My Gadget

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 04:09:00 +0000

Android on a point-and-shoot? Last year we learned that it could be done. But with some features that duplicate the functionality of a smartphone without an ability to make calls, Samsung's Galaxy Camera was a confusing mix of form and function. It was very much a first-generation device, and while they may have regretted it later, some curious early adopters did drop $500 for the soon-to-be-obsolete hybrid. The cumbersome compact, with its massive 21x lens and power-hungry 4.8-inch touchscreen, may not have won over the photography community, but Samsung's 2013 approach has a much better chance at success.

With a design that's based on the Galaxy S4 Mini, the Galaxy S4 Zoom adds a fair amount of heft to accommodate the feature that sets it apart from every other smartphone on the market: a 10x 24-240mm optically stabilized lens. But it's still pocketable, believe it or not, and it functions quite well as a phone. While the Galaxy Camera was first and foremost a camera, the Zoom's primary function is as an ordinary Android smartphone -- albeit one with a larger sensor and a powerful lens. Can it replace both devices? And will you want it to? Shoot past the break for our take.Android on a point-and-shoot? Last year we learned that it could be done. But with some features that duplicate the functionality of a smartphone without an ability to make calls, Samsung's Galaxy Camera was a confusing mix of form and function. It was very much a first-generation device, and while they may have regretted it later, some curious early adopters did drop $500 for the soon-to-be-obsolete hybrid. The cumbersome compact, with its massive 21x lens and power-hungry 4.8-inch touchscreen, may not have won over the photography community, but Samsung's 2013 approach has a much better chance at success

HARDWARE

Under the hood, the Zoom (SM-C101) is far more similar to the GS4 Mini than Samsung's full-fledged flagship. There's an Exynos 4212 chipset with a dual-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A9 CPU and 1.5GB of RAM. The battery capacity has been boosted slightly, from 1,900 to 2,330mAh, given that the increased body size can accommodate a larger cell. The Galaxy Camera, for its part, includes a 1,650mAh pack, and considering the paltry longevity of that device, we certainly appreciate the extra juice here.

If your current smartphone has a 5-inch or larger touchscreen, the Zoom's panel is likely to be a bit of a letdown. It measures just 4.3 inches, and while the AMOLED structure does enhance contrast and saturation, the 960 x 540-pixel (qHD) resolution is not ideal. It looks all right given the relatively small 4.3-inch panel size, but we would have preferred to see a higher-res display on such a photo-centric device. With the added camera components, there's a lot of potential for damage here if the device collides with another surface, but the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 layer should help protect the screen from scratches, at the very least.

The Zoom adopts the GS4's plasticky design, so right off the bat it doesn't feel like a premium device. It's significantly thicker than any current smartphone, and even most point-and-shoot cameras. Still, it fits in a jeans pocket, and it's comfortable to hold both as a phone and as a camera. Curiously, every side of the device is slightly curved, so it's impossible to stand the camera up on its own. You can mount it on a tripod, of course, but if you don't have one around and need to do some hands-free shooting, you're out of luck.

On the imaging front, there's a 1/2.33-inch, 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor -- the chip is large for a phone, but on the smaller side when it comes to cameras. The f/3.1-6.3, 24-240mm, 10x optical zoom isn't particularly fantastic for low-light shooting, but if you're used to snapping images on a standard smartphone, the optics here should be more than adequate. There's a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera as well, for capturing self-portraits and conducting video chats. And there's a standard xenon flash on the rear.

While the Zoom resembles a fairly sizable point-and-shoot camera from behind, it looks entirely like a compact smartphone from the front. Hardware controls are incredibly limited, with the standard home key representing the only button on the front, positioned just below the bottom of the LCD. It's flanked by the standard menu and back touch controls that should be familiar to any recent Samsung smartphone owner -- a backlight comes on to make them visible whenever you tap, and they fade from view after a user-selectable period of inactivity.

On the right side of the device (top side in camera mode), there's a narrow power button up top, a volume rocker below and a shutter release button towards the bottom, positioned just beside the handgrip. On the bottom (right side in camera mode), there's a battery compartment with an incredibly flimsy door, and a micro-SIM slot beneath a flip-out plastic cover. Around the left side, you'll find a microSD slot and a tripod socket -- the latter is filled with a removable plastic dowel, so it's flush when not in use.

On the top, there's a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and an infrared port, which pairs with the included WatchON app, enabling the device to serve as a universal remote control. Additionally, there's an earpiece, front-facing camera and various sensors above the display, and a flash and focus-assist light flanking the 10x camera lens as well. There are microphones installed on both the left side and the right in camera mode, but that second mic is positioned in such a way that it's blocked by your hand if you're holding the device by the grip. Finally, a rotating ring installed around the lens serves as a zoom trigger in shooting mode and enables other camera-related functions as well, which we'll cover a bit more later on.

	Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
Dimensions	125.3 x 63.3 x 15.25mm (4.93 x 2.45 x 0.6 inches)
Weight	208g (7.34 oz)
Screen size	4.3 inches
Screen resolution	960 x 540 (256 ppi)
Screen type	Super AMOLED
Battery	2,330mAh Li-Polymer (removable)
Internal storage	8GB
External storage	MicroSDXC (up to 64GB)
Rear camera	16MP, BSI CMOS
Front-facing cam	1.9MP
Video capture	1080p / 30 fps (front)
NFC	Yes
Radios	Varies by region and operator
Bluetooth	v4.0 LE
SoC	Exynos 4 Dual 4212
CPU	1.5GHz dual-core
GPU	Mali-400
RAM	1.5GB
Entertainment	MHL 2.0, IR transceiver, DLNA, WiFi Direct
WiFi	Dual-band, 802.11a/b/g/n
Wireless Charging	No
Operating system	Android 4.2.2 (TouchWiz)

Photojournalists won't want to touch this shooter with a 10-foot pole, no matter howdesperately they may want to own an LTE-connected came With a full-fledged smartphone OS running things behind the scenes, software is clearly a focus for this camera/phone hybrid. The device ships with Android version 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), and includes the TouchWiz user interface. As you'd expect, many apps and software features that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S 4 are present here as well. WatchON, Group Play, S Translator and Safety Assistance are all here, as is the SwiftKey-enabled swipe option for inputting text, though Smart Pause, Smart Scroll, Palm Motion, Air View, Air Gestures and an LED notification light are absent. For a detailed look at those features, check out ourGalaxy S 4 review.

Without question, the Zoom is strictly a consumer device; photojournalists won't want to touch this shooter with a 10-foot pole, no matter how desperately they may want to own an LTE-connected cam. The good news is that there are quite a few native options for assistive shooting, all built into the app. The default mode is Auto, with adjustments limited to flash mode (auto, on and off) and other basics like resolution (16MP 4:3, 14MP 3:2, 12MP 16:9 and 10MP 3:2) and movie capture (1080p30, 720p60, 720p30 and VGA).

In Smart mode, you can select from Macro, Food, Indoor, Action Freeze, Rich Tone, Panorama, Waterfall, Animated Photo, Drama, Eraser, Sound & Shot, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light Trace, Smart Mode Suggest, Beauty Face, Best Photo, Continuous Shot, Best Face, Kids Shot, Landscape, Dawn and Snow presets -- 26 in all. We found Smart Mode Suggest to be the most useful, given that the camera can recommend several options based on the current scene. Suggest also cut down on screen taps -- without physical buttons and dials, you'll be spending far too much time navigating menus as it is, so in this case, automation is indeed welcome.

For more advanced photographers, there's an Expert option as well, which gives you access to Program, Color Wizard and Manual mode. That latter pick allows for the most control overall, as you're able to select both aperture and shutter speed, as well as ISO, white balance, metering and drive mode. Making tweaks to aperture and shutter speed between shots is moderately arduous -- you'll need to either jump back into the mode menu or tap the on-screen aperture, shutter speed or ISO readout and slide to adjust.

From there, there's really no limit to how you can use the Zoom. With a full-fledged version of Android running, you can download thousands of apps for editing and sharing images and videos. Generally, though, you'll want to do all of your capturing within the native camera app, as there's really no other match for the level of control you can access there. Take Instagram, for example. While the app loads and can be used for capturing images, there's no option to zoom or to use the hardware shutter release to snap a shot. To use those features, you need to capture your image using the native app, and then share it through Instagram, rather than shooting and sharing all at once. The same applies to countless other tools.

CAMERA

The Zoom doesn't stand a chance against purebred opponents like the Sony RX100 or Canon S110.

With the Zoom, image quality is just as important as the device's performance in other disciplines. We'll start by saying that we noticed some improvement over last year's Galaxy Camera, so if you were pleased with the shooting there, you'll probably be satisfied after capturing a handful of shots with the GS4. But with a sensor type that you'll often find in low-end point-and-shoots, and ordinary optics, the Zoom doesn't stand a chance against purebred opponents like the Sony RX100 or Canon S110 -- pricey dedicated shooters that pack tremendous imaging punch, but without the connected features offered here.

By default, the Zoom is configured to be a phone first, and then a camera. When you first power it on, you'll see the home screen, and the lens will remain retracted. Tapping the camera icon will activate the lens, however, and after a quick settings adjustment, you can jump directly into the camera app whenever you tap the power button from then on. In its default configuration, you can also activate the camera by turning the ring around the lens to select a mode, then pressing the shutter release once to extend the lens. Alternatively, you can turn the dial to select a mode, and then tap the screen to launch the shooting mode.

Like any other Android device with a lens, the Zoom can also shoot HD video. But despite its name, you're definitely not going to want to zoom as you capture footage. Zooming, both when shooting stills and motion clips, is quite clunky and inaccurate -- achieving a precise focal length can be difficult, and the motor is anything but smooth. If you happen to zoom while capturing video, the microphone will almost definitely pick up the motor noise, even if you have the camera set to lower the audio levels as you move the lens. Then, once you do reach a desired focal point, the lens often hunts as it struggles to achieve focus. Additionally, if you have the focus-assist light activated, it'll fire off when you tap the screen to make a correction. Video looked acceptable otherwise, but captures certainly weren't superior to what you'd achieve with a mid-range smartphone.

IMAGE QUALITY

And how do the stills look? Not so great, unfortunately. Image quality is fairly inconsistent, even when shooting in bright daylight, with color balance and exposure shifting from shot to shot. Indoors, you'll want to stay away from higher sensitivity settings -- the camera can snap at up to ISO 3200, but you'll probably want to avoid venturing beyond 800. Let's take a look at some samples.

This indoor shot was captured at f/4.9 with a 1/8-second exposure. Because of the camera's maximum aperture at this focal length, a sensitivity of ISO 3200 was required, resulting in significant noise visible even when viewing the image at 25-percent. As a result, colors also appear washed out.

These pups were photographed using the Zoom's automatic mode. The camera opted for an aperture of f/3.1, a shutter speed of 1/40 second and a sensitivity of ISO 125. The flash did fire, but failed to reach other areas of the frame, resulting in an underexposed image that lacks visible detail.

This outdoor image was captured at f/3.9 with a 1/50-second shutter speed and a sensitivity of ISO 100. It's slightly overexposed, resulting in a relatively modest loss of color detail.

Curiously, both of these shots above were captured with nearly identical exposures, though the weeds in the left half of the frame are clearly less vibrant than those in the right. That former section was shot at f/6.3 with a 1/25-second shutter speed at ISO 100, while the right frame was captured at f/6.3 with a 1/30-second shutter speed, also at ISO 100. The camera was set to auto mode.

Ending on a positive note, the Zoom snapped this shot at f/4.4 with a 1/80-second shutter speed and a sensitivity of ISO 100. Colors are accurate and vibrant and the camera managed to expose properly.

PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY LIFE

During regular use, the device felt incredibly sluggish. Granted, we've become accustomed to smartphones running quad-core processors, so the drop down to just two cores definitely took some getting used to. Launching menus within apps or the OS came along with a sometimes seconds-long delay, and jumping from one activity directly to the camera app to capture a shot sometimes meant uncomfortably long holds. Unfortunately, this puts the Zoom at a serious disadvantage compared to just about any dedicated point-and-shoot.

	Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom	Samsung Galaxy S 4	Samsung Galaxy S III
Quadrant 2.0	4,828	12,684	5,875
Vellamo 2.0	1,712	1,903	1,626
AnTuTu 3.x	9,844	26,143	10,944
SunSpider 0.9.1 (ms)	976	772	1,194
GLBenchmark Egypt 2.5 HD Offscreen (fps)	16	39	15
CF-Bench	7,952	28,111	12,922
SunSpider: lower scores are better. Samsung Galaxy S III was benchmarked on Android 4.1.

Shutter lag is also an issue with the Zoom, so if you're shooting action or really any moving subject, there's a very good chance you're going to miss the shot. With the camera preset to Auto mode and the flash turned off, the device took about three seconds to capture its first image with the lens in the retracted position. With the lens extended and the camera app open, the delay dropped to 0.5 seconds. In continuous-shooting mode, the camera captured 20 consecutive images at a rate of about four shots per second.

Phone performance was spot-on. We were able to make and receive calls just as well as we could with most other smartphones, and audio quality was satisfactory. The microphone and earpiece volumes are definitely sufficient, so if you happen to be using this to make phone calls, you'll probably be quite satisfied. The GPS also worked as expected, identifying our location quickly when using Google Maps. Given the next issue, however, you'll probably want to bring along a backup device (or battery) for lengthy adventures.

Despite the larger cell in this year's model, battery life with the Zoom is far from stellar. With fairly light use and the device connected to WiFi (cell reception in our test location was poor), including about 15 minutes of web browsing, 15 minutes of game play, 15 minutes of calling, 15 minutes of video playback, 15 minutes of Maps, 45 minutes of camera use and five hours of standby with push email activated, we were able to squeeze by with roughly seven hours of use. With heavy camera usage, photo sharing and mobile network access, we'd expect this figure to drop significantly, however.

Unfortunately, we wouldn't expect to make it through a full day without a backup battery on hand. Also, to make matters worse, in typical Samsung fashion, when the battery meter falls to 5 percent, the screen drops to its dimmest setting and non-critical features cease to function. In this case, that includes the camera -- yes, for the final minutes of the Zoom battery's life, you cannot even shoot a picture.

WRAP-UP

The Galaxy S4 Zoom is clearly the product of months of tweaking, collaboration and research at Samsung, but there's much work still to be done. We love that this year's model is a bona fide smartphone, in that you can use it to not only share images moments after they're captured from just about anywhere on the globe, but you can also make traditional phone calls without any hassle. We also see potential when it comes to Android running on a point-and-shoot, but for now, the drawbacks of sluggish performance and poor battery life far outweigh the benefits. We're very eager to get our hands on Samsung's Galaxy NX mirrorless model, though.

So, should you take the plunge now? If your contract has expired and you're stepping up from a low-end Android handset with a small screen, you may very well fall in love with the Zoom. But if you're considering a lateral move from one of this year's top performers, you're not going to be very happy here. Instead, consider adding a WiFi-equipped point-and-shoot, or sticking to the tried-and-true method of popping out an SD card or attaching a USB cable whenever you're ready to transfer. If you're willing to give Windows Phone a try, you may also want to hold out for the Nokia Lumia 1020, though the jury's still out on image quality there. Instant access is phenomenally convenient, but if you care about performance and accuracy, there simply isn't an Android camera yet that we can recommend.

Nokia unveils Lumia 1020 phone with 41-megapixel camera

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:31:00 +0000

NEW YORK — While demonstrating the remarkable photographic capabilities built inside its new Lumia 1020 Windows smartphone that will be hitting AT&T stores exclusively in the U.S. on July 26, Nokia showed how you could zoom in on a picture of a haystack and literally find the needle hiding inside. The eye of the needle in the picture was that sharp.

Of course, finding a needle in a haystack is an apt metaphor for Nokia, the struggling Finnish cellphone giant that is trying to regain a footing in the U.S. market by selling Windows phones. But if the Lumia 1020 is any indication—and I have to add the caveat that I haven't actually tested the phone yet—Nokia may have something special, at least for avid photographers who want a higher-pedigree camera phone.

AT&T is charging $299.99 for the device, with the customary two-year contract.

The latest Lumia boasts a second-generation 41 megapixel-image sensor, Zeiss optics, xenon flash, manual shutter, and other photographic smarts. And if you dig into higher end settings—changing the white balance, ISO, and more—you can see the impact that making those changes will have on the final image.

Two images are automatically captured each time you shoot—so in addition to the ultra-high resolution picture that is captured when you snap the shutter (either 34 or 38 megapixel, depending on whether it's in the 16 by 9 or 4 by 3 format), you also get a 5-megapixel image that can be more easily shared online.

What's more, you can zoom in on that high-resolution image after the fact to effectively create a whole a new 5-megapixel from a completely different vantage point. Nokia says you can zoom in on an image up to three times, with no visible loss of clarity. That was certainly the case with the images that were on display, though I'm anxious to try this out myself.

Nokia makes impressive claims for video too.

The phone has a 4.5-inch Super Amoled display, protected by the latest version of Gorilla Glass.

As Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said during the launch event at a New York City pier, the phone represents the "introduction of the next chapter in smart phone photography." That's marketing-speak for sure, but I can report that most of the other attendees at the device's unveiling seemed as eager as I am to put the 1020 through its paces.

Despite my initial enthusiasm there are questions. The phone comes with 32GB of internal memory but no card slot for expanding that memory. And anyone who takes an abundance of pictures—and isn't that the person who will be attracted to this device?—will have to factor that in when they're out and about shooting. Nokia says that although the highest resolution pictures will up to 38-megapixels in quality, but only eat a modest 8-megabytes in size. We'll see. Meanwhile for a limited time, it does come with 50GB of free online storage through the digital AT&T Locker.

Of course, the even bigger question is what impact the Lumia 1020 will have on Nokia's ultimate success?

Samsung Galaxy S4 wireless charger hands-on

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:27:00 +0000

This past week we’ve been enjoying a few more mobile options from the folks atSamsung. We reviewed their new Galaxy S 4 Active, and now we have the wireless charging dock available for some quick hands-on time. Samsung’s charging kit you’re seeing here works with the Qi standard, just like many wireless chargers from Nokia, LG, and even the model for the Nexus 4. Samsung delivers a new battery cover to complete the task, so take a peek below.

Samsung finally unleashed the wireless charging kit on their online store recently, and for those interested we have a few thoughts on the package. The charging dock itself is quite large, much bigger in fact than both the Nexus 4 and LG’s wireless chargers. It has a durable and hefty feel, and a nice rubbery coating to keep the phone safe from any scratching while you toss it on and off for a quick charge.

While Samsung’s Galaxy S4 (now) comes in a wide array of colors, sadly the charging dock only has one option available: grey. Of course anyone should know the dock will be plugged into a nearby outlet using the same micro-USB cord as usual, then you just toss your phone on that charging dock platform for juice. Samsung makes it very apparent on the device with a sticker, that you’ll need to be perfectly aligned. This held true too, slight turns and the phone wouldn’t charge. So long as the middle is centered, you’ll be good though.

Unlike the Nexus 4, DROID DNA and a few others, the Galaxy S4 requires a replacement battery cover to enjoy the wireless charging capability. One which won’t be provided in the box, but a quick $39 will get you the color of your choice. Verizon and most carriers have them in store and online in both white or black. Sadly, you’ll also need to spend $49 for the charging pad, but the convenience may be worth it to some.

Speaking of the replacement battery back. It’s quite thick, and as you can see in the image below there’s a noticeable increase in thickness, but overall nothing to be concerned about. Compared to the Active below, you can see the difference. As a comparison the stock GS4 back is flush or thinner than the camera. Here you can see the lip added with the new back. The GS4 is thin already, so this almost gives it a more premium feel as it adds to the overall feel in your hand. That’s my opinion at least.

Sadly we wish this could have came standard, just like it did with the Nexus 4, HTC DROID DNA, Optimus G, and a few others. However, if you have the LG wireless charging kit, the Nexus 4 charger, or even some 3rd party Energizer models or even one from Nokia, they’ll all work with ease. All you’ll need is that replacement battery cover.

Take a peek at a few more pictures below, then decide if the near $90 price is worth it to you. We love the convenience personally, just wish it would have came standard. Not as an aftermarket purchase.

Nokia Offering Up To $300 To Trade In Your Old Phone For A Lumia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:18:00 +0000

Have you been on the edge of possibly giving up on both iOS and Android to see how things are on the Windows Phone 8 bandwagon? Nokia does have some great Windows Phone 8 devices available on the majority of U.S. wireless carriers, and if our reviews haven’t enticed you to pick up one of their devices, then maybe their new trade in program will.

Nokia has launched a new “trade up” program that asks U.S. residents to trade in their old mobile device to receive up to $300 loaded onto a VISA pre-paid card as long as you purchase a Lumia and can provide proof of purchase, which we’re sure means you’ll have to make a copy of your receipt or maybe just a photo of you lovingly holding your new Lumia would do.

Nokia is accepting a wide variety of handsets for its trade up program, but popular devices like the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC would get you the most bang for your buck.

Samsung Galaxy Mega

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE; quad-band 3G with HSPA; LTE
6.3" 16M-color 720p TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen; 233ppi
Android OS v4.2.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
Dual-core 1.7GHz Krait CPU, Adreno 305 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset
1.5GB of RAM
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash, 1080p video recording @ 30fps, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
1.9 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
Drama shot, Shot and sound
Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
8/16GB of built-in storage
microSD card slot
microUSB port with USB host and MHL
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
IR port for remote control functionality
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Ample 3,200mAh battery with great endurance; user replaceable
8mm thickness; 199g of weight

Main disadvantages

Big, even for a phablet
Resolution on the low side for the screen size
Midrange performance
Design is a bit played out by now
No FM radio
Shared camera interface makes framing tricky

Samsung Galaxy Mega review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

There was the Note. Then the Note 2. But has Samsung finally pushed things too far with the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega, or is it the ultimate fusion of tablet and smartphone?

The Galaxy Mega might not have a price yet, but it's certainly not going to be jostling with the Galaxy S4 at her sharp end of the smartphone market. Packing a 1.7GHz dual core processor and 1.5GB of RAM, it's not slouch in the performance department, but it's a far cry from the power and force of the S4 or even last year's S3.

So who is it aimed at, this gargantuan effort at a smartphone? Samsung tells us that it's the 'perfect device of students', which means it dispenses with the need for a phone and a tablet. The subtext there is affordability, and there's no doubt the Galaxy Mega is going to be closer to the mid-range market.

That said, and perhaps it's an acceptance of the likes of the Galaxy Note 2, but that whopping screen didn't feel too bad in the hand at all. It's huge, that's for certain, and no matter what, you're going to feel stupid holding it to your ear.

But given we said the same thing about the Note 2 last year (and has since gone on to be one of the world's top selling phones) there's clearly an appetite for a phone that is great for the Internet and video with the ability to make calls too.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega does have a surprisingly clear and sharp screen for a phone / tablet that isn't full HD nor uses Samsung's proprietary Super AMOLED technology either, opting for an HD PLS LCD effort instead.

We were therefore expecting low colour reproduction and a slightly jagged experience, but even at the larger screen size we were really impressed when it came to video and Internet use, with everything appearing clear and sharp.

Holding the phone to do these things was less of a joy, as you can imagine - it wasn't too heavy in the hand when using with only a single palm, but try to do anything like send a text message and you have to do so using one hand to brace yourself before knocking out a missive.

The messaging system is much more accurate than found on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3, which has a simply woeful keyboard. We can still see any user installing a new option ASAP, but what was on offer wasn't bad.

It's clear to see that the Galaxy Mega is a phone that's the first to feed off the design ethos of the Galaxy S4, with the more robust feel to the chassis and a more metallic rim around the edge.

Like so many Galaxy products, the Mega is as light as can be - you'll struggle to believe that something this large can weigh so little and still actually work. It's only got up to 16GB of onboard storage, but this can be supplemented using the microSD slot hidden under the flimsy polycarbonate cover.

There's also an impressive 3200mAh battery, which should power the massive screen for a full day and still leave you a good slug of juice should you forget to charge up during the night. We couldn't test the battery power due to the fact it was locked to a charger in our hands on time, but we've got high hopes for this one.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega comes with a similar feature to the Galaxy S4 in the shape of a high power touchscreen than allows you to use gloves with the device, and also gives you Air View. This function allows you to hover a finger over things like photo albums or calendar entries to see more of what's hidden beneath without having to actually open it.

Taking more features from the Samsung Galaxy S4, the camera mode has been upgraded to include drama shot (to let you put loads of frames into one still) and Eraser mode, sponsored by Schwarzenegger (WE JOKE, it's a film reference).

We tried the latter at the event, and we have to say it was really impressive - more so than on our early tests with the S4, which means Samsung is probably managing to perfect the technology.

There was one big problem during our experience, and that was with the overall running of the device. You'd have thought that a phone / tablet with a 1.7GHz processor and 1.5GB fo RAM could have handled anything you threw at it, but twice we had a forced reboot situation.

This was when we were trying to use the device for its more taxing purposes, such as multi-screen or Eraser shot, and was a bit of a worry

You always allow for elements like this to occur when testing devices on a stand, as the software is never fully ready for proper review. However, perhaps it's an indication of where we've got to these days, but it was still surprising to see it happening on a device from Samsung, which is usually rock solid in this area.

However, like most brands, we'll give it the benefit of the doubt until the final review sample is made available.

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Nokia Lumia 925

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 17:23:00 +0000

The Lumia 925, as it is officially known, is Nokia’s latest flagship smartphone running Windows Phone 8 and it is hard to say which it exemplifies the most: a solid performance smartphone, sleek and beautiful design or the best camera technology in the market right now.

The Lumia 925 is one of a handful of devices to come from Nokia where very little is spared in terms of lens technology but refreshingly this doesn’t cost innovation or design elsewhere in the device. The whole package is perfection.

I have to admit I have struggled to fall in love with Nokia’s smartphones that arrived in the last two to three years, first running Windows Phone 7 and more recently Windows Phone 8 operating systems. Something just didn’t click. The phones were solid (in some cases too solid and heavy, with heavy plastic materials) and while Windows Phone is a decent OS and genuinely the first mobile OS to come with what is now fashionably known as ‘flat’ design, it still didn’t feel totally right.

But the 925 has me smitten. I have phone envy. And I haven’t said that about a Nokia device in a very long time. I will spare you the history lesson but I finally am convinced Nokia has found its stride in terms of packaging hardware that can compete for style and performance with elegant vamps like the HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4.

The 925 comes in a nice silvery aluminium-like shell that makes it refreshingly light, unlike more recent models, like the Lumia 800, which I felt had a lot of heart, but which was heavy and awkward. Before we get into a debate about superficiality I think I am making an important point; Nokia needs to start being talked about in style terms and not just technology if it wants to win back lost ground.

But you say looks aren’t important, it’s what’s inside that counts. And yes, that is also true and the 925 is where design, software and hardware work entirely in concert or harmony for Nokia and the Windows Phone platform.

Lumia 925 specs

The kind of shot Nokia says is possible with the Lumia 925

The main camera sensor is an 8.7-megapixel PureView lens with optical image stabilisation, autofocus and short pulse high power dual LED flash. It is capable of capturing video in 1080p HD video at 30 frames per second.

It is the first Nokia device to come in a metal body in a long time and this results in the lightest of the entire Windows Phone generation at just 139 grams. For the eco-conscious among you, Nokia says the body is made from entirely recycled materials. So bravo!

The phone’s PureMotion HD display measures 4.5 inches and the device is capable of wireless charging.

Sporting Corning Gorilla Glass, the AMOLED display has a resolution of WXGA 1,280 x 768 with an aspect ratio of 15.9 and a pixel density of 334.0 ppi. It also comes with all the accelerometers, gyroscopes, proximity sensors and magnetometers you would now expect in a high-end smartphone.

As well as being LTE-ready, that means capable of 4G, the device works with Wi-Fi and 3G, as well as near field communication (NFC) for mobile wallet applications.

I couldn’t wait to use the new Smart Camera technology, which I put to the test at the recent Body & Soul festival and which enables users to capture 10 images at once and edit them using features such as best shot, action shot and motion focus.

These were nice features but when it came to simply getting a good shot, just a little superfluous, because the quality of the 8.7-megapixel camera and image stabilisation meant you could capture pretty good stills anyway without trying to get 10 images so you didn’t miss that ‘moment.’

One unexpected surprise was the phone’s battery life and in just a week I probably only charged it twice. I was very impressed by this. Most devices require a daily charge.

The 925 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core processor and comes with 1GB of RAM, mass memory of 16GB and users are automatically entitled to free cloud storage of 7GB on Sky Drive.

Verdict

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds live at Body & Soul last weekend. Photo taken with a Nokia Lumia 925

When I said earlier about the whole thing coming together in concert in terms of hardware and software, what I meant was this is probably the best example yet of what Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 technology is capable of and I found myself delving deeper into the Windows Phone OS than I had before.

This was ultimately because the lightness of the device and its superior capabilities, such as the camera, encouraged me to simply want to use it for more and more things, to the detriment of my trusty iPhone 5. I found myself relying on the alarm, using the calculator, the to-do list - stuff I hadn’t really been able to bring myself to using with regularity on the Windows Phone platform before.

I found it to be pretty darned good for photo-sharing via social media, sending photos to the cloud or simply emailing images.

Downloading apps via the Windows Store was simple and elegant and I found myself using functions like Calendar and Messaging a lot more than on previous Windows Phone devices.

The reason for this has to be not only the software but the device’s attractive design and light body. Like I said, the whole thing works in concert and it’s hard to put it down.

The only drawbacks that I can tell about the Windows Phone platform is although new apps are arriving into the Windows Store all the time and Microsoft revealed amazing developer tools at its Build conference this week, it is a shame there is as yet no dedicated YouTube app apart from a few developer-made clones that have limitations and quirks.

While temporary, this is really a shame because the screen size and capture capabilities make you really want to capture and share video, as well as consume video. This phone was built for video. The longer this drags on I believe it is as much Google’s loss as it is currently Microsoft’s, so hurry up people. Apparently, the dispute has something to do with the display of ads. Consumers don't care about that stuff, so sort it out.

Either way, users are free to capture video and share directly onto the YouTube platform but it is the playback side of things that is unresolved. You can also share your video via the usual social platforms, like Vimeo and Twitter.

On the whole, I believe the 925 is a massive departure for Nokia in the design department. It looks and feels more like a high-end phone than any of the models of the past year and one that will adequately compete with other high-end rivals.

The Nokia Lumia 925 launches in Ireland next week and the handset is free on contract across Vodafone, O2, Meteor and eMobile. Pre-pay rates are not yet available.

waterproof smartphone from SONY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 17:18:00 +0000

The Xperia Z Ultra can be used underwater up to a depth of 1.5m, even allowing people to take pictures and film video in full HD below the surface, the company said.

Launching it today, Sony claimed the handset, which has a 16.3cm screen, has the biggest display and is the thinnest large-screen smartphone on the market.

Calum MacDougall, Sony's director of Xperia marketing, said: "The Xperia Z Ultra is the most exciting revolution in large-screen smartphone entertainment devices with both the slimmest and largest full HD smartphone display in the world that is second to none."

The phone will include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor which Sony says is the world's fastest processor.

The screen also features handwriting recognition software that allows it to be used with pencil or stylus.

The phone was launched at the Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai, alongside the Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2, a "second screen" for any Android phone worn on the wrist.

Sony say it will allow people to remotely handle calls, read emails, alter the volume on their music and even take pictures remotely using a built-in camera app.

3 smartphone apps that motivate you to get fit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 17:16:00 +0000

Who doesn’t need an extra boost of encouragement to make it through their workout or choose a salad instead of french fries? Healthy living motivation apps can help you succeed on your fitness journey, while also offering the chance to win money, create a healthy habit streak or support your favorite charity. Here's a review of the three most popular.

Diet Bet (Free, iTunes)

What if losing weight could boost your bank account? That’s the idea behind the DietBet app. The app harnesses the power of what CEO Jamie Rosen calls "social dieting" along with people’s desire to, well, win money.

Here's how it works. DietBet features "games" where a group of people pool entry fees (around $25 each) into a pot and challenge each other to lose weight. The game begins and participants have four weeks to lose four percent of their body weight. At the end of the four weeks all the money in the pot is evenly split between the winners.

So how well does it work? Rosen says about 30 to 40 percent of group participants "win," losing an average of nine pounds and winning an average of $96. But in the end everyone wins, since according to Rosen, the supportive community and accountability features of the DietBet game result in 86 percent of all users losing weight.

The app tracks your progress during the game, while dynamic in-app graphics display how you stack up against the competition. Tap the activity button on the bottom of the screen and add comments, motivate your friends and see updates from people you follow. The app also sports a photo feature, so you can snap a photo of that healthy lunch or your favorite running trail and share it with your followers.

This is where Rosen’s "social dieting" idea starts to take shape. During a DietBet game, you’re not going it alone -- you're working with a group, which makes the healthy living journey more fun. It’s encouraging to know your fellow DietBetters are having the same experiences and supporting you along the way.

Along with friendly competition and support, money can also be a great motivator. In fact, a Journal of the American Medical Association study found that dieters who had a financial incentive were five times more likely to lose weight. If you win, you have the option to cash out via PayPal, donate your money to charity or apply your winnings to another DietBet.

If you like some friendly competition and the idea of adding a little extra cash to your pocket, then the DietBet app could be the one to get you on track with a healthy lifestyle.

Lift (Free, iTunes)

Born from Twitter founder Biz Stone’s tech incubator, the Lift app is designed to encourage you and help you establish healthy habits. The idea is that through taking small steps every day you can create and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

This app is simple and straightforward to use. Think of it as a to-do list with plenty of positive reinforcement and support.

Upon opening the Lift app, you’ll notice three habits already built in: 10k steps, exercise and meditate. Click the upper right-hand box and you can search a menu of current habits featuring categories like "Popular" and "Trending" with habits like exercise, sleep eight hours and eat breakfast.

The "Supportive" category features the most encouraging and engaging communities on Lift. The "Health and Wellness" category includes habits like drink more water, stop drinking soda and eat fruit to name a few. The "Fitness" habits allow you to choose from workouts like CrossFit and Insanity or simply running and pushups. Click to choose your habits and they are added to your homepage main menu.

My favorite thing about the Lift app: When you complete a habit, simply click the big check box and that’s it. The app logs your progress and keeps track of your streak.

A running feed below each habit gives you the opportunity to add a note to your own habit or comment and give props to others. This adds a nice social element of support.

The activity tab on the bottom of the app displays how many times you’ve "checked" into each habit. There are also graphs that visually showcase your weekly and monthly habit frequency.

Follow friends and get support from the Lift community to keep your healthy streaks alive. Recently, Lift even started featuring group challenges like The 4-Hour Body based on the book by the same name.

Building healthy habits and establishing consistency are keys for getting in shape, and Lift is a helpful tool to do this. If you are looking to make simple changes to your lifestyle this is a great app to keep you accountable.

Charity Miles (Free, Android and iTunes)

What if you knew that every mile you ran, walked or biked raised money for someone in need? Sometimes it can be easier to motivate yourself to do something good for others. If this theory strikes a chord, then Charity Miles might be the app for you.

Swipe the screen and select a charity from options like Feed America, Stand Up To Cancer, Autism Speaks, Wounded Warrior Project and the ASPCA. Then choose whether you’d like to run, bike or walk. The GPS-enabled app starts tracking your run. This is a nice bonus for those that like to monitor time and distance. Runners and walkers earn 25 cents per miles while bikers earn 10 cents per mile.

When your workout is over, the app asks you to post your accomplishment to Facebook or Twitter in order to accept your sponsorship. No money comes out of your pocket, as Charity Miles and corporate partners cover the donations.

Every now and then we all need a little motivation to make healthy choices. So whether encouragement comes in the form of winning cash, checking in to stay accountable or supporting your favorite charity, the smartphone apps DietBet, Lift and Charity Miles have you covered.

Nokia Asha 501: Colorful Smart Phone to Officially Arrive at the Worldwide Market with RM315.00 Price

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:58:00 +0000

Nokia has officially declared that the colorful Nokia Asha 501 smart phone will arrive this week at the markets of Thailand and Pakistan while availability in India follows shortly as well as in countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The Nokia Asha 501 will sell for a suggested retail price of US$99 or RM315.00 before taxes and local subsidies in six available colors.

Nokia Asha 501 is the first in the new generation of reasonably priced smart phones to run on the new and fast Asha platform. "The new Nokia Asha 501 helps people quickly access everything they love with just a simple swipe. Coupled with beautiful design, it's a smart phone with both style and substance offered at a great price," stated Timo Toikkanen, the Executive Vice President of Nokia Mobile Phones.

The smart phone is noticeable due to its compact design with a tough removable shell and scratch-resistant glass display. Another standout feature is the available color choices of cyan, bright red, bright green, yellow, black and white but these hues will differ by market.

Consumers can choose from the available single or dual SIM feature on the Nokia Asha 501. The smart phone has a 3.2MP camera with EDGE EGPRS (2.75G) connectivity and 17 hours of battery life backup.

The accessories available for the Nokia Asha 501 are the Nokia Stereo Headset WH-108 and the CC-3070 back covers that can be interchanged to reflect the owner's personality. The Nokia Asha 501 back covers are available in eye-catching colors with a recommended retail price of €8.90 (US$12).

Nokia Asha 501 owners can simply swipe the smart phone to unlock, close apps or change between the Home and Fastlane screens. The Home screen fully utilizes the 3-inch showing the established application launcher.

The Fastlane screen is the exceptional second screen that adjusts to put on view the user's recent activity on the phone as well as upcoming events such as birthdays, song or apps downloads and schedule of meetings. Fastlane helps the user to multi-task as well with its support to social network sites like Facebookand Twitter where they can share directly from the Fastlane screen.

Asha's latest smart phone has the pre-installed Nokia Xpress Browser app that can compact Internet data up to 90% so mobile browsing becomes faster. Nokia Asha 501 users can use the available chat services such as Line, Nimbuzz and WeChat.

Close to 40 free EA games can be downloaded on the Nokia Asha 501. More free apps available on the Nokia Store can be downloaded as well such as HERE Maps and the fresh Nokia Xpress Now content discovery web app.

iPhone water damage: rescue a soaked device with rice trick

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:49:00 +0000

An iPhone that's been dropped in water is going to be a broken iPhone. Typically any iPhone that's been dropped in the sink, or down the loo, will not start up okay.

A wet iPhone can have a blank screen, no sound, a touch screen that doesn't work, or any manner of other defects.

Fortunately it's often not the end of the world (or the end of the iPhone). Drying out the phone slowly, and properly, can help. It's best to use a product like the Kensington EVAP Rescue Pouch, or collect old silica gel packets. But if you haven't done either of those things, then this rice trick could help.

There's a little-known but useful rice trick that can be used to attempt to repair an iPhone. It works in these steps (that are worth remembering):

Do not switch on the phone. If it's off leave it off (the charge will cause more damage).
Get some dry rice (not cooked) and a tupperware food box. If no tupperware box is available get a bowl.
Fill the tupperware box with dry rice and place the iPhone inside the rice (so it surrounds the device, covering the screen).
Put the lid on.
Go and do something for three days. Do not take the iPhone out of the rice.
After three days (72 hours) Plug the iPhone in and switch it on. See if it works properly.
If it doesn't. Switch the iPhone off, put it back in the rice and wait another 24 hours.
Keep trying it every day for a few more days.

This trick has been tried and tested by members of the Macworld UK team. The idea behind the rice trick is that the rice absorbs the water, and that when it's all dried out the iPhone should work again. There are few moving parts in an iPhone so the water damage can be minimal. There's some debate as to whether the rice actually does anything, or it's just the process of leaving it alone and letting it dry out naturally that is the repair. But we've tried it and it worked for us.

Leave it like this for a good 48 hours before turning it on. It may take several days to dry out.

Why Samsung S4 Mini?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:37:00 +0000

Reversing its march towards creating a phone that requires a wheelbarrow to tote around town, Samsung has announced the 4.3-inch S4 mini.

Though smaller than the regular S4, the mid-range S4 mini’s screen is still larger than the iPhone 5′s 4-inch display. Unfortunately, Samsung is mum on the price or actual release date of the tinier version of its hit Android phone. What we do know is that the company is entering the mid-market territory with a less expensive device.

The S4 mini is crammed with an 8MP camera, a qHD Super AMOLED screen, 8GB of storage, 1.5GB of RAM, and is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor. The phone runs Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) with Samsung’s Touch Whiz skin. It will be available with 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+ or 3G dual SIM radios, depending on the market.

Basically, it’s less exciting than the larger S4, but more than enough for most smartphone shoppers. The news is also the second “budget” piece of electronics announced today, joining Apple’s release of its cheaper iPod touch.

NOKIA EOS TO BE OFFICIALLY NAMED LUMIA 1020

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:15:00 +0000

According to the latest rumor, Nokia will name the phone we currently know as the EOS, the Lumia 1020. This comes from the serial phone leaker @evleaks on Twitter, and hasn’t been confirmed by Nokia, however thanks to many leaks regarding the EOS, it’s just about the only detail we don’t know.

The Lumia 1020 name is somewhat familiar, as just before the beginning of the year, a leak talked about three possible smartphone releases coming from Nokia during 2013 – the Lumia 520, the Lumia 720, and the Lumia 1000. Both the 520 and 720 subsequently arrived during Mobile World Congress, leaving the Lumia 1000 as a no-show. Nokia has been using the number 20 in its model numbers this year, but has recently started to advance beyond this, with hardware such as the Lumia 925. While the Lumia 1000 name trips off the tongue rather nicely, Lumia 1020 isn’t bad either, particularly when pronounced Lumia ten-twenty.

We’ve been treated to a considerable amount of information regarding Nokia’s next smartphone release, which will be announced at an event confirmed for July 11. At first, it told us the zoom feature would be reinvented, and has subsequently said there are 41 million reasons to tune into the live streamed event on the day. Of course, Nokia’s PureView camera just happens to have 41 megapixels, so we can be fairly sure the new Lumia phone will finally bring PureView tech toWindows Phone.

Otherwise, we’re not expecting too many surprises from the phone. Leaked pictures have shown a body shell which is very similar to the Lumia 920, and the specification is likely to be the same as the rest of the Lumia 92x range, meaning a 4.5-inch screen with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, and a dual-core processor. While not up there with the Galaxy S4, it does beat the latest top-end camera phone, the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which takes on the S4 Mini’s lesser spec.

Nokia’s special event will take place in New York on July 11, and we’ll bring you everything you need to know about the EOS/Lumia 1020 on the day

Sony Xperia Tablet Z Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:37:00 +0000

If you haven’t been paying attention to Sony lately, then you’ve been missing out on some of the company’s best mobile products it has ever released. The Sony Xperia Z and ZL are powerful and sleek devices that can take on just about any other smartphone available today head on, and the same goes for its latest tablet offering, the Xperia Tablet Z.

In an iPad-dominated market, Android tablet manufacturers have made a habit of chasing the 7-inch tablet market by offering serviceable tablets at an affordable price point. Not Sony, though. The company is still laser-focused on the high-end 10inch tablet market, and it shows with the Tablet Z. It looks as though Sony has left no stone unturned with it’s latest tablet, but is it enough for the consumer to make the jump? In this review, we’ll find out just that. Read on!

HARDWARE

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is packed with just about any feature one could imagine on a tablet, and then it goes a little further.

Rocking a 10.1 inch 1920 x 1200 Reality HD Display (about 225 ppi), the screen on the Tablet Z is quite beautiful. Images are crisp and color reproduction is stellar. This much we expected of Sony, but as we know, it's not just about the display. The Tablet Z also rocks a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB RAM, 16/32GB storage options, micro SD card slot, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, IR Blaster, and more.

Possibly the Sony Xperia Tablet Z's best trick is that its water and dust resistant, which can allow the device to be submerged into 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Because of its water and dust resistance powers, you'll find all ports for the tablet under small covers to keep them water tight.

The front of the tablet is about as clean as any 10 inch tablet, where you'll find only the 2 megapixel front-facing camera and Sony's logo on the top left disrupting the otherwise solid black face. The left side of the Tablet Z gives home to the 3.5mm headphone jack (under a cover), the familiar silver power/lock button we've seen on devices like the Xperia Z, volume rocker, notification LED, two small connections for the optional docking accessory, and a small speaker grill at the bottom. The right side is clean, leaving only a speaker grill, with the bottom sporting two more speaker grills, the micro USB charging port, and micro SD card slot.

About those speakers. There are only two of them, but Sony cleverly placed two grills to each speaker on the corners of the tablet. This can help greatly depending on how the user holds the tablet, as sound will won't be muffled due to the other grills at the bottom to show the user where the chip is located.

The back of the Tablet Z is done up in a nice soft touch finish, and is as elegantly bare as the front. Here you'll find the 8 megapixel camera, Xperia branding smack dab in the middle, and a NFC logo at the bottom.

Looking at the Xperia Tablet Z and picking it up are two very different experiences. A simple glance at the device doesn't really do it justice. The Xperia Tablet Z is both incredibly thin and light. The Tablet Z is thinner than a pencil, coming in at a mere 6.8mm and ultra light weight at only 495 grams. Compare this to the 9.4mm/652 gram iPad and the 8.89mm/594 gram Galaxy Note 10.1.

DESIGN

Unsurprisingly, Sony has brought its Omnibalance design found on the Xperia Z to it's tablet cousin. Sony's Omnibalance design is defined as minimal yet distinctive, and that's pretty much what you'd call the design of the Tablet Z in a nutshell.

The tablet avoids the swooping curves and rounded edges found on many tablets today to bring a stark contrast that works very well. The rounded edges that do exist on the corners are very subtle. There's a touch of elegance to the simplicity of the overall design and we think it would be a pretty great addition to the living room (due to its IR Blasterfor controlling the TV) and just about anywhere else.

BUILD QUALITY

Outside of its water and dust resistant capabilities, the Xperia Tablet Z feels pretty durable. Sony clearly went heavy on the plastics when it made the Tablet Z, but the skeletal frame lining the sides of the entire tablet certainly makes it feel like the device can take a beating.

Of course, we'd love to see the Tablet Z built out of better materials, but this likely wouldn't allow Sony to boast about the tablet's light weight feel, so there's a bit of a trade off. I personally don't see the build quality of the tablet to be much of an issue to owners.

SOFTWARE

Like the Xperia Z, the Tablet Z shares a nearly identical user interface, but slightly revamped to take advantage of the extra 5.1 inches of display.

The user interface of the Tablet Z is very clean, and with the exception of a few visual tweaks, the UI gives off a stock Android feel. Of course, it's also pretty obvious that Sony put a lot of effort into its UI, as it offers some unique features, like custom themes and more. Sony also added a nice touch to the selection sounds on the Tablet Z, which sound pretty much identical to that of the PS3 when panning through menus.

There's a nice helping of Sony-made applications on the Tablet Z, and the best part about this is that you'll probably find yourself using them. The Walkman, Albums, and Movies applications are all a nice step up from the stock Android applications, with playful animations that aren't over the top. Sony's Update Center tells you when any of it's home-made apps have an update waiting, which side steps having to update the entire system on the device.

Of course, since this is a Sony device, users will be able to use the Tablet Z to interact with Sony devices your other devices in your home. Tablet Z owners can easily pair NFC-enabled wireless speakers, use the PS3 Dualshock 3 wireless controller to play games on the device, and much more with ease.

Overall, the software experience on the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is just as nice as what you'd find on the Xperia Z and ZL, which is a very good thing.

WEB BROWSER, MULTIMEDIA AND CAMERA

CAMERA

While tablet photography looks laughingly awkward in just about every way, it's kind of hard to ignore when said device rocks an 8 megapixel camera. In our experience, the camera on the Tablet Z performs pretty well.

I had the same experience with the Tablet Z that I did with the Xperia ZL, in that the photos produced look very different than what you see in the view finder. Photos look much, much better when you see them in the gallery and I was pretty impressed to see the color saturation in the photos below in such gloomy SF weather.

The Superior Auto focus feature is a great addition to the tablet's camera, as it will automatically adjust the focus mode depending on the focus subject. This is a very handy feature that will keep you from fidgeting with the camera settings every time you choose to take a photos of a different subject.

THE FINAL TAKE

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a home run in my book. It takes a lot for me to personally be interested in 10 inch tablets, as I've always preferred 7 inch devices. This tablet is the exception for me.

The Xperia Tablet Z oozes style and a beautiful design without needing to be in your face. This approach could have been a disaster, as the tablet could have just been another slab, but it's not. The combination of power and sleekness make this one of the best Android tablets available on the market today.

Sony has been churning out some of the sexiest devices for a while now, but it's now been able to find a great harmony between its hardware and software experiences. The Tablet Z would best be served as a companion to something equally as sexy as the Xperia Z or ZL, but it certainly can stand on it's own in every way.

We'd say that the only draw back is the price point of the Tablet Z. It's completely worth the price tag, but tablet prices are dropping like crazy these days, with many companies shipping smaller, more affordable units alongside their 10 inch tablet offerings. It doesn't look like Sony has plans on releasing a 7 inch version of the Tablet Z (as much as we'd love to see one), so if you want it, you're going to have to pay up. Still, we have our doubts that the price tag will stop anyone who has been eyeing this tablet.

If you're not sold on Samsung's Note 10.1, be sure to look at Sony's elegant and straight forward Android tablet. It's a winner.

Lenovo announces the budget-friendly Miix Win8 tablet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:03:00 +0000

Lenovo has pulled back the curtain on a new Windows 8 hybrid called the Miix. Described as a multi-mode device, when docked with an optional folio case with included AccuType keyboard, the 10.1-inch tablet can be used like an Ultrabook. It's driven by a Clover Trail Atom processor, and promises up to 10 hours of continuous use between charges from the 6800 mAh Li-Pol battery. Not bad at all for something that's being priced at around US$500.

The Surface-like Miix features a 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution IPS display panel that's capable of supporting five simultaneous touch points. Minus the optional folio, the tablet tips the scales at 1.2 lb (580 g), and measures 10.43 x 6.81 x 0.39 in (265 x 173 x 10.1 mm). Its Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core processor with integrated graphics is supported by up to 2 GB of LP-DDR2 RAM and 64 GB of eMMC storage, with microSD card expansion.

Wireless connectivity comes in the shape of 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and the option of 3G and GPS with certain models. There's a mini-HDMI port, and micro-USB 2.0 and, though there's no mention of such in the press release from Lenovo, the overview video below shows the Miix sporting a SIM card slot. Completing the supplied specs are stereo speakers and a 1 megapixel webcam to the front. This tablet does not come with a rear-facing camera.

Lenovo has also revealed new Win8 additions to the IdeaPad S and U Series notebooks. The S210 Touch has an 11.6-in HD display and runs a Core i3 processor. The S400 Touch and S500 Touch models have HD displays of 14 and 15.6 in respectively, and pack a Core i5 powerhouse with the option of throwing in discrete graphics. All feature Dolby Advance Audio v2.

The U330 Touch offers 13.3 inches of multi-touch interaction, while the U430 Touch has a little more display real estate at 14 diagonal inches. At around 0.77 in thin, they're skinny enough to stand beside Ultrabooks, and both run up to fourth gen core i7 processors and come with an Nvidia GeForce GPU. Users can choose from 1 TB of hybrid storage, including 16 GB of solid state oomph, a 500 GB HDD with 16 GB of integrated NAND Flash, or embrace the future completely with 256 GB of SSD storage. Both laptops benefit from a multi-touch trackpad, supplemented by motion and voice control.

Sony's mammoth Xperia Z Ultra smartphone sports 6.4-inch screen

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 05:50:00 +0000

Sony unveiled one of the largest smartphones of all time Tuesday: the Xperia Z Ultra, with a 6.4-inch screen.

The latest device to blur the line between smartphones and tablets, the phone features the largest 1080p HD display ever on a smartphone, according to Sony.

A year ago, phone makers were pushing size boundaries with 5-inch screens, but 2013 has seen 6-inch-plus screens. One of the first was the 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate, and that was followed by Samsung's 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega.

PHOTOS: Top smartphones of 2013

These large smartphones are getting very close to the size of tablets. The Nexus 7, the Amazon Kindle fire HD and other popular small tablets come with 7-inch screens.

In addition to a large screen, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra packs top-of-the-line hardware. The LTE phone features a powerfulQualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz quad-core processor and uses Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It also features an 8-megapixel rear camera and 16 gigabytes of storage, all in a device that is just 0.26 inches thick.

And as with all of the latest Sony smartphones, the Xperia Z Ultra is described as waterproof and dust-proof. It can go nearly five feet underwater for a half hour.

Sony did not specify when the Xperia Z Ultra will come out in the U.S. It is scheduled to make its global launch some time in the next few months.

Samsung tablets to mimic Galaxy smartphones

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 05:26:00 +0000

Samsung is expanding its lineup of tablet computers and making them look more like its Galaxy smartphones, as it hopes to translate its success in phones to the tablet market, where Apple is dominant.

Samsung Electronics Co., the second-largest maker of tablets after Apple, Monday said it is putting three new tablets in the Galaxy Tab 3 series on sale in the United States on July 7. The least expensive, a $199 device, will have a screen that measures 7 inches diagonally. An 8-inch model will go for $299 and a 10-inch one for $399.

"Our goal is to attract Galaxy smartphone users, and to make it the ultimate smartphone accessory" said Shoneel Kolhatkar, director of product planning at Samsung Mobile.

The "Tab" line is Samsung's value brand, undercutting the price of similar Apple models. Samsung's premium tablets are in the "Note" line, which include styluses. The 7-inch and 10-inch tablets had "Tab 2" equivalents, but the 8-inch model is new, and coincides closely in size with Apple's iPad Mini, which came out late last year.

The new tablets have the same three buttons on the front as the Galaxy smartphones. Last year's Tab 2 had no physical buttons on the front, as encouraged by Google, which supplies the Android software.

The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 has 8 gigabytes of storage memory, while the larger models have 16 gigabytes. All of them have card slots for memory expansion.

Samsung and Apple are in a heated tussle when it comes to smartphones and tablets. Each company would like to dominate both markets. Samsung had 18 percent of the global tablet market in the first quarter this year, according to research firm IDC. Apple had 40 percent. In smartphones, the figures are reversed, with Samsung dominating, largely because of its Galaxy line. Apple came in second with a 17 percent market share for the iPhone. In the United States, however, Samsung is outsold by Amazon.com Inc., with its Kindles.

Forrester Research analyst J.P. Gownder said a hit smartphone traditionally hasn't led buyers to get a tablet from the same manufacturer. He believes Samsung will get a bigger boost from its new mini-stores inside U.S. Best Buy locations. Having a retail environment it can control bridges some of the gap with Apple, which has its own stores.

"Whether you buy it online or in person, people want to touch and feel these products," Gownder said.

Umeox X5 Takes Thinnest Smartphone In The World

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 05:24:00 +0000

Less than a week ago Huawei launched the Ascend P6 to much fanfare in London. This 6.9mm thin device was claimed to be the thinnest smartphone in the world at that time. Turns out Huawei’s latest Android flagship couldn’t keep its crown for a long time. A new smartphone coming out of China steals the title from it, called Umeox X5, it is just 5.6mm thin and runs on Android as well.

The Umeox X5 is said to have a 5.3 inch display, an 8 megapixel rear facing camera, a 3 megapixel front facing camera, a dualcore processor and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The specifications are notably lower than Ascend P6 but an increasing trend in Chinese manufacturers is the shaving off of thickness and the Umeox X5 achieves that by a comfortable margin.It is not known as yet when this smartphone will go on sale in China, there are only a few Chinese manufacturers that sell their smartphone outside of the People’s Republic. However it is expected that Umeox X5 will be available in Europe, it will reportedly release in France first, this summer.

Samsung's tablet growing on us

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 12:44:00 +0000

Unlike its similarly named sibling, however, Samsung’s latest creation is designed to be used as a tablet, not a telephone.

Hold its 8-inch screen to your face and you can be assured people will laugh at you (though, if you’re lucky, it may obscure your face).

Samsung’s new tablet is the perfect size for everyday carriage, however, as it’s smaller than an A5 notebook, as slender as some smartphones, and as light as a camera, at 340g.

Plus, Samsung has packed in plenty of its innovations to make this tablet stand out.

From the outside, the Galaxy Note 8.0 looks like other Samsung tablets, and even some Galaxy phones, with a glossy plastic exterior, rounded corners and chrome edges. It features a mechanical Home button, space for a MicroSD memory card to boost its 16GB memory and, peculiarly, an infra-red blaster on its side.

Cameras also feature front and back, with the rear lens capable of capturing 5-megapixel photos that look crisp even on an 8-inch screen.

That screen boasts a resolution of 189 pixels per inch, making it easy to read even small text in its web browser, and making it sharper than the screen of the iPad Mini (163ppi). This Note screen can also be filled with Samsung widgets, from a handy, full-screen calendar widget to email inboxes, to-do lists and commonly used settings.

Being a Note device, Samsung has also added a stylus to this tablet and it’s even handier on such a large screen. The Wacom-created S-Pen slots into the bottom right corner of the tablet and instantly brings up a note-scribbling app when removed.

This stylus is surprisingly sensitive and accurate on the screen, and is helped by software that ignores your palm should it touch the screen.

In addition to notes, the S-Pen can also be used for AirView — a feature that appears when you hover the pen over the screen. Doing this in the calendar or the gallery app, for example, reveals a preview of its contents without opening the app.

Samsung has also preloaded handy apps to this tablet, including Peel Smart Remote to control a TV with that infra-red blaster, Readers Hub for books, Learning Hub for online courses, and Channel 7 apps including Plus 7 that lets users stream TV shows to the small screen. The Note 8.0 does have some factors working against it.

This tablet is only available as a wi-fi product, it’s slightly thicker and heavier than its iPad Mini rival, and its speakers are small. Its battery life is also rated at eight hours, rather than 10, and it’s $90 more expensive than the Apple alternative.

Those who prefer Google Android’s ecosystem, with added Samsung gloss, should appreciate this miniature tablet, particularly if they plan to carry it daily.

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noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:44:00 +0000

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Nokia Asha 501 launching around the world starting this week

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:33:00 +0000

Nokia announced that its latest Asha handset, the small Asha 501, would start shipping this week in some Asian markets (in both single, and dual SIM versions). Specifically, customers in Thailand and Pakistan should be able to buy the phone in the next few days, with India to get it shortly after that.

Next week, the new Asha will be released in other Asian markets, as well as in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It will also go on sale in Latin America, but only in “late summer.”

Costing only $99.99 before taxes and subsidies, the Nokia Asha 501 is one of the cheapest touchscreen phones introduced this year. It comes with a new Asha Touch interface that includes two main screens (Home and Fastlane). That aside, you’ve got a 3 inch QVGA display, no 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 3.0, FM radio, Nokia XpressBrowser, 3.2MP rear camera, 1,200 mAh battery, and a 4GB memory card in the box. Customers will also find a Nokia Stereo Headset WH-208 in the box, plus an interchangeable back cover.

The handset will be available in six color versions: black, white, cyan, bright red, bright green, and yellow. Nokia said that it sold more than 20 million Asha Touch handsets around the world until now.

Samsung introduces new Galaxy Tab tablets

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:25:00 +0000

NEW YORK -- You may need a scorecard to keep up with Samsung's latest tablets.

Last week in London, the tech giant announced two new Windows 8 slates: the ATIV Q and the ATIV Tab 3. Only four months earlier at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung introduced another model, the Galaxy Note 8 tablet. And today , Samsung said it was bringing out three new Galaxy Tab 3 tablets: in 7, 8 and 10.1-inch screen sizes. The 7-inch device will run on the Android 4.1 operating system, while the latter devices run on Android 4.2, or Jelly Bean.

The latest machines start arriving in the U.S. on July 7, with Samsung starting to accept pre-orders Tuesday. Tab 3 models come in white or a hue Samsung describes as gold brown. Prices are $199, $299 and $399, respectively.

While Samsung appears have a model in its portfolio that would theoretically appeal to any given tablet buyer, it also risks confusing consumers. Which is it now, a Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Note 8, ATIV? Or is it perhaps the Galaxy Note II "phablet" that depending on your viewpoint is either a small tablet or oversized smartphone?

Samsung is pushing this latest Tab 3 trio as a less expensive alternative to the Note 8, with a user interface that ought to be familiar and serve as a complement to folks who have bought the company's current flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S 4.

Samsung cites research from Forrester stating that 49% of U.S. consumers who own both a mobile phone and tablet prefer the tablet as their primary device to go online. And data from the same survey further indicates that across 25 types of tablet applications there is no single dominant use of tablets by users.

The survey goes on to say that a typical user is more well-defined by their lack of uniformity as evidenced by the fact that they engage in a widely varied mix of five to six different application types in a given month with only games topping the 50% threshold for all tablet users.

Samsung is pushing Tab 3's use in the living room. They feature IR Blasters that transform the tablets into universal remote controls. Folks can get TV recommendations and on-demand content via Samsung's WatchOn service.

The tablets are Wi-Fi only, but buyers do get one year of Boingo hotspot service gratis, along with three months of free Hulu Plus service and two years of free DropBox Service with up to 50 GB storage space.

Each Tab 3 has a dual-core processor and expandable memory (through microSD), with the 7-inch tab starting you off with 8GB of storage and the two larger models with 16 GB.

Tab 3's are less robust than their premium Android sibling, the $399 Galaxy Note 8, which would appeal more to people who tend to use their tablets for creative pursuits. For instance, Note 8 users can exploit Samsung's so-called S Pen for drawing, jotting notes and taking advantage of other tricks.

Indeed, the presence of the digital pen is one way to differentiate a Note 8 from a Tab 3 -- without consulting a scorecard.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:19:00 +0000

As consumers continue to move from desktop to mobile, tech manufacturers such as Sony are continuing to release products to cater for each and every need the customer may have; regardless of whether they know it yet.

Since Q3 2012 Sony have released an Ultrabook, a hybrid device, a 20-inch touch screen - and a series of smart-phones. None of them, however, have been a rip roaring success. That is, in part, down to the strange state of the current consumer technology market. The way people access and consume information has changed and will continue to do so for some time yet.

Customers are still trying to decide if they want a desktop, a laptop, a hybrid device, a tablet, a phablet or a phone. Sony, being the giants they are, can afford to give everything a go in the hope that they will eventually find the one that sticks.

The last flagship device Sony launched was their Sony Xperia Z phablet. While the device impressed, it failed to outshine the Samsung Note II, which is continuing to do well in the market. Next up on Sony’s books is the Sony Xperia Tablet Z.

The 10.1 inch tablet device is the thinnest tab-device in the world measuring in at just 6.9mm and the slight device continues to wow in hand.

Internally, the tiny tab boasts a quad core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of built in storage. This can be expanded with a microSD card. The Tablet Z runs Android 4.1 (JellyBean). The main camera on the device measures in at an impressive 8.1MP.

As with the Sony Xperia Z phablet, the Tablet Z is both dust and waterproof. You may scrunch your nose and wonder why that's necessary and to be honest, you are probably right; but it’s no harm to be prepared. If you're curious, you can fill a sink full of water and place the Tablet Z inside, although they do advise you not to use the speakers fir three hours afterwards.

Gimmicks aside, this is a very strong contender on the tablet market. Loaded with the powerful Sony technology we have come to expect, as well as some new features, this tablet can confidently take on the iPad and the Samsung Note II. One thing to be cautious of is the limited availability of accessories for the tablet in comparison to some of the other, more popular tablets, such as iPad, Samsung and even Google Nexus.

Nokia Lumia EOS vs. Samsung Galaxy Cameras: Competition on Camera Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:17:00 +0000

Nokia Lumia EOS vs. Samsung Galaxy Cameras: Competition on Camera Technology [PHOTOS]

Nokia is anticipated to compete against the unveiled Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and Samsung Galaxy NX as it releases the impressive Nokia Lumia EOS smartphone with 41MP camera. Can the Finnish company overthrow rival technology giant Samsung which already offers devices with enhanced camera technology?

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is equipped with a 16MP camera sensor that supports 10x optical zooming, and users are assured that photos or videos captured will yield superior quality compared to the cameras found on other smart phones including the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S3. The Zoom runs on the similar Android Jelly Bean OS that allows the images to be shared and uploaded on social media sites.

Another Samsung Mobile device unveiled is the Samsung Galaxy NX, a DSLR camera, powered as well with the Android Jelly Bean operating system. With the Android device, captured images and videos can be directly uploaded to the cloud-based services such as Google Drive and Dropbox as well as other social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.

With the Nokia Lumia EOS, Nokia claims that the 41MP camera technology on the upcoming device is capable of producing eye-catching and high-quality images that are smaller compared to the average poster-sized pictures. Previous image leaks of the EOS shows a familiar Nokia Lumia range frame capable of holding a camera-phone feature.

Howver, the Nokia Lumia EOS disadvantage on its camera technology is the deficiency of top smartphone applications on the Windows Phone platform for image sharing or uploading such as DropBox, Instagram and Vine.

Nokia has already a scheduled press event to take place on July 11 in New York City. It will be a live worldwide broadcast where the Nokia Lumia EOS is expected to be launched together with an official announcement on the device's release date.

Samsung Galaxy Core

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 10:36:00 +0000

Samsung had announced Galaxy Core in May and last week it was listed on company's website without a price or shipping date. Now, we know both.

Samsung Galaxy Core is a dual-SIM smartphone that sports a 4.3-inch screen with a 480x800 resolution. Powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, the smartphone has 1GB of RAM and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and feature Samsung's TouchWiz interface layer on top.

The smarrphone sports a 5-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. Galaxy Core offers 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through a microSD card. It also offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS connectivity options. The phone comes with an 1800mAh battery.

Samsung's flagship Galaxy S4, Galaxy Core comes with FM Radio functionality. The phone offers smart dual-SIM functionality allowing users to receive calls on one SIM card even when they're utilising the second SIM.

Samsung Galaxy Core offers new smart features borrowed from some of its high-end sibling including Smart Stay that recognises when a user is looking at the phone, and saves battery life when a user looks away by dimming the screen and powering down using advanced facial recognition, Smart Alert that alerts the user to missed calls and messages when the device is picked up, Motion UI that activates common functions such as refresh or mute with simple motion commands and S Voice, Samsung's own voice assistant.

Samsung Galaxy Core key specifications

4.3-inch TFT capacitive touch screen with WVGA 480x800 resolution
1.2GHz dual-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage, can be expanded by up to 32GB via microSD card
5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
VGA front camera
Dual-SIM (GSM + GSM)
3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 3.0, GPS
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
1800mAh battery