Samsung has announced a 4G LTE version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, but so far only for Korea. When the Note 10.1 debuted on August, Samsung teased the arrival of an LTE model in the U.S., so its release may not be far behind.
Samsung has announced the availability of a 4G LTE Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, but only for the Korean market. As well as the introduction of 4G LTE and VoLTE — that’s voice over LTE — the new Note 10.1 has Android 4.1 Jelly Bean installed along with a few new features added to the S Pen’s functionality.
You’ll remember that the S Pen is Samsung’s name for a stylus, and now it can access a quick launch menu where you can search the web, easily copy and paste content, plus use the same Air View feature seen on the Galaxy Note 2. Here, when you hover the pen over a picture gallery or folder, the contents can be quickly explored, or when watching a video, it becomes a quick way to scrub through scenes.
Otherwise, it’s business as usual for the Note 10.1, which means a 10.1-inch screen with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, a 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor, 2GB of RAM and a 5-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording on the rear.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 was announced back in August, after Samsung took its first attempt off the market to update the device following a less than enthusiastic greeting during Mobile World Congress.
At the time, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 10.1 with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi plus 3G, but not a 4G LTE model, although it did confirm a Wi-Fi and LTE Note 10.1 would follow later in the year. Now, with the Korean launch set for November 23, a U.S. launch can’t be too far away.
Samsung hasn’t given a price for the Note 10.1 LTE, but as the standard Note 10.1 is around $499 in the U.S., expect it to be more than this when it arrives.
The latest version of Android is hitting the Google Nexus 7 tablet and Galaxy Nexus smartphone right now.
So if you're the proud owner of either, you should be able to get your hands on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
It's not all quite as simple as one rollout though. No, that would be too easy.
Selected models
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is only available for the unlocked HSPA+ model that's sold through Google Play. So far, anyway.
But if you've no qualms about flashing a ROM yourself, you can download the files you need from Google and get fiddling. It shouldn't be long until the update hits other Galaxy Nexus handsets though.
Things are a bit simpler with the Nexus 7. You should get a notification of the update any day now, but if you can't wait, you can prompt it yourself manually.
To do so, turn off the Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Apps list > All > Google Services Framework. Clear the cache, and hit Force stop. Reactivate the Wi-Fi, go to Settings > About tablet > System, and the update should be there staring back at you, ready for download.
So what will Android 4.2 get you? Improved stability and performance are the order of the day, as well as user profiles, so everyone can log in under their own name and personalise settings to their liking. Gesture typing means you just slide your finger across the keyboard rather than hitting keys, a bit like Swype.
Have you downloaded the update yet? How are you getting on? Let us know.
Chinese carrier China Mobile reportedly released two new images of China's version of the Nokia Lumia 920, the Lumia 920T, on Friday.
Along with the images came a host of new details on the Lumia 920T's specs , including a claim that the Lumia 920T will have a faster processor than the Lumia 920.
According to the report, the Lumia 920T runs on a Snapdragon S4 Pro MSM8960T with an Adreno 320.
In comparison, the standard MSM8960 (minus the "T") found in the Lumia 920 packs an Adreno 225, making the Chinese Lumia 920T superior, said mobile news site GSM Insider.
Some inside specs (Credit: GSM Insider)
Lumia 920 vs. Lumia 920T
Everything else that's known about China's Lumia 920T suggests that, besides the processor, it's identical to the Lumia 920.
That includes a 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280x768, according to Friday's report.
The Nokia Lumia 920T launch is expected to take place at a Windows Phone 8 event in China on Dec. 5.
HTC One S has been on sale on T-Mobile for months now, but (unfortunately) the black colored version hasn't been available across the Atlantic until today. Potential users will finally be able to pick up the device in black with red accents.
In order to please the overly patient, the Big Magenta currently offers the black version of the HTC One S for free after a mail-in rebate. In case you order it today, the carrier will also throw in a free case for you.
The HTC One S is powered by a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset, so it is quite snappy by today’s standards. With the device currently being offered for free, we do believe it makes for quite a sweet an upgrade for both first-time and experienced users.
Microsoft Office is coming to the iPhone, iPad, and Android next year, according to sources.
A mobile version of Office has been spotted running on the iPad before, but Microsoft has stayed quiet on the matter. Now anonymous sources have confirmed to The Verge that Office for mobile devices is real, and will be out on Android and iOS in early 2013.
Office Mobile will be free for both iOS and Android, and will let you view documents on your device. It'll be compatible with Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents, and if you subscribe to Office 365, you'll be able to edit them too.
You'll be able to subscribe to Office 365 from within the apps.
The in-app editing will be "basic" according to the report. So not a patch on using the full version of Office on a desktop or laptop.
Previous spots
A press release from Microsoft's Czech arm previously revealed Office Mobile apps for Android and iOS would be available in March 2013. According to The Verge, the iOS version will be out in late February or early March, with Office for Android coming later, around May time.
A Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge: "Office will work across Windows Phone, iOS and Android."
A mobile version of Office was first spotted running on an iPad back in May, and since then the rumour mill has gone into overdrive.
HTC and Verizon have sent out invitations to a press event on November 13, where it's rumored to be announcing the Droid DNA, the US version of Japan's J Butterfly smartphone that's equipped with a 5-inch, 1080p display.
Phone fans could be in for a treat next week, as HTC and Verizon have sent out invitations to a press event to be held in New York on November 13, where we could get the first 1080p smartphone/tablet hybrid launched outside Japan.
The invite doesn’t appear to contain any hidden messages, showing nothing more than a lens-flared light on a dark background, but a few leaked press pictures could give us a better idea what these long-time partners are preparing for us.
The images popped up on @evleaks’ Twitter account this week, and show a big-screen, Verizon-branded HTC smartphone that bears a striking resemblance to the HTC J Butterfly.
Quite how such a bizarrely named phone could slip you memory, we’re not sure; but just in case it has, here’s what it’s all about. Announced last month in Japan, the J Butterfly has a 5-inch display with a headline-grabbing 1080p resolution. It seemed inevitable that HTC would let the Butterfly spread its wings at some point, and the Verizon event seems like the ideal launchpad.
Five-inch, full HD touchscreens are set to be the next big thing in the world of the smartphone display, with Sharp’s 1080p IGZO screen making its debut this week, and LG confirming recently that it’s also working on a similar panel.
It’s highly unlikely the J Butterfly name will remain on the US version though, and instead it’s likely to be another “Droid” device, this time the Droid DNA. That name has appeared on both the FCC’s website and a leaked Verizon price list, and has superseded other possible names including the HTC DLX and the HTC X5. Neither of those names are dead though, and could be used for a GSM version of the phone.
If the 5-inch, 1080p screen isn’t enough to get your pulse racing, then should the Droid DNA share the J Butterfly’s other features, it will also have Qualcomm’s high performance, 1.5GHz, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, plus Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as its operating system.
Previous leaks have suggested a December 6 release date for the phone, but we’ll have to wait for the November 13 event to confirm this, and all the other details concerning HTC and Verizon’s new device.
If you want it, you'll have to hope others do too.
The 64GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 has finally gone on pre-order in the UK, and at an eye watering price.
Online retailer Clove is the first to get its 64GB Galaxy S3 pre-order page up, and it's asking a staggering £600 for the top of the range handset.
Although that's a lot to pay for a phone, it's still £99 cheaper than the equivalently sized iPhone 5, which is available SIM-free for £699.
No guarantee
However those who pre-order are not gaurenteed to receive a black 64GB Galaxy S3, as Clove states it will review orders in two weeks time and make a decision on whether or not to stock the device based on demand.
There's no word on the Samsung Galaxy S3 64GB release date, but the retailer estimates it will be at least eight weeks from now, so it's unlikely that we'll see the handset land in time for Christmas.
The Samsung Galaxy S3's saving grace is that it's a quality handset, racking up 4.5 out of 5 in our in-depth review and it currently sits proudly at the top of our 20 Best Mobiles in the World feature.
A couple of weeks ago we saw the first Android 4.1 Jelly Bean ROM for the Samsung Galaxy Note leak, version N7000XXLS2, but now SamMobile claim that they have the real deal straight from Samsung's servers and that the previos ROM was a system dump.
The update brings the original Galaxy Note to Android 4.1.1 and gives it the latest TouchWiz with all the bells and whistles. The ROM also has basic support for Air View (detecting the S Pen from a distance and triggering previews), but that isn't ready just yet.
Before you flash N7000XXLS2 on your Note, have a look at this video N7000XXLS7, which some lucky guy in France who got the update early. It updates the phablet to Android 4.1.2 and enables Multi-View just like on the new Note II.
The video is quite long (and in French), but here are the juicy bits - flashing the ROM at 4:00, you can see the Jelly Bean version at 7:30 and 16:50, Multi-View is shown off at 9:00 and texting works too (13:00), suggesting it's a fully featured ROM.
You can't flash this ROM has yet as it still hasn’t made its way to XDA. On the upside, LS2 is from October 9 (nearly a month ago), so Samsung should be testing a newer version internally (possibly the LS7) and the update should be nearly ready (the Galaxy S II update should arrive at the same time too).
Apple has released the first update for iOS 6, bring the new mobile operating system up to version 6.0.1.
But the most controversial feature of iOS6 - Apple's new Maps app - remains unchanged.
Instead, Apple focused on bug fixes for iOS 6.0.1, addressing issues with the iPhone 5's Wi-Fi connectivity and its ability to receive over-the-air (OTA) updates, among others.
Bug fixes and more bug fixes
Besides the OTA and Wi-Fi bugs, iOS 6.0.1 addresses problems with the virtual keyboard, camera flash, lock screen, Exchange meetings, and cellular data connectivity.
In addition, the update "consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match," whatever that means.
Due to the iPhone 5's issues with OTA updates, users looking up upgrade to iOS 6.0.1 will have to download an updater app or (gasp!) connect their devices to iTunes.
Apple Maps has been proven inaccurate and lacking in details, and the update was labeled a "maptastrophe" in September.
Sources at the time said that Apple was hiring former Google employees specifically to fix the iOS 6 maps problems, but there's been no official word of a solution.
More recently, Apple announced that Scott Forstall, the senior vice president of iOS, will leave Apple in 2013.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that that Forstall was asked to depart after refusing to sign a letter apologizing for the problems with Apple's iOS 6 Maps, a letter that eventually appeared with Apple CEO Tim Cook's signature instead.
Apple has released the first update for iOS 6, bring the new mobile operating system up to version 6.0.1.
But the most controversial feature of iOS6 - Apple's new Maps app - remains unchanged.
Instead, Apple focused on bug fixes for iOS 6.0.1, addressing issues with the iPhone 5's Wi-Fi connectivity and its ability to receive over-the-air (OTA) updates, among others.
Bug fixes, bug fixes, and more bug fixes
Besides the OTA and Wi-Fi bugs, iOS 6.0.1 addresses problems with the virtual keyboard, camera flash, lock screen, Exchange meetings, and cellular data connectivity.
In addition, the update "consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match," whatever that means.
Due to the iPhone 5's issues with OTA updates, users looking up upgrade to iOS 6.0.1 will have to download an updater app or (gasp!) connect their devices to iTunes.
Apple Maps has been proven inaccurate and lacking in details, and the update was labeled a "maptastrophe" in September.
Sources at the time said that Apple was hiring former Google employees specifically to fix the iOS 6 maps problems, but there's been no official word of a solution.
More recently, Apple announced that Scott Forstall, the senior vice president of iOS, will leave Apple in 2013.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that that Forstall was asked to depart after refusing to sign a letter apologizing for the problems with Apple's iOS 6 Maps, a letter that eventually appeared with Apple CEO Tim Cook's signature instead.
As usual, the mini version of the company's Android flagship will be available both on contract and SIM-free. CarphoneWarehouse is listing the S III mini with a price of £299.95, while Phones4U offers the device for free with monthly plans starting from £25 and up.
The Samsung Galaxy S III mini packs a 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED display and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on a 1GHz dual-core NovaThor 8420 processor. Additionally, with every device Samsung is giving away 50GB of free Dropbox storage for 2 years.
The new version of Google's OS will launch soon under the guise of Android 4.2 – but it will still be called Jelly Bean.
This means the change will be more of a refining evolution of the platform, rather than bringing multiple new features – we'll have to wait for Android 5.0 (Key Lime Pie) before we get anything ground breaking.
But until that fateful day, we'll at least get a few more Android features to play with as Google brings another iteration to its OS – read on to find out more over what we can expect from the launch:
Android 4.2 name
Well, we'll be honest: we already covered this in the strapline here. It's going to be called Jelly Bean, so those that were waiting for information on Android Key Lime Pie will be sorely disappointed.
However, that does mean that some new cool features are on the way in the new update, and let's be honest, if you're disappointed that a name hasn't changed for a version of Android you should probably take a step back, look at life's priorities and go work for a charity for a bit.
Android 4.2 features
From what we can discern from the font of vague knowledge (the internet rumour spewer) Android 4.2 is going to have a new button in the notification bar to allow access to quick settings.
This was previously a second drop down from the notification area, but it seems this has evolved to just be a single button that leads to a zone where you can perform quick functions like turning on and off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Flight mode.
If we're honest, it's not overly exciting as all the Android skins around have this feature already embedded, with the likes of Samsung's TouchWiz giving you access right from the notification bar itself.
As we said this feature is evolving all over the place, so don't be surprised if it changes again before the Monday launch – or gets dropped altogether.
The other relatively large change looks set to be to the Gallery app, which will see the UI become a bit more open and surrounded by white frames, in a bid to make Android look that little bit more professional once more. It could be that fewer photos are displayed on the screen at once though, in a manner similar to Google+, which may not please those that love more information on the screen at once.
And a more recent placeholder from UK retailer The Carphone Warehouse outed another new feature: a 360 degree camera app, which will presumably lead to loads of blocky and confusing pictures from friends on Facebook, with the odd one with astonishing clarity thrown in by a professional.
According to Android Police, which got a chance to tear down an early build of Android 4.2, there were also big changes to the Gallery and Camera icons, replaced by something that looks a lot more like Instagram, but these were proved to be placeholders.
However, this does strongly hint that Android 4.2 is also going to come with revamped icons for these apps, which will excite approximately 32.6% of Android users, we predict.
Another change in Android 4.2 will be more minor and will let you dismiss your data counter when you get warned you're heading close to the limit you pre-set… usually this remains and you're forced to change the limit to remove it, but now you can accept the warning like an adult (ie forget about it until it's too late, and blame someone else).
Android 4.2: multiple user accounts
Something that appeared on the Sony Xperia Tablet S that got tongues wagging was the ability to set multiple user accounts in the same way as Windows allows now.
This means users can set the apps they want for their own accounts, handy in the case of a family tablet. Android Police again was the detective here, noting that some apps required permissions for different users on the same device, so this will be a key area in the tablet area especially.
And on that subject, parental controls will be built right into the system as well, meaning you can change the level of interaction each person has on the tablet - for instance, stopping downloads from the Play Store or working out which apps should be restricted for each person.
Android 4.2 release date
Here's the main problem with Android in our eyes: users can't generally get their hands on it for bloody ages after announcement. Just look at the amount of phones still rocking Gingerbread (Android 2.3), which was released years ago, and you can see we're not optimistic that the newest version of Android will be available any time soon.
However, that said at least there will be flagship devices available sporting the new software sooner rather than later, with 31 October already being mooted as the shipping date of the new version of the Nexus 7 which you'd think would have Android 4.2 on board.
At the very least the new Google Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 will both be rocking the new software and have been strongly tipped to launch in early November to catch the Christmas rush. And with Android 4.1's launch Google promised that it was working with manufacturers to get the software to them ahead of time for easier deployment... could we see such a thing happen already?
Android 4.2 launch
The Android 4.2 launch has been set for 29 October, with Google promising a fancy event to live stream the launch of the three new devices set to support the new OS in multiple locations across the globe.
We're pretty sure there will be devices rocking the fancy new version of the software at these events, so we'll be able to bring you our early thoughts on whether it's something you should bug your network for as soon as our toned, lithe fingers can bash out the letters.
Android 4.2 review
And then, of course, we've got the main event: our Android 4.2 review. We'll be working as fast as possible to bring you our preview, as we mentioned above, and then as soon as we get a full review unit we'll update you with our multi-page full review, taking the new OS apart and seeing what treats is has on offer.
Apple has announced a new version of the iMac with a completely revamped design that ditches the optical drive, but has an edge that's only 5mm thick.
Apple has announced a new stunningly, slim iMac in two sizes – one with a 27-inch display and one with a 21.5-inch display.
The new iMac is 80 percent thinner than the last model with a 5mm edge. Apparently this incredibly trim form factor is thanks to something called “friction stir welding.” The display comes in two sizes: The 27-inch model has a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, and the 21.5-inch model has a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. There’s a 178-degree viewing angle and over 300 nits of brightness (that’s really bright). It’s also fully laminated so it’s less reflective. It’s not a Retina display, but it looks good.
This svelte all-in-one is sporting a built-in FaceTime HD camera (720p), dual microphones, and left and right speakers. The specs make it a tempting proposition. The 21.5-inch model comes with a 2.7GHz quad-core Core i5 with 8GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 640M, and a 1TB HDD for $1,300. The 27-inch model has a 2.9GHz quad-core Core i5 with 8GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 660M, and a 1TB HDD for $1,800.
There’s a 128GB of flash storage and 1TB or 3TB of HDD storage in the form of an Apple Fusion Drive. You get the speed benefits of SSD and bags of space for file storage in this hybrid drive. Core apps and the OS remain on the SSD for fast launching and documents and files will go on the HDD. It can even switch your most used apps on to the SSD to maximize speed and performance.
There are also 4 USB 3.0 ports, a headphone port, SD card slot, Gigabit Ethernet port, and two Thunderbolt ports. Naturally, it comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse. It is also energy efficient and Apple claims it uses 50 percent less power than its predecessor when idling.
It’s been a while since Apple updated the iMac line. The iMac is the best-selling desktop model in the US, according to Apple. There have now been seven generations of iMac. The last one came out in May 2011 so this new version will be a welcome release for many.
The smaller iMac ships in November, the larger model will start shipping in December.
A new rumor about the LG Nexus 4 claims the phone would in fact have a much more reasonable 16GB version.
Having only 8GB of storage on a modern-day smartphone with an HD screen doesn't make much sense from a consumer point of view. That's the reason why reports of the next Nexus phone relying on the meager storage without any option to expand it set the Android community ablaze.
A reasonably reliable source of industry leaks has shared on Twitter today some specs of the LG Nexus 4. And even though we knew most of those from the extensive previous leaks, the mentioning of a 16GB version came as a nice surprise.
Let's hope it's not a typo. Google's Nexus event is set for October 29, awkwardly coinciding with Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 launch event. The fact that the two events are held on either US coasts doesn't help us journalists a lot too. Still, the final third of October is shaping up to be really exciting for the industry.
As promised, a new version of iPlayer for Android has hit Google Play making the mobile catch-up TV service compatible with Jelly Bean, now known as BBC Media Player.
The app has had a behind-the-scenes overhaul to make sure it can work with both older, Flash-based Android iterations and the brave new Flash-less world that is Android 4.1.
To do this, the BBC has created the BBC Media Player app, which allows handsets to play the Flash-based video content on BBC websites through a spot of clever redirection.
Misdirection
Not all the videos across the BBC websites and iPlayer are compatible with the app just yet, although the BBC has started rolling out updates so the error messages should lessen over time.
The BBC's way of getting around Android ditching Flash is to use the Adobe Air-based Media Player app.
Unfortunately there's still no sign of iPlayer downloads coming to the Android app yet, something that iOS users have smugly been enjoying for some time now.
Android users can download the app from Google Play now.
HTC rolls out a new version of the HTC J -- the J Butterfly. The handset will be exclusive to Japan, but comes with a screen that will make the world envious. It's 5-inch display comes packed to the brim with 440ppi resolution.
HTC brought its latest creation to Tokyo today, and now we’re wondering how long it takes a butterfly to fly over the Pacific Ocean. The HTC J Butterfly is the new flagship handset from the Taiwanese phone maker and it comes fully equipped with a screen that you just can’t help but to stare at. There’s plenty to see with the 5-inch HD Super LCD 3 display that is ready to run at 1080p — the highest resolution yet for a phone.
The screen isn’t the only attraction on the J Butterfly, the successor to the HTC J. The black-and-red skinned phone will come running Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). It’s powered by a 1.5GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM and is equipped with a 2020mAh battery that will have its work cut out for it. It’s also loaded with an 8-megapixel camera with a f/2.0 lens. All of this is housed within a thickness of 9.1mm. A quick comparison of the specs makes the J Butterfly most comparable to the One X, the crowd-pleasing offering from HTC released earlier this year.
It’s that screen that puts the J Butterfly in the league of its own, though. The HTC One X came with an impressive Super LCD screen that was worthy of comparison with the best displays on the market. The J Butterfly aims to float above the competition, and may well do so. It’s promising a resolution that reaches 440-pixels per inch (ppi). For comparison purposes, the iPhone 5 sits at 326ppi. I’d hate to be the guy that has to try to pack all those pixels in. That’s how those things work, right?
The J Butterfly will be exclusive to the Japanese market, but that doesn’t mean the Super LCD 3 screen won’t find its way on the front of some U.S.-bound handsets. Until then, we’ll just have to look forward to the day we can wipe the drool off our screen.
The Sony Xperia AX was announced at the beginning of this month as a version of the Xperia V for Japan. Now there's the Xperia VL, also for Japan. The difference here is that the AX is going to NTT DoCoMo and the VL is for KDDI.
Other than that, the Sony Xperia VL packs the same features as the Xperia V - a super sharp 720p 4.3" display, 13MP camera, dual-core Krait processor and LTE connectivity. And it's dust and water-proof too.
One feature not on the international version is the 1seg mobile TV support. Also not part of the international package is the bundled desk stand.
Anyway, the Sony Xperia VL will launch by the end of the year with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and Sony's Walkman and multimedia apps. For colors, you can choose between Pink, White, Black and Blue.
Of the various Surface models currently available, it appears the early adopters have been most taken by the cheapest, $499 32GB version. And that's the one without the Touch Cover keyboard, an accessory which Microsoft has been promoting hard since the tablet was first unveiled.
Anyone considering placing an order for the least expensive version of Microsoft’s new Surface tablet (ie. the $499 32GB model running Windows RT that comes without the ultra-thin Touch Cover keyboard) might have to wait as long as three weeks to receive the device, according to its page on the Microsoft Store website. It originally showed October 26 – the day the tablet officially launches – as the delivery date.
The $599 32GB version with the Touch Cover, and the $699 64GB version also with the Touch Cover, are, at the time of writing, still showing a “by October 26” delivery date.
It’s tempting to think there’s been an early rush by consumers for Microsoft’s new tablet, but as noted by Cnet (via Neowin), without knowing exactly how many of the tablets are built, boxed and ready to ship, it’s hard to accurately gauge how much demand there really is for the device at this early stage.
It does appear, however, that the early adopters are ignoring the Touch Cover, opting for just the tablet. If they change their mind at a later date, they can of course pick up a Touch Cover for $119, or a Type Cover, best described as a more conventional keyboard compared to the Touch Cover, for $10 more.
This may be of some concern to Microsoft, which has been making a big deal of its accompanying cover/keyboard since it first unveiled the Surface back in June – indeed, an ad for the new tablet, shown for the first time Monday night, featured the cover/keyboard as much as the tablet.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the computer giant has placed orders to manufacture between three and five million Surface tablets from now until the end of this year. But whether Microsoft can persuade people to part with their cash for one of them is what industry watchers are waiting to find out.
One thing’s for certain though – consumers looking to purchase a tablet this holiday season will be spoilt for choice, with big-hitters Microsoft, Apple, Google and Amazon, as well as a slew of other tech companies, all set to battle it out in the coming weeks in what has suddenly become an incredibly busy, as well as crowded, tablet market.
Asus has launched the PadFone 2, a revised version of its quirky original, but still featuring a smartphone that docks with a tablet screen.
Asus has announced the PadFone 2, the follow-up device to its quirky PadFone, which first appeared in 2011. The launch event was an international affair, with two almost simultaneous conferences taking place in Milan and Taipei, which were also streamed to audiences online. It’s fair to say that Asus really wants you to know there’s a new PadFone in town.
Asus is focusing on the PadFone’s intuitive design to sell it this time around, and promoting it to people who may not want the bother of purchasing two separate devices, with two network agreements, but still want the convenience of a smartphone and a tablet at all times.
While the original PadFone had a door on the rear of its tablet dock, in which to hold the smartphone, Asus has replaced this with a slot for the PadFone 2. It’s not only more attractive, but far simpler to quickly connect and disconnect the phone. This is important, as the sharing of content from phone to pad is a big thing on the PadFone 2.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves though, so let’s talk about the hardware. The smartphone has a 4.7-inch Super IPS+ touchscreen, covered with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 312ppi. The tablet’s 10.1-inch screen is almost identical, with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, but the pixel density is considerably less at 149ppi.
As the tablet is a brainless dock — or Station as Asus calls it — it relies on the smartphone’s processor and power to make it work, so it’s a good thing Asus decided to use Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz, quad-core APQ8064 Snapdragon S4 Pro chip. The phone comes with either 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, plus a hefty 2GB of RAM, and a black or white finish.
The PadFone 2 has a 13-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording, a 100-shot burst mode that takes six shots per second and an f2.4 aperture. Because the PadFone 2 sits screen-forward in the back of the tablet, the camera can be used when it’s docked. There’s a separate video call lens above each screen too.
Strong battery, high price
Keeping the PadFone 2 up and running is a 2140mAh battery inside the phone, plus a 5000mAh battery inside the tablet. When docked, the tablet recharges the phone, and can do so three times before the battery expires. Asus quoted the phone as providing 16 hours of 3G talktime, but 48 hours when docked along with 27 hours of video playback.
Despite all this technology, Asus has made sure the overall weight hasn’t spiraled out of control, as the phone weighs 135 grams on its own, or 649 grams when mated with the tablet dock. As a comparison, the new iPad weighs 652 grams and the Galaxy Note 10.1 600 grams.
Back to the sharing for a moment. Slotting the phone into the tablet will see certain tasks and apps instantly transfer over to the big screen, with no input needed from the user. This was demonstrated with the gallery, browser and streaming video.
Other features include NFC, LTE connectivity, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, plus a speaker system with Asus’ own SonicMaster enhancements, handwriting recognition, dual-language support and an instant translator too.
Asus says the PadFone 2 perfectly embodies what it calls Customer Experience 2.0, as it combines beauty inside and out, plus a great display, audio and performance.
So, you probably want to know how much and when you can get one? If you’re in the USA, it’s almost certainly not going to be this year, as according to Asus, it’s still in discussions with networks. In Europe, release is likely to come between January and March 2013, but there’s hope for a last-minute launch before Christmas too. Asus will release the PadFone 2 in Taiwan at the end of October.
The price? It’s 799 euros for the 32GB model and 899 euros for the 64GB PadFone 2. That’s $1040 and $1175. Those are very big numbers, but take a moment to consider how much a Galaxy S3 and a Galaxy Note 10.1, or an iPhone 5 and new iPad cost together. Do this, and it doesn’t sound so bad.
An alpha build of Android 4.2 has appeared online, revealing some of the new features which will greet us in the upcoming version.
Thought to be debuting on the LG Nexus 4, Android Police claims to have received the build via an anonymous source, which is apparently a complete system dump from the LG Nexus device.
According to Android Police, it came across an image in the notification panel code, which featured the words "Future site of quick settings".
Double drop
Quick settings, we assume, refers to the tools we find in the notifications bar on Samsung's TouchWiz-running handsets, which allow you to easily toggle key functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC without having to dive into the settings menu.
Some more digging and a video was sent to Android Police by the source, showing the location of this "future site" – turns out it's a second drop down panel, which appears over the top of the first notification bar.
These power controls have proved popular among consumers, as it allows them to quickly turn on and off the regularly used features on their devices, and it comes as no surprise to learn that Google could be considering baking this option directly into Android.
There's no word from Google on the new features in future builds of the Android platform, but hopefully we'll see this along with a host of other improvements at the launch event of the next Nexus smartphone – possibly in the next month or so.
