Android Community |
- HP Slate 7 arrives as potential Nexus 7 competition
- Google Glass detailed specs reveal Android 4.0, OMAP dual-core and 1GB RAM
- Samsung GALAXY S 4 “Active” expected in July
- Google Play Store getting another update to v4.0.27 [Download]
- AirDroid 2 exits beta with device management from a desktop browser
- Kyocera Elite leaks as another Verizon lowball
- Kindle for Android update brings Fire-like carousel display
- Wavii news summarization app acquired by Google
- AT&T Digital Life home automation system launches in select markets
- Android powered notebooks will bring lower prices, says Intel
- Samsung Q1 2013 financials show net profit increase
- IDC: Q1 2013 marks first time smartphones out ship feature phones
- Earbits independent music discovery app hits Android
- Google tweaks Play store policies blocking external app updates
- AVG AntiVirus Free for Android passes 70 million downloads
- Snapdragon 800 mass production begins in May
- Google X with Android 5.0.1 spotted in benchmark results
- Google Glass predicted to ship by the millions
- Samsung GALAXY S 4 Octa-core hits Korea shelves tomorrow
- NYC adds cell and WiFi service to 36 more Subway stations
| HP Slate 7 arrives as potential Nexus 7 competition Posted: 26 Apr 2013 11:25 AM PDT With just a few days to spare in April, HP has officially launched the Slate 7 tablet for those in the US market. Given HP had been pretty forthcoming in terms of details, this launch comes with little in terms of surprise. Basically, that is to say the 7-inch Jelly Bean tablet is now available and sitting priced at $169.99.
Sticking with the topic of price, this will likely bring a question as to whether one should go with a Slate 7 or Nexus 7. Ultimately you will have to decide that for yourself, however we can say that the Nexus 7 is currently selling for $199.99, which as you can likely see — is just $30 more. Lets take a look at the specs for each beginning first with the Slate 7. This tablet is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a 7-inch (1024 x 600) display, dual-core 1.6GHz ARM A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, VGA quality front-facing camera and a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera. The Slate 7 also has a microSD card slot and Beats Audio. Shifting over to the Nexus 7 and we have a tablet that is also sporting a 7-inch display, except this one is at 1280 x 800. The Nexus 7 is powered by a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Basically, the Nexus 7 does not have the rear-facing camera or microSD card slot, but on the flip side it does have double the amount of internal storage space. Bottom line here, while both tablets will likely be more than capable for everyday use, the decision will come down to whether you feel the higher-resolution display, faster processor and extra storage would be worth the $30 premium. [via HP] Device Info
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Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
 Cellular Network Device Connectivity
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| Google Glass detailed specs reveal Android 4.0, OMAP dual-core and 1GB RAM Posted: 26 Apr 2013 11:09 AM PDT Google Glass has been getting a lot of attention lately, and with good reason. The folks from Google have been releasing updates and details on a constant basis, and we’ll only get more as their Google I/O developer event approaches. Earlier this month Google confirmed Glass’ specs, but we’re getting an even more detailed rundown now that they are in the hands of developers.
A few weeks ago Google confirmed 16GB of onboard storage, a 5 megapixel camera with 720p video capture, and that the display read like a 25-inch HD TV from 8-feet away. Now that Google Glass is shipping to developers as we speak, we’ve learned more about the internals. We’re getting detailed from a Google Glass Foundry developer +JayLee over on Google+. Just as Larry Page said before, Glass is currently running on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. No Jelly Bean here. Then going further into the details Google Glass isn’t top-end hardware, which was expected considering how little of room they are working with. Glass rocks a dual-core 1-1.2 GHz OMAP 4430 dual-core processor, like the original Kindle Fire and DROID Bionic. The Galaxy Nexus is a 4460, just as a comparison. Most likely Glass is using the same 5 megapixel camera from the Galaxy Nexus, and according to this developers breakdown that dual-core OMAP processor has 1GB of RAM, but only 682 MB of it is available at any given time and the rest is being used up. It is interesting that we only have Android 4.0.4 ICS here, yet Google Now pieces all over Glass, but surely they have their reasons. We’ll be finding out plenty regarding Google Glass for the next few weeks so stick around! |
| Samsung GALAXY S 4 “Active” expected in July Posted: 26 Apr 2013 10:51 AM PDT This isn’t the first time we have heard about the possibility of a rugged-designed GALAXY S 4 from Samsung. As of today though, it looks like some details have been revealed in terms of what the handset will be called and when it is expected to come available. In addition to the talk of a rugged GALAXY S 4, it also looks like Samsung will be releasing an 8-inch Galaxy tablet this summer.
Keep in mind, we have yet to see an official announcement from Samsung. Instead what we have is coming by way of a recent WSJ report citing the always popular, people familiar with the matter. With the standard warning out of the way, lets get into the details. The GALAXY S 4 is expected to be waterproof and dustproof and is “tentatively” being called the GALAXY S 4 Active. This Active model is expected in July. For those worried about what may happen to the looks of the GALAXY S 4 if it gets a rugged makeover — it seems Samsung is taking that into consideration. That same source has said Samsung is attempting to keep the same look and feel as the current model GALAXY S 4. While it seems a vast majority of the rugged smartphones are bigger and bulkier as compared to their non-rugged counterparts, we can only hope Samsung is able to do that and still keep the looks of the regular GALAXY S 4. Moving away from the GALAXY S 4 Active and into an often discussed topic, it looks like Samsung will be releasing the newest addition to the Galaxy line of tablets in June. This report didn’t offer much on the new tablet, however it was said that it will be an 8-inch model and it will be joining the existing 7- and 10.1-inch models. So how about it; Is anyone interested in a rugged GALAXY S 4? And if so, is this brief mention enough to convince you to hold off on a purchase of the current model? [via WSJ] |
| Google Play Store getting another update to v4.0.27 [Download] Posted: 26 Apr 2013 10:25 AM PDT The folks up in Mountain View at Google HQ have been on a roll lately when it comes to Play Store updates, as we’ve received three in the past few weeks. For those keeping track we received an all-new and completely redesigned Play Store earlier this month and now we’re getting a few minor updates, but so far it doesn’t appear that they’ve changed anything significant.
Back on April 9th Google rolled out a brand new and completely different Play Store, then last week multiple users were updated from 4.0.25 to a minor .26, and this afternoon it appears that Google’s pushing another bug fixing update out for their storefront. I jumped straight to 4.0.27 myself, and so far there appears to be absolutely zero changes up top. Most likely these are bug fixes and things behind the scenes, because we aren’t seeing any changes on our end. We have heard a few users claim 4.0.27 added some elements that could enable a light/dark theme option in the future, but we haven’t heard anything further on that yet. So we’ll check it out and report back. However, back a few weeks ago we posted plenty of details for those wanting a Black Google Play Store. According to Android Police Google made a few very small changes to translations and such with this release, but they didn’t find anything else either. So this is nothing special. Should you want the latest and greatest Play Store get it from the download link below and just install over the current store, or hang tight as yours should update automatically soon enough. Play Store v4.0.27 download |
| AirDroid 2 exits beta with device management from a desktop browser Posted: 26 Apr 2013 10:07 AM PDT AirDroid is an Android app that allows you to manage your smartphone using a regular desktop browser. Using the app will allow you to do things such as transfer files, however it also has some slightly more interesting features such as being able to send and receive SMS messages from that same desktop browser. That said, the folks at Sand Studio have recently rolled out the latest update for AirDroid, which has landed in the Google Play Store as version 2.0.
This Play Store release comes after several months of beta testing. If you remember back, we mentioned AirDroid 2 back in mid-January. At the time we were generally pleased with the features and performance, however things somehow feel a bit better now that the beta tag has been dropped. AirDroid 2 comes along with what was described as “many” bug fixes, however there are also quite a bit of new features. To begin with, AirDroid 2 will allow you to remotely find/track your device. You can also use the app to lock or wipe the data. There were some improvements to the SMS, Photo and File experience as well as the addition of remote camera support and the ability to see call notifications and even initiate a new call (from a desktop browser) on your device. And as if that was not enough already, there are two additional perks that have come along with the v2.0 update. AirDroid no longer requires the computer and device to be on the same network. Sand Studio describe this as being “same-network-free” however what it comes down to, is that same network requirement was dropped and the connection is now being handled using an AirDroid account. Finally, that remaining new feature is being able to sign in on the web and have AirDroid automatically launch on your device. Again, this is using the an AirDroid account. With that, AirDroid 2 can be found by way of the Google Play Store using this link. |
| Kyocera Elite leaks as another Verizon lowball Posted: 26 Apr 2013 09:53 AM PDT Today we’ve received info about another smartphone headed to Verizon Wireless in the coming weeks or months. Thanks to the popular leakster @evleaks, we are getting our first glance at the upcoming Kyocera Elite with Verizon 4G LTE. Yea, another Kyocera phone on Verizon. This is just one of many cheap feature phone type devices they’ve released lately too.
The name Elite makes this sound like a pretty impressive smartphone, but just like the Samsung Galaxy Grand it won’t be anything special. Lately I feel like I’ve been taking crazy pills, or someone from Verizon has at least. Skipping on flagship devices like the HTC One, being dead last to release the GALAXY S 4, yet dropping all of these cheap, budget friendly, junk smartphones. I guess having the largest subscriber base in the U.S. helps. Not everyone wants a top-tier smartphone for $199 according to Verizon, because they appear to be the next Cricket and are focusing all their efforts on the mid-range offerings. Between this Kyocera Elite and the Kyocera Torque, LG’s budget Lucid 2, and of course that Ice Cream Sandwich powered Pantech Perception. Maybe this is the calm before the storm and this summer we’ll get a new Motorola DROID, the X-Phone, and hopefully the HTC One makes its way to big red too. For now we have no details on the leaked device above, the Kyocera Torque, but most likely it will be about 4.5-inches and have mid-range specs at best, coming in around $79 or $99 on contract. That’s just a guess. At least it appears to have Android 4.1 Jelly Bean – so that’s a plus. And then there’s also the Kyocera XTRM headed to US Cellular. We’ll update when we know more on either device. |
| Kindle for Android update brings Fire-like carousel display Posted: 26 Apr 2013 09:14 AM PDT The latest Kindle for Android app update has come available by way of the Google Play Store. This update has brought the app up to version 4.0.1.3, but perhaps more important than a the new number — the changes and new features that have been added. This is one of those changes that you will notice immediately upon launch. Just to begin with, Kindle for Android is now sporting a carousel display.
The carousel display will be familiar for many, especially for those with a Kindle Fire. That said, the carousel display really just amounts to a new way to scroll through your Kindle content. Jumping in from the initial launch of the app and you have the items available from your library sitting on the top as well as options to quickly access either the current best sellers or editor’s picks sitting below. Of course, the quick access to the Kindle Store remains. Shifting over to the updated navigation panel, this can be access by using the three line icon towards the top left. The navigation panel provides quick access to things such as all items in your Kindle library as well as those that are only on your device. This panel also has options to filter by books, docs and newsstand as well as links to the Kindle Store, your settings, info and more. This update also took care of some bugs, notably one that was causing the app to crash. New look and features aside, the one item that has remained the same is the way the books appear when you are reading. Basically, that is to say aside from the different looks upon launch, once you settle in with your book (or magazine or newspaper), things will feel comfortable and familiar once again. Those looking for the Kindle Android app can find it using this Google Play Store link. |
| Wavii news summarization app acquired by Google Posted: 26 Apr 2013 08:39 AM PDT Google has announced their acquisition of Wavii. With that in mind, it is understandable if some Android users are wondering exactly what Wavii is. After all, this was an app that was available only for those rocking an iOS device. Or maybe more accurately, some may be wondering what Wavii was.
Keeping with that train of thought, Google has announced the acquisition and Wavii has announced the shutdown. So, a former iOS only app being purchased by Google — what does this have to do with Android? Well, Wavii was a news summarization app, however according to details coming from the former Wavii team, they will be continuing their natural language research at Google. The plans have yet to be fully detailed, however Wavii has said they will be doing so “in ways that may be useful to millions of people around the world.” According to a Zacks report, the Wavii team will be heading to the Knowledge Graph division within Google. The interesting part and the part that brings some potential hope for the Android side is where Wavii almost went. It seems they were once in talks with Apple. Apple reportedly wanted to use Wavii, or at least some of the technology from Wavii to help improve Siri. Maybe we will see Google work something in with Google Now. Aside from some simple speculation, this can also compared to the recent Yahoo! acquisition of Summly, which was also a news summarization app. [via Zacks] |
| AT&T Digital Life home automation system launches in select markets Posted: 26 Apr 2013 08:02 AM PDT AT&T has officially launched their Digital Life home management and automation system today. This initial launch will bring support for select markets and with features that touch on everything from security to remote access. The Digital Life setup will allow users to do things such as remotely unlock a door, turn on a light and adjust the thermostat from their Android running smartphone or tablet.
Of course, we should make it clear, this is not something supported only on Android. In fact, AT&T also has apps for other mobile platforms as well as access available directly from the web. First thing first though, for now the AT&T Digital Life system is available for those in Atlanta, Austin, Boulder, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Riverside, San Francisco, Seattle and St. Louis as well as select areas of the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area. The Digital Life system is broken down into a few packages. You have the Simple Security and the Smart Security options. The difference here being how much equipment you get and what the monthly cost will be. The Simple Security option is $29.99 per month with an upfront cost of $149.99 and includes 24/7 home monitoring and a 24-hour backup battery as well as a wireless keypad, keychain remote, sensors and an indoor siren. The Smart Security option is $39.99 per month with an upfront cost of $249.99. This package includes the items from the Simple Security option as well as your choice of three items from the following; motion sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, glass break sensor, smoke sensor or takeover kit. In addition, the Digital Life system also has the option to further upgrade. In this case there are packages that deal with camera, energy, water detection, water control and door access. For those interesting but not in one of those select markets, AT&T has said they plan to have Digital Life available in “up to” 50 markets by years end. Bottom line here, AT&T is now in the home management and automation space with what appears to be a relatively powerful looking consumer setup. [via AT&T] |
| Android powered notebooks will bring lower prices, says Intel Posted: 26 Apr 2013 07:39 AM PDT Recent insider speculation was talking about how we may begin seeing some Android powered notebooks coming available. That report spoke about how Lenovo is expected to have an 11-inch Yoga notebook running Android available in May and even went on to talk a bit about how Intel has been promoting an Android powered convertible notebook. Well, as of now it looks like we have a bit of detail regarding potential price points.
Diving right in there, it is looking like we may be seeing some record low pricing. Coming by way of statements from Intel executive Dadi Perlmutter, he believes notebooks that are powered by an Intel Atom mobile processor and running Android could drop to around $200. Putting some of these details together and it almost sounds like a netbook. We suspect many remember those. On the flip side, we also think many would like to forget the netbook. They were smaller in size as compared to a regular notebook and they were often underpowered as compared to a regular notebook. Looking at some of the earlier Eee PC models and we saw netbooks that often ran software that wasn’t Windows. The good part about the netbooks was the price. The problem here though, despite the lower price, users often still missed the power of a regular and often wanted something more like what they were used to using in terms of software. While Android is wonderful on a smartphone or tablet, it has yet to really prove itself on a full-fledged notebook. That is not to say an Android powered notebook at $200 would not be interesting to see, but we remain skeptical — not only in terms of when we will see these come to market, but also as to how well received they will be by the average user. [via CNET] |
| Samsung Q1 2013 financials show net profit increase Posted: 26 Apr 2013 07:11 AM PDT With the GALAXY S 4 launch still in the process for Samsung, their latest quarterly report is showing an increase in net profit, which likley comes as a result of an increase in smartphone sales. Of course, thanks to the latest IDC report we were already given a bit of a teaser in terms of where Samsung stands in the smartphone market.
That said, according to Strategy Analytics, Samsung smartphone shipments are closing in at nearly 70 million units. This, aside from being almost double what the iPhone sold, is an increase of 56 percent for Samsung. As a result, Samsung’s net income increased 42 percent as compared to the previous year. This accounts for a net income of 7.15 trillion won (roughly $6.4 billion). Breaking these numbers down a bit further and we see Samsung as having total sales of 52.87 trillion won, a gross profit of 21.49 trillion won and an operating profit of 8.78 trillion won. Taking a look at the current net profit number as compared to the previous quarter and previous year and we an increase. Samsung went from 5.05 trillion won for Q1 2012 to 7.04 trillion won for Q4 2012 and as we already mentioned, they are currently sitting at 7.15 trillion won for the current quarter. The interesting part here, while the net profit has been on the rise, some numbers such as sales have actually dropped as compared to the previous quarter. Samsung reported sales of 56.06 trillion won for Q4 2012. Bottom line here, it looks like despite a drop in overall sales (likely due to increased competition), they still managed to move forward with a higher net profit. [via Bloomberg] |
| IDC: Q1 2013 marks first time smartphones out ship feature phones Posted: 26 Apr 2013 06:25 AM PDT The International Data Corporation (IDC) has published their latest report, this time taking a look at smartphone and feature shipments for the first quarter of 2013. While we are looking at the same vendor names as we have seen in past reports, we have seen some other interesting tidbits in terms where the smartphone market is heading as a whole. To begin with, despite what the IDC is calling a “seasonably slow first quarter” there was still a 4 percent growth in the overall mobile phone market.
On top of that, smartphones have out shipped feature phones for the first time. Looking at some of the numbers behind these statements and we see total smartphone shipments of 216.2 million for Q1 2013 as compared to total mobile phone sales of 418.6 million for the quarter. This has the smartphone shipments sitting at 51.6 percent for the quarter. In addition to smartphone shipments topping feature phone shipments, the smartphone market also showed year-over-year growth. The IDC shows the smartphone market as having grown 41.6 percent as compared to the first quarter of 2012. The shipment number for Q1 2012 was 152.7 million. Despite year-over-year growth, smartphone shipments were down a little as compared to Q4 2012. For this quarter smartphone shipments topped in at 227.8 million, which means a decrease of 5.1 percent. Shifting away from the market as a whole and we look toward the individual vendors. In this case we have Samsung taking the top honors with Apple, LG, Huawei and ZTE rounding out the top five. Samsung is sitting with a large lead, at 70.7 percent. The remaining four show Apple with 37.4 percent, LG with 10.3 percent, Huawei with 9.9 percent and ZTE with 91. percent. Bottom line here, while the overall market may have had some interesting change, breaking things down by vendor and we once again saw a familiar set of numbers with Samsung on top. [via IDC] |
| Earbits independent music discovery app hits Android Posted: 26 Apr 2013 05:26 AM PDT If you’re a fan of independent music, an application is now available for Android devices that you may want to check out. The application is free and is called Earbits. The application allows independent musicians and labels to pay to promote their work to fans using the application.
Earbits started as a web service almost 2 years ago and is just now releasing its Android application. The people behind the service said that they had to get the app just right because it’s not your typical launch the app and listen without interacting sort of app. The Android application was developed under a partnership with SproutBox. SproutBox is company that invests time and support rather than money into start up in exchange for equity in the company. EarBits CEO Joey Florez says that the Android application supports much of the same functionality as the website, but the app does get some cool new features. One of those new features of the app is that it can analyze music party on your phone and recommend channels on Earbits that you might enjoy. The app also allows the user to mix their own music in with tracks played from its channel. Another function of the app is called the Boom Button allowing users to join the mailing list of the musician or band they discover on the app and recommend the musician to friends via social networks such as Facebook. The EarBits catalog currently has over 100,000 songs from 9300 different artists in 550 record labels. [via TechCrunch] |
| Google tweaks Play store policies blocking external app updates Posted: 26 Apr 2013 05:10 AM PDT Google made changes to its Play store policies this week that are aimed at preventing applications from updating without going through the official Google approved methods. The change in Google Play policies comes after Facebook offered a direct update for its Facebook Home social homescreen rather than going through Google Play for the update. Clearly, Google didn’t appreciate that.
The modified Google Play store rules no longer permit any attempts to modify, replace, or update code without going through the Play store. Rather than simply slapping Facebook on the wrist, Google changed the rules for everybody. Before the changes were put in place, Facebook was working on a system that would allow some Facebook Home users to install Beta versions of software for limited testing. That beta content was delivered directly to the user device rather than via the Google Play store. Google has moved to block that capability, even though Facebook did require the user to agree before loading the beta software. The Facebook updates were also only applied to the device over a Wi-Fi connection. Also worth noting is that when Facebook initiated that process, remote updates weren’t against rules in place for Google Play developers. However, Google clearly didn’t like the idea of developers bypassing its official store for providing updates and has changed the rules to reflect that stance. |
| AVG AntiVirus Free for Android passes 70 million downloads Posted: 26 Apr 2013 04:41 AM PDT Most Android device users know that they need some sort of protection on their device to prevent malware and viruses from taking over. One of the popular options when it comes to free protection for Android smartphones, tablets, and other devices comes from AVG. Specifically, the AVG AntiVirus Free for Android application is a popular choice.
AVG Technologies has announced that its flagship free mobile product has been downloaded more than 70 million times via Google Play. AVG says that this is the first time that the feat has been accomplished by any security application. AVG also notes that it was the first company to provide a free security application for Android devices. AVG also offered an update to its free protection application during Mobile World Congress 2013. That update brought new features and enhancements to the application. AVG also recently launched its new AVG TuneUp for Android application. We spent hands-on time with that TuneUp application earlier this month. During our hands-on time, we liked the application and felt like it definitely had promise. However, we also believed that it might not be as robust as advanced users would like. [via AVG] |
| Snapdragon 800 mass production begins in May Posted: 26 Apr 2013 04:20 AM PDT QUALCOMM has its SoCs inside some of the most popular Android devices on the market. Those devices include smartphone such as the GALAXY S 4 and HTC One among others. QUALCOMM’s most popular SoC right now is the Snapdragon 600. The company is gearing up for mass production of its next-generation SoC.
QUALCOMM senior project manager Yufei Wang recently stated that the QUALCOMM Snapdragon 800 would be going into mass production in late May. He offered no details on what devices will be coming using the Snapdragon 800 or when devices using the new 800 would show up. The announcement that the Snapdragon 800 was going into mass production in late May came during a media event QUALCOMM held in China. During that event, prototype devices will reportedly on hand but no benchmarks were allowed. The new SoC will use a Krait 400 architecture that will allow the processor to operate at up to 2.3 GHz. The new platform will also have an Adreno 330 graphics processor supporting 30 frames per second 4K resolution playback. One of the more interesting features of the new Snapdragon 800 is its robust power management capability. The 800 is able to operate each of its four cores at different frequencies. That means for tasks not needing all four cores to be running wide open, those cores can be slowed down or turned off to save power. |
| Google X with Android 5.0.1 spotted in benchmark results Posted: 25 Apr 2013 04:29 PM PDT Don’t get too excited folks, because most likely this is completely fake given how easy it is to tweak benchmark tests. According to some new screenshots that are floating around those dark corners of the web, Motorola’s famed X-Phone has been spotted being called the Google X, and running the popular AnTuTu benchmark test. We’ll take this with a massive grain of salt, that’s for sure.
I don’t even know where to begin here. Obviously this is fake, or is it? We’ve heard countless reports and rumors that Google and Motorola’s next device is codenamed the X-Phone, but we aren’t sure that’s the real name when these devices hit the street. There’s also been talk that their first round won’t be extremely top-tier devices, but awesome smartphones in general. The leaked benchmark seems to support that last theory, even though it’s most likely fake. A simple tweak or build.prop edit can change how AnTuTu outputs your benchmark results, so this would only take the average Android fan a few moments to do, so we’ll just let you decide. Showing what appears to be the “Google X” running Android 5.0.1 Key Lime Pie was running some benchmarks, and scored a respectable 15,000 in AnTuTu. Now it shows the processor running at 1512 MHz, which lines up nicely with the LG Nexus 4′s Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, which runs at 1.5 GHz. A device that also manages to score between 14-17k in AnTuTu for most. So this device scoring nearly 16,000 is likely a Nexus 4 tweaked just to tease us all. Could the next Motorola device arrive with the Snapdragon S4 Pro and not their new 600 or 800 series processors? Possibly. Is this real? Seriously doubtful. Oh and don’t forget almost every version of Android has came out with most leaks getting the number scheme wrong. So while it could be Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, it just as easily could be 4.3 or something else. Google I/O is just a few weeks away, so stay tuned and we’ll get all the real details soon enough. [via PhoneArena] |
| Google Glass predicted to ship by the millions Posted: 25 Apr 2013 04:05 PM PDT Everyone wants a pair of Google Glass. Right? While most of the general public probably has absolutely no idea what “Project Glass” actually is, many of us tech fans are patiently awaiting these next-gen wearable electronics to arrive. And in fact, they are already here for some. Google’s recently started shipping Glass to developers, and now we’re hearing the could sell over 10 million in the next few years.
Even if you don’t want a pair or don’t have the cash to get some, you’re surely wanting to see what Google does with this product and how the future will play out. While there’s no telling how popular they will be or how much the public will adopt the idea quite yet, some analysts are predicting some decent sales numbers for Glass. According to DigiTimes, a new forecast by IHS has Google Glass doing pretty well over the next few years. How well? Possibly selling over 10 million units and more. while that’s nothing compared to the 50 million GALAXY S III phones sold in the past year, not everyone will want Glass – so those numbers sound rather optimistic. At the same time they also predict as few as 1 million over the next couple of years. We’re not really sure what they based these numbers on, or if some polls give them any idea of what to expect, so take this with a grain of salt. They also state that Google Glass could spur a “smart glasses” race like the smartwatch, and those numbers could climb even higher. Will Google Glass remain a novelty device, or is this the future? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Oh and don’t forget we’ll be live at Google I/O and get plenty of real-time with Google Glass soon enough. |
| Samsung GALAXY S 4 Octa-core hits Korea shelves tomorrow Posted: 25 Apr 2013 03:23 PM PDT The past few days we’ve all been spending plenty of time following the news and release of Samsung’s upcoming flagship GALAXY S 4 smartphone. Set to hit carriers in the U.S. like US Cellular, AT&T, T-Mobile and others over the next few days and weeks, but over in South Korea that 8-core model is about to be released.
In case you missed initial rumors, as well as the initial announcement of the GALAXY S 4, the smartphone packs not a dual or quad-core processor but a powerhouse 8-core chip. Called the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 8-core processor. Using the companies big.LITTLE technology to power simple tasks with efficient slower cores, then beef up the rest when it’s truly needed for gaming, multi-tasking, streaming video and other tasks. So while the US is getting excited for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core model to hit shelves shortly, tomorrow (April 26th) in Korea the 8-core model will hit the streets and become readily available. Surely we’ll see plenty of details, and we’d like to see those 8 cores get benchmarked once more now that this is final shipping hardware and software. It’s being reported that all 3 Korean carriers (SK Telekom, KT, LG U+) will be getting the GALAXY S 4 with Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa 5410 8-core processor and 4G LTE. There’s a big demand for the handset and a few US carriers like T-Mobile already pushed back their release dates by a few days, and we have a feeling other regions could have a similar issue around the world. Samsung’s expected to sell roughly 100 million of the handset over the coming months and into next year, so stay tuned for more details. Hit the links below for further coverage as well as our U.S. GALAXY S 4 Review. Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
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| NYC adds cell and WiFi service to 36 more Subway stations Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:21 PM PDT In an effort to have all Subway stations completely wired by 2016, the MTA has announced that around 36 stations are getting smartphone cell service and WiFi access in New York City. More than 8.5 million daily subway riders will be happy to learn that they’ll have complete wireless service deep underground at more than 30 new locations. Time to check Twitter and Facebook on the Subway.
According to local reports from CBS, after testing 7 different WiFi-capable stations during the end of 2012 the MTA has now begun their full assault of wiring up the subway system. Expecting to have nearly 277 NYC Subway stations all having access by the end of 2016. With the help of Boingo, Transit Wireless, and the 4 big wireless carriers this is now a reality, and more will be coming soon. The rollout will be slow however, as the 110 year old Subway system wasn’t built for this technology, and they keep running into little technical difficulties. NYC, we have a problem. In addition to full WiFi service, Verizon has just joined on to offer cell service to all 36 stations along with AT&T, T-Mobile, and others. However, this raises some pretty big security questions regarding terrorism in NYC, but we’re hearing the MTA works closely with the counter-terrorist task force in New York City, but has avoided answering questions in that regard as of late. Many New Yorkers should be happy to see this news, so give it a try today and expect more stations to receive support in the coming months. |
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