Smartphones Talk

Blog about mobile phones

April 25, 2012
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HTC Evo 4G LTE

This past Wednesday (April 4, 2012), Manhattan, New York, saw the introduction of the latest HTC Evo 4GLTE; the latest phone to retail exclusively on Sprint’s Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network.


The unveiling of the Evo 4G LTE follows on the back of the Taiwanese company’s February (2012) introduction of the HTC One series, and this latest smartphone carries many similarities to the One X – which is no bad thing. Anyone familiar with HTC premier handset in the One series will recognise Evo’s the matching features, these include:

  • 4.7 Inch 1280 x 720 HD display with Gorilla Glass
  • 8 Megapixel rear facing camera
  • 1.3 Megapixel front facing camera
  • 1.5 GHz processor (the Evo 4G LTE is running a dual-core as opposed to the quad-core in the One X)
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 16 GB ROM
  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Improvements

While the core features are the same, the Evo 4G LTE also has several differences – all improvements. The overall design is different and although this was to be expected with a new smartphone, the black with red accents look is very attractive. Another great addition is the improved battery 2000 mAh over the 1800 mAh of the One X. However, the most intriguing  feature, comes from the Sprint end of the venture, who announced plans to introduce cutting-edge voice technology called HD Voice. The new tech provides a whole new level of noise cancellation, allowing for clearer calls and little background interference. The Evo’s two microphones will ensure the latest HTC is catered to HD Voice, although Sprint has said decided the service will not be available until later in the year.

Both HTC and Sprint are looking to the Evo 4G LTE as the smartphone that propels them back amongst the big boys. Despite both companies enjoying good starts to 2012, HTC is only fifth most popular smartphone manufacturer in the US, while Sprint remains behind Verizon and AT&T in the wireless network industry.

The HTC Evo 4G LTE will retail at $199 (with two-year contract), with Sprint taking pre-orders from May 7, 2012.

April 11, 2012
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iHangy: Let your iPhone Hang Out

Think about how many iPhone owners you know – you may even be one yourself. Now think about how many of those iPhone owners walk around with a cracked screen, or have previously had to repair a cracked screen. It is a common and infuriating problem, as good as the iPhone is, the fragility of the glass screen is a constant worry. If the sheer thought of dropping your precious investment is giving you the jitters, a new product named iHangy is definitely worthy of consideration.

iHangy, i-Handy!


Manufactured by OnTrion, a leading name in premium mobile phone batteries, the iHangy comes in two varieties, a necklace and a keychain, each of which includes a handy little touchpen. The iHangy is designed to hang around a neck, clip to a belt or bag, allowing the iPhone to remain within easy reach at all times and crucially, hands-free, for listening to music and making calls (if anybody still does that?). Its design also means, regardless of where the phone is hanging, it remains 100% secure. The strong surface-plated metal construction locks securely into the dock connector, and when we say securely, that is indeed what we mean.

During testing of the iHangy, a one kilogram (2.2-pound) weight was dropped forcefully from it without breaking the lock. When you take into account just how much repairs to an out of warranty iPhone can amount to ($199 for a OOW with Apple, if it can be fixed at all), a $14.99 outlay is a bargain.

Both variations of the iHangy are able to connect securely to the iPhone 4, 4S, 3 and 3GS models and young, fashion-conscious consumers will love the choice of pink, white and black necklaces.

The iHangy is available now for worldwide purchase at www.ihangy.com.

April 10, 2012
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Drone Smart Controller

Smartphone gaming is now as common as making a phone call. The quality, and range of games in the Apple iOS Market and Google Play is excellent and increasing all the time. However, they have yet to reach the levels of game consoles, this is largely, as any avid gamer will tell you, because of the controls. No matter how good gaming becomes on smartphones, the touchscreen controls are always going to be lacking in comparison to the console game controller. But what if a control pad was made available for use with your iPhone or Android? Well, this is the aim of a new Kickstarter project seeking $60,000 in funding, the Drone Smart Controller.


The Drone is an open source controller designed specifically to provide a solution for gaming on smartphones and tablets. It’s creators Matthew Hefferon, Adam Weisgerber and Ren Livingston – who form the company Evolution Controllers – describe the product:

“It’s an Open Source, Bluetooth, portable game controller for Smartphones and Tablets. You can now play all your favorite emulators using a real controller. Our controller is open source so you can upload your own code to modify the characteristics of the controller. This is all done on the Arduino platform.”

The sleek black controller is solid and sticks to the shape and feel of other console pads so that users feel comfortable handling the device. The button layout is also straightforward, consisting of the buttons most people are familiar with:

  • Direction pad
  • Thumstick
  • Upper left and right buttons (LB and RB)
  • Start and Select
  • ABXY buttons

The Drone can be charged up whilst playing via USB and as it is small and portable for easy transportation, giving the chance to game anywhere and at any time.

Evolution Controllers have produced a video of the Drone Smart Controller which can be seen over at Kickstarter. The project has currently raised $14,173 of the $60,000 needed with 15 days to go.

April 6, 2012
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Dell Getting Out of US Smartphone Market

Texas-based computer giant Dell has this week decided to call quits on their smartphone offerings in the US. While many of you would be forgiven for being unaware that Dell offered smartphones at all, the company actually entered the market in 2010 with the Aero and Streak 5, a combined tablet/smartphone and a concept that Samsung is currently finding success with the Galaxy Note. 2011 seen the release of the Venue and the Venue Pro, offering Android 2.2 Froyo and Windows 7 operating systems respectively.

Calling time on sales of the Venue’s will bring an end to Dell association with smartphones in the US, having already discontinued the Aero and Streak, although sales will continue overseas. A Dell spokesperson said of the decision: “Mobility products typically have shorter lifecycles than laptops and desktops, and we have decided to no longer offer those two on Dell.com in the United States.”

In an interview with PC World, principal analyst at J.Gold Associates, Jack Gold felt that the move was a well-judged one, “It’s ready to push the reset button on its tablet and smartphone business after many missteps.”

“Dell wasn’t putting much force behind its mobility business and was sending mixed messages around products and operating systems.”

Gold also added a telling statement, “”If you’re not a Motorola, RIM or Apple, people won’t take you seriously.”

Competition

Dell found competition from the smartphone giants too much, and while the Venue and Venue Pro received fair reviews, they were dated in terms of specifications before they even hit shelves. The US smartphone market is currently led by Android with a 48 percent share, followed by Apple with 32 percent and Blackberry with 11.6. The Dell Venue was never going to compete with HTC and Samsung on the Android platform, while the Venue Pro was never going to compete, period.

It is likely the Dell will focus on the bread and butter of desktop and laptop PC’s, although any fans of the company’s smartphone will be encouraged by this closing statement, “  “We’re looking forward to offering new products and concentrating on expanding our growing mobility solutions portfolio in the future.”

April 5, 2012
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Griffin’s Reserve Battery Case

The iPhone in its various generations is commonly regarded as the best smartphone on the market; however, for many users there has always been one problem to face: battery life. If all you do is send a couple of texts and make a few phone calls, the battery on the iPhone is fine, but how many owners actually do this? Gaming, playing media, surfing websites and taking photos are as much a part of daily use as the tasks that cellphones were originally made for and are a serious drain on the battery. A new accessory by Griffin, the Reserve Battery Case, is designed to come to the users’ aid when battery life is fading.

Griffin’s Reserve Battery Case is a tough hard-shell case designed to provide the iPhone 4 and 4S hours more battery life, not just one or two hours but up to 9.5 hours on a full charge. Griffin Technology Inc.’s press release explained the case:

“Expertly designed this slim protective case surrounds your iPhone 4/4S protecting it from scratches and dust while the built in lithium-ion battery charges your iPhone while you carry it. The built in battery delivers 5 watts of power to your iPhone to extend the battery life for extra gaming minutes or call time when you can’t be plugged into a wall socket. The case is charged via a USB to Micro-USB cable with an LED indicator which reveals the charge status.  The Reserve Battery Case is ideal for app addicts, photography enthusiasts or music lovers who push their battery to the max.”

One would expect the Reserve Battery Case to be bulky – it isn’t. The case is no bigger than any other plastic iPhone case and snuggly fits around the phone, providing the obligatory opening for the camera.

The only real downside to the Reserve Battery Case is the fact that it must be removed if you need to use the dock connector, but this is merely a small drawback to a great product.

Griffin’s Reserve Battery Case retails for $59.99 and is available from Amazon as-well as the Griffin Technology’s homepage.

April 3, 2012
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Nokia Lumia 900 to sell for $99

The new Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone has been much anticipated since its first unveiling at CES 2012 in January; well now it has finally been given a confirmed release date of 8 April 2012 and very startling price tag of just $99 with AT&T!

It is unheard of for a high-end smartphone to start selling at such a low price, especially when the Lumia 900 has the specs to match up to anything that Apple and Samsung have on the market. The move has been made to boost the fortunes of both Nokia and Windows phone, who have found the competition of the iPhone and Google Android devices heavy going in the US market. The fact that the Lumia 900 will retail at $100 less (obligatory two-year contract needed of course!) than the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and $200 less than the Motorola Droid Razr and Samsung Galaxy Note with AT&T could well re-ignite interest in Nokia’s premier smartphone.

The Lumia 900 certainly has the specifications to make it very appealing:

  • 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display
  • Corning Gorilla Glass
  • Windows Phone Mango OS
  • 1.4GHz Processor
  • 8 Mega-pixel Camera
  • 4G Connectivity
  • 720p HD Recording

Of course, the Windows Phone OS will be new to many people and those that rely on the various Google products may prefer and Android device. However, any one with a Windows computer will love the access to Microsoft Office, Microsoft tools, SkyDrive and other products that the Lumia 900 offers.

The new Nokia is not the only smartphone that AT&T offers at $99. The iPhone 4 (not S) and the Motorola Atrix 2 are also at the same price, although are now classed as older devices, hence the pricing.

When April 8 comes around and you happen to be in need of a smartphone priced at around $100, the Nokia Lumia 900 wouldn’t be a bad choice!

April 2, 2012
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Panasonic’s New Waterproof Phone

Water damage is the scourge of smartphone owners. Your phone is only ever a slip away from being dropped into the toilet or sink, resulting in all that hardware being less use than a brick. The new Panasonic ELUGA Power has been designed to be waterproof to a depth of one meter for up to 30 seconds – very useful, unless you drop it in the ocean of course!

The ELUGA Power is one of two new handsets (the other named simply, ELUGA) that the Japanese company are launching first in Japan and then Europe. Panasonic has never been a big player in the US and there is not release planned as yet for these shores; however, with its specifications and features, the ELUGA Power would certainly hold its own.

  • 1.5GHz Dual-core Processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB Internal Storage
  • Additional 32GB SD Storage
  • NFC Technology
  • 8 Megapixel Camera with full 1080p HD recording
  • 1800 mAh Battery
  • 5-inch LCD Screen

As you can see, the ELUGA is certainly a lot more than just a waterproof phone; however, it is than feature which it leading the marketing campaign. The 5-inch screen is becoming more and more common and the 1280 x 720 pixels is probably the outstanding feature, rivaling that of the Sony Xperia S. The most popular “big-screen” smartphone on the market is the Samsung Galaxy Note and the ELUGA Power is equally as un-pocket friendly, although is slightly easier to handle. The 1800 mAh battery is also impressive, allowing super-fast charging of 50% battery life in 30 minutes and 80% in 57 minutes.

For this beast of a smartphone to compete, software was always going to be important. Fortunately, Panasonic has met the challenge and the ELUGA Power will run the latest Android OS, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3.

The Panasonic ELUGA Power is set for an April release and its success in the market is likely to determine whether or not it is released in the US.

April 1, 2012
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Downloading an App? Beware of Malware

Many of us are familiar with malware, or malicious software to give its full name. Malware is designed to disrupt operations, gather information and gain unauthorized access to a computer. This type of software has long been a problem for computer owners, however, has never been associated with smartphones – until now. Amongst all the games, music, weather news and other handy applications in the Android market (Google play as it is now known), is the lurking threat of malware. Thousands of cases are now being reported of Android users downloading free apps, blissfully unaware of the hidden dangers.

Growing Problem

According to security firm Juniper Networks, Android-related malware is “virtually all” app related, with monthly reported cases rising from 400 per month in June 2011 to 15,507 per month in March 2012. With Android phones now outselling Apple iPhones across the world, the problem is likely to continually escalate. Another security firm Trend Micro identified “more than 1000 malicious Android apps” in 2011. A massive ninety per cent of these apps were on Google’s site. While the problem is expected to get worse before it gets better, markets outside of the US are likely to be more affected, with unofficial Google sites more prevalent.

Solution

Malware is harder to detect on a smartphone than it is a computer, and the results of infection can be anything from keystroke logging to spam-mailing. So what is being done to tackle the problem? Well, Google say that they have been using a feature called Bouncer which is able to screen malicious applications. This, they say “saw a 40 percent decrease in the number of potentially malicious downloads” from Google Play.

Mobile security is also now readily available from leading security companies, which is designed to warn against suspicious websites and protect data on smartphones. Users can also help themselves by downloading official and highly rated apps from Google Play and avoid clicking on advertisements while browsing.

March 31, 2012
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BioLogic Smartphone Bike Mount for Android

BioLogic, an urban bicycle accessories company, has recently unveiled their new product at a Taipei Cycle Show – a bike mount for your smartphone. Now, you may have heard of such a device before, this is because it is not a new invention. BioLogic have has a version of the Bike Mount available for some time; the problem was is that it was only designed to hold an iPhone. This new unveiling makes the handlebar mount available to a whole new (and very large) customer base, made up of Android owners.

BioLogic project manager Kevin Chan explained the reasons for the new product: “The tremendous growth in smartphone use has revolutionized the way we work and play, and this includes how we ride”.

“Our Bike Mount for iPhone allowed people to use their iPhones on their bike as a powerful cycling computer and we wanted to give this ability to Android users as well. There are a lot of free and paid cycling apps for Android smartphones but no really good way to mount one to a bike. Our product not only securely attaches your phone to a bike, but also protects it against weather, sweat, grime, and shock.”

If you are a regular cycler, the new mount is going to be extremely appealing. The mount will completely protect your phone from the elements, connected on the bike via a mounting bracket, the accessory has a weather proof hard-shell case and thin membrane to ensure the touch screen is still easy to use. It is also designed with a protected opening to allow use of the camera for taking photos or videos on the move, in addition to this is the 360˚ swivel for both landscape and portrait modes.

Riders will have the advantage of using GPS on the move, whereby, with the help of one of many apps, cyclists can monitor location, speed, distance travelled and even calories burned while riding.

What about the major problem of there being a variety of different Android smartphones on the market? Well, BioLogic are to release the mount in four options to fit the most popular Android phones:

  • HTC Sensation
  • Samsung Galaxy SII
  • Samsung Galaxy S / LG Optimus 2X
  • HTC Desire / EVO 4G / Inspire 4G

The BioLogic Bike Mount for Android is set for a May release.

March 30, 2012
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Sony’s New ‘Floating Touch’ Smartphone

Since the ten year pact between Sony and their partner Ericsson was ended in 2011, Sony has really begun to find its feet and establish itself as a big player on the smartphone scene. The recent Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona saw the Japanese company announce three new Xperia phones, all running the Android operating system, and just as smartphone lovers were getting to grips with the sleek new handsets, Sony add another to the range – the Sony Xperia Sola.

Many will assume that the word “Sola” is referring to solar power – it isn’t, but this does not stop the phone from being unique. The Sola is equipped with floating touch technology which is designed to give users the chance to surf the web without touching the screen. Sony’s head of Xperia marketing Calum MacDougall explained:

“Xperia sola comes with the power of Sony and a sense of magic with floating touch, giving consumers a fun new way to browse the web and latest technology to show off.”

This bit of tech is clever and is expected to grow and evolve to be compatible with various applications, but the ‘floating touch’ feature alone will only attract a limited fan base, to be really successful, the Sola must have the specs to back it up. Although the hardware does match up to some of the latest smartphone releases, there is enough to satisfy smartphone fans, and certainly Sony fans:

  • 1GHz dual-core processor
  • 512MB RAM
  • 5GB internal storage
  • Mobile Bravia Engine
  • 3.7 inch Reality Display
  • 3D surround sound audio technology
  • 5MP rear-facing camera
  • NFC Technolgy

The near-field technology (NFC) which will come with to NFC Xperia SmartTags as standard is an excellent feature, which will simply every day smartphone use. However the Sola is let down slightly by the fact it is to be released on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, although Sony has promised an upgrade to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future.

The Sony Xperia Sola is to be released in three colors (black, red and white), sometime in the summer.