A tweet by Samsung Mobiles India account confirms earlier rumors of the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 launch in India. These devices were announced at the WWDC and CTIA and even wear the title tag of the slimmest tablets in the world. We are trying to get some pricing info on these devices
The folks over at Tech From 10 have managed to get their hands on developer version of the market place, allowing them to download the yet to be released Android Music 3.0 app. The app is identical to the current version of the music player, but the settings panel has been modified to show various streaming related options.
You can also download the app for your device if you like from here.
The HTC Incredible S is HTC’s latest and greatest, But, does it really fit that mark? Lets find out.
The device features one of the most robust constructions yet, a rubberized body , is not only rugged but also the new in-thing. The device is great to hold in the hand and feels really good thanks again to the rubber grip backing. It also sheds some of the added weight that the Desire HD has. No squeaks or rattling from the device. Better buttons in comparison to the Desire HD and a nicer looking display with rotating menu buttons. The build quality is surprisingly good and we were happy with it.
Tech Specs
The display on the Incredible S is simply stunning, the comparatively high resolution along with the SLCD screen just do wonders for the device. The colors are deep and the text crisp. The Processor may also play a role in the responsiveness of the device, but the basic functionality of the display and touchscreen is simply great.
The speaker on the device is slightly louder than its cousins ( the Desire HD/Mozart etc). But still not up to the mark from a device in this range. The video playback is smooth with zero lag and the fact that almost all formats can be played or play on the device thanks to Android is an added bonus.
The camera is no-where near where we want it to be, the images were bad, and we fail to see what dumping megapixels in a camera would do if the sensor is basically a dud. The camera is a big disappointment, although in crisp clear daylight , you may even get impressive shots, indoor and low light images are just very very poor. HTC should work on the Hardware instead of cramming specs in their devices. The 5MP backlit sensor on my personal iPhone 4 is far superior than this 8MP one from HTC.
The device is a performer when comparing it to earlier versions of HTC devices and even some competition from Samsung. We ran Quadrant and Neocore on the device and we were quite pleased with what we saw. The scores ranged from
Quadrant : 1550-1600 (Highest Rank in the Stats)
Neocore : 56.5-57.0 FPS
The phone call capability of this device sets it apart, we cant stress enough on the crispness of the earpiece or the sensitivity of the microphone, the call quality was just brilliant. We did several hours of testing on the device and we got (get this) NO DROPPED CALLS in areas where we usually get several call drops within a couple of hours.
The messaging is similar to HTC Desire HD with the sense keyboard, the keyboard has navigation keys at the bottom which make it a lot more easy to navigate while in a text compose screen. The typing experience is much better on the Incredible S simply because of the improved responsiveness of the display and the processing capabilities of the device.
The Incredible S is a abandoned phone, it comes at a time where devices of its kind are becoming obsolete. The SE Xperia Arc, Nexus S and OPTIMUS 2x are already here and in the market. So a single core processor based device at this price point seems worthless to us. The Incredible S is truly incredible in performance and its built it also has a good set of specs, But its a little too late for the party. The camera is a disappointment, and the price point of 27-28000 makes us reject the device and look at dual core alternatives.
Price: INR 28500/-
[xrr rating=3.5/5 label=”We Rate it” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
Check out the Remaining Shots and the Full Review Video Below
The Device pictured above is codenamed “mango” and a tag of SK17i has been given to the handset. These pictures come courtesy a chinese leak of the device, and show that the device does run Android 2.3 with a SE timescape -esque interface. The device also has a side sliding QWERTY keyboard.
m.Facebook.com is the new website that you need to visit if your existing cellphone has internet access but no dedicated App. According to Facebook, the mobile site should be easier to use on thousands of different devices. 250 million mobile users visit Facebook every month, this means that hte company needed a quick workaround for their old and slow mobile website.
“Yes, there is going to be a day when the majority of folks have something that looks more like an Android, but I don’t believe that’s going to happen in the next year, probably not the next two years.” said Facebook head of mobile, Erick Tseng
Samsung in Russia has informed that they will launch a new version of the popular Galaxy S Android smartphone next month.
The Galaxy S 2011 edition will ship with Android 2.3 and a new metal back cover.
The phone packs
No news on Launch in India or other countries.
[Samsung Russia]
Sony PlayStation games have begun appearing in Google’s Android Market. Five title’s became available in the Market on Thursday, including Syphon Filter, MediEvil and Cool Boarders 2. Currently available titles are listed for $6.38 each. More are on their way and should be added to the list of ever-growing Apps on the Android Marketplace.
Sony Ericsson’s Xperia PLAY will be the first PlayStation Certified Android smartphone that will be capable of playing original PlayStation games downloaded through the Android Market.
LG has made the Optimus 2X available in the UK via Expansys. The price is UK £449.99 . That’s a good £50 cheaper than the cheapest iPhone 4. What does this one add?
A dual core processor, Full HD 1080p output, DLNA, a brilliant screen and Android OS, Enough said. This month is anyway going to be a blaze at iGyaan with The Nexus S and the Xperia Arc already doing rounds in our studios.
Reports and rumors are floating around that the LG Flagship will launch in India in April end-May for a whopping INR 34,999. Too much if you ask us. Lets hope LG can hold their roses in the right bunch in the right hand, unless they want to end up loosing the
While its still a long way from launch, the super slim and sleek new Galaxy S 2, was recently making an appearance at CTIA and folks from AndroidCommunity took a quick video of the devices accelerometer based zoom functionality.
Check it Out
According to some leaked images and specs, LG has a new phone in the works codenamed “Optimus Big”. This device is all set to take on the likes of HTC with their humongous displays. The Optimus Big sports
[hankyung]
According to information gained by Mobile Review, LG has been chosen by Google to produce the Nexus branded Tablet. According to Mobile Review the device will be used as Google’s base for development, run the latest Honeycomb (Android 3.0) and will be ready in “mid-summer or early autumn.”
What is also Interesting, the device may be a test unit for Google’s internal purposes. But, that also means that LG has in-fact upped it production quality standards enough to impress the likes of picky engineers at Google.
Spice was one of the first Indian companies to launch an Android OS based handset in the Indian Market, The Spice Mi 300. Now the successor of the very popular Mi 300 – the new Mi 310 is here it promises a lot more functionality at a lower price and a better build.
We will be reviewing this device in-depth and giving you a full run down soon.
Right now, we go hands on with the device, so check out the full specifications along with Hands on Pictures. The unboxing video will be up shortly.
| Model Name | Spice Mi-310 |
| Price | Rs. 8,999 MSRP |
| Network (MHz) | 900/1800 MHz, UMTS 2100 MHz |
| Phone Style | Android Touch Phone + Optical Trackpad |
| OS | Android 2.2 Froyo |
| Talk time | Up to 2.5 hours (review pending) |
| Standby time | Up to 150-200 hours (review pending) |
| Battery Power | 1200mAh |
| Memory Card Type | T-flash / Micro SD |
| Memory Card Support | Up to 16 GB (no card included |
| Phone Memory | 85 MB (approx.) |
| Phonebook Capacity | Unlimited (based on memory card) |
| Screen | Capacitive Touchscreen |
| Screen Size (Pixels) External | 8cm, 320×480 pixel |
| Speaker phone | Yes |
| Ring Tones | Multiple formats |
| Language Support | Multiple Languages |
| Applications | Android Marketplace Apps |
| FM Radio | Yes |
| Connectivity | WAP, GPRS, Bluetooth 2.1, Data cable, Wi-Fi |
| Camera | Yes |
| Camera Resolution | 2 megapixel |
| Games | From the Android Marketplace |
FULL UNBOXING VIDEO
iG Tech Labs
The news has been floating around for Quite some time but RIM has now made it official. The company will now allow Android Apps on their Playbook and all QNX based phones to come in the future. This will open up a broader base for RIM and all blackberry users.
Check out the full press release below
RIM Expands Application Ecosystem for BlackBerry PlayBook
· BlackBerry PlayBook to support BlackBerry Java and Android apps
· Native C/C++ development support added, in addition to HTML5, Flash and AIR support
· Support from leading game engines: Ideaworks Labs (AirPlay) and Unity Technologies (Unity 3)
· BlackBerry PlayBook becomes a new market opportunity for all the developers who have already created over 25,000 BlackBerry Java apps and more than 200,000 Android apps
Waterloo, ON – Developers wanting to bring their new and existing apps to the highly anticipated BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet will soon have additional tools and options to enhance and expand their commercial opportunities. Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to greatly expand the application ecosystem for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The BlackBerry PlayBook is scheduled to launch in the U.S. and Canada on April 19.
RIM will launch two optional “app players” that provide an application run-time environment for BlackBerry Java® apps and Android v2.3 apps. These new app players will allow users to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from BlackBerry App World and run them on their BlackBerry PlayBook.
In addition, RIM will shortly release the native SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook enabling C/C++ application development on the BlackBerry® Tablet OS. For game-specific developers, RIM is also announcing that it has gained support from two leading game development tooling companies, allowing developers to use the cross-platform game engines from Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to bring their games to the BlackBerry PlayBook.
Support for BlackBerry Java and Android Apps
“The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform.”
Developers currently building for the BlackBerry or Android platforms will be able to quickly and easily port their apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS thanks to a high degree of API compatibility. The new optional app players will be available for download from BlackBerry App World and will be placed in a secure “sandbox” on the BlackBerry PlayBook where the BlackBerry Java or Android apps can be run.
Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users. Users will be able to download both the app players and the BlackBerry Java and Android apps from BlackBerry App World.
The BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Tablet OS are built on the QNX® Neutrino® microkernel architecture with a 1GHz dual core processor and a leading OpenGL solution, which allows RIM to make this incredibly broad platform support possible.
BlackBerry PlayBook users and developers who are interested in seeing the new app players for BlackBerry Java and Android apps can see demos at BlackBerry World in Orlando, Florida (May 3 to 5, 2011) (www.blackberryworld.com).
BlackBerry Tablet OS Development Tools
The BlackBerry Tablet OS already supports an incredibly robust platform with support for Web development standard HTML5, through the BlackBerry® WebWorks™ SDK for Tablet OS, and Adobe® AIR®, through the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR. The BlackBerry Tablet OS is built from the ground up to run WebKit and Adobe® Flash® as well, giving developers a fast and true Web experience to leverage.
RIM is also announcing today that the BlackBerry Tablet OS Native Development Kit (NDK), which is currently in limited alpha release, will go into open Beta by this summer and be demonstrated at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to build high-performance, multi-threaded, native C/C++ applications with industry standard GNU toolchains. Developers can create advanced 2D and 3D applications and special effects by leveraging programmable shaders available in hardware-accelerated OpenGL ES 2.0.
Other features of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to:
- Take advantage of the QNX POSIX library support and C/C++ compliance for quick and easy application porting and for creating native extensions for both BlackBerry and Android applications
- Easily integrate device events like gesture swipes and touch screen inputs
- Integrate the BlackBerry Tablet OS environment into existing code management and build systems using industry standard Eclipse CDT (C/C++ Development Tools)
- Leverage work done in standard C/C++ to make it easier to bring applications to the BlackBerry Tablet OS
- Find and fix bugs quickly with provided debug and analysis tools
“The response to the BlackBerry PlayBook from the developer community has been exceptional. Our commitment to supporting HTML5 and Adobe AIR development has resonated and spurred developers to create fun and innovative applications for BlackBerry PlayBook users,” said David Yach, Chief Technology Officer, Software at Research In Motion. “The upcoming BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK beta will add C/C++ tools to our repertoire and gives developers one of the broadest and deepest platforms to develop on.”
Gaming Engines
Building on the power of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK, RIM is working with leading gaming and application development technology providers such as Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to implement their native engines and application development platforms. Developers will be able to take advantage of these engines when building games and other applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook.
The Ideaworks Labs Airplay SDK is expected to include support for the BlackBerry Tablet OS soon, making it easy for publishers and developers to use their existing code to bring their games and apps to the BlackBerry PlayBook.
“Supporting a new OS can be a challenge for developers,” says Alex Caccia, President of Ideaworks Labs, “however, integration of the BlackBerry Tablet OS with the Airplay SDK makes this a non-issue. We think this is a far-sighted move by RIM: the BlackBerry PlayBook is a great device for games and applications, and combining this with content distribution via BlackBerry App World brings an exciting new ecosystem for developers.”
RIM has also been working closely with Unity Technologies, providers of the highly popular, multi-platform Unity development platform and Union, the firm’s games distribution service. Through Union, dozens of high-quality Unity-authored games are slated to make their way to BlackBerry App World for the BlackBerry Playbook.
“With a sharp focus on the multimedia experience, very powerful hardware, and fantastic games in the pipeline, the BlackBerry Playbook has all the right ingredients to be a mainstream hit,” said Brett Seyler, GM of Union at Unity Technologies. “Through Union, Unity developers have an opportunity to reach a new audience and grow with another great new platform.”
Availability
The new app players for the BlackBerry PlayBook are expected to be available from BlackBerry App World this summer. More information and demonstrations of the new app players will be shared at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will be available in beta later this year and will also be showcased at BlackBerry World.
Here is the Unboxing Video of the HTC Incredible S, The video also contains a comparison of the device with the Desire HD. Check it out and stay tuned for the Full Review.
The iPhone follows a yearly refresh cycle since the day it was launched and its that time of year again. This is where the rumors of the new iPhone to be, start pouring in.
For the beginning NYTimes reported that Apple is currently working on an iPhone which has inbuilt NFC payment system.
According to two people with knowledge of the inner workings of a coming iteration of the Apple iPhone — although not necessarily the next one — a chip made by Qualcomm for the phone’s processor will also include near-field communication technology, known as N.F.C. This technology enables short-range wireless communications between the phone and an N.F.C reader, and can be used to make mobile payments. It is unclear which version of an iPhone this technology would be built into.
One person familiar with the new Apple feature said the phone’s credit card information would be tied to information currently used on iTunes, which would make it simple for customers to set up the new mobile payment method on the iPhone.
The iPhone would look the same in appearance which has been quite talked about as well, the major difference to aesthetics could be a larger 4.0 inch display and a slimmer body. There is also a huge possibility of a metal back.
The iPhone 5 has reportedly entered the trial production stage in preparation for a Q3 release, according to the China Times. The report says the iPhone 5 will have a metal chassis to improve antenna sensitivity as well as a scratch resistant 4-inch touch screen.
“Looking back at old rumors, an iPhone 5 parts video that surfaced back in January may have actually been an early look at the iPhone 5 casing (photo below). That video actually first revealed the new antenna dividers found on the Verizon iPhone, but also included a SIM card slot that does not appear in the Verizon iPhone.” says macroumors
The iPhone 5 is still months away from release but there are some case designs floating around. If these cases are any indication, it looks like the iPhone 5 will look a lot like the iPhone 4 and will have a larger 4 inch display.
It is also widely believed that the iPhone 5 will be announced at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco in early June, but as said earlier , China Times reports that the device may actually ship in September instead of July. A report from a Japanese Newspaper said that a likely date for iPhone 5 production to commence is July 6, and that Apple is considering a reversion to the aluminum back for the new model.
Other rumors include
Nowhereelse.fr has created a beautiful rumor summary infographic for the iPhone 5.
