HTC One X+ review: The complete package

GSMArena team, 08 November 2012.

There's no denying that the HTC One X was an amazingly solid smartphone. On the surface it even looked like as good a package as its main rival at the time, the Galaxy S III, and having a head-start to the market it was almost expected for it to become a huge success.

The devil turned out to be in the details though, and the One X never quite managed to get the same traction as its Samsung rival. There must have been so many if onlys around the HTC HQ for missing an opportunity like that, that the company didn?t even wait for the successor to come and fix the issues, but released a refreshed model.

HTC One X+ official photos

Enter the HTC One X+. It's faster than its predecessor, offers more storage and an ampler battery ? quite nice upgrades. True, they don?t make too dramatic a difference, but as we said ? the starting package was pretty great already and it's just the details that needed polishing.

Quad-band GSM and 3G support 21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA 4.7" 16M-color Super LCD 2 capacitive touchscreen of HD resolution (720 x 1280 pixels); Gorilla glass 2 protection Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with latest HTC Sense 4+ 1.7 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPUs, low-power companion core, ULP GeForce 2 GPU, Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset 1 GB of RAM 32/64 GB of storage 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; face detection and geotagging 1080p and 720p video recording @ 24fps with stereo sound 720p front-facing camera for video-chat Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA GPS with A-GPS; GLONASS Stereo FM radio with RDS Accelerometer, proximity sensor and auto-brightness sensor Standard 3.5 mm audio jack microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v4.0 MHL TV-out (requires MHL-to-HDMI adapter) Smart dialing, voice dialing DivX/XviD video support Office document editor Beats audio enhancements No microSD card slot No dedicated camera key Non-user-accessible battery No native video-calls Video framing is tricky

Despite taking a few punches in this year's flagship wars, HTC isn't ready to throw in the towel just yet. With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, the updated One X+ comes at the perfect time to turn things around.

HTC One X+ studio shots

And while the One X+ is certainly better prepared, the challenge has also become harder. During the One X facelift, a new contender emerged in the face of the LG Optimus G and its quad-core Krait CPU. The LG flagship smartphone is certainly the most powerful currently on the market, but the One X+ is the more mature device and has Jelly Bean on its side.

Grab the popcorn ? this one is going to be a thriller.

View the original article here

Nokia Lumia 920T has Adreno 320 GPU instead of Adreno 225

The Lumia 920, Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 8 handset, is coming to China Mobile (model number 920T). As it turns out the Lumia 920T has a Snapdragon MSM8960T S4 Pro chipset, unlike its international version, which has an MSM8960 S4 Plus chipset. The news comes from the carrier's Sina Weibo page.

The difference is that the MSM8960T chipset features the Adreno 320 GPU and not the Adreno 225 like in the international and US Lumia 920 units. It still has two Krait CPU cores though, this isn't the S4 Pro chipset that's used in the Google Nexus 4.

Still, getting an upgrade on the GPU is great even if you don't get double the CPU cores. The only problem is that most devs will be targeting Adreno 225 as that's what most WP8 phones out there have (Windows Phone handsets don't really have much of a variation in chipsets). It might have a lower power consumption as it won't be as burdened as the 225 using the same graphics.

Could this Nokia Lumia 920T deal mean we'll start seeing Windows Phone 8 handsets with Adreno 320 or is it a one-off? If we do, WP8 will be able to put up a fight in the graphics department against the Android flagships and the iPhone.

Thanks for the tip!

Source (in Chinese) | Via

View the original article here

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean makes it to Motorola DROID RAZR M

Motorola?s frameless screen sporting DROID RAZR M for Verizon Wireless has begun receiving Android 4.1 Jelly Bean over-the-air. The update has hit the baby RAZR right in line with Motorola?s promise at its launch for a timeline before the end of the year.

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update brings a number of software improvements to the DROID RAZR M. They include Google Now, Android Beam and NFC, and improved notifications to go with the buttery smooth menu transitions. Unsurprisingly, the new OS is dressed in Motorola?s custom UI, which adds only a few extra touches to the Pure Google Experience.

Source | Via

View the original article here

AT&T is selling HTC 8X, VZW takes pre-orders for it and Lumia 822

Windows Phone 8's race to the top in the US has officially started - the HTC Windows Phone 8X is available today from AT&T and is on pre-order from Verizon, who are also taking pre-orders for the Nokia Lumia 822.

Verizon has exclusivity on some HTC 8X features - ita model supports wireless charging like its key opponent, the Nokia Lumia 920 for AT&T. The charging mat is sold separately. Verizon's Windows Phone 8X also comes in exclusive colors - Black and Red.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X (16GB) from Verizon will set you back $200 if you sign a 2-year contract and $550 if you don't. Verizon's web site notes that the HTC 8X will ship by November 13.

AT&T has the HTC 8X on sale already - $200 with 2-year contract, $550 without - and the carrier counters Verizon's exclusive features with an exclusive 8GB version of the phone, which is $100 on contract and $450 off contract (note that the 8X doesn?t have a microSD card slot). AT&T has exclusive colors too - California Blue and Limelight.

Back to Verizon, the carrier will ship the Nokia Lumia 822 by November 13 and has priced it $200 with contract (2-years) and $450 SIM-free.

The GSM version of the phone - the Lumia 820 - is already on sale by AT&T, who undercut Verizon's prices by $50 (both on and off contract). It has exclusivity on the Nokia flagship too, the Lumia 920, which also goes on sale today.

Source 1 ? Source 2 | Via

View the original article here

Sharp Aquos Phone SH930W brings 5" 1080p display to Russia

Sharp is obviously keen to join the 1080p screen fun on as the company just announced its first smartphone with a 5" FullHD screen for Russia. The Aquos Phone SH930W uses a Sharp IGZO display, which offers improved image quality over regular LCDs along with better power efficiency. The pixel density stands at the retina-busting 440ppi.

The other specs of the phone aren?t quite that impressive with a Qualcomm 8260A chipset (2x Krait @ 1.5GHz, Adreno 225) powering the package. According to GLBenchmark 2.5, the GPU isn't powerful enough to run heavy 3D games at native resolution as it only manages 13.6fps.

On the upside, the SH930W runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and offers a microSD card slot. It comes with 2G/3G connectivity, but no LTE.

The Sharp Aquos Phone SH930W will launch in Russia on November 8 (though there's no info on the price just yet). Unlike most of Sharp's phones (and the HTC J Butterfly), this one has a good chance of getting a wider availability.

But Sharp isn't in a good financial position at the moment and HTC is already working on the DLX (or is it DROID DNA?), so Sharp better move fast if it wants to capitalize on its advantage.

Thanks to Dmitriy for the tip!

Source 1 (in Russian) ? Source 2

View the original article here

Samsung Galaxy Express to hit shelves November 16

The Samsung Galaxy Express midrange LTE-powered droid exclusive to AT&T is expected to become available for $99.99 with a two year contract starting Nov. 16.

The Samsung Galaxy Express will feature a 4.5 inch Super AMOLED Plus screen of 480 x 800 pixel resolution, dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 5MP camera all powered by a 2000 mAh battery. It will ship with Android 4.0 ICS out of box.

If you'd like a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Express, check out our hands-on from last month's release event in New York.

Source

View the original article here

HTC DROID DNA gets revealed before its announcement

In a manner, which has shaped up to be quite fashionable lately, the previously leaked HTC DROID DNA for Verizon Wireless got revealed only a couple of days before its official announcement is scheduled to take place. The DROID DNA name has been confirmed on Verizon?s own DROID DOES webpage, while press renders of the photo have made an appearance in Twitter.

The leaked press photos reveal yet again that the upcoming Verizon DROID looks similar to the Japan exclusive HTC J butterfly, save for the Verizon livery on its black body with red accents . The same goes for the specs which will include a 5? full HD display, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, and 2GB of RAM.

HTC?s Android powerhouse with 1080p display for Verizon is scheduled to be announced this coming Tuesday, on November 13, at an event in New York City. We will be covering the unveiling live, so be sure to stick around for the full scoop on the device, including hands-on photos and initial impressions.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Via

View the original article here

Apple iPad mini review: One for the road

GSMArena team, 09 November 2012.

Wait, did hell just freeze over? Maybe a couple of degrees cooler? Rumors of a mini version of the iPad had been laughed at, dodged and denied - not necessarily in that order and often all at once. But here it is - the iPad mini is finally a reality. It caused due measures of excitement and perhaps a bit of disappointment. Yet, in typical Apple fashion, it's an excellent piece of hardware. In short, it's a polarizing device that may as well be the next best-selling tablet.

Apple iPad mini official images

You have to hand it to Apple's R&D team - they know how to design hardware. The iPad mini is super thin and light, with a cool aluminum shell. Sure, they swore they'd never make a 7" tablet and the truth is they still haven't - the 7.9" screen of the mini offers 36% more real estate than the screens of the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD.

Less bezel on the left and right of the screen combined with the ~310g of weight make it reasonably comfortable to hold with one hand. Apple did make some compromises, which drew a lot of ire. Here's the summarized list of what's good and what's bad about the Apple iPad mini:

Compact body: 200 x 134.7 x 7.2 mm 7.9" LED-backlit IPS LCD touchscreen, 768 x 1024 pixels; scratch-resistant, oleophobic coating Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, carrier-dependent hotspot support Optional 2G/3G GSM, CDMA, LTE connectivity (data only, separate models) Optional GPS with A-GPS support (for the 3G model only) Apple A5 SoC, dual-core Cortex-A9 @ 1GHz chipset 512MB of RAM PowerVR SGX543MP2 dual-core GPU iOS 6 with Siri, iCloud support and activation 16/32/64GB of inbuilt storage Weight of 308 grams (312 grams for the Wi-Fi + Cellular option) Bluetooth 4.0 16.3Wh battery Accelerometer, compass and three-axis gyro-sensor Compatible with every iPad and iPhone app without any modifications The base version costs less than a SIM-free iPhone 4, only $30 more than iPod touch 5MP auto-focus camera 1080p video recording at 30fps 1.2MP secondary camera capable of FaceTime calls, 720p recording Four and five-finger gestures 1080p TV-output with the Apple Digital AV Adapter (purchased separately for $49), 1080p video streaming Supports magnetic cases Lightning connector Stereo loudspeakers More expensive than 7" Android tablets, only $70 cheaper than iPad 2 No Retina display, 162ppi only Same chipset as iPad 2, now two generations old iTunes still required for most of the content uploads Reflective screen struggles outdoors No standard USB port, Lightning accessories still rare and expensive No GPS receiver in the Wi-Fi version No memory card slot Lack of basic iOS apps - weather, stocks, calculator, voice memos

The disadvantage list may seem longer than usual but most of the items there are general complaints that apply to virtually all Apple products, like the absence of a memory card slot. The way we see it, there are three main problems with the iPad mini - the (relatively) low-res screen, the old chipset and the price.

Apple products have so far effortlessly hit it big with users despite their perceived limitations compared to the competition. The new crop of iPads - the iPad 4 and iPad mini - already sold in the millions.

iPad mini in our office

The software - iOS 6 - should be very familiar to Apple users, but the hardware is new. It's not like the big iPads, which mostly varied in thickness, this one has been designed to comfortably hold in one hand and slip into a coat pocket.

Some analysts have gone as far as to say that the iPad mini will become the iPad - it's highly portable, capable enough and drawing on the vast resources of the Apple eco-system. And if you adjust for the "Apple tax", the mini isn't that expensive.

Jump to the next page to find out just what you're getting with the iPad mini.

View the original article here

HTC Windows Phone 8X review: Signed and sealed

GSMArena team, 06 November 2012.

So, it's all but settled that Windows Phone 8 is the biggest thing to happen to smartphones this year. But are the handful of flagships carrying it the best thing that could happen to users?

Properly powered and engineered to perfection, the Nokia, Samsung and HTC WP8 smartphones are all making a bid to break iOS and Android's grip on the market. They are all fine species of smartphone. With the same screen resolution and chipsets powering them, with the Redmond-mandated hardware specs, they all have Microsoft written all over.

But then, it's only the Taiwanese that actually have it in writing. There's only one Windows Phone 8X - and it's the HTC Windows Phone flagship. Not a bad way to start now, is it? It must be quite a lift for the HTC Windows Phone 8X to feel special among clearly superior rivals. While Nokia and Samsung gave their WP top dogs those massive screens, HTC went for a relatively modest 4.3"? LCD.

HTC Windows Phone 8X official photos

On one hand, it sounds like a smart move. The HTC Windows Phone 8X will be the only option for those looking for a more compact premium device that carries Microsoft's latest mobile platform. On the other, this could see the 8X relegated to a lower tier and made to fight it out with the likes of the Lumia 820. Now, that would call for some aggressive pricing and lower profit margins perhaps, which isn't exactly ideal for a company that hasn't had the best of streaks lately.

We'll see if the gamble pays off but there's no rush. Let's see what the HTC Windows Phone 8X is made of, and what could've been better.

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support Quad-band 3G with 42 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support 4.3" 16M-color S-LCD2 capacitive touchscreen of 720 x 1280 pixel resolution Scratch resistant Gorilla Glass 2 display 8 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, 1080p@30fps video recording 2.1MP front-facing camera Windows Phone 8 OS 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU, Adreno 225 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset, 1GB of RAM Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS support Digital compass 16GB of inbuilt storage Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor Standard 3.5 mm audio jack microUSB port Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP and EDR, file transfers Impressively deep and coherent SNS integration throughout the interface Xbox Live integration and Xbox management Data Sense Class-leading JavaScript performance NFC support HTC exclusive apps Beats audio enhancements Too much bezel offsets smaller screen No microSD card slot, just one storage option Non user-replaceable battery App catalog falls short of Android and iOS Competition has quad-core Krait CPUs already No FM radio No system-wide file manager No voice-guided navigation No music player equalizers No lockscreen shortcuts

It's not a short list of disadvantages by any means, but most of those are platform-specific and, judging by the reception Windows Phone 8 has been getting, they're not deal-breakers. At least not all of them. Now, the non-expandable storage and the single 16GB option is something to definitely consider, but if you can live with that, the HTC Windows Phone 8X is a must-see.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X at ours

The Beats audio label has finally been made to count as the HTC Windows Phone 8X offers a specially designed amplifier, while the wide selection of available colors makes it easy to find a unit that best suits your personality. Whether you go for the businesslike black or one of those peppier paintjobs, the HD screen and beautiful unibody design are always part of the deal.

And that, as usual, is what we're going to start with.. Unboxing and hardware are coming up right after the break.

View the original article here

US pricing of unlocked iPhone 5 shows up on Apple's website

Pricing of the factory unlocked Apple iPhone 5 in the US has surfaced on the company's website.

While not officially announced, AppleInsider has discovered that entering the search query "iPhone 5 factory unlocked" reveals the pricing of the device. Contract-free the 16 GB iPhone 5 will set you back $649, while the 32 GB and 64 GB will retail for $749 and $849, respectively.

Prices haven't changed at all compared to the way Apple priced the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S in the US.

In Europe, however, it's a different story. In the UK in particular, a factory unlocked 16 GB iPhone 5 retails for ?529, whereas the 16GB version of the iPhone 4S started at ?499. Prices for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants remain the same as last year.

Source | Via

View the original article here

HTC DROID DNA photo leaks, brings HTC J's screen to the US

Remember the HTC J butterfly and it's 5-inch 1080p, 440ppi display? Well, the device isn't going to stay exclusive to Japan much longer, as evleaks has posted an image of the device's US brethren dubbed HTC DROID DNA.

As the DROID part of the name suggests, the device will hit Verizon's 4G LTE network. While a little late to the phablet party, HTC is entering it with a bang with its 5-inch 1080p HD Super LCD 3 display. In addition, the device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor bundled with 2GB of RAM.

This lethal combination is further enhanced with 16GB of on-board memory and a microSD card slot. The battery is reprotedly going to be 2,020mAh. Accordin to the leak, the HTC DROID DNA will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Source | Via

View the original article here

Samsung Galaxy Camera and Galaxy S III mini hit UK

Various retailers in the UK already have already received the first stocks of the Samsung?s Galaxy S III mini and the Galaxy Camera.

You can buy the Galaxy S III mini for about ?300 free of contract. It?s available in both black and white colors.

The Galaxy S III mini is also available for free with a 2-year contract on all major UK carriers with tariffs starting as low as ?20.5 per month.

You can find the full specs of Galaxy S III mini right here, while for our extended preview follow this link.

The Jelly Bean-running Galaxy Camera was announced in August and arrives this month just as promised. Clove UK already got its first shipment and is selling it for ?400. Other retailers are also listing the Galaxy Camera on similar prices but require you to wait 10 more days to get your unit.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Source 4 | Via

View the original article here

HTC and Apple end their patent feud with a "global settlement"

In a rather surprising fashion, Apple and HTC have settled their patent disputes. The two companies have reached a ?global settlement? with confidential terms, which dismisses all their current lawsuits. The agreement includes all current and future patents held by the two giants and will extend over the next ten years.

Naturally, both companies? CEOs issued a statement on the matter. Here?s what Peter Chou from HTC had to say:

?HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation.?

And here goes the statement of Apple?s CEO Tim Cook:

?We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC,? and ?we will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation.?

A settlement between players of such magnitude is nothing short of great news for both the companies and their followers. Here?s hoping that more such events will follow.

Source

View the original article here

New JB ROM for Samsung Galaxy Note leaks, supports Multi-View

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).

Source 1 ? Source 2 | Via

View the original article here

HTC will hold an event in New York City on November 13

HTC has sent out invitations for an event in New York City, which will take place next Tuesday, November 13. The Taiwanese manufacturer will show off its ?latest collaboration? with Verizon Wireless.

Given the recent string of leaks, we can all but confirm that the device scheduled to break cover is the HTC DROID DNA. The upcoming smartphone appears to be a close relative of the Japan exclusive HTC J butterfly. It is bound to pack an eye-catching 5? Super LCD3 display with 1080p resolution and pixel density of 440ppi. Quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro silicon, 16GB of built-in memory, microSD card, and Sense-d Android 4.1 Jelly Bean are also part of the device?s projected specs.

We are going to be live from the HTC event next week, so we?ll tell you all about the company?s latest creation.

View the original article here

Samsung Galaxy Camera goes on sale in the UK in two days

The Samsung Galaxy Camera drew a lot of attention when it was announced though launch date and pricing details were a bit slim. Samsung put out a press release today, saying the camera will be in the UK stores in a couple of days.

The Samsung Brand Store will get in on November 7, while other stores will get it the next day. The other stores are Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and Jessops. Both brick-and-mortar and online stores will be selling the camera.

Jessops already have the Galaxy Camera on pre-order (in black and white) and are asking ?400 for it ($640, ?500) with a free 8GB SanDisk microSD to complement the 8GB of built-in storage.

Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U still haven?t put up the Camera up on their sites and Jessops only offers it through their online site (no in-store pickups yet).

By the way, a Samsung NX1000 EVIL camera with 20-50mm lens goes for ?380 in the same store, so you should consider how important it is for you to have an Android powered camera.

Just so we're clear, it's an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-powered camera with the internals of the Galaxy S III (including the quad-core CPU at 1.4GHz and 4.8" Super Clear LCD with 720p resolution) packed inside a point-and-shoot camera body (1/2.3 sensor" 16MP BSI sensor, 23mm wide-angle lens and 21x optical zoom).

By the way, the Samsung Galaxy Camera has 3G and 4G LTE connectivity, though that's for data only.

Source | Via

View the original article here

AT&T reveals the Lumia 920, Lumia 820 and WP 8X prices

AT&T has just announced that it's launching a trio of Windows Phone 8-running smartphones - the Nokia Lumia 920, the Lumia 820 and the HTC Windows Phone 8X.

Let's start off with the Nokia Lumia 920, which will be offered in yellow, red, white, black and cyan. It'll set you back $99.99 on a 2-year contract and will come bundled with a free wireless charging plate.

The Nokia Lumia 820, on the other hand, is going to cost $49.99 on a contract, and will be available only in black.

Lastly, the HTC Windows Phone 8X comes in 16GB and 8GB limited edition versions in California Blue or Limelight (yellow). The 8GB model will run for $99.99 on a 2-year contract, while the 16GB will cost a cent under $200.

Both the Nokia Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 will be available for pre-order from November 7 with shipments starting two days later, on November 9. The HTC Windows Phone 8X, however, should begin its roll-out some time "before Thranksgiving".

Source

View the original article here

AT&T to sell off-contract Nokia Lumia 920 for $450, 820 for $400

Yesterday, AT&T announced the on-contract pricing of three of its incoming Windows Phone 8 handsets, including the Nokia Lumia 920 (they have exclusivity on this one in the US) and the Lumia 820.

Today they put those two up for pre-order and revealed the off-contract prices of these phones. The Lumia 920 will set you back $450 (or $100 with a 2-year contract), while the Nokia Lumia 820 is a bit cheaper at $400 ($50 with a 2-year contract).

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is not available for pre-order for now, so we don't know its off-contract pricing just yet.

Here's a quick comparison table of other AT&T prices:

Nokia Lumia 820 (8GB, microSD)Sony Xperia TL (16GB, microSD)Samsung Galaxy S III (16GB, microSD)

If you pre-order now, the Nokia Lumia duo can be at your doorstep in two days' time.

Source | Via

View the original article here

HTC Desire X review: Needs and wants

GSMArena team, 11 November 2012.

For one reason or another, the One series failed to live up to their potential in terms of actual sales, so HTC turned back to the time-tested Desire line to fill up the coffers and secure some time to regroup. A new attack on the high-end market takes months of preparation and it's up to devices like the Desire X to hold the line in the meantime.

HTC Desire X official photos

The HTC Desire X is a smartphone that few will lust after, but it's one that many will end up owning. The bells and whistles offered by flagships come at a price, while a solid smartphone experience and nice clean look is what most people really need.

Here's the quick rundown of the HTC Desire X strengths and weaknesses:

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and dual-band 3G/HSPA support 4.0" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800) 1GHz dual-core Cortex-A5 CPU, Adreno 203 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8225 chipset 768MB RAM 4GB of on-board storage, expandable via the microSD card slot Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with HTC Sense 4 UI Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot functionality GPS with A-GPS connectivity 5 MP autofocus camera with geotagging and face detection WVGA video recording microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v3.0 Standard 3.5 mm audio jack Accelerometer, proximity sensor Polaris Office doc viewer / editor Stereo FM radio with RDS Smart dialing DivX/XviD video support Poor video recording for a dual-core chipset No front-facing camera Feeble loudspeaker Pricier than most direct rivals

A solid dual-core chipset, a relatively recent Android release (as far as midrange droids go) and a reasonably spec'd display. There' nothing groundbreaking about the HTC Desire X, but no glaring omissions either and that's what counts in the cutthroat battle that is the smartphone midrange.

HTC Desire X live photos

Being so well prepared, the HTC Desire X is not afraid of any contender and, at this price point, it might be one of the best deals HTC has offered for quite some time. If it can really squeeze all the performance out of those solid specs, the Desire X might even be one of the devices to watch this holiday season.

Let's get down to testing then.

View the original article here

Sony takes over the Xperia S AOSP project, previews it

Sony announced that it has taken the lead on the Android Open Source Project for its popular Xperia S smartphone. The exercise began back in August when Jean Baptiste Queru, Google?s Technical Lead of the AOSP announced it. The current progress on the Sony Xperia S has been demonstrated in a video, which appeared in the Sony developer?s blog. See it below.

Sony has taken the lead because from Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on, the Xperia S will not remain as the target handset of the main AOSP branch. However, the current progress on the Xperia S will not go to naught ? Sony will maintain the AOSP for the device at GitHub, where developers are encouraged to step in and help.

Stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has worked out quite well for the Sony Xperia S with most of the hardware functioning properly, including the SD card, Wi-Fi, and all sensors. The audio and modem are also working, but Sony won?t release its binaries right now for proprietary reasons. The next planned step is to bring Android 4.2 to the smartphone.

Source | Via

View the original article here

James Cameron: 'Watching Avatar on an iPhone is dumb'

Director James Cameron has been speaking about the upcoming April Blu-ray release of Avatar, where he explained his dislike of watching movies on a small screen.

At the Avatar Blu-ray press conference, he announced that the best way to watch the movie was in 3D, despite the film not being available on the Blu-ray 3D format until November.

He doesn't, however, recommend watching the movie on the Apple iPhone.

"I don't feel that I'm making movies for iPhones," he explained. "If someone wants to watch it on an iPhone, I'm not going to stop them, especially if they're paying for it, but I don't recommend it.

"I think it's dumb, when you have characters that are so small in the frame that they're not visible."

And it's not only phones he has problems with, but laptops too.

"To me, there's a limit that you wouldn't want to go below," Cameron noted.

"I don't know. I've never watched Avatar on a laptop. I guess it probably works, but I don't recommend it.

"What I recommend is getting the coffee table out of the way and sticking your couch about four feet from your TV."

Shame to hold back

Cameron and co are hoping that the non-3D release of Avatar will plug a hole until the 3D Blu-ray version hits the shelves this winter.

To make it more appealing, there will an 'interactive' Avatar programme that consumers can join – a code will be given with purchases.

This will bring first-look bonus materials, special content and money off the 3D version of the movie.

Cameron explained the reasoning behind the lack of 3D Blu-ray, saying: "There just aren't that many players and screens yet. We have more of a long-term strategy, in that area.

"But, I think it would be a shame to hold back the Blu-ray when people want it now, and I love it. I think it's a great format."

He also gave some sage advice of how you should watch 3D in the home, telling the journalist-filled audience: "If you're going to go 3D, go big. Get the biggest set you can, and then sit as close as you can stand.

"That's my advice. Get the coffee table out of the way and slide the couch over, right in front of the TV."

Via Blu-ray.com

View the original article here

Review: Samsung Genio QWERTY

With a colourful chassis, full QWERTY keyboard and seriously budget price tag, the Samsung Genio QWERTY is squarely aimed at the younger social networker.

Available initially from Orange from under £70 on pre-pay, the Genio QWERTY is a very affordable alternative to BlackBerry-style message-centric devices.

It joins the low-cost touchscreen Genio Touch in Samsung's budget portfolio, with the Genio QWERTY leaving out the touch-and-swipe control interface and instead adopting a more conventional 2.2inch display and physical control system to wow its users.

It maintains the bright and colourful bodywork of the Genio Touch with swappable coloured back panels supplied in-box and others available as extras.

As well as emailing, texting and instant messaging capabilities, the Genio QWERTY is pitched at social network users.

The Orange-flavoured version we reviewed adds optimised online access to services via its Orange World portal, with links for services including Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Picasa, Friendster and Photobucket.

There's no 3G to speed along online activity though (nor Wi-Fi, as you'd expect at this sort of price) – the Genio QWERTY is a quad-band GSM phone only, chomping through data at more modest GPRS/EDGE speeds.

The Samsung Genio QWERTY's onboard media capabilities include music and video player applications plus an FM radio – with a 3.5mm standard headphone jack so you can upgrade the supplied earphones.

Support for MicroSD card memory expansion is also included, and the Genio QWERTY's budget price tag is reflected in a modest 37MB of onboard storage.

The phone's camera snapping credentials are limited to a low-key 2MP camera on the back panel - but hey, you get what you pay for.

Design and handling

Samsung has trimmed costs with the display too. The 2.2-inch screen is a low-resolution (220x176 pixels) 65K-colour effort, rather than the sort of higher quality displays we've seen in recent Samsung devices.

That means graphics are a bit blockier and less refined, which is noticeable in graphic-rich applications such as web browsing and image viewing.

Like most BlackBerry-style devices, the display has a landscape orientation that's designed to be more messaging friendly on a wide-bodied device.

The Genio QWERTY's vital statistics – 110(h) x 59(w) x 12.9(d)mm and 94g – are slim and light enough to slip comfortably into a trouser pocket without questions over whether you're pleased to see people you meet.

The curvy plastic bodywork is reminiscent of several recent Samsungs including the Genio Touch, the Blade and the Jet.

Like the Genio Touch, its 'Fashion Jacket' back panel battery covers can be swapped. Included in our box were three such 'Jackets', in black, deep yellow and yellow with orange swirls, which work strikingly with the Genio QWERTY's glossy black with yellow and chrome trim front.

Side volume keys and the dedicated camera button on the side are splashed yellow, while the number keys on the QWERTY keyboard are also highlighted with yellow blocks, so you can quickly pick them out from the rest.

The 37-key QWERTY keypad isn't the most spacious we've encountered, although the four lines of keys are decently separated and contoured sufficiently.

This enabled accurate typing with one or two thumbs, and our large fingers didn't struggle too much in achieving reasonable typing speeds.

Among the QWERTY buttons are 'quick keys' for certain feature shortcuts, including new messages and the music player – although Samsung has also replicated some of these among its user interface shortcuts onscreen and via the navigation controls.

The control panel arrangement above the QWERTY keypad revolves around a typical navigation D-pad, which is nicely raised against the surface for quick and responsive thumb manipulation.

Immediately next to this are large softkey buttons, which initially feel oddly placed, as they're not adjacent to the relevant screen softkey options.

A bit of usage means you'll quickly get used it though. Call and End keys perch on either flank of the control panel, and again are pleasingly substantial.

View the original article here