Apple iPhone 5S GFX benchmarks show Apple was telling the truth
The Apple iPhone 5 is a fast phone. The Apple iPhone 5S
is faster based on GFX benchmark testing. The Egypt 2.5 HD test shows
offscreen 1080p (FHD) results of 56 frames per second for the next
iteration of Apple's full-price handset. That is a remarkable rise
compared to the 29.8 frames per second scored by the Apple iPhone 5. The
onscreen testing revealed a frames per second score of 53 for the Apple
iPhone 5S versus 41.1fps scored by the iPhone 5.
While the
benchmarking proves that the new iPhone is faster than last year's
model, it is something that would have been assumed anyway, even had
Phil Schiller not said it on Tuesday. While some developers won't want
to bother with optimizing their app to the 64-bit architecture of the
A7, and use OpenGL ES ver. 3.0, those that do will find Apple iPhone 5S
users impressed with how fast their app runs on the Apple iPhone 5S.
Dell brings back the Venue as a Windows 8.1 tablet
Dell has had a troubled past in the mobile device game. It was one of
the first to try out both 5-inch and 7-inch Android devices, but tried
it at a time when the technology just wasn't refined enough to make a
comfortable 5-inch device, and software wasn't ready for tablets. Last
year, Dell killed its last smartphones the Android-powered Venue and the
Windows Phone Venue Pro handsets, but now its time for the Venue to
make a comeback.
Originally, the Dell Venue Pro was a
Windows Phone smartphone with a slider keyboard, but this time around
the Venue brand is being used on a Windows tablet. Dell has been active
with Windows 8 hybrid devices, and it does still have a couple tablets
on the market - the Windows RT XPS 10 tablet, and the Windows 8 Latitude
10 - but the Venue will be used on a smaller Windows tablet. The new
Dell Venue will be an 8-inch tablet that runs full Windows 8.1, not the
dreaded Windows RT. This is most likely because Dell has been targeting
enterprise users, but the Venue is expected to be aimed at the consumer
market as well.
The Venue will have a 1080p
display, an Intel Atom Bay Trail processor, HDMI out, and microSD card
slot. Otherwise, we don't know what to expect. Dell is planning to
announce more info on October 2nd.
Google rolls out new Google Play logo, pulls it back
A couple days ago a slight redesign to the official Google logo was
found in a Chrome Beta APK. Unfortunately, that didn't turn out to be
something we'll see any time soon; but, that doesn't mean the Google
design team isn't working on other projects. Today, Google started
rolling out a change to the Google Play logo, which oddly chooses to
remove the word "Play" completely.
Maybe Google
thought it was a bit off as well because the change was only up for a
few hours before being pulled for the old logo again. The new logo was
interesting, and we get that the Play symbol was supposed to replace the
word; and, the darker color of the word Google looked much nicer than
the washed-out grey that is in the current logo.
We
think it's probably best that the word "Play" stays in the logo for a
bit longer, because we're not sure the name has enough traction with
casual users yet. Play is a very important branding for Google, so to
obfuscate that brand too soon is a risky idea. It's probably for the
best that this rollout was pulled back, but we wouldn't be against
seeing a tweak to the Play Logo.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has already been unveiled and two variants coming to the states have just visited the FCC. One model, the SM-N900A, visited the Feds containing support for AT&T's GSM. HSPA and LTE pipelines. The second unit, with the model number SM-N900R4, was appropriately dressed to connect with LTE signals from CDMA flavored carriers like Sprint, U.S. Cellular and some smaller regional operators.
So far, we know that the phablet will launch via AT&T on October 1st, via T-Mobile on October 2nd and Verizon on October 10th. If you're interested in winning a free Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the companion Gear smartwatch, simply register your email address with T-Mobile before September 15th to be entered into a contest to win both devices.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is soon to have some more competition with the expected Elephant Man version of the HTC One, rumored to be called (rather uninspiring) the HTC One Max. And of course, Japanese OEM Sony has the largest screened smartphone in the industry with the 6.4 inch Sony Xperia Z Ultra, a device that has already launched. And a couple of camera centric phablets are apparently on the way with the Nokia Lumia 1520 expected to be introduced on September 26th. Three days before that, the OPPO N1 should be unveiled with its high-end snapper on board.
If you love big screens, the latter months of 2013 are going to be your time.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for AT&T and for Sprint each visited the FCC
Motorola is shipping 100,000 Motorola Moto X units a week
Motorola is shipping out 100,000 units of the Motorola Moto X
handset each week, according to a report published on Tuesday. The
phones are being produced in a factory near Dallas as the wholly owned
Google subsidiary promotes the device as the first phone designed,
engineered and assembled in the USA. Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside says
that the 100,000 Moto X handsets in transit each week is just the start
of a larger plan. He also points out that not every phone that has been
shipped has been sold to a consumer.
Woodside would not breakdown
the numbers into those units ordered to be customized through the Moto
Maker website, and those standard models headed for carriers like
Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. Right now, only AT&T customers can
order a customized Moto X although that exclusivity expires in November.
To
show what Motorola is giving up to promote that the Motorola Moto X is
made in America, Flextronics CEO Mike McNamara notes that labor in the
U.S. runs at about $12 to $14 an hour compared with the $4 paid workers
on an hourly basis in China.
When
you set up to ramp a factory you need a plan, and we have shipment
targets we need to make with our carrier partners, and where we need to
be right now is 100,000 units and that's where we are."-Dennis Woodside, CEO, Motorola
AT&T's pre-paid wireless service, Aio (All in one), is the first carrier in the U.S. to offer its customers the Nokia Lumia 620.
Priced at $99.99, the Windows Phone powered handset features a 3.8 inch
ClearBlack display with resolution of 480 x 800 (WVGA) which works out
to a pixel density of 246ppi. Under the hood is a dual-core 1GHz
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus with the Adreno 305 GPU. 512MB of RAM is on
board along with 8GB of native storage that can be expanded by using the
64GB capacity microSD slot.
The back and front-facing cameras
weigh in at 5MP and .3MP respectively. The 5MP snapper has an aperture
of f/2.4 and captures 720 x 1280 video in 30fps. A 1300mAh battery is on
board. The phone was originally $179.99, but through Aio, the Nokia
Lumia 620 is now $99.99.
Aio was originally available in Houston,
Orlando, and Jacksonville, but starting Tuesday the network started
piggybacking AT&T's pipeline which gives it a national reach. The
pre-paid carrier has three plans priced at $40, $55 and $70. Each plan
comes with unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data speeds that are
throttled when you hit each plan's data cap. The cap numbers are 250MB,
2GB and 7GB respectively. The $40 plan is for featurephones only.
Fingerprint sensor off limits to developers says Apple's Schiller
Now that the long-rumored fingerprint scanner is a reality on the Apple iPhone 5S,
developers are going to have fun writing for the feature, right? Uh,
guess again. Apple's Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller,
says that third party code jockeys will not be getting access to the new
Touch ID sensor. The technology will be used to unlock your iPhone 5S
and to authenticate purchases made from iTunes.
The
scanner, which is part of the home button, uses a sensor that is just
170 microns and scans sub-epidermal skin layers with a 500ppi resolution
sensor. Unlike the fingerprint scanner on the Motorola ATRIX 4G,
which turned out to be a huge failure, users don't need to swipe their
fingers along a pad on the iPhone 5S. Instead, they merely touch the
home button just like they've done for years.
And while Apple
might decide in the future to open up the technology to developers,
right now it is off limits to them. Apple CEO Tim Cook was talking about
other uses for the fingerprint sensor when he said, "You can probably imagine a lot of [other] uses." Whether we can or can't doesn't matter since for right now, the Touch ID sensor code is closed to the public.
Apple has finished work on iOS 7 which is a pretty big (and long
overdue) redesign of the iOS software, but that doesn't mean the work is
done. iOS 7 has been given the label of Gold Master, which means it is
out of the beta stages, but it still needs one last round of testing by
developers; and, more importantly, developers need to test out app
updates with the finished iOS software.
The GM seed
version is 11A465, and it has been released to developers. Most of the
time, the Gold Master version of Apple software is what will ship when
it is officially released, but sometimes Apple may tweak something here
and there. If you are a developer, you can grab the update from Apple's
iOS Dev Center, and get to work.
If you're not
a developer, we would suggest waiting it out for the official release
of the iOS 7 software, which is scheduled for September 18th. It may be
safe to install it early, but there have been reports that Apple has
been bricking devices that are running iOS 7, but aren't tied to a developer account. So, really the risk is yours.
10-minute video shows all the new features Google Now has added in the past year
You may be a bit tired of the Apple onslaught today, so we thought we'd
bring you a pretty cool video that was made by an enterprising user. If
you have Android 4.1 or higher, or even if you have an iOS device, you
may have tried out Google Now. Google Now mashes up Google Search with
intelligent push to let you control your phone, get answers, and get
info as fast as possible.
The product has quickly
become one of Google's most impressive, and a big part of that is the
constant work and improvement that the Google team is putting in. In
fact, Google has added so many features to Google Now over the past
year, that it takes 10-minutes to demo all of the new questions and ways
of asking that Google has added in, and the video doesn't even include
the various new info cards Google has added to the intelligent push side
of things.
If we had to pick, we'd say that
the best feature that Google has added is the contextual search and
pronoun recognition. It's cool enough to be able to ask "Who is the
mayor of Chicago?" and get the answer, but it is absolutely amazing to
be able to follow that up with questions like "How old is he?", "Who is he married to?", etc.
Still
there is a lot to love in Google Now, and probably a lot that you can
learn from this video. There were a couple commands that we had
forgotten about for sure.
Ah, the Apple iPhone 5S has finally been unveiled, and it's about to hit
the market on September 20. The new iDevice seems to be extremely
powerful in terms of hardware, but it also packs some very interesting
new features like the Touch ID sensor that enables fingerprint security.
It would be an understatement to say that we're excited about this
phone, as we simply can't wait to put our itchy fingers on it. Still,
before we commence with our physical experience with the new iPhone 5S,
it'd be better if we make sure that we've gotten the theory learned by
heart. That's why it wouldn't hurt if we go through all the hardware and
software features of the iPhone 5S one more time, and if you happen to
have missed a part of our coverage (shame on you!), consider this an
opportunity to catch up.
Design
Since this is an 'S'
generation, the iPhone 5S is supposed to have exactly the same exterior
as the iPhone 5, right? Well, think again, because the 5S actually
features a number of visual improvements compared to its predecessor.
The main design concept has been retained, but the iPhone 5S has a brand
new home button design, which looks particularly fancy. In addition,
the color variations have been changed — the 5S will be offered in
black/grey, white/silver and white/gold, all of which being extremely
good-looking. By the looks of it, Apple has slightly altered the black
version's color scheme, so that the metal part (including the frame of
the phone) is a bit lighter (in terms of color), making for a more
contrasting and appealing color scheme.
Other than that, the
design is pretty much the same, with the rear camera located in the
upper-left corner, though this time, the snapper is accompanied by a
special kind of dual LED flash.
Display
If
you though Apple's going to install a 1080x1920 resolution display on
the new iPhone 5S, well, think again! The 4" IPS LCD screen will retain
its 640x1136 pixels resolution, making for a pixel density of 326 ppi.
Now, this isn't as high as what you can find on the newest Android
flaghships, which often cross the 400+ ppi mark with their 1080p
displays, but we should remember that the iPhone's screen resolution is
already high enough to allow for a comfortable reading and viewing
experience. Yes super-fine details won't be as clear as on a 1080p
screen, but do we really need such type of clarity? Plus, we should keep
in mind that higher resolution equals poorer performance and shorter
battery life, so we should definitely think again before asking for a
1080p res on a screen that is already super-clean.
Resolution
isn't everything, though, and while we're yet to see the iPhone 5S's
display in person, we're absolutely sure that it'll be just gorgeous.
Based on the familiar IPS LCD technology, we expect the screen of the 5S
to be accurate, vivid and plenty bright.
Interface
The
Apple iPhone 5S will ship with the new iOS 7 operating system, which,
as you've probably heard, is the first iOS version with a brand new user
interface. The core ideas are basically the same — but the whole system
looks very different from the current skeuomorphic design. iOS has
become more abstract and cleaner in a bid to become more recent with the
times.
In terms of features, iOS 7 is also introducing a bunch
of intriguing things, such as the control center pull-up menu, which
provides quick access to frequently used toggles and options, such as
brightness, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity and others.
A really
interesting new feature of the iPhone 5S is the so-called Touch ID
fingerprint sensor, which will be used for enhanced security and some
other cool stuff. For example, you'll be able to unlock your perfectly
secured iPhone 5S just by touching its home button. Since the device
will know that it's you and no one else, it'll simply let you access the
OS without your having to enter a passcode or anything like that.
Another useful application of the fingerprint sensor is for iTunes
purchase authentication. Now, instead of having to enter your iTunes
password each time you want to buy an app, game, song, or anything else,
you'll be given the option to simply touch the home button of the
iPhone 5S, and it will immediately pass the authentication process -
quickly and effortlessly!
Processor and Memory
Speaking
of the software, we should absolutely mention that the Apple iPhone 5S
is going to be the first smartphone with a 64-bit processor, and iOS 7,
along with all the built-in apps is going to be optimized to take
advantage of that. Hopefully, all of this will lead to a better overall
system performance. It's interesting to note that Apple says the
so-called A7 chip in the iPhone 5S has a CPU that is up to 40 times
faster, and GPU that is up go 56 times faster than those of the original
iPhone. This doesn't give us much information about the actual
performance of the 5S, but at least it's a cool fact to know.
When
it comes to internal storage, the iPhone 5S comes with the usual
capacities of 16, 32 and 64 GB - nothing out of the ordinary here. As
always, there is no microSD card slot, so you won't be able to expand
your internal storage even further in the future.
Camera
Interestingly,
instead of bumping the camera megapixels to 13 MP from the current 8
MP, the company has decided to keep the megapixel count but increase the
size of the pixels themselves, along with the aperture (now f/2.2),
which should allow for brighter and cleaner images. Other interesting
features of this new camera include the dual-LED flash, which isn't just
a normal dual-LED flash. Actually the new light has an amber color and
will be used to fix the color temperature of photos taken in
not-so-wonderful lighting conditions. It really sounds like a great
feature this camera.
Naturally, it also knows how to do 1080p
video recording, but it can also shoot a 120 fps slow motion video,
which can produce some neat, eye-catching effects. Another new
video-recording extra is ability to zoom up to 3 times while filming,
which doesn't seem like a great option, but nevertheless - it's there.
Release Date, Price and Expectations
Apple
has always announced exact release dates for its products, and the
iPhone 5S is not an exception. The handset will go on pre-order as soon
as September 13, while the iPhone 5S release date itself will take place
on September 20.
Pricing is also your standard affair. If you're
ready to pay for a new two-year contract, the iPhone 5S is going to
cost you $199 for the 16 GB model, $299 for the 32 GB one and $399 for
the 64 GB one. That's the way it'll be offered by AT&T, Sprint and
Verizon, while T-Mobile will sell the unlocked model at $649 for 16 GB,
$749 for 32 GB and $849 for 64 GB - none of which tied to a contract.
We're
definitely looking forward to reviewing the Apple iPhone 5S. You can
rest assured that this is going to happen very soon, so that you'll know
exactly what advantages and disadvantages come along with the iPhone
5S. Apple's newest flagship smartphone is extremely appealing, and we're
sure that it's going to straighten the users' confidence in Apple. Stay
tuned for our iPhone 5S review, which is going to put the device's
screen, camera, software and pretty much anything else to the test!
Apple iPhone 5C comes with a coin slot: The Onion edition
Apple's colorful but not much else iPhone 5C
has become a target for America's finest news source, as The Onion
lists all the new features that escaped our attention during the keynote
presentation, including a coin slot.
For a Benjamin less than the flagship iPhone 5S - $99 on contract and $549 unlocked - you get the iPhone 5 specs in a plastic body with the iPhone 5C, which explains the coin slot.
What
nobody seems to take into account, however, are the following new
features that The Onion unearthed during its self-directed research and
specs review:
Small enough to fit comfortably in users’ cheeks or to tuck between their lower lips and gums
Haggard-sounding Siri
Interior-facing camera
Includes extended seven-minute version of classic Marimba ringtone
Coin slot
Slick, oily screen
Must be plugged in at all times
Smells like a delicious wafer cookie
Sturdy enough to lay down on paper and use edge to draw straight lines
Epic Games announces Infinity Blade III, launching with the iPhone 5S
When there is a new iPhone with a severely beefed up graphics processor,
you can bet that there will be an Infinity Blade game hot on its heels,
and the iPhone 5S is no different. The new A7 chip in the iPhone 5S is
the first 64-bit processor in a mobile phone to date, and Apple is
saying that graphics performance should be "56x faster". That should
make for an impressive Infinity Blade III.
It also
doesn't hurt that iOS 7 will support OpenGL|ES 3.0, just like Android
4.3. According to Epic Games' Donald Mustard, this means that the
conclusion of the Infinity Blade trilogy will offer "Lens flares that
would make J.J. Abrams proud." As you would expect, the game looks
amazing, but Epic Games is saying that the final Infinity Blade game
will also have much larger areas for you to explore. There will also be
two playable characters this time around.
No
word on pricing, or if Infinity Blade III will adopt the free-to-play
model. No specific release date either, just that the game "will be
available in the App Store alongside the new iPhone 5S."
Sony Xperia Z1 Mini snapped alongside the Xperia Z1 in the clearest picture yet
Though some of us are still trying to shake off the buzz and excitement
accumulated around IFA 2013, others are already moving on, and Sony may
very well be one of them. Whether that's because of the rather cold
reception at the unveiling of the new Sony flagship, or it simply
showcases the steel resolve of the Japanese company as it moves to
fulfill its ambition of conquering the smartphone market is anybody's
guess.
A fitting tribute to Sony's war effort is the oft cited
mini version of the Xperia Z1. And this is no coincidence – if the
rumors turn out to be true, the Xperia Z1 mini, which you can see in
purple above, will be the third rather unique phone in Sony's holiday
portfolio. This is because, as our most faithful will already know, the
Xperia Z1 mini is expected to come packing some unheard of hardware for a
compact spin off of a flagship. Namely, while the phone's diagonal and
resolution will go down to 4.3 inches and 720x1280, respectively, the
compact version of the Z1 is said to pack the same muscle its bigger
brother does – a Snapdragon 800 SoC and 2GB of RAM, along with Sony's
20.7MP superstar of a camera.
There are skeptics, of course, and
for a good reason – that much processing power, combined with the more
efficient 720p screen will undoubtedly crown the Sony Xperia Z1 mini the
king of performance, despite its conservative body. And while great
performance never hurt nobody, in this case we've got to ask ourselves
whether we're slipping into the domain of wishful thinking.
Unfortunately, if the source has it right, we might have to wait for a
while until we know for certain -- the announcement of the Xperia Z1
mini is suggested to take place during CES 2014 in January.
Purported Apple iPhone 5S user guide diagram shows new Home button/Touch ID sensor
Alleged Apple iPhone 5S render from the user guide
A purported diagram of the Apple iPhone 5S
from its user guide, shows off a new home button that is rounded
without the traditional square imprint in the middle. The part is
actually labeled Home button/Touch ID sensor. All signs, including a report we told you about in the Wall Street Journal, point to that long rumored fingerprint sensor touching down at last inside the Apple iPhone 5S.
Suppose
the sensor is the big show-stopping, toe tapping number that it appears
to be. Will it be enough to gather some momentum at Cupertino? After
all, this is not the first smartphone to have such a sensor on board.
The Motorola ATRIX 4G also offered one which users complained about. Too often, the sensor did not work right.
You
might be wondering what the purpose of the fingerprint sensor is. The
idea is to offer a more secure and faster way to unlock your phone. The
sensor is also expected to be used to help secure identifications for
mobile payments.
We are now closing in the 10 hour mark until the
1pm EDT start of Apple's event. Of course, we expect to see the
unveiling of the Apple iPhone 5S, seen in the render that accompanies
this article, and the budget priced Apple iPhone 5C. If you're wondering when you might actually be able to purchase the phones, the latest buzz calls for a September 20th launch. And yes, there are some people already waiting in line!
Back in March I reviewed the Pebble SmartWatch and came away fairly
impressed, but I was waiting for content to follow the promises. At that
point the watch had only just started shipping to the almost 69,000
Kickstarter backers, not to mention the tens of thousands who had
pre-ordered the device after the Kickstarter campaign ended. The Pebble
team had gotten the basics right, and at that point you could forgive
the lack of an ecosystem for an indie project that had just launched.
It
is no secret that smartwatches are on the verge of becoming the next
big thing; Samsung have announced their entrance into the smartwatch
game (again) and devices from heavyweights Google and Apple are expected
in the not too distant future. Pebble’s team should be commended for
getting ahead of the curve, and for frankly getting a lot of things
right, but with impending overshadowing by the big boys we wanted to
take a fresh look at how the ecosystem is doing.
The Pebble I
reviewed back in March was my personal watch that I had backed on
Kickstarter. It has been on my wrist almost exclusively since I received
it, and to my surprise it has been complemented by many co-workers and
casual observers who had no idea that it was anything more than a
digital watch. Design was one of the first obstacles Pebble faced, and
instead of making something that looked futuristic or stood out, they
decided to make a watch that looked like a watch. I was initially
worried that it would be big and unwieldy, but instead it has fit
comfortably into my wardrobe. I went simple with a black unit, but if
you are looking to stand out more Pebble is available in more noticeable
hues.
The
app ecosystem for Pebble is not terribly robust, but at the same time
the device is meant to simplify your life, not to do everything. Where
it could initially just display the time and date, developers have
figured out how to make it call the internet for real-time information.
My current watch face is still pretty simple, but gives me the weather
at a glance. I prefer my design minimal and clean, but if you’re the
type who wants everything together there are watch faces that can act as
a full phone dashboard with things like missed alert counts and battery
status. There are watch face designs that range from classic to crazy,
and everywhere inbetween.
Watch faces are just part of the
equation though, and functional apps are beginning to show up. There are
simple apps, like those that let you control your phone ringer or let
Pebble receive alerts from any app. There are more complex apps that can
control your camera shutter, reply to texts with pre-set messages and
even ones that let you control your home automation setup. Pebble
support is also beginning to show up in apps, such as RunKeeper and a
few golf GPS apps. One of my “wow” moments was glancing at my wrist on
the golf course and getting an exact yardage to the pin. It was a huge
geek moment from me, but a geek moment that actually made my life easier
rather than just being cool.
There are watch face designs that range from classic to crazy, and everywhere inbetween.
In
our review we note that Pebble’s simplicity is it’s genius, and 6
months on that continues to be true. Previous smartwatch makers have
failed because they try to do too much with the watch, turning it into a
mini-computer when you don’t need a microphone, camera or an HD display
on your wrist. The only knock we have on Pebble’s e-paper display is
that we’d like to see a higher resolution, but otherwise the low power,
black and white scheme is just about perfect. It is easy to read in the
most blinding light and it allows the battery to last for 5 days. For
me, the Pebble has truly been a device where I put it on and forget
about it until I check the time or get a notification. In my book that
is exactly how a smartwatch should be.
My experience with Pebble
has been entirely on Android, so I realize that everything I’ve been
through may not apply to iOS users. The Pebble team should be commended
on their frequent updates, and I long ago lost track of how many
firmware upgrades they have released. The app has been refined and
features have been added as a direct result of user feedback, the most
noticeable being the ability to view multiple notifications when they
come in close to each other. The disconnection problem we experienced
has largely disappeared, although sometimes it will lose connection when
the device is paired to another Bluetooth item (like our car or
speakers), then disconnected. Thankfully a Bluetooth toggle fixes this
issue, whereas originally we had to restart the device.
As
much as I love my Pebble, I really look forward to what their next
generation smartwatch will offer. The developer community has stepped up
nicely to enhance the product, and I feel we will see more connected
features in the future. I also look forward to slimmed down hardware,
and a higher resolution e-paper display; really just a refinement of the
current generation rather than an overhaul. More than anything, I think
the Pebble team would benefit greatly from a unified, streamlined
landing area for their apps. As it stands things are a bit disorganized,
with most of the development going on in their forums and a few sites
like mypebblefaces.com.
I worry a bit that Pebble will be
overshadowed once Google, Apple,Samsung and other players with name
recognition and huge marketing budgets enter the market, and that would
be a real shame. What Pebble has done in a market space where everyone
else has failed thus far has been nothing short of fantastic. Pebble
isn’t perfect, but it has been a true convenience for me and really
earned its spot on my wrist.
This story is sponsored by LG. PhoneArena's opinions in this article have not been affected in any way!
Korean manufacturer LG has done a stellar job with the LG G2, making it easily one of the most anticipated smartphone models available going into the last few months of the year. It is more than just having the power and volume buttons on the rear. The LG G2 is the culmination of the building of the LG Optimus G, LG Optimus G Pro and now the LG G2.
LG released a video that we can call "The best features" of the LG G2. We don't want to give away all of the features on the video. Suffice to say that if you make it through the whole three minutes and 55 seconds, you are going to want this phone.
And we certainly can't blame you! After all, the LG G2 packs an enormous 5.2" 1080p IPS LCD screen into a relatively compact body of 5.45 x 2.79 x 0.35 inches, and it also features one of the very best pieces of silicon out there - the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. Not only that, but it's also equipped with an incredibly capable 13 MP camera that shoots great photos and records smooth 60 fps video with optical image stabilization.
Turning our attention to the software side of things, the LG G2 sports a host of fun features designed to make your daily life easier and more fun. Here are just some of them:
Knock on: Double tap on the screen when it’s off, the phone will automatically turn on. Do the same when it’s on at any dead space of the screen, it’ll turn off the display. This one is actually very useful, especially if you can't get used to the new position of the power/lock key.
Guest mode: Two different lock patterns for you and your guest. Essentially, it adds another user profile for the phone, which gets them to guest mode where the admin can restrict certain apps.
Answer Me: When the LG G2 rings, you simply pick up the phone, hold it up to your ear, and it’ll automatically pick it up. No need to finagle with turning it on and actually pressing on the answer key.
Text Link: The LG G2 inspects various texts, and automatically suggests links to relevant apps. For example, if someone sends you a text regarding a time and date for a meeting, you can have the LG G2 automatically populate the appropriate info to the respective apps – such as putting it into your calendar.
Slide Aside: Simply swipe to the left with 3 fingers on a specific app (any app in fact), the app will be placed into a saved state. Once you select up to 3 apps for Slide Aside, you can access them at any time by swiping right with 3 fingers – essentially another way to multi-task.
Capture Plus: Capture everything on a page, not just the cropped image on the screen – like stuff in the web browser and email. For example, you can capture an entire web page.
Quick Remote: Universal remote control with IR blaster. Now, the G2 learns the pattern from ANY IR remote controller – like garage car openers too, on top of the usual TV ones. Point the other remote to the LG G2’s IR blaster, and it’ll learn the pattern of the IR.
Universal remote control with IR blaster. Now, the G2 learns the
pattern from ANY IR remote controller – like garage car openers too, on
top of the usual TV ones. Point the other remote to the LG G2’s IR
blaster, and it’ll learn the pattern of the IR.
Google Glass update offers YouTube videos and more features to Glass users
Vignette lets you capture a photo and what is on your Glass display in one image
An update to Google Glass has added some new features to the connected
specs. The update, XE9, adds the ability for Glass users to take what is
known as a vignette. This
allows Glass to capture a photo and what was on the Glass display at the
same time. To make a vignette, take a picture and tap on "Make a
vignette." It can't be any easier. Check the example vignette below.
The
second new feature adds YouTube videos to search results. Tap to play
or you can swipe forward or backward to move ahead or rewind,
respectively. The example Google uses is to imagine that you're riding
your bike when the tire goes flat. So while you're wearing Glass, you do
a Google search to repair the tire and a YouTube video pops up making
the whole process easier. The third and last new feature from the update
is called Sound Search. Hear a tune you like, but you're clueless about
the name of the song and the artist? A long press on the touchpad and a
swipe forward will bring you the answer. Or, you can long tap on the
touchpad and say, "What song is this?"
Google also announced that
it is testing Glass with Google Apps accounts and says that email is
already up and running. You can check it out by factory resetting your
Glass and signing in with your Google Apps Account.
Samsung Exynos 5 Octa CPU to have use of all 8 cores at one time starting in Q4
When MediaTek introduced the world's first true octa-core chip
in July, that put pressure on Korean OEM Samsung. After all, the
Samsung Exynos 5 Octa can only use one set of four cores at a time while
the MT8135 can use all eight cores at a time. But thanks to the
Heterogeneous Multi-Processing solution, the Samsung chip will also be
able to use all eight cores at once, starting in the fourth quarter.
The
setup allows big heavy duty tasks to run on the "big" A15 cores and
small housekeeping chores can run on the "LITTLE" A7 cores without
having to switch back and forth as currently required. Sammy's presser
points out that being able to access all eight cores at once will
improve 3D gaming, Augmented Reality, and advanced web browsing.
"It's
usually assumed that the big CPU will do all the performance-critical
work, however, power-efficient little cores can handle many significant
workloads all on their own, so the workload is balanced within the
system. big.LITTLE processing is designed to deliver the right
combination of processors for a specific job. An eight-core processor
with HMP is the truest form of the big.LITTLE technology with limitless
benefits to the users of high-performance, low-power mobile products."-Taehoon Kim, vice president, System LSI marketing, Samsung Electronics
Samsung
didn't say that we would see these chips in any current smartphone
model, but it is a good bet that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will implement
the silicon in at least some regions.
Samsung planning more Galaxy Gear smartwatches at various price points
The Samsung Galaxy Gear is a very interesting new product. It is one of
the first wave of what we know will be a pretty big segment of wearable
devices; and, the device looks pretty good except for the potential
battery life (25 hours at best, about 10 hours at worst) and the price
($299). But, at least on that second point, Samsung is planning to offer
more choices for consumers.
Of course, this should
be no surprise given Samsung's talent for flooding the market with
devices that will hit every screen size and pricing tier available, but
Samsung has confirmed that it is planning more Galaxy Gear smartwatches.
Apparently, Samsung wants "Gear" to become a new sub-brand of the
Galaxy line, just like the Note. That means more Galaxy Gear variants at
multiple price points.
Samsung said that it
had worked through hundreds of designs before settling on the Galaxy
Gear as it was announced, so the team obviously has plenty of other
ideas in store. And, as far as cutting cost, it would be simple enough
to remove a couple features like the camera and voice control in order
to hit a lower price point.
Apple has been steadily losing ground to Android in most regions of the
world (although oddly, not in the U.S.), and Apple is betting a lot on
the new iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iOS 7 design, and the upcoming new iPad
models to try to turn the tide. But, as you might expect, Apple won't be
letting the devices speak for themselves, there will be plenty of
marketing involved.
In fact, there may be so much
marketing involved that a new report says Apple is looking to hire an
additional 200 to 300 new employees for its marketing team. Apple's
in-house creative team in charge of advertising has been at about 300
employees, so a plan to grow to 500 or 600 could potentially double the
size of the marketing team.
According to an
Apple executive, Steve Jobs was always "fairly strict about the
headcount in that group", because he "wanted Apple to be seen as a
products company, not a marketing company". This meant that despite the
huge growth that Apple has seen, the size of the marketing department
has stayed the same. Apple is still expected to continue working with
outside marketing agencies, but could end up adding more to its in-house
team, which is a move that apparently has been happening at a number of
other major marketers according to a recent Association of National
Advertisers study.
We have seen Samsung's advertising budget on the rise, and of course Google was rumored to have okayed $500 million
for Motorola to market the Moto X, but neither has caught up to the
advertising budget of Apple yet, and if this hiring spree is true, Apple
may pull even farther ahead in advertising dollars.
Metallic Blue HTC One to launch September 15th as a Best Buy Exclusive
THe HTC One in Metallic Blue launches as a Best Buy exclusive on September 15th
Looking for a cool Metallic Blue colored version of the HTC One?
The good news is that it will be available starting this coming Sunday,
September 15th, exclusively from Best Buy. The blue HTC One will be
offered with 4G LTE service from Verizon, AT&T or Sprint. The phone
will be available from the 1400 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores as
well as from the retailer's web site.
Best Buy's announcement did
not offer carrier or off-contract pricing for the Metallic Blue HTC
One, but with the phone expected in less than a week, news on that front
should be coming soon.
This has been a pretty poorly kept secret with a factory worker in China snapping a photo of the blue shell of the phone and as far back as the first day of last month, talk of a blue HTC One with the Verizon brand was leaked out. We've also had a leaked internal Sprint document confirming that the blue HTC One will be available for those using Sprint's pipeline. Lastly, we caught the blue version of the phone in Berlin at IFA. Next week, you'll find the phone as near as your local Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile store.
WSJ confirms the fingerprint scanner for the iPhone 5S, as if we didn't know
Just in case it wasn't enough for you to have multiple rumors, leaks, photos, and various experts reporting that the Apple iPhone 5S would have a fingerprint scanner, The Wall Street Journal has added its respected voice to the confirmation that yes, the next iPhone will in fact have a fingerprint scanner.
The Wall Street Journal
is a respected news publication, and it often has suspiciously
well-timed confirmation of Apple rumors, but we don't really know that
we needed WSJ to confirm this one. There have been rumors for months, and more and more definitive proof ever since we saw the fingerprint scanner code in iOS 7 beta.
Unfortunately, WSJ
doesn't have much to add on the topic other than saying that the iPhone
5S will in fact have a fingerprint scanner; and, as we could have
easily assumed, the iPhone 5C will not. It is still unknown how exactly
the scanner will work, or what kind of functionality will be added. For
example, it is assumed that the fingerprint scanner will allow for more
security when unlocking the device, but it is unclear if it will also
add security to apps that hold sensitive information, and whether 3rd
party developers would be able to implement that security if it does
exist.
Of course, we'll find out everything in about 12 and a half hours.
Artist draws renders of new Apple iPhone 5S home button
Now that a former biometrics executive says that the home button part leaked for the Apple iPhone 5S is indeed genuine, it is now time to consider exactly what the enhanced home button might look like. Pictures of the leaked packaging for the Apple iPhone 5S show a circle around the handset's home button which one would have to think has to do with the fingerprint scanner.
3D
designer Martin Hajek has come up with some renders of what the new
home button might look like on the Apple iPhone 5S. We have put together
a slideshow of some of those images and they do seem to match what the
leaked iPhone 5S box shows.
The fingerprint scanner is supposed
to make unlocking the Apple iPhone 5S quicker and easier while also
allowing users to identify themselves in order to make safe mobile
payments using the handset. Speculation has the scanner being this
year's show-stopping new feature when the phone is unveiled this coming
Tuesday, September 10th. Keep your eyes here for coverage of the
unveiling of the Apple iPhone 5S and Apple iPhone 5C.
New snapshots of Nokia Lumia 1520 put it side by side with Sony Xperia Z
A series of photos were published on Sunday that show the Nokia Lumia 1520
phablet. The device is expected to come to market with a 6 inch screen,
1080 x 1920 FHD resolution, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
processor inside, 2GB of RAM and the GDR3 update. Some of the pictures
show the unannounced device sitting next to the Sony Xperia Z and you can see how the Windows Phone phablet has all of that additional real estate on the screen, at its disposal.
On Friday, additional pictures leaked showing the Nokia Lumia 1520 dressed up in a bright yellow.
And just look at all of those Live Tiles on the screen! The Finnish
based firm is expected to hold a media event at the end of this month to
unveil the device.
A couple of published reports on Sunday, reveal what happened behind the
scenes of the Microsoft acquisition of Nokia. The impetus for the deal
developed from a phone call from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to Nokia
Chairman Risto Siilasmaa. Ballmer indicated that both men needed to
talk. That call took place in January. Three months later, Microsoft
made a presentation to Nokia at a high powered New York City law firm.
Siilasmaa's response was hardly encouraging. "We're on different planets," Siilasmaa said.
The
45 minute presentation also revealed that the two sides were not eye to
eye on the pricing or the structure of a deal. For example, there was a
question about who would own Nokia's mapping services. It was two
months before, in February, when the two executives first met to discuss
a possible acquisition of Nokia by Microsoft, and it was at this
meeting that Ballmer said that innovation could come faster if Microsoft
owned Nokia. Then there were the savings that could add up from ending
the duplication of certain key departments, like advertising and
promotion. A well received (and quite funny) ad for the Nokia Lumia 925
that showed a Wedding day fight between Apple iPhone and Android fans
was actually produced by Microsoft, not Nokia. Why have two teams
duplicating efforts, especially when Windows Phone was well behind iOS
and Android. A focused, stronger team was needed to challenge the
leaders.
Both sides also had concerns about contracts that were
expiring. Nokia could have selected a new OS to team with at the end of
2014, while Microsoft could have signed with another handset
manufacturer like HTC or BlackBerry. These possibilities were also part
of the background of the deal. At a meeting in Finland in June,
Microsoft committed itself to provide more financing to Nokia. During
that meeting, Nokia made it clear that it would not part with HERE Maps,
something that Microsoft had to deal with. During a meeting in New York
the next month, Nokia agreed to give access to the mapping service's
source code to Microsoft so that the latter firm could customize it
anyway it wanted to. Nokia, in the meantime, would be able to license
the mapping service to others if a deal was struck.
Eventually, a
series of PowerPoint slides were created that outlined the terms of the
deal. A September 3rd deadline was set for due diligence and for both
sides to make a decision. Ballmer and his team flew to Finland on
September 1st, and Nokia and Microsoft both agreed to the deal which was announced two days later.
Image of Windows Phone 8.1 found on a microSD card
Picture of Nokia Lumia 620 running Windows Phone 8.1 was found on a microSD card
Just the other day, we showed you screenshots and video of the GDR3 update coming from Microsoft, and the "Bittersweet shimmer" update coming from Nokia. And all of that information came from a Nokia Lumia 920 purchased on Craig's List! Now, an image of a Nokia Lumia 620 running Windows Phone 8.1 has popped up.
According
to the report that was published with the photo, the image was found on
a microSD card and appears to show a notifications center and a unified
messaging inbox for Skype and messenger. Considering that the image was
found on a random microSD Card, there is no chain of evidence to prove
anything.
What is going on here? Major updates found on Craig's
List and a microSD card showing the next build of Windows Phone? If we
didn't know better, the timing of these discoveries, just days before
Apple unveils its new iPhone line, might also seem suspicious. What's
next, a screenshot of Instagram for Windows Phone found in a box of
Lucky Charms?
There's a first time for everything: AT&T to offer ASUS slate this week
For the first time in the history of both AT&T and ASUS, the second
largest carrier in the U.S. will be offering an ASUS produced tablet.
The fun and festivities begin next week and the model coming to the
mobile operator is the ASUS MeMO Pad FHD LTE 10.1. We're talking about
10.1 inches of glass with a 1080 x 1920 resolution, known in the big
city as FHD. That works out to a 226ppi pixel density, by the way. Under
the hood is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC. There is a
Wi-Fi only version powered by a dual-core Intel Atom processor, but
where's the money for AT&T if it sells you Wi-Fi only devices? For
the model stamped "Intel Inside" you will need to order overseas.
Moving
along, the AT&T version of the ASUS MeMO Pad FHD LTE 10.1 has 16GB
of native storage and connections to ASUS' new cloud services. Back and
front cameras weigh in at 5MP and 1.2MP respectively and the 6760mAh
battery should keep the lights on for some time. AT&T is offering
its first ASUS slate for $299.99 with a signed two-year pact, which
includes 4G LTE data for your new spiffy tablet. Off-contract, you'll be
paying $100 more.
ASUS MeMO Pad FHD LTE 10.1, coming to AT&T this week
iPhone 5C isn't official yet, but these iPhone 5C cases are
You've probably heard of the iPhone 5C. You might have seen photos of the iPhone 5C. And perhaps you've read the rumors about the iPhone 5C.
But is the iPhone 5C official? No, not yet. Apple is expected to announce the device on September 10 during a special event. This, however, isn't stopping accessory makers from designing iPhone 5C cases already.
While
browsing through one of the halls at IFA 2013, we came across a stand
where protective cases for the smartphone were on display, inside their
retail packaging and all. These particular iPhone 5C cases are made by
Krusell – a Swedish manufacturer of smartphone accessories – and come
with "lifetime warranty", as it is said on the box.
Casemate is also among the companies with iPhone 5C cases almost ready to ship. Judging by the accessories' shipping date, the iPhone 5C should be on the market on September 20.
The wireless industry knows many rivalries, but easily one of the most
epic ones is the one between Samsung and HTC. After a spectacular
entrance in the Android market, HTC has then went through a painful
period of lacking sales and dwindling market share, mainly due to
Samsung's quick rise to the top spot.
Still experiencing
troubles, HTC's current flagship, the One, is a beautiful handset that
can easily go toe to toe with the Galaxy S4. However, we know that for
those looking for phablets, such as the newly-announced Samsung Galaxy
Note 3, the HTC One is also going to be on the list of devices to
consider - that is why we brought HTC's flagship to IFA 2013 for a quick
comparison against Samsung's new phablet.
Design
The
Galaxy Note 3 sticks with Samsung's traditional design language, but it
mostly resembles the original Galaxy Note, not the Note 2. It has a
plastic construction, with the back side resembling a leather material,
though it's quite obvious that it's just plastic. Meanwhile, the HTC One
is way better with regards to build quality, as it's very solid and has
an aluminum unibody design.
And, while the quality of appearance
seems to be a very subjective thing nowadays, it can easily be seen
that HTC has tried to create a beautiful product, whereas with the
Samsung it's just 'meh'. Still, the Galaxy Note 3, similarly to all the
other Samsungs of late, seems to have an external design that's more
likely to appeal to female users.
Display
Even though
the HTC One sports a fairly large display at 4.7 inches, the Galaxy
Note 3 packs a significantly bigger, 5.7-inch one. In terms of quality
though, we're largely gravitating towards the IPS LCD display of the
One, which is able to produce more natural tones and a higher brightness
output for better outdoor visibility. The Note 3's screen is based on
AMOLED technology, which may look somewhat extravagant, but is far from
the state of being true-to-life and has a significantly lower maximum
brightness. Viewing angles seem to be very good with both handsets, with
the One's display losing brightness when viewed at an angle, and the
Note 3's display exhibiting color accuracy degradation.
Interface
Samsung
and HTC have very different approaches when it comes to Android
customization. The Galaxy Note 3 sports an updated version of the
TouchWiz user interface, which is very similar to the UI we've seen in
the Galaxy S4, the GS3 and the Note 2. The bottom line here is the
Samsung hasn't changed that much in its software experience. However,
the South Korean company has added some new S Pen-related features, most
of which focusing around hand-written note-taking.
The UI of the
HTC One is called Sense 5, and it's arguably the more polished
interface of the two, in terms of graphics and interaction. HTC's
software has less features, but it certainly looks more grown-up. If the
cartoony looks of TouchWiz don't bother you, though, we guess you'll
have some fun with the plethora of camera modes and other features that
Samsung has concocted. Naturally, the main benefit of having a Note 3
would be the S Pen, which works very well for note-taking and drawing.
That's something the HTC One can't offer you.
Processor
Being
the newer device, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 features the faster
processor out of the two. With Snapdragon 800, the Note 3 is an absolute
benchmark crusher. On the other hand, the HTC One is powered by
Snapdragon 600, which is one class below the 800, but is still very
powerful. Of course, the Note 3 will be the more future-proof device
here thanks to the better CPU and GPU it sports.
RAM memory is
also more on the Note 3 (3GB RAM vs 2 GB RAM), suggesting that the Note 3
may be more suitable for heavy multitasking activities.
Camera
Even
though we're yet to closely examine the pictures that the Note 3's 13MP
camera will be able to capture, we've fairly convinced that they will
be noticeably better than the HTC One's 4MP shots. Not only because of
the higher resolution, but due to a better sensor and image processing
as well. When it comes to the respective camera apps, while the HTC One
has all the core modes and settings you'd expect from a high-end Android
smartphone, the Note 3 has a multitude of fancy camera modes that you
can have a lot of fun with. Of course, there's not much that you can't
get by installing a third-party application on the One.
While the
HTC One sports optical image stabilization when recording 1080p video,
the Note 3 differentiates by allowing us to record super-high-res 4K
video. Once again, though, it'll be the quality and fluidity of the
image that will determine which handset we'd prefer when having to
record some video footage.
Expectations
The Galaxy
Note 3 is undoubtedly shaping up as a wonderful phablet, but the HTC One
will still have its place under the sun, as one of the absolute best
smartphone on the market right now. With its exquisite appearance and
construction, the One seems to be the more ambitious handset with
regards to design.
Performance is also top-notch with HTC's
flagship, though the Note 3 will really one-up it thanks to its newer
chipset. When it comes to the screens, we'd easily prefer the panel of
the One, as it tends to display a more true-to-life image and a higher
brightness output, but of course, the significantly bigger diagonal of
the Note 3 will surely attract many users.
At the end of the day,
these two smartphones showcase what each company stands for. The HTC
One is the more carefully crafted handset, with attention to detail and
design, while the Galaxy Note 3 packs each and every feature one can
think of. There will be some definite advantages to the Note 3, like the
camera, for example, but we'd rather wait until we have a final Note 3
unit before we can make any final conclusions.
New video shows off a couple of features from the GDR3 and "Bittersweet shimmer" update
Just yesterday, we told you about some guy who went on Craig's List and bought a Nokia Lumia 920 that was loaded up with the GDR3 update from Microsoft and the "Bittersweet shimmer" update from Nokia.
The owner of the phone, hiding behind a mask, showed off a couple of
the update's features in a video. The first showed how email and text
messages can appear on the Glance screen. This is the screen that shows
the 'always on' clock.
Another feature displayed on the video is
the one that allows multitaskers to close an app by clicking on an "X"
at the top right of the screen. The update, expected in November, will
allow future Windows Phone models to be powered by quad-core Qualcomm
Snapdragon processors and to carry screens with 1080 x 1920, FHD
resolution.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, our news stream has been quite generous on must-read news over the past few days. That's because IFA 2013 kicked off so a lot of new smartphones and tablets were made official. The Sony Xperia Z1 is among them – a new Android high-end combining top-of-the-line specs with resistance to dust and water damage. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3
is also among the devices on the list. The Korean company's newest
phablet comes with an even larger screen, faster internals, and even
more versatile S Pen stylus.
BlackBerry to announce Q2 earnings on September 27th
BlackBerry has announced that the Canadian handset manufacturer will
report its fiscal second quarter earnings on September 27th. The results
will be announced at 8am EDT, a good 90 minutes before the opening bell
rings on Wall Street. BlackBerry has supposedly started the process of
selling the company with the goal of closing the deal with the winning bidder no later than November.
Even though Microsoft has already decided to purchase Nokia's devices and services for $7.2 billion,
speculation is calling for the gang at Redmond to open its wallet one
more time to snatch up the beleaguered company. BlackBerry could also
decide on a number of other rumored suggestions such as spinning off BBM, finding a buyer for its enterprise business, or selling the handset and software divisions separately.
A report released by the Wall Street Journal late last month stated that the QWERTY equipped BlackBerry Q10 was selling poorly.
This model was BlackBerry's big hope considering the form factor was
designed to be familiar for BlackBerry users with the popular BlackBerry
physical keyboard on board. Going deeper in the past, it was the fault of past management not to take the threat from touchscreen phones more seriously when the Apple iPhone
first was released in 2007. At that moment, BlackBerry was practically
synonymous with smartphones and no businessman worth his pinstripes
failed to own one.
BlackBerry finally entered the touchscreen era with the 2008 BlackBerry Storm.
Designed with the SurePress system that was supposed to make touching
the screen feel like touching a QWERTY keyboard, the phone came to
market half-baked with poor software and no Wi-Fi. While the phone sold
well at first to iPhone starved consumers at Verizon, and did spawn a
sequel, the heavily anticipated Storm failed at the moment that
BlackBerry needed a hit the most.
From that moment on, BlackBerry
was always one or two steps behind iOS/Android. And even when it might
have had a hit on its hands, poor planning screwed it up. When the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet launched, it came without native email capabilities, a strange omission for a company known for its email software. The lack of a calendar also hurt sales.
By the time BlackBerry had a decent flagship, the touch/QWERTY combo BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930,
Apple and Android were well ahead of the pack. And even the new
BlackBerry 10 models have failed to sell well enough to reverse the
company's fortunes. With one more BlackBerry 10 phone expected out this
year, it is now unclear whether the first 5 inch 'Berry, the BlackBerry Aristo,
will ever see the light of day. The most powerful BlackBerry ever is
supposed to launch in November, the same month when BlackBerry wants to
hand over the keys of the shop to the company that buys it out.
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