Monday, 26 September 2011

Android Community

Android Community

HTC Amaze 4G officially announced for T-Mobile, Coming October 10th

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 11:45 AM PDT

Today at GigaOm Mobilize 2011, T-Mobile has just officially announced the new and much rumored HTC Amaze 4G. Coming in October both the Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II will take advantage of T-Mobiles new HSPA+ 42 network technology. The Amaze 4G features a 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor and should be one awesome phone, more details can be found below.

Original leaks suggested a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm snapdragon dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, 4.3″ qHD diplsay, an 8 MP camera with dual LED flash (same great camera as the myTouch 4G Slide), as well as a front camera for video chat. Those have all been officially confirmed along with Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and HTC Sense UI. We originally thought this would launch with Sense UI 3.5 but the press shot above clearly shows that is not the case.

The HTC Amaze 4G will support the new, faster HSPA+ 42 network on T-Mobile for enhanced data speeds, and will also come with full NFC capabilities. We should see Google Wallet for the Amaze 4G shortly.

Over on T-Mobile.com the HTC Amaze 4G will be available starting October 10th, and will hit retail stores on Wednesday, October 12th for $259.99 and will come with a $50 mail in rebate.

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T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II officially announced, Coming October 10th for $229

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 11:45 AM PDT

The announcements from T-Mobile just keep coming in. Today they have made official the Samsung Galaxy S II (aka Hercules). Originally detailed back in August, we were able to get some hands-on time with the phone. Today T-Mobile has announced the fastest Galaxy S II yet with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor will be available starting October 10th.

T-Mobile opted to go with a different processor with their version of the much anticipated Galaxy S II. Along with the others it features a 4.52″ Super AMOLED display, but it is being powered by a Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core processor rather than Samsung’s own 1.2 GHz Exynos like the other retail SGSII smartphones such as the Epic 4G Touch. It also comes with the same amazing specs of 1GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, that awesome 8 MP camera on the rear, NFC capabilities and more all inside that super lightweight and sleek package. Running Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread the Galaxy S II is the thinnest and fastest smartphone around.

Like the just announced HTC Amaze 4G, the T-Mobile Galaxy S II will be able to take full advantage of T-Mo’s new HSPA+ 42 network with enhanced data connectivity and speeds. While this is no 4G LTE, it does offer great overall speeds and we’ll be sure to test them fully when we get the device in for review. Originally known as the Samsung Hercules, we can expect the T-Mobile Galaxy S II to act and look just like this recently caught on video SGSII X.

The Samsung Galaxy S II on T-Mobile’s enhanced 4G HSPA+ 42 network will be available for pre-order starting October 10th for just $229, and will also hit retail stores on October 12th along with the Amaze 4G. More details can be found on T-Mobile.com

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Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications unveils WiMax Arrows Z Android smartphone

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 07:28 AM PDT

Japan is set to get a new smartphone that runs the Android operating system from Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications and the device sounds pretty cool. The phone is the Arrows Z ISW11F and the device is waterproof to IPX5/8 to protect it from spills and splashes. The company says that it is targeting men from 25-40. However, there is a pink version for the ladies that want to get the phone too.

The smartphone has a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 resolution display and can output 720p video. The open has a 13.1MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front camera. The ISO sensitivity of the smartphone is 25600. It also has integrated effects for the smartphone camera like soft focus, vivid and other camera art features. It can also shoot in HDR and 1080p video can be recorded.

The phone has a 32GB microSD card for storage and uses a 1.2GHz OMAP4430 processor. Integrated ROM is 8GB and RAM is 1GB. The smartphone has WiMax 4G connectivity and supports CDMA and GSM networks. The phone supports WiFi hot spot use and has multiple encryption formats for security it also has an integrated FM tuner and more. The phone measures 64 x 128 x 10.1mm and weighs 131g. The phone will come in blue, white, pink, and black with a 1460 mAh battery. Pricing will be 10,000 yen in Japan.

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Edmunds updates Android app for used car shoppers

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 05:31 AM PDT

Edmunds has been offering an app for the car shoppers out there for a while now that runs on the Android platform. The app is interesting and useful for car shoppers, but the catch so far has been that the app only offered access to prices on new cars. Edmunds has announced an update to the app that adds the ability to get prices on used cars. This will make the app much more useful to shoppers.

The app allows the user to research specifications on used vehicles and compare prices between trade-in, private party, and retail based on the Edmunds True Market Value calculations. The app is free and on the Android Market. The app also allows the user to see a used car model in all available colors. The new version of the app also integrates fixes that were requested by users.

The app still supports inventories with new car dealers and allows the person to get the True Market Value of the car as well. The app runs on devices with Android 2.1 or higher. The app should help you get a better price on used car deals.

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HTC Sensation 4G gets twice the battery life with Mugen Power

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 04:05 AM PDT

The HTC Sensation smartphone has been around for a while now. We reviewed the smartphone back in May when it first launched. If you use the Sensation and would like to have more run time, you can get a LOT more battery life if you swap the battery inside your device with a new offering from Mugen Power. Mugen Power has a new battery for the HTC Sensation that is available now.

The stock battery for the Sensation is a 1560mAh unit. The battery that Mugen Power offers has more than twice the power capacity with 3600mAh inside. The new battery is part number HLI-Z710EXL and the battery life with the new cell inside is increased by 130%. The new battery will drop right into the battery bay of the Sensation and requires a new battery door.

The battery door is included and with the new battery and door the thickness of the Sensation increases to 18.05mm. That will add bulk, but if you are a heavy user, at least you can keep powered and don't need an external charger or battery. The battery and door will sell for $104.95.

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Samsung Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE hit Korea

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 03:38 AM PDT

Samsung is showing off new versions of the awesome Galaxy S II smartphone that is selling in droves. So far, the Galaxy S II has sold 10 million phones around the world and continuous to sell strongly. Samsung has announced a couple new versions of the smartphone that are landing in Korea. The new smartphones include the Galaxy S II LTE and the Galaxy S II HD LTE. As you can guess, both of the new phones support 4G connectivity via LTE technology.

The S II HD has a 4.5-inch WVGA 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus screen. The smartphone and runs Android Gingerbread for the operating system and has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. The phone is 9.5mm thick and it has an 8MP camera sensor and records 1080p video. Internal storage is 16GB and it has NFC, an 1850mAh battery, and WiFi inside. The phone will hit SK Telekom. The other smartphone is the Galaxy S II HD LTE.

This phone has an even better screen packing in the world’s first HD 4.65-inch 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED HD panel. Other than the screen, the other features are the same as the non-HD version announced. This phone will also come to SK Telekom, LT, and LG U+. A launch date for either device was not offered. There is no word on when or if the two new devices will come to the US and other countries.

[via Slashgear]

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Huawei Honor official: 1.4GHz 4-inch Android on a budget

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 01:05 AM PDT

We’ve known the Huawei Honor (aka Glory) was going to be impressive from the early spec suggestions, but the company’s latest Android phone has been made official and it could well shine. Packing a 1.4GHz single-core processor, 8-megapixel camera and a 4-inch WVGA display, the Honor promises Android 2.3.5 performance at an affordable level.

The main camera has autofocus and takes HDR images, while the front-facing camera runs to 2-megapixels. There’s triband UMTS/HSPA+ (900/AWS/2100) along with quadband GSM/EDGE, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, as well as GPS/A-GPS, an FM radio, all the usual sensors and DLNA support.

One minor shortcoming is the RAM, which comes in at 512MB where we’d liked to have seen 1GB. 4GB of ROM and a microSD card slot are available for user-storage, and the 10.9mm thick chassis has a microUSB port and dual microphones. Huawei will throw in 160GB of cloud storage, too, while the battery is a 1,900mAh pack.

Huawei isn’t talking pricing today, but originally there were mutterings of $300 unlocked and SIM-free. That would be an impressive figure when the Honor drops in China, Russia and the Middle East in Q4 2011 this year.

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Motorola XOOM 2 in 8″ & 10″ Sizes Unveiled

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 04:38 PM PDT

Finally leaked are some amazing spy-shots of the Motorola’s two new tablets projected for this holiday season. The XOOM 2 will debut in 8″ and 10″ models, and both sporting Verizon’s lightning fast 4G LTE. And recently, if a device doesn’t support 4G – then it can no longer compete with those that do.

We recently saw some blurry-cam pics of the devices last week, yet mistook the 8.2″ tablet for 7″. Following suit with many recent tablets announced, the Motorola XOOM 2 models will be extremely thin at 9.3mm. The beveled edges resemble that of the Motorola Photon 4G and the Electrify, and personally gives it a uniquely manufactured look. Oddly enough, both tablets actually run under the same codename “Fleming” – could Motorola choose the one that performs the best? It seems silly to manufacture both devices to this industrial point and then out one of them.

These tabs will be running Android 3.2 at time of launch (which is still undetermined), but stability of the OS over the hardware is very poor at this point with frequent reboots and crashes. We still have no idea what the specs will be on these two slates other than dual HD cameras on the front (2MP) and rear (5MP), but knowing it will give us some amazing 4G speeds should be enough for now!

[via SlashGear]

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AT&T Impulse 4G by Huawei Review [Video]

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 12:09 PM PDT

When it comes to AT&T, it’s difficult not to get lost in the fold, the massive amount of devices this carrier carries, especially when it comes to Android. What Huawei has done here is to not concern themselves with being the biggest, the best, the thinnest, or the lightest, instead coming forth with one of the most plain and easily pocketable devices I’ve ever seen carry Android. If there was a phone that I’d peg for most likely to be recognized for it’s designers, this certainly would win the award for being the opposite of that. Is this Huawei the key to commonality here in the States?

Hardware

When a smartphone comes out on a carrier, especially one so populated as AT&T, the most common thing for a manufacturer to do is to make it look unique so as to attract attention away from the rest of the devices that have comparable specifications. What Huawei has done is to create a device that will be chosen by the person in your family looking for the device LEAST likely to grab attention. You’ve got a few curves here, a small camera on the back at 5-megapixels and auto-focus with a single LED flash.

You’ve got the option of adding a microSD card on the inside aside your 1500 mAh battery, and your display is a 3.8-inch WVGA 480 x 800 pixel resolution LCD display. This means its better than a large batch of the mid-range Android devices out there, but it’s certainly not going to compete with the top-tier handsets. The backing of this device is a nice soft plastic, while the entire front is a single touch panel. (save the border in black.)

In the box you get a microUSB cord, a wall jack, and some guides. This device is essentially the exact same phone as the Huawei IDEOS X5, a device revealed internationally in late 2010 when its specs were much more impressive. What we’ve got now is a device that might do well if it’s offered at a good price point – and note here that it certainly is, currently set to be sent out to customers at $30 a pop attached to a 2-year contract on AT&T. That’s cheaper than a night on the town!

AT&T Impulse 4G by Huawei Hands-on and Unboxing

Software

Huawei has essentially added nothing to the apps collection here while AT&T has added their familiar set of carrier-specific apps you know and love (or skip over, if you’re that sort of person). Huawei instead has concentrated, again, on joining the Android fold with a solid, completely Google-created Android interface, with no added changes from their own software design team (which we must assume is non-existent.) That said, things do not feel nearly as slick and perfected as they do on the Nexus S or the Nexus S 4G, devices made by Google and Samsung to show off Gingerbread.

Huawei comes loaded with FroYo, and 2.2.2 at that, meaning you’re not only behind the rest of the Android universe by a full version number, devices have been coming out with the next version for months and months now, your device here appearing to be a b-roll Huawei forgot to ship at the beginning of the year. That said, it’s always nice to have a nude version of Android, even if it’s the old one at its time of release.

You can see everyone’s favorite Mobile Minute guy giving you a rundown of the features on this device here – note his slight lack of enthusiasm in the face of a device that, compared to basically every other device he’s shown off, looks pale in comparison.

Camera

Like most modern smartphones, the camera on this device is OK. Have a look at some examples below and see if it suits your fancy:

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Wrap-Up

This is not the nicest phone in the mid-range handset collection at AT&T. At $30 with a 2-year contract at AT&T, it certainly is the least expensive device running on its HSPA+ 4G network (except of course any such devices on super sale at $0, which does happen from time to time.) At this point you’ve got to think about how much the data plan is costing you and whether or not you want to be using this less-than-perfect device for a further 2 years. More than likely it’ll make more sense for you to either drop a few more bucks and pick something fantastic up from a different manufacturer, or just wait a few more months for the Huawei Honor to hit our shores – perhaps sometime before 2012? Ya never know.

That said, Huawei, we’re still excited for you to continue bringing in devices here to the states. More manufacturers mean more competition and better devices. This goes for Huawei, Pantech, and anyone else over there across the sea itching to get a piece of the USA market pie. The more, the merrier.

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