Android 5.0 is Official, and It’s Called Lollipop

Posted on by Hannah Becker

Android 5.0 is here, and it’s officially named Lollipop. Google confirmed this week that the newest iteration of the popular OS will soon be available on three new Nexus devices, as well as several older Nexus phones and tablets.

Google Nexus 6 with Android 5.0 Lollipop

Google Nexus 6 with Android 5.0 Lollipop

The updated to the OS was originally announced earlier this year at Google I/O, where it was referred to as “Android L.” Lollipop contains various new features and a new look based on a design language Google has termed “Material Design,” which is intended to bring a more consistent look to software across Android, Chrome OS, and the web, on a multitude of device types.

Functionally, Android Lollipop presents more information about notifications from the lock screen. It also includes a revamped “recents” button, which will quickly bring up a set of Google Now-style cards for open apps. Google also claims that Lollipop will allow for several performance upgrades, including compatibility with 64-bit chips and a built-in “battery-saver” mode.

Android Lollipop will launch on three new Nexus devices. First is the Nexus 6, a 6-inch aluminum smartphone with a 13-megapixel camera, built by Motorola. Next up is HTC’s Nexus 9, an 8.9-inch tablet with a keyboard folio that magnetically connects to the device. Finally, there’s the Nexus Player from Asus, the first device to run Google’s new version of Android TV. The streaming gadget comes with Google Cast functionality.
Android 5.0 Lollipop
The Nexus 9 and Nexus Player will be available for pre-order on October 17 and the Nexus 9 will be in stores November 9. The Nexus 6 will be available for pre-order on October 29 and will arrive in stores in November through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, and T-Mobile. Users may also purchase an unlocked version through the Google Play store.

Android 5.0 will be also be available on the Nexus 4, 5, 7, 10 and Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks. Of the third-party Android OEMs, Motorola has announced Android 5.0 Lollipop will be coming to its series of Moto and Droid devices as well. Expect more manufacturers to follow in the coming months, though specific roll out times for the update are not immediately available.

Source: Google, (2)

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Sony Xperia Z3 Coming to Verizon, Dubbed Z3v

Posted on by Hannah Becker

Sony’s latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z3, is coming to Verizon on October 23, as the Xperia Z3v.

Sony Xperia Z3

Sony Xperia Z3

The Xperia Z3v is nearly the same device as the Z3 smartphone, the only differences being a plastic build with an aluminum accent strip in place of the rounded metal material, as well as a slightly larger battery and Qi wireless charging. Sony claims the new 3200mAh battery will last over a day for some users.

Other than that, the Z3v has the same Snapdragon 801 processor, 5.2-inch display, waterproof body, and built-in Playstation 4 streaming ability as the flagship Sony announced at IFA. The Z3v runs the Android OS with a light Sony skin.

Beginning October 23, Verizon customers will be able to purchase the Sony Xperia Z3v in either black or white, for a starting price of $199.99 with a two-year agreement.

Verizon also announced, the Sony Smartwatch 3 will also be available on its network later this fall for a price of $250.

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HTC Desire Eye Sets a New Selfie Smartphone Standard

Posted on by Hannah Becker

The HTC Desire Eye is no doubt designed with the selfie in mind, as the new Android smartphone features two 13-megapixel cameras – one, a traditional rear-facing, and one a front-facing shooter. HTC has also overhauled its HTC Sense operating software, adding a ton of new features aimed specifically at camera users.

HTC Desire EyeWhen it comes to the specs, the Desire Eye is nothing to scoff at. It features the same quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor found in HTC’s flagship device, the One M8. The Desire Eye also comes equipped with 2GB of RAM, microSD expansion, a 5.2-inch 1080p resolution display, and front-facing BoomSound speakers.

Differentiating the Desire Eye from the flagship One M8 is the build material. The Desire Eye is built with a two-tone plastic, instead of the metal material HTC traditionally crafts its smartphones with. It’s also certified IPX67 waterproof and can be submerged briefly in up to one meter of water.

New Sense

In terms of software, the Desire Eye features a major upgrade to the HTC Sense skin over the Android 4.4 operating system. The new software, dubbed HTC Eye Experience, upgrades video chat and conference calling to include facial tracking software, and adds a Split Capture feature, which is essentially HTC’s version of the Front-Back photo taking app. Eye Experience also has a feature called Crop-Me-In and Voice Selfie so users can snap selfies by uttering “say cheese” instead of manually snapping the picture. Face Fusion allows users to morph their face with another image, and Live Makeup has tools to adjust skin smoothness before taking a picture.

In addition to announcing the Desire Eye, HTC also revealed an update to the Zoe video editing app. Zoe, a collaborative video editing application, was previously only available on HTC devices, but is now available on most Android devices and is coming to the iPhone later this year.

Zoe allows users to collaboratively create video highlights by giving a group of people access to the same video clips and images, allowing them to work together to make a highlight. The app automatically generates the video and makes it available to share on all the standard social media channels.

Re

HTC ReFinally, HTC also announced a handheld point-and-shoot camera, named “Re.” Re, which was designed to be a competitor to the Go Pro camera, has a grip sensor that automatically turns the camera on when it’s picked up. It also has a single shutter button, used for both image and video recording. The device has a 16MP CMOS sensor, 1080p HD video recording, 146- degree wide-angle lens, and slow-motion and time-lapse recording capabilities.

Re pairs with the Re app, which turns a smartphone display into a live viewfinder. Via the app, users can also view images and videos taken on the Re, and it will back up images to the smartphone or cloud. According to HTC, real-time video streaming to YouTube will be available after launch. Android and iOS will both receive the Re app.

The HTC Desire Eye will be an AT&T exclusive, at least for the initial launch. Launch dates and pricing are not yet available. Re will launch in the United States in time for the holiday season, and the HTC Eye Experience software will roll out to various HTC devices in the coming months.

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LG G Watch R Poised to be Pricey

Posted on by Hannah Becker

The LG G Watch R, the first truly round Android Wear smartwatch, may also be the priciest. While LG has yet to release details on a US launch, the G Watch R is slated to debut in the company’s native South Korea on October 14 for a price of 352,000 won, which roughly translates to $328.

LG G Watch R previewThat aside, there’s reason to believe the G Watch R may be a bit cheaper. When LG launched the G Watch, the predecessor to the G Watch R, it retailed for 277,000 won, or $257, in South Korea. When it hit American markets, the device was $230. Following this structure, the LG G Watch G will likely be priced somewhere around $290 when it hits stores in the United States.

This would make the LG G Watch R will be the most expensive smartwatch running the Android Wear on the market.

Currently, the Moto 360 is the most expensive Android Wear smartwatch on the market, coming in at $250, while Samsung’s Gear Live is priced at $200. The Apple Watch, with the company announced last month, will have a starting price of $350.

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The HTC Desire 820 is a Flagship Phablet for the Midrange

Posted on by Hannah Becker

HTC has announced the Desire 820 at the IFA trade show in Berlin, positioning the device as a midrange flagship that directly follows up on this year’s HTC Desire 816.

The Desire 820 runs on an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset, which conjoins two quad-core processors, one clocked to 1.5GHz and the other to 1.0GHz. More notably, it comes with 64-bit support, which should boost the Desire’s performance with heavier apps, and future proof it for when the architecture becomes more prevalent. The SoC is joined by 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, the latter of which is expandable up to 128 GB via a microSD slot.

HTC Desire 820
When it comes to the display, the Desire 820 offers a 5.5-inch panel with 720p resolution. A 13-megapixel main shooter adorns its back and is countered by an 8-megapixel front-facing one, which is pretty high-res for a selfie taker. A 2600mAh battery powers the device. Per usual, the whole thing runs under HTC’s Sense UI.

The device looks to closely resemble the big-screened polycarbonate body of the Desire 816, which we’d approve of. On top of that, it’s a little bit thinner overall (at 7.74mm), and equipped with a “double-shot” design that HTC claims to better equip the build for the strain of daily use. The same great BoomSound speakers are still here as well.

The Desire 820 will first arrive globally sometime this month, though HTC says that exact release dates will vary by region. How much the device will cost was also not specified, but we’d guess that it won’t run might higher than the Desire 816′s $350 launch price.

Source: HTC, (2)

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Sony Shows It Has Smarts with New SmartWatch and SmartBand

Posted on by Hannah Becker

Sony announced a pair of wearable devices at the IFA trade show in Berlin this week, including an Android-powered smartwatch and a souped-up fitness bracelet dubbed the SmartBand Talk, both of which will be available this fall.

Sony SmartWatch 3

Sony SmartWatch 3

The Sony SmartWatch 3 is the company’s fourth-generation smartwatch, but the first to run the Android Wear operating system. The device features display specs similar to the competition, including a 1.63-inch LCD screen with 320 x 320 resolution, and it sports a 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM A7 processor under the hood. The device also comes equipped with 4 GB of internal storage and a GPS sensor.

Because it runs Android Wear, the SmartWatch 3 is compatible with any device running Android 4.3 or later, not just Sony’s Xperia smartphones. The device has an IP65/68 rating, meaning it’s fully waterproof.

Sony’s other new wearable device falls somewhere between a fitness band and a smartwatch. The SmartBand Talk essentially adds a 1.4-inch, always-on eInk display and talk capabilities to Sony’s already-existing SmartBand fitness tracker.

Sony SmartBand Talk

Sony SmartBand Talk

The device runs on an ARM cortex-M4 32-bit processor and has 2 MB of flash memory. Sony’s Core sensor meets just about all the traditional fitness tracking needs, while an embedded microphone and loudspeaker allows users to make and answer phone calls when connected to a device running Android 4.4. The SmartBand connects via Bluetooth and can be paired via NFC.

Both wearable devices will be available sometime this fall. The SmartWatch 3 will be priced around $250 while the SmartBand Talk comes in around $210.

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Asus ZenWatch the Latest Wearable to Sport Android Wear

Posted on by Hannah Becker

The Asus ZenWatch is official, and it’s rocking Android Wear.

Asus ZenWatch

Asus ZenWatch

The device, which features a rectangular watch face, runs the Android Wear OS with the ZenUI skin, as seen on many Asus portable devices. The ZenUI gives users features such as, “Watch Unlock,” “Find my Phone,” and a wellness manager, in addition to all the features available through the Android Wear OS. In order to use these additional features, users will need to install the ZenWatch Manager application on their smartphone, as well as the Android Wear app.

A 1.63-inch piece of 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3, housed in a steel casing, makes up the watch’s face, which features a 320 x 320 AMOLED display. Internally, the device runs on a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 SoC processor with 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. A 1.4 Wh battery provides over a day’s worth of life, according to Asus. Bluetooth 4.0 connects the watch to a user’s smartphone while a bio sensor provides the necessary data for the wellness manager.

The ZenWatch seems a lot like the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. The device also come equipped with a microphone and an IP55 rating, certifying the device as waterproof.

The ZenWatch will retail for $260 and should be available sometime in late Q3 or early Q4.

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LG G Watch R Provides Another Rounded Smartwatch with Android Wear

Posted on by Hannah Becker

LG has officially announced the LG G Watch R yesterday, after teasing the device earlier this week.

LG G Watch RThe G Watch R is a sequel of sorts to the G Watch, but instead features a rounded watch face a la Motorola’s Moto 360, which is expected to hit the wild next week. The G Watch R has a 1.3-inch P-OLED (that’s “Plastic OLED”) display with a 320 x 320 resolution.

Internally, the G Watch R runs on a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 512 MB RAM, 4 GB of storage space, and a 410 mAh battery. Like the G Watch before it, the G Watch R runs the Google’s Android Wear OS.

According to LG, the G Watch R will be available in “key markets” early in fourth quarter of 2014. Prices and availability will be announced at the time of launch.

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Samsung’s Gear S Smartwatch Can Connect to 3G On Its Own

Posted on by Hannah Becker

Samsung today unveiled its latest smartwatch, the Samsung Gear S.

Samsung Gear SThe device runs on Samsung’s Tizen operating system, as opposed to the Android Wear OS of this year’s Gear Live. It has 3G connectivity, in addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which, according to Samsung, allows users to make and receive calls from the device or have them forwarded from smartphones. This makes it one of the few wearables to have such connectivity as a standalone device.

A dual-core 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM power the Gear S, and 4 GB of storage space is also on board. The display is of the 2-inch curved Super AMOLED variety, and has a resolution of 360 x 480. The whole thing runs on a 300 mAh battery.

Samsung says that the Gear S will roll out in October, with exact pricing details to be made available at that time.

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Samsung Galaxy Alpha Sports New Look, Decent Specs

Posted on by Hannah Becker

Is Samsung rethinking its smartphone design? Perhaps, if the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, which Samsung very quietly announced, is any indication.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha most closely resembles an iPhone, rather than a Galaxy Note or S5, complete with a metal frame as well as beveled and polished edges. Both the front and back have a dimpled texture, although the specific material is unclear.

While the design and aesthetics of the Galaxy Alpha are improvements over the traditional plastic bodies of Samsung smartphones, the specs are not as high-end as the flagship Galaxy S5.

Samsung Galaxy AlphaThe Galaxy Alpha has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1280×720 resolution, both smaller and less sharp than the S5. It runs on an octa-core processor and features Android KitKat out of the box. The device has a 12-megapixel rear camera (compared the the S5’s 16-megapixel camera), and a 2.1-megapixel front shooter. The Galaxy Alpha offers 32 GB of internal storage and doesn’t have a microSD slot for expandable storage. It has a paltry 1,860mAh battery, which might explain the low display resolution, along with 2 GB of RAM.

Other features include a fingerprint scanner, NFC, and ultra-power saving mode, which combine to put the Alpha somewhere between flagship and mid-tier levels.

Throw in the fact that Samsung announced the device very quietly with a press release posted to its website in lieu of a more traditional flagship launch event, and it seems safe to assume the S5 will remain the company’s flagship device for now. Perhaps Samsung is just testing the waters with a new design aesthetic.
Full availability and pricing details weren’t released immediately, although Samsung did say the Galaxy Alpha will be available “at the beginning of September” in black, white, gold, silver, and blue.

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The Dumbphone Lives On with the Nokia 130

Posted on by Hannah Becker

Despite ditching its Android efforts, Microsoft hasn’t fully pulled Nokia out of the entry-level smartphone market. In fact, with the recently-unveiled Nokia 130, the company is staking a claim in the entry-level dumphone market.

nokia130The Nokia 130 is a throwback to the candy bar designs of yore, complete with 1.8-inch display (120 x 160 resolution) and a physical number pad. It’s available with a single or dual SIM slot, and supports microSD cards up to 32 GB. According to Microsoft, the battery power should give users 16 hours of continuous video playback, or 46 hours of music playback. On standby, the smartphone is advertised to last 36 days (single SIM) and 26 days (dual SIM). The device also has a built-in FM radio.

The Nokia 130 supports USB 2.0, Bluetooth 3.0, and sports a 3.5mm AV jack.

The Nokia 130 will be available in red, black, or white, and will ship in the coming months in select countries such as China, India, Pakistan and various African nations. In other words, this dumbphone is meant for developing economies. The no-frills smartphone is priced at 19 Euros, or $25.

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