If you're looking to get your hands on the elusive official dock for the Nexus 7, it's now finally listed in Google Play for $29.99. Google has thus far set a limit of two per person.
The dock, which charges the tablet via the pogo pins as well as serves as an audio output via a 3.5mm jack, runs $29.99. You can read our complete review of it here.
Google's currently listing it with a 1- to 2-week shipping time, which generally means there's a better than average chance you'll actually get it sooner than that. (We're currently seeing an anticipated shipping date of March 17, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, being a Sunday and all.)
There've been plenty of hints at Google Play gift cards landing in the UK since shortly after the U.S. launch. Today, on the service's first birthday, Google has announced that UK consumers will be able to buy the cards in 10, 25 and 50 denominations, with "all" Tesco and Morrisons stores stocking the cards "in the weeks ahead."
The cards work just the same as they do in the U.S. -- buy one, scratch to reveal its code, and redeem on the web or via the Android app. The amount is then added to your Google Play balance, and can be used to buy music, magazines, books. movies and apps -- but not hardware.
The news of the launch follows reports of Google Play gift card sightings at Tesco stores in recent days.
It'll take some time for Google's offering to catch up to Apple's widespread iTunes gift cards, but having two major supermarkets on-board at launch has to be a plus. More details in the presser after the break.
Google Play gift cards now available in the UK
We're pleased to announce that Google Play gift cards will be available in the UK from today [Wednesday, March 6 2013].
Gift cards make it even easier to buy apps, games, books, movies, music and magazines from Google Play, Google's one-stop-shop for all your digital entertainment needs.
Over the coming weeks, gift cards will go on sale in all UK branches of Tesco and Morrisons.
The gift cards will be available in denominations of 10, 25 and 50, and can be redeemed against digital contntent purchases on Google Play, including music, magazines, books, movies and apps.
With Google Play, you can buy books, apps, games and music, and rent or buy movies, on the device of your choice be it a computer, Android phone or tablet. All of this entertainment is available across multiple devices buy a book on the web, for example, and it's instantly available on your phone or tablet.
Consumers can access, purchase or rent this digital content in a variety of ways:
On Android devices: Android phone and tablet users can click on the Google Play store app to shop for books, movies, apps, games, magazines, devices and music. All content can be "pinned" to the device for offline use without a data connection; On the web: Users of Chromebooks, PCs, Macs and all other computers can access their digital content online through the web version of Google Play (play.google.com).
And now users can pay via Google Wallet or by redeeming a Google Play gift card.
We take a first look at photo and video on the Xperia Z's Exmor RS-powered camera, and compare it to last year's Xperia T
If you've read our initial review of the SonyXperia Z you'll know it's packing Sony's new Exmor RS camera tech, which incorporates a fancy new 13-megapixel stacked CMOS sensor. But how does this translate into actual photos and videos? Check out our selection of early sample images and video after the break to find out.
For comparison's sake, we've also got a few side-by-side shots with the 13MPExmor R camera on last year's Xperia T.
Digital imaging is one of Sony's strengths, and it's no exaggeration to say that the Xperia Z features one of the best smartphone cameras we've tested. The benefits of the stacked Exmor RS sensor -- which has a larger light-sensitive area than earlier Exmor R models -- are clear to see.
Generally, the camera produces excellent images, and isn't subject to the fine-detail noise that plagued earlier 12 and 13-megapixel Sony phone cameras. The larger sensor size also allows more color detail to be retained in darker areas where earlier devices like the Xperia T have suffered. Dynamic range, too, is noticeably superior in a few areas. And HDR video is a welcome addition, working as well as it did when we previewed the feature at CES. As we saw back then, you trade a little fine detail and noise for better clarity of bright and dark areas at the same time.
The only real weakness we've noticed so far is in macro photography -- the Xperia Z produces decent macro shots, but isn't able to focus on subjects quite as close as the Xperia T. (That said, the Xperia T was unique in its exceptional macro capabilities.)
We did also noticed a few software quirks. On occasion the camera shortcut on the lock screen would cause the phone to hang for a few seconds. And sometimes the Z's "superior auto" mode would fail to recognize the need to switch to backlight-correction HDR mode where the T would act as expected.
Regardless, it's a solid improvement overall. Check out our sample gallery below.
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Side-by-side with the Xperia T
All images: Left photo from XperiaT, right from XperiaZ; Click to enlarge
Note the slightly less washed out sky on the Xperia Z shot.
In ideal lighting conditions there's not much difference between the two, but note the clearer colors and lack of noise around distant buildings. The Xperia T appears slightly sharper, likely due to different post-processing methods used on that phone.
In the set above, the Xperia Z failed to switch to backlight-correction mode, giving the win to the Xperia T.
Another close one, but the shot from the Xperia Z has slightly more vivid colors.
The Xperia Z shot on the right appears less washed-out.
So the difference isn't always striking, but generally the Xperia Z comes out on top. That said, some software quirks occasionally got in the way on the Z, and it's interesting to note that more post-processing (e.g. sharpening) seems to be present on shots from the Xperia T.
Competition from HTC
In the next couple of weeks HTC will be launching its new HTC One handset, with the much-hyped "Ultrapixel" camera. Like Sony's Exmor RS, the idea here is to get more light onto each pixel. Sony does it by eliminating stuff around the light-sensitive layer, whereas HTCincreases the size of the pixels to allow each one to pick up more light. HTC's pixels may be bigger, but the trade-off is sheer megapixel count -- the HTC One outputs at 4 megapixelsversus the Xperia Z's 13.
As soon as we've got an HTC One in-house, we'll put the camera through its paces and see how it compares to Sony's latest. Stay tuned for that, and our full review of the Xperia Z, in the coming weeks!
The folks at Opera have released their new web browser for Android, dropping the Presto browser engine in favor of webkit, which is also used in Chrome and the AOSP browser. The beta build is available for download from Google Play, and it's got quite the list of features.
There's a new "Discover" panel which sorts popular articles from the web, an all new Speed Dial, Off-Road mode for times when your connection is a bit bad, tabbed browsing, and more.
Keep in mind that this is a beta product, and even Opera notes:
The beta version launched today, the first iteration of the new generation of Opera browsers for smartphones, will give developers and first-movers in the mobile-app world access to Opera's latest offering for Android users.
We'll be taking a closer look at the new browser, in the meantime if you're the adventurous type you can download it at the Google Play link above, and hit the break for a short product video and the full press release.
Opera for Android launched in beta
Oslo, Norway - March 5, 2013
Opera browser for Android is now out in a beta version, providing mobile web navigation that is sleeker and easier to use than ever. The completely redesigned Opera for Android is the result of a passion for design combined with 17 years' worth of know-how and innovation.
The web browser is one of the most important apps in your Android phone, as it's your all-access card to the web. To make sure Android mobile users get the best experience available, Opera has rebuilt the entire browser to ensure you can make the most of your web time. Opera for Android provides a full, native browsing experience for your Android phone.
The beta version launched today, the first iteration of the new generation of Opera browsers for smartphones, will give developers and first-movers in the mobile-app world access to Opera's latest offering for Android users.
Opera, renowned for innovation, has built on its most loved features to become even better:
New look: Opera for Android sports a completely new user interface that is more elegant and built to the native specifications of the Android platform. Discover feature: This provides a new way of discovering content on the web. From the Discover panel of the startup screen, you can read a selection of popular articles and dig deeper into your interests, such as sports, technology, lifestyle or news. Opera has selected relevant global and regional sources, so let Opera do the surfing for you. New, revamped Speed Dial: Opera's engineers discovered that users like to have links readily available in the Speed Dial, yet also wanted the flexibility of a bookmark folder. With the new Speed Dial, the bookmarks are fused together with the Speed Dial entries to provide a new experience. It's easier to group, organize and rename Speed Dial entries or gather them in folders all with the touch of your thumb. Off-Road mode: Opera for Android integrates the compression technology from Opera Mini, for faster browsing when conditions are rough. Bad network or costly roaming while traveling? Just switch to Off-Road mode and keep on surfing. Combined search and address bar: Opera has combined the search and URL field for a more elegant UI and more intuitive input. Tabbed browsing: The elegant tabbed browsing makes it easier than ever to browse, open and sort all your open browser windows on your phone. It even offers private browsing, just like the Opera desktop browser. History: With the easily accessible history mode, return to that page you saw earlier today fast just swipe your finger to the right to access the content on the left on your home screen. Save for later: This feature lets the user download a complete webpage and read it later while offline. It's perfect for reading long articles on flights without Wi-Fi or just when you don't want to connect to the internet.
"There are countless hours that have gone into making this completely new, completely re-thought Opera for Android," says Opera Software EVP of product development Rikard Gillemyr. "I dare say that many smartphone users spend much more time using their web browser than any other app on their phones. That's why we have made our newest mobile phone browser more elegant and more beautiful than ever, while still packing so much functionality into it. Go ahead take the Opera beta out for a spin on your Android phone and see for yourself."
To try out the new browser, download the Opera browser for Android beta from Google Play or visit www.opera.com on your mobile phone. Opera supports Android devices with phone-sized screens from version 2.3 and up.
CyanogenMod has just released its latest "M" build, CM10.1-m2 based on Android 4.2.2, for several different devices. The M builds are meant to be a bigger step up in stability from just another nightly build, but not quite ready for the mainstream as a "stable" release. Its for this reason that the CM team encourages bug reports on these builds, which can go a long way towards that stable release. Starting today the CM10.1-m2 builds will be available for several devices, including the Nexus lineup, HTC One X / Evo4G LTE, Galaxy S / S2 / S3 / Note and a few other odds and ends.
If you're interested in moving up to the latest M build and have one of the above devices, head to the source link below and grab your download. If you don't see your device listed just yet, don't worry. They note that CM10.1 nightly builds will continue for other devices until they hit a level deemed acceptable as an M build.
We're big fans of the HTC One SV around here, that's no secret. It's a beautifully designed and manufactured smartphone that offers LTE data speeds at an affordable price point. UK retailer Expansyshas announced a 'deal of the week' on the HTC One SVthat sees the price cut to just 259.99 SIM free and unlocked. We don't get the sexy looking red version, but both the blue and white ones are up for grabs.
By our reckoning -- for this week at least -- this price point makes the HTC One SV about the cheapest 4G LTEenabled device you can pick up on the British market. Despite the more budget oriented price, the One SVstill offers a premium look and feel, and the same Sense experience as some of it's bigger brothers. Picking one up? Jump into the comments or the HTC One SV forums and tell us about it.
