Android Phone Fans

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• Hands-on: NVIDIA Shield Android gaming handheld [VIDEO]
• Modder makes cradle-enabled game controller out of Gameboy chassis and Wii controller guts [VIDEO]
• Hisense Pulse and Google TV at CES 2013
• Eyes-on: Lenovo K900 at CES 2013
• Redbox Instant to launch in March; Android app updated for Nexus 10 support4
• Pantech Perception for Verizon leaked
• NYC’s Southwest Chelsea neighborhood to be blanketed by free WiFi courtesy of Google
• Hands-on: ASUS Transformer AiO all-in-one PC/tablet running Windows 8 and Jelly Bean [VIDEO]
• Lenovo unveils 5.5-inch Intel-powered K900
• Samsung announces Exynos5 octa-core chipset
• Panasonic announces 7 inch Toughpad
• Missed NVIDIA’s CES presser? Watch it online here [VIDEO]
• MIUI downloaded over 10 million times; help donate to charity by downloading a theme
• Verizon 4G LTE covering 89% of carrier’s 3G footprint, on pace to meet year-end goal of complete coverage
• T-Mobile announces HD voice, will release a new edition of the Galaxy S3 with dormant LTE radios for now

Hands-on: NVIDIA Shield Android gaming handheld [VIDEO] Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST The time has come, ladies and gentlemen. We, at Phandroid, have officially gotten our hands on the Nvidia Shield and to put in plainly: I’m feeling a bit like the Kelly Clarkson smash hit, “A Moment Like This.” The one handheld that’s set to put Android gaming on the map, the Nvidia Shield takes everything you love about Android — stock Android experience, multitasking, social networks — and combines it with a world class gaming experience. Powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 4 processor (based on A15 architecture, and 72 GPU cores), the Nvidia Shield ain’t no joke. This is a serious gaming machine. ‘Course, we told you guys all about the device multiple times in previous posts, so for now, we’re going to get straight to our sweaty hands-on video, shot only moments ago. Take a look. Overall, I’d say the device felt solid. Top notch controls, solid build quality, sound rumbled in your hands, gorgeous display. Combine that with top of the line specs, a stock Android experience, and more ports than you can shake a stick at and the Nvidia Shield is sure to be on everyone’s birthday/Christmas/wish lists. In short, the Alisha Keys’ chart topper “This Girl Is On Fire,” was inspired by Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun. The man has struck Android gold.

Modder makes cradle-enabled game controller out of Gameboy chassis and Wii controller guts [VIDEO] Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:26 PM PST It looks like MOGA has been inspiring some folks lately. YouTuber Chad Boughton uploaded a video of his awesome creation — a wireless game controller made out of an old Gameboy and some Wii controller parts. The Gameboy was carved to house a cradle that fits the Galaxy Nexus (Chad’s device of choice) perfectly, and the buttons were rewired with the Wii’s. He then uses the Wii Controller IME app as the driver that helps it all go. This custom modification isn’t something that he’s looking to put up on something like IndieGoGo or Kickstarter, but we wouldn’t mind a walkthrough for those of us feeling a bit nostalgic. Some YouTube commenters even suggested he use an NFC sticker to automate the tasks of turning on Bluetooth, enabling the Wii IME app and setting everything else up to get ready to game. It’s not a bad suggestion at all. Unfortunately those of us not skilled enough to pull this off can’t do much more than watch the YouTube video above to see it in action, so go ahead and hit the play button to do just that.

Hisense Pulse and Google TV at CES 2013 Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:16 PM PST Hisense was on hand at CES to show off their latest lineup of smart TVs featuring the Android-baed Google TV, a lineup of HD big screens that nicely compliment the company’s smaller Pulse box. If you’re not familiar with the Hisense Pulse, in form and feature it is very similar to another Google TV product, the Vizio Co-Star. The design seems to be the trend with Google’s partners in recent months (see: the Asus Qube). Rather than create a bulky set-top box, Google TV manufacturers are pushing toward smaller devices that take advantage of mobile-sized components. You still get full connectivity, as you would with any other Google TV, as well as a full suite of apps for finding video content and more. While the Pulse will work with just about any HDTV (provided you have an HDMI connection), if you’re in the market for a complete set Hisense also offers their Smart TV range as an all-in-one option from 32 inches and beyond. A quick look around offered a fairly typical Google TV experience on some surprisingly elegant televisions. And the image quality wasn’t half bad either. Hisense isn’t exactly the first name you think of when you start shopping for a new HD set, but they are looking to make a bigger push. If their showing at CES this year is any indication, expect to see more from them in the future.

Eyes-on: Lenovo K900 at CES 2013 Posted: 09 Jan 2013 05:00 PM PST If you live outside of China you likely won’t ever get your hands on the Lenovo K900. If you are attending CES, you’ll have a hard time as well. We got to marvel at the 5.5-inch piece of machined Android goodness under a thick layer of glass, and while we can’t speak to the phone’s performance we can definitely attest to its design. The K900 looks to be available in a variety of metal finishes. Brushed steel, diamond-plate, or a gold variant that looks like it could be housed at Fort Knox. Considering we only got to ogle the handset, build quality will remain a mystery (as well as how Lenovo handled the antenna placement considering all the interference normally caused by metal casings). The K900 spots a spec sheet to rival the best of them. It packs a 5.5-inch 1080p HD display, class-leading 13MP Sony Exmor camera sensor, and Intel’s latest Atom processor for mobile devices. Thanks to its unique design it packs it all in a frame only 6.9mm thick. Yes, this thing is pretty slim. It’s a shame Lenovo won’t be bringing this to other markets, but the number of hurdles the company would need to jump to make that happen has killed any chance for us to get a closer look at the phone. Those in China and certain other emerging markets will see the phone starting in April.

Redbox Instant to launch in March; Android app updated for Nexus 10 support4 Posted: 09 Jan 2013 04:12 PM PST A lot of folks are having trouble getting invited to RedBox Instant, the company’s video streaming subscription service, right now. It’s a limited beta that requires an invitation, so unless you can find a buddy to give you a code or find some way to get a code through the invitation form you won’t be able to use it quite yet. Folks will be happy to know that the wait will soon be over, though, as CEO Shawn Strickland has confirmed the service would fully launch at some point in March. RedBox Instant is a service brought to us by the collaboration between RedBox and Verizon. It’s a fitting marriage considering each company’s emphasis on the color red in their marketing and branding, but there doesn’t seem to be any other strategic move as the beta is currently open to anyone that can procure an invite. The service will cost $8 a month and give users access to thousands of titles to stream, including more mainstream and recent rental options for an added cost. For that price you’ll also be getting 4 DVD rental credits per month, so if you visit one of the 42,000+ kiosks frequently this isn’t a bad deal at all. Those able to get an invite right now will get the first month and four credits for free, so it’s the perfect opportunity to try out RedBox as a whole if you’re not sure what it’s all about. You can try your luck here or ask around if you’re interested. In related news, the RedBox Instant app has been updated in the Play Store. The good news is that the Nexus 10 is now supported, and the changelog also exclaims that the developers “squashed some bugs.” Unfortunately they didn’t squash the one issue holding many people back from using the service — the fact that rooted users are denied access. That stunt has earned the app a 1.5 star rating in the Play Store, and while most rooted folks can disable superuser in the SuperSU app it’s something we wish RedBox obliterated altogether. I digress, though — the fear of piracy will do that to a company. Download the app and give it a try if you have an invite and are either not rooted or can disable superuser access.

Pantech Perception for Verizon leaked Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:45 PM PST Pantech had a big announcement to make with AT&T earlier this week, but it looks like the OEM will have some noise to make with Verizon very soon, too. The latest leak delivers us our first look at the Pantech Perception, a phone which should attract quite a few eyes if suspicion of a sub-$100 price tag is accurate. Pantech’s device will employ a 720p display, Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and more. We’re quite certain you can expect 4G LTE radios inside this thing, and 1GB of RAM wouldn’t be far off the mark either. It’s tough to say what else to expect, though, so we won’t play the guessing game too much. The Pantech Marauder, Verizon’s current offering from the South Korean manufacturer, wasn’t too much of a looker, but Pantech has stepped its game up as of late and is looking to position its smartphones in a premium space without the typical premium price. It’s a great strategy to help break into a fierce North American market, but only time will tell if consumers respond the way Pantech expects. [via Unwired View]

NYC’s Southwest Chelsea neighborhood to be blanketed by free WiFi courtesy of Google Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:32 PM PST You may remember our prediction post back when the new year kicked off. One of those predictions was that Google would look to begin a network of free public WiFi in many areas of America. It was little more than wishful thinking — at least for the foresight of a quick beginning for this year — but Google just might be showing signs of such an initiative. The company has sort-of gotten started on a trek of free public WiFi as it will work with the Chelsea Improvement Company to provide service to residents of the Southwest Chelsea neighborhood in New York City. While Google’s motives might be a bit selfish — one of its offices is in that area — it’s still a start that could lead to some very exciting times in the future. Free WiFi is now available outdoors, roughly between Gansevoort St. and 19 St. from 8th Ave to the West Side Highway, as well as the neighborhood’s public spaces, including the Chelsea Triangle, 14th Street Park, and Gansevoort Plaza. To be honest we don’t expect a ton of other areas to get this same treatment even within the next five years, but the fact that Google wants to try it out with this relatively small neighborhood gives us hope for the popularity of public WiFi hotspots in the United States. Read on for the full press details. Southwest Chelsea to Become First WiFi Neighborhood in Manhattan Google Teams with Chelsea Improvement Company to provide neighborhood WiFi NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Google and The Chelsea Improvement Company have announced they have partnered to provide free public WiFi internet access in southwest Chelsea, which will provide free Internet access to hundreds of thousands of people each year. It will become the first wired neighborhood in Manhattan and the largest contiguous WiFi network in New York City. “We are excited to partner with Google in creating an important digital amenity in New York City and giving thousands of New Yorkers free Internet access” Free WiFi is now available outdoors, roughly between Gansevoort St. and 19 St. from 8th Ave to the West Side Highway, as well as the neighborhood’s public spaces, including the Chelsea Triangle, 14th Street Park, and Gansevoort Plaza. The Chelsea WiFi Network was designed and installed by Sky-Packets. The Mayor’s office and the City of New York’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications worked with Google and Chelsea Improvement Company to transform the two companies’ aspirations into a reality, advising them on installation. “Google is proud to provide free WiFi in the neighborhood we have called home for over 6 years. This network will not only be a resource for the 2000+ residents of the Fulton Houses, it will also serve the 5,000+ student population of Chelsea as well as the hundreds of workers, retail customers and tourists who visit our neighborhood every day,” said Ben Fried, Chief Information Officer for Google. The network will cover all of the outdoor areas of the Fulton Houses, a property owned and managed by the New York City Housing Authority, as well as several of the local public schools. “We are excited to partner with Google in creating an important digital amenity in New York City and giving thousands of New Yorkers free Internet access,” said Dan Biederman, President of the Chelsea Improvement Company. “Each day access to the Internet becomes more and more important to finding a good job or getting a good education, and this neighborhood-wide wireless network will provide that resource to hundreds of thousands,” said Schumer. “This cutting edge wireless network will help to cement New York’s reputation as a leader in technological development, will help the city continue to attract business and grow our booming Silicon Alley, and will take us one step closer to our goal of becoming the most well connected city in America.” “New York is determined to become the world’s leading digital city, and universal access to high-speed Internet is one the core building blocks of that vision,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Thanks to Google, free WiFi across this part of Chelsea takes us another step closer to that goal.” “I applaud this important collaboration between Google and the Chelsea Improvement Company to bring free public WiFi Internet access to residents, students, and visitors of southwest Chelsea,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “This public-private partnership benefits the local community while further cementing Google’s role as an important contributor to the future development of the area as a hub for the city’s technology industry. I also want to thank Mayor Bloomberg and everyone at the NYC Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications for working collaboratively to make this possible.” “Chelsea WiFi is a great new resource for our neighborhood. Hudson Guild will use the network as a teaching resource for kids, as a tool to connect older adults inside and outside the senior center and to stay in touch with working parents. This free Internet access will, literally, help Chelsea stay connected,” said Ken Jockers, Executive Director of the Hudson Guild.

Hands-on: ASUS Transformer AiO all-in-one PC/tablet running Windows 8 and Jelly Bean [VIDEO] Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:20 PM PST ASUS really has been gunning for the crown of “convertible king,” pumping out loads of devices with multiple functionality. I’m sure you’re all well acquainted with their work on the ASUS Transformer or Padfone 2, Android devices that can transform before your eyes to add increased functionality, different from your typical one trick pony. Unveiled many moons ago at Computex 2012 and making another appearance here at CES, the ASUS Transformer AiO is just such a device. Combining the functionality of a full fledged Windows 8 PC and an Android tablet, it sounds crazy, I know. Bt this is exactly what ASUS is best at. When docked, the Transformer AiO is fully functional Windows 8 PC, featuring an 18.4-inch 1080p full HD capacitive IPS display, coming in either Core i5 or i7 configurations, up to 8GB of RAM, a plethora of ports, and an optical drive. For the Android fan, the display can be switched to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on the fly by the press of a button, or when completely removing it from its dock (essentially the Windows guts of the device). A pull-out stand on the back of the display/tablet allows you to position it at an optimal viewing angle on a table, or it can simply lay flat in your lap making it the world’s largest Android tab. The display packs an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and 1GB of RAM and in our brief hands-on with the display, was much lighter than expected from a tab this large. In fact, it’s a good thing there wasn’t a camera on the back, otherwise we’d most likely see a whole of unnecessary bathroom selfies with this thing. The keyboard was also built with Android in mind, featuring keys for “Home” and so forth. The mouse was a joy to use, with a small touch pad wheel for quickly scrolling/swiping between homescreens, complete with haptic feedback. You can see the ASUS Transformer AiO in an action for yourself via our video below. The ASUS rep we spoke with told us to expect the Transformer AiO to arrive around March in the US for around $1,200. ASUS also adds that Windows 8 desktop streaming to the display-only portion of the device will hopefully arrive in time for its launch. “How big is too big” discussions aside, any of our readers thinking they might make this their next desktop PC/tablet? Seems ASUS may have finally solved the dilemma of Android fans looking for an Android desktop, but not wanting to sacrifice the functionality of a full desktop OS for a mobile one.

Lenovo unveils 5.5-inch Intel-powered K900 Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:40 PM PST Lenovo hasn’t been very active in the Android scene, but the company is ready to start anew with Intel by its side. Lenovo has announced the K900, an Intel-powered smartphone with some very interesting specs to behold. For starters, this thing is on the “phablet” side of the spectrum with its 5.5 inch 1080p display. That nice piece of tech is covered by a nice piece of glass, of course, with Gorilla Glass 2 protecting it. Under the hood will be Intel’s Clover Trail+ chipset, and aside from sounding like a bag of trail mix it’s a dual-core 32nm SoC. Couple that with 2GB of RAM and we’d say Lenovo has our attention. The device comes in at just 6.9mm thin, and also features a stunning 13 megapixel camera with a maximum aperture of f/1.8. Unfortunately Lenovo won’t be bringing this beast to part in Europe or North America, but those in China and other select markets will be able to get in on the fun once Lenovo ships starting in April. We long for the day Lenovo finally attempts to go global, but it looks like you’ll have to look toward your options for importing it more than anything. Read on for full press details. Latest Lenovo Smartphone Pushes Design Boundaries Top-end device packs premium performance into slimmest profile in class LAS VEGAS – January 9, 2013: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show its latest flagship smartphone, the K900, a premium smartphone with a super-slim profile whose look and feel make it a must-have for those who will see and be seen with their smartphones. A unique blend of design and performance, the K900 sports a 5.5-inch IPS screen, one of the best camera arrays available in class and a super slim 6.9mm profile, all running on an Intel® Atom processor. "With the K900, our team has broken down the key functions of the smartphone and redesigned them from the ground up," said Liu Jun, president, Mobile Internet Digital Home, and senior vice president, Lenovo. "Rather than focus on specifications that look good on a datasheet, we've zeroed in on what consumers want and proved that for smartphone users, top performance doesn't require a thick profile. The K900 is a game-changer that looks as good as it performs." Design As smartphones have become ubiquitous, customer demands on "top-of-the-line" devices have increased, with design and usability growing in importance. The K900 resets the bar on these aspects. At 6.9mm, the K900 is the thinnest phone in its class by a wide margin and weighs in at a mere 162g (5.7 ounces), making it a device that unobtrusively slips into a jacket pocket or handbag. Made from a composite of stainless steel alloy and polycarbonate in a Unibody mold, the K900 manages to stay strong and look sharp while maintaining its slim profile. The material alone is not the only aspect that has allowed Lenovo to achieve a design milestone with the K900. The rear camera array is optimized for size with a new sensor and layout that does not protrude from the case, leaving a clean, smooth rear face that doesn't snag on clothing. The design team tweaked the PCB and battery layout to reduce the space used by internal components. And the K900 is topped off by a unique "stripe" ID language that reinforces the thin body and integrates the external components. While the K900 is certainly sleek, it does not ignore the emerging trend toward larger and clearer displays on smartphones. The K900 is one of the first smartphones in the world to combine a 5.5-inch IPS display with 1080p full high-definition resolution performance at 400+ pixels-per-inch, all under the latest, touch-capacitive Gorilla Glass 2. This gives the K900 supreme clarity and crispness along with plenty of space to capture the nuances of high-definition photos and video, as well as for viewing standard-size web pages. Performance Amazingly for such a sleek package, the K900 does not skimp on performance. Centered on the forthcoming Intel® Atom processor platform for smartphones, the K900 is very responsive, especially for key functions such as web-browsing and application-loading. Although Intel® has yet to release complete specifications for the new chipset, Lenovo has clearly maximized the opportunity to be the first to market with the new generation platform. The K900's camera stands out as one of the smartphone's most distinguished features. As with other functions on the K900, Lenovo has overhauled the camera completely, and delivered a package that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Megapixels is the first specification that many users recognize for digital cameras, and with 13MP, the K900 ranks at the top of its class in this aspect and combines this with an industry-leading, Sony® Exmor BSI sensor for what would already be considered outstanding performance. With the K900, though, the Lenovo engineering team has gone even further. Recognizing that customers often need to take clear, flash-less photos in low-light, Lenovo has equipped the K900 with an F1.8 focal length lens, making it the first smartphone to offer such a wide aperture on its camera. Combined with its other specifications, the K900 is now a legitimate stand-in for a digital camera in a smartphone. In addition to these improvements to the rear camera, the front camera has also been widened to an 88? viewing angle, the widest available on a smartphone front camera for convenient self-photos and video calls. Pricing and Availability1 The K900 smartphone will be available from April in China and in select regional markets soon thereafter. Pricing for the K900 will be announced at a later date. For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US30 billion personal technology company – and one of the top two PC makers globally, serving customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo's business is built on product innovation, a highly efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the IBM Personal Computing Division, the Company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, see www.lenovo.com.

Samsung announces Exynos5 octa-core chipset Posted: 09 Jan 2013 11:04 AM PST NVIDIA had its moment to shine earlier in the week, and Qualcomm had its own announcements to make for 2013. Now, Samsung’s looking to turn things up a notch with its own Exynos series of chipsets. Samsung has announced the Exynos5, an octa-core chipset that makes use of some pretty interesting techniques to provide optimal battery life while delivering best-in-class performance. The chipset features two quad-core SoCs, with one being an ARM Cortex-A15 based implementation clocked at 1.8GHz, while the other is an ARM Cortex-A7 implementation at 1.2GHz. The former will be used for the usual CPU-intensive tasks such as gaming, web browsing, HD video playback and more. If you aren’t doing these things then the phone will favor the weaker (but still powerful), more battery friendly set of cores. The initial product will come in a 28nm flavor, but Samsung is continuing to work to bring that down to 20, 14, and then 10nm over time. With 70% battery savings over the Exynos 4 chipset this thing should scream while providing extremely long battery life at the same time. Imagine a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with a 3,300-3,500mAh battery coupled with this chipset — I’m already watering at the mouth. Of course, phones and tablets aren’t the only things Samsung will look to stuff these things into. Samsung is also starting to use Exynos5 inside its line of netbooks, including the already-available ChromeBook. We’re not sure when or if Samsung will use this particular chipset in a netbook anytime soon, but it certainly is a possibility. The technology is called “big.LITTLE,” a cute play on what you might use to call a Java package or method in an Android app. Big, little, or anything in between — we don’t care what it’s called, we just want to see it in phones at some point this year.

Panasonic announces 7 inch Toughpad Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:05 AM PST Panasonic looks to be continuing its Toughpad line as the electronics manufacturer has unveiled a new 7 inch device for those looking for a rugged beast. It’s the JT-B1, and the tablet brings military-grade toughness in a decently specced package. You can look forward to the aforementioned 7-inch display with 1024×600 resolution, a TI OMAP 4460 dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 13 megapixel HD camera on the back with a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front, a 5,720mAh battery, Bluetooth 4, optional 4G LTE/3G radios, and more. You can expect Ice Cream Sandwich for the time being, though there’s a strong possibility we’ll see Jelly Bean in one form or another at some point down the line. These devices aren’t sleek and pretty in the least bit, but you probably won’t find a tablet as good as this with natural protection as good as this anywhere else. The Toughpad is designed to withstand drops, spills, heat, cold, dust and more. Panasonic is speaking more to the business and field work crowd with this one, citing many different use cases including inventory control, eForms, field sales, field service, route delivery, eCitations, electronic medical records, inspections, mobile point-of-sales and GIS. We’d be surprised to see a typical user ask for one of these for Christmas or a birthday, but if this is something that interests you then you’ll be happy to know that it’ll be available starting in February. What won’t please you as much is its price — $1,200 is all. For the specs you get it hardly seems worth it, but the materials and engineering process used to make such a durable device might justify that for some. Read on for full press details. PANASONIC EXPANDS TOUGHPAD™ ENTERPRISE-GRADE TABLET LINE Ten-inch Windows 8 Pro-based and Seven-inch Android™-powered Tablets offer Choice to Meet Expanding Business Tablet Expectations Las Vegas, NV, January 9, 2013 – Panasonic, an industry leader in rugged, reliable mobile computers since 1996, today expanded its Toughpad™ line of enterprise-grade tablets with the introduction of the Toughpad™ FZ-G1, a 10" tablet featuring Windows® 8 Pro, and the availability of the Toughpad JT-B1, a 7" Android™-powered unit. Both devices follow the original 10" Android-powered Toughpad FZ-A1 which became broadly available late last year. With the Toughpad (#Toughpad) family of ruggedized tablets, businesses and government institutions have a single partner delivering a selection of highly reliable and purpose-built devices ideal for numerous operational needs. "For nearly 20 years, Panasonic has engineered the most reliable mobile computing devices on the market," said Rance M. Poehler, president, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. "Because our customers know they can count on our products to deliver performance and return on investment, Panasonic – through its Toughbook brand – holds nearly 80 percent market share in the rugged mobile device space. We believe our engineering acumen, vertical market expertise and reputation for reliability, backed by our world-class service, will result in the Toughpad family being the leading B2B tablet solution in the coming years." Hide Harada, Director, IT Products Business Unit added, "The goal for Panasonic is to achieve 50% market share in the ruggedized tablet space by 2015." Toughpad tablets are designed for mission-critical and highly mobile workers in fields such as the military, construction, healthcare, public safety, utilities, retail, maintenance, supply chain logistics and insurance. The devices are ideal for a host of usage scenarios, including inventory control, eForms, field sales, field service, route delivery, eCitations, electronic medical records, inspections, mobile point-of-sales and GIS. Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1: Key Features Operating System: Windows 8 Pro Processor: 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3437U vPro™ 1.9GHz up to 2.9GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology Memory: 128-256GB SSD, 4-8GB RAM, optional micro SDXC Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 4' drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range) Display: 10.1", sunlight viewable, touch screen and active digitizer, 800nit, WUXGA (1920×1200) Battery: 8.0 hours (user-replaceable) Dimensions: 10.6" x 7.4" x 0.75" Weight: 2.43lbs Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE or 3G I/O: Full size USB 3.0, HDMI, optional micro SDXC, Full size USB 2.0, wired LAN, true serial port or dedicated GPS. Panasonic Toughpad JT-B1: Key Features Operating System: Android 4.0 Processor: TI OMAP4460 1.5GHz Dual core Memory: 16GB ROM, 1GB RAM, micro SDHC Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 5' drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range) Display: 7", daylight viewable, 500nit, WSVGA (1024 x 600) Camera: Front: 1.3Mp fixed focus, Rear: 13.0Mp auto focus w/ LED light Battery: 8.0 hours – Large 5,720mAh battery (user-replaceable) Dimensions: 8.7"x 5.1" x 0.7" Weight: 1.2lbs Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE + 3G I/O: Micro USB Toughpad tablets are MIL-STD-810G tested for drops, fluid ingress and temperature, to assure they deliver reliable performance under circumstances that render typical tablets non-operational. Devices feature daylight viewable screens, user-replaceable or serviceable batteries, a stylus for signature capture and handwriting (on the FZ-G1 and FZ-A1 with 3rd party apps), and multiple options for peripheral connectivity. "Our Toughpad tablets were designed based on years of input from customers," continued Poehler. "This customer feedback is a critical part of the development process and will continue to shape Toughbook and Toughpad devices in the future. The wide variety of devices in the Toughbook and Toughpad families is a clear indication that we build products to meet our customers' needs." Enterprise-class mobile computing requires an enhanced level of device security and the Toughpad family is designed with this in mind. Security features like encryption, IPsec VPN, trusted boot, root protection and FIPS compliance are available in various configurations of the Toughpad FZ-A1 and Toughpad JT-B1. Compatibility with world-class Mobile device management (MDM) tools are also available to allow IT managers to manage applications, secure devices from unauthorized use and perform many other tasks. Toughpad tablets are supported by an ecosystem that includes an enterprise-focused app store, developer tools and deployment support. Panasonic will offer a full set of professional-grade accessories to support the Toughpad line, including cases, mounts, printers, keyboards, magnetic stripe readers, smart card readers and multi-unit storage and charging solutions. Pricing and Availability The 10" Windows 8 Pro-based Toughpad FZ-G1 will be available in March starting at $2,899. The 7" Android-powered Toughpad JT-B1 will ship in February starting at $1,199. The 10" Android-powered Toughpad™ FZ-A1 is now shipping, starting at $1,299. All Toughpad tablets can be purchased through authorized Panasonic resellers. Toughpad FZ-A1 LTE Certification Powered by Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), the 10" Toughpad FZ-A1 is now certified on the Verizon Wireless 4G/LTE network. All products in the Toughpad family come standard with the industry’s most comprehensive 3-year warranty. Sales inquiries for Panasonic's Toughpad family of tablets should be directed to sales.psc@us.panasonic.com or 877-803-8492. For more information on the Toughpad family of tablets and detailed device specifications, go to http://www.PanasonicToughpad.com. Follow the Toughpad™ Brand (#Toughpad): The Panasonic Toughpad brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and our blog, Panasonic for Business. Panasonic Solutions for Business Built on a celebrated engineering foundation, Panasonic architects business technology solutions that help build a better world. Customers in government, healthcare, production, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises, large and small, depend on integrated solutions from Panasonic to help them acquire, manage and interpret the information that drives innovation. The complete suite of Panasonic solutions addresses unified business communications, mobile computing, security and surveillance, retail point-of-sale, office productivity, high definition visual conferencing, visual communications (professional projectors, displays, digital signage) and HD and 3D video production. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic engineers reliable and long-lasting solutions as a partner for continuous improvement. Panasonic solutions for business are delivered by Panasonic System Communications Company of North America, which is a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic solutions for business can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/business-solutions. About Panasonic Corporation of North America Based in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North America provides a broad line of digital and other electronics products and services for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic is committed to becoming the electronics industry’s leader in green innovation by its one-hundredth anniversary in 2018. In the 2012 Interbrand Annual Best Global Green Brands ranking, the Panasonic brand jumped four spots to number six: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/Best-Global-Green-Brands/2012-Report.aspx. As part of its continuing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, Panasonic Corporation of North America will relocate its operations to a new eco-efficient office tower adjacent to a mass transit hub in Newark, NJ in 2013. Information about Panasonic Eco Ideas initiatives is available at http://panasonic.net/eco/ecoideas. Information about Panasonic and its products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is also available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

Missed NVIDIA’s CES presser? Watch it online here [VIDEO] Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:21 AM PST NVIDIA put on quite the exciting show in Las Vegas at CES, but many of you might not have been in attendance or online to see it live. Well, here’s your chance as the full video has been put up for everyone to watch on Twitch.tv. You’ll want to carve out an hour or two (or maybe close to three) as this is one long video, but it’s worth watching every bit. NVIDIA shows off its new powerful Tegra 4 chipset, and unveils the handheld gaming experience that it hopes will shake the game up a bit — project SHIELD. Don’t fret if you don’t have the time, though, as you can find more details regarding Tegra 4 here and project SHIELD here, as well as our eyes-on look at the latter right here. We’ll also be getting our hands-on with SHIELD later on today so stay tuned for even more juicy coverage from the NVIDIA booth at CES. Grab yourself some popcorn, sit back and hit the play button above if you don’t have much better to do.

MIUI downloaded over 10 million times; help donate to charity by downloading a theme Posted: 09 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST In the world of custom ROMs there are a few names that stand out. CyanogenMod is the biggest, of course, with millions upon millions of downloads gracing handsets ever since the original G1. Many popular names have sprouted since then, including AOKP. One unique ROM has taken the after-market world by storm, though, and I think you all know it as MIUI. The ROM — which is a heavily customized version of Android — has been downloaded over 10 million times to date. MIUI changes the Android experience so much that you might not recognize it at first glance. It’s not for everyone, but the ROM is very beautiful, stable and usable, and it has obviously made quite a few people happy. MIUI has reached this milestone over a course of 850 days and nights, 957,981+ forum posts, 80 senior engineers and 188 weekly updates to the ROM. With today’s milestone news the group has announced a new initiative to help donate money to the Beijing-based Smile Angel Foundation. The charity was founded in 2006 to help children who are born with severe cleft deformations. You can help these good people out by simply downloading a ROM called MIUILove. For every download, .1 RMB will be donated by the MIUI team. There have been 40,106 downloads of the theme as of the time of this writing, which means roughly $645 has been raised thus far. That’s not a ton when you think about the number of downloads, but any amount is quite nice. The theme features hues of pink and has little hearts scattered throughout. Most males might not “love” it as much as females, but give it a download anyway just to support the cause. Be sure to see if MIUI is available for your device, and give it a try if you like what you see.

Verizon 4G LTE covering 89% of carrier’s 3G footprint, on pace to meet year-end goal of complete coverage Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:49 AM PST Much like T-Mobile did this week, Verizon took the CES as an opportunity to give us an update on its 4G LTE status. Big Red reminds us that it currently deploys the world’s largest commercial 4G LTE network, with 473 markets and 273.5 million “potential customers” (meaning those living in America) covered. The company’s original goal was to get its entire 3G footprint covered by the end of 2013, and it looks like there will be no issues reaching that goal. Verizon says close to 89% of its 3G footprint is covered by the super fast data speeds. By mid-year, almost all of Verizon’s 3G footprint will be covered, and the entire 3G footprint will be covered by year’s end. Verizon has been ruthless in its rollout plans, outpacing its biggest competitors — AT&T and Sprint — at a very impressive rate. Verizon had a nice head start, of course, but its rollouts have remained steady and numerous even through today. It’s hard to find a major market without the carrier’s premium signal beaming down, and you’d be surprised how many smaller markets are currently enjoying LTE service. It’s worthy to note that Sprint expects most of its 3G footprint to be covered by LTE by the end of this year, as well as AT&T. The difference is that neither of them promised to be completely finished, and that’s something Verizon can take into this year with its head held high. Read on for full details. When it comes to wireless service, coverage and speed count. Customers can get the most out of the latest 4G LTE smartphones and tablets when they are used over a pervasive and speedy 4G LTEnetwork. So it matters that, as 2013 begins, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is now available in 473 marketsand extends to 273.5 million potential customers. Already the largest commercial 4G LTE network in the world, the Verizon Wireless network continues to expand. Currently covering close to 89 percent of its U.S. footprint, by mid-year 4G LTE will be available in nearly every US market currently served by the company's 3G data service. And by year's end, the Verizon 4G LTE footprint will completely cover the area served today by its 3G network. With the wide availability of 4G LTE, companies can use M2M solutions to make their businesses more efficient and secure, while consumers can use 4G LTE devices to interact with friends, family and brands through mobile video and online gaming. It also means more people across the country can take advantage of 4G LTE's speed and coverage to access new and exciting services, including the in-home solution HomeFusion Broadband. Fueled by expanding 4G LTE coverage, eMarketer predicts that more than 73 million people will watch mobile video in 2013, a 20 percent increase from 2012. And when a business invests in a Machine-to-Machine, online collaboration or mobile payment solution, it has more potential return on that investment with more deployment options in more parts of the country. This year, the company also will continue to work with rural communications companies through LTE in Rural America, helping them to build and operate a 4G LTE network in their areas. As we move forward in 2013 with the expansion of our 4G LTE network, we will continue seeing innovative products and solutions that reshape communications in many areas, ranging from business to education to healthcare.

T-Mobile announces HD voice, will release a new edition of the Galaxy S3 with dormant LTE radios for now Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:56 AM PST T-Mobile held its CES press conference last night and revealed some very good network-related news. We all know its LTE rollout will begin this year, but details were scarce. We weren’t even sure which devices would be coming to take advantage of the new speedy network, but T-Mobile put the first of those questions to rest by announcing that the Samsung Galaxy S3 would get a relaunch sometime soon. The new SKU will apparently launch before the network goes live with the LTE radios disabled, but once the towers are up and delivering the juice T-Mobile will issue a software upgrade to enable them. Those who bought the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 may not need a new phone, though, as that phone did come with the dormant LTE radios during its first run. We imagine T-Mobile will issue a similar software upgrade for it. In related news, T-Mobile has announced its HD Voice service will launch today, delivering crystal clear calls between compatible parties. The catch is that both participants must have an HD Voice device in order for it work, and those include the Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One S and the Nokia Astound. In addition to that, T-Mobile announced a $4 billion plan for enhancing its network for hundreds of millions of people. The company will launch 4G (HSPA+ for now, we presume) on the 1900MHz spectrum soon, and has added new coverage to metro markets of Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego and Virginia Beach. 46 metro cities in all will get the enhancements, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas and more. Finally, T-Mobile announced unlimited nationwide 4G would be available with no annual contract starting today. It’s always a good sign when a carrier adds unlimited data services instead of going the popular route of trying to kill it wherever it can. Oh, and T-Mobile and Major League Baseball have entered a partnership to make T-Mobile the official wireless partner of America’s favorite pastime, so don’t be surprised to see quite a few Carly ads between innings.

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