Mobile Launch And More

Microsoft looks to roll Google into German patent suit

2012-10-13T04:39:00.002-07:00

Redmond has been waging war in a German courtroom against Motorola Mobility, but now is ready to move up the chain of command.

Microsoft plans to expand an infringement case against Motorola Mobility to none other than Google, the smartphone maker's parent company.Speaking yesterday in the Munich I Regional Court, Microsoft's lead counsel, Tilman Mueller-Stoy, told the court that the software giant will amend an earlier lawsuit against Motorola to include Google, marking the first time the two technology giants have gone after each other in a patent infringement case.

Foss Patents' Florian Mueller, who has acknowledged consulting for Microsoft, was first to report on the story.

The lawsuit in play was filed by Microsoft in April 2012 and relates to Android's Google Maps app. Microsoft argues that the software, which was developed by Google and found in Motorola handsets, violates technology it owns related to "identifying local resources." Motorola has, of course, denied those claims, saying that its technology is free from any infringement.

Now that Microsoft wants to pull Google into the mix, several things must happen, according to Mueller. For one, Microsoft is as yet unsure whether it will need to serve the complaint to Google directly or to Motorola's attorney to accept on the parent company's behalf. Depending on the decision on that matter, a trial date, now set for March 7, could go ahead as planned or be pushed back.
Google completed its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility earlier this year. When the search giant last year announced plans to acquire Motorola, it said that a key component in the deal was the value of the mobile firm's patents. Now, though, they appear to be rolling Google into more legal messes.
In a statement to CNET, Google Deputy General Counsel Allen Lo said that his company's goal is to deliver innovative products. But when tested, Google will fight back.
"We want to focus on innovation, not litigation, but we'll vigorously defend against any amended complaint Microsoft files," Lo said.

iPhone 5 traffic volume already surpasses Samsung's Galaxy S3

2012-10-13T04:35:00.000-07:00

Apple's iPhone 5 has been available for only a few weeks, but already it's generating more Web traffic volume than the Samsung Galaxy S3.
Online advertising network Chitika today released results of a study it conducted on Web traffic volume between the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3. The company found that of "millions of mobile ad impressions" it recorded on the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3, more than half -- 56 percent -- originated from Apple's handset. Samsung's smartphone nabbed 44 percent of the total impressions.
"Only 18 days since the public release of the iPhone 5, the newest Apple device has overtaken the Galaxy S III in terms of Web traffic volume," Chitika wrote today in a blog post. "Record-breaking sales numbers, along with new 4G browsing speeds which encourage data usage, are the most likely explanation for this tremendous growth."

A bitter battle has erupted between Apple and Samsung over their flagship smartphones. Apple claims that the iPhone 5 is the best smartphone on the market, thanks to, among other things, its 4-inch Retina display, 8-megapixel camera, and design.
Samsung, meanwhile, has argued quite the opposite, pointing to the Galaxy S3's larger, 4.8-inch screen and near-field communication support, among other features. After Apple unveiled the iPhone 5, Samsung wasted no time launching an advertising campaign detailing what it believes are Apple's handset's shortcomings. The company has even taken to mocking Apple fans who stand in lines to buy the company's latest device.
Those efforts seem to have paid off. Earlier this month, mobile-app analytics firm revealed that Galaxy S3 sales are growing. When the iPhone 5 was announced last month, Galaxy S3 sales grew by 15 percent. At the end of September, sales growth was at 9 percent.
Chitika's data is based on mobile ad impressions it collected across its network between October 3 and October 9. The company didn't say how the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 fared against other smartphones.

BlackBerry rep shows off secret phone

2012-10-13T04:29:00.002-07:00

Mexican site Hola Telcel posts a video with a BlackBerry rep demoing the company's L-Series phone -- a device that is supposed to be a secret.

Someone forgot to tell a BlackBerry rep in Mexico that the company's newest L-Series phone is supposed to be a
The rep demoed the phone to Mexican site Hola Telcel, which posted a video online. During the clip (below), the rep shows off features of the new BlackBerry 10 operating system like the ability to virtually "rewind" a photo taken with the device to settle on an expression you most prefer.

he video isn't the first leak about the device, with photos and video showing up last month. RIM is counting on the new devices to help it better compete against Apple and the Android handset vendors, particularly Samsung. The company hasn't provided many specifics about the device thus far, but the L-Series is expected to hit stores early next year.

Sprint LTE trudges ahead to San Francisco, 21 other markets

2012-10-13T04:26:00.000-07:00

Sprint Nextel is slowly making some progress on the 4G LTE front.

The carrier, which lags behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T with its LTE network, said today that it would expand into an additional 22 markets -- including San Francisco -- "in the coming months." This follows the company's commitment last month to roll out the service in 100 cities, although it similarly didn't give a specific time frame.

The release of the LTE-enabled iPhone 5 has put a spotlight on just how weak its 4G coverage is relative to its two larger competitors. The company started later than its rivals, and has also been juggling a full overhaul of its network to modernize the equipment. As a result, many customers who buy Sprint 4G LTE smartphones must wait it out until the service comes to their locales. That includes bigger cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
"We're committed to providing improved 3G and 4G LTE as quickly as possible, and keeping our customers informed as to when and where they can experience the new network's superior performance and speed," said Bob Azzi, senior vice president of network operations for Sprint.
In contrast, Verizon, which began its deployment before the other major carriers, will surpass 400 markets covered with its 4G LTE market. In contrast, Sprint has covered 24 markets so far.
Here's the list of cities that Sprint announced today:

San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif., Cape Coral-Ft Meyers, Fla., Dyersburg-Union City-Martin, Tenn., Emporia, Kan., Fort Wayne, Ind., Greenwood, Miss., Joplin, Mo., Kokomo, Ind., Lafayette/West Lafayette, Ind., Lexington Park, Md., Marion, Ind., Napa, Calif., Naples-Marco Island, Fla., Ottawa-Streator, Ill., Punta Gorda, Fla., Santa Rosa-Petaluma, Calif., Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla., Sebring, Fla., South Bend-Mishawaka, Ind., Terre Haute, Ind., Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif., Warsaw, Ind.

Amazon to users: Hey, the Kindle Paperwhite isn't perfect

2012-10-13T04:17:00.002-07:00

Amazon preemptively discloses some potential shortcomings in its latest Kindle e-reader compared with previous models, most likely to get out in front of user complaints.How's this for honesty? Amazon took it upon itself to post a note today on its site listing the limitations of its newest e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite.The Kindle Paperwhite has a light-up screen that lets you read in the dark, which previous Kindle e-readers lacked. That light, however, isn't perfect. So to get in front of the complaints, Amazon opted to disclose some of its drawbacks -- plus other design changes -- ahead of time.

For instance, Amazon acknowledged that the built-in light will provide uneven illumination under certain lighting conditions. The uneven lighting occurs in the margin where text isn't present.........

The device also has less memory, with only two gigabytes of storage vs. previous models with 4GB. And it lacks audio or text-to-speech capability, which Amazon said it omitted in order to make the Paperwhite thinner and lighter.
Of course, a cursory look at the product page would also reveal some of these differences. Amazon, however, has opted to be crystal clear about the differences between the Kindle Paperwhite and older models.
The full statement is below:

Kindle Paperwhite is the best Kindle we've ever made by far, but there are certain limitations and changes from prior generations that we want you to know about. Kindle Paperwhite does not have audio or Text-to-Speech. This makes the device smaller and lighter than it would otherwise be. Audio and an improved Text-to-Speech engine are supported on Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD.
Under certain lighting conditions, the illumination at the bottom of the screen from the built-in light is not perfectly even. See examples of how the screen looks in different lighting conditions. These variations are normal and are located primarily in the margin where text is not present. The illumination is more even than that created by a book light or lighted cover. The contrast, resolution and illumination of the Paperwhite display is a significant step-up from our prior generation.
The Kindle Paperwhite has 2 GB of storage. Some previous Kindle models had 4GB of storage. 2GB allows you to hold up to 1,100 books locally on your device. In addition, your entire Kindle library is stored for free in the Amazon cloud, and you can easily move books from the cloud onto your device.

Apple Re thinking Samsung chip partnership, say sources

2012-10-13T04:14:00.003-07:00

Apple has begun the process of lessening its dependency on Samsung for chipmaking

"Apple is working with TSMC at 20 nanometers," said Gus Richard, a chip analyst at Piper Jaffray, referring to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's most advanced 20-nanometer (nm) manufacturing process............

Another chip industry source contacted by CNET confirmed this. "The Apple-Samsung relationship has deteriorated to such a poor point that they're just looking to fill contractual obligations, then make a change," said the source, who corroborated the move to TSMC at 20 nanometers.
An Asia-based news report said Apple will turn to TSMC for quad-core chips.
Of course, a seismic shift like this -- Apple consumes probably more chips than any single consumer device maker in the world right now -- can have a profound impact on other TSMC customers. "TSMC has allocated a disproportionate amount of resources to Apple. And has pushed out other [TSMC customers] in the process," Richard said.

This shift will not happen overnight, though. "They'll ramp down Samsung and ramp up TSMC. And some products will get some of one and some of the other," Richard said.
Changes in chip manufacturing can significantly boost a device's performance and/or battery life but are not always spelled out by the product supplier. This is particularly the case with smartphones and tablets.
"When Apple shifted from 45 [nanometers] to 32 [nanometers] nobody knew. You may have bought an iPad with a 45-nanometer chip or a 32-nanometer chip. They switched over slowly without anybody knowing it," Richard said, referring to Apple's A5 processor and Samsung's shift from 45 to 32 nanometers.
Indeed, as it turned out, Apple slipped a more advanced A5 chip into some $399 iPad 2s, which a review site said resulted in better battery life, among other benefits.
And when is all of this going to happen? "I expect Apple to tape out -- which means they'll send the design to TSMC to see if they can make it -- early next year and probably be in production by the end of next year," according to Richard.
And what happens after that at the even more advanced 14 nanometer process? "I'm also hearing that Intel and Apple are talking again. But for 14 [nanometer] not for 20," said Richard, who qualified this by saying that this is by no means a done deal at this stage.
The Apple-TSMC news was first reported by MacRumors, based on a report from Taiwan Economic News.

Samsung Galaxy Rush (Boost Mobile)

2012-10-06T23:55:00.004-07:00

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BY RAJAT RAUTH: The $149.99 Samsung Galaxy Rush is one of Boost Mobile's latest smartphones to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and it's also one of the least expensive. Unfortunately, that modest price tag comes at a cost of its own. From the budget look and feel of the Galaxy Rush, to the middling performance, it's hard to forget that you're getting what you paid for.

Measuring 4.84 by 2.36 by 0.47 inches (HWD) and weighing 4.2 ounces, the Galaxy Rush is light enough, though a bit on the thick side. The phone is made entirely of cheap, shiny plastic, with a faux-metal battery cover and a faux-silver band around the middle. Something about the phone feels oddly hollow—if you grasp it firmly you can actually feel a vibration take place from somewhere inside. Suffice it to say you won't be mistaking this for a luxury device.

The display is a 3.5-inch TFT LCD with just 480-by-320-pixel resolution. Text and images often look jagged, and even with the screen brightness set to the maximum, it looks a little dim and sad. There are three capacitive touch buttons beneath the screen that sometimes feel unresponsive due to the phone's overall slower performance.

The Galaxy Rush is a single-band (1900) CDMA phone that runs on Sprint's 3G network. There's also 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi. Reception was average and call quality was good in my tests. Voices sounded loud and full in the earpiece, though just a touch fuzzy. Calls made with the phone sounded a little muffled but featured good background noise cancellation. The speakerphone sounded fine and should be just loud enough to use outdoors. Calls also sounded fine over a Jawbone Era headset and voice dialing worked over Bluetooth without issue. Battery life was good, at 7 hours and 16 minutes of talk time.

Data Plans and Network

The best reason to get a phone on Boost is to tap into the carrier's inexpensive pricing plans. Android plans start at $55 per month for unlimited data, talk time, and texts. That amount is reduced by $5 every 6 months you pay your bill on time, until you reach $40. If you don't need as much talk time, you can get a similar plan from Virgin Mobile, but with 300 voice minutes, for just $35 per month. But for either carrier, there is a downside for heavy data users: After 2.5GB of full-speed data usage per month, your speeds will be throttled significantly until the end of your billing cycle.

As we discovered in our Fastest Mobile Networks report, Sprint has the slowest 3G speeds of all the carriers we tested. That means that all 3G-only Sprint, Boost, and Virgin phones are running at some pretty challenged speeds, including the Galaxy Rush. 4G WiMAX support offers a major boost to phones like HTC EVO Design 4G and the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G, but those phones are also a lot more expensive. Still, if you live in the coverage area, make sure to take that into account when making your decision.

Performance, Android, and Apps

The Galaxy Rush is powered by a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 processor, which has seen better days. Benchmarks scores were slightly below average compared with other midrange devices, and a general sluggishness abounds while using the phone. It's still powerful enough to do all of the basics, but expect some slow down here and there.

You get Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and it's unlikely that the Galaxy Rush will receive an update to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) in the near future, if at all, so what you see is what you get. What you get here, then, is a straightforward build of Android, without any customizations by Samsung. Boost has added MobileID, which allows you to install various "ID packs" on your phone that include applications, ringtones, wallpapers, and widgets. There's also some bloatware like an app store from Samsung, and you can't delete any of what's been preinstalled. You also get all of the typical Android benefits. There are five home screens you can customize to your liking. And you should be able to run most of the 600,000+ apps in the Google Play store, though more advanced games will likely run a bit slowly.

Multimedia, Camera, and Conclusions

The phone packs 1.91GB of free internal storage. There's also an empty microSD card slot on the left-side panel, in which my 32 and 64GB SanDisk cards worked fine. Music sounded good through Altec Lansing Backbeat Bluetooth headphones, though there was an audible hiss when using a wired pair. I was able to play back all of our audio test files except for FLAC. For video, the phone handled all of our files at resolutions up to 720p except for DivX.

The 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash is standard low-end. Shutter speeds were slow, at 1.2 seconds on average. Test photos looked decent, with reasonable detail, though colors looked a little drab. The camera records smooth video at 30 frames per second, but it does so at a miniscule 640-by-480 resolution. You do get a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, so at least video chat is an option here.

In the end, the Samsung Galaxy Rush is a good reflection of its price. It isn't terrible, but it definitely looks, feels, and performs like a bargain phone. The Kyocera Hydro is a little bit less expensive, and basically has the same specs, though it also features a waterproof design you can use in the rain or the shower. If you like to text, the Samsung Transform Ultra also has similar features but adds a nice slide-out QWERTY keyboard, though it's stuck on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). And if you're willing to increase your budget considerably, the HTC EVO Design 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II 4G both have larger, sharper displays, 4G WiMAX support, better cameras, and faster processors.

Top 5 online smartphone deals this Month

2012-10-06T05:43:00.001-07:00

hese are the best deals while purchasing a smartphone at the best possible prices as well.
Smartphone fever is gripping every potential buyer and more than feature phones smartphones offer an exciting proposition. With higher end devices getting bigger price cuts it's easier now to get your favourite smartphone and that too without punching a hole in your pocket.

Intel Xolo X900 (Rs 17,500)
Lava as a mobile brand has always been associated with the word innovation and that is what is quite visible in the new Intel Atom powered Xolo X900 smartphone. The device features a slim and sleek design with a total weight of 127 grams, making it extremely easy to carry.
Xolo X900 features a 1.6 GHz application processor, which has been provided by the world's largest chip manufacturer Intel. Intel's 1.6 GHz single core Atom processor is by far the most powerful and fastest chipset in a smartphone. The operating system on the device is outdated Google Android Gingerbread 2.3 but the company has announced the ICS upgrade for it.
The device in terms of multimedia gets an 8 megapixel snapper encrusted with LED flash capable of recording HD 1080p videos as well at 30 frames per second. Another feature implemented in the Xolo X900 is the inclusion of a burst mode which allows the device to capture 15 pictures in just one second, making it easier to capture fast action. In terms of hardware specifications the Xolo X900 is almost identical to most Android smartphones within the Rs 20,000 - 30,000 price range; the only difference being in terms of internal storage, which has been beefed up to 16 GB.
The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 21,999 while the Xolo X900 is available at Homeshop 18 for a special price of Rs 17,500-by far the lowest price online.
2. Samsung Galaxy SIII 16 GB(Rs 33,999)
This flagship phone of Samsung, Galaxy SIII, with its slim design and unique looks has managed to win the hearts of users across the globe. The device offers unparalleled performance along with great battery backup and utility, making it an object of desire.
The Samsung Galaxy SIII has a 4.8 inch, 1280 x 720 pixel resolution HD Super Amoled display with PenTile pixel arrangement (two sub-pixels per pixel) and about 306 pixels per inch pixel density. By default, this display supports 1280 x 720 pixel resolution and is hailed as the best display ever to feature on a smartphone.
The Galaxy S III comes with a quad core 1.4 GHz Exynos 4 mobile processor running Android Ice Cream Sandwich and the new TouchWiz user interface integrated on top.
The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 36,999 while the Samsung Galaxy SIII 16 GB is available on Shopclues.com for a special price of Rs 33,999. Along with that buyers can use the promotional code "SCGAS3” while checking out to get an additional discount of Rs 1,000 on this device.
3.Sony Xperia Tipo (Rs 9,499)
The Sony Xperia range now has the cheapest Android smartphone the Xperia Tipo, which despite being the cheapest has some good hardware and comes with a design that is both good looking and functional too.
The 3.2 inch display of the device comes with 320 x 480 pixel resolution which is not at all high but does justice to most functions. The colour reproduction of the display is good but brightness levels seem a little low legibility in sunlight. The low cost of the device comes with a few exclusions-the mobile Bravia engine is one of them and will be dearly missed.

The display, however, comes with a scratch resistant mineral glass on top which will make sure that daily use does not cause any damage to the phone. Xperia Tipo is powered by an 800 MHz single core Qualcomm MSM7225AA processor featuring the Adreno 200 GPU for superior graphics. Coupled with 512 MB of RAM the device gives decent all round performance but limitations of the CPU will definitely come with processor intensive applications and games. The device, with its timescape user interface, is quite fast and never lacks in anything from app execution to
4.Motorola Razr xT910 (Rs 24,849)
Motorola Razr mobile phones are known for their characteristic slimness and unique design that makes them stand out of the crowd. The Motorola Razr Android smartphone xT910 is no different from its predecessors. Super slim Motorola Razr xT910 features a 4.3 inch Super Amoled display with qHD (960 x 540 pixel) resolution and has been built with Corning Gorilla Glass to make it scratch resistant. The screen is a Super Amoled display for vivid colours. Notably, the 7.1 mm thin smartphone is built with Kevlar fiber - a material which was also used for making things bullet proof.
Motorola Razr comes with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, upgradable to ICS, with 1 GB of RAM that hooks up with a dual core 1.2 GHz processor for multitasking. Motorola has ensured best quality imaging with the 8 megapixel camera that is capable of recording full 1080p HD video at 30 fps. It also features a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera that promises HD quality video calling.

Razr xT910 supports up to 14.4 Mbps download speeds on 3G networks and WiFi for faster wireless data connectivity. To power the big touchscreen and hardware, Motorola has added a massive non-removable 1780 mAh battery that promises backup of 10 hours.
The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 32,000 while the Motorola Razr xT910 is available on Snapdeal.com for a special price of Rs 24,849-by far the lowest price to be offered online.
5.Samsung Galaxy SII(Rs 25,900)

The older Android flagship device Galaxy SII is based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, but the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system upgrade is already out in the market. The SII has a 4.3 inch Super Amoled (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) plus display, which is better than conventional Amoled displays in terms of contrast ratio and colour reproduction.The S2 also features an ARM cortex A9 based 1.2 GHz dual core processor, and a dedicated graphics chip with 1 GB RAM has been included for better functioning and response from the device. The phone comes with HDMI and USB ports for on the go connectivity as well (separate accessories need to be purchased to use these features as they do not come as part of the handset bundle).

It features an 8 megapixel back camera which is capable of full HD 1080p video recording, and a 2 megapixel front facing camera. S2 will support Near Field Communications or NFC for mobile transactions.The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 28,000 while the Samsung Galaxy SII is available on Flipkart.com for a special price of Rs 25,900-by far the lowest price to be offered online, and buyers can also get a free 16 GB memory card complementary from the seller with each purchase

Kindle Fire 7 HD

2012-09-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

The 7-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD goes far to correct many of the issues that plagued Amazon's first foray into tablets nearly a year ago. The Fire HD also introduces several tech enhancements over competing tablets, and while in the end the Kindle Fire HD falls short of Amazon's goal of being the best tablet at any price, it does excel on many metrics—and at $199 for the 16GB version and $249 for the 32GB version, it delivers a strong, value-priced experience that's optimized for consuming stuff from Amazon.

How the hardware and software comes together is the key, and that's a big part of why Amazon has chosen to differentiate itself on its retail and Web services strengths. In so doing, Amazon diverges from the open and straight path of stock Android 4.0, which serves as the core of Kindle Fire HD's software. Instead, it veers in the direction of Apple's walled garden, but with more meandering paths in and out than Apple's fortress-like garden provides. That's perhaps the best way to describe the distinction, given Amazon's support for only a subset of the greater Android app universe, limited file handling abilities, and the way Amazon saddles the Kindle Fire HD with in-your-face advertisements (you can eliminate these for an extra $15).

The result is a tablet experience that will appeal less to experienced tablet users, and more to the casual newcomer who values consuming movies, TV, books, and music above a full-featured tablet. What Amazon succeeds in, though, is delivering a capable device with a 28 percent smaller display than Apple's 9.7-inch iPad, and it does so at 60 percent of the price. And for these reasons, the Kindle Fire HD may just be enough tablet to satisfy many shoppers in the coming holiday season.

Design refinements

Whereas the original, boxy Kindle Fire showed no inspiration, the Kindle Fire HD's design is more svelte and polished. Its corners are rounded, and the edges have an elegant yet subtle curve, giving the tablet a distinctive look. The back has a smooth, rubberized finish, with a decorative plastic accent running horizontally across it. At either side of the accent are the tablet's dual-driver, rear-firing speakers.

Surprisingly, while the Fire HD feels solidly constructed, it fails in two respects. There's a minute gap between the glass and the plastic around the edge, and this fingernail's width spacing is annoying catch-all for attracting dirt and crumbs in the course of everyday use.

Amazon adds physical volume buttons to the right-hand side of the tablet, with a flat power button beneath those. The volume buttons are a welcomed addition (the original Kindle Fire lacked this basic feature) though they are hard to find by feel. Furthermore, the power button has been redesigned, improving upon the raised power button on the original Fire, but now its awkward to press.

The front of the tablet has a wider-than-usual glossy black bezel, making it a little wider than comparable 7-inch tablets. It measures 7.6 by 5.4 by 0.4 inches, which makes it 14 percent wider than the Google Nexus 7, but makes it about as thick as the Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.

The Kindle Fire HD's weight is practically the same as before, and it's still on the heavy side for a 7-inch tablet. It's 16 percent greater than the Nexus 7, and while I find the Kindle Fire HD is fairly well-balanced and adequate for one-handed use, I prefer the lighter weight and narrower size of the of the Nexus 7.

Along the bottom edge of the display sits Mini-HDMI and Micro-USB ports. The Micro-USB is used for data transfers as well as charging. Amazon doesn't include its aftermarket power brick; that's a $20 extra-cost (and, sadly, requires more space than its small footprint belies, since the USB cable attaches on the side instead of the top of the power brick).

Cosmetics aside, the Kindle Fire HD's most visible improvement lies with its display. The Fire HD has a bright 1280 by 800 display with optical bonding. As on other tablets with bonded displays—including Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet, Acer's Iconia Tab A700, Toshiba's Excite 7.7, and Google's Nexus 7—the process eliminates the pesky air gap that causes greater reflectivity and reduced contrast. That makes for clearer text and better colors.

In side-by-side tests, the display compares very favorably with the Nexus 7 and Excite 7.7. I prefer the color reproduction on the Nexus 7, though: Blacks are deeper, whites are whiter, and images look sharper. Mind you, some of that may be due to the Kindle Fire HD's software (more on that later). Text, reproduction, however, is universally better on the Kindle Fire HD, which may be attributable to Amazon's font optimizations in its operating system.

I'd say that these display enhancements alone make the $199 Kindle Fire HD a well worth the upgrade over the 1024 by 600, $159 Kindle Fire, especially for anyone who will to use a Kindle tablet for reading books, periodicals, and Web sites.

Performance: mostly fluid, but no speed demon

Amazon made some very bold claims about the performance of the Kindle Fire's dual-core 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 processor as compared with Nvidia's Tegra 3 platform, which is found in the Nexus 7. In order to quantitatively measure the Fire HD's performance, we had to sideload our benchmark tests, simply because they weren't offered in Amazon's Appstore. While the benchmarks worked on Kindle Fire HD, it's not clear whether our mixed results had anything to do with any potential incompatibility with Kindle Fire HD.

In the benchmarks, Kindle Fire HD was positively slothlike on the Geekbench test, scoring a 510 compared with original Kindle Fire's 932 and Nexus 7's 1550. On AndEBench's native test, the Fire HD perked up, scoring 4311; that topped the first-generation Fire's 3462, but was notably slower than the Nexus 7's 8716. The Fire HD's performance was similarly positioned on the AndEBench Java test.

It was on our Web speed tests that Kindle Fire HD showed more signs of life. The Fire HD was statistically tied with the Nexus 7 on Sunspider, and it logged the second fastest time we've seen on our custom-built Web page load test., ending in a statistical tie with Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1. (We tried BrowserMark, but it ran consistently and with oddities, so we're not counting it here.) Amazon says its updated Silk Web browser includes an new HTML 5 rendering engine, a refreshed start page, and both full-screen and vertical reading modes for text-heavy pages. Amazon says the browser is 30 to 40 percent faster, a range our custom Web page load test bore out, but not our Sunspider results.

On GLBenchmark, the Fire HD performed respectably, logging 33 frames per second on Egypt Offscreen, and 53 frames per second on Pro Offscreen. Those numbers were notable improvements over the first-generation Kindle Fire: 43 percent and 29 percent, respectively. And they are better than what we typically saw from tablets running Nvidia Tegra 2 , but not as good as what we've seen on Tegra 3 models. For comparison, Nexus 7 scored 64 frames per second on the Egypt Offscreen test, and 83 frames per second on the Pro Offscreen.

My real-world tests engendered only a few complaints. I sometimes experienced a bit of lag, especially when accessing cloud content, but that could just as well be on the server side as it is on the device's side. The Kindle Fire HD menus seem responsive, whether I was moving among apps, playing games, or opening up and fast forwarding through the high-definition movie The Hunger Games. Some Web pages did seem to take a while to load, and I could only load the mobile version; there's no option to view the desktop version of web pages in the browser. I saw some sharpness and rendering issues—and a weird screen blip—when viewing high-resolution images, but I believe these issues have more to do with the Amazon software than with the hardware.

In our battery life tests, the Kindle FIre HD didn't deliver on Amazon's estimates. The battery lasted 8 hours, 41 minutes, about 30 minutes less than Google's Nexus 7, but better than the previous Kindle Fire. The battery test plays a 720p video with Wi-Fi disabled, at 200 cd/m2 brightness.

Ultimately, I'd call my hands-on experience mixed, just like the benchmarks. Sometimes my experience was responsive, sometimes it stalled. Sometimes I'd open an app immediately, other times I'd see Amazon's spinning circle while I waited the extra few seconds for something to open. The Nexus 7 has the performance edge, but the Kindle Fire HD is ahead of a vast number of nameless $200 and less tablets, too.

For games, I didn't see many in Amazon's Appstore that were truly optimized with high-definition graphics at the time of my review. But I did load up Riptide GP and try it on Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7. In terms of game performance, the experiences are close. Fire HD is highly competitive, but it lacks some finer shading in the water and the fancy splash effect that Riptide GP displays for Tegra 3 tablets like Nexus 7.

Superior sound

Interestingly, Riptide's soundtrack was the first sign that audio on Fire HD is a different experience than what I've heard from other tablets. Amazon talked up the fact that they have dual-driver stereo speakers on-board, and it mentioned it exclusively offers Dolby Digital Plus audio (technically, this Dolby technology isn't exclusive to Amazon; the company is just the first out of the gate). But until you truly hear the difference side-by-side, with an array of content, it's hard to appreciate what Dolby Digital Plus and improved speakers does for the Kindle Fire.

Dolby's new mobile platform, which brings the audio format introduced with Blu-ray to tablets, proves most effective on content that is in need of a fix to even out the frequency response. For example, I could hear more range in the game soundtrack on the Kindle Fire HD than on the Nexus 7. Same with music tracks from Lady Gaga, Owl City, and Mary Black. In an A/B with Dolby Digital Plus on and off, I heard instruments and strains of music that were not evident when the feature was turned off (it's on by default) . But an R.E.M. track didn't get as much benefit, simply because, Dolby said on hearing the track, it just didn't need as much help to begin with.

Overall, I was pleased with the audio quality, and found it to be one of the best tablets I've heard for audio output via the built-in speakers. My one complaint with the Fire HD's audio was that the volume level needed to be turned up high to be heard; granted, this is a common trait on other tablets, but I hold the Fire HD to greater scrutiny here just because Amazon clearly was paying attention to the audio, yet chose this lower volume level.

No movies at Amazon currently support Dolby Digital Plus, but Dolby expects releases to come shortly. Meanwhile, even the movies and TV shows I listened to benefited from the Dolby Digital Plus boost, in a way that I don't usually experience from audio enhancements on tablets.

Speaking of movies, HD movie playback is a mixed experience. By far, the Kindle Fire HD is superior to the original Kindle Fire. Less pixellation, better color and defintion to the image. That said, Amazon's streaming video still showed some artifacts in my use on several Wi-Fi networks. Amazon says HD purchases are streamed at the highest bitrate your network can handle, up to 6Mbps at 720p; this may account for my experience, but I without a doubt preferred the quality of downloaded video as opposed to streamed video.

As for the rest of the guts inside, Amazon had a few more component boosts up its sleeve. For starters, the company thankfully boosted the internal storage to 16GB for the $199 version. That's twice what the Nexus 7 offers, and the same amount as found on the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet (2011). Add $50 for the 32GB version, which is twice what Google offers at that price. The 16GB model has 12.6GB of usable storage—certainly better than you got on last year's 8GB model, and a reasonable amount considering how easy Amazon makes it for you to store content in the cloud. If you plan to have lots of high-definition content, I'd suggest going with the 32GB version, though, since there's no memory card expansion slot on the Kindle Fire HD.

Hardware-wise, the new Kindle has a front-facing 720p camera and adds Bluetooth, which the original Kindle Fire lacked. Amazon says its Wi-Fi radio's design boosts performance significantly, but in my casual use I didn't notice any particular benefit.

However, the Kindle Fire HD lacks what are oft-considered standard inclusions for a tablet. There's no rear-camera (to be fair, the Nexus 7 lacks this as well), and no GPS for directions. Perhaps the omission of such features could be acceptable if the tablet were only targeting the value market, but Amazon claims that this is the best tablet at any price. Even the value-priced Nexus 7 has GPS and Google's Navigation features intact.

Software: Streamlined and visual OS

The first thing you'll see when you power on your shiny new Fire HD, in fact, will be an ad. And in their full-color, HD glory, the ads feel much more intrusive than the grayscale advertisements on the Kindle e-readers. The Kindle Fire HD's adverts annoyed me to no end. Tell me where to sign up to opt-out for $15 extra...that is possible, if you can find it buried amidst Amazon's options.

Amazon has spruced up its Kindle Fire OS with a noticeably improved interface. Let's start with the home screen: It's simpler, with a black background and large, bold icons in its carousel menu, each for recently accessed content. In the portrait mode, beneath the carousel your content will show recommendations of things other customers bought. I didn't like this being front-and-center, though: While I don't mind Amazon passing me suggestions, having those suggestions appear on my home screen is unappealing. I liked the new shortcuts to some apps; for example, directly from the home screen you can now launch a new mail message.

The new Amazon recommendations visible beneath the carousel in portrait mode.

In the carousel, you get control over what's shown; if you don't want something there, you can tap and hold to remove something from the carousel, or to add it to your favorites list. This is buggy; items keep returning unbidden to the carousel, a glitch that Amazon says it will fix in a future update.

Favorites work fine; all you have to do is tap the star on the bottom right corner to access favorites anywhere on the device. If the content occupies the full screen, the nav menu now pops with home, back, search, and favorites now slides out from the right side, as opposed to popping up from the bottom.

Amazon streamlined and rejiggered the order of the top navigation bar to provide quick access to the Amazon store—now in the primary spot—as well as to books, apps, music, video, newsstand, docs in your Amazon CloudDrive, and more. (CloudDrive syncing was a bit wonky when I used it with my Windows CloudDrive app; Amazon is investigating the issue.) Amazon enhanced its notifications and settings shortcuts navigation to now be a pull-down shader, in the style of Google's Android notifications shade.

Amazon's carousel and category nav bar above.

Streamlined and clean are the two running themes throughout the interface. Amazon's sans-serif fonts stand out for being smoother than those in stock Android 4.0 on the Google Nexus 7. Nowhere is this clearer than in the Kindle books section, where I found text sharper, with less aliasing on Game of Thrones than it was in the Kindle for Tablet app on the Nexus 7. The reading experience on Kindle Fire HD is vastly improved over the original Fire. Oddly, though, there's no way to adjust brightness directly from within the book app, as you can on Kindle app for Android tablet; and, there are no page numbers in sight.

It's not to say that Amazon's reimagining of Android isn't arcane at times. Or a misfire: The way images are presented in the Photos app looks cool when it interprets an image's rotation data correctly; but as you can see by the screenshot below, Amazon's software struggled with a folder full of mixed portrait and landscape images.

Here, the Kindle Fire HD is held in landscape mode; however, portrait images are not being correctly interpreted by Amazon's Photos app.

All of this said, Amazon has increased the functionality and practicality of the Kindle Fire HD as compared with its first tablet. For example, I can receive an attachment, open it, edit it in an app that supports the file type, save it, and then send out again—all from the tablet.

The new software has Facebook and Twitter integration, to make it easy to share passages of books. And with Facebook, you can also pull images down to your tablet, and share Amazon Gamecircle scores.

Meanwhile, Amazon continues to omit some basic built-in apps, like a to-do list or a notepad.

Ecosystem: Missing, messy apps

The Kindle Fire OS is now a custom skinning of Android's 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a notable jump up from its previous 2.3 Gingerbread roots. The update to 4.0 suggests Amazon will amass more tablet apps optimized for larger displays, and optimized for tablet, period.

Unfortunately, I could easily download apps that were not intended for my device at all, including apps for phones, for example. And content optimized for the high-definition screen is in scarce supply at launch. Amazon says it plans for users to find content by calling it HD, but it didn't reveal whether HD apps will be sortable by category. Doing a simple search on “HD” in the app store revealed a messy array of content, some repetitive and not much that was cutting edge or appealing.

And that's part of what you get with the Amazon Appstore on Kindle Fire HD. Like your music, video, and book content, you're buying into Amazon's retail ecosystem for your apps—and that means you're limited to the company's selection, which Amazon says is over 30,000. Compare that to Google's 600,000 apps in the Play store (not all of them made for tablets).

What Amazon does really well, though, is integrate the shopping experience—and cloud-based content—with your local content. In most instances, I found the experience cleaner to navigate than on Google Play.

Bottom Line

Without a doubt, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD's greatest appeal lies with those who tend towards mainstream, and less toward cutting-edge. Its strength lies with how the tablet has been integrated with Amazon's numerous and varied services; from shopping to streaming media to storing your documents in the cloud, Amazon has you covered.

One of the many problems with the first Kindle Fire was that it simply didn't do anything well. That's no longer the case. E-reading and music playback are both well-executed, and the e-mail capabilities are more functional than before. You're buying into Amazon's limited app ecosphere, though, so if selection and getting the latest apps are a primary concern, then a stock Android tablet would be a better choice. But for other tablet shoppers, the Kindle Fire HD is a reasonable way to test the tablet waters, while getting a color e-reader to boot.(If you prefer a larger screen, the $299 Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch and the $499 Kindle Fire 8.9-inch 4G LTE + Wi-Fi are scheduled to ship November 20.)

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Samsung Vivid PEOPLE Linked Features

2012-09-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

Indulge in the visual splendor of Super AMOLED on a huge 10.16cm display. Incredibly clear, extraordinarily bright, amazingly brilliant colour – it doesn’t get any better than this. With less reflective glare on the screen, you can keep messaging or tasking comfortably even under direct sunlight. Boasts greater energy efficiency with reduced power consumption on a battery charge lasting 20% longer.

Socialise, Share & Communicate

Easy to keep connected and up-to-date with the most meaningful people in your life with Samsung social networking, sharing and communication services. Family Story keeps your family pics, events and memos in cloud storage for anytime access and easy sharing among all family members, from any device. ChatON’s free, universal messaging and communication service makes messaging, group chats and sharing content more fun, interactive and personal. (Family story is downloadable)

Slim & Sophisticated Design

Clean, uncluttered design is perfectly proportioned for portability and comfort -- a slim, compact form factor that is both striking and understated. Front is dedicated to the large 10.16cm screen, while the back features a contoured grip that is ergonomically pleasing to touch and hold. Slim, simple and sophisticated – what more could you want?

Xbox LIVE

One of the best gaming and digital media platforms right on your mobile to play anywhere on your own or with pals while on the move. Sign in to see your gamer profile and keep track of scores, rack up your achievements, show off your gamerscore, rate apps and games. Customise your own avatar, play with motion detected gestures, suit up from avatar closet to create a personalised, wholly unique avatar. Loads of free and premium content to download from Marketplace – all the games, movies, TV shows and apps you ever wanted.

Powerful Performance

Never underestimate the advantages of strong CPU power with a 1GHz processor that improves the functionality of your mobile on every level. Feel the difference at start, from booting up your device to navigating the UI, to softer screen transitions and flawless applications, multimedia and multitasking – everything’s a breeze. Faster data transmission rates enable you to download data in half the standard time so you get your videos, games and apps in a flash -- get a jump on the fun.

Multimedia-Centric

Comprehensive communication and entertainment options satisfy the most multimedia-centric you. AllShare’s cross-device media sharing provides utmost flexibility and enjoyment to share content and watch movies, concerts and games on a TV screen. Park your extra media and files on Windows Live Skydrive to share or access whenever you want, while freeing up space on your phone.

Video Telephony

Video calling becomes second nature for social networking and casual chats with friends whether they’re in your own town or across the globe. Front-facing camera and awesome audio quality make video calling as easy and convenient as voice calls. Embedded Tango application is optimised for mobile for free video calling any time -- and conserve your mobile data plan while you’re at it. You’ll be amazed by the high quality video – almost as good as face-to-face – for the best calling experience ever.

How iPhone availability has grown in US

2012-09-13T13:11:00.002-07:00

The first few iPhones were available in the U.S. only through AT&T. Verizon Wireless broke AT&T's exclusive grip on the iPhone last year, and other phone carriers have since started selling it as well.

Apple hasn't announced all the carriers that will get the new iPhone 5. Apple's online store names AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, though many smaller carriers have been selling it directly.

Here's a look at how iPhone availability has expanded in the U.S.:

-- COMING TO NO. 1: AT&T Inc. was the only U.S. carrier offering the iPhone when the first model came out in 2007. It lost its exclusive status in February 2011 when Verizon Wireless, the nation's top wireless carrier, started selling the iPhone.

ANOTHER NATIONAL CARRIER: Sprint Nextel Corp., the No. 3 carrier, also got the iPhone, starting last October with Apple Inc.'s introduction of the iPhone 4S. It also sells the iPhone 4 with AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

REGIONAL OFFERING: C Spire Wireless, a small company that provides service in Mississippians surrounding states, started selling the iPhone late last year. It bypassed larger carriers includingT-Mobile USA and U.S. Cellular in getting the right to sell it. U.S. Cellular Corp. says it turned down the chance to sell the phone because it didn't want to spend a few hundred dollars per phone, as other carriers do, so customers can buy it at Apple's listed, subsidized price.

CHEAPER I PHONES: This spring, several small, regional cellphone companies began selling the iPhone at prices that undercut the big carriers. For instance, a basic 4S model was priced at $150 through those carriers, $49 less than what national carriers charge. Carriers making this cheaper offering include NTelos Wireless of Virginia; Appalachian Wireless of Kentucky; and Alaska Communications, Matanuska Telephone Association and GCI of Alaska.

NO CONTRACTS: Leap Wireless International Inc., the parent of the Cricket cellphone service, and Open Mobile, which serves Puerto Rico, started selling the latest iPhone models on a prepaid, no-contract basis this year.

MORE NOW, LESS LATER: Virgin Mobile USA, one of Sprint's brands for prepaid, no-contract phone service, started selling the iPhone in June. It costs $549 for a basic model, higher than the $100 charged for Sprint-branded service. However, service will cost $30 a month and won't require a contract. Sprint charges $80 per month and requires a two-year contract. The Virgin Mobile customer can save nearly $800 over two years.

LEFTOVERS: T-Mobile doesn't sell iPhones, but it's trying to lure AT&T iPhone owners who are out of contract to switch to T-Mobile. That had been possible, but iPhones had slower speeds on T-Mobile's networks. T-Mobile has reshuffled the frequencies on its network to let it match or even exceed AT&T's data speeds on iPhones. Initially, that will be noticeable only in a few spots scattered around in such cities as New York, Seattle, Las Vegas and Washington.

AT&T’s Wireless Division Reaches Tentative Accord With CWA Union

2012-09-13T13:04:00.003-07:00

AT&T Inc.the largest U.S. phone company, said its wireless division reached a tentative agreement with the Communications Workers of America in benefit negotiations for more than 40,000 employees nationwide.

The accord will be submitted to the CWA’s membership for a ratification vote, Dallas-based AT&T said in a statement today. The deal is focused on benefits including health care.
Wages, pension and work rules are negotiated under separate contracts.

If ratified, the four-year agreement will take effect Jan. 1 and it covers topics such as health-care premiums and deductibles.

AT&T and competitors such as Verizon Communications Inc. regularly negotiate with unions over new contracts as rising network investment costs weigh on profit margins. More than half of AT&T’s employees are represented by CWA, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers or other unions, according to the company’s annual report.

Apple iPhone 5 Latest Photos Updates

2012-09-13T11:04:00.002-07:00

After its greatly anticipated unveiling, and the endless tapping, stroking, pinching and praising at the event, the iPhone 5 retired for the night to its private suite.

Jony Ive stopped by to say he was very pleased with its performance on stage, and ordered iPhone 5 to get some sleep. Tim Cook plugged iPhone 5 in for a power refresh with its new Lightning connector and fondly wiped its screen of the smudges from too much handling during the auspicious event.

As the room gradually emptied, iPhone 5 thought about Steve Jobs, and how he was missed. The unveiling just wasn't the same without him. The drama and prestidigitation he brought to the stage were absent. Tim is a great guy and really knows how to run the company, but he can't sell ice to Eskimos. Then again, demand for iPhone 5 is off the charts.

If the iPhone 5 were to reflect on what had been an extraordinary, and exhausting, day, it might offer the following thoughts:

"They seemed to like me, but I was disappointed that the crowd wasn't cheering more enthusiastically. I know there were few surprises -- we don't keep secrets as well anymore --- but I felt the overall reaction was a bit muted.

"I'm taller, slimmer, lighter, faster and no more expensive than my predecessor. What's not to love? I am a far better iPhone than the 4S, and the level of precision engineering, quality and fit and finish are unmatched in the industry. Every iPhone owner and even those on the fence will want me, and if not they are dumb, or even worse, ignorant.

"I hear the complaints. I admit, they bother me. I should be wider. I should have an even taller screen than 4-inches. But those people just don't get it. Unlike my longer and wider competitors, I can still be operated with one hand, and I am even lighter and thinner. I weigh only 3.95 ounces. Compare that to the 4.7-ounce Samsung Galaxy SIII or the 6.5-ounce Lumia 920. And, I wasn't designed by a bunch of copycat cloners, who think bigger is better.

"OK, I don't have NFC like many competitors, but I don't need it now. Phil Schiller says that iOS6 Passbook is good enough for me. I do feel bad that my battery life isn't much improved, but what can I do about it? Bottom line, every pixel, byte of code, and piece of brushed aluminum in me is as close to perfection as you can get. As Jony said, 'It took all of our learning, our best thinking, to realize something so simple, so clear and yet so truly extraordinary.'

Yet, at the same time I don't feel that extraordinary, more evolutionary. Maybe I am an extraordinary evolution. Tim said, 'Only Apple could create such amazing software, hardware, and services and put them together into such a powerful, integrated solution.' I don't want to be a 'powerful, integrated solution.' I prefer to be 'cool,' as Steve used to say.

"I appreciate all the legal efforts to eradicate the copycats and protect my unique features, but some days I do get a bit depressed. While I am close to perfection, I realize that the competition has gotten a lot better. I know I will be the most popular smartphone by far this holiday season. The company will reap huge financial rewards and I will go down in history as the best selling phone of all time. I just worry that my successor, iPhone 6, may not have it so easy."

A restless, but proud iPhone 5 finally drifts off to sleep, as Jony requested. Overall, iPhone 5 is appears to be confident, but is also feeling the pressure. Not just Apple, but the U.S. economy is depending on it to succeed. It could end up adding half a percentage point to the country's gross domestic product growth.

In the meantime, tens of millions of people are counting down to the Sept. 21 delivery date.

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