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/

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Fastest Mobile Networks 2012

With more than half of all U.S. mobile phone buyers picking smartphones, we're all relying heavily on wireless Internet. Seven major U.S. wireless carriers are all promising some form of "4G" now or in the near future, but all 4G isn't the same. So for the third year in a row, we sent drivers out to see the state of the 4G nation and bring home 240,000 lines of data to figure out which network is the fastest near you.
This year we dramatically expanded our testing project, taking three 2013 Ford Taurus cars out to survey 30 U.S. cities. We tested the five largest U.S. carriers: AT&T, MetroPCS, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. (For more about the wireless providers, see Different Carriers, Different Strengths.)
We found the situation is even muddier than it was last year, as all the carriers seems to be calling nearly everything 4G. We'd love to say that LTE is the gold standard, but that isn't always the case, as the slower results from MetroPCS's LTE network and the speedy downloads on T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42 network show. (For more about 4G classification and speeds, see How Fast Is 4G?)
Rather, you need to have a solid LTE network with lots of spectrum to win, and it helps if not a lot of people are using it yet. Across our 30 cities, Verizon's 4G LTE network dueled with AT&T's new 4G LTE network for supremacy; Verizon won 19 cities while AT&T won 10, and the two carriers tied in one. T-Mobile came surprisingly close for a non-LTE carrier. And the slower results in cities where AT&T and T-Mobile have less spectrum show that the spectrum crunch is real. (For more, see Why Spectrum Matters.)
Not all phones, including Apple's popular iPhone, support 4G, and the fastest technologies aren't available in rural areas, either. So we made sure to measure the carriers' 3G networks as well. (For more, see Which Carrier Has the Fastest iPhone?)
Finally, this is a snapshot of networks in May 2012. Our results are sure to change in 2013 as new LTE networks come on line from Cricket, Sprint and T-Mobile. We got a brief glimpse of what Sprint will have to offer in Atlanta; for more on that, see Testing Sprint's New 4G LTE Network.
Our Methodology
We chose our 30 test cities so they were evenly spread across our six regions, and so we could drive to all of them in three weeks. We also chose so as many of them as possible had the maximum number of 4G networks. We tested 12 of MetroPCS's 14 LTE cities, 20 of AT&T's 39 LTE markets, 23 of Sprint's 70 WiMAX markets, and 30 of Verizon's 258 4G LTE markets.
Two of the carriers we regularly review declined to participate this year. Cricket currently runs a slow-but-steady 3G network and is installing 4G LTE soon; it'll return in our 2013 feature. U.S. Cellular has LTE, but its coverage map didn't mesh well with our travel plans.
The competition is much closer than it looks. Calculating our speed score, we applied a major penalty if a network wasn't available in one of our test cities. If we only counted the cities where AT&T LTE had coverage, it would have tied Verizon nationally and won the northeast, southeast, and south central regions. But you can't win if you don't play, and AT&T's 39 markets pale when compared with Verizon's 258-market rollout. (After our testing was complete, AT&T disputed the upload speed results we found on its network.)
Note that we didn't test call quality, dropped calls, or coverage. These tests are all about data speed. For the best assessment of voice call quality according to our readers, check out our annual Reader's Choice awards results. To get a picture of wireless coverage near you, download the Sensorly app from the Android Market and you'll see crowd-sourced coverage maps for all the major U.S. mobile carriers, enhanced with the data from our test drives. (For more, see How We Tested.)
Again, mobile networks are constantly changing, and almost always for the better. And because speeds vary based on tower location, network load, device used, and even the weather, we can't predict performance in a specific location; rather, we're giving a snapshot of a few days' worth of usage in several locations across a metro area. Hit the next page for the regional and national winners:

s0urce http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405596,00.asp

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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:

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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/

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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

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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

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