maximum tech

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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Barnes & Noble Slashes Nook HD and HD+ Prices for Mother's Day

Paul Lilly — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:16:50 +0000

Yet another reason to consider the Nook HD/HD+.

With so many low-cost tablets entering the fray, Barnes & Noble wants to make sure it's Nook HD and Nook HD+ don't get overlooked. To help put them both in the spotlight, B&N last week issued a firmware update that added Google Play access to the tablets, making it much more difficult to pigeonhole them as glorified eBook readers. And if that wasn't enough incentive, B&N just dropped the price by about 30 percent for Mother's Day.

"In recognition that the best gift for Mother’s Day is now even better, we’re proud to offer 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."

Here's a look at the new pricing:

Nook HD 8GB: $149 (down from $199)
Nook HD 16GB: $179 (down from $229)
Nook HD+ 16GB: $179 (down from $269)
Nook HD+ 32GB: $209 (down from $299)

That's not a typo -- the 16GB Nook HD and HD+ are priced the same at $179, with the latter arguably the best value of the bunch. They're all priced competitively with the competition, though not to be outdone, Amazon is offering $20 off its Kindle FireHD line with coupon code FIRE4MOM:

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 16GB: $199 - $20 = $179
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 32GB: $229 - $20 = $209

The coupon doesn't work on the Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch models, however, so B&N still has an edge overall.

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Microsoft Reportedly Prepping a Smaller, Cheaper Surface Tablet

Paul Lilly — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:29:22 +0000

Second generation Surface rumors are heating up.

Multiple sources are saying that Microsoft is currently working on another Surface tablet, one that will likely be smaller in size than the current models, and less expensive as well. If the rumors are true, then it means Microsoft received the memo that $500 tablets without an Apple logo are a tough sell. which is the same memo Google's hardware partners received long ago in reference to Android.

If you recall, Android tablets didn't fly off of store shelves when they were first introduced, either. A big reason for that is because manufacturers were trying to compete at a premium price point with an open-source operating system that many assumed would lead to lower cost devices. It may have taken longer than most people expected, but Android tablets from name-brand vendors have certainly come down in price, and size, and they're selling extremely well as a result.

Whether or not Microsoft can enjoy the same sort of success by launching a smaller, cheaper version of Surface remains to be seen, but it's worth exploring. According to NPD DisplaySearch, Microsoft is planning to launch a 7.5-inch version of Surface with a 1400x1050 resolution (233 pixels per inch), CNET reports. However, mass production won't begin until the first quarter of 2014.

News and rumor site Digitimes is also saying a smaller Surface is in the works, though it pegs the panel as being between 7-9 inches in size. Citing sources from the upstream supply chain, Digitimes says Microsoft is likely to make an announcement at the company's Build Developer Conference.

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BlackBerry Chief Believes Need for Tablets Will Disappear in Five Years

Paul Lilly — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:02:08 +0000

Are tablets a passing fad?

It seems like the whole world has gone crazy over tablets, and you can't go more than a week without some market research firm posting gloom and doom numbers on the desktop PC side due to consumer interest in mobile. Be that as it may, and despite falling prices for increasingly powerful tablets, not everyone believes the form factor will stand the test of time. Just the opposite, BlackBerry's Thorstein Heins -- the guy who runs the show -- believes tablets are a bad business model that will be lucky to last past 2018.

"In five years I don’t think there will be a reason to have a tablet anymore," Heins told Bloomberg in an interview yesterday at the Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles. "Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such. Tablets themselves are not a good business model."

Heins may still feel jaded after his company's BlackBerry PlayBook essentially crashed and burned (incidentally, Daily Steals is selling a re-certified 7-inch PlayBook today for a mere $119, a far cry from the tablet's original $499 price tag when it first debuted). These days the Canadian company is focused on making a comeback in mobile via smartphones and its BlackBerry 10 (BB10) platform. It's through these products that Heins and company hope to be "the absolute leader in mobile computing" in five years.

In a separate interview with Bloomberg Television, Heins acknowledged reports that BlackBerry's Q10 device is selling very well in the U.K., adding he expects to sell "tens of millions of units."

Do you agree that tablets will essentially become obsolete in five years?

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Samsung Reportedly Readying Octa-Core Nexus 11 Tablet

Pulkit Chandna — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:42:56 +0000

Nexus 10 successor said to pack an 11-inch display

Given Google's unwillingness to disclose sales figures pertaining to its Nexus tablets, we are left with no other choice but to rely on educated guesses by market analysts like Enders Analysis strategy consultant Benedict Evans, who recently estimated the total sales of Nexus 7 to be around 6.8 million units and that of the Nexus 10 around one-tenth as much. Evans’ Nexus 10 sales estimate in particular, if it bears any truth, is nothing to write home about. But, if a new rumor is to be believed, Nexus 10 manufacturer Samsung may be working on redeeming itself by launching the world’s first octa-core tablet.

According to SamMobile.com, a successor to the Nexus 10 is in the works at Samsung, but needs one final approval from Google. The site describes the Nexus 11, as the rumored device is allegedly called, as being a “high-end 11” tablet.” Besides an octa-core Exynox 5410 chip, it is said to pack an 11-inch Super PLS TFT display, an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. Apparently, MicroSD support is also likely, but hasn’t been confirmed.

In the same report, the site talks about three other tablets upcoming tablets: the dual-core, dual-sim Galaxy Tab DUOS 7.0 that has a 7-inch display (1024x600); the quad-core (Exynox 4412) Galaxy Tab 8.0 that sports an 8-inch full HD display; and finally a dual-core (Exynos 5250) variant of the Nexus 11 caled Galaxy Tab 11.

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Sony Xperia Tablet Z Available to Pre-order for $500

Paul Lilly — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:24:37 +0000

There's no thinner 10.1-inch tablet, according to Sony.

Sony's wedge-shaped Xperia Tablet S didn't exactly take the Android tablet market by storm, and truth be told, we don't think the Xperia Tablet Z will either, though it's an interesting slate. The Xperia Tablet Z, which is now available to pre-order for $500 on Sony's website, is supposedly the world's thinnest 10.1-inch slate measuring just 0.27 inches thick and weighing barely more than a pound (1.09 pounds, to be precise).

In addition to being thin and light, the Z model is also water and dust resistant. Sony claims it can withstand up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes, so you can look up recipes by the kitchen sink or surf the web poolside without worrying about a little bit of water splashing the screen.

At $500, Sony's charging a premium price at a time when Android tablets are becoming increasingly affordable. In return, the Xperia Tablet Z offers a Full HD 1080p (1920x1200) resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage flanked by a microSD card slot, USB 2.0 connectivity, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC support, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box.

By all means, it's a high-end slate that will likely find some eager buyers, we just don't know if there's a significant market for $500 Android tablets right now. We'll soon find out.

Shipments for the Xperia Tablet Z are estimated to begin May 22, 2013.

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HP Slate 7 Android Tablet Now Available, Sports $170 Price Tag

Pulkit Chandna — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 08:20:55 +0000

Hewlett-Packard re-enters the media tablet market with 7-inch Android Jelly Bean tablet

If you are a PC vendor mulling a foray into the world of smartphones and media tables, there is perhaps no other platform more convenient than Android for this purpose. That is not to say that it is an option that readily appeals to everyone, especially those who give priority to control over convenience. But, as tempting as it might be, to have your own OS, it does not guarantee success and can be a very costly exercise. Just ask HP, which has taken almost two years to recover from the unmitigated disaster that was the TouchPad and re-enter the tablet market.

The company has begun shipping the Jelly Bean-running Slate 7 Android tablet it unveiled back in February at the Mobile World Congress. The 7-inch Slate 7, which sports a $169.99 price tag, packs a 1024x600 display, 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage (up to 32GB external storage), VGA front camera, 3MP rear camera, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, micro USB port, and stereo speakers with Beats Audio. Its 3500mAh lithium polymer battery promises up to 5 hours of continuous video playback.

"To address the growing interest in tablets among consumers and businesses alike, HP will offer a range of form factors and leverage an array of operating systems," said Alberto Torres, senior vice president, Mobility Global Business Unit, HP. "Our new HP Slate7 on Android represents a compelling entry point for consumer tablets, while our ground-breaking, business-ready HP ElitePad on Windows® 8 is ideal for enterprises and governments. Both deliver the service and support people expect from HP."

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Smartphones, Tablets Will Account for 64 Billion Game Downloads by 2017

Paul Lilly — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:36:13 +0000

Free-to-play games proving popular on mobile devices.

Mobile gaming is already popular, but if new data from Juniper Research proves accurate, the number of game app downloads will steadily rise to more than 64.1 billion over the next four years. That would mark a greater than three-fold increase over the 21 billion game downloads that occurred in 2012, and it's thanks to a combination of free-to-play games, more capable devices, and a growing number of smartphones around the world.

As mobile devices become more sophisticated, so too are the games that are being played on them. Juniper Research also expects to see a rise in multi-platform game play through the use of cloud technology, though there are other reasons why smartphones and tablets are such popular gaming devices.

"Tablet games are growing so much because they are such an accessible way for all consumer segments to access games. In particular mid-core gamers, who previously spent a lot of money and time playing games but now have jobs, families or other commitments, are driving this trend," says Siân Rowlands, author of Juniper's Mobile & Tablet Games: Discovery, In-App Purchases & Advertising report. "These people are really embracing the tablet form factor, and innovative game play devices such as the mobile based Ouya console, really appeal to them."

What does this mean for dedicated handheld game consoles? Juniper Research believes there will still be a market for them, though it's clearly shrinking, as evidenced by Nintendo recently cutting its sales forecast for 3DS devices by 14 percent.

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DisplayMate Shootout Compares Samsung Galaxy S4 to S III and iPhone 5

Paul Lilly — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:46:41 +0000

Samsung's Galaxy S4 brings a 5-inch Full HD PenTile OLED panel to a display fight.

DisplayMate Technologies president Dr. Raymond M. Soneira managed to sweet talk Samsung into giving him an early production unit of its upcoming Galaxy S4 smartphone to test and analyze for its Display Technology Shoot-Out article, the results of which are now live. In it, Dr. Soneira compares the Galaxy S4's upgraded 5-inch Full HD 1080p PenTile OLED display with that of that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S III, and Apple's iPhone 5. How did it fare?

"Impressively" to the point of being able to challenge the best LCD displays, according to Dr. Soneira. What he found most interesting, however, is the inclusion of a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display in a 5.5-inch or smaller screen (in this case, it's 5 inches), noting that it's the same resolution found on most large screen HDTVs.

"The Galaxy S4 continues the rapid and impressive improvement in OLED displays and technology. The first notable OLED smartphone, the Google Nexus One, came in decidedly last place in our 2010 Smartphone Display Shoot-Out. In a span of just three years OLED display technology is now challenging the performance of the best LCDs," Dr. Soneira said.

In addition to picture quality, which consistently fared well during Dr. Soneira's testing, he also noted a 20 percent improvement in power efficacy between the Galaxy S4 and S III despite a 25 percent increase in brightness. This is something that bodes well for the future of OLED displays.

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