Mobile Devices - Page 134

UPDATE: We have reached out to ASUS and asked if the $199 price was on a two-year contract, which it is. The Zenfone 2 will start from $399, which is still a very, very competitive price. It positions ASUS right up against Samsung and Apple, and beats them in terms of specs, features and most of all: price.

CES 2015 - One of the most exciting things unveiled at ASUS' CES 2015 press conference has to be the new Zenfone 2.

The new Zenfone 2 from ASUS continues the company's 'iconic Zen design' with a 'concentric-circle texture' and 'sleek, brushed metal finish'.

CES 2015 - ASUS started CES 2015 with a bang today, announcing not one, but three new Transformer Book Chi devices. The flagship model, the T300 Chi, has a great spec sheet, with up to 8GB of RAM on offer.

The flagship Chi sports a 12.5-inch display with an option of either a Full HD or WQHD (1920x1080 and 2560x1440, respectively), but it is just 7.6mm thin and weighs only 720g. We have an Intel Core M processor inside, and the option of 4GB or 8GB of RAM which is just crazy in a tablet. We're getting close to Ultrabook specs here, people. On top of that, we have a desktop-class SSD inside.

Speaking of SSDs, the new Transformer Book T300 Chi's SSD is more than capable. When compared to the latest MacBook Air, it is up to 5X faster than Apple's thin laptop. We have sequential write speeds of up to 276MB/sec while reads are at a blistering 436MB/sec.

CES 2015 - At the ASUS CES 2015 press conference today, the company unveiled a slew of interesting new products, starting with the Transformer Book Chi range of 2-in-1 detachable devices.

The three models include the T100 Chi, T300 Chi and T90 Chi.

ASUS was quick to point out that the new Transformer Book Chi range of devices were "Thinner than Air," comparing them to Apple's popular MacBook Air range. The new Chi's are just 1.65cm thick, compared to 1.7cm on the MBA.

Back in September, Apple released iOS8 alongside the iPhone 6, featuring a myriad of new options and features alongside space constraint issues for those with the lower capacity models.

If you weren't already aware, one of the new cool features available is the ability to rank your music artists and albums by their size taken up on the device. If you're worried that your previous, or current, love for One Direction or Taylor Swift is taking up too much room on your smartphone, you can see exactly how much of your precious (and limited) storage capacity they are eating away at).

To take advantage of this handy feature, all you've got to do is navigate to your Settings app pick General, Usage and Manage Storage. From there you can browse what's on offer.

CES 2015 - NVIDIA just took the veil off of their new mobile powerhouse system-on-chip (SoC), the new Tegra X1, which looks like it could be a serious contender for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, and many others coming out this year.

But one of the best slides NVIDIA chucked up at their CES 2015 press conference, was that the new Tegra X1 processor delivers a "console experience" with "mobile power". NVIDIA provided some power details on the new Maxwell-based Tegra X1, which consumes 10W of power compared to the Xbox One which uses far more than 100W.

This is a good point for NVIDIA to push, considering the new Tegra X1 is capable of 4K at 60FPS... where will we be at CES 2016? CES 2017? Consoles simply can't keep up, and it's great to see NVIDIA using it as a reference. A large console, versus a tiny little SoC that runs on a battery.

CES 2015 - Our first press conference of the Consumer Electronics Show 2015 here in the awesome but cold Las Vegas was with NVIDIA, where the company showed off its latest Tegra X1 mobile processor. The company is calling this the "first mobile superchip" and it really, really is.

The Tegra X1 is based off NVIDIA's more than impressive Maxwell architecture, the same silicon that powers the desktop GPUs in the form of the GeForce GTX 970 and GTX 980 cards. We have 256 Maxwell GPU cores, and an 8-core 64-bit capable CPU, too. This is all capable of pushing out an insane 4K at 60FPS with 10-bit H.265/VP9.

When it comes to performance, the Tegra X1 is killing it with NVIDIA's own benchmark slides.

We're getting a closer look at the purported iPad Pro from Apple, the company's upcoming (but not confirmed) iPad Pro. We should expect the iPad Pro to rock a 12.2-inch display, and might arrive to us as the "iPad Air Plus".

The leak is coming from an internal sketch released by a Foxconn employee, teasing what Apple's new iPad might look like. Not only would it arrive with a 12.2-inch screen, but we should also see a 12.9-inch version, both of which should feature Apple's A8X processor - but possibly the A9 processor - 2GB of RAM and a Touch ID sensor.

We've heard recently that Apple was experiencing manufacturing problems, but according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will not start production of the larger iPad until Q2 2015, as it is all-systems-go with production of the iPhone 6 Plus. We should hopefully hear more on the larger, and hopefully better iPad in the near future.

CES 2015 - We've heard reports that the upcoming Galaxy S6 would feature an all-metal chassis, versus the plastic look, style and feel of the previous Galaxy handsets, including the not-so-old Galaxy S5 smartphone.

The new reports are coming in from Nowehere Else, a French site that has reported leaks on various handsets over the years with a decent line of credibility. The new metal frame doesn't look all that different to the Galaxy S5, except that it's metal and not plastic. The back of the cover looks like it's made of metal too, which could lead to Samsung using an all-metal design on the Galaxy S6, better positioning them with Apple and HTC.

Inside of the Galaxy S6, we should expect a Quad HD Super AMOLED display, a quad-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal flash storage, a 16-megapixel rear-facing snapper backed up by a 5-megapixel selfie shooter, and Samsung's TouchWiz UI splashed over Android 5.0 Lollipop.

CES 2015 - We just reported about the Acer Liquid Jade S handset, but Acer has also unveiled the new Liquid Z410, too. The difference between the two handsets, is that the Liquid Z410 features a 4.5-inch qHD display compared to the 5-inch 720p display on the Liquid Jade S.

Acer have provided a MediaTek MT6732 CPU backed up with an ARM Mali-T760 GPU, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera backed up by a 2-megapixel selfie-shooter. We have 4G LTE capabilities, and a battery that Acer says is good for up to 400 hours of standby, or around 5.5 hours of talk time.

The new Liquid Z410 will be made available in the European market at the end of February, for €129 or $154.

CES 2015 - Acer has burst right out of the gate here at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, announcing two new great gaming LCDs as well as a new 15-inch Chromebook, but they aren't finished yet. We are now being introduced to the new Liquid Jade S smartphone, a cheap new handset that features an 8-core processor, and more.

The Acer Liquid Jade S features an 8-core 64-bit processor from Mediatek in the form of the MT6752M, as well as 4G LTE capabilities to make sure the internals of the phone can match the network speeds. The SoC features eight 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 CPUs, and a Mali T760 graphics chip which will handle the graphics side of things.

The Liquid Jade S features a 5-inch 1280x720 display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera backed up by a 5-megapixel up front for those detailed selfies, and a non-removable 2300mAh battery. All of this arrives in a handset that weighs just 116g and is 7.78mm thick. Acer will have the Liquid Jade S for €299, or around $358 and will be made available in Europe starting later this month.

Xiaomi, the No. 3 global smartphone manufacturer, saw its sales triple in 2014, racking up more than 61.1 million units sold in 2014. It's impressive growth from 18.7 million units in 2013, as the company continues to expand outside of China - with a focus on India, Russia, and other markets.

Sales also doubled year-over-year, up to $11.97 billion, as the company continues to prove it may have what it takes to put pressure on Samsung and Apple. Although the company has focused on selling cost-friendly devices - with no specific rush to enter the United States or UK - there are plenty of first-time smartphone owners the company is able to cater to.

"In 2015, the smart devices playing field will become extremely competitive, especially as the growth of the smartphone industry in mainland China slows down," said Lei Jun, Xiaomi founder and chief executive, in a blog post.

CES 2015 - Still not sure what you want to be when you 'grow up'? Well Acatel's new Pixi 3 phone isn't either. Released with the ability to operate on Android, Windows or Firefox operating systems - you'll have to wait until CES 2015 to see the full information listing.

This phone wont be running the three operating systems within a single unit, you'll be able to select which OS you want to use when purchasing the phone. It's certainly a very cool advancement in the mobile scene, seeing a single company supporting a wide user-base of people searching for different operating systems all under the same phone structure.

If you're wanting one for yourself, you will also have the ability to chose from various sizing options. They will be releasing the Pixi 3 phone in 3.5-inch, 4-inch, 4.5-inch and 5-inch variations - giving the consumer the ability to pick which OS they require on any of the offered models. The only catch is that their 3.5-inch product will not feature LTE.

CES 2015 - Tablet manufacturer E FUN is expanding its Nextbook Android tablets during CES, with four new models running Google Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The 8" tablet will run a quad-core ARM Cortex A7 1.3GHz processor, with 1GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB storage, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS module, mini-HDMI, microSD, and front-facing and rear-facing cameras. The 8L 8" model with 4G/LTE will run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core ARM Cortex A53 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB storage, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS module, 2-megapixel front-facing and rear-facing cameras, mini-HDMI, microSD, and micro USB.

The 10.1" 2-in-1 4G/LTE model utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core ARM Cortex A53 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB storage, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS module, 2-megapixel front-facing and rear-facing cameras, mini-HDMI, microSD, and microUSB.

CES 2015 - Tablet maker E FUN will add new models to its growing 2-in-1 Nextbook lineup running Microsoft Windows 8.1, as a 10.1", 11.6" and 12.5" models will be shown off during the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The devices have a quad-core Intel Atom CPU, dual camera, 2GB DDR3L RAM, 32GB/64GB internal storage, Bluetooth 4.0, 2-megapixel front-facing and rear-facing cameras, micro USB port, mini-HDMI port, audio jack, and a removable magnetic POGO keyboard.

"We are extremely excited to build on the great success we had launching our first tablets with Windows in the fourth quarter of last year," said Jason Liszewski, managing director and VP of sales for E FUN, in a press statement. "Our first 2-in-1 tablet with Windows and powered by Intel was one of the best selling devices by volume throughout the holiday season."

Arbor Solution will publicly unveil the Gladius 10 tablet during CES 2015, with the octa-core Cortex A7-powerede device designed to withstand a beating. The mobile device will have a $1,030 MSRP, but certainly wasn't created towards consumers.

The device has a 10.1" TFT high-definition LCD display (1280x800), integrated barcode scanner, quad-core ARM Mali 3D GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 2-megapixel front-facing camera and 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. The tablet also includes GPS, assisted GPS and e-compass navigational systems, micro-USB, microSD, mini-HDMI port and two SIM card slots.

"Mobile technology is quickly changing the way work and business is conducted today," said Brian Yurkiw, vice president of Arbor Solution, in a press statement. "The key to success, along with a smaller design and advanced features, is durability and connectivity. Our new Gladius 10 rugged tablet is especially designed to withstand drops, vibrations, dirt, and water and can operate across a very wide temperature range. In other words, it is durable and ready for whatever it encounters in a mobile work application."

Just a few days before the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, a new website at mynewpalm.com indicates the company could be ready for a new emergence in the smartphone market. The website teases "coming soon," and "smart move," when a user visits the website.

The company was eventually acquired by Hewlett-Packard and essentially disappeared from the public world - but there are reported links to Alcatel, a Google Android phone manufacturer, behind the new Palm website. It would be a curious move if HP decided to quietly sell the brand to Alcatel, as the company apparently wants to try new marketing techniques to win over Android users.

Considering the ongoing struggles that BlackBerry - a longtime smartphone king - has endured trying to claw back into the smartphone market, it seems hard to believe Palm will be able to have much success.

Smartphones to Smartwatches and now Smart Rings, when will the downsizing of technology stop? Is it really worth developing and working on a tiny ring that's only real purpose is to inform you of a missed call or text message?

There's been a few different campaigns to get smart rings off the ground, with the MOTA: SmartRing even achieving $41,740 - well over its $35,000 goal.

Gizmodo had a chat to Kevin Bates, the man responsible for the Ö ring project. He gave a little insight into how crowd sourcing should work and exactly why he decided to undertake the project in the first place. Bates stated that "I made this just to see how small I could get the technology. I became inspired after seeing several crowdfunding campaigns for smart rings become hugely successful. I wanted to see if it was possible to develop a technology more advanced than what they had displayed in their promotional materials. In general, I think people should be more skeptical of hardware crowdfunding and demand to see more behind the scenes operation of the underlying technology."

Telstra have just rolled out their new 700Mhz "4GX" plans as 2015 sees the 700Mhz spectrum split between carriers Optus, TPG and Telstra now available for customers.

As previously announced, Telstra said that they've got all capital cities and 50 regional towns ready to go with this technology. This has now been expanded to a further 600 locations throughout Australia starting from January the 2nd (today), local time.

Using LTE-A to bond the new 700Mhz network to their existing 1800Mhz network, this technology should see an improvement in download speeds for user devices. Due to it being a 'shared mobile spectrum', customers shouldn't expect to always receive blisteringly-fast downloads, also seeing your device switch between the two available frequencies for the best coverage as it sees fit.

If you've forgotten your charging cable on a long road-trip, holiday, work/school day or just about anywhere within 5 miles of your home - its likely your phone is going to run flat. Not only will you be unable to check your Facebook notifications, but you'll likely be lost thanks to the lack of GPS available and the general population not knowing how to use the sun for guidance.

In comes the Power Pen, available for a purchase price of £24.99 ($39 US). Constructed as a ballpoint pen, stylus and charger, this device contains a 700mAh battery pack, giving your general smartphone around 30% of charge.

It comes with the ability to charge any Android or iOS device with a microUSB or lighting port, marketed as handy for your smartphone, tablet or portable speakers and giving you a little wiggle room when things go pear shaped.

Apple may be their own best competitor, and sales of the iPad have declined 12.7% with further drops in sight. The iPad, and tablets in general, are suffering from market saturation and competition from smartphones with larger screens. Apple's latest iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are only adding to the problem with their larger screens and faster processors, and many speculate the rate of iPad decline is increasing.

The new iPhone models are comparable to iPad performance, and also feature a longer battery life. Tablets have long been preferred for their large screens and batteries, and faster processors. New cell phone models are much like a smaller tablet, but with cellphone connectivity. Many users also utilize iPads for e-reading, but that trend is also migrating to cellular phones. The iPad is also suffering from technological stagnation. While cell phones are increasingly more powerful and can provide more services, the iPad remains relatively the same. There are very few reasons for users to upgrade to a slightly lighter or powerful iPad when the device in their hand the most, the ever-present cell phone, can accomplish any task the iPad can. iPads also suffer from limited storage capacity, and the addition of a USB port to allow users to swap in more storage might be a wise move to provide an incentive to use the iPad over a cell phone.

News reading service Pocket has tracked user activity and notes that users with large cellphone screens use tablets less. As all cell phones begin to feature larger screens expect this trend to increase. It's amazing that a few short years ago many predicted the demise of the PC due to the popular tablet. The tables have turned, and the PC space is growing as tablets rapidly decline. With no real use for cell phones other than content consumption, as opposed to creation with PC's, we expect the PC to continue to enjoy a healthy resurgence.