Ben Lovejoy

Blue HTC One available from Sprint on 10th September – internal document

Ben Lovejoy Aug 29 2013 - 5:48 am PT

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The blue-cased version of the HTC One looks set to go on sale in Sprint stores on 10th September. The handset is otherwise identical to existing models.

The information comes from an internal document leaked by PhoneArena.

It seems an odd day to choose if they wanted the launch to be noticed …

• Android
• Apple
• HTC
• IPhone
• China

HTC thinks China is the way out of its troubles, with custom OS

Ben Lovejoy Aug 28 2013 - 5:52 am PT

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Photo: foreignaffairs.com

The WSJ reports that HTC is now working on a custom smartphone operating system designed specifically for the Chinese market.

HTC Corp is developing a mobile software system specifically for Chinese consumers, people familiar with the project say, as part of a big China bet that the Taiwanese smartphone maker hopes will help revive sliding sales.

While the reality is likely to be some kind of Android variant, rather than a completely new OS like Samsung’s Tizen, it does have all the hallmarks of a somewhat desperate move by a company which somehow manages to combine a superb flagship handset with less than stellar financial performance. With morale faring no better, it had even been briefly suggested that HTC might have been planning to exit the smartphone market.

China is a juicy target for all smartphone manufacturers, as China’s emerging middle-class create a market beyond the largely budget handsets that currently make up the bulk of sales in what is now the world’s largest smartphone market. Even Apple, which has so far been content to operate exclusively at the top end of the market, appears to be eyeing China in particular with the iPhone 5C it is expected to announce on 10th September.

But it would be a gamble for HTC, ploughing resources into a country in which it is currently nowhere. A recent Canalys report into smartphone market shares in China showed that HTC was buried somewhere in ‘Other’.

The WSJ suggests thatHTC may be playing the long game, viewing the move as a diplomatic one rather than hoping for short-term financial benefit.

The project is seen by HTC insiders partly as an effort to forge political and business ties in China, since third-party operating systems have little chance of actually competing against the dominance of Android and Apple’s iOS. In the second quarter, Android held 79% of the global smartphone market, while iOS snagged 14.2%, according to market research firm Gartner. No other operating system captured more than 4%.

If so, the question remains what HTC’s strategy is to ensure that it has a long-term.

• Android
• Samsung
• Samsung Galaxy Tab
• S Pen
• C Pen

Samsung launches child-friendly Galaxy Tab 3 Kids

Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 7:09 am PT

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If you have young kids, and you have a tablet, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ve held your breath while they use it. Samsung has today launched a special kids version of the Tab 3 in an easy-to-grip casing with recessed screen, and preloaded with children’s apps.

The tablet is supplied with an S Pen variant called the C Pen to allow kids to draw on the screen. Apps include education, gaming, entertainment, and e-book reading, and there are parental controls to allow parents to set specific times when the tablet can be used (so no sneaking it under the covers after bedtime!).

Pricing and availability for the U.S. and Europe haven’t yet been announced, but is expected to be available sometime in the next quarter at around $200. Specs are unexciting, but should be plenty good enough for its intended purpose.

Press release below:

Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids comes pre-loaded with top ranked kid’s apps and brand new Kid’s Store aimed at driving the educational possibilities of technology for kids. Pre-loaded content includes educational, games, entertainment and e-book apps. The tablet also offers parents the ability to select the apps they want their kids to have access to using the Application Manager.

Developed with kids’ best interests at the forefront, Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids also includes a Time Management feature that allows parents to set specific time periods for use. When the designated use time is up, a password protected lock screen appears, requiring a parent or adult to enter the password to unlock the device. This tool will help parents ensure the time their children spend on smart devices is balanced.

With 1.2GHz dual processor, 1GB RAM, 3 megapixel front-facing camera and 1.3 megapixel rear-facing camera, Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids has the power and performance you would expect from a Samsung GALAXY tablet, designed to provide kids with an exciting, interactive experience.

A Kids Case featuring a kids-friendly grip and multiple stand options will also be available for the Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids. The case also comes equipped with an easy-to-grip C Pen, providing fun drawing capabilities without the possibility of leaving marks on other objects.

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids will be available in Korea in early September and subsequently available across China, Europe, U.S., Africa, South America and South East Asia. The availability of applications through Kids Samsung Apps will vary by market.

• Android
• Smartphone
• Sony
• Twitter
• Xperia

‘Leak everything before the launch’ trend continues with Xperia/Honami official video

Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 6:22 am PT

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alVwMu5fvns

Smartphone makers these days seem to be in the habit of drip-feeding leaks about new products so steadily that there’s almost nothing we expect to surprise us by the time a model actually launches.

About the only thing we didn’t yet know about Sony’s new handset codenamed the Honami was the official name. We knew it was an Xperia model, but both Z1 and i1 had been suggested as model names. From the “3..2..what comes next?” tweet on the Sony Xperia Twitter account, we’re going with Z1 …

• Android
• Google
• Chromecast
• Google TV
• Software development kit

Chromecast stick will continue to play local content, reassures Google after SDK glitch

Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 5:03 am PT

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Image: Amazon

There were suggestions yesterday that Google had deliberately blocked the Chromecast stick from playing local content after an update blocked the functionality.

Google today confirmed in a statement that this was a glitch with a particular SDK, and that it remains committed to allowing the stick to play all types of content.

We’re excited to bring more content to Chromecast and would like to support all types of apps, including those for local content. It’s still early days for the Google Cast SDK, which we just released in developer preview for early development and testing only. We expect that the SDK will continue to change before we launch out of developer preview, and want to provide a great experience for users and developers before making the SDK and additional apps more broadly available.

There may of course be suggestions that it was a hasty rethink rather than a glitch; if so, it was done very swiftly.

• Android
• Google Search
• Google Apps
• Search
• Google Now

Google Now updated with seven new features, from car rentals to TV shows

Ben Lovejoy Aug 22 2013 - 7:36 am PT

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Google has updated the Android version of its Google Search app to include everything from directions to car rental pickup points to the music playing in the TV show you’re watching. Several of the updates are designed to make life easier when traveling, whether locally or further afield.

Car rentals card: Get reservation details and directions to the rental center directly in Google Now, which together with the boarding pass and hotel reservation cards, makes Google Now your ultimate travel companion.

Concert ticket card: Going to a concert? Google Now will have your event ticket ready when you arrive at the venue; along with popular, locally relevant websites, such as the upcoming events page for the venue.

Improved public transit cards: If you regularly take public transit, Google Now will now inform you about the last train or bus to home so you never miss it.

Commute sharing card: When leaving work, you can now choose to inform your loved ones that you are on your way home. Learn more at http://goo.gl/bVUkLY

Set reminders while you search: When searching for music artists, movie actors, filmmakers and TV shows on Google, you’ll see a new “remind me” button on the panel by the search results. Click on it and a Google Now reminder will show up for new albums, book releases or upcoming TV episodes.

Updated TV card: Google Now can tell you about the news mentioned and music playing in the TV show you’re watching, in addition to program information and people mentioned in show. Simply tap on the TV card if you have a smart TV or tap on the mic and say “listen to TV”.

NCAA football scores: Football season is about to start, and Google Now has you covered–you can now see real-time scores for your favorite NCAA team in Google Now.

Google Now is available from the Play Store. The iOS version of the app has not yet been updated.

• AT&T
• Lte
• 4G
• 4G coverage
• LTE coverage

AT&T’s LTE coming to 50 more parts of the USA by the end of the year

Ben Lovejoy Aug 21 2013 - 5:46 am PT

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Photo: forbes.com

AT&T, which claims to have the fastest and most reliable LTE service, is planning to expand its coverage to 50 more parts of the USA by the end of the year. This is expected to boost access from 225M people at present to 270M by the end of 2013.

The new areas are:

1. Fairbanks, AK
2. Dothan, AL
3. Selma, AL
4. Redding, CA
5. Durango, CO
6. Pueblo, CO
7. Tifton, GA
8. Waycross, GA
9. Kauai, HI
10. The Big Island, HI
11. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
12. Twin Falls, ID
13. Lewiston, ID-WA
14. Decatur, IL
15. Kankakee-Bradley, IL
16. Peoria, IL
17. Paducah, KY-IL
18. Alexandria, LA
19. Lake Charles, LA
20. Lewiston-Auburn, ME
21. Battle Creek, MI
22. Jackson, MI
23. Joplin, MO
24. Poplar Bluff, MO
25. Rolla, MO
26. Brookhaven, MS
27. McComb, MS
28. Natchez, MS-LA
29. Kalispell, MT
30. Greenville, NC
31. Jacksonville, NC
32. Fargo, ND-MN
33. Elmira, NY
34. Utica-Rome, NY
35. Portsmouth, OH
36. Sandusky, OH
37. East Stroudsburg, PA
38. Pottsville, PA
39. Abilene, TX
40. Amarillo, TX
41. Longview, TX
42. Marshall, TX
43. San Angelo, TX
44. Tyler, TX
45. Port Angeles, WA
46. Appleton, WI
47. Fond du Lac, WI
48. Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
49. Gillette, WY
50. Sheridan, WY

Over the past five years, AT&T invested nearly $98 billion into operations, and claims to have invested more into the U.S. economy than any other corporation, getting top-ranking in the Progressive Policy Institute’s list of U.S. Investment Heroes.

• Android
• Android TV
• 4k
• Miracast
• MHL

Outputting 4k video from smartphones to TVs? It’s here, but only via USB so far

Ben Lovejoy Aug 21 2013 - 4:38 am PT

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MHLtech has just announced an upgrade to the Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) standard which will allow smartphones and tablets to output 4k video to a TV or monitor over USB cables, rather than the 1080p of the current standard. Devices will be able to transmit 3840×2160 at up to 30 frames per second.

MHL is likely to have a short-lived future, however. While it’s supported by the likes of Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba and Sony, and will likely be the only 4k solution in the short-term, wired connections feel rather quaintly old-school. Powering the phone via USB may be a small bonus, but the future is undoubtedly in video over wifi, with both Miracast and Apple’s Airplay standards getting all the love. Neither supports 4k as yet, but it can only be a matter of time.

The updated MHL standard will be available to manufacturers from next month.

Via arsTechnica

• Android
• LG
• Smartphone
• LG Display
• pixel density

Pixel density race starts to get silly as LG smartphone display hits 538ppi

Ben Lovejoy Aug 21 2013 - 4:19 am PT

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We may all be eagerly awaiting affordable 4k displays for our computers and TVs, but things are starting to get just a little silly in the race for ever higher resolutions in small-screen devices. LG has just announced a 5.5-inch screen with a 2560×1440 resolution, giving it a pixel density of 538ppi.

It’s an impressive technological achievement, but the question we have to ask is: why? Once you get much beyond 300ppi, pixels essentially become invisible at any sane viewing distance. 538ppi is over-kill. Of course, one could ask ‘Why not?’, but there’s a simple answer in mobile devices: both the display itself, and the beefier graphics processor needed to drive it, consume power. Pointless resolution equals pointless reduction in battery-life.

The sad thing is that non-tech-savvy consumers will likely lap it up. Bigger numbers are better, right? It’s the same phenomenon we’ve seen with cameraphones, with manufacturers boasting higher and higher megapixel numbers when any photographer will tell you that cramming masses of pixels into a tiny sensor actually results in worse image quality, especially in terms of low-light performance. It’s why DSLRs have much larger sensors than smartphones.

There’s only one reason you might want ultra-high resolution in a phone: the ability to push the display to a large-screen device.

As an aside, LG refers to the 2560×1440 resolution as ‘Quad HD’. It would be more accurately described as ‘Quad 720p HD’ as it’s the same number of pixels as four 1280×720 displays.

Full press release below … 
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• Android
• Samsung
• AT&T
• Samsung Galaxy
• Sprint

Samsung Galaxy Mega – the smartphone that thinks it’s a tablet – finally arrives in USA

Ben Lovejoy Aug 19 2013 - 7:14 am PT

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The Samsung Galaxy Mega, the crazily-sized smartphone that was launched in Europe back in May, is arriving in the U.S. this month at AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular.

The ultimate option for those who really can’t work out whether they want a smartphone or a tablet, the device has a massive 6.3-inch screen, a 1.7Ghz dual-core processor, LTE, dual cameras (8MP on the rear, 1.9MP on the front) and is available with 8Gb or 16Gb storage (with a microSD slot supporting up to 64Gb). It is shipping with Android 4.2.2.

AT&T claims it will be the first U.S. carrier, offering the Mega for $24 per month with AT&T Next or $149.99 with a two-year agreement. Sprint will offer the Mega with unlimited 4G data on its Unlimited, My WaySM or My All-inSM plans. Full Samsung press release below …

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• Android
• Samsung
• Motorola
• Apple
• HTC

Samsung beats Apple in acquiring first-time smartphone owners, while Apple wins in conversions

Ben Lovejoy Aug 19 2013 - 6:49 am PT

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New figures from CIRP reported in Fortune show that both Samsung and Apple get the bulk of their smartphone sales from existing users of their respective platforms, but Samsung does better at attracting featurephone buyers while Apple does better at converting Samsung owners.

Samsung gets 43 percent of its customers from existing Android users (a mix of Samsung loyalists and customer acquisitions from HTC and Motorola), virtually identical to Apple’s figure of 42 percent for existing iPhone users.

Samsung’s low-end Android handsets helped it acquire 37 percent of its customers from featurephone owners, against 26 percent for Apple. The bad news for the company was that Apple wins three times as many smartphone customers from Samsung as Samsung does from Apple: 20 percent switched from a Samsung handset to an iPhone, while only 7 percent switched in the opposite direction.

Samsung’s Next Big Thing ad campaign, aimed specifically at younger users, also hasn’t been as successful as the company might have hoped, with Apple maintaining its younger age-profile.