Google Android Gadgets Guide

ATT Announces First Sony LTE Smartphone – Xperia Ion

adminz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:02:08 +0000

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 11:36 AM PST

The Xperia ion is Sony’s first LTE Android device running Android v2.3(gingerbread). This device will launch exclusively in the U.S. on the AT&T network in the 2nd quarter of 2012. Boasting a resolution of 1280×720 this should bring a stunning HD experience on a 4.6″ display. The specs (listed below) are beastly! Imagine the looks on your friends faces when you tell them, “oh its a 12mp camera.”

Key Features for Xperia ion:

·         4.6-inch HD Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine with HD resolution screen (1280 x 720), as well as rear (1080p) and front (720p) cameras for HD recording.

·         1.5GHz dual-core processor for fast browsing and content download, which can be stored on the internal 16GB flash storage.

·         12MP rear camera with Sony Exmor R™ for mobile with fast-capture to go from standby to first shot in less than two seconds.

·         HD sharing through DLNA, HDMI and BRAVIA Sync to quickly and easily stream content on other screens.

ATT Announces First Sony LTE Smartphone – Xperia Ion originally appeared on AndroidGuys

Verizon and Motorola launch Droid Razr Maxx, Droid Razr to get a purple paint job

adminz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:06:41 +0000

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 01:29 PM PST

Verizon and Motorola released the Droid Razr just a few months ago, praising it as the thinnest smartphone in the world (until today, that is). They’ve just announced a successor in some respects to the Razr, and they’re dubbing it the Razr Maxx. If you remember, the Maxx popped up in a Big Red inventory screenshot last month, so this isn’t exactly a shocker. Nevertheless, it looks as if Verizon and Motorola are aiming for a longer-lasting device with the Razr Maxx

The Maxx is boasting 21 hours of continuous use on one charge, and it comes in at just 1.29mm thicker than its slim brother. The specs are identical to the Droid Razr, save for the battery. The Maxx will come in a 32GB model, at $299 with a qualifying 2-year contract. There’s no word on exactly when the Maxx will be available in stores, but we suspect it’ll be sometime soon. Our own Scott Webster will be going hands-on with the Droid Razr Maxx tomorrow, so stay tune to AndroidGuys for continuing coverage on this latest device!

But wait, there’s more! Verizon also announced that they’re releasing the Droid Razr in purple, which means that users can now get the device in black, white, or purple. A 16GB purple Razr will run you $199.99 with a qualifying 2-year contract.

As if that wasn’t enough, Verizon has also made a promise that’s sure to make Razr, Razr Maxx, and Droid XyBoard users very happy campers. All of these devices will see an ICS upgrade in the near future, although no time frame was given. But at least Big Red is trying to keep their devices up-to-date. More on this as it develops.

So with all of that being said, what are you most excited about, the Droid Razr Maxx, a purple Droid Razr, or ICS? Sound off in the comments below! The full press release can also be found below.

Source Android Central

Sprint officially announces LTE and Galaxy Nexus, as expected

adminz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:18:22 +0000

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 03:54 PM PST

We saw a leak in an ad last week about Sprint getting the Galaxy Nexus and giving it LTE, and now it’s all confirmed. Sprint has made the phone official with everything we expected… but no mention of the 1.5 GHz CPU we hoped for. What do we have? Android 4.0.3, Super AMOLED display at 4.65″… yea, buddy. Sprint has recently announced the first markets to get LTE, so if you’re in these areas, pull out your wallet.. or – wait, you won’t need to, as the Galaxy Nexus comes with wallet.

Hit the presser below, and let us know your thoughts.

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

LG Spectrum officially hitting Verizon

adminz — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:38:06 +0000

Posted: 07 Jan 2012 08:29 AM PST

The LG Spectrum, rumored to be the successor to the LG Revolution, is officially on its way to Verizon. On the 19th of January, it’ll be available from $249 to $299 with a 2-year contract, and anywhere between $569-$649 at full retail.

With a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Gingerbread, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front-facing shooter, 4G LTE connectivity, and an awesomely huge 4.5-inch Real HD display, it’s bound to be a favorite! Let’s see if Verizon showcases this one at CES. We’ll be watching!

Based on the specs, it sounds like LG is starting the new year off right, at least with the Verizon line. So are you impressed with the Spectrum? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!

Source Droid-Life

LG Spectrum officially hitting Verizon originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Sprint and Samsung announce white Epic 4G Touch for January 8

adminz — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:03:35 +0000

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 06:37 AM PST

Sprint has become the latest carrier to announce a white version of the Samsung Galaxy S II series handset. If you’ve been holding out on the Epic 4G Touch because you don’t like it in black and grey then you’ll be happy to know that a Frost White model arrives in but a few days. Expected on Sunday January 8th, the smartphone offers users the same great hardware in a still-attractive $199.99 price point.

Details include:

Dual-mode 3G/4G device – dependable 3G nationwide coverage and turbo-charged Sprint 4G speeds where available
Dual Camera: 8MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with auto-focus and flash that records HD video 1080p HD high profile and 2MP front-facing camera ideal for self-portraits or video chat
Samsung Exynos™ 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
Super AMOLED Plus 4.52-inch touchscreen (800×480 WVGA)
Android™ 2.3
3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capable, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi® enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G networks
Visual Voicemail

Sprint and Samsung announce white Epic 4G Touch for January 8 originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Motorola new Androids for Europe, China, and other markets

adminz — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:01:20 +0000

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 11:48 AM PST

Motorola Mobility today announced a pair of new Android smartphones for Europe, China, and other markets. Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, these two are designed to offer consumers affordable choices that best fit their unique personalities. On one hand we have the MOTOLUXE, a slim touch-only handset with a 4.0-inch display and on the other we have the DEFY MINI with its water-resistant and dustproof design. Both come in a variety of color options and will be on display at CES next week. We’ll be in Las Vegas and expect to get our hands on each model and will be happy to share our early impressions.

As of today there are no specifics as to what pricing will be for the two models nor which carriers will be offering them. The MOTOLUXE is currently available in China under the name Motorola XT615 and is expected to roll out to Greater China, Europe and Latin America beginning in February. The Motorola DEFY MINI is will be offered in China under the name Motorola XT320 and in other markets (Europe and Latin America) starting in February.

MOTOLUXE features:

4-inch display
8-megapixel camera
800MHz processor
512MB RAM
1GB ROM
1400mAh battery

Defy Mini features:

3.2-inch display
3-megapixel camera
600MHz processor
512MB RAM
512MB ROM
1650mAh battery

Motorola Mobility Introduces Two Stylish Smartphones That Break Boundaries, but Won’t Break the Bank

Motorola MOTOLUXE™ and Motorola DEFY™ MINI coming to Greater China, Europe and Latin America this spring

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Jan. 5, 2012 – This spring, Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) is helping you flaunt your individuality by adding two stylish and unique Android^™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) powered smartphones to its growing budget-friendly portfolio. MOTOLUXE is a hip, slim touchscreen device and Motorola DEFY MINI is dustproof and water-resistant, making it the ideal “life proof” phone for active users. And they come in different shapes, sizes and colors – so you can choose a phone that best reflects your personality.

No matter what device you choose, Motorola’s MotoSwitch user interface changes the way you manage your life. With MotoSwitch, your smartphone learns who you talk to and which apps you use and keeps all of that information front and center. The Social Graph feature gives you easy and fast access to the people who really matter. It learns who’s most important to you and uses that information to populate the home screen. The more frequently you communicate with someone, the bigger their icon becomes. The Activity Graph gives you quick and easy access to your favorite apps, automatically changing to reflect the apps you use the most. With Music Now you can easily play your favorite music while the Smart Gallery displays your favorite pictures as collections.

With Google Mobile^™ services you’ll be able to search for anything with Google Search^™, chat with your friends using Google Talk^™, or find your way anywhere you want to go with Google Maps^™ with navigation.

Strike While the Iron Is Hot

The ultra-vogue, very-slim, MOTOLUXE sets the bar high in terms of style with a 4-inch edge-to- edge touchscreen display. This hip device is perfect for writing emails, surfing the Web and watching movies. And, for the amateur photographers out there, the 8-megapixel autofocus camera with flash lets you shoot like a pro and capture life clearly and fully.

MOTOLUXE also sets itself apart with a lanyard slot that has a lighting effect. So you can see when you’ve missed a call, received a text or have an email waiting for you.

Other cool stuff includes:

Front-facing VGA camera for video chatting with friends and family
Available in licorice or white
1400 mAh battery for up to 6.5 hours of talk time, 19 days of standby time

Strong and Sturdy

Water-resistant, dust-proof and with a scratch resistant Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass display, Motorola DEFY MINI is the ideal smartphone for active users who need a device as resilient as they are. With a 3.2-inch touchscreen good for emailing, texting and browsing the Web, and a long battery-life, you can keep this phone on and by your side all day long no matter where you go, so you’ll never miss a beat.

But wait… there’s more:

3MP rear-facing camera with flash
Front-facing VGA camera for video chatting with friends and family
Easy access to all your favorite outdoor apps with the “Instrument Dashboard”
1650 mAh battery for up to 10 hours of talk time, 21 days of standby time

You can get your hands on MOTOLUXE and Motorola DEFY MINI at Motorola’s booth (LVCC, Central Hall, Booth NO. 8644) at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 10 – 13, 2012.

Pricing and Availability
Both devices are expected to be available in Greater China, Europe and Latin America starting this spring. MOTOLUXE is already available in China under the name Motorola XT615 and is expected to be available in Greater China, Europe and Latin America starting in February. Motorola DEFY MINI is expected to be available in China under the name Motorola XT320 and in select countries in Europe and Latin America starting in February.

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

Motorola announces pair of new Androids for Europe, China, and other markets originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Hands on: Samsung S5690 Galaxy Xcover review

adminz — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:51:53 +0000

It used to be that tough phones were ugly pieces of kit that you only bought if your job or lifestyle demanded a phone that could handle a bit of a pasting from the elements.

Now, though, with the Motorola Defy in the shops and the Samsung Galaxy Xcover finally announced at IFA 2011, the category has been given a rather nice makeover.

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover is definitely rugged in looks but it manages to hide the fact that it’s water-, dust- and shock-proof quite nicely.

The chassis is larger than most handsets of its type – at 122 x 66 x 12 mm – but it’s not the chunky beast you would normally associate with a rugged handset. And at 135g, it certainly isn’t going to give you arm ache.

There are some tell-tale signs of protection; the on/off button on the device is harder to press in and more flush with the chassis and the microUSB port at the bottom is protected with a thick piece of plastic that is water resistant when properly clipped into place. The same goes for the 3.5mm jack at the top.

The home, menu and back buttons are also protected so clicking is not as smooth as normal.

Samsung wouldn’t reveal the plastic used in the making of the S5690 Galaxy Xcover but it is scratch resistant. It’s IP67 compliant too, so the body is airtight, ready to be submerged in water up to one metre for around 30 minutes.

Given the active nature of the people who will be using the Xcover, the screen has been tempered, which nicely reinforces the display. Samsung wouldn’t say it was Gorilla Glass (merely ‘toughened’) so we assume it isn’t.

TechRadar had no water at hand – or beer, unfortunately – but we did try out the phone’s shock handling, giving the handset a hard smack on the corner of the display table and the phone came out of the encounter working perfectly and with not even a spec of dust on it.

Which it could totally handle though. Obviously.

TechRadar wasn’t so lucky as we got told off by a Samsung staffer for trying out such a thing.

The Samsung S5690 Galaxy Xcover comes with Android 2.3 and this was speedy enough when we tried out the various menus. Samsung has also packed in it’s quirky Social Hub, as well as the usual Google services, such as Latitude, Maps and YouTube.

There’s also Wi-Fi, GPS and a digital compass on board for the more adventurous.

There is an 800MHz processor on board, which isn’t the nippiest around, but for day to day activities the phone shouldn’t let you down and we certainly didn’t see any lag in the swiping of screens and playing with apps.

The screen is capacitive touch, too, and we were surprised by how sensitive this was, given the 3.65-inch display has been reinforced.

We were disappointed, though, with the Xcover’s media options. The camera, for a start, is a meagre 3.2MP which isn’t what the general public expects from a phone camera any more. It is backed by an LED flash, which does give it some Brownie points – it also acts as a torch for when you are stuck in the dark, possibly swimming in your metre’s worth of water.

Video recording is better; the playback is standard WVGA but you can only record in VGA, which is by no means awful but you won’t be making many movies on the Xcover.

If it is an action phone you are looking for, though, the Xcover has been built to last but has a chassis that won’t embarrass you when you wipe the mud and dust off and use it for everyday use.

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover UK release date is later this year, with pricing to be announced.

Huawei IDEOS S7 Slim hands-on

adminz — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:24:02 +0000

Huawei IDEOS S7 Slim hands-on; X3, HiLink & Mobile WiFi official

Huawei’s IDEOS S7 Slim isn’t exactly a tricky proposition to understand: take the original IDEOS S7, shave some heft off the chassis and switch out the unloved resistive panel for a capacitive one instead. As we found with after our hands-on with the slate at MWC 2011, it all adds up to a surprisingly convincing slate.

Gone is the sponginess of the S7?s screen, replaced by a reasonably responsive capacitive screen. There’s now multitouch support in the browser and other apps, and since there’s integrated 3G – along with WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth – you get Android Market access as well, which puts the S7 Slim ahead of many other low-cost slates. There’s also an HDMI output, for hooking up an HDTV.

The touchscreen is still WVGA 800 x 480 resolution, however, while rivals like the Galaxy Tab and the new HTC Flyer have 1024 x 600 displays, and Android 2.2 Froyo – even with Huawei’s skin – isn’t ideal. The software experience is little changed from what we’ve seen before, so a selection of paneled homescreens split into work, entertainment, communications, favorites and the full apps list. It’s obviously not as slick as Honeycomb.

Still, that’s why Huawei can expect to sell the IDEOS S7 Slim for under $300 when it arrives on the market in April 2011. Meanwhile,the company has a new smartphone, the X3, and a pair of new modems, the HiLink and the Mobile WiFi Smart Pro hotspot. The X3 is headed to Japanese carrier Softbank in the spring, while the two modems will launch in April and Q2 respectively.

Press Release:

Huawei Reveals Expanded Suite of Smart Devices at 2011 Mobile World Congress

Huawei IDEOS™ X3 Smartphone – Sleek, stylish design, the thinnest device in the 3.2-inch screen range on the market with latest intuitive Android 2.3 interface
Huawei IDEOS™ S7 Slim next-generation tablet now more streamlined for easier portability
Huawei HiLink for automatic, hassle-free Internet connection anywhere, anytime
Huawei Mobile WiFi Smart Pro wireless modem with intelligent routing

Spain, Barcelona, 15 February 2011: Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, introduced its latest Android Gingerbread smartphone, the Huawei IDEOS™ X3, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on 15th February. The ultra-stylish Huawei IDEOS X3 blends sleek hardware with high-performing software to help users more effectively manage their communication and social networking activities.

At the same event, Huawei also launched the Huawei HiLink, a plug-and-link data card which connects users to high-speed Internet on-the-go, the Huawei Mobile WiFi Smart Pro wireless modem, an intelligent device which automatically selects the best high-speed Internet connection available, as well as the Huawei IDEOS™ S7 Slim, a next-generation 7-inch capacitive touchscreen tablet offering a blend of style and portability.

“The IDEOS range and our latest mobile broadband solutions are intuitive, simple to use products that offer users an enhanced mobile experience integrated seamlessly across different wireless technologies,” said Mr. Victor Xu, chief marketing officer of Huawei Device. “As we move into 2011, Huawei will continue to lead the drive to provide consumers with smart mobile connectivity at the right price.”

The Huawei IDEOS™ X3 smartphone: intuitive, power-efficient, ultra-stylish
The Huawei IDEOS X3, featuring an ultra-slim exterior, is a high-performing smartphone that boasts a 3.2-inch capacitive HVGA touchscreen, a 3.2 megapixel camera and the Huawei Handset Over-the-Air and Online Upgrade (HOTA) solution for Android, which provides users easy and timely OS upgrades. It is the thinnest device in the 3.2 inch screen range on the market. The smartphone runs on the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, which features a refined user interface that makes the smartphone easy to navigate, more intuitive and more power-efficient.

The Huawei IDEOS X3 also comes standard with applications that allow users to easily manage information and seamlessly sync their various social communication channels.

Product availability:

· The Huawei IDEOS™ X3 will be available in Japan via SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp. from Spring 2011[1].

· The Huawei IDEOS™ S7 Slim will be available in April 2011.

· The Huawei HiLink will be available in Europe in Q2 2011.

· The Huawei Mobile WiFi Smartpro will be available in Q2 2011.

This News from :

http://www.slashgear.com/huawei-ideos-s7-slim-hands-on-x3-hilink-mobile-wifi-official-15133905/

Relion RealPad, Android Tablet Cheap Price With 7 Inch Screen

adminz — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:41:49 +0000

Recently Relion just issued new tablet. Relion is a new player as a manufacturer of tablet. Relion more widely known as a manufacturer of thin client, mini PC and others.

Relion RealPad, a tablet which is devoted to the middle to lower. Excerpted from the chip, this tablet uses capacitive touch screen with 5 multi-point touch 7 inch that has a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels as it looks. At the front, there is a VGA camera of 640 × 490 pixels.

Inside, the tablet that uses the Android operating system 2.3.1 Gingerbread uses Rockchip RK2918 processor 1.2GHz 518KB Cortex A8 support Full HD. To support the performance, this tablet has 512 MB of DDR3 RAM.

The tablet is probably sold in the market at a price of about 1.8 million rupiah.

Specifications Relion RealPad

Processor : Rockchip RK2918 Cortex A8 1.2GHz 518KB support Full HD
Memory : 512MB DDR3
Hard Disk : 8GB NAND Flash
Display : 7? 800 x 600 resolution (aspect ratio 4:3)
Display Type : Capacitive Touch Panel, 5 point Multi Touch
G-Sensor : Support 3D Games, Pictures, eBook
Connectivity : 802.11b/g/n draft WiFi network connection, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
VGA : 2D/3D GPU supports Open GL ES 2.0, Open VG, and 3D
Camera : VGA 640 x 480 resolution
Speaker : D class embedded speaker
OS : Google Android 2.3.1 (Gingerbread)
Battery Life : Up to 10 hours for audio playback, 4-5 hours for video playing (depends on the resolution), and 7 hours for web browsing

Samsung Galaxy S2 is the Greatest Android Phone

simondrew — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:11:28 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S2 was a dream to use from start to finish – well almost. Let’s begin with the phone’s aesthetics. The device is a handsome looking one in the typical candy bar shape as most Android devices. It’s an amazing 8.49 mm thin and fits nicely in the hand. It is one of the thinnest smartphones around, only really beaten by the new Motorola Droid RAZR.

We were impressed at how sturdy the phone was considering its plastic back. The phone felt strong, but we were still disappointed, in the backs of our minds knowing Samsung had let us down with a below par material on a £500+ device. Or so you might think. This ‘cheap’ material is actually sturdier and less prone to damage than the ‘premium’ glass materials used in the production of the iPhone 4S.

The phone’s 4.3in Super AMOLED Plus display however was something to be relished in both indoor and outdoor light. The phone’s display looks excellent and to be honest we haven’t been as impressed with any screen on any device as much yet. The iPhone may have a sharper pixel per inch (PPI) ratio, but this is mainly because it has such a small 3.5 inch screen. This may have been good back in 2007, but nowadays most people want a larger 4 inch or higher display to enjoyably use the internet and video entertainment.

We were also thoroughly impressed with the phone’s speed, all we gather thanks to the 1.2GHz dual core processor and the 1GB of RAM which left the phone feeling more than adequate for any task we found necessary. Watching videos and playing games was a breeze and we found no cause in the slightest for anything but joy in this area. The phone comes with 16GB of memory and this was upgradable to 32GB via an SD card.

Taking photos was also great on the device. The phone’s 8mp camera sailed through all our expectations, as did the 1080p camera which looked great on screen. Contrasts and the representation of colours were excellent and even shadows and blacks showed up well. This all led us to the conclusion Samsung knows how to make a screen after years of TVs.

The phone itself was nice to use. We found the mixture of Android and TouchWiz – the Samsung user interface place on top of Android – to be a dream to work. The device was clear and sharp and innovations in areas such as zooming in and others were to be applauded – nice to see Samsung thinking outside the box.

The likes of Samsung’s own apps can feel a little redundant in the music area, tough its social media and video apps are very good and we found ourselves drawn towards them increasingly.

The Galaxy series is a bit like the Godfather films. The original was fantastic and the Godfather Part II was even greater. Let’s just hope that the Galaxy S3 does not follow the same trend as Francis Ford Coppola’s movies, as we all know how that ended up. Leaked images and specs of the phone look extremely promising though, and 2012 will most likely see Samsung eat away even more at Apple’s smartphone market share.