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Qualcomm rolls out 8-core Snapdragon 615 CPU

Scott Webster
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Qualcomm on Monday kicked off Mobile World Congress with a pair of new mobile processors. Today sees the chipmaker adding the Snapdragon 615 and 610 to its lineup.

The Snapdragon 615 is the company’s first commercial octa-core CPU solution with integrated LTE and 64-bit capabilities. Yeah, we’re talking next-level stuff. Featuring support for a wide variety of LTE bands, HSPA+ 42, and CDMA, it also packs in an Adreno 405 GPU.

The Snapdragon 610 is a quad-core version of the chipset with many of the same features.

Both the Snapdragon 615 and 610 processors will begin sampling in the third quarter of the year with the first commercial devices arriving by the end of 2014.

Qualcomm

Nokia debuts Android-powered X, X+, and XL

Dan Bartram
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All eyes were pointed at Nokia during Mobile World Congress for a glimpse at the long awaited “secret” Android powered devices the company was said to be working on. These were considered a last gasp effort at exploring Android before being absorbed by Microsoft. However, it seems that the tactics extend far greater than just an experiment with Android.

Nokia has just announced the Nokia XL which has a huge 5-inch IPS display, available in early Q2 of 2014 to over 109 growing markets in Europe.

With CEO Stephen Elop reinforcing that the flagship products are still their Lumia lineup and therefore Windows Phone (obviously), it seems Android is part of a strategy to offer lower-end devices to extend the reach of Microsoft’s services, as the Nokia X lineup will be priced below the Lumia offerings. Nokia XL is running an AOSP build of Android and you can expect it to be preloaded with all of Microsoft’s cloud services.

Rather than introducing just one model at Mobile World Congress, Nokia has delivered no less than three devices: Nokia X, X+, and XL. Save for very minor details, the first two are nearly identical to each other.

The basic specifications for the three breaks down as so:

Nokia X

  • 4-inch (800 x 480)  display
  • 3-megapixel rear camera with fixed focus
  • 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor
  • 512MB RAM
  • 4GB internal storage (microSD expansion)
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • Also available in dual-SIM

Nokia XL

  • 5-inch (800 x 480)  display
  • 5-megapixel rear camera with fixed focus
  • 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor
  • 768 MB RAM
  • 4GB internal storage (microSD expansion)
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • Also available in dual-SIM

It is worth pointing out that Nokia makes no references to the particulars of Android and that the devices do not feature any Google Play services or Google apps. Nokia has opted, as their wont, to include their own services and app selection.

The Nokia X will go on sale immediately, starting at EUR 89*** and rolling-out in Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The Nokia X+ and Nokia XL are expected to roll out in these markets starting early second quarter, priced at EUR 99 and EUR 109, respectively.

Nokia

MediaTek sets sights on U.S. market with new octa-core chip

Scott Webster
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Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek announced a new processor on Monday which could have big implications in the U.S. and European markets. Making its debut later this year and into 2015, the MediaTek MT6595 chip features eight cores, four of which employ ARM’s A17 design. More notably, however, these are the company’s first to offer LTE support. The goal is to bring about lower cost LTE smartphones; hopefully as low as $99-$199 with contracts.

The mobile processor space is a crowded one with Qualcomm, NVIDIA, and Intel already battling for market share. MediaTek has done a decent job as of late in other areas of the world and we invite more competition locally.

MediaTek

OtterBox Preserver case for Galaxy S4 review

AndroidGuys
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The first thing that I noticed about the OtterBox Preserver case for the Samsung Galaxy S 4 is that the size difference between it and the defender case is negligible. Which is great if you’re upgrading, however the cons in moving up are; the back is plastic rather than the grippy rubber of it’s little brother, the back isn’t curved, so it may feel a bit awkward at first, and it doesn’t come with the incredibly stylish belt clip.

In comparison to other waterproof cases, the plugs for the headphone and charging port covers are really nice and easy to open and close, but not to the point of them popping open on their own. However, I did notice that the foam covering the inside of the charging port cover sticks up a little too high, when inserting the device into the case you’ll want to put the bottom in first or you risk ripping that foam off.

When you’re securing the back onto the case, you’ll notice a lot of resistance, there’s a nice gasket going around the inner edge of the back plate. All of the holes are covered by reassuring plastic covers attached by what appears to be more rubber gaskets. The speaker covers are mesh on both inside and outside, presumably with some sort of black magic trapped in between to prevent moisture from getting through.

Opening the case will be frustrating at first, it will make you want a tiny little crowbar you might even be worried that you’re going to damage the case, but once one of the clasps releases, it’s fairly easy to liberate the phone without worrying about accidentally throwing it across the room.

The volume and power buttons are just as stiff as you’d expect from the OtterBox brand, although the home button isn’t quite as hard to depress.

The one thing I was worried about with the size and fortitude of the case was maintaining the functionality of the IR blaster, but it actually seems to work better and more consistently than with any of the other cases I’ve used. As far as the functionality you might expect to be hindered, for the most part, the device behaves the way you’d expect. Speaker and mic during phone calls are acceptable although the earpiece buzzes on low tones. The camera doesn’t seem to be impeded at all, they did the right thing separating the sensor and flash windows. The only one of the port or sensor covers that doesn’t quite live up to expectations is the proximity sensor, it seems to always think your face is next to the device. Literally the moment you tap “call” or “answer” the screen shuts off leaving you to fiddle with your home key to startle the device awake if you need to utilize the display while on a call.

All-in-all, if you’re in need of a waterproof case, and you don’t mind the size of the OtterBox Defender series, At an MSRP of $89.99 this is a totally viable option. It doesn’t offer the color customization options you’ve come to expect from the defender series as the case is only 2 pieces, but to have complete protection is a give and take.

The good:

  • The size is comparable to their Defender series
  • Strong build quality
  • Very small amount of functionality lost
  • The price, Sub $100 to protect your $600 phone

The Bad

  • The proximity sensor issue might be a deal-breaker for some
  • Slight sound distortion from earpiece speaker

Lenovo buying Motorola Mobility from Google for $2.91 billion

AndroidGuys
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Numerous sources reported today about a potential acquisition of Motorola Mobility that comes not even three years after Google bought it for $12.5 billion, and Lenovo just made the news official.

The Chinese-manufacturer announced that it entered into “a definitive agreement” with Google to acquire the Motorola Mobility smartphone business in order to strengthen its own smartphone market, basically to give it a presence in the U.S.

The acquisition price is $2.91 billion, subject to certain adjustments, including $1.41 billion paid at close, comprised of $660 million in cash and $750 million in Lenovo ordinary shares. The remaining $1.5 billion will be paid in the form of a three-year promissory note.

Google will maintain ownership of the vast majority of the Motorola Mobility patent portfolio… Lenovo will receive a license to this rich portfolio of patents and other intellectual property.  Additionally Lenovo will receive over 2,000 patent assets, as well as the Motorola Mobility brand and trademark portfolio.

Back in August 2011, when Google acquired Motorola Mobility, it had said it was mainly interested in its patent portfolio. After becoming “A Google Company,” we’ve seen successful devices like the Moto X and Moto G, but Google was still reportedly losing hundreds of millions each quarter since the purchase.

While Lenovo said that it will be acquiring the MOTOROLA brand and Motorola Mobility’s portfolio of smartphones, like the Moto X and Moto G and the DROID Ultra series, “Google will maintain ownership of the vast majority of the Motorola Mobility patent portfolio, including current patent applications and invention disclosures.”

Google will also be licensing the patents to Lenovo, who will be receiving over “2,000 patent assets.”

One other interesting thing to note is that Dennis Woodside, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said that the company has “tremendous momentum right now” with the launches of the Moto X and Moto G and that Lenovo’s hardware expertise and global reach should help accelerate that.

Google is supposed to be reporting its quarterly earnings tomorrow, so maybe we will have even more information then.

via Lenovo, Google, The Verge

 

Blendoku app review

Scott Webster
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If you’re like me then you like to play your mobile games in short, few minute bursts a couple of times a day. Once in a while you might find yourself dropping an hour’s worth of free time, but generally speaking, it’s nothing regular. And, if you’re like me, you prefer the casual strategy game over the first-person-shooter. If you’re like me then you absolutely love Blendoku.

The premise of the game is simple: you have to arrange colored tiles in order. Fade them from dark green to neon green, for example, or blend them from black to white. You’ll start out with roughly 5-8 tiles in the easy levels and then progress up to stuff with dozens of boxes. Also, instead of a simple line of colors, you’ll have to blend them in multiple directions. Need help? You get one free cheat per day which places any tile you need. It could be the catalyst that helps you figure out which way those colors blend.

The levels are grouped in chunks of 100-150 and truly do have a gradual feel to them. Note that the Master levels work best if you own a tablet. There are simply too many colors and squares to work with on a 4-inch screen. An added bonus to Blendoku is that you can synchronize your scores and times across multiple devices. This way you can start on the phone and pick up later on the tablet. To start, you get 475 levels in the free experience. You’ll also find a “hidden” Negative mode which completely changes the entire game by switching colors to polar opposites.

As is the case with many of these casual games, you can return to levels again and again, trying to beat your time. Personal bests are scored as are the world averages. There’s also a trophy you can achieve for perfect tile placement (no moving or rearranging) but it doesn’t serve any real purpose.

Once you’ve gone through and cleared all of the standard levels, I recommend purchasing (in-app) the second round. Doing so not only gives you another batch of puzzles but it also removes any advertisement. You can also purchase additional help. Perhaps you might want to invest in the 20 extra cheat squares (recycle daily) once you get into the hard and master levels. I have dropped a few bucks in this game and couldn’t be happier with the purchases. In fact, I’m ready for the third round of levels, if there ever will be such a thing.

If I had one gripe about Blendoku it is that I cannot sync the purchased levels; only those that came with the first install are matched across devices. This bothered me more once I got into Medium 2 and Hard 2 levels but it didn’t ruin things altogether. My gut says this is but a software update waiting to happen.

[pb-app-box pname=’com.lonelyfew.blendoku’ name=’Blendoku’ theme=’dark’ lang=’en’]

Nomad ChargeKey review

AndroidGuys
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Carrying around a setup to ensure your device is always charged, especially when you’re traveling or out for the night is never convenient. The fact that companies are making a ton of money off of portable battery packs and external battery cases is proof enough it’s time for one of the tech giants (or perhaps this needs to come from an out-of-nowhere startup) to revolutionize batteries.

Until then, we make do with what we have and wait for the next product to help us keep our devices full of juice.

One such product is the ChargeKey from Nomad. Designed to mimic the exact size of the average house key, ChargeKey is small, flexible, and portable.

ChargeKey Nomad Single

The model I was sent for review is the Lightning compatible version for iOS devices. It’s capable of carrying 3.1 amps when charging, meaning it will provide enough power to charge full-size iPads. Don’t worry, there is a Micro USB version as well.

The material of ChargeKey makes it so it’s bendable and can withstand the normal abuse metal keys are subjected to on your keyring. With ChargeKey able to bend and move, it also means your iOS device will sit flat on the table or desk as you have your device connected. On top of that, it’s nearly impossible to always find a USB port or charging station that has a surface directly underneath it. As such, the ChargeKey creates a secure enough connection to hold an iPhone, while bending, without requiring you to hold your device the entire time it’s connected.

ChargeKey Nomad Keys

 I have used the ChargeKey for the last few weeks during my trip to CES, and around the house. I find it better suited for use when not attached to my keyring. Keys and a glass screen have never gotten along, and I’m too paranoid my screen will accidentally get scratched when I have my device charging via the ChargeKey. It’s small enough that it fits into a side pocket on a backpack, or heck even your front pocket if you’re really paranoid about a dying battery.

The only drawback that I can come with for the ChargeKey is that it’s not an all-in-one charging solution. You still have to either find a USB port (which is getting easier and easier) or carry around a wall wort to plug ChargeKey into.

ChargeKey Nomad

The Nomad isn’t currently shipping ChargeKey, but it expects to by the end of February, according to its website. The ChargeKey will set you back $25, or if you’re really creative you can offer to barter a service or good for a ChargeKey or two. Perhaps the best part of the ChargeKey is it’s warranty. Nomad states if your ChargeKey ever breaks, it will replace it free of charge.

Samsung announces Galaxy TabPRO, Galaxy NotePRO tablets

Scott Webster
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New tablets introduced include 8.4-inch, 10.1-inch, and 12.2-inch form factors

Samsung has officially announced its latest line of Android-based tablets, pulling the curtain back on the Galaxy TabPRO and Galaxy NotePRO family. Arriving later this quarter, you’ll find that the tablets range from 8.4-inches to 12.2-inches and all are powered by Android 4.4 KitKat. These new tablets boast a Samsung TouchWiz / Magazine UX that lends to a better experience on larger displays.

On the smaller side we have the Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 and its 2560 x 1600 pixel display. Powered by either a 1.9GHz Exynos 5 Octa processor (Wi-Fi/3G versions) or a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor (LTE version), additional details include 2GB RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, and IR support. Additionally, the Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 comes with 2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB storage, anda  4800mAh battery.

The  10.1-inch Galaxy TabPRO 10.1 offers the same specifications, comes with 16GB or 32GB internal storage, and an 8220mAh battery.

Moving into bigger, possibly better sizes, the Galaxy TabPRO 12.2 moves the needle up with 32GB and 64GB internal storage, 3GB RAM, a microSD expansion slot, and a 9500mAh battery. As for the Galaxy NotePRO line, it’s what you might expect in that it features the implementation of an S Pen stylus.

The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) will feature up to approximately $700 worth of the premium pre-paid, long-term subscription offers, including: Bitcasa, Bloomberg Businessweek+, Blurb, Cisco WebEx Meetings, Dropbox, Easilydo Pro for Tablet, Evernote, Hancom Office for Android, LinkedIn, LIVESPORT.TV, NY Times, Oxford Advanced Learner’s A-Z, and Sketchbook Pro (content packages may vary by region).

Pricing for the new line of tablets is not yet known however we can expect a global launch later this quarter.

Samsung

Samsung announces Galaxy Camera 2

Scott Webster
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Samsung’s Android-powered Galaxy Camera 2 debuts ahead of CES 2014

Samsung on Thursday introduced its second generation of the Galaxy Camera, the Android-powered digital camera. As you might expect, the hardware and software are pushed forward and feature quite the powerful and smart experience.

Details include Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, a 16.3-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor with 21x optical zoom lens and 4.8-inch HD Super Clear Touch LCD display. on its backside. Under the hood you’ll find a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 8GB internal storage, microSD card slot, 2GB RAM, and a 2000mAh battery. Connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC.

Like its predecessor the Galaxy Camera 2 is packed with many software touches and enhancements for taking the best photos and recording the best videos. Using the NFC connection, the new Tap & Go feature lets users quickly share photos with connected devices.

With Photo Beam, the picture being viewed on the camera is automatically sent to the paired smartphone, while Mobile Link, allows photographers to select images they wish to transfer to their smartphone at their leisure. For more creative shooting, Remote Viewfinder lets photographers control the camera using the smartphone, providing greater freedom for setting up and snapping shots.

There’s no indication as to what pricing and availability is just yet but with CES on deck next week we could learn more shortly.

Samsung Launches the Galaxy Camera 2, a Powerful Successor to the Galaxy Camera

Featuring an Android platform and a lightweight retro design, the Galaxy Camera 2 allows avid photographers to capture and share even more, with superior quality and speed

SEOUL, Korea – January 02, 2014 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd announced the Galaxy Camera 2, a successor to the award winning GALAXY Camera which combines the quality imaging of a high end camera with sharing capabilities and an intuitive design to match the most up-to-date smartphones. The Galaxy Camera 2’s revolutionary technology, which includes an upgraded 1.6GHz Quad Core processor and the Android platform makes it faster and easier than ever for users to shoot, edit and share high quality images with friends and family. With a lightweight, retro design, the Galaxy Camera 2 is the ideal option for photographers who do not want to sacrifice style for technology.

“Consumers love the Galaxy Camera, and this next-generation version was designed to improve on the successful predecessor, with upgraded and new features that will enhance the photography experience,” said Myoung Sup Han, Executive Vice President and Head of the Imaging Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “The result is a more powerful and portable device which continues to embrace the public’s passion for the social features of smartphones, yet also provides superior image control and quality. We are dedicated to making it easier for more people to achieve great results and with the Galaxy Camera 2’s host of creative features, anyone can capture stand out images.”

Fast and Superior Performance
The Galaxy Camera 2 lets users enjoy the full benefits of the Android platform. Intuitive to use and faster than ever before, users can navigate the Galaxy Camera 2 functions with ease-of use and focus on capturing the perfect shot rather than having to filter through complex settings. With an enhanced battery life (2000mAh), avid photographers can enjoy the photography experience for longer period of time and have the ability to take even more beautiful pictures.

A high performance camera, the Galaxy Camera 2 produces images of exceptional quality, unrivalled by smartphone photography. Its 16M BSI CMOS Sensor produces vivid images which are both rich in color and sharp in detail, allowing memories to be captured and reproduced in perfect clarity. With a huge 21x Optical Zoom, photographers can get closer than ever to their subjects. Featuring an upgraded 1.6 GHz Quad-Core processor, supported by a massive 2.0 GB of RAM, the Galaxy Camera 2 operates at ultra high speed so that the array of intuitive features can be accessed without delay. This internal memory is supplemented with the pre-loaded Dropbox app, an exclusive offering which provides 50GB of free cloud storage for up to two years, so that passionate photographers need never worry about running out of memory ever again.

Simple Sharing and Easy Use
Sharing is made simple with advanced Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities that accompany the Galaxy Camera 2. The all-new innovative ‘Tag & Go’ feature makes it easy to connect the Galaxy Camera 2 to NFC-enabled smartphones and devices. All it takes is a simple tap of the smartphone and camera and devices will be  automatically paired and transter images swiftly using a host of clever functions. With Photo Beam, the picture being viewed on the camera is automatically sent to the paired smartphone, while Mobile Link, allows photographers to select images they wish to transfer to their smartphone at their leisure. For more creative shooting, Remote Viewfinder lets photographers control the camera using the smartphone, providing greater freedom for setting up and snapping shots.
The Galaxy Camera 2’s 121.2mm (4.8-inch) HD Super Clear Touch LCD provides users with a beautiful way to view and edit images. Shots are displayed in intense color and detail, while its large size makes it easy to navigate the many apps and features available on the camera. With a lightweight design, the Galaxy Camera 2 is a highly portable option making it the perfect choice for both day to-day, as well as special occasion photography.

Creative Capture
With Smart Mode, users can choose from 28 different pre-set modes all designed to address different shooting scenarios, which will allow a professional touch or creative twist to any image. For those unsure which mode they want to select, the Smart Mode Suggest feature provides a helping hand in securing those winning shots. It analyzes the scene at hand; recognizing lighting conditions, scenery, objects, and then instantly recommends the optimal Smart Mode to ensure that the perfect shot is always captured. New Smart Mode Selfie Alarm guarantees that self-portraits receive the attention they deserve. It takes five consecutive, high resolution images so that users can select their best angle and share immediately on their favorite social media site.

Videos can also be given a unique twist with features such as Multi Motion Video, which allows users to set the speed of capture and create speed up or slowed down movies. Ranging from eight times slower than normal speed up to eight times faster, this feature adds visual flair to footage which can be enjoyed time and time again. The Galaxy Camera 2 also makes it easy for photographers to use their favorite applications, such as Paper Artist and Xtremera, to personalize their shots straight from the camera so that images can be edited and shared without delay.

Boost Mobile announces $129 Moto G

Scott Webster
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The Moto G is the first Motorola smartphone at Boost Mobile since 2011

Boost Mobile on Thursday announced that the Moto G will be offered online on Tuesday, January 14, 2014.  The carrier’s retail stores will pick up the Motorola smartphone on the following week, starting January 20. For those of you who simply cannot wait that long to pair the Moto G with Boost Mobile’s rate plans, you can score one on HSN.com and HSN mobile today.

Indeed, the Moto G is the same model only recently introduced; Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (4.4 KitKat guaranteed), a quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel rear camera, and 2070mAh battery. 

Priced at a crazy affordable $129, the Moto G works with Boost Mobile’s $55 Monthly Unlimited plan with shrinking bills. Pay your bill on time for six months and the rate drops by $5. Repeat until you get all the way down to $40 per month.

Boost Mobile Reunites with Motorola to launch Smart and Stylish Moto G with NextRadio

Irvine, Calif.—Jan. 2, 2014—Boost Mobile, a leader in the no-contract wireless industry with its exclusive Monthly Unlimited plan with Shrinking Payments,  will debut Moto G, by Motorola, a Google Company, on the HSN, HSN.com and HSN mobile today, Jan. 2. The Moto G will be available Tuesday, Jan. 14 at www.boostmobile.com and select Boost Mobile exclusive retail stores nationwide starting Jan. 20. This represents the first Motorola handset on Boost Mobile since 2011.

Priced at only $129.99, Moto G packs the features consumers want at a price that won’t break the bank, all without an annual contract. The affordable 3G smartphone comes with an impressive and highly durable 4.5-inch HD screen made with scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass and sports a super-fast 1.2 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ quad-core processor. Moto G is loaded with Android 4.3 Jellybean with a guaranteed upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat expected as early as February, making the Moto G the most up-to-date Android of any phone in its class. Customers also have the freedom to express themselves with a variety of colorful interchangeable backs, available from Motoroladirectly.

Moto G will come preloaded with the free interactive FM radio application NextRadio®. With NextRadio, listening to FM radio on smartphones is a new type of interactive radio listening experience. When compared with streaming, NextRadio consumes about three times less battery life than other music apps. That’s because the audio is coming through a built-in FM tuner instead of over the Internet.

For extra protection, Moto G has a water-repellent coating on the outside, meaning that a little rain won’t get in the way when taking a call. In addition, customers get an extra 50GB of Google Drive storage for two years and, as with all Android devices, Moto G owners have access to more than 1 million apps and content in the Google Play Store.

Additional key features of the Moto G include:

  • 5MP-enhanced camera with panoramic and continuous shot
  • All-day battery, 2070 mAh
  • Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 capable

To entice consumers to switch to Boost Mobile, Moto G is offered on Boost’s no-contract $55 Monthly Unlimited plan. Boost Mobile rewards its customers for simply making on-time payments. Unique from the competition, for every six on-time payments, the cost of the Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited plan shrinks by $5 to as low as $40 per month for unlimited nationwide talk, text and data[1]. Payments do not need to be consecutive to qualify for the next savings milestone.

For more information on Moto G from Boost Mobile visit: www.boostmobile.com/motog

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