Tag: smartphones

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“Nexus Killer” OnePlus One Smartphone unveiled at $299

oneplus-one-official-image-3This is shaping up to be an interesting entry in the Android ecosystem.

The OnePlus One smartphone aims to take down current flagship phones with cutting edge specs at a price point lower than Google’s Nexus. It took me a second to realize the name of the company was “One Plus” and the first phone is the “One”. We’ll have to see if HTC will weigh in on that branding…

“We are not a company looking to go global. We were born global, with employees hailing from all corners of the world.”
-OnePlus Mission Statement

The spec sheet is formidable for a $299 phone. A 5.5″ 1080p screen, protected by Gorilla Glass 3, will be powered by a Qualcomm 801 series chipset. The camera is a 13MP Sony sensor capable of 4K video recording. 16GB of built in storage (though there is no SD card slot), and 3GB of RAM for demanding services and games. A 3100mAh battery should provide almost two day run time. Triple microphone arrangement for stereo recording and noise reduction, and rear firing stereo speakers complete the hardware.

oneplus-one-official-image-9Jumping the price $50 will move you from 16GB of storage to 64GB. A welcome change in pricing as most manufacturers supply an extra 16GB with a $100 price increase.

The radios on board look like they’ll be fully compatible with AT&T’s network. Looking at the various bands included, you should see support for T-Mobile LTE, but it might not work well on their 3G network.

In all this looks like an ambitious device at any price. Moving this phone at roughly half the price of our current flagships certainly opens up some exciting potential.

One area the team might be saving some money is on software. The OnePlus One uses a build of CyanogenMod, a custom version of Android built by a team of developers off of the Android Open Source Project. It’s known for being an aggressively lean and fast flavor of Google’s OS. Since OnePlus isn’t developing their own custom build of Android, and it doesn’t seem that they’re applying skins or themes either, it’s one area the company has been able to pinch some pennies.

Starting April 25th, the first 100 OnePlus One phones will be available via a “Smash” promotion, where customers can secure a One for $1 if they smash their old phone. I find promos like that to be a bit crass, as I’d rather see people recycle, but you can be sure there will be a line of people ready to grab an inexpensive phone even cheaper.

You can see more of the OnePlus One in their teaser video, or scroll lower for the full PR.

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Analyst Report: Motorola Gains with Moto G and LG Moves up with G2

LG G2 Camera reviewGood news for two phone companies looking to step up some competition.

Kantar Worldpanel released European sales stats for phones last fiscal quarter (ending February 2014)., and both LG and Motorola saw gains.

Moto was practically absent from previous analyst reports, but following strong sales of their entry level Moto G handset, has climbed to 6% in less than six months. Lending further credence to the idea that the entry level phone market is primed for serious growth over the next couple years.

LG also saw some great gains moving the LG G2. LG was ahead of the curve with processor and battery tech at the end of last year, unseating the HTC One and GS4 as being the powerful “normal sized” phones in the Android ecosystem. That boundary pushing attitude paid off with LG becoming the fastest growing Android brand of last quarter.

The Moto and LG gains also helped secure Android as a whole positive growth over iOS and Windows Phone, maintaining Google’s top spot for phones. You can read the full report below.

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HTC One (M8) is officially announced! Full specs and details from HTC’s event!

BjlO0lDCEAEv7wzWhat a long strange trip it’s been…

The often leaked “Worst Kept Tech Secret of 2014™®©” is now finally officially official. The rumors and leaks have all been true. The M8 will sport the 5″ 1080p LCD, and the Qualcomm 800. The aluminum construction is similar to the M7, with more rounded edges. The BoomSound front facing speakers return, continuing one of the best multimedia experiences available on any phone.

BjlRAN-CQAISTTrThe M7 was over 70% metal unibody, the M8 approaches 90% while also shaving a little girth for a thinner overall effect. Adding a brushed texture to the body adds a touch of style, while it should help reduce the visibility of light scratches and abrasions.

BjlQWnvCUAATdMyThe dual camera set up captures depth information, allowing for some of the focus-after-the-fact tricks we’ve seen from Nokia or Lytro using true binocular view. This also allows for blurrier background bokeh thanks to that extra depth info. You’ll no longer need 3rd party photo editing apps for the effect.  The camera API will also be opened up for developers to tinker with. Continue reading “HTC One (M8) is officially announced! Full specs and details from HTC’s event!”

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Long Term Review: The LG G Flex on AT&T!

This thing is a beast. An absolute monster.

We’ve played with a few large screened phones here, most recently the Lumia 1520, and while I’m still not a huge fan of the phablet, LG has shown they can refine their phone experience and bring a few new tricks to the table. Let’s take a look at their G Flex on AT&T!

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AT&T Begins Pre-Orders for Galaxy S5 and Gear Smartwatch March 21st

glam_gear-2-fit-galaxy-s5-blackSamsung’s newest Galaxy phone is one of the first out of the gate this year, and AT&T is on top of pre-orders!

Starting tomorrow, March 21st you can snag a spot in line for what’s sure to be one of the hottest phones of the year. The GS5 features a 5.1″ 1080p display, Qualcomm 800 series chipset, a new 16MP camera, a larger 2800mAh battery, and a few new tricks like a fingerprint scanner and a heart rate monitor.

The 16GB model will set you back $199 on a two year agreement, or you can drop $650 to buy it out right.

We also have official pricing from AT&T on the family of Gear smartwatches. The Gear 2 will drop for $299, the Gear Neo and Gear Fit  $199.  Those shopping a Gear alongside the purchase of a Galaxy S5 will also receive $50 off their smartwatch.

AT&T expects the GS5 and various Gears to start shipping in early April. Hit the full press release below!

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Watch Samsung UNPACKED 2014 – Galaxy S5 Unveiling Livestream

Galaxy S5 camera appSamsung is about to show off all the juicy details for their next flagship phone, and while the look of the phone has already leaked, there’s plenty more to discuss. Let’s look at some phones and new Gear smartwatches!

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Sony unveils Waterproof Xperia Z2 Smartphone & Tablet

A pair of exciting announcements from Sony out of Barcelona. Following in the wake of selling off their PC division, Sony is doubling down on their Xperia line up with the Z2 phone and Z2 Tablet, and happily both of these multimedia powerhouses will survive a swim.

Xperia_Z2Xperia Z2 Phone

It’s a power packed combo including all of Sony’s best gear.  A 5.2″ HD screen is powered by a Qualcomm 801 quad-core, 3GB of RAM and a phablet-sized 3200mAh battery.

For Android photogs, Sony is packing a 20.7 megapixel 1/2.3″ sensor with optical image stabilization. That puts it firmly in Nokia Icon territory for light sensitivity and achieving shallower depth of field in photos and videos. It will also be capable of shooting 4K video, making it one of the more formidable combinations of optics and tech in the Android ecosystem.

Xperia Z2 Tablet

Xperia_Z2_Tablet_BlackPushing forward with slates, the Z2 Tablet features a 10.1″ “Full HD” Live Colour LED display, also powered by a Qualcomm 801 quad-core and a 6000mAh battery. Two models will be available, WiFi only and LTE.

Sony pushing gaming and multimedia, hopefully as a tease for future Playstation Now compatibility, are bragging on DUALSHOCK3 wireless controller game play. For work, they’ll have a custom Bluetooth keyboard cover and stand available for purchase.

Both the Z2 Tablet and Phone are waterproof, feature integrated noise reduction when using Sony ear buds, and they’ll also both be eligible for a special entertainment package including six Sony Pictures films, one of which is ‘Captain Philips’, and a 30 day free trial for Music Unlimited.

Both Z2’s will launch globally this March. Full press releases are below.

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