Tuesday 15 November 2011

Android Community

Android Community


Spar Zephyr Bluetooth speaker jams out to music, charges your phone

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 10:58 AM PST

We have an awesome new accessory for Android devices to tell you about today. A company called Spar has just announced three new Bluetooth speakers in a new line called Zephyr. They’ll be offering the Zephyr 550 (biggest of the bunch) with 30 hours of playback, the Zephyr 500 with 18 hours of playback, and the 300 offering 12 hours and all of this from a single charge. What makes these special you ask? The Zephyr will also charge your device via USB port when needed or while you’re on the go.

The Spar Zephyr looks very similar in both the size and shape to the popular Jawbone JAMBOX we reviewed at SlashGear. Also coming in a bit smaller than the recently reviewed Philips Fidelio Android dock but don’t let that fool you because Spar is claiming both “stunning acoustics” and “class-leading battery life”.

Basically rock out to all the music your heart desires and if you need to charge your Android phone, Galaxy Player, or even that iPod then all you need is a simple USB cord and the Spar Zephyr does the rest. The idea is actually quite excellent and I look forward to testing the sound quality, battery life, and the charging capabilities. The Zephyr 550 linked to above comes with the largest internal battery at 3,000 mAh, enough to play music for up to 30 hours of playback. Sadly that will only charge a portable device twice if your lucky. So while this sounds great, you wont be getting multiple charges here but the option to do so is quite convenient.

You can pre-order today starting at $99 at the source link below. The Zephyr should ship mid-December and hit retail locations come early next year. We’ll be sure and snag one for review if possible and bring you all the details. Enjoy the neat video provided below.

[via Spar]

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The HTC Rezound’s 2750 mAh extended battery is massive

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 10:13 AM PST

LTE uses a lot of juice – there’s just no way around that at present. So it’s always nice to see a manufacturer embrace that truth and offer a first-party battery for reliable and worry-free extended use. That said – wow. The extended battery for the brand-new HTC Rezound is gigantic. HTCpedia got their hands on one and took the following photo, next to the standard battery:

The extended battery has a 2750 mAh capacity, compared to the included battery’s 1620 mAh. In the Android Community HTC Rezound review,  a torture test of Netflix over Verizon’t LTE network had the Rezound lasting a mere five hours. More typical usage still had the Rezound gasping after just ten hours, with the LTE radio enabled. Based on that, the extended battery should be able to last for an addition 6-8 hours without recharging.

To accommodate the extra junk in the trunk, the battery comes with a replacement cover, molded with a gentle bump added to the back of the phone. Calipers weren’t handy, but it looks like the battery cover adds another 5-6 millimeters to the Rezound’s 13.7mm thickness. The battery is available for $59.99 at various retail locations if you’re so inclined – be sure to check out our HTC Rezound review if you’re still on the fence about the phone itself. And by the way, still no word on that inductive charging version that made it to the FCC.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Rezound
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : September 16, 2011
    Release Date : November 14, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.3 Inch
  • Resolution : 720x1280
  • Screen Type : NA
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : Inch
  • Width : Inch
  • Depth : Inch
  • Weight : Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1620 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

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CyanogenMod team begins work on CM9 Ice Cream Sandwich, skips Honeycomb

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 09:32 AM PST

CyanogenMod is without a doubt the most popular and prolific of the myriad custom Android ROMs, and now that the Ice Cream Sandwich source code is available, the team is hard at work on an Android 4.0 version. Cyanogen and his teammates only work with AOSP code, so they haven’t bothered with the various SDK ports that have popped up recently. Steve “Cyanogen” Kondik confirmed that work has begun in his Twitter feed.

A word on nomenclature: CyanogenMod 9 will be the official name for the Ice Cream Sandwich version, skipping straight from the Gingerbread build in CyanogenMod 7. The name “CyanogenMod 8″ is reserved for a Honeycomb version. However, it’s unlikely that Honeycomb will ever see an official CyanogenMod release, even though the source code has finally been included with the ICS code. There’s just no reason not to continue to ICS, since it’s designed to work with both tablets and smartphones.

Development on the latest Gingerbread build, CyanogenMod 7.2, will continue concurrently while CyanogenMod 9 is being developed. The CyanogenMod team is famously against deadlines, but you can expect early builds within the next few weeks and alphas withing three months at the most. If that seems like a long time, remember that most manufacturer updates will take at least that long – if you’re lucky. In the meantime, quicker (and less stable) ICS builds should begin popping up for current phones any day now.

Check out our hands-on looks at Ice Cream Sandwichbelow:

Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on

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Xperia arc S and Xperia neo V now available unlocked in the US

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 09:04 AM PST

The latest in Sony’s maddening experiments in non-capitalization are now available in the United States. The Xperia arc S and Xperia neo V are available from Sony’s Ericsson’s online store, and should start popping up at various retailers next month. For the moment, each are only available in their unlocked and full-priced forms.

The Xperia arc S is an updated and expanded version of the original arc, with a 3.7-inch, 854 x 480 screen. The phone uses a speedy 1.4Ghz processor and 512MB of RAM, though unfortunately you’ll need a MicroSD card if you want more than the phone’s paltry 1GB of built-in memory. Connectivity options are impressive, with HDMA, DLNA and, USB host functionality (via the dock – not included). The camera is a full 8MP, with 72-p video recording at 30Mbps.  The arc S costs $549.99 unlocked with AT&T HSPA+ bands.

The Xperia neo V (seriously, Sony, you’re killing me with this selective capitalization) uses the same 3.7-inch screen, but a slower 1Ghz processor. Elsewhere it has the same RAM and on-board storage specifications, though the camera is downgraded to a 5 megapixel model. The neo V gets a much lower price of $349.99.The phone will run on AT&T’s HSPA+ network.

Both phones run Android 2.3.4, just a few versions off of the latest available. It’s worth noting that Sony has said on multiple occasions that its current phones, including the arc S and neo V, would be receiving an Ice Cream sandwich update. The company did not mention when this update would be made available.

 

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Sega enters the Android Market with Fallen Realms RPG

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 08:04 AM PST

It’s a fine day for that considerable crossover between Android enthusiasts and classic gaming fans. Sega, one of the staples of the video game world, has released its very first Android game in cooperation with Papaya Mobile. It isn’t one of these newfangled physics games or tower defense titles, either – Fallen Realms is an old-school turn-based role playing game from its mail helm to its +1 boots. The game is available from the Android Market now.

Fallen Realms is still in beta at the moment, so expect a few hiccups in cross-device support or game mechanics. The standard fantasy world looks like a mix between Japanese and western RPGs, with a turn-based combat engine simplified by touchscreen controls. An in-game tutorial assures that most gamers won’t get lost, even if they’re more used to frustrated avians or hemp slicing.

Sega has adopted the freemium model that’s so popular with these whippersnapper mobile developers: the game is free to play, but you can purchase upgraded equipment for your character. The 21MB download is big for an Android app, but pretty small when compared to a lot of the games coming out these days. Welcome to the future, Sega – now how’s about a Tegra 3 version of Sonic Generations or Bayonetta?

[via DroidGamers]

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More than 50 percent of all smartphones sold worldwide run Android

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 07:34 AM PST

The global domination of Android has seemed inexorable for the last year and a half, and now new research tells us what we’ve long suspected. According to Gartner, more than half of all smartphones sold worldwide use Android as of the third quarter of 2011. To be exact, 52.5% of all new smartphones sold come with Google’s OS in one form or another, with 60 million units and change being sold in the three months period. That’s an almost 200% rise over the same time span last year.

As far as manufacturers go, Nokia remains top dog in the overall market, selling 105 million devices including smartphones and “featurephones”. Samsung is hot on their heels at 78.6 million, with LG in a distant third at 21 million. Apple, ZTE, Research in Motion, HTC, Motorola, Huawei and Sony round out the top ten. Again, the placement includes featurephones, though in Apple and RIM’s cases the distinction doesn’t matter. Samsung is the largest manufacturer of smartphones at 24 million, with Apple following at 17 million.

Android has essentially doubles its market share in terms of sales over the last year. When compared to other operating systems, Android’s lead becomes even more dramatic. Nokia’s Symbian OS still powers 16.9% of smartphones, with Apple’s iOS trailing at 15%. Nokia’s market share is down a staggering 20 points year over year (though they’re transitioning to Windows Phone 7), while Apple lost 1.6. Blackberry has just 11%, while Samsung’s in-house OS Bada is actually beating Microsoft’s combined Windows share, at 2.2 and 1.5 percent, respectively.

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Sony Ericsson commits to Ice Cream Sandwich for all current phones

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 07:01 AM PST

Following the flurry of excitement after the release of the official Ice Cream Sandwich source code yesterday, Sony Ericsson is assuring its customers that every Xperia phone made in 2011 will receive an official update. That includes the Xperia arc and arc S, Xperia PLAY, Xperia neo and neo V, Xperia mini and mini pro, Xperia pro, Xperia active, Xperia ray as well as Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman. Of course, not all models are available in all markets.

Sony didn’t give any timeframe on when to expect the updates, but for those who bought their phones on contract, remember that they’re largely contingent upon carriers’ cooperation – a particularly belligerent carrier might choose not to update their phone at all. Other major manufacturers are quoting between six weeks and four months for the first ICS updates, but given the unfortunately spotty history of Android rollouts, it may be quite a while longer before some see any new software. Sony’s reputation on the matter isn’t the best in the Android business, but it’s far from the worst – we’ll see how Sony’s proposed acquisition of Ericsson affects software development.

Sony joins the major Android manufacturers in reiterating to its customers that they’ll be seeing Ice Cream Sandwich at some point. HTC and Samsung have promised updates for those devices that can handle the increased system requirements, and Motorola said that phones running ICS would begin appearing just six weeks after the source code was released. (For the record, that’s right around New Years’s, Moto. Just sayin’.) If you’re brave and at least reasonable technical, community-authored ICS ROMS and mods should begin appearing this week, with more stable and reliable versions to follow.

[via UnwiredView]

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Netflix updates with new tablet-friendly UI

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 06:25 AM PST

Netflix customers using an Android tablet got a surprise late last night, when a new version of the Android app sporting a completely revamped UI showed up in the Market. The new user interface appears to be contingent upon screen resolution, not operating system, so those of you rocking a Froyo or Gingerbread tablet can get in on the action as well. In a few days the new UI will be showing up on the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire.

The layout mimics the one seen on the web version of Netflix, which has graced desktop browsers for the last few months. The sliding, scrolling list of panels allows users to swipe left or right to see more movies or TV shows, an innovation that Netflix says gets twice as many titles on-screen as before. Previously tablet users, no matter what their operating system, used the same list-based interface as everyone else, filling up relatively large screens with lots of wasted white space.

The fact that the interface works on older versions of Android is particularly exciting – CyanogenMod users on their hacked Nook Colors or HP TouchPads will surely appreciate it. As the Fire and Nook Tablet gain popularity this holiday season, expect to see more and more apps take this backwards-compatible approach to take advantage of these reader/tablets older versions of Android. The updated version is available in the Android Market right now.

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LG Optimus 3D enhanced Gingerbread update packs nice upgrades

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 04:03 AM PST

Early this month I mentioned that, the update for the Optimus 3D smartphone from LG was rolling out in Europe to bring the smartphone up to Android 2.3. That rollout didn't happen and is just now set to come out. LG has announced as of today that the 2.3 Gingerbread update is bringing with it some nice new updates for the smartphone including better network speed and a lot more.

The 2.3 update was optimized for the Optimus 3D and has tweaks for enhanced power management, new advanced copy and paste, as well as UI tweaks. The update adds enhanced HSPA+ for faster packet data services allowing downloads up to 21Mbps. The device also gets enriched 3D with a new 3D video editor and full-screen UI preview.

The update brings improved multimedia with 2D video stabilization and faster gallery activation. That video stabilization will make it easier for users to shoot clear and steady video in 2D mode. The power tweaks will allow longer MP3 playback time and more. The update will roll out in Europe in the week of November 21 with other markets coming online through the end of the year.

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Adobe outs Touch Apps for Android creative types

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 02:22 AM PST

Adobe has launched a new suite of Touch Apps for the artists and photo editors out there that like to work on the go. The apps support Android devices and allow the user to have some of the functionality that is found in Adobe Creative Suite. These apps were announced last month and can be picked up right now on the Android Market with each priced at $9.99.

Apparently, there are iOS version of these apps in the works as well. The apps include Photoshop Touch for editing images on the go. Adobe Ideas is an app for sketching and Adobe Proto is an app that allows you to prototype mobile apps and websites from the tablet. The apps sound perfect for the graphic designer that is out of the office a lot of just for a geek that likes to tinker.

There are several other apps too including Adobe Collage for creating moodboards for project planning. The final touch App is Adobe Debut that is intended to allow the sharing and reviewing of work. All five of the apps will also integrate with Adobe Creative Cloud. Creative Cloud is a web-based file sharing tool that allows users to work on files on the go and then put them back on the desk in the office when they return.

[via SlashGear]

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65-inch Honeycomb “Tablet” bumps Android up to 1080p

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 07:15 PM PST

How big is too big? Currently tablets top out at about ten inches, but if you’d like something a little more gigantic,  at least one Turkish company is willing to give you what you want. Ardic Technology is running a full Honeycomb interface through a 65-inch 1080p television – that’s 1920 x 1080 pixels, to most Honeycomb tablets 1280 x 800. The prototype is one of a kind for the moment.

There’s a lot of work put into this modification, between boosting the resolution, outputting the video and getting the touch input to work on a remote display. The results are impressive to say the least: it really is a lot like a gigantic Honeycomb tablet, with full multi-touch support and working games, like Fruit Slice. And all it takes is a Tegra 2 processor and 1GB of RAM – that says a lot for the scalability of Android. How does a 1080p panel in your next (normal-sized) Android tablet sound? The custom-built system uses a standard tablet (looks like a Galaxy Tab 10.1 or XOOM) in a dock, with near- instantaneous switching.

Check out the video below for some impressive performance:

Obviously this sort of setup isn’t ready for the mass market yet, but the implications are fascinating. If you watch the video you’ll see that the operator isn’t actually touching the screen, he’s using some sort of motion tracking or infrared system. So if Android runs this well in a fully functional five-foot interface, what’s to stop Google from building all these features into the next Google TV? Heck, why can’t your Tegra 3 tablet be your Google TV? The possibilities seem ripe for gaming as well, with Kinect-style games being the obvious goal.

The company is planning on building an improved model soon. We’ll be keeping an eye on their progress – especially if they plan on selling them!

[via Engadget]

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Sam’s Club Black Friday: Galaxy S II, PHOTON and DROID CHARGE for less than $1

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 06:28 PM PST

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for bargain hunters, anyway. Those of you with a hankering for a new-ish smartphone and a Sams’s Club membership should add at least one more stop to your Black Friday hit list. The big-box retailer will be selling some very respectable phones for just 96¢ each: the Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T version), Motorola PHOTON 4G and Samsung DROID CHARGE.

Sam’s Club is advertising the three phones as “4G”, though of course the AT&T version of the Galaxy S II is only HSPA+. IF you should happen to want a Samsung 4G tablet in addition to a Samsung 4G phone, and yuo’re willing to switch to AT&T, and you’ve got a extra $470, you can pick up a free Galaxy S II Skyrocket with the purchase of a Galaxy Tab 8.9, both running on AT&T’s new LTE network. Your options for tablets are even wider if you stop by Best Buy, where you can pick up an Asus Transformer for $250 or a Toshiba Thrive for $280.

Naturally, the Sam’s Club deals are only valid with a new two year contract, and you’ll need to have a membership as well. (Call all the octogenarians in your family – one of them’s got the hook up for sure.) More and more Black Friday deals are likely to show up this week and next, so keep an eye out for more bargains.

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United States QR code usage jumps 500%, still isn’t cool

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 05:23 PM PST

Good news, scanning enthusiasts! Adults in the US are using QR codes and other barcode scanning apps five times as much as least year! Of course, since that’s a jump of 1% to 5%, there’s still less than one in twenty people who are actually using it. Considering that smartphones in general and Android in particular have seen a genuinely meteoric rise in the general phone market, the rate of QR adoption is positively pokey.

The figures are a little more rosy when you restrict them to only smartphone users. 15% of smartphone owners use a scanning app, up from 5% in 2010. Android users are more likely than anyone to use them, with almost a quarter using their phone as a scanner for one thing or another. Most of those that did use scanners were younger adults, with two-thirds of them falling between the ages of 23 and 46.

The study, performed by Forrester Research, gives gentle instruction for businesses to optimize the use of QR codes. Ideally they should be placed on a stable, easy-to access surface, with good lighting and – important – no  alternate connectivity. So placing a QR code next to a public access terminal probably wouldn’t be a very good idea. The most commonly-used codes were more than just a link to information, they were a call to action, like automatically starting a mini-transaction or entering the user into a contest.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

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Vizio’s VIA Phone drops by the FCC on its way to obsolescence

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 04:55 PM PST

Months ago we learned about a forthcoming phone from television manufacturer Vizio to compliment its 8-inch tablet. Today news of the VIA’s FCC filing comes out of Wireless Goodness, for all the good it’ll do – we’re not likely to ever see this product come to market. The filing itself is from back in May, practically ancient history in the smartphone market.

For a mid-2011 smartphone, the VIA fit neatly in the middle market, with a 4-inch, 854 x 480 LCD screen. A 1GHz processor and an unknown amount of storage and RAM are paired with a 5MP rear camera and a humble VGA front-facing cam. Software comes in the form of Android 2.2 Froyo, outdated even then, and probably going without official Google apps like Vizio’s tablet. The design is fairly utilitarian, with only the stylized “V” logo taking the place of Home to differentiate it from other black plastic phones.

Seeing the device laid bare makes us kind of happy that Vizio never actually brought it to market. The tablet occupies an OK space in the price/utility matrix, especially considering that it has some unique remote IR features, and now, a free Hulu Plus trial. The VIA phone simply isn’t all that interesting, and considering that it almost certainly lacks Android Market support, it would be hard sell for just about any US wireless carrier.  You can check out the full FCC listing here.

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Motorola RAZR (or DROID X3) spotted in China with 720p display and 13MP camera

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 04:52 PM PST

When the DROID RAZR was revealed I was feeling bad for all those Bionic buyers, but now I feel the same way about RAZR owners because we are now seeing what appears to either be a new model, or just China’s version packing a 720p HD display and a huge 13 megapixel camera and more. You never know, maybe its actually the DROID X3.

The photo above should give you a few ideas as to what we’re talking about here. The last device is the DROID RAZR we know and love that was just released, and reviewed here. Then the middle device was revealed last week as the Motorola RAZR for Chinese markets known as the Motorola MT917. These new photos clearly see the slight change to the design, the 13 megapixel camera, and the additional second LED flash.

Then we have that first phone of the three, looking slightly different from the rest and quite possibly a different phone altogether. It doesn’t have the same Kevlar coating on the back and appears to be decently larger. Its specs are being kept under a tight grip so we don’t know anything regarding it. If its anything like the China RAZR it will have a 4.5″ HD AMOLED display rocking a 1280 x 720p resolution. Pair that with the 13 megapixel camera on the rear and possibly Ice Cream Sandwich that would be one awesome smartphone.

Take note that the first phone (or far left) looks considerably different. The camera is more in line with the DROID X and X2 line especially how it looks and doesn’t have the aluminum ring, the rear has the same soft coat matte back instead of Kevlar. Then in the second picture you can clearly see the back slides down (just under his thumb) and appears to slide and be removable — just like the Droid X and X2 (picture in gallery).

If you ask me I think we’ve just seen our first picture of the upcoming Motorola DROID X3, but we don’t know for sure. Either way the Motorola RAZR will hit other regions soon, like China seen here, and we can expect to see others receive the same treatment. Hopefully we learn more soon regarding the other device shown in these pictures.

RAZR 3's RAZR in 3s Motorola_DROID_X2_Smartphone_2

[via Engadget]

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Samsung Galaxy S II or Skyrocket are free with an AT&T LTE Galaxy Tab 8.9

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 04:13 PM PST

The rather nice LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 wasn’t the only thing AT&T unveiled today: they’ve also got a pretty sweet deal going for anyone in the market for both a tablet and a new phone. Buy a Galaxy Tab 8.9 and activate a new AT&T LTE data plan, and you can choose from a Samsung Galaxy S II or its LTE cousin the Skyrocket to take home as well. We though this was such an interesting deal that it was worth an extra post.

That isn’t to say it’s cheap – you’ll have to spend $479 on a new Galaxy Tab 8.9, $20 more than the current MSRP of the WiFi version, even before a two-year data contract. And if you take advantage of the freebie deal, you’ll still have to pay for a new smartphone contract, or possibly renew your old one. Still, for those who want both an LTE tablet and a new smartphone, you could save a couple of hundred bucks – and with Christmas coming up, there’s all sorts of gift-giving possibilities inherent in the deal.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE doesn’t go on sale until November 20th, so you’ll have a while to make your derision. Between the Galaxy S II and the Skyrocket I’d go with the latter, even if you don’t live in an AT&T LTE area (And statistically speaking, you don’t). The faster processor and slightly larger screen make it that much more enjoyable to use. But don’t take my word for it: check the Android Community reviews for the AT&T Galaxy S II and the Skyrocket.

 

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S II Skyrocket
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : October 31, 2011
    Release Date : November 06, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.5 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.11 Inch
  • Width : 2.71 Inch
  • Depth : 0.37 Inch
  • Weight : 130 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1780 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Qualcomm
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S II (AT&T)
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : August 28, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.30 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : Inch
  • Width : Inch
  • Depth : Inch
  • Weight : Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1800 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU :
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 32.768 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

 

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T-Mobile joins the Google Music Event Wednesday, Live music and more

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 03:38 PM PST

We’ve just learned that a few invites are going around to join what appears to be an after-party of the Google Music event set for Wednesday. As if the title “These Go to Eleven” from Spinal Tap didn’t give anything away, the invite from T-Mobile does. Mentioning live performances from Drake, Maroon 5, Busta Rhymes and more. If you weren’t convinced this was a musical event, you should be now.

This instantly makes me wonder a few things. Why would T-Mobile be so involved with a Google Music event, wouldn’t that be all Google? Unless maybe they are pushing it to T-Mobile devices first but I can’t see that happening when this should be a Android wide release. Google did this with Google Wallet, so it’s possible, but doubtful. Second if you look the event is actually being pushed by BNC and not T-Mobile. I was immediately hoping that Google would announce their new Google Music Store that we saw earlier today, and then T-Mobile would pop on stage and show off the T-Mobile Galaxy Nexus. Sadly that doesn’t appear to be the case. We can dream right?

While many are thinking we may see some sort of product announcement from T-Mobile, I don’t think this is the case. Instead T-Mobile appears to be sponsoring the after party. Either way we now know this is indeed an event all about music and the Google Music Store is about to get very real. Stay tuned for more details as we’ll have all the information as the event unfolds.

)


Samsung Galaxy Nexus pre-orders from Rogers start tomorrow, Where is Verizon?

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 02:33 PM PST

It appears that everyone that can get on the Galaxy Nexus train is doing so as fast as possible. We’ve seen plenty of carriers announce plans for the next hero phone from Google and just this morning outlined O2, Bell, and Virgin Mobile all getting the Galaxy Nexus. Now Rogers has tweeted they will be bringing the device to market soon, and reservations or pre-orders start tomorrow. Yup that is November 15th.

You can get up to the minute updates by following @RogersBuzz and while you’re at it make sure to follow us at @Androids. We all know absolutely everything we can about the Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich so I wont mention the specs (do I even need too), instead here is the tweet in case you’re wondering what they had to say.

Now with Rogers, O2, Bell Canada, Virgin Mobile, and plenty of UK carriers all announcing some sort of details where in the world is Verizon? I wonder if they can “hear me now” when I say I’d really like the Gnex already. Either way this is good news that it’s coming and soon because so many other carriers are all on board. The list keeps growing and I’m hoping a T-Mobile version is in the works too. With the Android 4.0 source code just released today, the phone shouldn’t be far behind.

Galaxy Nexus Hands-on

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GALAXY Nexus
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : October 18, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As : Nexus Prime
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.33 Inch
  • Width : 2.67 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : OMAP 4460
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
  • CDMA
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 900
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via @RogersBuzz]

)


Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich AOSP source code posted – download it now!

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 02:31 PM PST

As a surprise early gift for Android developers everywhere, Google has posted the official Ice Cream Sandwich source code in the Android AOSP directory. Eager developers can download it right now and get cracking on ROMs and apps. The release is weeks before anyone expected the full source code to be available.

Earlier today Notion Ink’s CEO said that the full ICS source code would be made available on November 17th, the same day that the Android 4.0-sporting Galaxy Nexus is scheduled to be released in Europe. Before that, the best that we could get out of Google was “A few weeks” after the Galaxy Nexus launch. There’s still no word on when Verizon, the first US carrier slated to receive the Galaxy Nexus, will be launching the phone itself.

The Android Open Source Project code is an important step in Android adoption: full access to the open source code will allow manufacturers to upgrade their current devices to Ice Cream Sandwich. It also means that manufacturers, even those who opt not to use Google’s official services, can start making new phones and tablets that run the new software at launch. Modders like the CyanogenMod team will begin creating brand-new ICS ROMs soon.

Check out our hands-on looks at the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich below:

Galaxy Nexus Hands-on

Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GALAXY Nexus
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : October 18, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As : Nexus Prime
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.33 Inch
  • Width : 2.67 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : OMAP 4460
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
  • CDMA
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 900
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

)


HTC Rezound Review

Posted: 14 Nov 2011 02:07 PM PST

The HTC Rezound is not the nicest HTC device to have been released thus far to the market here in the USA, but it certainly does have all the features that make it one of the best smartphones on Verizon, and certainly one of the top two LTE devices today. In the following review I’m going to prove to you why if you’re in the market for an HTC LTE device, this is your very best choice, that if you’re in the market for the best HTC device on the market, you’d better go with the Sensation, and finally why if you want the most iconic, memorable, and well supported devices on Verizon you may well be better off going with the DROID RAZR.

Before we continue, note that we’ve got reviews of each of the devices mentioned above that you ought to take a peek at since they’ll be mentioned below again. First there’s the HTC Thunderbolt, aka the only other HTC device on Verizon’s LTE network. Next there’s the HTC Sensation 4G, the HTC smartphone your humble narrator still calls the most perfect total package in an HTC device to date. Finally there’s the DROID RAZR by Motorola, the Verizon LTE device that I’m voting as the top choice for an Android smartphone running on Verizon’s LTE network today. What we’re about to look at, again, is a device which you can find first in our HTC Rezound hands-on. You can also find a hands-on video review of the device in the text review here.

Hardware

What you’ve got here is one of the thickest smartphones on the market at 13.65mm, with the other dimensions at 129mm tall and 65.5mm wide. Inside this rectangle you’ll find a 4.3-inch 720 x 1280 pixel resolution S-LCD display, one that’s certainly up for battle against the highest resolution smartphones on the market if you just consider the pixels per inch. While the iPhone 4S has 329.65 PPI, the Rezound has 341.54 PPI. The Rezound’s main contender, the DROID RAZR, has 256 PPI but does have a Super AMOLED display meaning you’ve got an obvious difference in the device’s capacity for brightness, as shown here, noting the Rezound is on the left and the RAZR is on the right:

The Rezound has the superior pixel density, but the brightness and the inability of your average everyday user to see the difference between the pixel differences without holding both next to one another make the RAZR have the upper hand here. Also see how the display is a visible amount closer to the glass than the Rezound is, this making the whole situation seem more up close and personal. There it something to be said for how wide both devices are, noting here that the Rezound will be able to fit in more normal-sized palms better than the above-average wide chassis on the RAZR.

That brings us to the appearance of the device – as the Rezound looks to be continuing where the Incredible 2 left off, we’ve got a phone that both does not stick out in a crowd but feels rather solid. The red ring around the camera lens on the back, the red capacitive buttons on the front and the read speaker face above the display all make one feel like they’ve got something special, and the Beats “b” logo on the back seal the deal, but you won’t get the “oohs” and “ahhs” you would with the RAZR or the HTC Sensation. If you take the time to hold both the HTC Sensation and the Rezound in your hands, you’ll like the Sensation better – I certainly do. The trade-off here is in the audio quality (no Beats!), the slightly less impressive processor (not by a whole lot), and the lack of LTE (Sensation is T-Mobile), but the chassis are as close to perfect HTC has ever gotten on the Sensation, it feels so sweet.

That said, if you’re upgrading from anything less than a 720p display from any other HTC device, you’ll be utterly pumped by the upgrade to the Rezound. The same goes for a person upgrading from a lower-grade display on any smartphone, even more so coming from a feature phone, and if you’ve had just a single-core processor before you’ll basically have a heart attack over how slick, quick, and powerful this device is. It’s only against other top-tier devices that this smartphone has any competition.

Beats integration

The Rezound’s main value lies in its Beats branding, and it’s no joke. While HTC is scant on details on how precisely Beats is integrated here, we do know that there’s an algorithm written into the software, that HTC worked with the Monster Audio folks on the hardware to optimize the experience for Beats in and over-ear audio phones. You get a pair of iBeats in-ear earbuds with the Rezound but it’s with any piece of Beats audio technology that you’ll get a great combination for lovely audio.

I’ve personally done some very basic listening tests with combinations of earbuds and devices and have found that, believe it or not, the HTC Rezound with the iBeats earbuds it comes packaged with sounds the most amazing together. I tried a couple other earbuds in other devices and here in the Rezound and found that first of all, the iBeats earbuds bring a slightly more full sound with any smartphone than earbuds from other groups which shall not be named but are price competitors. The Rezound on its own doesn’t present a gigantic improvement in audio quality from any other current smartphone competitor with 3rd party earbuds, but when you plug the iBeats in to the HTC Rezound, you know that these two belong with one another. Listening to the song “Kush” by Dr Dre, a song which we’d certainly would hope would sound amazing on his own line of audio products, certainly does: boom, booboom chik, boom boom chik, if you know what I mean.

Software

There aren’t a whole lot of surprises here as far as software compared to the rest of the HTC family as of late as they’ve not changed things around significantly in the past few months on any device. Here you’ve got Sense 3.5, which is the newest, but look at any HTC top-tier device from the past four months in our reviews here and you’ll find the same experience. The HTC Vivid is almost identical, for example. Have a peek at the hands-on video below to see the software in action and a rundown of what’s included in the onboard applications and version numbers.

Above you’re seeing the Rezound again next to the Incredible 2 – note how similar the UI is, with ever so slight bits of difference. Also have a peek here at a couple of benchmark tests for all your joyful number munching desires. You’ll find at the end of the review that we’re asking you if you’d like any other tests done, mind you, so if you’ve got your own benchmark you’d like us to run, let us know!

Hands-on with the HTC Rezound

Here we go through essentially everything there is to go through on the HTC Rezound in one video. Still coming up: comparison videos to the devices we’ve not yet mentioned – got one you want compared to the Rezound? Ask in the comments section below, we’ve likely got one right over here on the desk!

Camera

HTC continues to improve upon (or at least change) their camera interface with each new smartphone, and here we’ve got a perfectly capable 8 megapixel shooter with 1080p video with a complete set of funny effects and lovely looking filters. One of the more interesting additions here is a slow motion mode for video – audio not included, but it’s fun anyway. Have a peek at a few examples here and in the final gallery below as well, starting here with the 1080p video demo, the slow-motion video, and a couple of photos.

Again there are so many different ways to take a photo on this device that you’re likely to have a heart attack, but it’s an excellent shooter without any modifications when it comes down to it. Note the detail in the screen window here and the vibrancy in the bananas below. Then there’s a flash photo of a toaster taken in a nearly complete-dark situation – those dual LEDs take you to a bright place.

Battery

One of the tests I keep getting requests for is one of the battery of any device tested while the device is connected via its mobile data connection and playing streaming video. What you’re seeing in the results here is a test over a span of a few hours:

What you can see there is Netflix playing some videos using LTE only. What’s appeared is certainly a decent amount of play-time, enough to watch a movie or two at least, and an OK standby rate of battery pull as well. Without playing non-stop LTE-based streaming video the battery here has lasted more like 10 hours with a small amount of usage of the phone during the day. It appears that this isn’t the same battery destruction machine that the HTC ThunderBolt was at first, but it’s not just a whole heck of a lot better. We’re still going to go ahead and blame bad LTE handling.

Wrap-up

If you’re not waiting for the Galaxy Nexus, need LTE speed on a smartphone, and have a strong hate for Motorola devices, buy this handset. This phone is released at a time when a vast amount of people are getting ready to switch up for their next Google hero phone in the Galaxy Nexus, so it’s not realistic to speak of another just-released device as one that’s not going to be in direct competition with said device, especially when its on the same mobile network. Remember the Beats and remain strong!

The fact that this device is not in reality sleek or unique enough to warrant calling it a hero device for HTC or Verizon shows a greater understanding by all parties involved in the power of branding. The DROID RAZR has two majorly recognizable names right there in its title, while the HTC Rezound, without even looking at the device, appears to be the next in a never-ending line of HTC devices. They’ve latched on with Beats though, and in that the Beats “b” logo is second only to the HTC logo itself on the device, we know that HTC is positioning themselves as a more brand-power group as well.

When faced with the decision between the DROID RAZR and the HTC Rezound, you’ve got to think of what I always ask anyone asking me for advice on a new device: what do you need it for? If you want an iconic device whose usefulness as a status symbol almost outweighs its otherwise still impressive specifications set, go with the DROID RAZR. If you want and HTC device and want the most superior audio quality on a smartphone your humble narrator’s own ears have ever heard, go with the HTC Rezound.

Note now that though this is the end of the Rezound review, this is not the end of the review process. If you’ve got any other questions about this device or would like us to expand in any way, let us know!

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Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Rezound
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : September 16, 2011
    Release Date : November 14, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.3 Inch
  • Resolution : 720x1280
  • Screen Type : NA
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : Inch
  • Width : Inch
  • Depth : Inch
  • Weight : Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1620 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

)


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