The ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day for Oct. 31 is theCruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for HTC Incredible 4G LTE. These Cruzerlite gel cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). They are slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the HTC Incredible 4G LTE from day to day use and accidental bumps and spills.
The sleek, light-weight design of the A2 TPU case fully wraps around the HTC Incredible 4G LTE while also raising the front of the device to protect the screen while face down.
Precise cutouts provide easy access to all ports and buttons. Flexible, easy to apply, and easy to remove, this affordable case comes in several different colors, allowing you to choose the case that fits you as well as it fits the HTC Incredible 4G LTE.
TheCruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for HTC Incredible 4G LTE is available today only for just $5 -- that's 75 percent off.
AT&T has announced that it is expanding its 4G LTE network to two new markets today. Folks with LTEdevices -- phones, tablets, data sticks -- in Knoxville, Tennessee (and the counties surround the city) and Ft. Myers, Florida should now be able to access the new network. These two new markets bring AT&T's total up to 77 for the nation, covering a large portion of the population.
An interesting bit of information from the press release for the Knoxville rollout indicates that the company spent over $1.3 billion on improvements in its wireless and wireline (home broadband) infrastructure in the area from 2009 to 2011. That gives you a good idea of how much these networks cost to deploy.
We've got a look at both press releases for you after the break.
AT&T 4G LTE Available In Ft. Myers
Customers to benefit from ultra-fast mobile Internet on the latest LTE devices
FT. MYERS, Fla., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has turned on its 4G LTE network in Ft. Myers, bringing customers the latest generation of wireless network technology. Watch here to see several of the benefits AT&T 4G LTE provides, including:
Faster speeds. LTE technology is capable of delivering speeds faster than many other mobile Internet technologies. Customers can stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before. Cool new devices. AT&T offers several LTE-compatible devices, including new AT&T 4G LTE smartphones and tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, Motorola ATRIX HD, HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Galaxy Note, and Pantech Element tablet. Faster response time. LTE technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once you've sent the request. Lower latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video calling and telemedicine. More efficient use of spectrum. Wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/DA23287LOGO)
"We continue to see demand for mobile Internet skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in Ft. Myers responds to what customers want from their mobile experience more, faster, on the best devices," said AT&T Florida President Marshall Criser, lll.
"I'm proud to say that Ft. Myers is among the communities enjoying this cutting-edge technology," said Jennifer Berg, Marketing and Communications Director for the Ft. Myers Regional Partnership, "AT&T's investment in Ft. Myers builds on our reputation as a strong region for business investment."
AT&T's 4G Network
AT&T's innovation and investment has resulted in the nation's largest 4G network, covering more than 285 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience. That's coverage in 3,000 more 4G cities and towns than Verizon. Our 4G LTE network delivered faster average download speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld's most recent 13-market speed tests.
AT&T's 4G LTE network delivers speeds faster than many other mobile Internet technologies**, as well as multiple innovations that optimize the network for performance. Our network's radio components are placed close to the antenna at most cell sites, instead of inside the base station, which helps minimize power loss between the base station and antenna and, in turn, improves the performance of our 4G LTE network. The network also is designed with its core elements distributed across the country, which helps reduce latency, or the delay when using the Internet, because your request isn't traveling as far.
Even as AT&T continues to expand its 4G LTE coverage in 2012 and 2013, customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on our 4G HSPA+ network, unlike competitors, where smartphone customers fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.
AT&T's focus to deliver the best possible mobile Internet experience goes beyond 4G to embrace additional connection technologies. AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network*** including more than 30,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers across the country. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.
AT&T also is a leading developer of Distributed Antenna Systems, which utilize multiple small antennas to maximize coverage and speed within stadiums, convention centers, office buildings, hotels and other areas where traditional coverage methods are challenging.
Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced our wireless and wired networks. Since 2007, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company. In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. "Investment Heroes."
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Deployment ongoing. 4G LTE device and data plan required. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G speeds not available everywhere. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network .
***Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
AT&T 4G LTE Available In Knoxville And Surrounding Counties
Customers to benefit from ultra-fast mobile Internet on the latest LTE devices
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has turned on its 4G LTE network in Knoxville and Knox County, including parts of surrounding Anderson and Blount Counties and parts of Loudon, Roane and Sevier Counties, bringing customers the latest generation of wireless network technology. Watch here to see several of the benefits AT&T 4G LTE provides, including:
Faster speeds. LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Customers can stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before. Cool new devices. AT&T offers several LTE-compatible devices, including new AT&T 4G LTE smartphones and tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, Motorola ATRIX HD, HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Galaxy Note, and Pantech Element tablet. Faster response time. LTE technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once you've sent the request. Lower latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video calling and telemedicine. More efficient use of spectrum. Wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience. AT&T invested nearly $1.3 billion in its Tennessee wireless and wireline networks from 2009 through 2011 with a focus on improving the company's mobile Internet coverage and overall performance of its networks.
"Knox County is thriving and a great place to do business," said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. "Large and small businesses have a home here, and AT&T's investment and launch of 4G LTE reflects their confidence in our county and adds next generation capabilities for our businesses and consumers."
AT&T Tennessee State President Gregg Morton said his company's local investment creates many advantages for those in Knoxville and surrounding counties. "This 4G LTE launch is great news for Tennessee and is further evidence that when our elected leaders create an environment that favors investment, consumers benefit. The investment we've made to our AT&T wireline and wireless networks alone has equated to nearly $1.3 billion over last three years, so bringing 4G LTE here is the latest example of this significant infrastructure investment," said Morton.
"Today's announcement is proof that consumers benefit when we create policies that favor investment in our state," said Sen. Becky Massey.
"As our economy continues to recover, it is critical that businesses invest in infrastructure to support that recovery," said Rep. Harry Brooks. "This is an investment in our future and in an information-driven economy, the ability for people of Knox County and surrounding areas to have access to the latest communications technology is critical."
"Thanks to the leadership of the Knox County State Delegation and our local elected leaders, we are seeing companies invest in technology which is essential for recruiting companies here in Knoxville," said Mike Edwards, CEO of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.
"We continue to see demand for mobile Internet skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in Knoxville responds to what customers want from their mobile experience more, faster, on the best devices," said Chris Percy, vice president and general manager of Mobility and Consumer Markets for AT&T Tennessee, Kentucky and southern Indiana.
AT&T's 4G Network
AT&T's innovation and investment has resulted in the nation's largest 4G network, covering more than 285 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience. That's coverage in 3,000 more 4G cities and towns than Verizon. Our 4G LTE network delivered faster average download speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld's most recent 13-market speed tests.
AT&T's 4G LTE network delivers speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G**, as well as multiple innovations that optimize the network for performance. Our network's radio components are placed close to the antenna at most cell sites, instead of inside the base station, which helps minimize power loss between the base station and antenna and, in turn, improves the performance of our 4G LTE network. The network also is designed with its core elements distributed across the country, which helps reduce latency, or the delay when using the Internet, because your request isn't traveling as far.
Even as AT&T continues to expand its 4G LTE coverage in 2012 and 2013, customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on our 4G HSPA+ network, unlike competitors, where smartphone customers fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.
AT&T's focus to deliver the best possible mobile Internet experience goes beyond 4G to embrace additional connection technologies. AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network*** including more than 30,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers across the country. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.
AT&T also is a leading developer of Distributed Antenna Systems, which utilize multiple small antennas to maximize coverage and speed within stadiums, convention centers, office buildings, hotels and other areas where traditional coverage methods are challenging.
Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced our wireless and wired networks. Since 2007, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company. In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. "Investment Heroes."
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Deployment ongoing. 4G LTE device and data plan required. Up to 10x claim compares 4G LTE download speeds to industry average 3G download speeds. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G speeds not available everywhere. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network .
***Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates AT&T operating companies are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse and AT&T ?DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.
2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
Just in case you missed out on some of the Android news today, now is the time to go ahead and get yourself fully caught up. Here on the blogs and in the Android Central Forums there is plenty to talk about. Have some questions? Need some help or just looking to chat Android? You know where to go, check out some of the threads below to get started.
Google Nexus 4 Forums - Why does Google not have a physical "storefront"?
Samsung Galaxy S3 Forums -"i" crossed out in notification bar?
Google Nexus 10 Tablet Forums - What do you all think?
Google Nexus 7 Tablet Forums - Miracast broadcasting with Android 4.2
Android Contest Forums - Weekly photo contest -- the weather
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Good news if youve pre-ordered the new Nooks. Barnes & Noble will start shipping the 7-inch Nook HD and 9-inch HD+ tablets this week.
The devices will also start arriving at the book retailers 700 stores in the US, and 15,000 other partner stores such as Target, Walmart and Best Buy.
B&Ns CEO, William Lynch, has said that the company received a record number of pre-orders for the devices. And it managed to ink two content deals with NBCUniversal and 20th Century Fox just in time for the new Nooks to pull TV and movies from the Nook Video service.
Along with Nook Video, Nook Catalog is a recent service launched. It will deliver shopping catalogs from retailers like Pottery Barn, as retailers try to sink their hooks into the consumer market towards the holiday season.
The services will help B&N try to close the gap with the flood of other competent tablets in the marketplace, since the Nook doesnt connect to the wider Google Play store, but to its own Nook Apps walled garden, which only has about 6,000 apps. Amazons Kindle Fire also routes back to its own app store, but that has about 50,000 apps in it, by comparison.
Samsung is now shipping out the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 across Canadian retailers and will be available to buy at most stores in the next two weeks. Last we heard, TELUS, WIND, and Mobilicity would be offering the phone, and since then Bell and Rogers have confirmed that they'll have it. In fact,RogersandBellare already taking orders online for $199 on a three-year contract. To celebrate the launch, Samsung has Psy of Gangnam Style fame performing in Toronto tonight.
You can get a deep-dive with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in our hands-on video, but here's a quick run-down.
Camera: Main(Rear): 8 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, BSI; Sub(Front): 1.9 Megapixel VT Camera, BSI; Best Photo, Best Faces, Low light shot
GPS: A-GPS; Glonass
Connectivity: Bluetooth v 4.0 (Apt-X Codec support) LE; USB 2.0 Host; WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5 GHz), Wi-Fi HT40; Wi-Fi Direct; mHL; NFC
Memory: 16/32/64GB User memory + 2GB (RAM); microSD (up to 64GB)
Battery: Standard battery, Li-ion 3,100mAh
It's a monster of a device, and no doubt many Canadians are itching to get one of these. Who's buying? What are you digging most about the GNote 2?
Here's one for the folks who aren't feeling the draw of theNexus 4. The Galaxy Note 2 is a killer device, and deals site Daily Steals is offering it at a pretty great price. For just$579.99, this 16GB unlocked European model (GT-N7100) of the Note 2 can be yours in either white or gray.
If you're interested in picking up one of thesetabletsgiant phones, hit up the source link below.
Just in case you missed out on some of the Android news today, now is the time to go ahead and get yourself fully caught up. Here on the blogs and in the Android Central Forums there is plenty to talk about. Have some questions? Need some help or just looking to chat Android? You know where to go, check out some of the threads below to get started.
Google Nexus 4 Forums - Will 8GB suffice?
Samsung Galaxy S3 Forums -Severe, extreme, and amber alerts
Google Nexus 10 Tablet Forums - Is this even going to be considered?
Google Nexus 7 Tablet Forums - Backup Nexus 7 to desktop or laptop?
Android Contest Forums - Android Central's Million Member Giveaway!
We've got nearly 1 million members helping members and nearly 2 million posts in our Android Forums. Are you one of them? Join today!
Pandora has actually undergone quite a bit of change lately. After making notable changes to the app's UI just over two months ago, Pandora has gone back to the drawing board yet again. The new version 4.0 UI is coming to both Android and iOS with a whole host of changes, although curiously the Android update will be here "in the coming weeks". We've just got the official press shots of the UI to work with here, but it looks really nice. Pandora has gone to a completely "holo" looking design with tabs at the top, and an action bar with an overflow settings key and other action buttons. Extra functionality has been added in the form of new artist pages and improvements in your ability to make a personal music profile for better discovery.
As we noted, the update isn't live quite yet. You can hit up the Play Store link above and hopefully we'll be able to downloadversion 4.0 soon. We've also got the press release for the latest update after the break.
Source: Pandora
Pandora Redefines Mobile Internet Radio Pandora 4.0 for iOS and Android Smartphones Sets New Standard for Music Discovery, Exploration and Sharing
OAKLAND, Calif. October 29, 2012 Pandora (NYSE: P), the leading internet radio service, today announced that the companys popular mobile application for both iOS and Android smartphones has undergone its biggest redesign since launching on the two major platforms.
Pandora 4.0 offers listeners a better music experience with expanded listening functionality, a detailed personal music profile, diverse social sharing capabilities and other innovative features that are available on mobile for the first time. Pandora 4.0, which marks the first time a uniform interface exists across both iOS and Android smartphone platforms, provides listeners an ideal environment for music discovery, exploration and sharing.
Pandora Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joe Kennedy said, Pandora has now surpassed 175 million registered users and more than 115 million have accessed Pandora on a smartphone. Our listeners extraordinary embrace of personalized radio on their smartphones has enabled Pandora to reach massive scale in mobile and over 1 in 3 smartphone users in the US have listened to Pandora in the past month. With Pandora 4.0 we have combined years of innovation and learning into one cross-platform app that sets a new standard for mobile personalized radio.
Pandora, which now sees more than 75% of total listening taking place on mobile and other connected devices, also holds a leadership position in the mobile advertising market, where it is second only to Google in US mobile advertising revenue.
Featuring a completely redesigned listener interface, Pandora 4.0 on both iOS and Android smartphones includes:
Expanded Listening Functionality Significantly upgraded core features of the app create an even better listening experience and include prominent placement of controls to easily add variety, shuffle specific stations, rename stations and view station details. Simplified navigation to browse genre stations on mobile for the first time makes the more than 400 genres of music on Pandora more easily accessible.
Robust Artist Pages Designed for listeners to easily explore and learn more about the artist, album, track and station that is playing; includes improved artist biographies, album discographies, genome traits of the current track spinning and lyrics.
Personal Music Profile Brand new music profile serves as a detailed timeline of Pandora listening for each user, capturing their personal musical preferences such as stations created, bookmarked tracks and thumb history. Listeners can choose to share their profile or keep it private.
Music Feed New music activity feed offers a centralized place for listeners to find and follow friends and explore what listeners with similar musical tastes are discovering and enjoying on Pandora.
Instant Sharing Capabilities Social sharing features are available on mobile for the first time with listeners able to easily share links to favorite stations and tracks with friends and followers on Pandora, Facebook and Twitter.
Pandora Chief Technology Officer and EVP of Product Tom Conrad said, For more than a decade now our engineering team has been singularly focused on perfecting the personalized radio listening experience. Pandora 4.0 represents years of product development and innovation, both in the front end user interface and the backend infrastructure. By unifying our experience across the web and mobile we have put ourselves in a great position to lead the industry for years to come.
In order to help listeners better discover and take advantage of the new features of Pandora 4.0, the company has partnered with four major advertisers to sponsor tips and information inside the app. The exclusive launch partner lineup features McDonalds, Nike, Sony Pictures and State Farm; each of these brands will also launch mobile campaigns that will appear in highlighted new social features of Pandora 4.0 in the coming weeks.
Pandora 4.0 for iOS smartphones is now available for download in the App Store. Pandora 4.0 for Android smartphones will be available for download in the Google Play store in the coming weeks.
In related mobile news, Microsoft today announced that Pandora is coming to Windows Phone in early Q1 2013 with one year of ad-free music. More details on that are available via the Microsoft press center at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/presskits/windowsphone/.
Huaweiannounced the Honor 2 smartphone today, which is due to hit stores in China on November 4 for 1888 yuan (or $302).
The HuaweiHonor 2 has a 1.4 GHzquad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM (with a 1 GB option available for some reason), 8 GB of local storage, a 2230 mAh battery, and a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 IPS display which works out to an impressive 326 pixels per inch. Gleaning the awkwardly-translated Weiboupdates from Huawei, it sounds like they're boasting 72 hours of battery life, which would also be a great selling point if true. The phone measures 10.5 mm thick and has an 8 megapixel camera on the back. The only real downside is that's running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Overall, the Honor 2 a significant step up from the original, even though odds are we won't be seeing it outside of China any time soon. T-Mobile has a Huawei device launching soon, but it's more likely to be an entry-level device.
For those of you that know Chinese, there's a video demo of the HuaweiHonor 2 over here, or you can check out an early review here. Those are some pretty solid specs given the price. Anybody in China thinking of picking one up? What are the odds of an international launch eventually?
We've been through this before. This notice has just landed in our inbox:
Hi,
Apologies for the late mail, but due to the expected weather in New York, T-Mobile will be postponing its showcase event (which was scheduled for October 29) to a later date. We will keep you posted on a rescheduled date as soon as we can.
Thanks for your flexibility and patience and apologies for the inconvenience.
The weather is getting nasty out there, and T-Mobile has decided that holding its event in New York City isn't the best choice. Since Google has also decided to postpone its impending Nexus event, we're not going to blame T-Mo for taking the safe route. No reason to risk having extra people traveling in Hurricane Sandy.
Stay safe out there, folks.
Ladies and gentlemen, Microsoft is back.
I wasn't sure we'd ever have reason to write those words again, and Microsoft's not yet all the way back. But it's absolutely taking the right steps. And for the first time since I began worrying about this sort of stuff, Microsoft appears to actually have some direction, some common goal.
Google easily made the right call by canceling Monday's "Playground" event. More here.
I found myself in unfamiliar territory late last week, a couple days before a trip without a couple of reviews hanging over my head. Relative free time. Windows 8 had just gone official, and I hadn't actually gotten around using any of the beta builds over the past few months, and a $39 upgrade is kind of a no-brainer. (That and my daily machine is now a Mac, so I wasn't overly concerned about app compatibility just yet.) So, I popped Windows 8 onto the box it now shares with an Ubuntu install (for those times I feel like torturing Jerry with Linux questions).
First off, I'm loving the move away from the traditional desktop metaphor. It's going to be a big adjustment for us old folks. But our kids are gonna love it. And (for me, anyway), things started to make sense pretty quickly. There are Metro apps (sorry, Microsoft, but that's what they're called, and that's what I'm calling 'em), which run on the cool (if busy) start screen, and there are legacy apps, which run on top of a traditional desktop space. We'll eventually see the latter phased out entirely, I suppose, but that's going to take time. It takes a little work getting used to only having one app on the screen at a time. But maybe that's not a bad thing for casual computing.
For me, though, it shows that for the first time in a very long time, the different departments at Microsoft are working together. Hell, they're probably allowed to talk to each other for the first time. Three screens and the cloud no longer is just bluster coming from Ballmer, ladies and gentlemen.
What does this mean for Google and Android? Not a lot, just yet. It's still early in this rebirth for Microsoft and it's going to take more time for the ball to start rolling down the hill. But it's most certainly in motion, and it's no longer going uphill. Google, obviously, is serious about the mobile space. You wouldn't be reading this otherwise. I think it's still kinda toeing the waters when it comes to Chromebooks, but I also think that'll change over the coming months as well. (I lovethis new Chromebook commercial. Google's got to do this for Android, too.) And I still think Google's got more in store for the living room space; the Nexus Q was just a teaser.
But consider this: Microsoft is making its products available on current non-Microsoft devices. We're already seeing that with XboxSmartGlass. Xbox Music is coming to Android as well -- quite possibly sooner rather than later. Microsoft Office is still strongly rumored. I've always believed one of Apple's bigger mistakes was not letting iTunes -- and its purchasing power and gateway drug status -- infect other platforms. Microsoft has never been shy about spreading its reach. After all, it's how we ended up with Bing Android phones for a short time.
Microsoft may be in third place in the mobile space, and that's not all that likely to change anytime soon. There are just too many Android and iOS devices out there. But make no mistake, Microsoft's in a much stronger place than it's ever been.
The Google 'Playground' event ...
On Saturday afternoon, Google canceled (or at least postponed) its "The Playground is Open" event scheduled for Monday morning in New York City. Easily the right call, as the event was scheduled for a flood zone downtown. I've been through more storms than I care to remember here in Florida. I won't be second-guessing this one.
The strange coincidence is that this makes two straight "Nexus" events that have been postponed. Last year, the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich unveiling got pushed from CTIA in San Diego to a stand-alone event eight days later in Hong Kong, coinciding with an already scheduled demo at AsiaD. Needless to say, that drastically changed the U.S. presence at the launch.
Google hasn't yet said (and likely doesn't yet know) when the event will take place. You'll know more as soon as we know more. Disappointing, yeah. But it's weather, and these are just phones. What are you gonna do? I didn't make the hop to Hong Kong last year for just a single phone. I might be willing to go TPAC for the Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and Android 4.2, though. And if anyone's looking for suggestions, I hear Sydney is lovely this time of year.
Is it a tablet? Is it a phone?
I've seen some gnashing of teeth following the leak of the Samsung Nexus 10 over whether a tablet that big should have the same "phone" user interface as the Nexus 7 (or Galaxy Nexus), or whether it should have a "tablet" UI. The Nexus 10 appears to have neither. Or it has both. Just like the Nexus 7.
The more astute among you will recall Dianne Hackborn's Google+ post from July 3, in which she spells it out pretty simply:
"Some people have commented that the UI on the Nexus 7 isn't a scaled down version of the 10" UI. This is somewhat true. It is also not just the phone UI shown on a larger display. Various parts of the system and applications will use one or the other UI (or even a mix) depending on what works best. For example parts of the system UI (status bar and navigation bar, settings) use the phone layout since they too compact in 600dp of width. Other apps use the tablet UI or even a mix -- for example Gmail uses the tablet UI in the conversation list, but the message screen is either a single pane like a phone or dual-pane like a tablet depending on whether the screen is currently portrait or landscape."
The Nexus 10, like the Nexus 7 before it, is an Android device. It's got all this baked in. Know how every now and then you'll see a post about "enabling tablet mode" on a device that might not natively display it? That's all that's going on. It's not black magic -- is display density.
Is one "mode" better than another? Depends on the application, I suppose. Either way, I'm going to wait till I actually get to use the thing before worrying about it. I'm funny like that.
Dear Verizon: Stop it
Here's my conspiracy theory over that hideousVerizon logo on the button of the Galaxy Note 2. I've got a feeling it's consolation for not being able to muck up the Galaxy S3. Samsung put its foot down, but offered up a 5.5-inch carrot, and quite possibly some other intangible goodies, such as a discount on cost.
Or maybe somebody lost a bet or had one too many last one night. That logo's so awful on that button, it defies rational explanation. It did, however, prompt Alex Dobie to imagine what it might look like if Verizon does manage to get another Nexus device.
Cover that ridiculous logo on Verizon's Galaxy Note 2 home button with an equally ridiculous sticker. Get three pieces for $10 U.S. and stick it to the man.
Jelly Bean for the international versions of the HTC One X has begun pushing out, but the situationis a bit complicated. Rather than being pushed to all phones in a particular region, HTC pushes out updates to certain devices based on their CID (Customer ID) in each region. For example, phones with a CID of htc__612 are sold to carriers in Taiwan, and they started receiving their OTA last night. Alternatively, my unlocked phone with a CID of htc__044 hasn't received it yet, even though it's also sold in Taiwan (among other locales). I told you it was complicated.
What we know now is that the mentioned phones with htc__612CIDs are receiving the OTA update as we speak, and HTC has informed me that the Jelly Bean update for all phones in Asia and Europe is "rolling out now". An insider told me that my particular model (htc__044) should start seeing the OTA tomorrow (Sunday). Finally, I've yet to hear from anyone in Europe who has received the OTA. I told you it was complicated.
If you've hacked your Tegra3 One X, you understand all of this and know where to look for information about rolling back and getting the OTA. If you haven't hacked your phone, just know that the Jelly Bean OTA is in process. Hopefully we'll all see it soon, as a few early reports say it's extremely fast and makes a great phone even better.
If you're anything like the writers here at Android Central, you're probably losing your mind a little bit waiting for the big Google news to hit on Monday. If you were looking for a bit of a distraction to keep from going off the deep end, we wouldn't blame you. Luckily, our app picks this week should help you out with that. Per usual, we've got a handful of games and a few utility apps that should keep you entertained for the weekend. Take a look after the break and see how we did.
Simon Sage - Nun Attack
Eva, Rosa, Olga, and Mandy are four badass nuns on a mission to bring their wayward sister back to the flock, by any means necessary. Armed with righteous steel (of the firearm variety) and miracles handed down to them from On High, you pair up two of the four to blast through waves of unholy demons and ultimately destroy the gates to Hell from whence they emerged. The controls are primarily drag-and release, much like Battleheart, but there's a bit of tapping to pick up coins, and gestures are employed to execute miracles. As players progress, they level up, earn enough coin to upgrade their weapons, and unlock new weaponry. Nun Attack's cartoon art is set to a funky 70s-style soundtrack which suits the over-the-top action movie style they're going for.
Why they didn't just call this Nuns with Guns, I'll never know, but the premise is awesome and the action is a great mix of twitch reflex and strategy. Give it a go.
Download: Nun Attack ($1.00 / In-App Purchases)
Jerry Hildenbrand - UNIQLO Wake Up
A friend turned me on to this app the other night, while we were discussing the merits of Asian pop music as ringtones or notifications. (We decided it was a huge win to use them, BTW). It's an alarm app with a slight twist -- the music changes based on the weather.
Not just any music either. It's composed by Keigo Oyamada and Yoko Kanno, names that might ring a bell if you're a video game or anime fan. If you're not, these guys win awards and get nominated for Grammys. Their stuff is good.
Anyhoo, you set a wake up time through the app, select whether to have it played in English or Mandarin Chinese, then wait for morning. It won't jar you awake, as it slowly ramps up the volume. It's a nice way to wake up.
There's also a sharing function, where you can share the weather and time you woke up on Facebook, Twitter, RenRen, or Weibo. I've not fooled with this part, as I'm not sure anyone cares when I woke up or if it was rainy, but it might be a cool way to keep a record of it all. It's there, using it is up to you.
If you're looking for a new way to wake up, give UNIQLO a shot.
Download: UNIQLO Wake Up (Free)
Scott Young - Exodus Live Wallpaper
One of the ways I like to put myself to sleep is randomly browsing through the plethora of live wallpapers in the Play Store. Anyone who has done this knows that there is no shortage of really good and horribly bad options to choose from. My latest find in the "good" category would be Exodus. It's hard to capture in a photo, but Exodus does everything you'd expect from a particle generator type wallpaper. The blocks fall based on how you hold your device, touching the screen results in generating a new cube, you get the idea. Only instead of generating little tiny particles, they're big blocks that are oddly soothing in an abstract art sort of way. Exodus has a free and "Pro" version for $.99, with the paid version unlocking more options for color, fading, viewpoint and cube size randomness. Besides the preloaded color themes and the randomizer, you can also choose the background and cube colors to your liking. It's enough that just messing with color combinations can pass the time. If live wallpapers are your thing, give Exodus a try.
Download: Exodus Live Wallpaper (Free)
Chris Parsons - Major Mayhem
Save the world, and your girlfriend for the "Forces of Evil". Sounds simple, right? Major Mayhem is brought to us by Adult Swim and offers up 45 levels of cartoony fighting action that is pretty awesome. The graphics are great and the gameplay is easy to get the hang of and overall it's just a fun pick up and play game. You have a ton of weapons of mass destruction at your disposal so have at it and save the girl. That's an order, son!
Download: Major Mayhem (Free)
Michelle Haag - Halloween Pumpkin, Jack O' Lantern Maker
Every Halloween, my daughter is obsessed with pumpkins and wants to buy a bunch and bring them home and carve them. Luckily there are plenty of apps available to keep her happy and get us all in the Halloween spirit until we can start carving. Her current favorite is Halloween Pumpkin, Jack O' Lantern Maker, specifically for the Nexus 7 and other 7" tablets. It's basically exactly what it sounds like. You get to pick out your pumpkin shape as well as dozens of different eyes, noses, mouthes, hats (including hair) and backgrounds. You can even make a ghost fly across your scene! Once your scene is set and your pumpkin is carved, save the image to your tablet and share it anywhere you wish. Jack O' Lantern Maker is very easy to use so it's good for even the younger kids, but it's got enough options that even the older kids and adults will want to have their turn. All this entertainment can be yours for just $.99, which to me is a small price to pay for a fun app with no ads to get in the way.
Download: Halloween Pumpkins Nexus 7 ($0.99)
Richard Devine - Beach Buggy Blitz
If you missed it earlier in the week, then consider this a friendly weekend reminder. Beach Buggy Blitz by Vector Unit is not only a first rate mobile game, it's now lost its Tegra exclusivity. That makes it pick of the week worthy. After all, not everyone has a Nexus 7 or such other Tegra powered Android device, so now everyone can join in. And, I can play it on my Galaxy Nexus too now which makes me extra happy.
For anyone not familiar, you drive a beach buggy through a variety of settings collecting coins, and power ups, with the sole intention of driving as far you possibly can. Kind of like Temple Run, but with buggys. Steering can be operated either by tilting the device or by touching the screen, whichever your preference may be. And, it just got updated with some Halloween treats in the form of the "Grim Rod" car and 2 spooky new characters.
Download: Beach Buggy Blitz (Free)
Andrew Martonik - Ringtone Maker
I know, I know... this is a lame one. But seriously, this is one of those apps that youll install and forget about until you need to modify ringtones, alarms and notification sounds and youll be glad you have it. Ringtone Maker does just what you think it does, it pulls in different audio files on your device and lets you simply modify and set them. You can clip songs to proper lengths, boost volumes and rename tracks (which is great for OCD people like myself) all before exporting as a default or contact-specific tone. Best of all, its free.
Download: Ringtone Maker (Free)
Sean Brunett - TED
Im a huge fan of increasing your knowledge base and what better way than to watch a bunch of Ted videos. Ted brings prominent speakers from all over the world and allows them to speak in their area of expertise. The Ted app aggregates a variety of recent and past Ted talks so that you can watch or listen to them right from your Android device. The app opens and features three tabs: Featured, which showcases some of the most popular Ted talks of the week, All Talks, which displays all of them and My Talks, which saves the talks that youre particularly interested in. Its a fantastic app if youre a huge Ted fan because you can increase your knowledge base on-the-go or save some for later listening.
Download: TED (Free)
Alex Dobie - Spirits
Here's one for fans of classic puzzle game Lemmings -- Spaces of Play's Spirits is a simple, path-based puzzler with a really unique and gorgeous art style. Players must guide spirits through a surreal game world towards the swirl at the end of the level. In order to get around obstacles, they'll have to employ a host of abilities, including wind powers to change the direction of other spirits, and vine branches to get over hazardous spike pits. But to use abilities, you need to sacrifice one of your spirits, which impacts your overall score. For completionists, there are also a handful of "plants" placed in certain levels, and these can be collected for an added bonus.
It's not particularly difficult, but the well-honed gameplay and unique graphical style means Spirits is definitely worth checking out. There's a free demo version available alongside the full paid app on Google Play, for devices running Android 2.2 and up.
Have we mentioned that there's a Nexus 4 coming Monday at Google's "Playground" event in New York? Yeah? Good. Here's one more render from the fine folks at @evleaks. Here we get a better look at the bezel surrounding the crystal reflective back (that's LG's new design feature first seen on the Optimus G, and here it's done in the same style as the original Nexus One live wallpaper).
There's not a whole lot to be gleaned from the screen here, either, save for this one's stock Android instead of an old custom ROM screenshot slapped on top. (That should calm the conspiracy theorists a little, maybe.) And the camera app has changed. Huzzah.
Just a couple days to go, folks.
Remember that LG Nexus 4 support page that went live yesterday? Well now the page has been updated with user manuals for the device. We've been calling this device the Nexus 4 for a long time now, and this manual has confirmed that for us. Also something to note here is that there are two different manuals -- one 8GB, one 16GB. Both manuals seem to be the exact same, but that still gives us some information. Based on what we see here, we may be looking at just those two storage capacities for the next Nexus device.
The manuals also confirm the existence of an inductive charging coil, which occupies a pretty big space under the back plate. We picked this out in the FCC documentation all the way back when the first leaks hit, so we saw that one coming. Inductive charging on the device doesn't do much good without the accessories to support it though, so hopefully Google does a better job with these than the Galaxy Nexus docks.
If you're still curious and want to thumb through the manuals, head to the source link below. And remember, we'll see it all straight from Google on Monday morning.
A lot of people love the idea of having a full-blown desktop version of Ubuntu on their Android tablet, including the folks at Canonical. Today we see that they have released a semi-official installer to do just that -- install Ubuntu (a special build based on 12.04) right to your Nexus 7, as a full native install.
It's also pretty easy to do -- they provide a PPA repo for the installer an dependencies, and all you need to do is type a few commands, have fastboot set up and working, and find the USB cable that came with the device. Of course your bootloader has to be unlocked, but that's easy enough to accomplish when you've got a Nexus device.
The Nexus 7 is the official reference device for Ubuntu developmenton ARM touch devices, and the purpose of this is for users to run and find bugs. Don't go thinking the install will be perfect, as there's a list of things that need attention. Rotation doesn't yet work, there are some scrolling issues, Bluetooth isn't working, and the camera isn't active. Nothing that can't be overcome, but know ahead of time what to expect.
Don't get me wrong, I think this is great, and that Ubuntu is a great choice to run on a small tablet. I am a little miffed that a so-called developer preview is only available as a one-click application, specific to Ubuntu. I may think Ubuntu is a good choice for my tablet, but I don't think it's the best choice for my desktop. I would have liked to see the images and scripts delivered in a package that advanced users could use without installing Ubuntu on their computer. Hopefully they can address this and let everyone play.
Full instructions, and notes about known issues and tester protocol can be found at the source links.
OK, boys and girls on the East Cost. Listen up. Hurricane Sandy's on her way, and she's liable to make a mess of things next week. Just how bad depends on who you're reading, but regardless it's time to start getting ready. As we tend to do when storms like this pop up, let's review how our Android phones can help.
Charge your phones. Now. Keep them charged. And once the storm starts, keep them off. You'll likely lose power at some point, and there's a good chance your local cell network will go down for a bit, even with generator backups.
Spare batteries. If you got 'em, make sure they're charged, too. If you still have time to get some, do it.
Car charger. Get one. Get a couple, actually.
After the storm, text messages may work best. If the network's up, it's going to be clogged, and calls might not go through. Text messages have a much better chance.
If you're worried about damage and don't have a traditional camera, use your phone to take a few pictures of your home and your belongings. It'll make insurance claims much easier, should it come to that.
While you still have power and internet access, be it on your phone or broadbad, take advantage of features like instant uploading on Google+ Dropbox to make sure those pictures get somewhere that can't be destroyed by the storm. Better to be safe than sorry in that case.
If you just have to use Instagram during a storm, don't use a damn filter. Folks wanna see what's happening, and filters don't help that.
Use apps like Evernote to help keep track of your emergency supplies.
Before the storm, use those gas-finder apps to track down the cheapest petrol. That won't help you with the lines, but it may save you a few bucks.
See if your phone can serve as an FM radio, if you don't have any others around. (That's not out of the question in 2012.
Apps from FEMA and the Red Cross can help you find shelters and other emergency information.
And as of this writing, Google's "Playground" event is still on for Monday morning. If that changes, you'll hear it here first. Stay safe out there, people.
Apple publishes court-mandated statement on UK site, but it's probably not what Samsung was hoping for.
As required by a UK High Court ruling, Apple has updated its British site with a link to a message indicating that Samsung was found to have not infringed the iPad's patented design in the UK. The statement, which reads like it was crafted by a small army of lawyers, also points out the judge's remarks on Apple's "simple" design and "cool" products, and echoes the widely-reported conclusion that Samsung's tablets were "not as cool". Naturally.
However, Apple fires back in the final paragraph, where it draws attention to a more successful court case elsewhere in Europe --
"So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad."
That's probably not what either Samsung or the court was hoping for. The judge indicated that in forcing Apple to post such a statement, his intention was to "correct" the copycat label that had been applied to Samsung. The final paragraph only serves to muddy things further, by suggesting that while Samsung didn't copy the iPad, ittotally copied the iPad.
We've got the full statement after the break. You can also find it linked at the bottom of apple.com/uk
So what's next? More courtroom wrangling over the exact wording of Apple's statement? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: iMore
Samsung / Apple UK judgment
On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limiteds Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apples registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High court is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html.
In the ruling, the judge made several important points comparing the designs of the Apple and Samsung products:
"The extreme simplicity of the Apple design is striking. Overall it has undecorated flat surfaces with a plate of glass on the front all the way out to a very thin rim and a blank back. There is a crisp edge around the rim and a combination of curves, both at the corners and the sides. The design looks like an object the informed user would want to pick up and hold. It is an understated, smooth and simple product. It is a cool design."
"The informed user's overall impression of each of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets is the following. From the front they belong to the family which includes the Apple design; but the Samsung products are very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool."
That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeals judgment is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the registered design in force anywhere in Europe.
However, in a case tried in Germany regarding the same patent, the court found that Samsung engaged in unfair competition by copying the iPad design. A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple's design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc. So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad.
Despite its status as a global electronics giant, Sony remains on the periphery of the smartphone world, with a tiny share of the market outside its native Japan. In Europe, its struggled to make a dent in Samsung and Apples dominance. In the U.S., Sony Mobiles market presence is barely measurable.
After a shaky start to 2012, Sony enters fall with an unusually thorough product refresh, led by the Xperia T, its new international flagship. With a slimmed-down design, a faster CPU and refreshed software, the T offers some tangible improvements over its six-month-old sibling, the Xperia S. But in terms of software, Sony remains behind the technological curve, shipping a flagship running Android 4.0 on the eve of a possible Android 4.2 announcement.
So can Sonys ICS-based beast measure up against to the storm of smartphone late 2012 competition? Find out after the break, in our exhaustive Sony Xperia T review.
The Xperia T boasts a sleek design, good build quality and a gorgeous screen, with impressive camera capabilities to boot. Sonys UI is understated and professional-looking, and the 400 price point is very reasonable.
ICS is starting to show its age, and the Xperia Ts Jelly Bean update isnt expected until February 2013. In addition, the phone suffers from mediocre battery life and a noisy autofocus motor that can ruin video footage.
If the Xperia T is to be your handset for the next couple of years, we doubt youll find too much to complain about. It wont blow your head off with amazing performance or dazzling software capabilities, but its a competent enough smartphone, and you could do a lot worse for the 400 asking price. Nevertheless, the high-end space is about to get a lot busier in the next month, and unfortunately the Xperia T bears all the hallmarks of a phone thats likely to get lost in the crowd.
Inside this review
More info
Video walkthrough
Hardware review
Software review
Camera tests
Wrap-up
Initial review
Initial camera impressions
IFA unveiling
Sony Xperia T video walkthrough
Sony Xperia T hardware review
After a brief detour earlier in the year, the Xperia T has Sony return to its much-loved Xperia Arc design. The phones convex, soft touch back panel contrasts sharply with the glossy screen and bezel -- its a black slab to be sure, but not your average black slab. The curved back gives it a unique profile, and makes it easier to hold, while the smooth, tapered edges are a welcome change from the Xperia Ss sharp lines. The matte finish means the Xperia T avoids the fingerprint magnet problem associated with glossy phones, though we did notice the phone was prone to collecting more than its fair share of dust and lint, particularly around the camera lens.
In the Xperia T, we finally have a true sequel to a fan-favorite Sony smartphone design, and with it an evolution in build quality. No more creaky battery doors, no more extraneous bezel, no capacitive buttons -- the Xperia T is almost Nexus-like in its devotion to the idea of simply placing a screen in your hand. All of the phones main buttons -- power, volume and camera key -- are conveniently located along the right edge, and above that sits a clip-out area for the microSIM and microSD card slots. The remaining ports -- microUSB and headphone jack -- are located on the right and top edge respectively. The rear of the device is decorated equally sparsely, with a central 13-megapixel camera, LED flash and Xperia liquid energy logo.
Its not the thinnest phone out there, but the Ts exaggerated curves make for a svelte profile, while remaining sturdy enough to withstand the occasional knock. With a display measuring 4.6 inches diagonally, its one of the largest Sony smartphones around, but not as bulky as the HTC and Samsung competition. And at 144 grams, its neither too heavy nor too light -- in just about every way, the Xperia T is a measured, balanced handset.
If we were to nitpick, the only part of the Xperia Ts hardware we found objectionable was the vibration motor, which was more rattly than wed have liked.
The business end of the Xperia T consists of a 4.6-inch, 720p Sony HD Reality display sandwiched between two logos. Weve been pretty impressed with Sonys smartphones displays in the past, and its latest offering is up there with the best weve tested. Branding aside, it appears to be a laminated IPS LCD offering, similar to the latest panels on phones like the iPhone 5 and LG Optimus G. Packing 1280x720 pixels onto a 4.6-inch display results in remarkably sharp images, and color quality is decent, though with a tendency towards brightness rather than contrast. Whats more, Sonys proprietary Bravia Engine technology also kicks in when viewing photos or videos, improving contrast and working to eliminate noise.
Being a high-end IPS panel, the Xperia Ts screen offers exceptional daylight visibility. Coming from reviewing several AMOLED-based smartphones, the difference here was quite striking.
On the inside, the Xperia T brings to the table hardware thats high-end, but not remarkably so. Theres a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU, backed up by 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. Weve come across countless phones with this same hardware combo over the past eight months, so were already familiar with the kind of performance its capable of delivering. So it should come as no surprise that the Xperia T is a reasonably fast smartphone. When it comes to performance, we feel the phones let down more by its software -- we noticed occasional performance hiccups in the launcher and task switcher, likely caused by the lack of Android 4.1s Project Butter enhancements. More on that later in the review.
The Xperia T is a 3G/HSPA smartphone -- Sony fans will have to wait until December for the Xperia V if they want an LTE-connected handset. The T does support the latest 42Mbps dual-cell HSDPA technology, though, which can lead to dramatically higher download speeds. On Three UKs network we clocked up speeds between 10 and 20Mbps down and 4-5Mbps up, around double what we get on 21Mbps HSPA devices like the Galaxy S3. In addition, the Xperia T packs pentaband HSPA+, meaning itll operate quite happily on both AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.
NFC is included too, though no NFC tags are bundled with the phone.
The HD Voice standard is also supported on the Xperia T, meaning youll enjoy clearer voice calls between other people on supported networks and handsets, assuming youre the sort of person who still makes phone calls.
Sony XperiaT specs
Sony Xperia T software review
The Sony Xperia T runs Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is backed up by Sonys UI layer, formerly known as UXP NXT. Branding aside, youre looking at ICS with a relatively mild and inoffensive skin. Sony promises a Jelly Bean update in mid-Q1 2013.
Superficially, the Xperia home screen launcher hasn't changed all that much since the XperiaS, however the bump up to Ice Cream Sandwich has heralded a few new options including an enhanced widget menu, and new controls for adding shortcuts and changing wallpaper. As always, widgets and icons bounce around the screen with attractive, elastic animations, and pinching outwards allows you to seen an overview of all widgets at once.
As it uses Galaxy Nexus-style on-screen buttons, task switching on the Xperia T is never more than a button press away. Kudos to Sony for following the Android design guidelines -- we'd like to see more of this from other manufacturers, but this year only Sony and Motorola seem to be on-board with on-screen keys.
Sony's actually redesigned the task-switching menu a bit on the Xperia T. There are a few visual differences, and as well as a new menu down below for what Sony calls "small apps." These are miniaturized apps that run in windows, and you can drag them around in the foreground while you're using other apps in the background. It's not quite as full-featured as recent multitasking offerings from Samsung, but clearly this is something Sony has plans for in the future.
With a Snapdragon S4 chip inside, paired with 1GBof RAM, the Xperia T should have plenty of horsepower at its disposal. But while CPU-intensive tasks like gaming are handled with ease, we noticed some worrying lapses in overall performance on our Xperia T. For one, the lack of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and its "Project Butter" enhancements is painfully evident in the Sony launcher, which is prone to issues with lag and redraws. Button presses lack the immediacy of Jelly Bean devices, and even feel a tad slower than phones like the HTC One X and Galaxy S3 on ICS. There's no hardware reason for this -- the Xperia T has more than enough oomph under the hood -- so we've got to assume the issue lies in the phone's software.
As a Sony phone, the Xperia T comes packed to the gills with Sony entertainment content. The Xperia music app has been rebranded as a Walkman app, though functionally it's pretty much unchanged since we last saw it on the XperiaT. It's an attractive-looking, easy-to-nagivateapp which offers a few unique advantages if you've bought into the Sony Network Entertainment ecosystem. If you're a Music Unlimited subscriber, for instance, the Walkman app fully supports that service.
What's more, the Xperia T fits pretty seamlessly in with the rest of the Sony device ecosystem, so if you've got a Sony Bluetooth/NFC speaker, the phone allows you to tap to pair the devices, and immediately start playing music from the phone to the speakers. Similarly, the SonyXperia Link app on Google Play lets you easily set up tethering between the Xperia T and a Sony tablet.
PlayStation Mobile support is baked in, too, and the Xperia T includes the PlayStation Mobile store app -- or rather, a stub for that app which you can download from Sony's website. PlayStation Mobile is in its infancy right now, and while there's a decent selection of games available, there's not much in the way of triple-A content to sway hardcore gamers towards choosing an Xperia T.
On the social side, the Xperia T features a familiar set of apps to tie into Facebook, Twitter and other popular services. Timescape returns, allowing you to view social updates in an attractive (if not entirely functional)3D list. And Facebook Inside Xperia, which debuted last year, is alive and well, letting you tie social feeds into the contacts and gallery applications. What's more, you can feed in music and video choices from your friends into the phone's music and media playing apps, if you're into that soft of thing.
Sony's taken a page out of Motorola's book with its Smart Connect app, which lets you automatically load certain apps, or change settings when peripherals are connected, based on certain conditions. But while the app is time-sensitive, it's not location-aware, making it less useful than Moto's offering.
Overall, you're looking at ICS with a few Sony-flavored sprinkles. There's not too much in the way of bloatware on the Xperia T, and our biggest software gripes have to do with the somewhat lackluster touch and scrolling performance compared to similarly-spec'd handsets.
Sony Xperia T battery life
Sealed within the Xperia Ts curved chassis is a non-removable 1850mAh battery. Its an average-sized smartphone battery, but unfortunately its longevity can be generously described as mediocre. With heavy use, we were able to kill off the Xperia T in a little under five hours, and while we did manage to clock up around 10 hours with more moderate usage patterns, this is on the very edge of what wed consider to be acceptable battery life from a 3G smartphone. In either case, youre looking at under two hours of screen-on time.
The display and mobile data were the most battery-intensive components, and if youre using the Xperia T outside with auto-brightness enabled, youll be able to watch the individual percentage points ticking away from the on-screen battery meter. Similarly, the price of faster data speeds through that DC-HSDPA radio seems to be reduced battery life.
The Xperia Ts battery issues are compounded by the presence of a battery percentage counter in the status bar at all times. On a phone with less than stellar battery life, this serves as a maddening reminder of its shortcomings in this area.
Sony Xperia T camera review
Sony has typically excelled in the area of smartphone cameras. Even the Xperia X10, a device with its fair share of issues, managed to ship with an above average camera assembly. So we were excited to try out the company's latest offering, the Xperia T (or Xperia TL, as it's known in the states), which packs a 13-megapixel Exmor R camera. The rear shooter incorporates Sony's proprietary BSI sensor, and boasts an f/2.4 aperture. So it has all its numbers in the right place -- what about image quality?
We've got a detailed breakdown after the jump, along with a couple dozen photo samples and five minutes of video.
We've been impressed with the quality of both photo and video output from the Xperia T. Sony's latest flagship lives up to its digital imaging heritage, generating high-quality stills, particularly in macro mode. All of our sample shots were taken in the Xperia camera app's "auto" mode, with tap-to-focus enabled. In this mode, the phone seamlessly transitions from close-ups to landscapes. The Xperia T's camera has excellent dynamic range, and though there's no dedicated HDR mode, the camera automatically launches into backlight-corrected HDR mode wherever necessary.
The phone's 13MP sensor doesn't seem to be as noisy as the Xperia S's 12MP unit, though some noise is still apparent in low-light shots when viewed up-close. Speaking of low-light, there's a dedicated night shot mode, which was able to help improve the brightness of pictures shot at night, though unfortunately it's incredibly sensitive to even the slightest bit of movement.
The Xperia T performed well in video mode too, producing silky-smooth footage at 1080p with 30 frames per second and superior dynamic range to what we've seen on the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, though with a slight tendency towards undersaturated colors. One area which impressed us was the Xperia T's ability to focus -- and keep focused -- on the tiniest of moving objects in video mode. You'll see this put to the test in our sample video, where we chase an ant around the top of a stone wall. There's also a dedicated night mode for the video camera, which maximizes visibility in dark scenes at the cost of a little added noise.
Unfortunately, when it comes to video recording, the Xperia T suffers from a fatal flaw. The autofocus motor is incredibly noisy, loud enough to be picked up by the microphone when recording video. The problem is exacerbated in quiet footage, or if the camera has to change focus quickly. Its an issue which can ruin video footage, and one were not sure will be possible to fix with software. And its a tragic shame, because the Xperia Ts camera is otherwise among the best weve tested.
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Sony Xperia T hackability
The Xperia T is supported by Sonys bootloader unlock program, so its possible to crack the device wide open, if youre not bothered about abandoning your phones warranty. The process takes a few minutes, and involved a little command-line wizardry, but once youre done, youre free to flash custom ROMs and root your phone, if youre into that sort of thing.
Theres already a fully-functional version of ClockworkMod recovery available for the Xperia T, and the FreeXperia team is making quick progress with their port of CyanogenMod 10 to the device. Incidentally, CM10 absolutely flies on the Xperia Ts Snapdragon S4 CPU, and if Sony can deliver the same performance boost in its official Jelly Bean update, then it might just be worth the five month wait.
Sony Xperia T wrap-up
Sony has made progress in the mobile space in 2012, but it continues to lag behind the major players, and thats evident in the Xperia T, particularly where software is concerned. Where others are pushing forward with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Sony lags behind on Ice Cream Sandwich. What's also troubling is that other manufacturers manage to get a more responsive user experience out of ICS on Qualcomm's S4 platform. Rival handsets like the HTC One XL just feel snappier than Sony's offering, and that's a shame.
On the other hand, we were extremely impressed with the Xperia T's sumptuous build quality, which is light years ahead of earlier Sony offerings, and in line with the latest competing polycarbonate handsets from the likes of HTC and Nokia.
And Sony can take comfort from the fact that it's not as far behind the curve as it's been in the past, and we're sure the XperiaT will come into its own with the promised Jelly Bean update -- though buyers will be in for a long wait.
So for all its niggles, the XperiaT is a perfectly good handset.It wont blow your head off with amazing performance or dazzling software capabilities, but its a competent enough smartphone, and you could do a lot worse for the 400 asking price. Nevertheless, the high-end space is about to get a lot busier in the next month, and unfortunately the Xperia T bears all the hallmarks of a phone thats likely to get lost in the crowd.
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![Does Google need a physical storefront? Nexus 10 Tablet thoughts [From the Forums]](http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/imagecache/w680h550/postimages/79186/in_the_forum_graphics_206_0.jpg "Does Google need a physical storefront? Nexus 10 Tablet thoughts [From the Forums]")
Google easily made the right call by canceling Monday's "Playground" event. More here.
After a brief detour earlier in the year, the Xperia T has Sony return to its much-loved Xperia Arc design. The phones convex, soft touch back panel contrasts sharply with the glossy screen and bezel -- its a black slab to be sure, but not your average black slab. The curved back gives it a unique profile, and makes it easier to hold, while the smooth, tapered edges are a welcome change from the Xperia Ss sharp lines. The matte finish means the Xperia T avoids the fingerprint magnet problem associated with glossy phones, though we did notice the phone was prone to collecting more than its fair share of dust and lint, particularly around the camera lens.
