Rabu, 16 November 2011

Android VS iPhone 4S | Can iPhone 4S Halt The Meteoric Rise of Android?

, , , , 1



When Apple launched the original iPhone in 2007 there was little doubt that it was a revolutionary product. It was so revolutionary that the smartphone industry changed forever and this phone alone dragged the idea of clever mobile phones into the consciousness of the world. The rest tried, and mostly failed, to capture the magic of the iPhone, and ever since, the battle has raged between two foes determined to dominate an industry that is growing more lucrative every year. Google and Apple build the two most popular mobile operating system in the world, Android and iOS, and despite numerous differences they are both moving further away from the competition.

Jumat, 11 November 2011

Samsung Epic Touch 4G for Sprint: Slim and Speedy

, 0



The arrival of Samsung's Galaxy S II phones has been a long time coming. We first saw the next generation of Samsung's popular line of Android phones back in February at Mobile World Congress. After many successful months in Europe, the Galaxy S II line of phones is finally coming to U.S. shores. The first of the phones, the Samsung Epic Touch 4G ($200 with a two-year contract with Sprint; price as of September 12, 2011) will be available starting on September 16.

Ridiculously Thin

The Epic Touch might be a bit larger than the previous generation of phones, but it is incredibly thin. Measuring 5.1 inches by 2.7 inches by 0.38 inch, the Touch feels pretty comfortable in hand--and this is coming from somebody with small hands! Samsung phones have a bit of a reputation for being plasticky, and the Epic Touch unfortunately falls under that descriptor. In her hands on of the Epic Touch at Samsung's launch even, my colleague Melanie Pinola remarked that it felt "less refined" than AT&T's Galaxy S II version.

On the bottom of the phone, you'll find the MHL port, a feature we've seen on many of this year's high-end smartphones. The MHL specification, which stands for Mobile High Definition Link, is a 1080p HD video and digital audio interface for connecting smartphones and other portable devices (tablets, cameras, and the like) to HDTVs. So what's the big deal? It simultaneously provides power to your phone--something that HDMI cables don't do.

Super AMOLED Plus Display

The 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display on the Epic Touch is quite nice, but text isn't quite as sharp as what we saw on the European Galaxy S II. The Epic Touch's display is slightly larger than the European version (which has a 4.3-inch display) so it seems like the text sharpness may have been compromised by larger screen real estate. The text is still quite readable, but it is something I noticed right away upon using the phone.

Kamis, 10 November 2011

Consumer Reports' Thumb Goes Up for iPhone 4S - but Not Way Up

, , 0




Apple's iPhone 4S has secured a thumbs-up from Consumer Reports. This follows the snub that the iPhone 4 received last year, mainly due to that phone's antenna issues. But while the 4S won the organization's approval several Android handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy II, received better rankings.


A top publication of consumer product reviews added the iPhone 4S to its recommended smartphone list yesterday, but it rated Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) mobile lower than several handsets based on Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android operating system.

"Apple's newest smartphone performed very well in our tests, and while it closely resembles the iPhone 4 in appearance, it doesn't suffer the reception problem we found in its predecessor in special tests in our labs," Mike Gikas, a senior electronics editor at Consumer Reports wrote at the organization's website.

Last year, Consumer Reports created a public stir when it refused to add the iPhone 4 to its recommended smartphone list.

Rabu, 02 November 2011

Android Apps Get Big Break on Google TV

, , 0


Google is pushing out a slew of new features to its existing Google TV units via a software update. The company is endowing the units with a simpler interface, a redesigned home screen for easier access to favorites, deeper ties with YouTube and, last but not least, access to the Android Market, where users can pick from a selection of a few dozen made-for-Google-TV apps.

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) unveiled a software update for Google TV on Friday that includes a slew of apps.

These are based on Android 3.1, Google spokesperson Jacques Herbert told TechNewsWorld. This is the latest version of the so-called "Honeycomb" release.

An update based on Honeycomb has been expected for a while.

Sony (NYSE: SNE), a long-time Google TV partner, reportedly demonstrated a Google TV set running Honeycomb at CEDIA Expo 2011, the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association conference held in Indianapolis, Ind., last month.
The Google TV Software Update

The Google TV software update released on Friday focuses on four areas: simplicity, improved search, a custom YouTube experience and Android apps.