He announced his departure with zero fanfare in a Google+ post, where he declined to discuss the details of his time there, his reasons for leaving, or his plans for the future.
Kondik's departure from Samsung was "not because of anything in particular," he wrote in the discussion thread following his post. "Samsung was great. Just decided to do something new.. Ask me in a couple of months." He added a smiley-face for good measure.
Though his lips were sealed about certain things, he wasn't shy with his praise for Samsung's latest flagship Android phone, the Galaxy S4.
'Blows the competition out of the water'
Kondik's post reads partially like a Samsung ad and partially like a genuine review.
"Specwise, this device blows the competition out of the water," he wrote of the Galaxy S4. "Benchmarks put this device FAR above the competition (40K on Quadrant CPU) and there should be no reason why it won't run your favorite apps flawlessly.
"GPS seems to work better than any other Samsung device, with a lock being acquired instantly in almost any condition. The camera is excellent as well, both front and back."
He also praised features like the touchscreen's ability to detect a hovering finger (with varying effects) and the S4's IR blaster, both of which he said "have a lot of potential."
And he added that although the hardware design hasn't changed drastically from the Galaxy S3, the S4 does feel "more solid than" its predecessor.
Hold the phone
Kondik was not so quick to praise Samsung's TouchWiz interface overlay, though, calling it "a bit more consistent" before leveling some nitpicks.
"It feels like [TouchWiz] has been sent a few years back in time to the Froyo days," Kondik wrote. "Say goodbye to all of the nice touch-friendly ViewPagers and say hello again to a fully tabbed UI.
"You'll also enjoy the seemingly endless onslaught of popup windows and modal 'Loading…' dialogs. UI performance is average. It's better and worse at the same time, depending on your viewpoint I suppose."
On the features side, he had one complaint: "My least favorite new feature is 'Smart Scroll' which is supposed to scroll based on face detection + tilt, but it mostly serves to anger me into disabling it."
Overall, though, he said the Samsung Galaxy S4 is "a solid device and a clear choice if you are upgrading from the [Galaxy S2]."
"You'll feel right at home if you have a GS3 currently, but upgrading is probably less urgent (especially if you're on contract)," he added.
CyanogenMod on the Galaxy S4
So far there's been no official word of CyanogenMod continuing its life on the Galaxy S4, but Kondik did tease the possibility at the end of his lengthy Google+ update.
"Since [the S4 is] powered by Snapdragon, CM should work wonderfully on it," Kondik wrote, followed by another smiley-face.
Given CyanogenMod's history and Kondik's obvious infatuation with the Galaxy S4, it seems likely that the custom Android firmware will eventually make its way onto the new device.
But given Kondik's air of secrecy, it also seems that there's more in his future than just CM, and it will be exciting to see where he leaves his mark next.
That much-hyped octacore processor in the Samsung Galaxy S4 won't actually be available in most versions of the April-bound handset, according to a report out of South Korea today.
The U.S., U.K., and Australia, in fact, won't see any Galaxy S4s with Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa system on a chip, which is being reserved for Asian and African nations that lack LTE.
The report indicates that not enough of these chips will be available for the launch of Samsung's new flagship smartphone.
Samsung's much-talked-about processor is said to be scheduled for mass production in Q2 2013, whereas the Korean manufacturer's Galaxy S4 release date is at the end of April.
Galaxy S4 quadcore vs octacore
The good news for the western world is that there's been some debate over whether or not Samsung's octacore is that much better than the Qualcomm's quadcore system on a chip.
The octacore-equipped Samsung Galaxy S4 packs a 1.6 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 and a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU, with an IT tri-core PowerVR SGX 544 graphics chip.
The faster and slower cores switch between performance and efficiency modes.
The quadcore version of the Galaxy S4 uses a speedy 1.9 GHz Qualcomm Krait 300 chip at all times and takes advantage of an Adreno 320 GPU.
Which CPU configuration bests the other is going to be up to Samsung Galaxy S4 tests that are sure to happen the moment this highly anticipated phone arrives.
Either way, Samsung, knowing that it can't manufacture enough octacore processors in time for the Galaxy S4 launch, may have made the right choice - even if this doesn't back up the company's eight-core marketing bluster.
Today some interesting rumors originating from China have surfaced. The local manufacturer Huawei is reportedly working on a direct Galaxy S4 competitor with a 4.9-inch 1080p display and a quad-core 1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A15 processor.
The rest of the rumored specs include 2GB of RAM, Mali T604 GPU, a 13MP snapper and a 2600mAh battery unit. The mysterious device is supposed to be only 6.3mm thick and get its official announcement in April.
Now this all sounds good and if it turns out true, this means we'll be getting a beast as mighty as the Samsung Galaxy S4 but with a cheaper price tag.
Of course, it might all end up being just a product of someone's wild imagination, so take it all with a pinch of salt. We'll know for sure in a month when the new Huawei gets official (or, you know, doesn't).
Google's upcoming Nexus 5 may not be the massive Full HD-screened smartphone you're looking for.
The word comes from PhoneArena, whose tipster reckons that Google will leave the mega-screens to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and downsize the Nexus 5's display to 4.5 inches.
The source also reckons Google is opting for a 720p IPS screen rather than going Full HD as is the current craze - to be honest, we find it a bit hard to believe that Google would do this given the growing penchant for streaming HD movies on the go.
The pay-off is that it'll feature a barely-there bezel - the source says that the display will take up 88 per cent of the front of the phone, which doesn't leave much room for a border.
Borderline
Another one for the pro column is some serious battery life, thanks to a 2800mAh juice pack. Also rumoured are a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor and a 9MP CCD camera.
We've got a lot of time for Phone Arena but since we can't verify their source and there's no indication of exactly where they got this info, we'd recommend a healthy serving of scepticism as a side-order with this one.
Hopefully we'll find out a bit more about the Nexus 5 from Google at its developer conference, Google I/O, in May.
The Sony Xperia ZL is up for pre-order in the US from Sony's own retail store. The device comes in two unlocked options - an HSPA version that's up for $720 contract-free and a 4G-enabled $760 one. The latter works on LTE bands 2, 4, 5 and 17, so it should, in theory, be usable on AT&T's network. The 4G variant should begin shipping to users starting April 8.
If you're all about the speedier network access then it's more prudent to spend the extra 40 bucks for the 4G variant, but if HSPA speeds suit your data needs then $720 could be the better option. Either way the pricing is steep.
Sony says that the ZL will become available for purchase through other retail stores soon.
The Xperia ZL is the non-water resistant sibling to the Xperia Z. It manages to pack a 1080p 5" screen, 13 MP camera and Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset into a smaller footprint, so if IP certification isn't a must for you, the ZL could be the better choice.
The HTC One features an aluminium body, 4.7-inch HD screen and intriguing camera tech
The HTC One is one of the world's best phones - but amid talks of delays to shipping and unconfirmed pricing, when will you actually be able to buy one?
Don't worry - we've spent some time browsing the relevant catalogues and come up with the prices, plans and pontifications you need to worry about before thinking about shelling out your hard-earned.
Here's the bad news first: HTC has sent the following missive to us regarding the launch of the new HTC One: "We will start fulfilling pre-orders by end of March in certain markets and will roll out to more markets as we approach April."
This was followed a few days later (on March 22) by another statement, with some positive news for those in the UK and Germany: "HTC has seen unprecedented demand for and interest in the new HTC One, and the care taken to design and build it is evidenced in early reviews.
"The new HTC One will roll out in the U.K., Germany and Taiwan next week and across Europe, North America and most of Asia-Pacific before the end of April. We appreciate our customers' patience, and believe that once they have the phone in their hands they will agree that it has been worth the wait."
While HTC reckons we should be seeing the One pop up in stores any day now, retailers and carriers are still unable to tell us when their stock will arrive - but rest assured we're pushing hard for answers.
It's not confirmed why this delay has happened, but rumours range from the complexity of the camera module to suppliers just not considering HTC as big a deal as in years gone by... either way, it's not good if you've pre-ordered, especially as our HTC One review showed that this is one of the best phones on the market.
EE
The first network to decide it's worth bringing you the new HTC handset, this network is also one of the most pricey. It's offering the One ASAP and will cost you the princely sum of £69.99 up front and £41 a month from then on - and that's on a 24 month deal.
On the plus side you get mega speeds, movies and other assorted treats - but they may not be enough to make up for the lack of food in your life given the amounts you'll be spending.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: 3GB allowance on 4G: £69.99 for phone, £41 a month
Vodafone
The red network has decided you can get this handset on a pretty good deal - if you think a free phone from £42 a month is such a thing.
The good news is that you can get this handset in BLACK rather than just boring ol' aluminium / silver - and apparently our eyes are deceiving us when we argue it looks heaps like the BlackBerry Z10.
The phone is being badged as '4G-ready' too, something that many manufacturers are doing given they're getting ready to make, you know, 4G ready.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: 2GB of data: free phone, £42 a month
Three
Three was another early one to chat about its HTC One aspirations - dubbing it 'Ultrafast ready' rather than 4G, although that incorporates the next-gen network.
You can pre-order the phone right now, and it even comes on PAYG for £479.99 - that's if you've got that much spare change just sitting around. It comes in black on the numerical network, which is a plus if you want one to match your Batman outfit.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: £69.99 for phone, £36 a month for the One Plan
Orange and T-Mobile
The two EE sub-brands are still fighting for customers below their EE overlord, and are offering the HTC One on some lower contracts as they look to nab those that aren't overly fussed about 4G.
It's interesting to note that neither offer a delivery date, and vary pretty dramatically in terms of cost, simply because Orange doesn't offer an unlimited plan.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: £29.99 for phone, £41 a month for 3GB data on Orange / £69.99 for phone, £36 a month for unlimited data on T-Mobile
O2
The bubbly network isn't going to be left out when it comes to the HTC One, but it's not going to be the cheapest if you're desperate to get your hands on the new phone with this supplier.
You do get the normal amount of treats though, such as O2 Priority, but many will see other networks as massively cheaper. And it doesn't even come with a charger - although this is a pretty eco-friendly move, and you've probably already got one.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: £29.99 for phone, £47 a month for 4GB of data
Phones 4U
If you toddle down to one of 11 Phones4U stores now, you can be among the first in the world to have a go on the HTC One (which we already have, no big deal). You'll also be able to pre-order the handset with a few freebies for early orderers helping to sweeten the deal.
You'll be able to get the HTC One handset from Phones4U for free on a £36 per month contract on several networks from March 15. Want it in silver? Want it in black? Want it in gold? You can't get it in gold. Sorry. But there are headphones on offer as well - Dr Dre will be happy.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: Free phone, £41 a month for 3GB of data on Orange
The Carphone Warehouse
As for Carphone Warehouse, the first 1000 people to pre-order the HTC One will get a free pair of Beats headphones, as well as being offered in black and silver.
You'll have to make like it's 1996 and call up to do that (the number is 0800 925 925), or you can hang on until March 15 when the handset will be available in-store and online.
Greatest data allowance plan cost: Free phone, £40 a month for unlimted data on Three. (But no Beats headphones).
HTC One features
Of course, there's more to life than how much something costs - the HTC One comes with a whole host of new features that we've rounded up in a lovely and efficient manner below:
HTC One makes its debut with snap-happy Zoe on its arm
HTC's newest flagship Android phone: the HTC One has finally landed in all its aluminium uni-body, feature-packed glory. It's a good looking phone, slim with rounded corners and a premium look.
It's rocking a 4.7-inch Full HD display with a quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon processor on the inside. There's also 2GB of DDR2 RAM to play with and the handset will be available in 32GB and 64GB models.
It's well-documented that HTC hasn't had the best of it recently, with the profits slumping and market share down. So the HTC One is the firm's new attempt at a market-leading handset, and with an all-aluminium body, super-high-res 4.7-inch HD screen and futuristic camera technology hint that this could be something of a winner. So how does it stack up?
HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Sony Xperia Z vs iPhone 5
A few years ago, if you weren't on an iPhone or a BlackBerry, chances were you were rocking an HTC Android device with a big clock on the homescreen. But times change - and Samsung got busy with its Galaxy line, ultimately stealing the top Android spot from HTC and making HTC wince. We've compared the HTC One against the S3, the Xperia Z and the iPhone 5 to see how it fares.
The Ascend D2 may be over before it's properly begun
Huawei may be putting the finishing touches to a Samsung Galaxy S4 challenger as details leak on a new high-powered handset.
According to Chinese website mobile163, Huawei is planning another quad-core handset which is set to launch in April.
The report suggests the currently nameless device will pack a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, 4.9-inch full HD display, 2GB of RAM, 13MP camera and a 2,600mAh.
Again, again, I love repetition
It also claims Huawei will pack all this tech into a body which is just 6.3mm thick, which makes us fear the handset in question could be pretty bezel-heavy to compensate.
If true, it's a slightly puzzling decision from the Chinese firm as it's already announced two quad-core handsets this year, with the 5-inch Ascend D2 breaking cover at CES 2013 and the 4.7-inch Ascend P2 arriving at MWC 2013.
The advantage of Huawei releasing another flagship smartphone is that it will be thrown into the minds of consumers again, and if it's priced cheaper than the Galaxy S4 it may well tempt some away from Samsung's offering.
If text just won't get across what you want to say while IMing in Facebook Messenger, you can hit the 'I' button to see the option to make a free call to your buddy.
It'll only work from within individual conversations so there's no conference calling - but you can leave voicemails if you're snubbed by friends who don't answer.
Like
The service should work over your 3G or 4G connection as well as over Wi-Fi, assuming that you have decent signal and neither your nor the person you're calling's network has disabled the service.
Facebook already rolled the free calling feature out to iOS users in the US and Canada earlier this year, so UK users can now chat trans-Atlantically for free.
Latest reports suggest Samsung will use Snapdragon 600 chips in 70% of the first Galaxy S4 batch. This was already confirmed by the leaked list showing the availability of the two Galaxy S4 versions around the globe.
In case you need a refresh, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be sold in two flavors - the Exynos 5 Octa-powered I9500 and the Snapdragon 600-powered I9505. The "octa" units are reserved for Asia and Africa and few European countries that don't have wide LTE availability just yet.
According to the reports coming from Samsung's homeland, the company is having issues with the Exynos 5 Octa production and there was no chance for it to meet the tremendous demand of the flagship. So the Snapdragon 600 switch was necessary, and the reach of the I9505 model was expanded beyond the US borders to most of the developed markets.
We already met the Snapdragon 600-powered Galaxy S4 and it turned out to be the fastest phone currently available, so no one should worry about the performance of the device. It's a beast that easily outruns the competition. And we are yet to see how those four 1.6GHz Cortex-A15 cores within the Exynos 5 Octa chipset are doing compared to the four 1.9GHz Krait 300.
Samsung has already announced the Exynos 5 Octa chipset will enter mass production in Q2 this year, which probably suggest the octa-core Galaxy S4 will get wider availability in June or July.
Samsung Galaxy Note III, the potential successor of the popular Galaxy Note II phablet was said to come out with a whopping 5.9" display. Now, an executive from one of the main parts suppliers for the company has confirmed the screen size.
According to a report from Korea Times, the next generation Galaxy Note will launch in the United States as confirmed by the local suppliers. The report also claims that the South Korean manufacturer will be showing off its Galaxy Note III concept to the US carrier AT&T in the coming days.
Samsung Galaxy Note III is also rumored to sport the latest OLED technology for the display, which is expected to offer a full HD resolution.
The successor of the Galaxy Note II is expected to be launched by the end of August, falling in line with the IFA 2013, but Samsung might chose to skip the show and hold its own Unpacked event in the US as it did for the Galaxy S4.
One, two, three, four - Four Samsung Galaxy S4 minis
It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini may arrive in four different guises, with the variants apparently leaked on the Korean firm's website.
We saw the Galaxy S3 mini launched a few months after the flagship Galaxy S3 last year as Samsung looked to offer a cheaper alternative to its headline product, and it's expected to do the same this year with the Galaxy S4.
An eagled-eyed Twitter user spotted the details on Samsung's website, and this was then picked up by Japanese site Blue Ringer Men.
Mini but mighty
According to the listing Samsung is planning dual-SIM (GT-I9192), 4G (GT-I9195) and China-specific (GT-I9198) Galaxy S4 mini handsets alongside the stock version - which looks to be carrying the ID GT-I9190.
Rumours suggest the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will sport a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display and come running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean - giving it a slight boost over the S3 mini.
The likelihood of you seeing more than one of these iterations in a mobile store near you is pretty low as Samsung will send certain variants to specific markets - so if you have a hankering for a dual-SIM S4 mini you might be out of luck depending on where you live.
If the Galaxy S4 mini does come to fruition it's expected to hit stores in June or July, although Samsung is yet to confirm whether the handset is in production or even in the pipeline.
Samsung has unveiled only two Exynos 5 chipsets so far – the 5250 Dual in the Nexus 10 and the 5410 Octa in some variants of the Galaxy S4 – but there seems to be a third one in development, the Exynos 5210. To spice things up, there’s a rumor going around that this will be the chipset used in the Galaxy S4 mini.
Linux dev tools were committed to Free-electrons.com for a smdk5210 development kit. The model number also appears in an AOSP port on GitHub where “Exynos 5210” is mentioned by name.
The Samsung Exynos naming scheme marks the generation with the first digit and the number of cores with the second.
So the Exynos 5210 is in the same generation as the two Cortex-A15 based chipsets and is a dual-core model. Note that the Exynos 5 Octa is marked 5410, but uses ARM’s big.LITTLE architecture and has four Cortex-A15s and four Cortex-A7s with only one group of four works at the same time.
It’s unclear if the 5210 will be a big.LITTLE with four physical CPU cores that work as a dual-core processor (switching between a fast dual-core and an energy efficient one) or just pack to A15s like the 5250. The GPU is also unknown, for this generation Samsung has used both Mali and PowerVR, so it’s anyone’s guess.
Naturally, the rumor mill linked the Exynos 5210 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini. So far we know that it will have a 4.3” qHD Super AMOLED screen and run Android 4.2.2 on a dual-core 1.6GHz processor – the same clockspeed as the Cortex-A15s in the I9500 Galaxy S4, the A7s run at 1.2GHz.
Keep in mind that there will be an LTE version of the Galaxy S4 mini, which might switch to Snapdragon, like the I9505 Galaxy S4.
