Computerworld - LAS VEGAS -- Sony showed off its new Xperia Ion smartphone in the middle of its massive booth at CES here, drawing attention to its multimedia features and sleek styling.
The Xperia Ion is the first LTE smartphone from Sony, and will be sold exclusively by AT&T in the U.S. starting in the second quarter.
The phone on display at CES was labeled Sony Ericsson, though Ericsson is no longer part of the company. The label is expected to be changed to simply "Sony" once it receives regulatory approval, a booth agent said.
Kevin Burden, an analyst at ABI Research, said he liked the phone --"because it's just Sony now."
Many industry observers have said the Sony Ericsson partnership failed in some product areas, such as smartphones. There's been a feeling among some analysts that Sony has a strong reputation for its historic connection to music, movies and TV that will work better without Ericsson.
The new Xperia Ion pushes those multimedia capabilities with home screen controls of music and video. A 4.6-in. high definition display (1280 x 720 pixels) offers 720p video play. A 12 megapixel rear-facing still camera puts it in the upper range of what new smartphones offer, and Sony has made the rear-facing video capture 1080p, with the front camera at 720p.
All of those video capabilities should be well served by the faster AT&T LTE network, with the possibility of 10 Mbps downloads, and the phone's 1.5 Ghz dual core processor. An HDMI port will allow users to play the phone's movies, photos and video on a TV.
In the hand, the phone feels sleek. An aluminum back to the phone gives it durability and distinguishes it from many new multimedia-centric phones on the market that have a plastic composite back. One potential drawback is that there's no removable battery, something that Sony seems to have adopted from the iPhone.
The phone will launch with Android 2.3, but there's been no word on upgrade possibilities to Android 4.0, also called Ice Cream Sandwich, or pricing. By comparison, Verizon Wireless sells the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus which runs Android 4.0 for $300 with a contract.
(computerworld.com)
Jumat, 13 Januari 2012
HP TouchPad Ice Cream Sandwich CM9 port gets video tease
HP TouchPad owner but webOS 3.0.5 not doing it for you? A delicious, dripping Ice Cream Sandwich may be on its way to you sooner rather than later, with news – and a video demo after the cut – that the CyanogenMod team has managed to get custom Android 4.0-based ROM CM9 running on the short-lived slate.
“We are well on our way in terms of progress” the team says, and “hope to give you something to play with soon.” Right now there are only two main outstanding issues to overcome: the camera doesn’t work, and video playback isn’t supported. Work on the latter is apparently ongoing.
That still means there’s plenty to see today, including Angry Birds and some smooth animated fish rendering. Connectivity – WiFi and Bluetooth – are both supported and functional, but the CM team still isn’t giving a fixed estimate on when TouchPad owners might be able to actually download the new ROM.
(slashgear.com)
“We are well on our way in terms of progress” the team says, and “hope to give you something to play with soon.” Right now there are only two main outstanding issues to overcome: the camera doesn’t work, and video playback isn’t supported. Work on the latter is apparently ongoing.
That still means there’s plenty to see today, including Angry Birds and some smooth animated fish rendering. Connectivity – WiFi and Bluetooth – are both supported and functional, but the CM team still isn’t giving a fixed estimate on when TouchPad owners might be able to actually download the new ROM.
(slashgear.com)
AT&T Lumia 900 due March tips Nokia newsletter
The AT&T Nokia Lumia 900 will launch in March, according to Nokia’s Developer Newsletter, which revealed the release schedule for the LTE Windows Phone despite both carrier and company staying mum about details this week at CES. “[Lumia 900] will become available exclusively through AT&T in March” the coder-targeted newsletter confirmed, far more specific than “the next few months” as Microsoft, Nokia and AT&T have committed to.
It’s obviously in Microsoft’s best interest to give developers as much notice as possible as to the new LTE Lumia’s launch, as that gives them the opportunity to get new US-centric apps ready for its arrival. AT&T, Microsoft and Nokia are expected to spend in the region of $200m to market and promote the smartphone.
Similar to the existing Lumia 800 which has been on sale for some time now, the Lumia 900 has a larger, 4.3-inch display and packs 4G connectivity, as well as an 8-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording. Different from the Lumia 800, however, is the front-facing camera, though both handsets use Nokia’s milled polycarbonate construction.
(slashgear.com)
It’s obviously in Microsoft’s best interest to give developers as much notice as possible as to the new LTE Lumia’s launch, as that gives them the opportunity to get new US-centric apps ready for its arrival. AT&T, Microsoft and Nokia are expected to spend in the region of $200m to market and promote the smartphone.
Similar to the existing Lumia 800 which has been on sale for some time now, the Lumia 900 has a larger, 4.3-inch display and packs 4G connectivity, as well as an 8-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording. Different from the Lumia 800, however, is the front-facing camera, though both handsets use Nokia’s milled polycarbonate construction.
(slashgear.com)
Rabu, 04 Januari 2012
Samsung unveils Galaxy Ace Plus
Korean giant Samsung has refreshed its Galaxy Plus smartphone with the unveiling of Galaxy Ace Plus.
Sporting a 3.65-inch HVGA display with a 480 x 320 pixel resolution, Galaxy Ace Plus will come with a 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash. Other features include Wi-Fi 802.11 connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and Samsung's range of apps and services.
Powered by 1 GHz processor, Galaxy Ace Plus will come with Android Gingerbread, 512MB of RAM, 3GB storage which can be expanded up to 32GB using MicroSD card.
Other key features include, Samsung's TouchWiz interface and ThinkFree which will let users edit word and excel documents while on the move.
For social networking, the phone will offer services like Social Hub, Music Hub and ChatON. According to reports, the phone is set to arrive in Russia this month, followed by Europe, CIS, Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
The phone is expected to make its India debut by the end of March and is likely to be priced around Rs 15,000.
(timesofindia.com)
Sporting a 3.65-inch HVGA display with a 480 x 320 pixel resolution, Galaxy Ace Plus will come with a 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash. Other features include Wi-Fi 802.11 connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and Samsung's range of apps and services.
Powered by 1 GHz processor, Galaxy Ace Plus will come with Android Gingerbread, 512MB of RAM, 3GB storage which can be expanded up to 32GB using MicroSD card.
Other key features include, Samsung's TouchWiz interface and ThinkFree which will let users edit word and excel documents while on the move.
For social networking, the phone will offer services like Social Hub, Music Hub and ChatON. According to reports, the phone is set to arrive in Russia this month, followed by Europe, CIS, Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
The phone is expected to make its India debut by the end of March and is likely to be priced around Rs 15,000.
(timesofindia.com)
Nokia Lumia 710
Need a modern smartphone choice on T-Mobile but aren't willing to spend the hundreds of dollars usually required? Perhaps you should take a gander at Nokia's new $49.99 Lumia 710. With strong features for work and play, plus a 4G connection, it could become your new mobile best friend.
Design
Sure, it lacks the playful colors and personalized back plates of its European cousin, but the U.S. version of the Nokia Lumia 710 shows some flair of its own. It comes in two main colors, all-black like my review sample, and a model that sports a ... Expand full review
Need a modern smartphone choice on T-Mobile but aren't willing to spend the hundreds of dollars usually required? Perhaps you should take a gander at Nokia's new $49.99 Lumia 710. With strong features for work and play, plus a 4G connection, it could become your new mobile best friend.
Design
Sure, it lacks the playful colors and personalized back plates of its European cousin, but the U.S. version of the Nokia Lumia 710 shows some flair of its own. It comes in two main colors, all-black like my review sample, and a model that sports a frosty white front.
Crafted from unassuming plastic, the Lumia 710 looks pretty mundane aesthetically at first glance. Once you pick up the 4.4-ounce handset, however, it's clear that it's solidly made if not luxurious. Measuring 4.69 inches tall by 2.46 inches wide by 0.49 inch thick, the compact device sports attractively rounded edges and fits into tight pockets without too much trouble. The phone's back cover has a rubbery, soft-touch coating, too, which provides a sure grip.
On the front is the 3.7-inch (WVGA, 800x480-pixel resolution) LCD screen, which is smaller and not as sharp as the full-HD or even qHD displays boasted by higher-end Android devices. Also, though it lacks the fantastically deep blacks and eye-popping colors of other devices with AMOLED displays, namely the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, and Samsung Focus S, or even the original Focus, it does serve up pleasing-enough image quality.
That said, Nokia adds its special ClearBlack technology to boost screen contrast. For instance, I had a great time watching the YouTube HD trailer for "The Avengers," which boasted plenty of rich eye candy like bright fiery explosions, energy blasts, flowing capes, and Scarlett Johansson's artfully arranged red hair. Also, the Lumia 710's screen had noticeably darker blacks than the display on the HTC Radar 4G, which tended to leak some light around the edges.
Handling typing duties is the standard Windows Phone virtual keyboard with square blocklike keys pressed closely together. Most buttons don't double as punctuation marks, though long-pressing the period key pulls up a selection of often-entered symbols. Additionally, like all WP7 phones, the Lumia 710 doesn't have the option of haptic feedback. Despite this, my typing experience was comfortable and I easily and quickly banged out messages and e-mails.
Above the display is a nondescript earpiece and below it sits a thin, flexible bar that serves as three buttons for Back, Windows Home, and Search. While I usually like physical keys, I found these buttons stiff and often hard to press. The same goes for the tiny volume rocker and dedicated camera button on the phone's right side and the recessed power key located on the Lumia's top edge. Also on top are a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and Micro-USB port.
Placed on back are the 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and a large speaker. Ripping off the handset's battery cover reveals its 1,300mAh battery, which you need to remove to access the phone's SIM card slot. At least the battery is removable, unlike the HTC Radar 4G's, which is locked in by that phone's fancy unibody metal chassis.
Features
The Nokia Lumia 710's Windows Phone 7.5 Mango interface is virtually identical to that of other WP7 devices I've used. That's to be expected, since Microsoft lays down strict rules for how Windows Phone runs on mobile handsets. I'm not complaining, though, since my familiarity with Mango had me up and running in a matter of minutes. For those who don't use the Windows Phone operating system often, the home screen, called the Start Menu, consists of Live Tiles arranged vertically. Functioning the same way app shortcut icons do in Android and iOS, Tiles also behave a bit like widgets, pulling in data and displaying information in real time.
For instance, Messaging, Email, and Gmail Tiles showcase the number of new messages, while Pictures will flip through your gallery highlighting snapshots. Swiping left opens the main menu with a full list of installed apps. You can also pin apps and other things like picture albums and videos to the home screen for fast access. A People Tile taps into social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Gmail accounts to populate your contact list and provide live updates. Overall, it's a very slick and engaging UI rendered in a clean, modern font.
Here too is access to the Microsoft Marketplace app store, which has a much smaller selection than the iOS and Android storefronts but does feature many of the software basics, such as Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and Tripit, just to name a few. Nokia and T-Mobile pre-install some useful titles too, specifically Netflix so you can stream movies on the go, the Weather Channel app, and Nokia Drive for free turn-by-turn GPS navigation. Of course, if you'd rather pay for directions, the TeleNav GPS Nav app costs $9.99 per month.
The good: Thanks to its Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS, Nokia's Lumia 710 provides plenty of power for both fun and productive uses. It has a smooth and engaging user interface, satisfying photo quality, and 720p HD video, all in a compact and affordable package.
The bad: The Lumia 710's all-plastic construction doesn't scream luxury and its small physical buttons are stiff and often tough to press. The handset also lacks a front-facing camera, so video chat is out of the question.
The bottom line: The $49.99 Nokia Lumia 710 is an excellent way to get the growing capabilities of a Windows Mango smartphone for a rock-bottom price. Though it isn't an Android superphone with a luscious AMOLED display, it's a practical device that covers all the mobile bases.
(cnet.com)
Design
Sure, it lacks the playful colors and personalized back plates of its European cousin, but the U.S. version of the Nokia Lumia 710 shows some flair of its own. It comes in two main colors, all-black like my review sample, and a model that sports a ... Expand full review
Need a modern smartphone choice on T-Mobile but aren't willing to spend the hundreds of dollars usually required? Perhaps you should take a gander at Nokia's new $49.99 Lumia 710. With strong features for work and play, plus a 4G connection, it could become your new mobile best friend.
Design
Sure, it lacks the playful colors and personalized back plates of its European cousin, but the U.S. version of the Nokia Lumia 710 shows some flair of its own. It comes in two main colors, all-black like my review sample, and a model that sports a frosty white front.
Crafted from unassuming plastic, the Lumia 710 looks pretty mundane aesthetically at first glance. Once you pick up the 4.4-ounce handset, however, it's clear that it's solidly made if not luxurious. Measuring 4.69 inches tall by 2.46 inches wide by 0.49 inch thick, the compact device sports attractively rounded edges and fits into tight pockets without too much trouble. The phone's back cover has a rubbery, soft-touch coating, too, which provides a sure grip.
On the front is the 3.7-inch (WVGA, 800x480-pixel resolution) LCD screen, which is smaller and not as sharp as the full-HD or even qHD displays boasted by higher-end Android devices. Also, though it lacks the fantastically deep blacks and eye-popping colors of other devices with AMOLED displays, namely the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, and Samsung Focus S, or even the original Focus, it does serve up pleasing-enough image quality.
That said, Nokia adds its special ClearBlack technology to boost screen contrast. For instance, I had a great time watching the YouTube HD trailer for "The Avengers," which boasted plenty of rich eye candy like bright fiery explosions, energy blasts, flowing capes, and Scarlett Johansson's artfully arranged red hair. Also, the Lumia 710's screen had noticeably darker blacks than the display on the HTC Radar 4G, which tended to leak some light around the edges.
Handling typing duties is the standard Windows Phone virtual keyboard with square blocklike keys pressed closely together. Most buttons don't double as punctuation marks, though long-pressing the period key pulls up a selection of often-entered symbols. Additionally, like all WP7 phones, the Lumia 710 doesn't have the option of haptic feedback. Despite this, my typing experience was comfortable and I easily and quickly banged out messages and e-mails.
Above the display is a nondescript earpiece and below it sits a thin, flexible bar that serves as three buttons for Back, Windows Home, and Search. While I usually like physical keys, I found these buttons stiff and often hard to press. The same goes for the tiny volume rocker and dedicated camera button on the phone's right side and the recessed power key located on the Lumia's top edge. Also on top are a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and Micro-USB port.
Placed on back are the 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and a large speaker. Ripping off the handset's battery cover reveals its 1,300mAh battery, which you need to remove to access the phone's SIM card slot. At least the battery is removable, unlike the HTC Radar 4G's, which is locked in by that phone's fancy unibody metal chassis.
Features
The Nokia Lumia 710's Windows Phone 7.5 Mango interface is virtually identical to that of other WP7 devices I've used. That's to be expected, since Microsoft lays down strict rules for how Windows Phone runs on mobile handsets. I'm not complaining, though, since my familiarity with Mango had me up and running in a matter of minutes. For those who don't use the Windows Phone operating system often, the home screen, called the Start Menu, consists of Live Tiles arranged vertically. Functioning the same way app shortcut icons do in Android and iOS, Tiles also behave a bit like widgets, pulling in data and displaying information in real time.
For instance, Messaging, Email, and Gmail Tiles showcase the number of new messages, while Pictures will flip through your gallery highlighting snapshots. Swiping left opens the main menu with a full list of installed apps. You can also pin apps and other things like picture albums and videos to the home screen for fast access. A People Tile taps into social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Gmail accounts to populate your contact list and provide live updates. Overall, it's a very slick and engaging UI rendered in a clean, modern font.
Here too is access to the Microsoft Marketplace app store, which has a much smaller selection than the iOS and Android storefronts but does feature many of the software basics, such as Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and Tripit, just to name a few. Nokia and T-Mobile pre-install some useful titles too, specifically Netflix so you can stream movies on the go, the Weather Channel app, and Nokia Drive for free turn-by-turn GPS navigation. Of course, if you'd rather pay for directions, the TeleNav GPS Nav app costs $9.99 per month.
The good: Thanks to its Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS, Nokia's Lumia 710 provides plenty of power for both fun and productive uses. It has a smooth and engaging user interface, satisfying photo quality, and 720p HD video, all in a compact and affordable package.
The bad: The Lumia 710's all-plastic construction doesn't scream luxury and its small physical buttons are stiff and often tough to press. The handset also lacks a front-facing camera, so video chat is out of the question.
The bottom line: The $49.99 Nokia Lumia 710 is an excellent way to get the growing capabilities of a Windows Mango smartphone for a rock-bottom price. Though it isn't an Android superphone with a luscious AMOLED display, it's a practical device that covers all the mobile bases.
(cnet.com)
Lenovo Adds New Core Chips, Thunderbolt to ThinkPads
Lenovo on Thursday announced ThinkPad laptops with cutting-edge technologies including Intel's upcoming third-generation Core processors and the Thunderbolt interconnect, which is currently found only on Apple laptops.
The laptops include the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid, which Lenovo said is its thinnest ThinkPad yet. Another new laptop, the ThinkPad S430, will be Lenovo's first laptop to include Thunderbolt, an interconnect technology that rivals USB 3.0.
The new ThinkPads are also among the first laptops introduced with Intel's upcoming third-generation Core processors, which have not yet been officially announced. Intel has said laptops with processors based on a microarchitecture code-named Ivy Bridge would be available in the first half of this year. The chips will succeed current Core processors code-named Sandy Bridge, and should bring longer battery life and better graphics to laptops.
The X1 Hybrid, targeted at business users, is priced at US$1,599 and will become available in some countries during the second quarter of this year. The laptop, which weighs less than 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms), will be shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from Jan. 10 to Jan. 13.
A new feature in the X1 Hybrid is the Instant Media Mode in which the laptop can switch from Windows to a low-power mode used in tablets to extend battery life. The laptop battery can run for up to 10 hours on a single charge. The Instant Media Mode is enabled by an open-source OS and a Qualcomm co-processor sitting alongside the Intel processor. The mode is somewhat similar to what Dell has offered in the past, a quick-boot feature in laptops based on the Linux OS and an ARM co-processor.
"You can switch between the Instant Media Mode and the Windows environment and during Instant Media Mode you can watch videos, pictures, listen to music, browse the Web in this low power mode," said Dilip Bhatia, vice president of the ThinkPad business unit.
The Thunderbolt-equipped ThinkPad Edge S430 comes with a 14-inch screen and will be available in June starting at $749. The laptop will be available in select markets, but not in the U.S., a company spokesperson said.
Intel last year said that Thunderbolt would reach PCs this year, starting with Acer and Asus. Sony also is a known backer of Thunderbolt.
Lenovo also announced the first ThinkPad T430U ultrabook, which will be priced starting at $849. The thin light laptop weighs less than 4 pounds, and will be available in June with up to third-generation Core i7 processors, 1TB of storage and optional Nvidia graphics.
Intel is trying to promote ultrabooks as a way to regenerate interest in laptops, shipments of which are falling due to the rise of tablets. Companies like Hewlett-Packard and Asus have already shipped ultrabooks based on current Core processors.
Other laptops announced include the ThinkPad E430 and E530, which have 14-inch and 15.6-inch screens respectively, and will come with Intel third-generation Core processors or Advanced Micro Devices processors. These laptops, which begin at $549, do not include Thunderbolt ports.
(pcworld.com)
The laptops include the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid, which Lenovo said is its thinnest ThinkPad yet. Another new laptop, the ThinkPad S430, will be Lenovo's first laptop to include Thunderbolt, an interconnect technology that rivals USB 3.0.
The new ThinkPads are also among the first laptops introduced with Intel's upcoming third-generation Core processors, which have not yet been officially announced. Intel has said laptops with processors based on a microarchitecture code-named Ivy Bridge would be available in the first half of this year. The chips will succeed current Core processors code-named Sandy Bridge, and should bring longer battery life and better graphics to laptops.
The X1 Hybrid, targeted at business users, is priced at US$1,599 and will become available in some countries during the second quarter of this year. The laptop, which weighs less than 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms), will be shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from Jan. 10 to Jan. 13.
A new feature in the X1 Hybrid is the Instant Media Mode in which the laptop can switch from Windows to a low-power mode used in tablets to extend battery life. The laptop battery can run for up to 10 hours on a single charge. The Instant Media Mode is enabled by an open-source OS and a Qualcomm co-processor sitting alongside the Intel processor. The mode is somewhat similar to what Dell has offered in the past, a quick-boot feature in laptops based on the Linux OS and an ARM co-processor.
"You can switch between the Instant Media Mode and the Windows environment and during Instant Media Mode you can watch videos, pictures, listen to music, browse the Web in this low power mode," said Dilip Bhatia, vice president of the ThinkPad business unit.
The Thunderbolt-equipped ThinkPad Edge S430 comes with a 14-inch screen and will be available in June starting at $749. The laptop will be available in select markets, but not in the U.S., a company spokesperson said.
Intel last year said that Thunderbolt would reach PCs this year, starting with Acer and Asus. Sony also is a known backer of Thunderbolt.
Lenovo also announced the first ThinkPad T430U ultrabook, which will be priced starting at $849. The thin light laptop weighs less than 4 pounds, and will be available in June with up to third-generation Core i7 processors, 1TB of storage and optional Nvidia graphics.
Intel is trying to promote ultrabooks as a way to regenerate interest in laptops, shipments of which are falling due to the rise of tablets. Companies like Hewlett-Packard and Asus have already shipped ultrabooks based on current Core processors.
Other laptops announced include the ThinkPad E430 and E530, which have 14-inch and 15.6-inch screens respectively, and will come with Intel third-generation Core processors or Advanced Micro Devices processors. These laptops, which begin at $549, do not include Thunderbolt ports.
(pcworld.com)
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