Android this week: Razr beats iPhone; Acer outs HD tablet; Intel phone shows promise

This is the first week I can remember where a single Android phone is reportedly outselling Apple’s iPhone at one carrier. According to a research note from William Blair, that’s exactly what’s happening at Verizon stores. A check of inventory and sales indicated Motorola’s Droid Razr is topping the iPhone 4S, which is good news for Motorola and its new owner, Google.

It’s possible that Verizon’s LTE network is part of this surge for the Android-powered Razr: Without an LTE iPhone on any carrier, the Razr — and other Android phones — can deliver mobile broadband speeds topping 20 Mbps or more; as fast as wired broadband at home. The iPhone 4S holds its own against LTE on HSPA+ networks, but falls far shorter on Verizon and Sprint, where speeds generally average 1.5 Mbps with occasional 3 Mbps bursts. Razr sales could see their own burst as CNet noted this week that Android 4.0 was coming soon to the smartphone.



Android 4.0 is already included with Acer’s new slate:The company this week introduced its A700 tablet with the latest Google software. Pre-sales have begin in the U.S. and Canada at $449 for this 10.1-inch tablet boasting a 1900 x 1200 display with 178-degree viewing angles. I haven’t had the opportunity to try the A700 yet, but it looks good on paper.

Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3 powers the A700 which also has one gigabyte of memory and 32 GB of storage, which can be expanded with the microSD card slot. The slate is Wi-Fi only — no 3G/4G radio — but includes Bluetooth, an e-compass and GPS. Acer added Dolby Mobile 3 and 5.1-channel surround sound support and a battery life claim of 8 hours for web surfing or 10.5 hours of video watching; not bad if accurate.

This week I enjoyed reading a review of the Orange San Diego handset. Why? This device, available in Europe, is based on Intel’s smartphone reference design for Android. We’ve waited a long time for Intel to truly get in the smartphone game and the San Diego shows promise for Intel’s Medfield solution.



The Verge wrote the detailed review finding that Intel may not have surpassed ARM-based chips, but in many ways, has at least caught up. I’m not too surprised because the Medfield chip demos on Android devices I saw in Januaryimpressed me enough to say that Intel’s time may have arrived.

The San Diego shines in most performance scenarios and has good stand-by time, but software is the current downfall here; particularly in the camera application. Still, the San Diego is still worth a look as it provides a glimpse into future Android smartphones carrying the “Intel Inside” sticker.

Future iPhones May Have Interchangeable Camera Lenses

A patent filing uncovered by AppleInsider suggests that Apple is interested in making it possible to swap out different lenses for photography on your iPhone.

 

From the patent: "It would be desirable to provide a structure for a compact device that allows the end user to reconfigure the optical arrangement of the device while retaining the benefits of assembling the device using a pre-assembled digital imaging subsystem."

Steve Jobs had told Walter Isaacson before passing away that he wanted to reinvent the photography market.

The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

iFixit removes the logic board from the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display during their teardown. Photo: iFixit

 

This week, Apple delivered the highly anticipated MacBook Pro with Retina Display — and the tech world is buzzing. I took one apart yesterday because I run iFixit, a team responsible for high-resolution teardowns of new products and DIY repair guides. We disassemble and analyze new electronic gizmos so you don’t have to — kind of like an internet version of Consumer Reports.

Kyle Wiens

The Retina MacBook is the least repairable laptop we’ve ever taken apart: Unlike the previous model, the display is fused to the glass, which means replacing the LCD requires buying an expensive display assembly. The RAM is now soldered to the logic board — making future memory upgrades impossible. And the battery is glued to the case, requiring customers to mail their laptop to Apple every so often for a $200 replacement. The design may well be comprised of “highly recyclable aluminum and glass” — but my friends in the electronics recycling industry tell me they have no way of recycling aluminum that has glass glued to it like Apple did with both this machine and the recent iPad.

The design pattern has serious consequences not only for consumers and the environment, but also for the tech industry as a whole.

The Retina MacBook is the least repairable laptop we’ve ever taken apart.

Four years ago, Apple performed a market experiment. They released the super thin, but non-upgradeable, MacBook Air in addition to their two existing, easily upgradeable notebooks: the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. Apple’s laptops had evolved over two decades of experience into impressively robust, rugged, and long-lasting computers. Apple learned a lot from the failings of the past: the exploding batteries of the PowerBook 5300, the flaky hinges of the PowerBook G4 Titanium, the difficult-to-access hard drive in the iBook.

Apple’s portable lineup was a triumph — for consumers and for Apple itself. IT professionals the world over love working on the MacBook. I’ve disassembled a few of them myself, and I can attest that they are almost as easy to repair as they are to use.

The 2008 Air went in a new direction entirely: It sacrificed performance and upgradeability in exchange for a thinner design. Its RAM is soldered to the logic board (as in the Retina MacBook Pro), so upgrading it means replacing the entire expensive logic board. And like all laptops, the Air has a built-in consumable. The MacBook Air’s battery was rated to last just 300 charges when it was introduced. But unlike laptops before it, replacing the Air’s battery required specialized tools and removing some 19 screws.

When Apple dropped the MacBook Air to $999 in 2010 to match the price point of the MacBook, they gave users a clear choice: the thin, light, and un-upgradeable MacBook Air or the heavier, longer lasting, more rugged, and more powerful MacBook. Same price, two very different products. At the time, I wasn’t very happy with the non-upgradeable RAM on the MacBook Air, but I respected that Apple had given their users a choice. It was up to us: Did we want a machine that would be stuck with 2GB of RAM forever? Would we support laptops that required replacement every year or two as applications required more memory and batteries atrophied?

Apple has presented the market with a choice. They have two professional laptops: one that is serviceable and upgradeable, and one that is not.

Consumers overwhelmingly voted yes, and the Air grew to take 40 percent of Apple’s notebook sales by the end of 2010.

The success of the non-upgradeable Air empowered Apple to release the even-less-serviceable iPad two years later: The battery was glued into the case. And again, we voted with our wallets and purchased the device despite its built-in death clock. In the next iteration of the iPad, the glass was fused to the frame.

Once again, with another product announcement, Apple has presented the market with a choice. They have two professional laptops: one that is serviceable and upgradeable, and one that is not. They’re not exactly equivalent products — one is less expensive and supports expandable storage, and the other has a cutting-edge display, fixed storage capacity, and a premium price tag — but they don’t have the same name just to cause confusion. Rather, Apple is asking users to define the future of the MacBook Pro.

Apple isn’t fundamentally against upgradeability and accessibility. The current Mac Mini has compelling finger slots that practically beg people to open it. When Steve Jobs released the “open-minded” Power Mac G3 with a door that opened from the side, the audience oohed and aahed. Apple products have historically retained their value quite well, in part due to third-party repair manuals, but also due to a number of very modular, very upgradeable designs.

Even the MacBook Pro was originally touted as an accessible, repairable machine — at Macworld in 2009, Steve Jobs said, “Our pro customers want accessibility: [...] to add memory, to add cards, to add drives.” That’s part of what I love about my MacBook Pro. I’ve upgraded my RAM, and I even replaced my optical drive with an 80GB SSD.

We have consistently voted for hardware that’s thinner rather than upgradeable. But we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere.

On the other hand, Apple has consistently introduced thinner, lighter products. They learn from experience. They react to their customers. They’re very adept at presenting us with what we want. And they give us options from time to time and allow product sales to determine their future designs.

We have consistently voted for hardware that’s thinner rather than upgradeable. But we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Our purchasing decisions are telling Apple that we’re happy to buy computers and watch them die on schedule. When we choose a short-lived laptop over a more robust model that’s a quarter of an inch thicker, what does that say about our values?

Every time we buy a locked down product containing a non-replaceable battery with a finite cycle count, we’re voicing our opinion on how long our things should last. But is it an informed decision? When you buy something, how often do you really step back and ask how long it should last? If we want long-lasting products that retain their value, we have to support products that do so.

Today, we choose. If we choose the Retina display over the existing MacBook Pro, the next generation of Mac laptops will likely be less repairable still. When that happens, we won’t be able to blame Apple. We’ll have to blame ourselves.

6 Wild New Patents: The Future Of Tech

New is always better, says Barney Stinson. We agree. New developments in technologies keep making our lives better and convenient. Tech giants keep filing patents for discoveries made by their R&D teams and are constantly involved in patent infringement lawsuits. This shows how competitive the market has become. We bring you a list of 6 wild patents filed by leading tech companies that will pleasantly surprise you.

 
1. Diary Free Calorimeter
Company: Microsoft

How would you like to have a device which could act as your dietician and trainer? This might soon turn into a reality as Microsoft has files its patent for a device which is your quintessential calorimeter.

The device will estimates nutritional caloric intake by periodically monitoring weight and sensing physical exercise, which can then be used in a calorimetric model derived from regression analysis of a population.

The device will be a wrist strap on which will sense heart rate, body temperature, skin resistance, motion/acceleration and velocity. This device is a super intelligent trainer and dietician combined.

 

2. Nose Bridge Sensor

 

Company: Google

Google glasses sound like one hell of a gadget if we go by the patents that Google has filed for it. The latest one is the nose bridge sensor.

Google glasses need to have a number of sensors which will work better if placed in a forward facing part of the device. Hence the nose bridge is the ideal spot for a video camera, a sonar sensor, an ultrasonic or possibly a microphone.

This technology could also be used to switch the device on when the presence of the nose is sensed between the nose bridges. The possibilities sound very interesting and we can’t wait to see how it turns out.

 

3. WiFi and GSM Landmarks and Neighborhoods for Location Based Services

 

Company: Microsoft

Every other location today has some form of wireless landmark information such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi access point. This new patent by Microsoft will capture and then send the information from these landmarks to mobile devices.

This new technology will create a complete map of the area for a mobile device based on the information provided through the visible access points.

4. Method, System, and Apparatus for Patient Controlled Access of Medical Records
Company: IBM

IBM’s patent will allow different platforms to access controlled medical information for patients, the information will be provided only when permission is granted by the patients.

The information stored in networks shall be shared with hospitals, pharmacies, research institutes, emergency services, laboratories, physicians and insurance companies. This technology can help save lives in case of emergencies and mishaps.

 

 

5. Method and Program Product for Preventing Distribution of an E-Mail Message
Company: IBM
This latest patent will surely come in handy for all the corporate and for people running them. Using this technology a user receiving mails will not be able to forward it to unintentional users. The mail will be received only by the recipient and will not be sent or forwarded to a third party.

 

 
6. Automatically Generating Nodes and Edges in an Integrated Social graph
Company: Facebook

Facebook has recently files two patents and one of them is a method for maintaining a data store for nodes and edges. This technology will be used to understand what information from a user is shared.

The technology will make it easier for Facebook to understand concepts Facebook users use to connect to other users. Because of this technology making recommendations will become easier.

How Windows 8 Throws Computer Users Under the Bus

Whatever you think of Windows 8’s Metro interface on smartphones and tablets, Microsoft’s decision to force computer users to deal with Metro will needlessly alienate and confuse many of the company's most loyal customers. It’s as if Apple suddenly required Mac users to rely on iOS instead of OS X.

The Metro interface fills the screen with “active” tiles designed to give users quick access to a device’s various applications and functions. On small smartphone screens, it’s an effective and attractive visual metaphor, making better use of scarce real estate than the icon-based alternatives in Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

It also still holds up pretty well on small-ish tablet touchscreens where the relatively large tiles make it easy to select what you want. (It's not a surprise that almost all of the screenshots you see of Metro are of a few tiles filling a small tablet screen.)



So far, so good.

Metro Fails the Big-Screen Test

But as many reviewers have noted, when you stick Metro on a full-sized computer screen, it becomes a bit ridiculous. A sea of tiles swimming on a 27-inch monitor doesn’t make any sense - and how does it look on two big-screen displays?

Despite features that let you organize the tiles, the bigger the screen, the more that Metro turns into a jumbled, confusing mess.



Of course, you don’t have to actually do your work in Metro - and most people won’t. It’s easy enough to move through Metro to get to a more traditional Windows-style desktop. But Microsoft has made the curious decision not to let PC-based users choose to avoid the Metro screen altogether. Unless you come up with some hack or third-party add-on (which most computer users will never do), you’ll still have to navigate through Metro every time you turn on your computer.

That simply doesn’t make any sense from an end-user perspective. Microsoft seems so infatuated with the tablets and smartphones that it’s throwing those boring old computer users under the bus. Sure, Windows 8 includes plenty of cool new features for PC users, but that’s not the point. The company is clearly betting the farm on trying to catch up in the mobile space.

Apple Knows that Size Matters

Apple, meanwhile, is treading much more carefully in this regard. While the latest versions of the Mac’s OS X continue to incorporate features and interfaces from the iOS used on iPhones and iPads, the two operating systems remain clearly distinct, with interfaces optimized for their particular platforms. Perhaps because it makes its own hardware, Apple has a better understanding of the different interface challenges of a 3.5-inch iPhone screen and a 27-inch iMac monitor.

Microsoft is risking a huge backlash here. And it doesn’t have to. All it would take to solve this problem is a simple switch to let PC users avoid Metro if they choose. C'mon, Mr. Ballmer - you want to keep PC users happy, don’t you? So why are you making them pretend they’re using a tablet?

Growl

Growl is a notification system for Mac OS X: it allows applications that support Growl to send you notifications. Growl offers you complete control over which notifications are shown and how they are displayed. You will not receive any notifications that you do not want, because you can easily turn notifications (specific ones or all of them) off. Growl requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.

DockSpaces

DockSpaces is a small application that allows you to have up to 10 different docks, and swap them from the menu bar. You can also link a Dock with a Leopard’s Spaces so you can redefine your productivity. With Growl notification, you know which dock you are using. You can change the configuration for each dock for a more personalized usage. This application is a Universal Binary and Leopard only.

AllBookmarks

AllBookmarks is a small menu bar item that provides you with a quick access to your browser’s bookmarks. It grabs Safari, Firefox and Flock bookmarks and also gives you access to 1Password1Click bookmarks so you can navigate, fill a form and submit it with ease. The tool is a Universal Binary application which means that it works on Intel or PowerPC Macs, running OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard).

iTool

iTool is a free application that offers a complete system maintenance and cleaning. It has a friendly user interface that guides you to complete the needed maitenance task.



Also, hidden on the Application menu (not found on the application’s main window), you can reach other options to tweak the look of the Dock (2D or 3D) or the Finder among others. This application is Leopard only.

Facebook camera app vs Instagram

Facebook's new camera appmakes sharing photos on the social media site a breeze. It's an improvement on posting photos using its main mobile app.

But other camera apps such as Instagram and Hipstamatic still reign supreme. Facebook Camera doesn't have the same level of addictiveness or the range of tools for sprucing up images.

Many people were perplexed when Facebook released its own camera app late last month, just weeks after snapping up the popular Instagram photo-sharing app for $1 billion.

The two apps, both free, have some similar features. Both have a scrollable feed of photos posted by your friends and other people you choose to follow. They also have a set of tools, or filters, which let you adjust contrast, color and other attributes.

But they are different enough that Facebook's camera app is more of a complement to the main Facebook app than a challenge to Instagram. Facebook's camera app is only available for Appledevices, while Instagram recently came out with a version that works on Android phones and tablet computers.

The app is easy to use with intuitive taps and swipes.

When you open it, you see a scroll of your friend's photos - the ones you would see if you clicked the photo tab in the Facebook app or on Facebook's website for regular computers. Tap on a photo to see a larger version, optimized on your phone.

Above that is a bar that shows you the most recent pictures in your device's camera library - all the photos you have stored on the iPhone or iPad. You can swipe down the feed of your friends' Facebook photos to see more of your own pictures, which you can then choose to post on Facebook.

You can comment, tag and 'like' photos, just as you can with the main app or website. You simply tap icons that hover over the photos. Change your mind? Just swipe away the comment box, and it disappears.

It is kind of a shock to suddenly see your whole photo library within a Facebook app. Before I got comfortable with the navigation, I was slightly paranoid I would accidently post a photo on Facebook without meaning to. But once I got used to the easy navigation within the app, that was less of a worry.

Once you select a photo from your library (or take one within the app by tapping the camera icon), Facebook Camera gives you much better editing options than the main site or app. You can crop the photo to any dimension, or straighten it slightly - something I almost always need to do. You can tweak images with 14 filters that have such names as "Cool" "Light" and "Rouge."

For people used to the dramatic filters of Instagram and the wacky lenses and film-like options of Hipstamatic, the filters on the Facebook Camera are underwhelming. They didn't make a dramatic difference on photos I used them on, and I doubt I would use them before using Facebook Camera to post a photo.

For those who like a lot of editing control, Facebook Camera lacks the full-featured photo-adjustment capabilities available in PhotoToaster or Snapseed (which is usually $4.99 in the app store but is free until Friday, so snap it up!).

But I was pleased with the ease with which I could post photos to Facebook with its camera app. I will probably use it whenever I post a photo to the site now. Unlike the regular app, Facebook Camera makes posting multiple photos easy as well, although there's no ability to create albums on Facebook without going to the main site.

Still, it's not going to replace Instagram for me. I follow an assortment of people on Instagram based solely on the quality of their photos, ranging from gorgeous landscapes to gritty street scenes. I'm always excited to check out new pics.

I friend people on Facebook for different reasons - and it's not because of the quality of their photos. As a result, the stream on the Facebook Camera app has a random feel.

It also has a bit of a dilutive quality when I check the main Facebook app at work (ahem, not that I ever do that) or at home. Since I've already seen most of the photos, the main Facebook news stream feels less "new."

So think of Facebook Camera less as competition for other camera apps, and more of a complement - like Facebook's other standalone apps, for messaging and for managing business brand pages - to the main Facebook site.

Linux on Microsoft Azure Platform-as-a-Service: Big Whoop

Here in the U.S., Android was front and center early in the week as five carriers announced they would be selling Samsung’s Galaxy S III. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular are all prepping pre-orders or hyping their launch dates for Samsung’s flagship phone. Some may start selling this month, while others will deliver the goods in July. Either way, this launch differs greatly from last year’s Galaxy S model, which first launched overseas in May but didn’t arrive in the U.S. until 4 to 6 months later, depending the carrier.

Perhaps more interesting is Samsung’s “one phone for all” approach. Instead of multiple Galaxy S III models with slight carrier tweaks, Samsung has taking an Apple-like approach and created one singular design for the phone.



That means, for example, that the U.S. models will have the same hardware button on the front as the international versions. The only differences for the U.S. are the chip that powers the phone and the amount of memory. Since Samsung’s quad-core Exynos processor doesn’t yet have LTE integration, the company is using Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon S4 for all U.S. Galaxy S III handsets and boosting the RAM from 1 GB to 2 GB. I haven’t yet used a U.S. version of the Galaxy S III, but I expect this combo to be similar in performance to the international version.

Samsung has been in Apple’s sights in the courts lately — Cupertino is already trying to stop the Galaxy S III from being sold in the U.S. — but the bigger target seems to be HTC and its Android phones. Last month, Apple’s legal efforts were enough to hold up shipments of various HTC One models in the U.S., which forced HTC to make a change to its software. That change was enough to get shipments flowing again, but this week, Apple said that’s still not enough to solve the problem. This entire situation is worth watching because the alleged patent infringement — as I read it, that is — could apply to any Android hardware maker. In some sense, Apple is indirectly fighting with Google by aiming at the smaller targets: The handset makers themselves.



Just as the week came to a close, I received a review unit of Toshiba’s Excite 7.7 tablet; one of the few that ships with Android 4.0. The device is a Wi-Fi-only model, which may disappoint some, but the positive is that there’s no monthly bill for mobile broadband. The Excite 7.7 is physically very similar to the Galaxy Tab 7.7 I purchased earlier this year and has the same 1280 x 800 resolution using what Toshiba calls a “Pixel Pure AMOLED Display”. I see little difference between the two screens.

Where I can see variance is in the overall experience and performance. Toshiba opted for Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chip, which keeps apps, games and video moving quickly. Plus, I find the tablet experience to be improved with Android 4.0; my Galaxy Tab 7.7 is still stuck on Android 3.2. Toshiba didn’t hide Android with a skin either; it’s generally a pure experience; the only exception being some apps grouped in folders on the home screen. I’ll have a full review soon, but the key data point that stands out is the price: $499 which may be too much for a small slate.

Android this week: Toshiba’s small slate; Galaxy S III details; patent wars worsen

Here in the U.S., Android was front and center early in the week as five carriers announced they would be selling Samsung’s Galaxy S III. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular are all prepping pre-orders or hyping their launch dates for Samsung’s flagship phone. Some may start selling this month, while others will deliver the goods in July. Either way, this launch differs greatly from last year’s Galaxy S model, which first launched overseas in May but didn’t arrive in the U.S. until 4 to 6 months later, depending the carrier.

Perhaps more interesting is Samsung’s “one phone for all” approach. Instead of multiple Galaxy S III models with slight carrier tweaks, Samsung has taking an Apple-like approach and created one singular design for the phone.



That means, for example, that the U.S. models will have the same hardware button on the front as the international versions. The only differences for the U.S. are the chip that powers the phone and the amount of memory. Since Samsung’s quad-core Exynos processor doesn’t yet have LTE integration, the company is using Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon S4 for all U.S. Galaxy S III handsets and boosting the RAM from 1 GB to 2 GB. I haven’t yet used a U.S. version of the Galaxy S III, but I expect this combo to be similar in performance to the international version.

Samsung has been in Apple’s sights in the courts lately — Cupertino is already trying to stop the Galaxy S III from being sold in the U.S. — but the bigger target seems to be HTC and its Android phones. Last month, Apple’s legal efforts were enough to hold up shipments of various HTC One models in the U.S., which forced HTC to make a change to its software. That change was enough to get shipments flowing again, but this week, Apple said that’s still not enough to solve the problem. This entire situation is worth watching because the alleged patent infringement — as I read it, that is — could apply to any Android hardware maker. In some sense, Apple is indirectly fighting with Google by aiming at the smaller targets: The handset makers themselves.



Just as the week came to a close, I received a review unit of Toshiba’s Excite 7.7 tablet; one of the few that ships with Android 4.0. The device is a Wi-Fi-only model, which may disappoint some, but the positive is that there’s no monthly bill for mobile broadband. The Excite 7.7 is physically very similar to the Galaxy Tab 7.7 I purchased earlier this year and has the same 1280 x 800 resolution using what Toshiba calls a “Pixel Pure AMOLED Display”. I see little difference between the two screens.

Where I can see variance is in the overall experience and performance. Toshiba opted for Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chip, which keeps apps, games and video moving quickly. Plus, I find the tablet experience to be improved with Android 4.0; my Galaxy Tab 7.7 is still stuck on Android 3.2. Toshiba didn’t hide Android with a skin either; it’s generally a pure experience; the only exception being some apps grouped in folders on the home screen. I’ll have a full review soon, but the key data point that stands out is the price: $499 which may be too much for a small slate.

Who Offers the Cheapest iPhone 4S?

Over the last week, no-contract carriersCricket and Virgin Mobile announced upcoming sales of the iPhone.  If you can swing the initial expense of purchasing an iPhone for $500 or $650, you may be surprised at how much you will save over the course of 2 years compared to AT&T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless. We know we were when creating this chart.

We’ve calculated the cost for all of the carriers over 2 years of service. The cheapest option possible is the $35 monthly plan with Virgin Mobile–even though the initial cost for a 16GB iPhone 4S is $650. The $35 Virgin Mobile plan offers 300 min of talk time, 2.5GB of data, and unlimited text. This plan is even cheaper if you sign up for automatic bill payment with a credit card or PayPal–the price drops to $30 per month.

For those who need more than 300 minutes and 2.5 GB of data, Cricket is least expensive.  The initial cost of the 16GB iPhone 4S is $500. The monthly plan is $55, and that includes unlimited text and talk time. Data is also unlimited, but only 1GB is promised at 3G speeds. Virgin Mobile also offers a $55 unlimited plan with 4G internet speeds. The only difference in total price for 2 years is that you have to pay $150 more initially to purchase the iPhone through Virgin.  It might be worth it for faster internet.

Don’t want to spend $500 or $650 upfront for a phone? You’ll want to go with either AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. Sprint might seem a little bit more expensive in the 450 Min level but it includes unlimited texting and data– where as AT&T and Verizon only includes 300MB and 2GB respectively. There are many ways to text for free on a iPhone with iMessage or 3rd party apps but if you want texting, you will have to add $20 to the AT&T and Verizon prices.  At the end, if you are a big data and text user, Sprint is no doubt the best option for you.

Know the Unknown Features of Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy S3 is the hottest buzz in the smartphone market. We all know that this new flagship phone of the company has lots of unique hardware featureslike quad-core processor, wireless charging and more. The phone also features some interesting software features that make it even more special. Read on and know more about these specs and its usage.

 
‘Smart Stay’ Tracks your Eye to Keep the Phone Awake

 
This new feature tracks you eye movement and adjust the screen brightness of your smartphone. It gives a new experience while browsing web and using apps as the screen will never time out if you are looking at it. The phone uses its front camera to track your eye movements and this functionality happen.

‘Direct Call’ Understands You

 
This insightful feature in this phone is unique and clever; it understands what you wish to do.  If you are texting your friend and suddenly realizes that calling will be better, you just have to keep you phone near you ears and it will automatically dial you friend’s number.  This feature makes use of the proximity sensors in the phone.

‘Pop Up Play’ Lets you Multitask

 
Galaxy S3 allows you to do multitasking with this feature that lets you open two or more apps at the same time. Pop Up Play lets you watch video on a tiny window when you are working on some other app. For time being this size if tiny window is fixed and the feature is restricting to video playback.

‘Buddy Share’ Connects the Dots

 
Buddy Share is an interesting feature that asks for identification of a person whenever you click a photograph. And once you filled the details it will search for that person in you contact and will do all the needed updations about that person.

‘S Voice’ to Argue with Siri

 
This feature is meant to compete with Apple’s intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator application software that got lunched with iPhone 4S dubbed as ‘Siri’. Samsung believes that this feature will be a selling factor for the phone, as the Siri has been for iPhone 4S.


‘Smart Alert’ Alerts you a Lot

 
This real-time usability of this feature can’t be estimated now. But of the time being this is a new feature which makes the smartphone vibrate to alert you that you have a miss all or message when you pick it up. Other smartphone already have LED notification to alert you about the same things, Samsung is just doing it in a different way

Latest, Trendiest Gadgets of 2012

Technology with the help of gadgets is so determined to load our lives with ease and fun. It’s unimaginable where these tech-products will take the comfort level of human species. All new gadgetry which come in to the market is a worth a wonder. Have a look at the few amazing ones which came into or will come into existence this year.

1. Beacon Phoenix Bluetooth Speaker

Beacon Phoenix is a cute Bluetooth speakerthat comes in three colors: red, blue and black. It is powered with Lithium ion battery which can be rechargeable through a USB cable. The smartest thing about this speaker is its size and unbeatable sound quality. In one word, the speaker is ‘loud’. The pre-order for this speaker will starts from next month.

2. Fuel Cell Charger

One of the worst things that can happen to a person is running out of batter for smartphone in a worst possible moment. Brookstone has a rescue from this situation with its portable Fuel Cell Charger. The charger use fuel cell technology and not electricity to powers mobiles, digital camera, MP3 player and other consumer electronic devices using USB connection. This fuel cell charger is expected to reach U.S. market next month, no details about availability in India.

3. Flexible Smartphone Screen

Now stop worrying about your smartphone is being dropped, LG has designed an unbreakable and flexible glass for smartphone. It offers users a paper-like reading experience with a plastic substrate that is as slim as cell phone protection film and a flexible design that allows bending at a range of 40 degrees from the center of the screen. Other gadget manufacturers like Samsung and many others are also coming up with such versatile glasses.

4. Horizontal Shower

This tech gadget is meant to make you relax by giving you the most refreshing geeky bath. You just have to lie down under this shower which releases water from 6 shower heads and gives you a semi-massage treatment. The water pressure and temperature can be adjusted as per your desire. This shower is designed by German firm Dornbracht which really understood how trying it is to ‘stand’ under shower, so they made you lie down.

5. B9 Creator 3D Printer

If you look at the whole world of 3D printing, this little printer is one of the most successful ones. The printer comes in a cute design and vibrant colors; it looks like a two legged little robot. The printers are available only in limited number, so if you want to own one make sure to do a pre-booking.

6. One Wire for All PC

We always jumble with our lots of PC cables; here is solution for that now. This all-in-one wire PC will combine Ethernet, VGA and power supply cables in one single cable. The All-in-one wire for PC is still in development in Shanghai.

7. Audi Electric Bike

German luxury automotive company Audi introduced the most advanced carbon fiber electric bike. Unlike other e-bikes this prototype Audi comes with regular pedal which can reach up to 50 miles per hour with electric motor. The electric engine can fully charge in 2.5 hours and has enough energy to power the bike’s built-in WiFi hub.

8. Porsche 918 Hybrid

This refreshed hybrid model of Prosche is the other name of speed, performance, power and luxury. The car resembles the true power of technology with its V8 engine and concave-convex forms of internal design. The car also employs go-green behavior as it achieves fuel economy depending on the system which is used in the car.

9. iCar

Apple and its revolutionary products always bowled our minds. This concept car has been in talk from a long time and is said to be one of the fascinating product which Steve Jobs dreamed about. Franco Grassi, the designer of this concept car says that the model is just a speculation, but we all would love to see this theory to come real.

10. Synergy Aircraft

This high-tech gadget is designed to change the whole concept of traveling through the air. The soul idea behind the build of this aircraft is to give a new means of transportation for family trips and vacations. This is a small aircraft and the most important part of this gadget is its wings which are clocked with technology to provide speed with the utilization of wing resistance by minimizing weight and optimizing boost.

Samsung unveils Windows 8-based tablets, notebooks

South Korea's Samsung Electronicsunveiled notebook and tablet computers running on Windows 8, the latest firm to showcase products that use Microsoft's eagerly-awaited new operating system.

On the opening day of Asia's leading IT fair inTaipei, Samsung showcased the products, including the Series 5 Hybrid which has features of both a laptop and a tablet, in a low-key display.

"Visitors should be able to see the tight partnership between Samsung and Microsoft and Intel," said Lorraine Tsao, a spokeswoman for Samsung in Taiwan.

It came a day after Taiwanese rivals Acer and Asus unveiled products running on Windows 8, which is the focus of the annual Computex fair, in its 32nd year.

A new survey meanwhile showed that Samsung overtook Amazon in the first three months of the year to take second spot in the global market for tablet sales, but still lagged far behind Apple with its ever-popular iPad.

Windows 8 is touted as Microsoft's long-awaited riposte to the rise of Apple and mobile devices powered by Google's Android operating system. There is no official release date but reports have predicted an October launch.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer says that Windows 8 will support a wider range of devices including touch- and stylus-based smartphones and tablet PCs, as well as desktops and laptops.

The ABI Research survey, out Monday, showed that the iPad extended its lead in the global market for tablets in the first three months of the year, holding 65 per cent of the market with 11.8 million shipments of the device.

Samsung grabbed the number two spot with 1.1 million shipments, or six percent of the market, overtaking Amazon, which saw an 80 per cent quarter-over-quarter drop in sales of the Kindle Fire, according to ABI.

Computex features more than 1,800 exhibitors registering 5,400 booths, up two per cent from a year ago.

The organisers estimate that the IT fair will draw 36,000 foreign buyers who may place bulk orders worth up to $28 billion.

Samsung to build $1.9 bln logic chip line

Samsung Electronics Co(005930.KS), the world's No.2 chipmaker, said it will spend $1.9 billion to build a new logic chip line to make processors for mobile devices as demand grows for smartphones and tablets.

Samsung, which makes application processors for Apple's (AAPL.O) iPhone and iPad - which rival its own Galaxy and Note devices - said the new line will use 300 mm wafers and 20 nanometer and 14 nanometer processing technology.

The South Korean firm is aggressively pumping up production of logic chips, as growth in the mobile device market outpaces weak computer sales. Demand for system chips used in smartphones and tablets is set to more than double to $59 billion in 2016 from $23 billion last year, according to research firm Gartner.

In a statement, Samsung said the new line - which it hopes to complete by the end of next year - would help meet growing demand for "smart mobile solutions".

The investment plan follows Samsung's recent decision to build its first chip manufacturing plant in China to make NAND type flash memory chips, which analysts estimate will cost some 4-5 trillion won.

Ahead of the announcement, shares in Asia's biggest technology firm closed up 5.2 percent in a broad market rally that sent the benchmark KOSPI index up 2.6 percent.

Hardware details of the next iPhone (N41AP / iPhone5,1) and more on the new Maps app

We have already laid out a lot about the next iPhone. Its 1,136-by-640 display. Its totally redesigned back plate and unibody construction. But what will it have under the hood? 9to5Mac delved deep into a beta version of iOS 6 to find out…

 

The iPhone running iOS 6 boasts Darwin Kernel Version 13.0.0. We can also see that the processor is an ARM S5L8950X.Interestingly, that is a full release above the most current developer version of MAC OS 10.8 Mountain Lion. The XNU build is also higher (21XX vs 2050.5.8):

The Samsung 5L8950X ARM processor is most likely manufactured at the same fab in Austin where Apple’s other Ax processors are built. The S5L8950X is a step up from the S5L8940X on the previous iPhone and the S5L8945X on the ‘new’ iPad but we’re not sure what that means in terms of cores, processor speed or fab size. We’d place our money on a low power dual core processor similar to the new iPad 2 on Samsung’s 32nm fab.

The processor is known internally at Apple as the “A5-***” (the last three characters were removed to protect our source). This will most likely not be the final name. However, it seems probable that the processor will continue carrying the “A5″ name and will not step up to the “A6″ nomenclature—but that is far from certain.

As for GPU, the new iPhone also features something entirely new. The GPU chip, which will continue to be part of the SoC, is called “SGX543RC*” (the asterisk is another sensitive number that could identify people working on the device). This GPU technically does not exist yet and we don’t have specs.

The next iPhone will now have 1GB of RAM, which seems to do well for the new iPad.

This unit runs 6.0 seed 10A33X with iBoot version iBoot-153x.x (iOS 5.* has an iBoot version of iBoot-12xx.x.x, depending on the device and version).

It is also interesting that some prototypes of this device use the older Qualcomm Baseband chips. This unit uses the same type of Qualcomm baseband found in the cellular-enabled ‘new’ iPad 4G units. Our source indicated this might be because he/she does not need access to any new baseband that they might use. Moreover, the battery life is not a concern, because this unit must always stay plugged-in. We expect the final N41AP / iPhone5,1 to carry the latest Gobi chips. These chips should allow low-power voice/data on a variety of mobile networks, including China Mobile’s TD-LTE.

We are told Apple is far along in its iOS 6 development, so an October new iPhone deadline should be relatively easy—barring any unforeseen chip, part shortages/labor outages, etc. So ‘easy’, in fact, that an earlier release is possible.

Finally, there is more clarification on the new iOS Maps app that is abandoning Google for Apple’s own tiles. We have an early/redacted screenshot that will likely undergo many changes (fonts, etc.) before it gets real:

You will note that contrary to the previous report, the GPS/Compass icon on the iPhone is not connected to a 3D icon. We were told that in the iPhone version of Maps, the 3D button is now under the bottom right scroll/menu to avoid accidentally hitting the wrong button. With that said, 3D maps are something used more on the iPad than an iPhone, which is often used for directions. Also, the buttons are bigger on the iPad making it easier not to accidentally hit the wrong button.

We have a lot more information that will come over the next two weeks including an entirely new iOS app from Apple. So, stay tuned!

Motorola’s smart watch gets social with improvements

Motorola’s wearable Android, the MotoActv, may bemarketed as a fitness tracker, but with each new software update, it becomes a smarter smart watch. The company has released software upgrade version 7.2which improves tracking for golf shots, fitness zones via heart rate monitors and map views after a workout. After installing the software update, owners will also have direct access to Facebook wall posts and Twitter messages from their Bluetooth connected Android phone.

I like Motorola’s approach to this class of device because while I’ve seen and tested a number of wearable connected devices, few have delivered either a positive experience, wide range of useful features, or both. Instead of putting out a half-baked product, Motorola designed and marketed the MotoActv to fitness enthusiasts from the beginning and recently added golf functions while a few smart watch functions went along for the ride. And even those — notifications for email, text messages and caller ID — were first limited to Motorola-branded phones.

 

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Eventually, the smart watch features were extended to all Android phones, not just those made by Motorola. The company also fixed initial battery issues and at that point, I bought myself a MotoActv for my daily running: The integrated GPS provides route, elevation, pace and time. Once I realized the accelerometer could track steps, I ended up wearing the MotoActv every day, and I still do. But I haven’t been using the phone notification feature. Now that the updated device includes support for Facebook and Twitter, I may enable that feature.

I’ll also be taking full advantage of the more detailed golf tracking included in this software update. Ironically, I just played 9 holes with the watch yesterday, using it to track every shot on the course (and there were quite a few of them!). Here’s an example of the data tracking:



But I had commented to a fellow golfer during the round that I wish the MotoActv didn’t treat all putts the same: It only captures how many putts used on each hole. Lo and behold, just a day later, the new software update allows putt tracking for short, medium and long putts, making the data capture even more useful.

Interesting to me is how Motorola still isn’t positioning the MotoActv as a smart watch, although I think most would consider it one if they knew the capabilities. Then again, many people haven’t yet heard of smart watches. It’s a clever move to instead market the device as a known item — a fitness tracker — and then keep adding smartphone-assisted functions and other improvements. Motorola’s MotoActv may be the best smart watch to date; just don’t call it a smart watch!