The Tech Hacks

5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

Welcome back to Android Apps Weekly! Here are your big headlines from the last week:

Google has a new feature in their Gmail app called Gmailify. This gives your non-Google email accounts Gmail features such as Spam filtering and more. All you have to do is sign into your non-Gmail accounts in Gmail and then enable the feature to get started and you can unlink them at any time.
Right on schedule, Nintendo has opened up the pre-registration for their upcoming Miitomo game for mobile devices. You’ll have to create a Nintendo account to do so which doesn’t take long. This is one step closer to release, but we still don’t have an exact date just yet.
An App Annie report was released this week that predicts that Google Play Store sales and revenue should triple by 2020, outpacing the Apple App Store. It’s good news for Google fans and especially for Google along with all Google Play developers. This is most likely thanks to emerging markets buying smartphones for the first time.
The latest Humble Bundle is now live! This week will feature a bunch of Kemco games which are jRPG titles. They provide many hours of game play and decent stories. You can pay $1 for three games, beat the average for three more games, or pay $6 and get every game.
It was announced this week that Google Play Games will be supporting custom gamer tags in the near future. This is a great addition for those who may not want to game with their real names and gives gamers the chance to be creative. It’s rolling out right now and should reach you soon.

For even more Android apps and games news, releases, and updates, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter! There we’ll have a ton of stuff that we didn’t have space for here. If you would like, you can sign up for the newsletter using the form below and get it sent straight to your inbox every Sunday!

Splash Cars

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Splash Cars is a fun little free roaming game where you drive a car around that drops paint so you can paint the town. The mechanics are relatively simple and the premise is easy to understand. You drive around painting stuff while being tailed by the police. There are power ups that can hinder the police and you can even turn folks to your cause. It’s a time waster to be sure, but it’s a good little diversion that’s worth checking out.

Get it now on Google Play!

Foodie

[Price: Free]
Foodie is a free camera application that was released by LINE, the well known chatting and calls service. It’s an easy camera app that has 26 built in filters that are specifically made to bring some pizzazz to your food photography. On top of the filters, there are also some lightweight editing tools to further enhance the images, auto blurring, and a guide is included to help you make the best use of it. It’s entirely free with no in-app purchases which means there’s no harm in trying.

Get it now on Google Play!

GameBattles

[Price: Free]
GameBattles is an eSports gaming platform that lets players compete against one another, form teams, prepare matches, and all kinds of other stuff. The app is an extension of the service and it lets you check on upcoming matches, view your profile, and see any achievements you may have earned. It’s a little simple, but it looks nice and seems to work smoothly. If you do any competitive gaming, it may be worth looking into this one.

Get it now on Google Play!

Wolfram Cloud

[Price: Free]
Wolfram has released a beta application for Wolfram Cloud which is an app that taps into their popular web service. Using this app, you can access the Wolfram Programming Cloud and continue working on projects you may have there. Of course, most people who are interested in an application like this are those who already use Wolfram or are intending to use it. Still, the app seems to work pretty well and it’s a great addition if you use Wolfram Cloud already.

Get it now on Google Play!

Bombing Bastards Touch

[Price: Free]
Bombing Bastards Touch is an unapologetic Bomberman clone that uses a lot of the same concepts and ideas. The game features 30 puzzle maps across five worlds for you to play through. Each one will be riddled with puzzles, bad guys, and power ups to help you along your way. There are even boss fights. What makes this game unique is that it’s entirely free with no in-app purchases and is probably the best game at that price point that we’ve seen in a long time. Check it out!

Get it now on Google Play!

Related best app lists:

If we missed any big Android apps or games news or releases, tell us about them in the comments! To see our complete list of best app lists, click here.

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LG G5 vs Galaxy Note 5 Quick Camera Shootout

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

With every year comes a series of new flagships that all claim to offer vast improvements in areas such as battery, performance and, more often than not, the camera. LG is no different, with the LG G5 offering a new dual camera set up coupled with the 16MP sensor found on the LG V10, but how does the new camera stack up to the competition?

Without doubt, the Galaxy Note 5 sports one of the best cameras on the market but six months later, does the LG G5 have enough to pick up the mantle from Samsung’s flagship? Is the wide-angle lens enough to make the LG G5 the best smartphone camera on the market or does the Galaxy Note 5 still reign supreme?

While we intend to test the camera fully as part of the upcoming review, we thought we’d put the LG G5 through a very quick camera test against the undoubted best all-round smartphone camera in the Galaxy Note 5. It’s worth keeping in mind that this isn’t final software or hardware on the LG G5 but it does give us a chance to form some very early impressions. Let’s take a closer look in this quick camera shootout; before we get into the images themselves, let’s look at the key camera specs of each handset:

	LG G5	Galaxy Note 5
Main camera	16MP	16MP
Secondary camera	8MP wide-angle	None
Aperture	f/1.8	f/1.9
Focus	Phase Detection Autofocus	Autofocus
Sensor size	1/2.6"	1/2.6"
Pixel size	TBC	1.12µm
Optical Image Stabilisation	Yes	Yes
Manual mode?	Yes	Yes
Video capture	4K @30fps 1080p @60fps	4K @30fps 1080p @60fps
Front camera	8MP 1440p video	5MP, f/1.9 22mm 1440p video

Below you’ll find the Galaxy Note 5 images on the left and the LG G5 images on the right. Where possible, we’ve kept to the same focal width but with the automatic switch between standard and wide-angle views on the LG G5, this isn’t always possible.

With each set of images, we’ve detailed which image was the most lifelike along with any other observations we made.

The Galaxy Note 5 is affected by external light flares, which results in a slight washing out of the photo’s colours, while the LG G5 produces a vibrant, yet slightly darker image.

The Galaxy Note 5 overcompensates for the colours in the scene with over saturation on the stand and the wood background, while the LG G5 does seem a lot closer to the actual scene.

Here, the LG G5 image seems to be a tad dull, whereas the Galaxy Note 5 image is slightly oversaturated but still the closest to the actual scene. It’s also worth noting the detail of the individual lights in the chandelier is more defined in the Galaxy Note 5 image.

Here the differences between the two cameras are very minimal, with good lighting meaning both cameras are almost identical to the actual scene. The LG G5 camera does product a slightly darker image but this also comes with more definition in the background.

Again, the two cameras produce very similar photos but the LG G5 is actually closest to the overall scene. It’s worth noting that neither phone captured the detail near the window to the right of the scene in the background.

Here, the Galaxy Note 5 proves to take the better image, with the bust having more detail and vibrant colours than the image captured by the G5.

Both images are a little noisy when you zoom into them, but the LG G5 does appear to be slightly more defined although the Galaxy Note 5 captures more detail in the background.

The Galaxy Note 5’s oversaturation leads to an image where the colours are too saturatated and not reflective of the actual scene. In comparison, the G5’s image is almost identical to the actual scene, aside from it being slightly darker.

Both cameras fail to capture the scene accurately, with the Galaxy Note 5 presenting more saturated colours and the G5 image appearing to be darker than the actual scene. Given the Galaxy Note 5 image is more saturated, it does appear to be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

With many different colours and a lot information to capture, this is a scene that could prove a challenge for most smartphones. Both smartphones take great images here but the Galaxy Note 5 does seem to be more defined, with the LG G5 just losing out on a lack of detail when you get into the image.

Here, the over-saturation on the Galaxy Note 5 again means it doesn’t accurately reflect the scene, and the LG G5 does a better job at accurately portraying the various colours in the painting on the wall.

While the Galaxy Note 5 image does appear to look more pleasing, it is actually the LG G5 that offers the truest portrayal of the scene as the Galaxy Note 5’s image is warmer and heavily oversaturated. The G5’s picture is more natural but there is slight blooming in the highlights.

Both images are very similar and each smartphone camera seems capable of handling the various colours and details in the scene.

Here the LG G5 seems to handle the light flare from the right of the scene much better than the Galaxy Note 5, which seems to struggle with the light flare and under saturates the colours in the image.

There’s no denying that the LG G5 is definitely a step up from past LG smartphones with accurate and great photos in most conditions. Does it surpass the Galaxy Note 5? That’s a question we’ll answer in a more in-depth comparison once we have a production unit in the coming weeks but for now, let us know your views and which handset you think has the better camera in the comments below!

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More evidence that Android N may drop the app drawer

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

The evidence supporting the lack of an app drawer in the Android N release is really starting to stack up. The just-announced LG G5 has no app drawer and while the Galaxy S7 does have an app drawer, there is a hidden setting to remove it. All of this is making it look increasingly likely that Google is indeed planning to ditch one of Android’s most recognizable features.

In case you missed it, we recently heard from multiple sources that current pre-release builds of what will eventually become Android 7.0 do not include the app drawer. With two of the biggest smartphone releases of 2016 essentially supporting the no app drawer theory, I think we’re soon going to be getting used to an app drawer-less OS. Or installing custom launchers.

I asked LG why it didn’t include an app drawer option in the LG G5 and was told it would only cause more confusion to have an optional app drawer. Although the Galaxy S7 does include an app drawer, there’s an experimental setting in the Galaxy Labs section of the S7 UI called “show all apps on home screen”. Considering the early access OEMs have to new Android versions, this has to be more than just a coincidence.

The interesting thing is that Samsung is clearly hedging its bets, by including both options with a simple “do you find this useful?” up vote/down vote system for the feature. I cornered a Samsung employee during Unpacked and asked what the likelihood was of Samsung flying in the face of Google’s vision for Android 7.0 if a significant number of respondents wanted to keep the app drawer. Perhaps not surprisingly, no one wanted to be quoted but I was I was told that Samsung is very keen on being responsive to customer feedback right now.

The massive backlash last year surrounding the removal of microSD, water-resistance and a removable battery in the Galaxy S6 was heard loud and clear at Samsung HQ. While Samsung still seems more committed to power optimization over a replaceable battery, the re-introduction of a microSD card slot and IP68 rating in the Galaxy S7 are sure to make it a crowd favorite this year.

BIG HITTERS FROM MWC 2016:

If Samsung truly is more interested in delivering what the customer wants over what Google wants, then the results of this simple Galaxy S7 straw poll could very much affect the way the majority of Android users understand the operating system in years to come. If more Galaxy S7 owners say they want to keep the app drawer, then Samsung would be foolish to remove it. After all, the bitter memory of the 2015 mass exodus of Galaxy fans would still be resonating within the company.

Because Samsung is practically synonymous with Android, if Samsung does opt to keep the app drawer – even if it reverses the S7 situation and makes the default setting “no app drawer” with an option to enable it – it could put the brakes on Google’s vision in a massive way. By giving away Android, Google can do its best to direct what Android is, but it can’t control the forks or modifications that OEMs bring to it.

Of course, many Asian manufacturers already go against the grain by not including an app drawer even when stock Android does. So if Samsung was to maintain the status quo it would simply be an inversion of the current situation, but one where the world’s largest Android manufacturer by far doesn’t go along with Google’s idea of Android. Considering Samsung Mobile’s complicated forecast for 2016, keeping the fans happy might just be the top priority for a change, so if you buy a Galaxy S7, be sure to make your vote count.

Do you like the app drawer? Do you think Samsung would choose to keep it if the fans want it?

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US will only receive 32GB Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

Although the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge come in 32GB and 64GB variants, rumors began circulating prior to the Unpacked event that only the 32GB version would be available in some European markets. Now Samsung has confirmed that not only is this true, but moreover, the 64GB version won’t be available in the US either.

There’s still speculation as to why Samsung is limiting device selection in some of their largest markets, but some believe that the 32GB versions of these devices may have a higher profit margin than the 64GB equivalents. They are effectively assuring that only the more profitable version is available in areas where sales of these devices will be massive.

If this is the case, then it’s a clever move that probably won’t ruffle too many feathers, seeing as the S7 line brings back the greatly-missed expandable storage capability that was absent on S6 models. Since users can easily expand their device’s storage, it seems unlikely that too many Samsung fans will be disappointed by being unable to snag 64GB of internal storage.

However, this does put an as-of-yet unconfirmed feature of the S7 line in the spotlight. Although Android 6.0 offers the capability for external storage to be treated as internal storage, it’s not clear yet whether or not the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge will support this. The LG G5, for instance, does not offer this capability, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to hear that Samsung’s flagships won’t either.

It would seem that if the S7 line will let its users treat microSD cards as internal storage, then this will be a complete non-issue. However, if power users start to feel limited by those 32GB of storage space, we might start to hear some squeaky wheels. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more, but in the meantime, what are your thoughts about the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge’s lack of a 64GB version in many regions? Let us know your theories and opinions in the comments!

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LG G5 vs LG V10 quick look

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

LG’s G-series has consistently proven to be one of the best devices of the year and last year, the company followed up by the G4 with its new LG V10, which proved to be one of the best devices they’ve ever made. Fast forward a few months and LG’s new G-series flagship has arrived but how does the LG V10 compare to the LG G5, and which phone is the one to have? Let’s take a look in this quick look comparison between the LG G5 and the LG V10.

One of the biggest changes between the LG G5 and the LG V10 is the build, with the latter featuring a combination of metal and duraguard (which is silicon in another name) and the former, an all-metal aluminium build. The addition of duraguard to the LG V10 means it is certified as being shock resistant, and is considerably more rugged than the LG G5.

The switch to an all metal build means LG has been able to make the LG G5 considerably thinner and svelter than the V10, which is thicker, wider and taller than LG’s new flagship. The aluminum build means LG has kept the weight somewhat down, with the G5 weighing in at 159 grams, versus the V10 which tips the scales at 191 grams.

The switch to metal also means LG has moved away from its trademark rear button combo on the V10 to a more traditional arrangement on the G5. On its new flagship, LG has kept the power button on the rear and embedded a fingerprint reader in it, but moved the volume keys to the left of the handset.

The LG V10 is one of the largest LG phones made in recent years as it sports a 5.7-inch Quad HD IPS display and has a secondary 2.1-inch display above it. In comparison, the LG G5 is considerably smaller as it has a 5.3-inch QHD display and, rather than use a secondary screen, LG has opted for a smaller on-screen Always On Display on its new flagship. The G5 also has a 3D Arc design that curves the display ever so slightly near the earpiece at the top of the display and this is designed to improve the in-hand and on-call experience.

The LG V10 is unique for many reasons and one of these is the dual front camera setup, with LG using two 5MP cameras on the front for intriguing selfies. The LG G5 builds on this dual camera setup by bringing them to the rear of the phone, where the 16MP standard sensor – which is almost identical to the 16MP rear camera on the V10 – is complimented by a secondary wide-angle 8MP sensor.

The second camera on the G5 allows it to capture 135 degree wide-angle shots and, unlike the V10 where you have to manually switch between the two cameras, the G5 automatically switches camera as you zoom in and out of a scene. Both cameras offer 16MP resolution and the LG V10 uses laser autofocus, while the G5 is equipped with phase detection autofocus and continuous autofocus. One feature that hasn’t made it from the V10 to the G5 is the manual video software feature, with LG opting to use the G4’s camera software on the G5 and keep certain features exclusive to V-series devices.

LG isn’t the first company to switch to a metal build but the Korean company has approached this in a different way to others, as it hasn’t sacrificed expandable storage or a removable battery for the sake of the improved build quality. As a result, the G5 has a removable bottom cover that allows you to access the 2800mAh battery (which is 200mAh smaller than the V10), which forms a key part of LG’s new modular design, and allows you to attach additional accessories – such as a camera grip with embedded battery – to the handset.

The smaller battery on the LG G5 is predominantly down to the design constraints of the new modular design but LG has included support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard, which means you can charge your battery to 80% in just 25 minutes. The G5 also sees LG switch to the new USB Type-C standard, while the V10 uses the older – but more widely supported at the moment – microUSB standard.

Samsung’s Gear 360 is a consumer-level 360-degree video camera

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

Fully immersive video experiences are really only just getting started, and the newborn market is still trying to establish its identity. One of the best ways to get a media market to grow is to have tons of content creators making new and more competitive content on it. However, one problem the 360-degree video market has been struggling with is a shortage of readily available consumer-grade video capture technology. Today at MWC, Samsung unveiled their solution to this problem alongside the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge: the Samsung Gear 360.

It looks a little bit like Wheatley from Portal 2 and a lotta bit like a disembodied human eyeball. Nevertheless, the Gear 360 is a pretty impressive little device. It has wide-angle cameras affixed to opposite sides that enable it to stitch together a complete 360-degree image in a snap. The double-lensed cue ball has a flattened bottom, which means it can rest easy on basically any surface, but it comes with a nifty little tripod as well.

The Gear 360 has a replaceable battery tucked away inside a small door, and you can add a microSD card for up to 128GB of on-device storage. It’s splash-proof and dust resistant, but from the feel of it, we wouldn’t expect it to take a ton of abuse. Although this might not be the best device for adventure footage for that reason, what the Gear 360 has over more robust, professional grade equipment is consumer-friendly accessibility.

This spherical camera interacts seamlessly with a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, but non-Samsung users can still take advantage of the device’s capabilities through the use of a PC app. The camera itself doesn’t have much processing power, so it outsources the stitching process to either your Galaxy handset or your computer.

The quality isn’t perfect, but it is suitable. The still shots are 30 megapixels, but you can still see errors in the stitching if objects are too close to either lens. The video quality isn’t quite as good, clocking in at 3840×1920 resolution. It’s still an excellent experience on Gear VR, but it’s still outstripped by professional-grade equipment.

Perfect quality isn’t the point of the Gear 360, however. This device is looking to put 360-degree video tech in the hands of the masses, which is a great step toward boosting the VR platform toward its inevitable mainstream adoption. We don’t have pricing information on the Gear 360 yet, but some believe it may be available in a package with the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. Whether or not this friendly looking little camera achieves its goal of making 360-degree video available to all will hinge largely on how affordable it is.

Next: Samsung Galaxy S7 officially announced: release date, price, specs, features26

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Official Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:43:00 +0000

Following the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, the company has released the first official introduction to the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, and it’s pretty damn slick. The video showcases the aesthetics and capabilities of these devices, as well as how they can interface with the Samsung Gear 360 and Samsung Pay.

This introduction shows off the the Galaxy S7’s expandable memory, large screens, elegant build structure, and always-on screen capabilities. It also gives a nod to wireless charging and the Vulkan API (powered by 4GB of RAM) that truly unlocks the rendering capabilities of this mobile device. The battery is the size we expected, 3000mAh for the S7 and 3600mAh for the S7 edge. For those of us who are surgically attached to social media, both of these devices come with robust water resistance, meaning you can finally live-tweet your showers without using the sandwich bag trick.

The camera has some remarkable advances which Samsung claims make it capable of capturing 56 percent more light than standard mobile cameras. This professional-grade technology means that you can capture far better images even in low light conditions. The camera is also capable of pulling of split-second auto focusing by employing technology that mimics how the human eye focuses.

Of course, Samsung Pay is supported on both the Galaxy S7 and the S7 edge. What’s more groundbreaking, however, is how these smartphones interact with the Samsung Gear 360, a fascinating portable camera that provides 360 degree images for use with Gear VR. All in all, these appear to be truly powerful flagship devices that live up to the standards of 2016 cutting edge mobile tech.

What are your thoughts on Samsung’s newest devices? Worth the buzz, or is the hype overplayed? Let us know your opinion in the comments!

Next: Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge pricing and availability: what we know so far3

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CAT S60 hands-on: A rugged phone with a thermal camera

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:40:00 +0000

CAT is back with a new rugged phone at Mobile World Congress, this time offering a built-in FLIR thermal camera module with the S60. FLIR's sensors have been available as add-on attachments for Android handsets for a while now, but the vendor has managed to shrink its module down to the size of a standard camera sensor with the Lepton, allowing it to be integrated into a phone.

Here's what you're getting with the CAT S60:

Category	Features
Display	4.7-inch 720p IPS LCD with Gorilla Glass 4 Max. brightness of 540 nits
CPU	1.7Ghz octa-core Snapdragon 617
GPU	Adreno 405 GPU
RAM	3GB
Internal Storage	32GB storage
Storage Expansion	microSD slot up to 128GB
Camera	13MP with dual-tone flash FLIR thermal camera (changeable heat palettes, temperature spot meter) 5MP front shooter
Connectivity	LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, NFC and FM radio
Battery	3800mAh
OS	Android 6.0 Marshmallow

The CAT S60 is a chunky phone, with an angular design and beveled edges. The micro-USB and 3.5mm audio ports are all covered, and the navigation buttons are similar to what we've seen on the Galaxy S6 Active. There's front-facing audio as well.

The FLIR thermal camera is where things get interesting. The sensor has a built-in thermometer that lets you measure surface temperatures in real-time, and you can also tap to set different viewpoints to view how cold or hot an object is. The thermal sensor interlaces data from the regular camera to give you a live preview mode, which offers much more detail. You can take photos and videos in the live preview mode, but the resolution is limited to VGA (640 x 480). That may not seem like a lot, but it offers a lot of value for the professional users this phone is targeted toward.

For exapmple, first responders at an accident can leverage the thermal camera to find the wounded amidst the wreckage. Home energy contractors could point the CAT S60 at a house and determine where air is leaking.

The S60 can be used with wet hands or gloves, functions underwater (up to 5 meters) for an hour, and the strengthened frame offers drop protection to 1.8 meters. The phone is designed to take a beating, and is MIL-STD-810G certified, which means that it is resistant to dust, humidity, rain, thermal shock, salt, and vibration.

The CAT S60 is surprisingly decent as a regular phone. It comes with Marshmallow out of the box, with a stock interface along with a few pre-installed apps to take full advantage of the FLIR sensor.

For now, the CAT S60 is aimed at professionals, but it will be interesting to see if a mainstream vendor can leverage the FLIR sensor in a consumer-facing device. There's no release date for the S60 yet, but it will set you back $599 once it hits store shelves.

Acer's flagship Liquid Jade 2 offers 1TB hybrid cloud storage

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:40:00 +0000

At Mobile World Congress, Acer has unveiled the flagship Liquid Jade 2, the successor to the Liquid Jade. The phone comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED screen and a Snapdragon 808, but the most interesting feature on offer is the hybrid cloud storage, which sounds similar to what you get with the Nextbit Robin. Whereas the Robin offers 100GB of cloud storage, Acer is offering ten times that, with 1TB available. The vendor is saying that the hybrid storage functionality "seamlessly integrates local storage with cloud storage," and it will be interesting to see if Acer's implementation is as robust as that of the Robin.

Here's what's on offer with the Liquid Jade 2:

Category	Features
Display	5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED with 100 percent NTSC color gamut
SoC	Snapdragon 808
Memory	3GB of RAM
Storage	32GB storage, 1TB hybrid cloud storage
Camera	21MP with dual-LED flash, PDAF, 4K video recording \| 8MP front camera
Connectivity	LTE Category 6, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.1
Software	Android 6.0 Marshmallow

The vendor is also highlighting the budget Liquid Zest, which offers a 5-inch 720p screen, 8MP camera at the back, 5MP front shooter, and quad-core 1.3 GHz processor for €109. The LTE-enabled model is priced at €149, and both variants will be available from April.

Acer isn't detailing availability or pricing for the Liquid Jade 2 just yet, but with the phone being showcased at MWC, we'll bring you additional details from the ground shortly.

Sony announces Xperia Ear wireless earpiece, teases Xperia Eye, Projector and Agent concepts

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:10:00 +0000

This MWC Sony is launching more than just phones with the announcement of two new products, the Xperia Ear and RM-X7BT in-car Bluetooth commander. But it isn't done there — we're also getting a quick look atthree conceptual products, the Xperia Eye, Xperia Projector and Xperia Agent. Throughout all of the products, simple design and voice control are common themes.

The Xperia Ear immediately reminds us of Motorola's Moto Hint. It's a small, Bluetooth connected earpiece with more smarts than your average headset. It can keep you up to date with information like the weather and your upcoming appointments, but is also listening for voice commands so you can navigate, dictate messages, perform searches and more. The Xperia Ear hooks into an app on your phone for the processing, and is designed to be worn comfortably all day. Sony will have more information on the Xperia Ear this summer.

On a completely unrelated note, the RM-X7BT in-car Bluetooth commander is a two-part product that consists of a component you attach to your car and a corresponding smartphone app, and when combined offer wireless music streaming and entertainment options. You'll be able to send music from your phone to the car stereo, make hands-free calls and also interact with the app using your voice. You can also find the RM-X7BT starting this summer.

Stepping away from real products and into the future, Sony has three new concepts it's showing off at the show. The Xperia Eye is a small clip-on camera to be worn on your shirt or around your neck, and packs a spherical camera that offers an extremely wide field of view. With face and image recognition technology, the Xperia Eye will be able to capture images throughout your day so you never miss a moment.

The Xperia Projector is a small box designed to be a home communication and information device. When placed on a table it can project an interface onto any smooth surface, like a wall, and give you information in a heads-up interface with touch, gestures and voice controls. Sony's concept image shows a simple interface with the time, weather, upcoming appointments and missed calls.

Lastly, there's the Xperia Agent concept. This little device brings thoughts of the Amazon Echo to mind, as it will respond to voice requests and gestures for a variety of tasks. It can even project information onto surfaces and has a camera for capturing images, opening up plenty of capabilities.

Sony isn't spilling much in terms of details on the concept products, and given the vagueness of their descriptions we don't expect much in the way of release timeframes. We'll surely know more as they get closer to launching.

Source: Sony

ZTE announces Blade V7 and V7 Lite with beautiful metallic design

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:40:00 +0000

ZTE has introduced two new smartphones at Mobile World Congress, the Blade V7 and Blade V7 Lite. The difference in features and specs between the two phones is minimal. On the Blade V7 you'll find a 5.2-inch display, while the V7 Lite has a slightly smaller 5-inchs screen on it. Both smartphones will launch running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and come equipped with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.

The processors in both phones will be slightly different, with the Blade V7 running an MT6753 octa-core CPU at 1.3GHz, while the V7 Lite will have an MTK6735P quad-core processor. On the Lite you'll have an 8MP camera on both the front and back of the phone, while the Blade V7 gets a 13MP shooter on the rear and 5MP on the front.

ZTE has not yet revealed pricing or available information, but stay tuned for more information as it is made available.

Press release:

ZTE introduces Blade V7 and Blade V7 Lite, with flawless metallic design

New design features octa-core chip, PDAF camera, Smart Sense intelligent gesture control.

22 February 2016, Barcelona –ZTE, a leading global mobile device maker, today launched the latest iterations in its popular Blade series, the Blade V7 and Blade V7 Lite, at Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona. Designed to meet the needs of today's smartphone users, the two devices are on display at ZTE's conference booth in Hall 3, 3F30, along with the company's other pioneering technology for the smart lifestyle of the future.

"We're proud to unveil the Blade V7 and Blade V7 Lite to the world at one of our industry's most global gatherings," said Jacky Zhang, CEO of EMEA and APAC, ZTE Mobile Devices. "These devices are the latest milestone in how ZTE Mobile Devices develops high-quality and affordable products that users truly need. In our brand's transformation from business-to-business to business-to-consumer, we put users at the heart of everything we image and create."

ZTE Blade V7

The Blade V7 is slim and sleek: Its full-metal, ergonomic body is only 3.5mm thick at its thinnest edge, sporting a 5.2-inch screen perfect for single-hand use. Its 78.2-percent screen-to-body ratio and 2.5D curved edge glass offers a stunning handful of fun. Blade V7 packs a punch with strong core components and features: powerful octa-core chipsets, 4G LTE plus, 2GB of RAM for ultra-fast entertainment, powerful front and rear PDAF cameras, and expanded Smart Sense intelligent gesture control features. It will be available in Germany, Spain, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Mexico by summer of 2016.

ZTE Blade V7 Lite

Smaller than the Blade V7 with a 5-inch display, the Blade V7's features are anything but "lite."Designed in Germany, this model comes with a circular fingerprint scanner for security, app quick-launch, and navigation. Like the Blade V7, the V7 Lite also comes equipped with a powerful camera and Smart Sense gesture control. This version will first launch in Russia before becoming available in Mexico, Spain, Germany and Thailand by spring 2016. The Blade series is aimed at the young and the young at heart in order to meet the needs of the largest group of global consumers. By the end of 2015, more than 30 million Blade phones were shipped in over 50 countries worldwide. As overseas users have higher requirements for product quality, the success of Blade is highly significant.

Sony announces the new Xperia X smartphone series

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:40:00 +0000

Sony took to their booth at MWC 2016 to expand their Xperia line with a new X-series of smartphones and a line of connected lifestyle gadgets. The Xperia X series includes the mid-range XA, the X, and the flagship Xperia X Performance.

Details are still trickling in on each phone, but the new line features a design that's a clear evolution of Sony's design language, with typically-premium materials like a a seamless metal body and curved display glass. Sony is focusing on two technological areas with the X phones: the camera and the battery.

As we've seen from other manufacturers, most cameras take good enough photos, so the goal now is to improve the photo-taking experience. On that front, Sony has developed a new predictive hybrid autofocus system that leverages Sony's Alpha DSLR camera technology to use motion-tracking to predict where the camera will track focus in activity-filled scenes.

On the battery front, the Xperia X series incorporates smart battery tech in the form of Qnovo's Adaptive Charging, which is designed to smartly manage heat and charging to extend the lifespan of the battery. On top of that, Sony's claiming a 2-day battery life for the X series phones.

When it comes to specs, there's a lot we don't yet know, apart from the screen size, which for the X and XA is a solid 5 inches. Sony's presentation was mum on display size, type, or resolution; camera resolution; weight; and much more. They did regveal that the Xperia X will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor, while the Xperia X Performance will pack the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset.

All three phones are due for a gloabl launch in the summer fo 2016 and will come in white, black, rose gold, and "lime gold". Pricing has not yet been revealed. Stay tuned for more info from MWC 2016.

Source: Sony

Alcatel announces the POP 4, POP 4+ and POP 4S

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:10:00 +0000

Alcatel has unveiled the new POP 4 series of smartphones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The company's new line-up of handsets focuses on strong customization, enabling you to really make your smartphone represent you as a person. The series is made up of the POP 4, POP 4+ and POP 4S.

There's a choice of fashionable covers to customize the smartphone, including Hairline-Brushed, Leather, Wood and Baby Skin. These options combined with the sleek-looking and slim chassis makes the POP 4 an attractive handset to use. Add 4G LTE (for the POP 4S) connectivity into the mix and you're rocking fast internet in style.

Both the POP 4 and POP 4+ sport 8MP rear shooters, while the POP 4S has a 13MP main camera. All three models come with a 5MP front-facing selfie machine. The former two are powered by quad-core CPUs and the POP 4S has an octa-core processor for improved gaming and multi-tasking. As the top-end of the POP 4 family, this particular option also includes fingerprint recognition tech and JBL headsets.

We'll look forward to more details surrounding both pricing and availability in due course.

Press Release

MWC, Barcelona, 22 February, 2016 – ALCATEL announces POP 4 series, a full line of customizable smartphones with design and performance in mind. The iconic POP 4 series includes variants of POP 4, POP 4+ and POP 4S. These smartphones offer customization – from style, color, design, size, performance to user experience.

"To consumers in their early 20's, the POP 4 smartphone is 'designed by you, inside and out,'" said CW Park, Chief Designer and General Manager of Global Design Center at ALCATEL. "The POP 4 series offers a huge collection of covers to fit every personality. It's the ultimate tailor-made smartphone because customization is always a top priority for us"

Fashionable, With Superior Design

The POP 4 series offers a choice of four fashionable cover collections to customize a look: Hairline-Brushed, Leather, Wood and Baby Skin. Top that off with a slim body, curved design and fully laminated display for a premium look that users will adore.

Great Camera Experience

POP 4 and POP 4+ carry 8 Mpxl rear cameras for clear shots and 5 Mpxl front cameras with wide viewing angle for better group selfies.

The POP 4S's 13 Mpxl rear camera and 5 Mpxl front camera offers ultra-fast focus (PDAF); large sensor size for clear, bright pictures; a dual-tone flash for accurate color rendering, bright night shots and selfies.

Premium Performance and User Experience POP 4 and POP 4+ runs quad-core CPU and the top-of-the-line POP 4S integrates an octa-core powerful CPU and 4G LTE category 6. This feature puts users in the fast lane for always more streaming and gaming connectivity. In addition, the POP 4S includes fingerprint recognition for maximized security. Its JBL headsets and Hi-Fi sound allow for a great multimedia experience right at your fingertips.

The big powerful battery makes sure users can party as long as they want. With a "quick charge" function, consumers can charge their battery to 50 percent in 30 minutes.

Watch Sony's MWC 2016 press conference

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:10:00 +0000

This morning, live from MWC 2016: Sony! We aren't quite sure what they've got going on, but we're there on site to find out! It's standing room only in Sony's booth, but they're streaming their event live, so you can tune in and watch it below!

Samsung confirms Snapdragon 820, Exynos 8 Octa processors in the Galaxy S7

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:10:00 +0000

For some reason this was a tightly held spec — but now we know which processors run the Galaxy S7.

After a year of relying on just its own processors on its top-end phones, Samsung is back to using two competing processors, depending on the region, in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, and now we know for certain that those will be the Snapdragon 820 and the Samsung Exynos 8 Octa. The information was finally offered to the public officially in press releases from Samsung and Qualcomm.

As was the case in earlier Galaxy S releases, models released in the U.S. will be running Qualcomm's processor, while other areas around the world will be running Exynos.

The Exynos 8 Octa processor was announced late last year and is a relatively known quantity. It's the second processor from Samsung built on a 14nm FinFET process, is 64-bit and has the latest integrated LTE modem. Samsung says it's 30 percent more powerful and also 10 percent more power efficient than last year's Exynos 7 in the Galaxy S6.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 is of course the latest top-end mobile chip for the company, and since it was unveiled late last year we've been waiting for this year's flagships to integrate it. It's powering the LG G5, and we'll be seeing it in many other phones throughout 2016. It's a quad-core processor also built on a 14nm FinFET process, and touts dramatic graphical performance increases as well as the latest LTE speeds.

If history has told us anything, we don't expect to see a notable difference in performance or battery life between the variants.

Source: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S7

Press release:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Processor Powers Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge Integrate Qualcomm TruSignal Technology for Improved Call Reliability, Network Coverage and Data Speeds

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., is powering Samsung's newest and most advanced flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge for select regions. The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge feature the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor with integrated Snapdragon X12 LTE modem for up to 33 percent faster 4G+ LTE download speeds and up to 200 percent faster LTE upload speeds compared to the previous generation. Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge integrate Qualcomm® TruSignal™ multi-antenna boost technology to intelligently compensate for signal impediments, improving call reliability, data speeds and call coverage while reducing radio power consumption.

"Qualcomm Technologies and Samsung have a long history of working closely together in redefining mobile experiences and we are pleased to be powering the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge," said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "With integrated 4G+ LTE connectivity, TruSignal multi-antenna boost technology, as well as new immersive multimedia capabilities as supported by the Snapdragon 820 processor, Samsung customers can enjoy truly next-generation mobile experiences."

"Qualcomm Technologies' advanced, diverse technology portfolio provides us with the connectivity and processing solutions to power our latest flagship Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge," said Taemoon Roh, executive vice president and head of mobile hardware, R&D and product strategy team, Samsung. "Our Samsung Galaxy customers can now enjoy the latest in user experiences, including the fastest 4G LTE connections backed by Qualcomm Technologies' leading LTE solutions."

As Qualcomm Technologies' premium flagship mobile processor, the Snapdragon 820 processor has been completely custom designed to power the next generation of premium mobile devices. This is achieved by refining every major IP block to extract the utmost in processing and power efficiency, delivering unprecedented speed, battery life and the following features:

Immersive multimedia experiences are supported by the Qualcomm® Adreno™ 530 GPU for amazing graphics and the new 14-bit Qualcomm Spectra™ image signal processing (ISP) unit that supports DSLR-quality photography and enhanced computer vision for ultra-clear, vivid photos with accurate color. Coupled with the immersive audio capabilities that allow for surround sound from your mobile device, the Snapdragon 820 processor delivers unmatched multimedia experiences in the palm of your hand.

Fast and seamless connectivity virtually anytime, anywhere is enabled by the integrated X12 LTE modem, supporting up to 33 percent faster 4G+ LTE speeds compared to the previous generation so that users experience lightning-fast download speeds (up to 600 Mbps) and superior network coverage. For even faster sharing of photos and videos, the X12 LTE modem provides upload speeds up to 150 Mbps – up to three times as fast as typical LTE devices. The modem uses Qualcomm Technologies' comprehensive suite of TruSignal multi-antenna processing technologies to intelligently compensate for signal impediments such as a hand grip, improving call reliability, data speeds and indoor and outdoor call coverage and reliability without the need to increase transmit power consumption.

Leading overall system performance and power efficiency is delivered via the Snapdragon 820 processor, specifically featuring the Company's first quad-core custom 64-bit Qualcomm® Kryo™ CPU at up to 2.2 GHz per core in the most advanced 14nm FinFET LPP process, as well as a custom Adreno 530 GPU for up to 40% better graphics and compute performance compared to the previous generation and a new custom Qualcomm® Hexagon™ 680 DSP architecture with Hexagon Vector eXtensions and a low power island for always-on sensor processing. These key processing engines have been efficiently integrated to deliver superior processing performance.

The Snapdragon 820 processor is available now and is expected to be shipping in devices in the first half of 2016. More information can be found at www.qualcomm.com. For more information about the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, please visit: http://ift.tt/GHkDdM

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Galaxy S7: Behind the scenes at Samsung Unpacked at MWC 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 00:55:00 +0000

There's nothing quite like being at a product launch. There's a certain exhilaration to every good one. But sometimes events stand out more than others. Samsung's Unpacked event in Berlin last fall for the Gear S2 was one of them. In the round, elevated, in the special venue that is Berlin's Tempodrom. The pacing, the quality of the executives (and the diversity as well — something that was a little lacking this evening), and the product itself made that a fun event to cover.

I didn't think Samsung would be able to top that event so soon. But this evening in Barcelona, it did exactly that. And it needed to. This was the first Unpacked event with DJ Koh at the helm instead of JK Shin. (I thought Koh did great.) Tonight's event stands out for any number of reasons. First it was walking in and seeing a Gear VR headset sitting on every seat. (And also under the seat as a giveaway for all the attendees.) It was the cube in the middle of the room, making us think (at first) that the entire event might be done in Gear VR. But then the cube opened and Koh quickly established that Samsung's not going anywhere but up in the mobile business.

And it was the agape jaws as we removed the Gear VR later in the program only to find Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg on stage, ready to talk about his company's promise to the Oculus/Samsung partnership. (I had no idea he'd snuck up on us. That was brilliant.)

And maybe more important is that it was the announcement of a Samsung Galaxy S7 that built upon an already well-grounded platform of 2015 — marrying the best of the Galaxy S6 and the Note 5 with a few new features, and a few that we'd wished would return again.

And, dammit, it was just fun. You don't have to be a Samsung Knight to enjoy an Unpacked event.

This is a little of what it was like to be there. Thanks for coming along with us.

Samsung Galaxy S7

LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7: Who won MWC?

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 22:57:00 +0000

Today, we got our first official look at the two biggest Android phones of 2016 — the LG G5 and the Samsung Galaxy S7.

Some things stayed the same, some things changed, and some things are brand spanking new. We saw new accessories like 360-degree cameras, a focus on VR and rollerballs. We saw a lot. Not everyone will like everything we got to see, that's for sure. Smartphone fans are a fickle bunch.

Now that we've seen most everything there is to see about the G5 and the S7 (there will always be surprises) it's time to think about who did it best — the devices, the presentation and the hype. See who we think did it best at MWC 2016.

Phil Nickinson

Nobody "wins" Mobile World Congress. Oh, awards will be given and accolades bestowed. But the real winners are those who already are fans of LG and Samsung.

I've been to nearly every "Unpacked" event, and this was the best.

LG did what it does every couple years and went far afield. Samsung took last year's really good phone and made them even better, while adjusting things so that maybe the Galaxy Note line won't encroach on the "regular" phones quite so much.

LG did really well for LG with an intriguing phone, but accessories that don't quite seem rise to its level. And you have to wonder what the modules will cost.

Samsung outdid Samsung. I've been to nearly every "Unpacked" event, and this was the best. (Topping Berlin last fall was a tall order, but they pulled it off.)

Samsung just plays on another level than everyone else these days. And it does so without the pretension and forced sense of importance we're subjected to by its biggest competitor.

Derek Kessler

It's clear that Samsung came out on top in the ongoing competition with LG. It was clear from the comparison they made in their presentation (LG compared themselves to Samsung, Samsung compared themselves to Apple), it was clear from the polish and confidence of their presentations, it was clear from the moment that I picked up a Galaxy S7 after spending time with the G5 earlier in the day. The LG G4 is a phenomenal phone and so was the Galaxy S6.

Samsung had Zuckerberg. LG had a robot ball.

And while the LG G5 is a fine phone trying a great number of new things and a complete rethink of LG's hardware design language, somehow it just felt like an amalgamation of gimmicks. The Galaxy S7, on the other hand, is merely an evolution over its predecessor, but comes across as a complete thought. Where LG is zigging and zagging from generation to generation, desperately trying to find something that will catch fire and ditching the things that aren't (so long, rear-mounted buttons), Samsung is powering ahead at full steam.

The G5 is a fascinating phone for sure. They're throwing nearly everything against the wall with this phone — an always-on LCD display, dual rear cameras (one with an extra-wide-angle lens), a metal unibody with a removable battery and swappable expansion modules — and yet I came away underwhelmed by it all. For as fascinating as it is, it seemed uninspired. Samsung, on the other hand, came out in full force with a phone that's a clear evolution of the Galaxy S6. The metal frame, the sloping glass body, the excellent rear camera... everything that Samsung did with the S7 was an improvement on the S6. LG came out wildly firing everything in their arsenal; Samsung launched a targeted tactical strike.

Also, Samsung had Zuckerberg. LG had a robot ball.

Andrew Martonik

I have to applaud LG for its improvements over last year's G4. The LG G5 stepped up to the plate with a metal build, but isn't winning me over with its changes to the software and a secondary ultra-wide angle camera that's simply paired with the same main shooter as last year. At the same time, the two modules the phone is launching with haven't caught my eye — and I don't expect to be won over when the prices come out.

I think the "winner" at this point has to be the Galaxy S7.

Meanwhile, I feel Samsung was already coming from a position of strength, with the Galaxy S6 really only losing in terms of battery life last year. With the Galaxy S7, that shouldn't be an issue anymore, and there are so many extra features thrown in. The new camera looks to be promising as it builds on its success last year, and the SD card slot is a bonus for those who want it. The external hardware is similar to last year but that's a good thing to my eyes, and at this point the software is quick and still seems to be a better overall experience than LG's.

Things can change over time, of course, but I think the "winner" at this point has to be the Galaxy S7.

Alex Dobie

It's a clear win for Samsung. The manufacturer had a strong showing last year, and built upon it in the areas that mattered without resorting to too much gimmickry. Whatever you think of the weird Gear VR press conference, and the over-the-top visual bombast with which the Galaxy S7 series was announced you can't argue with the products themselves. The GS7 and GS7 edge both look to be solid devices, and because of features that are actually going to benefit users, like a larger battery, improved low-light camera performance.

Samsung built upon last year's success in the areas that mattered.

By comparison, LG relied firmly on eye-catching novelties like detachable modules, a dual camera setup and a weird array of "friends" that most buyers won't bother with. Then there's the fact that LG's actually cut back on battery capacity from last year, and that it remains to be seen whether the main camera (the non-wide-angle one) is actually any better than last year. LG wasn't forthcoming with word on any improvements.

Maybe plugging your phone into a plastic shell and strapping it to your face is dumb. Maybe Samsung's still over-designing its UI a little. But the company showed that beyond all this stuff it's capable of creating stunning Android phones with very few compromises.

Russell Holley

Samsung demonstrated they're listening to customers and are improving in the areas they know will sell more phones. Samsung is also pushing full steam ahead into their GearVR platform. Both of these things make me very happy as a user and a nerd.

The G5 looks like it'll be a ton of fun to play with.

That having been said, LG stole the show for me. The speech about how phones haven't really changed in these last couple of years really spoke to me, and the G5 looks like it'll be a ton of fun to play with. Also, the "Friends of G5" accessories might add well have been marketed directly at my wallet. USB-C accessories that also play nice on things that aren't the G5? A rolly robot with a camera that also gives me back smartphone-controlled IR for my TV? I'll take two of each, thanks.

Choosing between the two, having not touched either yet, isn't a decision I'm ready to make. Choosing which presentation left me more excited to touch what was announced, however, is something I happily award LG.

Jerry Hildenbrand

I'm not going to be using either of these phones very much throughout 2016. They just aren't my cup of tea. Having said that up front, I'll give the nod to Samsung — because LG did everything they could do to lose.

If I had to choose I'd go with the Galaxy S7 edge.

Samsung gave us pretty much what we expected — a similar design to last year's model (that was gorgeous) with better "stuff" inside and an SD card slot. Everyone pretty much knew what we'd see from the S7, and most of us realize that you should never do away with what is already good when you try to make something better. People who loved the Galaxy S6 series (and that's a whole lot of people) will feel familiar with and love the Galaxy S7 models. There will be bumps in the road, there will be quirks in the software, and people will find things to complain about — but the S7 looks to be a very nice product.

LG on the other hand, well they tried to once again reinvent their G series. I think they look good — pink combined with that Battlestar Galactica camera assembly is the new hotness — but I'm not liking the whole modular thing they have going on. I want great controls for my camera on a phone. I want great headphone audio on my phone. I just don't want to have to buy a doohickey that plugs into the bottom — and I want both at the same time. Don't even get me started on the back button thing. Or the interface thing. Or the way this hot-swap stuff is going to affect updates.

I can't tell you that either choice is a bad one for you to make, but if I had to choose I'd go with the Galaxy S7 edge.

Who do you think did it best?

A surefire way to get people riled up is to ask which anything is best. People are passionate about the stuff they like.

Without being too unruly, vote and tell everyone who you think did it best then jump into the comments and talk it out.

free polls

Galaxy S7 and S7 edge launch: Everything you need to know

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 22:12:00 +0000

So much to learn — and it's all here.

As is the case with any major phone launch, there's a whole heck of a lot to take in when it comes to the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. First, you'll want to kick things off with our hands-on time and first impressions of the phones, and follow that up with our special edition podcast!

When you're ready to take in even more Galaxy S7 and S7 edge info, we have it all listed here for you.

The basics

So here are the basics. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge are here. They have the latest specs and features from Samsung and they go on sale at the same time — pre-orders start Feb. 24 and sales start Mar. 11. Here are the details:

The features

Getting into more detail, these are some of the big stories surrounding the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The phones will only come with 32GB of storage, but they also have an SD card slot to add 200GB more. The camera has been improved notably, and they're rated as IP68 waterproof as well. And oh, so much more:

The comparisons

It's natural every time a new phone comes out to compare it to the latest models from all of the manufacturers, and we've done a few right from the start to give you a better feel for these phones.

The extras

And the information just keeps on coming. Check out some of our additional coverage of the phones!

The accessories

And you can't have a phone launch nowadays without a bunch of accessories to go along with it, and Samsung has gotten pretty good at launching some top-notch (albeit usually expensive) stuff. We have cases, chargers and all sorts of stuff here:

Win a Galaxy S7 from Android Central!

Excited now? You'll want to enter to win the Galaxy S7 from Android Central!

Win a Galaxy S7 from Android Central!

Samsung Galaxy S7

This Galaxy S7 case from Samsung offers swappable camera lenses

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 21:56:00 +0000

The Galaxy S7 is shaping up to have a wonderful camera experience that can even best the already-great Galaxy S6, and Samsung is leveraging that focus on camera quality with a new case. We've seen clip-on and magnetic camera lens attachments for phones before, and now Samsung is offering up its own take on the idea with these screw-on lenses that attach directly to a thin silicone case.

What would normally be a very simple snap-on case with a leather-like rubberized texture on the outside transforms into something much more interesting when you take a look closer at the screw-in threads surrounding the phone's camera lens. Those threads let you attach one of two different lens attachments that dramatically change the photos you can take with this phone — a telephoto for longer-distance shots, and a super wide-angle lens for closeups and, well, wide shots.

These high-quality lenses sport a metal exterior and typically solid Samsung camera build quality, which matches the great hardware of the phone itself. And because the lenses are designed specifically for these phones, you won't encounter any issues with visual inconsistency or problems attaching them. Just screw the lens tightly into the case and you've completely changed the dynamic of the photos you can shoot, then when you want to go back to a thinner profile the lens comes off and your phone works normally.

We're extremely excited to spend more time with the Galaxy S7's camera and these two lenses that can mix things up. At this point we're unsure of exact pricing and availability of the case and associated lenses, but expect to know more as the phone's launch nears.

Samsung Galaxy S7

Samsung's Galaxy S7 battery case uses Qi wireless charging to keep your phone powered up

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 21:56:00 +0000

The Galaxy S7 brings a considerable bump in battery capacity over the Galaxy S6, and the Galaxy S7 edge's battery even outdoes the marginally-larger Galaxy S6 edge+ launched late last year. Even still, there are folks who will have higher battery life expectations, and for those who push their phones hard it's going to come down to adding a battery case or a mobile battery charger.

Samsung has made a really interesting battery case for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge to launch right alongside the phone, and while it offers the same tradeoff of additional size for battery capacity as any other battery case, it has a few tricks up its sleeves to differentiate it.

From the start, everything's relatively basic as far as the case portion is concerned. The hard rubber case — in either silver or black — snaps around the exterior of the phone, and is layered with a textured material that should make it easier to hold onto its added girth. A set of LEDs on the top show you a power level while a power button turns on the flow when you need it, and a micro-USB port (oddly, also on the top) is how you'll charge it up.

Now, here's where things get a bit odd. Instead of plugging into the Galaxy S7's own micro-USB port on the bottom of the phone for power, the case actually incorporates a Qi wireless charging coil to transfer power into the phone. Of course wireless charging isn't quite as efficient as a hardwired connection, but this saves a considerable amount of space on the bottom of the case, as it doesn't need a "chin" to incorporate the connector. Subsequently, you won't have any additional stress on the micro-USB port when it comes to the case moving around on the phone. It also leaves the bottom of the phone exposed so you can access its headphone jack and speaker.

The Samsung battery case will bring an additional 2700 mAh of battery capacity to the Galaxy S7, or 3100 mAh for the S7 edge model, although of course not all of that will eventually make it into the phone over the course of charging. Expect this case to give your phone a solid 75 percent (or so) boost in battery life, depending on your usage. As is often the case with these accessories they may take some time to filter out to retailers, but this one should be relatively easy to get your hands on after the phone launches.

Samsung Galaxy S7

Huawei aims to topple Samsung and Apple in five years

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 20:44:00 +0000

Huawei might not be a household name in the United States, but the Chinese company is the third largest smartphone seller in the world behind Samsung and Apple. Today Richard Yu, the head of device business, said that he believes Huawei could be number one in just five years.

“We are quite late in the U.S. market,” Yu confessed. And it’s true. To date, the company has only played a small role on U.S. soil, moving a paltry number of phones through online sales. If they really want to take the states, they’ll have to secure partnerships with the country’s major carriers, an endeavor they hope to make progress in over the course of 2016. The goal is to have Huawei products sold through one of the big four by the end of the year.

LG G5 vs LG G4 quick look

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 20:44:00 +0000

LG officially unveiled its 2016 flagship, the LG G5, at MWC 2016 earlier today, introducing a radical departure in design when compared to earlier members of the G series. There’s no denying that the all-metal modular design is strikingly different than its predecessor the LG G4, but are the differences only skin deep or is there more beneath the surface of the G5 than meets the eye? Find out in our quick look LG G5 vs LG G4 comparison.

The LG G5 is the first all-metal G series device from LG. As such, it does not have a removable back cover, like the G4 and G3 before it, but it does retain a microSD card slot and removable battery. The familiar rear-key button setup is also gone, with a volume rocker now located on the left hand side of the phone and the power button integrated in the new finger scanner on the back, which is now flat compared to the G4’s curved rear.

Despite its more “premium” build material, the LG G5 is arguably not as “premium looking” as the G4, seeming to prioritize function over form instead. The all-metal build doesn’t add much to the weight of the G5 though, coming in at just four grams heavier than the G4. This lightness, combined with the feel of the metal finish, doesn’t make the G5 feel all that sturdy, like an HTC device, but it is a refreshing change to have such a lightweight metal phone.

As rumored, the LG G5 features a unique new modular design whereby the bottom section of the phone slides out to allow a variety of optional “modules” to be inserted, what LG has dubbed “Friends”, along with various peripherals that don’t slot in. A button on the lower left edge of the G5 unlocks the module mechanism and it can then be pulled out of the phone, with the battery attached.

Each LG G5 module incorporates this bottom section of the device whether the module is the same size, like the LG Hi-Fi Plus DAC by Bang & Olufsen, or larger and bulkier like the LG CAM Plus which adds additional camera controls and and extended battery to the G5. For more details on the LG G5 modules, check the link. The visual differences between the G4 and G5 are too extensive to list here, with basically no similarities between the two. Some changes seem curiously for the worse, however.

For example, the slight “lip” surrounding the display on the G4 is gone and the slight top-to-bottom curve of the screen (that kept it from making contact with a flat surface if faced screen down) is gone, replaced by a slight bend in the Gorilla Glass 4 at the top of the display, which potentially exposes the G5’s screen to more scratches than its predecessor.

The LG G5 display is slightly smaller than the G4, at 5.3 inches compared to 5.5. It’s still a QHD LCD, but it has been completely redesigned to allow LG to isolate a certain section of the display to function as an Always-On Display (AOD). The AOD permanently places time, date and notification information on-screen, and like the LG V10, there’s also the option for a custom signature. LG claims the G5 does not suffer from any backlight “bleed” although we could see some evidence of it from the top edge of the screen, but because the G5 has an LCD display, screen “burn in” is not a concern like with AMOLED.

The redesign of the LCD has also allowed LG to equip the Always-On display with power consumption comparable to AMOLED (which only illuminates individual pixels), at just 0.8% per hour. LG’s Dr. Ram Chan Woo tells us that in his experience, the average consumption from the Always-On display is around to 5-10% per day, but we’re yet to confirm this figure for ourselves. You can also disable the Always-On display in the Battery Saver app or in the Display section of the settings if you feel the hit to the battery isn’t worth having the feature enabled.

Covering the proximity sensor will shut the screen off entirely, saving power when the phone is in your pocket, and nudging it will make the Always-On display slightly brighter. Speaking of brightness, on paper the LG G5 almost doubles the G4’s maximum brightness of 455 nits, pumping out 900 nits at max brightness, although in our experience they looked very similar. The LG G5 had more stable viewing angles than the G4 though. In terms of pixel density, the G5 crams 554 pixels per inch (ppi) into its slightly smaller display compared to the G4’s 534 ppi.

The LG G5 specs naturally take things to the next level, including the quad-core Snapdragon 820 SoC with two high-performance cores clocked at 2.15 GHz and two low-power cores clocked at 1.59 GHz. The G5 has 4 GB of RAM and a 32 GB ROM with microSD expansion up to 2 TB (good luck finding a memory card with that capacity for a while) with Adreno 530 GPU.

According to Qualcomm’s marketing, the Snapdragon 820 provides 40% faster graphics and is 40% more power efficient than the 810, but we’ll have to bring you more details on comparative performance once we get final hardware and software. As you may recall, the LG G4 wisely took the safer option of the hexa-core Snapdragon 808 rather than the problematic Snapdragon 810 and came with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB and 64 GB models.

Like many other recent flagships, the G5 shrinks the battery capacity from 3,000 mAh to 2,800 mAh, but the more efficient processor should make up for the slightly smaller capacity. The G5 makes the switch to USB Type-C and supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard, which can charge to 80% capacity in just 30-35 mins, but the G5’s metal housing denies it the wireless charging capabilities of the G4.

The LG G5 camera is where things get even more complicated. The LG G4 has a 16 MP camera with f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization and laser auto-focus. The LG G5 camera features a twin lens array like the LG V10 front-facing camera, but brings the concept to prime time. On the back of the G5 you’ll find two lenses, a primary 16 MP lens that shoots at a standard 75 degree angle and an additional 135-degree wide-angle 8 MP lens.

The G5 camera also includes optical image stabilization but switches to Phase Detection Auto-Focus (PDAF). It doesn’t have manual video like the V10 but otherwise the camera setup is similar, just on the back and at larger resolutions. The G5 essentially has the same camera software as the G4 but stitches together images from the dual lenses, although it can take shots anywhere in the 75-135 degree range, changing the resolution due to cropping.

Post-processing is still there and LG just needs to let it go. The wide-angle adds a slight fisheye look to wide angle shots, producing photos that slightly resemble GoPro stills. Low light performance could be a little better on the G5, but it still seems marginally better than the G4 although it’s a little early to say for sure. HDR performance is quite good on the G5, bumping up shadows and lowering highlights just enough. The main difference of course is in terms of functionality rather than a massive leap in quality.

The LG G5 software is dramatically different to that found on the LG G4, despite both running Android Marshmallow. Due to the significance of the changes in the G5’s software, it may not completely filter down to the G4 even in a future update. This is because the LG G5’s interface does away with the familiar Android app drawer, something that seems to add credence to our exclusive report that Google is planning to remove the app drawer in Android N.

Besides the absence of an app drawer, the G5 gets a massive visual overhaul, introducing a black text on white ground theme with mint green toggles and accents, but this can be switched up with downloadable themes. The notifications shade resembles the new TouchWiz and the settings menu is tabbed but can easily be switched to a single list view.

LG has reduced the amount of pre-installed apps, perhaps to make the home screens not look too crowded straight out of the box, and app icons have been given the squircular treatment, leaning more towards rounded squares. Familiar LG software features like Q-Slide apps and Dual-Window are missing but QuickMemo+ remains. The most significant of the new apps is the LG Friends Manager, the hub app that connects all the new LG G5 modules and peripherals with their respective apps.

LG argues that the removal of the app drawer is aimed at “eliminating the confusion caused by uninstall and remove action that exists in the dual structure by providing only one layer.” Believe this if you like, but LG says it has done extensive market research in Asia, Europe and North America, but that the decision was ultimately based on North American preferences rather than Asian, although those U.S. preferences may well be Google’s.

The revised G5 interface is refreshing, but far from Material Design. It will surely please some critics of the G4 interface but, as with all changes, it won’t please everyone. Theming will soothe some teething pains, but for the bigger hurts – mostly caused by the lack of an app drawer – you’ll only be able to treat them with an alternate launcher. LG has told us that making the app drawer an option is not going to happen either.

As you can surely see by now, the LG G5 and LG G4 are more different than they are alike, so much so that it almost feels a little disingenuous to call the G5 the G4’s successor. I even asked Dr. Woo why the G5 wasn’t rebranded as a new line and was told that modules have been part of the G series discussion for two or three years, so pretending the G5 wasn’t a G series device, despite all its changes, would itself be nothing more than deceptive marketing.

The LG G5 isn’t just a standard annual upgrade over last year’s model, it’s a complete revision not only of the G series itself but also of how we think and use a smartphone. Modules are a risky but exciting prospect and won’t appeal to everyone, but assuming the LG G5 price isn’t spiked by an optional feature that few G5 users will probably even make use of, the G5 certainly seems to deliver on the promises LG makes for it, at least in the short time we’ve spent with it.

Whether the overall styling, button placement, metal build and general feel of the device is an improvement or a step backwards is a matter of personal taste. The specs increase is pretty significant and the new camera setup is compelling even it it might take some getting used to. LG desperately needed a UI overhaul but it’s hard to say if this is the one we wanted. The G5 has plenty of quirky newness about it, from the dual cameras to Always-On display and modular design, but for some it will undoubtedly be seen less as the start of a new frontier and more as the end of an era.

What do you think of the radically new LG G5? Does it break too much with tradition?

Don’t miss: rolling coverage of all the most important announcements at MWC 2016.

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Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, get a free Gear VR and six games for a limited time

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 20:44:00 +0000

Samsung has just taken the wraps off its new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, and these handsets certainly boast some of the best specs, design and features on the market. Just in case you needed more of a reason to purchase one of these new devices, Samsung is giving early adopters a couple freebies with their orders.

Starting February 23rd, you’ll be able to pre-order the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge from Samsung’s website and receive a free Gear VR headset, as well as a 6-game bundle that’s worth about $150. Not a bad deal, right? This promotion is only going on for a limited time, so you might want to place your order sooner rather than later if you want the bundle.

You’ll need to place your order by March 18th to get the free Gear VR, and we’re not entirely sure which games will be included in the bundle. Still, this is one heck of a deal if you were already planning on purchasing on of the new devices.

Check out the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge on Samsung's website

Want more Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge coverage? Be sure to check out our related posts attached below:

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OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan – everything you need to know

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 20:44:00 +0000

Shutterstock

Today, the Khronos Group, an open consortium of leading hardware and software companies, has announced its new OpenGL ES 3.2 specification and more details on its cross platform Vulkan graphics API. So here is everything that you need to know about the group’s latest graphics APIs and features.

OpenGL ES 3.2

Starting with the new specification, OpenGL ES 3.2 aims to bring another step forward in mobile graphics capabilities and quality by absorbing Google’s Android Extension Pack (AEP) functionality into the core of OpenGL ES..

If you recall, the AEP was announced with the launch of Android 5.0 Lollipop and brought along a selection of graphical technologies to the mobile OS via extensions to OpenGL ES 3.1. The introduction of OpenGL ES 3.2 builds on the previous release to open up new graphics functionality to make full use of future mobile and automotive hardware.

OpenGL ES 3.2 boasts a small number of improvements over last year’s OpenGL ES 3.1. Both make use of similar features from the AEP.

From the AEP, OpenGL ES 3.2 compliant hardware will support Tessellation for additional geometry detail, new geometry shaders, ASTC texture compression for a smaller memory bandwidth footprint, floating point render targets for high accuracy compute processes, and new debugging features for developers. These high-end features are already found in the group’s full OpenGL 4 specification.

High quality graphics effects are also part of the standard, with Deferred Rendering, physically-based shading, HDR tone mapping, and Global Illumination and reflections made available, bring desktop-class graphics to the core of OpenGL ES and mobile devices.

Jargon aside, this essentially allows for better looking mobile titles on supported hardware, including but not limited to the features seen in the impressive looking Rivalry Demo built in Epic’s Unreal Engine 4 (above).

Vulkan – the cross platform API

If you have been following desktop graphics technology lately, you’ve probably heard a lot about the low-level hardware access and performance improvements being touted by next generation graphics API’s like Microsoft’s DirectX12 and Khronos’ Vulkan.

By reducing driver overheads and improving multi-threaded CPU usage, Vulkan is promising notable performance improvements alongside the latest graphics features. The growth of multi-core mobile SoC designs could lead to notable performance gains in the mobile market.

A load of companies are actively working within the group, and cross platform support will benefit a great deal of the participants, as well as consumers.

The other part of Vulcan development is to offer a single unified API for desktop, mobile, consoles and other embedded applications. Vulkan supports Windows 7, 8 and 10, SteamOS, Android, Samsung’s Tizen spin-off, and a selection of desktop Linux distributions.

The introduction of Vulcan will do away with ES and desktop versions of the API by unifying the two, simplifying cross platform development and opening up new possibilities for developers and gamers alike. The most recent versions of OpenGL ES are pretty much considered a subset of the main OpenGL API now, making cross compatibility much more feasible.

“Hardware and software companies need an open 3D API to maximize market reach and minimize porting costs, and Vulkan is being forged by a broad consortium of industry leaders to do exactly that,” – Neil Trevett, president of the Khronos Group.

Vulkan will support hardware that is compatible with at least the mobile OpenGL ES 3.1 API through to the desktop OpenGL 4.5 specification and higher. However, hardware across these different platforms have different capabilities and API support levels, so we won’t necessarily see complete feature sets shared across all platforms.

Instead, Vulkan defines and implements features at device creation time, and platform profiles can be specified by Khronos and other parties. This will allow developers to target specific platforms using the same API, with features being split up depending on the hardware. For consumers, this will hopefully increase the availability of cross platform titles, as development costs will fall.

Vulkan open source tools

Along with the new graphics features, Khronos is introducing its SPIR-V intermediate language for shading language flexibility. The key SPIR-V tools are open source, which includes translators for GLSL, OpenCL C and C++ and an SPIR-V assembler/disassembler.

The open source Vulkan test suite is leveraging and merging with the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) drawElements Quality Program (dEQP) framework and is designed to allow developers to offers a greater level of feedback and to be able to make contributions to resolve cross-vendor inconsistencies.

In summary, the introduction of OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan will bring performance and graphical improvements to Android gamers, as well as opening the door for new compute solutions for more complex processing tasks. There’s an equally large focus on making cross-platform development less expensive and less time consuming to implemented too, which also trickles down to benefit us customers.

Unfortunately, we are going to have to wait for new mobile hardware before users and developers can make the most of many of these enhancements. The first specifications and implementations of Vulkan are expected later this year.

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Lenovo launches affordable TAB3 series

noreply@blogger.com (Bhavya Harjai) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 20:44:00 +0000

Today at MWC 2016, Lenovo has unveiled its new TAB3 series of Android tablets. There are three models in cascading sizes at 7, 8 and 10-inches. While the two smaller tablets are designed around family use and even include some family specific features, the 10-inch model is targeted at the higher-end business segment.

The TAB3 7 and TAB3 8 variants are both reasonably priced and feature very similar specifications. The two are powered by a 1GHz MediaTek quad-core processor, 1GB of memory, 5 megapixel rear and 2 megapixel front facing camera combinations, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow installed by default. The TAB3 7 comes with a 7-inch 1024×600 resolution display, while the TAB3 8 is an 8-inch tablet with 1280×800 pixel resolution. Both are also IP52 rated for protection against the odd splash of water.

There are a few other hardware differences between the two though. The TAB3 8 comes with 16GB of internal memory and a larger 4,290mAh battery than the 7-incher’s 3,450mAh cell and 8GB or 16GB storage options.

As you would expect, there is multi-user mode support, so everyone in the family can have their own account. Keeping with the family friendly vibe, Lenovo has implemented a dedicated kid’s mode with safe web browsing features and the option to restrict access to the tablet at chosen times or days of the week. There is also an adaptive display function for more optimal viewing based on your current content and swappable gestures to hop directly into your favourite apps.

The Lenovo TAB3 7 comes in a selection of color options, including black/blue, white/blue, pink/purple, and blue/yellow. The 8-inch model only comes in the first two options. Pricing for these two tablets is quite varied depending on the options you prefer, so here’s the rundown:

TAB3 7, 8GB memory and WiFi-only – $79
TAB3 7, 8GB memory with LTE – $99
TAB3 7, 16GB memory with LTE – $129
TAB3 8, 16GB memory and WiFi-only – $99
TAB3 8, 16GB memory and LTE – $149

While the TAB3 7 and 8 may be very much lower-tier tablets, the TAB3 10 is a more typical mid-range affair.

The 10-inch display boost the pixels up to a full 1080p resolution, which is accompanied by Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The quad-core CPU also sees its clock speeds boosted slightly to 1.3GHz, and there are 2GB RAM/32GB storage and 3GB RAM/64GB storage options, for those who want the extra space.

The TAB3 10 packs in a meaty 7,000mAh battery, an 8 megapixel rear camera, 5 megapixel front facing camera, twin Dolby Atmos speakers, NFC and GPS capabilities. The tablet is also IP52 rated for some water resistance and features Android for Work software for those looking for a little extra productivity out of their tablet.

Of course, the TAB3 10 is a little more expensive than the smaller tablets in the range. Prices start at $199 for the WiFi-only option with 2GB of RAM, which can be upgraded with LTE support for $249. The 3GB RAM with LTE data is the most expensive option at $299.

Lenovo’s entire TAB3 range will be hitting store shelves in June 2016.

http://ift.tt/1KByfse

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