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A more in-depth look at Windows phones, Nokia Lumia

2011-11-17T02:02:00.001+07:00

by Laura

in Technology / Cell Phones (submitted 2011-11-04)

Last week Nokia announced that they have prepared for the future at Nokia World 2011 expo. Although they were willing to show prototypes that included a phone with a screen that can bend , undoubtedly the next major step for the Finns is the official launch of Windows phones Lumia.

The Lumia 800 will be the first Nokia smartphone with Windows Phone 7.5. It shares many attributes with the N9 that comes with Meegan, including a polycarbonate chassis - it is physically the two phones are almost identical.

The Lumia 800 features a 1.4 GHz processor, 16GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, 8MP camera, 720p video recording and a WVGA AMOLED display 3.7 inch ClearBlack. This phone will be available in certain markets from next month at a price of ~ $ 585, but people in the U.S. have to wait until next year.

It is clear that Nokia wants to use their strengths to conquer the European market first but if you want Windows these phones are a success and is widely adopted phone equipment platform would attract developers to create applications. They also need to find a global reach if they want to achieve the same level of sales which have competitors like Samsung, Motorola, Apple.

Windows already has HTC and Samsung, but neither is fully committed to the advancement of the platform. Nokia is the partner that Microsoft is looking to really get off the platform and their commitment is reflected in the fact that they are abandoning their MeeGo operating system.

Microsoft is expected to have a Windows Phone event on November 7, so with any luck will talk more about the plans of Nokia.

It is difficult to say whether people with an iPhone, or Galaxy S II, will change their phones for a 800 or platform Lumia Windows Phone.

If you see the video above you may notice something iconic logo on the phone WP 7.5 of Nokia. We know that the hardware and software are there, but the platform is in its infancy in terms of number of users and that translates into a limited library of applications compared to Android or Apple App Store.

Lumia The Nokia 710 is the following telephone WP 7.5, which is preparing the company. This model is more economical to have an LCD screen 3.7-inch TFT ClearBlack but carries the same Snapdragon processor single-core 1.4 GHz Both phones will go on sale France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK in November. Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan will get the phone system later this year.

About the Author

The web's best source for VoIP Phones, IP Phones, VoIP Phone Systems, Office Telephones, phone equipment and Microsoft Response Point Systems.

HTC Rezound Hits Shelves, Bringing Beats to LTE

2011-11-15T11:50:00.001+07:00

Valerie Sarnataro, Brighthand.com Contributor | 11/14/2011

Verizon’s latest smartphone, the HTC Rezound, hits shelves today and brings Beats audio to Big Red’s 4G LTE network.

The music-oriented handset packs a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and features a 4.3-inch screen with a 1280 x 720 resolution, a first for HTC. The Rezound ships with Android OS 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), and with the latest version of HTC’s Sense UI layered on top, though the phone will be eligible for an Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update early next year.

The new smartphone also features 1GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, in addition to an 8MP camera, as well as a 2MP front-facing shooter. Users are able to edit and share photos within the camera app.

With a pretty impressive spec sheet in tow, the HTC Rezound is also first smartphone in the U.S. boasting Beats audio technology. HTC touts the Rezound’s ability to deliver studio-quality sound with unique audio tuning, ensuring that customers hear the music as the artist intended. The phone sports a Beats logo on its lower backside and comes bundled with Beats by Dre earbuds.

The HTC Rezound retails for $300 from Verizon with a two-year contract, though the online retailer Wirefly.com is currently offering a $50 discount on the device, selling the phone for $250 with a two-year contract from Verizon.

Source: Brighthand.com

Nokia Lumia Coming To The States With 4G?

2011-11-15T11:47:00.001+07:00

By Andrew Grush, November 11, 2011 @ 4:11pm

It’s no secret that Nokia lost out on what they used to be in the United States. When Nokia announced its smartphone for the European market, many wondered when it would hit the Western world. According to Nokia they plan on bringing the technology overseas very soon. The reason for the delay was to make sure they could make their smartphones appealing here in the US and Canada without cutting into established provider markets like Android and iOS. According to Nokia they will be targeting their Windows devices towards first time smartphone users that are intimidated by the technology and want something easier to learn. With Windows Phone 7 having tight integration with Facebook, Twitter, and more Nokia believes that Windows smartphones have a strong appeal to those who have been hesitant to make the switch from feature phone to smartphone.

This is only part of the strategy, however as it seems that Nokia has also been waiting to release its phones until they are ready for LTE support, a feature that Windows Phone 7.5 doesn’t offer. It seems that in order to support LTE they are either waiting for Tango or planning to use Mango-based code drops that include LTE functionality. It seems that AT&T is a big part of this plan and Nokia plans to offer an LTE-version of the Lumia 800 through this network. The Lumia 800 may not have the largest screen or a front-facing camera, but it is a solid Windows 7 phone. Without any solid confirmation from Nokia, we shouldn’t get our hopes up, but a version that works well with 4G technology certainly sounds like an appealing idea.

Source: Mobilemag.com

Galaxy Tab Update Causes Loss Of Wifi And More

2011-11-15T11:45:00.001+07:00

By Andrew Grush, November 14, 2011 @ 4:36pm

It appears that the newest feature for the Android 3.2 update for Galaxy Tab 10.1 is apparently the loss of WIFI on a WIFI only tablet. According to reports the new update for Android 3.2 that arrived today is causing some less than desired problems including a loss off WiFi, Bluetooth, and even problems with screen rotation. Other reports include that the installation fails partially through the process for some and that even a hard reset doesn’t fix the problem. For early adopters like me getting the latest and greatest software, hardware, and updates are essential so I have to admit I’m glad right now I don’t have a Galaxy Tab 10.1 or I likely would be stuck with this problem, too.

Although some Tab users are reporting that the installation went smoothly enough and WIFI isn’t a problem, others say that when they’ve contacted Samsung they are advised to send it in for repair. Hopefully Samsung will have an easier fix out in the next day or two. If this update is negatively affecting enough users and sending it in is the only way to fix it, you can guarantee this could hurt Samsung’s tablet reputation a great deal.

If you own a Tab and were going to update, just make sure you proceed with caution. For those of us that can’t live without our tablets even for a day or two it is probably best to skip this update until a patch for the installation has arrived on scene.

Source: Softpedia.com

Samsung Galaxy Nexus release date revealed

2011-11-15T11:42:00.001+07:00

Shortly after announcing that its PressReader application will be pre-loaded on BlackBerry Playbook tablet, NewspaperDirect has announced that the Android version of PressReader is now available for free from Amazon.

The application is fully optimized to work on Amazon Fire tablet, which means that owners of the slate will be able to download PressReader for free.

In addition, the application support smartphones that run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, as well as Honeycomb-based tablets.

PressReader provides access to more than 2,000 newspapers and magazines from 95 countries and in 51 languages.

However, while the PressReader for Android and Amazon Fire is available as a free download from Amazon Appstore, new customers will receive seven trial issues for free, whereas each newspaper and magazine can be purchased for at least $0.99 per issue.

source: Softpedia.com

Samsung Galaxy Nexus release date revealed

2011-11-15T11:35:00.001+07:00

O2 and Phones4U confirm imminent launch Mobile phones News

By Marc Chacksfield

Not long to wait

Both Phones4U and 02 have confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is set of a mid-November launch.

O2 was first to reveal that it is to stock the Android handset in the most fitting way possible – by posting its announcement on its Google+ page.

Although it didn't specify a date in the original post it did tell one commenter that it would be out 17 November.

While Three and Vodafone have said they will also stock the Samsung Galaxy Nexus neither have committed to a date.

Nexus news

Phones4U has also revealed that it will be selling the Nexus 3 as of 17 November, which all-but seals the deal that this is the handset's official release date.

Instead of using Google+, however, it sent out an update which read: "pre order for your chance to have it delivered before 9am on launch day 17 November!"

The Galaxy Nexus is the world's first phone with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

In our Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Nexus review we praised the handset for its massive 4.65-inch screen.

The Galaxy Nexus launch date is a mere day after Google is set to launch its Google Music store in the US.

Via Eurodroid and Coolsmartphone

Google releases the source code for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

2011-11-15T11:33:00.001+07:00

Google announced this afternoon that it has released the source code for Ice Cream Sandwich into the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository. These files contain Android 4.0.1 which is the version that will ship on the Galaxy Nexus. As expected, these Galaxy Nexus files are the only build available; builds for other handsets will be available at a later date. This release also contains the Honeycomb source code, since ICS is based, in part, on Android 3.0. Google is advising developers to ignore these Honeycomb files because it was, as Google engineer Jean-Baptiste M. “JBQ” Queru said, ”a little incomplete.” Developers are being told to focus on Android 4.0 instead.

Now that the ICS source code has been released, developers can begin to work on custom ROMs. The talented developers with Team Douche will likely begin work on Cyanogen 9 which should hit handsets by the end of the year. They will probably beat the handset manufacturers which are expected to roll out their Ice Cream Sandwich updates early next year. Of course, if you want to get your hands on Android 4.0 sooner rather than later, you may want to pick up a Galaxy Nexus handset which should hit retail shelves very soon.

[Via: Google]

By: Kelly Hodgkins, IntoMobile
Monday, November 14th, 2011 at 6:15 PM

Turkish startup showcases a 65-inch, Android-powered display

2011-11-15T11:29:00.001+07:00

ARDIC Technology is an up and coming startup whose recent video has the Android world talking about big screens and little green robots. A recent video from the Turkish company showcases a new prototype system that lets you interact with Android on a big screen, a very big 65-inch screen.

The group has created a small, 10-inch Android tablet that powers a larger 65-inch display. The smaller tablet is your typical Android fare with an NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of flash storage, front and rear-facing cameras, HDMI, USB, a microSD slot, and both 3G and WiFi for connectivity. The 10-inch device connects to the larger, touchscreen display via a dock that displays the 1080P video and audio using HDMI and sends touch input via USB. A demo of Fruit Slice on the monitor is impressive to say the least. This early version of the system only includes two sensors and supports basic gestures like swipe and pinch and zoom. Advanced multi-touch gestures are expected in the next version of the monitor which will include four sensors.

As you would expect, ARDIC Technology hopes to sell this system to business and education customers as a multimedia alternative to a standard whiteboard. It would be perfect for presentations that mix static slides with audio and video content. The company also hopes to expand this technology to a variety of devices including smartphones and different-sized displays. Picture yourself using your smartphone to play Need For Speed on the big screen and you get a glimpse of what may be in store for us in the future.

[Via Youtube and Engadget]

By: Kelly Hodgkins, IntoMobile
Monday, November 14th, 2011 at 8:22 PM

Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: Which Should You Choose?

2011-11-14T20:04:00.001+07:00

Kristy Korcz / November 5, 2011 11:11 am / Read More: Tech News, Tech Shopping, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet

Perfect timing for holiday shopping season, Barnes & Noble is set to announce its next version of the Nook on Monday with an expected release date of Nov. 16. Called the Nook Tablet, leaked documents indicate that the device will look and feel just like the Nook Color but with a few internal and external changes. But with the Kindle Fire also coming into the fold a day earlier on Nov. 15, which portable tablet/ereader combo should you choose? We'll look at the pros and cons of each and help you decide.

Price

The Kindle Fire will sell for $199, while the Nook Tablet will be priced at $249.

Specs

Both the Nook Tablet and the Kindle Fire will come with a seven-inch touchscreen display at 1024 x 600 pixel resolution, and WiFi connectivity, but the Nook pulls ahead in processing power. The Nook Tablet will come with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor compared to the Kindle Fire's dual-core 1GHz, but let's face it — they're both going to be plenty fast. The Nook will also come with more storage space with 16GB on on-board and expandable with a 32GB SD card, while the Kindle Fire is limited to 8GB of on-board storage space. The Kindle Fire is integrated with Amazon's free cloud storage, however, so data space becomes a nonissue with the Fire. As far as battery life goes, the Kindle Fire will last up to eight hours with the WiFi turned off, while the Nook Tablet is expected to run for a full 11.5 hours while reading, and nine hours while watching video with the WiFi off.

Content

Both the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire will be able to stream music, videos, and books, but where the content comes from is where these two differ. The Nook Tablet will be able to stream shows and movies from Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Pandora, while the Kindle Fire will be jacked into Amazon Prime, which offers free (as well as paid, and rental) streaming movies, TV shows, and music from its online store. Kindle Fire customers will get a free 30-day Amazon Prime membership to test out the benefits, but from there it comes with a $79 a year price tag. As far as books go, you'll obviously get the choice of choosing between Barnes & Noble's online selection and Amazon's. In addition, Amazon's app store is brimming with fun and familiar apps, which could woo customers to the Fire.

See our final thoughts and verdict after the break.

Final Thoughts

Shoppers who are already ingrained in the Amazon ecosystem will have no problem choosing between these two devices. Amazon Prime is well worth the $79 price it comes with for free two-day shipping and free streaming of movies and shows, which will come in handy for taking the Kindle Fire on the go. Amazon's new Silk web browser, which claims to cut down on download times due to a dual cache system, might be a selling point as well. Those looking for an affordable and accessible Android device will find love in the Nook Tablet. With Hulu Plus and Netflix, your bases are covered in terms of entertainment. But — you'll be spending more in the long run. Amazon Prime offers unlimited streaming of movies and TV, with rental prices starting at just $1.99. Considering that you're spending over $200 a year on Netflix and Hulu Plus alone (and renting those you can't get on the two channels), you'd be saving some cash by getting the Kindle Fire and paying that $79 Amazon Prime membership.

The Verdict

The Kindle Fire wins for unlimited cloud storage, Amazon Prime integration, and affordability.

Update: This post has been updated with new information provided from the official Nook Tablet launch.

Source: Getty

Amazon Kindle Fire review

2011-11-14T19:54:00.001+07:00

Tablet PCs

By Tim Stevens posted Nov 14th 2011 12:00AM

Review

It seems like ages since Amazon introduced us to the $199 Fire at a hectic New York City event, but in truth that was only about six weeks ago. Maybe our perception of time is warped because we've been hearing talk about this 7-inch Android tablet for months now. Maybe it's because Amazon launching a tablet seemed like such a natural thing to do after Barnes & Noble paved the way with its Nook Color. Or, maybe it's just because the gadget Amazon shipped looks nigh-identical to the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook that we've had for, well, ages.

For whatever the reason, what Amazon has delivered is a device that is intimately familiar yet mysterious -- a simple, minimalistic exterior design hiding a flashy, seemingly quite trick customization that's sitting atop a decidedly ho-hum Android Gingerbread build. Our questions leading up to this review were many: How will it handle sideloading? Are the battery life and performance better than the PlayBook? Can a tablet that costs two hundred bucks stand a chance against those that cost two and three times as much? C'mon baby, click on through to find out.

Blackberry awarded Common Criteria EAL4+

2011-11-14T19:50:00.001+07:00

Research In Motion has announced that BlackBerry smartphones running on the BlackBerry 7 Operating System (OS) have been independently evaluated by a third-party Common Criteria evaluation facility and meet the security criteria for evaluation assurance level (EAL) 4+.

BlackBerry's Bold 9900 (image: RIM)

“Security is one of the most important considerations for enterprise customers and we are proud that BlackBerry 7 OS has earned this rigorous certification,” said Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Security at RIM.

The Common Criteria is an international standard for validating that products meet specific security requirements. Widely respected for its extensive and comprehensive evaluation by an independent third party, EAL4+ accreditation examines a product’s design, software development methodology, and security mechanisms. EAL4+ is the highest level of accreditation under the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA) by 26 countries.

“RIM is renowned as a market leader in the delivery of secure mobile solutions, and this achievement helps to provide our customers globally with continued confidence in deploying BlackBerry solutions throughout their organizations,” he added.

The EAL4+ certification for the BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Torch 9810, BlackBerry Torch 9860 and BlackBerry Curve 9360 smartphones based on BlackBerry 7 OS is posted on the Common Criteria Portal

Source: itnewsafrica.com

Adobe Photoshop Touch for Android pictures and hands-on

2011-11-14T19:43:00.001+07:00

We take a closer look

14 November 2011 10:51 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Adobe is continuing to venture into the interesting world of apps with a new range of software for Android Honeycomb tablets, allowing them to work on photos away from their computer.

The lead app in the new suite is Photoshop Touch which is, as the name suggests, a touchscreen version of Photoshop; this allows you to edit images on the go, before connecting your tablet to Photoshop on your Mac or PC in order to continue working.

And Pocket-lint was given access to it, ahead of its official release, at a recent behind closed doors Adobe event in London.

Comprehensive is the best way to describe the app, and it will cost just $9.99 (£6.26) when it is released onto the Android Market before the end of the year.

Users will be able manipulate layers, use a variety of selection tools, filter brushes, as well as adjust tone and colour at the touch of the screen, just like they can on the desktop version of the company’s popular software.

In our demo, our man from Adobe grabbed two images, cut one out, placed it on top of the other using layers, before saving it as a complete picture. He was then able to add a number of further effects before we told him we thought he had gone a bit far.

Although the end result was a bit rough around the edges, it showed us that, for many, Photoshop Touch will be more than enough when it comes to editing your images, and is probably on par with the company’s entry-level computer software Photoshop Elements.

The downside to that level of depth is that the interface looks rather complicated, and will involve you mastering a number of tools to get the most of out of the app. This isn’t the Instagram approach to digital editing, for example.

However, for many, that's be a good thing. It certainly gives you a lot more control over how you edit and what you can do with your images.

If you imagine that the Instagram approach of pre-set filters is a compact camera, Photoshop Touch is a full range DSLR.

But don’t fret, those looking for those array of effects will still be able to find them. Everything from "drop shadow" to artistic effects that will make you look like you painted your photo are available.

Photoshop Touch is due out soon.

Apps, Adobe, Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Touch, Android apps, Honeycomb apps, Photos

HTC Sensation XE review

2011-11-14T19:30:00.004+07:00

TrustedReviews says

The HTC Sensation XE is a powerful phone with a powerful brand attached to it - Dr. Dre's Beats. However, for the most part it's just like the original Sensation. It has a faster processor, but this isn't hugely apparent in normal usage. Build quality is great, it's fast and has a large, sharp screen, but the quality of the S-LCD panel isn't great and the Beats red bits don't mesh entirely well with the design. It's certainly a decent phone that can more-than do justice to Android, but when the original Sensation is now available for about £100 less, you can get better audio quality by spending the difference on a great pair of earphones, instead of the just-good Beats bundled pair here.

Reviewed by Andrew Williams
11 November 2011

HTC Sensation XE

The HTC Sensation XE is the first Beats-branded phone. In case you have no interest in headphones and don't watch TV - Beats is the Dr. Dre-endorsed range of audio products from Monster. Beats was once the preserve of headphone buyers, but has recently spread out, stamping its red logo onto some of HP's laptops. And infecting our tellyboxes with its advertising.
Aside from the hints of red, spread over the HTC Sensation XE's body, the design of this Android Gingerbread phone is mostly identical to the original Sensation. The screen is 4.3in across, it has an 8-megapixel main camera and a fast dual-core processor. It has the same 11.3mm-thick aluminium unibody frame too, but this time it's finished in brushed black to supply a moody look.

The metal exoskeleton dominates the phone less than several of HTC's top-end phones, including the Titan and Desire S. Most of the front is given over to the glass screen top layer, which is slightly curved at the edges, and on the back the metal strip cuts a modest diagonal path through the mostly soft-touch black plastic backplate. The three-part look of the back seems to suggest the bottom bit might pop off to reveal the microSD and SIM slot, but the whole of the back is one single slab.

It's a blueprint those who are familiar with HTC's phone line-up may have seen before, and it means that this phone doesn't really have its own personality - beyond the flecks of red. The speaker grill of the earpiece, the touch sensitive nav buttons and the ring around the camera lens all bear the signature red of Beats. They look rather tacked-on because, well, they are.
This is essentially a Beats signature edition of the Sensation, but that doesn't mean there aren't some worthwhile changes. Unlike the original model, the XE has a super-fast dual-core 1.5GHz processor and Beats audio processing inside. We'll examine whether these make much difference later. Perhaps the most obvious addition to this model, though, is the pair of iBeats (rebranded as UrBeats, but not conspicuously so in the sample we received) headphones that come in the box.

These metal-bodied earphones sell for up to £80 on their own, and easily outdo the earphones that come bundled with most phones and MP3 players. We'll have a full review of the iBeats headphones up on the site soon, but we'll also cover their sound later in this review. However, if you want to use the Sensation XE as a music player, you'll have to buy a large memory card. There's only 1GB of user-accessible internal memory and our review unit came with a measly 2GB microSD card. Hardly enough for a decent set of tunes.

iPhone 5 existed but was scrapped in favour of 4S

2011-11-14T19:27:00.001+07:00

Under: Apple iPhone
Date: November 14th, 2011

Back when Apple were gearing up to released their next generation iOS smartphone, many in the mobile space along with numerous of the iPhone faithful expected Apple to deliver the fully redesigned iPhone 5, however as we now know this wasn’t the case and the iPhone 4S was released instead, much to some annoyance to the iOS faithful out there. However, apparently the full on iPhone 5 was a go up until a few months before the iPhone 4S was released, as according to an article over on Phone Arena by way of Business Insider, the iPhone 5 did indeed exist in a prototype form.

Unfortunately though, according to an unnamed industry source that has apparently been right on numerous occasions before, is said to have handled the iPhone 5 prototype, the redesigned iOS smartphone was scrapped only month previous to the announcement of the iPhone 4S.

The reason for the scrapping of the redesigned iPhone 5 is according to the report because Steve Jobs decided it would be a device that would fragment the iPhone line too much. It is also said that the iPhone 5 was loaded with Siri at the time.

Having said all this, apparently the reporter has stated that they haven’t been able to verify any of this via a second source, so could be all fluff and rumour.

So there you have it, if true then the redesigned iPhone 5 did exist at some point, and well one does have to wonder where all those case makers came up with their iPhone 5 case designs. Should Apple have scrapped the iPhone 5 in favour of the iPhone 4S or gone ahead and delivered what everyone was originally expecting?

If you have enjoyed this Phones Review article feel free to add me to your circles on Google+ and I will of course add you back.

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Read More About: apple, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, steve jobs

Source: Phonereview.co.uk

Samsung Galaxy Note Big Screen (5.3") with Stylus!!

2011-11-14T01:26:00.003+07:00

If you can live with its hugeness, the Note is one of the more powerful and flexible Android phones out there

The huge size of the Galaxy Note is the main reason to buy it: no other smartphone has such a big, beautiful screen. However, the size also creates a number of issues, short battery life and sheer unwieldiness being chief among them.If you can live with these drawbacks, you'll find that this is one of the most powerful Android smart phones around, tackling apps and media with aplomb.

Read original review at Cnet.

LG DoublePlay Dual-screens Messaging Smartphone

2011-11-14T01:20:00.001+07:00

T-Mobile and LG officially announced LG DoublePlay messaging smartphone. LG Double Play is an innovative form factor, and claims to offer twice the SMS and social networking features. It is dual-display hardware and a split-keyboard combination. Runs on Android 2.3 OS, the Double Play LG smartphone has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

New LG Double Play Sports is one of the main 3.5-inch touchscreen display with a second 2-inch touchscreen display is attached, and the fraction of a physical QWERTY keyboard. Other feature on the LG Double Play messaging smartphone is a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video recording.

See full review at Cnet.

Amazon Kindle Fire Android tablet in Best Buy stores November 15

2011-11-13T22:51:00.001+07:00

Newsbrief by Michelle Ruhfass on Sunday November 13, 2011.0 Comments

newsbriefs · amazon · kindle fire · tablets · android os · michelle ruhfass

Sponsored links, if any, appear in green.

Amazon's highly antiicipated Android tablet, the Kindle Fire, goes on sale this week and now those that cannot wait for the delivery truck have a new option. Best Buy will have the tablet available for purchase in stores this Tuesday, November 15. The Amazon Kindle Fire is expected to give Apple's coveted iPad tablet a run for its money, especially with its more affordable $199 price tag. For more, check out our hands-on preview of the Amazon Kindle Fire Android tablet here.

Preview Amazon Kindle Fire Android tablet

source: Best Buy, via: Phandroid

Apple starts selling unlocked and contract-free iPhone 4S

2011-11-13T07:05:00.001+07:00

By Ricardo Bilton | November 11, 2011, 12:55pm PST

Summary: Apple is finally selling unlocked versions of the iPhone 4S — with a few caveats.

Consumers looking to pick up the iPhone 4S without a two-year contract finally have the news they’ve been waiting for. Apple has begun selling the unlocked, contract-free versions of its latest device, offering owners the freedom from two-year contracts.

That freedom, however, comes at a price. The unlocked iPhone 4S is only compatible with GSM networks like AT&T’s own, and won’t work with CDMA networks like the ones used by Verizon and Sprint. This is good news for regular travelers (not to mention T-Mobile subscribers), who can swtich networks simply by swapping out the device’s micro-SIM card.

Without a carrier subsidy, prices for the unlocked versions of the iPhone 4S are predictably high. $650 will get you the 16GB model, $750 for the 32GB, and $850 for the 64GB version of the phone. Apple estimates that the devices will ship between one and two weeks from time of order.

[Apple]

Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2: Hands-on review

2011-11-13T06:57:00.001+07:00

By James Kendrick | November 12, 2011, 7:37am PST

Summary: The Logitech Keyboard Case turns the iPad 2 into a full-fledged laptop replacement, while serving as a protective case for transport.

Tablets are very useful on their own, but for me a good hardware keyboard is a required accessory to leverage the slate fully. I write for a living, often 2,000 - 3,000 words daily, and a good keyboard can turn a tablet into a laptop replacement that is easy to use anywhere. The first accessory I purchased for my new iPad 2 was the Logitech Keyboard Case, and I have not regretted the purchase.

The Logitech Keyboard Case is constructed from brushed aluminum that forms the case for the iPad 2 for use during transport. The keyboard sits on the inside of the aluminum tray. The tablet is placed facedown on top of the keyboard for transport, and easily pops in the tray securely. While stored in the tray, the aluminum back of the iPad 2 is exposed, turning the entire assembly into a metal form for protection.

The keyboard connects wirelessly to the iPad 2 via Bluetooth. The initial pairing is straightforward, and once paired the iPad 2 automatically connects to the keyboard when the latter is turned on. The Logitech keyboard is designed to work seamlessly with the iPad 2, and in addition to the near full-sized keys there are special keys for controlling the iPad 2. These consist of media player controls, a key that duplicates the Home button on the iPad 2, copy/paste keys, and even an unlock key.

The unlock key works just like hitting the power button on the iPad 2, it puts the screen to sleep, and also wakes it up. The iPad 2 is smart enough to realize the difference when waking via this key and bypasses the “slide to unlock” screen upon waking.

There are two LED indicator lights above the keyboard on the Logitech Keyboard Case, one for status and the other to indicate when the internal battery gets low. The keyboard charges via an included short USB cable, and a charge lasts for weeks of heavy usage.

Beneath the two LEDs are a connect button to initiate pairing with an iPad 2, and an on/off slider for the keyboard. This slider can be left on, as the keyboard shuts itself down when not being used.

The iPad is placed into a narrow slot on the keyboard and serves as a single position stand for use as a stand. The iPad 2 sits in the keyboard steadily, and can be placed in either landscape or portrait orientation as desired. The entire assembly is quite sturdy and there is little danger of knocking the iPad 2 out of the keyboard.

After just a few minutes use of the Logitech Keyboard Case I was able to type at full speed without concession. I am a very fast touch typist and this keyboard keeps up with me no problem, and without an adjustment on how I type. This makes the Logitech a great fit for my usage.

When using the iPad 2 and Logitech Keyboard Case combo in public venues, I am often approached by folks wanting to know what little laptop I am using. When shown it is an iPad 2, they usually comment how great the keyboard fits for my usage.

The Logitech Keyboard Case is available for $99.99 online and at major retailers. I saw dozens of these in my local Best Buy the other day. It only adds a little bit of thickness to the skinny iPad 2 when used as a case, and is an outstanding keyboard when needed.

There is a model of this keyboard/case for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and for owners of that tablet you may want to check out my full review.

Microsoft: Why Low-End Phones in Large Quantities is the Best Strategy

2011-11-13T06:52:00.001+07:00

By Valerie Sarnataro, Brighthand.com Contributor | 11/12/2011

While smartphone manufacturers race to release high-end handsets with dual-core chips, Microsoft continues to offer solely single-core-equipped phones. So why does the Windows Phone maker stray from the pack in its adoption of a faster CPU?

Well according to Microsoft’s Windows Phone president Andy Lees, the company can offer better battery performance, at a lower cost, with single-core chips than it could with a dual-core chipset. As Android and Apple smartphones comprise key features for speed, Microsoft hopes that a larger volume of inexpensive phones will ultimately prove successful over devices like the iPhone 4S and Droid Bionic.

Claiming that Microsoft’s main goal is to deliver a low-cost phone with the best possible experience, Lees said he mainly looks at the transfer price and hopes to ultimately erase it or make it as low as can be.

As competitors tout their dual-core chips, Lees says the graphics processor already counts as a second processor on the less-than 1GHz chip that Microsoft uses, and it is what provides users with the most performance. Despite a single-core chip, a Windows Phone handset will outrank dual-core-powered smartphones in battery life and other aspects, according to Lees.

While Windows Phone has struggled to find its niche, evident in the relatively low adoption rate of users, Lees believes offering low cost phones and better performance is the best strategy.

“It seems like you're slower, and then boom, you come out with these low cost phones that are fantastic,” said Lees. “You leapfrog in multiple dimensions.”

Yet, Lees was sure to note that Microsoft is certainly not against dual-core, so perhaps we will eventually be seeing a quicker, higher-end Windows Phone after all.

Source: Business Insider

Will Kindle Fire kill the $500 tablet?

2011-11-13T06:43:00.001+07:00

by Brooke Crothers November 12, 2011 2:06 PM PST

Amazon's Kindle Fire will have hundreds of magazine titles.

(Credit: CNET)

Will Amazon's $199 Kindle Fire reset the tablet market, rendering the $500 tablet obsolete?

Let me preempt any challenges from Apple iPad folks. Yeah, I know, Apple will continue to sell the iPad at $499, $599, and $699. And, yes, Apple is slated to ship more than 12 million iPad 2s in the current quarter. Android rivals like Motorola's Xoom or Toshiba's Thrive aren't even close.

With that out of the way, the most immediate impact will be on the pricey Android guys. "I think [the Kindle Fire] resets the bar," Carter Nicholas, CEO of market researcher eDataSource told CNET this week.

To expand on Nicholas' argument, why buy a $500 Xoom if you can get most of what you need from a $199 Fire or a $199 Samsung Galaxy Tab? Or a $249 Nook Tablet? Or a 10-inch Lenovo IdeaPad for $349.99?

But I'm guessing that the longer-term impact will be on Apple too, as immune as it seems today to price pressure--despite these results from a recent CNET poll (44 percent said they're sticking with the iPad).

We may not see the impact on Apple--the torchbearer for $500-and-up tablets--until late next year or even 2013, but it's as inevitable as the $999 MacBook Air. Remember, the MacBook Air started at the $1,800 to $3,000 price range and stayed in rarefied pricing tiers for a couple of years.

No, the iPad is not the Air but it competes with low-end laptops as well as the cheaper tablets. (Even the iPhone 4's pricing with a carrier contract is $99 now.)

And I think this will go beyond downstreaming old iPads. At some point, even a new $500 iPad 3 or iPad 4, not to mention a $700 one, is going to seem too pricey for iPad owners who aren't necessarily wedded to Apple products.

But until that day comes--however distant--here's the latest crop of alternatives to the iPad and pricey Android tablets. These tablets are already doing their part to hasten the demise of the $500 tablet.

Sub-$350 tablets:

Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet*: $99, 7-inch, Android 2.0, single-core processor, 12GB**
Amazon Kindle Fire: $199, 7-inch, Android 2.3, dual-core processor, 8GB
Samsung Galaxy Tab: $199, 7-inch, Android 2.2, single-core processor, 16GB
Dell Streak 7*: $239, 7-inch, Android 2.2, dual-core processor, 16GB
Nook Tablet: $249, 7-inch, Android, dual-core processor, 16GB
ViewSonic ViewPad*: $269, 7-inch, Android 2.2, single-core processor, 512MB
HTC Flyer*: $299, 7-inch, Android 2.3, single-core processor, 16GB
Acer Iconia: $329, 10-inch, Android 3.2, dual-core processor, 8GB
Lenovo IdeaPad K1*: $349, 10-inch, Android 3.1, dual-core processor, 32GB

*Price at Best Buy
**Includes 4GB and 8GB SD cards
And, as a footnote, independent hands-on reviews of the Kindle Fire are, at this point, nonexistent. So, we won't know how great--or not so great--it is until reviews arrive. For now, see CNET reader takes here and another demo here.

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Nokia Lumia 800 Making Of Process Shown in 8 Minute Clip (Video)

2011-11-13T05:33:00.001+07:00

Written by James A. 12 Nov 2011

Nokia Lumia 800 has been the talk of the town since it was unveiled back at Nokia World 2011. Now we’re introduce to its creation process, courtesy of a Nokia video, that you can see below. The Lumia 800 is basically the twin of the N9 model, but it’s actually much more…

This small documentary shows the cooperation with Microsoft, the prototype phase, the wood moldings, the sketches, all the work behind this handset… For one thing, we learn that Nokia’s “Fabula” design language was used to craft the smartphone, completed with Microsoft’s Metro interface, that’s the foundation of both Windows Phone and Windows 8.

Machines working on the handset, a wax prototype and more, all of these will be found in the documentary. Of course, this video is part of a huge marketing campaign that will go through hundreds of millions of dollars, in the attempt to let everyone know that Microsoft and Nokia are working together with the plan to make the world a better place, one based on Windows Phone and Metro UI.

SOURCE: conversations.nokia.com

VIA: wpcentral

Motorola Droid RAZR Teardown Reveals Kevlar Back, Components

2011-11-13T05:28:00.001+07:00

Written by Radu Iorga

12 Nov 2011

Ifixit is back to its usual game, that is tearing down the most popular phones on the market. This time the culprit is Motorola Droid RAZR, the thinnest smartphone available right now, at 7.1mm. This device was taken apart only days after it reached the shops and revealed what hides behind its kevlar back.

This dual core 4.3 inch smartphone with 7.1 sounds pretty tough to take apart without breaking anything, but ifixit did it. They also measured the handset and came to the conclusion that it’s 0.28 inches thin in the thinness side and 0.42 inches in the bulky part. For comparison’s sake, Verizon released the Droid Bionic in September with a 0.43 thick waistline and claimed it was the slimmest 4G LTE phone at the time.

As far as design goes, the microUSB and microHDMI ports, plus the audio jack are on top of the phone, while the LTE SIM card slot and the microSD card slot are hidden inside a secret compartment. Ifixit claims that the rear case is fastened tightly to the rest of the smartphone, so removing it is a tough task. Although at first one might feel the need to use a knife or something sharp, a spudger and plastic opener tool were required.

Then the cool Kevlar weave came up and a flexible, thin back cover was revealed. The rest of the teardown, however is present in the Source link below.

SOURCE: ifixit

Samsung Galaxy W getting ready to hit shelves

2011-11-13T05:04:00.001+07:00

By MobileDekho Team 12 Nov, 2011 at 1:05:31 PM

Description:

After the successful launch of Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy R, renowned mobile company Samsung is now again going to add one more star in its Galaxy of its phones named as Samsung Galaxy W embedded with upgraded Android operating system as compared to its predecessors. With this the most worth mentioning feature about Samsung Galaxy W is that embedded with all latest technical feature. it has been priced competivitly which can be easily afforded by a layman preferring to buy a smarthphone within his pocket reach.

With 3.7 inches LCD screen and powered with 1.4 GHz Qualcomm processor Samsung Galaxy W has screen resolution of 800 x 480 WVGA with density of 252 pixel per inch. Samsung Galaxy W is being sold as Samsung Galaxy Wonder GT-I8250 online in Russia. Earlier Samsung had announced Galaxy W GT I8250 during the month of August 2011. Based on Android v2.3 operating system the new Samsung Galaxy W is designed specifically of the customers who are looking for the qualitative phone embedded with powerful performance and stylish looks and therefore it seems that Samsung has powered Samsung Galaxy W with giant battery of 1500 mAH but that also seems to be quite limited as far as various applications are integrated in the handset.

Samsung Galaxy W adorns camera of 5 mega pixel with LED flash, it would be important to mention that erstwhile galaxy phones viz., Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S LCD and Samsung Galaxy S Plus were not embedded with such high defined camera. Besides this other features integrated in Samsung Galaxy W include memory of 4GB on board with external memory card slot with capacity of storing micro SD flash card upto 32GB. It supports connectivity with GPRS, EDGE, 3G HSDPA, 14.4 Mbps; HSUPA 5.76 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP and USB cord thus making data transfer with these devices an easy task. Besides this customized with 3.7 inches LCD touchsreen display other features integrated in screen of Samsung Galaxy W that helps to improve the picture quality of screen include Multi-touch input method, Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate, Touch-sensitive controls and Proximity sensor for auto turn-off.

Other common applications integrated in Samsung Galaxy W include SNS integration, Digital compass,MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player, MP3/WAV/eAAC player, Organizer, Image/video editor, Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF), Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa integration, Adobe Flash support, Voice memo/dial/commands and Predictive text input (Swype). Embedded with all these features Samsung Galaxy W is ready to hit the shelves.

Posted in Samsung News

Phonos Sonos controller no longer needs a PC

2011-11-13T05:01:00.001+07:00

November 12, 2011 | By Surur

The Phonos 3rd party Sonos controller has been upgraded to Mango, and now no longer needs an intermediate server running on your network.

The app allows one to easily control the Sonos multi-room music system throughout your home using just your phone and features:

Play/Pause/Next/Previous
Choose music from your collection (by Artist, Album, Playlist, Track etc.)
Choose music from Pandora, Internet Radio, Line In, Music Shares, Sonos Playlists etc.
See album artwork
Control Volume/Mute
Select Zones
Control Shuffle & Repeat modes
Add and Remove tracks from the queue
Share your currently playing track info on Facebook and Twitter
Add a link in a email to view track on Amazon, or find the track in the Zune Marketplace.

The app is a pricy $9.99 but does have a free trial and can be found in Marketplace here.

Via PCMag.com