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Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE unboxing and initial hands on review

Thai govt. signs $32.8 million deal to purchase Android tablets for education

The Next Web has reported that the Thailand government has inked a deal that would see them carry out the widest educational tablet deployment to date. They will be purchasing 400,000 Android 4.0 tablets from Shenzhen Scope at $81 a pop. They might even purchase another 530,000 tablets, bringing the total spend to $75.7 million.Fortunately, [...]

Apple blames Samsung for intentionally destroying evidence

Last May 1st was full of tension in the Northern District of California. Same place where Apple filed a motion asserting that Samsung purposely destroyed evidence that would aid in Apple’s victory. Said conduct is known as “spoilation of evidence,” and Apple is asking that the Judge educates the Jury about said matter.According to the [...]

Google to buy Meebo?

Motorola could be Google’s largest acquisition, but the company has many more plans and projects. And according to the latest rumors, the Search Giant is currently in the talks for purchasing Meebo.If you haven’t heard of it, Meebo is a social network / chat client / tool bar service. And sources are indicating that this [...]

Will Apple’s upcoming Map app beat Google Maps?

It seems Google could be losing its crown as the King of mapping and navigation soon. Google Maps has been the best of its category for many years, and it is a life-saver for mobile devices. Rumors are indicating that Apple has something under its, sleeve, though, and it will “blow your head off.”9to5Mac and [...]

Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE unboxing and initial hands on review

May 14th, 2012

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The 3rd generation of the EVO will arrive on Sprint on May 18th for $199. Original EVO owners have been waiting for a reason to finally upgrade after last year’s flop, the EVO 3D. The EVO 4G LTE is a variant of the HTC One X, which is the best Android phone available now. Sprint worked with HTC to give this phone a more “EVO” look, which seems to be a love or hate it feeling with original EVO owners. The wanted to give customers a micro SD slot (not on the global version) for expanded storage, and with that came a shiny slide-out cover on the top back that just doesn’t look right because the bottom half is anodized aluminum. For whatever reason HTC didn’t feel they could go with the anodized aluminum on the top cover. I’m no phone designer, but did it have to be so shiny? This is my only complaint, but if I’m a Sprint customer, I can look past it because this is the best phone, and the next one down isn’t in the same “zip code.”

Other differences from the global HTC is a bigger battery at 2000 mAh, a dedicated camera shutter button, LTE compatibility, HD Voice, and the EVO signature kickstand that fits beautifully in its place. The final difference from the global version is the processor. Like the AT&T version of the One X, the EVO 4G LTE gets the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor clocked at 1.5 GHz. Again this is for LTE compatibility since the NVIDIA Tegra 3 isn’t compatible.

Speaking of LTE, it hasn’t launched yet, but should sometime in June. The first six markets include Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio. It’s a little bit of a Debbie Downer that LTE isn’t available now, but if you consider most consumers will be signing up for 2 years, LTE should hopefully be in major areas by then.

The full specs include a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) Super LCD 2 display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, micro SD slot for up to an additional 32GB of storage, 8MP camera rear camera with ImageSense, 1.3MP front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, WiFi, HDMI through MHL port, mirco USB, Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, and Sense 4.0.

We will do a full review, but for now checkout the initial hands on.

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» See more articles by Robert Nazarian

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Thai govt. signs $32.8 million deal to purchase Android tablets for education

May 14th, 2012

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Fortunately, instead of purchasing crap like the Indian government did, they’ve focused on ensuring the hardware in the tablet would actually be usable. The $81 Scopad SP0712 tablet runs Ice Cream Sandwich, has a 7 inch screen (as expected), 8 GB of storage, 1 GB RAM and GPS. Shenzhen Scope is bullish that they could attract deals with governments from other countries, too.

“Thailand is the first country in which we have provided large numbers of tablets for students. Now we are talking with other governments to provide this kind of tablet device for [other] students, including Pakistan, Brazil and South Africa,” chairman Liu Jun said.

[via The Next Web]

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Apple blames Samsung for intentionally destroying evidence

May 14th, 2012

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According to the iPhone manufacturer, Samsung did this intentionally, so as to not give Apple the needed information to come to a better conclusion. “Vast quantities of relevant evidence in blatant disregard of its duty to preserve all such evidence.”

Samsung is scheduled for an official reply on May 15, with a hearing set for July 7th. But the Korean Manufacturer is asking for an extension, as the Company would have to review “thousands of pages of documents and voluminous pages of deposition testimony” in order to provide a valid argument on the matter. If the Court grants Samsung said extension, the hearing would be set back to July 10, with a May 29th brief from the Galaxy makers.

If Apple is found victorious, Samsung could be accused of intentionally, and knowingly, infringing on Apple’s patents. Yes, things just might be getting pretty ugly.

[Via: Network World]

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May 14th, 2012

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Google to buy Meebo?

May 14th, 2012

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If you haven’t heard of it, Meebo is a social network / chat client / tool bar service. And sources are indicating that this is not exactly the cheapest company to purchase. It could cost Google $100 million.

But why exactly would Google purchase this company? Google has a social network – Google+. It also has Google Talk. Would Google really purchase a $100 million-dollar company to have a form of tool bar with persistent social networking and chat capabilities?

Maybe it would be a good idea to have a form of unified chatting client for Google Talk. One that you could use wherever you may be browsing through. Or they could somehow integrate Meebo’s social network to Google+? Anything we could mention would be nothing but a wild guess. But it is always good to try to speculate, so what do you think?

[Source: All Things Digital Via: Electronista]

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Will Apple’s upcoming Map app beat Google Maps?

May 14th, 2012

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9to5Mac and All Things Digital’s sources are indicating that Apple’s multiple mapping company acquisitions are finally coming to fruition with the next iteration of iOS. All signs indicate that Apple will be leaving Google Maps behind and introducing a 3D, realistic imaging map service.

This would be a product of one of Apple’s acquired companies, C3 Technologies. Such map application could display your favorite places with life-like textures and 3D models. It would be a mixture of Google Maps’ 3D buildings and satellite images, which does seem rather mind-blowing. And we could be seeing more about this during WWDC, or whenever the next version of iOS is announced.

We haven’t heard anything about any possible responses from Google. But this could be the start of a fierce battle between mapping services, as well as yet another competing factor for the never-ending fight between Android and iOS. Do you think this will be next iOS’ “ground-breaking innovation,” much like Siri claimed to be for iOS 5? And if so, is Google Maps in trouble?

[Via: All Things Digital]

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ASUS releases official Padfone demo video – are you getting one?

May 14th, 2012

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The ASUS Padfone is arguably the most innovative device of CES (it even got a price for it). Just how far will it get, though? ASUS has definitely managed to build a great reputation for itself, in the Android community. But if you aren’t already anticipating this release, ASUS is hoping to change that with the latest demo video, which displays all the awesome features the smartphone/tablet/netbook provides.

All in all, the device seems to offer some great functionality and unified ecosystem. The fact that is is manufactured by ASUS also means that it will probably be getting updates in a very timely fashion. Something that has become a huge deciding factor when picking an Android device.

We still do not know if/when this device will hit the US, but it is nearing its International launch. If you would like us to send you a notification when it goes live, don’t forget to sign up for it in our Phone Guide. But tell us, are you hoping to get your hands all over one of these?

[Via: Android Police]

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Huawei Ascend Y200 Entry-Level Phone Coming To U.S.

May 14th, 2012

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Huawei teased us with its high-end Ascend D Quad a few days ago at CTIA, but it still has its feet firmly planted on entry-level soil. The Huawei Ascend Y200, also shown at CTIA, is an example of a phone that’s perfect for teenagers, smartphone first-timers, or anyone on a budget. The “Y” stands for “Youth”, which is how Huawei is positioning devices with slower processors, smaller screens, and lower camera specs. The Y200 sports the following specs:

Single-core 1GHz processor3.5-inch 320 x 480 resolution display3.2 megapixel camera1,400 mAh batteryAndroid 2.3 Gingerbread

This is definitely a lower-end phone. It should be coming to U.S. carriers some time in the next couple of months, though we don’t know which yet. Pricing has also not been announced.

source: cnet
via: phonearena

» See more articles by Ed Caggiani

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android Phones

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Digitimes: Amazon to release color e-readers later this year, 6 millions units to be shipped in 2012

May 12th, 2012

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amazon-kindle-fire-touch

While not long ago, e-book readers were rudimentary devices far off from the capabilities of tablets, the thin line between a basic e-reader and a more complex slate becomes increasingly thinner and thinner and thinner.

Amazon is the most important company “responsible” for mixing things up and the makers of the Kindle Fire are apparently planning to “confuse” us even more. Aside from preparing the release of a bunch of new tablets, set to take the Fire’s popularity to new heights, Amazon is reportedly prepping the launch of at least one color e-book reader as well.

Unknown “industry sources” cited by Digitimes told the website that Amazon’s new color e-book readers will be made available in the second half of 2012, with related components already set to start shipping.

Amazon’s current line-up of e-book readers includes the mono-color Kindles, which are available at prices between $79 and $189. For its future e-readers, Amazon will be using multi-touch capacitive touch panels, if Digitimes’ sources prove reliable, instead of the infrared touch panels used in the first four generations of the Kindle reader.

The sources also reveal the company that will supply Amazon with the touch panels needed to go through with these bold plans. TPK Holding has helped Amazon with the Kindle Fire’s manufacturing last year. However, in 2011, TPK Holding was not Amazon’s exclusive partner for the Fire (Wintek and JTouch also supplied touch panels), while in this particular case the collaboration might be on a larger scale.

Digitimes adds that E Ink Holdings, the company that provides the electronic ink technology for both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, is planning to unveil color electronic paper displays (EPD) in the near future. Amazon might adopt this color e-ink technology as well, which might mean that we will see two types of color e-readers launched by Jeff Bezos’ company in 2012.

Finally, according to current estimations, Amazon is expected to ship six million e-book readers in 2012. However, it is not specified if the number refers to total predicted sales of e-readers, including the old devices, or just the new color ones.

The entire report should be taken with a big grain of salt, as there is not one single piece of information confirmed from official sources. Also, we are talking about Digitimes here, and the website has a past record of starting up rumors based on “dubious” sources.

However, there might be some truth behind the story after all, so you should keep in touch with our website to find out exactly what Amazon is planning for 2012. Stay tuned!

SOURCES Digitimes

TAGS Amazone-bookeReaderKindle

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Samsung touts the virtues of its hardware, takes a subtle jab at Apple [Video]

May 12th, 2012

dantek

Samsung is not only the largest smartphone maker in the world, but also a top supplier of electronic components, from hi-resolution displays to processors and memory modules. It’s no secret that Samsung provides many of the components found in Apple’s wildly popular iPhone and iPad devices, including the much-touted Retina display and the A5X chip that powers the new iPad. A new online campaign highlights both Samsung technological prowess and the weird relationship it enjoys with its Cupertino-based arch-frenemy.

In The Conspirators, Samsung presents some of the problems that modern electronics users have come to know and dread – slow loading times, short battery lives, and freezes. First world problems? Yes, but don’t tell anyone!

The three lighthearted clips that make up the campaign introduce us to the villains, Battery Brutus, Fiona Freeze, and Loading Ball Larry. We see Loading Ball Larry, a sleazy leisure-suit type, who interrupts all kinds of important moments with his annoying load animation. The spooky Fiona Freeze just loves to freeze devices, using a rusty tank that she drags around, like that psycho hitman in No Country for Old Men. Finally, Battery Brutus lumbers around, sucking the juice out of the devices of unsuspecting users.

Of course, Samsung has a solution to all these pesky problems – its memory modules. The tech giant promises better performance and less energy consumption, no matter the device – smartphones, cameras, tablets, laptops, or TVs. The overarching theme is you should buy devices equipped with Samsung memory, although I find this marketing strategy a little odd. I mean, how many consumers actually look up the components of a device, and more than that, who makes those components?

Anyway, to wrap it up, Samsung just couldn’t help to take a jab at Apple again. The colorful ball that Loading Ball Larry keeps throwing around bears a resemblance to the “spinning beach ball of death” that Mac users know too well.

Here are the videos, judge for yourselves.

SOURCES Samsung

TAGS AppleSamsungSamsung vs Apple

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