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Pixel perfect: tips for sprucing up your homescreen Oct 5th 2013, 20:56, by Nick Sarafolean First, we’d like to offer our profuse apologies. Yes, we realize that this has been delayed. A nasty mixture of sicknesses knocked us flat on our back when it came time to write the last Pixel Perfect. Nonetheless, we’re back with another round. And this week’s tip is… Tip: Keep it simple It happens so frequently that most of us barely wince when we see it anymore. A cluttered homescreen. And we can own up to our mistakes, we’ve been guilty of this before. Letting your homescreen get cluttered is one of those bad habits that you can easily slip into. And a lot of people do. In fact, it can be found on an almost daily basis, a homescreen that simply has too much on it. One of the worst parts about this is that average consumers who aren’t nerdy often say that they don’t like the way Android looks. But when asked what they don’t like, they often show their homescreen which is almost inevitably cluttered. Reaction? Facepalm. A cluttered homescreen is just a turn-off. It makes it look haphazard and thrown together. When there’s a random blend of apps, widgets and folders on a homescreen, it doesn’t look like the person even thought about how it was laid out. And that’s why simplicity is so important. The simpler your homescreen is, the more appealing it will be to the eye. It allows our brain to quickly process what we’re seeing and then enjoy it. We live in a culture of short attention spans and when we have to stop and think about something or look at something for more than just a couple of seconds, it automatically loses some appeal. That’s why simple homescreens look so nice. Our brain can easily figure out what is going on in the scene and will immediately attach some sort of appeal due to its simplicity. And besides all that stuff with your brain, a simple homescreen usually just looks better. The gist of what we’re saying is that, in general, a simple homescreen is just more attractive. It makes you appreciate every element of the homescreen and recognize the value in having a simple and minimal setup. And honestly, sometimes you just like to admire your homescreen. Widget: UCCW with MNML Digital Once again, Ultimate Custom Widget (UCCW) gives us a great way to get the perfect widget. In this instance, we went with a clock and date skin called MNML Digital by arandompackage. This skin is free so you don’t have to worry about paying for it or anything. And it should automatically pop up in your list of options when using UCCW without having to do anything extra. The widget is simple and minimalist. It uses modern, flat typography to bring a clean look to your homescreen. You can also adjust the colors of different parts. If you want the same color configuration as the above screenshot, then use #4d4b4b for the month and day color and #ffffff for the other things. Ultimate custom widget (UCCW) FreeVasuDev PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE MNML Digital Freearandompackage PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Icon pack: Stark Stark is a popular icon pack designed by kovdev, who is also the developer of the popular Nox icon pack. It’s simple, flat and retains a uniform shape. But unlike some icon packs, it still features plenty of color in the icons. As a whole, the icon pack carries on the modern design in a way that doesn’t get boring. At $1.99, it’s not cheap but it’s well worth the money. Stark (adw apex nova theme) $1.99kovdev PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Wallpaper: Stark wallpaper In order to keep the theme going, we used one of the wallpapers that comes with Stark. The wallpaper pairs well with the icons and also goes well with a variety of widgets, including the one that we chose. And besides, if you’re paying for it along with your icons, you might as well take advantage of it, right? Launcher: Action Launcher Pro Action Launcher Pro still works perfectly for this sort of set-up. The semi-translucent buttons in the action bar are the only things that still remain with the typical launcher look. You even have the option to hide the notification bar, which is something that we chose. If you want to have the same exact look as above, you’ll need to crank the option for height screen padding all the way to the fullest. Other than that, there’s not much to say except that you should really invest in Action Launcher Pro. Action Launcher Pro $3.73Chris Lacy PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE ZTE enters the US market, offers the unlocked Grand S and nubia 5 Oct 5th 2013, 20:05, by Dima Aryeh ZTE is not a well known brand here in the US. We do have some ZTE phones here, but you’d never know because they are rebranded. T-Mobile used a few in their lowest end Android lineup, and that’s pretty much all we get. However, ZTE is quickly growing and wants to break into the US market. It’s releasing two new smartphones here in the US sometime this month, and they seem pretty dang impressive. The ZTE Grand S is almost everything a high end phone needs to be, with a few sacrifices. The display is a 5-inch full HD 1920×1080 panel, which is very impressive. It’s powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro and 2GB of RAM, has 16GB of memory, a 13MP camera, a 2MP front facing camera, a 1,780 mAh battery, and is running Android 4.1 out of the box. This device is sure to perform very well, though the tiny battery and older Android version worry us. On the other hand, US HTC devices still have 4.1. It’s not an amazing phone by any means, but with an MSRP of $399.99, it’s quite impressive. And with a unibody design and a thickness of about 6.9mm, it should be an awesome device. The ZTE nubia 5 is a good step up from the Grand S, with some higher end specs and a price tag to match. It also has a 5-inch 1080p display, a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of memory, and Android 4.1, with a bigger 2,300 mAh battery and a slightly thicker frame. But this device is made for media, especially photography. The camera may also be 13MP, but it isn’t the same camera. It has a Konica-Minolta lens and image stabilization, with some nice software features. There is a “fun mode” for taking quick photos and adding filters, an “auto mode” that adds features like HDR and smile recognition, and “pro mode” that allows you to set things like light polling, focus, bust mode, and more. The device also has Dolby Digital Plus for high end sound. This device is a bit more expensive with an MSRP of $449.99 for the extra camera features and better setup. Both the Grand S and nubia 5 should be available now for pre-order on Amazon and come unlocked for GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile, along with many prepaid carriers. Right now,  it looks like the nubia 5 is available for pre-order for only $399 which seems like a crazy awesome deal. These look like two awesome phones, and it’s ZTE’s first attempt to break into the US market, so let’s see how it works out. Hit the source links if you want to pick one up! Would you buy one of these ZTE devices? Leave a comment! Show Press Release RICHARDSON, Texas, October 3, 2013 – ZTE USA, the fastest-growing smartphone provider in the United States, today announced the U.S. pricing and availability of the award-winning Grand S, a beautifully-crafted smartphone decorated with the 2013 iF International Design Award. First introduced globally at CES 2013, the 0.27-inch Grand S is ZTE's slimmest smartphone available in the United States, and is compatible for use with GSM/UMTS carriers. The phone is available for preorder on Saturday, October 5 with an MSRP of $399.99, through Amazon and other channels. With a large, eye-catching five-inch display and 13 megapixel camera, the Grand S caters to today's design-conscious consumer by providing the perfect combination of aesthetics and technology. Its quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and use of several MiFavor applications designed by ZTE provide the brains behind the elegant uni-body design, capturing true user demands. "For many consumers, technology and design are inseparable. Today's higher-end smartphones must be both physically and emotionally compelling, and the Grand S offers this winning combination of form and function," said Lixin Cheng, Chairman and CEO of ZTE USA. "We've been looking forward to bringing the Grand S to the U.S. since we announced the device at CES. Our goal is to launch more products like this in the future." ZTE Grand S technical specifications include: • OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean • Display: 5" FHD (1920 x 1080), 440 ppi with scratch-resistant glass • Processor: Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM S4 Pro processor with 1.5 GHz quad-core CPUs • Cameras: 13 megapixels Auto Focus with Flash, and 2 megapixels Front Facing camera • Battery: 1780 mAH • Dimensions: 5.59" x 2.72" x 0.27" • Memory: 16GB in ROM, 2 GB in RAM For additional information on the ZTE Grand S features, please visit www.zteusa.com/grands.html. About ZTE USA ZTE USA (http://www.zteusa.com/), a subsidiary of ZTE Corporation, is a leading global provider of mobile handsets, telecommunications equipment and network solutions. Operating since 1998, ZTE USA is dedicated to making cost-efficient, quality communications technology accessible to all. The company provides a magnitude of devices to every major US-based carrier generating over $16 billion dollars' worth of business for U.S.-based companies and devotes more than 10 percent of its revenue to R&D. ZTE USA is headquartered in Richardson, TX and operates 11 Sales Offices, 5 R&D centers and 1 Distribution Center ZTE is ranked as the country's fourth-largest supplier of mobile devices overall, and third-largest supplier of prepaid devices, by independent analysts. For more information, please connect with us on our social networks – http://www.twitter.com/ZTE_USA and http://www.facebook.com/ZTEUSA. RICHARDSON, Texas, October 3, 2013 – ZTE USA, the fastest-growing smartphone provider in the United States, today announces the U.S. pricing and availability of ZTE nubia 5™, a high-end smartphone packing entertainment and performance into an approachable industrial profile. The ZTE nubia 5 is compatible with GSM/UMTS carriers, and is available for preorder on Saturday, October 5 with an MSRP of $449.99, through Amazon and other channels. Whether you're a photo enthusiast looking to capture and edit amazing pictures using a 13 megapixel camera with a Konica-Minolta lens and intelligent stabilization, an always-on road warrior looking to stay connected via countless apps, or an audiophile looking to plug into Digital Dolby Plus audio with specially-designed earbuds, the ZTE nubia 5 packs a punch. With a low-profile bezel, matte finish and glowing red custom fixed buttons complementing the industrial design, the ZTE nubia 5 creates a mobile experience unlike any other Android smartphone. "As the software and apps available on today's smartphones replace more and more of the other devices we use on a daily basis, the specifications for features like cameras, displays and speakers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The nubia 5 really pushes that trend further," said Lixin Cheng, Chairman and CEO of ZTE USA. "Moreover, the launch of the ZTE nubia 5 builds on our ongoing commitment to the U.S. ZTE will be working closely with our customers to make devices like this available in the U.S." The nubia 5 offers one of the most versatile smartphone photography experiences available through three photography modes – Fun Mode, Auto Mode and Pro Mode. Fun Mode is for taking quick snapshots and applying filters, while Auto Mode provides a step up in features, like smile recognition and HDR. Lastly, Pro Mode brings the core functions of a professional SLR into the phone through features like 4-direction panoramic shooting, burst mode continuous shooting, and putting control of light, focus, and gradient into the user's hands. ZTE nubia 5 technical specifications include: • OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean • Display: 5" FHD 16.7M Color 1920 x 1080, 443PPi • Processor: Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM S4 Pro processor with 1.5 GHz quad-core CPUs • Cameras: Konica-Minolta 13 MP Auto Focus with LED Flash and Sapphire Lens, and 2 MP Front Facing camera • Battery: 2300 mAH • Dimensions: 5.43" x 2.71" x 0.30" • Memory: 16GB in ROM, 2 GB in RAM For additional information on the ZTE nubia 5, please visit www.zteusa.com/nubia5.html. About ZTE USA ZTE USA (http://www.zteusa.com/), a subsidiary of ZTE Corporation, is a leading global provider of mobile handsets, telecommunications equipment and network solutions. Operating since 1998, ZTE USA is dedicated to making cost-efficient, quality communications technology accessible to all. The company provides a magnitude of devices to every major US-based carrier generating over $16 billion dollars' worth of business for U.S.-based companies and devotes more than 10 percent of its revenue to R&D. ZTE USA is headquartered in Richardson, TX and operates 11 Sales Offices, 5 R&D centers and 1 Distribution Center ZTE is ranked as the country's fourth-largest supplier of mobile devices overall, and third-largest supplier of prepaid devices, by independent analysts. For more information, please connect with us on our social networks – http://www.twitter.com/ZTE_USA and http://www.facebook.com/ZTEUSA.

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