Wednesday 3 October 2012

Android Community

Android Community


Reported Samsung Galaxy S IV 13MP camera module makes an appearance

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:28 AM PDT

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S III has enjoyed a few months in the spotlight, it’s time to start in on the Galaxy S IV rumors. We already got the rumor mill churning with the claim that Samsung would reveal the Galaxy S IV at MWC 2013, but today it’s all about the camera baby. According to Korean site Newstomato (via Samsung-Updates), a 13-megapixel camera module has been spotted online, and it’s headed directly for the Galaxy S IV.


The claim that the Galaxy S IV will house a 13-megapixel shooter isn’t much of a shocker. After all, it was widely expected that the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II would feature a 13MP camera, but that ultimately didn’t happen. Instead, the cameras on both are 8-megapixels, so we’re long overdue for a Galaxy-branded device with an 13-megapixel camera.

According to the reports, this bad boy will be able to take pictures in 4208×3120 resolution and comes it at 8.5×8.5×5.9mm in size. While it does make sense that Samsung would want to significiantly increase the quality of the camera with the next Galaxy S device, it’s probably a good idea to remain skeptical until we get some actual details from the company. Remember, Samsung won’t reveal the Galaxy S IV for a while yet, so getting excited about the phone’s camera this early on could very well lead to disappointment.

Still, we can’t help but get a little excited by the thought of a 13-megapixel camera in the Galaxy S IV. 20 million Galaxy S III sales in 100 days pretty much guarantee that we’ll see the S IV eventually, so we’ll be finding out if this legitimate soon enough. Keep it tuned here to Android Community for more details!


AT&T Pantech Burst and Element ICS update now available

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:24 AM PDT

Do you own the AT&T 4G LTE powered Pantech Burst smartphone, or their Pantech Element 8-inch Android tablet? Chances are you might even own both considering they came in a package deal for $250 from AT&T. For those who happen to own either of these budget devices, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update is now available for your updating pleasure.

Originally the Pantech Burst smartphone was set to see the update to ICS back in late September but it was delayed a week or so. Today the folks from Pantech have confirmed the smartphone’s update is available right this minute over on their official website. For those that don’t know, the update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is worth every minute of your time. The update has to be manually done — but you’ll get a new user interface, much better performance across the board, enhanced camera features and much more.

That isn’t all either. Since the Burst came with a $50 discount (and sometimes bundled for free) with Pantech’s 8-inch waterproof tablet known as the Element — they’ve also issued the update for that tablet. That tablet has been running on the old and outdated Android 3.0 Honeycomb — but today you can also upgrade it to the awesomeness that is 4.0 ICS. Here’s what to expect:

New User Features
Enhanced Home screen canvas switcher edit functionality(In the preview of home screen panels, users can change a main home screen panel).
Enhanced Multitasking and Notifications functionality.
Enhanced User Interface : Virtual buttons in System bar, contextual options in Action Bar.
Improved text input and spell-checking (Android keyboard)
Control over Network data and Powerful web browsing
New! Self mode and Panorama capture mode in camera.
New! Time-Lapse recording function in video camera.

UI Improvements
Improved user interface design with GL library.
Support for Native Sync of AT&T Address Book.
Improved lock screen.
Improved Quick Settings and Detail Settings.
Additional Improvement UI interfaces.

The Pantech Burst and Element certainly aren’t top end devices, but both come with powerful 1.2 and 1.5 GHz dual-core processors, and now are getting a much needed update. Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich will give the Burst new life, while ICS for the Element will make the tablet that much better since it was still stuck on Honeycomb. For those that aren’t too familiar with this, you’ll want to check out our Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Review. Both devices will need to be updated manually using a Windows PC so that could be a problem. Get the updates from the links below and drop us a comment and let us know what you think, or if you have any problems. Enjoy!

Pantech Burst update
Pantech Element update

[via Android Police]


HTC One X+ offers a supercharged NVIDIA Tegra 3

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:57 AM PDT

This week the folks from HTC announced an all new and improved version of their flagship One X smartphone, simply calling it the HTC One X+. Today the guys in green from NVIDIA have dropped a few additional details about the new and improved “supercharged” Tegra 3 with 4G LTE that’s under the hood.

The HTC One X+ will be the first Tegra 3 quad-core smartphone with 4G LTE here in the US, and AT&T will be offering it exclusively. We already knew this when they announced it earlier this week, but today NVIDIA explains why we should be excited. This new and improved Tegra 3 offers better performance on all levels, and is more than just a slightly faster processor.

We’ll be working with a quad-core Tegra 3 clocked to 1.7 GHz on all four cores, then the 5th ninja core they call the 4-PLUS-1 core does all the light lifting while the rest are idle — which will give you amazing battery life. This is nothing new and previous Tegra 3 devices rock this, but it’s been enhanced and mastered this time around with the One X+. NVIDIA is touting more than 50% better battery life between the efficiency increases in their new Tegra 3, and the larger 2,100 mAh battery in the One X+.

NVIDIA states that not only is the entire processor faster being 1.7 GHz, but the graphics have also been beefed up too — although they didn’t give specifics there but we’re sure gaming will be awesome as usual. You’ll be able to enjoy some of the best Android games on the planet from the NVIDIA TegraZone. NVIDIA notes that it's "67% faster than the HTC One X LTE" which runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, so we’ll certainly be comparing the two when the time comes. AT&T is currently the only US carrier that’s approved the Tegra 3 with 4G LTE for their network, but hopefully more follow soon. Be sure and check out our review of the original quad-core, and the dual-core AT&T One X below, as well as plenty of NVIDIA news from our Tegra Hub for all things gaming!

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One X+ LTE
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : October 02, 2012
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : SLCD 2
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.29 Inch
  • Width : 2.75 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 3
    CPU Clock Speed : 1700 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 64 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via NVIDIA]


Nexus 7 32GB and Galaxy Nexus 2 spotted in leaked screenshot

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:01 AM PDT

If you’re like us and wish the Google Nexus 7 tablet had additional storage, or you’d love to see a Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 — then we have a leak showing both. Today a screenshot has appeared from the extremely popular online retailer Carphone Warehouse that is causing a bit of a stir on both accounts mentioned above.

Now the image we see below is reportedly a leaked screenshot from their inventory showing what appears to be a Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 screen protector. Obviously we’re going to take all of this with a grain of salt, but it’s fun to wonder. That could just be the second entry for a Galaxy Nexus screen protector, not necessarily a “Nexus 2″ — but you never know. Pretty interesting though right?

Then you see the other exciting bit of news, and that being the Google Nexus 7 tablet coming in a 32GB flavor. Currently we only have a 8 and 16GB option, but with the Kindle Fire HD and NOOK HD both offering more maybe Google feels the need to step it up. I certainly wouldn’t argue with them. There’s recently been rumors of a $99 Nexus 7 tablet. Maybe Google will drop the 8GB to $99 (or $149), match the Fire HD at 16GB for $199, and then offer this new 32GB model.

This screenshot leaked from Carphone Warehouse in the UK, and that’s really all we know at this point. Placeholders are put in online inventory systems all the time so it could really just be nothing, but at the same time Carphone Warehouse was right about the black Galaxy S III too well before Samsung announced it. Interesting leak that is for sure. We’d love to have both of those devices see the light of day.

[via Droid-Life]


Samsung goes after foreman of jury in Apple patent infringement case

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:55 AM PDT

It seems like only yesterday we reported that Samsung was going after iPhone 5 in their latest round of patent infringement suits. Perhaps that is because it was yesterday. Now, Samsung is claiming that foreman of the jury in the infringement case lied about his history to get a spot on the jury. If these allegations are true, it could completely change the complexion of the case.

Samsung is claiming that Velvin Hogan, the foreman in question, failed to report that he a had suit against him filed by former employer Seagate Technology. Samsung happens to own a good part of Seagate. After the suit, Hogan was forced to declare bankruptcy. Samsung clearly believes this could alter his ability to make a fair judgement on the case.

Samsung believes that because Hogan allegedly lied to earn his spot on the jury that the only logical recourse should be a new trial. According to Hogan, this suit from Seagate took place in 1993, and the judge only required he disclose litigation from the past ten years. He went on to say that Samsung had “every opportunity to question him.”

Whether or not this grants Samsung a new trial remains to be seen, but we are quite sure that this will not be the last thing Samsung tries to get the $1.05 billion verdict against them thrown out, or at the very least reduced. We will keep you posted on any new developments with this situation as they occur.

[via TUAW]


EE 4G LTE launches October 30 with Galaxy S III and HTC One XL

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:26 AM PDT

New carrier EE is ready to be the first to bring 4G LTE to the UK. They are set to open 4G to customers on October 30. They already have select devices available for sale, but because 4G is not up and running yet, the devices will run at 3G speed on Orange or T-Mobile UK for the time being. Users will be able to switch to 4G EE plans when it goes live without monetary penalty.

EE has not confirmed price for the 4G plans as of this writing. They told Slashgear that they want these plans to have “mass market” appeal, so we expect them to be priced just slightly higher than current 3G offerings. Either way, this is a big step for the mobile market in the UK, where 4G has been sorely missed by many users.

There are a currently a few devices available for purchase. Slashgear is reporting that the HTC One XL, Samsung Galaxy S III, and Huawei Ascend P1 LTE are available today and that the Galaxy Note II LTE will be available for purchase very soon. EE has updated their website with information regarding where 4G will be available at launch.

Users who purchase a device now will not have to pay a termination fee when EE launches their 4G LTE network, but they will have to restart their contract when they make the switch. If you are one of those people who hate contracts, you may want to wait until EE officially launches so you only have to sign up once.


HTC launches ‘Get Started’ to help new One X+ owners

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:08 AM PDT

HTC is rolling out a new service designed to help less technical new users get their Sense 4+ devices up and running. This new computer program, aptly named Get Started, allows owners to get their devices going step by step. To make it easier, this setup program runs directly from the Get Started webpage, so there is no need to install any software.

This program allows users to make use of all kinds of third-party software. It helps them set up accounts with Dropbox, Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft Exchange, and more. For someone who is not used to typing on a touch screen, getting these useful accounts up and running from a computer should prove quite helpful. It should be a real time saver for new users.

This program also has a place to get your widgets up and running. Instead of tweaking each widget individually, this app has eight different styles to choose from. Users can choose from Family, Games, Music, Photos, Social, Sports, Travel, and Work for their widget theme. This will do well to help steer new users in the right direction.

Of course, you need to move all of this from your computer to your phone, or else it would be completely useless. It’s all wireless, so users just need to sign in with their HTC Sense account from their device and their settings and data will be pushed to their phone. Right now, only the One X+ is supported, but HTC plans on porting this program back to One series devices in the near future.

[via HTC Get Started]


Sony PlayStation Mobile store launched for Xperia and HTC One X devices

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 07:07 AM PDT

Sony just launched their brand new service called PlayStation Mobile where users can pick up games on select Android devices. Of course, Vita owners can also grab these titles on their portable gaming system. As of launch, there are around 20 paid titles available through PlayStation Mobile, and we assume that list of titles will grow substantially over time.

Currently individuals with an Xperia Play, Xperia Arc, Xperia S, Xperia Ion, Xperia Acro, Xperia Acro HD, Sony Tablet S, Sony Tablet P and HTC One X, One X+ (when it launches), One S, One V and PlayStation Vita can make use of this new gaming service. Once you purchase a game on PlayStation Mobile you can play it on up to three different devices. So if you own a compatible phone, tablet and a Vita, you will able good to go. The devices could expand in the future, but they will need PlayStation certified to play these games.

Users playing on an Android device will use an on-screen virtual DUALSHOCK controller to play the games. Obviously, Vita owners will use the Vita controls to play. Hopefully, Sony took the time to make the controls feel comfortable and refined on touch screen only devices.

The PlayStation Mobile service is only available in United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia as of this writing. If you are in one of these regions and have a supported device, you can install PlayStation Mobile on your device now. Hopefully, Sony expands the regions and supported devices in the coming months.


T-Mobile and MetroPCS set to combine in the first half of 2013

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:41 AM PDT

T-Mobile and MetroPCS will be joining forces. The two mobile providers today announced their intent to become one. The merger will see both companies keep the T-Mobile name going forward. The transaction was unanimously approved by MetroPCS and T-Mobile’s board members.

The deal should be finalized at some point in the first half of 2013. MetroPCS shareholders still have to approve the deal before it can be 100 percent final. This deal is expected to cause substantial growth for T-Mobile; according to their release, they should see growth of 3% to 5% for revenues, 7% to 10% for EBITDA and 15% to 20% for free cash flow.

The two companies combined are expected to have approximately 42.5 million subscribers and $24.8 billion of revenue. According to the two companies, this deal should create “enhanced customer experience through a wider selection of affordable products and services, deeper network coverage and a clear-cut technology path to one common LTE network.”

The endgame for T-Mobile with this deal is to better compete with mobile giants like AT&T and Verizon. They have a much smaller customer base than some other US carriers, but with this merger, they could find themselves in a much more competitive position. They believe they will “have the expanded scale, spectrum and financial resources to aggressively compete with the other national U.S. wireless carriers.”


Patent troll comes after Google’s Voice Recognition and Apple’s Siri

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:26 AM PDT

Who doesn’t love patent trolls who exist for the sole purpose of suing companies for an alleged slight on some patent that they have no intention of using? This time, Accredited Transcription Corp (ATC), the company in question, is coming after Google’s Voice Recognition and Apple’s Siri in regards to US patent 6,298,326.

The patent in question mentions technology where a user speaks into a device and the sound is transmitted to a central data facility where it are converted to text and sent back to a user. They claim that they are happy to work with companies using the technology. By “work with” they of course mean collect royalties from.

ATC also believes that Samsung’s S-Voice Assistant is in violation of the patent. They are sending cease and desist letters to Apple, Google and other technology companies. They are looking for them to license the technology, pay royalties or stop using the technology altogether.

ATC is willing to litigate if it becomes necessary. In a statement ATC said, "ATC believes that these procedures clearly infringe on the patent and that those who misuse its technology must either license it, pay royalties, or cease using the products. If royalties cannot be achieved through negotiations, ATC will initiate litigation and seek injunctions against those who infringe on the patent."

[via Techcrunch]


Motorola back-pedals, drops ITC lawsuit against Apple

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:36 PM PDT

Here’s a bit of interesting news added to this casual Tuesday evening. Back in August Motorola filed a lawsuit with the International Trade Commission against Apple for multiple devices like their iPhone and iPad. Many thought Motorola’s patent portfolio had a good chance against Cupertino, and many believe that is in part why Google snatched up Motorola. Today things have clearly changed.

Reports have hit the wire that Motorola has actually pulled back and withdrew their entire lawsuit against Apple in a new filing revealed today. Patent lawsuits and battles have been increasing as of late and I’m pretty surprised to see this — especially after what Apple did to Samsung last month in court.

According to The Verge, not just part of the claim has been dropped but the entire thing was withdrawn by Motorola. Recent court documents have claimed they’re no where near agreeing on anything, so it’s odd to see this sort of pull back. Pretty interesting right?

Motorola had a pretty good change against the fruit company, but now we’re not sure what’s going on. Some rumors are stating their claims weren’t as strong as they originally thought, then there’s the possibility of Google taking control of Motorola and wanting to get all their bullets ready for a bigger battle — no one really knows. There’s also been multiple rumors that Google’s CEOs and Apple’s Tim Cook have been having phone conferences and meetings to try and solve these issues, so this could be a direct outcome of those phone calls. Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak recently publicly criticized the patent lawsuits and we’re hopeful a different approach is in the works from all parties.

We’ll update once we hear more.

[via SlashGear]


Samsung Galaxy S III Mini unveil could come next week

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:11 PM PDT

If you love the Samsung Galaxy S III but that massive 4.8-inch screen might be a bit too big for those small hands of yours, Samsung has you covered. Don’t fall for the iPhone 5 thumb commercial. Samsung could be announcing the Galaxy S III Mini next week in Germany. Some reports are floating around with a photo showing invites for the event.

What you see above is an invite floating around the interwebs that was received over in Germany. While it obviously isn’t in English lets break it down. According to UnwiredView this is legit, and you can even see the large S right in the middle of the invite.

“Something small will be really big. Get ready for a little sensation.”

After the magical help of Google Translate the words you see above is what’s spelled out in the invite. Clearly the Samsung “S” is present so this will be a Galaxy S device — but that doesn’t mean the SIII Mini since many of their phones have the S in their name. We’ve heard rumors of a Galaxy S III Mini since last August, and it all could come to light next week.

The event is set to take place in Germany next week on October 11th, and many sources close to the matter and leak are stating it will in fact be the Galaxy S III Mini, and not some other Galaxy S branded device. Nothing is as big as the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Note II in terms of size or popularity, so something along those lines only smaller makes perfect sense. Some rumors speculate a low resolution 4-inch display and dual-core processor but we have a feeling this will be more along the lines of the DROID RAZR M with top-end specs in a mid-sized device. Stay tuned for more details.


Samsung Galaxy Stellar Review

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:45 PM PDT

While Samsung is putting a lot of steam behind their flagship Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II smartphones that are some of the best on the market, they’ve also been kind enough to not leave out the rest of the market. That’s where the Samsung Galaxy Stellar comes into play. This new budget handset has almost all the top end specs we love from Samsung (almost) while coming in a decent package at a fair price. Lets take a look and see if it’s worth it.

The Samsung Galaxy Stellar comes off as a confused child. That is because the internals are aiming for a higher end of the spectrum, but then the small lower resolution screen keeps it down. It has a bit of a personality disorder and doesn’t know what it wants. However, those that haven’t used a smartphone before will certainly want this — that is for sure. It isn’t a pretty sight to look at — but that isn’t to say it’s terrible either. Overall the phone has plenty of features and specs to keep users interested, especially considering the budget-aimed direction of this smartphone which is obviously geared towards first time smartphone buyers. With Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS and a starter mode for newbies — lets take a peek at the hardware.

Hardware
The Galaxy Stellar comes in a sleek package, it’s lightweight, and packs a pretty decent punch. The Stellar offers a slightly less than stellar 4-inch WVGA display, which means you’ll be working with a 800 x 480 resolution, so no HD here. For a nearly free phone we can’t really expect that though. The screen aside, this phone is quite decent.

The specs under the hood are what make it special. You have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich being powered by Qualcomm’s popular Snapdragon S4 processor, only this is 1.2 GHz instead of the faster 1.5 GHz in the Galaxy S III and other high end devices. We get 1GB of RAM, and sadly only 4GB (1.7 usable) of storage. They do toss in a micro-SD slot for extra storage options, a 3.2 megapixel rear camera, 1.2 front for video chat, and a massive battery. Samsung’s equipped this 4G LTE smartphone with a 2,100 mAh battery — one of the larger sizes for a 4-inch smartphone. Overall the hardware is rather decent, but certainly has a budget feel in your hands. The design looks strikingly similar to the older DROID Charge — although this didn’t get the DROID branding this time around.

On the bottom is the rather small and cramped capacitive touch buttons, which are also off-center compared to most phones. A first time user will not notice the difference — but we did immediately. The right side houses the power/wake button, while the left side employs the volume rocker and micro-SD slot for extra storage — which you’ll probably need. The up top is the 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone pinhole for noise cancellation, then of course the camera is around the rear. Take a look below:

P1100593 P1100578 P1100583 P1100585 P1100584 P1100591

Software
As far as software we have an extremely standard Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich build for the OS running on Samsung’s TouchWiz UX changes. Everything is butter smooth and actually runs quite excellent. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance here. The important thing here is the “starter mode” which Samsung has added for first-time smartphone buyers. The video below touches on the hardware in case above didn’t show you enough, then breaks down the software as well. Enjoy!

As you can see, performance is swift and actually quite stellar. Essentially they’ve added starter mode for someone that’s never used a smartphone — or that wants an intuitive and streamlined experience. What you get is basically a set of widgets taking up all the screens with instant access to the dialer, settings, quick actions, and popular apps like the camera, gallery, Play Store for apps, and email. They make it as simple as swiping left or right to do almost any task the average (light) user would do. The video above should have explained it.

Then as far as pre-installed apps. Verizon as usual has a plenty. The picture above shows the nearly 3 pages of applications. Amazon is everywhere, which is a new agreement with the online giant to have their apps on Verizon phones. IMDb, Let’s Golf 3, Plants vs Zombies, and Quick Office are among a few worth mentioning. Then as usual Verizon’s suite of apps and navigators.

The software runs great on this device and users whether new — or experienced — should enjoy what it has to offer. It might not be the Galaxy S III but the dual-core S4 processor does a great job all around and won’t be limited for years to come.

Benchmarks & 4G LTE

As usual we’ve ran a few popular benchmark and 4G LTE speedtests to make sure things are up to par and running as they should be. The Galaxy Stellar doesn’t disappoint. For a device you can get nearly for free the benchmarks are quite high. Rocking over 4000 in Quadrant thanks to the Snapdragon S4 under the hood. It beats out the Galaxy S II — but this is just a test. AnTuTu wasn’t as nice however and they came pretty close

The benchmarks mirror what we’ve noticed while using the device — and that is it’s extremely quick. Combining Android 4.0 ICS with a fast and efficient dual-core chip makes for a great experience. Oh and the battery lasts forever too but more on that below. Then we quickly checked the Verizon 4G LTE here in Vegas, and it was just as expected rocking 15-20 Mbps download speeds and 2-5 up. Fast enough for uploading those weak 3.2 megapixel camera photos folks. Facebook should work with ease for you newbies to the smartphone world — don’t forget there’s an app for that!

Camera & Battery

The camera is pretty sub-par, but then again this is a nearly free budget phones that you can get for a great deal so we can’t expect too much. It’s 3.2 megapixels and as long as you hold steady and have enough light pictures should be fine for Facebook, Instagram, and the works. You certainly won’t be recording video of any decent quality. It doesn’t even record in 720p so it’s safe to say you’ll still need a camcorder for most situations. Here’s a few camera samples with decent lighting and one macro just for fun.

20121002_140135 20121002_140043 20121002_140028 20121002_140056

Battery life is exceptional with this smartphone. Stellar I might even say. Samsung packed a massive 2,100 mAh battery in this smartphone which is rare for the 4-inch form factor. It lasts for an entire day with ease and will certainly be better than almost any other Verizon handset from Samsung. Below you’ll see an entire day of usage with brightness set to 80% — oh and I played at least two hours of Let’s Golf 3 straight up and it didn’t dent battery life. This phone should last nearly two days with moderate use.

Wrap-Up
The Samsung Galaxy Stellar is a bit of a toss up here. When we said nearly free throughout this review we meant it. You can have this device absolutely free with a new 2-year contract from Verizon. The only downside is you’ll pay $50 in-store and wait on a mail-in-rebate. In the end however you’ll have a higher mid-range smartphone that will treat you right for years to come and you won’t pay a penny for it after the rebate.

The Samsung Galaxy Stellar certainly isn’t the best smartphone around, from Samsung or otherwise when it comes to Verizon’s lineup. However for the price of free you get a package that is really hard to compete with. For those that are new to smartphones or just doesn’t have the funds for a $199 phone this is absolutely perfect. Id clearly take the Samsung Galaxy Nexus over this phone for the 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, but it does have an older processor that isn’t quite as fast. It really is a toss up and in the end comes down to the price. If free.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate sounds good to you then you’ll certainly want to pick this up. We really can’t knock this phone or Samsung for the approach they’ve taken. Enjoy it and the additional pictures below.

P1100593 P1100577 P1100576 P1100581 P1100579 P1100578 P1100583 P1100582 P1100585 P1100584 P1100590 P1100586 P1100591 Screen Shot 2012-10-02 at 3.06.11 PM Screen Shot 2012-10-02 at 3.05.35 PM Screen Shot 2012-10-02 at 3.04.58 PM 20121002_140135 20121002_140043 20121002_140028 20121002_140056 Screenshot_2012-10-02-12-57-37 Screenshot_2012-10-02-12-44-35 Screenshot_2012-10-02-12-44-23 Screen Shot 2012-10-02 at 3.06.54 PM Screenshot_2012-09-25-15-40-58
Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy Stellar
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : September 04, 2012
    Release Date : September 06, 2012
    Also Known As : SCH-i200, Jasper
Display
  • Screen Size : 4 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.88 Inch
  • Width : 2.5 Inch
  • Depth : 0.5 Inch
  • Weight : 133 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 432 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : MSM8960
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 4 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 3.2 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 850
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • Cellular location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


NOOK for Android updated with full dictionary, improved fonts and more

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:41 PM PDT

The popular NOOK app for Android has received a fancy new update this past week to go along with their new NOOK tablets. The new and improved NOOK app brings many of the features all those Kindle users have been enjoying. Things like full dictionary support, improved font and margin sizes, and zoom view support for multiple new devices.

Barnes & Noble‘s new NOOK HD and HD+ are here to take on the Kindle Fire HD, and their new app is here to do the same for the rest of the Android smartphone and tablet world. The update that landed this week is version 3.2 and now supports NOOK Comics and the zoom view feature for enhanced comic reading.

NOOK also improved the support for older Android 2.2 and above devices, as well as HVGA display resolutions and more. Now the NOOK app should be more compatible with many Android smartphones and tablets alike that might have had previous issues.

You can tap on words for a full dictionary definition, font and margin sizes have been improved and enhanced, and we now have multiple new fonts to choose from. B&N also mentioned several general bug fixes but didn’t give us a detailed breakdown. They recommend making sure users do a quick sync before updating to 3.2, then you’ll be able to enjoy the latest their NOOK app has to offer. Check out the new NOOK’s in the timeline links below. Get the new NOOK app right now in the Google Play Store.


HTC shares One X+ design sketches

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:39 PM PDT

In case you haven’t heard, HTC revealed its new flagship phone, the One X+, earlier today. Of course, we had heard about the incoming phone plenty of times before it was made official, but now we know for sure that it’s on the way. HTC seems to have taken a lot of pride in the design of the One X+, today sharing a handful of design sketches to show the evolution of the phone as it went from concept to a finished product.


The HTC One X+ doesn’t look all that different from the original One X – for instance, the screen is the same size (4.7-inches), and case appears to be quite similar. HTC says in a blog post that its ultimate goal with the One X+ was to make a phone that feels like an “extension” of the user – one that doesn’t just feel like another device in your hand. Needless to say, if you felt that the HTC One X was a good fit in your hand, the HTC One X+ will likely feel just as good.

HTC doesn’t talk to terribly much about the One X+ in its blog post, but the design sketches are interesting to look at nonetheless. We can see the raised camera lens was there from the start with the One X+, but that shouldn’t be much of a surprise considering the original One X had the same style lens. The One X+ does manage to look a little more sleek than the original One X though, so it has that going for it.

Of course, the biggest changes are on the inside. The HTC One X+ comes with a more powerful processor, as well as a beefier battery. We run through all of the changes with the HTC One X+ in our hands-on with the device, so be sure to check that out. There still isn’t a North American release date for the One X+ yet, but you can bet we’ll have that information here at Android Community for you once HTC shares it!

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One X+
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : October 02, 2012
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 720x1280
  • Screen Type : SLCD 2
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.29 Inch
  • Width : 2.75 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 3
    CPU Clock Speed : 1700 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 64 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


HTC One X+ confirmed for TELUS in Canada

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:27 PM PDT

Earlier this morning the folks from HTC announced an all new HTC One X+ smartphone — at least on the inside. The new device is nearly identical to the AT&T version before it, only under the hood it has received a slew of enhancements to make it their new flagship device. After AT&T announced US exclusivity on the device, TELUS has confirmed it’s coming to their network up in Canada.

In case you missed the earlier news, the HTC One X+ is the same on the outside as far as looks — aside from a few color variations — and under the hood is an all new beast. We now have a larger 2,100 mAh battery, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean instead of Ice Cream Sandwich, and of course the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor is now running at 1.7 GHz. Pretty fast right?

Yup, while the device isn’t quite available yet we’ve already managed to get our hands on it. You’ll be able to see more from our HTC One X+ hands-on. You’ll still have the same impressive 4.7-inch SLCD2 1280 x 720p HD display, 1GB of RAM, and awesome 8 megapixel camera with HTC’s Imagesense chip for enhanced photos.

Original leaks of the One X+ hinted towards a T-Mobile release, but today’s news of AT&T being the exclusive carrier in the US has ruined a few T-Mo customers hopes and dreams. So far TELUS hasn’t released any details on pricing or exact availability date, but we’ll be seeing it sometime “this fall.” Stay tuned!

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One X+ LTE
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : October 02, 2012
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : SLCD 2
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.29 Inch
  • Width : 2.75 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 3
    CPU Clock Speed : 1700 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 64 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via Mobile Syrup]


No comments:

Post a Comment