Android Phone Fans |
- Watch as the LG G Flex gets knifed, then heals itself like the T-1000 [VIDEO]
- Samsung Galaxy Gear sales reportedly hit 50,000 globally, doesn’t stop custom custom ROM development
- You can now purchase the Chromecast directly from Motorola’s site
- Samsung pulls Android 4.3 update for some Galaxy devices due to bugs
- Cincinnati Bell now offering the Sony Xperia Z1 for $300
- Nexus 5 hardware review
- Why Android 4.4 went with white (and why we can no longer see network activity in the status bar)
- Oppo’s Pete Lau steps down (reportedly to create new brand); is this who’ll make the CyanogenMod phone?
- Latest Verizon Moto X soak test confirmed to be for Android 4.4 KitKat; here are the full release notes
- Android 4.4 code commit reveals potential camera RAW support for the future
- All-white Limited Edition OUYA revealed with 16GB of internal storage
- Amazon’s Kindle Fire OS 3.1 now available; Goodreads support, Second Screen and more
- New Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.3 build leaks
- Sony Xperia Z1s (Z1 Mini) spotted in the wild
- Qualcomm Toq launches December 2nd for $349.99; are you buying? [POLL]
| Watch as the LG G Flex gets knifed, then heals itself like the T-1000 [VIDEO] Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:56 PM PST It was only last week we showed you guys a video from LG where they put their self-healing properties of their new LG G Flex to the test. In a very controlled environment, we watched as LG took a steel brush and scraped the LG G Flex numerous times across its back surface. True to their word, the scratches began to disappear as the phone healed itself, granted, over a few minutes time. All of that sounded great, but if you were looking to see how the device would perform in more real-world scratch tests, YouTuber MKBHD is here to help. Getting a hold of his own LG G Flex, we watched as he takes a set of keys — and even a knife — over the back of the LG G Flex with surprising results. While it the devices isn’t capable of healing 100%, over time (and under warm conditions to accelerate the healing process), we can see just how much less prominent those scratches became. He also gives the G Flex some CPR to test out its flexibility, and spoiler: the phone comes out unscathed. So, what have we learned here today? Although nothing incredibly groundbreaking, the new technology behind the LG G Flex is just the first step to what will someday spring forth the even more truly flexible (and possibly even unbreakable) smartphones. Great work,
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| Samsung Galaxy Gear sales reportedly hit 50,000 globally, doesn’t stop custom custom ROM development Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:11 PM PST
Rumors that so far, the Samsung Galaxy Gear hasn’t been the breakout smartwatch Samsung wanted it to be aren’t very surprising. According to Business Korea, industry sources are now claiming that only a total of 50,000 Galaxy Gears have been sold globally, putting the device at about 800 to 900 units sold a day. While this isn’t your typical “Galaxy” territory, slow sales haven’t stopped Android tinkerers from loading up the Galaxy Gear with custom software. Android developer fOmey on XDA is leading the charge, and with the help of fellow devs has put together a functional ROM for the Samsung Galaxy Gear. The custom software allows for native apk installations on the Galaxy Gear, along with other enhancements like upping video record times to 60 seconds, and Nova Launcher as the default home app. There’s even live wallpaper support for the truly daring (would love to see this in action). Lots more can be found on the Null_ 09.1 thread on XDA. It should be noted that while the custom ROM enables a heap ton of extra features for the Galaxy Gear, the smartwatch still requires a Samsung device with the appropriate software to function properly. [XDA] |
| You can now purchase the Chromecast directly from Motorola’s site Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:39 PM PST
The Chromecast is probably one of the best things to happen to the living room since the TV remote. Makes sense that Google would want to put it up for sale in as many places as possible. Besides already being able to pick one up from Amazon, Best Buy and, of course, the Google Play Store, consumers everywhere now have the option of snagging a Chromecast directly from Motorola. Of course, the Chromecast keeps the same affordable $35 price tag (+$4 standard shipping, or $11 for 2-day from Motorola), making it the perfect stocking stuffer this holiday season. While it doesn’t seem like there’s a clear benefit in buying the phone from Motorola versus other retailers, it could come in handy should you land yourself a Motorola coupon code. |
| Samsung pulls Android 4.3 update for some Galaxy devices due to bugs Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:56 PM PST
Over the weekend, reports began to emerge that AT&T had begun rolling out Android 4.3 over-the-air for the Samsung Galaxy S4. This came only a few weeks after Samsung began pushing out Android 4.3 to their previous flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S3 (international variant). It looks like issues Galaxy devices might be experiencing from the update have caused Samsung to temporarily halt their Android 4.3 rollout for a few of their Galaxy devices, Galaxy S3 and S4 included. After S3 users began reporting everything from screen freezes, to abnormal battery drain and wireless issues, the folks at SamMobile reached out to Samsung UK for a statement. Here’s what Samsung had to say:
While this statement pertained only to the international Samsung Galaxy S3, it appears that similar issues found in the Galaxy S4 after receiving its Android 4.3 upgrade have forced Samsung to pull its update as well. According to sources, the update for the S4 too has been suspended, leaving the exact timing for Android 4.3 on Samsung Galaxy devices hanging in the balance. Anyone update their S4 to 4.3 before it was pulled? Experiencing any issues? |
| Cincinnati Bell now offering the Sony Xperia Z1 for $300 Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:49 PM PST
The Sony Xperia Z1 is one hot mama of a device, but the problem for us Americans is that there’s a slim chance we’ll see it launch on the country’s top carriers. That means most folks will have to opt for an unlocked version, and even then those folks are confined to GSM carriers (often without the option of using 4G LTE). Thankfully, that isn’t the case for one relatively small subset of American consumers. Regional carrier Cincinnati Bell has quietly made the Sony Xperia Z1 available for purchase. It’ll cost you $300 after signing a new two-year contract, and that will get you a 5-inch 1080p smartphone with a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 20 megapixel camera and more. Quad-band HSPA+ radios mean you’ll be able to enjoy speeds that aren’t quite as fast as LTE, but not quite as slow as regular HSPA 3G. Sold yet? Go ahead and order one from Cincy Bell’s website f you just have to have the phone at a discount. |
| Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:33 PM PST
We’ve had our Nexus 5 for a little over a week now, making sure we’ve had enough time to get well acquainted with the device. During this time, we’ve taken the Nexus 5 out on dates, slept with it, got real nice and schmoozy with the phone. While I can’t show you video of the great lengths I took in getting a good “feel” for the device, I will describe my experiences with the phone over the past week. Like any first date, I’ll be judging the Nexus 5 based solely on the physical: its hardware. Design
First things first, the Nexus 5 is dead sexy. Sure it has that strange, overly large, camera areola on its back. But it’s the little quirks that give an otherwise boring, matte black slab some defining personality. Especially since design-wise, you kinda get the feeling LG designed the phone to not stand out. It’s entirely possible this was an intentional move by Google to keep the spotlight on Android, and not the tool that delivers the goods (Google services). The “ceramic” buttons were a nice touch, and probably the most premium aspect of the Nexus 5′s design.
The phone is surprisingly much thinner and lighter than I expected, measuring in at 8.59mm thin and a feathery 4.8oz. This, along with the silky smooth soft touch finish, makes for a phone that feels great in the hand (or anywhere else for that matter). It’s definitely a clear departure from the gaudy, glittery glass backing of the previous model. The best part about the soft touch finish is that the phone sits wherever you lay it: your lap, car seat, sofa arm rest. It wasn’t until I revisited my HTC One — which somehow always ends up sliding onto the floor or in between couch cushions — that I realized how much I had been missing this. LG made it so the soft touch finish fully extends around the device, even along the rim where it meets with the glass display on top (white version features a glossy plastic rim). I noticed that this creates an uncomfortable feeling when dragging your finger off the sides of the display. It also traps a crazy amount of lint/debris in the crevices where the rim and glass meet. As much as knock the Nexus 4, those smooth beveled edges on the display are sorely missed in the Nexus 5.
Speaker placement on the Nexus 5 is odd. It’s found along the bottom of the device — yes, just like the iPhone — with another grill right beside it for the microphone. While using the phone with one hand and in landscape, I found my hand would actually cover, muffling the sound. Pretty annoying for those who watch a lot of video or do some gaming on their smartphones. Can’t say I was too crazy about the speaker quality either. The speaker does get fairly loud, it’s just not crisp or clear. In the end, it seemed to get the job done. Apparently there’s a software bug in KitKat that makes audio output inconsistent and Google will be addressing in a future update, so we’ll be on the lookout for that.
Nexus 5 right side up (left), Nexus 5 upside down (right) My biggest complaint with the Nexus 5′s design was the large chin (bezel) along the bottom of the device. Sure, LG could have created a smaller overall device by simply chopping off the bottom chin but they didn’t. Gotta leave room for improvement in next year’s Nexus, right? What I can’t for the life of me figure out is why Google didn’t have LG flip the phone upside down, so that the incredibly small bezel was at the bottom of the phone. This would make infinitely more sense given the bottom software buttons already take away some screen real estate and would make for a phone that looks more balanced. Lastly, it’d also allow your thumb extend further over the screen, making it easier to hit those hard to reach corner UI buttons in single handed use. Processor
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 (2.26GHz) and Adreno 330 GPU (450MHz) quite frankly haul ass on the Nexus 5. It’s pretty noticeable when moving up from a Snapdragon 600 phone and will be even more apparent coming from an older SoC. With 2GB of RAM, it’s almost like Android 4.4 KitKat simply stands out of the way and lets the Snapdragon 800 do its thing.
What’s interesting is in a few side-by-side tests with the LG G2 (housing the same Snapdragon 800), we saw the Nexus 5 consistently beat the G2 when opening apps or loading web pages. Not by much, but it was certainly there. This lead to a phone that felt more snappy and responsive than any other phone we’ve come across — bar none. If speed is what you’re after, there has never been an Android device faster than the Nexus 5. Ever.
While we never place much weight in benchmarks, we feel obligated to provide the usual tests, simply because it gives us something a little more concrete than subjective opinions. Yes, some OEMs like to doctor their results but in the end benchmarks do measure something, even if it’s nothing more than the potential of the hardware within. Also worth noting is that while we were performing these benchmarks the Nexus 5 stayed cool, never reaching “hot” temperatures that we noticed from other devices during these same tests. Storage
The Nexus 5 comes in 2 storage options: 16GB and 32GB with no option for expandable memory (micro SD cards). On our 32GB model we found that after formatting and the loading of the OS, there’s about 26.78GB of total space left for apps and media. Last year’s model only offered 8GB/16GB of storage, so this year’s 16/32 was a definite upgrade. 32GB isn’t terribly confining, but after loading up only a few apps and games, we’re already down to 22GB of free storage. Because Google wants to keep costs of the the Nexus 5 to a minimum, we get that storage is just one of those specs they need to cut corners on. It just doesn’t mean we have to like it (or wouldn’t considering paying a higher premium for a 64GB option). Camera
A huge aspect of a phone’s hardware is its camera. Given that we’ve covered that in depth in a previous post, you guys can read up on that here. To make a long story short, we found that while the Nexus 5′s camera was lacking, we think a good portion of that is software based — not hardware. That being said, the Nexus 5 wasn’t the best smartphone camera we’ve shot with, but it’s also not the worst (an ongoing theme in the Nexus 5). The 8MP camera’s optical image stabilization helps out a lot while taking video, but the camera’s slow focus and performance make shooting from the hip feel like a chore. Also, video was nice, but for whatever reason, Google’s camera software only utilizes a single microphone when recording video instead of the available 2 (although rooting can enable both). Don’t get us wrong, there are instances where the Nexus 5 camera can deliver a really nice image. Give it enough light, and it will perform well. When using HDR+ mode, you can shoot in even the lowest of lighting conditions and deliver a great image. Just good luck getting the Nexus 5 to focus correctly. Display
Lets talk about the display quality. The Nexus 5 features a 4.95-inch Gorilla Glass 3 1080p display. Some of you may know from previous reviews, but I’m kinda big on displays. Because the Nexus 5 isn’t offered at the premium price-point of other smartphones, I expect LG would skimp out on a few parts, the display being one of them. Believe it or not, the 1080p display used for the Nexus 5 is actually the same one used in the HTC DROID DNA (which I loved). That’s not to say there aren’t differences. Google/LG tweak the color saturation and gamma differently than other OEMs, so what you’re left with is a very true to life, accurate color representation. Of course, for some folks, that might be too bland or “washed out” at first glance, especially when comparing it to other devices. Like the Nexus 4 before it, viewing angles were pretty bad. A good argument can be made by how how often anyone really uses their phone from an angle.
Comparing it side-by-side with the G2, I preferred the display on the G2 with much brighter whites, darker blacks, and vibrant colors. We decided to do a quick comparison test, pitting the Nexus 5 against the LG G2, HTC One, and iPhone 5s in a dark comparison test. Results can be found above and below.
Battery LifeNote: battery life on any mobile device will never be the same for any 2 people. That being said, I can only give you my personal experience, comparing it to other devices I’ve own or currently have in my possession. This is in no way the final word in battery life for the Nexus 5, and your mileage may (and likely will) vary.
With that out of the way, the Nexus 5 comes equipped with a sizable 2,300mAh battery. While it’s far from the 3,000mAh found in its cousin, the LG G2, we were hoping that a similar 23% decrease of the G2′s 2-day battery life would also be found in the Nexus 5. Not the case. We found that on average (after tallying up a little over a week’s worth of data), the Nexus 5 hit a respectable 12 to 14 hours of battery life with light usage. Anyone who is looking to actually use their phone should expect a few hours less. Of course we know a large portion of battery life has to do with software working along with the processor, so we’re hoping future updates will improve this number substantially. Battery life is always a huge concern for anyone looking to buy a new smartphone and rightly so. With options like the LG G2 and Moto X who offer phenomenal battery life, the Nexus 5 is up against some stiff competition. Other
There’s a handful of other hardware specs that are worth mentioning, so we’ll round them up here. It’s not always mentioned, but the Nexus 5 features a micro SIM card, not the tiny new nanos. This means you wont be able to swap SIMs from your Moto X or iPhone 5s with ease, something we were a little disappointed with. Also, like the Nexus 4, Google once again opted for a Slimport enabled micro USB. We’ve never used Slimport (which is said to be a better technology than MHL) and likely never will, so we’re not sure if this is a plus or minus. You’ll also find the Nexus 5 is capable of wireless charging using your favorite Qi compatible charging accessories. Like most good Androids these days, the Nexus 5 also features NFC for tap-to-pay transactions at participating retailers and Android Beam (now Google+ compatible) which is also convenient and something you wont find on an Apple device. There’s also Bluetooth 4.0 on board, along with dual-band WiFi 802.11 ac, and the Nexus 5 offered in the Play Store offers support for AT&T, T-Mobile, or Sprint networks. How many smartphones have you seen that can do that? Verdict
So who, if anyone, is the Nexus 5 aimed for? Of course, there’s the small minority of Android fanboys who love (and demand) constant and unhindered software updates directly from Google. But with the Nexus 5, Google is really targeting those fed up by paying steep monthly cell phone rates, simply to get online with a great smartphone. It’s a way out. Like the all-American Miller High Life, the Nexus 5 is a good phone, at an honest price. Now comes the tough part of figuring out whether the Nexus 5 is worth your hard earned money. In fact, great value is exactly what the Nexus 5 is all about. While it’s true the Nexus 5 doesn’t excel in every area, this was an intentional move by Google. Google simply wants to get their goods and services into as many hands as possible. A Nexus phone always gives consumers the biggest bang for their buck. At only $350/$400 unlocked, simply put: there’s no better smartphone you can buy for the money. Of course, when factoring in carrier subsidies, there are other — even better — options offered from other smartphone makers. Is the Nexus 5 the best smartphone on the market? Definitely not. But its not that far from it either. |
| Why Android 4.4 went with white (and why we can no longer see network activity in the status bar) Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:08 PM PST With Android 4.4 KITKAT, Google brought a ton of changes. Most of those were new features and under-the-hood goodness, but Google also brought a few significant aesthetic changes that had some people a little uneasy. For starters, they eliminated the blue and decided that white was going to be the one, and only, color for things like keyboard text, status bar text and icons, and the trace trail inside the keyboard.
Another key change Google made was moving the network status indicators from the status bar to within the quick settings toggle menu. A lot of people might not have ever noticed it on their current phones, but the arrows on the network icon (whether you were on 4G/3G or WiFi) would light up whenever bits of data were being transferred — up is upload, and down is download, natch. Beyond that, the network icon would turn gray whenever access to the Google Cloud Messaging service was not available (that is, the protocol that handles push notifications through Google’s system). These weren’t just random changes, though, as Google’s Dan Sandler thankfully reminds us that everything happens for a reason. In the comments thread for this Google+ post, Sandler gives a pretty in-depth explanation about it all. Long story short? A more neutral color scheme makes it so that the OS doesn’t clash much with an app’s custom look, and the network indicators were confusing for a lot of casual users, so they tucked it into a secondary menu where the geeks can find them (if they really need them). You can find the full explanation below if you’re interested.
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| Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:47 AM PST Last week, we broke a story regarding an official “CyanogenMod phone” that is rumored to be in the works. Our sources told us not to expect Oppo as the OEM of said phone, which will allegedly house Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.5GHz, and is said to be built from the ground-up for CyanogenMod. We speculated that Gionee could be the hardware partner behind this juicy device, though there’s no indication that they actually have anything to do with it. With that, we’re still digging to figure out who, exactly, could be the mystery partner.
That’s why today’s news caught our attention. Oppo’s vice president Pete Lau — who you can see posing with the CyanogenMod folks in the photo above — has announced that he is stepping down from Oppo. With the company gaining lots of momentum in China and starting to gain worldwide attention as of late, one has to wonder why the executive would choose to step down. According to new rumors, it’s because he wants to create a new brand. He notes there’s a “perfect Android flagship” in the works, and that “they” are “conspiring” to create something that they believe will change the world of Android. Who is “they?” Steve Kondik, and the CyanogenMod team, for starters. Here’s a November 12th post from the grisly bearded man himself:
Connecting the dots is fun, guys! It’ll be interesting to see if this is, in fact, the big move that the CyanogenMod team is getting ready to make. While their initial partnership with Oppo was already breathtakingly surreal, this supposed CyanogenMod phone would be a success story unlike anything we’ve ever heard of from the aftermarket firmware development community. Let’s hope we hear more at some point this week. [via Engadget] |
| Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST Last week, Motorola started notifying users about a new soak test for an upgrade that would be headed to handsets shortly. There was no indication as to what this upgrade could be, with the big camera fixing update having already been issued to folks across many different carriers. Well, we finally have a pretty good idea of what it is — it’s KitKat!
The latest information from Motorola’s feedback forums confirm as much. It’s interesting to note that this is for the Verizon version of the Moto X, which is pretty unreal: Big Red folks are usually always late to the party when it comes to major OS upgrades. That the Moto X beat out the Nexus 4 and the Google Play Experience Galaxy S4 and HTC One is also noteworthy, though it’s imperative to remember that this is only a soak test. While Motorola didn’t expressly state that the rollout would happen today, they did say that folks should be seeing the OTA come in “very soon.” With the release notes up and the subsection for the soak test created, we wouldn’t be surprised if Moto X users were enjoying a break before the sun went down tonight. We’ll be on the lookout for its arrival in the moments to come. Be sure to read on for the full release notes (which doesn’t really have many surprises other than official support for Square).
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| Android 4.4 code commit reveals potential camera RAW support for the future Posted: 18 Nov 2013 09:58 AM PST
It’s not uncommon for software developers to have to temporarily shelve unfinished code for a project. That is exactly what happened with Android 4.4 and a new API that should please many cellphone photographers. A look at AOSP source code commit comments reveals the team was working on new camera APIs, which could ultimately bring us support for RAW images, which is an uncompressed, high-information image file that can be manipulated using image editing software. The AOSP commit suggests Android phones could some day not only view RAW images natively, but also save files in the RAW format (they currently save them in a compressed JPEG format) without any further post-processing. So if the code isn’t there, why can’t we use it? Well, it simply wasn’t ready, apparently. A comment from the AOSP references the code, with a request from the maintainer to cease from merging the code into the operating system. We’re not yet sure what caused them to hold off — a last minute bug, perhaps. Or was it just not ready for public consumption? Whatever the case may be, it makes us hopeful that it’s something Google will look to bring to the Android platform in future updates. How soon that will happen remains to be seen, but you can bet we’ll be waiting with much anticipation. [via Ars Technica] |
| All-white Limited Edition OUYA revealed with 16GB of internal storage Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:38 AM PST
While the 8GB of internal storage inside the OUYA wasn’t a huge problem for most, some have been a bit unhappy with the paltry initial offering. Thankfully OUYA has been listening, and has decided to bring us 16GB of storage… inside the new all-white OUYA. The device is now available for $130, which is just over $30 more than what the original launched for. $30 for just 8GB more is a bit unnerving, but OUYA will soon be giving folks another option for expanding storage as the company has promised a software upgrade that should enable support for USB flash drives. We’re not sure how well that will work for installing games and apps, but it’s a heck of a lot better than being confined to what comes pre-installed. The timing of this release is interesting, with Sony’s PlayStation 4 now available and the Xbox One set to launch this Friday. OUYA continues to contend that their console offers tremendous value, and that it deserves a spot in your home up next to the big boys. Whether that turns out to be reality remains to be seen, but they certainly aren’t shy about trying to steal some of the spotlight from the major players of the industry. Be sure to order one at OUYA’s site if you’re interested . |
| Amazon’s Kindle Fire OS 3.1 now available; Goodreads support, Second Screen and more Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:04 AM PST Amazon has announced an upgrade to their Fire OS, the heavily customized version of Android that is tailor made for Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets. This upgrade, which is only for the newest Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX models, brings us a multitude of enhancements and changes that should make for a much better experience no matter who you are.
For starters, Amazon has integrated the Goodreads community with their book reading experience. You can now easily share your favorite quotes and lines from whatever you’re reading with your friends on the Goodreads community. You can also rate and review books, and import all of your print and Kindle books purchased with your Amazon account into Goodreads. Samsung also added Second Screen support, a feature which allows you to “fling” whatever content you’re watching from your tablet to your television. This gesture allows you to free up your tablet for other activities, including reading a book, using other apps and more. It supports the PlayStation 3 and select Samsung TVs right now, with PlayStation 4 support coming at some point down the line. Amazon also improved enterprise support, with the company focusing on making it easier for IT departments to support BYOD (bring-your-own-device). It features SharePoint compatibility, a native VPN interface, Kerberos support and a native certificate exchange client. Here’s a list of the rest of the changes you can expect upon downloading and installing this big upgrade:
If you’re patent enough to wait, the over-the-air upgrade will be rolling out over the course of the next few weeks. Most people aren’t patient, though, so Amazon has made it available to download and install right now. Visit this link for the download and instructions for your specific device if you can’t wait to get your hands on it. |
| New Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.3 build leaks Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:50 AM PST While much of the world is salivating over the thought of having Android 4.4 KitKat, a lot of folks would be just as happy with getting bumped up to the latest version of Jelly Bean. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is one phone that is still on Android 4.1.2, though Samsung has promised that an upgrade to Android 4.3 would be along shortly.
The latest known version of the firmware upgrade has leaked for the Note 2, which could possibly be a near-final build ahead of an official rollout. We can’t say for certain this build is stable, of course, but that won’t stop some eager folks from getting their hands on it to try it out. And, for what it’s worth, SamMobile says the build is very stable after having tested it for quite a bit of time. Instructions for downloading and installing the upgrade can be found at the tail-end of this post, though you must have an unlocked GT-N7100 model to go through with it — do not touch this with a 10-foot pole if you don’t. So what will this bring to the masses?
There is sure to be more hiding under the hood, though you’ll have to go digging for all of that once you’re up and running. SamMobile says it’s possible this build will be pushed out as early as next week if testing goes OK. Read on for the full flashing instructions, and remember that you — and you alone — are responsible for anything that happens to your device if you do something that is not OEM-approved. With that warning in mind, go ahead and have fun!
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| Sony Xperia Z1s (Z1 Mini) spotted in the wild Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:32 AM PST
Everyone’s jumping on the “mini” bandwagon this year, so it’s no surprise that Sony decided to get in on the fun. The company has recently been rumored to launch one Sony Xperia Z1s, which is a mini variant of the high-end Xperia Z1 that was announced last month. Digi-wo procured the latest shots of this thing, with the leakster putting it side-by-side with the big, older brother that it’s based on. The images don’t show much that we don’t already know, except for the fact that Sony still hasn’t learned how to get “dat bezel” down to a more comfortable, pocketable size. The latest rumors suggest the Z1 Mini will be more powerful than any other smartphone in its class. This 4.3-inch device will reportedly house a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 20 megapixel camera sensor and more. This is one of the first “mini” smartphones that provides more than just a mid-range or entry-level punch. The only other phone to get close was the Motorola DROID Mini, though that entire series (including the Moto X) features a toned down spec sheet. It’s an exciting little guy, though we’re not sure when to expect its debut. We’re obviously hoping to see it sometime before the holiday season is over, though we’re sure those looking for a small phone with powerful specs won’t mind waiting even longer. [via PhoneArena] |
| Qualcomm Toq launches December 2nd for $349.99; are you buying? [POLL] Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:05 AM PST We here at Phandroid are huge fans of the growing smart watch scene, so you can imagine our excitement when Qualcomm revealed the Toq at their LINQ developers’ conference in San Diego earlier this year. The Toq turned many heads with various unique features not found in your typical smart watch, including a very interesting use of Mirasol display technology (which is like eInk with color).
You can read a lot more about the Toq in our hands-on post here, but today’s news is that the device finally has a release date and price. Qualcomm says we can expect the Toq to go on sale December 2nd, and that it would cost us $349.99 to own one. Before you have a massive stroke after realizing this thing costs as much as a Nexus 5 and is more expensive than a Galaxy Gear, let’s consider a couple of different things:
A bit easier to swallow? The only unknown we still have to wonder about is smartphone compatibility — just how useful will the Toq be in your day-to-day life? Some smart watches only come with very basic functionality which don’t interface with many apps. Others, like the Galaxy Gear, require certain smartphones with certain software upgrades to bring a full experience. Which side of the line Qualcomm’s wrist-dweller sits on remains to be seen, but you can bet we’ll be looking to find out for ourselves once it’s in our hands (or on our wrists). Let us know if you’ll be looking to buy the Qualcomm Toq with a vote and a comment below, and don’t forget to read our comparison where we put it up against smart watch products from other major and notable OEMs. |
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