Mobile Devices - Page 170

Apple's new iPhone 5 sports a new charging cable, which the company have dubbed "Lightning". Apple's new Lightning cable is an 8-pin charging cable, which has some built-in measures that won't make it easy for cheap imitation cables - something Apple are sure to make millions from.

Apple's former 30-pin cable was a pretty simple design, where it was based on millions upon millions of cables, accessories, docks, and so forth - cheap imitations were created from its simple design, but it looks like the same game won't be played this time around. Apple are currently charging $30 for a new Lightning cable, which is ridiculous considering the cable would cost next to nothing to manufacture.

CNN have an unnamed source "with knowledge of Apple's manufacturing" who has said that the new Lightning cable comes with new measures which will make imitation that much harder - as they contain a new authentication chip. It won't be impossible for Chinese manufacturers to imitate this new $30 cable, with the source stating:

Samsung's Galaxy Note II is looking like a mighty fine device, for those who want a large 5.5-inch smartphone, but it does have a trick up its sleeve when it comes to rotating your screen. Normally when you're reading something on your smartphone and turn the device, and have "Auto rotation" enabled, it will rotate it when the phone detects physical rotation.

Samsung have gone down a different route with the Note II, adding "Smart rotation". Smart rotation has debuted with the Note II, and is a little different to the Galaxy S III's Smart stay. Smart roation will use the front-facing camera to detect what orientation your face is at, and then match the rotation of the screen with it. So if you rotate your phone into landscape to watch a video clip, but keep your face at the same angle, it won't adjust.

But, if you were laying down and looking at your phone sideways, it would detect this and adjust accordingly. Very cool, and something worth bragging about on the Note II. These little things are what make the phones stand out, and while this is not a killer app by any means, it is building Samsung toward something greater - something magical.

We know that Steve Jobs was a visionary, as he is constantly described as such, and nearly a year after the Apple co-founder died, historians have found some information that would confirm he truly was a visionary.

The Next Web writes about a speech Jobs gave nearly thirty years ago in 1983 at the Center for Design innovation. After this speech, Jobs gave a question and answer session that covered a wide variety of topics, where Jobs talked about a "computer in a book", where a user could learn how to use it in just 20 minutes:

Well, that's quite the statement, isn't it? It took Apple a lot longer than a decade, but hey, look at them now. The iPad dominates the tablet industry.

Give me one, now. Sharp have begun the production of 5-inch 1920x1080 displays at their factories - the joy! At 5-inch and 1080p, we're looking at 443 pixels per inch (ppi).

Considering the iPhone 5 only sports 326ppi - this is going to be a huge thing for new smartphones sporting the seriously packed 5-inch displays. We could also be staring down the barrel of 5-inch tablets with 443ppi displays, such as a smaller Nexus tablet to compete with the impending release of Apple's iPad mini.

Then we'll have the worry of "will people be able to see the quality in these screens" at this size, and resolution? If you've ever looked at an iPhone 5 and a third-gen iPad, you'll know that quality trumps. I think we'll begin to see some very beautiful looking smart devices with these 426ppi displays.

Just over 24 hours ago, I reported that we wouldn't be seeing BlackBerry 10 smartphones until next year - well, next year has come early, thanks to some internal marketing leaks from Research in Motion.

The leaked videos popped up onto Vimeo last night, showing off two BlackBerry 10-based smartphones, but the video was pulled pretty quickly. CrackBerry.com were quick off the mark, where they were able to snap some screenshots of what we will most likely see next year.

RIM's L Series phone, codenamed 'London', has popped up before and looks pretty much the same as Dev Alpha phones that BB10 developers are currently working with. We should expect to see this phone sport a 4-inch display, with a 1280x768 resolution. RIM's N Series phone, codenamed Nevada, sports a smaller touch screen, but includes a physical QWERTY keyboard. This is the first time this smartphone has been shown off, and is just what RIM is capable of.

It looks like Research in Motion (RIM) won't be fighting the new iPhone 5, or the Galaxy S III this year - with the company confirming that the BlackBerry 10 smartphones won't be shown off by the company until next year. Chief Marketing Officer, Frank Boulben, told CNET the news in an interview.

Considering that RIM have virtually every egg in the BB10 basket, leaving the smartphone from the eyes of consumers until next year will probably push consumers to grab the new iPhone 5, or an offering from Samsung or others. RIM are pegging hopes on BlackBerry 10 to fix the current issues they have - market share losses, revenue slips, and huge losses in profits. RIM won't be able to do any of this without creating a buzz for BB10.

RIM are hoping to show off more on BB10 and its features and capabilities, but closer to the launch of the smartphone, says Boulben. Boulben did note that RIM will launch a large, global campaign backed by carriers. RIM have been on a roadshow, showing off the BB10 smartphones to carriers, with Boulben stating that "they've seen BB10 and they love it. We'll have strong backing from the carriers".

You may have already read our view on Google and ASUS' Nexus 7 tablet, where you'll read that we were utterly impressed with such a cheap tablet. It was fast, gorgeous, and features Google's latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. But when you read rumors from DigiTimes that Google are looking to release not one, but two new Nexus-branded tablets - it makes you look twice.

Not only that, but these two new tablets would hit a price point, that until now, has only been hit with cheap tablets - $99. Yes, $99. But, to get down to this price, what would Google have to sacrifice? At the $199 price point, the Nexus 7 sports an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 7-inch screen - but reducing that cost in half, would we see a reduction in specs of the same magnitude?

Could we see the Nexus stripped down to a dual-core processor - possibly of a Qualcomm design? A reduction in RAM? Could we see it feature 1GB, 2GB or 4GB of on-board memory, but throw in an SD card slot to give you the option of increasing storage, all the while keeping the initial, up-front cost at just a paltry $99?

People looking to get a Windows 8 x86 tablet at launch will now be able to start researching just which one they would like to buy. Intel and its partners have unveiled a wide array of tablet designs and experiences with the only common factor running through all of them being Windows 8 and an Intel Atom Z2760.

"This is just the beginning of Intel's effort in the tablet market, and our goal is to deliver products that fit the spectrum of evolving needs of both consumers and business users without compromising on compatibility, experience or battery life," said Erik Reid, general manager, Application Processor Platforms for Intel's Mobile and Communications Group. "When people or corporations buy a device with Intel Inside, they're getting the best of Windows 8 features with a computing experience that just works."

New tablets being shown off today come from the likes of Dell, Acer, ASUS, Fukitsu, HP (seen above), Lenovo, Samsung, and ZTE. The designs vary from business models to consumer models, but Intel is saying they can go as thin as 8.5mm (nearly as thin as the iPhone 5!) and as light as 1.5 pounds.

LG's 'phablet', the Optimus Vu II has just had its specs officially unveiled by the South Korean company, where we've found out it will be sporting a new CPU, some more RAM and some extra goodies. The phone sports a 5-inch 4:3 display but ramps up some of the specs, while meeting some previously rumored specs.

Optimus Vu II sports a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, more specifically the Qualcomm MSM8960, 2GB of RAM versus its predecessor's 1GB of RAM, and a battery that is slightly bigger than the previous Vu, at 2,150mAh. Optimus Vu II will only ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but will include an integrated IR blaster, QRemote software, and VoLTE capabilities.

LG are also throwing in a Rubberdium Pen 2.0 stylus, which sports a thinner, more precise nub (why do I feel dirty saying that?). LG have also put on offer an optional "One Key" accessory, which actually sounds pretty damn cool - it is a waterproof fob that is destined for your key ring, and can be pressed at anytime if you can't find your phone. Your Optimus Vu II will then let off loud beeps until you find it. One Key will also flash blue or red if there are any messages or if the smartphone has finished charging.

There are a lot of good things to like about the iPhone 5 and a lot of bad things to dislike about the iPhone 5. One of the things that most of us can settle on is the fact that the iPhone 5's A6 processor is quite a beautiful thing. This chip is a custom layout by Apple of an ARM instruction set.

Since Apple spent the time to layout the chip by hand, they can gear the chip for performance, battery life, or both. Many people have attributed the "2x" performance claim, and seemingly supportive benchmarks, to this hand layout process. It seems now that the iPhone 5's A6 processor is either clocked higher than previously thought, or contains a turbo mode of sorts that ramps it up to 1.3GHz.

As you can see in the video above, the new version of Geekbench identifies the processor as being clocked at the higher 1.3GHz. The older version of Geekbench identified the A6 as a 1GHz part. Dynamic clocking makes sense as it would allow the processor to be more powerful when needed and clock down to save battery when not.

For all of you who picked up the iPhone 5 on launch day last Friday, try taking a picture where the light source is just outside the frame and take a look at the resulting image. See that purple haze? Well, you're not alone. Members have taken to the AnandTech forums complaining about the issue and have corroborated each other's stories.

The current thought regarding the issue is that it is caused due to the use of sapphire for the lens. Sapphire is a hard material that comes in a variety of colors and the purple halo could be a result of the light refracting through a slightly purple lens. Sapphire is used for its toughness as it is difficult to scratch.

One user on the AnandTech forums stated that Apple support told him that this is a widespread issue. However, since people only seem to be complaining about it on AnandTech, it's not exactly clear just how widespread this issue is. Apple support also reportedly said that they are researching the problem. Another person reported that when they called Apple support, the representative said there have been a lot of calls about the problem.

Dell are unveiling more of their products as the release of Windows 8 draws closer, with a new business-orientated model. Dell have given it the name 'Latitude 10', and the company have baked in a fair amount of enterprise features, such as a user-swappable battery, a dock for improved productivity, and Dell Data Protection Encryption (DDPE) for security.

Dell's Latitude 10 sports a, you guessed it, 10.1-inch screen, bakes in Intel's Clover Trail SoC, 2GB of RAM, up to 128GB of flash-based storage, and a 30WHr battery. Unfortunately, Dell have opted for a 1366x768 resolution on the Latitude 10 which is disappointing, but they did include a Gorilla Glass-protected IPS panel. Latitude 10 boasts support for 10-point multitouch as well as an optional Wacom stylus.

Filling out the specs, we have an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 720p webcam for those voice calls and selfies, a full-sized USB port, microUSB port for charging, miniHDMI port, headphone/mic jack, a proprietary docking port, microSIM slot and a card reader. Dell's docking abilities give the Latitude 10 four extra USB 2.0 ports, gigabit ethernet, HDMI output as well as audio output. All of this is in a slate that measures 0.4 inches thick, and weighs in at around 1.5 pounds with the stock 30WHr battery. Dell are offering an optional 60WHr battery.

Windows Phone 8 (and Windows 8) are nearing every day. Companies have started detailing their launch plans for devices running the new Windows Phone 8 operating system. HTC is the latest to join this group and today has announced two devices running Microsoft's latest mobile operating system: Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S.

The first, the Windows Phone 8X (seen above), is the better device between the two. It's specifications aren't exactly ridiculous like some of the Android phones of late, but it will certainly be able to compete with other Windows Phone 8 devices. The main specifications provided by HTC are:

The other device announced today, the Windows Phone 8S (seen below), comes with lower specifications and likely a cheaper price tag. It's key features are:

LG have just made their new flagship smartphone available in South Korea, the LG Optimus G. LG's Optimus G packs some serious performance and technology, in an 8.45mm (0.33-inch) thick device. We're looking at Qualcomm's Fusion 3 chipset, which throws in a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (APQ8064) with a 2G/3G/LTE radio (MDM9615).

On top of the impressive processor and radio network connectivity, we're looking at 2GB of DDR RAM, a 4.7-inch 1280x768 (320ppi) True HD IPS PLUS display with Zerogap Touch (in-cell touch) technology. A sealed 2100mAh Li-polymer battery which is good for 800 charge cycles, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Filling out the G's specs, LG have thrown in a 13-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with 1.1µm pixels, an f/2.4 autofocus lens and a single LED flash, on the front we have a 1.3-megapixel camera. LG have thrown in 32GB of built-in storage, but left out any expandable storage options. Filling out the Optimus G we have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, NFC and MHL. All of this technological marvel is married into a 145g device.

It looks like a leak from ASUS is pointing toward their pricing structure on Windows 8-based tablets, where they start from $599. At $599, we should find the ASUS Vivo Tab RT (TF600T) which would sport a 10.1-inch Super IPS+ panel with a 178-degree viewing angle, an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core SoC, and optional keyboard dock for a physical keyboard, as well as extended battery life. The Vivo Tab RT will also come with Office 2013 pre-loaded.

Sitting in the middle of the price structure, we find the ASUS Vivo Tab (TF810C) which sports an 11.6-inch Super IPS+ panel with the same 178-degree viewing angle, an Intel Atom Z2760 CPU, and has a starting price of $799. In the higher-end spectrum, we have the ASUS Taichi, with an MSRP of $1299. The Taichi features an 11.6-inch dual Full HD IPS panel with a 1920x1080 resolution, and thanks to its dual screen, it can be both a notebook, as well as a tablet - sexy.

The Taichi also sports Bang & Olufsen IcePower audio technology, as well as multi-touch dual panels which makes it "easy to share files between two users". The Taichi is definitely looking like a hot mess of a tech device, and it has my interest, that's for sure.

I'm a huge technology fan, and I really love my smart devices. Personally, I was disappointed with the iPhone 5 release. I expected something so much greater than what we got, which at the end of the day is just a thinner, lighter, slightly better iPhone 4S.

The new iPhone 5 is nearly upon us, and while it has impressed most people, it could've still been better. The original iPhone debuted in 2007 to much acclaim, virtually blowing away every single phone on the market, bar none. Sure, there were things it couldn't do, but Apple slowly added these features to the phone and turned it into the powerhouse it is today.

The new iPhone 5 is the first iPhone since the original launched five years that was built from the ground up. After the iPhone came out we saw some thick and fast competition swirl up, and now we have Samsung coming from virtually nowhere, a land of mediocrity, to the strongest competition the once unbeatable iPhone now has.

Let's set the record straight as there are many sites reporting that the new iPhone 5 comes with an adapter so that legacy accessories can be used. This rumor has been spurred on by Apple inadvertently saying their would be during the checkout process on their site. You can see the error in the picture below.

Apple has updated their site to correct the mistake, though we want to make sure our readers who purchased the iPhone 5 before the change realize that they, in fact, will not be receiving an adapter. The adapter will set customers back $29, or $39 if they want it with a cable. The adapter is due out in October.

Apple has released a statement to this effect:

Acer were set to unveil their CloudMobile A800 smartphone yesterday, but cancelled it at the very last minute, just hours before the unveiling of the new phone. Acer's new smartphone was destined to run Aliyun 2.0, an operating system created by e-commerce giant, Alibaba Group.

Acer planned to hold a press conference in Shanghai to unveil the new phone, which was going to reach the Chinese market rocking the Aliyun 2.0 OS. But, the company cancelled the event hours beforehand, with an Acer exec declining to explain why the plans were changed, saying only that the unveiling was cancelled for a "special reason".

But in this day and age, that's not good enough - and an unnamed company official quoted in a report on the Dow Jones Newswire said that the cancellation is in relation to Google's concerns over Acer's use of the Aliyun OS. Alibaba spoke with CNET, where they have come out and said that the Mountain View-based company threatened Acer, saying they'd end their partnership with the device maker if they support Aliyun. CNET's source said:

It looks like Microsoft are ramping up for a mammoth Windows 8 launch, where they've announced at the company's annual event that every single Microsoft employee will not only get a new Surface tablet, but a Windows Phone 8 smartphone, as well as a Windows 8 touchscreen-based PC.

Forbes has said that the PC part of things isn't just limited to a desktop, it could be a desktop, laptop, Ultrabook or tablet. Considering there are some pretty awesome looking Windows 8-based Ultrabooks coming out, this is great news for MS employees.

Employee morale should go up considerably, and it also makes them look great to the public. 90,000 employees would surely cost Microsoft into the hundreds of millions, if not more, but hey - Windows 8 is their biggest step yet, and pushing their own gear to their employees for free is a very good start.

iPod nano gets large display, nice controls, and new dock connector. It looks basically like a mini phone:

It comes in at 38% thinner, the thinnest nano ever created. The device features physical controls along the side, a 2.5-inch multi-touch screen and comes in 7 colors. The nano also gets video again, as well as an FM tuner. Fitness and pedometer are built right in, along with built-in Bluetooth. Apple is also bragging it has the longest battery life of any nano.

Next up, iPod touch. "It's not just a great music or game player - it's a great iOS device. We wanted to make it better, with an all new, 5th generation iPod touch."