Monday, November 19, 2012

Google Nexus 4 Review

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Introduction:

Google's Nexus smartphones have always set the standard when it comes to a pure Google experience.
The first Nexus One was a true geek device. Sold only through Google directly , it never achieved massive sales. But it gave the world the true raw power of Android without the bloatware of other variants. As of January 2010, the ball was well and truly rolling.

Moving steadily along with momentum on its side, Korean-based manufacturer LG is seeing itself in a very unfamiliar position in the smartphone industry. For a change, the spotlight has been directed at them of late – thanks primarily to the recent launch of its flagship device in the LG Optimus G. And with that going for them, it surely surprised many when the first rumors started coming around hinting to the notion that they would be the one to actually produce the next Google Nexus device.

Without question, it’s a prized opportunity to be the one chosen by Google to come up with the next Nexus smartphone, since as we know all too well, they’re highly prized items sporting the latest and greatest with Android. Oppositely, for the Mountain View based company, they’re also shifting into top gear by bringing the heat to the competition this holiday season. Combining the two’s efforts, they’ve collaborated in producing the Google Nexus 4 – the fourth generations Nexus smartphone.

Already in the last couple of months, we’ve seen some fantastic smartphones come to market – with each one seemingly raising the bar. In a time when we’re presented with renowned devices such as the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Nokia Lumia 920, HTC DROID DNA, and even the LG Optimus G, one can only imagine the kind of star power needed by the Google Nexus 4 to stand apart from all the rest. Well, seeing that we’re given the latest flavor of Jelly Bean, combined with one unimaginable price point, it seems as though the Nexus 4 has all the correct ingredients to make a meaningful, yet highly prized smartphone in this cutthroat business.

The package contains:


microUSB cable
Wall charger
Quick Start Guide
Safety & Warranty Guide
Terms & Conditions, Return Policy, and Limited Warranty Guide

Design:


Arguably, the last two Nexus smartphones put out by Samsung haven’t been cutting-edge per se in the design department, but thankfully enough, LG manages to bring back a small sprinkling of premium to the beloved line. But to tell you the truth, the overall design of the Nexus 4 still doesn’t match the precision and attention to detail seen with the original Nexus One. From the front, its minimalistic and clean surface stands out most prominently, but as a whole, it looks very much like the Galaxy Nexus from last year. However, it’s in the rear that we’re most impressed with the handset, since it’s employing a cool looking pattern design very similar to what’s seen over with the “Crystal Reflection” rear casing of the Optimus G. Depending on the angle, it sparkles brilliantly with its alternating dotted patterns. Even better, the glass casing layered on top of it adds that desired level of premium to its entire construction.
Strangely though, the Nexus 4 comes of being super slippery in the hand – attributed to the handset’s front and rear surfaces being covered in glass. In fact, it’s so very slippery that when we place it on a surface with a slight incline, it begins to slowly slide down, and in many instances, we’re always left to remind ourselves to keep an eye on it. Additionally, it’s a magnet for all the nasty baddies out there that dirty up its beauty – like fingerprints and smudges. With the help of a cloth, though, they’re relatively gone in one quick wipe, thus, bringing it back to its pristine appearance. Compared to other recent handsets, the Nexus 4 doesn’t attempt to push its construction to the limits, which is evident by its 0.36-inch thick profile and 4.9 oz weight – making it still somewhat unwieldy to hold in the hand. Ultimately, if it weren’t for the glass casing and enchanting pattern design of the rear, this would’ve been a blandAttached with the Nexus moniker, it doesn’t surprise us there are no capacitive buttons below the screen on this beauty, but rather, its LED pulse notification light is positioned there instead. On the opposite edge, we greeted with the usual suspect of characters – these include its earpiece, light & proximity sensors, and front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, the latter of which can shoot video in 720p. looking handset
Checking out the items littered along its trim, which is sporting a matte soft touch coating, we find its volume control on the left edge and power button on the right. Raised slightly above the surface, they’re distinctive enough to feel out with our fingers, but even better, they exhibit good feedback when pressed.

Along the top trim, there’s the 3.5mm headset jack and noise-cancelling microphone – while on the bottom, we’re left with only the standard mic and microUSB port for charging/data/video-out connectivity. Somewhat of a bummer, the Nexus 4 forgoes using a more favorable MHL port for video-out functionality, and instead, it relies on a Slimport socket, which means you’ll need to purchase yet another proprietary adapter in order to connect it to a high-def TV. Additionally, it boasts wireless video-out functionality too, but you’ll need to have equipment that’s compatible with Miracast’s wireless display standard – again, it’s a complex process, sadly.
Flush to the glass surface of the rear, the Nexus 4 is sporting an 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, which is capable of shooting 1080p videos. And finally, the narrow speaker grill is located towards the bottom right of the rear casing. Seeing that it’s sporting a closed design, there’s no easy access to its internal 2,100 mAh battery.


Display:


Having seen the razor sharp and awe-inspiring 1080p display of the HTC DROID DNA, there isn’t much wow factor seen with the Nexus 4’s display anymore. To tell you the truth, though, it’s the same one used by the LG Optimus G – so it’s been done before already! Regardless of that, there are some noteworthy elements seen with its 4.7-inch WXGA 768 x 1280 True HD IPS Plus display.


For starters, it’s still one detailed thing with its above average pixel density of 318 ppi – and that’s despite being outdone by the DROID DNA. Secondly, since it’s relying on good old IPS LCD technology, it delivers colors that are the most natural in tone, giving it a distinctive realistic appearance over the saturated tones put out by the rival AMOLED technology. And finally, it works rather well when it matters the most with outdoor visibility, which is attributed to its strong brightness output, decent reflection rate and wide viewing angles.

Protecting everything, its screen is soundly reinforced with Gorilla Glass 2, which is rounded around the trim to seamlessly transition and mix well with its sides. Just like on the Optimus G, it’s utilizing Zerogap technology that simply combines the LCD panel with the glass and eliminates the air gap usually found there, to make it appear closer to the surface. All in all, it’s sharp looking no doubt, but as we’ve made it transparent, it’s nothing that’s ground-breaking.

Camara

The Nexus 4 comes with two cameras – an 8MP job around the back and a 1.3MP snapper on the front.
8MP seems to be the industry standard at the moment – but as we're constantly reminded, it's not about the megapixels but so much more. Elements including the aperture, the compression and all that stuff have a part to play. Brains vs brawn and so on.

Battery life


This is where we'd normally moan about the fact that the power pack is sealed into the unit. It's becoming more and more popular for handset manufacturers to do this.Normally, we're told it is to keep the size down and the aesthetics to a high standard. But the result is always the same: looks nice, but battery is rubbish.
Gladly, we can say that's not the case with the Nexus 4. Of course, individual usage will vary wildly, but we found it to put in a competent enough performance.
We took our review unit off charge at 7am. We did the obligatory check of emails, tweets, facebook messages and SMS.
Over the course of the day, we made just under half an hour's worth of calls, browsed the web for about 40 mins between 3G and Wi-Fi, checked Twitter and Facebook half a dozen times each, took 10 photos and three videos and listened to music for about half an hour.
By the time we got home at 5pm, the Nexus 4 had told us the charge was hitting 15% but then we managed to keep it going with minimal use until we went to bed at 9pm.
We must also point out that much of the day was spent in a basement office with poor signal, so the Nexus 4 was constantly searching.
We'd call that a good result and with frugal use, you'll squeeze at least another few hours out of this. For a modern handset, it's impressive and we are really pleased.
It's most definitely an improvement on the HTC One X and even trumps the Samsung Galaxy S3 which is, itself, no slouch in that department. The thing is that it is so dependent on what Android apps you have installed and what they're doing in the background.
It's even more of a bonus because despite Jelly Bean having brought performance enhancements, one thing that has degraded is battery life.
We've heard nothing but complaints from people who've upgraded from Ice Cream Sandwich that ICS was better. Turning off Google Now appears to make a difference, but only a minor one.
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Sunday, November 18, 2012

Sony Xperia U advantages and disadvantares

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You know the Sony Xperia U right? Xperia U is one of the first smartphone to be launched by Sony after the official split with Ericsson a few months ago. Previously Sony has also released Xperia S for the premium consumers and Xperia P to middle class consumers, and the Xperia U is intended for lower-class segment.

Sony Xperia U is a mobile phone with dual core processor and comes with Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread although the later can be upgraded to a higher version of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich shortly after that. U Xperia equip himself with a 5 megapixel camera and comes with lots of other supporting features such as autofocus and LED flash.

And the following key features or advantages in the Xperia U:

Quad-band GSM /GPRS/EDGE support
3.5" 16M-color capacitive touchscreen of Full WVGA resolution (854 x 480 pixels) with Sony Mobile BRAVIA engine
Android OS v2.3.7 Gingerbread, planned Android 4.0 ICS update
Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU, 512 MB RAM, NovaThor U8500 chipset
5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, Multi Angle shot
720p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS
8 GB built-in storage (6 GB user-accessible)
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Voice dialing
Adobe Flash 11 support
Deep Facebook integration
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Transparent stripe changes color depending on screen content
Replaceable cap at the bottom allows easy customization

While the disadvantages of Xperia U include:
Limited storage with no expansion options
No Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of box
Some competitors are slimmer

Well, the article about the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony Xperia U for you all. if unclear please speak up via comments below.



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Saturday, November 17, 2012

LG Optimus G for AT&T and Sprint review

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Introduction

With the dust barely settled after the Korean LG Optimus G's run around out review track, we have its LTE packing, US siblings on our hands. The LG Optimus G E970 for AT&T and its LS970 relative for Sprint are the two versions which are offered across the Atlantic. Thankfully, the wait for their arrival wasn't long at all - LG pulled off a launch which looked a lot like what Samsung did with the Galaxy SIII earlier this year.


The LG Optimus G E970 and its LS970 relative are slightly different characters. The AT&T version comes with an 8MP camera and a microSD card slot. The Sprint-flavored Optimus G on the other hand, is practically identical to the Korean version, which we have reviewed already. This means that users will enjoy a larger, 13MP camera sensor, but will have to settle for 32GB on non-expandable memory.
Most importantly however, both smartphones come with the headline grabbing Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset and two gigs of RAM, which means that, regardless which one they pick, potential users will get to enjoy the most powerful Android hardware around.
Here goes the full list of talents which the US LG Optimus G duo has to offer.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
3G with HSPA; LTE
CDMA network support (Sprint Wireless version only)
4.7" 16M-color WXGA True HD IPS Plus (768 x 1280 pixels) capacitive touchscreen, Gorilla Glass
Android OS v4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, planned upgrade to 4.1 Jelly Bean, LG Optimus UI 3.0
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, image stabilization, Time catch shot, smart shutter (Sprint version)
8 MP autofocus camera with LED (AT&T version)
1080p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
1.3 MP front-facing camera, 720p video recording
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
32GB of built-in storage (Sprint version)
16GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot with 16GB card preinstalled (AT&T version)
MHL-enabled microUSB port, USB host support
Bluetooth v4.0
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Voice dialing
Two app overlay mode for multi-tasking (Q Slide)
Independent multimedia content output through MHL (Dual Screen Dual Play)
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

Main disadvantages

No microSD card slot on the Sprint version
No Jelly Bean at launch
Screens have mediocre sunlight legibility
Non user-replaceable battery
There is hardly a box left unchecked by the LG Optimus G duo. Both devices offer impressive hardware and gorgeous screens. Even the software is a massive improvement over LG smartphones of old.
Of course, the long list of features can do anything for a smartphone but guarantee its success. This is particularly the case in the US market, where the LG Optimus G has to face incredibly stiff competition.


We are going to kick the review off with a quick unboxing, followed by a design and build quality inspection of both the LG Optimus G for AT&T and Sprint Wireless. The dedicated camera section on the other hand, will closely examine and compare LG's 13MP and 8MP camera sensors' performance.
Editorial: You might notice that this review is shorter than usual and doesn't include all of our proprietary tests. The reason is it has been prepared and written far away from our office and test lab. The LG Optimus G for AT&T and Sprint are US-only phones, so they will probably never get to the shores of the Old Continent. Still, we think we've captured the essence of the phones in the same precise, informative and detailed way that's become our trademark. Enjoy the good read!


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iPad4

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Introduction

Three Apple tablets in a single year. This is more than anyone asked for and yet, by some weird logic - or lack thereof, not too many for Apple to successfully sell. All fine and dandy, unless you got the iPad 3 - better luck next time if you were unfortunate enough to buy it in September.
Well, so much for the new iPad. Number 4 is the new new iPad. You must've heard the one about the double positives. Did we hear some iPad 3 owners say "Yeah, right"? To be honest, they're not without a point.Anyway, the tablet market is still Apple's to lose and the least it could do is send a message to the competition. The double November release may look like a knee-jerk reaction to Google and Microsoft's raid on the slate market but the fact is that Apple has the depth to compete on two fronts. The mini against compact droids and the iPad 4 against the Surface means Cupertino is leaving nothing to chance in defending its number one spot.
The fourth generation iPad is no major upgrade. It keeps the design, display and the main camera of its predecessor. What it gets is a new chipset and the new Lightning port. Oh, and there's an HD FaceTime front cam but that's barely worth mentioning.
Overall, it's the same tablet as the one released in March, with the class-leading Retina display and a welcome boost to the processing power. Plus, the Lightning port ensures seamless compatibility with the iPhone 5, which has sold by the millions.

Key features

9.7" LED-backlit IPS LCD touchscreen, 2048 x 1536 pixels; scratch-resistant, oleophobic coating
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, carrier-dependent hotspot support
Optional LTE connectivity (data only)
Optional GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS support (for the 3G model only)
Apple A6X SoC with 1 GHz dual-core processor
PowerVR SGX554MP4 quad-core GPU
1GB of RAM
iOS 6.0 with iCloud support and activation
16/32/64GB of inbuilt storage
652 grams of weight (662 grams for the LTE version)
Bluetooth 4.0
Lightning USB port
11,560 mAh battery
Accelerometer, compass and three-axis gyro-sensor
5MP auto-focus camera
1080p video recording at 30fps
1.2MP secondary camera capable of FaceTime HD calls
Four and five-finger gestures
1080p TV-output with the Apple Digital AV Adapter (purchased separately for $39), 720p video streaming
Supports magnetic cases
Main disadvantages
iTunes still required for uploading most of the content
Reflective screen struggles outdoors
No standard USB port
No stereo speakers
No GPS receiver in the Wi-Fi version
No memory card slot
Lack of basic iOS apps - stocks, clock, calculator, voice memos
It's an Apple device so things like a file manager and a memory card slot are not even up for discussion. They'll probably never be. Nothing on the list above should come as a surprise and, if you are still with us, you are OK with most of it.
The A6X chipset potentially doubles the processing power but let's be honest, the real life gain is not enough to make anyone throw away a still fresh iPad 3. Yet that's what Apple just did - you can think of that as investing in the future-proofing of the device more than anything else.

iPad 4 over iPad 3

Apple A6X chipset with PowerVR554MP4 quad-core GPU for allegedly 2x faster performance
1.2MP front FaceTime camera with HD video
GLONASS support (for the cellular version only)
Lightning USB port
Whether or not Cupertino will admit to feeling the pressure from Microsoft, they knew the right thing to do is prepare. Apple could not afford to have development split between flagship devices running different hardware.

Someone had to take the hit and leaving iPad 3 users out in the cold was probably a hard decision for Apple. The new product launch schedule may've put the iPad 4's market prospects in question too - users are less certain whether they should commit to a new device that may soon become outdated. Apparently, the new Apple tablets are doing great, but the iPad 4 seems to be the one that's always in stock, while the mini takes about 2 weeks to deliver.
But the iPad mini already had its moment in the spotlight here, it's now iPad 4's turn to have our full attention. Before we get busy, we should note that numbers are the short and easy way to set the different generations of Apple tablets apart. What was until recently known as the New iPad (iPad 3) is now discontinued. The current model (iPad 4) is officially called iPad with Retina. The only older generation Apple tablet officially in circulation is the iPad 2. Quite a mess, indeed.





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Bluetooth Headset That you can Wear on Your Finger

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With a simple twist, The O.R.B. transforms from a ring to a headset worn on the ear that is capable of hands-free calling. Incorporating HiWave™ technology, the O.R.B. is a “Digitset™” that provides high-quality bone conduction audio without the discomfort of placing a device inside the ear. A deluxe edition also features an E Ink display for caller ID, text messaging, and calendar reminders.

To use the ring as a headset, simply remove it from the finger and twist open around the hinged joint. The ring (now a headset) is placed over the upper ear, between the ear and the side of the head. The transmitter end of the headset rests just above the jawbone and utilizes dual speaker “voice annihilation” DSP technology. The transmit exciter transducer rests just behind the outer ear.


The O.R.B. will be available in a variety of sizes, available in styles for both men and women.

All sizes have an expansion hinge, spring prongs and adjustable adhesive soft pads on the interior edge, which provide a secure and comfortable fit on the finger (or thumb) as well as the ear.


The O.R.B. features military-grade seals and gaskets, making it fully waterproof and built to accompany you on any adventure.


The ring vibrates, alerting the user to an incoming call, text message, or event reminder. The user can glance down at the finger and see a horizontal streaming message of caller I.D. or meeting schedules. If accepting an incoming call, the user twists open the O.R.B., slips over the ear, and begins the conversation. If declining incoming calls or texts, or dismissing event reminders, the user can simply push the cancel button with the O.R.B. still idle on their finger. When not in use the ring serves as a time device/alarm clock. If the user would like to silence a call he/she can simply touch a button on the band.



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Friday, November 16, 2012

SAMSUNG GALAXY S IV RUMORED TO DEBUT AT CES IN JANUARY, MAY FEATURE A 5-INCH 1080P DISPLAY

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The latest trend in the mobile industry seems to be the move towards 5-inch full HD displays. Companies such as HTC (2498) Sony (SNE) and LG (066570) have already added, or are planning to include, higher resolution displays on their products. Not to be left behind, Asia Economics reported on Friday that Samsung (005930) is planning to introduce a smartphone with a large 1920 x 1080 resolution display at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in January. The handset is said to be the company’s next flagship device, known as the Galaxy S IV, and will be equipped with a 5-inch full HD AMOLED display that includes a pixel density of 441 pixels-per-inch.

The report follows an earlier rumor that claimed the South Korean vendor was planning to release the Galaxy S IV this coming March. The previous report claimed the company was going to unveil the device at Mobile World Congress in February, however, rather than at CES. The Galaxy S IV is also said to include a quad-core Exynos processor and 4G LTE capabilities.

Samsung has repeatedly denied any and all Galaxy S IV rumors.


We’ve just had the release of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with the new Nexus 4 phone and by the time the Galaxy S4 arrives it seems likely that it will run the next major OS upgrade, Key Lime Pie, although it’s too early to tell whether this might be 4.3 or possibly Android 5.0. Other inclusions that seem more than plausible are LTE and NFC and possibly enhanced versions of S Voice and Nature UX. As far as processor, a step up to a 2GHz quad-core Exynos processor doesn’t sound impossible and while ever-increasing screen sizes are very much the trend we feel the 4.8-inches of the Galaxy S3 is still plenty big enough.

Talking about displays, we’ve spoken before about the new flexible Youm displays that Samsung is developing for 2013 and so it also looks feasible that a flexible display may feature on either the Galaxy S4 or the Galaxy Note 3. On top of all this with the anticipated spec upgrades we are hoping for we’d like to see a much larger battery capacity to cope with it all. You may also be interested in our previous look at a video concept design for the Galaxy S4.


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