ASUS Debuts Impressive Phones at CES

Posted on by John Mulligan

ASUS is making waves at CES with two eye-catching smartphones – and one of them will be coming to the U.S. Better yet, when it does, it’ll be one of the lowest priced off-contract smartphones on the market.

The ASUS ZenFone2 got a lot of attention at CES this year.

The ASUS ZenFone2 got a lot of attention at CES this year.

The ASUS ZenFone 2, which is marked for U.S. release according to Gizmodo, will run for only $200 without a contract. And for that price, it will provide a relatively high-end device: A 5.5-inch 1080p display, 2 GB of RAM, and a 13-megapixel camera, all running from a quad-core 1.8 GHz Intel Atom processor. On paper, the specs look impressive so we’re very much looking forward to getting our hands on the latest ZenFone.

Another ASUS device is catching attention on the show floor: The ZenFone Zoom is being called the first smartphone with a zooming camera. Other smartphones dilute quality when they zoom in, but this one will be able to maintain top quality at high distances – the Zoom will sport a 13-megapixel camera, with 3x optical zoom capability. The camera is backed by optical image stabilization, laser-guided autofocus, and a xenon flash.

While the processor has not yet been disclosed, many of the other specifications mirror those of the ZenFone 2. However, that exceptional camera increases the price considerably: The Zoom will run for $400. On top of that, there’s been no official word on availability.

The post ASUS Debuts Impressive Phones at CES appeared first on Brighthand.com.

LG G Flex 2 Aims to Realize the Potential of Curved Smartphones

Posted on by John Mulligan

In late 2013, LG first unveiled the G Flex, its first smartphone to feature a curved display, and now the sequel has debuted at CES.

The LG G Flex2 is a step up in the curved smartphone game.

The LG G Flex2 is a step up in the curved smartphone game.

The G Flex 2, which is set for release in Korea later this month, will come equipped with a Snapdragon 810 processor, and Octa-Core 64-bit capable CPUs optimized for Android 5.0. A 2.1 megapixel camera is stationed on the front, with a 13 megapixel shooter on the rear. More importantly, the curved screen from the first G Flex was improved: The display has been bumped up to 1080p, and the “self healing” back cover (which is said to fix nicks and scratches within 10 seconds) has been upgraded. Even the curves themselves are deeper. The first edition had a 700mm radius curved profile, but the G Flex 2 can shift from anywhere from 400mm to 700mm; across the front, back, sides, and edges. This allows users to shift from an “immersive viewing experience” (at 700mm) to a slighter curvature for easy pocket storage.

The G Flex 2 will also be stocked with software developed its curved screen, such as Gesture Shot (to “check your last shot immediately after taking a photo or selfie”) and Glance View (which shows the time, recent messages, and other select information via a swipe option on a curved part of the screen, even as the main display remains off). While the initial Korean release is set for this month, LG announced that the G Flex 2 will be released in other markets later this year. But at the moment, it’s on display at LG’s booth at CES – and we’ll have a full report once we test it.

The post LG G Flex 2 Aims to Realize the Potential of Curved Smartphones appeared first on Brighthand.com.

Posted in LG

Apple Site Aims to Stop iMessage from Hiding Texts

Posted on by John Mulligan

Ever feel like your friends have been ignoring your texts? If you’ve been an iPhone user in the recent past and have since moved on to a different platform, there may be a technical explanation: For years, Apple’s routing of messages through its proprietary iMessage system has led to massive amounts of texts to be sent into nothingness.

Apple iPhone 6

Apple iPhone 6

The problem is that once iPhone users are no longer using iOS, they cannot accept texts through iMessage, which is only compatible with iOS devices. However, friends can still send that user texts — and when they do, those messages can get lost in Apple’s servers, never to be seen by their intended recipients.

There have always been ways to avoid this problem: Affected users could simply disable iMessage before they switch devices, or re-insert an old SIM card into their last iPhone and turn off the app from there. Those who got rid of their iPhones before doing any of this, however, have always been out of luck. The only way to proceed in that case is to manually deregister an old device from their Apple accounts altogether, a typically annoying process.

Thankfully, Apple has now released a simpler fix. With its new web tool, you can now deregister iMessage from your old phone just by entering your affected device’s phone number and a corresponding SMS confirmation code. The site arrives months after some users affected by iMessage’s invisible texts filed a class-action lawsuit against the Cupertino company over the issue. So if it seems that the number of texts you receive has dropped dramatically since switching from iOS to Android or Windows Phone, you may want to investigate; the problem may be Apple’s.

Via: Reddit

The post Apple Site Aims to Stop iMessage from Hiding Texts appeared first on Brighthand.com.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge Will Bring Its Curves to the US

Posted on by John Mulligan

Smartphones come in different colors and sizes all the time, but most don’t bother to mess with accepted design standards. Yet that’s exactly what Samsung is doing with its latest release, the Galaxy Note Edge. Today, the phone, which we previewed earlier this year, has been confirmed for a U.S. release on November 14.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

So what’s the big change? The Galaxy Note Edge has more or less the same specs and hardware as the Galaxy Note 4, massive quad-HD display and all, but the right-facing edge of the screen is sloped downwards. It’s a bit funky looking, but it gives things like app shortcuts, notifications, in-app controls, and additional streams of info their own hub alongside whatever you’re doing on the main screen.

The Note Edge will be available at AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular carriers later this month, but there will be a hefty cost attached to the potentially innovative device. AT&T will charge $400 for the phone with a 2-year contact, and $950 without. Sprint, meanwhile, will offer the device on a $35 per-month payment plan lasting 2 years, adding up to a total of roughly $840. Prices at the other three carriers have not been disclosed at the time of this writing.

Compare that to the already above-average price of a Galaxy Note 4, and the Edge immediately becomes one of the costlier devices on the market. The question, then: Is the curve worth the cost?

The post Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge Will Bring Its Curves to the US appeared first on Brighthand.com.

Microsoft Aims for a Different Kind of Wearable with $200 Microsoft Band

Posted on by John Mulligan

Smartwatches and other wearable devices are allowing consumers to track their movements and activities even more precisely than they can with smartphones. As such, numerous apps, devices, and programs are being developed to help individuals better manage their health and exercise — like Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health, introduced by the Redmond company this week.

Microsoft Band

Microsoft Band

The Band is a wrist-worn device that keeps tabs on your heart rate, daily exercise stats, and sleeping patterns, among other expected fitness tracking capabilities. It’s more than that, though: According to Microsoft’s announcement, the Band will also include a built-in GPS, UV sensor, stress monitor, and a fair amount of smartwatch-style notifications for things like text messages, emails, and social media alerts. It’ll even support a handful of apps, ranging from MapMyFitness to a Starbucks app that lets you pay for drinks with a scannable barcode.

All of this comes in an 18.5-millimeter plastic band that comes in three separate sizes and includes a relatively small 1.4-inch, 320 x 106 touchscreen. Two 100 mAh batteries are built in along with that.

Microsoft Band

Microsoft Band

The device is one piece of Microsoft’s cloud-based Health initiative, which allows consumers to obtain what Microsoft calls “actionable insights” based on data gathered from health- and fitness-related apps stored on their phones and other devices (such as the Band). This means that — without any need for a phone — you could, say, use GPS to track the distance and speed of your daily run, then transmit that data to your Health account in the cloud, which will then match it up with other data and provide you with analysis.

You can try these features out immediately: The Band is on sale at Microsoft stores and its official website today, while the Health app, crucially, works in conjunction with Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices. The wearable is priced at $200, less than much of Apple and Google’s offerings, though this is much more of a hybrid device than something like the Apple Watch or LG G Watch R. In all, though, this may be the ideal smartwatch for people who don’t want a standard smartwatch.

Source: Microsoft

The post Microsoft Aims for a Different Kind of Wearable with $200 Microsoft Band appeared first on Brighthand.com.