Nexus 7 Commercial Series: Jelly Bean Tips

Another day, another Nexus 7 commercial from Google. Today’s Nexus 7 commercial centers around the Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1 popular features and a few useful tips and tricks.

In Jelly Bean, you’ll have a hard time circumventing the face unlock feature after you enable ‘blink check’ which asks the user to blink, determining if a human is being used to unlock the phone instead of a photograph. Next, they highlight Google Now, arguably one of the best features of Jelly Bean. Google Now gives you just the right information to you when you need it, automatically. Next, they demo Voice Search, also known as the “Siri competitor” which just happens to blow that iOS gal out of the water. Lastly, the commercial demonstrates beautiful new home screen widgets and the revamped notification system.

What’s your favorite Jelly Bean feature?

Read more »

FCC tells Verizon to pay $1.25 million and unblock tethering apps

The FCC reached a settlement with Verizon Wireless that will result in customers being able to download and use tethering apps from the Google Play Store. This act will also allow customers to WiFi tether without incurring the $20 fee for enabling your phones mobile hot spot feature. In addition, Verizon Wireless, the nations largest carrier, will have to pay the U.S Treasury $1.25 million and implement a compliance plan to ensure this does not happen again.

Under the terms of today’s settlement, Verizon Wireless will make a voluntary payment to the Treasury in the amount of $1.25 million, and has committed to notifying the application store operator that it no longer objects to the availability of the tethering applications to C-Block network customers in the operator’s online market. Verizon Wireless has also agreed to implement a compliance plan, requiring
that:

1. employees will receive training on compliance with the C Block rules;
2. future communications with application store operators regarding the availability of applications to Verizon Wireless customers will be reviewed in advance by legal counsel; and
3. Verizon will report any instances of noncompliance with the rule at issue that might occur during the two-year term of the plan.

In addition, the company recently revised its service offerings such that consumers on usage-based pricing plans may tether, using any application, without paying an additional fee.

The FCC’s ruling is a result of the 2008 C block auction in which Verizon bid on and won use of the 700mhz spectrum, which they use for LTE service. If you remember, Google was also in the running for this air space. Google decided to back out of the auction if and only if the FCC put a stipulation on the final purchase agreement. That stipulation was to allow customers to freely use devices and applications of their choosing while accessing this frequency, thus keeping the network ‘open’. Verizon has been blocking tethering applications for quite some time from the Google Play store, which is against the spectrum purchase rules. The FCC did what they had to do.

With that said, rarely in life do we find things that are truly free. The FCC ruled that Verizon Wireless was not allowed to block the download and use of 3rd party tethering applications. Just because you can run easily launch and run these applications now does not mean that Verizon Wireless isn’t cooking up a scheme in the background to monitor tethering usage. 

Please proceed with caution before racking up the MB’s and GB’s on your data plan until we get full clarification.

Read more »

Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean (AOSP) available, at least for the international GT-I9300 version

Those of you that can’t wait to experience Google’s latest mobile OS version, Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, on Samsung’s latest flagship handset, the Galaxy S3, should know that the Jelly Bean AOSP port is already available for the international version of the Galaxy S3 version, the GT-I9300 model.

AOSP is short for Android Open Source Project, which means the Jelly Bean version developed for the Galaxy S3 GT-I9300 model is based on the Jelly Bean open source code, and therefore does not include any custom user interfaces or crapware apps.

All the hard work has been performed by xda-developers recognized member Faryaab, and there’s a detailed tutorial already available for anyone interested in installing Jelly Bean AOSP on the Galaxy S3 and enjoying a pure Google Android experience:

This ROM is built entirely from Google’s JellyBean source code. I’m actually working on my upcoming ROM “SuperNexus”. So I just compiled a pure AOSP JellyBean for the Galaxy S3 so i know that I can add support of it in my SuperNexus ROM. This ROM might only get 1-2 more updates because I will release SuperNexus very soon.

This doesn’t mean we’re encouraging you to go down this path – installing custom ROMs on your devices – and it’s up to you to decide whether you want to go down this way. But just in case you are interested in doing it, remember you bear full responsibility for whatever happens, and make sure you follow the available instructions at the xda-developers Forum thread found at the Source link below.

Read more »

Nexus Q launch delayed, more functionality on the way

Only a few days ago, we mentioned that the Google Nexus Q, the “first social media streaming player,” was up for grabs from the Google Play Store. If you weren’t sure if this surprising addition to the Nexus lineup would work, especially considering its hefty $299 price tag, you should know the device sold out in less than a day after being available, with new orders getting a 2-3 weeks shipping estimate. 

Unfortunately, if you were hoping to get your hands on the device, there’s more bad news.

It looks like it’s back to the drawing board as far as the Nexus Q is concerned, with Google delaying the launch until further notice. In an e-mail sent to anyone who pre-ordered the device, Google mentioned that they are going to postpone the launch of the Nexus Q due to disappointing feedback from existing consumers related to the overall functionality of the device. You can read the entire e-mail here:

“We have an important update about your Nexus Q pre-order.
When we announced Nexus Q at Google I/O, we gave away devices to attendees for an early preview. The industrial design and hardware were met with great enthusiasm. We also heard initial feedback from users that they want Nexus Q to do even more than it does today. In response, we have decided to postpone the consumer launch of Nexus Q while we work on making it even better.
To thank you for your early interest, we’d like to extend the Nexus Q preview to our pre-order customers and send you a free device. If you had other items in your order, your credit card will be charged for those items only.
Your Nexus Q will be on its way soon and you will receive a notification and tracking number from Google Play when it ships.
The Nexus Q Team”

As you can see, it’s not all bad news, as whoever did pre-order the Nexus Q will be receiving a “preview” device for free, which is the same device that was handed out to Google I/O attendees. If you were hoping to score a last pre-order to receive the device for free, you should know the Nexus Q and all its accessories have been taken down from the Google Play Store.

Now we’ll just have to wait for Google to announce the launch of the “new and improved” Nexus Q, which should be very soon.

What are your thoughts? What additional functionality do you think Google is going to add? Will this affect the price tag in any way? Were you one of the “lucky” ones who pre-ordered the Nexus Q? Let us know in the comments section below.

Read more »

MIPS-based Smart Tab 1 brings $125 Jelly Bean tablet to India

The MIPS-based Ainovo Novo 7 was the first tablet to run Android 4.0 and now another MIPS-based tablet will be among the very first to come out with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on board. That tablet is called the Smart Tab 1 and it’s made by Karbonn Mobiles. We’ve recently received news that MIPS is working hard to bring Jelly Bean to all the tablets based on MIPS processors, and it seems we’re already seeing the results with the Smart Tab 1.

Google’s recently announced PDK tool for OEMs may also have something do with this, although I imagine it’s mostly possible thanks to MIPS own work. MIPS processors are not made by different companies, which can lead to innovation but also some incompatibilities, so the company has a lot less to worry about when porting a new version of Android to devices that use its own chips.

The Smart Tab 1 is a 7 incher like the Nexus 7, but costs almost half as much – $125. The processor on the Smart Tab 1 is a MIPS JZ4770 SoC, running at 1.2Ghz – so it’s not as fast as the Tegra 3 CPU in the Nexus 7, but it should run well enough, especially with Jelly Bean. Other specs include a 2 MP camera, 3G support via USB dongle, HDMI connectivity and microSD expansion up to 32GB. There’s no word on internal storage, so I assume the Smart Tab 1 doesn’t offer that much built-in memory.

The device actually came out in July running ICS, but it’s already being upgraded to Jelly Bean, and all the new models will be sold directly with Jelly Bean on board. However, the Smart Tab 1 is only available in India right now.

Read more »

Samsung opening statement says Apple did not copy iPhone, iPad, but competed against them

Earlier today, the U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial was officially kicked off by Apple’s opening statement, in which the counsel of the iPhone maker started showing the nine jurors – one member of the jury was dismissed just before Apple’s opening statement – how Samsung copied the look and feel of its iPhone and iPad mobile products.

After one hour and a half, it was time for Samsung’s legal team to step up to the plate with its opening statement. From the get-go, Samsung clearly specified that it didn’t copy the iPhone or the iPad. Instead, the company is simply competing against Apple in a market where touchscreen-based devices are currently in demand. Hence, that’s what Samsung is producing.The Verge reports:

Samsung counsel Charles Verhoeven stressed numerous times to the jury that Apple had not told the entire story, and that Samsung was a company that prided itself on providing consumers the products that they want — and if consumers want touchscreen devices, that’s what the company would provide. “Samsung is a major technology company that develops its own innovations,” he told the 9 jurors, stressing that Samsung is a company that competes — and not copies — in the marketplace.

CNET offers a few more quotes from Samsung’s opening statement:

“We’re not standing here telling you ladies and gentleman of the jury that the iPhone wasn’t commercially successful. It was an inspiring product to everyone, including the competition,” Samsung’s lawyer Charlie Verhoeven said. “But being inspired by a product and seeking to make better products is competition.”
“It’s not copying,” he said.
[…]
“Evidence is going to show that Apple didn’t invent the rectangular shaped form factor. Apple didn’t invent having a touch screen,” Verhoeven said.

Samsung went on further to show how its mobile products are different from Apple’s from design, home screens and the way these devices act when turned on. Samsung’s case is that Apple does not have a “’monopoly’ over the rectangular design with rounded corners, as it was invented before the iPhone,” Reuters reports.

“Samsung is not some copyist, some Johnny come lately doing knockoffs,” Samsung attorney Charles Verhoeven told the jurors.

Among the evidence shown to jurors, we find an early iPad design that looks nothing like the iPad that eventually hit stores and that sports a design protected by an Apple patent – according to Samsung’s attorneys. That patented Apple design is allegedly infringed by the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

At the same time, Verhoeven took apart Apple’s patents that are in play in this lawsuit one by one showing previous patents and/or prior art that covered the same technological principles. Among the patents disputed by Samsung we find various features that are found on the iPhone and other Android devices, including smartphones and tablets made by Samsung. Such features include touch scrolling, pinch-to-zoom, tap-to-zoom, or the “bounce-back” scrolling feature.

But Samsung did not only defend against Apple attacks. Instead it made sure the jury understands its stance on the FRAND standard essential patents used to attack the iPhone maker.

Verhoeven also put out initial defense against Apple’s claims that such patents were in violation of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)’s guidelines, one of which requires its members to disclose intellectual property related to potential wireless standards.
“What you were not told is that the duty to disclose does not apply to ETSI for confidential information.” Verhoeven said. “The applications, the patent applications Apple is pointing to were confidential. They were confidential Korean patent applications.”

Verhoeven described the patents Apple uses against Samsung as “neat little things you can do on a touchscreen,” arguing that the 3G patents Samsung claims that are infringed by iPhone and iPad are more important since they deal with more important phone features.

Samsung’s counsel also reminded jurors that it’s Samsung that makes various components found inside the iPhone, and therefore “apparently Apple thinks Samsung invented something, because it’s buying products for its own devices.

We’ll be back with more details from this complex legal fight between giants, as the U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial is going to be a source of hot iOS vs Android debate for at least four weeks or so.

Read more »

Final Fantasy 3 comes to OUYA

With three quarters still to go until launch, OUYA is starting to get not only the trust of future customers, but also the trust of many launch partners. Just a few days ago they announced that OnLive games are coming to OUYA, and today they are announcing that Final Fantasy 3 will also be available to OUYA players.

This morning, we are honored to announce that OUYA is partnering with Square Enix to bring you one of the most beloved franchises in gaming — Final Fantasy. We will kick this off with Final Fantasy III, which will be a launch title on OUYA. This will be the first time gamers outside of Japan can play FFIII on their televisions through a console.

I believe we’re going to see more popular game makers announce partnership with OUYA in the future, and the reason is simple. Porting an Android game to OUYA should be pretty easy, because OUYA will be based on Android 4 or later. However, they still need to make that game look as good as possible on that console, and being a console it means that they might get more flexibility on how they get to use the hardware.

For example, their games could get to use up to 500 MB of RAM, while regular Android apps are only allowed to use like 50 MB of RAM, so they can be as lean as possible for mobile devices. But OUYA developers won’t have to worry about that sort of restriction, because energy efficiency doesn’t matter as much for a console, which is why we might also see a beefed up Tegra 3 processors, that uses a lot more power than the one found inside mobile devices. I’d still prefer Tegra 4 over it because it’s a new architecture, with presumably unified shaders, a lot more cores and OpenGL ES 3.0 support, which means more graphics features, but this might do for starters.

OUYA also seems to somewhat confirm this, by saying the OUYA version of Final Fantasy will be HD and with “glorious” graphics detail:

We’re promising to deliver Final Fantasy III like you’ve never seen it before – Hironobu Sakaguchi’s third installment in the role playing game franchise will be updated to exploit OUYA’s high-definition resolution in glorious graphic detail. For those of you who are new to Final Fantasy, we’ll offer a free demo so you can give it a go!

If you want to still donate and “pre-order” your own OUYA, you can still do so on their Kickstarter page

Read more »

Google brings Hangouts to Gmail, for 10-way video-chatting

Hangouts has been perhaps the most innovative feature of Google+, and I think Google should capitalize on its success because it can turn out to be another one of its products that people love to use all over the world.

To use Hangouts, you normally need a Google+ account, and you can only use it inside the Google+ website. But Google has implemented Hangouts in Gmail by replacing the old 2-way video-chatting feature in Google Talk, with the 10-way video-chatting from Hangouts. There are also other technical changes that are supposed to make the service more reliable and offer higher quality videos:

Unlike the old video chat, which was based on peer-to-peer technology, Hangouts utilize the power of Google’s network to deliver higher reliability and enhanced quality. You’ll be able to chat with all the same people you did before and, in fact, with Hangouts you’ll now be able to reach them not only when they are using Gmail but also if they are on Google+ in the browser or on their Android or iOS devices.

Hopefully this is just the first step in unifying all of Google’s messaging products and in turning Hangouts into a much more popular and competitive product against its arch-enemy: Skype. Watch the following video to see how it works.

Read more »

Sprint rolls out Android 4.0 ICS update for HTC EVO 3D

It seems that several HTC EVO 3D owners on Sprint have gotten their long-awaited Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update ahead of schedule. This rare occurrence will no doubt please those who weren’t exactly expecting to get the OTA ICS update until early August.

The ICS update for Sprint’s HTC EVO 3D comes with some expected features of the not-so-new OS, such as a refined user interface, Face Unlock, redesigned camera app, compatibility with Chrome browser, improved keyboard app and spell checker, enhanced Gmail app, and Google+ integration. The update will also upgrade the Sense UI on your HTC EVO 3D to version 3.6.

As for HTC EVO Design 4G owners, we don’t think the ICS update for your model has been sent out – mainly because we have yet to hear happy words from users. But we expect it will come out sooner, rather than later – since the EVO 4G was placed on the same ICS upgrade timeline as its 3D cousin.

Lucky HTC EVO 3D owners, how do you like the new look and functions of Ice Cream Sandwich? Or are you still waiting anxiously for the OTA update to reach your phone?

Read more »

Samsung debuts its 3-in-1 Music Hub app for the Galaxy S3 [video review]

Samsung’s new Music Hub has just gone live in the US with the promise to let music lovers bring their music collection to the cloud, stream and purchase songs, and listen to personal radio. For the time being, the integrated music service is only available for the Galaxy S3 on AT&T and US Cellular, although the service is expected to cross over to Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon soon.

Subscribers of Music Hub will have access to millions of songs from major labels like Sony, EMI, Universal, and Warner, as well as select indie ones. Streaming is free and there are no ads, but you also have the option to purchase and download the songs to your device for offline listening.

Meanwhile, premium subscribers can save their music collection to Samsung’s cloud locker (up to 100GB of storage) and stream songs across registered devices. You can become a Premium member by paying a $9.99 monthly fee, though they do offer a free 30-day trial.

Samsung Music Hub Review

Android Authority’s own Clayton Ljungberg has posted the following video review of Samsung’s Music Hub app.

First things first, before you get to send your music collection to the cloud, you’ll need to install the Music Hub Uploaded desktop software, which works for both PCs and Macs. You can grab songs you have from iTunes, Windows Media Player, or from any folder on your computer.

The app features a tabbed interface where you can access each menu easily. The Now Playing screen has the usual album art view, thumbs up/down button, and player controls. A highlight is the recommendation feature, represented by a lightbulb, which will give out recommendations on songs based on your music collection and genre preferences. Upon clicking on the icon, you’ll get a list of similar songs to listen to that are available on Samsung’s music vault. You can easily add songs to the queue lists, whether they’re from your own collection or recommended ones.

Streaming from the cloud seems pretty fast, save for the few seconds of buffering in the beginning.  If you’re seeking to expand your musical horizon, you can browse and listen to the many, many songs that Samsung offers on its music catalog – as categorized by genre. Checking out what’s playing on the radio can also be done easily. For easy access, again, the radio section has been divided into genres. You can create your personals radio stations by choosing from the list of songs, and everything else will be handled by the Music Hub.

Audio purists who like their music to sound a certain way can make use of the built-in equalizer. Furthermore, you can choose between standard- or high-quality audio; the former is ideal when you’re traveling and don’t have too fast of an Internet connection.

And the verdict is: the Music Hub app is a solid starting point for Samsung with many great features that rival and even surpass its competitors. And things should only get better from here!  It definitely got Clayton’s seal of approval.

What about yours?

Read more »

Apple opening statement says Samsung decided to go the easy way, copy the iPhone

The U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial started yesterday with jury selection and was supposed to continue today with the opening statements for both giants. But before Apple opened up the proceedings with its initial arguments, a female juror asked to be dismissed, as her employer would not pay her salary over the period that she would be serving.

The juror in question was dismissed, and now the jury is made up from nine members, seven men and two women.

After the jury debacle, Apple’s counsel – led by Harold McElhinny, a partner at Morrison Foerster – explained the jurors why Apple brought suit against Samsung.

Using a series of slides containing images and videos to demonstrate how allegedly infringing post-iPhone and iPad Samsung Android-based products look like, Apple’s lawyers basically said that Samsung smartphones and tablets have copied the look and feel of their client’s iOS devices. Samsung chose to copy the design of Apple’s iconic mobile products and elements of iOS.

Apple basically argues that the iPhone was a “bet the farm” move for the company, an underdog in the smartphone universe at the time it came out with the iPhone, and Samsung simply chose to copy the device.

The slides included quotes from Samsung execs that seem to show that copying the iPhone was the best move for the company at the time. The Verge notes:

He showed the jury several slides of internal Samsung documents — including an internal review of the iPhone’s impact from September of 2007 — which stated that competing with the iPhone “one way or the other is inevitable,” and that the iPhone hardware was “easy to copy.”

Here are some interesting quotes from McElhinny, as pointed out by CNET:

“Apple had absolutely no name in the field, no credibility. (The iPhone) was an entry that had it gone bad, could have ended the company’s future,” McElhinny said. “On January 9, 2007 when Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller went through that presentation, they were literally betting their company.”
Apple’s argument involved showing photos of Samsung’s phones before and after 2007′s iPhone, as well as the company’s tablets ahead of 2010′s iPad release.
“How did Samsung get to here in 2006 to here in 2011?” McElhinny asked, while showing Samsung products released during those years.

Reuters has the answer to that question:

“As we all know it is easier to copy than to innovate,” he told the court. “Apple had already taken the risks.”
[...]
Another document prepared by a Samsung executive said the company was in a “crisis of design” due to the iPhone.

McElhinny then walked the jurors through the Apple patents in play in this trial, four design patents and three utility patents, and the videos used by the lawyer to make his case showed “what appeared to be extreme similarities between the Apple and Samsung implementations.”

Then William Lee, another Apple attorney, explained to jurors why Samsung’s own patent claims are flawed, and just a reaction to Apple’s suit against the South Korean Android maker. Apple says that Samsung “never said a word” about the 3G patents that its iOS devices are allegedly infringing until Apple filed suit against its supply partner – Apple is Samsung’s biggest client, even though the two companies are fierce rivals in the smartphone and tablet business.

Apple said Samsung wants $12 per infringing iPhone or iPad, while the company pays $10 for the iOS device components that allegedly infringe Samsung’s patents. Moreover, these components are purchased from Intel, which is already paying a licensing fee to Samsung.

Apple wants up to $2.525 billion in damages and royalties from Samsung, something we already know from the company’s trial brief that was available to the media since last week. According to the iPhone maker, Samsung has sold 22.7 million devices in the U.S. to date, generating $8.16 billion in revenue and over $2 billion in profits.

Samsung is yet to deliver its opening statement, but we’ll be back later with the Android maker’s first remarks in this American Apple vs Samsung trial.

Read more »

Sony backtracks on its Jelly Bean update stance, no decision has been made

Sony faced a PR nightmare when one of its UK-based spokespersons spilled the beans on the company’s Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update plan for the 2011 Xperia smartphones, or better said, lack thereof. To calm the tension, the HQ office has now issued a corrective statement.

As posted on Sony’s blog, they said that earlier confirmation about the snubbing of last year’s  Xperia phones from receiving Jelly Bean update had been given out “in error”. What’s factual is that the company is still “actively investigating Android OS upgrades for all devices”, while focusing on rolling out Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for its Xperia devices.

While it’s a nice gesture from Sony to clear the air, we think they’re just buying time and don’t want to be put in the hot seat too early – given that their ICS update hasn’t even been completely rolled out yet. The next scheduled ICS upgrade is supposedly heading to Xperia P in the coming weeks – to be followed by an update for the Xperia U. If they do decide not to provide Jelly Bean updates for the older models, it’s something that they’d want to do properly, and not brashly announce it on a Facebook post.

For what it’s worth, Sony is one of the better manufacturers when it comes to providing software update for their customers. So we’ll see if they can bring the goods one more time for loyal Xperia owners.

Read more »

Kavcom revamps popular ’90s RTS Z, releases it on Android as Z Origins

Back when gamers only had a couple of options to satisfy their passion, and none that involved gaming on the go, The Bitmap Brothers became famous with a little RTS (real-time strategy) computer game called simply Z (pronounced “Zed”).

Times changed, gaming evolved, mobile gaming appeared and gained attention, The Bitmap Brothers disappeared, but Z returned, courtesy of Kavcom, a name that doesn’t say much in the developing world these days. Kavcom revamped Z and came with a special iOS version of the game in July 2011, leaving Android fans pining for some good ol’ fashioned RTS fun.

Fortunately, the new game’s iOS success forced Kavcom to turn their attention to us Android geeks as well, and we now can finally welcome Z to our world. Z Origins is the title of the Android version, available over in Google Play for just $2.99.

While that might seem a lot for those of you who only care about a game’s “stunning” visuals, if you take a look at Z Origins’ huge feature list, you’ll get why this isn’t just another freemium title. Also, you should think of the game’s retro-looking graphics as part of its charm, especially for those of you who caught the ‘90s and are nostalgic about MS-DOS or Windows 95 gaming.

Z Origins doesn’t have a very complex storyline, and the basic idea is you have a robot army and you have to defeat another robot army. However, strategy is key to your success or failure in battle, and the totally open environment will most likely surprise you while you’re progressing towards the final goal.

The six types of robot soldiers have “individual personalities” and can perform up to 40 different actions, while the 20 levels set on five planets will keep you busy for a while. It’s definitely not hard to get the hang of the game, but it’s pretty difficult to predict what comes next, what you’ll be asked to do, and how will your army behave in battle.

Humor is another great part of Z Origins, making this still one of the most original video games around. Don’t be surprised therefore if your soldiers will talk back to you when asked to attack, or if they’ll start running like crazy in the most crucial moments. The dialogues are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, while the music system will reflect in real time “the mood of the battle”.

It would have certainly been nice for Kavcom to release a free demo version of Z Origins in addition to the paid full one, but, trust me, you won’t regret paying three bucks for this game!

Read more »

First Acer Iconia Tab A210 commercial insists on the tablet’s software (video)

Acer has been a very busy bee in the Android tablet world this year, and the company’s most recent additions to its tab lineup can’t go unnoticed by any self-respecting tech lover. The Iconia Tab A210 has been shown off for the first time back in June without much fuss, but the 10-incher seems to be gaining some momentum.

Although it doesn’t yet have an official release date or pricing details attached to its name, the new A210 might be the subject of an exciting marketing campaign, kicked off with a YouTube promotional video.

The commercial, posted on Acer’s official channel just hours ago, focuses on the tab’s software first and foremost, which is a bit odd, considering that its tech specs and the supposedly advantageous quality-price ratio should actually be its strongest points.

Then again, it’s nice to see one of the big-time tech manufacturers focusing more on the human aspect of a gadget, and not just on cold numbers, facts, and specs. That said, the ad surely is a first, as it runs for almost two minutes without ever mentioning a hard fact about it, be it its processor’s speed, RAM, ROM, or the camera’s sensor.

The family-focused, heart-warming and friendly approach of the ad is surely not very original, however, but I can’t say it doesn’t work in this particular case. Anyway, I’m not going to comment any further on the video and let you watch it for yourselves.

I do have to quickly recap A210’s spec sheet, just to refresh your memory:

• 10-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution
• 1.2 GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30L processor
• 1 GB of RAM
• 8 or 16 GB of on-board storage
• 3,260 mAh battery
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• MicroSD card slot for expanding the internal memory to up to 32 GB
• 3G connectivity support
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Front-facing camera
• 712 grams weight
• 10.24 x 6.89 x 0.49 inches dimensions

Anyone thinking of picking an A210 up once it’ll be released? Why? Why not?

Read more »

Spotify for Android app gets free radio streaming, only for US customers

Spotify is giving Android users something to hum about, as it brings its free radio service to Android devices in the US. This is the same unlimited free radio service that has been available on iOS devices since last month.

While the radio streaming feature on Spotify Android app is available at no extra cost for premium subscribers, who are already paying a $10 monthly fee anyhow, non-subscribers can opt for the absolutely free service. The second option means the radio stream will get interrupted every now and then with ad-breaks. If you come across a song that’s worthy of another listen on your PC, you can easily give it a thumbs up – and it will go straight to your “Liked from Radio” playlist.

One feature that non-paying members don’t get is the convenience of skipping tracks while listening to their favorite radio station. Premium subscribers, on the other hand, get to skip any tracks to their hearts’ and ears’ content. Other Premium features include the option to sync your favorite playlists on all of your mobile devices and PC to listen offline. If you want to see what life on the other side of the gate is like, there is a 48 hours free trial for the premium account to consider.

The free radio streaming is only offered for listeners in the US, though premium subscribers in other countries – wherever Spotify is available – will also get to bop  their heads to the sound of music from the radio service .

Read more »

Smartphone snuff: extreme things you probably shouldn’t do to your Xperia Go [Video]

Some smartphones are made more durable than others, but it doesn’t mean you should let your imagination run too wild on devising ways to torture your phone — unless you have the money and time to spend. Cue the following videos, which will show just how tough the compact Android phone that goes (see what I did there?) by the name of Sony Xperia Go can be.

Before we get to the videos, here’s a brief reminder of what the Xperia Go comes with underneath the rugged surface. The phone boasts a 3.5-inch HVGA display, dual-core 1GHz NovaThor processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB onboard storage, 5MP rear camera, 1,305mAh battery, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Lest we forget the phone’s IP67 certification for the highest level of dust and water resistance.

Moving on to the first torture test video — you’ll see the phone being repeatedly thrown into a pool like a skipping stone, and taped to a ball and being kicked around. It gets worse; the phone was propelled high to the sky, and buried under soaked sand. We’re talking hardcore stuff here.

Since the Xperia Go doesn’t ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, these guys decide to take matter into their own hands.  Want a serving of one Xperia Go with ice cream sandwich? Go help yourself. Actually, we rather if you don’t.  There are actually more of the tests, but we won’t spoil the rest for you.

The second video is rather tame compared to the first, as it mostly tests the Xperia Go’s water-resistant feature. If you were still on the fence, it should convince you more that the Xperia Go does play nice with water.

As for the phone’s availability in the US, we reported earlier that the phone has passed FCC’s requirements. Now Sony just needs to find a carrier in the country that’s interested in offering the phone. Any takers?

Read more »

iPhone 5, iPad Mini release date set for September, report claims

We have recently told you that Samsung has already topped 10 million Galaxy S3 sales in just two months after being launched, and that the Galaxy Note 2 phablet is supposedly being announced on August 15 in order to hit stores before Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone becomes official.

And today, with a few hour before Apple announces its quarterly results for Q2 2012, BGRreports that two upcoming iOS products, the iPhone 5, which is actually the sixth iOS smartphone and which could be simply called the iPhone when it launches, and the 7.85-inch iPad Mini may have a September release date – actual dates are not available at this time though.

Why does it matter for the Android ecosystem you ask? Because the iPhone is the main competitor of Android when it comes to smartphones, and any smartphone generation has sold better than any single Android high-end device – even though combined, Android handset sales top iPhone sales.

Similarly, the iPad sets the pace in the tablet ecosystem, and now that there’s demand for mid-ranged slates priced at around $200, such as the Kindle Fire and the newly released Google Nexus 7, it feels like it’s time Apple came out with its long-rumored iPad mini, which will probably sell as the “new” iPad as well.

iPhone 5

What tech sites still call the iPhone 5 is probably the handset that people expected Apple to launch last year alongside the iPhone 4S. That never happened and the name stuck with everyone even though it’s actually the sixth smartphone in Apple’s lineup, following the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

KGI analyst Ming Chi Kuo said in a note to clients earlier today that the phone will come in September, “but due to in-cell touch panel and casing yield rate limits, ability to offset older models’ shipments decrease will be moderate.”

The same analyst said earlier that the phone will feature a 4.08-inch in-cell IPS toushcreen display with 1,136 x 640 resolution and 500-nit brightness. Other notable features, according to a variety of rumors circling the web, include a metal back casing, a slimmer profile and bezel (edge-to-edge display), 4G LTE support, NFC support and a modified dock connector – 19-pin instead of 30-pin to accommodate the placement of the headphone jack on the lower side of the phone rather than on top (the top image is just a mockup image that doesn’t show that headphone jack’s placement.

iPad Mini

We have already shown you a “What if?” comparison between the Google Nexus 7, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7) and products that are yet to make it to market including the Kindle Fire 2 and the iPad Mini.

The same KGI analyst seems to believe the latter is coming after the iPhone 5 is released:

“Though shipments of iPad mini’s components will start in August, the new iPad line will end production, ready for transition to a modified New iPad line. As such, component shipments will drop in August as iPad mini’s components shipments growth will be offset.”

The iPad Mini should be as thick as the existing iPod touch and retail for $249-$299 according to existing reports.

Moreover, Apple is also said to launched an updated iPad third-generation model that’s cheaper to produce, but, most importantly, is able to better dissipate heat.

Anyone interested in buying a new iOS device this year?

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 gets unboxed, 2GB of RAM onboard

It’s been hinted to come on August 15 and we’ve seen its first ever commercial being released – now if only there’s some lucky soul out there who can get a hold of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and do the requisite unboxing. And just like that, our prayer is answered, thanks to The Brave Post all the way from South Korea.

Feast your eyes on the white Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and all of its S Pen glory. While the accompanying texts on the website are in Korean, it’s nothing that a little Google Translate can’t fix.

The main surprise seems to be the inclusion of 2GB RAM, as opposed to 1GB. We’re not sure if this is strictly for the domestic market, but we sure hope the bumped up RAM will make it to the international version. And as we’ve uncovered before, you can make phone calls on the Galaxy Note 10.1.

Those who were expecting to see a higher resolution display are in for a disappointment, as there’s no change to the 1,280 x 800 resolution of the Galaxy Note 10.1. Other features to be found include a quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos 4412 processor, 5MP rear camera with Full HD Playback and HD recording, HSPA+ connectivity, 7,000mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

We’ve embedded the video of the S Pen in action for your viewing pleasure. You know, just in case you feel the need to be wooed.

What do you think? Is the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 a first-day purchase material?

Read more »

ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity hitting the UK on August 31

ASUS UK took to Twitter today to announce that its much awaited Transformer Pad Infinity (TF700) will be gracing the shores of the British Isles on August 31.

Brits will have to wait a bit longer than their cousins down under – we reported yesterday that ASUS Australia has sent out invites for the launch event of the Transformer Pad Infinity on August 7. Moreover, the Infinity has been available in the US from July 16.

To add injury to the insult, UK-residents will have to put up with a stinging price tag. The 64GB version of the Pad Infinity will go for £599 (about $930), with the keyboard dock included. For comparison, the same model is available across the pond for $750 (with dock included). If it’s any consolation, it wouldn’t be the first time consumer devices are sold in Europe with a hefty premium slapped for no apparent reason. No word yet on when we could expect the 32GB version and at what price.

The price of the Infinity might well be worth it – many reviewers recommend the TF700 as the best Android tablet around. The specs certainly appear drool-worthy: quad-core Tegra 3, 1GB RAM, a beautiful Super IPS+ LCD display, and a keyboard dock that turn it into a pretty capable netbook.

UK readers, will you snatch the Pad Infinity on August 31, or do you have some better way to spend your disposable income?

Read more »