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Tag: android

  • It's Official! Samsung Galaxy S3 to Be Launched on May 3

    The Samsung Galaxy S3 release date has been officially confirmed by Samsung. The smartphone, initially announced at the 2012 Mobile World Congress (MWC 2012) in Barcelona will be presented by the South Korean company on May 3 in London, as the gadget is being promoted as the official smartphone of the 2012 Olympic Games.

    Samsung on Monday sent the invites for the press conference during which will be presented the much-awaited smartphone. Although on the invitation is not specified the launch of the smartphone, international press’ opinion is unanimous, anticipating the launch of the new gadget. Samsung Galaxy S3 will be launched simultaneously in New York, Seoul and Dubai.

    The upcoming Galaxy smartphone will probably run Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, rumors say, with the special interface Samsung TouchWiz 4.0. Speculations emerged once with the announcement focused on all its specs, but nothing has been confirmed by Samsung so far, which preferred to let the Galaxy fans to promote the smartphone.

    According to androidadvices.com, the phone will have a 4.65” AMOLED SuperPlus HD display, with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, a quad-core 1.5 GHz Exynos processor, 1 GB RAM, 32 GB storage capacity and two cameras – one of 2 megapixels in front and another one of 8 megapixels capable to record in Full HD. The phone will support the 4G LTE technology, the same source adds.

    The new S3 is expected to have a thickness of only 7 mm, 1 mm thinner than HTC Ville and 0.1 mm from the Moto RAZR. The phone will weigh 118 grams, will come in two colors – black and blue – and will have a battery of 1750 mAh.

    The launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S3 will be held at Earl’s Court in London, on May 3.

  • PayPal Here, Mobile Payment Solution

    PayPal has launched its own mobile payment solution, PayPal Here. The new service includes a free application and a secured card reader attachable to the mobile phone, transforming any iPhone – and soon, any Android smartphone – into a mobile payment solution. Along with PayPal Here, PayPal has launched the latest version of PayPal Mobile for iPhone, complementary application with PayPal Here, available for free in App Store.

    PayPal Here is not only for individual users but also to small business owners, service providers and other merchants who can issue invoices and accept credit or debit cards, checks or payments through PayPal. Regardless the mode of payment chosen by the consumer, PayPal Here facilitates the transfer, providing small business with opportunities to sell products and services.

    Accessing the option "Local" gives PayPal Here users the possibility to find out what stores near them accept payments through this service. Once he is ready to buy, the customer notifies the dealer through a simple touch. In turn, the seller uses PayPal Here to accept payments by simply mentioning the name and the photo of the buyer.

    PayPal Here has a competitive structure in terms of fees. The service does not include initial charges for using it or monthly fees, the only fee paid by merchants being equal to 2.7% of the payments received by credit card or PayPal.

    Merchants who use PayPal Here have at their disposal business debit cards for quick access to money. When using cards for shopping, they get back 1% of the price of certain products, which makes practically the commission paid to PayPal Here to fall to only 1.7%.

    For now, the solution is used by some traders in the United States, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong, following to be available nationwide in these country starting from April and, subsequently, to be extended to other countries. Also in April, PayPal Here will be available for Android smartphones.

  • Almost Half of the U.S. Adults Have a Smartphone

    Smartphones are now more popular than conventional mobile phones among the U.S. adults, according to a study released on Thursday, confirming a trend of aggressive spread of these “pocket minicomputers”. 

    According to the study conducted by Pew Research Center University, nearly half ( 46%) Americans of at least 18 years old had a multifunction phone in February, compared with 41% who owned a normal mobile phone and 12% who never used one of the two.

    A study conducted in May last year concluded that only 35% of American adults had a smartphone, compared with 48% who used a traditional phone.

    Devices running the operating system developed by Google, Android, are the most numerous, being in the hands of 20% of the owners of this type of device, from 15% in May 2011. Apple’s iPhone is ranked second with 19% of users compared to 10% in May, clearly outpacing Blackberry produced by Research in Motion, which is in a deep fall (10% in May 2011 to 6% in February this year). Only 2% of the rest have a phone running the Windows Phone operating system, developed by Microsoft, a report unchanged compared to May 2011.

    The survey conducted by Pew Research Center showed that all demographic categories, men and women, young and middle-aged or third-aged, urban and rural, wealthy and less wealthy, they all participated at the smartphone phenomenon.

    The study was conducted between January 20 and February 19 on a sample of 2253 adults and has an error margin of plus or minus 2.7 points.

  • MWC 2012: HTC Launches HTC One Series

    The Taiwanese company HTC unvailed today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ​​the new series of smartphones, One, which includes three high-end terminals, all with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 4.

    HTC One X

    HTC One X has a unibody casing made from polycarbonate, so that it benefits from the robustness of the metal, but being extremely easy at the same time. Thanks to its simple construction, the casing combines a unique glossy finish with matte black.

    HTC One X is fast thanks to the NVIDIA Tegra 3 Mobile Processor, capable of displaying complex graphics elements, running applications more efficiently and providing higher autonomy.

    The phone features a quad-core Super 4-PLUS-1 processor of 1.5 GHz, equipped with a fifth core Battery Saver Core and 12-Core NVIDIA GPU of high performance.

    HTC One X comes with a 4.7-inch screen and 720p HD resolution made from Corning Gorilla Glass. The mobile phone will also be available for the 4G LTE markets with the LTE dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor of up to 1.5 GHz.

    HTC One S

    HTC One S is designed for users who want a top smartphone in a more compact format. HTC One S has a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor of 1.5 GHz and a 4.3-inch screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.  HTC One S has a metal casing and a thickness of 7.9 mm, the thinnest of all HTC models launched so far.

    HTC One S will be available in two versions: ultra-matte black Ceramic Metal, obtained through a micro arc oxidation process, used until now in the production of satellites. It turns the unibody casing surface into a crystal structure, four times resistant than anodized aluminum, which allows the smartphone to maintain its particular appearance. The second variant of finish available for HTC One S brings the anodization to another level through a patented process that creates a gradient from light to dark.

    HTC One V

    The successor of HTC Legend, HTC One V offers all users a premium design phone. The terminal comes with a simple unibody casing made from aluminum.

  • MWC 2012: Sony Unveils Xperia S, Xperia U and Xperia P

    Sony has just announced the latest models from Xperia NTS series at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona: Xperia P, Xperia U and Xperia S – the ultimate HD smartphone, which is now shipping to markets across the globe with first sales in the Sony Style store in Barcelona.

    Xperia P and Xperia U will be available starting from the second quarter of this year.

    Xperia P – Main Features

    • 4-inch Reality Display with image processor Mobile BRAVIA Engine
    • Screen technology, WhiteMagic, for enhanced light and consume efficiency function through intelligent brightness control
    • 1 GHz dual-core processor and 16 GB storage capacity
    • 8-megapixel camera with fast capture function, HD shooting and Sony technology for 2D and 3D panoramic images
    • HDMI and DLNA connectivity
    • NFC technology (Near Field Communication) that provides access to an ever-growing environment of NFC applications and services
    • Available in silver, black and red, with an aluminum body
    • Released on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but will receive the upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the second quarter of this year

    Xperia U – Main Features

    • 3.5-inch Reality Display with image processor Mobile BRAVIA Engine
    • 1 GHz dual-core processor
    • 5-megapixel camera with fast capture function, HD shooting and Sony technology for 2D and 3D panoramic images
    • High quality sound through the new audio technologies xLoud and 3D surround
    • Available in white or black, with pink and yellow interchangeable head
    • Released on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but will receive the upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the second quarter of this year

  • Samsung Galaxy S Advance Unveiled

    Samsung proposes a new smartphone in the Galaxy portfolio – Samsung Galaxy S Advance. With a 1.0 GHz dual-core processor and HSPA connectivity of 14.4 Mbps, the terminal provides power and connectivity, flexibility and an interface with high response rate, ideal for multitasking. Starting the applications will be made faster, while the user experience is being enhanced by the smoother transition of the on-screen images, faster image processing and better download performance and Web browsing.

    The new smartphone comes with the Android 2.3 Gingerbread, also offering a 4” Super AMOLED display 480×800 WVGA, 5-megapixel camera on back and a 1.3-megapixel front camera, 768 MB RAM and 16 GB storing capacity.

    Equipped with Samsung's TouchWiz, GALAXY S Advance offers users the ability to be constantly connected through Samsung Hubs and ChatON services. Music Hub provides access to over 11 million songs and gets every user to personalize their music catalog. Readers Hub provides access to over 2.3 million e-books, 3,500 magazines and 200 newspapers, while the popular network Game Hub provides access to thousands of games, plus games related news feeds.

    The ChatON communication platform connects all Samsung smartphone users in a single community using numbers instead of usernames and passwords, ensures instant messaging, group chat and sharing of content in various formats – images, video, contacts, calendar – in order to send and receive messages easier and more intuitive than ever.

    GALAXY S Advance also features the Find My Mobile service, a unique management system for lost mobile phones, which ensures security of the encrypted files in case of loss, and allows users to detect the phone directly from the Internet or even to delete data remotely.

    Samsung GALAXY S Advance Product Specifications

    Network                                      HSPA  14.4Mbps  850/900/1900/2100
                                                          EDGE/GPRS  850/900/1800/1900

    Process                                      1 GHz Dual-Core Processor

    Display                                        4.0” WVGA(480×800) Super AMOLED display

    OS                                                Android 2.3(Gingerbread)

    Camera                                       Main(Rear) : 5 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash
                                                          Sub(Front) : 1.3 Megapixel Camera

    Video                                           Codec : MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, DivX, VC-1
                                                          Recording/ Playback : 720@30fps

    Audio                                           Codec : MP3, AAC, AAC＋, eAAC＋, WMA, AC3
                                                          Music Player with SoundAlive
                                                          3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS

    Value-added Features             Samsung TouchWiz/ Samsung L!ve Panel UX
                                                          Samsung Apps
                                                          Samsung Kies 2.0/ Samsung Kies air/ AllShare
                                                          ChatON(Downloadable via Samsung Apps)
                                                          Readers Hub(Downloadable via Samsung Apps)
                                                          Music Hub
                                                          Game Hub
                                                       ＊Service availability differs by region

    GoogleTM Mobile Services    Android Market™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™,
                                                          Syncing with Google Calendar™
                                                          Polaris Office
                                                          Find My Mobile
                                                          A-GPS

    Connectivity                               Bluetooth® technology v 3.0 High Speed
                                                          USB 2.0
                                                          Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n

    Sensor                                        Proximity, Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Light, Gyroscope

    Memory                                      8/16GB User memory ＋ 768MB(RAM)
                                                          microSD (up to 32GB)

    Size                                              123.2 x 63.0 x 9.69 mm, 120g

    Battery                                        Standard battery, Li-ion 1,500mAh

  • CES 2012: Intel Sets New Standards in Smartphones and Tablets

    Intel has announced a series of progresses on its entire activity in the smartphones industry, including the signing of a partnership for several years on many devices with Motorola Mobility and provided information on a Lenovo smartphone based on the new platform of the Intel Atom processor. More Intel Atom-based smartphones are to hit the market in 2012.

    Paul Otellini, President and CEO of Intel, made the announcements during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Also, Intel CEO has offered information on the way Ultrabook is seen by users and has described the way the company develops products and technologies in order to provide high performance to a wide range of computing devices.

    Intel Computing Technologies Integrated into Smartphones and Tablets

    Intel CEO also talked about the Intel Atom Z2460 processor, formerly codenamed “Medfield”, which has been created specifically for smartphones and tablets, which is now offering high performance and greater energy efficiency.

    Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, joined Otellini on stage and they together detailed the strategic relationship between the two companies. The partnership includes the smartphones that Motorola will start to deliver in the second half of this year, terminal that will integrate Intel Atom processors and will run the Android platform. Collaboration, which also covers tablets, combines Intel’s leadership in terms of technology based on silicon and innovations in the computer industry with Motorola’s experience in terms of design for mobile equipments.

    Liu Jun, Lenovo’s Senior Vice President and President of Mobile Internet and Digital Home, also went along with Otellini on stage and presented the smartphone Lenovo K800, based on Intel technology and which uses the Android OS. Liu Jun said that the K800 will be available in China starting from the second quarter and will work on the 21 Mbps network of China Unicom. Lenovo K800 uses the Z2640 Intel Atom processor with Intel Hyper-Threading technology, supports HSPA and features Intel’s XMM 6260 platform. As interface, the model uses Lenovo LeOS.

    Otellini said the development of the best mobile experiences is a priority for Intel. Michael Bell, General Manager of Mobile and Communications Group at Intel, has also joined Otellini on stage and he has presented the Intel Smartphone Reference Design technology, which wants to reduce production time and cost for mobile developers and operators. The two Intel officials presented a smartphone with multiple functions, slim and which has a 4.03” touchscreen as well as two 8-megapixel cameras with advanced capabilities, including the “burst” mode, which allows users to take 15 photos in less than a second.

    By presenting the Angry Birds app on the phone, Bell showed that the smartphone equipped with Intel technology can run lots of applications for Android, but also for other operating systems.

    Otellini said that Intel will set new standards in the Tablet PC segment through the compatibility with millions of applications and devices already on the market. On stage at CES 2012 has been presented for the first time the 32nm Intel Atom processor for Tablet PCs and other hybrid devices running on Windows 8, codenamed "Clover Trail."

    You may also want to read:
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    LG Optimus 3D and Nokia X7: The Battle Continues!
    The Year in Which the World Divided Between Samsung and Apple

  • HTC Failed With the New Smartphone Range – Sales Drop by 30%

    HTC hardly manages to attract the interest of users with the current range of smartphones, ending November with disappointing sales – 30% less than previous month. The trend is even more worrying in the context of the upcoming winter shopping season, usually marked by increase in sales and significant earnings.

    The company has not explained why the steep decline in demand for its products, but it’s easy to understand: HTC bombarded us lately with many new models, most of high quality, well built, but with an undiversified design, which simply don’t manage to attract public attention.

    Sales for November dropped to $ 1.03 billion, compared with $ 1.46 billion in October. Really worrying is the 20-percent decrease from the same period of 2010, when HTC recorded sales of $ 1.27 billion.

    Even if it’s too early to compare HTC with Nokia, it’s clear that both companies need to reinvent themselves in order to survive in the increasingly dynamic market of smartphones and tablets.

    HTC currently enjoys a large number of fans, but they are not nearly as numerous and devoted as those of some heavy competitors like Apple. In the absence of some production facilities with resources comparable to Samsung, for example, HTC cannot bet too much on models with an extravagant design, through which to seduce its users. On the other hand, the company focused more on services and custom software, but without much enthusiasm.

    Unfortunately for HTC, software features such as Sense UI begin to lose their importance as Google continues to improve the native interface of their Android operating system, so that HTC needs more than ever to focus on the product itself and not on additional features, otherwise risking taking the same way as Nokia.

    You may also want to read:
    What to Expect from Android in 2012
    iPhone 4S Could Be Banned in Europe
    Amazon Prepares a Smartphone

  • What to Expect from Android in 2012

    Google has shown just the tip of the iceberg with the latest improvements to the Android operating system. Users have become accustomed to expect more from the mobile operating systems and it is likely that the expectations to end in 2012.

    Software Improvements

    Latest release, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, came with the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, being only a matter of time before other smartphones and tablets to start using it. Cameras with better software, improved graphics and perhaps a voice assistant similar with Siri might be on the launching ramp next year.

    Ice Cream Sandwich already allows users a wide enough range of voice commands. Even if the idea of assistant will not be adopted by Google, via Google Translate, they provide an idea in which direction the voice functions are moving.

    In what concerns the cameras software, Android started with a gross soft, not having too many options. The upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich brings features such as panoramic photos and zero time between shots. Future updates may include facial recognition and advanced settings options. These functions could also be included in tablets, not just for smartphones.

    Hardware Improvements

    Improvements in terms of hardware are also foreseen, especially in the range of smartphones with two processors. Starting with Ice Cream Sandwich on smartphones with dual-core processors, hardware acceleration option is automatically activated. This means that new applications for the operating system will run much faster. Also, there will also be improvements in games, in terms of graphics. Old applications will require updates in order to observe the improvements in performance.

    The number of terminals that will use Android is growing. This year Google launched android@home, a base for the operating system to be installed in smart homes. They will communicate with other devices running Android to make life easier for residents. In addition, car manufacturers have also been showing their interest since 2010 regarding Google’s OS in order to introduce it in cars’ consoles, which will allow sharing media files between smartphone and car.

    You may also want to read:
    iPhone 4S Could Be Banned in Europe
    Amazon Prepares a Smartphone
    Samsung Wave 3 Available in Europe

  • iPhone 4S Could Be Banned in Europe

    iPhone 4S, Apple’s latest smartphone, could be banned in Europe along with all Apple devices that have GPRS connectivity and run iOS, following a lawsuit filed in Germany by Motorola.

    The number of lawsuits in which the company in Cupertino is involved grows with every passing day. After last week a court in Australia has unanimously decided to withdraw a preliminary decision prohibiting Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to be sold in Australia, Apple faces a new threat from Motorola.

    The company, acquired this year by Google, has won in Germany a preliminary injunction through which obtained prohibiting the sale of Apple devices that have the GPRS  technology, namely iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G, in Europe.

    The case represents a huge loss for Apple in the patents war that they are carrying with the Asian manufacturers of Android devices in several countries worldwide.

    “We will appeal the decision immediately. German consumers who want to buy an iPhone or an iPad for the holidays should not have troubles finding them,” said Apple representatives shortly after the decision.

    In the light of recent events, the Motorola Mobility purchase by Google, recorded this summer, seems a natural one. Market specialists have speculated even since those times that Google has paid $12.5 billion for the U.S. company only for its patent portfolio in the telecom area, and only in order to defend Android, the mobile platform that develops, by the trials filed by Apple against several manufacturers.

    Legal conflict between Apple and Android manufacturers has a long history, most of the lawsuits being filed by the U.S. company against the South Koreans from Samsung.

    Apple accuses them of copying the design and functionality of the iPhone and iPad smartphones and tablets of the Galaxy series models. In response, Samsung accuses Apple of violating several patents in the telecommunications area.

    Currently, between Apple and Samsung are opened 23 lawsuits in countries like France, Japan, Germany, South Korea and the United States.