Monday, June 24, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Facebook Reader tipped as Flipboard style news reader

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 10:50 AM PDT

Facebook looks to be working on a mobile news reader. The details have yet to be fully revealed, however the app is currently known as Facebook Reader and while it may share a similar name — this app doesn’t have anything to do with the upcoming shutdown of Google Reader. According to details coming from a recent WSJ report, the Facebook Reader app is said to have been in development for more than a year at this point.

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Not to mention, the current comparison is being made to Flipboard. The unnamed “people with knowledge of the project” have said recent versions of the Facebook Reader app resemble Flipboard and that the app allows the user to swipe to flip through articles. Perhaps more important here, the app is able to aggregate stories from multiple sources and then ties those together with stories that have been shared by friends.

Taking what we know about Flipboard — about how it is a “social magazine” and we see a connection to something that Mark Zuckerberg said earlier in the year. At the time of the news-feed redesign, he said he wanted Facebook to be “the best personalized newspaper in the world.” That appears to be the path they are heading, and nicely, they are bringing a focus on the mobile side.

Representatives from Facebook haven’t offered any official comments, however it looks like this is a project that is being watch closely by Zuckerberg and that at times he has provided feedback and reviewed the design. While the comparison is being made to Flipboard, it seems the ultimate goal here is to provide users with another way of staying on Facebook.

Otherwise, the slow development process for Reader is said to be intentional. It was said the team is working “slow and deliberate” and they are attempting to bring an app that is able to deliver news to users in a form that works equally well on both a smartphone and tablet.

VIA: SlashGear

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal

Sony teases Xperia Smartwatch, 5-inch mid-range phone in the works

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 10:48 AM PDT

It sounds like Sony is about to release a round of products this week at the annual Mobile Asia Expo that starts tomorrow in Shanghai. Sony has been teasing a new Xperia Smartwatch over on Twitter, and now we’re getting more confirmations that they’ll have a few new smartphones on display as well.

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Sony has already confirmed some new product will be at the show, and one which we’re all hoping for is their Xperia Z Ultra 6.44-inch smartphone/tablet hybrid. However, the image above coming right from Sony leads us to believe they’ll for sure have a smartwatch. Following the somewhat successful first model from the company, only this time rumors suggest 3 dedicated buttons like their Xperia phones, and NFC will be inside as well. That should make pairing and sharing a bit easier.

Other details include a bigger display, better battery life, water-resistant, and heavy customizations to make Android apps work with the smartwatch better than ever before. I’m just liking the idea of NFC, which was reported by CNET. Being able to pair to our phones and tablets without using the old and cumbersome Bluetooth. That could make it worthwhile.

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While Sony has every letter in the alphabet tied to a device as of late, we’re hearing they’ll also announce a mid-range Sony Xperia C. The 5-inch qHD (540 x 960) mid-range phone will sport an unknown 1.2 GHz quad-core (MediaTek, if we had to guess) and 1GB of RAM, and be decently thin coming in at 8.8mm in size. Nothing extremely impressive, but will run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

We’d really like to get our hands on this Xperia Z Ultra (or ZU) and that 6.44-inch display. That device sounds interesting. Stay tuned as Sony has big plans for this week.

VIA: XperiaBlog

BlackBerry Messenger app fake tricks thousands before being pulled

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 10:05 AM PDT

BlackBerry has already confirmed the upcoming release of BBM for Android. The key here, despite some rumors and leaks that pointed towards a launch date of June 27th, BlackBerry has only said the app would be available sometime this summer. With that in mind, it looks like Android users may have to watch out for the fake BBM apps.

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In this instance the app was called ‘Blackberry Messenger BBM’ and was shown to be from a developer called RIM. First and foremost, the good news is this particular app has since been pulled, but that was not before the downloads crossed over the 100,000 mark. That brings an interesting point, that seems like a rather large number for an app that many people had not seemed all that interested in.

Maybe BBM for Android will have a bigger userbase than many had originally thought. Speculation aside, this particular fake app was just another example of someone playing on the popularity of an app or service. This particular app really didn’t do anything useful and instead launched to a screen that mentioned the app would begin working on June 27th.

Just for reference, that June 27th date came by way of T-Mobile UK who had posted a message (along with the above image) on Twitter. That tweet was quickly deleted and that was when the the sometime this summer comment came from RIM. Anyway, this all just goes to say that you should always take care when downloading apps.

Aside from the fake BBM app not offering any real value, it did something else that wasn’t so nice. The app came with a user agreement that (once accepted) installed icons, bookmarks and more on your handset. Bottom line here, always use a bit of caution and common sense with app downloads. And at the very least, remember that an app coming from BlackBerry would at least have some news coverage around the web.

VIA: CNET

LG G2 rumored with edge-to-edge 1080p display, buttons on the back

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 09:49 AM PDT

If you’ve been following the recent news and rumors surrounding LG‘s upcoming flagship smartphone, then you should be pretty excited to see it come August 7th. Last week they confirmed Qualcomm’s impressive Snapdragon 800 quad-core at 2.3 GHz was on board, and now more leaks are reporting some rather exciting specs to go along with it. That’s if the rumors are to be believed of course.

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LG sent out invitations for an event in NYC on August 7th, which we’ll likely see their new G2 smartphone, as well as some other mid-range devices to round out their attack for the rest of 2013. This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about the upcoming Optimus G2, so read on for what’s new.

For one, LG will be dropping the ‘Optimus’ branding in favor of something else, but the name isn’t really what matters, it’s what’s under the hood. They confirmed Qualcomm’s new quad-core will power the device, but new rumors today confirm 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, that 13 megapixel camera, and of course repeat that edge-to-edge 5.5-inch 1080p display rumor.

There will be on-screen navigation buttons with the G2, and we’re again hearing “buttons on back” or as previous reports suggested, backside touch controls.

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The latest reports are apparently confirmed from sources close to the matter, according to TechTastic. Who has been accurate as of late with leaks from both LG and Samsung. Adding that we’ll have Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on board with the Optimus UI from LG, and then of course buttons on the back. Since the capacitive and dedicated home button will move to on-screen keys, what buttons are we talking about? We’re talking about the volume rocker and power button being on the rear (and possibly touch sensitive) sitting near the camera module.

TechTastic reportedly has a few screenshots from the G2, and also mention a few other mid-range devices will all make an appearance on August 7th at LG’s press event. Stay tuned because as usual, we’ll be there live!

VIA: TechTastic

Jay-Z Magna Carta app arrives for select Samsung users

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 09:14 AM PDT

As we had been expecting, the Jay-Z Magna Carta app has arrived in the Google Play Store this morning. The app is available for those carrying one of three Samsung devices — the Galaxy S III, Galaxy S 4 and the Galaxy Note II and perhaps more important, it could mean a free copy of the album.

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The free copy will be available for the first million people to download the app using one of those previously mentioned Samsung devices. Once the app had been downloaded and installed you can login using your Facebook or Twitter credentials and begin to get some Jay-Z related news.

We suspect some of the die-hard Jay-Z fans may have already seen some of these details, however the app offers a few videos including one that gives a Holy Grail preview. The key here, some of the goodies can only be unlocked by sharing. For example, there is a lyric page available but that can only be seen once you share it out on the network of your choosing.

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Otherwise, while the general release of the album is set for July 7th, those first million users will be able to access the album as of 12:01 on July 4th — a full three days before it is available elsewhere. This style of release is said to be a first of its kind. An earlier Wall Street Journal report had said Jay-Z is being paid $5 per album (for those first 1 million) and that bill is being covered Samsung.

Aside from the Jay-Z connection here, this is an interesting twist on an album release and one that we hope is deemed to be a success if for no other reason than it is something unique and hopefully something that will inspire other artists. Free albums are nice to get, but it is also nice to see things changing in terms of album releases. With that, the link to download is sitting below.

SOURCE: Google Play Store

Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue tablet confirmed with voice calling

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 08:25 AM PDT

The MediaPad 7 Vogue has shown up several times in the past, however as of today this latest sighting comes by way of the Huawei website. The company is touting this tablet as being the perfect combination of phone and tablet, which is basically another way of saying the MediaPad 7 Vogue is a 7-inch tablet that is capable of making voice calls.

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That also means a tablet that is capable of sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages. And thankfully, the MediaPad 7 Vogue will have Bluetooth and a headphone jack which will hopefully keep some from holding a 7-inch tablet to their head. The display is IPS with a resolution of 1024 x 600 and is capacitive with support for 5-finger multitouch.

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Other specs here include a quad-core 1.2GHz Huawei K3V2 Cortex-A9 processor with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot with support for cards up to 32GB in size. Those making the purchase will find Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with version 1.5 of the Huawei Emotion user interface on top.

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The MediaPad 7 Vogue will also have a 4100 mAh battery, VGA quality front-facing camera, 3 megapixel rear-facing camera, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n and GPS/A-GPS. Network support will arrive in the form of GSM on the 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz bands and UMTS on the 900 and 2100 MHz bands.

The tablet will measure in at 193.8 x 121.3 x 9.5mm in size with a weight of 310 grams. The 310 gram weight is for the WiFi only model and the 3G model will be a bit heavier weighing in at 335 grams. Otherwise, the MediaPad 7 Vogue will be available in black or white and both colors will have a silver back.

So far it looks like this tablet will be arriving in China later this month, however an earlier FCC filing does suggest that it could arrive in the US. Huawei has yet to reveal any pricing.

SOURCE: Huawei

Garmin Monterra handheld GPS arrives powered by Android

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 07:58 AM PDT

Garmin has officially announced the Monterra and while this handheld device has the looks of a smartphone, it is actually a handheld outdoor GPS unit. The interesting part is that the Monterra is running Android. Garmin has said this is their first WiFi-enabled outdoor handheld GPS with Android. Being an Android device, the Monterra will have access to the Play Store, however putting that aside, there are some outdoor specific features that may be a bit more important for some users.

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Garmin has said the Monterra will have a “vivid, sunlight-readable” touchscreen and that it will be rugged and waterproof. This unit will have a 4-inch multi-touch display along with other features to include a headphone jack, speaker and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video recording. There will also be 8GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, ANT+, Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC.

The Monterra will have a dual-battery system that will allow users to use a set of regular AA batteries or the included rechargeable battery pack. Some of the more outdoor specific features include a built-in UV sensor, 3-axis compass, accelerometer, gyro and dual-band GPS with a GLONASS receiver.

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Garmin has the Monterra packed with software to include 3D MapMerge which means the user can combine two maps with the ability to then view those combined maps in three dimension. The system is also compatible with BaseCamp which is a free download that brings the ability to view and organize maps, routes and tracks.

Of course, aside from the pre-loaded options, the Monterra can also download from the Play Store. Garmin has said the Monterra will be available during the third quarter of the year and that it will arrive priced from $649.99. The $649 model will have worldwide maps with preloaded worldwide basemap and a $699.99 model will have US maps with preloaded TOPO US 100K with Navteq roads.

SOURCE: Garmin

HP Slate 21 unveiled with 21.5-inch display and Jelly Bean

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 07:25 AM PDT

We have seen Slate branded devices from HP and we have seen all-in-one desktop computer style devices from HP. As of today however, it looks like the company has merged the two lines with a uniquely sized system running Android. Specifically, this system will be running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, though we suspect the size of the device may be more important here.

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This system will bring a 21.5-inch display and has been dubbed the HP Slate 21 All-in-One. Basically, what you have is a 21.5-inch touchscreen device that can sit propped up thanks to the fold-out kickstand on the backside. And when in desktop mode, HP has included a wired keyboard and mouse for easier navigation.

We are interested to see some real-world use cases here, however HP is pushing the Slate 21 as being perfect for browsing the web, media consumption and video calling. On the topic video calls, the Slate 21 will have an HP TrueVision HD webcam for just that reason.

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Other goodies here include DTS Digital Theater Sound, a pair of stereo speakers and a 1080p HD display. Aside from being 21.5-inches and 1080p, the display will support ten-finger multi-touch. Otherwise, HP has the Slate 21 powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor and based on what we can see from the images — it looks like the kickstand will be able to offer a few viewing options.

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While these details have been confirmed by HP, there are still quite a few pieces missing. For one, we have yet to see a full and complete set of specs. But perhaps more important, HP has yet to confirm the price or release date. So far HP has only said those details will be released as the Slate 21 is ready for release in each country.

VIA: Engadget, CNET

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 US launch date confirmed

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 06:56 AM PDT

Samsung has confirmed the release date and the pricing for the US launch of the Galaxy Tab 3 family. The lineup includes the 7.0, 8.0 and 10.1 models and they will all be available beginning on July 7th. Perhaps some better news for those looking to make a commitment — pre-orders will be available beginning on June 25th.

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The Galaxy Tab 3 family will be available in white and brown with pricing set at $199, $299 and $399 for the 7.0, 8.0 and 10.1 models respectively. Samsung has said the tablet will be available with major retailers to include Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Office Depot and others.

Beginning first with the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, this model will be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz Marvell PXA 986 processor with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage space and a display resolution of 1024 x 600. This model will also have a microSD card slot, 4000 mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera.

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Next up is the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 which will arrive sporting a resolution of 1280 x 800 and running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The 8.0 model will be powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz Exynos 4212 processor with 1.5GB of RAM. Additionally this model will have 16GB of internal storage, a 4450 mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera.

Last up is the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 and this one will be running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with a display resolution of 1280 x 800. This model is sporting a dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Z2560 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera. Otherwise, aside from the mentioned specs, the Galaxy Tab 3 family will also have goodies to include WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with GLONASS and Sound Alive with Dolby Surround.

Sony Xperia ZU images leak, this time in white

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 06:37 AM PDT

We have seen a few Sony Xperia ZU leaks up until this point and as of today it looks like a few additional images have surfaced. This latest leak is offering a clear look at both the front and the back of the device. The Xperia ZU has also been dubbed the Xperia Z Ultra and that goes to speak about the size of the phone itself.

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The Xperia ZU will fall into the phablet category and is sporting a 6.44-inch display. Despite earlier rumors that suggested the handset would be unveiled in early-July, it now looks like we may see an announcement as soon as tomorrow. Also, for those looking back, the Xperia ZU once sported the codename of Togari.

This latest ties in with something we saw coming from Sony late last week. The official Sony Xperia Twitter account began sharing details about an upcoming smartwatch announcement. Connecting in with that, the latest details that have arrived with these images suggest the handset will be announced on June 25th along with the smartwatch.

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The Xperia ZU is expected to arrive in black and white (both colors we have seen leaked) and possibly a third color — purple. This handset, while similar to the Xperia Z, is said to be coming with a magnesium frame and dual-SIM support. Earlier leaks have suggested the Xperia ZU will launch with a display resolution of 1920 x 1080 and with a pixel density of 342.

Some of the other still unconfirmed specs include a quad-core 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 3000 mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with an Exmor RS sensor. Bottom line here, at this point we are now looking for an official announcement sooner rather than later.

VIA: eprice

Verizon HTC One launch remains a mystery as summer arrives

Posted: 23 Jun 2013 04:23 PM PDT

The Verizon HTC One is coming to store shelves “this summer” according to Verizon. Sadly as of Friday June 21st, it is officially summer and we’re still waiting for more news from Big Red regarding the device. It’s safe to say that by now many potential buyers have moved on to the Galaxy S4 or iPhone 5, or even moved over to AT&T for their HTC One fix. So what’s the deal Verizon?

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HTC announced their impressive new HTC One flagship smartphone back in February, and it eventually made its way to US shelves and launched on all major carriers in April, except for Verizon. AT&T got the stunning new smartphone back on April 19th, and the rumors around if and when Verizon would offer the top-tier device floated around for almost two months.

Nearly three weeks ago Verizon finally confirmed on Twitter that they’d be carrying the 4.7-inch 1080p HD display packing quad-core smartphone, and that’s basically all they had to say. That’s it. Stating the HTC One was coming “later this summer” and the entire device or launch date has remained a mystery. Summer is here, people are planning it out, getting ready for upgrades, so you better act fast Verizon.

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What gives? With AT&T 4G LTE nearly catching up with Verizon, phones arriving sooner, updates not being a mess, is there a reason to wait and stay? Who knows. What we do know is competition is strong and only getting stronger. Announcing phones 2 months later than the competition, then leaving potential buyers wondering for weeks (or months) isn’t the best way to go about it. This is just my personal opinion, and many comments we’ve received over the past month feel the same way.

Summer is technically from June 21st to the end of September, so we could be waiting a while for a Verizon HTC One. They did say “later this summer” which means nothing. One of our sources states Thursday, July 18th could be the release date, but so far Verizon has nothing set in stone, and are taking their sweet time. They aren’t too concerned with bringing this phone to market, it would seem.

We’ve also been told the recent update from HTC to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean could be part of the problem, as we all know Verizon has a thorough testing phase for updates. If they were nearing a release and had to delay it for the update, that would make sense. 4.2.2 was rumored for the HTC One in mid June, and we’re expecting the Verizon flavor to have the latest OS out of the box.

Summer is finally here and we’re expecting more details or an actual release date soon from Verizon, but don’t hold your breath.

Android Authority

Android Authority


HP Slate 21: a Tegra 4 Android-running all-in-one with a 21.5-inch display

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 01:55 AM PDT

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HP, the giant of the PC industry that recently made its first forays into the world of Android, has unveiled today a new device that is sure to turn some heads – the HP Slate 21, an Android-powered all-in-one computer. As its name suggests, the device features an expansive 21.5-inch display of HD (720p) resolution, IPS LCD with wide viewing angles.

So far, details on the specs are skimpy, but we do know that a beefy Tegra 4 processor from Nvidia is humming inside the Slate 21. HP is apparently planning to sell the device as a home entertainment device, with a heavy focus on gaming, and the Tegra 4 processor should provide plenty of power for such applications.

The Slate 21 was conceived primarily for desktop use, though we're sure that more than a few users will be hauling it around as a mobile device. The tablet features a kickstand on the back that allows it to recline for comfortable use.

While we've seen large devices such as the Slate 21 before, HP's product may be the first AiO powered exclusively by Android. Other products, such as those from Asus or Toshiba, run Windows and Android simultaneously, and switch between the two operating systems depending on the fly.

It's not the first time we hear of the Slate 21. The first clue about it was a benchmark result that surfaced in April. Back then, the 1.8 GHz processor managed a good, though not impressive AnTuTu score of 23584. We'll see if the commercial version of the device is faring better.

HP hasn't released any details on the price and availability of the Slate 21 AiO, advising Chinese media that details will be shared on a per country basis.

We'll update this post with official information about the Slate 21 AiO as soon as HP releases it. Stay tuned.

    


HTC One vs Nokia Lumia 928 (video)

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 01:41 AM PDT

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The HTC One, next to the Galaxy S4, is one of the best handsets of the year. The hardware is extremely impressive, and the new and fresh look that Sense 5 brings was much needed. The HTC One is truly one of the best handsets that Android has to offer.

On the other side, we have the Lumia 928 — one of the best devices that Windows Phone has to offer. Some might consider its hardware to be mid-range in the Android space, but it’s no doubt a high-tier phone in the Windows Phone ecosystem, due to a much less demanding operating system.

So, we’re going to put these two devices against each other. If you’re in a rush, jump straight to the video, otherwise, stick with us as we take a deeper look into these two great performers.

Design

This just might be the closest battle I’ve ever done when it comes to design. It’s no secret that the HTC One is great in terms of build quality, with its aluminum chassis and unique form factor. The sides are flat, and despite being angled, they help with the overall grip.

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The aluminum body adds to the phone handling, and even though it’s not really fingerprint prone, it can be quite slippery. Two capacitive keys can be found on the front side below the display, and the power button is up top with the volume rocker on the right side.

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The opinion that HTC hit a home run with design here is pretty unanimous. The only real complaint here is the rounded thickness. The back is very curved, making it rock back and forth if you use it on the table.

Nokia’s Lumia 928 is built with plastic, and that actually isn’t a bad thing. Covered in a nice, glossy plastic the Nokia 928 is thicker than the HTC One, but is less rounded. This rectangular profile brings quite thick and flat sides that makes it very easy to grip. Holding it in your hand, you can tell that its build quality is of the highest order.

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There are three capacitive keys on the front, and there is a simplicity here similar to that of the HTC One. Looking around the back, you have an all white surface, with only the camera optics atop a black line down the middle. All the buttons are placed on the left — volume rocker, power, and the two stage camera button. The device is pretty fingerprint prone, due to the glossy plastic, and the gloss does give it the potential to slip around just as much as the One.

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When it comes down to it, it’s a preference of materials — plastic or metal? Both handsets benefit from smaller screen sizes, and their small profile makes for easy handling. There is an elegant simplicity to both of these handsets that make them very attractive.

Display

The HTC One and Lumia 928 may not sport the standard 5-inch screen, but these displays still do very well. Starting with the smaller one, the 928 has a 4 and a half inch Super AMOLED screen capable of 1280x 768 resolution rated at 332ppi.

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Coming at around 720p helps make this display a really good performer, as it greatly compliments the high contract, colorful motif of Windows Phone 8 with its high saturation. A lower pixel density doesn’t hurt text viewing too much, so this screen is an easy handler made for work and play.

Next, we have the HTC One’s more powerful, 4.7-inch Super LCD screen. As being pretty much the only screen under 5-inches capable of 1080p, this display is rated at a whopping 469ppi. As you might expect, you can get great resolution in this very accessible size.

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Since the device uses a Super LCD panel, you won’t get as much saturation as an AMOLED display, but it does handle the darker tones of Sense 5 wonderfully. All in all, media looks great due to the resolution, but that pixel density makes text look razor sharp.

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When it comes down to it, how much do you want out of your smartphone’s screen? If you’re in the market for high performance, the HTC One is the way to go. Don’t discount the Lumia 928, though — it’s specs are still more than adequate.

Performance

And here we are at the performance, a category that might widen the gap between these two phones. Starting off with the HTC One, it was one of the first handsets to sport the powerful Snapdragon 600 CPU that clocks in at 1.7GHz. It’s a very fast processor package that is backed by the tried and true Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM.

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Benchmarks put the HTC One among some of the best phones available in the Android market, and through the use of BlinkFeed and Sense 5, you can truly see how fast this device is.

The Lumia 928 sports a package that might feel more mid-range in the Android space. It has a dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus clocked in at 1.5GHz, backed by the Adreno 225 and 1GB of RAM. While us Android users might lament this package in current Android experiences, it actually works really well, as Windows Phone 8 is nowhere near as demanding as Android.

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The graphics offering works well enough to satisfy your gaming needs, though it’s worth mentioning that there aren’t enough high power games to truly put the Adreno 225 GPU to the test.

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When comes down to it, the HTC One and Lumia 928 are top performers for their respective ecosystems. You’ll experience slick and fast speeds with either device.

Hardware

The hardware situation starts off pretty simple, though a lot of power users out there aren’t going to appreciate the lack of expandable memory and non-removable batteries in the HTC One and Lumia 928. Both handsets come with 32GB of internal storage, though if you’re looking for something with a little more capacity, the HTC One can be found with 64GB.

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That’s pretty much where the similarities end. Starting off with the HTC One, you’ll notice that these two handsets are very different from each other. The HTC One comes with the usual functionality — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC. The extra bells and whistles include Beats Audio, which can’t be customized, but it does a good job of adding more richness and volume to music. An IR Blaster is equipped on the HTC One to enhance your TV experience.

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The phone speaker is good, if not exceptional. Speaking of speakers, BoomSound is what really shines on this device. Obviously these are getting a big mention as they are exemplary front facing speakers, and there’s a good reason for that. The front facing speakers are phenomenal, and are probably much better than any speakers on handset you’ve heard before.

On the other hand, the Lumia 928 has the usual connections as well, including NFC. Being a Verizon exclusive device, it connects up to the carrier’s impressive and fast LTE network. Both speakers suffer from the same problem — while they’re adequate, if they get too loud it starts to get fuzzy and down out details.

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Aside from that, there isn’t much else that truly separates the 928 from the HTC One. Rest assured, the Lumia 928 is a very reliable device. It’s just not as exciting.

Battery and camera

In the battery department, the HTC One holds a 2,300 mAh unit, and the Lumia 928 a 2,000 mAh performer. As you can see, there’s not a big difference between the two here, as it mostly comes down to usage. The HTC One is reported to get up to 10 hours of web browsing and video playback, though I only managed to get around 8 hours. The Lumia 928 only made it a little bit above six hours, however, it really shines when it comes to standby time.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa battery life

I’ve kept it sitting for hours on end without a big toll taken on the battery. Furthermore, power saving options are available on both devices, so while the HTC One will let you play for a little longer, you’ll get a good day’s work done on either phone.

As for the camera, both are equipped with a lot of special features to bring out only the best quality pictures. Sporting a mere 4-megapixels may make the HTC One’s camera sound unimpressive at first, but bigger things are at work here. HTC did this so they could focus on their UltraPixels to get the best possible photos. So while the megapixel count is low, HTC’s UltraPixels make for a beautiful photo.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa one camera modes

The HTC camera app benefits from HTC Zoe, a camera feature that can put your photos and videos together in a lovely montage. Other scenes include HDR and Panorama. Picture quality is very good, especially when it comes to low light scenarios. The added 4 UltraPixels flood in a lot of light to make indoor shots really pop. Even if the pictures are smaller, HTC did a great job bring a unique and high quality camera to the table.

On the other hand, we have the Nokia Lumia 928, which takes on the common 8-megapixel camera, while throwing in a lot of enhancing features. The Carl Zeiss powered shooter adds PureView technology and even a Xenon flash to achieve some very high quality results.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa 928 camera modes

The app is your standard camera app, but it can be enhanced with downloaded add-ons called Lenses. Overall, the pictures are great — the Carl Zeiss optics work well, while the PureView stabilization technology helps indoor and low light shots pop. The Xenon Flash assists with that, too, though.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa cameras

Shot with the HTC One

Shot with the HTC One

If the size of a picture is really important to you, the Lumia 928 is probably for you, however, you’ll get the same, great picture quality either way.

Software

And here we are, at the software. We’re looking at two exceptional mobile operating system contenders here — Windows Phone 8 and Sense 5 built off of Android. We’ll start with the Nokia Lumia 928 and Windows Phone 8. As you might have come to expect, it is an incredibly simple user interface — it manages to be simple, elegant, and highly intuitive at the same time.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa 928 homescreen

What you get is a white or black background with primary colors on top. The Live Tiles are basically your shortcuts to others apps, but in the new version they give you some added information when you resize them. It gives you exactly what you need, but not much more than that.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa 928 software live tiles

As for apps, the Windows Phone ecosystem has a long, long way to go before it can rival Android, or even iOS. However, what is baked into the Lumia 928′s WP8 works very well, and social media integration is a big plus, in my book.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa 928 software store

HTC took its love-it or hate-it Sense UI and gave it a major overhaul for the HTC One. It used to look bloated and somewhat too spaced, and now it seems to have been flattened a bit. It’s still a little spaced out, but cleaning things up really helped it feel more appealing. However, the big addition here is BlinkFeed, which pretty much replaces your home screens.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa one blinkfeed

It’s a tiled amalgamation of your news and social networks. If you have a lot of subscriptions, things can get a bit chaotic and overwhelming, but it’s not hard to narrow it down. It also isn’t hard to get back to what you’re familiar with — good ol’ Android.

If this had been an earlier version of Sense, I honestly think the HTC One wouldn’t have gotten as much praise. Nonetheless, Sense 5 brings a new, fresh look and feel that HTC really needed — it’s a good leap forward.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa one ui in hand

So, it’s a battle of tiles! While Windows Phone 8 takes the simplistic style to the max, you get the same idea in BlinkFeed on top of the already powerful Android platform. As far as ecosystems go, Android is the obvious choice here, as it offers much, much more than Windows Phone 8. However, if you’d rather get back to the basics, the Lumia 928 is a fine choice.

Video review

Price and final thoughts

And finally, we come to price. An unlocked HTC One takes on a premium $699 price tag, which is far more expensive than the $500 price point of the Nokia Lumia 928. When it comes to contracts, you’re looking at a $199 price point for the HTC One on a new two-year agreement with a carrier. The Lumia 928 can be found for much less — $49, officially, though it just dropped to $29.99 on Amazon Wireless. It’s also important to keep in mind that the Lumia 928 is only available through Verizon Wireless.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa prices unlocked

When it comes down to it, the HTC One and Lumia 928 share some of the same philosophies. Both have great build quality, feature-packed cameras, and tiled operating systems. The two devices excel at what they set out to do, though if you want a bigger ecosystem, the HTC One is backed by Android. While the Lumia 928 packs reliable built-in software, its ecosystem leaves you wanting more, though it is growing, just not as fast as Android or iOS.

All in all, Windows Phone has its place in the mobile world, but the HTC One with Sense 5 is a great example of how diverse Android is. It’s also a great example of why us Android users don’t easily convert.

    


Rumor: Galaxy Mega 6.3 and LG Optimus L5 II coming to Bell Canada

Posted: 23 Jun 2013 03:35 PM PDT

Galaxy Mega 6.3

A Twitter account famous for its mobile-related leaks says that Bell Canada will stock the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and LG Optimus L5 II at some point in the future.

As he's done in the past, leakster @evleaks posted an image collage showing upcoming hardware, in this case the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Optimus L5 II:

However, actual availability details for the two handsets are not revealed. Bell is yet to officially announce the new arrivals, and while @evleaks was mostly reliable in the past, we'll advise you not to pop the champagne as long as the carrier doesn't confirm the devices.

Neither model is a flagship device, but chances are that they'll attract enough attention, for different reasons.

Galaxy Mega 6.3 and LG Optimus L5 II for Bell

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 (see our review here) is a gigantic device that's ready to offer a tablet-like screen and full phone features into a single package. In terms of hardware, the device isn't a flagship device – that spot is reserved for the upcoming Galaxy Note 3 – but it still sports some dependable specs including a 6.3-inch LCD display with 1280 x 720 resolution, 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8/16GB storage, microSD card, 8-megapixel main camera, 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, 3200mAh battery and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean under the hood. Don't expect an S Pen with this particular extra large smartphone though!

LG Optimus L5 II

Comparatively, the LG Optimus L5 II offers lower-end specs and features – therefore we can expect it to be more affordable than the Galaxy Mega 6.3 –  including a 4-inch LCD display with 800 x 480 resolution, 1GHz MTK6575 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, microSD support, 5-megapixel camera, VGA front-facing shooter, 1700mAh battery and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

    


Rumor: Xperia Z refresh to pack Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor

Posted: 23 Jun 2013 03:06 PM PDT

Xperia Z

A Russian blogger revealed on Twitter that he was able to test a refreshed Sony Xperia Z featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

Eldar Murtazin, famous for his previous Twitter predictions and revelations regarding mobile devices – it's worth pointing out that he doesn't have a perfect track record when it comes to rumors and leaks – said that this purported Xperia Z model is "really fast:" thanks to the new processor:

Obviously, we're advising you to take everything with a grain of salt, since such a device is yet to be confirmed by the company.

The same Murtazin said that the test Xperia Z version also sported an LCD3 screen similar to the one on the HTC One, but that he doesn't believe the display would be used in the commercial version.

The existing Xperia Z model, the current Sony flagship smartphone, was announced at CES 2013 and released on February 9, beating its main rivals to market by a few good months. The handset packs a 5-inch display with 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) resolution and Sony Bravia Engine 2 technology and a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor.

AnTuTu benchmark

AnTuTu benchmark shows Xperia Z performance compared to the competition.

Sony has scheduled a few new media events for the coming days, on June 25 in Munich and on July 4 in Paris, where it will reportedly unveiled the 6.44-inch Xperia Z Ultra (ZU/Togari) smartphone.

Will the company also release an updated version of the Xperia Z that will better compete against the other Android flagships out there including the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4? Unfortunately we can't answer the question at this time, but we should have more details for you about Sony's upcoming mobile plans in the following weeks.

For what it's worth, we'll remind you that the Togari is not the only rumored Sony device expected to hit stores in the near future. A 5-inch handset codenamed "Honami" and expected to also be a flagship device is also said to be in the works. Is it possible that the Honami is actually the Xperia Z Murtazin tested? Coincidence or not, the Honami is rumored to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC as well.

    


Android Authority On Air – Episode 69 – Galaxy Note 8 Giveaway and more

Posted: 23 Jun 2013 11:20 AM PDT

Android Authority on Air

This week on Android Authority On Air, not only did we celebrate episode 69 (insert joke here) with some awesome news about Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 800 processor, we announced our Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 giveaway. I wonder if there’s some sort of connection there? I guess you’ll have to watch the show to find out.

Anyways, we talked about India’s upcoming Android Nation, stores that center on hands on experience, accessories, technical assistance, demos, and more. Google announced Project Loon, which is nothing short of what we should expect from Google X. We hit up new devices such as the Samsung Galaxy NX Camera, HTC’s latest Butterfly, which includes some One love and Samsung’s table top tablet computer that runs both Windows and Android. Sony is pushing 4.2.2 to the Xperia ZL which makes it the first Non-Nexus device to get updated to (rather than ship with) Android 4.2.2. On to app news, Falcon Pro continues to have issues and Verizon Wireless decided to release a game, instead of device updates. Spotify updates to use toggles in the notification area (finally). Their last update added long needed landscape mode. Seems Play Music got their development team scrambling finally. All this and more on Android Authority On Air, the original Android Hangout show on Google+.