Saturday, November 17, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority

Nexus 4 teardown reveals dormant LTE chip inside, Nexus 10 is “extremely repairable”

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 03:03 AM PST

We don't know how many of you were lucky enough to procure themselves one of the two new Nexus devices, but we know at least a couple of guys that grabbed a Nexus 4 and 10 and… ripped them to pieces.

Not cool, I know, but at least we're not talking about the gratuitous kind of ripping to pieces that our own crazy Darcy LaCouvee has turned into art. We are talking instead about a couple of scientific teardowns whose goals have been to reveal all of the small parts, screws, bits and pieces found inside the gadgets.

The Nexus 4 has been taken for the destructive ride by the good folks over at iFixit, while its bigger 10-inch brother got torn down by PowerbookMedic. Both websites have made quite the discoveries after their inspections, so let's dive right in.

Nexus 4 teardown

First off, the phone that everybody craves for. This, as you may already know, seemed to have three major flaws in a wide sea of advantages and strong points. The battery was non-removable, there was no way of expanding the on-board storage, while connectivity options only included 3G and HSPA+ (no 4G LTE).

However, after taking a close look at the phone's motherboard, iFixit found a Qualcomm WTR1605L seven-band 4G LTE chip on there. This was definitely a major shocker, but before getting too excited, you should know that there's almost no chance in hell this will actually support LTE networks.

That's because it is a dormant chip, but even more importantly because the Nexus 4 doesn't seem to have any LTE power amplifier on board or a 4G LTE antenna to capture the needed network signal. So, if that's the case, what's the chip doing there after all? Well, we have no way to know for sure, but we're guessing this stayed in place (intentionally or not) from the Optimus G, the LG phone that inspired Nexus's design.

Even with all this, we can surely allow ourselves to hope, but again it's highly unlikely that the Nexus 4 will ever support LTE. Now that we've cleared that up, let's recap some of the other things revealed by iFixit's teardown:

  • The phone's overall repairability score is 7 out of 10 (same as the iPhone 5 and Nexus 7)
  • There are only four different length screws and a total of 15 screws used to build the device, so it's not very hard to tear it down
  • The battery is truly difficult to remove, puncturing it in the process being a major risk
  • The removing of the back cover is however much easier to do, requiring "a common screwdriver, a plastic opening tool, and some patience"
  • Besides the battery, the only other major worry affecting the phone's repairability score is the glass front, which is fused to the display and display frame

Nexus 10

While Nexus 10's teardown didn't reveal as grand a surprise as the LTE chip inside the 4, PowerbookMedic still found a couple of interesting things:

  • The device is "extremely repairable", with no glue and very few screws getting in the way of the disassembly (the website didn't give the Nexus 10 a "repairability score", but we think that would have at least been a 9)
  • Many of the components in the device are manufactured by Samsung, including the battery, processor and flash memory
  • You can disconnect the battery very easily, with its connector being rubberized and flexible
  • The rear-facing camera is another component "easily" replaceable

So, there you have it, folks, a very easily repairable Nexus 10 made almost entirely by Samsung and a slightly more stubborn Nexus 4. Surprised? Also, be sure to not try any of this at home unless you really, really have to! Or if you want to punish your precious new devices for something.

Related Posts

Rihanna declares the HTC One X+ as the next level ‘shit’ [video]

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 02:27 AM PST

Pop sensation Rihanna, who's currently on her 777 world tour, sure knows her diamonds and smartphones well. It might come as a big surprise, but RiRi apparently loves her HTC phone, a fact which may or may not have to do with the phone maker’s involvement in the tour.

On stage, during the second Toronto leg of the tour, she even gave one lucky fan a special version of the HTC One X+, but not before declaring the phone as the next level "shit". Ah, such a way with words, the chart-topping singer has.

Sadly, we couldn't find any picture of the "Rihannified" One X+. But she said that, among other things, it has the new "R" logo – her name's initial – from the up and coming album Unapologetic. While the custom HTC One X+ isn't for sale anywhere, you can get the plain version from AT&T for $199 with a two-year contract.

Now, who said that Android smartphones aren't popular amongst paid celebrities and super stars? Not that we care.

Texting Chris Brown?

Related Posts

NTT DoCoMo starts selling the Sony Xperia AX in Japan

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 02:12 AM PST

We reported last month that Japan will soon be getting the Sony Xperia AX, a variant of the Xperia V that boasts some Japan-specific features. If you've been keeping track of its release, you'll be pleased to know that the Xperia AX is now on sale in the country via NTT DoCoMo.

For those who purchase the Xperia AX, Sony Mobile Japan is giving customers the chance to scoop up its SmartWatch at a discounted price. Instead of shelling out Yen 9,480 ($115), the watch will only cost you Yen 6,980 ($85).

The Sony Xperia AX comes equipped with a 4.3-inch HD Reality display with 1,280 x 720 resolution, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB onboard storage, microSD support, 13MP main camera, VGA front-facing camera, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 1-Seg TV Tuner, FeliCia NFC, infrared port, LTE, 1,700mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

As for the Xperia V, Sony has pushed back its release date to late January of next year, where it'll reportedly ship with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean instead. The phone will retail for €529.

Related Posts

Coupon site: more customers interested in the Kindle Fire than the iPad mini

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 02:09 AM PST

It seems that Kindle Fire HD is sparking more interest in buyers this holiday season than the hyped iPad mini.

CouponCodes4U.com has predicted that Amazon's Kindle Fire HD could sell double the units than the Apple's iPad mini. Quite a bold prediction, huh? But the folks back there have a logic behind it. CouponCodes4u has presented data from its website showing searches from the last three weeks, and revealed that "Kindle Fire HD"  was searched two times more than "iPad mini".

Also, the website stated that there were more searches for Kindle Fire HD following the first week of its announcement as compared to the searches for iPad mini in the first week following its announcement.

The iPad mini has the strong brand of Apple associated with it, but when it comes to pricing, Kindle Fire HD wins with a starting price of $199 as compared to $329 for the iPad mini. People might find the iPad sexier than the Kindle device, but not every one can afford the expensive iPad mini. Also, customers might also be looking at the cool Android-based Nexus tablets from Google.

As we race towards the Black Friday, the beginning of the holiday shopping season, it remains to be seen how actual sales turn out. What will you prefer, the Kindle Fire HD or the iPad mini? Read our comparison between the iPad mini and the Kindle Fire HD here and tell us!

Related Posts

Google awarded patent for cell coverage based directions

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 11:30 PM PST

Google
While Apple is off getting patents for break neck technological advancements like the rectangle and turning pages in books, Google has been after something a little more worthwhile. We’re all familiar with GPS. A bunch of satellites in space send our devices a signal that uses that signal to pinpoint our locations. Google now has a patent that works much like that, but with cell coverage.

Lets break this down. According to the USPTO, the patent is much like GPS. It involves finding the destination and current location. However, the location and route to the destination can be altered by wireless coverage. In other words, Google can now use your cell signal to help better figure out where you are and where you’re going.

So Google patented using wireless signal along with GPS?

That is pretty much what it means. The patent isn’t for GPS location itself, but rather for the act of obtaining better information after the fact to pinpoint your location more closely. Google has used things like this before in the past. Like when Google Maps asks you to turn your WiFi on so it can work better. It’s much like that.

Adding this patent to their library should help Google continue to improve their Maps and direction services. This without risk of being sued for it. Did Google do well with this latest patent? Let us know your thoughts.

Related Posts

Should Amazon open retail stores in the future? What would make it unique?

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 11:07 PM PST

Amazon is king of the e-commerce space. The company sells all sorts of merchandise and content on its website, and also services the mobile market through its Kindle line of devices. Amazon Wireless also has partnerships with both carriers and device makers to market smartphones, tablets and other devices.

But given the success of Apple’s retail store model, online companies have been keen on venturing out into the brick-and-mortar establishment themselves. For instance, Microsoft has started opening its own stores around the U.S., offering computer packages, Windows Phone devices, accessories and boxed software. Telecommunications companies also have their own physical stores.

But will it make sense for Amazon to open retail stores in the future?

CEO Jeff Bezos thinks so. In an interview with Charlie Rose at CNBC, Bezos says Amazon “would love to.” But there’s a caveat. He says physical retail stores are already very well-served. As such, Amazon would only be going into something similar if it had something unique to offer. “The question we would always have before we would embark on such an thing is what’s the idea, what would we do that would be different, how would it be better… we don’t want to be redundant,” Bezos says, adding that the company wants “something that is uniquely Amazon.”

In the first place, though Amazon’s business model is built on low overhead. The company can afford to offer lower prices as it can save on spending for store space and staff. Bezos himself is aware that the business results may not exactly be good if you’re not the leader in your particular field, in this case brick-and-mortar retail. As such, there is question on what the value proposition will be.

A few thoughts, some of which based on discussion thread at our source article:

  • Niche items are what has made Amazon successful. Merchandise are fulfilled from their warehouses from around the country, so the company does not have to worry about lacking stock. If Amazon were to setup shop, then it will need to rethink its inventory and stocking processes.
  • Amazon employs customer service personnel from around the globe (India, for instance). If it starts running retail stores in the U.S., then it will have to move back jobs in the country.
  • Prices might increase due to state sales taxes and whatnot.
  • Amazon stores could double as pick-up points, much like Amazon lockers set-up in establishments around the country.

Perhaps Amazon could set-up shop, but for a limited offering. For instance, the company could make its Kindle line the highlight of their stores, where customers can check out demo units for themselves before deciding to buy. Amazon retail stores can also serve as service points for these devices. The company could likewise focus on mobile devices. Amazon Wireless already offers great deals on smartphones through its website. Why not at physical locations?

While shopping online does have its conveniences, there are some things that are best bought after a thorough physical inspection, and both users and brands can benefit from such interaction in a brick-and-mortar store.

What could be Amazon’s value for setting up a physical shop? Should it focus on a certain aspect of retail, or should it just stick to what it does best: selling online?

Related Posts

Popular Android and iOS photo editing app Photoshop Touch now available in the Kindle Fire App Store

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST

Photoshop
Practically everyone has heard of Photoshop. It’s one of the most popular image editing tools in the world and it’s also quite expensive. For Android and iOS devices, there is a mini version called Photoshop Touch. It is much less expensive at $9.99, but still grants a very powerful image editing experience on your mobile devices. Photoshop Touch is now available for Kindle Fire tablets in the Kindle Fire App Store.

The app is pretty much the same as it is for Android and iOS with one notable exception. This version has been optimized specifically for the newest generation of Kindle Fire tablets. That means two things. First, it should run better on the new Kindle Fire tablets due to the optimizations. Second, it isn’t available for the old Kindle Fire tablet. So if you are still rocking the old one, you won’t be able to use Photoshop Touch unless you try to get the Android version.

What are the features of Photoshop Touch?

If you haven’t used it before, there are a lot of features. In short, you can use almost all of the well known photo editing tools from the original Photoshop. There are even tutorials to help new people get the hang of things. If you’re interested, you can find it at the Kindle Fire App Store on Amazon. Are there any photo buffs who might be checking this out?

Related Posts

Samsung wants details of Apple-HTC deal in a bid to prove licensing is possible

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 05:28 PM PST

Apple’s cross-licensing deal with Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has set a precedent. That is, while Apple has been serious in pursuing legal remedies against companies that infringe on its software and design patents, the Cupertino, CA company is actually willing to settle these disputes either for monetary compensation or through cross-licensing deals.

This has lit up lightbulbs in Samsung’s legal minds, given their current legal battles with Apple. As Apple is seeking permanent injunctions on several of Samsung’s products, the iPhone-maker’s willingness to settle with other companies might actually be favorable to Samsung as a legal alternative. As such, the South Korean firm has filed a request with the court for Apple to provide a copy of Apple’s patent cross-licensing agreement with HTC.

As you know, the issue of Apple’s willingness to license its patents was briefed in Samsung’s opposition to Apple’s motion for permanent injunction. This license has direct bearing on the question of irreparable harm and whether monetary remedies are adequate.

The Apple-HTC deal, which was announced last week, says the terms of the agreement are confidential, although what’s clear is that it is a ten-year cross-licensing agreement that covers Apple’s and HTC’s “current and future patents.” But what is unclear is whether this involves all of both companies’ patents, or just some. Analysts believe HTC is paying Apple anywhere from $6 to $8 per smartphone sold as licensing fee. Given current HTC sales figures, this should amount to $160 to $200 million annually.

Some points to note:

  • The courts are usually reluctant to issue a permanent injunction on products if licensing deals or settlement can be done.
  • With the Apple-HTC deal as a precedent, this means an Apple-Samsung deal is likewise possible, in theory.
  • Samsung likely wants to know if the cross-licensing deals also include the so-called “holy patents” that Apple does not license out to competitors. These include patents that cover Apple’s “unique user experience” such as touchscreen functionality and design.

“The ability of technology companies to get injunctions on big products based on small inventions, unless the inventions drive consumer’s demand, has been whittled away significantly,” says Santa Clara Law professor Colleen Chien in an interview with Reuters.

Still, there is question whether this interest means Samsung is looking into a similar deal with Apple, or if this is simply a tactic to convince the court against issuing a permanent injunction. The two parties are set for another hearing this December 6th, during which the courts will iron out the ensuing decisions and events after the August verdict that ruled in favor of Apple.

Related Posts

This town ain’t big enough for the four of us, says T-Mobile

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 04:43 PM PST

t-mobile logo

The U.S. mobile market is a big one, with 321.7 million subscribers as of second quarter of 2012. That’s a 101% mobile penetration, which means the number of lines equals the population. But while the nation is serviced by four major carriers today, T-Mobile thinks the market is not big enough for four big carriers to service.

In a meeting with shareholders, COO Jim Alling said the industry might see some adjustments and consolidations in the next few years. “Is it possible that four major players could go down to three? I think that is possible, and likely in the longer term,” he said, referring to the possibility of the country’s four major carriers merging into just three. This actually almost happened when AT&T made a bid to acquire T-Mobile from its parent company Deutsche Telekom in 2011. That $39 billion acqusition deal did not push through, though, having been shot down by regulators for possible anti-competition.

But even as the so-called AT&T-Mo deal was halted, the major U.S. carriers have found themselves entering into mergers and partnerships with other companies. For instance, there’s the planned Sprint acquisition by Japanese telecoms provider Softbank. There’s also T-Mobile’s acquisition of super-regional carrier MetroPCS.

Of course, this will depend on the regulatory environment, Alling, says. As such, whatever consolidation may happen is set for the longer-term. The statements made by T-Mobile’s COO probably assume that his company will be on the winning end of the deal, if the industry were to consolidate into a fewer — but bigger — major competitors.

But are four major competitors really too big for a country to handle? In some regions, the mobile industry has seen consolidation into three or fewer carriers. For instance, China has China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, which have almost a billion lines shared across the three. However, another big market, India, has eight major mobile carriers. Which is the best model for the U.S.?

Will the American market benefit from a fewer major competitors? If the big four — AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile — were reduced into three major players, will this result in improved services and reduced prices?

Related Posts

Lenovo 1080p Full HD Android smartphone leaks

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 03:52 PM PST

Earlier today we read a South Korean report that detailed a soon-to-be-announced Samsung Galaxy handset, the Galaxy Grand, and now it's time to look at a Chinese article that details an unknown Lenovo Android handset.

While we have no idea what kind of the device this Lenovo smartphone is, other that it "should be Lenovo's next-generation flagship model [and] should belong to he Lok Phone K series, Music Phone K860 successor [Google translation]," the report reveals that the device will feature a Full HD display.

Following the HTC J Butterfly / Droid DNA/ Deluxe, it looks like more and more Android device makers are interested in fitting their flagship devices with such impressive displays, with these Lenovo screenshots getting leaked on the same day we heard Samsung and LG are working on their own smartphones with Full HD resolution panels.

In addition to display characteristics, Tech Sina also reveals that the Lenovo smartphone will feature dual network support (CDMA 3G and GSM 2G,) which may be good enough for certain markets in China, but it won't please international buyers that may be interested in the device.

The device will run either Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean out of the box, according to the leaked screenshots that are available to the public, but we'll tell you more about it once Lenovo makes it official.

Anyone looking for a new Lenovo smartphone?

Related Posts
Posted by at 4:57 PM 0 comments

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Phandroid Holiday Gift Guide: Chris’ top picks, gifts for paranoid droids and true phans!

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 06:26 PM PST

This image has no alt text

Hello! We’re back with another episode of Phandroid’s Holiday Gift Guide, this time featuring handpicked items from yours truly. Why so early? Well, we wanted to make sure you guys had plenty of time to get the jump on your holiday shopping, that way you’d have more time to focus on other things… like “ugly Christmas sweater” parties.

I had the honor of picking out a handful of must-have items for the “Paranoid Droid” (special people like myself who enjoy the peace of mind that comes with always being prepared for anything life throws at them), and fun gift ideas for the “True Phan,” (otherwise known as the rabid Android fanboy). I also have a few picks from my own personal Christmas wishlist, and will give you guys a little taste of that below.

Flat cables, short cables, keychain cables, CABLES!

A little not well-known fact about me — I’m an accessory whore. I try to always have the right tool for the job and what could be more important than a micro USB cable. Here’s the problem — they’re long, ugly, and you never seem to have ‘em around when you need them most. Thankfully, I came across these nuggets from around the web to ensure a micro USB is never more than arms length away. One you can wear around your wrist, another you can clip to your keychain, and the other is cool simply because it’s flat (I don’t know why I like that so much). All of these would make great stocking stuffers for the tech nerd in your life.

CoolStream Bluetooth Receiver

We’ve all been there. You come across some wicked cool speakers only to discover — as always — they’re only iPod/iPhone compatible. I can’t tell you how frustrating that has become and unless you don’t mind jacking your phone into a speaker’s aux port, it’s just not very convenient. Now we have seen some Android docking speaker solutions in the past, but when it comes to the other 90% of speaker docks out there, wouldn’t it be nice if you could play the music from your phone, and cord-free? There is a way, and it’s called the CoolStream Bluetooth receiver. Simply plug this little fella into an iPod/iPhone dock, and you can stream all your tunes to the former iPod-only speaker. Works great for cars with built in iPod/iPhone docks too!

iDuck Stand

It’s a smartphone stand in the shape of a duckbill. Need I say more? Oh, wait – it was recently updated with all new limited edition holiday gift packaging. Kawaii!

Alright, so that about rounds it up for my personal pick preview. You can view my full list here. Don’t forget to jump onto the Holiday Gift Guide right now for our full list of gift ideas for the Androids in your life, including picks from Quentyn, Kevin, and Edgar. New for today is the Paranoid Droids category and come tomorrow, gifts for the True Phan will be live as well. Cheers.

Twitter for Android update adds Tweets in Discover tab, new search features and more

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 02:25 PM PST

The Twitter application for Android has received another upgrade today. This sizable addition to the Google Play Store focuses on the Discover tab and search view. For the former, Tweets now appear right within the Discover tab so you can see the content from profiles that Twitter thinks you might find interesting. They’ll be displayed just like Tweets within the timeline view, so you can view inline photo, video and webpage previews without having to jump through a link first.

For search, you’ll be able to view results as a photo stream so you can find content in a more visually appealing way, and it’ll show the search results as media previews to give you an easier time.

Finally, you can now reset your password straight from the app instead of having to go to Twitter’s website. While the old way wasn’t a huge pain this new functionality proves to be a lot less cumbersome. More bug fixes and improvements were made, but as usual we won’t know the absolute full extent of those changes unless someone happens to notice a bug or two hasn’t been bothering them.

We’re still waiting on an upgrade that’ll introduce elements of the Holo UI that so many of us have fallen in love with, but Twitter has so far remained quiet on its plans to update its user interface. The current interface isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagine of course — its just that we would prefer it if more of these huge companies would get with the times and provide us with social networking apps that look like they belong on our phones.

[Google Play Store]

First Nexus 4 shipments arriving at doorsteps

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 01:14 PM PST

The first Nexus 4 shipments are landing on the doorsteps of those lucky enough to place an order before the handset sold out Tuesday morning. Google initially quoted buyers a three to five day shipping timeframe, and it looks like things are right on schedule.

The handset remains a hot commodity after initial stock ran dry within minutes of launch. While many were unable to even place an order, some who did successfully purchase the phone were later greeted with a notice that their Nexus 4s were backordered and would not ship for three weeks. If you count yourself among the few that will be seeing the device arrive within the next few days, do your best not to gloat to the rest of us.

Leave a comment to win an AT&T HTC One X+ with Tegra 3! [GIVEAWAY]

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 11:20 AM PST

Here’s another holiday treat for you guys to sink your teeth into — we’re giving away AT&T’s latest and greatest device, the HTC One X+! This device is an industry first as it’s the very first device to launch with the combination of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor with the fifth battery-saving “companion core.”

HTC Sense 4+ is on hand, and the enhanced software experience features it brings alongside Jelly Bean makes for HTC’s most comprehensive user experience yet. For those concerned about storage, there should be nothing holding you back as the HTC One X+ features a whopping 64GB internally.

Considering it’s non-partitioned you should have no qualms about all the media and files you want on the phone. AT&T’s HTC One X+ will come in an exclusive Carbon Black finish once it launches today for $199.99 following a new two-year contract. Take a look at this AT&T Mobile Minute to see what makes this such a great device to own:

So by now you’re probably watering at the mouth and wondering how you can enter to win one of these. The rules are quite simple, actually — leave a comment! Well… it can’t just be any old comment. We want you to tell us what you’d be doing if you had 64GB of internal storage and a powerful Tegra 3 processor inside your phone.

Would you load up all the music you can? Take a ton of great photos and video with the device’s great 8 megapixel 1080p HD camera? Load up on all of the exciting and beautiful Tegra HD games from Tegra Zone? Replace your computer, even? Whatever you’d want to do, we want to hear it. Let’s read on for the formal rules and regulations:

  • You are entering to win 1 (one) HTC One X+ for AT&T (no service).
  • You must be a resident of the United States of America to be eligible to win.
  • To enter, leave a comment explaining what you would do with 64GB of storage and a quad-core Tegra 3 processor inside your phone. (One entry per person, please — blatant duplicate entries will be disqualified.)
  • One winner will be selected at random. You must use your real email address in the comment form or on your Disqus account. If we do not receive a response within a reasonable amount of time (24-48 hours) we will randomly select another winner. This process will continue until we have determined a winner.
  • Entries will be accepted until Sunday, November 18th at 11:59pm eastern.

Just like I said — easy, peasy! Be sure to head off to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and the like to share this great contest with your friends and have fun discussing your entries in the comments below! We would like to extend a special thank you to AT&T, HTC and NVIDIA for making this contest possible, and as always we want to thank you guys for being the awesome readers that you are! Have a great weekend!

You can buy an HTC One X+ for $199.99 for a two-year contract in AT&T stores or by visiting AT&T’s website today!

Sony Mobile sales chief promises a more competitive flagship smartphone

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 11:01 AM PST

Sony has been a part of the Android scene about as long as any manufacturer, but despite a handful of aesthetically pleasing phones, they haven’t done much to establish themselves as a top smartphone option. That honor has gone to the likes of Samsung and HTC (as well as the iPhone), something that sales chief Dennis van Schie admits the company needs to address.

"We will create in the near future a flagship model that can compete with Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S III,” Schie said in a recent interview the Financial Times Deutschland. All signs point to the debut of such a phone at Mobile World Congress 2012.

But we’ve heard this story before. Sony teases their next big and debuts it on the world stage, but for a multitude of reasons the company has failed to capture a real audience. It’s not for a lack of trying. Their smartphones are built with the same quality and design-oriented appeal that you would expect from a Sony product, and the internal specs of their latest models are good enough to compete with the best on the market (HD displays, multi-core processing, 13MP cameras). It’s just something about the way Sony has handled their Android business that has turned away consumers.

In the US, Sony’s Xperia phones have remained virtually exclusive to AT&T, and while the company has done a better job recently of handling Android updates, their track record up until recently has not been the best.

It’s good that Sony recognizes that they still have room to improve, but it’s going to take more than simply strapping together the best possible compliment of hardware and putting it in a svelte-looking package. Sony will need to change their overall approach and learn how to better position their Android devices in an increasingly crowded market.

[via TechCrunch]

US judge grants Samsung inclusion of iPhone 5 in lawsuit, but not without cost

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 09:51 AM PST

The legal spats between Samsung and Apple are seemingly endless (and Samsung’s JK Shin assured us they wouldn’t be backing down anytime soon), and now things have escalated to an even higher level here in the United States. A US judge granted Samsung the inclusion of Apple’s iPhone 5 in a patent trial that could go either way.

If you don’t remember, Samsung is suing Apple over telecommunications patents, something Apple will find a hard time convincing courts they’re not infringing. Apple might have an edge there considering the patents could be considered enforceable only under FRAND rules, but regardless Samsung should be able to eek out a win there.

But Samsung wasn’t was also stung when the same judge granted Apple the inclusion of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, the US version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Jelly Bean on the Galaxy Nexus in its side of the lawsuit, bringing the number of devices Apple’s targeting up to 20.

These are some of Samsung’s biggest devices on the market so it’s a significant development that could threaten Samsung’s most lucrative goings-on right now. The company recently announced sales of its Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone eclipsed 30 million, and with the holiday season in full effect that number is expected to increase without much effort on Samsung’s part.

Apple is seeking a ban on these devices on grounds of patent infringement, and some were targeted in a lawsuit Apple brewed up last year claiming Samsung’s products blatantly copied Apple’s in the “look and feel” department. “Apple continues to take aggressive legal measures that will limit market competition. Under these circumstances, we have little choice but to take the steps necessary to protect our innovations and intellectual property rights,” said Samsung.

We’re a bit of ways away from a significant ruling (and one that will stick for the long term) and it’ll be tough to predict which way this one will swing when it’s all said and done. Who do you have in this heavyweight bout to the finish?

[via WSJ]

Ingress aims to be the next great augmented reality game [VIDEO]

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 08:26 AM PST

Augmented Reality is a bit of a tricky spin for gaming. For starters, a game too complex and large in scope can be dangerous — taking things to the outside world presents a lot of challenges not only in enabling location-based gaming, but in ensuring player safety. That’s why most augmented reality games are made for the table and the home, or at the very most a stationary experience so you can play outside without haphazardly wandering into the streets.

A new game is in town that will interest many, though, and its name is Ingress. The premise is that a new source of energy unknown to man has been found on earth, and a coalition of the world’s most curious and daring set out to find this energy for what they believe is the greater good.

On the one hand you have those who believe the energy is a threat more than a help, an angle that plays true to the classic “we fear that which we don’t know” mantra. They’re called the Resistance, and it’s in their best interest to nip this growing resource in the bud.

On the other, you have those who want to move the world ahead by taking this energy and harnessing it for whatever they find it useful for. They’re the Enlightened, and can be likened to the ambitious scientists of today’s world looking for ways to improve human life with all that Earth has to allow.

Whichever side you choose, you’re asked to go out into the world, your world, and find these energy sources and help the cause. Tools and skills that you can acquire through leveling up will help you in your quest, and a communication portal will help you form alliances with folks nearby and work together to give your side the competitive advantage.

As compelling as all of this sounds, there’s one unfortunate catch — the game is in a closed beta period right now, and it requires an invitation to play. You’ll need to sign up for an invitation on at Ingress.com or have someone already in the beta send you one. But we’re almost 100% certain you’re going to like what you find once you find your way into the bowels of whichever side of the movement you choose. Find more info at Niantic Labs’ website and the Google Play Store.

Samsung’s 4.99-inch 1080p HD AMOLED display could debut with Galaxy S4

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 07:36 AM PST

According to a report out of Korea, Samsung could unveil their first full HD AMOLED display at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show taking place in January of next year. The 1080p display developed by the Korean electronics firm is said to measure in at 4.99 inches and could make its retail debut in the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Competitors have already beaten Samsung to market with handset featuring such high-resolution displays, but these devices have employed LCD technology as opposed to OLED technology. The Super AMOLED display has been a selling point for the Galaxy S lineup since it first debuted and has several advantages over the traditional LCD. AMOLED screens are thinner and require no backlight, and they also offer a wider contrast ratio capable of producing a more rich and vibrant color palette.

Samsung’s full HD display would come in with a pixel density of 441 ppi, which would rank among the highest on the market, easily surpassing Apple’s so-called Retina Display. It looks to be a main attraction at CES 2013 and, quite frankly, we can’t wait to get our eyes on it. Samsung’s AMOLED displays have failed to disappoint us in the past. Here’s hoping that the new screen avoids the curse of the PenTile Matrix.

Samsung should being mass production of the new AMOLED in Q1 of next year. There is no timetable on a release for the Galaxy S4, but if Samsung sticks to their typical schedule, early summer is a good bet.

[via SammyHub]

HTC One X+ now available from AT&T

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 07:23 AM PST

The Samsung Galaxy Camera was released on AT&T this morning, but that shiny new device is being flanked by a couple of neat smartphones you’ll want to pay attention to. AT&T is launching the HTC One X+ and HTC One VX today, and both devices deserve some considerable attention on their respective wavelengths.

The HTC One X+ is a phone of firsts for the industry as it’s the only phone that features a combination of the 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. While those two points enough are alone for a mouthwatering package, 64GB of internal storage makes this thing very attractive to a lot of eyes.

The One X+ also features a 4.7 inch HD display, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel 1080p HD camera with ImageSense, a 1.6 megapixel HD front-facing camera, NFC, and 4G LTE with HSPA+ to fall back on. For $200 I don’t see how this can be a bad investment for anyone finding themselves needing a new smartphone.

You can find the package in AT&T’s exclusive Carbon Black finish, and you’ll need to sign a new two-year contract if you want to get it for the aforementioned price. Head to the carrier’s site to get started, and be sure to head to the HTC One X+ section at AndroidForums.com to participate in the biggest community there is.

Samsung Galaxy Camera now available from AT&T

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 06:19 AM PST

It’s not a smartphone, but it runs Android 4.1 and can now be purchased from AT&T. Photographers looking for a bit more functionality in their next camera can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Camera for $499. The mobile-enabled smart camera can be paired with an optional data plan, allowing users to instantly share their latest shots with the world.

The Galaxy Camera sports a 16MP backside-illuminated sensor and 21x optical zoom with the ability to capture both stills and HD video. A quad-core Exynos CPU powers the device while a 4.8-inch Super Clear LCD touchscreen provides the window into the camera’s Android interface.

While it isn’t the first Android-powered camera we have seen on the market, the options that have come prior have lacked some of the polish we see with Samsung’s offering. But the company is making the proposition that users will want a secondary Android device within the same size range as a smartphone but lacking the ability to place calls (though with a data plan, you could technically do so using a VoIP service).

For many the camera already included in their current smartphone will suffice, but do you number yourself among those that simply needs more megapixels? Head on over to AndroidForums and join the discussion now.
Posted by at 9:16 AM 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)