Daily Smart Phone Updates

Video: Hands on of Windows Phone 8.1 Cortana in Action

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 7 Mar 2014 03:36:00 -0800

Windows Phone 8.1 is coming to devices later this year and promises to be the biggest update to any Microsoft based mobile platform since it jumped from Windows Phone 6.5 to Windows Phone 7. One of the key changes to this update will be a personal assistant simply known as "Cortana". Over at Unleash the Phones, they have somehow managed to get demo of this new feature in action. You can check out the video below:

There' no definite proof that Cortana will try to predict the information you want before you ask for it like Google Now; however, as you can see in the video, it does collect information on your likes during the set up process. I am very curious to know what it will do with that information after it collects it. According to a report earlier this week from The Verge, Cortana will offer some of those Google Now suggestions for appointments and flights, so maybe that's why it asks the set-up questions. While this video's information is limited, at least we got a peak into the new feature and that will have to be good enough for now.

OneDrive cloud connection makes its way to BlackBerry 10

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 7 Mar 2014 03:33:00 -0800

Funny thing about this cloud service trend; it's designed to let us upload and access data anywhere, but not all cloud storage providers make their services easily available on all mobile platforms. Microsoft's OneDrive has previously been supported only on Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone, but with today's release of Connect to Microsoft OneDrive, BlackBerry 10 users can store their cloud apps as reliably as people on other platforms.

Connect to Microsoft OneDrive is built by BlackBerry rather than Microsoft, so it's not a client in the traditional sense as seen on other platforms. Much like the Dropbox connection BlackBerry baked into BB10, it's designed to offer an integrated function that can be used to browse through files or upload content to OneDrive. Users can upload, open, or edit documents through the connection and have changes automatically saved to cloud. Photos and videos taken on a BlackBerry 10 device are automatically uploaded so they can be accessed on a desktop or stored as a backup.

The downside to this approach is that you might not get as equal an experience compared to what companies are able to create when they handle the app process. The upside is that it's a better alternative than nothing for people who use OneDrive, and as we've seen with Dropbox, you're not missing out on that much by using an app built by BlackBerry. The core functions of cloud uploading and downloading are still present, and you're able to get a free 7GB of storage when signing up.

Download OneDrive for BlackBerrry

Samsung ends practice of juicing its benchmark stats with Android 4.4 update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 7 Mar 2014 03:30:00 -0800

When the Android 4.4 update arrives on popular phones like the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy Note 3, people will be pleased about the small improvements behind the scenes and the new UI features available in the update. One feature that won't get as much attention outside of a few obsessive tech users is that Samsung has finally stopped rigging its phones to turn in higher than normal benchmark scores.

You may recall that Samsung was found to send the phone into unrealistic states in order to make its benchmark scores go higher. The company would set all of the cores in the device at their maximum speeds only when it detected that a benchmark app was open, which gave the device high scores that could never be replicated in normal conditions, and gave a false sense that Samsung products were significantly more powerful than rivals.

Ars Technica has compared both the Galaxy S 4 and Note 3 under Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Android 4.4 KitKat. After running tests on both devices to see how they performed pre-and-post-KitKat, the site found that Samsung no longer boosts its benchmarks scores. Though people often put too much stock in benchmarks, it's good to know that Samsung is being more honest in its handling for the people who do care about such things. Charts and a full breakdown are available at the link below.

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FreedomPop Privacy Phone pits specs vs. security

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 7 Mar 2014 03:21:00 -0800

What matters most to you: a great phone with solid specs and so-so security, or an outdated phone that's likely to be more secure than anything else on the market? That's the question posted by FreedomPop's new Privacy Phone that takes a familiar Android device and then packs it with VPN, encryption, and other settings designed to keep the government, hackers, and prying eyes off of your data and activity. But is this extra layer of privacy worth it?

While the theory of Privacy Phone seems very intriguing, I'm less enthused about the hardware used to deliver it. FreedomPop built the "Snowden Phone" (that's actually what they call it unofficially) by refurbishing an old Samsung Galaxy S II. The folks at the VoIP service provider took a three year old phone and then tacked on added protection like VPN for anonymous Internet browsing, encryption for messages and phone calls, and the ability to pay with Bitcoin to have extra privacy. Again, sounds great, but is that good enough to have a phone with:

- 1.2 GHz dual-core processor (Exynos C210)

- 16GB internal storage

- 8-megapixel camera

- 1,800 mAh battery

- Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n

- 128-bit encryption

The Privacy Phone costs $189 and comes with three months of unlimited VoIP calling and 500 MB data. After three months have passed, the phone costs $10 per month, or whatever the equivalent of $10 in Bitcoin is each month.

Are These Really Leaked Pictures of the New Samsung Galaxy S5?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 03:40:00 -0800

Samsung is set to unveil the new Samsung Galaxy S5 very shortly at their Unpacked event however according to "reliable sources" these photos are the actual device itself. Specs on this device include a 16mp rear camera, finger print sensor, water proofing, 2800 mah battery and dimpled back. Check out more photos below.

We will find out soon enough if these leaks are true and what the rest of the specs will look like. I am actually hoping that Samsung will finally bring an Octo-Core processor to US shores. Whatever Samsung has for us you know it will sell and there will be a ton of cool new features on it. Can't wait...

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Nokia Dives into Android, Introduces the Nokia X Family at MWC

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 03:34:00 -0800

All the rumors about Nokia going "Green" (aka Android) were true and not only for one device but for a whole family of devices. Nokia introduced three "Nokia X" devices at Mobile World Congress the Nokia X, Nokia X+ and the Nokia XL. While none of these devices will ever be confused with a Galaxy device were never meant to be and look like they are going to replace the Asha line of devices.

These devices all run a heavily forked version of Android that is similar to the Asha OS and is preload with Nokia and Microsoft goodies like One Drive, Here Maps, Skype, Nokia Music, etc... Specs for all are below:

Wondering what this new OS looks like Nokia was kind enough to give a demo will introducing the new devices.

All of these devices are ultra affordable with the most expensive Nokia XL going for 150USD at time of launch. Anyone else interested in these devices besides me?

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Samsung Galaxy S5 introduces 4K camera, water resistance, and fingerprint sensor

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 03:28:00 -0800

No more rumors; the Samsung Galaxy S5 is now official. Samsung has announced its new smartphone and it doesn't have many of the specs that appeared during the many leaks of recent months, but it does have some impressive specifications. The phone has a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, a 5.1-inch 1080p HD display, and a 16-megapixel camera capable of recording 4K Ultra HD video. It offers a lot more, as well. Full specs of the device are below.

However, before we get to the specs, let's take a moment to note that the Galaxy S5 also has an all new user interface. The latest version of Touchwiz built atop Android 4.4.2 KitKat has flatter icons and surfaces, taking on a smoother appearance. We'll have more hands-on photos later today, but for now, take a look at the specs.

Network	LTE Cat.4 (150/50Mbps)
Display	5.1” FHD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080)
AP	2.5GHz Quad core application processor
OS	Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat)
Camera	16MP (rear), 2.1MP (front)
Video	UHD@30fps, HDR, video stabilization Video Codec : H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8 Video Format: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM
Audio	Audio Codec : MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/ AAC+/ eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC Audio Format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA
Camera Features	HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot&More
Additional Features	IP67 Dust and water Resistant
	Ultra Power Saving Mode
	Download Booster
	S Health 3.0
	Quick Connect
	Private Mode
	Kids Mode
Google Mobile Services	Chrome, Drive, Photos, Gmail, Google, Google+, Google Settings, Hangouts, Maps, Play Books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movie & TV, Play Music, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube
Connectivity	WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac HT80, MIMO(2x2) Bluetooth®: 4.0 BLE / ANT+ USB: USB 3.0 NFC IR Remote
Sensor	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Hall, RGB ambient light, Gesture(IR), Finger Scanner, Heart rate sensor
Memory	RAM: 2GB Internal Memory: 16/32GB microSD slot upto 64GB
Dimension	142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g
Battery	2800mAh Standby time: 390 hrs / Talk time: 21 hrs

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. Galaxy S4 vs. Galaxy Note 3 hands-on: hardware tour and fingerprint demo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 03:22:00 -0800

If the Samsung Galaxy S4 sits at one end of the spectrum and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 sits at the other, the Samsung Galaxy S5 would rest comfortably in the middle. When you look at the three devices, you can see the transition from one to the next. The Galaxy Note 3 was informed by the mistakes and forward movements of the Galaxy S4, so is the same true of the Galaxy S5? Here's a hands-on video showing it off.

You might also wonder about other aspects of the device. For a closer a look at the software and a hardware-specific look at the S5, including the heart rate sensor, watch the video below. Then watch the fingerprint demonstration below.

HTC will take your questions now: Reddit AMA scheduled today at 1:30 PM PST

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 03:07:00 -0800

If you have ever wanted to ask a question of the people who make HTC smartphones, today's your chance. HTC is hosting a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session at reddit.com/r/Android, allowing inquisitive users to find out more about the company. However, they probably won't answer the questions that matter most to you.

AMA is sometimes a misnomer when it comes to companies because they cannot answer the questions people really want to know. When is the new HTC One coming out? What kind of specs will it have? Why can't the Roadrunner and the Coyote be friends? Companies can't talk about unannounced products and they won't confirm or deny any specifics as a result. You can also expect a lot of PR-sanctioned answers about things like updates or problems you have with a device. It's ask me anything, not answer anything.

Still, you might learn something interesting about back stories of some phones, or perhaps an upcoming feature. The session will start at 1:30pm PST, which is 4:30pm ET / 9:30pm GMT. Visit The Android subreddit at that time to see the link.

Samsung Galaxy Gear on sale at Best Buy for $149.99

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:58:00 -0800

The Samsung Galaxy Gear temporarily costs half as much as it normally does. BestBuy.com has a 50 percent off sale for the Android-powered smart watch that lowers the price to $149.99 with free shipping included. This does not appear to be in connection with recent reports of a permanent price drop for the Gear. A price drop to make the Gear more appealing is rumored to be on the way; however, Best Buy has it listed as part of its Daily Deals, so if this interests you, make the purchase now rather than later.

AT&T joins the Galaxy Gear discount parade, also makes offers for Beats accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:55:00 -0800

Best Buy earlier today announced that it has dropped the price of the Samsung Galaxy Gear for a one-day sale. AT&T has also lowered the price for the Galaxy Gear, though it's deal will last a little longer. Anyone who purchases a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S4 Active, or Galaxy Mega will be able to purchase who a Galaxy Gear for $100 offer. The discount will lower the price of the smart watch to $199, and it is an offer open to people who have already purchased one of the aforementioned devices.

Another deal open to AT&T shoppers is $20 off Beats accessories sold in the stores. A customer who subscribes to the Beat Music streaming service, individual or the family plans available at AT&T, will be eligible to receive a discount towards headphones or the Bluetooth speakers Beats sells at AT&T online and in stores. The offer ends April 24, 2014.

T-Mobile JUMP lets users switch phones and tablets whenever they want

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:49:00 -0800

When T-Mobile introduced its Just Upgrade My Phone (JUMP) program last year, it allowed subscribers to trade-in their phone and purchase a new one every six months. Today, T-Mobile announced that someone will soon be able to upgrade whenever they want - 6 months or 6 minutes - with the new JUMP guidelines.

Word of the changes was first leaked by TmoNews yesterday and T-Mobile has issued an official press release confirming the details. In addition to increasing the frequency of phone upgrades, the carrier is also extending the same frequent update option to tablets. Here's how how T-Mobile explains it:

Whenever you're ready to upgrade, trade in your device and T-Mobile will pay your remaining device payments up to 50% of the device cost. There is no more waiting period or limit to the number of times you can upgrade per year.

The new JUMP terms will go live on Sunday, February 23. Existing JUMP subscribers continue to operate under the original terms until they have the chance to upgrade at their 6 month period.

via: TmoNews

Android mirroring coming to Chromecast through AllCast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:44:00 -0800

Chromecast is designed to use a smartphone as a remote for the web-connected HDMi dongle to seek media to stream, not stream content from the phone to the television. A new video from Android developer Koush shows that it could support screen mirroring; if not by Google officially, at least by his AllCast app.

AllCast has had an on again, off again relationship with Chromecast since an early version of the app was rendered incompatible and Chromecast support was abandoned until the SDK release last week made it possible. Koush now states he can achieve screen mirroring so whatever appears on the smartphone will be viewable on a TV. He has posted a video demonstration that shows the system works fairly well. There is a very short delay at some points, such as when scrolling or loading an app, but there seemed to be swift movement when playing Flappy Birds.

The video demo was posted without audio or explanation of when it might be added to AllCast, but at least it shows that the system is functional and awaiting fine tuning.

US Senators want smartphones to have a “Kill Switch” if stolen

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:41:00 -0800

Lawmakers in California recently introduced legislation designed to require that smartphones sold in their community have an anti-theft "kill switch" that will make the device unusable if it is reported stolen. A group US Senators have introduced a bill that would make similar requirements for any phone sold in the US.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have co-sponsored a bill that would require companies have a mechanism to wipe a smartphone and make it unusable in the event that it is stolen or the lost. The aim is to make it so thieves will be less likely to steal a phone because they cannot resell it. It's also designed to offer more privacy and security. Senator Blumenthal said:

"Consumers whose cell phones are lost or stolen should be able to remotely make the devices inoperable and delete personal information from them at a moment’s notice and at no extra cost. By requiring wireless carriers to install kill switch technology, this bill forces them to catch up with thieves whose thefts of cell phones cost consumers more than $30 billion a year."

The senators expect carriers to spearhead the kill switch initiative, but that's something already included in some smartphones. The Apple iPhone 5S includes an opt-in feature that can lock a stolen phone, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 includes firmware that can track a stolen device even if it is factory reset. Perhaps in a year or two, this will be available on all smartphones because of the law. And that's if this bill actually becomes a law, which isn't guaranteed since the carriers have a powerful lobby.

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Nokia Normandy Was Listed for Sale Briefly at 110USD Confirms Android OS v4.4.2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:40:00 -0800

Nokia's unannounced low end feature phone running Android the Nokia Normandy went for sale briefly the other day on a Vietnamese website mainguyen.vn for between 2.2 and 2.5 million VND. (Around $110 USD) This listing confirmed most of the rumored specs and perhaps most importantly it confirms the fact that the Normandy will be running a forked version of Android 4.4.2. Other specs listed below:

Dual Core 1 GHz processor
4GB internal memory
512MB of RAM
Up to 32GB Micro SD card support
5mp rear facing camera

While this device is running Android, it won't have Google services on it because it changed Android in ways that prevent it from accessing Google-owned apps. Rather than run Google Play Services, the Normandy will have the same suite of Microsoft apps, like Here Maps instead of Google Maps, that all other Lumia's have. This device is expected to be announced in just little bit at Mobile World Congress.

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LG G Flex review for AT&T

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 06:35:00 -0800

When's the last time you saw a smartphone with a curved display? The LG G Flex is probably the only thing that comes to mind other than the Samsung Galaxy Round, but sadly, the Round hasn't made it's way to the US market. That leaves the G Flex, which has a top-to-bottom curved OLED display, as a device that stands out on its own. The question is, does it stand out for good reason?

Below is a video review of the LG G Flex. It details how the large 6-inch curve affects daily use, how the big battery and processor deliver on performance, and makes a few notes about LG's software as well. Visit MobileBurn.com for photo samples and the full review.

LG shows off G2 Mini in new teaser

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 06:28:00 -0800

LG is today continuing the trend of announcing phones before its Mobile World Congress event taking place later this month. It's not a full announcement of specs and features, but the company has confirmed that a smaller version of the G2, appropriately named the LG G2 Mini, will debut later this month. The company posted an image of items that have a smaller version in pink, including sneakers, starfish, and cupcakes. Then the last image shows the G2 Mini with a hint of pink.

Is that a sign that the G2 Mini will be a little pink phone? I'm not sure, but it looks that way. Regardless, this is definitely the G2 Mini because the caption for the image posted on Facebook is "Experience the MINI."

Rumored specs for the phone include a 4.3-inch display with 960x540 resolution, a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor (Snapdragon 400), and 2GB of RAM. It should presumably have most of the software features found in the G2, though hardware limitations might create some shortcomings.

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Nokia Lumia Icon unboxing and hands-on

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 06:25:00 -0800

This is the Nokia Lumia Icon. You may have seen it in previous leaks as the Nokia Lumia 929. Or perhaps it was "that phone was supposed to fix the flaws of the Verizon Lumia 928." That's a really long name, so maybe I'm the only one who called it that. Either way, the Lumia Icon is the next premiere Windows Phone 8 handset launching on Verizon Wireless. It will debut February 20 and cost $199.99 on a two-year agreement. Take a look at the unboxing video below to get some first impressions of the phone.

There are also some interesting internal features. Here are the Lumia Icon specs:

- Windows Phone 8 GDR3 + Nokia Lumia Black

- 2.2 GHz quad-core processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 800) with Adreno 330 GPU

- 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage (29GB accessible)

- 5-inch OLED 1080p HD display (1920x1080, 441ppi)

- Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with glove-friendly touchscreen

- Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz and 5.0 GHz

- 2-megapixel front facing camera

- 20-megapixel camera with ZEISS optics and Auto Focus
Optical Image stabilization, f/2.4, wide angle lens

- Dual LED flash

- 2,420 mAh battery with Qi wireless charging

- Dimensions: 5.39 x 2.79 x 0.39in, Weight: 166g

Another HTC Leak This Time it’s the Mid Range Phablet Desire 8

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 06:13:00 -0800

Looks like the report that HTC is trying to turn their fortunes around with mid-range devices was true. Above is a render from a Chinese site called MyDrivers. This device is rumored to be called the HTC Desire 8 and will be a 5.5 inch dual sim mid range phablet. According to sources this device will have a 13mp rear camera and a 5mp front facing shooter. Full rumored specs below:

5.5-inch display (720p?)
13-megapixel main camera
5-megapixel front imager
plastic body
white, red, yellow, orange and cyan
stereo front-facing speakers
embrace on-screen keys

This device is expected to miss out on Mobile World Congress and be announced March 18th in Beijing, which would make sense since this a dual sim device that will most likely not be released here in the states in it's current leaked form. The one huge difference I have noticed (and love) is that HTC has moved the lock/unlock button from the top of the device to the side. This will make their devices much easier to use for smaller handed people (yours truly included). What are your thoughts on this device? Leave them in the comments.

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Screenshots of the New Notification Center for Windows Phone Devices Leaked

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:14:00 -0800

There has been much speculation on exactly how Windows Phone was going incorporate a notification center into the OS. According to leaks from a site called Winphollowers, it will be a drop down menu from the top just like every other mobile OS out there. However, unlike other operating systems, Windows Phone notification center will called the "action center."

As you can see from the above screenshots, there will not only be notifications but also toggle switches to control various items (like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc..). Which items show up in the Action Center is user controlled and can be customized. When you first swipe down to get to the Action Center you will get only the notification bar in as shown in the middle and than you will have to drag down farther to get what you see on the far right.

This new Action Center is rumored to announced on April 2 by Microsoft at the Build Conference. There is no word yet on when you will see this feature on a device near you. What do you think? I was personally hoping for something a little different than what Android and iOS use perhaps another screen for notifications. A swipe to the right to get there a more "Metro" gesture based approach.

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Rumor: HTC M8 Dual Camera shown in new pic

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:03:00 -0800

There have been several leaks of the HTC M8 and accompanying cases for this yet announced device. All of the cases have had two holes in the back one of which was assumed to be for a finger print scanner like in the HTC One Max however according to series of leaks it seems like it will be for a dual camera.

The picture above is simply the latest in this series and has a slight variation from the rest in the flash area. In previous leaks the flash area was not combined and was two separate led flash as opposed to the all in one flash as seen in this picture.

I don't know how much credibility I would give this rumor since previous similar pictures have already been shot down by HTC brass. ( Mark Moons HTC Director in Benelux has already taken to Twitter and called out this picture to be photoshopped.) Either way what are your thoughts on a dual camera device?

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Apple complaint about Themer gets the app pulled from Google Play

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 04:25:00 -0800

The folks over in our Post Your Android Home Screenshot thread often share impressive setups for their launchers. Themer, an app designed to use advanced home screens, is at the moment not something that can feature in the thread because Apple complained about the app and got it removed from Google Play.

Apple accused Themer of copyright infringement because its Seven theme used its imagery. To be fair, Seven was a blatant iOS 7 rip-off with backgrounds and icon choices clearly meant to replicate Apple. However, Themer removed Seven from its app more than a week ago and Google still hasn’t allowed it to be re-listed in Google Play. It could just be a temporary waiting period, but the company behind Themer, My Color Screen, fears Google has left the app in limbo without any sign of when it will return.

We’ve seen other cases of Google being slow to respond to developers getting their app reinstated, even when they have done nothing wrong. We can only hope the long wait time won't continue in this case. Otherwise, one of the better ways to get Android themes will be kept from the 1 million-plus people who have downloaded the app. It will continue to work on devices that have already been installed, but reinstalls and new installations are currently unavailable.

Read the full letter detailing the absence and Apple's original complaint letter here.

Supposed iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5 specs put up side-by-side

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 04:21:00 -0800

The rumors concerning the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Apple iPhone 6 have been intensifying in recent weeks. We've already seen seemingly reliable reports from the Wall Street Journal confirming that the iPhone 6 will come in two forms that both have larger displays, but other specs from other places with decent reputations also claim to know what to expect from both the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5. Which is shaping up to be the better phone?

The answer can't be decided on specs alone considering that the appeal of the iPhone is its software and consistency, but that hasn't stopped KDB-Daewoo Securities Research from pitting the two phones against each other already. In a note to investors, the firm claims to know much about the devices, including an expected 1080p HD resolution, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera, and a 3.2-megapixel front camera for the iPhone 6. The Galaxy S5 meanwhile is tapped to have a 5.25 QHD display (2560x1440), 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera with a 3.2-megapixel front camera, and Android. Both phones are expected to have storage increments of 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB, but Apple will have a 16GB option and probably won't have a microSD slot, which the Galaxy will.

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Chromecast SDK now open to all developers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 04:16:00 -0800

Google Chromecast will seem far more appealing now that Google has expanded support to all developers rather than just the ones who got on the company's good side. Google previously kept the tools necessary to publish an app supporting Chromecast's phone and TV connection under tight controls, but it has finally made it possible for other apps to access those same tools.

Officially the Google Cast SDK, Android and iOS app makers can incorporate the Cast API to trigger media streaming from an app control or Mac/PC/Chrome window to the television. When a computer or mobile device is on the same Wi-Fi network as the Chromecast, an app can have playback controls for the TV. The Developer resource page here outlines everything someone will need to build an app.

For regular users, this is good news too. This means that your favorite apps can now be used to manage streaming on your HDTV. For instance, Netflix and Pandora are already available, but wouldn't it be nice if you could also use Crackle and Spotify? Now big companies and small companies alike have the option, so we could see an increase of apps suddenly add Chromecast support very soon.

Sony has solved the tablet camera problem – stick a QX10 on the back of your tablet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 07:47:00 -0800

The problem with tablets is that the camera is almost universally bad. The best you can hope for is that a tablet takes decent photos, but Sony has found a way to fix the problem: buy a $250 QX10 lens camera, and then spend another $36 (26 euro, 21 GBP) to get an attachment clip to put on a tablet. Problem solved!

Obviously I'm kidding about the problem being solved because it would be a lot easier and cheaper to either get a better camera in a tablet or stick to taking photos with a smartphone, but Sony wants to appeal to the folks who are willing to try out the QX10. The lens-style camera already has an accessory that can help it latch on to most smartphones, but that's too small. Sony is reportedly building an attachment made specifically to fit tablets. You'll then be able to use the vastly superior lens of the QX10 (or QX100) and have controls in the tablet.

According to the typically accurate XperiaBlog, the tablet will come in the following sizes:

about 85 × 65.6 × 33.9mm
about 106 × 65.6 × 33.9mm
about 127 × 65.6 × 33.9mm
about 148 × 65.6 × 33.9mm
about 169 × 65.6 × 33.9mm
about 190 × 65.6 × 33.9mm

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