Mobile Phone - Gadget Review

Philips Brings W732 Android 4.0 Smartphone to China

2012-07-15T09:28:00.003-07:00

Philips may no longer be a trendy phone brand in the United States, it still churns outs smartphones for the Chinese market. The latest in its line of Android smartphones is the Philips W732, which runs on the latest Ice Cream Sandwich OS. The device features a 4.3-inch WVGA LCD IPS screen with 800 x 480 resolution, 1GHz single-core MediaTek MT6575, 5-megapixel camera, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 57.6Mbps HSUPA, dual-SIM support, and a 2,400mAh battery.

Out of all this phone's features, it is the battery that got us intrigued, especially that it can last up to 10.5 hours if combined with other power-saving methods. There is also the preference of LCD IPS screen over AMOLED, which not only conserves battery juice, but also avoids the color bleeding usually found in AMOLED screens.

The Philips W732 is set to hit retail stores this week!

Dual SIM Nokia Asha 305 available now, but only in Philippines

2012-07-15T09:20:00.006-07:00

Announced more than a month ago as part of Nokia's new Asha Touch series of handsets, the Asha 305 was supposed to be released before the end of June. But it's only now that the phone has become available - at least in the Philippines.

According to TechNoodling, you can get a Nokia Asha 305 in the Philippines for 3,890 PHP (about €76 or $93). The handset features dual SIM capabilities, as well as a 3 inch resistive display with 400 x 240 pixels, Nokia Browser, 2MP rear camera, and a 2GB MicoSD card pre-installed.

For now, we don't know when the Nokia Asha 305 will be released in other countries, but it's likely going to happen soon.

XMBC announces Android app

2012-07-15T09:20:00.002-07:00

Good news for Android users. XMBC has just announced its full featured app for Android. The app was announced on the developer's blog and will work on any Android-based smartphone, tablet, set-top box and pretty much anything else that runs on Android. If you are unfamiliar with XMBC, it's a media client that packs tons of features including support for all popular file formats(video and audio), local network playback, and even a weather forecast function.

XMBC for Android will offer the full suite of features that are available on the desktop version. Users will also not be required to root their device to get the app like in previous versions. Unfortunately, we don't have any info on a release date, but XMBC posted that the app is stable and developers will be able to get their hands on beta APKs in the coming weeks.

LG Optimus L5 Now Available At Bell Canada

2012-07-15T09:19:00.004-07:00

The all new LG Optimus L5 is now available for purchase in Canada via Bell. The handset can be yours for free on a three-year term or for $199.95 no term. To refresh your memory, the LG Optimus L5 packs a 4.0-inch 480 x 320 capacitive touchscreen display, an 800MHz single-core processor, a 512MB RAM, a 4GB of storage, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a 5MP rear-facing camera and runs on Android 4.0 OS. [Product Page]

Sony Xperia tipo sidles into the FCC, inspires yawns Another day, another FCC filing. This time, though, the documents on offer aren't tipping us off to the impending arrival of some wunderphone - it's just Sony's recently outed Xperia tipo. The diminutive 3.2-incher - set for an official Euro bow this August - is no screamer with its 480 x 320 TFT display and lone 800MHz Snapdragon CPU. The ICS handset's real claim to fame is its availability in single- and dual-SIM flavors. And based on the radios outlined in the corresponding Commission docs - GPRS/EDGE/GSM 850 and 1900; WCDMA 850 and 1900 - this modest phone could see a low-end berth on AT&T.

2012-07-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

We've certainly delved into Android 4.1 Jelly Bean's new features, but Google itself is just now giving us a full exploration of its update's sugar-laden heart through an official changelog. While Google Now, the updated camera app and other core components easily get their due, the checklist also has a decidedly more buttery feel than one would think - key individual apps like Calendar now have more elegant transitions to go with the leaps and bounds in Android's overall speed. The breakdown even goes into corners that Google scarcely illuminated during the Google I/O keynote, such as accessibility and the finer nuances of the new keyboard. If you're the sort whose Jelly Bean fever has you checking for that Galaxy Nexus upgrade so often that you're nearly punching a hole in the screen, Google has your (no doubt temporary) placebo.

Sony Xperia tipo sidles into the FCC, inspires yawns

2012-07-15T09:18:00.001-07:00

Another day, another FCC filing. This time, though, the documents on offer aren't tipping us off to the impending arrival of some wunderphone - it's just Sony's recently outed Xperia tipo. The diminutive 3.2-incher - set for an official Euro bow this August - is no screamer with its 480 x 320 TFT display and lone 800MHz Snapdragon CPU. The ICS handset's real claim to fame is its availability in single- and dual-SIM flavors. And based on the radios outlined in the corresponding Commission docs - GPRS/EDGE/GSM 850 and 1900; WCDMA 850 and 1900 - this modest phone could see a low-end berth on AT&T.

Nokia and AT&T cut Lumia 900 price to $50, sweeten the Windows Phone 7.8 pot

2012-07-15T09:17:00.002-07:00

Early Lumia 900 adopters might feel spurned knowing that their devices won't get any near-future upgrades beyond Windows Phone 7.8, but AT&T and Nokia are hoping that some new customers just need a little incentive to forgive the OS ceiling. As of now, the Lumia 900 has taken a permanent price cut to $50 on contract, whether it's one of the early color options or pretty in pink. Although the price drop might not take power users' eyes off of the Windows Phone 8 prize, it could make the Lumia 900 a low-hanging fruit for more than a few newcomers.

Samsung Galaxy S III Coming to Verizon July 10

2012-07-05T07:59:00.003-07:00

Verizon Wireless has finally put into specifics when the Samsung Galaxy S III will arrive in its stores. The flagship device will be available both online and physical stores beginning July 10th.

There is a catch, though: only the 16GB model will be available in retail stores at first, while the 32GB can only be ordered online for now and will arrive in your local Verizon store in the “coming weeks.” The smartphone will come in white and blue color options.

The 16GB edition will cost you $200, while the 32GB will be $250.

The Samsung Galaxy S III enables you to share real-time video broadcasts with your Facebook friends, aside from the 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, mobile hotspot capability, 8-megapixel camera, and microSD card slot among others.

Motorola ATRIX HD for AT&T becomes official

2012-07-05T07:57:00.004-07:00

We have seen the Motorola ATRIX HD in the past, back when it was known as Dinara. Now suddenly we find the product page live on Motorola's website even before the company made any official announcements.

Looking at the ATRIX HD you can see a strong resemblance to the RAZR. The phone has a similar sleek profile and a Kevlar covered back that curves upwards near the camera. And the specs of the phone match its good looks. On the front we have a 4.5-inch HD LCD with ColorBoost technology and a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera. On the back is a 8 megapixel shooter that can also capture 1080p videos. Inside there is a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB memory (expandable) and a 1,780mAh battery.

The phone runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and you can even see that it uses on-screen navigation controls like the Galaxy Nexus. The phone will be available on AT&T's LTE network. Pricing and release dates should be available when Motorola makes the official announcement.

Source

LG Prada 3.0 receives Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update in Germany and Italy

2012-07-05T07:56:00.004-07:00

Italy, the losing finalists in the recently concluded Euro 2012 championships, as well as Germany who lost to Italy in the semi-finals, have at least something to cheer about – both countries will have owners of the LG Prada 3.0 receive the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update. This is definitely a jump up from the Android 2.3.7 version when it rolled out via T-Mobile UK in February earlier this year.

This is not a simple Over The Air (OTA) update, so you will need to be extra careful. First of all, you will need to plug your LG Prada 3.0 smartphone into a Windows-powered computer, and then fire up the LG Mobile Phone Support tool which works only in a Windows environment. For folks who are rocking to the Mac platform, that means you will still need to find someone else who owns a Windows PC. The entire updating process on the LG Prada 3.0 will require just a few minutes of your life, but as usual, a backup of all your data comes across highly recommended before you start anything. After all, you can never quite tell just when Murphy and his law will strike.

Goophone X1 is a HTC One S clone

2012-07-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

The HTC One S can be said to be one of the better looking smartphones out there, although there has been issues with the micro arc oxidization process in the past which HTC already said they have fixed. Well, here we are with what looks like a clone of the HTC One S – the Goophone X1. In fact, we received an email from it, who claimed that it is a pretty good clone of the HTC One S, and proud of it, too. Let us take a closer look at how the specs measure up to the real deal. For starters, the Goophone X1 comes with a body that measures 7.8mm slim, a 4.3″ qHD display, as well as an 8-megapixel camera right at the back, not to mention 1GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory. All of it is backed up by a 1GHz processor, although you know what they say – the proof of the pudding is in the eating. How does the Goophone X1 work then – it lacks the finesse of HTC Sense, so chances are, it probably will be unable to measure up to the real deal. Hopefully it will not have the crazy software glitch in the original HTC One S…

Nokia N9 updated to MeeGo PR1.3, boasts 1,000 improvements

2012-07-05T07:54:00.003-07:00

MeeGo isn't quite dead, and Nokia N9 users are getting another update pushed to their phone to prove it. PR1.3, a firmware refresh that's been in the works at least since 1.2 was released a few months ago, has finally been made official. But this is no simple bug fix — the latest version of MeeGo offers an impressive 1,000 “quality improvements, including mail, Facebook and Twitter.” Some of the actual boosts involve camera feature enhancements, higher volume, NFC fixes, better video decoding and more precise copy and paste.

According to Nokia's official support page, the update will also provide several network and connectivity enhancements. The 203MB OTA download is now beginning to roll out, starting with unbranded devices and branching out from there. Continue past the break for the full statement from Nokia.

As you might have noted already, we have now started rolling out a new update for N9 to 40.2012.21-3. This software release brings you over 1000 quality improvements, including Mail, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as several small network and connectivity improvements. For more information on the update, you can check out http://swipe.nokia.com/.

UK judge rules HTC doesn't violate Apple's patents, invalidates Cupertino's claims

2012-07-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Well, Apple had a few legal victories over the last couple of weeks, but it's just been handed a significant defeat by Judge Christopher Floyd. The UK court handed down a ruling that HTC does not violate four Apple patents, including the infamous slide-to-unlock claim. What's more, the judge ruled that three of the four patents in question were not valid, among them the aforementioned unlocking design. The only one of the four patents that stood at the end of the day was related to scrolling through images in the photo management app, but HTC did not infringe upon the claim. This follows the ITC refusing an emergency ban on HTC products in the US. Don't think you've heard the last of slide-to-unlock, however. As HTC, Apple and Samsung have repeatedly shown, they're just as interested in competing in the court room as they are on store shelves (if not more so).

Samsung Galaxy Chat brings Nature UX to the messaging crowd

2012-07-05T07:51:00.006-07:00

We didn't have to wait long to find out what Samsung would do with the GT-B5330 we saw just a day ago: meet the much more elegantly-titled Galaxy Chat. The finished product is Samsung's first phone outside of the Galaxy S III to carry the Nature UX layer, but takes it in a very message-happy direction with a QWERTY keyboard, a bundled copy of Quick Office and a dedicated key for ChatON that reminds us of the BlackBerry Curve 9320′s BBM shortcut. Not that you'd confuse the two otherwise, as the Galaxy Chat's 3-inch, 480 x 320 touchscreen and 4GB of built-in storage (plus a microSD slot) are decided steps up. About our only letdowns relative to the category are the 2-megapixel, flashless camera at the back and the difficulty some will have in getting their hands on Samsung's first keyboard-touting Android 4.0 phone. Unlike the global blitz we saw with the Galaxy S III, the Chat is launching in Spain this month and will exclude some large swaths of the Earth when it goes worldwide later on, leaving out Africa, North America and Russia.

Dual-core Huawei Ascend D1 launching tomorrow in China

2012-07-05T07:51:00.001-07:00

While its Ascend D Quad will not be out until August, or maybe even September, Huawei has another high-end Ascend D smartphone that's ready to hit the shelves: the Huawei Ascend D1.

The D1 isn't too different from the D quad, the only major change being that it comes with a dual-core processor (1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460) instead of a quad-core one. Other than that, it features Android 4.0 ICS, a 4.5 inch IPS+ HD display (made by Toshiba), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, HSPA, GPS, Dolby Digital Plus sound, 8MP rear camera with dual LED flash and 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, MicroSD card support, and an 8.9mm thin body.

ZTE launches single-chip LTE smartphone Grand X LTE (T82)

2012-06-19T07:04:00.006-07:00

Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE launched its first single-chip LTE smartphone today at CommunicAsia2012. Officially branded as the ZTE Grand X LTE (T82), the single-chip LTE smartphone harnesses the MSM8960 chip from Qualcomm. ZTE said that the phone will sport a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU and an 8 mega-pixel rear-facing camera that supports 1080p HD video, as well as a front-facing camera that supports 720p HD video calls. Apart from the aforementioned specs, the Grand X LTE will be Wi-Fi capable and will run Android 4.0.

"We are the first company to use the single-chip solution in a handset. The Grand series products are our high-end flagship offerings this year. ZTE aims to enhance its profile in the high-end market with the Grand series of smart terminals,” said He Shiyou, Executive Vice President of ZTE. The Grand X LTE will be available in Asia and Europe sometime in Q3 this year. As for the Android device's corresponding price, it remains to be seen. Stay tuned for more details.

Nokia 808 PureView announced for US, available soon through Amazon at $699

2012-06-19T07:04:00.003-07:00

Color us surprised - or whatever the antonym of that word may be - but Nokia has announced the availability of its 41-megapixel 808 PureView smartphone for the United States, which will be distributed through Amazon. If you've been patiently waiting for your opportunity to wield this highly competent cameraphone for yourself, just know that you can soon stake your claim in line: pre-orders are set to begin later this week, and you can sign up on Nokia's website to receive that all-important notification. As for price, expect to pay $699 outright for this bulbous beauty, which offers support for AT&T's 3G network here in the US.

HTC One S with 1.7GHz Processor Released In India

2012-06-19T07:03:00.006-07:00

HTC has just announced the availability of their new Android smartphone ‘One S' in India. Unlike the US version, the Indian version of the HTC One S comes with a 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor. The rest of the specs remain the same as the US version, it features the same 4.3-inch 960 x 540 Super AMOLED touchscreen display, a 1GB RAM, a 16GB of storage, a VGA front-facing camera, an 8MP rear-facing camera and runs on Android 4.0 OS. The HTC One S is available for purchase in India via Saholic for 33,000 INR (about $590). [Product Page]

LG Optimus L5 E610 officially debuts in Europe this month, will have dual SIM capabilities in some markets

2012-06-19T07:03:00.003-07:00

Announced in February, at the same time with the Optimus L7 and Optimus L3 (which are already available), the LG Optimus L5 E610 is finally ready to be released around the world.

According to LG, the L5 will make its debut this month in Europe - first in Germany, the UK, and France. After that, the smartphone will be introduced in the CIS, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.

Part of the L-Style series, the L5 measures 118.3 x 66.5 x 9.5 mm, runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and features a 4 inch HVGA (480 x 320) display, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC, 5MP rear camera, 800MHz processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, and MicroSD card support. In some markets (Asia and Latin America), the Optimus L5 will have dual SIM capabilities.

The price of the Optimus L5 hasn't been announced. Amazon Germany says the handset cost €199 - but the final price will certainly be lower, since the Optimus L7 (which has more advanced features) currently costs €199, too.

ZTE announces Grand X LTE for Europe and Asia Pacific

2012-06-19T07:02:00.005-07:00

You probably don't put too much thought into how many chips it takes to get your smartphone on an LTE network, but just in case you were curious, ZTE's upcoming Grand X LTE (T82) will only need one. Qualcomm's MSM8960 makes the Grand X LTE ZTE's first single-chip LTE handset, and the firm is very proud. If processor cores and hardware stats are more your concern, however, rest easy knowing the Grand X packs a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a delectable serving of Android 4.0. Details on the slab's price and release date are scarce, but it should hit Europe and Asia Pacific in the third quarter.

Nokia 808 PureView smartphone now official in the US

2012-06-19T07:02:00.001-07:00

I know that we talked about the availability of the Nokia 808 PureView smartphone Stateside earlier today, but here is the official announcement – where it will be available in an unlocked format – not to metion unsubsidized through Amazon.com. Those living in the US will be able to pick up the Nokia 808 PureView for a rather hefty $699 (considering how it is unlocked, that is the fair price one pays in other countries that also offer unlocked devices), where it will see action with a compatible SIM card from AT&T. It will, of course, work nice with T-Mobile's network, but that would limit you to just 2G speeds. Just to recap, the Nokia 808 PureView comes with a 41-megapixel sensor that offers the highest performance Carl Zeiss optics ever, in addition to Nokia's brand-new pixel oversampling technology.

PureView technology would mean being able to shoot typically sized images, while oversampling is used to merge up to seven pixels into a single "pure" pixel, while removing visual noise that is found on other mobile phone cameras. Apart from that, you are able to zoom in up to 3X without having to lose any of the details in your images. This means there are no artificially created pixels in your picture.

Apart from that, there is also a full HD 1080p video recording which is capable of playing back your video in 4X lossless zoom, and is also the world's first use of Nokia Rich Recording. This allows you to make audio recording at quality levels of a CD, which was previously made possible only with external microphones. Pre-sales begin on Amazon.com later this week.

Oppo Finder 6.65mm Android Smartphone

2012-06-19T07:01:00.003-07:00

Measuring at just 6.65mm thin, the Oppo Finder is claimed to be one of the ultra-thin Android Ice Cream Sandwich smartphones in the world. The Oppo Finder is currently available for pre-order in China for 2,498 Yuan ($393). For your info, the Oppo Finder features a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 1GB of RAM, a 16GB of internal storage space, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. [Product Page]

ZTE announces Grand X LTE for Europe and Asia Pacific

2012-06-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

You probably don't put too much thought into how many chips it takes to get your smartphone on an LTE network, but just in case you were curious, ZTE's upcoming Grand X LTE (T82) will only need one. Qualcomm's MSM8960 makes the Grand X LTE ZTE's first single-chip LTE handset, and the firm is very proud. If processor cores and hardware stats are more your concern, however, rest easy knowing the Grand X packs a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a delectable serving of Android 4.0. Details on the slab's price and release date are scarce, but it should hit Europe and Asia Pacific in the third quarter.

China-bound Sony Xperia Neo L with ICS gets handled, holds nothing back

2012-06-10T11:26:00.002-07:00



It was only a couple of months ago that we first crossed paths with Sony's Xperia Neo L, and now the Ice Cream Sandwich handset is back with a vengeance - at least in terms of exposure. As you may know, details were revealed in abundance (read: 1GHz Snapdragon S2 CPU, 512MB of RAM) during our first MT25i encounter, but thanks to Taiwanese site ePrice, we're able to gander at the device posing in an array of different angles and leaving very little to the imagination. For now, pricing still remains a mystery, though we do know Sony's 4-inch (854 x 480) Neo L is expected to hit Chinese shelves later this month.

Huawei Activa 4G Arrives Stateside

2012-06-10T11:24:00.004-07:00

As much as Huawei is a successful smartphone brand in Asia, it has yet to make waves in the United States and they hope its latest smartphone would make American consumers take notice. Without much fanfare, the company has unveiled its very first 4G LTE handset.

The Huawei Activa 4G features a 3.5-inch runs on Android Gingerbread and features a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a VGA front camera for video calls.

The prepaid device will be distributed exclusively on MetroPCS. We think this is a good marketing strategy because at least the Activa would not have to compete with other flagship devices from the likes of AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.

The Huawei Activa 4G is now available in MetroPCS stores and online for only $149 without any binding contract.