Apple iPad mini review: One for the road

Introduction

Wait, did hell just freeze over? Maybe a couple of degrees cooler? Rumors of a mini version of the iPad had been laughed at, dodged and denied - not necessarily in that order and often all at once. But here it is - the iPad mini is finally a reality. It caused due measures of excitement and perhaps a bit of disappointment. Yet, in typical Apple fashion, it's an excellent piece of hardware. In short, it's a polarizing device that may as well be the next best-selling tablet.

You have to hand it to Apple's R&D team - they know how to design hardware. The iPad mini is super thin and light, with a cool aluminum shell. Sure, they swore they'd never make a 7" tablet and the truth is they still haven't - the 7.9" screen of the mini offers 36% more real estate than the screens of the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD.
Less bezel on the left and right of the screen combined with the ~310g of weight make it reasonably comfortable to hold with one hand. Apple did make some compromises, which drew a lot of ire. Here's the summarized list of what's good and what's bad about the Apple iPad mini:

Key features

Compact body: 200 x 134.7 x 7.2 mm
7.9" LED-backlit IPS LCD touchscreen, 768 x 1024 pixels; scratch-resistant, oleophobic coating
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, carrier-dependent hotspot support
Optional 2G/3G GSM, CDMA, LTE connectivity (data only, separate models)
Optional GPS with A-GPS support (for the 3G model only)
Apple A5 SoC, dual-core Cortex-A9 @ 1GHz chipset
512MB of RAM
PowerVR SGX543MP2 dual-core GPU
iOS 6 with Siri, iCloud support and activation
16/32/64GB of inbuilt storage

Weight of 308 grams (312 grams for the Wi-Fi + Cellular option)
Bluetooth 4.0
16.3Wh battery
Accelerometer, compass and three-axis gyro-sensor
Compatible with every iPad and iPhone app without any modifications
The base version costs less than a SIM-free iPhone 4, only $30 more than iPod touch
5MP auto-focus camera
1080p video recording at 30fps
1.2MP secondary camera capable of FaceTime calls, 720p recording
Four and five-finger gestures
1080p TV-output with the Apple Digital AV Adapter (purchased separately for $49), 1080p video streaming
Supports magnetic cases
Lightning connector
Stereo loudspeakers
Main disadvantages
More expensive than 7" Android tablets, only $70 cheaper than iPad 2
No Retina display, 162ppi only
Same chipset as iPad 2, now two generations old
iTunes still required for most of the content uploads
Reflective screen struggles outdoors
No standard USB port, Lightning accessories still rare and expensive
No GPS receiver in the Wi-Fi version
No memory card slot
Lack of basic iOS apps - stocks, calculator, voice memos
The disadvantage list may seem longer than usual but most of the items there are general complaints that apply to virtually all Apple products, like the absence of a memory card slot. The way we see it, there are three main problems with the iPad mini - the (relatively) low-res screen, the old chipset and the price.
Apple products have so far effortlessly hit it big with users despite their perceived limitations compared to the competition. The new crop of iPads - the iPad 4 and iPad mini - already sold in the millions.


The software - iOS 6 - should be very familiar to Apple users, but the hardware is new. It's not like the big iPads, which mostly varied in thickness, this one has been designed to comfortably hold in one hand and slip into a coat pocket.
Some analysts have gone as far as to say that the iPad mini will become the iPad - it's highly portable, capable enough and drawing on the vast resources of the Apple eco-system. And if you adjust for the "Apple tax", the mini isn't that expensive.
Jump to the next page to find out just what you're getting with the iPad mini.




Source:http://www.gsmarena.com

Read more ►

Samsung Galaxy Premier

Introduction

Spreading the Galaxy S III magic to as many market segments as possible is what Samsung is actively trying to achieve these days. After the power users were treated to the Note II and those looking for a premium experience in a compact shell got the mini, it's now time for the mid-range market to get some attention.

The Samsung Galaxy Premier specs sheet is familiar with the 4.65-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen and the dual-core TI OMAP chipset immediately bringing the Galaxy Nexus to mind. However, calling the Premier a Nexus refresh is wildly inaccurate - the Nature UX adds so much character that you'll hardly be able to tell there's so much in common between the two smartphones.
Let's take a look at what the Galaxy Premier is all about.

Key features

Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G support
21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA support
4.65" 16M-color Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen of HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution; Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz launcher
1.5 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 CPU, PowerVR SGX544 GPU, TI OMAP 4470 chipset, 1GB of RAM
8 MP wide-angle lens autofocus camera with LED flash, face, smile and blink detection
1080p HD video recording at 30fps
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n
GPS with A-GPS connectivity; GLONASS support, Digital compass
16/32 internal storage, microSD slot
Accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port with USB host and TV-out (1080p) support, MHL, charging
Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
FM radio with RDS
Great audio quality
1.9MP secondary video-call camera
NFC support
Document editor
File manager comes preinstalled
Extremely rich video and audio codec support
Relatively large 2100 mAh battery
Main disadvantages
No dedicated camera key
Dual-core Cortex-A9 CPU usually belongs to a lower market segment
All plastic body
PenTile matrix screen of relatively low brightness
Sure, the Samsung Galaxy Premier doesn't have the most exciting specs sheet around, but it takes a formula that was already proven to work and improves on it in a number of key areas. Building on the most popular Nexus smartphone so far, the Premier addresses just about every complaints users had about it.
The mediocre camera is replaced by a more capable 8MP shooter, the chipset got a speed update and a more powerful GPU, while the uninspiring styling got spiced up with a dash of Galaxy S III. There is also an ampler battery to take care of the relatively short endurance and a microSD card slot for cheap memory expansion.

And yes, the stock Android looks are gone, but they are replaced by the Nature UX, which is not only way more functional, but also the best looking TouchWiz version so far.
Let's see if all those tweaks actually look as promised - the hardware inspection starts right after the break.



Source:http://www.gsmarena.com

Read more ►

Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro Review

Earlier this year, we saw the Samsung Rugby Smart come to AT&T, which set it apart from other smartphones with the carrier, as it was designed to be a rugged Android device.
Now eight months later comes the follow-up, the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro – it has a larger 4” display, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, and is running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. If that wasn’t enough, 4G LTE is also on-board, so you can get faster data connection while in an AT&T LTE coverage area. Add all of that together, and you have a smartphone that has a nice appeal to it with only a $100 on-contract price.


Included in the retail box is the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro SGH-I547 smartphone, 1850mAh battery, wall charger with detachable microUSB cable, and user guides.

Design:

The overall design of the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro hasn’t changed too much from the Rugby Smart. It still exhibits all the qualities of a rugged device, with thick rubber gripping on the sides, and a textured locking battery cover. This does make the device feel a bit chunky in the hand, but no more so than a standard smartphone with an add-on case installed.



Since the Galaxy Rugby Pro meets military standard 810F, it is resilient to blowing rain and sand, high humidity, thermal shock, and is waterproof up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. The display and front keys also have an anti-scratch coating on them. We were able to drop the phone several times (on tile) from a height of 5 feet, and there were no visible signs of damage to the device.





Below the display are three physical buttons for menu, home, and back, and around the sides of the device are the volume rocker, power/lock key, and customizable key, all of which are easily found by touch alone, as they have a nice texture on them. Up on top is the 3.5mm headset jack, and on the bottom is the microUSB port, both of which are protected by a plastic cover with water seal.

Display:

Even though the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro is built to withstand the elements, it remains a mid-range smartphone, but we're glad to see that the display size has increased from 3.7” to 4”, though the resolution remains WVGA 480x800 pixels. This means that small text appears slightly jagged at times. But since it is Super AMOLED, it provides eye-grabbing colors and excellent contrast when viewing images or watching videos. One feature missing is any type of automatic backlight brightness setting, which means that you have to manually set the screen brightness yourself. This can be annoying when going from a dark environment to outside in the sun, as you’ll have to keep adjusting the backlight. The only work around is to set it near the middle, so it wouldn’t need readjusting too often.





http://www.phonearena.com

Read more ►

Samsung I930 ATIV Odyssey for Verizon image leaked

We reported couple of weeks ago about an upcoming Windows Phone 8 device for Verizon's network in the US. Called the Samsung ATIV Odyssey the device seemed like a variant of the ATIV S for Verizon's network.

We now have an image of the device, courtesy of @evleaks on Twitter. The phone looks like the original Samsung Focus from the front and the ATIV S from the back. But somehow, it does not strike us as a high-end device, with the display size seemingly around the 4-inch mark.
Other than the 4G LTE badge on the back and the microSD card slot on the side, we are not sure of any other spec of the device, so we will have to wait till we hear more about this one.


Source

Read more ►

Sony offers 24K gold-plated Xperia P as contest prize

We haven't seen any gold phones in a while, but we didn’t expect Sony to be the one to fill that void. Sony ran a contest on its Facebook page over the weekend with the prize being a 24 karat gold-pated Sony Xperia P.
The contest is for Nordic countries only and will be over in a couple of hours. If you want to participate, you have to send an email to fans.se@sonymobile.com answering the question "What is a gold Friday for you?" (this is an automatic translating so it may not be 100% accurate, but we're sure people in Nordic countries don't need Google Translate).

The Xperia P launched early this year and one of its major attractions was the aluminum unibody. The Limited 24K Gold Edition will go to a lucky winner today and they might be the only ones to have it.
Sony's Facebook page makes no mention of this limited edition going on sale. And even if it did, did anyone buy those gold-plated Nokias? Sure, this has the advantage of running Android rather than Symbian - or worse still - S40, which puts it head to head with the Lamborghini TL700 and the Mobiado Grand Touch.
Anyway, the winner of the Sony Xperia P Limited 24K Gold Edition (who is yet to be announced) has our congratulations.



Source

Read more ►

HTC Windows Phone 8X vs Samsung Galaxy S III

Introduction

Now that we've compared the Windows Phone 8X with the iPhone 5, and came to the conclusion that there's still quite a bit of work ahead of Microsoft and its partners, let's see how one of the better Windows Phone 8 handsets fares against one of the best Android ones – the Galaxy S III.

The Galaxy S III is, without a doubt, a fearsome opponent – one that the 8X will definitely have a hard time against. Will its Live Tiles and high-quality screen be enough to somehow turn the odds in its favor? Let us see for ourselves!

Design

Although the Galaxy S III is certainly not much of a looker, we can't really give the win to the Windows Phone 8X, because of how uncomfortable it feels in the hand. If you just have to look at these devices, then yes - we'd say that HTC has achieved the more stylish appearance, but once you actually start using the handsets, it becomes evident that its sharp edges and rubber-like soft-touch materials used for its body make it somewhat unpleasant to handle. Meanwhile, although the GS III doesn't shine in any particular way, it still feels natural when held in the hand, while the smooth, glossy plastic feels fine to the touch.

The physical buttons of the HTC Windows Phone 8X aren't very responsive, especially the power/lock key, which is probably the most important. The Galaxy S III isn't much better in this respect, but we'd say it's just a tad better.

Display

It's clear that the Windows Phone 8X has the better display of the two. Its S-LCD2 panel is brighter than the Super AMOLED of the GS III, allowing it to be more visible when outdoors. The color temperature of the 8X is also better. Although it's just a little bit too warm, it's still much closer to reality than the cold image of the GS III.

Meanwhile, the smaller screen size and the RGB matrix of the 8X mean that everything will look crisper on its display, compared to the PenTile-powered GS III. However, since both handsets have very high resolutions, the differences in image clarity are almost negligible.



Source:http://www.phonearena.com/

Read more ►

Nexus 4

Due to the hurricane Sandy, Google had to put off its Android event scheduled in the East Cost of the USA. However, the company went ahead to announce the Samsung Nexus 10 along with the LG Nexus 4. The former is the 10inch tablet that will try and pose a threat to iPad, while the latter is a smartphone.
The Nexus 10 runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and runs on a 1.7GHz A15 dual-core processor with 2GB RAM. The tablet has a 2560x1600 resolution display with 300 ppi, a 5 MP rear and 1.9MP front camera. It will have a set of Google services including Google Chrome, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps for Android, Google Search, Voice Search, Google Now Google+, Gmail, YouTube, Google Currents, Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies and Google Play Magazines. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, micro USB, micro HDMI, dual side NFC  and GPS+ Glonass. Weighting 603 grams, the tablet will have a 9000mAh battery onboard that is likely to offer up to 9 hours of video playback and up to 500 hours of standby time.
For the flagship smartphone that Google unveils every year, the company has worked closely with LG. The LG Nexus 4 has a 4.7inch capacitive touch display and looks similar to its predecessor. It is powered by 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 pro processor and 2GB RAM. The Nexus 4 will have an 8MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front facing camera. Android Beam, Google Wallet are the other features along with new Photo Sphere camera ( a new feature of the Android 4.2).
Until now, the Google Nexus devices have not been officially launched in India. But in the past, Samsung brought the Nexus S to India. There are rumours about Asus bringing the Nexus 7. But for these two new devices, there isn’t any communication about the launch date or price for India.



Source:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/google-announces-samsung-nexus-10-lg-nexus-4-on-android-4.2/1/226806.html:

Read more ►

New Nexus Phone vs. iPhone 5

It has become clear that, at the very least, LG will be releasing a new Nexus phone this year to compete not only with other Android devices but with Apple’s new iPhone as well. Dubbed the LG Nexus 4, at least for now, the device marries some pretty hefty specifications with the benefits that only a Nexus device can offer. But how does it stack up against the iPhone 5? Let’s take a look.

While Apple’s yearly smartphone, the iPhone 5, is already in the hands of consumers, Google has yet to release its yearly smartphone which arrives with the Nexus moniker. In the past, Google has turned to companies like HTC and Samsung to build its Nexus-branded smartphone. However, this year, it looks like LG is tasked with developing the device.



The LG-made Nexus still isn’t official yet but numerous leaks have not only pinpointed its specifications, but they have also revealed the phone for the entire world to see ahead of its presumed launch date. The LG Nexus 4, as it may be called, is presumably going to be announced by Andy Rubin on stage at the All Things D Dive Into Mobile conference on October 29th.

And it is there that Google will reveal its latest iPhone 5 competitor. That being said, here is how the rumored LG Nexus 4 matches up with Apple’s latest-generation smartphone, the iPhone 5.

Release Date
On September 21st, Apple released the iPhone 5 in the United States and several other regions. The device is still making its rounds and if it’s not available in your country just yet, it should be in the coming weeks and months. Apple plans to release the iPhone 5 in over 100 countries by the end of 2012 and we expect that it will tack on some more in 2013 as well.

Even though it was released in September doesn't mean it’s easy to find though. Apple’s online stores and retail stores are back-ordered and AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, the three major carriers in the U.S.

As for the new Nexus phone release date, we still don’t have one. It’s possible, and we’ve heard this might be the case, that the release date for the Google Play Store will be on October 29th, though it would be the first same-day release since the original Nexus One.

French publication Le Figaro also claims that the new Nexus will hit French carrier SFR by the end of December which means that CDMA carriers like Sprint and Verizon could also get the new Nexus around that time as well.

Display

With the iPhone 5, Apple for the first time increased the size of the iPhone 5′s screen. The iPhone 5 boasts a 4-inch display, up from the 3.5-inch displays that populated the earlier iPhone models. In addition, Apple included a 16:9 aspect ratio which means that the iPhone now can play widescreen content. This makes watching movies a pleasure on the new iPhone 5′s display.


The iPhone 5 uses a Retina Display with a 1136 x 640 resolution which is not full HD resolution. However, it also offers 326 pixels-per-inch which means it brings extremely clear on-screen text because users cannot see individual pixels.

As for the screen on the LG Nexus 4, it’s expected to be 4.7-inches in size with a 1280×768 resolution. That means that it will be full on HD. Rumors state that the display might have a 320ppi which could mean that the display on this new Nexus phone could be on par with Apple’s Retina Display on the iPhone 5. We imagine that it will have something similar to a 16:9 aspect ratio as well which means that it too will be able to play widescreen content.What this means is that the biggest difference is going to be the size. Those who want a large screen may want to take a closer look at the LG Nexus 4 while those who aren’t in need of a massive display, may opt to look closely at the iPhone 5.

Design

The iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S shared similar designs. However, with the iPhone 5, Apple got rid of the glass back and replaced it with a sleek new industrial design that features a two-toned back with the largest piece composed of anodized aluminum. Around the edges of the iPhone 5 there is a band of metal which is both easy to grip and adds to the beauty of the phone.

The iPhone 5 is also both lighter and slimmer than the iPhone 4S. It weighs 112 grams as opposed to the 140 gram weight of the iPhone 4S and the difference is noticeable right off the bat. In fact, some users have complained about the phone being too light. If that can actually be chalked up as a complaint. And while the iPhone 4S was 9.3mm thin, the iPhone 5 is 7.6mm thin.



This is an area where the LG Nexus 4 may not match up well with the iPhone 5. From the photos, it appears that the device matches up quite nicely with the previous Nexus, the Galaxy Nexus. We see a shell that features rounded corners and a lot of black. And because of its screen, it also appears to have a massive footprint.

A 3D image of the new Nexus phone make it appear fairly slender but how slender or how heavy are two features that remain unclear at this point.




What is clear is that the device will again be made with the familiar plastic, a material that accompanies many Android phones and was the material used with the Galaxy Nexus. For many, this won’t be a problem, especially if it keeps the cost down, but for those that were hoping the Nexus 4 would win a design award, it’s looking like that won’t be the case.

Specs

Apple made numerous improvements with the iPhone 5 hardware. Here is a complete run down of the iPhone 5′s specifications.

Apple A6 Dual Core Processor
1GB RAM
16GB/32GB /64GB models
4-inch Retina Display 1136 x 640
Rear – 8-megapixel iSight camera
Front - FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos and HD video (720p)
Bluetooth v 4.0
USB Host unofficially supported
802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi  - 802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz
In comparison, here is a spec list for the new LG Nexus 4:

Quad-Core ARMv7 1.5GHz
2GB RAM
Memory: 8GB (No microSD card slot)
4.7-inch Display 1280×768
Rear – 8-megapixel camera
Front-facing camera
We assume the new Nexus will have all of the other bells and whistles of a major Android smartphone as well including Bluetooth support. One thing to note is that the Nexus seems to only have a 8GB version though we imagine there likely will be either a 16GB or 32GB option available at launch as well.

Camera

Apple upgraded the rear camera on the iPhone 5. The new iSight camera delivers a fast shutter speed, panorama mode, and is still at the top of the smartphone pile when it comes to quality of photos. A photo taken with the iPhone 5′s camera can be seen below.



In addition, Apple included a new HD FaceTime camera on the front of the iPhone 5 which means video chatting inside and outside will be much more crisp than it was with the iPhone 4S.

Google’s new Nexus phone will apparently sport a 8MP camera like its predecessor and it too will likely be backed up by a host of software functions found within Android already. The ability to take panoramic photos is included.

Nexus phones have never been known for their cameras though and there is no reason to suspect that Google and LG will outdo the iPhone 5 with the camera on the Nexus 4. Below is a photo sample taken with the Nexus 4 and while it might be better than the average photos taken with the Galaxy Nexus’ camera, it doesn't appear to be any better than photos taken with the iPhone 5.

Software

Apple’s iPhone 5 runs the company’s new iOS 6 operating system which brings 200 new features over iOS 5. Key additions include Apple’s new Maps application which has replaced Google Maps as the native Maps application. Thus far, the service has received tons of complaints but a Google Maps iOS app is in the works and iPhone 5 users can still access the Google Maps web app if need be.



Source : http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/10/11/new-nexus-phone-vs-iphone-5/

Read more ►

Over 8m Britons use BlackBerry

The firm has had a rough ride recently, reporting challenging financials, and facing a deluge of analyst criticism. To top all that, consumers in the US and Canada have filed lawsuits against RIM following its worldwide power outages.

But there’s no doubt that – strategic corporate concerns aside – the handset maker still commands huge consumer appeal. It will be very gratified that more than eight million UK consumers are still willing to use the BlackBerry service.

BlackBerry devices were originally designed for the business audience but the firm has seen huge popularity among younger consumers thanks to BlackBerry Messenger.

Rivals including Samsung and Apple have noticed this, which has led to the creation of their own instant messaging services leaving RIM without a niche anymore.

A further blow comes as analyst Gartner confirmed the company's US market share had fallen to ten per cent in Q3, which is the lowest to date.

On top of lawsuits the firm has also seen legal action launched against it from a software firm following the announcement of the new BBX OS.

BBM Music costs £4.99 per month and allows users to collect up to 50 songs, which can then be shared with friends via BBM.


Source:

ME

Read more ►

Mobile phones to overtake PCs for web surfing by 2013

By 2013, more people will be accessing the web from mobile phones than from PCs, according to analyst firm Gartner's latest set of predictions.

The company reckons that there will be 1.78 billion PCs in use that year, outstripped by the 1.82 billion install base of smartphones and browser-equipped feature phones.

"Websites not optimized for the smaller-screen formats will become a market barrier for their owners," claims Gartner. "Much content and many sites will need to be reformatted/rebuilt."

The analyst's new report also predicts that context - including location, presence and social interactions - will become as important to mobile services as search engines are to the web.

"The most powerful position in the context business model will be a context provider," says Gartner.

"Web, device, social platforms, telecom service providers, enterprise software vendors and communication infrastructure vendors will compete to become significant context providers during the next three years."


Source:

ME

Read more ►

Galaxy S4 due in February 2013?

With the Samsung Galaxy S3 but four months old, rumours have already started to do the rounds about a sequel to the South Korean phone-maker’s flagship Android kit.

Citing unnamed supply chain sources, as well as what we’re guessing are some better informed sorts within Samsung, the Korea Times claims that the phone will land in February at the Mobile World Congress.

The handset is apparently set to hit retailers shortly after in March – just nine months after the release of its predecessor.

In news that’s unlikely to surprise anyone on nodding terms with prevailing trends in smartphone upgrades, Samsung’s new kit will purportedly pack a larger five-inch OLED screen – up from the S3’s 4.8-inches - and international 4G LTE support.

An unnamed deepthroat said: “Samsung wants to keep its one-year product schedule and the Galaxy S4 will be the first to match that strategy.

“The S4 will see some external changes but retain its popular rectangular shape with rounded corner concept.”

News of Samsung’s plans comes as it recently announced that the S3 has now sold some 20 million units, making it the company’s fastest-selling phone ever.

Samsung Electronics plans to unveil the latest in its Galaxy line, the S4, at a European technology exhibition in February, according to company officials and local parts suppliers for the technology giant.

The timetable was released just three days after rival Apple introduced the iPhone 5, which has received a mixed response from industry experts and consumers as it is seemingly lacking in innovative features.

``Samsung is ready to unveil the next Galaxy smartphone _ the Galaxy S4 _ at early next year’s mobile world congress (MWC) in the Spanish city of Barcelona,’’ said an official from the firm asking not to be identified, Sunday. The new device is expected to hit shelves globally in March at the latest.

MWC is the biggest exhibition in the world for telecom companies and Samsung, will exhibit the new Galaxy at its booth.

The new Galaxy, expected to be the firm’s most powerful handset yet in terms of hardware specifications and software advancement, will help the Suwon-based outfit further cement its leadership in the global smartphone market.

The official said that the smartphone, due out nine months after the May debut of the Galaxy S3, will be more than enough to curb Apple’s latest iPhone, compatible with long-term evolution (LTE) networks.

In Europe, Samsung is gaining a bigger share of the smartphone market. The Korean company was involved in patent disputes with Apple in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. A recent ruling in the U.K. said Samsung didn’t infringe on Apple’s design patents.

Executives from Samsung’s local parts suppliers said the company’s new flagship smartphone will ``definitely use’’ LTE networks. It will also sport its in-house Exynos-branded application processors and quad-core chips. The S3 is using both Samsung’s Exynos and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors depending on the country.

``Samsung is asking Apple to pay more to use its mobile application processors produced at its plant in Austin, Texas. The release of the S4 means more market share for Samsung as it is the only firm that can guarantee on-time delivery, output commitment and better pricing for mobile application processors,’’ said one executive.

The screen size of the S4 is expected to reach 5-inch from the the current 4.8 screen size of the S3, while it will use Google’s Android software and sport an OLED display, said the officials.

But Samsung has yet to decide whether it will use flexible display technology for the upcoming Galaxy due to production problems encountered by Samsung Display.

Samsung Display officials declined to comment on the new Samsung smartphone project.

``Samsung wants to keep its one-year product schedule and the Galaxy S4 will be the first to match that strategy. The S4 will see some external changes but retain its popular rectangular shape with rounded corner concept,’’ said an official from one of Samsung’s local partners.

Samsung is currently in talks with major American carriers to apply modified phone designs.

Market analysts and experts view the S4 as a ``clear message’’ to Apple. ``Samsung’s edges in manufacturing will further shine after the patent disputes go further on. In markets, Samsung is confident to widen its lead over Apple, though the legal fight is a totally separate issue,’’ said an industry executive who is familiar with the matter.

Samsung expects sales of the S3 to pass 30 million by the end of the year. It has already sold 20 million in just over three months.

The S4 will help Samsung take on Apple in the United States, according to officials. Market research firm IDC shows Samsung has a 30 percent share, globally, while Apple has 16 percent. But NPD’s recent data shows Apple controls 31 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, followed by Samsung on 24 percent.

The S4 plans come amid escalating patent disputes between the two technology giants in 50 different cases on four continents. Apple won a victory last month after a United States jury found the Korean firm copied key features of the iPhone and awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages.

Last week, the International Trade Commission (ITC) of the United States backed the verdict, ruling Apple didn’t violate patents owned by Samsung Electronics in making the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

U.S. Federal Judge Lucy Koh is scheduled to hold a hearing on Dec. 6 to consider Apple’s request for a permanent U.S. sales ban of eight Samsung smartphone models and the firm’s tablet following the jury’s verdict. Seven of the eight smartphones that Apple is seeking to ban are part of the Galaxy line.

Source :
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2012/09/182_120024.html

Read more ►

Motorola Droid Razr M

The good: The affordable Droid Razr M features a fast processor, a lovely screen, 4G LTE, and long battery life. It's also compact and attractive.
The bad: The Razr M's camera takes unimpressive images, and its battery isn't removable.
The bottom line: If you're not a shutterbug, the Motorola Droid Razr M's sleek style, fast CPU, and great battery life make it an excellent choice.

Design

Based on its slim and seductively stylish construction, you would never guess the Motorola Droid Razr M thing that struck me when I picked up the device is its sizable 4.3-inch screen. Thanks to a bezel that's practically nonexistent, the display extends almost to the phone's left and right edges. This helps fool the eye, giving the illusion that the screen is larger than it actually is. The display sits flush with the phone's front face, and there are no physical buttons here, either, which further heightens the sleekness of the handset's facade. It's all part of a design tactic that creates what Motorola refers to as the Droid Razr M's "edge-to-edge" display and certainly gives the device a sophistication not many handsets can match.

In fact the only tangible buttons, a power key and volume rocker, sit on the Razr M's left side. Other design elements include Motorola's signature Kevlar fiber coating that has graced its handsets since the first Droid Razr. It helps protect the phone's back from scratches and scrapes. Also on back is the phone's 8-megapixel camera with LED flash; the camera and flash are encased under a glossy plastic panel, which, unfortunately, is a fingerprint magnet.

Measuring 4.8 inches tall by 2.3 inches and just 0.33 inch thick, this is one seriously minute mobile computing device. At a featherweight 4.4 ounces, you'll also barely notice the Razr M in your pocket. That's slightly smaller than Motorola's original Droid Razr (5.14 by 2.71 by 0.28 inches, 4.5 ounces) and more manageable than the beefy Droid Razr Maxx (5.14 inches by 2.75 inches by 0.35 inch, 5.1 ounces).

Display

The Droid Razr M's 4.3-inch qHD (960x540-pixel) AMOLED screen packs plenty of visual impact. Despite its low resolution -- compared with the HD displays you'll see on competing devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 (4.8-inch screen, 1,280x720 pixels) and Motorola's own upcoming Droid Razr HD (4.7-inch, 1,280x720 pixels), the Droid Razr M's screen serves up eye-popping colors and deep blacks in high contrast. For example, watching the HQ YouTube movie trailer for "Resident Evil: Retribution" was more fun than I'd like to admit. Detail in 720p video files was also sharp, and as with many AMOLED screens, viewing angles were nice and wide, allowing me to see the display well from off-center angles.

Software and UI

Running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Motorola Droid Razr M comes infused with a modern version of Google's mobile operating system. While it may not be Android's freshest flavor, which would be Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the phone's software is current and very capable. The company said the handset will receive a Jelly Bean update by the end of the year. Motorola also has placed its own interface on top of Android, which offers its own enhancements. Like many Ice Cream Sandwich phones, the Droid Razr M has a lock screen that displays the time and date in a clean font on the upper left. A sliding button that toggles phone volume sits opposite on the right.In the center of the screen is a pulsating key icon that simply unlocks the handset when dragged to the right, launches the camera if pulled left, fires up the messaging app when flicked downward, and jumps to the phone function when pushed upward. You get two home screens to start with but can add up to seven to fill with widgets and application shortcuts. The primary home screen occupies the leftmost pane and scrolls from left to right. An interesting and handy twist is the Quick Settings screen that appears when you swipe left from the main home screen. It offers access to often-used functions such as ringtone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and Airplane mode.If you've seen the Motorola Atrix HD or Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE, you'll recognize the Circles widget placed front and center. I think it's one of the slickest home-screen UI gadgets since HTC's legendary Sense weather clock. It features three interactive discs displaying analog and digital clocks, weather, and battery level.

Instead of physical buttons, there are three virtual Android keys running along the bottom edge of the screen, with icons representing back, home, and recent applications. Above this are four shortcuts to launch the same functions found on the Droid Razr M's lock screen, though you can swap them for others if you'd like.

Features and apps

One of the nice features of Android 4.0 is its native support for folders. Just drag app shortcuts on top of one another to create custom folders and help beat back home-screen clutter. I suggest doing this, too, since as an Android device, the Razr M has access to more than 600,000 apps and counting in the Google Play store.Onboard the Droid Razr M is the wide range of Google services and software including Gmail, YouTube, Maps, Navigation, and Google+, along with the Google Play store for music, books, and movies. Useful third-party applications preloaded include the Kindle app, Quickoffice for viewing common MS Office files, and Facebook.

Sadly there's a decent amount of bloatware on the phone, including Verizon's curated app store, NFL Mobile, VZ Navigator, and the Viewdini entertainment search app. There's Amazon's own Appstore, too, plus a smattering of questionable software including Color video for sharing and Zappos to shop for shoes.

Source

Read more ►

LG Optimus G

Design, Call Quality, and Network

The Optimus G on AT&T looks a lot like it does on Sprint, which is a good thing. LG created the gorgeous Prada phone, so it's no surprise that the Optimus G is quite a looker. Made of high-quality plastic on the sides, with glass panels on the front and back, the phone has a vaguely incandescent pattern on the back that looks different depending on the angle you view it from. I miss the silver accent ring wrapped around the middle of the Sprint version, but the phone still pulls off simple-chic very well. Next to the Apple iPhone 5, this is easily the nicest-looking phone we've seen. And at 5.12 by 2.82 by 0.33 inches and 5.19 ounces, it's a reasonable size given its large 4.7-inch display.

VIEW ALL 6 PHOTOS IN GALLERY

That 4.7-inch HD IPS Plus LCD is pretty awesome. It features 1280-by-720-pixel resolution, which works out to a crisp 312 pixels per inch. And unlike the Samsung Galaxy S III $179.99 at Amazon Wireless, this phone doesn't use a PenTile pixel layout, so it looks even sharper. That big screen is ideal for watching video, playing games, and taking photos. It also means you get a sprawling keyboard for typing; I actually had to stretch my entire thumb across the screen in order to hit every letter. It's a little big and unwieldy, but so are all phones with a screen this size.

One big problem: I did most of my testing with the screen brightness set to maximum. I noticed it dip considerably after about 10 or 15 minutes of benchmarking. When I checked on it in the phone's Settings, I saw the brightness level had dropped down to 66 percent. I tried to turn it back up, and got the message, "Unable to brighten more due to high temperature. Try again later." This happened on multiple occasions. Especially when using processor-intensive applications like games, the top half of the phone became increasingly warm. LG claims it has not encountered this problem, but this device, along with two test units on Sprint all showed the same behavior in our tests.

Three function keys beneath the display light up when the screen is on, otherwise the front of the phone is completely black. There's a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top, a cool glowing power button on the right, a volume rocker on the left, and a charging port on the bottom. There's also a microSD port on the left side of this phone, a welcome addition that's missing in the Sprint version.

The Optimus G supports AT&T's 4G LTE network, as well as HSPA+ 21. AT&T scored high in our Fastest Mobile Networks tests earlier this year, especially for its LTE network. Speeds in New York City were incredible. I saw an average of 33Mbps down and 12Mbps up, along with a high of 44Mbps down, which is about double the speed I get on my home internet connection.

Reception was solid, and call quality was good overall. Voices are a little muddy in the phone's earpiece, with some audible fuzz in the background. But calls made sounded clear and natural, with good background noise cancellation. The speakerphone sounds harsh, but is loud enough to use outdoors. The phone paired easily with my Jawbone Era Bluetooth headset. LG's Voice Command app was extremely finicky, and I had to repeat a number of commands over and over again.

The Optimus G uses Bluetooth 4.0, which allows various smart watches and fitness devices to communicate with the phone. It also supports 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi on the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. The nonremovable 2100mAh battery was good for an excellent 13 hours and 37 minutes of 3G talk time.

Android and Apps

The Optimus G is the first U.S. phone powered by Qualcomm's 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 processor. Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Note II will be packing a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4412, but performance there remains to be seen. As it stands, this is the fastest Android phone we've tested—even faster than the Sprint version. According to our benchmarks, performance can sometimes be almost double that of phones like the Galaxy S III. It's actually closer to results we've seen on top Android tablets, especially for gaming. Internet performance is solid, on par with the Editors' Choice Galaxy S III.

The Optimus G ships with Android 4.0.4 "Ice Cream Sandwich," which LG pledges to update to Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" within the coming months. Although Ice Cream Sandwich lacks Google's Project Butter, which smooths out the Android experience, the quad-core processor still makes everything feel fast.

Camera, Multimedia, and Conclusions

Whereas Sprint's model boasts a 13-megapixel camera, the AT&T Optimus G has a more standard 8-megapixel shooter. That's not a huge deal, because as we saw with the Sprint phone, those extra megapixels don't compensate for a sensor that's merely average. Fortunately, the camera doesn't fare much worse here.

Compared with the Sprint model, this camera captures less detail. Still, our tests confirmed that even the Sprint phone was still a long way off from capturing a truly sharp image. In the realm of phone cameras, this one falls somewhere in the middle. Compared with the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S III, images taken with the Optimus G look a little washed out, and details aren't as fine. They're still good enough for Facebook, but they're nothing to write home about. The camera records fine 1080p video at 30 frames per second both indoors and out. There's also a 1.3-megapixel, 720p front-facing camera for video chats.

You also get some fun features, like LG's silly-sounding Cheese Shutter, which triggers the camera to snap a photo when you say "cheese." It's great for setting the phone up on a tripod to take a group shot, but be warned that it may also go off when you say "knees" or "please."

The Optimus G's beautiful display makes it a good device for media playback. It comes with 11.08GB of internal storage, along with a side-mounted microSD slot, which worked with out 64GB SanDisk card. I was able to play all of our music test files except for FLAC, and all of our test videos up to 1080p. Audio was great through wired earbuds, though for video it was slightly out of sync while using Altec Lansing Backbeat Bluetooth headphones.

The LG Optimus G is the fastest phone on AT&T, but an average camera and overheating issues keep it from being the best. If you're a speed freak who can look past those issues, the Optimus G will make you very happy. There aren't enough differences between this phone and Sprint model to justify switching carriers. And if you aren't already committed to a carrier, I'd say to choose one based on carrier performance where you live rather than on the phone.

Otherwise, the Samsung Galaxy S III offers you excellent (though slightly less) performance, a microSD card slot, and even better call quality. Or, if you're willing to look past Android, the Apple iPhone 5 is also fast and elegant, with an unsurpassed app ecosystem.

Source

Read more ►

10 iPad Apps Everyone Should Have

The first thing most people do after buying an Apple iPad is head to iTunes and start downloading apps. But with thousands to choose from, where do you start? Sure, Apple makes some recommendations, but who knows how they create their list. Apple also makes it pretty easy to see what is most popular, but does anyone really need three different versions of Angry Birds? If you want essential apps that improve almost everything you do with your iPad, start with this list of 10.
Before I continue, I should say that this is my personal list. Although I solicited suggestions from the PCMag staff, there was no way we could all agree on the same 10. To make it concise, I had to make it personal. So any omissions are my fault entirely. That said, I think the list is pretty killer. (If you're looking for the overall best iPad apps, check out our feature story.)

I had just a couple of requirements for this list. The apps had to have wide appeal among average users. Sketch for the iPad is certainly a killer app, but if your artistic abilities are like mine—the word "limited" comes to mind—it is useless to you. Likewise, the Bloomberg iPad App is the best way to track your investments, but, after a year with unemployment at over eight percent, precious few of us have those anymore. When I say these apps are essential for every man, woman and child, I mean it.
Before we get to the new winners, I should briefly mention the Apps that are getting bumped from the list. They are all still great apps, but they just can't keep their spots the top ten. Instapaper was simply replaced with a faster, more stable app that offers the same functionality. Others, like Angry Birds, just got old. But don't worry, change is good.
Of course, you are probably going to download and install a lot more than this, but consider these apps a great start. Click on the image below to start the slideshow and get all ten of my picks.

Source

Read more ►

sony Xperia Jelly Bean Up Coming 2013

Sony on Friday announced that it will upgrade 2012-model Xperia phones to the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, beginning next year.
The latest Sony Xperia models, including the recently announced Xperia T, Xperia TX, and Xperia V will all be upgraded to Android 4.1 in "mid-Q1 2013," meaning around February, according to a post on the Sony Xperia product blog. Several other 2012-model Xperia Android phones will also receive the update, including global versions of the Xperia S, Xperia acro S, Xperia ion, Xperia P, Xperia go, and Xperia J. Sony did not elaborate on when those devices will be updated, but promised to announce more information on timing "in due course."
The phone maker also delivered some bad news, however. None of its 2011 Xperia phones will get the Jelly Bean upgrade.
"We were glad to provide the Android 4.0.4 upgrade for our 2011 Xperia portfolio across most markets and the majority of models but, after thorough evaluation, we have concluded they will not be upgraded beyond Ice Cream Sandwich," Sony said. "Beyond Ice Cream Sandwich we would not able to guarantee owners of these smartphones the user experience you expect and we demand."
In other Jelly Bean update news, Samsung has started rolling out Android 4.1 to Samsung Galaxy S III handsets in the U.K., according to ZDNet. The update will be available across all U.K. networks in the coming weeks. Samsung recently promised the same in the U.S. in the "coming months."
Jelly Bean comes with new features like offline voice typing, auto arranging of icons, and a predictive keyboard. It also sports Google Now, a richer use of the company's Knowledge Graph. Google Now can memorize your normal commute from home to work and back, then provide alternate routes if it detects traffic. It also integrates public transit, telling users when the next subway train or bus is slated to arrive.

Source

Read more ►

Nokia Lumia 510

Today we’re delighted to announce the Nokia Lumia 510. It’s our most affordable Lumia so far: a stylish, entry-level smartphone that comes in five eye-catching colors: red, yellow, cyan, white and black.

Unlike many smartphones at its price point, though, the Nokia Lumia 510 sports a generous 4-inch display. This gives you plenty of space to view pictures, videos and the Internet, and makes precise tapping and swiping easier.

On the back, there’s a 5-megapixel autofocus camera, ideal for snapping pictures of friends and family and then quickly posting to social networks right from the camera interface. You can also send pictures to your Microsoft SkyDrive account, where you can take advantage of 7GB of free, online storage you can access from anywhere.

As with all our Lumia smartphones, the Nokia Lumia 510 is powered by Windows Phone with its signature Live Tiles giving you at-a-glance updates and speedy access to everything you need to do. The power of the People Hub brings together everyone you know in one place, their latest social updates, as well as the ability to get in touch across a whole range of methods, from talking to tweets. There are Microsoft Office Mobile apps installed and the IE9 web browser guarantees a smooth web experience.

On top of that, you’ll also have instant access to the best mobile navigation and location services available today, in the form of Nokia Maps, Drive and Transport.

The Nokia Lumia 510 will be available to buy starting in November in India, China, South America and Asia. It will cost approximately USD199, before any local taxes and operator subsidies.

Source

Read more ►

Samsung Galaxy Note II review: Is bigger really bette

Samsung took a big risk with its first Galaxy Note device. At 5.3-in., the device's screen was almost comically large for a smartphone. That, combined with the Note's retro-sounding stylus, led to plenty of skepticism and outright ridicule.

Galaxy Note II

In the end, of course, Samsung had the last laugh by selling 10 million units by August, 2012 -- and now, the manufacturer's back with an even bigger model. The Galaxy Note II launches in the U.S. this week, with Sprint kicking things off on Thursday. The carrier will sell the Note II for $300 with a new two-year contract. AT&T, meanwhile, will offer the phone starting November 9 for the same price. T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular are all expected to follow suit in the coming weeks, though none has announced specific launch dates or prices as of this writing.

Samsung's Galaxy Note II keeps the same basic concept as the original Note but adds higher-quality components and new software twists. So how does it all stack up? I spent several days using the Note II to find out.

Body and display

When you hold the Galaxy Note II, one thing is immediately clear: This is a Samsung-made phone. The new Note follows Samsung's design aesthetic and in many ways looks like a supersized Galaxy S III. The device is very plasticky; it has a removable silver-colored rear panel that feels thin and flimsy when pulled off. That said, the Note II certainly doesn't look cheap; it has a sleek and contemporary appearance with shiny, reflective surfaces and visually pleasing curves.


Of course, the size is the real eye-catching thing about the Note II: The phone is a whopping 3.2 x 5.9 x 0.4 in., longer but slightly narrower than the first-gen Note's 3.3 x 5.8 x 0.4 in. frame.

At 6.3 oz., it isn't unbearably heavy -- but for better or for worse, it's definitely a bulky device. Personally, I found the Note II a bit awkward and unnatural to hold; it's too big to use with a single hand, like a typical smartphone, and too small to use like a traditional tablet (even a relatively small one like the Nexus 7).

I also found the Note II rather uncomfortable to carry around. While it did fit into the pocket of my jeans, it was always either in my way or on the verge of falling out. Sitting down was particularly challenging.

If you can get used to the size, though, the Note II's 5.5-in. HD Super AMOLED screen is a beaut. The 1280 x 720 display gives you ample room for Web browsing, video-watching or whatever your tech-loving heart desires. It's crisp, clear and bright (although you may have to deactivate Samsung's often-wonky auto-brightness setting to get the best results). Smartphone enthusiasts will be happy to know it doesn't utilize Pentile technology, which is frequently criticized for causing jagged edges and lower-quality views.

Samsung's Galaxy Note II has a volume rocker on its left side, a headphone jack on its top, and a power button about a third of the way down its right edge. On the bottom of the phone sits a standard micro-USB port that -- with the use of a special adapter, priced at $40 on Samsung's website -- can double as an HDMI out port to let you hook the phone up to your TV and watch your videos on a large display. The bottom of the device also houses a slot where the S Pen stylus resides (more on that in a bit).

Following the example of its Galaxy S III smartphone, Samsung has opted to use an odd mix of physical and capacitive navigation buttons in place of the virtual on-screen buttons Google recommends for modern Android devices. The Note II has a physical home button flanked by capacitive menu and back buttons, the latter two of which light up for just a couple of seconds when you touch the screen and remain invisible otherwise.


The Note II has a single small speaker on its back. The speaker is surprisingly good: Audio is loud, clear and relatively full-sounding. There is one design-related disappointment: The grill covering the speaker protrudes awkwardly from the phone's back plate, creating a rough and rather sharp spot in an otherwise smooth and consistent surface. (As a result, when you set the phone down on its back, it actually rocks back and forth very slightly.

Under the hood

Samsung's Galaxy Note II runs on a 1.6GHz quad-core processor along with a full 2GB of RAM. The result is a blazingly fast smartphone experience with no noticeable slowdowns or stutters; from app loading to Web browsing and even multitasking, the Note II's performance is consistently impressive.

Also impressive is the device's stamina: While it's no Droid Razr Maxx HD, the Galaxy Note II packs a removable 3100mAh battery that provides more than enough juice to get you from morning to night. Even with the massive power-sucking screen, I found myself making it through full days of moderate usage with room to spare.

(It's worth noting that the Note II model I tested was connected to T-Mobile's 4G HSPA+ network. Models utilizing 4G LTE networks will likely utilize more power and may have different results.)

The Note II comes with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. (The U.S. carriers have not yet specified which version or versions they'll offer.) The Note II has a slot for a microSD card, too, located under the phone's rear panel; it allows you to add up to 64GB of additional storage.

The smartphone has an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing lens. The main camera is quite good and on a par with the setup used in Samsung's Galaxy S III phone. While I might give the HTC One X and One S a slight edge in terms of both camera interface and image quality, Samsung's setup is certainly no slouch; photos taken on the Note II looked crisp and sharp with vibrant, true-to-life colors and superb detail.

Finally, there's the actual phone connectivity: While things will obviously vary from one carrier to the next, on the T-Mobile device I used, calls sounded loud and clear, and people on the other end reported being able to hear me fine. (I did, however, feel slightly ridiculous holding a giant slate up to my face to talk.) Data over T-Mobile's HSPA+ network was pleasantly zippy and consistent with typical T-Mobile 4G speeds.

One concern: On a few occasions, my Note II unit stopped connecting to T-Mobile's network, making it impossible for me to make calls or utilize data. Powering the phone off and back on fixed the problem. My own personal device, meanwhile -- which also utilizes T-Mobile's network -- continued to work fine during these occasions.

Source

Read more ►

iPad Mini Fist look

Apple's iPad Mini will bring a lot more excitement and a little more confusion to the holiday shopping season.

It only takes a few minutes playing with the iPad mini to realize the scaled-down tablet computer will be a sure-fire hit with longtime Apple disciples and potential converts who've been looking for a more affordable entree into the mobile computing market.

With a 7.9-inch screen, the iPad mini is perfectly sized to be stuffed in Christmas stockings. Recipients who will discover the pleasure and convenience of being able to take pictures, surf the Web, watch video, read books and listen to music on an exquisitely designed device that's pancake thin.

As enticing as that all sounds, the iPad mini also causes a dilemma, albeit a pleasant one.

The new option will make it even more difficult for holiday shoppers to figure out which mobile device to buy for their loved ones -or for themselves.

I felt the pangs of indecision within a few minutes of picking up the iPad mini for the first time.

As the company usually does at its product unveilings, Apple Inc. only provided reporters with limited, strictly supervised access to the iPad mini on Tuesday. That meant I could only experiment with it for about 15 minutes, but as an experienced user of the iPad 2, I could quickly see that the smaller tablet does just about everything its bigger brethren does.

Even though the mini's screen is 1.8 inches smaller than the standard iPad, the movie "The Avengers" looked lush, even in a side-by-side comparison with the larger tablet. When I pulled up the latest issue of the New Yorker, I didn't have to strain to see the text or pictures on the smaller screen. A quick check of other websites verified that the mini's screen isn't so tiny that it's going to cause a lot of squinting. After I took a very crisp picture of another reporter testing out a mini, I decided to email it to her to test how easy it was to use the keyboard on the smaller screen. No problem there. Best of all, the iPad Mini can be held in one hand and is about half the weight of the larger iPad.

The Mini worked so much like my standard iPad that it immediately caused me to have second thoughts about a decision I thought I had already made. I like my iPad 2 a lot, but it's just too big to carry with me wherever I am. But there have been times I really wish I had it with me, like when I spot something that would make a great picture or when I've needed to check something on the Web. For various reasons, I didn't want a smartphone that would require a data plan, so I had my mind set on buying the latest iPod Touch, which has an iPhone-size screen and superb camera.

Now, the iPad mini has me vacillating. Apple isn't making it easier with its pricing strategy. The latest iPod Touch with 32 gigabytes sells for $299. An iPad Mini with 16 gigabytes of storage sells for $329. I'm tempted.

Like others who will no doubt be weighing the same decision, I'll have to make up my mind. Do I want something that can fit in my one of pant pockets like the Touch? For starters, it comes in more colors than the black-or-white Mini and offers more storage capacity for a cheaper price.

Or do I want to pay a little more for another tablet computer that can slip into a coat pocket and offer a richer experience with a screen nearly two times larger than the new Touch?

The iPad mini is so mighty that I can't believe the iPad 2 will be on the market too much longer. The iPad 2's $399 price now looks like too much, given that the iPad mini can do just about everything it does on a slightly smaller screen. The iPad 2 still may have some appeal for people who want a larger tablet at a lower price the newest iPads, but I can't see too many consumers buying Apple's second-generation tablet now that the mini is available.

Consumers who aren't set on buying one of Apple's devices will have even more choices to make. The iPad mini is clearly aimed at siphoning sales away from the Nexus 7 tablet that Google Inc. began selling four months ago and the longer-established Kindle Fire from Amazon.com Inc. Figuring out which one is best-suited for you (or that special someone on your shopping list) will likely come down to weighing price against performance.

Amazon is sells a Kindle Fire HD with 16 gigabytes of storage and 7-inch screen for $199 and a similarly sized Nexus 7 goes for $249. That means an iPad mini will cost $80 to $130 more, a price that Apple believes is justified because it boasts more features, such as front and back cameras. The mini's reliance on aluminum instead of plastic for its exterior also makes it look more stylish and more enjoyable to hold.

If the speculation on technology blogs pans out, Google might make things even more interesting and dizzying for holiday shoppers by introducing a $99 version of the Nexus 7 in the coming weeks.
source

Read more ►

Sony Xperia Miro

That it has launched them so close together is even more baffling, and surely risks rendering one of them obsolete.So, does the Sony Xperia Miro do enough to justify its price tag? Well, first impressions aren't great. The Sony Xperia Miro has a 3.5-inch 320 x 480 display, which is on the small side these days, particularly when cheaper handsets such as the Huawei Ascend G300 pack a 4-inch display. But coming from the Sony Xperia Tipo, it actually feels like quite a jump in size - it's only 0.3 inches bigger, but the difference is surprisingly noticeable.

A few of its other specs have been boosted above those of the Xperia Tipo too, though they're still fairly modest. It retains an 800MHz single core processor with 512MB of RAM. Its camera sees a boost in megapixels, up to 5 megapixels, versus the Xperia Tipo's 3.15MP snapper. It can shoot VGA video at 30fps and comes with 4GB of storage, only 2.2GB of which is useable. On the plus side it supports microSD cards of up to 32GB.

It comes running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which isn't the latest build but it isn't too far behind.Despite having a name that aligns it with the Tipo, the Sony Xperia Miro eschews its sibling's rounded edges in favour of a rectangular look in line with the more premium Sony Xperia U, Sony Xperia P, Sony Xperia T and Sony Xperia S.

However, if the aim was to make it seem more premium, it wasn't entirely successful. At first glance the Sony Xperia Miro does look like a better - or at least more expensive - phone than the Sony Xperia Tipo. The more angular, less chunky form factor on the Sony Xperia Miro gives it a touch of class, but as soon as you pick it up you find that looks can be deceiving.

It's lightweight at 110g (0.24lbs), but with dimensions of 113 x 59.4 x 9.9mm (4.4 x 2.3 x 0.4 inches) it's not a tiny handset, and this makes it feel odd when held.

Your brain tells you it shouldn't be that light, like it's an imposter, or what every phone manufacturer dreads hearing - that it's a toy.
That impression isn't helped by the cheap, plasticky feel of the handset. Yes, most phones have a plastic shell of some kind, but there's a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it, and the Sony Xperia Miro most definitely does it wrong. It feels like a toy. An expensive toy, but still a toy.

Below the screen you'll find three soft-touch buttons. These are the home button in the centre, the back button on the left and the menu button on the right.     Review
    REEVOO
    Specifications
    Best Prices
    1 comment

Sony Xperia Miro review
TechRadar rating
2.5/5
For

    Long battery life
    Great music player
    Great for calls and messaging
    Strong connectivity options

Against

    Poor screen
    Terrible video recording
    Sluggish performance
    Cheap build
    Little storage

Sony Xperia Miro review
Sony's second budget handset in as many months - does it do enough to stand out?
By James Rogerson October 17th
1 comment
Page 1 of 13Introduction

It seems like only yesterday that we were putting the Sony Xperia Tipo through its paces, but here already, with just the smallest of spec boosts, is the Sony Xperia Miro.

The entry-level smartphone market is becoming increasingly crowded as it is, so it's a surprise that Sony has seen fit to release two handsets that, on paper at any rate, are incredibly similar.

That it has launched them so close together is even more baffling, and surely risks rendering one of them obsolete.

Sony Xperia Miro review

Buying Guide
Best Android phone - which should you buy?
Best Android phone

It's not just the Sony Xperia Tipo it's got to contend with, either. The boost in specs has brought with it a boost in price, as you can currently pick the Sony Xperia Miro up for £159/AU$240/US$239.99 SIM-free. This price range puts it in competition with the similarly styled Sony Xperia U and the HTC Wildfire S.

So, does the Sony Xperia Miro do enough to justify its price tag? Well, first impressions aren't great. The Sony Xperia Miro has a 3.5-inch 320 x 480 display, which is on the small side these days, particularly when cheaper handsets such as the Huawei Ascend G300 pack a 4-inch display.

Sony Xperia Miro review

But coming from the Sony Xperia Tipo, it actually feels like quite a jump in size - it's only 0.3 inches bigger, but the difference is surprisingly noticeable.

A few of its other specs have been boosted above those of the Xperia Tipo too, though they're still fairly modest. It retains an 800MHz single core processor with 512MB of RAM.

Sony Xperia Miro review

Its camera sees a boost in mega pixels, up to 5 megapixels, versus the Xperia Tipo's 3.15MP snapper. It can shoot VGA video at 30fps and comes with 4GB of storage, only 2.2GB of which is usable. On the plus side it supports microSD cards of up to 32GB.

It comes running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which isn't the latest build but it isn't too far behind.

Sony Xperia Miro review

Despite having a name that aligns it with the Tipo, the Sony Xperia Miro eschews its sibling's rounded edges in favour of a rectangular look in line with the more premium Sony Xperia U, Sony Xperia P, Sony Xperia T and Sony Xperia S.

However, if the aim was to make it seem more premium, it wasn't entirely successful. At first glance the Sony Xperia Miro does look like a better - or at least more expensive - phone than the Sony Xperia Tipo.

Sony Xperia Miro review

The more angular, less chunky form factor on the Sony Xperia Miro gives it a touch of class, but as soon as you pick it up you find that looks can be deceiving.

It's lightweight at 110g (0.24lbs), but with dimensions of 113 x 59.4 x 9.9mm (4.4 x 2.3 x 0.4 inches) it's not a tiny handset, and this makes it feel odd when held.

Your brain tells you it shouldn't be that light, like it's an imposter, or what every phone manufacturer dreads hearing - that it's a toy.

Sony Xperia Miro review

That impression isn't helped by the cheap, plasticky feel of the handset. Yes, most phones have a plastic shell of some kind, but there's a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it, and the Sony Xperia Miro most definitely does it wrong. It feels like a toy. An expensive toy, but still a toy.

Below the screen you'll find three soft-touch buttons. These are the home button in the center, the back button on the left and the menu button on the right.

Sony Xperia Miro review

Below that there's a blue light that appears when you wake up the phone or when you receive a text or call. You can't even tell it's there when it's off and when it's on it looks good, extending out across much of the width of the phone. It's also incredibly useful, and we applaud Sony for supporting this feature when so few other manufacturers do.

Below that the body curves inwards slightly and is adorned with the word 'Xperia'. There's a little notch at the bottom of the handset to peel the back cover off, and doing so just compounds the feeling of cheapness as the cover itself is revealed to be very thin plastic.

Underneath you'll find the battery, along with the SIM card and microSD card slots. Unfortunately not only do you need to remove the back cover to swap out a microSD card, but also the battery. Granted, it's a minority of users that will need more than one card, but for those that do this is an unfortunate inconvenience. Given the tiny amount of storage on the Xperia Miro it would be nice if Sony had done more to ease expansion.

Source

Read more ►

Sony Xperia T

The Xperia T is Sony’s new flagship smartphone and comes fully equipped with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor under the hood, as well as Google’s Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Its top-notch processor offers speedy navigation across the user interface, and makes for stutter-free web browsing and flawless gaming and video capabili

Dual-core 1.5GHz processor
13MP fast capture camera
13MP fast capture camera
4.6" HD Reality display powered by Mobile BRAVIA
4.6" HD Reality display powered by Mobile BRAVIA
Full 1080p HD video recording and 720p HD front camera     Full 1080p HD video recording and 720p HD front camera
microSD Memory Card slot
microSD Memory Card slot


Featuring an award-winning slender design, not only does it look slick but it acts slick too. Integrated ‘one touch’ sharing, enabled by NFC, delivers the next step in connected entertainment.

Boasting a 13MP fast-capture camera, snaps look sharp and crisp on the 4.6-inch HD reality display. Full 1080p video recording is also available from the rear-shooter and there’s the addition of 3D surround sound so video playback is enhanced even further. Internal storage is available up to 16GB and there’s also a microSD slot with support for up to 32GB.

Read more ►