Android World Update # Moto X: everything we know before launch

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Moto X: everything we know before launch Jul 30th 2013, 10:25, by Chris Smith Motorola's Moto X flagship smartphone will be unveiled in just a couple of days, and launched at some point in the following weeks, but the device is hardly a secret anymore. From design to specs and smart features, we've seen them all in an impressive campaign of rumors, leaks and teasers. We have already covered in great details available Moto X rumors, but since then we have received more details about the device. In what follows we're going to tell you everything you need to know about the handset before it launches. Design The Moto X starred in a variety of leaks before Google's Eric Schmidt decided to actually use in in front of journalists at a special event. The exec has basically confirmed that the leaks were accurate. Furthermore, we've seen other Motorola execs using what looked like the Moto X, at a closed-doors media event that Leo Laporte can't yet talk about, and soon after a couple of sets of rumored press photos for the Moto X have also been leaked, showing the device in black and white (front, back and profile.) To have a complete picture, someone at Rogers has conveniently leaked a video showing the Moto X in action. In addition to showing the device and mentioning some of its smart features, the video also revealed that the handset will hit the carrier in black and white – these appear to be standard carrier versions. Customizable Moto X will supposedly be purchased directly from Google. After we’ve seen the Moto X in all these instances, and various others, we can safely say that the handset will pack an edge-to-edge display, with no physical buttons. The back is curved, with the back camera being placed in the center of the topside, above the flash and Motorola logo. Such a device has been spotted in a leaked video dating back to mid-March, when a Vietnamese publication managed to get its hands on an purported Moto X prototype. The device is also fairly slim as you can see, and will pack a 2200mAh battery according to FCC documentation. Moto X “final” press images | Image credit: @evleaks According to Taylor Wimberly, who happens to know a lot of things about the Moto X despite not being launched, the handset will feature a Moto Magic Glass display, or a Gorilla Glass sheet molded to a "special polymer," resulting in a gap-free surface that wraps around the edges of the phone. Furthermore, he added that the device will pack a "laminated aluminum structure for a light weight and high strength design." Wimberly also revealed in the past that users will be able to choose between a variety of materials for the Moto X including plastic, metal, wood and carbon fiber, with a variety of colors being available to them as well. Supposedly, plastic and wood cases will be available at launch, while metal, ceramics and fabrics could be available later on. However, despite the handset being "customizable" in such a manner, the device is said not to sport a user-replaceable battery. Moto exec Rick Osterloch apparently uses the Moto X to take a picture at the event attended by Leo Laporte. Hardware There has been much talk about the hardware of the Moto X, but almost all rumors suggested that the phone will pack mid-range specs by 2013 standards. The most complete set of specs has been provided so far by Android Police, as the publication was able to get its hands on an AT&T Moto X unit. Here's what the device is expected to offer: dual-core Qualcomm S4 Pro MSM8960DT 1.7GHz CPU, Adreno 320 GPU. [Android Police] is still not sure what the “d” stands for in the processor model number, but it’s likely the same as MSM8960T – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark] 2GB of RAM – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark] 720×1184 4.7″ (about 4.5″ without on-screen buttons) display – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark] 2.1MP front-facing camera / 10.5MP rear camera with flash – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark] 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi (ac made it in, nice!) – confirmed by FCC docs Android 4.2.2 on the unit being tested – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark] 16GB internal memory, 12GB of which is user-accessible (on the unit being tested) – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark] NFC – confirmed by [images] 2,200 mAh non-removable battery – confirmed by FCC docs and first tipped off by @evleaks 128.5mm x 65mm – confirmed by FCC docs no microSD support However, we will notice that the processor of the Moto X may be a special Motorola creation, based on Qualcomm's processor mentioned above. At the Droid event last week, Motorola unveiled the X8 Mobile Computing System, which will power the Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini, and which is expected to be found inside the new Moto X. Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System | Image credit: The Verge The X8 offers eight cores, without being an Exynos 5 Octa-like SoC. The X8 packs a dual-core processor, a quad-core GPU and two cores that have special functions including contextual computing (one core) and natural language processing (one core). As for the camera, which is rumored to be a special ClearPixel camera, here’s what the same Wimberly had to say about it the other day: As previously reported, the Moto X features a 10MP Clear Pixel camera, for enhanced low light performance. The pixel size is 1.4 microns, which is smaller than the HTC One (2.0), but larger than the GS4 (1.1). This special camera module also has x4HD Video capture, which bins 4 pixels together to create one perfect pixel. Video can be recorded in 1080p HD at 60 FPS and played back in slow motion at 30 FPS. Three microphones also enable 3D audio recording. (Check out the second part of the article.)

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Android World Update # Google to ditch Asus in favor of LG for 2014 Nexus 7?

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Google to ditch Asus in favor of LG for 2014 Nexus 7? Jul 30th 2013, 09:40, by Kris Carlon When it was announced that Asus would be making the 2013 Nexus 7 it seemed only natural considering the excellent manufacturing partnership they shared with Google on the previous year's Nexus 7. But now we hear that Google might be planning to ditch Asus in favor of LG for next year's iteration of the Nexus 7. But why? Might we see LG's logo on next year's Nexus 7? / © AndroidPIT (This is a preview - click here to read the entire entry.)

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Android World Update # Pfew! LTE for the European Nexus 7 is back on Google’s website

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Pfew! LTE for the European Nexus 7 is back on Google's website Jul 30th 2013, 09:36, by Bogdan Petrovan As long as it ends well, it's all good, right? Google never officially stated that the new Nexus 7 sold in Europe would support LTE connectivity. But given that all versions of the device are powered by the same LTE-capable Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (which, by the way, is essentially a downclocked Snapdragon 600), it was widely assumed that users in UK, Germany, France, and other European countries would get to use their tablets with the speedy new standard. Yesterday, we reported that Google silently removed any reference to LTE support for the European Nexus 7 (2013) from its website. The immediate speculation was that Google dropped LTE for the device or that the reference was a mistake in the first place. But it appears that it was just a misunderstanding, because LTE support for the Euro Nexus 7 is again present on Google's presentation site. Specifically, the device will support LTE in the following frequencies: 800/850/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz (Bands: 1/2/3/4/5/7/20). We can only wonder what happened, but, at least for now, all is good in the world.

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Android World Update # Two newly leaked images suggest the LG Vu 3 is in the works

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Two newly leaked images suggest the LG Vu 3 is in the works Jul 29th 2013, 18:00, by Andrew Grush All eyes might be on the LG G2, but that’s not the only new device in the works from LG. If two newly leaked images are to be believed, LG is also preparing to release the LG Vu 3. The first of these images comes from Picasa. As you will see below, it is an image supposedly taken from the camera of the upcoming LG Vu 3. The photo details reveal the model number as LG-F300L, and the image itself is named as vu3-vr-panaroma. The photo also points to the Vu 3's camera being at least 13MP. What else can we learn from the image? Not a whole lot, but a screenshot from the LG-F300 appears to confirm that the Vu 3 will stick to the unique 4:3 ratio aspect found on older Vu devices, though this time the resolution will be bumped up to 1280 x 960. Unfortunately we have no clue what else the Vu 3 will bring to the table in terms of hardware or even aesthetics. We can tell you that LG seems to be dropping the “Optimus” name from the Vu family, just like we are already seeing with the upcoming LG G2. As for when we can expect the handset, we certainly wouldn’t be surprised if the handset arrives in Korea later this summer or even early in the fall. If it becomes a globally marketed handset, Europe and the rest of the world can probably expect the phone a few months or more after it hits LG’s home market. As always remember that there is also a chance that these ‘leaked’ images aren’t the real deal, so it’s best to take all of this with a grain of salt. What do you think, would you be interested in a refreshed member of the LG Vu family?

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Android World Update # Apple patent, important to their ongoing troubles with Samsung, rejected by USPTO

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Apple patent, important to their ongoing troubles with Samsung, rejected by USPTO Jul 29th 2013, 18:01, by Nate Swanner The US Patent and Trademark Office has rejected an Apple, Inc. filing to patent "pinch to zoom" functionality. The patent was crucial to their ongoing and widespread dispute with Samsung, which is currently being tried in courtrooms across the globe. The rejection of the patent's 21 claims are deemed to be a "final office action" by the USPTO, but is open to appeal by Apple to the Patent Trial Appeal Board. A denied patent application in April led Apple to seek review, and this claim has met a similar decision, which means a similar request for review is expected. Apple can also seek a judicial review of the ruling, should they feel it necessary. The crux of the patent filing is the ability to distinguish between a two finger pinch action and one finger scrolling on a touchscreen device. Of the 21 claims in this patent filing, claim eight is the most important to their Samsung issues. That claim was crucial to their $1.05 billion initial judgement, but with a settlement review, it could unravel a bit for Apple. This coincides with another rejected Apple patent that figured prominently in their legal issues with Samsung, the "overscroll bounce" patent. As Apple continues to seek review of their rejected patent applications, Samsung will continue to argue for lesser damages to be paid to the Cupertino company. Like many lawsuits of its kind, this one is becoming less sensational as the judicial and patent system work the kinks out. Apple will undoubtedly reap rewards, but it looks like that original $1.05 billion amount, and maybe even the later judgement for half that amount, may not happen.

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Android World Update # Could we be approaching the end of rooting Android devices?

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Could we be approaching the end of rooting Android devices? Jul 29th 2013, 18:03, by Joe Hindy Most of us who have rooted our Android devices can remember our first root. For me, it was the MyTouch 3G Slide. It was an easy, one-click method that, at the time, seemed overwhelming and awesome. Nowadays, it would be a 5 minute exercise with just a few clicks. Like everyone else, the first thing I installed was CyanogenMod 6. It was good times. Back then everyone was rooting for various reasons. People wanted to install custom ROMs, they wanted to install tweaks and mods to improve performance or cellular service, they wanted to try the bleeding edge features that developers invented, or they just wanted root access to use some root-only applications like Root Explorer or Titanium Backup. So how about now? Steve Kondik, the mastermind behind CyanogenMod, posed a very simple and interesting question. What do people actually use root for these days? With devices being more powerful than they’ve ever been before, most people aren’t scoping the latest ROMs on XDA for performance enhancements like they used to. The cutting edge Android features have already been welded into Android for the most part. Long gone are the days where you had to install a custom ROM just to have toggles in your notification panel. This has evolved into the quick settings screen that all Android devices have now. So what were the answers? We’ll give you a short list of some of the most popular answers people gave for rooting their phone. Backing up and restoring applications using Helium or Titanium Backup. (Note, Helium actually doesn’t need root to work) Removing carrier bloatware. Installing CyanogenMod (of course). Adblock. Sixaxis Controller. This allows people to connect things like PS3 controllers to their Android devices. Greenify, Juice Defender, Tasker, and other apps that manage performance, battery life, etc. Moving applications to the system partition instead of the data partition and other file exploring. Various network activities. You’ll notice people didn’t say things like installing custom ROMs, improving performance, improving cell signal, etc. That’s because OEMs have actually eliminated these problems by giving us better hardware. Notice too how no one is clamoring to try the latest, bleeding edge features. That’s because Google and OEMs have already implemented all the best ones into the unrooted Android experience. Simply put, most of the important things we used rooting to obtain now come stock with most Android phones. Now, to put things in perspective, if Steve Kondik had posed this question 2 years ago, the list would be much, much longer. Android has come a long way in the last few years. The conclusion is that with each new iteration of Android and each new generation of hardware, there are fewer and fewer reasons for rooting. It’s all come down to a handful of apps that we all enjoy using. There are some much more technical reasons as well. One example Steve gave was managing a DNS resolver. Okay, so rooting isn’t as useful as it once was. What now? Steve had an answer for that as well. He says, “Going forward, I’m interested in building framework extensions and APIs into CM to continue to abolish the root requirement.” Going forward, I'm interested in building framework extensions and APIs into CM to continue to abolish the root requirement. Steve Klondik  Those who are into software development, modification, etc already know exactly what that means. What this would do is essentially make all these root apps continue to work as normal, but without rooting your device. So you could still run these root-only apps and perform these root-only tasks without compromising your security and without rooting your device. Essentially making the root-only apps part of the regular Android experience. This is actually a reasonable and good idea. So good, in fact, that a few Android programmers straight from Google have been paying attention. This is how it starts, folks. This is how things like notification toggles in CM evolve into today’s Android Quick Settings. It starts with a good idea by a talented developer and gets picked up by the all mighty Google. I have no intention of removing root from CM. What I want to see is the common use cases supported by the platform so that we can write more powerful apps. Steve Kondik Of course, people are still going to want to install custom ROMs like CyanogenMod and we’re sure things like that will still be possible. To make things quite clear, no one is suggesting that root simply go away. This is more of developers looking to improve the Android experience even more and, thus, removing yet another large reason why people root. So the question is, why do you go about rooting your phone these days? If something like this were implemented where root-only apps could become part of the general Android experience, would you even need a reason to root anymore? Our own Derek Ross admits his root requirements are diminishing and, admittedly, I did too. So we’ve got big name developers talking about integrating new APIs and modifications to abolish root and Google is listening. Could this be the beginning of the end? If you’d like to discuss things, feel more than free to leave a comment.

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