Sunday, October 7, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Poll: What makes the Samsung Galaxy S3 T-Mobile’s best-selling device?

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 06:22 PM PDT


T-Mobile surprised us yesterday evening with a tweet mentioning the Galaxy S3 was the carrier’s “all-time best-selling device.” While the Galaxy S3 is extremely popular, we didn’t expect it to take 1st place. I certainly remember seeing OG Motorola RAZRs much more often than I see Galaxy S3 devices, and that is just one of the top-selling phones. But let’s step aside and take a good look at our Galaxy S3 phones – what makes them so desirable?

For some it may be the awesome 4.8-inch Super AMOLED 720p display. Maybe its remarkable battery life? It’s “human” features? Or is it simply Samsung’s fame in the Android smartphone market? The right answer would be that it’s a mixture of things. In order to be successful, a device must bring complete balance between specs, features, software, hardware, build quality, performance, efficiency and other factors.

There is always one thing that makes a device awesome for every person, though. We would like to see what our readers’ favorite thing about the Galaxy S3 is. With that info, we can then see which factors make the Galaxy S3 as awesome as it is, and which don’t really matter much.

So tell us – what do you like most about the Galaxy S3?

[Source: T-Mobile (Twitter)]

Andru: One of the funnest Android chargers joins the dark side

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 05:03 PM PDT


We usually wouldn’t praise smartphone chargers, but Andru happens to be one of the funnest, best-looking ones we have seen. Android fans love buying accessories and collectibles that feature Google’s little green robot, so this could very well be your next purchase.

It has been available in green for some time, but Gen has decided to get playful and release a black version. They are calling it Andru Dark. Like its green brother, this little guy features a stand (which doubles as Andy’s feet), light-up eyes that glow red when charging and amber when on standby, movable arms and a 1.2 meter cable.

It is not necessarily cheap at $25, but with chargers averaging at around $20 from carriers and retailers, it is also not the worst deal. I know I would be willing to pay a bit extra to have one of these guys “in charge”.

The black version should be available by October 11, while the green one can be purchased now. You can get them from the official site or from Amazon, so go get them!

[Source: GEN]

Will an IPO make Huawei more successful in the US?

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 03:42 PM PDT

Huawei has had a rough time making a name of itself in America, and one of their latest videos proves that. The Chinese manufacturer is mostly known (or not so much) for making affordable, low-end smartphones. The average consumer wouldn’t know the same company is releasing some top-notch smartphones across the globe, though.

The Huawei Ascend P1 S was remarkable, and also one of the thinnest devices in the world. The company’s device portfolio also includes the Huawei Ascend D Quad, which happens to be one of the first devices to be announced with a quad-core processor. Our review of the Ascend P1 also proves Huawei has great potential to become a big player in the Android market. All these devices have specs that would compete with the best smartphones of their time, but none of these have come to the US.

In an attempt to change this, the company is said to be in talks with investment banks. Huawei is looking into the possibility of an IPO (Initial Public Offering). By selling stock to the public, the company’s course, investments, sources of income and projects would be more transparent. This would alleviate any Western fears of Huawei keeping a close connection with the Chinese Military, allowing them to gain more contracts in the US and other large markets.

Whether this happens or not, we are not sure how much of a successful future Huawei has in the US. While its smartphones are powerful, capable and aesthetically pleasing, the other companies have a very strong foothold on the US market. I simply can’t imagine a customer seeing a Huawei Ascend D Quad next to a competing Samsung product and picking the latter option.

Consumer mentality in the US can be very much based on brands, more so than quality. Huawei would certainly need a good boost from the carriers to bring it up to par with the “big guys”. Otherwise, the company will end up next to the likes of Pantech or Kyocera, which have made an attempt to release competitive devices without much success.

But if Huawei could gain more contracts in the US and release a series of great smartphones, while keeping those updates coming, I say it probably has a great shot at getting rid of its bad fame. An Android fan can dream, right?

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

ASUS Padfone 2 approved by GCF, LTE radios on board

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 02:24 PM PDT


As we wait for the official announcement, the ASUS Padfone 2 has just been approved by the Global Certification Forum ( a board that ensures global compatibility between networks and devices). The report shows a flurry of radios and networks the device will be compatible with, but the most exciting news will be that the device will come LTE-ready.

This version of the Padfone 2 comes with LTE connectivity supported by networks in Europe Asia and Latin America, but it should come with US-friendly radios if it makes it to the US (let’s hope so).

We have already seen the leaked specs and benchmarks. These prove this smartphone/tablet/netbook to be powerful enough to make your world go around. All details should be coming afloat by October 16, so definitely stay tuned to Phandroid for this one.

[Source: GCF Via: Unwired View]

RIP: Motorola Webtop and laptop docks officially dead

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 01:32 PM PDT


We knew it was coming, and saw the laptop dock & Webtop project take its last breath a month ago. It was inevitable, Motorola’s laptop docks were pricey and not exactly the most enticing products for customers. And while we have seen prices drop to $50 in an effort to get rid of all remaining stock, Motorola hadn’t officially killed the project until now.

“Motorola’s Webtop app helps users extend their smartphone experience to larger screens. While consumers around the world have adopted Webtop and the concept spurred a lot of innovation in the industry, the adoption has not been strong enough to justify continued resources being allocated to developing Webtop on future devices. We have also seen development of the Android operating system focus on the inclusion of more desktoplike features. Beginning with Photon Q and Droid Razr M/Droid Razr HD/Droid Razr Maxx HD, we will no longer be including Webtop on our products moving forward.”

Motorola’s concept definitely had potential, and we would have loved to see it done right. Sadly, while the Webtop platform looked much like a full-fledged PC operating system, it was not. It was simply a skinned version of Android, and for a price that is significantly higher than many Windows netbooks.

With Motorola’s statement, we say goodbye to Motorola’s Webtop project and welcome upcoming smartphone improvements. These are promised to include better battery life, LTE and updates, so the future is still looking very bright!

[Via: CNET]

AT&T to switch from 30 to 14 days for returns and service cancelations

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 12:40 PM PDT


Thinking about switching to AT&T? You might want to do it today. The carrier will be switching its return and cancelation period from 30 to 14 days starting tomorrow, October 7th.

It is always nice to have a new device for a month. Two weeks might not be enough to fully test network coverage and performance, so this comes as bad news for those that have been considering going with Ma Bell. This change applies mostly to consumers, as AT&T has clarified that certain business owners will be able to stick with the current return policy.

All the details are below, so check them out before you go and get your new service. Keep in mind this policy might be different for certain states that require longer return periods, so always ask the representative and read the fine print.

With that said, shop carefully and tell us what you think! Would you say a 14-day return window is enough to test a new phone and service?

[Via: Engadget]

Googler goes on the record about Nexus rumors… without saying a thing

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 12:14 PM PDT


Nexus rumors were taking a bit to get here, but the mill has started rolling and now nothing can stop it. We can all agree that many of these rumors are crazy, exciting, hard to believe and many times contradictory. One only has to wonder how it must be for Google employees to know all the details and see these rumors sprouting across the internet (probably like a parent looking at kids searching for easter eggs).

Well, Google’s Dan Morrill works with the Android team, and he has a bunch to say about all these rumors. The best part? He does it with very few words:

“Reading rumor sites…. LOL.” -Dan Morrill

After a sudden flux of comments, all Morrill could do is have more fun and avoid commenting on anything. We just have to wonder which rumors are true or fake. We know at least one of them is worth a good LOL. Could it be the change in the Nexus program, which would allow for multiple Nexus devices from different manufacturers? Maybe Project Roadrunner? We sure hope that one is real, but we can only wait and see. Which rumors do you call “BS” on?

[Source: Dan Morrill (Google+)]
Posted by at 8:12 AM

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