Lava announces Intel Medfield-powered Xolo X900 Android smartphone for India
Feb 28th
Lava, a player in the Indian budget smartphone market, unveiled the Xolo X900, the first handset powered by Intel’s Medfield x86 chipset (formerly codenamed Penwell). The Xolo runs Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread on top of a 1.6 GHz single-core Intel Atom Z2460 (Medfield) chip. Screen size is 4″, with 1024×600 resolution, 8-megapixel rear camera with flash, VGA front-facing camera, NFC support, HDMI output, and a 1640 mAh battery.
The phone is based on Intel’s Medfield reference design, which UK carrier Orange is also using for its upcoming phone, codenamed Santa Clara.
Pricing is unknown as of yet, but Lava says the Xolo X900 should hit the market — only in India — in April.
Hands-on videos with the X900 after the break.
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HTC announces One X: quad-core Tegra 3, 4.7″ HD SLCD, Android 4.0
Feb 27th
HTC One X
HTC just announced its new One X superphone at the Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona. The Android-powered handset features HTC’s first quad-core processor, a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 running at 1.5 GHz. Other specs include a 4.7″ Super LCD screen with 1280×720 HD resolution, 32 GB storage, 1 GB RAM, an 8-megapixel camera with f/2.0 lens, Bluetooth 4.0, dual-band 802.11n Wifi, NFC, DLNA, HDMI via MHL (over the MicroUSB port), Beats Audio, and a 1800 mAh battery.
The One X’s camera seems to have been a focus area for HTC, which included HDR and the ability to take pictures while recording video (pretty cool). The phone is 9.27 mm thick, weighs in at 130 grams, and will ship with Android 4.0 running HTC’s Sense 4 interface on top.
In the US, AT&T gets its own version, the One XL, with an LTE radio built in. Since Tegra 3 doesn’t seem to play well with current LTE chipsets, the One XL swaps out Nvidia’s quad-core chip for a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 from Qualcomm. With half the cores as Tegra 3, S4 may appear to be a step down in processing power, but reviews suggest Qualcomm’s Krait architecture may very well match or beat Tegra for mildly threaded apps (i.e. almost everything you can do on a phone except multitasking of several heavy apps).
One X is the hero phone of HTC’s new One line, which also includes the One S (a thin, dual-core phone slotting under the X) and the One V (the entry-level model).
HTC One lineup: S, X, and V
The HTC One S features a svelte aluminum body, just 7.9 mm thick. It features the same dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor from Snapdragon, alongside the 8 MP camera, 1 GB RAM, Bluetooth 4, Wifi, DLNA, and HDMI. However, the screen drops to a 4.3″ QHD (960 x 540) Super AMOLED (with PenTile), internal storage is down to 16 GB, and the battery is 1650 mAh. In the US, the One S will be offered by T-Mobile.
The final member of the family, One V, resurrects the HTC Legend’s design from 2010 for an entry/mid-level Android offering. The phone features a 1 GHz single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S2, 3.7″ WVGA screen, 4GB of internal storage, 512 MB RAM, 5 MP camera (with f/2.0 aperture, 720p video recording), 115 gram weight, and a 1500mAh battery.
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Windows Mobile 6.1 now running as app on Windows Phone 7
Feb 19th
A YouTube video posted by the Dark Force Team (DFT), a well-known smartphone hacking group, shows Windows Mobile 6.1 running within WML — some sort of emulator — on an HTC Windows Phone 7.5 handset. The old OS shows up just like an app, so you can use Windows Phone 7′s task switcher to switch away from it and instantly resume later. The emulator features on-screen buttons that simulate hardware buttons for Windows Mobile.
Despite WML being at an early stage of development, with no technical details provided, Windows Mobile seems to perform quite well in it — even games and full-screen movie playback work seamlessly. If DFT can give the emulator full functionality (like networking support), it could become very useful for anyone who wants to use legacy Windows Mobile apps — or just wants a stroll down memory lane.
No word on when WML will be available to download, but DFT says a version that includes the more touch-friendly Windows Mobile 6.5 is in the works.
Video after the break.
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Microsoft unveils new Windows 8 logo
Feb 18th
Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system is shaping up to be one of the most significant updates in the company’s history, featuring a new Windows Phone-inspired Metro tile interface, support for ARM processors (so the same OS will run everything from a tablet or netbook to a workstation), and much more. Now the winds of change have reached the Windows logo as well. A new post on the Windows team blog explains that Microsoft turned for advice to design agency Pentagram, which asked a simple but pointed question: ”your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?”
The design process resulted in a four-paned window that looks a bit more in line with the Metro design language. That said, both Metro and “Swiss design,” which the post cites as inspiration, are about flat, 2D surfaces, and this logo has a tilt. Windows Phone tiles do rotate when loading, but the 3D effect is only during animation– it’s all flat once loaded. In any case, Microsoft says the new logo will change colors to match the user’s desktop.
Windows logos through history
See the Windows team blog post for the full design story.
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Scientists create world’s smallest electric vehicle
Nov 19th
Electric vehicles are now seen as the future of the auto industry, but the latest EV on the block is a bit too small to carry passengers. Scientists led by Ben Feringa of the University of Groningen have developed the world’s small electric car– a single molecule with four motors. Nanocars have been created before, but they’ve been propelled by scanning microscopes, light, or heat, rather than electricity.
Feringa’s team had previously developed molecular motors, so they attached four such motors to a synthetic molecule. When electrons are fired at the car (no batteries needed!), the molecular motors change shape, pushing the nanocar forward across a copper surface. Since the four wheels are propelled independently, the car can be steered as well.
The system is run at low temperatures in a vacuum to keep the molecules at rest — otherwise they’d move around naturally. Eventually, Feringa’s team aims to be able to control the vehicle at room temperature and have it travel longer distances. This could lead to the development of more complex nanomachines in the future.
Chemical structure
Interestingly, some of the nanocar’s features may come to full-size EVs in the near future. Independent wheel hub motors are over a century old (and powered Ferdinand Porsche‘s first car in 1900), but may finally hit production in a few years’ time. At the same time, research efforts are focusing on wireless power transmission– imagine electrified highways that bypass local battery storage entirely. It may not work at room temperature yet, but it seems this nanocar does have today’s macro-cars beat in a few areas.
Source: Discovery
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Android on a Budget: Huawei Ideos X5 U8800 Unboxing / Hands-on Video
Nov 13th
Is a smooth Android experience possible on a limited budget? We decided to find out by checking out the Huawei Ideos X5 U8800. At under $300 unlocked, unsubsidized, it’s one of the cheapest phones with an ARMv7 processor (needed for any semblance of smoothness in Android). The phone features a 3.8″ WVGA LCD, 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512 MB RAM, 1500 mAh battery, and an MicroSD slot (4GB card included), and runs Android 2.2 (Froyo).
The results? Watch our full video unboxing and hands-on below the break to find out.
Oh and yes, a bit after 13 minutes, we found a nice bug - if you lock the phone while in the camera app, it’ll become stuck upon waking.
More >
Leaked: Nokia 800 Windows Phone
Oct 19th
Nokia is set to launch its new Windows Phones at Nokia World next week, but some renders have leaked of the 800, formerly code named Sea Ray. The phone sports the Meego-based N9′s industrial design language, paired with a 3.7″ screen and Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango). It should be available in black, blue, and pink.
Some other findings from these images: Nokia has replaced Windows Phone’s default Segoe WP font with its own font, Pure, and the phone shows Nokia Music, so where will Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace go?
Rumored specs include: 3.7″ ClearBlack AMOLED screen, 1.4 GHz Qualcomm CPU, 16GB storage, 8 MP camera with Carl Zeiss lens, 1540 mAh battery.
Source: PocketNow
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Steve Jobs passes away
Oct 5th
Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and former CEO, has died at the age of 56. Jobs had been diagnosed with an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor (a rare type of pancreatic cancer), and despite a liver transplant in April 2009, his health continued to deteriorate. Jobs’ vision and passion drove Apple to great heights and will certainly have a lasting impact on the world. Apple released the following statement:
Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.
If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com
Source: Apple
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Apple announces iPhone 4S: A5 processor, HSDPA/CDMA, 8 MP, dual antenna
Oct 4th
Many expected Apple to launch a redesigned iPhone 5 at its phone event earlier today, but the company instead announced the iPhone 4S, an upgraded iPhone 4 that includes:
- Dual-core Apple A5 processor (ARM Cortex A9)
- Both HSDPA and CDMA radios built in (instead of separate variants, as in the iPhone 4)
- 8 MP camera with 1080p video recording
- Dual antenna (to split send/receive and address iPhone 4 “death grip” issues)
- Siri voice control
Apple also announced a Find My Friends feature that lets iPhone users track their friends on a map, similar to Google Latitude.
In the US, the new phone will be available on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint for $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), and $399 (64GB) on a 2-year contract. Meanwhile the iPhone 4 (16GB) will drop to $99 and the iPhone 3GS will be free, both on 2-year contracts.
Presales of the iPhone 4S begin Friday, and the phone should hit stores by October 14.
Source: Apple
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Microsoft discontinues Zune HD
Oct 3rd
As long suspected, Microsoft is discontinuing its dedicated Zune music players, instead focusing on the Zune music service that runs on Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Microsoft will continue to honor warranties on the Zune HD and other models. An update on the Zune site says, ”Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy…we will no longer be producing Zune players.”
Source: Zune.net
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