maximum tech

Samsung's Water Resistant Galaxy S4 Active Lands at AT&T for $200

Paul Lilly — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:10:40 +0000

A phone that's not afraid of a little water.

The thing about smartphones is that even though they're offered at a large discount when signing up for a two-year service agreement, if you don't opt for an accidental damage warranty, you could be looking at a costly replacement if something goes wrong. What happens if you're sitting by the pool and your Galaxy S4 decides to squirt out of your hand and go for a swim? The outcome isn't likely a good one (try sticking it in a bag or bowl of uncooked rice for a day or two). However, Samsung's Galaxy S4 Active isn't quite as fragile.

The Galaxy S4 Active is designed for, well, active individuals. It's IP67 certified to be water-resistant and dust-resistant, which means you can rest a little easier at the beach or when you go hiking. It even has an Aqua Mode that allows you to snap underwater photos.

Like the regular Galaxy S4, the Active model sports a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It also has an 8MP rear-facing camera, 4G LTE support, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box.

AT&T will be the first carrier to offer the Galaxy S4 Active when it becomes available June 1st. It will sell for $200 with a two-year data commitment.

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Goodbye Microsoft Points, Hello Real Currency

Paul Lilly — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:19:55 +0000

Microsoft Points being phased out.

Microsoft earlier this week finally revealed details about its next generation game console, the Xbox One, at the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3), setting in motion an eventual showdown this holiday shopping season with Sony's PlayStation 4 (and Nintendo's Wii U, though that one's been out for awhile). Most of the unveiling focused on upcoming games, though one tidbit that's been mostly overlooked is that Microsoft is finally moving away from its Microsoft Points system in favor of real currency.

Beginning this fall, gamers will make purchases using their local currency instead of virtual currency. This is great news, considering that the Xbox One is so heavily invested in the cloud. From downloadable content (DLC) to games and other goods and services, gamers figure to spend a boatload of money on the Xbox One.

Currently Microsoft sells Points in 400 ($5), 800 ($10), 1600 ($20), 4,000 ($50), and 6,000 ($75) increments. After Microsoft transitions to a real currency model, any existing points you already have will be converted over, which you can then redeem. Also, you'll still be able to redeem any Microsoft Points cards that are collecting dust.

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Upcoming 7-inch Android Tablets Could Dip Below $100

Paul Lilly — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:37:30 +0000

Low cost tablets are fast becoming a reality.

It took some time, but Google's hardware partners finally got the memo that consumers are interested in affordable Android tablets, and the lower the price the better. That's not to say Android can't compete with the iPad at the $499 tier and above, but by and large, consumers hoped Android would usher in affordable slates, and that's what we've been seeing this past year. Tablet makers may take it to a whole new level, however, by introducing $99 Android slates later this year.

According to Digitimes, there's a "good chance" we'll see $99 Android tablets in the third quarter of 2013. Asus is credited with setting the wheels in motion by unveiling its new 7-inch Memo Pad HD, which carries an MSRP of just $129 for the 8GB model. The general consensus among those behind the scenes is that other brand vendors will follow in Asus' footsteps, and perhaps even undercut the Memo Pad HD.

Before the Memo Pad HD, the lowest price 7-inch Android tablet from a name-brand manufacturer was the Acer iconia B1. It runs $149 and features a dual-core processor, 8GB of built-in storage, microSD card slot, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

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Barnes & Noble Offers Deep Discounts on Nook HD and HD+ for Father's Day

Paul Lilly — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:32:12 +0000

Save up to $120!

Barnes & Noble is pushing hard to make its Nook HD (7 inches) and Nook HD+ (8.9 inches) tablets the go-to gift item for Father's Day by rolling out its deepest discounts to date. That's saying something, considering you could have saved anywhere from $50 to $90 on a Nook HD/HD+ for Mother's Day. This time around the discounts run as deep as $120, provided you make a purchase between now and June 16, 2013.

"he best gift for Father’s Day is now even better thanks to this special limited-time offer for our award-winning 7- and 9-inch tablets," said Jamie Iannone, president of Nook Media. "Nook HD and Nook HD+ are not only beautifully designed, lightweight devices with stunning displays, they now offer customers the most reading and entertainment content we’ve ever offered, at the best prices ever."

Take a look at the discounted prices:

Nook HD 8GB: $129 (down from $199)
Nook HD 16GB: $149 (down from $229)
Nook HD+ 16GB: $149 (down from $269)
Nook HD+ 32GB: $179 (down from $299)

Just as with the Mother's Day promotion, B&N is selling both the Nook HD 16GB and Nook HD+ 16GB for the same price (in other words, that's not a typo).

All of these represent pretty decent values, and with the money saved, you could pick up a Nook to Android (N2A) card that allows you to dual-boot into a clean version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

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SteelSeries to Showcase New H-Series Headset Line at E3 2013

Pulkit Chandna — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:28:06 +0000

Range starts at $39.99

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is right around the corner and gaming peripheral maker SteelSeries is super excited about the new products that it has lined up for this year’s event. The company will be showcasing a trio of headsets at E3 2013, which gets underway on June 11, SteelSeries announced in a press release Thursday.

The three headsets together form the new H-Series line and, according to the press release, have been designed to deliver “tournament-grade” audio. Featuring 7.1 surround sound, new sound isolation tech, a USB soundcard and a robust-yet-lightweight design, the 9H is chief among the three H-Series headsets. In fact, the $159.99 (MSRP) headset is not only supposed to be the series flagship, but the company says it is also “our best competitive gaming headset yet.”

At $79.99, the 5Hv3 costs half as much as the 9H, but has the same sound isolating double enclosure earcup technology as the latter. Further, it also packs a retractable microphone. Completing the triad is the entry-level 3Hv2, which costs just $39.99 and features next-gen SteelSeries audio drivers, extra-padded leather cushions, a retractable microphone, and in-line audio controls on its soft-rubber cable.

The 5Hv3 and 3Hv3 headsets will be hitting the market this summer, with the 9H making its commercial debut “this fall in Q3.”

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Wikipad 7 Gaming Tablet Coming to the U.S. on June 11 for $249

Pulkit Chandna — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:33:06 +0000

Global launch planned for this summer

A product first showcased at last year’s Consumer Electronics Show, the Wikipad gaming tablet is so woefully behind its original release schedule that all but the most optimistic people believed Wikipad, Inc., the Los Angeles-based company behind the tablet, when it promised a spring 2013 debut back in February this year. It now seems that the company is indeed pretty serious about avoiding the ignominy of perishing without bringing a single product to the market.

The Android Jelly Bean-powered Wikipad 7 will finally be available in the U.S. on June 11 at a retail price of $249, the company said in a press release Tuesday. Even though the tablet in question is, as the company promised in February, a 7-incher, the Wikipad was originally supposed to be an 8-inch device.

Best characterized by its “award winning and patented” snap-on gamepad accessory, the Wikipad 7 is a Tegra 3-powered tablet that sports a 7” multi-touch display (1280x800), 1GB DDR3 memory, 16GB internal storage, up to 32GB microSD storage, 2MP front camera, micro USB, micro-HDMI, GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and a 4100mAh battery. Since the Wikipad 7 is a PlayStation Certified device, gamers will be able to enjoy both Android (including Tegra-optimized titles) and Sony PlayStation Mobile games on it.

“The Wikipad is the only tablet to possess both the unique combination of console quality experience with the functionality and portability of a tablet thanks to its award-winning and patented detachable dual-analog controller,” reads the press release.

“When the gamepad controller is detached, Wikipad’s sleek design and full Android 4.1 Jelly Bean functionality make it a powerfully versatile tablet whether you are surfing the web, reading emails or enjoying all the latest films, books, magazines music, Skype and apps at home or on the go.”

According to the company, the Wikipad 7 will be available in the UK and other parts of the world this summer.

Image Credit: Wikipad, Inc.

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PSA: Save $20 on an Amazon Kindle Fire HD for Father's Day

Paul Lilly — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 19:23:48 +0000

A gift your pops will like more than a tie.

Father's Day is only a couple of weeks away, and one way to celebrate the occasion is by getting your dad a gift. You could go with a tie (again) or some other piece of clothing, take him out to dinner, or wait for us to finalize our gift guide (hang tight, it's coming). One of the items that has a high chance of making the list is Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, and if you' don't procrastinate, you can save yourself $20 with the purchase of one.

Amazon dropped us a note to let us know that from now through June 8, 2013, it's offering $20 off its Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch, and Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 4G models when you use promotional code DADSFIRE at checkout. It's good while supplies last.

The Kindle Fire HD line starts at $199 for a 16GB model with "Special Offers" (home screen ads, basically). The 32GB models runs $229. Add $15 to each one to remove the Special Offers function. Pricing for the rest of the lineup looks like this:

Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 16GB: $269 ($284 w/o Special Offers)
Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 32GB: $299 ($314 w/o Special Offers)
Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 32GB 4G: $399 ($414 w/o Special Offers)
Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 64GB 4G: $499 ($514 w/o Special Offers)

The $20 off promotional code works with any of the above eight models.

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Microsoft Critical of Samsung Galaxy S4's Price Compared to Nokia's Lumia 521

Paul Lilly — Fri, 31 May 2013 17:18:11 +0000

Is the Galaxy S4 worth the pricing premium?

Thinking about picking up Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone? Before you do, Microsoft wants you to consider the price. Off contract, a Galaxy S4 will set you back "a cool $750," compared to Nokia's Lumia 521, a Windows Phone 8 device that costs $150 off-contract. Oh yes, Microsoft went there, and then shot a YouTube video showing all the things you could purchase at a Microsoft Store with the money you saved.

To be fair, Microsoft wasn't disparaging of the Galaxy S4's hardware. Ben Rudolph, the Microsoft Evangelist who penned the post, pointed out that the Galaxy S4 has a decent camera and display, and thousands of apps to choose from. It's just that the off-contract price is high.

"The new Nokia Lumia 521 also has a good camera, a good display, thousands of apps, and the ability to keep you connected to the weather, sports, news, and all of the people you care about (and because it’s a Windows Phone, it does so arguably better than Android). And you can get it for $150 off-contract," Rudolph stated.

It's an interesting comparison on a number of levels, the first of which is that the two handsets he compares aren't really in the same league. The Galaxy S4 is Samsung's flagship Android device, whereas Nokia's Lumia 521 is more of an entry-level smartphone, as Rudolph himself attests in a separate blog post. And then there's the idea of buying a phone off-contract rather than inking a 2-year service agreement and getting a discount on the hardware.

Regardless of all that, Rudolph figured out that the price difference between the two devices is enough to purchase a 16GB Kingston microSD card, 3-month Xbox Music pass, Nokia Purity earbuds by Monster, and Asus VivoBook X202E touchscreen laptop, and you'd still have $4 to spare.

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HTC One Sans Sense Software is Reportedly in Development

Paul Lilly — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:14:40 +0000

This is the One for stock Android lovers.

Handset makers and wireless carriers love to load up Google's Android platform with custom overlays, user interface tweaks, and third-party programs that don't ship natively with the open source operating system. That's great for them, but most power users would prefer a clean version of Android to work with, which is why the third-party ROM community is popular. Well, following in the footsteps of Samsung and it's custom S4 that was announced at Google I/O, HTC is reportedly kicking around the idea of offering a Google Edition of its One smartphone.

News of the custom HTC One comes from Russell Holly over at Geek.com. Citing un-named sources, Holly says the Google Edition device would be offered in the U.S. first, though it's unclear if it would be carried in the Play Store like the Galaxy S4 will be.

Other details are equally light and vague, though Holly claims an official announcement could come within the next two weeks, with a release likely planned for sometime this summer.

Assuming prices are roughly the same, which would you rather own, a clean version of the HTC One or Samsung Galaxy S4?

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Netflix Chief Sparks Mini Revolt Among Some BlackBerry 10 Users

Paul Lilly — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:28:01 +0000

Cries of "boycott!" emanate from the BlackBerry 10 camp.

Netflix has been known to rile up its subscribers on occasion. The biggest example of this is when Netflix tried to sever its DVD-by-mail division into a spinoff called "Qwikster" so that it could focus all its efforts on streaming. That didn't sit very well with consumers, but it wouldn't be the last time the company would make an unpopular decision. Just a few days ago, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings hinted that his company currently has no plans of developing a BlackBerry 10 app.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Hastings was asked if he'd had a chance to try out any of the new BB10 devices yet.

"No. Like many people I was a BlackBerry addict from 1997 or 1998 through to the iPhone but I haven't tried it. We don't currently support streaming on the BlackBerry, it's a unique operating system you have to target, and unfortunately there's just not enough volume for entertainment (apps)," Hastings responded.

Hastings conceded it's a "great device" for productivity chores, but when it comes to entertainment, he doesn't believe people interact with BB10 devices the same way they do an iPhone or Android device.

His comments sparked some users on the CrackBerry forum to boycott Netflix and to encourage others to cancel all subscriptions, home and mobile.

"That's right all and when asked why you are cancelling, make damn sure you tell them [it's because] Netflix will not be on BlackBerry devices," the opening post reads.

The post drew support from several users, though not all of them.

"BlackBerry is ultimately responsible for its own ecosystem. It might not be fair, and I KNOW y'all won't agree, but while I concede that BlackBerry has worked hard to rectify the app gap, the absence of an app is BlackBerry's responsibility," a forum user posted. "I believe Netflix will come when an agreement is reached."

In other words, BlackBerry made its bed, now it has to sleep in it, is what the above poster is saying.

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Samsung Touts Over 10 Million Galaxy S4 Sales in First Month

Paul Lilly — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:21:27 +0000

Fastest selling Galaxy device to date.

The cold, hard truth for companies like Nokia and HTC is that one of their biggest competitors, Samsung, is red hot right now. Apple faces the same concern, though the Cupertino company isn't fighting for scraps like the other guys, it's leaving them behind alongside Samsung, the latter of which just announced it has surpassed 10 million Galaxy S4 sales in less than a month after its commercial debut.

If it took you 10 seconds to get to this point in the article, Samsung just sold another 40 Galaxy S4 devices, as the South Korean handset maker claims it's selling four S4 devices every second. It's a new record for Samsung, which is seeing quicker sales with its Galaxy S4 than any of its predecessors.

"On behalf of Samsung, I would like to thank the millions of customers around the world who have chosen the Samsung Galaxy S4. At Samsung we’ll continue to pursue innovation inspired by and for people," said JK Shin, CEO and President of the IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

There's no single reason for Samsung's success, but several. Android at this point is a mature operating system that's really come into its own with the launch of Jelly Bean; the Galaxy S4 device itself is well equipped with a large screen, fast processor, and several features; and finally, Samsung has done a great job marketing the S4's features in a series of TV ad spots, especially when it comes to showing off the built-in camera and the device's editing tricks.

It also helps that Samsung has made the device available in many corners of the world. The Galaxy S4 is currently being sold in more than 110 countries and will gradually be rolled out to 155 territories via 327 partners.

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Google I/O Part 1: $9.99/Month Streaming Music, Unlocked Galaxy S4

Paul Lilly — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:44:44 +0000

Plenty happening at Google I/O.

Google I/O kicked off this morning and is still going on at the time of this writing, but rather than make you wait for a roundup of the highlights, we thought we'd pass along some of the more interesting developments that have already occurred. One of the biggest ones is the introduction of a streaming music service, as previously rumored, to go up against the likes of Pandora, Spotify, Slacker, and eventually Apple, to name a few.

The search giant's All Access music service runs $9.99 per month, though you can sign up for a 30-day free trial before jumping in with your wallet. There is an incentive for being an early adopter -- sign up by June 30th and you'll only pay $7.99 per month.

In addition to streaming songs you've already purchased, which is a trick you can already do with Google, the All Access service also allows you to tap into millions of tracks you don't own.

Similar to Pandora, Google will provide personalized listening recommendations, including playlists curated by Google's music editors. No songs will be greyed out -- if you see it, you can play it. You can also turn songs into radio stations and peek at the related playlist. Notice a song on your station's playlist you don't like? Swipe it away! You can even rearrange songs, giving you unprecedented control in the streaming music space. Or as Google puts it, it's radio without rules.

All Access is available immediately in the U.S. and will roll out to other parts of the world shortly.

Moving along, the other big announcement thus far is that of an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S4 handset. This particular version of the S4 will be available from Google Play. It's built by Samsung, but is running a clean version of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean "with the same software experience" that Google ships on its Nexus devices. This version works with both AT&T and T-Mobile, has 4G LTE support, is equipped with 16GB of internal storage, has an unlocked bootloader, will receive Android updates "promptly" as they're made available, and will be available for $649 starting June 26 (an eerie silence from an otherwise energetic crowd emanated after the price was disclosed, followed by scattered nervous laughter).

So, what do you think about the All Access music service and unlocked Galaxy S4? Post your thoughts in the comments section below!

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Nvidia Announces Project Shield Release Date, Price

Pulkit Chandna — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:27:15 +0000

Company now accepting pre-orders for the handheld from the most eager "fans"

At a time when dedicated handheld gaming devices are struggling to remain relevant, Nvidia is pressing ahead with plans to launch a handheld of its own. The chipmaker on Monday made its Tegra 4-powered Project Shield (codename) handheld available for pre-order to those who took the trouble of signing up for Shield-related updates by clicking ‘Notify Me’ on the official Shield website.

The upcoming Android-running device, which it unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, will now be known simply as Shield and set consumers back $349, the company announced today. Nvidia will start taking pre-orders from the general public through Newegg, GameStop, Micro Center, Canada Computers and the Shield website on May 20, 2013, with the first units expected to reach customers in late June.

Shield runs what Nvidia says is “pure” Android (Jelly Bean). With Nvidia deciding against locking down the OS (à la Amazon Kindle Fire), gamers will have access to all the latest and greatest games and apps in the Play Store. In fact, a couple of games will come bundled with it.

However, it would be foolish to think that its console-esque controller is merely aimed at making the many touch-unfriendly Android games out there a touch (pardon the pun) more playable. Shield’s controller is sure to come in very handy when gamers choose to stream their favorite PC games from their GeForce GTX GPU-powered PCs to the handheld.

Here’s a quick rundown of its specs:

Processor: NVIDIA Tegra 4 Quad Core Mobile Processor with 2GB RAM
Controller: Console-grade controller with dual analog joysticks, a full-sized D-Pad, left and right analog triggers, full-sized bumpers and A/B/X/Y buttons
Display: 5-inch, 720p retinal multi-touch display
Audio: Integrated stereo speakers with built-in microphone
Games and Apps: Android titles in the Play Store and PC games via GeForce game streaming
Bundled Software: Google Play, TegraZone, Sonic 4 Episode II THD, Expendable: Rearmed, Hulu Plus, TwitchTV
Storage: 16GB Flash Memory
Wireless: 802.11n 2x2 Mimo Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS
Connectivity: Mini-HDMI output, Micro-USB 2.0, MicroSD storage slot, 3.5mm stereo headphone jack with microphone support
Motion Sensors: 3 Axis Gyro, 3 Axis Accelerometer
Battery: 28.8 Watt Hours

Has Nvidia put paid to Shield’s chances of success by pricing it in line with home consoles, or do you think that the handheld has enough juice to justify its hefty price tag? Do tell us what you think.

Global Smart Mobile Device Shipments Topped 300 Million Last Quarter

Paul Lilly — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:14:47 +0000

Smart device shipments are booming.

Convenience is the name of the game, and today more than ever, mobility is playing a huge factor in consumers' buying decisions for electronic devices. Gadget makers are answering the call, and in the first quarter of 2013, they shipped more than 300 million mobile devices around the world, according to the latest data published by Canalys, a market research and analysis firm.

The number of mobile shipments in Q1 2013 is 37.4 percent higher than it was in the same quarter a year ago, Canalys says. No platform benefited more than Android, which is the OS of choice on nearly 60 percent of all smart mobile devices shipped, followed by iOS at 19.3 percent. Microsoft wasn't far behind Apple, grabbing 18.1 percent of the market.

It should be noted that Canalys isn't just counting tablets and smartphones, but also notebooks and presumably hybrid laptops, too. The tablet market grew the fastest, however, with tablet shipments more than doubling from last year to 41.9 million units.

There were 216.3 million smartphones shipped in Q1, up 47.9 percent year-over-year. Android handsets accounted for more than 75 percent of them, with Samsung leading the way by growing its volume by 64.3 percent, Canalys says.

As for notebook PC shipments, they totaled 50.5 million units, down 13.1 percent compared to Q1 2013. Western Europe saw the biggest decline, where shipments fell by 25.2 percent year-over-year.

"While there are macroeconomic factors that contribute to this ongoing trend, the impact of tablets must not be understated," said Canalys Research Analyst, Pin-Chen Tang. "The combination of ARM-based chipsets and Android has taken computing devices to new, lower price points. If Microsoft and Intel are serious about capitalizing on this exploding market, both will need to ensure that their OEMs can remain competitive on price."

Canalys is likely right, and the good news for Microsoft is that Windows 8 devices are starting to come down in price.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Teardown Reveals $229 BOM (U.S. Version)

Paul Lilly — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:09:23 +0000

IHS iSupply tears down the Galaxy S4 from Samsung.

Barring a sale price or a promotion, you're liklely to pay $200 for a Samsung Galaxy S4 handset, not including the overall cost of a two-year service agreement to qualify for subsidized pricing. Data fees notwithstanding, that's $29 less than the bill of materials (BOM). Manufacturing costs add another $8.50 per device, so on paper, Samsung is paying $237.50 for every Galaxy S4 device it builds.

That's according to IHS iSuppli, which examined the BOM of both the U.S. and South Korean versions of the Galaxy S4 and determined that they're "as different as kimchee and coleslaw." How so?

The South Korean build uses slightly different parts, including a higher end Samsung Exynos 5 Octa (5410) processor versus the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core chip found in the U.S. variant. There are a few other hardware differences that make the South Korean model a bit more expensive to build at $244 for the BOM and $252.50 for the overall cost.

"With at least four different known incarnations of the Galaxy S4, Samsung is demonstrating its strategy of offering a mobile product that has appealing features and pricing—and then adapting the device to suit the tastes of varying markets or regions," said Vincent Leung, senior analyst, teardown services, for IHS. "This approach is in stark contrast to the one-size-fits-all philosophy used by Apple Inc., Samsung’s primary competitor in the wireless space. While the Korean and U.S. versions of the S4 look pretty much the same and have in terms of their core electronics many same core features—such as the enclosure, display, camera and battery—the products are as different from each other as kimchee and coleslaw."

The primary difference between the two is the processor, as stated above. Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa chip is an eight-core part, though not in the way you might be thinking. It has four 1.6GHz Cortex A16 cores that fire up when playing games or other processor intensive-tasks, and four 1.2GHz Cortex A7 cores that handle less demanding tasks. Only one cluster runs at any given time, so in reality, it still functions as a quad-core phone.

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