This is rather amusing. The Google android 4.3 camera app offered a new interface as shown below.
Look carefully at the last icon on the right which switches between front and rear cameras.
Yep, it is the Nexus 5 image and it’s been there all the time!
The tablet wars are really hotting up now.
Argos has launched its first own-brand Android tablet computer in time for the Christmas shopping season. It is manufactured by Bush.
The tablet is a 7 inch sized device and will retail for £100. It has Android 4.2.2 installed.
The Argos MyTablet will come pre-loaded with apps and games, including Angry Birds and BBC iPlayer.
Tesco’s Hudl launched last month selling at £120. Apple is about to launch it’s updated range of iPads and iPad Minis.
The tablet is available in pink or silver aluminium, is aimed at the market of eight- to 13-year-olds. It has parental controls already enabled.
The MyTablet features a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, a 1024 x 600 resolution LCD glass screen, 8GB of built-in memory, and wi-fi and bluetooth connectivity.
Where can the profit be for such cheap tablets?
Below are the official specs are the new HTC One Max. The first disappointment is that it is not using the new Qualcomm S800 processor. It still has the old S600 found in the HTC One. It also is more plastic with the same finish as per the HTC One Mini. This phone is heavy at 217g. Compared to the Samsung Note 3 at 168g there is a vast difference. Also the Note 3 is 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm. So be prepared to got lost holding the One Max. Also it appears Beats Audio is missing and Optical Image Stabilisation.The omission of OIS is dreadful. A large phone like this will be more prone to movement when snapping a photo, so OIS will be needed more not less. There are many positives as noted below in the specs for example a memory card slot and a side mounted power button.
And don’t expect the fingerprint scanner to work as well as the one on the iPhone 5S.
SIZE: 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm
WEIGHT: 217g
DISPLAY: 5.9” Full HD 1080p
CPU SPEED:
• Qualcomm® Snapdragon 600, 1.7GHz quad-core CPUs
PLATFORM
• Android 4.3 with HTC Sense 5.5
• HTC BlinkFeed
MEMORY
• Total storage: 16GB/32GB
• RAM: 2GB
• Expansion card slot: Supports microSD memory card for up to 64GB additional storage (card not included)
NETWORK:
• 2G/ 2.5G – GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• 3G – UMTS/ HSPA:
EMEA: 900/1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 42 Mbps
Asia: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 42 Mbps
Sprint: 1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 14.4 Mbps
Verizon: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 14.4 Mbps
• 3G – CDMA
Sprint & Verizon: 800/1900 MHz
• 4G – LTE:
EMEA: 800/900/1800/2600 MHz Asia: 900/1800/2100/2600 MHz Sprint: 1900 MHz
Verizon: 700 MHz
SIM:
• micro SIM
SENSORS
• Gyro sensor
• Accelerometer
• Proximity sensor
• Ambient light sensor
• Fingerprint scanner
CONNECTIVITY
• 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
• NFC
• Bluetooth® 4.0 with aptX enabled
• Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n
• DLNA® for wirelessly streaming media from
the phone to a compatible TV or computer
• HTC Connect
• Support consumer infrared remote control
• micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-
definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection (Special cable required for HDMI connection.)
SOUND
• HTC BoomSound – Dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers
• Sense Voice
CAMERA
• HTC UltraPixel Camera
• BSI sensor, Pixel size 2.0 μm, Sensor size 1/3′
• Dedicated HTC ImageChip 2
• f/2.0 aperture and 28 mm lens
• Smart Flash: Five levels of flash automatically set by distance to subject
• 1080p Full HD video recording with HDR video
• Front Camera: 2.1 MP, 88° wide angle lens with HDR capability
• Front Camera: 1080p Full HD video recording.
• HTC Zoe with Sequence Shot, Always Smile and Object Removal
• Gallery with Video Highlights and HTC Share
• Continuous shooting and VideoPic – Slow motion video recording with variable speed playback
MULTIMEDIA
Audio supported formats:
Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, wma (Windows Media Audio 9)
Recording: .amr
Video supported formats:
Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3)
Recording: .mp4
BATTERY
• Embedded rechargeable Li-polymer battery
• Capacity: 3300 mAh
• Talk time:
Up to 25 hours for WCDMA
Up to 28 hours for CDMA
• Standby time:
Up to 585 hours for WCDMA
Up to 393 hours for CDMA
GPS
• GPS/AGPS
• Digital Compass
AC ADAPTER
• Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
• DC output: 5V and 1.5A
Below is the official press release from HTC. The specifications will be on another post.
THE HTC ONE® GETS SUPERSIZED WITH THE HTC ONE MAX
World’s best smartphone now in 5.9” with new and improved HTC Sense 5.5 ® experience
London, October 15, 2013 — HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced the HTC One max, a super-sized smartphone that brings the award- winning design, functionality and performance of the HTC One to fans of larger handsets. A new Fingerprint Scan feature takes convenience to a new level while acclaimed features including HTC BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe and HTC BoomSound, combined with the new HTC Sense 5.5, which are all enhanced to continue to deliver the best overall smartphone experience, now on a larger screen.
“The addition of the HTC One max means that we now have an HTC One phone for everyone. The family has been built on quality and game-changing innovations and the HTC One max is certainly no exception,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “The upgrade to HTC Sense 5.5 will provide our most amazing mobile experience yet, with the HTC One max delivering the size and power required to do everything you want, and more, without compromise.”
Big and powerful.The HTC One max’s 5.9” full HD1080p display is perfect for enjoying photos, videos and movies on the go. Smooth and efficient performance comes courtesy of a quad-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon 600 processor featuring a quad-core 1.7 GHz CPU enabling jaw-dropping performance, ultra vivid videos and booming sound. Whether you’re watching videos in stunning HD, playing games or checking out what’s hot online, the HTC One max sounds amazing, looks sharp and keeps working when you need it.
The 16GB or 32GB onboard memory can be expanded thanks to a microSD card slot, with a massive 50GB of additional free Google Drive online storage being offered exclusively to HTC One max owners’.
The large 3300mAh embedded battery means that this level of performance will last and last. Even the most intensive users will find the HTC One max is up to the challenge thanks to the optional HTC Power Flip Case, a stylish 1200mAh battery expansion for your HTC One max which offers both protection and extra juice when you need it most.
Maximum convenience at your fingertips. The average person checks their phone multiple times a day, so the HTC One max welcomes a new era of convenience and advanced functionality thanks to a built-in Fingerprint Scan feature. Located on the back of the device, the fingerprint scanner allows users to lock or unlock the screen and quickly launch up to three favourite applications by assigning an individual finger to each.
More content than ever before.The HTC One max’s Sense 5.5 upgrade comes with a more social, personalised HTC BlinkFeed that can be further refined by customisable topic categories and new integration with premium content providers including Instagram, Tumblr and Google+. Up to 120 articles can also be downloaded for offline viewing, making BlinkFeed even better for snacking on information wherever and whenever you are.
Ultimate imaging. Featuring HTC’s UltraPixel camera technology, HTC Zoe mode, that brings your photos to life, and a 2.1MP front-facing camera, the HTC One max will capture stunning photos and full HD 1080p videos whether you’re the photographer, the subject or both. Dual Capture means you can now snap memorable moments and your reaction to them in one extraordinary photo or video by simultaneously shooting with the front and rear cameras.
Improved imaging is also introduced through Video Highlights, which combines your photos and videos to create a mini movie complete with the soundtrack and visual theme of your choice. And with the HTC One max, your Video Highlights can now be any length you want.
Design at its Best. Available in Glacial Silver, the HTC One max shares the same premium design credentials as the rest of the HTC One family, providing an all round exceptional experience.
Global Availability.The HTC One max will begin rolling out across the globe from mid – end October. See specific regions for details.
On Saturday, I somehow ended up in the Apple Store Plymouth and exited with the Netatmo Urban Weather Station.
Later on in the week I will review it in more detail as it does an awful lot. In essence you get 2 sensors, one indoors and the other for outside. It all connects via wifi to your wireless network, and the setup is done by connecting your phone to the indoor sensor that then proceeds to setup the units.
The aim is to have accurate indoor and outdoor weather data. From temperature, air quality, co2 levels indoors, sound levels, forecasts and more. You can check what’s happening using the android or iOS app, or even log into the web app on your PC anywhere in the world.
You can even open up access to friends or other weather fanatics.
Below is a screenshot from the weather station. Top half is outside. Bottom is indoors and co2 levels. There are many many other views but these will be covered in the main review.
A few days ago, I awoke around 3am. I decided to see if anything major had occurred in the tech world, and the only thing I could see was the Samsung Note 3 on Amazon UK had finally dropped in price to £579 instead of its mouth watering £699.
The Note 3 fascinates me. I decided to get the iPhone 5S instead, but the Note 3 keeps calling out to me. It is probably the geek in me that is drawn by this massive specification device. So there I was a 3am browsing Amazon. And then as easy as one two three, I had added the Note 3 to my basket, paid and went back to bed.
And then whilst sleeping, I kept thinking why did I get the Note 3. Is it really going to be a better offering than the iPhone 5S. Yes, I would have a larger screen and potentially longer battery runtimes but what else. When you start to pull apart the extra features you soon realise they don’t really matter. I would lose one handed use. The 5S camera and its software is truly fantastic. I would lose a phone that just works really well across everything aspect. My Sony QX100 hub lens fits really well over the 5S. It wouldn’t fit over the Note 3. So as I slept, I realised that even though on paper the Note 3 has a bigger specification, in reality I would be worse off. So I awoke out of my sleep at 4am, opened the Amazon app on my iPhone 5S, and cancelled my Note 3 order. All actioned one handed and in seconds.
I have now decided to wait until Apple’s Keynote iPad speech on 22nd October, as I believe more of the hidden functionality of iOS 7 will be announced. After that, I will decide if the Note 3 is worth a try. Somehow, I don’t think I will be adding it to my list of devices.
If you are using the Note 3, perhaps you could add in the comments how your experience is going.
Either it was a coincidence, or it was ruthless planning, but Apple and Nokia/Microsoft are both holding special events on 22nd October 2013.
Most people will want to attend the Apple event, so who on earth will be at the Nokia/Microsoft event on the same day?
Perhaps Google can try and upstage everyone and announce the Nexus 5 on the same day!
I was asked the other day if I could show photos of the Sony QX10 and QX100 attached to the iPhone 5S so that their sizes could be compared. So below are some photos with the lenses attached to the iPhone 5S. To recap on my reviews of both and other posts click here https://gavinsgadgets.wordpress.com/?s=sony+qx&submit=Search .
First up is the Sony QX10 in white with the iPhone 5S. Front and side views.
And now side view.
And now for the QX100. Clearly larger too.
And the side view.
Whilst the photos depict the lenses with the iPhone 5S, these also work on other iPhones and android devices. And if you have the Sony Xperia Z or Z1, you can buy a special Sony back case that allows the clamp section to be removed from the lens, and then attached directly to the case. Pic of case ACX2 below.
Head over to Samsung’s UK website http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/galaxy-note/smartphones/SM-N9005ZWEBTU-reviews/ask-and-answer and you will see the following answer in the Q and A.
Question. Will i be able to use my phone abroad with a different sim? i travel to Malaysia soon from UK for a few months and plan to buy a local sim card to use. I have heard rumors this isnt the case and so i would like to ensure that i can get a full refund if i cannot use my phone in another country on a local sim. These details are no where to be found on your website and also nothing is mentioned in the specs on the wesbite i bought my phone from.
Answer.
Samsung E-Support 2 days ago
Hi,
The regional lock means the product is only compatible with a SIM card issued from a mobile operator within the region identified on the sticker of the product package.
Once a device is activated normally, the regional SIM lock is automatically released.
Thanks.
Got £2,750 floating around and fancy a real gold phone. Then HTC has the answer.
HTC has announced a new model – an 18ct gold HTC One. Only five copies will be made to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the MOBO awards, which honors which honors black artists and urban music in the UK.
Only one problem. 18ct gold scratches easily. So not a good design choice.
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