s a very hefty price tag, but as they always say, you get what you pay for. The Tablet Z is one of the better performers out there and certainly one of the best looking, so in that sense, the price makes a bit of sense.

Let’s face it, there aren’t as many good tablets out there as there are smartphones, but the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a welcome addition to the market. It may not be the best performing tablet out there, but it’s surely one of the better ones available. It’s great for work and play, and you’re destined to get hours of enjoyment out of this bad boy.

What do you think about the Sony Xperia Tablet Z? Is it a device you plan on picking up in the future or do you have your eyes locked on something else?

Brad Ward contributed to this review.

    


Gmail update rolling out to everyone, now it’s Hangouts turn for a staged rollout

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:45 PM PDT

Hangouts

Earlier this week, Google introduced Gmail 4.5, bringing several new features to the table, all while rolling it out incrementally. For those that have yet to grab it, Google has apparently finished up the rollout, and is making it available to everyone.

Now that you can finally get your hands on the Gmail update, it is time for yet another staged rollout, this time for Google+ Hangouts. Unlike the changes found in Gmail 4.5, the latest version of Hangouts doesn’t seem to bring to many significant changes, so don't expect anything life-changing like Google Voice or SMS integration just yet.

Instead, the update is very minor and is all about addressing issues with notifications and audio, particularly for those that are still stuck on Gingerbread. They also vaguely mention "bug fixes and better performance" in the changelog.

Again, unless you happen to be one of the lucky few, it could be a couple of days before you can grab the Hangouts update, as Google has apparently decided to embrace staged rollouts for its apps going forward. Have you managed to get your hands on the update yet? If so, did you find anything noticeably different or is it all just under-the-hood stuff?

    


Madfinger teases Dead Trigger 2, promises more at E3

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:01 PM PDT

A screenshot from Madfinger's Dead Trigger 2 game

Madfinger's Dead Trigger, a zombie survival horror game for mobile devices, was a big hit on Android for a couple of reasons: one, the Tegra 3 edition was graphically impressive, and two, Madfinger decided to drop the title's price from $1 to free. With Dead Trigger 2, the company's looking to capitalize on the success of the first game by again (1) releasing a version of Dead Trigger 2 exclusively for new Tegra 4 devices, and by (2) making the game available for free.

The developers of Dead Trigger 2 certainly don't plan on coasting to millions of downloads, though. Madfinger has significantly improved on the mechanics and gameplay of the game's predecessor. The game looks undeniably gorgeous on Tegra 4 devices, with enhancements such as real time reflections in water, dynamic vegetation and lighting, cloth simulation, and ragdoll physics. Controls have been tightened, too, and combat mechanics have tweaked to "enable more thorough enjoyment in gameplay."

A particularly intriguing aspect of Dead Trigger 2 is the game's living world, so to speak. Depending on when a particular user begins playing, the circumstance of the world may’ve changed; when the game's released, the human-zombie war will begin a certain way, but a couple of weeks down the road, things may change for the better or worse. Dead Trigger 2's a much larger game than its forerunner, and Madfinger says interacting with other plays may prove essential to survival.

If you're itching to play one of Android's hottest new games, don't fret: Madfinger says it's shooting for a late summer release. That's a bit later than the June estimate the company gave a couple of months ago, but if it's any consolation, Dead Trigger 2 will be fully playable at this year's E3. Expect new details and gameplay footage then, June 11-13.

    


Enjoy your large phone display? You’re not alone.

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:53 AM PDT

smartphones sony xperia nexus 4 aa 1600

It seems that Android smartphone buyers located in the United States have developed a keen taste for larger screens, especially those at around 4.8-inch. Starting in April of this year, the volume of phones at this size have successfully surpassed more “conventional” devices, like the 4-inch panel mounted on the Samsung Nexus S.

This may indicate a general modification of the market taste, but could also indicate increased manufacturer confidence in bigger panels. While the most popular choice still remains the 4.3-inch diagonal screen, an uncontested leader since 2012, bigger phone like the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One may soon overtake and become even more popular.

As seen from the graphic representation featured below, the trend in May is a vivid rise of larger phones in favor of all others. As far as the last month is concerned, approximately 19.5% of US inhabitants owning an Android smartphone have opted for a 4.3-inch screen, while 14.7% of them went for larger. On the other hand, 4-inch panels can now be found on 11.2% of all existing smartphones, while sizes smaller than that are fading away: 8.7% for 3.5-inches and just 5.8% for even tinier.

Bigger is better 

android us chart

While the chart itself is restricted to devices with panels smaller than 4.8-inches, the data provided above is quite interesting. It wasn’t long ago that consumers didn't have many options above 4.3-inches. Before the recent trend in larger phones, such devices were considered "phablets" by some, and to see someone with a phone of that size was rather curious.

After Samsung introduced the Galaxy S3 into the marketplace, perception changed.  One of the best phones at the time, with a classy design that made a bigger screen look nearly perfect, consumers opinion changed. Manufacturers also had a big role in this decision, choosing to incorporate state-of-the-art specifications into larger handsets, and mediocre gear into smaller ones.

The introduction of the so called "mini" phones as smaller variants to popular versions like the Galaxy S3 can also be pointed to as a big factor in this trend. In order to sell more units, manufacturers gave people a cheaper choice, cloaked under the hood of a smaller device. It gave consumers an option in screen size, and bolstered the larger screens place in the market.

Everything is connected

Behind any consumer decision, there is a manufacturer idea and supplier strategy. First of all, smarter technologies usually require more space. To squeeze the same computational power into smaller volumes, that would then have been provided by smaller phones, could lead into increased R&D cost, and more advanced fabrication procedures. In order to make everyone happy, companies opted to sell advanced smartphones with large screens, as well as budget choices with smaller panels.

Secondly, panel suppliers also play an important part in the whole process. If fabricators announce a long shortage for an upcoming period, phone designers and managers could re-think their strategy and try to avoid the predicament. Unfortunately, there are two ways of doing that: change the supplier (which is usually a pretty unfortunate situation), or change the design and marketing strategy.

As far as the future holds, a recent DigiTimes report states that until August 2013, displays with a diagonal between 4.5-inches and 5-inches will be in short supply, due to several handset vendors preparing to release models in the third quarter. Moreover, a critical outage of small-size devices is due to makers cutting production for entry-level handsets. As mentioned in the beginning, bigger will certainly become more popular as time develops.

    


Why isn’t Samsung talking about their victory over Apple?

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:22 AM PDT

Samsung Logo aa 5 1600

Yesterday, we told you about the breaking news of Samsung's court win against Apple. That case, in which the US International Trade Commission ruled Apple violated a Samsung patent, resulted in a sales and import ban of some Apple devices. None of those devices are current, but another interesting thing has come of the case: Samsung hasn't said a word about it.

As the two tech magnates sue each other across the globe, in any court that will have them, we are left to ponder why Samsung isn't responding to this victory. A sign of regret, or perhaps peace on the horizon? Unlikely, as Apple seems to enjoy litigation, and Samsung has made it clear they have no intent on making peace with the Cupertino-based company any time soon.

What happened?

We are disappointed that the Commission has overturned an earlier ruling, and we plan to appeal.
Kristin Huguet, Apple spokesperson

We'll make this snappy; Apple was hit with a temporary sales ban on devices for violating a Samsung patent. That patent, number 7,706,384 or "apparatus and method for encoding/decoding transport format combination indicator in CDMA mobile communication system", had been argued by Apple to be "standards essential". The sales ban only affects older Apple devices available through AT&T.

Samsung Logo 645px

Perception

Samsung is seen as a bully by many, a multinational tech behemoth running roughshod over the competition. They also famously raised the price of the processors they sold Apple after the $1 billion decision against them, a polarizing decision at best. They dominate the tech landscape, have become nearly ubiquitous with Android, and dumped about $10 billion into marketing the Galaxy S4. They are, undoubtedly, a force.

To boast about a small victory would strengthen that divide in opinion Samsung is very aware of. Already seen as overbearing by some, announcing victory on the battlefield would be poor form. To proclaim your superiority at this stage in the game only increases Apple sentiment, and vitriol toward Samsung. While feelings don't win court cases, they do influence consumers.

Big picture

Let's put this decision into perspective: it's one ruling, on older devices, which needs a presidential veto to be overturned, and will be appealed by Apple. Where is the win, here? This is like the delivery pizza guy arriving late, with a cold pie. The devices in question, iPhone 3 through 4S and iPod 2 3G, are antiquated. Aside from the 4S, which will be dated soon enough (and can be had for a dollar on contract), none of the rest matter.

Is a presidential veto likely? No, but an appeal is definite. Apple has voiced their displeasure in the ruling, and promising to challenge the decision. Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet said "We are disappointed that the Commission has overturned an earlier ruling, and we plan to appeal." Samsung might be making strides in their worldwide litigation against Apple, but this is a small decision in their favor that promises to drag out like the rest.

US DOJ vs Apple

Now what?

Though Apple sees the technology as "standards essential", meaning it's technology that is widely used and should be considered under FRAND guidelines for licensing, they have since moved away from the technology which violated this patent. Their cat-and-mouse game may be catching up with them.

Apple also has other issues. They're about to lock horns with the US Department of Justice over a very damning case of eBook price fixing. That case, which is ripe with Apple work product showing collusion to manipulate the eBook market, is not going to be pretty. Samsung may present a headache, but the US government is another issue altogether.

Samsung really has no reason to gloat. This is a case which has no bearing on current products, and is an ancillary concern for both parties. The Apple appeal is de rigueur for them, so the victory is hollow for Samsung. Samsung's legal team is crafty, so they'll let the US DOJ set the precedent for Apple business practises, not this case.

    


HTC hopes to replace several of its recently departed executives by the month’s end

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 10:56 AM PDT

HTC Logo

Just yesterday we reported that HTC had lost yet another executive, this time their COO Matthew Costello. The good news is that HTC’s marketing head Benjamin Ho says they are working hard to replace many of these vacancies by the end of the month. In fact, Fred Liu of engineering and operations has already taken over the role of chief operating officer.

It’s good to see HTC moving forward and filling in the gaps left by the departure, but you have to wonder why these executives left in the first place. According to Ho, the reasons varied considerably, but included opposition to changes meant to turn things around for the company.

As Benjamin Ho puts it:

“You can’t have 100 percent of your staff agree with every action you have to take to improve the company”. “HTC has to recover its business. We’ve had to make difficult decisions.”

For the pessimists out there, it’s easy to say that this is just another nail in the coffin for HTC, but the situation is a lot more complicated than that. The HTC One has certainly been turning heads and gaining new fans. HTC has also recently posted its highest monthly revenue in 11 months.

There have been positive steps in the right direction for HTC, despite the loss of employees and the debacle that is the HTC First. Also keep in mind that loss of employees isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We don’t know the "real" reasons why some of these folks left. For all we know, there could have been forced resignations at work here.

Often times when a company/sport team/country is at its worst, it pushes out the old in order to make way for the new. Now could be the perfect time for HTC to clean house, refocus and push forward.

Will the recent success of the HTC One and internal changes be enough to pull HTC out of the woods and back into the clear? That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? For now, it’s still tough to say for sure what HTC’s future will bring. The company isn’t down and out just yet, but they certainly need to tread carefully.

    


How it works: Voice over LTE (VoLTE)

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:48 AM PDT

LG VoLTE Voice over LTE Credit: LG

As almost everyone at this point knows, Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular technology is the next generation of mobile networks. There will continue to be iterative advances, like LTE Advanced, but the core LTE technology is the new global standard for the foreseeable future.

LTE provides a wide array of improvements versus previous network standards, but there is still a major obstacle in the path to LTE-only cellular networks. Older cellular standards have always included a dedicated communications channel to carry voice calls and operate under roughly the same principles as an analogue phone switchboard. LTE is an all-IP based network standard, so it it does not natively support the antiquated circuit switched protocol. Network providers must revise their entire approach to voice call networks in order to resolve the incompatibility.

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) aims to provide the ability to handle cellular voice calls over LTE. Most major LTE network providers have announced their intentions to at least begin to deploy VoLTE within the next couple years.   For a number of reasons, enabling voice calling over LTE is not so simple as just using a VOIP connection. Carriers need to be able to pass or hand off voice calls, without interruption, between the LTE networks and the legacy 2G and 3G networks. Carriers also want to protect the revenue they get from voice services; so, it is to their advantage to use a dedicated protocol like VoLTE rather than over-the-top VOIP solution.

VoLTE uses the IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) architectural framework.  IMS allows for ubiquitous multimedia access using a common IP interface. This greatly simplifies network management and provides better developer accessibility. Using this framework, connections over different protocols can be bridged together. With the IMS framework, VoLTE is able to inter-operate with circuit switched voice networks without having any dependency on or requirement for them. Additionally, the common IP interface of IMS will allow VoLTE to inter-operate with other voice networking technologies even after legacy circuit switched networks are finally phased out.

SR-VCC

Until LTE network footprints expand to meet or eclipse those of their 2G and 3G predecessors, voice network interoperability is only the first step in enabling VoLTE. While engaged in a voice call, a user might pass outside of an LTE coverage area, so that call needs to be able to fall back onto legacy networks. The VoLTE standard accomplishes this with Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SR-VCC). With SR-VCC, when an LTE tower determines that a user might leave the coverage area during an active connection, it leverages the IMS framework to initiate a second connection over the legacy standards. Both connections are maintained until the LTE signal is lost, the LTE tower determines the user will not leave the coverage area, or the voice call ends.

SR-VCC requires the network provider to have the IMS framework in place, but it also impacts device design. To support SR-VCC, devices must not only be able to connect to both the LTE and the legacy networks, but be able to connect to both at the same time. This is governed by the antenna architecture in the device. In order to conserve space, some devices, like the iPhone 5, will have 3G and 4G traffic sharing the same physical antennae, toggling between the two standards as needed. SR-VCC requires devices to have dedicated antennae for both 3G and 4G connections. Devices that support simultaneous 3G voice and 4G data are already able to support SR-VCC.
VoLTE also supports wideband audio, or HD Voice. HD Voice more than doubles the audio frequency range for voice calls versus legacy narrowband technologies. Unlike the network upgrades many carriers have used to bring HD Voice to their 3G networks, LTE networks are able to encode wideband audio natively because they are not constrained by the limits of circuit switched networks. The IMS framework behind VoLTE allows inoperable HD Voice calling between any compatible endpoints – other VoLTE devices, devices using HD Voice over 3G, or over the top services like Skype. In HD Voice calling, only connections between capable devices are at the higher quality and connections in which either device is not capable are at the lower quality for both devices.

VoLTE serves two main purposes for the industry. First, it provides a mechanism for network providers to more seamlessly integrate their existing 2G and 3G networks with their new and developing LTE networks. This is a largely short-term interest though. In the long-term, VoLTE provides network providers with the means to completely replace their legacy networks. For consumers, this means a future of LTE-only devices with increased interoperability and higher quality voice calling.

    


Android Authority Q & A #001 – June 5, 2013

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:11 AM PDT

q-a-thumb

Welcome to the very first installment of Android Authority Q & A, aka. AAQ&A (say that three times fast). Each week we’ll be taking from you, our wonderful readers, and answering them both here and in video form on our YouTube channel.

In a hurry or don’t like to read? Skip right to the video.
Samsung-Galaxy-S3

Q:

Shion asks: I have the Galaxy S3 from Rogers in Canada and I’m thinking about switching carriers to Wind. If I unlock the Galaxy S3 will I be able to use it with Wind?

A:

No, unfortunately you won’t be able to use that particular S3 with Wind. Rogers is a GSM network, while Wind is a UTMS network, and the Rogers model of the S3 isn’t compatible with UTMS. The difference is at the hardware level, so even unlocking the phone won’t do you any good.


Q:

Kevin asks: I’m switching from a Galaxy S3 to an HTC One soon. How can I back up my apps and transfer them to the new device?

A:

There are multiple ways to do this. In most cases there is actually a method built in to your phone to do this. Go to Settings->Back up and Reset. There you can allow Google to back up your apps and data which will then be redownloaded to your new phone when you set it up.

If you can’t or don’t want to use the cloud, there is also an app called Helium (formerly Carbon Backup), which allows you to backup and restore to an SD card, or in your case since the HTC One doesn’t have an SD slot, a PC. Personally, I like to take a new phone as an opportunity to prune away apps I don’t use anymore, but that’s just me.


Sasmung Galaxy S Duos

Q:

Rohit asks: Do you know when Samsung will update the S Duos to Jelly Bean? I’m having issues with mine.

A:

Unfortunately we don’t know. The S Duos was listed among the phones that Samsung said would be getting an update back in September of 2012, but details have been scarce since. If you don’t want to wait, there is always the option of installing a custom ROM, but that can be risky and the process is more than we can cover in this article.


Q:

Anukool says: I’m looking for a safe method to root my LG Optimus 2X P990 V30B running Ice Cream Sandwich. I found one method but it uses NVFlash which I’ve never used before. Is there any other reliable method?

A:

Well, it looks like you’ve done a fair amount of research already here. I’m not sure what method you had found, but there is an All-In-One Toolkit on XDA Developers that seems to get pretty good results and be easy to use, but it does use NVFlash. Any other methods I found were either for other models or for devices running Gingerbread.


Q:

Ameer asks: My phone gets hot and starts to slow down. There are a lot of apps running that I don’t even use. What can I do?

A:

Without knowing what phone or Android version you’re running, this is kind of a difficult question to answer. One of the easiest solutions to your problem of a bunch of apps running is to simply uninstall them, but if they came preinstalled on your phone , that may be difficult, though you may be able to disable them.

If that doesn’t help, you might want to start over with a clean slate. Back up any apps or data (see the earlier question for that) and then go to Settings -> Back Up and Reset and reset your device. Now this will get rid of all apps, all software updates and all of your data, so be certain that you want to do this. That said, if you’re having a lot of trouble, this may help.


Galaxy-Tab-7.7-jelly

Q:

Ji Yong says: I have 1080p M2TS video files from a Sony HX9V camera that I’m trying to watch on my 7.7 inch dual-core Samsung Tablet. MX Player crashes and BSPlayer works, but the video plays slower than the sound. How can I watch these on my tablet?

A:

The problem here is likely that the video has a higher bitrate than your tablet can process. If MX Player and BSPlayer can’t handle it, it isn’t too likely that you’ll find another player that will, given the video’s format.

One solution that doesn’t involve buying anything would be to use a computer to transcode the video to a format that your tablet will find easier to handle, like MP4. While you’re transcoding, you can also lower the resolution to 720p, since your tablet won’t be able to display the full 1080p anyway. There is a ton of software out there to do this, but it’s possible that your camera already came with software that might be able to do this for you.


Q:

Jonathan asks: When is the next Nexus device going to be released?

A:

Since you said device, not phone or tablet, we’ll talk both. Either way, right now all we have are rumors.

First came a rumor that Asus might launch an updated Nexus 7 at Computex this week, but the company’s event at Computex came and went without a mention of it, though other tablets were mentioned. For the next Nexus phone, things get even more confusing (see Sunday’s AA Weekly).

Long story short: probably soon, but what, where and when are all up in the air.


samsung galaxy s4 vs htc one backs aa

Q:

Humphrey says: I work in construction and I need a durable phone. Which phone is more durable: the HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4?

A:

This is a tough question to answer definitively. While the HTC One’s aluminum body is more likely to dent, the polycarbonate body used for the S4 is more likely to pick up scratches and blemishes.

Phones meant to survive more rugged conditions exist, but since it looks like you want a flagship, my suggestion would be to choose your phone based on other factors, like which features you’ll use or which design you prefer, and then get a good solid case and a screen protector.


Q:

Trey asks: What does the 1 year warranty on my Galaxy S4 cover?

A:

First of all, the full range of what is covered and what isn’t is going to differ depending on which service provider you use, but here we’ll just talk Samsung’s warranty.

First off, if the damage to the phone is your fault, even if it’s an accident, it’s probably not covered. Basically the warranty is promising that as long as you use the device how Samsung intends for it to be used, it will continue to work for at least one year. As an example, let’s say that one day your volume rocker randomly stops working. That should be covered by the warranty as long as you didn’t do anything to break it.

Now here’s the thing: Samsung’s warranty is pretty strict. From what I read, even using certain accessories not approved by them can be enough to void your warranty in some cases


samsung-galaxy-s4-smart-scroll

Q:

Subhash asks: How do I import my bookmarks from Google Chrome into the Galaxy S4′s stock browser?

A:

Unfortunately, from what I can tell there doesn’t seem to be any easy way to do this. There are plenty of ways to do this the other way around and import bookmarks into Chrome, but I haven’t found any way to get them into the S4′s stock browser. For what it’s worth, other people are bothered by this too, so here’s hoping that a solution will pop up later on.


Q:

Todd says: My phone automatically uploads photos to the Instant Upload folder in Google+. Do Instant Upload and Google Drive share the same storage, and if so, what is the purpose of storing photos in my Google Drive account?

A:

Google+, Gmail and Google Drive do all share the same storage, so yes it is a bit redundant if photos are indeed being saved to two separate locations. Whether or not there is a purpose to storing photos in your Google Drive is really up to you. I can’t say I do.

If you would rather not have them uploaded by the Google+ app, just go to Google+ settings, Camera & Photos, Auto Backup and turn the feature off up at the top.


Video

Join us next week for more questions and, of course, more answers! If you would like to, head over to the Q & A page to ask us some questions of your own.

 

 

    


HTC One available at all T-Mobile stores, starting today.

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:02 AM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 vs htc one one viewing angle aa

Good news, everyone! The HTC One is available at your T-Mobile store, starting today.

I know what you're thinking. The One has been out for some time, and available via T-Mobile to boot. The stores that had the devices before today were part of a limited roll-out, probably due to those supply shortages HTC was having. From today on, the One will be available at every T-Mobile store, nationwide.

For what it's worth, we really like the device. Our review gave a great overview of the device, and is one you should definitely consider. My co-hort Joshua Vergara prefers the Samsung Galaxy S4, but struggled to pick a winner for his versus video. Also, Vic Gundotra and Sundar Pichai have one, and they're the coolest guys on the planet.

Oddly enough, when we checked the T-Mobile site, it still listed the device as $579, even though the HTC store has it listed at $599 now. The HTC Store raised the price, seemingly to bring it in-line with the HTC One Nexus Experience device coming to the Play Store.

    


The Galaxy S4 Active has an IP67 rating – but what does that mean?

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:00 AM PDT

galaxy s4 vs xperia z z water resistance aa

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active was officially unveiled earlier today, becoming the first high-end “rugged” smartphone from the company. We’ve been hearing a lot about the device’s IP67 rating, which means that it is completely dust-proof and will function normally even after being dipped in water for up to 30 minutes, up to a depth of 1m.

But what is the IP rating system? What do the numbers mean? What are the ratings for some other dust and waterproof smartphones like the Sony Xperia Z? These are some of the questions we’ll be taking a look at today.

What is the IP rating system?

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Press (8) 1600

Not to be confused by the more commonly known Internet Protocol address,  IP in this case stands for Ingress Protection, or International Protection, which is a rating system that defines how well an enclosure protects its internal electric equipment, such as the internal hardware of a smartphone, against environmental factors such as dust and rain. The IP rating system was developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission, and is defined in the IEC 60529 standard. The rating consists of numerical values, with each digit defining a different aspect and level of protection afforded by the enclosure. When there is no protection with regards to one of the criteria, the digit is replaced with an X.

The first digit

The first digit refers to protection against solid objects, ranging from 1 (protection against accidental touches by hand) to 6 (complete protection against dust). Solid objects can refer to anything, including fingers, tools, wires, small wires, and dust. Check out the table below for the detailed explanation of each number.

Rating Protection
0 No special protection
1 Protection against solid objects greater than 50mm in diameter, such as a hand
2 Protection against solid objects greater than 12.5mm in diameter, such as fingers
3 Protection against solid objects greater than 2.5mm in diameter, such as screwdrivers and other tools
4 Protection against solid objects greater than 1mm in diameter, such as wires
5 Limited protection against dust, that is, no harmful deposit
6 Complete protection of dust

The second digit

The second digit refers to protection against water intrusion, and ranges from 1 (protection against condensation) to 8 (immersion below 1m and under pressure). Once again, check out the table below for each rating number and the level of protection provided.

Rating Protection
0 No protection
1 Protection against vertically falling drops and condensation
2 Protection against direct sprays of water, up to 15 degrees from vertical
3 Protection against direct sprays of water, up to 60 degrees from vertical
4 Protection against direct sprays of water from all directions. Limited ingress permitted
5 Protection against low-pressure jets of water from all directions. Limited ingress permitted
6 Protection against strong jets of water from all directions. Limited ingress permitted
7 Protection against temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m for 30 minutes
8 Protection against long periods of immersion over 1m and under pressure

Putting it together – the IP rating of some rugged smartphones

Kyocera Torque Review

Kyocera Torque

As we all know, the IP rating of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is IP67, which means that the device features complete protection against dust, and protection against water immersion up to 1m and for up to 30 minutes. While the Galaxy S4 Active is the first high-end smartphone to boast these features, two other devices from the company, the Galaxy XCover and the Galaxy XCover 2, both are IP67 certified as well.

Another rugged smartphone with an IP67 is the Kyocera Torque. On the other hand, the Kyocera Hydro Edge and Hydro XTRM, which were shown off at CTIA 2013, feature an IP57 rating. Another rugged smartphone that was presented at the event was the CAT B15, which, as expected, features an IP67 rating.

Of course, before the Galaxy S4 Active, there were a couple of other high-end devices that touted dustproof and waterproof features, namely the Sony Xperia Z and the Sony Xperia Tablet Z.  Both devices feature a rating of IP55/IP57. The double rating as far as protection against water is concerned is because of the compliance with both factors, that is, protection against low pressure jets of water from all directions (rain), as well as immersion in up to 1m of water for up to 30 minutes.

Wrap up

If you’re in the market for a smartphone or tablet, or any other electrical equipment for that matter, and are worried about protection against dust and water, you know now what to look for. As far as the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is concerned, it’s definitely fit for the outdoors. Don’t forget to check out some of the differences between the Galaxy S4 and its rugged counterpart to find out which is best suited to your needs.

    


Rumor: Galaxy S4 Active launch date set for July 1 in UK

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:58 AM PDT

GS4 Active screen

A new report reveals that the newest member of the Galaxy S4 family could hit stores only next month in some countries.

Earlier today, Samsung announced the Galaxy S4 Active rugged handset, a Galaxy S4 version ready to withstand tougher day-to-day conditions. But, as always with new device announcements, actual availability details have not been offered.

Sam Mobile says that the handset will be released in the UK on July 1 according to its sources, but the date is yet to be confirmed by Samsung.

The company did say that the handset will be available for purchase later this summer, with certain markets getting it initially, including the U.S. and Sweden. Pricing details are not available at this time, but we wouldn't expect it to be priced that differently compared to the regular model.

The Galaxy S4 Active will be available in three color options at launch, Urban Grey, Dive Blue and Orange Flare – we've already seen grey, teal and red versions in leaked photos, so we would assume those are the models that will be available in stores in the near future.

What's certain is that the Galaxy S4 Active will be shown at the Samsung Premiere 2013 event in London on June 20, at which point we may find out more details about its price and global launch dates.

    


FreedomPop will soon offer free wireless phone service, starting later this summer

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:32 AM PDT

freedompop-mobile

Sick of paying big bucks each month to your current U.S. mobile provider? What if there was a way to get cellular access, without paying a single cent each month? That’s exactly what FreedomPop is looking to offer later this summer, taking its free wireless broadband service and expanding it into the realm of mobile phones.

With FreedomPop’s free phone service you will be limited to just 500MB mobile data and 200 voice minutes each month. You will however be able to send as many text messages as your heart desires. You can also make unlimited calls to other FreedomPop users.

What happens if you want/need more voice or data access? If you go over 200 minutes, FreedomPop will charge you a $10 fee, which will give you unlimited calling for the rest of the month. Additionally, FreedomPop offers 2GB of extra data for just $18.

So can you bring your existing phone over to FreedomPop or will you need specialized hardware? The long-term plan is to support the ability to bring some Sprint devices over to the service, but initially you will need to buy a phone sold by the company.

We can’t say for sure what all phones the company will offer, though there has been mention of a refurbed Evo 4G, Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3. FreedomPop also suggests that phones will average between $99 to $199.

So how does all of this work?

That’s a lot of functionality here for the low price of free, so you are probably wondering if there is a catch. The answer is sort of. First it runs on Sprint’s network. That may or may not be a good thing, depending on where you live, what your coverage is like and what your opinion of Sprint is.

Another important distinction between FreedomPop’s offering and traditional wireless services is that the 200 minutes of voice actually runs through VOIP technology, using Sprint’s 3G network. While the 3G network should be able to handle this without any major issue, it could mean that the call quality isn’t always going to be perfect (though probably good enough).

This is certainly a bold initiative, and if it works as promised, it could be perfect for those that primarily use their phones for texting or for net usage through Wi-Fi. No word on exactly when the service is coming, other than it is expected sometime this summer. What do you think, interested or not?

    


Check out the video Samsung posted for the Note 8.0

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:31 AM PDT

Samsung Note 8.0

Samsung posted a cool video to their YouTube channel this morning, showing off the new Note 8.0. In the video, our tablet toting friend wins at daily life by using his Note 8.0 for just about everything. Reading on the morning train, collaborating with friends on a project at a bar, even navigating his way through the city to spend time with a lady friend at a park.

For me, the best part is that he lives in a city where WiFi is everywhere! This guy is connected all the time! His 5MP camera also took some pretty amazing video of a butterfly, though he has to be "that guy", taking pics and video with a tablet. Also, the battery lasts forever. He was never plugged in!

A camera that outperforms, a battery that never dies, and a stylus?! I'm on board. Also, like our video star, I'll never put mine down. Check it out for yourself below.

    


T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z support documents appear on carrier’s website

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:08 AM PDT

T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z

The T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z seems to be getting closer to its release date, or at least that’s what could be understood from support documents present on the website of the “uncarrier.”

Just days ago, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai said during the All Things D D11 conference that there was “still a lot to do” for the company in the U.S. market, and that things would be kicked off with the launch of the Sony Xperia Z with a mobile operator.

The fact that the device had been spotted in the wild a while ago sporting T-Mobile branding only made everyone suspect that T-Mobile would be the carrier that would be graced with Sony’s flagship device. Well, more clues pointing in that direction have now appeared, as G for Games has noticed, and they’ve appeared on the T-Mobile website, of all places.

If you use the search box on the T-Mobile website to search for “Sony Xperia Z,” you will get some interesting results. As you can see in the screenshot below, there is a large number of support documents for the Sony Xperia Z on there.

T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z

Clicking the links will ask you for a username and a password, but it’s hard to imagine that T-Mobile would go through all the trouble of creating support documents for a phone unless it’s planning on selling the respective device real soon.

I’ll remind you that you can still get the unlocked Sony Xperia Z in the U.S., from the Sony Store. Whether you decide to do that, or prefer to wait until T-Mobile stocks Sony’s flagship device, make sure you check out our review of the handset

Do you plan to purchas the Sony Xperia Z on T-Mobile, when (and if) it will become available?

    


Huawei Ascend P6 black stars in own amateur pictorial

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 07:43 AM PDT

Huawei Ascend P6 new
The Internet’s unofficial source of Huawei Ascend P6 live photos has struck again. This time, instead of using the white- and pink-colored versions — both of which have already been covered on previous occasions — attention is given to the ever so ominous black version instead.

Even if you’re already seen the previously leaked Ascend P6 photos, these new ones which form an entirely new set are still worth looking at. Do you want to know why? Because not only do they tell us more about exactly what the Ascend P6 looks like, but they also tell us more about exactly what the Ascend P6 looks like.

It was revealed last week that the Ascend P6 won’t cost a fortune, and that’s a good thing especially for those who have been eagerly awaiting its official release. Huawei has already started teasing the public with the phone’s rounded corners and it shouldn’t be long now until we get to the day of its big unveiling.

We stll don’t know everything that there is to know about the Huawei Ascend P6. However, what we do know is that it will have a 1.5GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM, a 4.7-inch 720p HD screen, a 5-megapixel camera, 8GB internal storage, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Emotion UI 1.6. It is expected to be outed officially in the next two weeks so watch for it.

    


Asus “We Transform” Computex 2013 event available to watch in its entirety [video]

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 07:29 AM PDT

Asus We Transform

The Asus “We Transform” event, during which the company has shown its most recent products, is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube.

ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih has done a real tour de force, making sure everyone in the audience was impressed by his company’s latest range of products. You may remember that Asus has started promoting the event almost a month ago, with the first in a series of video trailers.

Well, the event has been the scene of the unveiling of some interesting Asus products, showing that the company really means business. We’ve covered all of the interesting products extensively, and you also have a roundup of the devices Asus has introduced at Computex at your disposal.

Now, without further ado, here’s the video, set to start when the event does, for your convenience. You’ll get to see products like the Transformer Pad Infinity, Fonepad Note, MeMoPad HD7, MeMoPad FHD 10 and Transformer Book Trio.

Have you watched the recording of the Asus We Transform event? Which one of these products are you looking forward to the most?

    


The 6 most underrated games for Android: May 2013 edition

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 05:54 AM PDT

underrated games
There are a lot of fun games on the Google Play Store, but it’s difficult to find a game that isn’t overshadowed by a game that has millions of downloads and high ratings. So just like last month, we’ve gone into the depths of the Google Play Store searching for some of the best underrated games, and we’re back to show you what we’ve found. As usual, if you’d rather watch the video, just head down to the bottom of the article.

Attack of the Wall Street Titan

AttackoftheWallStTitan

First up on our list is Attack of the Wall Street Titan, which is a very underrated game. As the title implies, this game focuses on the people who work on Wall St, commonly known as the one percent, and lets you take control of a giant robot to lay waste on them without getting in trouble. It’s a very fun smash-em-up arcade game.

Here’s how it works. An anonymous hacktivist hacks the giant robot and gives you control over it. After taking control, you use the war machine to take on the military, police officers, and rich people. It’s really easy to play, and the humorous political theme makes it all the more better, however, the game can get annoying if you don’t turn off the pop ups that explain in detail what every single power up does.

We’ll admit it, this underrated game is certainly cheesey, but that doesn’t discount how much fun it is. After all, it’s free, so it’s worth giving a quick try.

Get it on Google Play

Cardinal Quest

CardinalQuest
Next on our list is Cardinal Quest, an old school game. How old school are we talking? Considering that checkerboard tiles are on the map, Cardinal Quest will take you back to the days of the SNES. It’s a dungeon crawler RPG with some very simple controls and an easy going attitude.

So how simple are the controls? Very simple — the only thing you’ll really be doing is tapping. Tap in any direction you want to move, and the same thing for combat. There’s also an inventory and map that you can access to give the game a bit more meat than just tapping, but the game’s biggest strength is how easy it is to pick up and play.

Being an old school RPG, Cardinal Quest certainly isn’t going to appeal to everyone, thus its underrated game status. It’s still a lot of fun though, and worth a try.

Get it on Google Play

EDGE Extended

Edge Extended

EDGE Extended is an interesting game — it’s all about shapes. You move shapes around to reach the end of a puzzle. It’s not very complex though, so if you’re looking for a challenge, it might be wise to look elsewhere. This is one of those games that you’d quickly play on lunch break at work, etc.

The controls are fairly easy. You simply slide your finger across the screen and it will move the cube accordingly. You’ll also be climbing some walls, avoiding traps, triggering events, and even ride on the shoulders of a really cool giant polygon robot. Despite its simplicity, there are a few complicated parts, but nothing too head scratching.

Given its simplicity, it’s understandable as to why EDGE Extended is an underrated game, however, there’s still some fun to be had!

Get it on Google Play

Oil Rush

Oil Rush

When Oil Rush was first announced, it was a game many people were looking forward too. Unfortunately, and due to the system requirements, the game has lost a lot of media attention. To place this game, you’re device will need to be running a Snapdragon processor. Bad news for Exynos and Tegra fans.

Oil Rush is a real-time strategy game. A lot of strategy games simply don’t work on Android, but Oil Rush does it right, though, when it comes to gameplay, it does play like your average real-time strategy game. You collect resources, build, upgrade your stuff, and then attack your enemies. While that may sound pretty average, for an Android game, Oil Rush is gorgeous in the graphics department.

With its lack of media attention and the fact that it is limited to a small number of devices, Oil Rush is a very underrated game. If you have a supported device on hand though, you’re in for hours of fun.

Get it on Google Play

One Epic Knight

One Epic Knight

If you’ve been a fan of Temple Run and its successor Temple Run 2, you’re going to love One Epic Knight. Now, Temple Run and Temple Run 2 are certainly not classified as a underated game, but One Epic Knight sure is. It’s like your normal runner game with a twist. You can switch lanes, jump, slide, collect times, and even use those items.

You’ll have a sword and shield, which you can use to defeat enemies and break traps. Furthermore, and like Temple Run, you can collect coins which can later be used to purchase power ups. So in a way, One Epic Knight is Temple Run with a few combat elements mixed in. This underrated game is free though, so it’s certainly worth giving a try.

Get it on Google Play

Pixel Towers

PixelTowers

Last up on our underrated game list is Pixel Towers. This particular game focuses on the ability to place a block in the exact same place over and over again for all eternity — or until you get bored and close the app. Like a few games on our list this time around, it’s quite simple and will only last you a good 10 – 15 minutes of fun at a time.

Get it on Google Play

Underrated Games Wrap Up

UnderratedARTICLELEADER

If you take a look at out leaderboard, you can check out how these apps stack up against each other. These are all based on Google Play Store ratings and downloads, so there’s no bias on our part.

Of course, there’s bound to be more underrated games out there. After all, the Play Store has billions of apps available. So if you’ve got a favorite underrated game you’d like to talk about, let us know about it in the comments below!

Did you try any of these games? Which one seems the most interesting?

    


Galaxy S4 Active vs regular S4 – what’s the difference?

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:54 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active 1
Quick, how many variations of the record-breaking Samsung Galaxy S4 can you name off the top of your head? At least one, I hope. Today, Samsung announced the latest variant of this particular handset meant for use in the great outdoors. Called the Galaxy S4 Active, it’s a rugged phone in every sense of the word. And yet it’s also every bit the high-end model that the original Galaxy S4 is. What exactly is the difference between the Galaxy S4 Active and the regular one? Read on to find out.

It starts with one

One thing you’ll immediately notice about the Galaxy S4 Active is that instead of having just one hardware button on the front below the touchscreen display, it has three — a Back button, a Menu button, and a Home button. And overall, its body is a little less rounder than the original, almost as if to physically demonstrate the fact that it belongs in the rugged phone category.

Samsung decided to leave some of the regular S4 hardware buttons and hardware features in place, like the power button, volume rocker, speaker grill, and front-facing camera. But if you take a look at the back, you’ll find that there has been a slight redesign. This is all to make it worthy of being called tough and IP67-certified.

What it means to be Active

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Unlike the regular S4, the Galaxy S4 Active boasts IP67 certification. This means that it is dust-proof and should survive being dipped for up to 30 minutes under water that is up to 1m in depth. Its physical attributes make it a little larger (it measures 9.1mm thick; the regular S4 is 7.9mm thick) and little heavier than the original (the regular S4 is 21g lighter). But fortunately, these physical changes aren’t all bad.

The display

Samsung’s official press release states that the Galaxy S4 is equipped with a 5-inch Full HD TFT LCD screen. That is not the same type of screen found on the regular S4; it’s better in some ways, but worse in others.

Compared with the regular Galaxy S4′s Super AMOLED screen, the TFT LCD panel on the Galaxy S4 Active is worse when it comes to viewing angles and contrast ratio. Samsung must have chosen it for the sake of longevity, since AMOLED panels are known to be prone to degradation over long-term use.

It’s also worth noting that the screens of these two phones also differ in terms of actual size and pixel density. The regular S4 screen has always been said to measure 4.99-inches with a pixel density of 441 ppi. Meanwhile, the one on the Galaxy S4 Active is said to be a 5-inch panel with a pixel density of 443 ppi. Either Samsung did a bit of rounding off with the screen size and pixel density or the Galaxy S4 Active does indeed have a slightly bigger screen and handful of pixels more than the regular one.

The camera

GS4 Active camera
The camera in the Galaxy S4 Active is not as good as the one on the regular S4. For one thing, it only has an 8-megapixel sensor, which is essentially a downgrade from the 13MP one on the original. But at least it still comes with an accompanying LED flash (that can be turned into a tiny flashlight). And not only that, but it also has a unique new feature called Aqua Mode. It’s basically a special camera setting that allows users to take better pictures and videos underwater.

The software, the storage, and the rest

The regular Galaxy S4 is filled to the brim with features that are supposed to enhance the user experience. As such, a large part of the internal storage goes to “system apps” which leave only about 9GB available for users to save their stuff on.

The Galaxy S4 Active, on the other hand, forgoes some of these extra software perks. As a result, it saves space, and is said to offer approximately 11.25GB of user-available memory.

GS4 Active screen
Despite all of the above-mentioned differences, both the regular S4 and Galaxy S4 Active are still part of the same Android-powered family. Each phone has its strengths, but in the end, they’re two of a kind, like brothers or perhaps even friends who have different interests but somehow manage to find a common ground.

Did I miss anything? Tell us what you think of the Galaxy S4 Active by posting a comment below.

    


RadioShack trade-in program gets you up to $300 off a new Samsung device

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:40 AM PDT

RadioShack Trade In

The RadioShack trade-in program is a good way of getting up to $300 off a new Samsung device purchase (maybe that brand new Samsung Galaxy S4?).

It would seem that trade-in programs are pretty popular among companies lately (remember the program HTC has done for the One). That can only be a good idea for you, the consumer, as you can use an old device, which would just lie around the house gathering dust, to get a discount on a new one.

That’s exactly what RadioShack is doing by offering you the chance to decrease the price of a new Samsung phone by up to $300. You can take advantage of the program both in store and online on the retailer’s website.

It works in a pretty simple fashion: on the website, you have a search box that you can use to find out the trade-in value of your old device, or you can just take it to a RadioShack store. In the first case, you’ll mail in the old product and then you’ll be mailed a gift card, while in the second one an employee will apply the credit to your purchase of a new Samsung device.

You should also know that, in order to qualify, the old product must work. Also important is that the promotion is only valid if you’re buying a Samsung device with a two-year plan.

Also, you’ll get a minimum of $30 provided you bring the old device to a RadioShack location. According to the page on the RadioShack website, an AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or AT&T iPhone 5 64 GB will get you the maximum amount, $300.

The offer is valid until July 6, so you do have some time to think about it.

Will you take advantage of the RadioShack trade-in offer and get a new Samsung device?

    


HTC One mini? Mysterious 4.3-inch HD phone with UltraPixel camera surfaces (updated)

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:25 AM PDT

HTC One mini 1
Heard enough about the rumored HTC One mini? Well, guess what? Now you won’t merely have to read about it, but you will also get a chance to actually look at it, too. Thanks to information and a bunch of live photos posted on a site named Delfi.ee, we can now get a grasp of what exactly the HTC One mini — or whatever it is really supposed to be called — is all about.

It is said that the upcoming HTC handset is rocking a slightly smaller display than the original — but you already knew that. How small exactly? 4.3-inches. Also, this screen reportedly has a native resolution of 720p HD, which may not be that impressive, but could still count as good enough especially as one of the features included in what could very well be a mid-range handset.

The HTC One mini is also said to have a dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage space, and a 4-megapixel camera. As with the original HTC One, of course, this is no ordinary 4-megapixel camera. It’s said to be enhanced with HTC’s UltraPixel technology, which is meant to turn the total mobile photography experience all the way up to 12.

HTC still hasn’t let the world in on when it plans to release this particular handset, but the report says it is scheduled to arrive on the market some time in August 2013 with a €400 price tag. Now, we’re not saying that this information is 100% accurate. What we’re saying is this is the most sensible bit of news we have about the HTC One mini so far, and you may feel free to hold on to it until we manage to pick up something more official.

Update: And here’s a side by side photo of the HTC One and HTC One mini.

HTC One mini

    


Clash of the Nexus experience devices – Which phone should you buy on June 26? [Poll]

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:12 AM PDT

banner-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one-display

When Google announced the so called Samsung Galaxy S4 “Google Edition” at Google I/O, many people were quite surprised. HTC decided to bring its own variant of the One to the party, leading us to believe that the time when OEMs give us the choice between their skin and stock Android is coming soon.

So which phone should you buy on June 26th? Stick around as we analyze the two smartphones in question so that you can make the right decision.

Remember this is a comparison for the Nexus experience versions of these smartphones, so if you're looking for the review of the original Galaxy S4 click here, and if you're looking for the review of the original HTC One click here.

Stock Android really does mean stock Android

First off we need to explain a few things. Neither the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One will come with the features that are in TouchWiz and Sense. So that means no Air View, Smart Scroll, Drama Shot or any of the other features that come standard in TouchWiz.

galaxy s4 vs optimus g pro aa s4 air view

There won’t be any floating touch input on the Galaxy S4 Google Edition

The HTC One won't be able to take Zoes, or use Blink Feed, or any of the other features that are a part of Sense, except for Beats Audio. The audio technology will be found inside the HTC One with Nexus user experience, but there won't be a toggle to turn it on and off.

That means that both the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One will be running pure, unaltered stock Android, so hardware is the only real difference between the two.

Much of the same under the hood

Both the HTC One and the Galaxy S4 have the same Snapdragon 600 processor, and while the S4 is clocked at a slightly higher speed, it won't make much of a difference when it comes to real life usage.

Real life usage should be buttery smooth on both devices.

The GPUs are also the same, the Adreno 320 GPU provides great performance for both smartphones, meaning you'll be able to play high-end games for years to come. 2GB of RAM is provided on both the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, so again no differences here either.

Displays – AMOLED VS LCD

The display is one of the most important parts of a smartphone since all of your interaction with the device comes through the display. Rest assured, both these smartphones come with glorious Full HD displays that are best in class.

The HTC One comes with a Full HD Super LCD3 display, which renders some of the most accurate colors on the market. Thanks to its slightly smaller 4.7-inch screen, it also has the highest pixel density of any smartphone, at 469 PPI.

samsung galaxy s4 vs htc one comparison aa

The Galaxy S4 uses the ever familiar Super AMOLED technology, giving it the searing blacks and vibrant colors that it has become known for. The Galaxy S4's larger 5-inch display means that although it has the same Full HD resolution as the HTC One, it has a slightly lower pixel density of 441 PPI.

Now this minute difference in pixel densities isn't going to prove to be a real difference, so if you like accurate colors go with the HTC One, but if you prefer the vibrancy of an AMOLED go with the Galaxy S4.

Cameras – UltraPixels we meet again

From our extensive comparison of the HTC One's much vaunted UltraPixel camera against the Samsung Galaxy S4's 13 megapixel shooter, we found that the Galaxy S4 bested the HTC One on many fronts, however, without the software optimizations from Samsung and HTC, the camera capabilities and qualities of the two could change.

Galaxy S4 -- studio shot, auto ISO. Click to enlarge.

Galaxy S4 — studio shot, auto ISO. Click to enlarge.

HTC One -- studio shot, auto ISO. Click to enlarge.

HTC One — studio shot, auto ISO. Click to enlarge.

If you want to check out our full comparison of the two cameras, click here.

Other features

The HTC One with Nexus user experience might have lost some of its software features, but what it hasn't lost is its incredible build quality which sets it apart from other Android manufacturers. The dual front facing speakers are sure to provide the best audio experience from a smartphone and it has all the standard features of a high end smartphone like NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and 4G LTE capability.

The Galaxy S4 with Nexus user experience loses all of its "smart" feature, but depending on where you stand on that you might take this as good news. The Galaxy S4 can't compete with the HTC One on the build quality front, but that does open up room for some fan favourites like a microSD card and a removable battery, it also has all the standard features of the HTC One.

Removable battery and a MicroSD slot remain on the Galaxy S4.

Removable battery and a MicroSD slot remain on the Galaxy S4 with Nexus user experience

Both phones aren’t winning any awards for best battery life, but they should be able to get you through a whole day. However, the Galaxy S4 does have a removable battery if you need the insurance of a second battery.

Price

Always high up on the deciding factors list, the price of the smartphones is comparable. Both the devices are nowhere near the Nexus 4 in terms of price, the HTC One comes in at $599 and the Galaxy S4 at $649. That saving of $50 might seem small, but that's the price of the 32GB variant of the HTC One, and while the Galaxy S4 comes with 16GB inbuilt, the microSD card slot can boost storage up as well.

Wrap Up

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One both providing a Nexus user experience, the choice becomes less about software and more about hardware. So if you prefer the build and dual speakers of the HTC One, then that is the phone you should pick, but if a removable battery and an expandable MicroSD card slot appeal to you, then the Galaxy S4 is the obvious choice.

The Nexus 4 is still a solid choice.

Of course you shouldn't forget about the Nexus 4, still a solid choice for a much lower price. So if stock Android is your main objective and timely updates are what you’re after, but bleeding edge specifications aren't a necessity, perhaps you can save some cash and grab the Nexus 4.

If you're still tossing up between the HTC One and the Galaxy S4, head to your local carrier and put both of them in your hands and decide that way, because everything else will be exactly the same.

So what will it be, HTC One, Nexus 4 or Samsung Galaxy S4? Let us know in the poll and continue the debate in the comments below.

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