Android Phone Fans |
- AT&T, T-Mobile launch tons of new 4G LTE markets
- Michael Bay bombs, awkwardly storms off stage at Samsung CES Press Event [VIDEO]
- Samsung announces Galaxy TabPRO tablets!
- Samsung officially announces Galaxy NotePro 12.2-inch Android tablet
- ASUS adds three new affordable Zenfones, and the Padfone Mini
- ASUS Transformer Book Duet TD300 announced as first Windows/Android dualboot tablet/notebook
- Could NVIDIA Automotive help Android shake up an entire industry?
- Huawei announces Ascend Mate 2 4G, we go hands-on [CES 2014]
- Corning introduces new Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass to help keep your smartphone sterile
- Pebble announces luxurious new Steel watch, upcoming app store and new partners
- Human faces generated by Tegra K1 powered tablets will blow you away
- AT&T to be the exclusive US carrier of the ASUS Padfone X
- Hands-on: Lenovo ThinkVision 28 4K Smart Display [VIDEO]
- Eyes-on: Parrot Jumping Sumo [VIDEO]
- Polaroid’s Socialmatic 14 megapixel Android camera looks like a big Instagram icon
| AT&T, T-Mobile launch tons of new 4G LTE markets Posted: 06 Jan 2014 05:14 PM PST
A couple of America’s biggest GSM carriers have announced some new 4G LTE launches today. I’m talking about T-Mobile and AT&T, the two parties who have been at war with each other ever since their failed attempt at merging. For the former — magenta — we’re 14 new launches around the country, while Ma Bell’s 26 rounds out their CES launch parade. Be sure to read ahead for the full list of cities for both: T-Mobile
AT&T
Whew, those are some long lists. AT&T recently surpassed a sizable list of 500 markets covered in 4G LTE, while T-Mobile is making good time on catching up to the big boys. T-Mobile shouldn’t have many problems, though, with the carrier boasting that 2014 will be one to behold for those who enjoy seeing a network grow and grow and grow. Let us know if your city finally made the cut for either of these carriers. |
| Michael Bay bombs, awkwardly storms off stage at Samsung CES Press Event [VIDEO] Posted: 06 Jan 2014 03:28 PM PST Michael Bay might be a living Hollywood legend, but clearly he’s more comfortable being behind the camera instead of it. At Samsung’s CES Press Event, where they announced the Samsung Galaxy NotePro and Samsung Galaxy TabPro among other products, Bay was invited to comment on the company’s innovative new curved TV display. And then this happened (if you don’t like train wrecks or fails… don’t watch): Initially I felt a bit bad for the guy and practically blushed of embarrassment just watching it happen. I can’t help but wonder what was going on in his head. Was he public speaking freeze shamed into exile? Does he just not give a blippety blip and decide to cut his losses short? I’m sure you’ll have sarcastic responses in the comments that accurately identify the scenario. Personally, I think he was on the brink of a Christian Bale-like meltdown on whoever messed up his teleprompter, deciding it better to walk off and count to 10 billion. Regardless, Samsung did a great job rebounding and turning an otherwise awkward experience into a successful CES show. |
| Samsung announces Galaxy TabPRO tablets! Posted: 06 Jan 2014 02:20 PM PST
Samsung has kicked off the CES madness with four tablets that will accommodate to all users. These come in a variety of sizes and types, but in this post we will talk about the Galaxy TabPROs. These come in 3 different sizes: 12.2 inches, 10.1 inches and 8.4 inches. It is not often that we see a 12.2-inch device, making this a rather interesting device. Are these worth your time and hard-earned money, though? Let’s look at what Samsung is offering. TabPRO 12.2
TabPRO 10.1
TabPRO 8.4
Thee are some powerful tablets with amazing screen resolutions. As we can see, they are mostly the same except for size and form-factor. One small (but important) difference is that the TabPRO 12.2 does have one more GB of RAM. With 3 GB of RAM, the TabPRO 12.2 should be the best option for those who appreciate good multi-tasking power and large displays. I am more of an 8-inch screen kind of guy, so if I were to choose between one of these I would go for the 8.4-inch version. There is nothing like the portability of a 7-8 inch tablet. What would you buy? We are not sure what the price on these bad boys will be just yet, but be sure we will try to get all the details while we are at CES! If you are interested, though, we do know these will be available globally starting Q1, 2014. Stay tuned for more details! We have hands-on videos coming.
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| Samsung officially announces Galaxy NotePro 12.2-inch Android tablet Posted: 06 Jan 2014 02:11 PM PST
The folks at Samsung have officially announced the 12.2-inch Samsung Galaxy NotePro at CES 2014. Samsung says its goal was to kick the year off by flexing their muscles in the tablet space. You’re probably curious about those specs right away, aren’t ya? Have no fear — we’re not going to delay the goodness any longer. Samsung Galaxy NotePro Specs Samsung really went all out with this thing. If a gigantic display wasn’t enough, perhaps the entirety of this package will do the trick in getting your excitement levels up:
And there you have it. It’s certainly ready to kick some butt and take some names with that collection of silicon, and we aren’t surprised that it’s yet another entry in Samsung’s Note series that’s taking things to the next level. Samsung Galaxy NotePro Features Specs are only half the battle, of course. The NotePro will come equipped with Samsung’s standard TouchWiz-enabled user experience, with a couple of updated elements from the last time we’ve seen one of their Android tablets launch. One of those elements include a bigger emphasis on the Magazine UX, giving you a look at all the content and info important to you in a clean, easy-to-view way. It also includes standard S Pen features, multi-window productivity, and more. It’s also good for business, apparently, with Cisco WebEx meetings built-in, and Samsung e-Meeting collaboration tools. Samsung Galaxy NotePro Pricing and Availability The Samsung Galaxy NotePro is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2014, but no specific dates, regions, or even a price point has been communicated just yet. We’ll certainly be on the lookout for what should be one of the most sought after tablets on the market whenever it launches. Stay tuned for our hands-on look from CES 2014!        |
| ASUS adds three new affordable Zenfones, and the Padfone Mini Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:58 PM PST ASUS has announced a bevy of new smartphones at their CES press event today. The main focus was the affordable Zenfone lineup, which consists of the ASUS Zenfone 4, Zenfone 5, and Zenfone 6.
All of these devices utilize Intel’s dual-core Atom chipsets, which means they’re meant to be a rather affordable bunch. Here’s a quick look at each: ASUS Zenfone 4
ASUS Zenfone 5
ASUS Zenfone 6
All of these smartphones will be running the new ZenUI ASUS has crafted, a simplistic UI on top of Android 4.3 which features the ability to change themes, get a daily agenda showing you everything you need to do and remember, a call back reminder feature, and more. ASUS also came to town with the Padfone Mini, a 4-inch smartphone that can be paired with a 7-inch tablet dock for those times where you need something a tad bigger. Coming in at just $249, this thing has a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom chipset, 8GB of internal storage and 800 x 480 resolution.
We won’t be rolling out the red carpet for this thing, though you can’t really ask for much more out of this combo for just under $250. ASUS hasn’t come out with any availability details for any of these devices, but it’s safe to say that we’ll be seeing them in various markets (likely not the United States, though) later this year. Stay tuned as we look to get some personal time with these little ones at CES 2014. |
| ASUS Transformer Book Duet TD300 announced as first Windows/Android dualboot tablet/notebook Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:03 PM PST ASUS just wrapped up their CES 2014 press event where they announced a ton of great new products. One of those products was the ASUS Transformer Book Duet TD300, which they’re calling the world’s first 4-in-1 laptop / tablet combo running both Android and Windows on one chipset. It’s the first device to use Intel to run both Android and Windows on the same chip, meaning there’s little overhead and resources being used for emulating one or the other.
This sort of combo has been done before, but devices typically need separate SoCs for each respective platform. Said SoCs might only be activated in certain states (for example, Windows would only be accessible while docked inside of a tablet dock). It certainly is an exciting achievement for ASUS and Intel, and it should prove to be the breakthrough needed to help increase the popularity of this useful form factor. Even more exciting is its price tag: just $599 to walk away with one, apparently. We should note that is only the device’s starting price tag, though, which will come with a Core i3 processor and a 13.3-inch 1,366 x 768 display. That same configuration can be had in 1080p flavoring for just $100. Models in the range go all the way up to a 1080p HD display with Intel’s Core i7 fourth generation processor. We’re not quite sure how much that will cost just yet, but judging by ASUS’ desire to keep costs down on other products in their lineup, we can’t imagine it’ll be a huge difference.      We’re a bit saddened that this thing will only be running Android 4.1 at launch, but at least the Windows installation is the latest version available. We’ll be crossing our fingers that ASUS brings us up to at least Android 4.3, though we’d give them extra cool points if they can find a way to squeeze a KitKat bar in there somewhere. It should be launching in Europe and Asia in Q1 2014, and will be making its way stateside in Q2
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| Could NVIDIA Automotive help Android shake up an entire industry? Posted: 06 Jan 2014 11:56 AM PST Imagine your car dashboard.
Now imagine using your computer or smartphone to customize everything about it.
This is just the tip of the iceberg – more below – but listen to NVIDIA’s CEO discuss changes coming to a car driven by you in the near future: That’s just the surface of NVIDIA’s innovation plans for the automotive industry. The above is called “Project Mercury” and allows automotive manufacturers to adjust, iterate, and offer live views of their cars incorporating an infinite number of colors, textures, and designs. Soon, NVIDIA hopes, your dashboard will be a lively canvas that looks and function more like your smartphone home screen: completely customizable. The start of a new Automotive Era? For years I’ve been trumpeting Android’s movement and eventual ubiquity in industries beyond mobile, but similar to mobile. Industries that had iterative advancements but whose oligopoly prevented dramatic improvements across the board. The two industries with the most potential: television and automotive. Television’s technological renaissance may be a couple years away with so many licensing issues and vested interests creating an environment toxic to collaboration. Say what you want, but there isn’t a Steve Jobs around to pull off the impossible music-to-iTunes counterpart for the television industry. The auto industry, on the other hand, is chomping at the bit for more bytes.
Just as Google announced the Open Handset Alliance en route to revolutionizing the mobile industry, they’ve just announced the Open Automotive Alliance which could likely be the catalyst for a similar revolution seen in vehicles around the world. The founding members of that alliance are Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai, and NVIDIA. You might not know it but NVIDIA has been a player in the automotive industry for years and not just because they seem to lug bad ass sports cars to almost every major technology show on the planet (CES, MWC, etc… ). This year, though, NVIDIA is making some pivotal adjustments and announcements to make their presence in the Open Automotive Alliance well known. The Real Smart Car: Advanced Driver Assistance We’ve known for years now that Google is working on self driving cars; they’ve even been spotted in the wild. How in the heck does this technology actually work? You can guarantee that there is a whole lot going on in the background, and my guess – almost anonymously confirmed with announcement of the OAA launch partners – is that NVIDIA technology has a hand in it. You know how your smartphone and camera offer live face recognition while recording video, following your subject around like white on rice? NVIDIA’s Advanced Driver Assistance technology does exactly that but instead of following faces, follows vehicles, obstacles, road signs, and more. Take a glimpse of it in action. Don’t worry: this isn’t video you would be following live on your car dashboard. This is a reference design allowing automotive partners to track the various algorithms and see them in action. They use this to build the systems that eventually become Advanced Driver Assistance services, for example automatically initiating the brakes when a vehicle in front of you slams on theirs. Or perhaps noting the speed limit on a road sign has changed and automatically adjusting your cruise control to compensate. Where is Automotive Tech headed? We aren’t exactly flying around in Deloreans, or even getting driven around with google robot butlers (robutlers? anyone?), but automotive tech is poised to see strong leaps and growth in the coming 3 years. Much of that will be based on the announcements and changes happening this year. Watch the NVIDIA CEO discuss his company’s position on those changes and stay tuned to Phandroid for much in Android automotive from CES 2014. How would you feel about having Android prevalent in your next vehicle? |
| Huawei announces Ascend Mate 2 4G, we go hands-on [CES 2014] Posted: 06 Jan 2014 11:54 AM PST
Last year, Huawei announced the Ascend Mate, a plus-sized phablet that was one of the pleasant surprises of CES 2013. This year, Huawei has naturally advanced the model to the next generation, introducing the Ascend Mate 2 4G. The Ascend Mate 2 4G features quad-core processing, 4G LTE support for nearly every wireless standard (it won’t officially launch in the US, but will be compatible with all carriers), and, of course, a 6.1-inch display. A 5MP front-facing camera and 13MP rear camera (itself a Sony BSI sensor) provide plenty of possibilities when it comes to capturing photos. Adding to this are an array of software-based enhancements introducing panoramic selfies, a beauty enhancement slider, and a special preview window. Other aspects of this skinned version of Android have been modified as well, utilizing the large screen area for easier multitasking, one-handed use, and more. But what everyone will be talking about is the phone’s 4050mAh battery, a true gargantuan of power. The phone is claimed to last two full days on a single charge. With heavy use, the battery is still said to clock over a full day and then some. All this in a form factor that manages to not feel all that large (considering its display size).
The Ascend Mate 2 comes as a worthy successor to the original, a phone that while it did not make a trip to the US saw modest success in countries around the globe. Huawei’s big push this year is to raise brand awareness. In an effort to focus on other regions, that means a forfeiture of US territory, but if they continue to churn out quality mobile devices it won’t be long before they return to the US.
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| Corning introduces new Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass to help keep your smartphone sterile Posted: 06 Jan 2014 11:49 AM PST
OCD sufferers rejoice! Corning — makers of the tougher-than-nails Gorilla Glass — have announced their newest creation: Corning Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass. The EPA-registered antimicrobial glass is infused with ionic silver to “inhibit the growth” of algae, mold, mildew, fungi and of course, bacteria — keeping you safe as you pass about your tablets, smartphones, and the like. Corning says this new type of Gorilla Glass was made to help address the public’s growing concern with harmful bacteria, and its antimicrobial properties are promised for the life of the device. Some of you might remember a study from not too long ago that showed 1 in 6 smartphones had high traces of fecal matter, so maybe this new Gorilla Glass isn’t such a bad idea after all. Corning will be showing off the Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass at their booth during CES. We’re not sure exactly how they’ll “demo” it (our imaginations are already running wild), but stayed tuned for our coverage later in the week as we follow up. |
| Pebble announces luxurious new Steel watch, upcoming app store and new partners Posted: 06 Jan 2014 11:46 AM PST Nothing like the biggest tech event of the year to announce an awesome new product. Pebble has what you need if you have been looking for a smartwatch that doesn’t look like an adult toy. Need a watch that will give you some style? The Pebble Steel is here!
The new watch comes in 3 options: black steel, silver steel and leather strap. All three look great and come with the same features as the regular Pebble, which also just got better! You get the ePaper display, water proof support, Gorilla Glass and more. Oh, but there is more from Pebble! App store launching this month
Pebble also announced its new app store, which will be available directly from the Pebble app. You will be able to download all your apps and watch faces straight from your device and transfer them to your watch… all on-the-go. The app store will be available to Pebble users later in January. New partnersIf you are not seriously considering getting a Pebble yet, you might get more excited with the new partnerships Pebble announced. Once the app store launches, users will have access to the Pandora, ESPN and Mercedes-Benz apps. Other apps include Yelp, Foursquare, GoPro and iControl. Price and availability: is the Pebble Steel worth it?The Pebble Steel will cost you an extra $100! This means it will cost $249, and it will begin shipping on January 28. I happen to love the new design and it seems like the display is even bigger. The original Pebble does look a bit “toyish” to me (just like all other smartwatches). It’s nice to see Pebble bringing more mature-looking options to the market. Is the Pebble Steel worth the extra $100, though? It depends on your taste. As for me, I am kinda liking the one with the leather strap.
[Pebble] |
| Human faces generated by Tegra K1 powered tablets will blow you away Posted: 06 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST The power of mobile processors has grown considerably in the past few years, but last night, NVIDIA whipped out a Carl Lewis triple jump by announcing the 192-core Tegra K1 processor. The press conference went on for a couple hours, discussing everything from the nitty gritty specs, to impact on the automotive industry, and even crop circles NVIDIA employees made as a low budget marketing idea. It was all good stuff, but I was sold on the Tegra K1 with one demo: human faces generated in real-time.
That might be the most lifelike human faces I’ve ever seen generated by a computer. The picture simply doesn’t do justice. It was the realism in the facial expressions. The fluidity with which the brow furrowed and the lips puckered. Look at the small crescent of light peering through the thin cartilage of the ear. The quality of images generated with the Tegra K1 was nothing short of amazing. I was in awe. We got a nice hands-on look at the face simulation in action: If this type of realism could be brought to real environments in gameplay, we could be seeing game experiences that parallel Xbox One, PS4, and PC directly on our Android tablets. They took another step to showing us just that with a living room setting. It may seem crazy, but I fell in love with this couch.
Moving around the room and directly up to the couch made the environment feel absolutely real, not computer generated. Take a look at this couch, the texture of the fabric, and the way it sits and folds on the back cushions.
Reminds me a bit of the movie Inception where “the architect” perfectly re-imagines the real world in a dream world, with the subjects only being able to differentiate the difference by actually feeling the surface. This couch looks so real and so comfortable, I’m worried what Rick James would do to it or say about it. It went much further than just the couch, obviously. It was the grain of the hardwood floor. The way the light reflected and refracted on different objects appropriately, from the dense soak of rubber to the shiny glaze of chrome trashcans. For the Tegra K1, it’s all about the details, especially the spot-on details you may overlook if you didn’t know any better. The face and room simulations were nothing short of spectacular but toss in thousands of computer AI generated in-game activities and the story might be a little bit different. Enemies running here and there while reacting to your gameplay, different explosions going off in the foreground and background, all these simultaneous processor intensive activities distribute the processor’s attention across different tasks, making it more difficult to render these real life settings in realtime. NVIDIA showed some in-game examples of the Tegra K1 at work, but to honest, they didn’t shine like the face simulation and the room simulation above. I’m not surprised, nor worried. The K1 is fresh off the assembly line and clearly has “alpha” stamped on its forehead. They’ve got improvements to make, but if NVIDIA can make gameplay look, feel, and perform like some of these demos… we’re all in for a big treat when “next gen” gaming (and automative) firmly plant their feet. |
| AT&T to be the exclusive US carrier of the ASUS Padfone X Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:58 AM PST
AT&T has just announced that they will have exclusive rights in the United States to carry the ASUS Padfone X. This phone/tablet combo is quite unique. The phone itself is a 5-inch device, and it can be docked into the back of a 9-inch tablet dock that has its own display and battery. It’ll feature Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box and support for LTE-Advanced, though there weren’t many other specs revealed at this point. "We are committed to delivering our customers the most innovative and compelling device portfolio," said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president of devices at AT&T. "The PadFone X is first of its kind in the U.S. It combines leading technology, a beautiful design and a remarkably seamless application experience – all on the nation's fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network.” The original Padfone created a lot of noise, but its limited global availability made it an afterthought for most people. It should be a very interesting device among a group of heavy hitters on AT&T’s store shelves, though, so we’re interested in seeing how it’ll do here in the United States. ASUS still has a press conference coming up later today, so stay tuned as we look to get more info about the Padfone X in the moments to come.
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| Hands-on: Lenovo ThinkVision 28 4K Smart Display [VIDEO] Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:57 AM PST
Android devices come and go, especially the All-in-One Android computers. A mobile OS on a large, non-portable screen is simply not that practical, but Lenovo may have something very interesting up its sleeve with the Lenovo ThinkVision 28 4K Smart Display. Lenovo ThinkVision 28 4K Smart Display specs
This machine is a 28-inch computer with a stunning 4K display! And believe me guys… it really is stunning. The colors and definitions are sharp, colorful and clear. Android is not the main feature here, though, which is what makes this device special. They are focusing on selling a convenient 4K display. As the Lenovo representative told us, Android is just there so you can display content to your screen. Price & availabilityThe device is a little pricy at $1,199, but having a 28-inch 4K display coupled with Android could make it enticing to some. It is coming to the USA in July 2014! Would you buy it? |
| Eyes-on: Parrot Jumping Sumo [VIDEO] Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:53 AM PST
During last night’s CES Unveiled, Parrot’s unveiled their upcoming connected toy line but the high-flying MiniDrone was only one-half of the equation. Where the MiniDrone dominates the sky, Parrot’s Jumping Sumo takes to the ground, featuring a more rugged design that is able to take a beating and keep on ticking… or flipping, rather. The Jumping Sumo has a single extendable arm that has enough power to launch the Sumo high into the air, clearing stairs or any other obstacles standing in its way. The arm can also grab items, carrying the precious cargo back to the user. During the demo, we watch as the Sumo flipped, fell, and took a tumble, all while being controlled by the companion mobile app. The app also shows a live feed for a handy first-person view of the action. Again, no word on exact availability of the Jumping Sumo or its MiniDrone sibling, but expect to have both of them in time for the 2014 holiday season. |
| Polaroid’s Socialmatic 14 megapixel Android camera looks like a big Instagram icon Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:40 AM PST
Polaroid has announced a new Android camera with a very interesting and unique form factor. They’re calling it the Polaroid Socialmatic, which houses a 14 megapixel zoom sensor alongside a 2 megapixel front-cam for selfies. This thing runs Android inside a decent-sized 4.5-inch display, and in case you haven’t already noticed, it looks like a gigantic Instagram icon. The Polaroid Socialmatic was named after its ability to edit and share shots instantly to all your favorite social apps, though there’s more to this thing than Android. It also includes the ability to print small photos on-board, with Polaroid’s Zero Ink (or ZINK) 2 x 3″ printing paper being compatible with the thing. It seems like a cool way to quickly capture and share memories with your friends and family on the go. We don’t know many of the other specs powering this thing, though we imagine it’s not something that has to be super powerful for the task of snapping and editing photos. The camera is set to come out later this Fall, so no pricing or exact availability information is available to us just yet. [via Polaroid] |
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