Huawei announces 6.18mm thin Ascend P6

Chance Miller

ascend-p6

After teasing the device for several weeks, Huawei finally unveiled its first true flagship in the Ascend P6 this morning in London. Just like the company teased, the device is ultra thin, coming in at just 6.18mm thin. Its size doesn’t compromise its specs, however, as the Ascend P6 is packing a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and 2GB of RAM. It features a 4.7-inch display with a 720p resolution. The screen has “MagicTouch” technology, which essentially just means you can have on gloves and still use the display.

As far as the camera goes, the device is packing an 8MP shooter with an f/2.0 aperture and 4cm macro mode. Huawei is also touting its “IMAGEsmart” technology, which will find the best shooting mode automatically based on your surroundings. The front-facing camera is a whopping 5MP and has a setting that will automatically smooth out skin texture, adjust the clarity of your eyes, and as the company’s CEO says, essentially makes you look younger.  Read more

Google being investigated by EU over allegations made by Nokia, Microsoft

Chance Miller

Google

According to a new report out of the Financial Times, Google is being investigated by European officials due to allegations that it has anti-competitive deals set up with select smartphone manufacturers. This isn’t the first time Google has run into trouble with the EU, as the company has been investigated for antitrust issues in the past.

Microsoft and Nokia made these allegations and claim that Google is forcing Android manufacturers to delay the launch of devices running their two operating systems. The European Union is also looking into claims that Google requires manufacturers to preload its services on their devices. Read more

Today only: Buy a HTC One starting at just $80 w/ a new 2 yr contract (AT&T / Sprint)

Dan DeSilva

From 9to5Toys.com:

htcone-android-smartphone

Today only, Amazon is offering the lowest price ever for what many consider the best Android smartphone you can buy.  New AT&T and Sprint customers can get a HTC One for just $80, old customers renewing a previous contract can get one for just $100.  This is the first major, advertised sale we have seen on the AT&T version of this popular smart phone.

The HTC One is hailed for its gorgeous all aluminum design which is carved out from a solid block.  A process that apparently takes more than 3 hours.  The display is big and beautiful at 4.7 inches and a resolution of  1080p.  Further specs include a 1.7GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and storage options of 32GB or 64GB.  We weren’t shy in our recommendation of the HTC One:

should you buy it?

Yes. This handset definitely stands out among all the Android devices on the market. The One is beautifully crafted, and it offers a stunning screen with snappy horsepower, although its camera and battery life might not be the best in the world. It’s a perfect device for iOS lovers looking to test the Android waters.

 

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Feature

Review: White Google/LG Nexus 4…Same great phone, now in white

Seth Weintraub

Well, I did it. I got my hands on a White Nexus 4 to review. And, as you probably would have guessed it is a lot like the black version. In fact that’s pretty much all I have to say for this ‘review’: It is white and just as, if not more, attractive than the original – and that’s the back. The front is identical and still black. See gallery above.

But there are some things to note here, not the least of which is the white bumper that came along with it. It is great! Fits like a glove, and will help prevent breakage. The downside is that it adds a bit of size to the phone and doesn’t completely cover the glass backside.

Also, the Nexus 4 has been my daily driver since I got it in October. It is still my go to phone after reviewing such beauties as the HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4 or even its recent cousin the LG Optimus Pro. How is the Nexus 4 holding up and why do I like it more than the ‘superphones’ released this year? Read more

Quick Review: LG Optimus Pro on AT&T – everything you want in a phablet and nothing more

Seth Weintraub

I gave myself a few weeks to use the $199 w/plan LG Optimus Pro on AT&T to see if a phablet could replace my normal Android device, the LG Nexus 4. The Optimus Pro is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which I reviewed and liked. LG doesn’t include the stylus, which I considered a downside on the Note 2. It also has a less intrusive overlay and a bunch of other handy features which I found helpful…

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Apps & Updates

Twitter welcomes Android users to Vine, announces 13M users to date

Zac Hall

Twitter announced today on its blog (via The Verge) that its video capturing and sharing app Vine is launching today for Android.

Vine was acquired by Twitter before it debuted publicly and was only available on iOS prior to today’s announcement. Twitter also announced today that it has topped 13 million users of its video app, something we imagine will jump astronomically now that it is available on a plethora of new smartphones.

Much like when Vine launched on iPhone, it doesn’t support front-facing cameras just yet but we expect Twitter will add more features based on the rate at which it has updated the iOS variant. However, as Erica Ogg reports, Vine for Android does one-up its iPhone companion with its ability to zoom.

Vine for Android should be available soon from the Google Play Store. Read more